Dr.D.K.Hari & Dr.D.K.Hema Hari, Founders, Bharath Gyan & Faculty at HUA

Inauguration Of The Statue Of Oneness – Ekatmata Ki Pratima

There are 12 Lingam in Bharat which are revered as the 12 Jyotirlinga. These are called so, as they specifically denote the process of Creation of the Cosmos. They denote the emerging Cosmos as the infinite pillar of flame. The process of Creation was accompanied by the first primordial sound, which this civilization has revered as OM. Among the 12 Jyotirlingam, the Jyotirlingam at Omkareshwar as its name goes, denotes both this flame and the primordial sound OM.

This Jyotirlingam is nestled in Omkareshwar, in the valley between the flanks of the Vindhyas and the Satpura ranges, along the banks of the Narmada river. This place also gains significance as the place where Acharya Adi Shankara, who propagated Advaita was given Deeksha, initiation by His Guru, Acharya Govind Bhagavatpada.

Narmada river flowing between Vindhya and Satpura ranges

Acharya Shankara left His home in Kalady, Kerala at a tender age of 8, after coaxing His mother to permit Him to take up Sanyasa at that age. After that, in search of a Guru, He kept travelling northwards and eventually reached Amarkantak the source of the river Narmada, which is located in the Vindhya mountains. From there, he walked along the banks of the Narmada till He reached Omkareshwar.

There, on a small island hill called Mandhata Parvat, in the middle of the Narmada, He was drawn to a cave, where a saint was deep in meditation. The young, Bala Shankara saw that Narmada which was in spate then, was going to flood this cave. He held out His Kamandalam, pitcher into the river and calmed the waters of Narmada. Bala Shankara had prevented the cave from flooding.

The luminous saint meditating there was Acharya Govinda Bhagavatpada. Bala Sankara had found His Guru. Acharya Govinda Bhagavatpada sensing the hallowed nature of Bala Sankara, too had found the disciple He had been waiting for. He gave Deeksha to Bala Shankara and asked Him to spread Advaita throughout the land.

This incident is depicted on the wall of the cave and can be seen even today.

Author D.K.Hari at the cave where Acharya Shankar had met his Guru, Acharya Govinda Bhagavatpada at Omkareshwar. Panel above Guru Govinda Bhagavatpada’s murti depicts the scene where Bala Shankara had calmed the rising Narmada with His Kamandalu, pitcher in front of this cave.

Shankara then started on His own mission with His journey to Kasi, arriving there as a Guru Himself – Acharya Shankara Bhagavatpada. Acharya Shankara went on to write Bhashya, commentaries to explain the essence of the Advaita philosophy. He initiated disciples and traveled all over Bharatavarsha, establishing Mathas to propagate Advaita.

In a short lifespan of just 32 years, He had put Advaita on a strong foothold.

It was decided by the Madhya Pradesh Government to install a statue for Acharya Shankara on the Mandhata hill to commemorate the significant event wherein He had met His Guru. Care was taken to depict Acharya Shankara as a young boy, Bala Shankara, that He had been when He had set foot on this hill.

Bala Shankara is a 108 ft tall statue. Standing on a Lotus placed on a pedestal, the statue now towers over Omkareshwar at a height of 199 ft totally from the peak of the Mandhata hill. This statue is called the Statue of Oneness, Ekatmata ki Pratima.

This statue was inaugurated on 21st Sept 2023 after unprecedented floods in the Narmada.

It was a day when Omkareshwar was also characterized by a great gathering of sadhus and devotees as thousands of Sanyasis had arrived there to attend the inauguration. We, too, were fortunate to have been invited to witness this momentous event.

 A great gathering of Sādhus and Sanyāsis at the event

started to rain. A dark cloud stood still, persistently over the hill and showered a good rain on all – not a heavy downpour nor a light drizzle. Just right enough to drench everyone with the spirit of oneness.

All were equal there that day under the Sun and Rain as there was no cover for anyone – guests, dancers, singers, priests, and dignitaries including the Murti of Acharya Shankar. For, a covering would have obstructed the view of Acharya Shankar. But neither the Rain nor the Sun seemed to bother anyone present there. Everyone was soaking in all the forms of showers – radiant rays of the morning Sun, followed by the cooling cascade of Rain, under the benign shower of Grace emanating from the Murti of Acharya Shankar.

 Acharya Shankar, as a young boy, standing tall at a height of 199ft, strong as metal with clouds overhead and a hill underneath. A worker peering down from that height highlights the height in comparison.

It is indeed a matter of coincidence to note that

1. Narmada had flooded when Bala Shankara had arrived in person 2500 years ago.
2. Narmada flooded again when Bala Shankara came in the form of a Murti.

With this Murti, India now has 3 towering statues, with 2 of them along the Narmada itself.

We have,

• Statue for Sardar Patel at Kevadia, along the Narmada in the state of Gujarat, called the Statue of Unity.
• Statue for Saint Ramanuja who worked to propagate the Visishta Advaita philosophy. This statue at Muchintal near Bhagyanagar – Hyderabad is called the Statue of Equality.
• Statue for Adi Shankara, the proponent of Advaita at Omkareshwar as the Statue of Oneness.

All 3 are standing tall with a common message – all are equal in the eyes of the Divine and bear the Divine within them.

The Statue of Oneness emphasizes it further, with the Advaita message of Acharya Shankar that, all are themselves the Divine too

The post Inauguration of the ‘Statue Of Oneness’ appeared first on Hindu University of America.

A look into the history of ancient health practices in India which included smallpox inoculation, a prescription of for balanced lifestyle with moderate eating and exercises, quarantine, self-isolation and responsible living.

Introduction –

Many of you may remember your grandmother insisting you to clean your hands and feet before every meal. Having a bath in the morning is a ritual whatever the season and so is leaving footwear outside the house. Till recently these were considered old fashioned but with the Covid- 19 pandemic striking the world suddenly these practices seem to have a new meaning. Namaste the Indian way of greeting is being followed by leaders all over the world. As we follow the WHO directive to wash our hands for twenty second with soap and water and maintain social distancing there is also a sense of deep respect and dejavu on many of our Indian practices too.

Did you Know?

Did you know that there was a system of vaccination in India even as recent as 1804 until the British put an end to the practice. Dr. John Z Holwell, a surgeon who was serving the East India Company has observed and recorded the Indian system of inoculation. His records state there were designated people from distant provinces who would come annually, divide themselves into smaller groups of two or three and visit all the villages. They would plan their circuit in such a way that they would arrive at the place at the right time. Smallpox was most prevalent at the time and these physicians would administer the Tika called Govasuri (cowpox). This system was effective as there was no epidemic of smallpox ever recorded until the British stopped the practice after the discovery of Jenner’s smallpox vaccination which in turn was based on studying the Indian system.

Screenshot of the page 1 of the book by Dr. John Zephaniah Holwell

Here are two excerpts from Dr. John Zephaniah Holwell’s book – “ An Account of the Manner of Inoculating for the Small Pox in the East Indies with Some Observations on the Practice and Mode of Treating that Disease in those Parts” taken from pages 1 & 2 of the book.  

“On perusing lately some tracts upon the subject of Inoculation, I determined to put together a few notes relative to the manner of Inoculation, practised, time out of mind, by the Bramins of Indostan; to this I was chiefly instigated, by considering the great benefit that may arise to mankind from a knowledge of this foreign method, which so remarkably tends to support the practice now generally followed with such marvellous success.”

“The general state of this distemper in the Provinces of Bengall (to which these observations are limited) is such, that for five and sometimes six years together, it passes in a manner unnoticed, from the few that are attacked with it; for the complexion of it in these years is generally so benign as to cause very little alarm; and notwithstanding the multitudes that are every year inoculated in the usual season, it adds no malignity to the disease taken in the natural way, nor spreads the infection, as is commonly imagined in Europe.” 

These two excerpts give us a glimpse of the how inoculation was in practice in pre-British India. 

The physicians of yore knew the existence of microscopic bacteria and virus, its nature and prevention from its effects. Interestingly, Atharva Veda mentions germs that cannot be seen and uses the term Kirmi for microscopic creatures. Charaka Samhita, a treatise on medicine describes microorganisms as being invisible, and also mentions their colour and shape. Did they have a microscope to see and describe them in such detail? Nyaaya Samhita of Gautama does have a description of lenses.

The Art of Living lies in Balance

It is said “Ati Sarvatra Varjayet” which means Excess of anything is bad. The answer lies in the balance.

Ayurveda advises: Hitha Aahara Mitha Ayasa, Mitha Ayasa Hitha Aahara i.e Affordable food appropriate exercise, Affordable exercise appropriate food.

So the principle of living is to find the right balance between diet and lifestyle, rest and work, prevention and cure. As we now see the most robust health care systems considered the best in the world are stressed as they struggle to find a viable solution, preventive measures are being stressed all over the world from quarantine to isolation and simple diet.

Quarantine & Isolation is not a new word for Indians

World over people are grappling with the sudden loss of freedom and restricted movement and social distancing norms. Growing up in India almost everyone would have experienced seclusion as part of ritual observance at some point or the other. Various practices in the Indian systems have used isolation as a cure to prevent contagious diseases and also as a means to contain the problem in a small area even the Gods are not spared. In Jagannath Puri, during Jyeshta Poornima, the lord is kept in isolation for 14 days. Deities in India are also treated as a human being who requires to be bathed and fed, to recuperate and rejuvenate. Traditionally, the newborn and the young mother are secured from outside influence for a period of 10 to 15 days after birth, termed as superstition we know now that at this state both the mother and child are susceptible to infections and seclusion is necessary for their own good.

Similarly, an isolation period is observed by all members of the family if there is a death in the family, the 13 to 16 days helps one to recoup from the emotional pain which is then followed by celebration of life on the last day of isolation.

Though followed as tradition, many of the practices have practical application. Some of best practices of personal hygiene and ‘social distancing’ have been part of our ‘Kalachar’-culture, customs like leaving the footwear outside the homes, not having food or water from a common vessel, maintaining physical distance, having a bath every day are universally followed in Indi

Food is Medicine

The wisdom in the word Food is medicine has never been more relevant. The native systems of medicine have always advised on the principle of balanced living, eating in moderation and consuming food according to the seasons and place. Food must be consumed such that the 3 Dosha – Vata, Pitta and Kapha and the 3 Guna – Satva, Rajas and Tamas remain in balance because the imbalance of these Dosha and Guna lead to disease and discomfort.

Fad diets, alien cuisine, packaged-ready-to-eat food have alienated us from the experience of having a simple meal. Now is the right time to pause and think and maybe realign ourselves to the environment. Beginning with consuming food that is wholesome, sourced from the local market and grown in that region. Not only are they more nutritious but it will also directly support the local economy and benefit the immediate farmer who has grown the crop.

Of Inheritance and Responsibility

As humans we have inherited the earth. Other living creatures also have an equal right to its resources. Our conscious and ethical choices have a large and long term impact on the environment. It’s only humans who over-exploit natural resources at the cost of destroying the very nature that is sustaining them. The destruction of forests, drinking water sources depleting at an alarming rate are all a warning for us to get back to our true nature and allow mother earth to sustain us.

We are the virus that Nature chooses to eliminate.

This article first appeared on Religion World on May 17, 2020 with the tags: Ayurveda, Hinduism, world health day. It has been reproduced with the permission of the authors, with some additions by HUA staff. 

Feature Image Courtesy : Artist Ranjan Kaul

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