UNIVERSAL BROTHERHOOD DAY CELEBRATION

The Anniversary of Swami Vivekananda's famous lecture at the World Parliament of Religions at Chicago, is celebrated by Vivekananda Kendra as Universal Brotherhood Day every year. This year is of special significance as it is the 125th year of Swamiji’s Chicago speech.

In this connection, a number of competitions were planned for the school children. 

Since most of the schools had been badly affected by the sudden floods, only the students of three schools viz. SN Vidyalayam- Chentrappinni, Amrita Vidyalayam and Shantiniketan International School- Kodungallur, registered their names.

On 6th September , there was painting competition for Junior( class Vto VII) and Senior groups( classes VIII to X ). 20 students participated.After lighting of the lamp, Mananeeya Lakshmi Didi spoke to students, encouraging them to perform with full vigour and concentration. Topic for the junior classes was'Scenes from Ramayana' and for the senior classes it was' Incidents from the life of Swamiji'.

On 7th September, Elocution Competitions (English and Malayalam) ie. getting by heart and delivering speech of Swamiji ( selected from the first and last speeches delivered by Swamiji in Chicago Parliament of Religions) were conducted. 33 students participated. While speaking to the competitors, Didi asked them to believe that while delivering the speech they should feel as if it was an offering at the feet of Swamiji because it was because of this great patriot saint that we are able to lead a dignified life today. It was because of Him that the world recognised the greatness of our culture.

On 11th September, the public function was held.Along with the prize distribution for the winners of schools, distribution of pressure cookers as the third phase of relief work for 400 flood affected people, was also held. 

Sri Piyush a young Vedantist from Thrissur as the Chief Guest along with Retired Major General Vivekanandan - a close well wisher of Vivekananda Kendra.and Ma.Didi were present on dias.

This time the winners of rolling trophy for Malayalam Elocution was Amrita Vidyalayam and that of English Elocution was SN Vidyalaya. After the Shanti mantra, all were given prasada. Overall 400 people attended the Universal brotherhood programme. 

After the prasad, the beneficiaries were given pressure cookers.

72nd Independence Day Celebrations

This time 15th August turned out to be the most memorable day in the history of Anandadham.

Early morning at 6.30 in spite of incessant rain, more than 60 yoga practitioners in uniform gathered in the hall to perform Samuhika Surya Namaskar and a few asanas. Due to rains national flag was hoisted in the hall.

All the students of Sandeepani Sishuvihar with their parents were present for the flag hoisting. Sri Sudhakarji hoisted the flag. The parents had planned for Onam Aghosham on that day. Fresh flowers of different colours were bought. A beautiful ‘Pookalam’ (design or rangoli with flowers) was created by the mothers. Lots of games for children were conducted by the parents. Prize distribution for the winners were given and prizes were all vegetables like corm(chena), Snake gourd, Pumpkin etc. wrapped in shining papers to look attractive. There was lots of laughter and jokes, dances and merry making with the children, their parents and teachers. Lunch followed after this. All kinds of delicacies brought by the mothers were served. After the nice sumptuous lunch all departed.

It was after the program that the inmates became aware of the rise in water level of the canal adjacent to our compound and by night the water had entered the compound! Beginning of a devastating flood unaware!

   

SAMAPANAM OF RAMAYANA MONTH

In all 31 houses were visited during the whole month of Karkatakam.

On 12^th August Ramayana Samarpanam two hour program was arranged. The bronze idols of the trio including Hanumanji’s, were kept on stage. The program started with parayanam of the stuthis from the Adhyatma Ramayanam like Ahalya stuti, Parshuram stuti and Kabandha Stithi. Following this was Sangeet archana by budding artists Kum. Neha Nair and her brother Siddhartha Nair, Smt. Jayashree Satheesh of Paravur, a well known vocalist and Sri. Sanjay Raj, another local vocalist.

After this followed pushpaarchana with Rama and Hanuman Ashtottara chanting. At the end a talk by an Ayurvedic practitioner Dr C Padmajan, a devotee of Sri Rama. He elaborated the various characters in Ramayana and stressed on the regular study and chanting of Adhyatma Ramayana and not limit the parayanam only for the Ramayana month.

The program concluded with the arati of Sri Ramachandra  and Prasad distribution

GURAPURNIMA

On the 27th Ganapathi Homam and Sri Chakra Puja was performed by none other than Dr Vijayanji, founder of Vijayan Gurupadam Karumatra where a number of seekers enroll themselves to learn the scriptures and scriptural practices.

Sishuvihar children with their parents came to pay their respects to Ma.Didi.

On the 29th evening Guru Purnima was celebrated publicly.The yoga varga practitioners, YCC students and QCI students about 50 in number, gathered in the Dakshina hall. Mananeeya Didi spoke to them on the importance of Guru. Guru stotram was chanted together followed by guru archana with flowers.

QCI COACHING CLASS

14th July was the day for registration for  participants for the QCI coaching class. 16 students registered . The syllubus and other requirements were briefed to the students by Sri Sudhakarji.Formal inauguration of the class was on 21st July in the presence of Mananeeya Lakshmi Didi. 5 more students registered so that the total number camewent up  to 21. Classes have been fixed on every Saturday from 9am to 5pm. Resource persons will be from among the Kendra inmates and welwishers in Kodungallur.

KARKATAKA ONE

         FIRST DAY OF THE RAMAYANA MONTH - KARKATAKA (17TH JULY- TUESDAY)

A month long project of Vivekananda Kendra Vedic Vision Foundation, to popularise the Adhyatma Ramayana chanting (parayanam) in every house, starts from the first day of the Karkataka month. Karyakarta Sushree Bindu,  along with her group members visit house to house daily and chant relevant passages from the Ramayana and make the hosts perform pushparchana. Atleast 30 houses and a number of temples invite them during this month.Houses which do not have the Ramayana book are presented with one so as to inculcate in them the habit of chanting.

This year there were two invitations from the Vinayaka temple at Lokamaleswaram and Shiva temple at Moothakunnam. Su Bindu went to Lokamaleswaram and Smt Sulochana went to the Sivan temple, to chant the Adhyatma Ramayanam in the early hours of the morning. 

JYOTISH SHASTRA 2

Chanting:

Achintya avyakta rupaya nirgunaya gunatmane |Samasta jagadaadhara murtaye Brahmane Namaha ||

Salutations to the Supreme Brahman who cannot be visualised in the mind or

otherwise, who is beyond the mind and who is nirgun, without a physical form in whom manifests the trigunas of Satwa, Rajas and Tamas.

The Ācārya started the session by chanting the initial mantras of Jyothisha. He went on to describe that the above mantra was from the famous Sanskrit treatise on Jyothisha, Surya Siddhanta. This was an insight as we are generally aware of the Surya Siddhanta being one of the primary written books on Astronomy. There are 18 Munis attributed to the contribution of Jyothisha and they are always invoked for their blessings. It is to be noted that no known pictures of these 18 Munis, are available, however, at the Murugan temple in Palani, adjacent to the main sanctum sanctorum, one can find idols of the 18 Munis engraved in stone. They are also known as Ashtadasha Acharyas.

Jyothisha is also known as ‘Vedachakshu’  or eyes of the Vedas. It is important to understand that in all sashtras or forms of learnings, be it Ayurveda, or Natya, the knowledge always originates from the Supreme or Brahma, hence the first of the 18 Muni’s is Brahma Rishi, next is Vashishta, then Atri, Manu, Paulasthya, Rauhasya, Marici, Angiras, Vedavyasa(author  Vyasa Hora), Narada, Shaunatha, Bhrighu(author of  Nadi granthas), Chavana, Yavanacharya(author of Yavana Jathakam), Garga (authored Garga Bhagavatham, also composed Nakshathra Sookthamwhich is a  part of Atharva Veda. Kashyapa , Parashara (author of  Brihat Parashara Hora),  and the last of them is Soorya Muni(author of Surya Siddhantha).

Jyothisha offers  two distinct paths to the seekers of Truth; the Ganapathi way and the Skanda(Subramanya) way; guiding the individual to the path of Moksha or enlightenment. Unfortunately, it is a matter of great regret that today’s jyothishis never touch upon this aspect, but merely stress on forecasts and use this ancient wisdom as a tool to garner material wealth and fame.

Let us have a slightly detailed look at the two paths to the “Eternal Truth” discussed by  the Ācārya.

Skanda or Subramanya in his quest for Truth rode on his mount the peacock, in pursuit of truth and he unveils knowledge on the evolution of karma, the reactions of karma, the structure of karma, understanding of prarabdha karma¹(collection of past karmas to be experienced in this life) which is a part of the sanchita karma (accumulated karma). The name Subramanya itself has such a deep meaning. Subramanya is also known as Deva Senapati or Commander of the Devas, which in itself is fascinating and improbable, considering the fact that he is a mere boy of about 6-7 years. How is this possible; conflicts happen at two different planes, the external and the internal. To fight the external there is the need for force, strength and power, however we are aware that even the most ferocious and angry individual is calmed by the innocence and unconditional love of a small child. Hence for spiritual learning and enlightenment it is essential for the mind and the thought to be pure. The inner purity is like the innocence of a small child. The innocence that can win over anything. Subramanya is also known by other names like Aandavan, Velayudhan and so on.

The swift-flying peacock symbolises the enchanting ego of an individual, and Subramanya riding his mount denotes overcoming of this beautiful ego, a necessity to understand Karma.

On this occasion Ācārya also touched upon the mount of Ganesha, mooshika, which symbolises desire, controlling which is of utmost importance.

The other path which is very short but difficult is the path of Ganesha which is to directly seek the Truth within the self, an inward journey.

The devata of Jyothisha Sashtra is Subramanya , hence if one seeks knowledge in this area, the blessing and grace of Subramanya  is indispensable. Subramanya is also credited to have destroyed Tarakasura (taraka is ego) Tarakasura symbolises Ego, at a human level, with each of us desiring to be the star amongst others, a form of ego. There is a saying that at Pazhani the abode of Lord Muruga, one cannot completely count the number of steps to the top. This again is symbolic of the fact that for the individual who sets out to seek the Truth, the time that will be taken to achieve the goal can never be known in advance. ‘Jyoti’ in the word Jyotisha symbolises Consciousness or Supreme Awareness. Hence Jyotisha is the Science of Consciousness or Cosmic Intelligence.

Today’s temples are generally constructed on a bought on land bought from someone or land donated by someone unlike in earlier days, when temples would only be constructed at a suitable land after considering the various factors of Vastu Shastra.

Jyothisha Deeksha can be compared to a situation where the electrical wiring is complete and is waiting for the electrical connection. The moment power is supplied everything becomes live. The moment of connection is the catalyst of change, when the individual will start seeing the world in a way where nothing is bad or good.

“Everything that is happening is the parinama of Karma” The moment the mind understands this subtle truth, the individual becomes Lord Rama, said the Acharya. He was citing the incident from Ramayana, when Lord Rama was taking leave for vanavasa and he informed one and all that Kaikeyi Mata and Mandara Mata should not be blamed for anything that has happened. After all it is my Niyogam (loosely translated as fate) and has nothing to do with what they have done or how they have acted upon. The lord did not have any resentment against any individual, as his mind was clear. Hence it is important to look at Jyotisha as a Spiritual Science.  After all this is how the Maharishis have tried to explain Jyotisha.

Ācārya then touched upon the word Hora, which indicates the karma done by the individual in the past, which can include all our past lives. According to Jidu Krishnamurthy the ego has an age of 1000’s of years; what the individual is today is a parinamam of the tapas of 1000’s of years, hence for each of us to be together in this session today, is a result of the individual tapas of all of us. Of course, one cannot define this, after all it is like asking a vellarumkallu (quartz stone) who created it and presented this form to it. If the stone could speak it would say, it is not a single person or entity, I was a rock many years back, the sun, the rain and the weather, weathered me down to this present form which has been transformed into this beautiful idol. In the same way numerous forms of karma, that have happened in the path of our  lives,such as  facing hardships, failures,  victories, experiencing and sharing the empathy and sympathy, result in the formation of “Aham”, the  “I”, the “Ego”, which needs to be weathered down for the purified form to emerge.

A good or bad thought is enough to bring changes. Hence it is important to purify the ego by churning it in the yagagni of life and karma. It is like the offering of butter to Lord Krishna. The Lord is not looking for the physical butter but the sacrificial yagna of karma offered in the form of butter.

The Ācārya next focussed on the ritual of ‘Ellu Villaku’ (Black Sesame Lamp), which of late has become a very common practice in almost every temple. Referring to Bhagavad Gita, he continued, “yajñārthāt karmaṇo ‘nyatra lokoyaḿ karma-bandhanaḥ tadarthaḿ karma Kaunteya mukta-sańgaḥ samācara”, doing work in this physical world should be in the form of a sacrifice, work that is done not just for the physical benefits, but for pleasing Lord Vishnu.  Consider karma as a form of yagna which can lead the individual to moksha. The lighting of the ellu thiri (villaku) is the shortest form of yagna and symbolically it means burning off the individual’s inner ignorance. Unaware of this deep implication  we look at the activity at the mere physical level, buying and burning numerous ellu thiri’s. We foolishly believe that solutions to our problems can be purchased with wealth, externally. Sadly the problem is within the individual and the correction is also needed in the ‘Self’. An activity is composed of many aspects, including and not limited to observing, inferring, understanding, executing, dispensing, and many other subtle facets…

Jyothisha deals with self-realisation, and within Jyothisha itself there are thousands of ways for liberation, secrets and methods that reveal itself only to the sincere seeker!

Onam is a few months away, let us understand a bit about Onam from  a Jyothisha perspective, said the Ācārya. Onam begins on the nakshathra ‘Atham’; it is also the birth star of Swami Vivekananda. Atham’s devata is Shiva. Atham to Thiruonam is 10 days, basically it is 10 days of ‘Sadhana’. Many of us are aware that from Atham the laying of the pookalam(Rangoli with flowers) begins and the design of the kolam is circular, however on the 7^th day(‘Moolam’ nakshathra) the kolam gets 4 corners. The laying of the pookalam with different varieties of flowers denotes the birth and growth of the human culminating on the 10^th day of Thiruonam, when one is expected to install and consecrate Onathappan(symbolising Vishnu) suggesting the joining of the atma to the paramathma (or self realisation).  Surprisingly no thantri(Priest) is required to install and consecrate Vishnuin the courtyard of the houses!

The star Atham is also the nakshathra of revolution, not externally but within, individual born on this nakshathra have revolutionary ideas and thoughts. Atham is from the Kanni Rashi, which is considered as the force of kundalini.

Ācārya then focussed on another important sacrament of human life and its association to Jyotisha, namely vivaham(marriage). The sankalpa of vivaham from the bharatiya context starts with the union of Lord Vishnu and Lakshmi. On the day of the vivaham it is the  groom who arrives at the home of the bride and it is also the bride  who first garlands the groom. We generally address the couple as the bride and the groom, vadhu-varan, similarly Lakshmi-Narayanan, Uma-Maheshwaran; here we can notice that the woman is addressed first then the man; emphasising  the importance of the woman. The objective of marriage is moksha.  There are  8 different types  of marriage; Brahma, Prajapatya, Daiva, Arsha, Asura, Gandharva, Rakshasa, and Paishacha. Unfortunately today the marriage ceremony cannot be attributed to any of the 8 types. It is only the economics that reigns supreme. However as the objective of marriage  is moksha or liberation from the belots of samsara, jyothisha play an important role in this samskara. Marriage  lays  the foundation for the  family and hence there is the need for ‘porutham’(compatibility) in  many aspects. The granthas talk of 25 poruthams, of which 10 are important, and amongst the 10, 5 are most important for a good marriage . The Ācārya went on to explain that if there is mana porutham or compatibility of the minds then all other forms of porutham are baseless. He cited that for Brahma, Prajapati, Daiva and Gandharva only mana porutham was considered. After all marriage is not a business transaction of commodities, but an auspicious association Lakshmi and Vishnu leading to moksha.

“Horethya horaatravikalpmeke,  vaangchhanthi poorvaaparavarnnalopaal” chanting this Ācārya continued, 'ahoratra' meaning day/night and symbolically it means happiness and sorrow (in life). The compounding of the two Sanskrit words Ahas and Ratri gives the word ‘ahoratra’. 24 hours as per modern astronomy, one revolution of earth, which is 360°. If we drop ‘a’ from the beginning and ‘tra’ from the end of ahoratra, what remains is ‘hora’, hence it also deals with the good and bad aspects of life. In Jyotisha, every aspect has to be analysed and understood in two planes, the external and the internal. Here it is important to understand that both are not separate. It is just like observing a huge tree. One can see the tree physically which is symbolic of life as we see. The roots of the tree are not visible; however, it is the roots that hold the tree together. In the same way our inner plane needs to have a strong foundation and one should ensure that it does not get corrupted and weakened. However, the reverse is not the same, a little injury or damage externally will eventually get restored, just like in the tree. Here it is important to also understand that at the inner plane if one is righteous in one’s thoughts, decisions and actions, the entire universe will stand by him and vice versa! Outer world is the reflection of the inner world, what ever the individual is going through is the outcome of the individual’s own doing, be it good or bad. Hence according to jyothisha it is not necessary to meet the individual, even the place where the individual dwells is indicative of the person. Similarly, the kitchen in a house can portray the spirituality of the house, in the western world however it is the bathroom that does so. In the Bharathiya samskaram, the kitchen is the place of homam. In a new house Ganapathi homam is conducted in the kitchen.

Anything and everything that we do at every moment of life has an explanation in jyothisha. The ten-day celebrations of Onam are a means to conquer the ten indriyas or ten senses, 5 active and 5 cognitive. Similarly, the three steps of land symbolise the trigunas.  Onam also brings into memory the Vamana avatar and how Vamana asked for 3 steps of land; here we can visualize an infantile thought process, if given the right nourishment, it can expand to infinity. IN Sanskrit Onam is indicated as Sravanam, the period of knowledge. Onam falls in the month of Chingam, which is Simha Rashi. It is a month of Atma Sadhana. It is also a month wherein famous personalities have been born; Sri. Aurobindo, Narayana Guru, Ayyankali, Brahmananda Siva Yogi, Sahodaran Ayyapan. Chingam is also the first month of the year according to kollavarsham. An individual’s karma has a profound effect on their sreyas, and preyas, at time even leading to their destruction. So all forms of pariharams(external remedial measures) are basically parivarthanam(changes) that should happen within. Hence it is the individual’s karma that needs to be offered as a payasam (remedial measure) to the Supreme. Perform the karma as a yagna for the benefit of the world. It also means that every quality is within the individual, only it needs to be activated.

Ācārya also touched upon the days of the week, Ravivāra or Sunday, Somavāra or Monday, Mangala, Budha, Guru, Shukra and Shanivāra. All the days represent the planets.

................to be contd.

¹Prarabdha is the portion of the past karma which is responsible for the individual’s present body or incarnation,  the portion of the sanchita or accumulated karma  which the human life acquires in the present incarnation, one that cannot be avoided or changed, one that will only be exhausted through  experiences.

YOGA SAPTAHA

INTERNATIONAL YOGA DAY CELEBRATION

( From 21st June to 27^th June  2018)

"Expansion is Life, Contraction is death" says Swami Vivekananda. It is an expansion of our yoga activities that marked our year’s International Yoga Day.

This year we could take yoga to every nook and corner of Kodungallur and bring its multifarious benefits to the grasp of common man and woman and urge them to take it up as their daily routine. As our honorable Prime Minister reiterates it would be a journey from illness to wellness. By expanding our yoga activities we are also paying our homage to the founder of Vivekananda Kendra, Mananeeya Eknathji whose vision way back in 1972, had made yoga the core of Vivekananda Kendra.

As in the last 3 years, this year also Vivekananda Kendra decided to have a yoga Saptaha to do full justice to the ideals of our great teachers. Our activities extended from 21^st to 27^th June.

On the 21^st morning there was a mass yoga practice at Anandadham from 7 a.m. to 8.30 a.m. The programme started with the lighting of lamp by Man. Lakshmi Didi. She addressed the participants highlighting the role of yoga at individual, and cosmic level and requested all the participants to make yoga as part of their day to day life. The participants were Yoga Varga and Yoga Satra members, Yoga Certificate Course participants and school girls of the XII class of Govt. Girls Higher Sec. School Kodungallur. A total of 110 participants were present in spite of heavy rain. The programme ended with shanti mantra.

On the same day 10.30 to 11 a.m. one of the YCC students Dr. Midhun, conducted a class for the students Sisu Vidyaposhini School, Eriyad on this occasion of IYD. At the same time Smt Jayalakshmi conducted classes for the Saraswathi Vidya Niketan, Edavilangu students and their parents and teachers, and also conducted classes for students of Ala UP school and  two schools in Poya. Smt Seeba was invited to conduct yoga session for Nehru Yuva Kendra at Karumathra.

Ma. Lakshmi Didi and Sri Sudhakarji were invited on this occasion to talk on Yoga, in Sri Sai Vidyapeetham, Anthikad, Thrissur. In the evening at Kovilakath Village and  Matru Samiti at Shiva Kshetram, Thiruvallor, Smt Jayalakshmi had conducted a class for the mothers, and their children.She introduced the term Yoga for the first time to the mothers in Thiruvallor.

Smt Suja Nair, Y.C.C student had her concluding function of 10 days Yoga Satra at Palackal, Thrissur. On the occasion of I Y Day, she had invited the relatives and friends of the satra participants.

On the 22^nd, 23^rd and 25^th advanced Yogasana competitions were held at Anandadham for various age groups of students in three batches including LP,UP and H.S students. 75 students from 8 different schools participated.

On the same days during the evening hours, concluding sessions of 10 to 13 days yoga Satra  conducted by Yoga Certificate Course students were held.

On the 24^th morning there was a meet for the aspiring students willing to prepare for QCI examination of Ayush ministry, Govt of India, who would look for guidance from Vivekananda Kendra,

On the 27th at the concluding function many yoga practitioner trained by the YCC students, the prize winning students with their guardians, yoga varga members  all gathered in Panicker's Hall, West Nada ,Kodungallur,to participate  in the celebration.Apart from prize distribution, there was also the felicitation of our YCC students who had successfully completed their course under our headquarters  Kanyakumari’s  Certificate Course. Each YCC student was felicitated by Ma. Lakshmi Didi with a lighted lamp,a book and a shawl or ponnada. The Chief guest of the programme was Sri Narayana Bhattathiri, a well versed Sanskrit scholar and former Acharya of Vivekananda University at Belur Math.Dr Panicker and his wife, the owners of the Paniker's hall, also graced the occasion with their presence . Each of the prize winners of yogasana competition demonstrated a few asanas before the prize distribution. 

HDPY Sen.Sec. School, Andipillikavu,with the highest points in the yogasana competitions received the shield. The Principal and Manager of the school were also present to receive the shield from the hands of Didi and Dr Panicker.A total of 120 people were present .