Purutassi to Perfection!!! The P's of Purutassi

 

 

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Thursday heralds the month long fast that is predominately undertaken by the South Indian community. The auspicious period is dedicated to the worship of Lord Narayana, affectionately known in the south regions as Perumal or Srinivasa. It is rather disappointing that over time the focus has shifted from transformation to diet. This very auspicious period which has the necessary components to speed up your spiritual transformation and growth has been unjustly relegated to a diet phenomenon. Lets look at the P’s of Purutassi:

Pause: Do we ever take the time to stop and ask ourselves some very relevant questions. Who am I? What am I doing here? Why do I lie? Why do I hurt people? Why am I envious? Why do I possess anger? Why do I want more than I need? The questions can pile up a mile long and the astonishing thing is that we don’t have the answers. Essentially, we are ignorant people living in the information age. Within our inner being we know what truth is, yet we continue to deviate from it with impunity. Hence our lives tend to border on the animalistic side where the facility of discrimination is non-existent. We have allowed our senses and base instincts to run havoc upon us. The senses are like starving animals ready to pounce upon any prey without discriminating its capacity and consequences of its hunt expedition.  

Prayer: Undeniably, man has made some significant advances in science but is still completely deluded to see the limitations of his discoveries and thinking. There is still a vast area of unknown that man is struggling to explain with his science. There is a power and consciousness that keeps this creation ticking and for those of us that are born into religion and have faith based upon our experiences and interaction with this force, we reference it as GOD. There is nothing in this creation that can be undertaken without the grace of GOD. It is therefore important if we have decided that we want this Purutassi to be a transformative experience which must yield answers to the many unanswered questions we must develop a sankalapa or intent in this regard. Therefore, we must offer our sincere prayer to Lord Perumal or Srinivasa for His grace, support and blessings for this journey.

Prepare: Motivational Gurus and coaches have advanced evidence that success is reached through positive attitude and cultivating the correct mindset. It is therefore important to prepare oneself mentally and physically to ensure that the entire being starts to veer and gear towards a sublime and motivated mood to achieve. It is within these ambits that special cleansing of the environment takes place to help generate this mood. We should prioritise our goals so that we choose battles in which we can achieve victory. We don’t want to create obstacles but rather achieve our goals and victories in stages, instead of setting insurmountable goals and ejecting the process despondently.

Purify: It is said that friction is necessary to make metal shine or to make a diamond sparkle... therefore it is not going to be easy to purify the mind which essentially entails curtailing all that the senses lust after. Things like good food and the elements of good character are abrasives that help in the purification of the mind and heart. This is an important process because our journey becomes clear with purity of mind and heart.  However, the most important abrasive in this process is daily meditation and communion with the divine within to develop courage and strengthen the will to achieve our objectives. Keeping the company of the pious and noble is also important as they inspire and help maintain your path rather than distract you.

 

Practice & Perseverance: When actions become habitual, they are mechanically executed. The status quo has been sedimented as a way of life, therefore any intention to disrupt it is going to be confronted with a barrage of resistance. Your sadhana and new routine needs to be practiced daily with intent and one must persevere against all odds until it becomes the new normal. The more you practice the easier it becomes to persevere.

Perfection: Our goal of life is perfection. Although it is a tough ask, taking small steps in the right direction will bring us closer to perfection and in this world of varied influences and circumstances the idea would be to move as near towards the locus of perfection as one can.

Sri Ramakrishna said that the grace of God is always blowing... it is up to us to unfurl our sails. Purutassi is this opportunity to attract the grace of God into your life and initiate transformation from pain to paradise. The most recent pandemic upon the world that brought the entire world to a standstill was a rude awakening to man that our purpose is beyond the rat race that we are preoccupied with. The efforts we are investing into controlling the world is futile. That very energy and time should be invested in self transformation. The ten avatars of Lord Vishnu are the perfect example of evolution and transformation which is the basis of life. From the Fish to Srinivasa - the most adored and loved in the world... this process should be internalised and emulated. We should not remain as fish and boars but ensure that we manifest the potential divinity within us as encouraged by Swami Vivekananda.

I take this opportunity to pray to Lord Srinivasa to guide and help us on our spiritual transformation and to make this Purutassi fruitful for all those sincerely undertaking a spiritual journey and transformation towards the ultimate perfection. May we all have a blessed and rewarding Purutassi by Lord Narayana's grace, is my prayer.

With love and prayers always

Yogan Naidoo

 

Adapt Adjust Akshaya( all the time)

Adapt Adjust Akshaya !!!!( all the time)

Aum Sri Ramakrishna Sharanam

Aum Namo Narayanaya

I cannot but ponder at times if God has turned a deaf ear to the pleas and cries from Africa. Evidently non bis in idem or double jeopardy as we know it does not apply to the masses of African people. Persecuted for centuries via various agencies, the continent now must face an unknown enemy that has moved the goal post of development miles off.

Ironically when a step is taken to rise from the ashes of oppression, subjugation or unleash economic emancipation on the fallen morale of the nation we are reset to the start on the backfoot. Strangled and left for dead, African nations have further suffered haemorrhaging through graft and corruption leaving African people desolate and isolated save of taking aid, baited with herds of conditions that once again leave us rendered fresh bait in a shark infested tank. As South Africa commemorates Freedom Day tomorrow, we acknowledge the vast amounts of work and effort put into addressing the plight of the people, yet 26 years later it has still remained mere electoral freedom for many.

When one is fully absorbed in the body consciousness and when the pangs of hunger, pain and suffering have burdened the body for such an extended period of time, it becomes involuntary to adorn blinkers on utilitarian ideals and see to the needs of one’s own body comforts. Coupled with greed, this dangerous combination has been the achilles heel in positioning Africa as a force to reckon with despite her abundance of natural wealth. Therefore, it is of vital importance in how your consciousness is developed. This provides an understanding on how you would address challenges in front of you.

Let’s not make the mistake to think that when we are devout congregants of God that no challenges will present before us. That is why Vedanta as a practical religion or should I say Vedanta as a skill set, enables one to diligently and confidently pass through the phase of life breaking down challenges piece by piece.

Swami Vivekananda who through my lens is the crown prince of modern Vedantic thought said: "In a day, when you don't come across any problems - you can be sure that you are travelling in a wrong path." A little reading tracing history since civilisation would easily provide evidence for the above statement. Great things are simply accomplishments against the backdrop of challenges. Challenges are a reality and the way they are manoeuvred determines the character of an individual or nation.

Conquering challenges requires innovative and lateral thinking underpinned by boisterous confidence in yourself and in your ability to outsmart the circumstances. This leads my thoughts to an exhilarating episode within the plethora of Hindu literature. In the ensuing week or two we will be observing the appearance day of Lord Narashima - an incarnation of Lord Narayana. This most enigmatic yet mighty form of the Lord is a direct result of a challenge placed by Hiranyakashipu in order preserve his life and prominence in the world. He acquired out of severe penance the boon that he could not be killed by human or animal, from inside or outside, by day or by night, and that no weapon could harm him. Thinking that he had constructed a failsafe way to protect his life and maintain his dominance over the earth, he began to wreck unrelenting havoc upon the earth.

So, there is the dilemma - how does the Lord eradicate this menace from the Earth without dismantling the rewards he had honestly and sincerely earned. This is where the concept of innovative, inventive and inspired unorthodox thinking comes to play. The Lord did not collapse into despondency but having analysed the challenge at hand devised a solution that resulted in unadulterated victory. Lord Narayana descended upon the Earth in the form of Lord Narashima - a half man, half lion form - and grabbed Hiranyakashipu to the centre of the doorway and using only his claws he killed Hiranyakashipu in twilight (neither day or night). Without dwelling too much on the literal aspect of this scene, one much try to derive the profound message of heightened thinking.

Incidentally today is the holy Akshaya Tritiya wherein we also celebrate the birth anniversary of Lord Parashurama who is also an avatar of Lord Narayana who appeared in a time the Earth was overwhelmed by military forces owned by ruthless kings. As his name literally means 'Rama with an axe', he had to use force at a time when required, and the same Parashurama appears as Lord Rama in another time armed with a bow and arrow and later as Lord Krishna with a highly evolved mind and diplomatic skills - so the adaptability of the Lord during the different circumstances guides us to evolve our own consciousness to a point that we can also clearly identify the challenges and conquer them with relative ease. We should never back down from a challenge. Swami Vivekananda said: “Face the brutes." That is a lesson for all life - face the terrible, face it boldly. Like the monkeys, the hardships of life fall back when we cease to flee before them.

In concluding, I am convinced that it is our inability to adjust, adapt and be agile in Akshaya( all the time or eternally) that has failed to position the continent at the forefront. Currently in this crisis, I am particularly proud of our President, His Excellency Cyril Ramaphosa, whose utilitarian consciousness and good sound decisions are helping South Africa with limited resources manage this pandemic. It is this type of leadership under normal circumstances that can inspire and elevate a nation out of its dipped morale. Bhagawan Sri Ramakrishna said: "The winds of God's grace are always blowing, it is for us to raise our sails.” As Africans, we need to raise our consciousness to the reality at hand. Swami Vivekananda always said: “Arise! Awake! Stop not till the goal is reached." Raise our consciousness to awaken to the reality and stop not till the dignity and morale of every African is raised through economic and spiritual emancipation.

Rama Rajya

||Aum Sri Ramakrishna Sharanam||

Aum Namo Narayanaya

For those who observed Ramayan Week programmes last week, the above topic would immediately strike a chord. For others to whom this may be utterly alien,  it refers to a period of absolute peace, righteousness and prosperity. In other words, like heaven on earth during the period in which Bhagwan Ramachandra ruled over the kingdom of Ayodhya. 

Today on this Hanuman Jayanthi thithi, it is with a rather melancholic quill that I pen this blog - albeit an auspicious day - but ironically, we find the world forlorn with grief and anxiety during the biggest pandemic to hit us since the Spanish Flu of 1918. 

In an unprecedented move almost, the entire world is in isolation. Even at this distressing time in our lives we find our havens of peace, solace and comfort - our places of worship closed off to devotees. Major temples like Tirumala Tirupathi, Madurai Meenakshi, Palani Murugan, etc. which attract hundreds of thousands of devotees on a daily basis - today stand desolate. Everyone is confined to the four corners of their homes with no way out to venture, but inward. 

In the coldface of a deadly virus that is ravaging the earth, humanity unable to seek divine assistance anywhere beyond the boundaries of our homes seems to be forced into a detour within and inwards. For millions if not billions of people of all religions, an external regiment of attending places of worship, participating in rituals or retreating that has provided spiritual sustenance for many aeons has come to an abrupt suspension. Even the basic offering of fruit and milk has become a challenge with shops not able to  supply some of these items. 

Placed in this helpless situation yet still hankering for a channel of communication with the divine, there is a forced transition from the gross ritualistic religion to the subtle Vedantic religion. Suddenly the words of Bhagwan Krishna start to become practical and rational... offer me a leaf, flower, drop of water, o' child just even think of me and I will be with you. 

We should never discount the central value and role that ritual worship has played in the spiritual sustenance of humanity by  extending hope, succour and strength to those who have engaged it. But that’s just it, it has plateaued and the failure to translate into inner transformation and awakening of our consciousness leaves us in the wake of a world always in chaos teeming with atrocities like murder, rape, fraud, greed, falsehood, hatred, etc.Until the internalisation of our religious practices takes place it would simply be a mechanical practice.

Swami Vivekananda said: "Anything that makes you weak physically, intellectually, and spiritually, reject as poison; there is no life in it, it cannot be true". Many of our ritualistic practices have been weaved with superstition and at our most vulnerable moments failed to arm us with an arsenal effective enough to traverse it. Hence in the past few days amidst the grave challenge confronting the world Swami Vimokshananda through online broadcasts emphasised the need to identify the philosophy in the various puranic stories and practices to equip ourselves to effectively deal with the world. After reading Swami Vivekananda, we are inspired never to just accept anything... it is important to dive deeper and test the matter for yourself before blindly accepting anything.  

It is with this view that I started an inquiry as to why Lord Hanuman is depicted as a monkey. The Lord could have appeared as a human which is believed to be the most evolved being and thus would be practical and efficient form to assist Bhagawan Rama on His mission. Persuaded by Revered Swami Vimokshananda, I travelled deep within to search for the philosophical message in Lord Hanuman.

I put forth the following: 

The depiction of Lord Hanuman as a monkey gives us a wonderful idea. The word Hanuman of Sanskrit origin means one with an enlarged jaw indicating something which is highly expressive. We all have come to know that a monkey can never sit still and is always hopping around from place to another. The story goes that Lord Hanuman's jaw was enlarged after it was struck with a weapon by Lord Indra. The punishment was evoked when Lord Hanuman sprang towards the Sun and swallowed it. In order to restore the Sun and reinstate the balance, Lord Indra acted such. I want you to try a little experiment after you conclude reading this paragraph. Close your eyes and imagine that you have grown into a gigantic form and leap towards the Sun, swallow it, now go forth towards all the planets and devour all of them, then fly around releasing all of them back to their places. 

See you have done it!!!! 

The human mind is very expressive and at will can manifest or destroy anything, it can travel to far flung places and also help you find solutions to many challenges... but we are warned by Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita that the mind can be man's best friend or greatest enemy. Hence, spiritual practice encourages one to tame the mind and keep it engaged and focused in good work. Meditation is a technique used to reign in the mind. You would have by now realised that Lord Hanuman is symbolic of the human mind.

Referencing the Ramayana, Bhagwan Ram only meets Lord Hanuman in the Sundar Kand before which Lord Hanuman wandered in the forest with the other monkeys (thoughts) without any purpose. Bhagwan Rama in light of His divine, astute and righteous leadership is indicative of the intellect which acts in the interest of the atman (Mother Sita). When the intellect acts in unison with the atman the goal of life is apparent (Laksmana derived from lakshaya meaning goal) and is prominent. When the mind is not focused and is roaming aimlessly in the forest of thoughts it is very easy for desires (Ravana) to play havoc with the intellect. The individual becomes a wreck when the atman is polarised from the intellect by desires. This is referenced in the Ramayan when Ravana deceives Bhagwan Ram by becoming a deer and then capturing Mother Sita. 

Things change when the intellect engages the mind (the meeting of Bhagwan Rama and Lord Hanuman in the forest). The engaged mind starts to become focused and conscious (this is the part in the Ramayan when Jambavan enlightens Lord Hanuman of his capabilities). A conscious and focused mind becomes an envoy and messenger between the atman and the intellect. Thus Lord Hanuman is referred to as Ramadhoota (messenger of the Lord).

Now that the battle is won and Bhagwan Ram and Mother Sita are ruling over Ayodhya - peace, prosperity and purpose have returned to the land. The mind finds no interest in the trivial things of this world and unhesitantly merges with the intellect, which is known as enlightenment. This is referenced in the Ramayan when Mother Sita offers Lord Hanuman a string of pearls as a gift but He completely destroys it because He cannot find Bhagwan Ram in it. Involuntarily, He rips open His chest to expose His Lord and Mother. This is when the distinction of the mind and intellect ceases to exist which draws inspiration directly from the atman. 

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As I was growing up, this picture was very familiar during the times of Ram Naumi, Purutassi and Deepavali - as simple and beautiful as it is, carries a great idea to ensure an ideal world can exist... a world of peace and love free from dishonesty, hatred, crime and suffering. Man must elevate himself to the highest efficiency first for this to happen. The path to this level is possible  when the intellect rules the being with divine inspiration from the atman, with the goal of life in firm sight and  the mind humbled in deep devotion and service at its feet. 

On this auspicious day, I pray Lord Hanuman assists to raise our mind to become conscious and through our conscious minds we lead conscious lives and play our part in restoring Rama Rajya to this world.

With love and prayers

Yogan Naidoo   

Boat to Benares

||Aum Sri Ramakrishna Sharanam||

Aum Namo Narayanaya

Boat to Benares

Sunrise at Varanasi- google images

With much trepidation I stepped out into the narrow, grey and chilly alleyway, as I proceeded to the pavement where animals were scattering on account of the increasing pedestrian traffic. There was a sense of urgency in the gait of everyone but that did not deter many making a brief pit stop at the chaiwala who enticed the lot by waving his urn filled with strongly brewed chai. The exchange was brief though, 2 to 3 swigs and the cup was disposed, upon which the journey resumed. It felt like we were all hypnotised by the notes of the pied piper, a mass migration of sorts to one part of the city. It was not long before hundreds if not thousands from their different pathways arrived upon the ancients ghats. There she was in all her majesty embracing one of the oldest cities in the world, Mother Ganga. It was to seek her compassion and blessing in bounty at the auspicious sunrise that so many fled their homes to the Ghats. 

Standing tall within the premium inches on the ghats which are sanctified and hallowed by the touch of great and enlightened saints and sages, it’s not long before a wave of solemnness engulfed the banks. Cupping small amounts of water for purification we all then joined our hands together eyes fixated on the horizon in anticipation of  the sun's arrival. This was no flash-mob but a morning regime that inspired hope, confidence and contentment in thousands by placing God at the centre of their beings. That has been the life-buoy of India, through all her difficulties God is always the first port of call. I recall Swami Vivekananda who said:  "Hidden under the ashes of apparent death, the fire of our national life is yet smouldering and... the life of this nation is religion, its language religion, and its idea religion. If you succeed in the attempt to throw off your religion and take up either politics, or society, or any other things as your centre, as the vitality of your national life, the result will be that you will become extinct.”

With the mind deeply lost in contemplation, time seemed irrelevant, a deep connection was negotiated between the earth and heaven by the coursing river. In that moment all differences dissolved and just the vastness and nothingness felt real and then the striking glow of the sun started to claw the mind back in. The rising ball humbled the assembled and in an instant they all bowed their head in reverence ceding all superiority to the divine. The sun now seated on the throne in the horizon signalled the start of the secular day.  My moment of beating with the pulse of India faded with the post midnight darkness. The sun convincingly identified me as an inquisitive tourist who was togged and kitted with a Bisleri in one hand for the morning cruise on the river. 

My tour guide made conscious gestures to lure me towards the chartered vessel lest I remain lost in the bustling assemblage. It was a modest craft powered by 2 oars. My disquieted gaze immediately prompted a response from the oarsman who reassured me through head and hand gestures that he had floated heavier people along the Ganga before. As I stepped on board and occupied my seat, the boat set off with some melodious singing by the oarsman. His singing was set to music by boat cutting through the murky waters.

As the boat made its way from one end to the other, I received a panoramic view of the city from the other bank. It's such a disruptive scene from what I thought would be a seamless run. The view from this side was grim and sulky for the untrained mind. The entire stretch was consumed by cremation grounds. It was a vulgar contradiction that convulsed me into utter bewilderment at how a city teeming with the stench of death can at the same be the epi-centre of bliss and peace. Varanasi or Benares is the terminus station, it's where millions have come to cast off their bodies yet in the very cold face of death everyone adorns a smile and maintains their humanity. Here for certain death is the kind and friendly version!!!

There is space for research and investigation here because to the rest of the world death manifests as the most feared concept so much so that multibillion-dollar industries have thrived making people believe they can fool the inevitable. From tonics, medical procedures, apparatus, miracle crusades -you name it- have had the attention of the world, even extracting substantial financial resources from people but to no avail eventually.

Today, as this blog is being penned - the world is being harassed and tormented by a very micro form of death which ironically within weeks has the entire world in a shut-down. It is not possible to conceive that in the 21st century, not an army or an arsenal of weapons but a microbe has literally brought the globe to a standstill. Death seems to be roaming unleashed upon the earth with many countries succumbing to the virus with lots of fatalities. 

But as I pointed out above, humans have this inherent fear of death, but when placed in a crisis we start to see the extremity of this fear is so great that peoples actions start to defy rationality and logic. When governments of the world ordered a lockdown to create social isolation, it was with the intention to flatten the curve and ensure the containment and spread of the virus to prevent deaths, yet people in the fear of running out of food and dying defy the lockdown and gather in large numbers at supermarkets and stores for long periods to get supplies. This social interaction is counter to the aims and efforts to flatten the curve and brings people closer and in direct contact with infection. 

Whilst this pandemic is ravaging the world Hindus are observing Ramayan Week and in the course of this great scripture we come across an episode where Sri Rama's  brother inscribed what is known as a Lakshman Rekha around the homestead and instructed Mother Sita not to cross the line for her own safety. We are all aware of the danger and hardship the Mother had to face when she defied the order. This valuable lesson is very apt and relevant to us now. 

Governments have ordered a lock down for our own safety. Please adhere to this call for the preservation of your own life and the rest of the country. Stay at home!!!! Be responsible!!! Grab this opportunity to take an intrepid journey inwards, to explore the uncharted territories of the universe within. In this journey you could find that great amounts of joy can be found in the simplest of things like a nice cup of tea in your own garden, or playing with your pet than in the rat race you are used to pursuing. Bring God back to the centre of your life so that He can bear the weight of your burdens, thus freeing you to adorn your smile and sail to Benares because death is a friendly citizen there!!!

With love and prayers always!!!

Yogan Naidoo

Deepavali:Dazzling in the Dark

It’s a few days before nearly a billion people on the earth will observe the Deepavali festival. After a scorching day, the mystical waning moon gently rose in the heavens struggling to counterbalance the brilliant sun as it dipped in the aqueous horizon. It did not take long for the fleeting colours of dusk to fade away and darkness to envelope the landscape. Darkness took charge and with its rule came a sense of peace, tranquillity and a sense of calmness. In many descriptions of Mother Kali - poets have emphasised beauty, splendour, compassion and tranquillity through Her dark complexion. Unlike the rigidity of certain schools that in the contrast of light and darkness tend to stigmatise darkness with all evil and light with all good. I am grateful and appreciative to be born to a lineage of great saints and sages who have dedicated their life’s breath to the study and understanding of the fundamental nature of the universe and have presented to us a very objective, unbiased and indifferent view that seeks not to destroy unity and harmony but to unite.

Google images

The collective scripts of all these experiences and study catalogued under the subject called ‘Hinduism’ is an expansive library which seems to be slowly relegated to ineffectiveness taking into consideration the experiences and struggles by practitioners of Hinduism. On the backdrop of rising income levels and the rising middle class - at the very edge, success or progress is defined merely on material advancement. Paradoxically, there is an accompaniment of stress and discontentment fuelled by the terrible twins of lust and greed. After being associated with teachings and philosophy of Hinduism for as long as I could cognise, I am currently ready to deduce for myself that there is a common message that courses through all festivals, celebrations and observances or maybe put forth that all these festivals, fasts and rituals were created to convey that message to humanity.

Preceding Deepavali, there was a concentrate of religious fervour through Gita Week, Purutassi, and Navarathri. As much as the flavours differentiated over the 3, the sweetness or nectar is consistent. So even with Deepavali - where there is confusion amongst many as to whether Deepavali is about Lord Rama, Lord Krishna or Mother Luxmi - there is a resultant distilled truth and that is the goal of our sadhana.

My deduction is that religion is a tool to assist one lead a conscious life. That it is the precursor or prerequisite for any form of idea from the philosophy to help transform and elevate one spiritually. It is therefore not surprising that Sri Ramakrishna on that auspicious Kalpatru Day when His spiritual mood was at its highest, gave blessing to the devotees: “Tomader Chaitanya Houk” which translates to “let your consciousness be spiritually illumined”. Swami Vivekananda thundered the iconic words: “Arise, Awake and stop not till the goal is reached”. These words refer to the rising and awakening of our consciousness.

Human beings are supposed to exhibit very high levels of consciousness which should enable them to easily transcend the manifest world and dwell in the realm of spiritual ecstasy.  Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Vivekananda, Holy Mother and many other saints at will could enter into a state of absolute bliss. That potential lies within every man and woman equally. That is why Swami Vivekananda time- and-time-again said that “each soul is potentially divine”.

The challenge is that we have attained like Mahishasura (the demon with buffalo head and human body vanquished by the Divine Mother) a human body but operate at the consciousness of an animal. The consciousness of an animal is to satisfy its hunger and procreate. Many human beings also just work to feed themselves and procreate. They engage in no higher activity that can benefit themselves or society to achieve that level where one experiences the absolute truth, consciousness and bliss which essentially is the oneness with God (satchidananda).

Joy found in this world is ephemeral, joy found in the divine consciousness is eternal. There is no doubt about this and by reading the lives of these great highly conscious beings, one can get a true grasp of this concept. Swami Vivekananda suffered terrible hardships in His life yet He had such an inspired positive outlook. Sri Ramakrishna was in excruciating pain because of His illness yet his joy, compassion and love flowed unbound for the service of all.

Our great saints and religious practices are here to teach us this art - the art of conscious living. No matter what situation this world may place before you, you will always exhibit love, be positive, compassionate and steadfast in your goal of spiritual growth.

Every parent on this earth has the power to produce the avatar or a menace to society by raising a child to become a Lord Krishna or Duryodhan, a Lord Rama or Ravana. It all depends on the level of consciousness you raise your child with. The world we live in is the sum result of all parenting. Should every Mother and Father raise a Lord Rama or Lord Krishna then peace, harmony and prosperity will always be present.

As we light the lamps for Deepavali this year or fireworks into the dark sky… let us remember there is a source of ecstasy deep within all of us being subdued by the extensive gratification of the senses. Let the light of Deepavali awaken this consciousness within us. Let it rise to the surface and help us to live like divine beings in a human experience, is my sincere prayer. Be truthful, be conscious and be in bliss. A blessed Deepavali to all of humanity!!!

Skanda Shasti !!!!

Aum Sri Ramakrishna Sharanam

Pic - Google images

 

The dawn is always alight with positive energy when a special festival is being celebrated. For the bhaktas the enthusiasm is like a popcorn kernel awaiting to pop in the pan of the day. The South African diaspora of Indians are South Indian in the majority and as such have a keen affinity to the traditions of Lord Shiva of which Lord Murugan and his festivals form a big part off. Today is Skanda Shasti and after a 5-day fast and observance devotees will celebrate the victory of Lord Muruga in battle with Asura Surapadman.

Growing up at the doorstep of the Shree Veeraboga Emperumal Temple with its roots at the erstwhile Maidstone Shree Emperumal Temple where both my maternal and paternal lineage played instrumental roles, it is no surprise that we are a household of Narayana Bhaktas. However even during the month of Purutassi a month dedicated to the adoration of Lord Venketeswara I am accustomed to awaking to the melodious recital of the Skanda Shasti Kavacham. Like the unflinching and unassuming joy of a Liverpool supporter in a house full of Man United supporters my mother has a great and unshakable attraction to Lord Muruga.

Unlike in football though, in Hindu Dharma we are not concerned with the Ishta Devata (personal deity) each follows, because it does not play out in the forecourt of rivalry as our sages through their experiences have always proclaimed that God is one. God appears to us as per our level of perception and consciousness. In the sageous words of Swami Vivekananda at the World Parliament of religions 125 years ago, challenging the leaders of the assembled religions to put an end to uncharitable feelings towards each other, persecutions with the pen or sword of all peoples wending their way to the same goal.

Last night I was invited to the Stonebridge Mariammen Temple to address the congregation on the Skanda Shasti observance. It was my first time to visit this quaint cosy temple situated on the periphery of the Phoenix Industrial park. Although the evening was a gust with a chilly wind the petite shrine was packed to capacity. The air was infused with the deep fragrance of the samagree and ghee that emanated from the havan fire dancing in tune with the melodious bhajans from the Ayappan prayer group. The crisp and veridical devotion left Lord Muruga with no option but to preside at the function. His presence was palpable by the escalating emotions whilst the priest chanted the mantras amidst loud and animated bursts of “Aro hara”

It is said at the holy place of Tiruchendur sanctified as one of the six homes of Lord Murugan, a fierce battle of six days ensued between a Surapadman and Lord Muruga. The resultant victory of the Lord on the sixth day is the reward celebration of Skanda Shasti. I had to start off my talk by explaining that these puranic episodes are merely a means to convey a deep philosophical message. A message that will help man to lead a life that is conducive to attaining the goal of life being god realisation. The episode in its literal form may present with many shortcomings. An example would be, how would a great and devout Murugan Bhaktan reconcile the idea that his supreme Lord who is creator of the universe take six days to vanquish an asura which is far inferior in composition. Therefore, there must be some deeper message that needs to be extracted from this story.

The idea that I presented was couched around my recent contact with readings from the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna and lectures by revered Swami Vimokshananda during his sojourn in New Delhi. Our experience of the world before us is perceived through our senses. In the absence of our senses the world would cease to exist. Although each of us is potentially divine as declared by Swami Vivekananda the Ego which lies in between our mind, actions, intellect and divine consciousness if left unchecked can polarise our divine nature and steer us on a dangerous path to self-destruction. Examples of this can be gleaned from the lives of Ravana, Kamsa and Hiranyakasipu whose quality of life deteriorated devilishly because of an unbridled ego. 

Sri Krishna mentions in the Bhagavat Gita that the mind can be one’s best friend or ones worst enemy. If the senses and mind is the lens through which we see the world it would be important that they are bleached with purity and divinity. These six days of battle thus represents the cleansing and strengthening of the mind and 5 senses by weakening the unripe ego and allowing the ripe ego to flourish. Sri Ramakrishna explains that the unripe ego can be associated with a bound soul that identifies itself with the body, passions, self-importance, and the world while the ripe ego is associated with illumination through divine knowledge, devotion, servant of god, thus knowing all else to be false and completely surrenders to god alone.

We learn that on the sixth day Surapadman was not killed but was split into 2, the peacock and rooster. The two represents the concept of ripe and unripe ego given to us by Sri Ramakrishna. The peacock which is associated with pride and worldliness is the unripe ego and as such becomes bridled and restraint as his vehicle which represents the quelling or curbing of the unripe ego. The rooster on the other hand becomes the symbol of the flag of Lord Murugan, flying high unbridled symbolic of the ripe ego which must be given free rein to flourish and express itself. Under the condition of the ripe ego alone, our divine nature, intellect and discrimination would be able to have influence of our organs of sense and action and will contribute to bringing about peace, harmony and joy in the world. In all we would be Murugan which means absolute beauty (Azhagan- Tamil) born out of the eye of discrimination and in possession of the Vel of knowledge with the unripe ego under control our beauty would be eternal and evergreen which is the state of eternal bliss we all seek.

Make Lord Murugan bless us with his grace and guidance this Skanda Shasti is my sincere prayer.

Vetri Vel Muruganikka Arohara!!!!!!!

With love and prayers

Yogan Naidoo

Karmic Kandy

Holy Mother- Pic Google Images

The boldness of the sun does little to deny the advent of Summer. Here in South Africa, there is tremendous anticipation, with Diwali behind us and examinations nearing its tail end, it can only mean holiday season is on the horizon. The feast commenced with a spiritual and divine entre served out in epic proportions by the Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa-Durban yesterday to a packed Playhouse theatre. The gathering was in honour of the 75^th anniversary of the centre incorporating the 150th birth celebrations of sister Nivedita. The well-orchestrated and planned celebrations highlighting the work of the centre over the past 75 years that fitted hand in glove with the principles laid down by the its founder in chief Swami Vivekananda. Sister Nivedita spoke to these principles when she said,” Can we not cultivate in our children and ourselves a vast compassion? This compassion will make us eager to now the sorrows of men, the griefs of our land and the dangers to which in these modern days the religion is exposed, and this growing knowledge will produce strong workers, working for works sake, ready to die, if only they may serve their country and fellow men. As a little exercise for yourself take a little time to contrast the work of the centre to the above in the fields of education, character development, humanitarian, spirituality and self-development and you would come to understand and appreciate its relevance in our society today.

Diwali may have passed but the fireworks continue here in the SADC region of Africa. The two weeks preceding yesterday began the end of the tyrannical dictatorship rule of former Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe. In an unprecedented flow of events, the military enacted a bloodless coup to precipitate a smooth constitutional transfer of power from the despot.

I was scrummaging for ideas for a while now but nothing captured and inspired my thoughts worthy of inking until these recent events. Sitting in contemplation, the sporadic arrangement of events and information slowly started to organise and pivot themselves around a profound quotation of Holy Mother. Mother said: “My child, it is a great fortune to have a human birth. One must call on God wholeheartedly. One should practise hard. Is it possible to achieve anything without intense discipline?”

Holy Mother’s question: “Is it possible to achieve anything without hard work?” With emphasis on the word “anything”. Being the embodiment of the universal consciousness, Mother does not differentiate but simply pronounces the universal law. Reducing the statement further, it can be put forward simpler to mean “you reap what you sow”.

In analysing the life of ex-President Robert Mugabe and many other kleptocracies around the world, it dawned upon me that for a minority to be able to take control of the majority and thereafter loot and pillage the resources of the nation, cannot simply be a walk in the park. It requires serious hard work and discipline. In further analysis, one would uncover that none of these corrupt leaders paid by any means for their atrocities… if anything, they amassed huge amounts of wealth and lead luxurious lifestyles whilst their people continued to perish.

We are thus presented with a dilemma. We have two choices: we can either follow the way that is prescribed by our scriptures and value-based literature or we can adopt the approach of the tyrants. What is the motivation then to pursue the convention of morality when the tyrannical path brings absolute power, unlimited access to resources and luxury in epic proportions? This is no figment of our imagination as we witness right before our eyes how the criminal elements, drug dealers and gang bosses known very well to the communities plying their trade with impunity and living in opulence at times even better than the person on the straight and narrow path of morality.

Many arguments support the path of tyranny. Our lack of empirical knowledge of the afterlife and the unconvincing theories of post mortem liberation brings us to the now of conscious experience of the world around us. If we can have the better life in this experience at any cost, why not?

This age and time of Kali seems to shovel doubt on our beliefs and posit an alternative to dharma. However, like the impressive telemarketing promotion, the offer is literally too good to be true. The universal laws of love, compassion, empathy, humanity and altruism can never be circumvented.

I came across this intriguing story that put forth a powerful argument against selfishness and greed which forms the substance of tyrannical leaders. A reporter once asked a farmer to divulge the secret behind his corn, which won the state fair contest year after year. The farmer confessed it was all because he shared his corn seed with his neighbours. Why do you share your best corn seed with your neighbours when you are entering the same competition each year, asked the reporter? Well Sir, said the farmer, don’t you know? The wind picks up the pollen from the ripening corn and swirls it from field to field.

If my neighbours grew inferior corn, cross pollination would steadily degrade the quality of my corn. So, if I am to grow good corn, I must help my neighbour do the same. The farmer thus gains his edge over the competition through special care in soil preparation, weeding, irrigation, tender love and care, and hard work.

So, it is with other situations in our lives. Those who want to be successful must help their neighbours, friends and relatives to be successful. Those who choose to live well must help others to live well, for the value of a life is measured by the lives it touches. The welfare of each is bound up with the welfare of all. Swami Vivekananda proclaimed that “there is no salvation for the self unless all are free”. Therefore, He made the most selfless statement when He said: “May I be born again and again and suffer a thousand miseries so that I may worship the only God that exists, the only God I believe in, the sum of all souls, and above all, my God the wicked, my God the miserable, my God the poor of all races, of all species is the special object of my worship”.

The valuable lesson we take from is that by practicing adharmic tendencies, we are weakening ourselves, and like Robert Mugabe and in the instance of the farmer… it is those next to you or in your proximity who will determine whether you flourish or not. Being altruistic and practicing Vasudhaiva Kuttum Bakkam and Ubuntu to ensure the welfare of all will create fertile ground for your sadhana to bring exponential growth for your own personal development. As Mother said: “hard work and discipline will attain success”. In further qualifying this point, hard work and discipline in sync with the universal laws of divinity will allow you to attain sustainable success.

The ensuing month of December (the birth month of Holy Mother) gives us the opportunity to study the life of Holy Mother and extract the profound wisdom from her simple actions that demonstrate practically the universal laws for blissful living. Mother is all compassionate and the provider of unsolicited grace. May Mother bless us all, is my sincere prayer!!!

Jai Ma!!!!!!!!

With love and prayers always,

Yogan

Incense becomes Essence

In dedication to Most Revered Srimat Swami Atmastanandaji Maharaj



Gurudev- Pic Google images

 

The blaring horn does little to interrupt the rackety din of the tuk-tuks as they jerkily manoeuver through the narrow lanes and gullies of the village side. It’s 6.30am but it’s difficult to distinguish noon from night -aside from daylight breaking through the seam of dawn- because the mercury fails to dip below the 38 degree meniscus. The absence of the monsoons is quite evident by the unsettled air teeming with coarse sand particles rising off the unpaved roadways.

 

Behind the low-roofed thatched homes filed neatly along an eye line… lies many busy courtyards contributing towards the thriving incense home industry. The finest ingredients collected from the length and breadth of the vast woodlands of tribal India are skilfully and efficiently turned into divinely beautiful incense sticks neatly packed into an array of differently decorated boxes waiting to praise a deity in some altar or to just infuse an environment with a lively aromatic scent.

 

A few hundred miles away in a crowded metropolis pulsing with brisk trade, can be found sophisticated sheened shop fronts, elegantly packed shelves of incense being demonstrated and shown off by eager and perfervid salesman striving to make targets. Standing before such an assortment is indeed a muddled and jumbled experience with the banal use of adjectives failing to accentuate the veracity of the product.

 

It is only when the overzealous salesman one-by-one exposes your olfactory system to the variety you come across that one scent that gives you confidence, releases your anxiety and gives you an overall sense of wellbeing... hatching sanguine, sublime, sterling thoughts and intentions within.

 

The great and eminent characteristic of this ordinary looking incense stick is that the scent -although initially only accessible when you are in contact with it- once ignited, the divine fragrance after permeating the sacred altar and prayer room slowly starts to infuse into the entire house and all its contents and eventually even the outer surroundings of the house and road gets engulfed by the cosmic redolence. My mind becomes divinely inspired not only in the prayer room but in the lounge, bedroom, kitchen and even as I take my coat and walk to the car making my daily journey to the office.

 

Today, it is with a deep and profound sense of sadness that I think back eight years to one of my first blogs written on my Gurudev: Most Revered Srimat Swami Atmastanandaji Maharaj - on the occasion of the ensuing Guru Purnima celebrations. It was with ebullience, euphoria and exuberance that I put pen to paper to describe to the world my Revered Gurudev.  Today, it is 10 days after Gurudev left the body… and my pen flows with grief.

 

A highly venerated and respected senior Monk of the Order, Most Revered Srimat Swami Atmastanandaji gave impeccable and deific leadership to the Ramakrishna Math and Mission. To have the blessed opportunity to take spiritual initiation (mantra diksha) from such a saintly persona was indeed for me a great blessing. Maharaj’s fatherly affection, love and compassion was unwavering and relentless amidst His strained schedule and diary. I recall His letters and responses penned with such endearment and detail even to the most trivial of enquiries. Maharaj’s clarity of though and profound spiritual understanding was vividly reflected in His sage and practical counsel.

 

Today, our world is in a better place having being propped up by the teachings and legacy of a spiritual giant who has practically and palpably reinforced the wisdom and message of Vedanta. Having come under His spiritual guidance and tutelage… although feeling a tinge of sadness due to the physical separation that has occurred between Maharaj and us… I feel a sense of spiritual emancipation knowing that just nine days ago we lived 8000km apart and today Gurudev permeates every atom of the universe. The incense has become the essence. 

 

Today, I feel closer and more connected to Gurudev than ever before… feeling His presence in every action, thought and object. Guru Purnima thus offers a very significant and profound message this year. Respect, right action, words and thought are not applicable in front of the Guru only but needs to become integrated with our character and become a part of our being. The Guru is none other than God and is therefore omnipresent… thus we must offer our discipline and service to the world and creation as our Guru and teacher.

 

The sun never sets on spiritual luminaries like Maharaj and even a few hundred years down the passage of time, the melody of their voices will charm the hearts of millions and the indelible man-making ideas planted in the fertile minds of a few will grow unrestrained in to forests of pure consciousness that will engulf humanity and bring to life Sri Ramakrishna’s ideal of harmony in the world.

 

I offer my eternal sastanga pranaams to Gurudev and on this occasion of His Maha Samaadhi offer my petals of love, affection and devotion on His all-pervading consciousness.

 

Jai Guru Dev!!!   My best wishes and prayers to all for the ensuing Guru Purnima celebrations.

 

I remain yours sincerely,

Yogan Naidoo

 

Mother- Ocean of Compassion!!!

Holy Mother(pic Google Images)

Humans are habitual creatures who tend to follow a set norms or practices. Precipitated by the festive season, families throughout the country will look forward to a change of scenery and atmosphere to rejuvenate and rebalance from the year that has passed. The sun will start reclaiming its dominance in the southern hemisphere giving expression through the crusted baked ground and dazzling dancing mirages on the horizons. Summer has arrived in all her glory taking over from the pinch-hitting quasi days that made us feel that we may have shifted continents. 

The great treks have begun and people will become nomads - in search of a place of happiness, joy and fun for a few weeks - before returning to the 'rat race' masked in the euphemism of a better life. The arterial roads of the country have all started to bulge at the seams. Resisting the scorching heat, the traffic jams and the madding crowds... the train of cars will gravitate towards the famous resorts and destinations predominantly located at the coastal areas.

The period under review finds deep resonance with a term coined by the British -the “silly season”- defined by frivolous spending, irrationality and upsurge in the use of intoxicants. This however becomes highly justified under the banner of festive merriment.   

As many people scurry around the market places in search of the best bargains and discounts to attain the maximum out of their holiday bonuses, there is the huge potential and possibility to find in the midst of the silly season... a highly spiritual season if one is prepared to dig a little deeper beyond the festive-fancy-festoons. From a South African perspective, we cannot deny that it was a turbulent year leaving us a bit battered and bruised with deepening anxiety as to whether the year ahead would usher in new tidings to a nation failing to crystalise development in many valleys and hills of the country. We find ourselves at a perilous dichotomy of helplessness and hope.

It is against the backdrop of these multitude of challenges that gnaw at the world that India finds its eternal relevance and status of a comforting Mother with a tonic and balm for the various malaises before us. India has never failed millennia after millennia, age after age, century after century to produce highly evolved and enlightened beings who have refreshed the fatigue and despondency of humanity. The month of December is privileged and blessed to be awarded the singular honour of hosting the birthday of our primordial Shakti: Holy Mother - Sri Sarada Devi.

Arriving to the world in the state of West Bengal in India on 22 December 1853... Mother was instantly yoked with the misery, pain and suffering of the masses of India under colonial British rule. Poverty and hardship entertained the daily life of the majority and conjoined as twins with despondency they displaced the faith, hope and vigour of the people who were being attacked by exploitative missionary forces veiled as saviours of an abandoned and neglected people. It was within this landscape that Sri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother and Swamiji (Vivekananda) arrived with the mission to reinstate faith in oneself and religion as well as hope and vigour in life.

It was 16th December 2016 - a public holiday in SA. I found myself seated on the banks of the Indian Ocean... my eyes squinting and face frowning as a result of the effulgent reflection from the coruscating waters... I involuntarily gazed up to avoid the annoyance. My eyes caught site of a squabble of seagulls hovering in tune with the melodious winds conducting the symphony of the waves below. Each wave hooded by its foamy edges felicituously bathing and embracing all at the beach indiscriminately. It was a sight to marvel... beholden with such love, peace, compassion and joy. At once, it redirected my thoughts to Holy Mother who in Herself was an ocean of compassion. Mother dispensed Her love and grace indiscriminately with the view that She was the mother of all, the mother of the virtuous and the wicked. 

Mother is to us a towering beacon... a glowing example and ideal of humanness in a world that is fast alienating itself from virtue, character and basic qualities that distinguish us from the animal kingdom. The world has become so transfixed on material wealth accumulation that the simple basic qualities have been polarised from everyday life.

Although Holy Mother was highly venerated for Her spiritual status and literally worshipped as the Divine Mother, She continued to live like a simple village mother - washing clothes, sweeping the floor, bringing water from the pond, dressing vegetables, cooking and serving food. At Jaybrambathi, she lived with her brothers and their families who gave her endless troubles... but, established as she was in the awareness of God and divine Motherhood, she always remained calm and self-possessed... showering love and blessings to all who came into contact with her. Sister Nivedita very succinctly captured Her life as one long stillness of prayer.

Holy Mother's simple yet practical teachings have been able to scaffold humanity out of hardship and suffering with Her grace constantly providing a safety net. We may not know whether there will be everlasting peace in the world, whether the ozone will be replaced or whether there will be equality... but one thing is for sure, we will always have a mother in Holy Mother Sarada Devi.

May Mother's grace bless us all over this festive season and beyond. May peace, joy and bliss inundate the world... is my sincere prayer. Be safe and have a happy and joyous festive season and a Happy New Year.

Joy Ma!!!!!

Determined Diwali!!!!

Aum Namo Narayanaya
Sri Ramakrishna Sharanam

There is no doubt in my mind as I pen this Diwali message, that at some level of cognition all religions and sects that try in some form or another to organise the grand ideas, theories or philosophy of the cumulative experience and realisations  of illumined beings have recognised and connected with the sanguine and prolific impact that light has had on human evolution.

Hindus were never shy to show appreciation and respect to any part of God's creation that has contributed to their own development and progress on the path to self realisation. Although the same values, and teachings  weave through the plethora of festivals and observances, Diwali can claim it's glory as the festival that resonates beyond cultural systems amongst  Hindus and many others with a truly international appeal. It is undeniably the biggest festival in Hinduism celebrated by non-Hindus as well because of its universal message of compassion, love, truth and unity.

Defined broadly as the "festival of lights" - Diwali speaks to a value system and code of good practice that underpin the foundations of the utopian society that all of us are working towards. The Freedom Charter, declarations of the United Nations, Bill of Rights etc. all speak to the ideals of a just society and World... referred to as 'dharma' in Hinduism.

The closest working model of this ideal envisioned by humanity  can be studied and emulated from the life of Lord Rama - eloquently and divinely penned by Sage Valmiki in the Ramayana.

Terms like justice, equality, righteousness, peace, love, compassion,  social cohesion, integrity and the like were transformed from mere narratives of vedic philosophy to living principles by Lord Rama under His rule defined as 'Rama Rajya'.

Not only South Africa,  but the whole of humanity is under seige by forces set to destroy harmony, peace and all that is dharmic for the furtherence of self interests as opposed to collective growth and development.

Sri Ramakrishna said that the darkness that filled a room for a thousand years is at once dispelled by a single stroke of a match. Diwali comes to us as an annual reminder to strike the match of determination to restore our lives to a state of peace and happiness.  To ignite our intellect out of ignorance and our hearts out of selfishness will be the death of bigotry, uncharitable feelings towards others, sectarianism, fanaticism and persecution of each other who are all essentially wending our way to the same goal as explained by Swami Vivekananda at the World Parliament of Religions.

The message of Diwali is a call to rise against darkness and to defend the profound and treasured values that define us a human being. It's a message to galvanise around our brethren and share so we can prosper together.  It's a message of truth and integrity and most importantly one of hope and faith that we are all children of that immortal bliss with extreme potential to realise our true nature.



On this occasion of the most adorable celebration that speaks to the universal oneness and the supreme divinity that pervades us all... may that all- illuminating light bring strength, courage, and resolve to all of us to walk and act in the path of righteousness is my prayer. Happy Diwali to all. Let peace and light descend everywhere!!!