Monthly eMagazine of the International Vedanta Mission

Vedanta Sandesh Sept 2019

Year - 25 Issue 3
 Cover Page

The cover page of the Sept 2019 issue of Vedanta Sandesh is a very
well-known bird of the countryside of India - the Grey Frankolin or Teetar.
Grey Francolin (Francolinus pondicerianus), is also known as Grey
Partridge, and is a resident bird of the Indian subcontinent. Locally it is
known as Teetar. The name Teetar is based on the call of the bird, which
comes as 'Ka-tee-tar-tee-tar'.
Grey Francolin is a stub-tailed bird and is grayish-brown in color.
Male francolins may have upto two tarsal spurs, while the females have none.
The species inhabiting peninsula boasts of a dark rufous throat, supercilium
and more brown coloration. The mating season of the Grey Francolin of
India falls in the months of April to September. The gestation period lasts
from 21 to 23 days. The female lays 4-9 eggs at a time and the nest comprises
of a hidden scrape on the ground. The natural habitat of the Gray Partridge
is grasslands and scrublands. One can also spot the bird in the cultivated
areas as well as near villages. Grey Francolin is found inhabiting the plains
and drier parts of South Asia. The diet of Grey Francolin includes grain,
seeds, shoots, drupes, termites and insects.

Om Tat Sat
V edanta Sandes h

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 CONTENTS Vedanta Sandesh
Sept 2019
1. Shloka 5

2. Message of P. Guruji 7-8

3. Sadhana Panchakam 9-13

4. Letter 14-15

5. Gita Reflections 16-21

6. The Art of Man Making 22-27

7. Jivanmukta 28-30

8. Story Section 31-33

9. Mission / Ashram News 34-57

10. Forthcoming Progs 58

11. Internet News 59

12. Links 60
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 Monthly eMagazine of the International Vedanta Mission
Sept 2019 : Year 25 / Issue 3

Published by
International Vedanta Mission
Vedanta Ashram, E/2948, Sudama Nagar,
Indore-452009 (M.P.) India
http://www.vmission.org.in / vmission@gmail.com

Editor:

Swamini
Samatananda
Saraswati
V edanta Sandes h

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 rhRokZ eksgk.kZoa gRok
jkx}s"kkfnjk{klku~A
;ksxh 'kkUrlek;qDr%
vkRek jkeks fojktrsAA
Having crossed the oceon of delusion, and having killed
the demons of attachment and aversion, the knowledgable
Ram-like Yogi, endowed with peace, revels in the truth of
one’s own Self.

Atma Bodha - 50
 Message
from
Poojya Guruji

Mano-Laya & Mano-Nash

Everyone should know the difference between Mano-Laya and Ma-
no-Nash. Ramana Maharshi beautifully reveals the definition and also the
difference between these two states of mind in his Upadesha Saaram. This
text is the summary of the teachings to Bhagwan Shiva to his tapasvi dev-
otees. These devotees were very hard-working and lived a very dedicated
& austere life, but were just ignorant about some very fundamental truths of
life and themselves. The result of this ignorance was their endless seeking.
Both Mano-Laya and Mano-Nash quieten the thoughts of our mind,
however in the former all the anxieties etc of the mind is just temporarily
quietened, while in the latter the very root cause of all anxieties etc is ef-
faced and the mind naturally & effortlessly becomes quiet and healthy.
So Mano-Laya is quietening the effects, while Mano-Nash is removing the
very cause of all our mental disturbances.
All sadhanas and even worldly ways & means of bringing about hap-
V edanta Sandes h

piness, fulfillment and even success is all about handling our minds. How-
ever, we come to accept that mind has to be continuously & endlessly

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 managed. We do meditation or bhajans, we go to some beautiful place, we
enjoy some music, we delve into some sensual gratifications etc. and all
this does quieten our mind but just temporarily. Therefore we have to resort
to these means endlessly. This is all Mano-Laya. Ramana specifically talks
about the amazing power of Pranayama. Apart from its various powers
Pranayama also subsides our thoughts immediately, but also temporarily.
All our anxities etc are ready to re-enter our mind once our brute force of
quietening the thoughts is removed.
Thoughts are a manifestations of our deep-rooted seeking. We fun-
damentally take ourselves as limited and incomplete and thereafter seek
various things, but as the very conclusion of we being limited, the seeking
continues. So the secret is all about visiting the conclusions about our-
selves and see how valid is our conclusion about ourself to be a limited
person. So like all Vedantic texts he too suggests that we do self-enquiry
and check out the truth of ‘I’. All the limitations about ourselves are discov-
ered as baseless imaginations or superimpositions (adhyaropa). The very
realizing of something as imagination negates it, and once all superimpo-
sitions are negated we come to realize our real truth, which is pristine and
immaculate. The fundamental Self of everyone is complete, infinite and
divine. This is what is implied by the statements like Ayam Atma Brahma.
This realization removes the very cause of all seekings and anxieties. This
is what is implied by the word - Mano-Nash. That mind which is endlessly
seeking and worried is no more.
Sarve bhadrani pashyantu. Om Tat Sat.
V edanta Sandes h

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 Sadhana
Panchakam

- : 2: -
V edanta Sandes h

Swamini Samatananda
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 Sadhana Panchakam
S angati : Sadhana Panchakam is a man-
uscript of forty steps where Sri Shankaracharyaji paves the path
in the journey of Self-realization. These forty steps are like the
rungs of a ladder comprising of different sadhanas, wherein one
sadhana prepares us for the next sadhana. In the previous edi-
tion we discussed the first sadhana which was ‘Vedo nityam ad-
heeyataam’ which means study the Vedas regularly. In this edi-
tion we shall see the next sadhana which is -Taduditam karma
swanushtheeyataam.

Vedas are the valid means of knowledge which reveal to us the ul-
timate goal of life along with means to attain that goal. This has
been specifically classified in the Vedas as the four Purusharthas.
A human life is considered fulfilled when lived as per this Vedic
road map which teaches us the art of holistic living and then
awakening into a state which transcends the realms of time,space
and objects, awakening into a state of self-contentment. This
journey thus begins with the basics of chanting the Vedic Man-
tras and studying the Vedas under the guidance of a Sadguru.
Having introduced the Vedas to us the Acharya then goes on to
guide us through the next sadhana which is to perform actions as
mentioned in the Vedas. The Acharya says-
V edanta Sandes h

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 Sadhana Panchakam
rnqfnra deZLouq"Bh;rke~
Perform your duties and actions as
ordained by the Vedas.

The Vedas reveal Self-realization as the ultimate goal of

life and all actions or duties are not disconnected from this goal.
It is just like a sportsman who plans his life style around his goal
of winning a gold medal. He plans his diet, his sleep, his fitness,
his socialization, everything in a manner that will help him to
perform to the best of his abilities and achieve the goal. So also
our worldly life, our field of action, responses and our interac-
tions, everything is a means to prepare us for the divine goal of
spiritual evolution. It is only the ignorant ones who are not aware
of the real goal in life who consider worldly life and its expe-
riences as the be all and the end all. The Vedic philosophy re-
veals that worldly interaction and the field of action is a means to
this higher goal of self-realization. Therefore the Vedas and the
Bhagawad Geeta which is a reflection of the Vedic teachings are
a power-pact literature on the Art of living. In the Geeta Bhag-
wan Sri Krishna makes it very clear that without going through
the field of action and practising the art of karma yoga it is not
possible to aquire the eligibility for self-knowledge. Karma Yoga
is an inevitable sadhana we all have to go through in order to
evolve spiritually. Thus having inspired us to tudy the Vedas pri-
marily, the Acharya now goes on to suggest that we must perform
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 Sadhana Panchakam
our actions and duties ordaind by the Vedas-Taduditam karma
swanushtheeyataam...

Here Vedic duties must not be understood in its limited

sense of mere rituals, yagyas or worship alone. Surely the Vedas
also suggest various kinds of yagyas and worship but anyone who
sees these alone as divine actions then they have not understood
the philosophy of Vedic knowledge. In fact the misapprehension
of this Vedic principle alone has been the cause of practising rit-
ualism mechanically and of the downfall in truly understanding
the spirit of worship. The spirit of yagya or worship was revived
once again in full throttle in the BhagwadGeeta where Sri Kr-
ishna gives a universal message to Arjuna where material yag-
ya and temple worship was expanded to the realms of each and
every action that we perform. Here we need to understand what
are the actions ordained by the Vedas.

The Vedas suggest that we perform all our duties that come
to us as per our Varna (natural inclination) and Ashrama (stage
of life). Varnas are classified as a Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya
or Shudra. Likewise we belong to Brahmacharya ashrama, Gri-
hastham Vanaprastha or Sannyasa ashrama. Once we discern our
field of action as per our Varna and Ashram we need to perform
all such actions with a spirit of yagya bhava. Performing actions
with a spirit of Yagya bhava is the art of holistic living. A world-
ly person ignorant of this art of living lives an individual-centric
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 Sadhana Panchakam
life suffering the pangs of anxiety, stress, selfishness, fear and
insecurity whereas living with the spirit of yagya bhava is living
a God-centric life which is obviously free of anxiety and stress as
such a person can see an unseen hand sustaining every aspect of
the world. It involves a vision of seeing every being pervaded by
the same Ishvara and thus performing every duty, every action as
a worship towards the Divine. If action is a worship then it must
be an action of dynamism, creativity, selflessness and integrity.
Any person who performs actions in this manner need not run af-
ter success and happiness, instead success and joy will follow such
a person. Not only this such a karma yogi alone will be a good
student of the Upanishads. For such a student knowledge will
come like a duck takes to water. Thus the Acharya says perform
all your actions as suggested by the Vedas.
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 Mail from
Poojya Guruji

Handling Hopelessness & Dispair

Hari om S.

Not ‘we all’ but yes, majority of the people do think on these

lines and inevitably do end up in hopelessness & despair. The oth-

er kind, minority, also initially realize the hopelessness of the

ways of the world, but then do not despair, but re-think on their

fundamental presumptions and do the necessary corrections.

Normally, a common man of the world starts his/her innings with

two basic presumptions. One, that we are basically incomplete, and

have come in this world to seek something; and Two, what we seek

is out there in the world. Despair is basically a self-realization

that neither of these presumptions were right. Instead of grav-

itating towards negative emotion of despair just humbly question

your baseless presumptions and check out for alternate scenar-

io. If at all you have to blindly follow someone, then why follow

the stupid ways of the world, but rather follow the wise ones.

What the wise ones realized was that we are neither incomplete,
V edanta Sandes h

nor is the world capable of filling our imaginary empty cup. What

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 we come here for is not to acquire some worldly objects or experi-

ences but basically to wake up to the truth of life. Enlightenment is

the real goal not extricating some extraneous experiences. Think.

Despair has tremendous energy, and can bring about profoundly

positive or even disastrously negative outcomes. This crossroad

is critical, so use your energy intelligently and turn the tables.

I am writing all this on my flight back to Indore. Had a great

GGY and then Birding trips to Sattal, and then today morning

to outskirts of Ayodhya. Everything was great. Blessings also

to you for introducing us to nice people and getting things done.

Lots of love & om,

V edanta Sandes h

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 Gita Reflections

nsof}txq#izkK
iwtua 'kkSpektZoe~A
czãp;Zefgalk p
'kkjhja ri mP;rsAA
V edanta Sandes h

(Gita 17/14)
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 Austerity-1
(nsof}txq#izkK------)

Swamini Samatananda

Worship of the Gods, the brahmins, the teachers, and the wise men,
purity, straightforwardness, chastity, and nonviolence
are said to be physical austerity

(Gita : Ch-17 / Sh-14)

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 Gita Reflections
I n the Gita Yagya, Daana and Tapas are propound-
ed with utmost importance. It says that for an aspiring student of
dharma and self-knowledge Yagya, Daana and Tapas should nev-
er be given up. It must be practised uncompromisingly and very
deligently. Of these the practise of Yagya bhava is highlighted in
every chapter of the Gita as the prerequisite of both knowledge
and devotion. Daana and Tapas too have been emphasised upon
at various places. In the seventeenth chapter which speaks of the
three types of faith, Bhagwan Sri Krishna gives a vivid charac-
terisation of Daana and Tapas. Daana has been explained on the
basis of the attitudes of the three gunas-the sattva, rajas and ta-
mas respectively. Tapas on the other hand has been explained on
the basis of the organs of the body and later, on the basis of the
three gunas as well. At the level of our bodily instruments tapas
is explained at the level of the physical body, the speech and the
mind.

Tapas means austerity. In this sloka the Lord unfolds the

essence of a healthy tapas done at the level of the physical body.
Tapas has been one of the most highlighted and glorified feature
of Hinduism. With the mention of tapas the pauranic lores in-
stantly bring to our minds pictures of sadhus standing on one
foot in extreme conditions of heat and cold and going without
food and water for days together. In this sloka Bhagwan Krishna
brushes aside such fanciful ideas of physical austerity. Instead he
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 Gita Reflections
gives us a very crisp understanding of physical auterity which
brings about self-discipline, the power to firmly keep up to one’s
resolve, and to channelise our body, sense organs, energy and
mind towards our higher goal of holistic living and self-reali-
zation. The scriptural understanding of tapas is not a harsh su-
pression of the body and mind but it is freeing the body and mind
from past conditional behaviour and making them compatible for
karma yoga, upasana and knowledge. Tapas is recharging the
mind with fresh unagitated energy, conserving this energy and
using it for overall spiritual upliftment. There couldnt be a more
apt understanding of austerity than this as explained in the Gita
by the Lord himself.

Here the sloka begins with austerity by worshiping of the

Devas, the Twice Born, the Guru, and the wise.

Worshiping the Devas: Here we can see Deva as the Ishvara

who is the creator, sustainer and destroyer of the entire universe.
Even when we think of having an ishta devata it is sad that one
must have an attitude of Ishvara in one’s personalized God too.
Tuning oneself with Ishvara is tuning one’s self to a higher ide-
al. Having an attitude of reverence and devotion not only keeps
us connected to the Divine but also brings about divine qualities
in us as well. Worshipping the Deva is not only a feature of wor-
shipping God in a temple but it soon shows in our actions, our re-
sponses, our interactions making our karmas a karma yoga. Our
actions become an expression of worship with integrity, love,
creativity and humility.
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 Gita Reflections
Worshiping the Twice Born: A Brahmin is called a twice born.
A person is first born of his mother’s womb but the second birth
takes place when we rise beyond our gross existence and walk the
path of spiritual enquiry. A Brahmin is one who takes this path
of learning and enquiry thus a Brahmin is not one who is born in
Brahmin family but who is inclined towards acquiring and shar-
ing of knowledge. Having reverence towards such Brahmins and
serving them is phyiscal austerity.

Worshipping the Guru: This is the ultimate form of worship be-

cause it is the Guru alone who teaches us to worship God and
value knowledge. Worship and reverence towards the Guru, one’s
Teacher is best practised by serving the Master in what ever way
he is pleased, by casting aside all one’s personal likes and dislikes
and by embibing and practising all the knowledge compassion-
ately given by him. Having reverence towards all such wise men
reflects our value for righteousness and knowledge. There cannot
be a better practise of austerity than this.

Purity and Straightforwardness: This nature of austerity opens

the doors for more subtle understanding and practices for all
spiritual seekers. Purity at the level of one’s own physical body,
one’s sorroundings and environment reflects a sensitive mind.
Only a mind which is sensitive at the gross level of his sorround-
ings can dive into the subtle levels of the mind and beyond.
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 Gita Reflections
Likewise straightforwardness reveals a clean personality. A per-
son who’s external expressions are a reflection of his inner mind.
There is no duality. A person who is not straightforward will have
a split personality thereby bringing about dissipation of energy,
integrity, tranquility and honesty.

Brahmacharya: Constantly revelling in the supreme goal of

Brahman. For this one has to practise tapas of unnecessary in-
dulgence in the world outside which bring about distraction and
consume our valuable energy.

Ahimsa: In Vedic understanding ahimsa is not literally practis-

ing non-injury at the level of the body as this may not be possible.
Just as a doctor will use a knife to conduct a surgery but that is for
the well-being of someone. There fore ahimsa implies refraining
from any kind of physical, verbal or mental injury for the satis-
faction of any kind of selfish motives.

In this manner all these points so far discussed constitute

physical austerity-Shareeram tapas. Practise of austerity in this
manner not only helps us live a healthy worldly life but it slowly
helps us evolve from the levels of a conditioned living and bring
about a mindset which is more sensitive, subtle and pure.
V edanta Sandes h

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 - 18-
The Art Of Man Making
Effortless Detachment

P.P. Gurudev
Swami Chinmayanandaji
V edanta Sandes h

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 The Art of Man Making
A ny intelligent student of religion will have an
endless curiosity to know the nature of the Perfect Man from
the spiritual and the cultural stand-point. We hear many as ac-
claimed prophets, as Godmen, as Rishis, as Men of realization.
Yet, apparently, they lived a normal human life. Then what ex-
actly are their outshining features because of which we recog-
nise in them a special glow of divinity?

Many of them were married men-the Rishis of Vedic

lore-some of them were householders, at least one was a dy-
namic and authoritative king-Janaka-some were diplomats,
some statesmen, and some remained in the seclusion of their
caves, lost in contemplation. So it is a legitimate question the
sceptical, militant prince Arjuna is asking. ‘What then is the
nature of the Man of Perfection?

Krishna answers with the following verses where he enu-

merates (1) the individual’s inner qualities, (2) his attitude to-
wards things and happenings around him and (3) his relation-
ship with the beings of the world.

He says, *When a man castes away, O Partha, all the de-

sires of his mind, ever satisfied in himself, by himself, then he
is a man of steady wisdom.

Deires rise from a sense of want or need felt in ourselves.

We all feel that our individual lives are not complete and in our
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 The Art of Man Making
urge to fulfil them, we strive to gain things necessary for it.
This striving for acquiring things in order that we may come to
feel fulfilled is called desire or lust (kaama). The imperfect tries
to attain perfection, the unfulfilled tries to gain fulfillment, all
through acquiring, possessing, and indulging in the sense-ob-
jects of the world.

As lomg as there are Vasanas in us, they must express

as desires, and so when ‘all desires in the heart are cast away’,
when there are no more any desires rising, meaning when there
are no more Vasanas manifesting into desire waves in the intel-
lect, such a desireless man feels in himself such a rich fullness
that he needs nothing to complete is sense of fulfilment.

This ‘desireless’ state can also come from the inertia and
supreme incompetency. But this is a negative state-the state of
sleep or stupor. The perfect state of ‘desireless’ contentment
comes on awakening to a larger dimension of existence in the
Self, pure, infinite uncondtioned Consciousness. There want or
sorrow cannot reach.

This state of desirelessness is the touchstone of a Man

of Perfection. Desirelessness in itself is not a sign of perfec-
tion. But if it arises from the discovery of a hidden sovereig-
nity in an ampler dimension of Consciousness-the Self-it is the
state of Perfection nay it is the goal of life.

Such an individual is at once a master in himself and a

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 The Art of Man Making
master of the outer world of contentions. A perfect saint is no
victim of the worlds cruelties, nor does he initiate them in the
world around him. *He is unshaken in adversity, completely
unattached to pleasures free from the attachment, fear, anger.
Such a one is indeed a seer of steady wisdom.

The objects of the world, when they are arranged to

provide a conducive pattern. the mind enjoys them and feels
pleasure or joy; and if unconducive to it, the same mind feels
miserable. This is a natural reaction of the mind. But he is a
master who has trained his mind to be ‘unshaken in adversity’
(dukkheshu anugwign manaaha) and ‘in pleasure or joy to be
without any craving or attachment for it’ sukheshu vigat spri-
haha)

Modern psychologists may cry that such a mind is in an

unhealthy condition of mental paralysis. So the Lord adds, One
who has become free from attachemnt, fear and anger it is a
man of wisdom. A statement of the scriptures may often look
innocent and quit clear. But these very inocent words smuggle
deep down within themselves unexpected treasures of mean-
ing. We may wonder why these three emotions are specifically
mentioned - attachment (raag), fear (bhaya) and anger (kro-
dha)-as absent from the mind of a master.

A mind is attracted towards a thing or being only when

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 The Art of Man Making
there is a Vasana for it. This attraction continues to be urgent
and compelling and the realtionship of the Vasana-driven mind
with the object of its fascination is called ‘attachment’. When
that Vasana has ended, the attachment or affection also ends.
(veetraagaha)

When raaga is strong, then our fear-anxiety for its safety

is great indeed. No one can be as anxious for the safety of a
child as its own mother. This ‘fear’ for the secuirty and safe-
ty of a thing is directly proportional to one’s ‘attachment’ for
it, which again is an expression of one’s Vasanas. When the
Vasana had ended, the ‘attachment’ (raaga) also ends. Where
‘attachment’ is not there, ‘fear’ (bhaya) cannot be.

When an object of attachment is feared lost and found

again, the rebound of the mind when suddenly relieved is ‘an-
ger’ (krodhah). When Vasana is eliminated, attachment drops
off, fear ends; anger cannot rise. He in whom the Vasanas are
ended, from him attachment, fear and anger are gone (veet raa-
ga bhay krodhaha)

Krishna further says, *He who is everywhere unattached,

neither rejoices at the good nor is vexed by the evil, he is the
master of perfect wisdom. He neither praises nor blames any-
one because he has risen above both good and evil and has un-
derstood them to be two different conditions of the mind. This
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 The Art of Man Making
is almost a direct answer to the question-’How does He speak?’

He has no attachment for the world of objects. When

once the Vasanas have ended, there is no ego to evaluate the
things of the world and classify them as good and evil. The
master accepts them for what they are, and is neither pleased
nor vexed by the happenings on the lower plane of conscious-
ness, where, of course, they are valid and natural.

Let auspiciousness (shubha) and inauspiciousness (ashub-

ha) come in clamorous processions! A man of steady wisdom
faces life with a smile, never rejoicing at its pleasures now wor-
rying over its sorrws. He stands a tower of strength, rising
above the paltry world of pluraility and its endless contentions
and pangs of pain.
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 Jivanmukta
Wandering In
Himalayas

80
Trilokinath

Excerpts from the Travel Memoirs of

Param Poojya
V edanta Sandes h

Swami Tapovanji
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 Jivanmukta
A s it rained everyday we had to endure far great-
er discomforts on our return trip. Fresh snow had fallen on the Lu-
tang Pass but that did not make much of a difference in the volume
and depth of the snow, since the old snow had melted away in the
warmth of the Sun. However, the cold was still more intense and so
we had to put up with serious discomforts on the way. But, Divine
Grace, somehow, enabled us to overcome all such difficulties and
reach Vasishta in safety. The villagers of Vasishta rejoiced at our
success and received us jubilantly with great devotion. We lost no
time in resuming our journey. We started the very next day follow-
ing another route, that is, along the left bank of the Vyasaganga,
and reached Kullu on the second day, crossing beautiful mountains,
valleys, and villages en route. I decided to reach Uttarkasi before
the Ashadha Purnima, the first day of the rainy season compris-
ing the four months, and travel along the mountain routes, without
climbing down to the plains. Having arrived at such a decision, I left
Kullu on 22nd June, after invoking the blessings of Kasi Viswanath.
It was at the beginning of June that I started on the journey from
Vasishta to Thrilokeenath. The circumstances were not favourable
to a longer stay at Thrilokee. Moreover, I did not feel the need to
stay on. It was for these reasons that I cut short my stay rather
abruptly and started for Uttarkasi on the bank of the Divine Gan-
ga, where sadhus congregate and from where spiritual light radiates
in all directions. Having thus spent two months and four days, from
V edanta Sandes h

18 th April (the day I left Hrishikesh) to 22nd June, on the bank of

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 Jivanmukta
the sacred Vyasaganga and at Thrilokeenath temple, in great joy,
I bade good-bye to the other sadhus and started all alone in the
direction of Soumya Kasi. Sri Sankara has sung “

(He indeed is lucky whose sole worldly possession is his under-

wear). The fewer one’s possessions, the greater are one’s enjoy-
ment and freedom—it is an incontrovertible truth learnt by ex-
perience. While I was surrounded by several sadhus, in spite of
their readiness to serve me, I never felt so happy as when I was
all alone. Unaffected by the dual forces, living on food got by beg-
ging, pleased with howsoever little obtained by chance, I moved
forward slowly, untouched by sorrow. I had to travel some dis-
tance along the route from Kullu to Simla. Simla is 22 miles away
from Kullu. The first lap of the journey terminated at a small
town called ‘ Ramapura ’.
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 STORY
Section
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 Shri Shailam
S ri Bhramaramba Mallikarjuna Tem-
ple is a Hindu temple dedicated to the deities Shiva and Parvati,
located at Srisailam in Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.

It is significant as this temple is referred to as one of the twelve

Jyothirlingas of Lord Shiva and as one of the eighteen Shakti
Peethas of goddess Parvati. Shiva is worshiped as Mallikarju-
na, and is represented by the lingam. His consort Parvati is de-
picted as Brahmaramba. It is the one of the only three temples
in India in which both Jyotirlinga and Shaktipeeth is revered.

The legend is that Kumar Kartikeya, the eldest son of Lord

Shiva once got angry and came to the Kronch Hills from Kai-
lash. Lord Shiva and Maa Parvati came here and stayed on with
the name Arjun and Mallika. Thus the place and the temple
were called Mallikarjun.

When Shiva and Parvati decided to find suitable brides for their
sons, Ganesha and Kartikeya argued as to who is to get wedded
first. Shiva bade that the one who goes around the world in
Pradakshinam could get married first. By the time Kartikeya
could go round the world on his vahana, Ganesha went round
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 Sri Shailam
his parents 7 times (for according to Shastras, going in pradak-
shinam round one’s parents is equivalent to going once around
the world (Bhupradakshinam)). Siva got Buddhi(intellect), Sid-
dhi (spiritual power), and Riddhi (prosperity) married to Gane-
sha. Kartikeya on his return was enraged and went away to stay
alone on Mount Kraunja in the name of Kumarabrahmacha-
ri. On seeing his father coming over to pacify him, he tried to
move to another place, but on the request of the Devas, stayed
close by. The place where Siva and Parvati stayed came to be
known as Shrishailam.

As per Hindu legend, the presiding deity in the form of Linga

(an iconic form of Shiva) was worshipped with jasmine (local-
ly called Mallika), leading to the name of presiding deity as
Mallikarjuna.
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 Mission & Ashram News

Bringing Love & Light

in the lives of all with the
Knowledge of Self
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 Ashram News
Vedanta Camp, Indore

By Poojya Guruji Swami Atmanandaji

Upadesha Saaram
V edanta Sandes h

19th - 24th Aug 2019

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 Ashram News
Vedanta Camp, Indore

By Poojya Guruji Swami Atmanandaji

Upadesha Saaram
V edanta Sandes h

19th - 24th Aug 2019

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 Ashram News
Vedanta Camp, Indore

Poojya Swamini Amitanandaji

Sthita-Pragnya Section of Gita

V edanta Sandes h

19th - 24th Aug 2019

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 Ashram News
Vedanta Camp, Indore

Poojya Swamini Samatanandaji

Meditation & Chanting

V edanta Sandes h

19th - 24th Aug 2019

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 Ashram News
Vedanta Camp, Indore

Daily Shiv-Pooja by different Devotees

Under the guidance of Ashram Mahatmas

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19th - 24th Aug 2019

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 Ashram News
Vedanta Camp, Indore

Evening Bhajan & Q&A Session

Almost everyone sang lovely Bhajans

V edanta Sandes h

19th - 24th Aug 2019

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 Ashram News
Vedanta Camp, Indore

Sattwic Bhojan with lovely Shlokas

Bhiksha offered by devotees daily

V edanta Sandes h

19th - 24th Aug 2019

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 Ashram News
Vedanta Camp, Indore

Jokes Program by Manohar Agarwal

Laughter is the Best Medicine

V edanta Sandes h

Camp: 19th - 24th Aug 2019

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 Ashram News
Vedanta Camp, Indore

Hasgulle by Manohar Agarwal

Laughter is the Best Medicine

V edanta Sandes h

Camp: 19th - 24th Aug 2019

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 Ashram News
Vedanta Camp, Indore

On one of the days was a Singing Program

Using Karaoke and singing lovely common songs

V edanta Sandes h

Camp: 19th - 24th Aug 2019

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 Ashram News
Vedanta Camp, Indore

Expression of Gratitude on Last Day

Everyone was overwhelmed

V edanta Sandes h

Camp: 19th - 24th Aug 2019

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 Ashram News
Vedanta Camp, Indore

Expression of Gratitude by Campers

Everyone spoke enthusiastically

V edanta Sandes h

Conclusion: 24th Aug 2019

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 Ashram News
Vedanta Camp, Indore

Expression of Gratitude by Campers

They spoke in Hindi, English & Marathi

V edanta Sandes h

Conclusion: 24th Aug 2019

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 MIssion News
Vedanta Camp, Indore

Dakshina Session

Expressing Gratitude
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Conclusion: 24th Aug 2019

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 Mission News
Satsang at Dr Garg’s Farm House

Satsang by Poojya Guruji was organized

Family members and Doctor friends

V edanta Sandes h

Lovely lunch followed - 4th Aug 2019

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 Ashram News
Hanuman Chalisa Satsang: Aug 2019

Bhajans / HC Chanting & Pravachan

Pravachan was on Chaupayi 34

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Last Sunday, 25th Aug 2019

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 MIssion News
Hanuman Chalisa Satsang: Aug 2019

Inspiring Satsang on Hanuman Chalisa

Discussion on Death & Life Beyond

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25th Aug 2019

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 Ashram News
Experiments with Hydroponics

Hydroponics is Soil-less Farming

Using very less water

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Horizontal / Vertical Towers / Dutch-bucket

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 Ashram News
Independence Day Celebs

15th Aug - Flag Hoisting was done at Ashram

Neighbourhood Children also participated

V edanta Sandes h

15th Aug was also Rakhi day

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 Ashram News
Sri Krishna Janmashtami Celebs

Evening we had Vishnu Sahasranama Archana

Lovely Altar of Bhagwan Sri Krishna

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Hall was looking grand

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 Ashram News
Sri Krishna Janmashtami Celebs

Bhajans and Dance followed

Everyone was euphoric

V edanta Sandes h

Ashram Mahatmas sang various Bhajans

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 Ashram News
Sri Krishna Janmashtami Celebs

Just before midnight there was Vedic Chanting

At dot 12 Bhagwan manifested.

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There was Maha-aarti and Prasad ñ

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 Ashram News
Savan Somvar Jhanki’s

Special Decorations every Monday

Depicting various Shiv-Kathas

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Devotees thronged for darshan

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 Forthcoming VM Programs
29th Sept 2019

HANUMAN CHALISA SATSANG @ Indore

from 6.30 PM @ Vedanta Ashram

P. Guruji Swami Atmanandaji

16th - 22nd Sept 2019

GITA GYANA YAGNA @ Lucknow

Gita Chap 12 / Kenopanishad Khand - 3

P. Swamini Amitanandaji

18th - 22nd Sept 2019

GITA GYANA YAGNA @ Mumbai

Gita Chap 17

P. Swamini Samatanandaji

1 st - 7th Nov 2019

GITA GYANA YAGNA @ Jalgaon

Gita Chap 13 / Mundakopanishad 1-1

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P. Swamini Poornanandaji

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 Internet News
Talks on (by P. Guruji) :

Gita Chapter - 1 (Mumbai)

Gita Complete

Mandukya Ch - 2 (Mumbai)

Sadhana Panchakam
Vivek Chudamani sloka 1

Upadesh Saram (Vedanta Camp, Indore)

Hanuman Chalisa - 69

Photo Albums

Camp - Day 1 / Day 2 / Day 3 / Day 4

Day 5 / Camp Conclusion

Janmashtami Celebration

Hanuman Chalisa: Aug

E Zines

Vedanta Sandesh - Aug

Vedanta Piyush - Aug

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 Visit us online :
International Vedanta Mission

Check out earlier issues of :

Vedanta Sandesh

Visit the IVM Blog at :

Vedanta Mission Blog

Published by:
International Vedanta Mission

Editor:
Swamini Samatananda Saraswati
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