AMJNo 22

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Quarterly Journal of the Aum Muruga Society
AUM MURUGA JOURNAL

No. 22: April/June 2003
Publisher: Aum Muruga Society
First Issue: Jan./March 1998
Frequency: Quarterly
ISSN No.: 1 442-9330
Purpose:
To promote the understanding
of the spirituality through the
religious and cultural practices,
and traditions of Hinduism.
Editor:
Dr. R. Sri Ravindrarajah
Postal Address:
Aum Muruga Society,
15, Valda Place,
Baulkham Hills, NSW 2153,
Australia
E-mail: r.ravindra@uts.edu.au
Annual Subscription: A$15
(Free
Aum
membership)
Muruga
Society
Web Site Address:

http://members.ozemail.com.au
/~rasiah/ams/ams.html
Articles, Discussion and
Letter to the Editor are
welcome from the readers
for publication.
Serious spiritual Sadhana is like

touching a sleeping cobra,
whose
presence
is
not
otherwise felt, when hisses at
us. One may then think: Why
awaken it at all? Why not allow
it sleep? Well! It may look all
right, but it is necessary;
because that it is sleeping is no
freedom from its danger. So
long as it is there, the danger is
imminent, and it has to be
faced sometime or other. Until
it is killed we cannot be free
from the impending danger. So
is the case with Avidya
(ignorance). So long as it is
there, we are bound to this
mortal existence. To attain
Anubhuthi (liberation), Avidya
has to be removed by necessary
Sadhana, sooner or later. One
cannot help it.
Kandar Anubhuthi
Aum Muruga Journal No. 22
EDITORIAL
Chapter 16 of Bhagavad Gita speaks about the Divine and the
Demonic nature of the human beings. Krishna explains that there are
two types of people born in this world. They are the divine and the
demonic. The traits of a divine person are: fearlessness; intelligence;
wisdom; charity; renunciation; peaceful; disposition; compassion; kindness;
forgiveness; purity of thought; freedom from hatred; humility; absence of
greed; study of scriptures; uprightness; and sacrifice. The vices of the
demonic are: hypocrite; pride; arrogance; anger; harshness; and ignorance.
These constitute obstacle to the path of liberation. A person with
demonic nature doesnt know what to do and what not to do. They are not
clear and pure in body and mind. They feel that this world is brought
about by the force of desire and lust. Such people engage in activities,
which leads to the destruction of the world. They are driven by hundreds
of desires, lust, and anger and acquire wealth by illegal means. Such fools
only think of their wealth and plans ways and means of acquiring more for
enjoyment and pleasure. They feel they are perfect, powerful and happy.
They think by donating some money fro charity they will become happy.
Such ignorant people will go to hell. They will be born again and again and
can never attain salvation. Lust, anger and greed are three gates leading
to hell. A perswon who does not care for the scripture and the duties
prescribed will not attain perfection or happiness.
The above revelation in Gita is well suited to the current world

situation. The world peace was shaken by the events in Iraq in March
2003, in spite of the spontaneous worldwide protests against the war,
staged by the most powerful nations against a helpless Iraq. Although
many agreed upon the expected change, justification and morality of
this war were questioned on the basis of wisdom of the leaders to
inflict severe suffering on the innocents. Massive bombing raids as
witness by millions from homes courtesy of the TV stations had:
destroyed the infrastructure of Iraq; killed thousands of people from
both sides; and injured several thousands. The war is won but the
peace is yet to come. All agree that a difficult road is ahead to bring
freedom, peace and security to Iraq as promised.
Are we moving towards a world where law of the jungle prevails,
such as survival of the fittest? Do we accept the proposition that might
is right? Aftermath of the war brought looting, insecurity, suffering and
chaos in Iraq. The looters did not spare hospitals and Museums. There
was no respect to the human life and human values. In this so-called
civilised world, the worth of a human life seems to depend upon the
nationality and colour of the person. In the name of technological
advancement, many countries possess the weapons of mass
destruction (WMD). There is no justification for any country to possess
WMD. World peace is possible if and only when WMD is totally
eliminated from this world and the sovereignty of all countries is
respected. Do we need any more advancement in the destructive
technology to carry out activities such as carpet bombing, cluster
bombing, precision bombing, bunker buster attack and satellite guided
missile attacks? Lack of morality and absence of love towards
humanity are the main causes for the growth in weapon technology. Is
it possible to create a single life through technological advancement?
Hindus, jointly with other world religions, should promote peaceful
engagement to solve the disputes for the love of humanity. Many
articles in this issue discuss Hindu views in relation to war and peace.
WISHING A HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS HINDU NEW YEAR
April -June 2003
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SCIENCE AND RELIGION: A HINDU PERSPECTIVE

Professor Varadaraja V. Raman
Professor of Physics and Humanities Emeritus, Rochester Institute of Technology, New York, USA
After more than a century of open conflict, science
and religion have initiated mutually respectful
dialogues in the Western Christian tradition.
Scholars in other traditions, which never had such
confrontations, are joining in these discussions,
largely because these are conducted in the global
languages of English and French. Thus, the debates
between Science and Christianity have now been
extended to Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, and
Hinduism also. African religious perspectives are
also making their way into this arena.
In the multicultural world in which we live, it is
good to know how various traditions approach the
topic of science and religion. Each brings its
particular light, each unique in its own way. What
distinguishes the Hindu perspective is that it does
not hinge upon holy books and prophetic messages,
nor even on claims of its own mode being superior,
but rather on recognitions that are accessible to one
and all who would undertake the quest. In this
regard, it is closer to the scientific quest, and like it,
the Hindu vision transcends race and religion,
geography and culture.
Yet, it does have historical roots. What is now
called Hinduism is a capsule epithet for a complex,
ancient, and extremely diverse culture in which
practically every aspect of human endeavor has
found rich expression. Mainstream Hinduism traces
its spiritual and intellectual roots to the wisdom of
the Vedas and the Upanishads, which have
nourished the Hindu mind and soul for millennia.
The ancient aphoristic genre in which the insights
are articulated affords ample room for discussion
and dispute. So, Hindu thinkers vary widely in their
interpretations and even allegiance to these most
sacred texts of their tradition.
These texts combine the insights of poetry and
the reflections of philosophy with the visions of
spiritually awakened sages. Their contents may
strike the modern mind as arcane and
incomprehensible at first blush, but upon careful
analysis, they impress us as more than inspired
metaphysical utterances: sometimes, they seem to
be glimmers of deep scientific understanding of the
world.
In a sense, traditional Hindu reflections may be
looked upon as theologies as one would use the
term in the Western tradition: For they do talk about
God in concrete name-bearing modes and in the
abstract spiritual sense also. But it must be noted
that the seers don't simply confine themselves to

lauding the Divine and seeking His blessings or
mercy. Rather, they probe into the most
fundamental question of all: the nature and source
of this most mysterious presence in an otherwise
cold and concrete physical world, this stamp of selfidentity which each of us is here to, called
consciousness. This is a matter in which modern
science has been intensely engaged in recent
decades, but Hindu thinkers have always explored it
in theory and in practice too.
In this context, it is good to recall that Hindu
experimenters who recognized levels of reality
declared that much confusion would arise if we
adopt the methodology of exploring one level in
probing another. This brings us to the domain of
application of the rational mode. Reason, logic, and
mathematics are powerful tools in interpreting the
world on the intellectual and epistemic plane. But
whether they are equally effective in handling other
levels of experience is a question that is worth
examining, if only because there is no point in trying
to unlock a sturdy lock with an incompatible key.
There are two ways of looking upon the vast
corpus of Indian philosophical writings and spiritual
utterances: The first is to regard them as yet another
interesting body of speculative thought about the
world. Seen thus, Indian philosophy strikes us as
rich in the variety of problems it explores, and
impressive in its scope and range. It is creatively
imaginative in its analogies and hypotheses,
tantalizingly appealing in its picturesque worldviews.
The output of Indian philosophers is staggeringly
voluminous and their mode insightfully classificatory.
The goal of the various schools is invariably the
same: liberation of the jivatman (individual soul)
from the doctrinally proclaimed cycle of birth and
death. Few, who have even scratched the surface of
the grand visions of Indian philosophy, can deny
that the thinkers, who originated them, were mighty
intellects who were altogether convinced of
whatever they were declaring.
This leads us to the second view. From this
perspective, even with its mutually opposing
positions as to the identity or the distinctions
between the jivatman (individual soul) and the
paramatman (supreme soul), and other logically
questionable metaphysical assertions, Indian
philosophy has at its core certain profound insights
into the ultimate nature of the world and of the
April - June 2003

human experience. The basic theses of Hindu
thought do not simply subtend speculative systems,
any more than Maxwells theory of electromagnetism is mere mathematics. Rather, the
proponents of Indian philosophy were telling us
something that is not only meaningful, but revelatory
about the ultimate nature of conscious-ness and the
cosmos. They were not building a system of thought
so much as unveiling a not-so-apparent dimension
of Reality. Their aphorisms were not just doodles on
the mental plane: they arose rather from experiential
certitudes resulting from sustained tinkering with the
subtlest centers of the inscrutable Self. Their words
and wisdom are to be taken, therefore, not as grand
imaginative poetry, but as findings and discoveries
about the physical universe, exactly as twentieth
century science, after persistent probing into the
heart of matter and energy, after countless hours of
search and reflection, has erected its own views of
fundamental reality.
If this were so, if spiritual probing via yogic efforts
do lead to insights about the ultimate nature of
physical reality, while scientific peelings of the layers
of matter via instrumental ingenuities and
mathematical formalisms also lead to the deepdown details of that same reality, then one would
expect the two lines of quest to merge, somewhat
as travelers by jet planes and by ocean liners,
starting from the same point, could ultimately meet
at the same destination.
This, in the view of some, is precisely what is
happening in our own times. For, it turns out that the
philosophical quagmire into which quantum physics
has been sliding during the past few decades turns
topsy-turvy our common sense pictures of a solid
substantial world of cause and law, of rigid particles
and conserved quantities, of smooth flowing time
and three dimensional space. As we delve deeper
into the remote recesses of atoms and nuclei, funny
things begin to happen. Mathematical clouds of
probability take over, electrons seem to know,
information seems to get transmitted instantaneously, everything seems to be interconnected,
and a good many more strange things are taking
place in the microcosm. In the depths of black holes
and in the singularities of quarks, space and time
and physical laws get warped and dissolved. Now
we begin to wonder if those sage-poets of India had
not after all tumbled upon some profound truths
about the perceived world, which, because of their
very nature, could not be adequately expressed,
even in sacred Sanskrit. They were perhaps quite
right in insisting that in the stark denuded aspect,
stripped of mute matter and measuring mind, there
is a level of reality that only pure consciousness can
experience, and pure consciousness can only
Page 3/20
experience, not convey. Could it be that now at long
last, after countless tortuous turns of reason and
experimentation, of mathematics and microscopes,
science is slowly beginning to get a glimmer of what
the sages were speaking about?
That is why in our own times some eminent
physicists and philosophers of the quantum world,
commentators and speculative thinkers are drawn
towards this ancient wisdom. It would seem that
there is much to be gained if, as Alexis Comfort
suggest, the yogic quest on the one hand, stripped
of its mumble-jumble, and no-nonsense empirical
science on the other, stripped of its rationalistic
straight-jacket and model-building prejudices about
what can and what cannot be, combine forces in
unscrewing the deeper mysteries of the world of
experience.
V.V. Raman, Science and the spiritual vision: A
Hindu prospective, Zygon, 37(1), March 2002.
ADVAITA VEDANTA
Advaita Vedanta argues that there are levels of truth; a
lower level of ordinary, mundane, everyday experience
and a higher level of intuitive and immediate
apprehension of ultimate reality. It is only on the lower
level of truth that it is possible to conceive of a personal
deity in a loving relationship with individual
worshippers; only on this level of truth that divine grace
is understood to bring worshippers to a blissful
communion with God. It is only on the higher level of
truth that it is possible to recognise the identity of the
soul or self with the impersonal absolute. Yet Advaita
Vedanta did not reject or repudiate religious beliefs and
practices predicted upon the lower level of truth.
Instead, it gave theistic religion a standing consistent
with its limited and qualified nature of subordinating it
to supratheistic philosophy. In this way, Advaita
Vedanta acknowledged that there was truth, if on a
lower level, in theistic religion and that theistic religion
was a path preliminary and preparatory to supratheistic
philosophy. In the introduction to his commentary on
Gita, Sankara asserted: Though the Religion of Works which as a means of attaining wordlly prosperity, is
enjoined on several castes and religious orders leads
the devotee to the region of the Devas and the like, still,
when practiced in a spirit of complete devotion to the
Lord and without regard to (immediate) results, it
conduces to the purity of the mind (sattva-suddhi). The
man whose mind is pure is competent to tread the path
of knowledge, and to him comes knowledge; and thus
(indirectly) the Religion of Works forms also a means to
the Supreme Bliss.
Denis Cush and Cathrine Robinson
From: The Contemporary Construction of Hindu
Indentity: Hindu Universalism and Hindu Nationalism
DISKUS (WebEdition)
April - June 2003
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IRAQ AND HINDUISM

Francois Gautier, Columnist, May 19, 2003
We see today that the whole world is shying in
horror from the war America is planning against
Iraq. And indeed the devastating consequences of
war on human beings and the environment have
been so well documented, that no man or woman, in
his or her right mind, would condone it in the 21st
century.
There is on top of that in the West, a growing
distaste for violence, to which Christianity, which not
only emphasises love for the neighbour but also
adds a sense of guilt at having committed a sin
when you kill someone, has greatly contributed.
In India, Buddhism and Mahatma Gandhi's
non-violent philosophy, have also given rise to a
similar distaste for battle, even if it is done in selfdefence. It is not the purpose of this piece to debate
the moral wrongs or rightfulness of an eventual war
on Iraq, as it has been widely and repeatedly done - and very brilliantly - elsewhere. But rather to look
at war from a Hindu point of view, a point of view
that has often been the subject of many
misunderstandings.
'Man's natural tendency,' writes Sri Aurobindo,
India's great nationalist, yogi and prophet of the
New Age, 'is to worship nature as love and life and
beauty and good -- and to turn away from her grim
mask of death. We adore god as Shiva, but refuse
to adore him as Rudra.'
Thus, war has often baffled or even repelled
man. We saw how Ashoka turned Buddhist in
Kalinga, or how Gandhi refused to help in the war
effort against the Nazis and the Japanese, or how
today, youngsters all over the world have
spontaneously risen in protest against the
impending US battle against Iraq.
Five or six thousand years ago, Arjuna faced
the same dilemma. Remember how, casting down
the divine bow given to him by the gods for that
tremendous hour, he says: 'It is more for my welfare
that the sons of Dhritarashtra, armed, should slay
me unarmed and unresisting... I-will-not-fight.'
In the words of Sri Aurobindo, Arjuna's refusal
to fight, 'is the emotional revolt of a man hitherto
satisfied with action and its current standards, who
finds himself cast by them into a hideous chaos
where human beings are in violent conflict with each
other and where there is no moral standing ground
left, nothing to lay hold of and walk by, no dharma.'
Yet, if we observe man and nature closely, we
find -- even today -- that war and destruction are not
only a universal principle of our life here in its purely
material aspects, but also of our mental and moral

existence. Everything is a struggle in our planet, all
plants, animals and human beings have to struggle
against each other, right from the moment of birth;
even business is a warfare in disguise. It is then
evident that the actual life of man can make no real
step forward without a struggle between what exists
and lives and what seeks to exist.
The Gita, as we have seen, takes for its frame
such a period of transition and crisis as humanity
periodically experiences in its history, in which great
forces clash together for a huge destruction, and
reconstruction, intellectual, social, moral, religious
and political.
Furthermore, in the words of India's great
avatar: 'It is an illusion to think that our hands should
remain clean and our souls unstained for the law of
strife and destruction to die out from the world. On
the contrary, abstention from strife and concomitant
destruction may help one's moral being, but leaves
the slayer of creatures unabolished.'
We have seen for example how France has still
not come to terms with the collaboration of many
Frenchmen with the Germans during the Second
World War, or how the neutrality of Switzerland is a
sham. The prosperity of Switzerland often rests on
the ill-gotten gains of dictators, or on the stolen
money of Jews murdered by the great asura Hitler.
'It is only a few religions which have had the
courage, like the Indian, to lift-up the image of the
force that acts in the world in the figure not only of
the beneficent Durga, but also of the terrible Kali in
her blood-stained dance of destruction and to say:
"this too is the Mother." And it is significant that the
religion which had this unflinching honesty and
tremendous courage, has succeeded in creating a
profound and widespread spirituality such as no
other can parallel.'
The Gita thus proceeds from the acceptance of
the necessity in nature for such vehement crises
and it accepts the moral aspect of the struggle
between righteousness and unrighteousness,
between the self-affirming law of good and the
forces that oppose its progression. The Gita,
concludes Sri Aurobindo, is therefore addressed to
the fighters, the men of action, those whose duty in
life is that of war and protection of those who are at
the mercy of the strong and the violent and for the
maintenance of right and justice in the world.
In this light, the proposed war on Iraq takes
another shape: men in their folly, think they are the
April - June 2003
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deciders, the doers, the great arbiters, but who is
pulling the strings from behind? Mr. Bush and his
generals believe they have planned every
possibility, plugged every loophole. But there is no
way they can control the consequences of the action
they are going to undertake.
Who is right and who is wrong in this whole
affair? There is no such thing as a good Bush and a
bad Saddam and the tendency of the whole
Western and Indian intelligentsia to portray America
as an evil empire bent on hegemony and Iraq as an
innocent, persecuted nation, makes one a little
uneasy. After all, has not the United States risen up
and paid with its blood every time the free world was
in danger and is not Iraq one of the nations, which
has sponsored international terrorism, particularly
against Israel?
Therefore, in the present state of human
nature, with its ego, ambition, lack of love and
brotherhood, war is still inevitable and we have to
accept it. Awaiting better times, the 'supramental'
which Sri Aurobindo and the Mother of Pondichery
came to usher, we should only remember what
Krishna tells Arjuna on the eve of the Kurukshetra
battle: 'You are not killing the soul, but merely the
material body: we will all be reborn, again and
again, till humanity understands that love -- and love
only -- is the only answer to all our differences.'
Francois Gautier, who has lived in India for 30
years and is married to an Indian, is a French journalist,
the correspondent in South Asia for Le Figaro, France's
largest circulated newspaper. He has published Rewriting
Indian History and Arise O India.
ABODES OF BLISS
There are four Abodes of Bliss: Swarga; Kailasa;
Vaikuntha; and Sattya-loka. In describing these
pleasant retreats, the Hindu books represent Mount
Maha-Meru on the slopes of which they are situated,
as being in the form of a cone, convoluted like a
snails shell and divided into stages. On the first, on
the north side, is Swarga, Indras paradise; to the left,
on the east side and at the next stage, is Kailasa (or
Parvata), Sivas paradise; at a still higher stage, on
the south side, is Vaikuntha, Vishnus paradise; and,
finally on the summit of the mountain is Sattya-loka,
Brahmas paradise. Swarga is inhabited by the gods
of the second rank and here grows the famous Kalpatree, and the existence of the cow Kamadhenu.
Kailasa is a city constructed on a triangular plan. Siva
resides with his wife Parvathi and sons Ganesh and
Kartika. Gold and precious objects of all sorts sparkle
on every side of Vaikuntha. A superb palace inhabited
by Vishnu and his wife Lakshmi. The river Viraja
flows below the royal residence. Sattya-loka signifies
The Place of Truth or the Abode of Virtue.
Brahma lives with his wife Saraswathy. The Ganges
waters this divine retreat.
HINDU TAMIL PROVERBS - 2

From Tamil Proverbs by Rev. P. Percival, 1842
From the collection of over 6000 Tamil Proverbs,
the modes of thinking, and the natural shrewdness
of the Hindu mind may be seen through this
medium.
1. MrPHthjKk; rhgKk; mwNthHf;F ,y;iy.

The virtuous are not affected by blessing and
cursing.
2. Mir mWgJ ehs;> Nkhfk; Kg;gJ ehs;>

njhz;ZhW ehSk; Nghdhy; Jilg;gq;
fl;il.
Sixty days of excessive desire, thirty days of
enjoyment; when the ninety days are over, the
remaining time is as a worn-out broom.
3. Mir
ngUf
miyr;rYk;
ngUFk;>
Mirf;F mstpy;iy> Mir ntl;fk;
mwpahJ.
As desire increases, anxiety increases; Desire has
no limits; Desire knows not shame.
4. Mbf; fwf;fpw khl;il Mbf; fwf;f

Ntz;Lk;. ghbf; fwf;fpw khl;ilg; ghbf;
fwf;f Ntz;Lk;.
A restless cow must be milked by force, and a
gentle cow must be milked with kindness.
Treatment is to be regulated by circumstances.
5. ML eidfpwJ vd;W Xeha; mOfpwjhk;.

It is said that the wolf wept because the sheep is
getting wet.
6. MLq;fhyj;Jj;
jiyfPohf
tpOe;jhy;
XLk; fg;giuAk; cilatd; Mthd;.
If one should fall headlong when he ought to be
active, he will be so impoverished as to possess
only broken pots and an alms-dish. Indolence in
youth leads to poverty in old age.
7. Ml;by; Mapuk;> khl;by; Mapuk;> tPl;bNy

fuz;b ghy; ,y;iy.
Possessed of sheep by the thousand, of cattle by
the thousand, he hasnt got a spoonful of milk at
home.
8. Mztj;jhy; mopahNj.
Do not destroy yourself by pride (ego).
9. MZf;F
mtNfL
nra;jhYk;
ngz;Zf;Fg; gpioNfL nra;ayhfhJ.
Although one may injure a man, a woman may not
be injuriously treated.
Ntz;lhk;>
rj;jpaKk;
10. MizAk;
Ntz;lhk;> Jzpiag; Nghl;Lj; jhz;L.
Neither swearing nor oaths are required, put down
the cloth and stride over it.
April - June 2003
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INTRODUCTION TO THANUOLOGY
Dr. S. Chidambarathanu Pillai
Honorary Editor, "Siddha System of Life"
Thanuology is an lndigenous System of Medicine
which deals with the study of Secret locations of
life-centres in the human body, and its associations
with the human body and its treatment, if
traumatised.
DERIVATION OF THE TERM THANUOLOGY
The term Thanuology is derived from the name
Almighty. Thanu is one of the names given to Lord
Siva. An ancient story is behind this derivation. It is
said that Lord Siva happened to see his sons
Ganapathy and Murugan, during their childhood,
fighting and wrestling with each other. In the course
of their single combat each one was pulling and
hitting the other. Lord Siva stopped their fighting
and enlightened them about the presence of various
secret points (life centres) of the body and the ill
effects produced if these life-centres were
traumatised. It is also said that the Siddhars, who
had the blessings of Lord Siva, taught this Science
to the people for their well-being. The word
'Thanuology' may be a new one to Modern Science.
But it is an ancient Indian Medical Science, not yet
generally widely known among the people of India.
THANUOLOGY AND OTHER MARTIAL ARTS
Thanuology is an art as well as a science. As an art
it can be employed to attack a person to disable him
(which is not normally done) and as a science, it
helps persons recoup from the impact of such
attacks. The Science of Thanuology was therefore
utilized by ruling kings of those days to treat the
wounded and the disabled soldiers who were
injured in the wars by their enemies.
Thanuology has also some similarities to other
Martial arts such as Silambun, sword fighting, Kalari
etc. In these arts, the life centres of men are made
known to practitioners to enable them to achieve
their ends. These Martial arts were extensively
practised by the people of Tamil Nadu and
patronised by the ancient kings. The mastery over
these arts helped the people and the soldiers to
protect the country from the attack of enemies.
DANGERS OF JUDO & KARATE
Martial arts like Judo, Karate etc., have become
very popular under the patronage of foreigners like
Japanese and Chinese. The Martial Arts are used
now-a-days liberally by the people of India for
defence purposes. By its extensive use, many
persons become victim to attacks. The impact in the
body of the victims causes damage or injury to lifecentres. The person who is injured, may physically
be rendered temporarily or permanently useless.
The aim of the person who practices Martial arts
such as Karate or Judo is to over-power his
opponent. But, his victory is achieved by causing
damage to the life centres of the body of his
opponent. The impact of injuries inflicted upon
others is not taken note of. One should not forget
such injury may at times be fatal. It should be
remembered that, once the life centre of the body is
impaired, such impact develops different types of
ailments in later days. It assumes major proportions
and causes various ailments as the age of the
Victim advances. All these are due to ignorance of
the effect of the damage caused to life centres by
the practitioners of Martial arts. Almost in all cases
the victims do not live long if they are not promptly
treated for by expert Thanuologists.
It is Thanuology that brings to light the
complete scientific aspects of such impacts.
Thanuology is therefore excellent as a Science,
besides being an art.
SHORT HISTORY OF THANUOLOGY
These martial arts, and also Thanuology were the
boons of Lord Siva who conferred them on the three
Tamil Kings, Chera, Chola, and Pandiyan. Realising
its misuse by Chola and Pandiya Kings, Siva had
left with them the martial arts, and withheld the
science of Thanuology by the divine emissaries viz.,
lyen and Keyan. This science was thus left with a
few Tamilian families of the South of erstwhile
Travancore. The richness and delicacy of this
science has made these families secretive about it
and it has been handed down from father to son,
and Guru to disciple. Thanuology is purely a
Tamilian Science. Other Martial arts are extensively
used and easily available for learning.
LIFE CENTRES
The ancient Greek story, that our children learn in
the preparatory class illustrates that the death of the
Giant Goliath was brought about by the shepherd
boy David by a hit at a Vital spot on the temple. It
would be an indication that the human body has a
large number of life-centres and its defection would
cause ailments and sometimes death.
Hundreds of Life centres of the human body lie
dormant within bones, nerves, veins, muscles, joints
April - June 2003
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and inner organs and are found either deep or at
the surface of the body. Vital life-centres are
dominant on bones and joints; Medium life-centres
on nerves; Striking life-centres on veins; Inner lifecentres on muscles, and Chronic life-centres on
blood clots formed due to impacts on the body.
As switches control the flow of electricity, the
flow of life of the human body is controlled at the
life-centres. Whenever the life centres are
traumatised by a hit or a cut, either directly or
indirectly, then the whole body is left out of control.
In other words, the whole body is paralysed. This is
manifested by symptoms like fainting, fits, sprain,
swelling, bleeding, shivering, fractures, dislocations
or even death.
FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF HUMAN BODY
Based on the fundamental principles, the human
body is governed by 96 Thathuvams. There are 108
important life centres in the human body, of which
12 are vital life centres, and 96 medium life-centres.
Those 108 life centres are seated in 5 broad
regions. 25 life centres are at the head region, 45
life-centres at neck-umbilicus region, 9 life centres
at umbilicus-anus region, 14 life centres at upper
limb region and 15 life centres at lower limb region.
LIFE CENTRES AND TRITHOSAS
According to Indian Systems of Medicine, Trithosas
(which are the three humours on the body)
condition the health of the human body. Vatha,
Pittha and Kaba act in the proportion of 4:2:1,
respectively. Its variation in proportions will lead to
diseases. In Thanuology, Vatham (Wind) dominates
at bones and joints; Pittha (heat) at muscles; and
Kaba at nerves. The impact of life centres brings
variations in the Trithosas. All diseases are
classified under these three principles.
SIGNS OF LIFE CENTRES, IF DEFECTED
Wherever the life centres are really defected the
relevant place will be felt chill. Normally the
pranavayu (oxygen) may stick up. There may be
wounds and pains. There may be signs and
symptoms, peculiar to the defection of the particular
life centre. If the symptoms found on the victim, vary
from time to time, and also uneasiness prevails
upon, one can easily conclude that these are the
signs of a serious case. Further in case the
controlling (key) centre is neutralised and no
change could be felt in the condition of the victim,
one can very well conclude it is also a very serious
case. Only after the prescribed time limit, if the
patient survives, he can be given the required
treatment for recovery.
INFLUENCE OF MOON UPON HUMAN BODY

There are many secrets about the influence of the
moon upon the human body. Milk of moon also
works in fifteen places in each of the two sides of
the human body. These places are also the active
life centres. After the full moon day, it is active at 15
places from toe to head on the left side, and after
the New Moon day it is active at other places on the
right side of the body. In these days, the respective
place of human body wherein the milk of moon
rests is defected due to injuries, death occurs in all
probabilities. Knowledge about this, would help the
Thanuologist to give appropriate treatment for
satisfactory relief to victims.
THANUOLOGY IS THE GIFT OF SIDDHAS
The classifications of life centres, Centre of forces
in the physical tenements, diagnoses, and the forms
of treatment etc., are the fruits of centuries of
research conducted by Tamil "Seers" who are
styled as "Siddhas" and whose expressions and
findings are transcribed in hundreds of works. Their
works are of immense importance and guidance to
later generations for a rational and healthy life, and
wonders beyond all possible comprehension of the
common people as well as academicians.
SHARE OF DISEASES TO THANUOLOGY
As Scientific development and progress takes place
in the world, accidents are on the increase. This
cannot be avoided. As a result, 50% of the
population suffers from various kinds of diseases.
So also, when a man falls off from a height or from
a running train, or a vehicle, he is treated by the
orthopaedic surgeon for the broken bones and other
visible injuries.
The impact of invisible injuries especially to life
centres as well as inner organs like lungs, heart,
liver, head, brain etc., are left without being cared
for. As a result, we find a large number of victims
suffer, even after their bones were set right and
other external injuries have been healed. Their
ailments assume greater proportion, as their age
advances.
MODE OF TREATMENT
If the impact of vital centres is not treated according
to Thanuology, victims may suffer from non-specific
ailments like Tuberculosis, Asthma, pains and other
inexplainable complaints. For treatment of diseases
like Tuberculosis and Asthma the worrying factor for
the present Medical specialists is the paucity of
basis of such diseases. Thanuology opens up a
new vista to such people who are in a dilemma as
to the original causes of diseases. To avoid such a
April - June 2003
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situation we have to treat the vital life centres of
victims under the following methods.
1. Elakku murai (Neutralising the damage caused)
2. Thadavu murai (Massage the effective points)
3. Curing the defections by special methods.
4. Kattu murai (Bandages)
5. Maruthuvam (application of medicine)
6. Shanthi murai (Divine Treatment) etc.
From the above explanation it is clear that
Thanuology is more a science than an art and has
all similarities to other modern medical sciences.
DIFFERENTIATION OF DISEASES
It is seen in some southern Districts like Tirunelvelli
district, Kanyakumari district etc., of Tamilnadu that
the physician is in the habit of enquiring of the
patient as to whether he had any injury or impact to
life centres of body. This is to make sure that the
impact on life centres requires treatment under
Thanuology. If the answer from the patient is in the
negative, he is given normal treatment. This sort of
enquiry helps the doctor to select the correct type of
treatment and medicines. There are, in fact, some
symptoms like fever, pain, uneasiness, etc., which
are common to both type of diseases. Ignorance will
not help the Doctor to cure the ailment. It will
complicate the condition of the patient rather than
curing the ailment.
SPECIAL POINTS
It is useful to take careful note of certain points as
guidelines for treatment of patients by Thanuology.
Timely treatment of life centres will ensure
abundant hope and ample chance for recovery of
ailment. The life, which is cornered due to vital
spots being traumatised, begins to regain its original
vigour and vitality and runs as usual through the
regions of the body, sooner the patient recovers
from the defections of life centres.
CONCLUSION
Thanuology which has many advantages is now
readily at hand for us to enjoy its benefits. The
information given in this article is meagre. This
science has hundreds of valuable unpublished
treatises, which the medical world is yet to know.
The works such as "Varma muthira" "Varam
kaaviam", "Udal paathi vuvir paathi uddaluvir
paathi, "Yelumbu murivu sari, "Varma kannadi,
Varma vimanam etc. are some of the treatises in
Tamil, to illustrate the meaning of Thanuology. M/s
Siddha Medical Literature Research Centre Madras
600 102 has collected a good number of works,
written in Tamil verses. They are written in Gudgen
leaves and of a few centuries old. This Institute has

been in the extensive study and research of
Thanuology since a decade. It had published six
treatises (in Tamil) titled "Paduvarma thirattu,
"Varma sutcham, Varmani thiravukol, Varma
kaimurai yedu, Thoduvarma thirattu, Varma
theerppu and has plans to bring out new
publications in English.
It is also learnt that M/s SMLRC have applied for
Indian Medical Council for permission to, conduct
courses leading to Ph.D. in Thanuology. From the
above said facts it will be seen that Thanuology has
wide scope and usefulness to people all over the
world. It is high time that the Government are to
undertake comprehensive study of Thanuology by
Institutes. The very popularisation of Thanuology
through the medium of colleges, Hospitals and
Research centres will certainly go a long way to
satisfy the long felt need of the people of the world.
This article is an extract of speech delivered by Dr. S.
Chidambarathanu Pillai, Honorary Editor, "Siddha
System of life" on "The Role of Thanuology on Modern
Medical Science" at the 2nd International Congress on
traditional Asian Medicine to be held in Surabaya,
Indonesia from 2nd to 7th September 1984.
HINDUISM AND WAR

Hinduism is a label that covers a wide range of
Indian religious groups. While there are many
differences between the various traditions they
have a great deal in common. Like most
religions, Hinduism includes both teachings
that condemn violence and war, and teachings
that promote it as a moral duty.
The teachings that condemn violence are
contained in the doctrine of ahimsa, while
those that permit it centre around the
Kshatriyas - the warrior caste.
SELF-DEFENCE
Hindus believe that it is right to use force in
self-defence:
"May your weapons be strong to drive away
the attackers, may your arms be powerful
enough to check the foes, let your army be
glorious, not the evil-doer."
THE CONDUCT OF WAR
Rig Veda 1-39:2
The Rig Veda sets down the rules of war at

6-75:15, and says that a warrior will go to hell if
he breaks any of them.
do not poison the tip of your arrow
do not attack the sick or old
do not attack a child or a woman
do not attack from behind
April - June 2003
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SIGNIFICANCE OF THE TEMPLES AND PRANA

PRATISHTHA CEREMONY: ITS MEANING
H.H. Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji (Pujya Muniji), Parmarth Niketan, Rishikesh, India.
This article was appeared in Commemorative Brochure of the Shri Shiva Mandir, 2003.
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF TEMPLES

A temple is a not a building. It is the abode of
the Lord. A temples strength is not in its bricks.
Its fortitude comes from the dedication of its
members. A temple is not held together by
plaster and mud. Its glue is the piety and
devotion of the community. A temple is not
simply a place we visit. It should be the axis
around which our lives revolve.
People may ask, But if God is everywhere, if every
living being is a manifestation of Brahma, then why
do we need to go to temple? There are many
reasons. The most important reason is that a
temple is not only the home of God, but is a
concentration of divine energy.
The temple building itself is constructed in such
a way as to maximise the concentration of positive,
sacred and peaceful energies. The actual structure
of a temple is said to represent the resting body of
the Lord. The sanctum is His mouth, the entrance
tower (raja gopuram) is His holy feet, and other
parts represent His limbs. Most importantly, deep
inside the main structure is the sanctum sanctorum
(garbha graha), which is the Heart of the Lord, and
it is there that we place the deities.
Ancient rishis and saints could realise God
through their meditations. They lived high in the
Himalayas or in secluded forests. There were few
distractions, and their lives were focused on one
thing: attaining the divine vision. They, therefore,
did not need temples. Their world was their temple.
However, today, our lives are flooded with material
desires, with mundane tasks, with logistic concerns.
We must get up each day and go to earn a living to
feed our families. We must live in a world that
indoctrines us to crave only sensual pleasures and
material wealth. It is very difficult for this world to
seem like a temple.
Therefore, we must have a place which is
sacred, a place which is holy, a place in which our
sole purpose is becoming one with God, a place in
which we hang up our daily concerns and troubles
like coats at the door. We must have a place, which
focuses our mind on the true meaning in life. The
temple serves this purpose.
A university student may claim he does not need
to go the library to do his homework his dorm
room is a fine place to study. Theoretically, that is
true. The books are the same, the material to be

learned is the same. However, we know that in a
dorm room he will be constantly tempted by ringing
phones, by knocks at the door, by loud music, by
desire to gossip with his friends in the hallway.
However, the library is silent. It is a place devoted
to acedamic studies. There, he will not be
distracted. In the library, everywhere he looks he
will see other students deep in their work. This
environment will provide him not only with quiet in
which to study, but also with inspiration from others
who are there for the same purpose. Similarly we
go to temple for the sacred environment, for holy
energy in the building itself, for the divine presence
of the deites, as well as for the inspiration of others
who focused on God.
However, a temple should not be a place in
which we worship. It should become the focal
point of our lives. In the West, many of you have
left your extended families back in India. Most of
you do not have the luxury of living in a tightly knit
Indian community. Therefore, the temple should
become that extended family; it should be the place
where children come to learn about heritage as well
as to play with their Inidan peers. Your temple
should be the place of celebration during times of
joy, as well as your place of comfort and solace
during times of grief. Your temple should feed every
aspect of your being; your hearts, your minds, your
stomachs and your souls. Then, it will truly be a
mandir and not only a building.
PRANA PRATISHTHA CEREMONY
A Hindu Temple is sacred place, endowed with
divine energies and powers. At the heart of each
temple lie the deities, to whom we bow and pray in
worship. Why is it, though, that these statues, these
idols are worshipped as God? How did they come
to be infused with divine characteristics? The
answer is the Prana Pratishtha ceremony.
People say that Hindus are idol worshippers.
We are not. We are ideal worshippers. It is not the
plaster and marble and stone we revere; rather it is
the presence of God which has been transmitted
into these otherwise lifeless stautes. Our human
eyes cannot behold the image of the Divine; thus,
God is kind and merciful enough to infuse our
deities with His Divine presence and allow Himself
to be worshipped through these deities.
April - June 2003

The rites and rituals of Prana Pratishtha are
followed strictly according to the Agamic texts. Prior
to installation, priests who have been well trained in
vedic rituals, perform specific mantras and pujas
which have been shown to endow an inanimate
object with divine life and energy.
These mantras and rites begin with the simple
man who sculpts the stone. He is not an ordinary
artist. Rather, he is one who has been blessed with
the ability to create a physical manifestation of God.
He performs puja and prayer prior to and during the
sculpting. He maintains, in his mind, the vision of
the deity he is sculpting. He prays for this God to
come to life in his statue. His work area looks more
like a temple than an art studio. So, from the very
first moment, the stone is treated with reverence
and piety, preparing it to carry the force of God.
Then, when the murtis are finished and taken to
the temple, the special Prana Pratishtha ceremony
typically lasts for five days. During this time,
numerous special rites and rituals are performed
and mantras are chanted. It is after this complex set
of sacred rituals that the murtis become infused
with divine power and truly embody the God in
whose manifest form they are created. At this point,
they are no longer murtis. They are deities. After
this we no longer refer to the stone and other
materials of which they are constructed. For, they
have become sanctified and are now only a
physical manifestation of aspects of the Supreme
Godhead. They are no longer marble. They are
now divine. Whatever form of Me any devotee
worships with faith, I come alive in that form
(Bhagavad Gita). When the murtis become infused
with Divine Life, the temple becomes alive. The
deities form the living soul of the temple, and the
building is the body.
Some people ask why we need deities, if God
exists everywhere. It is very difficult for most people
to envision the un-manifest, ever-present, allpervading Supreme Being. It is easier for us to
focus our attention and our love on an image of
Him. It is easier for us to focus our attention and our
love on an image of Him. It is easier to display love,
affection and devotion to a physical deity than to
transcendent, omni-present existence. Additionally,
through the Prana Pratishtha ceremony and
through our own faith and piety, this image of Him
truly comes alive and become Him. So, by
worshipping His image with faith and love, we arrive
at His holy feet. Therefore, praying before a deity in
a temple may give us a greater sense of being in
the presence of God than praying in our own
homes.
Page 10/20
In the Srimad Bhagavantum, Lord Krishna says,
Whenever one develops faith in Me in My
manifest form as the Deity or in any other of my
manifestations one should worship Me in that
form. I exist within all created beings as well as
separately in both My unmanifest and maifest
forms. I am the Supreme Soul of all. (Canto 11,
Ch. 27, Verse 48).
MINTO SHRI SHIVA MANDIR

Shri Shiva Mandir (cover picture) stands with all
its glory at 201, Eagle View Road, Minto on a 5acre precious block of highlands, in a Sydney
suburb in Campelltown. It is approximately
50km from Sydney and only 3km from Hume
Highway and 2km from Minto railway station.
Minto Siva temple is located on a natural scenic
block of land adjacent to Georges river. It has its
Maha Kumbabhishekam on the 23rd February
2003. In 1990, a property was purchased with the
kind donations from the Hindu community. Later,
the existing residential dwelling was converted
to conduct congergational prayers, meeting and
poojas without an icon. Later in the same year, a
Shiva devotee from India donated and air
freighted the Shiva Lingam to the Madir and daily
poojas were conducted from the beginning of
1992. The construction of the temple commenced
in July 1992 and was abruptly halted in May 1993
due to unforeseen circumstances and was placed
on hold for nearly four years. The eclipse that
cast over the progress of the temple building had
to be removed for continuity, so that the temple
would remain within the community. With the
community support, the construction recommenced in 1996 with increased religious and
spiritual activities. The sthapathi Shri Thedchanamoorthy and other Karigars arrived from India to
construct the Sanctum Sanctorum and other
Shrines. They worked for nine months to
complete the first stage of the project. The
sanctum sanctorum is for Lord Shiva who is
symbolically represented as Shiva Lingam. This
emblem of Shiva is universally venerated. Just as
Aum is the verbal symbol of God, the Lingam
is the symbolic form of the Godhead. Lingam
means that in which this universe attain
dissolution; that into which everyone goes
ultimately. Apart from the presiding deity Shiva
Lingam, there are eleven other deities namely,
Nandikeswara, Ganapthi, Murugan, Ram Sita,
Lakshman, Radha, Krishna Sandeswara and
Navagragha. It is a unique temple in its architecture and location in NSW.
Temple opening hours: Weekdays: 8-10am;
5.30 to 8pm; Weekends and Pubic holidays: 8am
to 12 Noon and 4 to 8 pm. Phone: (02) 9820 1094.
Visit this temple to enjoy its beauty and obtain
the Lord Shivas Grace.
April - June 2003
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SRAADDHA CEREMONY FOR THE DEAD

Swami Sivananda
From the book: What becomes of the Souls after death
A Divine Life Society Publication
Glossary:
1.
Bhava: Feeling
Brahmacharya: Celibacy
Chitta: Consciousness
Japa: Reptition of mantras (hymns)
Jiva: Individual souls
Karma Kanda: A chapter on human actions and
practices
Matras: Hymns
Manusmriti: A sared book Hindu Code of Law.
Mouna: Silence
Pinda: Offering of rice-balls, which a son does for
the departed soul of his ancestors.
Pitris: Ancestors
Rajas: Passion
Sannyasa: Stage of life when a person is supposed
to renounce the world.
Sattva: Purity
Tamas: Darkness
Vanaprastha: A period of life, which begins after
one has finished the household period of life, i.e.
after 50 years of age and up to 75 years of age.
Upanishads: Dialogues of spiritual wisdom between
Rishis or seers and Brahmachari students.
Vedas: Holy books of Hindus
Introduction
The Karma Kanda of the Vedas has laid down

different duties of man according to his position in
life and according to the order to which he belongs.
All these injunctions are embodied in the book
called Manusmriti, which is the code of law and
conduct for Hindus. It is made four divisions of the
different stages of life of an individual viz.,
Brahmacharya
(student-life);
Garhasthya
(household-life); Vanaprastha (forest-life); and
Sannyasa (mendicant-life). This order of society
gradually perished due to modern civilisation and
deterioration of spiritual life in man. Materialistic
dark forces of Rajas and Tamas have overpowered
the effects of Sattvic ones and religion is given
secondary importance. Nay, religionists are looked
upon with contempt in these days. Study of
scriptures, observance of religious rites, a spiritual
life of moderation and real ethical cultures are
denounced as useless or old-fashioned and
consequently that are fading into insignificance.
The problem of life is very serious now. The
struggle for existence is very keen in these days.
The question of food and other luxuries of life has

taken the place of religion.
2.
Importance of Sraaddha Ceremony
For a householder the scriptures have imposed the

Pancha Maha Yajnas, the five great sacrifices as
obligatory duties of life. The neglect of these duties
entails penalty. These great sacrifices are:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Sacrifice to Gods (Deva Yajna):

Sacrifice to Rishis (Rishi Yajna)
Sacrifice to Ancestors (Pitris Yajna)
Sacrifice to Animals (Bhuta Yajna)
Sacrifice to Guests (Atithi Yajna)
The Sraaddha ceremony comes under

Sacrifice to Ancestors. It is the sacred duty of the
householder. Every householder should perform
the Sraaddha ceremony for his ancestors. Pitris are
forefathers who dwell in the Pitriloka. They possess
the power of clairvoyance and clairaudience. When
mantras are recited, the exercise tremendous
influence through their vibrations. The Pitris hear
the sounds through the power of clairaudience and
they are pleased. They bless those who offer the
oblation. In Sraaddha, the essence of food offerings
is taken up by the Suns rays to Suryaloka and the
departed souls are pleased with the offerings.
The Gita and the Upanishads clearly bear
testimony to the fact that performance of Sraaddha
is very important. It is only the deluded souls with
perverted intellect who misconstrue things and
neglect to perform the sacred ceremonies and
consequently suffer. They are misguided by false
reasoning and logic. Satanic influences affect them
very easily. Ignorance is the root cause for this
state of affairs.
3.
Sraaddha Ceremony
Sraaddha ceremony is done once in every year. A

day of the Pitris is equal to one year of human
computation. This is the reason why we have to
perform Sraaddha ceremony once a year. If we
perform Sraaddha ceremony once in every year, it
is equal to daily performance of Sraaddha for the
Pitris. In their calculation we, their sons, live only for
a few days, because the longest period human
existence of 100 years is merely 100 days for them.
Some people entertain the doubt, When the
Jiva (soul) undergoes transmigration and takes
April - June 2003

another birth after leaving this physical body, is it
necessary that we should perform Sraaddha
ceremony for him? He is no more in the heavens.
To whom will the oblations reach? In the ninth
chapter of the Gita, Lord Krishna has made it very
clear that those virtuous persons who perform
sacrifices for the attainment of heaven attain to
those worlds of enjoyments. They having enjoyed
that spacious world of Svargas (Heaven), their
merit (Punya) exhausted, enter the world of the
mortals; thus following Dharma of the triad, desiring
objects of desires, they attain to the state of going
and returning. This establishes the theory of
attaining of heaven after death, and rebirth in the
mortal world after exhaustion of virtuous acts. The
enjoyments in heaven and peace of the soul are
enhanced by the performance of Sraaddha
ceremony. The suffering of the worlds other than
heaven according to the merits of ones own
actions is mitigated by the performance of
Sraaddha ceremony by his sons. So in both cases
the performance of Sraaddha is a great help. The
Pitris remain in heaven (Pitriloka, Chandraloka) for
a very long period.
According to the theory of transmigration, even
if the individual is to take another birth immediately
after his death, the performance of Sraaddha adds
to his happiness in his new birth. So it is the
imperative duty of everybody to perform Sraaddha
ceremony for his parents and forefathers. Sraaddha
ceremony should be performed with great faith as
long as you live. Faith is the main support for
religion. In olden days the question whether to
perform Sraaddha ceremony or not did not arise at
all. Then people were full of faith and had
reverence for the scriptures. In these days when
faith is almost dwindling into an airy nothing and
when the list of non-performers of has increased,
others of wavering faith begin to doubt whether it is
necessary to perform Sraaddha or not, and whether
any good will accrue out of it. The lack of faith in the
Scriptures has degraded us to the present
deplorable condition. Gita declared: Sraddhavan
labhate jnanam (the man of faith attains knowledge
and thereby immortality and eternal peace).
Some people argue and say if a man once
performs Sraaddha ceremony to his forefathers at
Gaya and other places of religious importance, he
need not do it every year thereafter. This is not a
general rule and does not apply to all. It applies
only in certain exceptional cases. Sraaddha
ceremony by once offering Pinda etc., at Gaya,
they do so out of sheer ignorance. They consider it
merely a burden to perform Sraaddha ceremony
and avoid it. They have not discharged their duties
properly.
Page 12/20
The various religious observances imposed
upon mankind by the Sastras tend to purify the
ignorant man. The goal of Karma Yoga is
purification of mind. Sraaddha ceremony, being one
of the obligatory duties, as per the injunctions of
scriptures, also tends to purify the mind. Besides
this, the forefathers are also pleased and their good
wishes and blessings tend to our material and
spiritual growth.
People who die without a son will suffer in the
other worlds. This is, of course, not applicable in
the case of Nitya Brahmacharins and spiritual
aspirants who tread the spiritual path alone after
renouncing all selfish desires and worldly
enterprises. That is the reason why people adopt a
son before their death for the due performance of
Sraaddha ceremonies after death. The Gita also
supports this view. Patanti pitaro hyesham
luptapindodakakriyah; their forefathers fall (down
to hell) deprived of the offerings of Pinda (rice-ball)
and water.
But, if a man is religious-minded and if he has
discrimination and dispassion, belief in sastra
(scriptures) and the Vedas, if he has led a virtuous
life till the end of his life, if he has devoted his last
days in devotional practices, Japa, meditation,
study, etc., (even if he has no son) he will not have
a fall. He will surely enjoy perfect peace. He will not
be affected by the dark forces of ignorance. He is
free from base attractions of the world. The Lord
takes care of his downfall. He has mental purity. All
religious observations have Chitta Suddhi
(purification of mind) as their goal. This he attains
by virtue of his past Samskaras and virtuous life in
previous incarnations.
People of some communities in India spend
money enormously and indiscriminately of
Sraaddha ceremony for show. This is mere
wastage. Money should not be spent on luxury. It is
a delusion to think that the Pitris will get more
peace by spending more money. Money does not
count for the ease of the Pitris, but the intensity of
Bhava, with which the Sraaddha is performed,
counts.
On such occasions the poor and deserving
persons are to be fed sumptuously. Their
necessities of life should be attended to. Study of
scriptures should be done on such days. The
performer of the Sraaddha ceremony should
observe spiritual discipline like Japa, meditation,
Mouna,
etc.
He
should
maintain
strict
Brahmacharya. He should pray to God for the
whole day. Recitation of appropriate Vedic (or
Thirumurais) hymns should be done. The performer
attains immortality.
April - June 2003
Page 13/20
HINDU INDIAN EMOTION EXPRESSIONS

A. Hejmadi, R. J. Davidosn and P. Rozin
University of Pennsylvania and University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA
The Natyasastra by Bharatamuni, which dates from
the 1st to 2nd century A.D., is probably the oldest
surviving treatise on the performing arts in the world.
The Natyasastra mentions a list of nine primary
emotions and provides a highly detailed account of
how each emotion is to be expressed. The HinduIndian system provides a large number of potentially
basic emotions, although it is not clear that all
Natyasastra emotions would fit all Western
definitions of emotions. A tenth, lajya, is added
because it is expressed in India, is portrayed in the
classical dance, and has been the subject of some
attention in the emotion and cultural psychology
literature is seen as a positive emotion in India,
though its nearest translations (embarrassment,
shame, shyness) could be considered as negative in
the West.
Western taxonomies of emotion are more
similar to the Natyasastra taxonomy for negative
than for positive emotions. For example, both
Western and Natyasastra lists includes anger, fear,
sadness, and disgust. However, on the positive
side, Western happiness and perhaps surprise do
not correspond well with the Natyasastras
amusement, love, heroism, and perhaps peace and
wonder.
The ten emotions (in rough translation from
Sanskrit) are anger, disgust, fear, heroism, humouramusement, love, peace, sadness, shameembarrassment, and wonder. The English freereport words that were scored as equivalent, or
correct, were as follows:
Anger: accusing, aggression, anger, annoyed,
assertive, attack, frustrated, frustration, fury,
irritated, killing, mad, mean, rage, stern,
vindictive, violent.
Disgust: contempt, disgust, dislike, gross,
grossed out, repulsed, sickened, yuck.
Fear: afraid, anxiety, anxious, fear, fearful,
fright, frightened, horrified, scared, scary,
spooked, tension, terror, terrorised, worried,
worry.
Heroism: confidence, confident, kinglike, pride,
proud, righteous, royal, success, triumphant,
valiant, valorous, vanity, vanquish, victorious,
victory, winner, winning.
Humour: amused, chuckle, clowning around,
funny, goofy, happy, humour, joy, laughter,
smiling, teasing, Love: affection, caress,
caressing,
caring,
caring
for,
cherish,
compassion, coy, flirt, flirtatious, flirting, love,
hugging, love, love me, loved, loving, lustful,
making eyes at, seduction, seductive, wrath.
Peace: calm, contemplate, peace, peaceful,
pensive, relaxing, serene, serenity, spiritual,
think, thinking, thoughtful.
Sad: alone, disappointed, disappointment, give
up hope, helplessness, lonely, sad.
Shame: ashamed, bashful, embarrassed,
shame, shameful, shy.
Wonder: amazed, astonished, astonishment,
awe, wonder, wow.
In the case of neutral portrayals, words that
described instrumental actions, like sitting, moving,
jumping, or dancing, and cognitive-perceptual
activities, like thinking, seeing, or waving hands,
were categorized as neutral.
These emotions (except for shame) and their
portrayal were described about 2000 years ago in
the Natyasastra, and are enacted in the
contemporary Hindu classical dance. The
expressions are dynamic and include both the face
and the body, especially the hands. The
Natyasastra spells out highly sophisticated
descriptions of how each emotion is to be
expressed. Particular attention is paid to the face
and hands. Typically, a young initiate of Indican
classical dance undergoes rigorous training to learn
the intricacies of portraying emotional expressions.
Extracted from Exploring Hindu Indian Emotion
Expressions: Evidence for Accurate Recognition by
Americans and Indians appeared in the Psychological
Sciences, Vol. 11, No. 3, May 2000, pp. 183-187.
RIG VEDA ON PEACE

Hinduism contains some of the earliest
writings about peace, as this quote from
the Rig Veda (10 - 191:2) shows.
Come together, Talk together
Let our minds be in harmony
Common be our prayer
Common be our end
Common be our purpose
Common be our deliberations
Common be our desires
United be our hearts
United be our intentions
Perfect be the union among us
April - June 2003
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WHAT IS (GNANAM) WISDOM?

S. Sriskandarajah
Principal Legal Officer, Government Legal Service, London, England.
Out of the 133 chapters in the sacred Kural, Valluvar
has allocated four chapters to Education under the
headings of Learning, Illiteracy, Listening and
Possession of Wisdom. Of course, there are many
instances elsewhere in Thirukkural where he has
stressed the importance of education. Education is
the manifestation of knowledge already in man
said Swami Vivekananda. Man is endowed with
knowledge when he is born. It is already there in
every-human being. It is latent, not patent, and
covered with various layers of impurities. These
layers differ in density from person to person. The
purpose and aim of education is to allow that
knowledge to manifest itself. Thiruvalluvar has
succinctly stated this philosophy of education in the
following couplet
njhl;lidj; JhW kzw;Nfzp khe;jHf;Ff;

fw;widj; JhWk; mwpT.
The more the sandy spring is dug up, more water
wells up in it. The more men learn, the more of
wisdom will there manifest.
The parallel used by Thiruvalluvar is worthy of
admiration. When we dig up a well we use a spade,
crowbar, pick axe and even dynamite for breaking
and clearing mass that prevents the spring from
issuing forth. But the tools and the aids that are
used to break up the soil and the rock do not form
part of the spring and they bring the spring forth.
The implements help only to the extent of removing
the mass of earth, gravel and rock that stand
between the surface and the spring. In the English
language, the word educate comes from the Latin
word educare, which means to bring out.
Let us now go back to the second limb of the
couplet under consideration. The wisdom of a man
manifests to the extent to which he learns. So,
now comes the question, What is education?
Luckily in the foregoing lines we have made Swami
Vivekananda answer this question. We acquire
numeracy and literacy; we learn logic, drawing, art,
dance, music and so on and so forth; and some of
us excel in some or many of them. But the
eminence and excellence we attain is not
wisdom. According to Thiruvalluvar these
acquisitions are only aids comparable to the tools
used in the digging up of the well. Even as how the
tools used in the digging cannot be equated with the
spring, so also in the sphere of knowledge.
Academic acquisitions cannot be equated with
wisdom. The truth is that the former is only an aid to
the realisation of the latter. Thus, the purpose of

education is the blooming or the unfolding of the
supreme knowledge called Gnanam or Wisdom.
But, unfortunately, we puny creatures who have
acquired a little bit of knowledge here and there
which is allowed to run riot, masquerade as
intellectuals and pundits forgetting that we have only
collected a few tools that are needed for the
purpose of making Wisdom well up.
The above couplet may appear to slip the grip of
comprehension. But it deserves to be cogitated
over. In understanding this particular couplet, what
is to be borne in mind is that Wisdom which Valluvar
calls Airivu in chaste Tamil is not something that is
gathered, but something that manifests within. In the
couplet we must mark the word Oorum (CWk;) which means issuing forthor springing.
As we have seen above, Wisdom is already
there in all human beings, and it is this pure
knowledge that is needed for one to become
perfect and divine. In some human beings the
impurity that covers Wisdom is so dense and hard
that much effort is needed to enable this Wisdom to
issue forth. Most of us belong to this category.
In few others, this impurity is so thin and light
that Wisdom begins to issue forth with the least
effort. It is these precious few that we call prodigies.
Now the question may arise as to what accounts for
the variation and difference in the amount of
impurity that surrounds the Wisdom in different
individuals. An effort to give an answer to this
question might take us deep into the ocean of
metaphysics. Suffice it to say that our Karma
decides that. It may be interesting to remember that
Saint Thirugnanasampanthar became a Gnaani
when he was three years old; but it took decades for
Appar to become. Further, is it not true that in Jaffna
(in Sri Lanka) some wells are 10 feet deep while
some others about 40 feet deep? In the former, the
spring can be sighted with the least effort whereas
in the latter, a Herculean effort is required before the
spring can be sighted. In fine it may be said that
Valluvar stresses the importance of academic
acquisition, which is a sine qua non for the
manifestation of Wisdom.
This article is one of the 41 Chapters of the book,
The Ethical Essence of the Tamils, 1993 by the
author. This book contains excellent commentaries
on 40 Thirukurrals.
April - June 2003
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Practical Spirituality
KALAM, A MUSLIM AT PEACE WITH HINDUISM

M.V. Kamath
Free Press Journal, July 4, 2002
Anyone who has lived in Mumbai (Bombay) in the
twenties, thirties and even forties would be able to
relate how citizens stayed true to stereotypes. The
Parsi male wore his trousers and long coat and his
headgear was typical of his community. The Parsi
lady wore her sari, yes, in the typical Parsi way. The
Maharashtrian, the Marwadi, the Gujarati businessman, the Goan Christian not to speak of the South
Indian - male and female - were easily identifiable
by their dress. In the last half a century there has
been a sartorial revolution. Ethnic styles have all but
disappeared. Among young women, the salwarkameez is the in-thing.
The sari is fast becoming a memento from the
past. On the roads few men wearing the 'dhoti' are
noticeable. The 'dhoti' has given way to the bush
shirt and trousers. Time has become the great
leveller. And yet certain images persist, especially of
the Muslim. As Saed Naqvi, a well-known columnist,
recently noted, in popular perception the Muslim
stands in any company. He would be expected to
wear his skullcap, a noticeable beard and a Pathani
dress, consisting of an outsize shirt almost reaching
down to his ankles, covering a puffed up pair of
pyjamas that are hidden, under the flowing upper
garment. He would be speaking Urdu as a matter of
course, would have at least two wives if he cannot
afford more - he is entitled to have four at a time,
isn't he? - and for dinner there would be the
inevitable cut of beef. To these stereotypes Naqvi
has one more to add: that of the "Urdu-spewing,
paan-chewing, hubble-bubble smoking decadent
Nawab, leaning against a brocade sausage cushion,
listening to B-grade Urdu poetry with a mujra dancer
in attendance popularised by Bollwood films of
another era.
Now, overnight as it were a wholly different
kind of Muslim is being projected in the Indian
media: A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. Kalam reportedly knows
no Urdu. Judged by his dress he could be mistaken
for a hippie affiliated to no particular religion. He is
apparently most fluent in his own mother tongue
Tamil; plays the rudra veena; is a confirmed
bachelor; and God help him. He is a vegetarian. No
beef-eater, he. And to add to it all, he is familiar as
much with the Bhagavad Gita as he is with the
Quran and can quote from both with relative ease.
And he was born not in Lucknow or Moradabad or
even in the former Nizam's dominion, but, in, of all

places, Rameshwaram. What kind of Muslim can he
possibly be? Judging from what has been appearing
in the Urdu press, the average Muslim is appalled.
And Muslims in Pakistan, one can be assured, have
been shocked out of their wits.
But hasn't time come for Indians, especially, to
look beyond stereotypes and look for humanism that
goes beyond symbols and forms? Does one have to
be a polygamist, a paan-chewer, a hater of Hindus,
an eater of beef and a lover 'only' of Urdu to be a
true Muslim in India? Can't a Muslim in India be true
to his ethnic origins and revel in it? There are
Muslim writers in Bengali, Oriya, Marathi, Kannada,
Tamil, to identify a few of the many Indian
languages. Justice Ismail in Chennai has long been
acknowledged as Tamil Nadu's leading authority on
the 'Kambha Ramayana.' Kazi Nazzrul Islam is
known for his powerful revolutionary poetry, replete
with images of Kali, in incomparable Bengali. At
least half a dozen Muslims in Karnataka have
distinguished themselves as reputed writers in
Kannada. And Ustad Bismillah Khan never had any
difficulty in paying his homage to the goddess
Saraswati. It is difficult to think of Banaras without
simultaneously remembering the soul - stirring
music of the great Ustad. Do we always have to
identify a Muslim with the Urdu-speaking, meateating Muslim from North India? What have we
come to?
One therefore has to be grateful to Abdul
Kalam for once and for all or breaking the
stereotype and bringing us down to earth. There are
Muslims and Muslims. It came as a pleasant shock
to me to see, in Sunni Iraq, Muslim women dressed
in western clothes who could have been mistaken
for a sun-tanned European from the Mediterranean.
Think of the Islam of Indonesia. Indonesia has no
qualms to name its Air-line after Garuda. Its
currency note has the image of Ganesh, none else!
Naqvi himself reminds us of the performance of the
Ramayana ballet by 150 namaz-saying Muslims
under the shadow of Jakarta's magnificent temples,
continuously for 27 years, without a break! The
Indonesians are as much proud of their religionIslam - as of their culture - Hindu! The current
President of Indonesia bears the beautiful name of
Meghavati Sukarnoputri.
April - June 2003

How much more Sanskritised can one get? A
visitor to Jakarta once told me that the former
President Wahid's daughter is named Saraswati and
one of his security men bore the name Krishnamurti!
And the latter was a very proper Muslim! If only
some of our fundamentalist Muslims would take
note of these facts, how much better off and happy
we all would be! Muslims in India are Indians, just as
Christians in India are Christians. Time was when
Christians in India bore only Hebraic names. May it
be pointed out, even in passing, that there are no
such things as 'Hindu', 'Muslim' or 'Christian' names.
There surely was a Peter and a Paul long
before Christ was born, a Mohammad and an Ali
long before the Prophet (Peace be on him)
preached Islam? What we have are not 'Hindu' but
Sanskrit names, Arabic, or Persian or Turkish but
not 'Muslim' names and not Hebraic (Christian)
names. One can be Dilip Kumar and still be a good
Muslim, a Lalita and still remain a good Christian.
Religion and culture are two entirely different
categories. One suspects, though, that things are
slowly changing.
The 'Deccan Herald' June 3rd reported from
Srinagar that "those who preach religious
intolerance and hatred may well learn a lesson or
two" from there. And why? It would seem that "some
Kashmiri Muslims are rebuilding a 100-year-old
Narayan temple at Bulbul Lankar in downtown
Srinagar. Ten years ago that temple had been burnt
and razed to the ground by extremists forcing the
local Pundits, barring an old couple, to migrate to
Jammu. Subsequently the temple had become a
breeding ground for dogs and other stray animals.
Says the Herald report: "After a decade, the Pandit
couple, along with Muslim neighbours, met Works
Minister Ali Mohammad Sagar and pleaded for
finances to rebuild the temple. Funds were
immediately granted and reconstruction work was
started. Muslims in the area shouldered the
responsibility of supervising the work". All the
workers - labourers, carpenters, masons - were
Muslims. Can it be - can it 'just' be that Kashmiriyat,
the common culture of all Kashmiris irrespective of
their religion, is finally asserting itself?
Then there is the almost unbelievable story of
over 15,000 Kashmiri Pundits returning to Central
Kashmir to offer puja at a famous temple with local
Muslims giving all the necessary support, like
providing flowers and milk to the Hindu devotees.
Reportedly they also participated in a 'yajna' to
invoke peace in the violence-stricken valley. Not so
long ago, a Muslim columnist, Sultan Shahin was to
write: "Kashmiri Islam is renowned for its broadmindedness, its deep commitment to tolerance of all
Page 16/20
streams of thought. It is known to be firmly anchored
in the Indian soil".
Sultan Shahin attributed it to Kashmiriyat, that
special approach to religion which was allembracing and took into account the life-styles of
Hindu rishis, and Buddhist and Jain monks.
One suspects that ordinary Kashmiris are fed
up with the fundamentalists from across the border
and want to returnto their ancient ways of living. If
nobody else would, they, at least, would understand
and appreciate A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, a true Indian.
Abdul Kalam, from all accounts is a religious
man in the best senses of the term. But Kalam,
reportedly, sees religion in a light vastly different
from how fundamentalists see it. Once, addressing
Sri Ramakrishna Vidyashala in August 2001 he
recounted how he was rejected, on grounds of
health, from admission to a Technical Institute. The
interview had taken place in Dehra Dun. He told the
students: "Very dejected and disappointed, I
returned via Rishikesh. I took a bath in the Ganges
there and was wearing a dhoti. There was a
beautiful ashram nearby, Swami Shivananda
Ashram. I was tempted to enter that Ashram and I
entered. There was a lecture going on, on the
Bhagavad Gita. This swami used to select a person
among the audience for discussion every day, after
bhajan and prayer. It was my chance that day. The
swami noticed that there was a feeling of sorrow on
my face. I told him the details. He consoled me,
taking an instance from the Gita. Lord Krishna
revealed his Vishwaroopa to Arjuna who was fearstricken. Krishna's message to him was to 'defeat
defeatism'. This became a message to me even".
Is this an example of syncretism? Are the Gita
and the Quran really out of tune with each other?
One hopes not. Which is why Kalam seems to be an
ideal choice to be India's president. A Muslim at
peace with Hinduism. A true Indian, all said.
Visit the Aum Muruga Society Website and
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April - June 2003
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WORLD PEACE: A HINDU VIEW POINT

Dr. R. Sri Ravindrarajah
University of Technology, Sydney, Australia
This article is based on the speech delivered at the InterFaith Service on World Peace, Penrith, NSW, Australia
on the 6th April 2003.
Dear Sisters and Brothers,

It gives me a great pleasure to appear among the
multi-faith audience on behalf of the most ancient
religion of the world, Hinduism. I wish to congratulate the Penrith Bahai community in organising
this important function to promote the World Peace
at this critical juncture. I have no doubt that this type
of events will promote the religious understanding
among the wider Australian community.
1.
Beliefs of the Hindu Religion
Hinduism is unique among the world religions. It has

no founder and its origin is unknown. It is practiced
in India and many parts of the world including
Australia. The success, survival and growth of
Hinduism are due to its unshakable fundamental
principles. A Hindu believes that an individual soul,
which is the life force, is originated from God; the
human body is given as an instrument to help the
soul to get back to its origin and merge with God.
Until a soul is ready to return to its origin, the souls
journey takes numerous births. Human birth is the
supreme form of birth of Gods creation. The sole
purpose of the human birth is to help the soul to
achieve its final destination through positive actions.
Hinduism emphasises that the practice of six
Human values is essential to liberate the soul from
bondage and cycles of rebirths. These are namely,
Truth, Right Conduct, Peace, Love, Non-Violence
and Sacrifice. All these values are inseparable from
each other. These are Godly qualities. One should
be prepared to sacrifice impermanent material
wealth to achieve permanet happiness (bliss).
Accumulation wealth increases ones currency
values but donating the wealth (dhanam) towards
well-being of the fellow human beings help one to
increase his spiritual status. If you visit a Hindu
temple and observe some of the rituals you will see
the importance of sacrifice. In doing Yajna
ceremony, valuable materials are sacrified into the
fire to attain Gods Grace. The time and money are
spend on religious ceremonies with the hope of
attaining individual and community happiness.
Thirukkural, one of the treasures of the Hindus,
recommends that every individual should strive
with ceaseless effort to work ones way along
the path of righteousness as far as one can in all
aspects of conduct. If a person does good

always, without allowing a single day to pass by
in vain, that conduct will be a stone to block
successfully its entry into rebirth.
Hinduism recognises that followers of all other
great world religions attain salvation. It does not
attach much importance to external forms, but
penetrates the inner spirit of man. God is one but
wisemen call him with different names. No religion
preaches violence. If all religions advocate peace,
why then do some who profess allegiance to their
religion, commit violence to defend their peaceloving, peace-preaching faith? Can anyone suggest
that peace can be achieve by ignoring other human
values such as love, truth, right conduct, nonviolence, and sacrifice. Hindus believe is that
everthing we see are Gods creations. Therefore, all
these creations are sacred. There is nothing
wrong in the Gods creation, but the fault is in
ones vision. Hinduism preaches that there is
nothing called right and wrong; good and evil. It
basically emphasises truth, better truth and real
truth. In this context, Hinduism asked its followers to
exercise significant caution in selecting their
company. Satsang means association with persons
with good qualities, such as noble aims, thoughts,
habits and actions.
Hinduism recognises that all forms of life are
sacred. It should be respected and protected.
Vegetarianism among the Hindus is partly due to the
fact of recognizing and respecting the Gods
creation. Abstaining from meat eating can stop
slaughtering animals. Therefore, Hindus believe not
only in one God but also they recognise God in
every creation. When one see God in others and
recognises that God in him and in others are the
same, he wants to help others and not certainly
harming others. He is the true devotee of God, Gita
declares.
2.
Peace of Mind
Hinduism recognises that ones peace of mind is

essential to achieve world peace. Agitated and
disturbed mind is not suitable to make rational
decisions. Right conduct will no doubt leads to inner
peace. Can anyone expect any right decision from a
person with disturbed mind?
Is there such thing as peace of mind? Ask any
lucky person you know, very likely he will say, I
hear people talk about it. I myself am seeking it but
April - June 2003
Page 18/20

so far I have not found it. Indeed peace of mind is
an elusive thing that one wonders if it exists at all or
if one can ever achieve. People who have health,
beauty, a good social standing, money, political
power things people desire so much may still be
found to complain that they have no peace of mind.
Paradoxically, such people seem to be the
unhappiest. They, in fact, suffer so much that they
would be glad to throw away everything they have
only if they could have a little bit of peace of mind.
What is then that gives peace of mind to a
man? The answer is selflessness. A man is happy
to the extent he is selfless. A selfless man is happy
because he thinks less of himself and more of
others. He wishes to see everybody happy. It is
against his nature to wish that he would have
something, which others do not have. A selfless
man is modest in his expectations. He knows that
he has no right to impose his will upon others. And it
is never his wish to deprive others in order that he
may have more. It hurts him to see others in pain.
He is happy if others are happy, unhappy if others
are unhappy. His goodwill includes everybody
irrespective of race or religion. Recognises the
importance of attaining inner peace by each
individual, the Hindu scriptures such as Gita
recommends four main paths to achieve this inner
peace. They are basically, Selfless service, Love of
God, Studying scriptures and Meditation. Some path
may be easier than others. Many Saints and Gurus
have lived and still living in this world to demonstrate
the importance of these paths.
Once a child asked Swami Vivekananda, who
has the credit of promoting Hindu philosophy in the
west: What is religion? As he was wondering how
to explain the concept to a child, a thought struck
him. He said, Be good and do good, that is the
whole of religion. How true. Is it really so difficult
to understand this simple proposition and follow it in
our lives?
Mahatma Gandhi is a true believer in Hinduism.
He practiced Truth and Non-Violence to achieve
impossible ends. For him Truth is God. He once
said that he was amazed to see how much
satisfaction a human being derives from humiliating
a fellow human being. That is the essence of
problem. It is the tendency of the human mind to
claim superiority over others that leads to the
creation of divisions in the name of religion, caste,
colour, education, wealth, and so on. What we see
today is not clash of religions but individual egos
manifesting in the name of religion.
Unable to control his own passion, anger and
greed, the individual takes upon a religious identity
and seeks to overcome his own inferiority complex
by hurting others under the purported cause of
defending his own religion or sect. This type of

behaviour can be seen within the same religion.
This appalling approach is against the principle of
any religion. The failure to recognise the basic
concept that Love is God among the recognised
religious followers are promoting hatredness and
disturbing the peace of humanity.
Religious leaders must exhort their followers
that love, compassion and tolerance are natural
laws and only these can sustain and nurture
humanity. And that, whatever be ones faith, why kill
or die for it, why not try to live up to it? This is the
real way to achieve world peace.
3.
Moral Values and World Peace
The Dalai Lama once said: There could be no

peace on earth so long as man continued to neglect
moral values. Progress in science and technology
was good, but this needed to be matched by
advancement in moral qualities of chances of
conflicts were to be minimised. If the seeds of war
are in the heart, the heart must be cleansed of them.
Hatred must be replaced with love. Nave, perhaps,
but there is no other solution to achieve world
peace.
Mahathma Gandhi always treated the British as
friends even though they responded by throwing him
into prison. For him Love is God. A religious man is
a religious man, under all circumstances and in all
he does. A politician needs religion more than any
other functionary, because in discharging his duties
rightly a politician has to exercise a great deal of
self-restraint and show in his dealings with others
that he is thoroughly honest and fair. One reason
why peace has become a difficult proposition is that
politicians are not fair to each other.
The miracle of peace can happen only if love
replaces hatred. Love, goodwill, and friendship
these come from religion only. Within the national
context, there can be no peace unless freedom is
assured for every section of people. At the
international level also, there can be no peace
unless freedom is assured for every nation to
pursue its own course of life. In both cases, men in
power have to be inspired by the religious ideals of
equality and fair play. A truly religious man treats the
entire human race as his family.
Let us hope for the best in the future and I wish
to conclude with the universal Hindu prayer: Lokha
Samasta Sukhino Bhavanthu, Om Shanti Shanti
Shantihi. The meaning of this paryer is: May the
Lord bless the whole world with eternal peace
and good will. Peace, Peace, Peace.
Reference:
Practical Spirituality by Swami Lokeswarananda.
April - June 2003
Page 19/20
SATYAGRAGHA (TRUTH FORCE): A HINDU CONCEPT

Non-Violence
Non-violence doesnt just mean not doing violence,
its also a way of taking positive action to resist
oppression or bring about change. Gandhi said:
The essence of non-violent technique is that it
seeks to liquidate antagonisms but not the
antagonists. The aim of non-violent conflict is to
convert your opponent; to win over their mind and
heart and pursuade them that your point of view is
right. An important element is often to make sure
that the opponent is given a face-saving way of
changing their mind. Non-violent protest seeks a
win-win solution whenever possible. In non-violent
conflict the participant does not want to make their
opponent suffer; instead they show that they are
willing to suffer themselves in order to bring about
change. Non-violence has great appeal because
it removes the illogicality of trying to make the
world a less violent and more just place, by
using violence as a tool. Among the techniques of
non-violent protest are:
peaceful demonstrations
sit-ins
picketing
holding vigils
fasting and hunger strikes
strikes
blockades
civil disobedience
Gandhi
One of the most famous leaders of a non-violent
movement was Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869-1948),
who opposed British imperial rule in India during the
20th century. Gandhi took the religious principle of
ahimsa (doing no harm) common to Buddhism,
Hinduism and Jainism and turned it into a nonviolent tool for mass action. He used it to fight not
only colonial rule but social evils such as racial
discrimination and untouchability as well. Ghandi
called it satyagraha which means truth force. In
this doctrine the aim of any non-violent conflict was
to convert the opponent; to win over his mind and
his heart and pursuade him to your point of view.
Ghandi was firm that satyagraha was not a weapon
of the weak - Satyagraha is a weapon of the strong;
it admits of no violence under any circumstance
whatever; and it always insists upon truth. Ghandi
did not think that non-violence was a tool for those
who were too scared to take up arms (an accusation
that was sometimes made): My non-violence does
not admit of running away from danger and leaving
dear ones unprotected. Between violence and
cowardly flight, I can only prefer violence to

cowardice. I can no more preach non-violence to a
coward than I can tempt a blind man to enjoy
healthy scenes.(Gandhi, Young India, 28 May
1924).
Non-violence in Ghandis thinking was a tool
that anyone could (and should) use, and it was
based on strongly religious thinking: Non-violence
is a power which can be wielded equally by all children, young men and women or grown-up
people, provided they have a living faith in the God
of Love and have therefore equal love for all
mankind. When non-violence is accepted as the law
of life, it must pervade the whole being and not be
applied to isolated acts. (Gandhi, Harijan, 5
September 1936).
Non-violence is an active force of the highest
order. It is soul force or the power of Godhead within
us. (Gandhi, Harijan, 12 November 1935).
Non-Violence: An example
You can get a clear understanding of whats
involved in non-violence by looking at the
instructions that Gandhi gave to followers of his
satyagraha movement in India (Young India, 27
February 1930).
1. A satyagrahi, i.e., a civil resister, will harbour no
anger.
2. He will suffer the anger of the opponent.
3. In so doing he will put up with assaults from the
opponent, never retaliate; but he will not submit,
out of fear of punishment or the like, to any order
given in anger.
4. When any person in authority seeks to arrest a
civil resister, he will voluntarily submit to the
arrest, and he will not resist the attachment or
removal of his own property, if any, when it is
sought to be confiscated by authorities.
5. If a civil resister has any property in his
possession as a trustee, he will refuse to
surrender it, even though in defending it he might
lose his life. He will, however, never retaliate.
6. Non-retaliation excludes swearing and cursing.
7. Therefore a civil resister will never insult his
opponent, and therefore also not take part in
many of the newly coined cries, which are
contrary to the spirit of ahimsa.
8. A civil resister will not salute the Union Jack, nor
will he insult it or officials, English or Indian.
9. In the course of the struggle if anyone insults an
official or commits an assault upon him, a civil
resister will protect such official or officials from
the insult or attack even at the risk of his life.
April - June 2003
Page 20/20
KANDAR ANUBOOTHI: Part 8

fe;jH mEG+jp: ghfk; 8
32. fiyNa gjwpf; fjwpj; jiyA+
liyNa gLkh wJtha; tplNth
nfhiyNaGhp NtlH Fyg;gpb Njha;
kiyNa! kiy $wpL thifaNd.
nfhiyj;
njhopiyr;
nra;fpd;w
NtlH
Fyj;jpy; tsHe;j tUk; ngz; ahid Nghd;w
tUkhfpa ts;spg; gpuhl;bahH kUTfpd;w kiy
Nghd;wtNu! fpuTQ;r kiyiag; gpse;j ntw;wp
cilatNu! rkathjpfSld; Kjd;ikahf
thjpl;Lg;
gpzq;Fk;
nraiyf;
nfhz;L>
rhj;jpuq;fisf; fyf;fj;Jld; fj;jpg;Ngrp me;j
thjj;jpd; kakhf mbNad; MfyhNkh?
Oh, the victor who split the Mount Krauncha!
Indeed You are a mountain Yourself! This mount
embraces and/or is embraced by Vali, the
daughter of the Vedar (hunter clan). The female
elephant (Valli) rubs her body against You, the
mountain. Let not my learning make me too
much of an arrogant argumentator, and let me not
be just a hair-splitting argumentator forever and
ever, and become a wanderer without real
IDEAL.
33. rpe;jhFy ,y;nyhL nry;tnkDk;

tpe;jhltp vd;Wtplg; ngWNtd;
ke;jhfpdp je;j tNuhjaNd
fe;jh KUfh fUzh fuNd.
fq;if
ejpapd;
ike;jNu!
tuj;jhy;
Njhd;wpatNu! fe;jf; flTNs! KUfNtNs!
fUizf;F
,Ug;gplkhdtNu!
kdjpy;
Jauj;ijj;
jUfpd;w
kidtp>
nry;tk;
vd;fpd;w ,e;j tpe;jpa kiyf;fhL Nghd;w>
mr;rj;ijj; jUk; #oiy mbNad; vd;W
ePq;fg; ngWNtd;?
Oh, Kandhaa! Muruga! Karunaakaraa! (in whom
resides Grace) Oh, the son of river Ganges! The
One who appeared as a result of great penance
(made by the gods). When will I get free from
the family and wealth full of worries, which are
like the fearful jungle of the Vindhya nountain?
Note: For ordinary men family may not look like a form of
suffering; for spiritual minded people family is a burden
and a source of suffering. For materially-bent people
wealth will definitely attract! Butit is certainly like the
hand-cuff even if made of gold! Of course, Saint
Arunagirinathar does not want men to suffer in wants. But
wealth beyond limits and our attachment to it will hinder
spiritual progress, acting like the golden hand-cuff!
Origin / %yk;
Kandhar Anuboothi, Commentary in English by M. R.
Balaganapati, Kaanthalakam, Chennai, 1997.
fe;juEG+jp> fpUghde;jthhpahH,
gjpg;gfk;> 1996.
thdjp
HINDU COSMOLOGY
Sriram Rao
Creation Hymn from the Rig along with the
Purusha Sukta is seen as the beginning of the
Samkhya system of philosophy, which is one of the
oldest systems. It is an atheistic philosophy
because it does not believe in a creation by a
personal God. According to the Samkhya, There is
one eternal conscious principle called Purusha,
which is identified with the 'Self'. This is a passive
principle.
Prakriti (nature) is its counterpart and is the
active principle. Prakriti gives rise to the Mahat
(intelligence/reason), which further gives rise to
Ahamkara ('I' sense). From Ahamkara are born
Manas (mind) and the other subtle senses such as
the karma indriyas and the jnana indriyas. From
this is born the physical body with its five senses.
The Upanishads, Bhagavatam, Gita and
Manava Dharma sastras contain more theistic but
not dissimilar ideas. As regards to time frames, the
Upanishads, Samkhya, Bhagavatam, Manava
Dharma sastras and the Surya Siddhanta contain
some calculations on this.
It is said that, from the Eternal Being is born
Brahma the creator. He lives for 100 years (cosmic
time). Each day of Brahma is called a Kalpa. The
world is created in the beginning of each Brahma's
day and is dissolved at the beginning of each
Brahma's night. A kalpa is 4,320 million earth years
made up of 1,000 chatur-yugas of four yugas each.
The entire life-span of Brahma may be measured
in the following manner.
A day of Brahma is 4,320 million earth years.
A night of Brahma is 4,320 million earth years
Therefore, a total of 8,640 million earth years is
one complete day (day and night) of Brahma. This
figure times 360 is one year of Brahma, which is
3,110.4 billion earth years. One hundred years is
the life span of Brahma. So 311,040 billion earth
years is the life span of Brahma.
After Brahma dies it takes a period of time
equal to his lifespan until he is reborn and the cycle
starts all over again. This cycle is supposed to
continue eternally.
Carl Sagan, the famous astronomer has once
said: "Hinduism is the only religion in which the
time scales correspond to those of modern
scientific cosmology. Its cycles run from our
ordinary day and night to a day and night of the
Brahma, 8.64 billion years long, longer than the
age of the Earth or the Sun and about half the
time since the Big Bang"
April - June 2003

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Page 1/20

Quarterly Journal of the Aum Muruga Society

AUM MURUGA JOURNAL

Web Site Address:

Serious spiritual Sadhana is like

Aum Muruga Journal No. 22

The above revelation in Gita is well suited to the current world

April -June 2003

Quarterly Journal of the Aum Muruga Society

SCIENCE AND RELIGION: A HINDU PERSPECTIVE

Aum Muruga Journal No. 22

that the seers don't simply confine themselves to

April - June 2003

Quarterly Journal of the Aum Muruga Society

Aum Muruga Journal No. 22

April - June 2003

Quarterly Journal of the Aum Muruga Society

IRAQ AND HINDUISM

Aum Muruga Journal No. 22

material aspects, but also of our mental and moral

April - June 2003

Quarterly Journal of the Aum Muruga Society

Aum Muruga Journal No. 22

HINDU TAMIL PROVERBS - 2

1. MrPHthjKk; rhgKk; mwNthHf;F ,y;iy.

2. Mir mWgJ ehs;> Nkhfk; Kg;gJ ehs;>

4. Mbf; fwf;fpw khl;il Mbf; fwf;f

5. ML eidfpwJ vd;W Xeha; mOfpwjhk;.

7. Ml;by; Mapuk;> khl;by; Mapuk;> tPl;bNy

April - June 2003

Quarterly Journal of the Aum Muruga Society

Aum Muruga Journal No. 22

April - June 2003

Quarterly Journal of the Aum Muruga Society

Aum Muruga Journal No. 22

INFLUENCE OF MOON UPON HUMAN BODY

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Quarterly Journal of the Aum Muruga Society

Aum Muruga Journal No. 22

leaves and of a few centuries old. This Institute has

HINDUISM AND WAR

Rig Veda 1-39:2

The Rig Veda sets down the rules of war at

April - June 2003

Quarterly Journal of the Aum Muruga Society

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE TEMPLES AND PRANA

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF TEMPLES

Aum Muruga Journal No. 22

true. The books are the same, the material to be

April - June 2003

Quarterly Journal of the Aum Muruga Society

Aum Muruga Journal No. 22

MINTO SHRI SHIVA MANDIR

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Quarterly Journal of the Aum Muruga Society

SRAADDHA CEREMONY FOR THE DEAD

The Karma Kanda of the Vedas has laid down

Aum Muruga Journal No. 22

The question of food and other luxuries of life has

Importance of Sraaddha Ceremony

For a householder the scriptures have imposed the

Sacrifice to Gods (Deva Yajna):

The Sraaddha ceremony comes under