Monthly eMagazine of the International Vedanta Mission

Vedanta Sandesh
Year - 24 Issue 2

Aug 2018

Sri Krishna
Janmashtami Greetings
 Cover Page

This month our cover page is dedicated to Bhagwan Sri Krishna,

whose avataran day is coming earlier next month on the 2nd of Sept.
Our Sri Krishna Janmashtami special Vedanta Camp is starting on 27th
Aug itself.

Avataran is descending of God at our plane of consciousness

and manifestation. He too dons the same human body and undergoes
the similar fate of all humans. In our ignorance we think that human
manifestation is full of misery, problems & grief. The endless conflicts
within and outside us too point at this same common perception.
Avatara is one who doesn't assure us to be a redeemer etc, but someone
who helps us realize that all our problems & pains are just because of
our ignorance & the subsequent misunderstandings. In spite of being
in a human body and having unimaginable problems right from the
beginning of his birth, what he teaches us is the fact that a human being
with right wisdom can still become a winner and a master, and carve
out his or her future of their dreams.

Those who believe in redeemers see the problem to be real and

which requires super-human effort to manage & efface, but this is not
so with our beloved Krishna. He empowers us to realize the real issue
and thus live like a master. God in Hinduism is not someone who is just
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venerated & worshipped, but someone who represents our awakened

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 CONTENTS Vedanta Sandesh
Aug 2018

1. Shloka 5

2. Message of P. Guruji 7-8

3. Tattva Bodha 9-13

4. Letter 14-15

5. Gita Reflections 16-22

6. The Art of Man Making 23-29

7. Jivanmukta 30-33

8. Story Section 34-37

9. Mission / Ashram News 38-58

10. Forthcoming Progs 59

11. Links 60
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 Monthly eMagazine of the International Vedanta Mission
Aug 2018 : Year 24 / Issue 2

Published by
International Vedanta Mission
Vedanta Ashram, E/2948, Sudama Nagar,
Indore-452009 (M.P.) India
http://www.vmission.org.in / vmission@gmail.com

Editor:

Swamini
Samatananda
Saraswati
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 nsgkU;Roké es tUe&
tjkdk';Zy;kn;%A
'kCnkfnfo"k;S% laxks
fujhfUnz;r;k u pAA
Being other than the physical body, I do not have any
birth, old-age, diseases or death (all these afflictions are
just for the body); moreover, being free from Sense-Or-
gans, there is no questions of attachment to objects.

Atma Bodha - 32
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 Message
from
Poojya Guruji

Chaturmasya
The four months of Chaturmasya start from Guru Poornima. During this
time all the sanyasi’s stay put at one place and share their wisdom with their dev-
otees and disciples. They pursue their sadhana’s too and at times merely by their
presence they assure that the people at large continue to believe in the trascend-
ent & immanent truth as their very self. Some teach with words while others by
their mere presence and silence.

Bharatvarsha being a predominantly agrarian country and that also pre-

dominantly dependent on monsoon for water supplies, the people at large com-
plete their sowing etc and then just wait for the crop to grow with the blessings of
rains. They cannot move around also, so the people at large too are available for
understanding and exploring the truth of life. Appropriate traditions too encourage
these satsangs & sadhanas. Thus not only the Mahatmas but also the people at
large all devote their time to satsang.

Just few days before the Poornima, there is the Dev-Shayani Ekadashi.
The sciptures tell us that the devatas take a break and rest. Bhagwan Vishnu,
who basically manages the whole creation, goes into Yoga-Nidra - his way to take
a break, and so too his entire team of devatas. From the month of Sravana, which
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starts a day after Guru Poornima, the devotees start special & dedicated worship

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 of Bhagwan Shiva. In fact this goes on for four months - directly or indirectly.
Ganesh Parva, Sraadha fortnight and later the Navratras - all pertain to some
member of Lord Shiva’s so called family. In this whole story there is an interesting
message being communicated, which is regarding the role of Pravrriti and Nivritti.

Bhagwan Adi Sankaracharya in his Bhashya on Bhagwad Gita says that

the Vedic Dharma is two fold, Pravritti and Nivritti. These are broadly translated
as Action and Detachment. Action is how best I express outside and detachment
is the capacity to detach, and turn within for introspection and meditation. Both
these are as important as waking up and living dynamically and then going to
sleep. Howsoever important any work is, we know how important is sleep in order
to live properly. Out of 24 hours, our sleep should be average one third of the time.
Interestingly out of the twelve months of the year, the chaturmasya is one third its
time - four months. So the message is that do work very nicely, enthusiastically
and also holistically, however, in order to assure that you continue to remain intel-
ligently & creatively productive, it is extremely important that we take a break from
our life of aspiring for profits & pleasures and get a wider perspective of our own
lives. Everyone needs to be aware of various facts like Who am I? From where
have we come? What is the world? What do we seek, and where exactly is that
happeiness which we seek eternally? This is what nivritti is all about, and this is
what Bhagwan Shankar represents.

So take a resolve to devote a least a third of your annual time to adhyatma.

Study some Vedantic scriptures, do some tapasya and live a thoughtful & explor-
atory life.

Om Namah Shivaya.

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 TATTVA
BODHA

Benefits of the Knowledge of Oneness

Swamini Samatananda
 Tattva Bodha

H aving shown the oneness between the in-

dividual Jiva and Ishvara the Acharya now goes on to speak
about the culminating state of knowledge where a spiritual as-
pirant is awakened. In other words the Acharya speaks about the
fruit of this knowledge. Once a person goes through a process
of spiritual learning through shravan, manan and nididhyasan
at the Revered Feet of a Sadguru and directly sees the truth of
himself and others too as being Brahman he is liberated from
the shackles of helpless seeking and samsara. He awakens in a
state of a Jivanmukti i.e. liberation here and now.

,oa p osnkUrokD;S% ln~xq:ins’ksu p losZ"ofi Hkwrs"kq ;s"kka

czãcqf)#Riék rs thoUeqDrk bR;FkZ%A

“Thus, by the proper studies of Vedanta through a proper

spiritual Guru,when there is direct appreciation of the truth
of everyone as Brahman itself, then such enlightened souls are
called as Jivanmukta.”

,oa p osnkUrokD;S% ln~xq:ins’ksu p

Those who have studied Vedanta at the Feet of a Sat-Gu-
ru, In these lines the Acharya summarises on the means of
knowledge and its culmination. Knowledge culminates in lib-
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 Tattva Bodha
eration from samasara. Samsara is an endless seeking of a Jiva
which is borne on an imaginary premise that I am an unfulfilled
and an incomplete being and therefore I need to seek fulfill-
ment from outside. Moksha is seeing the truth that I am not
only basically fulfilled within my self but I am limitless and
the very consciousness of which everything is born. The jour-
ney of samsara is only a result of ignorance and misappre-
hension and thus the way out of it is only through knowledge.
That is why here the means of liberation is only directly seeing
this truth through the study of the scriptures. The study of
scriptures is never undertaken by the self independantly but
it is a realisation brought about by an indepth and systematic
study of Vedanta at the feet of the Master. This methodol-
ogy is called ‘Sampradaya. That is why in the scriptures the
sadguru is defined also as ‘Sampradaya Vit – the one who has
acquired the knowledge through a liniege of Vedic Masters
and has the skill of communication; knows the methodology of
transferring this difficult knowledge. The scriptures call such a
Master as ‘Shrotriyam Brahmnishtham’ that is one who himself
has acquired this knowledge systematically from his guru and
also has the skill to communicate this knowledge. The journey
begins by the practise of Karmayoga and Upasana and bring-
ing about sadhan chatushtaya sampatti which are the four fold
qualities prescribed by the scriptures as prerequisites for Ve-
dantic knowledge. Once a student is qualified one has to go
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 Tattva Bodha
through a process of shravan, manan and nididhyasan. Shravan
is listening to the knowledge of the scriptures at the feet of a
Guru with an open mind, with faith towards the Guru and the
scriptures. Manan is then clearing all the doubts that may have
risen during the process of shravan. Then nididhyasan is the
practice of owning up the knowledge. Having gone through a
systematic study one directly awakens into that state of Brah-
man which is beyond the limitations of time and space.

losZ"ofi Hkwrs"kq ;s"kka czãcqf)#Riék

The Acharya says such a person comes to not only see
one’s own self as Brahman but he sees everything living and
non-living being as Brahman-the Pure Self-effulgent and
Blissful Consciousness. Awakening into the state of Brahman
and seeing the same divinity as the non-dual essence that is
the substratum of everything is the vision that one is bless-
ed with when one studies Vedanta. One comes to see the fact
that everything, my body, another person’s body, plants ani-
mals, mountains, lakes, the skies and the ocean every thing is
nothing but Brahman, the orignal consciousness. This is the
vision of a Man of Wisdom. Even though there will be a diver-
sity in the names, forms and their functions, even though there
will be differences in the Guna and the karmas of everything
yet the underlying substratum is the one non-dual Brahman.
Therefore he can be loving, compassionate patient and accept-
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 Tattva Bodha
ing everyone without any attachemnts and aversions. He could
see the karmic impurities of Valmiki when he was a bandit and
yet he is also able to see that essentially he is Brahman and so
can help him awaken into the sate of Brahman. This awakening
has far reaching consequences. The Acharya says-Such a Brah-
ma Gyani is a Jivanmukta.

rs thoUeqDr% bR;FkZ%
They are called as Jivanmukta. He is liberated here and
now. The beauty of a Jivanmukta is that even though he is a part
of all the names and forms and lives amidst them yet he is like a
lotus in water. He not only lives untouched in this world but he
sees everything as a reflection of his very ownself. This vision
translates as a being who is detached, balanced and untouched
in the various situations of life. Yet he lives a life of dynamism,
enthusiasm, selfless service, and joy, living for the welfare of all
beings. He mingles with this very world yet nothing can bind
him, he experiences the various colours of life yet
nothing can bind him with a sense of seeking. He
lives amidst every one and yet dives effortlessly in
the depths of solitude and contemplation. He can
identify with the world and also drown in the nir-
vikalpa. This is a Jivanmukta.
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 Mail from
Poojya Guruji
Yoga-Nidra & Sleep
Well, further to your question regarding Dev-Shayani & Dev-Uthani
Gyaras, please note that Bhagwan Vishnu along with his entire team of Deva-
tas, take recorse of Yoga-Nidra for four months, just as we take recourse
of sleep for about a third of our one days time. Sleep rejuvenates, re-builds
and in modern parlance recharges us. If it is Yoga-Nidra then it not only does
all this, but even negates all moha in our minds and thus facilitates us to live
a more enlightened and positive life.

Bhagwan Vishnu not only revels in Yoga Nidra but also motivates us
all to at least devote a third portion of our time for such an experience.
Howsoever much complex a problem maybe, never take impulsive decisions,
but first learn to sleep over any problem. Detachment helps us get a differ-
ent perspective, and with a different perspective the whole scene changes.
Something which was a problem is many a times seen as a stepping stone or
even a blessing. So make it a habit, not only to detach from everything in your
life and then again re-look at your own life in a detached way as a third per-
son. Just as you never see the situation of the other person as a problem, but
just a situation to be faced, so also we shall see for our so called problems.

Yoga is not only detachment from our worldly identities, relationships

and aspirations, but it is much more. For mere detachment sleep is enough.
In Yoga we discover our true identity. Not knowing our real truth, we all at-
tach ourselves to our body-mind complexes and then start our innings. This is
what real moha - delusion is. So we start with a wrong and then contiue with
infinte wrong. Yoga is to discover our true self after this initial detachment.
V edanta Sandes h

It is like an actor who having donned a role has forgotten his real identity,

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 so it is advised that you go to the green room and undress and then have a
re-look at your self in the mirror. So also having kept aside all your worldly
robes and responsibilities, then again re-look who are you at that time. Obvi-
ously we are not the one who is recently born or the one who will die, simply
because we have already kept the body aside. We appreciate ourselves as
self-effulgent existence which is so peaceful & devoid of any problems. It is
this awakening which is the goal of all Yoga.

So Bhagwan Vishnu and his team make it a point to regularly detach

and wake up to his truth. This alone assures a complete life. So when our gods
go into Yoga-Nidra, so also you need to keep aside other agendas and pursue
something more esoteric. That is the objective of this time between Dev-
Shayani and Dev-Uthani Gyasras. Yoga-Nidra is Detach, Relax and Realize,
while Sleep on the other hand is just detach & relax, there is no realization
involved. Make the best use of these four months of Chaturmasya and learn
both the science & technology of these subjective sojourns.

Love & om,

Swami Atmananda
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 Gita Reflections

vga oS’okujks HkwRok

izkf.kuka nsgekfJr%A
izk.kkikukS lek;qDr%
ipkE;éa prqfo/ke~AA
V edanta Sandes h

(Gita 15/14)
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 All Pervasiveness of God
(vga oS’okujks HkwRok----)
Swamini Samatananda

I reside in the body of beings as Vaishvanara Agni, and

endowed with the Prana & Apana Vayus, it is I alone
who digests the four-kinds of Food.
Gita 15/14
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 Gita Reflections
A ham Vaishvanaro bhutva’...is a very famous
sloka of one of the most famous 15th chapter of Srimad Bhag-
wad Geeta. In this Lord Krishna gives us the ‘Vaishvanara Upasa-
na’. Sri Krishna here reveals that ‘I’ alone am the conscious prin-
ciple that manifests as the Vaishvanara agni (fire) in the stomach
of all living beings. The Geeta is one of the exclusive scriptures
that divinises the various powers that help in the functioning of
this beautiful world. Be it in the very body of a living being or the
various forces of the world outside.

We all are aware of the fire in the outside world at the

macro level which is the nucleus of our life. This same element
of fire supports the individual body too at the micro level. This
agni is known as the ‘Jathara Agni. ‘Jatharam’ means the ‘stom-
ach’, so ‘Jatharagni’ means the fire within the stomach. It is also
known by another name, ‘The Vaishvanara agni’ and this fire is
called the digestive fire, which cooks the eaten food. The food we
eat goes through two types of cooking before the body actually
assimilates it. One is the external cooking or any preparation that
makes food edible, and the other is the internal cooking. In each
cooking the food gets transformed. When the food is cooked out-
side it is made palatable and easy to consume it from the mouth to
the stomach. Sri Krishna says, Once we have consumed the food
then the process of digesting and assimilating the food that we
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 Gita Reflections
have eaten is blessed by Bhagwan himself. As a human being we
indiscriminately eat all sorts of food without any discipline but it
is with the blessings of the Jathara agni that all the food is digest-
ed. The implication of the word ‘Digestion’ in this sloka is that it
is this fire principle that takes out all the essence of the food that
we have eaten. All the nutrients of the food is extracted by the
Jathara agni. This has a strong implication that we must eat food
when this fire of digestion is truly awakened. In simple language
we must eat food when we are realy hungry. This discipline alone
is the bestower of good health.

This sloka kindles the lamp of being aware and grateful to-
wards that life principle which not only brings life in our body as
a whole but it also helps in the functioning of each and every part
of our body. We are able to breathe effortlessly, our heart is beat-
ing and pumping blood in and out of the blood vessels without us
even being aware of it, our kidneys, our livers and the list goes on
and on. Isn’t it amazing that our body being such a complex ma-
chine all the parts of the body function so perfectly, dynamically,
intricately and in the best of co-ordination with each other. How
is all this possible? Surely there is a life principle which is not
only living but also highly intelligent, dynamic, meticulous, joy-
ous and compassionate so as to keep the body bubbling with life
and functioning without much efforts on our part. This sloka is
only one of the many slokas in the Bhagwad Geeta which drives
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 Gita Reflections
our attention towards this intelligent and compassionate life prin-
ciple. The strong message here is that it calls for an indepth and
inexplicable feeling of gratitude for this cosmic life principle. Just
imagine what would life be if we had to consciously control these
various functions of our body? God has been so compassionate
that he has left only simple things in our control like choosing the
kind of food we eat, how much we eat and when and how we eat.
Even then this is so poorly managed that surely our body has to
work extra hard to keep us going for a good sixty plus years on
this earth. If at all we only took care of our eating habits then life
would be a bigger blessing. Our body is the most physically visible
asset of our existence. There cannot be a better medium of feel-
ing the presence of God. The Geeta inspires that even if a person
cannot feel the presence of God in a more subtle manner surely
one cannot miss out on the existence and blessings of God if one
were to drive one’s attention towards the functioning of our body.
This is one of the best ways to express our gratitude and feel the
presence of God.

Another very important message given in this sloka is the

spirit of Yagya or Yagya Bhava. It is the unique teaching of the
this divine song that it teaches us to convert any and every action
into an act of worship by inculcating the attitude of Yagya. The
attitude of Yagya is divinising every action we perform by making
it an offering to God. The spirit of Yagya is to perform every action
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 Gita Reflections
with a sense of gratitude and privilege of being able to serve God
through whatever we do. Thus making every action divine, free of
anxiety and enjoyable. Having inculcated this spirit, work itself is
a blessing and a means of enjoy and the fruit of action is an added
bonus which is the prasad of Ishvara. The hidden message in this
sloka to divinise the act of eating food. To an ignorant man bound
by his senses, food is another source of enjoyment which is ex-
tremely superficial and lasts as long as the journey from the taste
buds to the throat. Thereafter we only face consequences of how
and what we have eaten. Sri Krishna gives us a hint that one should
make eating food as a means of performing a Yagya. Our physical
body is a temple, Jathara Agni is the Devata invoked in this Yagya
and eating food is an offering made in this yagya. Thus it should be
an expression of gratitude towards God and a fulfillment of our
dharma towards our physical body and mind. Just as we have to
perform our dharma towards various things and people so also it
is our dharma to noursih and keep the body healthy so it becomes
a good instrument to serve God and fulfill our spiritual goals. Our
food habits affect our physical and mental alertness and reflect our
attitude of tapas.The Gita teaches us to strike a balance. Bhagwan
says in the sixth chapter that a person who over eats or does not
eat at all both are unfit for contemplation.

Thus Bhagwan says that I reside in the stomach of all liv-

ing beings as Vaishvanar Agni and digest the four types of food.
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 Gita Reflections
First is Bhakshya-that is foods which are masticated, which you
bite and masticate and swallow, any solid type of food, second is
Bhojya-foods which you directly swallow i.e. all liquids like milk
or soup or coffee or tea. The third one is called lehya, that which
has to be licked and consumed; You cannot directly pour into the
mouth like honey and pickles, the fourth one is choshya that which
has to be sucked inside, like the sugar cane, etc.

All this is done by kindlling the fire with the help of Prana
and Apana Vaayu. Prana-breathing in and Apana-breathing out is
the fanning of the digestive fire. This is directly proportional to
our physical activity. Whenever we are physically active, breathing
becomes faster and with this the internal fire is kindled intens-
ly and therefore Vaisvanara agni intensifies, and one feel hungry.
When the breathing slows down, hunger too slows down.

Thus in this sloka the Geeta Acharya shows us to see the

presence of God and his blessings in every aspect of our life. That
is why the philosophy of Sanatan Dharma has the divine vision of
seeing that every force in the universe is blessed by a diety who
blesses the functioning of everything. There could not be a better
way to start seeing the presence of God and his blessings than the
physical world itself. A person who is able to connect to the blissful
and conscious life principle in the physical world alone will develop
a sensitive and sharp mind to discover Ishvara as one with the Self.
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 -5-

The Art of
Man Making
Swami Chinmayananda
 -5-

The Art Of Man Making

The Art of Right Contact

P.P. Gurudev
Swami Chinmayanandaji
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 The Art of Man Making
G reatRishisinthepastmusthavehadtheirownna-
tional problems to solve. They must also have thoughts:’How
can we become a nation, how can we maintain the integrity of
character in society and collective beauty of action in the indi-
viduals? In short, how best can a total national development be
gained?’ It cannot be bro
ught about merely by wishing. Each individual must come to
accomodate others and learn to come together, and then only
can society stand up and lead the age to a glorious era, which
we all so anxiously look forward to. Other than the attempts
made and the results achieved today in Laboratories and in the
field of economics and politics, our religion also must have
some ideas to contribute in rebuilding our nation.

As sincere students, let us try to see if the Geeta scheme

of life has got anything to give to us. We shall study the text-
book independently without following blindly what others have
said about it, and a steady scientific outlook. This will be the
scheme of our talks on the Bhagavad Gita.

One of the most popular text books on life is the Geeta.

Every educated man discusses it. Some of us at least keep a well
bound copy of it in our drawing-room shelves. But by merely
knowing that Bhagwad Geeta is a wonderful book, we cannot
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 The Art of Man Making
be benefitted by her, either socially or culturally. We must all
try to know precisely everything discussed in the Geeta, coura-
geously reject that which we cannot at present comprehend and
usefully employ, and with a determined will, live and practice the
high tenets and the subtle devices of the Geeta in our daily lives.

The Geeta offers a solution to all problems of humani-

ty-at least this is the repeated claim of all scholars. Let us try
to experiment upon these unfailing values in our own daily life,
and to find out for ourselves their truth, so that we, as individ-
uals, may bring about if possible, a greater stability of mind, a
greater harmony in our own personal and social life. We have
all heard about the contents of the Geeta. But we do not now
know clearly what the spirit of the Geeta has to offer us. Let
us try to understand the Geeta, in the context of modern Psy-
chology, in the light of declared scientific discoveries and with
reference to the demonstrated advanced knowledges that are
today available for us. Let us try to re-evaluate the Geeta, as
she is said to summarise the high tenets of Vedanta. We are
told that she, as a scripture, provides us with an intellectual ap-
proach to all our problems-be it in our personal, social, national
or international life.

Man is always more important and sacred than the things

and beings that exist-the behaviour and incidents that are tak-
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 The Art of Man Making
ing place around him. History tells us that there had been suc-
cessive waves of dark ages and golden eras in the world from
time immemorial. That is the history of man and we need not,
therefore, look aghast at the painful picture of the present-day
world’s political despondency. When the calibre of man gets
broken down, everything is lost; as long as man is strong with-
in, he can rebuild the world around him-however desperate the
conditions be about him. Instances are many in history where
we find that very often our nation was scotched by successive
waves of invasions, but the heart of Bharat never got corrupt-
ed-our true culture never got destroyed.

We have now gained our independence, more splendor-

ous than ever before. We have plans and schemes, visions and
hopes. We have been continuously striving-we have made sac-
rifices. We are running forward, no doubt, and yet, strangely
enough, we are not progressing! What is wrong with us?, is
the question. Are we not, as a generation, feeling terribly over
burdened with our historical despondency, economic despair,
social selfishness and personal vanity? Is this not the cause why
we cannot make real progress? We must learn, perhaps, how
to unload ourselves, how to remove the crushing weights off
our conscience. We must find a way to liberate our hearts from
these chains gathered from the recent past, so that we may feel
really free to live a courageous life, like our spectacular forefa-
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 The Art of Man Making
thers the Aryans did of yore. We then shall come to maintain
in our national life the enduring values of the Bharateeya cul-
ture.
The physical body is clothed by its nourishing trellis of
blood vessels, through which alone we contact the world out-
side, and the impurities in the blood will hamper the efficiency
of the body. Similarly, the spirit within us is enshrined in a
mesh of thoughts, which is called the mind; in that thought-
web through which alone we express ourselves in the outer
world-if we allow ‘suspended impurities’, necessarily there will
be ugliness and pain in our experienced life. The modern world
has progressed much in raising the material conviniences, and
yet the modern man’s woes of life has only increased. And this
is because in the thought-life, and this inner insanitary state,
when expressed in our social life, it helps to breed the unhealthy
conditions of sorrow all around in our national life.

We must all know how to eliminate this ‘impurity suspen-

sion’-within each of us. We must surcharge our minds with the
divine, significant realities of life. Arjuna, though a staunch
Bharateeya, was not able to meet his challenges in life, and Lord
Krishna, the Geeta Acharya, found that Arjuna was no more a
true Bharateeya! For, the Pandava Prince allowed himself to
suffer from mental degradation; and such a man is surely un-Ar-
yan. The Lord had to teach him the technique of rediscovering
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 The Art of Man Making
the greater personality in himself. This ‘art of self-discovery’
is the entire discussion in the Geeta discourses.

The Bhagwad Geeta is very intimately connected with

the life lived by every one of us. Whether we be in the mar-
ket place, at home, or in the political field, we have to come in
contact with the world outside, and in doing so we must know
the ‘art’ of making right contacts. If a man makes wrong con-
tacts unintelligently, the world will crush him and devour him
up! Remember, the world has no mercies-realise, the world has
only its laws.
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Jivanmukta
Wandering In
Himalayas

68

Lake Reewal (contd)

Excerpts from the Travel Memoirs of

Param Poojya
Swami Tapovanji Maharaj
 Jivanmukta
S uch is the Puranic story regarding the
lake and its islets. However, the sight of floating islets is not a
rare phenomenon in Kahsmir. There all kinds of vegetables are
grown on masses of floating earth and drawn about from place
to place over the waters of the lakes. Nevertheless the sight of
the floating islets in Lake Reewal inspires the people of North
India, and they look upon the lake as one of the principal places
of pilgrimage.

We passed three or four joyful days in a lonely house on

the shore of the lake. As in various other parts of the HImalayas,
here, too, I came across families of Sannyasins who had fallen
from their rigorous way of life. During my rambles through the
mountains I had the good fortune or misfortune of accepting the
hospitality of such families. When I see an erstwhile sannyasin
sorrounded by women and children, I am irresistibly reminded of
the the extremely onerous nature of a sannyasin’s life and con-
duct. For common mortals it is indeed a difficult task to observe
the rules of sannyasa.

Historians tell us that after Buddha’s and Sankara’s time

sannyasa spread all over India. As, many became monks without
the requisite qualifications, it was only natural that some should
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 Jivanmukta
fall tempted by woman or gold. Merely by putting on the saf-
fron robe one cannot shed desires and inborn tendencies.

Passions like lust and greed lurking in the heart of man

are stirred up in the presence of congenial objects. To nip such
passions in the bud requires years of patient efforts. Even with
earnest effort it is possible only for a few exceptionally blessed
people to attain that goal. That was why our ancients regarded
the duties of a sannyasin as highly difficult and held true sann-
yassins in the highest esteem.

While I was staying at Hridalaya, I used to pay my hom-

age to Lord Buddhain the Buddhist temple on the shore of the
lake. Like the lake, the temple too, invoked my feelings of great
devotion, joy and elevated thoughts. The priest in the temple
was a Tibetan householder. During my visits to the shrine, he
used to welcome me with great friendliness and inquire about
my stay. At the time of my first visit I also met a Lama from
Lhasa, the Tibetan capital. He had come to Reewal on a pil-
grimage. The Lama and the priest informed me that the lake
was as holy in the eyes of the Buddhists as in the eyes of the
Hindus. In Buddhists books it is called So-Paima. Hundreds of
pilgrims from Tibet and other countries visited the place every
yearand conducted circumambulation of the lake. In their view,
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 Jivanmukta
going around the lake was far more meritorious than any other
form of worship. The Tibetans also narrated to me a story re-
garding the religeous significance of the lake- a story altogeth-
er different from that found in the Hindu Puranas.

A light that is never allowed to go out is kept burning in

the temple before the image of Lord buddha. The Lama from
tibet seemed to have little else to do except prostrate before
the image or walk around the lake. In fact, I found him doing
nothing else. Rigorous indeed is the discipline of the Buddhist
Lamas. While I was staying with them in Tibet, I had been
very much impressed by their strictly disciplined life. Our Hin-
du Sannyasins seem to waste most of their time in lofty talk.

At last we bade good-bye to the happy days at Hridalaya

and returned to Mandi. I do not mean to suggest that life at
Mandi or at any other place was anything other than happy.
The fact is, a sannyassin experiences only bliss, at all places and
at all times. Even in what others consider sorrow, he find joy.
Pain as well as pleaure is Brahman and therfore the same.
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 STORY
Section
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 Dev Shayani Ekadashi
E kadashi is the eleventh lunar day of the
fortnight which occurs twice every month. One falls during the
Shukla Paksha (waxing phase of the moon) and the other on
the Krishna Paksha (waning phase of the moon). There are 24
ekadashis in a year. The number goes up to 26 during the ‘Adhi-
ka maas’, extra month as per the Hindu calendar. Ekadashi that
falls on the Ashadha month, the eleventh month according to
the Hindu calendar is called as Devshayani Ekadashi. In 2018,
Devshayani Ekadashi falls on July 23. Devshayani Ekadashi
is also known as Ashadi Ekadashi, Padma Ekadashi, and Hari
Shayani Ekadashi.

Devshayani Ekadashi is believed to be the day when Lord

Vishnu goes into Yoga Nidra and wakes up after four months
on Prabodhini Ekadashi. It is also said that during these four
months as Lord Shri Vishnu goes into Yoga nidra He hands
over the functioning of the world to Lord Shiva. This period of
four months is also known as Chaturmaas.

This event of Lord Vishnu going into Yoga Nidra for

four months and then Lord Shiva taking over should not be
taken literally as Bhagwan Vishnu going off to sleep for four
months. This entire story has an inspiring spiritual conotation
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 Dev Shayani Ekadashi
hidden. In the Vedas there are two types of Dharmas prescribed
for a fulfilled life of a human being. One is Pravritti Lakshan
Dharma and the other is Nivritti Lakshan Dharma. Pravritti
is the involvement of Man in the field of action wherein he
fulfills all his worldly desires based on the conduct of right-
eusness. Nivritti is getting over all attachments to worldly life
and dedicating ones time to spiritual practises and spiritual
knowledge. Now Lord Vishnu being the sustainer of the uni-
verse represents pravritti lakshan dharma thus the implication
here when it is said that Lord Vishnu goes into Yoga Nidra
is that this is a message for a spiritual aspirant too to give up
all worldly attachments and desires and at least dedicate these
four months towards spiritual sadhanas and spiritual learning.
This also explains the meaning that Lord Shiva takes over for
the four months. Lord Shiva represents dispassion and revel-
ling in the spiritual Self that is self contented and does not
need any worldly pleasure for fulfillment. Thus this legend is
an indication that during this period of four months one should
detach oneself from worldly attachments and seek spiritual ful-
fillment.

The four months of Chaturmas is also the four months

of the monsoon season in India. The onset of the monsoons
brings life to a standstill as it is difficult to venture out in the
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 Dev Shayani Ekadashi
heavy rainy season. Thus this is also the time when Sannya-
sis and saints settle down in one place for the period of four
months and it is the time when they teach scriptures to devo-
tees and guide to perform various sadhanas. This event of Lord
Vishnu going into Yoga Nidra and Lord Shiva taking charge
thus translates into inspiring all spiritual seekers to take time
off from pravritti that is constant involvement into the field of
desires and their fulfillment through action and and becoming
free that is nivritta and taking time out to quiten the mind and
absorb oneself in spiritual practises.

This is the spiritual connotation of Dev Shayani Eka-

dashi and Chaturmaas.
V edanta Sandes h

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 Mission & Ashram News

Bringing Love & Light

in the lives of all with the
Knowledge of Self
V edanta Sandes h

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 Ashram News
Guru Poornima Celebrations

Poojya Guruji does Puja of his Gurudev

Pad-Pooja of Poojya Guruji

V edanta Sandes h

By Tanmay & Virali Patel, Ahmedabad

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 Ashram News
Guru Poornima Celebrations

Puja, Pravachan and Bhandara

Local and Outstation Devotees

V edanta Sandes h

Guru Poornima is Vyasa Poornima

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 Ashram News
Guru Poornima Satsang

All devotees sang lovely Bhajans

Guru Altar was tastefully decorated

V edanta Sandes h

with Pictures of all Acharyas

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 Ashram News
Guru Poornima Satsang

There was a good group from Gujrat

All Mahatmas also sang glories of God & Guru

V edanta Sandes h

27th July 2018

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 Mission News
Guru Poornima Celeb @ Mumbai

with Poojya Swamini Samatanandaji

Pooja by Adv Satish & Nandini Prabhu

V edanta Sandes h

Program tastefully organized

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 Mission News
Guru Poornima Celeb @ Mumbai

Welcome by children

Gita Shloka chanting - by children

V edanta Sandes h

Guidance of Anuradha & Omkar

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 Mission News
Satsang @ Borivili, Mumbai

By P. Swamini Samatanandaji

At the new house of Sh Navin Sharma

V edanta Sandes h

29th July 2018

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 Ashram News
Hanuman Chalisa Satsang

by Poojya Guruji Swami Atmanandaji

Chaupayi 28 started
V edanta Sandes h

29th July
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 Ashram News
Rudrabhisheka by Brni Sakshiji

Thanksgiving Puja

Blessings of all Mahatmas

V edanta Sandes h

17th July 2018

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 General News
Green Drive, Indore

by Poojya Guruji & Ashram Mahatmas

Organized by Speaking Tree (TOI)

V edanta Sandes h

1st July - at Maachal (Dhar Road, Indore)

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 General News
Green Drive, Indore

by Ashram Mahatmas & Devotees

Organized by Speaking Tree

V edanta Sandes h

At Maachal, Dhar Road, Indore

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 Ashram News
Interview of P. Guruji

by Sonal Srivastava - Speaking Tree Editor

at Vedanta Ashram
V edanta Sandes h

2nd July 2018

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 Ashram News
Birthday of Brni Sakshiji

17th July

Puja and Bhandara

V edanta Sandes h

@ Vedanta Ashram
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 Ashram News
Birthday of Daya

His first Birthday

Loves Everyone and Guards Ashram

V edanta Sandes h

1st July 2018

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 Ashram News
First Savan Somvar Jhanki

Bhasma Vigrah of Gangeshwar Mahadevji

Puja followed by Bhajans & Katha

V edanta Sandes h

30th July 2018

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 General News
Visit : To Patalpani

Lovely Waterfall - outshirts of Indore

Ashram Mahatmas & Devotees

V edanta Sandes h

8th July
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 Genaral News
Visit : Tincha Fall

30 Kms from Indore

Surrounded by lovely forests

V edanta Sandes h

16th July 2018

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 General News
Visit: Bamnia Kund Waterfall

Ashram Mahatmas & Devotees

20 Kms ahead of Mhow

V edanta Sandes h

21st July 2018

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 General News
Visit: Ralamandal Sanctuary

Outskirts of Indore

Ashram Mahatmas & Neena Bhatnagar

V edanta Sandes h

Lovely place with Deer Park

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 General News
Visit: Ralamandal Sanctuary

They have a nice Deep Park

Taking visitors around in a Golf Cart

V edanta Sandes h

We also drove to the mountain top

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 Forthcoming VM Programs
28th Aug - 2nd Sept 2018

VEDANTA CAMP @ Indore

Amrutbindu Upanishad / Vigyan Nauka Stotram

All Ashram Mahatmas

2nd Sept 2018

Sri Krishna Janmashtami Celebration @ Indore

Vishnu Sahasranama Archana / Krishna Janma

All Mahatmas & Campers

7th - 9th Sept 2018

SATSANGS @ Mumbai

Different Topics
P. Swamini Samatanandaji

30th Sept - 7th Oct 2018

GITA GYANA YAGNA @ Lucknow
V edanta Sandes h

Kena (2nd Section) / Gita-11

P. Swamini Amitanandaji
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 Visit us online :
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Published by:
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Editor:
Swamini Samatananda Saraswati