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INTERNATIONAL I
Human Rights: Can Canes Correct Kids? 17
Cover Story: Old Questions:
Aging Matters in Modern India 22
Math-a-Magician: Manjul Bhargava
Chalks Up the Morgan Prize 28
Economics: Dr. S.K. Bajaj Unearths the
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Religion and State: India's High Court
Mandates Temple Management 49
Honored: 199i s Temyleton Prize,
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Cliillienge: Tragedy Reveals Artist's Gift 27
Astrology: When Mars Meets Saturn 27
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Business: America Likes Mantras 40
• Music: Professorial Percussionist 47
Children: Toddlers' Tailored Toys 48
OPINION
Publisher's Desk: Exploring the Difference
Between Good Money and Bad 6
Editorial: The Kwest for Komedy 8
My Turn: Our Venerable Elders 10
Letters 14
Healing: Growing ~nto W6~anhood 44
Minis,ter's Message: Vegetarian Dharma 50
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PUBLISHER'S DESK
Good Money,
Bad Money
~~-------------
Bad money can never do good deeds.
Nor can good money used wrongly reap right results.
BY SATGURU SIVAYA SUBRAMUNIYASWAMI
Y SATGURU, THE VENERABLE
Sage Yogaswami, discriminat-
ed between good money and
bad money and taught us all
this lesson. Money coming
from dharmas honest labor was pre-
cious to him to receive, and he used it
wisely in promoting the mission of the
mission of his lineage. Money coming
from adharmic attainments was dis-
tasteful to him. He warned that such
gifts would, when spent, bring the
demons from the Narakaioka into the
sanctum sanctorum of our shrines to
create havoc in the minds of devotees. This has been the unsought-
for reward for receiving bad money-funds gained through ill-got-
ten means-for 'many ashrams this century. One day a rich mer-
chant came to Yogaswami's hut with a big silver tray piled with
gold coins and other wealth. Yogaswami, knowing the man made
his money in wrongful ways, kicked the tray on the ground and
sent the man away.
Yes, there is such a thing as good and bad money, because, after
all, money is energy. Why is money energy? Money gives energy.
Money is power. Money is a form o£prana captured in paper, in
silver and most importantly in gold. Actually, gold is real money,
the basis of all paper money, coinage, checks and bank drafts. All
the money in the world fluctuates in value according to the price
of gold, as far as I know: And, mystically, if you have gold in YOl,lf
home or your corporation-I mean real gold-your real wealth will
increase according to the quantity of gold th~ you have.
Good money is righteous money, funds derived from a righteous
source, earned by helping people, not hurting people, serving peo-
ple, not cheating them, making people happy, fulfilling their needs.
This is righteous money. Righ~ous money does good things. When
spent or invested, it yields right results that are long lasting and
will always give fruit and many ~eeds to grow with its interest and
dividends from the capital gains.
On the contrary, bad money does bad things-money earned
through selling arms, drugs, taking bribes, manipulating divorce,
performing abortions, gambling, fraud, theft-money gained
through a hundred dark and devious ways. Bad money issues from
a Dad intent which precedes a wrongdoing for gain or profit. That
is bad money. When spent or invested, it can be expected to bring
unexpected negative consequences. Good money is suitable for
building temples and other institutions that do good for p~ople.
Bad money is sometimes gifted to build temples or other social
6 HINDUISM TODAY. MA¥ , 1997
institutions, but often only to ease the
conscience of the person who commit-
ted sins to gain the money. Nothing
good will come of it. The institution will
faiL The temple will be a museum, its
darshan nil; its ghakti, though expected
to be present, will be nonexistent. Bad
money provokes bad acts which are long
lasting, and it sours good acts within a
short span of time within the lives of
the people who receive it.
In 1991 I composed an aphorism to
guide those who have sought my opinion
on this matter. It says, ''All seekers of
truth know bad money can never do
good deeds and refuse soiled funds from
any source. Nor can good money us.ed
wrongly reap right results. Ill-gotten
money is never well-spent, but has a
curse upon it. Aum."
Some postulate that using bad money
for good purposes purifies it. That is a
very unknowledgable and improper con-
cept, bec~use prana, which is money,
cannot be transformed so frivolously.
Many among this group of misguided or
naive individuals have lived to witness
their own destruction through the use
of tainted wealth. Also, 'we come into
the illegality of laundering money. Mon-
ey cannot be laundered by religious in-
stitutions. Money cannot be legally laun-
dered by banks. Money cannot be
laundered by individuals. FUrther, we
kno"! that those who give ill-gotten
bounty mQney to a religious institution
will subtly but aggressively seek to infil-
trate, dilute and eventually control the
entire facility, including the swami, his monastic staff, members
and students. If bad money is accepted, it will bring an avalanche
of adharma leading to the dissolution of the fellowships that have
succumbed, after which a new cycle would have to begin, of build-
ing back their fundamental. policies to dharma once again.
My own satguru set a noble example of living simply, only
overnighting in the homes of disciples who live up to their vows
and only accepting good money. He knew that accepting bad
Gun money: A man sells weapons of destruction to a mercenary
(above), then offers it to the head of an ashram in a misguided at-
tempt to purify it and ease his conscience. The sainVis not fo oled.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . " . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . u~ ..................... u ......... .
Sanskrit as shukladana. Reject bad, or black, money-called krish-
nadana. If you don't know where the money came from, then tact-
fully find out in some way. How does the donor earn his living?
Did the money come from performing abortions, gambling, ac-
cepting bribes, adharmic practices of law or shady business deal-
ings? Is it being given to ease the conscience?
Even today's election candidates examine the source of dona-
tions exceeding $10,000 or more-investigating into how the per-
son lives aI'\d how the money was gotten-then either receive the
gift wholeheartedly or turn it back. When the source is secret, the
source of gain is suspect. When the source is freely divulged,.:it is
freed from such apprehension. In the Devaloka, here are devas,
angels, who monitor carefully, 24-hours a day, the sources of gain
leading to wealth, because the pranic bonds are heavy for the
wrongdoer and his accomplices.
Imagine, for instance, an arms seller who buys his merchandise
surreptitiously and then sells it secretly or in a store-shotguns and
pistols, machine guns, grenades and missles-instruments of tor-
ture and death. Money from this enterprise invested in a religious I
institution or educational institution or anything that is doing good
for people will eventually turn that institution sour, just like
putting vinegar into milk.
The spiritual leader's duty is to turn his or Her back to such a
panderer of bad money and show him the door, just as an honest
politician would turn back election donations coming from a sub-
versive source, gained by hurtful practices, lest he suffer the cen-
sure of his constituancy at a later time, which he hopes to avoid to
hold his office. A politician has to protect his reputation. The spiri-
tualleader will intuitively refuse bad money. He doesn't need
money. When money comes, he does things. If it doesn't come, he
also does things but in a different way.
In Reno, Nevada, for many years the. gambling casinos gave col-
lege scholarships to students at high schools. Then there came a
time of conscience among educators when they could no longer
accept these scholarships earned from the sin of ~ambling to send
children forward into higher studies. They did not feel in their
heart, mind and soul that it was right. Drawing from their exam-
ple, we extend the boundaries of religion to education and to the
human consc'ience of right conduct on this Earth.
Humans haven't changed that much. Over 2,000 years ag9, Saint
Tiruvalluvar wrote in his Holy Kural, perhaps the world's greatest
ethical scripture, sworn·on in Indian courts of law in Tamil Nadu:
The worst poverty of worthy men is more worthwhile
than the v.;ildest wealth amassed in wlcked ways (657).
What is gained by tears will go by tears. Though it begins
with loss, in the end goodness gives many good things (659).
Protecting the country by wrongly garnered wealth
is like pre; erving water in an unb~ked pot of clay (660).
Riches acquired by mindful means, in a manner that harms
no one, will bring both piety and pleasure (verse 754).
money brings in the asuras and binds the receiver, the ashram or Wealth acquired without compassion and love
institution to the external world In a web of obligations. How does is to be eschewed, not embraced (verse 755).
one know if he has received bad money? When feelings of psycho-
logicai obligation to the giver arise. T his feeling does not arise after A fortune amassed by fraud may appear to prosper
good money is given freely for God's work. Bad money is given but all too soon perish altogether (verse 283).
with strings and guilt attached.
Our message to religious institutions, ashrams and colleges is: 'F inding delight in defrauding others yields the fruit
don't take bad money. Look for good, or white, money-known in of undying suffering when those delights ripen (verse 284).
MAY, 1997 H I NDU ISM TOD AY ?

\~~~~~~~~~-~
EDITORIAL
What~'s So Funny
About Hinduism?
In our kosmic kwest for komedy, we stu1Jlble
on ancient and farce-seeing Indian texts
BY THE EDITOR
H , RELIGION, THAT SOBER, SOMBER, SOMNIFEROUS
science, so soulful and oh-so-solemn. Perhaps. But only one
whose funny bone has been surgically removed would re-
main unaware of the rich, even zany, Hindu comic tradi-
tion (believe me, writing a humorous editorial for Islam
Today or Shintoism Today would pose greater challenges). That it
is widely ignored may be due to the fact that India's cultural and
philosophical gifts are often approached with reverence, even awe.
So the playful parodies perish, whacky wisdom is waived and
mirthful merriment maligned. This is a loss for us alL In his Anato-
my of Satire, Gilbert Highet noted, "If you want to understand any
age, you ought to read not-only its heroic and philosophical books,
but its comic and satirical books." In Indian aesthetics, comedy is
called hasya-rasa (from hasa, laughter) and is one of nine "tastes,"
of which some others are heroism, fear, tranquility and love.
As with most things plebeian and profound, Indian humor has
established a beachhead on the World Wide Web. An Alta Vista
search returned 6,000 pages (and that's just the English). Most of it
is laughably disappointing. Among the best we found:
http://www.webhead.comlwwwvVindiaiindia208.html;
http://w2.meer.netiusers/genius/indolinklHumoriindex.html;
http://members.aoLcomiindialinksihumor.htm; and
http://ugweb.cs.ualbhta.cal-srinivaslindialhumor/
Humor is rampant in Hindu literature, both sacred and secular.
The Rig-Veda rishis jested about the ordinary human state of
mind, full of imaginings and opportunism: "Our thoughts wp.nder
in all-directions and many are the ways of men: the cartwright
hopes for accidents, the physician for the cripple, the priest for a
rich patron and the frog for a pond to plunge into. For the sake of
Spirit, 0 Mind, let go of these wandering thQ.ughts" X. 112. 1. In the
same Veda (X.l21) there are clever metaphysical puns in the
Hymn to Who that presage Abbot and Costello's "Who's on first?"
Where else is there laughter in Heaven, bantering among the
Gods? In most faiths, there's rqrely a smile in the
sacred texts, and heaven and its deni!Zens are sel-
dom viewed as having a lightheart-
ed side. Yet laughter is so won-
derfully human, so natural and
somehow necessary for a full
and healthy life, whether hen';
or hereafter. It seems destined
that the Divine would have immense
capacity for the joy and fun He built
into His creation.
The Puranas are filled with bawdy (sometimes salacious) jests
and amusing deceits. The Mahabharata excels in its master-t of
8 HINDUISM TODAY.
/
\~-~~~~~~~~~
trickery and satire. In folktales, there is, of
course, the magical Panchatantra, one of
the world's greatest colle"ctions of fables,
U' /
"What you have is His gift to you, and what you
filled with repartee, jest and jocularity-all
in the name of learning about life. As the
true story of the Panchatantra goes, a
Kashmiri king who lived over 2,000 years do with wh~t you have is your gift to Hif)1."
ago had three bl6ckhead sons. He found
they learned best through illustrations, and
gathered master storytellers to weave para-
bles about friendship, money, bad conduct
,
Swami Chlnmayananda (1916-1993)
and such. Children love these, and if read- A 'devotee heard his guru say, "God is in "If an evil person falls in the well, what
ers have never encountered them, you everything and everyone." As he walked should be done? Pull him up. Do not think
should. One of the finest translations from away pondering this wisdom, an enraged that the bad will always be bad, lead them
the Sanskrit is by Arthur Ryder in' an edi- elephant appeared on the road ahead. to the right road." From the Nitya Sut;ras of
tion by the University of Chicago Press. Nltyananda of Ganeshpur i who attained
"Run!, Run!" shouted the mahout. The man
The stories of Birbal are rich. Raja Birbal
(1528-1583) was an impoverished but wit- thought to himself, "I am God and the ele- mahasamadhi in 1961
ty brahmin writer who became one of phant is also God, why should I be afraid?"
Emperor Akbar's favorites. The tension between Hindus and Mus- The charging elephant knooked the man in
lims in Akbar's court was real in those days, and Birbal had an un- DID YOU KNOW?
the ditch. Bruised and upset, the man set
canny ability to leaven it with levity. Their comic battle was waged
at the expense of his Muslim brothers, though sometimes Akbar
off to see his guru to complain. After hear- Word Power! /
himself was the target. One day Akbar lamented to Birbal, '1\s em- ing the story, the guru said, "You are right
peror, I am allowed to meet only wise and learned men. Show me that both you and the elephant are God. / ANSKRIT (MEANING "CULTURED,"
the ten greatest fools in the kingdom." Birbal brought him a collec- But why did you not listen to the mahout, "purified" or "refined") is one of
tion of morons, figures typical of the fool in Indian literature: the who is also God, and get out of the way?" the oldest languages in the world.
first man, riding a horse, carried a bundle of firewood on his head, The vastness, versatility and power of
reasoning that the burden would be too heavy for the horse if he
placed it on the saddle; another was found looking at night for a A small income is no cause for failure, pro- expression of Sanskrit can be appreci-
ring he had lost, searching not where he dropped it in the dark un- vided expenditures do not exceed it. ated by the fact that it has 24 words to
der a tree, but in a nearby clearing where the light was better. Bir- Tirukural Verse 478 describe rainfall, 65 for earth and 67
bal brought eight such simpletons to the king who soon reminded
"Today is the golden present. Today we are
him that he had asked for ten. "There are ten," the trickster
laughed, "including you and me-the two biggest fools of all-you OK. So enjoy it. Do what good we can. "I slow, br~ [brother] , but I still ahead of
for giving me such a ludicrous order, and me for obeying it! " Tomorrow will happen only then, not to- you!" A Pidgin English bumper-sticker
Of Indian humor, Lee Siegel, who spent five years studying it, day. ¥y guru, Swami Sivananda, used to spotted on a rusty old pick-up truck. It
says, '1\t the core of hi.dian comedy there is an irony, a revelation of say, 'D.I.N. , D.I.N.' DO IT NOW, DO IT reflects the casual way of living which still
the humanness of the Gods and the divinity of human beings. The NOW." Swami Satchidananda speaking to exists on the Hawaiian Islands for water. The
human comedy has two heroes-the fool and the trickster. The di- language, written in the Devanagiri
vine comedy recapitulates the human. The trick~er and fool find the HINDUISM TODAY staff during his Jan-
their wholeness embedded in consciousness as the laughing child, uanJ visit to our Hawaii ashram Seeker: "Guruji, what is the difference be- script, has been undergoing a revjval.
and that child is deified as Krishna. As that God has been ex- / tween the Vedic and Agamic teachings?" Ten years ago Forbes magazine wrote,
amined for the ways in which He reveals the seriousness of humor ''I've i:tlways been a supporter of mind over Sage: "In the Vedas man becomes GocJ...:in "Sanskrit is the most convenient lan-
and its capacity to affirm life, so Siva has been invoked to indicate the Agamas it's the other way around." guage for computer software."
matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter."
the humor of seriousness-the ludicrousness of all human endeav-
ors in the face of death." Both Krishna and Siva sanctify humor, Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami I
but in different ways. Krishna giggles and teases, Siva roars with the
OR CONTEMPLATE OUR
ascetic's scoff Either way, their laughter links Heaven and Earth. DESTIN'(
This not-so-serious side. of Hinduism is evident in saints and AND BEST OF ALL ..
sages. Some consider wittiness a warrant of egolessness and spiri- .
tual attainment, for the greatest souls are often jovial, and many go
for the jocular vein. Ramakrishna was notoriously playful, as was
MlJktananda in recent times. Ma'ny outstanding swamis today
are (arce-seeing humorists, tickling us with words until we
weep with laughter, droIling all over ourselves. Then they
/
smile that know-it-all grin that tells the world
they know something it doesn't. Why not?
They are liberated, done with sorrow.
'You'd be happy, too! Laughter can be an
embrace with Loving Existence, a self-
transcendent sharing of the essence of
things, of Brahman's inmost heart, our in-
nermost Self Humor is like God. You can't
explain it. Either you get it or you don't.
MAY , 1997 HINDUISM TODAY 9

-------~-------~-_r-------------,_----------------
I.
Loving Ganesa, at once simple,
deep and practical. teaches ever so
many ways that Ganesas grace
can be attained by sincere devo-
tion, song, prayer and meditation
to bring greater harmony.
contentment and spirituality into
ones daily life. An BOO-page illus-
trated resource by Satguru
Sivaya Subramuniyaswami. $ 19.95
plus shipping (US $2,
Foreign $4). Also in bookstores.
1-800-890-1008
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http;!/www.HinduismToday.
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BOOKS YOU CAN TAKE. SERIOUSLY
L
' .
e~~_~~~
MY T'URN
, /
Elders: Our Blessing
Not Our Burden
Hindu traditions that honor elders are
diminishing due to nuclear families
BY , P R A B HAP R A B H A1<: ARB H A R D W A J
a J"''''L1 TWO DECADES AGO
left India to live and work
Af;ica. On my
. T·p("~nt return, I noticed
certain changes on the shopping
scene. I was looking for New
X\ ar greeting cards and, to my
shock, discovered every card I
liked was produced by HelpAge
India to raise funds for the less
fortunate elderly. No other well-
known charities were represented. Why is
the most popular charity in India Help-
AgeJi In India, a country predominated by
Hindus elders-especially parents-have
had a ~ecial place of honor through thou-
sands of years of tradition. The wh'ole
household revolves around the wishes, even
the whims and fancies, of seniors. Why do
these aged suddenly need help? These
questions are mind-boggling. The popular
belief is that Westernization, urbanization
and the breaking up of the joint family is
responsible for this situation. Hindu elders
are regarded as a burden on societYz in-
stead of holqing the traditional position of
receiving respect and giving guidance. In .
my childhood, I, started my day by seeking
blessings from my grandparents. That
lifestyle was the norm then, but such ex-
tended families are rare in India today.
I have often pbserved that when a com-
munity moves to a new country they tend
to preserve their culture and religion by
putting them in a deep free~e. This is an
effort made to maintain their idel1tity. They
do not permit their cultural values to be
diluted or eroded. ·Ih Africa, I have never
come across an Iridian or Hindu home for
the aged. Hindu ol~ people occupy the seat
of power and respect in their own house-
holds. It is very difficult for me to accept
such a difference between a transplanted
Hindu society on another continent and
the origin3.l society.in the motherland.
Equally sh0cking is the need for the en-
actment of Himachal Pradeshs
law [see page 25]. Ins a great
i,nsult to all Hindus. Neglect of
parents is usually attributed to
urbanization. However,
Himachal Pradesh does not
have any major city. It is hilly
and backward by more than
one criteria, so these reasons
become irrelevant.
I believe Hinduism is not
only a religion but a way of life based upon
age-old religious customs, social traditions
and family ties and values. Does this bill
reflect the loss of all that? In my opinion
this is the biggest cultural loss, greater than
any bio-divt'lrsity loss of any species on this
Earth.
I have been able to analyze the situation
and have arrived at a c:jifferent perspective.
The need for homes for the elderly has
arisen from the current t(8nd for small
families. Culturally, parents are not able to
accept any help from daughters, especially
married daughters. So, elderly w~th no sons
end up in the care homes. Secondly, the
middle class predominates in Indian soci-
ety. Both parents work away from the
Ihome. There are no longer daughters-in-law
available to take care waged parents.
Tpirdly, improvement in medical treatment
I
has increased the average life span. Senio~
citizens (above 65) who have living I1arents
do not have the capacity to look after their
aged paren1:s even if they have the desire.
Lastly, but most importantly, it is the ques-
tiQn of parental attitude. Young parents
work very hard to raise and educate their /
children. But they never explain to their
children what they as parents will need.
Children grow up into adults knowing their
rights but not their moral responsibilities.
MRS. BHARDWAJ and her husband, retired
army officer Col. Bhardwaj, are former res-
idents of Kenya now living in India.
- - -- -------- -- --- -- -;----
SRI LANKA
.Gayatri Gets
A Face Lift
ESPITE WAR IN SRI LANKA,
D Hindu institution~ that are
not under siege continue to
thrive as seen in the recent sec-
ond Maha KiImbhabhishekam President switches to stre:~hing
of the Lankatheesvarar Gayatri
THE WHITE HOUSE
Temple in Nuwara Eliya, s6uth-
ern Sri Lanka. The consecration
ceremonies installed a Gayatri Did Yale Yoga
Goddess Deity made in India of
nine spiritual elements in a new .S.NEWS & WORLD REPORT
Prime Minister Basdeo Panday, left, opens Gandhi institute temple to replace the old one. U in January notes that Presi-
dent Clinton stopped painful /
Devotees from allover the
TRINIDADIINDIA world joined founder and spiri- jogging and switched to a new
tual guide, Swami Murugesu, workout that includes stretch-
Hindu Leader's Indian Roots who propounds the power of
chanting the ancient Vedic
ing, push-ups and occasional
weightlifting each morning. Re-
INIDAD'S PRIME MINISTER, BASDEO PAN DAY, BECAME prayer called Gayatri mantra. marking that maintaining flexi-
TI one of only four Hindu heads of state in the world after
his election last year. His grandparents came as inden-
tured laborers to work on British-owned sugar plantations in
bility is the key to good health
as one ages, he says, "I feel a lot
better. It k~eps my energy level
Trinidad in 1908. His first-ever visit to India in January was a up." It appears a number of
joyous, emotional time as the proud motherland greeted her son Oval Office advisers have taken
of distinction from the other side of the world. Panday and his up yoga. When asked if he
wife Uma shed tears on arrival at Azamgarh, his grandmother's would follow suit, Clinton said
farming village a few miles north of Banaras in Uttar Pradesh. that his wife Hilary once took
Thousands lined the 20-km route from his hotel to the Banaras him to a yoga class while they
Hindu University (Asia's largest, with 20,000 students and a fa- were at Yale Law School. But
vorite school among Trinidad students) to see the 64-year-old he has no imIl1ediate plans to
lawyer, trade unionist and cane-cutter's son who made it to the Murugesu (right) installs Deity resume yoga postures.
top. In his address to the students he spoke of his Gandhian-like
struggles in the trade union movement when he was tear-gassed TRENDS & TRADITIONS
and jailed, and his committment to harmony in Trinidad.
NEW YORK
C H A 1\1 T Y / <? U LT U R E jarat) but also .included As- Ve~ie Girls Sway Boyfriends
samese, Rajasthani and Bengalj
Light Work numbers. The highlight was OURTNEY CENTNER IS AN
INDU ANATH A'S HRAM stu-
the "Deep Nritya" where 16
girls, each h~ding 12 lamps and
C English student and Ani-
mal Defense League coordina-
H dents (orphans) from Nadi-
ad, Gujarat, gave a superb folk
one on their heads, turned the
208 lights into various arrange-
tor in Buffalo, New York.
While her January Vegetariron
dance performance in Florida ments such as the trishul (tri- Journal article presumes a less-
recen.tly to close the Asian dent1 and swastika (symbol of than-conservative lifestyle, 0n
American Hotel Owners Asso- ~uspiciousness.). the positive side she details as-
ciatioN convention. The 29- The Hindu Anath Ashram, sertive veggie girls' methods in
member troup included singers, founded in 1908, has received "converting all the meat-eating Lasses lead beaus flT"om beef /
musicians and dancers. The au- the patronage of great men like boys who have crushes on us.
dience was so enthralled that
$32,000 in donatioI\s was spon-
Mahatma Gandhi and Vallabhai
I
Patel. The institution has raised
My girlfriend and I decided that we would transform any
prospective beau into a vegetarian. You can practically talk your
taneous raised for the orphan- over 250 girls and successfully partners into it! Try not to inundate them with t00 much infor-
age. The India Tribune, report- arranged their marriages. To- mation. Add vegetarian related comments to your conversations;
ing on the convention, said ' day there are 50 boys and 110 take them to vegetarian restaurants. If you fmd out he's a jerk,
most of the dances were in the girls being brought up at the no harm done-just one more vegetarian in the world."
Raas and Garba style (of Gu- Ashram.
CLOC ...·WISE FROM TOP: HINDUISM TODAY, COREL, SHELTON HETTlARACHI, COREL
MAY , 1 9 9 7 HI N D U ISM TO DAY 11
 ,

Aryan-Invasion Theory Debunked Moneesh Gifts and Books

FAMILY LIFE
Poll Plumbs Wedded Ways
j\DECEMBER1gg6REPORTIN
.i=\India Today surveys the
state of marriage in India. It
says the media- TV, l(lagazines,
newspaper columns and
movies-projects a false image
of liberated couples getting
quickly divorced. An "India To-
day-Marg poll shows a tradi-
tional core at the heart of mid-
dle-class India, where aFranged
marriages are still preferred
and the ties of matrimony in-
soluable." The poll covered 616
people in the 20-35 age group;
81 % said' their marriages were
arranged; 94% said their mar-
riages were successful.
But India's traditional com-
mittment to vows may be. the
only thing unchanged. A
sweeping matrimonial transfor-
mation is underway, affecting
everything from joint family
structure to the intimate details
of conjugal life. "There is a
gnawing, growing fear amongst
the young about marriages
breaking up." Young w0uld-be-
weds are looking closely at long
term compatibility, instead of
tying the knot by forced
arrangements or fleeting infat-
uation. Couples, with young
educated wives taking the lead,
are working hard at new forms
of intimacy, companionship and
understanding. An old ideal,
the Jodi or "pair," (the indissol-
ubility of the couple like Sita-
Ram, Radha-Krishna) is taking
J new form in the concept of
marriage as partnership. M0re
husbands say they are closer to
their wives than their mothers.
Extended farhilies are breaking
up as couples reject restrictions
that in-laws impose on the new-
lyweds' relationship. Nuclear
couples face new stress, and
young wives lose built-in controls
over husbands· with violent tem-'
pers, bUT the drive for quality
time together is making India's
marriages as strong as ever.
YOUTH
Kool, Kapil!
Vedic Aryans and the Origins of Civilization: a Literary
and ScientifiC Perspective, by N. Rajaram and D. Frawley,
combines new insights into the meaning of the Vedas and
other ancient scriptures with scientific analysis of ~cient
sources. Systematic comparisons of Indian, Egyptian and
Babylonian science show that Harappan civilization corre-
sponds to that of the Sutric period, after the Vedic period.
Hence, the Rg Veda is the product of an earlier layer of civiliz-
ation, before Egypt, Sumer and the Indus Valley. As a result,
the view of Mesopotamia as the cradle of civilization is no
longer tenable. • US$20 + $5 pstg. Checks to: World Heritage
Press, 1270 St-Jean, St-Hyacinthe, PQ J2S 8M2 Canada.
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• Pooja Items: incense, dhoop, floral oils, beads and malas.
• Clothing: kurta pyjama sets, silk saris and punjabi sets, pooja
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• Natural Remedies: homeo, bach flower, vitamins, ayurvedic
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• Posters and Pictures: posters and calendars of deities, all sizes.
• And much, much more • Mail Order Inquiries welcome.
Free Catalog: Moneesh • 467 Brickman Rd., Hurleyville, NY
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Meditation and Life
By Swami Chinmayananda.
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$12.00 plus $3.75 postage.
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• APIL CHADHAURY, A 1=7- .

RIGHTS
Being Kind to Kine Beings
\ V fHILE MANY'OF HER SISTERS
W roamed free in India, one
young cow waited outside a
slaughterhouse in Massachusetts,
USA. People Weekly reported
t;hat the 1,400 pound heifer
miraculously jumped the 5-foot
fence and evaded captur~ for a
month until vegetarian school
teachers Meg (photo) and Le}Nis
DEITIES AND DEVAS
Math Angel?
Randa bought her for $1. They
captured her with grain, named
her Emily and let her stay on
school grounds, where Meg, 40,
says, she is "an ambassador of
compassion for animals." Emily
gets letters now saying, "Because
of you, I don't eat meat anymore."
Rights have been sold for a
movie on the bovine's life.
K ~ear-old Hindu ,youth from
Springfield, Illinois, was in the
limelight in a Newsweek ad Barsana Dham, Austin, Texas
sponsored by Amway and Ju-
nior Achievement. JA is a pro- Surrounded by Roy Eugene Davis,
gram in wlJich local business- green meadows, a widely-traveled teacher,
men volunteer time to guide wild flowers author and direct disciple of
students to set up and run their and rose gardens, Paramahansa Yogananda,
own companies. They raise beautiful Radha has taught in the kriya yoga
capital by selling stock, develop Kund and Maharas tradition for more than four
a product and, hopef}llly, turn mandal is the jewel decades.
a profit. Kapil became presi- of Shree Raseshwari
dent of a mini-company which Radha Rani Temple Request information about
grossed US$11,582 selling 300 which enlightens his books and classes in the
Monopoly-like games in the the world with its USA, India, Europe and
three-week holiday season qf radiance of Divine other countries.
1995.
Kapil, when asked about
love. Barsana Dham is the main US center of the International
Society of Divine Love. It provides the experience of the true Center for Spiritual Awareness

w: EN DANIEL GREEN RAN

a simple mandelbrot (raIj-
dom image generating pro-
gram), a picture appeared
"complete With eyes, ears,
headdress, arms and crossed
legs. An Indian cQ-worker in-
stantly recognized it as God •
Ganesh." The "coincidence" was '
froot-page news in Australia's
Knowledge of Reality magazine,
and Green says, "If I were reli-
gious, I would certainly take
this as some sort of sign."
12 HINDUISM TODA;Y MAY, 1997
challenges he faced growing up
as an American vegetarian Hin-
I du, told HT, "Dealing with, the
cultural and social differences
with my parents. They didn't like
me watching a lot of TV."
But careful guidance has paid
off Named JA's "President of
the Year" last May, Kapil started
Picture Perfect, selling framed
motivational sayings. His own
message to Hindu youth:
"Working hard can insure suc-
Emily in her well-decorated barn paid for by film producer'S gift cess. Stay focused. Get involved."
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: INDIA TODAY - RAvl SHANKAR, ruCB SAAL, DANIEL GREEN~
PEOPLE WEEKLY © -FRANK VERbNSKY
devotional environment that prevailed in the ashrams of the
historic saints of Vrindaban (India) 500 years ago.
During their visit, guests of Barsana Dham enjoy our com-
PO. Box 7-H
Lakemont, Georgia
30552-0007 USA
fortable guest rooms and fresh vegetarian meals as they take
part in the ashram's devotional routine of daily prayers, dar- Tel: 706-782-4723 • Fax 706-782-4560
I shan and satsang with H.D. Swami Prakashanand Saraswati. http://web.infoave.neU-csainc • E-mail csainc@stc.net
"Barsana Dham is a world of divine love and purity. It is
bliss. My visit was a whole new joy that shall stay in my mind In India:
for the rest of my life." -a visitor from Mumbai, India. A Master Guide to Meditation (Rs. 55)
The International Society of Divine Love, Barsana Dham The Book of Life (Rs. 65) by Mr. Davis.
400 Barsana Rd., Austin, TX 78737-9075 USA. Motilal Banarsidass
Tel: 1-512-288-7180. Fax: 512-288-0447. 41 UA. , Bungalow Road
Special upcoming events at Barsana Dham: Jawahar Nagar, Delhi 110 007
• July 4-6 Weekend intensive with Shree Swamiji • Offices and stores also in Patna, Bangalore, Madras,
• August 23 Krishn Janmashtami celebration Varanasi, Calcutta and Pune.
• October 18 Radha Rani Rath Yatra Celebrations If by mail, add Rs. 15 each book for postage.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _meBR(
Ayurveda Holistic Center
LETTERS Books by Swami Shankar Ganapati sitting (or dancing), Ram
Beastly Pageant? that $80,ObO to a spiritual woman who gives send me something that explains your most Purushottam Tirtha: Darbar, Lakshmi, Shiva-Parvati,
THESE MEN AND WOMEN ACTIVISTS (BAN- of her heart and her soul-a woman who important beliefs and how I might get in Durga, Shirdi Sai Baba, Hanuman,
gl}lore Battlefield," COVER ST0RY, March serves her village in providing medical care touch with a Hindu, especially a guru? Yoga Vani Santoshi Ma, Tirupati Balaji, Vishnu,
'97) should turn their attentioti and ca,m- and nurturing? I think the West has lost the Instructions for the attain- Shiva Nataraj, Krishna, Krishna with
SCOTT GOOLSBY
paign against the low-grade films churned true spirit of womanhood. I mourn such a IDAHO, USA ment of Siddhayoga during Cow. 3 to 5" (7 to 12 cm) high. $19.95
out every year iIi hundreds 'by Bollywood loss. Womanhood is not about make-up and "rmsup@ix.netcom.com sadhana. to $39.95. $3.50 shippg. Catalog.
where women are portrayed as vampish fitting an image ot: perfection that few of us \
postpaid: US$13.50 (USA) Discounts for retailers and temples.
dolls of pleasure and sex objects. I agree can obtain. Womanhood is about nurturing, The Yogic Life $16.50 (Canada) -Nirvana Collection-
with Mark West that the Indian screen is love and the joy of expression. 1 pray the IN THE WEST, YOGA IS SEEN AS A FORM OF 289 Route 416, RR3, Campbell Hall,
more damaging to our ancient culture. It West's notions of womannood does not exercise, p ~rhaps with some "breathing" ex- Guru Bani NY 10916 USA • Tel: 1-800-374-2304
was truly embarrassing for Hindus like me reach your Indian shores. It hurts too much. ercises thrown in. Dr. Swami Gitananda 100 ways to attain inner or 1-914-294-1498 • Fax 914-294-3870.
living outside of India to witness their fa- WENDY SCHULJAN Giri, late, of Pondicherry in South India, peace. How to live a spiritual
naticism at the time. I do understand their NEW YORK, USA taught us that"'Yoga is Life." He taught that, life-for monks and families.
fears and objections and share many of Without an understanding of and adherence postpaid: US$9.50 (USA)
them, but they nave damaged the Hindu im- I WAS SOMEWHAT BEMUSED BY 'THE CAP- to the yamas and niyamas [ethical restrmnts $12.50 (Canada)
age worldwide by the extremist measures tion above the photo of students burning and observances] as outlined by Patanjali Hinduism Today SE-Asia Subs. offices
they proposed to take and the sheer vehe- beauty pageanf effigies. It says "Delhi uni- any attempt to "do" yoga could not succeed. Ayurvedic Products Distributors-wholesale or retail
menee of their threats and overtones of vio- versity students in traditional Indian Most importantly, he taught us to seek the catalog: $1.00 (free via e-mail) • Consultations • I-year In Singapore:
lence. Indians themselves have many deeply garb." But all the people within the photo guru within, satguru, that Truth which we Ayurveda Certification Courses in person or by Sanathana Dharma Publications
ingrained prejudices regarding women and are wearing what appears to be Western must all strive to realize. I would not call my- correspondence (US mail, or e-mail). Bukit Panjang Post Office • PO Box 246, Singapore, 916809
their physical attributes. How marly matri- shirts, jeans or trousers, and sneakers. Per- self a Hindu; but Hinduism and yoga are in- Kindly contact: Mrs. Dohadeva: 957 66 012 • Thanam:
monial ads do we see where boys advertise haps the caption was intended to read extricably part of each other. And any seek- Ayurveda Holistic Center 952 69 586 • Uma Maheswaran: 980 42 2379.
for -and girls advertise themselves as-"fair, "students, in nontraditional Indian garb." ers of the path could not1ielp but be moved clo Swami Narayan Tirtha Math
slim and attractive" as essential require- In any case it seems ironic that students by Swami Bua's word ("Truth Prevails," 82A-H Bayville Ave. Bayville, NY 11709-1671 USA In Malaysia:
ments? How many girls born in Indian fam- are protesting a "cultural invasion of India MINISTER'S MESSAGE: February '97). Sure- TeVfax: 1-516-628-8200 Sanathana Dharma Publications Sdn Bhd. (391870K)
ilies have a ruined self-confidence because by the West" while wearing clothing , ly in what he said lies the key to the Truth, Ask for Swami Sada Shiva Tirtha No: 15, Lintang Besi, off Jalan Melawi
they have been taunted for being born dark- which is itself a product of that invasion. the answer to the ills of the world. E-mail: ayurvedahc@holistic.com 41000 Klang, Selangor, Malaysia.
skinned rather .than light-skinned? A beau- What happened to dhotis ~d sayis? RUDHRA KUMAR GIRl
Kindly contact: Chudikadevi Saravan, 03 331 9242
ty page,ant can neither enforce nor destroy QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA Web: httpllwww.holistic.com!listingsl11709acl.html Rohini Kumar, 03 774 2946 • Thanabalan, 044219326
MR. KIWI
these attitudes. Let's stop making this beau- "MrKiwi@aoI.com
ty pageant a dumping ground for all the Calcutta Kudos
problems Indian women have. Let us ad- V We had the same question, hence our I ALWAYS FELT DEEP CONNECTION TO THE
dress the serious problems of child brides, tongue-in-cheek caption. We are glad some- staff of HINDUISM TODAY, particularly Sat-
dowry murders, wife beating, infanticide one noticed. guru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami f0r nis tire- Sattwa Chai Chinmaya Family Talks and Camps
and aborting of femilie babies. In my opin- less efforts to inspire the people of this
ion, these are the truly obscene menaces to troubled planet to a higher energy field, to Nestled in the foothills of the By Swami Tejomayananda.
~dian sQciety. The West, or beauty, is not Bali's Different Dharma a higher quality of life. Swamiji's leadership rain-drenched cO'astal range A happy blend of spiritual,
responsible for them. We ~e. , w'HEN I SURFED YOUR WEB SITE, IT WAS to uphold the time1ess spiritval heritage of of Oregon, a small community cultural and social interac-
RUKz'UNI DEVI like finding a treasure. We share the same Mother India and Sanatana Dharma will of Ammachi devotees creates tion. Experienced teachers
DUBLIN, IRELAND spirit and faith, yet Hinduism in Bali is be remembered by seekers of Truth all the world's finest chai. Pure offer the essence of Hindu
somewhat different from the rest of Hindus over the world. premium spices; cardamom, scripture at all levels: adult,
BEAUTY PAGEANTS ARE DANGEROUS! I AP- of the world. We don't understand why Hin- SWAMI SRUDDHANANDA BRAHMA~HARI cinnamon, clove, black pepper youth, and children.
plaud Jayati Ghosh and her .supporters. I dus respect cows. Bali Hindus eat beef (ex- LOKENATH DIVINE, LIFE MISSION and ginger combined with • Bhagavad Gita
pray this Western poison never reaches the cept our priests). Our children are not en- CALCUTTA, INDIA Assam black tea (or pepper- • Sreemad Bhagvatam
cour~ed to learn the Vedas because parents
"shudda@giasclOl.vsnI.netin mint in our naturally caffeine-
lips pf India's purity and high regard for tol- • Other texts • Meditation
erance. They devalue the spirit of wom- fear they will become crazy. Most 0f us nev- free beverages) for a nourish- • Interactive groups
ankind, reducing her to a commodigr to be er,heard of them. Every village in Bali has at NEVER KNEW SUCH A WORK OF HINDU
.....1 ing taste of heaven on earth. • Drama, cultural programs
used and disposed of.lThe standardization least three temples. Our priest never gave us brilliance ever exist¢ until I bought your We have four unique blends: • Arts and crafts
of beauty has devastated many women in spiritual gui<;lance nor did we hear of the February issue. I'm enormously (mpressed • Sattwa Sun: a classic blend • Recreation, and more...
the West. When I was a psychiatric aide, Upanishads or the Bhagavad Gita. We can with its contents. I particUlarly like your of premium spices and
many of our young American women suf- only give a few explanations ab6ut our ritu- Karma Kat. black tea such as you might TalkslJ nana Yagnas: .
fered from anorexia nervosa, starving them- als. We have our own unique symbol of ANIL MAHABIR drink at a fine Indian July 7-11 Buffalo, NY 716-633-1633
selves to fit a beauty ideal which is far from . 'i\um." I'll will be grateful if you could help TRINIDAD, WEST INDIES restaurant-if you get lucky. July 12-18 Toronto, Canada 416-663-6553
ide;li. Sadly, it does not matter if a woman in me enlighten the Indonesian Bali Hindus. • Kovalam Spice: like the "Sun" only blended for more fire. July 19-25 Washington, DC 301-384-5009
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er being. It is as though only the outer shell 107 Kaholalele Road • Choco Chai: to the traditional Sattwa spices we've added Family Camps:
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notions ofbe~ty. She is meant to be free. To . spire me. I became so peaceful and loving Letters may be edited for space and clarity and may shipping). 1 and 51b. bulk quantities available at substantial Chinmaya Mission West • Krishnalaya
me, giving an US$80,000 cash prize to Miss to all living things that I quickly converted appear in electronic versions of HINDUISM TODAY. savings. Pre-blended and easy to make. PO Box 129, Piercy, CA 95587-0129 USA
Greece is a waste of money. Why not give to strict vegetarianism. Could you please " INDICATES LEITERS RECEIVED VIA E-MAIL For orders and free brochure call toll free 1-888-841-CHAI. Tel: 707-247-3488 • Fax: 707-247-3422
Fax: 503-538-5125 (USA). Email: sattwachai@aol.com.
14 HINDUISM TODAY MAY, 1997
 Pooja, Devotional and Wedding Items r
HUMAN RIGHTS produce better behavior, but rather arouses
Pre-packaged items for New selection of books, gifts, a seething anger in the child which later re-
havans • Religious statues
• Religious Books in Eng-
lish, Sanskrit, Gujarati
34159 Fremont Bvd
Fremont, CA 94555 USA
Tel: 510- 793-7930
Fax: 510-793-7026
•
•
~ -::;
music and videos on:

• Meditation
['l
The Caning Backlash >
sults in antisocial and violent tendencies.
Maly ysia's schools are faced with an
alarming growth of gangsterism and drug
and Hindi • Kohlapur Ir'~J!L'~:.r I~ji~'; use, among students. This has, in part, fueled
chappals, silk paintings, Pooja •
•
Yoga
Alternative healing
:.' '~;-:I" " -:,:., ~ ) ~:.
Schools try to briI;lg back corporal the call for the cane. It is not clear, however,
brahmni booti, kut, agar,
tagar, bhojaptra, lotus
International • Vegetarian cooking i3ooks. m,..;c. a",/ f;;i{ts
(or "8ody. nl;,uI. mul'Spirit punishment-but is it right? Does it even work?
how punishment for such offenses as talking
in class would prevent a teen from becoming
• Flower essences
seed • Men's, children's kurta, pajamas, sari blouses, sari falls • Yoga philosophy a drug dealer. Discipline problems in some
and petticoats, children's clothes • Jaintri and Panchang • American schools, such as in Los Angeles,
1997 shipment from India just arrived. Ask for list of items. Also: '!j 18TH-CENTURY AMERICA AND students. "But between growing indiscipline are so bad that metal detectors are installed
• Prompt delivery • M.Card, Visa, Am.Ex credit cards OK. most other countries, the' master of among our schoolchildren and the problem at the doors to catch students entering with
• Mystical music the house could freely beat his wife, his of abuse, the former is the greater evil," stat- guns or knives.
• Books-on-tape :' child, his dog or his slave. Around 1830 ed an editorial in the New Sunday Times It is common for parents to tell teachers to ....
• Spoken audio people realized slaves were human beings, which endorsed the return of the cane. - do whatever is necessary to make their chil-
• Mantra music too, and laws eventually granted them free- / Caning is commonly employed in schools dren study and behave, .including striking
Call1ndia-52C/min, 7days/wk, 24hr/day • Chanting tapes dom and the human right not to be beaten. for such minor infractions as being late to them. But Malaysia's International Trade and
• Books by Yogananda, Kriyananda and more A century or so later people realized dogs class, talking in class, not bringing one's Industry Minister, Rafidah Aziz, said, "If I
Bangladesh-69C/min. had fecli.ngs, and laws were passed against have my way, I would have
China- 55C/min. Pakistan-69C/min. For a free catalog, call now: mistreatment of animals. Recently, society is these parents grilled for not
Sri Lanka-69C/min. 800-424-1055 toll free in US, or 916-478-7600. taking wife-beating seriously and has slowly monitoring their children's
UK-24C/min. Australia-29C/min. begun to put a stop to it. Now, with the 21st activities. We believe that /
Domestic-18C/min. Crystal Clarity Publishers century nearing, it may/ have come the turn many youths are involved in
Callback worldwide available. 14618 Tyler Foote Rd. of children to gain their'right as human be- vice because 'there might be
VGT calling cards: $45 or $90. Nevada City, CA 95959-9316 USA ings to not be beaten. something wrong at home."
Vignesh Global Telecom, Inc. A 12-year-old UK boy who ~as caned by A widely published UK
PO Box 2337, Santa Cruz, CA95063- Fax: 916-478-7610 his stepfather challenged- British laws allow- study pinpointed one thing
2337 USA Tel: 408-464-1212,
800-555-0276. Fax: 408-464-1333. VJghnesh Global http://www.consciousnet.com/CrystalClarity
E-mail: cclarity@aol.com
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. dren" and is getting his case heard before
wrong at home: mothers are
out working. Researchers at
E-mail: vignesh@haven-intl.com Telecommunications, Inc. the Europ~an Court of Human Rights in North London University
France. A decision by the court would be found that children with
binding, and a finding in favor of the boy working mothers are twice as
could force Britain to oha1lge its laws about likely to fail the GCSE (final
punishing children. "This is a landmark de- high school) exams as those
Meditations with Shri Anandi Ma Vedic Astrology cision for children, the first step towards whose mothers stay at home
confirming that 'childr~n have the same to bring them up. Children of
Shri Anandi Ma-Master in • comprehensive, in-depth rights as adults to protection from violence," working mothers, especially
the tradition of Kundalini life readings said Peter Newel, Goordinator for the British boys, were more likely to have
Maha Yoga, will be offering • annual updates • . groti~ End Physical Punishment of Children. behavioral problems. A re-
public meditation programs in: • predictions A hot subject in todays international de- cent Dutch study found that
• marriage compatibility bate about child abuse is corporal punish- women with high status jobs
• Midland, TX: May 2-3. • advice on business, ment in schools. The practice of hitting stu- were more likely to have chil-
Tel: 915-563-3718 finance and legal matters dents was reduced or abandoned in many dren who failed to reach their
• Jersey City, NJ: May • gem therapy countr.ies in the 1980s or earlier. But growing academic potential.
9-10. Tel: 212-877-7339 • puja recommendation incliscipline in and outside class has caused Patrick Morgan, of the In-
• Woodbury, CT: May 23- • astro-palmistry many tr;1 call for the return of the teacher's stitute of Economic Affairs,
24. Tel: 203-598-3323 • rectification of unknown paddle. In a UK poll, 68 percent of the pub- says the evidence will force
•. Boston, MA: June 6-7. birthtimes-and more. lic were in favor of the cane's return. Teach- working mothers to rethink -
Tel: 617-491-4091 ers, however, say they will not beat pupils, what is ~st for their chil-
• New York, NY: June 27- Stephen Quong (Umananda) even if given the power. Nigel de Gruchy, dren. "The entire deba'te has
28. Tel: 212-877-7339 has studied and practiced general secretary of the National Associa- been hijacked by a feminist
astrology in Asia and America tion of Schoolmasters said teachers do not clique, determined to uphold
Shaktipat initiation will be offered by appointment each since 1970. He has been awarded the titles of "Jyotisha Kovida," feel it will be effective. A real concern is ret- women's rights. But what
weekend. "With Shaktipat, the student is saturated with "Jyotisha Vachaspati" and "Life Fellow" by the Indian Coun- ribution by the student-in February, a 16- Children: Do they have a right to not be beaten? about the rights of the
/
Divine Energy. After Shaktipat, the Kundalini is permanent- cil of Astrological Sciences (founded by Dr. B.V year-old boy in Alaska, USA, shot dead the child? . ;You can always go
1y awakened and, like a mother, constantly cares for and Raman). His professional background includes executive school principal who had frequently disci- books or scoring low on tests. Students are back to work, but the damage done in a
nourishes her infant. One may be of any religion, caste, or positions in government, finance and publishing. He is a plined him. In India thugs c$l be hired by . hit on their hands or buttocks with long, rat- child's early years ca,n never be rectified."
creed to benefit; for all persons, the field of inner joy is the long-time devotee of Sri Ma Anandamayi and has close students to harass or even cripple a teafher tan canes, are slapped, have their ears twist- Indiscipline to the point of criminal be-
same. After Shaktipat, the Shakti will take the student to the contacts with many other contemporary spiritual teachers. . who cl'ares beat them. ed, a rubber band snapped against their ear, havior among youths is a serious problem in
ultimate goal, without doubt." Please call or write for free brochure. . In Malaysia, caning had been greatly re- or their hand held against their head, one countries around the world. The question
duced since 1983. About one percent of the finger pulled back as far as poss~ble and teachers and parents face is whether misbe-
For general information about Shri Anandi Ma, Kundalini Office: 1-916-938-2997 (voice/fax) country's 300,000 teachers had been report- then released sharply. Some teachers admin- havior can be solved by more physical pun-
Maha Yoga or Shaktipat contact: 17513 Grizzly Den Road ed for abusing their authority to strike a ister diScipline with restraint, others with ishment in schools, and just how such poli-
Dhyanyoga Centers • PO Box 3194 Lake Shastina, CA 96094 USA child-not a great percent, yet it represents uncontrolled anger. Studies on corporal pun- cies infringe children's right to be protected,
Antioch, CA 94531-3194 USA. Tel: 510-757-9361 E-mail: umananda@aol.com • http://www:jyotisha.com 3,000 abusers and' perhaps 300,000 abused ishment suggest the method does not really as adults are, from physical abuse.
http://www. dyc. orgl
16 MAY , 1997 HINDUISM TODAY 17

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A; YOGA THERAPY WING" is being added to
five Delhi-area hospitals. It's a decision
reached over two years ago when Delhi's
Health Minister visited the Vlvekananda
Yoga Kendra hospital in Bangalore. He was
impressed by their success with diabetes,
cancer and ulcer patients. The ~ndra is
now charged with training therapists.and
instructors for the new wingsl.over 150 so
far. "It is our dream that yoga therapy will
become a normal form of treatment in
most hospitals in the near 'future," said the
Kendra's Dr. Nagendra.
JUST AS KRISHNA lovingly herded His eows,
primatologists tried to tenderly trap and re-
locate over six-
hundred Rhe-
sus monkeys-
nearly half the
sacred city's
"Hanuman
sena"-from
Vrindaban to
si·x other forest- Vrindaban monkey
ed sites 20 to .
40 miles away. The monkeys had long been
a nuisance to the residents-19% said they
had been bitten, 96% harassed. But it wC!s
growing mamourishmenj: and disease
among the monkeys whicl.! prompted the
removal to better areas. Careful to preserve
family units, not a sirfgle monkey was re-
portea injured in what is believed to be the
world's lqrgest monkey translocation. ,
HONG KONG HINDUS are among the up to
8,000 mostly Indian and Pakistani citizens
chosen to receive full British National
Overseas passports. The decision partially
resolves the danger that non-Chinese eth-
nic minorities possessing British Depen-
dent-Territory Citizen passports would be
rendered stateless when Britain gives Hong
Kong back to China in June.
. -/
THAIPUSAM MAY BE a safer, more traditional
festival now at Malaysia's Batu Caves. Mod-'
ern drums and bongos have been banned
from devotional ceremonies; "only tradi-
tional musical instruments are to bellsed in . granted US$5,500 to promote the teaching
the functions," said Sri Subramaniaswamy.
Temple secretary G. Gopalakrishna. Also
banned ar-e whips, and s~ars over three- . strengtheJ,1 the teaching of Hinduism in the
feet in length. The annual Murugan festival
is -certainly more efficient at Singapore's Sri Charan Dayal, pandit of the Dhoban
Thendayuthapani Temple, where instead of pathasala, said "We Me very grateful for
shaving 7,000 heads at the temple tank on
Thaipusam d~, all but 500 pilgrims had
their heads snaved a day or two earlier.
! ,
I
20 H INDUISM TODAY M A Y , 1997
NAZHAT SHAMEEM, FIJI'S Director of Public
Prosecutions, says the courts have a duty to
preserve religious tolerance by imposing
sentences strict enough to deter those who
would break into clturches or temples and
violate peoples' religious freedom. A man
who pleaded guilty to vandalizing the im-
age of a Hind\! deity receiveCl. just a sus-
pended sentence. He said he was acting on
instructions of the Bible when he damaged
the statue, "God said people should not
worship idols." Ms. Shameem notes in most
': of the 76 such incidents over the last two-
years, the suspects remain unknown.
, ,Africa, including three Christmas Eve
PARENTAL RESPECT IS PART of the new daily .
regimen for New Delhi's school students in-
stituted by former election commisS'ioner
T.N. Seshan. A gov-
ernment-issued cal-
endar containing Dos
& Don'ts for children
includes this at the
top Qf the list: "Today
I have greeted or
touched the feet of
my parents." After
that cOlnes things Seshan's campaign
like being on time,
being quiet, not fighting, finishing home-
work and caring for books. Students are ex-
pected to evaluate themselves daily
SAFEGUARDING TilE HIMALAYAN environment
means protection even from pilgrims.
GUidelines recently decreed by the High
Court in Allahabad include regulating ~e
burning of trash and collection of non-
biodegradable materials, relocating tea
shops from too near the glacier between
BhQjbasa and Gomukh and placing toilet
facilities every 2.5 miles between Bhojbasa
and Gangotri. Environmentalists, however,
say th e Court and state are still too accom-
modating to development and tourism, and
inMferent to the delicate alpine meadows
so easily distllrbed by tourist's trash and
grazing cattle.'
·1
BHUTAN'S KING Jigme Singye Wanchuk has'
of SansKfit in two pathasalas (traditional
schools). Noting that the royal gift will
predominantly Buddhist kingdom, Devi
the grant because it Signifies the King's
sU13port to his citizens and his encourage-
ment in preserving.our cultural heritage."
CLOCKWISE FROM, TOP: HELMUT
\ ,
Natar~ Books-5,OOO Titles Sri Ramana Maharshi
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years. Known for its "Save the Whales" cam, • Hinduism: All Introduction. SAT, 1834 Ocean St, Santa Cruz, CA
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• Meditation. Narayan Dutt Shrimali. $25.00 A Video Pilgrimage through India
bombings which killed four and injured • What Becomes of the Soul After Death. Sivananda. pap. $8.00
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that Indians be withdrawn from Parlia- Saraswati. pap. $12.95 places as hard to find as
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ing them as 'anti-Christ because they did • Third Eye & Kuncf.alini. B.S. Goel. $22.00 sonal, affectionate. If you
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demned the attacks, adributing them to
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part o£ the Vedantic Approach in Manage-
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MONUMENT TO SAINT Tiruvalluvar is pro:
ceeding once again in Tamil Nadu. Chief
Minister M. Karunanidhi says his govern-
ment is committed to
' preserving Tiruvallu-
var's legacy and to ;"
propagating his time- .
less .ethical opus, the
Tirukural. The mas-
sive statue of the
weaver-saint will be
located on a small i~
land offshore, next tel
the Vivekananda,
Rock Memorial at
Kanyakumari. Tiruvalluvar model
BRIEFLY is compiled from press, TV and
tqire-service reports and edited by RAVI
PERUMAN, award-winning radio journalist
at KGG in San Francisco. .
~PEL , INDIA TODAY, HINDUISM TODAY,

SOCIETY
To Be'Elderly in I~dia
The aged suffer silently as materialism steals their traditional seat of honor '
I
By M .P. MOHANTY, NEW DELHI
OR UNTOLD CENTURIES I$ INDIA, IT
had' been routinely regarded as im-
moral to neglect the needs of one's el-
In 1996. it became clearly illegal.
The passing of the Maintenance of Par-
ents and Depenci'ents Bill of Himachal Pfa-
de'sh attempts to insure proper care for any-
one who is dependent upon another. It has
raised significant concern over the care of
India's aged, but it also applies to children,
wives and widows [see page 25]. The pass-
ing of such a law in Himachal Pradesh, a
22 HINDUISM TODA.Y M4Y, 1997
small hill state known for the culture of its
peace-loving, religious people, ilas greatly
shaken the conscience of thoughtful ob-
servers of Indian soCiety. Hindus around the
world are inquiring, "Why do we need a law
to make us care for our elders? Are they not
attended to by their families?"
Mr. Pran Nath Malik, 70, a retired govern-
ment servant now living in Delhi, gives -an
ominous answer-"No. The population of old
people he~e is in· the tens of millions. As
about half of 'our total population are living
below the poverty line, most of the aged poor
are merely existing, without proper food,
shelter or medical care. The assistance pro-
viaed by the government is.negligible. Social
and religious organizations also are not doing'
much. We can see many elderly living as beg-
gars in the big cities. Many die of hunger."
I Those who do not starve to death may die
of loneliness. The tales of dereliction are
bone-chillingly crueL HINDlJISM TODAY
writer Shikha Malaviya of Mitmesota re-
counted one example upon her recent return
to the US from India. "For some people, old
age means shouldering a burden. Take the
case of the Miglanis (not their real name), a
Hindu family in New Delhi living next to my
uncle. From the outside, they appear to be
an honest, caring and religious . family. A
plaque of Lord Krishna playing the flute
above the main entrance of their home
greets visitors. Inside, however, lies a differ-
ent story. For more than two years, ,Mr.
Miglani's father lived in a makeshift room
with a tin roof on the back verandah. He was
not allowed in the main house and was ver-
bally abused constantly by his children and
grandchildren. Mr. Miglani Sr. was ill, but did
not receive proper treatment and eventually
died of neglect in the summer of 1995."
Malaviya says the elderly, and often their
children, take illness too lightly, and go much
too long before diagnosis or treatment. "My
grandmother has a heart' condition called
angina. She also has gastric trouble. For one
month she had palpitations, fever and painful
gas attacks, but she didn't go to the hOspital
until four days ago. She shares the attitude,
like many others do in India, that 'it isn't bad
until its really bad: The cost of healthcare
Waiting and wanting: Many aged spend their
final clays in ~anaras, the c,ity of liberation
"To live on a
inhibits many from getting regular checkups,·
footpath in the
let alone treatment for ailments." winter is hell."
Another grim account of callousness
RARI BILAS, 70
comes from Delhi businessman Govind RAJASTHAN
Chandra Rout. He confessed that, "Even in
our Orissan village, yes, in my own family, ,
old people are being neglected. The old career and a demanding family, with little
mother of my cousin has been left in1 he vil- time for Raji. Between loneliness and bore-
lage alone. She is begging. There are thou- dom, Raji rec~s her in-laws' predicament.
sands of such examples. Sons beat their old "Now I wish I had spent more time with
parents, even the educated ones. I do not them and not lost my temper so often. They
want to name them or blame them. I tell you only needed a little understanding, patience ,-
a fact: one son refused to recognize his poor, and reassurance that they were cherished."
Old father when his father came to school to Remorseful, she realizes how concrete theit
meet him. The old father died unattended. contribution to the family was. "I never had
This same son later retired as a senior gov- to worry about what my children were doing
ernment official. When he died, both of his ·after schooL And on occasions such as wed-
own sons, staying in Bombay and the US, dings, they were always there to guide us."
failed to come and perform the funeral };ites. No time, no place: All fingers point to the '/ '
You can see, this was the result of his karma." breakdown of the joint family tradition
Rout recalls and keeps alive the ' way it ["JOint Family at Risk," January, 1997] as the
used to be.' '1\.s children, we learned that our root cause of neglect. ConcerJl over the dis-
father is the Adi Guru, first teacher, and I solution of this social order, along with the
still impart these Hindu values to my grand- rising presence of women'in the workplace,
children. The doors of our home are always hp.s primarily focused on children growing
open for saints. Every morning and evening up without mothers at their side. But the el-
we assemble and pray to Lord. J tell them to derly are equally dependent and vulnerable.
be truthful and religious. This way of living "The ideal situation is, of course, caring for
must be taught in schools at the primary lev- the aged in their own homes," offers Sunder.
eL We must preserve our great heritage. Un- "But for many, attending to aged people
fortunately, today's generation believes they seems a tedious, time-consuming and often
know it all, and better than us." unproductive affair. Given the pressures of
The symptoms of neglect are usually less managing a home, careers and the conflict-
tragic, but they clearly indicate the change ing needs of children and old people, it is
in ethos that se'ems to have infected the na- the elders in the family who are expected to
tion. This reporter recalls an incident at a adjust to the youngers' needs while their
frienel's place. Grandmother had wanted to own take a back seat." One analy;;t observed
watch a classical music concert, while the that "The breakdown commenced when the
grandson was eager for the latest pop news maharajas, Indias regional kings, were de-
on Zee TV, a private television channeL In posed. Until then, these monarchs and their
walks the father, who settled the argument families modulated society and kept the
by scolding his mother, "Why don't you let joint and extended family structure, intact:"
him watch his rock show? You can catch an- What has resulted is a distorted attitude
other concert when we are not here." The toward the aged. Social activist and educator
old wo~an walked away in a huff. It is a re- Rekha Vohra Bhalla implores, "Do we not re-
vealiIlg incident, and it is all too common. ali'l:e how lonely they are? They do not re- .
Ajay Sunder of HelpAge, India, the most quire luxury. What they....seek is love, affec-
active Indian ch~ity for the elderly, explains tion and company. They want their ch:ildren
a primary source of distress for seniors. "For to be with them in the evening oflife, to pro-
the senescent in the upper and mid"dle class- vide warmth and comfort them. The whole
es, the problems are loneliness and depres- concept of age-care in India is an ancient
sion. If these problems remain unaddressed, part of our civilization, whereas ageing as a
they intensil:y into bitterness and a feeling of problem is a product o:(..modern India. Earli-
being unwanted, especially in the really old. er, old people were taken care of within the
. For those in the age bracket of 60 to 70 the joint family. Our cult.ure and ethics taught us
solution can lie in involving themselves with not to neglect them. We were mor-ally bound
volunteer work or any activity in the neigh- to take care of them. Our value system has
borhood. But the problem becomes i~tense changed. This is the real problem."
for those beyond 70 or 75." Hari Bilas (photo above), whom I met at a
Raji~ru:asimhan, 68, finds hersetf regret- traffic light, drove home this point. He
ful ten years after the death of her parents- looked like a mendicant, yet he insisted, "I
in-law. Both of her sons are away in the US, am not a beggar. I have my elder brother and
and her only daughter struggles with a busy his family, and the government of Rajasthan
MAY , 1997 Hl'NDUISM TODAY 23
 ,

'ill our times, we were jections forecast 75 million by the year 2000. that rest homes are a secondary choice. "Our admonishes. "We were young and needed tures state that whatever thought that you
Yet assistance for the aged has been a low programs work towards resettling them with- them. So we will jolly-well look after them have in the last moments influences your
given moral am;} spiri- priority among the varioG.s welfare schemes in their families. But when their children are in return, They are part of our life." next birth. One should die with positive, no-
being implemented by the government and abroad or no one is there to look after them, "It is important to remember that old age ble anj spiritual thoughts. Old people should
tualles::;ons in school. voluntary agencies. Critics concede that the they 'pan resort to this option." A,Primary in our religion is associated with the sannyas bellow the path of dharma. They have the
government simply does not have the re- source of fundraising for HelpAge is·the sale ashrama (stage of renouncing materialism full, experience of life. They are society's
This has stopped. I sources to effect a significant change. of greeting cards, and many Indians become and attachment to embrace God and spiritu- thought-bank. They should educate the
,Most governmental and private agencies aware of the plight of India's elde~ly through ality), and that old age is a stage of spiritual younger generations from day one, tell their
blame the Western and persons engaged in care of seniors thinK HelpAge cards. They even gave me a shock. evolution," stresses Malaviya. "Old age does- experiences-how they feel at this age. It will
that the malaise of p'bverty among the multi- Out of the total one-hundred and eleven new n't mean gray hair, stiff joints and slurred help them in this life, and improve the next."
, materialistic lifestyle. tude of elderly can only be offset if signifi- year's greeting cards that I received this year, speech. There are volumes we can leai'n from Legislature does not automatically make a
We have scrapped our cant funds are made available for implement-
ing welfare programs-homes for the aged,
sixty/two are HelpAge cards. On the back of
each card reads, "The less privile~ed elderly
the wisdom they have culled from their own
successes and failures. Growing old is an in-
society good and caring. And though passing
a law is relatively simple, the efficacy of im-
spiritual teachings. " eye-care, walkers and other handicapped need your love and care. When you buy this evitable physical and mental transition that plementation and enforcement remains to be
aids, day-care, health-care, mobile medicare card you contribute to making their world doesn't have to be painful or debilitating. We seen. At least the verdict for this negligency ",
COVIND CHANDRA ROUT, DELHI
vans, etc. Current prClgrams concentrate in healthier and happier." HelpAge is leading need to accommodate the needs of elders case has been handed down-"Guilty."
~ities and towns and do not impact people in the way, but many more need to follow. 1iithout their asking, and we can't do that Where the softer versionsfoflaw-the natur-
pays me Rs.lOO a month. But I have chronic as a &!orified maid, he was bundled off to this rural areas. Bakshi concludes, "This is a The way it was: Of course, not every elder until we understand what aging is all about." al justice of our cultural expectations-seem
asthma, and I need tea and medicine ·at reg- pay-and-stay home. His son claims the rented tremendous crisis that can be solved only by I is forsaken. For Jayanti Nair, looking after M.e. Bhandari, president of Bharat Nir- to have failed, it now requires courts for el-
ular intervals, including two-to-three times apartment in which they live is too small to public-spirited individuals and institutions." her ailil'lg parents and in-laws was never a man (Build India) and editor of Mystic In- ·derly care to be enforced. .;
during the night. At home, they feel dis- accommodate all of them. HelpAge deputy director Liniaye admits matter of choice. "They looked after us," she dia, echos the ideal for elders, "Our scrip- HELPAGE INDIA, C-14. QUTAB INSTITUTIONAL AREA, NEW
DELHI 110016 I NDIA. PHONE: 91- 11- 68 6-5675
#'
turbed to assist me. So I stay here on the H.e. Bakshi, Former Joint Secretary of
footpaths. I carmot afford an old-age home. the Prime Minister's Office, cautions par- /
Life is misery. I certainly feel marginalized ents to be wary of this trap. "Old people
and discriminated against, and it-saddens must have independent financial support.
me, this lack of respect towards us, the poor While living, you should not transfer prop-
and old. It was not this way in our times. We erty to your son, but make a wilL Children
Together: This distinctive
Rajasthani elder has
maintained close fellowship
It's the Lavv
looked up to elders, respected their experi- should inherit the property only after death. with his grandchildren
ence and knowledge and learned from them." Without financial support, you are a loser. I
The bill that dares to arrest neglect
The modern'Indian family has left the el- know of a case in Patel Nagar, Delhi, where
ders behind. "We have divided our families the retired person transferred his property lMACHAL p!lADESli's illegitimate daughters.
based on economy," ,Bhalla elaborated. "The while living. Afterwards, he was treated as a Maintenance of Parents The government will form
middle-class is moving to cities in search of virtual slave. He was moved against his will and Dependents Bill tribunals as needed in each
opportunities, leaving old parents in rural ar- to a small room on the roof. Later, he was (number 29 of 1996) district to deliberate applica-
eas. At least there, neighbors, friends and dumpeJ into the garage." paints a bleak picture of the tions. Section 3.1 of the bill
other relatives do take care. But in cities it is Even lawmakers were alert to this familial care of India's elderly. On the clarifies, 'Any person, who is
very difficult. Rents are so high that we can flimflam. Section 18.1 of the Himachal last page of the bill, Minister- unable to maintain himself
afford only small flats or apartments. So, we Pradesh Bill states, "Where any person, who in-Charge, Vidya Dhar, gives a and is resident in the State of
claim that due to lack of space and monetary after the commencement of this Act, has Statement of Objectives and Himachal Pradesh, may apply
considerations parents carmot be accommo- transferred, by way of gift or otherwise, his Reasons: '10 the developing to the Tribunal for an order
dated. Actually, space,is not the real problem, property, subject to the condition that the ' age of science and technology, that [the responsible party]
not even the financial burden, but we do not transferee shall provide the basic amenities, our old virtues are giving way pay a monthly allowance, or
have an honest approach. We have/become and basic physical needs to the transferrer to materialistic and separatis- any other periodical payment
small-hearted due to modernization." and such transferee refuses or fails ,to pro- tic tendencies. The younger or a lump sum for his mainte- need. '~ parent is unable to
Gift buys grief: One way seniors are left in vide such all}enities and physical needs, the generation are neglecting their nance." Depending on who is mainfain himself if his total or
the INrch is in the transfer of estates and as- said transfer of the property shall be wives, children and aged and applying, the person held re- expected income and other
sets to their children. In the West, this trans- deemed to have, been made by fraud or co- infirm parents, who are now sponsible for maintenance fmancial resources are inade-
action usually takes place after death through ercion or under undue influence and shall at being left beggared and desti- may be the children or grand- quate to provide basic ameni-
a legal will. In India, it has been common to , the option of the transferrer be void." tute on the scrap-heap of soci- children, the husband, the ties and basic physical needs
legally transfer such properties and accounts ety, thereby driven to a life of father, and where father is including (but not limited to)
long before death. When performed ethical- vagrancy, inlmorality and dead, the mother, or the per- shelter, food and clothing."
ly, this practice frees the elder of the burden "We have not left crime for their subsistence. son who takes any share in an Vidya Dhar states in his
of property and money management so that Thus it has become necessary estate of the ancestor. conclusion, "In our society, the
he may better advise his children and inten- our cultur~ alto- to provide compassionate and Section 3.4 defmes the maintenance of aged parents
sify his spiritual disciplines-¢.e natural speedy remedy to ameliorate broad ctiteria of maintenance had been a matter of great
functions of this stage of life. It is rightfully gether.. .yet." the difficulties being faced by eligibility. "This Act shall ap- concern and of personal
understood that the children would continue " REKHA BHALLA, DELHI
those so neglected." ply to that person if the Tri- obligation. Our ancient seers
to care for the p~ent. But in an inhuman .'--"""--"""L....:_---' The bill is not limited to bunal is satisfied that he is held this obligation on the
twist, once the transfer is made, sons may protection of the elderly. It suffering from infirmity of highest pedestal by declaring
completely neglect the parents, ,sometimes Who will help? "This problem must be han- encompasses, with stipula- mind or body which prevents that, 'The aged mother and
even ejecting them from the home. A retired dled," beseeches Bhalla. "Tomorrow we will tions, parents and grandpar- or makes it difficult for him to father, the chaste wife and
Indian administrative officer has been forced grow old. We have to shock ourselves w;ith ents, wives, sons, unmarried maintain himself or that there infant child must be main-
to spend the last few years of his life in an the reality that our children might put us in daughters, widowed daugh- is any other special reason." tained, even at great cost.'
old-age home. Indignant, he explained that old-age homes, uncared for. Are we preparing ters, any widow of the son, The Bill continues with a defi- This Bill seeks to achieve the
he had transferred his assets to his son. While for such a fuhIre?" India today has nearly 60 minor illegitimate sons and nition of what constitutes aforesaid objectives."
the mother has been allowed to stay at home million elderly people, and demographic pro-

24 HINDUISM TOD A,Y M~Y, 1997 MAY , 1997 Hl'NDUISM TODAY 25

The Ayurvedic Institute Classical Music of North and South India
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Lawrence's art: Artist at work retouching a painting. Lord Siva blesses Goddess Parvati.
one ever taught" me. God gave me a gift of
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Marriage Rites and Rituals of Hindus A Comprehensive Approach to Yoga...

ASTROLOGY posed are all more likely to defeated, their spirit remains
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by Dr. Prem Sahai. . HIMBll Paramhansa Yogananda
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MAY , 1 997 H I' N D U ISM TO DAY 27
EDUCATION
Math'~a-Magicia, n
Harvard's #2 graduate balanc~s brillance with art and atman
By LAVINA MELWANI, NEW YORK
OU COULD HAVE HEARD A PIN DROP.
After all, the event was one of awe-in-
spiring pomp and' circumstance in that
blue-chip, Ivy League temple of higher
learning-Harvard UniversIty. Manjul Bhar-
gava'stepped up to the microphone, clad un-
derneath his graduation gown in his Indian
kurta and pajama. As one of the top two stu-
dents graduating in Harvard's 1,600-strong
1996 class, he had been invited to lead the
commencement. Surrounded and undaunt-
ed by the trappings of maipstream America,
he began with teachings from the Vedas.
Manjul recalls, "I thought this would be the
perfect beginning to this auspicious ceremo-
ny. I recited in .sanskrit some of my favorite
verses, and a translation into English was
read immediately afterwards and broadcast
on radio throughout-the Boston area."
Yes, you can take the boy out ofIndia, but
you certainly can't take India out of the boy!
Confident and proud of his Hindu culture
and identity, thIS young Ontario-born son of
a chemist father and mathematician mother
has proven that he is-truly Aryabhatas de-
scendent in mind and spirit. This January
he received the prestigious Frank and Bren-
nie Morgan Prize for outstanding research
in mathematics by ' an undergraduate stu-
dent. Manjul, whose academic CMeer has
been flawless, received the award for the
four papers he submitted to the Morgan
Prize- Committee. His Senior Honor's The-
sis, "On P-orderings and polynomial func-
tions on arbitrary subsets of Dedekind-type
rings" unifies and generalizes the results of
about 20 previous papers, many by well-
known mathematicians.
This may all sound a bit cerebral to ordi-
nary mortals like us, but in Cllse you think
tIkt Manjul is one of those Super I.Q. ·brains
with the social life of a nerd, thinJ5: again! He
was editor'of the school magazine Ventures,
played on the tennis and bowling teams and
was in the Ecology and French Clubs. He
attracted academic awards and scholarships
throughout school and college as -effortles~ly
as honeycombs draw bees. He cheerfully
admits: "I never really liked going to school,
and so I rarelY attended. Instead, I spent
most of my childhood biking, playing tennis
and . basketball with neighborhood kids,
writing, flying kites, reading recreational
28 HINDUISM TODA.Y M4Y, 1997
math books, and learniI).g to play the sitar,
guitar, violin and the tabla."
Manjul, the winner of the First Annual
New York State Science Talent Search, al-
most didn't graduate because of his carefree
inclination to skip classes that couldn't teach
him anything he didn't know already. After
all, he had completed all his high school's
math and computer courses by nin~h grade!
Still, he did manage to graduate-as the class
valedictorian, no less.
At Harvard, he was awarded the Thomas
Hoopes Prize for outstanding research work.
While taking gradua(e courses, he also
taught undergraduate mathematics as a
teaching fellow for three years and was a
three-time recipient of the Derek Bale
Award for Excellence in Teaching. b-ll this
before he reached voting age!
Even at Harvard, Manjul found time to
pursue Sanskrit, table tennis and the tabla,
which. he played at various musical perfor-
mances in the Boston area. His extended'
Hindu family, with whom he spent many va-
cations in Jaipur, nurtured in him an over-
whelming love of India. His grandfather, Dr.
PUFUshottam Lal Bhargava, was a renowned
scflolar of Sanskrit and ancient Indian his-
tory, and was recently honored by the presi-
dent of India for his groundbreaking re-
search. His mother, Dr. Mira Bhargava, is a
noted mathematician, but as Manjul ob-
serves, ~'She is also a wonderful and dedi- school, but ManfUl stood his ground: "Some-
cated traditional Indian mother and times kids I ate with would make fun of me
homemaker." for not eating meat-'You've never had a
Though Manjul grew up in several cities hamburger in your life?' they'd ask incredu'-
in C¥ada and the US, Hindu values were lou sly. I would remind them that what they
instilled in him as a child. He says: ""My first were eating were slices of dead cow and pig,
language was Hindi, and I picked, up most of and I'd relate cruel and gruesome stories of
the slaughterhouse to them. This
Proof positive: Manjul, 22, points to one of his formulas generally grossed them out
which earned him the Morgan Prize. Three of the four enough to never make fun of
honorees of this prestigious award hqve been Hindu. vegetarianism again. In f$.ct, af-
terwards many of diem stopped
eating meat altogether-at least
in front of me!"
Manjul's commitment to vege-
tarianism persists, and at Har-
vard he was involved with the
Animal Welfare Committee. The
idea is fa raise awareness of ani-
mal rights through such activi-
ties as fur protests and examin-
ing the humane treatment of
laboratory animals. Recalls Man-
a
jul: "I was very surprise to be
·the only Hindu member on the
committee. While it is gratifying
to see so many non-Hindus be-
coming dedicated to the cause of
ahimsa, I wish that more Hindus
would get involved ip proII].oting
" this noble Indian practice."
. As a youth in North America,
Manjul had one minor problem:
the Hindu holidays almost never
coincided with school holidays.
He .says, "I would miss many
school days throughout the year
for various Hindu festivals. But
to tell you the truth, I always
found sitting through classes all
day rather dull and boring, and
so was very happy on those days
when I was able to skip school,
all with a valid excuse, too!"
How does he feel about being
raised half in the East and half
in the West? Manjul observes, "I
am so glad to have grown up in
two cultures! It has allowed me
./ to extract the best of two worlds.
my English later on from school and from The wisdom and values of Hindus together
friends. I took a leave of absence from with the confidence and work ethics of
school in the second half of my sophomore Americans has really been an Inspiring
year and spent it in Jaipur with my grand- combination. It has also allowed me to grow
parents. I learned Sanskrit at the Rajasthan up as a truly multilingual person and to be
Sanskrit ViClyapeeth and took further tabla exposed to fuany different schools of litera-
lessons from my teacher there." ture, music and art."
While he was growing up::discussions of . Because of his frequent trips to India and
the Vedas, the Puranas and the Mahabhara- his exposure to Indian culture at home, he
. ta were as common as those on current news. feels very much a part.of the home country
All major Hindu holidays were celebrated too. He thinks young Hindus growingup in
with puja, arati (offering of lights) and lots 21st century US should hang on to their cul-
of festive food. His Hindu upbringing did ture and religion. "People don't reaJize the
not clash with Wowing up in America. tremendous advantage of growing up in two
The family's staunch vegetarianism did different cultures," he points out. "Hinduism
cause some minor clashes in elementary is an especially adaptable, rational and uni-
versal way of life, and growing up in Ameri-
ca does not in any way prevent one from
holding on to our Sanatana Dharma."
Ind>ed, Manjul has taken bits and pieces
from both cultures and created his own
ide~ universe. He wears kurta pajamas but
also Western clothes; he is adept at comput-
er science but also fascinated by Vedic gani-
ta jyotisha, or astronomy. He says, 'Tve read ,
the marvelous exposition of ganita jyotisha
by Aryabhata (4th century) who is recog-
nized worldwide as the founder of modern
astronomy and trigonometry."
Living on American campuses and ex-
posed to the hard-sell of television shows ,.
and commercials, how has the handsome
bachelor dealt with dating? He points out
that this is certainly an issue on which the
Indian and American cultures differ, adding
-that young Indians in America are under
tremendous pressure by their peers to date.
He says, "I personally have chosen not to
date and have a large circle of close friends /
-male and female, mostly American-who
have accepted and respected my decision. I
attend social functions, not with a date, but
with family members or fhends."
As for marriage, Manjul protests: "I
haven't thought much about marriage yet, so
I can't say whether I will have an arranged
marriage eventually-I'm only 22 and am in
school for a couple more years!" He does add
though that he would not insist on marrying
from the same community but would cer-
tainly hope to marry someone who shares
his Hindu values, speaks Hindi, enjoys Indi-
an music and likes the natural sciences.
At Harvard, he graduated summa cum
laude in math and waj awarded the presti-
gious Hertz Fellowship which he. is current-
ly using to pursue a Ph.D. in mathematics at
Princeton University. He eventually hopes
to be a mathematician at a research institu-
tion: "I would really like to open some sort of
chain of national math and science guruku-
las (schools) in India. There is so much
mathematical and science talent in India,
but unfortunately, such talent is not fostered
anti attended to as it is in the United States." .
Asked what helps him,.get through rough
times, Manjul points to' the ten ca'i-dinal
virtues of Hinduism-the yamas and niya-
mas-as prescribed in the Manusmrti, in-
cluding fortitude, forgiveness, truthfulness,
absence of anger and pursuit of knowledge.
To that he adds, "Growjng up in a tradition-
al Hindu family also makes tough times
much easier, as fam\ly members are always
willing to sacrifice their own time and re-
sources when others are in need. My moth-
er especially has be'e n the paramount exam-
ple of sacrifice, having dedicated almost her
entire life to the well-being of our extended
family." And the ornnipotent' Ganesha sitting
in the family shrine in New York extends a
helping hand, too! wi
MAY, 1 997 H I'N D U ISM TO DAY 29
INSIGHT
Sacred
Pilgrimage
Searching for God, atoning for
misdeeds or begging for boons,
pilgrims visit the holy places
IVE DUTIES, CALLED PANCHA KRIYA, FORM
the traditional minimal practices expect-
ed of every Hindu: upasana (worship);
utsava (holy days); dharma (virtuous liv-
ing); tirthayatra (pilgrimage); and sam-
skara (rites of passage). Thus, most Hindus pro-
ceed on pilgrimage from time to time, choosing
from among the seven sacred rivers or seven lib-
eration-giving cities, the twelve Siva mandirs or
the vast temple complexes of Mathura and Vrin-
davana, or thousands more holy places of India.
Some visit the hallowed sanctuaries of Sri Lanka,
Bali, Nepal and Bangladesh, Southeast Asia 0r
the modern temples of Europe, America and
Australia. How we follow the pilgrims' way is
more important than where we go.
The concept of Mrshana is inextricably woven into tirthayatra
(literally "journey to the river's ford"), and all of its encounters, mun-
dane and metaphysical. In fact, one cannot understand how a Hin-
du experiences pilgrimage without a deep appreciation for the not-
so-obvious concept of Mrshana, which means "sight or vision." The
direct encounter, or seeing, of the Divine, is the ideal that carries a
Hindu on pilgrimage. He wants to see holy men and women, to see
holy shrines, to see the images abiding in the ancient sanctums. Ul-
timately, he wants to see God, to have a personal, life-changing, bliss-
engendering, karma-eradicating vision of Truth within himself. The
pilgrim also wants to be seen by God, to reveal himself, uncover
himself, stand before God and be known to Him. Darshana is the
essence of every pilgrim's journey, the rationale, the inner and out-
er goal. Working diligently with himself, the pilgrim observes his
yogas and his sadhanas (disciplines) so that his seeing may be pure
and untainted. Traditional questors' practices of snana, the sacred
bath, especially at the confluences of rivers, and munMna, shaving
of the head, are part of attaining that purity.
Pilgrimage is a pan-human religious behavior, practiced by all cul-
30 HINDUISM TODAY MAY , 1997
tures in much the same manner and for similar reasons-boons, ex-
piation of sins, healing, nearness to God and enlightenment. A pil-
grim of ancient Egypt testified, "1 made myself a stranger to all vice
and all Godlessness, was chaste for a considerable period, and of-
fered the due incense in holy piety. I had a vision of God and found
rest for my soul." The Aborigines of Australia travel to Ayer's Rock
and other places of the continent. American Indian tribes undertake
a "vision quest" at their sacred places. The Olympic Games were
originally part of a pilgrimage to the temple of Zeus in Olympia,
Greece. The Christians of the Middle Ages traveled to the holy city
of Jerusalem, often at great personal peril. Muslims are expected
once in their life to perform the hajj, the visit to Mecca, holiest city
of Islam-about 10% are able to do so. Buddhists visit the four-sanc-
tified sites: Buddha's birthplace in Lumbini, Nepal; his place of en-
lightenment at Bodhgaya, India; Deer Park (Sarnath), where he
gave his first sermon; and Kusinara, where he had his great depar-
ture. Jains pilgrimage to Mount Abu in Rajasthan and Parasnath in
Bihar; Sikhs to the Golden Temple at Amritsar; Shintoists to Mount
Fiji in Japan. There are numerous places in China sacred to Taoists
and Confucianists. Catholics are ardent pilgrims-four million a
year to Lourdes in France, a million to Fatima in Portugal, to name
just two destinations. Protestant Christians are possibly unique for
rejecting the practice of pilgrimage as "childish and useless works."
But even they can be found at Lourdes or Jerusalem. Not only the
practices but even the people are the same. What Hindu pilgrim
would not recognize from his own experience the Christian charac-
ters of John Bunyan's novel Pilgrim's Progress- Mr. Worldly Wiseman,
Mrs. Hopeful, Mr. Faithful, Mrs. Much-afraid and Mr. Ready-to-halt?
Pilgrimage is not a vacation, a chance to "get away from it all" and
enjoy scenic vistas in far-off lands. The true blessing of pilgrimage
comes with singlemindedness of purpose, rather than combining it
(especially as a secondary purpose) with visits to relatives or the
handling of business or professional concerns. Pilgrimage is a going
toward holiness and a going away from worldly life. Sri Swami
Satchidananda of the Integral Yoga Institute told HINDUISM TODAY,
"There is a tradition that when you take a pilgrimage you temporar-
ily become a sannyasin [renunciate]. It is called yatra sannyasa. You
go as a sannyasin, doing with simple things and depending on God."
"Pilgrimages," explains Swami Chidanand Saraswati (Muniji) of
Parmath Niketan, in Rishikesh, "may be undertaken for realizing
specific desires; as a prayashchitta (penance) for cleansing one's sins
or for spiritual regeneration. Seekers go on pilgrimages in quest of
knowledge, enlightenment and liberation. The great acharyas like
Shankara, Ramanuja and Madhva went on pilgrimages to teach
Sanatana Dharma." Pilgrims perform the shraddha rites at an aus-
picious place in honor of their ancestors. They seek the company of
holy people. By such proximity, the pilgrim hopes to absorb a bit of
the saints religious merit, or maybe to capture a glimpse of the lofty
state of the knower's consciousness.
The Mahabharata, in the Tirthayatra section, lists hundreds of
holy destinations. Sage Pulastya describes to Bhishma a tour cir-
cumambulating all of India in a clockwise fashion, beginning from
Pushkara in Rajasthan, then to Sornnath and Dwarka in the West,
to the Himalayas, across the top of India through Varanasi and Gaya
to the mouth of the Ganges in the East, then southward to Kanyaku-
mari, back up the western side of India to Gokarna in Karnataka,
and ultimately returning to Pushkara. The existence of this pilgrim-
age route in ancient times proves, they say, that undivided India was
a one culture unified by a one religion. In Hindu Places of Pilgrim-
age in India, Surinder Mohan Bhardwaj states, "The number ofHin-
du sanctuaries in India is so large and the practice of pilgrimage so
ubiquitous that the whole of India can be regarded as a vast sacred
space organized into a system of pilgrimage centers and their fields."
The continuous circulation of tens of millions of pilgrims through-
out India has forged a national unity of great strength. Swami Chi-
danand explains, "Pilgrimages have culturally and emotionally uni-
fied the Hindus. They have increased the generosity of people.
Pilgrims learn and appreciate the many subcultures in the different
regions, while also appreciating the overall unity."
The pilgrim, according to Sage Pulastya, must have contentment,
self-control and freedom from pride and anger. He must eat light,
vegetarian food and regard all creatures as his own sel[ "The pil- /
grims," notes Ma Yoga Shakti, "should not entertain anything which
is not spiritual. A pilgrim must go with total surrender, with a total
faith in God, that it is only with God's grace that he can finish the
pilgrimage." All along the way, there is help from others. "People
know you are a pilgrim," Swami Satchidananda continued. "They
say, 'We cannot go ourselves. We are all busy in the world. Please, by
helping you, you can go and get some benefit, and parts of it will
come to us.' " Pilgrims often sense a divine guidance during their
journey, as obstacles unexpectedly disappear and needed assistance
comes in a timely, unplanned fashion. Helping pilgrims is an impor-
tant obligation. The langar, free vegetarian kitchen, and free rest
houses at pilgrimage sites are common methods of assistance.
In addition to participation in the normal temple or festival events,
the pilgrim's devotional practices include circumambulation,
bathing, head shaving, sraddha offering to ancestors and prostration.
Prostration and circumambulation are sometimes combined in the
rigorous discipline of "measuring one's length"-prostrating, rising,
stepping forward two paces and prostrating repeatedly around a sa-
cred site. There are pilgrims who undertake this formidable
penance the entire 33-mile path around Mount Kailas. Many desti-
nations have a prescribed set of observances for pilgrims. Some,
such as that to the temple of Lord Ayappan in Sabarimala, have
complex disciplines requiring months to complete.
Pilgrims pay obeisance to every Deity along their way. After wor-
shiping at all the shrines in each temple, one fmds a quiet place in
meditation. Manasa puja, "mental ritual worship," is then performed
to the Deity who stands out most strongly in one's mind, explained
Swami Satchidananda. It is not enough to run from shrine to shrine
taking Mrshana for "just five minutes:' as the tour guides insist. One
must also reflect internally in meditation and thus become open to re-
ceiving the gracious boons of the God. Even a life-changing vision of
God may come to the pilgrim in his meditation, or later in a dream.
H.H. Swami Prakashanand, an ardent devotee of Radha-Rani, ex-
plains how to conclude a sacred journey. "Normally while going to a
holy place people think of God, but as soon as they have the Mrshan
of the Deity and they start back home, their mind is totally engrossed
in business affairs. This is not correct. While coming back he should
be further engrossed in feeling the closeness of God. Otherwise it is
a sight-seeing trip." It is customary to return with holy water, vibhuti
(holy ash) and other temple sacraments and place them upon the
home altar after lighting a lamp. This establishes the holy places'
blessings in the home and keeps the pilgrimage alive for months.
MAY , 1997 HINDUISM TODAY 31
Divine Destinations
HE EARLIEST PILGRIMAGE DESTINATIONS ARE THOUGHT TO BE
the saptanadis (seven holy rivers), hence the Sanskrit term
for pilgrimage, tirthayallra, literally "journey to the river's
ford." These seven rivers-Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari, Sarasva-
ti, Narmada, Sindhu and Kaveri-remain preeminent among
holy sites on their own accord and in association with the temples
along their course. Each Hindu sect holds certain sites in high re-
gard, though few Hindus would pass up the opportunity to visit any
of the great sanctuaries. Paramount is the Kumbha Mela, the largest
gathering of humans in the world, according to the Guinness Book of
World Records. The 1989 Kumbha Mela at Prayag drew 30 million
devotees. The month-long festival is held four times in each 12-year
cycle of Jupiter, once each at Haridwar, Prayag, Nassik and Ujjain. A
bath in India's sacred rivers yields immeasurable blessings. Hun-
dreds of thousands of holy men emerge from caves and forests to be-
stow their blessings on humanity at the Kumbha Mela.
Haridwar, where the river Ganges enters the Gangetic Plain, is
the gateway to the sacred Himalayan shrines, tirthas and ashrams.
It attracts thousands of pilgrims year-round. The Kumbha Mela is
held here when Jupiter is in Aquarius and the Sun in Aries-next oc-
curring in January-February of 1998. Prayag, "place of sacrifice," at-
tracts millions who travel great distances and endure hardships for
a purifying bath to absolve sins and seek moksha, freedom from re-
birth, in the confluence of three rivers-Yamuna, Ganga and the in-
visible Sarasvati. This city holds the biggest Kumbha Mela of all
when Jupiter is in Taurus and the Sun in Capricorn. The next one
will be in January-February of 2001. Near the source of the Go-
davari River in Maharashtra, Nassik is revered as Lord Rama's forest
home during exile. One of ten cave temples here was Sita's abode,
from which Ravana abducted her. Shrines of the area include the
Kapaleshvara and Tryambakeshvara Siva temples. The Nassik mela
(festival) is much smaller than those of Haridwar and Prayag. It next
occurs in August-September 2003, when both Jupiter and the Sun
are in Leo. Historic Ujjain is one of India's seven cities of liberation.
Pilgrimage moments: Elderly women hike 46 km to Amamath cave
in ] ammu. Evening Ganga puja in Banaras. QUiet moment of medi-
tation before Lord Vishnu at Badami, Kamataka State. The infirm
are carried by hired porters to difficult sacred destinations.
This site of the relatively small 1992 Kumbha Mela, on the Shipra
River in Madhya Pradesh, shelters an array of destinations, including
the Mahakala Siva Temple and the Amareshvara Jyotir Linga. Its
next mela will be April-May 2004, when Jupiter enters Leo with the
Sun in Aries. A biannual Kumbha Mela of the South was begun in
1989 by Sri la Sri Tiruchi Mahaswamigal and Sri Sri Sri Balagangad-
haranathaswami of Bangalore at an auspicious site near Mysore.
Among the foremost religious retreats for SaiYites is Chidam-
baram, the great Siva Nataraja temple, site of the Lingam of Akasha,
located in Tamil Nadu. It was here that Lord Siva performed the
Tandava dance of creation, overcoming the arrogance of the rishis,
and where sage Patanjali later lived and wrote the Yoga Sutras. Here
also lived Rishi Tirumular, author of the Tirumantiram. The glisten-
ing roof of the main sanctum contains 17,500 solid gold tiles, one for
each breath a human takes in a day.
High north in Uttar Pradesh is Kedarnath, one of the twelve Jyo-
tir Linga temples of Lord Siva. It was established at the foot of the
Himalayas by the five Pandavas after the Mahabharata war to atone
for their sins. Recent improvements have made the previously ardu-
ous ascent to this 12,000-foot sanctuary easier, but unfit trekkers are
still cautioned about the cold and the 5,000-foot hike from Gau-
rikund, the last motorable outpost.
One of the greatest and most austere pilgrimages, Mount Kailas,
Himalayan abode of Lord Siva, is sacred to five religions. Pilgrims
perform a three-day, 33-mile circumambulation of the peak. At the
foot of Kailas lies Lake Manasarovara, symbolizing a quieted mind,
free from all thought. Kailas is the Mount Meru of Hindu cosmolo-
gy, center of the universe. Within 50 miles are the sources of four of
India's auspicious rivers.
The Ramanathaswamy Siva Linga Temple at Ramesyaram near
India's southern tip was built by Lord Rama in penance for killing
Ravana, a brahmin. Two Lingams (egg-shaped icons) are worshiped
there, established by Sita and Hanuman. Each day the abhishekam
(bathing) is performed with Ganges water. The temple is enormous
in extent, with a mile of stone corridors. Pilgrims bathe in the sea
and at 22 wells, each of which removes a particular kind of sin.
Pilgrims to Banaras, Siva's City of Light, bathe at the ghats (riv-
er steps) along the River Ganges to cleanse the sins of a lifetime.
Most pilgrims attend Siva Linga puja (devotional rites) at Kashi Vish-
wanatha, foremost of the 1,500 temples here. The devout journey
here at life's end.
One of the greatest Shakta temples is Vaishno DeYi. Those who
climb the mountain trail in the Trikuta mountains north of Jammu
are rarely disappointed as they implore the Goddess for boons. It
was here in the Himalayan foothills that Vaishno Devi, a devotee of
Lord Vishnu, defeated the demon Bhaironatha. Though hid-
den within a cave, the shrine receives more than 20,000
pilgrims a day, even when wintery snows are
piled deep outside.
At the very tip of India, where the Bay
of Bengal, the Indian Ocean and the Ara-
bian Sea meet, lies the ancient shrine of
Kanyakumari, Goddess Parvati as the eter-
nal virgin. It was here She defeated the de-
mon Bana. Boats take pilgrims offshore to
the Vivekananda Rock Memorial; where
the young swami cognized his mission
to begin a Hindu renaissance.
Madurai, the Athens of India, holds
the labyrinthine Meenakshi Sundaram
temple. Here Siva came as Somasundarar
to wed the Pandyan Princess
Meenakshi, a manifestation of Par- Pilgrim: Searching for God
vati. Thus, this edifice encases two
temples, one to Siva and another to Sakti. The towering entry gates,
1,000-pillared hall, sacred tanks and shrines vibrate with thousands
of years of worship at this seven-walled citadel on the Vagai River.
Only a few centuries ago the Kalighat temple was established in
what was then a remote jungle near the river Ganges. The now
highly congested Calcutta expanded to envelope the shrine, which
is filled daily with devotees' cries of "Kali Ma, Kali Ma," beseech-
ing blessings from the incomparable Protectress and Mother of lib-
eration.
Kamaksha is the Goddess of Love. Her holiest sanctuary is a
small temple built on the rock of Nila Hill near Gauhati in Assam.
The town and its legends are described in the Mahabharata and the
Kalika Purana. This temple of magic for the sincere devotee contains
no image of the Goddess, but in the depths of the shrine is a cleft in
the stone, adored as the yoni of Sakti.
VaishnaYites revere Ayodhya, birthplace of Lord Rama, "Jewel of
the Solar Kings." Here devotees worship and seek the blessings and
boons of the seventh incarnation of God Vishnu. This orthodox
Vaishnava town in Uttar Pradesh is among Hinduism's seven most
sacred cities. Temples and shrines in every quarter honor famous
sites of Rama's celebrated life, including the reclaimed Ram Janmab-
hoomi shrine and a temple to His devout servant, Hanuman.
Mathura is the birthplace of Lord Krishna, eighth incarnation of
God Vishnu. Mathura and nearby Vrindaban and Gokula are an out-
door paradise for devotees visiting places of the Lord's youth. A ten-
mile circumambulation of the city takes enchanted pilgrims to
dozens of shrines and bathing spots for this beloved God's blessings.
Puri, in the state of Orissa, is the site of the famous Rathayatra,
car festival, held around June each year at the sprawling, 900-year-
old Jagannatha temple complex. A million pilgrims flock for dar-
shana of God Vishnu as Lord of the Universe, and His brother and
sister, Balabhadra and Subhadra. Using 500-meter ropes, throngs of
devotees pu1l40-foot-tall wooden chariots to the Gundicha temple.
Along with Yamunotri, Gangotri and Kedarnath, Badrinath lies
in the area known as Uttarkhand, high in the Himalayas. During the
half-year when not blocked by snow, hearty pilgrims climb 10,000
feet to the temple of Badrinarayana, where God Vishnu sits in med-
itation with a large diamond adorning His third eye and body be-
decked with gems. Pilgrims take a purifying bath at the Tapt Kund,
a sacred hot water pool.
India's richest and most popular temple, Tirupati, daily draws
25,000 pilgrims. They joyfully wait hours for a precious two seconds
of darshana of the two-meter tall, jet-black image of the wish-ful- /
filling Sri Venkateshwara, or Balaji. His diamond crown is the costli-
est ornament on Earth. The temple is a Dravidian masterpiece of
stonework, gold and jewels. Head-shaving here is a prized testimony
of penance and devotion, and famed laddu sweets are the pilgrim's
prized gift of blessed food.
In ancient times the rishis of the Rig Veda sang in praise of pil-
grimage: "Flower-like the heels of the wanderer, his body grows and
is fruitful; all his sins disappear, slain by the toil of his journeying."
So meaningful is pilgrimage in the Sanatana Dharma, the world's
oldest religion, that Hindus today have thousands of destinations, at
which God awaits the pilgrim.
Recommended Resources: Hindu Places of Pilgrimage in India [comprehensive study for
North Indian sites], Surinder Mohan Bhardwaj, University of California Press, 2120 Berkeley Way, Berke-
ley, California, 94720. Pilgrimage Past and Present In the World Religions [useful for Western faiths], Si-
mon Coleman and John Elsner, Harvard University Press, 79 Garden Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts,
02138-1425. Pilgrimages and Journeys, [fIne children's book], Katherine Prior, Thomson Learning, 115
Flfth Avenue, New York, New York, lQOO3. l Hlstoricalltlas of South Asia [maps and historical accounts],
Joseph E. Schwartzberg, Oxford University Press, 200 Madison Avenue, New York, New York, 10016.
Journeys to the lands of the Gods [a pilgrims diary, especially good for South Indian sites], Rajalingaro
Rajathurai, Printworld Services Pte Ltd, 80 Genting Lane, #04-02 Genting Block, Ruby Industrial Com-
plex, Singapore 349565
 I

ECONOMICS can ....hardly lead us anywhere. across the Chengalpattu region to verify the
We shall have no options until picture presented in the leafs. They found

India:-Once
we evolve a conceptual frame-
work of our own, based on chit-
ta and kala, to discriminate be-
tween right and wrong, what is
useful for us and what is futile."
The Centre's three main re-
most of these villages deserted-.perhaps
since !.he beginning of the 19th century-by
all who had any resources, education or
skil~s. Inhabitants had left behind their pala-
tial houses, their temples and groves. Aban-
doned as well were the eyrs-the irrigation

P'lentiflil
Records -reveal British sch~mes diminished crops
anc;l dismantled a native system of abundance
OST OF US COLLEGE-EDUCATED
Indians were taught that ineffi-
cient technologies and low pro-
ductivities pervaded through
long ages in practically all parts
_ of .India," states Dr. S.K. Bajaj:
dIrector of the Centre for Policy Studies, a
Chennai think tank. In the 1920s Gandhi's
Young India pr.esentep some proof of a rich
and prosperous pre-British India. Then in
the 1960s, the Centre's founder, historian Sri
Dharampal, discovered at the Thanjavur
Tamil University a set of palrnleaf records
documenting a British survey of 2,000 vil-
lages of Chengalpattu, a large area sur-
rounding present-day Chennai. "Startling
features of Tamil society in the 18th centu-
ry emerge from these palmleaf accounts,"
said Bajaj. "Between 1762 and 1766 there
were villages which produced up to 12 tons
of paddy a hectare. This level of productivi-
ty can be obtained 'only in the best of the
Green Revolution areas of the coumry, with
the most advanced, expensive and often en-
viroIlJllentaily ruinous technologies. The an-
nual-availability of all food averaged five tons
per household; the national average in India
today is three-quarters ton. Whatever the
ways of pre-British Indian society, they were
definitely neither ineffective nor inefficient."
Food production is just one aspect of the
Ola leaf records: Sample of the meter-long palmleaf manuscripts of the British survey
34 HINDUISM TODA,Y ~ Y, 1997
colonial impact geing addressed by the
Centre. The Chengalpattu records are part
of Dharampal's research which has uncov-
ered a politically, technologically and eco-
nomically vibrant Indian society of the il.8th
cEi,ntury. "That society was dismantled and
atomized by the British, by force," states the
Centre's brochure, "and the diverse skills of
the Indian people were pushed out of the
public sphere and n;tade to rust and decay.
For India to become a vibrant and dynamic
nation again, we only need to re-awaken the
political, economic and technological skills
of our people." The records are especially
useful for understanding how Hindu reli-
gious institutions were originally supported,
and why they declined under British rule.
Dliarampal believes Indians must redis-
cover their nation's traditional sense of chit-
ta, mind, and flow of time, kala. "Since we
have lost practically all contact with our tra-
dition, and all comprehension of our chitta
and kala, there are no standards and norms
on the basis of which to answer ~estions
that arise in 9rdinary social living. Ordinary
rndians perhaps still retain an innate under-
standing of rig~t action and right thought,
but our elite society seems to have lost all
touch with any stable norms of behavior and
thinking. The present attempt at imitating
the world and following every passing tad
searchers .are: M.D. Srinivas, a tanks and channels-often cut across by
theoretical physicist teaching at British~built roads which left· dry land on
the University of Madr~, who one side and stagnant water on the other.
specializes in Indi"an science; Their on-the-~round inspection confirmed
T.M. Mukundan, a mechanical many aspects of the inscribed leaves.
engineer specializing in tech- Of importance to Hindu history is how the
nologies such as water manage- religious institutions were maintained. Lands ....
ment and iron smelting; and J.K. callen many am were assigned for the sup-
Bajaj, also a theoretical -physi- port of various fundions, .Including religious
cist, now involved in economy, activities. Certain percentages of the pro-
agriculfure and energy. duction from this land were divided among
The Chengalpattu data was a ·the various public functions, such as admin-
Godsend for the Centre, and has istration, army, education and religious insti-
allowed them to support many tutions. Small temples received incorhe from
of their central theories about nearby villages. Larger ones, such as those of /
pre-British 1ndia. The accounts the great center of Kanchipuram, received
. detail a complete economic, so- income from over a thousanCl. villages. The
cial, administrative and religious amount dedicated to religion from the
picture of the society. Every many am lands, according 'to the leaves, was
temple, pond, garden and grove a. substantial four percent of the total pro-
in a locality is listed, the occupa- duce of the region. It supported temples,
tion, family size, hpme aI).d lot academies of learning, dancers and musi-
.... size of 62,500 households metic- cians. A portion was also provided for Mus-
, ulously recorded. Crop yields lim and Jain institutions. This system result-
between 1762-66 are tallied. Per ed in the vast network of temples, most now
capita production of food in this neglected, seen across South India.
region (which is of average fer- The British government changed this sys-
tility) was more than five times tem. In some areas they calculated a per-
that achieved on average today. centage figure of total tax revenue going to
Hajaj and his associates didn't the institutions and fixed it as a dollar
do all their work in a library. amount, in 1799 dollap. Some institutions
The team set off in person still receive this same govermpent allot-
Hovv the Green
Revolution failed
B. RAMON DE LA PENA OF THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAll IS ONE OF
D the worlds foremost experts on rice. He also ha'ppens to be a neighbor
of the ashram from which HINDUISM TODAY is produced. Asked to
comment on the Chengalpattu reports, he said: "Such yields as 12
tons per hectare were definitely possible with the old methods and two crops
a year. The best modern US production is eight to nine tons per hectare (one
annual crop). The world average is presently three to five tonslhectare. Be-
fore the Green Revolution [which introduced new, high-yielding strains] the
average was one to one-and-a-half tonslhectare. The Green Revolution
worked in some areas but not in others. The short variety of rice developed
for it grew just one meter high. To be productive, it needed fertilizer, and the
fields had to be kept weed free. The old varieties were two meters high, not
so suspectible to weed competition, resistant to insects and did not need fer-
tilizer. If the new varieties are not managed correctly-with fertilizers, pes-
ticides and insecticides-the harvest is less than with the old methods of
minimum input. New is not always better."
MAY, 1997 Hl'NDUISM TODAY 35

o -LOS ANGELES TIMES
No pain, no grain: Himalayan women winnow grain. Such ancient methods created an abundance unmatched in India today.
, -,
ment-worth next to nothing to-
day. Others became owners of
the land from which a' share of
production once came. This in-
Dharma's Foundation
troduced its own set of problem~,
also still with us today, where
temples are unable to collect the
Dr.
rep.t. The collective result was
that the great religious and cul-
tural institutions of the 18th cen-
tury decayed and lost touch with
the community. The ,British tax-
es were so high there was no
money left to support the admin-
istlfation or cultural establish-
ments. School teachers, musi-
cian;' dancers, keepers of the
irrigation works, moved away, or
took to farming. By 1871, 80% of
the area was engaged in agricul-
ture (up from less than 50% ear-
lier), and many of the services
and industrial activities that
dominated the Chengalpattu ~o­
ci'ety of the 1770s ceased to exist.
The value of the Centre's re- '
.' fertile Indian lands, even
search is obvious: India, and Hin-
duism with it, flourished in the
not-so~distant pas.t-without the
Green Revolution or the Industri-
al ,Revolution or the Worker's-
Revolution. Dharampal, Bajaj and'
their associates want India to look
back at this time, dissect and un-
derstand it, and use that indige-
nous. knowledge to reinvigorate
the world's largest democracy._
36 HINDUISM TODA.Y MY, 1997
J.K. :8ajaj lauds duty to create and s?are abundance
11 reliabte statistics indi-
cate that the average
availability and con-
sumption of food in
our country is among the low-
est in the world. We on the
average eat at least one-third
less of staple foods thqn the
norm in almost every other
part of the world. And In,dia
is perhaps the only major
countr.}: of the world where
cattle do not share in the pro-
duce of the lands. The Indian
people and cattle are living in
a state of hunger while highly
those that fall in the plains of
the great life-giving rivers,
such as the Ganga, are lying -
idle. This has been the situa-
tion of India for about two
hundred years.
India was never so callous
abollt scarcity and hunger.
Growing an abundance of.
food and sharing it ln plenty,
annabahulya and annadana,
/
Children, merge in your Self.
This is the true goa of human birth.
Strive for That! Though Truth
resides in all living ~eings, It will
shine Gnly tbroug sadhana. J'
-AMMACHI
"She reaches out through hugs,
drawing thousands into Her ~
embrace. It is a spiriTual experience,
an embrace that opens up the soul."
"Mata Amritanol"ldamayi shines ClS a
supef Qva of motherly spiritudl1 . II
-HINDI:JISM TODAY
have always constituted the Kamakoti Shankaracharya
foundation of dharma. All said we neither need to learn
else, even the search for mok- anything fr~sh from any-
sha, liberation, is built on this where, nor esta:blish any new
foundation. We believe that if institution. We only have to
India is to come into her own recollect the memory of the
and assert her civilizational discipline that has always SEATTLE May 30 - June 3 206-742-9288
greatness in the present-day
world, then first of.all we
been with us. Tirumala-Tiru-
pati Devasthanam's exec-
S.F. BAY AREA June 5-17 510-537-9417
have to overcome utive officer, M.K.R.
Vinayak, said an-
LOS ANGELES June 18-22 818-623-0503
scarcity and recov-
er the traditional fla dana was dis- , SANTA FE June 24-27 505-982-9801
diScipline of en- continued not due
suring plentiful to a lack of food- DALLAS June 29-30 214-380-0951 (Dallas)
food to share with grains, but a ~ack
all. of moral values. 713-437-1860 (Houston)
111 order to prop- The assembled
agate anq: make this saints unanimously CHICAGO July 1-3 630-325.- 9867
blessed the release of our
discipline a national pri-
ority, we invited prominent book, Annan Bahu Kurvita, in WASHINGTON D.C. July 5-6 301-258-1 979
saints to the temple of Sri Hindi, Tamil and English,
which treats all aspects of
301-206-5117
Tirumala, Andhra Pradesh, on
October 11, 1996. Srimat annabahulya and annadana.
Annan Bahu Kurvita is
NEW YORK July 7-9 914-668-7646
K.aliyan Vanamamali Ramanu-
ja Jeer Swami told our gather- available from: Centre for Pol- BOSTON July 10-11 617 -666-3920
ing that scarcity in India is not icy Studies, 2, Thyagarajapu-
merely an economic failure, it ram, Mylapore, Chennai, 600
is a moral failure. Sri Kanchi 004, India.
Meet Ammachi, a genuine sai.nt from sou,them In~ia .. ~nare the in~~ ring talks, de)lotional si nging
and the extraordmary ex~enene:e of IndIvIdually receIvIng her blessip..Q.
/
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Exquisite Vedic paintings done to order at very
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Portable Bina harmoniums: Excellent quality
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shipping and tax. Ananda, 2171 EI Camino,
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Hindu devotional paintings imported from In-
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Web site: http://www.lakshmi.com
Devotional sculpture: Classic stone-cast
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Brass statue of Kali, 7 inches. US$20. Also
available in large sizes and in black marble.
Tabla sets. $100. Amarveda, Box 883, Marion,
VA 24354-0883 USA. Tel: 540-782-9987.
Products/Stores
Jay Store: Houston's oldest Indian grocery
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Tamil, Hindi, Sanskrit Summer Courses
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 ·.~~"_"~l
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HE HEADLINE IN A RECENT MACWEEK used in expressions like "consider- the
-, . magazine, "Netscape's Good Karma,'" avatars of 70s culture." Avatar also names a
new. wave of cyber-characters, cartoony be-
is typical of a growing trend of corpo-
rate America tb adopt Sanskrit terms. ings Internet surfers can use to float around
The fascination for "cool" words from India and communicate with other avatars in vir-
such as guru and karma first developed in tual chat rooms on the Web.
the 1960s when hip baby-boomers put on Other terms of t,9-e times indude mantra,
Nehru jackets and swayed to the sitar meaning "my.stk formula," a y.rord of choice
sounds of Ravi Shankar. Today these words when describing hot new trends or ways of
of the rishis are common in movies and tele- doing business. Phrases such as "liquidity,
vision and the norm in periodicals ranging profitability, and growth, which has become Karunamayi
a real mantra for the company," found in
from computers and finance to gardening,
sports and theatre. Fortu.ne magazine, are becomiI1g corn.IDon-
CITY DATES CONTACT
Companies in the US have adopted Hindu place in the pages of economic arid financial
names such as Shiva Corp. (communications news, including the Wall Street Journal. Bhagavati Dal l as Apri l 6- 1 0 972-407-9440
har~are), Avatar Systems (hard drives) and Karma, the law of cause and effect, is be- Houston April 12 - 14 713-463-00 1 5
Digital Guru (computer bookstore). Man- ..-jng taken seriously, even on Wall Street. One San Antonio April 15-16 210 - 434 - 1738
Santa Fe Apri l 18-20 505-986-0266
ag'ers and CEOs in US firms . are being 'Money Daily writer .-commented, "There is Los Ange l es Apri l 23-27 8 1 8-954-0453
dubbed "cOIp-puter gurus" or "investment still enough good karma among i{vestors to Sri Sri Sri Sa n Francisco April 30-May 3 5 1 0-58 1 -9488
pundits," titles which originally indicated a halt the market's downward mobility." Portland May 5-7 503-297-218 1
teacher in any subject, such as music, dance In the"70s programmers coined computer Seattle May 8-13 206-391-9582
West Coast Retreat May 10-12 206-391-9582
and sculpture, but especia1ly in religion. The terms like "guru meditation," used to n,ame 630-963-8246
Chicago May 15-18
. usage of the word guru is so omnipresent the cryptic message indicating what the Vijayeswari Phi l adelphia May 20 - 21 215-721-2883
that ever;: garden enthusiasts can fill in a dig- problem was when ~ Amiga computer's sys- East Coast Retreat May 22-26 215-721-2883
ital application to qualify as a "Virtual Gar- tem crashed and "cycle of reincarnation," re~ Washington, D.C. May 28-29 301 - 977-5666
ferring to a funcQon in computer hardware. Boston May 31-June 4 617-522-3083
den Curu" on the World Wide Web. Just New Jersey June 6-7 201-843-8429

ENDOWMENTS
HINDU HERITAGE ENDOWMENT
107 KAHOLALELE ROAD
KAPAA. HI 96746-9304 USA
INVESTING IN THE FUTURE OF HINDUISM
type . you~ name in the box which says
"Guru Applicant." . '"
Guru or pundit may be an honOFific title,
but you have to be an industry, giant to be
pnmounced an avatar. Borrowed from the
SanSkrit word for the forms in which Vishnu
desc~nds to Earth, avatar now "deifies" a
powerful leader or a modern folk hero and is
Now Hindu Deities are becoming favor- Devi New York June 7-1 1 7 18-595-2994
ites for software names, and people are play-
ing games on the Web using a connection
named Kali. In one shoofem-up game called
Qescent, the programm~r slipped in a mes- ~er birth, Sri Karunamayi has been revered as an incarnation of the Divine Mother, Sarasvati,
sage of nonviolence. By entering a secret Goddess of Knowledge, Music and the Arts. On behalf of humanity, She meditated in a 'remote forest for
code a player can stop the enemy ships from ten years. Come. Receive Her guidance in meditation and human values. Experience the fullness of
firing-the code word: "ahimsa." II
Karunamayi's unconditional love. For more information, httpj/www.globeworks.com/karunamayi
 / ./
-/ -I .J

- Paid Advertisement 1996 Annual Report

Hindu Heritage Endowment Page 2
1 '

1996, Annual Report -

",
Serving Hindu I!JStitutions Around the World
-
",

t was ,the poverty and lack of education that 28

.
waran, current gurukulam treasurer. Orphanages are
The, Year in Review .
The mission of Hindu Heritage En~owment is to provide permanent financ,ial security, t;1:trough managed endowments, for institutions around the
world that promote and preserve classicsU and traditional Hindu cultUl;e and values, Below is a listing of the endowments managed by Hindu Her-
, .
I years ago attracted a school principal Thiru ~.
Tambiah to Northern Sri Lanka's Amparai Dis-
trict, an agricultural area now torn oy civil war. There,
often themselves orphaned by society, hidden away
and ignpred. But this one is a powerhouse, despite a
lim!ted 'budget. The youths raise much of their own
..

/ using his small pension income, he he dedicated his food, care for themselves ancl serve the district by
itage Endowment at the end of,1996, showing the balance in each endowment. '
retirement years to social-religious service in the re- cleaning temples, organizing festivals, helping at hos-
ENDOWMENTS SUPPORTING EDUCA-
TIONAL INSTITUTIONS OR PROGRAMS
ENDOWMENTS THA1; SUPPORT HINDU
SOCIAL SERVICE PROGRAMS
018. Sri Siva Subramaniya Swamf Dev-
asthanam Trust: Lautoka, Fiji.
...., gion, eventually establishing and running a small or- pitals and co.mmunity ,centers, holding religious .
;'

016. Malaysian Bindu Youth Educational
Trust: Malaysia. $9,030.67.
ENDOWMENTS THAT SUPPORT HINDU
, TEMPLIlS AROUND THE WORLD
002:-: Iraivan Temple Endowment: Kauai,
Hawaii, USA $657,507.90.
•
011. Iyarappan Temple Trust: Thiruxaiyaru,
Tamil Nadu, In,)!ia. $5,099.34.
003. Kauai Aadheena'm Annual Archana
Fund: Kauai, Hawaii, USA. $33,278.70.
ENDOWMENTS DEDICATED TO PUBLISH-
ING HINDU BOOKS OR JOURNALS
604. Hinduism Today Distribution Fund:
Kauai, Hawaii, USA. $229,517.65 .
005. Hindu Businessmen's Association Trust:
;" 012. Thirunavukkarasu Nayanar GurUkularri
019. Dancing with Siva.E.ndowment: Kam1i,
phanage for boys called Thirunayukkarasu Nayanar classes ap,d more. This year they ~onst~ucted a reli-
- Fund: Amparai District (Hindu Or- Gurukulam. Tambiah passed away in 1995, but his vi- gious library for the, village. Hindu-Heritage Endow-
, Hawaii, USN.
phanage F,-\nd), Sri Lanka. $16,815.83.
020. Hinduism Today Endowment Trust: sion live on: "We are going to strengthen Hinduism in ment provides additional support through the Thiru-
ENDOWMENTS THAT SUPPORT HINDU
MONASTIC COMMUNITIES
Kauai, Hawaii, USA. ", our area. Our gurukulam children are good in sJudies navukkarasu Na1anar Gurukulam Endowment Fund.
001. Kauai Aadheenam Monastic En~w­ ot1. Vishwamata Gayatri Trust FUlfd: Delhi, and leading a religious centered life. The gurukulam is Donations:to the fund are invested, and earnings pro-
ment: Kauai, Hawaii, USA. $674)65.58. India.
, playing a vital role in preserving and maintaining our vide a stable, secure income. To invest in such a fund /
023. Sri Lanka Refugee Relief Fund: Jaffna,
014. Sri SubramuniY<l Ashram SchOlarship
Sri Lanka. .... traditional Hindu identity." So writes B. Chandres- - is to ens;'ue the future of Hinduism.
Fund: Kauai, Hawaii, USA. $5,875 .63.
009. Mathavasi Medical Fund: Kauai, Hawaii, 024. Jeyanandarajan Family Fund: Jaffna, Sri
USA. $16,444.42. Lanka. Statement of Revenues and Expenses for the 12 months ending December 31, 1996
026 Kailasa Peetham Travel Fund: Kauai,
• MEMORIAL AND FAMILY ENDOWMENTS
Hawaii, USA. ./ Endowmenf Endowment Total
010. Nadesan Family Lord Murugan Shum Operating Income Principal All
027. Nallai Aadheenam Trust Fund: Jaffna, -, .f
,
025. Sundari Peruman Memorial Scholarship
.
Fund: Kauai, Hawaii, USA. $12;308.57.
Sri Lanka.
REVENUES
;" Fund' _ Fund Fund Funds

Kauai, Hawaii, USA. $102,387.00. 028. Loving Ganesa Distribution' Fund: Contributions $244,531.24 $244,531 .24
, Fund: Kauai, Hawaii, USA. $5,356.05.
Kauai, Hawaii, USA. ' Dividend andlnterest Income $1,174.58
037. A Shanmugam Family Fund (Ipoh): $110,902.49 $112,077.07
ENDOWMENTS -THAT SUPPORT WORLD 029. Saiva Dharma Shastras Endowment:
HINDU RELIGIOUS LE.(\DERS Tamil Nadu, India. $5,067.07. TOTAL REVENU,ES $1,174.58 $110,902.49 $244,531.24 $356,608.31
' ~auai, Hawaii, USA.
007. Hindu of the Year Fund: Kauai, Hawaii, 038. The William E. Daniels Endowment for
030. Saiva Agamas Trust: Worldwide. EXPENSES /
USA. $6,663.44/ ' Hindu Religious Art and Artifacts:
006. Kailasa Peetham Gift Fund: Kauai, Kauai, Hawaii, USA. $5,067,.07. 031. Panchamukha Ganapati Endowment: -Charitable Grants $93,603.11 $93,603.11
Hay.'aii, USA. $128,'365.51. Ri,;,iere du Rempart, Mauritius. Advertising and Promotion $5,279.94 $5,479.94
/ FUNDS IN THE PROCESS OF FORMATION ./ / /
/ 032. Kalakshetra Scholarship F\lnd: Madras, Amortization Expen~e $1,956.36 $1,?56.36
ENDOWMENTS THAT SUPPORT HINDU
MONASTIC COMMUNITIES .
(ENDOWMENTS ACtIVATE AT'US$S,OOO)
013. Himalayan Academy Scholarship Fubd: Tamil Nadu, India. Office Expense $11,470.67 . $11,470.67
033. Tirumular Sannidhi Preservation Fund: Transfer of HHE Administrative Fee ($17,299.38) $17,299.38 $0.00
001. Kauai Aadheenam Monastic Endow- Kauai, Hawaii, USA.
Tiruvavaduturai, Tamil Nadu, India. TOTAL EXPENSES $1407.59 $110,902.49 $0.00 $112,310.08
ment: Kauai, Hawaii, USA. $674,165.58. 015. Sri Subramuniya Kottam Fund: Kopay,
014. Sri Subramuniya Ashram Scholarship Jaffna, Sri Lanka. 034. Mauritius Saiva Dharmasala Endow-
ment: Riviere du'Rempart, Mauritius. Excess of Revenues Over-Expenses before Investment Activity $244,531.24 $244,298.23
Fund: Kauai, Hawaii, USA. $5,875.63. 017. Kumbhalavalai Ganesha Temple En- Realized and Unrealized gain on Investments $33,082.53 $33,082.53
009,. Mathavasi Medical Fund: Kauai, Hawaii,
-: USA. $16,444.42.
, dowment: Alaveddy, Jaffna, Sri Lanka.
",

,
.. ", Decreased Valuation of Donated Land
Fund Balances, Beginping of the Year
",
. $173.17 $0.00
($100,000.00)
$1,854,270.30
($100,000.00)
$1,854,270.30
", Fund Balances, End of the Year. ($59.84) $0.00 --: $2,031,884.07 $2,031,824.23
,
.f HINDU HER'ITAGE END~WMENT '107 HI 96746-9304 ;l;1SA
KAHOLALELE ROAD' KAPAA, / ",
....
TEL (USA) 800-890 "1008,808-822-3152 FAX: 808-822-4351 Hindu Heritage Endowment is a publicly supported charitable organization which received recognition of its tax exempt status from the IRS
E - MAIL: Sadhaka_Adinatha(1j>Hindui.smToday.kauai.hi.us in April, 1994. Its employer ID number is 99-0308924. The foundation n\aintaiIi an office at the Hindu Monastery on Kauai, Hawaii, and is
overseen by four trustees: Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami, Acharya Veylanswami, Acharya Palaniswami and Acharya Ceyonswami.
,
",
, ,
",
",
.
 What Is Enlightenment!' Magazine Learn at Home by Mail
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Parents should teach their daughters dependency on peing a child. On the other
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occur as early as eight. The first signs are ./A blooming young lady.may feel a need Meetings with Ramakrishna
budding of the breasts ana growing of pu- to experiment with her independence by NO REDUCTION: In the 20-year prison Visions of the Goddess &
bic and underarm hair. Coarse hair on the desiring to do more things for herself and term of former ISKCON leader, Klr- Tantric Hymns of Enlightenment
legs llild arms may also appear. The body separating Sit times from authority figures. tananada Swami Bhaktlpada, following "A vital pastel portrait of one of
experiences a surge of growth that begins Usually this is not a troublesome phase if it an assessment of his physical condition. "Lex Hixon is a poetic genius with deep
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Often a skin condition called acne devel- of isalation and of "being different:" be placed in a chronic care unit of a fearlessly free style makes an ageless -Professor Bhabani Ganguli,
ops which brings great concern to the girl ;reaching celibacy and planning early for " federal prison in Kentucky. He still has voice intimate, earthy and contempo- Ramakrishna Mission Institute
because it is unsightly/ and she may be the the coming-of-age samskara, the ritukala, a small but loyal following of devotees. of Culture, Calcutta
only one in her class to be so marked. This . will help her.tp adjust to this period of rary." - Hinduism Today
can best be treated, as can all of the indica- change and prepare for adult responsibili- BLESSED: Sarah Ferguson, Britain's roy-
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Ecstatic love poems to the
ayurvedic diet, by having plenty of exercise cise' meditation, parental guidance and uri- and a gold chain and cross, apparently the true nature of an advanced being."
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- Deepak Chopra 320 pages 6 x 9 0-9431914-80-9 Kali by the 18th century Bengali
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happening, marked chan~~s are going on embodiment of Shakti, capable of bearing bealer, salwar- expression in Hixon's vibrant re-
within the' body. The sexual mgans begin wonderful children. kameez clad creations.
to-trow, as well as an awareness of them. r "Fergie" told re-
Hormonal changes commence which will DR. TANDAVAN, 76, retired nuclearphysi- porters in Bang-
initiate menarche, but this beginning of the cian and hospital staff president~ lives in alore she is in- 223 pages 6 x 9 0-8356-0702-X
menstrual cYge comes fairly late in tHe pu- Chf:cago, where he specializes in alternative terested in $16 paper (Quest Books)
berty process. It may initially occur as a healing arts. Visit his home page at the practicing Available in fine bookstores or direct: 1-800-828-2197
feeling of d~pness or only as a spot of ,
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for first item, $.50 for each additional item in same shipment. Free catalog and additional information, call 607 546-9342,
I M-F 9 am - 5pm EST.
44 H:rN DU~SM TODAY MAY, 1997
I '
 MUSIC

A Master's While steeped in tradition, Trichy has

BETRAYAL
OF THE SPIRIT
My Life hebind tbe HeadlineJ
of tbe Hare Krubna Movement
NORI J. MUSTER
Foreword /nJ Larry D. Shinn, Pre.Jident of
Berea College, leading Hare Krifhna expert
"Nothing less than mesmerizing. . . Confronts the
ways in which traditional patriarchy and philosophi-
cal rigidity regularly defeated spiritual vitality.
Muster's book is an important testimony that might
be instructive to those involved in the leadership of
any religious movement." --- PuhliJherd Weekly
"A delightfully written narrative tapestry that pre-
sents a controversial and marginal religious move-
ment in the United States." --- Larry D. Shinn, from
the foreword
Combining behind-the-scenes views of an often besieged religious
group with a personal account of the author's struggle to fmd
meaning in it, Betrayal of the Spirit takes the reader clos than
any other source so far to the reality of life in the Hare Krishna
movement.
Nori J. Muster, a California native, joined the International Soci-
ety of Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) --- the Hare Krishnas---
in 1977, shortly after the death of the movement's spiritual master,
Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. She worked for ten
years as a public relations secretary and editor of the organization's
newspaper, the ISKCON WorLJ Review.
. On a roll: A poundi,1;tg, pulsating, palpitating preceptor
EW PERCUSSIONISTS VENTURE FROM
the orchestra into the limelight, and
. fewer stay for lOI'lg. :Sut Prof Trichy
Sankaran, the mridangam maestro who
heads the Indian Music Studies at York Uni-
versity, Ontario, is'a multI-faceted exception.
With the dexterity of a craftsman and the
wisdom of a, philosopher, Sankaran has ele-
.. vateR the mridangam, South Indian barrel
drum, to the rare position of a solo instru-
ment. You may have heard his facile fmgers
fly on HMV recordings from the 1960s, be-
hind such stalwarts as T.R. Mahalingam,
Emani Sankara Sastry or S. Balachander. But
in three compact disc releases on the Music
Hearing Is Believing
inRhythm
Professor Trichy
Sankaran delivers
dynamite drums
.j
of the World label, the spotlight shines on
him-and he doesn't blink.
For Sankaran, who was born a Hindu in
Poovalur, just outside of Trichanapoli, Hin-
duism is inseparable from his music. "The
rhythms that I play are a reflection of my
culture and beliefs. The instrument itself
has religious significance. The mridangam is
supp6sed to have been played by Lord
Ganesha, and the rhythms are of Lord
Siva-He gives the rhythm to the universe.
The five basic sounds of the mridangam:
tha, dhi, thorn, nam and jem, have come
from the five faces of Siva-Isana, Tatpu-
rusha, Aghora, Vamadeva and Sadyojata."
The second disc, Sunada
(pure sound), contains a tradi-
tional ensemble spiritually em-
been taught by his exposure to the world's
music to think in contemporary w.ays. Be-
twee!}.. concerts in Chennai and classes in
Toronto, he also composes music for game-
lan, Indonesian orchestra, and he experi-
ments in Jazz and Western classical tradi-
tions. He has performed with such Jazz
greats as Charlie Haden, Anfhony Braxton
and Dave Brubeck. When asked what led
him to the gamelan, Sankaran reminisced,
"I went to Bali"in 1982 to study the spread of
Hindu culture in Java and Bali. I was so in-
trigued by their music, which is also percus-
sive, that I composed Swara- Laya for the --:
Evergreen Club Gamelan Ensemble of To-
ronto, which involved tunIng my instrument
to the pitches and scales of the gamelan. "
For Sankaran, cross-cultural excursions
·stem from an understanding of other tradi-
tions rather than a penchant for stylized hy-
brids. He notes, "In India, there are some
who mix a few instruments together and call '/
it 'Karnatak jazz' without knowing exactly
how jazz works or even its hIStory. Thats not
right. People here simply laugh." When
asked if, with his ventures into other musi-
cp..! styles, he is still committed to pure mri-
dangam tradition, he beat back at once, "Of
course. Thats my music, and thats my God."
Trichy considers the Shankaracharya of
Kanchi Peedam to be his spiritual' guru. He
confided, "I have had the blessings of the
Sankaracharya on many, many occasions.
Whene.ver I go to India, I try to visit him in
Kanchipuram." Trichy labels himself a "true-
blue Brahmin" and a "strict vegetarian." He
said, "1 worship Siva and Vishnu and per-
form Ram nam japa .}repetition of Ramas
name) morning and evening." During his
prayers, when the music moves him, he may
perform for the Gods. He explains, "1 wor-
ship through my instrument and through my
music. That is the most pleasurable thing for
me-to play for the divine beauty of it." ~
By R ADH IKA SRINIVASAN , New Jersey
rhythmiC segments heighten
the devotional songs, as
Sankaran deftly shows how

E
YA-VINYAS (RHYTHMIC
Her story of the Hare Krishnas' decline is a gripping presentation
elaboration), Sankarans
of facts gleaned from personal reminiscences, published articles, first CD with Music of
the World, is a delightful
and internal documents. Betrayal oj the Spirit details the dynamic display of dazzling drum wiz-
of schisms that forced some 95 percent of the group's original ardry. Only two short tracks
members to leave. include melodies played on the
vina. Sankaran recalls, '1 found
it very fulfilling, especially the
piece where my mridangam,
kanjira (frame drum) and kon-
nakol (voice) were super·im-
posed using over-dubbing."
Laya complements Sankarans
hands-on manual, RhythmiC
Principles and Practice of South
Indian Drumming (Lalith Pub-
lishers) and comes as a pre-
lude to his instructional video.
powered throughout with the
sublime sounds of the vina,
played with aplomb by
Karaikudi Subramaniam. Yet
in terms of both aesthetics, en-
ergy and devotional beauty,
the newest release, Lotus Sig-
natures, surpasses all else. The
mellifluous expression of Dr.
N. Ramani, the phenomenal
South-Indian flautist, is
matched and magnified by the
flawless textural finesse of
Sankaran. Delectable Cross-
subtle and measured treatment
on the mridangam can embell-
ish and empower a melody. A
superb studio recording, Lotus
develops into a virtual concert,
including a glorious rendition
of the raga Kiravani. The alter-
nating solos of the percussion
ensemble give a fitting finale
to the realm of improvisation
that this recording soars into.
LALrrB PUBLISBEBB. 3 1 MANADON
ORlVE. NORTH VORK . ONTARIO M2M 1w8
CANADA· MUSIC OF THE WORLD, P.O.
BOX 3620. CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLI-
NA 2 75J5 U SA

4j MAY , 1997 HINDUISM TODAY 47

 l .
-~~~~~~
Surrounding Iraivan Temple is an
extraordinary botanical garden par-
adise, providing an area of
contemplative, natural beauty.
Pilgrims enjoy groves of plumeria,
konrai, hibiscus, heliconia, native
Hawaiian plant species and more.
At the entrance to the 5 J -acre
sanctuary is a forest of healing
rudraksha trees. Send US$ J 2 to
purchase a single-bead necklace of
a sacred rudraksha, receive as aUf
gift another bead to plant and sup'
port the Ira ivan Temple project.
1-808-639-8886
http://www.HirnduismToday.
Kauai.hi.us/ashram/fraivan.htmf
RUDRAKSHA
FOREST
SAN MARGA IRAJVAN TEMPLE
107 KAHOLALELE ROAD
KAPAA. HI 96746-9304 USA
A TEMPLE BUILT TO LAST 1. 000 YEARS
'
CHILDREN
Dolls of Devotion
Why settle for trite toys for tots ,
when kids can play with the -Gods?
ECESSITY IS THE MOTHER OF INVE~­
tion, they say, and accordi~g to one in-
ventive mother, Rukmini Devi Dasi,
Hindu children need divine dolls to
play with. "Children want heroes," she ex-
plruns. 'And the media: provide a host to
choose from-Barbie, Barney, Ninja Turtles,
G.I. Joe and others. But its in the Vedic liter-
ature that we find the most heroic personali-
ties. When Cabbage Patch dolls were popular,
I saw how attached children became to them.
Those mundane dolls became their heroes."
Rather than introducing her own daughter,
Mallika, to such secular companions, Rukmi-
n' created her own, aptly calling them Dolls
of Devotion. "For Malhka's third birthday, I
made twenty-five dolls~Radha and Krishna,
Lord Chaitanya, Nityananda, Sita, Rama,
Hanuman, Lord Nar.asimha and many more.
My idea was .not to start a business. I just
wanted to give my daughter an opportunity
to play in Krishna consciousness." But good
news travels fast, especially when carried on
the fee~ of jubilant children,. and soon Ruk-
_ -.o.JL-_....,.-_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _- - -- ! .- - - l
L '"
Two dolls: Mailika Devi Dasi, the doll-maker's daughter
mini's dolls were the
heart's desire of
Mallika's young
fr-iends. "Other
parents saw the
'dolls and asked
me to make some
for their children. Now
I receive orders from all
parts of the world."
Rukmini recalled that
her original inspiration de-
veloped out of her own child-
hood desire for a Krishna doll, which went
unfulfilled. "I grew up in an ISKCON ashram
where afew of my friends had dolls of Lord
Jagannatha, and I wanted to have Krishna
dolls, too. An Indian lady gave me a doll, but
because it wasn't related to Lord Krishna, I
didn't like it. By t4e time I got a Krishna
doll, I was already out of the ashram. So, I
regret that I didn't get to grow up taking
care of Lord Krishna. But this made me de-
termined to proVide my own children with
sacred dolls."
. Rukmini confesses that she
still loves her dolls. "Not only do
the dolls ,help the children's
awareness of Krishna, they also
improve mine: When I make the
dolls, I become fully absorbed in
thoughts of the Lord." Each doll
is custom made, signE1d and dat-
ed and takes 13 hours or more to
make. Their sacerdotal threads
come from cloth worn by temple
Deit!es. For Rukmini, "they are
too ' much\ work to mass-pro-
duce." She recommends that
parents train their children t9
consider them sacred and han-
dle them reverently. , ic, financial, political or secular activity as- ings. Ther,e have been numerous ~ports of
, "Several mothers ordered.Lord
Narasimha dolls [photo above 1
because their Ghildren had dis-
turbed sleep," relates Rukmini!
"The children had so much faith
in Narasimha that as soon as they
< received Him they slept peace-
~ fully. Parents call or write from
~ all ever the world thanking us for
~ doing this service. This response
~ keeps me going." ...-
~ RUKMINI DEVI DASI, POST OFFICE BOX 14 2 3,
ALAETUA, FLORIDA 32616 USA
N~ Calypso
for Hindu Kids
A musical misst~p
RINIDADI, HINDUS BLASTED A GOV-
ernment minister's proposal to make
calypso-the native folk music-a com-
pulsory subject in the Caribbean na- "
tion's primary schools. "We strongly object to
any compulsion on this matter, which must
be a matter of choice for parents and school
boards," said Sat Maharaj, secretary-general
·of the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha. The
Sabha runs 20 schools and is one of the
largest Hindu organizations in Trinitlad.
Government-run Goddess: The sanctum sanctorum of Vaishno Devi Temple in Jammu Calypso is a home-grown musical form de-
,
veloped by, and very popular among, Black
RELIGION AND STATE Trinidadians, the descendants of African
slaves brought to the islands to work the sug-
Court OK's Takeover
/ .
ar plantations. The calypsbnian singer com-
p,Oses a simple ballad with highly imagina-
j
State can administrate Vaishno-;Devi temple
JA,NUARY DECISiON BY INDIA'S SU- 1,000 families collected the day's receipts
COtITt validated the 1988 gov- once in three years. Little was set aside for
takeover of the Shri Mata the temple's upkeep, and as a result it was in
Devi Shline in Jammu. The a state of considerable neglect-in part
court did not allow the government to take prompting the 'government takeover. Even
title to any of the. temple lands or posses- other Hindu institutions in Kashmir, i"nitial-
sion§, or to alter the temple's tenets, customs .ly sh6cked at the takeover, admit the temple
or usages. But the two-member division has been improved by the ruling. The COUl\t
bench did validate complete control of the directed that the Baridaran Association-
national shrine's finances, including the ap- which mounted the court challenge to the
pointment and pay of priests and all other government takeover-receive compensa-
personnel. The court ruled the government tion as a result of their loss of income.
can terminate the rights of the hereditary Most temples in India are al~eady under
priests ~as was also done recently at Tirupati government control, but this has not neces-
temple).'The decision stated that the right to sarily n;sulted in better management. A Calypso singer: Voice of social conscience
religion guaranteed under ArtiCles 25 and 26 Times, of India editorial, lauding the Supreme
of the Indian Constitutiowis not an absolute Court decision, said, "In Tamil Nadu tem- tive language sung to a syncopated rhythm.
or unfettered right. The state may make leg- ples have failed ~o collect crores of rupees of It has from the beginning been the satirical
islation limiting or regulating any econom- arrears of income due from land and build- and consequential Black voice on politics
and social issues. Many a politician has lost
sociated with religious belief, faith, practice ancient idols and valuables disappearing an election after street singers poured thinly
or custom. A second part of the ruling gave arid being replaced with fakes." Another veiled scorn upon him or his policies.
the State Governor, who is ex-officio chair- newspaper 'believed the ruling could lead to Pundit Ramesh Tiw$U"i of the Edinburgh
man of the Vaishno Devi governing b6ard, government control of mismanaged Christ- Dharmic Sabha in Trinidad said the propos-
sole power to oversee the sh,(ine, which re- . ian or Muslim religious properties. Inquires al was made by the, minister somewhat in-
ceives a mind-boggling 20,000-plus pilgrims by HINDUISM TODAY indicate that even in- nocently with the thought that all children
each day of the year. He is no longer re- formed people in Delhi are not sure what
quired te consult with members of the gov- the ruling means with respect to non-fundu
should learn about this local art form. But
the Hindu community felt calypsos political
erning board. . religions. It would be an historic-and there- orientation would have a detrimental impact
Under Vaishno Devi's original manage- fore mrlik~ly-shift in policy if the' govern- on )Toung minds. Calypso fans believe the
ment, the daily aonations were allotted in ment were to impose state management art form-which has been t onsiderably in-
turn to the hereditary priests of the Bari- upon Christian or Muslim organization, no fluenced by Indian music-can and should
daran Association. Each of these nearly matter how they were managed. .. be appreciated by all Trinidadians. ..
MAY , 1 99 7 HI N D U ISM TO DAY 49
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BY SWAMI P ·RAGYANAND ness and the law of scripture is non-
1. akaram Teaches the 12 Tamil vowels
2. consonants Teaches the 18 Tamil consonants "The urge to go on a pilgrimage sprouts in the devotee's mind
violence ... Mercy-compassion-is the root
ANATANA DHARMA, TODAY KNOWN AS HINDU DHARMA, 3. alphabets Teaches the 216 vow-consonants and from then on, the urge becomes a compulsion and the
of righteousness, and the root of'sin is inju-
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rious intention." But we are not merciful;
entific principles. Being a part of nature itself, its na- we kill chickens, goats, etc., innocent beings 5. drops Teaches 450 two-letter Tamil words ter how difficult the route or the problems encountered."
ture is sanatana-eternal. Dharma is synonymous with 6. triplets Teaches 450 three-letter Tamil words
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prakriti, or primal nature. Dharma is the nature of indi- 7. squares . . Tamil tic-tac-toe-type word game 224 pp. Soft S$22.90 (US$19.90), hard S$29.90 (US$24.90)
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dogs' eyes open days after birth. Vegetarians have small teeth to
ritually reading it. The definition of religion is that what is not fa-
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vorable to one's own self should not be done to others. We do not
chew meat. Dogs, cats and lions must carry prey with'their teeth.
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Exceptional Answers to
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Eternal Questions
tear their prey. Vegetarians have long intestines. They eat fibrous
vegetables. This kind of food is digested quickly, but meat residues
remain there for seven and more days. Meat-eaters have short in-
testines. Vegetarian animals drink water with the lips, whereas
gion. Otherwise we are just demons and devils-man in appear-
ance, but animal in nature-of human form but animal conduct.
Vegetarianism is natural, based on a universal truth. Ultimately,
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!l)
, ~
anang w;th S;va, H;ndu;,m', O,""mpomry Ca",h;,m, ;; th, m,;'"fu1
work of SIVaya .Subramumyaswaml, a tradItIonal satguru immersed, for
meat-eaters use theiNongue. Vegetarians perspire through pores in
tortions and perversions are manmade. Hindu dharma, the natural . half a ce~tury, ill an ongoing global Hindu renaissance. This books is
universalfaw of righteousness, is beyond human actions. It is eter- appreClat~d as an illvaluable resource by the bhakti, the practicing yogi and the
the skin; meat-eaters cool themselves through their tongue. Dogs
nallike God Al,mighty. Anyone against nature is distorteg, and
reject certain human food, like honey which comes from flowers. scholar ~ike . ~any. professOl:s require it as a basic textbook for a variety of courses,
their religion. is not religion at all. And those sects in which meat
Even animals understand what to eat and what not to eat. The at Furman Umverslty and DIckenson College, USA, for example.
elephant, which is very powerful, is a vegetarian, but the lio~ is a
eating is prevalent are man made, having a beginning and an end.
Throughout the world, people are realizing that meat-eating
meat-eater. When a vegetarian becomes a meat-eater, that goes En?lish-spea~ng Hindus, yoga enthusiasts, and anyone interested in spirituality will
cannot be justified on any grounds. So, l~t not Himlus, wherever
against nature. It is also leads to mental perversion. According to be o-:erJoyed ~y thIS re~arkable reference work of Hindu belief and culture. The best
they are, commit the sin of distorting Hinduism with the fallacy
ones food so be<;omes one's mind, and the liq~ds you drink affect EnglIsh overvIew of Hlllduism available today-Napra Review
and misconception that it rationalizes meat-eating as modern and
your speech. So, human beings have become more degenerate than The swami concisely answers 155 key questions, ranging from "What is the ultimat I
progressive. Hinduism is the best means of achieving the highest ' ·C?" "H . . e goa
dogs because they eat meat, which is dog food, but reject human
progressiveness. It needs to be practiced with faith and con~isten­ of ~arthiy Ill~ . to ow are Hllldu ~arnages arranged?" ... a 40-page timeline, a 200-page
food. All human beil'lgs are born pure vegetarians. Nonvegetarian- leXIcon of Hllldu terms, a comparabve gUIde to major religious traditions and .
cy. Vegetarianism is an integral aspect of it. There is no basic
ness is thrust on him or her. PEi!ople in ancient times lived on fruits, £or teach'lllg reorIglOuS
' pr~clp
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' apnmer
quotations
mora.! or ethical sanction for meatieating, and certainly no sap.c-
ro'ots and ate greens and vegetables. But when animals died in forest
tion for jt.in the philosophy of Hinduism. and reproductlOns of RaJPut art. -Yoga Journal
fires they got roasted, and humru(beings started eating them and 1,008 p.• $19.95 paper
became n6nvegetarians. But it is not the food of civilized peoples.
All <;ommunities, from the Middle East to Tibet, dispose of dead lavishly illustrated HIMALAYAN ACADEMY PUBLICATIONS
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Dancing with Siva and other HAP titles available in:. Australia: Yoga in Daily Life Tel: 02 951 8 7788 Fax: 02 951 8 7799. .' . . .
And if ghosts, 16wer astral spirits, earthbound souls come to grave- Fax. 604 5241395. Europe: Om Vishwa Guru Deep Hindu Mandir PH/Fax 36 11143504 email: ervin @mail.matav hu • In Canada. Int Yoga In Dally Life: 6045242942
51, based at Pragya. Dham, New Delhi, ha.s
yards, will they not also come to meat-eaters?
SWAMI PRAGYANAND,
11-n7:1668 Fax:11-751-2745 •. Bangal~re: Jiva Rajasankara Fax: 91-80-839-7119 email: jiva @giasbg01.vsnl.net:in • M dla. Munshlr~m Manoharlal Publishers Delhi: PH:
'been teaching Hinduism throughout the world for over a decade cations. PH. 03 331 9242. MaUritiUs: Salva Siddhanta Church PH: 412-7682 Fax: 412-7177. New Zealand ' I d' E alaysla. HindUism Today / Sanatana Dharma Publi-
The entire approach and direction of Sanatana Dharma is based
and is responsible for inspiring thousands to become vegetarians. (RUSSian Language edition.of Dancing with Siva) Centre of Tantra Sangha Tel: 70 95 465 0339 Fax: 70 95 97~ ~~30:~rI~m Tel: 09 3773733 Fax: 09 3733300 • Russia:
Sanatana Dharma Publications: Tel: 957 66 012 • South Africa: Wizard's Warehouse Tel: 021 461 9719 Fax: 021 45 1417 l. tantra@~nline.ru • Singapore: HindUism Today /
al
on understanding of the three principles of primal nature which
662 8741 Fax: 809 662 3351 • UK: Hinduism Today Tel: 0171 9379163 Fax: 0171 460 1819 E-mail: easan1 @ I • Trinidad. Aswlnee & Narendra Persad Tel: 809

~~~~~~__~______- -__~____~~~~, ~~~ 51

w w w . p a c i f i c - b a s i n . c o m / i n d i a i n k l i n d i a i n k . h t m l a o . c o m • Also available from India Ink on the Internet at:
\
50 HINDUISM TODA.Y M y\Y, 1997
<::l
 Athavale, 76, known as Dada (brother) by
his co-workers, began bhavpheri (devotion-
al visits) in 1954. With le'ss than 20 helpers,
he went to the villages around Bombay to
spread the message of love for God and love
for all people, considered by the workers to
be God's children. Believing in self-knowl-
edge as the preliminary condition for an in-
ner growth that leads to a loving, enlight-
ened' social concern and outreach, Athavale
initiated the practice of swadhyaya-a San-
skrit word meaning self-study.
Swadhyaya has spread to nearly 100,000
villages across India and is estimated to
have directly improved the lives of 20 mil-
lion people. Athavales Hindu philosophical
beliefs ask people to recognize the inner
presence of God which, he says, leads to a
sense of self-esteem as well as an awareness I

of the divine presence within all persons.

Selfless feat: Cooperative efforts help his team to Spiritually elevate the masses This belief has led to the betterment of in-
dividuals and communities around the world.
HONORED In nominating Athavale, Texas A&M Uni-
versity professor Betty M. Unterberger

Athavale Earns Award wrote, "Motivated by a deep commitment to

the service of God's work, Athavale has
sought nothing less than the creation of a di-
vine world undergirded by a divine current
Accepts US$1.21-million Templeton Prize in NY of thought."
In a statement prepared for the March
press conference in New York, Athavale
lepers and others now live their lives with said, "This award is to advance the human

P.
ANDURANG SHASTRI ATHAVALE,
founder and leader of a spiritual self- dignity and compassion. spirit's quest for love and understanding of
knowledge movement that has liber- The ~ate Sir Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, God and expansion of spiritual resources. I
ateu millions from the shackles of president of India from 1962 to 1967, used see it as a tribute to the conviction that ex-
poverty and moral dissipation, secured the his position to offer a healing voice of uni- istence of God is central to life, and true re-
1997 Templeton Prize for Progress in Reli- versallove and wisdom for all, regardless of ligion is the guiding principle of life. It is my
gion. The award was announced on March race or religion. He also advocated a non-ag- experience that awareness of nearness of
5, 1997 at the Church Center for the United gressive military posture with Pakistan and God and reverence fo~ that power creates
Nations in New York City. worked to end political corruption. For his reverance for self, reverence for the other
Begun in 1972 by. renowned global in- efforts, he received the prize in 1975. and reverance for the entire creation." . .
vestor Sir John Templeton, who
felt that the Nobel Prize unfairly
excluded religion from its hon- CULTURE such as seeing the great 'Love
ored 9isciplines, the prize is giv- Force" in all things. Here is
en each year to a living p'erson
who has shown extraordinary
Yoga for Kids truly an innovative, interactive
approach for teaching hatha
originality in advancing hu- yoga and spiritual values to
mankind's understanding of God HE ADVENTURE OF allowed to pass through each children, ages 3-8.
and/or spirituality. Valued at
£750,000, (US$I.21 million), it is
the world's largest annual mone-
tary award.
Many Templeton Prize win-
I
T Yoga" is a delightful ohil- kingdom. The journey teaches
dren's book written and
illustrated by Moo and
Don Briddell. The main char-
acters, Magnolia and her
them philosophical principles,
PUBLISHER: WOOD-MOUNTAIN MAKINGS
77 EAST MArN STREI:.I
DAt.1..ASTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA 17313

ners have been well-known per- brother Doon, are led on a

sonalities such, as Mother Tere-
sa, who won in 1973, Rev. Dr.
Billy Graham in 1982 and 1983
recipient Aleksandr Solzheriit-
syn. But most have earned the ·
prIze through pursuits often re-
moved from the public eye-in-
cluding Baba Amte, a wealthy
Hindu lawyer who abandoned
the comforts of money to devel-
op communities in India where
52 HINDUISM TOJ),AY .~AY ,
journey with their hatha yoga The All Attractive Couple
master and guide, Ijimaws © by Vishnu Dasa
(for fun, read that backwards). A window into the spiritual world,
Their goal is to reach the top where love divine is eternal. Radha,
of the Mountains-at-All, or
the Goddess of compassion and Her
simply '~ll." On the way, they
must perfect asanas (yogic Consort, Krsna, the reservoir of all
postures), in order to please p leasure, bestow their unconditional love
the animal or plant each pose on all. Lim.ited edition litho, signed and
represents. Only then are they Perfect poses: Frogs and fish are pleased with kids' posflures numbered, on acid free museum. paper.
Measures 28" x 32". Regularly $108
Offered to the Mystic Trader's friends
1997 for the special price of $59. (#P-
a color catalog.
DIVINE)
 HEALTH

Explore t he sights and sounds of Hinduism and seven other religiOns
place, or should we say, the CD.
Magic Software takes you on an
C ELEBR ATION interactive ride through Bud-
dhism all the way to Zoroastri-
India's Fairs anism. You can read about each
faiths beliefs and historical
~nd Festivals backgrounds along with an ex-
planation of the religions unique
calendar. Click on a sound but-
Iwhere to learn about the why
F YOU HAVE EVER WONDERED
Teen
E-zlne
OW A BUDDING
N digital magazine is
on the Web-"Teen Veg-
etarian." :Published by
and for like-m.inded veg-
etarian teens, it's a pl€lce
detail and video vignettes take to read and submit arti-
you inside of shrines and march cles and book reviews,
you in parades only those within share recipes, link to
the religion are privileged to see. vegetarian websites and
This is a powerful tool for build-
ing tolerance and understanding
organizations and find e-
mail addresses. And
of others' beliefs and practices.
Available for US$39.95, it's for
that's a breath of fresh
air for some veggie
Windows only (not againl ). teens. One 16-year-old

and how of celebrations of In-

dias major religions, this is the
ton, and words and phrases are
pronounced for you. Festivals
and ceremonies are described in
Write to: Magic Software Pvt.
Ltd., F-6 Kailash Colony, New
girl from Calgary, Cana-
da, wrote in the pengal
Delhi, 110 048, India.

ARTS indolinklPoetryItgor Indx Cave (check out their

Web
Laureates
NASUYA SENGUPTA' S
A "Silence," a poem
about woman not speak-
ing out, became famous
when Hillary Rodham
.html) include Srinivas Hawaiian pages) have
Uppugunduris "Final
Journey," a reading on
collected links to over
120 of some of the best
reincarnation, and Bhar- and most unique. Spe-
~~
-
gavi C. Mandava's poig- cializing in Nepal, you
;;; CI- :J
nant piece concerning can also browse through
an aged grandmother travelogues full of photos
~
~ J.a.-.I.:"_*_ •_ _ ...... _01 _ _ _
entitled, "Moonsweets."
Writes Mandava, "She
from Bhutan, Bangla-
desh, Pakistan, Tibet
'" .
.
~ ~~ =~':.i :::~c::::.::=:-.a:.':=:=..-.
: --- ~".1IIJ_-1oJ: m:l!iD
stares straight ahead as and Myanmar. Visit rare ~L- ____________ ~===-~

Clinton recited it during
her 1996 India tour. And
now other Hindu poets
are waxing poetic on the
Web. Examples at In-
dolink (genius.net!
...
if rudraksha beads were Some of the Web's best Asian art and photo gal- Hot n ew w ebsite for youth
passing beneath her leries and dance, music,
thumb, but she is not RESOURCES Sanskrit, astrology and section, "I have been a
meditating-she is cook- Buddhism pages. Listen vegetarian for 4 years
ing." You can also read JOtJrneyto to broadcasts at Radio and am working towards
the classic poetry of
Rabindranath Tagore
such as "Benedic-
the East Asianet and find Indian
Internet providers, on-
line newspapers, univer-
being vegan. It's hard
growing up surrounded
by animal-eaters. I've
tion," "The Gift" and ~AVE TIME SEARCHING sities, chat and FTP never m~t another vege-
"The Banyan Tree" and ~or sites dealing with sites. You can even shop tarian! I'm looking for
selected works of Swami Eastern religions, orien- on-line for Asian cloth- anyone who wants to
Vivekananda including tal culture and Asian ing, handicrafts and talk!" Make new friends
"The Song of the Sann- countries on the Web. spices. Go to lava. net!- at geocities.comiHot
yasin," "The Blessing" The people at Panthers panther/east.html SpringS/2657I
and "Quest for God."

The mind, indeed, is this fleetin~ wQrld

TherefQre, it shQuld be purifled with~eat effQrt.
Qne becQmes what is in Qne's mind-this is the everlastin~ secret.
KRISH N~ Y:A.J UR VED~ M :A.ITREY;1I. UP:A.NISH:A.D 6.34