gHari

At the risk of making things seem too simple, we can consider that Brahman somewhat means "REALITY". This reality we perceive, all that exists, existence itself, this is Brahman. However: this REALITY has a source, and necessarily that Source is beyond it. And yes, that source is a person, it is God, it is Bhagavan Sri Krsna, as will be clearly explained by Arjuna below. The sanskrit term "param" means 'beyond'. This is the word that Arjuna uses in the Bhagavad-gita verse quoted below to describe the unique position of Lord Krishna. Arjuna asserts that Krsna is beyond Brahman, param brahman. He fully accepts the earlier revelation of the Lord in their conversation that everything rests on Him, as pearls are strung on a thread [Bhagavad-gita 7.7]. The reality is that Sri Krsna is Brahman, everything, Reality, all that is; and yet inconceivably at the same time He remains Himself - the fully independent unborn cause of all causes. He is param brahman, and He has spoken this in the Bhagavad-gita to His dearmost friend and devotee, Arjuna. Bhagavad-gita 10.12-13 : <center> arjuna uvAca paraM brahma paraM dhAma pavitraM paramaM bhavAn puruSaM zAzvataM divyam Adi-devam ajaM vibhum Ahus tvAm RSayaH sarve devarSir nAradas tathA asito devalo vyAsaH svayaM caiva bravISi me </center> arjunaH uvAca--Arjuna said; param--supreme; brahma--truth; param--supreme; dhAma--sustenance; pavitram--pure; paramam--supreme; bhavAn--You; puruSam--personality; zAzvatam--original; divyam--transcendental; Adi-devam--the original Lord; ajam--unborn; vibhum--greatest; AhuH--say; tvAm--of You; RSayaH--sages; sarve--all; deva-RSiH--the sage among the demigods; nAradaH--NArada; tathA--also; asitaH--Asita; devalaH--Devala; vyAsaH--VyAsa; svayam--personally; ca--also; eva--certainly; bravISI--You are explaining; me--unto me. Arjuna said: You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the ultimate abode, the purest, the Absolute Truth. You are the eternal, transcendental, original person, the unborn, the greatest. All the great sages such as NArada, Asita, Devala and VyAsa confirm this truth about You, and now You Yourself are declaring it to me. PURPORT In these two verses the Supreme Lord gives a chance to the modern philosopher, for here it is clear that the Supreme is different from the individual soul. Arjuna, after hearing the essential four verses of Bhagavad-gItA [10.8-11] in this chapter, became completely free from all doubts and accepted KRSNa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He at once boldly declares, "You are paraM brahma, the Supreme Personality of Godhead." And previously KRSNa stated that He is the originator of everything and everyone. Every demigod and every human being is dependent on Him. Men and demigods, out of ignorance, think that they are absolute and independent of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That ignorance is removed perfectly by the discharge of devotional service. This has already been explained in the previous verse by the Lord. Now, by His grace, Arjuna is accepting Him as the Supreme Truth, in concordance with the Vedic injunction. It is not that because KRSNa is Arjuna's intimate friend Arjuna is flattering Him by calling Him the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Absolute Truth. Whatever Arjuna says in these two verses is confirmed by Vedic truth. Vedic injunctions affirm that only one who takes to devotional service to the Supreme Lord can understand Him, whereas others cannot. Each and every word of this verse spoken by Arjuna is confirmed by Vedic injunction. In the Kena UpaniSad it is stated that the Supreme Brahman is the rest for everything, and KRSNa has already explained that everything is resting on Him. The MuNDaka UpaniSad confirms that the Supreme Lord, in whom everything is resting, can be realized only by those who engage constantly in thinking of Him. This constant thinking of KRSNa is smaraNam, one of the methods of devotional service. It is only by devotional service to KRSNa that one can understand his position and get rid of this material body. In the Vedas the Supreme Lord is accepted as the purest of the pure. One who understands that KRSNa is the purest of the pure can become purified from all sinful activities. One cannot be disinfected from sinful activities unless he surrenders unto the Supreme Lord. Arjuna's acceptance of KRSNa as the supreme pure complies with the injunctions of Vedic literature. This is also confirmed by great personalities, of whom NArada is the chief. KRSNa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and one should always meditate upon Him and enjoy one's transcendental relationship with Him. He is the supreme existence. He is free from bodily needs, birth and death. Not only does Arjuna confirm this, but all the Vedic literatures, the PurANas and histories. In all Vedic literatures KRSNa is thus described, and the Supreme Lord Himself also says in the Fourth Chapter, "Although I am unborn, I appear on this earth to establish religious principles." He is the supreme origin; He has no cause, for He is the cause of all causes, and everything is emanating from Him. This perfect knowledge can be had by the grace of the Supreme Lord. Here Arjuna expresses himself through the grace of KRSNa. If we want to understand Bhagavad-gItA, we should accept the statements in these two verses. This is called the paramparA system, acceptance of the disciplic succession. Unless one is in the disciplic succession, he cannot understand Bhagavad-gItA. It is not possible by so-called academic education. Unfortunately those proud of their academic education, despite so much evidence in Vedic literatures, stick to their obstinate conviction that KRSNa is an ordinary person.

Yes, I often ask the question: "What kind of impotent god needs little girls to strap dynamite to their chests then blow themselves up in random crowds of people"? In the Vedas, Krsna in His form of Parasurama destroys entire generations of warriors by the thousands over and over again. Then, of course as Kalki He will slay most of the inhabitants of the earth, as He does at the end of every Kali-yuga. My Psalm 46 quote earlier was an attempt to explain that meditation and yoga are actually comparable to "Be still". "Know that I am God", that Kingdom is the platform the Christians must reach before casting stones; otherwise they may fiind themselves offending the One they claim to worship. Until then, they simply worship their minds. And their devotion, that is simply in their mind, a pompous fantasy.

909 files, 8.65 GB

http://www.ramsethu.org/

From : http://www.rediff.com/news/2007/jul/04spec.htm Ramar Sethu, a world heritage centre? Shobha Warrier | July 04, 2007 17:08 IST <table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="165"><tbody><tr><td class="f12" width="150"> </td><td width="15"> </td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#dcdcdc" height="1"> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td height="10"> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td class="f12" height="20">Related Articles</td><td> </td></tr><tr><td class="ft11" height="20"> • 'Project won't bring development or employment' <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="5"><tbody><tr><td height="5"> </td></tr></tbody></table> • Why the Ram Setu must not be destroyed <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="5"><tbody><tr><td height="5"> </td></tr></tbody></table> • US heritage body wants Ram Setu preserved <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="5"><tbody><tr><td height="5"> </td></tr></tbody></table> • Graphic: The Sethusamudram Project <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="5"><tbody><tr><td height="5"> </td></tr></tbody></table> • 'Widening Ramar Sethu can amplify tsunamis' <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="5"><tbody><tr><td height="5"> </td></tr></tbody></table></td><td> </td></tr><tr><td height="10"> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#dcdcdc" height="1"> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td height="10"> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td valign="top">........ type="text/javascript" src="http://www.rediff.com/uim/include/news_top.htm">.........>........ type="text/javascript" src="http://www.rediff.com/uim/include/flash.htm">.........><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="150"><tbody><tr><td class="f12" width="150"> </td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="150"><tbody><tr><td width="150">Top Emailed Features</td></tr></tbody></table><table bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="150"><tbody><tr><td width="150"><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="150"><tbody><tr bgcolor="#ffffff"><td width="150"> • 'Friendships go beyond body,mind,heart' • 'India remains Pakistan's primary target' • Cancer cure may be available in 5 yrs </td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr><td height="5"> </td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#dcdcdc" height="1"> </td></tr><tr><td height="5"> </td></tr><tr><td class="f12">Have you tried this? • Ask a question • News on your Desktop</td></tr><tr><td height="5"> </td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td><td> </td></tr><tr><td height="10"> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#dcdcdc" height="1"> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td height="10"> </td><td> </td></tr></tbody></table> <!-- wml_version_starts --> The Rs 2,427.40-crore Sethusamudram canal project aims to create a navigable channel of 152.2 km from the Gulf of Mannar to the Bay of Bengal through the Palk Bay and Palk Strait. The project that was inaugurated by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh [Images] on the July 2, 2005, has drawn flak from many quarters from the day the idea was mooted. One of the debates going on is whether the chain of islets called Ramar Sethu, also known as Adam's Bridge, linking India with Sri Lanka [Images] should be destroyed while dredging. Dr S Kalayanaraman, eminent research scholar who has earlier done signal work in locating the mythical river Saraswathi, has been associated with the move to prevent the dredging of Ramar Sethu. He has been researching Indian civilisation and Indian languages for quite some time, and is a former employee of the Asian Development Bank [Get Quote]. He says the project should not progress as it is and argues his point citing archaeological, scientific, textual and cartographic evidence to show that Adam's Bridge is actually Ramar Sethu and it is several centuries old. He says it is indeed a world heritage site and should be declared as one at the earliest. Before we get to the existence and ancient nature of Ramar Sethu, let us first look back when the first idea for a canal in the Gulf of Mannar originated. It was first conceived by a British commander of the Indian Marine A D Taylor in 1860, but was discarded because it did not make economic sense. In 1956, the Sir A Ramaswamy Mudaliar Committee, constituted to develop the Tuticorin port, came out with a report that discussed reducing the maritime route around the Indian peninsula by avoiding circumnavigation of the island of Sri Lanka. It spoke of nine alignments and all of them were land based canals. The report said the advantage of a land based canal was that it can be adequately deep and still keep the canal safe by having locks on either side where it met the sea. The land based canal would avoid dredging in the serene Gulf of Mannar and keep it safe from the turbulence of the Indian Ocean. According to Kalyanaraman, the report also clearly stated that any idea of cutting a channel through Ramar Sethu should be abandoned because of the problems of maintaining a mid-ocean channel and the "turbulence of the Indian ocean waters." After criticism arose about the Sethusamudram Canal project, the Minister of Tourism and Culture Ambika Soni said in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha that there were no archaeological studies that revealed the existence of a bridge called Ramar Sethu between India and Sri Lanka. Kalyanaraman lists cartography, textual, and epigraphic evidences to show that a bridge called Ramar Sethu existed. "A NASA [Images] satellite picture has shown the existence of a stretch of land bridge in the Palk Strait between the countries," says Kalyanaraman. He cites two items from the NASA website. February 2000 report of NASA: Shuttle Radar Topography Mission of NASA aboard the space shuttle Endeavour launched in February 2000. It says, "Sri Lanka is shaped like a giant teardrop falling from the southern tip of the vast Indian subcontinent. It is separated from India by the 50 km-wide Palk Strait, although there is a series of stepping-stone coral islets known as Adam's Bridge that almost form a land bridge between the two countries." The second item is a photograph taken by the Gemini mission of the 1960s that shows the clearly visible outline of the "bridge." But what Kalyanaraman wants to clarify is that the Sethu, or bridge, is centuries old. "Sethu in Tamil means "manmade bund" and this bund is called Sethuband. Asiatic Society, 1799, refers to the bridge that is broken at three places. It also says "people call it a bridge; or otherwise it appears to have wood growing on it, and to be inhabited." "The Sethupatis of Ramanathapuram are called so because they were expected to protect the Sethu." He further adds two other evidences, "The Madras Presidency Administration Report 1903 refers to the bridge as a glossary entry: 'Adam's Bridge is called the bridge of Rama. It really joined Ceylon to India until 1480, when a breach was made through rocks during a storm. A subsequent storm enlarged this and foot traffic then ceased.' "The next is a book written by Alexander Hamilton in 1744, A New Account of the East Indies which describes his visit to 'Zeloan' by walking on the bridge." "In the Aganaanooru Sangam literature text also, there is a reference to Sethu and there are hundreds of references to Rama," Kalyanaraman added. All these were put together by Schwartzberg and the University of Chicago as Schwartzberg Atlas that have around 100 maps showing Sethu (in bracket, it is written Adam's Bridge) clearly and the maps are dated back to the seventh and the twelfth centuries. In 1788, Joseph Parks, a Botanical explorer from Australia marks the structure as Rama's Bridge. But it is renamed as Adam's Bridge in the 1804 Survey of India map. Kalyanaraman also speaks about thousands of copper, gold and silver coins with the word Sethu on them that have been recovered in Jaffna. They were issued circa the twelfth to fifteenth century. Paranthaka Chola of the tenth century copper plates and the copper plates indicate that Aparajitavarman went to Sethutirtha. "Krishnadevaraya's epigraph mentions that his territory extended from Sethu to Vijayanagaram." Another important reason cited by Kalyanaraman why a canal should not be built in the region is because Sankha or Turbinella pyrum is found in the region and not found anywhere else in the world. "In a place called Keezhakarai, a surviving industry which is 8500 years old is that of sankha. Divers go into the shallow depths of water and pick up sankha. No Bengali or Oriya marriage is complete without the Sankha bangle. The heritage of this place is linked to the Saraswathi civilisation." When the Survey of India was first set up in 1767, the logo said "From Sethu to Himalayas." "So, Sethu was looked upon as a boundary of India even then," said Kalyanaraman. Kalyanaraman asks, "Do you want to be like the Taliban who destroyed the Buddha statues in Bamiyan by calling it mere pieces of stone? Section 295 of the Indian Penal Code says sentiments of the people about sacredness should be respected. If anybody hurts the sentiments of people, it is a cognisable offence. But here, the state says a monument does not exist and is trying to destroy it instead of protecting it. With all these evidences to back my point, I say that Ramar Sethu should be declared a world heritage site." <!-- wml_version_ends --> <!--printer_version--> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td height="5"> </td></tr></tbody></table>

<table style="border-collapse: collapse;" id="AutoNumber1" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" bordercolor="#111111" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" height="1645" width="651"><tbody><tr><td height="38" width="651"> NASA Images Find 1,750,000 Year Old Man-Made Bridge between India and Sri Lanka</td> </tr> <tr> <td height="21" width="651"> Adam´s Bridge is 30 km long</td> </tr> <tr> <td height="29" width="651"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td height="1" width="651"> "In the eighteenth incarnation (of Lord Krishna), the Lord appeared as King Rama. In order to perform some pleasing work for the demigods, He exhibited superhuman powers by controlling the Indian Ocean and then killing the atheist King Ravana, who was on the other side of the sea" - Srimad Bhagavatam </td> </tr> <tr> <td height="19" width="651"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td height="19" width="651"> Copyright / LL</td> </tr> <tr> <td height="19" width="651"> (@Photos: Courtesy NASA Digital Image Collection)</td> </tr> <tr> <td height="1212" width="651"> (@PTI) Space images taken by NASA reveal a mysterious ancient bridge in the Palk Strait between India and Sri Lanka. The recently discovered bridge currently named as Adam´s Bridge is made of chain of shoals, c.18 mi (30 km) long. The bridge´s unique curvature and composition by age reveals that it is man made. The legends as well as Archeological studies reveal that the first signs of human inhabitants in Sri Lanka date back to the a primitive age, about 1,750,000 years ago and the bridge´s age is also almost equivalent. This information is a crucial aspect for an insight into the mysterious legend called Ramayana, which was supposed to have taken place in tredha yuga (more than 1,700,000 years ago). In this epic, there is a mentioning about a bridge, which was built between Rameshwaram (India) and Srilankan coast under the supervision of a dynamic and invincible figure called Rama who is supposed to be the incarnation of the supreme. This information may not be of much importance to the archeologists who are interested in exploring the origins of man, but it is sure to open the spiritual gates of the people of the world to have come to know an ancient history linked to the Indian mythology. Comment From Hugh Joseph (10-12-02) I read the story headlined above with great interest. This is a story of major significance, as understanding its implications will turn the entire world of Science and History on its head. This bridge, according to accounts in the Ramayana and the Srimad-Bhagavatam, was constructed in the age know as Treta, over 2 million years ago. How did the writers without super space-ranging satellites know about the existence of this bridge? In these ancient accounts, written over 5,000 years ago, we find discussions of, among other things, space travel, inter planetary travel, what we call UFOs and what we mistakenly call ETs. This is not only the History of the planet Earth, but also of this Universe, (a mediocre universe among many millions of universes.) Here one can also learn the real undisguised and uncontaminated truth about God. Our man-made religions are of little or no value when compared to the stunning and breathtaking revelations found in the pages of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, Ramayan, Bhagavad-gita, etc. Here is the way the "Srimad Bhagavatam" describes the event: Text 22 nara-devatvam apannah sura-karya-cikirsaya samudra-nigrahadini cakre viryany atah param Translation: "In the eighteenth incarnation (of Lord Krishna), the Lord appeared as King Rama. In order to perform some pleasing work for the demigods, He exhibited superhuman powers by controlling the Indian Ocean and then killing the atheist King Ravana, who was on the other side of the sea". Purport (by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada) The Personality of Godhead Sri Rama assumed the form of a human being and appeared on the earth for the purpose of doing some pleasing work for the demigods, or the administrative personalities, to maintain the order of the universe. Sometimes great demons and atheists like Ravana and Hiranyakasipu and many others become very famous due to advancing material civilization by the help of material science and other activities, with a spirit of challenging the established order of the Lord. For example, the attempt to fly to other planets by material means is a challenge to the established order. The conditions of each and every planet are different, and different classes of human beings are accommodated there for particular purposes mentioned in the codes of the Lord. But, puffed up by tiny success in material advancement, sometimes the godless materialists challenge the existence of God. Ravana was one of them, and he wanted to deport ordinary men to the planet of Indra (heaven) by material means without consideration of the necessary qualifications. He wanted a staircase to be built up directly reaching the heavenly planet so that people might not be required to undergo the routine of pious work necessary to enter that planet. He also wanted to perform other acts against the established rule of the Lord. He even challenged the authority of Sri Rama, the Personality of Godhead, and kidnapped His wife, Sita. Of course Lord Rama came to chastise this atheist, answering the prayer and desire of the demigods. He therefore took up the challenge of Ravana, and the complete activity is the subject matter of the "Ramayana". Because Lord Ramachandra was the Personality of Godhead, He exhibited superhuman activities which no human being, including the materially advanced Ravana, could perform. Lord Ramacandra prepared a royal road on the Indian Ocean with stones that floated on the water. The modern scientists have done research in the area of weightlessness, but it is not possible to bring in weightlessness anywhere and everywhere. But because weightlessness is the creation of the Lord by which He can make the gigantic planets fly and float in the air, He made the stones even within this earth to be weightless and prepared a stone bridge on the sea without any supporting pillar. That is the display of the power of God. (Srimad-Bhagavatam First Canto, Chapter 3, text 24, 1972) Here's the account from the "Ramayana" of Sage Valmiki: "At Rama's command, those lions among the monkeys entered the mighty forest with alacrity in hundreds and thousands on every side and those leaders on the simian tribes, tearing up the rocks, which in size they resembled, and the trees also dragged them to the sea and they covered the ocean with Sala, Ashvararna, (list of tree names).Those foremost monkeys transported those trees, with or without roots, bearing them like so many standards of Indra (the king of heaven) and they heaped (list of tree names) here and there. With the aid of mechanical devices, those powerful colossi dug up stones as big as elephants and rocks, and the water suddenly spouted into the air only to fall instantly. Thereafter those monkeys churned up the sea by rushing into it on all sides pulling on the chains. "That immense causeway constructed by Nala in the bosom of the sea was built by the arms of those monkeys of formidable exploits and it extended over a hundred leagues. "Some brought trunks of trees and others set them up; it was by hundreds and thousands that those monkeys, like unto giants, made use of reeds, logs and blossoming trees to construct that bridge, rushing hither and thither with blocks of stone resembling mountains or the peaks of crags, which, flung into the sea, fell with a resounding crash. "The first day those monkeys resembling elephants, or immense energy, full of high spirits and exceedingly merry, erected fourteen leagues of masonry. The second day, those highly active monkeys of formidable stature set up twenty leagues. Bestirring themselves, those giants threw twenty-one leagues of structure over the ocean on the third day and on the fourth, working feverishly, they built up twenty-two leagues in extent. The fifth day, those monkeys, industrious workers, reached to twenty-three leagues distance from the further shore. "That fortunate and valiant son of Vishvakarma (architect of the demigods), leader of the monkeys, constructed a causeway worthy of his sire over the ocean and that bridge erected by Nala over the sea, the haunt of whales, dazzling in its perfection and splendor, was like the constellation of Svati in space. "Then the gods, Gandharvas, Siddhas (living beings superior to humans) and supreme Rishis (great sages) assembled in the sky, eager to see that masterpiece, and the gods and Gandharvas gazed on that causeway, so difficult of construction, that was ten leagues in width and a hundred in length built by Nala. "Those monkeys thereafter dived, swam and shouted at the sight of that unimaginable marvel that was almost inconceivable and caused one to tremble! And all beings beheld that causeway thrown over the ocean and by hundreds and thousands of kotis (millions), those monkeys, full of valor, having built that bridge over the immense repository of waters, reached the opposite shore. "Vast, well-constructed, magnificent with its wonderful paved floor, solidly cemented, that great causeway like unto a line traced on the waves, resembled the parting of a woman's hair. "Meanwhile Bibishana (brother of Ravana who joined Rama), mace (club) in hand, held himself ready at his post with his companions in case of an enemy attack. Thereafter Sugriva addressed Rama, who was valiant by nature, saying "Mount on the shoulders of Hanuman and Laxmana (brother of Rama) on those of Angada. O Hero, vast is this ocean, the abode of whales; those two monkeys who freely range the sky will transport you both." "Then the fortunate Rama and Laxmana advanced thus and that magnanimous archer was accompanied by Surgriva. Some monkeys strode forward in the center, some threw themselves into the waves, some sprang into the sky, others marched on the bridge, some ranged through space like birds, and the terrific tumult of the trampling of that formidable army of monkeys drowned the roar of the ocean. "When those simian troops had passed over the sea by the grace of Nala's causeway, the king ordered them to camp on the shore which abounded in roots, fruits and water. At the sight of that masterpiece that had materialized under the command of Raghava (another name of Lord Rama), despite the difficulties, the gods, who had drawn near with the Siddhas and Charanas as also the great Rishis, anointed Rama in secret there, with water form the sea, and said: "Mayest thou be victorious over thy foes, O Thou, who are a God among men! Do Thou rule over the earth and the sea eternally!" Thus in various auspicious words, did they acclaim Rama in the midst of the homage offered to him by the Brahmins." (The Ramayana of Valmiki, Yuddha Kanda) Comments welcome hughjoseph@aol.com Note: Lord Krsna's incarnation Rama, appeared as a human being because only a human being could kill Ravana, due to certain benedictions that he had been given. Note: The monkeys mentioned here as comprising Rama's army, were not ordinary monkeys. They were in fact greatly powerful demigods who appeared on this earth to assist the Lord in his pastime of subduing this atheistic demon, Ravana. Note: There are 4 ages, or yugas, rotating through time like the 4 seasons: Satya, 1,800,000 yeas long; Dvarapa, 1,200,000 years long, Treta, 800,000 years long and Kali, 432,000 years long. In this most recent yuga cycle, the Dvarapara and Treta yugas were reversed. This event took place about 2 million years ago. </td> </tr> <tr> <td height="19" width="651"> Ram Sethu: Scientific evidence of ancient human activity Ram Sethu ( called Adam's Bridge by the British ) which is seen as one of Hinduism's holiest sites, is an ancient chain of shoals that once linked India's southern areas to Sri Lanka's northwest. It is being destroyed by the Sethu Samudram Shipping Canal Project (SCCP) to create a navigable waterway in the narrow sea dividing the two countries. By S. Kalyanaraman copyright© 2004 Bharat Prakashan(Delhi) Ltd. Scientific evidences point to human activity in ancient times on both sides of Ram Sethu as found by Deptt. of Earth Sciences and ocean technologists of Bharatam. This area should be declared a protected monument under the Protection of Monuments Act and declared as a World Heritage site by the Government of India and advised to UNESCO. The Geological and geophysical survey of the Sethu-samudram Project clearly reveal that Rama’s bridge appears to be a major Geological feature. The surveys reveal that to the north of Ram Sethu on the Palk Bay side, the formation have undergone down faulting and the Ram Sethu came up as an up thrown block. This geomorphic feature is seem to be continuous and verified both by bathymetry survey and NASA land image. One could clearly see that this is but a continuous feature with minor depressions upto about 100m width. In consonance with these things there are inter tidal marine sandy islands. These depressions and the islands appear to be neotectonic feature resulting in changes in bathymetry. It is a well established scientific phenomenon that there has been a major glaciation period (ice age) with glacial maxima at about 18,000 years BP. This feature has been observed and studied in several parts of the world with the help of submerged Corals. During the glacial Maxima, the sea level was about 130m lower than what is today. This is evidenced both on the east and west coast of India, where submerged Corals occur around 1 to 2m water depths and they are clear indicators of near coastal zone. The Ram Sethu ridge is a major marine divide. It separates the furious Bay of Bengal sea and sediments in the Palk bay and the very calm placid waters of the Gulf of Mannar. This ridge like feature is similar to the “Allaband” that was formed after a major earthquake in Arabian Sea in the early 19th century. In the Allaband, a long stretch of about 90km length and about 0.5 to 4km wide zone got uplifted because of a major tectonic event that was responsible for the earthquake. Since this event occurred in the recent past and such huge track of land was raised, people called that it is happened due to the will of Allah and named it Allaband. The Ram Sethu is a similar feature but formed much earlier due to tectonic causes that were prevalent in these areas. However, during the last ice age (18,000 year BP) the entire area from India to Sri Lanka and further south and southeast were contagious land due to the highly lowered sea level. As and when there were major melting of glaciers both from the mountains as well as from the Antarctic area, the sea level was rising. These features were well recorded and studied by several submerged Coral formations all over the world. About 7,300 years BP the sea level in the southern part of India was about 3.5 m above the present level. This has been deciphered by Dr. P.K. Banerjee, who studied Corals that found in the land part as of Pamban, Rameswaram, and Tuticorin etc. Subsequently the sea level went down and rose +2m above than what is today between 5000 to 4000 years B.P. The Geological logging of the bore holes drilled by NIOT in the inter tidal areas of Ram Sethu reveals very interesting details. In all the bore holes the top portion is seen to be occupied by recent marine sands. In almost of all the boreholes between 4.5 and 7.5m the borehole intersected hard formations, which have been found to be calcareous sand stones and corals. It is to be pointed out here that Corals are comparatively less dense, compact and somewhat easy to carry. The Corals normally grow atop compact to hard formations for the purpose of stability, and as the sea level rises, the Coral colony grows up vertically to maintain water depth of 1 to 2 m, which is essential for their survival. It is always observed that these Corals have continuous vertical growth like Lakshadweep, Andaman’s, and Gulf of Mannar Natural Park. These have always been found to grow on hard rock bottom. In the case of Ram Sethu area, we observe that the Coral formations hardly occur 1 to 2.5m in length and resting on loose marine sands. Most of these coral rock pieces are seem to be rounded pebbles of corals. These things appear to point these coral rock pieces and pebbles have been transported and placed in these areas. Since the calcareous sand stones and Corals are less dense than normal hard rock and quite compact, probably these were used by the ancients to form a connecting link to Sri Lanka, on the higher elevations of the Ram Sethu ridge and this is analogous to modern day causeway. In support of these observations there are many archaeological and geoarchaeological evidences on the south east coast of India around Rameswaram, Tuticorin and the western coast of Sri Lanka. There are raised Teri formations that supported a rich assemblage of mesolithic—microlithic tools indicating the presence of strong human habitation and activity in these areas as early as 8000 to 9000 years B.P and as recent as 4000 years B.P. On Sri Lanka side there are indications of human habitation extending to late Pleistocene (about 13,000 B.P) based on bone and fossils of human and animal form. All these point to a flourishing human activity on both side of Adams Bridge and probably when the sea levels were just right the link between India and Sri Lanka could have been established. http://www.lankalibrary.com/ </td></tr></tbody></table>

Meditation - Yoga <center> "Be still, and know that I am God."</center> Get beyond the words and idioms.

These words are so opposite to the reality I see: "The invasion of Eastern religions into the West has the effect of tearing down the moral fabric of society. It stifles the conscience, and every sense of right and wrong, and leads to pleasure seeking and crime." The 'moral fabric' had been destroyed long before sanatana-dharma arrived in the west. The only thing that can save this hell in the West is true religion, not the sentimental silliness that pervades religions of today. The people who write these tracts have no idea what they are talking about - they pretend a few words or concepts and then invent from there. The Presbyterian Church had a similar pamplet of carp, written by a psychologist of all people. These people don't even know their own religion. Leave them to their sentimentalism - they aren't ready for real religion. It gets in their way.

http://www.forbes.com/2009/03/11/worlds-richest-people-billionaires-2009-billionaires_land.html It's been a tough year for the richest people in the world. Last year there were 1,125 billionaires. This year there are just 793 people rich enough to make our list. In Pictures: The 50 Richest People In The World The world has become a wealth wasteland. Like the rest of us, the richest people in the world have endured a financial disaster over the past year. Today there are 793 people on our list of the World's Billionaires, a 30% decline from a year ago. Of the 1,125 billionaires who made last year's ranking, 373 fell off the list--355 from declining fortunes and 18 who died. There are 38 newcomers, plus three moguls who returned to the list after regaining their 10-figure fortunes. It is the first time since 2003 that the world has had a net loss in the number of billionaires.

I am an idiot!

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That is our true position, our humble reality. You have become wise. The deepening desperate futile separation you feel from Krsna will attract Him.

The forms evolve, but not for the reasons Darwin grasped at. Science has to learn that its domain is "HOW", never "WHY". Religion answers 'why', and here the 'why' is the 'transmigration of the soul'. So, there is evolution; but it is the evolution of soul that makes things work the way they work. That is why an ape will give birth to an ape that is a little more human than its mother. Scientists are studying the 'how' of this. They only look foolish when they overstep their limits and venture reasons for what has happened. "Chance", "Natural selection", whatever their unprovable speculation is - it is just not their domain. At any given time, a variety of forms are required to fund the big karmic biological merry-go-round. Ape and human forms may be required simultaneously by various jiva souls who are at differing levels of advancement. And this is all quite compatible with what we see now, and what we see in the past fossil record. Science is not a religion. They become fools when they try to ordain themselves, and preach their cult to the innocent as the all-encompassing mechanistic world-view.

Somehow or other we must turn to God. Whatever the reason or reasons, eventually they will be purified. From Nectar of Devotion: These four types of devotees have been described in the Seventh Chapter of Bhagavad-gItA , and they have all been accepted as pious. Without becoming pious, no one can come to devotional service. It is explained in Bhagavad-gItA that only one who has continually executed pious activities and whose sinful reactions in life have completely stopped can take to KRSNa consciousness. Others cannot. The neophyte devotees are classified into four groups--the distressed, those in need of money, the inquisitive and the wise--according to their gradations of pious activities. Without pious activities, if a man is in a distressed condition he becomes an agnostic, a communist or something like that. Because he does not firmly believe in God, he thinks that he can adjust his distressed condition by totally disbelieving in Him. Lord KRSNa, however, has explained in the GItA that out of these four types of neophytes, the one who is wise is very dear to Him, because a wise man, if he is attached to KRSNa, is not seeking an exchange of material benefits. A wise man who becomes attached to KRSNa does not want any return from Him, either in the form of relieving distress or in gaining money. This means that from the very beginning his basic principle of attachment to KRSNa is, more or less, love. Furthermore, due to his wisdom and study of zAstras (scriptures), he can understand also that KRSNa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is confirmed in Bhagavad-gItA that after many, many births, when one becomes actually wise, he surrenders unto VAsudeva, knowing perfectly well that KRSNa (VAsudeva) is the origin and cause of all causes. Therefore, he sticks to the lotus feet of KRSNa and gradually develops love for Him. <B>Although such a wise man is very dear to KRSNa, the others are also accepted as very magnanimous, because even though they are distressed or in need of money, they have come to KRSNa for satisfaction</b>. Thus they are accepted as liberal, broad-minded mahAtmAs. Without being elevated to the position of a jJAnI, or wise man, one cannot stick to the principle of worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The less intelligent or those whose intelligence has been taken away by the spell of mAyA are attached to different demigods on account of the influence of the modes of nature. The wise man is he who has thoroughly understood that he is spirit soul and not simply a body. Because he realizes that he is spirit and KRSNa is the supreme spirit, he knows that his intimate relationship should be with KRSNa, not with this body. The distressed and the man in want of money are in the material concept of life, because distress and need of money are both in relationship with this body. One who is inquisitive may be a little above the distressed and the man in need of money, but still he is on the material platform. But a wise man who seeks KRSNa knows perfectly well that he is spirit soul, or Brahman, and that KRSNa is the supreme spirit soul, or Parabrahman. He knows that the spirit soul, being subordinate and finite, should always dovetail himself with the infinite and supreme soul, KRSNa. That is the relationship of the wise man with KRSNa.

I didn't need your permission, but thank you for the gesture. What would make you think that I form my opinions from syllogisms? Have you not understood the Bhagavad-gita? Your mistaken impression that you must control my mind is simply ego and arrogance. This aggressive 'debate' style is for fanatics with some vested interest. The discussion approach of the booklet is much more palatable for your objective targeted audience. This tenacious dog 'debate' nonsense is simply distasteful. Why is your crew so intent on converting the world to this view, at all costs? Is it that crucial?

I don't have to do anything. I 'must demonstrate' nothing. Who the hell are you? Some mundane crass debater? The booklet forces nothing on anyone; that is class. I'm starting to smell an unhealthy over-investment in this topic - the market is surely to crash soon or maybe it just did. I say, "When you get there, ask him (or her)". Until then, play nice.

When there are many gurus with seemingly differing points of view, then we must adjust for a balance. We have four sampradayas, yet each is only a different sentiment towards the same exact Truth **. It is not a question of who is senior or who is right. All are right; all are absolute. We see conflicting statements in the Vedas and Upanishads, but they are harmonized under Sri Krsna Caitanya. Our hearts should be able to accommodate these infinitely complex equations, for it is the truth, and it may well be the only way such complexities can be expressed with any hope of accuracy in our world of words. We would prefer to pick a number from one to four, but in Reality the numbers have many decimal points of precision - most likely an infinite number of decimals. And that one very special number, that is the special love of His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. ** Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura writes in Sri Krsna-Samhita: When such sectarian Vaisnava principles become transcendental, that is, when they are free of impersonalism, then they become Satvata-dharma, or religious principles related to the Supreme Truth. The different sampradayas, namely: dvaita (dualism), dvaitAdvaita (simultaneous oneness and difference), suddhAdvaita (purified oneness), and visistadvaita (specific monism) that are found in satvata-dharma are nothing but wonderful varieties of sentiments within the Vaisnava science. Actually the various sampradayas are not the result of differences in the basic truth.

I would not draw too much from the movie of the rag-tag group whose good fortune it was to encounter Srila Prabhupada and Kreeeshna. It seems that Kirtanananda at least understood Purusa being masculine and another explained lover and beloved. My impression was that 'gopis' were discussed in relation to selfless love. It was humorous though ... yet absolutely amazing.

Certainly all three are my master, but then so is Srila Goura Govinda Swami, Srila Narayana Maharaja, Swami Tripurari, Swami Narasingha, and my fortune seeming without limit I cannot possibly name or perhaps even know all the many others Sri Krsna has sprinkled over my path back to Godhead.

I had always seen myself as a friend. Then I realized that I was ready to give up my very existence to protect Krsna (not that He would ever need that). So now I've come so far only to find myself back where I started with the same question, on another level. Who am I? With the evidence finally presented about Srila Goura Govinda Swami and the Kama mantra and indeed Bs 5.28 it's beginning to sound to me like another Crow and Tal Fruit debate that will serve mainly to engage our minds and hearts in churning that ocean of Prabhupada katha mentioned in the booklet. If we can remain not committed to either the Crow or Tal Fruit positions, remain objective, then this can be a sweet pastime.

I'd say six months if you save every penny and purify your desire for Krsna.

"Prapti – Sadhak gets the power of getting anything he deserves." I think this may be a typo, since most of us get what we 'deserve'. These siddhis can be found to be used in the service of God. The soul is more powerful than the sun, as they say. It's always about why we do things, not what we do or how we do it.

I very much enjoyed reading the booklet. I'm on chapter seven now and look forward to continuing on my days off. Of course, I reserve making decisions, understanding somewhat the complexities of the topic and my own naivety. But it all sounds very reasonable so far and I certainly don't see any stretching to draw conclusions. It remains humble and innocent, like that of an honest sincerely interested vaishnava. Before I start leaning I would like to see the same gifted scholars and sadhus make the same effort to present a parental or conjugal rasa position. If a similarly compelling booklet could support another thesis then we are back at square one - yet with a whole lot more Prabhupada katha under our belts. And that is never a waste of anyone's time.

As beautiful as the nectar is certain to be, The jug begs my lips and my eyes to see. My heart accepts your offering with tears, Dhanvantari. Thank you, dear soft-hearted prabhu, Babhru. gHari

Yes, I remember, Sarva gattah. When my body dropped away and ahankara left, only I remained. Yet somehow they came back, to my embarrassment. First came all the desires, then that Gary guy I somehow remembered from long long ago, attaching to me like a leech, distracting me, draining me of bliss and satisfaction. But it was me, again, and the burden of mortal life and my heart's obstinacy. Maybe ahankara will leave you forever. Give it no reason to return.