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COVER: For four years Yogaswami meditated under an olive tree in Sri Lanka. Here artist S. Rajam captures that sevedevotees approach prayerfully and Siva graces the great gurus striving; children in Rishikesh, dressed for a religious celeb

July/August/September, 2014 The Hindu Year Jaya, 5115

www.gurud

I N T E R N A T I O N A LFeature:Exploring the Holy City of Rishikesh and its

Profusion of Ashrams on the Ganga 18Insight: Meet Yogaswami, Sri Lankas

Inimitable Sage 35Museums: Beyond Bollywood Exhibition in

Washington D.C. Attempts to Map Indian-American Influence in the US 58

Teaching: Indias 100-Year-Old Gurukulam IsMerging Traditional Learning with 21stCentury Training 64

L I F E S T Y L EAncient Lives: Greeks Mystical Mathematician,

Pythagoras of Samos 62Saints: Akka Mahadevi of Karnataka, a Bold Woman

with a Gift for Philosophical Poetry 66

OP IN IONIn My Opinion:My Plan to Impact Acade

Publishers Desk:The Twin Pillars of Ah

Karma and Accepting the Divinity of all LettersFrom the Agamas: Meditation and RenunOpinion:How I Found my Hindu IdentityMinisters Message: Pramukh Swami M

Defends the Path of the Renunciate Mon

D I G E S T SGlobal Dharma Quotes & Quips Digital Dharma

Letters to the editor, subscription and editorial inquiries may be sent to Hinduism Today, 107Kaholalele Road, Kapaa, Hawaii 96746-930hindu.org. Hinduism Today(ISSN# 0896-0801; USPS# 023082), July/August/September 2014, Volume 36, No. 3. Editorial: 1-808-822-tions from USA and Canada 1-877-255-1540; subscriptions, copies or bulk orders from other countries 1-808-240-3109 ; subscribe@vertising: 1-888-464-1008, [email protected]. All-department fax: 1-808-822-4351. Hinduism Todayis published four times a year inJuly and October by Himalayan Academy, a nonprofit educational institution at 107Kaholalele Road, Kapaa, Hawaii 96746-9304USA.Subramuniyaswami, Founder; Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami, Publisher; Paramacharya Sadasivanatha Palaniswami, Editor-in-Chief.tions: us$35/1year, $65/2 years, $95/3 years, $155/5years, $1,001/lifetime. Contact us for international rates. In Malaysia: Sanathana Dtions, Kovind Enterprise, No. 17, Jalan Ungu U9/29, Sunway Kayangan, 40150 Shah Alam. Tel: 016-380-2393; E-mail: [email protected] Dharma Publications, Blk 210 #06-326, Pasir Ris St reet 21, 510210. Tel: 9664-9001 ; E-mail: [email protected]. For permissia Hinduism Todayarticle, e-mail [email protected] fax 1-808-822-4351. Printed in USA. Periodicals p ostage paid at Kapaa, Hawaii, anmailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Hinduism Today, 107Kaholalele Road, Kapaa, Hawaii, 96746-9304.

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Main photo: Pilgrims congregate in the center of the bridge for the bestview and sense of the Ganga; (inset, left to right) bridge traffic includes a

vegetable vendor restocking his store on the opp osite bank; cows crossingunfazed by the bridges constant sway; and pilgrims of all ages

One of the towns two landmark bridges, the 284-foot

Lakshman Jhula (below) crosses 70 feet above the river

Ganga, with the Trayambakeshwar Temple behind. It is 2.5

kilometers upstream from the more recent 450-foot Ram

Jhula. Follow our reporting team as the explore the cultu

and religious wonders of this famous holy city page 18

ishik shRishikesh


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hinduism today july/august/september, 2014 july /august/september, 2014 hinduis mtop to bottom: t. singaravelou; hindutemplespakistan.blogspot.com; johnb r e c h e r / n b c n e w s

top to bottom: horizon travel india ; the japan times; lely.ltd

e r a l a

ime to Celebrate!n early april the malabaregion of northern Kerala cel-rated its musical and colorfuloram festivals. The oldest andost elaborate of these takesace at Vadakkumnathan tem-e in Thrissur. For seven dayse surrounding buildings arecorated with colorful lights,d people celebrate with greatnfare amid the summer heat.This years event included fire-orks, processions of elephants,

and the festivals unique rhyth-mic Panchavadyam(orchestra offive instruments), which paradessome 250 musicians among thetens of thousands of worshipers.

The event was conceived byRaja Rama Varma, Maharaja ofCochin from 1790 to 1805, whounified the ten temples aroundVadakkunnathan and organizeda mass celebration. Today, over200 years later, the festival con-tinues to grow in popularity.

p a k i s t a n

Temples No MoreTemples No More

AArecent survey conductedby the All Pakistan HinduRights Movement (PHRM) hasdisclosed some disturbing infor-mation about Hindu temples inPakistan, according to an articlein the The Express Tribune. Thesurvey looked at 428 sites in thecountry and concluded that only

20 of these sites are still func-tioning as Hindu places of wor-ship. Since 1990 the other 408Hindu temples and shrines have

been converted into toy stores,restaurants, government offices,schools and more. Most of thesesites have been leased for com-mercial and residential purposesby Pakistans Evacuee TrustProperty Board, which nowcontrols about 135,000 acres ofland owned by over four mil-lion Hindus.

PHRM chairman HaroonSarab Diyal shared someexamples of temples beingwrongfully repurposed. TheKali Bari Temple in Dera Ismail

Khan has been rented outto a Muslim group. AnotherHindu temple in the district ofBannu, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa,has been turned into a candyshop. The Siva temple in Ko-hat has been converted into agovernment primary school,and another Hindu temple inPunjab was demolished andreconstructed as a communitycenter.

Most Pakistani Hindus havebeen driven from their countryby religious persecution or

killed outright. Those who re-main face increasing odds.

s a

Dairy Farming with Robotsmerican dairy farmersnow have new options for

affing their daily operations.cording to a recent article ineNew York Times,some farm-s in the northeastern Unitedates have invested in robots foreir daily feeding and milkingeds. The robots are the workLely, a European company

hich specializes in the creationintelligent farm equipmenterything from feed robots tond turbines.For the dairy farmer, the mostportant of the companysoducts is the laser-guided

milking machinea high-techsystem with some nice benefitsfor the cows themselves. Tradi-tionally dairy cows are milkedtwice a day; but with the robotpresent, the cows can simplywalk up of their own accord andbe milked whenever desired.Delayed milking can be painfulfor a cow, but this way milkingis always on their own schedule.One farmer noted it just took afew days for the cows to figureit out, and his cows have happilystarted milking themselvessixtimes a day.

The future is now.

ja pa n

Boarding the Yoga TrainBoarding the Yoga Train

A

ccording to a recent ar-ticle in The Japan Times,

yogas popularity is on the rise inthe country. Yoga practitionersare experiencing a process ofintegration. Those who werepreviously only interested inyogas health aspects are becom-ing more involved in its spiritualside, while those of a more spiri-tual inclination are becomingmore appreciative of its physical

benefits.The result is a rapid growth

of the practice among urban

Japanese, in particular. One ex-perienced yoga instructor, Ma-moru Aizawa, stated, This is anawakening. Lots of people prac-tice ashtanga yoga early in themorning before going to work.

As just one example of thistrend, the 201 3 Yogafest Yoko-hama, held in late September,is said to have been one of thelargest yoga gatherings in Asia.This is good news for a countrythat sees as many as 150 sud-den deaths a year from work-induced stress.

v e g e ta r i a n i s m

Environmental Benefits of a Meat-free DietEnvironmental Benefits of a Meat-free Diet

D

uring the year 2013 thestate of California experi-

enced one of the worst droughtsin recorded history. Californiagrows nearly 50 percent of thenations fruits, nuts and veg-etables, so Americans are begin-ning to pay more attention to theamount of water it takes to growvarious types of food.

A recent article in theNewYork Timeshighlights the waterfootprint of foods. For instance,it takes 3.3 gallons of water togrow a single tomato. While oneton of vegetables requires about85,000 gallons of water, oneton of beef requires well over4,000,000 gallons!

California devotes 80 percentof its water to agriculture, so itsimportant to assess just how ef-ficiently that water is being used,

The article points out an easy,

accessible, inexpensive andhighly effective action mostcitizens can take to help allevi-ate Californias recurrent watershortages (and the resultant high

food prices): decreasinpletely eliminating thones diet can reduce osonal water footprint b60 percent.

t a m i l n a d u

Dancing for the GodsDancing for the GodsT

he sacred tradition ofritual dance in temples has

seen a revival in recent decades.Chidambarams Natyanjalifestival of dance, started in 1981,draws over 1,000 dancers andartists from throughout Indiaand around the world to partici-pate in the event. Lasting fromlate March to early April, thefestival includes classical formsof the Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi,Mohiniyattam, Katthak, Odissi,Sattriya, Manipuri, and ChauKoodiyattam disciplines.

For thousands of yshipful dance was coone of the most sacrein many temples thrIndia; but after Britaicontrol of the countrdancing was bannedstates. Despite that semany forms of sacredsisted, some being pathrough families andgurus. Thanks to festas Natyanjali, this intsonal form of worshing popularity in Ind

Elephants on parade:During the crowded festival, decoratedelephants follow behind the rows of Panchavadyam musicians

Fading temples:A Hindutemple in Taxila, nearRawalpindi, Pakistan

Dusty and dry:A ranch in California suffers months without rainfall

Land of the rising sun-salutation:A large group of Japaneseyoga enthusiasts do yoga outside in Yokohama

he new farmhand:This robot uses laser guided precision tolk the cow without a single human present

Worship through dance:A group of dancers performNatyanjali Festival in Chidambaram


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hinduism today july/august/september, 2014 july/august/september, 2014 hindu is mju ly/ aug us t/s ep te mbe r, 20 14 hi ndu is m

HINDUISMT ODAYwasfounded on January 5,1979,by Satguru SivayaSubramuniyaswami(19272001). It is anonprofit educationalactivity of HimalayanAcademy, with the fol-lowing purposes: 1.Tofoster Hindu solidar-ity as a unity in diver-sity among all sects

and lineages; 2.To inform and inspire Hindusworldwide and people interested in Hinduism;3.To dispel myths, illusions and misinformationabout H induism; 4.To protect, preserve and pro-mote the sacred Vedasand the Hindu religion;

5. To nurture and monitor the ongoing spiri-tual Hindu renaissa nce;6.To publish resourcesfor Hindu leaders and educators who promoteSanatana Dharma. Join this sevaby sending let-ters, clippings, photographs, reports on eventsand by encouraging others.

IN MY OPINION

Dharma in Academia

A plan to transform the study of Indic civiliza

B Y P R O F . S H I V A G . B A J P A I

Never before inhistory has In-dian culture beenstudied by more

students than it is today inthe curricula of formal edu-cation systems in America.It is an integral part of thetodays World Civilization

and World History coursesat both K-12 and collegelevels. Through thesecourses millions of studentsacquire authoritativebut questionableknowledge about Indic Civilization.

In order to ensure an authentic narra-tive of their culture, centers for advancedstudies in Chinese, Japanese and Islamiccivilization, religion, and culture have grownexponentially across American higher edu-cation. However, advanced, comprehensiveprograms in Indic civilizational and religio-cultural studies barely exist. The importanceand inuence of such centers of study arenot well understood by Indian Americans.The South Asia centers which do exist focuson the socioeconomics and geopolitics of theSouth Asian nations while minimizing therelevance of the Indic Civilization and itstraditional religion and culture.

A critical problem revolves around theprevailing narrative about Indian Civilizationand, particular, Hindu dharma. The key toboth is the concept of dharma, meaning thatwhich upholds or sustains, which denes theuniqueness of Indic civilization and accountsfor its uninterrupted continuity for over vemillennia. However, the equation of dharmamainly with religion or only as interpreted bytodays Euro-centric scholars prevents com-prehensive appreciation of its historic importas a system of wisdom. This misunderstand-ing threatens the very denition of authenticIndic identity as a signicant component ofworld history and civilization. The DharmaCivilization Foundation (DCF) is a Los Ange-les-based 501(c)(3) non-prot corporation, ofwhich I am a trustee and founding president.DCF was created to promote the multidis-ciplinary study of, and research in, dharma

at accredited instituhigher educationcuniversities. Engaginhighly qualied facuseeks to advance an and transformative to understanding Inreligions and civilizawill support a narra

Indias past which iswith the actual livedence of dharma. Thi

both meaningful inglobal and Indian context and insfor the future, as a counterpoint tvailing Euro-American version ofculture.

DCF aspires to fulll its missioing appropriate academic and intinfrastructure, including professocenters for advanced study, fellowscholarships, endowed chairs andtive degree programs, journals, boand other publishing projects. A nthese have already been launchedendowed chairs at the University nia, Irvine, and the University of SCalifornia, as well as theInternatnal of Dharma Studies.

DCF and the Graduate Theologwhich functions in collaboration University of California, Berkeley,recently agreed to enter into a parThe goal is to establish a Center fStudies within GTU, as well as thGraduate School of Hindu Dharmin higher education as an indepentution afliated with GTU.

In this endeavor, the philosophDCF is: The Concord, rather thanof CivilizationsEkam sad vipravadanti(Truth is one, the wise oof It by many names). DCF inviteAmerican community to get engathis historic vision and mission aute towards its fulllment. (see pa

Founder:

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Shiva G. Bajpai, PhD, is professoof history at California State UnivNorthridge. Email: hchis006@csu

p h o t o s l e f t t o r i g h t : w i k i c o m m o n s ; r a g h u v i r a a r c h i v e s

LATE JANUARY, 2014, DOZENSresidents in Kesiman villagethered at the Luhur Dalemutering Jagat Temple in Bali,r the planting of some 1,500es. According to an articleThe Jakarta Post, the pur-se was twofold: to conserve

ater in this environmentallynsitive area and to beautifye culturally importantmple and its surroundings.

APRIL 10, 2014, UNITEDtes Congressman Mike

onda introduced the FreedomFaith Act, which if successful

ould permanently allow forigious workers to obtain visas.

nlike other faiths, Hindus lack

facilities in the United States totrain priests and religious work-ers here, said Harsh Voruganti,HAFs Associate Director ofPublic Policy. We depend heav-ily upon the Religious WorkerVisa to effectively staff our tem-ples and religious institutions.

IN MARCH, 2014, HINDUS OF THESouth American country ofGuyana celebrated Holi withgreat fanfare. Holi is a nationalholiday in Guyana, since thecountrys 270,000 Hindusmake up one third of the totalpopulation. With the joyfulflurry of colored powders, thegeneral merriment and thefervent display of devotion for

Lord Siva and His triumph overdarkness, Hindus from anycountry in the world wouldhave felt completely at homeparticipating in the festival.

A TEAM OF SCIENTISTS MONITOR-ing a telescope at the SouthPole have found evidence thatmay help prove a theory byStanford physicist Andrei Linde.Lindes 1986 eternal chaoticinflation theory suggests thatthe universe was born in themerest fraction of a second,expanding exponentially froma size smaller than a proton.According tofindings releasedin March, the South Pole tele-scope has detected gravitationalwaves thought to be thefirsttremors of the moment theUniverse began, when it was

just a trillionth of a trillionthof a trillionth of a second old.

IN A RECENT CEREMONYat Gatterick Garrison Armybase in the UK, a Siva Lingamwas installed at the bases re-cently constructed temple annex.Carved in India, the Lingam willnow be available not only to sol-diers on the base but also to theareas wider Hindu community.Hindus from across Yorkshirevisited to take part in the event.

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i s t o r y

anskrit Traveled the Silk Road

Aseminar held in new

Delhi last September pre-nted information on morean a centurys worth of arche-ogical findings, shedding light

the profound connection cre-ed between India and China bye ancient trade routes knownllectively as the Silk Road.titled Sanskrit and the Silkad, the highly informativellection of research, organizedthe Institute of Indo-Asian

udies and Bhavans Center of

Indology, offered a colorful lookat the translation and transfer-ence of both Hindu and Buddhist

teachings over the Silk Road andwithin the many monasteriesand settlements along the way.

Since the times of the IndusValley, the trade routes in Cen-tral Asia flourished facilitatingthe eras greatest exchange ofgoods, culture and knowledge.These routes stretched fromthe borders of Rome throughthe hills of Northern India and

Central Asia and on to the greatempires of China. The trafficinvolved not only an exchange ofinternational commodities butan intermingling of the culturesand religious heritages of distantpeoples.

Monasteries in particular doc-umented the great philosophicalconnections between India andChina. Monks traveling betweenor residing in these monasteriesacted as translators and purvey-ors of texts from India into thefar East and elsewhere. Sanskrittexts were translated into manyother languages, including Man-churian, Tibetan, Mongolianand Chinese. Today some of the

oldest printed items in the worldare in Sanskrit, and were foundnot in India, but in China via thiscultural exchange.

For many years Hindu andBuddhist monasteries through-out areas of Central Asia re-mainedquite literallyburiedunder the sands of time. Expedi-tions to these ancient places overthe last century have unearthedimportant texts and artifactswhich have helped to recon-struct the missing history of thisarea and its great religions.

The Gayatri mantra:Thisancient scroll translates theGayatri mantra into fourdifferent languages

he Diamond Sutra:The oldest-dated book in the world is ahinese translation of the Sanskrit Ajracchedika Prajnaparamitatra, a Buddhist dialogue about the nature of perception


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There are two philosophical principles which form the basis forahimsa. The first is the law of karma. The knowledge that if weharm another, we will be harmed in the future is a powerful motiva-tion to refrain from violence. The Tirukuralschapter entitled Avoid-ance of Injuring Others offers pertinent insight: If a man visitssorrow on another in the morning, sorrow will visit him unbiddenin the afternoon.

A second basis for ahimsa is the perception of the Divine shin-ing forth within all things, all beings, all peoples. When we see theDivine in someone, we naturally do not want to hurt them. Pious

Hindus even see the Divine within people who in evil ways, such as criminals or terrorists, and tseek not to harm them. An amazing example of in Bali in 2002 when terrorists bombed a bar, kil200 people. The Balinese Hindus held a ceremonsought forgiveness for the perpetrators.

We should guard against taking on the Westespective that some people are intrinsically evil, thand therefore it is all right to treat them inhumanlaw of karma does not distinguish between hurtenemy or hurting a friend. The Tirukuralaffirming others, even enemies who harmed you unprosurely brings incessant sorrow.

Beyond these two philosophical bases, the Tirprovides two more motivations for nonviolence.

is that it is simply how high-minded people act:principle of the pure in heart never to injure othwhen they themselves have been hatefully injurthe second is that it is a way of encouraging the ireform his behavior and give up violence. The Tiputs it well: If you return kindness for injuries rand forget both, those who harmed you will be p

by their own shame.A lack of compassion will obstruct our practic

ahimsa. When we are overly self-centered and othe feelings of others, we can hurt someone and

be aware of it. Here are a few suggestions for deeour sense of compassion for people. One simple take care of animals. This is particularly helpful ing compassion to children. They learn to undersneeds of the animal and how to take care of it wunnecessarily disturbing or hurting it.

Another way to increase compassion is by gardgrowing plants. For the plant to survive, we needstand its nature and properly take care of it. We a sun-loving plant in the shade and expect it to dWe cant over-water a plant that needs a small awater and expect it to thrive. Nurturing plants aprepares us to care for our fellow human beings

A third suggestion relates to computers and cogames. Unfortunately, these days many children spending way too much time alone immersed inputer, playing often violent video games. This catheir normal emotional growth and social develThey can become strangers to compassion, lackihealthy feelings for others. A more balanced upb

is needed, a reasonable amount of computer access balancehealthy interaction with family members, friends and othe

Here is a concluding quote from my guru which beautifutogether the ideals of nonviolence and compassion: Practipassion, conquering callous, cruel and insensitive feelings t

beings. See God everywhere. Be kind to people, animals, plthe Earth itself. Forgive those who apologize and show trueFoster sympathy for others needs and suffering. Honor andthose who are weak, impoverished, aged or in pain. Opposabuse and other cruelties.

Noninjury is thefirst and foremost

ethical principle of every Hindu. InSanskrit this virtue is called ahimsa.TheMahabharataextols its importance,

ying, Ahimsa is the highest dharma. It is theghest purification. It is also the highest truthom which all dharma proceeds. An excellentfinition is found in theShandilya Upanishad:

himsa is not causing pain to any living beingany time through the actions of ones mind,eech or body. Note the threefold nature ofis nonhurtfulness: It applies not only to ourtions, but also to our words and even ouroughts.Is the principle of nonviolence absolute undercircumstances? My Gurudeva, Sivaya Sub-

muniyaswami, answered this question bypulating a few regrettable exceptions. Thest exception applies to extreme circumstances, such as when facedth imminent danger, in which case individuals may elect to injureeven kill to protect their life or that of another. Another exceptionplies to those who are members of a police force or armed forces.owever, even those individuals should not use violence unless abso-ely necessary. The Los Angeles police department, as an example,s a policy called minimum use of force that is in consonance withis Hindu viewpoint. The police should use physical force to thetent necessary to secure observance of the law or to restore orderhen the exercise of persuasion, advice and warning is found to besufficient to achieve police objectives; and police should use onlye reasonable amount of physical force which is necessary on anyrticular occasion for achieving a police objective.A common justification for using violence is retaliation for injuriesyou, members of your family, your religion or nation. There are

any in the world today who believe that in those instances youve a duty to personally retaliate. This is commonly referred to ase eye for an eye mentality. However, Hinduism does not supportis idea. In fact, our oldest scripture, theRig Veda, speaks against it:turn not blow for blow, nor curse for curse, neither meanness forse tricks. Shower blessings instead.Rather than retaliation, Hinduism favors using societys estab-hed channels for finding a remedy. Take as an example a commonovie plot. Someone shoots and kills your brother during a robbery,d the rest of the film is devoted to your chasing down the robberd shooting him to punish him and get even. What, then, happensthe next life, the sequel? There is definitely a negative karma to be

ced for killing in revenge. Perhaps another robbery will take placed you will be killed. Better to let the police take care of the robber.e policeman has taken an oath to uphold the law and therefore

eates no negative karma if, in capturing the criminal, he has no

choice but to injure him.When it comes to harming others

through words, speaking harshly toindividuals or yelling at them is obvi-ously included and should be avoided.In addition, there is the more indirectapproach of utilizing joking, teasing,gossiping and backbiting to harm

others. How do we know if we arespeaking in a way that is harming orthat is helping another? An effectivefourfold test is to be sure what we aresaying is true, kind, helpful and neces-sary. If it is, then it will certainly benonhurtful.

You may be wondering how back-biting can hurt someone, as they arenot present to hear the criticism. It is

the thought force that they feel. The same applies tocritical thoughts that we dont verbalize. Both are themost subtle form of injury. My guru described it in aninteresting way: When you defile others, mentallyand verbally, through backbiting gossip about the hap-penings in their lives, you are hurting them. You areactually making it difficult for them to succeed, to evenpersist where they are. They sense, they feel the ugli-ness that you are projecting toward them.

Looking again at our definition of ahimsa from theSandilya Upanishad, we note the phrase not caus-ing pain to any living being. In other words, ahimsaextends beyond human beings. It includes animals,insects and plants as well. A verse in the Yajur Vedaspeaks directly to this idea: You must not use yourGod-given body for killing Gods creatures, whetherthey are human, animal or whatever.

A way that many Hindus honor this injunction is byfollowing a vegetarian diet. The Tirukural, an impor-tant scripture on ethics written some two thousandyears ago, has an entire chapter on vegetarianism,

Abstaining from Eating Meat. It states that vegetarianism is the wayof insightful souls who have realized that meat is the butchered fleshof another creature and that such restraint is an act of greater valuethan a thousand ghee offerings consumed in sacrificialfires.

A nonviolent approach is even extended to insects. Instead ofthoughtlessly killing household pests, stop their entry. Likewisewith garden insects or predatorsinstead of killing them, keepthem away by natural means. A regrettable exception is that whenpredators, pests, bacteria and disease threaten the heath or safety ofhuman beings or their animals, they may be eradicated.

UBLISHERS DESK

Noninjury: the Foremost Virtueelief in the law of karma and accepting the divinity of all beings

re the twin pillars of ahimsacompassionate nonhurtfulness

Y S A T G U R U B O D H I N A T H A V E Y L A N S W A M I

s.

rajam

Regrettable exceptions:While nonviolence isguiding principle for Hindus, there are instanceviolence is permitted. One such exception is the enforcement of law and the protection of societythe nation. Here a general directs the army, whoduty may rightly include unavoidable injury.

hinduism today july/august/september, 2014 j uly/august/september, 2014 hinduism


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LETTERS

hinduism today j uly/august/september, 2014 july/augus t/se ptember, 2014 hinduism

Letters with writers name, address and dphone number should be sent t o:

Letters, Hinduism Today107 Kaholalele RoadKapaa, Hawaii,96746-9304 USAor faxed to:(808) 822-4351or visit:www.hinduismtoday.com

Letters may be edited for space and claritypear in electronic versions of Hinduism T

indus in Croatiae greatly appreciate Hinduism Today,th for its efforts in preserving the Sanatana

harma and in presenting it to the broaderblic. We felt it necessary to write this let-

r after having read the article The Hinduaspora Within Continental Europe that

as published in the Jan/Feb/Mar, 2014 edi-n of the magazine. I would like to presentu an additional Hindu religious society inntinental EuropeThe Hindu Society ofoatia, which has been active in the Repub-of Croatia since 1984 and became regis-ed and recognized by the Republic of Croa-as a religious society in 2003.

We are happy to admit that HINDUISMTO-Y,and some of the famous books of yours,

ere our main inspiration for the construc-n of our Croatian web pages about thenatana Dharma. Over the last year we haveld multiple lectures about different Hindu

stivals, some of which have been visitedthe broader public. For example, the lec-

re on Holi has become very popular, duethe similarities with traditional Croatianstoms at that time of year. In this way weep educating the public about Hindu cul-re being an ancient universal culture of hu-ankind. We are hoping to keep in touch andoking forward to read from you soon.

Sadhvi Anand PuriZagreb, Croatia

anandi.zagreb@ yogaindailylife. org

onderful Magazineegularly readHinduism Todaymagazined admire the profound spiritual thoughtsd articles. Gurudevas explanations are veryce and simple for common people. I wishis magazine could also come in other lan-ages like Tamil, the language of ancientiva Siddhanta, for the benefit of Tamil-eaking people. This would help them bet-r understand and appreciate the great cul-re they belong to. It would also help themalize their responsibility to support it inodern times.

Suresh AiyarBangalore, Karnataka, India

[email protected]

y Eternal Gratitudech issue of Hinduism Todaycarries an en-gy all its own, and this April issue was noferent. It moved me so deeply that I had to

ke my thoughts to the keyboard. It startedth some wonderful letters and continuedth great clarity about Secular Humanism to S atguru Bodhinatha! That was followedthe amazing Agamic word-picture of Mt.

eru, wow! Malaysias Waterfall Temple ofvotion was so inspiring, and so was the

sweet simplicity of the Cham peoples. Thankyou for that powerful reminder to manageanger, how could we forget! The sharpness ofthe lassi at Smithsonian yoga exhibition left aradiant afterglow. I loved the awesome storyof the creation of the Swaminarayan Bhash-yam and the feeling of Guruhari so much,that I am mentally saying Guruhara. The

bright, bold, clear voices of the HAF youthare such great role models for us. And afterthe vivid review of Upanishad Ganga, I wishthere was more! Thank you, thank you, thankyou, dream team! How, oh how, do you do itevery single time? I humbly bow to you. Infi-nite love and eternal gratitude.

Sheela VenkatakrishnanChennai, Tamil Nadu, India

[email protected]

Respecting NatureDear Hindu brothers from across the seas,

I enjoyed your article very much and, likeyourselves, I am concerned about pollution,especially in the river systems. I traveled toIndia for the first time in 2012. I found theGanges River so beautiful, lovely and sacred.I believe in respecting Nature and plantingtrees. Education is the key. TheMahabharatasays that even if there is only one tree full offlowers and fruits in a village, that place be-comes worthy of worship and respect. I amnot from a Hindu background, but I have adeep respect for your values and devotion toGod. Plants are mothers and Goddesses.RigVeda Samhita 10.97.4

Sharon BathCannon Hill, QLD, [email protected]

Vietnams Champa KingdomThe article Vietnams Champa Kingdomby Sri Vrndavan Brannon Parker (Apr/May/Jun, 2014) was very informative. I wonder ifSri Parker can tell us how to get there? If so,many of your readers would be able to visitthe ancient sites on their trips to Vietnamand Cambodia.

Sabyasachi Ghosh DastidarNew York, USA

[email protected]

Hindu IndiaI read with interest Maria Wirths opinionpiece: Why not Hindu India? (Jan/Feb/Mar,2014). She has rightly pinpointed the prob-lem with a Westernized Indian elite. Let us go

back in history and see the truth: On August15th, 1947, when India was in a broken state,the foundation of an independent India waswrongly placed on the basis of two religions. Ibelieve Gandhi and Nehru failed the majorityHindu population by forcing India to remain

without religion and be secular. We haveseen that the secularism in India has beenone of the most abused terms, and everybodydefines it as it may please them. In India itseems like anything anti-Hindu is connectedto secularism. I can see the change in India.People have realized we must declare India asHindu India, and I hope that this will be a re-ality in a very near future.

Shriharsha SharmaNottingham, UK

[email protected]

Hinduisms Health Benefits?I enjoyed reading your article, HinduismsBiological Benefits (April/May/June, 2014).Perhaps a whole book could be written abouthow Hinduism can benefit a person, not onlyphysically, but also emotionally, intellectuallyand spiritually. The article already addresseshow certain Hindu techniques can sy nchro-

nize the right and the left hemispheres of thebrain and how meditation can improve neu-ral connections and lengthen ones life. Non-violence and truth are the two cornerstonesof Hinduism. Nonviolence at a physical leveldiscourages Hindus from killing animals forfood, and the vegetarian diet of Hindus makesthem physically healthy. Nonviolence at theemotional level makes them loving and emo-tionally stable. Nonviolence at the intellectuallevel makes them peaceful by nature and en-ables them to think clearly, while nonviolenceat the spiritual level makes them love every

being, since they can see a spark of divinity ineverything. Practicing Truth allows a Hinduto have a good conscience, helping him to getalong with himself and others, and enablinghim to sleep peacefully at night.

Pradeep SrivastavaDetroit, Michigan, USA

[email protected]

The Waterfall TempleFirst of all, I would like to say thank you,from the bottom of my heart, for making our

beloved Penang Lord Balathandayuthabanibetter known to other parts of the worldthrough your beautiful article. It is hard tofind the words to say. Its a great work and agreat dedication from you and your team, inpublishing Hinduism Today. Not forget-ting Rajiv for his wonderful write-up aboutSBYO. One thing is for sure, this article willsurely touch the heart of every SBYO member.I want to thank our beloved Lord Balathan-dayuthabani for giving us this great honorthrough the wonderful team at Hinduism

Today. This was something we all neverthought of. I just got my copy of Hinduism

Todayand we have offered the first copy tothe permanent president of SBYO, Lord Sri

Balathandayuthabani. After being blessedby Him, we d istributed the copies to thetemple and temple priest. We have started todistribute some to our members as well. Wewill also distribute to the temple manage-ment committee and to the state Hindu En-dowment Board chairman. Its really nice get-ting to know great people like the Hinduism

Todaystaff. I really hope that you will some-day make a visit to Penang and our BelovedLord and Temple.

S. ThandabaniyPenang, Malaysia

[email protected]

All the Children Are Beautiful Souls

Help your magazine spread joy and happiness

When jennifer met ron burke(top in both pictures) in 1980,she was 16 and dreaming of

becoming an actress. Two years later,they married and started a business.But her longing for the stage would not

be denied. One day she was i nvited toparticipate in a clowning act, and it all

suddenly clicked: clowning blendedher love of the stage with her love ofchildren. She had found her lifes call-ing. She became Tickles the Clown, tooka university course in the fine art ofclowning and has been performing eversince.

But she does not perform alone. Hus-band Ron soon caught the bug, left hisyoung business and joined the clown act.When children cameSunny, Springand Aubrey (pictured, middle row)each joined the family troupe as soon asthey could walk. And the three broughta new magical element into the show:music.

Todays performances include inter-ludes of a dozen different instruments,much to the delight of the youngsters.But music also has its serious side.Daughter Spring (on left in the pho-tos), who has a Master of Arts in ViolinPerformance, teaches at several musicschools in Vancouver, Canada, wherethey live.

Another magical element contributedby the second generation is two grand-children. Luna, 8, and India, 6, who havenow blended into the family tradition asnaturally and enthusiastically as theirforebears.

During all these years Ron was qui-etly nurturing another passion andsharing it with the family: spiritual-ity. He met Satguru Sivaya Subramu-niyaswami (Gurudeva), the founder ofHinduism Today, in 1973 and was in-stantly captured. Everything Gurudevasaid rang true and has grown withinmeand usall these years. Its helpedour family stay happily together, its in-

spired us and infused our clowning withdepth of meaning and purpose. Howfortunate we feel to have an occupationwhere we can all join together to cre-ate laughter and joy, leaving only happymemories as residue. Its a blessing.

It takes a lot of intuition to read eachgroup of kids and know what to do in

the moment. Hinduism and HinduismTodayhave given us that ability. We seeall the children as beautiful souls. Wevelearned to blend with their minds, seethings as they do, become as they see us,and perform to their hearts content.

Today Ganesha, Siva and Gurudevapreside in the family shrine room,where the gentle daily sadhanas includereading of scripture and Hinduism To-day,japa and bhajan.We are Hindus atheart, declares Ron. The magazine has

been our constant companion. It keepsus reminded of the subtleties we couldeasily forget, and in touch with like-minded people all around the planet,which gives us a lot of strength.

The Burkes make an automaticmonthly donation to the Hinduism To-day Production Fund, which is a part ofHindu Heritage Endowment. The mag-azine has helped us so much, explainsJennifer, we wanted to help back, so itcan forever continue doing what it does

best, which is actually the same as whatwe strive to do. Each new issue is like anew performance and a new opportu-nity to spread joy and happiness.

You, too, can help spread the joy thatleaves no residue by lending your sup-port to the Production Fund. You canmake a single, one-time gift or arrangefor a monthly donation, as the Burkesdo, at hheonline.org/donate_pf. Do itnow, while you are thinking about it.You can also subscribe to our Produc-tion Fund newsletter at gurudeva.org/email-news to get updates of the mag-azine and its all-important ProductionFund.Contact us [email protected] 1-808-634-5407.

Laughter and spirituality:Top, the Burkefor their Hinduism Today family portrait. Bformed and ready for inspired performing. the wall in each picture is a portrait of Gur1973, when Ron met him.

john

shoy


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ju ly/ aug ust /s ep te mb er, 201 4 hin du is m

The following is a lucid translation of passages from chapters7 and 8 of theRaurava Agamain which Sage Ruru expounds on various types of meditative concentration and on yogic initiation

Ishall proceed to speak on a signicant discipline of yoga

related to the effective process of meditation. Lord Siva is per-ceived in two statesformed (sakala) and formless (nishkala).Sadyojata, Vamadeva, Aghora, TatpurushaandIsanathese are

the ve constitutive mantras of the supreme Lord. This specic yogadiscipline has been well expounded by the yogis of great accom-plishments devoted to Lord Siva.

The great Ishvara, as Himself in the formless state, is the SupremeLord. He pervades the entire extent of space. He is the ultimate Lordof the primal intelligence of the Universe. He is unsurpassed, excel-ling all other superior Deities. He is the knower and doer of all. Hepresents Himself everywhere and in every object that has takenshape. He reaches all directions simultaneously. He encloses Himselfwithin all objects of all the worlds and within all the embodied be-ings. He is absolutely pure, never having been limited by the bonds.Our Lord Siva, of such greatness, is to be meditated upon forever.

Yoga is said to be consisting of six stepspratyahara (sense with-drawal), dhyana (awareness at attention),pranayama(breath control),dharana (concentrated awareness), tarka (meditative contemplation)and samadhi (union). Of these steps, dharana will now be explained.Among the specic kinds of dharana, agneyi dharanais therst. Itrequires awareness to be xed on the navel plane. By the continuedpractice of this dharana, all negative factors which could pull thesadhaka into lower consciousness are restrained.

Let the sadhaka who has known the effective path of yoga fromhis master x his concentrated thought at the heart-space and con-template the steadyow of divine nectar, streaming forth from themicrocosmic moon within. By the continued practice of this dharana,known as saumya dharana,drops of divine nectar are showered overall of his body and his surroundings. By this dharana, the sadhaka isconsecrated and established in the highest state of purity.

Let the sadhaka practice aisani dharanabyxing his thought andbreath on the sahasrara chakraat the top of the head. This highestkind of dharana is capable of accomplishing everything and enablesthe sadhaka to achieve all of his lofty desires. Through the continued

practice of such dharana, the sadhaka reaches the highest transcen-dental place of Lord Siva in a fraction of a second.That which is known as amrita dharanais capable of yielding its

fruits everywhere by means of its pervasiveness. It instills purity andauspiciousness into everything. It rains the nectar-drops of supremeconsciousness, consecrating body and world. This dharana is to bedone at the highest plane, twelve planes above the sahasrara.

At the very occurrence of the sun rising, the darkness is dispelledcompletely and instantaneously. Likewise, upon the performance ofrelevant diksha, the constricting bonds of the sadhakas, consideredin terms of merit and demerit (dharmaand adharma), get removedtotally. Just as the Sun illumines all these worlds through His radiantrays, even so Lord Siva illumines the consciousness of the initiatedsouls through His host of S haktis (powers) functioning in the divine

path of mantras and diksha. These Shaktis exist pervadingof the sadhakas who have been blessed with diksha.

The heap of dry grass thrown into the blazing re gets inated completely and never again attains its original state ofgrass. In the same way, the diligent sadhaka, supreme amo

beings, who is blessed with relevant diksha reaches the adworthy realm of Siva, effected through diksha and mantrater he never gets embodied again.

At the cessation of his bodily existence, he becomes Siva

being endowed with the essential features and aspects of Sing gained all the qualities of Siva, he is inseparably unitedThe river which ows with sweet and pleasant water reacinto the ocean and attains the qualities of salty water. At thinstant of complete merger with the oceans water, the rivethe nature of salty water, owing to the mighty power of thIn the same way, the initiated sadhaka who has shed off hexistence attains oneness with Siva Tattva. There occurs no

between them.

FROM THE AGAMAS

Meditation and InitiationExplaining the power of diksha and methods of meditative concentratio

Dr. S. P. Sabharathnam Sivacharyar, of the Adi Saiva plineage, is an expert in ancient Tamil and Sanskrit, specialiVedas,AgamasandShilpa Shastras.This excerpt is from translation of theRaurava Agama.

a.manivel

Initiated:a sadhaka worships the Divine within himself


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Pilgrims haven:Looking upstream towardRam Jhula Bridge and the Himalayan foothills;(inset below) evening arati at Triveni Ghat; (insetright) Vedanta studies at Kailas Ashram

P E C I A L F E A T U R E

ju ly/ aug ust /s ep te mb er, 201 4 hin du is m hinduism today july/august/september, 2014


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nduism Todays journalistic team, Rajivalik and Dev Raj Agar wal, spent a weekRishikesh in October, 2013, to create this

ory. They visited the large and famoushrams as well as the humble hermitagesswamis living on the banks of the Ganga.ey interviewed those teaching traditionaldanta to sadhus and those coaching visi-rs from other countries in modern formsyoga. They found time to sit by the river,

orship and meditate. Their story opensth a description of this sacred region, itsfrastructure and religious landscape, thenoceeds to profiles of selected ashrams andga centerslarge and small, famous andknown.

y Rajiv Malik, New Delhi

Jai g ange! jai ma gange! har har

Gange! These words reverberate inthe air of Rishikesh around the clock.They greet you on the streets and in

e ashrams, dharamshalas, hotelseven in

e markets of this holy city. They are on thes of every saint and pilgrim as they takeeir sacred bath in the cold and rushing riv-While Rishikesh today is renowned for its

alized saints and world-famous ashrams,en first-time pilgrims will understandthin hours of their arrival that it is theer Ganga which is everything in Rishikesh.

I myself came here when I was just onear old, in 1959, for my head-shaving cere-

mony. At that time the area was undevelopedas a commercial center; its many ashrams en-

joyed the peace and quiet of nature. In recentdecades Rishikeshjust a days journey fromDelhihas become more and more a touristattraction, and both the local population andeconomy have boomed.

HistoryRishikeshcomes from the Sanskrit Hrshike-sha, a name of Vishnu that means Lord ofthe Senses and relates to a vision of theLord obtained by a rishi meditating here inancient times. Geographically, it is the pointwhere the Ganga leaves the mountains andenters the plains of Northern India. The areais spoken of in theSkanda Puranaand theRamayanathe temples of Lakshman andShatrughan relate to the latter, as do its twofamous suspension foot bridges, LakshmanJhula and Ram Jhula.

Rishikesh is the starting point for the Cho-ta (little) Char Dham pilgrimage to Badri-

nath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotriaroute of hundreds of kilometers in the Hi-malayas, named after the Char Dham (fourholy abodes) pilgrimage of greater India:Badrinath, Rameswaram, Dwarka and Jagan-nath Puria route of 8,000 kilometers. Tensof thousands pilgrimaged through here eachyear until the massive floods of June, 2013,that devastated Kedarnath. The floods killedsome 6,000 people and trapped 100,000 for

days in extremely hazardous circumstances.The pilgrimage has come to a virtual halt for2014, as damaged roads, bridges and other in-frastructure are being restored. In Rishikeshitself the surging waters washed away ordamaged several ghatsthe wide expansesof steps into the river which line its banksin many placesand flooded an estimated12 percent of all the towns buildings, fillingthe groundfloors of riverside structures withmud and sand. Four months later, during ourvisit, the disaster still cast its long shadowover Rishikesh; the pilgrim population re-mained much reduced.

There are four main areas here. Rishikeshproper is the commercial center. Going up-river, one passes through Muni ki-Reti, thenShivananda Nagar, a large piece of land gifted

by the king of Tehri-Garhwal to Swami Siva-nanda for the Divine Life Society ashram.Farther upriver is Lakshman Jhula bridgeand several big temples. The area on the east-ern bank is called Swargashrama name

also used for several ashrams in Rishikesh.

hinduism today july/august/september, 2014

Pilgrims paradise:(below) an extendedfamily on pilgrimage to Rishikesh pose onthe steps of the ancient Bharat Temple;(right) a partial list of the 150-plus majorand minor ashrams, temples, yoga centersand landmarks in Rishikesh; (right inset)evening meditation at rivers edge

map:hinduismt

oday;photodevrajagarwal

devrajagarwal

23

24 25

6

26

7

27

28

29

10

30

11

31

12

32

13

33

14

34

15

35

16

36

17

37

18

38

19

39

20

40

21

22

1. Lakshman Jhula Bridge

2. Shivayogapeth Yoga Instit

3. Sachcha Dham Ashram

4. Maharishi Mehi Dhyan and

5. Omkarananda Deepeshwar M

6. Lakshman Jhula Temple

7. Himalayan Yog Ashram

8. Yoga Teacher Training School

9. Yoga Tapovan

10 Bhagirathi Dham Ashram

11. Dandi Swami Maharaj Cottage

12. Ram Jhula Bridge

13. Yoga-Vedanta Forest Academy

14. Divine Life Society

15. Shatrughan Temple

16. Omkarananda Ashram

17. Yogalaya Ashrama

18. Omkarananda Gita Sadan

19. Gita Bhawan

20. Baba Kali Kamli Wale Atma Prakash Ashram

21. Parmarth Niketan Ashram

22. Yoga Sandeep

23. Van Prasth Ashram

24. Yog Niketan Ashram

25. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

26. Madhuban Ashram

27. Kailas Ashram28. Sevananda Ashram

29. Shri Swaminarayan Ashram

30. Swami Dayananda Ashram

31. Swami Swantranandji Ashrama

32. Kerala Ashram

33. Lord Tirupati Temple

34. Nepali Babas Anna Kshetra

35. Chandreshwar Mahadeva Temple

36. Shree Swami Ramanand St. Ashram

37. Bharat Milap Ashram

38. Nirmal Ashram

39. Sri Hrishikesh Narayana Swamy Bharat Temple

40. Triveni Ghat

Rishikesh

Rishikesh: A town whose main industry is religion

GANGA

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ju ly/ aug us t/s ep te mbe r, 20 14 hi ndu is m

come to Rishikesh several times a year. He la-mented the state of the Indian youth, Whenthey do not take any interest in our owntraditions and culture, I feel ashamed. Mod-ernization is compulsory, but we do not haveto Westernize. Rishikesh is a spiritual place.When we sit on the banks of Ganga, we feelvery peaceful.

Everyone extolled Ganga. Swami AbhishekChaitanya of the small Kerala Ashram (#32)felt this way: When I wanted to have a tr uespiritual experience in Rishikesh, I prayedto Ganga. My prayers would always bringme in contact with the sages and saints whoanswered my questions and doubts. Anyonewho comes here with a heart full of prayerson the banks of Ganga will not go back dis-appointed. She is not just a body of water; sheis our mother who listens, hears and knows.

A City of TemplesAlmost every ashram of Rishikesh, large orsmall, has a temple of its own where the pil-

grims and saints in residence perform theirdaily puja and rituals. Pilgrims and resi-dents alike also frequent the ancient Bharat,

Shatrughan and Lakshman temples (#6, 15and 39). These are named after the younger

brothers of Lord Rama, who are said to havedone penance here following the war de-scribed in theRamayana. The first is nearTriveni Ghat, the second near Ram Jhulabridge and the thirdabout 2.5 km from thefirstnear Lakshman Jhula bridge.

These three temples were already wellknown in the 8th century when AdiShankara visited Rishikesh on his way toBadrinath, the first temple of the long CharDham pilgrimage. According to MahantManoj Prapannacharya, head priest of Sha-trughan Temple, pilgrims to the Chota CharDham coming through Rishikesh used toworship first at Bharat temple, then Sha-trughan and lastly Lakshman. The templesare less famous now. Still, Dinesh ChandraNautiala, priest of the Lakshman temple, saidvisitors range from five hundred to a fewthousand a day at his temple.

Bharat Temples age is apparent in the

heavily weathered sculptures in niches inthe otherwise recently rebuilt outer walls.Head priest Ashok Prappannacharya told us

the temple maintains a dharamgious rest house), a public schoolskrit school with 90 students whup to the level of shastri. A museuto the temple has rare local artifac

back to the 3rd century.

Ganga AartiAt Parmarth Niketan (#21) on tshore and Triveni Ghat (#40) on tion of the western bank pilgrims in the evening to worship Ganglamps. Frequent VIP guestsmoPrince Charleshave made Parmetan famous internationally. An aning sees some 300 attending at Trrising to thousands on auspiciousga Seva Samiti started the Triven23 years ago, about the same timarth Niketan. At both places thcomprises bhajan, Vedic chants anof multi-tiered oil lamps. This recent practice has been adopted in

Banaras and many other placesGanga. Triveni Ghat is also popugrims taking a holy bath or perfor

n the Lap of Mother Ganga: It is the river that makes Rishikesh holy

xploring the Townhotographer Dev Raj Agarwal and I en-onced ourselves at the pleasant and cen-ally located Hotel Great Ganga in the Muni-Reti area. Efforts to make appointments

advance had been unsuccessful, so weoceeded on a day-by-day basis, exploringfoot or by taxi. We often just visited an

hram unannounceda perfectly accept-le practice and a charming throwback toearlier, less hectic life.

Mother Ganga, the heart of this town,lled us to her whenever time allowed. De-ite the nearby noise of the three-wheelerbs plying in and out of a huge taxi standd the hustle and bustle of the marketplacest a few yards away, as soon as we walkedthe banks of Ganga, we stepped into an-

her world. We encountered pilgrims andvotees performing simple rituals, takingeir holy bath or deep in meditation. Suchhe peace and serenity at the rivers edge.

A different kind of experience comes from

ossing the towns two hanging bridges.kshman Jhula (#1 on our map), 284 feetng, was built in 1939, replacing earlier

bridges washed out infloods. Its name comesfrom the story that Rams brother Laksh-man did penance here in ancient times andcrossed the river at this point. The 450-footRam Jhula (#12), built in 1980, connects thearea around the Divine Life Society with thetemples and many ashrams on the riverseastern bank. Both bridges have big shoppingareas at each end, bustling with pilgrims andtourists.

The bridges, high above the river, swing inthe wind and shake as you walk across them.Here one finds a contrasting way to con-nect with Ganga and Rishikesh. In the earlymorning or late at night you can experiencethe cool breeze and go into a meditative state.In the late mornings and afternoons, the

bridges can be packed with tourists, pilgrims,bicycles, carts and even cows, who have nofear of crossing them. Then there are themonkeys who quite literally hang out here.They are quick-witted thieves with the bra-zen skill of a New York street mugger who

can relieve you of any snacks or other ediblesin an instant.

Most pilgrims, especially those with lug-

gage, will opt for the charming ferry boatswhich ply the river. People buyfish food fromvendors along the banks and throw it to theeagerly jumping fish who follow the boats.

Where there are motorable roads, despitetheir noise and polluting exhaust, nearlyeveryone takes the three-wheel cabs calledtempos. But to really explore Rishikesh, onemust walk long distances and negotiate hun-dreds of steep stairs to reach ashrams locateda hundred meters above or below the mainroads.

Early one morning at the ghats, we en-countered Shyam Bhardwaj, an engineeringstudent from Gorkhpur, Uttar Pradesh. Hestudies in nearby Dehradun and is able to

Unworldly life:(counterclockwisefrom below) A family holds a Hindusamskara, rite of passage, on the riverghats; the isolated but easily accessibleriver shore upstream from LakshmanJhula bridge; Russian pilgrims offer

worship at Triveni Ghat; a meditatingsadhu; pilgrim in contemplation on aspecially-built platform at rivers edge



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the 16 Hindu samskaras, rites of passage,ch as my own childhood head shaving.

EACHING ASHRAMS

The ashrams of rishikesh differ in

their goals and focus. In some, suchas Kailas Ashram, sadhus and devo-tees from various traditions come to

arn Vedanta in a scholarly program. Oth-s, such as the Divine Life Society, maintaine teachings of the founder and care for thevotees of their specific lineage. Some, likermarth Niketan, have vast accommodationcilities for pilgrims and offer intense pro-ams in meditation, yoga and philosophy.ll others exclusively offer basic lodging fore pilgrims. Nearly all these ashrams charge

set fees for someone to stay, but accepthatever donations are offered.

ailas Ashramhe most highly regarded traditional ash-

m in Rishikesh, and one of the oldest, ise Shri Kailas Brahma Vidya Peeth, popu-ly known as Shri Kailas Ashram, locatedthe Muni ki-Reti area. The ashram (#27)

as founded some 150 years ago by Swamiharmaraj Giriji Maharaj in the Advaita Ve-nta tradition of Adi Shankaracharya andw has 15 branches all over India.

Acharya Mahamandaleshwar Srimatwami Vidyanand Giriji, the head of thehram, was traveling when we visited, soe were hosted by ashram manager Swamiagyananda Saraswati, a senior student

of Vedanta here. He told us anyone of anyguru or tradition can come to study at Kai-las Ashram. While the founder belonged tothe Dasanami order of sannyasins, the ash-ram does not exclusively perpetuate that lin-eage. Rather, it is a school for those wantingto learn Vedanta, with a library of around11,500 ancient and modern books and around900 manuscripts on various topics. The ash-rams own publication division has over 90publications to its credit. Influential Hinduleaders who have studied here as young meninclude Swami Vivekananda of the Ramak-rishna Mission, Swami Rama Tirtha (amongthe first swamis to come to America) andSwami Sivananda of Divine Life Society.

The ashram has 100 rooms, 50 for san-nyasins and 50 in a separate area for visitinghouseholders, who may stay for a maximumof three days. No women or non-Indians areallowed. All who stay a re expected to followthe strict routine of the ashram, attendingthe morning worship at 5am and each of the

classes. If they miss three days in a row, theyare asked to leave.

At present the ashram has 50 students,most in their 20s and all sannyasins. Initia-tion into sannyas is given to anyone provid-ing a written request from their guru. Therites are performed and the saffron robespresented in the name of that guru. Thereare lectures in Hindi in the morning and eve-ning, each about two hours. The full courseof study is three years, after which the san-nyasin is expected to leave; no one stays herepermanently.

Divine Life SocietyThe Divine Life Society (#14) was founded bySwami Sivananda in the 1930s, on land gift-ed to him by Narendra Shah, the then king ofthis area. Its vast publication program, whichdistributes practical religious books world-wide, has made it more widely known thanKailas Ashram. Even the king only becamefamiliar with Swamis work when visiting afriend in London, who was reading and ben-efiting greatly from Sivanandas books pub-lished just a few miles from his palace!

Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami,founder of Hinduism Today, recounted howas a young man in California in the 1940s hewrote to the Divine Life Society and receivedsome months later a gift box of books fromIndia. When he wrote to thank them, he re-ceived more books. He was deeply impressedwith the importance of the printed word, soabundantly distributed; one result is thismagazine you hold in your hands.

The Society is a huge place, extending from

the banks of the river far up the hill. Spreadacross the grounds are temples, living quar-ters, lecture halls, feeding halls, library, book-store, a large publication facility for print,audio and video, and Yoga Vedanta Acad-emy, which offers a residential course for upto 40 students. Residing here are 100 san-nyasins, all initiates in the lineage of Swami

Kailas Ashram:The famed ashram withits Lingam-shaped roof structure in thebackground, visible from the main road

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To have a true spiritual experience in rishikesh,first of

all you must have a bath in Ganga with full devotion. You willbenefit tremendously. Second, you must

y to attend the satsangs that are conductedsadhus and mahatmas on the banks ofnga in the morning and evening as well asKailas Ashram, Sivananda Ashram and thehram of Dandi Swami. Third, you shouldon the banks of Ganga and chant mantrasd Gods names. Japa on the banks of Gangamuch more beneficial than that done ines home. Besides these, the pilgrim shouldoid consumerist tendencies and not layo much emphasis on food and drink whenre on pilgrimage. This is a spir itual place,d therefore you have to perform spiritualtivities here: chanting, fire worship, bath-g in Ganga and giving to the sadhus ande poor. By continuously engaging in thesevotional activities, inside we will feel clean,perience the divine power inside and helpconnect with our inner self.In Rishikesh, sadhana, satsang and tour-

m activities take place side by side, with

tourism increasing. I think the Uttarakhand government must en-sure that the spiritual character of Rishikesh is maintained. So far as

the saints are concerned, our job is also to ed-ucate. For fun and material pleasures, touristsshould go to Goa or other hill stations whichare visited for fun, frolic and entertainment.

Today we have all the material comforts oflife, but still we are not living a peaceful life.If peace is not there, then all that we have

becomes of no use. Here at Kailas Ashram wetry to teach you how to be happy in life withwhatever you have. We teach you how to behappy in your day-to-day life. Whatever youare doing in life is okay. You may be marriedor unmarried, come from various places andfollow different traditions. But the purpose oflife is still to become happy. Only knowledgecan make you happy, says theBhagavad Gita.It says there is nothing more valuable thanknowledge. Knowledge is the purest thing,a godly element and it should be earned.Through knowledge, we find the techniquesof simple living by which we can be happy.

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Swami Pragyanand:Manager, KailasAshram, Rishikesh


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(counterclockwise from left) Some of the Di-vine Life Societys facilities; a daily darshan ses-sion with Swami Vimalananda, DLS president;Swami Padmanabhananda, DLS General Sec-retary; pilgrims await their turn to worship atthe samadhi shrine of Swami Sivananda

Sivananda. Unlike Kailas Ashram, residentshereand those who come to visit or forshort staysmust belong to this particularsampradaya.

Hundreds of DLS devotees visit the vari-ous offices and facilities each day. The monkstry to give each as much personal attentionas possible. The current president, SwamiVimalananda, is available most morningswithout appointment in the hall which holdsSwami Sivanandas samadhi. One can alsovisit Swami Sivananandas small apartmenton the banks of the Ganga, which still vi-

brates with spiritual energy from his intensemeditations.

While the DLS ashram does not cater totourists, short-term visitors are welcome.

We give those who come here and are ourdevotees an opportunity to serve, said DLSgeneral secretary Swami Padmanabhananda.

They can sit and meditate, perform prayers,study philosophy or worship in our Viswa-natha Temple. They can participate in our

charity work in our hospitals or leper colonyor serve in the ki tchen. He explained, A pil-grim who wants to have a true spir itual expe-rience has to first study, then practice. Whenyou practice dharma, you start evolving andbecome more and more good. Dharma isnot just learned from books. Religion is notlearned from books. Religion is learned bypractice. The more you practice, the more itunfolds.

Here we met Omar Djezzeini, a technicaltranslator from Beirut on his 29th visit toRishikesh and a disciple of Swami Chidan-anda Saraswati, the previous DLS president.

He used to call me Hari Omar, he related, Imet him by the grace of God and now he isalways with me. He embedded in my systemthe philosophy and beauty of this place. I amnot following any religion to the letter, butI am a humble disciple of Swami Chidan-anda and Swami Sivanananda. There is a lotof grace here, but you have to tap it in yourmind. If you are sincere enough, then divineforce will guide you. This is an ideal place, es-pecially in this Kali Yuga.

Swami Dayananda AshramSwami Dayananda Ashram (#30) is locatedin the Sheesham Jhadi area, an unexpectedmix of residential houses and ashrams. Thethree-acre ashram was founded in the 1960s

by Swami Dayananda, the famed teacher ofVedanta who also founded the Arsha Vidya

Gurukulam of Coimbatore and Saylorsburg,Pennsylvania. A medium-size facility with160 rooms available, it is focused on teachingrather than providing accommodations forpilgrims. As at Kailas Ashram, many peoplecoming here to learn are not necessarily as-sociated with the sampradaya. Instructionis in English, rather than the Hindi of Kai-las Ashram. There are 10 to 12 sannyasinsstationed here, two or three of whom are

teaching and rest doing their owA hired staff of 50 handle managupkeep.

This ashram hosts the teachingof other swamis, who may come wthree hundred students at a time. Dvisit, for example, there was a largeby Radha Krishna of the World CService Centre, an organization fVedatri Maharishi of Chennai anected with Swami Dayananda.

One participant in that progrworker Yamuna Rani from Chenher feelings: I get a lot of peace here. Every day I go sit on the bankand meditate in the morning andfeel so spiritually uplifted that I dto leave. I am leading a complefree life here. I am not even boany thought of my home or famichange here in Rishikesh is that mvery sound and good. Back at honot sleep properly even if I took

sleeping pills.According to Swami Shanta

Saraswati, the resident acharya ciple of Swami Dayananda, the a30 resident students doing a one-yin Vedanta. Most of these are agewith a lesser number below 30. Sanskrit and Vedanta right from sexplained, then take them to thelevel and discuss how Adi Shanka

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Divine Life Society: One of the original ashrams of Rishikesh

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Teach, Learn, Pray: Knowledge & devotion are the towns stock in trade

wn Guruji thought. We do this in a concen-ated way, without any dilution.While they do teach some yoga and medi-ion, Swami explained, their focus is Vedan-The ashram has a Siva temple with wor-

ip in South Indian style, a school with 450udents and a charitable dispensary.Rishikesh is actually a place for knowl-ge, Swami Shantatmananda told us. Itnot a place for pilgrimage, but a place fordhus, sannyasins and brahmacharis tome, do their sadhana and gain knowledge.e lamented the development of tourism i ne area and said many sadhus long for theace and calmness of the past. Today the

hole place has become extremely crowded.a sadhu wants to go to Ram Jhula to have aly bath, he has to think ten times and look

ound to see how many people are there be-re he takes the bath. We cannot go back toe past, but at least the sentiments and emo-ns of the people here should be respected.e entire culture of this country is being

pt upright by the sadhus here.

armarth Niketanrmarth Niketan (#21) and its present head,

wami Chidananda Saraswati (Muniji), areown the world over for its well-attended

evening Ganga Aarti, annual yoga festivals,Ganga cleaning initiative and other envi-ronmental campaigns, theEncyclopedia ofHinduismproject and, most recently, its di-saster relief efforts in Uttarakhand.

Muniji himself is arguably the most pop-ular and charismatic swami-in-residencein Rishikesh, with devoted followers rang-ing from the rich and famous to the poorand unnoticed. In keeping with traditionhe is available for darshan most days with-out an appointment. In his simple backyardgarden one can find politicians, Bollywoodstars, wealthy entrepreneurs and even roy-alty sitting on the floor seeking spiritual in-sight. Muniji is highly respected by the localpopulation as well; he has championed theircauses in the face of outside political pres-sure and influence.

Parmarth Niketan lies just downstreamfrom the Ram Jhula bridge. It is a huge fa-cility, with spacious gardens and more than1,000 rooms. Twenty sannyasins live here,

and the ashrams gurukulam has 160 stu-dents and 15 teachers.

Asked about the ever-increasing level ofactivity in Rishikesh, Muniji offered, Even inall this noise in Rishikesh, the lamp of spiri-tuality is still burning strong. It is the respon-

sibility of all of us to keep it that way. Mostwho come to stay with us are spiritual people,but even those who come as tourists shifttheir attitude in the atmosphere here whenthey meet and interact with us. Let the youthcome for rafting, and then let us do the draft-ing which will influence their life forever.

Asked for her thoughts, Munijis assistant,Sadhvi Bhagwati Saraswati, said, People arenot coming to Rishikesh for untouched na-ture, there are coming for something deeper,an energy that is untouched, in pure form. Itwould be an underestimation of that divinepower to say a cyber cafe, coffee shop or raft-ing can undo it.

Swami Omkarananda AshramThis ashram (#16), founded by ParamahansaSwami Omkarananda, is a well-funded

Sacred spaces:(clockwise from top right)The spacious gardens of Parmarth Niketan;

(inset) Muniji; heavily weathered ancientsculpture indicates the true age of BharatTemple, otherwise recently renovated; Sivatemple at Swami Dayananda Ashram;sadhu in study at Kailas Ashram; library atSwami Dayananda Ashram.

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stitution, unusual in that all its trust-s and managers are of European origin,ough now Indian citizens. Following theirrus instructions, the ashrams focus is onrma yoga, selfless service, and it is popularth the local populace for its involvementmany charitable and welfare projects thatnefit the peo ple. It runs dozens of pub-schools and degree-granting colleges in

shikesh and the surrounding hill countryUttarakhand.The ashram owns substantial land andildings in Rishikesh which it rents outother organizations. Additionally, a large-conditioned auditoriuma facility cur-

ntly lacking in Rishikeshis now undernstruction in their vast complex. The swa-s feel the holy city will benefit immensely

om the ability to host big national and in-rnational spiritual events. Their popularga center is run by Usha Mata Ji, a seniorsciple of Yogacharya BKS Iyenger. Studentsply months ahead to get into her classes.

One of Ushas students, Elain Tan Siewow of Singapore, is a Buddhist and a yoga

acher. She shared that she had found noher place in India as peaceful as Rishikesh.en now I spend hours and hours on thenks o f Ganga and experience true pea ce,

quietness of mind and bliss every day.Another student, Markus Eniger, an en-

gineer from Germany, shared Elains rever-ence for Ganga and added, Rishikesh has avery nice community, like a stream of peoplewho want to evolve, who want to go on thespiritual path, find themselves, improve andchange. This is good vibe and good energy.That is why I like it here.

Omkarananda Ashram has 14 temples inRishikesh dedicated to various Gods. Thepopular Omkarananda Kamakshi Devi Man-dir, built mostly in the South Indian traditionand kept spotlessly clean, is unique here. It isone of the few temples where dancetradi-tionally one of the 16 parts of puja worshipis featured. Worshipful dance is offered regu-larly by Kumari Somashekhari, the ashramsdance instructor, and her students.

My advice to foreigners here, said ashrampresident Swami Vishweshwarananda, is togo deeper and deeper. India has produced thegreatest saints on the planet. Go through their

holy books. If you want to pursue your inter-est in spirituality, then try tofind a good guru.Try to lead a life which is full of purity if youwant to experience the Vedic system whichIndia produced thousands and thousands ofyears ago. Rishikesh is still very much a place

where serious sadhana is being done. I thinkwe have a bright future ahead.

Swami Rama Sadhaka GramaThe spacious campus of the Swami RamaSadhaka Gramaliterally, village of spiritu-al seekersand Sadhana Mandir Trust lieson the outskirts of Rishikesh. Founded bySwami Rama (1925-1996) and built in 2001,it is a world-class facility which providesan ideal and serene environment in whichto learn Vedanta and meditation. Others inRishikesh term it a preferred place to learnmeditation. It is patronized by a wide rangeof people from other countries.

Overseen by Swami Veda Bharati, this isa strict ashram. The daily schedule beginswith a 4:15 am wake-up bell and 5:00 amprayer, continuing through an intense dayof yoga, meditation and classes and endingwith 9:00 pm prayers. Its huge library is apersonal project of Swami.

Now 80 years old, Bharati met Swami

Rama in 1969 while a professor of SouthAsian Studies at the University of Minnesotain the US; in 1973 he retired to pursue hisgurus mission full time. According to his bi-ography, he now runs 60 meditation groupsin 25 countries. Currently in poor health and

(left to right) T he popular and immaculately clean SouthIndian style Omkarananda Kamakshi Devi Mandir;(inset left) Usha Mata, Omkarananda Ashrams yogateacher; (inset right) Swami Vishweshwarananda; inrecent years, large shopping districts have developedon both sides of the river; a family prepares fried purisfor pilgrims staying at Baba Kali Kamli Wali ashram

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Varied faces: Temples, yoga, free feedings and.... shopping

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observing silence, Swami communicatedwith us by typing on his computer.

The Meditation Research Institute wascreated here in 2005 to bring together theperennial wisdom of the Himalayan tradi-tions and contemporary science. The mainobjective is to document the various medi-tative techniques of these traditions and totest their effectiveness with scientific tools.People of all religions come here to learnmeditationincluding, according to Swami,

Christian missionary trainees by the hun-dreds as well as Sufis, Jains, Buddhists, Par-sis and others, each taught according to theirown tradition.

Krishna Kumar Uperati, a resident, ex-plained, Technically speaking, according toSwami Veda Bharati, we do not teach medi-tation. We prepare the seekers to evolve theirinstrument of body, mind and soul to a levelwhere they can catch the vibrations that leadto a higher level of consciousness.

Phool Chatti AshramTwelve kilometers upstream, along thefootpath pilgrims would historically taketo Badrinath, is the 128-year-old PhoolChatti Ashram headed by Swami Devaswa-roopananda. This is a popular destination

for those looking for a retreat in the lap ofHimalayas. The ashram, which can accom-modate 200 to 500 pilgrims at a time, has anancient Siva temple and a commodious yogaand meditation hall. The ashrams yoga cen-ter, under the guidance of Yogacharya SadhviLalita Nand, is popular with foreign womenwho come and stay here for an extendedtime to learn Indias ancient sciences. Swa-mi expressed concern about the increasedcamping and rafting activities on Ganga. Notfar from his ashram is a commercial camp-ing site, and another is being set up evencloser. He feels the consumption of liquorand nonvegetarian food is spoiling the area.

Maharishi Mahesh YogiBack in the Swargashram area we searchedout what is certainly the most world-famousplace in Rishikesh: the now-abandoned ash-ram of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, where theBeatles stayed briefly in 1968. The ashram(#25) was built on land leased from Rajaji

National Park. The government declined torenew the lease when it expired in 1981 andreclaimed the land in the mid 1990s. Today,locked up and falling apart, it still attractsthe occasional visitors wanting to see theYogisfirst ashram.

PILGRIM LODGINGS

MMany of the larg er as

cilities in Rishikesh offfor pilgrims as well as long-term housing f

Most of these are by no means that niche is taken up by the yocatering to foreigners. These are poorest pilgrim can stay.

Baba Kali Kamli Wale AtmaAshram(#20) is located just a feyards downstream from Ram Jhexplained manager Shri Gangafounder, Baba Kali Kamli Wale Ji

because he wore a black blankkey force in improving the infrasRishikesh in the early 1900s. He infacilities be provided for the Chargrims and worked to improve theof his disciples, Swami Atmaprakopened a free feeding place for sadopposite side of the river; Swami

came there for food during the timdoing tapasya.

Continuing this tradition, thmaintains over 100 cottages for sviding them with food and medicsome 140 rooms for ordinary pilg


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whom are on a shoestring budgeta fam-of a dozen might share a single large room.

Shri Ved Singh and his family operate ae bhandara on the premises, capable of

eding hundreds at once. We found the foodcellent; it included some popular North In-an delicacies. The ashram has shops whichl daily necessities to tourists and p ilgrims.

Shri Sant Sewa Ashram , under Shriahant Govind Das Ji, is a venerable andpular ashram near Lakshman Jhula whichrves low-budget tourists and pilgrims. Theahant expressed appreciation for thoseho come to Rishikesh: More than our In-an tourists and pilgrims, the foreigners pa-onize us to learn about our culture. Many

them wear traditional Indian dress anddraksha mala. They have a keen interest inr way of worshiping. I am touched to seew they praise Hinduism and take a bath innga with so much devotion.

Another example of simple living is thehagirathi Dham Ashram, a large facil-

right on the banks of Ganga. The man-er, Swami Gyanananda, said their ashramopen to any true seeker who wants to pil-mage to Rishikesh and do sadhana. Weal with people according to their person-ty and background in terms of spiritualvancement and give them a program thats them individually, as judged by our guru.is ashram is completely for sadhana.

Before setting out on pilgrimage, Swamisaid, one must study scripture. On pilgrim-age, we should not keep in touch with family,nor bother about having a luxurious lifestyle.If you are looking for such facilities, thenwhere is the spirit of pilgrimage?

SMALL ASHRAMSAND YOGA CENTERS

Rishikesh has become an unlikely

mix of facilities ranging from high-end boutique accommodations forforeigners to the simple huts of sad-

hus along the river. One cannot, however,categorically judge the more plush of theseas the less spiritual. No doubt one does findhere a few teachers more interested in mon-ey than spirituality, but most, Indians andforeigners alike, are dedicated servants andseekers of God. In the central areas such asSwargashram and the two bridges, adver-tisements are posted for hundreds of local

yoga centers which can be found in everynook and cranny of the town.

Yogalay a Ashra m, founded by Span-ish national Swami Tilak Ji Paramhansa, islocated in Ganga Vatika, an upscale area ofthe Muni ki-Reti area. It is the main mo-nastic training center for the Vedic Foun-dation. One apartment houses a beautifultemple; the current guru, Swami Shankar

Tilakananda, lives in an adjacent apartment.He was traveling during our vi sit; but whenin residence, he is available daily to devotees.

Half a dozen nearby apartments are rent-ed out by the day as guest houses. Thesewell-appointed and scrupulously cleanapartments are booked mostly by Westernpilgrims looking for a more luxurious andhomelike environment than is available atthe main ashrams.

Two resident senior disciples, BrahmachariVedanta Chaitanya and Brahmacharini Di-sha Chaitanaya, offered details on the ash-rams programs. The day here begins witha meditation session from 5:30 to 7:00 am.They teach meditation, various forms of yoga,Bhagavad Gita, Brahma Sutras, Upanishadsand also Ayurveda marma therapy, based onpressure points on the body.

Vedanta Chaitanya told us: We have aprogram called Ganga Yoga under which wetake people to different parts of Haridwarand Rishikesh. We have them take a bath

which helps them release the results of theirpast karma and leads to good karmas. Thisis done with proper chanting of mantras ac-companied with the practice of meditation.

This ashram formally brings people intothe Hindu religion along the same lines es-tablished in the 1980s by Satguru SivayaSubramuniyaswami. This ethical con-version process requires the candidate to

(left to right) Like Starbucks in Seattle, yoga entrepreneurs here in Rishikesh knowthat free WiFi is a draw for customers; students in a yoga class at DeepeshwarMandir practice purvattanasain the system of Pattabhi Jois; the Phool Chattiashram about 12 km above Rishikesh; 105-year-old Dandi Swami Maharaj

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Rich & Poor: The logistics of low and high-budget travel

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demonstrate a deep understanding of thefaith they are leaving, a deep understandingof Hinduism and the reasons they are chang-ing. If someone wants to embrace Vedicdharma, we offer the same serious processas developed by Subramuniyaswami. Thosewho are serious have to study and then takeexamination based on their studies. If theyare found to be prepared, then only is theprocess completed. The process is not done

just because they want it. They need to qual-ify for it.

Brahmacharini Disha offered insight intothe lure of Rishikesh: Foreigners come fromall over the world, but mainly North Amer-ica and Europe. They do not come to study aparticular subject, but rather to seek peacein their lives, to get some relief from theirsuffering and pain. They find we have sometools that can offer them such relief. We of-fer them a guru, scriptures and sadhana. Ifeel that even in todays time if you are a trueseeker you can find the real Rishikesh, which

can give you what you are looking for, butyou will have to search it out yourself.

Yogach arya Swami Sudh ira nand aruns a yoga center in a hall of Omk aranandaDeepeshwar Mandir in the Lakshman Jhulaarea. When we visited early one morning, hewas engaged with a class of foreigners from18 different countries. In one months time,Swami said, we make them a yoga teacher.

We charge them us$1,325 for the one-monthcourse. Half of this is for their lodging andfood, and part is sp

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