Tag Archives: India

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First Impressions of India: By Paige Andrews

. LIFESTYLE, PERSONAL . , , , ,

I’m definitely not in Boston anymore. Continue reading →

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My Visit to Arunachala: By Alan Jacobs

. Advaita and Yoga, INSPIRATIONAL, LIFESTYLE . , , , , , , , , , ,

Letter From Alan Jacobs after returning from Arunachala

___________________

My dear Friends,

My whole recent visit to Arunachala was filled with Bhagavan’s boundless Grace from beginning to end. Continue reading →

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Call of the Conch-3-Not for Human Consumption: By Joyce Sweinberg

. Advaita and Yoga, HEALTH & NUTRITION, INSPIRATIONAL . , , , , , , ,

7516calf_nursing

Dairy products in our current industry, worldwide,
foster the very same adverse effects as meat production and consumption, and even worse,
torture the dairy cow and her offspring repeatedly over time prior to the final slaughter.
 

For years, I drank milk and consumed milk products, never realizing that I had milk allergies which were causing my facial rashes and breakouts.  Finally, someone suggested this to me and when I looked it up online, I was shocked to see how many allergies one can have to dairy products.  This was my first step in removing dairy from my diet, for my own benefit.  I was not always true to my vows and would often give in to pizza and on Halloween, would raid my sons’ candy for Snickers Bars, and on other holidays, eat the chocolate which was everywhere.  In the summer months, I sometimes gave into the soft ice cream cones at the corner ice cream stand. And, usually, I broke out but thought it was worth it.

Until I saw some of the videos posted in the earlier parts of this series. When I saw how the dairy cow and her offspring are abused, I could no longer seek out dairy products in any way.   But for some of us, we need to have other reasons than that, so I am including this part to highlight the unknown facts that dairy products really are not that healthy for us or our world, and can cause a multitude of environmental and physical problems.  Many of us operate under the false assumption that dairy products make for healthy bones and this is being proven to be untrue in studies.  The fact is that it is hard for people to give up their false belief systems if it would require them to remove dairy products from their diets.  I have reproduced some excerpts below from online websites along with the link to the actual site for further reading.

Many sites will address the adverse environmental and other effects of the meat industry while including dairy products as a viable alternative to meat.  An honest and  intelligent assessment of the available facts cannot support such a conclusion.  Dairy products in our current industry, worldwide, foster the very same adverse effects as meat production and consumption, and even worse, torture the dairy cow and her offspring repeatedly over time prior to the final slaughter.  The simple indisputable fact is that by consuming dairy products or using them in worship, one is promulgating torture of these defenseless animals, and in the process, violating the foremost principle of dharmic behavior, ahimsa.

Let me add this about myself.  While I now check the ingredients on everything I buy and I will not knowingly purchase anything which contains meat products or animal products or dairy products, I find it is still a challenge to determine whether there is dairy or animal product in what I eat when I am out, either in a restaurant or at a social event. If I am in doubt, and if the product is one which normally has dairy or eggs in it, I will politely decline.

When I am at temple, it is a more difficult position…I can refuse offers of yogurt or payasam or curd rice, or anything which is obviously milk based. But so many of the prasad offerings are laced with dairy or cooked in ghee that it is impossible to tell. I do still partake, asking His mercy and guidance in what I do. And I write this acknowledging that in co-writing this series, I am educating myself as I go along, making some decisions and deferring others as I ponder the solution that will work for me. I offer these writings to you, the reader, in the same spirit.

FROM  PETA…
“Environmental DestructionLarge dairy farms have an enormously detrimental effect on the environment. In California, America’s top milk-producing state, manure from dairy farms has poisoned hundreds of square miles of groundwater, rivers, and streams. Each of the more than 1 million cows on the state’s dairy farms excretes 120 pounds of waste daily.(22) Overall, animals in animal factories, including dairy farms, produce 1.65 billion tons of manure each year, much of which ends up in our waterways and drinking water.(23) The Environmental Protection Agency reports that agricultural runoff is the primary cause of polluted lakes, streams, and rivers. The dairy-products industry is the primary source of smog-forming pollutants in California; a single cow emits more of these harmful gases than a car does.(24)

Eighty percent of all agricultural land in the U.S. is used to raise animals for food or to grow grain to feed them—that’s almost half the total land mass of the contiguous 48 states.(25) Each cow raised by the dairy-products industry consumes as much as 50 gallons of water per day.(26)

Human Bodies Fight Cow’s Milk  Besides humans (and companion animals who are fed by humans), no species drinks milk beyond infancy or drinks the milk of another species. Cow’s milk is suited to the nutritional needs of calves, who have four stomachs and gain hundreds of pounds in a matter of months, sometimes weighing more than 1,000 pounds before they are 2 years old.(27)

Cow’s milk is the number one cause of food allergies among infants and children, according to the American Gastroenterological Association.(28) Most people begin to produce less lactase, the enzyme that helps with the digestion of milk, when they are as young as 2 years old. This reduction can lead to lactose intolerance.(29) Millions of Americans are lactose intolerant, and an estimated 90 percent of Asian-Americans and 75 percent of Native- and African-Americans suffer from the condition, which can cause bloating, gas, cramps, vomiting, headaches, rashes, and asthma.(30) Studies have also found that autism and schizophrenia in children may be linked to the body’s inability to digest casein, a milk protein; symptoms of these diseases diminished or disappeared in 80 percent of the children who switched to milk-free diets.(31)

A U.K. study showed that people who suffered from irregular heartbeats, asthma, headaches, fatigue, and digestive problems “showed marked and often complete improvements in their health after cutting milk from their diets.”(32)

Calcium and Protein Myths

Although American women consume tremendous amounts of calcium, their rates of osteoporosis are among the highest in the world. Conversely, Chinese people consume half as much calcium (most of it from plant sources) and have very low incidence of the bone disease.(33) Medical studies indicate that rather than preventing the disease, milk may actually increase women’s risk of getting osteoporosis. A Harvard Nurses’ Study of more than 77,000 women ages 34 to 59 found that those who consumed two or more glasses of milk per day had higher risks of broken hips and arms than those who drank one glass or less per day.(34) T. Colin Campbell, professor of nutritional biochemistry at Cornell University, said, “The association between the intake of animal protein and fracture rates appears to be as strong as that between cigarette smoking and lung cancer.”(35)

Humans can get all the protein that they need from nuts, seeds, yeast, grains, beans, and other legumes. It’s very difficult not to get enough calories from protein when you eat a healthy diet; protein deficiency (also known as kwashiorkor) is very rare in the United States and is usually only a problem for people who live in famine-stricken countries.(36) Consumption of excessive protein from dairy products, eggs, and meat has been linked to the formation of kidney stones and has been associated with colon cancer and liver cancer.(37,38) It’s also suspected that consuming too much protein puts a strain on the kidneys, which compensate by leeching calcium from the bones.(39)”

http://www.peta.org/mc/factsheet_display.asp?ID=98

FROM A PETA SPONSORED WEBPAGEHarvard School of Public Health, on the Consumption of Dairy Products (2005):

“The recommendation to drink three glasses of low-fat milk or eat three servings of other dairy products per day to prevent osteoporosis is another step in the wrong direction. … Three glasses of low-fat milk add more than 300 calories a day. This is a real issue for the millions of Americans who are trying to control their weight. What’s more, millions of Americans are lactose intolerant, and even small amounts of milk or dairy products give them stomachaches, gas, or other problems. This recommendation ignores the lack of evidence for a link between consumption of dairy products and prevention of osteoporosis. It also ignores the possible increases in risk of ovarian cancer and prostate cancer associated with dairy products.”

Cow’s milk is an inefficient food source. Cows, like humans, expend the majority of their food intake simply leading their lives. It takes a great deal of grain and other foodstuffs cycled through cows to produce a small amount of milk. And not only is milk a waste of energy and water, the production of milk is also a disastrous source of water pollution. A dairy cow produces 120 pounds of waste every day — equal to that of two dozen people, but with no toilets, sewers, or treatment plants.

In Lancaster County, Pa., manure from dairy cows is destroying the Chesapeake Bay, and in California, which produces one-fifth of the country’s total supply of milk, the manure from dairy farms has poisoned vast expanses of underground water, rivers, and streams. In the Central Valley of California, the cows produce as much excrement as a city of 21 million people, and even a smallish farm of 200 cows will produce as much nitrogen as in the sewage from a community of 5,000 to 10,000 people, according to a U.S. Senate report on animal waste.

FOR YOUR HEALTH:  Dairy products are a health hazard. They contain no fiber or complex carbohydrates and are laden with saturated fat and cholesterol. They are contaminated with cow’s blood and pus and are frequently contaminated with pesticides, hormones, and antibiotics. Dairy products are linked to allergies, constipation, obesity, heart disease, cancer, and other diseases.

The late Dr. Benjamin Spock, America’s leading authority on child care, spoke out against feeding cow’s milk to children, saying it can cause anemia, allergies, and insulin-dependent diabetes and in the long term, will set kids up for obesity and heart disease, America’s number one cause of death.

And dairy products may actually cause osteoporosis, not prevent it, since their high-protein content leaches calcium from the body. Population studies, backed up by a groundbreaking Harvard study of more than 75,000 nurses, suggest that drinking milk can actually cause osteoporosis. Find out more by visiting our links page.”

http://www.milksucks.com/index2.asp    

Other resources:

https://luthar.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/bookofcompassion2ed.doc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYpafipJyDE&feature=player_embedded

Nursing calf photo can be found at   http://www.faqs.org/photo-dict/phrase/5743/calf-nursing.html

 n702126689_1382369_7333

Patram pushpam phalam toyam yo me bhaktyaa prayacchati;
Tadaham bhaktyupahritamashnaami prayataatmanah.

If one offers Me with love and devotion of a leaf,
a flower, fruit or water, I will accept it with joy. BG 9.26

b36

  https://luthar.com/call-of-the-conch-introduction/
https://luthar.com/call-of-the-conch-1/
https://luthar.com/call-of-the-conch-part-2/

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Njanappaana by Poonthanam Nambudiri-3

. Advaita and Yoga, ART & POETRY, INSPIRATIONAL . , , , , ,

translation and commentary by Smt. Savitri Puram
 duzvdh4anypjffvi_D0_guruvayurappa
If we have a lighted lamp, we can use it to read and enjoy a book
or use it to burn and destroy the book. We have the choice
to draw the life circle with Bhagavaan and His naamam as the center
and kindness and love as radius of the circle…
Poonthaanam advises us to use the lighted lamp inside us,
lit by the Light of Lights, to walk through the path of Bhakthi and Naamasankeerthanam. 

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Introduction

Njanappaana can be considered as the Bhagavad Gita of Malayalees. This is a Darshanika kaavyam or philosophical poem expressed in the most simple Malayalam language for ordinary people. Poonthanam Nambudiri, an ardent devotee of Shri Guruvayurappan, transformed his unbearable sorrow from his infant son’s death into a “yogavishesham”. He used this sad experience to build his Bhakthi soudham or house of devotion and opened it for all devotees for all time. Even though the language is very simple, this njaanappana, or song of wisdom deals with the essence of all vedas and upanishads. May Bhagavan Guruvayurappan, Bhagavathy Sarswathi Devi and Sri Poonthaanam Nambudiri bless us to become wiser by going through this great Song of Wisdom!!

This is continued from Part One… https://luthar.com/njanappaana-1 
                                          Part Two  https://luthar.com/njanappaana-2

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Alpakarmikalaakiya naamellaam
alpakaalam kondororo janthukkal
Garbha paathrathil pukkum purappettum
Karmam kondu kalikkunnathingane

We are all (naamellaam) alpakamikal or our duration of one life to do karmaas are short (when compared to the celestial beings). Hence with the karmaas accumulated in this short period we take birth in different animal’s’ womb (kondororo janthukaal garbhapaathratthil pukkum), come out (purappettum), live for a short period (alpakaalam) and continue playing this karma-bound game (karmam kondu kalikkunnathingane)“Alpakarmikal” include all animals and human beings We are all “alpakarmikal” when compared to celestial beings because one celestial year is 365 human years. What about Brahmadevan? One day time of Brahma is one chaturyugam which is equal to 4,320,000,000 human years. Then night also is as long as the day. So one full day is 8,640, 000,000 human years. So if we multiply with 365 and then by 100 years of Brahma’s life it becomes beyond comprehension for us. So let us not go further to Paramapurusha’s time scale because Bhagavan’s one moment is Brahma’s whole life duration which is 311,040,000,000,000 human years!

We perform karmaas continuously during our short life and then take birth in different animal wombs or human wombs based on our sukrutham or  dushkrutham or mixture of both.. For example, some say one cat year is equivalent to seven human years. So when born as a cat, results of the accumulated karmaas get exhausted in a short time. We believe that before getting a human birth or narajanmam, we go through millions of lives in the lower species with short durations of life. If we are born as a fire-fly (in Malayaalam, Iyyaampaatta) duration of life to exhaust karmaas is only about 21/2 hours or so. As a crocodile, it may be more than 100 years and as an elephant it may be 60 years. Also we see early deaths in all species and the only explanation for all these untimely deaths and diseases is the results of poorvajanma or previous janmaa’s karmaas. Poonthaanam expresses this numerous cycles of birth and death as a karma-bound game. Only Jeevathmaas in the form of different species of animals and humans are involved in this karma-bound game. Paramaathma is only a witness.

When we are finally blessed with a human birth, Poonthaanam advises us to use the power of discrimination bestowed on us by Lord. Only humans have the “vishesha buddhi” to change the course of our life by surrendering to God and offering all our karmaas at His Lotus feet. Continuous chanting of Bhagavaan’s auspicious names will help us not only to understand the real meaning of the famous sloka, but also to practice it in our daily life: 

Kaayena vaacha manasendriyairvaa
budhyaathmanaa vaa prakruthe swabhaavaath
karomi yadyath sakalam parasmai
naaraayanaayethi samarppayaami.

Whatever I do with my body, speech, mind or with other senses of my body, or with my intellect and soul or with my innate natural tendencies I offer (dedicate) everything to Lord Narayana.

With the complete surrender or Sharanagathi, we can escape the terrible cycle of birth,death and sufferings and attain His Lotus feet. Naamasankeerthanam destorys desires and tendencies and helps us to do all karmaas with out expecting anything in return.

 Narakatthil kitakkunna jeevan poy
Durithangal otungi manassinte
Paripaakavum vannu kramatthaale
Narajaathiyil vannu pirannittu
Sukrutham cheythu maelppottu poyavar
Sukhicheetunnu sathyalokattholam
Salkarmam kondu maelpottu poyavar
Swargatthinkal irunnu sukhikkunnu

 Until the consequences of the the multitude of sins gets exhausted (durithangal otungi) Jeevan stays in Naraka or hell ( narkatthil kitakkunna jeevan) and when slowly mind attains maturity (kramatthaale manassinte paripaakavaum vannu) jeevan moves (poy) to take birth as human being (narajaathiyil vannu). After taking birth as humans (pirannittu), those who do sukrutham or good deeds in abundance goes all the way up ( sukrutham cheythu melpottu poyavar) to the sathyalokam (sathylokattholam) and remains there happy and peaceful (sukhiccheetunnu)( never to return and take birth again). Those who do satkarmaas go up to heaven and remain there (for sometime) enjoying the heavenly comforts.

Can we differentiate sukrutham and satkarmam? Sukrutham is the result of dhaarmic punya karmaas. In other words sukrutham is Nishkaama satkarmam or good deeds with out expecting anything in return. All actions performed with purity of mind is Sukrutham. Sukrutham is satkarmaas done for the Kalyaanam or mangalam of all. Bhagavaan assures in Gita “the doer of good (kalyaanakruth), never comes to grief” or “sukruthis never come to grief”. According to another definition Sukrutham is the results of the satkarmaas accumulated from one’s own past karmaas or sukrutham can even be passed on from ancestors.

What is satkarmam? Satkarmaas are definitely good deeds, but the purpose of action may or may not be pure and also good actions can be performed with selfish motives These satkarmaas with out purity of mind do not become Sukrutham. But the results of these satkarmaas are experienced in Swargam or heaven and when they are exhausted soul is subjected to rebirth.

Another word for sathyalokam is “yathaarthalokam” or real world and once we have realisation, no more suffering, sorrows or rebirth.

Life after death is not to punish the souls by sending them to hell or reward them by sending them to heaven. These experiences are given to remind the soul of it’s true purpose of life. Of course the soul’s journey to mukthi or salvation, or heaven or hell depends on the sukrutham or good deeds done. Experiences in heaven and hell are supposed to impart knowledge and wisdom so that when they take rebirth, they can strive to do more good deeds and attain salvation. That is why poonthaanam says about maturity of mind (manassinte paripaakam). But often Maaya masks this realisation and again jeevan goes after transient pleasures and ahdarmic deeds. But because of the Vishesha Buddhi and power of discrimination, humans have the choice to acquire good and bad karmaas. It is only in human birth jeeva gets this opportunity to go beyond the bondage of karma as a whole and attain salvation. Poonthaanam recommends Naamasankeerthanam as the most easy and enjoyable path to salvation.

In this context Njaanaaanada Saraswathi’s description about the fate of souls after death may help us to understand this better. In this book called Vedantha Vinjaanam, he compares the soul’s journey to a bouncing ball. When  we throw a ball to the ground with lot of force, it bounces very high. But when it is thrown with less force it bounces only to a lower height. When it is thrown with hardly any force it hardly bounces and leaves the ground. Here the force with which we throw the ball is compared to sukrutham of the soul. After the death of the body, depending on how much sukrutham one has accumulated, soul goes to Sathylaokam, or Swargam (heaven) or chandralokam or Parjanya lokam , pithrulokam or in the vicinity of earth called prethalokam. Souls that go to Sathyalokam never returns to take janma because they have either attained saalokyam, sarropyam, saameepyam or saayujyam with Paramaathma. (In sathylokam soul can unite with paramaathma and this is Saayujyam. Souls can reside for ever in God’s abode and this is called saalokyam. Next is soul’s assumption of God’s form called Saaroopyam. Staying near to God is Saamipyam.) Poonthannam here mentions about only sathyalokam, heaven and hell. In all other worlds except Sathyalokam, soul stays until the consequences of satkarmaas or dusshkarmaas or a mixture of both are exhausted, and then with the remaining inherent vaasnaas or tendencies takes birth in an appropriate womb determined to improve oneself.

Several different explanations are given for the journey of the soul after death. Dvaitha and Advaitha school of thoughts view these differently. One group believes in attributeless or impersonal God and other group sees God as a personality endowed with glorious qualities. But Mukthi or liberation is unanimously defined as the release from the repeated cycle of birth and death. With the abundance of good deeds or sukrutham, mind becomes pure and “sama-darshanam” or Jeevathma-Parmaathma unity happens. This realization is called enlightenment and enlightened souls eventually get liberated.

Sukruthangalumokke otungumbol
Paripaakavumellolamillavar
Parichodangirunnittu bhoomiyil (jaatharrayi)
duritham cheythu chatthavar pinneppoyi
narkangalil vevvaere veezhunnu

When the results of the good karmaas are exhausted (sukruthangalokke otungumbol), souls remaining in heaven (parichotangirunnittu) are reborn on earth (bhhomiyil jaatharrayi). When their previous good and bad experiences do not impart any maturity and knowledge (paripaakavum ellolam illa-not even as much as little sesame seed), they end up doing more and more bad karmaas (duritham cheythu). Again after death (chatthavar) they suffer the consequences of their various negative karmaas in different ways or in different types of hells. (In one old version the word “jaatharaayi” is not there and with out that meaning can be interpreted in a different way. In that case, the word “parichotangirunnittu” can be for the life on earth or bhoomi itself. When the  the good results of the past sukrutham experiencing in this life on Bhoomi is exhausted, with out any realisation of how transient the pleasures are, some commit more sins to end up in different hells)

In this stanza Poonthaanam explains how important is “pascchaatthaapam” or atonement. Even when we enjoy a good life here on earth, we tend to forget how blessed we are and keep hurting others in several ways. When subjected to miseries also, some people often do not realize the sins or mistakes they have committed and refuse to learn and correct themselves. Poonthaanam is talking about such people and he says that they commit more and more sins with out atonement and go through more suffering. If we realize our mistake and do “praayasccchttham” sincerely, we will not be tempted to do more sins. Famous story of the prostitute Pingala is an example for purifying one’s mind with “pascchaatthaapam”. She realized how wrong it was to sell her body for a living and later with deep atonement surrendered herself at Bhagavaa’s feet and attained Mukthi.

“Aviveka: paramaapadaam padam” is illustrated in this stanza. This means “avivekam” or lack of wise discrimination is the root cause of all miseries. When there is no maturity of mind, the power of discrimination will not be there. So instead of going after “sreyas” or what is good, we go after “preyas” or what gives pleasure. Swami Desikan describes nine steps for a spiritual aspirant and vivekam is the first step. Poonthaanam used the word “paripaakam” of the mind to indicate this vivekam or wise discrimination. Lack of Vivekam or paripaakam of mind leads us to hell by performing adhaarmic and bad deeds .

Purity of mind is very important in spiritual advancement. Only from a pure mind knowledge is emerged. With all temptations around us, it is harder to purify our mind in Kaliyuga.

Kalau kalmasha chitthaanaam
Paapadravyopajeevanam
vidhikriyaavihinaanaam
Gathir Govindakeerthanam

In Kaluyuga, mind of ordinary human beings are tainted by Kaamam, krodham, madam, moham etc (kalamsha chittham) and often end up doing adharmam (paapam) to make money (dravyam) for living (for upajeevanam). Ordinary people do not have the time or inclination to do good karmaas as prescribed in vedaas (vidhikriyaheenam). The only thing that can give relief from the sufferings of Kaliyuga is Govinda naama sankeerthanam. Bhagavaan and Bhagavaan’s naama are never separated. Naamam is called Kalpa vruksham of the earth.

Suralokathil ninnoru jeevan poi
Naraloke maheesuranaakunnu
Chandakarmangal cheythavan chaakumbol
Chandaala kulathinkal pirakkunnu
Asuranmaar suranmarayeetunnu
Amaranmaar marangal aayeetunnu
Ajam chathu gajamai pirakkunnu
Gajam chathangajavum aayeedunnu
Nari chathu naranai pirakkunnu
Naari chathutan oriyai pokunnu
Kripa koodaathe peedippicheetunna
Nripan chathu krimiyaai pirakkunnu
Eacha chathoru poocha yayeetunnu
Easwarante vilaasangalingane

A jeevan or soul from heaven or land of Devaas (suralokatthil ninnoru jeevan) is born as a Brahmin on earth (naralokatthil maheesuranaakunnu). People who do extremely cruel actions becomes “chandaala” or a member of a despised caste. Demons or Asuraas become Suraas or Devaas. People who are eternal or immortal or deathless (amaranmaar) are born as trees (marangal aayeetunnu) . A goat (ajam) is born as an elephant (gajam) and vice versa. A tiger (nari) after death is born as a human being (naran) and a  woman (naari) is born as a fox (oriyaai). A king who mercilessly tortures (kripa kootaathe peedippicchitunna) his citizens takes birth as a worm (krimi). A fly is reborn as a cat and all these are Bhagavaan’s leelavilasam or playful divine drama.

After death, to experience the results of the residual karmaas, jeevan takes birth in appropriate womb. The passage of a soul from body to body is determined by the force of one’s actions, or karma. If an individual performs good deeds, the next birth will be rewarding, and if not, the person may degenerate into a lower life form. In the above lines, Poonthaanam shows several examples of the effect of karmaas on the soul when it is separated from the body after death. A jeevan from heaven comes to earth to experience the results of his residual negative karmaas. Likewise after experiencing negative results by taking birth as beings in several thousands of species, finally a tiger, for example,  gets the life of a human being. Humans bestowed with the power of “wise discrimination” along with the grace of God,  can perform good karmaas and advance spiritually. But when a human being resorts to unkind, hurtful, and negative actions, he will again be pushed back to be born in lower life form like a worm. Poonthaanam says:  A king who mercilessly tortures (kripa kootaathe peedippicchitunna) his citizens takes birth as a worm (krimi).

There are several examples in our puraanaas to illustrate this law of karma. A good example of how an “amara” or immortal being becomes a “maram” or tree is the story of Nalakoobara and Manigriva who were the sons of Kubera, the lord of Yakshaas or the Lord of wealth. Once Nalakoobara and Manigriva were enjoying themselves playing in a lake with women. They were intoxicated and oblivious of everything around them. Sage Narada passed by the lake during this time and the ashamed ladies immediately covered their body with clothes and showed their respect to Narada with folded hands. But both Nalakoobara and Manigriva, intoxicated with pride and drinks ignored Narada Muni. Narda Muni cursed them to become “maruthu trees”. They had to remain as trees for a very long time until Krishna as Damodara came out of Gokulam and touched them with the wooden mortar.

Another example is the story of Gajendramoksham. King Indradyumana was born as a “divine elephant”. I am quoting below the words of our own respected S.N Sastriji (from the Naaraayneeyam commentary) : “The njana and devotion which he (King Indradyumnan who became an elephant by sage Agasthya’s curse) had acquired in his previous life came back to him under the stress of the suffering caused by the attack of the crocodile. He then worshipped Thee with lotus flowers plucked by his trunk, while singing continuously a great hymn addressed to the Nirguna brahmam which he had learnt in his previous life.” Even though King Indradyumna had to be born as an elephant, his residual good karmaas led him to salvation. (Also the crocodile was Huhu, a gandharvan in the previous janma.)

Vishnu_Gajendra_Moksham

As a “Bhoktha”, the experiencer, one does not have the freedom of choice in experiencing the results of accumulated bad karmaas. (Bhagavaan and His naamam are the only solution to lessen or erase our suffering due to accumulated bad karmaas). But as a “Kartha” or doer, one has freedom of choice to some extent. If we have a lighted lamp, we can use it to read and enjoy a book or use it to burn and destroy the book. We have the choice to draw the life circle with Bhagavaan and His naamam as the center and kindness and love as radius of the circle. Also we can draw the life circle with “I” and “mine” as center and a combination of  kaama,krodha,,lobha moha,mada,maasthryaadi  negative qualities as radius of the circle

Poonthaanam advises us to use the lighted lamp inside us, lit by the Light of Lights, to walk through the path of Bhakthi and Naamasankeerthanam. 

Keezhmelingane mandunna jeevanmaar
Bhoomiyeennathre naetunnu karmangal
Seemayillatholam pala karmangal
Bhoomiyeennathre naetunnu jeevanmaar
Angane cheythu nedi marichudan
Anya lokangal oronnil oronnil
Chennirunnu bhujikkunnu jeevanmaar
Thangal cheythoru karmangal than phalam
Odungitum athottunaal chellumbol
Udane vannu naetunnu pinneyum
Thante thante grihathinkal ninnutan
Kondu ponna dhanam kondu naamellam
Mattengaanumoredathirunnittu
Vittoonennu parayum kanakkine

These jeevaas run (mandunnu) between the lower worlds and upper worlds (keezmelingane) of the universe. But it is said (athre) that they get to do karmaas (karmangal naetunnu) only in Bhoomi. It is said that only in Bhoomi these jeevaas get to do various (pala) and limitless (seemayilaatholam) karmaas. Thus (angane) they accumulate karmaas(naeti) and after death (maricchutan) spend time (chennirunnu)in different worlds one by one (lokangal oronnil oronnil) and experience or enjoy (bhujikkunnu) the results of (good) karmaas (karmangal than phalam) done by themselves(thangal cheythoru). These experiences end (odungitum-with the exhaustion of accumulated good karmaas that can be experienced in worlds other than earth) in a little while (athottunaal chellumbol) and again (pinneyum) jeevaas come (vannu) to earth and collect (netunnu) karmaas. When a person goes to some unknown place and spends prodigiously all the money he collected and brought from his own house, can be called “vittunnunnavan”. Exactly in the same way, jevaas accumulate all the karmaas from earth and experience the results in another world.

It appears that a literal translation of some of the verses my not make much sense. Therefore, it seems appropriate to explore the metaphysical meaning that the lines convey.

In Vedanta, earth is often referred to by another name “karma-kshethra”. This name came because souls can experience the results of karmaas performed ONLY on earth and not in any of the other 13 worlds. What ever experiences any jeeva go through in any other world is the result of karmaas done on earth. If good karmaas outweigh the bad karmaas, we go to heaven, experience the results of good karmaas that can be experienced in heaven until those results are exhausted. Then it goes to hell to experience the results of bad karmaas that can be experienced in hell until those results are exhausted and comes back to earth with some residual good or bad (or both good and bad) karmaas that can be experienced only on earth. But no new accumulation of karmaas can happen in any other world. “otungeetum ottunaal chellumbol” (line 5, first part) means that the karmaas that took the soul to heaven (or hell) will be exhausted in heaven (or hell) by enjoyment (or suffering). Every action we perform is like sowing a seed. It remains vibrant and at a later time we reap the results. It is not possible for ordinary people like us to link the past karmaas and what we experience now by any reasonable method. The same karma performed with different attitude can lead us to heaven, hell, or salvation. Bhaavam is very important.

Poonthaanam has used the word “bujikkunnu” for experiencing the results. The word “bhojanam” is defined as “sukhena anubhuyathe iti bhojanam” or “what is experienced happily”. So “bhujikkunnu” may apply only for the experiences of our good karmaas. When the good karmaas that can be enjoyed in heaven are over, we come back to earth. To experience the results of different types of karmaas, our subtle body goes to different worlds and then with a gross, physical body comes to earth and experience what ever residual karmaas are left as well as to perform new karmaas and the cycle continues. The word “Vitttoonu” is a characteristic of a spendthrift. Origin of the word spendthrift is some one who has spent his accumulated wealth from predecessors or ancestors. Poonthannam compares jeevan’s enjoying the results of the accumulated karmaas from the past (from earth) to a person’s enjoying life by spending all the wealth acquired over a period of time. Just like wealth gets exhausted by spending, results of karmaas gets exhausted by experiencing. Life in heaven is not eternal, it is transient. It is interesting to note that jeevans in subtle body and gross body welcome the end of suffering, but definitely want the enjoyment of the results of good karmaas to last for ever when both are transient Only Nishkaama karmam (with out expecting anything in return) leads to eternal peace and happiness or salvation.

Since every action we perform, and every thought that comes to our mind has a result or consequence, Poonthaanam used the word “Seemayillatholam” or limitless or endless karmaas. Wheel of karma continues on and on. Nobody can remain Karma-free. There is one and only one solution to get out of the wheel of Karma and all scriptures and our great seers suggest to surrender to God and do karmaas with renunciation of the fruits of actions.. Poonthaanam gives an easy solution to develop this attitude of complete surrender -Naamasankeertthanam.

Let us chant the naamam to purify our mind with Shri Poonthaanam and other millions of devotees:

Krishna! Krishna! Mukunda! Janaardana!
Krishna! Govinda! Naaraayana! Hare!
Achyuthaananda! Govnda! Maadhavaa!
Sachindaananda! Naaraayana! Hare!

 

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbI4Uk8fSYk&feature=player_embedded

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Samasthaaparadham kshamaswa  Sreekrishnaarpanamasthu

Harsha's avatar

Call of the Conch-Part 2: By Joyce Sweinberg

. Advaita and Yoga, HEALTH & NUTRITION, INSPIRATIONAL . , , , , , ,

 

WARNING:  THE  STILL AND VIDEO IMAGES IN THIS ARTICLE
ARE GRAPHIC DEPICTIONS OF VIOLENCE TO DAIRY COWS AND THEIR OFFSPRING.

vishn69

We need to realize that milk is not an “Innocent”
animal product as it is thought to be, but is a
highly violent, cruel, and immensely exploitative food.
The most important factor in cow abuse is the economic factor;
we need to realize that as long as we, the consumers
of milk and leather, continue to buy these violent products,
the exploitation of the cow and the killing of her calves
will continue to occur. ~Shri Kamlesh

 “The female dairy cow spends her life confined in close quarters with other cows, being pumped with hormones calculated to produce pregnancy after pregnancy as long as she is capable of bearing calves, both to increase the population of the cows for milk and meat production and to spur the female to produce more milk. When her calves are born, they are taken from her within a few days of birth, giving rise to the grief of separation for both the mother and the child.”  https://luthar.com/call-of-the-conch-1.  The videos below depict the artificial insemination of the dairy cow, the birth of the calves, and the removal of the calf shortly after birth…on it’s way to either the slaughterhouse if it is male, or to its own pathetic future as a female dairy cow, soon to face the same fate as the grieving mother who gave birth to her,  bearing in her heart the infant grief of separation from her mother and facing the maternal grief in the heart of a mother forced to face the loss of her child.

The motherless child…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiRxkU_opyQ&feature=player_embedded

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZrX1rTddho

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kM387cI4rk&feature=player_embedded

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAiIIZMKPC0&feature=player_embedded

Contrasts a dairy calf searching for his mother on a farm with undercover footage of calves at a slaughterhouse.

“Roughly 50% of the calves are male calves which are considered to be the by-products of the milk industry and do not have any value. These male calves are the most unfortunate souls of the milk industry; they are the silent sufferers in the background that no one bothers to notice. They sacrifice their lives so that we can drink the milk which was meant for them.These calves meet their deaths wherever factory farming occurs both in India and in the western world.

India.

Before mechanized farming, the male calves were highly sought after as draught animals that would till the land and become the farmer’s best friend. But with tractors taking over the role of draught animals, the male calves are useless and the farming/milk industry no longer feels it necessary to sustain them.

Due to the cultural heritage of India, where beef eating is not popular and cow killing is illegal, these calves are not slaughtered for calf-meat or “veal” as in the western countries. But since they pose no value to the farmer these calves are killed in the most horrific manner.

 dead-calf

Most male calves in India are separated soon after their birth… they are strangulated to death, starved and then even buried alive in compost mounds to dispose their bodies. In some cases a stuffed animal like structure is covered with the hide of the dead calf and placed near the cow, so that she continues to give milk thinking that the stuffed doll is her living calf! Many are slaughtered in illegal slaughter houses to make fancy “calf leather” belts, purses, wrist bands etc.

Western Countries.

In the west the male calves are seen as sources of “calf-meat” or veal, which is the most perverted food any human can eat. The specialty of veal meat is that it is very tender, fatty and succulent and to achieve this, the calves are taken from their mothers immediately after birth and raised so as to deliberately induce borderline anemia.

 sick_calf

veal

They are then confined in small cages called as veal-crates, usually measuring 2-feet-wide, in which they cannot turn around or stretch their limbs all their lives. This is done so that their flesh does not build muscle which is considered to be tough to eat. After about 3-5 months of living confined to their cages, these innocent calves are then slaughtered to satisfy humans’ perverted thirst for flesh.

 

cattle-veal-13 preg-conveyorbeltbig

The plight of the female calves is worse, they are raised so that they can be perpetually inseminated to give us their milk for the rest of the lives. If they are so unfortunate so that they become sick or break their legs which they often do, due to being continuously pregnant they are then mercilessly slaughtered, ending as meat and leather.

It is a well known fact the cows raised for milk (Dairy cows) have to undergo much more abuse and sufferings than the cows which are raised for meat (Beef cows)”

These are NOT isolated incidents, but are in fact routine procedure to dispose the male calves as profitably as possible depending upon the location, either in India or in the west. This suffering and killings are a direct result of the milk industry, which satisfies our thirst for milk, our cravings for ice-creams, payasams and chocolates at the cost of these innocent animals.

While we enjoy our milk, the silent killings go on!   ~Shri Kamlesh*

 Having one’s actions grounded in ahimsa for the Lord’s creatures, all of them, calls to our spiritual conscience with the power of the sounding of the conch. The conch, held by Vishnu, the preserver, represents life. When it is sounded, it is the sound of victory, as by Krishna and Arjuna heralding the defeat of the adharmic influences in the battlefield of the mind symbolized in the Holy Gita.  May the adharmic influences inherent in the dairy industry fall to the ground in defeat at the call of the conch.

cow-gomatha_vishnu… dhenoonaamasmi kaamadhuk…

Among the cows, I am Surabhi, the wish-fulfilling cow. B.G. 10.28

 b36

 https://luthar.com/call-of-the-conch-introduction
https://luthar.com/call-of-the-conch-1

*The italicized text of Part 2 in this series was written by Shri Kamlesh, who also provided many of the images used. Any edits were to context, not to content. I offer my namaskarams to him.

Harsha's avatar

Njanappaana by Poonthaanam Numidiri-1

. Advaita and Yoga, ART & POETRY, INSPIRATIONAL . , , , , , , ,

 
translation and commentary by Smt. Savitri Puram 

      duzvdh4anypjffvi_D0_guruvayurappa

Krishna! Krishna! Mukunda! Janaardana!
Krishna! Govinda! Naarayana! Hare!
Achyuthaananda! Govinda! Maadhava! 
Sachidaananda! Naarayana! Hare!

Introduction

Njanappaana can be considered as the Bhagavad Gita of Malayalees. This is a Darshanika kaavyam or philosophical poem expressed in the most simple Malayalam language for ordinary people. Poonthanam Nambudiri, an ardent devotee of Shri Guruvayurappan, transformed his unbearable sorrow from his infant son’s death into a “yogavishesham”. He used this sad experience to build his Bhakthi soudham or house of devotion and opened it for all devotees for all time. Even though the language is very simple, this njaanappana, or song of wisdom deals with the essence of all vedas and upanishads. May Bhagavan Guruvayurappan, Bhagavathy Sarswathi Devi and Sri Poonthaanam Nambudiri bless us to become wiser by going through this great Song of Wisdom!!boarder

Gurunaadhan thuNa chaika santhatham thirunaamangal naavinmel eppozhum
Piriyaatheyirikkanam nammude nara janmam saphalamaakkiduvaan

May my Gurunathan help me (thuna chaika) to keep the auspicious names of Lord continuously on my tongue (naavinmel eppozhum) and to make this human life (narajanmam) meaningful and fruitful!(saphalamaakkituvaan).

The only way to to make the human life fruitful and meaningful is to constantly chant the auspicious names of Lord. So, the poet is seeking the blessings of his Gurunaathan to help him retain the naamam on his tongue for ever. Who is Poonthanam’s Guru?  He is considering Guruvayurappan as his Guru because Lord is both the remover of the darkness of Anjaanam or avidya (Guru) and the protector and saviour of all (Naathan). After innumerable births in lower species,we finally got narajanmam in Kaliyuga. Kalisantharanopanishad and many other scriptures reinforce the importance of naamasankeerthanam in Kaliyuga. Naamasankeerthanam can be done any time anywhere.

Innaleyolam enthennarinjeela Ini naaleyum enthennarinjeela
Innikkanda thadikku vinaashavum Inna neramennaethumarinjeela

We really do not know what happened until yesterday or what would happen tomorrow. Neither we know when this body we see today will perish.

When we look at the literal meaning, we may feel like responding: “I know what happened until yesterday and I can roughly guess what will happen in the coming days. I am hail and healthy and unless I get into an accident or so I should be able to live many more years”.

Poonthaanam is putting his forefinger on his nose with an expression of “what a pity?” because he meant much more than the literal meaning of yesterday, tomorrow and our present body. He persuades us to think deep about the uncertainty of life. Yesterday and today also means previous janmaas and future janmaas. We do not know about our previous janmaas or good and bad karmaas we have accumulated. A great part of our good and bad experiences in this janma is the direct result of our past karmaas. We cannot undo the sins or suffering by anything other than sincere prayers. Bhagavaan is the only one who can change the results of our praarabdha karmaas and in Kaliyuga, naamasankeerthanam pleases Bhagavan more than anything. We do not know what is in store for us tomorrow. How can we make sure that our future is in safe hands? Only by offering ourselves in His strong and kind hands. Then what about today? At present we live in this body and the moment jeevathma leaves the body, it becomes lifeless like a log of wood. We have absolutely no idea when that will happen. Here Poonthaanam used the word “thati” for body to specifically tell us that body is like a log of wood or worse than a log of wood when it is lifeless. A dead body that is not preserved starts deteriorating in a few hours where as a log of wood may remain intact for several months or even years. Poonthaanam advises us to think deep about these truths and use every moment available to worship Lord with naamams. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu also said that there are no hard and fast rules for chanting naamaas. Anytime one can chant and under any circumstances one is allowed to chant. “Shuchir va ashuchir va sarva avasthaasu sarvada” meaning in any condition clean (purified) or dirty (impure) one can chant the auspicious names of Lord.

Kandukandangirikkum janangale  Kandillennu varuthunnathum bhavaan
Randu naalu dinam kondorutthane Thandiletti nadathunnathum bhavaan
Maalika mukaleriya mannante Tholil maaraappu kettunnathum bhavaan

If Bhagavan wishes, those people whom we see today may disappear (may be dead) by tomorrow. Again if Bhagavan decides, with in a few days (two or four days) a healthy man’s dead body may be carried to the funeral pyre. In the same way, by God’s wish, a king sitting in a palace (maalika) can become a beggar with a dirty bag (maaraappu) hanging from his shoulders (tholil).

Poonthaanam explains how transient is our life, wealth, poverty, sorrows and everything that we see in this world. A man walking and having fun this moment can embrace death the next moment. Everything is Lord’s wish! In Kerala, usually a dead body is tied to a wooden ladder or a piece of long wood and carried by relatives (normally by sons) to the funeral pyre. However hail and healthy one may be, when the time decided by Lord approaches, chaitanyam or jeevan disappears leaving the dead body to be carried to the funeral pyre. It can happen any time, in one day, two days or four days (randu naalu dinam kondoruthane). Here Poonthanam used the word “mannan” for king (mannante) because “mannan” also means “drushtan” or “aviveki”. He advises that those people who have money and power should have the vivekam to use both dharmically remembering that they came to this world with nothing and would go from this world with nothing. Bhagavan can take it any moment from anybody.

By Lord Krishna’s blessings, Kuchela or Sudama became wealthy overnight. What about Ravana? He lost everything that he held dear and finally he lost his life too at the hands of Lord Rama. Even if we are destined to go through sufferings due to our past karmaas, surrendering to Lord will lessen the negative effects and lead us to Satgathi. “Bagavan says in Gita: “na hi kalyaanakruth kashchid durgathim thaatha gacchathi” meaning “If you do good, it will definitely lead you to satgathi or protect you from any harm”. Poonthaanam tells this truth from his own experience of the tragic and sudden death  of his infant son.

I have heard several versions of the story. But the following is the one I heard from my parents. Poonthaanam’s son was 5 months old and anna praasham (giving rice for the first time is called “choroonu” in Malayalam and usually it is done either the 5th month or 7th month ) ceremony was fixed. He invited several relatives and that morning after feeding the baby his wife made a bed in the room next to the hall where the ceremony was to be conducted. Usually there will be an entrance to that room from the kitchen also. Baby was sleeping and his wife was busy with all the preparations. It was morning and one namboothiri lady finished her bath and put the wet clothes in the same room where the baby was sleeping. That room was dark even during day time and she did not see the baby and unfortunately wet clothes were put on the baby’s face. ( I can very well believe this because in my house, there is a room on the north side called Vatakkini which is very dark even in day time. So when our parents told us this story, we listened with tears in our eyes and we felt it could happen in any Nambudiri house.) Then the next lady came after bath and seeing the wet clothes in a corner she also put hers on the top of it. One after another a few ladies unknowingly put wet clothes on  and around the baby. Nobody noticed and it was about muhurttham time and Poonthaanam asked his wife to bring the baby. She was shocked to see what happened to her helpless baby and we can imagine the rest.

This sorrow gave birth to Njanappana and Poonthaanam advises us to realize the uncertainty of everything in this world and persuades us to think of God by continuous chanting of His auspicious names.

Kandaal ottariyunnu chilarithu Kandaalum thiriyaa chilarkkethumae
Kandathonnumae sathyam allennathu Mumbe kandangariyunnithu chilar

Some people see this truth, understand it or internalize the truth. But some people cannot comprehend the truth even when they see it everyday. But there are some others who know that all that they see are not real and it is all Maaya.

Here Poonthaanam divides humans into three categories. Utthama purushaas (or wise people or perfect human beings) are able to understand the transient nature of this world. People like Shankaraacharyar, Sreeraamakrishna Paramahasar are examples who belong to this category. Then there are Madhyama purushaas (or reasonably wise people) who understand it when they themselves or people near, dear and around them experience the ups and downs of life. Then the third category of people known as Adhama Purushaas (people with low level of wisdom) do not understand or even do not have the attitude to think more about it even if they or their beloved ones go through the negative as well as the positive experiences including successes, death, suffering and disease. Yudhishtira Maharaj says to the Yaksha who asks ” what is the biggest wonder in the world?”

Even though everybody who is born embraces death eventually, the living people refuse to believe that death will eventually embrace them also. What is more surprising than this? Even though we see it everyday we live as if death is only for somebody else.

Again Poonthanam indirectly tells us that only with Bhagavan’s blessings we can have this vivekam or power of discrimination. So we should pray Bhagavan to include us in that category of few people (the word “chilar” indicates that these kind of people are rare) who are capable of seeing the truth. In this Kaliyuga, the most doable form of worship is naamasnakeerthanam and he encourages everybody to chant auspicious names to purify our mind and elevate ourselves from the state of Adhama Purushas to the state of Uttama Purushas.

Palarkkum ariyenam ennittallo
Pala jaathi parayunnu saasthrangal

Many people (palarkkum) want to know (ariyenam)about all these (including the power of discrimination of human beings, about the mystery of God, how to go beyond Maya and attain salvation etc) and hence so many saasthraas (saathrangal) tells (parayunnu) about or explain these subjects in so many different ways (pala jaathi).

Which saasthra or which philosophy appeals to each one depends on each individual’s nature, attitude and circumstances. Some people like certain approach whereas others like a totally different approach. Saathraas contain so many different philosophies to satisfy the varied interests of ordinary people. Just like we all choose different professions or jobs for the sole purpose of survival, different people accept different saasthraas to advance spiritually and increase the awareness of parmaathma chaithanyam or God. There are Vaishnavaas, Shaivaas, Shaaktheyaas or another group who worship all 33 million gods alike etc. Goal is the same and only paths are different. There is a saying that “vitthamaeva param nrunaam janmaachaarakalodaya:” meaning people choose different ways and methods for the sole purpose of acquiring wealth.

Outwardly each and every philosophy may appear different, but once the essence is understood, the differences slowly disappear and all the paths unite to become one path. The word Saasthraas (saathrangal) is used because they advise to follow certain restrictions and rules to advance smoothly in the spiritual path. How is it possible to choose the right path and who will guide us through? Poonthanam has only one solution: chant the auspicious names of God and He will guide us through the right path.

Karmathiladhikaari janangalkku
Karma saasthrangalundu palavidham
Saankhya saasthrangal yogangal enniva
Sankhyayillyathu nilkkatte sarvavum

For those people (janangalkku) who are authorized to do karmaas like yaaga or yanja, homam, poojaas etc (karmaathil adikaari- it can even mean those who desire to do karmaas or those who are entrusted with the duty of performing karmaas) several different (palavidham) karma saashtraas are available (karma saasthrangalundu). Saankhya saasthra, yoga saasthra etc are among the innumerable or countless(sankhyayillya) saasthraas available. But for the time being, let us keep aside ( nilkkatte) all of them (athu sarvavum)

Just like the diversity of the world and its inhabitants, saasthraas also are diverse. Different types of yanjaas, poojaas, and homams are described very clearly in many scriptures. Initially even though devotees perform them with some specific desire, as the Bhakthi bhaavam matures, Bhagavan’s blessings help them to do Nishkaama karma or do karma with out expecting anything in return. There is a small conversation between Jabali Muni and a vartthaka or business man called Thulaadhaara. Even though Jabaali Muni was an embodiment of kindness, he was proud of his achievements and considered himself as the greatest Dharmishttan. Then he heard an ‘ashareeri” or wise words from God to visit Thulaadhaara. He visited him and Thulaadhaara explains to him how we all should do our swadharmam with out expecting anything in return. Thulaadhaara told him that Yanjaas and poojaas are done to show our gratitude to God, Forefathers, Rishis and other Maahaathmaas for what blessings they  have already bestowed on us. Renunciation of the results of the karma is nishkaama karma  and Nishkaama karma purifies our mind. God’s chaithanyam gets reflected only in pure minds.

Maharshi Kapila’s Saankhya philosophy regards Universe as consisting of two eternal realities Purusha and Prakriti. Pathanjali Maharshi’s yoga saasthra describes different types of yogas like Hatha yoga, Raja Yoga etc. They all lead one to the knowledge of Brahmam, but those paths are very difficult and with out an able Guru (in every sense of the word) it is impossible to follow those paths. But in this Kaliyuga, Bhaktha Kavi Poonthaanam advises us to set aside those difficult paths (which are as sharp and dangerous as the edge of a razor) and follow the most simple and enjoyable path of Bhakthi or devotion. What is the first and final step in the path of devotion? Naamasankeerthanam. Bhakthi starts with Naamam and ends with Naamam. It is for ordinary people as well as for self realized souls. No question of whether you are authorized, whether you have enough knowledge to pursue or whether you have the right comes into question in this way of worshipping Lord. Anybody can do naamajapam, anytime, anywhere. 

 

Krishna! Krishna! Mukunda! Janaardana!
Krishna! Govinda! Naarayana! Hare!
Achyuthaananda! Govinda! Maadhava! 
Sachidaananda! Naarayana! Hare!

Part One…To be continued…

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Harsha's avatar

Call of the Conch-Introduction: By Joyce Sweinberg

. Advaita and Yoga, HEALTH & NUTRITION, INSPIRATIONAL . , , , , , , ,

5732_216453855374_215886190374_7808618_1259315_n
“We need to challenge our age old habits and tradition
if they are in direct contrast to the principles of
non-violence and dharma laid down by Sri Krishna in Gita.”

Lord Krishna is also known as Gopala, or protector of the cows. His love for and relationship with the cows of Vrindavan forms a major part of His transcendental past times.  Among the artwork depicting His holy image, there are just as many showing Him with His beloved cows as there are images depicting Him with His beloved Radha and the gopis.  As Giridhara, He lifted the mountain of Govardhana to protect the citizens and the cows from destruction.  When He played His flute, the cows were there, His most ardent audience.  When He wanted to eat, the cows were there, His most willing suppliers of milk and butter.  When He wanted affection, the cows were there, His most unselfish companions, wanting nothing from Him but His caress and His embrace, which they freely returned.  And so, it is not surprising that from these stories and for other reasons, the practice of offering Him prasadam made with dairy, and bathing His image in milk developed and took hold as the cornerstone of devotional rituals.

At abishekam, a devotional service, the offering of milk is one of the most common items donated by devotees.  Sometimes mixed with honey and other items, the milk is poured onto the deity and flows freely and amply throughout the ritual, allowed to drain into metal bowls, collected and then poured back into the bottles for the devotees to take home, now blessed by the Lord.  A small vessel is also passed around the room, with each of us given a small spoonful to drink the blessings of Divinity. Food is also offered to the Lord for prasadam and usually contains milk and ghee, a form of clarified butter.  After the puja is complete, the food is shared by devotees partaking of the Lord’s blessings, gathering together in the sangha of God’s worship.

What appears as a charming expression of devotion now has lurking behind it a vile abuse of this most sacred creature of the Lord, both in India and here in America, knowingly perpetrated by the suppliers of the dairy products and unwittingly financed by the Lord’s devotees.  While I converted to a vegetarian diet years ago, I continued to include some dairy in my diet, although very limited due to my developing concern with ahimsa and allergic skin reactions.  But I continued to accept the prasad, I continued to pour the milk when the occasion arose and I relished the sweets and the wonderful Indian cuisine so freely shared where I worship. I told myself that any hesitations I had should be quashed within myself because these were offerings to God and had been blessed and cleansed of any sins committed in their procurement. Lately, though, I was becoming uneasy about it, but not voicing my thoughts and not knowing quite how to voice my developing uncertainty over the source of these offerings.

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Until recently, when Kamleshji, another devotee on a bhakta forum posted a message directly confronting this subject, and ripping open my cloak of uncertainty to the naked truth that cannot be denied if one looks with one’s eyes open, if one hears with one’s heart and if one thinks with one’s conscience. From his post and subsequent communications from him, I quote a few lines below…

“….as devotees of Lord Sri Krishna we must definitely pay attention to the plight of His most beloved animal, the Cow (Go-mata).

Just recently on Sri Krishna Jayanthi, we bathed Lord Sri Krishna in milk, curd, ghee and offered Him His favourite naivedhyams such as paal payasam,  ghee and butter.

However we must be aware how this milk is obtained in this Kali yugam, especially where milk is obtained in commerical farming techniques (as in big cities in India and especially here in the US).  Before this exploitative factory farming age, our saints used to procure Milk products in harmony and without cruelty, the milk was taken from the cow only after the calf has had it’s fill and the cow was worshipped as Go-matha.  Such offerings are certainly pleasing to the Lord.

However in the present age,  factory produced milk is a very cruel exploitative product of torturing cattle. The poor cows are  enclosed in a tiny space, chained in its own waste in darkness, cold and filth for the rest of its life. It is pumped with insane amounts of hormones, and other toxic medications to artifically increase milk production.

These large amounts of hormones, antibiotics and other unnatural feed, cause the cow to grow large and make it prone to bone fractures and other very painful diseases. To add to this torture the cows are artifically inseminated to produce calves to ensure regular supply of milk.

The most unfortunate of the calves are male calves  (called Bobby calves) who are considered to be useless and are sold off to be butchered for meat when they are just five days old. The mother cows separated from their calves cry in agony, yet they are not spared and are administered more hormones to continue milking them.

After milking the cow till it has been exhausted and after ensuring that the cow cannot yield anymore milk, it is sold off to be slaughtered in the most brutal manner for meat and leather.  I request all bhaktas to please think about this, will our Lord ever accept our abhiseghams and Naivedhyams if it means that His favourite innocent animals are killed slowly and extremely painfully all their lives?  Let us not act in an adharmic manner and perform unthinkable atrocities and sins by offering factory produced milk and milk based products especially in our sacred rituals and also in our diets. I can only be certain that we shall never suceed in our sadhana if it causes so much needless pain for innocent animals.

Lord Sri Krishna, vividly describes the three types of foods, Sattvic, Rajasic and Tamasic. Milk in the olden days was definitely Sattvic however now it is 100% Tamasic due to the abundant violence and abuse it entails. Drinking such milk is equal to eating beef.  In fact the animals raised for meat do not have to suffer so much as these unfortunate dairy cows are made to suffer.

We cannot afford to fool ourselves into believing that just because we are vegetarians and do not eat beef, we are protecting the cows. We need to challenge our age old habits and tradition if they are in direct contrast to the principles of non-violence and dharma laid down by Sri Krishna in Gita.”

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His post prompted me to respond to him and to also go online to view some of the websites which I knew would show me the truth, as painful as it might be to watch and to listen. I am now convinced that I must be even more vigilant in my avoidance of all dairy products where I do not know the source.  I will also post several more blog entries examining this subject in more detail, in the hope that each of us can look more honestly into our hearts about what we put into our mouths and onto our bodies, and onto the Lord.

The Luthar.com blog already has several articles on the subject of vegetarian diet…this short series is specifically examining the vegan diet.  We will look at ahimsa as the foundation for a vegan diet, the economic incentives fueling the abuse, the ways in which the dairy cows are abused, including their offspring, and how they are slaughtered in the end. We will examine the human health consequences of ingestion of dairy products and the environmental effects of the mass procreation of cows for human consumption.  We will explore the organic industry as well. We will post photos and links to videos so you can see for yourself what is happening to the dairy cows.  We will also post links to organizations geared to helping the abused cows and offering alternatives to the current system.  We will offer suggestions and ideas on how to substitute other products in our diet and in our worship. We ask that you the reader examine the facts with an open heart. Together with Kamleshji, who has studied the subject extensively and speaks with eloquence and fortitude in His devotion to the Lord on this subject, I will continue to post, seeking His blessings and inspiration.

Today is Ganesh Chaturthi and I take this opportunity to post the first in this series on this day with this prayer…that I serve the Lord without reservation acting as best I can on His wishes, and that I open my mind and my heart enough to let Him speak through me as He guides me.  Ganesha Saranam!

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Patram pushpam phalam toyam yo me bhaktyaa prayacchati;
Tadaham bhaktyupahritamashnaami prayataatmanah.

If one offers Me with love and devotion of a leaf,
a flower, fruit or water, I will accept it with joy. BG 9.26

 b36

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Rekha Kalinda

. INSPIRATIONAL, LIFESTYLE . , ,

Gandhi had his marriage arranged when he was 13.  His wife kasturba was then 12 years old.

My grandmother got married when she was 13 to my grandfather who was then 23.  Like most Indian marriages of those days, it was an arranged marriage. A 100 years ago, marriage of a girl at a young age before puberty was considered normal in India.

Today the legal age for marriage in India is 18 for girls and 21 for boys. However, according to researchers, the practice of early marriage still continues in some segments of Indian society. Studies have shown that almost a quarter of the girls are married before age 16. Almost half of all Indian women are married before turning the legal minimum age of 18.

The following is the story of a brave 12 year old girl, Rekha Kalinda, who said no to her parents when they tried to arrange her marriage. She told them that she wanted to stay in school and study.

“I was very angry,” says Rekha. “I told my father very clearly that this is my age of studying in school, and I didn’t want to marry.

Her protest reverberated through India and again brought this old custom in the spotlight.

Rekha says she wants to be a teacher when she grows up.

Is she open to marriage eventually? “Anything after 18,” she says, “but not before 18 at all.” You can read the whole story at the following link.

http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/0424/p06s07-wosc.html

Rekha Kalinda

Rekha Kalinda

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Mic’s Visit to India and Meeting Poonja-ji

. Advaita and Yoga, INSPIRATIONAL, LIFESTYLE, PERSONAL, TEACHERS . , ,

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Dear Friends,

When the HarshaSatsangh yahoo group started in January 1999, about a hundred or so people joined in the first few months. Here is a post of introduction that came to the group from Mic about his going to India and meeting Poonja-ji (also known as Papa-ji). Poonja-ji visited Sri Ramana and considered Ramana his Sat-Guru.

I don’t know where Mic is now, but his letter has stayed with me over all these years and I wanted to share it with you. I have only made minor edits in his letter to retain the original flavor of Mic’s vital spirit that comes through his words.

Harsha
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Hello all,

A brief introduction. My name is Mic, though most of my friends here call me Mohan. Advaita found its way in my heart as my heart in the summer of 91.

While wandering India, by chance I encountered Sri Poonjaji, a disciple of Bhagavan Ramana Mahrishi. I stayed with Poonja-ji and the small gathering there for two months. It was a time of great joy, intensity, revelation, and incomprehensible silence.

I mostly recall the great stillness. The presence of this man, Poonja-ji. In this dirty town of swirling dust storms and buildings swimming in the heat before me.

At night candles cast a golden hue upon the Indian markets, dancing in the buzz of bicycle songs and branches of lush red lychees being sold on the dusty streets.

The silence. The torrential flow of humanity, pulsing through the hot polluted streets, watermelon stalls.

The astonishing passion of seekers at Poonja-ji’s house. It was like the sweetness of sugarcane juice. It was the end of seeking itself in the embrace of the always so.

Like many there with Poonja-ji, I had also walked other roads in my search.

I had come to India on a Buddhist yatra, with plans to finish the journey in a Thai monastery. Yet relaxing into this resplendent heart of being, the seeking and the struggle fell.  The seeker and the story melted away as monsoon rains of India drenched me in joy.

And I finally saw the True heart of advaita, as my own.

Leaving India, with the blessings of the mountain, I felt almost drunk on the ringing clarity of these words from the Tripura Rahasya;

” Know yourself as Pure Consciousness, the unaffected witness of the phenomenal world.”

Integrating this with a world that demands commitment and authenticity, I meet with surrender and an open heart.

Some days I struggle, some days I sing. The devotion I feel to Shakti I know is but a reflection within consciousness of this love.

The silence.

And it is in this love I am earthed in freedom, and can play out my role in the theater of this world in peace.

Warm regards,
Mohan (Mic)

 

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Indian Village Life – Samuthiram Villages Prays for Rain: By Richard Clarke

. LIFESTYLE . , ,

This week we were invited to another Indian Village function–an annual ceremony where they ask the gods to bring rain. This is always held on the same day of the year. So on June 23, 2008 we went into Samuthiram Village to see the ceremony.

The rain is particularly needed this year. There are two monsoons that bring the bulk of the rain to the area. The Northeast Monsoon in October and November, and the Southwest Monsoon in the summer. The Northeast Monsoon failed to come last fall, and so far the Southwest Monsoon has failed to arrive as well.

Tamil Nadu has vast agricultural areas, much of which are rice fields farmed as small plots by village farming families. The rice fields can grow three crops each year, but they use lots of water. The English, when they came to India, said that these South Indian fields were the most productive in the world. They depend each year on the monsoons. Now we may have had two monsoon failures in a row.

We were invited to the ceremony by Dakshinamoothi, a man in the village whom we assist with his local organization, Quality of Life Trust. He told us to arrive at 1 PM, thinking that this celebration, like all such events, would start late. He then called us about 12:30 and said that we should be there. When we arrived a few minutes later, we found that it had already started.

It was being help at the village temple, a small building by the road that we have gone past many times. When we arrived, people were already gathered at the temple, the puja was over, and the next part of the rites had started.

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The villagers were gathered under the awning put up for the day.

There were three cones, decorated with flowers, several priests, and an open space in the middle of the crowd.

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Much work was done decorating these cones.

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In the circle there were drummers, beating out a rhythm, and someone dancing in the circle, an elderly lady. It is not usual at village functions to see women dancing, it is usually just the men. The ‘dancing’ seemed particularly energetic and expressive, and not any formal dance at all.

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After she left the circle, a young man, seen above in an orange shirt, stepped into the circle. Before he started moving, he spent some time, in what seemed like working himself up into some state. I wondered if perhaps he was drunk.

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Then he started to move wildly.

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I think his eyes were closed, and there is an expression on his face, almost, I thought, of pain.

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There was another man in the circle as well, in a white dhoti.

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The man in the orange shirt dropped to the ground, and was writhing around. I could not get a good picture of him. The view was blocked by a drummer.

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After this was over, he was exhausted, and had to be helped walk to where he could sit down.

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I found out later that these people were, in this ‘dancing’, surrendering themselves to God, and probably asking for something from God.

After this, the crowd broke up, and the next part of the rites got underway. We went to the Satya’s Cafe in the village to wait.

First came the drummers, who seem to lead all these village processions.

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Then after the drummers, came the cones, each carried by a man. We had seen similar cones walking through the village where we lived, and we wondered what they were about.

They stopped across the street, and the occupants of the house came out with puja items to offer, and received blessings from the priest who walked with the group.

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Then they walked to Satya’s Cafe, where we were waiting. There were some boys walking with the group, too, naturally.

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At Satya’s, the owner, our host, Dhakshinamoorthy, had three malas ready and waiting to offer. He gave them to three western women who sometimes help our his trust, Vishni, Shivani, and my wife Carol, who in turn placed them onto the cones, after puja items were offered.

First the puja offering.

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Then the malas were placed.

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then off to the next house.

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One man stopped for a photo.

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Here are shots of the temple, the next day.

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All the ritual items were still there, waiting to be cleaned up, which was to happen soon. Boys played among the cones.

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Temple gods watched the unfolding of the whole event, remaining silent and full of peace.

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