A

PROJECT REPORT
ON
ROLE OF DHARMA GURU IN LIFE
A Report Submitted to Ishan Institute of Management &
Technology, Greater Noida as a partial fulfilment of full time post
graduate diploma in Business management.
Under the Guidance of
Swami Bhavatmananda
Submitted To:

Submitted By:

Dr. D. K. Garg,

AMRITA PRIYA

Chairman,

ENR No. - HRR 5008

IIMT, Gr. Noida

Batch 17th

Ishan Institute of Management & Technology

1A, Knowledge Park I, Greater Noida, Dist-G.B.Nagar (U.P.)
Website: www.ishanfamily.com
E-Mail: student@ishanfamily.com

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
No research can blossom from single persons mind without proper guidance, assistance and
inspiration from various quarters. My project was given its present shape by assistance of
many people whom we are greatly indebted to. I owe deep intellectual debt to the numerous
people who through their rich and various contributions have greatly improved our
understanding of various concepts of our project.
I express my sincere thanks to Sri B. Ananda for his stimulate discussion, constructive and
valuable suggestions that helped us in this endeavor. I would like to thank all those people
who graciously helped us by sharing their valuable time, experience & knowledge for
completion of this project.
I take an opportunity to express our sincere thanks to Dr. D.K.Garg (Chairman, IIMT), Dean
Sir Prof. M.K.Verma and all the staff members of the PGDM department for making
available all the facilities in fulfilling the requirements for this reasonable work.
Finally, I thank our parents for their moral support and financial help.

CERTIFICATE OF GUIDE

DECLARATION BY STUDENT
The Final project on Role of Dharma Guru in Life under the guidance of Sri B. Ananda is the
original work done by me . This is the property of the Institute and use of this report without
prior permission of the Institute will be considered illegal and actionable.
Date:

Signature:
Amrita Priya
ENR No: HRR 5008

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter:1 .................................................................................................8-54
Introduction to Dharma & Religion
History of Dharma & Dharma Guru
Beginning of Dharma Guru

Chapter:2..................................................................................................55-69
Gods personal original name Om
Worship of God (everyone do in his own way)
The real dharma guru

Chapter:3 Shri Shri Ravi Shankar.........................................................70-106

Introduction
Brief history
Ashrams
Preachings
Role for socity welfare
Religion
Role of Yoga

Chapter:4 Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi.........................................107-146

Introduction
Brief history
Ashrams
Preachings
Role for socity welfare
Religion
Role of Yoga

Chapter:5 Brahmrishi Shree Kumar Swamiji........................................147-169

Introduction
Brief history
Ashrams
Preachings
Role for socity welfare
Role of Yoga

Chapter:6 Acharya Maharajshree Rakesh Prasad Pande.......................170-177

Introduction
Brief history
Ashrams
Preachings
Role for socity welfare
Religion

Chapter:7 Gopal Krishna Goswami........................................................178-200

Introduction
Brief history
Ashrams
Preachings
Role for socity welfare
Religion
Role of Yoga

Chapter:8 Hridayananda Das Goswami...............................................201-214

Introduction
Brief history
Ashrams
Preachings
Role for socity welfare
Religion
Role of Yoga

Chapter:9 Radhanath Swami...............................................................215-238

Introduction
Brief history
Ashrams
Preachings
Role for socity welfare
Religion
Role of Yoga

Chapter:10 Anandmurti Gurumaa.......................................................239-264

Introduction
Brief history
Ashrams
Preachings
Role for socity welfare
Religion
6

 Role of Yoga

Chapter:11 Brahmarishi Prem Nirmal.................................................265-276

Introduction
Brief history
Ashrams
Preachings
Role for socity welfare
Religion
Role of Yoga

Chapter:12 Satsvarupa Das Goswami..................................................277-296

Introduction
Brief history
Ashrams
Preachings
Role for socity welfare
Religion
Role of Yoga

Chapter:13 .............................................................................................297-318
The goal of human life
Role of Dharma Guru in life
Impact of Dharma Guru in Life
Chapter:14.............................................................................................319-322

Finding
Suggestion
Bibliography
Words of Thanks

CHAPTER 1
Introduction to Dharma & Religion
What is Dharma?
Dharma means protection. By practising Buddhas teachings we protect our self from
suffering and problems. All the problems we experience during daily life originate in
ignorance, and the method for eliminating ignorance is to practise Dharma.
All the problems we experience during daily life originate in ignorance, and the method
for eliminating ignorance is to practise Dharma.
Practising Dharma is the supreme method for improving the quality of our human life. The
quality of life depends not upon external development or material progress, but upon the
inner development of peace and happiness. For example, in the past many Buddhists lived in
poor and underdeveloped countries, but they were able to find pure, lasting happiness by
practising what Buddha had taught.
If we integrate Buddhas teachings into our daily life, we will be able to solve all our inner
problems and attain a truly peaceful mind. Without inner peace, outer peace is impossible. If
we first establish peace within our minds by training in spiritual paths, outer peace will come
naturally; but if we do not, world peace will never be achieved, no matter how many people
campaign for it.
Dharma is one of the most important themes within Hinduism. One often sees dharma
translated as religion, duty, or even righteousness, but in fact, there is no single direct
translation for dharma. Religion, duty and righteousness are not wrong; they are simply
included within the idea of dharma. The word "dharma" comes from the Sanskrit root dhri,
meaning to "uphold" or to "sustain." From this perspective, the best way to think of dharma is
to say, "that which upholds or sustains the positive order of things: the nation, the community,
the family and ultimately even the universe." At a social level, every individual has a
particular dharma according to their place in life. Children have a dharma, parents have a
dharma, teachers have a dharma, the police have a dharma and even the head of a nation has a
dharma. One of the dharmas of a child, for example, is to obey parents and to study. Parents
have a dharma to protect and look after children: to make sure they are educated, fed, housed
and trained. It is sometimes written on the sides of police cars: To Serve and to Protect. This
is a statement of dharma for police. A head of state has a dharma to protect the country and to
provide a secure environment for its citizens. If everyone performs their dharma: children
obey parents, parents look after children, citizens uphold the laws of the land, the police
enforce the law, a head of state protects the nation, then the family, the community and the
nation are "upheld" and there can be prosperity. This is dharma, and it all follows from the
idea of dhri, to uphold.
The opposite of dharma is "a-dharma." What this means is obvious. If children fail to obey
parents, if parents do not train and discipline children, if the police misuse their power and
fail to protect, if the head of state fails to act in the interest of the nation, then a
8

dharma exists, and when there is too much a dharma, there will be a break down of the
family, society or the nation. The nation, the community, the family and even individuals
cannot prosper when too much a dharma reigns. There is a saying, "Protect dharma and
dharma will protect you."
Individuals have different dharmas at different times in their lives. A child has a certain
dharma that we mentioned above, but the same person as an adult has different dharmas to
focus upon. And still later in life, there are other dharmas that need to be stressed. When one
is married, one should not live according to the dharma of a child. If an adult adopts the
dharma of a child this is a dharma. A child cannot follow the dharma of the police. If an
ordinary citizen tries to follow the dharma of the head of state it results in a dharma.
The ancient Hindu social system was called Varnashrama Dharma and the great epics of
India, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata are built on this system of dharma. In the
Ramayana, the hero Rama exhibits the ideal execution of the dharma as a son and king. Sita,
his wife, illustrates the dharma of the ideal woman and wife. Hanuman, the divine monkey,
exhibits the dharma of a devoted servant in the way he serves Rama. The evil Ravana, the
villain, is the very personification of adharma as he kidnaps Sita and tries to usurp Rama's
kingdom. In the end adharma destroys Ravana. In the Mahabharata, a great war takes place as
dharma and adharma collide in a cosmic struggle over good and evil. In the end, good
triumphs over evil. Dharma always rules over adharma. This is the way of the universe.
He word dharma is also used in a different way within Hindu philosophy that can also
be understood from the root dhri. Every constituent of matter: liquids, metals, gases, fire, and
so on have different dharmas. For example, the dharma of water is liquidity and wetness. The
dharma of ice is solidity and coldness. The dharma of fire is heat and light. In other words,
whatever it is that makes water, water or ice, ice, or fire, fire; what "upholds" the state of
being water-ness, ice-ness, or fire-ness, etc., is dharma. These ideas occupies an important
part of Hindu philosophy and even though they are subtle, I think the reader can see how
even this use of dharma comes from the root dhri Indeed, the idea of dharma is paramount
within both Hindu religion and philosophy.
Dharma is an Eastern term whose Western equivalents might include morality, ethics, virtue,
righteousness and purity. Sadly, most of those terms are distinctly unfashionable in our
modern culture. Yet it is Dharma by which the seeker of truth can evolve to gnosis.
In India the deity Sri Vishnu is believed to have taken more than 9 incarnations (avatars) on
this earth to defend the righteous (i.e. those living within Dharma) against the demonic forces
(adharma).
As the warrior-prince Sri Rama (c. 6000 BC), Lord Vishnu, rescued the Goddess Sri Sita
from the immoral intentions of Ravana, the 10-headed demon King of Lanka. Ravana was a
violent, materialistic and egotistical conqueror who despised the will of heaven.
The pure and innocent Rama fought a mighty battle against the demon king and his army of
darkness, finally slaying him with a single silver arrow. Rama's army of bears and monkeys,
whose weapons were little more than rocks and tree trunks, rejoiced for their beloved Sita had
been reclaimed and the Divine Order restored.
9

This legend of Rama, the Ramayana, teaches that a person who defends dharma is destined to
vanquish evil and ignorance. Indeed, the entire cosmos comes to their aid as is shown by the
allegiance of the bears, monkeys and other aspects of nature. Fundamental to the defence of
Dharma is the sanctity of woman, in this case Sita, who is a Goddess; the Divine Feminine
incarnate. Ravana's death from a single silver arrow demonstrated the cosmic power of
Rama's dharmic purity.
Sri Krishna (c. 4000 BC) also incarnated to destroy demons opposed to Dharma. Unlike in
the age of Rama, impurity (adharma) was not exclusive to the demonic races alone but had
begun to enter into the minds of men. Krishna's life culminated in the Mahabharata war
which was a single, momentous battle between two royal families involving the deaths of
over 2 million warriors on a battlefield called Kurukshetra (now north of New Delhi). The
entire battle pivoted around a divine woman called Draupadi.
The Kaurava family (the bad guys) had insulted her chastity in the royal court after cheating
the Pandava family (good guys) in a game of dice. By threatening a woman's chastity the
Kauravas had sunk to the lowest level of 'adharma'. Thus the egotistical and hate-filled
Kauravas threatened the ancient essence of Indian civilisation.
Krishna guided the Pandavas to victory on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, often by miraculous
intervention, so that Draupadi was avenged and Dharma restored.
Unlike Rama, Krishna did not adhere to an external code of Dharma. Rather, he saw to the
essence of each situation and acted in such a way as to manifest the greatest divine good.
Despite many modern interpretations of Krishna, he was not a womaniser the ancient (and
more authentic) scriptures show that he was completely innocent of lust and greed. Thus
Krishna, as the essence of purity, was the master of yogic spirituality, the essence of dharma.
Today Kurukshetra is the battlefield of the human mind. The Mahabharata war is the struggle
between our sublime aspirations (truth, beauty and awareness) and our gross desires (security,
sensation and power). As individuals we merely choose sides. When we choose as the
Pandavas, we choose Dharma and its fruit of spiritual evolution. The entire cosmos (Sri
Krishna) guides us through the battle of life and we ultimately defend the sanctity of
Draupadi, the divine feminine, fountain of truth within us. Choose the Kauravas and we are
destined for defeat for we elect to move against the divine order. Dharma itself will destroy
us and the ultimate prize of spiritual awareness becomes forfeit.
These legends illustrate both the heavenly and earthly importance of Dharma. The
Mahabharata is very much older than the famous works of classical Greece (in fact it is
longer than Homer's Iliad and Odyssey combined); even its origin is mystical, having been
written by the sage Viyasa who perceived the entire story in the state of meditation
thousands of years before it occurred.
When Moses brought down the 10 commandments from Mt. Sinai he taught the Israelites that
Dharma was the divine law by which they (who loved truth) aspired could free themselves
from their Egyptian slave masters (the base desires) and reach the promised land (spiritual
liberation).

10

Although Mohammed led his followers into a bloody and terrible war to defend the law of
Islam (Dharma) from the child-murdering and mysoginistic idolaters, he described that
physical war as the 'lesser jihad'.The 'greater Jihad' is the infinitely more difficult war which
the seekers fight within themselves for moral purification, death of the ego and victory over
desire, attachment and conditioning.
Shakespeare's morality plays were all lessons in the cosmic supremacy of Dharma over
human folly. Thus Hamlet's vacillation between his princely duty and his frivolous
irresolution led to the death of Ophelia (loss of the divine feminine) and his own extinction
the tragedy was that by procrastinating his Dharma he forfeited his destiny to true fulfilment
as king (truth). Whereas Henry V, by immediately taking to his Dharma as a fair king, won
not only a miraculous, victory (the Battle of Agincourt in which the English were
outnumbered 25 to 1) over the arrogant French (human ego) but also the fair French princess
(sublime beauty and truth).
Christ taught us that forgiveness frees us from our own petty ego (and its qualities such as
pride, vengeance, aggression, grudge bearing) so that we can stay on the path of Dharma.
Christ's message is encapsulated in statements such as 'He who looks at a woman with lust
has already committed adultery' in other words an external morality or ethic is insufficient,
for true Dharma is purity of heart and mind.

Defining Dharma
The definition of Dharma as that which upholds, sustains and uplifts does not define the
object that is being upheld, sustained, or uplifted. It does not imply any specific object (living
or inanimate) and thus applys to all possible objects. It represents a Principle or a Quality
of being that can be widely used in a variety of contexts to mean a variety of different ideas.
In the Mahabharata, Yudhistira asks Bhishma to explain the meaning and scope of Dharma.
Bhishma replies:
Tadrisho ayam anuprashno yatra dharmaha sudurlabaha
Dushkamha pralisankhyatum tatkenatra vysvasyathi
Prabhavarthaya bhutanam dharmapravachanam kritam
Yasyat prabhavasamyuktaha sa dharma iti nischayaha.
It is most difficult to define Dharma. Dharma has been explained to be that which helps the
upliftment of living beings. Therefore, that which ensures the welfare of living beings is
surely Dharma. The learned rishis have declared that that which sustains is Dharma.
In the Karna Parva, Lord Krishna explains Dharma to Arjuna in the following words:
Dharanat dharma mityahu dharmo dhara-yate prajaha
Yat syad dharanasamyuktam sa dharma iti nischayaha
Dharma sustains the society. Dharma maintains the social order. Dharma ensures well being
and progress of humanity. Dharma is surely that which fulfills these objectives.
Rishi Jaimini, the author of Purva Mimamsa and Uthara Mimamsa, explains Dharma as:
11

Sa hi nisreyasena pumshamsamyunaktiti pra-tijaneemahe

tadabhidhiyate chodanalakshno ariho dharmaha
Dharma is that which is indicated by the Vedas as conducive to the highest good.
Madhavacharya, in his commentary on Parashara Smriti, explains the meaning of dharma as
Dharma is that which sustains and ensures progress and welfare of all in this world and
eternal Bliss in the other world. Dharma is promulgated in the form of commands. (positive
and negative vidhi and nishedha).
Dharma embraces every type of righteous conduct, covering every aspect of life essential for
the sustenance and welfare of the individual and society. Further, it includes those rules which
guide and enable those who believe in God and heaven to attainmoksha.

Dharma as Cosmic Order

The earliest import of the word Dharma, arises from the ancient Vedic idea of Ritam (or
Cosmic Order). The entire universe is sustained by a cosmic order, which are physical laws
that govern the motion of stars, suns, planets, satellites, asteroids and other physical bodies.
For example, the law of gravity sustains life on the earth since without it everything would
fly away, never to come back. Similarly there are other natural laws that are responsible for
sustaining and upholding various natural phenomenon. For example, why electrons keep
revolving around the nucleus of an atom, why atoms combine in ways to form molecules,
why the earth goes around the sun, and why human beings breathe out carbon-dioxide while
plants breathe out oxygen. There are thus physical laws, chemical laws, biological laws, even
psychological laws that both underlie the behavior and also sustain and maintain various
natural phenomena.
There are geophysical laws that govern the occurrence of mountains, forests, climates, seas
and rivers, and the numerous phenomena we see on this planet. There are climatic laws that
govern the seasons: summer follows spring, spring follows winter, and winter follows autumn
and so on. The winds blow as though by an internal law gently in normal times, and as
hurricanes and gales, in abnormal times. And even the hurricanes and gales come only during
their appointed season. The snows melt in the high mountains during summer, and the rivers
flow in full spate, and thus the whole cycle of life is sustained.
There are biological laws that govern the birth, growth, sustenance and death of all things
living, from the single-celled amoeba to the complex human being. There is a digestive
system that digests food, and a respiratory system that transforms oxygen into energy, a
nervous system that carries impulses, a brain that initiates thought and co-ordinates
movement, and so on. The Laws of Evolution have governed the progressive differentiation
of species, and Laws of Destruction have destroyed numerous species in their time. There are
laws that govern how the heart works, how the breath works, how hunger works and how
12

food works, how speech works, how the mind works, how emotions work and how
imagination works.
It could be said that it is the Dharma of the Wind to blow, the Dharma of the Sun to heat up
the world, the Dharma of the Ice to freeze and melt, the Dharma of Fire to burn. It is the
Dharma of the Plants to give out oxygen, and the Dharma of the Animals to give out carbon
dioxide. And behind the delicate workings and inter-relations between the various cosmic
phenomena, there is an order, an intelligently engineered and organized system, a set of laws
that seem to be at work governing the great forces and powers (Shakti) at play behind these
laws.
This is Dharma as the cosmic order, that includes many dynamic sub-orders, each represented
by powers and forces of great intensity and magnitude, each governed by their own dharma
or internal law of being and working each interacting upon one another, within the
boundaries of that law, sustaining, maintaining and upholding all things material and
phenomenal in this Universe.

Dharma as a Social Order

While recognizing that in its inherent definition, Dharma must include all these natural
cosmic laws that pertain to the physical universe, it is when the word is applied to Human
life, that it gains additional significance. In the Mahabharata, Lord Krishna states that
Dharma sustains society, maintains social order, and ensures wellbeing and progress of
humanity.
Every society is prone to internal and external conflict. Individuals are fallible and prone to
fall to the passions of greed, desire, jealousy and anger that may lay hold of the mind and
give rise to all forms of social disturbance. In order to curb this likelihood, proper education
and training must be provided and a sense of orderly living imparted. To live in peace in
accordance to Dharma, individuals must learn to gain a free range of expression and
experience while at the same time, know not to transgress the freedom and liberty of others.
Dharma, in this situation, is the collection of laws that uphold, sustain, and uplift society,
social order, and the well-being and progress of humanity. It is the prescriptions and
proscriptions that give rise to harmony, workability and stability in any society.
Every society has recognized the need for these as seen in religions that have created
commandments and injunctions, backed by threats of extraordinary punishments for
transgression in the present life and afterlife.
Dharma has indeed been given an elevated place in the consciousness, enshrined through
numerous stories and puranas, epics and tales in order to make it accessible to all, ranging
from the uneducated villager to the powerful king, from the rishi to the merchant, irrespective
of their station and role in society. This ensures that Dharma, the law of right living and
13

conduct, is enshrined and passed on from father to son, from mother to daughter - from
generation to generation.

Dharma as Ethical behavior

Dharma includes the Golden rule Do unto others as others would do unto you, and
therefore the set of all possible values such as speaking the truth, being kind, speaking
pleasant words, being respectful, demonstrating reverence towards the earth and the natural
resources etc. Dharma includes all possible values, and not any one specific set of values,
defined by any one individual or religious tradition, at a historical point of time. Dharma
extends itself into the specific ways of life, our value systems, and attitudes.
When an individual conforms to a certain universal matrix of behavioral norms, (s)he
contributes in the sustenance, maintenance, and the upliftment of societal order and thus the
society itself. On the other hand, if the universal norms are transgressed, then a chain of
actions and reactions takes place, which creates disorder. For example, the abused child
becomes an abuser himself, or the hurt individual hurts another.

Dharma as Duty or Responsibility

Dharma can be said to be expressed in the duties and responsibilities of an individual or a
community that ensures the harmony and balance in society as a whole, in terms of its interrelations and its dependencies. So Dharma upholds, sustains and uplifts all the various
constituents of this universe, who are woven together in a common interdependent existence.
When the parents perform their duties or discharge their responsibilities towards their
children, that naturally sustains and uplifts their children. And when children perform their
duties towards their parents, their actions sustains and uplifts the parents. When there is a
break in the discharge of the responsibilities of a parent towards a child, there is set in
motion, a great cycle of disharmony, and society itself becomes unbalanced in some way.
Similarly when the citizens perform their duties or discharge their responsibilities (i.e. pay
their taxes, don't break laws), this sustains the well-being of the society (and the State), and
when the State discharges its responsibilities towards its citizens, that upholds, sustains and
uplifts its citizens.
When the society discharges its duties and responsibilities towards the Earth and all its
inhabitants i.e. plants and animals, then the Earth itself is upheld, sustained and uplifted.
When humanity consumes the resources of the Earth indiscriminately, then that can unsettle
the balance and harmony in this world and result in disaster.

14

Dharma as Service to the Community

Ordinary human endeavors involve the pursuit of Artha and Kama which can be loosely
translated as security and pleasure, respectively. People's lives are predominantly given to the
commitment of their professional lives, and the various pleasures that the physical world has
to offer for experience. They hold on to their jobs for financial security, build and buy houses
for security, invest in retirement funds for a secure future, and pursue various pastimes for
pleasure. In fact, for most people, life is confined to the pursuit of Artha and Kama.
It is when they awaken to a wider possibility that of subordinating personal interests in
favor of ensuring the wellbeing of others whether those others are within the family,
neighborhood, village, city or state, or a specific community or even the country or the world
their lives take on a wider dimension. A commitment to pursue the greater good, clearly
sustains, maintains, upholds and uplifts the prevailing social order, especially the community
that is the beneficiary. Dharma is therefore inherent to any community service whether it is
the building of a school or running a hospital or an orphanage, or creating a philanthropic
foundation or running a shelter for the homeless.
Dharmic life, is a life of self-less service, of sacrifice and contribution. It is the lifestyle that
has been held in India from time immemorial as an ideal life, a life worth emulating, a life
that one aspires towards. Making a difference in society at large, somehow honors and fulfills
the human spirit, and brings to life the true possibility and potential of human existence.
Every Purana thus extols Dharma. In the Ramayana this idea is personified in Lord Rama
who is widely called Vigrahavaan Dharma the embodiment of Dharma.

Dharma as Self-Expression
Each human being is endowed with specific qualities and gifts. Some are born with a a talent
for music or sports, while others have developed a talent for management. Some have a deep
well developed intellectual disposition while others are blessed with great energy and
entrepreneurship for social activity. Ultimately a human being uplifts himself, sustains and
upholds his spirit, when he or she truly fully develops and expresses his or her unique gifts in
the service of humanity.
Man must grow to his full potential, in conformity with his own inner law of being - his
Svadharma. Such self-actualization is consistent with the complete unfoldment of the specific
gifts, talents and qualities that one is blessed with and results in the true fulfillment of ones
lifes potential as well as bestows these special gifts and talents to those surrounding such a
person. This flowering of a human being is also Dharma - this developing of an inner
potential and possibility to its full height and range of expression, this unfolding of human
genius consistent with the individuals own inner law of being and action, and this
manifestation in physical reality, the power of the human mind, thought, feeling and action.
15

When society has created the conditions of harmony and stability, the pre-conditions of
progress are created. Such a society flowers naturally and easily, and there is an outburst of
human creativity and all manner of creative expression is found to arise. In short periods of
time, such societies have brought forth great advances in art, architecture, science and
technology, philosophy and thought, literature and drama, and all other fields of human
development.

Dharma as a means for Moksha

Progress of humanity can be conceived in many different terms scientific, social, industrial,
technological, arts, economic, political and so on. Indias civilization has always conceived of
humanitys progress in spiritual terms, and given it a pre-eminent significance. It is in the
context of spiritual progress, that the notion of Dharma attains its fullest import. The Rig
Veda was realized and composed on the banks of the Saraswati River many millennia ago. It
describes the purpose of human life succinctly in the phrase "Atmano mokshartham jagat
hitayacha" which means 'the pursuit of moksha while keeping in view the welfare of the
world.' From a spiritual context, the ultimate fulfillment of a human life arises in the pursuit
and attainment of moksha.
A life of Dharma then is a life that keeps in full view the spiritual end of human life and
harmonizes ones everyday life with the progression towards that end. Dharma becomes the
means to attain a spiritual end of life. Thus Dharma is that which sustains, upholds, and
uplifts the spiritual progress of humanity, both individually and as a collective. Without a
complete understanding of the essentially spiritual journey that human beings are on, without
a recognition of the nature of the inner reality of the individual, and the relationship with the
universe, and without establishing a notion of Bhagwan as the all-pervasive reality of this
universe, the word Dharma cannot be fully understood.
So the following are the texts needed to understanding Dharma:
1.Sutras (Dharma, Grihya)
2.Smritis

Metrical codes like Manusmriti

Itihasa Puranas

There are three sources of knowledge of Dharma:

1.Through scriptures
2.Through elders
16

3.By observing the behavior of noble men in different situations

The concepts involved in understanding Dharma:

1.Varna Dharma
2.Ashrama Dharma
3.Concept of Karma
These are overlapping and not exclusive concepts.

Types of Dharma
Dharma can be classified into many subsets depending on application area and to whom or
what is being discussed. For people, the following are examples of dharma that typically
apply for day-to-day life:

Vyakti dharma - the dharma of an individual

Parivarika dharma - family dharma (also called kutumba dharma)

Samaja dharma - societal dharma

Rashtra dharma - national dharma

Manava dharma - the dharma of mankind

Varna dharma - professional dharma

apad dharma - exceptional/abnormal situational dharma

Yuga dharma - dharma applicable for an age

Ashrama dharma - dharma for stage of life

Dharma in Common Usage

Mahatma Gandhi brought the phrase "Ahimsa Paramo Dharma" into common usage stating
(in contradiction to scripture) that non-violence was the topmost Dharma for all and he is
often quoted by many people and leaders.

Dharma as a Civilizational Principle

17

Ancient Rishis saw rights and responsibilities as two sides of the same coin and decided to
emphasize responsibilities and duty over rights whereas other civilizations emphasized rights.
They knew that when responsibilities and duties are fulfilled, people receive their rights. For
example, when parents fulfill their duties and responsibilities for their children--their children
receive their rights. The same principle applies for a nation and its citizens. Where people live
in conformity with their dharma, the individual rights of all others are naturally granted. A
culture that emphasizes rights over duties only results in a competitive clamoring where each
group and sub-group organizes itself to lobby and fight for its rights. Whereas in Sanatana
Dharma, one is taught to live consistently with one's dharma (swadharma), and leave the rest
to Ishwara or Bhagwan

Introduction of Dharma
Dharma
Dharma is the Law that "upholds, supports or maintains the regulatory order of the
universe", Dharma has the Sanskrit root dhri, which means "that without which nothing can
stand"or "that which maintains the stability and harmony of the universe."
Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, and Sikhism all have the idea of dharma at their core, where it
points to the purification and moral transformation of human beings. Dharma is not the same
as Religion. Though differing in some particulars, all concur that the goal of human life
is moksha or nirvana, in which the ultimate nature of dharma (as cosmic law) is apprehended
experientially.
In Buddhist philosophy, dhamma/dharma is also the term for "phenomenon".

Meaning
Dharma is a concept of central importance in Indian philosophy and religion It
means Law or Natural Law.The literal meaning is "that which upholds, supports or
maintains the regulatory order of the universe".
As well as referring to Law in the universal or abstract sense, dharma designates those
behaviours considered necessary for the maintenance of the natural order of
things. Dharma may encompass ideas such as duty,vocation, religion and all behaviour
considered appropriate, correct or morally upright.
The idea of dharma as duty or propriety derives from an idea found in India's ancient legal
and religious texts, that there is a divinely instituted natural order of things , and that justice,
social harmony and human happiness require that human beings discern and live in a manner
appropriate to the requirements of that order. The guidelines and rules regarding what was
considered appropriate behaviours for human beings accumulated in a body of literature
called Dharmashastra. In these texts civil law is inextricably linked to religion.
The Shastras include instructions on the correct way to perform religious rites and rituals, as
well as the way to lead a morally pure life.

18

In traditional Hindu society, dharma has historically included such phenomena as Vedic ritual
(yajna), ethical conduct, behaviour and duties appropriate to one's caste, and civil and
criminal law. Its most common meaning, however, pertained to two principal ideas: that
social life should be structured through well-defined and well-regulated classes (varna), and
that an individual's life within a class should be organized into defined stages
(ashrama). A Hindu's dharma is therefore affected by the person's age, caste, class,
occupation, and gender.

Usage
"Dharma" is used in most or all philosophies and religions of Indian originsometimes
summarized under the umbrella term of Dharmic faith including Hinduism, Buddhism,
Jainism, and Sikhism. It is difficult to provide a single concise definition for dharma, as the
word has a long and varied history and straddles a complex set of meanings and
interpretations.
Dharma also refers to the teachings and doctrines of the founders of Buddhism and
Jainism, the Buddha and Mahavira. The antonym of dharma is adharma, meaning unnatural
or immoral. Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism are called Hindu Dharma, BuddhaDharma, Jain-Dharma and Sikh dharma, respectively.
In recent years, "dharma" has evolved from an older, Brhmanical dharma (which required
the king's support both financially and in protecting the earth), to a newer dharma called
nstika dharma. Nstika dharma draws upon the principles and disciplines of yoga to
encourage equality and harmony among people, which in the end encourages selfless
behavior.
In modern Indian languages it can refer simply to a person's religion, depending on the
context.

Hinduism
Development
In the Rigveda, the belief (or observation) that a natural justice and harmony pervades the
natural world becomes manifest in the concept of rta, which is both 'nature's way' and the
order implicit in nature. Thus rta bears a resemblance to the ancient Chinese concept
of Tao and the Heraclitan, Stoic or Christian conceptions of the logos.
This "power" that lies behind nature and that keeps everything in balance became a natural
forerunner to the idea of dharma. The idea of rta laid the cornerstone of dharma's implicit
attribution to the "ultimate reality" of the surrounding universe. In classical Vedic
Hinduism the following verse from the Rigveda is an example where rta is mentioned:
O Indra, lead us on the path of Rta, on the right path over all evils
The transition of the rta to the modern idea of dharma occurs in the Brihadaranyaka
Upanishad. The Upanishads saw dharma as the universal principle of law, order, harmony,
and all in all truth, that sprang first from Brahman. It acts as the regulatory moral principle of
the Universe. It is sat (truth), a major tenet of Hinduism. This hearkens back to the
19

conception of the Rigveda that "Ekam Sat," (Truth Is One), and of the idea that Brahman is
"Satchitananda" (Truth-Consciousness-Bliss). Dharma is not just law, or harmony, it is pure
reality. In the Brihadaranyaka's own words:
Verily, that which is Dharma is truth.
Therefore they say of a man who speaks truth, "He speaks the Dharma,"
or of a man who speaks the Dharma, "He speaks the Truth."
Verily, both these things are the same.
In the Mahabharata, Krishna defines dharma as,
"Dhaaranaad dharma ity aahur dharmena vidhrtaah prajaah, Yat syaad dhaarana
sanyuktam sa dharma iti nishchayah,"
i.e.,
Dharma upholds both this-worldly and other-worldly affairs

Purusartha
Through
the four ashramas,
or
stages
of
life
(Brahmacharya, Grihastha, Vaanprastha, Sanyaasa), a person also seeks to fulfill the four
essentials (purusartha) of kama (sensual pleasures), artha(worldly gain), dharma,
and moksha (liberation from rebirth). Moksha, although the ultimate goal, is emphasized
more in the last two stages of life, while artha and kama are considered primary only
during Grihastha. Dharma, however is essential in all four stages. As a purusartha, in
terms of a human goal, dharma can also be considered to be a lens through which humans
plan and perform their interactions with the world. Through the dharmic lens, one focuses
on doing what is right and avoiding what is wrong, while the kama perspective focuses
on doing what is pleasurable to our higher nature (not referring to sex) and avoiding pain,
and the artha perspective focuses on doing what is profitable for our higher nature (not
referring to material goods or money) and avoiding loss.

Deity
Yama the lord of justice, also the god responsible for the dead, is sometimes referred to as
Dharma. Mythologically, he is said to have been born from the right breast of Brahma, is
married to 13 daughters of Daksha and fathers Shama, Kama and Harahsa.
In the epic Mahabharata, he is incarnate as Vidura. Also, Dharma or Yama is invoked
by Kunti and she begets her eldest son Yudhisthira from him. Yudhisthira is also known
as Dharmaraja, or king of dharma.

Technical literature
In technical literature, e.g., in Sanskrit grammar, dharma also means "property"
and dharmin means "property-bearer". In a Sanskrit sentence like shabdo 'nityah , "sound
is impermanent", "sound" is the bearer of the property "impermanence". Likewise, in the
sentence iha ghatah , "here, there is a pot", "here" is the bearer of the property "potexistence" this shows that the categories of property and property-bearer are closer to
those of a logical predicate and its subject-term, and not to a grammatical predicate and
subject.
20

Buddhism
For many Buddhists, the Dharma most often means the body of teachings expounded by
the Buddha. The word is also used in Buddhist phenomenology as a term roughly equivalent
tophenomenon, a
basic unit of existence and/or experience.
In East Asia, the translation for dharma is , pronounced f in Mandarin, beop in
Korean, h in Japanese, and php in Vietnamese. However, the term dharma can also be
transliterated from its original form.

Buddha's teachings
For practicing Buddhists, references to "dharma" (dhamma in Pali) particularly as "the
Dharma", generally means the teachings of the Buddha, commonly known throughout the
East as Buddha-Dharma.
The status of Dharma is regarded variably by different Buddhist traditions. Some regard
it as an ultimate truth, or as the fount of all things which lies beyond the "three realms"
(Sanskrit: tridhatu) and the "wheel of becoming" (Sanskrit: bhavacakra), somewhat like
the pagan Greek and Christian logos: this is known as Dharmakaya (Sanskrit). Others,
who regard the Buddha as simply an enlightened human being, see the Dharma as
the essence of the "84,000 different aspects of the teaching" (Tibetan: chos-sgo brgyadkhri bzhi strong) that the Buddha gave to various types of people, based upon their
individual propensities and capabilities.
Dharma refers not only to the sayings of the Buddha, but also to the later traditions of
interpretation and addition that the various schools of Buddhism have developed to help
explain and to expand upon the Buddha's teachings. For others still, they see the Dharma
as referring to the "truth," or the ultimate reality of "the way that things really are" (Tib.
Cho).
The Dharma is one of the Three Jewels of Buddhism in which practitioners of Buddhism
seek refuge, or that upon which one relies for his or her lasting happiness. The Three
Jewels of Buddhism are the Buddha, meaning the mind's perfection of enlightenment,
the Dharma, meaning the teachings and the methods of the Buddha, and the Sangha,
meaning those awakened beings who provide guidance and support to followers of the
Buddha.

Buddhist phenomenology
Other uses include dharma, normally spelled with a small "d" (to differentiate), which
refers to a phenomenon or constituent factor of human experience. This was gradually
expanded into a classification of constituents of the entire material and mental world.
Rejecting the substantial existence of permanent entities which are qualified by possibly
changing qualities, Buddhist Abhidharma philosophers enumerated lists of dharmas
which varied by school. They came to propound that these "constituent factors" are the
only type of entity that truly exists (and only some thinkers gave dharmas this kind of
existence). This notion is of particular importance for the analysis of human experience:
Rather than assuming that mental states in here in a cognizing subject, or a soulsubstance, Buddhist philosophers largely propose that mental states alone exist as
"momentary elements of consciousness" and that a subjective perceiver is assumed.
21

One of the central tenets of Buddhism, is the denial of a separate permanent "I", and is
outlined in the three marks of existence.
1. Dukkha Suffering or unsatisfactoriness (Pali: Dukkha)
2. Anitya Change/Impermanence (Pali: Anicca)
3. Anatman Not-Self (Pali: Annatta)
At the heart of Buddhism is the understanding of all phenomena as dependently
originated.
Later, Buddhist philosophers like Ngrjuna would question whether the dharmas
(momentary elements of consciousness) truly have a separate existence of their own. (i.e.
Do they exist apart from anything else?) Rejecting any inherent reality to the dharmas, he
asked (rhetorically):
nyes u sarvadharmes u kim ananta kimantavat
kim anantam antavac ca nnanta nntavacca ki
ki tad eva kim anyat ki vata kim avata
avata vata ca ki v nobhayam apyatah 'tha
sarvopalambhpaamah prapacopaamah ivah
na kvacit kasyacit kacid dharmo buddhena deitah |
When all dharmas are empty, what is endless? What has an end?
What is endless and with an end? What is not endless and not with an end?
What is it? What is other? What is permanent? What is impermanent?
What is impermanent and permanent? What is neither?
Auspicious is the pacification of phenomenal metastasis, the pacification of all
apprehending;
There is no dharma whatsoever taught by the Buddha to whomever, whenever,
wherever.
--Mlamadhyamakakrik, nirvn naparks ,

Righteousness
According to S. N. Goenka, a teacher of Vipassana meditation, the original meaning of
dhamma is "dharayati iti dharmaH", or "one that contains, supports or upholds" and
dharma in the Buddhist scriptures has a variety of meanings, including "phenomenon"
and "nature" or "characteristic". Dharma also means "mental contents," and is paired
with citta, which means heart-mind. The pairing is paralleled with the combining
of shareera (body) and vedana (feelings or sensations which arise within the body but are
experienced through the mind) in major sutras such as the Mahasatipatthana sutra.
22

Dharma is also used to refer to the direct teachings of the Buddha, especially the
discourses on the fundamental principles (such as the Four Noble Truths and the Noble
Eightfold Path), as opposed to the parables and to the poems.

Ch'an
Dharma is employed in Ch'an in a specific context in relation to transmission of authentic
doctrine, understanding and bodhi; recognized in Dharma transmission.

Jainism
In Jainism, dharma is natural. Acharya Samantabhadra writes, Vatthu sahavo dhammo: "the
dharma is the nature of an object". It is the nature of the soul to be free, thus for the soul, the
dharma is paralaukika, beyond worldly. However the nature of the body is to seek selfpreservation and be engaged in pleasures. Thus there are two dharmas.

Two Dharmas
Acharya Haribhadra (c. 6th7th centuries) discusses dharma in Dharma-Bindu. He writes
(Translation by Y. Malaiya): soayam-anus t htr -bhedt dvi-vidho
gr hastha-dharmo yati-dharma ca|
Because of the difference in practice, dharma is of two kinds, for the householders and
for the monks.
tatra gr hastha-dharmo api dvi-vidhah
smanyato vies ata ca |
Of the householder's dharma, there are two kinds, "ordinary" and "special"
tatra smanayato gr hastha-dharmah kula-krama-agatam-anindyam
vibhavady-apekshay nyto anus t hnam|
The ordinary dharma of the householder should be carried out according to tradition, such
that it is not objectionable, according to ones abilities such as wealth, in accordance with
nyaya (everyone treated fairly and according to laws).
Somadeva suri (10th century) terms the "ordinary" and "special"
dharmas laukika ("worldly") and pralaukika ("extra-worldly") respectively:
dvau hi dharmau gr hasthn am, laukikah , pralaukikah|
lokrayo bhaveddyah, parah syd-gama-rayah ||
A householder follows both laukika and the paralaukika dharmas at the same time.

Sikhism
For Sikhs, the word Dharm means the "path of righteousness". What is the "righteous path"?
That is the question that the Sikh scriptures attempt to answer. The main holy scriptures of
the Sikhs is called the Guru Granth Sahib. It is considered to be more than a holy book of
the Sikhs. The Sikhs treat this Granth (holy book) as a living Guru. The holy text spans 1430
23

pages and contains the actual words spoken by the Sikh Gurus and various other Saints from
other religions including Hinduism and Islam.
Sikh Dharma is a distinct religion revealed through the teachings of ten Gurus who are
accepted by the followers as if they were spiritually the same. The Gurus are considered "the
divine light" and they conveyed Gurbani (the word of God) in the form of the Guru Granth
Sahib to the world. In this faith, God is described as both Nirgun (transcendent)
and Sargun (immanent). Further, God pervades in His creation and is omnipresent, but cannot
be incarnate. The principal Sikh belief lays stress on one's actions and deeds rather than
religious labels, rituals or outward appearance or signs.
Background
The primary object of a Sikh's life is to seek union with God and hence, liberation from
the cycle of births and deaths (cycle of re-incarnation) which is dictated by a person's
thought, deeds and actions in this life. Liberation can be achieved through meditating on
God, truthful living and sharing ones wealth in the context of a normal family life and
through divine grace. Amrit Pahul Sikh baptism for both men and women was
instituted in 1699 by Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru. All Sikhs, on taking Amrit, are
enjoined to lead a disciplined life by following a code of ethics leading to a "SaintSoldier" way of life. In 1708, Guru Gobind Singh vested spiritual authority in the Guru
Granth Sahib (the Sikh scriptures) as the eternal Guru and hence Sikh Dharma
acknowledges the end of human Guruship. At the same time, the temporal authority was
vested in the Khalsa Panth (a community of Sikhs who have taken Amrit).
Other important aspects of a Sikh's life include Sewa (dedication to the service of God's
creation) where the emphasis is often upon manual work, undertaking of goodwill
towards other faiths and their followers, to defend for justice and assistance of the
oppressed. In contrast to many other faiths, Sikhs believe that when all other means to
achieve justice are exhausted, then it is just to wield the sword.
Congregational worship includes the following:
1. Paath Reading of the Holy scriptures
2. Kirtan Singing of Shabads (hymns).
3. Langar A communal vegetarian meal also call free kitchen is an important
feature of the Sikh way of life, and food is served to everyone at the end of a Sikh
service.
4. Ardas Sikhs conclude their prayers by doing the Ardas and invoking God's
blessings on everyone not just on Sikhs.

Scriptures and dharma

The Guru Granth Sahib lays down the foundation of this "righteous path" and various salient
points are found.
1. Sikh is bound by Dharma: The followers of this faith are bound by Dharma as
advocated in their holy scriptures. The committed Sikh is encouraged to follow
24

this path at all times. The first recitation of the Guru Granth Sahib called
the Japji Sahib says the following: "The path of the faithful shall never be
blocked. The faithful shall depart with honor and fame. The faithful do not follow
empty religious rituals. The faithful people are fully bound to do whatever the
Dharma wants them to do. Such is the Name of the Immaculate Lord. Only one
who has faith comes to know such a state of mind."
2. Deeds are recorded: The persons thoughts and deeds are said to be recorded and
the faithful is warned that these will be read out in the presence of the "Lord of
Dharma". Two scribes called Chitr and Gupt, the angels of the conscious and the
subconscious mind are busy writing ones thought and deeds. On death, the soul
of the person he brought before "Lord of Dharma" are these account are read out
as recorded in this quote: "Day and night are the two nurses, in whose lap all the
world is at play. Good deeds and bad deeds the record is read out in the
Presence of the Lord of Dharma. According to their own actions, some are drawn
closer, and some are driven farther away."
3. Dharma administered by God: The scriptures further outline how the "Judge of
Dharma" administers justice depending on the way that one has conducted life on
Earth. The soul is either "cleared" or "subject to God's command" depending on
the review of the person history. The holy text says: "The Righteous Judge of
Dharma, by the Hukam of God's Command, sits and administers True
Justice". and those followers who "chant the name of the Lord" are cleared as
outlined thus: "Her account is cleared by the Righteous Judge of Dharma, when
she chants the Name of the Lord, Har, Har."

What is the true meaning of word 'Dharma'?

Quotes such as 'There is no substitute for religion' and 'Religion is like a narcotic pill' which
are contradictory create confusion in the mind of the common man. When we talk
about Righteousness (Dharma) one thinks about religious orders such as Hinduism, Islam,
Christianity, Buddhism, etc. Others think that India being a secular state talking about
religion is highly objectionable. To eliminate these misconcepts and to realise how there is
no alternative to Righteousness as well as to unite all mankind one has to understand the
true meaning of Righteousness. Information on Righteousness - its meaning, importance, its
various aspects, mysteries, doctrines and types, its difference from culture and morality, its
decline and assumption of incarnations, importance of India in the context of
Righteousness, etc. is given in this holy book.
Since generally people have heard only words like the Vedas, Upanishads, etc. they think
that only these texts are spiritual literature. They do not know what a vast treasure house of
spiritual literature India has and about its contents. To get acquainted with it this book gives
information on the Vedas, their importance, aims, divisions, subdivisions, parts, etc. The
study of the Brahman texts and the Upanishads is important as they include several
25

doctrines of Spirituality; hence they have been elaborated upon. An introduction to the
Darshans is also made. Scriptures on Righteousness from the Smrutis which describe the
righteous code of conduct are discussed with respect to their importance, characteristics,
number, their authority, the period when they were written, how they are different from the
Shrutis (Vedas), various texts of the Smrutis and their authors, etc. An introduction to the
divine mission of Maharshi Vyas and the foremost (Adi) Shankaracharya has also been
made to illustrate Their supremacy. To limit the size of the text, information on the four
classes (varna) and stages of life (ashrams) has been given in 'Science of Spirituality.
After reading this book even if a few people feel that they should become righteous and
undertake the practice of Spirituality, then the very purpose of writing this book will be
served.

1. Origin and meaning

The word Righteousness (Dharma) has been used by various holy texts with various
connotations. To be able to comprehend the pervasiveness of this word some of its
important derivations and meanings are elucidated below.

In the context of society

1. '` ' means to bear, to support. The word dharma () has been derived from the
' : ' means Righteousness (Dharma) is that which
sustains the people or that which is adopted by meritorious souls.
2. :
Meaning : Righteousness is that which nurtures the subjects and in turn the society.
3.
:

Meaning : Since it nurtures (dharana) it acquired the name of Dharma (Righteousness).

Subjects are borne through Righteousness. Consequently the entire universe containing the
three regions is supported by Righteousness. 4. 'The Indian (Bharatiya) Aryans established the system of the four classes (chaturvarnya),
duties in the four stages of life (ashrams), the institution of marriage, system of inheritance,
etc. to stabilise society. All this together constitutes Righteousness.'
5. : :

26

Meaning : The aim of establishing a code of Righteousness is to facilitate social

transactions.
6. The basic nature of all living beings is to live collectively because this favours both
procuring food and protection. Grass, trees, etc. all take birth and grow in groups; hence the
earth is called sanghamitra or sanghi, an assembly of animate and inanimate creation. The
earth, rainfall, lightning, etc. all exist in a group. The sun accompanies its solar system
(suryakula). The body too is the union of several particles. In short different people form a
group and a group consists of several individuals. 'Jagadguru Shri Shankaracharya has
referred to living in a group as the Great Illusion (Maya). If there is no harmony of the
individual with the group then his existence is endangered. The rules framed to enable the
group to live collectively are known as the code of Righteousness (Dharma). Although
thoughts, respiration, food habits, etc. of each one vary, the framing of rules to sustain an
organisation, e.g. not setting the hut on fire to prevent those residing in it from becoming
homeless, is known as adhishthan. Adhishthan is a kind of spiritual practice.
'Desire to live in a group is the natural tendency of man. The physical and spiritual needs of
man are fulfilled because of this very tendency. Thus a group can influence an individual
profoundly and that is precisely why it can be firmly stated that Righteousness is based
mainly on social principles.' Righteousness is concerned with the entire society and by
observing it society becomes righteous.

In the context of an individual

1. : : : :
Meaning : That by virtue of which one is uplifted both in the worldly and spiritual
aspects of life by means of which man acquires the ultimate spiritual evolution, that is the
Final Liberation (Moksha) is known as Righteousness.
3.

: : :

Meaning : The sole aim with which Righteousness is advocated is to bring about the
evolution of living beings. A doctrine preaches that that which is able to bring about
evolution is Righteousness.
4. 'The special famous feature of Righteousness quoted by Kanad
is :: :

27

Meaning : Righteousness is that by means of which one acquires prosperity and the
ultimate upliftment.
Benefaction (abhyuday) includes materialistic prosperity, spiritual happiness and the
practices to attain them. The state wherein prosperity is more than unhappiness is known as
abhyuday. The Final Liberation, the eternal or the supreme goal is termed as the ultimate
upliftment (nihishreyas). The state in which one does not aspire to acquire anything or is
always content is known as the ultimate evolution. The practices by means of which these
two targets are achieved is Righteousness (Dharma).
4. Sage Jaimini describes the features of Righteousness as :
Meaning : The act of realising the meaning of what is beneficial to oneself by
preaching, obedience or performing rituals is known as Righteousness.
The meaning of the word chodana is inspiration. Inspiration is of two types - verbal
emotion and meaningful emotion. Verbal emotion implies to the commanding energy
behind the words. Human or divine speech (vani) tells one to perform or not to perform a
certain act. This speech is superior to that of an average person. It reassures the vanquishing
of obstacles and acquisition of beneficial results and also threatens with punishment if
disobeyed. According to the authors of the Mimansa such commanding speech bestowing
inspiration is nothing but the Veda itself. This inspiration energy, which is a verbal emotion,
exists only in Vedic words. Meaningful emotion refers to the tendency generated from the
emotion that by doing a certain act one will be benefitted. One can call dedication a
meaningful emotion. This emotion is present in righteous individuals.
5. All religions state that deciding the ideal behaviour is not within the purview of the
human intellect but can only be done by a divine supernatural energy. The acquisition of
beneficial results and overcoming obstacles in this birth and in the life beyond, itself are
blessings. All scriptures proclaim that if one does not acquire benefits in this world through
the pursuit of Righteousness then one will certainly acquire them in the subtle world.'
6. 'Righteousness (Dharma) is a crafty means of liberating man from the ignorance (illusion
of raja-tama components) in which he is trapped with the help of the same ignorance (sattva
component).' - H.H. Kane Maharaj, Narayangaon, Maharashtra
7. 'In the Brahman holy texts the meaning of the word Dharma is
the Righteousness according to the stage of life (ashramdharma) as is understood from the
quote ''trayo dharmaskandhaha ( : ....)" from the Upanishads. It also means

28

the duties allotted to or accepted by an individual according to the system of classes and the
stages of life (varnashram).'
8. 'Dharma in Aryan society refers to the rights, duties and responsibilities of an individual
belonging to a specific class (varna) and in a specific state.
In famous quotes such as ''Speak the truth and observe Righteousness (Dharma)" from the
Taittiriya Upanishad which preach to a student, this is the very meaning with which the
word is used.

:
: :

Meaning : One's own code of Righteousness is superior even if it be faulty in

comparison to another's code ofRighteousness which may be easier to adopt. It is better to
embrace death while observing one's own code of Righteousness because danger lies in the
acceptance of another's code of Righteousness. In this well known verse (shloka) too the
word Dharma is used with the same meaning.
The word Dharma is used with the same connotation in spiritual literature. states that the
sages requested Manu to teach them the code of Righteousness of all the classes (varna). In
the Yadnyavalkyasmruti Dharma is used with the same meaning.'

In relation to both the society and the individual

1. : : : : -
Meaning : Righteousness is that which accomplishes the three tasks of keeping the
social system in an excellent condition, bringing about the worldly progress of every living
being and causing progress in the spiritual realm as well. - Shri Shankaracharya
2. 'According to authors of the scriptures the word ''Righteousness" is not simply defined as
a sect but it also incorporates the actions that an individual should perform and the
restrictions that he has to observe for the sake of his individual progress and that of society
of which he is a part and parcel.'

Some lopsided definitions

' :' meaning non-violence is the supreme form of Righteousness , '
:' meaning that compassion itself is ultimate Righteousness ,': :'

29

meaning good conduct is the supreme Righteousness are some examples of lopsided
definitions.

Concept of dharma
The concept of dharma can be viewed in different angles from semantic, cultural and
religious points of view. It is considered as the pivotal point of Indian civilization since it is
not affected by any linguistic, sectarian or regional difference of the country. The term is too
difficult to be translated into its real sense. Rig Veda, the first Veda of Hinduism, defines
dharma as the natural harmony and justice that pervades the natural world. It is manifested
through the rta (the implicit order) of nature. The Buddhist view of dharma or Dhamma
is that it stands for something sublime, peaceful, subtle and trans-rational. It means the
teachings of Buddha. Jain literature interprets dharma as virtuous behavior, behavior in
accordance with nature, and behavior in terms of activity, non-activity and cosmic order.

Importance of Dharma
Dharma in the contemporary terms means performing your task and the responsibilities in a
way as they come without getting biased. The concept of Dharma is very ancient and is
always been a un- answered question from ages. Dharma can be called as the religion in
which we take birth and being authorized for the responsibilities and duties which we have to
perform are often associated with our Dharma. The concept of Dharma is deeply associated
with our Karma (our deeds) including both the good and the bad ones. As per the Vedas it is
believed that whatever we do in the form of our karmas results into our fortune determining
our Dharma for our next birth.

History of Dharma and Dharma Guru

The word 'Dharma' is derived from the root " dhri" which means to uphold, to maintain, to
support, to nourish, to sustain. It contains the moral values required for sustaining human
existence in its fullness. Self-development through self-restraint is called 'Dharma'. It is
physical and at the same time spiritual. We are all inter-dependent and we must see the wellbeing of the whole universe as a whole. Dharma is the path of righteousness and living one's
life according to the codes of conduct as described by the Vedas and Upanisads. Dharma
means "that which holds" - the people of this world and the whole creation.

Dharma and Religion

Every human civilization has a unifying force of unity. This force is understood from the
Indian context as 'Dharma' while from the Western context as `Religion'. Both Dharma and
Religion assume an important role being the foundation of the wholeness of every
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civilization. Religion is the direct experience of reality gathered after the a posterior theory of
knowledge. Dharma also aims at perfectionism i.e. the realization of the self or the infinite in
man. Religion is synonym of Dharma, 'to hold that which is real'. It aims for the inner
experience of the reality from within and never from outside, which is the reflection. The goal
of religion is to manifest the 'Divinity' from within by controlling nature, both external and
internal.

Dharma and Karma

Dharma is the essential function or nature of a thing. One can say that the 'dharma' of fire is
Heat, the 'dharma' of water is Liquidity, and the 'dharma' of sugar is Sweetness then what is
the 'dharma' of living being? The answer is : to render service. We can easily see that every
living being is constantly engaged in rendering service to another living being. A living being
serves another living in various capacities. By doing so, the living entity enjoys life. The
lower animals serve human beings as servants serve their master. One friend serves another
friend, the mother serves the son, the wife serves the husband, the husband serves the wife
and so on. If we go on searching in this spirit it will be seen that there is no exception in the
society of living beings to the activity of service and therefore we can safely conclude that
service is the constant companion of the living being and that the rendering of service is the
eternal religion (Dharma) of the living being. Sanatana accepts the concept of reincarnation,
and what determines the state of an individual in the next existence is karma, which refers to
the actions undertaken by the body and the mind. In order to achieve good karma it is
important to live life according to `dharma'. This involves doing what is right for the
individual, the family, the class or caste and also for the universe itself.
Dharma is like a cosmic norm and if one goes against the norm it can result in bad karma. So,
dharma affects the future according to the karma accumulated. Therefore one's dharmic path
in the next life is the one necessary to bring to fruition all the results of past karma.
The term dharma can best be explained as the "law of being" without which things cannot
exist, just as the essential factor in human being is life - the atman without which he cannot
exist. Therefore the dharma of human being is atman. And hence any good atmic quality is
dharmic. Dharma therefore implies duty - a course of conduct. For example, Sanatan Dharma
endorses the idea that it is one's dharma to marry, raise a family and provide for that family in
whatever way is necessary.
Anything that helps human being to reach god is dharma and anything that hinders human
being from reaching god is adharma.
The essence of dharma lies in possessing a certain ability, power and spiritual strength. Vedic
Dharma is always truthful because its basis is the unique combination of spiritual brilliance
and physical prowess.

Dharma : Types
Sanatana saints have classified all human aspirations under four broad categories: dharma
(religion), artha (money), kama (desire) and moksha (liberation from the cycle of birth and
death). The practice of dharma gives an experience of peace, joy, strength and tranquillity
within one's self and makes life disciplined. Of these four values the majority of human
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beings pursue artha and kama, and the more sensitive individuals pursue dharma, while very
few are conscious of moksha - the ideal spiritual aspiration.
According to the Bhagavat Purana, righteous living or life on a dharmic path has four aspects:
austerity (tap), purity (shauch), compassion (daya) and truthfulness (satya); and adharmic or
unrighteous life has three vices: pride (ahankar), contact (sangh), and intoxication (madya).
Manusmrity, written by the ancient sage Manu, prescribes ten essential rules for the
observance of dharma: Patience (dhriti), forgiveness (kshama), piety or self control (dama),
non-stealing (asteya), sanctity (shauch), control of senses (indraiya-nigrah), reason (dhi),
knowledge or learning (vidya), truthfulness (satya) and absence of anger (akrodha). These ten
rules of the sage Manu come under the Samanya (general or universal) Dharma. Manu further
writes, "Non-violence, truth, non-coveting, purity of body and mind, control of senses are the
essence of dharma". Therefore dharmic laws govern not only the individual but all in society.
The purpose of dharma is not only to attain a union of the soul with the supreme reality, it
also suggests a code of conduct that is intended to secure both worldly joys and supreme
happiness. Rishi Kanda has defined dharma in Vaisesika as "that which confers worldly joys
and leads to supreme happiness". Sanatan Dharma is the religion that suggests methods for
the attainment of the highest ideal and eternal bliss here and now on earth and not somewhere
in heaven.
That which brings well-being to man is Dharma. Dharma supports this world. The people are
upheld by Dharma. That which accrues preservation of beings is Dharma. Dharma leads to
eternal happiness and immortality.
That which is Dharma is verily the Truth. Therefore, whosoever speaks the truth is said to
speak Dharma, and whosoever speaks Dharma is said to speak the truth. One and the same
thing becomes both.
Dharma includes all external deeds, as well as thoughts and other mental practices which tend
to elevate the character of a man. Dharma comes from the Divine and leads you to the
Divine.
Dharma can be of various kinds: Sanatana Dharma (Eternal Law), Samanya Dharma (general
duty), Visesha Dharma (special duty), Varnashrama Dharma (duties of Caste and Order),
Svadharma (one's own duty), Yuga Dharma (duty of the age or period in history), Kula
Dharma (duty of family), Manava Dharma (duty of man), Purusha Dharma (duty of male),
Stri Dharma (duty of female), Raja Dharma (duty of king), Praja Dharma (duty of subjects),
Pravritti Dharma (duty in worldly life) and Nivritti Dharma (duty in spiritual life).

Beginning of Dharma Guru

The Origin of the Buddha Dharma

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Although fully enlightened unborn Dharmakaya, from the viewpoint of ordinary appearances
and in order to benefit beings through wisdom and skilful means, Lord Buddha gave rise to
the mind of supreme Bodhi, then accumulated vast merits taking rebirths over three great
incalculable aeons, eventually displaying the attainment of Enlightenment on the Vajra Seat at
Bodhgaya in India. Thereafter, the Buddha turned the wheel of 84,000 Dharma teachings for
the sake of sentient beings according to their capacity thus liberating innumerable gods,
demigods, nagas, yakshas, humans and non-humans from the clutches of cyclic existence.
Moreover, Buddha Kashaypa and the Seven Buddhas of the past, the Sixteen Great Arhats,
the Six Ornaments and Two Excellent Ones of the world, and numerous other realized
siddhas and panditas helped the Buddhas precious teachings to rise and shine like the sun in
the sublime land of India. Then, from that sublime land, the Dharma spread to and grew in
the snowy land of Tibet.
According to the White Lotus Sutra, when Buddha, the Great Sage was staying at the bamboo
grove, rays of light emitted from the Zoepu on his forehead which went towards the north, at
which the Buddha smiled. Then, Nirvirana-vishkambin, one of the eight great Bodhisattvas,
requested the Buddha to explain the reasons and conditions for this sign, to which the Buddha
replied:
Noble Son, the northern land untamed by the Buddhas of the three times: that remote, snowcovered barbarian land filled with demons and rakshasas, will in the future see the sublime
Dharma rising and shining like the sun; and even the sentient beings there will be extremely
fortunate and established on the path of Enlightenment. The Bodhisattva of compassion,
Avalokitevara will be the patron of that remote land.
Thus, the Buddha related that his teachings would spread far into the north in the future. In
many other scriptures, both sutra and tantra, there are similar predictions concerning the
spread of Dharma in the land of Tibet.
As predicted, starting from King Nyatri Tsenpo; the first Yarlung Dynasty king of Tibet to the
twenty-eighth successor Lha Thothori Nyantsen who was the emanation of the
BodhisattvaSamantabhadra, the monarchs helped in preserving and propagating the sacred
Dharma in Tibet. During the reign of his fifth successor, King Songtsen Gampo, the
emanation of BodhisattvaAvalokitevara; the Tibetan script and grammar were introduced
into Tibet.
The fifth king following him was the emanation of Bodhisattva Manjushri, the Dharma King
Thrisong Deutsen, who with the exalted and pure intention of making the Buddha Dharma
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spread like the rays of the sun, invited the great abbot Shantarakshita of Zahor, and the great
tantric masterPadmasambhava of Uddiyana, to Tibet. With their help, the King built the
renowned Samye Migyur Lhundrup monastery. Then the unsurpassed great panditas, scholars
and translators of India and Tibet brought the Buddha Dharma from the noble land of India to
the land of snows, Tibet, translating the original Buddhist scriptures. The teaching, learning,
meditation, and practice traditions established during that period subsequently became known
as the Ngagyur Nyingma tradition, or The Earlier Translation Old School.
The schools which began in the later period which started with the translations of the great
translator Lochen Rinchen Zangpo (958-1055) are known as the Chigyur Sarma or the
The Later Translation New Schools.
Within the Ngagyur Nyingma are traditions classified as the long lineage of Kama and short
lineage of Terma. The Kama tradition is those oral teachings uninterruptedly transmitted from
mouth to ear from Buddha Samantabhadra right down to our present root teachers.
In order to prevent the doctrine from declining in future, Guru Rinpoche concealed Terma or
spiritual treasures, riches and samaya substances in the snow mountains, rocks and lakes of
Tibet and Bhutan to be revealed by emanations of his disciples for the benefit of those with
fortunate karma living in the decadent, evil times of later centuries.
The Terma include the Hundred Treasures to Support the King's Life, the Five Great Mind
Treasures, and the Twenty-Five Great Profound Treasures, as well as uncountable
unclassified treasures. These profound treasures were concealed to be taken out at the
appropriate time according to prophecy by the destined holder of the teachings or the Tertns.
These Terma teachings and empowerments can truly bring beings to spiritual maturation and
liberation and are the near lineage like the warm breath of the Dakini from which the vapour
has not yet disappeared.
Similarly, as foretold, due to the collective merit of the people, the time was auspicious for
the Buddha Dharma to flourish in the medicinal land of Bhutan. Many centuries ago,
Bodhisattvas such as Chgyal Drimed Knden lived and demonstrated Bodhisattva activities
here, thereby leading numerous beings towards the path of liberation. Moreover, in the 7 th
century, the great Tibetan King, Songtsen Gampo, through his miraculous powers built 108
monasteries and stupas, including Jampa Lhakhang in Bumthang and Kyichu Lhakhang in
Paro.

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Then, in 746 ce, the Chakhar Gyalpo, Sindhu Raja invited Lopon Padmasambhava (Guru
Rinpoche), who had been residing for a time at the supreme place of Yanglesh in Nepal, to
come to Bhutan. On the way, he subjugated many harmful and malevolent spirits and bound
them under oath. Then in Bumthang, Guru Rinpoche subjugated Shelging Karpo and left
body print on the cliff and also brought forth the sacred water which can still be seen today at
Kurje. Thereby, the Chakhar Gyalpo was also completely cured of his afflictions. Moreover,
King Sindhu Raja, Tashi Kheuden, the ministers and subjects were given blessings and
empowerments, thereby sowing the seeds of liberation. In addition, Guru Rinpoche concealed
numerous treasures in the mountains, cliffs, lakes and valleys in Bhutan.
Then, after the arrival in Bhutan of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel, to whom we owe our
deepest gratitude, the dual system of government which brought about great reforms in
spiritual and temporal practice was established. Thereby a unique and independent religious
culture and social system developed in Bhutan, which is worthy of admiration and which the
Bhutanese can be truly proud of.
Moreover, from amongst the five King Tertns, Tertn Ugyen Pema Lingpa, Master of the
Southern Treasures took birth in the Tang region of Bumthang in Bhutan and discovered
numerous treasures becoming renowned in Bhutan, Tibet and India. Today Pema Lingpas
lineage is carried on through three lines of body, speech and mind emanations. In particular,
the Gangteng Sangngak Chling Gnpa, popularly known as Gangteng Gnpa and located in
the center of the Medicinal Land, is the seat of the Gangteng Tulku who is the body
emanation of Pema Lingpa. The rest of this work focuses on the successive incarnations of
the Gangteng Tulku, who have taken successive rebirths and travelled far and wide in the
country, benefiting numerous sentient beings through their unceasing spiritual activities.

Gautam Buddha

Gautama Buddha was the founder of Buddhism. His original name was Siddharth (meaning
one who has accomplished). He was also called Sakyamuni, i.e. the sage of the tribe of
Sakya. He was born in the year 563 B.C. in the village of Lumbini near Kapila Vastu, within
the present borders of Nepal.
According to legend, an astrologer foretold his father, the king, that young Gautama would
give up the throne and luxury and renounce the world the day he would see four things (i) an
old man, (ii) a sick man, (iii) a diseased man and (iv) a dead man. Hence, the king confined
Gautama in a special palace which was provided with all worldly pleasures. He was married
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at the age of sixteen to Yasoddhra.

At the age of 29 after the birth of his first son, Gautama on the same day saw an old man, a
sick man, a diseased man and a dead man. The impact of the dark side of life made him
renounce the world that same night and he left his wife and son and became a penniless
wanderer.
He studied and practised Hindu discipline initially, and later, Jainism. For several years he
observed rigorous fasting along with extreme self-mortification. On realising that tormenting
his body did not bring him closer to true wisdom, he resumed eating normally and abandoned
asceticism.
At the age of 35, one evening as he sat beneath a giant fig tree (Bodh tree), he felt that he had
found the solution to his problem and felt that he had attained enlightenment. Thus, he came
to be known as ?Gautama?, ?The Buddha?, or 'The Enlightened One'.
Later, he spent 45 years in preaching the truth that he felt he had discovered. He travelled
from city to city bare-footed, clean-headed, with nothing more on his self than his saffron
robe, walking stick and begging bowl. He died at the age of 80 in the year 483 BC.
Buddhism is divided into two sects viz. Hinayana and Mahayana.
I. Buddhist Scriptures:
Historical criticism has proved that the original teachings of Buddha can never be known. It
seems that Gautama Buddha?s teachings were memorized by his disciples. After Buddha?s
death a council was held at Rajagaha so that the words of Buddha could be recited and
agreed upon. There were differences of opinion and conflicting memories in the council.
Opinion of Kayshapa and Ananda who were prominent disciples of Buddha were given
preference. A hundred years later, a second council at Vesali was held. Only after 400 years,
after the death of Buddha were his teachings and doctrines written down. Little attention was
paid regarding its authenticity, genuineness and purity.
Buddhist Scriptures can be divided into Pali and Sanskrit Literature:

A. Pali Literature :
The Pali literature was monopolized by the Hinayana sect of Buddhism.
Tri Pitaka: The most important of all Buddhist scriptures is the TRI-PITAKA which is in Pali
text. It is supposed to be the earliest recorded Buddhist literature which was written in the 1st
Century B.C.
The TRI-PITAKA or Three Baskets of law is composed of 3 books:
1.Vinaya Pitaka: "Rules of Conduct" : This is a book of discipline and mainly deals with
rules of the order.

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2. Sutta Pitaka: "Discourses" : It is a collection of sermons and discourses of Gautama

Buddha and the incidents in his life. It is the most important Pitaka and consists of five
divisions known as Nikayas. Dhammapada is the most famous Pali literature and contains
aphorisms and short statements covering the truth.
3. Abhidhamma: "Analysis of Doctrine": This third basket contains meta physical doctrines
and is known as Buddhist meta physicals. It is an analytical and logical elaboration of the
first two pitakas. It contains analysis and exposition of Buddhist doctrine.

B. Sanskrit Literature:
Sanskrit literature was preferred by the Mahayana. Sanskrit literature has not been reduced to
a collection or in Cannon like the Pali literature. Thus much of the original Sanskrit literature
has been lost. Some were translated into other languages like Chinese and are now being retranslated into Sanskrit.
1. Maha vastu: "Sublime Story": Mahavastu is the most famous work in Sanskrit which has
been restored from its Chinese translation. It consists of voluminous collection of legendary
stories.
2. Lalitavistara: Lalitavistara is one of the holiest of the Sanskrit literature. It belongs to the
first century C.E., 500 years after the death of Buddha. It contains the miracles which the
superstition loving people have attributed to Buddha.

II Teachings Of Buddha:
A. Noble Truths:
The principal teachings of Gautama Buddha can be summarised in what the Buddhists call
the "Four Noble Truths":
First - There is suffering and misery in life .
Second - The cause of this suffering and misery is desire.
Third - Suffering and misery can be removed by removing desire.
Fourth - Desire can be removed by following the Eight Fold Path.

B. The Noble Eight Fold Path:

(i) Right Views
(ii) Right Thoughts
(iii) Right Speech

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(iv) Right Actions

(v) Right Livelihood
(vi) Right Efforts
(vii) Right Mindfulness
(viii) Right Meditation

C. Nirvana:
Nirvana' literally means "blowing out" or "extinction". According to Buddhism, this is the
ultimate goal of life and can be described in various words. It is a cessation of all sorrows,
which can be achieved by removing desire by following the Eight Fold Path.

III PHILOSOPHY OF BUDDHISM IS SELF - CONTRADICTORY:

As mentioned earlier, the main teachings of Buddhism are summarised in the Four Noble
Truths:
(i) There is suffering and misery in life.
(ii) The cause of suffering and misery is desire.
(iii) Suffering and misery can be removed by removing desire.
(iv) Desire can be removed by following the Eight Fold Path.
This Philosophy of Buddhism is self-contradictory or self-defeating because the third truth
says "suffering and misery can be removed by removing desire" and the fourth truth says that
'desire can be removed by following the Eight Fold Path'.
Now, for any person to follow Buddhism he should first have the desire to follow the Four
Noble Truths and the Eight Fold Path. The Third great Noble Truth says that desire should be
removed. Once you remove desire, how can we follow the Fourth Noble truth i.e. follow the
Eight Fold Path unless we have a desire to follow the Eight Fold Path. In short desire can
only be removed by having a desire to follow the Eight Fold Path. If you do not follow the
Eight Fold Path, desire cannot be removed. It is self contradicting as well as self-defeating to
say that desire will only be removed by continuously having a desire.

IV CONCEPT OF GOD
Buddha was silent about the existence or non-existence of God. It may be that since India
was drowned in idol worship and anthropomorphism that a sudden step to monotheism
would have been drastic and hence Buddha may have chosen to remain silent on the issue of
God. He did not deny the existence of God. Buddha was once asked by a disciple whether
God exists? He refused to reply. When pressed, he said that if you are suffering from a
38

stomach ache would you concentrate on relieving the pain or studying the prescription of the
physician. "It is not my business or yours to find out whether there is God ? our business is to
remove the sufferings of the world".
Buddhism provided Dhamma or the "impersonal law" in place of God. However this could
not satisfy the craving of human beings and the religion of self-help had to be converted into
a religion of promise and hope. The Hinayana sect could not hold out any promise of external
help to the people. The Mahayana sect taught that Buddha?s watchful and compassionate
eyes are on all miserable beings, thus making a God out of Buddha. Many scholars consider
the evolution of God within Buddhism as an effect of Hinduism.
Many Buddhists adopted the local god and thus the religion of "No-God" was transformed
into the religion of "Many-Gods" - big and small, strong and weak and male and female. The
"Man-God" appears on earth in human form and incarnates from time to time. Buddha was
against the caste-system prevalent in the Hindu society.

What religion did Buddha practice before he created Buddhism?

Gautam Buddha...his main religion before starting his 'Middle Path'was Jainism.He had taken
Diksha-ascetism in the path of 23rd Tithankara(ford maker),Lord Parshwanath.AS described
by Buddha himself in Mazzim Nikaya,-"i wandered about naked, licked food from hands
which i begged from the house which had not prepared it for me specially,plucked out my
hair,fasted without water,i kept a sweeper in my hands and sweeped the place before i sat
down"mazzim nikay.The above said conditions of ascetism r found only in Jainism and not in
Hinduism.. and it becomes obvious that he followed the path of Lord Parshwanath coz during
the time Gautama had not become Buddha and was a simple ascetic, Lord Mahavira (24th
tirthankara)was still meditating towards his enlightenment....it was at a later stage that
Gautam Buddha felt that enlightenment could even be gained through the Middle-path,as he
neither found happiness in both the extreme ends,1 of material enjoyment which leads to
sufferings and other of extreme asceticism..In Mazzim-Nikay Buddha even mentions to his
deciples The Nirvana of Niggantha nattaputta [Mahavira] at Pava.
Edited: Actually, Jainism wasn't Buddha's main religion. That was a religion he took up after
leaving the palace, yes, but his he was born and raised a Hindu. Jainism was merely a
milestone in his quest for enlightenment, but he did not stay with that. He decided after a
short while of practicing Jainism that it was not the correct path, and so he moved on. But the
wanted answer to this question is Hinduism.

The History of Buddhism

Soon after Buddha's death or parinirvana, five hundred monks met at the first council at
Rajagrha, under the leadership of Kashyapa. Upali recited the monastic code (Vinaya) as he
remembered it. Ananda, Buddha's cousin, friend, and favorite disciple -- and a man of
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prodigious memory! -- recited Buddha's lessons (the Sutras). The monks debated details and
voted on final versions. These were then committed to memory by other monks, to be
translated into the many languages of the Indian plains. It should
be noted that Buddhism remained an oral tradition for over 200
years.
In the next few centuries, the original unity of Buddhism began to
fragment. The most significant split occurred after the second
council, held at Vaishali 100 years after the first. After debates
between a more liberal group and traditionalists, the liberal group
left and labeled themselves the Mahasangha -- "the great sangha."
They would eventually evolve into the Mahayana tradition of
northern Asia.
The traditionalists, now referred to as Sthaviravada or "way of the
elders" (or, in Pali, Theravada), developed a complex set of
philosophical ideas beyond those elucidated by Buddha. These were collected into the
Abhidharma or "higher teachings." But they, too, encouraged disagreements, so that one
splinter group after another left the fold. Ultimately, 18 schools developed, each with their
own interpretations of various issues, and spread all over India and Southeast Asia. Today,
only the school stemming from the Sri Lankan Theravadan survives.

Ashoka
One of the most significant events in the history of Buddhism is the chance encounter of the
monk Nigrodha and the emperor Ashoka Maurya. Ashoka, succeeding his father after a
bloody power struggle in 268 bc, found himself deeply disturbed by the carnage he caused
while suppressing a revolt in the land of the Kalingas. Meeting Nigrodha convinced Emperor
Ashoka to devote himself to peace. On his orders, thousands of rock pillars were erected,
bearing the words of the Buddha, in the brahmi script -- the first written evidence of
Buddhism. The third council of monks was held at Pataliputra, the capital of Ashoka's
empire.
There is a story that tells about a poor young boy who, having nothing to give the Buddha as
a gift, collected a handful of dust and innocently presented it. The Buddha smiled and
accepted it with the same graciousness he accepted the gifts of wealthy admirers. That boy, it
is said, was reborn as the Emperor Ashoka.
Ashoka sent missionaries all over India and beyond. Some went as far as Egypt, Palestine,
and Greece. St. Origen even mentions them as having reached Britain. The Greeks of one of
the Alexandrian kingdoms of northern India adopted Buddhism, after their King Menandros
(Pali: Milinda) was convinced by a monk named Nagasena -- the conversation immortalized
in the Milinda Paha. A Kushan king of north India named Kanishka was also converted, and
a council was held in Kashmir in about 100 ad. Greek Buddhists there recorded the Sutras on
copper sheets which, unfortunately, were never recovered.
It is interesting to note that there is a saint in Orthodox Christianity named Josaphat, an
Indian king whose story is essentially that of the Buddha. Josaphat is thought to be a
distortion of the word bodhisattva.
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Sri Lanka and Theravada

Emperor Ashoka sent one of his sons, Mahinda, and one of his daughters, Sanghamitta, a
monk and a nun, to Sri Lanka (Ceylon) around the year 240 bc. The king of Sri Lanka, King
Devanampiyatissa, welcomed them and was converted. One of the gifts they brought with
them was a branch of the bodhi tree, which was successfully transplanted. The descendants
of this branch can still be found on the island.
The fourth council was held in Sri Lanka, in the Aloka Cave, in the first century bc. During
this time as well, and for the first time, the entire set of Sutras were recorded in the Pali
language on palm leaves. This became Theravada's Pali Canon, from which so much of our
knowledge of Buddhism stems. It is also called the Tripitaka (Pali: Tipitaka), or three
baskets: The three sections of the canon are the Vinaya Pitaka (the monastic law), the Sutta
Pitaka (words of the Buddha), and the Abhidamma Pitaka (the philosophical commentaries).
In a very real sense, Sri Lanka's monks may be credited with saving the Theravada tradition:
Although it had spread once from India all over southeast Asia, it had nearly died out due to
competition from Hinduism and Islam, as well as war and colonialism. Theravada monks
spread their tradition from Sri Lanka to Burma, Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, and Laos, and
from these lands to Europe and the west generally.

The Origin of Hinduism Dharma

What is dharma in Hinduism?

God in colors

The term Hinduism is an umbrella word since it does not refer to a unified system of belief
encoded in declaration of faith or a creed. Hinduism is a term comprising the plurality of
religious phenomena originating and based on the Vedic traditions. While explaining
Bhagavad Gita, the sacred text of Hinduism, former President of India Dr. Sarvepalli
Radhakrishnan says, Hinduism is not just a faith. It is the union of reason and intuition that
cannot be defined but is only to be experienced. This means that Hinduism is a not mere

41

dogma or creed but it is a way of harmonious life. In this context of harmonious life, Hindu
dharma means that it is not restricted to Indian boundaries but it is universal.
Sanatan Dharma of Hinduism is not restricted exclusively to Hindus or Indians
By Sanatan dharma, Hinduism means doing ones own duties in individual sense and living
in harmoniously with others. Globally, it means the universal law by which all human beings
are bound together. Although human beings are diverse in various ways, life of all should be
motivated by a harmony. It is dharma. In nature, everything is in a certain order. Everything
in the universe follows certain laws. The sun rises in the morning and sets in the evening
because it is its dharma. A teacher cares for his students and prepares them for their better
future, to be good citizens to make a good society. It is the dharma of the teacher. Mother
Theresa devoted her life for serving the poor. It was her dharma.

Introduction
History of Hinduism

India

Hinduism's early history is the subject of much debate for a number of reasons.
Firstly, in a strict sense there was no 'Hinduism' before modern times, although the sources of
Hindu traditions are very ancient.
Secondly, Hinduism is not a single religion but embraces many traditions.
Thirdly, Hinduism has no definite starting point. The traditions which flow into Hinduism
may go back several thousand years and some practitioners claim that the Hindu revelation is
eternal.
Although there is an emphasis on personal spirituality, Hinduism's history is closely linked
with social and political developments, such as the rise and fall of different kingdoms and
empires. The early history of Hinduism is difficult to date and Hindus themselves tend to be
more concerned with the substance of a story or text rather than its date.
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Hindu notions of time

Hindus in general believe that time is cyclical, much like the four seasons, and eternal rather
than linear and bounded. Texts refer to successive ages (yuga), designated respectively as
golden, silver, copper and iron.
During the golden age people were pious and adhered todharma (law, duty, truth) but its
power diminishes over time until it has to be reinvigorated through divine intervention.
With each successive age, good qualities diminish, until we reach the current iron or dark age
(kali yuga) marked by cruelty, hypocrisy, materialism and so on. Such ideas challenge the
widespread, linear view that humans are inevitably progressing.

Main historical periods

Although the early history of Hinduism is difficult to date with certainty, the following list
presents a rough chronology.

Before 2000 BCE: The Indus Valley Civilisation

1500500 BCE: The Vedic Period

500 BCE500 CE: The Epic, Puranic and Classical Age

500 CE1500 CE: Medieval Period

15001757 CE: Pre-Modern Period

17571947 CE: British Period

1947 CEthe present: Independent India

Significance of Hindu and Hindu dharma (Hinduism)

There is a tendency on the part of some scholars to indicate that the word Hindu might have
been created from Sindhu (in Sanskrit meaning ocean or river, especially in the west of India)
due to lack of certain letters in old (Vedic) Sanskrit. Another misconception is that when
certain foreigners (Greeks, Arabs and Persians) first arrived in India, they were unable to
pronounce the word Sindhu properly and their mispronunciation of Sindhu led to the creation
43

of Hindu. Thus it is quite common to come across different stories about the origin of the
name Hindu. This article discusses why Hindu could not have evolved from Sindhu and looks
into other explanations for Hindu and Hindu dharma.
It is difficult to imagine that Vedic Sanskrit, due perhaps to a lack of certain letters and
sounds in its alphabet, caused Sindhu to change into Hindu. Since the letters (sounds) 's' and
'dh' in Sanskrit have existed right from the outset, there would be no need to replace them,
respectively, with 'h' and 'd' thus transforming Sindhu into Hindu. Moreover, because the
words Sindhu and Hindu continued to coexist simultaneously even after the supposed
transformation, clearly indicates that such change never occurred. Had such a substitution
really taken place, the word Sindhu would most likely disappear. Thus it is clear that the word
Hindu was not derived from Sindhu due to any deficiency in the Sanskrit alphabets.
The idea that the word Hindu was used for the first time by Alexander the Great and his
soldiers during their invasion of India seems quite absurd. It is said that the invading Greeks
and Macedonians found it difficult to pronounce the word Sindhu, and therefore dropped S at
the beginning of Sindhu in favor of H giving rise to Hindu. It is hard to believe that any
native speaker of Greek, a language having at least the letter Sigma for 's' sound, would
experience any difficulty or uncertainty in pronouncing Sindhu with 's' sound. Moreover,
these foreigners must already be familiar in the use of structurally, linguistically and
phonetically more complex words (names) in their native Greek than the simple Sindhu. Thus
they would have no reason or need to invent the word Hindu, accidentally or otherwise.
Similarly Muslims (Arabic or Persian speakers) would not suddenly, upon their arrival
in India for the first time, start calling Sindhu River as Hindu River. Being quite familiar with
's' sound (expressed by letters Sad and Sin in their native languages), they would have no
problem correctly pronouncing the word Sindhu.
Note that whenever a person goes to a different place or a country, his first communications
with the locals are generally of verbal nature using words and sounds. These utterances
(indicating names, places etc.) are usually imitated or copied while trying not to distort the
original words in any manner. Therefore a foreigner (ancient Greek, Arab or Persian), who
was quite familiar with 's' sound, would not be confused or encumbered into pronouncing
Sindhu as Hindu after arriving in India and hearing it from the locals.
Thus it is clear from the above that the word Hindu has been there for a long time (perhaps
since the beginning) and was not derived from Sindhu, and its roots lie elsewhere in ancient
rituals and yajnas. The Moon (also known as Indu) and its light, for example, long ago used
to be considered as the enhancer (or catalyst) of quality (taste and aroma etc.) and quantity of
juices in plants -- including those from which Soma-juice was derived. Indu was thus a name
given to Soma-juice+ and nectar in addition to being used for the Moon. As several Vedic
hymns suggest, Soma-juice (Indu) was also the libation for Vedic rituals, yajnas and
worships. It was offered to God, and consumed afterwards by people (worshippers etc.) for
health, life, prosperity and progeny. Moreover, its use would imply propitiation for the user or
Hindu -- a person propitiated by Indu (the Vedic libation). Note, Hindu -- a compound word

44

with Sanskrit roots (i.e. H + indu) -- indicates a liaison between H (sounding 'H' as in Hut,
and implying auspiciousness or delight) and Indu or indu (meaning Vedic libation).
Thus note that indu was a normal soma juice. Offering it (indu or soma juice) as libation to
God (during a Vedic yajna or sacrifice) made it auspicious, and its use (drinking / accepting
by people) afterwards signified a person as Hindu . someone propitiated by indu (Vedic
libation).
Similarly, dharma was considered long ago as a person's duty or commitment. Moreover, he
would undertake or try to fulfil (properly complete) his obligations preferably in the witness
of or as a dedication to a deity (such as indicated also in the Gita: Ch. 18 - V. 66). This
association with deity most likely gave rise to the divine aspect in one's dharma. Note also in
this regard that religion essentially involves relying on or being in obligation to god and
living and acting accordingly. Thus, dharma and religion seem somewhat similar in meaning
and function, and may even be used interchangeably.
Religion (dharma) based on the Vedas (and involving Vedic rituals, practices, customs and
way of life since the very beginning of civilization) has long been identified as the Vedic
dharma. Moreover, note that as the knowledge contained in the Vedas has withstood the test
of time, it is considered eternal (sanatan): these scriptures are therefore considered as divinely
inspired and dharma based on them as the Sanatan dharma (eternal religion). There have also
been other names used for this religion. For example, it was once also called Bhagvata
dharma after the Vedic god Bhaga or Bhagvan -- the bestower of auspicious blessings and
possessing the power of goodness (Ref.: Indian Philosophy, Vol. 2, S. Radhakrishnan, Oxford
University Press, 1999, p. 667). Similarly, it is known as Hindu dharma (Hindu religion or
Hinduism) because of its association with Hindu (people expiated by Indu -- libation in Vedic
rituals and practices). Needless to say, Hindu dharma (dharma associated with Hindu) has its
roots in the Vedas and is truly the Vedic dharma. It is clear therefore that Vedic dharma
(dharma according to the Vedas), Sanatan dharma (dharma based on the Sanatan or eternal
knowledge of the Vedas) and Hindu dharma (dharma representing the Vedic dharmic rituals,
practices and expiation etc.) are interchangeable expressions.
Finally, it is clear from the above that the word Hindu (not signifying any particular area or
region) was in existence for a long time before the foreigners arrived in India. Moreover,
even the word Hindustan (meaning the area or land belonging to the Hindu) could have been
easily created by the locals (living in the present-day India) or the outsiders by simply adding
stan or sthan (area) to the pre-existing local word Hindu. Likewise, the word Hind (or
the land of Hindu) was most likely also rooted in the word Hindu -- with u (sounding as 'oo'
in tooth) dropped from it.

The Origins of Sikh Dharma

Some of the information given below has been adapted from Living Reality by Dr. Bibiji
Inderjit Kaur.
Sikh Dharma is a vibrant, continually growing spiritual family that includes people from
across the globe. Many books have been written on the history of Sikh Dharma. Here, we are
45

grateful to share a brief description of how Sikh Dharma began. For more reading, please see
the books listed in the bibliography at the end of this section.
The Sikh religion began in India a little over 530 years ago and since then Sikhs from the
Punjab region of India, who make up less than 2 percent of the population of India, have
migrated throughout Europe, the Americas, and Asia, numbering about 28 million worldwide.
In the early seventies, Yogi Bhajan, who would later be know as Siri Singh Sahib Bhai Sahib
Harbhajan Singh Khalsa Yogiji began to teach in the United States. Through his inspiration,
insight and example many Westerners began adopting the Sikh way of life, attracted by the
spiritual practices of Sikh Dharma and its egalitarian teachings that respect all religions.
Sikhs do not convert people. Sikh populations everywhere participate enthusiastically in
outreach activities and contribute to their surrounding communities. The Sikh teachings
encourage people to live their lives in service to others, but not as beggars or in poverty.
Instead they believe in creating abundance, peace, and prosperity throughout the earth, to
serve humanity, and to build interfaith dialogue and cooperation, as well.
Part of the primary mission of Sikh Dharma International is to preserve, organize and
continue to share the teachings of the Sikh Gurus as described by the late Siri Singh Sahib in
his unique style. His way of talking and teaching about the path of the Sikh has, for the first
time in history, made the Sikh faith accessible to people
from every background, language, and culture of the
world.
With utmost gratitude to God and Guru, those of us
serving the Global Community Sangat through this work
at Sikh Dharma International, feel it a special privilege to
be a part of this Legacy.Wahe Guru!

The Shabad Guru

The human birth is a very special chance to merge into
the Divine Light that dwells within oneself and The Ten
Sikh Gurus
all of creation. To have that experience, the human mind needs to be trained. It needs a
teacher.
Throughout human history, many masters have come to the earth to help humanity. But the
masters, themselves, were never the power. There is a power in the Universe greater than any
human being, then any living master. It is called the Guru, or the Universal Teacher. That
Universal Teacher exists in every time and space - always present to help guide us home.
The Shabad Guru is the Universal Teacher manifest through Word or Sound. Through
the Shabad Guru, we learn to hear the Sound of Wisdom that can help us navigate the
challenges in our lives. And eventually that can lead us to being healthy, happy, peaceful, and
connected to the Divine Loving Spirit contained in and prevailing among all.
Siri Singh Sahib Bhai Sahib Harbhajan Singh Khalsa Yogiji shared that the Shabad Guru will
be the Guru in the Age of Aquarius. Any person - no matter what his or her background or
religion - will be able to connect with the Shabad - the Sacred Sound Current - as a way to
expand the consciousness and illuminate the mind.
From the late 15th century to the beginning of the 18th century, ten successive Masters
consciously channeled and acknowledged the power of the Shabad Guru. These Masters, who
would come to be known as the ten Sikh Gurus, lived, travelled and taught in what is now
India and Pakistan. Their lives spanned a period of 239 years. They revolutionized the
spiritual, social, economic and political life of their time.
46

All ten of the Sikh Gurus clearly stated that they were human beings. They were simply
blessed with the capacity to hear, channel and share the Sound of that Universal Teacher for
others to hear.
"Sikh" means "Seeker of Truth." During the time of the Sikh Gurus, the community of
believers was diverse, multi-cultural and interreligious. It was only later that the term "Sikh"
began to refer to a specific group of people. At its origin, Sikh Dharma meant "the spiritual
practice of one who is looking for truth."
500 years ago, these ten Sikh Gurus taught the equality of men and women. They taught that
no group of human beings was higher than any other group. And they claimed that the
common brotherhood and sisterhood of the human race was the highest reality. Their
teachings empowered people to break the caste system, to overcome social habits that harmed
women, to become economically self-sufficient, and to create a tolerant society based on the
common humanity of all people.
Books have been written about these amazing masters. Here are their names, and a few words
about each one.

The Ten Physical Sikh Masters are:

Guru Nanak (1469-1539)

Guru Angad (1504-1552)

Guru Amar Das (1479-1574)

Guru Ram Das (1534-1581)

Guru Arjan (1563-1606)

Guru Hargobind (1595-1644)

Guru Har Rai (1630-1661)

Guru Har Krishan (1656-1664)

Guru Teg Bahadur (1621-1675)

Guru Gobind Singh (1666-1708)

First Sikh of Sikh Dharma

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First Master of Sikh Dharma

Guru Nanak 1469-1539
By Ek Ong Kaar Kaur

Guru Nanak Dev was born November 10, 1469 in Talwandi, which is now called Nankana
Sahib, near Lahore, Pakistan. His father's name was Mehta Kalyan Chand, but was known as
Kalu Mehta. His mother's name was Tripta Devi and he had one elder sister, Bibi Nanaki. His
wife's name was Mata Sulakhni Ji. He had two sons. His elder son was Sri Chand and his
second son was Lakhmi Chand.
Born into a Hindu family, Guru Nanak rejected the notion of divisions between people based
on religion. He taught the Oneness of the Creator and the fundamental brotherhood and
sisterhood of all. He stated that the experience of the Divine dwelled within every person, so
there was no difference between people based on caste, creed, gender or nationality. His
simple but profound philosophy rested on recognizing the fundamental Divinity of all people.
When lived in an awareness of the Divine Light within all, human life could become a
profound experience of love, truth, patience, peace and contentment.

Rai Bular Bhatti, a wealthy land owner, and Nanaks sister, Bibi Nanaki, were the first people
who recognized divine qualities in Nanak. They encouraged and supported him to study and
travel.
Guru Nanak achieved his state of enlightenment, or realization, sometime around the age of
30. After disappearing into a river and meditating in the water for three days, Guru Nanak
emerged having had a powerful vision of the nature of reality, Divinity and human existence.
He recorded that vision in a song - known as Japji Sahib - the Song of the Soul. With Japji
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Sahib, humanity has a rare picture of what a Master experienced at the moment of his
enlightenment described in his own words.

Islam Dharma- The History of Muslim Dharma

There are three prominent religions on earth Hinduism, Christianity and Islam. We will now
discuss about of one of these and that is Islam also called Muslim religion. It is perhaps one
of the oldest religions of earth. Let us start with the history of Muslim religion first.
The Islam dharma started in Arabia. It is said that it was in the seventh century under Prophet
Muhammad that this religion first found recognition. Muhammad united all the tribes of
Arabia when he was ruling this part of the world. Prophet Muhammad was born in Arabia. He
was also called rasul Allah or the messenger of god. He was born in 570 C.E in Mecca and
died in Medina in 632 C.E. His father died even before he was born. His mother died when
he was six years old.
He became an orphan and was sent to his paternal grandfather who sent him to stay with a
nomadic tribe. When he grew up a little big he would join his uncle Abu Talib and go on
trading expeditions to Syria.
In one of these trips he met Khadija. She was a widow and was impressed so much by his
honesty that she gave him the rights to manage her caravan business. She later asked
Muhammad for marriage. He agreed. They were married for twenty four years and had seven
children. They had four daughters who lived till adulthood but three boys that were born to
them all died in infancy. They were happily married.
When Muhammad was around forty years old he saw a terrible vision one night. This night is
called the night of power. This was the night when he became the messenger of god and
started preaching the teachings of god to all the people of Mecca. His initial teachings were
on how god is one. He taught that if people are greedy in this life they will have to go to hell
and face horrible punishments. His teachings slowly accumulated a lot of followers from all
the segments of the society.
Prophet Muhammad performed many miracles during his life time. He would be called for
many events and speeches. He built mosques in various parts of Mecca and Medina. After his
first wife Khadija died he married many times. In his last days he fell sick and died in the
house of his youngest wife Aisha. There is very little documented proof of his life. The Quran
has a good deal of information about his life and teachings.
The meaning of Islam means surrender and submission. It means that the people who follow
this religion must surrender to the god or the Allah. Allah is all mighty or god the supreme.
The followers of Islam are called Muslim. The two branches of Islam are Sunni and Shia.
There are Sunni Muslims and Shia Muslims. The Sunni Muslims accepts the authority of the
prophets companions. Shia Muslims on the other hand belive, that the prophets family is
most important in the Islam religion.
The five pillars of Islam are faith, ritual prayer, the zakat (charity), fasting and the hajj (this is
a pilgrimage to Mecca). All Muslims must follow these five things in order to reach god.
They must have complete faith in god. They must regularly pray to the god at least once a
day. All Muslims must involve in charity and give a good proportion of what they earn to the
poor and the needy.
Mecca is the most holy place on earth for the Muslims. Each Muslim must once in their life
time visit the Mecca. Whether rich or poor, king or beggar, anyone who is born as a Muslim

49

must go to Mecca. It must be kept in mind that both the Shia and Sunni Muslims belive in the
five pillars of Islam.
Apart from Mecca the two more places of religious importance for the Muslims are Jerusalem
and Medina. The place of worship for Muslims is the mosque. It is place where they go to
offer prayer to the god or Allah. They also study their religious scriptures in the mosque. The
Muslim religion slowly spread from Arabia to the other countries. It has major followers in
Asia, Europe and even in America.
The Quran is the holy book of Islam. It gives a good detailed note of Prophet Muhammads
life and teachings. It shows how humble and simple he was as a person. He was the
messenger that god sent. He preached that on judgement day we all will have to face god.
Prophet Muhammad was respected for his simplicity and his teachings. He is still respected a
lot among the Muslims and in Islam.
The Quran is read by the Muslims in the mosques. The Muslim priests know the Quran by
heart. Even the common Muslims attend classes to understand the Quran better. The Quran is
the most important source of knowledge as per Islam. The Quran says that god is the creator
all the things. He has all the power and he is very merciful. He is the master of all the things
and from time to time he sends prophets to earth so that they can teach the human beings the
lessons of god.
On the judgement day the god will end the earth and that will be the day when all the human
beings will be judged by the gods. All people on earth do good and bad deeds. If your good
deeds are more than bad ones you will be sent to paradise. If it is the other way round you
will be sent to hell. Iblis was the one who provoked Adam to eat the forbidden apple.
When Adam did so he and Eve were told to leave heaven and go to Earth and face all the
pains. God also said that the day Earth will end everything will burn and Iblis will also burn
in this fire. He said that till the day Earth ends Iblis will keep playing his tricks on man and
make them do wrong deeds. However, the ones who are completely committed to god will
not be influenced by Iblis.
The Quran states that god is one and there is no other form or division of god. The Quran also
mentions about Gabriel a divine messenger of the gods. He is an angel. He was the one who
taught Adam all the alphabets and how to cultivate and survive after he was told to go away
from paradise by the gods. This is more or less a brief idea of Islam dharma and the history of
Muslim dharma. I hope this will help you understand this religion better.

Kristian Dharma
Christianity
Traditional Christian claims about Jesus divinity rest on the virgin birth, resurrection, and
the miracles he performed during his lifetime, These claims have varying levels of
verifiability.

50

Nobody but Jesus mother, Mary, could have known if he were really the product of a
virgin birth. Regarding the resurrection, former president of the Catholic Biblical
Association Raymond E. Brown admits that the New Testament does not make claim
that anyone saw the resurrection, and therefore the reality of the bodily resurrection
hinges on the missing body or the empty tomb and, above all, on the validity of the
experiences
of
those
who
claimed
they
saw
Jesus
risen.
According to Christian tradition, eleven (of the twelve) disciples and Mary Magdalene
saw Jesus alive after his crucifixion, and the apostles saw Jesus ascend into the heavens
at the conclusion of his earthly mission.
Christianitys credibility derives mostly from its descriptions of the miracles Jesus
performed. For instance, the disciples saw Jesus walk on the Sea of Galilee. The text
fails to mention who the disciples were, or how many of them were present, but, given
the plural reference, there must have been at least two or as many as all twelve. Also,
three disciples (Peter, James, and John) witnessed Elijah and Moses materialize, confer
with Jesus, and then disappear again,
One might argue that Christianity has an even more solid basis. Many times a crowd
saw Jesus heal the disabled, blind, and insane. (See, for example, Mark 2: 12; 8:24-5;
and 5: 15.) Christian sources also describe how Jesus fed as many as 5,000 men with
only five loaves of bread.
Church histories of the Mormons (the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) report
that their founder, Joseph Smith, Jr., had a vision in 1820. Two personages, whom he later
identified as G-d the Father and Jesus, appeared and revealed to him that all existing
churches were counterfeit. In 1823, Smith was visited again, this time by the angel
Moroni, who informed him of the existence of golden plates containing an
inscription in Reformed Egyptian about the ancient inhabitants of North America. In
1827, the angel reappeared to reveal the plates exact location. Smith immediately set to
work translating them, and that translation became the Book of Mormon. Later. Smith
and an acquaintance, Oliver Cowdery, had a joint vision of John the Baptist, who
conferred upon them a restored Aaronic Priesthood. In another vision, Peter, James, and
John gave Smith and Cowdery the higher priesthood of the Apostles. Smith continued
to have regular revelations, which he related to his followers and published in another
bookThe Doctrines and Covenants.
I AM (or the Saint Germain Foundation) was founded by Guy Ballard in 1930.
Hiking alone near Mt. Shasta in California, Ballard claims to have been approached by
the reincarnation of the Comte de Saint Germain, an eighteenth-century French occultist.
and appointed to spread a new, true religion. Ballard published the account of his initial
interchanges with Saint Germain (Unveiled Mysteries) in 1934, and over the next four
51

years he wrote half a dozen more books describing Saint Germains more than 3,000
discourses and decrees. Thousands attended Ballards seminars in Chicago, New York,
Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles until his death in 1939, His followers continue to
teach about Ballards revelations, and in 1990 there were more than 300 I AM centers
in more than twenty-five countries
The Unification Church, popularly known as the Moonies, also began with one mans
revelation. On Easter morning, 1936, Jesus came to sixteen-year old Sun Myung Moon
and told him to proclaim himself the new Messiah. In 1980 the Church reported over 120
centers worldwide.
Eckankar also started with John Paul Twitchells revelations and astral (out-of-body)
travel. Before his death in 1971, Twitchell claimed to be the 971st ECK Master and a
spiritual descendent of an unbroken chain of Vaiargi Masters. In 1988 Twitchells
Church reported 127 U.S. centers and 284 worldwide.
The beginnings of Christian Science, Theosophy, Children of G-d, and Elan Vital are
virtually identical. In fact, brief histories of almost all new religious groups sound the
same: one or two people have a revelation and persuade others to follow. In all of these
cases, the religions credibility rests on the credibility of its one or two founders.

Jainism Dharma
What is Jainism?
The word Jain is derived from the Sanskrit word (ftu) Jin, meaning a Victor, and implies a
conqueror of ones baser-self, or One Who has attained a victory over attachments and
aversions. A true Jain is, thus, a follower of Him, who is above bias, a true friend of all and
the foe of none.
In the days gone by the saintly adherents of this religion were variously known as Yatis,
Vratyas, Arhatas, Nirgranthas and Shramanas, while the Greeks and other foreigners called
them Gymnosophists or the nude philosophers.
Jainism is a science and not a code of arbitrary and capricious commandments. It is the only
non-allegorical religion, which insists upon and displays a thorough understanding of the
problems of life and soul. It was founded by Omniscient Teachers, a distinction to which no
other religion can lay claim.Jainism is the only man made religion that reduces everything to
the iron-laws of nature and agrees with modern science. It is perfectly true when the Jains say
that religion originated with man and that the first Deified man of every cycle of time is the
founder of Religion. Whenever a Tirthankara arises He re-establishes the Scientific truth
considering the nature of life and these truths are collectively termed religion.
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Origin antiquity and short history of jainism

Origin: Jainism, as belived by its followers, was not originated by any particular individual in
the same sense as Christ and Mohammed orinated Christnity and Mohammedanism, and
Budha was the author of Budhism. Had any individual Mahavira or His predecessors Parshwa
or, even Rsabha started this religion, it would have been known as Mhavira Dharma, or
Rsabha Dharma. The religion is instead name Jain Dharma. In the pats there were infinite
twenty four Thirthankaras and in future also infinite twenty four Tirthankaras will appear. In
the present cycle of time, the religion preached by Tirthankara, Rsabha, who is also known as
Adinath. The prevalent view that Jaininsm was organized by Mahavira, or even His
predecessors Parshwa, in erroneous.
Religion,it should be known, way of life which is not invented, it is rediscovered and this
was what precisely the tirthankaras did. They explained the laws of Nature that governed the
universe, man his conduct.

Guidlines Of Jainism
What Is The Jain Dharma Or Jainism?
Before we understand the meaning of the Jain dharma, it is absolutely necessary that we
should have a thorough knowledge of the word, dharma or religion because for thousands of
years, innumerable wrong notions about dharma hace been nourished and held by people.
Dharma or religion is neither a cult nor a creed; nor it is a reserved ystem of any community.
Dharma is not entirely related either to an individual or to a society; nor is it confined to any
area. Dharma is the essential nature of an individual or an object. Shramana Bhagawan
Mahavir has explained the meaning of dharma clearly thus:"Vatthu Sahavo Dhammo"
Dharma is nothing but the real nature of an object. Just as the nature of fire is to burn and the
nature of water is to produce a cooling effect, in the same manner, the essential nature of the
soul is to seek self-realization and spiritual elevation.
If we examine the matter thus, we find that dharma acquires different definitions in different
contexts but here is a simplpe and clear meaning of it; "Dharma is the name that can be given
to all the elaborate codes of conduct and ideologies that enable life to attain nobility and
spiritual exaltation". Dharma can be the only means to understand and realize the true
meaning of life. Dharma in its real sense is that which leads the soul on the path of felicity,
peace and spiritual bliss; and impels it to be active and progressive. The great Jieshwaras
have defined dharma thus:Arhat dharma - the dharma of Ariantas or the destroyers of the inner enemies namely Karmas.

53

Anekanta darshan - the ideology that is comprehensive and is not limited to a single point of
view.
Vitaraga marg - the dharma that has been expounded by the Paramatma who is devoid of all
attachments and hatred.
Thus, Jainism is known by various names.

History of Janism
Jainism is an independent and most ancient religion of India. Jainsim is an eternal religion.
Jainism is revealed in every cyclic period of the universe, and this constitutes the pre-historic
time of Jainism. And there is a recorded history of Jainism since about 3000-3500 BC.
The discovery of the Indus Civilization seem to have thrown a new light on the antiquity of
Jainism. The evidence suggests that Jainism was known among the people of the Indus Valley
around 3000-3500 B.C. Some nude figures, considered to be of Lord Rishabha, on the seals
have been discovered at Mohenjodaro and Harrappa. There is an article that suggests the
representation of the seventh Tirthankara SuParsvanath. The people of the Indus Valley not
only practiced Yoga but worshipped the images of Yogis. There are figures in Kayotsarga
posture of standing are peculiarly Jain. In addition, the sacred signs of swastika are found
engraved on a number of seals. Furthermore, there are some motifs on the seals found in
Mohen-jo-Daro and it is suggested that these motifs are identical with those found in the
ancient Jain art of Mathura. This presence of Jain tradition in the earliest period of Indian
history is supported by many scholars. It strongly suggests that Jainism existed in pre-Aryan
time.

Janism in Vedic Period

In the Rig -veda there are clear references to Rishabhdev, the 1st Tirthankar, and to
Aristanemi, the 22nd Tirthankar. The Yajur-veda also mentions the names of three
Tirthankars, viz. Rishabhdev, Ajitanath and Aristanemi. Further, the Atharva-veda specifically
mentions the sect of Vratya means the observer of vratas or vows as distinguished from the
Hindus at those times. Similarly in the Atharva-veda the term Maha vratya occurs and it is
supposed that this term refers to Rishabhdev, who could be considered as the great leader of
the Vratyas.

Jainism in Buddha Period

Lord Mahavir was the senior contemporary of Gautama Buddha, the founder of Buddhism.
In Buddhist books Lord Mahavir is always described as nigantha Nataputta (Nirgrantha
Jnatrputra), i.e., the naked ascetic of the Jntr clan. Further, in the Buddhist literature Jainism
is referred to as an ancient religion. There are ample references in Buddhist books to the Jain
naked ascetics, to the worship of Arhats in Jain chaityas or temples and to the chaturyma
dharma (i.e. fourfold religion) of 23rd Tirthankar Parsvanath. Moreover, the Buddhist
literature refers to the Jain tradition of Tirthankars and specifically mentions the names of
Jain Tirthankars like Rishabhdev, Padmaprabh, Chandraprabh, Puspdant, Vimalnath,
Dharmanath and Neminath. The Buddhist book Manorathapurani, mentions the names of
many lay men and women as followers of the Parsvanath tradition and among them is the
name of Vappa, the uncle of Gautama Buddha. In fact it is mentioned in the Buddhist
literature that Gautama Buddha himself practiced penance according to the Jain way before
he propounded his new religion.
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Lord Mahavira
Lord Mahavira is often credited with the advent of Jainism in India. However, Jainism
existed even before Lord Mahavira was born. He is supposed to be the twenty-fourth (last)
Tirthankara according to the Jain philosophy. A Tirthankara is an enlightened soul who is
born as a human being and attains perfection through intense meditation. For a Jain, Lord
Mahavira is no less than God and his philosophy is like the Bible. Born as Vardhamana
Mahavir, he later came to be known as Bhagvan Mahaveer. Read the short biography of Lord
Mahavira to know the intriguing life history of Bhagvan
Mahaveer.
Lord Mahavira was born in the royal family of Bihar in
599 B.C. His father's name was King Siddhartha and
mother's name was Queen Trishala. Known by the name of
Vardhamana, the young boy was a very bright and
courageous lad who showed extraordinary skills at a very
young age. He once saved his friends from a poisonous snake and had the courage to defy an
angel in the disguise of a monster. Though he had all the luxuries of life at his command, he
led a very simple life. He left all his worldly possessions after his parents expired and became
a monk. He gave up all pleasures and left his family for the purpose of attaining
enlightenment.
For twelve years, he deeply meditated in order to overcome his desires and cravings. He
succeeded in going without food for days together, avoided clothes and never harmed another
living creature even if it was an insect. Once while meditating, he was bitten by a deadly
snake. Still he did not develop any kind of hatred for the snake and kept meditating. After
twelve years, he attained divine knowledge and self-realization. His perception about
everything was crystal clear and he paved the way for spiritual pursuit for future monks. The
attainment of this spiritual knowledge was known as keval-jnana
.
Once he realized this knowledge, he traveled to the remotest places in India preaching
whatever he had learnt. All through his wandering, he was barefoot and refrained from eating
too often. His simple living and high morals attracted believers from all walks of life, which
included kings, paupers, priests and untouchables. His teachings were based on the concept of
self-realization for ultimate attainment of Moksha. He taught people how to gain freedom
from misery, pain and the cycle of birth and death. Lord Mahavira was known to be
omniscient, which means he knew everything about past & future.

Life
Lord Mahavira was born at Kundalagrama (Vaishali district) situated close to Besadha Patti,
27 miles from Patna in modern day Bihar, India. His birthday is celebrated as Mahavira
Jayanthi every year. He was more popularly known as "Vardhaman". It is due to the fact that,
after Mahavira was born, his family prospered and got loads of wealth. People are of the
belief that, when Mahavir Swami was born, he was bathed by Lord Indra with celestial milk.
Being the son of King Siddartha, he lived his life like a prince. However, when he turned 30,
55

he left his family and turned into an ascetic. He had around 400,000 followers. At the age of
72, this great personality departed for heaven.

Awakening and enlightenment

After having left behind the pleasures of worldly life, he went into
the state of deep silence for a period of about twelve and half
years. During this period, he learnt to control his feelings and
desires. For quite a long time, he went without food. His search
for truth and the real virtues of life made people call him
Mahavira. Mahavira is a Sanskrit word, which is used to refer to a
great hero.

Mahavira Philosophy
The philosophies of Lord Mahavira are based on the sole purpose of improving the quality of
life. The basic idea is to attain spiritual excellence by maintaining ethical behavior and
following proper code of conduct. Mahavira philosophy primarily consists of metaphysics
and ethics. The metaphysics comprise of three main principles, namely, Anekantavada,
Syadvada and Karma. The five ethical principles underlying the philosophy of Lord Mahavira
are
Satya,
Ahimsa,
Brahmacharya,
Asteya,
and
Aparigraha.

Mahavir Jayanti
Mahavir Jayanti has a lot of religious significance for people belonging to the Jain religion. It
is observed to celebrate the birthday of the great Lord Mahavira, who was born at
Kshatriyakund near modern Patna in Bihar in 599 BC. According to the Gregorian calendar,
the Mahavir Jayanti festival falls during the period between March and April. As a part of
Mahavir Jayanthi celebrations, the Jain temples are beautifully adorned with flags.

Mahavir Jayanti
Mahavir Jayanti has a lot of religious significance for people belonging to the Jain religion. It
is observed to celebrate the birthday of the great Lord Mahavira, who was born at
Kshatriyakund near modern Patna in Bihar in 599 BC. According to the Gregorian calendar,
the Mahavir Jayanti festival falls during the period between March and April. As a part of
Mahavir Jayanthi celebrations, the Jain temples are beautifully adorned with flags.
The day begins with the performance of ceremonial bath, in which people bath the idol of
Lord Mahavira. This ceremonial bath is more popularly known as 'abhishek'. The idol of Lord
Mahavira is then placed in a cradle and taken for procession. The worshippers congregate in
the temple and offer rice, milk, fruits and water to Lord Mahavir.
At various places, lectures are conducted to impart the teachings of Mahavir Swami. The
basic idea is to make people understand the real virtues of life. On this day, people spend time
56

meditating and praying to the Lord. People give donations to save the cows from getting
slaughtered. People come from different parts of the country and throng the ancient temples
located at Girnar and Palitana in Gujarat on the Jain festival of Mahavir Jayanti.

Chapter:2

The God Personal Original Name:AUM

God is one so his personal and original name should be one. According to the vedic literature
and other A rsha Granthas (authoritative literature) Gods most loveable and personal name
is said to be AUM which is pronounced as AUM
That question that is frequently asked by many people:
What is the original or personal name of God and why should one believe that?
Here one thing is to be borne in mind and that is anything, which has many, attributesactions-nature may be called by many names, though it has only one personal name. In the
same way God has many names, according to his attributes, actions and characteristics but his
personal or original and most famous name is said to be one, which is OM. The word
OM is formed by three letters i.e. A+U+M and letters A and U when combined, its
pronunciation becomes O hence A+U+M is pronunciation OM Which represents Yajna,
Yoga and Dharma.
AUM creates, AUM sustains, AUM dissolves, the whole universe,
AUM is Gods the most appropriate Name, sung in prose and verse.
Letters A , U, and M constitute the Akshara, AUM the Imperishable,
All that was, all that is and all that will be is AUM the only Adorable.
A signifies the ruler of Universe, Sovereign and the Omniscient Being.
Self-Lustrous, Radiant of all Galaxies and the Omnipresent being.
U is upholder of all planets and stars, life provider-the omnipotent being, while m is for all
true knowledge, universal bliss and everlasting being.
Also A denotes Brahama the creator and U for Vishnu-the preserver, and M for Maheshthe dissolver, thus AUM signifies the all controller.
While pronouncing AUM at first A opens vocal organ indicating creation, The U sustains
the word that is preserver and M closinglips is dissolution.
Vedas the scriptures of true knowledge, describe AUM and its attributes, AUM is formless,
the personification of existence, intelligence and bliss. AUM is Almighty, Just, Benevolent,
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Unborn, Infinite and Endless, Unchangeable, Incomparable, Undecaying, Fearless, and

Beginningless.
When the soul gets human body by its virtues and Gods Graces.
Its gifted with intellect to find right path to run lifes race.
His set goals are Dharma, Artha, Kama and Mokshas achievement,
Recitation of AUM concentrating on its attributes leads to fulfilment.
AUM is the highest name of God; it is composed of three letters AUM (as described
earlier). This is one name comprises many other names of God. Thus briefly
A stand for Viraat, Agni and Vishwa, etc.
U stands for Hiranyagarbha, Vaayu and Tejas, etc. , and
M stands for Ishwara, Aaditya and Prajna,etc.
It is clearly explained in the Vedas and other true shastras, that wherever they treat of God, all
these names stand for him.
The Vedic and other holy texts are in support of this view, here are a few quotations from the
holy Vedas and the Upanishads in support of the statement that AUM (OM) is highest
name of God.
The Vedic Eloquent says:
OM Krato Smara means Oh! Energetic man, (Assiduous man) always remember the name
of God that is OM.
OM Kham Brahma means OM is the great GOD who is Omnipresent (Like ether).
Tasya Vaachakah Pranavah means Gods personal name is AUM.
The Chhandogya Upanishad: Mantra I say that He alone, whose name is AUM, who is
Immortal, is worthy of our adoration and none other.
The Mandukya Upanishad, says: - All the Vedas and the shastras declare OM as the
primary and natural name of God . All other are his secondary names.
The Kathopanishada: says that He, whom all the Vedas declare worthy of homage, whom all
devotion and righteous actions lead to, and for whose realisation, the life of brahmacharya
(Chastity) is lead, is called AUM.
The Vedic and other holy texts are in support of this view, that the primary and personal name
of God is AUM, which is pronounced as OM.

58

It is said in the Kathopanishad, t,hat He, Whom all the Vedas declare worthy of homage, to
whom all devotion and righteous actions lead, and for whose realisation, the life of chastity
i.e. Brahmacharya leads, is called OM.
There have to be innumerous name of God according to his attributed-actions or
characteristics as Omkar, Ishwara, Paramatma, Bhagwan, Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesha,
Ganpati, ganesh, Indra, Mitra, Varun, Agni, and so on. All these are attributed name of God.
In other words, these names signify God in prayers,
meditations, communications, or where such adjectives as Omnipresent, Omniscient, Holy,
Eternal and creator of the Universe qualify them. Whilst, where the things under discussion
are mentioned as creator, protected or sustained, disintegrated or where such qualifying
words as finite, visible are used, they cannot be taken to signify God, because He is neither
subject to such changes as evolution or destruction, nor is he finite or visible.
In Vedas alone there are many names of God according to subject and contents! But, from
time to time, place to place, nation to nation and from their own beliefs and faiths, the
Bhaktas (worshippers), Sufis, Saints, Gurus and other religious people who had experienced
Gods bliss in their own ways, have added many attributed and imaginary names for him.
According to their circumstances, place, time and beliefs etc., God is pronounced as: God ,
Hoy Ghost, Holy Spirit, Lord, Allah, Khuda, Khoda, Khudaaya, Rabba, Sai, Naath, Satnaam,
Omkara, Vaheguru, Maalik, Parvardigaar, Maulaa etc. But really speaking by listening or
chanting the OM one enjoys and experiences innerpeace or Anand. God is one hence his
loveable, adorable and peace-giving name according to all Arsha Granthas and religious
books is nothing but MO.
OM is a cosmic sound, Universal music, which exists in the universe forever. The yogi or
enlightened souls experience this cosmic vibration in transcendental state of Samaadhi. To
hear this incredible universal sound of music, in other words to experience the incredible
bliss of God, one (truly dedicated person called a Bhakta) has to meditate with clean and pure
mind, which cannot be explained in words.

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Worship of God

Musk forms in the navel of the deer. Being fascinated with its smell, the deer run hither and
thither. They do not know where the fragrance comes from. Likewise God resides in the
human body, but man does not know it. Therefore, he searches everywhere for bliss, not
knowing that it is already in him.
Everyone worships God in his own way. God is one and according to the Vedas we (soul)
are his eternal children, so there must be one procedure of his worship or prayer. Isnt it? we
are human beings, the best species in the world because we are provided intellect to think and
do whatever is right and to follow the path of perfection. God has given us his eternal
knowledge and commandments i.e the code of conduct in the holy Vedas. Still we dont
receive his knowledge and follow his commandment/orders. who is to suffer then?
Indra vo Vishvataspari Havaamahe Janebhyah, Asmaakamastu Kewalah
In this vedic mantra God declares and teaches to all human being: Do not worship any other
deities except me alone, because without me there exists no second God.
Hindus go to the Mandir, Muslim go to Masjid (Mosque), Christians go to Churches and
Sikhs go to Gurudwaras, then where is code of conduct and equality? Some of us worship
God near rivers and some go to worship him on the top of a mountain, some in caves and
some in the jungles. Some people worship God by keeping some artistically canvassed and/or
imaginary pictures of what they call Gods picture, in front of them. Some people pray to
him by keeping some attractive idol, in human form or any other form, made of clay or
stone /marble/all type of metal etc. This is only show business. This shows that their elders
(mother, father, gurus, teachers etc.) taught them different methods, which have resulted in
differences among them.
It is said in the Basavarna: Vachan 820, the rich build temples to shiva, What shall, a poor
man, do? O my lord! My legs are the pillars, My torso, the shine, and my head, the glden
pinnacle! Things standing shall fall, but the moving ever shall stay.
There are many modes of worship of God as there are religions and religious sects.
God has created men and now men create God in their own way. This is an insult to God and
his teachings. Who is responsible? Who is to be blamed? Our ancestors, our parents, you or
me or the man - made religions which we follow? Really speaking no one is responsible or to
be blamed. Of course! We ourselves are responsible for all these un religious things because
we do not study and follow the correct part shown in hour divine literature. Now a days so
called guru (commonly believe to be spirituals teachers) are the most popular in the field of
religions, but sorry to say that no such guru shows/teaches the correct path of worshipping
60

real God. These gurus believe in 33,00,00,000 (thirty three millions) deities or gods and do
emphasize to believe in pictures of these imaginary Gods.
Everyone, even a small illiterate child knows and believes that almighty Omniscient God
cannot take any form, shape or picture as he is formless and Omnipresent. Its a pity and a
shameful act for these gurus who preach and make people believe and make them more
ignorant when they preach that God can incarnate himself. An artist makes insensate
imaginary idols/statues from mud and stones for artistic showpiece purpose and people by
them, garland them, clothe them, glorify them and lastly worship these idols/statues as God.
Even these so-called gurus inspire these people to do so. Its advisable for these so-called
gurus to stop all these selfish acts and go back to their own gurus and/or study correct
teachings of worshipping the Omnipresent, Omniscient and Omnipotent God.
As mentioned earlier, God is formless and can never be seen with fleshy eyes hence there is
no picture of God. Everyone knows that hunger, thirst, pain, pleasure, love etc are just
feelings and no one can shoot their photographs or draw their pictures on paper. All these
things are to be felt by the heart and mind by internal and external senses and experienced by
the self, but cannot be described in words.
Human soul very well knows that God is Formless, Just, Omnipresent, Omniscient and
omnipotent, so why waste time to keep all these dead-inert-stony idols, photos and pictures of
imaginary humans, etc. in place of the Supreme God. That is main reason that one cannot
meditate properly and experiences difficulty whilst concentrating on the form of God.
God is self existence, intelligence and bliss personified. He is devoid of any form,
Omnipotent, Just, Merciful, Benevolent, Eternal, Infinite, Unchangeable, Beginningless,
Incomparable, Support of all, Lord of all, Omnipresent, Omniscient i.e. Controller of all from
within, Undecaying, Imperishable, Fearless, Eternal, Holy and Creator, Sustainer and
Destroyer of the universe. He is one without a second. To him alone worship is always due.
Na Tasya Pratima - Asti Yasya Naama Mahadyashah
This is an important Vedic Mantra which clears many doubts, blind-faiths, blindbeliefs and
misunderstandings from ignorant mans flickering mind and clarifies that there is no photo,
picture or idol of The God who is the greatest of world. He is infinite. Until and unless
ignorance like-dirt is not removed from the mirror of the mind, his visualization is not
possible. God is not a thing to be seen with fleshy eyes neither he is the thing to be
experienced with any senses, because he is formless by his nature and can be experienced
only by the soul with a pure and clean mind. In other words God is visualized in the heart of a
Yogi.
Kathopanishada says: that Among all bodies, God is devoid of body (and is formless)
Kathopanishada says: The supreme soul (God) in not obtained by eloquent speeches, nor by
intellect or brain power (or arguments), nor by much listening (of sermons or holy Holy
Scriptures). But only he whom this supreme soul chooses, obtains (knows or realises) him,
and for him he illumines his real form.
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Kathopanishada says: The supreme secret soul existing in all things and beings is not
illuminated or seen by the physical eyes, but can be seen only by the seers of subtle and keen
intellect.
Consciousness is experienced by conscious entity, hence God bliss is to be experienced and
enjoyed only by the soul. What is experienced in meditation by the soul with communion of
God is called the visualisation of God. That experience or Gods bliss cannot be described
in words in any language.
Rigveda says The learned persons have his enlightenment in soul. He cannot be described ,
as the taste of a fruit cannot be narrated in words.
The gross substances are the subjects of senses, but in these too ether which is so minute that
it is not visualised by these senses, because they are the subjects of subjective-mind. In
essence both God and soul are conscious entities and in nature both are pure, formless,
immortal and virtuous. The relation between God and soul is pervading pervaded.
Rigveda: says The formless supreme spirit that pervades the universe can have no material
representation, likeness or image.
It is clear therefore that idol-worship is interdicted in the Vedas and the shastras. Without
divine knowledge the attainment of Gods bliss is not possible. Whatever benefits accrue to a
man proceed from association with the learned, study of their biographies and perusal of their
books (and not from the worship of their statuses). If you merely look at the image of a
person and know nothing about his qualities, you are not inspired with affectionate reverence
for him. It is the knowledge of his good qualities alone which inspire that feeling. Evil
practices like idol worship are responsible for the existence of millions of idle, lazy, indolent
and beggarly priests in India, who are mainly answerable for this widespread ignorance, fraud
and mendacity in the country.
The great souls are called Godly persons, or lord, viz. Sri Ramchandra Maharaja, Sri Krishna
Maharaja, Lord Buddha, etc., the great sages like Maharshi Dayananda, Vyasa, Patanjali,
Kanand, Kapila and Gemini etc. Are also called gods or lords, but no one accepts them as
God. Whoever with pure soul, pure heart can be called as living Gods such as saints, sages,
spiritual masters, true yogis, great kings etc.
Mostly people misunderstand the difference between Ishwar and Bhagwan. Only God is
called as Ishwara. Rishi Parashurama, a great Vedic Authority, has defined the term
Bhagwan as:
Aishvaryasya Samagrasya Dharmasya Yashasah, Jyaana Vairaagyoshchaiva Shashnam
Bhaga Iteerarnaa.
Means bhagwan is the one who possess completely the six following opulences or qualities
such as - 1: Full wealth, 2: Dharma, 3: Fame, 4: Beauty, 5: Knowledge, and 6: Renunciation.
All these attributes are called Bhagas and Bhagwan means the possessor of all the six
attributes. Among ordinary persons it is, perhaps possible for a few to possess one, or at the
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most two or three, of these qualities to a large extent, but only some can possess all six of
them.
Maryada Purushottam Sri Ram and Yogeshwara Shri Krishna both were exceptional
personalities who possessed all the above said qualities hence they are called as Bhagwan
or Lord.
Lord Krishna says in the Geeta:Bhooni Me Vyateetaani Janmaani Tava Chaarjuna, Taanyaham Veda Sarvaani Na Twam
Vetya Parantapa.
Which mean Many births of mine have passed as well as yours, O Arjuna! I know them all
but you know them not, O Parantapa (scorcher of foes), I know them by virtue of Yoga. By
this quotation it is clear and proved that great lord, as Krishna was a human being, who also
was in the circle of birth and death. If God is believed to take birth or apart of God that is to
be believed incarnated then he (God) becomes like a human being and has to experience pain
and pleasure as we do. But God is eternal, Undivided, Unperisheable, Unborn, Undecaying,
and unchangeable. He is one and only one who is the Creator, Sustainer and Dissolver of the
universe. If granted God is to be infinitesimal entity, then creation of universe is impossible.
No lord or godly person can possess Gods attribute-nature and characteristics.
God is Formless:
1. Conscious elements do not possess any form or colour or place, hence they cannot be
seen. God being conscious can only be realised or experienced by the soul who is also
conscious.
Na Tasya Pratima-Asti i.e. There is no picture of God.
Akaaya means, God is devoid of any form.
2. Being the subtlest element, God cannot be seen.
3. God is all-pervading (sarva-vyapaka) like ether, hence how can he be seen? He is
omnipresent.
Ya Yastasthau Bhuvanaanyamartyah
4. God is the creator of the universe. His creation springs out from within (sarvaantaryami). To collect atoms, to unite them and to create the universe is the work of
Omniscient, Omnipresent and Omnipotent God, who is formless hence invisible.
Eko Daadhaara Bhuvanaani Vishwaa
5. The attribute of ether is word which is not be seen likewise Gods natural attribute is
Bliss that is not to be seen, but can be experienced by the soul. Hence blissful God
is formless and invisible.
6. The substance that is either very close or very far cannot be seen with fleshy eyes.
Vishnoho Karmaani Pashyata
Yasmin Vishwani Bhuvnani Tasthuhu
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7. Fleshy eyes can see only gross substances, but God being Conscious entity, cannot be
seen with these fleshy eyes. God is Sat-Chit-Anand Swaroop i.e. he is selfexistence, consciousness and blissfulness personified.
8. All things that are seen with fleshy eyes are born/created hence perishable. God is
unborn, eternal hence imperishable, hence invisible.
9. The thinks which has form occupies space (place) i.e. it is finite, but God is infinite
(Ananta), all pervading, does not occupy space so he is invisible and formless.
Om Kham Brahama
Purnat Purnamuduchyati Parishichyate
10. God is un divisible, unchangeable and complete, God is totally devoid of any shape or
form and free from all types of bondage and deformations, including deformations
caused by birth, death therefore his attribute is unchangeable. Hence he is invisible
and immovable.
Akaayamavranam God is immovable, but whole universe is movable with his
inspiration.
Tadejati Tannejati
Anaadyanantam Mahatah Parama Dhruvam
Means that God is immovable. The thing, which is all-pervading is immovable.
11. In the Vedic philosophy God is also known as ParmamVyaoma means he is allpervading and envelopes even ether i.e. the ether is also within his limit.
Twamasya Paare Rajaso Vyomanah
Means that God is greater than ether and he is all pervading in all directions? He is
endless hence complete and unchangeable, formless and invisible.
12. If fleshy eyes are damaged or if there is no proper light outside, nothing is visible.
Likewise, if our inner instrument of vision (the Mind) is dirty or if there is no proper
light of wisdom (knowledge), God is not visible. God is visible (experienced by the
soul) when the dirt of ignorance is removed from the mind, when the mind becomes
pure and clean.
13. He is unborn and end-less, hence God is invisible.
The most important thing that should be borne in mind is that prayer does not require any
religious place. All that is needed is clarity of mind, purity of intention and deep heartfelt
sincerity. The whole universe is Gods creation and whole earth is a religious place because
God is Omnipresent and pervades everywhere .
One more thing, which many people ask frequently, is that Should we meditate or pray when
we are ill. The answer is one and that is yes! Why not to pray? It is the body that is ill, not
the soul. Meditation is an essential food for the soul. Everyone has full right to meditate on
God in any condition. In sickness or while travelling, one can pray to God or remember his
name. Of course! You are allowed even in lying down position to worship God. Man
considers the action but God weighs the intention.
The Vedic theory accepts that God is our Mother, Father, Brother, Guru, friend, etc. In this
world also we come across all relations such as mother, father, brother/sister, guru, friend,
and judge etc. In other words God has given such a nice opportunity to understand these
relationships. As we respect and obey our mother and father etc., in the same way we should
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respect and obey God and treat him as our mother and father and then observe the reaction.
As we talk with our friends freely so why not talk with our real friend (God). We should not
fear from God and hide anything from him because only he is our well wisher. mind one
thing that all worldly relationships are temporary except God whose relationship as mother,
father, friends etc, is permanent. He is always with us. He knows everything then why should
we hide anything from him?
God is the biggest judge. Worldly judge can make mistakes in his judgements but our God
father judge is omniscient (all knowing) hence be cautious before doing anything wrong. He
does not forget or forgive our sins. He has to punish the guilty and reward the obedient ones
and no one can escape from his judgement.
One must have noticed that when we do something wrong and at that very moment, feeling of
fear, doubt, shame and distrust rises in the self consciousness and when we do something
really good, then surely we experience feelings of fearlessness, courage and satisfaction
within ourselves. These feeling are prompted not from the human soul, but by the divine
spirit (from God). We all humans have limited knowledge hence we are imperfect by nature,
so we make mistakes and because of desires we do sins, but God always stops us from doing
anything wrong and inspires us in good deeds. Fear, doubt, shamefulness and distrust are the
signals and/or warnings from God for not to do the wrongful things and satisfaction or
felicity, un-doubtfulness and fearlessness or courage are the blessings from all knowing
Omnipresent God who inspire us to do the good things. Of course God is mans real friend
and all worldly friends are selfish, because man is born with selfishness by nature. It is said
that when we pray to God after doing all possible efforts and with pure mind, God responds
to our prayer. Some people say that God is our heavenly father and stays in heaven and other
people say that God resides on third/fifth/seventh sky etc. If God is one and Omnipresent,
Omniscient, then he cannot stay in one place. In other words he resides everywhere. Ishaa
Vaasyamidam Sarvam means God resides in this whole universe. One of the other hand we
(soul) being an infinitesimal entity resided in one place, where as God is all pervading. Now
an important question can arise here: Then how and where can we meet God or visualise
him? the Vedas give the answer.
Worship of God is not so hard as we think, on the contrary, it is the easiest things to realised
and visualised him. We (the soul) reside in the body (in heart) and God resides everywhere
means he already resides in our hearts within our souls. Now if we do have self spiritual
power and full faith in God and of course have the correct knowledge about the trinity, it
becomes very easy to meet the omnipresent God and experience his presence and bliss within
us. Each and every breath we take is because of him. He is always awake and protects us
whilst we are asleep at night. He is our guide, the greatest Guru. It is our Dharma (duty) to
observe his attributes, characteristics and natures and acquire the same as many as we can and
behave accordingly in our life. Then see the results. You will feel eternal pleasure or bliss of
God and that cannot be expressed in words. You will be a different person, an enlightened
person and feel real freedom. True knowledge, true action and true worship lead to the
renunciation of all worldly desires that make the man perfects and opens the way to God
which is the real destination of man and goal of human life. Only after this stage when man
65

leaves this world, enjoys emancipation for a period of 31,10,40,000000000 years without any
pain and experiences only real happiness i.e. bliss of God.
It is a fact that truth, compassion, love, honesty, brotherhood evolution etc. Are the things
restricted to literature and intellectual pursuits. But the gap between ideology and practice
must be reduced to become aware of the ultimate reality of human existence. Spirituality is
different and difficult from religion. In religion there are certain rules to follow, but in
spirituality one is connected to the natural self. Spirituality is nothing but the actualisation of
the self that is the soul. Conceptualisation has to be channelized into practice then only one
gains and achieves the result. Gaining knowledge is an essential thing and fruits of that
knowledge are reaped when the doer applies that knowledge into action, and that is
spirituality. Spirituality is not something to be created or discovered. It simply exists.
Spirituality is the natural inner power, which can be realised by being truthful. To be
connected is to be on a permanent high. A divine life on earth need not be an exclusive thing.
The divine is already there within us. Evolution is always towards light. The true nature of
divinity exists in love, knowledge, power and bliss. And true spirituality is its natural
manifestation. This is truth. This is the method of actualisation of Gyana, Karma and Upasana
to get results.
The best way to worship God is to perform all our duties according to the Vedic Dharma.
Service to humanity is the best service to God. All actions should be performed in conformity
with Dharma, that is, after due consideration of right and wrong.

The real dharma guru

66

about the ten qualities of a guruthere are ten outer qualities according to lower tantra and
ten inner qualities according to highest tantra. You can find these in the Guru Puja and in lamrim commentaries (Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand, Lam-rim Chen-mo, etc.). It is very
good if you read these and study this well. Also, you can find it in the commentary on50
Verses of Guru Devotion.
There are qualities that the guru should have and qualities that the disciple should have. The
minimum qualities the guru should have are having the lineage of the initiation (that he is
giving) and living according to samaya vows and tantric vows, and that the deities have not
prohibited him from offering the initiation by giving signs, for example.
You can read and study the section in the Guru Puja that covers the qualities of the guru
(before the section which begins you are my Guru, you are my Yidam ..
First it mentions the ten qualities of a Mahayana Guru:
1. Discipline as a result of his mastery of the training in the higher discipline of moral
self-control;
2. Mental quiescence from his training in higher concentration;
3. Pacification of all delusions and obstacles from his training in higher wisdom;
4. More knowledge than his disciple in the subject to be taught;
5. Enthusiastic perseverance and joy in teaching;
6. A treasury of scriptural knowledge;
7. Insight into and understanding of emptiness;
8. Skill in presenting the teachings;
9. Great compassion; and
10. No reluctance to teach and work for his disciples regardless of their level of
intelligence.
Even if one doesnt have all the ten qualities but has five, six, or seven qualities, the main
quality is having more knowledge than the disciple and having great compassion.
A tantric master must have even more good qualities. Most important is that he be an
extremely stable person, with his body, speech, and mind totally under control. He should be
someone in whose presence everyone feels calm, peaceful, and relaxed and even the mere
sight of him brings great pleasure to the mind. And his compassion must be unsurpassable.
There are two sets of ten fields in which the vajra guru must be a complete master. The ten
inner ones are essential for teaching the yoga and maha-anuttara yoga classes of tantra, which
stress the importance of purifying mainly internal mental activities. These are expertise in:

67

1. Visualizing wheels of protection and eliminating obstacles;

2. Preparing and consecrating protection knots and amulets to be worn around the
neck;
3. Conferring the vase and secret initiations, planting the seeds for attaining a
buddhas form bodies;
4. Conferring the wisdom and word initiations, planting the seeds for attaining a
buddhas wisdom bodies;
5. Separating the enemies of Dharma from their own protectors;
6. Making the offerings, such as of sculptured tormas;
7. Reciting mantras, both verbally and mentally, that is, visualizing them revolving
around his heart;
8. Performing wrathful ritual procedures for forcefully catching the attention of the
meditational deities and protectors;
9.Consecrating images and statues; and
10. Making mandala offerings, performing the meditational practices (sadhana) and
taking self initiations.
The ten external qualities are required for teaching the kriya and charya classes of tantra,
which stress the importance of purifying mainly external activities in connection with internal
mental processes. These are expertise in:
1. Drawing, constructing and visualizing the mandala abodes of the meditational deities;
2. Maintaining the different states of single-minded concentration;
3. Executing the hand gestures (mudras);
4. Performing the ritual dances;
5. Sitting in the full meditation position;
6. Reciting what is appropriate to these two classes of tantra;
7. Making fire offerings;
8. Making the various other offerings;
9. Performing the rituals of
a) Pacification of disputes, famine, and disease,

68

b) Increase of life span, knowledge, and wealth,

c) Power to influence others and
d) Wrathful elimination of demonic forces and interferences; and
10. Invoking meditational deities and dissolving them back into their appropriate
places.
Lama Tsongkhapa explained that in degenerated times it is difficult to find lamas having all
these qualities mentioned above, so if the lama does not have all those qualities then having
two, five, or even eight is sufficient.
As I mentioned before, the minimum qualities the guru should have is having the lineage of
the initiation (that he is giving), living according to samaya vows and tantric vows, and that
the deities have not prohibited him from offering the initiation by, for example, giving signs,
etc.
Since you have received highest tantra initiation from Denma Locho Rinpoche, this means he
is your guru. Any time that you take a teaching with the recognition that you are the disciple
and the teacher is the guru, then even if the teacher only says a few words, a verse of
teachings, or one mantra recitation, that person is your guru from then on and there is no
change. After one makes that Dharma connection of guru and disciple, then if you give up it
is the heaviest negative karma, the greatest obstacle to your spiritual growth. It brings heavy
obstacles and one has to experience, especially at the time of death, eons of suffering in the
lower realms and hell realms.
According to the texts, the teachings of the Buddha, the lam-rim, one is supposed to think
only of the qualities of the guru and only praise them. The heaviest negative karma is if anger
and heresy arise, and you criticize him or her.
It is said in many tantric teachingsthe Kalachakra and Guhyasamajathat even if one has
accumulated the five uninterrupted negative karmas, one can still achieve the sublime vehicle
in this life, in particular the maha-anuttara path. This path has the most skills to grant
enlightenment in a brief lifetime of these degenerate times. But if you criticize the guru from
the heart, even if you practice the sublime vehicle, you will not achieve this.
In the Lama Tsongkhapa lam-rim it is clearly mentioned that even the thought that the
virtuous friend is ordinary becomes a cause to lose realizations, which means that it also
becomes an obstacle to developing the mind on the path.
The most important thing is to analyze as much as possible before making Dharma contact.
When the recognition of guru and disciple is present, since the Dharma contact is established,
then from that time there is no change. One has to have a new relationship with the guru, it is
another world, looking at that person with a new and pure mind.
It is said by Pabongka Dechen Nyingpo, the great enlightened being, the Heruka, that if one
is able to stop all thoughts of mistakes and look only at the qualities of the guru, looking at
the guru only as Buddha, then one can achieve enlightenment in this life. With the realization
69

of seeing all buddhas as the guru and all gurus as the Buddha, one can get enlightened. This is
mentioned in all four Tibetan Mahayana sects, in both sutra and tantra.
Making mistakes, the arising of heresy, anger, criticism, and giving up the virtuous friend
become the cause to not find a guru in future lives. It is said in the Essence of Nectar that one
cannot ever hear the sound of the holy Dharma, not to mention find a virtuous friend, and one
becomes without a virtuous friend in all ones lifetimes.
If one's own mistakes seem to appear in the gurus actions, in one's hallucinatory mind, one
must realize that this is one's own mistake and abandon it like poison. One must abandon the
thought that there is a mistake in the actions of the virtuous friend. With this mindfulness, one
looks at that person as Buddha, as one who has eliminated all mistakes and has all the perfect
qualities.
If the guru asks you to do something, and you don't have the capacity to do it at that time,
your mind hasn't reached that level, so with this pure thought, with this mindfulness, one
respectfully explains to the guru how one is incapable of doing this, and in this way tries to
get his or her permission not to do it.
This is what is said in the Fifty Verses of the Guru and the Vinaya. If the guru says to do
something that is not Dharma, one can ask also permission not to do it. It doesnt say in the
text to have negative thoughts or to criticize or sue him. This is how you deal with that kind
of problem without it becoming an obstacle to developing one's own mind on the path.
Of course, as His Holiness the Dalai Lama mentions all the time, if it is a special guru and
disciple relationship, then you do every single thing the guru says, like Tilopa and Naropa,
and Marpa and Milarepa, and so forth.
I hope this answers your question. You should study the tantric commentaries from qualified
lamas such as His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and, in the future, if you pray, you will also be
able to receive direct tantric teachings.

Sri Dharma Mittra expounds on:

The Importance of a Guru in Yoga Tradition
The wise men of ancient times evolved and perfected over the centuries, a system of selfdevelopment known as Yoga, a Sanskrit word meaning union or joining together. This
unifying objective is achieved thru the self-development of ones own unique individual
potential for self-realization. Since time immemorial, the science of Yoga has always been
transferred from the lips of the Guru to the spiritual aspirant or disciple. The Guru illumines
the spiritual path by casting his internal light towards the aspirant, so that he can begin to see
with the inner eye. This is due to the awakening of spiritual energy. Spiritual knowledge can
only be imparted psychically. Spiritual knowledge is a matter of Guru-Parampara. It is
transmitted from Guru to disciple. The role of Guru is of the highest importance, as is the
sincerity, humility, and loyalty of the student. His grace enables the disciple to perceive the
latent spiritual power within, and shows the doorway to the Super-consciousness. But it is
tdisciple who must step through it. The Guru is God incarnate and turns the key in the door to
liberaTo see the Guru is to see God. In the Guru, you hthe ideal of liberated perfection and
the human example from which to mould your life. The Guru will remove all doubts and
70

ignorance and transform the vicious past impressions (samskaras). Worship your Guru and
bow to Him or Her with reverence.
already with. I came not speaking a word of English, and found that it was not needed to
understand the Guru. I was blessed with the opportunity to serve the Guru, and was
assigattend to all his needs. I had to shave his head, wash and iron his clothes, prepare his
food, and provide for his daily needs. I soon realized that I was indeed very lucky to be so
close to the Guru. By being near him, and absorbing his positive psychic influences, I learned
many thinone would not know otherwise.
your lower nature and all obstacles and difficulties. But you must follow the Gurus guidance
implicitly. The Guru forces you to look at your behavior, and a true Guru is never concerned
with what people think of them. The Guru takes on the task of guiding the soul from
identification with the material world, the senses and sense objects to improve your
despiritual world of Divine consciousness. he tion. ave I came to New York City to study
with Swami Kailashananda, a holy man that my brother was ned to gs The student who is
under the guidance of Guru is safe from all. Guru is your fortress against stiny the Dharma
Mittra Yoga New York Center.

CHAPTER:3
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Shri Shri Ravi Shankar

Introduction
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is a renowned spiritual leader and global
humanitarian whose mission of uniting the world into a violencefree, stress-free global family has inspired millions of people to
broaden their share of responsibility and serve society.
Sri Sri has devised practical tools and techniques that help
individuals achieve calmness of mind and clarity of thought. Such
a state of mind empowers individuals not only to achieve their
goals, but it also instills a sense of service and greater
connectedness with humanity.
In 1981, Sri Sri established the Art of Living Foundation, an educational organization with a
presence in more than 150 countries. The Foundation's self-development programs offer
powerful tools to eliminate stress and foster a sense of well-being.
In 1997, Sri Sri founded the International Association for Human Values (IAHV), a
humanitarian organization, which advances Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is a renowned spiritual
leader and global humanitarian whose mission of uniting the world into a violence-free,
stress-free global family has inspired millions of people to broaden their share of
responsibility and serve society.
Sri Sri has devised practical tools and techniques that help individuals achieve calmness of
mind and clarity of thought. Such a state of mind empowers individuals not only to achieve
their goals, but it also instills a sense of service and greater connectedness with humanity.
In 1981, Sri Sri established the Art of Living Foundation, an educational organization with a
presence in more than 150 countries. The Foundation's self-development programs offer
powerful tools to eliminate stress and foster a sense of well-being.
In 1997, Sri Sri founded the International Association for Human Values (IAHV), a
humanitarian organization, which advances human values such as compassion, caring and
commitment in political, economic and social spheres.
IAHV and the Art of Living Foundation collaborate on humanitarian initiatives, which
include conflict resolution, disaster and trauma relief, environmental conservation, prisoner
rehabilitation, youth leadership, women's empowerment, campaigns against female foeticide
and child labor, and supporting education for all.

Biography

72

His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is a universally revered spiritual and humanitarian leader.
His vision of violence-free and stress-free society through the awakening of human values
has inspired millions to broaden their spheres of responsibility and work towards the
betterment of the world.
Born on 13th May, 1956 in Tamil Nadu, Sri Sri was often found deep in meditation even in
his childhood. At the age of four, he astonished his teachers by reciting the Bhagavad-Gita,
the ancient Sanskrit scripture. He became a scholar of Vedic literature and received an
advanced degree in modern science by the age of 17 from St. Josephs College, University of
Bangalore. He established the Art of Living foundation in 1981. One of Sri Sris most unique
offering to the world is Sudarshan Kriya, a powerful breathing technique that facilitates
physical, social and emotional well-being.
A multi-faceted social activist, Sri Sris initiatives include conflict resolution, disaster and
trauma relief, poverty alleviation, empowerment of women and spiritual rehabilitation,
education for all and campaigns against female foeticide and child labour. He is engaged in
peace negotiations and counselling in conflict zones around the world. His expertise in
bringing opposing parties to the negotiating table in areas such as Sri Lanka, Iraq, Ivory
Coast, Cameron, Kashmir and Bihar is widely acknowledged. In 1981, Sri Sri established the
Art of Living, an educational and humanitarian, nongovernmental organisation that works in
special consultative status with Economic and Social Council of the United Nations. Present
in 140 countries, it formulates and implements lasting solutions to conflicts and issues faced
by individuals, communities and nations. In 1997, the Sri Sri founded International
Association of Human Values (IAHV) to foster human values and lead sustainable
development projects.
Sri Sri has reached out to 300 million worldwide through personal interactions, public events
and teachings, Art of Living workshops and humanitarian initiatives. He has brought to the
masses ancient practices which were traditionally kept elusive and has designed self
development techniques which can be easily integrated into daily life to calm the mind and
instill confidence and enthusiasm. These techniques have helped thousands overcome
depression and violent suicidal tendencies. Numerous honours have been bestowed on Sri Sri,
including the order of the Pole Star (The highest state honour in Mongolia), the Peter the
Great award from the Russian Federation, the Sant Shree Dhaneshwara World Peace Prize
(India) and the Global Humanitarian Award (USA)
. Sri Sri has also been conferred with six honorary doctorates from Universities in India and
abroad. Sri Sri has addressed several international forums including the United Nations
Millennium World Peace Summit (2000), the World Economic Forum (2001, 2003) and
several parliaments across the globe. His universal and simple message is that love and
wisdom can prevail over hatred and distress.

Life
He was a child with precocious mind. At the age of four, he could very well recite the verses
of Bhagavad Gita. Even as a young child, he could meditate deeply. At the age of 17, he
73

obtained the Advanced degree in Modern Physics. Later, he received the Honorary Doctorate
from Kuvempu University in Karnataka, India
In the year 1982, Shri Shri Ravishankar went into ten days of silence and turned into an
enlightened master. Thereafter, he started serving the society by making them learn the art of
living life. For the excellent work performed by him, he received a number of awards. To
name a few, we have 2005 Global Humanitarian Award, Guru Mahatmya award, Phoenix
Award and many more
.

Ravishankar Philosophy
According to Sri Sri Ravishankar philosophy, God lies within every heart. He says that, each
one of us has God lying inside. He is of the opinion that God is an integral part of our lives
and we cannot go away from him. God is omnipresent and he can see everything that you are
indulging in.

Art of Living Foundation

Art of living and Ravishankar are two names that go hand in hand with each other.
Ravishankar is a great spiritual leader, who is well known for preaching the art of living.
Infact, he is the founder of the Art of Living Foundation that has it's headquarter in
Bangalore. Today, it has branches in almost all the major cities of the world.

Sudarshan Kriya
Sudarshan Kriya is the main component of the art of living course taught by Sri Sri
Ravishankar. It is basically the technique of breathing, which consists of various cycles of
breath, as in long, medium and short. It involves several Asanas and exercises.

Birth & Childhood:

Born on May 13, 1956 in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, Ravi
developed an inclination and an amazing acumen for the study of the
ancient Vedic scriptures.

Education:
By the age of 17, he obtained an advanced degree in Modern Physics, and later received an
Honorary Doctorate from Kuvempu University, Karnataka, India.

Training Under Guru Mahesh Yogi:

At an early age his father, R S V Ratnam delegated him to the care of Maharishi Mahesh
Yogi, a renowned spiritual master. After attaining his degree in science, Ravi joined

74

Maharishi's entourage, taught the Vedic pundits at Maharishi's charities, and soon became the
Maharishis favourite disciple.

Enlightenment & Vision:

In 1982, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar went into ten days of silence and emerged as an enlightened
master. It is believed that during this time he cognized the famous Sudarshan Kriya breathing
technique. In order to spread the kriya and other related knowledge, Sri Sri subsequently set
up the Art of Living (AOL) Organization in 1982.

The Art of Living:

Today the Art of Living Foundation is the worlds largest volunteer based Non-Governmental
Organization, active in over 140 countries. Its service projects, programs on yoga, meditation
and stress elimination have benefited over 20 million people representing all walks of life,
religions, cultures and traditions with its 5Hs program in the areas of Health, Homes,
Hygiene, Human Values and Harmony in Diversity.

International Association for Human Values:

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar founded the International Association for Human Values (IAHV) in
1997, which undertakes development projects in thousands of villages, bringing self-reliance
to millions of people from Afghanistan to Bosnia, Iraq to New York.

Distinctions:
Sri Sri is the recipient of numerous honors including the 2005 Global Humanitarian Award
by the state of Illinois, Guru Mahatmya award by Government of Maharashtra, India, the
title of Yoga Shiromani by President of India, the Phoenix Award from the Mayor of
Atlanta, Georgia, only to name a few He was a guest speaker at the Millennium World
Peace Summit during the 50th anniversary of the United Nations. Sri Sri is also a member of
the Council of the Divinity School at Yale University.

His Message:
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar travels extensively across the globe to inspire youth to work together for
a better society. As he says, Religion is the banana skin and spirituality is the banana. The
misery in the world is because we throw away the banana and are holding on to the skin. Sri
Sri believes that all religions and traditions have a common value system, and these shared
values have to reach every corner of the world in order to make it a better place for all.

Early Years & Education

Ravi Shankar was born to Smt. Visalakshmi Ratnam and R.S. Venkat Ratnam in
Papanasam, Tamil Nadu, India. A child prodigy, he was able to recite verses from the
Bhagwad Gita, an ancient Sanskrit text and also started practicing meditation with his parents
by the age of four.

75

 He began studying Vedic literature with Sudhakar Chaturvedi and simultaneously attended
the school at MES in Bangalore. In 1973, at the age of 17, he graduated with degrees in both
Physics and Vedic Literature.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: A politician indeed, no saint

I have stayed away from this blog for so long, but todays happenings have made me so so
angry that I had to respond.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, who is the founder of the Art of Living professes to be a modern day
humanitarian and spiritual leader. But the real face of the ambitious man behind the white
garb and saintly halo emerges during the election time.
They say you cannot have a better brand ambassador than God. And so, the Vishva Hindu
Parishad (VHP) is enlisting Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Baba Ramdev, Morari Bapu and Asaram
Bapu to create an alliance marrying political, religious and environmental causes.
All over the country, small meetings are being held where his chosen ones are carrying a
message from guruji. And while the professionals and the moderates are being lured with
stories of Swiss bank accounts and conversions, what enrages me is the covert nature of the
campaign. A man who claims to teach love, practical wisdom, and service, who claims to
promote harmony among people, and encourage individuals to follow their chosen spiritual
path, while honoring other paths is now telling people tovote for change. This because
Hinduism is going to the dogs and we need more people with enthusiasm. Now now his
volunteers go around the country evoking images of Malegaon, telling us how Muslims and
Christians are diverting Hindu funds for their terror attacks and all sorts of other divisive
speeches. So this is the real story of spreading harmony? Ravi Shankar the Sris are off your
name. The halo has disappeared.
If this man has guts, let him come into the election fray and openly say that he is
campaigning for the Hindutva cause. Why these hidden agendas under the garb of religion?
Either stay in religion, or get into politics. And yes, we have enough of such unholy alliances.
Uncover the real faces of these Godmen and saints! India has much better sense than to get
swayed by those who evoke images of terror and play on our fears to merely get a few votes
more.

Brief history
The Beginning
Born in 1956 in Southern India, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar was a gifted child. By the age of four,
he was able to recite parts of the Bhagavad Gita, an ancient Sanskrit scripture and was often
found in meditation. His first teacher Sudhakar Chaturvedi, had a long cooperation with
Mahatma Gandhi. He holds degrees in both Vedic literature and physics.
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Founding The Art of Living and The International Association of Human Values
Sri Sri entered a ten-day period of silence in Shimoga located in the Indian state of
Karnataka. TheSudarshan Kriya, a powerful breathing technique, was born. With time,
the Sudarshan Kriya became the centerpiece of the Art of Living courses.
Sri Sri founded The Art of Living as an international, non-profit, educational and
humanitarian organization. Its educational and self-development programs offer powerful
tools to eliminate stress and foster a sense of well-being. Appealing not only to a specific
population, these practices have proven effective globally and at all levels of society.
In 1997, he also founded the International Association for Human Values (IAHV) to
coordinate sustainable development projects, nurture human values and coordinate conflict
resolution in association with The Art of Living. In India, Africa and South America, the two
sister organizations volunteers are spearheading sustainable growth in rural communities,
and have already reached out to over 40,212 villages.

Inspiring Service and Globalizing Wisdom

A noted humanitarian leader, Sri Sris programs have provided assistance to people from a
wide range of backgrounds victims of natural disasters, survivors of terror attacks and war,
children from marginalized populations and communities in conflict, among others. The
strength of his message has inspired a wave of service based on spirituality through a huge
body of volunteers, who are driving these projects forward in critical areas around the globe.
As a spiritual teacher, Sri Sri has rekindled the traditions of yoga and meditation and offered
them in a form that is relevant to the 21st century. Beyond reviving ancient wisdom, Sri Sri
has created new techniques for personal and social transformation. These include the
Sudarshan Kriya which has helped millions of people to find relief from stress and discover
inner reservoirs of energy and peace in daily life. In a mere 31 years, his programs and
initiatives have touched the lives of over 370 million people in 152 countries.

A Figure of Peace
As an ambassador of peace, Sri Sri plays a key role in conflict resolution and spreads his
vision of non-violence at public forums and gatherings worldwide. Regarded as a neutral
figure with a sole agenda of peace, he represents hope to people in conflict. He has received
particular credit for bringing opposing parties to the negotiating table in Iraq, the Ivory Coast,
Kashmir and Bihar. He was appointed the Chairman of Reception Committee for the 500th
anniversary celebrations of the Coronation of Krishnadevaraya (by Government of
77

Karnataka, India). Sri Sri is also a member of the Amarnath Shrine Board (appointed by
Government of Jammu and Kashmir, India).
Through his initiatives and addresses, Sri Sri has consistently emphasized the need for
reinforcing human values and recognizing humanity as our highest identity. Fostering
interfaith harmony and calling for multi-cultural education as the remedy for fanaticism are
significant parts of his efforts to achieve sustainable peace on our planet.
His work has touched the lives of millions of people around the world, going beyond the
barriers of race, nationality and religion with the message of a One-World Family; that
inner and outer peace are possible; and that a stress-free, violence-free society can be created
through service and the reawakening of human values.

Birth & Childhood:

Born on May 13, 1956 in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, Ravi developed an
inclination and an amazing acumen for the study of the ancient Vedic scriptures.

Education:
By the age of 17, he obtained an advanced degree in Modern Physics, and later received an
Honorary Doctorate from Kuvempu University, Karnataka, India.

Training Under Guru Mahesh Yogi:

At an early age his father, R S V Ratnam delegated him to the care of Maharishi Mahesh
Yogi, a renowned spiritual master. After attaining his degree in science, Ravi joined
Maharishi's entourage, taught the Vedic pundits at Maharishi's charities, and soon became the
Maharishis favourite disciple.

Enlightenment & Vision:

In 1982, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar went into ten days of silence and emerged as an enlightened
master. It is believed that during this time he cognized the famous Sudarshan Kriya breathing
technique. In order to spread the kriya and other related knowledge, Sri Sri subsequently set
up the Art of Living (AOL) Organization in 1982.

The Art of Living:

Today the Art of Living Foundation is the worlds largest volunteer based Non-Governmental
Organization, active in over 140 countries. Its service projects, programs on yoga, meditation
and stress elimination have benefited over 20 million people representing all walks of life,

78

religions, cultures and traditions with its 5Hs program in the areas of Health, Homes,
Hygiene, Human Values and Harmony in Diversity.

International Association for Human Values:

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar founded the International Association for Human Values (IAHV) in
1997, which undertakes development projects in thousands of villages, bringing self-reliance
to millions of people from Afghanistan to Bosnia, Iraq to New York.

Distinctions:
Sri Sri is the recipient of numerous honors including the 2005 Global Humanitarian Award
by the state of Illinois, Guru Mahatmya award by Government of Maharashtra, India, the
title of Yoga Shiromani by President of India, the Phoenix Award from the Mayor of
Atlanta, Georgia, only to name a few He was a guest speaker at the Millennium World
Peace Summit during the 50th anniversary of the United Nations. Sri Sri is also a member of
the Council of the Divinity School at Yale University.

His Message:
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar travels extensively across the globe to inspire youth to work together for
a better society. As he says, Religion is the banana skin and spirituality is the banana. The
misery in the world is because we throw away the banana and are holding on to the skin. Sri
Sri believes that all religions and traditions have a common value system, and these shared
values have to reach every corner of the world in order to make it a better place for all.

Early Years & Education

Ravi Shankar was born to Smt. Visalakshmi Ratnam and R.S. Venkat Ratnam in
Papanasam, Tamil Nadu, India. A child prodigy, he was able to recite verses from the
Bhagwad Gita, an ancient Sanskrit text and also started practicing meditation with his parents
by the age of four.
He began studying Vedic literature with Sudhakar Chaturvedi and simultaneously attended
the school at MES in Bangalore. In 1973, at the age of 17, he graduated with degrees in both
Physics and Vedic Literature.

Rise To Fame
After graduation, he travelled with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi under whose tutelage he started
giving sermons on Vedic science in Ayurveda centers. During this period, he became the
Maharishis close friend and confidante.
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 Through the 1980s, he travelled around the world and preached spirituality wherever he
set foot. He established the Art of Living Foundation in 1982 and in 1983 he held the first Art
of Living course in Europe, Switzerland. In 1986 he travelled to California for an Art of
Living workshop and soon became extremely popular with the masses in America.
Towards the end of the 80s, he introduced a series of effective breathing exercises called
the Sudarshan-Kriya. It is said that the inspiration to come up with a new breathing
technique, came to him while he was meditating on the banks of the Bhadra River in
Shimoga, Karnataka.
In 1997, he founded the International Association for Human Values (IAHV), a
humanitarian organization that aims to bring sustainable development to rural areas and
revive human values and morals.

Teachings & Philosophies

Major Works
Sri Ravi Shankar has reached out to millions of people worldwide through a powerful and
unique breathing technique called Sudarshan Kriya, a continuous breathing rhythm that
harmonizes the body and mind and helps individuals find inner peace. The core of all Art of
Living courses, the Sudarshan Kriya breathing technique were reviewed by a number of
medical institutes and has been accredited for improving ones immunity and enhancing brain
function.
Celebrating Silence, a book by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is regarded as one of his most
influential publications to date. It is a collection of the weekly discourses in chronological
order from the years 19952000. The book sold over 1.4 lakh copies in the first two weeks
and still enjoys great popularity.

Awards & Achievements

He was conferred the title of Yoga Shiromani by the President of India in 1986.
He was awarded the Guru Mahatmya Award by the Government of Maharashtra in 1997.
He was presented the illustrious, Global Humanitarian Award in Illinois, USA in 2005.
He was honored with the Leadership Award for Extraordinary Promotion of World Peace
and Harmony by Amity University, New Delhi in 2007.
In 2009, he was listed as the 5th most powerful person in India by the Forbes Magazine.

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 In 2010, he was presented the Atmajyoti Award for his humanitarian efforts in New
Delhi.
He was honored with Paraguays highest civilian award, the National Order of Merito de
Comuneros on September 13, 2012.
Today, the Art of Living Foundation is present in over 152 countries, with over a million
followers. There are a number of other institutes and ashrams, such as, Ved Vignan
Mahavidyapeeth, Sri Sri Ayurveda, and The Sri Sri School for Performing Arts and Fine
Arts and Sri Sri Pre-University College which carry forward his legacy

Trivia
This spiritual leaders Art of Living course is a part of the training program for NASA
Astronauts.

Ashrams
About Sri Sri Ravishankar Ashram

Bangalore, India

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, once a disciple of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (renowned spiritual guide of
the Beatles), is the subcontinent's hottest New Age guru. Many consider The Art of Living,
his secular philosophy of enjoying life. His main Ashram lies on 24 hectares (60 acres) of
lush green hillside in south Bangalore, where every evening thousands of the city's wellheeled gather for the evening lecture and satsang. Sri Sri Ravishankar Ashram Bangalore The
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well articulated Swamiji encourages his disciples to enjoy the present without guilt while also
encouraging them to contribute towards humanitarian and environmental concerns. His
followers are from India's growing urban elite, but also hugely popular on foreign shores

Sri Sri Ravishankar Ashram

Sri Sri Ravishankar Ashram (Art of Living), Kanakapura Road, Bangalore Breathe away your all your anxieties and worries
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, once a disciple of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (renowned spiritual guide of
the Beatles), is the subcontinent's hottest New Age guru. Many consider "The Art of Living,"
his secular philosophy of enjoying life.
His main Ashram lies on 24 hectares (60 acres) of lush green hillside in south Bangalore
(Bengaluru), where every evening thousands of the city's well-heeled gather for the evening
lecture and satsang (devotional singing).
The well articulated Swamiji encourages his disciples to enjoy the present without guilt while
also encouraging them to contribute towards humanitarian and environmental concerns. His
followers are from India's growing urban elite, but also hugely popular on foreign shores (San
Franciscans have a real penchant for his teachings).
Even his fiercest detractors admit the value of Sudarshan Kriya, an ancient breathing
technique taught when you attend the "Art of Living" course. The 30-minute-a-day practice is
said to encourage the flow of oxygen to the whole body, ostensibly discouraging the storage
of toxins and thus helping release anxiety, frustration, depression, and anger, leaving you with
a genuine sense of calm and well-being.
As we drive south of Bangalore twenty-one kilometers on Kanakapura Road, we will find
amidst the rolling green hills a home vibrant with wisdom. Here at our India ashram, people
gather from all over the world to spend time with the Master and to deepen their spiritual
experience. Entering its gates, one feels the presence of the Divine. An inexplicable calm and
serenity infuses one's mind. This is the school that teaches the alphabets of living. Here
stresses drop away, broken hearts are mended, and healing happens.
People come for many reasons. Villagers quench their thirst from the wells while others drink
from the fountain of Knowledge. There are those who need solace and comfort and those who
long to see the Master. The intelligentsia also visit, their minds full of clever questions. Yet in
the Master's presence they often find their questions answered before being asked. Reporters
and journalists become speechless as interviewer turns interviewee.
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The ashram is also a place of fun, mischief and games -- all "master-minded" from the
Master's kutir. Each evening there is singing, dancing and celebration. Something unique here
is that at various times, day or night, laughter can be heard from every corner of the ashram.
In India, the Art of Living is gaining popularity in the corporate sector. Executives report
dramatic transformations from stressful work and lifestyles to higher levels of efficiency
without stress. Among workers, a sense of belonging to the company is inspired that results in
higher productivity and harmony on the job. Improvements in health have reduced
absenteeism and the drain on corporate resources. Through simple practices and principles,
the Art of Living addresses complex problems with solutions that work from the core level of
company life -- the individual.
Large India corporations that have already prospered through Art of Living programs include:
BEL, Berger Paints, Buildworth India Ltd., BHEL, Chartered Bank, Cochin Refineries,
Dhanalakshmi Bank, Eastern Spinning, Effluent and Water Treatment, Fertilizers and
Chemicals Travancore Ltd., Ganges Jute Mill, Garden Cafe, GIS Industries, Guest Keen
Williams, Hindustan Motors, ICI, Indian Aluminum, Indian Oil, Jayshree Textiles, Kesoram,
Rajda Sales, Shaw Wallace, Tinplate Company Ltd., TRF, Tribeni Tissues, Usha Martin,
Wipro.
Beloved Guruji:
This ashram is, for me, more than a "five stars" hotel. It offers Beauty all around me: sunrise,
sunset, beautiful flowers, colorful butterflies, peaceful gardens, and silence to take time to
enjoy these things.
It is a place for observing without judgment, a place for breathing, for laughing, for singing.
It's a place for becoming aware that I belong to the Universe. I learn here that there is no
difference between us. In spite of our nationalities, languages or religions, we are all part of
the same universe and we belong to the same God. Here I'm finding guests who are hosts and
who are doing the best they can to share love with each other.
This place is full of our presence, your joy and your love. It is easier here to let it be, let
things happen as they come.
Laughter can be heard from every corner of the ashram.
The wisdom of the Art of Living comes from a long and ancient tradition of Vedic Masters.
Sumeru is a unique structure that greets visitors from atop the highest hill at the ashram. With
the dome of the evening sky, it is a breathtaking amphitheater for talks from the Master under
the moonlight.

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Within a span of 10 years, SSRVM Trust has established more than 100 educational
institutions starting from Pre- Primary to P.G. Studies in diverse fields viz Management,
Journalism, Ayurveda medicine etc.

Primary and High Schools (Vidya Mandirs)

Sri Sri Ravishankar Vidya Mandir, as the name itself suggests, is designed to be a temple of
learning where knowledge is revered;
SSRVM schools provide world-class holistic education that is aimed at all- round
development of the students personalities by facilitating Cognitive, Physical, Emotional,
Social and Spiritual growth.
SSRVM schools enable the students to broaden their vision and deepen their roots by
appreciating the cultural heritage of their own country and honour those of other Nations
The aim is to provide the children of 21st century with modern tools as well as the moral &
spiritual strength needed to face the challenges of the modern world and thus evolve into
model citizens.
Here, learning is an individual process for each student and information is imparted at the
realm of experience. While enhancing human values of love, friendliness, compassion, caring
and sharing, regular curriculum is offered in such a joyful and stress- free manner that the
child actually looks forward to going to school.

Pre Primary Schools (Bal Mandir)

Sri Sri Ravishankar Bal Mandir (SSRBM) schools were started to provide value based
education in a stress-free and child friendly environment to the children.
It has been proved through research that major share of the overall development of human
brain is contributed by their early childhood education. Keeping this in view, SSRBM aims to
create the right environment for tiny tots in the age group of 2 years to 6 years to learn and
blossom into a wonderful human being.
SSRBM lays a solid foundation for their future growth by shaping their personality in the
right direction. Here learning is fun for children and children actually look forward to going
to the school as they feel it is a home away from home. Our teachers are provided with
special training with specific focus on early education. SSRBM combines the best of modern
and traditional teaching techniques to nurture the right combination of knowledge based on
Concept, Information, Attitude, Imagination and Freedom that caters to their overall growth.

Sri Sri On Education

Only an education that can nourish inbuilt virtues can impart true intelligence.Today, it is the
concern of every parent that their children should grow up to be well educated human beings
with certain values in their lives and that they should be happy. But somewhere along the
line, the link to happiness appears to be getting severed. We are losing the goal of happiness.
A well-educated person is one who is friendly and compassionate, who can be a nobody
with everybody. Creative methods of teaching will help children build their personalities.
Creative sports and ancient techniques such as meditation, yoga and pranayam should be part
of a childs learning process. The need of the day is a broad-minded education accompanied
by a warm heart.
Everybody who has a stake in education must ponder on holistic, healthy education system
that will retain the virtues and values which we are all naturally endowed with. Education
must attend to all facets of human life. The key is to harness the ancient and be innovative
with the modern.
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Their Vision

Establish Sri Sri Academy as a temple of learning where knowledge is

o
revered.

Provide world-class holistic education that aims to bring about all-round

development of the students personalities by facilitating Cognitive, Physical, Emotional,
Social and Spiritual growth.
o
Help the students Broaden Their Vision And Deepen Their Roots by enabling
them to appreciate the cultural heritage of their own country and honour those of other
Nations.
o
Enhance human values of love, friendliness, compassion, caring, and sharing,
while offering the regular curriculum in a cheerful, stress-free environment.
o
Equip the children with modern tools and the moral and spiritual strength
needed to face the challenges of the modern world.
o

Their Aim

Make students academically competent by evolving creative methods that will kindle
their curiosity and inspire them to become life-long learners.
Provide a child-friendly atmosphere that will empower every child to overcome
his/her inhibitions and limitations.
Provide a solid foundation and ensure that concepts are so well understood that they
can be applied intelligently to other situations.
Develop imagination with emphasis on art, craft, music and creative writing.
Inculcate a deep-rooted respect for the environment and of their responsibility to
preserve it.
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Create social awareness and a sense of belongingness, by encouraging them to assume

leadership and contribute towards uplifting local and world communities.
Help students maximise their potential through self-development programmes from
the internationally acclaimed Art of Living that includes yoga, breathing, exercises and
meditation.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Vidya Mandir, Pune

Sri Sri on Education

nization is to impart joyful, child friendly and value based education. This ingenious institution
blend of our rich, varied heritage with latest modern technology equipping our childern to match

you to give this lifetime gift to your child.

Only an education that nourishes inherent virtues can impart true intelligence. Today, it is the
concern of all parents that their children should grow up to be happy, well-educated human
beings with core values. Somewhere along the line, however, the link to true happiness
appears to be getting severed; we are losing the goal of happiness.
How that goal can be regained is revealed in His Holiness Sri Sri Ravishankar's words:
"Basic human values need to be encouraged in the classroom. A child is born with these
values and a teacher needs to uncover them. What are these human values? Compassion, cooperation, friendliness, smiles, laughter, lightness, wanting to help, a sense of belonging and
caring for each other. The need of the day is a broad-minded education accompanied by a
warm heart.
A well-educated person is thus one who is friendly, compassionate, and able to be a 'nobody'
with everybody. The creative methods of teaching as envisioned by our Founder will help
children to more fully develop their personalities.
Everybody who has a stake in education must ponder the need for a holistic, healthy
educational system that will enhance the values and virtues with which each of us is naturally
endowed. Put simply, education must address all aspects of human life.
Since a healthy body best supports a sound mind and spirit, creative sports and such ancient
practises as meditation, yoga and pranayam should be part of a child's learning process. The
key is to harness the ancient values and be innovative with the modern. This is what we at Sri
Sri Academy commit towards achieving for our students.

Sri Sri Ravishankar Vidya Mandir

Bangalore East
Sri Sri Ravishankar Vidya Mandir (SSRVM), Bangalore East is located at Kachamaranahalli
off Sarjapur Ring Road on a 5 acre campus surrounded by green fields.
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Our aim is to provide stress-free education that enables the children to blosson to their fullest
potential.
We have classes from pre-primary to class 7.

About SSRVM Trust

Sri Sri Ravishankar Vidya Mandir (SSRVM) Trust is the educational wing of the Art of
Living. It was founded by His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar in the year 1999 as a Charitable
Spiritual and Educational Public Institution to impart value education in a strees-free and
child friendly environment. Within a short span of five years, SSRVM has established 64
institutions in 16 States across the country. This network comprises of 88 schools and 5
institutions for higher education. To add to this network of institutions, the target is to
establish atleast one school in every district of India.

Preachings
Sri Sri Ravishankar Philosophy
According to Sri Sri Ravishankar philosophy, God lies within every heart. He says that, each
one of us has God lying inside. He is of the opinion that God is an integral part of our lives
and we cannot go away from him. God
is omnipresent and he can see
everything that you are indulging in. Read on to know more about the philosophies of Shri
Shri
Ravishankar.

Teachings of Ravi Shankar

Religion
Ravi Shankar preaches that every religion has three features associated with it, namely
customs, symbols and values. He is of the opinion that values are the same in all the religions.
However, it is basically the customs and symbols that differ and make one religion different
from the other. He attributes the entire credit to this distinction for increasing the level of
intolerance and fundamentalism in this world.

Love
Ravishankar is of the opinion that love is like a liquid, which cannot be broken or destroyed.
He believes that love has the capability to melt hearts and dissolve anything and everything
that is added in it. It has the power to dissolve both, the good as well as bad things. He
teaches people to love all, irrespective of their caste, creed, race or sex.

Other teachings
He says that, it is human tendency to judge others. However, he preaches people not to
become too rigid, when it comes to forming opinions and viewpoint about different aspects of
life.

Important Preaching of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Ji

The Goal of Education

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The goal of education is to increase awareness not information. Watching our innerresponses, knowing that they are there, increases our self-awareness.
He juxtaposed the words hosh awareness, and josh excitement; to say that hosh,
awareness was essential for creating something, while josh without hosh was a destructive
force.

Success in life?
A successful person is one, whose smile nobody can take away. A face bubbling with joy!
The second sign of success is, to be friendly.
Whenever guruji interact with students he asked them to make a new friend everyday. To
begin with, change places in class to get an opportunity to sit with a different child everyday,
so that eventually, everybody could be everybody elses friend. This is the way to begin being
friendly to the whole world. Sab Hamaare Hai.
Khub shararat karni chahiye, aur mast rahna chahiye Bachcho, khub hanso, khub hasao; Mat
fanso, mat fansao.

Model Teachers (Faculty, Lecturer)

You

should know that your life is very valuable. You are putting the foundation stone of the
building. We play several roles, that of mother, father, teacher, friend, etc. We can play our
roles in life in two ways. You could do as a Karmayogi, or you could do it as an Akarmyogi.
Did you know that your comfort is a direct result of the commitment of the people around
you?The Karmayogis.
When an Akarmyogi doctor sees you, he will charge you, and then discharge you. He does
not really care for your well- being. He is only concerned with money. A Karmayogi doctor
gives you a thorough check-up, and is concerned that you become healthy.
An Akarmayoi teacher is one who doesnt care whether the students study or not. As long he
gets his salary, he feels that he has done his duty by the students. This is an Akarmayogi
teacher.
A Karmayogi teacher is deeply interested in his students. He thinks day and night on how to
give his best effort to the children. He wants the children to learn and grow.
After hearing Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Ji each of the faculty memebers,students were full of new
spirits & joy. SRGI will try its best to ensure that his teachings should be carried forward so
that we all can live in stress-free & peaceful world.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's teachings on your phone

New Delhi: NDTV today announced an exclusive partnership with The Art of Living
Foundation spearheaded by His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, India's prominent spiritual
leader. NDTV will have the exclusive right to use Sri Sri's teachings, sermons and meditation
across all mobile platforms including video and live chats.
Speaking on this occasion, Suparna Singh, Deputy CEO and Managing Editor, NDTV
Convergence said, "We look forward to sharing Sri Sri's messages - video and audio - through
a dedicated The Art of Living application and other digital platforms. Sri Sri's activism
against corruption is leading to even higher interest among Indians across the world in his
beliefs and opinions."
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The dedicated voice portal can be accessed by Airtel users on 507858 and will soon be live
across other operators as well. There will also be monthly Live Chats with H. H. Sri Sri Ravi
Shankar for Airtel users.

Also See
The new guidelines introduced by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India are encouraging
operators to look for credible and genuine content in the VAS space. NDTV over the next few
months will bring the user experience and innovation it is known for to a host of new
products for mobile and other platforms.
One of the trustees of Sri Sri Publications Trust, Mr. Prasana Prabhu said, "Today's world is
stifled with stress and violence. It's our aim to bring knowledge to the people that would help
them get rid of all negativities and make spirituality a part of their lives. With NDTV
Convergence we have got a credible and reputed nationwide platform to reach out to masses
at large."
About NDTV Convergence Ltd.
NDTV Convergence, the digital arm of the NDTV Group, is responsible for the new media
initiatives of the group across the internet and mobile platforms. NDTV mobile offerings
include the market leading news and cricket applications, WAP portal - m.ndtv.com, and it is
the leading mobile content partner for telecom operators in India, and has partnered with
leading handset manufacturers for premium content offerings. The NDTV digital portfolio
also includes leading web properties, including, but not limited to,

NDTV To Launch Teachings Of Sri Sri Ravishankar On Digital Platform

NDTV has entered into a partnership with the Art Of Livingto broadcast the teachings of Sri
Sri Ravi Shankar on its mobile and internet platforms. It will own the exclusive rights to use
Sri Sri Ravishankars teachings, sermons and mediation sessions across all mobile platforms.
According to NDTV, the content will be broadcasted in audio, video and live chat which will
be made available through a dedicated Art Of Living application. The company is also
looking to launch new products on their mobile and other digital platforms in addition to this.
NDTV has tied up with Airtel to introduce the service, wherein Airtel users can dial the short
code 507858 to access the voice portal. In addition to this, there will also be a monthly voice
chat for Airtel users. The company intends to tie up with other telcos as well. The exact
pricing of the service has not been disclised.
At the time of writing this post, the official Art Of Living applications havent been launched.
We tried searching for the app on iTunes, but managed to only find podcasts. As of now, there
are non-official apps available in the Android market and the iTunes app store which offers
quotes and sayings of Sri Sri Ravishankar.

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Sri Sri Ravi Shankar tells Lahore about his 'Art of Living'
LAHORE: With the two sub-continent neighbours, Pakistan and India, suffering from
varying degrees of the War on Terror, and close to 65 years of enmity for the other,
yoga and meditation were proposed by renowned Indian yoga master Sri Sri Ravi
Shankar as a path to peace, during his talk in Lahore on Monday.
Head of the famous Art of Living Foundation, Shankar crossed over from Wagah border into
Pakistan on Monday to start a three day tour. During his time in Pakistan, he is expected to
inaugurate Art of Living Centres on March 13 and 14.
With greater linkages between the people, India and Pakistan can both come closer and work
towards a peaceful co-existence, Shankar said as he stepped into Pakistan.
Speaking on the stress-concentrated societies of the modern world, Shankar opined that
people would not resort to violent activities had they been facilitated in relieving stress,
adding that everyone wants to live in peace and that is exactly what we are working
towards. Last having visited Pakistan in 2004, this is Shankars second peace mission.
Following the peace narrative of his visit, which suffered time delays throughout the Lahore
leg, Shankar delivered a lecture at the Forman Christian College University (FCCU) where he
interacted with students and faculty on how meditation could help resolve issues both in
personal and global contexts.
A packed FCCU Sinclair Hall gave Shankar a warm welcome. Commending the youth for
their positive energy and vibrance Shankar, also known as Guru Ji by the avowed
practitioners of meditation, explained that his concept of Art of Living revolves around the
idea of keeping enthusiasm alive in ones self. I am glad to see your enthusiasm. You can do
wonders in life with this energy. Do not lose this enthusiasm, Shankar said as he took the
stage.
We repair broken hearts and souls, he said while introducing his meditative approach to the
audience.
When people are in harmony with themselves, they are in harmony with the world, said
Shankar while explaining the phenomenon of terrorism prevailing all over the world. Shankar
revealed that much of todays problems across the world relates to peoples tendency of not
accepting diversity, I dislike the word tolerance, he said adding it sounds like we have to
accept one another forcefully.
Inviting students to practice meditation, Shankar said that usually stress causes young people
to indulge in drug abuse and or addiction to free themselves of negative emotions which, he
said, eventually ruined lives. It is the state of being high which they crave, adding that
mediation could help such students be rid of the drug menace.
Tracing the roots of the traditional herbal medication, Ayurved, and yoga to Taxila in
Pakistan, Shankar lamented that these practices had been abandoned in the land of their
origin.

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Chairman of the Art of Living Foundation Pakistan, Naeem Zamindar said that with the
organisation had centres in more than a hundred countries, and millions of people across the
globe were benefiting from meditation. He is a person who has blossomed lives, shared
Zamindar while speaking about his experience with Shankar.
We have already spent a lot on destructing one another, it is time we spent some energies in
trying to heal people on both sides of the border, said Shahid Naseem while speaking
withThe Express Tribune at the Forman Christian College University. Naseem, executive
committee member at the Yoga Pakistan, dismissed questions pertaining to religious
rationality being challenged through such platforms, all religions promote spiritual healing
especially one which is scientifically proven, he added.
Shankar will be visiting Islamabad and Karachi in the coming days where he is expected to
inaugurate the Art of Living centres on March 13 and March 14.
Earlier, as he left India for Pakistan, Shankar told reporters that he firmly believed that
meditation and yoga will help eradicate terrorism and people-to-people contact between
estranged neighbours India and Pakistan.
According to The Times of India, he said that terrorism is like an illness. Yoga and
meditation will help lessen the violence. We have spent a lot on conflicts, on escalating
conflicts and on destruction of life and environment. Now we have to work towards making
peace, he said.
This is Shankars second visit to Pakistan, which he first visited in July 2004.

Thousands of Argentines turn up to hear Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Tens of thousands of people in this Argentinian city came out to listen to Thousands of
Argentinians turn up to hear Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, an Indian preacher. It was amazing to see
them come out in thousands despite the fact that weather was extremely cold
Cordoba (Argentina), (IANS) Over 16,000 people braved a chilly and rainy Wednesday in
this South American nation to listen to Indian spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar on the
benefits of his teachings and breathing exercises to lead a stress-free life.
We live in times of uncertainty with economic slowdown, political instability and stress
taking a toll of us. We need to find a way out to free from this (stress) and cope with the
pressure of competition to lead a peaceful life, the Art of Living (AoL) founder said at Siglo
21 University in this provincial city, about 700 km north-west of Buenos Aires.
Hours before Ravi Shankar flew into the picturesque city, located in the foothills of the
Sierras Chicas on the Suquia river, people from all walks of life, especially students, flocked
to the campus in raincoats and pullovers to know about his value-based education with
techniques that would help them to overcome stress.

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I want to give the best of the East to the West and vice-versa. The world has shrunk into a
village, thanks to globalisation. We need to integrate wisdom as well. It is up to you to decide
what you what you need in life beyond material existence, Ravi Shankar said in his address
in the open area that had a carnival-like atmosphere.
Demystifying Indian philosophy and its rich spiritual and cultural heritage, the guru told the
gathering that there was life beyond material existence and everyone had right live happily
discharging ones duties and responsibilities.
Though in the beginning it was difficult for people here to understand the system due to
some prejudice, they are able to accept it now as they are seeing its benefits like peace and
happiness. As more people experience the system, there is more openness to embrace it,
Ravi Shankar said in his 30-minute lecture, which was simultaneously translated into Spanish
by one of his followers.
Visiting the pre-dominantly Catholic countrys second largest city for the first time, the
founder lauded AoL teachers for having trained about 10,000 people during the last five years
and inspiring many more as a role model to follow them.
More and more people will get attracted to the system irrespective of religion, creed and
nationality when they see the big change in your life, which is free from stress, violence,
hatred, prejudice and discrimination, Ravi Shankar asserted.
The hour-long programme concluded with a guided meditation and musical programme that
had devotional songs in Hindi and Spanish.
The large audience also heard in rapt attention when hundreds of AoL followers rendered the
Indian national anthem Jana Gana Mana in unison through voice and musical
instruments.
To mark the occasion, the university honoured Ravi Shankar with a doctorate degree that was
presented by Cordoba governor Jose Manuel de la Sota in the presence of its rector, faculty
and hundreds of students.
The 17-year-old largest private university in Argentina has about 30,000 students across the
country and pioneered virtual education system through internet.
Headquartered in Indias tech hub Bangalore, the three-decades-old non-profit AoL works for
the cause of humanity and offers yoga courses for stress management and welfare measures
for the common good of people across the globe.
Spread across 151 countries the world over, it works for world peace with a universal society
free from stress and violence.

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Sri Sri said Being In Knowledge Is Real Worship

(Over a thousand village deities gathered from all over Karnataka at the newly built Guru
Paduka Vanam at the Art of Living International Campus at Bangalore on 12th May. The oval
shaped amphitheater with a water body at the center completely full of decorated deities was
an ethereal sight to behold, especially when all thousand of them were offered arati at the
same time. The entire atmosphere was festive and full of celebration with sounds of drums,
cymbals, conches and ringing bells. Explaining about the significance of the event, below is
the transcript of Sri Sris address)
Two types of shaktis (energies) are protecting the world. One is the Daivi Shakti (Energy of
the Devas) and the other is the Asuri Shakti (Energy of the Asuras). The conflict between the
positive forces and the negative forces always goes on. When the positive forces win, there is
contentment, comfort and happiness in the world. When the negative forces win, there are
problems and violence.
Finally, it is always the positive forces that win, but negative forces keep surfacing from time
to time.
Today different Grama Devatas (local village deities) from 1008 villages have arrived here.
Some of the village chiefs were saying that their Gram Devatas have not moved out of their
village for more than 60 to 65 years. This is the first time they have come out of the village,
over here.
So people from different villages have brought their revered Gram Devata.
Our ancestors had invoked a Grama Devata in every village.When do you call an idol as
a Devata? When a Siddha (a spiritually perfected or realized person), by the chanting of
mantras invokes the Divine Prana (life-force) into the idol, then the idol becomes a Devata.
There are Devatas (Divine forces) that protect each place or region (Kshetra), hence they are
called Kshetra Paala. All people have deep respect and faith in the Devata, and worship it for
their wellbeing.
There is a word in Sanskrit, Nilimpa-parishad (meaning a council of the Gods).
Just like we have the parliament and the state assemblies, in the same way even the Gods
have their own Parishad(council). So this council of Devatas (demi-gods) are assembled here
today to take part in the celebrations. We have brought the Devatas from all the places.
The
elders
have
said,
Sthana
pradhanam
na
tu
bala
pradhanam.
God is in the pillars of the temple too, but we worship the Divine only in the Sanctum
Sanctorum. It is not enough if there is strength, a position is also required. We give the
Devatas a position. Only if the Grama Devatas are satisfied, things can progress.
If Grama Devatas have to be satisfied, there has to be unity amongst the people. Everyone has
to be well and there should be prosperity. If there is sadness and hatred in the minds of the
people, then the Grama Devatas feel a lot of pain. To make the Grama Devatas happy, a
celebration should be organized. Everyone in the village should get together, forget the past
and thank God for all that has been given to them.

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We celebrate this day by setting aside all differences of caste, creed and religion, and remind
ourselves that we are all governed by one Divinity which looks after us. This is the
significance of Grama Devata in every village. When a person believes that he is surrendered
to the Divine, he performs all his duties with the loyalty and gratitude of a servant, and not as
an owner (meaning without ego or a sense of doer-ship).
There are two types of people in the society: one type is those who think, I am nothing but a
servant of the Divine. The other type are those who think, I am everything.
If there is any problem in any village or city, it is only due to ego. Ego ruins any good work.
So, in order to soften this ego, it becomes necessary to place all faith in the deity.
Here, by ego I mean Dur-ahamkaar (the bad and misleading ego). The Grama Devatas are
established so that there is no arrogance or no Asuri Pravriti (demonic tendencies) among the
people. When the people respect and worship the deity with full faith, they speak the truth
and also follow a path of righteousness.
Do you know, earlier when there were no courts of law, people would present themselves in
front of the Grama Devata? Whatever disputes people had among themselves would be
resolved in the presence of the deity. So the Grama Devatasacted like a judge to resolve
disputes, pardon crimes, and to ensure that everybody in the region abides by the law.
The affairs of the region would be run through the Devata.Today also whenever anybody
takes an oath before taking office, he does so in the name of God only. When a person
becomes a minister, he takes an oath in the name of God before being sworn into office. This
is done to remember and accept the presence of the Divine in everything. So, the Grama
Devatas were established to remind and help people experience the presence of the Divine.
This did not mean that God was confined to an idol. It was only to remind people of the
presence of the Divine in all that they did and wanted to achieve.
So today, we have this good opportunity, where the deities from so many villages have
assembled here for the celebrations.
When all the Devatas get together, it is a Yagya. A big Yagya has happened here today. All the
Devatas have come here and blessed you. Daivi Shaktis (positive forces) are in every atom.
Awakening such shaktis through meditation, satsang and pooja (worship) is Yagya.So we
have
been
doing Gnana (knowledge) yagya, Dhyana (meditation) yagya, Japa (chanting) yagya and Kee
rtana(singing the glory of God) yagya.This culture is only in India and needs to be preserved
and developed. Do not let it wither away. We have to ensure that the Grama
Devata celebration happens in every village.
Always remember God, be useful to others and be happy.Daivadheenam Jagat sarvam, the
world is governed by God.Mantradheenam tu Daivatam, Devatas are governed by Mantras.
Those who have perfected the mantras become equal to the Devatas. That is why chanting
and meditation have been given a lot of importance. By practicing mantras and offering
prayers to Devatas, one gets comforts and wealth. Whatever we have obtained, we must share
it with others. This is the essence of Dharma, i.e., worship the Daivi Shakti, and pray that
society is free from Asuri Shakti.In other countries, they say, We will go and fight the
negative forces. In India, we say, We will remove the Asuri Shakti (negative forces) using
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Daivi Shakti (positive forces). We need to ensure that the positive forces are strong. And
how is that done? Through worship, celebration and Yagya.
Enjoying the celebrations today, is one thing. But you should also realize that all the Devatas
(here, referring to different forms of one Divinity) reside within you. It is said that 33 crore
Devatas reside in every cell of our body.When we are peaceful and contented with ourselves,
when the mind is pleasant, that is Naivaidya (offering of food to the Divine).
When the mind is filled with the light of knowledge, then that is the worship of the Divine.
When you feel love for everybody, then this is Pushpanjali (offering of flowers) to the Divine.
So what is the Pushpanjali to the Devatas? It is the blossoming of love towards everyone.
What is Aarti (the act of rotating a lamp before the deity)? It is when the lamp of knowledge
lights up in your heart; when the awareness dawns in you that, I am not the body, I am pure
Consciousness. I am neither born nor will I die. I am eternal. I am Sanatan(eternal and
unchanging). Being in this knowledge is the real Aarti of the Divine.
So, in this way you, should worship all the 33 crore deities present within you by doing such
a pooja within yourself. This is the higher knowledge that we must know.

On Sri Sri Ravi Shankars views about government-run schools

Jaipur, 21st March, 2012: We are shocked and strongly condemn the statement made by the
Global Corporate Brand Art of Living businessman, Ravi Shankar in Jaipur on 20th March,
2012, wherein he states that Government schools are breeding grounds of violence and
Naxalism .that is why Government run schools and colleges must be handed over to
private bodies.and that Adarsh schools must reach all areas. We would like to demand
evidence from Ravi Shankar that Government schools, in which 16 crore children of the age
group 6 to 14 years are studying are breeding grounds for violence and Naxalism. An army of
Indian engineers, doctors, nurses, computer professionals, government servants army and
police personnel and factory workers come from government schools. It would appear that
this human resource that is the backbone of this country is wholly Naxalite in the eyes of
this completely irrational guru.
The truth is that Ravi Shankar, being the brand Guru of the Global corporates, would like
education to be the milking cow of this sector, so that there is colossal growth in their profits.
We consider the statement
Anti-constitutional as it goes against Article 21-A where the Government is bound to
provide free and compulsory education to children of the age group 6 to 14 years. Since the
Parliament of India has passed this Fundamental Right, the implication is that Ravi Shankar
considers the Parliament to be promoting violence and Naxalism, by charging the
government with the responsibility of providing education to every child of the country.
And also talks of reproducing the ideology of hate as presented by Golwakar and Sarvarkar
which schools like Adarsh Vidya Mandir teach, since he said that Adarsh schools should be
set up evreywhere in the name of bhartiya sanskriti. It should be known that this statement
was made from the platform of the silver jubilee celebrations of Adarsh Vidya Society which
runs more than 1000 Adarsh Vidya mandir schools in Rajasthan.
jubilee celebrations of Adarsh Vidya Society which runs more than 1000 Adarsh Vidya
mandir schools in Rajasthan.

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Role For Socity Welfare

Jubilee Celebrations Of Adarsh Vidya Society Which Runs More Than 1000
Adarsh Vidya Mandir Schools In Rajasthan.
Bangaluru, January 28, 2013: At the biggest online gathering, The Art of Living founder, Sri
Sri Ravi Shankar gave a call for volunteering for a better society, Let us give one hour of our
day for a social cause to make the world a better place. If we can get rid of the stress and
anxiety then the dream of a one world family is not far away.
It was an eclectic congregation of civil society members, artists, sportsmen, journalists,
policy makers from across all continents including countries like Oman, Taiwan, Paraguay,
Zimbabwe, Slovenia, USA, Italy, Germany, Sweden, Argentina, Israel, India and Pakistan
coming together to participate in this first-of-its-kind historic event on 'What we can do for a
violence-free, stress-free society'.
In response to questions on corruption from Paraguay and other South American countries,
Sri Sri strongly felt that we need to make apolitical pressure groups to check corruption at
various levels in society.
He also emphasized, "If governments spent one per cent of the defence budget for peace
initiatives and social welfare, this world will be a better place."
Throwing light on the mechanics of violence, Sri Sri said, Violence has three components alcohol/drugs, stress and lack of understanding. If we can get rid of these three, we can be
happy.
A wide range of questions poured in from Bastar to Bulgaria on topics as diverse as conflict
resolution to corruption to addictions and to stress. Two good friends, an Arab and Jewish girl
from Israel, were keen to know how the two communities could live peacefully together.
Grammy award winner from Jamaica, Shaggy sang an inspirational song on love and
announced that he would take music and meditation to the prisons of Jamaica. At a time when
every corner of the world has been deeply affected by violence in one form or the other, be it
school shoot-outs, national agitations, religious conflicts, crimes against women, the event
held significant value as people got together to deliberate on solutions to address this
situation.
Sri Sri became the first spiritual leader to address a wide-global audience through the
Google+ social media. The Hangout garnered unprecedented viewership especially among
the youth. The event also went down in history as the biggest online meditation ever
conducted.
Intriguing questions were asked by spiritual thinker Deepak Chopra, Sri Lankan cricketer
Kumar Sangakkara and Bollywood director Rajkumar Hirani among others.
Other people who participated were Bothaina Kamel, first woman Egyptian Presidential
candidate; Arnab Goswami, TV Anchor; Dr. Myron Scholes, Nobel Laureate in Economics;
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Deylan Slachev, Youth Icon, Bulgaria; Jo Leinen, Member of European Parliament,

Germany; among others.
Moving ahead on his call for a violence-free and stress-free society, Sri Sri will launch the
Volunteer For A Better India movement on Feb 3, 2013, at The Ram Lila Maidan in Delhi.

Sri Sri Launches Volunteer For A Better Nepal

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar inaugurated Volunteers for a Prosperous Nepal on Wednesday by
lighting a traditional oil lamp amidst a grand ceremony organized in the capital.
Addressing the gathering of some 15,000 people at the Police Academy ground of
Maharajgunj, Sri Sri urged everyone to work for the development, peace and prosperity and
for the welfare of the country.
Peace and prosperity go together, he said adding that Nepal is undergoing critical period of
transition in its history.
Only peace brings prosperity he said and pointed out the need for transformation of the
nation.
"The three USPs for Nepal are: Lord Buddha was born in Nepal . The tallest mountain in the
world is in Nepal and it has the oldest Sanathan Dharma.
He also launched the website of VPN in the same function.
This was the first time that VPN was introduced in Nepal. Some 200 youth from different
ethnic and social backgrounds of 35 districts are now participating in its seven-day training.
In the evening, Sri Sri interacted with journalists.
A large number of journalists including former chairmen of the Federation of the Nepali
Journalists Harihar Birahi, Suresh Acharya and Bishnu Nisthuri were present in the press
meet.
Meanwhile, UCPN-Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda also met Sri Sri in the
evening.

Sri Sri Brings Dignity To Social Activism

Sunday the 3rd of February 2013 will be long cherished in the history of social activism for
several reasons. The world witnessed a new order in social activism on that day. Peaceful and
musical yet strident and meaningful. The occasion was the launch of the Volunteer for a
better India (VBI) movement at the Ramlila grounds by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar renowned
spiritual leader and Founder of the Art of Living.
It was a sea of humanity present there. I thought perhaps the Kumbh Mela of social activism
was playing at the Ramlila grounds in the capital. Over one lakh people from all walks of
life. Disciplined yet celebrative. Drenched in peace yet firm in their resolve. Committed to
honestly look at several issues facing the nation without blaming, shaming or naming anyone.
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People were spilling onto the nearby roads, sitting atop vehicles and far into the horizon
waiting to listen to Sri Sri talk. At regular intervals cheerful and celebrative music was in the
air. Inspiring to the mind and meditative for the soul.
For a change there were no theatrics or high drama that we normally see at such events. There
were no screaming sirens of peace howling into the mike. Nor were there any sarcastic or
veiled speeches aimed at any Man, Madam or Minister.
And the best of all, there were absolutely no relay fasts or single-man fasts to impress the
nation that anyways finally ends with that million dollar climax scene of sipping juice under
the hundred-odd flashing bulbs and cameras of an ever hungry media ! There was clearly
no attempt at bringing the nation or the capital to a screeching halt. Nor did we find any tearjerkers to give ideas to our Hindi teleserial script-writers!
Welcome to the new order of social activism. With that touch of soulful music. Only a man of
peace and genuine concern like Sri Sri Ravi Shankar could have brought such grace and
dignity at the Volunteer for a better India (VBI) launch to make a telling point on several
burning issues that both the government and people of India are embroiled in today.
Complete with music, determination and total inclusiveness which is a hallmark and virtue of
Sri Sri and his Art of Living Foundation, the program saw religious leaders, social activists
and welfare workers sit alongside with the mighty United Nations officials. All ready to even
give their right hand to volunteer for a better India. As the phalanx of dignitaries rose to make
their pledges and workable ideas known to the people gathered there and as well as to people
watching the live webcast in over 50 countries.
Just as how all of Sri Sri`s charitable works and programs include people without
discrimination towards anyone, the Volunteer for a better India (VFABI) launch was also the
perfect all-inclusive affair. Westerners from the Americas and Europe, the under-privileged,
farmers and rural citizens from every Indian State, youth in thousands and even many
Chinese were spotted amongst the audience. Probably even some spies in the crowd may
have simply fallen in love with the peace and harmony running throughout the program and
not to forget Sri Sri`s charm and peaceful presence !
India needs and longs for such a leadership and direction. Moreover, it is such noble
initiatives that make a powerful impact and inspire people to really put shoulder to the wheel
and get working. The huge inspired crowds at the event clearly show that this movement has
not begun simply on a passing fad, emotional plank or a prayer. This movement has begun as
a force-multiplier in the Indian landscape with the collective genuine intention of more than a
million people.
Come February 24th and the Bhavan`s College Grounds in Mumbai I hear is all set to see a
wave of support for the VBI. Well I am going to possibly have yet another story to tell about
how amazingly Sri Sri Ravi Shankar proves that ideas, issues and life`s challenges can be
handled and expressed with dignity, peace. And great music!

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Religion

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Born

Ravishankar
13 May 1956 (age 57)
Papanasam, Tamil Nadu, India

Nationality

Indian

Philosophy

Advaita Vedanta

Literary
works

Celebrating Silence, An Intimate

Guide to Sincere Seeker, God Loves
Fun, Ashtavarka Gita, Patanjali Yoga
Sutras etc.

Quotation

My Vision is a violence free, stress

free world.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Religion is one of the biggest divisive forces in the
world
'It is the distress and mistrust in people which causes them to take religion as an excuse to
express their frustration and display aggressive, violent behaviour,' says Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.
A nation's most powerful weapon is the will of the common man.
It is this will, says Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, buttressed by action, that will draw an agenda for a
better India.
In this interview with Rediff.com's Savera R Someshwar, the founder of the Art of Living
foundation shares his dreams for a rejuvenated India.
If you were asked to draw up an agenda for a New India, what would your agenda be?
Justice for farmers.
An easy working atmosphere for industrialists.
Creating a more tolerant and cooperative society among all religious leaders.
Clean politics; people with character and humility should be in politics.
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Role of Yoga
Sri Sri Yoga is a discipline, both gentle and powerful, that integrates elements from the
different paths of yoga, especially Hatha yoga, uniting the body, mind and breath in
awareness. Here the wisdom and techniques of yoga are brought to you in a joyful and
thorough manner, and covers a vast range from breathing techniques to various body postures
(asanas) to knowledge and guided meditations. Sri Sri Yoga goes beyond the physical body
and helps you sharpen your sensitivity towards more subtle levels of existence, leading to a
full blossoming of the human potential.

Sri Sri Yoga Level 1

This 10-hours workshop provides an experience of all aspects of yoga,
including:

Combination of gentle and vigorous postures as well as dynamic exercises

Powerful breathing techniques

Application of yogic Knowledge

Simple tools for relaxation

Guided meditations

Yogic perspective on attaining a balanced diet

Introduction to Ayurveda, the science of life

A personal yoga plan is charted for everyone and they are introduced to ayurveda where they
learn about yogic diet. Through this course, the bountiful fruits of yoga can be experienced
quickly.

Pre-requisites: None
Course format: You can experience Sri Sri Yoga Level 1 in your neighbourhood or treat
yourself to a yoga retreat in one of The Art of Living Centers.

In your neighbourhood, Sri Sri Yoga Level 1 Course is offered as a five days
workshop, either consecutive or weekly, for two hours each day.

Residential Sri Sri Yoga Level 1: Report on Friday by 4 PM and depart on Sunday
from 1 PM onwards.

Non-residential Sri Sri Yoga Level 1: Five sessions are spread over two
weekends (Sat-Sun-Fri-Sat-Sun) for two hours each day.

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Sri Sri Yoga Level 2

As yoga enthusiasts many of us are on the lookout for a yoga course that can help us explore
the depths of yoga - from philosophy to practice. Sri Sri Yoga Level 1 introduces us to the
techniques of asana, pranayam and meditation; while Sri Sri Yoga Level 2 gives us an
opportunity to go deeper into the realm of yoga and understand what it means to live like a
yogi!

Dive deep in Yoga

Advanced yoga does not have to necessarily mean difficult yoga. Here we
thoroughly explore yoga postures, ancient yogic knowledge, breathing and
meditation in a gentle yet profound, celebrative and joyful retreat setting.

Correct your postures for better symmetry and alignment

Physical and emotional cleansing through Shankh Prakshalan and Neti

Understand yoga scriptures better

Learn new pranayamas (breathing techniques) such as Chandrabhedi, Suryabhedi,

Sheetali

Experience SSaHC* : Subtle strengthening and Healing Contractions

Experience silence in activity and activity in silence

*SSaHC: A new, gentle and meditative muscle contraction exercise program for
strengthening and toning muscles, restoring the balance and harmony at physical and pranic
levels, decreasing chronic pains, and above all for giving you a meditative experience of
yourself.

Prerequisites: Yogis who have completed Sri Sri Yoga Level 1 and the Part-1 or YES!
+ Course can apply.

Course format: Four day residential course

Guided Meditation
People have different concepts about meditation. According to many, meditation is
concentrating on something. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar says, meditation is de-concentration.
Meditation is accepting this moment living every moment totally. However, the result of
meditation is improved concentration. One can go deeper into ones self and have rest with
full awareness through a guided meditation. Meditation becomes completely effortless when
it is done with the guidance of a master.

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Very often we identify ourselves with the body. A guided meditation takes us from the body
level to the level of the spirit and thus makes our spiritual journey beautiful and faster.
Constant practice of a guided meditation transforms not only the practitioners life, but also
changes the entire environment around the practitioner.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, founder, The Art of Living, has gifted this world a variety of guided
meditations and meditation courses. Each of the Art of Living courses Part-I, Part-II, Sahaj
Samadhi Meditation, Sri Sri Yoga and DSN offer guided meditations and teach the
practitioner how to meditate.
Some of the meditations guided by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar are listed below:

Sun Meditation
Full Moon Meditation
Panchkosha Meditation
Aura Meditation
Hari Om Meditation
Blossom in Smile Meditation
Om Meditation
Contentment Meditation
Ram Meditation
Hara Meditation

The above listed meditations are available at Art of Living Divine shop.
"In deep meditation, you are the time and everything is happening in you. Events are
happening in you like the clouds come and go in the sky. When you are ahead of time, it is
dragging and boring. When the time is ahead of you, then you are surprised and shocked. You
cannot digest the events. When you are with the time, you are wise and at peace." - His
Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Art of Living
With a vision of individual social stewardship in society, The Art of Living is an educational
and humanitarian NGO, present in 152 countries and reaching an estimated 300 million
people worldwide.
Founded by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar in 1981, the organization works in special consultative
status with the Economic and Social Council of (ECOSOC) of the United Nations. The Art of
Living formulates and implements lasting solutions to conflicts and issues faced by
individuals, communities and nations through various social service and spiritual initiatives.
At the core of these unique programs is the Sudarshan Kriya, a powerful revitalizing
breathing technique, gifted to the world by Sri Sri. This technique, taught in Art of Living
programs, has benefited people of all traditions, religions and walks of life, including slums,
schools, universities, churches, governments, businesses, prisons and war zones.

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Today, The Art of Living is considered to be one of the largest volunteer networks globally,
cutting across all age groups and socio-economic status. Soon after its formation, Sri Sri
initiated a number of humanitarian projects, which continue today under the auspices of
The Art of Living Foundation and its sister organizations. The Art of Living is propelling the
spread and awareness of crucial human issues and values that are of critical importance today
through personal interactions, workshops, public events, teachings and humanitarian
initiatives. Multifarious and diverse in its body of work, The Art of Living is spearheading
numerous social initiatives including conflict resolution, disaster management and trauma
relief, rural development, education, womens empowerment, prisoner rehabilitation
program, bio dynamic farming, among others.
In the early 90s, The Art of Living began conducting its prison programs to rehabilitate prison
inmates. So far the lives of more than 3,50,000 prison inmates have been transformed through
the Prison Smart programs. In India itself, 120,000 prisoners have undergone this program
with 48,000 convicts from Tihar Jail (Asia's largest prison) alone. Special courses have also
been conducted for the prison staff to cope with the stress owing to the nature of their job.
Free Art of Living courses were offered for trauma elimination after the 2001 attack on
the World Trade Center towers in New York City, relief programs in Kosovo for the warravaged population and UN personnel and in occupied Iraq.
The Art of Living programs have also been successful in the reform and rehabilitation of
Naxals, militants from Assam and many other regions of conflict and natural disaster.
The Art of Living has its international headquarters in Bangalore which is the focal point of
many of its service projects such as rural development and education, organic farming
initiatives, scientific research and humanitarian relief projects. Here, people from all
backgrounds, religions, and cultural traditions come together in knowledge, celebration and
service to society.

Financial wealth
Sri Sri Ravishankar is a renowned spiritual leader, known worldwide. He is the founder of the
very famous Art of Living foundation that has an estimated 300 million followers in 151
countries who donate millions to this foundation. He was born in Tamil Nadu and took up
Vedic studies when he was just six years old and by the age of 17, he had completed studies
in Vedic literature and science according to indiatoday.in
Sri Sri Ravishankar is a renowned spiritual leader, known worldwide. He is the founder of the
very famous Art of Living foundation that has an estimated 300 million followers in 151
103

countries who donate millions to this foundation. He was born in Tamil Nadu and took up
Vedic studies when he was just six years old and by the age of 17, he had completed studies
in Vedic literature and science according to indiatoday.in
Main Source of Income: Art of Living Centre (Bangalore), Sri Sri Shankar Vidya Mandir
Trust, PU College (Bangalore), Sri Sri Centre for Media Studies (Bangalore), Sri Sri
University, Art of Living Health & Educational Trust (US), etc.
It is estimated that, he has built an empire with that has total turnover of approximately Rs
1,000 crore that includes his Art of Living (AOL) institutes, pharmacy and health centres, and
a hill 40 km from Bangalore on lease from the Karnataka government for 99 years.

Followers
Mithun Chakraborty's godman character in OMG worries Sri Sri Ravishankar

Apparently Mithun Chakraborty's character in OMG is based on Sri Sri Ravishankar

Mithun Chakraborty is all set to play a godman in Akshay Kumar and Ashwini Yardi's
upcoming home production, Oh My God. Apparently his character is based on Sri Sri
Ravishankar. And the production house is getting messages from followers all over,
questioning Mithun's character in the film.

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A source from the production house says, "Sri Sri Ravishankar's followers are a little worried
over the portrayal of their guru in the film. They are keen to know if he has been presented in
the right light in the film.
Although everything about the character has been kept under wraps and the makers are
refraining from giving out any information on his characters, people who have seen the
rushes of the film claim that not only is Mithun's look but his mannerisms too are like Sri Sri
Ravishankar. In fact, the character of Poonam Jhawar is also said to be inspired from Radhe
Maa." Currently the production house is asking the followers to wait till the film releases and
then judge.

Comments

Asking for explanations stirs up all the garbage. They justify, you say something, then
they feel guilty or justify more. In either case, it is of no use to you. Sometimes, it's
alright to go and say, "I'm sorry." But don't chew on it more than it is needed. Going
with a love, accepting space - "What can I do for you?" That is enough.
Whomsoever we fall in love with, we are really falling in love with our Self.
My dream is to see the whole world unite as one family. Shall we all commit to create
a wave of happiness and smile on all the faces?
To do any work, you need some planning. But how do you know what you have
planned is the best? Something better may come up. Keep your mind free. At the
same time, be focused. Both can be done together.
Love is incomplete and it will have to remain incomplete. If something is complete,
that means its boundaries have been marked; its limitations are known. For love to be
infinite, it has to be incomplete.
Usually people think, I dont have, so I have to achieve, but seldom are they able to
do it. If you think, you dont have it then only lack grows. That lack consciousness
should go and you should feel the abundance. If you want to be a businessman, put
the seed, I am a businessman, and then work. Effort should be put, but only effort
will not work. Before effort, there should be the seed of the goal as well. The secret of
success is in the understanding that the goal is already present in the seeker.
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 Always accept that you don't know what you can do. Ignorance of your capability can
expand you. When you know what you can do, you can do things. When you don't
know what you can do, you can do things even better!
Almost all relationships break down due to too much talking and explaining about
oneself. "I am this way. Don't mistake me. Don't misunderstand me." If you had kept
your mouth shut, everything would've worked out much better. I'm not telling you to
shut off all communication. I'm just telling you not to explain things of the past, brood
over them or ask for explanations.
May 13 (Mai Tera) in Hindi means "I'm yours." So many of you who wished me in
words and thought, I would like to reiterate that I am yours, now and forever.
The very joy of giving love is so much that it does not matter who is at the receiving
end. When this space comes into your being, then you will go on giving love to
everybody and everything - not only human beings but to animals, to trees, to distant
stars. Love can be transferred to the farthest star by just your loving look, to a tree just
by your touch. It can be conveyed in absolute silence, without a single word.
When you acquire self-knowledge, then you feel that your birth and your actions are
both Divine. This understanding comes to you. Not a single bad word comes out from
your mouth. There is no hate or ill feelings in your heart towards anyone. It just
cannot happen because everyone feels part of you; like your very own. This is the
pinnacle of Love.
ust like we have a Parliament, the subtle beings also have a Parliament. This
Parliament of the Gods has assembled here today. An idol becomes a deity when a
realized person invokes life in it through mantras. Every village has a deity that is
worshipped. Leaving aside all differences of caste and creed, we are all under one
Divinity. The purpose of this event is to remind us of this. [A thousand village deities
or gram devatas assembled at the Bangalore Ashram today]
Quantum physics says "Everything is Nothing". Spiritual knowledge says "Nothing is
Everything" and meditation is an appointment with nothing. If you hold onto
everything, then you get nothing. If you are well-versed with nothing, then you get
everything!
An old Sanskrit verse says, The real worship of God is to create happiness in the
hearts of people. This is timeless wisdom. We dont even know who wrote it. They
didnt even put their signature, but they gave these gems for life.
Why are you insecure? What is it that you want? If you keep your mind clean, I
promise you will not suffer. You will get more than you need. Your mind, your being
is so powerful.
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 Q: Guruji, what do you think is the greatest fortune in human life?

Sri Sri: The greatest fortune in human life is to be able to say, "I want nothing. I'm
here for you."
In life, irritations do come to you. Oh, that person is no good; I cannot be with these
people, they insult me, these sort of the little things come in the mind and bother you.
How do you handle this irritation? Suppose you are doing some important work and a
fly comes and sits on you, would you be bothered too much about the fly? No, you
would just shoo it away lightly. Know that is what all these things are.These little
irritations help to bring acceptance inside you.
Even when someone commits a mistake, he or she is not the culprit; the stress inside
is causing them to make that mistake. Once we get rid of the stress inside us, there is
no culprit; there is no one to be forgiven. Then we begin to realize that the whole
thing is just a game in which there are no winners or losers. Its just a play!
It is essential to develop opposite aspects of our mind for balanced growth. Through
our daily spiritual practice, constant service and knowledge, both our 'rough and
tough' mind as well as 'soft and sweet' mind progresses. Our ability to shift between
these mindsets develops. Before you know it, your mind will be a mirror of love and
knowledge that you are.
Beauty is a subjective phenomenon. Beauty is unveiling the innermost that you are.
Beauty is getting rid of all the extra weight around you. Beauty is your very nature.
Beauty doesnt come by wearing makeup. When innocence dawns from within, it
shows on the face; then you become beautiful. When you are energetic, where there is
freshness, where there is aliveness, beauty manifests.
When you want to teach anybody a lesson, it never happens because you are acting
out of anger. Only with true compassion can you teach people a real lesson. Then they
listen because it touches their heart. Have this attitude, "Come what may, I will not get
hurt. If someone is nasty, I will learn to be compassionate."
The trying time brings the best out of you. The rewarding time gives the best of the
world to you. Life is a combination of both.
There are two kinds of joy: one of receiving and the other of giving. In our childhood
we experienced the joy of receiving. If you give anything to children they are always
ready to take it. But as we grow older, we experience the joy in giving, which is a
mature joy. When we keep looking to receive all our lives, we remain dissatisfied and
a kind of misery pervades. For wealth to come, the mind should be content. The more
satisfied we are, the more we progress.
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 People have such resistance for obligations. They do not realize that they are always
under obligations, whether giving or taking. Dull people think that one is obliged only
when one takes. The wise know that even when one is giving one is under obligations,
as the person has accepted what one gives. And if you do not give or take, you are still
under obligations for for they are freeing you from visible obligations. That is to say,
you are obliged to all those who do not make you obliged.
People become our enemies even when we have not done any wrong to them.
Similarly, we do not do any special favors for some people, yet they become our close
friends. All these happenings run by some law that we dont know. We just cant say
when someones feelings towards us will change and whether they will be in our favor
or not. That is why we should place absolute faith on our Self, on God, and not on
friendship and enmity. This does not mean you distance yourself from your friends, or
that you stop making new friends. Friendliness and love should be in our very nature.
Interact with everyone around and at the same time be centered from within.
The more one lacks control, the more one tries to control others, but once, one has
total control over one's self, one does not want to control anything or anybody.
When we were born we were dependent. When we grow old we will be dependent. In
these few years in between, we think we are independent. That is an illusion. Even at
that time we are dependent on so many people for so many things. Some people are
emotionally dependent, some people are intellectually dependent, and some people
are physically dependent. While the spirit is independent the body is always
dependent. Instead of focusing on the relative and changing aspect of life which is
always dependent, put a little more focus on that aspect inside you which is
independent, which is eternal. You will find that life is becoming more powerful and
more fulfilling.
Sri Sri is on a four day visit to Japan and today met with the Prime Minister, Mr
Shinzo Abe. Mr. Abe appreciated the work of the Art of Living in the country. Sri Sri
also met several Japanese and Indian dignitaries at the welcome reception hosted by
Indian Ambassador, Mr. Deepa Gopalan Wadhwa.
Usually what happens is when your passion for something goes down, you feel bad,
as if you lack something, and wonder what to do. Just relax. See, passion should also
have a little bit of contentment. Sometimes, when contentment comes, passion does
go down. Contentment should also have a strain of passion, otherwise it can slip into
lethargy and complacency. So to prevent contentment from slipping into inertia, you
need a little passion. And for passion to not become too feverish and make you
restless all the time, you need contentment. This will give you the right balance.

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 Fights can only happen among equals. When you fight with someone, you make that
person equal. But in reality there is no one at par with you. When you keep people
either above or below you, then there is no fight. When people are above you, you
respect them. When they are below you, you love them and feel compassionate. Either
submission or compassion can take you out of a fight in no time. This is one way to
look when you are tired of fighting. But when you are well rested, just fight and have
fun.
Everyone who gets angry has some justification for their anger. They think that they
are correct. Anger is good, but only to wake you up. After that, it needs to be given a
direction of creativity, otherwise the same anger can burn you. It is good to have a
stove at home, to have fire in the house, but the house should not be on fire. Become
soft from inside. This is the skill. Getting rid of people and things is not the answer,
but dealing with them with skill is the answer.
When you love something, it becomes alive. With love, the whole creation becomes
personal. For children, everything is personal. Children make each toy come alive.
Even a tree has a face, even the sun laughs, and even a stone attracts reverence when
it becomes personal. In love, you raise even objects to life. If there is no love, even
people become objects.
There are some who justify their actions all the time, and some who find fault with
themselves all the time. Both will create a sort of imbalance. Take a middle path,
where you can look into your actions to see how you can improve and at the same
time, look forward. See what you want to do, move forward and drop the past. Don't
go on doing a post-mortem of the past all the time.
You can come home happily and say with a smile, "Everything that I did today
flopped!" You should have the guts to say "I am much more than events or
circumstances. Everything comes and goes, but I continue in all situations."
If somebody is negative, or they are against you, you become angry at them. You
think that they have freedom. I feel the other way around. I feel so much compassion,
for they have gotten caught up in the whirlpool of their own mind. They dont know
what they are doing and it is very evident from their action. You can only be
compassionate towards such people.
If you ask for Self knowledge, everything will come. Ask for unconditional love in
life, everything will come. Ask for freedom, liberation, everything else will come.
These are only one thing but in three flavors. You can choose according to your taste.
If you are a man of intellect, you will choose knowledge. If you are a man of heart,
you will choose love. If you are in between, you will want freedom.
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Chapter:4
Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi
Introduction

Amma Means Mother in Many Languages

Mata Amritanandamayi is known throughout the world as Amma, or Mother, for her selfless
love and compassion toward all beings. Her entire life has been dedicated to alleviating the
pain of the poor, and those suffering physically and emotionally.
Throughout her life, Amma has embraced and comforted more than 32 million people. Amma
inspires, uplifts, and transforms through her physical embrace, her spiritual wisdom and
through her global charities, known as Embracing the World. When asked where she gets the
energy to help so many people, she answers: "Where there is true love, anything is effortless."
While Amma is widely regarded as one of Indias foremost spiritual leaders, Amma says that
her religion is love. She has never asked anyone to change their religion but only to
contemplate the essential principles of their own faith and to try to live accordingly.

About Mt Amr tnandamay Dev

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Mt Amr tnandamay Dev (born as Sudhamani Idamannel on September 27, 1953),

primarily known simply as Amma ["Mother"], is a Hindu spiritual leader and guru, who is
revered as a saint by her followers. She is widely respected for her humanitarian activities.
She has been referred to as "The Hugging Saint".

Biography
Amritanandamayi is an Indian Swamini from Parayakadavu (now partially known as
Amritapuri), Alappad Panchayat, Kollam District, Kerala in 1953 in the state of Kerala. Born
to a family of fishermen, she was the third child of Sugunanandan and Damayanti. Her
education ended at the age of nine, when she began to take care of her younger siblings and
the family domestic work full-time. As part of her chores, Amritanandamayi gathered food
scraps from neighbors for her familys cows and goats, through which she was confronted
with the intense poverty and suffering of others. She would bring these people food and
clothing from her own home. Her family, which was not wealthy, scolded and punished her.
Amritanandamayi also began to spontaneously embrace people to comfort them in their
sorrow. It was not permissible for a 14-year-old girl to touch others, especially men. But
despite the reaction of her parents, Amritanandamayi continued. Regarding her embracing of
others, Amritanandamayi commented, I dont see if it is a man or a woman. I dont see
anyone different from my own self. A continuous stream of love flows from me to all of
creation. This is my inborn nature. The duty of a doctor is to treat patients. In the same way,
my duty is to console those who are suffering. Despite numerous attempts by her parents to
arrange her marriage, Amritanandamayi rejected their efforts. In 1981, after various seekers
had begun residing at her parents' property in Parayakadavu in the hopes of becoming
Amritanandamayi's disciples, the Mata Amritanandamayi Math, a worldwide foundation, was
founded. Amritanandamayi serves as chairperson of the Math. Today the Mata
Amritanandmayi Math is engaged in many spiritual and charitable activities. In 1987, at the
request of devotees, Amritanandamayi began to conduct programs in countries throughout the
world. She has done so annually ever since. Countries Amritanandamayi has held programs
in include Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Chile, England, Finland, France,
Germany,Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mauritius, the Netherlands, Russia,
Singapore, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates and the United
States of America.

Darshan
Darshan means to see in Sanskrit. In the Hindu ritual tradition, it refers to seeing the
sacred. This typically corresponds to seeing the sacred in the image of a deity while at
temple. It is believed that, in beholding the image of a deity, onlookers absorb through their
eyes the powers of that deity. Darshan hence is believed to have the capacity to bring good
fortune, well-being, and grace to those who participate in the act. Members of
Amritanandamayi's following use the term specifically in reference to receiving a hug from
Amritanandamayi. Amritanandamayi has been giving darshan in this manner since her late
teenage years. As to how this began, Amritanandamayi says, "People used to come and tell
[me] their troubles. They would cry and I would wipe their tears. When they fell weeping into
my lap, I used to hug them. Then the next person too wanted it... And so the habit picked up."
Amritanandamayi's organization, the Mata Amritanandamayi Math, claims Amritanandamayi
has embraced more than 32 million people throughout the world for over 30 years. When
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asked, in 2002, to what extent she thought her embraces helped the ills of the world,
Amritanandamayi replied, "I dont say I can do it 100 percent. Attempting to change the
world [completely] is like trying to straighten the curly tail of a dog. But society takes birth
from people. So by affecting individuals, you can make changes in the society and, through
it, in the world. You cannot change it, but you can make changes. The fight in individual
minds is responsible for the wars. So if you can touch people, you can touch the world."
Amritanandamayi's darshan is the centerpiece of her life, as she has received people nearly
every day since the late 1970s. With the size of the crowds coming to seek
Amritanandamayi's blessings increasing, there are times when she gives darshan continuously
for more than 20 hours. In a conversation recorded in the 2004 book From Amma's Heart,
Amritanandamayi says: "As long as these hands can move a little bit and reach out to those
who come to her, and as long as there is a little strength and energy to place her hands on a
crying persons shoulder and caress and wipe their tears, Amma will continue giving darshan.
To lovingly caress people, console and wipe their tears, until the end of this mortal frame is
Amma's wish."

Demographics
The demography of Doha is unusual in that the majority of residents are expatriates, with
Qatari nationals forming a minority. The largest portion of expatriates in Qatar are from
South Asian countries, mainly Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Philippines, Bangladesh,
and Indonesia, with large amounts of expatriates also coming from the Levant Arab countries,
North Africa, and East Asia. Doha is also home to expatriates from Germany, the United
Kingdom, United States, Canada, France, South Africa, and Australia as well as many other
countries from all over the world.In the past, expatriates in Qatar were not allowed to own
land; however, now people who are not Qatari citizens can buy land in several areas of Doha,
including the West Bay Lagoon, the Qatar Pearl and the new Lusail City. Ownership by
foreigners in Qatar entitles them to a renewable residency permit, which allows them to live
and work in Qatar.

Teachings
In the book The Timeless Path, Swami Ramakrishnananda Puri, one of Amritanandamayi's
senior disciples, writes: "The [spiritual] path inculcated by Amma is the same as the one
presented in the Vedas and recapitulated in subsequent traditional scriptures such as the
Bhagavad Gita." Amritanandamayi herself says, Karma [action], jana [knowledge] and
bhakti [devotion] are all essential. If the two wings of a bird are devotion and action,
knowledge is its tail. Only with the help of all three can the bird soar into the heights. She
accepts the various spiritual practices and prayers of all religions as but various systems for
the single goal of purifying the mind. Along these lines, she stresses the importance of
meditation, performing actions as karma yoga, selfless service, and cultivating divine
qualities such compassion, patience, forgiveness, self-control, etc. Amritanandamayi says that
these practices refine the mind, making it fit for assimilating the ultimate truth: that one is not
the limited body and mind but the eternal blissful consciousness that serves as the non-dual
substratum of the universe. This understanding itself Amritanandamayi refers to as
jivanmukti [liberation while alive]. Amritanandamayi says, "Jivanmukti is not something to
be attained after death, nor is it to be experienced or bestowed upon you in another world. It
is a state of perfect awareness and equanimity, which can be experienced here and now in this
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world, while living in the body. Having come to experience the highest truth of oneness with
the Self, such blessed souls do not have to be born again. They merge with the infinite."

Integrated Amrita Meditation Technique

Integrated Amrita Meditation technique - simply called as IAM is developed by Mata
amritanandamayi and is taught all over the world. Large number of people was benefited by
the above technique. There are many versions of IAM a) Corporate version(organizational
version) b) children version c) Longer version. All the versions are taught free of cost all over
the world. Corporate version is taught to people working in corporate,educational
organizations&government offices. It is also taught to military and police forces in India.
Corporate version is the smallest version and it can be practiced daily within a span of 20-25
minutes.Small children under the age of eight are taught with children version with easy
mediation techniques to suit them. A huge pool of trainers is created and they teach the IAM
all over the world based on request. Longer version is taught for people who practices
mediation regularly and it takes more time to practice than corporate version.

Research on IAM
IAM has basically two components: 1) stretching exercises with focused breathing to suit the
individual 2) visualization. IAM releases the tension, improves concentration and finally
leads to relaxation and expansive mind.It physically helps in good sleep, good digestion, no
depression and reduces many other health risks due to stress(cortisol and adrenaline level
increase). It is proved in the research that IAM reduces the stresses (decrease in the cortisol
level) within one or two practices.Regular practices and attending refresher courses reduces
the cortisol level and adrenaline values to the significant extent,statistically. It also proved in
research that after practicing the IAM for three or four times, the response from the practicing
group to various life issues found to be positive.

Amrita Yoga
Amrita yoga is holistic yoga program based on all four paths (Bhakti, Jana, Karma & Raja
yoga) of spirituality. AMRITA Yoga was developed under the guidance of mataji and based
on her spiritual teachings. The speciality of AMRITA yoga is synchronization of sacred
mantras with breathing. There are two structures in AMRITA yoga a) intensive programs and
b)Two weeks programs. Intensive 4 day programs are currently offered under three categories
namely Foundation, Level One and Level Two. Two week programs are Immersion programs
which is an attempt to journey ancient science and art of yoga to meet the needs of the
modern life.

Charity
Amritanandamayi's world-wide charitable mission includes a program to house the homeless,
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build orphanages, and provide relief-and-rehabilitation in the aftermath of disasters such as

the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, free medical care, pensions for widows and disabled people,
aid environmental-protection groups, renovate and urbanize slums, build care facilities for the
elderly, and offer free food and clothing for the poor.These projects are overseen by various
organizations, including the Mata Amritanandamayi Math (India), the Mata Amritanandamayi
Center (USA), Amritanandamayi-Europe, Amritanandamayi-Japan, Amritanandamayi-Kenya,
Amritanandamayi-Australia, etc. All the organizations collectively are known as Embracing
the World. When asked about how her charitable mission's development in 2004,
Amritanandamayi said, "As for the activities, there was no planning. Everything happened
spontaneously. One thing led to another on seeing the plight of the poor and the distressed. As
Amma meets each and every person, she sees their problems face to face and tries to do
something to alleviate their suffering. Om lokah samastah sukhino bhavantu is one of the
important mantras of Sanatana Dharma, which means, 'May all the beings in all the worlds be
happy and peaceful.' The spirit of this mantra was put into action." The majority of work is
done by volunteers as a form of spiritual practice. "It is Amma's wish that all of her children
should dedicate their lives to spreading love and peace throughout the world. Real love and
devotion for God is to have compassion for the poor and the suffering," Amritanandamayi
says. "My children, feed those who are hungry, help the poor, console the sorrowful, comfort
the suffering, be charitable to all.

Bhajans
Amritanandamayi is well known for her devotional singing. There are more than 200
recordings of her singing bhajans in more than 20 languages. She has also composed dozens
of bhajans and set them to traditional ragas. Regarding devotional singing as a spiritual
practice, Amritanandamayi says, "If the bhajan is sung with one-pointedness, it is beneficial
for the singer, the listeners, and Nature as well. Later when the listeners reflect on the songs,
they will try to live in accordance with the lessons enunciated therein." Amritanandamayi
says that in today's world, it is often difficult for people to get one-pointed concentration in
meditation, but this concentration can be attained much easier through devotional singing.

Books and publications

Amritanandamayi's disciples have transcribed her conversations with devotees and spiritual
seekers to create approximately a dozen books of her teachings known as "Awaken Children".
The addresses she has delivered at various international forums have also been published in
book form. Senior disciples including Swami Ramakrishnananda Puri, Swami
Turiyamritananda Puri, Swami Paramatmananda and Swamini Krishnamrita Prana have also
written books about their experiences with Amritanandamayi and their understanding of
Amritanandamayi's teachings. Swami Amritaswarupananda Puri, the Vice-Chairman of the
Mata Amritanandamayi Math, has written a biography about Amritanandamayi. The Mata
Amritanandamayi Math also publishes Matruvani, a monthly spiritual magazine, as well as
Immortal Bliss, a quarterly. Beginning in April 2011, a bi-weekly message from
Amritanandamayi has appeared in the Lifestyle section of the Express Buzz Sunday
supplement of the New Indian Express newspaper.

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Controversies
There are many controversies about Amritanandamayi.

Fraudulence and suspicious deaths

Sreeni Pattathanam, the Kerala-based head of the Indian Rationalist Association, wrote Matha
Amritanandamayi: Sacred Stories and Realities, a controversial critique first published in
1985. The author claims that all the miracles of Amritanandamayi are bogus and that there
have been many suspicious deaths in and around her ashram that need police investigation.
The book contains references to court records, newspaper reports and quotations from literary
figures, including statements from devotees, residents of the Math, relatives of
Amritanandamayi and an interview with Amritanandamayi herself. The book was published
again in 2002.On August 9, 2002, Deshabhimani, a Malayalam daily newspaper owned by
the Communist Party of India (Marxist), published a similar account, demanding
investigation into the same deaths Pattathanam found suspicious. On September 24, 2002,
Deshabhimani officially apologized for the report, publishing an article titled "Report that
Suspicious Deaths at Amritanandamayi Math Are Growing Was Incorrect." The article stated:
"We now state with conviction that there was nothing suspicious about deaths that happened
in the Math. Some of the deaths mentioned in the article did not even take place at the Math."
The article goes on to describe how relatives of the deceased had personally contacted
Deshabhimani in order to correct the misinformation conveyed in the article. In several cases,
the deaths were of elderly people, and the editors explained how the relatives had contacted
Deshabhimani and explained how they were the bedsides of the people who supposedly had
died suspiciously during the time of their passing. In 2004, the Kerala State Government
sanctioned criminal prosecution of Patthathanam, the owner of the publishing company and
the printer of the book on grounds that religious sentiments had been offended. The order
followed directions from the Kerala High Court to the Home Department for considering an
application by T.K. Ajan, a resident of the Mata Amritanandamayi Math. Political parties
protested the move against Pattathanam.

Source of foreign aid

In June 2007, Shantanu Guha Ray wrote on Tehelka weekly that Amritanandamayi Math had
an annual turnover of INR 400 crores. In June 2007, novelist Paul Zacharia wrote on Tehelka
that Amritanandamayi goes scotfree from scrutinies on money with foreign strings. In May
2008, the president of Kerala Yukthivadi Sangham, U. Kalanathan urged the state government
to conduct an enquiry into Amritanandamayi's assets. He said the sources of the her income
and its utilisation should be investigated. In June 2008, writer Sukumar Azhikode demanded
the state government to probe the source of foreign aid received by her organisation. He said
Amritanandamayi was being used as an instrument by vested interests around her. He accused
that her sources of income are suspicious.

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Attacks on Amritanandamayi
2005 :In August 2005, Amritanandamayi was attacked by a man named Pavithran. He
was sitting with other followers praying and singing in front of Amritanandamayi. He then
rushed to Amritanandamayi with a knife, but was overpowered by a group of disciples.
Amritanandamayi's discipleAmritaswarupananda Puri said Pavithran was of "unstable mind."
Amritanandamayi, who forgave Pavithran, said, "All those who are born will die one day. I
am going ahead keeping this reality in mind. I will carry on. I will continue to give darshan to
the devotees coming here to meet me." After the incident which took place at 6:45 pm, she
continued to
meet
with followers
until
5 am the
next morning.
2012 :On 1 August 2012, a 25-year-old Bihari law student, Satnam Singh Mann,
attempted to barge onto the podium of Amritanandamayi at her ashram in Kollam. According
to police, he was screaming and reciting words in Arabic at the time. He attacked security
guards and then was overpowered by devotees, who handed him over to the police. After
appearance before a magistrate on August 2, Mann was kept in custody at a Kollam sub-jail,
where he exhibited more violent behavior. The police transferred him to a district hospital in
Kollam, and then, on August 3, he was transferred to the Mental Health Centre at Peroorkada.
On August 4, he was found unconscious in his cell and was taken to the Government Medical
College, Thiruvananthapuram, where he was pronounced dead. Mann's death was considered
"mysterious." Kerala BJP president, V. Muraleedharan, demanded a CBI probe, stating that
Mann's death prevented him from being questioned regarding the motivation for his attacks
and that his death may have been a cover-up for a religiously-motivated or terrorist attack.
Sources from Mann's family stated that he was brought to the hospital from the jail in a
severely tortured condition, with more than 30 injury marks on his body. Social activist
Agnivesh observed that Mann should have been treated with compassion by the ashram. He
said there was not anything seriously objectionable in Mann's past and he had not insulted or
abused anyone. He said the ashram must have said something to the police because of which
they overdid things. Crime Branch Inspector General B. Sandhya was given the responsibility
to probe the murder. She visited the Mata Amritanandamayi ashram and recorded statements
from devotees. She also met Amirtanandamayi.The Crime Branch report, submitted in court,
revealed that Mann was beaten by a warden, an attendant and four other patients for fighting
with a cell mate at the mental hospital. The report says they Mann was struck with a thick
cable wire and lock and his head was bashed against a wall. It says there were 77 bruise
marks on his body, mainly on his head and neck. The warden and the attendant were arrested
in connection with the murder. Doctors had confirmed serious injury marks on Mann's body
before taking him into custody. However when addressing the press after Mann's death,
Mann's relative Vimal Kishore said that when he had visited Mann in the Karunagappally jail
he had seen no injuries on his cousin. Mann's father, Harendra Kumar Singh, announced to
the press, "It looks like a clear case of murder in judicial custody." He also added that Mann
never showed any mental problems in school. A well known commentator on politics and
economics Mr.S.Gurumurthy raised few questions on convergent views of press media and
pointed out that there may be some vested interest behind satnam's custodial death & to use
the issue against Ashram and Mataji.. Justice Krishna Iyer also supported Mr.gurumurthy's
view by pointing out that this incident has to be taken as a wake up call to the state
government to avoid any further fouling of Hindu sentiments.He also pointed out that this
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issue is not the problem for Mataji or her institution but for whole state.

Positions
Founder & Chairperson, Mata Amritanandamayi Math
Founder, Embracing the World
Chancellor, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham University
Founder, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences (AIMS Hospital)
Parliament of the World's Religions, International Advisory Committee Member

Awards and honours

1993, 'President of the Hindu Faith' (Parliament of the World's Religions)
1993, Hindu Renaissance Award (Hinduism Today)
1998, Care & Share International Humanitarian of the Year Award (Chicago)
2002, Karma Yogi of the Year (Yoga Journal)
2002, Gandhi-King Award for Non-Violence by The World Movement for Nonviolence
(UN, Geneva)
2005, Mahavir Mahatma Award (London)
2005, Centenary Legendary Award of the International Rotarians (Cochin)
2006, James Parks Morton Interfaith Award (New York)
2006, The Philosopher Saint Sri Jnaneswara World Peace Prize (Pune)
2007, Le Prix Cinma Vrit (Cinma Vrit, Paris)
2010, The State University of New York awarded Amma an honorary doctorate in humane
letters on May 25, 2010 at its Buffalo campus.

Addresses at international forums

1993, 'May Your Hearts Blossom,' the Parliament of the World's Religions 100th
Anniversary (Chicago)

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 1995, 'Unity Is Peace,' Interfaith Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the United Nations
(New York)
2000, 'Living in Harmony,' Millennium World Peace Summit of Religious & Spiritual
Leaders (UN, New York)
2002, 'Awakening of Universal Motherhood,' the Global Peace Initiative of Women, (UN,
Geneva)
2004, 'May Peace & Happiness Prevail,' Parliament of World's Religions (Barcelona)
2006, 'Understanding & Collaboration Between Religions,' James Parks Morton Interfaith
Awards (New York)
2007, 'Compassion: The Only Way to Peace' (Cinma Vrit Festival, Paris)
2008, 'The Infinite Potential of Women,' keynote address of the Global Peace Initiative of
Women (Jaipur),
2009, 'Cultivating Strength & Vitality,' inauguration of Vivekananda International
Foundation (New Delhi)

Documentaries
1999 River of Love: A Documentary Drama on the Life of Ammachi
2000 Louis Theroux's Weird Weekends "Indian Gurus" (BBC-TV)

2005
Darshan:
The
Embrace

directed
by
Jan
Kounen
2007 In God's Name directed by Jules Clment Naudet and Thomas Gdon Naudet

Video from international conferences

2002 The Gandhi-King Award 2002 United Nations : "The future of this planet depends on
the women"
2004 Barcelona 2004 Parliament of World's Religion "May peace and happiness prevail"
2006 James Parks Morton Interfaith 2006 "Understanding and Collaboration Between
Religions"

Ammas Vision & Mission

Seeing nothing as apart from my own Self,
A single unity, and merging in the Divine Mother,

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I renounced all sense of enjoyment.

Mother told me to ask the people
To fulfill their human birth. Therefore,
I proclaim to the whole world
The sublime truth that She uttered,
Oh man, merge in your Self!
Ammas mystical poem Ananda Veethi describes Her transcendental experience of attaining
union with the Divine (listen). Seeing nothing as apart from my own Self this was
Ammas vision, that everything in creation was part of Her own Self. At that time the Divine
Mother also imparted to Her a mission to ask the people to fulfill their human birth through
the message Oh man, merge in your Self! This message lies at the heart of all of Ammas
institutions and charitable activities. Ammas children manage Her projects with the faith that
they will be transformed through their service to the world, gradually transcending their
personal likes and dislikes and becoming more compassionate and selfless; more closely
identified with the Universal Self, the Atman. Amma has never sought to convert anyone;
Hers is not a sectarian mission. But Amma has always stressed that along with a new home, a
pension, an operation or a meal, the beneficiaries of Her charitable projects receive a
compassionate smile and a kind word from those who serve them. In this way those who
give, those who receive, and those who look onall are transformed by the selfless love and
sense of universal kinship, blossoming in an experience of essential unity amid apparent
diversitythe oneness in the Self.

Amma has a Desire

Everyone in the world should be able to sleep without fear, at least for one night.
Everyone should be able to eat to his fill, at least for one day.
There should be at least one day when hospitals see no one admitted due to violence.
By doing selfless service for at least one day, everyone should help the poor and needy.
It is Ammas prayer that at least this small dream be realised.

Darshan: Meeting Amma

Ammas darshan is, as far as we can tell, unique in the history of the world. Darshan means
to see and traditionally, a Master is seen but not touched. And in India, women do not touch
men in public. But Ammas darshan emerged as a loving mothers embrace, beginning when
She was only a teenager and held and comforted the lonely and suffering in Her village, and
extending up to the present day. Amma makes herself available to anyone wishing to receive
her blessing. There is never any charge, and no one is turned away. Hour after hour, day after
day, year after year for over thirty years now, She has been embracing all who come to
Her. Man or woman, sick or healthy, rich or poor, regardless of religious faith, caste, young or
old: even the very elderly, even Her own parents, regard Her as their very own Mother.
Amma now travels across India and to over a dozen countries throughout the world.
Everywhere She goes, She gives darshan to all who come to Her.
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Ammas hugs and kisses should not be considered ordinary. When Amma embraces or kisses
someone, it is a process of purification and inner healing. Amma is transmitting a part of Her
pure, vital energy into Her children. It also allows them to experience true, unconditional
Love. When Amma holds someone it can help to awaken the dormant spiritual energy within
them, which will eventually take them to the ultimate goal of Self-realization. Amma
In India Amma has been known to individually embrace over 20,000 people in one day,
sitting sometimes for over 22 hours. Over the past thirty five years, She has embraced over 26
million times!

Brief History
She was Sudhamani

Amma was born in a poor fishing village in Kerala, Southern India, in 1953. Her father sold
fish to make a living. Her mother relates that the child wasnt born crying as babies usually
are, but with a beaming smile on Her face. She was given the name Sudhamani (Ambrosial
Jewel).
Even as a small child, it was clear that She was unique. At six months She could walk and
talk, and by the age of three She was constantly singing. By the age of five She was
composing beautiful, extraordinarily profound hymns to Her beloved Krishna.
Sudhamani charmed and delighted everyone around Her. But as She grew, Her divine moods,
including frequent meditative states, singing, and ecstatic dancing beside the seashore, began
to annoy Her family. At the early age of five Sudhamani was already subjected to severe
scoldings.
When Sudhamani was nine, Her mother became ill. Although Sudhamani was the brightest
girl in Her class, She had to leave school and take care of Her entire family.
It was a grueling task, with seven brothers and sisters to feed and clothe, and animals to tend.
She virtually became the family servant, working from before dawn till midnight.
Amma had no feelings of strangeness when She came into this world. Everything was so
utterly familiar to Her, and when one knows everything about the world one can only smile.
When one beholds the entire universe as a play of Consciousness, what else can one do but
smile? Amma
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As part of Her work She had to collect food for the family cows. She would roam the local
villages, gathering grass and visiting neighbourhood homes to ask for vegetable peels and
leftover rice gruel for the cows. At times like these, She saw many things that troubled Her.
She saw how some people were starving, while others had more than enough. She saw that
many people were sick and suffering from intense pain, unable to afford a single painkiller.
And She noticed that many of the elderly were neglected and treated harshly by their own
families. Her empathy was such that the pain of others was unbearable to Her. Though just a
child, She began to contemplate the question of suffering. She asked Herself, why do people
suffer? What is the underlying cause of suffering? And so powerfully did She feel the
presence of God within Her that She wanted to reach out and comfort and uplift those who
were less fortunate than She.

In many ways, it was then that Ammas mission began. She would share Her food with the
starving, and She would bathe and clothe the elderly who had no one to look after them. She
was punished when She gave away the familys food and belongings to the poor, but
Sudhamani would not stop Her acts of kindness. She took refuge in the solitude of the night,
spending
hours
meditating
and
fervently
praying
to
Lord
Krishna.
During the day She carried his photo in Her blouse pocket and constantly sang His names.
During Her early teens, Sudhamani was sent to the houses of relatives where She labored for
long hours, taking care of their households as well. Throughout all her duties She was
incessantly singing and chanting Krishnas name, and imagined that all the work she did was
for him. Sweeping the yard, she imagined that he could arrive at any moment. As she
prepared food she imagined that Krishna would appear as a guest at the table. In this way she
never resented her duties, nor the abuse her family gave her, but only prayed to be given more
of the Lords work.

Early Years
Amma was born into a simple family of Kerala fisher-folk in 1953. Even as a small girl, she
drew attention with the many hours she spent in deep meditation on the seashore. She also
composed devotional songs and could often be seen singing to the divine with heartfelt
emotion. Despite her tender age, her compositions revealed remarkable depth and wisdom.
Ammas parents could not understand her. Amma explains, In India, women are expected to
remain in the background. It is said that Even the walls should not hear them. My family
could not understand my way of reaching out to people; they had no idea of the spiritual
principles.

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Ammas mother became ill when Amma was nine, and Amma was withdrawn from school in
order to help with household tasks and the care of her seven siblings. As she gathered food
scraps from neighbors for her familys cows, she was confronted with the intense poverty and
suffering of others.
Amma brought these people food and clothing from her own home. Her family, which was by
no means wealthy, scolded and punished her. Amma also began to spontaneously embrace
people to comfort them in their sorrow. Responding to her affectionate care, they began to
call her Amma (Mother). In turn, she naturally referred to them as her children.

Ashrams
Amritapuri Ashrama
Please do not contact indiayogi.com for ashram bookings. You need to contact the ashram
directly. We only provide information on the ashrams.
As one enters Mata Amritanandamayi Devi's Amritapuri Ashram, one is treated to devotional
songs and Amma's, as Mata is fondly called, spiritual discourses. In her steadfast social
service of two decades, Amma has counselled and consoled millions of people from across
the globe. She has wiped their tears, taking on herself the burden of their sorrows. With that
personal touch, empathy, tenderness and deep concern, she bares each one's soul.
Her spiritual appeal, guilelessness and charisma - which all come to her so naturally - work as
an elixir for the unhappy and the content alike. No wonder an increasing number of devotees
visit the ashram headquarters in Kollam District, Kerala, and its many branches and service
centres all over India. Of late, Amritapuri has become an international pilgrim centre. With
foreigners, who come to Amma's ashram seeking peace of mind, sit the poor for their meals.
Also, every year hundreds of deserving students enroll at various educational institutions of
the ashram with scholarships. However, the main attraction of the ashram is Amma's simple
yet lively talks replete with vivid illustrations of her own incomparable life.

The ashram
The once tiny ashram has now evolved into a sanctum sanctorum where thousands of
devotees pour in each day for Amma's darshan, with many others seeking permanent refuge
to engage in sadhana and selfless service under Amma's direct guidance. Amma, who travels
to more than 20 countries every year, has more than succeeded in spreading the message of
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love and spirituality. She has led thousands of spiritual yajnas since 1987. And in 1993, at the
Parliament of World's Religions held in Chicago, she was elected as one of the presidents of
the assembly of global religions. The same year, Hinduism Today, an international journal on
Indian culture, conferred the 'Hindu Renaissance Award' on her.Two years later, in 1995,
Amma was invited to speak at the Interfaith Celebrations in New York to commemorate the
50th anniversary of the United Nations. And she was again one of the attendees and speakers
at this year's meet of global religions in Chicago.

Amma's darshan
Over the years, Amma's darshan has become more an more unique. As the embodiment of
Supreme Motherhood, she welcomes every person who comes to her. She lends a patient ear
to their problems, advises, guides and comforts those who are grief-stricken.
Amma's darshan normally begins at 10.00 am on Sundays and Thursdays, and at noon on
other weekdays, barring Mondays and Tuesdays. For, Monday is Amma's day to attend to the
administrative affairs of the ashram and its institutions, and also to spiritually guide the
residents. Every Tuesday, Amma spends her time meditating with the ashram residents to
keep ablaze their spirit and intent. On Sundays and Thursdays, however, Amma sits for
satsangs and leads bhajans at 5.00 in the evening, after which she receives the devotees in
Devi Bhava Darshan.
About the Bhava Darshan and its importance, Amma says: "All the deities of the Hindu
pantheon representing the several aspects of the Supreme Being exist within us. One who is
established in the world - Krishna Bhava - is the manifestation of the Eternal Feminine, the
Creator, the active principle of the Impersonal Absolute. However, one shouldn't forget that
all names and forms are mere mental projections. So why decorate an elephant? And why
should a lawyer wear a black coat or a police officer a uniform and a cap? All these are
merely external aids meant to create an impression.
Similarly, Amma dons the garb of Krishna and Devi to strengthen the devotional attitude of
her devotees coming for darshan. During Bhava Darshan, Amma will remove two or three
layers (veils, so to say) for her devotees to catch a glimpse of theSupreme. Amma's intention
is to help people reach the Truth. "The atman or the Self in Me is also in you. If you can
realise the 'Indivisible Principle' shining in you, you will become 'That'," she says.

Amma's tour schedule

Apart from these weekday darshans, Amma also visits various places in India frequently and
travels abroad from mid-May to August, and from November to mid-December. Her tour
schedule is regularly published in Matruvani, the Ashram's spiritual monthly. The planner is
available at all the centres.

Daily events at the Ashram

And whether Amma is travelling or not, each day at the ashram begins at 5.00 a.m. with
Vedic chants, the chanting of Amma's Ashtotataram (108 names of Amma), followed by
Lalita Sahasranamam (the 1000 names of the Divine Mother). The Sahasranamam is chanted
throughout the day, and the devotees are welcome to participate. The Ganapathi Homa is also
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performed every morning. Devotees are free to participate in other pujas and homas (fire
rituals) to ward off their sufferings.
Also part of the daily schedule is meditation in the mornings (8.00 am to 9:30 am) and
evenings (5.00 pm to 6.30 pm). Spiritual discourses and scriptural classes by monastic
members are also held regularly. At 6.30 pm, the ashram community gathers for an hour and
a half of devotional singing, which is often led by Amma. On Thursdays and Sundays (Devi
Bhava Darshan days) bhajan begins at 5.00 pm and goes on till wee hours of next morning.

Rules to stay in the Ashram

Such daily hectic activity at the ashram requires proper maintenance of the premises. For the
purpose, the residents and visiting devotees cook and clean the place and also take care of the
publishing work. Those staying at the ashram are encouraged to put in at least two hours of
seva everyday.

Accomodation in the Ashram

Modest accommodation in the form of rooms and dormitories is provided at the ashram for
visitors. Those who come in large groups are requested to inform the ashram authorities in
advance about their visit. At Amritapuri, simple vegetarian meals are served three times a
day, with the canteen opening on Sundays and Thursdays. There is also a caf and a separate
canteen for foreigners. A bookstall displaying various ashram publications, an Ayurvedic
products counter, a general store and a cloakroom serve the visiting devotees.

Amenities in the Ashram

A charitable hospital, a public telephone booth, an extension counter of Dhanalakshmi Bank
and the Amritapuri Post Office can also be found on the ashram premises. Visiting devotees
and guests are requested to observe the traditional rules of ashram life - celibacy, modest
dress code and soft speech. No drugs, alcoholic drinks, smoking or non-vegetarian food is
allowed in the ashram premises. Video and audio recording is also strictly prohibited

Getting to the Ashram

The closest major cities with airports are Kochi (120 km north of Amritapuri) and
Thiruvananthapuram (120 km south). If you are coming from the north by bus or a train, get
off at Kayamkulam (12 km north of the ashram), or Oachira (7 km north) and proceed to
Vallickavu by a local bus. From Vallickavu, a 10-minute walk brings you to the boat jetty
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where a ferry service is available to take you across the backwaters to Amritapuri. The
ashram runs a free ferry service for the devotees. Visitors coming from the south can get
down at Karunagapally (10-km south) and take a bus to Vallickavu or Parayakadavu, the
coastal village behind the ashram.
Taxis and auto-rickshaws are also available from Kayamkulam. Oachira and KarunagapallyParayakadavu route, directly connects to the ashram. As all trains do not halt at Kayamkulam,
one can also disembark at Kollam junction (36-km south) and take a bus to Karunagapally
from there.

The History of Amritapuri

In the beginning the ashram was simply Ammas familys house. The handful of
brahmacharis slept on the sand under the stars. Amma had a small hut built next to the
parents house, which doubled as a kitchen, in which she slept with the earliest female
disciples. Darshan took place in the family cows cowshed that Ammas father had allowed to
be converted into a small temple. This first temple still exists today; it is known as
the Kalari or the Krishna temple and is now used for the conducting pujas.

Amma's house, Vedanta Vidyalaya, Kalari and the house Amma was born. Pic taken before
the Kali temple was built
Gradually, huts were added near the parents house for the brahmacharis and a proper, yet
humble, room was constructed for Amma. This simple room is still where Amma stays today.
As the number of devotees coming for Ammas darshan grew bigger and bigger, it became
necessary to construct a large darshan hall. It was then that the beautiful Kali Temple was
erected. It was the first big cement structure to be built and took five years to finish from
1988 to 1992 as the financial means of the ashram were still very modest at the time. The
Kali idol in the temple, was crafted in Calcutta as per Ammas instructions. Mother Kali is the
destroyer of the ego.
From 2000 onwards, even that temple became too small for the nights with large crowds, and
an enormous hall was erected behind the temple. It is today the largest such hall in Southern
India, with 30,000 sq. feet and no pillars to block the view. This is where Amma sings
bhajans every night and holds darshan regularly now. Indeed, except for the early Kalari
which remains intact, the Amritapuri of today bears little physical resemblance to the one of
the early days
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Today, Amritapuri is a city with towering buildings of flats for householders and visitors,
hostels for students who study at the ashram college across the river, big dinning halls, many
offices and departments, a hospital. But no matter its size, it is still very much all filled
with Amma presence, whos hand is in each decision. It is still very particular to see that it is
run according to the ancient traditions of the holy land of India.
All the ashram work is attended to by the residents and visitors themselves. And Amritapuri is
looked upon by Ammas many devotees as their spiritual home and as a fertile field where
noble spiritual qualities can be abundantly cultivated, and the fruit of God-realization reaped.

Amritapuri, The Birthplace Of Amma

Built up on the very property where Amma was born, Amritapuri is now the headquarters of
Ammas worldwide mission and the spiritual home for Ammas monastic disciples and
hundreds of householder devotees. All the residents have dedicated their lives for realising
God and serving the world. Everyday, Ammas children from across India and abroad flock
here to have Ammas darshan. She sees each and every one, listens to their worries, consoles,
encourages, provides new direction to their lives.
Amritapuri is the living example of the ancient Indian ideal the whole world is one family
(vasudhaiva kutumbakam). Here you will find people from all parts of the world speaking
different languages and having different customs and religions all living under one roof. In
their quest for the meaning of life, each has forgotten their differences and become a child of
Amma.
Children, this ashram exists for the world; it belongs to you, to all the people who come
here. Amma
When people come to Amritapuri Ashram for the first time, they are almost always surprised
a remote fishing village on a small island cradled between the backwaters and the Arabian
Sea has become the centre of a silent spiritual revolution..

Life at Amritapuri
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Nowhere on earth is life lived as fully as it is in Amritapuri. Every nook and corner of the
ashram sparkles with dynamism. From the stillness of the morning hours when the ashram is
rapt in meditation to the vibrancy of the night when the air is filled with Ammas ecstatic
bhajans, Amritapuri is always wonderfully abuzz.
In the glow of yagna fires where the pujaris perform Vedic rituals, in the silence of the library
where young monks study Bharats sacred scriptures, in the sweat falling from the backs of
those maintaining the ashram through seva and karma yoga, and of course in the lap of
Amma, who is forever sharing Her boundless love in the darshan hallAmritapuri is truly, as
its name indicates, the City (Puri) of Immortal Nectar (Amrita).
The inspiration for the activity is and always has been Amma. Thousands come to the ashram
everyday for Her darshan. Some are seeking spiritual guidance, others want to unburden their
sorrows, and many want to simply spend a few moments in Her arms. Amma sees each and
every person, no matter how long it takes, giving each person exactly what they need.
In many ways, the ashram is a university where people of all walks of life have come to study
the science of life.
When Amma is not giving darshan, She is leading the ashramites in meditation, instructing
them in their spiritual practices and edifying them with Her immortal wisdom. There are
classes in yoga, Sanskrit, Vedanta and meditation.
At Amritapuri, the ashramites and the devotees form a big family under Amma, and together
they celebrate many religious festivals Krishnas Birthday, Onam, Christmas, Vishu, Guru
Purnima, Shivaratri, Navaratri, Divali but in truth each day at Amritapuri is a festival. This
is reflected in all who come here the sense of peace, joy and fullness that radiates from
their faces.

Preachings
Spiritual Teachings of Satguru Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi
Ammas teachings began with her birth itself. She entered this world in silence, a divine
gesture worthy of our contemplation. This has always been Ammas way. Throughout,
Ammas life has been her teaching.
If we watch Amma, we will see the embodiment of all the divine qualities she is constantly
encouraging us to cultivate. If you want to understand devotion, watch the tears as they roll
down her cheeks during bhajans. If you want to learn about serving the world selflessly, sit by
her side one evening as she embraces 12,000 people. If you have questions about sadhana,
envision her years on the seashore when she sat motionless, completely estranged from the
world. And whatever Amma does, it is meditation, whether sitting in silence, speaking to
thousands or sweeping the ashram courtyard.
Amma teaches renunciation, but only in the midst of a lifetime of refusing to consider her
own comfort. Amma teaches Advaita, but not without her every breath bearing testament to
her inability to see any man, woman or child as different from her own Self.

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Indeed, actions speak louder than words. Yet the Truth as heard from Ammas lips has
deafening impact. Whether delivered to crowds of thousands or in the intimate setting of the
ashram, Ammas satsang is always unforgettable. Amma is eternally established in Truth,
which is beyond words, beyond thoughts. Perhaps this is what she was trying to impart to us
through her birth. Yet when she wants to convey that silence, it assumes the form of a
thought. A collection of these thoughts is presented here, so that one day we too may realize
that silence.
Indeed, actions speak louder than words. Yet the Truth as heard from Ammas lips has
deafening impact. Whether delivered to crowds of thousands or in the intimate setting of the
ashram, Ammas satsang is always unforgettable. Amma is eternally established in Truth,
which is beyond words, beyond thoughts. Perhaps this is what she was trying to impart to us
through her birth. Yet when she wants to convey that silence, it assumes the form of a
thought. A collection of these thoughts is presented here, so that one day we too may realize
that silence.

Spiritual Teachings
New Year Celebration at Amritapuri 1 Jan 2013, Amritapuri The New Years Eve programs in
Amritapuri began cultural performances . The first was a traditional Indian dance, followed
by a woman singing a French interpretation of Ammas Tamil bhajan Anbumiku
chinthaikalal maalai thoduthen accompanied by a guitarist. There was another traditional
Indian dance after which came a breathtaking fire dance. Children of Ayudh International
closed the performances with a wonderfully choreographed dance. Children of all ages
danced gracefully across the stage to the tune We are the World.
A number of colorful balloons were released in the hall. Shrieks of joy could be heard as
children of all ages tossed the balloons into the air.
Amma lead everyone in chanting Lokah Samastha Sukinau Bhavantu, imagining flowers of
peace showering down on children playing everywhere. Firecrackers could be heard in the
distance as villagers rang in the New Year.

After chanting, Amma gave her New Year message and it was translated into English.
Every experience is like a guru; it is said that life is like a maha-guru. First, life gives us
many tests. We learn many lessons from these tests. We can draw inspiration from last years
experiences. We can learn from our mistakes, correct them and move forward.
Today, the only reason children study is so that they can get a good job. They have no real
desire to learn and grow as human beings. Children are repeatedly told study, study, study.
Along with this, they also need to be instilled with values. If values are not instilled at a
young age, this world will become populated exclusively by asuras; there will be neither
human beings nor devas. Children today lack the role models that the previous generation
had.

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The birth of the New Year is an occasion for us to reflect upon the passage of time. It is at
this moment that we become aware of the value of time. The truth is: Death has been
incessantly following us since our birth. Before Death conquers us, there are some important
things we need to complete. What is the reason for this journey of life? What is our goal? Are
we moving along on the right path? Or have we lost our path? It is time for us to reflect and
take some firm decisions.
The greatest journey begins with the smallest step. Let each one of us welcome the New
Year by making small changes in our life. If we are all able to do that, then will be able to
usher in a new age of love, compassion and selflessness. Let us surrender our prayers to the
Paramatman, and as one mind, move together towards the same goal Amma reminded all.
Following Ammas Message, Amma had everyone play patty-cake to Bandalo Bandalo.
Dao Dao Dao came next . Surrounded by children still clutching balloons, Amma then sang
one of traditional Kerala tunes. The air was filled with ecstatic joy and bliss. But in addition
to Amma clapping her hands and waiving them in the air, Amma held the microphone close
to her mouth, and, cupping her hands, started to beat box. The minutes stretched into eternity
as everyone was dancing and clapping along. Thousands of arms raised up in the air as Amma
then shouted out Mata Rani Ki..Jai over and over again to end the evenings celebrations.
After Amma left the hall, Prasad was passed out.
What a wonderful way to start the New Year! May each of our coming days be filled with
such bliss and joy!

Transform this world into heaven

Amma arrived at the stage at Amrita University Campus, flanked by gracefully dancing
students from Amrita University dressed in traditional Mohiniyattam finery, to the
accompaniment of Panchavadyam. The Sri Guru Pada Puja ceremony was conducted by
Ammas senior disciples and led by Swami Amritaswarupananda
Addressing the huge gathering Amma said Amma doesnt see this as a day of celebration.
This should be a day when the gaps between human hearts close a little. This should be a day
when one person is able to remove the sorrows of another, a day when the hands of one
person stretch out to help another. We shouldnt reserve this attitude just for today; it should
extend and come to pervade our entire life. Ammas happiness is in seeing my childrens lives
becoming the carriers of this message.
We live in an age wherein despite immense scientific and technological advancements, we
are witnessing the disintegration of many other important aspects of our lives. Therefore our
focus today should neither be on dependence nor non-dependence, but on interdependence.
This is because humans, animals, plants, the earth, the sky, the atmosphere, the sun, the moon
and all the planets are all interdependent. Man is a part of nature. We have come from
nature. The human body is comprised of the five natural elements. Forever forbearing and
forgiving us, the earth remains as our constant support. The sun gives us light. Trees absorb
carbon dioxide, which is poisonous to us, and release oxygen. Rivers and lakes give us fresh
water to quench our thirst. Air provides us with our life-breath. In spite of all this, man, who
has evolved from the five elements, fails to acknowledge their importance.

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Just having a respectful approach to everything can bring about a huge transformation in our
society and in the world. To rise triumphantly in life, we should begin from the bottom. To
build a tall tower that stretches to the sky, we should start by building a solid foundation
down in the earth. It is humility that makes us rise high. It is respect that gives one real
power.
We should live our life in a manner that is helpful to both ourselves as well as to others. God
has given lightening just a few moments of existence. So too a rainbow. Some flowers
blossom just for a single day. The full moon lasts only till sunrise. A butterfly lives for only a
few days. However during their short existence, they give so much beauty and happiness to
the world. Amma prays that we learn from their example and try to use our lives to make this
world an even more beautiful place. Let us color our lips with words of truth. Let us trace our
eyes with the anjana (kajal or traditional eyeliner) of compassion. Let us adorn our hands
with the henna of good deeds. Let us bless our minds with the sweetness of humility. Let us
fill our hearts with the light of love for God and all of Gods creation. Like this, may we
transform this world into heaven Amma concluded.
Afterwards a series of charitable programs were launched by different dignitaries.

To win the competition of Life remain within the boundaries of Dharma

As always the Onam festivities began early in the morning in Amritapuri. The Pookkalam,
Nirapara, Nila Vilakku, as well as hanging cluster bunches of bananas decorated the verandah
in front of Ammas room. At 9:30 am Amma was led into the large hall by Panchavadyam
musicians from her orphanage in Paripally. Amma gave her Onam message to the packed hall
of devotees who had come from all over India and the world to celebrate the occasion.
In her Onam message Amma said Just as sweetness cannot be separated from honey, just as
the beauty cannot be separated from the rainbow, Onam cannot be separated from a
Malayalis heart.
What is the message of Onam? This is an occasion to think about that as well. Are we getting
closer to the values and principles for which Onam stands? Or is it that, with every Onam, we
are drifting further and further away from them? Each one of us should introspect and ask
ourselves these questions.
Onam is not merely nostalgia for a prosperous era. Onams message is that of Nara rising to
become Narayanaof human beings rising up to become one with God. Onam is a
declaration of the truth that one who surrenders everything attains everything. In Onam, we
find the message of sacrifice. We find the message of rising from selfishness to selflessness.
We find the message of rising from ego to humility. Onam is a call to bring back the times
when truth, dharma, love, equality, charity and compassion prevailed.
During Onam there are many pookkalam competitions. Each team will make a decoration
using flowers of different colors. Each color represents a different goal in lifegaining
wealth, enjoying pleasure, etc. But in order for the design to be beautiful and win the
competition, the flowers must be kept within the boundaries of the circle. The boundary
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represents dharma. In order to win the competition of life, all of our goals and pleasures need
to remain within the boundarites of dharma. Then life will be beautiful and full of happiness
Amma reminded everyone.
Then Amma led everyone in the hall to a very lively rendition of Bara Gopala Bala. After
that, Amma stood up from her peetham and asked everyone else to stand as well and forget
themselves in the moment. Then Amma led everyone in singing and dancing to Radhe
Govinda Gopi Gopala.
Amma gave darshan while pot after pot of rice, sambar, avil curry, papadam, and payasam
was positioned near the stage. Once all was in place, Amma began to distribute the traditional
Ona-Sadhya to one and all. Amma personally served each and every one of the many
thousands of people who had even the biggest ashram resident at the end; once Amma had
served all the visitors and residents she came down from the stage and playfully served
Lakshmi the ashram elephant her share of Ona-Sadhya.
After the evening bhajans, all gathered again in the hall to enjoy various cultural
performances that had been prepared for the occasion. Amma and all the devotees took in the
variety of dances, dramas and musical performances, performed by the university students
and ashram residents alike. Adding flavour to the celebration, there was a tug-of-war first
between Lakshmi and the ashram residents, then between the boys and girls. Even though the
game tug-of-war is a traditional part of the Onam festivities, it was the first time that this was
introduced at the ashram.
Just after midnight, once the performances and games had come to an end, Amma sang a
joyous rendition of Bandhalo. As a final touch, Amma surprised everyone by distributing
ice cream to everyone in the hall. It was a fitting end to the occasionsymbolic of the
sweetness pervading the entire day and the Onam festival as a whole, and a reminder that it is
the universal values we all share that lend sweetness and beauty to life.

Love, light, compassion, fragrance and beauty fill your heart

The dawn of 2011 was celebrated in grandeur with Amma here at Amritapuri. In addition to
Indian devotees, more than 1500 visitors from abroad had flown in to be with Amma for the
new year. The evening hall was packed and every corner had people from various regions and
languages. One family had even driven all the way across Europe and middle-east to reach
Amritapuri by road. Immediately after evening bhajans, the hall was rearranged with Ammas
seat in the center. At 10, cultural programs commenced the celebrations. It was raining
heavily outside.

Ganesha Vandana, a Bharat Natyam dance was the first of the performances. Student groups
of Amrita University presented a skit on Amala Bharatam- Ammas recent India clean-up
initiative. A rap song, themed Lokah Samasthah Sukino Bhavantu was performed by Ayudh
UK. The next dance was by Gauri, a tiny tot who enthralled the audience with her exquisite
Bharata Natyam dance. After the performance, Amma took her on her lap and asked a few
questions; the shy Gauri flashed a smile that lighted up everyone watching the scene. The last
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two performances included a symphony of English songs followed by a dance themed on

Hanuman Chalisa.
It was 11:52pm and Amma started her satsang, Rather than giving a message, Amma would
like to pray for World peace and happiness. Amma wished her children to always remain
happy. May love, light, compassion, fragrance and beauty fill your heart in this new year,
Amma concluded.
She sang the bhajan Kushiyon ki bahar, a song that talks of continued happiness in life,
ending with the phrase Om Lokah Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu May all beings be happy.
As Amma chanted Lokah Samastha, the whole hall repeated it. As the chants continued,
tears swelled in Ammas eyes. Amma then asked all her children to forget everything and sing
with joy and with a mood of celebration. As it finished, she raised her hands and hailed Mata
Rani ki and whole hall resounded with a loud Jai. Ammas raised hands were met with
everyone raising theirs and the wave of open palms prayed for world peace and happiness.

Know yourself is the message of spirituality

Whenever celebrations and holy days take place, Amma gives a message. However, in
reality, these messages are not different; they are all one. Their essence is one. Although
religions are many, spirituality has only one message. It is just that this message is presented
in different ways.
If you want to put it in phrase, this message is Know yourself. This is the supreme
message. This message is not only relevant on the spiritual path. Regardless of our chosen
field of action, if we want to attain results, we should first know our own saktiour own
power. We should know both our strengths and our weaknesses. This is one level of
knowing ones self. However to understand ones self merely at the level of the mind is not
the peak of self knowledge. For this, we need to go deeper. Because in knowing ourselves at
the level of the mind, we neither come to perceive all of our strengths and weaknesses, nor
are we able to completely transcend them. On the other hand, the message given to us by the
scriptures is: You are neither weak nor incapable. You are the source of unlimited power.
This is the supreme reality. Understanding this truth is the goal of life. This is the one
message that the rishis and gurus have been giving to humankind in various ways according
to the time in which they lived.

MAM Ready To Start Cleaning Efforts

Amma (Mata Amritanandamayi Devi) announced that, as part of its environmental cleaning
efforts, the Mata Amritanandamayi Math (MAM) is ready to start work immediately on
constructing toilets and installing trash cans in government schools and along roads.
Government schools that lack sufficient toilet facilities can apply to the MAM right away.
However, along with the application, there should be official documentation from the
government indicating that it has no objection. In order to build urinals along roads, there
needs to be official government sanction.
The MAM is also considering steps that need to be taken in order to immediately install trash
cans every two kilometres along roads. The MAM will also lead the efforts to mount
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awareness campaigns on keeping our highways and other roads clean and litter-free.
Devotees, other individuals or organizations who are keen to participate in the cleaning
efforts should contact the MAM, and a representative from the MAM will get in touch with
them.
Amma also said that expert committees will be formed to study how best we can clean the
highways from Trivandrum to Kasargode, and keep public places clean. Our lack of
cleanliness should never again become a cause for international embarrassment. We should
consider the task of keeping our homes, environment and public places clean a sacred duty.
Just as we eat and sleep, keeping our environment clean should become part of our daily
lives. If we do not bathe every day, perspiration and dirt will make the body malodorous. Just
as we bathe daily in order to keep our bodies clean, and just as we use perfumes, we should
ensure that we maintain the cleanliness of our roads and public places, which are parts of our
countrys body. All of us should take a vow to do this. If the people, government and other
organizations work together, our sacred endeavour will certainly bear fruit, said Amma.
Amma also said that similar efforts will be launched in Tamil Nadu before long.

Globalization fails to connect our hearts and minds

Delivering her 57th Birthday Address, Amma spoke about how despite the connectivity
created via globalization, the world is still suffering. Where have we gone wrong? Amma
asked those assembled. By connecting the external aspects, the entire world is being reduced
to a small village. However weve failed to pay enough attention to uniting the inner aspects,
to connecting all of our hearts and minds. Amma also spoke on the importance of cultivating
respect for Mother Nature, the perils of alcohol and drug abuse, the need for abidance in
dharma, the role of meditation and many other topics.
At the conclusion of her address, Amma spoke about Indias problem with pollution and litter.
She said, India is an atomic power. India is scientifically and economically advancing. Many
reports say India is poised to be the third largest power in the world by 2025. But in terms of
cleanliness, we still are in diapers. Amma then announced that MAM is ready to take
responsibility for construction of toilets in government schools and public areas. Amma said
that with the support of the state governments , MAM would start this project in Kerala and
then move on to other states throughout the country.
Amma said she wanted devotees to form committees to take responsibility for cleaning their
locality, approximately one committee for every two kilometres. A chain of such committees
could really bring about a massive transformation, she said. These committees should
ensure their localities have trashcans in various places as well as signs telling people not to
throw trash on the roadside or to spit. The waste should be collected regularly and properly
disposed of. Amma also said she would like to provide one million reusable handkerchiefs
to school children, requesting them to use these for spitting. She said that in this way many
diseases could be prevented from spreading. All with thunderous applause welcomed
Ammas speech.

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Make your heart a Vrindavan

Sri Krishna Jayanti is the day when the consciousness that pervades the universe incarnated
as Lord Krishna, the embodiment of beauty that had the power to attract all beings in
creation. Perhaps Sri Krishnas personality is the greatest that humankind has ever seen. His
life and teachings were significant back then, are significant now and will remain so forever.
Regardless of time or place, Sri Krishnas life and teachings will always set an example for
everyone, regardless of who they are or their culture. Even after a thousand years, nothing
can take away from the glory and importance of Sri Krishna. In every sense of the word, Sri
Krishna is a vishva-vidyalayaman international university, as it were a universal abode
of knowledge. Sri Krishna shows us the way to completely accept the world, our allotted role
in life and the various situations that arise. That is the reason why everyone takes so much
inspiration from his life.
Mokshaeternal liberation from sorrowis not something attained after death in some other
world. It is something to be understood and experienced while living here in this world. Sri
Krishna taught this principle through the example of his life.
Discontentment is the real poverty; contentment the real prosperity. This is one of the
important teachings Lord Krishna taught to humankind. From the moment of his birth, till the
time he ascended to heaven, his life saw one trial after another. However this had no effect on
his happiness or contentment in anyway. The ever-smiling face of Sri Krishna was the
indicator
of
his
inner
experience
of
perfect
contentment.
An ordinary actor confines his performance to a small stage. But for Sri Krishna, the entire
world was a stage. The various characters he played, with their various costumes, kept
changing, but Sri Krishna excelled nonetheless, abiding firm in the awareness that None of
these roles are my true nature. I am the supreme consciousness. In this way, he made his
own life, as well as the lives of those around him, a celebration.

God is always awake within us

God is always awake within us, but we are sound asleep, Amma said. As a result, we are
unable to experience his presence. It was almost 2:00 in the morninghalf way through the
traditional night-long vigil and fast of Sivaratri. Amma then told everyone assembled that
holidays like Sivaratri are opportunities to try to emerge from this state through a night of
austerity.
Amma then went on to explain that remaining awake in fact did not only mean keeping the
eyes open. It means to maintain awareness of our actions, words and thoughts, she said.
When this awareness dawns, ignorance disappears. Darkness is not something we can
remove, but when we bring in light, it automatically disappears. In the same way, when
awareness dawns, the darkness of ignorance fades away.
Amma also sang a number of Shiva bhajans to help enliven and inspire her children
including Manobudhyahamkara chithani naham, Om Namah Shivaya and Bolo Nath
Hare.

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Food and sleep are very important, Amma said. No one will sacrifice them just like that.
Only when our love for God transcends our love for food and sleep will we stop consider
fasting and maintaining vigil as suffering. When love for God awakens in our heart, we
find all worldly thoughts fading away. Festivals like Sivaratri are opportunities to awaken this
love within us.
Amma ended her talk by saying, It is Ammas prayer that her children have the attitude of
sacrifice and surrender not only on Sivaratri but throughout their lives. May your thoughts,
words and actions arise from love.

Love is the Centre-Point of Life: Amma

Amma began her 55th Birthday Address by saying that the point of religious and cultural
festivals was to help human beings gain peace of mind. Amma lamented that in general this
wasnt happening. The culprit Amma said was mans obsessive focus on money. While
meditating on money and luxuries, we forget to live, Amma said. We forget the very love
that lends life to life.
Amma went on to say that life is an opportunity provided by God for humans to grow and
expand. That which brings order, purity and meaning to life is mans thoughts and actions,
Amma said. Unfortunately, the only meaning we attribute to life today is as an opportunity
to make money. In order to achieve this end, the human intellect is ready to accept any
means. No wonder values are deteriorating!
Amma then explained how spirituality is not opposed to earning money or fulfilling desires,
but that one should always maintain a balanced outlook. Wealth and the human-ness are
two sides of a scale. We need to make sure that they remain balanced, Amma said. That is
the reason why our saints and seers stressed that the pursuit of artha and kamamoney and
pleasureshould never come at the expense of dharma.
Speaking about deterioration of values in society, Amma said that a change was very much
needed.
However she said that the needed change was primarily internalchanging our negativities
into positive qualities. If we are not ready to change, Nature, or God, will take up the task,
Amma said. God will never allow wickedness to overgrow and suffocate virtue. The need of
the hour is to cultivate a society of good-hearted individuals.
With regards to education, Amma said that we need to take up efforts to instil values in our
children at a young age. In the name of competition, children should not develop feelings of
hatred and revenge, Amma said. We need to teach them to love one another. We should fill
the syllabuses of our colleges and schools with lessons about love and compassion. This will
help put an end to the exploitation of the sorrows and miseries of the downtrodden. War and
violent clashes will lessen and we will be able to realize the dream of world peaceat least
to some extent. When mutual love grows, Nature also will become peaceful.
Amma said that true happiness can only come through understanding our own mind. As
long as we are determined to remain in the prisons created by our own mental weaknesses,
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nothing can save us, Amma said. If we dont have the permission and blessing of our own
mind, regardless of what we possess we wont be happy.
Amma explained that attaining happiness was, in truth, not such a difficult task. All it takes,
she said, is love. Love is the binduthe centre-point of life, Amma said. We should
perform all our actions, remaining focused in this centre-point. Only then will we be able to
both experience love for ourselves and share it with others. Today weve managed to
transform life into something about everything but love. It is for this reason that human
beings everywhere are disappearing and in their place human-machines are taking birth.
Somehow weve managed to turn lovethe one thing that is in fact the closest to usinto
the most distant.
Amma ended her satsang by sharing the heart-touching story of a family whod recently
come for her darshan. The husband had been rendered crippled by a stroke. The wife was
trying to support everyone by working as a house maid. They were hopelessly in debt.
Children, remember, this is just one example, Amma said. There are millions of people
suffering like this in the world. On one hand, so many people in this world live ostentatious
lives, drinking, partying and throwing away their wealth. Many perform cruel actions and
think only of themselves. At the same time, there are so many who cant obtain even a single
meal a day. While we scurry around trying to fulfil all our desires and experience peace and
happiness, do we think about these unfortunate people for even a moment? My children, you
should think about them. You should be ready to do something for them.

Start working to realise your dreams

We are entering the New Year with hearts filled with hope, Amma said one hour into 2007.
Let us sincerely pray that this yearunlike in the pastwe dont have to witness any more
wars, innocent people being killed due to terrorism or natural disasters. Collective prayers
can make some difference.
People from all around the world were visiting Amritapuri Ashram for the holidays, and as
such Ammas darshan had gone from 10 a.m. until 30 minutes before the New Year. After
Amma embraced the last person at 11:30, she began watching cultural performances put on
by devotees and ashram residents. At midnight itself, Amma led everyone in the chanting of
Om lokah samastah sukhino bhavantu .
In her talk, Amma reflected on how, on the eve of a New Year, it is everyones habit to pray to
God to fulfill their dreams. It is good to cherish some dreams in regards to the future,
Amma told her children. But we also need put in our own efforts in order to fulfill those
dreams.
Amma also spoke about how the New Year is a good time to take stock of our life and see if
we are making progress or if we have strayed from our goal. Amma said. In fact, sometimes
we have no clue as to where we are headed in life.
The worst poverty one can face in this world is a poverty of love, Amma said. In a society
where selfishness is on the rise, human beings have forgotten the language of sharing. This is
the most horrible curse. Amma then asked everyone who was in the habit of smoking
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cigarettes, regularly buying expensive clothes and other such luxurious items to consider
cutting back and donating the money they would save to help the poor.
Making the point that it is only due to mankinds greed that people are forced to starve in the
world, Amma told an anecdote. It was about God making a New Years resolution to put an
end to world hunger. The story ended with God failing, because no one was willing to
distribute the abundance of food he had created.
When a New Year approaches, we always reflect on the year gone pastboth the good
events and the bad ones, Amma said. As spiritual aspirants, we also need to introspect:
What were our achievements? Where did we falter? We should not be egoistic about our
achievements. We should draw inspiration from them. We should recognize our errors and
then resolve to move ahead with more awareness.
Amma concluded her talk by requesting her devotees to spend at least some time every day
helping others. It could be speaking kind, consoling words to those who are sad or
attentively listening to someones problems, Amma said. It could be protecting Mother
Nature or providing any other form of help. In this way, through good thoughts and through
good actions, we should create positive vibrations in the world. Surely the darkness of
selfishness and hatred will disappear. May my children become a lamp filling the world with
the light of peace and love.
Amma then sang three bhajans, beginning with Hari Bol and Giridhari Gopala. Her final
bhajan was in English. The songEveryone in the Worldwas very fitting for a night
associated with dreams for the future, as it presented Ammas dream.
Everyone in the world should sleep without fear,at least for one night, sleep without fear.
Everyone in the world should eat to their fill,at least for one day, eat to their fill.
There should be one day when there is no violence,no one is injured, no one is harmed.
All people young and old should serve the poorand needy, at least for one day, serve
selflessly.
This is my dream.
This is my prayer.
Love is the answer, love is the way.
Love is the answer, love is the way.

Role For Socity Welfare

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Snapshot of Various Humanitarian Activities of Mata Amritanandamayi Math

Mata Amritanandamayi Math (MAM) is a registered Public Charitable Trust dedicated to
serving humanity without distinction of nationality, caste, race or religion. The Math's
international headquarters, located at Amritapuri, (Kollam), Kerala, India, provides a global
presence through its numerous philanthropic activities and institutions, which reflect Amma's
message of love and compassion.

UN Recognition for Mata Amritanandamayi Math

The United Nations (UN) announced the distinguished award of Special UN Consultative
Status to Mata Amritanandamayi Math with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of
the UN. After a thorough review of Mata Amritanandamayi Math's work and results for the
past 15 years, including Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences (AIMS), Amrita University, and
all other major efforts, the United Nations' 19 member nation committee within the ECOSOC
Committee, voted unanimously to grant Special Consultative Status. The major ECOSOC
body of 50 member nations affirmed this decision on July 21, 2005. The Math is among 30
Indian NGOs to receive formal UN affiliation in India.

Humanitarian Activities
Project to Combat Farmer Suicide
In recent years, suicide has been spreading in epidemic proportions among Indian farmers
suffering from debt and crop failure. In 2007, the ashram launched two programs aimed at
fighting the problem: Vidyamritam and Amrita SREE. These projects focus on states like
Maharashtra, Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, where high famer-suicide rates prevail.

Amrita SREE
The ashram is providing free vocational training to 3,000 Women Self-Help Groups (SHG)
consisting of women from impoverished agricultural families. After completing the training,
the women are also given start-up capital to begin small home-based businesses. It is
envisaged to expand the program to 30,000 groups.

Vidyamritam
The ashram is providing full scholarships to approximately 40,000 children (ages 10 to 15) of
farmers living below the poverty line. The children receive a stipend until they finish their
education, subject to their performance in their studies. Motivational sessions and
competitions in various literary, painting and pencil-sketching activities are also regularly
held for these children. This scheme will be extended to cover 100,000 students.

Disaster Relief
Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh Flood Relief (2009): Several teams of volunteers, doctors and
nurses are working in the region with Rs. 50 crores earmarked in October, 2009 for relief
activity by the Math.
Bihar Flood Relief (2008): Rs. 2 crores was earmarked for flood relief by the ashram. Several
teams of doctors, nurses and volunteers did extensive relief activity.
Kashmir Earthquake (Oct 2005): Victims received food and other aid, including hundreds of
blankets. MAM has also pledged to rebuild three villages.

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Hurricanes Katrina and Rita (Aug/Sept 2005):Amma donated one million dollars in aid and
assistance to those affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in USA. Devotees, who were
trained medical experts, traveled to Louisiana to help, and food, clothing, school supplies and
other items were collected from all over the country and distributed to evacuees. Devotees
reached out to evacuees by helping them find new homes and jobs or by writing letters of
comfort to victims. Others used the Internet to locate and reconnect friends and family
members who had been separated.
Floods in Mumbai (July 2005):The Ashram sent a medical team to Mumbai which spent three
weeks visiting slum areas, distributing medicines and treating over 32,000 victims for
infectious diseases. The Ashram also served food at the relief camps.
School Fire, Tamil Nadu (July 2004): Volunteers were sent to the hospital to help console the
victims and their families and to provide assistance where needed.
Gujarat Earthquake (January 2001): A 12-person medical team from AIMS Super Specialty
Hospital was immediately dispatched with volunteers. The Ashram rebuilt three villages,
Modsar, Mokhana and Dagara, by constructing 1200 earthquake-proof houses, medical
clinics, water tanks, schools, community halls, temples and mosques. The grateful Gujrat
State Government and villagers renamed the villages as Amrita Nagar (Modsar), Amritamayi
Nagar (Dagara) and Amritapur (Mokhana) in honor of Amma.
Latur Earthquake (1992): The Ashram provided financial support to victims.

Tsunami Relief Projects

Mata Amritanandamayi Math has implemented the largest Tsunami rehabilitation project in
the country with over 200 crores earmarked for relief activity. The Math has constructed more
than 6200 houses in the Tsunami-affected areas in India and Sri Lanka. In addition to building
houses, in many locations, entire villages have been reconstructed. These villages are selfreliant with community centers (anganwadi), schools, primary health centers, markets, roads,
water supply and lighting. More than 5000 houses have been completed and have been
handed over to Tsunami victims. The Math is the first NGO in India to complete Tsunamirelief houses according to government specifications and hand over to the Tsunami-affected
population in both Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
The Math is also providing means for livelihood. Free vocational training has been given to
2500 young people in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. According to their educational qualifications,
they receive training to become teachers, nurses, paramedical assistants, security officers,
drivers, masonry workers, carpenters and mechanics with a job assured on completing the
training. The Math has provided free tailoring courses and sewing machines to 300 tsunamiaffected village women in Alappad Panchayat (Kollam District, Kerala). A program known as
Matru Gramam (Mother's Village) was developed and implemented, where the Math helped
villagers living in Alappad Panchayat to form independent cooperatives and self-help groups
in areas such as tailoring, sandal-making, soap-manufacturing and other trades. The Math has
also repaired and built over 700 fishing boats in both Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Over 550
marine outboard engines and nets have also been provided. The villagers have been trained to
use satellite technology to target the best fishing locations and transmit information.

Amrita Kuteeram - Free Housing Scheme

In 1996, the Math launched Amrita Kuteeram, a housing project to construct 25,000 houses
for the poor. Within a five-year period, the houses were constructed and handed over to
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homeless people and slum dwellers. In 2003, the project was upgraded to massive
proportions and a second phase of this project to build 100,000 houses was launched. More
than 35,000 houses have been built across the length and breadth of the country from
Kanyakumari in the south to Ghaziabad in the north, Durgapur in the east and Bhuj in the
western part of the country. Amrita Kuteeram houses have been built in Delhi, Maharashtra,
Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and other states.

Some Amrita Kuteeram locations include: * Ambalamughal, Cochin - on land allotted by GCDA, Cochin under the Slum
Rehabilitation Program
* Durgapur, West Bengal - scheme supported by Assansol Durgapur
Development Authority
* Guddimalkapur & Film Nagar, Hyderabad - Slum Rehabilitation Project
* Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh
* Mulki Village, Mangalore
* Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu
* Pimpri, Pune - joint venture with Pimpri - Chinchwad Municipal Corporation.
(Ajanta Nagar Slum Rehabilitation Project)
* Lucknow - Uttar Pradesh
* Kadappah - Andhra Pradesh
* Satyamangalam, Tamil Nadu
* Kovalam (Chennai), Tamil Nadu
Amrita Nidhi - Monthly Pension Scheme for Destitute Women
In 1998, Amma launched a pension scheme for the benefit of 50,000 destitute women. The
pension is distributed by the Math through its branch centers in various parts of the country.
The money helps poverty-stricken women, many of whom are widows, to purchase
necessities such as food, medicine and school books for their children.

Amrita Niketan (Orphanage)

Located at Parippalli, Kollam, Kerala, this institution is dedicated to caring for 500 children
from the most disadvantaged sections of society. These children, mainly from tribal areas,
receive an excellent education at Amma's Sanskrit Higher Secondary School, Paripalli.

Anbu Illam - Care Home for Senior Citizens

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Amrita Anbu Illam is the Math's care home for the elderly, established at Sivakasi, Tamil
Nadu in a beautiful countryside location. The residents come from troubled families or have
no one to look after them. In this peaceful and loving ambience, they are made to feel at
home while having their emotional and physical needs met.

Mass Wedding Ceremony for the Poor

Beginning with the mass wedding arranged for 158 poor couples during Amrita Varsham 50,
(Golden Jubilee celebration of Amma's birthday) in 2003, this project has continued to help
couples who cannot afford a proper wedding. The Math provides everything for the wedding
including clothes, gold for the bride and the traditional feast for the relatives. Since 2003,
over 700 marriages have been conducted for impoverished couples including Tsunami
victims.

Amrita Keerthi Award

This award was established in 2001 to recognize and commemorate outstanding contributions
to Indian Culture, Vedic Tradition and Sanathana Dharma. The award constitutes a cash prize
of more than one lakh rupees, a Panchaloha statuette designed by a renowned artist and a
commemorative citation. Past Awardees include Prathibha Ray, Oriya writer; Acharya
Narendra Bhushan, Vedic Scholar; P. Parameshwaran, director, Bharateeya Vichara Kendram;
Prof. Harihara Sastri, previously Acharya of Brahmavidyapeetham, Sivagiri; Dr. Shankar
Abhayankar, founder, Aditya Pratishtan, Pune; Mahakavi Akkittam Achutan Namboothiri,
Celebrated Poet of Kerala and P Narayana Kurup, renowned poet and literary critic.

AYUDH (Amrita Yuva Dharma Dhara)

The Math's initiative for youth, AYUDH, organizes satsangs and social service activities,
including yoga, meditation and self-discipline. AYUDH members also participate in cleaning
public premises and render assistance to various welfare programs.

Green Friends
Established for the preservation and protection of the environment, Green Friends instills
love and reverence for Mother Nature by arranging and conducting nature study camps,
afforestation and tree plantation on a mass scale. Also, Amma has declared the time span
from June 5, 2009 to June 5, 2010 as Green Year.

Free Meal Scheme for 50,000 Under-Privileged

The Math feeds over 50,000 poor and under-privileged people every month through its
branch ashrams.

Mother's Kitchen
Amma's devotees in the USA run Mother's Kitchen in 39 cities, providing over 40,000 meals
for the homeless each year.

Amrita Aranya Jeevanam

An Indigenous People's Project, for comprehensive upliftment of adivasis/tribals, provides
vocational training and means for livelihood in addition to providing educational and health
facilities.

Legal Aid
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Inspired by Amma, more than 1000 lawyers throughout India have pledged to give free
counseling to the poor.

Vocational Training
Institute of People's Education (sponsored by Government of India) is a job training program
offering nearly 100 different courses. There are units at Sivakasi and Kalpetta.

Healthcare
* Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences (AIMS), Kochi, Kerala A 1450-bed, super-specialty
hospital, provides international quality medical care at affordable/subsidized rates.
Recognized as one of the outstanding hospitals in Asia, with many firsts to its credit in
facilities and patient care, AIMS offers free and partially subsidized services to the poor and
needy. The institute also houses the medical campus of Amrita University. AIMS' extensive
infrastructure comprises 60 departments, 22 modern operating theatres, 210 well-equipped
intensive-care beds, a reference diagnostic clinical laboratory, including an advanced
molecular biology and cytogenetics lab, a state-of-the-art diagnostic imaging center, as well
as medical, dental, nursing and pharmacy colleges and research facilities. Patient care is
enhanced by a fully computerized and networked hospital information system and a fully
digitized radiology department. A full range of primary and specialty care medical services
provides cross-specialty consultation, which assures outstanding treatment for each patient.
The hospital was inaugurated by former Prime Minister of India, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee
on May 17, 1998. AIMS supports a daily average of 1500 outpatients and 800 inpatients.
Annual patient turnover exceeds 450,000 outpatients and nearly 40,000 inpatients. There are
more than 650 medical faculty and 4500 staff members. (Website: www.aimshospital.org)
* Amrita Kripa Charitable Satellite Hospitals, Kollam, Mysore, Pampa and Kalpetta
* Amrita Kripasagar Hospital, Mumbai - Free care and spiritual solace for terminal cancer
patients.
* Amrita Ayurvedic Clinic, Kollam, Kerala
* Amrita AIDS Care Center, Thiruvananthuparam, Kerala
* Medical Camps - Free medical camps conducted at ashram centers throughout India.

Educational
* Amrita Vidyalayam Schools - More than 50 schools across the country
* MAM Industrial Training Center for youth, Kollam, Kerala
* Amrita Speech and Hearing Improvement School (ASHIS) for children, Thrissur, Kerala
* Amrita School for Visual Media Studies,Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala
*Extension
Centre
for
artisan
development
in
woodcarving
and
handicrafts,Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala

Spiritual
* Ashram headquarters at Amritapuri, Kollam with 23 Mata Amritanandamayi Math (MAM)
Centers in India (Website of the Math:www.amritapuri.org)
* MAM Centers in 27 countries.
* IAM Technique (Integrated Amrita Meditation technique) - Taught free of charge nationally
and internationally.
* Amrita Kutumbams - A focused group of householders, having the desire to bring up their
children in a value-oriented life, practice and incorporate Amma's teachings in their lives.
* Books, cassettes, CDs, scriptural commentaries in 40 Indian and international languages,
available at ashrams/centers worldwide.
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* "Matruvani", a monthly magazine published in many Indian languages as well as seven

foreign; now one of the largest spiritual magazines in terms of circulation throughout the
world.
* "Immortal Bliss", a quarterly magazine, published in English.
* 20 Brahmasthanam Temples throughout India and in Mauritius.

59th Birthday Of Amma, Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi Celebrated,

Embracing The World Announces $4.7 Million Worth Of Charitable Initiatives
1) 200 Free Heart Surgeries & 50 Free Kidney Transplants At Amrita Hospital: The surgeries
will be available to poor people from across the country. Since Amrita Hospital's inauguration
in 1998, EMBRACING THE WORLD has provided millions worth of charitable care to
278,000 poor people hailing from various States in India.
2) 500 Free Houses For The Homeless In Kerala: Amrita Kuteeram began in 1998. Since
then, EMBRACING THE WORLD has constructed more than 45,000 houses for the poor
which includes more than 6,200 houses for the 2004 Tsunami victims. EMBRACING THE
WORLD has built houses in more than 75 locations in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya
Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Pondicherry,
Karnataka, Andaman-Nicobar Island and Tamil Nadu.
3) Financial Aid To Families Who Lost Someone Or Had Someone Seriously Injured By
Explosions In Kannur & Sivakasi: EMBRACING THE WORLD will provide$1,868 to
families who lost someone in either the LPG-tanker explosion in Kannur, Kerala or the
fireworks-factory explosion at Sivakasi, Tamil Nadu.
4) Extending The Amrita Nidhi Pension Program: EMBRACING THE WORLD will extend
the reach of its all-India Amrita Nidhi program, with an additional 3,000 recipients,
increasing the total from 55,000 to 58,000 beneficiaries. This program provides lifetime
pensions to widows and mentally and physically challenged individuals since its inception in
1998.
5) Extending The Reach Of The Vidyamritam Scholarship Program: EMBRACING THE
WORLD will also extend the reach of its Vidyamritam scholarships-for-the-poor program to
cover an additional 3,000 students, taking its total of beneficiaries from 37,000 to 40,000
across the country. The intention of this initiative started in 2007 in response to the farmer
suicide epidemic was to help lay a stronger economic foundation for impoverished
agricultural families. Many of the beneficiaries are children who have lost one or both parents
to suicide.

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Religion
Mt Amr tnandamay Dev

Born

Sudhamani Idamannel
27 September 1953 (age 59)
Parayakadavu, Alappad Panchayat,Kollam
District, Kerala, India

Quotati "There is one truth that shines through all of

creation. Rivers and mountains, plants and
on
animals,
the sun, the moon and the stars, you and I
all are expressions of this one Reality."

Role of Yoga
Amrita Yoga
AMRITA YOGA is holistic yoga program based on all four paths (Bhakti, Jana, Karma &
Raja yoga) of spirituality. AMRITA Yoga was developed under the guidance of mataji and
based on her spiritual teachings. The speciality of AMRITA yoga is synchronization of sacred
mantras with breathing. There are two structures in AMRITA yoga a) intensive programs and
b)Two weeks programs. Intensive 4 day programs are currently offered under three categories
namely Foundation, Level One and Level Two. Two week programs are Immersion programs
which is an attempt to journey ancient science and art of yoga to meet the needs of the
modern life.

Amrita Yoga
Amrita Yoga is the broad new yoga program from the Mata Amritanandamayi Math, offering
classes and retreats in hatha yoga. Ammas spiritual teachings provide the foundation for
Amrita Yoga. Amrita Yoga is a system of hatha yoga that can be integrated into the other
daily spiritual practices that Amma teaches or as a practice unto itself to enrich our
experience of the present moment.

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Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi, aka Amma frequently speaks about the importance of
practicing hatha yoga every day. Amrita Yoga provides the highest standard of technical
training in hatha yoga with a skillful attention to physical alignment, mindful breathing and
the use of mantras.
At present, two regular courses are being offered throughout the year Two-Week
Immersion Programs and 4-day Intensive Courses.
During each course, the students will stay at Amritapuri. All courses include two daily asana
classes (3.5 hrs per day) and yoga philosophy lectures from Ammas disciples. Students are
also fully integrated into the daily ashram activities archana, meditation, bhajans and
seva. Plus, during the Two-Week Immersion Program, students receive the IAM training
course (Integrated Amrita Meditation).

Amrita Yoga is the broad yoga program, offering classes and retreats in hatha yoga. Ammas
spiritual teachings provide the foundation for Amrita Yoga. Amrita Yoga is a system of hatha
yoga that can be integrated into the other daily spiritual practices that Amma teaches or as a
practice unto itself to enrich our experience of the present moment.
Amma frequently speaks about the importance of practicing hatha yoga every day. Amrita
Yoga provides the highest standard of technical training in hatha yoga with a skillful attention
to physical alignment, mindful breathing and the use of mantras.
Regular courses are being offered throughout the year. All courses include two daily asana
classes (3.5 hrs per day) and yoga philosophy lectures from Ammas disciples. Students are
also fully integrated into the daily ashram activities archana, meditation, bhajans and seva.
During the Two-Week Immersion Program, students also receive the IAM training course.

IAM meditation lowers stress hormones

IAMIntegrated Amrita Meditation Technique lowers stress hormones, according to a study
recently published in the 2011 volume of the international journal Evidence-Based
Complementary & Alternative Medicine (eCAM), published by the Hindawi Publishing
Corporation. The five-year study, titled The Effect of Meditation on Psycho-Physiological
Variables, examines the effect of IAM Technique on various psychological, physiological
and biochemical parameters.
According to the study, practitioners of IAM Technique experience a reduction in stresshormone adrenaline within 48 hours of beginning the practice. This reduction was shown to
sustain in IAM Technique practitioners throughout the eight-month monitoring period
accounted for by the study. The study also showed a decline in stress-hormone cortisol
following eight months of practice. Other physiological results documented by the study
include a significant decrease in the heart and respiratory rate of practitioners, as well as
significant increase in IgA levels, which are associated with immunological benefits. Through
the studys psychological-evaluation component, a major change was also recorded in the
attitude of practitioners towards stressful events. This study was conducted by Ms. Vandana
Balakrishnan (research scholar), under the guidance of Dr. Harish Kumar, Head of the
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Department of Endocrinology; Prof. L. Saraswathy (HOD); and Prof. G.K. Suseeladevi of the
Department of Physiology, at the Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences (AIMS) in Cochin.
Prof. K.R. Sundaram, HOD, Department of Biostatistics at AIMS, provided the statistical
support. The results of the study have given rise to further research, including a study on the
effect of IAM Technique on relieving stress amongst cancer patients undergoing treatment, as
well as the impact of the technique in relieving hypertension.
IAM Technique is taught free of charge throughout the world by representatives of the Mata
Amritanandamayi Math (MAM), the non-governmental organization of renowned
humanitarian and spiritual leader Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi (Amma). It comprises a
combination of yogic postures, breathing practices and mental-concentration exercises. MAM
has been teaching the technique to the public since 2003. In 2008, at the request of the Indian
government, MAM began teaching IAM Technique on a widespread scale to Indias military
and paramilitary soldiers. The technique is also being taught in schools and colleges
throughout India, as well as to employees of businesses corporations, including Infosys,
BSNL and IIM.

Financial Wealth
Main Source of Income:
Amrita Viswa Vidyapeetham colleges, Amrita Institute of Medical Science (Kochi), Amrita
Schools, TV channel. Amrita Schools are located across Kerala where students are charged
the same fee as topnotch private schools. Adding to it are the contributions from her millions
of Indian and foreign devotees. Even by modest estimates, the Amritanandamayi
Trust, which presides over, is said to have assets worth over Rs 1,500 crore. Today, her
ashram at her native Vallikavu, a small island off Kollam, is a posh five-story building.

Followers
The Hindu spiritual leader and teacher, who is revered as a saint by her followers,
Amritanandamayi spontaneously embraces people to comfort them in their sorrow and
therefore is also referred to as "The Hugging Saint." She has hugged close to 30 million
people to date, she is widely respected for her humanitarian activities and is probably by far
the richest god woman in the country.

Comments
What others say about Amma
Read the words of religious & spiritual leaders, politicians, bussinessmen, cultural
authorities, scientists and journalists.

Spiritual & Religious Leaders

In front of Amma, I always feel like a child and she is the Mother of the world.
H. H. Swami Prakashananda,
the president of the Sri Narayana Guru Dharma Sangha
Sivagiri Math, Varkkala, Kerala 24 September 2007
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 Amma is a gift of God. God is love. Wherever there is love, God is there. What is real
love? We come to understand it through Ammas different seva activities. God has
blessed Amma with the ability to understand human need and render appropriate help
accordingly. As a result many other people are also inspired to join in the
humanitarian efforts. All praise to God who has given us this blessing in the form of
Amma. May Amma be a blessing to many more people.
Philipose Mar Chrysostum
Mar Thoma Syrian Church of Malabar Senior Metropolitan
Tiruvalla, Kerala, 7 March 2009
Amma is a blessing given by the Lord to his world. I thought that for me at the age of
90, everything was over. But meeting you has given me new experiences and a look
into the future. And I am very happy.
Philipose Mar

Chrysostum
Mar Thoma Syrian Church of Malabar Senior Metropolitan
Amritapuri, 29 August 2008
By her emphasis on selfless service and charity, Amma will, I believe, hugely
influence the future world.
Brother Wayne Teasdale
Parliament of the Worlds Religions Trustee,
author of A Monk in the World

Scientists, Thinkers, Writers & Aritsts

Amma has embraced 26 million people. But she has done this as an action not only of
giving, but as an action of example. I welcome this saint, this angel, this person of
active goodness.
Sharon Stone
World renowned actress,
Paris, 12 October 2007
Ive never met anyone like Ammasomeone who has such a great impact on peoples
lives for the good and for humanity. I am hard-pressed to think of someone who is
doing more for mankind and the environment.
Jim Lauderdale
Grammy Award-winning Country and Bluegrass artist
30 June 2008 Addison, Texas, USA

Amma has been a leader in expanding educational opportunity in India, particularly through
the establishment of Amrita University, which in its first 15 years has become one of the most
distinguished private universities in India.
Dr. Stephen Dunnett. PhD

Professor and provost for international education

State University of New York,
Buffalo. May 2010

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 Her energy is just incredible. I picked up youthful, bright, exciting energy. She is
endlessly just giving, giving, giving. I think a lot of people need to feel her energy
because it will make a difference in their life.
Doug E Fresh
Hip-hop American legend
New York, July 2009
Amma presents the kind of leadership we need for our planet to survive. This is the
most heroic person Ive probably ever met. Because she is sitting there hugging
people. This is the most heroic thing that any of us could do now. Because shooting
each other is not heroic. The most heroic is caring, and she does that.
Alice Walker
Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction

What Businessmen Say About Amma

Im going to take this concept of love and compassion to the next level at HP
[Hewlett-Packard]. This is an excellent model of how you really make a productive
enterprise. I think we can apply that in a special way.
Sri. Vyomesh Joshi
Executive Vice President of Imaging & Printing Group, Hewlett-Packard
after visiting Ammas AIMS Hospital
Kochi, Kerala, 25 September 2003
Amma is the greatest entrepreneur of us all. She is so full of ideas and unique visions
that she makes research easy. The Amrita faculties are inspiring, and I want to see
what I can do to support the educational qualities. And for Ammas communal work:
it is so impressive I just want to partake!
Dr. Kiran Mazumdar
CEO of Biocon, Indias leading biotechnology research company
25 August 2006, Amritapuri
Amma has done more work than many governments have ever done for their
people her contribution is enormous.
Prof. Muhammad Yunus
2006 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and Founder, Grameen Bank
inaugurating International Conference on Technology Enhanced Education at Amrita
University, Amritapuri on 3rd January 2012.

Amma in Media
When Amma first manifested her mission of Love in the mid 70s, it was not advertised in the
press, and no one wrote a story about it afterwards for the daily news. Still, hundreds came
that day, and thousands kept coming. As Amma says, Amma needs no propaganda. Does the

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ever-radiant Truth need any propaganda? Those who have purity of heart and thirst for God
will seek Amma and reach Her.
That is how it was, and this is how it still is today. Before the papers were championing
Amma as The Hugging Saint, Her devotees and disciples were coming from all over
Kerala, India, Europe, Australia and America-it was their thirst for God that brought them to
Ammas tiny fishing village, not a write-up in a paper.
Now after 30 years, the press has taken notice. Wherever Amma goes, they seem to follow.
And in doing their research, the reporters find a vast spiritual and humanitarian mission that
has existed for decades. Amma embraces the journalists and answers their questions in the
same way She does any of Her other children. Rooted in Her experience of Oneness, Ammas
words are earthy, profound and imbued with a mothers love. In reading or watching these
reports, one often gets the feeling that the interviewer has gotten more than they bargained
for; they went to Amma in search of a story and found Love.

Social & Cultural Leaders

Amma, you are an inspiration to a lot of people, and if we all took one page of your
book of life, we can be better people, and being better people, we can have a better
world.
Di Kerr
Elder from Australias Wunrundjeri Aborigini Tribe:
Melbourne, Australia,6 April 2008
We come to celebrate and acknowledge a personification of love. Amma, your selfless
desires, your selfless actions are your greatest testament and commitment to man.
Dr. P.L.O Lumumba
Renowned advocate and Human Rights defender
(Kenya) 14 April 09
I had the blessed privilege and honour to meet Amma and receive darshan during Her
U.S. Tour. It was a moment of transcendence, for I was able to grasp for the first time
the essence of true fulfilment and agape [unconditional] love. What I cherish about
Amma is that she not only talks the talk and is the embodiment of unconditional love,
but She expresses that love in action. She walks the talk. Mahatma Gandhi urged us to
be the change we wish to see in the world. Amma is the change she wants to see in
our world. She is a profound living example for all of us.
Ms. Yolanda King, Daughter of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Director, Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Non-Violent Social Change
during Amritavarsham50 Kochi, Kerala, 25 September, 2003

World Leaders & Politicians

The embrace is something that she does physically and spiritually, but all the kind of
help she has offered to people around the planet is an embrace of its own sort. Her
embrace is about love, but it is also about taking that love and sharing it in a practical
manner.
-Michael Feinstein
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Mayor of Santa Monica, California

18 June 2009
It has been indeed a great privilege for my wife and myself to have had the darshan of
Amma. I am sure that our lives will be enhanced. Her presence will help us in
following her teachings and her example. Ammas vision is to do everything that is
possible to alleviate suffering.
-Anerud Jugnauth
Mauritius President
9 April 2009
I count myself fortunate enough to be one among many millions of Mas devotees.
Your benevolence and magnanimity is universal, which transcends all geographical
and man-made barriers, serving entire humanity with all-embracing compassion.
Hence, may I, most respectfully, request your divine intervention and merciful
blessings to cleanse my motherland of this horrendous scourge of violence, thereby
ushering an era of everlasting peace and prosperity.
-Mahinda Rajapaksa
The President of Sri Lanka
23 December 2008, officially hand-delivered letter to Amma
What a great privilege and a great honour to join in welcoming such an incredible
force of good in a world that is troubled to Michigan. We look to our leaders like
Amma to find courage and introspection and we thank her for her great leadership and
for being here.
-Andy Meisner
US Congressman for Michigan, USA
4 Dec 2008

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CHAPTER:5
BRAHMRISHI SHREE KUMAR SWAMIJI
INTRODUCTION
Brahmrishi Shree Kumar Swamiji

His Holiness Brahmrishi Shree Kumar Swamiji is an internationally acclaimed spiritual

power of this century. His message of interfaith harmony is simple, precise and focused on
interfaith harmony is simple, precise and focused on acquired the ancient secrets and has
delivered them in simple practicable form; and their affects can be examined by the modern
science.
Gurudev as His Holiness is popularly called by his followers, has extensively travelled the
globe with a mission to instill the virtues of equality and brotherhood in the people belonging
to different religions. Through his Conventions in several countries in Asia, North America,
Europe, Africa and Middle East, he has spread the message of equality, brotherhood and
human welfare His Conventions draw people from all walks of life amongst people belonging
to different religions. including intellectuals,political leaders,film personalities, bureaucrats,
medical practitioners and scientists.

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Gurudev makes people aware of the power of Cosmic Grace at his Conventions and conveys
the attained cosmic wisdom. He has decoded the Ancient Traditional Science Secrets or Beej
Mantras from the scriptures of all religions and is offering them to all, as these scientific
secrets take one beyond all sorrows and sufferings. More than 500 million people around the
world are practicing these Ancient Traditional Science Secrets regularly and have been
benefitted by them.
Gurudev has been conferred with various Awards and Honors internationally. He has been
honored by Government of India, State of Alberta in Canada, State of New York and State of
New Jersey in USA, to name a few. He has served as an Advisor to the Ministries of Industry,
Labor, Health and Family Planning, Government of India.

Mission
Bhagwan Shree Lakshmi Narayan Dham has become a ray of hope to millions - bringing
health, wealth and happiness to people. Incurable diseases have been cured by the Secrets of
Ancient Traditional Science. Those who had lost all hope in life have regained their hope to
live. The principle of Ancient Traditional Science Secrets is based on the eternal splendor of
the Indian tradition. Hence, the whole world has started looking towards India with a renewed
respect. Various sectors of science have also accepted the effectiveness of the Secrets of
Ancient Traditional Science. The vision and inspiration behind the institute is Param Pujya
Mahamandaleshwar Brahmrishi Shri Kumar Swami Ji. Started as one man's mission, today
the institute is spreading globally. The little seed that he sowed has transformed into a huge
banyan tree; a tree that has become the last resort to millions. Param Pujya
Mahamandaleshwar Brahmrishi Shri Kumar Swami Ji has dedicated his whole life to nurture
the institute Bhagwan Shree Lakshmi Narayan Dham.

Description
Param Pujya Mahamandaleshwar Brahmrishi Shri Kumar Swami Ji was born on 22 January,
1954 in an ordinary farmer family in Karanpur, Rajasthan. His spiritual quest started in early
teens and by the time He entered his adulthood he was seriously studying and practicing
various spiritual streams. Soon he acquired deep knowledge in Ayurveda which proved to be
a historical step in the field of medicine.

General Information
Bhagwan Shree Lakshmi Narayan Dham is one of the largest spiritual institutes in the world
today. Functioning on the principles of Ancient Traditional Science Secrets - a dimension
unexplored so far - the core mission of this institute is the human welfare at a global level.

Brief Description Of Swami Ji's Capabilities

Swami ji has got the very grace of God to tell just everything by looking at a person, or his
photograph and that Swami ji can tell about just everything about the disease and all the other
problems that one is suffering from. It is all in such an ease that Swami ji watches one's past,
present or future as a live event or a movie. Swami ji says this is the science of God that
which has blessed the very being of Swami Ji. Swami ji himself starts feeling the pain of that
very person and knows about his problems and then very easily tells about them.
PERSONAL VIEW - He have seen many saints and haven't seen many, but seeing the very
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mysterious saint as him is such a rare thing that can ever happen to me in my whole lifetime.
The sweet innocent heart is way too beautiful and thy a blessed one !

HISTORY
Param Pujya Mahamandaleshwar Brahmrishi Kumar Swami Ji was born on 22 January, 1954
in an ordinary farmer family in Karanpur, Rajasthan. His spiritual quest started in early teens
and by the time He entered his adulthood he was seriously studying and practicing various
spiritual streams. Soon he acquired deep knowledge in Ayurveda which proved to be a
historical step in the field of medicine. Soon afterwards, he was counted among the best
physicians of the world. During his practice he has been the personal physician to many
presidents, prime ministers, chief ministers, ambassadors of many countries. He has given a
new direction to the medical science by combining it with the science of cosmic.
Param Pujya Mahamandleshwar Brahmrishi Kumar Swami Ji is an important spiritual power
of this century. This power had started being visible in Him since he was twelve years of age.
Even in that young age he wanted to rise above the complexities of life and his life took the
direction of a spiritual search. He went to many places, many masters and mystics, and went
through various spiritual techniques. During his search he spent time with many masters such
as J. Krishnamurti, Osho, Nirankari Baba, Vimla Thakaar, Maa Anandmayi, Shri Omkarnath
Thakur, Yogi Swami Ram, Lahari Baba, Harihar baba, Devaria Baba, Shivpuri Baba, Swami
Sahajanand, Taat Baba, Vishwatma Baba, Pathikji Maharaj, Punja Baba....Param Pujya
Mahamandaleshwar Brahmrishi Shri Kumar Swami Ji says that he has acquired the Ancient
Traditional Science Secrets after a long and arduous spiritual journey.

Since the beginning of the nineties, His Holiness Brahmrishi Shree Kumar Swamiji has
travelled around India and the world to convey his message. Initially, the scientists and
spiritual thinkers were not ready to look at spirituality from a scientific angle. However,
Gurudevs path of presenting a scientific form of spirituality helped eradicate several
speculations. Today, more and more people from the science fraternity are eagerly embracing
and accepting the tools of Ancient Traditional Science Secrets.

His Journey
During his spiritual journey Guruji has been with J. Krishna Murthy, Osho, Vimala Thakarji,
Maa Anandmayee Shri Onkar Nath Thakur, Taat vale Baba Deveriya Baba, Shivpuri Baba,
Nirankari Baba, Swami Sahajanand, Vishvatma, Baba, Pathik ji Maharaj, Punja Baba etc. He
believes whatever he has got is only the blessing of God.

Brief Decreption Of His Capabilties

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He has got such a special knowledge from Gods grace that either by looking at a person, or
his photo he can tell everything about the disease and all the other problem so easily like he
has been watching his past, present or future as a movie. He says this is the science of God
that other meditation and pujya God gives him his blessing so that when he looks at the photo
of a person then he can tell about that person so well as if he is telling about him self. He
himself starts feeling the pain of that person and knows about his problems and then very
easily tells about them

The Spiritual Journey of His Holiness Brahmrishi Shree Kumar Swamiji

His Holiness Brahmrishi Shree Kumar Swamiji was born on 22 January, 1954 in a farming
family in Karanpur, Rajasthan, India. His spiritual quest started in early teens and carried
through his adulthood when he studied and practiced various spiritual streams. At the young
age of twelve years, he wanted to rise above the complexities of life as a result his life took
the direction of spiritual search. In his quest for search for wisdom he became associated with
many spiritual saints in India such as J. Krishnamurti, Osho, Nirankari Baba, Vimla Thakaar,
Maa Anandmayi, Shree Omkarnath Thakur, Yogi Swami Ram, Lahari Baba, Harihar Baba,
Devaria Baba, Shivpuri Baba, Swami Sahajanand, Taat Baba, Vishwatma Baba, Pathik Ji
Maharaj and Kunja Baba.
He acquired deep knowledge in Ayurveda, an ancient science of medicine. Later, he was
regarded as one of the best Ayurveda physicians in the world. Gurudev has been the personal
physician to many Presidents, Prime Ministers, State Chief Ministers and Ambassadors of
many countries. He has given a new direction to the modern medical science by combining
the knowledge with Ancient Traditional Science.
In Gurudevs words He has acquired the Ancient Traditional Science Secrets after a long and
arduous spiritual journey.

Ancient Traditional Science Secrets

The Ancient Traditional Science Secrets, according to Gurudev, consist of short and simple
Names of God in a word. These simple words are combined to create Beej Mantras.
Practicing the divine Beej Mantras for a short time every day, frees one from sorrows and
problems of mind, body and finance. Gurudev has simplified the practicing of Beej Mantras.
He provides the Beej Mantras for free, at the conventions organized in various parts of the
world. More than 500 million people around the world are practicing these Beej Mantras
regularly and have been benefited by them.

Essence of All Religions in an Easy and Scientific Format

Ancient Traditional Science Secrets have been derived from the ancient scriptures of all the
religions and have been molded into a scientific format; practicing them for a short period,
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twice a day brings immense positive results in ones life. One need not follow a specific
religious doctrine or philosophy to practice the scientific tools of eternal wisdom.

Science Meets Spirituality

Since the beginning of the nineties, His Holiness Brahmrishi Shree Kumar Swamiji has
travelled around India and the world to convey his message. Initially, the scientists and
spiritual thinkers were not ready to look at spirituality from a scientific angle. However,
Gurudevs path of presenting a scientific form of spirituality helped eradicate several
speculations. Today, more and more people from the science fraternity are eagerly embracing
and accepting the tools of Ancient Traditional Science Secrets.

Scientific Tests of the Spiritual Powers of His Holiness Brahmrishi Shree

Kumar Swamiji
A multi-step clinical test was conducted on His Holiness Brahmrishi Shree Kumar Swamiji at
a research lab in Bangalore, India which is run by Govt. of Indias Ministry of Science and
Technology.
In the first step, Gurudevs physical examination was conducted when he was in a deep
meditative state. The medical doctors were astonished to find that while the monitoring
instruments indicated normal heartbeat and brain activity; no pulse was detectable. After
prolonged analysis the scientists and doctors accepted that his physical body has reached a
state which is unexplained by current modern medical science.
In the second step, Gurudev was asked to visually look at other patients at the facility and
provide their medical diagnosis without knowing their prior medical history. The patients
were brought to him one by one. He would look at the patient for a few seconds and diagnose
their medical issues in detail. The doctors were surprised as his diagnosis was absolutely
accurate in each case.
An European woman was also examined by Gurudev as part of this exercise. After looking at
her, Gurudev told her that she was suffering from a very serious disease which she had not
disclosed to the doctors. Although startled, the woman was not ready to accept his statement.
Gurudev looked at her with compassion and told her that she had AIDS. Astonished at the
revelation, she fell at Gurudevs feet and accepted that the diagnosis was correct and she had
deliberately not disclosed the information to any of the medical doctors at the facility.
There are numerous such examples which illustrate Gurudevs spiritual powers to diagnose
and heal a patient by looking at them.

Live TV Show on BBC and Complete Diagnosis by Looking at a Picture or

Listening to the Voice
His Holiness Brahmrishi Shree Kumar Swamijis endless powers were witnessed by the
senior editors and journalists at the London headquarters of BBC. The audience was stunned
to see him diagnose peoples ailments on the phone during a live TV show. The show stirred a
155

deep interest among medical scientists and they wanted to know about the dimension of
science that Gurudev uses to diagnose ailments. TV Asia and MA International have also
invited Him for the live shows. Dr. Shah, the director of TV Asia also interviewed him. The
print and electronic media of the world is eager to know the Secrets of Ancient Traditional
Science. Gurudev is followed by journalists wherever he goes during his world tours.

Ancient Traditional Science Secrets: Cosmic Solution to Physical, Mental &

Financial Problems
Gurudev has become a guiding light to the medical world, although his cosmic persona is
beyond the reach of science. People are recovering from physical and mental ailments. There
are thousands who had reached to the brink of suicide because of depression and
hypertension and are now living a happy life with the help of Ancient Traditional Science
Secrets. The neurologists and psychiatrists are surprised at the speedy recovery from
psychological disorders with the help of such a simple method in patients who had no hope
left for any cure. At the Ancient Traditional Science Secret Conventions many such people
share their experiences.
The experiences mentioned about the problems etc. relate to the individual concerned. We do
not claim having cured anyone. It is all grace of God. Through the recitation of Ancient
Traditional science Secrets we easily find solutions to help solve our physical, mental &
Financial problems.
The Amazing experiences observed are through the grace, which is contained in the Holy
Bible, the Vedas, Sri Gurugranth Sahibji, Qoran-e-Pak, the Dhammapada and the Jinvani.

Medical Bureau for Research on Ancient Traditional Science Secrets

His Holiness Brahmrishi Shree Kumar Swamiji has proposed the formation of a medical
research center for study of the Ancient Traditional Science Secrets scientifically. He wants
that the results and effects of Ancient Traditional Science Secrets should be scientifically
examined so that science can also utilize them to cure the incurable diseases. In doing so,
Bhagwan Shree Lakshmi Narayan Dham has formed a medical bureau. The international
research team consists of the prominent medical scientists and doctors. The Medical Bureau
is headed by the former Health Minister of Punjab and a prominent physician, Dr. Baldevraj
Chawla M.D.
Dr. Chawla is the Director of the Medical Bureau. Under His guidance a team of doctors has
collected case studies, evidences and is preparing a report on the effects of Ancient
Traditional Science Secrets. This report will be made public and presented to the world.
The Governments of many states in India have welcomed the formation of the Medical
Bureau. In a recent Ancient Traditional Science Secrets convention held in Amritsar, the
Chief Minister of Punjab, Sardar Prakash Singh Badal applauded the medical bureaus
formation and offered land and other help for the formation and assistance for the same. A
well-known international cricketer and current Member of Parliament in India has donated
ten million Rupees to the bureau.

Bhagwan Shree Lakshmi Narayan Dham

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Bhagwan Shree Lakshmi Narayan Dham is one of the largest spiritual organization in the
world today, functioning on the principles of Ancient Traditional Science Secrets a
dimension unexplored so far. The core mission of the organization is the human welfare at a
global level.
Bhagwan Shree Lakshmi Narayan Dham has become a ray of hope to millions bringing
health, wealth and happiness to them. Incurable diseases have been cured by the Secrets of
Ancient Traditional Science. Those who had lost all hope in life have regained their hope to
live. The principles of Ancient Traditional Science Secrets are based on the eternal splendor
of the Indian tradition. Hence, the whole world has started looking towards India with a
renewed respect and interest. Various sectors of science have also accepted the effectiveness
of the Secrets of Ancient Traditional Science. His Holiness Brahmrishi Shree Kumar Swami
Ji is the inspiration behind establishing Bhagwan Shree Lakshmi Narayan Dham. Started as
one mans mission, today the organization is spreading globally.
The little seed that Gurudev sowed has transformed into a huge banyan tree; a tree that has
become the last resort to millions. Gurudev has dedicated his whole life to nurture the
organization Bhagwan Shree Lakshmi Narayan Dham.

Ancient Traditional Science Secrets Conventions in India

So far, more than 500 Ancient Traditional Science Secret Conventions have been organized at
a very large scale in various states of India such as Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar
Pradesh, Uttrakhand, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal and
New Delhi. The number of devotees gathered in these conventions to receive the Beej
Mantras range from thousands to millions.
The conventions are often attended by the Governors, Chief Ministers, Cabinet Ministers,
bureaucrats and technocrats of various states. Intellectuals, artists and medical professionals
are among the people from other walks of life who attend the conventions along with
thousands of people from all over the world.
These conventions are widely covered by the print media. Live broadcast is also done for the
devotees and the general masses those who are unable to attend the convention.

Worldwide Ancient Traditional Science Secrets Conventions

His Holiness Brahmrishi Shree Kumar Swamiji, in his tireless efforts of human welfare and
world peace, has traveled across the globe. Among the ever increasing huge numbers of
participants in his conventions, the number of medical scientists is increasing significantly as
he has shown them a scientific angle of spirituality. Thus, the scientists and medical experts
have started believing in the power of Ancient Traditional Science Secrets.
During his travels, Gurudev meets the government officials, elected representatives of various
countries along with the experts of the science fraternity to bridge the gap between the
spiritual and scientific understanding.

Human Welfare Activities by Bhagwan Shree Lakshmi Narayan Dham

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Bhagwan Shree Lakshmi Narayan Dham organizes various human welfare activities such as
Blood Donation Camps, Free medical check-up camps, Free Charitable Dispensaries, Free
distribution of Medicines, Free Distribution of sewing machines etc.
Gurudev has been honored and felicitated by the governments of many countries for his most
valuable contributions to human welfare.

Various National / International Honors & Felicitations

The immense efforts of His Holiness Brahmrishi Shree Kumar Swami Ji in the direction of
human well-being and bringing spirituality closer to science for wider results have been
appreciated at the government level internationally.

Former President A.P.J Abdul Kalam Ajad Honering Swami JI

Gurudev has been a recipient of various Honors & Awards in India. Some of the honors he
has received are:

Dr. Rajendra Prasad Award

Aruna Asaf Ali Award

Bhagwan Shree Dhanwantri Award

Former President of India, Late Giani Zail Singh felicitated him at Rashtrapati
Bhawan in the presence of prominent intelligentsia and experts from the medical
fraternity for his work of spiritual poetry, Maykhana.

Former President of India, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam felicitated him for his work for
human welfare.

Other notable honors conferred on Gurudev outside of India:

His Holiness Brahmrishi Shree Kumar Swami Ji, on his visit to The State of Alberta
in Canada in July 2010, was invited by the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, Canada
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where he was welcomed and honored by Shri N. Bhardwaj, Chairman of Economic

Cell on behalf of Canada Government by presenting a Certificate of Welcome.

In the same month, the Senate and General Assembly, State of New Jersey, America
Passed a Resolution unanimously stating His Holiness Brahmrishi Shree Kumar
Swami Ji as highly esteemed spiritual sage.

A New History Written in United States of America on May 2, 2011

His Holiness Brahmrishi Shree Kumar Swamiji Honored by New York State Senate
May 2, 2011 became a golden milestone in the Indian History. It was the day when a new
chapter was added to the history in the land of United States of America. For the first time in
the history of India, an Indian Saint His Holiness Brahmrishi Shree Kumar Swami Ji, was
invited and was honored in the New York State Senate. It is the vast magnitude of his
worldwide work for the human welfare that inspired the New York State Senate to felicitate
Him by passing a resolution in His honor. His Holiness Brahmrishi Shree Kumar Swamiji
also addressed the Senate.

April 29, 2011 Declared as Brahmrishi Shree Kumar Swamiji Day in New York
On April 29, His Holiness Brahmrishi Shree Kumar Swamiji was felicitated with 9 citations
in the assembly hall of Nassau County, New York. Many senators, senior judges of the
Supreme Court of United States, the Mayor of the County, and state officials were present at
the occasion.
New York Assemblyman Tom McKevitt joined Senator Jack Martins in presenting a Senate
Proclamation declaring April 29 as Brahmrishi Shri Kumar Swami Day in the State of New
York, a rare honor conferred only upon highly distinguished and eminent individuals who
have contributed something exceptional to the society.

ASHRAMS
Bhagwan Shree Lakshmi Narayan Dham

Bhagwan Shree Lakshmi Narayan Dham is one of the largest spiritual institutes in the world today. Functionin

Bhagwan Shree Lakshmi Narayan Dham has become a ray of hope to millions - bringing health, wealth and h
Kumar Swami Ji. Started as one man's mission, today the institute is spreading globally. The little seed that he

Samagams In India
There are more than 500 Prabhu Kripa Dukh Nivaran Samagams have been organised so far In
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India at a very large scale. Over 250 Samagams were formal and almost the same number of
Samagams was informational.

Gathering In The Samagams

The number of devotees who gather to receive the grace of God through Prabhu Kripa Dukh
Nivaran Samagam range in millions.

The State Of India Where Samagams Were Held

So far the Samagams have been held in the various States of India i.e. Punjab, Haryana,
Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttrakhand, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra
Pradesh besides Capital of India i.e. New Delhi.

Dignitaries Present In The Samagams

The Ambassadors, Chief Ministers, Ministers, Members of Parliament, Governors, various
Dignitaries from different States, Doctors, Scientists, Intellectuals etc. (just to mention a few)
also come to receive the grace of God in these Prabhu Kripa Dukh Nivaran Samagams.

Human Welfare Activites

Bhagwan Shree Lakshmi Narayan Dham also organizes various human welfare activities such
as Blood Donation Camps, Free medical check-up camps, Free Charitable Dispensaries, Free
distribution of Medicines, Free Distribution of sewing machines etc.

Awards And Felicitations In India

Param Pujya Mahamandaleshwar Brahmrishi Shri Kumar Swami Ji has been honored with
many prestigious awards such as:
Dr. Rajendra Prasad Award.
Aruna Asaf Ali Award.
Bhagwan Shree Dhanwantri Award, to name a few.
Former President of India, Late Giani Jail Singh had felicitated him in Rashtrapati
Bhawan for his work of spiritual poetry, Maykhana.
Former President of India, Dr. APJ Abul Kalam had also felicitated him for his work for
human welfare.
The former President of India, Giani Jail Singh felicitated him at Rashtrapati Bhawan
in the presence of prominent intelligentsia and medical doctors.

He has also been appointed as an Advisor to the Industry, Labor, Health and Family
Planning Ministries of the Government of India.

Prabhu Kripa Dukh Nivaran Samagams In Abroad

The institute organizes large scale conventions called Prabhu Kripa Dukh Nivaran Samagams
all over the world to provide the powerful Secrets of Ancient Traditional Science to eliminate
human sorrows and sufferings.Param Pujya Mahamandleshwar Brahmrishi Shri Kumar Swami
Ji is born for the welfare of whole humanity. He belongs not only to India but the whole world.
Carrying his mission of human welfare he has traveled to foreign countries for conducting
Prabhu Kripa Dukh Nivaran Samagans.The countries where these Prabhu Kripa Dukh Nivaran
Samagams were organized include - America, England, Canada, Germany, Italy, Switzerland,
160

Austria, Hungary, Nepal, Saudi Arabia, Port of Spain, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand &
Kenya time and again. He makes people aware of the power of cosmic grace during his travels.
Among the participants in his conventions, the number of medical scientists is increasing
significantly.The gathering of devotees is huge and is increasing day by day with each
convention in foreign countries.

Sadgurudev's Spiritual Powers Scientifically Tested

A clinical test was conducted on Param Pujya Mahamandaleshwar Brahmrishi Shri Kumar
Swami Ji in a research lab in Bangalore to test his spiritual powers. The doctors were amazed
when they found that in a deep meditative state his heartbeat and brain were absolutely normal
but there was no pulse. Even the very sensitive instruments could not detect any pulse. After a
long test the scientists accepted that he has reached a state which is beyond the comprehension
of science. The research center where the test was conducted is operating under the Indian
government's Ministry of Science and Technology. After the test he was brought to a hall
where many people with physical ailments were waiting. The patients were brought to him one
by one. He would look at the patient for a few seconds and diagnose his disease in detail. The
doctors were surprised that His diagnosis was absolutely accurate and he had not even looked
at the patient's records which were in the possession of doctors. A European woman was also
there to be examined. After looking at her Swamiji told her that she was suffering from a very
serious disease which she had not disclosed to the doctors. The woman was not ready to accept
this. Swamiji looked at her with compassion and told her that she had AIDS. She fell at
Swamiji's feet and said that he was right. The doctors looked on in surprise.

Ancient Traditional Science Secrets: Recovery From Cancer And Other

Incurable Diseases
Not just AIDS but many cancer patients have also recovered from the fatal disease. All such
cases are regularly being published in Prabhu Kripa magazine along with the medical reports
to prove the authenticity of these Secrets.TV channels around the world are telecasting the
experiences shared by the people who have recovered from cancer, coma, jaundice, migraine,
paralysis, diabetes, asthma, hypertension, infertility, and many other diseases by practicing
10-15 minute Ancient Traditional Science Secrets. The medical researchers and practitioners
around the world are surprised with these cases. Medical science has been silently witnessing
but is now coming to terms with the power of these Ancient Traditional Science Secrets.
Param Pujya Mahamandaleshwar Brahmrishi Shri Kumar Swami Ji has become a guiding
light to the medical world, although his cosmic persona is beyond the reach of science.
People are being recovered not only from the physical but also mental ailments. There are
thousands who had reached to the brink of suicide because of depression and hypertension
but are now living a wholesome life with the help of Ancient Traditional Science Secrets. The
neurologists and psychiatrists are surprised at the speedy recovery from psychological
disorders with the help of such a simple method. Patients who had no hope left for any cure
are completely healthy. In the Prabhu Kripa conventions many such people share their
experiences.

Ancient Traditional Science Secrets Are The Essence Of All Religions

161

What are Ancient Tradition Science Secrets, and can everyone practice it easily? In answer to
these frequently asked questions Param Pujya Brahmrishi Shri Kumar Swamiji always says
that it is the essence of all religious scriptures which he is sharing with everyone, no matter
what faith one belongs to. The Ancient Traditional Science Secrets are in resonance with all
the scriptures such as the Gita, Shree Guru Granth Sahib, Holy Bible, and Holy Quraan.
Swamiji says that if one has faith in Hinduism, he would be given the Ancient Traditional
Science Secrets from the Gita. People of Muslim faith will be given these secrets from holy
Quraan. Similarly, people of Sikh or Christian faith will be given the Secrets from Shree
Guru Granth Sahib and the Holy Bible respectively.

Emphasis On The Equality Of All Faiths

The Ancient Traditional Science Secrets being provided by Param Pujya Brahmrishi Shri
Kumar Swamiji have helped countless people to overcome their financial problems and they
are prospering. The businesses in doldrums have got a new life.
The Ancient Traditional Science Secrets have helped people to get good jobs, promotions,
success in their professional field, and achieve their goals. People have also excelled in the
academic field. There are thousands of students who have stated that they topped their
schools or universities by practicing Ancient Traditional Science Secrets.
The cosmic energy invoked by Ancient Traditional Science Secrets helps us overcome our
physical, mental, and financial problems. This energy also removes all negative influences
from our life. The Ancient Traditional Science Secrets also make us fearless and capable to
face all challenges.

Ancient Traditional Science Secrets: A Dimension Of Grace Beyond Tough

Conditions And Arduous Techniques
The Ancient Traditional Science Secrets do not draw any national, geographical, religious,
racial, or economical condition. It is beyond tough conditions and arduous austerities. Param
Pujya Brahmrishi Shri Kumar Swamji says that it is injustice to humanity to attach any
conditions to the process of liberation from sufferings. One who is in sufferings is already
going through a hard time, the arduous technique will add to his sufferings further. Many
astrologers and saints advise long and difficult path to come out of sufferings including
financial commitments. One gets tired of such methods and finally starts running away from
religion. Not only in India but all over the world, people spend large sums of money, time and
energy in pursuit of solutions to their problems but all in vain. The Ancient Traditional
Science Secrets are short and simple. One can do it anywhere for a short period of 10-15
minutes. No difficult purifying and meditative techniques are required for these Ancient
Traditional Science Secrets. Swamiji offers these Secrets to millions of people for free. They
can be received in any of the conventions happening all over the world. More than 270
million people around the world are practicing these Ancient Traditional Science Secrets
regularly.

162

Medical Bureau For Scientific Research On Ancient Traditional Science Secrets

Param Pujya Mahamandaleshwar Brahmrishi Shri Kumar Swami Ji has also proposed the
formation of a medical research center for study of the Ancient Traditional Science Secrets
scientifically. He is of the view that the results and effects of Ancient Traditional Science
Secrets should be scientifically examined so that science can also use it. To fulfill this dream,
Bhagwan Shree Lakshmi Narayan Dham has formed a medical bureau. The international
research team consists of the prominent medical scientists and doctors.
The team has collected evidences, studied the cases and is preparing a report on the effects of
Ancient Traditional Science Secrets. Very soon the report will be presented to the world. The
former Health Minister of Punjab and the prominent physician, Dr. Baldevraj Chawla has
been
appointed
as
the
director
of
the
medical
bureau.
The governments of many states in India have welcomed the formation of the medical
bureau. In a recent Ancient Traditional Science Secrets convention held in Amritsar, the Chief
Minister of Punjab, Sardar Parkash Singh Badal applauded the medical bureau's formation
and offered land and other help to the bureau. The well-known cricketer and Member of
Parliament
donated
ten
million
Rupees
to
the
bureau.

Science Surrenders To Spirituality

When in the nineties, Param Pujya Mahamandaleshwar Brahmrishi Shri Kumar Swami Ji
started traveling around the world science was not sure how to deal with spirituality.
Everybody became interested as he started revealing the Secrets of Ancient Traditional
Science. That was the decade when many scientists and medical professors were debating
about the role of spirituality and were expressing their opinions. Few expressed favorable
opinions. The famous cardiologist, Dr. Herbert Benson had to say that faith also works
effectively as a cure to high blood pressure, tension, and infertility. The clinical psychologist
of Bowling Green State University said that doctors should take spirituality seriously.
Looking at the facts the famous physician and author, Larry Dolce wrote in his book The
Power of prayer and the Practice of Medicine that, "There is scientific evidence that prayer
does work." Scientists started listening to Param Pujya Mahamandaleshwar Brahmrishi Shri
Kumar Swami Ji as more and more scientific opinions started forming in favor of spirituality.
On the other hand in India, the religion itself was a victim of many misconceptions. The
religion could not find a scientific platform as it had limited itself to myths, mythologies, and
discourses. Science did not bother about religion because for the scientists it remained a
bunch of rituals that had no support of facts and logic. What to say of scientists, the spiritual
thinkers of India had not accepted the scientific dimension of the Indian scriptures. Param
Pujya Mahamandaleshwar Brahmrishi Shri Kumar Swami Ji paved a new path by presenting
a scientific form of spirituality.

PREACHINGS
163

Mahamandaleshwar Swami Kumaranand Sarswati Ji (Brahmrishi Shree Kumar

Swami Ji)
Niranjani Akhara felicitated Sadgurudev with the seat of Mahamandaleshwar
Niranjani Akhara located at the pious unstained land of Ganges, Haridwar, adorned Param
Pujya Gurudev as Mahamandaleshwar during an auspicious ceremony Niranjani
Peethadeeshwar Swami Punyanand GiriJi Maharaj felicitated gurudev with Vedic chants and
putting on his forehead the first vermilion and presenting a shawl. Afterwards other saints in
Pattabhishek ceremony presented shawls to Gurudev after Pattabhishek ceremony Param
Pujya Brahmrishi Shree Kumar SwamiJis name has been changed to Shotriya
Brahmanishtha Parivrajakacharya 1008 Mahamandaleshwar Swami Kumaranand Saraswatiji
Maharaj. After the Pattabhishek ceremony Shobha Yatra took place form Niranjani Akhara to
Har Ki Paidi Haridwar. Gurudev while offering the chanting of Vedic mantras to Ganga
sprinkled milk into it and prayed with others for unity and harmony. For a moment there was
ubiquitous silence in Har Ki Paidi there were only sound of perennially flowing Ganga
millions of saints and devotes were witness to that memorable moment. Afterwards in the
proximity of mother Ganga Param Pujya Gurudev while describing ma Ganga as life donor
renewed cosmic sound secrets. Whereby the energies produced form its recital and sound
evaporate all over.
As respected Gurudev has told us due to the consideration for name I felt that my former
name war Kumar SwamiJi Kumar means a child without any perception or residence. He
wanders laughs and cried. He is his own master. He who had no joy and wobbled in
ignorance, emotions and umpteen forms was given joy be them. He was blessed in the lap of
goddess Saraswati and added that my thousand reverences at the feet of highly respected
Acharya Mahamandaleshwar Nirajani Akhara Peethadishwar who all of a sudden took this
distracted child into the shade of goddess Saraswati.

Indias Most Influential Spiritual Leader - His Holiness Brahmrishi Shree

Kumar Swamiji Honoured At The Uk Houses Of Parliament
The Houses of Parliament in UK, played host to one of India's greatest spiritual leaders, as
His Holiness Brahmrishi Shree Kumar Swamiji, was honoured by politicians, campaigners
and his peers today.
The private reception, which included over 180 invited dignitaries, was hosted by the Rt Hon
Stephen Timms MP, Labour MP for East Ham and organised by Sanjay Jagatia and Muna
Chauhan on behalf of the Bhagwan Shree Lakshmi Narayan Dham UK .Special guests who
all paid tribute to His Holiness with personal messages of welcome included: Barry Gardiner
MP; Steven Pound MP; Gareth Thomas MP; Bob Blackman MP, Alok Sharma MP; Lord
Bilimoria; Lord Tarsem King of West Bromwich; Virendra Sharma MP; Navin Shah from the
London Assembley, Cllr Ajay Muru, Cllr, Ram Lakha, Cllr Harjinder Semhi, Cllr Grewal to
name a few.
His Holiness Brahmrishi Shree Kumar Swamiji has dedicated his whole life to freeing the
world of suffering and misery and his vision for society is continually being delivered by his
Trust Bhagwan Shree Lakshmi Narayan Dham', one of the world's largest spiritual
164

organisations. His efforts in improving human welfare for people of all faiths and religions
have inspired millions.

His Holiness Brahmrishi Shree Kumar Swamiji is a well rehearsed scholar in Ayurveda,
India's five thousand year old system of medicines. He has demonstrated his moral leadership
and outstanding record of service to the global community by delivering large scale
conventions in India, Canada, America, UK and throughout Europe, which are attended by
tens of thousands and watched by millions across the globe. His Holiness Brahmrishi Shree
Kumar Swamiji has more than 500 million followers across the World.
During the reception, His Holiness was presented with citations and Awards from various
organisations for the Humanitarian work that he is doing, including:
The highly acclaimed "Ambassador of Peace Award" by the Universal Peace Federation. The
award is presented to individuals whose lives exemplify the ideal of living for the sake of
others, and who dedicate themselves to practices which promote universal moral values,
strong family life, inter-religious cooperation, international harmony, renewal of the United
Nations and the establishment of a culture of peace.

"The Mahaveer Award" by The Young Indian Vegetarians Society in recognition of His
Holiness' vegetarian lifestyle and compassion towards all living beings
"The Humanitarian Award" to both Gurudevji and Gurumaa by the Asian Welfare
Association, which is presented to one individual each year for their outstanding contribution
to social welfare and being a role model to others.
His Holiness also received citations from a number of MPs including Rt Hon Stephen Timms
MP, Rt Hon Virendra Sharma MP and Rt Hon Stephen Pound MP as well as a host of
Councillors, Community organisations and faith groups, reflecting His Holiness's immense
respect of all faiths and cultures.
On receiving his awards and citations His Holiness said: "This honour is not just for me, but
for the whole world and the ancient tradition of the East. More than that, this honour is for all
the faithful believers of all the World religions such as Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism,
Christianity, Buddhism, Jainism, Zorastrianism. This historical honour is not for a single
person but for all the Nations and their various cultures. This honour in fact is an honour for
the entire humanity. This felicitation has once more brought the greatness and humility of
Great Britain before the whole World. His Holiness also paid respects to Her Majesty the
Queen, The Prime Minister David Cameron, Ministers, Politicitions and the Citizens of the
United Kingdom and acknowleged the vast contribution that UK brings t othe way of life for
people across the World.

165

The event also marked the official launch of the Bhagwan Shree Lakshami Narayan Dham
UK's Annual Day to be known as -"Brahmrishi Shree Kumar Swami Day". The day was
officially launched by Stephen Timms MP dedicated in honour of the interfaith, charity and
volunteering work that His Holiness Brahmrishi Shree Kumar Swamiji embodies. On this day
each year, all followers in the UK will perform selfless voluntary acts of kindness and public
service and do something positive that makes a meaningful difference to someone else's
quality of life, happiness and prosperity, by sacrificing their time without any gain or reward.
They will be encouraged to engage in various volunteering projects to help out in charitable
organisations, schools, old people's homes, hospitals, hospices and in particular consider
giving blood or joining the organ donor register.
Commenting on the event and his meeting with His Holiness, Stephen Timms MP
commented: "Faith organisations across the country are making a positive contribution in
communities across the UK, and I welcome the opportunity this event presents to bring them
together. I am glad to have been able to help to sponsor it. It has been a pleasure to meet with
His Holiness and learn more about the valuable impact of his humanitarian work."

Beejmantras
The Divine Mantra provided by His Holiness Brahmrishi Shree
Kumar Swami Ji

A seed when sown grows into a fruitful tree, like that Beej Mantra is a origin of shakti
(Cosmic Energy). There are Various Beej Mantras which are an important part of Mantras
and each Beej mantra has its own power and when mixed with mantras adds extra power to
the traits of that mantra.
Cosmic Sound Secrets (Beej-Mantras) are NOT provided over the phone or by email and are
not broadcast on television, website etc. Beej Mantras are seed mantra. Each diety has a
specific beej mantra. One could pick a beej mantra and repeat it in the mind as often as
possible. In a way mental/conscious repetition will morph into unconscious repetition. Mind
can be trained to focus.
Divine Beej-Mantras (also called Cosmic Sound Secrets or Prabhu Kripa Naam Paath) can
only be obtained in any Prabhu-Kripa Dukh Nivaran Samagam & are provided free of cost.
These samagams are being organised regularly all over the world. Any body interested in
obtaining Cosmic Sound Secrets should attend any one of these samagams.TV channels
around the world are telecasting the experiences shared by the people who have recovered
from cancer, coma, jaundice, migraine, paralysis, diabetes, asthma, hypertension, infertility,
and many other diseases by practicing 10-15 minute Ancient Traditional Science Secrets. The
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medical researchers and practitioners around the world are surprised with these cases.
Medical science has been silently witnessing but is now coming to terms with the power of
these Ancient Traditional Science Secrets.

Experiences Of The People Benefited By The Beej Mantras Provided By

Brahmrishi Shree Kumar Swami Ji:
Schedule of all the samagams is provided on the

Bhagwan Shree Lakshmi Narayan Dham

website

(www.cosmicgrace.org)

or

from

Prabhu

Kripa

Magazine.

Ancient Traditional Science Secrets have been derived from the ancient scriptures of all the
religions and have been molded into a scientific format; practicing them for a short period,
twice a day brings immense positive results in ones life. One need not follow a specific
religious doctrine or philosophy to practice the scientific tools of eternal wisdom.
People who had lost all hope in life have regained their hope to live. The principle of Ancient
Traditional Science Secrets is based on the eternal splendor of the Indian tradition. Hence, the
whole world has started looking towards India with a renewed respect. Various sectors of
science have also accepted the effectiveness of the Secrets of Ancient Traditional Science.
The vision and inspiration behind the institute is Param Pujya Mahamandaleshwar
Brahmrishi Shri Kumar Swami Ji.
Millions of people from all walks of life attend the Prabhu Kripa Dukh Nivaran Samagams,
in which the divine Ancient Traditional secrets of Science or Beej Mantras are given to all,
free of cost. Beej Mantras are names of God, extracted from not only our ancient
literature of Vedas, Upanishads but also Bible, Quran-e-Pak, Adi Granth Sri Guru Granth
Sahib Ji, Jinvani, Dhammpada etc.

Kumar Swami Belittles Guru Granth Sahib, Geeta, Quran, Bible, Dhammapada,
Jinvaani
Self-styled Indian godman Kumar Swami, by resorting to one more gimmick has belittled
and tried to undermine the sanctity and supremacy of none other than the Living Guru of
Sikhs Shri Guru Granth Sahib and other sacred books of different religions. He has claimed
that he has a three minute mantra which is multi-crore times more effective than the spiritual
effect of Shri Guru Granth Sahib, Geeta, Quran-e-pak, Dhammapada, Bible and Jinvaani. Yes
Punjab has gone through the content of advertisements inserted in some popular vernacular
newspapers and seeing the seriousness of the issue we have decided to pre-pone the
launching of this Website and confront the Baba as he has committed blasphemy which
cannot be overlooked. We didnt know that Yes Punjab will have to open its account with an
Editorial on an issue like this but we take it as a responsibility entrusted to us by our Living
Guru, Shri Guru Granth Sahib ji.
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Punjab Editorial H S Bawa, He claims to have cure for all the ailments. He claims to be a
one stop shop for all the solutions of all the sorrows under the sun. He promises to bless you
with health, wealth and success. He claims to be the sole-selling godman of the GOD
Himself. He claims to have political bigwigs and other saintly and worldly personalities as
his followers. He flies and travels like a corporate biggie and issues advertisements which
become a source of envy not only for other babas and saints but also some of the noted
corporate houses. Only he knows the exact amount of his advertisement blitzkrieg and the
only confusion for people like us is that whether it is in millions or it is in billions. Yes, you
have got it right. He is what they call, Mahamandleshwar Param Pujya Brahmrishi Shree
Kumar Swami ji.
Full page insertions in national and regional newspapers have become his identity now. He
knows how to sell and is simply master of his technique of selling godly blessings at a price.
His full page Ads in newspapers claim that Senators of America have acknowledged his
powers. His advertisements carry pictures and messages of some of Indias much known
spiritual and political personalities. It is not known whether he has taken permission for this
from these personalities or he does not simply need anybodys permission.

Kumar Swami Belittles Guru Granth Sahib, Geeta, Quran, Bible, Dhammapada,
Jinvaani
Politicians felicitating Kumar Swamis works include none other than one of the most
senior leaders of Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) and the former deputy prime minister of India
Lal Krishan Advani. Others whose faces and messages adorn Kumar Swamis advertisements
include a) Parkash Singh Badal, chief minister of Punjab, b) Sheila Dikshit, chief minister of
Delhi, c) Bhupinder Singh Hooda, chief minister of Haryana, d) Prem Kumar Dhumal, chief
minister of Himachal, e) B.C. Khanduri, chief minister of Uttrakhand and Ashok Gehlot, the
chief minister of Rajasthan. In these advertisements Kumar Swami claims to have more than
50 crore followers all over the world.
Insiders reveal that everything he does is meticulously planned by a team. Wherever he goes,
he has politicians as guests and a photo opportunity is created so that Kumar Swami gets
photographed with the personality which is later used to impress people. Various
organizations issue Certificates and confer Awards on Kumar Swami and the team uses these
as tools to get due mileage in the media.
Sources tell that during the Prabhu Kripa Dukh Niwaran Samagam entry to satsang is
free but those who wish to take beej mantra to ward of their sorrows and ailments have to
shell money. Nothing in this world comes free, you know. The minimum we are told is Rs.
250 but if you want something special, exclusive etc. etc. then there are different categories
for which you can be charged Rs. 2500, 5000, 11000, 21000, 31000, 51000 and more for
special sessions with the godman. The rule of demand and supply holds true here also. If
there is a samagam for two days but the demand continues and the devotees continue to
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pour in, Kumar Swami, if not already engaged or occupied, prefers to stay for the third day
and bless those who are ready to shell out the prescription fee.
Now, you can not object to all this. Nobody really objects because in India there are a variety
of Babas doing a variety of gimmicks just to outshine each other. There is a logic that no one
is forcing you to come to Kumar Swami, the Baba does not force you to shell out money or
compel you to have higher version of his darshan or the blessings. Even we dont have any
objection as far as all mentioned above goes but mind it, this Swami is crossing limits.
Yeah, we hold firmly to our view that the religio-corporate success seems to have gone to his
head and he is trying to be GOD instead of a godman. People like us are in the habit of
tolerating this type of godmen because we have been born and brought up in India where
everything like this is a pass.
Now see, what this baba has done. He has issued an advertisement which has appeared in
some of the widely circulated vernacular papers published here. The ads which appeared on
3rd and 4th of March in different newspapers introduce a new gimmick of Kumar Swami. He
now claims that he will be issuing PASSWORDS for a dukh niwaran mantra or path. He
has termed it as Dukh Niwaran ke Adhbut Nishkeelan path. In this ad he claims that a
mantra which was kept secret by Rishis, Munis in Vedas-Shastras and for acquiring which
one had to do hard religious chores now can be obtained easily while sitting at home. He goes
on to claim that till now one could get it once in a month but now this Nishkeelan mantra
will be made available on daily basis. The claim is that this mantra which would be made
available soon is multi-crore times effective. The Swami is soliciting registrations for getting
passwords, definitely for a consideration, which is not mentioned there in the advertisement.

ROLE FOR SOCITY WELFARE

Human Welfare Activities by Bhagwan Shree Lakshmi Narayan Dham
Bhagwan Shree Lakshmi Narayan Dham organizes various human welfare activities such as
Blood Donation Camps, Free medical check-up camps, Free Charitable Dispensaries, Free
distribution of Medicines, Free Distribution of sewing machines etc.
Gurudev has been honored and felicitated by the governments of many countries for his most
valuable contributions to human welfare.
Param Poojya Brahmarshi Shri Kumar Swami Ji is an astonishing spiritual power of this
century. He is among the few rare great men in this KaliYug who have been sent by the
Param Pita Paramatma himself to work for public welfare. To attain this power, Param Poojya
Brahmarshi Shri Kumar Swami Ji has for long practiced Dhyana Saadhana in the caves of the
Himalayas which is still continuing. He himself maintains that whatever he has achieved is
the Mahaprasad of Prabhu Kripa. By the mercy of God, he also possesses the extremely
special divine knowledge that he can tell about all problems and diseases of any man just by
meeting him or by seeing his picture as if someone is looking at the past, present and future
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in the form of a film. He says that this is the science of God. After doing dhyan, poojaarchana, God grants him the blessing by which he becomes one with any persons whose
picture he sees. He can feel their pains and sorrows, can understand their problems and
relates them in an easy and simple manner.
Bhagwan Shree Lakshmi Narayan Dham (BSLND) is a charitable Organization in India,
USA, Canada and UK and has recently opened a place for its first USA dham (Center) at
5716 Dun Horse Lane, Derwood, Maryland, 20855. In Canada at 3A Edvac Drive, Unit 11,
Brampton, Ontario. In UK at Little Paddocks Windsor Road, Water Oaklay, Barkshire, SL45UJ. In India there are number of centers in different states like Delhi, Punjab, Maharashtra,
Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttranchal, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Andhra
Pradesh, Gujrat, etc. The mission of BSLND is to help mankind live a better and stress-free
life by connecting them with GOD.

BSLND has already attained lot of fame and respect in the heart of millions of people around
the world. Bhagwan Shree Lakshmi Narayan Dham is an exceptional spiritual institution of
the world. This is based on the fact that a divine science is manifested in all the activities
arranged by this institute through which the real character of public welfare is revealed .
Param Pujya Brahmrishi Shree Kumar Swami ji gives astonishing and extremely effective
divine grace to the sorrows and other problems of millions of people in Prabhu Kripa Dukh
Nivaran Samagams. So far there have been numerous Samagams arranged at various places
in India and abroad such as Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Banglore, Hyderabad, Jalandhar,
Ludhiana,
Amritsar,
Shimla,
Ambala,
Gurgaon,
Dalhousie, Surat, Patiala,
Chandigarh, Faridabad, Ahmdabad, Kashipur, Karnal, Mandi Gobindgarh, Bilaspur, Ujjain,
Haridwar, Saharanpur, Dehradun, Kathmandu, London, Birmingham, Slough, Lester,
Wolverhampton, Washington DC, Chicago, New York, Maryland, San Francisco, Toronto,
Calgary, Port of Spain, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Vienna, and different cities of Holand, Italy and
Kenya.

In these Samagams Param Pujya Guru Dev ji delivers cosmic grace for physical, mental,
financial, family and psychological problems of people by giving them solution based on
all religions of the world. This divine cosmic grace is based on divine paath from the holy
books of different religions of the world. According to Brahamrishi Shree Kumar Swami ji,
that these secret and divine mantras are hidden in the holy books of all religions. These are
present in other religions as well but the most important thing about these secret Mantras is
that they are hidden in the holy books in several pieces and it is impossible to find them
through ordinary eyes.Param Pujya Shree Kumar Swami ji has become one of the great
leaders of the world by giving the divine secrets to 270 million people in different countries
of the world. The scientists, philosophers, meditators and saints of the world are surprised to
know the effect of these divine secrets.
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Brahmrishi Shree Kumar Swami ji believes that life of the people will not be peaceful just by
religious talks. In the present day, science is based on truth and evidence. Modern day saints
only preach about faith, devotion, trust and sacrifices. Unless they get evidence based
solutions there will not be the welfare of the people. Arjun could not understand the words of
Lord Krishna as long as he only preached him. But when Lord Krishna showed him his
gigantic real form only then he could understand him. Evidence based massage of Brahmrishi
Shree Kumar Swami ji is that there will not be love and devotion for God unless one is free
from all the physical, mental and financial problems. He says how can a person or someone
in his/her family will pray to God if they are suffering from diseases or have any mental
problem or debt? Param Pujya Brahamrishi Shree Kumar Swami ji has been uncovering
such divine secrets, which have changed the life of millions of people. Numerous people
having shortage of money, loss in business, difficulty in studies, suffering from pain,
diseases, problems and celestial faults have got new life after getting these secrets.

When modern science and equipments could not cure people suffering from deadly diseases
then those people were not only fully cured from these diseases by divine secrets but those
who were about to commit suicide were also fully benefitted.

During his spiritual journey Guruji has been with well known masters like J. Krishna
Murthy, Osho, Vimala Thakar, Maa Anandmayee Shri Omkar Nath Thakur, Taat vale Baba,
Deveriya Baba, Shivpuri Baba, Nirankari Baba, Swami Sahajanand, Vishvatma Baba, Pathik
ji Maharaj, Punja Baba etc. He believes whatever he has got is only with the blessings of
God. He has got such a special knowledge from Gods grace that either by looking at a
person, or his photo or listening to ones voice, he can tell everything about the diseases and
all other problems so easily like he has been watching his past, present or future as a movie.
He says this is the science of God which he attained by meditation of number of years and
blessings of God. When he looks at the photo of a person then he can tell about that person so
well as if he is telling about him self. He himself starts feeling the pain/problem of that
person and knows about his problems and then very easily gives solution to them.

Param Pujya Brahmrishi Shree Kumar Swami ji was born on Jan .22, 1954 at Shree Karanpur
in Rajasthan in a religious farmer family. It is because of Gods unique grace that only at the
age of 12 he studied the holy books of all the religions and during this time the holy book
'Mayakhana' was written by him which uncovers extremely hidden spiritual secrets and soofi
thinking. Param Pujya Brahmrishi Shree Kumar swami ji has unparallel knowledge of the
secrets of Ayurveda. At one time he was respected as the best Doctor of the world. He has
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been personal Doctor of Presidents, Prime ministers, several central ministers and
Ambassadors of different countries and chief minister of several states of India.

By the blessings of Brahmrishi Shree Kumar Swami ji premedical check up camps, blood
donation and eye care camps have been arranged in different samagams. Besides this food,
blankets and clothes are also distributed among poor people.

There is a new dimension in the Guru jis public welfare activity in different places of world
in the form of Prabhu Kripa Maha Shakti Peeth. In this series Mahashakati Peeths have been
started in kurukshetra and Haridwar. Theses Pyramid shaped Temples based on Vaastu Art
will be unique in the world. People will be able to feel effects of divine science personally in
these Mahashakti Peeths. Divine energy will be floating in these Temples and use of Vedic
culture will be visible here. Every person coming here will undergo medical check up by
team of Doctors and will stay here for few days. He will be checked again by the Doctors
when leaving the Mahashakti Peeth. He him self will be amazed to see the unprecedented
improvement in his health and mental position.

ROLE OF YOGA
Mukti Yoga Mission's Volunteer Program
For those who want to dedicate themselves entirely to the spiritual path, we offer a full-time
dedication program. Karma yoga, or selfless service, is an integral part of this program.

What is the duration of the program?

Each aspirant can join the volunteer program for the period of time that he or she considers
appropriate. There are those who join for a week, others for a month or a year, and there are
those who decide to spend the rest of their lives in the mission.

What is karma yoga?

Karma yoga, or selfless service, is one of the main paths of yoga. When we offer service to
others, our hearts get purified and our negative qualities such as selfishness, hatred, jealousy,
pride, and others, start to vanish. Karma yoga magically annihilates the false sense of
separation. Hence, it stimulates the development of qualities such as humility, love,
acceptance, compassion, tolerance, and mercy. When perceiving the unity behind the
diversity, the perspective of life changes, until the knowledge of the Self is revealed.

Yogic Life
The ashram is an ideal environment to practice the path of yoga. With the guidance of the
spiritual master, surrounded by souls with similar aspirations, you can delve into all aspects
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of yoga practice, open the heart, develop new skills, and be inspired by the hills, forests and
streams, as well as the variety of programs offered by the ashram.

Complete commitment
This program of complete dedication is full-time throughout its duration and is based on the
ancient system of gurukula. With the exception of the practice of hatha yoga, meditation,
prayer, and study, most of the day is dedicated to karma yoga. The organization's volunteers
work without earning money, or obtaining any kind of selfish material benefit. Karma yoga is
a means for internal purification and spiritual development.

Who can participate?

Anyone who is willing to serve and wants to conduct a yogic life is welcome to volunteer for
the Vimukti Yoga Mission's Volunteer Program.
The program is open to all levels, including beginners on the path of yoga. The majority of
full-time volunteers are members of our congregation, students, devotees, followers, and
karma yogis (volunteers).

How much does the program cost?

The program is free of charge for those who choose full-time dedication.

Ancient Traditional Science Secrets -The Spiritual Journey of His Holiness

Brahmrishi Shree Kumar Swamiji where The Science Meets The Spirituality
Ancient Traditional Science Secrets
The Ancient Traditional Science Secrets, according to Gurudev, consist of short and simple
Names of God in a word. These simple words are combined to create Beej Mantras.
Practicing the divine Beej Mantras for a short time every day, frees one from sorrows and
problems of mind, body and finance. Gurudev has simplified the practicing of Beej Mantras.
He provides the Beej Mantras for free, at the conventions organized in various parts of the
world. More than 500 million people around the world are practicing these Beej Mantras
regularly and have been benefitted by them.

Science - Spirituality
His Holiness Brahmrishi Shree Kumar Swamiji has travelled around India and the world to
convey his message. Initially, the scientists and spiritual thinkers were not ready to look at
spirituality from a scientific angle. However, Gurudevs path of presenting a scientific form
of spirituality helped eradicate several speculations. Today, more and more people from the
science fraternity are eagerly embracing and accepting the tools of Ancient
Traditional Science Secrets.

Derived from All Religions in a Scientific Format

Ancient Traditional Science Secrets have been derived from the ancient scriptures of all the
religions and have been molded into a scientific format; practicing them for a short period,
twice a day brings immense positive results in ones life. One need not follow a specific
religious doctrine or philosophy to practice the scientific tools of eternal wisdom.
Millions of people from all walks of life attend the Prabhu Kripa Dukh Nivaran Samagams,
in which the divine Ancient Traditional secrets of Science or Beej Mantras are given to all,
173

free of cost. Beej Mantras are names of God, extracted from not only our ancient
literature of Vedas, Upanishads but also Bible, Quran-e-Pak, Adi Granth Sri Guru Granth
Sahib Ji, Jinvani, Dhammpada etc. We all are truly blessed as we have been granted with the
Divine Blessings of SadgurudevJi.

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CHAPTER:6
ACHARYA MAHARAJSHREE RAKESH PRASAD PANDE

INTRODUCTION
Sanatan Dharma Dhurandar Acharya Maharaj Shree 1008 Rakeshprasadji Maharaj (July 1966
- Present) is the current Acharya of the LaxmiNarayan Dev Gadi of Swaminarayan
Sampraday (31 January 2003present) and the 9th Spiritual Successor of Bhagwan
Swaminarayan in the South Diocese (Vadtal, LaxmiNarayan Dev Gadi) of the Swaminarayan
Sampraday.

He was appointed by the order of the Gujarat High Court, which removed his
predesser, Ajendraprasad and appointed him in his place. Ajendraprasadji Maharaj has
dispute over this and has filed a review petition in theGujarat High Court, a case which is
currently pending before the court.
Followers say he has interests in Sanskrit and Prakrit literature on religion, and that he has
established temples and consecrated idols in them. He also is said to have given Diksha to
more than 100 saints as per the wish ofSwaminarayan who mentioned this in the Desh Vibhag
Lekh.
Koshalendraprasad Pande is the current Acharya of theNarNarayan Dev Gadi of
the Swaminarayan Sampraday and is the 7th successor of Swaminarayan in the North
Diocese .

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Importance of Acharyas
Swaminarayan felt that as he had established the temples and the Swaminarayan Sampraday,
he wanted to keep his sadhus free from the affairs dealing with wealth, power etc. He
therefore decided that he would create leaders for each and every sadhu and householder,
who would then subsequently be responsible for the Swaminarayan Sampraday. This led to
the decision of appointing his nephews as Acharyas.
The Acharyas of the Sampraday are more than mere administrative heads, they are the
spiritual leaders and the guru to their followers. Since the acharya is supposed to refrain from
contact with the opposite sex (other than close relations), his wife is the guru for female
satsangis. She too is to refrain from contact with the opposite sex (other than close relations).
The acharya wears a red turban, which is a symbol of his authority along with a golden staff
and umbrella.
The Acharyas are responsible for:

Initiate followers into the sampraday with a Samanya Diksha by giving the gurumantra
Initiate monks-sadhus by giving them the Maha-Bhagwadi Diksha

Perform murti-pratishtha, install deities in the temples

Authenticate scriptures of the Sampraday

Act as the Guru and leader of the entire Sampraday

HISTORY
Koshalendraprasad Pande was born on 18 October 1971 in Ahmedabad, India. He is the
eldest son of Tejendraprasad Pande, the 6th acharya of the NarNarayan Dev Gadi of
the Swaminarayan Sampraday. Per tradition in Brahmin households, Pande received
his Yajopavtam, or sacred thread, during the bicentennial celebrations of Swaminarayan in
1981 at Kalupur Swaminarayan Mandir. He studied at St. Xavier School and St. Xavier
College in Ahmedabad. He was anointed as acharya on 15 October 2004.
(23 July 1966 present) is the current Acharyaof the LaxmiNarayan Dev
Gadi of Swaminarayan Sampraday (31 January 2003present) and the 9th Spiritual Successor
of Bhagwan Swaminarayan in the South Diocese (Vadtal,LaxmiNarayan Dev Gadi) of the
Swaminarayan Sampraday.
He was appointed by the order of the Gujarat High Court, which removed his
predesser,Acharya Shree Ajendraprasadji Maharaj and appointed him in his place. Acharya
Shree Ajendraprasadji Maharaj has disputed this and has filed a review petition in the Gujarat
High Court, a case which is currently pending before the court.
Followers say he takes an interest in Sanskrit and Prakrit literature on religion, and that he
has established temples and consecrated idols in them. He also is said to have givenDiksha to
176

more than 100 saints as per the wish of Swaminarayan who mentioned this in the Desh
Vibhag Lekh.

ASHRAMS
Shri Swaminarayan Temple, Ahmedabad is the first temple of the Swaminarayan Sampraday,
a Hindu sect. It is located in Kalupur area of Ahmedabad, the largest city in Gujarat, India. It
was built on the instructions of Swaminarayan, the founder of the sect.
As per the will of Swaminarayan, the administration of the Swaminarayan Sampraday is
divided into two Gadis (seats) - NarNarayan Dev Gadiand LaxmiNarayan Dev Gadi. This
temple is the headquarters of the NarNarayan Dev Gadi. Green and yellow sculptures of
Hindu gods and goddesses, their bodies fitted in opulent dress, cover the structure of this
nineteenth-century temple.
With its architecture based on Burma teak wood, every coloured arch and bracket is a bright
different shade, something that stands out in most Swaminarayan temples. According
to Anjali Desai, author of India Guide Gujarat, the temple resembles a fairytale with all its
colours and opulent carvings that profusely embellish every wooden bracket, column and
arch. The temple attracts a million people on the day afterDiwali. The temple has a multistory guesthouse that is air conditioned and has a fully equipped medical clinic within its
compound.
The land for construction of this first shrine of Swaminarayan Sampraday, was gifted by
the British Imperial Government in India to Swaminarayan. The task of constructing this
temple was entrusted personally by Swaminarayan to Ananandanand Swami (a paramhansa
of the sect). The installation ceremony of themurti (images) in the temple was celebrated in
the presence about 50,000 of pilgrims representing many parts of India.

History
The land for construction of this first shrine of Swaminarayan Sampraday, was gifted by
the British Imperial Government in India to Swaminarayan. The task of constructing this
temple was entrusted personally by Swaminarayan to Ananandanand Swami (a paramhansa
of the sect). The installation ceremony of themurti (images) in the temple was celebrated in
the presence about 50,000 of pilgrims representing many parts of India.

Relations with the British Government

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A British officer, Sir Dunlop was so impressed with activities of Swaminarayan and his
followers, that on behalf of the government he gifted 5,000 acres (20 km2) of land
in Kalupur area of Ahmedabad to build this temple. When the temple was completed, the
officer was so impressed by the temple that he commanded a 101 gun salute to the temple.[6]
When the British government wanted to build a railway station in Kalupur, the temple
returned part of the land, where Kalupur Railway Station stands today. The government
compensated the temple by granting it 1,000 acres (4.0 km2) of land in the Narayannagar
village. Although the temple had very good relations with the British government, part of the
wooden carvings in the temple depict the 1857 uprising, which is often referred to as India's
first war of Independence.

Central Gateway
The central gateway of the temple is artistic. It blends local, regional and British styles of
architecture and sculpture. Marathi and Rajasthani folk cultures and costumes are evident on
the gateway sculptors. The columns are engraved with vertical lining in Corinthian order. The
top of the projected pavilions are ruminants of Mughal architecture. Statues of the women
wearing frilled blouses and petticoats, carrying their kids on their waist depict the Gujarati
women.

Nar Narayan Temple

This is the heart of the temple complex. The temple was constructed as per scriptural norms
with intricate carving in pure Burma-teak and constructed with sculptural art by depicting
deities' episodes, auspicious symbols and religious icons representing axiomatic religion and
Indian culture. The temple is believed to be a valuable cultural heritage in the socio-religious
history of Gujarat and India. The images in this temple are of Narnarayan Dev in the centre,
Radhakrishna Dev on the right, Dharmadev, BhaktiMata and Harikrishna on the left of the
central hall. The images were made in Dungarpur and stone came from quarries
in Himmatnagar and Dhrangadhra. The temple is also known for the attractive dresses that
drape the deities. Dresses for the central Narnarayan as well as RadhaKrishna images are
changed seven times a day and are never repeated.

Akshar Bhavan
Besides the gods in the main temple, an idol in the form of a child, Ghanshyam Maharaj in
white marble has been installed on the ground floor. Personal items of Swaminarayan have
been displayed for viewing by the visitors on the ground as well as first floor. The southern
side of this building is known as Shree Tejendra Bhuvan and houses visiting pilgrims.

Rang Mahol
An idol of Ghanshyam Maharaj has been installed in a place called the Rang Mahol in the
temple where Swaminarayan stayed during his visits to Ahmedabad. A wood carved life-size
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idol of Swaminarayan in standing sambhang position, was installed here fifty years after the
construction of the temple. It is one of the finest specimens of wooden art sculpting in
Gujarat.

Temple for women (West)

The Haveli (Mansion) to the west of the temple used to be the official residence of Acharya
of the Narnarayan Dev Gadi. Now, the ground floor of the front side, houses the offices and
the inner portion accommodates the residency of the Samkhya Yogi women (ladies who have
taken celibacy vows and devoted their life to the temple). In the inner temple, the Gadiwalla
(the Acharya Maharajshri's wife & spiritual leader of the women in the Swaminarayan
Sampraday) holds religious assemblies solely for the benefit of the women. An idol of
Ghanshyam Maharaj has been installed in this temple and is served by the Sankhya
Yogi women devotees.
This mansion is decorated with chandeliers, suspended lamps and large mirrors as it was
supposed to be the residence of the Acharya. The brackets of the pillars in the portico as well
as arches have been adorned with carvings in geometrical designs and a variety of flower and
creeper motifs.

Haveli (North)
This three-storey mansion was constructed by Acharya Maharjshree Keshavprasadji Maharaj
in 1871.
The mansion itself rests on octagonal and square wooden pillars on which Ardh-murt relief
sculpture of flowers and creepers is engraved. Angles of wooden pillars, carved in free hand
design and the shapely Bharnai, which balconies rest on. The Sabha mandap, an extensive
Central Hall, has been constructed on sixty pillars. There are giant size madal-shilp sculptures
on twelve high pillars in the front row on which rest the portico of the first floor, capture our
attention with its great artistic appeal. These sculptors include a flying Hanuman lifting
the Devgiri mountain in his palm; a pot bellied Ghanesha wearing a scarlet turban in the
South Indian style, miniature sculptures of several soldiers armed and dressed in Marathi
turbans and costumes and herds of monkeys have been created on the religious tradition in
the wooden sculptors. Interestingly, some sculptors depict the 1857 uprising, with the Rani of
Jhansi and other heroes narrated in carvings of these pillars. There are a total of 12 such
pillars, which depict scenes such as a Maratha warrior fighting under the Rani of Jhansi in
guise of Durga the Hindu goddess, Indian leader Tatya Tope in the guise of Narsimha, the
lion headed form of Vishnu and that of parrots which tell the mood of the times.
Sculptures of lions and elephants, birds like peacocks and parrots and perfectly engraved
leaves and flowers decorate the panels. The beams, ceilings, and lower sections are adorned
with engravings, artistic sculptures and free-hand designs. In this mansion, Acharya sits on
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the wooden seat once used by Swaminarayan in the Congregation Hall. A new residence of
the saints, Vrajendraprasad Mahal and a dining hall for the devotees are also situated in this
mansion.

Haveli (East)
This mansion is two storeyed. Sculptures of animal heads, flowers and creepers are carved on
the wooden pillars of the portico on the ground floor. Items relating to NarNarayan Dev on
the ground floor. The first and second floors house a Sanskrit and music school as well as
residence for saints. The backyard hosts the residence for brahmchari (celibate) students. A
well where Swaminarayan used to bathe under a dome is also part of the backyard.

Secular area and Heritage Walk

Kalupur area in Ahmedabad where the temple is located in a Muslim dominated area.
Communal harmony was shown during the 2001 Gujarat earthquake when the Muslim
neighbours cooked food and gave it to the temple authorities, who accepted it as they needed
it to distribute to earthquake victims.
A Heritage Walk of Ahmedabad city was started on on the 19 November, 1997 by the local
municipal corporation in association with the Foundation for Conservation and Research of
Urban Traditional Architecture (CRUTA). The walk starts from this temple in the Kalupur
area of the city and ends at the Jama Masjid, after touring 18 sites. The one and a half
kilometer long walk takes three hours to complete. In 1999, the temple held an exhibition of
photographs relating to the culture and architecture of the city as part of the Heritage Week
celebrations. In 2003, Chief Minister of Gujarat, Narendra Modi, chose to lead this walk
along with his cabinet colleagues to spread the message of peace.

PREACHING
General Philosophical Outlook
The Swaminarayan Sampradaya is a Bhakti (Devotional) Sampradaya which advocates God
within the disciplines of Dharma. Lord Swaminarayan has propagated a philosophy where He
says that God is Supreme, has a divine form, is the all doer and always present on earth. He
simply states that jivas (souls) never merge or dissolve into God and neither are they part of
God but always subservient to God. The Jiva, through absolute surrender and attachment
toward the Guru, attains the realized state and becomes eligible to offer pure worship to God.
Main scriptures followed are:

Vachanamrut

180

Shikshapatri

Janmangal Namavali

Swamini Vato

SOCITY WELFARE
Bhagwan Swaminarayans Spiritual Succession
The Acharyas of the Sampraday are more than mere administrative heads, they are the
spiritual leaders and the Guru through whom the path to moksha (liberation) is opened
according to Bhagwan Swaminarayan.
Bhagwan Swaminarayan adopted Ayodhyaprasadji from his elder brother Rampratapji and
adopted Raghuvirji from his younger brother Ichcharamji and placed them as the Acharayas
(Spiritual Leaders) of his sect. (Shikshapatri Slokh 3)
He accepted the two as his own sons and handed the Northern- NarNarayan Dev Desh
(diocese) to Ayodhyaprasadji and the Southern- LakshmiNarayan Dev Desh to Raghuvirji in
Vadtal on VS 1882 (1826 AD) Kartik Sud Prabodhini Ekadashi (ironically on the same day
he was given the Acharya-pad by Ramanand Swami). The NarNarayan Desh is based in
Amdavad and LakshmiNarayan Desh in Vadtal. Though known as NarNarayan Dev and
Lakshminarayan Dev Gadi, both are the Swaminarayan Gadis as they are the only authentic
gadis established by Bhagwan Swaminarayan Himself. The Acharyas are householders and
their respective wives (Gadiwala) stand as the females Guru. The Gadi is passed on to the
most capable of the sons from their family.
1. Initiate followers into the sampraday with a Samanya Diksha by giving the gurumantra
2. Initiate monks-sadhus by giving them the Maha-Bhagwadi Diksha
3. Perform murti-pratishtha, install deities in the temples
4. Authenticate scriptures of the Sampraday

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5. Act as the Guru and leader of the entire sampraday

These responsibilities have been prescribed in the Shikshapatri, Satsangijeevan and Desh
Vibhag no Lekh, and according to these shastras no other individual other than the
Dharmavanshi Acharyas are permitted to carry out the above duties. In the scripture
Purushottam Prakash (Nishkulanand Kavya), the writer Nishkulanand Swami describes the
instance when Bhagwan Swaminarayan established the Dharmavanshi Acharyas.
Swaminarayan felt that as he had established the temples and the Swaminarayan Sampraday,
he wanted to keep his sadhus free from the affairs dealing with wealth, power etc. He
therefore decided that he would create leaders for each and every sadhu and householder,
who would then subsequently be responsible for the Swaminarayan Sampraday.
The establishment of the Dharmavanshi Acharyas was therefore immensely important for
both administrative and spiritual purposes.
The constitution of the sampraday is laid out in Desh Vibhag no Lekh which describes in
detail the functions of the Acharyas.
. . . it is my command to all sadhus, bhamcharis and all satsangies, that for the purpose of
your kalyaan (emancipation) you must obey and follow the two Acharyas of Dharmavansh,
and obey their commands by thought, action and speech. If this is compromised and whoever
turns elsewhere (rejecting the Acharyas) will find that they will never find sukh (happiness)
in this world or the worlds beyond and will experience immense distress . . (Desh Vibhag
no Lekh)
Furthermore, in one of the most authoritative scriptures the Vachamanamrut, Bhagwan
Swaminarayan states one of the prerequisites for attaining Akshardham.
The devotee who is aashrit of Dharmakul (i. e. he who has received initiation from
Dharmavanshi Acharya and remains loyal to the Acharya) gets a divine Bhram-state body by
God's wish (Vachanamrut, Gadhada Pratham Chapter 1)
So it is seen as imperative to be a humble loyal follower of the Dharmavanshi Acharya once
receiving the diksha (guru mantra) in order to be qualified to achieve a bhram form.

Even Gunatitanand Swami, one of the main sadhus of Bhagwan Swaminarayan states He
who insults the temples, Acharyas, sadhus and satsangies will find his roots being destroyed
and will inevitably fall from the satsang. (Swami ni Vato Prakran 5, Vat 104)
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RELIGION
Acharya Maharajshree Rakeshprasad Pande

Acharya Maharajshree Rakeshprasad Pande

Born

July 23, 1966

Titles/honours 9th Acharya, Laxminarayan Dev

Gadi
Philosophy

Swaminarayan Sampraday(Sanatana
Dharma)

CHAPTER:7
GOPAL KRISHNA GOSWAMI
INTRODUCTION

His Holiness Gopal Krishna Maharaj appeared on the auspicious day of Ekadasi, on August
14, 1944 in New Delhi, India.After graduating from the Delhi University, His Holiness
studied Business Management at the University of Paris in Sorbonne and later obtained his
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Master's degree in Business Administration from the McGill University of Montreal.

His Holiness Gopal Krishna Maharaj's life changed dramatically after he met His Divine
Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada on June 1, 1968. In two weeks he knew that he
would accept Srila Prabhupada as his spiritual master.
After taking a formal initiation from Prabhupada on May 22, 1969, he got fully involved
serving him. Srila Prabhupada sent him to India after he had served him as his personal
secretary in 1975.
His Holiness was appointed the Governing Body Commissioner (GBC) of ISKCON, India,
where he utilized his talents for promoting Srila Prabhupada's books all over the world. In
1982, His Holiness took sannayasa, the vedic order of renunciation. His Holiness is now
GBC of over 30 temples around the world with disciples in Russia, America, Canada, Europe,
Asia, Africa, etc. His Holiness is actively involved in many of ISKCON's current projects.
On the auspicious day of Ram Navami in 1998, His Holiness successfully opened the multicrore temple in New Delhi, India, known as the GLORY OF INDIA which includes a multimedia visual display, a Vedic cultural museum and an open air theater. This was inaugurated
by the Prime Minister of India, Sri Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

After visiting the ISKCON temple in Montreal, Canada in September of 1967, Gopal
Krishna Goswami Maharaj yearned to meet a Vaishnava guru and got the opportunity to
meet Srila Prabhupada there in 1968. The combination of his family background and his
search for spiritual life led him to Srila Prabhupada and he accepted initiation from him in
early 1969. Gopal Krishna Goswami played a leading role in inspiring and completing
several large ISKCON temples, such as the Glory of India temple in New Delhi in 1998
(inaugurated by then Prime Minister of India Atal Bihari Vajpayee) and the Radha
Bankebihari temple in Nairobi. Currently he is the GBC of over thirty temples around the
world and serves as an initiating spiritual master, with disciples in Russia, America, Canada,
Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and New Zealand.

HISTORY
His Holiness Gopala Krishna Goswami appeared on 14th August, 1944 in New Delhi, India.
The day was the eleventh day of the waning moon, the auspicious day of Lord Hari - Annada
Ekadashi.
After graduating from the University of Delhi, H.H. Gopala Krishna Goswami studied
Business Management at the Sorbonne University of Paris (on a scholarship from the French
Government). Later, he also obtained a Masters Degree in Business Administration from the
McGill University at Montreal.
H.H. Gopala Krishna Goswami's life changed dramatically after he met His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada in 1968. His Holiness was living in Toronto at that
184

time. Having received an invitation from the President of the Montreal temple, he arrived
there on 30th May, 1968.
When H.H. Gopala Krishna Goswami came to the temple, the President HG Mahapurusa
Dasa, announced that Srila Prabhupada would be arriving the next day (1st June). After the
kirtana, H.H. Gopala Krishna Goswami asked Mahapurusa Dasa if there was any service he
could do. Mahapurusa Dasa immediately sent H.H. Gopala Krishna Goswami to clean Srila
Prabhupada's room. "I was fortunate enough to receive this as my first assignment in
devotional service," says H.H. Gopala Krishna Goswami. He cleaned the doors, shelves and
windows of Srila Prabhupada's apartment. In this way, his service attitude for Srila
Prabhupada was manifest right from the beginning - even before he actually met Srila
Prabhuapada!
He first met Srila Prabhupada in the evening of 1st June, 1968. Within the first two weeks of
meeting him, H.H. Gopala Krishna Goswami knew that he would accept him as his spiritual
master later.
Around December 1967, six months before he met Srila Prabhupada, H.H. Gopala Krishna
Goswami had a strong desire to surrender to the Supreme Lord. He had started visiting many
Hindu temples, Gurudwaras and Churches hoping to find out about God. Every Sunday he
would seek out a different Church, Temple or Gurudwara, and would spend the whole day
there. In H.H. Gopala Krishna Goswamis own words: "When I first met Srila Prabhupada,
the motivation to surrender to God was already there in me, and two weeks after meeting
him, I knew that Lord Krishna wanted me to surrender to Srila Prabhupada".
Srila Prabhupada was always sympathetic and extra-merciful to Indians, but of all the Indians
who came to listen to him, young Gopala Krishna was very special. While all the other
Indians would offer obeisances and sit for a few minutes, he was the only Indian who would
come regularly and sit right till the lecture ended.
During the three month period that Srila Prabhupada stayed and lectured in Montreal, H.H.
Gopala Krishna Goswami says, "Of course, I did not at any time know the importance of
hearing , but my only small qualification was that I was very respectful to Srila Prabhupada
from the first day I saw him, and I would stay for his lectures till the end, and leave only after
he had left the temple".
Around that time H.H. Gopala Krishna Goswami was working for Pepsi-Cola, handling their
Marketing Research. Srila Prabhupada started taking great personal interest in him, and
would talk to him almost everyday.
Since then, both of them started a regular correspondence, with Srila Prabhupada writing as
many as three long letters every month. Thus began, a very intimate guru-shishya
relationship.
On 27th May 1969, Srila Prabhupada wrote to say, "As your name is already Gopala Krishna,
there is no need for changing it. You will now be known as Gopala Krishna Dasa. His
Holiness was only 25 years old then!
185

Later on H.H. Gopala Krishna Goswami moved into the temple and engaged himself fully in
the service of Srila Prabhupada. For many years he acted as his Personal Secretary.
In 1975, Srila Prabhupada sent H.H. Gopala Krishna Goswami to India. He had made H.H.
Gopala Krishna Goswami the Governing Body Commissioner for the entire India from 1975
to 1976. Srila Prabhupada specifically instructed H.H. Gopala Krishna Goswami to print and
expand book-distribution in India.
"He was already anxious that book-printing in India should expand," says H.H. Gopala
Krishna Goswami; "during my first two years he would press me again and again to print
more and more books." Srila Prabhupada was especially pleased when H.H. Gopala Krishna
Goswami presented him copies of the First Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam in Hindi.
Srila Prabhupada encouraged H.H. Gopala Krishna Goswami to utilise his talents for selling
his books as widely as possible. "Now you can utilize your knowledge of marketing for
Krishna's service, idam hi pumas tapasya srntasya va, svistasya suktasya ca buddhi dattayo.
This is the perfection of education."
Around this time, H.H. Gopala Krishna Goswami was also made G.B.C. for Russia. Later he
made several trips to Communist Soviet Union and risking grave danger, preached and
distributed books over there. After the fall of the Communist Regime, and the freedom
granted to religious expression, he has helped establish many centers in the erstwhile Soviet
Union.
In 1981, His Holiness took to the sannyasa order and a year later, in March 1982, on the
auspicious day of Gaura-Purnima, became a "diksha guru" (an initiating spiritual master).
H.H. Gopala Krishna Goswami is also the Chairman and Trustee of the Bhaktivedanta Book
Trust, which is the largest publisher and distributor of Vedic literature all over the world. He
is also the Governing Body Commissioner for Western and Northern India, Kenya, parts of
America, and many parts of the erstwhile Soviet Union.
H.H. Gopala Krishna Goswami has been and is at present ,actively involved in many of
ISKCON's current projects, including the multi-crore 'Glory of India.' Project in New Delhi.
This includes a multi-media visual display, a Vedic Cultural Museum, the Sri Sri RadhaParthasarathi temple, and an open air theatre. In Bombay past services include, a Centennial
Committee that was formed to launch campaigns to create funds to celebrate Srila
Prabhupada's Centennial. These included the building of Srila Prabhupada's Memorial
Hospital Project, a Nationwide Communications Project, Hare Krishna Television Project,
and many more are being discussed and improvised. His Holiness has also procured land in
Kurukshetra and Vrindavana for expanding preaching programmes.
Currently this has manifested in Heaven On Earth, another magnificent Project , this time at
Hare Krishna Land, Juhu. The Vedic Educational and Cultural Complex at the Heaven on
Earth is a must-visit place, where the Robot Show presents religious knowledge by using
electronic power. There are also excellent facilities at the new revamped Guest House and the
unparalleled Prasadam served at Govindas here.Congregational participation is being
186

encouraged in all spheres here and in other Zones. In the erstwhile Soviet Union, His Divine
Grace has had phenomenal success in serving Srila Prabhupada! Across Delhi and the other
Zones, buildings have been acquired, book distribution is growing rapidly, Food for Life
programmes have been introduced and are thriving, weekly seminars are being conducted,
restaurants are being developed, regular preaching programmes are being conducted in
schools and colleges and people are becoming favourable to the movement.
Other projects include youth cultivation programmes, house programmes in every corner of
the world, and overseeing of the translation, printing and distribution of Srila Prabhupada's
books.Youth and Householders in the Congregation are thriving in numbers and throbbing
with enthusiasm in serving Lord Chaitanya's Mission under Srila Prabhupada's
Instructions.Thus Lord Krishna's mercy is being distributed everywhere!
"H.H. Gopala Krishna Goswamis spirited enthusiasm makes even a sceptic pause and
contemplate on his words" said one atheistic visitor. His aims are so clear! Many are
overwhelmed by his selfless and compassionate intellect, as they strive towards becoming
virtuous people. Even the subtlest concepts are explained with such admirable ease and
patience.
Srila Prabhupada always admired his qualities of head and heart, and he once remarked:
"Gopala is a very nice boy and he must be encouraged". Even hard core atheists are attracted
to his graceful simplicity. Every encounter, every gesture and every answer brings out the
inner conviction he has, in the mission he has embraced.Srila Gopala Krishna Goswami
Maharaja ki Jaya.

Meeting with His Spiritual Preceptor - His Divine Grace A C Bhaktivedanata

Swami, Srila Prabhupada
Having received an intimation from His grace Mahapurusa das, the than President, ISKCON,
Montreal that His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, Srila Prabhupada, Founder
Acaraya, ISKCON shall be arriving in Montreal on June 1, 1968, H. H. Gopal Krishna
Goswami Maharaja arrived there on 30th May. After the kirtana, H. H. Gopal Krishna
Goswami Maharaja enquired if he could render some service, and he was immediately sent to
clean Srila Prabhupada's apartment.
"I was fortunate to receive this as my first assignment in devotional service", Maharaja said.
He cleaned the doors, shelves and windows of Srila Prabhupada's apartment. In this way,
Gopal Krishnas service attitude for Srila Prabhupada was manifested even before he actually
met him.
H. H. Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaja first met Srila Prabhupada in the evening of June
1st, 1968. Within the first two weeks of meeting Srila Prabhupada, he decided that he would
accept him as his spiritual master. In the words of H. H. Gopal Krishna Goswami
Maharaja, "When I first met Srila Prabhupada, the motivation to surrender to God was
already there in me, and two weeks after meeting him, I knew that Lord Krishna wanted me
to surrender to Srila Prabhupada".
In fact, around December 1967, H. H. Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaja had started visiting
many Hindu temples, gurudwaras and churches, in his search for the Absolute Truth or God.
Every Sunday, he would seek out a different church, temple or gurudwara, and would spend
the whole day there.
187

Establishment of Guru-Shisya sambandha

Srila Prabhupada was always sympathetic and extra-merciful to Indians, but of all the Indians
who came to hear him, young Gopal Krishna was very special. While all the other Indians
would offer obeisances and sit for a few minutes, H. H. Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaja
was the only Indian who would come regularly and sit right till the end of the lecture.
During the three month period that Srila Prabhupada stayed and lectured in Montreal, H. H.
Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaja spoke, "Of course, I did not know the importance of
hearing at that time, but my only small qualification was that I was very respectful to Srila
Prabhupada from the first day I saw him, and I would stay for his lectures till the end, and
leave only after he had left the temple".
Around that time, he was working for Pepsi-Cola, doing Marketing Research. Srila
Prabhupada started taking great personal interest in him, and would talk to him almost every
day. Since then, both of them started a regular correspondence, with Srila Prabhupada writing
as many as three long letters every month. Thus, a very intimate guru-shisya relationship had
already begun to establish.
On May 27th, 1969, Srila Prabhupada wrote to say, "As your name is already Gopal Krishna,
there is no need for changing it. You will now be known as Gopal Krishna das." H.H. Gopal
Krishna Goswami Maharaja was only 25 years old then!
Later on, H.H. Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaja moved into the temple and engaged
himself fully in the service of Srila Prabhupada. For many years, he acted as Srila
Prabhupadas personal secretary.
In 1975, Srila Prabhupada sent H.H. Gopal Krishna Goswami to India. Srila Prabhupada
made him the General Body Commissioner (GBC) of entire India from 1975 to 1976. Srila
Prabhupada specifically instructed him to print and expand book-distribution in India. Also,
Srila Prabhupada entrusted H.H. Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaja to oversee various
important projects, such as Vrindavana, Hyderabad, Mayapur and Mumbai, recognizing his
dedicated service and mood of sincere surrender.
"Srila Prabhupada was anxious that book-printing in India should expand", says H. H. Gopal
Krishna Goswami Maharaja. "During my first two years, he would press me again and again
to print more and more books." H.H. Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaja said, "that Srila
Prabhupada was especially pleased when he presented him copies of the First Canto of
Srimad-Bhagavatam in Hindi".
Srila Prabhupada encouraged him to utilize his talents for selling his books as widely as
possible. "Now you can utilize your knowledge of marketing for Krishna's service, idam hi
pumas tapasya srntasya va, svistasya suktasya ca buddhi dattayo. This is the perfection of
education."
In 1976, Srila Prabhupada appointed H. H. Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaja as G.B.C. for
Russia. He made several trips to Soviet Union, a communist state (now called the
Commonwealth of Independent States) and risking grave dangers, he preached and
188

distributed books over there. On the instruction of Srila Prabhupada, he took part in the
International Book Fair, waging a virtual war against maya.
Srila Prabhupadas instructions being his life and soul, empowered his vision, and amazing
feats began to manifest. After the fall of the communist regime in Soviet Union, and the
freedom granted to religious expression, he helped to establish many centers in the erstwhile
Soviet Union.

Acceptance of Sannyasa Order

In 1981, H. H. Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaja took the sannyasa order. A year later, in
March 1982, on the auspicious day of Gaura-Purnima, H. H. Gopal Krishna Goswami
Maharaja became a diksha guru (an initiating spiritual master).

Spiritual Messenger of Lord Caitanya

H. H. Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaja being an empowered representative of Lord Sri
Caitanya, is engaged tirelessly in distributing Lord Gaurangas mercy, and is one of the
important spiritual preceptor who is fully devoted to fulfilling Lord Gaurangas prophecy that
"My name will be chanted in every village and town of the world".
Distributing the holy name to conditioned souls, preaching in unfavorable environment and
risky places, perfect management of the Society, and demonstrating exemplary behavior in
practicing devotional service is unchecked! H. H. Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaja is
taking on a lot of responsibility personally, of delivering conditioned souls world-wide.
At present, H. H. Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaja is the G.B.C. for Mumbai, Northern
India (that includes New Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Vrindavana, Chandigarh),
Mayapur, Kenya, Canada, some states of America, and many parts of the Commonwealth of
Independent States. Also, he is the Chairman and Trustee of the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust,
the worlds largest publisher and distributor of Vedic literatures.
H. H. Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaja is engaged in inspiring and completing many of the
largest ISKCON temples after the departure of Srila Prabhupada in 1977. Some of the
important temple projects which have been completed under his untiring and dedicated
efforts and directions include Sri Sri Radha Bankebihari temple in Nairobi in November
1994, Sri Sri Radha-Parthasarathi temple in New Delhi in April 1998 (also known as "Glory
of India" project), 'Heaven on Earth' project in Mumbai in December 2003, Sri Jagannatha
temple in Ludhiana on Balaram Jayanti, 2004, Sri Sri Radha-Govinda temple in Faridabad in
2007, Sri Sri Krishna-Balarama temple in (Punjabi Bagh) the western part of New Delhi in
September 2007 and Sri Jagannatha temple in Ghaziabad in February 2008.
The "Glory of India" project in New Delhi, inaugurated by Sri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the then
Prime Minister of India, provides a multi-media visual display, a vedic cultural museum and
an open air theater. Also, the 'Heaven on Earth' project in Mumbai is housed with modern
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facilities for imparting the essence of vedic scriptures to spiritual seekers, a mass feeding hall,
a library with a reading room, a vedic samskara hall, besides a spiritually nourishing
Govindas restaurant.
Besides, the bhumi pujana for Sri Sri Radha-Madana-Mohana temple in Khargar (Navi
Mumbai), and Sri Sri Radha-Kunjabihari in Pune have also been accomplished. On June 1st
2008, bhumi pujan and ground-breaking ceremony has taken place for the proposed ISKCON
center, Sri Sri Radha-Gopinath and Ashta Sakhis temple in Ludhiana. The total land area for
the proposed temple is 4.5 acre. The Chief Minister of the State unveiled the curtain at the
plaque and broke ground in front of the wall with a gold-handled plow. H. H. Gopal Krishna
Goswami Maharaja also broke ground with another gold handled plow, to mark the beginning
of construction. The Chief Minister lauded ISKCON's mission of systematically propagating
spiritual knowledge among various sections of society, and its Food for life and midday meal
programs to feed the poor with sanctified and nutritious food. The project would be called the
'Glory of Punjab', and would include a multi-media visual display, a vedic cultural museum,
and an open air theatre. Additional land has also been procured in Kurukshetra and
Vrindavana for expanding preaching programs.
Besides attracting thousands of national and international tourists and devotees, these temples
are playing a leading role in spreading the divine message of Srimad Bhagavad-gita As It Is,
spoken by the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna about 5000 years back, as also other vedic
literatures. These temples are playing a leading role in college preaching, corporate
preaching, as well as preaching in institutions like the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT),
engineering colleges and many other management institutes, inspiring students, philosophers,
academicians, politicians, intellectuals and even hard-core atheists. Some of these temples
have stood first in the world in distribution of vedic literatures.
Inspired by Srila Prabhupada's instruction given to his disciples in 1974 that, "no one within
ten miles radius of the temple should go hungry. I want you to immediately begin serving
food", ISKCON centers distribute sumptuous Krishna prasadam on daily basis, as also on
festivals. Besides, many ISKCON centers such as Mumbai and Delhi, are actively taken up to
Mid-day Meal Program of the Government as a medium to distribute Krishna prasadam.
ISKCON, Delhi Mid-day Meal program is at the moment serving a staggering 1,75,000 meals
everyday, feeding hungry children of Delhi, Noida, Faridabad and Kurukshetra. Very soon,
the adjoining areas and cities would be covered under the scheme. United Nations - World
Food Program has appreciated this noble program and has agreed to provide technical
assistance. The Government of India also acknowledges these noble efforts and the State
Governments all around want to expand this project to other cities of their respective States.
All these spiritual activities are just a glimpse of H. H. Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharajas
deep commitment and surrender to Srila Prabhupada, his untiring, dedicated efforts, his
selfless compassionate nature and inner conviction to spread the mission of Lord Caitanya
Mahaprabhu globally.
Congregational participation is being encouraged in all spheres, and various goals are being
established. In the C.I.S., His Holiness has had phenomenal success! Buildings have been
acquired, book distribution is growing rapidly, Food for Life programs have been introduced,
weekly seminars are being conducted, restaurants are being developed, regular preaching

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programs are being conducted in schools and colleges, and people are becoming favorable to
the movement. Thus Lord Krishna's mercy is being distributed everywhere!
Other projects include youth cultivation programs, house programs in every corner of the
world, and overseeing the translation, printing, publishing and distribution of Srila
Prabhupada's books. Under his expert supervision, His Holiness has taken the distribution of
books to the highest limits in the history of ISKCON! Maharaja goes to different temples,
before the Marathon, to inspire everyone to distribute books.
H. H. Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaja spirited enthusiasm makes even a skeptic pause and
contemplate on his words. His aims are so clear! Many are overwhelmed by his selfless and
compassionate intellect, as they strive towards becoming virtuous people. Even the subtlest
concepts are explained with such admirable ease and patience.
Srila Prabhupada always admired his qualities of head and heart, and he once remarked,
"Gopal is a very nice boy and he must be encouraged". Even hard core atheists are attracted
to his graceful simplicity. Every encounter, every gesture and every answer brings out the
inner conviction he has, in the mission he has embraced.

ASHRAMS
New Gokula Dham is a well established ISKCON community. Devotees have been in the
area, preaching since the early 70's. There are 10 acres of land here for the pleasure of Sri Sri
Radha Madan Mohan. We receive about 400 guests at the Sunday Feast. H.H. Gopal Krishna
Goswami comes every year to visit. We host the biggest Janmastami in North America (8,000
to 10,000 guests). We have a weekly Harinama Sankirtan party go out and have a well
established evening program as well as a morning program.

Clandestine Green Light for Goshala Development

Vrindavan, India (Sun) Abhiram Dasa and Panca Gauda Dasa, Property Developers of
ISKCON Vrndavan, have been given the green light by their co-conspirator Gopal Krsna
Goswami for their development plans for ISKCON Vrndavan and Abhiram Dasa is at this
moment seeking to hire architects for this large scale multi development project.
He is most definitely not seeking refuge in the Holy Name, but he is dreaming of big big
plans for the development of ISKCON Vrndavan. This means that the claims made by
Abhiram Dasa that he is not involved or aware of any development plans for the Goshala are
nothing but a lie. If he is lying about this, what else is he lying about?
The Krsna Balaram Mandir here in Vrndavan is an international project and the
home/Samadhi of His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada first and
foremost. The integrity and chastity to Srila Prabhupada must be of prime importance to any
GBC or Temple Management.
The fact that Gopal Krsna Goswami (Who is now in total managerial control of ISKCON
Vrndavan), Panca Gauda Dasa and Abhiram Dasa have clandestinely plotted together to

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develop this Temple without the knowledge or consent of the International Devotional
Community should cast doubt regarding their motives and intention.
The worldwide devotional community have a right for full disclosure of their plans for Srila
Prabhupada's property and Temple. The fact that this has been done in secrecy and shrouded
in misdirection and deceit, means that not only that they do not care for anyone's opinion
except their own, it also infers that they know they would never have their plans approved by
the general devotees.
Such great changes that will be made should not be in the sole hands of a small group of
individuals.
Their plans encompass:
1. The building of an "MVT" style Apartment Complex on the Cows land for rich ISKCON
devotees, life members and themselves.
*Abhiram is infamous for allocating for himself 3 apartments in the MVT Vrndavan project
a Penthouse apartment, a 2Brm apartment and a 1Brm apartment.
*Both Abhiram Dasa and the Temple denied any knowledge of any plans to develop the
Goshala land and stated that their ideas were to merely plant trees and create japa walkways.
However, their plans for this development are still going on regardless of the senior devotees
who had firsthand knowledge that all the Goshala Land was purchased specifically for the
cows.

PrabhupadaVision.com Krsna's Cows

*This is also regardless of the spiritual relationship that Lord Krsna had with His cows in Sri
Vrndavan Dham. One must remember that Sri Vrndavan Dham is only small part of the
greater Braja area and each area has specific pastimes associated with Krsna's lila there. Our
ISKCON Temple is situated in Sri Vrndavan Dham and so to move the cows to another area
is nothing but a total disregard for the transcendental nature of Krsna's lila there.
2. The DEMOLITION of Srila Prabhupada's Gurukula Building and the building of a multi
story apartment / museum / restaurant complex.
*This building is Srila Prabhupada's pride and joy intended for transcendental education
purposes for both children and adults. Its maintenance has been irresponsibly neglected by
successive Gurukula authorities and now lies in disrepair. It does need extensive renovation
but it is a beautiful building with great potential to meet the requirements of Srila
Prabhupada.
3. The purchasing of land to relocate the Goshala Cows to land which will find the cows
miles away from Vrndavan Dham.
*Given the inflated prices of land in the Vrndavan area this makes sense, but it should not be
done at the expense of Krsna's cows in Vrndavan dham. Gopal Krsna Maharaja's lack of
spiritual vision regarding the sacredness of Sri Vrndavan dham and the relationship and
pastimes of the cows and Krsna is evident in this ruthless and thoughtless plan.
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4. The financing and relocation of the now privatised business of the Bhaktivedanta Gurukula
and International School.
*This school has long since departed from being a representation of Vedic Vaisnava education
as instructed by Srila Prabhupada and is now a karmi secular educative school and therefore
should not be allowed to have access to ISKCON funds / donors / resources / staff and
accreditation.
*Gopal Krsna Maharaja has already secured a donor who will help fund the Gurufool
relocation so they are well on the way with ripping off ISKCON with the full consent of the
GBC to use ISKCON's resources and funding system to support their rebellious cause.
5. Sale of the land known as Sarif Land" owned by the BBT
*To kick off' the funding for this ambitious property development is the sale of what is
known as Sarif Land which is a prime piece of real estate that is worth millions of dollars US.
Part of the proceeds from the sale will fund the above Gurukula relocation and part will fund
the other projects.
*This land was purchased by the BBT, however, due to the fact that Gopal Krsna Maharaja
who is a BBT Trustee, is one of the main pushers/supporters behind the Dynamic Duo
ISKCON Vrndavan Property Developers, Abhiram Dasa and Panca Gauda Dasa, the BBT is
allowing this transfer to go ahead
*One must remember that this property per square yards is worth many times that of the
Goshala Land, being situated on the main road.
*If the sale of this land goes ahead it is best that the sale price is checked against the local
rate of property as it has been rumoured that the price quoted by the Temple for this sale is far
less than the land is actual worth. The reason behind such a deal would infer foul play.
It is a shame that Srila Prabhupada's Home and one of the most profitable Temples in
ISKCON has succumbed to materialistic men and their money making plans that go against
our Vaisnava siddhanta and the purpose in which Srila Prabhupada has handed over the
management of his movement.
There is no doubt that ISKCON Vrndavan needs to be developed but any development must
be done with full disclosure and with the blessing of the devotees and most importantly it
must be in compliance with Srila Prabhupada's wishes.
The last point is that should we, as a worldwide devotional community, allow devotees whose
background is property development in the business sector to dictate and oversee Srila
Prabhupada's most precious spiritual gift to our worldwide devotional community?
Yours in the service of the Cows and Srila Prabhupada.
Krsnacandra dasa
Post Script The latest development is that the Gurukula has put a claim into the GBC that
they want the cows land (ISKCON Goshala) instead of getting some other land and having
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their secular school that pays lip service to Srila Prabhupada built far away from the money
draw card of Sri Vrndavan.
Then the BBT does not want to give the land to the Temple for sale
There is certainly trouble in the paradise of the ISKCON property developers! The point
these greedy people are missing is that the Goshala land is for Krsna's cows and not their
greedy plans. The Gurukula building is for Vedic education and not karmi secular education.

PREACHINGS
philosophy
Understanding Devotional Service
Again and again we hear the importance of pure devotional service. But the question is how
do we get to the point where you understand that devotional service is the ultimate activity
where one should engage in? This is also explained. The wonderful thing about our scriptures
is that everything is explained in great detail. We do not have to speculate, we do not have to
interpret. We just have to accept the process with faith. I remember once I was talking to Srila
Prabhupada and I said we should set up a research institute. So Srila Prabhupada did not like
the use of word research in our name. He said that there is no need to do any research. All
the research has already been done by Vyasadeva. All we have to do is just to accept it. There
is no need to do any research. Similarly we do not have to research how to execute pure
devotional service. We do not have to research into the process of how to get to the stage
where we would have developed pure love of God. Its already been explained in the shastras
and by the great sages. So to explain how in the initial stages there must be a desire shraddha.
There must be this desire. There must be this desire that there must be something beyond this
material life. There must be some God. There must be something beyond this life of sense
gratification. You must have that desire. Once this desire is there then the Supreme Lord who
resides in everyones heart as Paramatama, who is the witness to all our desires, He is the seer
and the ultimate sanctioning authority. Nothing can happen unless the ultimate sanctioning
authority approves it. You may desire to take over the whole world or buy a Mercedes car but
unless it is approved by the ultimate authority you are not going to realize that. So when the
Supreme Lord sees that here is a candidate who desires to understand Him, then the Supreme
Lord creates a situation where you meet a Sadhu. This is known as Sadhusanga. Krishna
explains in the Bhagvad-Gita,

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I am seated in everyones heart, and from Me come remembrance, knowledge, and

forgetfulness. By all the Vedas, I am to be known. Indeed, I am the compiler of Vedanta, and I
am the knower of the Vedas. I am the cause of remembrance and I am the cause of
forgetfulness. The ultimate sanctioning is realized from Krishna. So when the desire is there
or when we manifest the desire to engage in the service to the Lord and the desire is genuine,
then Krishna brings you in touch with spiritual people, brings you in touch with pure devotee,
brings you in touch with the representative of the pure devotee. He will bring you in touch
with a devotee who will just transmit to you the message of pure devotee

The Vancouver Show Hosts Hare Krsna Guru

On Vancouver's most popular talk show, an interview with the
leader of the Hare Krsna movement in Canada.
Announcer: When the Krsna movement first appeared on the scene, many critics
dismissed it and predicted that it would never last. Well, it has lasted. And with us tonight is
the man in charge of the Krsna movement in Canada, Srila Gopala Krsna Goswami. Here is
Laurier Lapierre now with Srila Gopala Krsna.
Laurier Lapierre: Good evening, sir, and welcome to our program. What is it that you do?
Gopala Krsna Goswami: I travel around the world preaching the message of Bhagavadgita. I encourage people to take advantage of the human form of life and achieve liberation
from the cycle of repeated birth and death in this world. This is what the Krsna consciousness
movement is trying to do propagate the ageless philosophy of the Vedas, which describe how
human life should be led.
Mr. Lapierre: How relevant is that to us, who live in the age of the atom and instant
communication?
Gopala Krsna Goswami: The teachings of the Bhagavad-gita are for everyone it doesn't
matter in what age one may live. In any age there are two types of knowledge one can obtain:
knowledge of relative truth and knowledge of the Absolute Truth. The Absolute Truth is true
eternally in the past, present, and future. The Bhagavad-gita gives knowledge of the Absolute
Truth, so it is as relevant today as it was five thousand years ago, when Krsna spoke it.
The basic philosophy of the Bhagavad-gita is that when the body dies the soul doesn't
die. Whether one is living in a primitive age or in the modern age, one's body is bound to die.
But the soul lives eternally.
Mr. Lapierre: Does it take on another form eventually?

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Gopala Krsna Goswami: It does. According to the Vedic scriptures, there are 8,400,000
different kinds of bodies.
Mr. Lapierre: How did you find that out?
Gopala Krsna Goswami: Well, there's a lot in the scriptures that neither you nor the
scientists will ever be able to discover.
Mr. Lapierre: You have to take it on faith?
Gopala Krsna Goswami: You have to have faith, but you can also test it out. For example,
about twelve years ago Dr. Wilfred Bigelow, a world-famous heart surgeon at the Toronto
General Hospital, stated in an interview published in the Montreal Gazette that after seeing
people die for thirty-two years he was definitely convinced there was a soul. In his
correspondence with His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the founder
and spiritual master of the Hare Krsna movement. Dr. Bigelow acknowledged that what
the Vedas are teaching is far superior to what modern science will ever discover.
Mr. Lapierre: And the end result of having a soul is what?
Gopala Krsna Goswami: Well, the real point is that we should utilize our human life
correctly. The soul is our real identity. Just as you have a suit and trousers that are covering
your body, you have a body that is covering your real self, the soul. The purpose of getting
this human body is to act according to religious principles so that we can get out of repeated
birth and death in material existence and return to the eternal kingdom of God, where we all
belong.
Mr. Lapierre: What made you come to the movemen?
Gopala Krsna Goswami: I was in Montreal, doing my studies at McGill, and I was
questioning the real purpose of human life. I had been searching for about two years, meeting
spiritual leaders of various faiths, until I finally met Srila Prabhupada. That was in June of
1968. I asked him what the human form of life is -meant for. His answers were so satisfactory
and so convincing that I eventually decided to adopt this way of life.
Mr. Lapierre: One problem your movement has is that you are lumped together as just
another cult a brainwashing one.
Gopala Krsna Goswami: Actually, we have a problem only with those who don't take the
time to study the Krsna consciousness movement. In fact, if you would take the time I could
show you statements by leading Indologists around the world, including Dr. A.L. Basham
[the world's foremost Indologist], who have studied the Krsna consciousness movement and
concluded that it authentically represents the Vedic culture.
Mr. Lapierre: So there is no "cult" involved? There is no brainwashing involved?
Gopala Krsna Goswami: No.
Mr. Lapierre: Another problem is that you walk down the street, take forlorn, sad souls,
disappointed with life young, impressionable and drag them back to your temple, and after
that they become Krsnas.
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Gopala Krsna Goswami: Can you tell me that you are not disappointed with life?
Mr. Lapierre: Every day. Especially after the hangover I have. But I am not about to go
out and put on your robes. I will stop drinking before that.
Gopala Krsna Goswami: But let us face reality. The reality is that everyone is
disappointed with life, and the reason you turn to alcohol as a means of shelter is that you are
also disappointed. But some are honest enough to admit it, and (excuse my frankness) some
are hypocrites who do not want to admit they are disappointed. Those who don't have the
courage to face up to reality take shelter of alcohol, drugs, loose women, gambling, and other
illicit activities.
Mr. Lapierre: We have been told by so many people, most of whom are crackpots, that
they have the answer to life's disappointments. I must have interviewed several people in the
past two to three months who say they have the answer to life. Consequently, one wonders.
Aren't you just another one of them? Aren't you just another crackpot who says he has an easy
way out of life's dilemma?
Gopala Krsna Goswami: As I said, if you take the time to study our philosophy, you can
draw your own conclusion. If you want to buy a suit, you take the time to go to two or three
shops to make sure you are getting the best price. Or if you want a job, you'll take the time to
go for a few interviews to find out which job would be the best for your character. Similarly,
if you take the time to study the Hare Krsna movement, you'll conclude that it is a genuine
movement offering information based on the most scientific knowledge, the knowledge
presented in the Vedic scriptures.
Mr. Lapierre: One last point: How do you reconcile all of this with the technology of
modern life?
Gopala Krsna Goswami: In Krsna consciousness we use all facilities in the service of the
Lord. For example, you have this wonderful TV studio. We also have our own TV studios,
but we make programs that show people how to be God conscious. So the modern amenities
are there, but we are using them all in the service of the Lord.
Anyone can serve Krsna. Krsna doesn't say that you have to withdraw and move into the
temple and shave your hair off, giving up your family. Remain where you are, but perfect
your life by stopping sinful activities and making God the center of your life.
Mr. Lapierre: Thank you. Thank you for your gentleness and for the gentleness of your
people. Thank you very much.

ROLE FOR SOCITY WELFARE

The Highest Welfare Activity
From the Srimad Bhagwatam we understand that the highest welfare activity for the human
society is to come to the platform of devotional service. Very often people tell us that why are
you spending so much money in building all the big big temples. Especially when they see
these big temples they say that why so much money is being spend, there is so much poverty,
197

remove the poverty. So the answer is that the pure devotional service is the highest welfare
activity because through this medium we learn to establish our lost relationship with the
Supreme Lord and thus become permanently free from the birth and death. So just giving
somebody philanthropic help or some material help is not the the real solution. It may give
some temporary benefit. But unless we learn the importance of coming to the platform of
pure Devotional service everything is simply a waste of time. Therefore, Srimad Bhagwatam
very strongly emphasizes the importance of pure devotional service and that is why Srimad
Bhagwatam is accepted as the ripened fruit of all Vedic Knowledge. The supreme occupation
[dharma] for all humanity is that by which men can attain to loving devotional service unto
the transcendent Lord. Such devotional service must be unmotivated and uninterrupted to
completely satisfy the self. Srimad Bhagwatam says very clearly that the self can only be
satisfied if we take to the process of pure devotional service. Otherwise the self cannot be
satisfied. The same point is illustrated in Caitanya Caritamrita where it is said Because a
devotee of Lord Krishna is desireless, he is peaceful. Fruitive workers desire material
enjoyment, Gyanis desire liberation, and Yogis desire material opulence; therefore, they are
all lusty and cannot be peaceful. It says that the devotees of the Lord are nishkama, they are
not engaged in this endeavor with this motive; hence, they are peaceful. Whereas the others
the bhuktis, the muktis, siddhis, those who want to be engaged in the fruitive work, those who
want liberation, those who want to achieve the mystic perfections they are all lusty, they
are all motivated. Hence, they are all sakali ashanta, they are not peaceful. So if you take to
the process of pure devotional service this is the highest welfare activity that one can engage
in.

God is Inconceivable
In Bhagavad-Gita, Krishna gives suggestions on how we should think of Him. One of the
things Krishna tells is to think of Him as one who is inconceivable, which means that He is
capable of doing things that one cant imagine with ones material senses. Just like if you tell
scholars of todays world that God appeared with four hands, ornamented, decorated with silk
cloth and jewels and then at the request of His parents He converted Himself into an ordinary
two- armed child. They will say it is mythology or it is humanly impossible? Many years ago,
we had a court case in Los Angles where the opposite party brought to the court a picture of
Lord Narsimha Deva and said, My Lord, this is the god they worship, half man and half
lion. Is it possible that God can be ever half man and half lion? Naturally, the president of
the jury said no to this concept. So the point is that people in general have very limited
concept of God but in Vedic concept, we have far more details and comprehensive
information about God than any other concept. It is described in Vedas how God is
inconceivable and how He can appear in any form. When we read about Krishna we see how
He executed His wonderful transcendental pastimes and because He is God, He can appear as
bear or tortoise or half lion or fish, etc
Gopal Khanna, aka Gopal Krishna Goswami is a BBTi trustee for India and an
elected ISKCON Guru and GBC (Governing Body Commissioner). He was appointed Guru
by 11 successor Gurus.
Gopal Khanna has been accused of Child Abuse within the ISKCON Society during 1970s
and 1980s. To escape the justice of the court Gopal Khanna along with other ISKCON Gurus
filed bankruptcy, and with the help of their lawyers got away with an out of court settlement.
Gopal Khanna has between 5000 to 10,000 disciples. They donate (Guru-dakshina) to their
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Guru at least once a year during Mr. Khannas birth day. He is getting in average of $2.5 to $5
million per year.
Child abuse has come to represent a fundamental betrayal of trust, not only for abused
children and their parents but also for the membership more generally.
- from Child Abuse in the Hare Krishna Movement:1971-1986 by E. Burke Rochford,
Jr. with Jennifer Heinlein
Before Gopal Khanna (dob 8.14.1944) joined ISKCON Society in Toronto in May of 1967 he
worked as a marketing research analyst for Pepsi Cola and Bristol-Myers.
In 1970, he married Ekayani Devi Dasi. Ekayani gave birth to a son in 1973.
Eight years later, in 1981, he divorced her and took the sannyasa order or the monastic
lifestyle within the ISKCON Society while officially leaving aside his wife and child. He
become an ISKCON Guru at the age of 36, and is considered to be as good as God or God's
Representative on earth by his ISKCON followers.
His abandoned wife, Ekayani devi dasi, has the following to say about Gopla Khanna aka
Gopal Krishna Goswami in her email to ISKCON women's ministry on Nov 15th 1999:
According to Gopal Khanna there was only some problem in America.
The darker side of Gopal Khannas life is his 30+ years of involvement in covering up for the
worst child abuse and crimes that have happened within ISKCON. He is a very close
associate of Kirtanananda Swami. Kirtanananda Swami is the kind of a person fully capable
of
causing Mumbai's
Terrorist
Attacks. Kirtanananda
Swami has
many followers in Pakistan who are still die-hard followers, are still worshiping him as good
as God, and are willing to do anything for him. Just as a little precaution, the Indian
Government would do its citizens justice if they could keep close tabs on Kirtanananda
Swami and his old friends. The facts of history are that the western people have on many
occasions implemented the policy of Divide And Rule over many countries, including
India. Considering the amount of disciples, money, resources and influences that these
foreign Gurus have amassed, to rule out their ability to create terrorizing acts is not far
fetched; it has already been proven that they can do it to their own children and poeple.
Gopal Khanna is an ISKCON GBC Guru in-charge of Krishna Balaram Mandir in Vrindavan,
Uttar Pradesh Zone for the past 30+ years. Convicted child abusers worked under him in
positions of teachers and authorities within ISKCON gurukulas (boarding schools).

Children Of Iskcon
Defendants:
Defendant GOPAL KHANNA (Krishna name, Gopal Krishna Goswami) resides at 1626
Pie IX Blvd., Montreal, Quebec, H1V2C5. Mr. Khanna was a member of the GBC from 1975
to 1999.
1. At all times material herein from 1971 through 1996, Defendant ISKCON, through the
GBC, operated and supervised the gurukulas across the United States and in India. The
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teachers and supervisors at the boarding schools and gurukulas acted upon the delegated
authority of ISKCON as its agents. The gurukula teachers and supervisors came to know the
Plaintiffs and gained access to them because of their status as leaders of ISKCON
indoctrination. The gurukula teachers and supervisors engaged in the described wrongful
conduct while in the course and scope of their duties with ISKCON and its affiliated entities.
Therefore, ISKCON is liable for the wrongful conduct of its gurukula teachers and
supervisors. -Turley Child Abuse Case of 2000

The Highest Welfare Activity

From the Srimad Bhagwatam we understand that the highest welfare activity for the human
society is to come to the platform of devotional service. Very often people tell us that why are
you spending so much money in building all the big big temples. Especially when they see
these big temples they say that why so much money is being spend, there is so much poverty,
remove the poverty. So the answer is that the pure devotional service is the highest welfare
activity because through this medium we learn to establish our lost relationship with the
Supreme Lord and thus become permanently free from the birth and death. So just giving
somebody philanthropic help or some material help is not the the real solution. It may give
some temporary benefit. But unless we learn the importance of coming to the platform of
pure Devotional service everything is simply a waste of time. Therefore, Srimad Bhagwatam
very strongly emphasizes the importance of pure devotional service and that is why Srimad
Bhagwatam is accepted as the ripened fruit of all Vedic Knowledge.
The supreme occupation [dharma] for all humanity is that by which men can attain to loving
devotional service unto the transcendent Lord. Such devotional service must be unmotivated
and uninterrupted to completely satisfy the self. Srimad Bhagwatam says very clearly that the
self can only be satisfied if we take to the process of pure devotional service. Otherwise the
self cannot be satisfied. The same point is illustrated in Caitanya Caritamrita where it is said
Because a devotee of Lord Krishna is desireless, he is peaceful. Fruitive workers desire
material enjoyment, Gyanis desire liberation, and Yogis desire material opulence; therefore,
they are all lusty and cannot be peaceful. It says that the devotees of the Lord are nishkama,
they are not engaged in this endeavor with this motive; hence, they are peaceful. Whereas the
others the bhuktis, the muktis, siddhis, those who want to be engaged in the fruitive work,
those who want liberation, those who want to achieve the mystic perfections they are all
lusty, they are all motivated. Hence, they are all sakali ashanta, they are not peaceful. So if
you take to the process of pure devotional service this is the highest welfare activity that one
can engage in.

Russian Holiday Event In ISKCON Vrindavan

On the auspicious occasion of Makar Sankranti, devotees at ISKCON Juhu distributed more
than 1,08,000 plates of hot meals to visitors at the temple and the underprivileged in Mumbai
on 14 and 15 January 2013.

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A team of 100 volunteers and ISKCON devotees prepared and cooked the prasada (sanctified
vegetarian food) while another 200 devotees and congregation members coordinated the
prasada distribution at various locations in Mumbai. More than 70 vans were dispatched from
the temple since early morning to reach their designated location before noon to facilitate
families to have hot lunch meals. Several members of the temple management including
Gopal Krishna Goswami, GBC & Trustee; Devakinandan Das, Zonal Secretary and Braja
Hari Das, Temple President visited some of the locations to distribute the prasada. The hot
meal, which was served on environment friendly leaf plates, consisted of rice, dal, subji,
pickle and halava.
A team of devotees distributed hot meals at the temple throughout the day to every visitor
who came to the temple for darshan of Their Lordships.
Besides the temple, some of the places where the prasada meals were distributed are near
National Park (Borivali, E), Aarey Colony (Goregoan W), APMC Market (Vashi), Bhawans
College (Andheri W), Mithibai College (Vile Parle W), Thane Mental Hospital (Thane),
Laxmi Narayan Temple (Santazruz E) and at certain locations in Dahisar, Ghatkopar,
Chembur, Khar, Kandivali, Andheri, and Dadar.
Makar Sankranti signify the entry of Sun in the Northern Hemisphere(makara-rasi). Vedic
scriptures recommend giving charity on this day -- and of all form of charity, anna-dan or
charity of food is most auspicious. A month prior to Makar Sankranti, several ISKCON Life
Patrons, well-wishers and congregation devotees donated in cash and kind towards the Anna
dan and made it possible for thousands of unprivileged citizens of Mumbai to have a hot
sanctified meal.

RELIGION

Gopala Krishna Goswami

Religi Gaudiya Vaishnavism, Hinduism

on
Other Gopal Krishna Khanna
name(
s)
Personal

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Born

August 14, 1944

New Delhi, British Raj
Religious career

Initiat Diksa1969, Sannyasa1981

ion
Post

ISKCON Guru, Sannyasi, Member of

theGoverning Body Commission

Websi http://www.gopalkrishna.comhttp://www.gop
te
alkrishnagoswami.comhttp://www.gkgoffice.
com/

ROLE OF YOGA
Meaning Of Real Yoga
Srimad-Bhagvatam says that the goal of all Vedic knowledge is to understand Krishna as the
Supreme Personality of Godhead. Just like Krishna explains in the Bhagvad-gita by all the
Vedas I am to be known because I am the compiler of the Vedas.engage in many different
sacrifices but actually the goal of all sacrifices should be to please Vasudeva. Then Vasudeva
Para Yoga, one of Krishnas names is Yogesvara. Yogesvara means the master of all mystic
Yogas. There are different types of siddhis which people can acquire. People today do yoga.
But yoga today is a very fancy word. Its a fancy word because peoples understanding of
yoga is some type of exercise as a result of which your body will be strong and you can have
more sense enjoyment. But the real meaning of yoga is to link oneself with the Supreme; to
connect with the Supreme Lord. Vasudeva Para Yogaso goal of Yoga should also be to
meditate on the Supreme Lord.
Therefore, in the concluding verse of the Chapter six in Bhagavad-gita Krishna says
yoginam api sarvesham. Who is the perfect Yogi? Who is always meditating upon Me.
Somehow or the other we must come to the point that we are always meditating on Krishna,
Krishna instructions, Krishna's desires, and Krishna's personality.
Just like in the Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu Srila Rupa Goswami explains all these rules and
regulations that are there in the scriptures, they are meant to bring us to the point where we
always remember Krishna and never forget Krishna.

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Controlling The Mind

The mind, intelligence, and senses are the sitting places of the enemy known as lust. In other
words, in mind, intelligent, and senses, lust is exerting its influence. Krsna says curb this
enemy, how do you curb this enemy? You curb this enemy with what? With the weapon of
knowledge. And how do you get knowledge? By reading the Bhagavatam.
It is very important that the mind does not contemplate the joys of material life rather it
contemplates and meditates on the spiritual subject matters. If the mind contemplates and
meditates on sense enjoyment then there is a good chance that it will also be instigated to act
in that mentality. And if we act in that mentality the spiritual life gets ruined. Therefore, it is
very much important that we control the mind from the beginning. That is why in the sixth
chapter of the Bhagavad-gita Krsna discusses this topic and again in the eighth chapter he
discusses in great length.
In the sixth chapter Krsna says make friends with the mind and dont let mind be your enemy.
So when is the mind considered to be a friend? For a materialist, friendship of the mind
means sense enjoyment; for a spiritualist, friendship means when the mind is acting, thinking,
feeling the importance of instructions of the sastras and guru. Then the mind is your friend
and when the mind is thinking of the opposite vikarmic activities that are detrimental to the
spiritual advancement in that case the mind is your enemy. Krsna says for one who has
controlled the mind the Supersoul is really pleased and for such a person happiness and
distress, victory and defeat, honor and dishonor are all the same.
So for a spiritualist we need to engage our mind and there are various ways how we can
control the mind. We were discussing the other day about meditating on the glories of the
holy name; we were discussing the other day Krsnas pastimes, meditating on the Krsnas
instructions in the Bhagavad-gita, meditating on Krsnas desire just like Prahlada Maharaja.
Prahlada Maharaja was always thinking of Krsnas desire; Krsnas desire is to claim the
conditioned souls back to Godhead. So this visnu smaranam is very important for a
spiritualist.
In the Bhagavad-gita sixth chapter, Krsna points out the importance of controlling the mind
but there Arjuna also declares certain characteristics of the mind cancalam hi manah krsna.
Arjuna explains that the mind is restless. Is that right? Is that true for us also? Our mind is
restless. The mind is turbulent. More difficult to control than the hurricane, it is more difficult
to control than the wind. It is very obstinate. You have heard that this is wrong, this is right
but you still keep doing what is wrong. It is very obstinate. So what do you do? It is very
restless, it is turbulent, it is obstinate, more difficult to control than the wind, and this
statement is given by none else but Arjuna 5,000 years ago. Today we expect our mind to be
in a much worse condition but Krsna does say that by practicing the regulative principles of
bhakti-yoga, you can control the mind. So just like Krsna says, daivi hy esa guna-mayi
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mama maya duratyaya. To overcome this illusory energy of mine is very difficult. So
someone may say Krsna says it is difficult then what hope do we have? Why should we even
attempt to control the mind and senses?
Krsna says that illusory energy is very powerful. He says like that, so should we just give up?
But what does he say in the next line? In the next line he says, mam eva ye prapadyante
mayam etam taranti te. If you surrender to me then even though it is difficult you will
overcome. Why Krsna says, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam
namaskuru. Because Krsna knows that even though the mind is restless, turbulent, obstinate
but if you adopt proper means then you will be able to think of the Lord, worship the Lord,
and pay homage to Him. So this mind will be great.
It is not that the undesirable thoughts would not come but we should not flirt with them.
When the thoughts come, reject them right away; not that you flirt with them. Flirt means
beginning to contemplate. Whatever you contemplate seriously, like in the case of Ajamila,
then there is a good chance that you will get attracted to it. So if you cannot control the mind
it is compared to sitting on an unbridled horse because sitting on the horse if you do not have
control then at anytime you can be thrown off the horse.
Rupa Goswami says that initially there is a desire that I wish to succeed on the spiritual path
and if the desire is there then the Lord sends you the appropriate association; that is sadhusanga and when you have the appropriate association you get the right knowledge. Then you
take advantage of the process of bhajana-kriya. Bhajana-kriya includes the process
of sadhana-bhakti, chanting of rounds, etc. When you follow this system of bhajanakriya then what happens? What is the next stage? Anartha-nivritti. When your mind is not
engaged positively, it is engaged negatively and negatively means being impressed by
the anarthas. So this lust, greed, anger, and envy these are all anarthas and they have a
powerful influence.
Rupa Goswami explains that by the process of bhajana-kriya, these anarthas can be
eliminated. And it is called anartha-nivritti. Nivritti means destroy and anarthas means that
which is unnecessary, undesirable. So anarthas are not very necessary. Just like sometimes
you go to your doctor and your doctor says you dont eat meat! How can you live without
meat? How can you live without that? But we can see practically that we lead a very happy
life without meats and eggs. So some people say, How can you live without lust, anger, and
greed? How is this possible? It is possible only by the power possible only by the power of
devotional service. So bhajana-kriya is the key for spiritual advancement. If we are engaged
in these activities then these anarthas can be eliminated and mind can be controlled.

Meditation
Watering the root of the tree
Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and thedemigods are subordinate to the
Supreme God. Just like by watering the root of the tree, all the branches get nourished,
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similarly, by worshiping Krsna, the demi-gods are also satisfied. Therefore, the vedas
conclude that one should focus on the Supreme Personality of Godhead Lord Sri Krsna who
is the source of real pleasure and happiness. The disciple associates with the spiritual master
by following his instructions. So always chant the Hare Krsna Mahamantra.Think of Krsna
and serve Krsna and this will take you back to Godhead.

Stay high forever

When you are flying in a plane, when the plane is taking off, as the plane gets higher and
higher, the buildings appear smaller and smaller. When you are landing, as the plane is
approaching the land, the building which from a distance appeared small, appears bigger and
bigger. That is exactly what happens when you take to spiritual life. When you take to
spiritual life, and as you are advancing in devotional service, when your enthusiasm is high,
material activities appear smaller and smaller. As long as you are flying high, as you are
engaged in active devotional service,material activities appear totally insignificant. But then
again when you descend to material consciousness that is when again you are beginning to
flirt with Maya which is exactly like the plane that is landing. Once again, those material
activities of which you lost sight, like the plane which is flying at the height of 32,000 ft., you
can not even see anything on earth, but then as it begins to descend, everything begins to be
visible. Similarly, as we flirt with Maya then those activities of which we had lost sight at one
time, once again they come to our appearance and they appear bigger and bigger. We have to
stay high forever as Prabhupada used to state. We can stay high forever if you are fixed in
devotional service, if you are ready to perform austerities, and these austerities will enable us
to capture Ka who is adhokshaja (a name for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who
is beyond material sense perception,who is not perceivable by impure material senses).

Meditation
We can associate with Krishna through His vibrational presence:
Some people complain that when they pray to God they do not feel His presence. We should
know that this is due to our incapacities, not God's. There are two conceptions of presence
the physical conception and the vibrational conception. The physical conception is temporary,
whereas the vibrational conception is eternal. When we enjoy or relish the vibration of
Krishna's teachings in Bhagavad-geeta, or when we chant Hare Krishna, we should know that
by those vibrations He is immediately present. He is absolute, and because of this His
vibration is just as important as His physical presence. When we feel separation from Krishna
or the spiritual master, we should just try to remember their words of instructions, and we
will no longer feel that separation. Such association with Krishna and the spiritual master
should be association by vibration, not physical presence. That is real association. We put so
much stress on seeing, but when Krishna was present on this earth, so many people saw Him
and did not realize that He is God; so what is the advantage of seeing? By seeing Krishna, we
will not understand Him, but by listening carefully to His teachings, we can come to the
platform of understanding. We can touch Krishna immediately by sound vibration; therefore
we should give more stress to the sound vibration of Krishna and of the spiritual master
then we'll feel happy and won't feel separation.
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CHAPTER:8
HRIDAYANANDA DAS GOSWAMI
INTRODUCTION
Hridayananda, born 1948 November 5, as Howard J. Resnick, received his rubber stamp guru
certificate in Iskcons homosexual re-coronation ceremony and crowned himself Acaryadeva.
He personally picked that name for himself in the days of the Zonal-Acarya nonsense with

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the misconception that the was one of the "acarya successors" of Srila Prabhupada. He forced
his godbrothers to worship him in a simultanious guru-puja, declaring Prabhupada for dead.
He was living in Miami Beach, in a converted hotel that the temple had purchased. While
living there, he developed an attachment to a woman. He pursued a very unhealthy
relationship with her enough so that it certainly constituted a falldown and serious enough
so that the GBC had to step in and put a stop to. Hridayananda did give the relationship up in
due course, but not until he was essentially threatened by the GBC. Of course, the GBC did
not announce that this was going on, but many devotees in leadership positions at the time
knew many of the details. Likewise, we certainly can't assume that Hridayananda is not
'falling down' right now, just because the GBC aren't telling us that's the case.
Hridayananda wrote in the Eleventh Canto of his bogus "Srimad Bhagavatam" that the two
worst pedophile Iskcon gurus and child molesters [Bhavananda and Kirtanananda] are his
examples of acaryas to worship as new "successor-gurus", thus perverting Iskcon and Srila
Prabhupadas pure philosophy.
Srila Prabhupad appointed Pradyumna Prabhu to finish translating Cantos 10, 11 and 12 of
Srimad Bhagavatam but Hridayananda has stolen this service from Pradyumna and helped to
kick him out of Iskcon. Hridayananda's unscrupulous usurpation of Pradyumna's sacred
service marked only the start of his 28 year treachery GBC-teamwork trend of perverting
Srila Prabhupada's books.
Hridayananda is a nonsense guru, false acarya and bogus Sannyasi, attracted to luxurious
lifestyle and the tatas (tits) of women. He lives like a playboy in Beverly Hills in expansive
houses with swimming-pools, cars and servants. He is a cheater, liar and thief, he has
destroyed many disciples' lives.

HISTORY
His Holiness Hridayananda dasa Goswami (Howard J. Resnick, Ph.D.) is one of the most
senior and respected spiritual leaders of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
(ISKCON). As the first westerner to translate the sacred Bhagavata Purana from Sanskrit to
English together with authorized commentaries, as the first senior ISKCON leader to
complete a doctorate in Vaishnava studies and to openly promote higher education in
ISKCON, as the pioneer of Krishna consciousness in Latin America, as the first senior leader
to publicly endorse a campaign to provide greater opportunity for women in ISKCON, and in
many other activities, Hridayananda das Goswami has been on the cutting edge of the Hare
Krishna movement.
Acharyadeva, as he is known to his students, took birth on November 5, 1948, in Los
Angeles, California and lived there until January 1967, when he went to study at the
University of California, Berkeley, participating there in the social and political revolution of
the time.
In early 1969, he attended a lecture given by Srila Prabhupada, Founder-Acharya of the
Krishna Consciousness Movement. Impressed by the deep wisdom and saintliness of his
future guru, Acharyadeva frequented the Los Angeles ISKCON temple in the summer of
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1969, joined the Berkeley branch of ISKCON in September of that year, and soon took up
full-time service. On February 8, 1970, Srila Prabhupada personally initiated him as a
disciple in Los Angeles.
Since his earliest days in ISKCON, Acharyadeva distinguished himself by his devotion to his
teachers mission and his eloquence and erudition in presenting his gurus teachings. After
serving in ISKCON Boston, where he married Ananga-manjari dd, and after leading, with
her, ISKCONs temples in Gainesville, Florida, and Houston, Texas, Acharyadeva accepted
the renounced order of life, sannyasa, in 1972, and spent two years living in a van as he
traveled throughout North America, lecturing in dozens of universities. During this time, he
founded the Library Party and successfully distributed Srila Prabhupada's books to colleges
and libraries throughout the U.S.
In March, 1974, during the first international Gaura-Purnima festival in Sridham Mayapur,
Srila Prabhupada called Acharyadeva to his room and requested him to join ISKCONs
highest governing body, the GBC, and take charge of ISKCONs activities in Latin America.
In the following three years in Latin America, Acharyadeva established over twenty centers
that attracted thousands of Latinos to the Krishna consciousness movement. He also
personally supervised the translation, publication, and distribution of millions of Srila
Prabhupada's books in Spanish and Portuguese. In his trips throughout Latin America, he met
many social, religious, and governmental leaders, conversing with them in fluent Portuguese
and Spanish.
Acharyadeva has also supervised ISKCON activities in the Southeast United States, Italy, and
Greece, in addition to lecturing around the world with great success. Indeed people in over a
hundred countries, including many other spiritual leaders, listen to and study his recorded
lectures and writings.
Srila Prabhupada made many statements that confirm his explicit, consistent view that his
disciples and subsequent followers would eventually initiate their own disciples into the
disciplic succession, including a conversation with members of the GBC in May 1977.
Shortly before leaving this world in November of 1977, Srila Prabhupada asked Acharyadeva
and ten other prominent disciples, to initiate on his behalf. After his departure, under the
auspices of the GBC, these eleven and eventually dozens of other disciples of Srila
Prabhupada, in accordance with his expressed desire, began accepting their own disciples.
Thus, they became what Srila Prabhupada described as "regular gurus."
Three years later, ISKCONs leaders, recognizing his profound devotion and erudition,
authorized Acharyadeva to complete Srila Prabhupada's most important service: translation
and commentary of the Srimad Bhagavatam, the central scripture of the Gaudiya Vaishnava
movement. In 1988, with the invaluable help of Gopiparanadhana Prabhu and Dravida
Prabhu, Acharyadeva completed this monumental task.
In 1996, Acharyadeva received his Ph.D. in Sanskrit & Indian Studies from Harvard
University and began teaching at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California. He
has also served as a visiting scholar at UCLA, taught at the University of Florida, and
lectured at hundreds of universities around the world. Harvard Press, University of California
Press, and Columbia University Press have all published his articles.

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Eager to reach a much wider audience, he has just completed his first major novel, and is
already busy at work on a creative trilogy, based on the central story of the Mahabharata.
Hridayananda dasa Goswami, as well as ten other prominent disciples, to accept the role of
spiritual masters and initiate disciples to give continuity to the disciplic succession starting
with the Supreme Lord, Krishna. The biggest challenge in his career as spiritual leader,
however, came when the leaders of ISKCON, recognizing his profound devocional erudition,
entrusted him to complete de Srila Prabhupada's monumental translation and commentary of
the Srimad Bhagavatam, the most important classic of Vedic literature. For thousands of
years in India, great spiritual masters presented commentaries on the Bhagavatam to explain
its urgent message to the people of their times. H.H. Hridayananda dasa Goswami is the first
westerner is trusted with this laborious task, and his success in communicating the essence of
India's spiritual heritage to modern readers has already been noticed by scholars and religious
leaders in the whole world.
In 1996 H.H. Hridayananda dasa Goswami received his Ph.D. in Sanskrit and Indian Studies
from the University of Harvard.
His present project is the translation and adaptation of the Indian epic, the Mahabharata. He is
also currently finishing his first novel, a modern-day, exciting drama meant to captivate the
general public while transmitting Krishna conscious philosophy and values.

ASHRAMS
Womens Retreat in Pandavas Paradise
Over the weekend of April 9-12 we held our first womens retreat at Pandavas Paradise. The
event was inspired by the visit of Jaya Gauri Prabhu (ACBSP) to Brasilia, her home town.
Here is an English translation of a report on the retreat, written by Bn. Claudia, one of the
participants:
The Womens Retreat in Pandavas Paradise brought together a great group of good-spirited
and dynamic women who were all very enthusiastic to hear what Jaya Gauri Prabhu had to
say.
Jaya Gauri Prabhu (pictured above), a disciple of Srila Prabhupada, shared with the group her
profound knowledge of Vedic Culture and bhakti-yoga and her experiences as a woman in the
Hare Krishna Movement. She also gave hatha-yoga classes.
Jaya Gauri enchanted all the participants with her sweet and inspiring presence.
In her association we experienced unforgettable moments, as much for the more advanced
devotees as for the beginners. pure nectar!

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Besides the wonderful lectures and yoga classes, the ladies enjoyed the beautiful natural
surroundings, moments of peace and well-being, bathing in the waterfall, days of sun and
nights full of stars.
The energy required to participate in all this came from the delicious organic vegetarian
meals prepared by our dear Carana Renu Prabhu.
The feminine energy reigned in Paradise! We had wonderful days that only left us wanting

The Devi Ashram: Openings for an ashram leader and ashram residents

The Devi Ashram is a new International Vaishnavi Training and Retreat Centre in Brazil that
will offer ladies of all ages an opportunity to come and learn or teach all aspects of a Krishna
conscious lifestyle, or just relax and read/study Srila Prabhupadas books in a good
devotional atmosphere. The resident students at the ashram will receive training in the
philosophy of the Bhagavad-gita and Srimad Bhagavatam, and learn to cook, give classes,
worship deities, preach, play our traditional instruments, lead kirtans, even grow their own
vegetables, and more. Those who come for reading retreats will be free to participate in all
student activities or simply relax and study Prabhupadas books. All the ladies at the Devi
Ashram will also be able to take advantage of our nature trails, fresh water pools and
waterfalls.
We are an ISKCON project located in the beautiful natural surroundings of Pandavas
Paradise (Paraso dos Pndavas) at Chapada dos Veadeiros, a famous eco-tourism and
spiritual-tourism destination about two hours from Brasilia, the capital of Brazil. The
temperatures are warm all year round, the air is clean, and the water at our natural pools and
waterfalls is crystal clear. We have various nature trails for taking walks in the most biodiverse savanna on the planet, and many types of fruits and vegetables are growing in our
organic garden.

Ashram leader wanted

We are looking for a female ashram leader to begin in December 2009 or January 2010. This
is a temporary position for 6 months only.
The main duties of the ashram leader will be to:

oversee the daily activities of the other ashram members, students and guests
provide some spiritual guidance to those under her care
give classes on Bhagavad-gita and Srimad Bhagavatam
teach some basic practical aspects of Krishna conscious life
ensure that all the ashram members are following the rules of the ashram
participate and assist in our regular spiritual retreats

The ideal candidate will be initiated, have some ashram experience, be well-read in Srila
Prabhupadas books, and be able to work with ladies of all ages from all backgrounds and at
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all levels of experience in Krishna consciousness. Being able to speak either Spanish or
Portuguese as well as English is very important for this role.
In return for her service, the ashram leader will receive healthy prasada, comfortable single
room accommodation and basic maintenance during her stay with us. We will also pay in full
for her round trip to Brasilia provided she stays for a whole six months. This is a great
opportunity for anyone looking to perform some pioneering preaching service in a unique and
exciting new project.

Openings for ashram residents and students

We are also open for applications from potential ashram residents and students for stays of up
to 6 months beginning January 2010 or later. The main qualifications for acceptance are

a serious commitment to the process of Krishna consciousness

a desire to serve Srila Prabhupadas ISKCON

The main duties of ashram residents and students are to:

participate in the ashrams training activities and temple programs

follow the rules of the ashram and the ashram leader
participate and assist in retreats at Pandavas Paradise
study Prabhupadas books independently for at least 1.5 hours every day

Ashram residents will be expected to pay a minimal monthly fee in return for the training,
accommodation and prasada that they receive. Some yoga classes will also be provided.
We are able to cater to individual requirements in terms of study, service, diet, sleeping
arrangements etc. your stay with us will be highly personalized.

PREACHINGS
Feelings & Philosophy by Hridayananda Dasa Goswami
Reactions to the Terrorist Attacks
Does the philosophy of Krsna consciousness demand only indifference to the
tragic events of this world?
When terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon stunned the people of
America, many devotees of Krsna grieved along with their fellow Americans. Was that a
proper response for persons trained in the philosophy of Krsna consciousness? In the days
following the attacks, many devotees pondered that question and similar ones, and not
everyone reached the same conclusions. Here we present some thoughts by three members of
the Krsna consciousness movement.
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Enlightened Compassion
[Originally written as a letter to disciples soon after the events.]
Surely by now you have all heard about the recent terrorist attacks in New York,
Washington, and Pennsylvania. Since we aspire to be servants of the Lord, it is important that
we not take a casual or dismissive attitude toward these events and say, for example, "It's just
a fight among the materialists" or "People are just suffering their karma." Were this to be the
full extent of our response to these events, I think we would be deficient in our devotion to
God. Why do I think this way?
Lord Krsna states in the Bhagavad-gita (6.32) that a devotee should feel universal
empathy. Srila Prabhupada translates this verse as follows: "He is a perfect yogi who, by
comparison to his own self, sees the true equality of all beings, in both their happiness and
their distress, O Arjuna!"
This verse, among other meanings, recommends a kind of universal empathy. In his
purport Srila Prabhupada stresses the point of empathy: "One who is Krsna conscious is a
perfect yogi; he is aware of everyone's happiness and distress by dint of his own personal
experience. In other words, a devotee of the Lord always looks to the welfare of all living
entities, and in this way he is factually the friend of everyone."

Devotional Empathy
We find another explicit, powerful call for devotional empathy in the Bhagavatam : "If
one is unhappy to see the distress of other living beings and happy to see their hap-piness, his
religious principles are appreciated as imperishable by exalted persons who are considered
pious and benevolent."
This is how we can apply such empathy in the case of the recent terrorist attacks:
First, we can imagine what it would have felt like for us to have been on one of the four
planes that were hijacked and destroyed, or in one of the three attacked buildings. There is
ample information available so that we can be quite specific and explicit in imagining the
experience.
Second, we will probably have to honestly admit that we would feel significant
discomfort, pain, or anxiety in such a situation. If we are capable of deep empathy, if we are
able, as Srila Prabhupada states, to understand the experiences of others by comparing them
to our own experiences, and we are "factually the friend of everyone," then we experience
true Vaisnava compassion.
In other words, we should not be more detached from the suffering of others than we are
from our own suffering. We should not arrogantly dismiss the anguish of others, as if we are
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beyond anguish. A devotee who is truly transcendental to material suffer-ing, and who would
not have suffered at all in one of those four airplanes, or in one of those three buildings,
would be a most exalted pure devotee and as such would feel great compassion for the fallen
conditioned souls. Those who are not compassionate, and who dismiss as trivial or
unimportant such great suffering, are not actually demonstrating advanced detachment in
Krsna consciousness, but rather they are demonstrating a disturbing lack of common
empathy, and are in fact embarrassing our movement by their neophyte response.

Identifying Evil
ISKCON devotees oppose animal slaughter. How can we not oppose human slaughter? If
one says, "It's their karma," then we reply that the same is true for cows and other animals
that are slaughtered. If one says, "This is just a political fight among materialists," I would
reply that in the Bhagavad-gita Lord Krsna clearly distinguishes between acts in the different
modes of nature, and He specifically describes certain acts as not only materialistic, but as
evil and demonic. It is surely evil and demonic to murder thousands of innocent persons. Let
us remember that in Vedic culture we are required to treat people according to their innocence
and guilt in this life. God will take care of their past karma. We are not allowed in Vedic
culture to abuse people, harm or kill them, and then say, "It must have been their karma."
Vedic culture is not moral anarchy in the name of karma. We should be above mundane
morality, not below it.
During the Bangladesh War in the early 1970s, Srila Prabhupada strongly condemned the
Muslim atrocities against the Hindus, and indeed against other Muslims, in Bangladesh. Of
course, in every country on earth there are tragedies, and the devotees will benefit themselves
personally, and greatly enhance their preaching, if they are able to achieve a real state of deep
empathy, not in the cause of materialism or the bodily concept of life, but as a symptom of a
budding self-realization that leads one to feel liberated compassion for all suffering beings.

A Spiritual Challenge by Srila Hridayananda Dasa Goswami

Piety at the Pig Roast
Morality the American Way
In the fastidious, righteous America of the past, it was exhilarating and fashionable to
intellectually break down the hangups that made people feel guilty about immoral acts. In
today's degraded, drifting society, teachers and professors are scrambling back to the old
provincial concept that education should teach a person to be good, moral, and selfcontrolled.
"The scientific method is a marvelous means of inquiry," says Steven Muller, president of
Johns Hopkins University, "but it really doesn't provide a value system. The biggest failing in
higher education today is that we fall short in exposing students to values."

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Charles Muscatine, a professor of English at UC Berkeley, who calls today's education "a
marvelous convenience for a mediocre society," says that education does have a purpose: to
cultivate "informed decision-making that recognizes there is a moral and ethical component
to life."
Students "should be taught philosophy, moral philosophy, and theology," says psychiatrist
Robert Coles, who teaches at Harvard and Duke. "They ought to be asked to think about
moral issues, especially about what use is going to be made of knowledge, and why a kind of
moral reflection that I think has been supplanted by a more technological education.
Replacing moral philosophy with psychology has been a disaster, an absolute disaster!"
Well and good. A refreshing and unexpected display of American intellectual piety. But
there are problems blocking a return to moral education. For one thing, who's to decide the
obvious question "What is moral?" and the perhaps more difficult question "What is
immoral?"
We fear the violence of an immoral society, yet autocratic measures to insure morality are
something we perhaps fear more. We don't want America to collapse like hedonistic Rome,
yet we certainly do not want to follow the example of highly "moral" countries like Iran.
How do we insure morality and at the same time avoid losing our freedom?
Consider the moral predicament caused by what would seem the most obvious moral
precept. The Bible says, "Thou shalt not kill." Yet this simple moral maxim seems impossible
for most Americans to accept, or even understand even those clamoring for a return to
morality. The Bible tells us not to kill. But Americans certainly do love to kill. Americans are
avid hunters, fishers, and meat-eaters, although we tend to ignore or even deny that this is
killing.
For example, the September 27 edition of Time reports this breathtaking display of
spiritual dullheadedness: "'My father's favorite quote was from the Bible,' Democratic
Senatorial Candidate Mark Dayton, 35, told voters at a Minnesota pig roast." Quoting the
Bible at a pig roast, after all, is good American fun. There's certainly nothing immoral about
killing a pig.
Consider Kentucky Governor John Y. Brown (recently involved in a controversy over his
Florida banking transactions). Governor Brown made a vast personal fortune by popularizing
Colonel Sanders Kentucky Fried Chicken. In other words, as a businessman he arranged to
kill millions and billions of chickens. He also started the Lums Restaurant Corporation, a
fast-food cow-killing chain. When asked about his money, he said, "It was made through the
American process." He added, "There is nothing improper or illegal. I have nothing to hide.
Anything I've made I've made honestly and I spent honestly."

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If it's the "honest American way" to slaughter billions of innocent animals, including the
cow, which provides us milk like our mother, then how are we to agree on a standard of
morality?
And why maintain sophisticated institutions like Harvard, or indeed the U.S. Congress, if
our morality can't go beyond the level of insects and animals? Animals defend their own
kind. And if we simply defend our own kind, if we limit our morality to not hurting other
human beings, then we are acting on the level of animals. True morality means respect for the
holiness of all life, and indeed of all that exists, since everything emanates from the Supreme
Holy, the Supreme Lord.
Without a thorough understanding of the science of God, morality is a farce, whether it's
administered by so-called religious leaders like those in Iran or by the pious agnostics we find
in American universities. We must have a solid understanding of God, as explained by Krsna
consciousness.
Krsna consciousness teaches that all life is a sign of the eternal soul. God is the Supreme
Soul, the supreme life, and all that lives is part of God. If we can't even follow the simple
injunction "Thou shalt not kill" if we instead prefer big educational and political discussions
over chicken and steak dinners, pig roasts, and barbecues then we are far too ridiculous, as a
nation, to survive.

ROLE FOR SOCITY WELFARE

Q&A with Srila Hridayananda das Goswami on ISKCON and Welfare Work
Question: Do you think that the increased food distribution to poor children and the opening
of hospitals by ISKCON (in India) compromises ISKCONs purpose as established by Srila
Prabhupada, or diminishes its purity of distributing pure spirituality?

Answer by Srila Hridayananda das Goswami:

I agree that ISKCON should not become, or be perceived as having become, a mundane
welfare society. It would be hard to make the case, for example, that Chowpatty is
predominantly mundane, given the extraordinary attention to sadhana-bhakti there, and the
powerful preaching programs at colleges etc.

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In the US and West Europe there are far fewer welfare programs, and of course the
movement is largely irrelevant and forgotten. Prabhupada spoke of varnashrama and even
wanted to dedicate his last visit to the US, which health did not permit, to varnashrama.
Mundane society is a headless body, but ISKCON is a disembodied head. One may imagine
that without widespread prasadam distribution, hospitals etc ,we will become a major
spiritual force in society simply by preaching philosophy and chanting etc, but we may not.
Ever.
In the West, an extraordinary historical window opened and ISKCON grew. That window is
now largely closed and we make devotees at a tiny rate compared to then. Other windows
may be opening but we have yet to clearly identify them.
In India, the stunning novelty of western Vaishnavas powered the initial expansion of
ISKCON, and now ISKCON India is flying under its own steam. To imagine that we can be a
large, powerful movement in India and entirely reject programs such as food distribution and
hospitals is, in my view, unrealistic. Such a view, I believe, ignores real history. Of course we
may go too far. But we must be careful not to go to either extreme.

Responses to Q&A with Srila Hridayananda das Goswami on

ISKCON and Welfare Work
If Srila Hridayananda das Goswami is correct in his assertion that in the U.S. and West
Europe the movement is largely irrelevant and forgotten, then increased food distribution to
poor children and the opening of hospitals by ISKCON is the least of its problems. In fact, it
may be just the thing that makes ISKCON remembered and relevant. To hear the statement
that Prabhupadas movement in America and Western Europe is largely irrelevant and
forgotten is deeply disturbing and must be the central focus of the GBC and every temple.

Q&A with Srila Hridayananda das Goswami on Protecting Women

Questions: What does it mean when the Vedas state that men should protect women?

Answer by Srila Hridayananda das Goswami:

Prabhupada and Shastras do teach the protection of women. Krishna also says in the Gita: yad
yad acarati sresthas people follow the leaders example. Thus a man who sets the right
Krishna conscious example will be able to guide and inspire a woman.
Men must also realize that to protect does not mean to subjugate, humiliate or dominate. It
means to protect. Shastra gives many examples of husbands who protected their wives by
occasionally accepting that in a particular case, the wife had a better understanding of a
situation. Examples:
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1. The brahmana wives fed Krishnas friends, when their husbands refused and forbade them
to do so.
2. The wives of Kaliya surrendered to Krishna before their husband.
3. The great Pandu gave up his determination that Kunti have more sons with demigods and
accepted her argument.
Power corrupts and in this age, we have seen many instances not only of women becoming
corrupted by seizing power, but of the same happening to men. In the name of Vedic culture,
we have seen too many cases of domestic violence and other forms of marital abuse.
Vedic culture is sophisticated, nuanced and subtle. Ignoring those subtle, deep qualities, we
are at times left with crude male chauvinism or mundane feminism, rather than true Vedic
culture.

Q&A with Hridayananda das Goswami on Veils and Female Chastity

Questions: Is the use of a veil by women a standard Vedic practice confirmed by scriptures?
We see the word samvita and its translated as veiled, is this correct? What is the standard
of chastity in the Vedas for women?

Answer by Hridayananda das Goswami:

Samvita does not rule out a veil, but it certainly doesnt rule it in. The literal meaning,
well covered/dressed is relative. We know for example that in many conservative parts of
India, during various periods, chaste, respectable women did not cover the top part of their
body, not to speak of their heads and faces. We see this clearly in exterior temple sculpture
where even goddesses, presumably the most respectable ladies, are very scantily dressed. I
have seen this myself, in certain rural parts of India.
As a general point, we see throughout history that the indecent part of the anatomy shifts
over time. For example, during some periods in Europe, a ladys neck, or arms, was
considered more erotic than her bust, which perhaps was seen as maternal.
Certainly there is a long history of respectable women covering themselves, so as not to be
seen by unworthy, lower classes, but this tradition is not universal either in time or
geography. Thus, although we know that sometimes Greek ladies covered parts of their head
or face, most Greek statues show those ladies bare-headed, along with the normal bareheaded goddesses.
My conclusion: chastity is an eternal principle. How chaste women dress varies according to
time and place. We do know that Draupadi and other chaste women of Krishna-lila were
well covered.

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We also have stories of Indra and Candra [demigods of Sun and Moon respectively] seducing
the wives of others. It seems that only sometimes there is punishment for this behavior.
We also have the cases of heavenly society girls, as Prabhupada called them, Apsaras, who
serve Indra by seducing ambitious yogis and reducing their shakti. Of course there were also
the famous prostitutes of Dvaraka.
Apart from that, there are also cultural variations between city and village culture. When
Krishna entered a big city like Indraprastha or Hastinapura, the women would go to the roof
and worship Him as He passed on the road. In Vrindaban, there is no mention of this. Rather
we find much more informal village culture. Of course in big cities, Krishnas entrance was
accompanied by heavily armed troops, huge animals such as elephants and war horses, loud,
pushing crowds etc. Thus the women wisely went to the roofs.
Direct evidence for the difference in city and village culture comes from the greatest
devotees, the Gopis, who say, Now that Krishna has gone to the city and become
sophisticated, he will no longer care for village girls. In the Mahabharata, we also find clear
differences between different regions. There are frequent references to the unusual customs of
the Uttara Kurus, Northern Kurus, referring to those living in the Himalayan foothills, and in
the mountains themselves. Similarly, there are different marriage customs in different regions.
For example, when Bhishma goes to the Northwest to secure Madri as a second wife for
Pandu, Madris brother Salya tells him that, in our kingdom, we dont give dowries with our
women. The groom must give a dowry. Bhishma, without opposition, gives a dowry on
behalf of Pandu.
Similarly, in dress and other cultural details, there is variation, not only geographic, but also
in different ages. For example, the Bhagavatam states in the 4th canto that Prthu Maharaja
introduced urban planning, which did not exist before him. Also, in the Mahabharata, great
sages like Shukra and Shvetaketu declare new dharmas, such as monogamy and
brahminical abstinence from liquor, based on unpleasant consequences of those activities.
And of course non-sanatana dharma varies in various yugas.
Conclusion: great Acaryas emphasize Sanatana dharma, which is Bhagavata dharma.

RELIGION

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Hridayananda Dasa Goswami

Religion

Gaudiya Vaishnavism, Hinduism

Othername(s)

Dr. Howard J. Resnick

Personal

Born

November 5, 1948 (age 64)[1][2]

Los Angeles, California
Religious career

Initiation

Post

Website

Diksa1970, Sannyasa1972
ISKCON Guru, Sannyasi, Member of
the Governing Body Commission(19742010)
Official Website
Academia Website

ROLE OF YOGA
The Yoga Sutras
The Yoga Sutras by Patanjali
In the fall of 2004, a group of yoga-practitioners in San Luis Obispo, California, hosted a
series of lectures on Patanjalis Yoga Sutra delivered by Dr. Howard J. Resnick (Srila
Hridayananda Das Goswami Acharyadeva). The course was based on his own translations
from the original Sanskrit text to English, explaining the meaning of each in a
straightforward, practical, and easily assimilated manner.
One would be hard pressed to find anyone more qualified than Dr. Resnick to present the
teachings of the Yoga Sutra. Dr. Resnick holds a PhD in Sanskrit and Indian Studies from
Harvard University. He has decades of experience in translating and commenting on other
important Sanskrit texts. Especially significant in this regard is his work in completing the
final two cantos of translation and commentary on the Bhagavata Purana, orSrimad
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Bhagavatam, a voluminous work of eighteen thousand Sanskrit stanzas that was started by A.
C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
Work on the Srimad Bhagavatam was entrusted to Dr Resnick by followers of Sri Srimad A.
C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada recognizing his erudite scholarship in the knowledge of
Sanskrit language, profound understanding of the philosophy of Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition,
and his dedication to the work and mission of Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. A. C.
Bhaktivedanta Swamis devotional commentary on the Srimad Bhagavatam is the most
appreciated and applauded work of this kind, and is regarded by religionists and academics
all over the world as the most authentic commentary of this important Religious Classic
published in the English language.
In addition to his work in writing and publishing, as a dedicated follower of AC
Bhaktivedanta Swami, Dr. Resnick has traveled all around the world for nearly forty years,
offering spiritual guidance and, by his authentic practice of bhakti-yoga, providing a rolemodel for thousands of spiritual practitioners.
Possessing a deep grasp and practical experience of the concepts and practices presented by
Patanjali in the Yoga Sutra, his presentation is remarkably clear and simple, demystifying the
text and uncovering its relevance to all those interested in becoming better persons.

Hatha Yoga at Hriday's B&B

Hridayananda das Goswami's New Age yoga center, which occupies one of
three buildings on the ISKCON Atlanta Campus.
When Hridayananda das Gosvami was the GBC for ISKCON Atlanta, he reportedly spent
more than US $100,000 of his own money to refurbish one of the three buildings at ISKCON
Atlanta. It is now very nice. But what did he turn it into? A center for New Age touchy feelly
bogus yoga: the Self Discovery Center. Among the various yoga instructors only one,
reportedly, is an initiated devotee the center's Director, Anandini devi dasi, a disciple of
Niranjana Svami. The rest are non-devotees.
Devotees are not allowed to live in the yoga center, although they allow Indian students to
rent rooms there, and they have now turned it into a Bed & Breakfast. A few years ago, when
hurricane Katrina destroyed the New Talavana farm, the devotees were forced to flee to
Atlanta for shelter. When they arrived they were turned away, and had to rent hotel rooms,
even though this yoga center was empty. Apparently Hridayananda's brother or some other
relative might be coming, and they didn't want to clutter it up for him. Needless to say, the
devotees were furious at this.
The photo above shows the yoga center, and to the right is the building the Deities are in.
While a lot of money was spent to refurbish the yoga center building, the other two buildings
were not renovated including the building where Srila Prabhupada actually stayed when he
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was in Atlanta. That building is a wreck, practically like a condemned house. Fortunately it is
against the law to tear down these historical buildings, so at least it's still standing no
thanks to Hridayananda.
When you visit the website for the Self Discovery Center, halfway down the page you'll find
"Looking for some spiritual renewal?" an ad for a Bhakti Yoga Retreat held on September
17th to 19th, in New York. Headlining the show was ISKCON's own Sacinandana Swami,
who was joined by Karnamrita devi, Divya Alter and Rasanatha das; Gaura Vani, who is
providing the "mangala kirtan" is joined by a 2nd generation devotee who calls himself
simply as Kirtan.
What we are seeing here are devotees who, by the direct mercy of His Divine Grace A.C.
Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada, got some knowledge about Bhakti Yoga, and are
now out on the 'yoga circuit', pitching their talents for money. We do not find a single
mention of Srila Prabhupada anywhere on the Bhakti Retreat website homepage write-up of
the presenters or retreat overview. Even the Swami doesn't mention Srila Prabhupada's name.
What a shameful state of affairs.
It has apparently become unfashionable to mention one's association with the pure devotee,
what to speak of his ISKCON mission. Never mind that Hridayananda's yoga center website
is advertising the New York Bhakti Retreat.
One is left wondering where the ISKCON leaders are in all this? Who has given permission
for Hridayananda to take over a building on the ISKCON Atlanta campus? Did he buy it?
Lease it? Take it for free? What compensation did Srila Prabhupada's ISKCON get in this
commercial real estate venture? And where are the GBC and their head of Sannyasa Ministry,
HH Prahladananda Swami? Is anyone at all overseeing the activities of Hridayananda, who
continues on shamelessly posing as an ISKCON-approved sannyasi? Oh, that's right
Prahladananda Swami has also become a sold-out Hatha Yoga practitioner. He is no doubt
very pleased to see hatha commerce in full-swing at ISKCON Atlanta.

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CHAPTER:9
RADHANATH SWAMI

INTRODUCTION
About Radhanath Swami
Radhanath Swami was born in Chicago in 1950. In his teenage years, the longing for
knowledge about God lead Radhanath Swami as young Richard Slavin on a journey
throughout Europe and the Middle East, during which he undertook a careful study of the
scriptures of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. This journey ultimately led him to India,
where he lived for several years, and met Srila Prabhupada, Founder of International
Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) and the Hare Krishna movement in the west.
By choosing A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami (1896-1977), a spiritual activist, as his guru,
Radhanath Swami cast his fate to the wind, cut his matted locks, and entered back into the
society.
Born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago, Radhanath Swami is one of todays most beloved
and respected spiritual teachers. A Bhakti Yoga practitioner for 40 years, he is a guide,
community builder, philanthropist, and acclaimed author.
He has been featured as a guest speaker in universities such as Harvard, Princeton and
Stanford, and in corporations such as Apple, HSBC, and Microsoft. He has also addressed the
House of Commons in 2011 and met with President Obama to discuss inter-faith dialogue in
2012.
His major efforts in India have resulted in the large community and Temple in Chowpatty,
Mumbai, and ISKCON Belgaum temple. Other programs of sharing Krishna consciousness
are currently faring successfully in Kolhapur, Pune, Nasik, Aurangabad, Nigdi and other
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centers in the Maharastra state of India. His book "The Journey Home: Autobiography of an
American Swami" has been appreciated by various famous people of the world. Recently, He
has lectured at many top universities in the world, including the Harvard University,
Cambridge University, University of Massachusetts, etc.

HISTORY
Radhanath Swami was born in Chicago, USA. In his teenage years, he embarked on a journey
of discovery of the world and religion that ultimately led him to India where he met Srila
Prabhupada in 1971 and embraced his teachings. Initially serving in India, Radhanath
Swami returned to the USA where he served at a West Virginia farming community and was
initiated by Srila Prabhupada (1973). In 1979, he left his pujari service and caring for cows at
the farming community to pioneer educational programs in colleges and universities in the
United States. Radhanath Swami took the vows of sannyasa in 1986 and returned to India.
In 1970, at the age of only nineteen, Radhanath Swami left his home in America seeking
adventure and spiritual knowledge. After trekking across Europe for months, he reached his
long hoped for destination: India. After living there for many years as a sadhu or wandering
monk, he returned to America in order to share the sacred knowledge and wisdom he had
learned from the many holy men and women he had met there. It was an extraordinary
choice, given what he had survived to get there: a journey filled with bizarre characters,
mystical experiences, and dangerous adventures. The story is recounted in his recently
published memoir The Journey Home(San Rafael, CA: Mandala Publishing, 2009).
Reviewers have called Radhanaths saga at once an engaging yarn, a love story, and the
evocation of a transcendent paradise in all its savagery, solitude, and splendor.
Radhanath Swami emerged from his years of travel wanting to explain for others the beauty
and rewards of a life devoted to God, and therein lay a dilemma. His many followers and
friends describe him as completely selfless and consequently unwilling to take credit for his
work and restless when a spotlight is focused on him. By choosing A.C. Bhaktivedanta
Swami (1896-1977), a spiritual activist, as his guru (after declining offers of initiation from
several tyagis or renunciants in the Himalayas), Radhanath Swami cast his fate to the wind,
cut his matted locks, and entered back into the society.
More than a symbolic gesture, these were first steps toward an active, engaged form of
devotion. This contemporary strain of the Bhakti or devotional yoga tradition maintains that
people who become aware of their spiritual identity share an imperative to reduce suffering in
the worlda truth slowly revealed to him in the years prior to his formal initiation by other
famous spiritual teachers he had met including the Dalai Lama, Mother Teresa of Calcutta,

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Ananda Mayi Ma, Swami Satcidananda, and many more who make their appearances in The
Journey Home.
In spite of his constant global travels over many years, Radhanath Swami established his
spiritual headquarters at Radha Gopinath Temple in Chowpatty, Mumbai. For the past twenty
years he has guided the community development and has initiated a number of acclaimed
social action programs including Midday Meals, which feeds more than 200,000 plates of
nutritious vegetarian food to indigent children daily; missionary hospitals and eye camps;
eco-friendly farms, schools and ashrams; and a number of emergency relief programs
throughout India.
He sees life as a continuous blessing of Gods grace, one follower says, and yet he never
loses his humanness. His accessibility leaves people feeling that, with a little sincere effort,
they too will find the path to inner peace and God realization.

ASHRAMS
January 1987 Present (26 years 6 months)
Radhanath Swami established his spiritual headquarters at Radha Gopinath Ashram in
Chowpatty, Mumbai. For the past 20 years he has guided the community development & has
initiated a number of acclaimed social action programs including Midday Meal, which feeds
more than 260,000 plates of nutritious vegetarian food to indigent children daily; missionary
hospitals and eye camps; eco-friendly farms, schools and ashrams; and a number of
emergency relief programs throughout India
Radhanath Swami serves as a spiritual guide for the community of the Radha Gopinath
Ashram in Mumbai.
Radhanath Swami has been the main source of Inspiration behind starting the Journey of Self
Discovery course at Sri Sri Radhagopinath Temple, Chowpatty Mumbai.
Radhanath Swami is a Vaishnava sanyassin (a monk in a Krishna-bhakti lineage) and teacher
of the devotional path of Bhakti-yoga. He is author of The Journey Home, a memoir of his
search for spiritual truth. His teachings draw from the sacred texts of India such as The
Bhagavad-gita, Srimad Bhagavatam, and Ramayana, and aim to reveal the practical
application of the sacred traditions, while focusing on the shared essence which unites
apparently disparate religious or spiritual paths.

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Born Richard Slavin, on December 7, 1950, in his teens he came to confront a deep sense of
alienation from suburban Chicago life and the civil injustices of mid-century America. At the
age of nineteen, while on a summer trip to Europe, his internal struggles culminated in a
commitment to search for God wherever it might lead him. Meditating on the Isle of Crete, he
felt a supernatural calling and the next morning set off alone to find spiritual India. The
Journey Home documents his odyssey as a penniless hitch-hiker though Greece, Turkey, Iran,
Afghanistan, Pakistan and finally India. There he lived as a wandering ascetic, first amongst
the forest dwelling Himalayan yogis and later amongst a wide variety of gurus and spiritual
practitioners throughout India and Nepal. Ultimately, he was led to the holy town of
Vrindavan, where he found his path amongst the Bhakti-yogis.
In Vrindavan he found the teacher he was searching for in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Prabhupada (1896-1977) the founder of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
(ISKCON), and representative of Gaudiya Vaishnavism, (the Krishna-bhakti tradition
stemming from the 16th century mystic avatar Sri Chaitanya). In choosing Bhaktivedanta
Swami, as his guru, Radhanath Swami felt compelled to shear his matted locks and reenter
Western society with a mission to share the sacred wisdom he had received. This return
exemplifies the form of devotional yoga which is at the heart of Radhanath Swamis
teachings, a spiritual practice expressed as tangible action meant to bring about personal
fulfillment and benefit the world.
At the the age of 31 he took the monastic vows of a Vaishnava sanyassin and became known
as Radhanath Swami.
Today Radhanath Swami travels regularly throughout India, Europe and North America,
sharing the teachings of Bhakti-yoga. He resides much of the year at the Radha Gopinath
Ashram in Chowpatty, Mumbai. For the past twenty-five years he has guided the
communitys development and has directed a number of acclaimed social action projects
including Midday Meals, which daily serves more than 260,000 plates of sanctified
vegetarian food to the children of the slums of Mumbai. He has also worked to establish
missionary hospitals and eye camps, eco-friendly farms, schools and ashrams, an orphanage,
and a number of emergency relief programs throughout India.

PREACHINGS
Radhanatha Swami's "Preaching Strategies"
Jul 06, 2011 CANADA (SUN) Over the last year, the Sun has received many emails,
letters and phone calls complaining about Radhanath Swami's so-called "preaching
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strategies". Likewise, we have received many complaints from the Swami's supporters about
the negative press he has gotten in the Sun. Mixed in with the latter group has been a steady
stream of email threats from one quadrant of his supporters the 'web seva' crowd who
promise to hack our website, force us offline, destroy our page statistics, tamper with our
traffic, etc., etc.
In addition to this, we have had several reports from devotees who tell us they have
personally heard Radhanath Swami discuss his desires to 'take us down'. In one conversation,
he suggested that there must be a way to defame us, and wondered about how one might do
so?
While we have not been in Radhanath Swami's personal presence for a very long time, since
the early days of visiting New Vrindaban, he has come to our neck of the woods on several
occasions. Last summer he was hosted at the Saranagati/Bhumi Farms Fall Festival here in
British Columbia, where he did a book signing and promo tour for his autobiography. He was
here again this Spring at ISKCON Seattle, on tour as the 'sacred dancing duo' of Radhanath
and Indradyumna Swamis. Like Radhanath, Indradyumna Swami has also been known to
make threatening statements about the bodily harm he'd like to inflict upon a certain Sun
editor. Indradyumna has also been making news again for his questionable activities, which
appear to have him on the trajectory of a complete falldown.
We are always interested to follow Radhanath's activities locally. He has a number of
disciples here who are his staunch defenders. No matter how strong the evidence that he has
fallen far away from the path laid down by Srila Prabhupada, these supporters never fail to
see only his glories. Their dedication is strong, regardless of the fact that they get little or no
personal association with their spiritual master.
One devi dasi, who had taken first initiation from Radhanath at the time, told us a few years
ago that it doesn't matter whether she gets her guru's personal association or not he is so
advanced, so potent, that he is aware of everything that happens in her life, at all times. On
the Swami's recent visit to Seattle, the same mataji was asked if she'd enjoyed getting the
personal association of her guru maharaja. Her answer was something to the effect that, "The
best way for me to serve my guru maharaja is to not bug him." In other words, she didn't get
any association to speak of, and didn't feel it appropriate to seek any out.
Instead of training and personal relationship, what most his disciples are actually getting from
Radhanath is one of the worst examples of ISKCON leadership that exists on the planet
today. Spiritual leadership that is so bad, it rivals even that given by Radhanath's mentor,
Kirtanananda Swami. In fact, if one closely studies his activities, they will see that
Radhanath's modus operandi resembles Kirtanananda's more with each passing day.
Radhanath is now busy divesting himself of the obvious Vaisnava symbols like tilak and
sikha, and we can only wonder if one day soon, he'll don a quasi-Christian hooded robe like

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Kirtanananda's or perhaps it will be something a little more Buddhist. Either way, the trend
is certainly going in the opposite direction from Srila Prabhupada's standards, cent percent.
Lest the reader should think we exaggerate, following is correspondence from Radhanath
Swami's camp. The 'Michigan Team' are working on event planning for an upcoming 'do' in
Detroit, at which the Swami will dovetail "preaching" with book-flogging (his own book, of
course, not Srila Prabhupada's books).

Clarifying Radhanath Swami's Preaching Strategies

Sep 12, 2012 CANADA (SUN) The following documents were produced by devotees
in HH Radhanath Swami's camp. The articles (unedited) are in response to general criticisms
and specifically, the comments of HH Bhakti Vikasa Swami.
This document addresses the accusation against Radhanath Swami by certain quarters that his
preaching strategies are contrary to Srila Prabhupada's instructions especially his
presentation of Mayavadi leaders in his autobiography, The Journey Home and his
establishing the Bhaktivedanta Hospital.

The Journey Home

The accusation is that in his autobiography Radhanath Swami talks appreciatively about
several Mayavadi spiritual teachers, despite Srila Prabhupada's having spoken against them.

Preaching according to time and place: Gaudiya precedents

Radhanath Swami is actually following an authentic and honourable tradition of many of our
past acharyas, who have set examples of preaching sensitively and intelligently according to
desha-kalapatra, time-place-circumstances. This desh-kala dynamic in practicing and sharing
at Krishna consciousness is a well-known Vedic principle and is substantiated twice in the
Srimad Bhagavatam itself
The history of Gaudiya Vaishnavism is filled with examples of our acharyas presenting the
siddhanta dynamically according to time-place-circumstances: downplaying certain aspects,
while highlighting certain others as is required for attracting people to Krishna's lotus feet.
They have adjusted aspects of our philosophy for the dual purposes of:

Precluding rejection due to the prevailing intellectual ethos of their times and

Gaining acceptability and respectability for the essential core of Gaudiya

Vaishnavism.

Here is a brief list of the prominent dynamic adaptations done by some of our eminent
acharyas:
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1. Jiva Goswami, to address the moral sensibilities of the intellectuals of his times who
considered the parakiya bhava immoral, showed, in his Durgama Sangamani
commentary on the Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu and his Dig Darshini commentary on the
Brahma Samhita, how the parakiya was actually svakiya: how the gopis were never
married to anyone else and how they were eventually married to Krishna. Parakiya
rasa is hardly a peripheral aspect of our siddhanta, but an authority no less than our
siddhanta-acharya shows that even such a core principle can be temporarily and
circumstantially downplayed if that is what is required to get people to appreciate and
accept our philosophy.
2. Vishvanath Chakravarti Thakura in his Gita commentary, Sarartha Varshini, while
substantiating his explanation of several Gita verses, quotes Madhusudan Saraswati,
despite the fact that he was a well-known proponent of Advaita Vedanta, or, more
precisely, because he was such a well-known proponent. By reading the full Sarartha
Varshini, one would never come to know that there was anything wrong with
Madhusudan Saraswati's philosophical orientation. So Vishvanath Chakravarti
Thakura's precedent shows that that a Vaishnava doesn't have to necessarily criticize
Mayavadis in every forum.
3. Baladeva Vidyabhushan, in order to show the Ramanandis how Gaudiya Vaishnavism
is a bona fide paramapa, shows in his Govinda-bhashya a far greater connection
between Gaudiya Vaishnavism and Madhvacharya's Dvaitavada than is normally
presented, while downplaying the not-insignificant differences. Baladeva
Vidyabhushan's later writings like his Gita Bhushan show very little of the Madhva
connection, thus illustrating that certain philosophical differences can be downplayed
for particular preaching purposes.
4. Bhaktivinoda Thakura, to address the intellectual hostility of his times to unscientificseeming cosmological and chronological statements in the Bhagavatam, downplays
those parts of the Bhagavatam in his Krishna-Samhita (and even Datta Kaustubha, to
some extent) so as to get his readers to the heart of the Bhagvatam: pure love between
the Lord and his devotees.
5. Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura, to tap the respect that pious Indians had for
brahmanas and sannyasis, utilized brahmana-diksha and sannyasa-diksha, though his
own father Bhaktivinoda Thakur had written against the suitability of sannyasa
ashram and had publically burned his own sacred thread.
6. Srila Prabhupada, to channelize the energies of his lady disciples for spreading
Krishna consciousness, gave them brahmana-diksha and even allowed them to
worship Deities outside India, although this was considered anathema by conservative
Hindus and had not been done even by his own spiritual master.

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Of course, there can be multiple nuances in what exactly these acharyas did and multiple
interpretations of why they did it, but the undisputable fact is that they did do something that
was unconventional or non-standard from orthodox Gaudiya standards in order to present
Gaudiya Vaishnavism according to desha-kala-patra and thus attract people to its core.

Post-modernism: The Contemporary Intellectual Ethos

Radhanath Swami, in his Journey Home, carries on this tradition of preaching according to
desha-kala-patra. The intellectual ethos of the times we reside in has been called postmodernism. In modern times (which are now considered outdated in the West), people had
faith in reason and science, which they considered as reliable means to certain knowledge. In
pre-modern times, people had faith in revelation and scripture, but that faith was damaged
and destroyed by science which apparently showed certain mistakes in biblical scriptures.
However, science's reign on human intellect didn't last long; the influential works of
historians of science like Thomas Kuhn have shown how science is not objective and how
scientific theories are formulated, popularized and accepted based on the prevailing cultural
and intellectual biases. Consequently, people in today's post-modern times have faith neither
in science nor in scripture as a reliable source of knowledge; in fact, they view with deep
suspicion any source of knowledge that claims to be absolute. As post-modern people
consider all claims to authority to be false, they are deeply averse to those spiritual teachers
who criticize other teachers and other paths. They base their lives solely on experience, and
so consider as authentic those teachers who speak based not on dogma but on experience. The
enduring popularity of "Autobiography of a Yogi" is a testimony to this attraction to
experiential spirituality. Many Mayavadis have popularized their philosophy by presenting it
according to post-modern sensibilities, but practically no one had done the same for Gaudiya
Vaishnavism. In fact, the post-modern attraction to experiential spirituality opens a great
opportunity for us to share Krishna consciousness, because bhakti-yoga is experiential
through-and-through; it gives direct perception of the self by realization
(pratyakshavagamam, Bhagavad-gita ). Acknowledging this experiential potency of bhakti,
Sanatana Goswami enthrones experience as the highest of all pramanas (ways of acquiring
knowledge).
Recognizing this hitherto untapped opportunity to share Krishna consciousness, Radhanath
Swami took the initiative by penning down his own life's story in The Journey Home. He has
skilfully and sensitively got around the post-modernist phobia to value judgments and
exclusivist ideologies by not criticizing Mayavadis and has thus got thousands of postmodern people to appreciate the bhakti core of Krishna consciousness.

A question of essence: are we Mayavadi-criticizers or Krishna-lovers?

The Journey Home has received overwhelmingly positive responses from all over the world,
but some quarters within ISKCON have alleged that in this book Radhanath Swami, by never
criticizing Mayavadis, has deviated from Srila Prabhupada, who would often criticize
Mayavadis. Let's consider this allegation systematically:
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1. Firstly, Radhanath Swami has not appreciated or even quoted the Mayavadi
philosophy of the Mayavadi teachers whom he met. He has only quoted
appreciatively their teaching about basic morality and spirituality, which are all
compatible with the principles of Krishna consciousness. Radhanath Swami has
unambiguously documented as the climax of his book the fact that he committed
himself, not to any of the Mayavadis, but to Srila Prabhupada. And this ultimate
choice of commitment will be a subtle, yet sufficient and significant direction-pointer
for those of his post-modern readers who are themselves on a spiritual quest. The
notion that "even quoting the name of Mayavadis without criticizing them is wrong"
is deeply questionable; it would make Vishvanath Chakravarti Thakura an offender
for having quoted Madhusudan Saraswati without criticizing him.
2. The idea that "one's faithfulness to Srila Prabhupada has to be judged by whether one
criticizes those whom Prabhupada criticized" is itself questionable. Prabhupada
regularly called scientists "fools and rascals", but he instructed and trained Bhakti
Svarupa Damodara Maharaj to be polite and courteous with scientists during his
interactions with them. The litmus test of a Prabhupada-follower is not whether he
criticizes those whom Prabhupada criticized, but whether he can get people to love the
Lord whom Prabhupada wanted the world to love. After all, Prabhupada was first and
foremost a Krishna-lover, not a Mayavadi-criticizer. And he preached primarily to
inspire people to become Krishna-lovers not just Mayavadi-criticizers. Radhanath
Swami has, by his example and words and guidance, already inspired hundreds of
devotees his disciple and many other devotees too all over the world on the path to
becoming Krishna-lovers. Through his autobiographical account of how he himself
became a Krishna-lover, he has thrown open the doorway to Krishna-bhakti to
thousands, and, possibly, millions. By his dextrously avoiding criticism of Mayavadis,
he has created appreciation for Srila Prabhupada among many spiritually inclined
circles who had been alienated by what they saw to be ISKCON devotees' exclusivist
fanaticism. And many people who would otherwise have never even considered
taking up the process of Krishna consciousness have, by reading The Journey
Home gone beyond appreciation to application: they have started practicing Krishna
consciousness.
3. Some people may argue that "a Krishna-lover has to show his love by being a
Mayavadi-criticizer, because the greatest Krishna-lover, Srila Prabhupada. always
criticized Mayavadis." However, the claim that "Srila Prabhupada always criticized
Mayavadis" is debatable. Prabhupada himself chose preaching strategies intelligently
according to what worked as per time-place-circumstances. During his talks with
Allen Ginsberg, Srila Prabhupada directly criticized Swami Vivekanand when
Ginsberg referred to him appreciatively. Ginsberg was shocked and thereafter could
never commit himself to Prabhupada, though he did appreciate and assist him from a
distance. Significantly, when Srila Prabhupada later met George Harrison and
Harrison mentioned Swami Vivekanand, Paramhamsa Yogananda and Maharshi
Mahesh Yogi appreciatively, Srila Prabhupada didn't speak anything directly to
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criticize them. And the result is there for the whole world to see: Srila Prabhupada
succeeded in getting George Harrison to appreciate the core of Krishna consciousness,
inspired him to write songs glorifying Krishna and thus, in one sense, spread the holy
names to every town and village of the world; Harrison's songs like "My Sweet Lord"
went all over the world and attracted thousands to Krishna's lotus feet. Thus, Srila
Prabhupada himself used multiple preaching strategies at different times. So, rather
than judging a Prabhupada-follower's faithfulness by checking whether he is sticking
to a particular preaching strategy, what one needs to see is whether the preaching
strategy chosen by that follower is within the circumference of the strategies that are
compatible with Prabhupada's instructions and, most importantly, with Prabhupada's
purpose. The foregoing analysis shows that Radhanath Swami's preaching strategies
are well within the perimeter of Prabhupda's instructions and that he has successfully
served Prabhupada's purpose by bringing thousands of souls to Krishna's lotus feet.

The Bhaktivedanta Hospital

It is well-known among ISKCON devotees that Srila Prabhupada criticized Mayavadis for
opening hospitals, by which they ended up doing material welfare work instead of spiritual
welfare work. But what exactly was the focus of his criticism? Was it material welfare work
per se? Is material welfare work intrinsically against the principles of Krishna consciousness?
Unlikely. After all, the Srimad Bhagavatam glorifies the kings Shibi and Rantideva who
sacrificed everything for the material welfare of their citizens even subhuman citizens, at
that. Moreover, Bhaktivinoda Thakura endorses material welfare work as an integral part of
devotional culture. He writes in his Tattva-sutra:
"Those who think that devotion to God and kindness to the jivas [souls] are mutually
different from each other, and perform accordingly in their life, such persons will not be able
to follow the devotional culture. Their performances are only a semblance of devotion.
Therefore, all the types of beneficence to others -- like kindness, friendliness, forgiveness,
charity, respect, etc., are included in bhakti. Among these, according to the triple catagories of
the recipients. viz., high, medium and low, the actions of respect, friendliness and kindness
are the very form of love and the characteristic portion of bhakti: Charity of medicines,
clothes, food, water, etc., shelter during adversities, teaching of academic and spiritual
educations, etc., are the activities included in the devotional culture."
--Tattva Viveka-Tattva Sutra-Amnaya Sutra- A Comprehensive Exposition of the Spiritual
Reality by Bhaktivinoda Thakur [Tattva Sutra portion (sutra 35)]. Sree Gaudiya Math,
Madras.
Those who have studied modern Indian history will know the contextual origin of Srila
Prabhupada's critique of social service. Many well-known Mayavadi teachers, in order to
galvanize the Hindu masses to remedy the poverty that pervaded India, tried to portray social
service as a substitute to devotional service and a superior substitute at that. Thus they
coined appealing but misleading slogans like Daridra Narayana seva (Service to the poverty231

stricken Narayana) or Manava seva hi madhava seva hai (Service to man is itself service to
God). These slogans threatened the very foundations of Vedic culture, for they engendered
the dangerous misconception that devotional service was unnecessary; all that the world
needed was social service. Sensing this great danger, our acharyas, Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati
Thakura and Srila Prabhupada, responded strongly in two ways. At a philosophical level, they
thoroughly refuted the non-scriptural, even anti-scriptural, equation of mundane social
service with transcendental devotional service. At a practical level, they took great care to
ensure that the spiritual organizations they had started did not get distracted into mundane
welfare work.

Yukta-Vairagya: Why should medical science stay ayukta?

Radhanath Swami, as a present-day successor of these acharyas is very much aware of this
danger. That's why when he started his community development project in Mumbai, he first
and foremost focussed on establishing a vibrant spiritual culture centred on the core activities
of hearing, chanting and Deity Worship. Over the years as the devotional culture took deep
roots, he decided to expand its branches further by an innovative application of the
philosophical principle of yukta-vairagya
The principles of yukta-vairagya and phalgu-vairagya are explained by Rupa Goswami in his
Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu: "When one is not attached to anything but at the same time accepts
anything in relation to Krishna, one is rightly situated above possessiveness. On the other
hand, one who rejects everything without knowledge of its relationship to Krishna is not as
complete in his renunciation." Srila Prabhupada envisioned the application of this principle in
the realm of science and technology: the same science that had caused many to lose faith in
God could be used to prove God's existence; the same technology that had allured many into
newer and newer ways of forgetting God could be used to help people remember Krishna in
state-of-the-art ways.
Radhanath Swami envisioned a further application of yukta-vairagya in the realm of
humanitarian compassion: the same medical science that treats people's bodies also opens
opportunities to treat their souls. When patients in distress and need are treated with
competence and care by devotee-doctors in a devotionally surcharged atmosphere, they
become inspired to adopt the spiritual culture that has secretly acted on their hearts during the
period when the medicine was acting on their bodies.
It is undeniably true that any application of yukta-vairagya is fraught with danger; one may
get too entangled in the material part and neglect the spiritual part. That could possibly
happen even at Bhaktivedanta Hospital, but there is no evidence that it is happening. In fact,
there is abundant evidence that the opposite is happening. Far from the devotee-doctors
losing their devotional purpose and perspective, non-devotee patients are becoming
surcharged with Krishna consciousness. Every year, hundreds of patients get devotionally
charmed by the soothing spiritual atmosphere of the hospital and the loving concern of the
devotee-doctors. They come to the hospital to treat their body; they go back with treatment
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for both their body and their soul. All the important Vaishnava festivals are celebrated at the
hospital with great devotional fervour, and the devotional energy during these festivals is as
palpable in the hospital as in the best ISKCON temples.
Initially, many ISKCON leaders had expressed concern and even apprehension when
Radhanath Swami had embarked on the hospital project. But when they saw for themselves
how it was so devotional in its core and how it was so pregnant in its potential to attract
people to Krishna, they have subsequently changed their opinions completely and have
become often vocal supporters and even proponents of the project.
Similarly, whatever other humanitarian projects that Radhanath Swami has inspired be they
the Mid-day Meal or the Barsana eye camp, he has repeatedly and pointedly driven home the
devotional purpose and essence of these projects. The leaders of these projects have no
illusions about what they are doing: they don't identify themselves as social workers trying to
make this world a better place; they see themselves as devotees dovetailing their worldly
professions in Krishna's service in such a way that they can create at least ajnata-sukriti
(unknowing spiritual credits) among people who would otherwise never have come in contact
with Krishna.

Dilution and populism?

Ultimately, the proof of the pudding is in the eating. Or in Vedic parlance: phalena
parichayate (a tree is known by its fruit). The Radha-Gopinath temple community that
Radhanath Swami has developed has become one of the greatest success stories of ISKCON
in the post-Prabhupada era. Despite being a project that was born after the departure of Srila
Prabhupada, its outreach has surpassed that of many older projects. Every Sunday, more than
a thousand devotees come to the temple for a program of pure Krishna consciousness:
hearing, chanting, dancing, darshan and prasad. This Sunday feast program turnout is more
than that of any other ISKCON temple in the whole world. Every year Radhanath Swami
leads spiritually energizing yatras, where thousands of people get the opportunity to practice
all the five potent forms of devotional service mentioned in the Bhakti-rasamrita-sindu:
hearing Bhagavatam, chanting the holy names, worshiping the Deities, associating with
devotees and visiting holy places.
Have Radhanath Swami's preaching strategies diluted this core devotional program? Not at
all. It was his foresight that led to the establishment of this program in the first place. And
with the same foresight he has come up with bold preaching strategies that have only
strengthened this core devotional program; rather than devotees leaving core devotional
activities to get involved in humanitarian work, many people are allured by the humanitarian
work to the devotional culture and then they realize that spreading this devotional culture is
the greatest humanitarian work.
In doing these adjustments, is Radananth Swami being populist: watering down standards to
gain popularity? Radhanath Swami himself practices the core principles of Krishna
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consciousness strong sadhana strictly, and he inspires and instructs his disciples to do the
same, as is evident from the vibrant morning programs in all the temples inspired by him. He
ensures that his aspiring disciples develop an above-average commitment to these core
practices by making them wait for a long time to receive initiation often much longer than
his critics. In his outreach Radhanath Swami is undoubtedly extending his arms far to reach
many people whom ISKCON has never reached before. However, in doing so, he is not
stooping down to their standards; rather he is raising them slowly but steadily to the high
standards that Prabhupada taught.
In the past, those acharyas who have understood and carried forward the spirit of our
paramapara have gone on to make history, whereas those who have stuck to the letter and
criticized those who were carrying on the spirit have been reduced to a mere footnote in even
Gaudiya history. A sad example of this is Bimala Prasad Thakura (with all due respects to
him), who, despite being personally initiated by Bhaktivinoda Thakura, couldn't appreciate
Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura's adjustments like the re-institution of the sannyasa
ashram and the adoption of the Bhagavata parampara.
Similarly, the critics of Radhanath Swami's Journey Home , even if they are well-intentioned,
are ill-informed both in terms of the dynamics of how our past acharyas have preached and
also in terms of the requirements for cutting-edge preaching in the contemporary intellectual
landscape. Simply put, such critics have chosen to be on the wrong side of history. If we don't
want to get caught on that wrong side of history, it is advisable to neglect them and carry on
with our own practice and preaching of Krishna consciousness.
Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura, without minding the criticism, went on to spread
Gaudiya Vaishnavism all over the world, and thus ensured that all of us received Krishna
consciousness. Just as we today feel grateful to Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura for his
foresight and courage in devising the necessary preaching strategies, future generations will
be grateful to Radhanath Swami for his foresight and courage in doing whatever was
necessary to bring Krishna into their lives.
and, by so doing, they were successful in attracting people to the core of Gaudiya
Vaishnavism and to pass on that core over the generations so that we too are able to receive
and relish it today.
Radhanath Swami maintains the devotional focus of his community of devotees by keeing the
Deities and the hearing and chanestablishing an empowering devotional culture at the RadhaGopinath temple. Every week, more than a thousand people come to the temple for the
sunday program.

ROLE FOR SOCITY WELFARE

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His Holiness Radhanath Swami

The positive influence of His Holiness Radhanath Swami on the team of Bhaktivedanta
Hospital and the team of doctors who have contributed to the Barsana Eyecamp has been
immense. Radhanath Swami has given the team a sense of purpose in serving the medically
deprived people at a very affordable cost. Through his search for the ultimate benefit for the
society and his practice he explains to us the importance and purpose of life. Carrying
forward the same sense of purpose and inspiration given by Radhanath Swami , the whole
hospice movement began to help and reach out all those who are dying mostly in pain, agony,
frustration, worry and fear. Hospice is specialized care of dying patient as well as family
members and loved ones.

Charity and spirituality, Radhanath Swami uncovers the connection

Question to Radhanath Swami:I have always come across a comparison between charities
based philanthropic organizations and religious organizations. How can I support both?
Radhanath Swami: Giving prasadam (sanctified food) in charity is a pure spiritual activity.
Distributing prasadam is appreciated by all philanthropically minded people and it is also
very dear to the heart of supreme Lord Sri Krishna. When we are distributing prasadam for
the material and spiritual uplifting of all living beings, God appreciates a lot. Therefore
prasadam distribution is a very significant, important, essential and spiritual charity.
At the same time, Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (Lord Krishnas incarnation who appeared
500 years ago in West Bengal) gave us the message, there is no greater charity than
distributing the holy name of Krishna. In shastras the principle spiritual activity for todays
age is mentioned as the chanting of the holy name. Ultimately, only by chanting of the holy
name one can be elevated to perfection in todays age. Therefore, the greatest charity that we
can offer to people according to Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is to guide them to gradually
understand the importance and necessities of sincerely chanting the holy name of Krishna .
Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu begged to us to live for the welfare of others which can be done
only by distributing and chanting of the holy names of Krishna.

Radhanath Swami Helped Murder Sulochana Dasa

Radhanath Swami, author of the popular spiritual book The Journey Home, is considered
by many to be a saintly person and a religious leader. At first glance, he does indeed appear to
fit the profile of a typical saint. But if we take a closer look at his past history and
associates, we find quite a different picture. It is also interesting how Radhanath Swami left
out the dark parts of his past history from his recently published autobiography The
Journey Home.
In the 1980s and early 90s, Radhanath Swami was second in command, the right hand man
of, to a homosexual pedophile criminal named Kirtanananda Swami at New Vrindavan in
West Virginia. It is widely known that Kirtanananda Swami was a homosexual pedophile and
was molesting many young boys during this time. And yet, why did Radhanath Swami
support him, if he was a homosexual pedophile? Also during this time, there were many
murders and other crimes committed at New Vrindavan.
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The most well known of the crimes that Radhanath Swami is associated with was the murder
of Sulochana dasa (Steve Bryant). Sulochana dasa was a very strong critic of Kirtanananda
Swami, and was attacking him publicly through different media campaigns for his criminal
activities and molesting of children. Coincidentally, two days after publishing a book titled
The Guru Business (http://www.harekrsna.org/pada/guru_biz.htm), a book that exposed
Kirtanananda Swami and other ISKCON "gurus", Sulochana dasa was brutally murdered by
one of Kirtananandas close associates named Tirtha dasa (Thomas Drescher) on May 22,
1986.
Radhanath Swami claims that he had no knowledge about this murder, but that is rather
difficult to believe, since he was literally Kirtanananda Swamis closest associate and junior
manager, living everyday with Kirtanananda at New Vrindavan. Later on, in the early 90s,
Kirtanananda Swami and Tirtha dasa were indicted for murder and other criminal activities in
a federal court of law in America, and were sentenced to prison.
The following is a collection of quotes from different devotees that prove that Radhanath
Swami helped murder Sulochana dasa in 1986. Please forward this to as many people as
possible.
1. Kuladri, New Vrindaban's chief manager, was certainly aware of the other devotees who
assisted and inspired Tirtha in his mission. Kuladri indirectly implicated Radhanath when he
said: "I know Tapahpunja, along with other swamis, were saying that the community had to
do whatever is necessary to protect the Swami [Kirtanananda]." At this time there were only
three swamis at New Vrindaban: Kirtanananda, Tapahpunja and Radhanath.
(Kuladri dasa, cited by Halasz & Halasz, court reporters, "United States of America, Plaintiff,
v. CR 90-87 Keith Gordon Ham, Terry Sheldon, Steven Fitzpatrick, New Vrindaban
Community, Inc., Govardhan, Inc., Cathedral of Healing, Inc., Defendants, Before:
Honorable Robert R. Merhige, Jr., United States District Judge and a Jury," Day III (March
13, 1991), Martinsburg, West Virginia, 475.)
2. Kuladri claimed that Radhanath was one of the key actors in this sordid drama:
"Radhanath, Hayagriva and Tapahpunja were pushing like crazy for this [murder] to happen."
(Kuladri, cited by Dharmatma, from Trial transcript, cited by Halasz & Halasz, court
reporters, "United States of America, Plaintiff, v. CR 90-87 Keith Gordon Ham, Terry
Sheldon, Steven Fitzpatrick, New Vrindaban Community, Inc., Govardhan, Inc., Cathedral of
Healing, Inc., Defendants, Before: Honorable Robert R. Merhige, Jr., United States District
Judge and a Jury," Day IV (March 14, 1991), Martinsburg, West Virginia, 832-837, 941.)
3. Dharmatma claimed that Radhanath was involved to some degree: "he [Radhanath] was
involved to some degree or had knowledge of Sulochan's murder. I know this for a fact."
(Dharmatma dasa, letter to Hansadutta (August 26, 1994).)
4. Janmashtami dasa, who traveled with and assisted Tirtha while conducting surveillance on
Sulochana in California, explained how he was recruited to assist in the elimination of
Sulochana: "In January of 1986, on my return to New Vrindaban [after the Christmas
marathon], I was ordered by Radhanath . . . not by Kirtanananda Swami, to terminate
Sulochana. This happened with Tapahpunja Swami and Tirtha in November and December of
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1985. I was on traveling sankirtan until Christmas and didn't get back to the farm until New
Years. Immediately on our arrival at New Vrindaban, Radhanath sought me out and made
arrangements for us to meet in his van, where he went through a prepared speech that he had
delivered to Tirtha, Tapahpunja Swami and Kuladri many times before. Later talks with
Tirtha confirmed this."
(Janmashtami dasa, "New Vrindaban History, for the Record", The Sampradaya Sun
(December 22, 2006).
5. Radhanath flattered Janmashtami: "You are one of those rare few that Krishna has
endowed with the Kshatriya spirit and the courage enough to do what has to be done."
(Radhanath Swami, cited by Janmashtami dasa, "Chapter Seven: Knowledge of the Absolute
is not Absolute Knowledge," accessed from
http://www.harekrsna.org/pada/ks/nv/7.htm (November 4, 2008).)
6. Janmashtami remembered in more detail:
Radhanath was saying to those he was giving marching orders to: "Sulochana poses a life
threat to both Kuladri and to Kirtanananda Swami. He has written that in his diary, and for
that reason alone, this guy must be transmigrated to his next body."
Radhanath was clear in his meaning beyond any shadow of a doubt. "Now that Srila
Prabhupada has left us, the entire fate of this movementOUR movement, Lord Chaitanyas
movementrests in Kirtanananda Swami's hands, and according to our nature, it is up to us
to do whatever we can to help the movement in that regard." . . .
Radhanath had made his pitch to at least a half a dozen sets of sympathetic ears before
someone raised these Gita related questions:
"How have these impurities come upon you? They are not at all befitting a man who knows
the progressive values of life."
"The words existent and non-existent refer only to spirit and matter. Why worry?"
"How can a person who knows that the soul is indestructible, unborn, eternal, and immutable,
kill anyone or cause anyone to kill?"
Tough questions, but from a submissive audience. Radhanath was undaunted. He quoted
Krishna in his response to a potentially explosive volley of inquiry: "Everything has its
proper utility, and a man situated in complete knowledge knows how and where to apply a
thing, so there is no possibility of sinful reaction. Also, considering your specific duty as a
kshatriya..."
That settled it. The order was there from your bona-fide spiritual authority and it was based
on scripture, directly from Krishna. Either you followed those instructions or you were going
to hell!
(Janmashtami dasa, "Chapter 2:
from http://liberatedyogi.tripod.com.)

Contents

of

the

Palace,

Itemized,"

accessed

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7. Janmashtami's story was collaborated by two eyewitnesses. Bhaktipada's chauffeur

confirmed: "I was privy to much behind-the-scenes action, and I was there when Radhanath
told Janmashtami to destroy the demon.'"
(Priyavenu dasa, conversation with the author (September 14, 2003).)
8. A teenage gurukula boy who served under Janmashtami also claimed he overheard
Radhanath order Janmashtami to "destroy the demon."
(Harivrata dasa, conversation with the author (January 9, 2007).)
9. When Ramachandra dasa, a New Vrindaban sankirtan picker, asked Radhanath Swami:
"Do you know who killed Sulochana?" Radhanath replied: "I don't know, but whoever it was,
he was doing devotional service to Krishna."
(Ramachandra dasa, from a conversation with the author on April 10, 2007.)
10. Dharmatma continued his recollection of the day of the murder and remembered how
Kuladri named three instigators who "were pushing like crazy for this to happen."
"Later on after the morning functions, I had a discussion with Kuladri. He was quite
disturbed. He mentioned . . . how it shouldn't have been done like that. And that how
Radhanath, Hayagriva and Tapahpunja were pushing like crazy for this to happen, and how
he had told them not to do it."
(Dharmatma, from Trial transcript, cited by Halasz & Halasz, court reporters, "United States
of America, Plaintiff, v. CR 90-87 Keith Gordon Ham, Terry Sheldon, Steven Fitzpatrick,
New Vrindaban Community, Inc., Govardhan, Inc., Cathedral of Healing, Inc., Defendants,
Before: Honorable Robert R. Merhige, Jr., United States District Judge and a Jury," Day IV
(March 14, 1991), Martinsburg, West Virginia, 832-837, 941.)
11. Janmashtami collaborated: "Kuladri was VERY, VERY frightened by the time it was
coming to reaction time' because he knew that he and Radhanath were in very deep doodoo."
(Janmashtami, e-mail letter to the author (August 1, 2008).)
12. Although Tirtha successfully flew from California to Ohio, he was still in dire straits,
New Vrindaban hadn't paid him what they promised, and he needed money to purchase plane
tickets to get out of the countryfast. Dharmatma described how Bhaktipada and Radhanath
came to him to pick up the escape money at the sankirtan house:
"The next day Bhaktipada, along with Radhanath, drove up in my driveway in Bhaktipada's
vehicle and tooted the horn for me to come outside. When I came to the car we engaged in
some small talk, I don't remember what. And then Bhaktipada asked me if I had six thousand
dollars cash in the house. And I said, "I don't know. I will see if you want." He told me to go
in and see if I had six thousand dollars.
I went in the house and went into my safe and . . . I counted out six thousand dollars and
brought it out to him, and handed it in through the window. I don't remember if I gave it to
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Radhanath and he passed it to Bhaktipada, or I gave it directly to Bhaktipada. The mood was
a little bit strained, and I said, "What is this? So they [Tirtha and Tapahpunja] can get out of
the country?" And Bhaktipada and Radhanath smiled and nodded their heads: "Yes." And
then they said, "Hey, we've got to go," and they left.
(Dharmatma, from Trial transcript, cited by Halasz & Halasz, court reporters, "United States
of America, Plaintiff, v. CR 90-87 Keith Gordon Ham, Terry Sheldon, Steven Fitzpatrick,
New Vrindaban Community, Inc., Govardhan, Inc., Cathedral of Healing, Inc., Defendants,
Before: Honorable Robert R. Merhige, Jr., United States District Judge and a Jury," Day IV
(March 14, 1991), Martinsburg, West Virginia, 832-837, 941.)

Who is Radhanath Swami

Radhanath Swami is a Vaishnava sanyassin (a monk in a Krishna-bhakti lineage) and teacher
of the devotional path of Bhakti-yoga. He is author of The Journey Home, a memoir of his
search for spiritual truth. His teachings draw from the sacred texts of India such as The
Bhagavad-gita, Srimad Bhagavatam, and Ramayana, and aim to reveal the practical
application of the sacred traditions, while focusing on the shared essence which unites
apparently disparate religious or spiritual paths.
Born Richard Slavin, on December 7, 1950, in his teens he came to confront a deep sense of
alienation from suburban Chicago life and the civil injustices of mid-century America. At the
age of nineteen, while on a summer trip to Europe, his internal struggles culminated in a
commitment to search for God wherever it might lead him. Meditating on the Isle of Crete, he
felt a supernatural calling and the next morning set off alone to find spiritual India. The
Journey Home documents his odyssey as a penniless hitch-hiker though Greece, Turkey, Iran,
Afghanistan, Pakistan and finally India. There he lived as a wandering ascetic, first amongst
the forest dwelling Himalayan yogis and later amongst a wide variety of gurus and spiritual
practitioners throughout India and Nepal. Ultimately, he was led to the holy town of
Vrindavan, where he found his path amongst the Bhakti-yogis.
In Vrindavan he found the teacher he was searching for in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Prabhupada (1896-1977) the founder of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
(ISKCON), and representative of Gaudiya Vaishnavism, (the Krishna-bhakti tradition
stemming from the 16th century mystic avatar Sri Chaitanya). In choosing Bhaktivedanta
Swami, as his guru, Radhanath Swami felt compelled to shear his matted locks and reenter
Western society with a mission to share the sacred wisdom he had received. This return
exemplifies the form of devotional yoga which is at the heart of Radhanath Swamis
teachings, a spiritual practice expressed as tangible action meant to bring about personal
fulfillment and benefit the world.
At the the age of 31 he took the monastic vows of a Vaishnava sanyassin and became known
as Radhanath Swami.
Today Radhanath Swami travels regularly throughout India, Europe and North America,
sharing the teachings of Bhakti-yoga. He resides much of the year at the Radha Gopinath
Ashram in Chowpatty, Mumbai. For the past twenty-five years he has guided the
communitys development and has directed a number of acclaimed social action projects
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including Midday Meals, which daily serves more than 260,000 plates of sanctified
vegetarian food to the children of the slums of Mumbai. He has also worked to establish
missionary hospitals and eye camps, eco-friendly farms, schools and ashrams, an orphanage,
and a number of emergency relief programs throughout India.

RELIGION
Radhanath Swami

Religion Gaudiya Vaishnavism, Hinduism

Otherna Richard Slavin
me(s)
Personal
Born

December 7, 1950 (age 62)

Chicago, Illinois, United States
Religious career

Initiatio Diksa1973, Sannyasa1982

n
Post

GBC1994, Initiating guru1994

Website

http://www.radhanathswami.com,http://w
ww.radhanathswami.us

ROLE OF YOGA
Yoga Relate Event
Radhanath Swami Speaks at Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health

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The Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, is today one of the
most respected centers for training and retreat in the United States. Since its inception in
1983, countless people have come for short retreats, courses in yoga and ayurveda, and
periods of seva and ashram living.
At the end of August, 2011, Radhanath Swami was invited to speak at the center for the first
time. His two day lecture series was entitled Bhakti Immersion: Ramayana, and explored
the ancient epic through storytelling and kirtan. There could not have been a more dramatic
backdrop to the weekend, as Hurricane Irene whirled into the East coast. Coastal flooding
swept through New York City and further up the coast, Vermont and Maine were hit even
harder. The thirty attendees who made it safely to the center were in for a special treat
Radhanath Swami often lectures on the Ramayana before thousands of people at a time. Here,
everyone was able to share in an intimate retelling, sheltered from the storm. He also spoke
on the power of the hurricane of the mind.
Flights were cancelled due to the weather, so Radhanath Swami and some attendees stayed on
an extra day at Kripalu, getting a chance to spend time with bhakti scholar, Shyamdas and
tour the picturesque grounds of the Shadowbrook estate.

Radhanath Swami at Core Power Yoga studio

On July 13, 2011, Radhanath Swami gave a talk on his book The Journey Home at the Core
Power Yoga Studio in Los Angeles run by yoga instructor, Kumudini. Core Power leads
lifestyle and teacher training programs, yoga retreats and conferences, and has students
numbering in the thousands.
The mellisonant devotional chanting led by Radhanath Swami and the famous kirtan singer
C.C. White captivated the 120 people in attendance. Radhanath Swami began his talk by
discussing his motivation for writing his memoir, proceeded to share some stories that
transformed him, from his book The Journey Home.
Home is where we find our family, love, comfort and shelter and that home is actually in our
hearts where we actually connect with our Supreme divine mother and father, he said. Then
we recognize every living being as our brother and sister beyond superficial differences of
sex, race, nationality, religion. Wherever there is life there is sacred spark of God and when
we recognise the spark within our-self we appreciate and love that spark in every living being
and in that state of consciousness that is within us is our true home- a home that is forever.
Every living being is looking for that home.
The Swami recollected instances in his own life as a counter-cultural teenager, in the 1960s,
who set out on a spiritual quest with his dear friend Gary. He then narrated a touching
experience at a tea stall in Kandahar, Afghanistan, where a 16-year old blind boy, in material
poverty, was happily playing a wired instrument singing Gods name in love and devotion. It
was a sight full of contradictions. It then became clear to Radhanath Swami that a persons
happiness is not estimated by material possessions but by the inner satisfaction in connecting
with the divine.
Radhanath Swami then spoke about the compassion and selflessness of an old man,
Ghanashyam Baba of Vrindavan, the birthplace of Krishna. In the company of Ghanashyam

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Baba, Radhanath Swami discovered that humility is the most positive state of mind. Humility
empowers us to see the beauty of Gods grace in others. It is an essential foundational quality.
Despite meeting many yogis and sadus who performed many supernatural feats, the humility,
compassion and love of his spiritual master A.C Bhaktivedantaswami Prabhupada churned
his heart and he decided to dedicate his life to help his spiritual master in his compassion.
Radhanath Swami concluded the talk by stating that the most powerful way to awaken the
love of God within our hearts is by chanting the holy names of God. Bhakti is harmonizing
our body mind with our spiritual aspirations so that we could reach the ocean of Gods grace,
which is the ultimate journey home.

Inauguration Of Stanton Street Yoga

On Sunday, April 22, Radhanath Swami was asked to speak at the inauguration of Stanton
Street Yoga, a new yoga studio and Ayurvedic health retreat on New Yorks Lower East Side.
Stanton Street Yoga is a cooperative effort, owned and run by followers of Srila Prabhupada,
headed by Badaryana and Rukmini Wienberg. Around one hundred guests squeezed into the
beautiful new studio to attend the opening yajna ceremony, kirtan, talk and vegetarian meal.
Below are some excepts from Swamis talk.
In the sixth chapter of the Bhagavada-Gita, which is one of the primary yoga scriptures,
Krishna explains the process of meditation, asanas, and pranayama in a very essential
form. He concludes by saying yoginam api sarvesam mad-gatenantar-atmana / sraddhavan
bhajate yo mam sa me yuktatamo matah. That of all different yogis, the one who abides in me
with deep realized faith, who is constantly immersed in remembering me within, and whose
every thought, word and deed is an offering of transcendental loving service to me that
person is most intimately united with me in yoga and is the highest of all.
Yoga is meant for transformation of our consciousness transformation of our values and
our aspirations in life. In the school of yoga every different type of practice is meant to bring
us to subtler, finer and higher states to achieve that. So when we connect to that spiritual
essence, then we become an instrument a conduit of that grace, that energy. Spiritual
practice, whether it bepuja, worship, ritual, studying scriptures, chanting the beautiful
mantras of God, is actually a very very deep process to tune into the spiritual energy that is
within us and all around us. Just like if you have one of these satellite televisions in your
home and you just press one button and in your in New York City, in Times Square for some
news report.Then you can press another button and you are in Bagdad for another news
report. Another button takes you to Brazil to see a soccer game and another button brings you
to Yankee Stadium. Press another button and you are in New Delhi where thousands of
people doing a hunger strike. You can keep on going pressing buttons. We are accessing a
certain frequency and when we access that frequency it is revealed to us because we are
tuning in. So within this creation everyone is like a little antennae emitting frequencies
greed, envy, arrogance, selfish passions, anger, vengeance, hate every time a person speaks
and thinks like that or acts like that we are putting that energy into the atmosphere and it is all
accumulating. If we tune into greed we are getting that greed and its going to fill our hearts,
and it will affect how we speak, think and act.
Yoga, especially this mantra meditation, is meant to tune into the divine grace of God,
Krishna, that is within us within everyone and all around us. Its there now. It always has
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been. Why are we not in ecstasy and happy? Why are we not loving everyone as our brothers
and sisters? Its because we are not tuned into that energy we are tuned into so many other
energies. Everywhere we go people are trying to tune us into something else and we are being
affected by their energies. So it is very important that we take some time everyday to tune in
and that means making priorities in our life. When something is important we make a priority
and the natural tendency then is that we dont have time After all, I have family, I have
studies, business, so many pressure, when can I have time. Somehow or other we find time
to eat food and sleep. We have to do that in order to function in a proper way. If we actually
want to live from this ananda place, this spiritual place within our hearts, we also have to give
time to tune in to that transcendental energy. And that is the essence of yoga, tuning in to be
transformed and then to speak, act, and think as conduits of Gods grace.
I see they have opened this center to harmonize their occupations, careers and families with
sharing the fruits of love they have received from their guru Srila Prabhupada with the world
and Im very thankful to them for that. Such a beautiful center. And to open it by having
yagna, kirtan, prasada, and talks the idea is that they are beginning the center in the spirit of
seva, unselfish pure service to the world. I pray for all success in every way. Thank you very
much.

International Yoga conference at Rishikesh

Be with nature, learn from nature, and change your nature. said H. H. Swami Chidanand
Saraswati Ji while welcoming guests to the International Yoga Conference at Parmarth
Niketan Ashram, Rishikesh, India. From March 1st thru 7th Radhanath Swami, along with
forty yoga gurus, shared the teachings of yoga with hundreds of yogis from around the globe.
Prominent teachers at the conference included H.H. Sri Shankaracharya Swami Divyanand
Teerthji, H.H. Swami Ramdevji, H.H. Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji and H.H. Swami Veda
Bharatiji.
The International Yoga Festival, which started in 1999 with a just a handful of people
studying under one or two yoga gurus, has grown into one of the most renowned yoga
festivals in the world. Parmarth Niketan Ashram, situated at the banks of holy Ganges River,
in the lap of the lush Himalayas is Rishikeshs largest ashram.
Radhanath Swami shared yoga teachings through stories of his life as a young yogi and
wanderer of the Hymilayan foothills, elaborating on stories from his memoir The Journey
Home. Speaking on the yoga as the integration of the mind, body and soul, he narrated a
humorous story of how he was first given the clothes of a sadhu from a stranger on the banks
of the Ganges River. One day, while he was engaged in meditation, a saintly man with long
white hair and beard walked up to him from the forest, said, You dont know who I am, but I
know who you are. I have been watching your determination. Now take off your clothes and
offer them in the current of Mother Ganga. Swami gave up his jeans and T-shirt, throwing
them into the Ganges, but was hesitant to give up his underpants. Now I was standing in my
under-pants, and he said, Offer you under-pants also. In this way the saintly man requested
him give up his old clothes and offered him the robes and loin cloth of a sadhu as a
replacement. Radhanath Swami, giving a purport said, Our body is like the set of clothes.
When we identify with this for so long, we think we are really this body and we become
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attached. Under-pants are like the subtle body that is under the gross body, thats why we are
even more attached to it.
Radhanath Swami shared stories of his experiences in other holy places in India like Kashi
and Prayaag where he met many mystic yogis who could create ashes by chanting mantra,
stop their heartbeat for half an hour or even stop their breath. Taking a clue from this story,
Swami beseeched the audience to appreciate so many miracles present around us. He gave
the examples of a tiny seed which can give rise to a gigantic Banyan Tree, a monsoon cloud
which can flood the entire city with water, and how from the combination of semen and the
ovum a fully developed body grows. Life is nothing but one miracle after another. If we
understand the miracle of the mind, body and intelligence, and understand where the force of
consciousness is coming from that animates them, then our lives can be transformed.
The final lesson which Radhanath Swami shared drew from from the Bhagvad Gita. The
real yoga is to harmonise the body, mind, and intelligence with the true nature of the self
the soul. Our true nature is to look for pleasure. Unless we find that pleasure within our own
hearts, we cannot find it anywhere else in this world. Things cannot bring pleasure to the soul
or the heart. They can give some flickering pleasure to the mind and senses, and only when
we experience something higher we will find the true pleasure. To love and be loved is the
most fundamental need for every living being and its the only true pleasure that can satisfy
us. According to all the great scriptures of the world, the origin of that love is the love
between the pure spirit self (atma) and the supreme Lord (Ishvara). Each one of us can
experience this love if we connect to the Lord through seva (service). Bhakti Yoga is to
receive the love of the Lord by chanting, hearing and meditating on Gods names, and to
express that love through seva.

Return To Yogamaya
After only a year of being open, Yogamaya yoga studio in New Yorks hip Chelsea district
has gained a huge following of both serious yoga students and kirtan lovers. Owners Bryn
Chrisman, Stacey Brass and Glen Riis have created a unique space that fuses serious Hathayoga with an equally generous dose of Bhakti-yoga, combined within a fresh context. Though
the space is set up as a yoga studio, with skylights and open spaces, the feeling is that of an
old temple. Antique carved doors and screens decorate the space, and framed vintage prints of
Radha and Krishna hang on every wall.
Kirtan is held at least once a week there, with special events scheduled every month. The
evening of July 26th was no different, as Radhanath Swami returned after eight months.
Nearly 200 people crowded the space, braving the intense humidity to cram in India style.
Yogamaya events attract a diverse cross section of New Yorkers, and everyone was
represented in the group that night. He opened by singing a beautiful bhajan and then began
to speak on the meaning of the word Yogamaya describing it as the energy of the Divine
that helps us to see everything in connection with him. It is this, he said, that brings us the
deep sense of fulfillment that we are always longing for, and that Spiritual happiness has the
depth of an ocean that has no bottom and no shores. He described how just as the
same electricity can be used either to heat or cool, we can align ourselves with this energy to
varying degrees according to our choice.
He then spoke on the power of this deep love for God telling two stories from the
Bhagavatam. First, that of Dhruva Maharaja, the five year old boy that earned an audience
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with Lord Vishnu after practicing intense yogic discipline, and that of Hanuman, whose
determination to selflessly serve his Lord Rama awarded him the deepest satisfaction. He
described how in both cases, they experienced severe obstacles, but demonstrated that real
determination is when we set our ideal with such a foundation, that whatever impediments
come, they only help us to go deeper into that lovebut if we seek an opportunity to be
discouraged, thats what we will find.
Radhanath Swami closed by saying, simply by taking shelter of the divine sound of Gods
names, one can experience that love that raises us beyond the need to be hypocritical.
Naturally the evening wasnt complete without one last wonderful kirtan that had everyone
up and dancing, despite the oppressive heat.

Boston Yoga and Chant Festival

On June 19, 2011, Radhanath Swami spoke at the annual Boston Yoga and Chant Festival.
For this weekend-long event, the Royal Plaza Trade Centera large yet unglamorous
convention center adjacent to a Best Western hotel in the MetroWest suburbs of
Massachusettswas at once transformed into a Mecca of spiritual seekers, spiritual teachers,
yogis & yoginis, vegans & vegetarians, devotional musicians from the mantra scene, artists,
dancers, new age healers, and everyday people in search of something higher.
In front of a big, beautiful backdrop of blazing orange and yellow colors that blended
seamlessly with the saffron robes of a monk, Radhanath Swami told several stories before an
eager and responsive crowd. The audience was swept away from the Massachusetts suburbs
to a frantic scene in Vrndavana, India, where a pack of wild, voracious monkeys surrounded a
newborn calf. As the calf shook in terror and cried out for its mother, tears streamed from its
eyes. The mother, hearing the cry of her calf, ran to scene, fearlessly fought off the monkeys,
and finally fed her calf to provide comfort. Analogous to the calfs crying out in desperation
for its mother, we too must sincerely call out and chant the names of God. Protection,
fearlessness, comfort, and love will surely follow.
The audience was then transported to the holy place of Prayagawhere the sacred Ganga,
Yamuna, and Saraswati rivers come together in a magnificent confluence. Radhanath Swami
described how his well-intentioned swim across the river turned into the struggle of his life as
he was forcefully pulled into the quicksand of the riverbank. After a long and terrifying
struggle, he escaped the quicksand, only to face death again as he lost the strength to swim
against the raging currents. He began to drown. A fisherman in a boat waved his hand in a
sweeping motion, but simply passed him by. As he surrendered to the river and plunged under
water, the Hare Krsna Mantra miraculously awakened in his heart. On the verge of death, he
instantly realized what the fisherman had tried to tell him. Using his final drop of strength,
instead of swimming against the current, he rode the Yamunas current and eventually swam
to safety. Radhanath Swami then led the audience on a pilgrimage to a precious temple in
Vrndavanaa simple closet where Ghanashyama devoted servant and devotee of Krsna
worshiped and served his beloved Radha Krsna deities every day of his life. As a young
college-aged man many years ago, Radhanath Swami was led to Ghanashyams beloved
temple.
Ghanashyam was so happy to meet him: You are Krsnas friend! he said. Krsna has sent
you here, and I am your servant. Since he saw everyone as a dear friend of God, for such a
visitor to his simple closet temple, Ghanashyam wanted to give up everythingthe 3 small
245

rotis (round flatbread) on which he sustained himself each day, and even his blanket during
the cold winter months. The story of Ghanashyam teaches us that we must too must see every
living being as not just as a part of God, but a friend of Godand that we should love and
serve each other in that same spirit of pure devotion and love.
Concluding his talk, Radhanath Swami taught the audience what is unarguably the most
important yoga asana of allSaranagati Asanathe asana of surrender. As he chanted the
names of the Lord, the audience performed this asana, and chanted and danced with full
enthusiasm. With the dependency of a newborn calf on its mother, like the sincere call for
help by someone drowning in a river, and with the pure love and devotion of Ghanashyam,
we should chant the names of the Lord: Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare,
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

Yoga means Unity

1.What is the meaning of yoga? Yoga means unity. What is the meaning of religion? Religion
comes from the Greek word religio, which means to bind back, to be in harmony, to be in
unity. Every living being has a body, has a mind, and has consciousness. Consciousness is
the energy emanating from the soul or the atma. So to harmonize the body, the mind, and
the soul is the art of yoga. If we dont have unity within ourselves
2. The practice of Bhakti-yoga requires watering the seed of devotion within our
heart. It also means to be very careful to pull out the weeds that are growing
along side. Topics of the mundane subject matters of this world are very
nourishing waters to the weeds that are always eager to choke the plant of
Bhakti. People tend to be fond of listening to rumors or hearing gossip. They
also like to speak gossip. It is said that among all of the senses, the tongue is
the most difficult to control.
3. .Yoga is often misunderstood as merely breath control, asanas or exercises; for
some it is about practising some rules and regulations based on morality and
for others it is cultivation of scriputral knowledge. But the real purpose of
Yoga is to fix our mind on the Supreme. According to Bhagavad-gita, yoga
can not be practiced unless we practice mind control. An uncontrolled mind
restricts the soul from reaching its natural blissful state, which a practioner is
trying to acheive through yoga. Our mind works like a television set. A
television...
4. On Sunday, April 22, Radhanath Swami was asked to speak at the
inauguration of Stanton Street Yoga, a new yoga studio and Ayurvedic health
retreat on New Yorks Lower East Side. Stanton Street Yoga is a cooperative
effort, owned and run by followers of Srila Prabhupada, headed by Badaryana
and Rukmini Wienberg. Around one hundred guests squeezed into the
beautiful new studio to attend the opening yajna ceremony, kirtan, talk and
vegetarian meal. Below are some excepts from Swamis talk. In the sixth
chapter of the Bhagavada-Gita, which is one...

246

5.

Be with nature, learn from nature, and change your nature. said H. H.
Swami Chidanand Saraswati Ji while welcoming guests to the International
Yoga Conference at Parmarth Niketan Ashram, Rishikesh, India. From March
1st thru 7th Radhanath Swami, along with forty yoga gurus, shared the
teachings of yoga with hundreds of yogis from around the globe. Prominent
teachers at the conference included H.H. Sri Shankaracharya Swami
Divyanand Teerthji, H.H. Swami Ramdevji, H.H. Swami Chidanand
Saraswatiji and H.H. Swami Veda Bharatiji. The International Yoga Festival,
which started in 1999 with a just...

How to Improve Mantra Meditation? Radhanath Swami Provides Tips

Question to Radhanath Swami: How to improve the quality of our mantra meditation?
Radhanath Swami: By our sincerity and simplicity, by trying to improve the attitude of
service in our life, by trying to live more and more according to moral, ethical and pure
principles , by guarding against offences, and by sincerely and attentively making the effort
to take shelter of the holy names.
If we are simply sincere, Lord Krishna will give us all help. If we are just sincere to live with
integrity, Krishna will give us all help, and thats for sure.

CHAPTER:10
ANANDMURTI GURUMAA

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INTRODUCTION
Anandmurti Gurumaa (devnagari: ), also known as Gurumaa, is a new age
spiritual guide. She is respected by followers of many faiths including Christianity,
Hinduism, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism and Sufism[citation needed]. Her message transcends
gender, religious, political, geographic and material boundaries. [1] Anandmurti means an
embodiment of Divine Bliss and Gurumaa means Master Mother [2] in Hindi. Gurumaa
teaches the disciplines of meditation, yoga, present moment awareness and self realisation,
[3] using meditation techniques from yoga, zen, tantra, sufism, Buddhism [4] and devised
methods.[5] Gurumaa's core teachings include meditation, self realisation, evolving
consciousness and non-duality.
MAnandmurti Gurumaa also known as Gurumaa born on 8th April 1966 in Amritsar, India, is
a new age spiritual guide. She is respected by followers of many faiths including Christianity,
Hinduism, Sikhism, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism and Sufism.Her message transcends gender,
248

religious, political, geographic and material boundaries.Anandmurti means an

embodiment of Divine Bliss and Gurumaa means Master Mother in Hindi.
Gurumaa teaches the disciplines of meditation, yoga, present moment awareness and self
realisation,using meditation techniques from yoga, zen, tantra, sufism, sikhism, buddhism
and devised methods.Gurumaa's core teachings include meditation, self realisation, evolving
consciousness and non-duality.

Teachings
* In Gurumaa's own words, If her teachings are to be summarized in one thing, it would be
awareness.
* Gurumaa also emphasizes the need for all seekers to free themselves from the outer garb of
religion,asserting that we don't experience fulfilment because of our expectations.
Enlightenment can only happen if one surrenders completely to the existence.
relationship with God is rooted in expectations, which stops us from experiencing fulfilment.
In the same manner, enlightenment will be denied to us as long as we long for it. It is only
when we surrender the desire, that we will attain to it.

Gurumaa Ashram
Gurumaa ashram is situated in Gannaur, district Sonepat, Haryana, India , 60km from Delhi
on National Highway 1. Gurumaa conducts meditation camps in this ashram every year.

Shakti
Shakti is a mission started by Anandmurti Gurumaa to empower female children in India and
stop female foeticide. Shakti supports the education of the girls from poor and needy families
until 12th standard. Shakti gives financial support for education without any color/caste/creed
discrimination. It was started informally in 2000. In the 2006-2007 academic year, around
175 girls were given full tuition fees for their studies.
CEAP (Computer Education Awareness Program) is a new program started under the Shakti
umbrella.In this project, volunteers from Gurumaa Ashram went to 20+ government girls'
schools in Sonepat district and gave them first hand experience of computers and motivated
them to learn computers and to be self dependent.

Works
Gurumaa has translated the Sufi love poems of the Turkish Sufi dervish Mevlana Jelaluddin
Rumi into the Hindi language, for the first time in India.These poems were published in the
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book Prem ka chalakta jaam. Gurumaa has also sung few of Rumi's poems, translated to
Hindi, on her album Rumi - Love at its zenith.

HISTORY
Life Sketch of Gurumaa: A Divine Journey
From time immemorial, turmoils have shaken the earth. When such turmoils happen, mother
earth summons such celestial bodies like sages, hermits, ascetics, mystics or enlightened
souls in human form to guide humankind out of disasters. Anandmurti Gurumaa is one such
celestial being who stands out amongst the galaxy of spiritual leaders.
Anandmurti Gurumaa is not only a convent educated arts graduate in the worldly sense,
but Master of Life and Beyond. She has been a mentor, counselor and a guide to people
around her right from her schooldays. As she says, A rose is born a rose, and need not do
anything to be a rose. As a child, her home was always being visited by spiritually evolved
people. When at the early age of fifteen, she went for a pilgrimage and was surrounded by
admirers and seekers, it was not a surprise for the family. She traveled through her teens and
by the age of twenty four settled down in Rishikesh in a hermitage.
But destiny wanted her to spread her wings far and wide so that she could reach out to the
maximum number of troubled souls. Soon she was seen on television, which made her
available to millions of viewers worldwide. She established her Ashram in Gannaur, Dist.
Sonepat, Haryana where various residential retreats and workshops are being held throughout
the year. The ashram is a place full of positive energy, tranquil and calm, full of natural
beauty, which enables the seekers to evolve naturally under Gurumaas guidance. Now she is
based in Gannaur, Harayana where she is available to her disciples year around where various
residential workshops are organized. Her ashram is a beautiful place with beauty and empty
spaces to rejoice and evolve spiritually.

Persona par excellence

Anandmurti Gurumaa showed extraordinary signs of a mystic in the making early in life.
From the very beginning she was being blessed by mystics and sages right at her home. From
the tender age of nine, Gurumaa would put such questions before her school teachers and
others that they would be surprised by her sharp intellect and deep insights into spirituality.
Those around her felt it remarkable that a child of her age could ask such profound questions.
From an early age, Gurumaa showed a special affinity towards the seers. She would listen to
their talks and ask them various questions. They would happily answer all her queries as they
knew she was not just curious but had a genuine desire for knowledge. Gurumaa also started
writing poetry at an early age. These poetic expressions came from the depth of her heart.
They are her innocent offerings to the divine where the divine is seen as the beloved and
sometimes as a friend.
Gurumaa had also begun in her own way to deliver satsang even while she was a schoolgirl.
After school, she would rush to deliver her satsangs. People were drawn to her and made
every endeavour to be a part of that Amrit Varsha.

A Modern Day Mystic

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An embodiment of love, grace, compassion, and empowered with the wisdom of the times,
forward thinking and dynamic in her approach and outlook, Anandmurti Gurumaa stands as a
constant source of inspiration for all. She is a source of light to those looking for an answer,
peace, wisdom, and unconditional love. Defying definitions, pragmatic, realistic, of liberal
views, she is open-minded like sky and intense like space.
Anandmurti Gurumaa had a wonderful childhood when other children were learning
nursery rhymes, she was listening to the philosophy of Vedanta. While other children dreamt
of dolls and cars, she was learning the art of awakening. She was always seen meditating or
sitting in silence.
She travelled in different parts of India, finally settling in Rishikesh a holy city on the banks
of the Ganges. While in Rishikesh, she went into silence and wanted to remain in this state
forever. However, the world needed her presence to show light to the mankind groping in
dark; seekers were flocking from everywhere seeking guidance. Out of her compassion for
humanity she came out of silence and began to show the way.
At a very early age, life groomed her to be a master and a guide to seekers. Soon the
fragrance of her spirituality spread and people from all over started coming to her seeking
knowledge and guidance.
She started travelling to address conferences, meet people and to give them guidance. Later
she started her meditation retreats which gave her a working ground. Thousands of people
would come to unlearn the worldly ways; to rise above dogmas and doctrines of religion. She
simplified meditation for the masses and made it of such ease that no one ever felt that this
path was for a chosen few only.
As fish to water, so did poetry come naturally to her. Anandmurti Gurumaa has written
hundreds ofpoems. She has also set them to music and sung them in her mellifluous voice.
Anandmurti Gurumaa teaches the essential precepts that we must understand and internalize,
if we are to progress on the path of spiritual understanding. A pragmatic approach of her
teachings empowers the seeker with the wisdom to live with absolution. With her
characteristic humility, Anandmurti Gurumaa says, I have nothing new to offer in terms of
words; but much to offer in terms of the essence of truth.
Redefining spirituality: Anandmurti Gurumaa says, The Spiritual path is a warriors path
where you have to wage a war against your own darkness, your own ignorance not to fight
with your own mind but to understand it so as to transgress it. It is like the seed that is always
there but flowers only in the right climate, rich soil and with the loving nurturing of a
gardener.
Gurumaa says she does not belong to any one tradition, religion, path or label. She considers
herself a citizen of world and is not limited by narrow considerations. She is a free-spirited,
transendentalist and is carving out a path-less path for seekers. She says that no guru can
grant you enlightenment; no master can awaken your kundalini; one has to toil hard oneself
in the presence of the master- but without making the effort seem a strain. Seek, but with
patience; meditate, but without any goal; sharpen your awareness so that you rise above the
me-mine-I syndrome of identification with the self.

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Today Anandmurti Gurumaa resides in a beautiful ashram in Gannaur, Haryana, India. Ever
welcoming to seekers; ever inviting to all; a hard task master who will not appease your ego,
Gurumaa says, People do not need a living guru; they need a look-alike guru, a toy. As one
has to surrender totally to the guru, people, who love their selves so much, find it difficult to
do so. Therefore most prefer to stay away!
Anandmurti Gurumaa is a living master who is so ordinary in her extraordinariness! She is a
challenge to the intellect, a pleasing sight to the eyes, humorous, and a lively new
age Buddha.

ASHRAMS
A Living Buddhafield
When a Buddha walks on this earth, he leaves behind a charged and hallowed ground. Earth
takes in the vibrations of the master and keeps it safe for a very long period. Bodhi tree under
which Siddhartha attained enlightenment is worshipped as living Buddha, not just for being a
testimony to Buddhas enlightenment but also for sharing the same space, and for having
drunk the energy released at the time of final achievement. Sanghmitra, the daughter of
emperor Ashoka, took a branch of this tree to Sri Lanka when she headed towards this
beautiful island to disseminate the message of the Buddha. She planted this branch there as a
symbol of the Buddha and for many years this tree was revered by neo Buddhists as Buddha
himself.
In early years of Buddhist religion in China, instead of the statues of Buddha bodhi tree
statues were made and monks meditated in front of them. Slowly, the human image of the
Buddha was adopted. Bodh Gaya is the place where the Buddha got enlightened in Bihar,
India. It is the biggest pilgrimage place for the Buddhists.
If a tree or a place can be considered to be the holiest just because enlightenment happened
there, imagine a place where the master lives. This is the beauty, charisma of Rishi
ChaitanyaAshram, an abode of the master who is alive. Set against the backdrop of lush
green fields, wide variety of flora and fauna, beautifully carved stone idols and awe inspiring
water body, Sarovar, Rishi Chaitanya Ashram offers a perfect ambience to move towards
self understanding and discovering a way to lead a stress free life. Rishi Chaitanya Ashram is
not just the name of a place where people meditate; it is much more than that! It is the place
where a master is present and is guiding seekers towards enlightenment. It functions like an
oasis in a world that is lost, hungry, blinded by storms of lust, greed, ego all get respite and
relief once they arrive in the ashram.
Rishi Chaitanya Ashram is a living Buddhafield where a great evolution is taking place,
where personalities are being carved out, polished, and groomed from being crude to finer,
from unconscious to conscious; where one learns to be gracious, love full and aware. The
Master is the magnetic pull that attracts seekers to come, and this love call is so strong that no
one can miss it; but only truly fortunate ones can hear this call. Rishi Chaitanya Ashram is
one of the places where this magic is unfolding. Tens of thousands of people sit and meditate
together under Gurumaas guidance, and thousands work diligently to uplift them.
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The Ashram has all modern facilities of lodging, cafeteria, organic hygienic food, beautiful
manicured gardens, and trails to walk; wide open spaces, clear sky, synchronized songs of
birds, mesmerizing early mornings where a person wakes up to the beautiful melodies of
Indian classical music. Rishi Chaitanya Ashram is a true heaven on earth. Every glade of
grass in the ashram seems to emanate vibrancy, color and warmth an invitation to provide
succor for parched souls. It is truly a place which is must for every individual who

Accommodation
Facilities Available
Stay at Rishi Chaitanya Ashram is an experience in itself. Visitors are offered simply styled
accommodations, which are equipped with the modern facilities. Double rooms are in
Bodhisatwa building and single rooms are in buildings named after the holy rivers in India:
Ganga, Yamuna, Saraswati, and Triveni. In addition to the rooms, shared accommodation is
available in dormitories: Sant Gyaneshwar Awaas, Nanak Dhaam, and Vishwanath Dhaam.
Reservation for rooms can be made over phone or via e-mail, 15 days prior to reaching the
Ashram.
One can call at the helpline numbers: 0130-2216500, 09896263821 or e-mail room booking
request at info@gurumaa.com.
Rooms for stay at Rishi Chaitanya Ashram are well equipped with the necessary modern
facilities. The sole purpose is to fulfill the basic requirements of the seekers coming from all
over the world, to enable them to endeavor for their spiritual evolution devoid of any worries.

An Inn to go within
Rishi Chaitanya Ashram personifies a serene place away from the city. It is a retreat from the
hustle bustle of daily mundane life and gives you an opportunity to be calm, peaceful, and
discover your inner bliss.
We are so engrossed in our material pursuits that we even forget to live this life beautifully. In
the rush for earning livelihood and luxuries, we forego the serenity of our mind and continue
doing so until comes the saturation point of breakdown. And then we begin the quest for a
place where we could relax, rejuvenate, and experience the ever flowing blissfulness of life.
The mystical surroundings of the Ashram offer an exquisite ambience where you can learn
the art of living life as a celebration, and explore the deeper aspects of life itself.
Ashram as beautifully explained by Her Holiness Anandmurti Gurumaa Ashram is
amalgamation of two words of Hindi language- Aa means Come and Shram means labor
which means come to placed to leave all labor of body and mind. The term labor is not
associated with its usual interpretation of putting ones efforts in physical sense. It is rather an
effort to be in communion with the Divine. And the uniqueness of the concept lies in negating
the existing standards of attaining divinity through mere following the rituals. On the
contrary, the methodology propounded by Gurumaa states not to be a mere believer in the
dogmas and orthodoxy established by the societal agencies; it is to understand the meaning of
the truth which is omnipresent and to be in synonymy with the divine.
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It is the presence of a Guru that makes the place divine. Because its the guidance of a Guru
that helps an individual discover the pulsating happiness in every moment. Rishi Chaitanya
Ashram is one such place, brimming with the presence of a living enlightened master.
Surrounded by serene natural environment leading to a hub of an immense positive energy, it
is a panacea for the modern world. It is a cosmic field of energy; energy that acts as a catalyst
for self emancipation.
It is a place for spiritual retreat where one can live life of inner discipline and experience
gushing energies and awaken to a new style of life life of awareful joyousness. The serenity
of the Ashram provides a unique ambience that helps foster the seed of creativity, which lies
dormant within all of us. One also gets a rare opportunity to learn and practice
various meditationtechniques, which are tools to gain wisdom.

Food For Body, Mind & Soul

Personalities are being carved, polished, and groomed from crude, blinded, unconscious to
gracious, aware and enlightened ones at Rishi Chaitanya Ashram. The Ashram nourishes all
the aspects and layers of ones being. The balanced and enriched environment of ashram
provides delicious, healthy and digestible food for your Body, Mind & Soul.

Food for Soul

The flow of unconditional love showered by the beloved master is an indispensable food for
soul. It weaves a beautiful milieu for the flower of meditationto bloom within. Every day,
there are two meditation sessions: one in the morning and another in the evening, as the fuel
for soul is as much essential as the fuel for body and mind. The divine presence of Gurumaa
during these meditation sessions helps one to explore the great depths and heights of inner
journey. Heart warming smiles venting out of repressed emotions, tears of joy and
inexplicable joy oozing from within nourshes heart. Group meditations, solitary silence
retreats,kirtan, silent contemplation, are some of the many activities offered here for the soul.

Food for Mind

Meticulous inquiry to know oneself is an ideal foundation to embark on the journey to truth.
But on this voyage, mind plays numerous tricks to deviate seeker from exploring to the
deepest core. As Gurumaa says so simply and lucidly: God is simple, Life is simple, why
complicate it? The illuminating words of wisdom by Gurumaa unravel the mysteries of inner
world in a very simplified way. In essence, her words her are myth-shattering and
enlightening, showing a path from darkness to light. Her teachings offer great insights into
the right way of living life joyfully, celebrating every moment.
Be it in Ashram or any other place where Gurumaa conducts meditation camp or the online
interactive platform of Live Chat every month, Gurumaa benevolently quells seekers quest,
helping the seeker move from known to unknown. Many times, her talks are recorded in
audio video formats to make it accessible to the seekers around the world, so that everyone
can benefit from it and satiate the individual quest. It is like an ocean, the more you delve
into, the more you discover the realities of life.

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Every day, the recorded discourses of Gurumaa are played in Patanjali. Luminous with the
presence of the master, Patanjali offers a tranquil ambience to contemplate, meditate and
experience the sutras of meditation elucidated by Gurumaa in her talks. You can also find a
vast collection of audio-video discourses and books of Gurumaa in Mandala, the sacred
shopping store of Ashram. The circle with a centre pattern that forms the fundamental theme
of the whole creation is reflected in Mandalaa. It is built around the centre to offer a divine
treasure of exclusive discourses of Anandmurti Gurumaa, Books written by Anandmurti
Gurumaa, Robes (Cholas), and Aasanas.
The reservoir of audio-video collection includes pre-recorded discourses of Gurumaa
bestowed at various places, powerful meditation techniques designed and developed by
Gurumaa for the modern day pacer who has to face various upheavals in day-to-day life, and
soul-stirring bhajans in the mellifluous voice of Gurumaa to bridge the gap between seeker
and the divine.

Food for Body

There is a beautiful divine kitchen in Rishi Chaitanya Ashram called Annapurna, where
nutritious food constituting a well balanced diet is prepared and served with love and
devotion; hygiene is given utmost importance. Here you experience the health benefits of
vegetarian diet and its positive effects on your mind. Ashram also has a contemporary
Bismillah caf, which is designed to provide a vibrant divine ambience for munching snacks,
sipping tea/coffee/cold drink with an accent of sophistication, imbued with awareness. It
offers a special selection of affordably priced menu to serve the wide variety of choices.
Both healthy food and regular exercise are essential to keep your body fit. Every morning
theres a regular yoga session where basic yoga techniques are taught and practiced.
Breathing in pollution free air of Ashram helps to evade various diseases and stay healthy.
This lays the foundation for a healthy mind.

The Fabulous Flora

Well maintained beautiful lawns, numerous trees and floral plants, twittering birds, and
magnificent water bodies, all are dancing with joy at Rishi Chaitanya Ashram. The
spectacular landscape gardens, vivid plants and flowers are fragrant with pure love.
There is an omniscient grace of the master that flows through this majestic flora. The walking
trails are framed with an array of colorful flowers, and a gentle wakeful walk through these
trails will make you realize that you too are a flower; a unique flower which has its own
beauty & fragrance. Get involved with them for a while, feel their presence, see the color of
its petals, and the sweet fragrance will enter your being; it will make you feel free like a bird.
You just need to be open and receptive in the vibrant atmosphere of the Ashram to come in
touch with the source of love and wisdom inside yourself.
Sambhudh Sabhagar and Patanjali are the two meditationhalls of Rishi Chaitanya Ashram.
These are the sacred gathering places for seekers to chant, meditate and engage in satsang.
Daily meditation sessions and meditation camps/shivir happen here only. When so many
people meditate together in the presence of the beloved master, there is an upsurge of vibes
showering eternal joy on one and all. The vibrations of these holy halls are perfect catalyst for
intense transformations. They have been specially designed and well equipped to provide a
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relaxing and conducive atmosphere with soothing music and guided meditations playing in
the backdrop.
Here you enjoy the peace and tranquil ambience within and without, as it is only in the
deepest silence one can imbibe the aura of the master and be in communion. Its more to be
experienced than to be talked about.

PREACHINGS
Gurumaa to Women
Women Power house of energy
As enshrined in our holy epics and scriptures the Woman an embodiment of affection,
benevolence and compassion has been, since ages, extolled as an angel. Woman is an
embodiment of love, grace and compassion. She has been illuminating the life in all its
manifestations, as a sister, daughter, wife, mother and spiritually enlightened visionary. A
complete human being gifted with traits of perfect understanding, balanced approach to life,
witty and beautiful, possessing artistic attributes; the essence of womanhood is difficult to
define. She creates, nurtures, supports, loves and is a power house of energy, despite some
mysterious denials to her contribution.

Women Deserves much more

Right from the beginning a girl is denied the right to live and to be educated. She is
discriminated against when young, taken out of school to help the mother with household
chores and sometimes even to be a nanny to her younger siblings. Girls are not welcomed at
the time of birth. They are considered a responsibility and parents choose the easy way out
they kill the girl in the mothers womb! For a few thousand rupees, a life is aborted. Baby
girls do not have a voice of their own; how can they protest? Who will listen to their silent
screams? A girl is killed in the womb by a doctor; I call it murder and not abortion. What is
her fault? Why is she denied the basic human right to life? A male child is never denied that
right! Why? Today the ratio of girls to boys has dropped so much that in some parts of north
India, girls are brought from other states and sold to men as brides. Sometimes a girl is shared
by two brothers and in some cases even by father and son! It is shocking, deplorable,
condemnable and inhuman.
We have to stop these inhuman atrocities being forced upon girls. In the Indian joint-family
system, it is the elders or the husband who decide whether or not to have a girl child.
Sometimes the daughter-in-law is threatened into having an abortion she does not have a
choice. The wife who is financially dependent on her husband has to oblige what else can
she do? This is why I say that women should be educated and must have economic
independence. They should not be pressurized into doing something they do not want to. A
woman is not weak she has been conditioned to believe that she is weak.
A girl grows up to be a companion to man; a good friend; a doting mother; a loving wife; a
wonderful girlfriend. She is a giver; she is tolerant; she is perseverant. Allow her to blossom
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to her full capacity. Girls are wonderful! can a man think of making a life without a
woman? She defines mans life, fulfils and nurtures him.
A woman can play multiple roles with lan. Cant men at least support her and respect her?
Please think about how you can repay a mothers debt the debt of love. Every woman is
Shakti a divine being love and respect her.
If a woman remains ignorant and blind, can a society progress in its totality fully? If in any
society, the woman remains ignorant, illiterate and deprived of her rights, can that society or
country flourish? Our country will not prosper as long as women are not given their rightful
place. The day the women of this country awaken and empower themselves with knowledge,
this country will touch the heights of prosperity.

Gurumaas initiatives for the upliftment of women

As a realized person does not live up in clouds, Her Holiness Anandmurti Gurumaa, living
amidst the realities of life observed and analyzed the dilemma of woman grudgingly given a
secondary status in the contemporary society and thus establishing the supremacy of male
chauvinism. To provide solace of faith, succor and the volcanic courage to women,
Anandmurti Gurumaa spearheaded to set up Shakti in 1999, which has now blossomed as a
project of multidimensional excellence; besides empowering the girls through education.
Shakti has emerged as a wakeup call to combat the heinous practices of female foeticide,
infanticide, dowry menace and the brutalities afflicted on the girl child who is regarded as a
harbinger of curse by many foolish and preposterous people and patriarchs of society.
With her mystic vision, wisdom, rationality and cosmic intellectualism, Anandmurti Gurumaa
stands as a constant source of inspiration for one and all. She is working zealously towards
the upliftment of women, especially in a country like India where gender bias and male
chauvinism is a centuries old tradition. Devoid of any fear and with great enthusiasm,
Anandmurti Gurumaa through her divine utterances and Shakti revolution has been waging a
war against the perpetual exploitation of woman, the ill treatment meted out to widows,
forced female infanticide, the dowry system and the prevalent discriminatory treatment of the
girl child in our society.
Gurumaa motivates women to fortify their energy, power, and to respect themselves as
women. In order to not confine her teachings to mere words, Gurumaa, in her true crusader
spirit, has launched the project Shakti An initiative to empower the girl child.
Shakti means feminine energy and it is present in every cell of our body, in every atom of this
cosmos. Man or woman- these differences are at the level of body; in reality we are spirit.
Awakening this energy is the goal of every spiritual aspirant. No one can function without
this power. India celebrates and worships this shakti as a goddess Durga. Every girl, woman
is an embodiment of Durga and so is a man. We are the power we all are shakti Lets
recognize this and celebrate our presence.

Gurumaa to Youth
Energetic, vibrant, lively, effervescent i.e. youth and the dynamism of Meditation makes them
more creative, peaceful, intelligent, confident and ready for life. The youth meditation
retreats conducted by Anandmurti Gurumaa stands as a loud and clear testimony to this.
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Anandmurti Gurumaa is a contemporary master loved by youngsters for her modern thoughts
and dynamic guidance.

Youth Meditation Retreat

Every year, five-day meditation camp for Youth is conducted by Anandmurti Gurumaa in
the evolving climate of Rishi Chaitanya Ashram, Gannaur.
Youngsters in the age group of 12 to 24 yrs from different corners of the world attend this
meditation camp.
It is a vibrant occasion of meditation, celebration, creativity and an exquisite expression of
inherent talents.

Why Meditation Camp for Youth?

Today, youngsters undergo a significant amount of inevitable stress and anxiety during their
growing years. And on top of it they are not equipped to deal with such circumstances.
Youth Meditation camp not only equips them with the tool of meditation but also inculcates
in them good habits to live a healthy, happy, creative and conscious lifestyle.
In this camp, they are introduced to various mediation methods, like Yoga Nidra to improve
their
willpower
and
confidence, Tratak to
sharpen
memory and
improve
concentration, Urja to release the accumulated stress.
Under the dynamic guidance of Anandmurti Gurumaa, multitudes of activities are organized
during this five-day youth camp. Open wide sky, chirping of birds, and the smiling sun wake
up every one for the Aarti followed by refreshing session of yoga.
Sambudh Sabhagar is the meditation hall where all participants gather to learn meditation
from Gurumaa. In these sessions they get a chance to experience meditation through dancing,
chanting and more. The youngsters also get an opportunity to ask their questions from
Gurumaa.
Various creative expressions workshop are also organized in the retreat to unleash the creative
energies of the participants. The workshops include creative writing, painting, dancing,
singing and designing. Many more activities are organized in the retreat to empower these
tiny flowers like self-defence techniques, group discussions, aerobics, career counseling,
dance sessions, stress reduction, mindfulness meditation.

Truth And God

Truth and God are synonyms i.e. when I say God it means Truth, and when I say
Truth it means God.
God is not the name of an entity which is away from us living somewhere in the sky in some
far remote place in the cosmos. For the seers who understood the Truth- God is Truth.

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Truth and God are synonyms; when I say God it means Truth, when I say Truth it means
God. God exists in every core of an atom. This means that this whole universe is a
manifestation of that very God, that very existence. Thus, each and every thing as well as the
forms which we are seeing is the form of the divinity. The seers of this land loved and
worshipped each and every form as God. The vision of God is not limited. It is limitless; it is
beyond the boundaries of human mind.
The sun has billions of rays, which kick off the darkness wherever they fall. From one sun
there are billions and trillions of rays shooting out. Every ray is part and parcel of that very
sun, and not different from the sun. Similarly, each and every form of this universe is the ray
of that very Divine, of the God, of the Truth. So these enlightened masters loved every plant,
every tree, every man, and every woman with the same gusto and with the same love. But as
it happens, people around these great masters could not understand the depth of their insight,
but still they lovingly picked up the rituals of worshipping plant, trees and even a human
being. As every human being is divine, every human being can be called God. You too are
God; all of us are God.
The seers and sages saw within themselves the divinity and the same light present
everywhere. They were not thinking about God, they were not just philosophizing, they could
feel and they could experience. Thus, they worshipped and loved living God. Even a glade of
grass is God. So, sometimes it baffles me when we say that there are three hundred thirty
million Gods believed by Hindus. But I would say the number is very less. It is more than this
number. Because the numbers should be as many as there are human beings on this earth.
This spark of divinity, if it gets ignited in the person, then such a person can love everyone,
worship all. Hindu civilization grew around the thought that God isnt far away from us, but
in us, within us as well as beyond us. Sun, moon, stars, air, water, from the galaxies to a glade
of grass, you, me, and all of us are because of God. A God who is apart from us can be a
fabrication of mind. This mind thinks about God because of God. So, we need to go deeper
into the inner recesses of the mind to know the eternal source of this mind.
Fire is present everywhere, in all things; because fire is the basic element. Ether, fire, earth,
water, and air are the basic ingredients with which this whole world is formed. Fire is
everywhere. But you cannot see fire with the naked eye. The fire is right here in this chair on
which I am sitting, fire is in this body but the light of this fire will be seen only if we help the
fire to come out. Fire too became a sign of God in various religions. When Moses went up
the Mount Sinai, it is said that a bush burnt up the holy fire and God talked to him. It is
symbolic; fire is being used as a metaphor. Moses was a meditator and the one who is
perpetually in silence, observing mind; a day comes when the explosion happens and the
unseen is seen. The hidden takes its appearance.
Fire is worshipped by Hindus and Zoroastrians. There are candles lit in churches, lamps in
the Buddhist and Jain temples. In one way or the other, fire happens to be in almost all
religious places. Fire is a symbol of life, beauty. Fire has been used to explain the
omniscience of God by rishis of Upanishad. Fire is right here, there, everywhere but we have
to do something to see its glow. God is within us but we have to explore our heart to know
the inner light and those who are able to do so are called Enlightened one who has seen the
inner light.

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When a rishi worships the Ganga, it might seem very pagan for a stranger to Hindu
civilization. Its just a river, why worship it? Its just a cow, an animal, why worship it? Its
just a tulsi, a herbal plant, why worship it? But they are not worshipping the tree or the plant
or the river or the cow, they are worshipping the Divinity which is there. Why did Ganga get
a higher status than other rivers? Because since ages, the entire length of Ganga, from its
source at Gangotri to the Bay of Bengal where it merges with the ocean, has been used by
individuals to meditate, to explore the inner realms of consciousness. These individuals have
been spreading their vibrations and aura in this region. Energy never dies; all energies which
got released for thousands of years, has purified and sanctified every speck of sand along the
Ganga.
Thus the water of Ganga is naturally magnetized, it has great healing properties. And
anything that heals should be given due respect. When the sages offered salutation to the
Ganga, it was not a salutation to mere a river, it was a salutation given to the qualities of its
water and the Divinity which they could foresee. But it doesnt mean that the crowds of
people who are standing today by the Ganga have this insight. For them it is just a ritual, a
tradition. Just by being born in a Hindu family you do not get higher knowledge. Knowledge
doesnt get transferred from one person to another, what to say about generations.
As it happens, enlightened masters are understood by disciples and worshipped by masses.
But the people are unable to understand the density of the masters knowledge. According to
their level, they pick up few things, and then they turn it into rituals, which is very harmless.
Offering flowers to a statue or a Holy River what harm can it bring? But when rituals
become defining elements of religion, then it becomes the biggest hurdle. One can mindlessly
follow rituals and live life of stupidity and ignorance. It is easy to be ritualistic but difficult to
be a truly religious person. People just follow the traditions and from these very rituals,
religions are recognized. Every religion has its own set of rituals which gives different
identity to it. But truly speaking, the real religion has to be the religion of Truth.
If Hindus have forgotten the real Hindu essence, the same has happened to all other religions.
How many Christians have really understood the gospel? What Gospel says, how many
Christians understand its essence? People have picked up a few sermons; they have just
picked up the ritual of going to the church. Jews have synagogues, Muslims have mosques
and like any other habit they treat going to their respective worship places in the same
manner.
Again, the Christians have their own set of rituals which they follow very religiously.
Similarly, Hindus have their own set of rituals which they follow sincerely. Somehow, in this
they miss the real essence, the real core. To know the reality, the desire to know has to be
there in the heart of these people. But it is missing. Believing seems very convenient, seeking
is arduous. So, people opt to be a believer and not a seeker. As lot of sincere introspection is
required, exploration and experimentation is crucial to understand. But generally people are
lazy, really lazy. So they are happy by just following the rituals. Those who do so miss the
whole purpose of religion they have missed the message.
That is the reason, in India, a great emphasis has been made on the fact that one should have
a Master, a Guru through whom you get the understanding, you get the wisdom and you dont
act like a fool by just following the rituals and missing the real essence.Rituals are like an
empty can of juice. There is no juice left in it and if you keep on licking the can, nothing will
come out of it. People are happy with the empty cans of religion. These are the people who
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have missed the joy of religion. This is very pathetic. They could have been enriched with the
real knowledge. And yet they are happy with just an empty set of rituals. They could have
been really religious, but they are happy just to follow the belief system of any particular set
of religion.
So, it does not matter what religion you believe, what matters is the religiousness. Not the
dogma, not the books, not the scriptures, what matters is your attitude to life.

Gurumaa on Shakti
Interactive Talk Session with Gurumaa in Vivekananda College of Girls
O Girls! What do you feel when you are addressed as Devi?
When this question was asked to an assembly of girls gathered to listen to Her Holiness
Anandmurti Gurumaa, in the auditorium of Vivekananda Collegefor girls, there was a mixed
response with a few not knowing what to say. So to make them think, Gurumaa said, When
you are asked a question, you should have the courage to answer or else you will become
vulnerable to injustice. Inspired by this, many spoke up. Thus began the talk Well, you
should never feel good about being called a devi, because then you are not considered even a
human being. Your right to be a human being is taken away from you in the name of devi.
Just think!What are the expectations from a devi: You should be a giver; you should sacrifice;
you should not speak even when faced with injustice, and everything else that can be termed
as exploitation. Such is the upbringing of every girl in India! She is conditioned to see herself
as weaker than men and to succumb to this male-dominated society. So dont feel happy to be
called a devi; ask for your human rights and avail of them. I wish to ask you all: Why do you
come to college? What is your purpose? Does it only give you the freedom to step out of the
four-walls of your house, or are you interested in learning and educating yourself? I
congratulate all those who are sincere in their studies, but I also know that there are many
who come to college to have a good-time and gossip about their favorite topics like fashion,
romance etc. Life is more than fashion and romance. Dont just be beautiful, but also be
intellectually evolved. And do not under-estimate the importance of education in life,
especially for girls.
I travel around the world and get to meet several women. I have heard stories of women who
are facing adversities in their life just because they are not educated, and hence they end up
being dependent on men who then take undue advantage of them. In India it is a normal
practice to marry off a girl at the very young age of 20-25yrs. And it is also seen that girls just
drop their education mid-way, as soon as they get married; marriage is seen as the only
purpose of educating girls! But what is the guarantee that your husband will always be there
with you? What if he dies before you? Have you ever thought what will happen to you then?
And do you have any idea of the life of a widow? The treatment meted out to widows in India
is very biased. They are considered a curse and are not even allowed to socialize; a widow
ends up being a victim of society. It is society which has laid down the dos and donts for
girls during menstruation.
Even today in twenty-first century India, many conservativegurus and pundits propagate such
idiosyncrasies as a woman being impure during her periods. The height of superstition in
India is that women are told not to touch pickles during their periods as the pickle will spoil!
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A woman is not allowed to enter temples, to worship god, to touch or eat pickle the list is
endless. To break through this myth, I asked two lady scientists to conduct a research on
menstruating women. They not only made six hundred menstruating women from different
parts of the country touch pickles for three months, but also made them prepare pickles. The
pickles were sealed and kept under observation. Not a single jar of pickle went bad!
Menstruation is a sign of a girls fertility; if the girl doesnt menstruate, then she will never
become a mother. This is the system Nature has given to a woman. How can a system given
by Nature be impure? Due to her periods, she is able to become a mother and can give birth
to a child and bring a new life into the world. I dont want you to become victims; I want you
all to evolve and secureyourselves physically, mentally and financially. You should learn
martial arts to develop the physical ability to protect yourself. Why do you need to depend on
any male to save you from any difficult circumstance? Empower yourself and equip yourself
such that you become your own protector. You should learnmeditation to explore your
inherent potential and to be in a state of peace and calm.
EmpowerEducateEvolve! When a boy is educated, an individual is educated; when a girl
is educated, the whole generation is educated as she will further educate the children and girls
in her family. Yet girls are given discriminatory treatment by their own parents! Meditation is
one of the most important tools in learning.
Students often complain about forgetting their studies and not being able to retain for long
what they have learnt. The major reason for this is that your mind isnt integrated. It has too
many thoughts regarding several issues in your life. When you study, you not only study but
think about so many other things at the same time. To sharpen your memory, you should learn
the techniques of Tratak and Yog Nidra.Tratak is an ancient technique which helps to improve
concentration and integratesthe mind.
Yog Nidra is also an ancient technique devised and used by our sages, to activate the dormant
areas of the human body and mind. Albert Einstein, the famous scientist is supposed to have
used just 8% of his brains capacity! This indicates the extent of the capabilities of the human
brain. Both the techniques are power-tools to unleash your potential to its optimum. Swami
Vivekananda is often cited for his remarkable intelligence and memory. In one instance, when
the loan of a book from a scientists library was refused to him, he asked for permission to
read it there and then. This instance is amazing in that he not only read the complete book in
just three hours, but also understood and shared his understanding with the scientist! The
secret of his prodigious memory is Yog Nidra.
In Yog Nidra, one is required to move consciousness to different parts of the body, followed
by a reverse counting of breaths and then to resolve resolve is very important as whatever
you resolve at that time in Yog Nidra will definitely become a reality. So always make a
creative and constructive resolve to make your life beautiful. Regular practice of this
technique can awaken the power of intuition and many other dormant capabilities. A woman
is a creator; she is blessed with the ability to give birth. No man can ever match this ability
because he doesnt have a womb to give birth. In an attempt to become creators, men strive to
paint, climb mountains and engage in other such activities.
It is sad that the creator of life is killed and not given a chance to be born. I am talking
about female foeticide and infanticide. The sharp decline in the number of girls per thousand
boys indicates that many people resort to such cruel practices. You should be thankful to your
parents for they didnt kill you in the womb, and for giving you an opportunity to
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acquire knowledge. If you come across any woman who is going in for a sex
determination test with the intention of resorting to foeticide, just make her aware of the
cruelty of her act, and save the life of the child to be.

ROLE FOR SOCITY WELFARE

Special Diwali Gift for Shakti Girls
This diwali has become more special for shakti girls. 16 girls (2012 batch) from shakti
gurgaon centre, being run under the auspicious guidance of revered master Anandmurti
Gurumaa,
have
been
gifted
sewing
machines
as
diwali
gift.
Thus, the girls can now not only apply the knowledge gained practically, but also earn a
decent living at their respective homes setting yet another example of the uniqueness of the
mission i.e. educating and empowering to achieve self dependence.
Recently, Her Holiness Anandmurti Gurumaa gave a highly thought provoking, inspirational
talk to the girls at a college in Nasik. The gist is as follows:
Traditionally in India, a woman has been addressed as a Devi, a goddess. On the face of it
this may come across as a very noble gesture. However, actually this belies an underlying
expectation of lifelong sacrifices for others. This selfish motive is disguised with a sugar
coating of alleged reverence and results in a never-ending exploitation of women.
Right from the childhood, it is inculcated into a girl that her greatness lies in living for others
be it the husband, in-laws, and children. She is brainwashed into believing that a womans
dignity lies in conforming to societal norms, customs and traditions. This is the goal of her
life. There is no place whatsoever for her dreams, her aspirations, and her fulfillment.
It is hardly surprising then to see girls who have no particular ambition, pursuits or zest for
life. Quite a few end up entering college to just get away from their homes, to enjoy their
temporary freedom but have no objective in life other than getting married. Indeed, often
education is viewed only as a means to landing a sought after groom! And tragically, even if
the girl pursues a professional career, often after her marriage, her in-laws will ask her to give
up her job so that she can look after the family.
Marriage cannot be the sole objective of any girls life. Marriage itself brings in a truckload
of responsibilities and yet more expectations. The daughter in-law is expected to abide by the
rules and regulations of her new home. More often than not, she is soon expected to produce
an heir, a grandson and heaven forbid if she fails to do so! It is not that all in-laws are
tormentors. However, in essence, before marriage a girl is dependent on her father/brother
and this dependency is transferred to her husband/in-laws after her marriage. Her freedom
and liberty are always at stake. The irony is that the girl is always led to believe that her
husbands home is her real home no wonder, even from God, her objective of fulfillment
is getting a good husband!
Unfortunately this urge to move in to her own home is further intensified sometimes when
the girl sees her own mother being maltreated (be it by the father or paternal grandmother
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etc). She simply wants to escape this unhappy environment, little realizing that she may be
jumping from the hot pan right on to the fire.
It is not that all girls lack a will, a motivation to better their lives by education. Nevertheless,
I have seen strong-willed, educated, confident girls turning into meek lambs after marriage
desirous of only making their marriage work at any cost and suffering all exploitations, as
they cannot deal with the possibility of getting tarnished by the husband leaving them or
divorcing them.
Moreover, their parents have spent so much money on the lavish wedding (and the hefty
dowry!) and may even be in debt because of all this extravagant spending. This adds further
emotional pressure on the girls to keep enduring all quietly.
Parents are ready to go to any lengths to get their daughters married, often incurring loans
and debts, so that they can fulfill the demands of dowry an evil yet rampant affliction of the
society. Paradoxically, they never give a thought to the possibility of any untoward event
happening in her marital home like what if the husband turns out to be a drug addict, an
alcoholic, a womanizer or suffer from a fatal disease like AIDS? What would be their strategy
then?
There is a custom of matching astrological charts of the prospective bride and groom.
However, I think it is imperative to match medical records, especially in this era of sexual
promiscuity and perversion. Women are increasingly being viewed as objects of sexual
gratification. The graphic portrayals on television, easy access to Internet and pornography is
aiding this further. How then can anyone know that the prospective groom is a virgin, does
not have any sexually transmissible disease? We never give a thought to this. But I want you
to think on these lines, as these are serious issues and concern your whole life.
It is a fact of todays society that all the seemingly innocuous acts of girls dating boys,
going to the cinema, coffee shops; most of these apparently platonic encounters end up being
an extended foreplay to sex. How would a girl know that the boy is a safe boy? This is the
reality and we cannot ignore it. It is best discussed in the open rather than brushing it under
the carpet and pretending these issues do not exist.
Because of the age, because of the hormonal changes, it is natural for a girl to experience
sexual urges and they should not feel guilty about that. However, they have to take a level
headed decision as to what will be the right time and right way to explore these urges.
Romanticism is fine, but it has to be balanced by a composed, rational thinking. Friendship
between the opposite sexes is absolutely fine, nothing wrong there. However, a girl should
have a sharp sense of judgment; the boy should not end up taking advantage of her. Girls are
emotionally more sensitive than boys; this is a well-known fact. Hence, they find it difficult
to get over a broken relationship. This hampers their concentration on their education and
also leaves a deleterious impact on their future life as well.
This brings me to the paramount question: why are you studying? Just to get a license of
eligibility to get married? What after marriage? I am not disparaging a housewife in fact, it
is a very challenging job, especially the role of a mother is a very onerous one. However, it is
a thankless job and moreover without any salary!

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It is said that behind every successful man there is a woman it was the strong willed Jija Bai
who was responsible for the great heights achieved by her son, Shivaji. A woman, a mother is
the strongest institution in its own right. A mother is the first teacher any child encounters and
she has the foremost influence in ones nurturing and conditioning, affecting the overall
personality. Becoming a mother is indeed a very responsible role for anyone to play.
However, before a woman decides to do so she should first herself become a strong, selfreliant, resilient individual and education is the key in achieving this.
Here it is important to understand that education is not just about procuring degrees even if
it is from prestigious institutions like the IITs and IIMs. It is not the degree, which is going to
impart you with the qualities of fortitude, tenacity and self-belief. It is common to read in the
newspapers about young people committing suicide be it for poor marks, broken
relationships or even an acerbic remark.
So, it is important to cultivate mental strength and resilience. Girls need to examine
themselves and see where they stand on this front. How prepared are they to cope with lifes
adversities? How will they deal with failures, with lack of fulfillment of desires, the prevalent
cut-throat competitiveness can they stay calm and think level headedly?
Girls need to become strong willed, independent individuals; this refers to both, financial and
emotional independence. They also need to bear in mind that acquisition of a mere degree is
not enough. It certainly helps, but is not sufficient on its own. Those who dont have an
aptitude for higher education or professional careers should undergo some kind of a
vocational training so that they can earn a livelihood.
One needs to have the feet firmly planted to the ground be prepared for all the misfortunes,
mishaps and hardships that one may encounter in ones life. I am not saying be a pessimist
but life is not a bed of roses and the sooner one accepts this, the better prepared they will be
for all that comes their way.
Women have to be strong because the patriarchal society has already labeled women as a
weaker section of the society. So a woman has to prove her worth every time in all walks of
life. The society just waits for a woman to slip up before jumping to rip her reputation to
pieces.
I once met a director of a private bank. This woman narrated her earlier harrowing days in the
bank when she had no say at all, as her male colleagues would belittle her by saying that the
only reason she got the post was because the position was reserved for a woman. They
continued putting her down, notwithstanding her qualifications and experience! She decided
to put an end to this persistent humiliation and fought for her rights and succeeded, eventually
becoming the director of the bank.
Society ridicules a woman in many ways. So, either she is deemed a fool or revered as a
Devi, nothing in between! However, it is every womans fundamental right to live a dignified
life, be treated as a human being and work towards the fulfillment of her aspirations. Nobody
should allow anyone to take this away from her. It should be a girls choice when to get
married. Nobody should get married unless they want to and are well prepared for it.
And look at the way marriages are being arranged today. The only compatibility people seem
to be interested in sorting is wealth, prestige, physical appearance, social standing, and
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ability to give an enormous dowry! Horoscopes may be matched but no one bothers to check
the compatibility on issues of personality, temperament, values, beliefs, and spiritual
inclination
In my opinion, a husband should be related to not as the lord but instead, as the dearest
friend. The one with whom one can share anything and everything. For this though, first,
women need to become wise and mature in their outlook to life. Be well versed with the
social, political, economical, ecological environment of current times. Be a voracious reader,
as books are the best tools not only to widen ones knowledge base but also give creative
upliftment (for e.g. reading poetry). One should also be well versed with practical know how
sorting out minor electrical glitches in the home, changing tyres of a car, accounting,
banking, etc. How will anyone gain self-confidence if they are dependent on others even for
trivial things?
Another aftermath of the prevalent male bigotry and chauvinism is the assumption that
women are only good at doing household chores, i.e cooking and cleaning how absurd is
this! To dispel these unfounded statements, it is all the more important that girls learn
practical skills needed in every aspect of daily life, learn and become adept in new skills. I
have met women who find themselves in a helpless situation after the demise of their
husbands as they never ever learnt the basic, practical skills to live an independent life.
Girls should not only be concerned with their physical appearance, after all no one needs to
tell a woman on how to beautify her! However, it is more important to enhance and beautify
ones mental and intellectual abilities. The more knowledge one seeks, the more knowledge is
gained, the more beautiful one becomes. Mahatma Gandhi was not a very handsome man.
But he had a beautiful mind and hence was admired by one and all.
All girls, all women should make it a priority to beautify their brain, their mind. Reading
gives the wings to soar high above the skies. They should cultivate some creative hobbies,
like dancing. Dance is the best stress buster, best way to diffuse stress, anger.
Dream and take efforts to fulfill those dreams. But this will not happen by simply praying to
God. Girls, you will have to work diligently towards this goal, only then will they get divine
blessings. Some people complain that despite working hard they dont get success, then they
blame God. However, it is not God but ones previous karmas, which result in failure.
Your karma is always going to be with you. No one can negate the karma theory just because
some Hindu sage or seer has expounded it. It is a law of life. So, sometimes our own karma
becomes an obstructive wall and we dont get what we are looking for. But never be
disheartened, always be grateful that one is alive and as long as one is alive, one can create
more opportunities for oneself. So, why be disheartened?
Never get discouraged by failures. One needs to remain optimistic, remain balanced, as there
will be many more golden opportunities, which will enrich you. As the adage goes when
one door is closed, there are many others that open. If you remain positive and calm, you will
see other doors that have opened up for you; otherwise the negativity and depression will
prevent you from seeing the other opportunities that have sprung up.

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So never ever be disheartened for anything. Never ever cry just because you did not get what
you wanted. The only time tears should roll down ones eyes is when one is ecstatic, delirious
in love or as an expression of gratitude.
It is always mind over matter hence girls, believe in positive thinking and affirmations.
Positive thinking combined with appropriate action brings in good karma.
I hope I have instilled zeal, a joie de vivre as the French would say, a zest for living life to its
fullest, with dignity and freedom.
May this be the first day of the rest of your lives.

Shakti Girls Meet with Gurumaa, 2012

It is said that nothing compares to a human being helping another human being. And standing
tall as a live example, mission shakti for the past 12 years ceaselessly continues to empower
the needy girls with education.
Being run under the able guidance of revered master Anandmurti Gurumaa, the mission has
so far educated thousands of girls with education not only up to 12th standard but also with
higher education where ever required.
In order to generate support and awareness, the mission continues to conduct events and
programs from time to time. On such event happened on 28th of November, 2012 but this one
was unique for this time skakti girls themselves were invited to Rishi Chaitanya Ashram and
got the rare chance to meet Gurumaa. Girls from Delhi, Panipat, Ambala, and as far as
Kurukshetra turned up with their guardians to avail this rare opportunity of meeting
Gurumaa.
The session began with down pouring of compassion and love as Gurumaa decided not to sit
on the stage but amongst the girls to listen to their sweet poems, ambitions and day today
problems. The joy and happiness of girls had no bounds for everyone could feel that God
today had decided to spend a day with them. In fact, girls as small as 8 years old opened their
hearts and candidly talked to Gurumaa about their ambitions in life.
On seeing this enthusiasm, Gurumaa enlightened the girls not only about the different
avenues of education and related job prospects, but also that it is not enough to just pass the
12th standard but to aim for self dependence. With this, Gurumaa welcomed those girls who
have passed the 12th standard to one of her institutes in Kaithal that teaches professional
courses like tailoring, beautician etc.
In the end, Gurumaa taught Gayatri Mantra to the girls and asked them all to practice it daily
as it will ensue concentration and improve intellect. Gurumaa also presented the girls the
book shakti, that will continue to remind them that they are not weak but personification of
Durga.
The session ended with girls watching a presentation, a music video on shakti, and a group
photo leaving all with memories simply difficult to forget.
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Rishi Chaitanya ashram is a growing institution and is still in the process of development.
Various programs are being laid down keeping in mind convenience of the people interested
in seeking higher wisdom.
Rishi Chaitanya Trust is particularly emphasizing on the development of ashram in all its
spheres, so that any individual connected to ashram can get all the required facilities and the
person residing in the ashram can continue his/her sadhna in a constructive way.
Right now ashram has the capacity to accommodate upto 475 people. Ashram aims at
increasing its accommodation area so that more and more people can stay in ashram and no
one is refused admittance to the camps (shivirs) for lack of space and every one can be part of
Gurumaas meditation and discourses session.
We will appreciate your generous contribution for this holy cause.
Anandmurti Gurumaa has also launched a program called "Shakti", which aims at providing
scholarship to girls in India irrespective of their religion and caste. The mission of this
program is to promote a sound education system where girls are not discriminated against
boys.

Sharing is loving
Rishi Chaitanya ashram is a growing institution and is still in the process of development.
Various programs are being laid down keeping in mind convenience of the people interested
in seeking higher wisdom.
Rishi Chaitanya Trust is particularly emphasizing on the development of ashram in all its
spheres, so that any individual connected to ashram can get all the required facilities and the
person residing in the ashram can continue his/her sadhna in a constructive way.
Right now ashram has the capacity to accommodate upto 475 people. Ashram aims at
increasing its accommodation area so that more and more people can stay in ashram and no
one is refused admittance to the camps (shivirs) for lack of space and every one can be part of
Gurumaas meditation and discourses session.
We will appreciate your generous contribution for this holy cause.
Anandmurti Gurumaa has also launched a program called "Shakti", which aims at providing
scholarship to girls in India irrespective of their religion and caste. The mission of this
program is to promote a sound education system where girls are not discriminated against
boys.

Peace love and Meditation

Rishi Chaitanya Trust has been founded by Anandmurti Gurumaa to propagate her divine
message to the whole world. To organize workshops, seminars, discourses, camps and use all
possible media support to disseminate her message of peace, love and meditation. Rishi
Chaitanya Trust is very much active in promotion of all Indian arts be it music, dance,
painting, literature etc. The Trust looks after all the activities of Rishi Chaitanya Ashram. It
welcomes you to come forward and join hands with them and support the noble mission of
prosperous development of Ashram and Shakti, so as to spread the message of love and
compassion.
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RELIGION

Anandmurti Gurumaa

Born

8 April 1966 (age 46)

Amritsar, Punjab, India

Nationality Indian
Field

Spirituality

Movement Shakti - an NGO to educate girls and

empower women

ROLE OF YOGA
Meditation Techniques
Choosing a Meditation Technique
Every individual is different from another. So, the master is like a scientist who invents new
methods for the particular need of the subject. There cannot be just one method sufficient for
all human beings. To flush out repressions and pressures of the mind such methods are
required which bring catharsis. Until all the emotional baggage is unloaded and the fog
cleared from the mind it will be difficult to move into meditation. Mantra based meditations
are best suited for amateurs. As the meditator progresses there are subtle methods like
Vipassana, Nishkriya and Shwason ka Vigyaan.
For children Tratak and Ram Ras are beautiful devices. It is only the master who can decide
which method will be good for which person. One should avoid doing a potpourri of various
methods. Each method needs time to grow on us, minimum three months are required for one
method to be constantly practiced. There are different schools of meditation,after knowing
deeply each one philosophy and wisdom then only one can really understand which method is
suitable for them.

Vipassana Meditation
One of the foremost contributions to the spiritual world comes from Buddha, and this is
Vipassana. This technique was rediscovered by the Buddha more than 2,500 years ago and
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was taught by him as a remedy for universal ills. The technique basically teaches us how to
see things as they really are by being mindful about our breath.
Vipassana Meditation is a way of self-transformation through self-observation. It focuses on
the deep interconnection between the mind and the body, which can be experienced directly
by disciplined attention to the physical sensations that form the life of the body. Through this
practice, the life of the mind is conditioned. It is this observation-based, self-exploratory
journey to the common root of the mind and body that dissolves the mental impurities,
resulting in a balanced mind, full of love and compassion.
The scientific laws that operate ones thoughts, feelings and judgements and sensations
become clear. Through direct experience, the nature of how one grows or regresses, how one
produces suffering or frees himself from suffering is understood. Life becomes characterized
by increased awareness, non-delusion and self-control.
Vipassana is also called Anapansati Yoga, i.e. the science of watching the breath. You need
patience and tolerance to do this. If you can, then start this with at least a ten-day retreat,
observing non-violence, eating moderately, sleeping moderately and observing your breath.
As it is not a yogic exercise, so you are not required to hold your breath or change the rhythm
of your breathing. You just sit in silence and observe your breath. Soon, the inner secrets will
come out. From the breath, you will move to your feelings, your sensations, your bhavanas
and slowly you will peel the layers or your mind. Then a moment will come when you as an
observer and what is observed will dissolve. It is a powerful method and the right technique
for todays man who is impatient. But you should live in a Buddhafield to practice this
technique where the right conditions are available.

Chanting Meditation
Chanting (jap) is the incessant repetition of a syllable or a specific set of words known
as mantra in Sanskrit. Each word is built on tones and has its own sound vibration. In
chanting, the repetition of words is not the objective, though most of the religious people
think it is. When a word is spoken, sung or whispered, it affects the listener. Sound is a form
of energy. Try this: Place your index and middle finger on your neck. Say ah as loud as you
can. Then say it softly. What you will feel through your fingers is the movement inside your
throat. Your vocal chords vibrate when you make a sound. As they vibrate, they make the
sound.
In Chanting Meditation, we use a word or a set of words which at first are chanted aloud and
then gently as we move deeper and deeper into silence and allow the mantra to resonate on its
own. But the purpose of chanting is not to become a living tape, but to move from words to
silence, to wordlessness. This progress from words to silence results in calmness and peace
that make us transcend the time zone. Chanting is also used to for invocation of deities in
Tantra, and in the path of devotion. For the Vedanta student, chanting is done to progress
from mind to no-mind.
Anandmurti Gurumaa has given various methods of chanting which are available in prerecorded tapes and CDs. They guide the students into the nuances of chanting.

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Dance Meditation
Of all the species living on earth, only human beings can dance, and that too in rhythm and
supported by music. Dancing is like opening of a flower bud.
We have forgotten the natural dance; but every blade of grass is dancing, trees are swaying
with the wind and the child moving his legs and arms in his cot is dancing rejoicing on his
attaining freedom from his mothers womb! Dance as a spiritual practice has always been
used by the mystics. In India, dance evolved happened From Lord Shiva Himself. His along
with His consort laid down the science of dancing. From poses (mudras) to taal
(rhythm), various compositions were made by this dynamic duo. We have this great legacy of
temple dance to dance of devotees who simply follow the beat of their hearts and just move
about because energies are moving in them. A child-like innocence is required to explore this
method of meditation. Dance can be vulgar and cheap but it can also be divine. So, it is not
which kind of dance you do, but how you do it.
Anandmurti Gurumaa has given a beautiful method of dance. Well, man has become so
methodical that even for dance, a method is required which can open up the knots, relax the
person totally and allow him to melt into the dance. And then a stage comes when there is no
dancer only the dance!

Walking Meditation
We have been walking and walking ever since we took the first stumbling step, holding the
finger of our parents. There are different ways of walking like walking fast to catch the bus,
walking in a jiffy, in anger while thumping the floor, walking tip-toed and walking gently
with our loved ones. But there is yet another way of walking and this is
called Walking Meditation in which you are in a state of meditativeness. With this technique,
a simple earthly walk can be changed into an extraordinary divine play. This is an art in itself.
Walking Meditation involves watching step after step, being aware of the movement of the
body.
Walking Meditation involves watching step after step, being aware of the movement of the
body as the arms move back and forth, jiggle in the thighs and buns, the gentleness and the
grace of the human body. Being witness to this flow, this magical dance of the body
movement leads to an openness that comes from within.
The master has taught us this fascinating way of walking and unlearning the unconscious way
we walk. This technique brings forth the beauty of wakefulness in the movement that we
would always be doing, that is, walking.
Isnt it surprising that we walk and yet do not know how to? So learn this technique of real
walking.

Pause Meditation
Meditation is not contemplation. It is also not concentration. It is a state of being, a state
of awareness. Awareness is tricky.People think that they know what it is, yet it is obscure. We
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are actually not living fully aware. The body movements, sensory perceptions, thinkingall
activities are happening and yet we can be absolutely unaware of it. Human beings are like
robots. A robot performs according to a programme but is dead inside. There is no life inside.
So, you are absolutely unaware of what is inside of you and you function normally.
For Pause Meditation, sit in zazen meditation first. In this way, one can focus better, train
the mind in a better way. When we sit in a quiet corner, with eyes closed and resolve to
meditate, then we have created the right ambience for meditation.
And taking small pauses while we are working gives us the chance to break the monotony,
break the robotic patterns which we have cultivated for so long. Say, you are walking,
writing, cooking, dancing, attending to office work or helping the child in his school project
or study. Suddenly, take a break. Stop. Take a pause.
If possible, exhale deeply and hold the breathing activity for as long as you are
comfortable. Look inwards, see, feel your body, observe your breath, look at your mind. Be a
witness to all this that is happening. Then return to what you were doing.
These pauses will go a long way in raising your level of awareness. Remember, you must do
it with zeal and enthusiasm. Remember, these pauses are pregnant with possibilities and will
take you closer to enlightenment.

Sparsh Meditation Right Way of Touch

We believe and we know that God is here, right here, right now, in you, in all of us. This very
body is a divine temple. Revere it, worship it, love it. It is the shrine of God. Scriptures and
holy men have always talked about dissolving any I-ness, and My-ness with the body. We are
told that our body is a bag of filth and that we are not body so we hate it. This is wrong. This
is not the way to treat our body. Our body is not ours. It is a vehicle given to us by God. So,
how can we hate it? We should not have a relationship of repulsion or attachment with our
body, but a relationship of love.
This beautiful tantric meditation teaches us this. Learn to detach from the body with love. See
it in a different light. Once you are able to see it as a Temple of God, the holiest of holy,
our mind desists from using our body for carnal pleasures. This body is a divine vehicle to
bring love, peace and wisdom to this world.
Enjoy being in the body. It is a blessing, a grace. Once we realize this, we will develop great
love and respect for others, even for birds and animals.
Be a truly loving, non-violent and meditative person.

FOLLOWERS
This is a group for anyone who is interested in Anandmurti Gurumaa and her teachings and
meditation techniques. I started this group to be able to get a group ofGurumaas followers to
meet on a weekly basis and share our experiences, discuss Gurumaa's teachings and meditate
together using her guided CDs. Website is www.gurumaa.com.
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CHAPTER:11
BRAHMARISHI PREM NIRMAL

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INTRODUCTION
Brahmarshi Prem Nirmal more fondly known as "Guruji" is a living enlightened master and
founder of the TASC, Tao Anand Spiritual Center, which aims at holistic development of
individuals as well as society. He is a Holistic Counselor Corporate Trainer, Kriya Yogi,
Scientific Mystic, Enlightenment Educationist, scholar of Kashmir Shaivism, an exponent in
32 Vidyas, 10 Maha Vidyas and the various scriptures.
He has done extensive research in the areas of stress management, ntuition development, aura
reading and meditation therapy. He is also founder of SVT (Shiv Vyapti Trust) which is
involved in various humanitarian activities.

Guruji Brahmarshi Prem Nirmal

About Founder
Brahmarshi Prem Nirmal is a living Enlightened Master - a kriya yogi, a spiritual scientist, a
compassionate Guru. He is a Guru who on one hand is so very approachable, so
compassionate, down to earth, so like us, and on the other hand is one with profound
knowledge, one in deep silence, a mystic, a yogi, an enlightened Master.. so very
COMPLETE.
Guruji was born in small village of Bayath, Gujarat, with minimal resources. He has lived his
early life in pure and natural environment. From childhood he was so much full of prana, that
he could see

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aura with naked eyes from the very beginning. He pursued his Electrical and Power
Electronics Engineering from V.J.T.I., Mumbai University and did his Post Graduate studies
in Cybernetics. His business of manufacturing SMPS and invertors, coupled with his main
forte of Research and Development, enabled him to give more than 100 import substitutions
to the government.
His first brush with the divinity was in the presence of Jiddu Krishnamurthy. Thereafter, he
was Youth President of Chinmaya Yuva Kendra for two years. He was also lucky enough to
be in the presence of Bhagwaan Osho before Bhagwaan left his body. He still recollects his
sessions with Ranjit Maharaj in his small room. Eventually he met Dada Gawand, at Yeoor
Hills, Thane. Under Dadaji's guidance and love, the bud became the flower.
From businessman to a limitless compassionate Guru, the shift was as obvious as it seems,
and is a living example of his philosophy of having a fine blend of material and spiritual life,
very much in lines with the 'Middle Path' of Buddha. On the same lines, Guruji coined the
concept of 'Enlightened Billionaire', which is a person who is spiritually and materially at the
peak. Otherwise, one is directionless without the other.
He is a crusader of Householder's Spirituality. Along with Guruma, he is an epitome of an
ideal Grahasthi Yogi. Guruji has developed the Technology of Total Transformation, which
includes his 21- point teachings with the same reason in mind. From the very beginning he
had a profound passion for scientific spirituality, a true scientist by heart. Scientific
spirituality clears the doubts from the mind of the seeker, and the seeker walks the path with
clarity and confidence. Influenced by Vihangam Marg of Ranjit Maharaj, Guruji says and
proves that there are faster ways to evolution of the soul. The very reason for his confidence
in declaring that Enlightenment can be Guaranteed!!!
Endowed with a variety of talents, a trained trainer par excellence, he is founder director of
TASC, TAO Anand Spiritual Center at Thane and has been conducting workshops on the
attitudinal and skills training for the material as well as spiritual success in life. He is also the
founder member of Enlightenment Education Society which was founded in the year 2005
in Thane India. It is a voluntary organization and anybody can join this group without any
differentiation of cast, creed, religion, gender and age. Its simple yet profound philosophy is
based on Unconditional Love Light of Awareness and life transforming enlightenment
education and practice of meditation. Unconditional forgiveness and Unconditional love for
all is the motto. All the members of Enlightenment Education Society share the common
bond of Unconditional Love and serve humanity. Members meet at various places once in a
week to share group meditation energy and grow in Awareness and Understanding. Everyone
here gets help to evolve in Awareness and Understanding through Meditation and other
spiritual practices based on 21 Point Teachings of its founder Brahmarshi Prem Nirmal
Guruji says "Awareness is the key", various meditational experiences, siddhi's are distractions
on the way. Even only witnessing is not enough!! Witnessing along with awareness and
understanding leads to Enlightenment. It does not require ages!!! Right understanding and
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right technology along with Nirmal kriya and Nirmal Dhyan will do the magic in this very
lifetime!!!!
Here is a Master in whose presence it feels as if all the questions are answered. Prosperity,
Abundance consciousness oozes out from his every single action. He is a picture of calmness,
yet unpredictable, playful and with a deep sense of humor. He is a Master who has had the
privilege to learn from many Masters, and who believes in making Masters!!! He is truly as
Master of Tenth Card!!

HISTORY
Life
Brahmarshi Prem Nirmal was born to Smt. Bhagirathi and Sri Devji Nirmal who stayed at
Bayath, a small village in Mandvi taluka of Kutch district, Gujarat, India. He was named
"Prem-ji". His early schooling was completed in Kutch, Gujarat, before moving
to Mumbai (former 'Bombay'). He completed his matriculation from Elphinston Technical
High School, Mumbai and Higher secondary education from Amulakh Amichand Bhimji
Vividhlakshi Vidhyalay. He, thereafter, pursued his Electrical and Power Electronics
Engineering from V.J.T.I., Mumbai University and did his Post Graduate studies in
Cybernetics through the Baroda Productivity Council.
After working for about 2 years with Applied Electronic Limited (Aplab) company
in Thane, Maharashtra, and one more year in Hybrid Electronics, Mumbai, he started his own
business of manufacturing SMPS and invertors, Nirmal Power Systems. After successfully
running the business for 22 years, he closed his business at the age of 47. Since then, he is
completely involved in spreading Kriya yoga.He is founder director of TASC, TAO Anand
Spiritual Center at Thane and has been conducting workshops on various topics like Art and
Science of Holistic Living, Power of Super Conscious Mind, Enlightened Billionaire, secrets
of enlightenment, Scientific Spirituality, Swar Yoga,Swar YogaThe Almighty Breath Shree
Vidya, Astral Travel, Aura reading with naked eyes and Chakra workshop, Ascension and
Akashik recordshttp://www.yourspiritualrevolution.org/resultisuue.php?h=prem nirmal etc.
He has wide experience in Personal Counseling, Consultancy and Training and has deep
insights in human behavior and body-mind healing.
In the year 1996 Nirmal Kriya i.e. process of enlightenment was revealed unto him by
Sri Mahavatar Babaji while he was at his residence. Guruji thereafter is teaching Nirmal
Kriya to all the aspiring seekers. He shares the secrets of enlightenment through nature
camps, programs at TAO Center in Thane, Maharashtra and at his Pyramid Ashram at kalyan.
He was the visiting faculty for Stress Management at various reputed organizations such as
Welingkar Institute of Management and IIT- Mumbai."Experiences". Pssmovement.org. 27
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August 1994. Retrieved 3 August 2011. He is empanelled with the Life Positive Holistic
Practitioners board.http://www.lifepositive.com/practitioner/Prem_Nirmal.asp Prem Nirmal
was conferred with the title of Brahmarshi on 23 June 2009 by Brahmarshi Subhash Patri at
TAO, Thane. Guruji has also travelled to countries like Singapore, Kenya, U.A.E. and Oman
to spread his message.

ASHRAMS
..Now it is the pious duty of all of us to help this organization, not only with money but also
in bringing it up.
Register in your heart what I had said. This is my vision, you people could fulfill it and
relieve me of my heartache!
-H.H.Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, Bhoomi Puja

His Home
The Vishwa Nirmala Prem Ashram founded in 2003 by H.H Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi is a
Non-Government Charitable Organization (NGO) dedicated for rehabilitating the weakest
sections of the society, namely destitute women and orphan children, with the main focus on
the girl child. This NGO embraces everyone without the distinction of caste, religion, region,
race or colour. All are welcome.

His Children
Fifty-four girls ranging from the age to 5 yrs to 17 yrs currently enjoying the facilities
provided by the ashram and the number is growing rapidly. Under exceptional circumstances
we also provide shelter to children whose single parent is incapable of providing a good
environment due to unfortunate circumstances such as being physically challenged, illness

His Women
For destitute women the ashram provides facilities and training in various skill-sets to ensure
a sustained employment, thus helping to have a dignified and independent future. Some of
our women are also mothers with children. Boys of them we take below the age of four years
only.
Our Vision:
..have pure motherly love for every human, every animal, for nature and the whole mother
earth. Develop inner balance and peace..be collective, tolerant and respectful to everyone.
Our vision through the ashram is to provide a joyful, secure and a loving life to women and
children who have been neglected by the society. We are confident that equipped with this
love, these family members will blossom into beautiful flowers and spread the message of
compassion. The home has an environment which will give courage to the members to take
up the challenges of the society and help to live a dignified independent life, which is being
enjoyed by Sahaja yogis all around the world. We see this as yet another way of spreading the
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message of H.H. Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi of having pure motherly adoration for Mother
Earth. Thus our aim is to provide ultimate inner balance, peace, tolerance and respect for each
other.

About Vishwa Nirmal Prem Ashram NGO

Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi conceived the idea of building this NGO after encountering a group
of destitute women during one of her innumerable travels round India. She was enormously
moved by their plight and was determined to give such women and their children a decent
life. It was this dream which took the form of Nirmal Prem Ashram in 2003. As the number
of needy, abandoned women and girls in India is gigantic and it is the most helpless section of
the society. In Her motherly love and tremendous compassion Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi
wanted to uplift such women and girls by giving them shelter, thus helping them integrate
into the society.
Our home is run with the help of well-educated and competent staff dedicated to the cause of
the NGO and Sahaja Yoga. Our NGO is supported by volunteers from India and from various
other countries. The residents practice meditation regularly to achieve inner balance. It is our
continuous effort to show them the way to a happy and bright future.
The Executive Director, Mrs. Gisela Matzer (Oma) is like their grandmother, and showers
them with her motherly love which Shri Mataji preaches. Our General Manager, Mrs
Gurdarshan (Nani) has many years of experience as a school principal, and is also a very
beloved granny. And our Manager Mr. Rajkumar Singh also looks over the accounts and
maintenance of the house
We are a huge and happy family. Our ' aunties ' who are like big sisters help the girls in their
daily routine, studies and also play with the younger family members. Even though H.H.Shri
Mataji Nirmala Devi is not present in person Her divine vibrations and love is very much felt
all round the ashram.

About our Chairperson, H.H.Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi:

H.H. Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi was born on March 21 st, 1923 in Chindwara, Madhya
Pradesh, in central India. Her parents played a key role in India ' s freedom movement during
the British rule. As a child, Shri Mataji lived along with her parents in the ashram of
Mahatma Gandhi. He recognized her wisdom and appreciated her immensely. He frequently
sought her advice on spiritual matters. H.H. Shri Mataji started Sahaja Yoga in 1970s and has
kept a busy schedule, traveling around the world to teach the techniques of Sahaja Yoga
meditation. She has demonstrated her capacity to trigger the awakening of the spiritual power
in human beings (Kundalini) at an "en masse" level.
Amazingly, without any financial support from any person, Shri Mataji neither charges for
Her lectures nor for Her ability to give Self Realisation, nor does one have to become a
member of this organisation. Shri Mataji has been recognized worldwide by several
prestigious institutions for her selfless work and for the powerful results of her spiritual
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teachings. In 1994, the Mayor of Brazil's capital welcomed Shri Mataji at the airport,
presenting her with the key to the city, and sponsored all of her programs. In 1995, the Indian
Government granted Shri Mataji a one hour primetime television series, broadcast nationally.
During the same year, Shri Mataji was an official guest of the Chinese government and was
invited to speak at the International Women's Conference in Beijing. Also in 1995, she was
awarded by the Romanian Ecological University an Honorary Doctorate in Cognitive and
Para psychological Sciences.

The Building
The building, spread over 10.120 square meter., of greenery in Noida, Uttar Pradesh. H.H.
Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi herself has designed this enchanting building. A refreshing water
fountain at the entrance of the ashram welcomes one and all. This leads to spacious, cool and
shady verandas. The courtyard inside the building is teeming with life as it harbors 1 goldfish
ponds and a large birdcage, thus one is never far away from the melodies of nature. The
garden surrounding the ashram is home for many trees, bushes and flowers. Thus one feels
completely in tune with Mother Nature throughout the year.
The building itself consists of four big halls which are used as dormitories and are amply
furnished with cupboards, beds, tables and chairs. It is also well-equipped with a fully
functional kitchen. Adjoining the kitchen is the dining hall where the ashram members get to
socialise whilst enjoying the delicious food, cooked by the ashram members with love and
devotion. A doctor's room, two guest rooms, an office and a room for the director also form
the ground floor of the home. The first floor is occupied by a huge meditation hall and a
small room for Shri Mataji. Apart from this, there are two rooms for ladies accomdation, a
manager office room, a press room, a training hall with sewing machines, a small beauty
parlour and a library which is open to all the members living in the ashram.

PREACHINGS
Teachings
Prem Nirmal, along with his wife Bharati Nirmal, promote Householder's Spirituality. Prem
Nirmal's wife Bharati says, that being a householder is the fastest way to transcend desires,
grow in all dimensions and move towards a fulfilling life. Perm Nirmal encourages honest
enquiry and has perfect methodology through which he guides his friends and disciples on the
spiritual path. He has a scientific approach towards spirituality.
Various third eye experiences / Astral body experiences / Cosmic body experiences (Body
expansions etc.), even though indicative of some progress on the path, are just the passing
phase of meditation. Meditation needs to be supplemented with intense 'Swadhyaya' the 'selfstudy' to develop the intense and clear "UNDERSTAND ING" of how the mind functions and
governs the behavioral patterns. He also advocates the concept of 'Enlightened Billionaire',
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i.e. a Jivan Mukta who is living this material world as a householder yet detached from
inside, thus balancing material and spiritual sides of life to grow in wisdom and lead a
balanced life in holistic way. 'Nirmal Kriya' which was revealed unto him, is a practical way
of accomplishing this.

Matrimonial Harmony Sutras by Brahmarshi Prem Nirmal Ji

1. Never take your spouse for granted.
2. Open new chapters of progress in your life only with positive frame of mind.
3. Arrange your life to get quality time together.
4. Establish contacts before communicating to your spouse.
5. Explore the areas of concern together instead of arriving at any decision before
hand.
6. Don't ask difficult questions when your spouse is driving.

7. Ask questions lovingly. Don't expect your spouse to know every thing. No body
is a "Mind Reader".
8. Do not criticize or condemn the things and beings closer to your spouse's
heart.
9. With open mind and loving heart decide what is urgent and what is important.
Set your short term and long term goals harmoniously and start working for it in
honest manner.
10. Once in a while exchange Green Paper, Red paper and White paper to
strengthen the relationship further. (Green Paper: Let your spouse know what you
like. Red Paper: Let your spouse know what you don't like. White Paper: What
both can enjoy together, the common factors. Those who do not like to write can
always discuss it together in the same sequence)
11. Once in a while, exchange your roles wherever possible. This helps to
understand your spouse better.
12. Trust, Love and Respect are the fundamentals on which the relationship
stands. Always take care of these elements in relationship.
13. Understand your own "Patterns" of behavior. Also understand your spouse's
patterns of behavior. Help each other to become aware of these patterns to
improve and grow.
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14. Look into your childhood conditionings. Spare some time together to
understand the upbringing. Don't be governed by negative childhood emotions,
which no more exist in present situation.
15. Look into your parental and social conditionings. Let it not dictate your
present situation as every couple and every situation is unique in it self.
16. If negativity erupts regularly on certain points, take note of it and discuss those
issues on top priority. Commit to each other the help that is necessary to improve
and grow.
17. Spare some time to enjoy those old romantic things together. See a movie, go
to a beach resort, walk in woods or enjoy the "Couple tour" once in a while.
18. Give each other enough space to be an individual.
19. Follow the spiritual practices meant for Grihasthis (and not for Sadhus) if you
want harmony in your matrimonial relationship.
20. Help each other to evolve spiritually. Love is the ultimate solution.

ROLE OF SOCITY WELFARE

Enlightenment Educational Socity
Brahmrishi Premnirmal ji
About EES World
The prime purpose of human body is to experience the ultimate flowering of Human
Consciousness through the process of Enlightenment. To facilitate this process
Enlightenment Education Society (EES) was founded in the year 2005 at Thane - India. It
is a voluntary organization and anybody can join this group without any differentiation of
cast, creed, religion, gender and age. Its simple yet profound philosophy is based on
Unconditional Love Light of Awareness and life transforming enlightenment education
and practice of meditation. Unconditional forgiveness and Unconditional love for all is our
motto.
Four pillars of Enlightenment Education Society Philosophy:
(1) Seva (Service Attitude): Serve all living beings with Unconditional Love!
(2) Shikshan (Enlightenment Education): Spread Holistic Education to all. Share wisdom
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with all. Teach meditation to all

.(3) Sadhana (Spiritual awakening practices): Meditate daily. Grow in awareness and
understanding through meditation and right application of scriptural knowledge. Help
everyone grow spiritually through Meditation and awakening practices.
(4) Sangathan (Coming together - Unification): Help everyone connect in divinity. Earth is
one. Truth is one. We are one.
All the members of Enlightenment Education Society share the common bond of
Unconditional Love and serve humanity. Members meet at various places once in a week to
share group meditation energy and grow in Awareness and Understanding. Everyone here
gets help to evolve in Awareness and Understanding through Meditation and other spiritual
practices based on 21 Point Teachings of its founder Brahmarshi Prem Nirmal, who is
Holistic Counselor, Human Trainer, Kriya Yogi, Scientific Mystic, and Enlightenment
Educationist.

RELIGION

Brahmarshi Prem Nirmal

Born

19 July 1960 (age 52)

Kutch, Gujarat, India

Nationality

Indian

Spouse(s)

Bharati Nirmal

Children

Kalyani
Website
www.premnirmal.com

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ROLE OF YOGA
"Swara Yog" Article By Brahmarshi Prem Nirmal Ji
Swara Yoga is an ancient science of nasal breathing that correlates the breath with sun, moon
and five elements. The practice of Shiva Swarodaya allows us to synchronize our breath with
the universal rhythm. This alignment removes undue efforts, stress and strain from our daily
activities. Swara Yoga practice helps us to change unwanted physical, mental or emotional
states at will, create favourable conditions for ones life by changing the internal environment
thus improving ones attitude towards life through increased awareness.

Before we get focused on Health, Wealth & Happiness, let us have some basic understanding
of three Swaras or Nadies through Swara Yoga.

If you observe your breath, you will notice that at a given time, any one nostril is more
dominant and the other one relatively congested. This keeps changing every one to two hours
and during the transition period, both nostrils may be equally dominant for few seconds.
The right nostril dominance is associated with pingala nadi or surya nadi. The pingala, which
is the masculine or solar principle, is associated with the left hemisphere of the brain that
controls the right side of the body. The left nostril dominance is associated with the Ida nadi
or chandra nadi, the feminine or lunar principle, associated with the right hemisphere of the
brain and controlling the left side of the body. Just by observing the direct effect of solar and
lunar currents of breath on human behavior, swara yogis were able to ascertain the activities
best suited during the left nostril dominance and activities best suited during the right nostril
dominance.
The nose can be seen as the main switch of cerebral hemispheres. It can stimulate
electromagnetic activity on one side of the body and it can switch the hemispheric activity on
and off at will. The third nadi is shushumna, where the left and the right are perfectly
balanced. It represents Shiva (pure consciousness) in the state of so-hum. Whenever the
nostrils switch, both are open for seven to eight breaths. That is the time when the shushumna
breath flows. No worldly activities are recommended in Shiva swara. One must meditate.
Intuitive knowledge is received best during this state.

In the original manuscript of Shiva Swarodaya there are 395 sutras, many of them deal with
Health, Wealth & Happiness.

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Health: One can easily maintain good health with the knowledge of Swara Yoga. Here are
few tips to help you.

*If you want to alter an unwanted physical, emotional or mental state, just breathe through
the more congested nostril. This prevents worsening of the symptoms and promotes rapid
recovery. Swara yoga advises changing of the active nostril at the first sign of any physical,
emotional or mental disturbance
.
*To cure the common cold, breathe through the right nostril 21 times by blocking the left
nostril. Also sleeping on the left side gives considerable relief; as it activates the right nostril.

*In case of acidity and fever, activating the left nostril helps. You can block the right nostril
and breathe through the left nostril 21 times. Also sleeping on the right side helps to reduce
fever.
*Swara medicines can be prepared with the knowledge of swara yoga. Swara medicines work
at the vibrational level and can help the patients without any side effects.

Sutra no. 391 of Shiva Swarodaya says about the health and medicines that, he who has first
hand knowledge and awareness of three nadies and five elements, to him even the million
times more powerful rasayana itself would not be able to equate.

Wealth: Normally it is understood that one can earn good amount of wealth based on ones
Knowledge, Skills, Attitudes and Strategy. But Swara knowledge goes much deeper than
these normal understanding. According to Swara Yoga, to assure success in world, one must
enter the cosmic rhythm and stay tuned to it and you get success with effortless ease!
But how does one align with the cosmic rhythm? Here is the simple way to do it.
Get up each day at least half an hour before the sunrise. Find out the dominating nostril. Kiss
the corresponding hand. With the same hand, touch or rub face, neck, chest, thighs and feet.
Then while stepping out of the bed, the foot that corresponds to the operating nostril should
be placed onto the ground first. Then one can proceed for the morning activities. This simple
practice helps you align the subtle flow of energy that ensures success in everything that
happens for that day.

Swara yoga also helps to influence people

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Whenever it is desirable to influence the other person, if ones right nostril is operating, the
person to be influenced should be positioned onto the right, below or behind. In case of left
operating nostril, onto left, above or in the front.

Sutra no. 214 of Shiva Swarodaya says that the knowledge of swara is a secret wealth. There
is no other wealth higher than that as because of the knowledge of swara, one can approach
anything and indeed could get the fruit, without an effort!

Sutra no. 53 of Shiva Swarodaya is about giving Dana (Charity). It says, if a wise man
performs an act of charity at the time of inhalation through left nostril, it bestows upon him a
crore ( ten millions) fold auspicious fruits in this very lifetime!

Sutra no. 389 of Shiva Swarodaya is about health & wealth. It says that the person who is
well versed with the knowledge and awareness of Swara Yoga, the Goddess Lakshami is at
his feet and to him there would be happiness all over the body!

Happiness: Normally it is understood that happiness is a state of mind but Swara Yoga
delves much deeper. It says happiness is the natural by product of the enlightened
consciousness! In fact, ultimately the very aim of Swara Yoga is to get enlightened.
Sutra no. 27 of Shiva Swarodaya says that the knowledge of Swarodaya is the best among all
the things, the best science and is like the flame of lamp, and is ultimately for the
enlightenment of the receptacle in the form of the body. The phrase used is Atma-ghataprakasarthe indicating self-illumination, self-realization or the knowledge of the self in
Indian sense.
Swara yoga is a practical science that can help us to get attuned to cosmic rhythms to get
Health, Wealth & Happiness. Make the best use of it!

Nirmal Kriya
Nirmal Kriya i.e. process of enlightenment is a process through which all the five bodies, i.e.
Physical, etheric, emotional, mental and causal are cleansed. Nirmal Kriya automatically
leads to a stateless state i.e. no-mind state or meditation. Nirmal Kriya helps reduce mental
stress, relieve depression and anxiety, improves immunity and cures various diseases and
disorders. However, Prem Nirmal says that Nirmal Kriya's purpose is much beyond these
physical improvements. It is a process of enlightenment. Once you practice Kriya which
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prepares the background, it naturally throws you in a space of non-thinking, called

meditation. It creates the high levels of Prana in your body-brain system that makes it easier
for you to be aware of your breath and your thoughts simultaneously. You can easily get the
knack of meditation when you do Kriya.Simply remain silent after doing Kriya, and keep
your attention on your natural breathing process. Simultaneously keep witnessing your
thoughts. You will experience very low levels of thought traffic, as in high Prana state
thoughts cannot linger for long. Even if the No-thought state remains just for few seconds,
you will experience the surge of energy and vitality, bringing back the positive qualities of
Zest, love and joy!

CHAPTER:12
SATSVARUPA DAS GOSWAMI

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INTRODUCTION
Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami (born Stephen Guarino on December 6, 1939) is a senior disciple
of A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, who founded the International Society for
Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), better known in the West as the Hare Krishna movement.
Serving as a writer, poet, and artist, Satsvarupa dasa Goswami is the author of Bhaktivedanta
Swami Prabhupada's authorized biography, Srila Prabhupada-lilamrta. After Prabhupada's
death, Satsvarupa dasa Goswami was one of the eleven disciples selected to become an
initiating guru in ISKCON. Satsvarupa dasa Goswami, is one of the first few westerners
ordained by Prabhupada in September 1966. He has been since established as a prolific
Vaishnava writer and poet. While traveling, lecturing on Krishna consciousness, and
instructing disciples worldwide, he published over hundred books including poems, memoirs,
essays, novels, and studies based on the Vaishnava scriptures. In his later years he created
hundreds of paintings, drawings, and sculptures that attempt to capture and express his
perspective on the culture of Krishna consciousness.

HISTORY
Early Years
He was born Stephen Guarino, the elder of two children, to Roman Catholic parents in Staten
Island, New York. He was educated initially in apublic high school nearby and then enrolled
in the Brooklyn College, where he underwent an intellectual revolution putting in question
his Catholic values. In the college he read Nietzsche and Dostoevsky and associated with
students and professors who were religious skeptics.

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In January 1962 he joined the Navy, where he served for two years on board of U.S.S.
Saratoga, a super-carrier. In his introduction to With rla Prabhupda in the Early Days,
1966-1969 he writes: "A few months after the death of President Kennedy, I was honorably
discharged, and without visiting my parents on Staten Island, I went directly to the Lower
East Side. By then, the Lower East Side was, in my mind and in the minds of my friends, the
most mystical place in the world." "I certainly didnt think some guru was suddenly going to
appear and save me. I was too cynical. Yet I was regularly reading versions of the Bhagavadgita and the Upanishads. Ironically, one week before the gift shop at 26 Second Avenue
changed into Srila Prabhupadas temple, I was standing in that very doorway with a
Bhagavad-gita in my back pocket, waiting to meet a friend. Somehow we had chosen 26
Second Avenue as a meeting place. At that time, I had no idea what was about to happen."
In July 1966 he met and accepted a spiritual instruction from A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
who registered ISKCON a month later. Prabhupada soon began assigning him typing tasks
which Satsvarupa understood "to be yoga". On September 23, 1966 he was ordained and
shortly became one of the leading figures of the new Gaudiya Vaishnava movement.
After Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada's death he was one of eleven disciples selected to
become an initiating guru in ISKCON. Prof. Larry Shinn in his overview of the contemporary
state of the Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada's movement confirms this while relating his
first meeting with Satsvarupa dasa Goswami:
In a typical initiation ceremony as a guru of International Society for Krishna
Consciousness he would begin with purification using achamana (holy water) and concludes
with a sermon on the importance of chanting of the holy names in the life of a new initiate.

Other Services Within ISKCON

Satsvarupa dasa Goswami was a pioneer in the early days of the movement, and is the senior
most member of the movement at present. He was appointed as a guru by his
perceptor.Satvarupa was also one of the original members appointed as (GBC) Governing
Body Commission created by Prabhupada in 1970 to gradually take on the responsibility of
the spiritual management duties in ISKCON. Satsvarupa dasa Goswami was selected a trusty
in the will of A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada for the management of ISKCON.

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Brief History in ISKON

Early days
Since ISKCON incorporation in July 1966 at 26 Second Avenue Satsvarupa
dasa was engaged as A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada's personal
typist and ISKCON secretary for the first year. He was one of few devotees
who were maintaining outside jobs to support the ISKCON temple at the
beginning. Later he was managing ISKCON Boston and ISKCON Press, that
grew to be later be registered as Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. Upon
assuming duties of a GBC (Governing Body Commissioner) in 1970,
Satsvarupa was asked by Prabhupada to accept order ofsannyasa in 1972.
He accepted sannyasa along with other GBC members, all of whom were
originally married man, such as Tamal Krishna Goswami and Hridayananda
dasa Goswami. At the time A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
awarded him and other followers the title Goswami with the single line
instruction: Preach, preach, preach! He is sometimes listed among active
promoters of ahimsa among other eastern religious teachers.

History about Satsvarupa das Goswami

Is Satsvarupa wacky in his brain (insane) ?
(a) wacky siddhanta, for example supporting Kirtananda as "a pure devotee." (b)
Taking heavy duty drugs for his "guru headaches" (at least since since the 1980s). (c)
He has always been making "wacky art" for perhaps 20 years. (d) He is also writing
"wacky articles" like: "Prayers to Spiderman shoes." His book "A Life Of Prayer" is so
wacked, that some other GBC did not want their own devotees to read it. (e) He is
"nowhere to be found" while problems like molesting are going on, and he tosses out
letters complaining about such events without even replying as "not my problem."

History of Srila Satsvarupa das Gosvami

[PADA: First: a little history. Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami (SDG) is an important founder
father of (and some say "the brains" behind) the post 1977 "eleven gurus" of ISKCON.
According to one of the eleven gurus (named Hansadutta) in December of 1977 Satsvarupa
was the "mastermind" behind the GBC's plot to state that "the eleven" had been "appointed
by Prabhupada as his guru successors" (never mind that Prabhupada had always said: there is
no such thing as appointed gurus) and that "ISKCON needs to consult with Sridhara
Maharaja of the Gaudiya Matha" (again, Prabhupada had always warned against consulting
Sridhara Maharaja).
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Shortly thereafter, when SDG's "Krishna's pure devotees" and "sum totals of the demigods"
began to "fail and fall down," he then came forward to "save" his false gurus by writing
"position papers" (which were actually co-written by Sridhara Maharaja/ Gaura Govinda
Maharaja) to "prove" that pure devotees of God, or His successor gurus, are actually -- akin
to -- fallen conditioned souls -- of the worst order. Satsvarupa's first major paper on this topic
in 1980 was entitled "The Mahajanas Have Difficulties" -- wherein Satsvarupa links (a) the
greatest Krishna devotees to (b) failure and fall down -- as his means of "explaining" how
Krishna's pure devotee "gurus" (i.e. people like Jesus) are prone to: alcoholism, drug
addictions, illicit sex, child molesting, homosexuality, embezzling, if not engaging in criminal
actions (such as conspiracy to commit murders) and so on.
In other words, according to Satsvarupa "pure devotee gurus" and/or "people on a par level
with Jesus" are -- less advanced -- than the ordinary layman on the street. Nor are SDG's
"gurus" able to follow sometimes even the most basic spiritual practices expected to be
followed by -- the brand new members, neophytes (bhaktas)? Of course, SDG's "gurus" often
have constant chronic migraines since "always thinking of God" is a purely painful
experience without a shred of happiness or "bliss." SDG wrote in his BTG magazine "the
more I chant (God's name) the drier it gets." Hence, since purely meditating on God
(samadhi) is so dry and indeed painful, "gurus" need to take hundreds of "pain relief" pills
(like Percondan) weekly. The residents of heaven are in such constant chronic pain, they need
to get high/ loaded/ stoned on drugs to function. This is the GBC/ SDG idea -- which they are
still preaching by the way. Drugs like percondan are "higher" than heaven. Cult leaders like
Jim Jones also preach a version of this idea, and they also have "psychology counselors" who
give them prescriptions for these drugs, so they have a "legal" drug pusher.
And as a result of Satsvarupa's policy, that Jesus is really a criminal and/or drug addict, on a
regular basis since 1977, his eleven "gurus" and/or their one hundred and fifty added-on
"voted in gurus" are (quite often!) exposed in odious behaviors, drug addictions, illicit sex,
criminality and so on, which is all fine and dandy since this is: part and parcel of "pure
devotional service to God" (as is the case in other similar bogus "pure saint" cults like the
Gaudiya Matha's, Jim Jones, David Koresh and so on). That Satsvarupa is himself now being
exposed in some of these activities is therefore not a surprise to anyone, since he is the
original author of the whole idea that "gurus" are prone to such odious actions. In sum, SDG's
idea is that the average layman on the street has vastly higher spiritual standards than God's
purest Jesus-like saintly devotees, gurus, successors or representatives. Satsvarupa not only
says that his gurus are "pure devotees" but that they are "like Jesus." In sum, according to
Satsvarupa "people like Jesus" in actual fact -- are -- (or they are prone to be): drunkards and
drug addicts; who are chasing men, women and/or children for illicit sex; and who may also
have machine guns in the trunk of their Mercedes, and so on. Needless to say, his guru
lineage (sometimes called: the enforced cult ritualistic worship of homosexual pedophiles)
has lead to the mass molesting of children, criminality in general, murders of dissenters, and
so on, ad infinitum. For example one ex-gurukuli student from SDG's schools recently said to
us that "prison camps in Iraq are a picnic when compared to what we endured in these
(SDG's) schools." As a matter of interest, boys are sometimes raped in Iraqi prisons by the
guards just like boys are raped under SDG's loving care.
And in the late 1970s and throughout the 1980s, when some of us tried to alert Satsvarupa to
some of these problems, like the medical neglect, starving, beating, and molesting of his
school's children (many of them only five years old) in various "guru's" schools, SDG
militantly and vociferously countered us and responded by saying we are "poison pens" -- for
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our objecting to his strident anti-children and pro-molesting policies. SDG was in fact trying
to foment violence against us for our trying to protect the children, which worked. SDG
created an evil violent cult mood where our associate Sulochana was assassinated due to
SDG's vitriolic rhetoric. For example, SDG had been saying that Kirtanananda is "like Jesus"
-- at the SAME EXACT time when Kirtanananda was using a gold tipped cane, while dressed
in flamboyant silk robes, a flowing cape, a golden crown, and he was being carried on a
palanquin all over the place and (!) he was covered, actually smothered, with the hands of
fifty little boys while he sat on his "guru" seat while SDG cried tears of joy for the molester
pooja.
In short, homosexual pedophiles are "Jesus like saints" for Satsvasrupa. Protesters are "poison
pens." Worship of the actual (Jesus or) Prabhupada is "poison" for SDG since his real plan is:
the enforced cult ritualistic worship of his homosexual pedophile pals, who have their hands
down little boy's pants. This is bona fide and wunderbar -- for SDG. SDG has all along, and
he STILL does, support his worship of pedophiles as "Jesus" lineage. And he STILL
orchestrates having those of us who disagree: shunned, tossed out, if not beaten (and
assassinated) with his "poison offender" rhetoric. In other words, anyone who wants to
worship Jesus -- shall be tossed to the lions. That is his same party's policy -- since time
immemorial.
Satsvarupa has therefore been viewed as the false guru's "behind the scenes" brains,
imperious puppet master, writer, philosophical leader, and/or advisor. And the regime he
created has been compared by his victims, to the "Pol Pot, Stalin, Hitler, Idi Amin project -of ISKCON's false gurus." "There is going to be a utopia, but first: we have to exploit the
women (as cash cow money collectors); disregard, ignore, if not starve and mass molest the
children; kick out the cow protectors -- so Satsvarupa's Gita Nagari cows will die horribly by
freezing to death etc.; and in general ban, beat and kill many or most of the citizens." This is
how such fascist - dictatorial - regimes usually "manage," since time immemorial. And that is
certainly how Satsvarupa's regime has "managed" events for ISKCON. As Prabhupada says, a
leader can be known as either divine or demoniac by the condition or treatment of his
citizens. And thus in Satsvarupa's regime, the citizens have been suffering horribly since his
"management" has been cleary -- not very divine. Satsvarupa is famous for tossing out
"letters of complaints" from the citizens where they tried to alert him to the molesting, the
beatings, the murders, the cow torture, ad infinitum, but for another Pol Pot -- Stalin, there is
no voice for the citizens. At least President Bush says -- he never saw -- the reports of abuse,
whereas SDG got the reports, but then he burned them up as trash and "poison pens."
The citizens have to suffer and die for "the greater good" of upholding the elite (communist/
fascist) leaders and their opulent lifestyles. And following directly in the foot steps of Pol Pot,
Satsvarupa's policy was to first purge ISKCON of its brahmana/ intellectual/ gentle devotees,
which then snowballed and became a MUCH more violent purge policy when the SDG
regime "replaced" the good and gentle souls with their gangs of hired goondas, drug addicts,
drug salesmen, homosexuals, child rapers, sexual predators, women beaters, criminals, thugs,
hit men, murderers and so on. For example, officer Joe Sanchez merely parked his police
cruiser outside the Berkeley temple and he then made 73 felony arrests in less than one year.
He was just sitting by the front door and arresting thieves and crooks left, right and center,
since the temples were "filling up with criminals." By the way, police are still quite often
called to the Los Angeles temple for various crises, where we overheard them saying to one
another, "This is the most dysfunctional block in the whole freakin' city."

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No wonder ISKCON deteriorated as it has done. Of course SDG's regime de facto murdered
many other innocent devotees by indirect means. For example, some of the poor citizens were
so devastated that they were banned from the temples, and were viciously uprooted from their
service to Krishna, that they became drug addicts -- and then they died from the drugs. Or
they committed suicide by other means or indirectly. For example, one dear lady in Berkeley
told us that SDG's guru project had made her "lose her will to live." And sure enough, shortly
thereafter she died horribly from "terminal cancer." And we know this directly since we were
at her bed side just before she passed away. SDG has so much blood on his pearly white
gloves, from these thousands of innocent devotees, women, children, and cows, who were all
stomped hideously under his regime's jack boots, so much so that he could never wash off
this blood in thousands of baths. Now, lets look at the recent position paper letter from
Satsvarupa's leaders ...]
* SDG: This is a response authorized by His Holiness Satsvarupa das Goswami from leaders
and senior disciples in his community. He has assigned us to communicate with the public in
response to a letter that was posted by electronic mail to many senior and other devotees in
ISKCON and that appears to have originated from someone named Hari, who may be located
in the UK, dated April 26, 2004.
[PADA: This is all very nice, except that Satsvarupa Das Goswami and his GBC have already
kicked out almost ALL of Prabhupada's original or "senior devotees" from ISKCON since
1977. The temples are mostly "ghost towns," especially when compared to the thriving and
bustling atmosphere that once was there prior to SDG's enforced child molester worship
project. Therefore, exactly where and when is Satsvarupa going to "give a public response" -to the first question -- posed by most of Prabhupada's original or "senior devotees" in the first
place, in 1977, "Where and when did Srila Prabhupada appoint your team of eleven GBC as:
Krishna's guru successors"? And when is Satsvarupa going to tell us, "Who authorized your
SDG party to kick out thousands of Prabhupada's senior devotees en masse for their 'crime' of
asking questions about you and your 'eleven guru's' false 'guru appointment' -- as well as -your 'guru's' illicit sex, alcohol, drugs, embezzling et al. 'problems'"? In other words, when is
Satsavarupa going to actually "communicate" with the thousands of "senior devotees" that he
and his party has ALREADY kicked out of ISKCON, ... left, right and center?
And his party not only kicked devotees out, they banned, beat, and killed these "senior"
devotees as well? Who authorized Satsvarupa's party to oppress, harass, beat and kill most of
the ORIGINAL "senior devotees" -- all in order to support their program that "illicit sex,
drugs etc. is what occurs in Krishna's guru successors and God's conjugal love assistants of
the gopis"? Now, Satsvarupa has created his own artificial so-called "senior devotees," people
who think that while "gurus" are "serving Krishna by assisting the gopis" they also need:
psychotropic drugs, psychotherapy, East Los Angeles black rap music, beautiful female
massage therapists, naked female 'counselors,' condoms, guns, Swiss bank accounts,
psychics, tantric magicians, ghost busters, hit men, goonda squads, and so on and so forth: ad
infinitum?]
* SDG: We would like to unequivocally state that we take seriously any allegations, inquiries,
or declarations regarding Satsvarupa dasa Goswamis past or present personal life, conduct,
spiritual standards, and devotional practices. As his Communication Management Office, we
accept the responsibility of responding, after consulting with him, to questions and concerns
on his behalf. We will respond directly to designated authorities in ISKCON, such as the

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GBC and its approved ministries. We will also respond on a case-by-case basis to individuals
writing in an unofficial capacity to discuss their devotional lives.
[PADA: What! Satsvarupa has received thousands of letters from devotees all over the world
complaining about serious problems such as: devotee abuse, child abuse, women abuse, cow
abuse, ad infinitum, and he has never given a fig about any of that. Indeed, he has reportedly
tossed these letters into the TRASH. He has never shown any concern for "the devotional
lives of the devotees," and the problems they were, and are, having under his bogus guru's
regime? So we are glad that Satsvarupa's office of "Communication Management" is taking
responsibility for all the mayhem that he -- AND THEY -- are causing by their backing of the
GBC's "enforced cult ritualistic worship of homosexual pedophiles" bogus guru project, and
hiding in the hills of Ireland while they vociferously pound out their strident "Zeig Heil"
music so that people do not forget to worship their molester guru lineage and its main writer/
founder father, SDG ...]
* SDG: We are in receipt of information from both Satsvarupa Maharajas doctor and
counselor that clarifies his current health condition and recovery process.
[PADA: What? Prabhupada says that the guru "takes dictation from Krishna directly."
Whereas Satsvarupa disagrees and says, "No, the guru takes dictation from some karmi
psychology counsellors -- while the guru is intoxicated (stoned) on psychotropic drugs"?
How is it that Krishna's dictation has to be ignored and superseded -- by the "higher" advice
of some karmi psychology expert, and that potent psychotropic chemicals and drugs are
needed to understand God's instructions -- to boot? This is an insult to God? God is such a
fool, He cannot properly "advise the guru"? So the guru has to get "real advice" from a
psychology counselor (who is eating beefsteaks), and he needs potent drugs to understand
that advice? Why is Satsvarupa always consulting with psychics, astrologers, counselors,
doctors, ad infinitum, but he never consults with his "senior devotee peers" -- like us? That is
because we, his peers, all know that his whole idea that "gurus" and Krishna's successors are:
alcoholics, drug addicts, molesters, homosexuals, and criminals -- is wrong. After all, if
"Krishna's successor" is an alcoholic, drug addict and criminal: that means God is also a drug
addict and criminal? That is the basis of Satsvarupa's idea, "God's successors are odious, foul,
nasty, criminals, because God is also of the same quality." Scriptures say that "Guru and God
are of the same quality" (shaksat hari tvena) and so SDG says yes, that means God is also a
molester -- crook. So, you could say, he is an atheist, as many suggest? Apart from
Satsvarupa, and his advisory pals like the GBC, Jayadvaita, Sridhara and Narayana
Maharajas et al. no one else would DARE state that God's successors, and God's "Jesus like
pure devotee successor gurus" and "sons of God" are in fact: illicit sex fiends, child
molesters, drug addicts and criminals? Of course, as Prabhupada says, the demons think that
God is merely another demon -- like them.]
* SDG: This information will be provided within professional limits and with regard for
Satsvarupa Maharajas right to privacy.
[PADA: Prabhupada says that gurus have no private life, rather their lives must be
transparent, open, beyond suspicion and reproach. Cult leaders of course always tend to hide
out in remote places like Guyana or Irish villages, so that their real lives cannot be seen.]
* SDG: Furthermore, information regarding his devotional standards and practices will be
provided to approved authorities.
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[PADA: Well yes, the other GBC, the same people who say that homosexual pedophiles are
Krishna's successors, are Satsvarupa's exclusive "authorities." Satsvarupa always says this,
those who are linking pedophile homosexuals to "Jesus-like" pure devotees are his
"authorities" and no one else is.]
* SDG: This office feels that the allegations in the letter from Hari are distorted and lack
context. We encourage the recipients of the mass mailing to bear in mind that the reported
events are conveyed by an anonymous source and as such remain unsubstantiated and
anonymous allegations. Instead, we submit that for a period of time while Satsvarupa
Maharaja was living in Ireland and undergoing his most serious health crisis, an unacceptable
bond developed between him and his counselor at the time.
[PADA: That means that the devotee Hari: is right? The "unacceptable bond" is probably sexlife, which is the same "unacceptable bond" that the other bogus Satsvarupa/ GBC "gurus"
develop with their counselors, massage therapists and so on?]
* SDG: Unfortunately, this is not an unusual occurrence and is known as transference and
counter-transference.
[PADA: Unfortunately, SDG does not consult guru, sadhu and shastra.]
* SDG: When both client and counselor realized the detour, they discontinued counseling and
permanently closed their relationship. It is regrettable that the counseling work underway was
thus interrupted work that was beneficial to Satsvarupa Maharaja but it was obvious to both
of them that closing the relationship was an appropriate and mature decision.
[PADA: That means Satsvarupa was inappropriately "in love" with his counselor? And he
was having illicit sex with his counselor like his guru pals have had sex with their
"counselors"? Or what? And why isn't Satsvarupa instead "counseling" Prabhupada's books,
or his devotees WHO ARE NOT taking drugs, like us? Why is he always taking drugs while
all the rest of us need -- ZERO drugs? Why is he wasting ISKCON's money on counselors,
psychics, drugs -- and then -- there is "no money" for the child welfare office?]
* SDG: This office disagrees with the statement that the GBC chairman, Praghosa Prabhu,
and the sannyasa minister, His Holiness Prahladananda Swami, failed to investigate the
allegations.
[PADA: Why does God's living spokesman on earth need "a sannyasa minister" to make sure
he is not poking men, women and children?]
* SDG: Rather, both the chairman and the minister made appropriate inquiries to all of the
individuals named in Haris letter and, after reaching their conclusion, took action. They
administered prescriptive modifications and recommendations on ISKCONs behalf and for
Satsvarupa Maharajas benefit, which Satsvarupa Maharaja has accepted, including that he not
initiate disciples for the foreseeable future.
[PADA: This is proof then, that their is genuine weight to Hari's letter, there is a major
problem going on with SDG?]

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* SDG: We believe that the ramifications of the mass mailing could be spiritually damaging
to both ISKCON and to Satsvarupa Maharaja's substantial recovery.
[PADA: What? SDG has been "on the road to recovery" from drugs since the early 1980s? He
is not "recovering," he is a chronic drug addict.]
* SDG: It is our prayer that devotees who know or who are close to Hari reach out to and
reason with him or her. In keeping with the teachings and life example of Satsvarupa das
Goswami, it is our duty as Vaisnavas to offer compassion and spiritual guidance to a devotee
in distress.
[PADA: But as soon as we ask SDG to help with children being molested in his schools, he
vociferously tries to check us by saying we are "poison pens" and he stomps his jack boots
upon us and the children and forces them into starving, beating, molesting and death from
medical neglect -- concentration camps. Meanwhile, we are at risk of being killed for
"dissenting" from SDG's child molester worship cult? Right after Sulochana was killed in
1986, we were then chased down the street by three big SDG/ Kirtanananda goons who had
aluminum baseball bats, and if it were not for the police intervention, we probably would
have been beaten to death. The police also said we were "next" on their hit list. That is the
direct result of SDG's "preaching" -- he gets people molested, beaten, and killed.]
* SDG: Please send correspondence to any one of us at communications@markswright.com.
If you would prefer to contact any of these representatives directly, please send us a request
and we will supply contact information.
Kaisori dasi
Kirtan Ras das
Aghari das
Narayana Kavaca das
Chandramukhi dasi
Haridas das
Nandapatni dasi
[PADA: To sum then "SDG loves Prabhupada" -- so he militantly insists "Homosexual
pedophiles are Prabhupada's 'pure devotee' 'guru successors,' and anyone who disagrees must
be banned, beat, chased with aluminum baseball bats (like PADA editor was) and/or
assassinated." "SDG loves Krishna" and so he says, "Gurus who are in their pure, eternal,
intimate conjugal loving exchange with God, as His gopi assistants -- are having illicit sex
with men, women and children." Where is our barf bag? SDG loves children and so "Every
single child in his school was molested" -- according to one of his former teachers (Linda
Voith). "SDG loves cows" -- so he -- kicks out the people caring for the cows, so the cows
will die -- by slow torture. "SDG loves the devotees" so he has them banned, beaten, and
shot. "SDG spreads love" and so his victims are: shunned, banned, harassed, ridiculed,
threatened with violence, falsely accused, railroaded, ram-rodded, and beaten to a pulp when
they are five years old and they complain about being molested (by SDG's best pal and coBoston saintly child beater Dhanurdara). "SDG is preaching" and that is why hundreds of
millions of people ALL OVER THE PLANET are turned off from Krishna, due to his
horrendous publicity spawned by SDG's violent and vile pet pedophile guru project.
Satsvarupa says he is in favor of a "Governing Body," yet he sides with Narayana Maharaja
who says there is "no such thing" as a Governing Body." That is so -- they can have their
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independent maverick gurus, and use this to cover up their widespread criminal activity,
including molesting children, without any accountability. "The buck stops -- at your kid's
behind" as one parent sardonically told PADA. No responsibility, no accountability, just: give
us your SDG's guru daksine please, so we can keep SDG loaded on dope and let all of the
kids get molested and so on.
To sum then, he hates the worship of Jesus as "poison pen," and he loves the worship of his
pet pedophile molester pals. Then he wonders, why he has constant chronic headaches every
day for the past 25 years? Because! Krishna is banging SDG over the head every day with a
shovel, sending him a message, that he is ... deviating? And then SDG says "the more I chant,
the drier it gets" (SDG's BTG article). Well, no wonder, since you are chanting "homosexual
worship" 24 hours a day and that is -- about as dry as it gets? "The more I force children to
worship pedophiles, the more headaches I get, the more dry I am, the more drugs I need, the
more psychologists I need," ... no kidding ace! Have ya ever considered to quit peddling your
pedophile guru lineage as a "cure" for you and for ISKCON?
No wonder also since SDG's mentor "Narayan Maharaja" of Mathura says the same thing,
everyone else is "poison" for not agreeing that deviants are "Jesus like saints" and "sum totals
of the demigods." Yet, now that SDG's penile situation apparently does not work, because it
seems that poppy plant derived drugs have numbed him in that region of his body, this is a
real crisis for the GBC. So, we hope that the GBC's "Ministry Of Penile Dis-function For
Gurus" (MOP-DIS-FERG department) is called up by 911 emergency, and at once they send
in their fire brigade and ambulance to fix this GBC crisis. We hope, in other words, that the
GBC has on hand another beautiful female massage therapist, like the honey - bunny that
Harikesha had, and that this will help them out of their current crisis in a flash, since Viagra
cannot be taken along with poppy plant derivatives. Maybe this will get his holey-ness
excited.
Yet, like most malicious maverick cult leaders and fascist despots, SDG is "A poet and an
artist" just like Hansadutta used to make his hokey rock music albums, Harikesha used to
make his weird psycho-music, and lately, some famous serial killers have had their "art and
poetry" for sale on E-Bay. SDG is the archetypical cult leader, he establishes abusive,
exploitative and violent policies, then he "hides out" and avoids peer and public scrutiny ... so
that the banning, beating, molesting and murdering can go on without any counterpoint. And
last but not least, SDG is always holding hands in great love -- with the people who were
whispering "the poison is going down" in Prabhupada's room (according to four independent
audio labs). These are the people he loves, and so, he will go to the same destination as them.
Thanks pd]

ASHRAMS
The Authenticity Of Spiritual Places by Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami
Pilgrimages can enhance our devotion to the Lord, provided
we go to authorized holy places, and in the proper mood.
When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu Krsna Himself in the role of His own devotee was present on
earth five hundred years ago, He sometimes traveled to holy places, or tirthas. Not only did
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He tour South India, but He traveled to Vrndavana, Lord Krsna's eternal abode on earth.
When Lord Caitanya was about to leave for Vrndavana, King Prataparudra ordered his
servants and soldiers to accompany the Lord, to make His path easier and especially to erect
monuments at each place the Lord stopped. It is said that anyone who visits places where
Lord Caitanya stopped even briefly will receive great benefit from such tirthas.
Wherever the Lord went, tremendous crowds of pious people followed Him to get a glimpse
of Him and receive His blessings. He was always merciful to the people, but sometimes He
would escape without their knowledge and go on to the next place.
Raghava Pandita, seeing the great crowds following the Lord, took the Lord away to his
house. The Lord stayed at Raghava Pandita's place for one day. The next morning He went to
Kumarahatta.

Srila Prabhupada writes:

From Kumarahatta, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu went to Kancanapalli (also known as Kancadapada),
where Sivananda Sena lived. After staying two days at Sivananda's house, the Lord went to the house
of Vasudeva Datta. From there He went to the western side of Navadvipa, to the village called
Vidyanagara. From Vidyanagara He went to Kuliya-grama and stayed at Madhava Dasa's house. He
stayed there one week and excused the offenses of Devananda and others. Due to Kaviraja
Gosvami's mentioning the name of Santipuracarya, some people think that Kuliya is a village near
Kancadapada. Due to this mistaken idea, they invented another place known as New Kuliyara Pata.
Actually such a place does not exist. Leaving the house of Vasudeva Datta, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu
went to the house of Advaita Acarya. From there He went to the western side of Navadvipa, to
Vidyanagara, and stayed at the house of Vidyavacaspati. These accounts are given in the Caitanyabhagavata, Caitanya-mangala, Caitanya-candrodaya-nataka, and Caitanya-carita-kavya. Srila Kaviraja
Gosvami has not vividly described this entire tour; therefore, on the basis of Caitanya-caritamrta,
some unscrupulous people have invented a place called Kuliyara Pata near Kancadapada. (Sri
Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya 16.205, Purport)
From this information we can understand that some so-called holy places are not authentic. What,
then, constitutes an actual holy place?
Before Srila Prabhupada's arrival in the West, we knew very little of holy places. We knew that a
church or synagogue was meant to be a holy place, and we may have had a conception that the heart
was meant to be a holy place, the seat of God. We may have even known of what is called the Holy
Land in the Middle East. But we certainly knew nothing of the holy places in India, or of the details that
made a place holy in the first place.
Often it is difficult to ascertain the exact location of a tirtha. It is too easy, especially with the influx of
comparatively naive Western pilgrims to India, for people to create a holy place to bring in money.
Vaisnavas and others, however, usually contest the authenticity of such places.

Qualifications Of A Holy Place

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The main qualification for a place to become holy is that the Lord or His pure devotee
appeared or had pastimes there. For Gaudiya Vaisnavas, followers of Lord Caitanya,
Vrndavana and Mayapur are the main tirthas. In the present age, Kali-yuga, holy places tend
to become covered by the material energy, so it is sometimes difficult to understand the mood
of such places.
Even when a holy place is established as authentic, the question still must be raised as to our
own eligibility to understand its mood. A holy place must be approached with the proper
spiritual attitude and humility if we are to gain anything by visiting it.
Nowadays, devotees in the Hare Krsna movement are more concerned with the question of
how to define holy places because they are living in places established by Srila Prabhupada,
not only in India but in the West. Are ISKCON temples holy places? Most of the land now
owned by ISKCON was once owned by persons with no intention of its becoming a tirtha.
We usually cannot claim that the site of a temple has historical integrity as a tirtha. Its claim
to holy place status must be based on something else.

Several things constitute a tirtha:

1. Devotees must have performed (or be performing) spiritual activities in the place, and the
tirtha must be visited by sadhus, saintly persons. In fact, the Vedic scriptures state that a
person who visits even the historically bona fide places of pilgrimage only to take bath is no
better than a cow or an ass. Visiting a tirtha means associating with the saintly persons in
attendance. Canakya Pandita warns that we should avoid a place devoid of saintly persons.
And a place bereft of talk of Krsna, or God, and service to Him cannot claim holy place
status.
2. By visiting a tirtha we should feel enlivened in our Krsna consciousness; the tirtha should
carry that potency.
3. The chanting of the holy names must be present as a prominent feature of the tirtha.
Concurrent with that should be deity worship. Srila Prabhupada told us that as he established
the various deities around the world, he worried that his disciples would begin to feel the
worship as a "burden in the neck." But if the deity worship is going on uninterrupted and the
devotees in the area are taking shelter of the deity, then that place is holy.
4. Prabhupada defined a holy place as wherever the Srimad-Bhagavatam was being honored.
That might be in a large temple or under a tree, and it may be in India or elsewhere, but
wherever there is respectful and repeated reading of the Bhagavatam, that place becomes
holy.

Obstacles To Pilgrimage
Devotees sometimes wonder if there are ever any reasons not to visit a particular holy place.
Of course, travel is always inconvenient. One inconvenience may be political. Holy places
may suddenly be subject to political division, which can make them difficult or even
impossible to visit. What was once part of India later became part of East Pakistan, then
Bangla-desh. If there is political dispute between the two countries, we may not be able to
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cross borders in the name of spiritual pilgrimage. Political divisions can also cause a holy
place to become lost. Just as the Ganges sometimes shifts her course, so tracts of land upon
which the Lord performed pastimes can become lost to our sight. Perhaps generations from
now, the Lord or His pure devotees will again uncover them and pilgrims will be able to visit
them for purification.
Another inconvenience may be our own inability to travel. Another may be our sense of
personal disqualification to enter the mood of a tirtha. Lord Caitanya's devotees never visited
the temples on Govardhana Hill, and it's questionable whether Srila Bhaktisiddhanta
Sarasvati ever bathed in Radha-kunda. Many of Lord Caitanya's Navadvipa followers never
went to Vrndavana.
Visiting a tirtha requires qualification. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura indicates this in his
Navadvipa-bhava-taranga. After mentioning Isodyana, which he calls "the Lord's garden," he
writes that if anyone visits this place in Navadvipa, he will find only thorns. Still, those with
qualified vision will be able to see the Lord's garden through his descriptions of it. No holy
place can actually be "seen" without qualified vision.
While holy places maintain an actual physical integrity, they also maintain an integrity in the
descriptions found in devotional literature. During Srila Bhaktisiddhanta's time, a conflict
ended in Indians killing a British officer and the British lining up their cannons and
destroying a temple. Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati noted that although the British thought they
had smashed Krsna, they had done nothing more than destroy a temple.
If a tirtha disappears from our vision because of politics or time, we can remember it and see
it by submissively reading the scriptures. A tirtha is revealed by the mercy of a pure devotee
and is seen through the ears.
The scriptures also tell us that we are not required to travel the world visiting holy places.
There is always the tendency for pilgrimage to turn into wanderlust, which results only in a
superficial sightseeing. Although some devotees can sustain a feeling of Krsna conscious
intensity when on pilgrimage, others are better able to meditate on Krsna and His tirthas
while serving in the place assigned to them by their spiritual master. We have limited energy
in this lifetime; visiting tirthas can become an entire service in itself if it is done frequently.
Often, our spiritual master has assigned us a service other than pilgrimage, and we make
more advancement by following his order than by going to tirthas.
Narottama Dasa Thakura has assured us that we can visit all the holy places simply by
visiting Vrndavana or Mayapur. He also says that in Kali-yuga, pilgrimage is as much a
source of bewilderment as of enlightenment. The real service to a holy place is to meditate
upon the event that took place there, and it is just as potent to compose ourselves in our own
place, meditate on the significance of the particular place, and to then allow the mood of that
place to imbue our service with new life.
Every holy place has an internal reality. We are not always qualified to see it, especially if we
remain outsiders to the mood. That is not only true of places like Vrndavana and Mayapur,
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but in ISKCON temples too. If we wish to really take advantage of the spiritual and historical
authenticity of a particular place, we must learn to see with eyes of devotion. When Arjuna
and his brothers were being taught archery, only Arjuna was able to see nothing but the eye of
the target bird. Only he was successful at hitting the target.
Similarly, we must learn to see to the heart of a place and not focus only on the externals, the
apparent faults or shortcomings according to our estimations. We must see the saintly people
living there and see a little of their purpose in serving their holy place. If we wish to find the
spiritual essence of any holy place, we must learn to appreciate both the service and the mood
with which it is offered there. Without that vision, we will always remain outsiders, even in
the most spiritually authentic place.
- See more at: http://holydham.com/the-authenticity-of-spiritual-places-by-satsvarupa-dasagoswami/#sthash.wRFMO5OI.dpuf

PREACHINGS
Preaching and traveling
Main preaching activities by the means of traveling sankirtana parties were centered
in United States. BBT (Bhaktivedanta Book Trust) Library Party headed by him in mid-1970s
was active in establishing distribution network mainly to the Universities of the United
States, with some members of the team such as Bhakti Tirtha Swami and Suhotra
Dasa traveling as far as Eastern Europe.
In 1974, Satsvarupa dasa Goswami was requested by Prabhupada to join him as traveling
GBC servant, replacing previous servant Srutakirti Dasa and travelled as a menial servant
around the globe.

ROLE FOR SOCITY WELFARE

While laboring as a social welfare worker in New York City's Lower East Side, Steve (soon to be
initiated as Satsvarupa dasa) met his teacher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami (later known as Srila
Prabhupada), a modern day saint from India. Srila Prabhupada was giving classes in a humble
storefront on 2nd Avenue that he passed by every day on his way home from work. Entering that
storefront changed his life forever.
Srila Prabhupada taught essential truths from the Vedasancient books of knowledge. He
captured the attention and hearts of his audience through recitation of the scripture, mystical
histories of saints and sages, colorful stories, sweet chanting and musical expertise, and loving
devotion to God. He brought from India a few sets of books translated into English and

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immediately engaged his new friends in producing more.

Satsvarupa dasa became Srila Prabhupada's typist and began churning out manuscripts for
publication of new translations with Bhaktivedanta commentaries.
Satsvarupa dasa became a storyteller in his own right. He used his notes and access to
unpublished manuscripts to write essays for the other students, friends, and newcomers. He was
among the first young Americans to assist Srila Prabhupada with his mission in the West and, as
Srila Prabhupada's intimate disciple, he served as personal secretary.
While traveling, lecturing on Krishna consciousness, and instructing disciples worldwide, he has
published many books including poems, memoirs, essays, novels, and studies based on the
Vaisnava scriptures.
In recent years, his devotional life has evolved to include the creation of numerous paintings,
drawings, and sculptures that lovingly capture and express the artist's absorption in the culture of

SATSVARUPA DASA GOSWAMI AGREEMENT FOR CONTINUING SERVICE IN

ISKCON
The following points formulated by a committee of ISKCON devotees who were delegated
by the GBC Executive Committee to liaise with Satsvarupa Maharaja regarding his service in
ISKCON. The following conclusions have been approved by the GBC EC.
* SDG will continue as a sannyasi in a low key profile and will assume the status of retired
diskha guru. This means SDG will no longer give initiation nor present himself as an
initiating guru. The GBC would like to encourage SDG to participate in Srila Prabhupadas
movement according to his capacity, but he will do so humbly, giving classes and traveling,
but not accepting high-profile service. Disciples may refer questions to the monitor
committee (see below).
* SDG has agreed to have his future publications peer reviewed prior to publication or
posting.
* A monitoring committee will be formed to monitor SDGs progress and compliance with
the GBCEC approved recommendations. This committee will serve for one year and at that
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time provide a report to the GBC. Malati dasi, Ravindra Swarupa Prabhu and Giriraja Swami
have agreed to serve on the committee (others may be added). The contact info for the
monitor committee is: monitor@pamho.net. This committee will monitor his progress in
accordance with these recommendations. This will include:
a) Regular contact with a committee member with a follow-up written report to the others.
b) Open door policy for godbrothers who want to visit SDGs ashram in Delaware.
c) Report on pastoral activities including following the regulative principles, chanting,
traveling to preach, receiving guests, programs, writing letters and books for disciples,
visiting the Holy Dhamas, etc.
Closure: This case concerning SDGs relationship with Pranada is closed and not subject to
reinterpretation or reopening as long as the monitor committee report indicates compliance
with these measures.

RELIGION
His Holiness Satsvarpa dsa Goswm

Religion

Gaudiya Vaishnavism tradition

of Hinduism
Personal

Born

December 6, 1939 (age 73)

New York
Senior posting

Based in

USA

Title

Goswami

Period in
office

1972 current

Predecessor

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Prabhupada
Religious career

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Initiation

Diksa1966, Sannyasa1972

Post

ISKCON Guru, Sannyasi

Website

www.sdgonline.org

ROLE OF YOGA
Kardama Muni, A First-Class Yogi by Satsvarupa Dasa Adhikari
First let me offer my humble obeisances to my spiritual master, His Divine Grace A.C.
Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the pure servant of God and thus the knower of the
scripture. All transcendental knowledge contained in this essay emanates from his teachings,
which are exactly in line with the disciplic succession going back to Lord Sri Krsna, the
Personality of Godhead and original source of this narration of Kardama Muni. The disciple
of Srila Prabhupada has simply to present the teachings of the spiritual master intact; then
there will be good benefit for the reader seeking self-realization and spiritual happiness.
In the Sixth Chapter of Bhagavad-gita, Lord Krsna teaches the mystic yoga process
complete with sitting postures and the method of meditation under strict regulations. At the
conclusion of the chapter, in the last verse, the Lord describes the topmost yogi: "He who, full
of faith, offers everything to Me and worships Me, is the most united with Me in yoga."
Nowadays the yoga system, as taught authoritatively in Bhagavad-gita and the Patanjaliyoga-sutra, is not being followed. Instead, false teachers are allowing their students to engage
in all kinds of material sense gratification whiled collecting a fee from them and inducing
them to think in their meditation that they are one with God. Such students of false cheaters
cannot actually be making spiritual progress in yoga.

Ultimate Yoga
The Vedic literature contains histories, however, of many great yogis who were
accomplished in full mystic perfection. But even these yogic perfections, such as to be able to
influence anyone; to be able to attain whatever one desires from any place in the universe, to
fly in space, etc., are all material perfections, and they are ultimately
exhausted. Yoga ultimately means to find Krsna, the Supreme Lord, in His localized aspect
seated in the heart and to engage in eternal loving union with Him through devotional
service. Yogis who are distracted from this path by material perfections have to return to the
earth after death and again take another material birth and engage in devotional service before
reaching the perfection of liberation, completely spiritual devotional service.
The following narration is an incident from the life of a great devotee yogi, Kardama
Muni, who was not only a yogi but a perfect yogi, a devotee of the Lord. The narration of his
activities appears in the Third Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, the most mature and spotless
scripture of the entire Vedic literature. Kardama lived long, long ago, in the Satya-yuga, just
after the dawn of the creation of the universe.

His Meditation On The Lord

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At that time, Lord Brahma, the original creator empowered by Krsna, was ordering His
sons to marry and beget children so that the universe might be populated with worthy
offspring. Commanded by Lord Brahma, Kardama practiced meditative penances on the bank
of the Sarasvati River for a period of 10,000 years. It is understood that the yoga system, in
order to be rightly practiced, must be performed by persons who possess a very long duration
of life; otherwise, there is no possibility of attaining real perfection. There is no point in
attempting the preliminary practices of yoga, such as the different postures of sitting, unless
one is able to practice until perfection. Kardama Muni was not one of the so-called yogis of
the present age of Kali (age of quarrel and bluffing) who sit for a paltry fifteen minutes a day
in yoga postures and claim spiritual advancement. It may be noted here that in the age in
which Kardama lived, yoga meditation was the process recommended by the Vedic literature,
whereas today the Vedic literature clearly states that there is no alternative to the chanting of
the holy name: harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam/ kalau nasty eva nasty eva
nasty eva gatir anyatha (Brhan-Naradiya Purana).
Why did Kardama practice meditation? It is stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam: "During that
period of penance the sage Kardama devotedly waited upon the Personality of Godhead." In
other words, he practiced mystic yoga for 10,000 years just to please the Supreme Personality
of Godhead. That is stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam. Therefore He is the first-class yogi. His
Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada writes in his commentary to the Third
Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam: "One has to surrender unto the lotus feet of the Personality of
Godhead, Krsna, in order to achieve real success. To attain perfection of the yoga practice or
meditation, one must act in devotional service, namely hearing, chanting, remembering, etc.
Certainly remembering is also meditation, but upon whom must one meditate? The Supreme
Personality of Godhead. He must not only be remembered, but one must hear about the
activities of the Lord, and chant His glories." After engaging himself in different types of
devotional service, Kardama Muni attained the perfection of meditation, which is attained
only by those who are surrendered souls. Srila
Prabhupada writes: "Where there is no mention of the Personality of Godhead, then
where is there yoga and surrender? And where there is no meditation upon the Personality of
Godhead, then where is there any question of yoga practice?"

The King And The Yogi

"Seeing that the monarch had come to his hermitage and bowing before him, the sage
greeted him with benediction and received him with due honor." The yogi then addressed the
King with words of praise because he understood that unless a pious king is ruling, the
wicked elements in society can overthrow the whole aim of the society, which is to help the
citizens go back home, back to Godhead. He addressed the King as the protecting energy of
Sri Hari (Krsna). After offering obeisances, the yogi then asked the King why he had come
with a glad heart and how he, the yogi, could meet his wishes. The royal order formerly gave
all protection to the brahmanas so that they could advance the society in terms of spiritual
culture, and the brahmanas would give their valuable instructions to the royal order so that
every citizen could become elevated to spiritual perfection.
Svayambhuva said that he was most fortunate to be able to touch his head to the dust
from the feet of the sage, and he thanked him for his words of instruction. "We are seeking a
worthy match for our daughter in terms of age, character and good qualities." The father,
Svayambhuva Manu, confided to Kardama that "the moment she heard from the sage Narada
of your noble character, learning, beautiful appearance, youth and other virtues, she fixed her
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mind on you." So although Devahuti had not seen Kardama Muni, she had fixed her heart
upon him after hearing of him from Narada, and on the basis of that hearing she had decided
to marry him. Svayambhuva offered his daughter with all reverence as a worthy match for
taking charge of household duties. By household duties he did not mean sense gratification
but mutual execution of Krsna consciousness, which is called, in Sanskrit, grhastha. There are
two words in Sanskrit to describe married life. One, grhamedhi, means to accept a wife for
sense gratification and to make one's apartment a center for executing the same propensities
as the animals, whereas the other, grhastha, means to gain a helper in Krsna consciousness.
Devahuti was eligible to offer such help, for she was equal in age, character and quality to the
sage.

Japa as Meditation by Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami

Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya had been a famous logician and teacher of the impersonal path,
and his conversion to Vaisnavism is chronicled in several chapters of the Caitanyacaritamrta. It is said of Sarvabhauma after his conversion, "He did not know anything but the
service of the Lord, and he always chanted the holy name of Sri Krsna Caitanya . Indeed,
chanting the holy names became his meditation."
Meditation is the seventh stage in the eightfold mystic yoga system by which one
gradually learns to sit still, control the breath, withdraw the senses from the world, fix the
mind on one point, and eventually attain full concentration on the object of meditation.
Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya attained that stage by concentrating on the Lord's holy names.
In Western countries, "meditation" has become a buzzword. In the 1960s the only
meditation that people discussed was "Transcendental Meditation," by which one could
purchase a mantra and meditate on it twice a day. Now many other forms of meditation and
"mindfulness" are popular both in Christian and non-Christian traditions. People meditate for
a short time each day to relieve stress and augment health. Srila Prabhupada said that serious
yoga practice aimed at a spiritual goal is far too difficult in this age of distraction. Real
meditation is full time.
For those who chant the holy names, hearing japa (private chanting on beads) described
as "meditation" may sound distasteful when considered alongside the other processes
practiced these days, butjapa is meditation, and to achieve the result we must do it with
attention.
Meditation involves controlling the mind, and that's difficult, as anyone who has tried to
chant realizes quickly. Therefore, we sometimes wonder whether it is necessary or helpful to
study meditation techniques and bring them into our own practice.
Srila Prabhupada didn't think so. Whenever devotees asked him how to concentrate on the
holy name, he responded simply: "Just hear."
"But what about my mind?"
"Just hear."
Prabhupada knew that by chanting we would learn how to chant; the holy name itself
would teach us. The Bhagavad-gita assigns the path: "From wherever the mind wanders due

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to its flickering and unsteady nature, one must certainly withdraw it and bring it back under
the control of the self."
Therefore, in the name of disinterest in other forms of meditation, we shouldn't abandon
the practices common to all forms. We should begin our daily japa by calming the mind. We
should chant our rounds (of beads) in a sacred space and control the breath by the chanting.
We should fix the mind on the syllables of the holy name. We should maintain good posture.
In the early days at 26 Second Avenue in New York City, we would sit slouched over as Srila
Prabhupada gave his morning class. Once he stopped his lecture and asked us to sit straight.
Although bhakti-yoga does not involve sitting postures and breathing exercises, he said, it is
still yoga.
With the aid of these basic components of meditation, we can learn to become prayerful
in our approach to the holy name. Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya was able to chant with no other
thought than the name and Lord Caitanya's mercy.
Our biggest obstacles to chanting are indifference to the holy name and distraction.
Bhaktivinoda Thakura addresses these points in his Harinama Cintamani, suggesting that we
chant in the company of devotees focused on the holy name. By learning to emulate their
mood, we will learn to concentrate. He also suggests we chant in a secluded place. By
accepting the discipline of a vow to chant, we will be forced to fix our attention. Gradually
we will move from an hour spent chanting to two hours to four hours, and eventually we will
chant constantly.
And enthusiasm is vital. Bhaktivinoda Thakura states: "Those who chant distractedly are
always eager to somehow complete the fixed number of holy names and be done with it. It is
important to concentrate on the quality of the chanting and not on trying to artificially
increase the number of holy names."
He adds that we should utter and hear the name distinctly. It is only by the Lord's mercy
that distraction can be overcome. "Therefore it is essential to fervently beg for the Lord's
grace with great humility. This is the living entity's only means of salvation."
Ultimately, our success in chanting will come from Krsna's mercy, but while awaiting that
mercy, we can continue to chant with enthusiasm and concentration and, as far as we are able,
make the holy name the central focus of our lives.
Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami travels extensively to speak and write about Krsna
consciousness. He is the author of many books, including a six-volume biography of Srila
Prabhupada.

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CHAPTER:13
THE GOAL OF HUMAN LIFE
The goal of human life is to attain complete happiness or emancipation, which is possible
only when one realises the self and visualises God. God is not a worldly thing that can be
seen with our fleshy eyes but he is experienced by the soul with pure mind.
Of course! God is within us and we are within God, yet we are searching him outside us. We
search him in Mandirs, in Masjids, in Gurudwaras and in churches. This search is not
complete, it continues and we search him on mountains, on the banks of rivers and in jingles,
but god is not visualised. Why?
Of the innumerable number of species is said to be the most developed. Nature has conferred
upon this exquisite species of hers the most productive brain. It is the only one which can at
times turn inward, go back into its own depth and search out wonderful things. Our Vedic
scriptures and/or Arsha shastras go a step further and mark out human birth is to be a most
precious and are achievement. This is because the human body is the only medium through
which one can attain salvation-realisation of the real nature of the self the ultimate aim of
human life.
In the real nature of our self, we (soul) are divine and immortal. We are not a body, the body
is the machine or instrument through which we work. It is made of the gross elements of
nature (earth, water, fire, air and ether) and therefore is bound to perish. (It is an eternal law
of nature that anything that is made is to perish in the end). But with the destruction of our
body, we are not going to lose our identity for we are not the body. We are souls, the atma,
which are numerous. The Atma is eternal, immortal, pure, divine, and even free. Never was
the Atma born and hence never shall it die. The Atma says the Lord Krishna in the Geeta,
Never is born nor dies. It is not that it comes to exist and thereafter loses its existence.
Neither is it that loses its existence and comes to exist again. The atma is birth-less, eternal
and ancient. It does not perish even on the destruction of the body. Realise this immortal
nature of ours, all fear of death ceases and thus in turn ceases all our miseries, sorrows and
woes. We no more keep ourselves busy in the futile efforts to make our existence last long,
for immortal we are in our real nature. We come to know that we existed in the past, we exist,
as it is self-evident, at present, we shall exist in the future. In other worlds we exist eternally.
This is the aim of human life to become free from the clutches of worldly pleasures and
pains and attain emancipation. Then and only then does this human life become perfect. To
transcend the body, the senses, the mind, ego and all other things of this mortal universe is the
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goal of human life and it is only achievable while remaining in this human body. No other
body however grand it might be, is fit to achieve this state.
We, the soul, are the masters of our own senses, thoughts and desires. Then they carry out our
orders and not we theirs. Success and failure, joy and sorrow and all such extremes become
alike for us. They loss their capacity to affect one who has transcended the mortal elements.
Seeing the same atma or self in everything we are not more frightened by anything, for where
is any other to frighten us? The realised one having attained the sameness, sees the atma
in everything and everything in the atma.
It is the phenomenon of nature to draw us to her side and make us react to diverse
happenings. And as we do so, we become restless. We lose the balance of our mind. But in
order to enjoy perfect peace we must have equanimity, which is only possible, if we remain
totally undisturbed by the phenomenon around us. But this calls for total control on our
nature. It is only the master and not the slave who can exercise control. And to be the master
of our nature we must transcend it. To know the phenomenal world we have to transcend the
phenomenal world. Having transcended the world of manifoldness, one gains perfect control
over oneself. And he who has controlled himself, has controlled the whole universe, for
whatever is in microcosm is in the macrocosm.
Having achieved this, being the master of his own destiny one enjoys things as they come,
being perfectly unperturbed by them and thus enjoys perfect peace and happiness. Being in
this body he become immortal, not as the body but as the atma. He enjoys tranquillity and
ecstasy even whilst living in this body. One who has controlled his mind, who is free from
attachment and envy, enjoying things by his controlled senses, enjoys eternal Bliss.
Happiness is said to be the most important things in this world by which one can be examined
of his/her success.
Human species is the most precious one hence to waste time in worldly desire is useless. The
ultimate goal of human being is to realise himself where there is existence of God too. This is
possible only in human species.

To summarize, the goal of human life is to execute devotional service which the brhmaas
are advising King Vena in this verse. And this devotional service can be performed if one
understands that devotional service means serving Vasudeva, and devotional service can be
practised very nicely if one takes to the process of Vaidhi-bhakti and executes it very rigidly.
And whenever one executes Vaidhi-bhakti very rigidly, with great attention-if you have a
valuable diamond, you do not fool around with it, you make sure that the diamond cannot be
stolen.Similarly, the process of Vaidhi-bhakti is like a diamond. You should relish this
diamond, not grudge over it. This diamond is so valuable. Therefore the devotee relishes the
process of Vaidhi-bhakti. And if we can relish the process of Vaidhi-bhakti, we will be able to
develop spontaneous love of God-that is Rgnuga-bhakti. If this process of Vaidhibhakti
is not executed sincerely, this will result in part-time love for Ka, and the rest of the time
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love for material senses. We do not want to be part-time devotees of Ka. If you do not
want to be part-time devotees of Ka, take to the process of Vaidhi-bhakti and develop love
of God.

ROLE OF DHARMA GURU IN LIFE

Guru is not a physical form. Guru is energy, the medium through which jnana or knowledge
flows to the shishya or disciple. If you take the shishya to be an ice-cold stone and jnana to be
boiling hot water, then the guru pours this hot water onto the cold stone gradually, drop by
drop, lest the stone cracks with the heat. Guru takes full responsibility of the shishya,
monitors him every second. Guru literally carries the shishya on the journey of evolution. He
is not someone who does sweet talk or makes arbit-rary promises to gain your support...A
guru needs nothing from you; it is you who needs him. He is a mirror that will show you your
true self and helps you elevate yourself, provided you want to rise.
The first sign of a guru is vairagya or detachment. As soon as you come in the proximity of
your guru, you experience the same vairagya within - an indication that you are in the right
place. Rudryamala, describing the qualities of a guru, mentions that he has no drawbacks, is
free of vices, with impeccable character, following dharma and spiritual practices and
devoted to his guru.
A guru is still in the yamas and niyamas of Sage Patanjali. Anyone who follows the yamas of
satya, asteya and aparigraha will never charge fees to teach yoga. Anyone who follows the
yama of brahmacharya would exude the glow that comes with the vrat. A guru exudes what
he talks. He possesses phenomenal energy, radiance and attraction associated with yoga. A
shishya experiences this glow and attraction in the guru's company and feels good.
Just like a surya sadhak exudes the brilliance of sun, similarly a shishya radiates the glow and
attraction of his guru. As you focus on the guru, gradually you start acquiring his qualities
and after some time your form starts resembling that of your guru. So you need to be sure of
what you follow, because you eventually become what you follow.
Rudryamala says, for anyone to be a guru, he must be of noble character, preferably born in a
respectable family, of auspicious appearance, endowed with intellect, calmness of mind, and
all good qualities, have a good and moral conduct, be pious and chaste and have control over
the senses, be proficient in mantras and ever-engaged in japa and devoted to the worship of
ishta devata. A mother is considered as the best guru for a son or daughter since there exists a
pre-established connection between the two. Initiation by mother of a child is said to give
eightfold results than what is ordinary.
The topic of Sanatan Kriya deals with the concept of guru and maintains that when a being
finds a guru, there are certain indications for it. The first is that there occur certain changes in
your body; it starts looking the way you always desired. Secondly, any imbalance or disease
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in the body disappears. You cease to fall ill. The third indicator is that you start experiencing
energies that run Creation.
One must not rush into making a guru; you have to be absolutely sure. Because once you call
somebody your guru, you must walk the path shown by him with full faith and devotion.
Anything less, any doubt or change of path thereafter amounts to dis-respect of the energy of
guru. The journey, which begins when you meet your guru, requires continuous and dedicated
practice which when followed as niyama culminates into yoga.

Gurus - Walking The Gurus Path

The guru is an integral part of spiritual life; his are the footprints that we follow in our search
for god, truth, reality. the relationship we form with our guru is unlike any other relationship
we experience in our lives. for it spans emotional, psychological and spiritual aspects of our
being and is often related with powerful experiences of growth and transformation
What is the gurus role in spiritual life? He is guide, mentor, example, mirror, motivator. The
fertiliser that ensures the seed will grow, the hand that tends to the tiny sapling, rooting out
weeds, watering and nourishing. The guru is the gardener of our inner lifeour thoughts and
emotions, mind and self, form the soil that he tills.
Moreover, the spiritual path has often been likened to the razors edgeit is treacherous, full
of pitfalls and there are parts of it that are badly lit and others that are in darkness. Whats
worse, we may fall into a hole and not even know it.
For instance, we read in the scriptures, Aham Brahmasmi, I am Brahman, and immediately
begin feeling like the king of the world, lord of the universe. At this point, we need somebody
to whack us with the reality that the Aham of the phrase is not I as in Swati, but the vast
interconnected consciousness of which I too am a part.

The path-pointer
The guru is the finger that points to the moon. This is such an apt and telling metaphor. The
moon is there for all to see, it is not a needle hidden in a haystack. Our true nature is everpresent, it is real and clear and luminous. Why then do we need a finger to point it out?
Because our eyes, cockeyed and clouded over, may be fixed on the rubbish the world has just
projectiled into our yard. Because our hearts, tired and burdened, cannot unite with the moon
even if our eyes look at it. And because our mind is so busy with our days noise that it
cannot comprehend the moon that is simply there, undemanding, undeclaring, unresponsive.
Locked within so much pain and noise and wanting, we lose focus. The moon might as well
not be there at all, as far as we are concerned. This is the state of avidya, ignorance, and
the guru is the catalyst who works with the student in clearing the myopia, perfecting the
angle, quietening the noise until the moon appears bright and clear to us in the darkened sky,
there to be seen and experienced.

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Some traditions believe that the enlightenment experience can be given by a gurus grace.
This is all too often taken literally as the guru mysteriously injecting the disciple with
understanding. What it actually seems to suggest is that the guru points, and the disciple sees,
as the second line of Kabirs famous couplet illustrates: Guru Gobind dou khade, kaake
lagoon paaye / Balihari guru aap ne, Gobind diyo dikhaye. (Guru and God stand together, to
whom should I bow first? Undoubtedly the guru, for it is he who has shown me God).
The guru catalyses the awakening, which still happens within the disciple. It cannot be an
extraneously engineered event, no matter how powerful or accomplished the guru.
A crucial need on the path is for an enabler and motivator. We might have decided to walk the
path, even found our bearings on it, when the subconscious might begin to throw up longrepressed issues and emotions. We are frightened, we dont know what to do. We feel as if we
have failed in our quest, and that there has been no change in us at all. Things have actually
gotten worse, we feel, and perhaps it is best to let this stuff be. We do not have the soles for
the path, we think, and become dejected and frustrated. At this point, the companionship of
a guru or a spiritual colleague might prove invaluable in pulling us out of the morass we have
worked
ourselves
in
and
show
us
the
way
beyond
the
bend.
The guru ultimately presents an example of our own potential, of the realisation we can
achieve if wework hard and persevere. In having experienced the path before us, the guru is
able to present us a realistic picture of what it takes to walk the way, and how best we can
direct our energies. About this role of the guru in the Sufi tradition, Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee
says in Travelling the Path of Love: The Sufi path has as its goal the state of union with
God. For each traveller the journey to this goal is unique; it is the journey of the alone to the
Alone. Yet there are also stages which all seekers pass through, trials, processes of
purification and transformation. It is these stages that the Sufi masters, or sheikhs, have
attempted to describe. As guides they have mapped out the path of the heart and the mystical
states that are experienced along the way. With the passion and depth of feeling that belong
to lovers they outline the stages of this journey and give advice to other travellers. They
share their glimpses of the essential oneness of all life and, with simplicity, directness, and
humour, describe the paradoxical nature of this mystical journey.

In Traditions
Though we are using the word guru which is Sanskrit, wisdom traditions around the world
have honoured and acknowledged the centrality of the teacher in spiritual life. In ancient
India, the guruwas giver of knowledge, dispeller of darkness, source of wisdom. Teachers
imparting secular knowledge and spiritual insights were accorded equal respect, and the
method of instruction for both was rigorous training in the guru-shishya parampara (teacherstudent tradition). The role was accorded added importance because of the initial prevalence
of the shruti-smriti (spoken and memorised) way of learning, where you had to have a master
to teach you, there were no books or written material.

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The lively atmosphere of spiritual enquiry that seems to have existed in ancient India along
with an inclusiveness that embraced all kinds of interpretations of truth, God and reality led
many aspirants to strike out on their own. The sramanas, as these individual seekers were
called then, were at the cutting edge of the spiritual world. They were the bravehearts who
looked for truth beyond codified belief systems, and dared challenge the Vedic-Brahmanical
status quo. Revolutionaries at heart, they subverted ossified religious and social notions in
each age, and called for a direct experience of reality. In different times, against different
systems, the sramanas have worked and innovated, part of the spiritual underground that
bubbled up in the mainstream when their teachings became widely known and followed, and
otherwise remained hidden and vanished into the ground.
When they passed on to others what they had discovered, traditions and systems formed. The
genesis of what became Buddhism lay in the journey and discovery of one individual
Gautama the Buddha. While alive, he walked through north and east India, sharing his
insights and refusing to be known as anything but a teacher and challenger of doctrines.
Another old Indian tradition, that of the Jains, sources itself in a long lineage of 23 teachers
called tirthankaras, builders of bridges to the supreme truth. Each tirthankara was a jina,
conqueror of the self, and had enumerated ways and practices through which others could
follow in his footsteps. In recent times, the Sikh faith has arisen from the collective wisdom
of a lineage of gurus.
Individual teachers also seeded the other two major world religionsChristianity and Islam.
Jesus and Mohammed began teaching from their personal experience of the Divine, and were
soon elevated to suprahuman status. Jesus as son of God and Mohammed as a divinely sent
prophet came to be seen as conveyors of Gods word. Actually the convention of teacher as
prophet is a very old one, and the Old Testament particularly records the appearance of
prophets from time to time to broadcast Divine truth to humanity.
If we step even further back into human history, to primeval society, we find an almost
magical status accorded to the teacher as one who was privy to the mysteries of nature and
the universe. Credited with superhuman powers like the ability to control natural phenomena,
teachers were worshipped as interpreters of the natural world to their community, much like
shamans of aboriginal cultures. I think this is because human beings have always held
knowledge as sacred and power giving. We have striven to know our outer and inner world
since the dawn of time, and have tended to view those who do seem to know in awe and
reverence.
In some societies, this natural accordance of respect came to be exploited by certain classes
of people, like Brahmins in India, who proclaimed themselves custodians of knowledge and
refused to share it with the entire community. Social power came to be divided according to
access to this knowledge, and the least empowered socially were also educationally and
spiritually dispossessed. This was recognised by sramana gurus through the ages, and from
the Buddha and Mahavir to Kabir and Nanak, part of their teaching effort was to shatter walls
of exclusivity in which knowledge was imprisoned, and make the secret of existence and
reality available at streetcorners and chai shops.
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The Avatar Phenomenon

Along with the subaltern sramana gurus who existed on the margins of society and religion
and taught the commonfolk, India has also had a grand tradition of prophet-gurus reminiscent
of Judaism,Islam and Christianity. It is expressed somewhat differently though, as the avatar
phenomenon, where the avatar is a human incarnation of divinity rather than a messenger of
God. The most famous exposition of this phenomenon is in the ten avatars of Vishnu, which
include human beings, animals and semi-human creatures, most of whom have a messianic
saviour responsibility. The active gururole actually goes to one avatarKrishnacredited
with imparting the Sankhya Yoga route out of worldly suffering to his cousin Arjuna in the
midst of a stormy battlefield. The Krishna-Arjuna model of progressive self-inquiry, where
the latters ignorance is systematically demolished by the former through argument and logic,
is considered till today to be one of the most effective expressions of the guru-disciple
relationship.
At least in Krishnas case, we can say that he could have been an actual person, and that the
battlefield dialogue indicates a self-realised person who was probably deified around the time
when his teaching was being recorded as the Bhagavad Gita, centuries after the event actually
happened. With the Indian penchant for deification, several gurus have been declared avatars
since then, like Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, who was revered as an avatar of Krishna in 15th
century Bengal. In recent times, more gurus seem to have been proclaimed avatar of the age
than ever before. Says guru-watcher M. Alan Kazlev: It seems a common tendency among
modern-day gurus to claim to be the avatar or the world-teacher (jagadguru, sadguru) of this
age. How much of this is due the genuine (whether deluded or valid) belief and/or experience
of the guru in his/her own divinity, and how much of it is simply a teaching device, or even
something that it is part of the whole tradition of being a guru, is not easy to determine. It
seems that all these factors merge together. But I also feel that many gurus genuinely believe
their claim to avatarhood. Who knows, maybe some of them actually are avatars!
To debate whether they actually are avatars or not is beyond the scope of this article. What is
important is to examine the effect proclamations of avatarhood have on gurus roles as
teachers. Obviously, the claiming of a personal divinity by the guru for himself or herself
skews the balance in the guru-disciple relationship. I mean, how can you question
what God asks you to do, even if it is something that may damage you? The difference is
when the guru proclaims a personal divinity for himself and holds out the same possibility for
the disciple.
Says Kazlev: When a sycophantic disciple said to Sathya Sai Baba, You are God! he turned
around and said, Yes, but so are you! We all have that divine nature within us. Another time
he said to a devotee, The only difference between me and you is that I know that I
am God but you dont know that you are God.

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Likewise, even though Da (Adi Da Samaraj) claims to be the avatar of this age, as one
follower pointed out to me in an email, It is not that he is God and you and I are not, it is that
when the egoic mind is transcended it can be seen that what is true of His realisation, is just
as true for you and I as well. It is the paradox of reconciling the theistic avatar doctrine (I am
God, you are not) with the egalitarian monistic realisation (I am God, but so are you. You just
have to realise it).

Dual vs non-dual
This doctrinal divergence in some measure also accounts for the varying perceptions of
the guru one comes across. Dualistic and theistic traditions like bhakti view the guru as an
agent of the Divine, who will pull us out of our misery and bring us closer to the lotus feet of
the Beloved. To accomplish this, the guru demands complete self-surrender, unflinching
loyalty and unquestioning obedience.
In non-dualistic traditions like Advaita and Buddhism, the guru is guide and teacher whose
job it is to awaken the true guru that lies within. Rajiv Mehrotra makes this comparison in his
introduction to The Mind of the Guru: Inphilosophies that derive from ideas of nonduality (Advaita), the striving is to awaken insight from within oneself, through ones own
efforts, rather than in relationship to an external idea or intervention. The guru teaches and
demonstrates the path. He does not ordinarily transmit some supernatural energy that
catalyses dramatic and enduring transformation. (In) theistic traditions, (the guru is)
indicative of someone who has direct communication with God, who is completely
intoxicated with the godhead and because of this is perceived as able to perform miracles and
is to intervene, changing the course and direction of peoples lives.
Yet all streams of knowledge flow into one sea, and though their language might be different,
all traditions speak of one truth. It might be easy to classify the bhakti guru as an external
person simply because the path is of love and devotion to embodied divinity, and to label the
advaitin guru as internal because their philosophy does not allow for any dualism, not even
one of guru and disciple. On close inspection, reality is not so cut and dried.
The bhakti gurus supreme qualification is that he has merged into the vast ocean of Godconsciousness, lost his sense of limited self completely, and so can help others come to the
same state. This light of knowing shines through in the words of eighth century poet Rabiaal-Adawiyya: The one who explains, lies. / How can you describe / the true form of
Something / In whose presence you are blotted out? / And in whose being you still exist?
Living in constant awareness of this true form is what the bhakti guru enables his student to
do.
Says an article in Back to Godhead, a magazine of the ISKCON movement, about their
gurus role: Srila Prabhupada taught businessmen to do business for Krishna, artists to paint
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and sculpt for Krishna, and scientists to use their brain power and know-how for Krishna. He
taught mothers to raise Krishna-conscious children, actors to perform dramas depicting the
pastimes of Krishna, and anyone and everyone to chant Hare Krishna and eat prasada, food
offered to Krishna.
Krishna might be personified as the cowherd of Gokul at one level, but for the supreme
bhakta, which is what the guru is, Krishna is all-pervasive consciousness in whose being all
exists, as Rabia points out. Isnt this the Brahman of the advaitin, and in a yet more refined
understanding, the shunyata of the Buddhist? That which is nothing and everything at the
same time, for only nothing can be everything and everywhere? Terminology varies, but the
realisations feel part of the same garland, with the one thread of truth running through all
flowers thus gathered together.
Personifying impersonal Truth as an embodied presence is a tool gurus of all traditions, dual
and non-dual, have used to help students focus attention and also cultivate positive feelings
of love and seva that are important behavioural aspects of the path. In Vajrayana Buddhism,
for example, deities are visualised to activate ones feelings of compassion and kindness. And
gurus of non-dualistic traditions demand love and submission from disciples as much as those
of dualistic traditions.
Tibetan Buddhist guru Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche explains why: Devotion is integral to
being a Vajrayana practitioner. It is crucial in Vajrayana to understand that the object of
refugethe guruis the embodiment of all the buddhas as well as of the dharma, the sangha,
and the devas, dakinis and dharmapalas. Basically, all objects of refuge are embodied in the
guru. If you think your guru is the Buddha himselfthat is, you dont imagine it but
actually see him as the Buddha in personthen definitely you will receive the Buddhas
blessings. Andif you realise that it is actually your own buddhanature that is manifest in the
form of the Buddha or the guru, you will receive the blessing of seeing everything as the
Buddha, everything as the guru.

Finding our guru

The relationship we form with our guru is unlike any other relationship we experience in our
lives. It spans emotional, psychological and spiritual aspects of our being and is often related
with powerful experiences of growth and transformation. In the Tibetan tradition, the root
guru, who first initiates one, is looked upon as a mother. This shows how much we rely on
the guru, and also the tremendous responsibility the guru takes on when he births us into the
spiritual life. And just as a mother becomes a mother because of her baby, a guru becomes
one in relation to the student. Someone becomes a guru only in relation to a disciple. There
is no special authority to qualify someone as a spiritual teacher. You are a teacher because
you have students, says the Dalai Lama.
The guru-student relationship is thus one of mutuality, where two individuals become bound
together by a pact whereby one teaches and shares and the other learns and grows. Due to the
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intimatenature of this relationship, it is as important for the guru to find an apt pupil, as it is
for the seeker to find an apt guru. They must fit well into one another and be able to operate
with synchronicity. AsRamana Maharshi says: He is the proper guru to whom your mind is
attuned.
For the guru, the apt pupil is one who has a burning desire to learn, and who will practise
sincerely and diligently. Advaitin guru Nisargadatta Maharaj says of the student: The
stronger your desire (for freedom), the easier comes the help. The greatest guru is helpless as
long as the disciple is not eager to learn. Eagerness and earnestness are all-important.
Confidence will come with experience. Be devoted to your goaland devotion to him who
can guide you. If your desire and confidence are strong, they will operate and take you to
your goal, for you will not cause delay by hesitation or compromise. Humility is stressed
upon greatly too, as we see in the many Zen stories where only that student who had proved
himself sufficiently humble by bearing all kinds of hardships was allowed to even enter the
monastery.
For most seekers, the process of finding the right guru is arduous and understandably so.
We lay bare the deepest core of our self to our guru, and we need to know that this person
will take good care of us and be of benefit for us. There are several ways to determine this.
Insight meditationteacher Jack Kornfield, who has himself studied with several Hindu and
Buddhist gurus during his long spiritual journey, advises us to begin with the basics:
In seeking a teacher, we should inquire directly about how they teach. How do they view the
path of practice, and what is the goal? What form does their practice take? How do they guide
students? Will we be able to spend time with this teacher? Will we actually get their direct
assistance? What kind of support does the teacher give to students through the arduous parts
of the spiritual journey? What is the sense of the communityaround the teacher? Then we
need to look at what is asked of us. Does what is asked feel healthy and appropriate? What
commitments are necessary? What kind of relationship is expected? How much time is
required? What does it cost?
Of course, the first pre-requisite is that the guru himself should have tasted the water that he
wishes for us to drink. He or she must be a self-realised individual who perhaps began the
journey from a similar place of ignorance as us, and who has through effort and practice
come to rest in an undifferentiated reality of being.
We must be able to nose our own way through the woods with the lingering after-whiff of
our gurus presence as guide. Theravadin monk and abbot of Metta Forest Monastery in the
US, Thanissaro Bhikkhu says: A teacher should have experienced the deathless. In dharma,
you have to be a good player before you can be a good coach. You have to know where
youre headed and how you got there.
The experience of studying and being with such a teacher can be profound. Zen master
Suzuki Roshis student Trudy Dixon says about her teacher: Because he is just himself, he is
a mirror for his students. When we are with him, we feel our own strengths and shortcomings
without any sense of praise or criticism from him. In his presence we see our original face,
and the extraordinariness we see is only our own true nature.

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This is Trudys experience after she had spent time with Suzuki Roshi. What about those of
us who are beginners? How do we recognise the guru? We can go by these simple
rules Ramana Maharshilays out for the beginner: If you ask, how to decide who is
the Guru and what is his swarupa (true nature), he should be endowed with tranquillity,
patience, forgiveness and other virtues capable of attracting others even with the bare eye,
like the magnetic stone, and with a feeling of equality towards all.

Entering the river

Our relationship with the guru is a kind of spiritual apprenticeship in which we learn as much
from the gurus personal conduct and actions as from his discourses and teachings, especially
if we have the chance to live in close proximity of the guru. The big issue at the onset is of
trusthow do I entrust myself to another person?
This concern can be addressed by being able to check out our guru to evaluate for ourselves
the claims made by him and on his behalf, before we commit ourselves. The Dalai
Lama says: From the students point of view it is important not to be hasty in choosing
someone as your spiritual teacher. To begin with, you should simply regard your teacher as a
spiritual friend and closely observe his or her behaviour, attitudes and ways of teaching, until
you are confident of his or her integrity. Then the trust we feel in our guru will be based on
belief, rather something that we are told to do or expected to feel.
Once we have entered the relationship, our guru will expect complete surrender of all arms
we have in our arsenal to defend our limited notions of self, our delusions, our conductour
ego. Demolishing this sense of self that we have so carefully nurtured all our lives is the first
task of the guru, since we can begin learning anew only when we have unlearned past
learning. This of course does not refer to things like the alphabet or life skills, but
conditioning, self-scripts, and all the other stuff our sense of I is built with and based upon.
This surrender is often the most difficult thing we have ever had to do. Our guru may have to
employ various measures to coax, cajole, or even scare us out of our conditioned mind.
Whatever the means employed, they must be fragranced with the gurus unconditional
acceptance of us, and his disinterested yet compassionate effort to help us grow. And all the
true guru wants in return from us is passionate involvement in and unshakeable commitment
to our own growth.

Ways Of Teaching
There are as many and varied processes of teaching and transference of knowledge as there
are gurus and students. Most gurus tend to teach from their own experiencethey lead the
student along the same stream following which they themselves entered the vast ocean of
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understanding. Ideally, the guru must be able to vary the method according to the ability and
sensitivity of the student. For instance if a student is burdened with emotional trauma, gentle
counselling and direction to help him resolve these might be more helpful than, say, throwing
him into intense meditation which might worsen his condition by digging up repressed
issues.
In a story from the Buddhas life, he is explaining the various levels at which students under
his care are being instructed. Students who have an interest in inquiry are gathered there
with my wisest disciple Sariputra, he points out, and those who are inspired by the practice
of monastic discipline are there with Upali, foremost master of the monks life. Those drawn
by psychic development are there with the great psychic Mogallana, and still others who are
naturally drawn to concentration and samadhi are over there with Mahakassapa. In being
sensitive to the students needs, the guru is able to help the student move in the direction that
is best suited for him at that point.
The most common way for gurus to teach is through discourses and prescribing personal
practices to individual disciples. Jnana is often combined with karma and bhakti to meet
disciples need for intellectual stimulation along with adoration and guidelines for action.
Some gurus might rely more on one aspect than the other. J. Krishnamurti, for instance,
would ask those who came to him to arrive at truth on their own through logical questioning
a modern example of the old path of the Buddha where contents of self and consciousness
were examined analytically and their inherent emptiness contemplated upon to arrive at the
true nature of ourselves and reality. As the analyst, the guru takes on the role of therapist,
encouraging the student to dive deeper into his mind to understand his true self.
Gurus that occur within a lineage will often teach according to their tradition. Lineages are
the brand names of the spiritual world, pointers that tell the seeker what to expect. They are
valuable as containers of wisdom and preservers of old knowledge, which still need dynamic
gurus to keep them alive and relevant to the times they find themselves in. The Navnath
Sampradaya (tradition of the nine Nath yogis) is an old spiritual lineage with historical roots
in ninth century Nepal. Its powerful teachings gradually made their way to west India where
its last two gurus, Siddharameshwar Maharaj (1875-1936) and Nisargadatta Maharaj (18971981), lived and taught. The latter was exemplary in his teaching life, and though placing
greater emphasis on personal effort than lineage, said of his tradition: It (Navnath
Parampara) is like a riverit flows into the ocean of reality and whoever enters it is carried
along. When a starstruck disciple wanted to know if he could be initiated a Navnath,
Maharaj was scathing in his response: Please your word-addicted mind! The name will not
change you. The Navnath Sampradaya is only a tradition, a way of teaching and practice. It
does not denote a level of consciousness.
Initiation by a guru is indeed an area of mystery for many of us, so one can understand the
starstruck disciples curiosity. Gurus reputed to be siddhas (possessor of psychic powers or
siddhis) particularly work this kind of initiation, also called shaktipat, wherein the master is
said to transfer his energy into the disciple, opening his energy channels, causing spontaneous
318

experiences of ecstasy and visions. The disciple feels overwhelmed, as did Lama Ole Nydahl
after his first meeting with the 16th Karmapa, believed to be a great siddha: We stood in
front of the Karmapa and he put his hands on our heads. We looked up, and suddenly he
became greater than the whole sky, incredibly vast, golden and luminous The power of the
Karmapa has entered our lives.

Gurus who transform their disciples through energy transmissions believe that the latters
energy fields undergo rapid transformation under their influence. This, they maintain, is a
quick way of effecting radical shifts in consciousness. The trick is not to get stuck in the
seductive world of energy experiences, but to move beyond these too, onwards towards our
true goal. This is one trap the gurumust warn us of and if necessary, extricate us from.
In this regard, the story of Sufi master Irina Tweedie is interesting. She studied for several
years with her Kanpur-based pir, Guru Bhai Sahib, who said of his teaching method: We do
not teach, we quicken. I am stronger than you so your currents adjust themselves to mine.
This is a simple law of nature If you let flow an electric current through two wires, side by
sidethe stronger will affect the weaker. It will increase its potency. It is so
simple. Guru Bhai Sahib was himself a householder, who lived a simple life and hardly gave
any teachings as it were. He expected his students to learn by being with him, observing
him, and being quickened by him.
Teachers like Guru Bhai Sahib are the silent revolutionaries who are not known beyond
their small group of students, as they prefer to impart a holistic understanding of life rather
than specific teachings. They just are, living lives that are outwardly unremarkable in
mofussil towns, often with spouses and children, running shops and selling beedies
(like Nisargadatta Maharaj did) for a livelihood. Such gurus are unknown and unsung,
difficult for most urban seekers to find. But for those who do have the opportunity to learn
from them, they are compelling examples of realisation in action, and the transcendence that
is accessible right here, right now for followers of the path.

Snares And Snags

As in any field of human endeavour, the institution of the guru has also been misused for selfpromotion, power and money. The veneration and unconditional surrender that is integral to
therelationship opens up the possibility of exploitation by unscrupulous individuals. At some
point or another, we have all heard of xyz guru using his position to milk his followers
for money or for sexual abuse. That there exist charlatans in the garb of gurus is a reality that
seekers cannot ignore.
Following the steps outlined earlier under the subhead Finding our guru might help us
gather more information about the guru before we enter into a relationship. Here are common
red flags that we can train ourselves to recognise:
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 MegalomaniaTeachers who are given over to constant and blatant self-aggrandisement

and who excuse their questionable conduct as great teaching events are to be avoided. They
are mostly intolerant of genuine questions upon their teachings, and will denounce critics
vehemently.
Power gamesAt times the guru may be genuine but has allowed the development of a
hierarchy around him that gets its power from favours and proximity allowed by the guru.
This results in cliquishness and political antics that poison the atmosphere of
the community and any useful teaching that the guru may have to contribute is thus lost. If
the guru himself abuses the power that his relationship with his disciples gives him for
sexual, monetary or social gratification, he is definitely avoidable.
Materialistic aspirationsA teacher who seems ensnared by the desire to amass personal
wealth has not managed to transcend anything. This does not mean all teachers who have
ashrams or wealth are suspect; rather, it is the attitude they display to their possessions that
matters. Those who do the King Janak and are in wealth as they are in squalor are true yogis.
Those, however, who seem hungry for money and who goad their disciples to finance everincreasing material desires are definitely bad news.
While the above-mentioned are the most common and easy-to-recognise signs that something
is wrong with a guru or his organisation, there are other snags that might be insidious and less
obvious. The demand for mental and spiritual servility, for instance, where no questioning is
tolerated of the gurus words, or the encouragement of spiritual materialism by the guru when
he indulges in the appearance of spirituality rather than concentrating on its practice.
In these circumstances, the most precious tool we have is our viveka, power of
discrimination. We all have an innate sense of balance that is quite apart from the ego-self. It
is the impartial judging that will let us know when the water, and the guru, tastes bad. As
Khandro Rinpoche told me in an interview last year: I always tell monks and nuns that they
mustnt shave off their intelligence with their hair! If youre not examining what youre
taught, that does more harm than good. You listen to something, think about it and examine
carefully, and if you find something worthwhile, then you meditate on it. Otherwise you
become a sheep in a flock being herded by a shepherd.
Alert to the possible dangers that may exist out there and having activating our viveka, we
need to understand that it is not feasible to be unduly distracted from our task of learning by
anticipation of exploitation or by becoming paranoid about it. It is also unwise to expect the
teacher to be perfect in every way, so that when we come across any flaw which the teacher
might have as a human being, we are not heartbroken. This happened in the case of J.
Krishnamurti, when news of his long-termrelationship with an associate, which leaked out
after his death, shattered the image many followers had of him and consequently left them
feeling cheated.

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Deepak Chopra responds to the danger of this image-creation by students. If you create an
image of me, please know that the image will never conform to reality, because it never
does, he says. Sooner or later your image of me will be defied and you will feel rage
towards me. Im telling you now to take responsibility for your images, and if they are defied,
dont be angry with me. Be angry with yourself! Take responsibility!
Accepting teachers as human will help us allow them at least some flaws of the human
condition and free us of the burden of perfection we have placed on them. Employing honest
questioning andcompassion in our approach to our teachers flaws will help us take a more
positive view of the situation. Another way of dealing with this complex relationship is what
Jack Kornfield calls taking whats good. He recounts once spending time with a teacher
whose conduct inspired doubts in his mind. It took weeks of inner struggle before it dawned
on me that he was a great meditation teacher but otherwise a poor role model, remembers
Kornfield. I realised that I could take what was beneficial and not buy the whole package. I
didnt have to imitate this man.
Taking whats good from each teacher also brings us to the necessity of changing gurus. The
path is dynamic, as are we, and we might outgrow a teacher after a period of time. When we
feel a teacher has nothing new to offer, we must be able to cut the cord that ties us to him and
move on to someone who will be able to guide us better in the next phase of our journey.
As Nisargadatta Maharaj says: Why not change? Gurus are like milestones. It is natural to
move on from one to another. Each tells you the direction and the distance, while the sadguru,
the eternal guru, is the road itself. Once you realise that the road is the goal and that you are
always on the road, not to reach a goal, but to enjoy its beauty and wisdom, life ceases to be a
task and becomes natural and simple, in itself an ecstasy.

Our Inner Guru

Most gurus hold their real job to be the awakening of the inner self of the disciple, which then
acts as a constant companion and guide, dropping like an anchor within and steadying and
balancing us in our true being. Our guru can only show the path, ultimately, we have to walk
upon it ourselves, feel and taste it and explore it for ourselves. Our experience can be created
solely by our own effort, and only that which we have experienced can be truly ours.
The inner guru is our true self, and teaches us of itself once we have uncovered its wisdom.
Ramana Maharshi, who was awakened with guidance from his inner guru, says: The
jnana guru of everyone is only the Supreme Self that is always revealing its own truth in
every heart through the existence-consciousness I am, I am. The granting of beingconsciousness by him is initiation into jnana. The grace of the Guru is only this Selfawareness that is ones own true nature. It is the being-consciousness by which he is
unceasingly revealing his existence. Since you are yourself the reality that is shining in
the heart as being-consciousness, abide always as a sthita prajna (one who is established in
wisdom) having thus realised your own true nature.
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This is the space where guru and self are thought to unite, where there exists an unbroken
unity of being and our individual consciousness has leached out from its confined space to
merge with all that is, including our human guru. Evolving and expanding, we break through
barriers holding us down, keeping us back. For some, this means becoming one with the
guru, for others, it is the integration of the guru with all life.
For once we have experienced the oneness, all of life has the potential to act as our guru.
Attuned to the core of life, which pulsates in us as it does in all creation, even commonplace
experiences become profound and rich with meaning.
Falling leaves outside our window teach us of death and impermanence; a cranky child the
need for patience. The acme of our spiritual apprenticeship is in, quite deliciously, our
becoming a universal student, where our apprenticeship spreads out to embrace the entire
playing field of life, instead of being limited to one person.

10 Commandments For Success In Life

Here are ten points gleaned from the writings of Sri Swami Sivananda, which can lead any
individual towards success in their chosen path in life. These guidelines have the power to
benefit you - physically, mentally and spiritually.
1. Have a simple and unassuming manner of life.
2. Live not to eat, but eat to live.
3. Bear no envy. Commit no slander. Speak no falsehood. Practise no deceit. Harbor no
malice. You will be ever joyful, happy and peaceful.
4. Righteousness is the rule of life. Lead a virtuous life. Strictly adhere to Dharma. Human
life is not human without virtues. Study the lives of saints and draw inspiration from them.
5. Cultivate a melting heart, the giving hand, the kindly speech, the life of service, equal
vision, and impartial attitude. Your life will, indeed, be blessed.
6. Lead a regulated life. Take hold of each day as if it were the last day, and utilize every
second in prayer, meditation and service. Let your life become a continuous sacrifice to God.
7. Live in the present. Forget the past. Give up hopes of the future.
8. Understand well the meaning of life, and then start the quest.
9. Life is thy greatest gift. Utilize every second profitably.
10. Success often comes to those who dare and act. It seldom comes to the timid.

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IMPACT OF DHARMA GURU IN LIFE

The Quantum Technology And Impact Of The Shabad Guru
Another approach to understand the impact of the Shabad Guru is to follow the functional
changes in brain metabolism and the neuro-endocrine system. We wondered if we could see
some trace of such an effect using brain imaging technology. Many years ago, we set up a
pilot study at the University of Arizona using a P.E.T. scan - Positron Emission Tomography.
We used an isotope of glucose to see changes in metabolism in different areas of the brain.
We took a baseline scan after a period of activity - walking and normal internal dialogue. A
second scan was taken in the same subject after a period of walking while using a
basic Shabad Pattern, i.e., 2 repetitions of the Panj Shabad followed by one repetition of
the Guru Mantra Shabad: Sa Ta Na Ma, Sa Ta Na Ma, Wha Hay Gu Ru. The researchers
expected little change with such a subtle variation in activity. The results showed a powerful
shift in the function of the left hemisphere to the right frontal and parietal regions. The
metabolic shift suggests a strong mood enhancement, countering any depression. The
metabolic drop in some regions of the left hemisphere corresponds to a lessening of inner
critical voices. The areas of the right frontal cortex suggest alertness and hypervigilence,
which creates a readiness to respond to unusual stimuli and to creative thoughts. Some other
areas seemed affected, like the anterior cingulated gyrus, but it will take further research to
map the changes completely.
This was a small initial study to sample what we could notice using this instrumentation.
What is important about this study is that it is the first study to show a significant brain shift
from the use of the Shabad Guru. The brain can be shifted in specific patterns by the use
of Jappa (meditative, conscious repetition) with the Shabad Guru. It opens the way to begin
the exploration of the tongue, sound, shabad, neuro-chemical, brain connection.
These technological approaches and brain connections open the way to teaching a broad
audience about the benefits and use of the Shabad Guru. For some, devotion is the natural
approach. For others it is the immediate difference it makes in their lives. The explanations
need to be practical and accessible, so the Shabad Guru can be known as a quantum
technology anyone can use.
For a more extensive explanation of some basic links between the brain, its structures and the
use of sound, see Appendix III of this paper. (Not yet on-line.)
Understanding the technological process of the Shabad Guru in this way invites its use to
alleviate many modern-day maladies. In fact, we have investigated for over 25 years the
application of this technology in many social programs to end addiction, and a range of
psychological problems from anxiety, to depression, to sexual disturbances. In every area we
created change, alleviated symptoms and changed lifestyles. Just as the Gurus created social
change and provided food and education to change people's lives, the Shabad
Guruapproached as a quantum technological process can be used to alleviate many personal
and social ills.
Affirmations and positive statements are helpful and good to use. Mantras are effective and
gradually create changes. But the Shabad Guru as captured in the Siri Guru Granth Sahib is
unique. The patterns are a perfect weave of rhythm, sound, tone, focus and meaning. They act
323

as informational DNA for the spirit. There is nothing as effective and universal as those
patterns.

The Quantum Technology and Impact of the Shabad Guru

The human body is analogous to a musical instrument. It is constructed with72 strings. Each
string or "sur" acts like a meridian - it is a flow of the energy of life called prana.
The inflow of cosmic energy into the body cascades through the crown of the head, the "tenth
gate," like a waterfall and collects in seven pools or special vortices. Those pools are
called chakras or energy centers. The 72 strings are controlled by three central strings or
channels. These are called the ida and pingala - the left and right channels to either side of the
spine, and the shushmana - the central channel up the middle of the spine. The upper centers
vibrate with the release of each independent thought. The thoughts of the mind are released at
a rate as high as a thousand per blink of an eye. These vibrations or patterns of thought
"pluck" those strings. The strings vibrate into 72,000 channels. Their vibration creates the
shape and function of the physical body, the emotional body and the mental body. Just as you
stroke a string on an instrument and it forms a shape in the air.
If you can vibrate a pattern in the central channel it will induce a synchronous pattern
throughout all the rest of the strings. To vibrate a Shabad in the central channel you must
become still, bring your full attention to the sound pattern and let go of your attachments by
devotion or surrender. To vibrate perfectly it requires a combination
of Shakti and Bhakti. Shakti is the power of precision and discipline in the repetition. It is the
pure energy which enforces all implementation without human tiredness. Bhakti is the feeling
of surrender and devotion; it is the devoted dedication which provides the energy to complete
everything. It is form and flow, sun and moon, rhythm and tone in perfect blend. That opens
the intuitive knowledge of the central channel -Gian.
The thousand thoughts released by the mind can distract you. They can pull you away from
the Shabad. But the rhythmic Naad of the Shabad Guru engages and synchronizes the flow of
thoughts. The pulse of the atoms of sound produce a pattern of energy that structures the
space of the mind to link with the Shabad. This produces an active stillness, a shuniya, a zeropoint in consciousness. In that stillness you are like an instrument perfectly played in an
orchestra. Your instrument merges into the larger tune.
Another map for the mechanism and impact of the Shabad Guru traces the reflexes between
tongue and brain. The body is perfectly designed to use the Naad or rhythm of the Shabad
Guru. There is a connection between the movement of the tongue in the mouth and the
chemistry and neuro-transmitters in the brain. One end of this connection is an array of 84
reflex points on the upper palate of the roof of the mouth. The palate has two parts: hard and
soft. The hard palate is located directly behind the teeth; the soft palate is located on the roof
of the mouth. 64 points (32 pairs) are located along a "U" on the hard palate near the base of
each tooth. 20 more points are in a U" on the roof of the mouth. The exact location varies in
each person to conform to the unique shapes of the mouth.

324

The movement of each part of the tongue stimulates these meridian points. The points are like
a keyboard input to a computer. The computer is located in the hypothalamus area of the
brain. It receives the impulses from the repetition of the patterns of sound in the Shabad. This
is translated into instructions that regulate chemical messengers that go to all vital areas of
the brain and body. The hypothalamus lies just below the thalamus in the midline of the brain.
It is connected by blood vessels to the pituitary gland - the master gland of the body. The
hypothalamus is known to regulate vital functions like hunger, drinking, body temperature
and sleep. It also triggers the regulation of moods, emotional behavior and sexuality.
The special patterns of the Shabad Guru stimulate the hypothalamus to change the chemistry
of the brain. This adjusts the functions of the endocrine system and the metabolism to create a
neutral balanced mind, and to strengthen the immune function. Many sophisticated states can
be stabilized in the mind using the Shabad Guru. It can conquer depression, enhance
intelligence and intuition, and open the power of compassion.

The Quantum Technology and Impact of the Shabad Guru

Another approach to understand the impact of the Shabad Guru is to follow the functional
changes in brain metabolism and the neuro-endocrine system. We wondered if we could see
some trace of such an effect using brain imaging technology. Many years ago, we set up a
pilot study at the University of Arizona using a P.E.T. scan - Positron Emission Tomography.
We used an isotope of glucose to see changes in metabolism in different areas of the brain.
We took a baseline scan after a period of activity - walking and normal internal dialogue. A
second scan was taken in the same subject after a period of walking while using a
basic Shabad Pattern, i.e., 2 repetitions of the Panj Shabad followed by one repetition of
the Guru Mantra Shabad: Sa Ta Na Ma, Sa Ta Na Ma, Wha Hay Gu Ru. The researchers
expected little change with such a subtle variation in activity. The results showed a powerful
shift in the function of the left hemisphere to the right frontal and parietal regions. The
metabolic shift suggests a strong mood enhancement, countering any depression. The
metabolic drop in some regions of the left hemisphere corresponds to a lessening of inner
critical voices. The areas of the right frontal cortex suggest alertness and hypervigilence,
which creates a readiness to respond to unusual stimuli and to creative thoughts. Some other
areas seemed affected, like the anterior cingulated gyrus, but it will take further research to
map the changes completely.
This was a small initial study to sample what we could notice using this instrumentation.
What is important about this study is that it is the first study to show a significant brain shift
from the use of the Shabad Guru. The brain can be shifted in specific patterns by the use
of Jappa (meditative, conscious repetition) with the Shabad Guru. It opens the way to begin
the exploration of the tongue, sound, shabad, neuro-chemical, brain connection.
These technological approaches and brain connections open the way to teaching a broad
audience about the benefits and use of the Shabad Guru. For some, devotion is the natural
approach. For others it is the immediate difference it makes in their lives. The explanations
need to be practical and accessible, so the Shabad Guru can be known as a quantum
technology anyone can use.
325

For a more extensive explanation of some basic links between the brain, its structures and the
use of sound, see Appendix III of this paper. (Not yet on-line.)
Understanding the technological process of the Shabad Guru in this way invites its use to
alleviate many modern-day maladies. In fact, we have investigated for over 25 years the
application of this technology in many social programs to end addiction, and a range of
psychological problems from anxiety, to depression, to sexual disturbances. In every area we
created change, alleviated symptoms and changed lifestyles. Just as the Gurus created social
change and provided food and education to change people's lives, the Shabad
Guruapproached as a quantum technological process can be used to alleviate many personal
and social ills.
Affirmations and positive statements are helpful and good to use. Mantras are effective and
gradually create changes. But the Shabad Guru as captured in the Siri Guru Granth Sahib is
unique. The patterns are a perfect weave of rhythm, sound, tone, focus and meaning. They act
as informational DNA for the spirit. There is nothing as effective and universal as those
patterns.

The Impact Of A Guru In Your LIfe..An Experience.

The Truth about Sanathana Dharma is:"You learn the most difficult subject on earth,about 'Aathma' Only from your Guru..provided
your Guru is a Qualified Acharya"
This is a profound statement not by me,
but by Adi Sankaracharya Himself!
My experiences in my life have taught me many lessons
and many miracles have happened and I still search for an answer
'how these things have happened?"
(pls try to read the article below to know about these miracles)
I only take solace that it is because of my Total Faith in my Guru,
Kanchi Paramacharyal,whose Jayanthi,which is being celeberated by many Faithfuls from
New Jersey to Nasik!

From one of my Souvenirs Published in NIgeria

on His Jayanthi Day in 1985!
To know about His Greatness I wd like to quote a few instances from learned scholars of our
time:
Year : 1978
I went all the way near Cuddapah,where He was camping near a river and when He was in a
jovial mood,suddenly a few cars came rushing and along with Keshub Mahendra of
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Mahendras,came Nani Palkhiwala.

Palkhiwala:"I came to pay my respects to You "
Paramacharya:"There must be a reason behind it!"smilingly
Nani:"yes.Morarjibhai has asked me to take the Ambassadorship in USA and I thought I shd
seek Your blessings before I take that assignment"
Paramacharya:"This is probably your First assignment'inside the Govt'"smilingly(indirectly
meaning Palkhiwala was always opposed to the earlier GOvts.
Palkiwala:"Yes.Thats why"
He blessed Palkiwala and crowd started gathering within a few minutes...
I have seen Dala Lama coming to see Him in Kanchipuram and when Paramacharya asked
Dalai Lama
"But for your efforts Budhism wd have also disappeared from our society"
Dalai Lama:"I dont know what I have done"
Paramacharyal:"The Greatness of our culture is the Living Examples of People like
you,People must try to be attracted towards the culture by the shear Magnetic power of the
People who preach,beacuse they listen only to those who also do Practise what they Preach"
One of the True Disciples cum devotees of Paramacharya is Balu Mama,as seen in the above
picture..
whenever I go to Kanchipuram,even today,he remembers my Days with Paramacharya..
In one such incident
I remember Him going into Meditation suddenly,and there were lot many people singing
prayer songs,one Shiva Baktha from Thiruvannamalai started rendering "Avvayar Ahaval"...
But Nothing disturbed this Great Sage..He went into Meditation and I cdn't wait for more
than 1 hr and still He was in a different World..
Thats the Greatness of Acharyas..

I was attending 'Brhama Sutra Bashyam' programme by Swami Dayananda Saraswathi in

Rishikesh in 2001!During these lectures I was sitting by the side of an elderly gentleman
,Krishnamurthy from Hyderabad.
One day he saw in my book the above Picture of Paramacharya and asked me:"Do you have
experience with Him..?"
"Yes.Many.."I narrated a few.
He replied.."shall I tell you about mine?"
He said in 1978(probably Paramacharyal was 85 yrs old!)
"I heard He was visiting Secunderabad..That was my First experience and hence I went to
see Him.They said He has just started walking towards a village nearby.We all went to the
roadside.It was End May and the temp was around 41*!We started looking for HIm and
located Him and His disiples on the Road towards Hyderabad..My God!We tried our best to
catch up with Him..but He was walking so fast that it was impossible for us to catch HIm at
all.Atlast I had to give up chasing HIm and I resorted to taking a car and went and had His
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Darshan in Hyderabad..at that age I have never seen any one walking in that Heat so fast ..It
is Divine power.Incidentally I was only 48yrs old!" he smiled..
He said he is a practising IT Consultant and from that time onwards something attracted him
and his family towards Him for ever!

Experience of DR.Raja Ramanna..

In his writing Dr.Raja Ramanna has this to reveal:
"In my later days,I started taking lots of interest in Advaithic Philosophy and in one of my
visits to Madras,I wanted my colleagues in Madras to seek an appointment with Kanchi
Paramacharya,as I have heard so much about HIm and I wanted to have a special Darshan
with Him...
As soon as I landed in Madras I asked my colleague'Have you fixed an appointment with
Kanchi Paramacharyal?"
He was silent.
I asked him again.
He said'none seeks or gets prior appointments with Kanchi Acharya.We only have to take a
chance and avoid those days He observes Mounam!'
Then I realised 'my folly' and I decided to go all the way..
when I visited Him in Kanchipuram,He was in a very Jovial mood..
He asked amidst various things about Einsten and what my opinion is about the changes in
Atomic theory
(Advaitham is indirectly reflected in indivisiblity of an Atom!)
Then suddenly He asked me about a particular book(I forget the name here)
and what I feel about it.I was totally taken aback as it is the very book I was reading at that
time on my journey..The discussions went on from Viveka Choodamani...to Brahma Sutram
to indivisiblity of an Atom and I came out with such memory that I felt very very happy
indeed"
Infact Dr.Raja Raman's has quoted Viveka Choodamani extensively which I have published
in my souvenir in Nigeria in 1985!
Kanchi Paramacharya has been a Great Experience in my personal life
and from my experiences,which has been published in the Sathabthi Souvenir(link is given
below)one can conclude that I was a Raw,totally unacceptable,Egoistic,adamant
Executive,with full of 'Thimir'(arrogance)
when I first visited Him!
Then what happened to me!

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Chapter:14
FINDING

The following findings are made on the basis of data analysis from the previous Chapter.
Role of dharma gurus is most important in our life. Because it decrease our stress,
frustration etc. They solve our problem and sussest the people what should we do or
not.
They have many ashram and Dham which is socity welfare or people welfare. They
help people specially poor people or helpless people.
Preaching is a important for people because after preaching people know what is right
or worng and they feel relax after hearing philosphy of Gurus.
Yoga, meditation,art of living is most important for our health. Gurus learn how to do
this in beter way.Firstly they know what is our problem then they learn how to do
yoga to solve this problem.

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SUGGESTION

Gurs should increase social welfare activities and enhance their effort.
They should enhance charity activity.
They Should Develop their Ashram or Dhams or spiritual institute
They should increase or enhance preaching activity not only India but all over world.

They sould develope their religion, value or norms.

Yoga is most important for people so Gurus should develope this area not only Yoga
but meditation and art of living.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Websites
www.Google.com
www.wikipedia
Books
Back to the Vedas

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WORDS OF THANKS

I am thankful to my parents who support me and finance this project without then I
would not be able to complete my project.
I would like to say hearty thanks to our chairman D.K. Garg as because he has given me the
opportunity to do the summer training project which was very knowledgeable and beneficial.
Also I would like to thanks all of them, who in some or the other way help me to accomplish
this project.

The research study cant be completed without their guidance, assistance

inspiration, and co-operation. A large number of individuals have contributed directly or

indirectly in this project I am thankful to all of them for their help and encouragement. By
doing this project I have learned so many things about the organization culture and
environment. After that I would thanks to those who have helped me directly or indirectly in
the successful completion of the project.
I am thankful to my parents who support me and finance this project without then I would not
be able to complete my project.
At last but not the least I am also thankful to the management of Ramakrishna Mission
Sevashrama, my guide Sri B. Ananda for his guidance was a miles stone in completion of my
project. As a result I could accomplish my project successfully.

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