A Vedic Counselor’s Perspective on Life

“In the vision of Vedanta, a person, by virtue of his own essential nature, is totally, absolutely, pure and free. Compassion, love, giving, and sharing are all dynamic forms of this absolute happiness (aananda). You are limitless, fullness, complete, lacking nothing.”- Swami Dayananda Saraswati

My Nānijī

Nānijī would lovingly start every conversation with “Sai beta, please share with me a few words of spiritual wisdom…” I would respond, “Nānijī, keep your mind on ‘Om’”. In her last few months, Nānijī could not even digest daal water. She would burp loudly during our conversations, mostly listening to my voice telling her to keep her mind on her Higher Self – her “I am.” We never discussed the topic of death directly, but Nānijī knew that it was near and all she wanted to do was rid herself of the immense suffering her body was going through. I reminded her often that she was neither the body nor the mind; that she was beyond these two that caused suffering; that she was pure love, infinite, ever-present awareness – the “I am” that vibrates in the “Om.” In this state of mind, her last moments were not consumed with questions or attachments to the material world she was to leave behind, but rested on her deeper, Higher Self.

Nānijī and I also practiced forgiveness meditation where over the period of several weeks we learned to forgive those who have hurt us. I could feel that as Nānijī neared the end, she was more free, lighter – she divested herself of all of life’s experiences and settled in her Higher Self; her mind was consumed in looking up at the Divine rather than holding down on to the material plane. One day, while sending her healing energy in my meditation, unbeknownst to me, Nānijī passed away in her sleep. She finally merged with the ever-present, indivisible, infinite awareness

Vedic Counseling

I share this story because I was engaged in a form of counseling that I didn’t know existed: Vedic counseling. After much reflection on how I engaged with Nānijī, I decided to explore Dr. David Frawley’s (Pandit Vamadeva Shastri) course on Vedic counseling. I became a Certified Vedic Counselor and began my formal journey into Vedic counseling with the hope that I am able to become a compassionate guide to others in their time of need, particularly those nearing death. In time, I developed my own Vedic vision on life drawing from my practices in yoga and study of Vedanta as well as learning from numerous teachers.

Dr. David Frawley explains that Vedic counseling can be understood as dhārmic guidance on right living, right action, and right awareness. It draws upon Vedic knowledge rooted in Vedic Sciences such as Ayurveda, Yoga, Vāstu, Jyotiṣa, among others, and provides life guidance to those in need so that they may access the unlimited wisdom, energy, and vitality inherent within themselves while connecting to the universal intelligence that helps them move beyond their human constraints (Frawley, Kshirsagar, the Art and Science of Vedic Counseling). Vedic counseling then is counseling of inner observation into our internal reality and a Vedic counselor sets in motion a deeper process of observation and investigation in the individual with the goal of awakening an already-present deeper intelligence (Frawley, Kshirsagar, the Art and Science of Vedic Counseling).

As I reflect on my conversations with Nānijī, and others who I had spent their last moments with, I found that my guidance has organically always led to a focus on the changeless element of experience, the ever-present, indivisible, infinite awareness of “I am.”

“I am” – A Contemplation

Consider the following contemplation from spiritual teacher and philosopher, Rupert Spira:

“Look around the room you are sitting in and reading this article. Look at the objects, what’s on this table, the table, the walls, the chair, and so on. Now bring your attention away from the objects in the room and bring your attention to the space in the room. Have you ever contemplated this space? Have you ever thought of this space or brought your attention to it? Perhaps the only times you become aware of this space is when you move into an empty home or when you move out, but in between, you fill it up with various objects.

Now bringing your attention to the space in the room, ask: is this space limited to the four walls? Remove the four walls and what happens to that space? You realize that the space in this room pervades this room but is not limited to this room. Relatively speaking, it is infinite. When the building is taken down, the space will remain exactly as it is, as it has always been. (Spira, The Place of Refuge). Similarly, the self or awareness of yourself pervades the body but is not limited to the body. It is utterly intimate with itself, but it has no personal qualities or limitations. It is infinite. It is not located in a body or mind, but you notice in your direct experience that the awareness with which all experience is known, like the space, is not located in any particular experience. (Spira, The Place of Refuge). It has always been there. Everything, including the body and the mind, the experiences you have in your life, all appear in that awareness.”

Similar to the space with all the objects in it and similar to the way we identify with only those objects but not the space within which they are in, our lives are always qualified and colored with the “I am” with thoughts, feelings, sensations, or perceptions. Notice that all those objects of thoughts, feelings, sensations, or perceptions that follow “I am” all appear, exist for a time, and vanish, but “I am” remains. (Spira, The Place of Refuge). In fact, this awareness of “I am” has always been there.

Take a step back from your experience and step into this “I am.” Contemplate this “I am” and soon you discover that the body and the mind is what we are aware of; it is not what we are. (Spira, The Place of Refuge). In other words, the awareness of “I am” precedes all objects and content of experience. It has always been there. This awareness, this presence of awareness, is the most important thing we can understand about ourselves. This awareness is so caught up and mixed with experience that we have forgotten this “I am.”

Be with this “I am.” I am. When a thought arises, ask: are you aware? And you find that the “I am” is aware of that thought but a thought is not aware of itself. When a feeling arises, ask: are you aware? And you find that “I am” aware of that feeling but a feeling is not aware of itself. In this way, you find that no object of experience is aware. And then you ask what is it that is aware of experience? And you find yourself back in “I am” – the knowing and being that is “I am.” Keep going back to this “I am.” (Spira, The Place of Refuge). Stay there. (See also Kavitha Chinnaiyan, Svatantra Institute, Bliss Meditation)

Role of a Vedic Counselor

Our entry into the world is pervaded by duality. From the moment we are born, we are conditioned with the subject-object relationship. As a result, we already begin our lives from a place where we feel limited, incomplete, so we start seeking and resisting. We desperately try to feel whole and complete in our daily activities and relationships. This feeling of separation ultimately leads us away from the one reality — that single, indivisible, reality behind all the objects and people that derive their apparently independent existence. (Spira, An Introduction to Non-Duality). This sense of separation ultimately brings disharmony between ourselves and the world. A Vedic counselor is one who understands that sole reality and guides an individual to an understanding that they lack nothing, that they are already complete.

The apparent separate self or ego, an illusory self (real but not what it appears to be/an arising in awareness) mixed with objects of experience, is sometimes in need of practices or instruction. (Spira, The Place of Refuge; also see Greg Goode, Standing as Awareness). The Vedic Sciences are practices and techniques that facilitate the individual to arrive at the recognition of “I am.” Ayurveda is the Vedic Science for well-being of body and mind; Jyotisha is the science of time and energetic effects of cosmic bodies on the mind; Vastu is the science of space and directional influences,; and other sciences lead us to the vision of Vedanta, which is the philosophy of awareness. (Frawley, Kshirsagar, the Art and Science of Vedic Counseling).

These Vedic Sciences are the preparation ground to allow one to arrive at the “I am.” (Spira, the Way of Surrender). These Sciences provide processes and solutions to the suffering, needs, questions, and fears of this separate self. (Spira, the Way of Surrender; also see, Chinnaiyan, Shakti Rising). They cater to the separate self’s unique needs before finally resting in the awareness “I am.” A Vedic counselor identifies a particular Science or a mixture of these Sciences and sets in motion the processes to help that separate self dissolve into awareness. Ultimately, the Vedic counselor facilitates an individual to take a step towards themselves, to go home to themselves, to be simply with the knowledge of themselves, to surrender to themselves and open up the possibility of the dissolution of their apparent separate self or ego, that illusory limitations that the separate self acquires from thinking, feeling, sensing, perceiving and so on, into the infinite, ever-present awareness that they already are.

Every investigation or surrender to dissolve this separation that causes so much suffering results in coming back to ourselves where we simply live and be aware of our being, of the “I am.” This is the death of the separate self before the death of the physical self.

The End of the Illusory Separate Self

Visualize yourself on your deathbed. You’ve been told you have three days to live. What would you be contemplating about? What would you want to be thinking about? How would your mind approach the moment? Will it grasp for all that content of experience it has gathered over this lifetime or will it divest all that experience and go straight to the unblemished, essential self? Consider the contemplation on “I am” we just discussed. Would it change how you approach the last few days, hours, minutes, seconds in your mortal coil?

As I reflect on Nānijī’s physical end, and the physical loss of so many other friends and family over the last few years, I find myself constantly reflecting on death. Particularly, on the death of the separate self, and all its illusory limitations, before the death of the physical self. Consider the possibility of having the separate self die well before the physical.

The Sufis call this “dying before death” and Vedantans call it “liberation while living” (jivanmukta). What is meant by this understanding is that when the mind constantly dwells in the “I am” instead of the qualified, colored experience that contracts that “I am,” the mind finds itself in the open, in spaciousness, clarity, and peace; in other words, it is restored to its pristine, unconditioned state. As the body deteriorates in various ways, the mind remains illumined in the knowledge of “I am” – that true self, infinite, ever-present awareness. Many of us fear death, but when we have the capacity to clearly investigate our separate self with a healthy body and mind – especially when that body and mind are healthy now – we can immediately get in touch with ourselves deeply. That is, instead of constantly identifying with experience and desperately holding on to it – the experience of thoughts, feelings, perceptions that say “I am old,” “I am wrinkly,” “I am losing everything” – return back to the one constant, changeless element that has always been there no matter your age: the awareness of “I am.” Keep your attention there. See where this takes you. Does it liberate you from the fear of dying? Remain there.

We find that no matter what happens to this body, the death of identifying with experience, the illusory separate self, gives rise to the birth of peace that is already our being. In this way, when the moment comes when the body is finally done, all that shines in our minds is our knowledge of “I am” – the pure, peaceful, ever-present awareness that has always been there – that awareness that has preceded our birth and that awareness that continues after our death.

**My sincere thanks to the teachers that continue to shape me: Shri Guru, Bhairava Baba, Shri Atmananda Krishna Menon, Shri M, Rupert Spira, Sri Ramana Maharishi, Nisargadatta Maharaj, Greg Goode, Dr. Kavitha Chinnaiyan, Dr. David Frawley, and all those numerous beings who continue to teach and guide me.

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It is a kind of day, when a long-suppressed civilization heaves a collective sigh of relief, after five hundred years. At 12:15:15 PM IST,  August 5, 2020, let us pause, recall and bow to the spirit, patience, perseverance and valor of our venerable ancestors.

In the land where Rama pervades

moh, lobh, krodh and kaam,

we were asked to prove the existence of our beloved Sri Ram.

In the land where Rama has a

navmi and janma bhoomi,

we were asked to prove the existence of our beloved Sri Ram.

In the land where Rama is in

one’s name and in the ideal state,

we were asked to prove the existence of our beloved Sri Ram.

In the land where Rama stands for

the perfect nation and national integration,

we were asked to prove the existence of our beloved Sri Ram.

In the land where Rama permeates

thoughts, speech & action,

we were asked to prove the existence of our beloved Sri Ram.

In the land where Rama is invoked both in

trepidation and meditation,

we were asked to prove the existence of our beloved Sri Ram.

In the land where Rama is in

salutation and salvation,

we were asked to prove the existence of our beloved Sri Ram.

When a long-suppressed civilisation heaves a collective sigh of relief, after five hundred years, it is that kind of a day. At 12:15:15 PM, August 5, 2020, let us pause, recall and bow to the spirit, patience, perseverance and valor of our venerable ancestors.

In this period of pandemic pandemonium when the rest of the world battles anxiety, Bharat is resplendent with piety. In a world that repeatedly witnesses, and glosses over, the inherent dichotomy of othering, rampant in the supposedly egalitarian later day belief systems, the intrinsically pluralistic Hindus invested their conviction in the modern justice system to undo a historic wrong, and won. That is Dharma – eternal and attuned to the times. This should make us unabashedly own every aspect of our faith and heritage. This should also empower us to proactively highlight and correct misinterpretation of our past by the outsiders’ lens of the present.

It would not be an exaggeration to state that today is the biggest festival in Bharat, after aeons. Know it, own it and exult in the absolute awareness that the oldest civilisation has infused the world with devotion, resilience and perseverance, for preservation and perpetuation, at the same time as another civilisation surreptitiously infected the planet with a virus.

Comprehend, appreciate and underline the magnificence of who we are. Bask in this glory with pride.

आज पर्व है

हिंदू होने पर हमें गर्व है।

The King of the North and all directions, the protector of all realms, here and beyond, the breaker of all chains of maya and more, has chosen to lead us today into an era of self-discovery and reacquaint ourselves with who we were, who we are and who we can potentially be. Rejoice, for, when He is for us, who can be against us!

As a descendant of a community persecuted over seven centuries for choosing the Hindu faith, I am filled with unbridled joy at this epoch defining moment – an inhuman civilizational wrong being righted, albeit, after centuries of exertions. Our uninhibited celebration shall create a surge of positive, harmonious energy, marking the end of the dehumanisation of Hindus in their own land. Two bigoted, plundering waves of colonialism, that questioned and scorned our very existence, dwindled our population and reduced our geographic expanse. The illegal insertion of secularism in the Indian Constitution continued this dehumanization in independent India where demonization and vilification of Hindus, by outside faiths, found active support and institutionalization.

We have had to face the ignominy of Jai Sri Ram, glory be to Sri Ram, being maligned as a militant war cry; Bhakt, sanskar, sanskriti and other such concepts corrupted into crude abuse; Bhagwa vilified as the uniform of Hindu fundamentalists and the latter itself being turned into a dog whistle to pillory Hindus. Today is the day to proclaim that a fundamentalist Hindu is the only fundamentalist capable of ensuring a world of peace, knowledge, valour and spiritual elevation. We have a documented history that substantiates the same.

Today is the day to proudly declare ourselves as traditionalist Hindus, for, the ancestors who fought for this day, through blood, sweat and tears, were traditionalists. We must strive hard to keep the faith in our faith and the tradition of continuing with and passing on our traditions. Remember their struggle to comprehend why some forces are intent upon breaking our traditions and violating the continuity of our rituals

Be aware that the longest extant civilization will cease to be one, without continuity.

Beware and pledge to uphold our sacred traditions and faith.

Today is the time to transmute the self-sabotaging programming internalized by generations of Hindus that any celebration or reminder of our faith, culture and traditions, is an affront that needs to be compensated for. Financial jaziya has long been abrogated; stop paying the psychological one. Upholding and celebrating our faith is our basic human right. Our motherland still bears the wounds inflicted by those whose core is othering. Bharat was, is and will unquestionably remain the civilizational home of all Hindus. Time to rise and end all external flogging and put an end to internal self-flagellation. Let us be proud of and proclaim our inherently pluralistic, loving, respectful, peaceful faith, culture and civilization. We have every reason to!

The observance of our faith is no longer at the coloniser’s mercy. Do not allow the Indian state to act like one, imposing fines, allowing and disallowing our tenets and practices, based on their whims, fancies and flawed, ill-equipped understanding. Our ancestors got us to this momentous occasion. It is incumbent upon us to ensure that Hindus have equal rights, our temples are free, we are at liberty to impart religious and cultural education to the next generation and that our history is correctly documented.

We must revive the skills, talent, crafts and occupations that built Hindu civilization before the two rapacious waves of colonization alienated us from our outstanding identity, turning us into outsiders. Now is the time to awaken and collaborate to build an inclusive Hindu society that offers equal opportunities for growth to all; to work towards harmony and mutual respect within our society and root for collective success; to recognise and refuse divisive agendas and to proclaim हर हिन्दू अपना बंधु है.

Today is also the day to pause, reflect and evaluate if we are leading a life of Dharma at all. Are our thoughts, speech and deeds in accordance and alignment with Dharma? Being a Hindu is not only a matter of pride and honour but also a huge responsibility towards the perpetuation of a philosophy not confined to one book. We have an entire curriculum that we need not necessarily study at length, but definitely be aware of. Are we courageous enough to embark upon this voyage of awareness that can last an entire lifetime? Before we do so, let us be careful in seeking teachers who are insiders and actively avoid being taught about our own civilisation by outsiders.

Each one of us is equipped with inherent abilities, skills and talent. Let us use those to create a world of opportunities for all. Our civilisation, where Gurus guided bright unknown youngsters to create a Rashtra, now grapples with insecurity and self-serving mental slavery of those who, instead of igniting young minds, pander to preserve selfish gains. Of what use is mentally colonised scholarship that either willfully or inadvertently enables outsiders to mock, malign and maul our own? Let us put up a united front based on Hindu kinship, compassion, respect and empathy. Do remember that the world treats us exactly as we treat ourselves. Let us be proud Hindus and spread the scintillation of Sanatan.

Centuries from now, humankind will be astounded to know that a civilisation, the people, that waited patiently for five centuries, yes 500 years, for the right to pray to their Bhagwan in His janm sthan, that civilisation, those people were vilified globally as intolerant! As some parts of the world sleep, Bharat, the longest extant civilisation in the history of mankind, reawakens.

The clarion call of Jai Sri Ram heralds a spiritually resurgent Bharat. May it reverberate as powerfully in the present and future, as it has in the past. May no individual, no society, no nation, no culture, no civilisation, no faith, ever have to go through what the Hindus have. May the entire world learn from the heroism, determination and spirit of the Hindus.

Jai Sri Ram is no ordinary chant. It is a cure and a balm for our civilizational wounds. It is also a civilizational clarion call.

This is what the civilizational clarion calls.

May we embark upon a transformational milestone in the history of human civilisation.

May mutual respect, harmony and peace prevail.

May the Divine bless all sentient beings.

May we all know who we are and work towards the greater good of all.

And so, it is!

– Dimple Kaul

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Studies have shown the positive effects of children growing with a shared spiritual relationship during their childhood.

Why Spirituality for Youth

Introduction

“Spirituality is the central organizing principle of inner life in teenagers,” says Dr. Lisa Miller, Professor of Psychology and Education at Columbia University. Children are naturally spiritual and are closest to the rhythm of the universe.¹ They are filled with a sense of wonder — the Rasa of Vismaya — for all things new and dynamic, be it nature, animals, or man-made technological wonders. 

Religion and Spirituality are not two separate concepts. Similarly, yoga and spirituality are not separate concepts. When there is a leap of faith in something beyond the body and mind that makes us who we are, there is a seeker in us. When there is a faith in the rhythm of nature and its laws to take care of everyday life, there is peace within us. Practices such as worship and rituals, asana practice on the mat, or a seated meditation are all different paths of yoga and spirituality to reach Moksha, the highest freedom and supreme happiness. 

Dr. Lisa Miller has also shown in her research studies that children who grow up with spirituality and religious practices in the household are better at coping with difficulties in life; better than children who have no religious background. 

Adolescence – the cusp of life

Emotionally, adolescence is the most difficult stage of human life. As children turn into adolescents, they try to individuate and find their own identity. However, they lack the life skills and the strength of character needed to take complete responsibility for their lives. They are at the cusp of needing parents and wanting to be free from parental patronage. This brings duality in both the adolescent and the parent. Spirituality offers emotional resilience to be able to handle this confusion. Spirituality also helps adolescents build healthy relationships with their peers and keep an open communication with their parents.

As the child grows to be a teenager, their sense of wonder and curiosity turns into creativity and innovativeness, along with adventurous and risk-taking behaviours. They like to try everything new, whether it is positive or negative. They are prone to making mistakes, being impulsive and careless, and defy the rules set by the parents and by the community. 

Toxic environment

Adolescence is the time of life when one needs their entire “village” for support and encouragement if one wishes to grow up to be a healthy and happy individual. A positive spiritual experience with a family member or a mentor can bring a total inner transformation to the life of an adolescent. Dr. Lisa Miller notes in her book, “Spiritual Child”, “Even a single powerful childhood experience of spiritual awareness can be a lasting source of guidance through adulthood”.

However, youth today are growing up in dangerously difficult environments. The competitive atmosphere where they are pressured to outperform their peers brings a toxic environment where they are forced to develop jealousy and a judgemental nature towards their peers. It also forces them to seek unethical shortcuts to beat the competition. Social bullying is perhaps one of the side effects of this toxic environment. A few decades ago, youth were bullied in school during break time or after school. However, when they were back home, they were free of this humiliation. With social media weighing down on today’s youth, they are in a pressure chamber of being judged or bullied constantly. This ghost of a bully does not leave the teenager even at night. 

According to Center for Disease Control (CDC), 8.9% of American high school students surveyed attempted suicide and 18.8% of high school students “seriously considered” attempting suicide. This number is higher in competitive atmospheres such as within Asian families. 

Boredom and Restlessness

With a surge of technological advancements, youth are bombarded with devices to distract them. The pace of life has gained so much speed that every minute, the youth need something new and exciting to keep them busy. They are easily bored.² It is true that teenagers generally have raging hormones that make them restless. If they are not taught to handle this energy, they can easily get into trouble. 

Acting out

Youth are seeing their identity, but this is a slow process during their adolescence. They need leisurely time and space for trial and error before they know who they are or want to be. They will be unpredictable and impulsive because that is how they figure out their identity. However, this stage of psychosocial development where there is identity versus role confusion is exacerbated by peer pressure and parental expectations.

As a result, they tend to “act out” instead of being genuine and honest about themselves. This acting out can initially be seen as a show they are putting up for others. If this behavior continues, however, it can lead to self-denial and self-deceit. If they are not taught to be true to themselves, and express their vulnerability, they may become complex individuals with personality disorders and can develop anxiety and depression.

It can affect their growth, career, relationships and their social wellness. Youth need a safety net where family, friends, a yoga teacher, a mentor, or a guru is holding that space for them. We need to give them freedom to explore.

Addictions

We all seek happiness in the objects outside. Youths are no different. Adolescence is the most unhappy and restless period of our lives, owing to the identity-seeking that this period compels us towards. When the teenager is not trained to find happiness in the right way, they take to substance abuse or develop sexual irresponsibility. However, one should understand that the only attempt that the teenager is making is to become happy. If they are not properly guided, they can get into pleasure seeking substances compulsively.²

Sacred Relationship 

Youth need an environment to become authentic and to be willing to share their vulnerability with a mentor. While the West has developed the entire field of psychotherapy for this reason, it does not offer a sacred relationship. Almost half of people drop out prematurely (Swift, J. K., & Greenberg, R. P. (2012).³ And Western psychology is beginning to acknowledge the importance of “Therapeutic Relationship” for client compliance.

Yoga brings a relationship of reverence and an environment of ethical coziness for the youth. Here ethics (Yama and Niyama) are explored but not mandated. Patanjali’s yoga sutras start with ethics as the basic foundation to calming down the mind (Chitta Vritti Nirodha). The entire Ashtanga Yoga is centered on mastering the mind. Rituals such as namaste, bowing down, a little prayer/mantra before and after the class, or a simple Aum chanting are all followed, but never forced on anyone.

Divine and sacred blessedness is present, but there is no scope for debate of confusion about “my path” or “your path”. It is a purest form of religion that the ancient Hindu sages have nurtured from time immemorial.

Such a sacred relationship alone can enable the adolescent to be able to share their vulnerabilities and seek solutions. Let us provide our youth with such a space.

Yoga for the Youth

Yoga helps with the overall development of youth. It teaches patience and tolerance to the high achievers who might need to be in a class which is slower than their pace. On the other hand, yoga teaches will power, confidence, and concentration to those who are struggling. Mental awareness during their studies helps develop memory retention, and relaxing after every learning session helps them develop associative memory where they develop the ability to think deeper, associate concepts with real life situations, and develop intuition. 

Techniques to Build Concentration and Awareness

Gazing helps students to improve their focus and attention. In fact, one of the tests that is done for children to measure their attention span is by asking them to gaze on objects as instructed. An observed characteristic of some ADHD individuals is their inability to follow simple instructions related to focusing visually on two objects in succession. Classic Vriksasana (Tree Pose) helps them gaze at one point as they stand on one leg. With repeated practice, they will learn to stand still, gaze fixed and focus on a point. 

Balancing practices help youth develop focus as well. Vrikshasana (Tree Pose) or Veerabhadrasana (Warrior Pose) helps them to stand balancing their body along with giving them physical strength in the legs and the core. 

Chanting – Sound is the other way to calm down the mind, since the mind thinks in terms of chatter. Simple chants of Aum help them calm down the inner chatter. Chanting Bhramari in shashankasana (Child Pose) is shown to help with ADHD. 

Challenging Yoga poses – Practicing yoga helps youth strengthen their body and mind. A strong body makes a strong mind. When they regularly practice yoga as a weekly regimen, their awareness improves. It also sets the stage towards a healthy lifestyle as adults. A benchmark of health and happiness once tasted, will always be a thing to look forward to as they grow up.

In Summary

• Spirituality is necessary for children to grow up to become healthy and happy adults. Studies have shown the positive effects of children growing with a shared spiritual relationship during their childhood.
  
• Emotionally, adolescence is the most difficult stage of human life. They need to individuate and find their own identity. Unfortunately, adolescents of today are in a toxic environment of peer pressure and intense competition. The problems of adolescence include hormonal surges leading to boredom and restlessness, addiction tendencies, and acting out to seek validation from peers, teachers, and parents.
  
• Youth need an environment to become authentic and to be willing to share their vulnerability with a mentor. They need a positive shared relationship with a guru or a yoga teacher.
  
• Spirituality practice as family rituals can help them grow spiritually. Also, the practice of different yoga practices such as balancing poses, gazing practices, strengthening and challenging asanas, pranayama and meditation can help youth develop self-confidence. Healthy body can bring forth a happy mind. Then the youth does not have to seek happiness in substances outside.

Acknowledgements

1. The Spiritual Child: The New Science on Parenting for Health and Lifelong Thriving by Dr. Lisa Miller.
   
2. Harvard Graduate School of Education – Bored Out of Their Minds By Zachary Jason https://www.gse.harvard.edu/news/ed/17/01/bored-out-their-minds
   
3. Swift, J. K., & Greenberg, R. P. (2012). Premature discontinuation in adult psychotherapy: A meta-analysis. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 80(4), 547–559. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0028226
   
4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychotherapy_discontinuation

Cover Image Source: Pixabay

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A Rejuvenating Journey

 Hindu University of America’s inaugural Ayurveda Wellness Retreat

The Hindu University of America (HUA) recently hosted its enchanting Ayurveda Wellness Retreat, nestled in the serene Pine Lake Retreat near Orlando, Florida. This four-day experience, from Thursday, March 28 to Sunday, March 31, 2024, offered a soulful blend of Ayurvedic wisdom, yoga practices, and the healing power of music. The retreat’s theme centered around Ayurveda, Yoga, Chakras, Marma, Nadi Pariksha, Raga Chikitsa, and Sattvic Vegetarian Food, creating a harmonious blend of knowledge and wellness practices.

Faculty Excellence

Guided by a distinguished panel of experts like Dr. Mahadevan, Dr. Shriram Sarvotham, Vaidya Rupali Panse, and Vaidya Kanada Narahari, participants delved deep into the ancient sciences of Ayurveda and Yoga. Guest lecturers Vaidya Heena Bhatt and Vaidya Aparna Bapat brought their specialized knowledge to the table, enriching the experience with their insights on Marma and Nadi Pariksha. The laughter yoga sessions with Mr. Suresh Gupta added a joyous dimension to the healing practices.

Our Excellent faculty (From L to R): Raaga Chikitsa exponent Vaidya Kanada Narahari, Yoga expert Dr. Shriram Sarvotham, Ayurvedic Vaidya Dr. Rupali Pense, and Organizer of this event, Dr. Mahadevan.

A Day-wise glimpse into Wellness

Day 1 kicked off with a warm welcome and orientation by Dr. Mahadevan, followed by a rejuvenating Yoga Nidra session with Shriram Sarvotham. The evening culminated in a Raga Chikitsa theory session and a captivating sitar concert, setting the tone for the days to follow.

Day 2 began with the sun salutations and yoga sessions led by Dr. Shriram Sarvotham, interwoven with potent slokas and pranayama exercises. Vaidya Rupali Panse took the participants on an exploratory journey into Dinacharya and understanding Prakruti and Doshas. The day ended on a musical note with more Raga Chikitsa and a sitar concert.

Day 3 continued the educational saga with deeper dives into Ayurveda Diet and Nutrition and Chakras. Special guest lectures on Marmas and Nadi Pariksha brought new perspectives, followed by an uplifting session of laughter yoga. The day concluded with a discussion on feedback and a kirtan along with a sitar/tabla concert.

Day 4 marked the concluding sessions with insights into the growth of HUA over the past five years and a tour of the facility. The retreat concluded after a nourishing lunch.

Holistic Schedule and Sattvic Diet

Each day was meticulously organized, starting with a wake-up call at 6 AM and lights off by 10 PM. The retreat provided Sattvic Vegetarian meals, with breakfast at 8:30 AM, lunch at 12:30 PM, and dinner at 6:30 PM, supporting the body’s natural rhythm. Yoga sessions commenced at 7 AM, with Yoga Nidra post-lunch to rejuvenate the spirit. The afternoon classes spanned from 3:30 PM to 6:30 PM, offering an in-depth understanding of Ayurvedic principles. Music sessions and Kirtans at 8 PM each evening provided a soulful close to the day.

Snapshot of the Retreat Schedule

Concluding Remarks

The Hindu University of America’s Ayurveda Wellness Retreat was a transformative event, providing each participant with a unique blend of education, practice, and self-discovery. It proved to be a nourishing ground for body, mind, and spirit, fostering personal growth and inner peace.

As we gathered our thoughts and belongings on the final day, the air was thick with a sense of fulfillment. The reflections shared during the concluding session were overwhelmingly positive, with many expressing profound gratitude for the knowledge and practices they had absorbed. The heartfelt testimonials highlighted transformative experiences, a testament to the retreat’s profound impact on individual wellness journeys.

The feedback collected was a resounding affirmation of the retreat’s success, with participants already expressing anticipation for the next gathering. They spoke of newfound clarity in their daily lives, a deeper connection to Yoga and Ayurvedic principles, and an eagerness to continue their practice. The promise of growth, learning, and community drew a unanimous look forward to reconvening under the tranquil of Pine Lake.

In closing, the retreat not only achieved its aim but also sparked a collective eagerness to delve deeper into our ancient wisdom of Ayurveda and Yoga. The commitment of HUA to foster holistic well-being was palpable, and as participants, there was a shared commitment to carry this wisdom forth until we meet again for the next rejuvenating retreat.

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Academic studies of Hinduism is a necessity, as it can shape the current and future generations’ understanding and appraisal of Hinduism. Academia has larger scale influence and starts impacting human life at a younger formative age. Next to the institution of family, academia has the strongest influence given the amount of time a student spends there. Also bringing an insider’s perspective to Hindu academic studies allows for development of an alternate Hindu worldview paradigm, which helps position Hindu thought, equitably, along with other worldviews. The symbiotic relationship between insiders in academic and non-academic settings, in terms of replenishing the “Śraddha Capital” or the level of one’s sincerity, in the Hindu society, ought to be recognized.

NECESSITY FOR HINDU STUDIES IN ACADEMIC ENVIRONMENT

Introduction

Hinduism is a vast collection of several traditions. It is referred to, by many insiders, in the Hindu fold, as Sanāthana Dharma. The word Dharma has a multi-faceted import. For the purposes of this discussion, we can understand Dharma as a sustaining framework of universally beneficial mass of knowledge and traditions, that guides humanity towards felicity. Thus, Sanāthana Dharma can be freely translated as “Eternal Sustenance” – a framework, in which several mathas (religious traditions) and siddhāntas (well ascertained philosophical foundations) can thrive, while retaining mutual respect.

Problem Statement

If the parents of today’s youth are qualified “insiders” – i.e. well-informed proponents and adept practitioners of Dharma, then their children will have the benefit of receiving right Dharmic education and thus keeping their respective Dharmic traditions alive. But on the other hand, a growing mix of today’s families (Hindu or otherwise), is a product of Western-style education (which has intrinsic anti-Hindu bias, in varying degrees). Such parents are most likely disconnected with their Hindu roots or worse antagonistic to it! If this trend continues, the insider population will dwindle sooner than we are able to imagine!

This raises a serious question, what is the best way of communicating the Dharmic ideas and practices, from one generation to another? The ideas that are in Sanāthana Dharma, have the power to change the world for the better, but only if presented in a manner consistent with the understanding and the will of the human society. The ability to take an idea and reliably disseminate it needs an institution, which systematically bridges the gap between human understanding and will. Family, the most ancient institution available to us, is necessary but not sufficient (as discussed in the previous paragraph), especially when there is a need to operate at a large scale of outreach and influence.

Today the most reliable centers of learning about Sanāthana Dharma are the various āśrams and Gurus (for example  Sri Ramakrishna Mission). But the percentage of population accessing these traditional Gurus and ashrams is very small, in comparison to the regular school and college goers. Also, exposure to such Gurus and āśrams often happens very late in most people’s lives.  This means that the reliance on Academic institutions (schools, colleges, universities), to introduce Hinduism properly and fairly, at an early age, cannot be avoided.

Power and Influence of Academic Thinkers

Thinkers in academic settings – mainly researchers and professors, often form a very tiny fraction of the human population, in any country or society, but they are powerful enough to decide what ought to be studied by children, youth, and students in general. They influence many aspects of society – from school textbook content to government policies.

From India’s past (i.e. during British India) till date, we know that the academic environment and its output have been utilized as a tool, to create “intellectual sepoys”, out of the Indian society [1]. So clearly the ability of academia, to influence our society, popular discourse, and future generations, is time tested and proven fact. The question then is not whether Hinduism ought to be studied in an academic setting, but how to significantly increase the number of Hindu insiders, in academic Hindu studies.

Evolving Alternate Paradigm – Hindu World View

The argument so far in this essay was focused on the need for accurate representation, reliable communication, and broader outreach, as it relates to Hinduism and how this can be achieved, with the injection of insiders, into academic study of Hinduism. 

Now we will consider another strong motivator for academic study of Hinduism – namely leveraging the unique vantage point Sanaathana Dharma offers to researchers, to study non-Hindu world religions and systems of thought. As mentioned in section I, Sanāthana Dharma offers a framework for sustaining several mathas and siddhāntas, which can coexist and thrive, with abiding mutual respect. Their mutual respect is due to the mature understanding that finite human attempts at exploring the infinite, are bound to give rise to multiple expressions or approaches, along the way. This plural, inclusive, mature understanding is rooted in Vedas (or sacred revealed knowledge of the Hindus), which forms the bedrock of Sanāthana Dharma. 

The Vedas and Sanāthana Dharma also offer a non-dogmatic framework, encouraging inquiry and study, which can be directed towards studying different traditions and worldviews. This approach helps evolve a fresh alternate paradigm to studying different world systems of thought and religions, through a versatile Hindu lens. This kind of study in an academic environment will serve to highlight Hinduism’s unique credentials (suited to studying world thought systems) and also position the Hindu worldview, equitably, along with other existing world views. Such an effort will surely have universally beneficial – academic, cultural, and political ramifications. 

Śraddhā Capital

Śraddhā plays a key role in the insider’s approach to studying Hinduism. One of the key tenets of a person, being endowed with Śraddhā, is his or her, well-reasoned acceptance of Vedas as “Pramana” or reliable means of knowledge. This is usually achieved, after receiving valuable traditional insights from the Guru [2 – verse 25]. Now, this creates a unique situation, wherein, to introduce people endowed with Śraddhā a.k.a insiders, into academia, we need to draw from the “Sraddha capital”, in the society. Developing this “Śraddhā Capital ”, is a key prerequisite for evolving Hindu studies in an academic setting. This clearly shows the symbiotic relation between academic insiders and non-academic insiders of today (i.e. parents, traditional ashrams, and Gurus), which is instrumental to growing the insider voice and population. 

Conclusion

Investing into promoting the insider’s voice in the academic study of Hinduism is necessary, to (1) present a fair appraisal of Hinduism to current and future generations (2) develop an alternate, distinctly Hindu paradigm, of studying world religions and systems, and (3) thereby enriching the world. This whole process relies upon drawing from the “Śraddhā capital” in the Hindu society, which in long run, can be replenished by a growing level of insiders voice in academia.

References:

• Rajiv Malhotra, “Academic Hinduphobia: A critique of Wendy Doniger’s erotic school of Indology”, Voice of India, New Delhi, 2016
• Swami Madhavananda, “Vivekachudamani of Sri Sankaracharya”, Advaita Ashrama, Mayawati, 1944

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Friends of Hindu University of America – Bay Area hosted a HUA Awareness Gala on Saturday, April 22nd, 2023 at Falcon X Hall in Milpitas. Nearly 200 members of the Bay Area community attended the engaging and informative event

The gala featured a keynote address from Swami Paramatmananda Saraswati (visiting from Rajkot, India) who declared that “Hinduism is a vision of the truth” and made the case why HUA is an institution of great importance to the Hindu community at large. The Bay Area community also heard a distinguished panel discussion on the need for a University that strives to provide top notch academic experience with a Hindu Dharma perspective. The event concluded with a keynote address from HUA President Sri Kalyan Viswanathan about HUA, its current state of strong rejuvenation and a roadmap outlining vision for the University’s continued growth and development. Smt. Annapoorna Malyala, HUA student and Sri. Ankur Patel, Director of HUA Advancement, emceed the program.

From left to right during a panel discussion on the need for HUA: Dr. Kundan Singh, Smt. Savitha Nanjangud, Smt. Jyoti Yelagalawadi, and Sri Sree Iyer

Sri Kalyan Viswanathan, President of HUA said, “Following a successful Gala event in Houston in March, I am pleased to see a strong level of interest in and engagement with HUA in the Bay Area. The need for an academic institution that provides a platform for a distinctively Hindu Dharma oriented immersion in study leading to an effective engagement with the broader academia on equal footing has never been greater. With the blessing of our Acharyas from varied lineages and sampradayas and supported by a growing body of practicing Hindus committed to learning and teaching, HUA seeks to become the premier University for the benefit of current and future generations of Sanatanis.”

The event was hosted at Falcon X Hall, organized by the local Friends of HUA – Bay Area chapter, with excellent volunteer support from the local community.

You may support and participate in HUA’s mission by going to: http://hua.edu/BayArea

About Hindu University of America (HUA)

Hindu University of America was founded with the vision of promoting dialogue across disciplines, cultures and civilizations while enabling self-discovery, conscious evolution, and harmony. Its mission is to provide education in knowledge systems based in Hindu thought involving critical inquiry, ethics, and self-reflection. Committed to fostering the culture and traditions of Hindu Dharma in an atmosphere of academic excellence and freedom, it prepares students for service, leadership, and global engagement.

Since Oct 2019, more than 2600 students have taken courses at HUA and close to 75 students are currently enrolled in Master’s and Doctoral programs. HUA currently offers 15 different continuing education programs with over 150 courses taught by more than 70 faculty members. The motto of HUA is that Vidya or true Knowledge is that which liberates.

Established in 1989 and authorized by the Govt of Florida in 1993, HUA has been offering online courses since 2019 in various aspects of Hindu Dharma, tradition and culture. For more information, please visit www.hua.edu or contact +1-407-205-2118.

The post Friends of HUA Gala in Bay Area on April 22nd, 2023 appeared first on Hindu University of America.

By learning the ‘ought’s’ of life, we can lead a good life, but this does not make us free of suffering. Even a so-called ‘good’ person maybe plagued with troubles such as anger, envy, jealousy, disease and old age and, ultimately, death. Being a good person is not enough; something more is required. It is to teach this ‘something more’ that Vālmīki wrote the Yogavasistha. In fact, one can properly understand the popular Rāmāyaṇa only by reading the Yogavāsiṣṭha.

The sheer volume of the Yogavāsiṣṭha is enough to deter most readers. It is stated in the Yogavasistha itself that it consists of 32,000 verses divided into six books (Prakaraṇams), namely: the Vairāgya Prakaraṇam, the Mumukṣuvyavahāra Prakaraṇam, the Utpatti Prakaraṇam, the Sthiti Prakaraṇam, the Upaśama Prakaraṇam, the Nirvāṇa Prakaraṇam (Pūrvārdha) and the Nirvāņa Prakaraṇam (Uttarārdha). The number of verses is, in fact, much less. In the introduction to Śrimadvālmīkimahaṛṣṭpraṇītaḥ Yogavāsiṣṭhaḥ, G. V. Tagare puts the number at 23,734 verses.¹

The first book, the Vairāgya Prakaraṇam, describes Rāma’s disillusionment with the world. The issue discussed here is whether jñāna (knowledge of the self) or karma (work, effort) is more important in attaining liberation from the misery of the world. The answer is that both are equally important, just as a bird needs both wings to fly.

The Mumukṣuvyavahāra Prakaraṇam is about the qualities of true seekers of liberation and their mental attitude. How the world was created and how it evolved is discussed in the Utpatti Prakaraṇam. The Sthiti Prakaraṇam talks about the preservation of the universe. The world appears to be real, but with the realization of Brahman, the mind is silenced and the world appears as nothing but Brahman. The Upaśama Prakaraṇam is about quieting the mind through proper understanding; the Nirvāņa Prakaraṇam, as the name suggests, is about ultimate freedom. It suggests that knowledge of the self is the best way to break free from the miseries of the world.

It has to be pointed out that the structure of the Yogavasistha is very loose, and apart from the first Prakaraṇam, almost all the major themes are discussed and repeated throughout this mammoth text. As to the division of chapters within each Prakaraṇam, again there seems to be no order. Some chapters have as few as six verses, while others run into hundreds. Often a chapter ends abruptly, and the discussion is continued in the next chapter and the next. Often, while one concept is being discussed, there is a sudden digression and another topic begins. Later the speaker returns to the previous conversation. The Nirvāņa Prakaraṇam is as large as the first five combined. For some reason it is itself divided into two huge sections: the Nirvāņa Prakaraṇam (Pūrvārdha) and the Nirvāņa Prakaraṇam (Uttarārdha).

Interlaced with the dialogue are approximately fifty-five allegorical stories and stories within stories to illustrate the philosophical matters discussed. Here again, certain stories are told in about ten verses, while others, such as that of Cudālā, stretch over several chapters.

All these stories and subplots make it difficult for the modern reader to keep track of who is speaking to whom. For instance, the Yogavasistha begins with a Brahmin named Sutīkṣṇa who goes to the sage Agasti and asks about ways to get out of the misery of the world. To answer his question, Agasti tells him the story of Kāruṇya, a very learned man, well-versed in the scriptures, who has lost interest in life. Noticing this, his father tells him the story of King Ariṣtanemi, who is sent to Vālmīki for the resolution of his sorrows. Vālmīki then tells Ariṣtanemi the story of Rāma’s dialogue with Vasiṣṭha.

Encyclopedic in its scope, the Yogavāsiṣṭha deals with ontology, epistemology, metaphysics, ethics, and psychology. The underlying philosophy of the Yogavasistha is predominantly of Advaita Vedānta. There are several verses of the Yogavāsiṣṭha which are also found in other Upanişads and the Bhagavadgītā. B. L. Atreya made an exhaustive comparative chart, and believed that being a voluminous scripture the Yogavāsiṣṭha may not have been freely available in the days when books were written by hand. Anthologists must have picked up some useful verses from it and used them to create new Upanişads.²

Yogavasistha Core philosophy

Although the Yogavāsiṣṭha is voluminous, its central message can be expressed in a few statements: Nothing exists except absolute consciousness (also called universal consciousness or Brahman), and the world is the imagination of this universal consciousness. The universal consciousness is absolute and perfect. All change happens in the phenomenal world, (which has no independent existence, as it is just an imagination of absolute consciousness). All the beings of the world are no different from the universal consciousness, as they emerged out of it. All the misery that is experienced by individual beings happens because they mistakenly identify themselves with their body and forget that they are essentially the same as the universal consciousness, Brahman. Since misery arises out of ignorance of the self, it ends with knowledge of the self. Ajātivāda says that the world was never created (aja) as it is imaginary or illusory. What can we say about the origin of a thing that is imaginary? It was there always as imagination of absolute Brahman, hence we cannot ask the question when it was born. Only Brahman truly exists, and Brahman or the absolute is non-dual.

The scriptures are words of the enlightened to awaken those who are taking their dream to be real. Once we wake from the dream, we realize that nothing has to be gained because nothing was ever lost. No one has to be liberated because there was no bondage in the first place as the absolute can never be bound. 

न बन्धोऽस्ति न मोक्षोऽस्ति देहिनः परमार्थतः।
मिथ्येयमिन्द्रजालश्रि: संसारपरिवर्तिनी।।

^{Ultimately, there is neither bondage nor liberation for the self;
Illusion alone keeps all trapped in the vicious cycle of the world.3}

All that ends after knowledge dawns is the illusory world, not the eternally blissful self. Liberation and bliss are our intrinsic nature (svabhāva), and svabhāva means that which can never be taken away from us. The truth, therefore, is that the mind has no existence other than in the imagination of absolute. That absolute is not nothingness; it is complete and encompasses all, and whatever emerges from it is also absolute. 

पूर्णात्पूर्ण विसरति पूर्णे पूर्णे विराजते। 
पूर्णमेवोदितं पूर्णे पूर्णमेव व्यवस्थितम्।।

^{From the whole emerges the whole, and the whole is situated in the whole;
Thus, whatever is there in the whole exists in its wholeness.4}
Vasişţha relies solely on reason. He does not advocate any kind of blind faith, worship, or rituals. It is for this reason the Yogavasistha could have a tremendous appeal to any modern thinking person, provided they have the patience to listen to the full argument. No other Indian text analyses the human condition as thoroughly as the Yogavāsiṣṭha does. Vasiṣṭha himself says: 

यदिहास्ति तदन्यत्र यन्नेहास्ति न तत् क्वचित्।
इमं समस्तविज्ञानशास्त्रकोशं विदुर्बुधाः।।

^{What is in it is nowhere else, what is not in it is not elsewhere;}

^{Hence the learned have called it a repository of scriptures.5}
People normally think that those who seek self-liberation ought to withdraw from active life and lead the life of a hermit − praying, meditating, and performing rituals. Vedānta does not advocate this type of life. It says that you ought to go on doing whatever you are supposed to, but remember all the time that you are not the doer. Do everything with a sense of detachment and be unaffected by whatever is happening around you, just as a lotus grows in a pond without getting wet.

The Yogavasistha does not advocate worship of any kind, rituals, neither ablutions nor prayer to a deity, not even meditative techniques. It, however, seriously discourages escapism and laziness, and strongly advocates human effort. 

स्वपौरुषप्रयत्नेन  विवेकेन  विकासिना।
स देवो ज्ञायते राम न तप:सनानकर्मभि:।।

Through effort and maturity alone is the self known, Rāma,
Not through penance, holy bath, and other such actions.⁶ 

Rāma’s dialogue with Vasiṣṭha, after which Rāma becomes free of the miseries of the world. The book which narrates this dialogue is called the Yogavāsiṣṭha. It is said that one can become free of worldly miseries merely by reading the Yogavasistha.

After Vālmīki wrote the epic Rāmāyaṇa, called in full, Pūrva Rāmāyaṇa, he was approached by Brahmā, the creator of the world, to write a book that would free humans of worldly misery and make them eternally blissful. Thus was born the scripture known variously as Uttara Rāmāyaṇa, Mahārāmāyaṇa, Ārśa-Rāmāyaṇa, Jñānavāsişţha, Vasiṣṭharāmāyaṇa, more popularly called the Yogavāsiṣṭha.

Liberation for all

One striking feature of the Yogavāsiṣṭha is that its vision is secular. Furthermore, it does not believe in gender, race or caste discrimination. All that is required on the part of a seeker is to be a sincere and determined disciple. In fact, the main character of one of its longest stories is a queen named Cudālā. She not only acquires self-knowledge but also teaches her husband the means of acquiring it. The Yogavāsiṣṭha goes even further by showing that one need not be of high birth to attain self-knowledge: anyone can have it. It names people from lower castes and wild tribes, and gives instances where animals, too, become liberated. Even Śeşanāga, the deadly snake, is liberated, as is Kākabhuşuņda, the crow. This might sound far fetched, but the point being made here is that anyone can become blissful if they really wish to.

1. Pansikar, Vasudeva Laxmana Sharma (Ed.), Srimadvālmīkimahāŗşpraņītaĥ Yogavāsiṣṭhaḥ Vol I, Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, Delhi, p VII 
2. Atreya B. L., Yogavāsiṣṭha aur Uske Sidhdhant, Shri Krishna Janamsthan Seva Sansthan, Mathura 1986, p4; for comparative charts see pages
45-59, 67-69 of the same book. 
3. Yogavāsiṣṭha V:18:27
4. Yogavāsiṣṭha VIB:53:20
5. Yogavāsiṣṭha III:8:12
6. Yogavāsiṣṭha III:6:9 

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The Hindu University of America celebrated 75 years of India’s independence with the release of a music video titled ‘Raag Darshan’ composed by its faculty member, Dr. Kanniks Kannikeswaran. This magnum opus was released in a formal online ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’ event on Sunday the 14th of August.

RAAG DARSHAN

Swatantrata, Sanskriti and Sangeet

Raag Darshan is a musical, lyrical, and visual tribute to the timeless Indian ideals and traditions, in a garland of 75 ragas, with lyrics in the Sanskrit language, with contemporary orchestration, sung by a number of popular voices. Conceived, written, composed, and arranged by Dr Kanniks Kannikeswaran, this music video is a monumental work that strives to present a sense of ‘Wonderment’ in a collaboration across time-zones and regions. The 18-minute-long composition is presented in 4 roughly equal parts titled – ‘The Civilization’, ‘Sacred Geography’, ‘Colors of India’ and ‘Yoga’.

A string of 75 ragas with the names of ragas embedded in the Sanskrit supported with powerful visuals from all over India, and a series of captions, this music video is a once in a generation kind of production. The lyrical component of the composition is inspired by the Tamil works of Mahakavi Subramanya Bharati. The form of the Ragamalika is inspired by the Classical Music tradition of Muthuswami Dikshitar (1775-1835) and incorporates Raagas from both the North and South Indian traditions of Classical music with raga names encoded into the text.

Dr. Kanniks is known for his pioneering work in Indian American Choral music and a history of over 25 years in building communities through choral music. His earlier music video ‘Rivers of India’ celebrating India’s veneration for water-resources, starring singers Bombay Jayashri and Kaushiki Chakrabarty went viral and received critical acclaim.

A panel consisting of Dr. Sarvajna Dwivedi, a Scientist, Inventor and Entrepreneur, Dr. Sadashiv Dwivedi, Sanskrit Scholar and Director of Bharata Adhyayan Kendra, Banaras Hindu University, Dr. Kalika Uttarkar, Faculty in Hindu Philosophy at HUA, and Dr. Indrani Rampersad, Writer and Journalist from the Hindu Diaspora, Trinidad and Tobago joined Dr. Kanniks Kannikeswaran and President Kalyan Viswanathan for the event. The Panelists lauded the video, its composer, and the spirit of integrating Sanskrit, Sanskriti, Sangeet and Swatantrata that the music video represented.

They spoke movingly of the historic moment of the completion of 75 years of India’s independence, and the widespread optimism that it carried for the future. They also highlighted the work that was yet to be done, and possibilities yet to be fulfilled. Dr. Sarvajna Dwivedi said that the celebration might have marked the 75 years of India’s independence, but it portrayed 7500 years of Bharat’s culture and emphasized the importance of institutions such as the Hindu University of America in recovering and restoring that culture.

Dr. Indrani Rampersad spoke of the connection that the many generations of the Hindu diaspora who were uprooted during the colonial era, and the struggles they continue to have in preserving their culture and heritage. Dr. Kalika Uttarkar spoke of the need for confidence amongst the Hindus regarding their own cultural and civilizational values. Dr. Sadashiv Dwivedi spoke in Shuddh Hindi and Sanskrit, emphasizing the spiritual foundations of that civilizational Sanskriti.

Mr. Kalyan Viswanathan, President of Hindu University of America, said that on the occasion of the 75^th anniversary of India’s independence, through the release of this music video, we celebrate the spirit of creativity and innovation that generates new expressions of ideas that are both ancient and timeless. India may be only 75 years old, but Bharat is ancient and timeless. Too often the sense of modernity that every generation embraces, comes at the expense of the wisdom of the ancients.

It is the spirit of Hinduism to harmonize, the past, present, and future, of tradition and innovation, of both continuity and change. As we move boldly into the future, we must also carry that timeless wisdom with us, so that it can be passed on to future generations. What better way to seek that harmony and transcendental vision than through music!

Dr. Kanniks Kannikeswaran explained how this musical video came into being, and the weeks of work that had gone behind its creation. He shared the inspiration behind the video, and the Sanskrit lyrics. Its integration of visuals from all parts of India, from different eras and traditions captures a unique sense of the diversity of Bharat and at the same time, the unity of its underlying spiritual vision. Kanniks went on to explain the intricate connection between the ragas, the text and the visuals that persists throughout the 18-minute-long composition.

Hindu University of America is founded with the vision of promoting dialogue across disciplines, cultures and civilizations while enabling self-discovery, conscious evolution, and harmony. Its mission is to provide education in knowledge systems based in Hindu thought involving critical inquiry, ethics, and self-reflection. Committed to fostering the culture and traditions of Hindu Dharma in an atmosphere of academic excellence and freedom, it prepares students for service, leadership, and global engagement.

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A personal reflection of a seeker from Brazil, who found answers in Hinduism.

My Journey Towards Hinduism 

It has been a nice surprise to learn from the Orientations to Hindu Studies (OTHS) lectures. To give a little background, I have recently become more active in terms of looking for both spiritual and Hindu (or Sanātana Dharma) knowledge. In 2020 January, I experienced one month in an Ayurveda College near Coimbatore, in Tamil Nadu, India. Then my life changed completely. I experienced a sense of well being as I never knew was possible. When I arrived back in Brazil, I looked for i) possible ways to return and very soon, arranged a pilgrimage to do in Himalayas in April (that trip was cancelled because of coronavirus), ii) how to retain that sense of well being while still trying to improve, (I’ve already quit eating meat, drinking beer, eating sugar and similar stuff). I started to look for any kind of knowledge about Hinduism, Vedic Culture and Yoga (not in a western way or from its perspective, but from an Indian point of view). In the beginning it was a very challenging journey since I did not know anything about – where to look for knowledge, who to follow as spiritual guider, who not to, where to study Yoga in a serious manner, how to learn things in an authentic form that does not bring the western view into all the richness of that culture that I had experienced for a whole month with the best body and health balance ever reached. 

Then, the world kind of stopped (due to corona), and I could search, research, look for, enroll into courses and learn so many things during last year. I would say it was a kind of spiritual fast track, when what I did not do in the previous 30 years, I could and I did during last one-year-journey, especially because of the online opportunities that came about. In the middle of all this, I found Hindu University of America (HUA for short). Immediately it drew my attention. On one hand, it had the word “America”, a thing that I instinctively mistrust (I really do not know if Indians still have any issue with the English – as their previous colonizers; but anything that has to do with “America”, I know at the very first sight that it is correct not for Brazilians, because our interests are usually not the same. PS: I know that I am a minority around here). Therefore, I thought that HUA would be about some western point of view on the Vedic-Hindu culture. To my total surprise, I found that at HUA, people really engaged in the transmission of knowledge in the best way possible, including many criticisms about all the issues that arose during and because of colonization, especially the British Raj.

It was quite a surprise, that Indians also have trouble and issues in understanding their own History. This is because a false History was sold to them, as stories, by the colonizers with great efforts, and also due to capitulation by the colonized. It is truly sad that Indians have given up on their true History, and that their tradition, which is the key in that entire subject of History, was not kept safe, at least within the country. It has been inevitable for me to trace some parallels with Brazilian History, which incidentally does not start with the “discovery” in the 1500s. Instead, we, Brazilians, also have a very ancient culture of indigenous people with huge wisdom about nature and natural medicines, and ancient customs. This seems even more prominent when we talk about Indians or their descendants that live or were born abroad. 

When I began listening to the OTHS course lectures, I did not know what to expect. Earlier, I had read some western authors referring to the  Vedic Hindu Cultures. One such example was Friedrich Müller, who in one small book compiled three lectures he gave with some parallels about western thinkers well known to everybody. I needed to go back there and check for some improprieties, but I did not yet have the knowledge about the purity of the message or the correct message, which comes clearer. The multiple texts which can be studied in  Vedic Hindu Culture are so rich, with such beautiful explanations some of them about things that I do not know myself and do not know anyone else who satisfactorily explains the matter or the subject). That is why the teachings are so precious! In addition, they existed for thousands of years since they appeared in a written way, and for even longer when they were transmitted orally. 

In the texts we learned of and read during the course so far, there were some striking points that called my attention. i) Even though it is quite imaginable that the colonizer needed, as strategy, to divide to conquer, or belittle the colonized, it was a huge surprise to learn that the holy relationship between a disciple and the Guru, e.g., Swami Vivekananda and Swami Ramakrishna, could be subverted in the way that was described in one of the texts. Moreover, it came as an even bigger surprise that the “author” was awarded with a prize for his research and for “quality”. It wasn’t just enough to encourage the spreading of the misunderstanding and misinformation, but there was a need to also increase its value and reward it. For what purpose? ii) Then came the questions about what we know now as general knowledge of all things that were “discovered” or “developed” by some European scientists in the last few centuries, when in reality, these were already mentioned in ancient texts in  Vedic Hindu culture. E.g., About the Universe and the relationship between it and our own body and the smaller organisms and matters, it was amazing that this was already mapped and described in detail in ancient Hindu texts. 

It was quite amazing to see that when we look at different religions in a comparative way, we observe that Hinduism was always around the India and Himalaya regions, while all other religions came from abroad from farther places around the world. This can be easily explained as in the last millennia India was suffering with outsiders ruling it. Once I had asked a meditation teacher here at home why India is the nest of so much culture and spiritual evolution and yet lives in a full misery nowadays. He answered that India’s history has many millennia, and only in this last one, it fell down in disgrace. If we really recollect the official reasons justifying ‘the Great Navigations’ from Europe, from the end of 15^th century onwards, it was to find new routes to get Indian spices and silk. If just spices and silk, which at that time were so much of a thing, were capable of leading to the discovery of new routes,, imagine what could be done if all efforts come together in today’s time, with all that scientific knowledge with funding coming from western countries, such as US, Germany, France, England and much more. We probably would have reached a lot more enlightenment in a few years of nice and frank cooperation, than in the last centuries., I say so because all “discoveries” that have happened recently, go on to confirm many of the insights or teachings already into ancient texts of Hindu Cultures. 

In this context, we find that leads to not only theoretical answers, but fully practical answers to questions like who are we, where have we come from, where are we going, what are we doing here, and so on. So much effort has been put by the west in “discovering” things which have been mentioned (and even explained to some extent) in the ancient Vedic Hindu texts. Such texts, where knowledge is already known to complement the researches of the past two centuries, could have been used to reach further ambitious goals and look for outcomes that are more complex. On the contrary, the west has put in double (or even triple) the efforts to (re)study the subjects from scratch and to learn much, before the scientists could discover or bring a subject or a concept into light within the western paradigm; a subject on which there often is much already written in Vedic Hindu cultures. Also, we have a huge difficulty with respect to the language (Sanskrit). Only when we learn it would we be able to start thinking about meaning and what it could bring to our personal journey, in spiritual as well as material fields, depending on our search. Obviously, distortion can happen in any written material because it is subject to human interpretation. As a lawyer, I know that we would be able to interpret a text in as many different ways as the number of people who read it. I remember that the Bhagavad Gita was the most wise book I had ever read, and only one that was perfectly capable of answering the very difficult question that arises when starting one’s own journey into the spiritual path, which is; is it possible and how to balance the material life and the spiritual efforts? In western approaches, I always felt as if there were two different and opposing ways that could not coexist. Nothing can be farther from truth. There are so many contributions from ancient texts to different fields of life, including our perception to see ourselves and all things around us. That is really a pity that the studies in western paradigm does not approach it in a “pure” manner to look into all these already existent and produced materials to push more up and go further with knowledge as a whole. 

I would very much like to search and research to write. I am looking forward to finding stimulating topics that interest me in the next few months to start some quality productions. I may shine light on aspects that are already brought to light and often misunderstood by western writers, in order to clarify them. There are many difficulties and learning issues to be faced ahead, but I think that it is the need during these pandemic times, when the human suffering is so high because various small things such as staying locked inside homes for some weeks together. I am already enrolled in some courses for the next quarter. I cannot wait to see all the new approaches and ways to learn about such interesting subjects.

Fábio Martins de Andrade

Cover Picture Credit: Tom Swinnen from Pexels

The post My Journey Towards Hinduism appeared first on Hindu University of America.

A personal reflection of a born-Hindu, who rediscovered his roots after drifting away; and is now determined to learn more and spread the knowledge.

A Story of Personal Learning

Introduction

The tension between the insider-outsider narratives and the ubiquity of the default paradigm (as I have understood from Kalyan’s lectures) have profoundly impacted me. It has catalyzed a re-ordering of my personal priorities, opened up my thinking, and is enabling me to better understand my formative years. It is prodding me to define a road map for a re-discovery of my own culture and history, and I feel a surprisingly strong calling to utilize whatever worldly skills I have developed for a greater cause.

In September 2019, I joined HUA’s email distribution list. The periodicity of the emails informing me of webinars and learning opportunities worked as subliminal ticklers to “wake up” and look deeper. For almost a year this was the case, until I was galvanized by the announcement of Dr. Kannikeswaran’s course on comparative study of Indian/Western music traditions. As a graduate student in the early 1990s, I had known Dr. Kannikeswaran in Cincinnati. Upon learning about his 3-quarter HUA course, coupled with my superficial but sticky interest in śāstriya sangīt, I enrolled in it and joined the HUA network. After the very first session, I felt a deep sense of mental relief, hope and curiosity, which I will now explain.

Retrospective

I hail from a typical middle-class, south Indian brahmin family, with deep connections to Sanskrit. My paternal grandfather (born in 1898) became a lawyer, served in the Madras High Court under the British, and subsequent to independence, developed and maintained an exalted status among his peers and clients. My grandparents were pious Hindu brahmins, very orthodox, bound by rules, traditions, and exhausting discipline in life matters. Their first child, my father (born in 1928), became proficient in math and took up insurance as his profession. He spent a few initial years of his career outside India, and took a liking to many Western ideals. Until his last few years, I have little recollection of talking about the greatness of Hinduism with both my parents; my mother was a bit more vocal about our heritage. I cannot claim associated memories of my grandparents talking about the greatness of Hindu traditions and philosophies either, but only recollect watching our joint family weighed down by rules and formalities that did not mean much to me. As a teenager with friends from varied backgrounds, I do remember feeling rebellious as I could neither understand topics such as heritage and culture, nor did I possess the wits to generate deep conversations to understand Hinduism. Perhaps the default paradigm constrained an open and honest exploration of our true history and culture?

Even though we were insiders, the glory of our heritage was not evident in my conversations with family elders. There were almost no discussions about the destructive period of history when Europe hoarded India’s treasures—both material and intellectual—but only heard about the atrocities committed by the Muslim invaders. I internalized very little of the Hindu world view as this topic was not part of family conversations. I never felt proud as a Hindu, did not take pride in speaking in my mother tongue (Tamil), and had the view that learning Sanskrit was a waste of time, as it would not help with my future. I rejected most things Indian and became eager to discover a new world, as I was not aware of a compelling vision of a Hindu life. It was all going to be the western way of life. Looking back and analyzing my past, I can only conclude that my family was perhaps under the spell of colonial aftershocks; and interestingly, no one appeared to be bothered by it. I wonder whether my ancestors felt a loss of Hindu adhikāratvam, and could not articulate or respond to any of the causal factors responsible for this sense of loss. As Mahatma Gandhi wrote, “The English have not taken India; we have given it to them”; this is no understatement it seems.

Despite the environment, for reasons I am still discovering, I was drawn to the local Ramakrishna Mission, which I would visit frequently with my best friend. I also found myself attending lectures by Swami Dayananda Saraswati – I did not understand his teachings, but his discourses were captivating. I wonder whether those were the preparatory events for my current journey. On a parallel track, my mind was conjuring up the vision of a better life outside India, especially in the US, and it was further enforced by the broader community vision of a better life anywhere but India. I found myself in Cincinnati to pursue my graduate study in electrical engineering. I bet I am not the only one with this experience set. Interestingly, my interest in our roots only grew deeper, especially after my father’s passing, and several subsequent events have continued to push me further on a spiritual quest. 

Current Evolution

Fast forward to the present – at HUA, listening to Dr. Kannikeswaran’s weekly commentaries on not just śāstriya sangīt, but its evolution shaped by broader societal events, hearing speakers in the weekly webinars, and more recently absorbing Kalyan’s illuminating sessions on Hindu Studies, I find myself reinvigorated to re-explore the Hindu past. A simple question “Are you a Hindu?” that I encountered in the initial readings has made me realize the stunning hypocrisy of my early years. That is, even as a born insider, I had no conviction on Hinduism, but instead chose – willingly or otherwise – to remain confused about it – wanting to love and celebrate it but could not find support. Needless to say, my perspectives on the world and Hinduism specifically have morphed considerably over the years, and burning questions such as “how did all this happen, and why did the Hindu community collectively fall under the spell of the colonists?” take up more thought bandwidth. I feel ready to redefine myself and look at history as a beginner. 

The question now for me is what is next, and how do I go about it? I asked myself, is it just a select few these revelations come about to? What about my peers? To find out, I reached out to my college network and asked my friends about their views on the current narratives on India/Hinduism. Out of the 85+ whom I queried, just about 4 responded, and among them 3 suggested that while they agree we were not fully informed, revisiting our history would be futile. They would rather not engage in any discussion on this topic for fear of re-igniting passions. So, it was just one of my friends and I who are apparently feeling the need to re-learn the past correctly. I wonder whether the outsider narrative has established itself so deeply that changes within the educated group are near impossible? This remains an open question, but I also happen to believe that change begins from within. To the extent I put in the time to understand and equip myself to help drive the insider narrative to family and friends, and assuming others take a similar approach, perhaps there will be reason to hope for a better outcome? Additionally, perhaps we (insiders) now have enough structure in content and frameworks with critical mass to help even the cynics become receptive to the possibility of changes to the default paradigm? I see hope for a more open debate in the spirit of shraddhA.

My renewed mission is to re-learn our past and get closer to the truth – not just for intellectual curiosity, but for a fundamental desire to at least help open my children’s minds and anyone else’s who would care to listen to a “born-again” insider’s narratives. But before I embark on that journey, I need to equip myself with the right set of facts, the interconnectedness of them, understanding the truth, and an ability to discuss and debate using appropriate terminologies. For that, I look to HUA for guidance and counsel.

Closing Thoughts

I want to believe that our ancestors did what they could to preserve our heritage and it would be unfair to lay the blame on them for our current predicament. I am grateful to them for enabling us to at least have the conversation today about our collective past and debate about the future. Towards that, I understand that rewriting existing paradigms will take time – a few decades perhaps? To persuade cynical insiders, skeptical outsiders and everyone else in between to see the validity of our approaches will require sustained effort both in terms of intellectual firepower and strategy. I resolve to do my part in whatever way possible to help with this historic community endeavor.

I am so grateful to HUA and its affiliated platforms for their leadership and courage to help Hindus understand what is at stake here. I am humbled to be part of HUA and I now feel proud to label myself a Hindu! HUA, you have enabled this change in my perspective and for that I will be eternally thankful.

Let our sankalpā to revive the insider narrative be successful, offered to Dharma itself, and may the brilliance of India’s intellectual heritage be our guru.

Image Credit: Congerdesign from Pixabay

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