Welcome

to
40/-
Page 2
 Founder His Holiness Sri Abhinava Vidyatirtha Mahaswamigal
Patron-in-Chief His Holiness Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahaswamiji

VOLUME XXXVIII No.11 FEBRUARY 2016

Vd {Okmg_mZmZm bmoH$mZm r[V_mdhZ & VdmbmoH$mo [dO`Vm pmaXmX``m gXm &&

May Tattvloka always excel, by the grace of Sharada, delighting the seekers of Truth.
His Holiness Bharati Tirtha Mahaswamiji

Chairman Emeritus T. R. Ramachandran

Editor and Publisher Sarala Panchapakesan Advisor V. R. Gowri Shankar, Sringeri

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Editor: Sarala Panchapakesan.

3 February 2016
 CONTENTS
Jagadguru Speaks.......................................................................................06
Shed anger, help others and ennoble your life.

Restlessness in Meditation..............................................................08
Mindfulness is the antidote to the restless monkey mind.

Gems of Sankara...........................................................................................14
I am one with you - the beautiful verse in the
Soundaryalahari.

Value of Satsanga .....................................................................................16

Association with noble persons helps effortless
acquisition of knowledge.

Sparks of Wisdom.......................................................................................19
Siva as Chandala...........................................................................................20
The deep meaning behind the story illustrated
by Manisha Panchakam.

Spiritual Quote................................................................................................24

Youth Vox..............................................................................................................................................25
Combating the fear of bhootas or the unknown
energies around.

Bhakti Margadarsan of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu......28

The saint who inspired generations.

Managing Wisely in Good and Bad Times......................32

The key to manage alternating conditions is to
imbibe a sense of equanimity.

A Cow Sanctuary in the US.............................................................................36

Compassion for living beings is growing worldwide.

Tickles..........................................................................................................................................................43
Patience, Patience, Infinite Patience............................................44
Patience is natural outcome of clear objective
and a strong mind.
4 February 2016
 February 2016

Knowledge, the Cause of Liberation, Not Action.........48

First part of a set of discourses of His Holiness
Sri Bharati Tirtha Swami on Brahmasutras

Mahapradosha at Sringeri......................................................................................60
A round up of events and Anugraha Bhashans of His Holiness

The Wellness Sense 68

............................................................................................................

The four internal fires in the body maintain the metabolic

balance unobtrusively.

Holistic Culinary Art Banana Leaf and Stem.............74

The unknown medicinal and culinary aspects of this
common vegetable.

Yoga Posture. Marjayasana............................................................................77

Home Remedies Nature Skin Care.................................................78
Drink Warm Water..................................................................................................................80

Story with a Moral: Live Life with Faith ...................................84

The story of a man who got lost in a desert and the
difficult choice before him.

Jai Ho Bharat.........................................................................................................................................88
Sant Ramdas, the childhood spiritual prodigy.

How I Forget ?..................................................................................................................................90

81
5 February 2016
6 February 2016
 Shed Anger, Help Others and Ennoble Your Life
Mans real great enemies in life are desire (kama) and anger
(krodha). One who has not controlled them will have no peace of
mind and happiness. Due to uncontrolled anger, he will hurt himself
as well as others.
For some people, anger is momentary. Even they may be called
noble (uttama) persons. For some others, anger may last half a day.
For them, it will be good to minimise it further.
Some will be angry day and night. They belong to the adhama
(lowest) category. For some others anger never subsides.
Throughout their lives they will be harbouring anger on the pretext
of taking revenge. They will never forgive others. They are termed
papishtha (sinner). Such a rage will destroy the angry person himself.

Cm_ jU H$monmo _ ha_ &

AY_ dhmoam nm{nR>mo Zd _wVo &&
On the other hand, there are some who will empathize with others
sorrow and will attempt to help the afflicted persons in all possible
ways. They will make use of every opportunity to help the afflicted
persons. Our ancestors praised them as noble persons.

Cm_mZm d^mdmo@ naX:Img{hUwVm &

d X:I M gVmn _Vo@ dmVo &&
Therefore, every individual should gradually shed desire and anger.
Again, one must understand others sorrow and come forward to
render all possible help.
We bless all to understand this clearly and act accordingly.

7 February 2016
Restlessness in Meditation
A restless mind is comparable to a monkey, forever hopping and
active. Mindfulness is the antidote.

8 February 2016
 T he next four articles, this
one including, are key to
your success in
meditating correctly. I am going
to share with you the four
common defects in meditation. I
cannot overstate the importance
of understanding the four
hurdles and applying the correct
methods to overcome them.
Please take all the time you need
to grasp, understand and absorb
them if you really want to
become an excellent meditator.
I had implored those who are
serious about meditation to
reread all the articles under
building concentration but I know
that none of you, not even one
person, of the hundreds of regular
readers, actually did it fully. I am
at ease with that but would like
you to know that there are no
shortcuts. If you want to
experience samadhi, that tranquil
state, that oneness, it is not going
to come without effort.
Unless you make meditation a
priority, you are unlikely to feel
motivated to persist. You can
read as much as you like, you can
roam around the whole world,
you can hear words of wisdom to
your hearts content, you can be
in the company of sages,
anything external you can think
9 February 2016
of, that is not going to suffice for
you to experience the exalted
state. Ultimately, you have to do
it yourself to taste the nectar.
Before I expand on the present
subject, let me reiterate the goal
of meditation: it is settling your
mind and letting it operate in its
natural, primordial and
unmodulated state.
The Usual Scenario
Your present state of mind is
conditioned by many such
factors as evolution, society,
beliefs, desires, intellect, second-
hand knowledge and so forth.
Coming off this conditioning
allows the meditator to discover
minds true, original and
pristine nature. As you sit down
to meditate, after a few seconds,
stray thoughts from all
directions start to hit you.
As you continue to try and
build your concentration, you
experience a certain degree of
restlessness. The more you try
to stay away from your
thoughts, the stronger they
seem to come and get you,
making you restless. It is normal.
Once you attain the
transcendental meditative state,
you no longer try, thereafter, you
simply maintain your state.
The Foremost Hurdle
The first obstacle is
restlessness. It may be in the
form of anxiety, resentment,
excitement or sensual stimuli. It
is normal for all beginners,
intermediate and advanced
meditators; only the adepts are
spared, that too by sheer virtue
of their practice and experience.
The difference between an
adept and an aspirant is that the
former is aware of the
restlessness as soon as it arises
and promptly uses the mental
application to pacify his mind,
whereas an aspirant allows such
mental restlessness to
overpower him, destabilising his
otherwise settled mind.
When you experience
restlessness, and as it builds up,
during your meditation, you may
feel the uncontrollable urge to
move, shift, talk, and or even
end your session. Thoughts in
the form of emotions,
experiences, plans and analysis
linked to past or future may
make you anxious, excited or
aroused. A lingering thought
over some right or wrong action
may cause resentment.
All of these are thoughts and
they will make you restless.
10
During the practice of
concentrative meditation, you
must not engage in any
cognitive activity of examining
right or wrong, good or bad and
so forth. Just remember, they are
all thoughts and learn to drop
them and rise above them for
lucid sessions of good
meditation. Do not be impatient
when restlessness emerges. The
cause is natural, and the remedy
simple.
Restless Mind: A Grumpy
Toddler
Let me use a simile to help you
understand the cause of
restlessness:
Imagine you are walking
through a shopping mall. You
have a three-year-old toddler
with you. As he is happily
holding your hand making you
feel proud of his behaviour and
obedience, he spots a candy
store with flashing signs,
attractive display, animated
cartoon characters and
everything else he could possibly
fancy. He wants to go to the
store. You, however, have other
plans and want him to simply be
with you.
He insists on going in the
direction of the candy store, you
February 2016
tell him otherwise. His efforts
intensify as does your grip on
him. His volume gets louder,
and, your stance, more
commanding. He is unmoving
and you are unyielding. He gets
agitated, decides to lie down on
the floor and starts throwing
tantrums. At that point in time,
you have four choices:
a. Let him throw tantrums
while you feel somewhat
embarrassed in the public,
b. T ry to pacify him with the
promise of taking him there in
the future,
c. Take him to the candy
store; and,
d. Overpower him, lift him and
rush to the parking lot.
It is not a desirable situation
and none of the options seem to
be pleasant. This is exactly what
happens when your mind
becomes restless. It starts to
behave like the grumpy toddler.
It tries all sorts of tricks to
get its way.
The Cause
When you are meditating and
you try too hard to concentrate,
your mind becomes restless. At
that moment, it wants to break
free of the obedience of posture,
11
concentration and stability.
A conditioned mind is not
designed to operate according to
you, it is strong enough to lead
so that you follow what it wants.
These are what tendencies of the
mind are, they are all thoughts
but they are the ones you find
hard to let go.
Restlessness is caused when
you want to discover the natural
by employing unnatural
methods, when you want to curb
rather than understand, when
you aim to ignore rather than
abandon, when you hold instead
of letting go.
Good meditation is about
acceptance, awareness,
attitude, and balance. This is the
skill one needs to acquire--
achieving that balance and
maintaining it all times. It is not
just about sitting still for the
sake of it, for, if it was, most
animals would be great
meditators: It is not about
closing your eyes and
pretending there are no
thoughts, if this was
meditation, all hibernators
would be exceptional
meditators. It is about
maintaining a harmony, that
natural state of your mind.
February 2016
The Remedy
The best way to overcome
restlessness is to stop meditating
at that moment. Stay in the
posture if you can but make no
attempt to concentrate. Hold a
little self dialogue. Just relax. Stop
all efforts to meditate. Take a deep
breath. Get into a self communion
on any subject matter you like, not
the one that will arouse you, but
something that will give your
mind a break from the act of con-
centration. If they fail to dissipate
restlessness, just get up and take a
break. Resume after some time.
We have to distract the toddler till
we pass the candy store.
When your mind is tired, give it
rest, when it is restless, pacify it.
Pacify your mind. Talk to your
mind. Give it a bait, do not be too
hard for too long. We are
teaching it discipline, we want it
to move according to you. Be
patient. Calm it down.
Restlessness is normal and
pacification is an art, a skill.
Ever seen an expert dog
trainer? A good trainer knows
when to reward versus
reprimand, when to leash versus
let lose, when to be soft versus
strong. Some may be naturally
good at it, but the exceptional
ones are often so on account of
12
their practice, persistence and
experience. Concentrative
meditation is training the mind,
and when done, it automatically
results in taming it.
As you progress on the path of
meditation, you will learn how
to be so that the kid never gets
to see the candy store at the first
place, or the toy store, or the
swings. If he does not spot
those, he will continue to be a
happy child all the while you
shop (read meditate). That comes
with practice, with learning,
with perseverance.
I will continue to share the
practices and methods as we
prod along. For now, learn to
pacify your mind during the
moments of restlessness as
stated in the sections above.
Can you imagine how
empowered you are going to feel
with a settled mind, a mind that
has turned inward, the one that
has learned to listen to you and
not the other way around? H
Peace.
Swami
www.omswami.com
Om Swami
February 2016
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Page 13
 dXohmoVm{^K{U{^a{U_mm{^a{^Vmo
{Zfo`o{Z`odm_h{_{V gXm ^md`{V `: &
{H$_m` V` {U`Zg_q VU`Vmo
_hmgdVm{{daM`{V ZramOZ{d{Y_ &&
Soundarya Lahari Verse #30

O the Eternal One, the one adored by all! He who always

thinks of (meditates on) You as his own Self surrounded as
you are by rays emanating from the body, such as anima (one
of the divine powers) and the like, what wonder is there that
for him the Great Fire of Dissolution is only a performance of
the rite of waving of lights (nirajanam). Apparently, this
makes the glory of Siva subdued.

Body is the temple. The substratum is the divine

lord Siva. Worship him with the attitude of

14 February 2016
soham ( I am he). This is a classical refrain
recited during the daily puja called
Panchayatana puja, initiated, systematised and
propagated by Sankaracharya.

The sloka in Soundarya Lahari builds up on this idea with

the Goddess as deity. T hose who meditate with a complete
identification with the Goddess are themselves offered the
nirajanam by the Fire of the Grand Dissolution.

How come those who have identified themselves with

Mother Goddess survive during the Great Dissolution and
receive the nirajanam? It is so, in the following sense. If
they had been different from the Goddess, they would
certainly have been destroyed in the Dissolution. But here
they are one with the Goddess H

profvk@yahoo.com

Prof. V. Krishnamurthy

15 February 2016
 Value of
Association with noble persons leads to
gaining knowledge effortlessly
T o find answer to the oft-
raised question 'What is the
goal of life?', we need to
look at creation itself. Living
beings, such as plants and
animals keep growing all their life
and, in the process, contribute in
the form of flowers or fruits and
finally perish when the growth is
complete.
This phenomenon is applicable
to human beings also. They, too,
grow to the full extent, contribute
their mite and finally vacate the
world. The only difference is that
in the case of plants and animals,
growth is just physical, whereas
human beings do not stop with
physical growth. Our physical
growth is a natural process that
happens on its own and to which
we contribute nothing we only
need to keep away from creating
health issues.
16
Inner Growth
As human beings, however, we
need to grow emotionally,
intellectually and ultimately,
spiritually. While physical growth
is subject to limitation, emotional,
intellectual and spiritual growth
has infinite dimensions, and the
growth helps others too.
How to ensure this inner
growth? Our own efforts (sva
prayatna), of course, play a
prominent role, but we need
societal support in the form of
association (sanga) that we
develop.
Our scriptures talk about the
company or association (sanga)
that we keep and they highlight
three crucial relationships that are
conducive to inner growth. We
find in the Braharadaranyaka
Upanishad references to
February 2016
relationship with mother, father
and the guru. Relationship with
parents helps to formulate the
early childhood, and association
with the teacher takes care of the
early growth phase.
Once a person settles down in
life after completing formal
education, his relationship with
others in the society becomes
important. Our scriptures and
acharyas highlight the need for
satsanga (good or noble company).
In one of his verses, the famous
scholar, Bartruhari, mentions
three kinds of association.
These are (i) water sprinkled on a
hot plate getting evaporated
immediately (adhama sanga or
inferior association); (ii) water
bubble on a lotus leaf enjoying a
brief glow (madhyama sanga or
intermediary association) and (iii)
water drop in a seashell at the
appropriate time resulting in the
generation of a pearl (uthama
sanga or superior association).
This is to show that by adhama
sanga, one remains adhama
purusha, by madhyama sanga one
becomes madhyama purusha, and
by uthama sanga (otherwise
known as sat sanga), one is
elevated to an uthama purusha.
Therefore, the scriptures
117
emphasise the need for a spiritual
seeker to develop satsanga.
Effortless Process
What is interesting about
satsanga is that its benefits flow
effortlessly. By mere association,
we are able to acquire the virtues
of the noble people without we
becoming aware of it. Adi
Sankara, in his famous work,
Bhaja Govindam, glorifies satsanga
as the gateway to liberation
(satsangatvey nissangatvam,
nissangatvey nirmohatvam,
nirmohatvey nischalatatvam,
nischalatatvey jivanmukti). He says
that association with noble people
leads to detachment from the
material world, the detachment
leads to dropping of the delusion
that 'I need to look to the world
for my happiness,' and giving up
delusion leads to clear knowledge
of the Self, which eventually leads
to liberation.
The scriptures refer to three
levels of satsanga, depending on
the meaning of the word, sat. At
the first level, sat is taken as a
person who has noble values (sat
purusha or dharmic purusha), who
will not compromise on values
and who becomes remorse-struck
at every violation of values. Thus,
in the first level, satsanga means
association with people with
February 2016
noble values which will help in
imbibing those values. But this is
not sufficient by itself to attain
full inner growth (which is
liberation) as the scriptures say
that without Self-knowledge
liberation is not possible.
Therefore, the second level of
Satsanga is association with jnani
purusha (sat is taken as jnani) -
association with wise people. This
will first help to imbibe values
that the jnani is endowed with,
and help acquire Self-knowledge
through systematic study of
Vedantic scriptures and reflection
of their messages (sravana
manana).
The third level of satsanga is the
ultimate, where sat has to be
taken as Brahman or Atma, and
this satsanga is in fact association
with sat brahma, denoting not a
physical association, but abidance
in one's own real nature.
This fact is not known when one
is not exposed to spiritual study
and, therefore, one fails to rise to
this status. Obviously, this is the
outcome of the first two levels,
thus preparing the mind for the
ultimate.
Lord Krishna gives an assurance
in the Bhagavad Gita that once we
develop the first level of satsanga
18
and equip ourselves with noble
values, he himself facilitates to the
second level by creating
opportunities to study Vedanta
and get access to a competent
Acharya (tesham satata yuktanam
bajatam pritipurvakam dadami
budhdhiyogam tam tena mam
upayanti te).
While the first part of the
learning is from the teacher
directly, this is reinforced by ones
own reflection and interactions
with fellow students. The
learning is complete over time
with continuous study and
profound contemplation
(nidhidyasana). Adrishta or
punyam (accumulated merits)
gained by leading a clean life
performing pancha maha yajna
(the five great daily sacrifices as
householders) and practicing
karma yoga also plays an
important role by removing
possible obstacles towards
reaching this pinnacle H
athreyaanna@gmail.com
R. B. Athreya
(Based on lectures by Swami
Paramarthananda in Chennai.)
February 2016
 VoOmo h dm CXmZV_mXnmmVVoOm: &
nwZ^d{_p`_Z{g gn_mZ: &&
Fire indeed is the udana breath. Hence he whose vital
heat is quenched goes to rebirth, his senses being
merged in his mind. H

Prasnopanishad ii (UP. 3)

19 February 2016
appears as Chandala
Knowing that one himself is Brahman is
the lesson to be learnt.

20 February 2016
 M any readers would be
familiar with this
incident in the life of
Adi Sankara. One day the
universal teacher was walking
towards Lord Visvanatha temple
in Varanasi along with his
disciples after ablutions in the
Ganga. He had come to Kasi to
practise the way of life shown by
rishis to attain spiritual
illumination. An untouchable
(chandala) accompanied by four
dogs blocked his way. Sankara
requested him to move away
from his path.
Profound Wisdom
The chandala's reply is one of
profound wisdom, and captured
by Sri Sankara in his immortal
Manisha Panchakam.
O great among the twice-born!
What is it that you want to move
away by saying, Go, go? Do you
want the body made up of food
to move away from another body
made up of food? Or do you want
consciousness to move away
from consciousness?
Is there any difference
between the reflection of the sun
in the waters of the Ganga and
its reflection in the water in a
ditch in the quarters of the
outcastes? Or between the
21
space in a gold pot and that in a
mud pot?
What is this illusion of
difference in the form, This is a
Brahmana and this is an
outcaste in the indwelling Self
which is the ripple-free ocean of
bliss and pure consciousness?
That Supreme Energy (Param-
atma) is perceived by the
Upanishads as single (advitiyam),
spotless (anavadyam), non-
attached (asangam) and as that
which is the Real, the
omniscient, which is blissful,
and undivided (satya bodha
sukha rupam akhandam). In such
an Atma, it is surprising that you
have experienced differences
(bheda kalana tava vichitram)
When you say, Go away to a
distance, what do you mean, the
body or the soul (Atma)?
If you refer to the body, what
is the basic difference between
one physical body and another,
since both are formed by food
(Annam, Bhidyatey annamayatho
annamayam kim)? If you referred
to Atma, that which is the
witness of all that is created, it is
one and the same, everywhere,
within everyone. How did you
get the perception that you are a
February 2016
pure brahmin, while I am a dog-
eating chandala (shva-pachah)?
The sun in the sky, does it not
shine equally on pure Ganga
water and on liquor (sura)
without any difference?
Pure Wisdom
Sankara was stunned by this
profound message. He
prostrated to the chandala and
saw that he was none other than
Lord Kasi Visvanatha,
accompanied by the four Vedas
(in the form of the dogs), who
posed these questions.
Sankara then wrote the five
verses of Manisha Panchakam
with the refrain, He who
perceives the eternal Truth,
whether he is a chandala or a
brahmin, He surely is my
guru.(Chaandalo-astu Dvijo-astu
Sah tu guru / Iti esha manisha
mama).
That Pure Consciousness which
shines clearly in the states of
waking, dream and deep sleep,
and the witness of the whole
universe, dwells in all bodies
from that of the Creator, Brahma,
to that of the ant; he is my Guru,
irrespective of whether he is an
outcaste or a Brahmana. This is
my conviction. The person who
has realised that he is the Self
22
and not the mind or the senses
or the physical body is an
enlightened person. Such a
person is the guru for the
whole world.
It is Pure Consciousness that
appears as this universe. All this
is only something conjured up by
me because of avidya (nescience)
which is composed of the three
gunas (sattva, rajas and tamas).
One who has attained this
definite realisation about
Brahman, which is bliss itself,
eternal, supreme and pure, is my
Guru, whether he is an outcaste
or a Brahmana.
Having understood through his
guru, that the entire universe is
perishable, he who, with a calm
and pure mind, constantly
meditates on Brahman; he who
has burnt his past and future
sins in the fire of knowledge,
such a person submits to the
operation of his karma. This is
my conviction.
The Self is experienced by
animals, men, and gods as 'I'. It
is by the reflection of this Pure
Consciousness that the mind,
senses and body, which are all
insentient, appear to be
sentient. External objects are
perceived only because of this
February 2016
Consciousness. This Self is,
however, concealed by the very
mind, senses and body which are
illumined by it, just as the sun is
concealed by clouds. The yogi
who, with a calm mind, always
meditates on this Self is my
guru. This is my conviction.
Clouds owe their origin to the
heat of the sun which makes
water in the oceans evaporate.
The clouds become visible only
because of the light of the sun
behind them. The same clouds
hide the sun from our view.
Similarly, the body, mind, and
senses, that are projections of
the Self, conceal the Self by
making us engage ourselves in
worldly pursuits all the time.
The Self can be realised only if
the senses and mind are
withdrawn from external
objects.
Ocean of Supreme Self
The Self, which is Brahman, is
an ocean of supreme bliss. By
meditating on the Self with a
perfectly calm mind, the sage
experiences fulfillment.
The person whose mind has
become identified with this Self
is not a mere knower of
Brahman, but Brahman itself.
Such a person, whoever he may
23
be, is one whose feet are fit to be
worshipped by the celestial chief
Indra himself. This is my definite
conviction.
The Upanishads say that the
happiness experienced by all
living beings, including the
gods, is only a minute fraction of
the supreme, infinite bliss of
Brahman. Knowing Brahman
means knowing that one is
Brahman and not the body-mind
complex. He who attains this
knowledge is Brahman itself
(Mundaka Upanishad 3.2.9).
Knowing Brahman is the same
as remaining as Brahman. It
should be noted that this is not
the attainment of any new state.
Everyone is in reality Brahman,
even when he is in bondage, and
looks upon himself as a limited
human being. Liberation is
nothing but the removal of the
wrong identification with our
body and mind H
gvramakrishna@yahoo.com
Lalita Ramakrishna
February 2016
with beautiful colours.

24 February 2016 Os
Dear Swamiji,

I am in constant fear of 'bhootas' or the unknown energies around.

Even when I try to meditate early morning or in the dark I get scared
as if someone is around. How do I get over this? Do ghosts exist?

Ananya, 19, Mumbai.

25 February 2016

Dear Ananya,
We are all conditioned to
believe certain things. Religion,
parents, society, they all
condition us. I have devoted my
life to numerous practices of
tantra and mantra, to intense
meditation. Before I answer in
bit more detail, let me tell you in
one sentence, unambiguously:
Ghosts do not exist.
No matter what anybody tells
you, there are no ghosts.
Anyone who tells you that they
have seen ghosts are lying to
you. Anyone who says that
ghosts can do harm to you are
creating false fear in you. And
it's very simple, ask them to
show you a ghost. Even during
your meditations, if you
experience any fear of a ghost,
turn on the light and see it for
yourself.
God is light, divinity is light,
our fears are darkness. If you
learn to face your fears or go to
the source of your fears, you will
discover that the real you is
beyond any fear.
It is true that we can connect
with various levels of energies.
26
M i n d
But I mean it purely in a
scientific way. I'm not saying
that those energies can give you
superpowers or harm you or
reduce you to ash. Next time
when you are afraid, ask
yourself, "What is my real fear?"
Say out loudly in your room
that whoever is there you
dare it to show itself. No one
will show up because there's
no one else.
It's okay to follow a religion
but I discourage blind faith. As
an educated person, you should
always feel free to question.
The basis of human progress
is our ability to question
and think.
When you sit down to
meditate, breathe deeply and
remind yourself that you are part
of the Divine. That, you are
bigger than your fears. Turn on
some soft light rather than
meditating in the dark initially.
Once you overcome your fear,
you will no longer be afraid of
ghosts or darkness.
I wrote a joke on my blog a
while back.
Johnny, can you quickly get me
the broom from the garden?
said the mother at night.
February 2016
 But, Im scared of the dark,
mommy, said Johnny. There are
ghosts outside.
Have faith in God, Johnny. God
is everywhere and hes stronger
than ghosts.
Are you sure Gods in the
garden as well?
Positive. And hes watching
out for you. Now, go get me the
sweeper.
The little Johnny opened the
door slightly, stretched out his
arm and said, Please pass me
27
the broom, God. Mommy says
you are in the garden.
I hope you get the message.
Ghosts don't exist. Neither in
forests nor remote places. Not in
cremation grounds nor
cemeteries. Not in homes or
temples. Our fears are our
ghosts. They exist in an ignorant
mind. Remove your ignorance,
your darkness, only bliss and
light will remain H
Peace.
Os
February 2016
Bhakti Margadarsan of C elebration of the
anniversaries of great
noble souls who have
contributed to the well-being
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu of our society is a laudable
practice. Important among
them are the
anniversaries of
great gurus, such
as Adi Sankara.
We observe their
centenaries with
grand and long
celebrations. Often,
the centenary is
celebrated for a whole
year. This is proper, as it
helps us to remember their
strivings, sufferings,
dedication and contribution.

Rarely, we celebrate the

500th anniversary of some
great saint. There is one such
on-going event. Have you
noticed it in any paper,
magazine or spiritual TV
channel?

It is the 500th anniversary of

the visit to Vrindavan of
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. You
might have read about him in
your school or college history
books. For what contribution
is he remembered and
revered? He revived the
bhakti (devotion) tradition.

28 February 2016

His life and teachings rendered
bhakti a great movement, first in
eastern India and then in the rest
of the country, and now globally.
He was born in 1486 and died in
1534. He first visited the
abandoned site of Vrindavan in
1515 and revived it. Millions of
devotees visit Vrindavan every
year. We owe him a huge
debt of gratitude which cannot
be repaid.
Significance of Avatars
We respect the concept of
avatars. We worship Sankara
Bhagavatpada as an avatar of
Siva. Similarly, Chaitanya
Mahaprabhu is regarded as an
avatar of Bhagavan Sri Krishna.
His teachings drew from two
great books of Hinduism, the
Bhagavad Gita and the Bhagavata
Purana. He simplified the
Keertan (chanting) for the
common people so that the
message of bhakti and saranagati
(surrender) could reach the
masses.
As you may have observed,
there is a growing interest in our
people to listen to the inspiring
stories from our epics. There is
an explosion of Bhagavata
Saptaham, a week of stories
around the leelas of Krishna.
29
M i n d
Chaitanyas original name,
given by his parents, was
Bishamvar. He had a nickname,
Nimai. He is also called
Gauranga, because of his fair
complexion. He studied Sanskrit
with great interest, became a
scholar and opened a school. But
he was transformed after
meeting his guru, Sadhu Ishvara
Puri, who initiated him with the
Gopala Krishna mantra, in Gaya.
When he returned to Bengal,
his associates were struck by his
metamorphosis from a jnani
(scholar) to a bhakta (devotee).
Formally qualified, intellectual
professionals do not easily take
the path of devotion, prayer,
puja. But, in the Gita, Krishna
calls upon us, to follow all three
paths, Karma (action), Jnana
(knowledge) and Bhakti
(devotion). We should continue
to learn and act, in a spirit of
humility, without ahankar (ego).
Helpful to Patients
Prayer need not be anti-
intellectual. Likewise,
intellectuals need not be anti-
faith. Modern medical research
has shown that prayer can
reduce stress. It can help
prevent illness. Or, slow down
its onset, if unavoidable.
Patients who pray cope better
February 2016
with post-surgery trauma, in the
treatment of cancer, the heart
and other organs and accident
injuries. Prayer by the patients
family and friends also helps,
even if she/he does not ask for it.
Of course, results will not come
by prayer alone. Human action
is needed for success in any
endeavour. But, prayer can make
that action more committed and
effective.
A sign of wisdom is not to pray
for worldly benefits, but to give
thanks for what one has already
been blessed with--a healthy
body, access to a safe,
comfortable life, education, arts
or a good family. A noble form
of prayer is to pray for the
welfare of all.
Chaitanya has inspired
generations to celebrate life,
with gratitude to God in the
form of Krishna. It is a corrective
to depression, self-pity, greed,
grabbing and conflict. We may
summarise it in an easy-to-
remember mantra: Act, Know,
and Pray H
athreyamb@gmail.com
M. B. Athreya
30
Symbols, signs and mathematical
notation were employed in an early
form in India by the 6th century when
the mathematician-astronomer
Aryabhatta recommended the use of
letters to represent unknown
quantities.
By the 7th century Brahmagupta had
already begun using abbreviations for
unknowns, even for multiple
unknowns occurring in one complex
problem.
Brahmagupta also managed to use
abbreviations for square roots and
cube roots.
In the 7th Century the Indian
mathematician Brahmagupta, stated
"Bodies fall towards the earth as it is
in the nature of the earth to attract
bodies, just as it is in the nature of
water to flow." Though Aristotle
suggested about gravity but not in as
many words as Brahmagupta.
Brahmagupta was an Indian
mathematician and astronomer who
wrote two works on Mathematics and
Astronomy: the
Brahmasphutasiddhanta and the
Khandakhadyaka.
February 2016
The key to manage alternating conditions is to
imbibe a sense of equanimity.

32 February 2016

I n Kumara Sambhavam, one
of the finest works of
Mahakavi Kalidasa, the poet
says that there is none who is
always happy and comfortable,
and none who is always unhappy
and miserable. Happiness and
sorrow alternate like the rim of a
wheel which goes up and down.
This is true both in personal
lives and for business
enterprises. Whether it is a top
rung corporation or a tiny start-
up, business managers
experience highs and lows, wins
and losses. Often the margin
between good times and bad
times can be thin; one day the
manager can feel on the top, and
the next day he could find
himself falling behind.
The question then is if you are
successful, how do you keep
your edge? If you are not
performing at your best, how do
you turn the corner?
Subdue Ego
Managers have a tendency in
good times when business is on
the ascendant and cash flows are
strong, to gloat over the success
and conclude that all this is due
to their personal 'vision' and
initiative. Senior mangers often
take credit for their 'capable'
33
M i n d
steering of the enterprise, and
they tend to look at others not
so successful with certain
disdain.
Besides breeding arrogance,
bouts of success can lead to
thoughtless, and impulsive
decisions. Spurred by market
acclaim, and blinded by the
belief that good times await in
any field they embark,
companies often tend to initiate
projects in unrelated areas in
which they may not have
competencies. They tend to
overinvest in new machinery
and equipment far beyond the
requirement in the foreseeable
future. Managers tend to
leverage the balance sheet
beyond prudent limits and
contract large loans from an
array of ready lenders. Egoistic
mangers also tend to reward
exclusively themselves with fat
bonuses and giveaways to
celebrate the 'success story'.
On the other hand, when times
are not good, there is an
overwhelming sense of
pessimism and caution. Senior
managers routinely delay
decisions or simply become risk
averse. Blaming factors within
and outside the firm, they tend
to launch ruthless cost cutting
February 2016
exercises and wide ranging
layoffs, and create a sense of
deep disappointment among
long time staffers.
In Vidura Neeti, Vidura, the wise
half brother of Dhritarashtra and
Pandu, and known for his
extreme devotion and adherence
to dharma, defines the person
who is of exemplary conduct and
character in exuberant as well as
difficult times. Such a person is
one who is not overjoyed on his
good fortune or enjoys the
misfortune of others. He is the
one who stands by his
commitments at all times. Where
he has gifted or promised to gift
a thing to someone (during good
times), he does not regret or
renege on the giving (when the
time turns adverse).
Wise Approach
Seasoned bankers and well-
experienced businessmen who
have seen cycles of booms and
busts offer a few key approaches
to course through good as well
as bad times.
The first is to exercise
objectivity, a sense of
detachment and dispassion
when things are going well.
When there is a strong
temptation to accelerate the
34
business, and do more things 'to
maximise the opportunity', it is
useful to remember that there is
at the same time the risk of
minimising the effectiveness in
existing operations and the
overall ability to execute the
new initiatives.
The well-known business
author Jim Collins in his book
How the Mighty Fall, refers to the
stages that can lead to downfall
of a successful business. He
mentions that managers' hubris
that we are great and we can do
anything, can easily lead to
undisciplined pursuit of more
scale, more growth, more
acclaim and more power. On the
other hand, where patience leads
over unflinching ambition, the
managerial focus remains sharp
and the ability to execute
remains in tact.
Stay Focused
The second is to remain focused
at all times, especially when
things are not going well.
Managers should learn to
persevere with that they do, and
not let the bad times define the
firm. It is important not to allow
tunnel vision to creep in, but
keep an open mind as the
solutions to problems could be
all around.
February 2016

It is better to ask the question
during good times what could be
the values that could help build
an enduringly successful,
sustainable business. It would be
wise to ask what will not
change, and then put all the
energy and effort into those
things.
Thirdly, it would be wise to stay
committed to investing in
upgrading and enhancing the
employee skills both in good and
not-so-good times. Talent
development should remain a
key element in every firm's
business blueprint. To think
twice on investing in employee
training and essential employee
welfare during economically
challenging times may be
counter-intuitive.
Nothing Lasts Forever
The most important approach
to manage during good and bad
times is to firmly believe in our
traditional wisdom that nothing
lasts forever. Everything in the
world is in a state of flux;
everything changes and nothing
stands still. This could
sometimes be disconcerting as
well as a comforting approach: it
may disturb in times of good
fortune, but can be consoling in
the depths of affliction.
35
M i n d
Bhagavad Gita advises
equanimity and control of mind
to imbibe as the solution to have
peace and progress in any
condition. The beautiful simile it
offers in Chapter 2 is that of the
ocean. Though all the rivers of
the world continue to empty
themselves into the ocean, its
magnitude remains the same. If
the rivers cease to flow in and
evaporation went on as usual,
still the expanse of the ocean
remains the same, Apuryamanam
achala pratistham.
For business managers and
anyone deeply troubled by
downturn conditions, Gita offers
hope in Chapter 18. The Lord
says, Holding your mind in Me,
you will go across difficult
passages through My grace,
muchittaha sarva durgani
matprasadat tarishyasi.
At the same he warns that if out
of ego, you will not listen, you
will perish completely. Herein
lies the key to manage in good
and not-so-good times H
rk@tattvaloka.com
R. Krishnamurthy
February 2016
36 February 2016

A Cow Sanctuary
in the US
Compassion for living beings is growing worldwide
T here is a wise saying that
compassion is not a sign
of weakness but a sign of
strength. Showing compassion is
one of the best ways to make the
world a better place.
This awakening is now growing
worldwide. There are farm animal
welfare organisations in many
countries which take care of stray
animals, and they rear animals on
natural ingredients and take
proactive action to save animals
from inhuman treatment. Go
Rakshana (protection of cow) is
now a growing movement,
including in the US, based on
scientific facts and personal
convictions. The efforts are
actively supported by Indian
diaspora as well as local citizens.
Lakshmi in Pennsylvania
One such instance is the project
undertaken by Dr. Sankar Sastri,
37
M i n d
a resident of Pennsylvania in the
beautiful Appalachian mountain
valley, who is maintaining a cow
sanctuary since 1999.
Sastri, 74, who retired as the
Dean of Engineering Technology
from the New York City College
of Technology, bought a 44-acre
farmland at Bangor, South East
of Pennsylvania, for $190,000
out of his own retirement
income.
Originally hailing from Tanjore
District in Tamil Nadu from a
family of devout agnihotris, Go
Samrakshana has come to him as
a natural instinct. His colleagues
from the college where he
taught, greatly encouraged and
supported this vision. He gets
generous help from Dharmatma
Dr. Yegnasubramanian,
Chairman of the Sringeri Vidya
Bharati Foundation Inc., USA,
February 2016
and from volunteers and former
academic colleagues by way of
feeds, funds for building fences
and enclosures, and others.
SVBF itself maintains a go shala
at the Sharada Temple in
Stroudsburg and at the
Guruvayoorappan Temple in
New Jersey, where milk from the
resident cows are used for
abishekam for the deities.
As Sastri calls out names,
Katyayani, Durga, Seeta,
Krishna, Vedanta., a row of
cows gracefully march from the
far off grassland to the fence
where he feeds them apples,
carrots, biscuits, grains, cooked
rice, beans and other dainties.
Sastri fondly named the
sanctuary after Lakshmi, the cow
blessed by sage Ramana
Maharishi, that attained
liberation (moksha) in his hands
at his ashram in Tiruvannamalai.
Sastri regularly visits the local
auction place and buys aged
cows. Swami Dayananda
Saraswathi, whose ashram at
Saylorsburg is close by, had
blessed Sastri's venture and
donated a cow named Bharathi. It
has yielded a calf with a mark on
its face resembling a question
mark, and Sastri has aptly named
38
the calf Vedanta, stemming from
the question mark of 'Who Am I'.
Sastri shares with pride that
the cow-dung patties from the
sanctuary pay for the feed of the
cows. The dried flattened patties
are cut into small squares and
sold across North America to
families performing the fire
ritual, agnihotra. Several Vaidiki
families from Gujarat,
Maharashtra and Andhra
domiciled in the US have been
carrying on this tradition.
Surprisingly a large band of
local white and black Americans
have also been following this
practice for over a decade in the
state of Virginia, initiated into it
by a Swamiji from Maharashtra,
as a process of cleansing and
purifying the atmosphere
besides healing and calming the
mind. Cow-dung's resistance to
nuclear radiation came to light
big time after the Japanese
incident at Fukushima in the
recent past.
Cow a Symbol of Humanity
Mahatma Gandhi saw cow-
protection as the greatest
civilisational gift we should give
to the world in general. He had
said, Cow protection to me is
one of the most wonderful
February 2016

phenomena in human evolution.
The cow to me means the entire
sub-human world. Man, through
the cow, is enjoined to realise his
identity with all that lives.
Gandhi had also suggested that
cow protection should incorporate
scientific principles, such as the
'science of cattle-breeding.' "Cow
protection is not mere protection
of the cow. It means protection of
all that lives and is helpless and
weak in the world.
The Indian tradition of using
cow-based products in rituals
has a continuity spanning more
39
M i n d
than 4,000 years. In classical
Indian medical treatises, such as
Sushrita Samhita and Ashtanga
Sangraha, cow products- based
medicines have become an
integral part for treatment, rest
and recuperation. The treatises
refer to the utility of cow dung
and urine for sustainable
agriculture as well as for disease
prevention. Panchagavya has a
long history both in medicine
and agriculture H
sharadac@aol.com
Sharada Chityala
February 2016
 Venerate the Cow
Krishna declares in the Bhagavad Gita that among cows, he is
Kamadhenu, the wish-fulfilling cow (Dhenunam Asmi Kamadhuk).

The Sastras declare that a cows body is the abode of the 14 worlds.

Jmdm_ AJofw {VpV ^wdZm{Z MVwXm &

The Veda says, The divine cow herself is skilled in eloquence, gives
speech to others. It is only the fool that abandons her. In the Atharva
Veda, the cow is formally designated as Vishnu, and all that the Sun
surveys.

Cows are the life breath of all living creatures; therefore, one who
makes a go-dhan is said to be making a gift of life breath.

The Valmiki Ramayana mentions Surabhi as the mother of all cows.

The Mahabharata refers to Kamadhenu-Surabhi as rising from the
churning of the cosmic ocean (Samudra manthan) by the gods and
demons to acquire the immortal nectar (Amrita), and given to the
Saptarishis, the seven great seers.

Dr. Koenrad Elst, a Belgian Indologist, thinks that the most sacred
syllable, the pranava mantra, that encompasses all Vedic hymns, is
nothing but a human vocalisation of the sound made by the cow.

The Yajur Veda is replete with instructions to protect the cow: 'Do
not kill the cow which is the splendour of life. Yo men and women,
both of you together protect your cattle' (6.11) H

40 February 2016
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FEBRUARY 2016
42 February 2016
 FUNNY NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS
I will polish my pate - Bald person
I will do less laundry and use more deodorant. - Executive
I will not regale the same yarn at every get together. - Incorrigible bore
I will remember that 'Cream Cake Day' is on the 29th of every month. - Foodie
A New Year's resolution is something that goes in one year and out the other.
Philosopher

RELIGIOUS BENEDICTION
2012: I will go to Mandir every Sunday.
2013: I will go to Mandir as often as possible.
2014: I will drive by a Mandir at least once a day and prostrate from outside.
2015: I will set aside time each day for prayer and meditation at home.
2016: I will try to catch the late night sermons on TV.

PRAYERS FOR THE NEW YEAR

Dear God, my prayer for 2016 is a FAT bank account and a THIN body. Please
don't mix it up like you did this year.

43 February 2016
When the objective is clear and the mind is
strong, patience is a natural outcome

44 February 2016

B hishma, the one of terrible
vow, could choose the
time of his death. On the
10th day of the Mahabharata war,
he chose to be struck down, and
lay on a bed of arrows. While he
waited for Uttarayana (northward
movement of the Sun) to give up
his body, he gave invaluable
advice to all around him, oblivious
to the pain he must have suffered.
This was the time he utilised to
advise Yudhishtira on governance,
dharma and related matters.
Had Bhishma not been
naturally patient while he bore
the pain and impending death,
we would have lost the precious
words he spoke from his
death-bed.
Even after all her resources are
tapped, Mother Earth has been
an all-yielding cow, from whom
the three-fold objectives of
Dharma, Artha and Kama are
milked. Not realising this and
with the desire to enjoy the
earth, greedy men snatch her
riches. What comes to mind is
the patience and forbearance
with which she bears all the
destruction and depletion.
Even a dancer shows respect for
Mother Earth by offering her
prostration to earth at the end of
45
M i n d
her dance. It is an offering of
thanks for the patience with
which Mother Earth bears the
pain of being stamped upon!
Our tradition requires us to
acknowledge this quality of
forbearance. Kshitijaramanam
chintaye. I meditate on Sri Rama,
the consort of Sita who is the
daughter of Mother Earth. So
sings Dikshitar, a composer from
South India. Mother Earth and
Sita are embodiments of
patience. Sita's endurance of
trials and tribulations is
touching.
Titiksha, a Spiritual
Adornment
Titiksha (forbearance) has,
therefore, been cited as one of the
shadsampattis (six virtues), which
are part of the sadhana
chatushtaya. Spiritual progress is
impossible without patience. It is
a quality that restrains the mind
and its outgoing tendencies.
Vasishtha in Yoga Vasishtha
talks of four prerequisites to
attain liberation--tranquillity of
mind, enquiry, contentment and
association with sages and
saints. Patience is both a cause
and a result of these qualities.
Unless one is patient, the mind
will not be quiet; it will be so
February 2016
distracted that there will be no Soulful prayer to the divine is
room for making any enquiry impossible without patience. In
into oneself. Obviously, there recent times, Saradamani Devi,
will be no contentment, nor any the illustrious wife of Sri
possibility of associating with Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, was
the wise. an embodiment of patience,
divinity, prayer, simplicity and
In the Yoga Vasishtha again, service. Being established in
Visvamitra narrates the story of divine consciousness, she
Suka who had learnt everything remained calm under all
that was to be known circumstances. In
about the Self, but Sister Niveditas
felt that he had not Patience can words,
experienced that Saradamanis life
work wonders...It was one long
supreme peace. He
was sent to King will surmount stillness of prayer.
Janaka by his father, Her immaculate
every obstacle in purity, extraordinary
Vyasa. In Janakas
palace, Suka had to the search for forbearance, selfless
wait for seven days service,
truth. To know
even to meet him and unconditional love,
he is forced to spend how to wait is the and spiritual
seven more days in great secret of illumination made
the company of her an ideal
beautiful women. success. householder-cum-
Only after that Janaka spiritual aspirant.
asks Suka why he has
come. Suka was neither tired of A Necessary Qualification
waiting for Janaka nor tempted by Gurus test the patience of sincere
the joys of royal pomp. disciples by not accepting them
forthwith. Even when they do,
Having tested Sukas resolve and they assess the disciple's capacity
patience, Janaka told him that he to patiently wait.
had realised the Self by himself
and reached the highest Brahmic Good many things are achieved
state now that he had given up when one is patient. The story of
the delusion arising as a doubt in Nachiketas is a shining example
his mind. in this regard. He was sent to

46 February 2016

Yama's abode, where he waited
for three days for him. As a result
of that, Yama granted three
boons to the lad.
In Swami Sivananda's words,
Patience can work wonders...It
will surmount every obstacle in the
search for truth. To know how to
wait is the great secret of success.
When one is seeking God's
grace, one tends to feel
impatient. The expectation and
consequent impatience itself
stands between the seeker and
divine grace. It is obvious that
divine grace manifests itself in a
mind that is tranquil and quiet.
Willing Acceptance
We become impatient only
because we have expectations
and do not accept a situation as
it is. The mind is always thinking
of a solution to make the
situation better.
Expectation is, therefore, an
important factor in creating
impatience.
Acceptance of things as God-
given helps us get rid of
impatience. There is no yardstick
to measure what is ideal or
beneficial for us. It is he who
knows what is best for us.
47
M i n d
The really patient person is not
aware that he is patient. His very
nature is patience. He does not
wait for anything to happen. He
does not have any preferences.
He accepts without questioning
what God doles out to him.
He does not differentiate
between good and bad because
whatever he sees, hears, tastes,
and experiences is divine. Those
not born with this quality will
have to cultivate it for their
spiritual upliftment.
Patience and pardoning are
synonymous. This is evident
from the meaning of the word,
Kshama, which means both
patience and forgiveness. We
cannot forgive people if we are
not patient. To bear with insults
and wrongs done to us, we need
patience. Impatience or
intolerance of others arises
because of our ego. The weaker
our ego, the more patient and
the more forgiving we will be.
When the objective is clear and
the mind is strong, patience is a
natural outcome H
sarala@tattvaloka.com
Sarala Panchapakesan
February 2016
 During his Chaturmasya Vrata in Chennai, between
July and December 2012, Sri Bharati Tirtha
Mahaswamiji, gave a series of clear, short and profound
lectures on the Brahma Sutra Bhashya, which has been
published in a book by Dr. V. R. Gowri Shankar of
Sringeri Sharada Peetham, entitled Emancipating
Enlightenment. We have pleasure in bringing to our
readers the invaluable message in this and succeeding
issues of Tattvloka.

48 February 2016

Special Feature
Invocation
d$ma_mgm _od {Zm
gadVr dmWg_pdVm@@grV &
{ZaVXVH$H$cnm Z_m{_
V ma_{MVm[_
&&
I pay obeisance to Sankara, whose
feet are worshipped by the seekers
of the Truth and who is that
exponent of the scripture on
attaining whom the Veda, the
eternal word, became free from the
mire of fallacious logic and
connected with its true meaning.
The Highest Goal and Its
Immediate Means
The scriptures point out that
virtue, wealth, desire and
liberation are the four objectives
(1)
of human life and that among
these, liberation, which is the
(2)
most covetable , is the ultimate
goal. The definitive denouement
of the Upanishads is that
emancipation can be attained
only by realising the Self, which
is but the Supreme, and not in
any other way whatsoever.
V_od {d{Xdm@{V_w_o{V Zm:
nWm {dVo@Zm &&
(Svetasvatara Upanishad 6.15)
S r i n g e r i
[Only upon knowing Him, one
transcends death; there is no other
path to liberation.] The import of
this Upanishadic averment is:
Only he who realizes Brahman
transcends the ocean of
transmigratory existence; there
is no other means to
deathlessness.
Sage Vyasa has, accordingly,
concluded as follows in the
(3)
Brahmasutras ' that knowledge
alone results in liberation
nwfmWm}@V: mXm{X{V ~mXamU: &&
(Brahmasutra 3.4.1)
(4)
[Badarayana deems that
liberation results from the
knowledge of the Self, since the
Upanishads so teach.]
Bhagavatpada has thoroughly
enunciated this position in His
exegesis, the Brahmasutra-
bhashya.
Mimamsakas Contention:
Liberation through Actions
(5)
The mimamsakas take strong
exception to the aforesaid view
of Vedanta and contend, "While
you insist that final freedom is
effected exclusively by
knowledge, the fact is that it can
49 February 2016
be secured sans the latter." They
proceed to delineate on the
following lines the scenario that
they envision.
The essence of liberation is the
absence of rebirth. One is born
because one has to experience
the fruits of one's past actions;
happiness is the fruit of having
performed what is ordained for
one by the scripture, while
sorrow is the consequence
of having done what is
prohibited by it. The actions
touched upon by the scripture
are of four types:
(1) Actions ordained to be
performed regularly: Sandhya-
vandana (a worship that is to be
done before daybreak, at midday
and prior to sunset by one duly
invested with the sacred thread
and which involves the offering
of water and the chanting of the
Gayatri-mantra) and Agnihotra (a
rite to be performed every dawn
and dusk by a duly initiated
householder and involving a
sacred fire) are instances of this
variety.
(2) Actions that are decreed to be
executed on specific occasions:
The baths and the offerings to the
manes that are occasioned by
eclipses are examples.
50
(3) Actions prescribed as
optional for the fulfillment of
specific desires: These include
the Kariri ishti, a rite that may be
performed by one who is
desirous of rain, and some
sacrifices done motivated by a
desire for heaven.
(4) Actions that are proscribed:
Killing a priest, consuming wine
and pilfering gold are instances
of prohibited actions.
He who desires liberation should,
says the Mimamsaka, eschew
actions aimed at gratifying desires
and those that are proscribed, as
these would entail that he take
birth to experience their
respective pleasurable and painful
fruits. He should, however,
unfailingly perform the actions
that are decreed to be performed
regularly as also those that are
required to be performed on
specific occasions.
This is because their non-
(6)
performance results in sin . For
instance, sin is the price of even
inadvertently omitting Sandhya-
vandana on even a single dawn or
dusk. By consistently carrying out
the regular and occasional actions
enjoined upon him, he who seeks
liberation can avoid the sin that
would have accrued to him had he
February 2016

ever omitted to do them and can,
thereby, steer clear of having to be
reborn to experience the fruit of
such demerit.
As regards the actions of his
past lives that have begun to
fructify and are responsible for
his present birth, he exhausts
them by experiencing their fruits
in the form of pleasure and pain,
till the time of death.
Upon the fall of his body, such a
person would not be reborn. This
is because the actions of his past
would have already borne fruit
over the course of his life and he
would have, by performing the
ordained regular and occasional
actions, by ignoring the scriptural
actions to fulfill desires and by
turning away from prohibited
actions, precluded the accrual of
demerit and merit that would
have necessitated rebirth.
There is, thus, no need for a
person to hear about the Truth
from a Guru, reflect upon It
through reasoning and
steadfastly mediate upon It and,
thereby, realize It in order to
become freed from rebirth.
The Mimamsaka's prescription
for emancipation is, in a
nutshell:
51
_mojmWu Z dV}V V H$m{Z{fmo:&
S r i n g e r i
{ZZ{_{mHo$ Hw$mdm{Ohmgm &&
(Sloka vartika, sambandhakshepa
parihara, 110)
[He who is desirous of liberation
should not engage in actions that are
prompted by desire and those that
are prohibited. Desirous of eschewing
sin, he should do the prescribed,
regular and occasional actions.]
The import is that to secure
liberation, one should not do
actions that are prompted by
longing and those that are
prohibited, but should do the
compulsory, regular and
occasional actions in order to
avoid the sin that would arise
because of failing to do them.
"You err," says the Mimamsaka to
the Vedantin, "when you insist
that knowledge of the Supreme
is necessary and sufficient for
liberation; what is called for is
not such knowledge but, as seen,
action, duly done or avoided.
Bhagavatpada's Rebuttal
Bhagavatpada has
comprehensively confuted the
said contention in His
Brahmasutra-bhashya and also in
His commentaries on the
Bhagavad Gita and the
February 2016
Upanishads. His refutation is on
the following lines.
Firstly, what you have
postulated about how liberation
is secured is bereft of a scriptural
basis; it finds no mention in the
scripture, be it some Upanishad
or even a text on dharma. Your
conclusion follows from your
conjectures. However, surmises,
however ingenious, that are
without a scriptural
underpinning are impotent to
determine such matters, which
lie squarely and wholly in the
realm of the scripture.
Next, you presume that a
person experiences without
residue the fruits of his past
actions in his present life itself;
this leads to your claim that if he
can avoid acquiring fresh merit
or demerit now, upon his death,
he will not be reborn.
Your presumption is unrealistic.
In his earlier lives, a person
would have performed a host of
diverse acts, virtuous and sinful;
some could be so virtuous as to
entail enjoyment in heaven as
their fruit, while some could be
so vile as to call for punishment
in hell. When the fruits of some
his past actions are mutually
antagonistic and incompatible
52
with a human condition, they
cannot fructify in his present life
and must remain to bear fruit
later.
Many scriptural passages
themselves make known that
just a subset of one's past acts
are exhausted in a life and the
rest remain and fructify only
later, in suitable circumstances,
places and times. So, even if a
person seeking liberation were,
as advocated by you, to eschew
all actions that are prompted by
desire and those that are
prohibited and were to
unfailingly carry out his regular
and occasional scriptural duties
to preclude the sin of omission,
still, he would necessarily have
to take future births due to his
remaining past actions.
Objection: The performance of
the obligatory Soma sacrifices,
such as Jyotishtoma, which are
elaborate and extend for days, is
taxing; the doer is, for instance,
left with no choice but to put up
for long with the assault on his
nostrils by the smoke issuing
from the sacrificial fire.
We may well regard the
suffering involved in performing
the ordained, regular and
occasional rites to itself be the
February 2016

experience of the results of all
the residual past actions.
Alternatively, we can take it that
the obligatory regular and
occasional rites nullify all the
(7)
residual actions .
Vedantin: Such disposal of the
residual actions is out of line
with several scriptural
pronouncements. Even if we
accept that the pain involved in
the performance of the regular
and occasional rites or their very
performance can exhaust past
actions, only the sinful actions of
the past can be dispensed with
but not the virtuous deeds.
This is because suffering, even
if it be that associated with the
fulfillment of what the scripture
ordains, cannot be the fruit of
virtuous deeds of the past; after
all, joy is the fruit of virtue.
Also, since there is no
contradiction between a
virtuous action - a prescribed
deed - done in the past and any
action ordained as obligatory
and done now, the performance
of the obligatory, regular and
occasional actions cannot
neutralise the virtuous deeds of
the past. Thus, the residual
virtuous deeds of the past would
53
S r i n g e r i
necessarily remain intact and
preclude the person who follows
the path to liberation favoured
by you from becoming free from
rebirth.
Incidentally, Bhagavatpada's
tentative admission of the
contention of the opponent is in
(8)
keeping with the maxim :
VwVw XOZ:
[let the wicked one be pleased]
Next, you require that in order
to become liberated, a person
should, throughout his life,
wholly abstain from actions that
are prompted by desire or are
prohibited. The fatal flaw here is
that such unconditional
avoidance is unfeasible.
Z Mmg{V gXmZo gdm_Zm
H$m{V{fdOZ O_mUmVamco
Ho$Z{M{VkmVw m_, gw{ZnwUmZm_{n
gy_mnamYXmZmV &
( Brahmasutrabhashya on
sutra 4.3-14)
[Moreover, without the right
knowledge of the Self, nobody can
guarantee his total avoidance of
actions that are prompted by desire
and of proscribed actions, right
from the time of birth up to the
time of death; this is because subtle
February 2016
faults are seen even in the very
competent.]
The import of these words of
Bhagavatpada is that none can
affirm that janmaprayanantarale,
in the time between birth and
death, one has never done a
single optional or proscribed act,
suksmaparadha-darsanat, since
subtle lapses are seen
sunipunanam api, even in those
who are highly competent.
We cannot, for example, say that
we have never killed a mosquito.
Killing any being, even if it be an
irksome mosquito, is a violation
of the following prohibition that
one should harm none:
Z qh`mgdm ^yVm{Z
(Cited as a Vedic passage in the
Brahmasutra bhashya on sutra
2.3.48; source-text not extant)
[One should not injure any
being.]
Not just knowingly but also
unknowingly, we do, at times,
what is disallowed. Such
transgressions too are sinful.
It is said:
A{ZN>m@{n gn>mo Xhod
{h nmdH$: &&
(Brhannaradiya Upapurana 11.99)
[Even when touched unwittingly,
fire definitely singes (the one who
comes into contact with it).]
The import of this is that fire
burns even the hand that is
thrust into it unwittingly. As in
the case of fire touched
accidentally, even if one
unknowingly does something
proscribed, one incurs sin. The
case of optional acts done on
account of desire is on a similar
footing, for people are not born
with intense dispassion and
have the inclination to fulfil
their desires.
To sum up, the proposed means
is out of line with the scripture,
cannot neutralize all past
actions and is partly
impracticable; liberation is
unachievable through it.
Enlightenment and the
Neutralisation of Actions
The actual means to liberation
is that specified by the scripture
and this is enlightenment.
Knowledge puts an end to one's
store of actions that would have
entailed one's rebirth. An
affirmation of the Lord in this
regard is:
kmZm{: gdH$_mpU ^_gmHw$Vo VWm &&
(Bhagavad Gita 4.37)
54 February 2016

[Similarly (like a blazing fire
reducing firewood to ashes), the
fire of knowledge reduces all
actions to ashes.]
Likewise, Vyasa has settled in
the Brahmasutras that:
VX{YJ_ CmanydmKmoacof{dZmmm
VXnXommV &&
( Brahmasutra 4 .1.13 )
[On the realisation of Brahman,
there occurs the absence of contact
with subsequent sins and the
annihilation of the sins committed
earlier,- this is because the scripture
has declared thus.]
This, together with the next
(9)
aphorism that extends what is
said here about sins to virtuous
deeds, conveys that when we
realize Brahman, our past
actions will perish and actions
done after enlightenment will
not stick to us.
It is, holds Vyasa, on the
authority of the Upanishads that
we know for certain that
knowledge dissipates actions.
For example, they say:
jrVo Mm H$_m{U
Vp_o namdao &&
(Mundaka Upanishad 2.2.8)
S r i n g e r i
[ When the Self, which is superior as
the cause and inferior as the effect, is
realised, one's actions perish.]
Enlightenment alone eliminates
any possibility of rebirth because
of actions and unfailingly ensures
liberation. What the scripture says
is final and this is what it asserts
and that too, repeatedly.
Encomium of Enlightenment
There appears to be a
conundrum here. The past
merits and demerits of a person
who has attained knowledge do
not have any effect upon him.
On the other hand, the rule is
that actions must fructify. So,
what happens to the fruits of
the actions done by an
enlightened person in his past
(10)
lives ? To a query so posed, a
Vedic response is:
V nwm Xm_wnpV gwX:
gmYwH$m {fV: nmnH$m_ &&
(Cited in the Brahmasutra
bhashya on sutra 3.3.26 as a sruti
of the satyayanins; source
not extant)
[(On the death of an enlightened
person), his sons get his
possessions, his well-wishers his
good deeds and his haters his
sins.] (11)
55 February 2016
The results of the good deeds
done by an enlightened person
in his past lives pass on to those
who served and were devoted to
him. The effects of his misdeeds
accrue to his despisers.
Therefore, we should never scorn
any realised soul.
A Vedic hymn uttered during a
(12)
Kushmanda-homa is:
Bmr {_mdUm gmo_mo YmVm ~hn{V:& who has secured it is heavy, while
Vo Zmo _w#mVw EZgmo XH$V_m[a_ &&
(A mantra chanted during the
Kushmanda-homa and followed by
the offering of an oblation into
fire.) [lndra, Agni, Mitra, Varuna,
Soma, Dhata and Brhaspati - may
they free us from the sin that was
committed by another and which we
have acquired.]
The deities Indra, Agni, Mitra,
Varuna, Soma, Dhata and
Brhaspati are requested to liberate
us from the sin performed by
another which is sticking to us.
While the rule is that one is
afflicted only by the sin that one
has committed, the situation
referred to here is exceptional.
An explanation that has been
proffered about how the sin of
another accrued to us is that we
were ill-disposed towards some
knower of Brahman and it was
his past sins that stuck to us; the
prayer is for freeing us from
them. A lesson that we can learn
from even this mantra is that we
should never be disdainful
towards any realised soul.
Such is the power of
enlightenment that it frees one
from all one's good and bad deeds
and the price of hating the person
the rewards for serving him with
devotion are great. He who has
not realised Brahman has to
inevitably experience the fruits of
his own actions; his merits and
demerits decidedly do not pass
away from him to another.
Knowledge, which alone can
free one from all the bonds of
actions, is the only and definite
means to liberation; actions can
neither set to naught one's past
actions nor result in liberation.
All this is made known by the
scripture and there is no room
for doubt here; independent
conjectures amount to little.
N>X Amh VX_mH$ _mU_ &
Mahabhashya, Ahnika 1)
[Whatever the Veda says is
authoritative for us.]
We unreservedly accept just
what the scripture says.
56 February 2016

The Role of Actions in the
Path to Emancipation
Bhagavatpada has said:
{Mm mwo H$_ Z Vw dVyncYo & Only he whose mind is pure is fit
to tread the path of knowledge.
dVw{g{{dMmaoU Z {H${#mH$_H$mo{Q>{^:&& One should become pure minded
(Vivekachudamani 11)
[Action is for the purification of the
mind and not for the realisation of
the Truth. The Truth is known by
means of enquiry and not by means
of even crores of actions.]
While actions cannot result in
liberation, when done in a spirit
of dedication to God, without
expectation of fruits, they purify
the mind; among the four kinds
Notes
(1)
The objective is basically to be
happy or to avoid sorrow. Virtue
results in worldly and heavenly
happiness. Wealth includes other
possessions and is primarily that
meant for the performance of virtuous
actions. The desire spoken of is
primarily that which prompts one to
engage in virtue, for sinful longing
yields unwanted sorrow.
(2)
This is because everyone seeks
happiness or freedom from sorrow and
57
S r i n g e r i
of actions, the obligatory, regular
and occasional actions are the
ones that should be done.
through the proper performance of
one's duties in the right spirit,
resort to a Guru, hear the Truth,
reflect upon It through reasoning,
steadfastly meditate upon It and,
thereby, realise the Truth and
become emancipated. This is the
path made known by the scripture.
May all of you understand it, duly
tread it and attain beatitude.
ha Z_: nmdVrnVo ha ha _hmXod &
liberation is characterised by
absolute bliss and the total cessation
of sorrow. Liberation is not dwelling
in any divine realm but is abidance
in one's true nature as Brahman.
(3)
The Brahmasutras are a set of
555 aphorisms (sutras), divided into
four chapters.
(4)
Badarayana, whose name
appears in some of the aphorisms, is
the composer of the Brahmasutras
and he is traditionally identified
February 2016
with Vyasa, the author of the
Mahabharata and the codifier of the
Vedas.
(5)
Mimamsa is one of the six
traditional schools that regard the
Veda as authoritative. The aphorisms
of Sage Jaimini constitute its primary
text and they arrive at how vedic
passages should be interpreted. A tenet
of this ritualistic school, whose votaries
are called Mimamsakas, is that the
Vedas are centered upon injunctions
and prohibitions.
(6)
According to the Mimamsakas, non-
performance of any of these enjoined
actions itself gives rise to sin but their
performance is fruitless except in that
it precludes the sill of omission.
(7)
It is the only alternative referred to
in the Brahmasutra-bhashya and the
Taittiriya Upanishad-bhashya. Both the
alternatives are presented in the
Bhagavadgita-bhashya.
(8)
This maxim has been explained
thus: It applies when one
magnanimously admits a disputant's
position, though flawed, and considers
just some other difficulty with it.
(9)
Likewise, there is no contact with
virtue. Liberation definitely occurs
58
upon the fall of the body (Brahmasutra
4.1.14).
(10)
This query proceeds on the
assumption that enlightenment frees a
person from the effects of his past
deeds but spares the potency of the
actions themselves. The answer is
given in accordance with the premise
of the question.
(11)
Bhagavatpada has explained the
significance of this Vedic passage as
follows:
The discarding of virtue and vice by
the knower and their acceptance by
others are mentioned only for
eulogising knowledge thus:
So glorious is the knowledge of
Brahman that by its power, good and
evil that are the causes of
transmigration are shaken away from
the knower and enter into the
enlightened ones well-wishers and
foes respectively.
Since the statement about the taking
up of virtue and vice by others is only
meant for praising knowledge, one
need not be much bothered about how
at all the good and evil of one can be
taken up by another (Brahmasutra-
bhashya on sutra 3.3.26).
February 2016
 S r i n g e r i
The authoritative gloss Ratnaprabha
clarifies that it is not that the merits
and demerits of the knower are
themselves transferred to others upon
the knower's passing away; those who
have served him obtain (due to their
service) merit equivalent to the
knower's past merit while those who
despised him acquire (because of their
hatred) sin equivalent to that of the
knower's past sin.

(12)
Kushmanda-homa is an optional
rite prescribed in the Taittiriya-
aranyaka (2.7; 2.8) to be performed by
a person who thinks that he might
have become impure (because of sin).

It serves as an expiation for various

sins. Sages, such as Jamadagni and
Bodhayana, have detailed the
performance of this rite. They have
prescribed the inclusion of some
mantras in addition to those of the
Tailtitiriya-aranyaka.

The mantra cited here is one such.

The rite is termed Kushmanda-homa
not because it involves a pumpkin
(kushmanda), but because the
Kushmanda-mantras of the Veda are
chanted in it H

59 February 2016
 Purnahuti of homams during
Mahapradosha.

Purnahuti of Shatachandi Yaga at

Vidyaranyapura.
1
60 February 2016

T he Sakti Ganapati
Mahapradosha was
observed on December 8,
2015 at the Sakti Ganapati shrine
in the Goddess Sharadamba
temple. Pradosha literally means
the removal of sins. While it
occurs on the thirteenth day of
dark or bright moon, it acquires
added significance as
Mahapradosha if it falls on
Tuesday, as on the above date.
On the auspicious day,
vidyarthis attached to Sri
Sadvidya Sanjeevini Samskrita
Mahapathasala of Sringeri
Peetham performed Shatarudra
Abhishekam and Sahasra
Atharvasheersha Abhishekham to
Sakti Ganapati from morning till
noon. Sahasra Modaka Homa,
Rudra Homa and Ashtadravya
Homa were also performed.
Purnahuti of the homas and
mahamangalarati to Sri Sakti
Ganapati took place in the
presence of both
Mahasannidhanam and
Sannidhanam.
61
S r i n g e r i
In the evening, Mahapradosha
Puja was offered following which
a procession carrying the utsava
murti of Sri Ganapati took place
along the main streets of Sringeri.
Telangana CM's visit
The Chief Minister of Telangana,
Sri K Chandrashekhara Rao, and
his wife arrived at Sringeri on
December 16, 2015 and had
darsan of the Acharyas. The CM
sought their blessings for the
Ayuta Chandi Mahayaga that he
intended to perform in Hyderabad
during December 23-27, and
requested for deputation of chief
priests from the Math to conduct
the Yaga. Sri V. R. Gowri Shankar,
the Administrator of the Mutt,
had attended the event and
conveyed the anugraha sandesha
of Mahasannidhanam.
Shatachandi, Rudra Yaga
A five-day Shatachandi
Mahayaga was performed by Sri
S P Nagendra Bhat of
Vidyaranyapura Agrahara,
Sringeri from Decembe 12. While
Sannidhanam had graced the
February 2016
purnahuti of the Yaga on
December 16, both the Acharyas
were present at the purnahuti
the next day.
In his anugraha bhashanam,
Mahasannidhanam praised the
guru seva of Sri Nagendra Bhat
continuously for four decades to
three Acharyas of the Peetham.
He also commended the austere
lifestyle of Sri Bhat who has been
upholding Sadachara, Anush-
thaanam and Brahmacharya
Vrata. With numerous
mantropadeshas received from
the Acharyas, Sri Bhat is leading
a life of piety, guru seva and Sri
Chakra Aradhana.
Sri Subrahmanya Shasti
Sri Subrahmanya Shashthi was
celebrated at Sringeri on
December 17 with special pujas
such as Pavamana Abhisheka and
Rudra Abhisheka at the
Balasubrahmanyaswamy shrine
on the northern banks of the
Tunga in the presence of
Mahasannidhanam and
Sannidhanam.
In the evening, at the
colourful Deepotsava, Vidyarthis
and Pundits of the Vedapathasala
chanted Adi Sankara
Bhagavatpada's composition, Sri
Subrahmanya Bhujanga Stotram.
62
Shatachandi Yaga
On December 24,
Mahasannidhanam offered
special puja to Goddess
Kalikamba, the guardian deity in
the northern direction of
Sringeri, along with
Sannidhanam, and attended the
purnahuti of the Shatachandi
Yaga in the temple the next day.
Ardrotsava
Ardrotsava, the significant
annual event celebrated as Arudra
Darshan all over the country, took
place on December 26 with
mahamangalarati to Lord
Malahanikaresvara and Goddess
Bhavani early in the morning in
the presence of Mahasanni-
dhanam and Sannidhanam.
A procession of the utsava
murtis of Lord Nataraja and his
consort took place with the
Acharyas leading, along the main
streets of Sringeri. There was
pious chanting of
Sivanandalahari. The previous
night, andhakasura vadha was
celebrated in front of the
Pravachana Mandiram in the
presence of Sannidhanam.
Visit to Karanagiri
On December 28, the Acharyas
visited Karanagiri in Hosanagara
in Shimoga District.
February 2016
 Purnahuti of Rudra Homa at
Vidyaranyapura.

Purnahuti of Laksha Modaka Ganapati Homa at Karanagiri.

Page 63
 En route, they visited
Neelakantesvara Swamy temple in
Nagara, and performed silanyasa
for renovation of the ancient
temple. They arrived at the Siddhi
Vinayaka temple at Karanagiri and
graced the purnahutis of the
Laksha Modaka Homa, Sahasra
Narikela Homa, Ganapati Atharva-
sheersha Homa, Durga Homa and
Rudra Homa at the temple.
In his anugraha bhashanam at
the public function on the day,
Mahasannidhanam expressed
happiness at the dharmic
activities at the temple in
Karanagiri, where Siddhi Vinayaka
is present like a kalpa vriksha to
fulfill the wishes of all devotees.
The Acharya spoke about
Sanatana Dharma and Bhaarateeya
Samskriti and said we look up to
divine personages, such as Sri
Rama, for upholding dharma. He
also pointed out that there have
always been two categories of
people, astikas who have firm
faith in God and in dharma, and
the other, nastikas, who have no
such faith and leading a life in
pursuit of physical enjoyment.
Even during the times of Sri
Rama, nastikas disturbed dharmic
activities, with demons, such as
Subaahu and Mareecha causing
64
havoc when sages performed
yagas. Of course, they gained
nothing by such behaviour.
It is not surprising that both
astikas and nastikas exist even
today. Whenever acts of dharma
were performed, there are always
a set of people who say that such
acts are pointless, questioning
why various offerings are made
into the sacrificial fire.
We, as astikas, have firm faith
in the shruti (Vedas), smriti and
Puranas and we act in
accordance with the dharma
expounded therein. Astikas
perform yaga for the benefit of
all beings and as a humble
offering to the Lord who is the
support of the entire universe.
Mahasannidhanam recounted
an incident from the life of the
16th century saint-scholar, Sri
Appayya Dikshitar, renowned for
his scholarship, and devotion to
Siva. Once when he was
rewarded with a shawl by the
king, Sri Dikshitar had offered it
into the sacrificial fire.
On knowing this, the king
became angry and questioned,
O renowned scholar! How is it
that you have taken the
impunity to offer the shawl that
February 2016
 Mahasannidhanam offering puja to
Goddess Kalikamba.

Mangalarati to utsava murtis of Lord Nataraja and

Goddess Bhavani during Ardrotsava.

Page 65
 Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhara Rao having darsan of the Acharyas.

Rajamata and Maharaja of Mysore offering pranams

to the Jagadgurus at Karanagiri.

Page 66
 ghJwU_ww>_mXmo {h ag a{d:

I had so respectfully awarded
into the sacrificial fire? Sri
Dikshitar asked the king to come
along with him to the famous
Nataraja temple in
Chidambaram. When the king
did so, he saw to his amazement,
that the shawl was clad around
the vigraha of Lord Nataraja! The
king then prostrated to Sri
Dikshitar and begged his pardon.
This incident highlights that
what we offer to the Lord through
the sacrificial fire reaches the
Lord. Our Sastras state,
Am mVmh{V: gJm{XwnV{V>Vo & Mysore royal family made off-
Am{XmOmVo d{>do>a VV: Om:&& erings and received blessings from
As the sun draws water from
the earth in summer and returns
it manifold by causing rain
S r i n g e r i
so too, do the performance of
such yagas pleases the Lord and
they bring about manifold
benefit to one and all.
Mahasannidhanam further
said there need be no doubt that
the Lord gets pleased by such
dharmic acts and blesses
everyone, and hence such
activities must be continued.
Rajamata Pramoda Devi Wodeyar
and Maharaja Yaduveera Krishna-
datta Chamaraja Wodeyar of the
the Acharyas. The Gurus returned
to Sringeri the same evening H

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67 February 2016
 THE FOUR
TYPES OF
DIGESTIVE FIRES
68 February 2016

A yurveda specifically
documents the
correlation and
interdependence between one's
mental and physical states. Your
state of mind affects your
physical health and your
physical health impacts your
mental state.
Just as your physical body is
governed by the three humours,
Vata, Pitta and Kapha, your mind
is governed by the three mental
humours, Sattva, rajas, tamas.
The physical humours are called
dosha; literally, 'fault,' principally
because they require a most
careful balance. An excess in any
dosha is never good for the body.
Doshas must be balanced and
moderated. The mental
humours, on the other hand, are
not called dosha but guna. Guna
means 'quality.'
Taking a cue from yogic and
Vedic texts, Ayurveda recognises
that the humours of the mind
cannot be absolutely bad or
absolutely good. They are
subjective. Aggression of the
mind may be detrimental to your
digestion, but if you are a soldier
out on the battlefield, you need
adrenaline pumping in your
body: You need that aggression
to fight, to survive and to do
69
y
your job. Hence, the humours of
B o
the mind are known as virtues or
qualities, because it's not so
much about what we have as
much as it is about how we use
what we have.
The health of your nervous
system, vitals and digestion
and the strength of your immune
system have a direct and
definitive correlation with the
three mental humours. Unlike
the physical humours, these
three humours are not
permanent. They are forever
fluctuating in every individual.
Sometimes rajas will win over
tamas, other times tamas will
win over rajas and sometimes
sattva will win over both.
This constant struggle between
the humours is the cause of
varying moods and mental states
in people. Anyone in a physical
body is affected by the mental
humours. With mindful and
righteous living, it is possible to
tame the fluctuations to a great
degree, directly improving your
physical and mental health.
Digestive Fires
Fire does not discriminate
between the good and the bad. It
rejects nothing. Imagine a
fireplace in a wooden cottage,
February 2016
well lit and heated. The embers
are glowing and the wood is
burning. If this fire goes out of
control, it will burn the house
down. The fire does not
differentiate between the
firewood and the wood that the
house is made of. A similar lack
of discrimination is a critical
property of digestive fire.
First, it burns the fluids in the
stomach, then it burns the
solids. If it does not die down, it
first burns the vital bodily fluids
(apa) and then the life force
(prana); the person feels acidic,
suffers from heartburn and
becomes parched and
dehydrated. Digestive fire only
helps the body if it is moderated
and managed.
The fire in the physical body is
called jathara-agni in Ayurveda.
Jathara means stomach and agni
fire. It helps every living entity
digest food. The Vedas name it
vaishvanara. It means universal,
sacred and the sun. From the
outside it may appear that our
bodies are generating heat, but
the view of the Vedas is far more
profound than that. The
digestive fire is also called the
sun, because everything we
consume already has the fire of
the sun in it. Grains, vegetables,
70
roots or, in fact, any food items
they all were nourished by the
sun before they became our food.
Hence, the heat was already in
them. Our metabolic processes
simply reclaimed the heat and
passed it onto our system.
Let me now elaborate on the
four types of digestive fire.
Balanced Fire
It is called sama-agni. Sama
means even and balanced. A
stomach with balanced digestive
fire is the sign of a healthy body.
In fact, a body can only remain
healthy if the digestive fire is in
balance. Sama-agni means that
vata, pitta and kapha are even
and not vitiated at all. Food
digests and assimilates properly
in those endowed with balanced
digestive fire. It increases the
quality of the seven dhatus. It
not only leads to fine physical
health but perfect mental
equilibrium too.
Wicked Fire
Wicked fire is called vishama-
agni. When wind (vata) is
vitiated and it affects your
digestive fire, it is called
vishama-agni. Imagine a flag
planted in a place where the
wind is blowing sporadically.
The flag flutters whenever the
February 2016

wind blows and remains still
otherwise. Similarly, vishama-
agni alternates between
increased secretion of digestive
juices and then barely any
secretion. The food either gets
digested too quickly or too
slowly.
The patient may think that
something is wrong with his
food, but his problem is
imbalanced digestive fire. It can
lead to diarrhoea, dysentery,
stomach ulcers, rumbling in the
stomach, flatulence and
eructation.
Sharp Fire
Sharp fire is called tikshana-
agni in Sanskrit. When digestive
fire is imbalanced due to vitiated
heat (pitta), the condition of
tikshana-agni arises. The word
tikshana also means acidic. This
fire is particularly acidic in
nature. Regardless of the type of
food consumed, it digests rather
quickly. A person with tikshana-
agni tends to feel hungry again
soon after having his meal.
As soon as the food digests, his
throat, mouth cavity and lips
become dry. There is a burning
sensation in his chest and
stomach which robs his body of
its strength. Tikshana-agni can
71
y
cause anomalies in urine, colic,
B o
hyperacidity and vertigo. In
some cases it can also lead to
hepatomegaly or haematoma.
Slow Fire
Slow fire is called manda-agni.
When deranged phlegm (kapha)
affects the digestive fire, it
becomes manda-agni. Manda
means slow. A patient with
manda-agni eats much less than
the average person, and even
then is unable to digest the
smallest quantity of food. He is
particularly intolerant of dairy
products and feels heaviness in
the abdomen and head.
This is a highly unhealthy
condition. The undigested food
produces toxins that rise
through the windpipe causing it
to swell temporarily, creating
breathing difficulties and other
problems. This is the primary
cause of asthma, bronchitis,
cough, nausea and fatigue.
Patients suffering from manda-
agni suffer from irregular bowel
movements, and they also tend
to drool while sleeping due to
excess salivation.
People governed by sattva
generally have balanced fire.
Those with a predominance of
rajas tend to have either wicked
February 2016
or sharp fire, depending on the
state of vata in their body. Those
with more tamasa have slow fire.
We can either align our mental
humours and fix our physical
ailments, or we can change our
lifestyle and soothe our mental
afflictions. Neither option is
mutually exclusive. Yogic
scriptures advocate building a
mental and moral discipline to
attain perfect health. Ayurveda,
on the other hand, focuses on
the outward influencing the
inward. It encourages an
external discipline to feel happy
and healthy. It demonstrates
how food can transform us.
four stages of digestion, it
doesn't mean that they'll have
the same effect on your mind. In
the short term, they may appear
to have the same effect on your
body. But ultimately, it's their
effect on your mind that will
determine the outcome for your
body.
Foods invigorate or aggravate
your genetic disposition. The
food you eat and the manner in
which you eat it makes a great
difference to your physical and
mental health.
To be continued...

Ayurveda states that one

should consume foods according Courtesy:
to one's constitution. When we The Wellness Sense Os
do that our nature starts to
synchronize with nature, and
the foods we eat lead to better
health and harmony. Each food
has a certain quality that affects
our wellbeing. Just like we have
physical and mental humours,
food too has something similar.

Every natural food has a living

energy in it. This is the mystical
aspect of our food. It is why the
fermentation of grapes and the
fermentation of wheat is not the
same. Even if two foods have
identical tastes throughout the

72 February 2016
73 February 2016
The Tree

74 February 2016

H ow many of us know
that the peel of a banana
fruit can be rubbed on a
mosquito bite with good effect?
The stinging sensation stops and
the swelling also reduces.
While only some parts of most of
the plants and trees are useful to
mankind, the wondrous banana
tree alone is of total service, each
part--the leaves, stem, fruits being
used in some form or other.
Banana trees tied to pillars of
pavilion symbolise
auspiciousness. During pujas and
on important days in Hindu
calendar, food is served on
banana leaves.
Offering on banana leaves is
said to please Lord Ganesa.
Banana leaves are large, flexible,
waterproof and decorative and
hence used for cooking,
wrapping and serving food in
tropical and subtropical areas.
Banana leaves contain large
amounts of polyphenols.
Polyphenol oxidase is an enzyme
that produces a chemical L-DOPA
which is used to treat
Parkinsons disease.
Steaming some varieties of food
with banana leaves imparts a
subtle sweet flavour and aroma
to the dish.
It is hygienic to eat food served
on banana leaves since the
leaves are discarded once the
food is consumed.
75
y
Medicinal Value
B o
For treating burn injuries, dry
banana leaves are burnt, and the
ash is mixed with slaked lime and
palm jaggery. The thick paste is
applied over the affected area and
it immediately dries and forms a
protective coating. This helps the
patient feel better soon.
Banana Stem
The tender inner stem of
banana plant is used as food and
has many medicinal properties
due to its high fibrous content.
It is mostly chopped and soaked
in buttermilk before being
cooked. You will find it in various
colours, such as off white, light
pink and purple.
In South Indian cuisine, chopped
banana stem is deliciously
combined with dhal and
buttermilk and then tempered
with traditional spices.
According to Ayurveda, banana
stem juice is highly beneficial to
health. The juice is made by
steaming chopped banana stem
along with water and grinding the
cooked stem till it is smooth. Add
buttermilk and salt, mix well and
consume quickly. It will be a little
astringent and bitter to taste.
Chopped stem soaked in
buttermilk with basic spices and
garam masala makes delicious
curries. Many use the stem raw
in salads too.
February 2016
 Banana stem is a good source
of dietary fibre, and a laxative to
ease constipation. Banana stem
juice taken with buttermilk on
empty stomach helps weight
reduction. The juice has other
benefits, too, such as relief for
ulcers, burning sensation and
acidity. Its astringent quality
helps in blood coagulation.
Banana stem is rich in potassium
and, taken regularly, can cure
stomach pain. Outer layers of the
stem can be used to treat burns.
Nowadays doctors and
dietitians recommend banana
stem in the diet at least once a
week for patients who suffer
from gall bladder stones.
Ingredients
Tender Banana stem 1/2 kg
Green gram (moong dhal) 1/2 cup
Grated Coconut 1/2 cup
Green chillies 4 or 5
Cumin seeds 1 tsp
Mustard Seeds 1 tsp
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves
Oil 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Method
1. Remove the outer layers of
the banana stem; cut the central
core into slices, removing the
76
fibres. Very tender stems usually
do not have fibre.
2. Place the chopped banana
stem in buttermilk to retain the
white colour; otherwise it will
get oxidised and turn into grey
brown colour.
3. Cook the chopped banana
stem in buttermilk adding
turmeric and asafoetida, till it
becomes soft.
4. Heat oil in a kadai and add
mustard seeds.
5. When they crackle, add the
cooked banana stem to it.
6. Wash the dhal and cook with
half cup of water till it becomes
soft but not mushy.
7. Grind grated coconut, green
chillies, cumin and curry leaves
together into a thick, coarse
paste.
8. Add the cooked dhal and
ground paste to banana stem.
Add salt.
9. Cover and simmer for two
more minutes.
10. Serve hot with hot rice and
rasam H
55cmani@gmail.com
Dr. Chandra Venkatasubramanian
February 2016

YOGA
Marjayasana, also known as Cat Pose,
is one of the core yoga asanas.
Organising the Pose:
1. Start on your hands and
knees in a tabletop position.
Make sure your knees are set
directly below your hips and
your wrists, elbows and
shoulders are in line and
perpendicular to the floor.
Center your head in a neutral
position, eyes looking at
the floor.
2. As you exhale, round your
spine toward the ceiling,
77
y
B o
making sure to keep your
shoulders and knees in
position. Release your head
toward the floor, but dont
force your chin to your chest.
3. Inhale, coming back to
neutral tabletop position on
your hands and knees.
Benefits
Stretches the back torso and
neck. Provides a gentle massage
to the spine and belly organs H
February 2016
 Inexpensive home-made
solutions

M ankind today spends billions of dollars on cosmetics and

skin creams to look good and have an ageless skin.

Skin care begins with our birth. When we are young, we have
diaper rash. In our childhood, we often get boils and scratches.

As adolescents, we have pimples, and in old age, we have

wrinkles. It is important that we understand that the skin is a
delicate organ and we should use natural skin products that
do not harm it.

78 February 2016

Natural skin care is often
available to all of us in our own
kitchen cabinets and requires a
few minutes to prepare. What is
more encouraging is that these
inexpensive homemade
solutions contain natural
ingredients bereft of costly
chemicals-filled products.
Home Remedies
It makes great sense to rub
baking soda over the skin once a
week when we shower. It
renders the skin smooth and
silky. This treatment also helps
to remove black heads.
Tomatoes offer a home remedy
to remove oil patches on the
face. Rinse the face with fresh
tomato juice and rinse it off with
lukewarm water after a few
minutes.
Olive Oil is a great moisturizer
for the skin and it soothes
sunburns.
Vinegar is good for smelly feet
and armpits. Mix water and
vinegar in equal proportions and
use it in place of a deodorant. It
keeps the unpleasant sweaty
smell away without irritating
the skin. Vinegar is also useful
in soothing the skin affected by
athletes foot.
79
y
Avocados offer a great
B o
treatment for dry skin. Avocados
should be mashed and put as a
paste on the skin and should be
rinsed after 20 minutes.
Skin Care and Herbs
Home-made pastes made from
rosemary, lavender, mint, ginger
and chamomile are good for skin
irritations because they contain
essential oils. Packs made from
strawberry or pineapple are
good for skin conditioning and
softening as they have plenty
of natural vitamins and
essential oils.
Different homemade remedies
are suitable for different people.
What is good for one may not be
good for another. Whatever be
the therapy, one must not forget
to drink at least eight glasses
of water every day for a
healthy skin H
drrajesh.vishwanathan@gmail.com
Dr. Rajesh Vishwanathan
February 2016
80 February 2016
 y
W e all know how good in the morning helps to
it feels to quench our stimulate digestion.

B o
thirst with a nice tall
glass of cool water. On the other hand, drinking
But is cool water always the best cold water with a meal can have
option? Remember adverse effects on the
our internal body digestive process. It
temperature is 37.0 C requires more energy
(98.6 F), which is from the body to
vastly different from warm up cool liquids
that of a glass of and foods, thus
cool water. taking a longer time
to digest and
Both Ayurveda and assimilate. Cold water
Traditional Chinese could, therefore, add
Medicine highlight the to digestive distress.
importance of
temperature and its Detox
effects on the body. Scientific studies
Our bodies have their conclude that
own innate drinking room
intelligence and often temperature water
tell us what we need with a squeeze of
to know. When you are lemon is the optimal
working out or the way to detox the body
weather is hot outside, system. Lemon helps
you will likely crave to stimulate digestion
ice water. But when and flush toxins.
you are sick with a If you add some
cold, you will be more cucumber slices or
inclined to want hot fresh mint, it will be a
water. great way to help
detox and weight
Digestion loss.
Ever wonder why most people
consume a hot beverage upon Warm or hot water is better if
rising? Ayurvedic medicine you are dealing with a headache
states that drinking warm water or inflammation. Because warm

81 February 2016
water helps stimulate blood flow to
the tissues, it is an excellent
remedy for treating menstrual
cramps.
Similarly, drinking warm water
when you're constipated can help
to move things along. Since the
main cause of constipation is
dehydration, warm water helps to
stimulate blood flow and has a
more soothing effect in the
intestines than cold water.
Ayurveda advises against
drinking cold water for thousands
of years. The logic behind this
premise is that cold water has the
overall effect of contracting,
slowing and shrinking. Warm
water helps to keep everything
fluid, protects the internal organs
and increases healthy blood flow
and circulation.
In any case, the consensus from a
broad spectrum of health
professionals is to stick with room
temperature water.
Remember to listen to your body;
often it is the best health
authority H
Condensed from
www.healthyandnaturalworld.com
82
Golden Words
Spiritual Darkness and Light
Do not be disheartened by the
spiritual darkness over-running
the world. When the sun sets
and the darkness of night
envelops the land, we do not
stop our work saying that the
sun has set. Do we not light a
lamp and get on with our normal
activities with the aid of that
lamp? If we feel that there is
urgency, do we not walk miles
together during the darkest of
nights guided by the flickering
light of a torch?
No Need to Convert
Conversion from one religion to
another is neither advisable nor
desirable. The religion in which a
man is born is the best fitted for
his spiritual upliftment. The Lord
knows which religion is best for
us and gives us birth in a
country, climate, time and faith
for which we are best suited.
Sri Chandrasekhara Bharati
Mahaswamigal, the 34th Jagadguru of
Sringeri Peetham
February 2016
 ?? January 2016

Page 83
84 February 2016
 FUNtasticK
Once a man got lost in the desert. Water in his travel
container had run out two days earlier. He knew
that if he did not get some water soon, he would
surely perish.

And then he saw a shack ahead of him. He thought it

might be a mirage or hallucination, but having no
other option, he moved towards it. As he got closer
he realised it was quite real, so he dragged his weary
body to the door.

The shack seemed to have been abandoned for quite

some time. The man gained entrance, hoping against
hope that he might find water inside.

His heart skipped a beat when he saw what was in

the shack: A water pump.
It had a pipe going down through the floor, perhaps
tapping a source of water deep underground.

He began working the pump, but no water came out.

He kept at it and still nothing happened. Finally he
gave up from exhaustion and frustration. He threw
up his hands in despair. It looked as if he was going
to die after all.

Then the man noticed a bottle in one corner of the

shack. It was filled with water and corked up to
prevent evaporation. He uncorked the bottle and was
about to gulp down the sweet life-giving water when
he noticed a piece of paper attached to it.
Handwriting on the paper read: "Use this water to
start the pump. Don't forget to fill the bottle when
you're done."
He had a dilemma. He could follow the instruction

85 February 2016
 and pour the water into the pump, or he could ignore it and just
drink the water.

What to do? If he let the water go into the pump, what assurance
did he have that it would work? What if the pump malfunctioned?
What if the pipe had a leak? What if the underground reservoir
had long dried up?

But then... maybe the instruction was correct. Should he risk it? If
it turned out to be false, he would be throwing away his last
opportunity to survive.

Hands trembling, he poured the water into the pump. Then he

closed his eyes, said a prayer, and started working the pump.

He heard a gurgling sound, and then water came gushing out,

more than he could possibly use. He luxuriated in the cool and
refreshing stream. He was going to live!

After drinking his fill and feeling much better, he looked around
the shack. He found a pencil and a map of the region. The map
showed that he was still far away from civilization, but at least
now he knew where he was and which direction to go.

He filled his container for the journey ahead. He also filled the
bottle and put the cork back in. Before leaving the shack, he added
his own writing below the instruction: "Believe me, it works!"

This story is all about life. It teaches us that we must give before
we can receive abundantly. More importantly, it also teaches that
faith plays an important role in giving. The man did not know if
his action would be rewarded, but he proceeded regardless.
Without knowing what to expect, he made a leap of faith.

Anything done for the general welfare of the world yields return
in abundance but do your act without expecting the return H

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Sajjangad, literally meaning the Fort of Good People, near the city of
Satara, is the final resting place of Sant Ramdas, the 17th century saint
and the spiritual guru of the Maratha king, Shivaji.

He was born on Sri Rama Navami day in 1530 AD to a pious couple in

Maharashtra who were intense worshippers of the Sun God, Surya, and
was named as Narayan. He was astonishingly spiritual from an early
age. At the age of 12, he is said to have been initiated into the Taraka
Nama by Lord Rama himself while he was in a trance. He worshipped
Rama in the holy city of Nasik for 12 years and was transformed with a
spiritual glow following his eternal smaran of Rama and Hanuman.

During his subsequent wandering all over the country, Ramdas met
Guru Hargobind, the successor to Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism.
When Ramdas asked how come he went about fully armed and riding a
horse as a successor to the illustrious guru, Sant Hargobind replied that
he was internally a hermit and externally a prince. His arms were
meant for protection of the poor and destruction of tyrants. He added
that Baba Nanak had renounced maya (ego), and not the world. Sant
Ramdas was deeply impressed by the reply.

The saint strongly advocated self-confidence, and eschewed mindless

superstition. Never lose patience, and have faith in the face of
adversities, was his credo. Follow Hanuman, who emerged victorious
based on total faith for his ishta devata, he used to tell his admirers. His
magnum opus, Dasbodh, in Marathi is a Vedantic text containing gems of
spiritual knowledge and devotion, and is widely popular even today.

Thousands of visitors to the Sajjangad fort quietly meditate at the

samadhi of this great son of India every day and come away elevated in
mind and spirit H

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