a year of spiritual celebration
TRANSCRIPT
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His Holiness
Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji
A Year ofSpiritual
Celebration:How to turn your holidays intoholydays
Illustrated by Rozalia Hummel (Radhikapriya)
Cover Art by Dawn Baillie
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PAGE
We would like to offer special thanks to the following people
for their loving and dedicated seva in bringing this book to
fruition: H.H. Sri Shankaracharya Swami Divyanand Teerthji
read the first draft of the book and offered insightful com-ments and suggestions. Padmashri Pandit Vidya Niwas
Misraji read the book in its entirety as a draft and also pro-
vided the inspiring and educational foreword. Shri Ramniklal
Solanki and his sons Shailesh and Kalpesh Solanki, the edi-
tors and publishers of Garavi Gujarat magazine, lovingly
offered to publish the book, and therefore they are to thank
for bringing the concept into reality. Rozalia Hummel
(Radhika Priya) upon hearing about this book immediately
offered to create illustrations for it. Thus, she has helped to
create our first illustrated publication. Dawn Baillie is our
divine cover artist, bringing beauty and magic to the front
and back covers. Anar Mashruwala is our fastidious proof-
reader. Not even a misplaced comma escapes her flawless
eye for detail. She and her sister, Avani, also provided in-
valuable comments -- from the perspective of Hindu youth
living in the West -- on the content of the first draft.
Acknowledgements
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored ina retrieval system, or transmitted in any former by any means, electronic,mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the priorpermission of the publishers.
Book Design & Printed by Asian Media and Marketing GroupGaravi Gujarat House, 1 Silex Street, London SE1 0DW
Tel: 020 7928 1234, Fax: 020 7261 0055,Email: [email protected] website: www.gg2.net
First published 2004
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The Rituals
Fasting.............................
Aarti......................................
Yagna..................................
Prana Pratishtha..............
For More Information
About the Author...............
India Heritage Research F
Parmarth Niketan, Rishik
Blessings/Message by H.H. Sri Shankaracharyaji
Swami Divyanand Teerthji, Bhanpura Peeth.....................................7Foreword by Pandit Shri Vidya Niwas Mishra.....................................8
Introduction.....................................................................................11
The Festivals:
Ram Navami..................................................................................16
Hanuman Jayanti...........................................................................24
Buddha Jayanti...............................................................................30
Guru Purnima.................................................................................38Indias Independence Day..............................................................52
Krishna Janmashtami....................................................................58
Raksha Bandhan............................................................................66
Navratri........................................................................................72
Dusshera..............................................................................................78
Diwali......................................................................................................82
Thanksgiving..................................................................................92
Gita Jayanti.....................................................................................98Valentines Day.............................................................................108
Maha Shivratri..............................................................................112
Holi.........................................................................................................118
Table of Contents:
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Das Kabeer has said, "If yo
into the waters. Similarly
pierce deeply into a rock. L
ety, he needs to deeply kno
Sri Swami Chidanandji Sa
has a deep knowledge of
practical guide to humanity
the truth has to be expres
Mansarovar" would have m
due to the ceaseless efforts
ity. I have always found him
and he is a divine light ded
In his present work, "A Yea
emphasized that one should
der unto Him is the key to t
- a Holy Day.
I believe that this book wil
particular to turn their holid
May the Lord give Swami
the Lord and humanity wit
mative thoughts, ideas andH.H. Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji
Parmarth Niketan; P.O. Swargashram, Rishikesh (Himalayas); Uttranchal -- 249304
Ph: (0135) 2440088, 2440055, 2434301 Fax: 0135-2440066;
Email: [email protected] ; [email protected]
websites: www.parmarth.com ; www.ihrf.com
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The
light of knowledge, the light of compassion and the light of
love.
Second, the book teaches us how these beautiful holidays
apply to our lives today and how we can transform ourselves
with each and every holiday. Pujya Swamiji infuses the expla-
nation of each holiday with an explanation of how we shoulduse to the holiday to become better people.
Hindus across the Western world should proudly (and knowl-
edgably) share with their friends, associates and colleagues
the deep, rich meaning of their culture. The youth should not
be ashamed of the intricate rituals, nor should they shy away
from participating for fear that their friends might not ap-
prove. Rather, they should proudly and boldly participate in
activities which celebrate not only historical events, but that
also truly signify a time for us to replenish ourselves spiritu-
ally. Hindu holidays are filled with ways and reasons for us to
examine our lives, measure our progress and re-affirm our
commitment to follow the path of dharma, of righteousness
and of integrity.
Through this book, the young, the old, the traditional, the mod-
ern, the conservative, the liberal, the Indian and the non-In-
dian will find the historical, spiritual and mythological sig-
nificance to their myriad festivals, as well as inspiring, com-pelling reasons to celebrate. Most importantly, they will learn
how to make the holidays true holy-days.
Sadhvi Bhagwati
Rishikesh, India, May 2004
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Rama Navami is thethe seventh incarna
nated in human form
falls on the ninth da
month of Chaitra (Aerally means one who
joy to others, and on
It is said that the repeis the surest, fastest
peace, wisdom, undultimately liberation
Repetition of My na
of one thousand nammantra one thousan
nation, Mahatma G
after having been vivengeance or anger fwords which escape
were, He Rama, He
On the beautiful da
Earth, let us ask ou
What lessons did heWhat lessons do we
the glorious depictio
R
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birth? Has the powerof adharma within
holiday about Bhagw
examining ourselveswhen the end will clive in us? Do we wan
must give birth todayWe must let BhagwaWe must make a ple
esty, humility and r
tors in our lives.
As a brother: Remain loyal to your brother. Care for
him.
As a husband: Protect your wife. Fight for her protec-tion and her purity. But there are times when onesdivine path must even take precedence over the path
of householder. Do not keep the role of householderas the ultimate role.
As a King: Sacrifice everything for your people. Do notworry about your own comfort, your own convenience
or your own pleasure. Be willing to put the Kingdom
ahead of your own needs.
Ravanas ego led to his own demise, first the demise ofhis spirit and heart and then the demise of his body.
He thought he was the one who ran everything. He
thought that he was the doer of it all. On the otherhand, Bhagwan Rama was always humble, and he
never took credit for anything. At the end of the warin Lanka, Bhagwan Rama was giving Sitaji a tour of
the city, showing her where all of the various events
had occurred. When, they reached the place whereBhagwan Rama victoriously slew Ravana, he reportedit to Sitaji only as, and this is where Ravana died.
He didnt say, This is where I crushed the demon, or
This is where I killed Ravana. No. Even after achiev-
ing the great victory, he simply stated, This is whereRavana died.
As we celebrate this holiday, as we revel in Bhagwan
Ramas appearance, let us ask ourselves, Is Ramaliving inside us? Has the good in our hearts taken
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Hanuman Jayanti is(purnima) of the mo April). The day c
Hanuman, a divine
perfect devotee. Hanwind.
In the Heavenly, Dnamed Punjikasth
Brihaspati, the precetime she insulted a sbe born on Earth as
could only be remov
would be an incarna
Thus, she took birt
Kesari. Both were vea life filled with aust
penance. Anjana pra
He would grace her and graced her withLord Shiva to take bi
her from the curse of
Shiva was pleased byby her intense spiritu
Hanu
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Hanumanji wanted nothing in exchange for his ser-vice to Lord Rama. He, as the epitome of selfless devo-
tion, wanted only to have Lord Ramas presence in
his life at all times. When Sitaji presented Hanumanjiwith a garland of pearls as a gift for his valour,Hanumanji was not pleased with this expensive gift.
He took the string of pearls and began to break eachpearl in half, one by one. What are you doing? on-lookers exclaimed, as he destroyed the expensive gar-
land. I am looking for Lord Rama. If this is really a
gift for me, then Lord Rama must be here in thesepearls. Otherwise they are worthless.
On this day of Hanuman Jayanti, let us strive to be as
singleminded in our devotion as Hanumanji. Let uspray that our hearts and even our blood may be filled
only with the raas (divine essence) of God and ourGuru. Let us sing the glories of such pure devotion andlet us seek to emulate Hanumanjis boundless fidelity.
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The Buddha was born
in the month ofVais
that he also achievMahasamadhi (dep
same date
There are so many b
life of the Buddha. H
ment in action.
The word Buddha One or The Awa
Siddhartha Gautamborn in the region ofday, that area lies in
was born to a father
Legend has it that w
told Siddharthas fat
an emperor or a sanyunderstood that in o
nouncing the materiworld, he would hav
tected. Thus, Siddhar
utmost of luxury an
BudEnligh
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Guru Purnima is cele
Ashadha (July-Augumonth period of Cha
which the monsoons movement). It is the
love and devotion to
that the Guru is Brathe Guru is the Supr
But what is a guru
West, the term has trogatory connotation
simple. In Sanskrit,means one who rem
moves our darkness
emanates so much ldivinity that every da
changed into light. A
for a guru. Their ligform even the darkesmidnight would last
to rise 6 hours early
in the Divine presen
Gur
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question is sim
the disciple.
4. Continues to g
ing a commitmemore holy, and
5. Vows to live assentative of the
of the Guru. So,
our Gurus we shining exampreflections of th
6. Is humble in f
Gurus words (
surrender and
7. Is ever ready to
day, any day oSeva given by th
is a rare and pRealization. In Guru is one of
to ultimate mo
opportunity to
The Guru of Natur
Another beautiful asented by the teachiregarded as a Guru
minds, thoughts and senses. Only then can we truly
be free.
The Guru Gita tells us: Meditate with concentrationupon the Gurus form. Worship with devotion the
Gurus feet. Take the Gurus teachings as sacred, per-
fect mantras and recite them diligently. Only throughthe Gurus grace will you attain liberation.
The Qualities of a Disciple
People sometimes make the mistake of putting all of
the responsibility on the Guru. We expect that we cancontinue to live our lives exactly as we want -- along
with our own egos, greed and vices -- and yet the Guru
will come, wave a magic wand and grant us instant
peace, prosperity and enlightenment. It is not likethat. The disciple must be dedicated, committed, faith-
ful and assiduous in his/her sadhana. A good disciple:
1. Always tells the truth to the Guru and never
hides anything from the Guru.
2. Practices the teachings of the Guru with faith,
discipline and regularity.
3. Follows the instructions of the Guru without ar-
gument. Questions, of course, can and shouldbe asked when there are doubts or confusion in
the disciples mind, but prior to asking any ques-
tion the disciple should first deeply introspect to
see whether the question really warrants thetime and attention of the Guru or whether the
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tion of God Himself. Dattatreya said that he had 24Gurus, all manifestations of nature. From each of
natures creations, he learned a different lesson, rang-
ing from the selfless service of the fruit-bearing tree tothe persistence of the rain drops.
Let us, too, on this day, look around us at Gods natu-ral creation and ask what we can learn from MotherNature. Rather than look upon Her as a commodity
to be used and abused, let us look upon Her as a Guru
from whom we receive countless lessons and blessings.
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It is the special time oanniversary of Mothe
in memories of Her st
the British. We shout
This ardent pride inMother Land and M
the Indian people. M
India is the only coun
nized so forcibly for where the people los
of their ancient cultu
to their original cult
As we celebrate this gour hard-earned freeternal freedom to ru
whether, internally, tSwarajya means selfdian people, have co
government and ourswarajya; we achievehave we achieved inhave control over ou
nally?
August 15- In
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Our country won ind
ago. When will we wWhen will we be theour lives, rather than
desires, our attachm
has given each one oercise it. We are not
on and off at the will
act like that. Too freqdetermine our state o
ues. Let us take our and turn the reins o
become surrendereBharat Mata and to
be a truly free nation
tion. Thus, our youth (and now, unfortunately their
parents as well) are trapped in a vicious cycle in whichwith each effort to become more and more Westernthey must forsake another piece of their Indian cul-
ture. Although they are searching for deep and last-
ing happiness, they will find only superficial, tempo-rary pleasure.
The key to breaking this chain lies in love and accep-tance of Bharat Mata and Her culture. It lies in learn-
ing as much as we can academically, professionally,
technically, scientifically from the West withoutabandoning our loyalty to our own value system and
our own sanskaras. When our children can look at
themselves and their friends and say, I am proud to
be Indian, then and only then will they truly be free.
Sadly, we are also bound by chains of corruptionwithin our own hearts. Are we honest people? Are we
righteous? Do we uphold the principles of dharma?
We fought a long, arduous battle to win our right tofreedom from the British. Let us truly bask in this free-dom, realizing the real richness of our values, ethics
and sanskaras. The principles set forth in our scrip-
tures are just as applicable to people living in mod-ern Mumbai or Delhi as they were to people living
thousands of years ago in the Himalayas. Let us notbe bound by the chains of jealousy, anger and greed.
These chains bind not only our hands but also ourhearts. Instead, let us live lives of generosity, seva,
love, purity and divinity.
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Krishna Janmasthathat Bhagwan Krishupon the Earth. It i
eigth day of the d
Bhadrapada (Augu
The day is celebra
Krishna, fasting andbhajans until past m
The Bhagavad Gita
ness in the world, whvail, the Lord incarn
the darkness. He gr
preventing it from d
However, the Lord dodom and depart. Ra
message and His diand on, upon all fu
such that, once give
nite and universal.Bhagavad Gita and
not meant merely foin the lands of Ma
and Dwarka. Rath
as His presence and
Ja
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we must see God. Thmessage of Bhagwan
The Ultimate Divin
As we celebrate the dappearance day, let
message of His life: ncumstances, never lose
Let us offer to Him,
prayers and our aar
holy feet, so that weand ever blissful.
kingdom of Dwarka.
We may be kings in this lifetime, living in palaces of
gold, but at the end we are always alone. We mustcross the threshold from this life to the next alone.Therefore, it matters not what riches we acquire, nor
what status we hold. None of it can save us from thehunters arrow. None of it can come to our rescue atthe time of death. All that matters is how we have lived
our lives, whom we have helped, whom we have
healed, and to whom we have brought peace and com-fort.
However, although Lord Krishna departed from theEarth on that day in the jungle, He is always with us,
living on and on in our hearts, minds and souls. He is
ever-present, all-knowing and all-powerful.
Seeing Bhagwan Krishna everywhere
A very important message from Bhagwan Krishnaslife is to see him everywhere, in everyone, all the time.
He is embodied in every form and in all forms. In Lord
Krishnas childhood, he gave Mother Yasoda thedarshan of the entire world in his mouth. Everything
was shown to her in Lord Krishnas mouth. When we
sit in our puja, in our worship/meditation we look at
Gods divine image and we see everything in Him.However, we must go further than just seeing every-
thing in God. We must also see God in everything!
When we look at a poor child, or when we look at anold widow, or when we look in the face of our enemy,
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The holiday of Rakshtion of the bond of l
celebrated on the fShravana (August -
tie sacred threads arbolizing their love an
promises to protect h
for her. Raksha mebandhan means a b
Bandhan symbolizes
tion between brothe
As the Rakhi is tied, a
says:
Yena baddho bali r
Tena twaam anubadhn
This is a sacred proterity and protection t
In the South RakshaBrahmins who put on
RakA Festiv
&
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The true Raksha B
Last and most import
of love, affection andman brothers and sisa small thread to the
our true Sister, our trwant to be eternallyoffer to the Lord will
come faded and will
to learn, so many vows to make. First, there are theancient, traditional meanings, whereby girls and
women remember their brothers far and near with
love and affection. In exchange, all men and boyspromise to protect their sisters both against physi-cal harm, and also against dishonor to their name or
to their family. These are as crucial today as they werein the past.
However, perhaps even more importantly, we must
realize that the only way the current world will sur-vive is united as one family. Thus, now, we must also
take the deeper, underlying meaning of Rakhi. Wemust vow to make the world our brothers and sisters
not only in theory, but also in practice. Let us userakhi as a symbol of our universal brotherhood. May
our girls and women lead the way toward this univer-sal family as they tie rakhi bracelets on the wrists ofnot only their closest male friends, but also on the
wrists of enemies. Let us use this holiday to reach outto those around us, embracing them as brother and
sister.
Additionally, in this world in which relations betweenboys and girls are becoming more and more promis-
cuous, let us use rakhi to re-purify our relations. As
girls and women tie rakhi bracelets on the wrists of
boys and men who are their friends, may all of theirminds become purified of any lustful feelings by thisnew, sanctified relationship of sister and brother.
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The festival of Navar
filled with joy, celebrfor our lives. Navar
festival occurs twice a
to summer in the Sprisummer to winter in
val is celebrated from
the bright half of Ash
the Spring Festival iMay). The two Nav
Rama-Navaratri in CAshvina. The celebrthe great Mother Go
days, signifying the
vine Mother.
Additionally, dur
Dusshera, particularis a special traditioncial type of group da
in a circle, along with
The garba dancing ian open space, and
dance to the Mother
Goddess ispartof thers are dancing with
N
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The day after Navra10th day of Navratrrates the day on whic
was killed. On this d10-headed Ravana, th
had been kidnapped
story of the war and
with great fervor on
There is a beautiful the story of Bhagwawith song and dance
of Bhagwan Rama o
safe return of Sitaji.
However, embeddedtal messages for our
deeper lessons and m
joyous festivities of th
The word Dusseraof Ravana, or symbo
represent passion, plust, hatred, jealousy
D
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The time of Diwali is tiful times of the yea
of Lights. It is a timewhen Indians all ove
ebrated on the thirte
half of Kartik (Octobas Krishna Chaturdadarkest period, yet i
is heralded as the tri
The meanings of Diw
the reasons for celebcelebrates Lord Ram
return to his Kingdo
long years of exile in Krishnas victory ovehad kidnapped and t
When the evil Nara
Krishna and Satyabmercy; thus, upon hi
this day of his death
joy and festivity. IBhagwan Vishnu ma
Diwali is also associBali a demon kin
Vishnu. Lord Vishnu
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have empathy for the plight of another, to makechoices that not only satisfy our bodies in the moment,
but that satisfy our hearts and souls. Let us, rather
than destroy our precious environment and the crea-tures who live within it, let us give thanks for the landthat can feed us, feed our fellow creatures, convert car-
bon-dioxide into oxygen, give us medicine to heal oursickness and provide shelter for all Gods creatures.
Let us give thanks for our ability to think clearly, to
discriminate between right and wrong, to sacrifice atemporary pleasure for the benefit of another. Let us
give thanks for our ability to choose right from wrongand our freedom to act accordingly.
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Gita Jayanti is celebr
of the bright fortnigh(December Januaras the Birthday of tvine wisdom cannot
really say that the D
ally, Gita Jayanti is t6000 years ago, when
Bhagwan Shri Krishn
field in Kurukshetra,Along with the epic
Song was transcribethe benefit of human
As Paramhansa Yoga
tual leaders of IndiaGita to the West) smost beloved scriptutures. It is the Hindu
that all masters depescriptural authority.
upliftment, comfort from all walks of life
Bhagavad Gita litethe Soul, Song of the the language of the
G
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in peace and harmochanging as the Rive
cerns of each genera
ing as the Himalaya
The Gita provides the guiding principles for both peacein this life as well as for ultimate salvation. When I
was in Japan, I saw a sign that said, Follow the rules,
and enjoy your stay. While it is simple and common,it is also profoundly true. The rules for our lives arelaid out in the scriptures: do divine, be divine, serve
without expectation, love all, hate none, heal all, hurtnone, see the Divine in all, surrender to God, be hon-est, be humble, remember that He is the real Do-er and
we are only His tools.
When we follow these rules our lives overflow with joy
and love and peace. It is when we ignore these com-mandments or amend them to suit our own agendas
that we bring pain and turmoil into our lives. TheGita is a complete yet concise listing of all the teach-
ings (rules) necessary to achieve self-realization inthis life as well as eternal salvation and liberation.
Additionally, because it was sung by Bhagwan Shri
Krishna, Himself, the Gita has the miraculous abilityto give the reader exactly the answer and meaninghe/she was searching for. So, if you open it today in
the midst of a crisis at work you will come upon a pas-sage that will speak something different to you than
when you open it a year from now, looking for com-
fort after the death of a parent. Similarly, youth will
find a different jewel in the treasure chest than adultswill. But, it is still a jewel from the ultimate treasurechest.
The Bhagavad Gita shows us the way to live with God,
to live with each other and to live with Mother Earth
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Shivaratri is one of t
the night dedicated erally, Shivratri mea
is celebrated on the
of the month of Phal
In the trinity of god
Lord Shiva is the on
and impure in order of that which is pure
lates our egos, our a
Many fear Lord Shivit is destruction for th
out death, life cannohilation of old habitnot progress toward
less our vessel has
negative and impur
qualities.
The holiday of Shivrspecial Shiva puja an
ing awake at night During the course o
S
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Holi is one of the moHindu year. It is cele
India and it falls on
(February - March).revelry during whichbrightly colored pow
green, yellow and p
the occasion.
The meanings of Hothe festival of Sprin
weather and bidding
seen as a festival of l
rility. However, sidelove and fertility is th
the emerging passion
is told on Holi of Kawhom Lord Shiva bu
duce Him out of His
ebrate love, but doncelebration of divini
The Puranas describover vice. It is a timepure, divine Prahlaa
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So,
LET THIS HOLI BE
NOT ONLY THBUT THE CO
LET US NOBUT LET
LET THE
TRULY PENBE TH
FOR, ON THE
THE OTHER CO
BUT WE MUSTB
IN OUR EYES, IN O
vine Prahlaad.
The fire of purity and divinity which we light on Holi
must burn continuously in our hearts throughout theyear. We must have an ever-burning bonfire of impu-rity, so that we are continuously renewed, continuously
purified and continuously rejuvenated.On Holi we sing loudly in the Hindi language: Holi I,
Holi I, Holi I. However, let us not just chant thisrhyme; rather, let us truly pray to God that on this
day I may become holy. Let us pray that I may
become pious, pure and devoted as Prahlaad. In that
way our lives and our hearts and our souls will be for-ever protected, forever sheltered at His holy feet.
As we chant Holi I, Holi I, Holi I. let us also pray
that our eye may become holy, that we may begranted the divine vision by which we behold Him in
all whom we see. Let us pray that through our holyeye, we never are led toward anger, greed, lust or jeal-
ousy.
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The
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A fast is:
About God
A time of reflection
For peace of the b
mind and spirit
A day of discipline
To purify you
Today, fasting has bworld. In any books
erature extolling one
fasts, water fasts, fruheralded as the mihave tried all else w
Connection with th
However, while fastinefit, to define it mere
mine one of the olde
tices. Fasting has bee
Fasting-It
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kichari and so many
even notice it is a fas
a recipe for phalaha
On the one hand, it
eration of the idea o
that observing weekrituals which have ncentury.
However, it is crucial
are calling a fast, still upheld with gre
purpose can be obsc
pes.
Upvas
In Sanskrit, the wormeans, sitting near
to God.
Fasting is a time in w
in which our vital through the process
time in which we are
argy resulting from o
However, a fast is nfromeating. In facttirely from food on tenable our bodies to
saints and sages in order to purify their bodies, mindsand souls and to bring every cell of their bodies into
connection with the divine.
A True Fast
A true fast, undertaken with understanding and dis-
cipline has the ability to restore all systems of the body.The nervous, circulatory, digestive, respiratory and re-
productive systems are all regenerated. The toxins and
impurities in our blood and tissues are eliminated andour system becomes rejuvenated. The majority of all
todays terminal illnesses are rooted in over-consump-tion, and a fast is a way of purifying our bodies from
an excess of not only food but also preservatives,
chemicals and toxins.
A fast also is one of the best ways of controlling our
mind and senses. Fasts have been used for millennia
to subdue passion, anger and lust. They allow us to
withdraw our senses from the outside world and be-come refocused on our own divine nature and our con-nection to God. Additionally, during this period of
sadhana, austerity, and restraint one realizes that oneis truly the master of ones body, not vice versa.
Unfortunately today, so many people in the Indiancommunity seem to have forgotten much of the pur-
pose of a fast. Today, you will see people with plates
overflowing with puris and pakoras who say they arefasting. There are phalahari chapatis, saboodana
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One of the meaningpain. This is beauti
herent in the name
form or name of Goshould be performedour life.
Aarti is the beautiful ceremony in
which dias (the oil lamps) are of-
fered to God. Aarti can be doneto a deity in the temple, it can
be done on the banks of the
Ganges to Mother Ganga, or it can be done to a saint.It is performed to God, in any manifestation, any form,
by any name.
In the Aarti ceremony, the devotee waves the oil lamp
burning with ghee and camphor from the eye to the
feet, back to the eye and back to the feet of the Divine.
Typically this is performed three times.The essence of the aarti ceremony is that all day long
God offers us light the light of the sun, the light of
life, the light of His (Her) blessings.Aarti is a time when
we say thank you, and we offer back the light of ourthanks, the light of our love and the light of our devo-
tion.
We realize that the small deepa is nothing comparedto the divine light which shines on us all day. So, aarti
is a ceremony of humility, a time in which we acknowl-edge that God, you are everything. I am nothing. All
day you shine upon the world. All I can offer you is
this small deepa, a flame which will be blown out bythe passing wind. But, I offer it with devotion and with
love. Please accept my offering.
Aarti
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A Hindu Temple is a
vine energies and polie the deities, to who
Why is it, though, thworshipped as God?
with divine charactePratishtha ceremony
is the time in which
Life Force is infused i
embodiments of the
People say that Hindnot. We are ideal womarble and stone w
of God which has bewise lifeless statues
Pratishtha are follow
amic texts. Prior to in
well trained in vedic
and pujas which havmate object with div
These mantras and
who sculpts the ston
Rather, he is one whity to create a physic
Prana Pr
be the center of everything; we want to be the mostimportant; we want offerings to be made to us. That
is the root of our unhappiness. So, in a yagna, we sit
around the fire and place our offerings inward. Thisreminds us that in life we should be on the outside,with God in the center, and we should just offer in,
offer in, offering our every breath, every thought, ev-ery action at His holy feet, praying for Him to purifyus.
Lastly, just as the flames of a fire only rise higher andhigher, so we pray that God may carry our lives only
upward, closer and closer to His divine abode.
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More I
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Spiritual and Academ
of God at eight years o
in silence, meditation a
At the age of seventee
tense sadhana, he retuan academic educatio
Swamiji has masters
as well as fluency in m
The Teaching of Unity
infinite paths to God a
religion. His goal is
gardless of what name
better Hindu. If you ar
If you are a Muslim, b
be a better Jew, he sa
In this line, he has been
inter-faith conferences
liament of World Relig
ment of World Religion
ABOU
His Holiness Swa
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1998, for Outstanding Humanitarian Service
5)Prominent Personality Award, 1999, by Lions Club
6)Diwaliben Mohanlal Mehta Charitable Trust Award for
Progress in Religion
7)Best Citizens of India Award
Further, he has been given the title of Patron of the Rus-
sian Indian Heritage Research Foundation, Moscow, and
he is also a Patron of the Centre for Religious Experience in
Oxford, UK.
The True Sanyasi: Pujya Swamiji seems unaffected by
this incredible list of accomplishments and remains a pi-
ous child of God, owning nothing, draped in saffron robes,
living a life of true renunciation. His days in Rishikesh are
spent offering service to those around him. Thousandstravel from America, Europe and Australia as well as from
all over India, simply to sit in his presence, to receive his
darshan. To them, the journey is an inconsequential price
to pay for the priceless gift of his satsang.
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Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji is the founderand chairman of India Heritage Research Foundation,a non-profit charitable organization dedicated tohumanitarian and cultural projects. Founded in 1987,IHRF is committed to preserving the timeless wisdomand ageless grandeur of Indian culture. By weavingtogether ancient tradition, cultural history, a widerange of non-discriminatory charitable services, andinspiring youth programs, IHRF has created a tapestryof true, universal beauty.
The Encyclopedia of Hinduism
IHRF is currently completing the revolutionary projectof compiling the first Encyclopedia of Hinduism inhistory. The Encyclopedia will mark the first time thatthe urgent need is met for an authentic, objective andinsightful well of information, capturing both thestaples and the spices of Indian tradition and culture.This 18 volume work is currently in the final stages ofresearch and compilation by over 1250 internationally
renowned scholars. We expect to have the manuscriptcompleted by 2005.
The Encyclopedia of Hinduism will be a significantlandmark, encompassing the entire spectrum ofcalled Bharat.
While its current focus is on the momentous Encyclo-
INDIA HERITAGE RESEARCH
FOUNDATION (IHRF)
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Ecological Clean,
IHRF runs progra
awareness of envir
the mission of rest
ance. Its focus is cur
age areas, called T
Currently, IHRF is
rene Programs, i
Veerpur. In these n
clean up the holy b
In order to restore M
of sublime beauty,
and Serene progr
Through these proage cities will be r
purity, sanctity an
In general, IHRFcharitable orga
range of serviccated to bringincine to the sickIHRF does not drace, religion, c
All of its service
IHRF embracesseeks to heal w
ple, uneducated ways, they will never be able to sur-vive.
Rural Development Program:
We are running a rural development program in atown called Veerpur, on the banks of the Ganges,
about 3 km south of Rishikesh. In this program, weare doing the following:
Water facilities although the town lies on the banksof the River, most people had no running water orwater for their farms. We dug a boring well and havebrought running water to this village.
Tree plantation program
Organic Gardening program We have started a
special organic farming program as well. We havebrought in trained organic farmers and scientists toteach the local farmers alternative, chemical-freemethods of farming. Further we have a special buyback program with them where we buy back fromthem all of their crops.
Womens Vocational training program
Construction of a proper road
Spirituality and Culture we have started anevening devotional ceremony there on the banks ofthe Ganges, called Aarti. It is a way for the villagersto come together in a spirit of peace, culture and pi-ety.
Gurukul/orphanage: The second of the two gurukul/orphanages is here in Veerpur.
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Additionally, therespiritual programsacclaimed musiciaothers.
Additionally, the
pilgrims come fromintensive courses ostress managemenIndian, ancient sci
Further, Parmarth services make no dcolor, gender, creemphasize unity, hhealth, and the holmind and spirit.
True to its name, to the welfare of a
and free to all.
H.H. Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji is president ofParmarth Niketan Ashram in Rishikesh, India, a true,spiritual haven, lying on the holy banks of MotherGanga, in the lap of the lush Himalayas.
Parmarth Niketan is the largest ashram in Rishikesh.Parmarth Niketan provides its thousands of pilgrims who come from all corners of the Earth with aclean, pure and sacred atmosphere as well asabundant, beautiful gardens. With over 1000 rooms,the facilities are a perfect blend of modern amenitiesand traditional, spiritual simplicity.
The daily activities at Parmarth Niketan includemorning universal prayers, daily yoga and meditationclasses, daily satsang and lecture programs, kirtan,world renowned Ganga aarti at sunset, as well as fullNature Cure, and Ayurvedic treatment and training.
PARMARTH NIKETAN ASHRAM
RISHIKESH, INDIA
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