||O® bhurbhuva¡ swa¡ tatsaviturvareñya® bhargo devasya dhºmahi dhiyo yo na¡ prachoday³t ||

(May Almighty illuminate our intellect and inspire us towards the righteous path)
- Rigveda 3/62/10; Samveda 1462, Yajurveda 3/35, 22/9, 30/2, 36/3

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Date of Publication : CHIEF EDITOR
01.03. 2005 Dr. Pranav Pandya

Amrit Chintan
ENLIGHTENED FAITH IS THE NEED OF THE HOUR
We are living in one of the most crucial periods of history, when humanity is passing through a
momentous inner churning and transition into a new era of unitary consciousness. The voices of
unrest, the sighs of disappointment, which we see throughout the entire world, demand a
revolutionary change in our outlook and behavior, exemplifying the noblest ideals of humanity
understanding, compassion, mutual sharing and caring.
If we do not consciously live these noble virtues and resolutely throw out of our psyches the
devils of hatred, anger, avarice, etc, we will be committing collective suicide. We have acquired
enough knowledge to create a great civilization and a bright future, but have not gained enough
wisdom to apply this knowledge for the good of all. In the form of ideals, thoughts and
principles, we have the rich treasures of the ages, but lack the wisdom, foresight and will to put
them into practice.
Our achievements in terms of fathoming and discovering the underlying principles of nature
and its workings are mind-boggling, but we need more earnestness, nobility, courage and
discipline to harness them for positive ends. Man is in agonizing search of the purpose of his life
which is enlightened awareness of his identity with the immutable and eternal Supreme
substratum of the cosmic foam and flux of creation. Despite all our material progress, the degree
of insecurity, the worthlessness and futility of life that we experience today were never felt by
the preceding generations because of an all-pervading loss of faith in our Divine origin. Such a
firm faith has ever been the force that kept common people dedicated to nobility and goodwill.
Lack of such a living and unwavering faith is the root cause of our plight.
What we need today is an all-encompassing faith in Divinity for the entire humanity, to which
all existing religions can make their contributions. We direly need such a redeeming and
unifying faith; otherwise our very existence as a species is in mortal peril. Let us listen to the
wakeup call of the scriptural admonishment What doth it profit a man if he gains the whole
world but loses his own soul?

March-April 2005 03
1 Amrit Chintan:
Enlightened Faith is the Need of the Hour 03 Contents
2 From Chief Editor's Desk:
An ardent call to Parijans at the auspicious advent
of spring and the beginnig Of Vikram Samwat 2062 05

3 The Significance of Shankha in Vedic Sacraments 07

4 Youth column
Refinement and Sharpening of the Personality 11

5 Vedic Cosmology-2
The Meaning and Nature of Vedas 13

6 The Spirit of Wonder and Adventure 17

7 Companions in Solitude-2
Entrance into the deeps of the Himalayas 19

8 Attachments 23

9 Science and Spirituality

Prana and Bioelectrical System of Human Body 26

10 Ayurvedic Therapies-2
Ayurvedic Decoction Therapy-I 30

11 My Life: Its Legacy and Message-13

Never-Failing Sadhana 35

12 Occult Science of Astrology

and its Role in Healing and Health 38

13 Adyashakti Tripada Gayatri 41

14 Amrit V³ñº
The Purpose and Significance of Pilgrimage 44

15 Shantikunj Campus News 49

04 March-April 2005
From Chief
Editor's Desk
AN ARDENT CALL TO PARIJANS
AT THE AUSPICIOUS ADVENT OF SPRING AND THE BEGINNIG
OF VIKRAM SAMWAT 2062
Dr. Pranav Pandya
With the end of a long, transformation and upliftment Beginning of the Indian Vikram
chilly and dreary of human consciousness. Let us Samvat 2062 on April 9 Chaitra
winter, we have offer ourselves for unhindered Shukla Pratipada.. It is believed
entered a brief inter- flow of this divine energy. that Lord Brahma set into motion
lude of spring, when the Time-Space bound process
nature is pulsating with ·Holi Parva (March 25-26) - of creation on this sacred day of
exuberant dance of signifying our resolve to root out Chaitra Shukla Pratipada nearly
vivid hues of flora and and burn up all debris of evil two billion years back (to be
an upsurge of luxuriant tendencies from our psyche, exact 1,96,08,53,106 years).
life. symbolically by Holi bonfire, on Maharaj Vikramaditya started
March 25 and replacing them the Vikram Samwat on this very
During the two-month with divine attributes of love, sacred day.
period of March-April, laughter and joy through play of
this year, we will have colors on March 26. Coincidently the Jayantis (birth
occasions to celebrate a anniversaries) of Bhagwan
number of sacred ·Chaitra Navratra Parva (April Jhoole Lal of Sindhu Pradesh,
Parvas and Jayantis : 9-18) - which marks the transit of Guru Angad Dev of the Sikhs,
nature from verdant, vibrant Baba Saheb Ambedkar, Dr.
·M a h a S h i v r a t r i spring to hot, scorching summer. Hedgewar (founder of Rashtriya
(March 8) - when we This nine-day sacred Parva is of Swyam Sewak Sangh) also fall
will rededicate our- very special significance for on this day. Coronations of
selves to be glad and Gayatri Pariwar Parijans for Bhagwan Ram and Dharmraj
willing instruments undertaking intensive and Yudhishtra were also solem-
and channels for the vigilant Tap Sadhana of Gayatri nized on this day. Foundation of
flow of divine energy of Jap (24,000 mantras), self-control Arya Smaj movement, too, was
MahaShiva, the and an in-depth study of laid by Swami Dyanand
Supreme Being, which Gurudev's literature with a view Saraswati on Chaitra Shukla
is extraordinarily active to accessing and assimilating Pratipada.
at the present epoch- divine vibrations of higher
changing juncture of realms of consciousness. Let us prayerfully and rever-
swift, revolutionary ently remember all these illustri-

March-April 2005 05
ous personages with gratitude
and salutations; and welcome
the advent of our new year with
noble resolutions, pledging
ourselves to work with still
greater zeal, vigor and dedica-
tion towards furtherance and
fulfillment of the aims and
objectives of our Mission.
The Mission has especially
charted out concrete plans to be
executed over the seven-year
period of 2005 to 2011-12 (which
will be the centenary year of
Gurudev) towards educating
and awakening of youth around
the globe, particularly those
hailing from families rooted in
the hoary Indian heritage, and
make them the torch bearers and
messengers of Yugrishi's vision
of establishing Heaven on Earth:
knitting together the human
family on conscious realization
of our fundamental unity in the
Spirit. This will necessitate the
taking up of focused and inten-
sive Tap Sadhana by the Parijans
so that they become surcharged
with the divine energy needed to
be able to fully and uncondition-
ally consecrate themselves
towards the fulfillment of
Gurudev's vision.
We have spelt out the details of
the sevenyear youth awakening
program in April 2005 issue of
Hindi Akhand Jyoti and propose
06
to publish it in English in this bi-
monthly magazine in its May-
June 2005 issue. We have already
Do not do good
firmed up two special leader-
ship-training camps for the
youth (both men and women) of
with a business
Indian origin living abroad,
between the age group 15-26
years. The first camp is for 50
like motive.
youth from USA and Canada
from July 10-23 and the second It gives
for the youth from UK and
Europe from July 27 to August
10 this year. We firmly believe satisfaction
that these training camps will
prove to be the forerunners and
pace setters of a worldwide only if done as
movement for awakening of
youth to the dire necessity and
divinelywilled inevitability of a duty. Good
an upward paradigm shift of
human consciousness from the
ego-based and divisive life of the done with the
lower mind to the unitive and
inclusive realms of
superamental consciousness. hope of getting
We the Gyatri Pariwar Parijans
have an humble but crucial role
to play in this regard. Let us good in return
rededicate ourselves to work
singlemindedly for the realiza-
tion of Gurudev's vision. can give
With love
& disappointment
prayerfilled
wishes for
Vikram Samwat 2062. and vexation.
March-April 2005
 The Significance of Shankha
T
he shankha (conch-
shell) is regarded
sacred and
auspicious in the Indian
system. Like the swastika
symbol [c.f. Akhand
Jyoti Jan-Feb 2005], it is
an integral part of Vedic
sacraments. It is blown
to initiate religious
ceremonies. God Vishnu
is shown with a shankha
in one hand and a disc
(chakra) in the other. In
the battlefield
(Kurukshetra) of
Mahabharata, Lord
Krishna is said to have
wielded a mighty
shankha called the
'Panchajanya'. It is
believed that when it is
blown it announces the
victory of good over evil.
Using tremendous lung-
power, stamina and
sustained breath control
the player blows air into
the shell to produce a
powerful resounding
reverberation that is
deemed to match with
the primal sound of
creation. While the
shankha has but one note,
by controlling the
March-April 2005
in Vedic Sacraments
breath, the player can alter the
magnitude, timbre and resonance
of the note. Though it does not
have much application as a
musical instrument, the vibrant,
sonorous sound of shankha
inspires valor, courage,
enthusiasm and inner spirit. The
holy Gurbani of the Sikhs also
recognizes these effects as
“Sankhan ki dhun ghantan ki kar
phulan ki barkha barkhavae ...”. (The
conch and the bell produce
blissful sounds…).
An adept yogi is said to
subliminally hear the ïankhan³da
(sound of perfect blowing of a
shankha), within himself during
the higher stages of trance in
Nadayoga Sadhana. When the
conch is blown with controlled
breath, the primordial sound of
“Om” (Oa®) emanates from it.
This eternal sound is said to be the
origin of all Vedas. All knowledge
enshrined in the Vedas is an
elaboration of the omnipresent
sublime sound of Om. It was this
sound that was chanted by the
Lord before manifesting the
cosmos. It represents the creation
and the Truth behind it. It
represents dharma or
righteousness that is one of the
four noble goals of human life.
As per the scholarly analysis of
Shastric terminology, that which
leads to welfare is called
“shankha”. It is with the sounding
of conch that the doors of temples
are opened. Another well-known
purpose of blowing the conch
with or without some devotional
instruments, known traditionally
to produce auspicious sounds, is
to ward off negative vibrations or
noises that may disturb the
ambience or the minds of the
devotees.
Some German scientists are
reported (http://mailerindia.com/
hindu/veda) to have experimented
on conch shell's sound and found
that diseases like those of thyroid
and some other hormonal
disorders are healed or
significantly cured by this sound.
Surprisingly the sound waves
generated by collective blowing of
shankhas are also believed to
prevent spread of plague, cholera
etc in the surroundings. This
indicates the existence of an
advanced knowledge and
scientific use of sound in Vedic
India.
In ancient India, each village was
presided over by a main temple
deity and several smaller ones.
During performing the Aarti
(devotional prayer-song after
07
pooja worship) and before and
after all the important sacraments
and on sacred occasions, the
blowing of conch was a must.
Since villages were generally
small, the sound of the conch
would be heard all over the
village. People who could not
make it to the temple were
enjoined to stop their work, at
least for a few seconds, and
mentally bow to the Lord. The
conch sound served to awaken
people's minds to a prayerful
attitude even in the middle of their
busy daily routine.
The shankha is placed at the altar in
temples and homes next to the
Lord as a symbol of Nada-Brahma,
Om, the Vedas, Dharma,
righteous victory and
auspiciousness. It is often used to
offer devotees sanctified water (of
sacred oblation) to uplift and
focus their minds towards
nobility and truth.
Like the pyramids, the specific
geometry of a shankha generates
remarkable energy-effects. More
remarkable is the fact that these
are formed naturally. Different
kinds of shankhas are therefore
used as yantras for different
purposes in the mantra- and
tantra- based s³dhan³s. Some
adept astrologers also
recommend the types of shankha
and the location where these are to
be placed to control negative
planetary effects. Several kinds of
08
methods of worshipping the
shankhas are also described in the
Indian scriptures for benefits
varying from wealth, success and
peace of mind to health, healing
and hypnotism.
The shankhas that open towards
left hand (vaamavarti) are
commonly available but rare are
the ones that open towards right
side (i.e., facing South). This kind
of shankha is called dakshinavarti.
Dakshinavarti Shankhas are
available in white color and with
brown lines on them. Their sizes
differ, starting from the size of a
wheat grain to as large as a
coconut. Mostly these shells are
available only at Kanya Kumari. A
completely white colored Shankha
is indeed rare.
Dakshinavarti Shankha is the
symbol of Goddess Lakshmi. Her
idols and pictures always depict
dakshinavarti shankha in one of Her
hands. Dakshinavarti shankha
should be kept at the place of
worship or, after being wrapped
in a white cloth, at any sacred
place or locker in the house. It is
said to bring good luck and
prosperity to the individual and
his family. In the Puranas, the
gods and goddesses are depicted
as holding a shell, whenever they
are happy or setting out on war
against evil forces. Whenever the
shell is blown it is said to purify
the environment from all evil
effects. Even the scientific
minded, nonbelievers have
experienced it and agree
to the fact that the
blowing of a shankha
enhances the positive
psychological vibrations
such as courage, hope,
determination,
willpower, optimism,
etc, in the blower as well
as those around
him/her.
As mentioned above,
most of the conches or
seashells are Vaamvarti
i.e., their bulge opens
towards left side (facing
North); only a few shells
are Dakshinvarti their
bulge opening towards
the right side (i.e., facing
South) and even their
spiral lines run towards
the right. South is the
direction of Kuber, the
God of wealth. Tantra
Shastra has also given
great importance to such
types of shells. These
shells are very rare and
are found only in a very
few places. Dakshinavarti
shankhas not only bring
wealth but also purify
the atmosphere. All the
negatives energies are
swept out of the place.
Shankhas are also
classified according to
their sizes. Yavakar
shankhas are very small
in size; as small as the
March-April 2005
size of a wheat grain and
are usually dark grey in
color. They are quite
strong and cannot be
crushed easily. Ellakar
shankhas are a little
bigger, varying between
the size of a cardamom, a
round beetle nut or a
lemon. These are mostly
found in lakes. A
significant class of these
shells is the Hira Shankha.
These are as expensive
as diamonds and are
considered very
valuable among the
shells. Moti Shankha (a
conch shell that shines
like a pearl) is even more
rare and difficult to find.
It has the luster of a pearl
and is generally round in
shape. This precious
variety of shankha is
available in all big and
small sizes.
The ancient text of
Brahmavaivart Purana
contains deep
knowledge related to the
different forms of
Goddess Lakshmi. It is
mentioned that
Soubhaagya Lakshmi, the
bestower of good luck, is
present in Moti Shankha.
The Jain Tantra
describes Padamavati
S³dhan³s in great detail.
In this sect Lakshmi is
worshipped in the form
March-April 2005
of Padamavati and Moti Shankha
forms an important part of many
Padamavati S³dhan³s.
This shell has great significance in
Ayurveda. If water is stored in the
shell it absorbs amazing
medicinal properties capable of
curing several physical defects.
Swami Girijananda, a Himalayan
Yogi has experimented with
several kinds of shankhas. Some of
the simple health tips vis-à-vis
Moti Shankha have been
prescribed by him as (i) Store
some water overnight in the shell
and the next morning rub the
water on your skin. This cures all
skin problems. (ii) Store water in
the shell for 12 hours. Then rub it
on white spots on the skin. Do this
regularly. After some days the
white spots shall disappear and
healthy skin shall reappear. (iii)
At night fill the shell with water
and in the morning add some rose
water to it. Then wash your hair
with the mixture. This shall keep
the hair black and healthy. The
hair of the eyebrows and the beard
too could be turned black thus.
(iv) If you suffer from stomach
related problems or if there is a
laceration in the intestines, then
early in the morning drink a
spoonful of water kept in the shell
for 12 hours. This will cure the
problem. (v) Mix water kept in the
shell for 12 hours in ordinary
water and early in the morning
wash your eyes with it. Doing this
regularly for some time will cure
all eye related problems. The eyes
would become perfectly healthy
and one might not even need to
wear spectacles in the future. (vi)
If after a bath in the morning the
shell is rubbed gently on the skin
of one's face, wrinkles would start
slowly disappearing and the face
will gain a new glow by regular
use of this process. (vii) If you
have dark circles under your eyes
rub the shell gently on those spots
early in the morning. This will
gradually make the spots
disappear.
This shankha, like the Dakshinavarti
Shankha, is said to banish poverty
and boost one's profits in
business. Placing this shell (after
performing some rituals of its
worship) at home or in one's shop
or place of work is believed to
bring prosperity. This shell can
also be worshipped on Diwali so
as to gain the blessings of the
Goddess Lakshmi.
Some rigorous s³dhan³s using
moti shankha endow one with the
power of hypnotizing others.
However, practice of such
s³dhan³s is risky and it is strictly
enjoined that such powers should
be used only for healing and
helping and not at all for harming
others.
Another precious and largely
worshiped shankha is the Ganesha
Shankha. Its appearance resembles
the idols of Lord Ganesha.
Ganapati or Ganesha, the Lord of
09
Ganas, manifested in an elephant
faced form, represents the power
of the Supreme Being that
removes obstacles and ensures
success in human endeavors.
Ganesha is revered as the son of
Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati,
and is the first to be worshipped
and invoked in Vedic worship
rituals. He is worshipped for
siddhi absolute success in
undertakings, and buddhi
intelligence. He is also the deity of
education, knowledge, wisdom
and literature. Ganesha is revered
as one of the five deities whose
worship was popularized by Adi
Shankaracharya; the other four
being Vishnu, Shiva, Durga and
Surya. The worship of these five
deities is called the Pancayatana
Puja.
According to Vedic astrology,
Lord Ganesha is helpful in
nullifying the malefic effects of
planet Rahu, which are similar to
those of Shani or Saturn. The
Ganesha shankha increases the
power of will and intelligence and
helps in achieving happiness,
fame, good health and self-
confidence. This is especially used
in daily worship. Worshipper of
this conch shell is blessed with
healthy and long life of nobility,
wisdom, scholarship,
r e s o u r c e f u l n e s s ,
entrepreneurship and foresight.
Lord Ganesha's blessings are
invoked, in all vedic rituals, before
10
any important work is
undertaken, be it the starting of a
business, the building of a house
or the writing of a book or even
undertaking a journey. This
worship (Ganesha Pujan) can be
performed through an idol or by
using Ganesha Yantra or Ganesha
Shankha. From the view point of
'Feng Shui' this shell attracts
business luck from overseas and
augments the chances of travel
abroad.
This shankha is one of the eight
auspicious symbols found on the
feet of Lord Buddha. It is
extremely beneficial for those who
are in the export business or those
who have gone into foreign
business ventures. Placing it in the
South sector of the living room
helps augment the owner's fame
and reputation. To enhance
academic achievements the conch
can be placed in the North East
area; if placed in the South West it
harmonizes relationships.
Ganesh shankha should be kept in
the Puja-Ghar (place of worship)
on all auspicious occasions and
during religious festivals. It
brings good luck and prosperity
to the individual and the family.
Some astrologers recommend that
every house should have Ganesha
shankha to gain prosperity and for
protection against malefic effects
of planets. It is believed that those
who keep this shell in their lockers
would never face any dearth of
money. Ganesh shankha
should be kept on red
cloth in Puja-Ghar or
wrapped in red cloth, if
kept in a locker.
Shankha Mudra (shell
posture) is of significant
importance in yoga.
Hands are folded in the
shape of a shankha here
(blowing through which
the mouth makes a
sound similar to that of a
conch shell). This mudra
makes all the five
elements (in the body)
join in the fire element,
which leads to enhanced
ad orderly flow of
harmonized vital
energy.
Similar to other sacred
symbols and objects
recognized in the Vedic
sacramental rituals, use
of shankha seems to have
been derived from a
deep scientific
observation of sound,
geometry and energy
fields of Nature. Still
deeper investigations on
these aspects would
unfold newer horizons
of knowledge and well-
being.
The only worthwhile
precept is one that is
practiced.
March-April 2005
Youth Column
Refinement and Sharpening of the Personality

T
he present-day desire in the youth to refine and ness of character, grasp of the
young generation is reshape their personalities, their subject matter and foresight of the
being increasingly awakened awareness about person whom we are meeting. It is
attracted towards themselves and their growing this discerning ability, which will
personality grooming sense of responsibility towards tell us how we can deal with the
programmes. Scores of life. This pleasant trend gives a concerned person in the best
young men and women, sense of hope. Lucky indeed is the possible way. If we are able to do
and even teenagers, are nation whose youth is alert about this, every encounter will become
joining grooming their overall personality develop- an educative experience. This
institutes and spending ment. They appear to have method is particularly effective in
hefty amounts with a realized that now-a-days labor by times of interviews, etc.
view to improve and itself is not sufficient for opening
smarten their personali- the doors to success. The psycho- The second attribute required in this
ties. Many such places logical impact cast by the person- connection is far-sightedness. It has
charge as much as ten to ality, too, is important. been a much talked-about quality
twenty thousand rupees for ages but very few actually
for 5-7 day courses. If we want to make a mark in the know the art of its effective
Nevertheless, the youth world, we will have to cultivate application. Those who do are
are not getting the some specific attributes in our able to ensure a bright future for
desired benefits. In spite personalities. themselves as well as their co-
of all the labor and workers. What is required is to
expense, their personali- The first of these is effective witness- pick up clues and trends from the
ties fail to develop the ing: That is, objectively witnessing present and make a projection on
magnetic pull which with deep understanding what this basis about what could
they so cherish, or the occurs or exists before and possibly happen in the future.
character traits which around. Only those who have this Chess players, successful busi-
could ensure their penetrating understanding are nessmen and good administrators
success in life. The able to utilize their strengths possess this quality of penetrating
famous maxim “All that effectively. Witnessing requires a foresight.
glitters is not gold” is very keen and perceptive vision; a
proving right in regard vision, which is free from the The third characteristic feature of a
to these institutes. defects of prejudice and ego-sense magnetic personality is pragmatism.
and whose essence is what the This quality is always beneficial,
There is, however, a scriptures call 'nºr-kïºr-vivek, that whether it be a matter of examina-
positive aspect to this is, the subtle discriminative tion or carrier advancement. What
phenomenon. It signifies power. We should be able to is our correct position and situa-
an increasingly strong assess, in the very first meeting, tion vis-à-vis the circumstances?
the general temperament, firm- What are our strengths and

March-April 2005 11
weaknesses? We must have an
objective and realistic assessment
of all these factors.
The fourth attribute is thirst for
knowledge. People acquire some
degrees and think that the task is
over and now the only thing they
have to do is to earn a livelihood,
somehow. This thinking is
retrogressive. Personality
acquires power of attraction only
when it has a never-satisfying
eagerness to acquire wider and
deeper understanding and
knowledge of itself and the world.
In modern parlance it is called
updating. All experts of career
counseling advise that one should
keep acquiring more and more
knowledge, and learning newer
and newer things in one's field of
work. They even recommend that,
apart from inculcating a reading
habit, one should try to develop
the capacity for effective writing,
too.
These are some of the salient
guidelines for bringing about
refinement of the personality. The
questions like “Where are we?”
“What are we doing?” etc have
their importance but of the
greatest importance is the luster
personality. That is why Dev
Sanskriti Vishwavidyalaya at
Gayatri Teerth, Hardwar has
compulsorily incorporated 'The
art of personality improvement
and living' in all its
programmes. It is
another matter that at
this unique center of
sacred and mundane
learning, one has to
repay for his or her
education not in terms of
money but altruist
service; because selfless
service of society
through the talents and
expertise is the only
genuine certificate of
success of any worth-
while personality
grooming programme.

A vaishya named Madhuvarta used to serve in the court of king Samudradatta. He used to
look after his family well with whatever he earned. All his children were happy. Once
Madhuvarta was passing through a forest when he heard a voice from a peepal tree 'Would
you take seven pots of treasures'? Madhuvarta got greedy and said 'Yes'. The invisible
voice promised that the treasures would be sent to his house. When he reached home his
wife informed about the arrival of seven pots. Madhuvarta inspected the pots and found
that six of them were filled with treasures and one was half empty. Then onwards he got
busy filling the seventh pot. He started cutting on his own food as well of his children, in
order to save money .He started getting weak, his children started getting very wild and
upset with hunger. His wife started furiously shuttling - taking either side: at times her
husband's and at other times her children's'. The home became a mad house and a hell.
Once when Madhuvarta was very sad, the king Samudradatta asked, 'Have you got the
seven pots from the Yaksha'? When Madhuvarta replied'Yes' the king laughed and said
'This is the main reason for your sorrow. If you want happiness, return them'. Realizing
his mistake Madhuvarta returned the pots and started living a happy and contented life
with whatever he had. Contentment is the most precious treasure.

12 March-April 2005
Vedic Cosmology -2
The Meaning and Nature of Vedas

W
hile spiritually ing to yet obscure domains of “Veda”. The essence of these
enlightened wider curiosity. implies “Veda” to be sublime
seekers, seer and knowledge that could be acquired
sages have revered the Although the focus of the series is by divine insight and inner light.
Vedas as the origin and “Cosmology and Science of Some scriptures like Satyashadha
ultimate end of human Nature in the Vedas”, the readers Shautrasutra and Apastamb
knowledge and culture; will also be briefly introduced to Dharmsutra cite its meaning as --
these have always been the meaning, nature and the “That which encompasses the
the focus of deep period of the Vedas, as extracted knowledge and guides towards
inquisitiveness for the from indisputable, recognized the karmas originated by under-
researchers of the studies. This is mainly to avoid standing of the subtle word is
Sciences of Self and confusions about these ancient called Veda”. The sagacious
Nature. For many of us, treatises, which are rarely dis- thinkers of modern times have
who are inquisitive, but cussed elsewhere with such further analyzed this word and
haven't had the opportu- consolidated information. The explained it in a language compre-
nity to read anything commentaries and deeper hensible to the modern-day mind.
genuine on the Vedas or reviews on Vedas are too vast to
the Vedic Scriptures, be listed in the short essays of this Swami Dayanand Saraswati, the
Vedas have been the series. We had listed our princi- founder of “Arya Samaj” defines
topic of interest, lying pal sources of references in the the word “Veda” as derived from
somewhere between first article (“Akhand Jyoti - The the Sanskrit verb “Vid” which
'Mythology' and 'Trea- Light Divine” Jan-Feb, 2005) with collectively represents knowl-
tises of All Knowledge' a condensed overview of what the edge, sovereignty, enlightened
encoded in some ancient series would present. These benefit and thought. The “Veda”
language. Nevertheless references would provide the is a composition of this verb
the quest of researchers interested reader an exhaustive suffixed by the proposition
to decipher the genesis Bibliography of reported works “ghaó”. As viewed by Abhinav
of Nature, Cosmology on Vedas across the globe. In the Gupta in “Natyashastra” --
and Life have also been present and successive articles we “N³tasya Vedana® Satt³l³bho
sources of wonderment would cite only the relevant Vicharaïcha Yatratann³tyaveda
for the common people. excerpts from those works, Ïabdena…. Uchyate”, most
This series of articles wherever necessary. researchers regard this suffix as
attempts to present hidden in the meaning of “Veda”,
authentic information The Vedic scriptures, and the later
therefore the meanings implied
from studies at the commentaries and research
by the verb “vid” are most promi-
interface of these two treatises on the Vedas, discuss in
nent.
major subjects pertain- detail on the meaning of the word

March-April 2005 13
In his commentaries on
“Amarkosha” Kshir Swami
explains -- “Vidantyanena Dharma
Vedah”, meaning - that by which
one can know the meaning of
Dharma (righteousness) is “Veda”.
Shri Sarvanand and Acharya
Hemchandra of Jainism opine
similarly; in their words -- “Vidanti
Dharm³dikamanenetti Veda¡” and
“Vidantyanena Dharma¡ Veda¡”
(c.f. Abhidhan Chintamani, pg.
106). In his scholarly interpreta-
tion of “Manu Smriti”, Medhatithi
writes -- that which cannot be
dechiphered by any other means
or source of knowledge is known
by it therefore it is called “Veda”.
In the prologue of “Rigveda
Pratishakhya Vargdwaya-Vratti”
Vishnu Mitra elaborates - Veda is
that which provides complete
knowledge and teachings of
accomplished life in terms of
Dharma (righteousness), Artha
(prosperity and progress), K³ma
(fulfillment of worldly desires),
Mokïa (enlightenment, salvation).
Acharya Sayan defines Veda as
the source of all knowledge that
leads to the Supreme Good. The
works of both these scholars are
regarded authorities for referenc-
ing by the Vedic researchers of the
twentieth century onwards.
Vedas are not confined to any cult,
religion, or school of philosophy.
They are neither, for that matter,
doctrines or principles preached
in a specific period of history.
14
They represent eternal knowl-
edge, which is relevant, pertinent
and true in all phases of life and in
all spans of time. They are the
nectar source of ultimate knowl-
edge and spiritual light for the
seekers and provide universal
guidelines for global well-being
and for living a duty-bound,
righteous, fulfilling, happy and
progressive life.
A couplet of Saint poet Kabir,
cited in the holy Sikh scripture
“Guru Granth Sahib” is worth
quoting here. It says, “Veda kateba
kahadu mata jhuÚhe, jhuÚh³ jo na
vich³re”; meaning: Vedas are
never untrue, liars are those who
do not study (understand) it
properly.
Swami Vivekanand, the seer-sage
of global repute and reverence,
has been among the most eminent
exponents of Vedic Philosophy
and Indian Culture in the present
era of scientific advancement. He
regarded the Vedas as self-
existent, eternal repositories of
divine knowledge. According to
him the word “Veda” means
supreme knowledge. His explana-
tions indicate that the spiritual
light of Vedas discovered by the
Rishis in the state of deep trance is
compiled in the four Vedas, only
parts of which were available in
the later ages. The insights of Sri
Aurobindo - another rishi of our
times, unfolded in the 'Secrets of
the Vedas' could be summarized
as -- “Veda is the name of
that supreme spiritual
truth, which is the
ultimate realization of
human mind. Veda is the
impulse of divine voice,
emanated from the
infinite that reached the
inner perception of those
who had the sublime
faculty to receive it.
Veda is a self-inspired
knowledge of the
absolute”. According to
him the Vedas are the
spiritual and mental
seeds of the Divine
Culture of the Vedic
Age. Vedas were the
beginning of our spiri-
tual enlightenment and
will also be its (ultimate)
end. It is the eternal truth
that the Vedas represent.
Similar views are
expressed by the leading
lights of Indian Freedom
Movement like
Mahatma Gandhi and
Lokmannay Tilak [c.f.
Tilak's “Aryan” (1893)
and “The Archtic Home
in the Vedas” (1903)].
Vedas in the Views of
Western Scholars:
Noted European
scholars also accept
“Veda” as pure knowl-
edge. In “History of
March-April 2005
Ancient Sanskrit
Literature” (pg. 10)
Maxmuller writes - “It
would be, indeed much
nearer the truth to take
'Veda' as a collective
name for the sacred
literature of the Vedic
Age which forms, so to
speak, the background
of the whole of Indian
world”. Grifith
(“Rigveda Translation”;
pg. 5) specifies the literal
meaning of “Veda” as
“Knowledge”. Mcdonal
states in “A History of
Sanskrit Literature” (pg.
24) --'Veda' primarily
signifies knowledge
(from 'vid' meaning 'to
know'), sacred lore, as a
branch of divine litera-
ture. In the words of
Furtun Dada Chan (in
“Philosophy of
Zorastrianism and
Comparative Study”; pg
10) - Veda is condensed
with wisdom and
knowledge.
Dr. Russell Wallace
expresses the following
views (in “Social
Environment and Moral
Progress”; pp. 11-14) on
the Vedas: “The won-
derful collection of
hymns known as the
Vedas is a vast system of
religious teachings as
March-April 2005
pure and lofty as those of the
finest portion of the Hebrew
Scriptures…. In it (Vedas) we find
many of the essential teachings of
the most advanced religious
thinkers…”.
Reverend Christian Priest Morris
Philip mentions (in “The Teaching
of the Vedas”; pg. 231) -- “… We
are justified therefore in conclud-
ing that the higher and purer
conceptions of the Vedic Aryans
were the result of a primitive
divine revelation….”. According
to W.D. Brown (c.f. “Superiority
of the Vedic Religion”) - Vedic
religion recognizes but one
God…..
Renowned historian Prof. Heeren
has concluded in his papers on
“Historical Researches” (Vol. 11,
pg. 127) -- “They (Vedas) are
without doubt the oldest works
composed in Sanskrit….. The
Vedas stand alone in their solitary
splendor, standing as beacons of
divine light for the onward march
of humanity”. French Scholar
Mons Lean Delbo finds - “The
Rigveda is the most sublime
conception of the great highways
of humanity” (“An Essay of
International Literary
Association”, Paris, July 14, 1884).
Noble Laureate Prof. Matterlink
Prologue has also expressed high
regards for the Vedas. In “The
Great Secret” (pg. 96) he writes --
“Let us agree that this system of
ethics of which I have been unable
to give more than the slightest
survey, while the first ever known
to man, is also the loftiest which he
has ever practised..…, this
tradition attributes to the vast
reservoir of the wisdom that
somewhere took shape simulta-
neously with the origin of man….
to more spiritual entities, to
beings less entangled in mat-
ter…..”.
American scholar Thoreau (as
cited on pg 9 in “Mother America”
by Swami Omkar) shares his
experiences of Vedic knowledge
as - “What extracts from the Vedas
I have read fall on me like the light
of a higher and purer luminary
which describes a loftier course
through a purer stratum - free
from particulars, simple, univer-
sal; the Vedas contain a sensible
account of God”. Renowned
Russian thinker Lev Tolstoy also
had great respect for the Vedas.
Prof. J. Mascaro has referred the
Vedas as the soul of the holy
Himalayas.
Noted Irish Poet and artist Dr.
James Cousins remarks about the
glory of the Vedas in his cele-
brated “Path to Peace” (pg. 60) as -
- “On that (Vedic) ideal alone,
with its inclusiveness which
absorbs and annihilates the causes
of antagonism, its sympathy
which wins hatred away from
itself, it is possible to rear a new
earth in the image and likeness of
the eternal heavens….”.
15
Vedas - The Treatises Available
Today:
The mantras of Vedas are com-
plied in fours Veda-“Samhitas”
(collections) namely; Rigveda,
Yajurveda, Atharvaveda and the
Samaveda, which are affirmed as
Vedas by the ancient and modern
scholars. However, many
researchers also include the
“Brahmanas” and the
“Upanishads” among the Vedas.
Because of three major categories
of the Veda-Mantras in which the
vedic rishis had compiled them, at
some places, Vedas are also
referred as three (“Vedatrayi”). But
these kinds of classifications
depend upon what frame of
reference or criteria is chosen for
classification. For example, for
ancient astrological calculations,
space is divided into twelve
horizons according to the zodiac
signs whereas its division is in
twenty-seven domains of plane-
tary movements in the ancient
Indian astronomy. Similar is the
case of literature-classification.
The mantras of the Vedas are
classified in three broad catego-
ries - those in the verse form are
called ich³s (hymns), those not
having any constraints of verse or
musical composition are mantras
(e.g. the mantras of the
Yajurveda), and those in verse
form with musical patterns
specified by samagana (e.g. the
hymns of Samaveda). In terms of
16
the available meanings, broadly,
the mantras of Rigveda mainly
pertain to divine descriptions and
devotional prayers and knowl-
edge; the mantras of Yajurveda
deal with the sublime knowledge
and science of Yagya (which
includes the cycle of Nature);
those of the Samaveda consist of
all knowledge of the perceivable,
and cosmic and subtle sounds and
music; and those of the
Atharvaveda incorporate the
philosophy of religion (righteous
conduct) and successful worldly
life; the Atharveda also contains
root-knowledge of Tantra and
Ayurveda.
It is said that the Rishis like
Maharshi Vyasa, who had
realized the sublime vibrations of
the Veda-mantras, had compiled
them in special script for the
benefit of future generations. The
original language of these trea-
tises is said to be Grantha® or
Pr³kat language (the origin of
ancient Sanskrit) but specific
symbols and forms were used to
signify multiple - as many as
eighteen phonemes in which a
syllable or word could be pro-
nounced. Depending upon the
sonic pattern of each letter or
word in it, very large number of
sonic patterns and hence as many
meanings and effects were
associated with each mantra.
That is how such an immeasur-
able amount of knowledge could
have been encoded in the four
Vedas. However, as the
original inscriptions
were lost in the vicissi-
tudes of time, what was
decipherable by the
modern researchers was
only the symbols and
forms adopted in the
Sanskrit language with a
few specific symbols and
sounds and guidelines
on the chanting patterns
of the collections of
Veda-mantras available
till their times.
Nevertheless, a wide
spectrum of scriptures
which originated from
the Vedas are available
with detailed scholarly
commentaries and
studies by the enlight-
ened rishi like personali-
ties during the past
thousand years or so.
These provide the
necessary clues and
guidelines to find out the
missing links to some
extent.
(Series to be continued)
Don't indulge in
self-praise.
Your good deeds
will speak for
themselves
March-April 2005
 The spirit of
wonder and adventure
[Abstracted from Catherine Ingram's universally acclaimed book-
'Passionate Presence'. Published with glad consent of the author. - Editor]

"The real voyage of According to the modern astron-
discovery consists not omy, our solar system was formed
in seeking new some four and a half billion years
ago when a cloud of interstellar gas
landscapes, but in
and dust condensed into itself,
having new eyes. " forming a broad and rather flat disk.
At its dense center there formed the
- Marcel Proust
sun, a blazing ball of thermonuclear
fire around which swirled millions
neighbour planet Jupiter, which has
so far taken the largest hits for us.
In the early days, organic matter
was generated by sunlight on earth
or fell to earth from space, becoming
the building blocks for primitive life
nearly four billion years ago. It is
assumed, however, that

A
wakened awareness
stromatolites had much more
is sometimes likened of rocky chunks, some of which
primitive ancestors of one-celled
to being swept into a merged together to form planets.
wave of universal This process apparently repeats organisms or small molecular
intelligence. You are itself throughout the universe. In systems but the fossil record does
standing on the riverbank 1994, the Hubble Space Telescope not go back that far due to earth's
of conditioned mind and sent back dazzling images of new ancient crust having been sub-
belief, clutching a branch stars similarly forming in the sumed far into its core.
of dogma, hoping to stay constellation Orion. In the observ-
put, and suddenly a able universe alone it is estimated From these humble beginnings life
torrent of white water that about one hundred such solar emerged in a fantastic surge of
rushes by and sweeps you systems are forming every second. creativity. Over the next few billion
off your feet. Nothing to years and despite many cata-
do but surrender and Today the planets along with other strophic eradications, living things
enjoy the rapids. Like this, large space matter swirl around the persisted in the oceans and eventu-
one's conditioned mind is fiery center in our solar system on ally on land. Adaptations of
out of the way and what the same flat plane as they did at the stunning variety morphed and
roars through is the time of their formation. What has replaced previous designs. Life
intelligence of the creative dramatically changed, however, is forms came and went. The current
force of existence. estimate of thirty million species on
the phenomenal variety of life that
Suddenly, one is inter- earth represents probably only 1
has sprung up on the third planet
ested in the process.
from the sun, our Earth. Apparently percent of all species that have ever
Moving from dogma to
abundant in conditions for life, lived. Of the living species, a
the unknown is also a
relative newcomer known as Homo
movement from dullness Earth sits strategically not too far
Sapiens arrived on the scene about a
to aliveness, and life from or too close to the sun. It is
becomes an exploration, a protected for the most part from hundred thousand years ago and
celebration. devastating collisions with interga- evolved to become the most
lactic space debris by our massive dominant and self-reflective life

March-April 2005 17
form of all. From gas and dust
through a remarkable evolutionary
journey in the sea and on land, life
emerged eventually into a creature
who would wonder, “Who am I,
and where do I come from?” The
late astronomer Carl Sagan
described this process as a star's
way of looking at itself.
Self- reflection, for all its benefits,
comes at high cost. As humans, we
are ever aware of our mortality and
of our general vulnerability while
alive. We are delicate creatures, as
mammals go, and we have compen-
sated with cleverness and an
extraordinary ability to adapt to or
to change our environments.
Nevertheless, the shadow of death
hangs like a pall over our every
activity, our every tender moment.
Cave drawings and artifacts
indicate that when self-reflection
and awareness of mortality
emerged in evolutionary develop-
ment, humans the world over
developed myths and stories of an
afterlife. It is Understandable that
myths and hopes of an afterlife
would be needed to assuage the fear
and. anxiety of primitive man. It
may have been an evolutionary
necessity for man to devote himself
to those beliefs in the face of a short
dangerous life that included the
possibility of being eaten alive.
Myths must have helped lessen the
fear and provided the purpose and
a sense of belonging, a knowing of
one's place in the world. This
worked well enough when there
were few people on earth and one
would rarely bump into someone
who had an entirely different idea
18
about the meaning of life or what
happens after death. But then
humans began to multiply and
become mobile enough to collide
with other communities. People
began to kill each other for their
beliefs, and they have been doing so
ever since.
It is possible that the evolutionary
journey could now lead us to a
condition of wonder as a replace-
ment for myth? Could our accep-
tance of death be based in the
immediacy of our connection with
life? In awakened awareness we
directly experience the breath of
existence without knowing its
origin or destination. This suffices
for a feeling of belonging because
we sense that it permeates every-
thing else. It also provides an
understanding of impersonal
continuation, not a continuation of
the personal me but of the funda-
mental essence from which I
emerged and which suffuses my
every cell.
Many of the ideas in modern science
correspond with these feelings,
which explains why so many
scientists are mystically inclined.
Paradoxically, the more we compre-
hend of nature, the greater is the
mystery of whatever intelligence
informs it. Science is therefore not a
departure from the mystical; it is
ultimately an embrace of it. Science
is a threat to religion, not to mysti-
cism. Scientific discoveries continu-
ally disprove many religious beliefs
while at the same time revealing the
existence of an intelligence that
pervades everything, the recogni-
tion of which coincides
exactly with the mystical
experience.
When scientists or
mystics look deeply into
what seems to be empti-
ness or space, what they
find is some kind of
presence. Quantum
physics now tells us that
particles emerge out of so-
called emptiness, out of
pure space. We can
eliminate all particles
from a given amount of
space, such that the space
is seemingly devoid of
anything whatsoever,
and suddenly elementary
particles will emerge.
They will simply appear
out of the void. They are
somehow already there in
potentia. What could
possibly be the operating
system that powers this
fecund emergence? I once
asked my teacher if he
thought that love was
what powered creation,
and he answered. “I don't
even call it love. It is some
kind of fullness, such as
the fullness of the ocean
when there are no waves."
A burgeoning wholeness
merging into itself. And
within this wholeness,
stardust is looking at itself
and wondering, "Who am
I?"
March-April 2005
Companions in Solitude - 2
Entrance into the deeps of Himalayas
[Poojya Gurudev's Travelogue of the Pilgrimage to the Himalayas - Continued]
The Fatal Narrow Path
Today I had to walk
along a very treacherous
trail. There was the
Ganga flowing below
and the mountain
standing high above. By
the foot of the hill, there
was a very narrow
footpath. It was hardly 3
ft. wide. We had to go
along this path. Even a
slight faltering step
could result in hurtling
down and getting lost in
the roaring rapids of the
Ganga hundreds of feet
below. If you thought of
avoiding it and walk
away safely, there stood
the high mountain
almost vertically rising
hundreds of feet above
refusing to budge an
inch. On this narrow and
difficult path, every step
had to be taken with
utmost caution - the
distance between life
and death was hardly a
foot and a half long.
For the first time in life I
experienced the fear of
March-April 2005
death. Long time back, in my
childhood, I had heard this epic
story. Once sage Shukdev visited
King Janak and asked the latter as
to how he remained unperturbed
like a Yogi while attending to his
multifarious duties as a king. To
explain the point Janak handed to
Shukdev a bowl filled with oil and
asked him to make a round of the
town and come back without
spilling a drop of oil, the punish-
ment for failure being severing of
the head. Out of fear of death
Shukdev, made the round as
ordered, concentrating all his
attention on the oil-filled bowl,
totally unaware of things and
people that he came across during
his round of the town. King Janak
then explained to him that as he
(Shukdev) had concentrated only
on the oil and nothing else out of
the fear of losing his life, he too
always remembered death while
going about his duties and this
helped him in putting his best in
the performance of his duties and
daily routines - every moment of
life with a totally focused mind.
The moral of this story was
acutely experienced by me while
negotiating that narrow path.
There were a number of other
pilgrims traveling with me. All
the way we had been talking and
laughing when the path was
smooth and safe, but no sooner
did we reach this narrow foot-
path, than all the conversations
ceased and everybody became
pensively and attentively silent.
Nobody thought of one's home or
of any other subject. Mind and
soul were fully concentrated on
only one thing - keep the next step
at the proper place. With one
hand we were trying to clutch at
the mountain wall, though there
was hardly anything to clutch at.
The only solace in doing so was
that it might help maintain the
body balance in case it tended to
tilt towards precipice falling
down to the bed of the Ganga.
This distance of about 1.5 miles
was passed with great difficulty.
The heart was kept throbbing
violently throughout. We learnt a
great practical lesson today. How
careful we have to be in order to
protect our lives from getting
sniffed out.
The tortuous and dangerous
patch of the trail was at last over;
but its memory brings forth a train
of thoughts. If we always remem-
ber that death could pounce upon
19
us any moment, we may not
indulge in chasing illusory
pleasures. The journey of life is
like the just concluded journey of
today, which called for the need of
keeping every step consciously,
cautiously and correctly. If a
single step was taken wrongly or
carelessly, it might mean our
straying away from the true aim of
life and falling down to abysmal
depths of inconscience. If life is
dear to us, in order to make it
worthwhile, it is necessary that we
are ever alert and conscious every
step of the path. Life is full of
responsibilities like that of the
travelers walking along the
narrow path alongside the edge of
the Ganga. Only after negotiating
it successfully, can we have hope
of reaching our cherished goal of
self-fulfillment. The path of duty
is narrow like the footpath de-
scribed above. Carelessness will
make you slip and fall into a
bottomless pit of darkness, thus
depriving of the chance of achiev-
ing the true aim of life in this
incarnation. Clutching to the wall
of righteousness will help main-
tain the balance and help mini-
mize the fear of leaning toward
the edge of the abysmal depths. In
difficult times this wall is our
solace and support.
The Mountain of Silver
Today I was put up in a room on
the top floor of Sukki camp. Right
in front was seen the top of the
20
snow-clad mountain. The snow
was melting slowly and was
flowing down in a thread-like
simmering stream. Some flowing
pieces of snow were still half-melt.
The sight was heavenly and
soothing to the eyes.
Some other pilgrims were staying
in a room third from mine.
Among them there were two
children - a girl and a boy, both of
about 11 or 12 years of age. Their
parents were on the pilgrimage.
The children were brought on a
device called 'Kandri' carried by
porters. They were sweet natured
and precocious. Both were debat-
ing on what the shining mountain
was made of. They had heard that
the mineral mines were situated in
the mountains. The boy logically
concluded that the mountain in
front of us was that of silver. But
the girl disagreed, reasoning that
had it the silver been lying so open
and unguarded, people would
have plundered it long time back.
She, however, could not herself
say what metal the mountain was
made of nonetheless she contin-
ued stubbornly disagreeing with
the boy. The debate interested me.
I called them both to my side and
explained that the mountain was
made of stone, but being of high
altitude, it is covered with snow.
During summer the snow melts
and in winter the snow covers the
mountain tops again. It is the
snow that shimmers in the sun
and assumes a silvery appear-
ance. The children got
their doubt cleared on
this count, but went on
asking me more ques-
tions related to it. I
readily and gladly
provided them with lot
of information about the
mountains in order to
enrich their knowledge.
This made me think of
the innocently ignorant
human intellect in
childhood, which makes
him to assume an
ordinary thing like snow
as valuable silver. But
when grown up, man
thinks more deeply and
gets down to the reality.
If the human intellect
were properly educated
and developed right
from childhood, chil-
dren, too, would get to
know the reality of
things while young.
But I realized that my
musings were mis-
placed. How far are most
of grown-ups free from
follies and misconcep-
tions? In the same
manner as these children
mistook snow for silver,
the grown-ups too
consider many worth-
less or cheap things like
pieces of silver or
copper, sexual excite-
March-April 2005
ments, worthless ego-
displays and this mortal
body to be of lasting
value and stay attached
to them, smugly forget-
ful of the true aim and
purpose of life.
We are more deeply and
pitiably entangled in
transitory and meaning-
less worldly pleasures
and attractions than the
small children are in
playing with toys and
paper boats. The grown-
ups admonish the
children for their lack of
foresight and for spend-
ing their valuable time in
fun and frolic, instead of
attending to studies. But
who will admonish the
gown-ups who, like
puppets, dance to the
pull-strings of sensual
pleasures, instead of
upliftment of the soul?
The children could be
convinced of snow not
being silver. But who
will convince the grown-
ups that the aim of life is
not sensual pleasures or
gratifications of desires
but self-realization?
Yellow Flies (Wasps)
Today while we were
silently passing through
a dense forest we were
March-April 2005
suddenly attacked by a swarm of
yellow flies that were buzzing
over some trees. Some of them
stung us so deeply that it was hard
to pull them off. We tried to drive
them away by hands or clothes
and we even ran to get away from
their range. But they did not leave
us for a long distance. After over
half a mile's running, during
which we stumbled and fell down
too, the flies, at long last, left us.
Wherever they had stung, it had
swelled up due to poisonous
stings and was severely painful.
I began to ponder over the matter.
Why did the flies attack us? Did
they get anything by doing so?
What did they intend to gain by
hurting us? Perhaps the flies
might have been thinking that the
forest territory was theirs; it was
their dwelling place; and it had to
remain safe and secure for them;
no one should dare trespass that
territory. When they saw us
passing through the forest they
might have taken it as an act of
arrogance, endangering their
security and posing a challenge to
their sovereignty. So they might
have deemed it necessary to teach
us a lesson for our imprudent
trespass.
If this be so, it is sheer folly of the
flies. The forest is made by God;
not by them. They must stay atop
the trees and make their living.
Their greed to occupy and keep
for themselves the entire territory
is unreasonable; for they have no
use of the whole territory. They
should also understand that this
world is a co-operative venture,
and it is only proper that it is
equitably shared by all. They
should have had the forbearance
to let us pass through it enjoying
the beauty, the green cool shade of
the trees and fragrance of the wild
flowers. Instead of showing
magnanimity, they stung us, lost
their stings; some of them were
even mauled to death and others
badly injured. Had they not
exhibited their mad anger in this
way, they could have spared
themselves from the unnecessary
harm they suffered and the ill-will
and bad impression that they
created on us. From all angles
their attack and greed of power
did not exhibit wisdom. They
proved themselves true to their
name, “Yellow flies” implying
“mean creatures”.
But why blame the poor flies
alone? Why should they alone be
call foolish? We, the human
beings, are also behaving in a
similarly avaricious way. The vast
resources created by the Almighty
to be equitably shared and used
by all, are being rapaciously
grabbed by a few of us for our-
selves alone. We never pause to
think that the needs of the body
and even our family are limited
and that our amassing the nature's
resources beyond our needs
would deprive others of even
21
their bare survival needs. The
excess acquisition only helps feed
the ego's insatiable hunger of
being the owner of vast resources;
which one cannot keep with
oneself for ever.
Man too, like the yellow flies, gets
blinded by greed and selfishness.
He does not acknowledge the
nature's eternal law of mutual
caring and sharing. He does not
care two hoots for the suffering
caused to others by his self-
aggrandizement. The yellow flies
went back after stinging and
chasing us for half a mile. But
when I think of the horrific mis-
deeds perpetrated by man intoxi-
cated by the craze for pelf, power,
and self-indulgence, I feel shy of
blaming the bees, who live by
survival instinct of their
species and are not
endowed, like humans,
with discriminative
intelligence (which can
distinguish between the
good and the bad). How
sad that so few of us
consciously exercise this
gift of the Creator!

Alexander got afflicted with an apparently incurable disease. As all

the renowned physicians of Alexander were aware of his approaching
death they did not take the risk of treating him, for they were afraid of
their defamation.
During this state of confusion a sincere and devoted servant of
Alexander named 'Philip' prepared a medicine and assured him of
healing.
The jealous people complained, in a letter to Alexander, that the king
of Faras had plotted a conspiracy to poison Alexander through Philip,
promising him a huge sum as reward.
Alexander kept the letter under his pillow and continued taking
Philip's treatment. In the course of time he got totally cured of the
malady. When this concocted story about the so-called plot to poison
him to death was conveyed to him he had said that man could not live
by losing faith in basic goodness of the human soul.

22 March-April 2005
 Attachments
[Abridged from Late Fr. Anthony de Mello's book - 'Call To Love' and published with kind consent of the
publishers - Gujrat Sahitya Prakash. 'Tony' (1931 - 87) was a universally acclaimed spiritual teacher of divine
integrity and wholeness - and he wrote for true seekers of Truth cutting across boundaries of belief, cult and
religion. We gratefully remember Fr. 'Tony' for his spiritual gifts to humanity. - Editor]

I.ATTACHMENTS friends. Suddenly all human and the businessman's attach-

DRAIN US OF LIFE
It is said that love is
blind. But is it? Actually
nothing on earth is as
clear-sighted as love.
The thing that is blind is
not love but attachment.
An attachment is a state
of clinging that comes
from the false belief that
something or someone is
necessary for your
happiness.
Do you have any
attachment - people or
things that you falsely
believe you could not be
happy without? Make a
list of them right now
before we go on to study
how exactly they blind
you.
Think of a politician who
has convinced himself
he will not be happy
unless he gets political
power. His quest for
power coarsens his
sensitivity to the rest of
life. He barely has time
for his family and
beings are perceived and reacted
to in terms of the support or threat
that they are to his ambition. And
those who can neither threaten
nor support he does not even
notice. If, in addition to his
craving for power, he has an
attachment to other things like sex
or money, the poor man has
become so selective in his percep-
tions that he could almost be said
to be blind.
Everyone sees this, except the man
himself. This is the condition that
leads to the rejection of truth and
beauty and goodness, because one
has come to be blind to perceive
them.
To be in the state called love you
must be sensitive to the unique-
ness and beauty of every single
thing and person around you. For
love excludes no one at all; it
embraces the whole of life; it
listens to the symphony as a
whole, not to just one or the other
of the musical instruments.
Stop for a while now to see how
your attachments drain life's
symphony no less than the
politician's attachment to power
ment to money have hardened
them to the melody of life.
Or look at the matter in another
way:
There is an enormous amount of
information that is continuously
flowing in from the world
through the senses, the tissues of
the organs of your body. Only a
small part of this information
reaches your conscious mind.
Who decides what will finally
make its way to your conscious
mind from all the material that is
pouring in from the world? Three
decisive filters: First your attach-
ments, second your beliefs and
third your fears.
I. Your attachments: You will
inevitably look for what fosters
or threatens them and turn a
blind eye to the rest. You won't
be interested in the rest any
more than the avaricious
businessman is interested in
anything that does not involve
the making of money.
II. Your beliefs: Just take a look at
a fanatic who only notices what
confirms his/her belief and

March-April 2005 23
 blocks out whatever threatens
it and you will understand
what your beliefs are doing to
you.
III.And then your fears: If you
knew you were to be executed
in a week's time it would
wonderfully concentrate your
mind to the exclusion of
everything else. That is what
fears do. They irresistibly rivet
your attention on to some
things to the exclusion of
others.
IV You falsely think:
A. that your fears protect you,
B. that your beliefs have made
you what you are and
C. that your attachments make
your life exciting and
secure.
You fail to see that they are
actually a screen between you and
life's symphony.
It is quite impossible, of course, to
be fully conscious of every note in
life's symphony. But if your spirit
becomes unclogged and your
senses open, you will begin to
perceive things as they really are
and to interact with reality and you
will be entranced by the harmonies
of the universe. Then you will
understand what God is, for you
will at last know what love is.
Look at it this way: You see
persons and things not as they are
but as you are.
24
If you wish to see them as they are
you must attend to your attach-
ments and the fears that your
attachments generate. Because
when you look at life it is these
attachments and fears that will
decide what you will notice and
what you block out. Whatever
you notice then commands your
attention. And since your looking
has been selective you have an
illusory version of the things and
people around you. The more you
live with this distorted version the
more you become convinced that
it is the only true picture of the
world because your attachments
and fears continue to process
incoming data in a way that will
reinforce your picture.
This is what gives origin to your
beliefs: fixed, unchanging ways of
looking at a reality which is not
fixed and unchanging at all but in
movement and change. So it is no
longer the real world that you
interact with and love but a world
created by your head. It is only
when you drop your beliefs, your
fears and the attachments that
breed them, that you will be freed
from the insensitivity that makes
you so deaf and blind to yourself
and to the world.
II DROPPING ATTACHMNTS
Imagine you have a radio that no
matter how you turn the knob
picks up only one station. You
have no control over the volume.
At times the sound is barely
audible, at others, it is so
loud that it almost
shatters your eardrums.
Moreover it is impossi-
ble to turn it off; at times
it will be slow; it will
suddenly begin to blare
away when you want to
rest and sleep.
Who would put up with
this kind of performance
in a radio? And yet when
your heart behaves in
this kind of crazy fashion
you not only put up with
it but even call it normal
and human.
Think of the numerous
times you were tossed
about by your emotions,
that you have suffered
the pangs of anger,
depression, anxiety,
when in every instance it
was because your heart
became set on getting
something that you did
not have, or on holding
on to something that you
had, or on avoiding
something that you did
not want.
To put it briefly, the
moment you pick up an
attachment, the func-
tioning of this lovely
apparatus called the
human heart is
destroyed.
March-April 2005
If you want to repair
your radio, you must
study radio mechanics.
If you want to reform
your heart, you must
give serious, prolonged
thought to four liberat-
ing truths. But first
choose some attachment
that troubles you,
something that you are
clinging to, or something
that you dread, or
something you are
craving for, and keep
this attachment in mind
as you listen to these
truths.
I. The first truth: You III.The third truth: If you wish to
must choose between
your attachment and
happiness. You
cannot have both.
The moment you pick
up an attachment,
your heart is thrown
out of kilter and your
ability to lead a joyful
carefree serene life is
destroyed.
See how true this is
when applied to the
attachment that you
have chosen.
II. The second truth:
Where did your
attachment come IV.And so the fourth truth brings
from? You were not
March-April 2005
born with it. It sprang from a
lie that your society and your
culture have told you, or a lie
that you have told yourself,
namely, that without this or the
other, without this person or
the other, you can't be happy.
Just open your eyes and see
how false this is. There are
hundreds of persons who are
perfectly happy without this
thing or person or situation
that you crave for and that you
have convinced yourself you
cannot live without. So make
your choice: Do you want
your attachment, or your
freedom and happiness.
be fully alive you must develop
a sense of perspective. Life is
infinitely greater than this trifle
your heart is attached to and
which you have given the
power to so upset you.
Trifle? Yes, because if you live
long enough, a day will easily
come when it will cease to
matter. It will not even be
remembered - your own
experience will confirm this.
Just as today you barely
remember, are no longer the
least bit affected by those
tremendous trifles that so
disturbed you in the past.
you to the unavoidable
conclusion, that no thing or
person outside of you has the
power to make you happy or
unhappy. Whether you are
aware of it or not it is you and
only you, who decide to be
happy or unhappy, whether
you will cling to your attach-
ment or not in any given
situation.
As you ponder these truths, you
may become aware that your
heart is resisting them or argues
against them and refuses to look at
them. That is a sign that you have
not yet suffered enough at the
hand of your attachments to really
want to do something about your
spiritual radio. Or your heart may
place no resistance to these truths;
if that is so, rejoice. Repentance,
the refashioning of the heart has
begun and the kingdom of God -
the gratefully carefree life of
children - has come within your
grasp at last and you are about to
reach out and take possession of it.
Study of inspiring
books is like
communion with
living deities. It
gives instant gifts of
light and bliss."
25
 Science and Spirituality
Prana and the Bioelectrical System of Human Body
A
n unlimited resource of
electrical energy forms the
basis of physical manifesta-
tion of Nature. The discovery of
this fact and persistent efforts to
utilize this immense power of
Nature has been of great help in
scientific and technological
developments of our age.
The space between the earth's
strata and the Ionosphere contains
positive potential of about 3 105
volts while the earth's interior
contains an equivalent amount of
negative charge. On an average,
every living organism on the earth
bears a subtle electrical pressure
of the order of 5 volts/m created
by the lowest layer of the
Ionosphere situated about 60 km
above the earth's surface. This
potential generates an electric
current in human body, which is a
good conductor of electricity. The
measurements by sophisticated
instruments have shown that this
current is of the magnitude of 10-16
Amp Sec/cm2. At a first glance,
this small quantity of current may
appear to be negligible.
Nevertheless, its effects are
incredible because of the existence
of some subtle power centers in
the human-body as described
below.
26
The scientific exposition pre-
sented here is focused on the
subtle power centers in human-
body whose existence is mani-
fested in the forms of
Bioelectricity and Biomagnetism.
The subtle bioelectrical energy
provides the vital force for the
body's functioning and governs
various mental activities. Human
body simulates an `Ocean'
consisting of infinitely many
`rivers' in the form of the Blood
vessels and the Nerves. Each
respiratory cycle gives rise to high
and low tides of currents in this
`Ocean' at an average rate of about
15 cycles/minute. The technique
of electric power generation from
the tides and cyclones in the
seawater is well known today.
However, very few people know
that the electric ions inhaled from
the surrounding atmosphere
during each respiratory cycle give
rise to a powerful tide and hence
electrical flow within our body.
The ancient Indian sages (Rishis)
had a deep knowledge about this
current and its utilization for
higher purposes.
Our body can be likened to a
grand powerhouse. The brain
and the heart work respectively
like the generator and the trans-
mitter of the bioelectricity (ionic
currents) in the body. The
bioelectric energy is
distributed amongst the
body cells as per their
functional requirements.
This electricity, in
conjunction with the
(subtle) vital energy of a
person, produces the
(bio)magnetism which
in turn manifests as the
aura ( halo of light )
around one's body and
the region of attraction
in one's personality.
It should be noted here
that biomagnetism is a
consciousness-power
which can affect the
material as well as the
conscious forms existing
in Nature. If this subtle
vital energy could ever
be measured as an
electromagnetic energy,
it would turn out to be
the greatest gift of the
Creator of the Universe
to the human race. The
spiritual seers and sages
of yore had found that
the presence of this
biomagnetism could be
experienced by personal
contacts, communica-
tion or meditation.
Supernatural abilities
can also be developed by
March-April 2005
controlling and
channelising this energy
through different
spiritual practices. This
energy then also helps in
communicating with the
subtle realms of con-
sciousness pervading
the universe.
The individual con-
sciousness (individual
self) is a part of the
Omnipresent Supreme
Consciousness Force
and the extent of the
manifestation of the
latter via sentiments,
thoughts and deeds of
the former depends on
the level of above
mentioned biomagnetic
(vital) energy. The
subtle energy is an
integral part of all the
cellular and molecular
constituents of the body.
Its physical existence in
all the cells, tissues,
neurons, enzymes,
glands etc. is as homoge-
neous as that of the
dissolved salt in the
seawater. The overall
intelligence, vigor and
energetic alacrity,
(collectively called ojas)
of a person is maintained
by this vital energy. This
subtle energy also
inspires the radiance
(tejas) of thoughts and
March-April 2005
the divinity (varchas) of the inner
self (antahkaraña).
Great personalities, with con-
scious touch with higher spiritual
realms naturally have their subtle
and astral bodies in an awakened
state. The power of their
biomagnetism can be easily seen
in terms of the aura around their
physical body, especially around
their face and fingers. One finds a
divine attraction in them. Their
company inspires godliness in
others. People with low
biomagnetism, on the other hand,
induce a kind of repelling force
and dullness in their surrounding
atmosphere. In spite of good
physical looks and body-built etc.
they appear to be `lifeless' and
abominable. Similarly the
biomagnetism of people with
negative personal traits (e.g.
cruelty or lasciviousness) spreads
corresponding harmful effects in
its vicinity.
The Ancient Indian scriptures
describe in detail the science,
philosophy and methods of
practicing various spiritual
disciplines of yoga and sadhana
meant for increasing the `positive'
biomagnetism and thereby
nourishing the will-power,
intellect and other mental and
physical faculties. These methods
deal with micro-subtler forms of
the vital mechanisms inside the
human body.
Atmosphere above the earth is
charged with the strength of a
wide variety of energy waves
within or beyond the range of the
X-, Gamma-, Beta-, Infrared,
Ultraviolet or other cosmic
radiations. Human body con-
stantly receives such cosmic
radiations and transmits similar
ones in the surrounding atmo-
sphere. Enormous amount of this
energy remains stored in the
human body and manifests its
power in terms of its various
macro or molecular functions
governed by universal physico-
chemical laws. The powers and
capabilities of the subtle human
body (a continuum of
abovementioned storage of
cosmic energies linked with the
vital energy) however are
unimaginable. This unlimited
source of power remains
untapped and unutilized because
of our ignorance about its exis-
tence.
Recent scientific research indi-
cates that the geomagnetic
pressure and the electrical field in
the earth's atmosphere are
essential not only for the biophysi-
cal / biochemical functioning of
our body but also for our mental
creativity. The feelings of fatigue,
dizziness, lack of decision-making
abilities observed in the astro-
nauts when they were away from
the earth's atmosphere gave rise to
the above hypothesis which was
confirmed by a series of system-
27
atic experiments. In other experi-
ments the astronauts felt perfectly
normal while traveling in the
spacecrafts wherein the earth's
atmosphere was artificially
created or simulated.
Drs. Den Daniel and Kentberg
have shown that longevity and
reproductivity also depend on the
electrical waves received from the
external fields in the atmosphere.
The pollution of natural atmo-
sphere and adoption of an artifi-
cial life-style by the human society
has resulted in a decrease in the
level of the abovementioned
electrical flows and the capacity of
human beings to absorb these
waves. The reduction in the
average life of an individual and
the increased incidence of impo-
tency in modern age are obvious
off-shoots of this imbalance.
The huge electric capacitor of the
earth and its atmosphere is called
the Global Capacitor. This
capacitor is dynamic and continu-
ously subjected to electrical
fluctuations. It emits the waves of
natural frequency range of about 7
to 8 cycles per second. These
waves constantly resonate
between the earth's surface and
the Ionosphere and give rise to the
Schumann Resonance. It is a
significant coincidence that these
waves resemble closely the
electrical waves active in the
human brain. Both are active at
28
the same frequency. In a book any desired amount of
entitled “The Carcadian the universal vital
Rhythms of Man” the author, energy by a proper
Prof. R.A. Ved has described how practice of the
the biological rhythm of the Pr³ñ³y³ma S³dhan³ of
functions of a human body and Yoga, with strong will-
the electromagnetic fields in the power and faith.
surrounding atmosphere influ-
ence each other. The mechanism of
absorption of the above
Further, a strong electrical field energy and the regula-
also exists deep inside the tion of biomagnetism
Geonucleus. An electric current would become clearer
of about one ampere flows in each when we consider the
cm2 of this region. As this current following features of the
spreads throughout the human body.
geosphere it gathers strength and
begins to follow a spiral path. In continuation of the
This current gives rise to the discovery of genes and
electromagnetic storms, which neuropeptides, the
also influence various cellular and molecular (neuro)
molecular components of the biologists and physicists
human body. have also discovered
some macromolecules
In fact, our universe contains an responsible for
orderly and organized system of bioelectric functioning.
electromagnetic waves. This It is found that a power-
universal system not only controls ful electrostatic field
the mutual attraction and move- exists around all tissues
ments of various planets at the of our body. These
macro level but is also responsible electric fields activate
for all the continuous motions and the neurons in the brain
activities at the atomic and the and, under the ener-
micro-atomic levels. Energy in gized control of small
the form of electromagnetic waves amounts of
exists everywhere in the universal neuropeptides, affect the
'Ocean' of Ether, forming an membrane potential
Omnipresent Cosmic flow. The across the cells in other
level of this cosmic energy parts of the body.
existing in a person is manifested
by the aura around his/her body. The human body
One can receive and subtly store consists of over 751012
March-April 2005
cells. There exists an (North) pole lies in the Cerebrum
electrical potential of (Sahastrar). In all the living
about 60 to 90 milivolts organisms the electrical flows
across the membrane of through the spinal cord are
each cell. The body is directed downwards. Distinctly,
thus a strong electrical the human-body alone is suffused
powerhouse. Every with a strong vital energy which if
important function of evoked under proper Sadhana
this system such as the processes of Yoga would reverse
heart beating, nerve and the direction of this flow and
muscle stretching and strengthen the functioning of the
contraction, hormonal brain by activating the otherwise
secretion, information unused subtle centers of energy
processing by the central existing there.
nervous system etc
involves electrical The total electrical pressure of
activity. During respira- about 10-5 volts per centimeter
tion we inhale negative exists in the human-body, which
ions, which are absorbed is continuously lost by emission
in the blood corpuscles through the skin-pores and the
and are spread in the genital organs. This loss could be
whole body with the reduced by dedicated practice of
circulation of blood. the Control (Sanyam Sadhana)
These ions are dis- processes of Yoga and Meditation
charged back into the as described in the ancient Indian
atmosphere through the scriptures. The electrical energy
skin pores. This electri- saved thereby could be utilized
cal cycle continues for elevating one's biomagnetic
throughout our life. level, resulting in enhancement of
charm, kinesis, courage, patience,
The Endocrine gland sharpness etc. Under specific
(Sushumna Nadi) is spiritual practices this energy
described by the scien- could also be used in awakening
tists as permanent the subtle centers of the innermost
electric dipole whose eternal divine spark existing in
negatively charged every human being. Spiritual
lower (south) pole adepts examine the personality of
resides in the Kava an individual by `reading' the
Equina (Mooladhar) in (biomagnetic) aura around
the center of the genital his/her body and suggest the
organs and the posi- appropriate line of sadhana
tively charged upper accordingly.
March-April 2005
The immense physical power of
the vital energy has been discov-
ered and investigated by different
groups of scientists under differ-
ent names such as Biomagnetism,
Bioplasm, Actoplasm, Bioflux etc.
The manifestation of this power is
negligible in plants and other
organisms as compared to that in
the human beings. Dr. Kirlian and
Dr. Thelma Moss chromo-
recorded these energy fields
(aura) around the human body by
using the Kirlian and Argon
photographic techniques.
Theosophists call this `energy-
cover' as the Etheric Double.
Supernatural and spiritual
powers emanate from this
Biomagnetism or Vital energy
field.
The practices of meditation and
pr³ñ³y³ma as described in the
ancient Indian scriptures can
contribute towards the improve-
ment and control of one's
biomagnetism. Before going in
for such practices one must realize
that it is essential to avoid any
dissipation of this great power of
pr³ña and to properly channelise it
through strict self-control and
refinement of the senses, senti-
ments, desires and thoughts by
living an austere and pious life.
Failure indicates half-
hearted effort towards
success.
29
Ayurvedic Therapies: 2
T
here are several modes of
preparation and therapeutic
regimen of medicinal drugs
prescribed by Ayurveda.
Accordingly the Ayurvedic
medicines are classified as - rasa or
ras³yanas, bhasma, c¿rña - in the
powder categories; vaÚº - tablet;
avleha, ³sava, ariÌÚa and kw³tha. - in
the syrup and decoction category.
Of these, ³sava, ariÌÚa and kw³tha
induce quicker healing effects.
Kw³tha (decoction) is found to be
the best in terms of effectiveness,
minimal risk of side effects, fast
remedy and flexibility in compo-
sition as per the suitability to the
patient. It is prepared from fresh
herbs/medicinal plants and
administered orally soon after the
preparation so there is no risk of
adulteration, stalement or degra-
dation and untoward reactions.
Most of the herbal medicinal
plants used in kw³tha drugs in a
large number of diseases can be
easily grown in the farms, kitchen
gardens or even in pots. Many of
them could also be taken as part of
daily intakes in appropriate
quantities as vital tonics for
maintenance of vigorous health
and increase in body-stamina and
immunity against diseases. It is a
pity that we often remain ignorant
of such marvelous gifts of Nature
30
Ayurvedic Decoction Therapy - I
and tend to rely more and more on
synthetic medicines; ample
availability (though at expensive
prices) and easy use of these
chemically synthesized drugs in
tablets, capsules, syrups and i.v.
injectable forms have virtually
wiped out the natural healing
modes like the Ayurvedic kw³tha
therapy.
The acute negative effects of
antibiotics and chemically
synthesized drugs and the
inability of modern (allopathic)
therapies in healing several kinds
of psychosomatic disorders and
diseases have created an alarming
need for multidimensional
research in alternate and comple-
mentary modes of healing.
Several institutions across the
world have been engaged in
reviving the ancient system of
Ayurveda for the past over two
decades. Most of these research
efforts are focused at
phytochemical analysis of herbal
medicines and extraction of drug-
chemicals from medicinal plants;
only some institutions/labs are
reinvestigating the diagnostic
aspects and the bhasma, rasa or
ras³yana-based medicines and dry
herbal powders. The
Brahmvarchas Research Centre,
Shantikunj, Hardwar has ven-
tured into pioneering
research in Ayurvedic
kw³tha-chikits³ (herbal
decoction-therapy) in
new scientific light. The
dedicated research work
of the Ayurvedic doctors
and scientists (many of
whom also happen to be
dedicated s³dhakas) has
shown significant
benefits of kw³tha-
chikits³.
The studies of healing
effects on a large number
of patients treated at this
centre by kw³tha medi-
cines affirm the assertion
of the Ayurvedic
scriptures that this
therapy has the potential
of kay³kalp - complete
transformation of the
psychosomatic system
from a sick, weak or dull
state to a healthy, strong
and vibrant state. Kw³tha
(or k³Ãh³ in Hindi
language) means
decoction prepared by
boiling fresh (green or
dried), cleansed plant-
medicines (prescribed
parts of the plant, e.g.
leaves and/or stem-
section, bark-skin, etc) in
March-April 2005
appropriate combina- mass awareness. One can visit the raw medicine mentioned here
tion at controlled herbal-samples exhibition hall of corresponds to one dose for an
temperatures. It is found the centre. One can also visit their adult patient, on an average):
to be a natural, soft mode k³Ãh³ lab to have a glance at the
of healing which func- method of preparation. Several 1. Kw³tha: According to
tions in total harmony species of herbal plants can be Ayurvedic pharmaceutical
with the metabolic seen planted in the herbal gardens instructions - P³ñºya ÏoÃaÌa
system, because of the of this centre and at Shantikunj Guña® Kïuññe Dravya Pale
appropriate doses of the Ashram premises, Hardwar. Kïipet; meaning: take about
specific kw³tha(s) of one Larger extension of the research one pala (one pala = four tol³ =
or more medicines as per facilities and Ayruvedic clinic at 48 gms) of jaukuÚa (coarsely
the disease state and Brahmavarchas will be estab- grinded dry herb or grated
patient's prakati (natural lished in the campus of the Dev cleaned plant-part) medicine
constitution). Several Sanskriti University, of Gayatri of interest. Boil it in sixteen
otherwise intractable Tererth, Shantikunj. Here we times volume of water (= 1648
and chronic diseases present the introductory informa- gms in this case) till the boiled
have been cured by this tion (with relevant details) on decoction is reduced to one-
simple therapy within a kw³tha-therapy. fourth of the original solu-
few weeks to several tion. Wait till it cools down up
months time. Kw³tha or k³Ãh³ is also referred as to lukewarm temperature;
ïata, nirp¿ha and juï³nd³ in the then filter it through a clean
The Ayurvedic experts vedic scriptures. These are cloth-piece. Needless to say
at the Brahmvarchas counted among "Panchaka̳ya" that all utensils should be
Research Centre have (five 'subtlized' medicines). The properly cleaned before use.
devised the formulae five members of this group of five The filtered decoction is the
and methods of prepara- types of medicines are Kw³tha, kw³tha ready for use.
tion through reinvesti- Hima, Ph³óÚa, Kalka and Swaras (or
gation (based on the arka). These are relatively lighter 2. Hima: In this case 24 gms of
Ayurvedic scriptures) of in terms of the (subtlized) the raw medicines' powder is
the botanical identifica- extracted concentration of the soaked from the evening till
tion, morphology, medicine; for example, kw³tha is the next day morning in six
phytochemical and times volume of water (= 624
lighter than swaras, kalka is lighter
medicinal properties of a gms). In the morning, it is
as compared to kw³tha, hima to
large number of com- crushed through clean hands,
kalka and phaóÚa to kalka. All these
monly found and rare mixed and then filtered
forms of medicines are to be
species of Himalayan through a clean cloth-piece.
drunk orally in a fresh form
and other Indian herbal The filtered hima is ready to be
(preferably no later than an hour
plants. Excerpts of some drunk instantly.
after preparation). The method of
of their findings are
preparation and the proportion of
displayed at the centre 3. Ph³óÚa: Water amounting to
water account for this difference,
along with samples of four times that of the herbal
as described below (the amount of
many herbs for creating

March-April 2005 31
 medicine is boiled separately.
Then the powdered medicine
is soaked in it for sometime
(till the powder absorbs
maximum amount of water
and becomes sufficiently
soft). Then the soaked
medicine-powder is further
triturated (to make a watery
paste). It is then filtered and is
ready for drinking.
4. Kalka: Desired amount of dry
or wet (herbal/plant) medi-
cine is triturated on the
grinding stone by mixing a
little amount of water so as to
prepare a wet smooth paste.
This paste is the kalka, which
is to be gulped (with slight
chewing, if necessary) soon
after preparation.
5. Swaras: It is also called arka.
It is prepared by crushing the
pieces of fresh plant medi-
cines on a grinding stone then
taking out the juicy part by
pressing the paste so pre-
pared. The juice is filtered
before use. Like the other four
preparations of kw³tha group,
swaras is also used in a fresh
state (preferably, instantly
after preparation).
There are seven major types of
kw³tha varying in drug-potency;
these are p³chana, dºpana,
ïodhana, ïamana, santaparña,
kledana and ïoÌaña kw³tha. The
one described above is the kledana
32
kw³tha. Milder than this is the
p³chana kw³tha, which is
prepared the same way except
that the decoction is boiled till
the water solution remains half
of the original volume. This is
recommended in case of high
fever, etc to first control the
deficiencies or excess in the
doshas (namely v³ta, pitta and
kapha); initially, it even aggra-
vates the doshas that have
caused the ailment in order to
make the disease manifestation
clearer. Mildest is the
santaparña kw³tha, in which the
heating of the solution is
continued only till it begins to
boil. This type of kw³tha is often
used like a general tonic given
for balancing the concentration
of specific vital elements in the
body.
The potency of a drug becomes
successively higher in the other
types of kw³tha of a particular
medicinal herb/plant. Ïamana
Kw³tha is boiled till the solution
is reduced to one-eighth of
original volume; as the name
suggests, it calms (pacifies) the
intensity of the disease by
suppressing the corresponding
doshas that are the root-cause.
Often, if the symptoms are not
confirming the diagnosis, first
the p³chana kw³tha is given; the
desired regimen of the ïamana
kw³tha starts only after neces-
sary 'ripening' of the specific
doshas. Dºpana Kw³tha is
a more concentrated
decoction, prepared by
boiling the medicine's
solution till it becomes
only one-tenth of the
original volume.
Depending upon the
type and state of the
disease, the dºpana
kw³tha of specific
herbal/plant medi-
cine(s) is prescribed to
cleanse the stomach,
enhance appetite and/or
regulate metabolism.
Ïodhana kw³tha is still
higher in the potency of
the medicine as it is
boiled till the solution is
reduced to one-twelfth
of the original volume. It
cleanse out the mala (the
accumulated dirt inside
the body, infections, etc).
ÏoÌaña kw³tha is the
richest extract of the
boiled medicines. It is
obtained by boiling the
herbal/plant medicine's
solution (decoction) till
only one- sixteenth of the
original volume
remains. This type of
strong kw³tha destroys
the cause(s) of the acute
or aggravated ail-
ments/sickness com-
pletely.
According to general
therapeutic principles of
March-April 2005
Ayurveda, p³chana proportionally increase or 3. Kutaja Kw³tha: It is very
kw³tha should be taken decrease, depending upon the effective medicine to cure
in the night (before dose. In each case, the constituents dysentery, loose motions, and
sleep); ïamana kw³tha are separately crushed (grinded) chronic or infection-driven
before noon (after as coarse powder and then mixed amoebiasis.
breakfast, as guided by as per the given measurements.
the doctor); dºpana The method of preparation will be Ingredients: K¿Úaja- 1 tsp, Bilva- 1
kw³tha is prescribed to be specified in the next article in this tsp, K³lamegha- 1/2 tsp, TrikaÚu-
taken late in the after- series, together with the constitu- 1/4 tsp, Ïarpunkh³- 1/2 tsp, V³s³- 1
noon (post lunch). ents of some more kw³thas. The tsp, N³garmoth³- 1 tsp, MulahaÚhº-
Santaparña and ïodhana common English names and 1/2 tsp, Chir³yat³- 1/2 tsp, Giloya-
kw³thas are taken early in botanical names of the herbs 1 tsp, D³r¿ Haldº - 1 tsp, Haldº - 1/2
the morning (empty mentioned here are given in the tsp.
stomach). Table at the end of the article.

We introduce below the 1. K³lmegha Kw³tha: It is benefi-

constitutions and uses of cial in Malaria, Jaundice,
some of k³Ãh³s (kw³thas) Fever, and Liver ailments.
that are extensively Ingredients: K³lmegha - 1 tsp,
studied and prescribed KuÚakº- 1/4 tsp, Chir³yat³ - 1 Once a destitute approached
at the Brahm Varchas tsp, Giloya- 1 tsp, Punarnav³- Hazrat Ibrahim and pleaded for
Research Centre. These 1/2 tsp, S³riv³- 1 tsp, K³lº Jºrº- some monetary help. The Hazarat
are found to have 1/2 tsp, MulahaÚhº- 1 tsp, said, “If you possess any articles,
significant positive Ïarpunkh³- 1 tsp, B³yaviÃanga- bring them to me”. The poor man
healing effects in a 1/2 tsp, Kh³dira - 1 tsp. owned a plate, a lota (water-pot)
number of frequently and two blankets. Barring one
occurring ail- 2. V³s³ Kw³tha: It is an effective blanket, the Hazrat got the other
ments/diseases and remedy for cough and cold, articles auctioned. Handing him
disorders - including common cold, acidity, flu, over two dirhams, which the auction
those, which are heredi- and sinusitis. had fetched, Hazrat advised the
tary and/or chronic in poor man, “Buy flour with one
nature and are usually Ingredients: V³s³- 1 tsp, KanÚak³rº- dirham and an axe with the other.
considered incurable 1 tsp, Bh³rangº- 1 tsp, Tejapatra- Satisfy your hunger with the flour,
through modern 1/2 tsp, MulahaÚhº- 1 tsp, Tulasº- and use the axe to cut wood and sell
medicinal therapies. 1/2 tsp, TrikaÚu- 1/4 tsp, Chitraka- it in the market.” The man acted
1/4 tsp, Naus³dara (Ammonia accordingly, and when he came back
In the descriptions salt)- 1/8 tsp, Atºsa- 1/12 tsp, after a fortnight, he had with him
below, the unit of T³lºsa Patra- 1 tsp, Gulabanphï³- 1 ten dirhams as savings. The Hazarat
measurement is one tsp. (Note: the coarse powder of a said, “If one is able-bodied, one
teaspoon (tsp), which is mix of sonÚha, pºpala and k³lºmircha should seek the help of one's own
about 5gms. The quanti- in equal proportions is called limbs. This is the wise way”.
ties of ingredients would trikaÚu).

March-April 2005 33

Alphabetic list of the Hindi Names (of the herbs/medicinal plants) referred above; other popular
Hindi names, if any, are also shown in the first column
Hindi Name(s)
Aïwagandh³
Âtisa, Ativisha
B³yviÃanga, Vidang
Chitrak, Cheeta
Chir³yat³, Kirat tikta
D³r¿ Haldº, Kilmora
Giloya, Amrata, Guduchi
G¿gal, Dev-Dhup
Gulbanphï³, Banfasha
Haldi, Haridra
KanÚk³rº, Kateli, Vyaghri
K³lº Jºrº, Somraji,Banjeeta
K³lº mircha, Marich
K³lmegha, Bhunimb
Kh³dira, Khair, Kattha
K¿taja, Koora
KaÚukº
MulahaÚhº, Madhuyeshthi
N³garmoth³, Mustak
Pºpala, Asavatha
Punarnav³ (Rakta)
SaunÚha, Adarak, Shunthi
S³rºw³, Aasfota, Kapuri
ϳlparñº, Sarivan
Ïarpunkh³, Pleehari
T³lisapatra, Dhatripatra
Tejpatra, Tamalpatra
Tulasº, Gauri, Varnda
V³s³, Adusa
Vilva, Bael
34
Table
English Name Botanical Name
Rap seed plant, Winter cherry Withania somnifera Dunal
Indian Atees Aconitum heterophyllum Wall.
Barbreng Embellia ribes Burn.
White leadwort Plumbago zeylanica Linn.
Chireta Swertia chirayata Roxb.
Indian Berberry Berberis aristata DC.
Tinospora, Guduchi Tinospora cordifolia ( wild) Miers.
Indian Bedellium tree Commiphora mukul Hook
Sweet Viola Viola odorata Linn.
Turmeric Curcuma domestica Val
Kantakari Solanum Xanthocarpum
Purple Flobane Vernonia anthelmintica (wild)
Black pepper Piper nigrum Linn.
The Creat Andrographis paniculata, Nees.
Black Catechu Acacia catechu willd
Tellicherry Bark Holarrhena antidysenterica Wall.
Black Hellebore Picrorrhiza Kurroa Royle ex Benth.
Liquoric Root Glycyrrhixaglabra Bois.
Nutgrass Cyperus rotundus Linn.
Poplar leave Fig Tree Ficus religiosa Linn.
Hogweed Horsse Purslene Boerhaavia diffusa Linn.
Dry Zinger Zingiber officinale Roscoe.
Indian sarsaparilla Hemidesmus indicus R.Br.
Sarivan Desmodium gangericumD.C.
Wild Indigo Tephrosia purpurea Linn.
-- -- Abies Webbiana
Tamala tree Cinnamomum tamala Nees
Holy basil, Sacred basil Ocimum sanctum Linn.
Malabarnut Adhatoda vasica, Nees
Bengal Qunice Aegle marmelos, Corr.
(Series to be continued).
March-April 2005
My Life: Its Legacy and Message 13
(Autobiography of Poojya Gurudev Pt. Sriram Sharma Acharya - Continued)
M
an has his own
limitations like a
child. He poten-
tially gets infinite strength
from his Creator, the
Omnipotent God. This,
however, is conditional.
Children do not know
proper utility of objects
and cannot take care of
them. So they are given
cheap toys, petty bal-
loons, rattles, whistles,
lemon juice balls, toffees
etc. When a child grows
up, understands his
responsibilities he gets
everything in inheritance
without demanding
anything. For this he is not
required to beg, beseech
pathetically or offer
prayers. God and
divinized human beings
are keen to give a thou-
sand times more than
what we ask for, provided
we have demonstrated
our competence to utilize
the divine gifts for noble
and altruistic purposes
and not for gratification of
our perversely petty,
egoistic desires and
hungers.
March-April 2005
Never-failing Sadhana
It does not serve any purpose to
give false assurances for the future.
Proof has to be furnished how,
whatever has been given so far, has
been utilized. This is the basis of
preparing the performance graph,
which is examined before promo-
tion is granted. I had to give
convincing proof of my competence
and sincerity during past several
births. When everything was found
to be in order, gifts and grace were
showered on me.
Whatever Sugreev, Vibhishan,
Sudama, Arjun got and whatever
they did was not the result of their
own ego-centred efforts. The
supreme power of God was
working from behind the curtain.
Canals get water from rivers.
Distributaries, which supply water
to the fields, get it from the canals. If
there is any disorder or mishap
anywhere there is bound to be a
breakdown in the entire chain. Man
can establish intimate relationship
with God on some definite basis.
There is no scope in it for anything
like flattery. God does not play
favourite with anyone. He is bound
by the laws underlying the smooth
working of His cosmos. He is
impartial.
My personal human competence is
almost insignificant. Whatever has
been accomplished should purely
be considered the result of Divine
Grace, most of which is being
showered not directly but through
the medium of my Gurudev,
although it hardly makes any
difference.
How could this sublime achieve-
ment be possible? It was possible by
cultivation of competence or
worthiness. It is also known as
Jºvan-s³dhan³. It is intimately
related to up³san³. Electric current
flows through a metal wire and not
through wood. A dry log of wood
burns far more quickly and brightly
than a wet one. A mother takes up a
child into her lap when he is neat
and clean. If he is stained with filth
and dirt, she will first wash and
clean him and then take him in her
lap and feed him. For securing
nearness, proximity to God, purity
of character is a must. Several
persons had remained soiled with
carnal cravings in their previous
lives but the moment they took to
faith, devotion and s³dhan³ their
lives were transformed beyond
recognition. Valmiki, Angulimal,
Bilva-mangal, Ajamil became saints
in the true sense of the term, the
moment they surrendered them-
selves to God, although their past
lives were far from pious. We adopt
the policy of R³m n³m japan³ par³y³
35
m³l apan³ (mechanically taking
Ram's name but coveting what
belongs to others). We go on doing
evil deeds and yet think that by
worshipping God merely through
outward symbolic acts, we will
escape from retribution for our
trespasses. Is this not a great
delusion?
Before dyeing, a cloth has to be
washed clean. Before sowing it is
necessary to plough the land. To
earn the grace of God one has to lead
a pious life and become a s³dhak. A
s³dhak alone can become a true
devotee. In the absence of Jºvan-
s³dhan³ the thoughts, character,
diet and daily routine of a person
will all be disorganized. Such a
person will always remain restless
on account of greed and desires and
he will never be able to concentrate
his mind. No purpose is served
merely by performing karma-k³nd
and symbolic worship. Worship is
directly related to inner feelings.
With sublimated feelings alone a
person is able to assimilate righ-
teousness in his attitudes, actions
and nature.
When a respectable guest pays a
visit or there is a function, the entire
house is cleaned and whitewashed.
If God is to be invited to occupy the
chamber of the heart, it has to be
first cleaned of all the dirt and dross,
which fill it. For this one has to take
recourse to self-growth. These facts
were explained to me and I thor-
oughly assimilated them. After all,
why do we lead a contemptible life?
Greed, delusion and pride, these
36
three are at its root. A man having
these vices is bound to be dragged
towards hell.
Actions are shaped by our subtle
tendencies. Our physical body is
governed by our mind. Mind alone
and not the body should be consid-
ered responsible for all the mis-
deeds. Keeping this fact in view, I
considered it appropriate to cut the
roots of the poisonous tree of ego-
centered cravings and started Jºvan-
s³dhan³, considering mind as the
basis.
Crimes are often committed due to
economic compulsions and
temptation. A pledge was, there-
fore, taken by me to lead a simple
life of an average Indian. Whatever
the income, it should be spent
economically, according to local
conditions, on the principle of
'simple living and high thinking'. In
principle, most of the people give it
lip support, but when it comes to
practice they find it difficult to do
so. It requires unshakable firmness
and resolve, as members of the
family have also to be prepared to
follow it strictly, not only in princi-
ple but also in practice.
The greatest difficulty in this
connection is about the attitudes
prevalent in the society. People
think that when everybody is
indulging in riotous merry-making
on his well-earned or ill-gotten
wealth, why should we exercise
control on ourselves? It is very
difficult to convince members of the
family in this matter. Still, if we
practice what we preach
and try to convince
people by logic, facts and
results and our resolve is
firm, it is well nigh
impossible that persons
close to us will not be
influenced. If economic
malpractices are sought to
be eradicated, it is
necessary to educate the
minds of the people on
these lines. With this
resolve I remained firm in
my convictions. Our
family in Ghiya Mandi,
Mathura, consisted of five
members. Till we came to
Hardwar in 1971, we
managed our expenses
within two hundred
rupees per month. This
could be possible by thrift
and by maintaining a
standard different from
others, although my
income was above
average as I had inherited
ancestral property. It was
also spent in the educa-
tion of children of other
members of the family
and nothing was accumu-
lated to breed vices and
addictions. Thus an
important aspect of Jºvan-
s³dhan³ could be prac-
ticed.
A man has a propensity
for adorning, embellish-
ing and enriching one's
own family and he wants
to leave behind huge
March-April 2005
wealth in succession at
the time of his death.
Children of the people
who indulge in unre-
strained gratification of
desires are bound to
become addicted to
luxuries of all sorts and
thus a chain of extrava-
gance and squandering of
money starts. Ill-gotten
wealth is bound to be
spent in licentious living. I
learnt a lesson from the
experience of the down-
fall of others and did not
allow such an outlook to
enter in my home. Thus a
cultured, refined family
grew up.
People squander away a
lot of money and time in
bragging, pomp and
show, ornamentation and
fashion. There was no
scope in my life for such
ego-inflating and self-
glorifying trivialities, as
an atmosphere of
Br³hmañ-like politeness
and simplicity was
maintained throughout
my personal and family
life. We had formed the
habit of doing all domes-
tic chores with our own
hands. For years Mataji
grinded flour at home and
prepared meals herself
for the family and guests.
A domestic servant had to
be engaged only when, on
account of extraordinary
expansion of mission's
March-April 2005
work, it became difficult for her to
spare time for household work.
It is a false notion, born out of a
perverted sense of values, that those
living in pomp and show are
regarded 'great' while those living
in simplicity are considered to be
unlucky or backward. It did not
ever apply in my case. It would
have been a different matter if
poverty had become our lot on
account of sloth or incompetence.
But in our case it was a voluntarily
and gladly adopted way of life in
adherence to high and noble ethical
principles. None of my relatives,
friends etc. who came in my contact
regarded it as poverty but as an
example of setting Br³hmañ tradi-
tions. There are people who by
giving up chillies or putting on
wooden sandals make loud
proclamations of their simplicity
and righteousness. But spiritual life
is truly lived by an all-inclusive self-
restraint and discipline in which
one has to consciously endeavour
every moment to transform his
entire way of life into that of a true
Br³hmañ. This entails a gradual and
long s³dhan³. In this respect, I
rigorously trained myself and also
all those who were linked with me.
Life is affected by accumulated evil
tendencies and habits. Passion,
anger, greed, delusion, pride and
jealousy, all tried to deflect me from
the righteous path, but they were
chased away before they could
establish a foothold in my psyche.
They succeed only when a person is
caught unawares or lowers his
guard. I kept a constant watch on
my attitudes (guña), actions (karma)
and nature (svabh³v) with a view to
ensuring that righteousness of a
s³dhak has been incorporated in
them. It is a matter of satisfaction
that I can humbly claim to have
emerged victorious.
At birth, everybody is crude and
unpolished. Every soul brings with
it, from previous lives, a greater or
lesser load of evil tendencies and
impressions. They cannot be
eradicated all at once. Grace of the
Guru or p¿j³-p³th (rituals) also does
not serve this purpose. The only
way is to struggle hard against the
evil tendencies. A parallel army of
noble thoughts, duly trained,
should be kept in readiness to fight
it out as soon as an evil thought
creeps in. Evil thoughts and
tendencies cannot exist for long if
they are not allowed to consolidate
their position in our minds. Their
strength is limited. They mainly
depend on habits and conventions,
while good thoughts have always
the strong support of logic, facts,
proof, wisdom, etc. The authors of
ancient scriptures have rightly
pointed out that ultimately truth
alone prevails. In other words, it is
the divine virtues and noble
tendencies that form part of our real
higher nature; evil tendencies are
only aberrations and shadows
without substance. When monkeys
and bears can be trained to display
amazing feats, there is no reason
why a raw and crude human mind
could not be refined and made
righteous through concentrated
s³dhan³.
37
 Occult Science of Astrology and
T
he positive role of astrology in
spiritual healing has been
demonstrated through the
ages. If the spiritual healer is well
versed in astrology he can draw a
very close estimate of the patient's
past and future courses of life.
True, in modern times astrology
has become a victim of many
kinds of misconceptions and
criticisms. Variety of malpractices
and superstitions have tarnished
and overshadowed the basic
scientific premises of this great
science. But if these layers of
popular blind beliefs are unpeeled
and its real character deciphered,
its scientific worth becomes
apparent. It is a very effective
technique of personality assess-
ment. It gives a glimpse into a
person's latent potentialities and
future prospects. It fairly accu-
rately predicts what major
hurdles one will be coming across
in life or which ill-fortunes are
likely to befall him at which
specific points of time.
But for this, it would be necessary
to have a clear understanding of
its nature and functioning.
Modern science accepts the truth
that this universe is instinct with
energy. Indeed, the physicists
have now gone to the extent of
according primacy to energy
38
its role in Healing and Health
waves over material particles. levels of the cosmic
They hold that matter is only an energy are also affected
illusive appearance; the substratal in some way. These
reality is nothing but energy. different energy levels
Everything in this creation have been classified by
whether animate or inanimate the experts of astrology
was pure energy before taking in symbolic codes, which
form, will dissolve into the cosmic are expressed as
formless energy waves after navagraha (the nine
physical death. The scientist and planets), twelve zodiac
the spiritualist both agree that this signs, twenty-seven
all-pervading energy has many naksatras (constella-
levels and states, which are tions), etc.
continually changing. This
perpetual flux is the cause of the Astrology and spiritual
origin, sustenance and dissolution science both agree that a
of the creation. person's moment of
birth has special signifi-
There is, however, a theoretical cance. Undoubtedly,
disagreement though between the every moment of time is
scientists and the spiritualists as to important but the birth
why this change occurs. While moment exercises
science ascribes this to mere continuing influence on
chance factor, the spiritual the whole course of
viewpoint considers it as born out embodied life. Why is it
of the cosmic consciousness-force so? The answer is that
as an absolute necessity for the special currents of the
creational process. According to cosmic energy meet
this view, change in the circum- every moment at one
stances of a human being, a higher point or the other in a
order living being, is caused and specific arrangement
guided by his actions, thoughts, and quantum. It is in
emotions and resolves. This is the these moments of
core premise of the science of convergence that the
astrology. This science also birth of a person takes
postulates that in this life-long place. This precise
cycle of changes the different moment decides in what
March-April 2005
sequence these energy
currents will meet in
future and what influ-
ence they will cast on the
course of his life.
The astrologers prepare
horoscope or diagram-
matic representation of
the energy cycle of every
sentient or insentient
entity. This cycle is
generally based on the
nine planets or nine
primary currents of the
cosmic energy and
twelve special currents
forming the zodiac
signs. If the calculation is
accurate, it will reveal
the resultant effect of the
confluent energy
currents on the lives of
these entities.
Man's position is
somewhat different. He
is neither completely
non-conscious like
matter nor semi-
conscious like plants or
animals. He is self-
conscious. He is richly
endowed with the
powers of reason and
discrimination. That is
why he is capable of
adapting and modifying
the effects of the cosmic
energy waves falling
upon him.
March-April 2005
Astrology looks into the intricate
pattern of a person's birth-
moment-based energy cycle and
determines when, and in what
way, a particular energy current is
likely to cast its influence on his
life. This cycle also tells which
actions and sanskaras of the past,
otherwise called fate, caused the
person's birth at that precise
instant. This kind of knowledge
constitutes one aspect of astrology
(jnana jyotisa). Its other aspect is
concerned with methodology of
adjustment with these energy
currents, that is, it prescribes the
conscious steps a person may take
to enhance the effects of his good
luck or opportune moments, or to
mitigate the impact of bad phases
lying in store for him as per
astrological readings of his
horoscope.
There are many efficacious and
helpful methods prescribed in
Jyotish Shastra for different
situations. It is for the spiritual
healer to intelligently and intu-
itively select or reject a particular
method. It all depends on his own
depth and range of knowledge.
Unfortunately, there are very few
scholars today who are equally
adept in both spiritual sadhana and
astrological science. But some
decades back, this rare confluence
was seen in Swami
Vishuddhanandji who was the
guru of Dr. Gopinath Kaviraj, a
great scholar of Indology. The
former had acquired this twin
expertise from his enlightened
gurus during his sadhana days in
the divinely charged environs of
Gyanganj Siddhapeeth located in
the astral realm in a remote region
of Tibet. Swamiji was greatly
skilled in all the three branches or
aspects of astrology viz. Ganita
Jyotisa (mathematical or computa-
tional astrology), Yoga Jyotisa and
Deva Jyotisa (astrology of the
gods).
Mathematical astrology is the
branch widely known and
practiced. In it, computation is
done on the basis of time and place
of birth, and the resultant effects
are studied. In yoga astrology, the
time of the union between the
parents is determined with the
help of yogic power. The starting
point of calculation here is the
moment of conceiving and not of
the physical birth. Deva jyotisa
contains many wonders, for
example, preparing a person's
horoscope on the basis of informa-
tion given about a person indi-
rectly or by simply looking
through his energy field by direct
interaction, etc.
Swami Vishuddhanandji utilized
these different aspects of astrol-
ogy in his spiritual healing
according to the time and need.
Rohini Kumar Chel has recounted
his own experience with
Vishuddhanadji. When he went to
meet Swamiji the first time he was
carrying with him his own and his
39
wife's horoscopes. He wanted to
seek solutions to some problems
of life. But as soon as he began to
take out the horoscopes from his
handbag, Vishunddhanandji
stopped him and brought out a
piece of paper on which had been
drawn not only the two horo-
scopes of his and his wife but full
details of unfoldment of their lives
had also been worked out. A
surprised Rohini Kumar com-
pared the two sets of horoscopes
those with him and those shown
by Vishuddhanandji. His wife's
horoscope exactly tallied while in
his own case the birth lagna (time)
differed. Vishuddhanandji
explained: “It is the horoscope
prepared by me that is correct. If
the one you possess had been
correct, you would not have been
an ordinary mortal but an avatar
(Divinity incarnate). You would
not come to me; I would have
gone to you. Because, the horo-
scope you have with you shows a
birth lagna whose conjunction
with the cosmic energy currents
and the specific sequence of their
meeting makes it an extra-
ordinary moment”. Through this
personal interaction, Swamiji took
the necessary remedial measures
for Rohini Kumar's
spiritual healing. This
curative process
included some tech-
niques of tantra too.
To sum up, for correct
astrological prediction,
the practitioner has to be
an adept in all the three
branches of this occult
science, viz; Ganita
Jyotish, Yoga Jyotish and
Deva Jyotish as was
Swami Vishuddhanandji.

A king had four ministers. Three of them were sycophants but the
fourth one was farsighted and frank.
When the king died the first minister built an expensive monument
in his memory. The second one got precious stones engraved in the
monument. The third one got golden lamps lighted in it. Everyone
appreciated their devotion and sincerity towards the deceased king.
The fourth minister got a dense garden planted around the
monument.
In course of time the amount spent by all the three ministers got
wasted. Thieves and dacoits stole all the valuable decorations of the
monument. The garden of the fourth minister kept giving fruits.
Families of gardeners lived on them. The travelers got shed to rest in
the garden and heartily blessed the person who got it planted and
nurtured.

40 March-April 2005
 On the Sacred Festival of Navratri
T
here are only two
fundamental
elements in this
creation - the conscious
(chetan) and the non-
conscious (jada). The
principles and forces
working within the non-
conscious are discov-
ered and utilized by
vijn³na, the scientific
knowledge. To under-
stand the nature and
tendency of thoughts,
ideas and sentiments
that flow within the
conscious, one has to
take the help of jn³na, the
spiritual knowledge.
The root source, from
which both these
streams of knowledge -
the spiritual and the
scientific - spring like
Ganga and Yamuna
descending from the
Himalaya, is called
G³yatrº Mah³mantra. The
jn³na aspect of G³yatrº is
tattva-darïan (essence) of
Brahmavidy³ i.e. glimpse
of the ultimate Reality,
while its vijn³na aspect
consists of practices of
s³dhan³. Jn³na or
spiritual knowledge
leads to mokïa or salva-
March-April 2005
Âdyaïakti Tripad³ G³yatrº
tion. Vijn³na or science forms the
basis of physical / material
progress. These two are called
riddhi and siddhi respectively. One
name of G³yatrº is Jagaddh³trº
(upholder of the cosmos). It is
therefore appropriate that the
Supreme power, which upholds
this cosmos, be called Âdyaïakti,
the Primordial Energy. The seers
while assigning supreme impor-
tance to the use and symbols of
ïikh³, s¿tra, mah³mantra,
gurumantra etc., have sung paeans
of praise to the glory of this
Br³hmºïakti, the creative energy.
G³yatrº is revered as Vedm³t³
(origin of the Vedas), Devam³t³
(mother of the gods) and
Vishwam³t³ (mother of the uni-
verse) because she holds in her
bosom, in seed form, all the major
and minor streams of the spiritual
and the scientific knowledge.
Shruti (the revealed texts) says:
“In this world, nothing is loftier
than G³yatrº”.
The science of G³yatrº is extremely
subtle and elaborate. The key to
understand the essence of this
science has been incorporated in
seed form in the composition of its
word-structure. The adepts of
G³yatrº s³dhan³ have underlined
the sanctity of its 24 letters by
comparing them with the 24 basic
divine energies. The scriptures
contain references to the 24
attributes of G³yatrº correspond-
ing to 24 avat³rs, 24 deities, 24 riÌis,
24 yogas, 24 tapas (austerities), 24
chakras (extra-sensory energy
centers), 24 s¿tras, etc.
G³yatrº mah³mantra has three
parts and hence G³yatrº has also
been named as Tripad³. Since it is
composed of three segments of
eight syllables each, Pingalashatra
calls it G³yatrº chhanda (metrical
composition). Tripad³ is triveñº,
the confluence of three rivers. The
three streams are called theism,
spirituality and religiousness. The
triads of sat-chit-³nand (existence,
consciousness and bliss); satyam-
shivam-sundaram (truth, goodness
and beauty); satwa-rajas-tamas
(purity, kinetism, and ignorance);
amrit-p³ras-kalpavikïa (elixir,
philosopher's stone, and wish-
fulfilling celestial tree); Brahma-
Vishnu-Mahesh; Saraswati-
Lakshmi-Kali; bhakti-shakti-shanti
(devotion, power, and serenity);
etc. are associated with the three
parts of G³yatrº. This is also
reflected in the three forms of
trik³la sandhy³ (prayer-rituals of
morning, noon and evening).
There are nine words in G³yatrº
mah³mantra. Each of these
41
contains the blueprint of divine
virtues for individual and social
well-being. Imbibing these virtues
an individual can rise from
pettiness to greatness and trans-
form himself from an ordinary
mortal (nara) into godhead
(n³r³yana). Virtues are indeed
countless but, upon classification,
they can be reduced to nine in
number. Similarly, the innumera-
ble strands of the moral code,
which are required to uplift the
society, can also be grouped in
nine categories. This nine-fold
grouping is symbolically repre-
sented by the nine threads of
yagyopavita (sacred thread). The
devotional method to integrate
this process into the scheme of life
is navadh³-bhakti (nine-fold
devotion). Mostly, it is the nine
words of G³yatrº whose
simulative and rhetoric interpre-
tations form the core-substance of
navadurgas, nine planets,
navadweepas, navanidhis, etc.
Navadurg³s are mentioned in the
unorthodox t³ntric practices.
Their external forms or images are
well known. In the orthodox yoga-
s³dhan³, there is a description of
navadevºs (nine goddesses).
Durg³s represent material powers
and abundance, and devºs, spiri-
tual forces. The two are not
antithetical; they complement
each other. It is only by combining
the material and the spiritual that
knowledge becomes complete.
The wise sages of yore had kept
42
physical and metaphysical
knowledge as complementary to
each other. But today, one-sided
and narrow material pursuits
have become everything. Not
only should Durg³s be wor-
shipped, but the worship of
navadevºs, which represent
spiritual radiance, should also be
restored to their original sanctity.
In the narvar³tris of ³ïwin and
chaitra months, only the worship
of navadurg³s has been holding
primary importance, because of
pre-eminence given to power and
pelf (siddhis). However, the
orthodox devº - worship, in one
form or the other, has continued in
a subdued way. Ram-lºl³, R³ss-lºl³,
Ramayana-p³r³yaña, navah³nna-
yagya, gañagaur and other such
religious traditions are performed
during navar³tri itself, and they
are different from the regular
Durg³-p¿j³, as they, by and large,
represent the prayerful yearning
of the Soul for upliftment towards
its source.
It has been mentioned earlier that
the nine words of G³yatrº appear
in nine-fold classifications
depending on different perspec-
tives. In the Ramayana, they have
been called “Navaguna param punit
tumhare” (your nine attributes are
the most pious). These nine
attributes are symbolized as
navadevºs and can be viewed as the
sublime inspirations inherent in
the nine words of
G³yatrº.
These nine energies may
also be called basic
divine potentialities of
human consciousness.
They lie in a dormant
state within every
human being. If the right
endeavor is made to
awaken them, they will
endow the s³dhak with
the divine powers,
which are called riddhi-
sidhi. These achieve-
ments are termed as
'going forward' and
'rising high'. 'Going
forward' means to
become endowed with
prosperity and glory.
'Rising high' means to
become evolved and
cultured. Divine potenti-
alities and noble disposi-
tions are present in
everyone in seed form.
The seed encapsules the
potential of the whole
tree, but this is normally
not visible. Only when
the seed is duly planted
in rich soil and nurtured,
does it germinate and
finally grow into the
giant tree. It is the divine
energies and noble
tendencies that are the
Durg³s and the devºs. By
s³dhan³, they are
awakened and culti-
March-April 2005
vated. Awakened inner-
power (atma-bal) is
kalpavriksa. The virtues
and noble traits are its
fruits. Persons endowed
with creative inner-
power are able to
achieve grand successes
and perform historic
deeds. This is not the
result of their mere
physical and intellectual
prowess but that of their
spiritual eminence. In
terms of spirituality, it is
called divine grace. To
become the medium of
such miracles, it requires
cultivation of the inner
soul through s³dhan³.
S³dhan³ means focused
effort towards refine-
ment and transmutation of one's
raw and base mental and physical
tendencies (kusanskars) into noble
and altruistic thoughts, emotions
and deeds (susanskars) as integral
parts of the personality.
The three parts of G³yatrº pro-
pound respectively (a) theism, i.e.,
firm faith in the Divine; (b)
spirituality, i.e., awareness of a
Supreme Intelligence at the base
of creation; and (c) religiousness,
i.e. sincere performance of one's
duties. That is why it is called
Tripad³. From each of these three
spring three currents making it an
aggregate of nine. The three main
strands of yagyopavita, each
consisting of three threads, are a
pointer to the transmutation of the
three into nine. The three parts of
G³yatrº have three words each
representing the trilateral func-
tioning of tridh³. Navadh³ bhakti
(nine-fold devotion) is also an
expansion of this very
Brahmavidya. These divine
emanations of G³yatrº are known
as nine devºs or goddesses. Their
worship leads to integrated
spiritual growth and synthesis of
matter and spirit.
The G³yatrº Shaktipeethas have
nine goddesses. They are: (1)
Adyashakti, (2) Savitri, (3)
Kundalini, (4) Vedamata, (5)
Devamata, (6) Vishwamata, (7)
Saraswati, (8) Lakshmi and (9)
Durga. This navaratna (nine-gem)
family of G³yatrº encompasses all
that is good, beneficial and joyful
for the individual and the society.

This is an incident from Mahatma Gandhi's life. Once he had to

attend a committee meeting but had to wait for about forty-five
minutes beyond the appointed time because the leader who was
supposed to initiate the proceedings of the meeting arrived late.
As soon as he arrived on the dais Mahatma Gandhi suddenly said
that if the same situation continued amongst our leading leaders
then Swaraj would arrive forty-five minutes late. This
expression came from the inner soul of the religiously punctual
and duty conscious Bapu, in a very spontaneous and natural
manner.
March-April 2005 43
Amrit Vani
The Purpose and Significance of Pilgrimage
(Translation of a discourse on "Tºrthasevan K³ Mahatva Aur Prayojan ")
Let us begin with the collective cleanse you from within, but also noble sansk³ras. In
chanting of the Gayatri Mantra: enable you to keep the 'cloth' of fact, spirituality also
your life always 'clean' in the means awakening and
“ O m B h u r B u v a ¡ S w a ¡ , future as well. Why? How? e x p r e s s i o n o f
Tatsaviturvareñya® Bhargo Because, you have practiced susansk³ras. And, these
Devasya Dhºmahi,Dhiyo Yona¡ penance and devotions at such are generated only by
places and performed s³dhan³s the righteous integra-
Pracoday³t ||”
in the spiritually empowering t i o n o f k n o w l e d g e
ambience there. You seek guid- ( Gy³na ) and deeds
Sisters and Brothers,
ance of the elevated devotees and (Karma). Divine prayers,
sages there to solve the problems worships, devotional
"Tºrtha" a holy place of pilgrim-
of your worldly life, to get rid of
age hearing this word itself is so your shortcomings. You derive practices, japa (rhythmic
soothing! It fills our hearts with inspirations and mental strength enunciation or chanting
sacred feelings and joy. Just, from their ennobling and enlight- of mantras), meditation,
imagine! How beatifying the ening company, teachings and s w ³ d h y ³ y a a n d
1
tºrthas must have been in their blessings. All these help in satsang pertain to what
original forms, when the trans- cultivating virtuous tendencies is essential for the
forming spiritual vibrations of the (susansk³ras) in you. The latter knowledge aspect of
Tapa-S³dhan³s of great rishis become intrinsic and an integral s³dhan³.
and siddha saints were intensely part of your nature, if you also
t a n g i b l e i n t h e s e p l a c e s ? assimilate these teachings and But what about the
Pilgrimage to such places used to inspirations in your conduct and a c t i o n s ? W h a t i s
cleanse the pilgrims' inner selves, deeds; if you follow an altruistic, required to be done on
wash out their evil tendencies and duty-bound life imbued with high this front of spiritual
open up before them the path of moral values. d e v e l o p m e n t ?
righteous living. It must have Refinement of personal-
been truly purifying and enlight- You think that just worshipping i t y b y d e d i c a t e d
ening to live there for sometime! the God and chanting some s³dhan³s and selfless
mantras or reading devotional service for the welfare of
I do not know whether bathing epics like the Ramayana would do others of lesser lot
the physical body in the water of everything towards your self- around us, adoption of
holy rivers like Ganga washes realization. No. This itself is not generous, altruistic
away your sins or not. But, I can sufficient to inculcate the attitude in daily life are
assure you that if you take a deep s u s a n s k ³ r a s . S e n t i m e n t s , essential components of
plunge in the spiritual Ganga of thoughts and corresponding the yoga of works. It is
divine knowledge at a vibrantly actions the integration of these these kinds of karmas
alive tºrtha, it would not only alone can complete the process of that correspond to what
cultivation and sprouting of the is referred in the reli-

44 March-April 2005
gious terminology as
puñyas. Progress on
both fronts is necessary
for washing out the sins
and attainment of
auspicious qualities and
d i v i n e g r a c e .
Connection between the
two poles of electricity is
essential for the flow of
current in a circuit.
Similarly, the harmoni-
ous conjunction of both
Gy³na and Karma leads
to fulfillment of devo-
tion and righteousness,
which then effectuate
the supernormal
attainments or siddhis of
spiritual elevation.
Tºrthas were created in
the ancient times to
provide the motivating
energy and atmosphere
for transcending and
transmuting both
Gy³na and Karma into
the supreme state of
self-realization.
If you go for pilgrimage,
you must keep this
purpose and importance
of tºrthas in mind. If you
are lucky to reach and
stay at a tºrtha where the
spiritual vibrations of
the Rishi Age are still
active in some form, you
must devote yourself to
cultivating an attitude of
quietude to the uplifting
vibrations pervading
March-April 2005
there. You must know that tºrthas
are not meant for merely going
through some mechanical rituals
and beseeching worldly favors
from the deity. If you regard
Shantikunj as Gayatri-Tirth (a
Tºrtha for Gayatri S³dhan³), you
must follow the disciplines here
and make the best use of every
moment of your stay for your
spiritual enlightenment. Here we
have strict timetable from the
moment you get up (early in the
morning at 3:30 am) till you go to
bed (at 9pm). The arrangements,
activities and time-schedule are
so designed that if you follow
them sincerely, within a few days,
you would imbibe a regimen of
self-restraint and moral disci-
pline. Interaction with people
here will also inculcate in you the
art of living a truly civilized and
cultured social life. You will get an
opportunity to know the funda-
mentals of spiritual S³dhan³ and
Indian Culture and also gain an
experience and practical guidance
for imbibing an austere, ascetic
life dignified simplicity.
This place is like a sanatorium for
spiritual healing. Doctors and
medical experts may be there in
any conventional hospital, but
sanatoriums are equipped with a
distinct additional facility viz.,
health restoring atmosphere in a
natural setting. What patients
now a days gain in good sanatori-
ums in terms of health benefits,
used to be provided in the
Gurukuls and Aranyaks to the
aspirants in ancient times in terms
of virtuous mundane and spiri-
tual growth. In ancient India,
Gurukuls were educational
tºrthas for young children where
they used to gain in-depth
knowledge of life and existence
from their mentor rishis on all
aspects of life. They also used to
get thorough training for activa-
tion, refinement and growth of
their talents and for overall
development of their personali-
ties. Aranyaks also used to serve
as centers for training of the elders
(vanprasthis) in the s³dhan³ of
altruistic service and social
welfare.
The monasteries established by
Lord Buddha were also like
Aranyaks. Those who used to
renounce their worldly attach-
ments and were dedicated to
selfless service and dissemination
of the divine teachings of Lord
Buddha for the welfare of all used
to be the permanent inmates of
these monasteries. Well, you may
call them as "Bauddhvihars"
instead of Aranyaks; it hardly
makes any intrinsic difference.
Such sacred centers of learning
and training, where every
moment of life is dedicated to
tapa-s³dhan³ and service, are
tirthas indeed.
Tºrthas are not the sites where
people congregate out of religious
faith and do nothing except
crowding the place with cars,
buses and modern day gadgets of
tourism; bathing in the ponds or
45
rivers there, offering some
customary worship in the shrines
and distributing some alms to
beggars. Such a pilgrimage is no
different from a picnic trip. After
spending all the money and time,
you may have the satisfaction of
completing a pilgrimage to a
'popular tºrtha', but reality is that
doing a pilgrimage in this manner
is not genuine and worthwhile.
You must understand the correct
meaning of pilgrimage. While
going to a tºrtha, you must
remember that your journey and
stay there are meant for getting
deep inspiration for self-
refinement and self-upliftment
Pilgrimage is for introspection,
practice of penance and selfless
service and for resolving to single-
pointedly strive for an enlight-
ened future. The devout endeav-
ors of self-discipline and self-
transformation of today lay the
foundation of a brighter tomor-
row. Pilgrimage should be a
milestone in this ascending uphill
climb of the individual self.
You have come here to the
Gayatri-Tirtha (Shantikunj) for a
s³dhan³ retreat. You must
understand that this kalpa -
s³dhan³ experiment is not going
to transform you from a physi-
cally old or weak person into a
young and stout one; rather, it is
actually meant to transform your
inner personality. You should
therefore make the best possible
use of your free time here (beyond
s³dhan³ and discourse sessions)
46
in introspection, sw³dhy³ya,
contemplation, japa - up³san³ ,
and discussions with enlightened
s³dhaks around. Go over to the
banks of Ganga nearby; take a
stroll there in the evening; sit and
meditate or relax and energize
yourself in the purifying vicinity
of the holy river…. Don't let any
part of your routine be wasted in
wayward activities and thoughts.
This is what would justify your
being here in a real tºrtha. I have
attempted to make this tºrtha as a
living replica of the tºrthas of the
ancient times. It has been estab-
lished in the sacred Saptsarovara
region on the banks of Ganga,
right at the place where Maharshi
Vishwamitra's Tapasthali was
located in the Vedic Age.
Adi Shankaracharya had resur-
rected the Vedic tradition of
tºrthas by establishing the grand
"Chara Dhams" (four tºrthas) with
the help of Mandhata. Lord
Buddha had also encouraged the
expansion of tºrtha tradition in
the form of Bauddhavihars and
Sangharams. Where…? These
centres were spread all over Asia.
Rigorous s³dhan³ retreats and
training programmes for lay
Buddhists and Bhikshus used to
be run at these centres. Were they
tºrthas? Yes indeed! I call them the
real tºrthas. Lord Mahavir had
also propagated the system of
s u c h tºrthas t h r o u g h J a i n
Ashrams. Samarth Guru Ramdas
had followed the same path
during the seventeenth
century AD. Moreover,
as per the needs of the
times, he had expanded
the tradition of tºrthas at
the grassroots level.
Sarmarth Guru Ramdas
visited almost every
town and village of
Maharastra and encour-
aged widespread
establishment of
Hanuman temples
throughout the Maratha
Kingdom. From where
did he get the money?
Some people may think
that temples should be
grand and gorgeous in
appearance and people
should donate lots of
money for such religious
activities… That way
there are many so-called
religious trusts and
maÚhas, which collect
huge amounts of money
by exploiting the faith of
credulous devotees.
Some people may
become rich by cheating
the poor or by befooling
the innocent and thus
amassing wealth by
making others suffer…,
but even they them-
selves are often found
fooling themselves and
pouring heaps of money
as alms in the shrines to
'get rid' of their sins.
Guru Ramdas was not
interested in taking such
March-April 2005
donations. He got the dedicated to noble ideals of social (as is done by many so-called
temples of Lord and cultural upliftment of the popular priests these days,) as
Hanuman built by motherland. All that is happening mere storytelling, or amusing
collective participation in most of the temples today is people by the rhetoric or allegoric
of the local people. mechanical ritualistic worship of representations of the scriptures
These were constructed the idols of God, may be coupled (Purnas) without trying to
by using local soil and with some devotional songs. But understand and explain their
wood, or as huts or the temples established by implications. E.g., telling that
thatches, or small Samarth Guru were not like that. "Lord Krishna had sixteen
structures of bricks, as Ritualistic worship was only a thousand one hundred and eight
per the capacity of the part of the activities there. Main queens, and what not…." or that
villagers. And what thrust of activities was the devel- "Lord Shiva had cut Ganesha's
about the idols and their opment of people's personalities head and then stuck an elephant's
ornaments and dresses, in accordance with the Indian head on his neck…", etc is all
etc…? He knew that it is ideals of virility and vibrancy. A mindless; rubbish. Such narration
the purity and depth of gymnasium was attached with never had any truth or meaning
faith which matters in each temple. These used to serve neither in the earlier ages, nor
the eyes of God and not the purpose of improving the now. These kinds of 'stories'
the grandeur and physical health, courage and valor convey nothing but the ignorance
decoration of His idols. of the masses in a collective way; and shallowness of the so-called
He got the idols of above all, people used to learn 'preacher'…. The kath³-v³chana
Hanumanji made up of team work, organized efforts and by such preachers is shear wast-
stones available in the unity there. There also used to be age of time and degradation of
village/town and arrangements for mass education scriptural texts.
encarved by local and civic and cultural awareness
talents. No need of programmes in the temple In order to protect " kath³ -
jewelry and gorgeous premises. The priest of the temple
dresses; the idols were v³chana" from such aberrations
used to supervise and conduct all
painted by the color the educational activities. In the and distortions in the temples
made up of ger¿ founded by him, Samarth Guru
evenings there used to be satsang
Ramdas had to write a new
(Ruddle, red ochre). and kath³-v³chana2 to enlighten treatise. The stories and associ-
More important for him the masses and guide them to ated teachings from this volume
was the necessity of resolve social or familial problems called "Das Bodh" were used for
making these spots as by taking examples from the
tºrthas centres of soul kath³-v³chana in these temples.
ancestors. Attending " kath³ - "Das Bodh" was like a "Purana",
awakening and faith- v³chana" is more of a hobby or an which was most suited for
instilling for the masses.
easy way of satsang for many enlightenment and moral eleva-
The purpose was to train
people today. So let me warn you tion of the people of his times. He
the youth to become true
on that. thus pioneered the renaissance of
devotees of Lord
Hanuman. That means, the glory of tºrthas and the Vedic
Kath³-v³chana is an effective tradition of kath³-v³chana and
to make them strong,
mode of teaching the illiterate satsang in a remarkable, relevant
prudent, morally
masses. It should not be misused
elevated and fully and practical way. It was indeed

March-April 2005 47
these Hanuman temples that
trained and produced the army of Form IV
patriots, which fought the historic
1. Place of publication Mathura
battles against the invaders of
Indian self-esteem under the 2. Periodicity of its
leadership of his intrepid disciple
publication Bi-monthly
Chhatrapati Shivaji.
Notes: 3. Printer's Name Mrityunjay Sharma
1. Satsang: Being in good com- Whether a citizen
pany; attending enlightening
discourses, discussions on of India? Yes
different aspects of life. Address Jan Jagran Press,
Sw³dhy³ya: Self-training through Vrindavan Marg,
study of sagacious Mathura
thoughts/teachings and works of
4. Publisher's name Mrityunjay Sharma
elevated souls.
Whether a citizen
2. Kath³-v³chana: Discourses in of India? Yes
an enchanting way, by means of Address Akhand Jyoti
telling or reading the stories from Sansthan
scriptures and inspiring episodes
Ghiya Mandi
from world history with proper
Mathura
explanation.
5. Editor's name Dr. Pranav Pandya
(To be continued in the next issue) whether a citizen of India? Yes
Address Shantikunj,

He alone is a
Haridwar
6. Names and address of individuals who own the

true warrior newspaper and partners or shareholders holding

more then one percent of the total capital

who maintains Mrityunjay Sharma

Akhand Jyoti Sansthan
his integrity, Ghiya Mandi, Mathura

courage, and
I, Mrityunjay Sharma, hereby declare that the partic-
patience in ulars given above are true to the best of my Knowledge
and belief.
adversity.
Sd. Mrityunjay Sharma

48 March-April 2005
SHANTIKUNJ
Campus News
An Important Announcement
Inspired and guided to contact for detailed proce- birth place (Awankheda
by Shraddheya dure of applying etc. Shri village) and Akhand Jyoti
Shailjajiji and Dr. Pradeep Shah at his email Sansthan at Mathura
Pranavji Pandya, we address given at the end of
! Overnight stay at Chetna
are glad to announce this announcement.
Kendra, Noida, UP
organization of the Applicants should be keenly
first Leadership motivated and in sound ! July 23 Conducted sight
training camp for health. seeing tour of Delhi
Gayatri Pariwar
Brief Outline Of The ! July 23/24 nightD e p a r t u r e
youth in USA,
Program. for USA/Canada
Canada at Gayatri
Teerth, Shantikunj, ! July 9 Arrival at New Delhi ! Shantikunj-arranged AC
H a r i d w a r , (Centre for Gayatrhi coaches will meet the partici-
Uttaranchal, India Consciousness, Noida) pants at IG International
between July 10-23, Check-in & registration. Airport at Delhi, and will
2005 for 50 boys- ! July10 Departure to drive them to Shantikunj.
girls/men-women Hardwar Similar arrangement will also
between the age be made for conducted tours
group 15-26 years. ! July 10-21: Trainingcamp at in India, including transpor-
Brief information in Shantikunj with two-day tation upto the airport for
this regard is given outings on July 14 & 17 departure.
below. ! July 11G y a n Deeksha ! Comfortable and hygienic
Selection of trainees Samaroh board and lodging arrange-
will be done on 'first- ! July 21 Departure for Agra ments are being made at Deva
come-first-serve' for a full moon night view of Sanskriti Vishwa Vidyalaya
basis. Persons desir- Tajmahal (DSVV), Shantikunj, includ-
ous of attending the ing washing machine facili-
camp are requested ! July 22Visits to Gurudev's ties, during the duration of

March-April 2005 49
the camp (July 10-21) and ! Cultural programs by the Shri Jeetendra Tiwari
other places. Special arrange- participating youths on two and Smt Mamta
ment will be made for safe evenings Bhatnagar
drinking water. Estimated Cost: $350
!Musical night at
per head
! Proper medical facilities Prageshwar Mahadev temple
including check-ups at the
Feedback session For all details con-
time of registration and at the
tact.-
end of camp. Dress code
Shri Pradeep Shah at
! Conducted tours and in- ! Males Half sleeve kurta- email address:
house training at Shantikunj payjama (off-white color) pshah147@aol.com or
Ashram, DSVV, Bramvarchas abroadcell@awgp.org
! Females Half sleeve kurta
Shodh Sansthan etc. in small
salwar (off-white color) Organizing Team
batches.
! Own yoga, jogging, outdoor P.S. Gayatri Mission
! Daily regular outdoor Shantikunj is also
etc. clothing
activities: Games, sports, planning to organize
group singing ! Detailed program will be a similar but shorter
sent to the selected partici- youth training camp
! Special programs for eight
pants in due course. of 4-day duration in
evenings at Shantikunj.
Organizing Team USA in 2005, which
! Aarti at Har-Ki-Paudi will be personally
Program coordinator: Shri guided by Dr. Pranav
! Deep Yagya at the bank of
Sandeep Kumar ji. Details will be
holy Ganga
Program development team: announced later.
! Cultural programs by
Dr. S.P.Mishra, Vice
DSVV youth on two evenings
Chancellor, DSVV assisted by
Annoyed with Pericles, the famous metaphysician of Greece, a man once began to revile him. He
was mad with anger. No sooner had he reached Pericles' house than he started abusing the sage.
Pericles kept listening to his ranting and raving patiently. Still the man's anger would not
subside. Noon faded into dusk but the man's outpouring of invectives continued. When
darkness descended, he grew tired and got up to go. Pericles motioned to his servant and
instructed him “ Take a lantern and accompany this gentleman to his house” On hearing this,
the man was overwhelmed with shame and remorse for his misbehavior and begged Pericles'
forgiveness.
Tolerance towards opponents not only melts their opposition, but also turns them into friends.
Plato used to say “The biggest conquest is to win over the antagonist's heart”.

50 March-April 2005