What Is Vedanta ? - Pujya Swamiji answers...

I would say that Vedanta is a solution to the problem of taking myself to be a mortal, imperfect, and subject to various limitations. These are the conclusions to every Individual. Vedanta is the teaching which solves this problem. In its vision, you are the solution to the very problem from which you suffer. “I am Brahman, the whole” is Vedanta. Therefore, Vedanta is the solution. Vedanta does not offer a solution. The solution is Vedanta.

Wherever there is a solution, that solution is Vedanta. A solution can only be in the form of “I am the whole. I am free.” Anything that unfolds this particular piece of knowledge is Vedanta, whatever else it may be called.

Because Vedanta is the knowledge found at the end of the Veda, it is called Vedanta (anta, meaning end). The Veda is a body of knowledge handed down from one generation to another. It has no authorship in that it has not been authored by any given individual. It is a body of knowledge said to have been revealed to the ancient sages who, in turn, handed it over to the next generation, which handed it over to the next one, and so on, right down to our own time.

This lineage is called karna-parampara in Sanskrit, meaning “ear to ear.” The knowledge is heard through one pair of ears and, having been retained, is passed on to another pair of ears. In this way, the whole Veda is maintained intact.

The Veda is divided into four – Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda, and Atharva Veda. These four Vedas are again divided into two parts according to subject matter. The first part of each of the four Vedas is called karma-kanda and the last portion is called jnana-kanda. Karma-kanda is the section dealing with rituals and prayers, whereas the jnana-kanda deals with only with realities – the nature of the self, the world, and God; how these three are interconnected; and whether there is a difference between them or not. This knowledge of realities liberates the person because Vedic vision is that you are the whole and there is no difference whatsoever between you, the world, and God.

The teaching is generally in the form of dialogues between a teacher and a student. One particular dialogue or a few dialogues together makes up one Upanishad. Therefore, Vedanta, otherwise known as the upanishad, forms the body of knowledge which is the solution to the fundamental human problem. This is why we do not say Vedanta offers the solution. We say the solution is Vedanta because the solution is in the form of knowledge, which is Vedanta.

Om Namah Shivaya

The word ‘mantra’ means “mananat trayate iti mantra” . Mananam means to reflect , to dwell upon the meaning of something . Trayate means to protect . Thus , mantra means –“that which protects you upon reflection of its meaning”. Om Namah Shivaya is called the Panchakshari mantra because the mantra is composed of five (pancha) syllables (akshara) - ‘na’ , ‘ma’ , ‘shi’ , ‘va’ , ‘ya’ .

In Sanskrit , Om means avati , or rakshati . Rakshati means “one who protects and sustains” . Thus , Om is the name of the Ishvara (the Lord ) who protects and sustains everything . Om , as a sound symbol , also indicates auspiciousness (mangalam) and is chanted at the beginning of prayers and religious studies .

‘Namah’ means salutations , prostrations . ‘Shiva’ means auspiciousness (mangalam) . The name ‘Shiva’ is considered to be the most auspicious . Thus , the mantra “Om Namah Shivaya” means – “ The one who eliminates all inauspiciousness , to that auspicious one , I offer my prostrations ” .

The Panchakshari mantra is also known as saranagati mantra . Saranagati means surrender . We surrender to the order of the laws of Ishvara - the universal law of dharma and the universal law of karma .

Every time we chant "Om Namah Shivaya" , we surrender to the law of karma , meaning whatever happens in our lives will take place according to the law of karma alone . So , we must never refuse or resist to accept karma-phalam ( the results of our actions ) . Whatever happens in our lives is Shiva prasadam or Ishvara prasadam . Vibudhi is not to be looked upon as useless ash and pongal is not to be looked at with relish . We must accept both with the same attitude – that it is Ishvara prasadam . There must be no dwesha (hatred , aversion) towards vibudhi and no raga (liking , attachment) towards pongal . We welcome everything we encounter in life . Welcoming experiences is one thing . Accomodating experiences is another thing , particularly with respect to family . We must accept our family members as they are .

We do what is to be done at a given time , place and situation (svadharma) and accept the results (karma-phalam) as Ishvara prasadam . This is saranagati , which results in shanti (peace) .

Om Namah Shivaya .

Gita Jayanthi

Gītā Jayanthi is the day the sacred text of Bhagavad Gita was revealed to Arjuna by Bhagavan Sri Krishna at the Kurushetra battlefield in the midst of the assembled Pandavas and Kauravas army .

This day is celebrated on the Shukla Ekadasi, 11th day of the waxing moon of Margashirsha month (November-December) in the Hindu calendar .

Bhagavad Gītā means the song (gītā) of the Lord (Bhagavān) . The Lord is called Bhagavān – the one who has bhaga (the six-fold virtues) in absolute measures . These six-fold virtues are These are : all knowledge (jñāna) , total dispassion (vairāgya) , the capacity to create , sustain and resolve (vīrya) , absolute fame (yaśas) , all wealth (srī) and overlordship (aiśvarya) .

Who is Bhagavān in the Gītā ? Sri Krishna , since He has proved He has the bhaga .

The Gītā is considered to be song-like because it is in verse form and therefore pleasing . It has only two meters – anushtubh and trishtubh , making the Gītā easy to recite and remember .

The subject matter of the Bhagavad Gītā is two fold that is brahma-vidyā and yoga-śastra . Brahma-vidyā means the knowledge of what is . It reveals the truth of oneself , the Lord and the creation and the relationship between the three . Yoga-śastra refers to a life of activity which also includes the pursuit of brahma-vidyā .

The entire Gītā is a dialogue . There are many types of different dialogues or discussions . Here , the form of dialogue or discussion is samvāda . It is a guru-śishya samvāda – a discussion between a teacher (Sri Krishna) and a student (Arjuna) . In a samvāda , acceptance of each other is required by both parties . The teacher has to accept the student and the student has also got to accept the teacher . In Chapter 2 , Verse 7 , of the Bhagavad Gītā , Arjuna uses the word ‘śiṣyaste'haṁ’ – meaning “I am your student” , showing his acceptance of Lord Krishna as his teacher .

The Gītā is looked upon as a mother , for a mother is a symbol of love , affection , and spontaneous care . A mother always prays for her child’s welfare and she never let the child down when the child is facing troubles .

The Gītā is a mother because by her grace (knowledge) , one is saved from the life of becoming or samsāra .

Sri Vaikuntha Ekadasi

SRI VAIKUNTHA EKADASI (1.1.2015 )

Sri Vaikuntha Ekādaśī is a day dedicated to the worship of Lord Vishṇu . This day falls in the month of Mārgaśira or Margazhi in Tamil ( November-December ) in the Hindu calendar .

Lord Vishṇu is the sustainer of the creation . The word ‘Viṣṇu’ means “vyāpnoti viśvaṃ yaḥ” – the one who pervades the world . He is also the preserver of dharma . The purānas describe how Lord Viṣṇu manifests in the world to preserve dharma , when unrighteousness becomes rampant . In the Bhagavad Gita ( Chapter 4 , Verse 7 ) , the Lord says :

yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānirbhavati bhārata |
abhyutthānam adharmasya tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmyaham ||

“ O Bhārata (Arjuna) ! Whenever there is a decline in right living and an increase in wrong living (everywhere), I bring Myself into being (assume a physical body) . ”

The ten manifestations , daśāvatāras , of Lord Viṣṇu that the purānas describe are : Matsya (fish) , Kūrma (tortoise) , Varāha (boar) , Narasiṃha (lion-man) , Vāmana (dwarf) , Paraśurāma , Rāma , Kṛṣṇa , Buddha and Kalki ( yet to manifest ) .

Lord Viṣṇu is depicted in a reclining posture asleep on the serpent Ādiśeṣa . In this posture , he represents the creation in unmanifest form . The coiled serpent , Ādiśeṣa , symbolizes the latent power of the creation . When the creation is to become manifest , Brahmā arises from Viṣṇu’s navel and begins the process of creation .

Goddess Lakshmi , the consort of Lord Viṣṇu , represents wealth and prosperity , the sustaining power of the creation . Thus , Lord Viṣṇu is also called Śrīman – the one who holds all wealth and prosperity .

Lord Viṣṇu is invoked in a śāligrāma , which is a stone obtained from the River Gandaki in Nepal . Śāligrāma is also the name of a sacred place of pilgrimage in the Himalayan ranges where the River Gandaki originates . The śāligrāma stone contains marks of the Sudarshana cakra (disc) , a weapon Lord Viṣṇu holds in his hands .

Om Namo Narayanaya !

Pujya Swami Dayananda Saraswati’s 2015 New Year Message

  
Happy New Year. Ring in the new. Ring out the old. Past is gone. it is there only in our memory. The future is going to unfold and whatever it is going to unfold, we are ready to receive. We need to be ready.Years of our life help us receive the New Year with a better poise, with a better capacity to understand. We have better perception in short. We want our desires to be fulfilled in the New Year.
 
From our past experience, we know that all our desires do not get fulfilled. In the diary only the first page is written. Desires can be fulfilled. It need not be fulfilled. We work for fulfillment of our desires. Desires constitute one’s life. If they do not get fulfilled, they leave the person unhappy. In the New Year we make a decision to have desires, but learn to manage them.

If fulfilled we are happy. If not, we try to fulfill them. There are so many reasons for the desires not getting fulfilled. In all of them we cannot claim success. Being in the right place at the right time is success. We do not know what is the right place and right time. Therefore we just pray.

Prayer brings about grace as its result. Earn this grace by prayer, by good deeds and reaching out deeds. Keep some grace under your belt.

This year will be meaningful and graceful. May the year give you a lot a grace.

This is my New Year wish.

Happy New Year. Thank you.

THE MEANING OF NĀRĀYANA

There are many ways of looking at the meaning of the word nārāyana , one of which is particularly relevant here . The word nara is used to refer to a human bing . It also means indestructible , that which always remains ( na rīyate , not destroyed ) . Nara , therefore , can only refer to that which pervades everything and is timeless which is ātmā .

Ātmā here refers to the “I” , the essence of the subject who performs various actions and enjoys various forms of experiences . This is an entirely different meaning from what we commonly understand by the word “I” . Therefore , the real meaning of the word nara , human being , is to be understood from the śāstra to be the all-pervasive and timeless ātmā , paramātmā .


That which belongs to the nara is nāram or jagat , the world . The world is born out of all-pervasive , timeless paramātmā , is sustained by paramātmā and goes back to paramātmā .

Nāra , then , is the entire world and the one who knows it (eti) is Nārāyana , the omniscient Lord , Parameśvara , with reference to the world . Therefore , the same ātmā , the nara-ātmā , the human being , is the omniscient paramātmā , Parameśvara , the Lord .

Because this omniscient Nārāyana was the one who was teaching Arjuna , everything that was taught in the Gītā is considered valid . Nārāyana is the one who knows and is also the one to be known through the Veda .

~ By Swami Dayananda Saraswati in "Introduction to Bhagavad-Gita" book

Sri Hanuman Jayanthi 2014

SRI HANUMAN JAYANTHI ( 21.12.2014 )

"Man has been searching for God on earth and in heaven since time immemorial and the search has been fruitless. his search for God represents the human urge for fullness, for inner fulfillment, in an otherwise afflicted existence. This timeless pursuit is beautifully depicted in the great epic Ramayana, in the form of Hanuman's (हनुमान) allegorical search for Sita (सीता) .

Sita represents Santi (शान्ति) or inner quietude, another name for the bliss of fulfillment. Hanuman does not succeed in his search as long as he remains searching in Lanka, the city of Ravana (रावण), which represents world with its myriad sense objects. However, the moment he turns his back on Lanka, he is in the asoka grove (अशोक वाटिका), and finds Sita without any effort. Similarly human heart is asoka grove, wherein abides timeless and boundless quietude, the santi and fulfillment of our prayers; man has only to look within."

By : Swami Tattvavidananda Saraswati