SatSanghis

Satsangh means good company or good association. In Baja Govindam Adi Sankara avers that Satsang leads to Jeevan Mukthi or Salvation.
My good friend, mentor and popular trainer Keshav who runs Mantra, has started a new group called Satsanghi , which meets every month at the Chinmaya Heritage Centre, 2, 13th Avenue, Harrington Road.
At every meeting a learned speaker is invited who ddresses the group on a topic generally relating to Indian Heritage, Spirituality or Philosophy. The membership is Rs. 600/- for six months. The Speaker is called Shreyasi (Meaning Pure one).
The Satsanghi meeting was preceded by a brief video of a 1975 Satsangh with Pujya Swami Chinmayananda. It was quite energising. Swamiji spet Atonement as At-One_Ment with OM!

The December Shreyasi was Dr. M B Athreya. I missed it. But, I could make it today to listen to Mr. N R Kumar a Chartered Accountant and Management Consultant. Mr. Kumar speaks Sanskrit fluently and during the discourse told us an entire story in simple easily understandable Sanskrit.
His Talk was on Scientific Heritage of India. He took us through various Scientific dscoveries and showed us that they have recorded origins in India.
For example, he spoke of how soldiers whose noses were cut off by Tipu Sultan were treated by a Mahratta Vaidya using Plastic Surgery. This was reported in the Madras Gazette and read by Dr. J C Carpue who took it to England. Dr. Graefe of Germany read about this in a detailed report in the Gentleman Magazine in Oct 1794. Thus was born Rhinoplasty, which was used by Actress Sridevi to reshape her nose, bringing the Circle back to India but this time as the receiver of a knowledge rather than the proud propogator thereof.
Kumar deplored the fact that we have lost this treasurehouse of knowledge. He gave numerous examples of profound truths that were stated casually in our ancient heritage.
One point he made about Memory and Knowledge was a bit vague. But I think he was actually referring to Data versus Knowledge. He felt that unless you bring passion and experience to any information, you don't own it, you merely hold it.
He also made the point that the chanters of Vedic hymns are mere couriers who deliver the Mantras bereft of their true meaning.
But, his refernce to himself as a Sanskrit Speaking Aryan could have bben avoided as the Dravidian/Aryan delineation is too thin to be stressed. Morover the Sanskrit that is used today is arguably not the same sanskrit used by the Vedic Aryans. There is a lot of Pali and even Dravidian influence in Post Vedic Sanskrit.
His point that Vyasa, Sushrutha and Aryabhatta were not individuals but rather the common name for a series of compilers and correspondents is quite interesting. Sushrutha means one who listens well. Charaka is one who keeps moving (from place to place) to collect information and Vakbhatta was an eloquent man. These people possibly broke away from the existing oral tradition and documented medical practices then prevalent from their first hand observation or from interviewing practitioners.
His talk triggered me into remembering a verse from Kamban's Ramayanam in the Hiranya Vadhai Padalam (Verse 253)where Kamban makes Prahalad say, "Yes Hari is everywhere, in this Pillar, even in that Kone which is the hundreth part of an Atom...!" This would mean that Ancient Tamils knew about the Atom and that it was divisible far earlier than western science accepted Atomic Fission! In Verse 296 he speaks of Nanosecond. (1/1000th of a second)
But, what is the point in talking about past greatness. Actually for all his laudable research, and argument, N R Kumar did not really offer any viable long term suggestions for documenting and studying these things. But his Passion is palpable and infectious. Most of us walked out with the conviction that we should do something about researching and documenting our Ancient Indian Heritage. Or as Keshav succinctly put it at the end, It is time t o stop crying and start Trying!

Eternal Youth - A Boon or a Curse?

Youth - Eternal

Eternal youth
A Curse or Blessing?
After all, when the innocence is gone
what is the appearnce of youth
but a source of envy; a fear of Loss?

Sreesri

As I was preparing for my bath, I saw a cat basking in the sun. I was impressed by the absolute non-chalance and the air of superiority exhibited by her. I used maximum zoom in my Nikon to get that air of supercilious superiority that only a cat can display. And for extreme indolence and laid back attitude, Cats take the cup!

Most of us feel a bit guilty about resting or relaxing. We try to justify it by a bout of action, before or after the period of rest. But a cat will relax as if there is no need for justifying it. As if relaxing is the purpose of life!

That is possibly why a deep and undisturbed sleep during the day for about half an hour is called a Cat Nap!

Go ahead! Relax! It is allowed for Humans too!

How I joined Chinmaya Mission as a Life Member

Swami Tejomayanandaji, the head of the Chinmaya Mission has answered many of the queries raised by devotees from time to time. These answers have been published in a book titled "You Ask He Answers."
This book is also being serialized in The Chinmya Dhindima, the monthly bulletin of the Chinmaya Mission, Chennai.
Swamiji takes some of the most controversial and confounding questions on our Sanathan Dharma and gives replies that are not only convincing but logical too. The answers do not address blind faith, but rather the refined intellect. This, indeed, is the Chinmaya Way!
My tryst with the Chinmya Movement began in 1991. I was once asked how I became attached to the Mission. To be specific, the question asked by a Study Group Member was, "Who brought you into the Chinmya Mission?" I had to pause and think because no one really solicted me or convinced me to attend.
In 1991 I had commenced learning Sanskrit with a view to appreciating our ancient heritage more fully. When I saw the huge banners announcing Swami Chinmyananda's lectures, I thought, " Why not go? At best, I can practice my Sanskrit!" With this Ahankara Bhava I entered the Kamaraj Memorial Hall to listen to Swamiji on the Bhagawad Gita for the first ever time. There were lakhs and lakhs of people. Many of them standing in the area outside the main auditorium and viewing swamiji's lecture on giant screens placed for this purpose. The Lecture was on chapter XV, and as Swamiji explained the underlying foolishness of an ego centric existence and the deadly tricks that the mind plays on us, I realised that I knew nothing.
I could now understand what Barthrihari meant in the stanza in Neethi Sathakam:
Knowing a little, I assumed that I knew everything and that there was nothing more to learn. Then, as I obtained the association of great souls and learnt from them my foolishness slipped away from me as a fever does on being treated by physicians. Then I realised the depth of my ignorance!"
I dissolved in that Ocean of Clrity that is Swami Chinmayananda! I did not Change, but could now see things differentlly if not better. I joined the Mission as a Life Member and started the process of self refinement that continues to this day.
Therefore the only answer I can give to the question, "Who brought me to the Chinmya Mission?, is that it was Swami Chinmayanandaji himself. I say this with humility and a sense of joy that surpasseth all understanding.

Pilgrimmage to Sabari Mala

Self and Swamis !










Harihara Guruswami!









The Entire group at Kumaranallor (Kottayam)






The Forest Path to Kalakatti Ashram









The Route to Kuzhimaavu









Azhutha River

Sannidhanam!

Erumeli Pettai Thullal

Nature's Language

I handled Life Skills sessions for the Articled clerks at the Smart Trainees Programme conducted by Prime Academy. The programme mainly focused on improving their skills on the job.

The group of about twelve people were quite receptive and highly interactive. They raised many critical questions.

For example Joseph one of the participants asked me the meaning of "Nature's Language!"

Elsewhere in this Blog I have given my transliteration of the popular tamil lyric from the feature film Mozhi. As I was reciting these words to them, Joseph ventured this question.

I asked how many of them came from suburban areas like Nangnallur, Madipakkam etc., A few hands went up. Then I told them to wake up at around 5:00 AM and go up to their terrace. There they should attempt to listen to the birds. In the still and silent morning hour the strident birdsong is a melody of medley. After sometime each note is discerned as unique. After a couple of days of this abhyaas or practice each individual bird can be identified by its note.

Another way to discern nature's language is go to the seashore and listen to the sea. At first, the waves appear to be beating against the shore erratically . Later we can sense the rhythm of this beat and the perceptible half minute of deep resonating silence between two wave falls! When we can listen to this central silence we are in the very lap of the Sea Mother. All cares, concerns and emotional unrest slowly subside and as the all pervading calmness takes over we can reach into deeper reserves of strength within us! The languge of the sea is different in different locales. I have heard different rhythms at Puducherry, Kanyakumari, Goa and Trivandrum. No two beaches have the same rhythm.

Check out these two activities and once you can discern Nature's language, the tongues of men are indeed of no conern!

New Year at Pondicheri!

Began the New Year 2008 at Pondicheri!

The New Year celebrations at Puducherry are more organized and displined than at Chennai. People enjoy the countdown to the New Year without violatng the liberty of others.

After a decent buffet Dinner at Hotel Surguru, we wended our way to the Beach. We parked our car near the beautifully renovated Public Gardens with the replica of the Arc De Tromph in the centre. The brillinatly lit edifice created a truly french ambience.

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2008!

A way for everyone!

Dr. William Sheldon (1898-1977) was an American psychologist who devoted his professional life to observing the range of human body types and the associated human personality traits or temperament types.

My Brother-in-Law had arranged a Bajan at his house on 30th December.. Bajan is the melodious group singing of devotional Songs on various Gods from the Hindu Pantheon. As I sat in his hall listening to the superbly rendered devotional songs, I could not help but mull over Dr. Sheldon’s theory of body structure and temperament. Elsewhere in this Blog I have talked about the three types of Yoga viz., Gnana, Bhakti and Karma, that can be practiced to attain the Supreme Lord. The Sanathan Dharma or The Ancient Wisdom (To give it a holistic title) recommends these three practices for attaining liberation.

Through a meticulous examination of the carefully posed (front view, side view, and back view) photographs of some four thousand, decently but scantily clothed, college-age, men Sheldon became persuaded that there were three fundamental elements that, in various proportions, contributed to each person's actual physique or somatype.

He conjectured that there might well be some relationship between these elements and the three layers of the human embryo - the endoderm, the mesoderm and the ectoderm - and consequently gave the three elements that he held as contributing to ALL human physiques the names Endomorphy, Mesomorphy and Ectomorphy.

He also conducted a large number of surveys directed towards the investigation of whether there was any identifiable link between physique and temperament type. Sheldon's surveys led him consider that there were three basic temperament types or human personality traits that he labelled Viscerotonia, Somatotonia, and Cerebrotonia.

He considered that there was a strong correlation between body type and temperament type. According to this view human personality traits are underwritten, as it were, by human physical types. Extreme Endomorphs tend towards Viscerotonia, extreme Mesomorphs towards Somatotonia, and extreme Ectomorphs towards Cerebrotonia.

He devised ways of standardising the measurement and numerical expression of the various degrees to which each of the three element was present in any individual person's physique.

He came to see:-
Endomorphy as being focussed on the digestive system, particularly the stomach. He saw extreme Endomorphic physiques as being rounded and tending towards fleshiness. He discovered that extreme Endomorphic body types are endowed with a far longer digestive tract than extreme Ectomorphic body types.

He saw extreme Viscerotonia as being associated with a love of relaxation and of comfort. Extreme Viscerotonics tend to be sociable "food and people" persons.

Can we call these people Thamasic? Continuosly deluded by the sense organs, they move around with little or no goals. They can be driven and controlled as long as their sensual needs are satisfied. They make great staff and supervisors.

Mesomorphy as being focussed on musculature and the circulatory system. He saw extreme Mesomorphic physiques as being large, bony, and tending towards a substantial and well-defined musculature.

He saw extreme Somatonia as being associated with physical assertiveness. Extreme Somatotonics tend to be very keen on physical activity. Extreme Somatotonics also tend to be keen on competition in which they tend to expect to do well.

These are the Rajasic personalities, who prefer action to words. The soldiers, The Go-getters, the action people. They like to be in control and are great leaders.

Ectomorphy as being focussed on the nervous system and the brain. He saw extreme Ectomorphic body types as being light-boned and tending towards a slightness of musculature.

He saw extreme Cerebrotonia as being associated with a pronounced need for privacy. Extreme Cerebrotonics tend to be highly self-aware and socially restrained.

These are the Satvics. The thinkers. The Rishis and Sages who kept contemplating continuosly. They also include the artists and the poets who are good at analysis and theory but are rarely effective in implementation and delivery. This group makes good R&D and Trainers.

The Gita calls these three temperaments the Gunas and Bhagvan Srikrishna actually cautions Arjuna not to fall prey to any of the Three Gunas, but rather to surmount them by becoming dispassionate and clearheaded. In this sense Bhagvan even denounces the efficacy of the Vedas in Ch II when he says, The subject of the Vedas are the Three Gunas, O Arjun. Become a person who is not of these three gunas.

Again, if we accept Karma theory, your body type is attained by you based on the type lives you’ve lead previous to this birth. So we have carefully selected this body, mind and intellect combination in our earlier births. Agreed. Now, if we are to understand Dr. Sheldon rightly, the temperament follows from the body type!

Is this inevitable? Can we never break the bondage of the three Gunas? The Sanathan Dharma offers a solution. You cannot change your body type or temperamrnt, but you can choose the type of practice that you wish to adopt to find liberation!

Yes, the Visceratonics should continuously force the Sense Organs towards the Lord through Bajan and Nama Sankeerthanam. The month of Marghazhi or Dhanur Masya gives the Visceratonic this opportunity!

The action oriented Somatotonics should serve their fellow men and through this selfless Karma Seva attain true bliss and oneness with God.

And finally, the Cerebratonics can contemplate on the infinite wisdom of the Lord’s creation and thereby overcome the torture of their own intellectual brains!

Ultimately all these practices lead into each other. Ganana, Bhakthi and Karma are one and the same!