Athi Rudhram and Sahasra Chandi Homam at Vadavambalam

Vadavambalam is a small village in Tamil Nadu, situated in between Villupuram and Panruti. The Adhistanam

situated amongst open fields was not known until Sri Chandrasekhara Saraswathi (Maha Periyava) of

Sri kanchi Kamakoti Peetam found it in 1927.

Sri Aathmabodendra swamigal was one of the Kanchi Mutt's pontiffs who lived in the later part of eighteenth

and the beginning of nineteenth century. Learning from the Mutt records that the swamigal had attained

samadhi somewhere here, Maha Periyava set about to find the exact spot, while on His tour in this part

of the country. When He came here He requested Kumbakonam Sri Sambamoorthy Sastrigal, who had

accompanied Him, to have his bath and to dig in a particular spot just with his hands without the use

of any instrument.

When Sri Sambamoorthy Sastrigal started to dig as bid he swooned in a trance. When Maha Periyava

enquired of him as to what he saw he replied that he saw a Yatheeswarar sitting with a Danda and

kamandalu and holding a rudraksha in his hand chant 'sada shivam, sada shivam'. Many vedic scholars

seated in his front were chanting the Upanishads.

The Yatheeswarar signed to him to stop the digging and also stopped the chanting. Maha Periyava

then requested the owner of the land to donate it to the Mutt . He then built a Brindavana in this spot

and incorporated a Linga here. It may be mentioned here that it was Sri Aathmabodendral's disciple

Sri Bodendral who spread Naama Sidantha, at his Guru's behest.

A few devotees of the Kanchi Paramacharya have taken the Samkalpam to conduct Atirudram and Sahasra
Chandi Homam for the welfare of the entire world in 11 holy pilgrim centers. The first two were
performed in Ilayathangudi (last Dec) and Tiruvenkadu (last May). The third in the series is scheduled to
take place from Dec 22 to Jan 8 in Vadavambalam. Most of the places chosen for the Atirudram are quite
remote and hardly any facilities are available and everything has to be done from scratch. In Vadavambalam
because of the incessant rains last week, even the Pandals that were erected were destroyed and had to be
redone. There is a serious crunch of funds available. Hence this urgent appeal from the organisers to all followers of
Sanatana Dharma to participate and help in the successful completion of the Yagna. The invitation is attached.
The estimate is around Rs 35 Lakhs.

Those who wish to contribute to the Atirudra & Sahasra Chandi Mahayagnam may send DD/Cheque drawn
in favour of “Shree Chandra Sekarendra Saraswathy Swamigal Kaingarya Trust” payable at Trichy
to Sri.T.K.Vaidhyanathan, Door no. DAF/4, Bharat Plaza , Moolathopu, Melur Rd. , Srirangam, Trichy-620006,
Ph. No: 0431 2434553.

Exemption under Section 80G of Income Tax Act ,1961 is available.

In the USA, tax exemption is available for cheques drawn in favor of KKSF mentioning

'Vadavambalam Atirudram' in the memo. It can be sent to Sri. K. Guruvayurappan,

502 Justin Way, Neshanic Station NJ 08853.

Further information can also be had from:

Sri. T.K. Vaidhyanathan, Trichy, Cell: 9443733573; Sri. J.G.Moorthy, Trichy, Cell: 9840918710, E-mail: <jgm_ohm@yahoo.co.in>; Sri. S. Ramakrishnan, Coimbatore ,Cell: 9442644830. E-mail:

Roots of Hindu astronomy -- RN Iyengar
(Dec. 2007)

A profile of Indian astronomy before the Siddhantic period: paper presented at the Iserve Conference at Hyderabad on 14 Dec. 2007.

That is, the state of Hindu astronomy, before the Common Era.

The reference to the list of 24 comets ending with dhumaketu is instructive. The knowledge about comets may explain the misunderstandings caused by misreading of some texts of Mahabharata -- a point effectively argued by Narahari Achar.

The astronomy related to comets, as also Saptarsi era, is as yet an untold story.

Thanks to Prof. RN Iyengar for the sheer brilliance with which he has provided a perspective and a method for tracing the evolution of hindu astronomy from Vedic times, and for the scintillating essay presenting an evaluation of early texts and the extremely complex technical terms used in these texts.

Dhanyavaadah. Kalyanaraman

Finally we have them on the Web! Enjoy!!

Dr. Subramanian Swamy interview on Hinduism with CTS TV Canada - Part 1
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1712243349323343484&hl=en

Dr. Subramanian Swamy interview on Hinduism with CTS TV Canada - Part 2
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6161525532715981859&hl=en

Dr. Subramanian Swamy interview on Hinduism with CTS TV Canada - Part 3
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1954214506531287455&hl=en

Dr. Subramanian Swamy interview on Hinduism with CTS TV Canada - Part 4
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1702185898119250427&hl=en

Dr. Subramanian Swamy interview on Hinduism with CTS TV Canada - Part 5
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8587101294410741633&hl=en

Dr. Subramanian Swamy interview on Hinduism with CTS TV Canada - Part 6
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6575980604572860048&hl=en

Aum

MOkshasaadhanam (Means of Liberation) – 22

by Krishna Sastri

The mind, Bhagavan Ramana said, is a bundle of thoughts. Therefore thoughts are but parts of the mind.

Only the beginningless has no parts. All that has a beginning has parts. In BrahadhaaranyakOpanishad says: “ThanmanOsrujatha” – It projected the mind. This is its beginning.

A thought is a knowledge brought about by ‘manOvritthi’. Since mind itself is inert this knowledge, unlike the Pure Consciousness, is not sentient (Chaithanyam).

‘Vritthi’ arises with the contact of the organs such as eyes with objects such as a pot. The Vedanthic concept of a thought is that the mind going through a sense organ, envelopes the object and thus gains its impression or thought. This is the process of perception, according to Advaita Vedaantha (as given in Sankara’s UpadEsa Saahasri, Vedaranya’s Panchadasi and Advarindra’s Paribhaasha).This is called the ‘perceptual knowledge’. In this process the Consciousness becomes threefold. They are:

* i) Consciousness limited by the object (prameya-chaitanyam),
* ii) Consciousness limited by the mental mode (vritti) (pramana-chaitanyam) and
* iii) Consciousness limited by the mind (pramatr-chaitanyam).

Now let us understand this process of perception little more closely.
* (1) the mind stretches out through the eye, reaches the object and takes the form of the object. This is called a vrtti or mode of the mind.
* (2) the mental mode removes the veil of ignorance that hides the object.
* (3) Consciousness underlying the object, being manifest through the mental mode, illumines the object.
* (4) the mental mode associates the object-consciousness with the subject-consciousness.
* (5) The subject perceives the object.
As the mind, which is part of the Prakrthi, goes through the above karma in order to obtain the objective knowledgeand it is its ‘phala’ or the fruit.
The perceiver is the ‘pramaathaa’ and the Consciousness associated with him is called ‘pramaatha chaithanya’. The Consciousness associated with the means of knowledge is called ‘pramaana chaithanya’ and the Consciousness associated with the object is known as ‘pramithi chaithanya’ and the object itself is called ‘pramEya’ and therefore in terms of Consciousness it would be ‘pramEya chaithanya’. Thus ‘pramithi chithanya and pramEya chaithanya’ would be identical.

This way the underlying Consciousness brings to light the object that is known.

Among the Vedantins, there are two schools of thoughts, one considering the mind as an organ and the other as not an organ. According the ‘Bhaamathi’ mind is an indhriya but ‘Vivarana’ school does not consider so.

The reason attributed is that thought arises even without the sense organs contacting the sense objects. And the objection to it is that the thought as a knowledge has to be immediate but in the case of inference which is brought about by the function of the mind, there is no immediacy of the knowledge.
(contd.)

HERALDING THE LAUNCH OF

“TERRORISM IN INDIA - A STRATEGY OF DETERRENCE FOR INDIA’S NATIONAL SECURITY” – The latest Book authored by Dr.Subramanian Swamy.

A section of Chennai City’s intellectuals witnessed the launch of Dr.Subramanian Swamy’s latest book titled “Terrorism in India – A Strategy of Deterrence for India’s National Security” organized at the famous venue “Landmark”, on Thursday the 13^th of December 2007. Incidentally ‘Landmark’ celebrated its 20^th Anniversary on the same day. Coincidentally, it happened to be the 6^th Anniversdary of Teror attack on Indian Parliament. What a day to launch a book on Terrorism & National Security!

Dr.Swamy needs no introduction. Holding a Ph.D. in Economics from Harvard University, he still continues teaching there as a visiting Professor and he has also published famous papers on Economics jointly with Nobel Laureatte Paul A. Samuelson. He is recognized internationally as an authority on Economics. His political background and vast experience is well known. He has been elected to the parliament five times. He has also been a Minister in former Prime Minister Chandrasekhar’s cabinet. He has a thorough knowledge on External Affairs & Foreign Policies. His two previous books “Hindus Under Siege: The Way Out” and “Srilanka in Crisis: India’s Options” deserve to be mentioned now, in the context that, he talks about Islamic Terroprism & LTTE Activities in his latest book.

In the course of his launch speech, Dr.Swamy dealt with the present terror & security scenario, how our country has been made as a soft target for terrorists, particularly due to the vote bank politics practice by the pseudo-secular political parties, the mindset of the minority communities, lack of awareness in the majority community and the formation of sleeper cells in the Muslim dominated areas. He also highlighted the Naxal & Maoist menace spreading far & wide within the country from Assam to Tamil Nadu and the recent spurt in LTTE activities.

Dr.Swamy emphasized that, India as an integrated country, must foster a “Concept of Identity” in order to deter terror. He felt that, we, as a country, have not come out of the “identity crisis”, even after 60 years of independence. He categorically said that, the ancient Hindu Identity must be established to resolve the identity crisis, and once that is done, the minorities, particularly Muslims & Christians would easily understand the ways & means of adjusting with the majority, resulting in a well integrated India with peace & harmony.

As the division of Hindu majority along caste & linguistic lines will be a danger, resulting in India becoming a Muslim or a Christian country, Dr.Swamy asserted that, the feeling of Nationalism & Patriotism must be developed in the minds of the people, by creating awareness on the true history of the nation, which will help a long way in resolving our identity crisis. As the nation is very weak at present, he felt that, a society based on the concept of “Dharma” is vitally needed to get rid of the decay of morality and decline of character.

As a strategy of deterrence against terrorism, Dr.Swamy suggested many ways such as, Removal of Article 370, Implementation of Uniform Civil Code, Enacting Anti-
Conversion Laws, Compulsory teaching of Sanskrit language and making it as the National Language, Mandatory singing of Vandemataram, Resettling of Kashmiri Pandits & a million Ex-servicemen in Jammu & Kashmir and removal of a Masjid standing on the remains of a Temple for every bomb attack on a Temple, etc. He said that he had explained these strategies in detail in the book along with many other actions to counter terror.

Later, Dr.Swamy read out a few paragraphs from his book, which was followed by an interesting interactive session. Then Dr.Swamy autographed a few books, which were purchased on the spot.

The book has been published by M/S. Har-Anand Publications Pvt Ltd, E-49 / 3. Okhla Industrial Area, Phase-II, New Delhi – 110020. Tel: 011-41603490, E-Mail: haranand@rediffmail.com The book is available at M/S. Landmark, 3. Nungambakkam High Road, Chennai – 600 034. The book with 143 pages is priced at Rs.295/-

A Dharmacharya’s clarion call for a new Hindu Constitution 04/12/2007 00:16:25 By Shri V. Sundaram in News Today.net Satguru Sivananda Murthy spoke very eloquently at the PS Secondary School Auditorium in Mylapore three weeks ago about the imperative national need for a new Hindu Constitution for India, which takes due note of Sanatana Dharma, Hinduism, Hindu way of life, Hindu culture and Hindu society. During the course of his talk he made it clear that the only thing that the Hindus of India have to fear today is fear itself. Unlike most Hindu Dharmacharyas who choose to remain diplomatically (if not politically!) neutral on the issues of life and death affecting the majority Hindus of India, Satguru Sivananda Murthy is forthright and fearless in his espousal of Hindu causes. . When the people supposed to be great fail to perform the right act in the right time, righteousness declines and unrighteousness ascends. Mahakavi Bharathi in his ‘Paanjali Sabatham’, condemning the silence observed by great Acharyas like Bheeshma and Dhrona when a helpless Draupati was dragged to Kaurava Court and molested, says they all stood like “Pettai Marangal” i.e. dead wood unable to protect the honour of a woman in distress. The great English Statesman and Parliamentarian Edmund Burke (1729-1797) rightly said for all time: “All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to remain silent and do nothing”. This is precisely what is happening in India today. I fully endorse the view of Prof. Sadhu Rangarajan: “Every time Hindu Dharma has been outraged, the Dharmacharyas have chosen to remain silence spectators not ready to raise their voice against those who, sitting in their highest offices of political power, perpetrate the crime. And the Dharmacharyas have a lame excuse that political happenings are not their look out and Bhagavan is there to take care of the country. They have all to look after only the interests of their own Mutts, Missions, followers and the Ashram properties.” I was intellectually and emotionally overwhelmed by the moral and spiritual force of the utterances of Satguru Sivananda Murthy on that day. Almost everyone present in the audience felt the same way. Hearing him speak with such passion for Hindu causes, I felt that the Swamiji is only giving a cubic content to the beautiful message of Lord Krishna to Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita. Lord Krishna says in the Bhagavad Gita: “Yadyadaacharati shreshthaha tattadevetaro jannah Sa yat prmaanam kurute lokasthatanuvartate” (Sanskrit Transliteration) The meaning of the above verse in Sanskrit is this: “Whatever action a great man performs, common men follow. And whatever standards he sets by exemplary acts, all the world pursues”. Satguru Sivananda Murthy said that most of us are not happy with what is going on in this country. We are all aware that something is going terribly wrong somewhere in different spheres of our public life—political, administrative, religious and spiritual, cultural and social. Today we are living in a world of aimless and arid Intellectualism where the mind is more active than the heart. In this sadly inhuman situation, we have to meet the restless questioning mind with an impassioned answering mind backed up by a true feeling heart. Basically our understanding of our national problems, our religion and culture must be deep and penetrating—intensely felt by ourselves in such a manner that it becomes a spring board for swift and effective action. We must learn to feel through our minds and think through our hearts. Whenever some Americans ask me: “Swamiji when do you think the backwardness of India will disappear?” I never hesitate to tell them that India is not backward. Now to make the Americans understand I can’t quote the esoteric verses from the Vedas and the Upanishads because they are irrelevant to them. They seem to be steeped in materialism and materialistic welfare and therefore it becomes necessary for us to counter their arguments through equally shallow materialistic viewpoints. To such materialistic Americans, I would often say: “More than 50,000 Indian Medical Doctors are working in the Universities and Clinics of America. Nearly 250,000 Indian Engineers are working in different branches of service and manufacturing industry in America. India has never imported a single American Doctor or American Engineer. Who is backward? How do you say India is backward?” In other words, crudely materialistic explanation has to meet four-square the materialistic questioning of the West. The Constitution of India says ‘India that is Bharat’—that is how and where the Indian Constitution starts. Babu Rao Patel, a great nationalist and an independent minded journalist, always used to say “India that was Bharat”. The founding fathers of our Constitution gave a death blow to Sanatana Dharma, Hinduism, Hindu Religion and Hindu Society when in the Preamble to our Constitution they referred to ‘India that is Bharat’. For them, Age-old Bharat, rooted in time-honoured history and holy tradition was a nominal and unspiritual entity. Their artificial and lifeless ‘India’ was a ‘substantive’, ‘political’, ‘pseudo-secular’ and solid electoral votebank entity. We got our independence on paper on 15 August, 1947. The main questions we should ask in this context are: a) Who got this independence? b) Was it the independence of the British subjected India? c) Was it the independence of ancient India, medieval India, or modern India? One thing is very clear. Men like Jinnah and Nehru displayed a great sense of urgency and anxiety to assume positions of power even without a clear vision of plan or action as to what we would like to do with Pakistan or India of our own after independence from British Rule. The fact of the matter is after independence a portion of the Muslims in India got a separate nation for themselves in Pakistan. The Muslims who chose to stay in India came to enjoy special privileges under the new Constitution. The Hindus of India lost their ancestral Nation in Pakistan, And the Hindus of India, unfortunately, were relegated to the position of second class citizens in their capacity as Non-Muslims or Non-Christians. Some solid and irrefutable facts of history relating to our freedom struggle cannot be ignored. During the entire period of our struggle for freedom starting from the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857 till the arrival of Mahatma Gandhi on the Indian National scene in 1919 and later during the Gandhian period from 1920 to 1947, the number of people who got killed by the British Government was very much less than the number of Indians (mostly Hindus) who got killed in the first four months of India’s ‘partition’ under Nehru’s maladministration after 15 August, 1947. I was myself an eye witness to the partition riots in Delhi in August, 1947 when thousands of Hindus were killed in the Capital City itself. The untold sufferings of the Hindu refugees who were driven out of Pakistan and who came to squat on the streets of New Delhi and Delhi can never get erased from public thoughts and memories. In my view, the sad fact is that on 15 August, 1947, Bharat that was India did not get its independence. It continued to be subjected to a New Republic called India. Thus our ancient India was subordinated to this newly created pseudo-secular anti-Hindu, pro-Muslim and pro-Christian Indian Republic. We should realise that India is not ‘Bharat’ but an artificial entity based on a pseudo-secular anti-Hindu philosophy called ‘Indian Constitution’. In this so called anti-Hindu New Republic, the Muslims and the Christians (State-sponsored minorities!) enjoy special privileges and special rights under Articles 25 to 30 of the Indian Constitution. It has become a routine affair that whenever and wherever the Hindus protest against destruction of their temples by Islamic terrorists, the Government views it as an unprovoked, uncalled for and unjust Hindu fundamentalist reaction! The pseudo-secular mafia of mass media plays a leading stellar role in this dastardly anti-Hindu drama. The foundation for this ‘drama’ was laid by Pundit Nehru when he told Sardar Vallabhai Patel in 1949 to desist from taking any action to rebuild the Somnath Temple which was destroyed by Mohammed of Gazni in the 11th century and later by successive Muslim invaders. In the minds and hearts of Nehru and other Congress Leaders, the glorious heritage of ancient Bharat Varsha and Bharat Bhoomi had no place whatsoever and therefore they went about the task of destruction of Hindu India founded upon Sanatana Dharma with great pseudo-secular finesse and fervour derived from their brief autocratic authority. We Hindus in majority in India today should come together to drop a new Constitution for Hindustan which creates a new Nation founded upon our ancient traditions of Sanatana Dharma, Hinduism and Hindu way of life. We have to raise ourselves from the present disgraceful condition of second class non-Muslim citizens to the highest status of first class proud Hindu citizens of this ancient land. I call upon all patriotic Hindus—Lawyers, Civil Servants, Educationists and other Professionals—to give a serious thought for drawing up a ‘New Constitution’ for Hindustan which gives the same privilege status to the Hindus in majority as has been given to the Minority Muslims and Minority Christians under the existing pseudo-secular and anti-Hindu present Constitution. The New Constitution for Hindustan should create a new Hindu Nation-State which will be founded on Hindu ideals; which will conduct its affairs in accordance with Hindu-values; which would work for the all-round resurgence of the Hindus; which will protect Hindu-Interests not only in India but in the whole world; which will represent Hindu culture abroad; which will promote and propagate Hindu ethos in the world; which will create in our younger generations a sense of pride and self-respect in their Hindu Nationality. Such a state we have to establish in our Mother Land. Swami Vivekananda has tirelessly reminded us that the glory of Sanatana Dharma gives us the inspiration and self-confidence that we Hindus are not inferior to any Nation anywhere in the world in any sense. It is our sacred duty to create such a Hindu Nation in the immediate future.

MOkshasaadhanam (Means of Liberation) – 21

‘KaraNa’ is an instrument of valid knowledge.
Pramaa’ is valid knowledge. (pramaa karaNam pramaaNam) . This is opposed to false knowledge such as an illusion.
‘Smrithi’ is a valid knowledge that is already known.

‘PramaaNam’ would mean that knowledge which has for it an object that is not already known and is not contradicted by experience.

Sometimes ‘smrithi’ is included in ‘pramaanam’ which would then mean that knowledge which has for its object a knowledge that is not contradicted.

There are six pramanas and they are:
Prathyaksham (Perception)
Anumanam (Inference)
Upamanam (Comparison)
Agama (Verbal testimony)
Arthapathi (presumption)
anupalabdhi (non-apprehension)

As you might have known, there are six different philosophies called Dharshanas.
They are:
Samkhya - is the oldest of the orthodox philosophical systems in Hinduism.
Yoga - is considered by some to have arisen from the Samkhya philosophy.
Nyaya – a school of philosophical speculation based on texts called the Nyaya Sutras.
Vaisheshika - this system postulates an atomic pluralism.
Purva Mimamsa – this school's most valuable contribution to Hinduism was its formulation of the rules of Vedic interpretation.
Vedanta - also known as the Uttara Mimamsa school, concentrates on the philosophical teachings of the Upanishads.

There are differences among the various schools on what constitute pramaana. They are given below

Charvakas – Only Prathyaksham
Buddhists and Vaiseshikas – Prathyaksha and Anumana
Sankhya and Yoga – Prathyaksham, anumanam, agama
Nyaya – prathyaksham, anumanam, agama, and upamana
Prabhakara Mimamsa – Prathyaksham, Anumanam, Agamam, Upamanam and Arthapathi
Vedanta and Bhatta Mimamsa - Prathyaksham, Anumanam, Agamam, Upamanam, Arthapathi and Anupalabdhi.

(contd.)

MOkshasaadhanam (Means of Liberation) – 20

Krishna Sastri

Let's take a break here and recount what we have done. In the first 3 postings we enumerated the objective of our discussion viz. Moksha , the qualifications of a Sishya and the qualifications of a Guru thus setting the stage for a lively discussion on the desired topic.

Postings 4 to 10 set the cause of avidya because of which we are embarking on this discussion. In these postings, the intellect has been firmly established as the root cause and residence of avidya and our resolve to use this very intellect to root out avidya. This set us in pursuit of what constitute to be the undoing of avidya viz. Gnana or Consciousness. In postings 11 to 19 by the Guru-Sishya samvaadham Suddha Chaithanyam and Kootastham were understood.

In order to proceed further, we need to equip ourselves with certain terminologies of logic and what they exactly mean. That will be our Vedantic pursuit from the next postings on!

Aum

MOkshasaadhanam (Means of Liberation) – 19

Krishna Sastri

CONCIOUSNESS IN DEEP SLEEP

Sishya: I have a doubt about the existence of pure consciousness in my deep sleep.

Guru: What doubt?

Sishya: The ideas such as “I am a seer”, “I am a hearer” etc., indicating consciousness in me in my dream and in my waking state are absent in deep sleep together with the two states (of waking and dream). In my deep sleep I know of nothing, so there is no proof that pure consciousness existed during my deep sleep.

Guru: Did we not prove before that the Self which is consciousness is independent and therefore should not be understood to co-exist with another for mutual benefit?

Sishya: Sir, did you not say that the Self is always known to oneself? I was not aware of anything in my deep sleep and so I am making this statement.

Guru: You are contradicting yourself by saying that you were not conscious when as a matter of fact, you were (and you are and you will be).

Sishya: How so? I was never conscious of either myself or any object in my deep sleep.

Guru: You were definitely conscious in your deep sleep. Otherwise how can you make the statement of denial of the existence of objects in your deep sleep? Only when there was consciousness one could say that there IS or there IS NOT an object. Your own Self, the consciousness, is ‘absolute’ knowledge. It is only because the presence of this ‘absolute’ knowledge that you say that you were conscious of nothing. That knowledge of not knowing anything is also awareness, pure consciousness! If it was not for the pure consciousness you would have gone to sleep as Shankar and woken up as Bhaskar!

Bhagavan Ramana once remarked: "You wake up and say, 'I had a good sleep, I sept happily.' If it was not for the Self - the Consciousness - you would not have known of such an experience."

Aum

MOkshasaadhanam (Means of Liberation) – 18

by Krishna Sastri

KOOTASTHAM

As the Guru convinced the Sishya that the Self is ‘ Suddha Chaithanyam ’ (pure consciousness) he also told the Sishya that It is ‘ Kootastham ’ (changeless). On this the Sishya expresses his doubt.

Sishya: As I am a knower of objects as they as they appear to me in a stream I cannot conclude that I am changeless. For example, the objects are given to the mind. The mental modifications are thus combinations and therefore non-conscious. The Self as a knower, even as pure consciousness is dependent for its knowledge on the modifications of the mind. Therefore I conclude that the Self is of changeful nature.

Guru: All the modifications of the mind without a single exception are (simultaneously) known by you. It is like this. When there is no pot, there is awareness of the non-existence of the pot. When the pot is presented to the mind then there is still the awareness of the existence of the pot. The existence or otherwise of the pot and the modification relative thereto of the mind can change but these are simultaneously known by the unchanging awareness. If you were changeful like the mind or the senses (which pervade their objects one after another), you would not simultaneously know all the mental modifications, the objects of your knowledge. Or to put it simply, if the awareness were to change then simultaneous knowledge would not have been possible.

Sishya: Sir, alright, I am pure consciouness and immutable but then how are these sounds and sights and so on of the mental modifications result in the reflection of the knowledge of such sounds, sights etc. In other words, I, being, pure awareness and changeless and yet I come to know of these sounds and sights. Why so?

Guru: You are not to be faulted but it is your avidya that is to be faulted!

Sishya: PrabhO! If I am changeless, why are there the states of waking, dream and deep sleep?

Guru: Is it not true that you become aware of them whenever they arise?

Sishya: True, but they are at intervals but not continuous.

Guru: In as much as they are chance happenings, it is certainly not your nature. To be your own nature, they must be with you continuously and never cease to exist. Waking and dreaming are not persistent states while you are pure consciousness always. Let me give you the example that Bhagavan Ramana gave while explaining Suddha Chaithanyam and Kootastham. You see scenes projected on a silver screen. There is fire, flood, murder, love, laughter, cry, fear and so in those scenes. But the screen is unaffected by all these! But no scene would be visible without the silver screen! You are the Suddha Chaithanyam and Kootastham like the silver screen, knowing everything yet remaining unaffected.

(contd.)

B.R.Haran wrote:

ONLY MODI! WHY NOT SONIA, FAROOK, KARUNA & BUDDHA?

The Issue called “Hate Speech”: -

The Gujarat Chief Minister Mr.Narendra Modi, stung by Sonia’s attack, on the 1^st of December, of calling him “Merchant of religion & death”, gave her a befitting reply during his election campaign on the 4^th of December, in Gujarat. As he wanted to deliberate on the rampant terrorism in our country under the Congress led UPA government, he took the cases of Afzal Guru and Shorabbuidin. He charged Congress for dilly dallying on Afzal’s hanging order given by the Supreme Court, and cited the example of Shorabuddin for, how such terror elements like him are responsible for terror attacks. When he asked the crowd, how one must deal with such a terror element, the crowd replied, “He must be killed” for which Modi has been alleged to have said, “he got what he deserved” or “That’s what I did. I did what was necessary” or “Well that’s it”. During his speech, as per the media reports, he has not mentioned “Hindus” or “Muslims”. But, when the entire national media made a top headline story saying, “Modi justifies Shorab killing” by deliberately misinterpreting his speech, he clarified his position and also said that Mrs.Sonia had provoked him to talk about terrorism, while he has been campaigning purely on development & achievements. He also reminded the media that, his government had already submitted to the Court of Law that Shorabuddin had been killed and subsequently the state police officers have also been arrested. He had also said that he had never supported fake encounters.

Repercussions of the issue: -

While the mainstream media went overboard repeatedly on this story, the self-styled activist Ms.Teesta Setalvad petitioned the Election commission on the 5^th of December to take action against Mr.Modi for his “hate speech” on the grounds that, he has incited communal violence, misused religion for political ends, etc. Having received the complaint, the Election Commission had issued a show-cause notice to Mr.Modi on Thursday the 6th asking him to reply by Saturday the 8^th.

In the meantime, Senior Lawyer Mr.K.T.Tulsi, who has been representing the Gujarat government in the Shorabuddin case, had said that he would withdraw from the case if Mr. Modi did not apologize for his remarks. It is a wonder that, Mr.Tulsi had not shown this “moral” standards, when he was representing Ms.Jayalalitha and TN government against Pujya Shree Kanchi Sankaracharyas! Now, he had been replaced by Advocate Ranjit Kumar.

Another Senior Lawyer Mr.Booshan had filed a petition at the Supreme Court for reinvestigation of all “encounter deaths”. Shorabuddin’s brother had also approached SC for shifting the Shorabuddin cae from Gujarat. Another self-styled activist Mr.Javed Akhtar had also petitioned SC for taking action against Mr.Modi. All these petitions are likely to be heard by the SC on Monday the 10^th.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in an election rally in Ahmedabad had said, “Modi is dividing the people on communal lines and creating an atmosphere of fear in the state and the law & order situation is not good”. He had said that Mr.Modi is telling lies and making false claims on the development of the state, while Mrs. Sonia contradicted him by saying that the development in Gujarat is because of central funding. Referring to Shorabuddin case, the Prime Minister had said, “People are being killed without any reasons”. What about the thousands of innocent people, who were killed by the likes of Shorabuddin? It is an irony that the nation’s Prime Minister is publicly making statements in support of a known criminal and a terror suspect. But, what else can we expect from some one, who lost his sleep over the plight of the family of a terror suspect?

The former CM of Madhya Pradesh Mr.Digvijay Singh had aid, “Modi must be tried in the international court of law”. Why an international court for an internal issue? Does it not show that Mr.Digvijay Singh doesn’t have any respect for our Constitution and Judiciary? He had also said in the ‘Election Manifesto’ releasing ceremony on the 3^rd of December, “Hindus have Hindu terrorism to counter Muslim terrorism. Gujarat is a state, which unleashes Hindu terrorism”. He must answer the people in general and the Hindu majority in particular, which Hindu organization is indulging in terror acts, that too in the name of religion? He can never answer this question and hence legal actions must be taken against him.

BJP leader Mr.Adwani had shot off a letter to the Election Commission to take note of the petitions given to it on the 2^nd of December regarding Mrs.Sonia’s speech at an election rally, where in, she called the BJP leaders as “Merchants of religion & death”. Mr.Adwani asked, “Why the EC had not issued show-cause notice to Mrs.Sonia?” Mr.Adwani said that the EC must not be partial and that it should be neutral. He felt that the EC should not have double standards.

The Left front, for its part, had also petitioned the EC to refrain Mr.Modi from contesting elections. As the Congress, UPA partners, Left front, mainstream media and the secular brigade are all firing against Mr.Modi from all sides, making much ado about nothing, that too in support of a terrorist, it becomes imperative for us to analyze some of the talks & statements of a few other leaders, in order to make a genuine comparison and arrive at a conclusion on who deserves prosecution, Mr.Modi or others.

Mrs.Sonia Gandhi: -

Congress President Mrs.Sonia, every time when she addresses election rallies, always talks about Hindu majority with contempt, and names the Hindu leaders as “Communalists” & “fundamentalists”. Even during the recent UP Assembly elections, she had written a personal letter to thousands of Muslim clerics and leaders saying, “help me generously to fight against communalism (read majority Hindus), so that, I can build a society of your dreams”. In the same way, on 2^nd of December at an election rally in Gujarat, she had said, “The Gujarat government is being run by leaders who are liars, dishonest and merchants of religion & death”. It is an arrogant and uncivilized statement meant to whip up communal passion. She had also made disparaging remarks about RSS & VHP many times in the past, with an aim of capturing Muslim votes. When the MP government issued an order allowing the state government staff to participate in RSS meetings, she immediately shot off a letter to the then President Dr.Kalam, making damaging remarks about the grand old organization, which strives hard to uphold the culture & heritage of our nation. Throughout her political life and particularly in the last three years, she had utilized every opportunity to ridicule Hindu community and its leaders, sometimes even at the rallies of other communities.

If these kinds of speeches and writings do not deserve legal actions, then what kind of a speech deserve?

Dr.Farook Abdullah: -

“Go ahead, Hang him! Face the consequences. The country will go up in flames. The harmony between Hindus & Muslims would be destroyed. The Judges, who ordered the hanging, would be murdered”! These were the statements of National Conference leader Mr.Farook Abdullah, while advocating clemency for dreaded terrorist Mohammad Afzal Guru, in the parliament attack case. This statement even amounts to blackmailing & threatening the establishment & the judiciary and it also invites contempt of Court! He was also supported by Chief Minister Azad and PDP leader Mehabooba Mufti. These leaders have supported a terrorist, who had masterminded the attack on our Parliament, which is the heart of our democracy and got away with it! Why & How? Because they are “secular” politicians belonging to the minority community! If the statement of Dr.Abdullah doesn’t deserve legal actions, then what can we say about it?

Very recently, Dr.Farook Abdullah dropped another bomb shell in his characteristic style. That is, he said, “I regret Kashmir’s accession to India. I cannot stand by the Army”. Can such words come out of a truly nationalist leader? Is it enough to have the word ‘national’ only in the name of the party? Nationalism & Patriotism must be in one’s blood and only then the heart would feel & mind would think on those lines, and such feeling & thinking only would come out in the form of words. Jammu & Kashmir are an integral part of our country and who is Dr. Farook Abdullah to deny that? At the time of independence & the unfortunate partition, millions of Hindus were living in Jammu & Kashmir and only later on, they were ethnically cleansed by the Islamic terrorists. Now, Dr.Abdullah talks as if J & K belongs only to Muslims! Previously he supported terrorists who attacked our Parliament and now he insults the Army, Nation and our Constitution. Who deserves legal actions, Dr.Abdullah or Mr.Modi?

Mr.M.Karunanidhi & other Dravidian Leaders: -

People, who are surprised at the war of words between Congress & BJP, must come to “Dravida Nadu” (Tamil Nadu) and see the ugly level of mud slinging done by the Dravidian Leaders. The Congress, BJP and other state leaders cannot match even 10% of the Dravidian leaders’ vocabulary & word power. Let us look at some of the (un)quotable quotes.

First and foremost is our Chief Minister Mr.M.Karunanidhi who said, “Who is Rama? Does he exist? Was he an engineer to build this bridge? If so, in which engineering college he studied? Ramayana is a myth and Rama is an imaginative character”. He said these words in massively organized public meetings in Salem & Erode. He did not stop with that. When the entire nation erupted like a volcano the next day over his anti-Ram remarks, he reiterated his statements again in Chennai with arrogance. Later on, he went on to deliberate on Valmiki Ramayana and said “Rama was a drunkard. Valmiki had written about Rama’s drinking habits”. This incited violence and two persons were burnt to death inside a bus by anti-social elements in the outskirts of Bangalore and his daughter’s house in Bangalore was also attacked. Then, His party cadres led by a State Cabinet Minister, Chennai City Mayor and a few MLAs, attacked the BJP / VHP / Hindu Munnani offices and residential buildings through out the state in many places and ransacked them. Then they announced, “The cadres belonging to Sangh organizations will not be allowed to walk on the streets, alive!”

Then after a long gap, when Senior Journalist and Chief Editor of Indian Express Mr.Shekar Guptha interviewed him in the ‘Walk the Talk’ program for NDTV, he again reiterated the same statements with gumption. This time he deliberated on Thulsi Das Ramayana and aid, “Thulsi Das had written that Seetha was the younger sister of Rama”. All these statements were made by him when the SSCP issue is subjudice. He had also said, “Communal Hindus and Aryans are attempting to spoil the benefits of the Tamils by attacking the SSCP through invoking religious hatred in the name of Rama, Ramayana & Rama Sethu”.

Many times in the past, Mr.Karunanidhi and his colleagues have made scathing attack on Hindus, Hindu Gods, Hindu religion, Hindu culture, Hindu Temples & Traditions.

Can Mr.Modi’s statement stand in front of these “golden” & “secular” words of Mr.Karunanidhi? Who deserves legal actions, Mr.Modi or Mr.Karunanidhi?

With regards to Tamil Nadu, it is not only Mr.Karunanidhi but also his alliance partners, who indulged in insulting Lord Rama and hurting the sentiments of Hindus, particularly while campaigning for the much hyped Sethusamudram Ship Channel Project. Dravidar Kazhagam President Mr.K.Veeramani said, “We will burn Ramayana & Bagwad Gita”! Viduthalai Chiruthai Katchi (VCK) Chief Mr.Thirumavalavan said, “There is nothing wrong in ‘blasting’ the mythical Rama Sethu for the benefit of the Tamils”. These leaders repeat their statements in every meeting on SSCP. Are all these words ‘secular’? Are these leaders not fit for legal actions? No one will bother, because, these leaders are secular!

On Thursday the 6^th, TMMK Secretary Mr.Jawahirullah said, while addressing a gathering of Muslims on Babri anniversary, “If Modi comes to Tamil Nadu (he is likely to visit Chennai for the anniversary function of Mr.Cho.Ramaswamy’s weekly magazine ‘Thuglak’) he will not go back to Gujarat alive!” What sort of a statement is this, sermon on non-violence or inciting violence? No action will be taken against him, because, he is a Muslim!

When the Srilankan Air Force bombarded a LTTE hide out, in which the former militant and political chief S.P.Tamilselvan got killed, almost all the Tamil leaders expressed sympathy & condolence and organized processions & demonstrations publicly in many places. DK president Mr.Veeramani, PMK president Dr.Ramadass, VCK president Mr.Thirumavalavan, MDMK president Mr.Vaiko and TNM leader Mr.Nedumaran have all openly supported the LTTE while mourning the death of the LTTE leader Tamilselvan. DMK president Mr.Karunanidhi went one step ahead and wrote an ‘elegy’ eulogizing the militant leader. Organizations like VCK, DK and Periyar Dravida Kazhagam pasted wall posters throughout the state in support of LTTE, in condolence for the militant’s death. LTTE is a terrorist organization responsible for many terror activities on our soil including the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and it is a banned organization. But, all these Dravidian leaders had the gumption to openly support the organization, and no one bothered, because, everything was done in the name of “Tamil and Tamil Blood”!

Mr.Buddhadeb Battacharjee:-

West Bengal Chief Minister Mr.Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, while addressing a gathering of Muslims to mark the Babri demolition anniversary, had said, “Rama is a figment of a poet’s imagination and Rama Sethu is a natural formation under the sea”. He had also said, “The Sethusamudram project was being opposed by the Sangh Parivar on religious grounds, but it was vital for the economic development of the region”. When SSCP is connected with Tamil Nadu, why should he talk about it at a gathering of Kolkata Muslims, who are in no way concerned about it? He went on to question the existence of Lord Rama! How can Buddha ridicule a Hindu God in a Muslim gathering? Is it right on his part to make such a malicious statement in a meeting of minorities? Is it not an ugly & stinking ‘secular’ exercise of vote begging? Those who are crowing & harping on Mr.Modi’s general talk on terrorism are keeping quiet now. Why? Does not Buddha deserve prosecution? Nobody will bother, because, he is a “secular leftist”!

Relevant Legal Procedures: -

By the above said actions, these leaders have rendered themselves liable to be prosecuted for various offences, such as defamation of Mr.Modi, insult to religion, treason etc. They have to be made to pay the price for defaming Hindus, Hindu Gods, Hindu Religion, Hindu Epics and talking against the interests of the Nation and its constitution. They would have to be disqualified from the present political & governmental status. They have to be disenfranchised for a minimum period of six years. Their parties must be derecognized.

Section 295A of the Indian Penal Code provides that whoever deliberately and with a malicious intention of outraging the religious feelings of an class of citizens of India, by words (spoken/written) or by signs and visible representations, insults or attempts to insult the religion or the religious beliefs of that class shall be punished with imprisonment for a term of up to 3 years with or without fine. Section 298 provides that any person who utters any word or sound or gesture with a deliberate intent to wound the religious feelings of any person is punishable with imprisonment for a term of up to 1 year with or without fine.

Section 499 of the IPC deals with defamation, that is, publication of any imputation with intent to injure the reputation of any person. The imputations made by these leaders against Mr. Modi and towards the Hindu religion and the various collections of persons and identifiable groups/bodies of devotees practicing the Hindu faith, would per se fall under the mischief of Section 499 and would be punishable.

Unfortunately, the powers-that-be which are charged with the enforcement of law are themselves the offenders in this case. It is therefore imperative that the Courts of Law which are the last recourse of justice and fair play in this country have to suo motu assume a pro-active role and take cognizance of such statements and punish the guilty, who are presently emboldened by their power and position and the docility of the Hindu Nation. They seem to have scant regard for the Indian Constitution.

The Anti-Climax: -

The Congress party conveyed through the media that Sonia’s statements were not intended towards Mr.Modi, but the officers of Gujarat government. When the BJP came in full support of Mr.Modi and defended him and when Mr.Adwani shot off a letter to the EC and later on when Mr.Modi requested the EC for the extension of deadline for his reply from 11 am to 5.30 pm, the Congress Party thought that Mr.Modi and the BJP were caught on the wrong foot. Emboldened by this thought, the party again changed its stand and conveyed through the media that Sonia’s statement ‘merchant of death’ was intended towards Mr.Modi and that the party stands by her statement.

Mr.Modi, in his reply based on the press clippings and CD issued by the Election Commission, had categorically brought to the notice of the EC that the concerned statements (hate speech) reported by the press were totally different from the speech shown in the CD. He had clarified to the EC that he is entitled to freedom of speech, especially to reply to the offending charges and malicious campaign made by his political opponents in the electoral market and requested that the EC would give him that freedom in order to conduct a “free & fair” election. He had also justified his speech on terrorism, which was the result of the provocation by Sonia calling him the merchant of death, by quoting relevant statistics and facts. Finally, while denying the charges in their entirety, he had requested the EC to withdraw its notice. In course of his reply, he had also reminded the EC about the complaints given by BJP against the speeches of Sonia & Digvijay Singh, which has made the EC to ask for the relevant reports on Sonia & Digvijay Singh from the Chief Electoral Officer. Now, the Congress, which committed that it stands by the statement of Sonia, is actually caught on the wrong foot!

Now, the Election Commission is duty bound not only to withdraw the notice against Mr.Modi, but also to reprimand Mrs.sonia for her uncivilized statement, which has violated the moral code of conduct. The campaigning for the first phase of elections ends tomorrow and Mr.Modi seems to be the clear winner and many more dramas may unfold during the campaigning for the second phase due to the never ending stupidity of the “secular brigade”. So, keep watching Gujarat!

The so-called “secularism” being practiced in this country is nothing but “Anti-Hinduism” and the people of this Great Nation must understand the hypocrisy of the so called “secular Politicians” and the “secular media”. This great land of Sanatana Dharma will withstand all kinds of Adharmic onslaughts and conquer them and Dharma will prevail for ever!

Vandemataram! Jai Hind! Bharat Matha ki Jai!

B.R.Haran,

Chennai.

Aum

MOkshasaadhanam (Means of Liberation) – 17

by Krishna Sastri

SUDDHA CHAITHANYAM

Sishya: Bhagavan! When you say that the sense organs have no capability to know that the body is superimposed on the Self, then please tell me how is the Self known?

Guru: You are ignoring the fact that the Self is known to everyone with or without the sense organs.

Sishya: Sir, then who makes the mutual superimposition, the body or the Self?

Guru: Does it matter?

Sishya: If I were the body then I would be non-conscious and would exist for a conscious entity. If I were the body being non-conscious I would not have made the mutual superimposition. On the other hand, if I were the Self then I would be a conscious entity and would exist entirely for myself and therefore would not be making the mutual superimposition.

Guru: If you understand that the mutual superimposition is the root cause of all evils, then do not make it!

Sishya: Sir, I am not independent. I am made to act by someone else, such as Easwara.

Guru: In that case, you do not exist for yourself, because you are a non-conscious entity. Thus you should conclude that you are a body.

Sishya: I am not entirely non-conscious for I do feel the pain and the pleasure. How does that happen?

Guru: Are you different from pain and pleasure?

Sishya: The pleasure and pain come and go and I do know them like I know the objects such as a pot or a kettle. Therefore I am different. If I were not different then I would not know the pleasures and pains. And those pleasures and pains would exist for themselves and not for me. Such a situation of pleasures and pain existing for themselves is neither reasonable nor possible. Objects such as the pot and the kettle and the pain and the pleasure therefore exist for me as I am their knower. I know I am different from them as all things are pervaded by the intellect.

Guru: As you have rightly concluded that you are possessed of consciousness, you should realize that you exist for yourself alone and not made to act by anyone else as you claimed before.

Sishya: How about servant-master relationship where the two serve each other’s purpose?

Guru: An independent conscious being would not be made to act by another even if the other is also an independent conscious being. (For example two lights do not serve each other’s purpose.)

Nor would an independent conscious being act for the sake of a non-conscious entity. (A potter would not exist for the pot.)

Also an entity which is non-conscious in nature would be incapable of acting by its volition for the sake of another. (A pot may serve your purpose but it is not out of the pot’s volition.)

Also two non-conscious entities do not serve each other’s purpose. (That is, a pot cannot call a kettle black and vice versa!)

The Guru continued: My dear Devadatta, what you know is what is presented to the intellect as pain and pleasure. It is not your experience for you as consciousness have no attributes (with which to feel the pain and the pleasure) and would always remain changeless (devoid of experience).

(contd)

Remove Modi or remove fake Puri Shankaracharya?

email received from Dr. Kalyan.

Remove Modi or remove fake Puri Shankaracharya?

A detailed list on the activities of this "Shankaracharaya", who now wants Modi removed, was exposed about 5 years ago.

October 2002: "FAKE" Shankaracharya in USA; Sent back to India

http://www.ivarta.com/cause/IC11_SCharya.htm

Here are some important News Reports about "Adhokshjananda" that all citizens of the world should know about

"Swami Adhokshyananda is a fraud. He is not the Shankaracharya of Puri": Administrator of Gobardhan peetha (Sify 03-16-02)

Is this shankaracharya for real? (Rediff 06-28-00)

He was used by Muslim and Christian organizations (Pioneer/HVK 10-06-02)

"Duplicate" Sankaracharya was ordered to leave Puri (Indian Express 01-24-00)

Swami was arrested along with seven of his disciples (Indian Express 07-19-00)

High Court has debarred him from using the title of "Jagadguru Shankracharaya" (Pioneer/HVK 10-06-02)

He was prohibited from going within the radius of 1,000 meters of the temple. And yet the impostor continues to claim to be Shankracharaya of Puri Peeth (Pioneer/HVK 10-06-02)

Imposter Shankaracharya has attempted to mediate in Kashmir in the past (Rediff 07-06-00)

MOkshasaadhanam (Means of Liberation) – 16

by Krishna Sastri

Avidya is very powerful and it is like an iron wall that surrounds you. Only the Grace of the Guru can destroy it. 'Gu' means avidya and 'Ru' means the destroyer. Hence the word 'Guru'. In Kandar Anubhoothi, Arunagirinaathar describes the Grace of Muruga as "நெஞ்சக் கனகல்லும் நெகிழ்ந்துருக". நெஞ்சம் means the heart or the intellect which is the source of avidya . The Grace of the Lord melts even the hardest heart! The same is echoed by Adi Sankara when he says: ' jadaanam chaitanya-stabaka-makaranda-sruti jhari '. Here Sankara goes a step further to describe the new transformed heart to ' chaitanya-stabaka-makaranda-sruti jhari '. The Grace of the Lord transforms the hardest heart into an ecstatic smelling fresh flower dripping with the sweetness of the nectar of sentience! He is of course a poet par excellence! Another poet Bharathiar almost says the same thing: "வள்ளிக் கணவன் பேரை வழிப்போக்கன் சொன்னாலுமே உள்ளம் குழையுதடீ கிளியே ஊனும் உருகுதடி".

It is due to avidya the mutual superimposition between the body and the Self takes place. The intellect uses its power of logic to reinforce avidya . The Guru uses the very same intellect to defeat it!

Now let's get a bit of recapitulating.

In the previous posting ( MOkshasaadhanam – 15) the sishya saw that in a superimposition such as can be found in the example - snake and the rope - the snake was superimposed on the rope by a person who in the twilight mistook the rope for a snake and got frightened. But when a light was brought in then he could see that it was merely a rope and the snake that was superimposed vanished. In other examples such as man and the post or the silver and the shell the sishya found that whatever was superimposed was found to be non-existent on verification. This made him conclude that if the body and the Self were mutually superimposed on each other then they both would be proved to be non-existent on verification. Such would be a nihilist point of view.

So the sishya posited that the body is superimposed on the Self (instead of mutual superimposition) in which case he would be compelled to conclude that the body would be non-existent which was not an acceptable proposition for him. So he proposed that the body and Self are mutually superimposed on each other for mutual benefit.

The Guru points out to the sishya that if the mutual benefit theory is conceded then the Self being eternal would require the body to be eternal which is not the case. Or on the contrary as the body is ephemeral then mutual benefit theory would find eternity in the Self as purposeless.

This prompts the sishya to ask of the Guru if a person can accept mutual superimposition of the body and of the Self without realizing the existence of the Self. To this the Guru says that at no time is a person unaware of his Self!

Let us now continue with the Guru Sishya Samvaadham.

Sishya: GurO! By the mere fact that I see, I hear and so on that my body’s existence is known. I think, therefore I am! Would that not make the absolute non-existence of the body a contradiction of sense perception?

Guru: The existence of the body in the Self is not known by these evidences (of sense perception). The body is not known to exist in the Self by perception etc. like a fruit in a tree, ghee in the milk, oil in the peanut or a picture painted on a wall.

The existence of the body in the Self is therefore the reverse of what you say. Your conclusion should be: I am, therefore I see; I am, therefore I hear; I am, therefore I think!

(contd.)

Aum

MOkshasaadhanam (Means of Liberation) – 15
by Krishna Sastri

Aum

Sishya: Sir, let us consider the following:

* Silver is superimposed on the mother of pearl. On verification we find that the silver is non-existent and only the mother of pearl is real;

* A man is superimposed on a post. On verification we find that the man is non- existent and only the post is real;

* A snake is superimposed on a rope. On verification we find that the snake is non- existent and only the rope is real;

In all the above examples, we find that when something is superimposed on another that something disappears on verification. If, as you say there is mutual superimposition of the body and the Self, logically, they should both disappear on verification. This conclusion would lead to nihilism. This is neither desirable nor possible. If we say only the body is superimposed on the Self, then on verification the body should be non-existent. This too is not possible as it would contradict our sense perception.

Therefore I disagree with your contention that the body and the Self are mutually superimposed. On the other hand my conclusion is that they are both dependent on each other like the wall and the roof (that make the house).

Guru: This is not correct. As, then the Self would be existent for the benefit of the body and that would make the Self non-eternal. As our contention is that the Self is eternal, the conjoined existence of the Self with the body would be untenable. Therefore your contention that the body and the Self exist for mutual benefit like the roof and the wall is false.

Sishya: Sir, if I agree to your contention that the Self is devoid of any contact with the body, then there arises a situation where the body is without the Self which would defeat the function and purpose of the body. This will also lead to the nihilist position.

Guru: My dear Devadatta, you are not correct. Like the Aakaasa exists for its own sake with or without objects and the objects exists only in space and cannot exist without space, the Self also exists for its own sake devoid of contact with the body and the body cannot exist without the Self. Therefore your objection of a nihilist position in this is not valid.

Sishya: Then pray tell me. How can the mutual superimposition of the body and the Self arise where one can sense the body but not aware of the Self?

Guru: It is not a valid contention to say that one is not aware of his Self. The Self is naturally well-known.
(contd.)

Purushottam Nagesh Oak died on Dec. 4, 2007. He was 91. May his aatman attain unity with paramaatman in paramapadam.

His contributions to provoking new thinking on hindu civilizational history are remarkable and a veritable rebuttal of witzelisms. He was a patriot, firm in his conviction of the antiquity and universality of hindu civilization, driven by an indefatigable quest for removing the distortions in bharatiya itihaas by motivated, principally eurocentric zealots.

His books:

"* Christianity is Chrisn-nity,

* Islamic Havoc in India (A. Ghosh Publisher, 5740 W. Little York, Houston, Texas, 77091)

*The Taj Mahal Is a Temple Place (Alternate title, The Taj Mahal is a Hindu Palace, Hindi Sahitya Sadan, New Delhi)

* Who Says Akbar Was Great? (Hindi Sahitya Sadan, New Delhi)

* Agra Red Fort is a Hindu Building (Hindi Sahitya Sadan, New Delhi)

* Some Blunders of Indian Historical Research (Hindi Sahitya Sadan, New Delhi)

* Some Missing Chapters of World History (Hindi Sahitya Sadan, New Delhi)

* World Vedic Heritage -- A History of Histories (Hindi Sahitya Sadan, New Delhi)

*Taj Mahal — The True Story

"He was born in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. During World War II he joined the Indian National Army, which fought with the Japanese against the British. He obtained M.A and L.L.B degrees from Mumbai University. From 1947 to 1953 he was a reporter for the The Hindustan Times and The Statesman newspapers. From 1953 to 1957, he worked in India's Central Radio and Public Ministry. From 1959 to 1974, he worked at the American Embassy in New Delhi."

Aum

MOkshasaadhanam (Means of Liberation) – 14

by Krishna Sastri

Westerners of the biblical religions, of Judaism, Chiristianity and Islam, consider that a soul, a term closest to what we call jeeva , is a created entity at the mercy of God or devil, unlike the eternal transmigrating entity we call ‘ jeeva ’. The concept of non-difference between Paramaathma and jeevaathma is anathema to them. From this flows their lack of concept such as ‘ avidya ’ and so they do not have an equal word for ‘ avidya ’ in English or any of their languages. The word ‘ignorance’ that they use is for not knowing an object. There is no such thing as not knowing oneself in their concept! If at all, they would again use the word ‘ignorance’ to indicate it putting the self (which is the subject) also as an object! We, who have had so much influence of the alien religions, from the times of Christian colonialism and the earlier Muslim domination, should keep this distinction between ‘ avidya ’ and ignorance all the time in our mind in order to clearly understand Vedanta .

We are now taking up the topic of ‘ adhyaarOpam ’ or superimposition.

Sishya to the Guru: I am eternal, true, but as transmigrating jeeva I do experience the sense of agency and its results ( karthruthva bhOkthruthva lakshaNam ). This is evident from my sense perceptions etc. I seek the Supreme Self for salvation. That Supreme Self cannot therefore be my inner most Self. Avidya consists of the superimposition of the qualities of one thing on another such as a well known silver on a well known mother of pearl (as in mistaking the mother of pearl for silver) or a well known human being on a well known post (as in mistaking a post for a man). The non-self cannot therefore be superimposed on the Self, for it is not known. Similarly the Self cannot be superimposed on the non-Self for the very same reason.

Guru: It is not true. There are exceptions.

Sishya: How so? Can you give me an example?

Guru: You are contending that (a) the superimposition can take place only between two known entities ; and you hold (b) the Self to be an unknown entity. But you do say (a) “I am dark” or (b) I am bald or (c) I am a man. In these instances you are superimposing the features of a known entity viz. the body on the Self which you contend as the unknown entity merely held by you as an object of “I” consciousness.

Sishya: In that case I should say that the superimposition has taken place between two well known objects such as between the well known body and the well known Self being the object of “I” consciousness. There is therefore no exception here.

Guru: Your argument appears to be correct but not really. For these two entities such as the body (which is an object) and the Self (which is NOT an object) are not both objective knowledge such as you can say: “This is the body” and “This is the Self”. That is, while the body can be pointed to objectively, the Self cannot be pointed out. It is for this reason that people are deluded about the nature of the Self and the non-Self.

(contd.)

Aum

MOkshasaadhanam (Means of Liberation) – 13

by Krishna Sastri

Let’s continue the Guru Sishya Samvaadham.

Sishya: GurO! Conscious of the body and the senses I feel pleasure and pain in the waking state as well as in the dream state. Is this my nature? If it is my nature then there can be no liberation as the nature cannot be got rid of.

Guru said: My dear Devadatta! It is not your nature but was caused.

Sishya: But if they were caused, then what is the cause ( kim nimittham )? What will bring an end to this cause so I can be restored to my original Self just as a sick man is restored to original health?

Guru: The cause is ‘ avidya ’ (ignorance). Knowledge brings an end to avidya . When the ignorance is removed you will be liberated and you will have an end to transmigratory existence. Then you will never have pain again.

Sishya: Bhagavan! Please tell me: What is this ‘ avidya ’?

Guru: You are indeed the non-transmigratory Supreme Self yet you wrongly think that you keep reincarnating. Similarly, you are a non-doer ( akarmi ) yet you think you work, you are an ‘ abhOktha ’ yet you think you are an experiencer and finally all the knowledge reside in you yet you think you are ignorant. This is ‘ avidya ’.

(contd.)

Aum

MOkshasaadhanam (Means of Liberation) – 12

by Krishna Sastri

sathsangathvE nissngathvam
nissangathvE nirmohathvam |
nirmohathvE nishchalatatthvam
nishchalatatthvE jiivanmukthi: || (Bajagovindam)

A jeeva is destined to do karma by the sheer force of his samskaara .

What is samskaara ?

Samskara is the impression of thoughts and actions and latent tendencies. Samskara could be inferred as the bait to do further karma !

What is the role of samskaara ?

By the idea that a certain karma brings certain fruit. In other words, there is a fruit for each karma . Samskaara is the catalytic agent between the karmi and the karma.

How does that happen?

This happens because of a person’s attachment to objects that range from one’s own body to his kith and kin, his environment, his place of abode, his country and so on. This is basically the avidhya that causes a person to perform his karma and the samskaara narrows the range of his actions.

When you consider Bhagavan Ramana’s words “ ChitthasOdhakam Mukthisaadhakam ” you realize that the condition for Liberation is the cleansing of the heart. Why? Because it contains, among other things, the samskaara and this has to be got ridden of first.

How is it done?

Adi Sankara gives out the answer. “ sathsangathvE nissangathvam ”. The attachment should be turned into detachment! This is possible by joining a sathsangam (which is essentially Easwara Bhakthi) as the first step. Sathsangam enables him to realize the function of Easwara not only in His role in Srishti, Sthithi and Laya but also in the dispensation of the fruits of karma. . It makes him to realize that whatever karma he does is actually because of his attachments. “ Karthur aagnayaa praapyathE phalam ”. The range of things that a jeeva can do is actually micromanaged by Easwara by the dispensation of the fruits of karma that one would realize that the real doer is Eawara and not the jeeva . Once Bhagavan was asked if the sneezing or the hiccup of a person are also the works of Easwara, Bhagavan replied in the affirmative! The same view can been seen in Vishnu Sahasranamam: “ YagnO yangnapathir yajwa yangnaangO yagnavaahana: ”, i.e. the sacrifice, the Lord of sacrifice, sacrificer, the various aspects of sacrifice and also the vehicle of sacrifice – all are Vishnu only. Sarvam Vishnu mayam jagath!

What does this ‘ nissangam ’ or detachment do to us?

It enables us to deny the temptation of the object!

The objects range from one’s own body to the whole world that a person gets attached to.

This temptation of the objects causes a person to replicate them, or preserve or defend them or even destroy them.

So the objects lead to temptation. Temptation leads to karma. And karma leads to reincarnation!

This ‘ nirmOhathwam ’. destroys the temptation of the objects and thus denies ones need to work.

This ‘ nirmOhathwam ’ is essentially a person’s realization that the repeated births to which he is subjected to are not only useless but also painful.

This leads one to the highest satsangam which is the surrender to a Guru.

“nirmohathvE nishchalatatthvam”. The surrender to a Guru brings one the ‘MOkshasaadhanam’ or Gnaanam. ‘NishchalatatthvE jiivanmukti:’. Gnaanam leads one to Liberation from samsaara.

Adi Sankara in his famous Soundarya lahari highlights the Grace of God (here in the form of AmbaaL).

Avidyanam antas-timira-mihira-dweeppa-nagari

jadanam chaitanya-stabaka-makaranda-sruti jhari

daridranam chintha-mani-gunanika janma-jaladhau

nibagnaanaam damshtra mura-ripu-varahasya bhavati.

To the one who is immersed in avidya , the Grace of AmbaaL is like lifting a person who is lost in a thick, dark forest to the top of a mountain on an island where his vision is now totally unobstructed;

To a (inert) hard hearted being her Grace is like transforming him into a sentience being dripping with the sweetness of the nectar of a fresh flower;

To the one immersed in poverty AmbaaL’s Grace is like the obtaining of a magical gem that brings every kind of wealth he would desire; and

To the one drowned in samsaara Her Grace is like that of Lord Vishnu lifting the mother earth that was immersed by the asura into the abysmal depth of a roaring ocean.
(Unfortunately the English language cannot reveal the piety and beauty involved in the poems of Adi Sankara).

Whether it be dense dark forest, or heartlessness, or utter poverty or the indescribable dhukkam - they are all different aspects of one and the same samsaara.
(contd.)

Aum

MOkshasaadhanam (Means of Liberation) – 11

by Krishna Sastri

AVIDHYA

The shortest explanation for the word ‘avidhya’ is not ignorance but ‘knowing something as different from what it is’! The famous example is that in the twilight a person apprehends a rope as a snake. This chapter on ‘avidhya’ would therefore be dealing the aspects of it.

Bhagavan Ramana has clearly given out as is wont of him in simplicity, the means to overcome ‘avidya’. He was clear that it can only be removed by the Grace of the Guru. And such a Guru does not occur by accident but a by the Grace of Easwara. Easwara’s Grace is not fortuitous but earned by ‘sat karma’. The greatest of all ‘sat karmas’ is the ‘nishkaama karma’. And such ‘nishkaama karma’ is not just merely performed but dedicated to the Lord. Bhagavan Ramana says: “Easwaraarpitham nEchyayaakritham chittha sOdhakam, mukthi saadhakam”. So the steps are as follows:

a) When you perform any karma with an expectation of the results for you, of course you get the reward as no effort goes in vain. However those rewards have to be enjoyed in some loka, be it bhuloka, bhuvarloka or swarga loka. We already know that such sukha-dhukkam and loka baagyam are nothing but samsaara saagaram.

b) Therefore, one should perform karma without expecting the result. It may be asked: "Why not give up the karma?" Of course that is a good question. A person who has not got the conviction that he is different from the body continues to be an agent driven by the samskaaras of his vaasanas so he will be performing karmas unconsciously like a top released from the thread. That is why he is being told, as he performs karma anyways, unable to stop on his own, that he has options, either to perform desiring for the results or perform without coveting the fruit.

c) All karmas result in fruits and accrue to the performer unless he makes a conscious thyaagam. Bhagavan Ramana says that among the sacrifices, the greatest one is that which is made to Easwara!

d) This alone generates the Grace of Easwara as otherwise he merely dispenses with the fruit of karma according to its value and proportion in the way one would enjoy or suffer in the worlds. But the Grace of Easwara is not the same as the fruits of labour one enjoys in the world. The Grace of Easwara is to show you the means to overcome the repeated immersion into the ocean of samsaara. That ‘means of knowledge’ or ‘Mokshasaadhanam’ is none but the GURU.

e) Thus the Guru is earned by you by your ‘sat karma’ dedicated to the Lord and the result is “chittha sOdhakam, Mukthi saadhakam”.

(contd.)