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Verses 101-150 Blindness, short-sightedness and sharp eyesight are simply due to the healthiness or defectiveness of the eye, just as such states as deafness and dumbness are conditions of the ear etc., not of the self, the knower. 101 Breathing in and out, yawning, sneezing and bodily secretions are described by experts as functions depending on the Inner Energy, while hunger and thirst for truth are functions of the Inner Energy direct. 102 The mind, as a reflection of Light, resides in the body with its senses, the eyes etc., through identifying itself with them. 103 The sense of responsibility is what feels itself as the doer and bearer of the consequences, and in together with the three Attributes, purity etc., undergoes the three states (of sleeping, dreaming and waking). 104 When the senses are favourable it is happy, and when they are not it is unhappy. So happiness and suffering are its attributes, and not those of the ever blissful self. 105 The senses are enjoyable only for the sake of oneself, not for themselves. The self is the most dear of everything, and consequently the self is ever blissful, and never experiences suffering. 106 That we experience the bliss of the self free from the senses in deep sleep is verified by the scriptures, by direct experience, by tradition and by deduction. 107 The so-called Inexpressible, the Lord's power, is the ultimate, beginningless ignorance made up of the three qualities (gunas), the pure Maya knowable through its effects, out of which this whole world is produced. 108 It cannot be said to either exist or not exist, to be divisible or indivisible, composite or unitary or both. It is amazing and indescribable. 109 It can be overcome by the realisation of the pure non-dual God, like the false idea of a snake through the recognition of the rope. It is composed of the three qualities (gunas) of passion, dullness and purity, recognised by their effects. 110 The distracting power of passion is by nature active, and from it the primeval emanation of activity has taken place. The mental states like desire and pain continually arise from it as well. 111 Lust, anger, greed, pride, envy, self-importance and jealousy - these are the awful effects produced by passion. Consequently this passion quality is the cause of bondage. 112 The veiling effect of the dullness quality is the power that distorts the appearance of things. It is the cause of samsara in man, and what leads to the activation of the distracting power (of passion). 113 Even a wise and learned man and an adept in the knowledge of the extremely subtle self can be overcome by dullness, and fail to realise it, even when demonstrated it in many different ways. What is presented by delusion he looks on as good, and grasps at its qualities. Such, alas, is the strength of the great veiling power of this awful dullness quality! 114 Lack of sense or distorted understanding, lack of judgement, and bewilderment - these never leave him who is caught in this delusion, and the distracting power torments him continually. 115 Ignorance, laziness, drowsiness, sleep, carelessness, stupidity and so on are the effects of the dullness quality. One stuck in these does not understand anything, but remains as if asleep, like a wooden post. 116 Clear purity is like water, but combined with these other qualities it leads to samsara, though in this purity the nature of the self is reflected, like the disk of the sun illuminating the whole world. 117 In purity mixed with the other qualities virtues such as humility, restraint, truthfulness, faith, devotion, desire for liberation, spiritual tendencies and freedom from entanglement occur. 118 In real purity however the qualities which occur are contentment, self-understanding, supreme peace, fulfilment, joy and abiding in one's supreme self, through which one experiences real bliss. 119 This Inexpressible, described as made up of the three qualities (gunas), is the active body of the self. Deep sleep is a special condition of it, in which the activity of all functions of awareness cease. 120 Deep sleep is the cessation of all forms of awareness, and the reversion of consciousness to a latent form of the self. "I knew nothing" is the universal experience. 121 The body, its functions, vital energies, the thinking mind, etc., and all forms, objects, enjoyment, etc. the physical elements such as the ether, in fact everything up to this Inexpressible are not one's true nature. 122 Everything is the creation of Maya from space itself down to the individual body. Look on it all as a desert mirage, unreal and not yourself. 123 Now I will instruct you in the true nature of your supreme self, by understanding which a man is freed from his bonds and achieves final fulfilment. 124 There IS something your own, unchanging, the "I", the substratum, the basis, which is the triple observer, distinct from the five sheaths. 125 The awareness that knows everything whether waking, dreaming or in deed sleep, and whether or not there is movement in the mind, that is the "I". 126 It is that which experiences everything, but which nothing else can experience, which thinks through the intelligence etc., but which nothing else can think. - 127 It is that by which all this is filled, but which nothing else can fill, and which, in shining, makes all this shines as well. 128 It is that whose mere presence makes the body, bodily senses, and mind etc. keep to their appropriate functions like servants. 129 It is that by which everything from the ego function down to the body is known like an earthen vessel, for its very nature is everlasting consciousness. 130 This is one's inmost nature, the eternal Person, whose very essence is unbroken awareness of happiness, who is ever unchanging and pure consciousness, and in obedience to whom the various bodily function continue. 131 In one of pure nature, the morning light of the Unmanifest shines even here in the cave of the mind, illuminating all this with its glory, like the sun up there in space. 132 That which knows the thinking mind and ego functions takes its form from the body with its senses and other functions, like fire does in a ball of iron, but it neither acts nor changes in any way. 133 It is never born, never dies, grows, decays, or changes. Even when the body is destroyed it does not cease to be, like the space in an earthen vessel. 134 The true self, of the nature of pure consciousness, and separate from the productions of nature, illuminates all this, real and unreal, without itself changing. It plays in the states of waking and so on, as the foundation sense of 'I exist', as the awareness, witness of all experience. 135 By means of a trained mind, and thanks to your faculty of understanding, experience in practice the true self of this 'I exist' in yourself, cross the ocean of Samsara's waves of birth and death, and established in the nature of God, and achieve the goal (of life). 136 Seeing 'This is me' in what is not really oneself, this is man's bondage, the result of ignorance and the cause of the descent into the pain of birth and death. It is because of this that one sees this unreal body as real, and identifying oneself with it, feeds it and cares for it with the senses, like a grub in its cocoon. 137 One who is confused by lack of clarity sees something which is not there, like a man mistaking a rope for a snake through lack of understanding, and experiencing great pain etc. from mistakenly taking hold of it. So, my friend, hear this - Bondage is thinking that something non-existent exists. 138 This obscuring power conceals the infinite glory of one's true self which radiates with its indivisible, eternal and unified power of understanding, like an eclipse obscures the sun's disk, and creates darkness. 139 When he has lost sight of his true self, immaculate and resplendent, a man identifies himself with his body out of ignorance. Then the great so-called dispersive power torments him with its fetters of continuous desire, hatred etc. 140 When a man has fallen to the state of being swallowed up by the great shark of ignorance, he assumes to himself the various states superimposed upon him, and in a pitiful state wanders rising and sinking in the great ocean of Samsara. 141 Just as cloud formations, arising from the suns rays, obscure the sun and fill the sky, so the sense of self-identity, arising from one's true nature, obscures the existence of the true self and itself fills experience. 142 Just as the thick clouds covering the sun on a bad day are buffeted by cold, howling blasts of wind, so, when one's true nature is obscured by deep ignorance, the strong dispersive power torments the confused understanding with many afflictions. 143 It is from these powers that man's bondage has arisen. Confused by them, he mistakes the body for himself and wanders in error. 144 The seed of the Samsara tree is ignorance, identification with the body is its shoot, desire is its first leaves, activity its water, the bodily frame its trunk, the vital forces its branches, the faculties its twigs, the senses its flowers, the manifold pains arising from various actions its fruit, and the bird on it is the individual experiencing them. 145 Ignorance is the root of this bondage to what is not one's true nature, a bondage which is called beginningless and endless. It gives rise to the long course of suffering - birth, death, sickness, old age, etc. 146 It cannot be destroyed by weapons, wind or fire, nor even by countless actions - by nothing, in fact, except by the wonderful sword of wisdom, sharpened by God's grace. 147 He who is devoted to the authority of the scriptures achieves steadiness in his religious life, and that brings inner purity. The man of pure understanding comes to the experience of his true nature, and by this Samsara is destroyed, root and all. 148 One's true nature does not shine out when covered by the five sheaths, material and otherwise, although they are the product of its own power, like the water in a pool, covered with algae. 149 On removing the algae, the clean, thirst-quenching and joy-inducing water is revealed to a man. 150

Viveka-Chudamani By SANKARA Reality can be experienced only with the eye of understanding, not just by a scholar. What the moon is like must be seen with one's own eyes. How can others do it for you? 54 Who but yourself can free you from the bonds of the fetters of things like ignorance, lust and the consequences of your actions - even in hundreds of thousands of years? 55 Liberation is achieved not by observances or by analysis, nor by deeds or learning, but only by the realisation of one's oneness with God, and by no other means. 56 The beauty of a lute and skill in playing its cords can bring some pleasure to people but can hardly make you a king. 57 In the same way, speech alone, even a deluge of words, with scholarship and skill in commenting on the scriptures, may achieve some personal satisfaction but not liberation. 58 When the supreme reality is not understood, the study of the scriptures is useless, and study of the scriptures is useless when the supreme reality has been understood. 59 The tangle of words is a great forest which leads the mind off wandering about, so wise men should strive to get to know the truth about their own nature. 60 Except for the medicine of the knowledge of God, what use are Vedas, scriptures, mantras and such medicines when you have been bitten by the snake of ignorance? 61 An illness is not cured just by pronouncing the name of the medicine without drinking it, and you will not be liberated by just pronouncing the word God without direct experience. 62 How can one reach liberation by just pronouncing the word God without achieving the elimination of the visible universe and realising the truth about one's own nature? It will just be a waste of speech. 63 One cannot become a king just by saying, "I am the king," without defeating one's enemies and taking possession of the country. 64 A buried treasure will not come out just by calling it, but needs a good map, digging, removal of obstructing stones and so on to get at it. In the same way the pure reality, hidden by the effects of Maya, cannot be achieved by just abusing it, but by instruction from a knower of God, reflection, meditation and so on. 65 So the wise should strive with all their ability for liberation from the bonds of change, as they would in the case of sickness and things like that. 66 The question you have asked today is a good one in the opinion of those learned in the scriptures, to the point and full of meaning. It needs to be understood by those seeking liberation. 67 Listen careful to what I say, master. By hearing this you will be freed from the bonds of change. 68 The primary basis of liberation is held to be total dispassion for everything impermanent, and after that peacefulness, restraint, patience, and the complete renunciation of scriptural observances. 69 After that the practicant finds there comes listening, reflection on what one has heard, and long meditation on the truth. Then the wise man will experience the supreme non-dual state and come here and now to the bliss of Nirvana. 70 When you have heard me fully explain what you need to know about the discrimination between self and non-self, then bear it in mind. 71 The body, constituted of marrow, bone, fat, flesh, ligament and skin, and composed of feet, legs, chest, arms, back and head, is the seat of the "I" and "mine" delusion, and is known as the physical body by the wise, while space, air, fire, water and earth are the subtle elements. 72 - 73 When these various elements are combined, they form the physical body, while in themselves they constitute the objects of the senses, the five types of sound and so on, for the enjoyment of the individual. 74 The ignorant who are bound to the senses by the strong, hardly breakable bonds of desire, are borne here and there, up and down, in the control of their own karmic impulses. 75 Deer, elephant, moth, fish and wasp, these five have all died from attachment by their own volition to one of the five senses, sound etc., so what about the man who is attached to all five! 76 The effect of the senses is more deadly than even that of a cobra. Their poison kills a man who only just looks at them with his eyes. 77 Only he who is free from the terrible hankering after the senses which is so hard to overcome is fit for liberation, and no-one else, not even if he is an expert in the six branches of scripture. 78 The shark of longing grasps those whose desire for liberation is only superficial by the throat as they try to cross the sea of samsara and drowns them halfway. 79 He who has killed the shark of the senses with the sword of firm dispassion can cross the sea of samsara without impediment. 80 Realise that death quickly waylays the senseless man who follows the uneven way of the senses, but that man achieves his purpose who follows the guidance of a true, compassionate guru. Know this as the truth. 81 If you really have a desire for liberation, avoid the senses from a great distance, as you would poison, and continually practice the nectar-like qualities of contentment, compassion, forbearance, honesty, calm and restraint. 82 He who neglects that which should be undertaken at all times, the liberation from the bonds created by beginningless ignorance, and gets stuck in pandering to the alien good of this body, is committing suicide by doing so. 83 He who seeks to know himself while pampering of the body is crossing a river holding onto a crocodile in mistake for a log. 84 This infatuation with the body and such things is a great death for the seeker after liberation. He who has overcome this infatuation is worthy of liberation. 85 Overcome this great death of infatuation with such things as the body, wives and children. Sages who have overcome it go to the supreme realm of God. 86 This body is material and offensive, consisting of skin, flesh, blood, sinews, veins, fat, marrow and bones, and full of urine and excrement. 87 This material body, which arises from past action out of material elements formed by the combination of subtle elements, is the vehicle of sensation for the individual. This is the state of a waking person perceiving material objects. 88 The life force creates for itself, out of itself, material object of enjoyment by means of the external senses - such colourful things as flowers, perfumes, women, etc. That is why this has its fullest enjoyment in the waking state. 89 See this material body, all that the external existence of a man depends on, as just like the house of a house-dweller. 90 Birth, old age and death are inherent in the physical body, as are such conditions as a heavy build and childhood, while there are different circumstances like caste and occupation, all sorts of diseases, and various different types of treatment, like respect and contempt to bear with. 91 Ears, skin, eyes, nose and tongue are organs of sense, since they enable the experience of objects, while voice, hands, feet and bowels are organs of action through their inclination to activity. 92 The inner sense is known variously as mind, understanding, the sense of agency, or volition, depending on its particular function - mind as imagining and analysing, understanding as establishing the truth of a matter, the sense of responsibility from relating everything to oneself, and volition as seeking its own good. 93, 94 The one vital breath (prana) takes the form of all the various breathings, exhalations and psychic currents and fields according to the various functions and characteristics, as do gold and water and such things. 95 The eight citadels of groups of five categories, starting respectively with speech, hearing, vital breath, ether, intelligence, ignorance desire and action, constitute what is known as the subtle body. 96 Hear that this higher body, also known as the subtle body, with its desires and its tendency to follow the course of causal conditioning, is derived from the undifferentiated elements, and is a beginningless superimposition, due to its ignorance, on the true self. 97 Sleep is a distinct state of the self in which it shines by itself alone, whereas in dreaming the mind itself assumes the sense of agency due to the various desires of the waking state, while the supreme self shines on, on its own, as pure consciousness, the witness of everything from anger and such things on, without being itself affected by any of the actions performed by the mind. Since it is unattached to action, it is not affected by anything done by its superimpositions. 98, 99 The subtle body is the vehicle of all operations for the self, like an axe and so on for the carpenter. The self itself is pure consciousness, and, as such, remains unattached. 100

What is the concept of scripture, according to advaita? advaita's concept of scripture is very similar to that of the purva mimamsa school, but with two important exceptions. Thus, the vedas, arranged into the Rig, Yajus, Sama and Atharva vedas are valid scripture. The vedas are considered apaurusheya (unauthored), and eternally valid texts. They constitute Sruti, i.e. the "heard" revelation. A number of other texts, admittedly of human authorship, are also given scriptural status, but they are subordinate to the vedas in their authority, and are valid where they do not conflict with vedic precepts. These other texts are called smrti, i.e. remembered tradition. Each veda has a karmakanda, consisting of mantras and ritual injunctions (vidhis) and a jnanakanda, consisting of the upanishads and brahmanas. The first exception that advaita takes to purva mimamsa is in the role of the jnanakanda. The upanishads are not merely arthavada, as maintained by the purva mimamsa schools. The upanishads teach the knowledge of brahman, and are not meant to eulogize the fruits of ritual action. A second, more subtle philosophical difference with purva mimam.sA is that advaita vedanta accepts that brahman is the source of the veda, in the same way as brahman is the source of the entire universe. This acceptance of a "source" of the veda would not be acceptable to the true pUrva mimam.sakas who follow the thought of kumarila bhatta or prabhakara. The upanishads, which constitute the jnanakanda of the vedas, are therefore called Sruti prasthana, and form one of the three sources of advaita vedAnta. The most important smrti prasthana of advaita tradition is the bhagavad-gita, which is perhaps the best known Indian religious text in modern times. The third text is the collection of brahmasutras, by the sage badarayana. The brahmasutras establish the logical principles of orthodox vedantic interpretation of Sruti, and are therefore called the nyaya prasthana. The truth of advaita vedanta is therefore said to be established on the tripartite foundation (prasthAna trayi)of revealed scripture (Sruti), remembered tradition (smrti) and logic (nyaya). How does worship by advaitins differ from worship in other schools of vedanta? Very markedly. The orthoprax advaita tradition is closely allied to the smArta tradition, which follows the system of pancayatana puja, where Vishnu, Siva, Sakti, Ganapati and Surya are worshipped as forms of Saguna Brahman. In some sources, the concept of the pancAyatana is replaced by the notion of shaNmata, which adds skanda to the above set of five deities. The worship is done both on a daily basis and on specific festival occasions. Questions of who is superior, vishNu or Siva, which are very popular among many groups of Hindus, are not relished by advaitins. In the words of Sri Chandrasekhara Bharati (1892 - 1954), the accomplished jIvanmukta, "you cannot see the feet of the Lord, why do you waste your time debating about the nature of His face?" That said, Vishnu and Siva, the Great Gods of Hinduism, are both very important within the advaita tradition. The sannyAsIs of the advaita order always sign their correspondence with the words "iti narayanasmaranam ". In worship, advaitins do not insist on exclusive worship of one devata alone. As brahman is essentially attribute-less (nirguna), all attributes (gunas) equally belong to It, within empirical reality. The particular form that the devotee prefers to worship is called the ishta-devata. The ishTa-devatas worshipped by advaitins include Vishnu as Krshna, the jagadguru, and as Rama, Siva as Dakshinamurti, the guru who teaches in silence, and as candramaulISvara, and the Mother Goddess as Parvati, LakshmI and Sarasvati. Especially popular are the representations of Vishnu as a Salagrama, Siva as a Linga, and Sakti as the Sri-yantra. Ganapati is always worshipped at the beginning of any human endeavor, including the puja of other Gods. The daily sandhyAvandana ritual is addressed to surya. The sannyasis of the advaita sampradaya recite both the Vishnu sahasranamam and the Satarudriya portion of the yajurveda as part of their daily worship. In addition, "hybrid" forms of the Deities, such as hari-hara or Sankara-narayana and Ardhanarisvara are also worshipped. There is another significant distinction between worship in the advaita tradition and other kinds of Hindu worship. advaita insists that the distinction between the worshipper and God, the object of worship, is ultimately transcended, and that the act of worship itself points to this identity. This should not be confused with the doctrine of dualistic Saiva siddhAnta schools, which call for a ritual identification of the worshipper with Siva, for the duration of the worship. The identity of Atman and Brahman is a matter of absolute truth, not just a temporary ritual identification. Most vaishnava schools of vedanta hold that the distinction between the worshipper and God, the object of worship, is eternally maintained. What is the advaita concept of liberation? In the advaita analysis, human life and behavior is explained on the basis of the theory of karma, which sets the cycle of rebirths into motion. All actions, good or bad, create their own karmic residues called vAsanas , which exhibit their results over a period of time. The karma which has already started taking fruit is called prArabdha karma. This is the karma that is responsible for the current birth. The accumulated karma which is yet to take fruit is called sancita karma. As long as the cycle of rebirths continues, more karma will be done in the future, and this is called Agamin karma. Liberation (moksha) is the way out of this endless cycle. In advaita, moksha is synonymous with brahman. Sruti says "brahmavit brahmaiva bhavati" - He who knows brahman becomes brahman Itself. In the advaita understanding of this statement, the "becoming" is only metaphorical. It is not as if something that was not brahman suddenly becomes brahman. Rather, "knowing brahman" means a removal of the ignorance about one's own essential nature as brahman. Thus, to "know brahman" is to "be brahman". The one who has realized the identity of his own Atman with the brahman is the jIvanmukta, one who is liberated even while embodied. Such realization should not and cannot just be a literal understanding of upanishadic mahavakyas. The jivanmukta is one who has experienced the truth of the identity himself. Thus, moksha can only indirectly be called a result of ritual action (karma marga) or of devotional service (bhakti mArga ). These paths lead along the way, and constitute the "how" but not the "why" of liberation. In fact, moksha is not a result of anything, for it always exists. All that is required is the removal of ignorance. For this reason, the way of advaita vedanta is also called the path of knowledge (jnana-marga). What is the significance of jivanmukti? advaita holds that realization of brahman is possible on this earth itself. The highly evolved seeker, who approaches vedAntic study with a pure mind, and a strong tendency of mumukshutva, is fit to really experience brahman. One who has actually realized brahman, is a jIvanmukta - he is liberated while still living. He continues to live in a material body, because of the momentum of the prArabha karma that has already started taking fruit. But he accumulates no further karma, because all Agamin karma and sancita karma are "burnt" in the knowledge of brahmajnAna. The body eventually dies, and the jivanmukta is said to have attained videhamukti. In accordance with the Sruti, "na sa punaravartate," he does not enter into the cycle of rebirths any more.

But do you? My father's death was foretold and he died at the right time and age as foretold and I believe that I too would as foretold. But do you know of your last hour Govinda? Once you know of it all fears disappear and you would only wish to do good to others otherwise man would think he could live forever and commit all kinds of atrocious crimes like Osama Bin Laden and Sadam Hussein. Don't worry if others follow what you preach coz following the righhteous path is one's own karma as destined. But as a human being with knowledge to right path it is your duty to impart such knowledge to others. That is called manu dharma too.

I hope not at the cost of some innocent lives. Fanatical approach is dangerous and if that is the goal than we are no different from the Muslim fanatics. Hinduism had survived some ten thousand years and still going strong because of our faith and liberal approach. Christians and Muslims ahd tried to wipe it out but God is great and our religion is still here and will be here for the next ten thousand years and more. Our religion is born out of love and respect for all living beings and so be proud of it.

Are you tryig to get supporters and folowers? Whatever is posted here is being viewed and taken to broaden one's knowledge in the Veda sastras. If weather one is following it strictly is not for you to worry but the person himslef. Your duty is to impart whatever knowledge you wish to but don't compel or expect others to have the same idea you have. Others may have different ideolgy or concept from different masters but all the same it reflects the presence of God in all and so, please do not ask what is the point.

Wife of the Pandavas Draupadi was known by many names. She was known as Krsna due to her beautiful dark complexion, Parsati because she was the grand-daughter of King Prsata, Draupadi because she was the daughter of King Drupada and Pancali because she was the daughter of the King of Pancala. Pancali grew up in the palace of Drupada. Stories about her many previous births are found in the Puranas. During all these births many gods blessed her saying that she would have five husbands when she was born as the daughter of Drupada. Shiva's Blessings When Sri Rama and his brother Laksmana were in exile in the forest with Rama's wife Sita, Agni came to Rama once and told him in private thus: "Oh Rama, you have incarnated on earth to kill Ravana (a great demon). The time for that is drawing nigh and ere long Ravana would carry away Sita. It is not proper that Sita, the incarnation of Laksmi, should be touched by Ravana. Therefore I shall keep Sita safe with me and I am giving you a phantom Sita to be with you in her stead." Sri Rama took the Mayasita (phantom Sita) from Agni without even Laksmana knowing it and handed over the original Sita to the custody of Agni. While Sri Rama, Laksmana and Mayasita were living together in their hermitage (ashram) a golden deer was seen one day in the precincts of their ashram. Sita was enamored of the beautiful deer and wanted it. So Rama, asking Laksmana to watch over Sita, went in search of the deer. Sri Rama tried his best to capture the deer alive. But all his efforts failed he had come far from the ashram. So he discharged an arrow and killed it. While falling dead, the deer raised a cry imitating the voice of Rama and called Laksmana for help. The deer was none other than Marica, the demon uncle of Ravana. On hearing the call for help Laksmana rushed to the spot from where the sound came and Sita was left alone for some time. Ravana then came to the ashram and spirited Mayasita away to Lanka. Rama and Laksmana went to Lanka with an army of monkeys and after killing Ravana rescued Sita. Rama, in deference to public opinion, put Sita into the fire to test her purity. At that time god Agni taking back Mayasita gave the real Sita to Rama, unscathed by the fire. When Mayasita was thus abandoned she bowed down before Sri Rama and Agni and asked them thus "What am I to do now ? Where should I go ?" They advised her to do penance there and blessed her by saying that at the successful end of her penance she would become known as Svargalaksmi. Siva was pleased by her penance and appearing before her asked her what boon she wanted. Mayasita who had become Svargalaksmi by then requested Siva to give her a husband. She repeated the request 'Patim dehi' (Give me a husband) five times and Siva said that she would have five husbands in her next life as Krsna the daughter of the King of Pancala. The Birth of Draupadi to the King of Pancala Drupada had argued with a childhood friend and wished to get a son to avenge his assumed insult. Drupada then went to the forest to find a sage who would perform the correct Yajna (sacrifice) for a son. The sage, Yaja, offered to help the king and his wife with their request. The sage gave the queen havya (clarified butter). Because the havya was prepared by Yaja and was offered by Upayaja, his younger brother, the sages said that the queen would get two children. While Yaja was offering oblations to the sacrificial fire a boy with a crown on his head, bearing a sword a bow in his hands rose from the fire. Then from the dais of the Yajna-fire emerged a beautiful lady of dazzling brilliance. Immediately a voice from heaven was heard to say, "This Sumadhyama (a girl in her blossoming youth) will work on the side of God and cause terror to the Kauravas." Yaja blessed the wife of Drupada saying that the two children would thenceforth call her mother. Yaja himself named the boy Dhrstadyumna and the girl, according to the ethereal voice, Krsna. The Marriage of Draupadi For the Svayamvara of his daughter Drupada had placed a mighty steel bow in the marriage hall. When all the distinguished guests were seated in the marriage hall, the King announced that his daughter would be given in marriage to him who bent the steel bow and with it shot a steel arrow through the central aperture of a revolving disc, at a target placed above. Many valiant princes from all parts of Bharata including the Kauravas and Pandavas had gathered there. When it was time for the ceremonies to begin Pancali, clad in beautiful robes with a bewitching charm which excited the royal assemblage, entered the hall with a garland in her hands. Then Dhrstadyumna, brother of Pancali said "Hear ye, oh princes, seated in state in this assembly, here is the bow and arrow. He who sends five arrows in succession through the hole in the wheel and unerringly hits the target shall win my sister." Many noted princes rose one after another and tried in vain to string the bow. It was too heavy and stiff for them. Then Arjuna, the great archer of the Pandavas rose, and meditating on Narayana, the Supreme God, strung the bow with ease and hit at the target. Pancali then put the garland on Arjuna's neck and accepted him as her husband. Drupada's joy knew no bounds when he knew that his son-in-law was none other than the celebrated Arjuna. The Pandavas then took Pancali to their home in Ekacakra. As soon as Kuntidevi, their mother, heard the footsteps of her sons outside she called from inside asking them to share that day's alms among themselves. Little did Kuntidevi know that it was a bride that had been brought by them. Thus Pancali became the common consort of the five Pandavas. Then the marriage of Pancali was ceremoniously conducted after inviting friends and relatives. Pancali had five sons one each from each of the five husbands. She got Prativindhya of Yudhisthira, Srutasoma of Bhimasena, Srutakirti of Arjuna, Satanika of Nakula, and Srutakarma of Sahadeva. The Shaming of Draupadi Once Duryodhana challenged Dharmaputra (Yudhisthira) to a game of dice. Dharmaputra lost all his wealth, his loyal brothers and at the end, in despair, pledged Draupadi and lost her. Immediately Duryodhana asked Vidura to bring Draupadi to his palace and make her serve as a servant-maid. Vidura did not consent to that. Then Duryodhana asked Pratikami, the guard, to bring her. While entering the palace of Draupadi, Pratikami was as timid as a dog about to enter the cage of a lion. He informed Draupadi of his mission. Draupadi sent him back. Duryodhana sent another messenger. Draupadi went with him to the court of the Kauravas. As soon as Dushsasana saw Draupadi he jumped at her and caught hold of her hair and dragged her to the center of the assembly. When Duhsasana dragged her thus she said in piteous tones "Do not shame me. I have not performed my ritual bath and have not properly greeted my elders." Dushsasana was not moved by these pleadings and he dragged her Still. Bhima could not hold himself calm against this atrocity any longer and in a roar of wrath he abused Dharmaputra for pledging Pancali thus and losing, her. Arjuna however remonstrated gently with Bhima. Then to the consternation of all, Duhsasana started his shameful work of pulling at Pancali's robes to strip her of all the clothes. All earthly aid having failed Draupadi in utter helplessness implored divine mercy and succor. A miracle occurred. In vain Duhsasana toiled to pull the garments completely and make her naked. As he pulled off each, fresh garments were seen to come from somewhere and cover her nudity. Dushsasana retired from his work exhausted and disappointed. Then Karna ordered that Draupadl should be sent to the palace of Duryodhana as a servant-maid. Dhirtarastra came to his senses and to pacify outraged and wrathful Pancali asked her to name any boon she wanted from him. Pancali said: "In order that my son, Prativindhya, should not be called a 'dasaputra' (son of a servant) his father Dharmaputra should be released from his servitude." The boon was granted. Then she requested that all the other Pandavas should be set free. That was also allowed. Dhrtarastra then asked her to name a third boon. Pancali then said that all Ksatriya women were entitled only to two boons and so there was no need for a third one. Then Draupadi took a vow that her hair which was let lose by the wicked Dushasana would be tied properly only by a hand tainted by the blood of Dushsasana. After that in strict obedience to the conditions of the wager of the dice game the Pandavas started for the forests with Draupadi to spend twelve years in the forests and one year incognito.

Dear Jeanette Darling, Only Scientist call it a Theory but not Hinduism. I hope this would help you in your research. Hinduism and Evolution of Life Hinduism believes in the concept of evolution of life on earth. Although it is not the same as the one known to modern science, in many ways and in a very fundamental sense, it is not much different from the latter. Modern science speaks of physical evolution and the evolution of nervous system, starting with simple life forms and proceeding to more organized and complex beings with well developed and self-regulating biological and mental mechanisms. Man is so far the known and the ultimate product of this very complex and continuous process. Hinduism, on the other hands, places its emphasis on the mental and spiritual evolution of life on earth. It speaks of evolution of the beings from a state of ignorance to a state of illumination through progressive and successive intermediate states of partial ignorance and partial illumination. It alludes to a process that proceeds in three primary stages. The first stage consists of formation, development and strengthening of individual centers of consciousness in physical bodies that are mostly and vastly very inert and unconscious and driven by the force of blind instinct and natural impulse. The second stage consists of the consolidation and concretization of these personalities into individual egos which act under their own individual and independent wills powered by the energy of desires, and the instinct of survival, undergoing repeated births and deaths, as an ongoing process of further evolution towards the next phase. The third phase consists of development of a new center of discriminating awareness (parisilanatmaka buddhi) that leads to the gradual surrender and ultimate dissolution of the ego into Truth, Consciousness and Bliss. The emphasis here is more on the evolution of the subtle bodies rather than on the gross body. Science heavily rests its speculations upon the latter making it the central theme of its attention. But Hinduism goes a step further and tries to explain a more comprehensive and holistic vision of the same process. Science is yet to come to terms with the theory that man can consciously and willingly direct his evolution through the exercise of his will, intelligence and choice, where as in Hinduism there is no such hesitancy or bias. Here evolution is very much a product of individual effort and can be consciously willed and controlled under the guidance of an enlightened master. According to science, evolution is a process directed by Nature for its own ends, which tries to maintain balance in the physical world and evolve forms that are progressively competent and mutually self-destructive. The evolving beings are at the best experimental models in its gigantic laboratory. Here the individual being has little freedom to determine the evolutionary course of himself or of his species, helplessly enacting the drama authored and directed by the forces of mysterious Nature. In contrast, Hinduism explains the process of evolution from a wider perspective. It views the whole problem on an universal scale, going beyond the visible and the manifest forms of life to understand the mechanism that is involved in the creation of not just the earth or its beings, but of the entire universe in which exist different planes of reality and consciousness. Thus the vision that we come across in the scriptures is much wider and comprehensive. Here Nature is also a powerful agent, playing a very dominant role, but only so long as the individual being is willing to let himself remain under its influence. When wisdom and insight prevail, he realizes his folly and tries to liberate himself from the bonds of Nature. Through his will and sincere efforts, he succeeds in overcoming his limitations, which Nature so far imposed upon him, and achieves liberation from its overwhelming and deluding dominance. Thus Hinduism interprets the process of evolution both from within and without, both as a mechanism of Nature and a product of self-effort, with a hidden agenda which is the ultimate liberation of the soul. This objective is accomplished through inner transformation and purification of the mind and the body. The transformation begins with a new awareness of ones personality and a new sense of responsibility,that tries to separate itself from the external confusion and the surface reality. It leads to the gradual withdrawal of oneself from the external world and a journey into oneself. The next step involves elimination of all forms of desires, egoistic effort and impure thoughts, preferably under the guidance of an advanced soul. In the third stage one has to make desireless effort through detachment, devotion and self-surrender to realize the Highest Truth. From unreality towards reality, from darkness towards light and from death to deathlessness: these are the chief aims of the terrestrial evolution of life in this world. It primary objective is liberation but not bondage, immortality but not survival. It is a movement away from primeval Nature, and towards light and boundlessness. Its aim is not to render the being into fit a instrument under the control of Nature, or into a better player in the game of survival, but to establish divinity in the being so that it can transcend Nature, both within and without and attain immortality. Evolution is the expression of each individual being seeking to escape from the cycle of births and deaths and regain its lost glory. The process is neither instantaneous nor uniform, neither uniformly progressive nor easily predictable. There is no one particular way. There is no particular result. The paths are many and the methods as well as the outcomes. There are no definitives here, except those sanctioned by the laws of creation. Intuitive awareness may help us to predict the possibilities and explore the opportunities. But the limitations are always there. The difficulties on the path are innumerable. Only an enlightened soul can guide us safely to cross the mirage of life. So long as the Jiva is in love with its own chains and its distracting dreams, desires and faulty actions man has no escape and no hope from his own illusions. The laws of evolution are applicable to all beings both in the mortal worlds, and also in the worlds of devas and the demons, for they too are a part of the creative and evolutionary process. The plants animals and the worlds of mere forms too evolve in their own limited ways towards light and delight. But in this play of God, man has certain rare advantages. In the chain of evolution he stands at an important threshold. Rare and precious indeed the mortal life for it is attained after innumerable births and deaths and which sometimes gods also envy for the opportunities it offers to the humans not only to surpass themselves but even the gods to reach world of immortal Brahman. The pitfalls on the way are many. By his wrong actions a being may falter and fall temporarily on this path and descend down into lower worlds, taking birth as an animal or under a misfortune, as an inanimate object such as a stone, a lake, a tree or a plant. He may also degenerate into a demon or an evil spirit. But that is not the end. All is not lost. The being so devolved, can ascend again into higher life forms through a process of self-correction, penance and penitence, performing good deeds according to the laws of karma and adhering to the path of righteousness as prescribed in the scriptures. It is the proper exercise of buddhi which is the key. It is by knowing the reality from unreality, truth from falsehood, right action from wrong action, right knowledge from wrong knowledge, that one can ensure ones own progress towards the Divine. None can help him in this process except himself and the Divine. Man is his own enemy and he is his own friend in this stupendous effort. Those who fail to discriminate properly have to relearn the process till they become adepts. But in no case they should willingly let themselves lose control and fall prey to the evil passions. The Isa Upanishad (I.1.3) warns the students of Brahman in no uncertain terms, "Demonic worlds enveloped in blinding darkness they enter after death those who are the slayer of the self." So does Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad-Gita, (Chapter 9, 14 and 16). Shri Aurobindo was one of the modern seers of Hinduism who saw the vision of supermen evolving out of present race of men and laying foundation for a new future for the world to emerge. With the awareness of an awakened soul he declared that man can hasten his own evolution from the state of an ignorant consciousness struck in an animal body struggling to express itself to the state of a supramental consciousness manifesting itself in a divine and immortal body of light and bliss. "To know, possess and be the divine being in an animal and egoistic consciousness, to convert our twilit or obscure physical mentality into the plenary supramental illumination.- this is offered to us as the manifestation of God in matter and the goal of Nature in her terrestrial evolution," he wrote. Thus it can be concluded Hinduism believes in the retrogressive process of the descent of the Universal Self and the evolutionary process of its ascent. Each being that comes into existence into the manifest worlds is in a state of evolution whose ultimate aim would be its liberation from ignorance, darkness and mortality and movement towards knowledge, light and immortality through a process of inner purification and illumination. The Divine descends in order to ascend. Creation and destruction are the two sides of the same reality. Creation begins with destruction and in creation there is already a seed of the destruction to come. The same is true in case of destruction, which begins with creation and contains in it a seed of the creation that is yet to manifest. If birth of an individual is creation, his death is destruction. It is through this repeated process of creation and destruction that the individual being evolves gradually in series and stages. The One indivisible Self, divides Himself into many, in order to become One again. "In a word godhead; to remake ourselves in the divine image." This in brief is the story of evolution in Hinduism. Friday , September 24, 2004

###Such a thing would be possible in Satya Yuga. But look around you, there are evil men everywhere, who desire power, death, and destruction. Especially terrorists. And they most certainly will not abstain from nuclear weapons.### Why wait for Satya Yuga, surely if all countries agree unanimously to disarm their NW of all kinds than all countries would be free of it and they need not worry of each other of using NW or threatening each other with it. If all men desire for peace than such an act should be legistated in all nations as well as the UN. Not even the US should have a single nuclear warhead. This can only be initiated if a resolution passed by the world body and oaths taken by leaders of countries and the world citizens body [elected citizens of all countries]is represented in the UN instead of relying on elected leaders of countries in UN. Only peace loving ordinary citizens representing countries of their origin should be elected to the body. Now this will bring something new to the word peace and friendly nations. Peace can only be acheived if religious leaders of world unite together as one body representing the world if the true meaning of peace is to be realized. Making speeches to each other and talking in the pulpit would not sufice. Initiatives has to be made in order to make a vision into reality. World Christian, Islamic, Jewish, Buddhist and Hindu leaders of the world should make their representation to the world body to legislate such a law so that not a single country in this world should make nuclear war heads of any kind. Upon legislation leaders of nations should take an oath to abide by such a law. After that if any country is found to be secretly working on such project would be isolated from the world body and an embrgo to ban that country from trading with any other countris in the world. An isolation would allow its citizens to realize that their leader is a rascal and should be removed. And such would pave the way to world peace and Satya Yuaga would be born soon as expected.

The word Islam is submit to God and it sounds good but the fanatics have submitted to the devil who wants to see blood shed. Taking the life of innocent people is not Islam. As for the disarmmement, it should be applied to all countries. No one country should be armed with long or short range nuclear misslies. Only the leaders of countries want to arm themsleves not the citizen coz the citizens know the consequence of nuclear war. Down with nuclear weapons mucst be the slogan of world citizens irrespective of religion or race. People have seen world war one and two but yet to see the 3rd world war but I'm afraid they would not live to see the result of it if the 3rd world war breaks out. Nuclear was invented for power source not to destroy people and properties of countries. Peace will only prevail if one believes in God otherwise its death to human race.

To All The Respected Dharmacharyas Just as a stagnant pool of water, after a period of time, becomes fetid and putrid a religious philosophy that is insulated from fresh air and oxygen becomes a breeding ground for evil thoughts and actions. Hinduism, which is thousands of years old, has never had a signicant reformist movement. I believe the new millenium now oers Hinduism an opportunity to change its ancient and orthodox ways to bring unity and harmony among its believers. An ideal religion is one that fosters love, respect, understanding, acceptance and appreciation among all its believers without distinction. Any form of prejudice or discrimination against anyone for whatever reason is uncivilized behavior. We don't accept such behavior politically or socially so there is no reason why we should accept it in religion. It is my prayer to the power that informs and inspires all of us that you, the Wise protectors of our Faith, will use your power and your wisdom to bring about the reforms that are long overdue. With respectful pranams, Arun Gandhi Founder and President M.K.Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence 650 East Parkway South Memphis TN 38104 Tel:(901) 452-2824; FAX: (901) 452-2775 Email: gandhi@cbu.edu Web: www.gandhiinstitute.org To the Dharmacharyas Namaskaaram and Pranaam: I believe that the world situation is at a critical juncture in which Sanatana Dharma will be central in showing the way ahead for all mankind. Hindu jatis drew inwards and isolated themselves during periods of travail. I believe the time has come to declare unequivocally that all jatis are equal in all ways in receiving initiation into Vedic wisdom and in this there is no disability based on community of birth and gender. Subhash Kak Delaune Distinguished Professor of Electrical Engineering and Professor in the Asian Studies Program Lousiana State University, USA Author of In Seach of the Cradle of Civilization, The Astronomical Code of the Rgveda, The Gods Within, The Wishing Tree and other books. <font color="blue"> </font color>

Hindu Scriptures Part 1 By Swami Shivananda The Divine Life Society, Rishikesh Sanskrit Literature Sanskrit literature can be classified under six orthodox heads and four secular heads. The six orthodox sections form the authoritative scriptures of the Hindus. The four secular sections embody the latter developments in classical Sanskrit literature. The six scriptures are: Srutis Smritis Itihasas Puranas Agamas Darsanas The four secular writings are: Subhashitas Kavyas Natakas Alankaras The Scriptures The Srutis The Srutis are called the Vedas, or the Amnaya. The Hindus have received their religion through revelation, the Vedas. These are direct intuitional revelations and are held to be Apaurusheya or entirely superhuman, without any author in particular. The Veda is the glorious pride of the Hindus, nay, of the whole world! The term Veda comes from the root Vid, to know. The word Veda means knowledge. When it is applied to scripture, it signifies a book of knowledge. The Vedas are the foundational scriptures of the Hindus. The Veda is the source of the other five sets of scriptures, why, even of the secular and the materialistic. The Veda is the storehouse of Indian wisdom and is a memorable glory which man can never forget till eternity. Revealed Truth Without Beginning Or End The Vedas are the eternal truths revealed by God to the great Rishis of India. The word Rishi means a seer, from DRIS, to see. The Rishi is the Mantra-Drashta, a seer of Mantra or thought. The thought was not his own. The Rishis saw the truths or heard them. Therefore, the Vedas are what are heard (Sruti). The Rishi did not write. He did not create it out of his mind. He was the seer of thought which existed already. He was only the spiritual discoverer of the thought. He is not the inventor of the Veda. The Vedas represent the spiritual experiences of the Rishis of yore. The Rishi is only a medium or an agent to transmit to people the intuitional experiences which he received. The truths of the Vedas are revelations. All the other religions of the world claim their authority as being delivered by special messengers of God to certain persons, but the Vedas do not owe their authority to any one. They are themselves the authority as they are eternal, as they are the Knowledge of the Lord. Lord Brahma, the Creator, imparted the divine knowledge to the Rishis or seers. The Rishis disseminated the knowledge. The Vedic Rishis were great realised persons (souls) who had direct intuitive perception of Brahman or the Truth. They were inspired teachers. They built a simple, grand and perfect system of religion and philosophy from which the founders and teachers of all other religions have drawn their inspiration. The Vedas are the oldest books in the library of man. The truths contained in all religions are derived from the Vedas and are ultimately traceable to the Vedas. The Vedas are the fountain-head of religion. The Vedas are the ultimate source to which all religious knowledge can be traced. Religion is of divine origin. It was revealed by God to man in the earliest times. It is embodied in the Vedas. The Vedas are eternal. They are without beginning and end. An ignorant man may say how a book can be without beginning or end. By the Vedas, no books are meant. Vedas came out of the breath of the Lord. They are the words of God. The Vedas are not the utterances of persons. They are not the composition of any human mind. They were never written, never created. They are eternal and impersonal. The date of the Vedas has never been fixed. It can never be fixed. Vedas are eternal spiritual Truths. Vedas are an embodiment of divine knowledge. The books may be destroyed, but the knowledge cannot be destroyed. Knowledge is eternal. In that sense, the Vedas are eternal. The Four Vedas And Their Sub Divisions The Veda is divided into four great books: The Rig-Veda The Yajur-Veda The Sama-Veda The Atharva-Veda The Yajur-Veda is again divided into two parts: The Sukla Yajur-Veda The Krishna Yajur-Veda. The Krishna or the Tattiriya is the older book and the Sukla or Vajasaneya is a later revelation to Sage Yajnavalkya from the resplendent Sun-God. The Rig-Veda is divided into twenty-one sections, the Yajur-Veda into one hundred and nine sections, the Sama-Veda into one thousand sections and Atharva-Veda into fifty sections. In all, the whole Veda is thus divided into one thousand one hundred and eighty recensions. Each Veda consists of four parts: The Mantra-Samhitas or hymns. The Brahmanas or explanations of Mantras or rituals. The Aranyakas (philosophical interpretations of the rituals). The Upanishads (The essence or the knowledge portion of the Vedas). The division of the Vedas into four parts is to suit the four stages in a man’s life. The Mantra-Samhitas are hymns in praise of the Vedic God for attaining material prosperity here and happiness hereafter. They are metrical poems comprising prayers, hymns and incantations addressed to various deities, both subjective and objective. The Mantra portion of the Vedas is useful for the Brahmacharins (celibate; one who belongs to the first of the four Asramas or orders of life; one who lives in purity and studies the Veda; the first 25 years of life). The Brahmana portions guide people to perform sacrificial rites. They are prose explanations of the method of using the Mantras in the Yajna or the sacrifice. The Brahmana portion is suitable for the householder (Grihastha; one who belongs to the second of the four Asramas or orders of life; from 25 to 50 years of age). The Aranyakas are the forest books, the mystical sylvan texts which give philosophical interpretations of the Rituals. The Aranyakas are intended for the Vanaprasthas or hermits who prepare themselves for taking Sannyasa. (Vanaprastha = one who leads the third stage of life; from 50 to 75 years of age). The Upanishads are the most important portion of the Vedas. The Upanishads contain the essence or the knowledge portion of the Vedas. The philosophy of the Upanishads is sublime, profound, lofty an soul-stirring. The Upanishads speak of the identity of the individual soul and the Supreme Soul. They reveal the most subtle and deep spiritual truths. The Upanishads are useful for the Sannyasins. (Sannyasi or Sannyasin = a monk; one who has embraced the life of complete renunciation ; one belonging to the fourth or the highest stage of life; from 75 to 100 years of age). [Note: Although the division of the Vedas into four parts is to suit the four stages in a man’s life, the study of the four Vedas is done by Brahmacharins or celibate students and the knowledge thus acquired serves as the basis of the goal of life through all the four stages of life. The studies of the Vedas continue throughout one’s life. (Refer also to Dharma, Artha, Kama & Moksha). Thus the knowledge of the Upanishads is not to be confined to the last stage of life. The mind of the Sannyasin is intensely focussed upon the teachings of the Upanishads.] The subject matter of the whole Veda is divided into Karma-Kanda Upasana-Kanda Jnana-Kanda. The Karma-Kanda or Ritualistic Section deals with various sacrifices and rituals. The Upasana-Kanda or Worship-Section deals with various kinds of worship or meditation. The Jana-Kanda or Knowledge-Section deals with the highest knowledge of Nirguna Brahman. (Nirguna = without attributes or forms. Brahman = the Supreme Reality). The Mantras and the Brahmanas constitute Karma-Kanda (rituals). The Aranyakas constitute Upasana-Kanda (worship). The Upanishads constitute Jnana-Kanda (knowledge). (Hindu Scriptures continued below) TOP <To top of this page (Hindu Scriptures - Continued) The Mantra Samhitas The Rig-Veda Samhita is the grandest book of the Hindus, the oldest and the best. It is the great Indian scripture, which no Hindu would forget to adore from the core of his heart. Its style, the language and the tone are most beautiful and mysterious. Its immortal Mantras embody the greatest truths of existence, and it is perhaps the greatest treasure in all the scriptural literature of the world. Its priest is called the Hotri. The Yajur-Veda Samhita is mostly in prose and is meant to be used by the Adhvaryu, the Yajur-Vedic priest, for superfluous explanations of the rites in sacrifices, supplementing the Rig-Vedic Mantras. The Sama-Veda Samhita is mostly borrowed from the Rig-Vedic Samhita, and is meant to be sung by the Udgatri, the Sama- Vedic priest, in sacrifice. The Atharva-Veda Samhita is meant to be used by the Brahma, the Atharva-Vedic priest, to correct the mispronunciations and wrong performances that may accidentally be committed by the other three priests of the sacrifice. The Brahmanas and The Aranyakas There are two Brahmanas to the Rig-Veda: The Aitareya The Sankhayana The Satapatha Brahmana belongs to the Sukla Yajur-Veda. The Krishna Yajur-Veda has the Taittiriya and the Maitrayana Brahmanas. The Tandya or Panchavimsa, the Shadvimsa, t he Chhandogya, the Adbhuta, the Arsheya and the Upanishad Brahmanas belong to the Sama-Veda. The Brahmana of the Atharva-Veda is called the Gopatha. Each of the Brahmana has got an Aranyaka. The Upanishads The Upanishads are the concluding portions of the Vedas or the end of the Vedas. The teaching based on them is called Vedanta. The Upanishads are the gist and the goal of the Vedas. They form the very foundation of Hinduism. There are as many Upanishads to each Veda as there are Sakhas, branches or recensions, i.e., 21, 109, 1000 and 50 respectively to the four Vedas (The Rig-Veda, The Yajur-Veda, The Sama-Veda and the Atharva-Veda). The different philosophers of India belonging to different schools such as Monism, Qualified Monism, Dualism, Pure Monism, Difference-cum non-difference, etc., have acknowledged the supreme authority of the Upanishads. They have given their own interpretations, but they have obeyed the authority. They have built their philosophy on the foundation of the Upanishads. Even the Western scholars have paid their tribute to the seers of the Upanishads. At a time when Westerners were clad in barks and were sunk in deep ignorance, the Upanishadic seers were enjoying the eternal bliss of the Absolute (God), and had the highest culture and civilisation. The most important Upanishads are : Isa, Kena, Katha, Prasna, Mundaka, Mandukya, Aitareya, Taittiriya, Chhandogya, Brihadaranyaka, Kaushitaki, and Svetasvatara and Maitrayani. These are supremely authoritative. May the fundamental truths of the Vedas be revealed unto you all, like the Amalaka fruit in the palm of your hand. May Gayatri, the blessed Mother of the Vedas, impart to you the milk of Knowledge, the ancient wisdom of the Upanishads. The Upa-Vedas There are four Upa-Vedas or subsidiary Vedas: The Ayurveda (science of life and health) The Dhanurveda (science of war) The Gandharva Veda (science of music) The Arthasastra (science of polity) The Vedangas There are six Angas or explanatory limbs, to the Vedas: The Siksha of Maharshi Panini (Phonetics) Vyakarana of Maharshi Panini (Sanskrit Grammar) The Chhandas of Pingalacharya (Prosody metre) The Nirukta of Yaska (Philosophy or etymology) The Jyotisha of Garga (Astronomy and astrology) The Kalpas (Srauta, Grihya, Dharma and Sulba) belonging to the authorship of various Rishis. Siksha is the knowledge of phonetics. Siksha deals with pronunciation and accent. The text of the Vedas is arranged in various forms or Pathas. The .-patha gives each word its separate form. The Krama-patha connects the word in pairs. Vyakarana is Sanskrit Grammar. Panini’s books are most famous. Without knowledge of Vyakarana, you cannot understand the Vedas. Chhandas is metre dealing with prosody. Nirukta is philosophy or etymology. Jyotisha is astronomy and astrology. It deals with the movements of the heavenly bodies, planets, etc., and their influence on human affairs. Kalpa is the method or ritual. The Srauta Sutras which explain the ritual of sacrifices belong to Kalpa. The Sulba, which treat of the measurements which are necessary for laying out the sacrificial area, also belong to Kalpa. The Grihya Sutras which concern domestic life, and the Dharma Sutras which deal with ethics, customs and laws, also belong to Kalpa. The Pratishakhyas, Padapathas, Kramapathas, Upalekhas, Anukramanis, Daivatsamhitas, Parisishtas, Prayogas, Paddhatis, Karikas, Khilas, and Vyuhas are further elaborations in the rituals of the Kalpa Sutras. Among the Kalpa Sutras, the Asvalayana, Sankhayana and the Sambhavya belong to the Rig-Veda. The Mashaka, Latyayana, Drahyayana, Gobhila and Khadira belong to the Sama-Veda. The Katyayana and Paraskara belong to the Sukla Yajur Veda. The Apastamba, Hiranyakesi, Bodhayana, Bharadvaja, Manava, Vaikhanasa and the Kathaka belong to the Krishna Yajur-Veda. The Vaitana and the Kaushika belong to the Atharva-Veda. The Smritis Next in importance to the Sruti are the Smritis or secondary scriptures. These are the ancient sacred law-codes of the Hindus dealing with the Sanatana-Varnasrama-Dharma. They supplement and explain the ritualistic injunctions called Vidhis in the Vedas. The Smriti or Dharma Sastra is founded on the Sruti. The Smritis are based on the teachings of the Vedas. The Smriti stands next in authority to the Sruti (Vedas). It explains and develops Dharma. It lays down the laws which regulate Hindu national, social, family and individual obligations. The works that are expressly called Smritis are the law books, Dharma Sastras. Smriti, in a broader sense, covers all Hindu Sastras (scriptures) save the Vedas. The laws for regulating Hindu society from time to time are codified in the Smritis. The Smritis have laid down definite rules and laws to guide the individuals and communities in their daily conduct and to regulate their manners and customs. The Smritis have given detailed instructions, according to the conditions of the time, to all classes of men regarding their duties in life. The Hindu learns how he has to spend his whole life from these Smritis. The duties of Varnasramas (the four stages of life) are clearly given in these books. The Smritis describe certain acts and prohibit some others for a Hindu, according to his birth and stage of life. The object of the Smritis is to purify the heart of man and take him gradually to the supreme abode of immortality and make him perfect and free. These Smritis have varied from time to time. The injunctions and prohibitions of the Smritis are related to the particular social surroundings. As these surroundings and essential conditions of the Hindu society changed from time to time, new Smritis had to be compiled by the sages of different ages and different parts of India. The Celebrated Hindu Law-Givers From time to time, a great lawgiver would take his birth. He would codify the existing laws and remove those that had become obsolete. He would make some alterations, adaptations, readjustments, additions and subtractions, to suit the needs of the time and see that the way of living of the people would be in accordance with the teachings of the Veda. Of such law-givers, Manu, Yajnavalkya and Parasara are the most celebrated persons. Hindu society is founded on, and governed by, the laws made by these three great sages. The Smritis are named after them. We have Manu Smriti or Manava Dharma-Sastra (Laws of Manu or the Institutes of Manu), Yajnavalkya Smriti and Parsara Smriti. Manu is the greatest law-giver of the race. He is the oldest lawgiver as well. The Yajnavalkya Smriti follows the same general lines as the Manu Smriti and is next in importance to it. Manu Smriti and Yajnavalkya Smriti are universally accepted at the present time as authoritative works all over India. Yajnavalkya Smriti is chiefly consulted in all matters of Hindu Law. Even the present day Government of India is applying some of these laws. There are eighteen main Smritis or Dharma Sastras. The most important are those of Manu, Yajnavalkya and Parasara. The other fifteen are those of Vishnu, Daksha, Samvarta, Vyasa, Harita, Satatapa, Vasishtha, Yama, Apastamba, Gautama, Devala, Sankha-Likhita, Usana, Atri and Saunaka. The Laws of Manu are intended for the Satya Yuga; those of Yajnavalkya are for the Treta Yuga; those of Sankha and Likhita are for the Dvapara Yuga; and those of Parasara are for the Kali Yuga. The laws and rules which are based entirely upon our social positions, time and clime, must change with the changes in society and changing conditions of time and clime. Then only the progress of the Hindu society can be ensured. Need For A New Law-Code (By Swami Shivananda, The Divine Life Society, Rishikesh) It is not possible to follow some of the laws of Manu at present time. We can follow their spirit and not the letter. Society is advancing. When it advances, it outgrows certain laws which were valid and helpful at a particular stage of its growth. Many new things which were not thought out by the old law-givers have come into existence now. It is no use insisting people to follow now those old laws which have become obsolete. Our present day society has changed considerably. A new Smriti to suit the requirements of this age is very necessary. Another sage will place before the Hindus of our days a new suitable code of laws. Time is ripe for a new Smriti. Cordial greetings to this age. The Inner Voice Of Dharma He who is endowed with a pure heart through protracted Tapas (austerity), Japa, Kirtana, meditation and service of Guru and who has a very clear conscience, can be guided by the inner voice in matters of Dharma or duty or moral action. The inner voice that proceeds from a clean heart filled with Sattva is, indeed, the voice of God or Soul or Antaryamin or Inner Ruler. This voice is more than Smriti. It is Smriti of Smritis. Purify your heart and train yourself to hear this inner voice. Keep your ear in tune with the ‘voice’. The Sruti And The Smriti The Sruti and the Smriti are the two authoritative sources of Hinduism. Sruti literally means what is heard, and Smriti means what is remembered. Sruti is revelation and Smriti is tradition. Upanishad is a Sruti. Bhagavad-Gita is a Smriti. (Bhagavad-Gita forms part of The Mahabharata, Bhishma Parva, Sections XIII – XLII (also known as Bhagavad-Gita Parva). Sruti is direct experience. Great Rishis heard the eternal truths of religion and left a record of them for the benefit of posterity. These records constitute the Vedas. Hence, Sruti is primary authority. Smriti is a recollection of that experience. Hence, it is secondary authority. The Smritis or Dharma Sastras also are books written by sages, but they are not the final authority. If there is anything in a Smriti which contradicts the Sruti, the Smriti is to be rejected. The Itihasas (history) The Friendly Treatises And the Commanding Treatises There are four books under this heading: The Valmiki-Ramayana The Yogavasishtha The Mahabharata The Harivamsa These embody all that is in the Vedas, but only in a simpler manner. These are called the Suhrit-Samhitas or the Friendly Treatises, while the Vedas are called the Prabhu-Samhitas or the Commanding Treatises with great authority. These works explain the great universal truths in the form of historical narratives, stories and dialogues. These are very interesting volumes and are liked by all, from the inquisitive child to the intellectual scholar. The Itihasas give us beautiful stories of absorbing interest and importance, through which all the fundamental teachings of Hinduism are indelibly impressed on one’s mind. The laws of Smritis and the principles of the Vedas are stamped firmly on the minds of the Hindus through the noble and marvelous deeds of their great national heroes. We get a clear idea of Hinduism from these sublime stories. The common man cannot comprehend the high abstract philosophy of the Upanishads and the Brahma Sutras. Hence, the compassionate sages Valmiki and Vyasa wrote the Itihasas for the benefit of common people. The same philosophy is presented with analogies and parables in a tasteful form to the common run of mankind. The well known Itihasas (histories) are the epics (Mahakavyas), Ramayana and Mahabharata. They are two very popular and useful Sastras of the Hindus. The Ramayana was written by the Sage Valmiki, and the Mahabharata by Sage Vyasa. The Ramayana The Ramayana, the Adi-Kavya or the first epic poem, relates the story of Sri Rama. The ideal man. It is the history of the family of the Solar race descended from Ikshvaku, in which was born Sri Ramachandra, the Avatara of Lord Vishnu, and his three brothers. The ideal characters like Rama, Sita, Lakshmana, Bharata and Sri Hanuman that we find in Ramayana firmly established Hindu Dharma in our minds. The story of the birth of Rama and his brothers, their education and marriages, the exile of Sri Rama, the carrying off and recovery of Sita, his wife, the destruction of Ravana, the Rakshasa King of Lanka, and the reign of Sri Rama, are described in detail in Ramayana. How a man should behave towards his superiors, equals, and inferiors, how a king ought to rule his kingdom, how a man should lead his life in this world, how he can obtain his release, freedom, and perfection, may be learnt from this excellent epic. The Ramayana gives a vivid picture of Indian life. Even today our domestic, social, and national ideals are copied from the noble characters in the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. The great national heroes stand even today as beacon-lights to guide and inspire the people of the whole world. The lives of Rama, Bharata and Lakshmana provide a model of fraternal affection and mutual service. Sri Hanuman stands as an ideal unique Karma Yogi. The life of Sita is regarded as the most perfect example of womanly fidelity, chastity and sweetness. The Ramayana is written in twenty-four thousand verses, by Sage Valmiki. The Mahabharata The Mahabharata is the history of the Pandavas and the Kauravas. It gives a description of the great war, the Battle of Kurukshetra, which broke out between the Kauravas and the Pandavas who were cousins and descendants of the Lunar race. The Mahabharata is an encyclopedia of Hindu Dharma. It is rightly called the fifth Veda. There is really no theme in religion, philosophy, mysticism and polity which this great epic does not touch and expound. It contains very noble moral teachings, useful lessons of all kinds, many beautiful stories and episodes, discourses, sermons, parables and dialogues which set forth the principles of morals and metaphysics. The Pandavas obtained victory through the grace of Lord Krishna. The Mahabharata is written in one hundred thousand verses by Sage Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa The Bhagavad-Gita The most important part of the Mahabharata is the Bhagavad-Gita. It is a marvelous dialogue between Lord Krishna and Arjuna on the battlefield, before the commencement of the great war. Bhagavan Sri Krishna became the charioteer of Arjuna. Sri krishna explained the essentials of Hindu religion to Arjuna. Just as the Upanishads contain the cream of the Vedas, so does the Gita contain the cream of the Upanishads. The Upanishads are the cows. Lord Krishna is the cowherd. Arjuna is the calf. The Gita is the milk. The wise men are those who drink the milk of Gita. The Gita is the most precious jewel of Hindu literature. It is a universal gospel. The Gita teaches the Yoga of Synthesis. It ranks high in the religious literature of the world. Arjuna saw before him his dear relatives and teachers in the battlefield. He fainted and refused to fight against them. Then Lord Krishna imparted knowledge of the Self to Arjuna and convinced him that it was his duty to fight regardless of the consequences. Afterwards Arjuna gave up his Moha, or delusion. All his doubts were cleared. He fought against the Kauravas and achieved victory. Knowledge Of Ancient Indian History and Culture The Mahabharata contains also immortal discourse of Bhishma on Dharma, which he gave to Yudhishthira, when he was lying on the bed of arrows. The whole Mahabharata forms an encyclopedia of history, morals and religion unsurpassed by any other epic in the world. The Ramayana and the Mahabharata speak to us clearly about ancient India, about her people, her customs, her ways of living, her arts, her civilisation and culture, her manufactures, etc. If you read these two books, you will come to know how great India once was, and you will be inspired to make her great once more. No other country has produced so many great men, great teachers, great Yogis, great seers, great Rishis, great prophets, great Acharyas, great kings, great heroes, great statesmen, great patriots and great benefactors, as India. The more you know of India and Hinduism, the more you will honour and love it and the more thankful to the Lord you will be that you were born in India as a Hindu. Glory to India! Glory to Hinduism! Glory to the seers of the Upanishads! Glory, glory to Lord Krishna, the author of the Song Divine (Bhagavad-Gita). The Puranas The Puranas are of the same class as the Itihasas. They have five characteristics (Panch-Lakshana): History Cosmology ( with various symbolical illustrations of philosophical principles) Secondary creation Genealogy of kings Manavantaras All the Puranas belong to the class of Suhrit-Samhitas. Vyasa is the compiler of the Puranas from age to age; and for this age, he is Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, the son of Parsara. The Puranas were written to popularise the religion of the Vedas. They contain the essence of the Vedas. The aim of the Puranas is to impress on the minds of the masses the teachings of the Vedas and to generate in them devotion to God, through concrete examples, myths, stories, legends, lives of saints, kings and great men, allegories and chronicles of great historical events. The sages made use of these things to illustrate the eternal principles of religion. The Puranas were meant, not for the scholars, but for the ordinary people who could not understand high philosophy and who could not study the Vedas. The Darsanas are very stiff. They are meant only for the learned few. The Puranas are meant for the masses with inferior intellect. Religion is taught in a very easy and interesting way through these Puranas. Even to this day, the Puranas are popular. The Puranas contain the history of remote times. They also give a description of the regions of the universe not visible to the ordinary physical eye. They are very interesting to read and are full of information of all kinds. Children hear the stories from their grandmothers, Pandits and Purohits (priests) hold Kathas in temples, on banks of rivers and in other important places. Agriculturalists, labourers and bazaar people (common masses) hear the stories. The Eighteen Puranas There are eighteen main Puranas and an equal number of subsidiary Puranas or Upa-Puranas. The main Puranas are: 1.Vishnu Purana, 2.Naradiya Purana, 3.Srimad Bhagavata Purana, 4.Garuda (Suparna) Purana, 5.Padma Purana, 6.Varah Purana, 7.Brahma Purana, 8.Brahmanda Purana, 9.Brahma Vaivarta Purana, 10.Markandeya Purana, 11.Bhavishya Purana, 12.Vamana Purana, 13.Matsya Purana, 14.Kurma Purana, 15.Linga Purana, 16.Siva Purana, 17.Skanda Purana and 18.Agni Purana. Of these, six are Sattvic Puranas and glorify Vishnu; Six are Rajasic Puranas and glorify Brahma; six are Tamasic Puranas and glorify Siva. Neophytes or beginners in the spiritual path are puzzled when they go through Siva Purana and Vishnu Purana. In Siva Purana, Lord Siva is highly eulogised and an inferior position is given to Lord Vishnu. Sometimes Vishnu is belittled. In Vishnu Purana, Lord Hari (Vishnu) is highly eulogised and the inferior status is given to Lord Siva. Sometimes Lord Siva is belittled. This is only to increase the faith of the devotees in their particular Ishta-Devata (favourite or tutelary deity). Lord Siva and Lord Vishnu are one. The best among the Puranas are the Srimad Bhagavata and the Vishnu Purana. The most popular is the Srimad Bhagavata Purana. Next comes Vishnu Purana. A portion of the Markandeya Purana is well known to all Hindus as Chandi, or Devimahatmya. Worship of God as the Divine Mother is its theme. Chandi is read widely by the Hindus on sacred days and Navaratri (Durga Puja) days. Srimad Bhagavata Purana and the Ten Avataras The Srimad Bhagavad Purana is a chronicle of the various Avataras of Lord Vishnu. There are ten Avataras of Vishnu. The aim of every Avatara is to save the world from some great danger, to destroy the wicked and protect the virtuous. The ten Avataras are: Matsya (the Fish), Kurma (the Tortoise), Varaha (the Boar), Narasimha (the Man-Lion), Vamana (the Dwarf), Parsurama (Rama with the axe, the destroyer of the Kshatriya race), Ramachandra (the hero of Ramayana, the son of King Dasharatha; Sri Rama who destroyed Ravana), Sri Krishna (the teacher of the Bhagavad Gita), Buddha (the prince-ascetic and the founder of Buddhism), and Kalki (the hero riding on a white horse, who is still to come at the end of the Kali-Yuga). The object of the Matsya (Fish) Avatara was to save Vaivasvata Manu from destruction by a deluge. The object of Kurma (Tortoise) Avatara was to enable the world to recover some precious things that were lost in the deluge. The Kurma gave its back for keeping (supporting) the churning rod when the gods and the Asuras (demons) churned the ocean of milk. The purpose of Varaha Avatara was to rescue from the waters, the earth which had been dragged down by a demon named Hiranyaksha. The purpose of Narasimha Avatara, half lion and half man, was to free the world from the oppression of Hiranyakasipu, a demon, the father of Bhakta Prahlada. The object of Vamana Avatara was to restore the power of the gods which had been eclipsed by the penance and devotion of King Bali. The object of Parasurama Avatara was to deliver the country from the oppression of the Kshatriya rulers. Parasurama destroyed the Kshatriya race twenty-one times. The object of Rama Avatara was to destroy the wicked Ravana. The object of Sri Krishna Avatara was to destroy Kamsa and other demons, to deliver His wonderful message of the Gita in the Mahabharata war, and to become the centre of the Bhakti Schools of India. The object of Buddha Avatara was to prohibit animal sacrifices and teach piety. The object of the Kalki Avatara is the destruction of the wicked and the re-establishment of virtue. The Tamil Puranas Lord Siva incarnated Himself in the form of Dakshinamurti to impart knowledge to the four Kumaras. He took human form to initiate Sambandhar, Manikkavasagar and Pattinathar. He appeared in flesh and blood to help his devotees and relieve their sufferings. The divine Lilas (sports) of Lord Siva are recorded in the Tamil Puranas like Siva Purana, Periya Purana, Siva Parakramam and Tiruvilayadal Purana. The Upa-Puranas The eighteen Upa-Puranas are: SanatKumara, Narasimha, Brihannaradiya, Sivarahasya, Durvasa, Kapila, Vamana, Bhargava, Varuna, Kalika, Samba, Nandi, Surya, Parasara, Vasishtha, Devi-Bhagavata, Ganesa and Hamsa. Utility of the Puranas Study of the Puranas, listening to sacred recitals of scriptures, describing and expounding of the transcendent Lilas (divine sports) of the Blessed Lord – these form an important part of Sadhana (spiritual practice) of the Lord’s devotee. It is most pleasing to the Lord. Sravana (hearing of the Srutis or scriptures) is a part of Navavidha-Bhakti (nine modes of devotion). Kathas (narrative or story) and Upanyasas open the springs of devotion in the hearts of hearers and develop Prema-Bhakti (divine love for God) which confers immortality on the Jiva (individual soul). [Note: The nine modes of devotion are: Hearing His (God’s) names and glories, singing them, remembering the Lord, worship (service) of His Feet, adoration with flowers, prostrations, regarding oneself as His servant, as His friend, and total self-surrender.] The language of the Vedas is archaic, and the subtle philosophy of the Vedanta and the Upanishads is difficult to grasp and assimilate. Hence, the Puranas are of special value as they present philosophical truths and precious teachings in an easier manner. They give ready access to the mysteries of life and the key to bliss. Imbibe their teachings. Start a new life of Dharma-Nishtha and Adhyatmic Sadhana from this very day. [Note; Dharma-Nishtha = steadfastness or establishment in Dharma. Adhyatmic (pertaining to the Inner Self) Sadhana (spiritual practice)] The Agamas Another class of popular scriptures are the Agamas. The Agamas are theological treatises and practical manuals of divine worship. The Agamas include the Tantras, Mantras and Yantras. These are treatises explaining the external worship of God, in idols, temples etc. All the Agamas treat of : Jnana or Knowledge Yoga or Concentration Kriya or Esoteric Ritual Charya or Exoteric Worship They also give elaborate details about entology and cosmology, liberation, devotion, meditation, philosophy of Mantras, mystic diagrams, charms and spells, temple-building, image-making, domestic observances, social rules, public festivals etc. The Agamas are divided into three sections: The Vaishnava The Saiva The Sakta The chief sects of Hinduism, viz., Vaishnavism, Saivism and Saktism, base their doctrines and dogmas on their respective Agamas. The Vaishnava Agamas or Pancharatra Agamas glorify God as Vishnu. The Saiva Agamas glorify God as Siva and have given rise to an important school of philosophy known as Saiva-Siddhanta, which prevails in South India, particularly in the districts of Tirunelveli and Madurai. The Sakta Agamas or Tantras glorify God as the Mother of the Universe, under one of the many names of Devi (Goddess). The Agamas do not derive their authority from the Vedas, but are not antagonistic to them. They are all Vedic in spirit and character. That is the reason why they are regarded as authoritative. The Vaishnava Agamas The Vaishnava Agamas are of four kinds: The Vaikhanasa Pancharatra Pratishthasara Vijnana-lalita The Brahma, Saiva, Kaumara, Vasishtha, Kapila, Gautamiya and Naradiya are the seven groups of the Pancharatras. The Naradiya section of the Santi Parva of the Mahabharata is the earliest source of information about the Pancharatras. Vishnu is the Supreme Lord in the Pancharatra Agamas. The Vaishnavas regard the Pancharatra Agamas to be the most authoritative. They believe that these Agamas were revealed by Lord Vishnu Himself. Narada-Pancharatra says: "Everything from Brahma to a blade of grass is Lord Krishna". This corresponds to the Upanishadic declaration: "All this is, verily, Brahman-Sarvam, Khalvidam Brahma". The following extract is from The Mahabharata, Santi Parva Section CCCXL Bhishma continued: Narada also, endued with great energy, having obtained the high favour that he had solicited, then proceeded with great speed to the retreat called Vadari, for beholding Nara and Narayana. This great Upanishad, perfectly consistent with the four Vedas, in harmony with Sankhya-Yoga, and called by him by the name of Pancharatra scriptures, and recited by Narayana Himself with His own mouth, was repeated by Narada in the presence of many listeners in the abode of Brahma (his sire) in exactly the same way in which Narayana (while that great God had showed Himself unto him) had recited it, and in which he had heard it from his own lips. _ There are two hundred and fifteen of these Vaishnava texts. Isvara, Ahirbudhnya, Paushkara, Parama, Sattvata, Brihad-Brahma and Jnanamritasara Samhitas are the important ones. The Saiva Agamas The Saivas recognise twenty-eight Agamas, of which the chief is Kamika. The Agamas are also the basis of Kashmir Saivism which is called the Pratyabhijna system. The latter works of Pratyabhijna system show a distinct leaning to Advaitism (non-dualistic philosophy). The Southern Saivism, i.e., Saiva Siddhanta, and the Kashmir Saivism, regard these Agamas as their authority, besides the Vedas. Each Agama has Upa-Agamas (subsidiary Agamas). Of these, only fragmentary texts of twenty are extant. Lord Siva is the central God in the Saiva Agamas. They are suitable to this age, Kali Yuga. They are open to all castes and both the sexes. The Sakta Agamas There is another group of scriptures known as the Tantras. They belong to the Sakta cult. They glorify Sakti as the World-Mother. They dwell on the Sakti (energy) aspect of God and prescribe numerous courses of ritualistic worship of the Divine Mother in various forms. There are seventy-seven Agamas. These are very much like the Puranas in some respects. The texts are usually in the form of dialogues between Siva and Parvati. In some of these, Siva answers the questions put by Parvati, and in others, Parvati answers, Siva questioning. Mahanirvana, Kularnava, Kulasara, Prapanchasara, Tantraraja, Rudra-Yamala, Brahma-Yamala, Vishnu-Yamala and Todala Tantra are the important works. The Agamas teach several occult practices some of which confer powers, while the others bestow knowledge and freedom. Sakti is the creative power of Lord Siva. Saktism is really a supplement to Saivism. Among the existing books on the Agamas, the most famous are the Isvara-Samhita, Ahirbudhnya-Samhita, Sanatkumara-Samhita, Narada-Pancharatra, Spanda-Pradipika and the Mahanirvana-Tantra. The Six Darsanas These are the intellectual section of the Hindu writings, while the first four are intuitional. And the fifth inspirational and emotional. Darsanas are schools of philosophy based on the Vedas. The Agamas are theological. The Darsana literature is philosophical. The Darsanas are meant for the erudite scholars who are endowed with acute acumen, good understanding, power of reasoning and subtle intellect. The Itihasa, Puranas and Agamas are meant for the masses. The Darsanas appeal to the intellect, while the Itihasas, Puranas, etc., appeal to the heart. Philosophy has six divisions (Shad-darsana). The six Darsanas or ways of seeing things, are usually called the six systems or six different schools of thought. The six schools of philosophy are the six instruments of true teaching or the six demonstrations of Truth. Each school has developed, systematized and correlated the various parts of the Veda in its own way. Each system has its Sutrakara, i.e., the one great Rishi who systematized the doctrines of the school and put them in short aphorisms or Sutras The Sutras are terse and laconic. The Rishis have condensed their thoughts in the aphorisms. It is very difficult to understand them without the help of commentaries by great sages or Rishis. Hence, there arose many commentators or Bhashyakaras. There are glosses, notes and, later, commentaries on the original commentaries. The Shad-Darsana (the six schools of philosophy) or the Shat-Sastras are: The Nyaya founded by Gautama Rishi The Vaiseshika by Kanada Rishi The Sankhya by Kapila Muni The Yoga by Patanjali Maharshi The Purva Mimamsa by Jaimini The Uttara Mimamsa or Vedanta by Badarayana or Vyasa The Darsanas are grouped into three pairs of aphoristic compositions which explain the philosophy of the Vedas in a rationalistic method of approach. They are: The Nyaya and the Vaiseshika The Sankhya and the Yoga The Mimamsa and the Vedanta Each set of Sutras has got its Bhashya, Vritti, Varttika, Vyakhyana or Tika and Tippani. Sutra A Sutra or an aphorism is a short formula with the least possible number of letters, without any ambiguity or doubtful assertion, containing the very essence, embracing all meaning, without any stop or obstruction and absolutely faultless in nature. The Sutrakara or the composer of the aphorisms is said to be as happy as one would be while getting the first male child, if he is but able to reduce one letter in his abstruse Sutra of far-fetched words and ideas. The best example of the greatest, the tersest and the most perfect of Sutra literature is the series of aphorisms called the Ashtadhyayi composed by Panini. Panini is the father of all Sutrakaras from whom all others seem to have borrowed the method of composition. The Sutras are meant to explain a big volume of knowledge in short assertions suitable to be kept in memory at all times. The six Vedangas and the six systems of Hindu philosophy form the twelve sets of Sutra literature of the world. In addition to these, there are later compositions like the Narada-Bhakti Sutras, the Sandilya-Bhakti Sutras, etc., which also wish to assume an equal form with the famous Sutras mentioned above. Bhashya A Bhashya is an elaborate exposition, a commentary on the Sutras, with word by word meaning of the aphoristic precepts, their running translation, together with the individual views of the commentator or the Bhashyakara. The best and the exemplary Bhashya in Sanskrit literature is the one written by Patanjali on the Vyakarana (grammar) Sutras of Panini. This Bhashya is so very famous and important that it is called the Mahabhashya and its celebrated author is specially called the Bhashyakara. Patanjali is the father of Bhashyakaras. The next important Bhashya is the one on the Mimamsa Sutras written by Sabara-Swami who learnt the art from Patanjali’s commentary. The third important Bhashya was written by Sankara on the Brahma Sutras, in close following with the Sabara-Bhashya. The Bhashyas on the six sets of aphorisms dealing with Indian philosophy were written by Vatsyayana, Prasastapada, Vijnanabhikshu, Vyasa, Sabara and Sankara. On the Vedanta or Brahma Sutras, there are about sixteen Bhashyas, like those of Ramanuja, Madhava, Vallabha, Nimbarka, etc. Vritti A Vritti is a short gloss explaining the aphorisms in a more elaborate way, but not as extensively as a Bhashya. An example is Bodhayana’s Vritti on the Brahma Sutras. Varttika A Varttika is a work where a critical study is made of that which is said and left unsaid or imperfectly said in a Bhashya, and the ways of making it perfect by supplying the omissions therein, are given. Examples are the Varttikas of Katyayana on Panini’s Sutras, of Suresvara on Sankara’s Upanishad-Bhashyas, and of Kumarila Bhatta on the Sabara-Bhashya on the Karma-Mimamsa. Vyakhyana or Tika A Vyakhyana is a running explanation in an easier language of what is said in the original, with little elucidations here and there. A Vyakhyana, particularly of a Kavya (poetry and prose), deals with eight different modes of dissection of the Sloka, like .-Chheda, Vigraha, Sandhi, Alankara, Anuvada, etc. This forms an important aspect in the study of Sanskrit Sahitya Sastra (science of Sanskrit literature). An Anu-Vyakhyana- like the one written by Sri Madhava- is a repetition of what is already written, but in greater detail. An Anuvada is merely a running translation or statement of an abstruse text of the original. Tika is only another name for Vyakhyana. The best Vyakhyanas are of Vachaspati Misra on the Darsanas, especially on Sankara’s Brahmasutra-Bhashya. Tippani Tippani is just like a Vritti, but is less orthodox than the Vritti. It is an explanation of difficult words or phrases occurring in the original. Examples are Kaiyata’s gloss on the Mahabhashya of Patanjali, Nagojibhatta’s gloss on Kaiyata’s gloss, or Appayya’s gloss on Amalananda’s gloss on the Bhamati of Vachaspati Misra. Other Scriptures The Tevaram and the Tiruvachakam which are the hymns of the Saiva saints of South India, the Divya-Prabandham of the Alvar saints of South India, the songs of Sant Kabir, the Abhangas of Sant Tukaram and the Ramayana of Sant Tulasidas- all of which are the outpourings of great realised souls- are wonderful scriptures. They contain the essence of the Vedas. The Secular Writings The Subhashitas The Subhashitas are wise sayings, instructions and stories, either in poetry or in prose. Examples are Bhartrihari’s three centuries of verses, the Subhashita-Ratna-Bhandagara and Somadeva Bhatta’s Katha-Sarit-Sagara or Kshemendra’s Brihat-Katha-Manjari. The Pachatantra and the Hitopadesa also belong to this category. The Kavyas These are highly scholarly compositions in poetry, prose or both. The greatest of poetical Kavyas are those of Kalidas (The Raghuvamsa and Kumara-sambhava), Bharavi (The Kiratarjuniya), Magha (The Sisupalavadha), and Sri Harsha (The Naishadha). The best prose Kavyas in the whole of Sanskrit literature were written by Bhattabana (The Kadambari and Harshacharita), the great genius in classical Sanskrit. Among those containing both poetry and prose, the Champu-Ramayana and the Champu-Bharata are most famous. These are all wonderful masterpieces which will ever remain to glorify India’s literary calibre. The Natakas (dramas) These are marvelously scholastic dramas embodying the Rasas (expressions, mostly facial) of Sringara (decorate or beautify), Vira (brave), Karuna (compassion), Adbhuta (astonishment), Hasya (laugh), Bhayanka (fearsome), Bibhatsa (disgusting or loathsome) and Raudra (terrible). It is told that none can write on the ninth Rasa, viz., Santi (peaceful). It is attainable only on final Liberation. The best dramas are written by Kalidasa (Sakuntala), Bhavabhuti (Uttara-Rama-Charita), and Visakhadatta (Mudrarakshasa). The Alankaras These are grand rhetorical texts, treating of the science of perfection and beauty of ornamental language and of effective composition with elegance and force, both in poetry and in prose. These are the fundamentals of Sanskrit Sahitya (literature), even superior to the Kavyas and the Natakas. The best Alankara Granthas (Granthas = volumes) are those of Mammata (Kavyaprakasa) and Jagannatha (Rasagangadhara). Conclusion These constitute the entirety of Sanskrit literature- sacred and secular. The Sruti is the root; the Smritis, Itihasas and Puranas are the trunk; the Agamas and Darsanas are the branches; and the Subhashitas, Kavyas, Natakas and Alankaras are the flowers of the tree of India’s Culture. The Smritis, the Itihasas, the Puranas, the Agamas and the Darsanas are only developments of the Veda. Their ultimate source is the Veda. Their one common aim is to enable man to annihilate his ignorance and attain perfection, freedom, immortality, and eternal bliss through knowledge of God or the Eternal. Their purpose is to make man like God and one with Him.

From The Bhagavad Gita Commentaries by Swami Shivananda The Divine Life Society, Rishikesh. The Blessed Lord said: Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer in sacrifice, whatever you give, whatever you practise as austerity, O Arjuna, do it as an offering unto me. –Gita, Ch.9, Verse 27. He who is devoted to the path of action, whose mind is quite pure, who has conquered the self, who has subdued his senses and who realises his Self as the Self in all beings, though acting, he is not tainted. -Gita, Ch.5, Verse 7. "I do nothing at all," thus would the harmonized knower of Truth thinks-seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, eating, going, sleeping, breathing. -Gita- Ch.5, Verse 8. [Note: Commentary: The liberated sage or a jnani always remains as a witness of the activities of the senses as he identifies himself with the Self or Brahman. He thinks and says, "I do not see; the eyes perceive. I do not hear; the ears hear, I do not smell; the nose smells, etc." He beholds inaction in action as he has burnt his actions in the fire of wisdom.] The Blessed Lord said: He, who does actions, offering them to Brahman (the Lord) and abandoning attachment, is not tainted by sin as a lotus leaf by water. -Gita, Ch.5, Verse 10. Yogis (Karma Yogis), having abandoned attachment, perform actions only by the body, mind, intellect and even by the senses, for the purification of the self. -Gita, Ch.5, Verse 11. The united one (the well poised or the harmonized) having abandoned the fruit of action attains to the eternal peace; the non-united only (the unsteady or the unbalanced) impelled by desire, attached to the fruit, is bound. [Note; Commentary: ‘Santim Naitikam’ is interpreted as ‘peace born of devotion or steadfastness’. The harmonious man who does actions for the sake of the Lord without expectation of the fruits and who says, "I do actions for my Lord only, not for my personal gain or profit," attains to the peace born of devotion, through the following four stages, viz., purity of mind, the attainment of knowledge, renunciation of actions, and steadiness in wisdom. But the unbalanced or the unharmonised man who is led by desire and who is attached to the fruits of the actions and who says, "I have done such and such an action; I will get such and such a fruit," is firmly bound.] The Blessed Lord said: As the blazing fire reduces fuel to ashes, O Arjuna, so does the fire of knowledge reduce all actions to ashes. -Gita, Ch.4, Verse 37. [Note: Commentary: Just as the seeds that are roasted cannot germinate, so also the actions that are burnt by the fire of knowledge cannot bear fruits, i.e., cannot bring man to this world again for the enjoyment of the fruits of his actions. This is reducing actions to ashes. The actions lose their potency as they are burnt by the fire of knowledge. When the knowledge of the Self dawns, all actions with their results are burnt by the fire of that knowledge just as fuel is burnt by the fire. When there is no agency-mentality (the idea "I do this") when there is no desire for the fruits, action is no action at all. It has lost its potency.] The Blessed Lord said: Neither agency nor actions does the Lord create for the world, nor union with the fruits of actions; but it is Nature that acts. -Gita, Ch.5, Verse 14. [Note: The Lord does not create agency or doership. He does not press anyone to do action. He never tells anyone: "Do this or do that." He does not bring about union with the fruits of actions. It is Prakriti or Nature that does everything. The blessed Lord said: He who has renounced actions by Yoga, whose doubts are rent asunder by knowledge, and who is self-possessed- actions do not bind him, O Arjuna. -Gita, Ch. 4, Verse 41. [Note: Commentary: Sri Madhusudana Sarasvati explains Atmavanta as ‘always watchful.’ He who has attained Self-realisation renounces all actions by means of Yoga or the knowledge of Brahman. As he is established in the knowledge of the identity of the individual soul with the Supreme Soul all his doubts are cut asunder. Actions do not bind him as they are burnt in the fire of wisdom and as he is always watchful over himself.] The Blessed Lord said: The world is bound by actions other than those performed for the sake of sacrifice; do thou, therefore, O son of Kunti (Arjuna), perform actions for the sake (for sacrifice alone), free from attachment. -Gita, Ch. 3, Verse 9. [Note: Commentary: Yajna means sacrifice or religious rite or any unselfish action done with a pure motive. It means also Isvara. The Taittiriya Samhita (of the Veda) says "Yajna verily is Vishnu" (1-7-4). If anyone does actions for the sake of the Lord, he is not bound. His heart is purified by performing actions for the sake of the Lord. Where this spirit of unselfishness does not govern the action, it will bind one to samsara however good or glorious it may be.] The Blessed lord said: As the ignorant men act from attachment to action, O Bharata (Arjuna), so should the wise act without attachment, wishing the welfare of the world. -Gita, ch.3, Verse 25. [Note: Commentary: The ignorant man works in expectation of fruit. He says, "I will do such and such work and will get and such and such fruit (reward)." But the wise man who knows the Self, serves not for his own end. He should so act that the world, following his example, would attain peace, harmony, purity of heart, divine light and knowledge. A wise man is one who knows the Self. The Blessed Lord said: Let no wise man unsettle the mind of ignorant people who are attached to action; he should engage them in all actions, himself fulfilling them with devotion. -Gita, Ch.3, Verse 26. [Note: Commentary: An ignorant man says to himself, "I shall do this action and thereby enjoy its fruit." A wise man should not unsettle his belief. On the contrary he himself should set an example by performing his duties diligently but without attachment. The wise man should also persuade the ignorant never to neglect their duties. If need be, he should place before them in vivid colours the happiness they would enjoy here and hereafter by discharging such duties. When their hearts get purified in the course of time, the wise man could sow the seeds of Karma Yoga (selfless service without desire) in them.] The Blessed Lord said: He whose intellect is unattached everywhere, who has subdued his self, from whom desire has fled,- he by renunciation, attains the supreme state of freedom from action. -Gita, Ch.18, Verse 49. Thy right is to work only, but never with its fruits; let not the fruits of action be thy motive, nor let thy attachment be to inaction. Gita, Ch. 2, Verse 47. [Note: When you perform actions, have no desires for the fruits thereof under any circumstances. If you thirst for the fruits of your actions, you will have to take birth again and again to enjoy them. Action done with expectation of fruits (rewards) brings bondage. If you do not thirst for them, you get purification of heart and you will get knowledge of the Self through purity of heart and through the knowledge of the Self you will be freed from the round of births and deaths. Neither let thy attachment be towards inaction thinking "What is the use of doing actions when I cannot get any reward for them?"] The enjoyments that are born of contacts are only generators of pain, for they have a beginning and an end, O Arjuna: the wise do not rejoice in them. -Gita, Ch. 5, Verse 22 [Note: Man goes in quest of joy and searches in the external perishable objects for his happiness. He fails to get it but instead he carries a load of sorrow on his head. You should withdraw the senses from the sense-objects as there is no trace of happiness in them and fix the mind on the immortal, blissful Self within. The sense-objects have a beginning and an end. Separation from the sense-objects gives you a lot of pain. During the interval between the origin and the end you experience a hollow, momentary, illusory pleasure. This fleeting pleasure is due to Avidya or ignorance. He who is endowed with discrimination or knowledge of the Self will never rejoice in these sensual objects. Only ignorant persons who are passionate will rejoice in the sense-objects.] That pleasure which arises from the contact of the sense-organ with the objects, which is at first like nectar, and in the end like poison - that is declared to be Rajasic. -Gita, Ch. 18, Verse 38 The contacts of the senses with the objects, O son of Kunti (Arjuna), which causes heat and cold, pleasure and pain, have a beginning and an end; they are impermanent; endure them bravely, O Arjuna. -Gita, Ch. 2, Verse 14

Abusive Speech Mahabharata Santi Parva, Section CXIV Translated by Sri Kisari Mohan Ganguli Yudhishthira said: How, O Bharata, should a learned man adorned with modesty behave, O chastiser of foes, when assailed with harsh speeches in the midst of assemblies by an ignorant person swelling with conceit? Bhishma said: Listen, O lord of earth, how the subject has been treated of (in the scriptures), how a person of good soul should endure in this world the abusive speeches of persons of little intelligence. If a person, when abused by another, do not yield to wrath, he is then sure to take away (the merit of) all the good deeds that have been done by the abuser. The endurer, in such a case, communicates the demerit of all his own bad acts to the person who under the influence of wrath indulges in abuse. An intelligent man should disregard an abusive language who resembles, after all, only a Tittibha (a bird, Parra Jacana) uttering dissonant cries. One who yields to hate is said to live in vain. A fool may often be heard to say, ‘Such a respectable man was addressed by me in such words amid such an assembly of men,’ and to even boast of that wicked act. He would add, ‘Abused by me, the man remained silent as if dead with shame.’ Even thus does a shameless man boast of an act about which no one should boast. Such a man among men should carefully be disregarded. The man of wisdom should endure everything that such a person of little intelligence may say. What can a vulgar fellow do by either his praise or his blame? He is even like a crow that caws uselessly in the woods. If those who accuse others by only their words could establish those accusations by such means, then, perhaps, their words would have been regarded to be of some value. As a fact, however, these words are as effective as those uttered by fools invoking death upon them with whom they quarrel. [Note: In India, the commonest form of verbal abuse among ignorant men and women is ‘Do thou meet with death,’ or ‘Go thou to Yama’s house.’ (Yama is the god of death). What Bhishma says is that as these words are uttered in vain, even so the verbal accusations of wicked men prove perfectly abortive.] That man simply proclaims his bastardy who indulges in such conduct with words. Indeed, he is even like a peacock that dances while showing such a part of his body as should be ever concealed from the view. A person of pure conduct should never even speak with that wight of sinful conduct who does not scruple to utter anything or do anything. That man who speaks of one’s merits when one’s eye is upon him and who speaks ill of one when one’s eye in withdrawn from him, is really like a dog. Such a person loses all his regions in heaven and the fruits of any knowledge and virtue that he may have. [Note: A dog is an unclean animal in Hindu estimation.] The man who speaks ill of one when one’s eye is not upon him, loses without delay the fruits of all his libations on fire and of the gifts he may make unto even a hundred persons. A man of wisdom, therefore, should unhesitatingly avoid a person of such sinful heart who deserves to be avoided by all honest men, as he would avoid the flesh of the dog. That wicked-souled wretch, who proclaims the faults of a high-souled person, really publishes (by that act) his own evil nature even as a snake displays his hood (when interfered with by others). The man of sense who seeks to counteract such a backbiter ever engaged in an occupation congenial to himself, finds himself in the painful condition of a stupid ass sunk in a heap of ashes. A man who is ever engaged in speaking ill of others should be avoided like a furious wolf, or an infuriated elephant roaring in madness, or a fierce dog. Fie on that sinful wretch who has betaken himself to the path of the foolish and has fallen away from all wholesome restraints and modesty, who is always engaged in doing what is injurious to others, and who is regardless of his own prosperity. If an honest man wishes to exchange words with such wretches when they seek to humiliate him, he should be counselled in these words: Do not suffer thyself to be afflicted. A wordy encounter between a high and a low person is always disapproved by persons of tranquil intelligence. A slanderous wretch, when engaged, may strike another with his palms, or throw dust or chaff at another, or frighten another by showing or grinding his teeth. All this is well known. That man who endures the reproaches and slanders of wicked-souled wights uttered in assemblies, or who read frequently these instructions, never suffers any pain occasioned by speeches.

From The Mundaka Upanishad Translations and explanations by Swami Nikhilananda Sri Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Center, New York Saunaka, the great householder, approached Angirasa in the proper manner and said: Revered Sir, What is that by the knowing of which all this becomes known? (I.i.3) Angirasa answered to Saunaka: To him he said: Two kinds of knowledge must be known – that is what the knowers of Brahman tell us. They are the Higher Knowledge and the lower knowledge. -Mundaka Upanishad (I.i.4) [Note: The Hindu philosophers observed that by knowing the nature of clay one knows the nature of everything made of clay, by knowing the nature of iron or gold one knows the nature of everything made of iron or gold. Is there not likewise, they asked, something that is the basic material of the universe, by the knowing of which everything in the universe will be known? Similarly, there should be one cause of the multiple objects of the world, by the knowing of which its effects could be known. According to Non-dualistic Vedanta an effect has no real existence apart from its cause. Therefore when a man knows the cause, he also should know that the effect has no reality independent of it. Brahman is the ultimate cause of the universe. When one knows Brahman, one also knows that the universe has no reality independent of Brahman. "Higher Knowledge": The Knowledge of the Supreme Self, which is beyond duality. "lower knowledge": The lower knowledge is the knowledge of the phenomenal world. In reality it is ignorance, for it does not lead to the Highest Good. The seer of the Upanishad asks the aspirant to acquire both the knowledge of the relative world and the Knowledge of Ultimate Reality. When by the pursuit of the former he fails to attain true freedom and immortality, he cultivates the latter. The lower knowledge includes the knowledge of righteous actions (dharma) and unrighteous action (adharma) and their results.] The two kinds of knowledge: Of these two, the lower knowledge is the Rig-Veda, the Yajur-Veda, the Sama-Veda, the Atharva-Veda, siksha (phonetics), kalpa (rituals), vyakaranam (grammar), nirukta (etymology), chhandas (metre) and jyotis (astronomy); and the Higher Knowledge is that by which the Imperishable Brahman is attained. -Mundaka Upanishad (I.i.5) [Note: Sri Shankaracharya explains that the Higher Knowledge refers to the actual realisation of the subject matter taught in the Sruti (Vedas). It primarily means the experience of the Imperishable Brahman taught in the Upanishads, and not the mere words contained in them. "Siksha, kalpa…." : These six, known as the Vedangas, are ancillary to the Vedas. Without the knowledge of them a proper understanding of the Vedas is impossible. "Is attained": In the case of the Higher Truth, attainment and knowledge are identical. This attainment is the same as the destruction of ignorance. The knower of Brahman becomes Brahman.]

All religious scriptures be it the Torah, Bible, Koran or Vedas, they all have contradiction. No one can deny this fact. The crux of the matter here is as civilized human beings we only accept what is applicable and useful to society in order to have peace and harmony among the living. It will only complicate matters if we start digging deeper. Various sages had taken the task of writing the surtis and written according to the period of understanding. For us in this age would find certain puranas ridicules but we did not live in that period and so would would not undersatand them. Now in our time we had great souls like Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Ramana Maha Rishi and a few others who have explained the Santhana Dharma to our understanding. Let us not dwell in the past too much. We have more important and useful things to do at hand such as how to protect Hindus from transgression and better understanding among various Hndu sects.

Interpretation of scriptures[upanishads]are many and whose is the authenticated texts? Avatar or Godly men have been and will be here time and time again. If you do not know how to reconize them is your karma so, do not blame others for your own ignorance. In fact whoever fights for justice and well being of mankind is an Avatar. If you fight against injustice and corrupt government, show compassion to those who suffer in silence than you are an Avatar. Do not expect God to come in person to solve your problems, it is we the ones who understand and believes in him are the representative and it is our duty to help fellow humans who are suffering and dying of starvation, disease, supression and injustice. If you think the human race have to wait 4,32,000 years than I would suggest we better take our life now as we know for sure that nothing can be done to put things in right places for the next 4,32,000 years. I'm I not wright my friend?

A great thinker and reformist that he was but only a few understood him well. This is what he wrote about the Bible. About the Holy Bible by Robert G. Ingersoll 1894 **** **** Somebody ought to tell the truth about the Bible. The preachers dare not, because they would be driven from their pulpits. Professors in colleges dare not, because they would lose their salaries. Politicians dare not. They would be defeated. Editors dare not. They would lose rs. Merchants dare not, because they might lose customers. Men of fashion dare not, fearing that they would lose caste. Even clerks dare not, because they might be discharged. And so I thought I would do it myself. There are many millions of people who believe the Bible to be the inspired word of God -- millions who think that this book is staff and guide, counselor and consoler; that it fills the present with peace and the future with hope -- millions who believe that it is the fountain of law, Justice and mercy, and that to its wise and benign teachings the world is indebted for its liberty, wealth and civilization -- millions who imagine that this book is a revelation from the wisdom and love of God to the brain and heart of man -- millions who regard this book as a torch that conquers the darkness of death, and pours its radiance on another world -- a world without a tear. They forget its ignorance and savagery, its hatred of liberty, its religious persecution; they remember heaven, but they forget the dungeon of eternal pain. They forget that it imprisons the brain and corrupts the heart. They forget that it is the enemy of intellectual freedom. Liberty is my religion. Liberty of hand and brain -- of thought and labor, liberty is a word hated by kings -- loathed by popes. It is a word that shatters thrones and altars -- that leaves the crowned without subjects, and the outstretched hand of superstition without alms. Liberty is the blossom and fruit of justice -- the perfume of mercy. Liberty is the seed and soil, the air and light, the dew and rain of progress, love and joy. I THE ORIGIN OF THE BIBLE. A few wandering families -- poor, wretched, without education, art or power; descendants of those who had been enslaved for four hundred years; ignorant as the inhabitants of Central Africa, had just escaped from their masters to the desert of Sinai. Their leader was Moses, a man who had been raised in the family of Pharaoh and had been taught the law and mythology of Egypt. For the purpose of controlling his followers he pretended that he was instructed and assisted by Jehovah, the God of these wanderers. Everything that happened was attributed to the interference of this God. Moses declared that he met this God face to face; that on Sinai's top from the hands of this God he had received the tables of stone on which, by the finger of this God, the Ten Commandments had been written, and that, in addition to this, Jehovah had made known the sacrifices and ceremonies that were pleasing to him and the laws by which the people should be governed. In this way the Jewish religion and the Mosaic Code were established. It is now claimed that this religion and these laws were and are revealed and established for all mankind. At that time these wanderers had no commerce with other nations, they had no written language, they could neither read nor write. They had no means by which they could make this revelation known to other nations, and so it remained buried in the jargon of a few ignorant, impoverished and unknown tribes for more than two thousand year's. Many centuries after Moses, the leader, was dead many centuries after all his followers had passed away -- the Pentateuch was written, the work of many writers, and to give it force and authority it was claimed that Moses was the author. We now know that the Pentateuch was not written by Moses. Towns are mentioned that were not in existence when Moses lived. Money, not coined until centuries after his death, is mentioned. So, many of the laws were not applicable to wanderers on the desert -- laws about agriculture, about the sacrifice of oxen, sheep and doves, about the weaving of cloth, about ornaments of gold and silver, about the cultivation of land, about harvest, about the threshing of grain, about houses and temples, about cities of refuge, and about many other subjects of no possible application to a few starving wanderers over the sands and rocks. It is now not only admitted by intelligent and honest theologians that Moses was not the author of the Pentateuch, but they all admit that no one knows who the authors were, or who wrote any one of these books, or a chapter or a line. We know that the books were not written in the same generation; that they were not all written by one person; that they are filled with mistakes and contradictions. It is also admitted that Joshua did not write the book that bears his name, because it refers to events that did not happen until long after his death. No one knows, or pretends to know, the author of Judges; all we know is that it was written centuries after all the judges had ceased to exist. No one knows the author of Ruth, nor of First and Second Samuel; all we know is that Samuel did not write the books that bear his name. In the 25th chapter of First Samuel is an account of the raising of Samuel by the Witch of Endor. No one knows the author of First and Second Kings or First and Second Chronicles; all we know is that these books are of no value. We know that the Psalms were not written by David. In the Psalms the Captivity is spoken of, and that did not happen until about five hundred years after David slept with his fathers. We know that Solomon did not write the Proverbs or the Song; that Isaiah was not the author of the book that bears his name; that no one knows the author of Job, Ecclesiastes, or Esther, or of any book in the Old Testament, with the exception of Ezra. We know that God is not mentioned or in any way referred to in the book of Esther. We know, too, that the book is cruel, absurd and impossible. God is not mentioned in the Song of Solomon, the best book in the Old Testament. And we know that Ecclesiastes was written by an unbeliever. We know, too, that the Jews themselves had not decided as to what books were inspired -- were authentic -- until the second century after Christ. We know that the idea of inspiration was of slow growth, and that the inspiration was determined by those who had certain ends to accomplish.

If sex is sin why did Dasaratha King of Ayodhya married three wives? That is why the scriptures has different kandams. For Householder, Bramachari and Sanyasi. If you become an house holder you are adviced to indulge in sex as much as you want to satisfy your urge and spouse. If you negelect to satisfy your wife than she would seek elsewhere and so will you if your wife cannot satisfy your urge. Than it becomes a bigger sin. Whereas the Bramachari and the Sanyasi should never even think of sex as to imagine itself is a sin. So if you are married do not worry about sin as you are excused from sin. Enjoy as much as you want and no harm would come to you. As I have and still do and I do not feel gulity about it.

Thursday September 16, 2004 20:24 Seeking Truth The following text is the e-mail exchange between trs iyengar and one Mr.Elias D'Costa.(E-mail: elias_dcosta@usa.net He, in search of Truth about God and Isms, happened to surf through these pages. He sent in some queries and raised some doubts about Vedic Scripts. In all fairness, I just give below the exchange of mails, without editing or modifying the contents. You may be the judge of these contents right & wrongs : Following is the discussion on Topic 1 (Origin /Creation of Universe) Contradiction 1: ----------------- You mention in your opening letter "Srimann Naaraayana, who is the creator of this Universe is known as Sri Vishnu or Sri Mahavishnu." In another words Lord Mahavishnu is the creator of this Universe. But, Later in the closing you mention, "Lord Mahavishnu created the Brahmma through His Naval and appointed Brahmma to create the Universe. Brahmma created the Shiva and made Him as a destroyer. Then the Rishis, Munis (saints and sages) with the paraphernalia of the Brahmma Logam, (Eternal), Bhoologam (Earth) etc were created by Brahmma." Here I find Brahmma is the creator of this Universe, because he is appointed to create Universe, Shiva, Rishis, Munis, Brahmma Logam, and Earth etc. Contradiction 2: ----------------- In the Svetavatar Upanishad chapter 3 we find Rudra is Ishwara, Ishwara is the creator (Svetavatara 3: 4 " He, the creator and supporter of the gods, Rudra, the great seer, the lord of all, he who formerly gave birth to Hiranyagarbha, may he endow us with good thoughts") (Svetavatara 3:7 "Those who know beyond this the High Brahman, the vast, hidden in the bodies of all creatures, and alone enveloping everything, as the Lord, they become immortal") In the Svetavatar Upanishad chapter 4 it tells us the description of Ishwara as Supreme Brahman and Creator. (Svetavatar Upanishad 4: 12 "He, the creator and supporter of the gods, Rudra, the great seer, the lord of all, who saw Hiranyagarbha being born, may he endow us with good thoughts.") (Svetavatar Upanishad 4:13. "He who is the sovereign of the gods, he in whom all the worlds rest, he who rules over all two footed and four-footed beings, to that god let us sacrifice an oblation.") Contradiction 3: ---------------- In the Rig Veda, a Rishi says, (The wise call Him by different names, they call Him Agni, Yama or Matarswa) According to this mantra, God bears different names, but the confusion emerges when the very gods- Agni, Yama and Matarswa are projected as independent gods. When the Rig Veda has given independent identity to the above -mentioned gods, what is the significance of this mantra? Moreover, nowhere in the Vedas, Agni is called by the name of Yama or vice--versa. Thus, this mantra serves no useful end; it only creates confusion. This is not the only mantra, which creates contradiction. The Rig Veda (2/1/3-7) calls Agni by the names of Indra, Vishnu, Brahma, Varun, Mitra, Aryaman, Tvastar, Rudra, Pusan, Savitar and Bhag. Thus, this verse also adds to the confusion. If Agni is also Brahma, Vishnu and Indra, why are they accorded with separate godly identity and status? This mantra also suggests that Agni commands more influence as compared to Brahma, Vishnu and Indra. Therefore Agni is a true Universal God. Contradiction 4: ---------------- Mahabharata (Adiparva, 66/36) says that Aditi gave birth to twelve sons, and Vishnu was the youngest of them. Indra was also one of them. Thus, Vishnu was the younger brother of Indra. According to Shiva Purana (21, 30-59), Shiva with his wife Parvati wished to produce a child by performing intercourse with Parvati. Resultantly, Vishnu was born. When the light is shed on his being mortal, How is Vishnu a Universal God ? The Shatpath Brahmin (14/1/17) says that Vishnu was killed with an arrow. Maitrayani Samhita (4/5/9) and the Panchavish Brahmin also accept the fact relating to Vishnu's death. How can we worship a Dead God? The question thus arises, how can a person who is bound by the chains of birth and death create the universe as popularly held in Hinduism? On what ground do the Puranas' claim to prove that all the incarnations, described in Hindu scriptures, belong to Vishnu? Contradiction 5: ------------------ In the Taitirya Samit -( 'Prajapati' is described as the creator of gods and demons, while the Rig Veda (10/72/2) describes Brahmanaspati as the creator of gods. Again the Taitirya Samit) (1/6/9/1; 2/l/21) projects 'Prajapati' as the creator of Yagya and human beings while the Rigveda (1/96/2) says that Agni created human beings. That is why Agni is called the father of human beings. But Agni has himself been depicted in Rig Veda as taking birth as living creatures. It is also mentioned in the Taitirya Samit(1/5/9/7) that 'Prajapati' created animals; and having the desire to create people he (3/1/1/1) observed penance. Now there is again a question to be answered by the Taitirya Samit, (it is known that it will not); if 'Prajapati' was Swambhu and the creator, why did he observe penance? If he did, he did to whom? This obviously suggests that there was someone who was superior to 'Prajapati', or like others, 'Prajapati' too was a creation of a religious fallacy and described as a god. The Vedic scripture presented have contradictory views; it serves only to misguide the people about the creator of the universe. Contradiction 6: ---------------- In the Bhagavad-Gita 10: 13-15 " Arjuna said: "O Krishna, I believe all that you have told me to be true. O Lord, neither the celestial controllers nor the demons comprehend your glory. (10.14) O Creator and Lord of all beings, God of all celestial rulers, the Supreme person, and Lord of the universe, no one understands you. You alone know yourself." (10.15) Based on Bhagavad-Gita, Swami Bhaktivedanta and The Gaudiya Vaishnav school, claim Lord Krishna is Himself the Supreme God, and not merely an incarnation of another deity (Refer http://www.asitis.com/foreword.html) Contradiction 7: ----------------- Sai Baba Claims He is the True, walking, talking, living God, who is currently living on the earth, and performing miracles. In all Hinduism has about 330 million gods (http://uwacadweb.uwyo.edu/religionet/er/hinduism/HCOSMOS.HTM ) (http://www.islamzine.com/ideologies/hinduism/hindu6.html) (The Compact Guide to World Religions by Dean C Halverson) Well Trs Iyengar you still have to tell me who is the True Universal God? Is it - 'Prajapati', Agni, Indra, Vishnu, Soma, Mitra, Varun, Shakti, Krishna or anyone else? All of them are described in the Vedas as the creator. Who the real Creator is still continues to be a riddle to be resolved by those who believe in Hinduism. Does all this not leave the impression that the Vedic scriptures are books written by men about God which is filled with no clear statements on who really created the Universe. Conclusion: ------------- ------------- The Hindu Trimurti consists of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Hindus ordinarily refer to Brahma as the -Creator, Vishnu as the -Preserver and Shiva as the -Destroyer. However, Shaivites (followers of Shiva) insist that Shiva is the primal person and source of the universe. Vaisnavites (worshippers of Vishnu) believe that he is the Creator-God and relate him to the omnipresent, primeval waters believed to exist before the creation of the world. Basic to Hinduism is the belief that the creation came from a primordial substance referred to as prakriti. Many teachers in Hinduism propose a pantheistic, monistic view of creation (-that the universe, with its substance, laws and phenomena, is actually God in manifestation and that all things in the universe are of one essential substance. This monistic view is termed Advaita) a concept that also insists the natural creation is not real. It is an illusion, perpetrated by God (a condition called Maya). In Hindu cosmogony, there is no absolute beginning point assigned to the creation of the universe. Instead, there are an infinite number of cycles of creation and dissolution. The creation stories are understood to mean the periodic emanations of God into the form of the material universe. Furthermore, the word for creation in Sanskrit is srishti. It does not imply creating something out of nothing; it rather means the transformation of a subtle or spiritual substance into a physical or material one. So the more proper description might be that the universe is the (projection of the Supreme Being,) not an act of creation. (Ref: Bansi Pandit, The Hindu Mind (Glen Ellyn, Illinois: B & V Enterprise 1991) _________ Reply: Dear Mr. D'Costa, Indeed it is very interesting to go through the contradictions!. No doubt, these exist not only in everyones mind but in Veda too. Before we enter into these matter, just let us simply ask one question that every one needs an answer. What is the meaning of life, birth and death ? Is it just a cycle that caused by nature or does it imply any reactions to the past and future? (before we are born and after our death) ? Is there any life after death? Does it exist and apply for every creature on this Universe? Practically, those who have seen, never spoke about it and those who speak about these never seen it. (This is according to the Vaishnavite Azhwars Divya Prabhandam phrase in Tamil) Lord Sri Krishna says in the Bhagavad-Gita (this in itself is with many more contradictions), that He Himself is everything. And this script is widely accepted by every sect and sub-sect of Hindu faiths/followers. Further more, Bhagavad-Gita is essence of the four Veda known as Rig, YAJUR, Saama & Adharvana. Lord Sri Krishna Himself declared that He is the one for Saama Veda. Saama Veda is in poetic form and sung with Raaga. Does this mean that He is not in favour of other Veda or He just recommends only Sama Veda to all? I do agree, there are contradictions aplenty even within one chapter to other in any specific Upanishad. It is the interpretations and individual understanding that matters. The splinter groups within Hindu religion are, no doubt, a creation of the confused lots. To state that Sri Krishna or Srimann Naaraayana is Supreme to other Demy & Semi Gods is - one small conclusive evidence in every Vedic scripts - viz.: a surrender note. This is recited (by all the Brahmans from Dwaitham/ Adwaitham & VISHISHTAATHVAITHAM) at the end of their daily prayers & after finishing each and every rituals, all the Brahmans used to offer their Karma to Sri Krishna, who is known with 1008 Names. (This even the Shaivites who worship Shiva, recites at the end of each and every rituals!). Dwaitham, Adwaitham and VISHISHTAATHVAITHAM - are the three major groups formed within the Brahman society. But at the end of each performance, rituals and routines, all the three sects including the Shaivites, offer the benefits to Lord Sri Krishna with two different slokhas, which are common to all. (Versus rough translation): (A) If I had erred in my offerings, whether in Mantra (recital of Slokhas), Tanrta (in practice) or in Bhakti (in my devotion), Oh Lord, please Pardon me and accept these offerings, the benefits of it belong to You, Sri Krishna. This is the rough translation of the following slokha or versus. (Mantra heenam, kriyaa heenam, Bhakti heenam, uthaasana: yaththu thamthu mayaa deva, paripoornam thathasthuthe. Praayachithaani, aseshaani, thapapa karma aathmakaanivai, yaani desham aseshaanam, sarvam Sri Krishna anusmaranam param). (B) Whatever just I did perform & Spoke/recited, (including the daily prayer, any special puja etc) the Heart & mind as power, the entire benefits of which I dedicate to the Lord Srimann Naaraayana. (Kaayenu Vaacha, manase Indriyairva, Bhuddiyaathmanava, prakruthe: svabhaavaath. Karomi yathyath sakalam parasmai Naaraayanaayethi samarpayaami). Thus irrespective of the Sects and Sub sects including the Shaivites, they begin their rituals with "Achyuthaaya Nama:" (the first of the 1008 names of Lord Sri Mahavishnu) and finish it with above offering the same to Lord Krishna. Is it not in itself a proof that all the divisions within the Brahmans accepted Lord Sri Krishna as Supreme? I agree there are millions of Gods and demy Gods in this sub continent. Yes, you name a subject; you will find a God in that name in one or other corner of this land called Bharat i.e. India. Alas! All the human creations. About Religion, to the best of my knowledge, what I learnt from the olden scripts and also through ages, generations and experience, I found that Hinduism is by far the flexible one for everyone to follow of on own. No compulsions, no forces or pressures. Here one is free to adhere or leave it if he/she doesn't like., For the sake of knowledge, I did read the other religious books, to some extent, but firmly settled with Hinduism, maybe it is because I was born in the Community. But what I Could I sum up in few line is the following paragraph: " Shiva or Vishnu? Who is great? Who stands tall? What qualitative difference is going to happen by knowing who's greater than whom? It's a very childish idea. Greatness and other concepts have killed the sensitivity in man. He does not bother about real things, whereas he is ready to argue about the things which he doesn't know really, he just collected the bookish knowledge and started arguing about this. Wonder how people could accept the concept of God without really had the inquisitiveness to know about it. They think it is the cheapest thing in the world! But you have to put yourself at stake! That's why it is dangerous to accept mere theologies any religion, be it Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Jainism or any other you name it. Now, here I agree with Shri. Bansi Pandit (Ref: Bansi Pandit, The Hindu Mind (Glen Ellyn, Illinois: B & V Enterprise). His theory is most acceptable one than others views. People are carrying the corpses instead of real-life experiences. Thousands of people killed all over the world every day in the name of dictates from any religion. Hatred and enmity spread venom amongst each other. Does this world need such of these religions really ? If the world drops the so-called religions, then the world would have a different dimension of living. People would take responsibility for what they are doing they will not simply dump it on the ' one above '. Then the real freedom happens. Freedom leads to responsibility, Joy and Happiness" ------- In my personal opinion, religions are creations of the society, which wanted to have full control on the growing populace. To make sense and also to discipline them, they made several conditions put forth for the commons. Veda is immortal. But the interpretations by many people at different stages manipulated the entire value of the Subjects. That is the fact one will come to conclusion. The great known saints who lived in the 19th and 20th centuries are more enlightened ones on Religion. Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Swami Vivekananda is a few to mention. And about Sri Krishna mission (ISKON) I am not making any comments. The Bhakti is there but with some mixtures of west and east. Surely not traditional way of worship. About Sri Sathya Sai Baba, the less said the better. He has some magical powers. This any magician can do. He just cannot claim to be an avatar. Lord Himself need not boast his own image! But I appreciate his efforts in doing a lot of social works such as building hospitals, free treatment, educational institutions, water and irrigation projects etc. He too preaches non-violence and love etc. I am not a scholar nor I claim any religious status for me. I am a layman with ordinary qualities. I am not preaching/ propagating Srivaishnavam culture. My aim and intentions are just to publicize the inner meaning of rituals performed by Srivaishnavites and make them understand what they do. I never mentioned any Vedic reliance, slokha or versus from any Upanishad. I know this letter does not give you any reply to your search. Yet, it is a small way of clarification as a layman I can extend. If the world drops the isms & Religion, then we can see a more different dimensions in life! That is the TRUTH. -------- Thank you very much for your patience to go through this lengthy mail and I remain, truly yours, trs iyengar Dec. 21, 2002 ========================================== This is not concluded. I shall post the replies I receive from the person concerned, with whom I am corresponding now. Please send in your comments and supportive materials. I shall publish same in these pages for readers clarifications. Or you may E-mail to Mr. D'casta at : elias_dcosta@usa.net and communicate directly for giving your views. Thanks, trs iyengar To my above mail the following reply was received by me from Mr. D'Costa on the 20th Jan : QUOTE Trs Iyengar, Thank You for the New Year Wishes. I also like to wish you a very blessed and prosperous New Year 2003. I could not reply earlier, because I was on vacation. I am glad that you recognize the contradictions in the Hindu Vedic Scriptures. In the course of history, Hinduism has spawned four other religious movements that have since become world religions: Jainism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Bahaism. Buddhism was born rejecting Hinduism. When Siddhartha Gautama Buddha (563 - 483 BC) saw suffering, sickness, pain and death. And when he was convicted by the ascetic. He rejected Hinduism on two counts. 1) He did not accept the caste system and 2) He did not accept the Vedas as the revelation from God. You quote: -I agree there are millions of Gods and demy Gods in this sub continent. Yes, you name a subject; you will find a God in that name in one or other corner of this land called Bharat - i.e India. Alas! All the human creations Response: You agree that all the Gods in Hinduism are mans creation and imagination. It is interesting that Dr Radha Krishnan, one time President of India, who was a professor at Oxford University and holding a Chairman in eastern philosophy at Oxford university a devout Hindu, said the problem with the Hindu Philosophy is that it has opened its arms so wide that when she finally starts to close them, it will strangle it self. He understood the problem. You quote: -I found that Hinduism is by far the flexible one for everyone to follow of on own. No compulsions, no forces or pressures. Here one is free to adhere or leave it if he/she doesn't like Response: Well Trs Iyengar, because of major contradictions in Hinduism, there is no moral standard, creed, or belief and that is why all Hindus believe, that all paths finally lead to one God. But is this True? Hinduism claims many Gods and is a Pantheism in its world view. Islam, Christianity and Judaism claims one God and is a Monotheism, Buddhism and Confucianism claim there is no God. I like you to refer to this excellent web site, where he compares 11 major religions and cults, and brings out the Truth. www.thetruelight.net Islam has Impersonal God and claims there is one God called -Allah, who has no son. And Jesus is just a mere Prophet, who did not die on the cross, but was taken to heaven. Christianity claims a personal God, which is a one God of Trinity (God the Father, God the Son (Jesus) and God the Holy Spirit). Jesus being the Son of God was crucified on the cross, for the sins of the whole world, so that mankind may have hope of eternal life. Paul, who met Jesus on the way to Damascus, writes two letters to Timothy who is a pastor in Ephesus, who admits he is a sinner himself, and if you believe you will have eternal life. (1Timothy 1:15-16 -Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners--of whom I am the worst. (16)But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life) In this passage John the Baptist who is the cousin of Jesus, proclaims that Jesus is the one who will take away the sin of the world remember the key word -world (John 1:29 -The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!) What is considered as blasphemous in Islam (Jesus as Son of God, death on cross), is the most important teaching in the Bible. If Jesus did not die on the cross, the New Testament teachings of 27 books is in vain. (Remember the Bible is not mythical, it is historical, references to people and places did exist) Outside of Jesus death and resurrection there is no other hope for mankind where our sins can be forgiven. Jesus was the only person in the world who was without sin, and therefore God the father accepted Jesus death on the cross as a perfect human sacrifice for the whole world. Orthodox Judaism claims a personal God (God the Father as in Christianity), with no means of idolatry, and associating anybody as son ship or equal to God as blasphemous. When a system is internal contradictory and, when you see a system, which is externally contradictory, all of them cannot be true. Only one of them can be true. It is possible that none of the religions are true. All religions fundamentally differ in the nature of origin of universe, origin and nature of man, sin, morality and destiny. If Christianity is true, all the other religions are false. If Islam is true, all the other religions are false. If Hinduism is true, all the other religions are false. Truth by definition is exclusive, it does not include everything. Truth is that which corresponds to reality. (Truth for everyone, everywhere, at all times) Example: 1) New Delhi is the capital of India. It is possible I might say Singapore as the capital of India, or you might say Calcutta is the capital of India. There is an absolute truth no matter what my evidence or lack of evidence. 2) The Truth statement 7 + 3 = 10 is not just true for mathematics majors, nor is it true only in a mathematics classroom. It is true for everyone, everywhere, at all places. 3) Truth about Signal lights, Red means stop, yellow means slow down, Green means go. It is true for everyone, everywhere, at all places. In regards to the reference of your friends web site, I have read it with great interest on SriVaishnavam philosophy- Vishishtadvaita. The sad thing is, there is no reference to the vedic scriptures. Anybody can create their own philosophy. I find some major contradictions, my point is not to criticize in what you believe. I will reply to you in my next e-mail Jan 19, 2003 UNQUOTE

A house without and prayer room or an altar is a play ground for the devil. A house holder's duty is to perform daily puja in the house in order for have peace and prosperity. If you negelect to do so would bring hardship to you as well as you spouse. I know it would be difficult under the circumstances but you need to find a place to make an alter so that you can do your daily puja before you leave for work. Of course you can always pray in your heart but that is not the same as pujawali. If you are staying in such an apartment you could at least divide a small portion by using a yellow drape to protect the altar on the wall. I suggest that is what you can do and I'm sure God would understand your situation as long as you are sincere in you thoughts.

Viswamitra was a kshatriya (Warrior caste) by birth, but has transcended into the brahmin priestly caste with his tough penance. The famous sage Visvamitra was previously known as Maharaja Gadhi of the Candra-vamsa, but became a brahmana through the strength of his austerities. This is explained in Mahabharata, Adi-parva 174: ksatriyo'ham bhavan vipras tapah-svadhyayah-sadhanah sva-dharmam na prahasyami nesyami ca balena gam dhig balam ksatriya-balam brahma-tejo-balam balam balabalam viniscitya tapa eva param balam tatapa sarvan diptaujah brahmanatvam avaptavan "Visvamitra said to Vasistha: You are a brahmana, endowed with the qualities of austerity and Vedic knowledge. I am a ksatriya, so on the basis of my nature I will forcibly take this cow (Nandini). "Later, when Visvamitra was defeated, he declared that the strength of the ksatriya was inferior to that of the brahmanas. He thus decided that the performance of austerities was the only way to empower one with superior strength. "The greatly effulgent Visvamitra thus performed all kinds of austerities and attained the position of a brahmana." It is well known that Visvamitra was a brahmana by conversion, yet he was also a guru with many disciples. Amongst his most famous disciples who received mantra from him were Lord Sri Ramacandra and His brother Sri Laksmana, Sunasepha, and Galava. At present many brahmana families in India trace their gotra (lineage) to Visvamitra. Furthermore, Visvamitra is the rsi (seer) of many mantras of the Rg Veda including the brahma-gayatri which is chanted by all brahmanas thrice daily. In Chapter 30 of the Anusasana-parva of Mahabharata, the story is given of Maharaja Vitahavya who was originally a ksatriya king who became a brahmana by the mercy of Bhrgu Muni. His son, Grtsamada became a brahmacari and a brahmana sage who was equal to Brhaspati. Suceta, the son of Grtsamada, also became a brahmana. In this dynasty was born the sage Pramiti and Saunaka Rsi. Saunaka wrote many works on the Rg Veda and also wrote the Brhad-devata. He was also the guru of Sage Asvalayana. Asvalayana's disciple was Katyayana, and his disciple was Patanjali Muni. The caste of Satyakama Jabala was unknown, yet his guru Gautama Rsi accepted him as a brahmana simply due to his truthful nature. Satyakama went on to initiate many disciples, out of which Upakosala was the most prominent. Agnivesya Muni was born as the son of the king Devadatta, and the brahminical dynasty known as the Agnivesyayana sakha appeared from him. Both Medhatithi and Kanva Muni were born in the ksatriya dynasty of Puru. The sage Citramukha was born a vaisya, yet he became a brahmarsi with many disciples. There were also other great personalities in Vedic history that were not born in brahmana families, but acted as gurus. In the Padma Purana, the original brahmana, Lord Brahma says: sac-chrotriya-kule jato akriyo naiva pujitah asat-kstrakule pujyo vyasa-vaibhandukay yatha ksatriyanam kule jato visvamitro'sti matsamah kesyaputro vasisthas ca anye siddha dvijatayah yasya tasya kule jato gunavaneva tairgunaih saksad brahmamayo viprah pujiyah prayatnatah "If one is born in a family of brahmanas who are absorbed in hearing divine sound, but has bad character and behavior, he is not worshipable as a brahmana. On the other hand, Vyasa and Vaibhandaka Muni were born in unclean circumstances, but they are worshipable. In the same way, Visvamitra Muni was born a ksatriya, but he became a brahmana by his qualities and activities. Vasistha was born of a prostitute. Many other great personalities who manifested the qualities of first-class brahmanas also took birth in similar humble circumstances, but they are also called perfect. The place where one takes birth is of no importance in determining whether one is a brahmana. Those who have the qualities of brahmanas are recognized everywhere as brahmanas, and those who have such qualities are worshipable by everyone." (Padma Purana, Srsthi-kanda 43.321,322, Gautamiya-samskarana) A similar verse is found in the Vajrasucika Upanisad of the Sama Veda: tarhi jatir brahmana iti cet tan na tatra jatyantara-jantusu aneka-jati-sambhava maharsayo bahavah santi rsyasrngo mrgah kasuikah kusat jambuko jambukat valmiko valmikat vyasah kaivarta-kanyayam sasa-prsthat gautamah vasisthah urvasyam agastyah kalase jata iti srutatvat etesam jatya vinapyagre jnana-pratipadita rsayo bahavah santi tasman na jatih brahmana iti "Does birth make a brahmana? No, this is also not the case. Many great sages have been born of other living entities. Rsyasrnga was born from a deer, Kausika was born from kusa grass, Jambuka was born from a jackal, Valmiki was born from an ant-hill, Vyasadeva was born from a fisherman's daughter, Gautama was born from the back of a rabbit, Vasistha was born from Urvasi and Agastya was born from a pot. Apart from these personalities, there are many other wise persons born from other castes who became sages. Therefore birth does not make a brahmana." Benefits of Gayatri Japa - Gayatri is the mother of the Vedas and the destroyer of sins. There is nothing more purifying on the earth as well as in the heaven than the Gayatri. The Japa of Gayatri brings the same fruit as the recitation of all the four Vedas together with the Angas. This single Mantra if repeated three times a day brings good. It is the Mantra of the Vedas. It destroys sins. It bestows splendid health, beauty, strength, vigour, vitality and magnetic aura in the face. Gayatri destroys the three kinds of Tapa or pain. Gayatri bestows the four kinds of Purushartha viz., Dharma (righteousness). Artha (wealth), Kama (desired objects) and Moksha (liberation or freedom). It destroys the three Granthis or knots of ignorance, (Avidya), Kama and Karma., Gayatri purifies the mind. Gayatri bestows Asta Siddhis. Gayatri makes a man powerful and highly intelligent. Gayatri eventually gives liberation or emancipation from the wheel of birth and death. The mind is purified by constant worship. It is filled with good and pure thoughts. Repetition of worship strengthens the good Samskaras. As a man thinks, so he becomes. This is the psychological law. The mind of a man who trains himself in thinking good, holy thoughts, develops a tendency to think of good thoughts. His character is moulded and transformed by continued good thoughts. When the mind thinks of the image of Gayatri during worship, the mental substance actually assumes the form of the image. The impression of the object is left in the mind. This is called Samskara. When the act is repeated very often, the Samskaras gain strength by repetition, and a tendency or habit is formed in the mind. He who entertains thoughts of divinity becomes himself transformed actually into the divinity by constant thinking and meditation. His Bhava or disposition is purified and divinized. The meditator and the meditated, the worshipper and the worshipped, the thinker and the thought, become one and the same. This is Samadhi. This is the fruit of worship or Upasana.

Viswamitra was a kshatriya (Warrior caste) by birth, but has transcended into the brahmin priestly caste with his tough penance. The famous sage Visvamitra was previously known as Maharaja Gadhi of the Candra-vamsa, but became a brahmana through the strength of his austerities. This is explained in Mahabharata, Adi-parva 174: ksatriyo'ham bhavan vipras tapah-svadhyayah-sadhanah sva-dharmam na prahasyami nesyami ca balena gam dhig balam ksatriya-balam brahma-tejo-balam balam balabalam viniscitya tapa eva param balam tatapa sarvan diptaujah brahmanatvam avaptavan "Visvamitra said to Vasistha: You are a brahmana, endowed with the qualities of austerity and Vedic knowledge. I am a ksatriya, so on the basis of my nature I will forcibly take this cow (Nandini). "Later, when Visvamitra was defeated, he declared that the strength of the ksatriya was inferior to that of the brahmanas. He thus decided that the performance of austerities was the only way to empower one with superior strength. "The greatly effulgent Visvamitra thus performed all kinds of austerities and attained the position of a brahmana." It is well known that Visvamitra was a brahmana by conversion, yet he was also a guru with many disciples. Amongst his most famous disciples who received mantra from him were Lord Sri Ramacandra and His brother Sri Laksmana, Sunasepha, and Galava. At present many brahmana families in India trace their gotra (lineage) to Visvamitra. Furthermore, Visvamitra is the rsi (seer) of many mantras of the Rg Veda including the brahma-gayatri which is chanted by all brahmanas thrice daily. In Chapter 30 of the Anusasana-parva of Mahabharata, the story is given of Maharaja Vitahavya who was originally a ksatriya king who became a brahmana by the mercy of Bhrgu Muni. His son, Grtsamada became a brahmacari and a brahmana sage who was equal to Brhaspati. Suceta, the son of Grtsamada, also became a brahmana. In this dynasty was born the sage Pramiti and Saunaka Rsi. Saunaka wrote many works on the Rg Veda and also wrote the Brhad-devata. He was also the guru of Sage Asvalayana. Asvalayana's disciple was Katyayana, and his disciple was Patanjali Muni. The caste of Satyakama Jabala was unknown, yet his guru Gautama Rsi accepted him as a brahmana simply due to his truthful nature. Satyakama went on to initiate many disciples, out of which Upakosala was the most prominent. Agnivesya Muni was born as the son of the king Devadatta, and the brahminical dynasty known as the Agnivesyayana sakha appeared from him. Both Medhatithi and Kanva Muni were born in the ksatriya dynasty of Puru. The sage Citramukha was born a vaisya, yet he became a brahmarsi with many disciples. There were also other great personalities in Vedic history that were not born in brahmana families, but acted as gurus. In the Padma Purana, the original brahmana, Lord Brahma says: sac-chrotriya-kule jato akriyo naiva pujitah asat-kstrakule pujyo vyasa-vaibhandukay yatha ksatriyanam kule jato visvamitro'sti matsamah kesyaputro vasisthas ca anye siddha dvijatayah yasya tasya kule jato gunavaneva tairgunaih saksad brahmamayo viprah pujiyah prayatnatah "If one is born in a family of brahmanas who are absorbed in hearing divine sound, but has bad character and behavior, he is not worshipable as a brahmana. On the other hand, Vyasa and Vaibhandaka Muni were born in unclean circumstances, but they are worshipable. In the same way, Visvamitra Muni was born a ksatriya, but he became a brahmana by his qualities and activities. Vasistha was born of a prostitute. Many other great personalities who manifested the qualities of first-class brahmanas also took birth in similar humble circumstances, but they are also called perfect. The place where one takes birth is of no importance in determining whether one is a brahmana. Those who have the qualities of brahmanas are recognized everywhere as brahmanas, and those who have such qualities are worshipable by everyone." (Padma Purana, Srsthi-kanda 43.321,322, Gautamiya-samskarana) A similar verse is found in the Vajrasucika Upanisad of the Sama Veda: tarhi jatir brahmana iti cet tan na tatra jatyantara-jantusu aneka-jati-sambhava maharsayo bahavah santi rsyasrngo mrgah kasuikah kusat jambuko jambukat valmiko valmikat vyasah kaivarta-kanyayam sasa-prsthat gautamah vasisthah urvasyam agastyah kalase jata iti srutatvat etesam jatya vinapyagre jnana-pratipadita rsayo bahavah santi tasman na jatih brahmana iti "Does birth make a brahmana? No, this is also not the case. Many great sages have been born of other living entities. Rsyasrnga was born from a deer, Kausika was born from kusa grass, Jambuka was born from a jackal, Valmiki was born from an ant-hill, Vyasadeva was born from a fisherman's daughter, Gautama was born from the back of a rabbit, Vasistha was born from Urvasi and Agastya was born from a pot. Apart from these personalities, there are many other wise persons born from other castes who became sages. Therefore birth does not make a brahmana." Benefits of Gayatri Japa - Gayatri is the mother of the Vedas and the destroyer of sins. There is nothing more purifying on the earth as well as in the heaven than the Gayatri. The Japa of Gayatri brings the same fruit as the recitation of all the four Vedas together with the Angas. This single Mantra if repeated three times a day brings good. It is the Mantra of the Vedas. It destroys sins. It bestows splendid health, beauty, strength, vigour, vitality and magnetic aura in the face. Gayatri destroys the three kinds of Tapa or pain. Gayatri bestows the four kinds of Purushartha viz., Dharma (righteousness). Artha (wealth), Kama (desired objects) and Moksha (liberation or freedom). It destroys the three Granthis or knots of ignorance, (Avidya), Kama and Karma., Gayatri purifies the mind. Gayatri bestows Asta Siddhis. Gayatri makes a man powerful and highly intelligent. Gayatri eventually gives liberation or emancipation from the wheel of birth and death. The mind is purified by constant worship. It is filled with good and pure thoughts. Repetition of worship strengthens the good Samskaras. As a man thinks, so he becomes. This is the psychological law. The mind of a man who trains himself in thinking good, holy thoughts, develops a tendency to think of good thoughts. His character is moulded and transformed by continued good thoughts. When the mind thinks of the image of Gayatri during worship, the mental substance actually assumes the form of the image. The impression of the object is left in the mind. This is called Samskara. When the act is repeated very often, the Samskaras gain strength by repetition, and a tendency or habit is formed in the mind. He who entertains thoughts of divinity becomes himself transformed actually into the divinity by constant thinking and meditation. His Bhava or disposition is purified and divinized. The meditator and the meditated, the worshipper and the worshipped, the thinker and the thought, become one and the same. This is Samadhi. This is the fruit of worship or Upasana.

Karma: We Mold Our Lives Like a Potter Fashions a Pot Karma has quite a karma. Long after India's seers immortalized it in the Vedas, it suffered bad press under European missionaries who belittled it as "fate" and "fatalism," and today finds itself again in the ascendancy as the subtle and all-encompassing principle which governs man's experiential universe in a way likened to gravity's governance over the physical plane. Like gravity, karma was always there in its fullest potency, even when people did not comprehend it. The early seers who brought through the Vedas were practitioners, mystics and divine oracles who put into practice the knowledge of karma. To them, Karma (from the root kri, "to do") was a power by which they could influence the Gods, nature, weather, harvests and enemies through right intent and rites righteously performed. Thus by their actions they could determine their destiny. Through the ages, other realized souls explained the workings of karma, revealing details of this cosmic law and, when the tradition of writing came into vogue, recording it for future generations. In this way they established karma as perhaps the fundamental principle of Hindu consciousness and culture then and now. Primordial and unborn, karma is anadi, "beginningless." Its Rig Veda definitions are linked to the performance of the homa, the potent fire rite that temporarily opens a window between the three worlds, physical, subtle and causal. With Sanskrit mantras, mudras and meditative powers, Vedic priests precipitated a flow of shakti from highly evolved souls, Mahadevas, residing in inner worlds, securing the blessings of the Gods, insuring happiness for the clan. Neglecting the rites or misperforming them made negative karma and invited calamity and loss of wealth. Communities were tight knit, and the clan prospered or suffered collectively. When one person did transgress, elders suspected not so much an individual's willful intent to do malice as malperformance of the homa. The ritual was held responsible for sustaining a spiritual force-field strong enough to ward off demonic entities that torment, confuse and misguide weak individuals. Priests assumed primary responsibility for the well-being of the community. Indologist Herman W. Hull, author of The Vedic Origins of Karma, writes: "In the context of Vedic ritual thought, good and bad apparently refer to a valuation of action based on ritual exactitude: good being equated with the correct performance of the rite, bad with the incorrect performance." Swami Vivekananda, who spoke and wrote on karma extensively, commented on this understanding of the law: "The Vedic doctrine of karma is the same as in Judaism and all other religions, that is to say, the purification of the mind through sacrifices and such other external means." The Upanishads (circa 1500-600 bce), the philosophic treatises of the Vedas, show how karma relates to the individual and his or her actions, with questions of morality, responsibility, reward and retribution. They clearly command the individual to be responsibly concerned about personal conduct and not expect the priesthood alone to secure and safeguard one's karma through the performance of sacred rites. As Sage Yajnavalkya says in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad: "What becomes of this man? Indeed, one becomes good by good action and bad by bad action." Karma in Mystical Vision The yogis of the ancient Sankhya philosophical system offered a deeply mystical vision. They scrutinized karma to profound levels of magnification and stressed its bearing on the soul of man. What they saw was a plasmic jelly pulsating within the subtle bodies of each person. Embedded in this plasma, which persists from life to life, are the seeds of all past thought and action. In each lifetime, certain of these karmic seeds are released into the nerve system with coded impulsions and tendencies affecting present actions. The effects were most commonly understood to determine three spheres of life: a) jati, family and occupation; b) ayus, health and length of life; c) bhoga, quality and enjoyment of life. Karma as a Cosmic Building Block To the rishi seers, karma appeared with such fundamental force and substantive reality that they perceived it as one of the thirty-six primary evolutes of form, called tattvas, which range from Parashakti, pure consciousness, to prithivi tattva, earth. Karma is number eight, called niyati tattva, a spiritual-magnetic energy form. This identification of its magnetic quality is a crucial clue to understanding how karma "comes back," rather than just "goes out." Each karma, or action, generates a vibration, a distinct oscillation of force, a vasana, or subliminal inclination that continues to vibrate in the mind. These vasanas are magnetic conglomerates of subconscious impressions. Like attracts like. Acts of love attract loving acts, malice attracts malice. And each action, karma, continues to attract until demagnetized. This is accomplished through re-experiencing it, or resolving it with understanding (rather than compounding it with reaction) or through other subtler spiritual means and practices. Karma Goes Global "What goes around comes around," sings country Western singer Willie Nelson. His ballad about "getting back what you give out" dominated US and European radio waves for years and became the West's homespun Upanishad on the Hindu concept of karma. You can hardly watch TV today without a subtle lesson in this cosmic law of cause and effect. Everywhere, karma has squeezed through the white picket fences of non-Hindu religions and irrevocably attached itself to the global ethic emerging worldwide. But karma has suffered a chronic association with the word fate. Fate is a Western idea, derived largely from the three Abrahamic religions, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. It means, with wide variation, that one's life has been set by agencies outside oneself. Karma is exactly the opposite. "`It is the coward and the fool who says this is fate,' goes the Sanskrit proverb," said Swami Vivekananda. "But it is the strong man who stands up and says, `I will make my fate.'" Hinduism Today Newspaper

What would the Christians or the church priest would do when they come to know that one of their sheep is lost? As far as I know they would do their best to bring back the sheep to their flock. That is what they did to take my wife back to their fold. You see my wife being an Eurasian [born catholic]fell in love with me a hindu. Her father[a racist] a retired locomotive inspector going by the name Avin Hores Earnest Keun[dutch bergers] was furious and even made police report saying his daughter had been taken away against here free will. This happened in 1976 when I was just 25 plus. After the police coming to know the true story and that she was above 18 told her father that they have no right to intervene as both of us are major. Than he sent the priest to talk terms with me and insisted that I must convert to christianity in order to marry his daughter. But my mother refused and I too did not like the idea of changing my name or religion. But my loving wife had given me total freedom to make the right choice and when I told her that we must go through hindu marriage rights, she agreed and that was that. We were married according to hindu rights and my father -in -law disowned his daughter[ being the only daughter] and not a penny to her name. My in -laws passed away some years later and being the only son -in -law I did the last rights for them. I'm still a hindu and so are my two sons and my sweet wife follows all hindu rights[her hindu name is Padmavathy]. Now tell me, would the Christians just leave their son or daughters to just stray away. Surely not, they too would do their best to bring back their children if they stray away and so the Hindu parents too would try their level best and if they failed than the only sensible thing to do is leave him alone as he is a major and has the right to choice of his own religion. This may be his karma to leave his religion of birth to convert into another religion. As my birth chart had foretold that I would marry a girl out of my race. My parents knew it and accepted it as my birth karma but they were lucky that I did not convert into Christianity. But if I had gone into Christianity I think think I would be a better Christian than the hypocrate Christian friends of mine who shun away from me after knowing that I had taken away one member of their congregation. So, do you see now why the boy's parents are in a dilemma? It happens in all religion. It would hurt them to loose their loved one and no amount of advice or consoling would help but only time will heal the wound. I can write a book about my own story as it was a long battle but I only gave a brief story of my life. I hope the boy's parents are strong enough to accept the reality of life as this is all God's leela as Priya would like to put it.