Awakening on the dark night

|| Aum Sri Ramakrishna Sharanam||

Lord Shiva
pic - google images

|| Aum Namo Narayanaya||

On Friday, amidst huge pomp and fanfare, the flag was raised at the Shree Veeraboga Emperumal Temple - signalling the start of the 10-day festival dedicated to Lord Emperumal or Maha Vishnu. This festival which takes place at Tirupati Tirumala Devastanam during the period of Puratassi is known as Brahmotsavam. Mythology says that after the marriage of Lord Maha Vishnu to His consort, they were driven in a chariot by Lord Brahma Himself... hence the festival was named Brahmotsavam. Annually, Vishnu temples throughout the world re-enact this wedding through a 10-day festival. Although many temples observe the festival during the holy month of Puratassi, here in South Africa, we find that many Narayana temples located on former sugar barracks observe it during the months of March/April. Our forefathers who carried our rich culture and traditions on their shoulders endured many hardships during indenture but ensured that they kept their traditions and practices alive. It is said that because the sugar operations were normally shut down for maintenance during this period of March/April, they seized the only opportunity they had to celebrate the grand wedding of Maha Vishnu: the Lord of preservation and sustenance who helped them get through the pain and suffering of separation from India, indenture, colonialism and apartheid.

 

It is rather special that this celestial wedding is observed by the Veeraboga Temple during the internationally famed ‘month of love’ attributed to Valentine’s Day. On a very material level,  man celebrates the uniting of two beings in love and on a spiritual level we celebrate the uniting of our Divine Mother and Father. However, beyond the maya of this leela, lies significant and profound truths that help ameliorate the cyclic discharge of pain and suffering with man. I recall very vividly as if it happened yesterday... 3 years ago when Revered Swami Vimokshananda attended our festival and was the Keynote Speaker. It was on Valentine’s Day and the programme director was welcoming the devotees and doing an introduction to Swamiji. He made mention about Valentine’s Day and how pleased he was that so many people could attend on this special day. Swamiji, after being introduced, approached the lecture with His divine countenance adorned with a mischievous smile and with His opening utterances alone ripped through the veil of maya that suffocated us.

 Maharaj said after His opening invocation mantras: “I am indeed very happy to be with all of you on this very special Ekadashi day and the occasion of the annual festival of the Temple.” Our minds and consciousness which always dwells on the physical and material cannot truly see beyond that. Here, Swamiji showed how when the mind in fixed on divinity that you can see beyond the physical limitations of earthly joy.

 Many of us live our lives with our inner beings enthroned in complete darkness and like in the world how we have diurnal and nocturnal creatures; we have certain tendencies that thrive in these dark spaces. We sometimes fail to understand why we act in a certain way - why we hate, revel in untruth, why we love etc...... Operating from the perspective of this darkness is not only harmful to you but also harmful to the people around you.

 

Sri Adi Shankaracharya composed a beautiful hymn in which He said: I am not mind, nor intellect, nor ego, nor the reflections of inner self. I am not the five senses. I am beyond that. I am not the ether, nor the earth, nor the fire, nor the wind (i.e. the five elements). I am indeed, that eternal knowing and bliss, Shiva, love and pure consciousness.

 

Fixated with the outer beauty and drowning with infatuation welling with lust and greed... man becomes the recipient of untold grief and agony as the result of this. I am reminded of the melancholies yet hilarious episode where Parvati’s mother awaited to greet her son-in-law in the time-tested Indian tradition, but shrieked out in terror instead to see His body smeared with grey ash fresh from the cremation grounds, riding a bull, holding a skull in his hands, his eyes rolling as if intoxicated and looking utterly dishevelled and untidy - like He had not had a bath for several days. She wailed... lamenting her beautiful daughter’s choice of husband. “O daughter what have you done, you have ruined your family. Surely you were not in your senses when you made your choice. Why did I not remain a barren woman rather than give birth to you who have bought ill fame to the whole family. You have put away sandal paste and instead smeared yourself with mud; throwing away rice you have eaten the husk.”

Bhagawan Sri Ramakrishna
pic - google images

 In this ‘month of love’, on the 27^th of February... millions of devotees will observe the ‘great night of Shiva’ where they will pray to that mighty Lord for inner awakening. On the dark night of the new moon we invoke the shakti within to awaken and illumine our lives. Like how the awakened Lord Shiva at the mere glance of His third eye (eye of discrimination) reduces the God of Desire (Kama) to ash... we take inspiration from Sri Adi Sankaracharya’s hymn to manifest our Shiva consciousness (Shivoham). Like how the Lord’s mother-in-law failed to see His true nature and inner power and beauty, we must also remove our darkness from within and expose the light of divinity that we are. To remind us of this and to explain these truths in the simplest forms, the Lord also came to us in this month as Bhagwan Sri Ramakrishna who was born on 18^th February 1836. His simple teachings lead the way for the peace and harmony and brought about a new understanding of bhakti and renunciation for this modern age. ‘Master’ as He is affectionately known within the Ramakrishna family said: “Is anything impossible for the grace of God? Suppose you bring a light into a room that has been dark a thousand years; does it remove the darkness little by little? The room is lighted all at once. Intense renunciation is what is needed.”

 Let us in this very auspicious month fill ourselves with the divine light that dispels the nocturnal parasites of adharma. May Sri Ramakrishna and Lord Shiva Peruman inspire us all to shine with our inner beauty and let the divine love between all humanity be heightened, is my sincere prayer. Happy Ramakrishna Jayanti and Maha Shivaratri!

 

Yours ever, with blessings and prayers
Yogan
www.sudarshanavidya.blogspot.com
www.google.com//+yogannaidoo

Authenticity!!!!!

||Aum Sri Ramakrishna Sharanam||

 ||Aum Namo Narayanaya||

 

Aum- google images

Authenticity. Many dictionaries share the same sentiments with regards to the meaning of the word. They refer to it as: the truthfulness of origins, attributions, commitments, sincerity, devotion, and intentions. Authenticity seems to play out quite evidently in the commercial world where everything requires verification for authenticity. Contracts, applications, etc. require many identification checks and proof of various aspects before being approved. Of recent it has also become a schlep to cross borders with the mountain of paper work that one has to process from visas to proof of employment right down to proof of residency.

 

Last week I was amused whilst was browsing through the vegetable isle of a large supermarket chain-store. Having grown up in a farming community, we were accustomed to purchasing fresh, succulent vegetables at the market. We would notice how people would test the vegetables for freshness and value before purchasing. The most glaring one would be the scars left on the calabash by fingernails. I erupted into an internal burst of laughter to note that even in this day in large chain stores this practice continues, as I noticed the calabash being victim to the uncertainty of the customer. All these measures -some of which extreme- ensure that we are not cheated or hoodwinked into accepting inferior quality or anything less than that which we have opted for.

 

We have taken such precaution to ensure that we are not cheated from society… but what precautions have we taken to prevent us from being cheated by ourselves? This relevant enquiry arose from reading the glorious accounts from the Katha Upanishad. The pragmatic arguments delivered by protagonist Nachiketa comes as a panacea to his father who was afflicted with insincerity, anger, and remorse.

 

There was, in ancient times, a very rich man Vajashravas - who made a certain sacrifice which required that he should give away everything that he had. Now, this man was not sincere. He wanted to get the fame and glory of having made the sacrifice, but he was only giving things which were of no further use to him — old cows that were barren, blind, and lame. He had a boy called Nachiketa. This boy saw that his father was not doing what was right, that he was breaking his vow. In order to save his father’s honour, he beseeched his father to offer him as a sacrifice as well. This inauthenticity displayed by Nachiketa’s father is not unknown to us. Take a little time to think of how sincere or authentic you are towards every activity that you do. Are you sincere to your family, your work, your service to humanity and most importantly to yourself?

If there is single phrase that would be the essence of Swami Vivekananda’s teachings, it would be “Arise, Awake and stop not till the goal is reached”. Those who have read Swamiji would realise the extent to which He drove this idea in all his works. His inspiration for this teaching comes from the Katha Upanishad, where Yama (Lord of Death) said  to  Nachiketa in the 1.3.14 chapter of Katha Upanishad: "Uttisthata Jagrata Prapya Barannibodhata" ("Arise! Awake! Approach the great and learn).

 

Many people, especially youth, unaware of their inner nature… live an aimless, mediocre life. In order to sustain this life, they resort to be inauthentic and they together with others like this, become the basis for the degradation of society.

 

Swamiji’s inspirational and personal accounts in America that relate to this from the Katha Upanishad can help humanity live a life of authenticity . Swamiji relates:

 

Travelling through many cities of Europe and observing in them the comforts and education of even the poor people, there was brought to my mind the state of our own poor people, and I used to shed tears. What made the difference? Education was the answer I got. Through education comes faith in one's own Self, and through faith in one's own Self the inherent Brahman is waking up in them, while the Brahman in us is gradually becoming dormant. In New York I used to observe the Irish colonists come — downtrodden, haggard-looking, destitute of all possessions at home, penniless, and wooden-headed — with their only belongings, a stick and a bundle of rags hanging at the end of it, fright in their steps, alarm in their eyes. A different spectacle in six months — the man walks upright, his attire is changed! In his eyes and steps there is no more sign of fright. What is the cause? Our Vedanta says that that Irishman was kept surrounded by contempt in his own country — the whole of nature was telling him with one voice, "Pat, you have no more hope, you are born a slave and will remain so." Having been thus told from his birth, Pat believed in it and hypnotised himself that he was very low, and the Brahman in him shrank away. While no sooner had he landed in America than he heard the shout going up on all sides, "Pat, you are a man as we are. It is man who has done all, a man like you and me can do everything: have courage!" Pat raised his head and saw that it was so, the Brahman within woke up. Nature herself spoke, as it were… Arise, awake, and stop not till the goal is reached.

 

Progress, prosperity and strength cannot come to those who hide behind religious practices ordained in the scriptures alone. This book knowledge is only worth the paper it is written on. It is until one develops firm faith in oneself with the understanding of the nature of the self and bases and lives their life in accordance to that nature (authenticity) then and only then can one say with authority that he has knowledge.

 

Nachiketa comes to us in this age as an inspiration and a catalyst for blissful living and peaceful co-existence. Swamiji Himself said: ”If I get ten or twelve boys with the faith of Nachiketa, I can turn the thoughts and pursuits of this country in a new channel.”

 

May Nachiketa be the pole star that inspires and guides us to lead an authentic life, is my sincere prayer.

 Ever yours with all love and blessings

Yogan

www.sudarshanavidya.blogspot.com
www.google.com/+YoganNaidoo

Why Love Someone when you can love Everyone

|| Aum Sri Ramakrishna Sharanam||

Happy Republic Day- Pic Google Images

||Aum Namo Narayanaya||

 

 

As the curtains closed  on the official celebrations of the 150th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda in South Africa yesterday evening I started to feel a little vacuum creep into my heart. A good three years that was filled with so much of inspirational work in honour of a saint that made an impact on human consciousness to last this entire kalpa. The paucity of this vacuum was dissipated immediately when Swami Saradaprabhananda in his key note address made it very clear that this closing function was in no way sounding the death knell on taking Swamijis message to the nation. His message and ideas need to be an ongoing stimulus that encourages our intellect and being to live the divinity that we are.

 

Today is a very significant day for Indians, I take this opportunity of wishing all our Indian brothers and sisters a Happy Republic Day. In India, Republic Day honours the date on which the Constitution of India came into force on 26 January 1950 replacing the Government of India Act (1935) as the governing document of India.The Constitution was passed by the Constituent Assembly of India on 26 November 1949 but was adopted on 26 January 1950 with a democratic government system, completing the country's transition toward becoming an independent republic. 26 January was selected for this purpose because it was this day in 1930 when the Declaration of Indian Independence (Purna Swaraj) was proclaimed.

It would be sacrilege to speak of the independence and freedom of India without factoring the contribution of Swamiji towards the national ideal.

India and South Africa are umbilical linked by the Indian Ocean. Besides sharing this natural marvel, our nations enjoy cordial governmental, cultural and trade relations. Our bonds are not fortified by merely the good that we share, but also by our shared history of tyranny, pain, oppression and suffering brought on by colonialism. Colonial rule did more than just plunder the resources; it went right down to the core of the human psyche, stripping the people of their dignity and self esteem. This mastermind program made people believe and act like second class citizens in their own country.

 

The ancient indigenous value systems and traditions which formed the bedrock of a thriving and strong civilization was besmirched and flooded with western ideals which scarcely scratched even the surface in understanding the cosmos and purpose of existence. With these atrocities unfolding in both our lands, there was a need for political emancipation and our histories share the great Mahatma Gandhi who played an integral part in both our freedom struggles. But political freedom alone was not enough to ensure the meteoric rise of our nations. So long as the mind and psyche remain bludgeoned by the legacy of colonial rule the nation was never to rise from the ashes of that devastation.

 

It was hope and inspiration that came in the form of Swami Vivekananda, the patriot saint of India, who having travelled the length and breadth of India experiencing firsthand the devastation of oppression. He sat at the tip of India (Kanya Kumari) in meditation for three days and nights and in him was lit the fire of patriotism that would set India ablaze with new life and energy to Arise and Awake to the new prosperous future that awaited her. Today as the world reflects on the 150th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, his insight, message and vision is appreciated......, as the fruits of his seeds planted over a century ago bears fruit in a rising awakening India.

 

As I pen this blog and speak of our shared history and look to our present day South Africa, now more than ever we need to share the rich the legacy of Swami Vivekananda in setting our own path for prosperity and growth. Three things that standout out as the core transformation concepts adopted by Swamiji are the nature of the self, education and the condition of woman.

 

In lifting the despondency and low esteem that set upon the masses, Swamiji shook and vibrated the nation with his clarion call of Arise and Awake- Stop not until the goal is reached. Bringing the Upanishads to life by his actions he made them understand they were not weak, and that each person was potentially divine and everything is possible for the atman or soul. This raised the self esteem and confidence of the people. Having spent many years in America, he studied carefully how organised and successful the westerners were. He attributed this to their education and motivated his countrymen to educate themselves , not merely with secular education, but character building man making education which re-introduced the ancient value systems into the social fabric.

 

He understood that the strength of a nation was intrinsically linked to the state of woman. Where woman are disrespected that place was sure to collapse. Swamiji also raised the consciousness of woman, pleaded for their education and development and asked that they be given the space to find their own solutions for their challenges. South Africa 20 years into our freedom has made great progress in many aspects but needs to find its feet on some of the issues raised by Swamiji.

 

Our youth and citizens need to develop a burning patriotism for our country and take an active approach in our growth and development. Swamiji once replied to a question whilst in America after some time what he felt of India, to which he replied, the very soil of India is now holy to me. Collectively our skills should be used for the progress of our country. The importance of education in eradicating poverty is more evident now as more and more people are employed within the formal economy. There is however a dearth of value based education that Swamiji highlighted, clearly visible by the number of fraud, sexual harassment cases in our courts today. Lots more needs to be done in raising the divine consciousness of many so that they become more loving, compassionate and tolerant showing respect towards one another. By simply understanding that we are all potentially divine beings and that at a fundamental level we are one, there will be a marked reduction in crime, abuse and discrimination of woman and children, fraud and corruption. The ideals of our freedom charter and constitution can be realised. A free, non racial, non sexist country, where everyone can live in peace and harmony is within our grasps. A prosperous South Africa is on the horizon, we need to simply understand our true nature, manifest it and live by it. Weaving Swami Vivekananda’s life giving message into our daily activities will vaccinate us against weakness that polarizes our path for progress and prosperity.

 

May he eternally inspire and guide us

Yours affectionately
Yogan Naidoo

www.sudarshanavidya.blogspot.com

www.google.com/+yogannaidoo

Thai Poosam - a lesson in sacrifice and selfless service

Murugan- pic google images

||Aum Sri Ramakrishna Sharanam||

||Aum Namo Narayanaya||

 

The psychological experiments concerning conditioning and association by  Pavlov seemed to re-enact itself out as I made my way to the Sandfields Siva Soobramaniar Temple on the occasion of the Annual Thai Poosam Kavady Festival. Growing up in a predominently South Indian community -Kavady, like the Mardi Gras of Brazil- was a community event that we never missed. The mere thought of the word Kavady floods my mind with nostalgic sights, smells and sounds of the yesteryear. The air around the temple or ground from where the Kavady procession normally sets off would resonate with the voice of A.R.Ramanai Ammal singing at the top of her high-pitched-voice... glories to Lord Shivan and Murugan. The blazing heat which normally accompanied the festival was no deterrent to families... well protected from the scorching rays, strolling in their numbers. Devotees stood silently next to their Kavadies adorned with the sacred ash in communion with their beloved Lord, oblivious to the raucous caused by the clashing cymbals, beating drums and singing of more than 30 bhajan groups as they overlap each other around the arena.

Thai Poosam is the marvel of Hindu Dharma, bringing the community together... breaking down the barriers of social status, where everybody patiently follows the queue to make their offerings and collect their meals or refreshments. When God becomes the central focus and objective, we see harmony, tolerance and love penetrate beyond every person's ego.

 

This huge festival -full of colour- which demonstrates with great magnitude the devotion and sincerity of people... also in a unique way illustrates the importance working together as a community, helping one another to raise ourselves from imperfection to perfection. Many people and organisations fail to see the merit in extending service to another.

They operate with the attitude that they can achieve alone. Swami Vivekananda cut asunder such a foolish notion when He said: "So long as the millions live in hunger and ignorance, I hold every man a traitor who, having been educated at their expense, pays not the least heed to them." No man or organisation can reach the zenith of their ideals without the assistance of others. The second part of Swamiji's statement speaks to this idea that upon the introspection of your successes you will find that it was achieved through the sacrifices of ordinary men and woman.

 

Take for example the South African Indian context. All the millionaires and professionals who enjoy the luxuries today are products of the cane-cutter, through whose blood sweat and tears have emerged successful generations. Today however, many of these people turn a blind eye towards uplifting others... and those who are in positions of influence take a condescending approach to their peers and counterparts.

 

Thai Poosam is dedicated to Lord Murugan and falls in the month of January. Although in India, devotees of Lord Murugan may carry Kavady on any day of the year, periods of the year are marked as special festival periods to observe Kavady. The legend surrounding the origin of this particular festival is that Lord Muruga who was born out of the power of Shiva was doing battle with a very pestilent demon or asura. Although Lord Muruga was extremely powerful, agile and strategic... it was through the Vel(lance- weapon) gifted to Him by His Mother that He was able to vanquish the asura. I am in awe at the attitude of service, humility and sincerity displayed by the Divine Mother, who did not let ego, pride and arrogance get in Her way of assisting Lord Muruga to perform His duty of slaying the asura, who eventually will get the fame of slaying the demon. It is stated that on this Poosam day, Lord Muruga received this weapon from Mother Parvati. This little episode has profound significance and relevance in our lives. It teaches us humility, sincerity of purpose, duty and the importance of assisting one another in achieving our common goal of peace and prosperity.

 

Like every magnificent building or edifice is underpinned by a network of foundation and the  beams and pillars which are normally camouflaged out of general sight of people... if any system fails to take care of the society then that system will eventually collapse.

 

On Tuesday, the Ramakrishna Mission worldwide commemorated the Birth Anniversary of Swami Turiyananda or Hari Maharaj as He was affectionately known. To the world the towering spires of the movement are sculptured with the names of Sri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi and Swami Vivekananda. The Holy Trio had the indomitable task of conceptualising the ideals of the movement. It was the work of the brother disciples and the devotees who re-enforced and expanded the work to where we are today.

Swami Vivekananda said to Hari Maharaj: "I have made a new path and opened it to all, up until now it was thought that liberation could only be attained through meditation, repetition of God's name, scriptural discussions and so forth. Now young men and woman will attain liberation by doing the Lord's work. Can't you see that I have laid down my life inch by inch, in fulfilling the mission of the Master, till I am on the verge of death? Can you merely stand looking on and not come to my help relieving me of a part of my great burden?"

 

Swami Turiyananda like His other brother disciples could not refuse this entreaty from their leader and if you read how like a wildfire... they got into action and took on the work in America and throughout India without a stain of selfishness.

 

These episodes have thought us that the victories in our lives or organisations come through the sacrifices of others. At no time should we allow our egos to think otherwise. Therefore we must all play our part in being the network of foundations and re-enforcing that will allow our society and community to prosper and rise. Let this wonderful festival of Thai Poosam Kavady and the lives of our great saints inspire us to be selfless servants and workers for the benefit of our communities and mankind.

 

Affectionately Yours

Yogan Naidoo

www.sudarshanavidya.blogspot.com

www.google.com/+yogannaidoo