barney

Swaminathan was right in saying God + ego=Man. And here I see your pea brain is clouded by your ego. You do not know what is unity in diversity and would prefer to live in hostile. It's people like you who make life miserable for all. If you think Vishnu is supreme so be it but you need not compare Vishnu with others. The ancient ones have told that all names belong to the one nameless God we call by many names in different manefistation. But to make you understand that philosophy would be difficult because you posses a pea brain whch would be not undestand such a concept. So, be happy as you are but refrain from making others angry.

Until the discovery of the Indus Valley Civilization in 1920, ancient India seemingly had two main scripts in which languages were written, Brahmi and Kharosti. The Brahmi script developed under Semitic influence around 7th c. BC, and was originally written from right to left. The Kharosti script came into being during the 5th c. BC in northwest India which was under Persian rule. Although the origin of the Brahmi script is uncertain, the Kharosti script is commonly accepted as a direct descendant from the Aramaic alphabet. The direction of writing in the Kharosti script is as in Aramaic, from right to left, and there is also a likeness of many signs having similar phonetic value. In the later centuries of its existence, Brahmi gave rise to eight varieties of scripts. Three of them - the early and late Mauryas and the Sunga - became the prototypes of the scripts in northern India in the 1st c. BC and AD. Out of these developed the Gupta writing which was employed from the 4th to the 6th c. AD. The Siddhamatrka script developed during the 6th c. AD from the western branch of the eastern Gupta character. The Siddhamatrka became the ancestor of the Nagari script which is used for Sanskrit today. The Nagari developed in the 7th to 9th c. AD, and has remained, since the 7th to 9th centuries, essentially unaltered. However, certain other factors need to be considered to get the complete picture of script development in India. In 1920 archaeologists announced the discovery of extensive urban ruins in the Indus Valley which pre-dated the earliest literary sources and which caused scholars working on ancient texts to re-examine their views on the different phases of Indian culture. The Rig Veda which speaks in such derogatory terms of the enemies subdued by the Aryan tribes, gives the impression that they were all savage barbarians. The Brahmins for centuries have degraded the original inhabitants of India with the intention of self elevation, preservation and oppression. These ancient dwellers in India were Dravidian, and in fact, their culture had developed a highly sophisticated way of life which compares favorably with that of contemporary urban civilizations in Egypt and Mesopotamia. The extensive excavations carried out at the two principal city sites, Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro, both situated in the Indus basin, indicates that this Dravidian culture was well established by about 2500 B.C., and subsequent discoveries have revealed that it covered most of the Lower Indus Valley. What we know of this ancient civilization is derived almost exclusively from archaeological data since every attempt to decipher the script used by these people has failed so far. Recent analyses of the order of the signs on the inscriptions have led several scholars to the view that the language is not of the Indo-European family, nor is it close to the Sumerians, Hurrians, or Elamite, nor can it be related to the structure of the Munda languages of modern India. If it is related to any modern language family it appears to be Dravidian akin to Old Tamil, presently spoken throughout the southern part of the Indian Peninsula. What this points to is the existence of a system of writing far more ancient than what was originally considered. For instance when the Indian scripts are grouped, the southern scripts form a class of their own. The Grantha alphabet, which belongs to the writing system of southern India, developed in the 5th c. AD and was mainly used to write Sanskrit. Inscriptions in Early Grantha, dating from the 5th to 6th c. AD are on copper plates and stone monuments from the kingdom of the Pallavas near Chennai (Madras). The influx of foreign invaders through the northwest over the centuries, forced the Dravidians, the original inhabitants of India, south. Scholars have indicated that the south has been the gateway for religious and cultural developments in India. Originally Grantha was used for writing Sanskrit only, and Sanskrit was later transliterated with Nagiri after the 7th c. AD. Scholars over the years have indicated that many Hindu writings have been tampered with, and certainly this could have happened during the transliteration process. The later varieties of the Grantha script were used to write a number of Dravidian Languages, and the modern Tamil script certainly seems to be derived from Grantha. The bibliographical evidences indicate that the Vedas are written in the Grantha and Nagari scripts, and according to tradition Veda Vyasa, a Dravidian, compiled and wrote the Vedas. The Grantha script belongs to the southern group of scripts and Veda Vyasa being a Dravidian would certainly have used it. Since the earliest evidence for Grantha is only in the 5th c. AD, the Vedas were written rather late. Another important fact is brought out in the account of the religion, philosophy, literature, geography, chronology, astronomy, customs, laws and astrology of India about AD 1030 by Alberuni (edited by Dr. Edward C. Sachau). He states that, "The Indian scribes are careless, and do not take pains to produce correct and well-collated copies. In consequence, the highest results of the author's mental development are lost by their negligence, and his book becomes already in the first or second copy so full of faults, that the text appears as something entirely new, which neither a scholar nor one familiar with the subject, whether Hindu or Muslim, could any longer understand. It will sufficiently illustrate the matter if we tell the reader that we have sometimes written down a word from the mouth of Hindus, taking the greatest pains to fix its pronunciation, and that afterwards when we repeated it to them, they had great difficulty in recognising it." This is a clear opposite to Yuan Chwang's time in the 7th c AD, when this young Chinese Buddhist scholar came to India in search of authentic sacred books which he accomplished. However, scholars indicate that the same is not true with early Tamil classics like the Sangam literature (3rd c. BC - 3rd c. AD) which are remarkably helpful in the reconstruction of history (K.K.Pillai, Tamil Literature as Source Material for History - Journal of Institute for Asian Studies). The first epigraphic evidence of Sanskrit is seen in 150 AD and this inscription is in the Brahmi script

Hinduism Hinduism is the major religion of India, practiced by more than 80% of the population. In contrast to other religions, it has no founder. Considered the oldest religion in the world, it dates back, perhaps, to prehistoric times. No single creed or doctrine binds Hindus together. Intellectually there is complete freedom of belief, and one can be monotheist, polytheist, or atheist. Hinduism is a syncretic religion, welcoming and incorporating a variety of outside influences. The most ancient sacred texts of the Hindu religion are written in Sanskrit and called the Vedas (vedah means “knowledge”). There are four Vedic books, of which the Rig-Veda is the oldest. It discusses multiple gods, the universe, and creation. The dates of these works are unknown (1000 B.C.?). Present-day Hindus rarely refer to these texts but do venerate them. The Upanishads (dated 1000–300 B.C.), commentaries on the Vedic texts, speculate on the origin of the universe and the nature of deity, and atman (the individual soul) and its relationship to Brahman (the universal soul). They introduce the doctrine of karma and recommend meditation and the practice of yoga. Further important sacred writings include the Epics, which contain legendary stories about gods and humans. They are the Mahabharata (composed between 200 B.C. and A.D. 200) and the Ramayana. The former includes the Bhagavad-Gita (Song of the Lord), an influential text that describes the three paths to salvation. The Puranas (stories in verse, probably written between the 6th and 13th centuries) detail myths of Hindu gods and heroes and also comment on religious practice and cosmology. According to Hindu beliefs, Brahman is the principle and source of the universe. This divine intelligence pervades all beings, including the individual soul. Thus the many Hindu deities are manifestations of the one Brahman. Hinduism is based on the concept of reincarnation, in which all living beings, from plants on earth to gods above, are caught in a cosmic cycle of becoming and perishing. Life is determined by the law of karma—one is reborn to a higher level of existence based on moral behavior in a previous phase of existence. Life on earth is regarded as transient and a burden. The goal of existence is liberation from the cycle of rebirth and death and entrance into the indescribable state of moksha (liberation). The practice of Hinduism consists of rites and ceremonies centering on birth, marriage, and death. There are many Hindu temples, which are considered to be dwelling places of the deities and to which people bring offerings. Places of pilgrimage include Benares on the Ganges, the most sacred river in India. Of the many Hindu deities, the most popular are the cults of Vishnu, Shiva, and Shakti, and their various incarnations. Also important is Brahma, the creator god. Hindus also venerate human saints. Orthodox Hindu society in India was divided into four major hereditary classes: (1) the Brahmin (priestly and learned class); (2) the Kshatriya (military, professional, ruling, and governing occupations); (3) the Vaishya (landowners, merchants, and business occupations); and (4) the Sudra (artisans, laborers, and peasants). Below the Sudra was a fifth group, the Untouchables (lowest menial occupations and no social standing). The Indian government banned discrimination against the Untouchables in the constitution of India in 1950. Observance of class and caste distinctions varies throughout India. In modern times work has been done to reform and revive Hinduism. One of the outstanding reformers was Ramakrishna (1836–1886), who inspired many followers, one of whom founded the Ramakrishna mission. The mission is active both in India and in other countries and is known for its scholarly and humanitarian works.

The difference between an ignorant man and the man of Self knowledge lies not in the actions they perform but in the consciousness with which they perform or the attitude they bring to their actions. In this chapter Astvakra challenges Janaka to prove that he is a man of Self-knowledge whilst still ostensibly attached to wealth etc. Janaka very ably meets this challenge and proves himself to be ever present in Self knowledge and completely unidentified with his own actions. Astvakaras questions Janaka about his material possession his amorous pastimes and, wonders how one abiding in the supreme nonduality can be subject to the above. Janakas answer is that feted and feasted tormented or serene a self-realised person ever sees the Absolute Self and is neither gratified nor angry. The high souled person witnesses his own body acting as if it were another. As such how can he be disturbed by praise or blame. Janaka explains in the next chapter how the self realised may lead a similar life but do so differently. THE HIGHEST STATE Here Janaka speaks of an even higher state in which even the attempts at dissolution appear to arise out of a residual presence. The pure Self is unlimited and makes not even this effort. "Boundless as space am I and the phenomenal world , this is knowledge. So it has neither to be renounced nor accepted nor destroyed". There is no renunciation, no acceptance nor distinction I am like mother of pearl and the illusion of the universe like its silver. This is knowledge. I am indeed in all beings and all beings in me. This is knowledge. So there is neither any renouncing nor acceptance or distinction. "I am that I am" Janaka - in my state of self-realisation. I first became detached to physical action then to speech and then to thought. Having no attachment to sound, to other sense objects, with no perception of a Self, my mind is feed from distraction and is onepointed. So knower of the Self. This is no duality-for everything is Self. So there is nothing to see for there is no seer nothing to hear for there is no hearer, nothing to speak for this is no speaker, nothing to think there is no thinker. For everything is the Self and Self-alone. Meditation is only a stage in Self-realisation. The Self is beyond thought and cannot be the object of thought. To realise Brahman one must go beyond the limitation of the mind and become Brahman itself. Ultimately for true happiness, transcend, renunciation or acceptance. Both presuppose egoism and attachment which spring from ignorance. The practices of penance and meditation, study of scriptures, presuppose imperfection. These are but the paths, on cessation of these strivings comes Self-realisation when you permanently abide in the Self. In this state, action of the body, mind and sense are viewed with a detachment, for the Self remains unattached. There is neither association nor disassociation. I do not lose by sleeping nor gain by striving. So giving up thoughts of loss and gain I live happily. Self-Realisation is pure, tranquil. Having renounced the universe and the self I now perceives the Supreme Self. As cloth when examined is nothing but thread so this universe when analyzed is nothing but the Self. Just as a clay pot dissolves into clay, a wave into water an ornament into gold so the universe which emanates from me will dissolve into me. The Ture Knower The true knower has gained the fruit of knowledge as well as the practice of yoga he is therefore contented and enjoys being alone. Those desirous of worldly enjoyment and those desirous of liberation both coexist in this world. But rare indeed is the great souled one who is not desirous of either enjoyment or liberation. Rare is the man who has neither attraction for nor aversion to dharma (duty), Artha (worldly Prosperity), kama (desire) and moksa (liberation) as well as life and death. Enlightened by the knowledge of the self and with his mind absorbed and contented, the wise one lives happily, seeing, hearing, touching, smelling and eating. He is free from ignorance and its resultant karmas and desires, he has no inner motives, his actions have no end in view, objects of the senses do not leave any impressions on his mind. He neither sleepings nor awake as he does not seek the objects of the world nor does he perceive them the way we do. He is dead to the relative world, yet, he is not asleep as he is ever conscious of the self pervading universe. He is above actions or inaction. The liberated ones neither slanders, nor praises, neither rejoices nor is he angry, he neither gives nor takes. He sees no or cruelty, humility or arrogance. He abides in a state of Absoluteness. His mind is purified of all delusion. In such a state all functions or the attributes of the mind cease to operate. In this state, final realisation bursts forth of which no description is possible.It is to be experienced.

Janaka the man of wisdom (knowledge with feeling) plays the game of life but differently from the games played by those who remain deluded. The Self-Realised are not touched by virtue or vice, happiness or unhappiness, aversion or desire just as the sky is untouched by smoke or clouds. The Self-Realised are free souls beyond scriptural or social injunctions. Their acts emanate from their very own sense of Self with total awareness and do not therefore, neither sinful nor virtuous. They are unlabelled acts, perfect in themselves

Hindu is a person who follows or pratice the religion universaly known as Hinduism. It is also called Sanatana Dharma, "eternal religion," and Vaidika Dharma, "religion of the Vedas," Hinduism encompasses a broad spectrum of philosophies ranging from pluralistic theism to absolute monism. It is a family of myriad faiths with four primary denominations: Saivism, Vaishnavism, Shaktism and Smartism. These four hold such divergent beliefs that each is a complete and independent religion. Yet, they share a vast heritage of culture and belief: karma, dharma, reincarnation, all-pervasive Divinity, temple worship, sacraments, manifold Deities, the many yogas, the guru-nishya tradition and a reliance on the Vedas as scriptural authority. Changing it's name would not make any difference and morever it's much more easier for foreigners to say Hinduism than by any other name. You can change or call it by our own undestanding but you cannot change what is already in world record such as all the English books on Hinduism in library all over the world. But no one can stop you from calling it by any other name you feel appropriate. So, please do not waste your time and energy trying to educate others as all others know what is Hinduism and how it came to be called. For example in all my official identity documents it is written that my religion is Hinduism, can I now ask the authorities to change it to "Sanatana Dharma" surely not as no authority in my country recognizes "Sanatana Dharma" as the official religion of the Indians. There is no harm in calling yourself a Hindu as everyone knows what it refers to so lets give it a rest.

Do not compare Hinduism with Islam as the world knows Islam is a dragoonian religion like communism. It controls the life of its people whereas Hnduism itself is a way of life. Living our daily life is Hinduism. Giving alms to the poor is Hinduism. Respecting the elders is Hinduism. Uttering the name of God in your heart is Hinduism. Doing service to mankind is Hinduism. Not being greedy is Himduism. Being a vegetarian is Hinduism. Loving all living entity is Hinduism and living peacefully with your neighbours is Hinduism. So we do not need someone to call out to us saying it is time for prayer as all Hindus know thier time for prayers. And for your information those who follow the above are all Hindus. As of today 1/6 of the world population are Hindus and there are others who are Hindus by action but non Hindus by name. So if you look at it in other angle there are more Hindus than any others by name. I'm sure you know what I mean.

Becoming a Muslim is your right but to condemn others belief is not. Here you have shown how ignorant you are by not only becoming a Muslim but aslo becoming an uncivilized barbarian. Decapitating your fellow human is barbaric and so your religion is a barbaric religion. Islam is for the illetrate as can be seen by their uncivilized behaviour. Hinduism thought the world to be civilize and the world histroy would tell you where civilization began. I do not know of your origin of birth but I'm sure you would beling to a particuar relgion at birth but since you did not understand your religion of birth how could you understand a religion you just adopted? As far as I know Muslims who undersatand and respect other relgions are Muslims by accident. Such as their forefathers were forced to become Muslims for fear of being beheaded by the invading Muslim barbarians who had also raped young Hindu maidens who had bore the shame and their childen who were bastards. So now you know some history of how the Muslims in India came to be. Now for more interesting part is that Arabs by nature were bastards as most of their ancestors were raped by Mohammed's soldiers before conversion while the male folks were murdered. So on the whole today's off springs are from the line of the bastards and so carry the gene of the murders and that is why the can go on a killing sphere. Ask any historian and they would tell you what I have said. The original arabs were a vedic race but after Mohammed they were all killed in war and their women folks were raped by Mohammed's soldiers and these soldiers fathered the children who became bastards in Arab skin. So there is nothing great about Islam as it belong to a tribe that came to power through invation and spoils of war. It was the western world that thought them the value of oil otherwise they would all die fo starvation as they cannot drink the black slughish substanse which after refining brings wealth to these barbarians. As far as I know there is nothing original in Islam as 99% of the contents in Quran were assimilated from the Jewish faith[OT]. The hadith is nothing but simply the laws invented by Mohammed such as what a Muslim should do or don't and if a Muslim does not follow what Mohammed did during his life timw would be condemn to hell. Are such laws by God? Surely not. I wonder if Muslims these days are following exactly what Mohammed did after passing motion? If not thatn they have been condemn to hell even if they pray five times a day. Because if a Muslim who fails to folow Mohammed is not a true Muslim an I suggest you stock up small stones soon before going to toilet. You better check your facts before you come into this forum otherwise you will only get a load of stones for your personal use.

'Hindus will become a minority in India by 2061' Press Trust of India Posted online: Friday, December 03, 2004 at 1526 hours IST Deoria (UP), December 3: Criticising the Tamil Nadu government for arresting Kanchi Shankaracharya Jayendra Saraswati, RSS chief K Sudershan has said the manner in which it was done was "condemnable". "The way the Kanchi seer was arrested merely on the statement of someone is condemnable", Sudershan said while addressing a meeting of RSS workers on Thursday. He also exhorted Hindus to rise above caste and religious feelings and work unitedly to make the country more prosperous and strong. Expressing concern over the rise in the population of Muslims and Christians and decline in that of Hindus, Sudershan said, "If this trend continues, Hindus will become a minority in their own country by 2061".

You said: Clearly, in the scriptures, it is said, A SADHU SEES A DOG, DOG-EATER, RICH & POOR- ALL WITH THE SAME EYE AND ON SAME PLANE. _________ That is what the Seer sees in all and that to you is wrong. This is the 21st century and Seers like him would not be like a hermit hiding in the caves. He has a duty to the Hindu society and it demands that the Seer is seen and spoken to in public. That is one way of spreading the teaching of his master. -------------------------- You said: Iam talking about- your claim that the "seer" is innocent. In this age of Kali, Krishna says there will be many imposters in the garb of SWAMI? How do you know this is not one? _________ So did the Jewish Torah and the Jews crusified Jesus. Here the Seer is not claiming to be son of God and yet you want to crusify him. What a bias idiot you are. You are ignorant and blinded by your doubts and ego and so you don't see the truth. I've seen many like you in my journey of life and all of them had met their destiny with fear. And I hope you would not want to be in their shoes. Life's journey is an uncertainity only when you reach there you would know the result so do not just make assumption by mere rumours and spectculation. Even if you know the truth it is wise to be humble and not show that you know too much coz that would be your downfall in life. Tell me my ignorant friend, what would be the benefit the Seer acquire by murdering Sivaraman? 1. Can he inherit all the wealth of the organisation? 2. Can he transfer all the wealth inot is personal name? 3. Was he in danger of losing his title or position to Sivaraman? 4. Were there any evidence to show that the Seer was involved in any illicite business or bad vices that Sivaraman wanted to expose? In fact if you have any evidence of such I dare you to produce them to the authorities and convict the Seer otherwise I advice you to just shut up and go about your daily business of putting your own house in order. _________

The IG wants a confession because certain people [only the corrupted police know] wants this case fixed for reasons only known to the evil one. IG demand the SP concern to get the confession and after hours and hours of interogation still no confession. Than again a call from IG " I want a confession" in a stern voice. SP comes out with a statement to satisfy IG " Kanchi Seer confesses to murder". After hearing the expected news IG is satisfied and the evil one too is happy. How is that for a plot?

My duty is to serve fellow human with kindness and compassion. We only take arms when our life is in danger not just to force others into what we believe in. I do not know about your guru but my guru did not teach me to take arms or kill others who do not believe in my faith. So, please refrain from making such calls in the future.

I have not committed any crime: Seer Press Trust of India Posted online: Tuesday, November 30, 2004 at 1138 hours IST Updated: Tuesday, November 30, 2004 at 1631 hours IST Chennai, November 30: Kanchi Shankaracharya Jayendra Saraswathi has described as 'an absolute lie' the police claim that he had 'confessed to his involvement' in the Sankaraman murder, Tamil Nadu BJP unit president C.P. Radhakrishnan, who met the seer earlier in the day, claimed on Monday night. "I have not committed any mistake. Why should I make a confessional statement?," the seer, arrested as the prime accused in the case, had told him (Radhakrishnan) and senior party colleague Sushma Swaraj when they called on the former at the Vellore Prison, Radhakrishnan said in Chennai. He said the Shankaracharya told them that the police claim about his confession was an "absolute lie". Radhakrishnan said the health of the seer was 'alright', but he (the seer) was worried about attempts aimed at 'character assassination'. He was also bothered about the attempts to 'tarnish' the reputation of the mutt, Radhakrishnan said.

Kancheepuram, November 27: Police investigating the Sankararaman murder case, involving Kanchi Shankaracharya Jayendra Saraswati, have been further pushed to the wall with two more of the accused alleging foul play. Their petition to the Judicial Magistrate indicates that the police were trying to rig the identification parade. The accused — Mattu Bhasker and Silvester alias Stalin — had surrendered at the Tiruvattiyur court on November 5. Later, the Magistrate’s court in Kanchipuram ordered their judicial custody for 15 days, on November 19. But, the petition says, instead of taking them directly to the Central jail in Chennai, the police took the accused to the SP’s office in Kanchipuram. The two were interrogated there, without the court’s knowledge. The petition also says the police brought Sankararaman’s widow, Padma, and her two children to the SP’s office, and introduced them to the accused. This was done even though Padma and her children may have been for an identification parade. Speaking to The Indian Express, defence lawyer Darwin Wisdom said he had information that Sankararaman’s family subsequently took part in an identification parade at Chennai jail. The police, however, refused to comment on this. In a surprise move, the state government replaced S. Davidson, the SP of Kanchipuram, who was overseeing investigations into the case. Davidson’s transfer orders were issued from Chennai barely hours after the PM’s letter, advising care and caution in the case, had reached Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa’s office. The Cuddalore SP, Prem Kumar, would assume charge in place of Davidson.

I know you may not be a Hindu and neither can one say that all Hindus are fluent in the scriptures. In days by gone only Brahims were allowed to study the scriptures while the non brahmins were only allowed to listen and seek help from Brahmin priest to conduct any rituals. Today that trend is changing and I hope all Hindus in the future would be able to resite and conduct holy rituals in homes and temples. So, the answers to the questions by unregisteret guest are as follows. Your question:i want to know that y in hindusim people prays to different idols and wat is the role of cow in hinduism, how cow is related to hindusism? But you are forgetting that every follower of a religion are Idol Worshipper. Idol worship is not peculiar to Hinduism. Christians worship the Cross. They have the image of the Cross in their mind. The Muslims keep the image of the Kaaba stone when they kneel and do prayers. The people of the whole world, save a few Yogis and Vedantins, are all worshippers of idols. They keep some image or the other in their mind. The mental image also is a form of idol. The difference is not one of kind, but only of degree. All worshippers, however intellectual they may be, generate a form in the mind and make the mind dwell on that image. Everyone is thus an idol worshipper. Pictures, drawings, etc., are only forms of idols. A gross mind needs a concrete symbol as a prop and a subtle mind requires an abstract symbol. Even a Vedantin has the symbol Om to fix his wandering mind. It is not only the pictures or images in stone and in wood that are idols, but dialectics and great leaders also become idols. So, why condemn idolatry? The idol is a substitute or symbol. The image in a temple, though it be made of stone, wood or metal, is precious for a devotee as it bears the mark of his Lord, as it represents something which he holds holy and eternal. A flag is only a small piece of painted cloth, but to a soldier it stands for something that he holds very dear. He is prepared to give up his life in defending his flag. Similarly, the image is very dear to a devotee. It speaks to him in its own language of devotion. Just as the flag arouses martial valour in the soldier, so also the image arouses devotion in the devotee. The Lord is superimposed on the image and the image generates divine thoughts in the worshipper. Traditionally, the bulls work in the agricultural farms, cows provide milk. Very few rich farmers can afford the air polluting, noisy tracters with expensive imported fuel. As a baby, mother provides milk. Later it is the cow. That makes one respect and love the cow. This is largely true in India even today!. Even after their natural death their skin provides leather. In modern times, however, the tanneries which use extremely carcigenous chemicals to process leather, have been polluting the scarce drinking water. It is true that most people respect the right of way to cows and in fact to any animal, when they stray in a street. They are viewed as food producers and not as food itself. Actually, the word for cow in Tamil is "pasu". The word for animal in Sanskrit is the same "pasu". In other words, the cow personifies "animals" in general. All animals are sacred in Hinduism. Do the above answers satisfy your curiosity? I hope so.

I wish the same for you too. It's good to debate as we will learn more about our own belief as well as others. Infact I studing comparative theology and I had talks with Muslims and Christians. I have learned one thing from them and that is, no matter what they would not compromise with Hinduism. The Christian believe that only through Jesus one can go to paradise and the Muslim believe there is only on God and he is Allah and Mohammed is his last mesanger. They do not believe in any other path except theirs alone. It is not easy to handle this kind of fanatical mind and I thought I had enough of them but here I find there Hindus trying to convience each other and debate over who is superior Krishna or Shiva or Vishnu. Those with less knowledge in the path to God believe that God is somewhere in a place called Haven and that he is seperate from us. Well, if that is what they want to believe than so be it. Here is what Sri Ramakrishna says to people of such quality. "He is born in vain, who having attained the human birth, so difficult to get, does not attempt to realize God in this very life. Seekest thou God ? Then seek Him in man ! His Divinity is manifest more in man than in any other object. Man is the greatest manifestation of God". "It is said that truthfulness alone constitutes the spiritual discipline of the Kaliyuga (i.e. modern age). If a man clings tenaciously to truth he ultimately realizes God". "Women whether naturally good or not, whether chaste or unchaste, should always be regarded as images of the Blissful Divine Mother". "Purify the spectacles of your mind and you will see that the world is God". "God is everywhere but He is most manifest in man. So serve man as God. That is as good as worshipping God".

I think the Christian missionary is out dated as most Hindus are fairly ok now and this post a problem for Christian mission for conversion. In those days there were many poor Hindu families where even a day's meal was hard to come by and so the Christian missionary had a easy way to convert Hindus by providing milk and other provisons for the poor Hindus. But now after centuries they find it difficult as most poor Hindu families are able to fend for themsleves. The only way now they see is touch on the scriptures and come up with this concocted stories of Jesus being Shiva or Vishun. So be it and rather than converting the Hindus they should now discard the bible and take the Gita to Church and that way the name of Jesus can be converted to Shiva or Krishna or Vishnu and mother Mary can be Sakthi and so on. Don't you think that would be an easier way the the Christians.

p-v, Please do not get too emotional. All three mahans had their own feelings and understand of the existence and God. But the truth is the same but interpreted in different ways. The subject they dwelled on was God and none other and so they perceive God and the scriptures in their own way. If you are a follower fo Shankara so be it and no one is going to hang you for that or if you follow Ramanuja that too is ok as no one is going to accuse you of being a deviasionist and finally if your are a follower of Madhva so be it for all three spoke of God as Brahman and saw the truth in different aspect as the see fit. Why are you having doubts when you have read all three and found three different ways. Ways are many but the ultimate path is one and that is the TRUTH.

Pray, why this leap of faith? Author: NT Bureau Publication: News Today February 4, 2004 URL: http://newstodaynet.com/04feb/ld1.htm For long they have said Hindu Gods were devils and any worship of Them is a heathen practice. Now Christian zealots have outdone themselves by taking a giant leap of faith and claiming that the various Vedic Sanskrit slogans were in praise of Jesus and not Hindu Gods. Christian propaganda pamphlets and booklets in circulation especially in and around Madurai district also make the ludicrous suggestion that Swami Vivekananda had asked the people to worship Jesus. The pamphlets, which have been put in circulation by the Madurai-based Infant Jesus Hospital (headed by one Rev Fr. Caleb), also fraudulently invoke Bhagawat Gita slogans saying that they preach against idol worship. The highly inflammatory but dubious pamphlets, which the footsoldiers (primarily women) of Christian expansionism have been delivering at doorstep after doorstep in Southern districts, go as far as to decree that 'people should not follow any other faith other than Christianity'. Just sample some of the 'interpretations' in the pamphlets: Om Sri Brahma Puthraya Nama reads as 'I worship Jesus, who came to the world as God's son (Yowan 3:16.17)'. Om Shri Dakshina Murthaya Nama is translated as 'I worship Jesus who is sitting on the thigh of his father (Yowan (1:18)'. Taking specific mantras from Sama Veda, the Christian marketers say 'Om Sri Panchakaya Nama refers to Jesus, the one with five wounds (panchakaya) Yowan 20:25.27. Om Sri Ummathiya Nama is translated as 'I hail one born to the holy spirit' (Mathew 1:18). Parajapathi is taken to be representing the Christ and several quotes are given to suggest that Hinduism had all along had been talking about the 'Holy Saviour'. The pamphlets go the whole hog and reel out several texts from the hoary Rig Veda, saying all of them were meant for Christianity. The mantra from Brihat Aranyako Upanishad (Asathoma sadhgamaya, Tamasoma Jyothirgamaya...) is laboriously expanded and explained to mean that Jesus is leading as the light of the world. And the 'explanation' goes on to add: 'there is a word-to-word answer in the bible to every prayer in the Upanishad'. Bhagwat Gita is also not left alone. In a seeming translation of a verse from Neethicharam, the pamphlet says that 'those fools who worship statues made up of stone, wood and metal would beget nothing other than misery and would not be pardoned'. Of course, this is plain duplicitous misinterpretation. But they have not stopped with that. They go on to plain falsehoods. The pamphlets invoke Swami Vivekananda and say that he wanted hundreds and thousands of Christian religious workers to come to India so that the preaching of Jesus could go to the hearts of all Hindu people. Understandably the locals are highly offended at the effrontery of the evangelists. Apart from the farcical and facile reasonings in the hand-outs, the locals say the fact they (evangelists) made bold to deliver them in every household makes clear their rabid fundamentalism. The brazen approach of the Christian preachers is a major talking point in the Southern districts for quite some time. They brook at no niceties. Anything goes for them. The ways are unimportant to them. In going about their patently communal ways, they have vitiated the general atmosphere in the districts. The prayers (real ones) of the peace-loving people to the authorities have had no effect so far.

The Rose was called rose originally for it's color and I'm sure it also has a scientific name for it but most commonly people call it Rose[as in English]. So the truth is there and there is no change to it. Be it is whatever shade or color it may appear now but it is still a rose. May be if you want to lie you may call the rose "jasmine" and vice versa. Now that is not the truth. When we talk about TRUTH here we mean GOD. When we say God it means the TRUTH. Live by truth and no harm will come to you. That is what the Vedas says and all rishis and gurus say. Treat your mother as mother and not as your servant, is the truth. Call your father as father and not uncle is the truth. Treat your sisters as sisters and not as whores and that is the truth. Do service to the needy and not by selfish means is the truth. So there are many things relate to truth in this world, infact eveything is related to truth but the selfish and greedy man does not want to see the truth but interprets it in his own way to satisfay his greed and that is the truth here. A liar may interpret the TRUTH in his own way to delude others. A cheat may interpret TRUTH in his own way to satisfy his own guilt. A rouge may interpret TRUTH in his own way too but a divine person would interpret TRUTH as TRUTH and none other way.

The Art of Doing Karma Swami Smaranananda Swami Smaranananda is the General Secretary of Ramakrishna Math and Mission. This is the edited text of his talk delivered at Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai, during the spiritual retreat held on 8th February 2004. ¨ Living a life in the world and how to spiritually orient oneself is a basic question. In ancient times, life was so regulated that it led to a spiritual goal, the highest purpose in life. In other words, all the four purusharthas evolved by our ancient rishis--Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha, and the Varnashrama dharma, etc. were set to lead one to a higher purpose in life. Today we are very much influenced by a materialistic mindset and added to that is a technological Revolution which has brought people across the world to a common mode of living making it difficult to give a spiritual orientation to life. So we will have to think of ways to orient our life to subserve a higher purpose. What is that higher purpose? Sri Ramakrishna says: the purpose of life is to realize God. But God-realization cannot come just like that. The Lord says in the Gita (7.3), Manushyânâm sahasreshu kaschid yatati siddhaye; Yatatâm api siddhânâm kaschid mâm vetti tattvatah. Thousands of people struggle to attain success in spiritual life. They put forth every effort for that purpose and still only a few attain success. If that path is so difficult, why try it at all? It is a very good and valid question. Before we answer it, we need to ask ourselves: 'What am I doing? Where am I going? What is the purpose of life?' When these questions agitate our minds, in due course we get convinced that there is a higher purpose in life--that is to know God. But right now, you may not attain to it. You can however put yourself onto a path that takes you to the right destination. How to do it? Through Karma or skilful action. In ancient times, particularly in Purva-mimamsa philosophy, there were a lot of rituals, many yajnas, and homas that one had to perform. Every householder was enjoined to perform Agni-hotram daily so long as he lived. It was a commonly accepted practice those days wherein husband and wife performed rituals together as equal partners. I recall a marriage when I was a boy in which a couple were asked to perform Agni-hotram, which meant the pouring of the oblations into the fire for various deities like Agni, Indra, Varuna. Even today we follow these rituals in a slightly modified manner: we pour oblations into homa fire in the name of Sri Ramakrishna and Sarada Devi. Besides these, we have many other actions to perform in life like earning, eating, bringing up children, educating them. So giving up work is not possible. The Lord says in the Gita that not even for a moment, one can be without work. Whether you like it or not, you are compelled to do it. Just for a living you have to work. Nature has organized or arranged life in such a way that we have to do something always. Now the questionis how to do it? ThroughKarma-Yoga. The idea of Karma-Yoga is worked out in greater details in the Gita, and before that in the Gita, and in the Upanishads. In Ishâ Upanishad (verse 2), it is said: Kurvanneveha karmâni jijivishet shatam samâh. By doing karma, indeed, one should wish to live here for a hundred years. Be detached; that is the only way by which you can make your life useful. Truly speaking it is not the work that causes attachment; it is the mental attitude, the desire for fruits of action that makes you attached. Suppose somebody comes forward and says, 'Don't take any trouble, I will give you all that is wanted.' I do not know how many people will work then. Today there is a problem associated with the retired people. They receive all the pensions and gratuity, but still no one seems satisfied with that. In the pre-Independence period the expected lifespan was 25 years, now it is 65 and it may go up to 80 years. Retired people do not seem to know what to do. They think that they have nothing to do. But so long as you are in the world, you have to do something. You must learn to make it Karma-Yoga and not Karma Bhoga. How to do it? The Lord says in the Gita: Yogah karmasu kaushalam, Yoga is dexterity or efficiency in action. It is not the ordinary efficiency, but efficiency in real terms that is meant here. What does kaushalam mean? It is dexterity or cleverness in doing work. The same compelling work which binds to various things and makes you feel attached, that very work can be converted into an instrument for spiritual progress. That is the secret. Gita says it is possible. Swami Vivekananda too says in his book Karma-Yoga that it is possible. During those approximately 1000 years between the Gita and Swamiji, nobody has dealt with the subject so thoroughly. After giving a detailed view as presented in the Gita, Swami Vivekananda has explained this in his book on Karma-Yoga. He says that work is seldom sweet; often one considers it as drudgery. This feeling arises because of lack of love for our work. We have to make the work enjoyable. Going to office every morning and coming back in the evening, one may feel drudgery. Now women are also going to office or if at home, they have to cook, take care of the house, do all the housekeeping work--this also develops a feeling of drudgery in them. In the olden days we had the joint family system where people lived together. Even after marriage the son lived with his parents and took care of them. And then came the period of Vanaprastha, during which the old people lived in the forest and spent the rest of their life in spirituality. Nowadays people's requirements have gone up. It is also not possible to go to a forest and yet one has to continue working. To convert work which is the cause of bondage into a means of spiritual progress, by detaching from the fruits of action is Karma-Yoga. That is what the Lord says in Gita (2.47): Karmani eva adhikârah te mâ phaleshu kadâchana; Mâ karma-phala-hetur bhu mâ te sango'stvakarmani. 'You have only the right to work but not to the fruits thereof.' One cannot be without some work. It is possible, of course, externally to sit quiet but internally the mind will be still restless. So also sitting idle is neither desirable nor possible. So one must learn to take up the path of Karma-Yoga, for one's own good. Now, Phalahetu (in the above sloka) means do not let your mind get attached to the karmaphala. This means you will have to do your duty without getting attached to its outcome. Swamiji says that duty is seldom sweet; it is like the burning midday sun over our head. But when work is greased with love it turns out to be sweet. To do that, one needs detachment. Detachment from desire does not mean that you have to work in the office without salary! Actually the karmaphala is granted by the Lord himself. The Lord alone has the power to sanction the fruits of action. It is same as your salary cheque, which has to be signed by your company chairman, and if he is absent on a parti- cular day, you don't get the salary on that day. Krishna in the Gita says: 'I too have duties to perform.' (Gita, 3.22) In spite of the fact that the Lord has got everything, He is always at work. Why? He replies that if He does not work this way, then others too will follow His path. They will think that it is all right to be idle. If the Lord keeps idle then why should we work; everything will then go to pieces. As everything is ruled by brahmashakti, we cannot avoid work. We have to create a right attitude to work. We can discover this right attitude for doing work either through Jnana-Yoga or, Bhakti-Yoga. In Jnana-Yoga it is said, you do everything, at the same time you do nothing. Pralapan visrijan grihnan unmishan nimishan api; Indriyâni indriyârtheshu vartanta iti dhârayan--(Gita, 5.9) A jnani lives like a lotus leaf in the water. So many things are done by the senses but he is not disturbed. He (the knower of truth) says, 'I don't do anything; all work goes on by itself. I am only a witness.' How many people can do that? To most people it is very difficult because we are attached to the body. Yet Jnana-Yoga can form a basis for the Karma-Yoga. Gita (4.18) says: Karmani akarma yah pashyed akarmani cha karma yah; Sa buddhimân manushyeshu sa yuktah kritsnakarmakrit. 'One who sees inaction in action, and action in inaction, is intelligent among human beings, he or she is a yogi and a doer of all action.' That buddhi is the most intelligent, which sees akarma in karma. What does it mean? Do everything but be detached. Karma becomes akarma and akarma becomes karma when we are attached. We may not be working but desiring many things. Thus Jnana becomes the basis of all understanding of karma and akarma. It is a question of who does the work and to whom goes the bank balance of karma. The truth is that it is our attitude that counts. As this is very difficult to follow for most, one can take help from Bhakti-Yoga. Shankara says in one place that whatever is done as ishwara arpanâ, as dedication to the Lord, does not cause bondage. You may say, 'Of course, I do everything and dedicate it to God', but are you feeling like that? In Sri-Shiva-manasa-pujana-stotram, it is said: Yadyatkarma karomi tattadakhilam shambho tavârâdhanam. 'Whatever I do is thy ârâdhanâ.' From morning to evening whatever a devotee does, he offers it to the Lord, with a feeling of worship. Converting all that we do as worship, which means not only going to the temple or doing yajna, homa, but even ordinary things that we do as offering to the Lord is worship. Sri Ramakrishna calls this vaidhi-bhakti, which means following bhakti according to the rules; externally you are engaged in various rituals and actions but inside the heart a change takes place. This is the aim of Karma-Yoga: a change of heart, an attitudinal change. For example there was one Brother Lawrence, in France, some 300 year ago. He was not much educated. He was working in the monastery as a cook. And in course of time, he got spiritual enlightenment. Everybody was astonished and even his superiors were eager to know how he managed to attain to that state. He said that he did not know anything, but he practised remembering God at all times in whatever work he did, trying to feel the presence of God. That is how the transformation comes. He did karma as yoga, so he was not attached to the result of karma. What we need is total dedication to the ideal. Don't connect your salary with the karmaphala. Do your duty as seva. In Hindi they say sarkâri seva (servant of the government). The name seva has been used for the service like Indian government service. But today's scenario is something different. The work they do is not seva at all; whether they work or not, they are paid salary. Even the higher officials make use of their post only to amass wealth. If a little dedication to the Lord can be brought in the work they do, that very work, which otherwise causes bondage, will become a means to Moksha. This is what the Gita says: All the work that you do, offer that to the Lord. In the Mahabharata, Yudhishthira is seen to offer everything to the Lord. And the Lord says: offer only good things; do not offer the bad things, for they will return to you with manifold intensity. When I talk about bhakti, I enjoy telling this story: One lady went to Sri Ramakrishna and said, 'I want to do japa, but whenever I sit for japa or meditation, a nephew whom I love very much comes to my mind.' The Master said, 'Very well, whatever you do for him--feeding, dressing, etc.--do with the idea that he is Gopala; have this attitude that God resides in him in the form of Gopala and that it is He whom you are feeding, dressing and serving. Why should you think that you are doing all this for a human being? As is your mood, so will be your gain.' We are told that as a result of doing so, she made considerable spiritual progress in a short time, so much so that she attained even Bhavasamadhi. (Sri Ramakrishna The Great Master, vol. I, p. 392) What a new approach! This reminds me of the story of a yogi who used to meditate under a tree. Once, atop the tree, some birds were making sound which disturbed the yogi. So he cast a fiery look at them, and the next moment both the birds were burnt to ashes. The yogi became very proud of his magical power. He went for bhiksha in the town. He came to a house whose doors were closed. So he stood there and gave a call for the bhiksha. Immediately he heard a reply, 'please wait, I am little busy.' So he had to wait. He waited but felt a little angry thinking, 'Why is this lady making me wait? She is not aware of my powers.' Inside the house, the lady was busy serving her sick husband. After some time, the lady came out. And on seeing the yogi angry, she said, 'here there are no birds to burn.' The yogi was surprised. He asked her how she came to know of this incident. 'Look here,' she said, 'I am serving my sick husband all the time. I look upon him as a representative of God. Just when you came, as I was serving him, I could not leave that in the middle and attend to your bhiksha. Hence I asked you to wait. This act of service must have brought some powers with it. I have not sought for it. If you want to know more about this, go and ask the butcher who owns a shop in the next street.' The yogi was taken aback. He thought: what can I learn from the butcher? But he proceeded towards the shop where the butcher was cutting and selling meat. The butcher welcomed the yogi and said, 'Yes, I know that lady has sent you to me. But please wait'. Then he went home, first served his sick parents and then he finally attended to the yogi. The yogi said, 'I am surprised how you were able to acquire all these powers.' Then the butcher taught the yogi about the Ultimate Reality. When you do your duty with devotion--whether it is serving the child or the father--with the idea of Shivajnana in jiva, it becomes seva. Service to mankind is service to the Lord. This idea can be followed wherever you are. It does not require any institutional set-up to do service. Only when you want do it on a larger scale, institutions are necessary. In family itself you can practise this and if you follow these principles, the whole family takes a turn for the better. We see in the metropolitan cities many broken marriages and broken hearts, and so many divorces. It is all because the right attitude is not there. So Karma-Yoga is to be practised. Whatever we do we have to convert it into Karma-Yoga, with the help of jnana or bhakti. Sri Ramakrishna says, in the age of Kali yuga, people are tied down to their bodies and Narada's way of bhakti is the most ideal. It does not talk about rituals. Just love for God. In due course life itself becomes an act of loving God. Our love for the little things of this world has to be transformed into love for God. We can think of God with form or without form. You can easily love God with form. Ramanuja says there is archâvatâra in an image that has been loved and worshipped. It is not just an image; when it has been worshipped for many years the hidden power in the image becomes manifest; that is called archâvatâra. It is this which makes certain pilgrimage centres or temples acquire a holiness, a sublime atmosphere drawing many pilgrims towards it. So we have to consciously try to change our ways, change our attitude towards life. First of all, fix your goal. As I said in the beginning, your goal should be to develop spiritually, or to move towards the highest good which is the supreme purpose of life. Many householders would come to Sri Ramakrishna and ask him what was the way? Should we have to give up the family and the world? Sri Ramakrishna said no, you can be in the world and still attain God. Moreover the life of a monk or nun is not suitable for everyone. It suits only a few, who have the requisite samskâras. Everybody is born with his own set of samskâras. His mind is programmed in a particular way (to use the computer language). What we are today is because of our past programming. It is very difficult to wipe out the past samskâras, though not impossible. One must make strenuous and sincere efforts. We have to remove all the bad programmes and create good programme in our mental computer. We have to do this rewriting the inner programme consciously. If you want to bring about this transformation or want to give a new orientation to your life, that is a spiritual orientation, then give up the attitude of narrowness and develop the attitude of love, and see things in a broader perspective. This you can find well demonstrated in the life of Holy Mother. If you read the life of Holy Mother, for all intents and purposes, she looked like an ordinary lady but her mind was tuned to purity alone. Just by having her darshan people became pure and got transformed. She clearly demonstrated to the world that even in this age which is surrounded by too much of worldly-minded people, spiritual evolution is possible. This she proved in her life, by keeping her mind always on God, even in the midst of her busy schedule and household works. It is true that everyone will reach the goal one day or the other. If you are prepared to wait, for some more births, no harm, nobody is compelling you to do it right now. But if you are eager to reach the goal, you will have to take up the ideal seriously, and skilfully learn the art of doing karma. It is only a question of how intensely you want to reach the goal.

Dharma is Changeless but its Practice Changes in each Age Sometimes it has been said that righteousness has declined and that the dharma has diminished. But that is not correct. Dharma is based on truth. Truth is absolute; it can never undergo change or be diminished. However, in any particular age, the practice of dharma may undergo change. God incarnated as Krishna, not to re-establish dharma, but to re establish the practice of dharma. Dharma never left, nor did it ever change; but it was out of use. The seven facets of dharma have been present in all the past ages;. However, each age has had practices most appropriate to that age. For instance, in ancient times when spiritual awareness was very high, the appropriate spiritual practice was meditation. In the age in which Rama incarnated, the most appropriate practice was penance and sacrifice. In the Krishna era, the practice was ritual and ceremonial worship. And in the past five thousand years of this present materialistic age, in which spiritual consciousness is at a low ebb around the world, the chanting of the holy name is the most appropriate practice. But, just as in the earlier ages there were also many believers who practiced the repetition of mantra, evoking the name of God, so also, in this age there are people who take to meditation, there are people who take to doing penance and there are people who take to ritual worship. But the principal practices depend upon the general character and mood of the times. Different practices give different forms, so to speak, to dharma. But the inner flow of dharma is always the same. Truth will never change. Truth is always one, never two. In all the three times, past, present and future, in all the three worlds, earth, heaven and the nether world, in all the three states, waking, dream and deep sleep, and in all the three worldly qualities, passivity, activity and equilibrium, truth is always one. Since truth is one and the very basis of dharma, dharma cannot change. It never wavers or undergoes any modifications. But duty and practice will undergo intermittent change. For example, take a person who is doing a job. How long will this job be his duty? Until he retires from that particular job. Until then, he goes to the office every day. Once he retires, his duty changes. After retirement, he might get involved in doing business. Then he says that pursuing his business is his duty. In doing business, he may be tempted to gain some extra profit by taking to under-handed methods; he may try to earn money through lying and cheating. Even though he may have now taken to lying and cheating in order to earn money, he will still consider the work he is doing as his occupation and his duty. When so many changes can come about in duty, how can it be described as dharma ? These changing activities that occupy your time in the interest of providing for your living needs, cannot automatically be described as dharma. Duty becomes dharma when it shines with the virtues that make up the facets of dharma.

Uttara Gita (3.7) Agnir-devo dvijatinam, Muninam hridi daivatam. Pratima svalpa-buddhinam, Sarvatra samadarsinam. "To those who meditate, god resides in their hearts. To the ordinary masses, the image is god. But what is the real truth? Sarvatra samadarsinam, god is present everywhere to the supremely realized soul". There are two forms of yoga by which perfection may be attained. One form is the yoga of knowledge. The other is the yoga of action. You cannot attain perfection by merely shirking action. Indeed it is impossible even for a moment to be utterly inactive. All living beings are driven to action by their own natures. Those who withdraw from action, while allowing their minds to dwell on sensual pleasures, are deluding themselves; they can never follow the path to perfection. Fulfill your duties; action is better than inaction. Indeed, you should strive to maintain the health and strength of your body. Yet selfish action will enslave you. Act selflessly, without any thought of personal gain. When human beings were created, the obligation of selfless action was also created. God promised that through selfless action human beings would fulfill their deepest desires. Good people, who share the fruits of their work, are freed from all their sins. But those who keep the fruits of their work for themselves, consume sin. Every selfless action is inspired by God; he is present in every good deed. All life turns on this truth. Gita 10, 13-16. I shall describe the people whom I love. They have goodwill towards all living beings, and are incapable of ill will. They are friendly and compassionate. They regard nothing as their own possession, and want no position of power for themselves. They are indifferent to both pleasure and pain. They are patient, contented, and self-controlled. They are firm in faith, and their hearts and minds are utterly devoted to me. Their serenity is constant, and cannot be disturbed by others; on the contrary, their presence makes others feel serene. They are not elated by good fortune, nor depressed by misfortune. They do not compete with others and they have no fear of failure. They are not attracted to particular people and places; nor are they repelled by particular people and places. They are both selfless and efficient in all their actions. They have no desire for pleasure and no fear of pain. They never grieve over the death of others or the loss of material goods; they accept with equanimity every event as it occurs. They love friends and enemies equally. They are not encouraged by praise nor discouraged by blame. Whether they are honored or despised, they remain perfectly calm. Within their hearts there is silence. These are the people whom I especially love. Gita 12.13-19 The light of the soul I shall tell you of the soul. The soul is God -who is immortal and infinite, who has no beginning and will have no end, and who both exists and does not exist. Those who know the soul, are immortal. The soul dwells in every living being, and in every part of every living being; it dwells in the hand and the foot, the skull and the mouth, the eye and the ear. Although it does not itself have senses, it shines through every sense. It is completely independent, yet all beings depend on it. The soul is both near every living being, and far from every being. The soul is both inside and outside every living being. The soul is the cause of movement, but does not itself move. The soul is one, yet has innumerable forms. The soul creates, preserves, and destroys. The soul is the light of every light; and its light transcends the duality of brightness and darkness. The soul is the light of knowledge; and its light is also the goal of knowledge. In the soul the subject and object of knowledge are one. Gita 13.12-17

Kanchi Acharya case: key accused retracts statements Nov. 24, 2004 In a twist to the ongoing investigation into the Sankararaman murder case, in which Kanchi Seer Jayendra Saraswathi has been arrested, one of the five key accused today did an about turn, saying all his earlier statements were made under "duress." Kathiravan told a remand court here this evening that he was tortured by the police, who extracted statements from him. Stating that he was picked up by the police on November 3, he said the police had beaten him right from that day and compelled him to give statements as tutored by them. The prosecution had been maintaining that the seer was arrested on the information provided by Kathiravan and another accused Rejini alias Chinna, both arrested on November 9. Kathiravan had made an in-camera statement under Sec 164 of CrPc before another magistrate court here on November 19. Kathiravan's ''U'' turn came when he and Chinna were produced before Judicial Magistrate I G Uthamaraj for extension of their 15-day-judicial remand which expired today. Chinna also intervened to say he was also tortured by the police and he was suffering from some health problems. Kathiravan during his submission said the police compelled him to endorse whatever they said in the case. At one stage, the prosecution objected to the recording of his statement, but the magistrate overruled it and allowed him to complete his submission. After recording their submissions, the Magistrate extended their remand till December 8.

May I know what is the age limit for a major in UK? If it is above 21 than he is still a minor and the parents have the right to force him to denounce Islam otherwise under the law he is free to chose his own. Anyway try talking to him through some learned Hindus like speakers from the school of vedanta. Tell him he need not become a Muslim to pray to God. Tell him the Koran teaches to hate non Muslims. Tell him why Islam is feared by non Muslims and tell him in what manner Islam was spread in India. I know how it is to lose someone to the other side and I sympathize with your family members but it is happening all over the world. They are thought that when one becomes a Muslim he is liberated from sins and have power over non Muslims. You have to be patient in dealing with this matter. Do not use any force or harsh words which would only aggravate the situation. He has been mislead and to bring him to his senses you need to use psycology. Ask him questions abut Islam which he finds difficult to answer and tell him why Hinduism is the way of life and what benefit one attains being a true Hindu. I'm sure he wil come to his senses and realize his mistake.