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Inside this Issue

Article by Pujya Swamiji
Article by Swaminiji
Gurukulam News
Report on AIM for Seva
AVG Survey Results
Felling the Tree of Sams!ra: Atlanta
Community Yug!di Celebration:
Eugene
Swaminiji in Boulder, CO: Photo Page
Swaminiji in Taos, NM: Photo Page
Bhumi Project: Green Faith Initiative
Gurukulam Garden Dak"in!m#rti
Reflections
Lessons from Srimad Bh!gavatam
A Trip to Atlanta, GA
Swamini Satyavratananda visits
Eugene
M#k!mbik! Mah!deva Shrine Fourth
Anniversary Celebration
Dr. Hari Visits Eugene
Regular Features
Satsang with Swaminiji
Swaminijis Travel/Teaching Schedule
!"kt#
Arsha Vijnana Gurukulam
June 2014
The Need to Understand
Secularism
by Pujya Swamiji
The aspiration of those who amended the
Constitution to call India a secular nation is a
noble one. Secularism, as originally
conceived, embodies basic principles that
implement and nurture universal values.
Thereby, it fosters a state that is harmonious
and, in harmony with the Lord. However, one
may know or is taught that the Lord and
ethical behaviour are inextricable. The essence
of such behaviour is captured in a single
guideline that is found in all religionsthe
ethic of reciprocity. Popularly known as the
golden rule, it mandates, Do to others as you
would want them to do to you. This maxim
that guided humans throughout history is
traceable to ancient religious traditions all
over the world. It is so pervasive because it is
based on a special human endowment,
empathy. Empathy is the capacity to sense the
pain of another being and act appropriately.
And the extent to which this empathy is honed
is a mark of ones evolution as a human being
seeking harmony with the Lord.
The principle of reciprocity based on empathy
is the key component of a secular stateall
citizens are equal, including before the law.
Nothing helps to bring about the stability,
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growth and unity of a nation more than the implementation of this
single idea. It instills in each and every individual a basic sense of
security and confidence that there is order, justice in this world. You
can go ahead; the laws will protect you and guide you. Equality also
extends to religion. Each individual in a secular state is granted
freedom to practise his or her religion. Though the Constitution now
mandates so, it was originally part of the fabric of this country. The
proximity of religious structures of different traditions, such as the
Ellora caves, the long history of vigorous, public debate of different
views, the Ashoka edicts, and the religiously persecuted communities
who found refuge in India all testify to this.
This two-fold promise of secularismequal citizenship and religious
freedom for alldepends on the fulfillment of a condition that is the
most defining feature of secularism. The separation of the sphere of
influence and operation of the state and religion, means there is
neither interference of the state in religious matters, nor the influence
of religion in the affairs of state. The prohibition of religious
interference in matters of state is a corollary of equality before the law
and equal citizenship. If separation of faith from state is not achieved,
it will be impossible to avoid state interference in religion, inevitably
violating the religious freedom of individuals and groups. And there
will also inevitably be discrimination by the state against the
individuals rights and privileges as a citizen. The result can only be a
discordant, fragmented nation, or nations. If there is to be real
equality, one group cannot be privileged over another by the state.
The Constitution ensures this required separation by the prohibition of
religious instruction in state schools, and of taxes to support any
particular religion. But it also mandates to ensure religious freedom
breaks down in the constitutional sanction for state interference in
religious affairs. The trouble is the unequal application of this
sanction. This sanction is used for state administration of temples and
maths, state appropriation of temple land and donations, even
legislation of who should be admitted into the temples. On the other
hand, in dealing with minority religions, there are political constraints
which restrict the interference. But in respect of the majority, there is
no political constraint. As a result, the state has taken over places of
worship and collection of revenue from offerings of the majority
religion, but not others. Moreover, such revenue can be redistributed
for other purposes, including maintenance of institutions of other
religions, even those which are opposed to the majority religion. It has
also led to the discriminatory modification of personal religious laws.
The religious laws of some minority religions supersede parliamentary
laws, while for the majority religion, parliamentary law has been
enacted to supersede religious laws. This unequal treatment of
religions by the state has created legitimate grounds for discord. And
different civil or criminal laws for different groups, religious or
otherwise, is the antithesis of secularism. If secularism is the aim, it is
therefore necessary to find an alternative to the current relationship
between state and religion. And whether it is called secularism or
something else, such change is necessary if there is to be unity, and at
the same time, religious freedom in this country.
Non-interference of state in religious affairs is sound, as it recognises
an important fact of human existence. Though universal values,
which form the basis for equality before law, are connected to
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What brings one to the study of Ved!nta? Why do people who come to the
study continue to listen? Everyone has an interesting story about how she or
he came to the teaching and finding Swaminiji. Of course it is pr!rabhda
karma, but how that pr!rabhda karma unfolds is as varied as the number of
people who come. The common thread, however, is that everyone is a
seeker there being a sense of lack, unacceptability, in his or her life.
Countless pursuits, time and energy have been expended seeking to fill the
hole, so to speak. The seeker, either purposely looks for, or seemingly
accidentally meets, Swaminiji and with grace begins to see that this in indeed
the answer that will end all seeking.
Hearing that you are acceptable, and indeed that there is nothing other than
you, gives a sense of well-being. Even if this truth is not understood right
away, there is a desire to know more, to see if this could possibly be true.
However, without a certain level of adhik!ritvam, one who has the
qualifications necessary to gain the knowledge, sitting in front of the teacher
for one class, let alone long enough for the pram!"a to do its work, is not
possible. Resistance that manifests in so many ways will hijack the students
desire and ability to study by raising all sorts of obstacles. Therefore,
tantamount to continuing the study by attending classes and being open to the
teaching requires maturity and an interest in strengthening adhik!ritvam.
Over time a subtle, but discernible change in ones pursuit takes place. The
original desire to be free from misery and the sense of lack centred on
oneself, changes to a desire to know the truth - of oneself. There is no fanfare
that marks this passage, instead one observes a quiet turning inward, away
from experiences offered by the world. What appeared as choices before, are
no longer choices. In this way the desire to really know oneself is not a
sudden event, it simply happens, gradually over time by constantly choosing
to know the self until that as though choice is known as choice-less.
We invite you to share your journey to the teaching, to Swaminiji, in
writing. Please submit your reflections to janani_c_or@yahoo.com and we
will publish them in upcoming editions of S!kt".
religion, there is another dimension of the religious life of a human being,
so intimate, so sacred, that interference of any kind, by the state or other
faiths, is experienced as violence. This consists in ones understanding of
and relationship to the Lord. It is here that protection is required. It is the
states responsibility to ensure no individual or group, including the state,
interferes in religious expression of another group, by conversion or
otherwise. To do so is to violate sacred space, individual and collective,
and sow the seeds for dissent and fragmentation. If national unity and
harmony are to be secured, the jurisdiction of the state has to be limited
to framing and enforcing criminal and civil laws. Conventions, religious
or otherwise, are outside its scope, unless they transgress the criminal
and civil laws. Because of this, framing the laws is a matter of great
responsibility and complexity in a religiously and culturally diverse
society. There are unique realities in any society. India is no exception.
The issue, for a governing body, is being in touch with all those realities
and responding appropriately. This is sane. What is sanity but being in
touch with reality? If we are to function as a homeland for every Indian
citizen, and as a contributor in a global era, we must be sane. And to be
sane, we must be united and fair. We cannot afford to marginalise or
privilege any group, religious or otherwise. If sanity is being in touch
with reality, our religious traditions
have something more to say about
this. In all traditions, that reality is
the Lord, and the ethical laws are
intrinsic. Thus, the more ethical
one is, the more one is in touch
with the sacred reality, and,
whether as an individual or a
nation, the more sane one isfree
of conflict, productive, in harmony
with the universal order. This is
our heritage. Together we can
claim this heritage. It is our duty to
do soour duty to our ancestors,
to our neighbours, local and
global, our children and their
children, and to our own integrity.
Editorial
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The Kaivalyopani#ad is a highly regarded Upani#ad belonging to
the Atharveda. The word kaivalya means
oneness without a second.The
Upani#ad reveals the truth of oneself
as limitlessly whole and also includes
preparatory up!sanas intended to
prepare the seekers mind to receive
and assimilate
In these twenty-five talks, Swaminiji
unfolds this Upani#ad, giving detailed
explanation of the mantras in a manner
that highlights the salience of
the Kaivalya for the
contemporary world. The study
of this Upani#ad is a must for
spiritual aspirants for clearly delineating the nature of the quest, and to
commit to the removal of self-ignorance.
Pa$cada%i - Chapter 8
Mu"&akopani#ad - Selected Verses
Gurup!duk! Stotram
Meditation Series
Short Meditations
Medha Suktam
Tree of Sams!ra - Selected Verses from Ka'hopani#ad
(rimad Bh!gavatam - Selected Verses
To order CDs please contact Janani at: janani_c_or@yahoo.com
The Ga"apati Upani#ad is a sophisticated
body of knowledge which reveals the truth
of the self, is also highly regarded
as a prayer from the Atharva
Veda. In this, it effortlessly
bridges the former and latter
portions of the Veda, the one
propounding the know- how of
attaining relative ends in life, and
t he ot he r e xpoundi ng s e l f -
knowledge as the way to gaining the
ul t i mat e - - f r eedom f r om
samsara. As an Upani#ad, it
eloquently unfolds the truth of
the self as limitlessly whole and
also reveals mantras for up!sana, meditation, which cleanse and steady
the mind, and prepare it to receive and assimilate this knowledge. As a
prayer, The Ga"apati Upani#ad is a highly efficacious invocation for
clearing obstacles from ones life. What one views as obstacles are
fruits of owns karma that eclipse ones pursuits, including the pursuit
of mok#a, freedom. Surrender to Lord Ga"e%a, the Lord of the j)vas, the
giver of the fruits of action is a powerful intervention that can help
neutralize the karma that stands in the way of ones goals, which can
otherwise inhibit even the most earnest of pursuits, including one's
commitment to self- knowledge. Regardless of whether one is
interested in this Upani#ad as mok#a- %!stra, a treatise of self-
knowledge, or as an karma-astra (karmic weapon) for warding off
obstacles, it blesses the one who chants it, especially after assimilating
the meaning. In these fourteen MP3 talks, Swamini Svatmavidyananda
expounds this Upani#ad in detail, helping the listener to appreciate its
grandeur and assimilate its meaning as the truth of ones self.
New CD Releases
Ganapati Upanishad
Kaivalya Upanishad
Other Available Titles
Titles Coming Soon
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Pujya Swami Dayananda Saraswatiji graced the Bangalore audience
from November 18th to November 22nd 2013, in a five day public event
at which he spoke about Being alive to the presence of *%vara. The
event was held at the NMKRV auditorium in Jayanagar.
The talks were well received with over 1000 people attending. The
evening program saw wonderful musical renditions by both upcoming
and well-established musicians and Carnatic singers such as Bhargavi,
Manasiand Prasad, Vaishnavi Adiga, Bharati Pratap, Kasarvalli sisters
and Sarlaya Sisters. These musical performances preceded the talks each
evening.
Pujya Swamiji was honored by devotees including Mr. Chandran,
Dr.B.R.Pai, Mr.Vasudeva.Adiga, Mr.Ramachandra and Mr.Srinath. The
other events during the five days included two book launches by
Swamiji. The first book, titled "Spiritual Health", was compiled by Dr.
B.R. Pai, a devotee of Pujya Swamiji. The book contains excerpts from
talks delivered by Pujya Swamiji in Mysore. The second book released
was titled "Save Ganga", authored by Mr Chandramouli.
Each evening the Aim for Seva team Bangalore, comprising of Minku
Buttar, Aruna Madnani, Vandana Gupta, Namita Kejriwal, Millie Mitra,
Rupa Bajaj and Vandana Sarin, presented a Powerpoint presentation on
Aim for Seva and its pan-India achievements. The team also showcased
and spoke about various successful fundraisers conducted in Bangalore
between 2011 and 2013. These included "Food for a Cause", "Art For a
Cause", a Punjabi
mela Balle Balle"
and "Dance for a
Cause.
Aim for Seva is a
public charitable
trust founded by
Swamiji to transform
society through a
network of seva and
caring. Its goal is to
help each child to
contribute to the
progress of the nation by providing Free Education Homes (FEAs). Aim
For Seva runs a network of 100 FEAs across 14 states in India. It also
manages schools, colleges, health care and other special projects. More
than 35,000 students have benefitted by this novel education project,
with 6500 students in the system at any given time.
Report on AIMS Fundraiser, Bangalore
by Namita
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In essence the talks covered how the various form of worship that we
have come from the vision of god that we have. Every form that is here
is his form; every phenomenon that is here is an expression of the Lord.
Being manifest in the form of various orders pervading the jagat, the
lord is infallible. It is in this awareness of *%vara that one sees the
absence of alienation at any time and how one can invoke *%vara in
ones life.....Swami Dayanandji.
A corporate seminar on Spirituality in the Work Place was conducted
at the Lamaravella Hotel, Jayanagar. It was attended by about 80
corporate heads. The event was heralded by Professor Mahadevan of
IIMB. and emceed by Minku Buttar. The invocation was sung by
Namita Kejriwal. Swamiji spoke about leadership qualities and intra-
personal work relationships.
The proceeds from the workshop and the contributions made by the
devotees during the talks will go to Aim For Seva.
Swamini Svatmabodhanandji spoke about the accolades and life time
contributions of Pujya Swamiji in the teaching of Ved!nta (!stra and
peace and harmony across the world. Swami Chidrupanandji spoke
about the achievements of Aim For Seva in Karnataka. Mr.
Subramaniam from Vyasa University and Prashanti emceed the event,
while Mrs Minku Buttar gave the vote of thanks.
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The teaching of Vedanta is priceless; it cannot be improved. We can,
however, strive to improve access to the teaching and provide
opportunities for students to connect with like-minded people in activities
that are focused on the teaching. This connection is important for any
student of Vedanta.
To this end an anonymous survey was conducted inviting you to share
your ideas of what helps you benefit the most from the teachings offered
at the Gurukulam, whether you are in Eugene, or attend classes online.
The survey was made completely anonymous so you would not feel
inhibited in providing feedback. For those who offered their assistance in
various ways, we invite you to contact Janani at janani_c_or@yahoo.com
as we have no other way of identifying you.
A summary of the results was shared by email. In case you did not get
that email, a summary is provided here along with ideas for
implementation.
Results
How often do you attend events at the Gurukulam?
47 answered 1 skipped
Cl lhose who sad olher. allend classes onlne.
0
5
10
15
20
O
t
h
e
r
S
l
i
g
h
t
l
y

O
f
t
e
n
N
o
t

O
f
t
e
n
V
e
r
y

O
f
t
e
n
M
o
d
e
r
a
t
e
l
y

O
f
t
e
n
Q
u
i
t
e

O
f
t
e
n
How strong is your sense of belonging/connection to the Gurukulam?
46 answered 2 skipped
Some people expressed a lack ol lamlarly wlh some ol lhe cullural norms. We
encouraqe and apprecale any oueslons reqardnq lhs n lacl. lhese make
excellenl salsanq oueslons.
In addition to Vedanta and Sanskrit what types of events would you
attend if they were held in the Gurukulam?
44 answered 4 skipped
Many people who responded commenled lhal lhe salsanq lhal comes lrom
addlonal aclvly was as mporlanl as as lhe aclvly lsell.
0
5
10
15
V
e
r
y

S
t
r
o
n
g
N
e
u
t
r
a
l
S
t
r
o
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g
W
e
a
k
V
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r
y

W
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a
k
3
6
9
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2!
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Survey of Students
8
What is the best class schedule for you?
43 answered 5 skipped
Pesponses lallnq nlo lhe `olher caleqory ncluded reouesls lor more weekend
classes. classes every day. and lonqer classes.
If you are interested in attending guided meditations at the Gurukulam
when is the best time?
36 answered 12 skipped
0
5
10
15
20
W
k
e
n
d

A
M
O
t
h
e
r
W
k
d
a
y

P
M
1
x

a

M
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W
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n
d

P
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1
x

p
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r

a

D
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1
+

p
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r

D
a
y
W
k
d
a
y

A
f
t
e
r
n
o
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n
0
6
12
18
24
30
B
e
l
o
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e

C
la
s
s
B
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l
o
r
e

7

3
0

a
m
A
l
l
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r

C
la
s
s
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w
n

S
c
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e
d
u
le
N
o
l

n
l
e
r
e
s
l
e
d
If you do not attend events at the Gurukulam please share the reasons
with us.
33 answered 15 skipped
Localon and schedulnq conllcls accounled lor lhe maorly ol reasons people are
unable lo allend.
Would you like to be involved in helping with the scheduling of classes,
events, courses, and festivals at the Gurukulam?
42 answered
6 skipped
0
5.5
11
L
o
c
a
t
i
o
n
I

a
t
t
e
n
d
S
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d
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i
e
s
T
r
a
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s
p
o
r
t
S
e
a
t
i
n
g
No
67%
Yes
33%
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If you would like to be more involved at the Gurukulam please share
your vision of how that can be facilitated.
14 answered 34 skipped
Those ol you who who are nleresled n seva. whch benells all ol Swamns
sludenls by maknq l possble lor Swamn lo conlnue leachnq. please conlacl
Janan al anan_c_or_yahoo.com and express your area ol nleresl and how you
lhnk we could besl ullze lhe sklls lhal you have.
Other feedback
Several people shared ways lo mprove accessblly. These are sel lorlh below
Havnq a calendar paqe lhal people can qo lo and download lhe schedule
lor usl lhe currenl week.
Chldcare whle classes are qonq.
A Vedanla n daly lle seres
Malchnq new sludenls wlh a `menlor
Podcasls ol classes
Oaly Twller ol verse lrom Bhaqavad Gla. or Upanshad. or lranslalon
lhereol.
Keepnq a bloq ol Swamns currenl aclvles
Havnq shorl lalks by Swamn. chanlnq. on Youlube.
Cne cenlralsed web paqe where lhere are lnks lo Lveslream. lhe Adobe
classroom. polenlal lulure Twller. bloqs. Youlube vdeos.and Facebook.
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
L
i
b
r
a
r
y
C
o
m
m
u
n
i
t
y
P
r
o
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r
a
m
m
i
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g
N
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w
s
l
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t
t
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i
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t
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e
a
m
P
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s
G
a
r
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e
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W
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b
s
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e
Summary
The leedback overwhelmnqly asserled lhal people apprecale lhe access lo lhe
leachnq bolh onlne and n person. and also deeply value Vedanla n lher lves.
We deeply apprecale all ol lhose who reqularly donale lher lme. resources and
enerqy so lhal lhe leachnqs qven by Swamn can conlnue lo bless all ol us.
We are looknq al ways lo nleqrale suqqeslons lhal were made lo make l easer lor
you lo allend classes. and also benell lrom seva and salsanq opporlunles no
maller where you are localed.
To lhs end. weekend classes and weekday evennq classes were lound lo be lhe
mosl accessble lor people. For lhose ol you who cannol allend al lhese lmes.
mosl classes can be accessed va lhe lveslream lnk al hllpiiwww.lveslream.comi
advala_swamnsvalmavdyanandailolder l you are unable lo lnd a parlcular class.
please conlacl Janan al anan_c_or_yahoo.com lor an audo only lle.
To address lhe nleresl n qalhernq lor salsanq and olher selecled aclvles. n
Euqene we have slarled lo hosl reqular salsanqs wlh Swamn. ncorporalnq lme
lor bhaans and dnner. Cccasonally olher classes on lopcs such as Ayurveda.
cooknq and chanlnq wll be ollered. n June Or. Har. an Ayurvedc doclor lrom
Combalore. nda. once aqan came lo share more aboul Ayurveda
Thanks lo lhe people lrom Advala Academy n nda. we are also expermenlnq wlh
a new vrlual classroom lhal allows lhose nleresled n classes lhal benell lrom aclve
parlcpalon. such as Sanskrl and chanlnq. lo be held on a more reqular bass. To
express your nleresl you can emal Janan al lhe above address.
l you are one ol lhose who s nleresled n becomnq nvolved n Gurukulam aclvles
such as helpnq orqanze and manlan a vrlual lbrary. schedulnq and proqrammnq
ol classes. especally when Swamn s lravelnq lo lhe area n whch you lve. edlnq
and wrlnq lor lhe newsleller. orqanznq and manlannq a pholo lbrary. manlannq
lhe websle. planlnq and manlannq an ashram qarden. please conlacl Janan al lhe
emal address above ndcalnq your area ol nleresl. You wll be connecled lo lhe
approprale people so lhal your sklls can be besl ullzed.
We oller our mosl humble pranams lo our leacher and qude. Swamn
Svalmavdyananda. and pray lhal our onl prayers and ellorls conlnue lo reward us
wlh lhe prceless qll ol lhese leachnqs.
Cm
10
Daiva, Guru and !tma-k+p! helped all the Atlanta s!dhakas to enjoy a
weeklong satsang with Swaminiji, the first one for this year and eagerly
awaited by everyone. All programs were well attended and went off very
well with the help of the dedicated and sincere group of volunteers.
During the week we started the day bright and early with inspiring
sessions on (iv!par!dha K#am!pa"a stotram and ended the day with
sessions on selections from the Ka'hopani#ad. The weekend was further
enriched with sessions on selections from Srimad Bh!gavatam.
Selections from Ka#hopani$ad
We chanted the special Ka'hopani#ad study mantra, om namo Bhagavate
vaivasvat!ya m+tyave brahma vidy!c!ry!ya naciketase ca, which is a
salutation to the teacher and student of Ka'hopani#ad. Here the teacher is
Lord Yama, Lord of death, and the student is Naciketa, a boy of 8 or 9
years who is endowed with all the four qualifications, s!dhana
catu#'aya, necessary for gaining self-knowledge. The teaching is in the
form of a dialogue between Lord Yama and Naciketa.
Lord Yama praises Naciketa saying, you have excelled me. I wanted the
knowledge but I also wanted lots of pu"ya to fulfil my desire to become
a celestial. Yama continues to extol Naciketas qualifications and praises
him until Naciketa becomes impatient to hear the teaching rather than
the praise. To be a student such as Naciketa, everyone needs to take the
flight from being a mumuk#u having seen that something amiss needs
to be remedied to being a jij!su wanting knowledge. This is done
by putting forth effort to acquire the s!dhana catu#'aya, four
qualifications: (1) viveka having clarity in your goal; (2) vair!gya
pursuits that are not in keeping with the goals are dropped; (3) %am!di
#a'ka sampatti development of six qualities, namely: %ama mastery
Felling theTree of Sams!ra: Selected Verses from
Kathopanishad Atlanta Retreat
by V.N. Ramakrishnan
11
over mind; dama mastery over sense organs; uparama withdrawal to
inner self, performing duties enthusiastically; titik#! endurance to pairs
of opposites like pleasure and pain; %raddha faith in the words of guru
and scriptures, and sam!dh!nam single pointed focus of the mind; (4)
mumuk#utvam desire for liberation. One need not wait to acquire all
these qualifications; commitment to the study brings in the qualifications
gradually.
Ka'ha stands for a branch of Veda called K!'haka %akh!, which is
famous for having many female
students. This Upani#ad belongs to
the Yajur Veda and during the retreat
we studied verses 3.1 through 3.4.
Prior to these verses, the mah!-
mantra, na tatra s,ryo bh!ti na
candra t!rakam was given,
meaning, there the sun does not
shine, nor the moon, lightning, nor
the camphor lamp that I dare to
wave in front of you, Oh Bhagav!n.
I alone shine and everything else
shines after me. The Upani#ad,
Swaminiji told us, could have
ended with this central message.
But Lord Yama poses a set of
rhetorical questions: Will I ever
know this? Is it possible to know
this? Is knowing this enough to live
this? How can this be so simple, that I am everything? This sounds too
good to be true, shouldnt this be hard considering the seeking takes not
one lifetime but many?
The one who considers himself as doer, or the victim of other peoples
doing, is full of doubts because the teaching is not assimilated properly.
When one tries to grasp that which is actually the nature of the grasper,
the very subject, the knowledge cannot be assimilated. To make it easier
for the student the upani#ad uses an ingenious method that Adi Shankara
introduces. Saying that there are two kinds of things in this universe,
effect and cause, Adi Shankara points out that sometimes you have to
shine the light on the effect to see the cause. Since the effect is non-
separate from the cause, the cause gets illumined. We also see the
upani#ad applying aversion therapy towards sams!ra so that the seeker
develops eagerness to come out of it.
In order to be free of sams!ra we have to know what it is. If we inquire
into anything in this universe we quickly realize that the cause of one
thing is also the effect of something
else. For example, tracing the cause
of fabric will lead us to cotton, to
cotton bush, to cotton-seed, to
molecules to particles etc. Nothing
in the universe is definitively a
cause; everything is a caused cause.
One of the characteristics of
s a m s ! r a i s c o n t i n u e d
disappointment in not finding the
causeless cause, even though there
is a universal search for the non-
seeking I because we are not
happy with this constantly seeking
I. Using a tree as a metaphor for
sams!ra, -di (a$kara highlights
this conundrum.
The sams!ra t ree shoul d be
understood as an ecosystem. An
ecosystem is an amalgam of things that support each other to keep them
alive, so the sams!ra tree keeps alive an entire dysfunctional and
parasitical ecosystem. The dysfunctional system is represented as a
topsy-turvy tree fruits and branches are down and roots are up. To
relate it to our lives we substitute the word tree for the word
priorities. The tree is in the heart of every j)va and since the priorities
of the majority are upside down, the tree looks right. Upside down
priorities means that what I should be focusing on is not even on my list
12
whereas I am fully into things that I should not be focusing on. This is
partly because I dont know what I want and partly because I am afraid
to let go of that which I have in favor of that which I am not sure of. It is
like the maxim, a bird in hand is better than two in a bush.
The tree is described as an a%vattha tree. The word a%vattha means that
which is not in the same form tomorrow, i.e., ever changing. This is the
same tree under which Lord Dak!in"m#rti is sitting holding the weapon
of knowledge that can cut this tree of sams!ra asunder. However,
Ka'hopani#ad follows a%vattha with the word san!tana, meaning always
there, which seems contradictory. Since it is veda there cannot be any
contradiction, so we need to see what the veda is trying to convey.
San!tana is true of the a%vattha tree and sams!ra. Sams!ra keeps on
going and going, not like the nityatva that describes Brahman as
unchanging and eternal, but as prav!ha nityatva, that which appears with
every cycle of creation and refuses to go away.
The seed of the tree is self-ignorance; the shoot is deh!tma buddhi,
identification with body-mind-sense-complex and the leaves are r!ga
and dve#a. The five large branches represent the five pr!"as, while the
smaller branches are the sense organs and organs of actions. The fruits
are the sense objects to which the j)va bird is addicted and the tree is
watered by karma, the result of the pressure of the r!ga-dve#as. The
foliage provides the shade that is dharma indicating that desires are to be
fulfilled in accordance with dharma, which the first part of the vedas
describes how to do. The veda puts one on a duty-bound course and
keeps one busy in different life stages, a%ramas, of life which leads to
inner growth . This growth in turn leads one to look at the root of
sams!ra. Sams!ra is such an institution that once you are into it you
dont realize what you are missing and you think everything to know is
there. Therefore, unless you inquire into it you are caught in its spell.
In the sams!ra tree, the flowers are %raddha, bhakti and tapas, the only
nice things to see on the tree. The binding karmas, actions that are driven
by desire, make the root of this tree extremely strong and difficult to fell.
The karma keeps it irrigated by trying to increase sukha, happiness, and
decrease du.kha. There is a shrill noise and cacophony coming from all
j)vas in the tree, also noises of rejoicing occasionally. People are doing
various things like playing, gambling, clapping, beating others in joy and
producing unbearable noise. There are cries of help me, free me, free me,
protect me, with some trying to save others.
Just by reading the above description of sams!ra we are so lost that we
have forgotten all about Brahman. When the Upani#ad reveals Brahman
it says, let us not think that this tree is away from Brahman in the same
way as j)va is never away from Brahman. Nothing is outside of
Brahman, including samsara, which is nothing but my own r!ga-dve#as
that are projected strongly on *%vara s+i#'i. Wherever there is jagat there
is Brahman because effect is never separate from the cause. We dont
have to go anywhere away from sams!ra to look for Brahman.
Here Brahman is to be understood as jagat k!ranam brahma, cause of
the entire universe. In order to understand the nature of Bhagav!n we are
looking into sams!ra. Whatever we see as sams!ra space, time, earth,
fire etc., are all Bhagav!n only. The sense of separation between j)va and
Bhagav!n causes fear and makes one not see Bhagav!n even when he is
right in front of us. The
mixup of sams!ra and
Br a h ma n c a u s e s t h e
confusion. That is why one
needs to have a proper
understanding of sams!ra
so that it can be dropped to
let Brahman shine forth.
Adi Shankara also says that
this sams!ra tree looks very
difficult to fell. However,
by sharpening the scythe
that can cut the tree and
having a good hold on the
scythe it can be done. The
sharpening is called viveka,
knowing what I want and
13
seeing the limitations of whatever I do. I also have to know where to
cut. Not the adventitious roots but the main root. The sams!ra eco-
system is very addictive - the more sams!ra one has, the more one
wants.
When viveka dawns we next need the weapon of asa$gatvam, non-
attachment, objectivity, or vair!gya, being free from the hold of results,
to cut the sams!ra tree down. Asa$gatvam is not translated as
detachment. We certainly have to take care of our family and be
attached to a certain extent because we identify as a group, share
resources, food music, dance etc. An inordinate fondness is what we
refer to as sa$ga. Functional love becomes dysfunctional when the two
words aham, I/me and mama, mine, are added. Me and mine bring
expectations that are projected onto other people or things. We see this
when we attempt to force our children to blossom before they are
ready. When you start thinking of any object, person or relationship as
an extension of yourself then you have an unreasonable expectation
that has nothing to do with the other person. When these expectations
are unfulfilled it lead to anger, which leads to delusion, and then to loss
of priorities which in turn leads to loss of decisiveness that is needed to
get anything done. This is the saga of sa$ga.
I have to start seeing sams!ra objectively as that which has no
sustenance without Bhagav!n. The jagat, universe, is like the content of
the dream on the individual level. Can the dream exist outside of you?
No, nor does it leave any residue. You pervade all the dream objects.
Similarly, the jagat is a projection of Bhagav!n. The whole jagat is just
name and form and this is what I need to understand in order to fell the
tree of sams!ra. The jagat is not a parallel reality through our own
projection, it is Bhagav!ns s+i#'i. In vy!vah!rika, at practical level, we
have to respect the jagat because what is is Bhagav!n. That includes
my body-mind-sense complex.
Therefore, one looks for a form in the universe to which you can relate, a
manifestation of the universe. This is dharma. Dharma is doing the right
thing at the right place in the right time in the right way all the time. The
closer I am to dharma, the closer I am to Bhagav!n a manifestation of
Bhagav"n. The conscience in the form of dharma is inside everyone,
although in some cases one stops listening to, or heeding it. We have to
catch hold of dharma in order to gain asa$ga quickly. With asa$ga one
becomes incapable of flouting dharma even to the slightest extent. This
is not easy to come by, because the r!gas and dve#as compete against
dharma, making the benign jagat appear as malignant sams!ra.
Why is dharma important? When one understands that everything - other
people, animals, insects etc., breathe the same pr!"a, is actually
breathing in Bhagavan and breathing out Bhagavan, we see that all of us
are strung together like beads on a string that is Bhagav!n in the form of
pr!"a. It becomes incumbent upon me not to disturb the cosmic balance.
I live a life of respect and reverence. Even if you decide you want artha,
security/wealth, k!ma, pleasures among the puru#!rthas, the human
goals, you need dharma. Pursuing artha and k!ma without dharma will
not make you a happy person.
In the third verse of our study, the Upani#ad we saw that everything in
the universe follows the same universal order. There is a cosmic
intelligence, a conscious being that is all knowledge, all power and that
directs everything. Knowing yourself as non-separate from that being is
the equivalent to felling the tree of sams!ra. Understanding this is taken
14
you have vision without lifestyle, it is like going to a concert in
pajamas. If you have a lifestyle without vision then it is like being
dressed in tuxedo with nowhere to go. Dharma and bhakti are means
to an end, they go hand in hand. The purpose of these talks, Swaminiji
told us, is for the people who want to make a bridge between lifestyle
and vision. (raddha and bhakti are that bridge.
Ved!nta is about you and therefore the spotlight is on you, which can
be hard. In the pur!"as the spotlight on another, for the sake of
understanding Bhagv!n. For instance, in the story of Gajendra, I see
my own helplessness. Gajendra, an elephant, was caught by a
crocodile while he was cooling off in the water on a hot day.
Exhausted from struggling to free himself from the crocodile, after
1000 years, so the story goes, he plucked a lotus and cried out to
in stages. First one commits to the study consciously appreciating
Bhagav!n in everything, such as the air we breathe, in the water we
drink, etc. Start looking at things in terms of Bhagav!ns order. If we
see everything as order, the jagat is converted into a benign reality, and
all the things that we wanted to get out of, no longer bother us.
Appreciating these orders, you become calm and accommodative. This
is not advocating passivity - we change things that can be changed and
anything that cannot be altered is surrendered to the altar.
When one follows dharma deliberately until the teaching is
internalized, fear at the relative level drops. The absolute freedom
comes with the internalization of this knowledge, that there is no
second thing to be afraid of. The last verse we studied concludes by
saying that if this is not known in this life, then the j)va takes another
body and continues in sams!ra.
In the entire corpus, %ruti, sm+iti, pur!"a, and ithihas, of the spiritual
literature in our tradition, the place accorded for bhakti, takes up
9/10ths of that body. Swaminiji, for the first time in Atlanta, took a
story from Srimad Bh!gvatam or also Bh!gvat Pur!"a.
(ruti are primary texts and are apaura#eya, not coming from mind of
individuals. They were revealed to sages in meditation. All the other
texts are derived from %ruti. They are anuv!da, iteration or re-iteration,
of the Vedas, including Ved!nta.
The vision of the primary text is that there is no separation between you
and the one who you invoke as Bhagav!n, the Lord. In order to make
this life geared towards the vision of non-separation, one leads a
lifestyle characterized by dharma and bhakti. One longs for that non-
separate vision but, due to the overlay of multiplicity that we encounter
in everyday life that appears to be a lived and experienced reality,
everyone starts to believe that duality is more real than the vision. If
Reflections on Lessons from Srimad Bh!gavatam
by Trupti Trivedi
15
water upholds it, just like the ocean, knows that it is free. So too, the
j)va recognizing that it is non-separate from *%vara, which is nothing
but Brahman, knows itself to be free. One cannot bypass *%vara,
because the ignorance removal takes place only when that yearning for
over-lordship and security is culminated which can only be in that
vision that you are *%vara. That is why ta'astha lak#ana is needed
the mithya name and form allows one to recognize *%vara.
For those who know !tma and param!tma as one, they see K+#"a in
themselves. Such a j!ni enjoy this oneness that is Brahman. The
ta'astha lak#ana and svar,pa lak#ana are resolved and coalesced into
one. The fearlessness that we all desire, will be not there as long as
tatastha lak#ana and svar,pa lak#ana are not merged. Grace is needed,
but it is there. It is given by Bhagav!n along with free will.
Bhagav!n to assist him. Ganjendra is a huge animal whose sense of
power and hubris was such that it took him 1000 years before thinking
of Bhagv!n. He represents ones own aha$kara, which is big like an
elephant. The crocodile in the story is equal to ones doubts,
depression, fear and despair. Once it catches you, it has the ability to
drain and never leave you. The water represents the subconscious from
which the crocodiles of depression, fear and despair arise. In Gagendra
Mok#a, this hubris is delightfully elucidated. It is very easy to listen to,
like being on feeding tube so there is no need to bite and one still gets
nourished without much effort! This is how the life of a child in the
tradition begins, hearing these stories, with which one cannot but fall in
love with.
The verses that we studied come under the 10
th
canto, 15
th
chapter verse
1-40. They are the apology of Brahmaji, after playing a prank on K+#"a.
In the story K+#"a is a young boy, who along with the other boys in the
village, is responsible for taking the cows out to graze every day. One
day Brahmaji, wanting to test K+#"as power, hides the cows when the
youths are not looking. After K+#"a goes to look for the cows,
Brahmaji also takes and hides the other cowherds. K+#"a finding both
the cows and cowherds gone, realizes that someone is playing a trick.
He does not worry, he merely manifests more cows and cowherds, just
like the original ones. Life continues and then after sometime Brahmaji
approaches K+#"a, and is surprised to see the cowherds and cows.
Brahmaji, whose heart is pure and without r!ga and dve#a, could
understand the teachings of Lord K+#"a. Realizing that everything
comes from K+#"a, is sustained by K+#"a and resolves into K+#"a, he
makes the humble apology found in these verses.
When we are trying to understand Bhagv!n, ie:, that which is formless,
that which cannot be known as an object, that which is non-separate
from ourselves, it is understood by lak#ana, indicator. Lord Brahma
was able to understand by ta'astha lak#ana and svar,pa lak#ana.
Seeing the gopas and cows that K+#"a created, Brahmaji understood
that all that is, is indeed Bhagav!n, that Bhagav!n, whose svar,pa
lak#ana, essential nature, cannot be divorced from Bhagav!n. The
wave, hearing that it is non-separate from ocean and that nothing but
16
The third %anti. of the opening prayer of class resolved into the
quietude of the classroom. It was the first class of a week-long series
here in Atlanta. The mind was present, ready behind the ears, so to
speak, to listen to the words of the %!stra, the pram!"a wielded by
Swaminiji. .
Hearing the words of the teacher, the teaching, creates the v+ttis,
thoughts, that remove the wrong conclusions the student has about her
or himself. The mis-identified I notions are highlighted by stories,
jokes, metaphors, and are then dismissed. The scalpel of the teacher,
in the form of the words of the %ruti, scrapes away avidy! where ever
it is lurking, chipping away at entrenched habitual thought patterns,
and sweeping out pockets of doubt and vagueness.
After classes the mind picks at
t he ar eas of t he r ecent
surgery. Sometimes it pauses
in awe at the neat job the
scalpel has done. Other times
it may hook into habitual
thinking pattern, and the j)va,
that is still identified with the
body-mind-sense complex, is
either bludgeoned or praised as
if it were an entity apart from
*%vara. Saying a mantra, or
s i mpl y s a yi ng om, c a n
i nt er r upt t hese l i nes of
thinking, allowing a space
f r o m w h i c h o n e c a n
obj ect i vel y see what i s
happening. In time, these
hooks loose their barb, so to
speak, freeing the mind for a more focused and subtle contemplation on
the teaching.
The environment in which one lives can either help or hinder pursuit of
!tma-j!nam. The home of my hosts in Atlanta doubles as the shrine
for the original Arsha Vijnana Gurukulam devatas. Gane#h,
Ardhan!r)%vara, and K+#"a, sat in a line gazing at us as each evening
the room was transformed into a classroom for the following mornings
7 am class. Murtis provide a powerful altar at which to lay down the
helplessness of the j)va. In the role of the devotee, the bhakta, there is
no greater blessing than to have a host of murtis where one can sit and
pray. The form gives a focus to ones prayer, and that focus increases
the more one prays to a particular form. A relationship is developed
with the murti and, much as with people and pets, the relationship
deepens over time. With the concomitant vision correction of Ved!nta
classes, the murti becomes a point of meditation on particular aspects of
the teaching, eventually merging into oneself.
Reflections of a Trip to Atlanta
by Janani
17
Housing daily worshipped devatas in ones home provides many
blessings and it is also a commitment. The Ramakrishnans commitment
to the teachings, and generosity towards other students, extends even
further by providing a classroom for Ved!nta classes whenever
Swaminiji is in Atlanta. Recognizing that this *%vara given life is for
gaining this knowledge, is not ordinary. Preparing oneself for the
knowledge by putting oneself in the position where one can spend time
listening to and serving the teacher requires
maturity. As one chooses again and again to put
ones attention towards the teaching, seva assists
ones own efforts in keeping the mind focused.
Unable as one is at first to dis-identify with the
do-er, those actions that are of service to the
teacher and the teaching, are the ones that help
one adjust to being more present in all of ones
actions, simply by seeing the connection between
the action and the teaching. Seva also helps
neutralize ones r!ga-dve#as; ones own desires
need to be sublated in order to serve. Of course,
it cannot be overlooked that the %!stra states that
seva is also a good way of gaining pu"ya, lots of
which is needed to ensure an obstacle free period
of study.
Over the week many familiar faces were seen
and new ones acquainted with. Interaction with
the world, with people, is the mirror through
which a person sees his or her own subjectivity
that is projected onto the world. Every day
unexpected results from actions take place,
highlighting that you have no control over those results. Further, how
ones r!ga-dve#as determine ones view of an otherwise benign world
become very apparent. The more r!ga-dve#as are neutralized the less
effort it is to move through daily interactions that come and go. The
stronger the hold of the r!ga-dve#as, the more tiring the days become.
Identification with or strong attachments to people, things, and situations,
is nothing but the jaw-like grip of sams!ra. Happiness, for the sams!r),
or sam-sorry as Swaminiji likes to say, is an elusive state dependent
upon exterior people or circumstances. Therefore, it has to be worked for,
requiring long to-do lists and a lot of effort. By paying attention to
interactions, the r!ga-dve#as that are driving all this striving will be more
clear. One of the best ways to neutralize these twin uninvited, but
persistent, guests called r!ga and dve#a, is through seva. No matter what
the task, whether sewing clothes for the devatas,
sweeping the floor, preparing the classroom for
teaching, cooking or doing laundry, the emphasis
is on what is to be done, performing the task as
best as one can and letting go of the resistance
that arises. Over time, the r!ga-dve#a teeth do
not leave their imprint either on the person, or
others, when interacting with the world.
When one chooses to know the truth of oneself,
one learns to be alert to everything - whether
having the appearance of being inside or out.
There is nothing but the flow of *%vara, what is.
Therefore, everything is meaningful. Whether it
highlights beauty in how something unfolds, or
unresolved childhood issues that arise because of
un-interrogated habitual orientations, or
vagueness and doubts in ones understanding, it
is all meaningful. The habitual orientations,
often treasured for their familiarity, have to be
interrogated and corrected in alignment with the
teaching in order to make a space for the
knowledge to abide. Consistent %ravanam,
listening, such as that which took place during the week-long Ved!nta
camp in Atlanta, quickens the work done by the scalpel wielded by the
teacher and teachings. The understanding is deepened and at the same
time the habitual thinking patterns and conclusions are corrected,
allowing one to grow into embracing the truth of oneself.
18
Eugene is blessed by a unique community. When I visualize it I see a most
beautiful mosaic of people of all ages, people who are endowed with
unique talents, many religious backgrounds, many accomplishments
including world renowned ones. However, the uniqueness of it doesnt
really come from all that. It simply manifests itself in the humility, love
and compassion each one has for one another. This beauty was celebrated
warmly on occasion of Yug!di, the Indian New Year, hosted by Arsha
Vijnana Gurukulam. Sri Swamini Svatmavidyanandaji took the time to
carefully help with preparations. A rather
unusual, at least to the Western eye, altar was
set up which was composed of a mirror
surrounded by lights and spring flowers and
the mirror had a red dot made of kumkum in
the upper center. A delicious vegetarian
dinner was catered for the occasion.
The evening began with beautifully sung
bhajans. Before it was time to eat everyone
was invited to take a moment, as they felt
comfortable, to go
to the altar where
S w a m i n i j i
e x p l a i n e d i t s
meani ng t o us.
Looki ng i n t he
mirror one centers
t he kumkum on
their forehead as a
bi ndi , l ooks at
oneself and smiles,
greeting Bhagav!n
in oneself. What a
wonderful way to start a new cycle in ones life, greeting oneself as *%vara,
instead of making resolutions to fix what one thinks is wrong with
oneself. This greeting itself, I think, deepened the joy of being there
together for everyone. After partaking of the food, everybody gathered in a
circle, and there was more singing and even dancing. There was even a
special dance where Uma asked Swaminiji to sit in the middle of the circle
while everyone danced around Swaminiji singing a K+#"a bhajan. There
was so much joy, it felt like the sv!tmavidy!nanda meaning the one who
revels in the knowledge of the nature of the self came out and found full
expression in everyone!
The evening marked a special moment of celebration for Arsha Vijnana
Gurukulam which was founded around this time of year in 2005 by Pujya
Sri Swami Dayananda Saraswatiji. As it says
on the Gurukulam website, in the Sanskrit
language, the word Arsha means of the
sages. Vijnana means direct knowledge of
oneself as the whole that is well understood
and assimilated. Arsha Vijnana Gurukulam is
a sanctuary for the understanding of oneself
as free of all limitations as unfolded by Vedic
seers. Swaminiji today artfully brings the
teachings to us not only here in Eugene but,
all around the world keeping the tradition
live so we can see that Bhagav!n we saw
in the mirror not only as ourselves but as that
which upholds entire manifest universe.
Eugene Community Celebration: Yug!di
by Harinder Khalsa
19
Swaminiji in Boulder, Co
for Contemplative Alliance Program
20
On May 31, 2014, Sri
S w a m i n i
Sa t ya vr a t a na nda , a
disciple of Pujya Swami
Da ya na nda a nd Sr i
Swami Paramarthananda,
honoured us by visiting
our gurukulam while our
!c!rya, Sri Swamini
Svatmavidyananda, was
away.
She told us that she
thought nothing of the
five-hour round-trip drive from Beaverton, just the day before an early
morning flight to the East Coast. Anything to meet Pujya Swamijis
$i!yas, is how she put it!
Swaminiji was welcomed in the traditional way with a p,r"akumbha,
Vedic chants and a flower garland was presented. -rarti was done, after
which she visited our beautiful shrine of Mahe$vara and Haimavatti
Um". Post lunch Swaminiji was kind enough to spend time talking to
us and lead us in bhajans on guru, govinda and mahadeva. There was a
good turn out of the Arsha Vijnana community and all participated with
full vigour.
During her discourse she
told us how in the past
month she has traveled
extensively in the US,
giving talks and singing
bhajans, which is her forte.
She regaled us with a
delightful discourse on the
need for discipline in a
disciples life. The qualities
that go to make a good
Dear Swamini Svatmavidyananda,
My trip to the US has been a great pleasure, I have visited many
locations and met many people here. My experience during my visit
to Arsha Vijnana Gurukulam was very homely and the students who
were listening to my lecture on "Discipleship and Discipline for
assimilating Vedanta", were very nice and involved in our discussion.
I was very glad to meet these students who were very committed to the
pursuit of Vedic Knowledge. The temple visit of Dakshi Moorthy and
Moogambika was wonderful. My best wishes to the students in their
pursuit of the Vedic teachings and my regards to Swamini
Svatmavidyananda.
With Love and Best wishes,
Swamini Satyavratananda
Chennai, India
Swamini Satyavratanandas Visit to AVG, Eugene
by Krishna Kavita Meegama
21
student of Ved!nta - %raddha, bhakti,
seva, vinaya, etc., were enumerated
and each was expounded lucidly.
These characteristics would help
anyone grow in their life personally,
emotionally and professionally. They
are not restricted to a vaidika but a
vidy!rtha of upani#ads, particularly a
student of Ved!nta has more onus on
her or his shoulders to inculcate them
into daily living. She also stressed on
the need of assimilating all these
texts %rava"a alone will not take us
far, she said. It would be akin to
putting a morsel of food into our
mout hs, wi t hout chewi ng and
digesting, important aspects that ought not
to be forgotten to get the full rasa and
benefit of what one has ingested!
Similarly, just by %rava"a one cannot hope
to become either a pa"&ita or a j!ni, and
forget j)vanmukta, if there has been no
manana and nidhidhy!sana.
It was good to hear such aspects reiterated
yet again. Any number of times is not good
enough, especially if there are newcomers
who are only now stepping into this whole
new world; magical it may be, and
relaxing, but to accrue full benefits of veda-
m!ta one aligns oneself with dharma, with
%!stra, and with ones guru. Given these,
with *%varas grace one can definitely move
towards mok#a at an accelerated pace!
After giving gurudak#i"a and taking her blessings, Swaminiji visited the
two other shrines that are in Eugene, M#k"mbik" Mah"deva and
Dak!in"m#rty. We hope that next year when she visits US, she will make
time to visit us again and spend a little
more time with us. It was a sweet visit
but too short!
22
Swaminiji in New Mexico
Neem Karoli Baba Ashram, Taos NM
23
Swaminiji had been coaxing us for some time to do a homa as a part of
the Fourth anniversary of the (ri M,k!mbik! Mah!deva Hindu Shrine.
We made arrangements with Sri Rajagopal, Chief Priest of the Portland
Balaji Temple to perform sudar%ana homa at the shrine on Saturday the
May 17th. However, I got a call from Sri Rajagopal on Saturday
morning at about 10:30 am informing me that he wouldnt be able to
come for the homa because he, with his family, had to travel to India that
night itself due to unforeseen events. So, Dr. Deshpande and I requested
Swaminiji for guidance and to perform the homa that evening. She,
without any hesitation, agreed to perform the same and arrived at the
shrine promptly at 5 pm. About forty people from Eugene, Corvallis and
the surrounding area attended the function and actively participated in the
homa. Because of lack of space we could accommodate only four
couples to sit as yajam!nas for the homa. Swaminiji, in her own unique
way, explained the meaning of homa and why we need to do the same.
Fourth Anniversary: M"k!mbik! Mah!deva Shrine
in Eugene
by E. Bhaskar
24
She beautifully explained how by performing this fire ritual we send our
prayers to the Gods and at the same burn away negative energies such as
r!ga, dve#a, ego etc. She performed, as she called it, a three-in-one
homa for the three deities at the shrine, namely (ri Ganapati, (ri
M,k!mbik!, and (ri Mah!deva. She taught all of us the respective
mantras to be chanted while offering the ghee to agni deva. The homa
itself went off very well with everyone offering the ghee and other
offerings. Finally after p,r"huti, mangal!rati of the homa ku"&a was
performed. Everyone partook of the bhasma and we proceeded inside
the shrine to do p,j! for the deities. It seems M,k!mbik! somehow
manages to dictate her wishes and had Swaminiji perform the homa. We
were indeed the fortunate ones to participate in this three-in-one homa.
We brought a new base for the Mah!deva Li$ga because the Li$ga is not
supported well on the current one. This base went through jalav!sa,
dhanyavasa and sleep ceremonies over the last couple of weeks at our
house in Corvallis before being brought to the shrine. We performed a
p,j! and installed the li$ga in the base as directed by Swaminiji. The
deities were dressed in beautiful blue silk dresses. Naivedyam brought
by devotees was offered to the deities. Several devotees including young
children sang some melodious bhajans. After performing the
mangal!rati, all of us enjoyed the delicious pras!dam, prepared by the
ladies.
25
The vision of Vedanta teaches that there is nothing here but God, !"vara.
We dont say there is one God, nor do we say there are many Gods, we
say, there is only God. !"vara is the very fabric of life; when the feet
touch the floor in the morning, the feet are !"vara, the floor is !"vara;
when bathing, the water is !"vara, the one bathing is !"vara; food is
!"vara, the eater is !"vara. In fact, all of the resources that maintain this
body are !"vara; there is nothing outside of !"vara.
Knowing there is nothing but God, !"vara, one cannot but be worshipful
and respectful towards everything. When one sees the earth, rivers, trees,
living beings as !"vara, the worshipful and respectful attitude engenders
a responsibility. There is no worship without respect, and no respect
without ahimsa, non-hurting; I dont do anything that I think would cause
harm. More than this, one takes responsibility to educate oneself about
what is harmful and what is not. With this in mind, Swaminiji has given
her blessing for Arsha
Vijnana Gurukulam to
participate in Green Faith,
an organization that
inspires and educates
people from diverse
spiritual backgrounds to
b e c o m e m o r e
environmentally aware.
To participate in this project, and earn what is
called a Green Shield there are several steps that
have to be fulfilled. A team in Eugene, has been
working to bring AVG into compliance with
those steps. This article, and a series of public
presentations that took place over the weekend of May 2 through May 4,
are part of those steps.
If you were unable to attend any of
the events, and are interested in
learning more, please send an email
t o H a r i n d e r a t
harinderkhalsa@gmail.com and she
will be happy to provide you with
more information. Our prayer is that
Swaminijis students all over the
country will participate by making
the pledge to reduce their carbon-
emissions. In so doing each person
participates in one of the great
values and attitudes of the j#ni, elucidated by Bhagav#n Kr$%a in the
Bhagavad G"t#, that of suci, cleanliness, of mind, body and environment.
The esteemed Dr. Hari Pallathery of India graciously paid Eugene a visit
during his recent tour through the US. His deep knowledge of Ayurveda,
its roots, its place in daily life, and practical application affords both
experts and people with little or no background, practical and yet
profound insights into its place in daily life. The practice of Ayurveda is
still gaining traction here in the West in no small part with the help of
teachers and practitioners such as Dr. Hari.
Dr. Hari has his Bachelors in Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS)
from the Ayurveda College in Coimbatore, India. He has been in clinical
practice since 1993. He has succeeded through teaching, in bringing the
benefit of Ayurveda to many countries all over the world. He also
specializes in teaching yoga as a viable way to exceptional health.
Bhumi Project: Green Faith Initiative
by Harinder Khalsa and Janani
Dr. Haris Visit to Eugene, OR
by Ahia Prakasha
26
During his time in Eugene, he offered three lectures. The first on
identifying your dosha and coming into balance covered the basics of
Ayurveda. He discussed the three doshas, vata, pitta, and kapha, and how
to determine your own constitution by
looking at the various factors involved
in each.
The second class, managing mental
health through Ayurveda, covered the
difficult emotional states and talked
about how diet and lifestyle effect our
mental states. The last and third class
was focused around common health
complaints such as cough, asthma,
upset stomach and headaches. Dr. Hari
told us about simple household
ingredients can be used to alleviate
these symptoms, sometimes by only a
single dose!
Swaminiji honoured Dr. Hari with a
shawl and a purse, thanking him for coming to Eugene. Swaminiji also
honoured Shivraj and Ek Onkar for hosting the Doctor while he was in
Eugene.
We are so thankful to Dr. Hari for sharing his wide reaching knowledge
and taking the time to give
one-on-one consultations
while in Eugene. He is a
shining beacon of all-
encompassing health and
ancient wisdom in this
modern age for the entire
world.
To find out more about his
work you can visit his
w e b s i t e a t :
www.ayurvedayoga.in
Gurukulam Garden Dak#in!m"rti
Eugene
S!kt" Editorial Board
Janani C., Harinder Kaur Khalsa and Mayaskari Rothbart
27
Weekday Evening Classes:
Bhagavad G!t" with #a$kara Bh"%ya (commentary of %di
&a'kar"c"rya): Every Tuesday through Sunday 4-5 pm.
Weekend only, and weekday evening classes are simultaneously
streamed via live stream and adobe connect. Other classes are streamed
via live stream only. The links are reproduced below. Click on the any
of the links to access the classroom:
http://www.livestream.com/advaita_swaminisvatmavidyanandaji/
https://avmtemple.adobeconnect.com/_a725965367/gita/
https://avmtemple.adobeconnect.com/_a725965367/gita/
Travel Schedule
Atlanta, GA July 26-August 3
Contact VN Ramakrishnan vn_ramakrishnan@yahoo.com
Grass Valley, CA - August 26-September 1
Wisdom of Dak!in"m#rti. Register online at: http://
sivanandayogafarm.org/course.php?course_id=1141
Vedic Knowledge Forum. Register online at http://
sivanandayogafarm.org/course.php?course_id=1031
Classes with Janani:
Intermediate Sanskrit Mondays 6-7 pm
Chanting Mondays 2:30-3:30 pm
Tattvabodha: Thursday through Monday 7 to 8 pm.
These classes are streamed via Zoom, please send an email to
janani_c_or@yahoo.com for the sign in information.

Q: When Swaminiji visits us for a week and we attend classes daily, we feel
connected to the teaching and become more mindful of our thoughts and
actions. A few days after Swaminiji leaves town, we find our habitual
orientations coming back. Does this mean that we don't really understand?
How can we maintain that connection, while at the same time take care of all
the duties we have in our daily lives?
A: Such experiences are quite common, and show that the nascent
understanding of Vedanta can easily get displaced, as it were, by the
demands of ones daily life. Therefore, it is important to prioritize
frequent exposure to the teaching. That is why we have a variety of
classes online that are easy to pursue on a daily or weekly basis as ones
time permits. Even if one is not free to take the online classes live, one
can access the archived classes at anytime according to ones
convenience. Once one establishes a committed schedule for ones
learning, the understanding of the self deepens, abiding in which one
remains unaffected even in the face of great difficulties: "yasmin sthito
dukhena na gurunapi vicalyate (B.G. 6.22). Archived and live classes
can be accessed at the following link: http://www.livestream.com/
advaita_SwaminiSvatmavidyanandaji
Classes with Swaminiji:
Once a Month Class: Ved"nta &i'(ima 9:30 am to Noon on July 6 and
Aug 3
Weekend Morning Classes: Mu'(akopani%ad with #a$kara Bh"%ya
(commentary of %di &a'kar"c"rya) Every Saturday and Sunday morning
7:30-10:00 am
Weekly Evening Classes:
#vet")vatara Upani%ad Every Tuesday 6 to 7 pm.
Ka*hopani%ad Every Wednesday 6 to 7 pm.
Weekday Daytime Classes:
Ka*hopani%ad with #a$kara Bh"%ya (commentary of %di &a'kar"c"rya):
Every Tuesday through Friday morning 8-10:30 am.
Swaminijis Teaching and Travel Schedule
Satsang with Swaminiji