Maha Kumbha Abishegam - Connecting You Within

IIAum Sri Ramakrishna SharanamII

IIAum Namo NarayanayaII

The dust rose, like in the aftermath of a hundred galloping horses, as everybody busied themselves with the final preparation for the Maha Kumbha Abishegam of the Shree Veeraboga Emperumal Temple. This 100 year old institution prides itself in being relevant and responsive to the needs of the community. With the increasing number of devotees over the years, it was decided on the eve of the Centenary Celebrations to construct a larger Temple according to Indian architecture. This was to be a monument to the pioneering fathers but more importantly to ensure devotees leave inspired after every visit. Elaborately detailed and inscribed artwork depicting various scenes from the puranas flank the walls and speak to the important themes of curbing desires, good over evil and light over darkness.

Temple Domes of the "new" Shree Veeraboga Emperumal Temple

It finally made sense as to why construction of Temples and Maha Kumbha Abishegams were mainly undertaken by royalty. The accumulative costs from construction to consecration run into the millions. Thankfully by His grace alone many selfless devotees and well-wishers have come forward and donated generously in the name of the festivities. Seven highly experienced and trained Priests were commissioned to turn a stunning structure into a shrine. Sri Girish Hebbar, the Head Priest of the Balaji Temple in Botswana arrived a day before to lead the proceedings. I had met him a few years earlier when I accompanied Swami Vimokshananda to Botswana on a spiritual tour. Beautiful energy and vibrations were created by the chanting of vedic mantras and the ritualistic worship of thekumbhas (brass pots) which were aplenty as they are normally proportional in number according to the deities being installed.

Priests performing the Maha Kumbha Abishegam

To a little extent, it seemed like an anti-climax… with so much of preparations and efforts for a few days of chanting and bathing of the deities with the water thereafter. Was this going to give life to themurthis (deities)? As these questions entertained my mind, I remembered that Swami Vimokshananda once explained to us the spiritual triangle where the two sides consist of the rituals and mythology with the philosophy as the base.  Yes, Yes!!! I rejoiced like having just broken thepinaka dhanush (bow broken by Lord Rama). There must be a philosophy behind this elaborate ceremony that will connect me closer to my divine consciousness. After much contemplation two ideas came to mind. One from recent times and another from way back in time.

Emoto was born in Yokohama, Japan and graduated from Yokohama Municipal University after taking courses in International Relations. In the mid 1990’s, he began studying water in more detail. Emoto believed that water was a "blueprint for our reality" and that emotional "energies" and "vibrations" could change the physical structure of water. Emoto's water crystal experiments consisted of exposing water in glasses to different words, pictures or music, and then freezing and examining the aesthetic properties of the resulting crystals with microscopic photography. Emoto made the claim that water exposed to positive speech and thoughts would result in visually pleasing crystals being formed when that water was frozen, and that negative intention would yield "ugly" frozen crystal formations.

Our gem amongst puranas, the Srimad Bhagavatam tells of a little boy Prahalad, who although being born in an asura family became one of the greatest devotees of Sri Hari. When Hiranyakasipu left his kingdom and went to the mountain known as Mandaracala to execute severe austerities, all the demons scattered. Hiranyakasipu's wife Kayadhu was pregnant at that time, and the devas, mistakenly thinking that she carried another demon in her womb, arrested her. Their plan was that as soon as the child took birth they would kill him. While they were taking Kayadhu to the heavenly planets, they met Narada Muni, who stopped them from taking her away and took her to his ashramauntil Hiranyakasipu's return. In Narada Muni's ashrama, Kayadhu prayed for the protection of the baby in her womb and Narada Muni reassured her and gave her instructions on spiritual knowledge.

The vibrations of the Sage’s voice seeped through the amniotic fluid and left an indelible impression on the infant’s consciousness. As he grew up even in the midst of the most adharmic forces, he was only able to call on his Lord Narayana.

From the above we gather that water is able to transmit and sustain vibrations. The idea of placing the water in a copper kumbha is scientific as copper being a metal is a good conductor of vibrations. Therefore, the primary component of any Kumbha Abishegam is a group of Priests chanting mantras in unison around kumbhas filled with water. The mantras selected from the Vedas are composed to a specific metre and are chanted with much emphasis and force to create the needed vibrations.

kumbhas

After the water is used to bath the deities we term them vigrahas and thus start to offer devotion and praise to them. I believe that the kumbhas filled with water essentially represents our intellect. Our mind is the deities. When the intellect is charged with dharmic and positive ideas it empowers and guides the mind on how to interact with the world in a divine and dharmic manner. Sage Narada had programmed and configured Prahalad’s intellect to dharma, hence even in the midst of the harshest persuasion from his father, his mind could not waver or veer away from the path of righteousness.

As the Priests say the Kumbha Abishegam is a process of giving life to the deities and over a period of time the infant energy grows and becomes more powerful… it is symbolic in our personal development as well. At all times we must try to fortify our intellects with divine and positive ideas and constantly bathe the mind with these inspiring thoughts which then becomes an algorithm against which all stimuli received will be acted upon.

Temple worship is a valuable path to God realisation and should not be denounced as inferior. A great example of its success comes in the life of Sri Ramakrishna who conducted regular pooja to the divine Mother Kali. Through sincere and devout worship, Master was able to translate and internalise His worship to achieve superior results, to the point of becoming a Paramhamsa.

Let us all perform the ritual of turning our body into Bhagwan by regular abishegam of our mind with our charged intellect, is my sincere prayer.

With love and prayers always,

Yogan

Living Lotusly!

“Swami Vivekananda is an enduring source of inspiration” said the Honourable Prime Minister Sri Narendra Modi, as he together with millions across the world paid respects and remembered this great son of India and inspirer of the world on 4th July, which was Swamiji’s Maha Samadhi Day. How should we view this day? I believe it must be celebrated as a day of victory. It was Bhagawan Sri Ramakrishna who said that Naren will leave his body when he had finished his work. Although we all lament His early departure from the earthly planes, Swamiji had “set in motion the machinery” that would develop a new order of beings - more confident, brave, highly progressive, strong and ready to face the world.

The morning broke with much excitement in the Kingdom of the Zulu with the Durban July horse race grasping the attention of many as they pondered upon their attire and obviously on their choice for the winner, in preparation to attend the event. My thoughts however managed to weave past these entirely frivolous distractions and centre on the aim of attending Ashram to offer my respectful obeisance and gratitude to a Saint whose heart cried out to the folly of man in leading an uninspired and aimless life through ignorance of his true nature.

An empyrean vibe accosted the Satsangh Hall which imbued with the essence of sandal incense. The regally adorned altar simply invoked adoration and did not stall in transporting devotees into a realm of supreme tranquillity.  No soon as Kandana Bhava Bandhana (arathi) was sung… my mind was unbounded from the precincts of Durban Ashram and ported to the banks of Belur Math. I could hear the gongs and bells echo in the flamboyant arched halls of the Temple. Tears streamed down the face of devotees as the flames of the arathi flickered and danced for the enjoyment of the seated image of  Master. The concerted and the collective rendition soaked in such sincere devotion drowned out the blaring horn of the nearby jute mill, the foraging crows and the rickety ferries bobbing on the tempestuous Ganga. I pictured Swamiji pacing His veranda with a smoke in His hand, deep in thought, heart bleeding with pain about the condition of humanity. I took solace and comfort knowing that Swamiji will continue to pace His veranda until the work He set in motion -that is to deliver every soul from the abyss of ignorance to the point of understanding it is one with the divine- is realised.

Here in South Africa, the Ramakrishna Mission, through the inspired work of Swami Nischalananda has catalysed and augmented the vision of Swami Vivekananda by channelising youth energy into developing value-based character.

Youth performing at the Childrens' Cultural Festival
Pic Courtesy: SA Devotees

The Childrens' Cultural Festival initiated by Swami Nischalananda show cases the results of immense sacrifice and intense dedication in nurturing and grooming the new order of beings as envisaged by Swamiji. You cannot imagine the delight on the faces of those who watch the cultural feast for the first time, which is completely produced by the youth with the assistance of their Sunday School teachers. For those of us who have attended previously, we are simply stunned by the standards that continuously improve year after year.

It was also heart-warming to see that Swamiji’s instruments - the Monks of the order starting to multiply in South Africa… a definite and clear sign that the spiritual renaissance is going to be given new impetus and vigour over the next few months.  The grace extended through the first President from Belur Math, Swami Vimokshananda, expanded on Saturday when our current President Swami Vishwathmananda returned to South Africa with two new monks who will compliment and intensify the work of Swamiji in South Africa. South Africa is blessed and elated to welcome Swami Sumanasananda and Swami Tadbhasananda to her shores.

Monks of the Ramakrishna Order in attendance at the Childrens' Cultural Festival
Pic Courtesy: SA Devotees

Swami Vivekananda’s life speaks to the search and rescue of the indomitable strength, power and resolve that lies within each one of us.  Swamiji’s life punctuated with its fair share of trials and tribulations resonates amicably with many people who are struggling to keep their head above water in the vast ocean of existence. Struggle has become synonymous with life. Victory comes to those who adopt the correct attitude and temerity to face and resolve the impasses before them.

The burly and authoritative words of Swamiji at once reduces to ashes any smouldering signs of weakness, lethargy, fear and uncertainty flourishing from the root of ignorance. “Face the brutes” - probably one of his most audacious and potent utterances commands immediate fearlessness against challenges that confront us.

The most brilliant and priceless gems emerge out of the confrontation with the cutting-brush. Our inadequacies and inferiority complex has thwarted us from emerging as shining gems against the challenges of life. Our great concern is our youth who have sought the escapist routes of suicide, substance abuse and the life of crime in order to pass the days oblivious of the world.

 

Youth performing at the Childrens' Cultural Festival
Pic Courtesy: SA  Devotees

Based on the foundations and teachings of Swami Vivekananda, we witness the youth of our Sunday Schools blossoming like the splendid and beautiful lotus in the murky waters of this world. They radiate such confidence and panache and adorn a little smirk of their faces, challenging life to test them.

Positive role models, good literature that develops your intellectual and mental capacity and aligning yourself to values and teachings that help you expose your divine nature is essential for success in this time. I can assure our youth and adults alike that Swami Vivekananda is definitely an enduring source of inspiration and light to you.

May Swamiji, who assured us that he will continue to work 1500 years after He had left His body, guide and help us reach our full potential and lead prosperous lives, is my sincere prayer.

With love and prayers

Yogan

Attractive Associations

Landing the pen on to the page after 6 months found my mind in turmoil struggling to coalesce the fragments of thoughts into a coherent idea. At that point, I recalled the last post of Swami Vimokshananda before He departed South Africa where He elaborated about an incident related to Kanaka Dasa -a humble and sincere devotee of Lord Krishna- and the association with metal and magnet. The laws of physics explain explicitly the behaviour of a metal in the field of a magnet. The metal becomes extremely excited and active in its presence and goes to rest in the absence of the magnet. In trying to justify my absence especially to those avid readers of the blog who mailed and messaged me to enquire about the distinct silence, I would have to submit to the fact that my magnet of inspiration, Revered Swamiji leaving us, did leave me marooned from the will to write.

Bhagawan Sri Ramakrishna in many of His teachings gave prominence to the benefits of pious and holy company. He said: “many warm themselves in the fire kindled by someone else who has taken the trouble of collecting the firewood and the other necessary things, similarity many fix their mind on the Lord by associating with, and following the instructions of holy men who have come to realise the divine after a good deal of hard penance.” Swami Vimokshananda was one such warm and selfless fire who warmed the hearts of all South Africans that associated with Him and those who were in His presence. He gave all that He could whole-heartedly without a single thought for Himself. Hence His departure in a way set in a cold spell of emptiness.

Yesterday was four years since I received the gentle command from Maharaj to pen my thoughts in the form of a blog and like a splint He has always guided, supported, encouraged and inspired me to explore my mind and inner being for answers to enquiries that plague us on a daily basis. The journey has been truly enlightening and rewarding. Like a veracious and unerring magnet that always maintains its attractiveness to metal, Maharaj sent an awakening jolt from Singapore yesterday on the Anniversary of the blog calling for a new post. Like how the metal has to succumb in full co-operation to the power of the magnet, I with full sastanga pranams to my Guru and Maharaj pen this first post for the year.

THUF Poster at the Youth Day Fun Run

The Tongaat Hindu Unity Form hosted yet another astounding and successful Arise Awake Fun Run on June 16th commemorated as National Youth Day in South Africa. Interestingly, India celebrates National Youth Day on the Birth Anniversary of Swami Vivekananda… because of His grand and illuminating ideas on youth development and also for His colossal contributions to the awakening and liberation of India during the prime of his youth.

The word “youth” is trending increasingly on social media. Why has it become the new buzzword? Are youth feeling the pressure of the pressure? What are their expectations? What do adults expect of them? At a Youth Day address in 1995, Nelson Mandela said: “I am confident that South Africa’s youth is more than ready to meet the challenge of freedom. We are firm in our conviction that you deserve a better future.” 21 Years later and even after the deaths of Nelson Mandela, Steve Biko, Swami Vivekananda and others... their visionary ideas and ideals hold true. The question remains: are youth doing their duty?

  

Duty, sacrifice and other such beautiful words in the literary pantheon can only be given true meaning if we attach respect and action to them. Action – another pretty word... that has no meaning... if the verb is not carried out. Leo Buscaglia famously said: “the time for action is now, and only you can make the difference.”

Without wanting to diminish the success and achievements of a good portion of the youth in our country -which is sadly polarised by the large number who have become a menace to the society through their deeds and habits- we attribute the negativity to the lack of employment opportunities, skills, social conditions and the association of uninspiring company.

Sri Ramakrishna said that even moist wood placed upon fire soon becomes dry and finally burns. Similarly association with good, inspiring company helps drive away the moisture of weakness, dullness, lethargy and despondency from the heart of a person and then the fire of viveka   (discrimination between good and bad) burns steadily in them.

Swami Saradaprabhanandaji of the Phoenix Sub-Centre always pointed out that young people must be exposed to mind strengthening, character-building literature rather than material that is merely sensational and lacks the ability to inspire you to excel to your full potential.

Youth must ensure that they identify and study sound role models. Amidst all the scandals and inadequacies of leaders in the world, there are role models of impeccable character and who have the force to mould young people into laureate citizens.

In concluding this post, I want to quote from the engraved walls of the Hector Pieterson Memorial Square in Soweto the words of Mbuyisa Makhubo’s Mother (the boy who together with Antoinette Sithole carried the body of Hector Pieterson moments after he was shot... in the iconic picture we’ve come to associate with Youth Day in South Africa): Mbuyisa is or was my son, but he is not a hero. In my culture, picking up Hector is not an act of heroism. It was his job as a brother. It was his duty.

Swami Vivekananda said that He “holds every man a traitor who, having been educated at their expense pays not the least heed to them”. This profound statement by Swamiji speaks to the fact that a society cannot progress when certain parts of the society lag behind. It is the duty therefore of every person to help raise the standards of every person to a dignified position. Swamiji further states that there can be no liberation until all are free.

Hence we can deduce that when we perform any act of kindness or seva, it is futile to attempt such for recognition or fame, but to attempt it with a sense of duty as it eventually is for your own well-being and liberation. Let us all collectively work towards ending hatred, bigotry and all forms of discrimination on the basis of race, sex, social status etc. and work towards harmonising the world towards peace, joy and the one goal being God-realisation. 

The 21st of June has been declared International Yoga day by the United Nations. Let us all use this ancient technique to find union with the universe.

May we all strive to be good people and to be good and inspiring company to others, is my sincere prayer.

With love and prayers always

Yogan

Wishing all Dads a blessed Father’s Day for Sunday, 21st June.