June 2017 July 2017

Volume 6 Issue 2
A Bi-monthly bulletin of Vivekananda Kendra Vedic Vision Foundation

In this Issue

Editorial

Re-openining of Sandeepani sishuvihar

Yoga sangamam

International Yoga Day celebration

Shatabhishekam ceremony of Vivekananda
Kendra's four elders
Guru Poornima

Yoga course at S.N.M. College, Maliankara

Yoga for Stress management

Sishuvihar parents training programme

Ramayana month (karkatakam) starts

Regular Activities

Mother is at Home
 Volume 6 Issue 2 -2- June 2017 - July 2017

EDITORIAL

Appu the awakener of Motherhood

In Bhagavatha there is a narration about Sage Dattatreya and his 24 Gurus, which
include a python, honey bee, Spider, a girl, a prostitute and so on. Here comes the story
of Appu the pet dog of our Ananda Dham, who taught us many a lesson in bettering hu-
man relations, most important being the transforming power of love which sans maid
barriers.
Appu was gifted to us by the renowned humanitarian Cartman Prof. N.S.Ramaswamy
the Founder Director of I.I.M.Bangalore. He was brought to Ananda Dham on 22nd Au-
gust 2004, on the Samadhi day of our founder Late Ma. Eknathji. The professor referred
to him as a Roadesian (obtained from roadside), but he proved to be a dog extra ordi-
nary. Quite handsome, quiet, contemplative and highly disciplined with sparse habits, he
fitted into our Ashram life effortlessly. He attended all our prayers, yoga, and Satsang
sessions without creating any disturbance whatsoever. No wonder, soon he became the
pet of not only inmates of Anandadham but also our visitors, yoga students in Anandad-
ham and our Sishuvihar children.
We are seven inmates, six elderly sisters and one brother, who have left our families
and worldly interests and natural springs of love in us were drying up amidst our matter
of fact activities. As in any home, positive and negative vibrations were aplenty in our
centre but Appu transcended everything. He slowly licked away the rust on the strings of
love in our hearts and tuned them to the Universal note of love that every mother nur-
tures for her child. His unequivocal love melted away the accumulated the hardness in our
hearts with the results our hearts opened up to the manifold expressions of love, expand-
ing and elevating our rather monotonous lives. He taught us transforming the power of
selfless love and each one of us felt the warmth and fragrance of that love. In each one of
us it invoked utmost tenderness of motherly love which was explicit in the way addressed
him using all sorts of endearing names, the way we fed him, put him to sleep covering
him with his special shawl and sitting near him mumbling sweet lullabies, essentially we
turned into Yashodas and he was our wonder kid Krishna.
He moved about freely coming even to the kitchen to see whether we were cooking
anything special for him. Our prayer hall was his favorite place to sleep. Next came
mothers room, brothers room, and then the office. Never would he disturb anybody or
 Volume 6 Issue 2 -3- June 2017 - July 2017

anything but would quietly lie down endearingly watching at our work. The net effect was
thanks to Appu we were raised one small step in our spiritual evolution by realizing the
potential motherhood within us.
On 19th July, on the holy Ekadasi day, he left us quietly and elegantly as he lived to
leave behind inexplicable fragrance of unconditional love. He was buried on our campus
with the honour due to a pet child.
Unknown indeed are the Gods ways of teaching us the lessons of life. Appu did not live
in vain. He opened up one tiny door of universal love in all of us, who were part of his
family. The sweet fragrance of Apus love has added to the totality of the Ananda of our
Anandadham. Let me appeal to all dog lovers not to miss this primary lesson of awaken-
ing motherhood (infinitude) from their dogs (or other pets) and get enlightened and
achieve universal expansion.
 Volume 6 Issue 2 -4- June 2017 - July 2017
Re-Opening of Sandeepani Sishuvihar
Fifteen tiny tots were newly enrolled in LKG class of Sandeepani Sishuvihar on the reopening day June
5th, (Monday). After filling up of the admission forms, there was parents meet for both the UKG and LKG
tiny tots. In the meeting Mananeeya Didi welcomed the kids and their parents and gave an introduction
of the uniqueness of this Sishuvihar. Didi also mentioned that this academic session onwards, the tiny
tots will be introduced to activity based learning partly based on the teachings of Madame Montessori,
so that along with formal learning their base will become strong enough to face the stresses of higher
classes. The Kendra members and the teachers were introduced to parents by Su Bindu, in charge of the
Sandeepani Sishuvihar. After this short ceremony followed lighting of lamp by the youngest child and
welcoming of each new child by Didi, with a flower and lastly distribution of sweets and allowing them to
play with toys being the first day at school.
 Volume 6 Issue 2 -5- June 2017 - July 2017
Yoga Sangamam For Ladies

On 10th June at 10.30 a.m. Yoga Sangamam for ladies was conducted by Sri Sudhakarji. The topic
was OM kar Dhyana, its benefits, and method of practice. After a brief theory for a clear understanding
of the word 'Dhyana' or meditation which he termed as an unbroken flow of knowledge of the object on
which one meditates and by constant practice leads to self-realization, the goal of every human being.
The benefits of regular meditation like improved concentration, increased memory power, emotional eq-
uipoise, and higher creativity were also explained. Lastly, the method or steps of Omkara Dhyana was
demonstrated. After the theory, he conducted the Dhyana class. 12 ladies from 2016-17 Yoga Varga
batches were present for the Sangamam. The class concluded at 12 noon with Shanti mantra.

International Yoga Day Celebration

As a part of the commemoration of International Yoga Day, Vivekananda Kendra Vedic Vision Foun-
dation held 1) two Awareness Workshops on 18th June (Sunday), based on the Benefits of Yoga on, i)
Diabetes and ii) Asthma. 2) A yoga asana competition for three categories of students from 6 different
schools of Kodungallur on 20th June, and 3) Mass yoga in the early morning of 21st June followed by
the concluding function from 10 a.m. to 12 noon.

18th June
With the lighting of the lamp by Mananeeya Lakshmi Didi, the first workshop began at 10.30 a.m.
The topic was Diabetes, its cause and how yoga could help to control it. A popular Yoga practitioner
from Chennai who had come on a visit to Anandadham was requested to conduct the workshop. It last-
ed for nearly two hours. He gave some important tips on how one should mould one's lifestyle in order
to prevent such psychosomatic ailments like Diabetes. 20 people were benefited by the workshop.
 Volume 6 Issue 2 -6- June 2017 - July 2017

The second workshop started at 2.15 p.m. on the same day. The subject was Asthma, its prevention,
and cure. Sri Sudhakarji conducted the class. An elaborate explanation of the yogic way of looking at the
body, the reasons for 'vyadhi' or sickness and how yogic way of life and practice of some specific asanas
and kriyas could totally cure Asthma etc. was made clear through a power point presentation. The class
concluded at 4 p.m.

20th June
75 students from 6 different schools viz, Amrita Vidyalaya, Gurushree Public School, HDPY Senior Sec.
School, Shantiniketan International School and Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Irinjalakuda and Bharatiya Vidya
Bhavan, Kodungallur, participated in Yogasana Competition held in three categories- group A from clas-
ses III to V, group B from classes VI to VIII and group C from classes IX and X. The event started as early
as 7.30 a.m. and concluded at 12 noon. It was a good exposure for the students to assess their individual
capacities and learn from the performance of the better performers.

21st June
The International Yoga Day started with Deepa prajwalan and a few words of blessings by Mananeeya
Didi. 27 ladies and 23 gents participated in the mass yoga asana demonstration from 6.30 a.m. to 7.30
a.m. All of them were either yoga varga or yoga satra participants.

7 schools had invited karyakartas of VK Vedic Vision to talk on yoga and conduct a class for their stu-
dents. 5 of our Yoga Varga lady karyakartas took the responsibility of visiting the schools. Su. Padmaja
(BSc Yoga from SVYASA) and Su. Pravitha (YIC from SVYASA) took classes in Phoenix Public School, Little
Flower School, Seethi Sahib Memorial School and Sishu Vidya Poshini, Su. Sindhu (YIC from SVYASA)
along with Sri Sudhakaranji -a Sthanik Varistha Karyakarta, went to St Anne's Higher Sec School, Su.
Sakeena Basheer (YIC from SVYASA) and Sri Sudhakaranji went to Bala Bodhini Govt U.P. School, Su. Cini
(YIC from SVYASA) went to Al-Ameen School and Sri Sudhakarji, (jeevanvrathi) was invited to deliver the
message of yoga in Paravur panchayat and MIIT School at Anjankadi. Su.Ranjitha (B.Sc. Yoga, SVYASA)
and Su.Lajitha (YIC Annamalai Univ) who are yoga teachers in Sri Sai Vidya Bhavan and HDPY schools,
Smt Jaya Radhakrishnan and Sri Harinathji - yoga teachers in Gurushree School and Bharatiya Vidya Bha-
van, all of them whose initial training in yoga was in VK Vedic Vision, conducted the IYD programmes in
their respective schools. Thus more than 2000 students, teachers and common people were approached
in the process.
 Volume 6 Issue 2 -7- June 2017 - July 2017

The concluding function of Yoga Day was conducted at Anandadham on the 21st morning. The pro-
gram started from 10.30 a.m. and continued up to 12 noon. H.D.P.Y school Principal Sri M.V. Shaji was the
Chief Guest of the program. H.D.P.Y.Senior Secondary School received the Ma. Eknathji Rolling Trophy
this year since maximum points (29 points) were won by them in all categories. The second position was
taken by Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Kodungallur and Gurushree Public School with 17 points. The prize win-
ners demonstrated the asanas on stage. Ma. Didi and Sri M.V. Shaji spoke to the audience about the im-
portance of yoga in everyone's life.
Volume 6 Issue 2 -8- June 2017 - July 2017
 Volume 6 Issue 2 -9- June 2017 - July 2017
Shatabhishekam Ceremony Of Vivekananda Kendra's Four Elders.
The Ceremony of Shatabhishekam of four octogenarians
Mananeeya Parameswaranji, Ma. Lakshmi Didi, Ma.Balkrishnanji
and Ma. Angirasji (Mamaji) was celebrated in a grand way in Vi-
vekananda Kendra Headquarters, Kanyakumari on 22nd and 23rd
June. It started with Ganapathi Homam in the evening of 22nd
June, in the Patanjali (Yoga Hall) at Vivekanandapuram. 113 Kar-
yakarta Prashikshan Shibir participants from all over India, Well-
wishers, Karyakartas from different places, like Mumbai, Pune,
Hyderabad, Kerala, Tamilnadu and many more from far of places
who specially came to attend this program and also locals
(around 300) were present on the auspicious occasion. The Cere-
mony was conducted by 8 to 10 well versed and eminent Puro-
hits from Kanyakumari District under the guidance of Shri Shan-
kar Bhatt.
 Volume 6 Issue 2 -10- June 2017 - July 2017
Gurupoornima Celebration
The auspicious day of Gurupoornima was on July 9th, Ganapathi Homam and Sreechakra puja, was
performed in the early hours of the morning as in all Purnima days.
The inmates of Anandadham and a few well-wishers were present.
Pada Pooja of Mananeeya Lakshmi Didi by the tiny tots of Sandeep-
ani Sishuvihar and their parents was arranged at 10 a.m. The chil-
dren came with their parents.
Samskarvarga children and
SKIE students also took part in
the programme.
In the evening on the same
day at 3.30p.m, the Yoga Var-
ga and Yoga Satra participants
and well-wishers took part in chanting of Guru Stotra lead by SKIE
student Sreelakshmi of class X. Ma. Didi explained the Guru Stotra
and relevant stanzas from the
Kendra Prarthana to clarify the
idea of surrender or
'atmanivedanam'. Each of the
participants offered flowers in
front of OM. Swami Van-
ishanandaji of Ramakrishna
Math Kayamkulam was the Chief Speaker. He spoke on the im-
portance of 'Guru' quoting from the Kathopanishad. A video of Sri
Narayan Guru's Daivadashakam was shown after that. 75 people attended the evening programme
On 10th July, as a part of Gurupoornima celebration, inauguration of a year long certificate course on
yoga for the degree students of SNM, College Maliankara, was organized by the teachers of the college
who are members of the Vivekananda Yoga club which was started five years ago by Vivekananda Kendra
Vedic Vision. Sri Sudhakarji and Su. Sutapa along with two Yoga Varga karyakartas who will be handling
the classes, were present for the inauguration session. Fifty I, II and III-year Degree students and some
teachers too, who showed interest in
the course were present. Classes start-
ed from 18th July-Tuesday. Every
Tuesdays and Thursdays there will be
classes.
 Volume 6 Issue 2 -11- June 2017 - July 2017

Yoga For Stress Management

The National Productivity Council, Guwahati (Under Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Govt of In-
dia), invited Vivekananda Kendra to conduct a class on Stress Management for the employees of OIL( Du-
liajan), during a five-day workshop held in Kochi from 9th to 14th July.
On 11th July Sushree Lalitha in charge of Vivekananda Kendra's Thiruvananthapuram branch and Su.
Sutapa from VK Vedic Vision Foundation Kodungallur together conducted a Stress Mgt class for an hour
and a half for 23 OIL employees from 11 a.m. to 12.30 noon.

Su. Lalitha explained the main reason for stress and its remedy while Su.Sutapa conducted the prac-
tice session. The feedback after the class was very encouraging. All the OIL employees promised to con-
tact the local branches of Vivekananda Kendra at Duliajan, Assam.

Sishuvihar Parents Training Programme

With the able guidance of Adaraneeya Lata Didi of VK Thiruvananthapuram centre, Sandeepani Sishu-
vihar children have been introduced to Activity based Learning technique which is an effortless natural
way of making children learn what they ought to learn at their age. On 12th July, Lata Didi conducted a
workshop for the parents of those children and trained them as to how they were to teach their children
the various skills necessary for the childs development like physical development, linguistic develop-
ment, development of sense organs ,intellectual capacity and social development. From 10a.m. to 12
noon the parents of the LKG children were trained and from 2.30 p.m. to 5 p.m. the parents of UKG chil-
dren were trained, with practical demonstration.
 Volume 6 Issue 2 -12- June 2017 - July 2017

Ramayana Month (Karkatakam) Starts

Karkataka or Ramayana month started from 17th July. The first Parayanam was in the Devi Temple of
Keetoli. Su Bindu has started her house to house parayanam. This house programme will continue for the
entire month.
 Volume 6 Issue 2 -13- June 2017 - July 2017

REGUL AR ACTIVITIES

Yoga Satra
15 participants including 9 ladies and 7 gents underwent Yogasatra
training in the months of June and July.

Yoga Varga

An average of ten gents in the early morning and 15 ladies in the fore-
noon, regularly attended Yoga Varga during June and July.

Ganapathi Homam and Sricakrapuja

Ganapathi Homam and Sri Chakra Puja were were conducted every fullmoonday by poojaries trained by
Karumatra Matham.

Samskar Varga
Samskar Varga went on regularly every Sundays, here at Anandadham
with average 15 children attending Samskar Varga went on regularly
every Sundays, here at Anandadham with average 15 children attending

SKIE classes
SKIE classes for the older two (class IX and X) batches started from
10th June (second Saturday). Classes for the newcomers will begin
from August. SKIE is a special three year project unique in its func-
tioning, and dealing with children from class VIII, and was started two
years back.
 Volume 6 Issue 2 -14- June 2017 - July 2017

MOTHER IS AT HOME
Dr. M. Lakshmi Kumari

The news of Ms. Kiran Bedi being awarded the Magsaysay Award for community work brought a
thrill of joy*. Here is a woman who was, for the last decade or so, struggling to find her place in the
world of men, getting her snubs and humiliations all along, but not giving up, and at last arriving at the
point which she so richly deserves. For the 2,000 or so inmates at the Tihar Jail, she has become a real
mother, bringing the love guidance and discipline the light of a new life. She really fits into the phrase
which Maharshi Mahesh Yogi has coined, Mother is at home, to indicate the state of expansiveness, love
and compassion, when like a true mother, we are aware at all levels and receptive to the totality of
experiences in and around us, where he mind is at home with itself, where one doesnt feel isolated, but
feels connected emotionally with everything around, where one is overwhelmed with a surging emotion
to love, to give, to serve, to unify, to put the broken pieces together to be whole and create whole. This
was the condition that really existed in our Indian homes, which, made them truly a sanctum sanctorum
for human development. But alas, with the march of time towards progress through wrong short-cuts,
our mothers too have lost their ground. In many homes mothers are there physically but truly mothers
are rarely at home.

Todays mothers fall into interesting categories. A busy mother is commonly seen, trying to cope
with a very busy schedule of looking after the home (with no domestic help), earning a living with a full-
time demanding job, socializing, helping and sharing the business interests of the husband, so on and so
forth. Children get only occasional glimpses of their busy guardians and the only impact they leave
behind on the children is one of hurry, worry, tension, speed and greed.

An aggressive mother, in spite of her busy schedule, still finds time to be with the children, but is
aggressively possessive, commanding and demanding. Children in such homes live in constant fear and
tension; their personality gets stunted and after a while the children look elsewhere for comfort, solace
and relaxation. Beware, they may end up as drug addicts or alcoholics!

Indifferent mothers do not bother much about their domestic duties and the children grow
indifferent to the values and beauties of family life. Indulgent mothers have a wrong concept of bringing
up their children. They think by indulging the children the children in all their pursuits, good or bad, they
can keep their hold on them. But alas, the children from such families will never realise the value of time,
money and also of true love.

Ignorant mothers are truly ignorant of the science and art of bringing up their children. Yet,
often, due to their sincerity of devotion and soulful love towards their family they succeed in monitoring
 Volume 6 Issue 2 -15- June 2017 - July 2017

good human beings, but not always. To these categories we can add many more brooding, intolerant,
impatient and so on. In the Western style there are also the unwed mother, biological mother, foster
mother, legal mother, etc. But none of them come anywhere near a true mother.

To be a mother is a great challenge as well as a fulfilling full-time job. She has to be anywhere
and everywhere in her home. She must be able to feel the pulse of all her family members husband, in-
laws, children, their friends, servants and others. She must specialize in the art of holding the family
together. When the interactions between the members lead to over spilling of emotions she must be
ready to mop it up and not allow it to leave its stain on the home-front. When the fabric of the home
gets torn here and there through wear and tear, through her kind thoughts, considerate words and
loving gestures she should stitch them up land make them whole. The outsiders should never notice the
joints nor the stitches. When catastrophies come in torrents, her faith in the people, her prayers to the
Almighty and her own infinite capacity to love, forgive and forget, must provide the shield to save the
family structure from crumbling.

Discipline, counseling and guidance must come naturally and effectively to a mother as they are
all spontaneous expressions of true love and understanding. It requires a generous heart to be tolerant
of other and never be over-assertive on ones own. Yet, she must assert herself if occasion really
demands sit.

All these qualities and specializations are aspects of spiritual awareness and that is where the crux
of the problem lies. Mothers, when they become self-centered and too preoccupies with material
interests lose that unique dimensional and that is from where all the trouble starts. In olden days, faith in
the cultural values, family traditions, elders examples, etc., provided an easy path for the unfoldment of
the spiritual power of motherhood. But now, elders have become superfluous, values are forgotten,
traditions have become obsolete, and the quality of life is lost.

Mothers should learn to integrate themselves with the life and interests of the family members. A
mother knows automatically what dish her children like, what they can digest and what they cant. Sri
Ramakrishna uses this as an example for the Hindu tradition of each one choosing ones own path to
reach God. They Almighty like a loving mother, has provided very many ways of adoring, worshipping
and realizing Him, according to each ones capacity and liking.

Mothers had time to tell stories, sing songs through which they generated courage in the children,
instilled values, assured them of the good ending if the path was rightly chosen. Shivaji owes it to his
mother, the vision and mission he developed in his later life. So also many of our heroes and leaders.
Sometimes, mothers became wonderful counselors as they sat combing the hair of their daughters
 Volume 6 Issue 2 -16- June 2017 - July 2017
after a days hard work, picking flowers and making garlands, doing insignificant household chores with
the childrens participation, they helped the children pour out their days experiences and they got
guidance and help immediately. There was never a carryover of tension. Each day dawned fresh and
good, purposeful and inviting, full of promises.

If our society is turning intolerant, corrupt, brutal if the young men and women find their homes
only as a hotel or lodge, parents as money-spinning machines, the factories that produce them are our
homes and not the society. The behaviour of the younger generation is a mirror, reflecting the beauty or
ugliness of the previous generation. If we want to regenerate our society, mothers have to be more and
more at home, available to their children, all the time when they need them. Does it mean that mothers
have to give up their career, interests and so on? Not necessarily. One thing is certain they must know
how to develop that invisible, all-pervading dimension; they should learn to be whole all the while, so
that the children, the whole family, rests in the wholeness of the family, of the mother.

*This article was written when the news of Ms. Kiran Bedi getting the Magsaysay Award was announced.