Who is God? He has the six attributes of divine wisdom (Jnana), dispassion (Vairagya), p o w e r s ( A i s v a r y a ) , strength (Bala), wealth (Sri) and fame (Kirti). Hence He is called Bhagavan!

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SHSK Calendar 2015 The calendar will have all the important Hindu festivals covering all the regions, US Federal and State holidays, Moon phases, Chandra and Surya grahan, Ekadashi, P r a d o s h Vr a t a n d Sankashti Chaturthi dates.!!Page 4

Vedanshi

Mantras,Shlokas & Stotras Lord Krishna Vasudeva-sutam Devam Kamsa-chaanura-mardanam |!Devaki-parmanandam Krishnam-vande-Jagadagurm ||!

Meaning:!I bow to you O Krishna, the Supreme Guru, Son of Devaki and Vasudeva, the remover of Kamsa and Chanur.!

Lord Shiva!Vande devam umaapatim suragurum vande jagatkaaranam, !Vande pannaga bhooshanam mrigadharam vande pashoonaam patim |!Vande soorya shashaanka vahninayam vande mukunda priyam, !Vande bhaktajanaashrayam cha varadam vande shivam shankaram |!Meaning:!1: Adorations to the Lord of Goddess Uma, Adorations to the cause of the universe. !

2: Adorations to the one who holds a deer (mind) in his hand, the Lord of the Pashus (souls in bondage), 3: Who has the Sun, moon and fire for his eyes, the beloved of Lord Mukunda. !4: Adorations to him who is the refuge of His devotee, the giver of all boons, the all auspicious doer of all that is good.!

Lord Rama!

Raamaya raama bhadraaya, raamchandraaya vedase |!Raghunaathaya naathaaya, siitaaya pataye namah|!

Meaning:!My salutations to Lord Sri Ram, the protector of all, one who knows all, the descendent of the Raghu dynasty. the husband of Sita and the Lord of the entire universe.!Mother Shakti !Ya Devi Sarva-bhuteshu, Shakti-rupenu-sansthitaa|Namastasyae, Namastasyae, Namastasyae, Namaho-namah||!

Meaning:!O Mother, who is present everywhere, who is the embodiment of Power and Energy, I bow to you, I bow to you, I bow to you.!

Mother Gauri!Sarva managala mangalyai shive sarvartha sadhike Sharanye trayambake gauri naaraayani namo-stute!Meaning:!Adorations to Goddess who is the auspiciousness of all that is auspicious, who is the consort of Lord Shiva, who is the bestower of every desire of one’ s heart. Adorations to You O Devi, I have taken refuge in you.!! -Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America!

The good or sattvic gift is one made for the sake of righteousness, without expectation of anything in return, and is bestowed in proper time and place on a deserving person!

Chapter 17, Verse 20; Bhagavad Gita

Bhoomi Puja B h o o m i P u j a w a s successfully performed by SHSK supporters on September 6th, 2014. Few pictures of the event are posted.!

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Deepavali in Lafayette

October 22nd 2014!Lakshmi Puja Muhurta =

19:44 to 21:00!

Duration = 1 Hour 15 Mins!

Important Dates in the Month of October!

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Significance of Deepavali We celebrate Deepavali by lighting lamps all around our homes. We light one flame and with that, light all the other lamps in the home. inherent in all beings.!

Page 3 &4

PO Box 80362, Lafayette, LA - 70598!!shskendra@gmail.com,

www.sanatanlft.org!

A Monthly Newsletter Issue No 11: October 2014

The part of the sacred knowledge

S A N A T A N H I N D U S A N S K A R K E N D R A

Issue No 11: October 2014, Lafayette, Louisiana " 1

October Important Dates!

For more details please refer DrikPanchang.com!

Sanatan Hindu Sanskar Kendra!PO Box 80362, Lafayette, Louisiana - 70598!

Email: shskendra@gmail.com, Website: sanatanlft.org!Tax Id: 46-2580905

Durga Sita Ram Ganesh Krishna Shiva

Who is God? by Swami Sivananda!

God is Truth. God is love. God is Light of lights. He is an embodiment of eternal bliss, supreme peace and wisdom. He is all-merciful, omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent. He has neither beginning nor end. He is the Supreme Being or Paramatma. The Gita styles Him as Purushottama or Supreme Purusha or Mahesvara. He knows everything in detail (Sarva-vit). He is the support for this world, body, mind, Indriyas and Prana. Without Him not an atom can move. He is the womb for the Vedas. Indra, Agni, Varuna, Vayu and Yama are His assistants. Earth, water, fire, air and ether are His five powers. Maya is His illusive Sakti.!

Brahma, Vishnu and Siva are the three aspects of God. Brahma is the creative aspect; Vishnu is the preservative aspect; and Siva is the destructive aspect. There are three other aspects: Virat is the manifested aspect; Hiranyagarbha is the immanent aspect; and Isvara is the causal aspect. Virat is the sum total of all physical bodies; Hiranyagarbha is the sum total of all minds-He is the cosmic mind; and Isvara is the sum total of all causal bodies (Karana Sarira).!

Srishti (creation), Sthiti (preservation), Samhara (destruction), Tirodhana or Tirobhava (veiling), and Anugraha (grace) are the five kinds of activities of God. !

God is the exquisite taste in vimto. He is the sweetness in the words of a beautiful, young lady. He is the strength in a Pahilvan (wrestler). He is the beauty in the Himalayan landscape. He is the thrilling melody in music. He is the fragrance in jasmine and Champaka. He is the softness in a velvety cushion and silk-cotton. He is the Prana in body, and intelligence in Antahkarana.!

Earth denotes His all-supporting nature. Water proclaims the message of His purity and sanctity.

Fire indicates His self-luminous nature. Air signifies His omnipotence. Ether heralds His all-pervading nature. Maya is under His perfect control. This is the Upadhi or subtle body of Isvara.!

He has the six attributes of divine wisdom (Jnana), dispassion (Vairagya), powers (Aisvarya), strength (Bala), wealth (Sri) and fame (Kirti). Hence He is called Bhagavan. He is the absentee landlord of this world. He is the wire-puller (Sutradhara) of all these physical bodies of beings. He is the inner Ruler (Antaryamin) of all beings.!

He dwells in your heart. He is in you and you are in Him. He is quite close to you. You were thinking in the beginning that He could be found only in Mount Kailasa, Ramesvaram, Mecca, Jerusalem, sky or Heaven. You had very vague ideas. This body is His moving temple. The sanctum sanctorum is the chambers of your own heart. Close your eyes. Withdraw your Indriyas from the sensual objects. Search Him there with one-pointed mind, devotion and pure love. You will surely find Him. He is waiting there with outstretched arms to embrace you. If you cannot find Him there, you cannot find Him anywhere else.!

God-realisation alone can put an end to the Samsaric wheel of birth and death with its concomitant evils such as birth, growth, disease, death, sorrow, pain etc. Eternal happiness can be had only in God. That is the reason why sages and saints, scriptures and Srutis make a very emphatic statement and lay great stress on the importance and necessity of God-realisation. Bhakti or devotion can help one in the attainment of this God-realisation. So I have described in this book the various methods to cultivate Bhakti and come face to face with God, taste the nectar of God-consciousness which alone is the summum bonum of human life and human endeavour. Purify. Control the Indriyas. Sing His Name. Feel His Presence everywhere. Repeat His Mantra. Meditate on His form. Realise Him. Rejoice in Him. Attain peace, bliss and immortality.!

Based on Lafayette, Louisiana, US Time!

19 Sunday! Rama Ekadashi, ! ! Govatsa Dwadashi!20 Monday! Dhan Teras!

21 Tuesday! Kali Chaudas!

22 Wednesday! Narak Chaturdashi, ! ! Deepavali, Lakshmi ! ! Puja!

23 Thursday! Surya Grahan!

24 Friday! Gowardhan Puja!

25 Saturday! Bhaiya Dooj!

29 Wednesday! Chhath Puja

Best Compliments from!Urvi and Hiren Shah

(Kenner)!

S A N A T A N H I N D U S A N S K A R K E N D R A

" Issue No 11: October 2014, Lafayette, Louisiana2

Significance of Deepavali!“For the protection of the virtuous, the defeat of the unjust, and the establishment of righteousness, I incarnate from age to age,” says Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita. Deepavali (meaning array of light) is a celebration of the Lord’s victory.!

The Story of Vamana!

In the southwestern part of India, Deepavali commemorates Vamana, the fifth incarnation of the lord. In the story, the prideful Emperor Bali laughingly grants Vamana (who appears in the form of a very short man) his request of three paces of land, as measured by Vamana’s own steps. Vamana grows until one step measures the entire Earth and the second encompasses the heavens. Bali’s pride then gives way to a reverent recognition that the Lord pervades the entire cosmos and that nothing is his to own or to give.!

When Vamana asks, “Where then may I place the third step you promised me?” Bali responds, “Place your blessed foot upon my head, O Lord.” This joyous illumination that the Divine permeates every atom of the Uni verse , inc luding ourselves, is at the heart of

the Deepavali celebration.!

The Story of Rama!

In other parts of India, Deepavali is a celebration of Rama, the Lord’s seventh incarnation. In the story, Rama, the crown prince of the kingdom of Ayodhya, relinquishes his crown and goes into exile to fulfill a promise made by his father. Rama with his wife Sita and his brother Lakshmana go to the forest for 14 years. In the last year, the ten-headed King Ravana of the island nation of Lanka kidnap Sita. She is held prisoner for almost a year until Rama rescues her with the help of Lakshmana, the valiant monkey Hanuman, and an army of other friends. Thus, Deepavali celebrates Rama’s return to Ayodhya, when the citizens filled the city with light and music to welcome their rightful king.!

While the Ramayana can be read as one of the good triumphing over evil, a deeper layer of meaning makes Deepavali a celebration of every human being’s spiritual journey. Sita represents the individual soul, eternal and pure, forever a part of the Universe Atman. When the soul is seen as something apart from God, it becomes prey to the senses.

Lakshmana, whom Rama appoints to protect Sita during a brief absence, is Discipline, drawing a circle of protection for the soul. When that discipline is rejected, the soul is held hostage by the senses, which are represented by the ten-headed king Ravana (Hindu

scriptures identify ten senses in human beings). But even in the midst of the garden of earthly delight in which Ravana imprisons Sita, the soul knows the truth of its own existence. It cries out for the Lord, knowing that IT is part of THAT.!

And while the human soul longs for God, God loves and seeks the soul. When the wayward mind, represented by the monkey Hanuman, becomes the Lord’s instrument, when self-will opens to the will of the Lord, then the soul finds the path to enlightenment. The soul and the Lord are reunited and the Kingdom of the Lord is established on Earth.!

The Ramayana is a story of spiritual transformation. Many characters appear, each of whom achieves a state of enlightenment through Rama’s inspiring presence, and each thereafter follows a life dedicated to service. The blind are enabled to see, those who are weak become strong, those who are strong become humble, and those who are humble find themselves empowered to do all that is right. In their identification with Rama, all become participants in the Divine; all are one in God.!

The Story of Krishna!

Deepavali is also celebrated as the victory of Krishna, the L o r d ’ s n i n t h incarnation, when he freed and enlightened the prisoners of the demon Narakasura, r u l e r o f Pragjyothishpura ( a name meaning the city of resplendent light). At one time, a glorious son, full of promise that he would be fitting ruler of the City of Resplendent Light, was born to Bhudevi. Now as everyone is born with free will, each one of us may choose to squander our heavenly inheritance and divert it towards demonic activities and create hell upon Earth. So this godly son of Mother Earth became a demon and became known as ‘Narakasura’, the Sanskrit name ‘Naraka’ meaning Hell. As his powers grew, he imprisoned thousands of virtuous and wise people in his city, which as a

result was plunged into darkness. Krishna, aided by his consort Satyabhama (Bhudevi incarnate), destroys Narakasura on the battlefield and restores the prisoners to their rightful heritage as citizens of Pragjyothishpura.!

Every one of us is created by God, living in God, completely a part of God. We become Narakasuras and confine ourselves to Hell when we see ourselves as apart from God and God’s creation. When we seek to impose our will to master the world and its creatures, we deny not only the divine nature of the universe, but also forget that we are part of that same divine light and energy. Thus, we plunge ourselves into a dark hellish sense of alienation and loneliness, consumed with the desire to recapture that sense of blessedness through power and acquisition.!

How do we break free of this prison we create for ourselves? Our liberation occurs through the Grace of God. The Grace of God as unconditional love an blessedness towards life on Earth is most personified as Lakshmi—Sridevi, in all her manifestations. The reciprocal power of renewal, regeneration, restoration, and rekindling—the divine Fire, so to speak—is portrayed as the other consort of God, Bhudevi. In this story, she is Satyabhama (meaning bearer of truth), and she does battle to revitalize the attitude of reverence toward Earth and all the beauty of this Divine Creation. She awakens us to the Ultimate Truth that we are each divine, living in a universe charged with divinity, under the protection and guidance of the Lord Himself. In the light of this divine love, we can emerge from our self-imposed prisons and reclaim our birthright as denizens of the City of Divine Light. This is the significance of Sathyabhama causing the fall of the demonic force of her own son.!

The Manifestation of Lakshmi!

The story of the churning of the Ocean of Milk, Ksheerasgara, by the devas and asuras in their quest of Amrita, the Divine Nectar of Immortality, is a familiar one. Ignorance of immortality is tamas, Darkness. So this effort takes place in the night of darkness, the New Moon night. In the churning lot of things become manifested, the Wish-f u l fi l l i n g T r e e Kalpataru, the Divine Cow Kamadhenu, the g o d l y e l e p h a n t Airavda, the jewel Kaustuba, the light of the dark night, the Moon Chandra and t h e n G o d d e s s Lakshmi herself. So this New Moon night on Deepavali day is celebrated as Lakshmi Puja.!

….Continued on page 4

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Issue No 11: October 2014, Lafayette, Louisiana " 3

SHSK Calendar 2015!SHSK is printing the yearly calendar for the year 2015. The calendar will have all the important Hindu festivals covering all the regions, US Federal and State holidays, Moon phases, Chandra and Surya grahan, Ekadashi, Pradosh Vrat and Sankashti Chaturthi dates. The calendar will also have the Thithis according to US time. Each Monthly Cover page will have a Photo of Famous Temple and/or a Deity. 200 copies will be printed.!

Front Page Sponsor - $1000!

Business Logo Sponsors (4) on Front Page - 4 x $250!

Back page Sponsor - $500!

Each Month page Sponsor - $250. !

Significance of Deepavali!The Deepavali Celebration!

Each of the stories above reiterates the real significance of Deepavali: that the divine light burns within each of us. All around us and within us, the universe glows and resonates with the divine presence. We celebrate Deepavali by lighting lamps all around our homes. We light one flame and with that, light all the other lamps in the home. No flame is diminished but all are brightened as the circle of light grows and we recognize the divinity inherent in all beings.!

Following the meditation on light, we act upon this knowledge of oneness by giving gifts of food and new clothes to the needy. Rangolis are created of rice and rice flour to share our bounty with the birds and insects.!

On Deepavali day, people wake early and after a purifying bath, don bright new clothes, symbolic of a new consciousness of our divine origin and purpose. The blossoming of this powerful enlightenment is reenacted by the fireworks exploding in the dark sky.!

Deepavali challenges us to know who we really are, as individual flames in the arrays of divine

light which are the Lord’s creation. On this day, we commit ourselves to seeking the Divine and opening our hearts and minds to receive the Grace of God.!

-Vasanthi Vasudevan & Dr R Venkataraman!

Diwali in Gujarat!The celebration of the five-day long festival, Diwali, begins on Aswayuja Bahula Chaturdashi and concludes on Kartika Shudha Vijaya. The first day of this festival begins with 'Dhan Trayodashi' or 'Dhanteras'. After the Dhanvantari Trayodashi the second day of Diwali is 'Narak Chaturdashi', which is popular as 'Chhoti Diwali'. The third day of Diwali, which is also called 'Badi Diwali' is the main day of celebrations of the festival of Diwali. People perform Lakshmi Pujan (worship of divine Goddess Lakshmi) on this day and offer prayers to her to bless them with wealth and prosperity. The fourth day of Diwali is devoted to Govardhan Pooja (worship of Lord Govardhan Parvat). The fifth day of the Diwali is Bhai Dooj, the time to honor the brother-sister relationship. !

- www.iloveindia.com

Bhoomi Puja, 110 Hapsburg Lane, Lafayette, Louisiana!September 6th, 2014

Wish You All A !Very Happy and Prosperous !

Deepavali!!

Thank you for your support and blessings.!

Srinivasan Ambatipati, Editor

S A N A T A N H I N D U S A N S K A R K E N D R A

! Issue No 11: October 2014, Lafayette, Louisiana4