The Lunar Calendar !

Vaisakha is the second month of the Hindu Lunar Calender.

The Full Moon of Vrishabha ( Taurus ) occurs near the constellation Beta Librae (Vishakha ) and hence is called Vaishakha. It begins from April 21 and ends on May 20.

Vaishakha... begins from today, the New Moon of April. The Sikh Harverst Festival, Baisakhi, is celebrated this month. It is the second month of the Tamil Solar Calender.

The Full Moon of Vaisakha is celebrated as Buddha Pournima or the birthday of Lord Buddha.

In Guruvayur, the Holy Month of Vaisakha begins. Pilgrims from TN, Karnataka and AP rush to Guruvayur to have a glimpse of the Lord during this Holy Month.

The 10th Rising !

In the 10th degree of Aries, the Sun is in a state of deep exaltation, Athi Uccha. This is the 10th day of Mesha, Medam. Today the longitude of the Sun is 6 degree and today is the Aram Udayam. 

So Tenth Rising, Patham Udayam of the Sun is on 23rd. On this great day, all Hindus worship the Lord as Surya Narayana, when the Sun reaches his Athyuccha Point.

Happy Patham Udayam greetings in advance to all our brethren.

Grahanam Adir adithyo
Loka rakshana karaka
Vishama sthana sambhootham
Peedam Harathu me Ravi

Patience is the greatest virtue !

Patience is the strength of the weak
Also the ornament of the strong !

Kshama balam ashakthanam
Shakthanam bhooshanam Kshama !
... Many are the teachings of the wise
In ancient and in modern books enrolled
Extolling Patience as the truest fortitude
And to the bearing end of all calamities
All chances incident to man's frail life !

Kshantavyam purusheneva
Sarvapatsu sushobhane
Thasyabhavaya bhavathi
Krodha Paramadaruna !


The patient will be extolled
As it is he who triumphs
He conquers, who endures
He who suffers, conquers !
The end of Anger is
A great disaster indeed !

Quantum Mysticism enhances Indian Wisdom !

We said earlier that the Gnostics enriched Western Philosophy with the doctrines of the East. Similarly Indian Philosophy is enriched by Mahesh Yogi's Quantum Mysticism and Aurobindonian Supramental Dialectic. 


Three disciples of Mahesh Yogi are still centre stage - Dr Deepak Chopra, Ravi Shankar and Rishi Prabhakar. Scientists like Dr Capra and Gary Zukav support Quantum Mysticism.

Modern astronomical theories support Indian Astro Physics and Dr Carl Sagan has testified to this fact.

Dr Robert Keith Wallace, a TM er, said

"It is appropriate to recognise India as the home of the most profound knowledge and procedures for the development of Physiology."

in his " Neurophysiology of Enlightenment "

Nobel Laureate Dr Prigogine, another TM er, said that more and more scientists will be visiting India, as Modern Science validates Indian philosophic verities !

The Eighteen Sciences !

These are the eighteen sciences which grace Philosophia Indica.


1)The Science of Being as Being - Vedanta Sastra
2)The Science of Cosmic Union - Yoga Sastra
3)The Science and Wisdom of the Heavens - Jyothis Sastra
4)The Science and Wisdom of Nature - Sankhya Sastra
5)The Science of Atoms - Vaisesika Sastra
6)The Science of Logic - Nyaya Sastra ( also called Tarka Sastra ).
7)The Holistic Science of Life - Ayurveda Sastra
8)The Science of Wealth, Economics - Artha Sastra
9)The Science of Grammar - Vyakarana Sastra
10)The Science of Definition - Niruktha Sastra
11)The Science of Phonetics - Siksha Sastra
12)The Science of Poetic Meters - Chandas Sastra
13)The Science of Musicology - Gandharva Veda
14) The Science of Symbology - Purana Sastra
15) The Science of Ethics - Dharma Sastra
16) The Science of Archery - Dhanur Veda
17) The Science of the Serpent Power - Tantra Sastra
18) The Science of Matter - Charvaka Sastra

Mother India is the mother of us all !

Mother and Motherland are greater
Than all Heavens and Earths !
O Mother India, Thou art equal
And the mother of us all !


Jananee janma bhoomischa
Swargath api Gareeyasi
Samatha vilasitha Bharathee
Sarva Jagathi shreyasee


This is in line with Will Durant, who said

"India is the mother of us all. Through Sanskrit, the mother of Europe's languages. Through the Buddha, of the ideals embodied in Christianity. Through the Arabs, of higher mathematics and algebra. Through the village community, of self government and democracy. Mother India, is in many ways, the mother of us all. "

Greatest is Grace !

.

Grace us, O Lord

Daivadheenam Jagat Sarvam
Sathyadheenam thu Daivatam
Tat Satyam Uthamadheenam
Uthamo Mama Devatha


Wisdom = Grace = Insurance !

Greatest is Grace
Grace is the quality of Truth
Truth is known only to Sages
Hence Sages are my Exemplars!

Vasudev thu
Vishvaroopa thu
Chidananda Hari thoo

Augustus born with exalted Jupiter !

The Greats who criticised Democracy - III

Plato criticised Democracy and favoured the rule of Philosopher Kings. He wrote in his Republic

" Unless philosophers became Kings and Kings took to the power and spirit of Philosophy, cities shall never cease from ill nor the human race'.

Marcus Aurelius and Augustus Caesar in Rome, King Janaka and Nimi in India were Philosopher Kings who were exemplary.

Augustus ruled Rome for 40 years and it was known as the Golden Age of Rome. He was born with Libra rising, with Saturn exalted and Venus powerful in Libra and Jupiter exalted in Cancer. He was a born Raja Rishi. His empire was based on naval power.

He was a member of the second triumvirate. The first triumvirate was Pompey, Julius Caesar and Crassus. All of them perished by the sword. Even his two partners of the second triumvirate, Marc Antony and Lepidus also perished in battle.

On the contrary, Augustus was protected by Providence and died a natural death.

As a Rishie, Augustus founded the Religion of Numa, defined by Buchan as a probe into the mysteries of the Infinite and the Unknown.

We pray that India may again be ruled by Philosopher Kings like Lord Rama and Lord Krishna, putting an end to the rule of commercial politicians !

The Yoga Fourfold

Is there a way to get out of this mess?

 

Yes, by Yoga.

 

 

By Yoga we can rise from Lie to Truth Divine, out of weakness into Force, out of grief into Bliss Absolute, out of bondage into Freedom Eternal, out of death into Immortaltiy, from darkness to light, out of imperfection into Perfection, out of division into Unity, out of Maya into God. Only that which aims at possessing the Divine Fulness is the Yoga Fourfold.

 

Our aim is to become like Him, perfect as He is perfect, blissful  as He is blissful, pure as He is pure and when we become perfected in the Yoga Fourfold, we can bring humanity to the same level of perfection. It does not matter if we fail in our objective here temporarily. If we give ourselves wholeheartedly to the attempt, the forces of Evolution will definitely favour us on our march towards Godhead and this is the Bliss which the Lord intends to give us !

Science is Experience of Bliss

Science, we know, is the systematised Knowledge of Nature.

But the best answer was given by Dr Sudarshan, he who almost contradicted Einstein's Theory of Relativity ( that tachyons move faster than photons) and one of the great proponents of the TM Movement.

"Science is experience of Bliss."

This experience of Bliss is what the Fourfold Yoga is all about.

The Bliss for which the world's derelict sorrows yearn !

This is the noblest, the holiest and the greatest of all sciences. This is the most Original Science of the human race which contains within it all the primitive mysteries of Science !

Start of the New Agri Year

Now 0230 AM, tomorrow has been declared to be the time for Vishu Kani at Guruvayur Temple. This is the exact time when the Sun enters the Vernal Equinox. Thousands are thronging Guruvayur to get a glimpse of the Lord, when His external symbol, the Sun, enters Sidereal Aries. We wish a happy Baishakhi to our Sikh brothers, Happy Tamil New Year to our Tamil brothers, Vishu to all Malayalee brothers and Happiness, Peace and Prosperity to all. Sarve Janah Sukhino Bhavanthu !

Grahaksha thara chakrastha
Paramanadvina Jagath
Samvathsaravasanena
Paryethya Nimisho Vibhu !

The Absolute is equanimous !

The world is overcome, aye, even here

By such that fix their faith on Unity 

The sinless Brahma dwells in Unity

And they in Brahma



- Geetha



Ihaiva thairjitha sargo
Esham samyo sthitham manah
Nirdosham hi samam Brajma
Thasmad Brahmani the shithah

This is becoming a Sthitha Prajna, one whose Consciousness is established in the Absolute Brahman.

About Samam Brahma( The Absolute is equal and equanimous ) , Aurobindo said " We are confronted by a mighty Energy of infinite Existence and infinite Activity, pouring itself into limitless Space and eternal Time, before whose balance the grandiose product of aeons seems seems nothing but the dust of a moment. This mighty Energy is an equal and impartial mother and in the mighty term of the Geetha, Samam Brahma !"

Self=Love=Bliss

I had some argument with scholars here and it is obvious that Jnana and Bhakthi had clashed. No doubt Jnana is great, but without Bhakthi Yoga's Grace it is difficult to transcend. As Aurobindo put it " the austere Advaitin who wants extinction in the Ineffable will miss the sweetness of Saraswathi, the terror of Kali and the laughter of Krishna " ! The stories of Rama, Krishna, Jesus etc may be mythological stories, written by the highly intelligent to save mankind from peril, but those stories are needed by humanity !

In every man, there exists a responsiveness to Ultimate Truth - a subconscious reminiscence, as Plato would way, or rather a super conscious reminiscence. When philosophic concepts are introduced in story form - Mythology - the initiate's joy cannot be greater. There is joy in Mythology, as the stories of Krishna, Rama and Jesus proved !

It may be Prajnanam Anandam Brahma in Jnana Yoga, but it is Premam Anandam Brahma in Bhakthi Yoga !

Darshan dee jo Bhagavan parama dayalo Bhagavan !

Yoga Sutras

In His Yoga Sutras, Patanjali spelt out the principles of Cosmic Union.



Transcending the three relative states of Waking ( Jagrat ), Dreaming ( Swapna ) and Dremless Sleep ( Sushupthi ), there exists a Fourth State of Consciousness ( proved conclusively in Dr Keith Wallace's PhD Thesis " The physiological effects of Transcendental Meditaton", UCLA. 1975 and published in the Scientific American ).

This Fourth State is known in Sanskrit as Thureeya. Transcendental Consciousness is Thureeya and Cosmic Consciousness, the Fifth State, is known as Thureeyatheetha in Yogic scriptures.

Bhagavan Patanjali was an incarnation of the Lord. The Lord in His Bounty, incarnated as Patanjali to reveal to humanity the Wisdom of Yoga Sastra.

Later, Aurobindo integrated all the four systems of Yoga - Bhakti, Jnana, Karma and Raja - and called it the Integral Yoga.


In the early hours of morning, I meditate
On the Absolute Self, which alone exists
Which is of the nature of Being-Knowledge-Bliss
Which is the end of our evolutionary journey
Which transcends the relative states triune
I am that partless, undifferentiated Brahman
And not this assemblage apparent
Of matter envelopments, bound by Nescience !

Pratha smarami hrudi samsphura atma thathvam
Sat Chit Sukham Paramahamsa Gathim Thureeyam
Yad swapna jagara sushupta mavethi nithyam

Tad Brahma nishkalam aham na cha bhoothasangha ! !

The Purusha beyond Prakrithi

The Rishies declared 

We have seen the Purusha who transcends Prakrithi, resplendent with the spendour of a thousand Suns !

Vedahamekam purusham mahantam aditya varna tamasa parasthat !


O Ancient, O Poet of all Poets !
Subtler than the Subtlest
Greater than the Greatest
Of Universal, Unthinkable Form
Clad in the form of a thousand Suns
To Thee, we bow !

Kaveem puranam anushasi tharam
Anoraneeyan samanusmaredhya
Sarvasys dhatharam achinthya roopa
Aditya Varna Thamasa Parasthath

- The Geetha.

Forgive O Lord, for describing the Indescribable !

Arise O Self !

In order to make our divine mission successful, we must first get the Lord. Only the touch of that which is all Becomings and Who exceeds all becomings can liberate us from the limitations of our finite nature !

O Thou who art cosmic in the Universe
Who is immanent in the Universe
Who transcends the Universe
O Thou who abidest in all as the Self
The divine component, the Spark in all
May Thou arise in all
Making our divine work successful !

Uthishta Sathya sayeesha
Karthavyam Daiva manhikam

The Science of Logic in Indian Wisdom

Bhagavan Gauthama founded the Science of Logic, Nyaya Sastra, for the establishment of Vedic concepts and for the refutatation of non-Vedic arguments.

Nyaya Sastra is the one of six main sciences. "The Science of Logic is that which illumines all Learning, the instrument of all actions and is the refuge of all moral ethics analysed completely for the purpose of Knowledge"

 Pradeepa sarva Vidhyanam
Upadhi sarva karmanam
Ashraya sarva dharmanam
Vidhy dhese pareekhithah

 This is in line with the Western definition of Logic, that it is the science of the regulative principles of thought.

It is said that the Lord, in His Timeless Eternity, fed up with the illogical events happening on earth, wondered why human beings are so illogical and incarnated as Bhagavan Gauthama to reveal the Science of Logic, the Wisdom of Nyaya Sastra to mankind !

The 25th Principle is He !

Bhagavan Kapila, who gave humanity the Wisdom of Nature, Sankhya Sastra, one of the six main sciences of Indian Philosopy. He postulated that there are two components of the Ultimate, Purusha and Prakrithi. We are in the state of Prakrithi and we have to transcend to the level of the Eternal Purushua.

Kapila was an incarnation of the Lord. The Lord revealed the mysteries of the Universe to His Mother, Devahoothi.

Prakrithi mahad ahamkara tan matra bhooyan
Hridi dasapi dasakshee purusha Pancha vimsa
Ithi vividha vibhogo muchyathe sau prakrithya
Kapila thanu riththvam deva hootyai nyagadi


Nature, Cosmic Mind, Ego, the Five Subtle Essences, the Five Elements, Heart, the five organs of perceptions and the five organs of action - all these are the 24 principles of the Universe. This is Nature Almighty, Prakrithi in action.

Transcending these 24 principles is the Mighty Purusha, the 25th Principle and the Ultimate Principle.

He who knows all these 25 principles, he will be liberated eternally!

So Thou, in Thy incarnation as Bhagavan Kapila, revealed to Thy mother, Devahoothi !

Who is a Hindu ?

There is a misunderstanding about the word Hindu.

Max Muller, Monier Williams and other missionary scholars want us to believe that since our ancestors lived near the river Sindhu, we are called Hindus, because the Persians could not pronounce the word Sindhu. This is utter nonsense.

Sat Prem, a French intellectual, in his book " Aurobindo, the Adventure of Consciousness" remarks that "the term Hinduism is an invention of the West. The Indian speaks only about the Eternal Law, the Sanathana Dharma. Now India, who could understand the Eternal Iconoclast that God is in His Cosmic March, did not have the strength to support Her Wisdom" So true, we were invaded by the Mughal Empire and the British Empire.

The Eternal Law, this Sanathana Dharma, is called by many as Christianity, Islam, Sikhism, Buddhism etc. " The Name of this Causality is Divine Law " said Aurobindo. " "The Law rules all and is all' said Cheiro. This Eternal Law pervades the Universe, ruling all.

The real meaning of the word Hindu is that he who is sorrowful in violence is a Hindu, himsayam dhooyathe yasya saha hindurithyabhideeyathe.

Vivekananda wrote

' The Hindu believes he is Spirit. Him the fire cannot burn, him the water cannot wet, him the sword cannot pierce nor the wind dry. He is the Absolute Self, center everywhere, circumference nowhere".

The Supramental Dialectic

Bhagavan Aurobindo, staunch nationalist that he was, prayed for India's liberation !

" The athiest is in me, the agnostic is in me, all I want O Lord, is my country's freedom "

Then suddenly He heard the Voice.

" This is the Eternal Law, the Sanathana Dharma, the Eternal Religion which I have perfected through the saints, the Yogis, the Rishies and the Avatars. When you go forth, say that it is for Dharma India exists. At the moment I am giving India her freedom"

No wonder India's Independence and Aurobindo's birthday coincided !

The Voice continued " I am seated deep in the hearts of all and I overrule their actions and words. It is what I SHALL and not what others may. It is for Dharma India exists. Whatever be the impossibilities and difficulties that come, know that there is nothing impossible, there is nothing difficult. "

Aurobindo knew that all his steps were divinely ordained and founded the Supramental Dialectic and Integral Yoga, after this Vision he got in jail !

Who can describe Bhagavan Aurobindo ?