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SaUKTaa Sūktā Spring 2011 Volume IV No 1

AdhikāritvamSummary of Talks Delivered by Pūjya Swamiji to Students of the Three Year Course, Coimbatore, India

What does it take to gain knowledge of the truth of oneself as limitless, as Īśvara? This question was recently addressed by Pujya Swamiji for the students of the three year Vedanta course currently underway at Ārṣa Vidyā Gurukulam, Coimbatore. First, there must be an understanding of the means and ends connection – the connection between gaining this knowledge, and the Upaniṣhad as the means of knowledge - for being able to see what is otherwise impossible to see must become abundantly clear. The one who has śraddhā in this śāstra pramāṇa, the means of knowledge for knowing the oneness of self as Īśvara alone gains this knowledge. To reveal to the knower, the operator of the mean1s of knowledge, the truth of her or himself, there has to be inquiry. This is the pramāṇa of śāstra.

The presence of the pramāṇa, the means of knowledge is one thing, but for it to work, there must be a certain adhikāritvam, preparedness on the part of the one who seeks. For sight to take place, we need eyes that are free of defects, similarly, the śāstra as a means of knowledge will work if the student is prepared. Any branch of knowledge presupposes preparedness. The desire for this knowledge has to overtake other desires. Some people may find on the way that other desires have to be fulfilled in order to bring about a certain satisfaction with oneself. One may

Inside this IssueArticle on Adhikāritvam Gurukulam NewsPujya Swamijiʼs Address at the Hindu Temple, DCPujya Swamijiʼs Visit to Ārṣa Vijñāna Gurukulam, DC New Yearʼs Eve & Day Celebrations, DCMessage of Kaivalyopanisad: Thanksgiving Retreat, ORWest Coast Thanksgiving RetreatCommencement Address at Albany State University, GASatsang with Sadhviji in Atlanta, GAGītā Jayanti Celebration, DCWinter Visit in Eugene, OR

ReflectionsBeing in the PresentChariot Festival, India

Regular FeaturesSatsang with SadhvijiSadhvijiʼs Online Classes and Travel Schedule

arsha vijnana gurukulam

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have to get married, have children, or maybe take up some course of study in order to recognize qualities in oneself that will bring out a sense of self-esteem and general well-being.

Before one can work on gaining the specific preparation, one needs to know that one is more or less whole, meaning that one is generally satisfied with oneself. To develop this contentment, one generally focuses on some kind of sādhana, or spiritual practices. Sādhana is appealing because it is action, it is doing. As saṁsāri, one is familiar with becoming. This is how one has lived up to the point one comes to Vedanta. Often, what brings one to the study are samskāras and prārabdha karma, not viveka. Although the punya from the past can bring one to a teacher, to the study of Vedanta, there is no way of knowing oneself as Brahman without seeing the teaching as an independent pramāṇa without the need for corroboration. Generally speaking, the means of knowledge are in the hands of the one operating the means of knowledge, such as the sense organs, inference, etc. While a person operates the five pramāṇas, the sixth means of knowledge –which is in the form of words handled by an adept teacher-- operates on the person, dispelling self-ignorance. To understand that one cannot know oneself as the whole with the help of the sense organs or logic or inference is a big thing. There is no other knowledge like this. The knower, who suffers from a sense of want, desires to be free from being small and insignificant, is already free of being insignificant. Being ignorant of one's nature, the person suffers.

The only thing to do in such a situation is to have compassion for oneself. The only way to develop self-compassion is to deliberately practice having compassion for others, then the compassion for oneself

will grow. Compassion is not having even a dash of dveśa. There must be a caring for all living beings, karuṇā, a sympathetic response to people, and maitra, a loving inner disposition. If there is one value that is needed for gaining self-knowledge, it is compassion. One must guard compassion. Even if we find ourselves in a situation where one does

not feel compassion, we can ask ourselves, what would I do if I were compassionate? The answer to this question is what one does. Compassion is what opens the gateway for the other qualifications to come in.

The other areas to grow into and develop a readiness for the knowledge are spelled out in the śāstra. One has to have viveka, discrimination. When one sees oneself as limited there is room for becoming. Even self-focus and resolution through meditation is becoming. The attempt to become, or the attempt to let go of becoming, is still becoming. This is why one has to have viveka - discrimination. If there is no discrimination in becoming, there can be no resolution to the notion of becoming, because any attempt to resolve the issue reveals deficiency, and if one does not attempt to resolve it, then one remains deficient.

To stop this becoming, then, one has to look into the very nature, the svarūpa, of oneself. With grace, this examination alone will stop the becoming. One has to see that if there is limitlessness, it does not exclude me. If I am separate from the limitless, it is no longer limitless. Therefore, I need a pramāṇa to discover that the svarūpa of the self is Īśvara, and

then to discover what that Īśvara is.

Alambuddhi, a mind that can say “enough,” has to be developed. A buddhi that accepts what is given, a buddhi that sees the grace in what has been given and has not given up because of being thwarted in a

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desire to accomplish something is an alambuddhi. It is a process that one has to grow into and the words of the śāstra reveal the areas that we can look into and gently act out without condemning oneself. The sādhana here is acting out what I want to be.

Vairāgya, giving up things unrelated to the pursuit of knowledge is also important. When one has vairāgya, rāgadveṣas do not consume time so there is more time available to pursue jñānam. Notions and

beliefs that one has had throughout life have to be examined, and discarded when errors become apparent. One has to use viveka though, because one can become attached to vairāgya, in which case the “giver-upper” also has to drop.

Internal resolution, śama, and an external restraint in words and actions, dama, must be developed to take care of unconscious reactions that come up. Even though we may have some knowledge, the unconscious can and will eclipse that knowledge. The pressure to react in self-defense from a sense of being persecuted, is from the unconscious. This is how we discover areas that need to be looked at. The uninvited appearance of the unconscious brings about great vulnerability, along with feelings of insecurity, anger, fear, jealousy. This is where śama and dama are of use. Rather than think of dama as an action, it is more accurate to think of it as a capacity to withdraw from a possible hurtful action. Śama on the other hand is inner resolution of what has already taken place. That emotions are there is a fact; emotions are what make us human beings. Emotions are not will-based, they arise directly from the unconscious without taking permission to arise, nor do they go away on demand. One needs to have space between the emotion that

arises and how one acts. Eventually, resolution will take place as the emotion arises. Until then, however, unless there is space, self-defensive reactions will lead to hiṁsā, causing hurt. To create the space between emotion and action, one uses viveka. This helps one recognize that, more often than not, the uninvited emotions are within the psychological order of Īśvara. Knowing this gives one space. The pressure to react must be readjusted, and this happens when one accepts the emotion, which in turn leads to accepting the whole self.

Another qualification is the ability to let go, uparati. There is a pressure to act in terms of security, that also has to be addressed. Many things give rise to a sense of security: skills, education, money, support systems etc. All are Īśvara, and there is nothing wrong in developing or working for them. However, if one is developing and working for them from a place of insecurity, there will be pressure to go against dharma. When one is secure there is no need to grasp at straws and one can relax in

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the order that is Īśvara. The sanest person in the world is the one who, without being foolhardy, is unconcerned about tomorrow. When one has no fear about tomorrow, one has delivered oneself into “the hands of Īśvara,” not in surrender but from an awareness of Īśvara which brings about security.

Further qualifications are needed because life is not all sukham – experience tells us that we can always find a reason for dukha! Thus, titikṣā is needed so that one can put up with difficulties cheerfully. Different from trying to see sukham where there is dukham, one sees that fretting over things that cannot be changed is not useful, that the only thing that can be done at such a time is to pray. If there can be change, one does what there is to do and prays for that which one cannot change. Contemplation upon one's true nature, samādhānam, can also help any discontentment about what cannot be changed go away. Bringing in more acceptance of Īśvara brings in more contentment.

It is important to maintain one's desire for the pursuit because without this desire, there will be no pursuit. Śraddhā, generally translated as faith pending understanding, is also necessary. The pursuit is not about belief - faith is not something that can proved - it can be above reason, but not based in irrational beliefs. With śraddhā, one has trust that one will come to know and understand the equation that jīva is Brahman, that the difference is mithya and the similarity is satyam.

How does the student know where to pay more attention? As Pujya Swamiji says, it is the guru's job to point out where one is lacking in adhikāritvam. It is only with Guru's grace that every student comes to know the truth of what is – Īśvara.

Pujya Swamiji’s Address at the Hindu Temple,Washington DC

by S. Rammohan and Shanti RammohanPujya Swamiji Dayananda Saraswati addressed a packed hall at the Hindu temple on New Year’s Day. He took off from where Sadhviji had left, speaking on the need to seek the infinite rather than to be an infinite seeker.Pujya Swamiji started with a quick summary of how time and space are non-existent in Vedanta. His brief explanation touched the definition of time and space as a series of lines, and a line itself being a series of points. Furthermore, the definition of a point is that it occupies no space. This allowed the audience to ponder on the paradox that “non-space” is the truth of “space” and hence space as an independent entity is negated. Next, taking the dimension of time he observed that time is recognized by the states of past, present and future. The past, which is long gone, is remembered only in the present, and likewise a future outcome can only be contemplated in the present. The past and future actually fold into the “now” in our minds, thus negating their existence. He concluded therefore, that the one who is the cognizer of now, namely oneself, is always present and is the basis of everything.

Seeing that the adoring audience that had filled the temple auditorium to capacity was looking for a more practical New Year's message, Pujya Swamiji's kind gaze paused on Sadhviji for a moment, as he seamlessly

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transitioned to the theme of New Year resolutions. Humorously he explained how a new year for a jiva cannot be 1st of January but could be only his birthday each year. Pujya Swamiji pointed out how new year could be on any day – the day you enter school, a marriage, become a parent, etc. He explained the influence of the British which resolved a seeming impasse over the multitude of New Year's days - Yugadi, Tamil New Year etc. - by introducing 1st January as the New Year day. He urged the audience to not take just some New Year resolution but to confer upon oneself the right to act, to do whatever is expected of one at the moment. He went on to elaborate on how to pick an action to act out. He recommended that actions conform to dharma. If there are actions that we expect from others towards ourselves, then we should act it out without procrastination. Therefore, if you wish to be loved, then make a resolution to give love to others and act upon that resolution. Jokingly, Swamiji elaborated on an event in which he had just finished rendering a discourse on not procrastinating. A person who had been intently listening in the front of the audience came to talk to Swamiji and said that he had been transformed by the awe-inspiring discourse. He agreed that it was a great idea to not procrastinate, declared that he would start following Swamiji’s advice from the following week!

Do not procrastinate and do the right thing was the message for this New Year from Pujya Swamiji.

Pujya Swamiji Dayananda’s Visit to Ārṣa Vijñāna Gurukulam on New Year’s Day 2011

by R.S. Venkatachalam

On January 1, 2011 Pujya Swamiji gave a public talk at the Hindu Temple of Metropolitan DC. The auditorium was full with about 500

people present. The audience was diverse, comprising Vedanta scholars, newcomers to Vedanta, the young and the old, and devotees from many different temples. Pujya Swamiji started his talk by wishing everybody a very Happy New Year. He talked about the concept of time, the past, present and future and how they all resolve into the present. The present, being timeless, is nothing but Īśvara. Being New Year’s Day, Pujya Swamiji transitioned into the topic of New Year’s resolutions that most people make. For those who have not heard Pujya Swamiji, he is noted for keeping the listener in good humor while at the same time conveying the essence of the teaching. This is how Pujya Swamiji teaches Vedanta. Here too he had the audience giggling with laughter with every sentence, while at the same time they were, without even realizing it, thinking about important concepts.

Following this joyful, spiritual experience, all the devotees were able to pay their respects to Pujya Swamiji and receive prasād. A sumptuous dinner for everyone concluded the New Year’s Program. Swamiji was then escorted back to the Gurukulam where he received a few more devotees. Although he had to leave early the next morning, a group of people had already gathered to see him off.

After a final ārati in the Gurukulam temple, and giving his blessings to all, Pujya Swamiji departed shortly after 7 a.m. to return to the Saylorsburg Gurukulam.

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Pujya Swamiji at Ārṣa Vijñāna Gurukulam, DC

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New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day Celebrations at the Gurukulam

by Naranammalpuram KrishnamurthyAround the middle of December 2010, Sadhviji invited all the devotees of the Gurukulam in the D.C. area to join her on New Year’s Eve for a fireside meditation, and a New Year’s Day Rudra Abhiṣekam.

About 25 of us, including devotees from Saylorsburg, Florida, Oregon, Georgia, and South Carolina, assembled at the Gurukulam on the evening of December 31. The program started with devotional songs sung by several devotees. The satsang hall of the Gurukulam where we assembled has a nice fireplace and we brought out the large, beautiful brass lamp from the temple, and lit small candles on and around the lamp.

Sadhviji commenced the second part of the program by explaining the significance of the term sandhi, which means a transition point. We observe such points in every day life: At dawn, when night turns to day; when the sun passes the zenith at noon; and at dusk when day gives way to night. At these sandhis, observant Hindus offer prayers (called sandhya) and chant the Gayatri mantra. Prayers offered at these times are considered most effective. In much the same way, we celebrate the passing of one year to the next. The dates, December 31st and January 1st, while not having any celestial significance still serve as a time to mark a transition. New Year's Eve, being a sandhi, affords another opportunity for prayer. Sadhviji said that there are three kinds of prayers – physicalized prayer, such as fire rituals, oral prayers through chanting of songs in praise of Īśvara and mental prayer in the

form of meditation. Having gone through the chanting, Sadhviji led us through a guided meditation, whose central message was to give the people in your life the freedom to be who they are without expecting them to change.

Next came the physicalized form of prayer. Sadhviji asked that each of us individually step up to the mini fires around the brass lamp, a pinch of camphor in hand, offer the camphor to the fire as a ritual for inviting what we most wanted in our lives, and praying for letting go of obstacles to the knowledge.It was interesting. and sometimes amusing, to listen as each one declared how he or she would be different or do things differently.

There was a great sense of empathy as each one also recognized a part of themselves in others. One of us wanted to lose 14 pounds weight, and another intended to give up something big in life while pleading, “but not just yet.” It was a kind of open catharsis with all inhibitions down. We then went to the temple, and Sadhviji did ārati to Gaṇeśa, Śiva, Nandi, Ardhanārīśvara, Kṛṣṇa, Dakṣināmūrthi, Śri Śaṅkara, and Pujya Swamiji. Following the ārati the program ended with a delicious meal of samosas, fruit salad and other snacks.

The following morning, January 1, about 35 of us assembled at the Gurukulam for Rudra Abhiṣekam. There were smiles and greetings of “Happy New Year” all around. Abhiṣekam was done for Śrī Śiva with 11 dravyas while Sadhviji recited Laghunyasam, Rudram, Chamakam, Puruṣa Sūktam and śānti mantras. Many of us followed Sadhviji in the chants. Following the abhiṣekam, we recited Dakṣināmūrti aṣtottara and Guru stotrams, followed by mahā maṅgala ārati to all the deities.After a substantial lunch, under the guise of prasādam, we concluded the morning event, excitedly anticipating Pujya

Swamiji’s visit to the Gurukulam in the late afternoon and his discourse at the Hindu Temple in the evening.

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Being in the Presentby Leela Krishnamurthy

On the first day of January 2011, the students were awaiting the arrival of Pujya Swamiji. The Gurukulam sparkled aglow with eagerness, enthusiasm and enduring love of our dear Sadhviji. There was excitement in the air as Sadhviji gave final instructions to some of us waiting to receive Pūjya Swamiji. I felt privileged to share the exuberance and joy of Sadhviji as she awaited the arrival of our beloved Guru.

Pujya Swamiji was arriving from Saylorsburg by car. Every headlight that appeared on our street sent a thrill of expectation. When Swamiji finally arrived, the welcoming honors were done including the purṇa kumbham, ārati, garlanding and applying a tilak on Swamiji’s forehead. While waving

the lamp, I made eye contact with Swamiji. His look was so compassionate that I was engulfed with his blessings. Swamiji was

then taken into the temple. The deities had been dressed and adorned with great love by Sadhviji, and Swamiji himself did ārati. With bells ringing and Pujya Swamiji holding the light to each of the deities, the link between Īśvara, guru and śiṣya beautifully came into manifestation.

Swamiji then had a tour of the Gurukulum and sat to address us. Swamiji made inquiries about the property, expressed his pleasure with it and said he wanted us to buy it as soon as possible. This was a great blessing for the devotees of the D.C. Gurukulam.During this satsang, Swamiji told us about the New Year's celebration

at Saylorsburg, and then started to describe the temple chariot that was recently built in southern India.

All of us wanted the evening to continue with us seated at the feet of our beloved Guru, taking in every word he spoke, but we had to go to the Hindu Temple where Swamiji was going to address the public. When we arrived, the large auditorium, which could seat over five hundred people, was completely full. After preliminary introductions, Sadhviji spoke of Vedanta and what the scriptures had to offer to humanity. She introduced Swamiji as an authority on Vedanta who has spread the message of freedom from a life of

samsāra, of misery, to the entire world.

Swamiji began his talk by elaborating on the topic of time, saying that time is not a linear entity and what really matters is the present. The past and the future are also both recalled in the present.

Swamiji concluded his talk by making a distinction between postponing and procrastinating. While the former can be resorted to under exceptional situations, the latter is an extremely detrimental behavior in our lives regardless of whether we pursue spiritual or everyday goals.

The entire evening on the first of January, 2011 with Pujya Swamiji had a timeless quality to it, and I, one of many I am sure, was reluctant to see it end.

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Temple DeitiesĀrṣa Vijñāna Gurukulam, DC

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Message of Kaivalyopaniṣadby Charu Sivakumar

The four-day Thanksgiving retreat was held in Yachats, Oregon -- a beautiful seaside resort. The Thanksgiving retreat was organized at the Oregon House -- a coastal getaway, situated on a cliff directly overlooking the Pacific Ocean at the Oregon coast. The magnificent view of the waves from the main lecture hall totally mesmerized us, and their soothing and constant sound helped us to relax and rejuvenate. This was the ideal place to conduct a Vedanta retreat!

After the welcome and evening satsang with Sadhviji, we had a sumptuous dinner and retired for the night. Each morning we started with meditation at 7:30 a.m., followed by classes all day long and satsang after dinner.

The Kaivalyopaniṣad starts with a ‘śānti mantra,' which Sadhviji explained was a prayer invoking the blessings for a strong body, with auspicious hearing, good vision and able senses so we may devote our whole lives to praising Īśvara. We pray also to Indra in the heavens, to the sun and to Garuda, the eagle, to spread his wings and fly into our hearts the teachings of our Guru. We also pray to Bṛhaspati, the Lord of knowledge, to protect us. The three "śāntis" are chanted at

the end to invoke protection from obstacles to receiving the teachings from the three sources - ādhidaivikam (acts of God), ādhibhautikam (disturbance from our surroundings) and

ādhyātmikam (disturbance from one’s own self).

The Kaivalyopaniṣad is like a mirror turned towards oneself, because it talks about the pursuit of self knowledge. A very learned sage Āśvalāyana, equipped with all the prerequisites such as viveka, vairagya,

sama, dama, etc. and mumukṣutva, approaches his teacher Prajāpati, and asks to be taught the Brahmavidyā.' Prajāpati, however says to Āśvalāyana, “Know this by developing śraddhā, bhakti and dhyānam.

Śraddhā is complete trust in the teacher and the teachings, which is essential for the pursuit of knowledge. Only then can knowledge take place. Bhakti is devotion to Īśvara and needs to be cultivated. Śraddhā and bhakti go together. Bhakti can be expressed consciously through rituals, as well as through actions such as feeding the poor. There are many obstacles and missed opportunities that interfere with our pursuit of knowledge. These obstacles can be resolved through prayer. There are three types of prayer --

kāyikam (physical), vācikam (verbal), and mānasam (mental). Bhakti is expressed through these various forms of prayer. Dhyānam is defined as mental activity for which Īśvara is the object. Through the practice of meditation one develops a relationship with Īśvara and also gains a say over the ways of the mind. Dhyānam, therefore, is very important for developing mental discipline, so that one is able to train the mind to be available to receive the knowledge. Only in a mind quietened through the practice of dhyānam can the knowledge abide.

Each evening, after classes, we enjoyed devotional songs, slokas and chants to the sound of the waves just below the lecture hall. These four days at the Oregon House were the most magical, uplifting, soothing and deeply meaningful that I have experienced. We were loathe to leave this beautiful place of innate peace and enchantment.

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West Coast Thanksgiving Retreat

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West Coast Thanksgiving Retreat, 2011by Rama Giri/Richard Rondeau

Last November Sadhviji returned to Oregon for the second annual West Coast Thanksgiving weekend retreat. The retreat location, The Oregon House on the coast, was a pleasant place with a great view of the Pacific Ocean behind Sadhviji’s āsana. Because the weekend accommodations did not include food, there was ample opportunity for kitchen seva and several devotees offered delicious cooked meals to the retreat participants throughout the weekend.

During the three days and nights, students from Oregon, Georgia, Florida and the Washington, D.C. area gathered at the feet of our teacher to hear her gentle voice and infectious laughter as she spoke about the truth of the self. I have noticed myself gradually transition from being a confused and a curious jīva to taking my mukṣutvam seriously. I would like to think that we all are currently discovering in ourselves the passionate jijṇāsu, the seeker of knowledge – or at least continuing faking it until we make it.

The text for the talk was the short, but marvelously challenging Kaivalyopaniṣad. There are only twenty-six mantras in this Upaniṣad including the opening prayer-invocation, but in those verses we find the entirety of Guruji’s teaching.

The Kaivalyopaniṣad is part of the Atharvaveda, and although Ādī Śaṅkarācārya did not comment upon it, he considered it to be an important Upaniṣad. Like all the Upaniṣads, the Kaivalyopaniṣhad too, is in the form of a dialogue between the teacher and student. The śruti here talks of the student’s question and the teacher’s answer. In this Upaniṣad, the student and the teacher are both exalted individuals. Āśvalāyana, a sage, approached none other than Brahmaji – the Creator – to ask for that knowledge “by which the unknown becomes known.” Brahmaji's answer constitutes the next 24 ślokas. During the eight classes, Sadhviji spoke only about the first two verses, and primarily about one word, the first word “atha,” which stands for the prerequisites necessary for one to discover the śiṣya in oneself.Āśvalāyana, the student seeking knowledge, reverentially approached Lord Brahma as his teacher and said, “O! Lord, teach me the Brahmavidyā, that most exalted hidden knowledge always sought by dharmic people, knowing which a wise person quickly sheds all pāpas and attains (the knowledge of oneself as) the ultimate puruṣa, which transcends cause and effect.”

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In the next verse Brahmaji answers, “Please know this knowledge by leading a life of faith, devotion, and meditation. Neither by karma, nor by having progeny or wealth, but only through renunciation can this knowledge that one is free be attained.” Thus we are told by the śruti that the knowledge of one's self as limitless cannot be gained by actions that are in themselves finite. Śravaṇam, listening to the teaching is the only way of dropping the ignorance, and the resulting erroneous identification with that which is limited, such as the body, mind or the senses. For śravaṇam to succeed, for the teaching to hit home, there must be a receptive mind, a mind that has trained itself to trust that the teaching will deliver. This trust that is developed even before the understanding of oneself is gained, is called śraddha –a reverential attitude towards the words of the teaching and the teacher. Bhakti is devotion. All that is here, known and unknown, is nothing but Īśvara.Understanding that the entire universe is pervaded by the Lord is a sign of inner maturity, and makes one have an accepting and resolved mind. Finally, dhyānam, the practice of mental prayer or meditation, allows one to have a say over the ways of the mind.

When I heard this, I thought that seems simple enough. We already have śraddhā and bhakti, so we must be half way there. But then Sadhviji started to expound the meaning of the first word, “atha.” The import of the word “atha,” meaning “therefore, thereafter,” suggests that Āśvalāyana came to Brahmaji already equipped with the requisite qualifications of śama, dama, viveka, vairāgya, uparati,titikṣā, and mumukṣutvam. This suggests that even to cultivate śraddhā, bhakti and dhyanam, which are prerequisites for Brahmavidyā, one needs additional prerequisites of having a discriminating, non-reactive and resolved mind, objectivity, and the

ability to let go of things unrelated to the pursuit of knowledge, forbearance and single-mindedness.Āśvalāyana was not an ordinary student, because he had all the qualifications called “sādhana catuṣṭaya,” the four-fold qualifications needed for the study of Vedanta. Although we may not be a great sage like Āsvalāyana, we can still use him as an inspiration to gain these prerequisites. We need viveka to discriminate between that which is time-bound and timeless. Pursuing the time-bound while seeking the timeless is the lot of many a jīva, causing it to be repeatedly born in ignorance. Viveka therefore is the first step to really sit with the question of what one is seeking, and an opportunity to redirect one's life

pursuits accordingly.

We need vairāgya, the ability to let go of the time-bound both in the here and the hereafter. We need to cultivate śama, resolution of the mind and senses and dama, restraint with regard to organs of action. We need titikṣā, endurance and equanimity towards the pleasant and the unpleasant. Uparati, the ability to let go, and single-minded focus, samādhāna, along with the other qualifications, become the treasures of the one seeking freedom from being a wanting person – a mumukṣu.

Although the gain of these qualifications seems like a daunting task, mumukṣutvam, the desire for being free from samsara, carries one along in the pursuit.

Sadhviji then unfolded each of the words śraddhā, bhakti, and dhyānam in great detail, offering examples from contemporary life in a way that strengthened my śraddhā in the efficacy of the guru and the teaching. I pray that with the grace of the teaching my qualifications will grow, and then “acirāt,” not too long hence, I will understand myself as that absolute reality, Īśvara, the cause of the jagat. I have heard the song of God.

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from the University to be brilliant in their studies and to gain a calm and resolved mind through the course of their studies. The benediction, also an excerpt from the Taittirīya Upaniṣad, was perhaps the most ancient valedictory address given by a teacher to his disciples. It urged the students to build their character by following dharma, the universal matrix of norms. The address also emphasized the importance of contributing substantially to the University upon graduation. The address reminded the students to have integrity in thought and action, and encouraged them to seek help from elders whenever they were confused about the right course of action to take. The president and the faculty members in attendance were very struck by the timeless nature of this advice. Indeed the benediction corresponded to the speeches delivered earlier by other faculty members and invited guests. There was a great appreciation for Sadhviji and the Hindu religion. Even now, several colleagues on campus have conveyed their appreciation to me for the opportunity to hear Sadhviji at the commencement ceremony. Many told me that they never experienced such a powerful invocation and benediction prayer in any commencement! It feels like Sadhviji’s words are still echoing on the campus. I am personally grateful for Sadhviji taking time from her schedule and blessing us all.

The Commencement Ceremony Address at Albany State Universityby Dr. Ravindra Malik

God has his plans and designs that only saints and or saintly people can understand. I strongly believe that the visit of Sadhviji to Albany in December was all part of such a plan, and words can hardly explain the significance of such grace.Thus, Sadhviji arrived at Atlanta airport on December 10, 2010. I received her and drove her to Albany where in the evening at our house we had

arranged a satsang which 30-35 folks attended. This was one of the best evenings that we all had together spiritually in Albany.The next morning we left for Albany State University Commencement Ceremony, where

Sadhviji was invited to do the invocation and benediction. Her presence were definitely felt by the thousands in the audience. She chanted the prayer in Sanskrit and translated it into English to enable us all to understand what it meant. Even during the Sanskrit chanting there was undivided attention from the audience and absolute silence during the invocation and benediction. The invocation was a chant from the Taittirīya Upaniṣad, a prayer for the well being and prosperity of the University, its faculty, staff and students. The chant blessed the University to attract from all directions students who are prepared to learn. Furthermore, the chant also blessed the students graduating

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Satsang with Sadhviji in Atlantaby Ramakrishnan Natarajan

A long-awaited satsang with Sadhviji in Atlanta happened for us on December 12th, 2010. It was a spiritually uplifting experience for all of us who attended the session and we enjoyed spending some quality time in Sadhviji’s company. The session was well attended, with about 60 people who braved the cold and windy winter morning in order to listen to Sadhviji. Some sādhakas drove all the way from Albany and the Valdosta area also. Many of them stayed for the afternoon session while we had some light snow flurries outside.

The session started with a 30-minute meditation led by Sadhviji. This was followed by a talk on “Yoga in Bhagavad Gītā”. Sadhviji dwelt at length on the topic of relevance of self-knowledge, Brahmavidyā, in the world today. Unlike animals, human beings have the free will to choose and gain Brahmavidyā here and now. Postponing the pursuit is not a good option. Ignorance is the root cause of leading one to identify as a "sum-sorry”. Therefore, even if one waits hoping for some life in another loka and the chance of having Brahmaji for a teacher, Brahmaji will only teach the same vidyā.

Continuing in her entertaining style, filled with examples from our day-to-day life, Sadhviji explained that the subject matter of Bhagavad Gītā is comprised of Brahmavidyā and yoga śāstra. Yoga śāstra or karma yoga helps prepare the mind for Brahmavidyā. Sadhviji then referred to three verses in the Bhagavad Gītā to expound the meaning of yoga. Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa defines samatvam as

yoga in the second chapter. Samatvam means receiving the results of action with equanimity. Sadhviji gave the example of the four possible results when trying to cross the road to catch a bus - catch the bus, as expected; a friend offering a car ride, more than expected; miss the bus, less than expected, or end up in the hospital while trying to cross the road, unexpected. Accepting each of these possibilities with equanimity as a result of any action is samatvam. Dedicating our actions to Īśvara and understanding that there is a hidden variable, that is one’s prārabdhakarma, in every result will also help us

gradually gain samatvam.

In the second chapter, Bhagavān also defines yoga as karmasu kauśalam. This is not really skill in action but doing what is to be done in accordance with dharma. Sadhviji went on to explain sāmānya and viśeṣa dharma in this context. The third definition of yoga is from the sixth chapter where Bhagavān calls it dukha saṁyoga viyoga, separating from association with sorrow. Sadhviji said that anything can make one sad and after requesting the audience to suggest any word, showed how that word can lead to association with sorrow. Reducing one’s rāgadveṣas is key to achieving

this separation.

At the end of the talk Sadhviji spent some time answering questions from the audience. After receiving prasād from Sadhviji, everyone enjoyed a sumptuous potluck lunch, which was followed by music and another question and answer session that lasted for more than one hour. Everyone got to hear good music, great questions and enlightening answers. The session finally ended with another round of prasāda from Sadhviji.

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Satsangs in Albany, Atlanta and Lake Park, GA

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Gītā Jayanti at Ārṣa Vijñāna Gurukulam

by Vera Vandendries

The Gītā Jayanti celebrations was held at Ārsha Vijñāna Gurukulam on December 18, 2010. On this memorable occasion, homas and the sthāpanā of the deities were also performed. Fortunately, the day fell on a Saturday, making it possible for many people to attend. A Brahmin priest from the Śrī Śiva Viṣṇu Temple selected the muhūrta, the most auspicious time for the installation (sthāpanā) of the deities and the homa. Since the Gītā Jayanti fell on the same day, the chanting of the complete Bhagavad Gītā was included in this celebration.

After the Gaṇapti homa, the fire ritual for the removal of all obstacles, the Āvahanti homa was performed. This homa is the teacher’s prayer to be blessed with well-qualified students, increase the number of classes, and for the well being of all students.

The night before the celebrations, the Gurukulam was buzzing with people, bringing items for the homa and early next morning people eagerly arrived and

assembled at the given time. When the priest arrived, the preparation for the homa began in earnest, involving an elaborate setup, garland making, preparing offerings and placing the vessel of water – the bringing together the waters of the holy rivers. Dr. Viswanathan, Śrī Ramani, Śrīmati Leela and Śrī Krishnamurthy were the principal participants in the fire ceremony, while Sadhviji, along with the other attendees sat and observed the homa. As the priest chanted the mantras, an air of sacredness pervaded the atmosphere.

At 9:00 a.m. we started chanting the Gītā using the large teaching hall capable of holding one hundred people. The mūrti of Śrī Bhagavān Krṣṇa and a large sized poster of Pūjya Śrī Swami Dayanandaji adorned the room. At the feet of Śrī Krṣṇa was a table full of 18 different kinds of sweets, one for offering at the end each chapter of the Bhagavad Gītā. The chanting voices of the participants filled the hall and the many people joining us online added their love and good intentions to the celebrations.

Upon the completion of the Bhagavad Gītā, the mūrti of Śrī Bhagavān Krṣṇa was ceremoniously and reverentially carried under a canopy by Śrī Yash and and Śrīmati Kamal Chopra up to the temple. The sacred water that was consecrated during the homa was used for the sthāpanā of the deities. Sadhviji honored each deity with the mantras, sprinkled the holy water, and performed ārati. Circumambulating in place, we honored the deities and each one of us present received

the deities’ blessings from the ārati flame. I felt a palpable transformation with the completion of the installation of the deities.

After the celebrations concluded, we had a delicious meal of Indian food. As the event came to a close I felt a sense of joy and of well being. The blessings of the Gītā Jayanti and the homas, the transforming power of the sthāpanā of the deities, and the communal feast imparted a spiritual, mental and physical fulfillment. At the end of the celebration I, as a

student of Vedanta, eagerly looked forward to continuing to attend classes offered at the Gurukulam.

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Gītā Jayanti, Ārṣa Vijñāna Gurukulam Washington, DC

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Report on Sadhviji’s Winter Visit to Eugeneby Harinder Kaur Khalsa and Faith LaCross

Sadhviji arrived in Eugene on January 25, 2011 to the delight of her students. As a result of their puṇya, the visit was extended to last

until mid-February.

During her visit, Sadhviji continued the teaching of Taittīriya Upaniṣad with bhāṣya. These classes have been occurring every other month for the past ten months. We are in the midst of an in-depth study of satyam jñānam anantam and the

many pūrva pakṣas (doubts) that occur along the way.

The online evening classes (Pañcadaśī and Bhagavad Gītā Chapter 6) and weekend mini-retreats (Hastāmalakīyam and Aparokṣānubhūti) were held with the added benefit of a room full of students sitting at the feet of the teacher.

During the weekdays and on weekends there were chanting and Sanskrit classes. The classes were open to all regardless of their level of experience. Despite the lurking anxiety and doubts that may be in the heart about one’s ability, students came ready to submit themselves to the study.

The Bhagavad Gītā Home Study group has just begun Chapter 16, Daivāsura-sampad-vibhāga-yogaḥ (a description of becoming and unbecoming dispositions). Sadhviji gave students a beautiful introduction to this chapter. Sadhviji also attended a film screening that was directed by a local student and a potluck held at the home of the Deshpandes. All the events were attended well and enjoyed by all.

The devotees of the Mūkambika Mahadeva Shrine had the great blessing to have Sadhviji officiate a Dakṣiṇāmūrti and Navagraha homa and Mūkambika and Śiva abhiṣeka on February 5, just before the Sarasvatī pūja day. The effects of these rituals will continue to bless us all to remove any obstacles that may be in place in the assimilation of the knowledge of the truth of oneself.

While we are infinitely grateful that we can continue classes with Sadhviji online when she is not Eugene, we need to emphasize that there is nothing like sitting at the feet of the teacher to understand this knowledge. The intensity of the teachings and the depth of understanding keeps growing and the knowledge is being assimilated more easily.

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Homa and Abhisheka at the Mūkambika Shrine in Eugene, OR

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Satsang with SadhvijiHow does perception take place and at what point do

rāgadveṣas come in and distort the perception?Even though we say that perception occurs when the "mind goes out and wraps the object through the eyes" it is just a matter of expression. The light of awareness, consciousness, as it were travels through the eyes. In other words, there is really not a proper way to put this in words without running into some error or the other, because even if we say that the consciouness "travels" then one can ask the question "how can all pervasive consciousness travel?"Therefore to understand this, Swami Paramarthānandaji gives the example of electricity. Electricity is everywhere, but only when there is a light bulb, the medium through which it shines, can it cast a light upon the object to be illumined. Therefore one can say that the electricity is consciousness and the light bulb is the eye, and the switch which turns on the bulb is the mind.Rāgadveṣas appear early in the perception process --they are subtle, and they insert themselves into the perception based on previous samskāras and pretend to be part of the perception itself. They arise with appearance of the internal "mental pot," even before the cognizance of the external mud pot. That is what Swāmī Vidyāraṇya means in the 4th chapter of the Pañcadaśī, when he says that there exist 2 perceptions for each object. In the perception of a pot, for instance, there are 2 pots: One is "dhīmaya" or internal, a modification of the buddhi, where the rāgadveṣas abide, and the other is "mṛṇmaya," the external pot, a modification of clay.

Chariot Festival at Śri Mahāliṇgasvāmi Temple, Thiruvidaimaruthur, India

After 78 years, with the grace and blessings of gurus and Īśvara, the Rathotsavam –Chariot Festival - of Sri Mahāliṇgasvāmi was conducted at Thiruvidaimaruthur on Wednesday, the 19th January, 2011.

Thousands of people gathered at the Main Ratha Manatapam on the East Car Street around 10 a.m. After pūja, the crowds started pulling the magnificent chariot amidst loud chants of Madhyarjuneśvara and Mahāliṇga .

The chariot, on which work was begun in 2007, is meticulously carved. Weighing over 200 tons, the new chariot, with Lord Śri Mahāliṇgasvāmi's Utsava-Murthi, grandly placed upon its top, circuited the temple. Reports say that the circuit took 12 hours to complete, reaching its final destination at 10:15 p.m.

En route, hundreds of people waited with flowers and fruits for offering to the Lord. Local storekeepers handed out water to the crowd, while plates of prasād were distributed from a truck following the chariot. The crowd in attendance came from all age, gender, socioeconomic and religious groups, everyone coming together in celebration. Amongst the devotees there were at least half a dozen octogenarians, who had seen the previous ratha passing through their street in the year 1933.

With the benevolent consent of the 23rd Guru Maha Sannidhanam of Thiruvavaduthurai Adhīnam, the construction of the main chariot was undertaken and completed as planned. Behind this mammoth task was none other than our beloved Pujya Swamiji. From conception, through trial run and now the first Ratha festival with the new chariot, Pujya Swamiji has overseen and relentlessly supported the project. It is proposed to start the work on the other four Chariots shortly.

We gratefully recall your support to this holy project with your kind contributions and pray to the Almighty Lord to bless you with more strength to further participate in this sacred culture reviving project which aims at preservation of our rich spiritual traditions.  

Courtesy of Arsha Vidya Newsletter  

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Ratha Festival at Tiruvidaimarudar

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Weekday  Daytime  Classes  

* Monday  and  Thursday  1:30-­‐2:30  pm:  Kaṭhopaniṣad  with  Bhaśya

* Thursday  12:30-­‐1:30  pm:  Beginning  Sanskrit

Weekday  Evening  Classes

* Tuesday  and  Thursday:    9-­‐10  pm  Pañcadaśī  Chapter  4*Wednesday:  8-­‐9  pm  Bhagavad  Gītā         9-­‐10  pm  Intermediate  Sanskrit

Travel  Schedule

Last  week  of  March  and  May,  Eugene,  OR          Classes:      Taittirīya  Upaniṣad  study  with  Bhāṣya      Hastāmalakīyam      Intermediate  and  Beginning  Sanskrit  Classes      For  more  details  please  contact  Faith  at  541-­‐870-­‐9307

Sadhviji’s Teaching and Travel Schedule

Please Note All Times are Eastern TimeClasses marked with an * are also offered online

To access the online classroom go to www.arshavm.org, click on second button on the left hand side and sign in with your name as a guest.

Weekend  Classes  

* First  Saturday  and  Sunday  each  month:  9  am-­‐12pm  Aparokṣānubhūti  at  Śrī  Śiva  Viṣnu  Temple.    For  more  details  please  contact  Charu  at  charun@cox.net  

* Second  and  Third  Saturday  each  month:        10-­‐11:15  am  Bhagavad  Gītā      11:30  am  -­‐  12:30  pm  Vedic  chanting  and  Bhagavad  Gītā      chanting

*  Second  and  Third  Sunday  each  month:      10-­‐11:15  am  Muṇḍakopaniṣad      11:30  am  -­‐  12:30  pm  Beginning  Sanskrit

   First  Sunday  of  each  month  from  4-­‐6  pm  Kaṭhopaniṣad    at  the  residence  of  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Sharma,  8825  Blue  Smoke    Gaithersburg  MD.    This  class  is  not  online

Sūktā Editorial Board Julie Carpenter, Mayaskari Rothbart, Faith La Cross, Kanchan Deshpande and V. Viswanathan.