A monthly journal glorifying Sanatana Dharma from the portals of Bhakti

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare , Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Apr May 2009, Issue 9

Nama Dwaar
peared at her door and she gave him four annas (25 paise). After a few months she visited Yogi Ramsuratkumar. Immediately on seeing her, Yogi Ramsuratkumar turned the other way and as if talking to somebody else, asked, At which restaurant can you buy any food for four annas? The lady was completely startled. On the subject of our attitude towards beggars, Sri Muralidhara Swamiji says, When a beggar seeks alms from you, give him what you can or just walk away. Do not advise or abuse him. Do you know how difficult it is to beg? One has to stoop himself to the lowest level, giving up all his self -respect, to stretch his arm for alms. There have been times when we ourselves have been in need of money. It may even be a very paltry sum. We may know fully well that we will certainly return the amount borrowed from a friend or relative. Yet we hesitate to ask. Why? We deem it to be shameful. Then imagine a man on the street with a begging bowl. Further, at the entrance to a temple or in a kshetra (pilgrimage place) there might be a Mahan sitting amidst the beggars seeking alms. By dropping something, money or food, in his hand it is you who stands to gain, not he. Further, any abuse you throw at him does not unsettle him but on the other hand will prove to be a great curse in your own life. India may be the beggar capital of the world. But it is also the spiritual capital of the world. Innumerable saints have

Of Beggars and Begging

Many
people consider begging the bane of modern India. But from time immemorial, Sanatana dharma (known as Hinduism today) has advocated begging to ascetics, brahmacharins (students of the Vedas) and spiritual aspirants as a means of gaining humility and forbearance. Young students, who studied the Vedas while living in their masters home, would go begging for food and the alms received would be given to the masters wife. She would cook the food and offer it to God, the master and the students. Down the ages in India, we find Mahans (enlightened saints) begging for food. In the olden days food was not sold and it was even considered a sin to sell food. Every village, town and city had a resting place where pilgrims and travelers were fed sumptuously: only in the hope that a Mahan might be in the crowd, as feeding a Realized soul is a blessing that is not easily available. Yogi Ramsuratkumar the great saint of Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu, who always referred to himself as this beggar has said, Begging is not a crime in India. Beggars are not criminals. Great Masters come in the form of beggars. If they are protected, they will do their lilas (divine play) here. India is their lila bhoomi. Once a lady repeatedly requested Yogi Ramsuratkumar to give her some upadesa (spiritual advice). Yogi Ramsuratkumars advised her to never refuse anyone who came to her seeking alms and to always offer food. She returned home happily. One day a beggar ap-

For free distribution only. Not for sale.

The Highest Charity

From the perspective of a giver, offering food is considered the highest charity. Food offered to anyone even animals and small creatures at any time and place bestows the highest merit. But leave merit alone, do we not simply feel happy when we see a hungry person satisfied after being fed by us? Further, it is only in anna daana that the feeling of complete satisfaction arises in the recipient. One may give away gold, land, etc. but a greedy receiver may not feel satisfied. Three things are specified for attaining Jnana anna daana, worship of the Sadgurus Paduka (footwear symbolizing the Holy feet of the Guru) and steadfastly following the advice of the Guru.

been born and continue to be born in its soil. Many of them often depend on charity for the sustenance of the lives that they themselves do not care for; but it is in our best interest to help sustain those lives, for it is through them and through spirituality that the world will be saved.
Nirmala S. Giri, Chennai, India Illustration: Sripriya Sarathy, Charlotte, NC

Inside this issue

Infinite Ways to Infinite Bliss The Need for Sravana Sri Adi Shankara and Bhakti Pages of Inspiration Life of Sri Ramanuja Kids CornerHanuman the Perfect Devotee Kids Trivia QuizSri Shankara & Sri Ramanuja Satsang News and Events Pg 2 Pg 2 Pg 3 Pg 3

Pg 3 Pg 4

Nama Dwaar/Apr-May 2009/ Page 1

Infinite Ways to Infinite Bliss

Excerpts from the discourses of Sri Muralidhara Swamiji of Chennai, India.**

The Need for Sravana

ing about it from a person than by learning about it through a book or a picture. very difficult since it has been accusSo, we should constantly listen to spiritomed to dwelling on worldly matters tual subject matters and about Mahatfor crores of births. Most of the time, mas. people are aware of the mistakes they It is not enough to just read or hear commit. Yet they are unable to avoid it about such matters just once because as it has become habitual. When we listhe mind will indulge in sattvic (good) ten to a person describing vividly about a thoughts for a while and dawdle back to place that he has visited, dont we feel a the usual worldly thoughts. We have to strong urge to visit that place? Similarly, constantly listen to spiritual matters till it is true that reading or seeing pictures the mind dwells on nothing but sattvic of certain places or things kindles our thoughts. enthusiasm to visit that place or acquire Sravana (listening) is one of the nine that thing. The desire is deeper on listen- forms of Bhakti. Moreover, King Parikshit

Focusing the mind on spiritual matters is

attained moksha just by Sravana. Just as listening to one who speaks superfluous worldly things is wrong, so too is not listening to one who speaks healthy spiritual matters. God has bestowed on us the power of listening just so that we will constantly listen to His glories and attain Him. Let Saraswati, the Goddess of Knowledge, shower her grace on us to achieve this.

Sri Adi Shankara and Bhakti

Advaita
Philosophy is generally understood to hold that jnana (Supreme Knowledge) is essential for mukti and that Ishwara bhakti (devotion to a Personal God) will not be sufficient. Yet Sivanandalahari, a devotional masterpiece of Sri Adi Shankara, the great proponent of Advaita, says that there is nothing that devotion cannot accomplish (Bhakti kim na karoti...). It seems contradictory that, on one hand, Sri Adi Shankara preached that jnana was the only way to reach mukti, and on the other, he established Shanmatham (worship of God in six forms) and composed a wealth of devotional works in praise of various deities from Ganesha to Hanuman. But a closer examination shows that Sri Shankara used bhakti as a stepping stone to jnana which eventually leads to mukti. Jnana is about attaining knowledge of the Supreme Brahman. But focusing and meditating on a formless and nameless Brahman is an immensely difficult Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and others. At this stage, the individual merges task for an ordinary persons intellect. On the other hand it is easy to start with in love with the personal God who becomes one and the same as the Supreme bhakti towards an entity that Brahman as the form and conhas form Shiva, Krishna or tent dissolve. This bhakti is Durga. When we prostrate nothing but jnana. before our favorite God, clasp our hands, sing songs and perform puja, our bhakti is initially more ritual oriented. We may also supplement our pujas with a list of requests - several variations of health, wealth and prosperity. This is an expectationdriven relationship with God; we expect our material desires to be fulfilled in return for worship. As we mature in our bhakti however, we start to melt with love for God. When we feel the surge of the soul, devoid of any desires except being immersed in devotion to God, our bhakti becomes Para bhakti. This is the kind of bhakti experienced by Meera, Andal, Sri Thyagaraja, Sri Shankara clarifies the relationship between bhakti and jnana in his work, Vivekachudamani, with the following verse. mokSha-kAraNa-sAmagryAm bhaktireva garIyasI sva-svarUpAnu-sandhAnaM bhakti-rity-abhidhIyate (Among the instruments of moksha, bhakti is the most important; Bhakti is said to be the unbroken union with ones own natural Self - the Atman.) In other words, when bhakti is completely desire-less, jnana and bhakti are simply one and the same.
Bala Subramanian, Seattle, WA

**There may appear to be variations in the tense of the language. This is due to the fact that great effort has been taken to maintain the original style of the lecture. Any discrepancy/lapse in the translated version is the sole responsibility of the person/s who translated the work from Tamil into English.

Pages of Inspiration

Kids Corner
Hanuman the perfect devotee
April 9, 2009 was celebrated as Hanuman Jayanti by some Indian communities, although the occasion is celebrated on different days in different parts of India. Most North Indians celebrate the occasion on the full moon day of the Hindu month of Chaitra (which fell on April 9 this year). However in South India, especially in Tamil Nadu, Hanuman Jayanti is celebrated on the new moon day in the month of Margasirisa (December). After ruling for 11,000 years, when Lord Rama was about to leave for His eternal abode, many of His close friends including Sugriva, accompanied Him. However, Rama ordered Hanuman to stay back in order to protect and inspire His future devotees. The Lord blessed Hanuman that he would live in this world as long as the Lords glories are sung in any corner of the world. Even though Hanuman lived in the Treta yuga, millions of years later he made an appearance again in the Dwapara yuga to help Bhima, who is considered to be Hanumans younger brother as he was also born of Vayu, the wind god. In order to serve Krishna, Hanuman resided in the flag on Arjunas chariot during the battle of Mahabharata. His fierce cries then struck terror in the hearts of the opposition and greatly encouraged the Pandava warriors. Devotees pray to Hanuman to protect them from material obstacles in the path of devotional service and to engage them in the service of the Supreme Lord Rama. JAI HANUMAN!
Chitra Venkatramani, San Jose, CA

The Life of Sri Ramanuja

By Swami Ramakrishnananda
Translated from Bengali by Swami Budhananda, Sri Ramakrishna Math

No

ordinary human being can even contemplate to bring to life the charitra of Sri Ramanuja. Hence it took another saint, Swami Ramakrishnananda of Ramakrishna Mutt, to undertake this endeavor. Life of Sri Ramanuja is a translation of Sri Ramanuja Charitra written in Bengali by the celebrated monk of Ramakrishna Mutt. When Swami Ramakrishnananda, a direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa settled in Madras in 1897, he could feel the tremendous influence of Sri Ramanuja on the cultural ethos of South India. The monk was pained when he realized that his native people in Bengal hardly knew about the great Acharyas life. Hence he undertook to research and write a series of articles for the Bengali journal Udbodhan, which in translation, has given birth to this epic Life of Sri Ramanuja. The book initially delves into the great lineage of Vaishnava saints starting with the Azhwars. Every saint is dedicated a chapter that highlights the life changing aspect of their lives eventually leading to saranagathi (ultimate surrender) to the Lord Narayana. Charitras of Sri Nathamuni, who retrieved the long lost Divya Prabhandam (works of the Azhwars), Sri Azhawandar and Sri Manakkal Nambi are portrayed in such wondrous style that it will move to tears even the stonehearted. These stories seamlessly culminate in the descent of the great saint Sri Ramanuja (1017-1137). The important incidents in his life are handled deftly and provide much needed insight into the heart and soul of the great saint. His devotion to Sri Kanchipurna; discipleship with Sri Yadavaprakasa and subsequent debates with his master; his initiation into sanyasa; mantra upadesa to the village folk of Thirukoshtiyur; and many more interesting details of his life that are wonderfully explained in this book transport the reader a millennia in the past. Both to the uninitiated in the Vaishnava order and to the orthodox Vaishnava, this book strikes many a chord.
Aravind Thathachari, Orlando, FL

Hanuman

is the perfect example for dasya bhakti (devotion with the attitude of a servant towards the Lord). Everything that he did was only for the pleasure of Lord Rama; whether it was building bridges, fighting rakshasas, or flying across the country to fetch life saving herbs, his constant meditation was how to best serve Rama. He carried out all his responsibilities humbly with an attitude of unconditional service, not expecting anything in return. When Hanuman returned from Lanka with news about Sita, an overjoyed Rama embraced him. An uncomfortable Hanuman however stated that his position could only be at the feet of his Lord. He considered the opportunity to offer his service to Rama as the highest reward.

Kids Quiz Sri Adi Sankara and Sri Ramanuja Trivia

The Jayantis of both these great Acharyas fall on April 30, 2009 1. Sri Ramanuja expounded the A. Visishtadvaita B. Dvaita C. Advaita 2. Sri Ramanuja was born in: A. Srirangam B. Sri Perumbudur C. Sri Villiputtur 3. What mantra did Sri Ramanuja reveal to all against his Gurus advice? A. Om Namashivaya B. Om Namo Narayanaya C. Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya 4. Sri Adi Shankara was born in: A. Kanchipuram B. Kalady C. Kedarnath 5. Sri Adi Shankara founded mutts in the following cities: A. Sringeri, Dwaraka, Puri, Jyotirmath B. Sringeri, Dwaraka, Mantralaya, Puri C. Dwaraka, Puri, Pune, Kedarnath 6. Sri Adi Shankara took Sanyasa after what incident? A. When he was bitten by a snake B. When he was caught by a crocodile C. When he was hit by an elephant Ramya Srinivasan, San Jose, CA Answers
Nama Dwaar/Apr-May 2009/ Page 3

1-A, 2-B, 3-B, 4-B, 5-A, 6-B

Satsang News and Events

Akhanda Nama Sankirtan in Boston
An Akhanda Mahamantra Sankirtan for peace and prosperity of the society and world was organized at the residence of Madan Ramakrishnan in the Boston area on Saturday, April 11, 2009. The event was held to commemorate the Centenary Jayanti of Swami Abhedananda, which fell on April 12, 2009. The Sankirtan started at 9:00 AM and went on continuously until 6:00 PM. Devotees from various places like Nashua, Plainville, Woburn, Cambridge and Malden participated in the Nama Yagna. At 6:00 PM, the Akhanda Nama concluded with Sri Muralidhara Swamijis Kaliyayum Bali Kollum Kirtan. Then a few devotees sang Bhajans. This was followed by a talk by Narayanan Sathiamoorthy. The following is the message conveyed in the talk: Spirituality is a nothing but a constant quest for eternal bliss. All of us are inherently spiritual because we all strive to attain that bliss, knowingly or unknowingly. Religion shows us the path to that bliss. Of all the religions, our Sanatana Dharma, which is truly a way of life, is one of the most practical and scientific. While the Lord is the same, the ways and means to attain Him keep changing over time, just like our way of life changes from generation to generation. For this Kali Yuga, Nama Sankirtan is prescribed as the easiest path to attain the Divine. The Hare Rama.. Mahamantra, as quoted by our Upanishads, is the elixir to all our problems in this Yuga. To quote Swami Abhedananda, when this Divine Name is chanted in a house, it becomes a shrine by itself and the Lord resides there permanently. Quoting a few incidents, Sri Narayanan also established the potency of prayers with the Mahamantra and said how mass prayers can truly invoke the grace of the Almighty and change things for the better.
To commemorate Swami Abhedanandas Centenary Jayanti, Akhanda Mahamantra Nama Sankirtan was also conducted at the residences of Geetha and Aravind Thathachari in Orlando, FL for seven hours on April 11, and Nisha and Sriram Ramanujam in Houston, TX on April 12 for six hours.

Nama Dwaar Kids Program in Chicago

The first ever Nama Dwaar Kids Program was conducted on Sunday, April 12, 2009 in the Chicago area from 4:15 to 6:00 PM. The event was a great success with enthusiastic participation from 12 kids and their parents too. The program started with chanting of the Mahamantra. The kids were taught a sloka from Srimad Bhagavatam as the invocation prayer, along with its meaning. They then learnt and sang the bhajan Jaya Jaya Mangalam Sri Guro. A story from the life of Sant Eknath was then narrated to them and they were asked to enact the story. After some practice with the help of some parents, the little ones did a wonderful role play and entertained everyone present, while enjoying themselves thoroughly. Next the children learnt about Lord Rama in simple terms. The final part of the program was game time, when all the kids were each given a small picture of Premika Varadan and Madhuri Saki. They were told to observe the picture for one minute, and were then asked some questions to test their powers of observation and Weekly satsangs are held regumemory. The kids finally took home an interesting crossword puz- larly in the following cities: Bay Area, CA ; Boston, MA ; Chizle as home work. cago, IL; Cortlandt Manor, NY; The kids program will be conducted every month. For more inforDallas, TX; Houston, TX ; Los Anmation contact Yamini ZivanPrakash at (630) 747-6249. geles, CA; Orlando, FL; Seattle,
Published by:

Global Organization for Divinity 3363 Bel Mira Way San Jose, CA 95135 Phone: (408) 420-8486 Feedback email: newsletter@godivinity.org Visit our websites: www.namadwaar.org and www.godivinity.org

Newsletter team: ContentAravind TRA, Bala Subramanian, Chitra Venkatramani, Latha Kumanan, Narayanan Sathiamoorthy, Nisha Giri, Ramya Srinivasan, Sriram Ramanujam, Sujatha Sankar, Yamini ZivanPrakash. IllustrationsNithya Balasubramanian, Sripriya Sarathy.

WA A weekly national telecon satsang is held every Friday evening at 8:30 PM CST. Srimad Bhagavatam study circles are conducted in various cities. Email newsletter@godivinity.org for more information.
Nama Dwaar/Apr-May 2009/ Page 4