Sarve Bhavantu Sukhina

Sarve Bhavantu Sukhina

“Sarve Bhavantu Sukhina ,

Sarve Santu Niramaya

Sarve Bhadrani Pashyantu ,

Maa Kaschit Dukha Bhagh Bhavet”

May all be happy;

May all be without disease;

May all have well-being;

May none have misery of any sort.

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Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam

Five thousand years ago, when nationalism did not even exist as a concept, Indian Thought talked of Universalism that transcended all boundaries:

“Ayam nijah paroveti ganana laghuchetasam

Udaracharitanam tu vasudhaiva kutumbakam”

“This is my countryman; that is a foreigner—such a view is entertained only by small-minded people; but to the broad, noble-minded, the whole world is one family

Atithi Devo Bhavah

"Atithi Devo Bhavah'
Guest is God

In Sanskrit, 'A_tithi' means 'Guest without appointment arrive to house' and ' Devo ' means ‘God'.
Hospitality of Indian people is very well known. They are freindly and kind towards visitors / guests. Moreover, every Indian state has an unique distinct style of everything, be it language, food, dressing, dance, songs etc. But there is one thing in common among all the Indian people, they treat their guests as god as per their state tradition and rituals.
What and who is Athithi ? Athithi means A-thithi or the person who arrives at our house without a thithi or an appointment. In other words, guest is not the exact translation of athithi which has been followed in Hindu culture and tradition from time immemorial. Let us take the example of Karna who sacrificed his son Biswak Sen to satisfy the hunger of Vishnu who was in disguise of a Brahmin. Let us take the example of Harishchandra or Bali Maharaj who sacrificed everything of their life including wife, son and themselves in order to satisfy the athithi. Meaning thereby Athithi who comes to our place without an appointment is to be worshipped at the cost of our comfort, whatever may be the circumstances.

Aham Brahmasmi

Prajnanam Brahma
Consciousness is Brahman
(Aitareya Upanishad 3.3, of Rg Veda)



Ayam Atma Brahma
This Self is Brahman
(Mandukya Upanishad 1.2, of Atharva Veda)



Tat Tvam Asi
Thou art that
(Chandogya Upanishad 6.8.7, of Sama Veda,
Kaivalya Upanishad)



Aham Brahmasmi
I am Brahman
(Brhadaranyaka Upanishad 1.4.10, of Yajur Veda,
Mahanarayana Upanishad)




Prajnanam Brahma
Consciousness is Brahman
(Aitareya Upanishad 3.3, of Rg Veda)

Other Translations: Brahman is pure consciousness; Brahman is knowing; Brahman is intelligence

In the sentence, ‘Prajnanam Brahma’ or Consciousness is Brahman, a definition of Reality is given. The best definition of Brahman would be to give expression to its supra-essential essence, and not to describe it with reference to accidental attributes, such as creatorship etc. That which is ultimately responsible for all our sensory activities, as seeing, hearing, etc., is Consciousness. Though Consciousness does not directly see or hear, it is impossible to have these sensory operations without it. Hence it should be considered as the final meaning of our mental and physical activities. Brahman is that which is Absolute, fills all space, is complete in itself, to which there is no second, and which is continuously present in everything, from the creator down to the lowest of matter. It, being everywhere, is also in each and every individual. This is the meaning of Prajnanam Brahma occurring in the Aitareya Upanishad.**





Ayam Atma Brahma
This Self is Brahman
(Mandukya Upanishad 1.2, of Atharva Veda)

Other Translations: Brahman is this Self; This Self is Brahma

The Mahavakya, ‘Ayam Atma Brahma’ or ‘This Self is Brahman,’ occurs in the Mandukya Upanishad. ‘Ayam’ means ‘this,’ and here ‘thisness’ refers to the self-luminous and non-mediate nature of the Self, which is internal to everything, from the Ahamkara or ego down to the physical body. This Self is Brahman, which is the substance out of which all things are really made. That which is everywhere, is also within us, and what is within us is everywhere. This is called ‘Brahman,’ because it is plenum, fills all space, expands into all existence, and is vast beyond all measure of perception or knowledge. On account of self-luminosity, non-relativity and universality, Atman and Brahman are the same. This identification of the Self with Absolute is not any act of bringing together two differing natures, but is an affirmation that absoluteness or universality includes everything, and there is nothing outside it.**





Tat Tvam Asi
Thou art that
(Chandogya Upanishad 6.8.7, of Sama Veda,
Kaivalya Upanishad)

Other Translations: That is how you are; That art thou

In the Chandogya Upanishad occurs the Mahavakya, ‘Tat Tvam Asi’ or ‘That thou art.’ Sage Uddalaka mentions this nine times, while instructing his disciple Svetaketu in the nature of Reality. That which is one alone without a second, without name and form, and which existed before creation, as well as after creation, as pure Existence alone, is what is referred to as Tat or That, in this sentence. The term Tvam stands for that which is in the innermost recesses of the student or the aspirant, but which is transcendent to the intellect, mind, senses, etc., and is the real 'I' of the student addressed in the teaching. The union of Tat and Tvam is by the term Asi or are. That Reality is remote is a misconception, which is removed by the instruction that it is within one’s own self. The erroneous notion that the Self is limited is dispelled by the instruction that it is the same as Reality.**






Aham Brahmasmi
I am Brahman.
(Brhadaranyaka Upanishad 1.4.10, of Yajur Veda,
Mahanarayana Upanishad)

In the sentence, ‘Aham Brahmasmi,’ or I am Brahman, the ‘I’ is that which is the One Witnessing Consciousness, standing apart form even the intellect, different from the ego-principle, and shining through every act of thinking, feeling, etc. This Witness-Consciousness, being the same in all, is universal, and cannot be distinguished from Brahman, which is the Absolute. Hence the essential ‘I’ which is full, super-rational and resplendent, should be the same as Brahman. This is not the identification of the limited individual ‘I’ with Brahman, but it is the Universal Substratum of individuality that is asserted to be what it is. The copula ‘am’ does not signify any empirical relation between two entities, but affirms the non-duality of essence. This dictum is from the Brhadaranyaka Upanishad.**




** Excerpted from: Swami Krishnananda, The Philosophy of the Panchadasi, “Chapter V: Discrimination of the Mahavakyas,” The Divine Life Society, Sivananda Ashram, Rishikesh, India.

|| Aano bhadra krtavo yantu vishwatah ||

Aano bhadra krtavo yantu vishwatah
"Let noble thoughts come to me from all directions”

The word 'Hinduism ‘ does not appear anywhere in Hindu scriptures, The proper name for Hinduism is ‘Sanatan Dharma’ Sanatan = eternal Dharma = religion.
Hinduism cannot be described as an organized religion. It is not founded by any individual. Hinduism is God centred and therefore one can call Hinduism as founded by God, because the answer to the question ‘Who is behind the eternal principles and who makes them work?’ will have to be ‘Cosmic power, Divine power, God’
Hinduism is God centred whereas other religions are prophet centred. For this reason the whole of mankind has to abide by (or is affected by) the eternal principles. The question of acceptance or rejection of Hinduism by any individual simply does not arise, or is irrelevant. It is illogical to talk of conversion to Hinduism. It is like saying that the laws of physics (e.g.gravity) will apply to you only if you belong to an organization or organized religion.
[The ceremonies and rituals connected with Hinduism (and other religions) are designed to cultivate increased spirituality. At advanced level of spirituality, rituals and ceremonies are dispensed with]
Swami Vivekananda wrote:If you want to be religious, enter not the gate of any organised religion. They do a hundred times more evil than good, because they stop the growth of each one's individual development.... Religion is only between you and your God, and no third person must come between you. Think what these organised religions have done! What Nepoleon was more terrible than those religious persecutions? If you and I organise, we begin to hate every person . It is better not to love, if loving only means hating others. That is no love. That is hell! If loving your own people means hating everybody else, it is the quintessence of selfishness and brutality, and the effect is that it will make you brutes
"Let noble thoughts come to me from all directions"

- Rig Veda [Aano bhadra krtavo yantu vishwatah]

Parenting

Parenting
As a parent, you hold the reins, yet must learn to let go ever so often.
As the ancient saying goes, a child carries the legacy of the parents – not only the financial, but also one of attitude, character and behavior. According to the Shastras an individual’s life and character is shaped by four factors. One fourth of it comes from the parents. Another one fourth is acquired through education, upbringing and exposure to people and media, Karma and one’s own experiences make up the remaining half.
So parents form the very first foundation of a child’s life. A child starts his or her learning process by imitating the parents. We are often surprised to hear a small child saying something like, “I have been waiting for this all my life.” It’s nothing but parroting what her mother says.
Children normally are keen observers. They observe everything. Every moment. When the parents get angry tell lies or scorn at people, children imbibe their actions. Unfortunately, most parents are oblivious to the fact that children are scrutinizing them every moment.
It is important for parents to be free from stress because the parents’ stress or joy and their character and attitudes get transferred to the child. If the parents are violent, it they are devoted or at least they act devoted, the seed of devotion will sprout in the child and they will become genuinely devoted and mature.
While the parents have to ensure that their children do not become too aggressive, at the same time, they have to take care that they don’t become like a vegetable. If the children tend to be aggressive, the parents should soften them up, and they are too shy and delicate, it’s the parents’ duty to make them strong.
The parents’ greatest challenge is to guard against their children getting an inferiority or superiority complex. In many families, parents never scold their children and let them go the way they want. This makes children utterly weak. On the other hand, some people always put a noose around children’s necks, making them fearful or completely rebellious. It is really a skill to bring up children who are normal, creative, confident, and emotionally mature.

Parents need to learn the skill of pointing out a child’s mistakes without making him or her feel guilty. The courage to confess without the fear of alienation needs to be inculcated in children. There is an old saying in Sanskrit. “When your son or daughter turns 16, behave with them like a friend.”. Don’t be their teachers; don’t tell them what to do or what not to do. Just share their difficulties with them. If you relate with them as a friend and no a parent, they will be more open to you. Usually teenagers open up to their friends much more than to their parents.
Children should be taught to be truthful without being prejudiced. The parent must ensure that the child’s intellect is not clogged with prejudice and inhibition. In today’s world, people have prejudice about race, religion, professions and so many other things. Children must be able to communicate and be friendly with everyone.
It is important to ensure that children have the required exposure to broaden their vision and deepen their roots. It’s often seen that children who are not taught ethical and religious values feel lost in middle age, like uprooted trees. Youngsters in the west are so lost that they go in search of their roots. Modernization is a natural phenomenon. It is like a tree branching out. That’s why parents should make sure that their children have strong roots before they branch out. A cultural and spiritual foundation is vital to helping a child grow up to become an intelligent and unbiased individual.
It’s absolutely critical that children get a multi-cultural, multi-religious education. This is vital to avoid fanaticism and religious terrorism.
If a child goes up knowing a little bit about all other religions, cultures and customs, then there will be a sense of belonging with everybody. I feel that when every child in the world learns a little bit about every other religion, the child will not have inhibitions or hatred Towards other religions or cultures.
Teachers, gurus and mentors used to play the role of counselors. Increasingly, this is not available to children. Parents, will have to play the dual role of motivator and counselor. It is like riding a horse: you hold the reins tight and yet let it loose frequently.
By H. H. Sri Sri Ravishankar