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May the mid-region free us from all fear, and both
Heaven and Earth make us secure. Let there be for us no fear from
behind, no fear from in front, no fear from the north or the south. Let
there be no fear from friend, no fear from foe, no fear from the known,
no fear from what lies before us unknown, let there be no fear for us
from night, no fear from day. Let all the quarters be my friends.
Atharva Veda 19.15.5 -- 6. HV, P. 105

Monday
LESSON 358
Are You A Hindu?
This afternoon we had a nice visit with a fine young man here at my ashrama
in Sri Lanka. During the conversation, I encouraged him to stand strong
for Hinduism. "When you stand strong for your religion, you are
strong," he was told. Today there are many Hindus from India and Sri
Lanka in the United States and Europe who when asked, "Are you a
Hindu?" reply, "No, I'm not really a Hindu. I'm nonsectarian,
universal, a follower of all religions. I'm a little bit of everything,
and a little bit of everybody. Please don't classify me in any
particular way." Are these the words of a strong person? No. Too much
of this kind of thinking makes the individual weak-minded. Religion,
above all else, should bring personal strength and commitment to the
individual. When a Hindu is totally noncommittal, releasing his
loyalties as he goes along through life, disclaiming his religion for
the sake of so-called unity with other people or for business or social
reasons, he can easily be taken in, converted to other people's
beliefs. Even when it is just a way to get along with others, by
seeming uncertain of his path, he opens himself to alien influences of
all kinds.
In America the beautiful, the land of the money,
anything is possible. It is possible to get money. But to get it at the
expense of disclaiming one's religion to the public is a very great
expense. Young adults hear their parents disclaiming their religion by
saying "Oh, I am a Christian. I am a Muslim. I am a Buddhist. I am a
follower of all religions. All religions are one." All religions are
not one. They are very, very different. They all worship and talk about
God, yes, but they do not all lead their followers to the same
spiritual goal. The Christians are not seeking God within themselves.
They do not see God as all-pervasive. Nor do they see God in all
things. Their religion does not value the methods of yoga which
bring Hindus into God Realization. Their religion does not have the
mysticism of worshiping God and the Gods in the temple. Jews,
Christians and Muslims do not believe that there is more than one life
or that there is such a thing as karma. They simply do not
accept these beliefs. They are heresy to them. These are a few of the
basic and foremost beliefs that make our religion and theirs very,
very, different indeed.
Many Asian Hindus traveling to
America, Europe or Africa for business reasons think that in order to
fit in, to be accepted, they must deny their religion. The Jews,
Christians and Muslims did not deny their faith when they found
themselves in alien countries, yet their businesses flourish. But too
many Hindus say, "I am a Muslim. I am a Jew. I am a Christian. I am a
Hindu. I am a universalist." These are very naive statements. The
Muslims do not think these Hindus are Muslim. The Jews do not think
that they are Jewish. The Christians know they are not Christians. And
the Hindus know they were born Hindu and will die as Hindus, and that
they are disclaiming their own sacred heritage for the sake of money
and social or intellectual acceptance. How deceptive! How shallow! The
message should go out loud and strong: Stand strong for Hinduism, and
when you do you will be strong yourself. Yes! Stand strong for
Hinduism. Stand strong for Hinduism. Religion is within your heart and
mind.
If there were no humans with thinking minds on the
planet, there would be no religion at all. Religion does not exist
outside of a person's mind and spirit. Religion lies within the human
mind. If we want to preserve the world's oldest religion, the Sanatana
Dharma, which goes back in time as far as man himself, then we must
preserve it within our minds, protect it in our hearts and then slowly,
steadily spread its great wisdom out into the minds of others. The
dignity of the Hindu people must be preserved, not surrendered on the
altar of material gain.
Tuesday
LESSON 359
One Duty To Perform
Every Hindu has but one great obligation, and that is
to pass his religion on to the next generation of Hindus. That's all he
has to do, pass his religion on to the next generation. Then that
generation passes it on to their next generation. If we lose a single
generation in-between, the whole religion is lost in an area of the
world. How many religions have existed on this planet? Thousands of
them. What happened to the Zoroastrian religion? It barely exists now.
What happened to the religion of the ancient Greeks? They must have
missed several generations. The ancient Mayan, Hawaiian, Druid and
Egyptian religions are all virtually forgotten but for the history
books.
The great men and women in our history have withstood
the most severe challenges to our religion and sacrificed their
energies, even their lives, that it would not be lost to invaders who
sought to destroy it. It is easy to be courageous when an enemy is on
the attack, because the threat is so obvious. Today the threat is more
subtle, but no less terrible. In fact, it is really a greater threat
than Hinduism has ever had to face before, because an enemy is not
destroying the religion. It is being surrendered by the Hindus
themselves through neglect, through fear, through desire for land and
gold, but mostly through ignorance of the religion itself. If Hindus
really understood how deep into their soul their religion penetrates,
if they knew how superior it is to any other spiritual path on the
Earth today, they would not abandon it so easily but cherish and foster
it into its great potential. They would not remain silent when asked
about their religion, but speak out boldly its great truths. They would
not hesitate to stand strong for Hinduism.
How can Hindus in
the modern, mechanized world pass their religion to the next generation
when they are not proud enough of it to announce it openly to business
associates and all who ask? When the Muslim seeks employment, he is
proud to say, "I worship Allah." The Christian is proud to say, "I
worship Jesus Christ." But too often the Hindu is not proud to say, "I
worship Lord Ganesha.'' In our great religion there is one Supreme God
and many Gods. The average Hindu today is not proud of this. He feels
others will reject him, will not employ him, will not like him. Of
course, this might be true. It might be very true. Then he should seek
out people who do respect Hinduism. These are the people to associate
with.
Wednesday
LESSON 360
Vedanta and Christianity
Tens of thousands of America's and Europe's younger
generation have come to believe in the basic tenets of Hinduism. There
are hundreds of thousands of the older generation who believe in
reincarnation and the laws of karma. These two beliefs have
pulled them away from the Abrahamic religions. But unless the Hindu
organizations in every country who teach reincarnation and karma take
these fine, dedicated half-Hindu people one step further and convert
them fully into the Hindu religion, a disservice through neglect has
been committed.
Yes, native-born Americans want to know more about karma and
reincarnation and God's all-pervasiveness. They have not been satisfied
with the postulations taught by the Abrahamic faiths. They do not
believe in a wrathful God who punishes souls in Hell for eternity. They
do not believe that non-Christians will suffer forever for their
"wrongful beliefs." Many Americans are adopting the Hindu view of life.
Even scientists are looking to Hinduism for deeper understanding as to
the nature of the universe. Ironically, born Hindus are trying to be
like Western people just when Westerners are appreciating the beauties
of Hinduism. Yes, hundreds of thousands of sincere seekers in the
United States, Europe, Canada, Australia and elsewhere are turning
toward Hinduism, pulling away from their former religions and finding
themselves in an in-between state, an abyss which offers them no
further guidance from Indian swamis or community acceptance by Hindu groups.
It
is postulated by some that Vedanta makes a Christian a better
Christian. Because of that postulation Vedanta has been widely accepted
throughout the world. "Study Vedanta," seekers are told, "and it will
make you a more enlightened Christian." This is simply not true. When
you study Vedanta, you learn about karma and reincarnation, you
begin to understand that God is within you and within all things, and
that the immortal soul of man is one with the Absolute God. These are
not Christian beliefs. These beliefs are a strong threat to Catholic
and Protestant Christian doctrine, so strong, in fact, that in 1870 the
First Vatican Council condemned five beliefs as the single most
sensitive area threatening the Catholic faith of the day, and even in
recent times the Vatican has described their encroachment as a grave
crisis. Among those condemned beliefs is the belief that God exists in
the world, in all things. To believe that God is everywhere and that
all things are His Sacred Being makes an individual an apostate to his
religion, according to the mandates of the Catholics and most Christian
churches.
Isn't that interesting? Certainly the Catholics do
not agree that studying Vedanta makes one a better Catholic. Certainly
the Methodists, Baptists, Lutherans and evangelicals do not hold that
the study of Vedanta makes one a better Christian. Quite the opposite,
the study of Vedanta will make a Christian a heretic to his own
religion. So successful were the Vedanta swamis in promulgating
the notion that Vedanta can be studied by people of all religions, that
they have become a threat to the existence of the Catholic and
Protestant churches. That is how different Christianity is from
traditional Hinduism.
Hinduism has come a long way in North America and Europe through the tireless efforts of the Vedanta swamis, the Sivananda swamis and
others. They are to be commended for their efforts and insight, and for
succeeding in putting the precepts of Hinduism on the map of the
world's consciousness. However, one step further must be taken.
Thursday
LESSON 361
Welcoming Newcomers
Only if we bring seekers into Hinduism properly through the namakarana samskara, our
name-giving sacrament, will they truly become a part of this
time-honored tradition and be able to raise their children as Hindus.
If we do not, they will have nothing to offer their children but an
empty, negative abyss to slowly fall into when they grow up. We owe it
to the next generation, the next, the next and the next to take these
sincere Hindu souls in Western bodies fully into our religion, train
them and help them to become established in one sect or another. It
should be insisted upon that their children do not grow up without a
religion, for that would prove harmful both to the individual and to
Hindu society as a whole.
Societies which do not foster
religion foster crime by default. Crime is very expensive for an
individual, for a community and for a nation. When we neglect religious
training, we allow crime to gain a foothold on the youth, and we pay
for that neglect dearly. Therefore, I say that this next step must be
taken, and taken fully, by all the swamis throughout the United States, Canada, Europe and around the world.
We
beseech all Hindu organizations worldwide to open their hearts and
doors to these fine souls. This is a very serious situation. There are
hundreds of thousands of people who have been dislodged from their
parents' religion through their belief in reincarnation, karma
and the knowledge of God's all pervasiveness, and yet they have not
been fully taken into the Hindu religion or its community of devotees.
Why? Because of color? Yes, that is partly true. Many Indian people
say, "You have to be born a Hindu to be a Hindu. You cannot adopt the
Hindu religion. You have to be born a Hindu to be a Hindu." This, of
course, is not true. Other Indian Hindus say, "You have to be born in
India and in a caste to be a Hindu." This also is not true. What about
all of you who were born and live here in Sri Lanka? What about the
Hindus in Bali, those in Malaysia or the Hindus born in Trinidad,
Nepal, Europe, Guyana, Suriname and elsewhere? Are they not Hindus?
We
did some research on this erroneous statement: "You cannot convert to
Hinduism." We studied dozens of books and noted down all of the quotes
that we could find that said, "You have to be born a Hindu to be a
Hindu" or "You have to be born in India to be a Hindu." We found that
these two quotes were only in the books authored by Christians. These
statements, we concluded, were nothing more than Christian propaganda
against the Hindu religion. Presumably, the Christians knew that if
they could stop or at least slow down the growth of Hinduism through
conversion, they would make more progress in their own conversions and
in a few generations perhaps destroy Hinduism. We did not find these
statements in a single book written by a Hindu author.
In
fact, eminent Hindu authors have said that you can convert to Hinduism.
Swami Vivekananda proclaimed, "Born aliens have been converted in the
past by crowds, and the process is still going on." Even if you only
adopt Hindu practices, believe in reincarnation and karma and do a puja once
a day, you are a Hindu and will be accepted by Hindu society.
Unfortunately, a minority of Hindus of Indian origin, educated in
Christian schools, and even a few Western-influenced swamis and pandits
and one or two Shankaracharyas, echo this misinformation with
conviction. We can now see how the Christian propaganda has negatively
influenced the growth of Hinduism worldwide. Their propaganda has
infiltrated, diluted and destroyed the Hindu's faith in his own
religion.
Friday
LESSON 362
A Crisis Of Identity
This confusion about Hinduism, what it is and is not
and who is a Hindu and who is not, occurs in San Francisco, New York,
Chennai, Mumbai, New Delhi and in London. It is mainly in the larger
cities in India, the United States and Europe that people are not
upholding the Sanatana Dharma anymore and are surrendering it, the most
precious thing in their life, to adopt an ecumenical philosophy. The
sad thing is that no one is objecting. Yes, no one is objecting. It
doesn't seem to bother anybody at all. No one bothers when a Hindu
denies his religious heritage in order to be accepted into a place of
employment, or while working with fellow employees. No one bothers when
that same Hindu returns home and performs puja in the closet
shrine among the shoes. The shrine is in the closet so the door can be
quickly closed in case non-Hindu visitors arrive. Isn't this terrible?
But
these same Hindus expect their sons and daughters to believe in the
religion that they are publicly denouncing. They expect their sons and
daughters to worship in the closet shrine they hide at home. The
children today just will not accept this deception. Modern education
teaches people to think for themselves. They will soon reject Hinduism
and maybe their parents, too. Yes, youth do reject it, and they are
rejecting it more and more each year that this deceptive attitude
continues on the part of the elders. Having rejected their Hinduism,
the young people are not adopting another religion. What then are they
doing? They are living as nonreligious people.
When the
pressures of mechanized industrial society get too difficult for them,
when they need God and need the strength of their childhood faith, they
will have no place to turn -- not even to their parents. They may even
seek escape in committing suicide, by hanging themselves, poisoning
themselves. It's happening now, happening more and more as the years go
by. And now divorce is widespread among Hindus. The elders sit in
judgment and proclaim, "Divorce is wrong. Therefore, you shouldn't get
a divorce. You are breaking the rules by getting a divorce." Too many
elders have already broken the rules by not standing strong for their
religion, and they are not listened to. Our fellow Hindus should not be
harshly judged and cast out when things go wrong in their life. The
elders should offer gentle advice and help in as many ways as possible
to make up for any wrong that has been done. When the younger
generation fails, the elders must share their strength with them to
make them succeed, drawing on the wisdom of Sanatana Dharma.
But
it is never too late to stand strong for Hinduism. Hindu societies have
to provide marriage counselors, people who go to the homes and counsel
the couples before the relationship comes to the point of planning for
divorce. Yes, we must provide professionally trained men and women to
help a troubled couple before they go to the attorney, and others who
can counsel our troubled youth, our elderly and our poor. Every Hindu
who needs help must be able to find it somewhere within his own
religion. Who can provide that help? The elders can and must.
Saturday
LESSON 363
Ministers Are Needed
There are many professions that emerged in India
during the Raj: the profession of the attorney, the profession of the
engineer, the profession of the modern businessman, the scientist and
more. However, the most respected profession, that of religious
minister, was not allowed to develop. Under the British rule the
profession of the religious ministers was not made popular. Why? We can
assume it would have made Hinduism strong and its people
self-sufficient. It would have increased its self-respect. Slowly the
Anglican Christian government drew devotees away from the temple and
philosopher, and teachers away from the religion into the secular
world. Slowly they drew the women out of the homes into jobs, and the
priests out of the temples into better-paying professions.
A
law student has no authority in the courts. He cannot approach the
judge. He can sit in the courtroom and listen. But as soon as he passes
his bar examination, he gains authority. He can then wield his
authority in the courts. There is a parallel to this in religion. The
average follower does not have religious authority, but the appointed
or ordained minister has been given authority by all the members and
other ministers. The Muslims have ministers with authority, the
Buddhists have priests with great authority, and so do the Christians.
They all have their churches, temples and houses of worship where the
ministers and priests do their work. The modern church system is a
social, economical, cultural and religious structure. A minister of a
church or of a Muslim mosque, Buddhist temple or Jewish synagogue has a
certain well-defined authority and can effectively help the members of
his congregation, much more so than can the ordinary person.
The
modern church system gives authority to well-educated people, to the
most devout and committed people, to perform their ministry. Once Hindu
men or women have this kind of authority, it is possible to approach
the president of a country, the Pope in Rome or any other important
person in government as representatives of the religion. They can
freely communicate with other religious leaders: a Muslim imam, a
Christian minister, a Buddhist priest on an equal basis. They can
lecture around the world and do much more than they could before being
ordained. This is because they have been given the authority by their
congregation and other clergy persons. Hindus of all sects need their
religious leaders in every country to serve the community, to teach and
represent the religion at local and international venues, to stand
strong for Hinduism on equal footing with all major religions of the
world. Hindus need their religious leaders to perform the rites of
passage, to manage the temples, to counsel and console, to uphold
family values, to stop the suicides, to stop the divorces, to stop the
murders, to stop the wife and child abuse, so that the community is
strong and stable.
Sunday
LESSON 364
Sannyasins Are Needed
There are hundreds of thousands of sannyasins, Hindu monks, throughout North India. But where are the sannyasins that
have been produced by the Hindu community of northern Sri Lanka? Where
are they? The community produces attorneys. The community produces
businessmen. The community produces freedom fighters. Why not produce a
swami also? Is that too much to ask? It's not too much to ask.
It is part of Hindu culture to dedicate a son to religious orders. This
same community, however, has given many, many of their young men to the
Catholic Church to become its priests. This is difficult to understand.
It really is.
A young man before the age of twenty-five should
be allowed to make a personal decision whether he wants to follow the
path of the sannyasin or the path of the householder. He should
never be forced into employment to earn a big dowry in order to marry
off his sisters. It is a sin if he is forced to work in the world if
his calling is to find God and serve his people through Hinduism. It is
a sin, when the calling of his soul is to realize God, to force him
into a marriage. The best thing for the family, for the community and
for all of humanity would be to let those rare souls seek out God, take
their holy vows of sannyasa and bring light and love back into a hurting world through their awakened being.
The
Hindu community in Sri Lanka should produce spiritual leaders from
among its young men. It has quite enough of all the other kinds of
professions. It should again produce great swamis, as well as many grihastha missionaries
and ministers. We asked this young man sitting here before me an hour
ago, "How many people of your age go to the religious meetings and
events?" He said, "Very few of us do." The parents should bring their
young men with them by the hundreds to listen to visiting swamis
and participate in other functions. Hindus around the world have to
stand up for Hinduism, support it by their efforts, their interest,
their resources of time and money and talent.
Last week while
in Chennai, Swami Chinmayananda, a friend of mine for over twenty
years, and I were talking together. A young man came in during our
conversation and told Swami that he was preparing to go to school and
then asked Swami for his blessings. Swami inquired of him what he would
do after finishing with schooling. He said, "Then I will be married."
Swami inquired, "Then what?'' "Then I'll raise the children.'' Swami
asked again, "Then what?'' "I will go on with my profession." Swami
persisted, "Then what?'' He went on like that until finally the young
man said, "Well, then I will die." Swami then said to him. "You should
do some useful service and help me in my mission before you marry.
There are enough children being born in India today -- that can wait a
little. Come to me after your schooling and we will do some useful work
for God and our people together."
The point is that all things
in life must be centered around religion. Only the spiritual matters of
life live on. Everything else in life is destined to perish. This body
will perish. This personality will perish. But our religion will live
on and grow inside of us as we evolve from life to life. It is the duty
of each Hindu, young or old, to help the religion progress from
generation to generation. We help Hinduism live on by serving and
guiding others. For true and lasting happiness, religion must be the
basis of everything in life, around which all other interests and
desires revolve. So many people are against religion these days. It is
up to religious people to make it popular again.
India and Sri
Lanka are in between being agricultural countries and technological
countries. We have to bring Hinduism into the technological age. It has
to be reiterated, reedited and reexplained. We must teach how the
worship of Lord Ganesha can help people run their computer better, help
them become a better typist, help them handle the stress and strain
that come from dealing with traffic and coping with people of all
kinds. Hinduism has to be retranslated, updated into this industrial
and technological era. Who can do that? Only the intelligent older
people like yourselves. Intelligent older people can take this on and
help me in this reformation, and then we will together pass it to the
next generation. Soon the Hindus of all sects will become strong and
proud of their religion.
Let us now affirm: "Lord Siva loves
and cares for all of His devotees. He always has and He always will."
"Lord Siva loves and care for all of His devotees. He always has and He
always will." Let's work together, and let's begin now.
Monday
LESSON 365
You Can Make A Difference
It is important that all of you here with me tonight
band together and do what you can to make a difference. It is important
that you immediately refrain from following the patterns taught to you
or your parents by the British Christians. One such pattern is that if
one person in the community comes up, cut him down, malign him,
criticize him until all heads are leveled. In the modern, industrial
society everyone tries to lift everyone else up. People are proud of an
individual in the community who comes up, and they help the next one
behind him to succeed as well. They are proud of their religious
leaders, too. Not so here, because if anyone does want to help out
spiritually they have to be quiet and conceal themselves, lest they be
maligned. Nobody is standing up to defend the religion; nobody is
allowing anybody else to stand up, either. This has to change, and
change fast it will.
Yes, the tide has to change. It has to
change, no matter how painful it might be to praise people rather than
criticize them, and to support and to protect them. The tide has to
change. It has to change no matter how painful it might be to admit
that we worship many Gods as well as one supreme God. The time has come
for Hindus to be openly proud of their religion -- the oldest religion
on the planet. The time has come for Hindus to proclaim their beliefs
and to defend their beliefs. The time has come for Hindus to stand up
for Hinduism, no matter what the cost. The results will be a younger
generation which respects the older generation again. The results will
be a younger generation proud to be called Hindu. The results will be a
younger generation eager to pass the tenets of Hinduism on to the next
generation in a proud and a dynamic and a wonderful way. The time is
now -- begin!
Western nations are becoming truly pluralistic.
These are days of truth. They are days of correction of wrongdoing,
days of Self Realization, which cannot be hidden under a cloak of
deception. Believe me, no Christian or Muslim looks at the Vedic-Agamic
goal of atmajnana, Self Realization, in the same way Hindus do. The days are gone when it is necessary to observe Christmas in the ashrama and sing non-Hindu hymns at satsanga.
There was a time to hide the Vedic Truth beneath a basket and behind a
cross, but now is a time to shout Self Realization from the rooftops.
Self Realization is, in fact, what all people on the planet have come
here to experience.
The Self within all is the sustainer of
all, yet it acts not in that sustaining and is itself unsustained. It
sustains our thoughts, our emotions, our physical universe, yet it lies
mysteriously beyond them all, perfectly obvious to the knower,
perfectly invisible to most. It is and yet it is not. Hindus need
nothing else to hide behind than this Paramatman. Certainly we no
longer need to define ourselves in a Christian or a Muslim way, or any
other way but our own. So, no need to send out Christmas cards this
year or have a tree in the ashrama, right?
In looking
back on all the wonderful aspects of Hinduism that have been spoken of
tonight on the beautiful island of Sri Lanka, it is clear that Hinduism
is the answer for the future generations on this planet. It is the
answer for the New Age, for the dawning Sat Yuga. The gracious Sanatana
Dharma, our great religion, has all the answers. It has always had all
of the answers in every age, for there was never an age when it did not
exist. The time has now passed for many and is quickly passing for
everyone when they can deny their Hindu heritage, when they can be
afraid to admit their belief in Hinduism or even the simple fact that
they are a Hindu. The time has come for Hindus of all races, all
nations, of all cultures, of all sects to stand up and let the peoples
of the world know of the great religion of which they are one of the
staunch adherents. Take courage, courage, courage into your own hands
and proceed with confidence. Stand strong for Hinduism.
PART 3, CHAPTER 52, VEDIC VERSES
The soul is born and unfolds in a body, with dreams
and desires and the food of life. And then it is reborn in new bodies,
in accordance with its former works. The quality of the soul determines
its future body; earthy or airy, heavy or light.
Krishna Yajur Veda, Shvetashvatara Upanishad, 5.11-12. UPM, P. 94
There is nothing higher than dharma. Verily, that which is dharma is truth. Shukla Yajur Veda, Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 1.4.14. BO UPH, P. 84
Whatever world the man of purified mind desires,
whatever desires he wishes to fulfill, all these he attains. Therefore,
let whoever is desirous of prosperity worship the man of Self
Realization.
Atharva Veda, Mundaka Upanishad 3.1.10. EH P. 178
Now, there are, of a truth, three worlds: the world
of men, the world of the fathers, and the world of the Gods. The world
of the Gods is verily the best of worlds. Shukla Yajur Veda, Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 1.5.16. UPH, P. 89
Many are the lovely flowers of worship offered to the guru,
but none lovelier than nonkilling. Respect for life is the highest
worship, the bright lamp, the sweet garland and unwavering devotion.
Tirumantiram V. 197. TM
May noble wisdom come to us from all sides, undeceived, unhindered, overflowing, so that the devas may always help us onward, unceasing in their care, our Guardians day by day. Ours be the blissful love of devas who desire straight life; about us may the grace of devas lie. We have approached the devas for friendship; may they prolong our life to the full, so that we may live. Rig Veda 1.89.1-2. HV, P. 109
Having realized with mind and heart, having become
wise, you will no longer move on the path of death. Therefore, they
call renunciation the ardor surpassing all others.
Krishna Yajur Veda, Mahanarayana Upanishad 537 -- 8. VE, P. 439
Of lords the Lord Supreme, of kings the King, of Gods
the God, Him let us worship -- transcendent, Lord of all worlds and
wholly worthy of worship. Krishna Yajur Veda, Shvetasvatara Upanishad 6.7. VE P. 156
Those who in penance and faith dwell in the forest,
peaceful and wise, living a mendicant's life, free from passion depart
through the door of the sun to the place of the immortal Person, the
imperishable Self.
Atharva Veda, Mundaka Upanishad 1.2.11. VE P. 415
Mind is indeed the source of bondage and also the
source of liberation. To be bound to things of this world -- this is
bondage. To be free from them -- this is liberation. Krishna Yajur Veda, Maitri Upanishad 6.34. UPM, P. 104
If you have doubt concerning conduct, follow the
example of high souls who are competent to judge, devout, not led by
others, not harsh, but lovers of virtue. Krishna Yajur Veda, Taittiriya Upanishad 1.11.4. BO UPR, P. 539
The rites of oblation, O lovers of truth, which the
sages divined from the sacred verses, were variously expounded in the
threefold Veda. Perform them with constant care. This is your path to the world of holy action. Atharva Veda, Mundaka Upanishad. 1.2.1. VE, P. 414
Let him approach with humility a guru who is
learned in the scriptures and established in Brahman. To such a seeker,
whose mind is tranquil and senses controlled, and who has approached
him in the proper manner, let the learned guru impart the science of Brahman, through which the true, Imperishable Being is realized.
Atharva Veda, Mundaka Upanishad 1.2.12 -- 13. EH, P. 157
Yes, may the man who within his home pleases you all
his days with songs and with offerings receive a rich reward, be loaded
with your gifts! To him be happiness! This is our prayer. Rig Veda 4.4.7. VE 845
Like the cry of watchful birds swimming in water,
like the loud claps of thundering rain clouds, like the joyful streams
gushing from the mountain, so have our hymns sounded forth to the Lord.
Rig Veda 10.68.1. VE, P. 812
Without regard for themselves, without urges and
efforts, absorbed in contemplation and established in the higher Self,
they endeavor to remove evil deeds and surrender their bodies by
renunciation.
Shukla Yajur Veda, Jabala Upanishad, 6. VE, P. 441
The soul is born and unfolds in a body, with dreams
and desires and the food of life. And then it is reborn in new bodies,
in accordance with its former works. The quality of the soul determines
its future body; earthy or airy, heavy or light.
Krishna Yajur Veda, Shvetashvatara Upanishad, 5.11-12. UPM, P. 94
There is nothing higher than dharma. Verily, that which is dharma is truth. Shukla Yajur Veda, Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 1.4.14. BO UPH, P. 84
Whatever world the man of purified mind desires,
whatever desires he wishes to fulfill, all these he attains. Therefore,
let whoever is desirous of prosperity worship the man of Self
Realization.
Atharva Veda, Mundaka Upanishad 3.1.10. EH P. 178
Now, there are, of a truth, three worlds: the world
of men, the world of the fathers, and the world of the Gods. The world
of the Gods is verily the best of worlds. Shukla Yajur Veda, Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 1.5.16. UPH, P. 89
Many are the lovely flowers of worship offered to the guru,
but none lovelier than nonkilling. Respect for life is the highest
worship, the bright lamp, the sweet garland and unwavering devotion.
Tirumantiram V. 197. TM
May noble wisdom come to us from all sides, undeceived, unhindered, overflowing, so that the devas may always help us onward, unceasing in their care, our Guardians day by day. Ours be the blissful love of devas who desire straight life; about us may the grace of devas lie. We have approached the devas for friendship; may they prolong our life to the full, so that we may live. Rig Veda 1.89.1-2. HV, P. 109
Having realized with mind and heart, having become
wise, you will no longer move on the path of death. Therefore, they
call renunciation the ardor surpassing all others.
Krishna Yajur Veda, Mahanarayana Upanishad 537 -- 8. VE, P. 439
Of lords the Lord Supreme, of kings the King, of Gods
the God, Him let us worship -- transcendent, Lord of all worlds and
wholly worthy of worship. Krishna Yajur Veda, Shvetasvatara Upanishad 6.7. VE P. 156
Those who in penance and faith dwell in the forest,
peaceful and wise, living a mendicant's life, free from passion depart
through the door of the sun to the place of the immortal Person, the
imperishable Self.
Atharva Veda, Mundaka Upanishad 1.2.11. VE P. 415
Mind is indeed the source of bondage and also the
source of liberation. To be bound to things of this world -- this is
bondage. To be free from them -- this is liberation. Krishna Yajur Veda, Maitri Upanishad 6.34. UPM, P. 104
If you have doubt concerning conduct, follow the
example of high souls who are competent to judge, devout, not led by
others, not harsh, but lovers of virtue. Krishna Yajur Veda, Taittiriya Upanishad 1.11.4. BO UPR, P. 539
The rites of oblation, O lovers of truth, which the
sages divined from the sacred verses, were variously expounded in the
threefold Veda. Perform them with constant care. This is your path to the world of holy action. Atharva Veda, Mundaka Upanishad. 1.2.1. VE, P. 414
Let him approach with humility a guru who is
learned in the scriptures and established in Brahman. To such a seeker,
whose mind is tranquil and senses controlled, and who has approached
him in the proper manner, let the learned guru impart the science of Brahman, through which the true, Imperishable Being is realized.
Atharva Veda, Mundaka Upanishad 1.2.12 -- 13. EH, P. 157
Yes, may the man who within his home pleases you all
his days with songs and with offerings receive a rich reward, be loaded
with your gifts! To him be happiness! This is our prayer. Rig Veda 4.4.7. VE 845
Like the cry of watchful birds swimming in water,
like the loud claps of thundering rain clouds, like the joyful streams
gushing from the mountain, so have our hymns sounded forth to the Lord.
Rig Veda 10.68.1. VE, P. 812
Without regard for themselves, without urges and
efforts, absorbed in contemplation and established in the higher Self,
they endeavor to remove evil deeds and surrender their bodies by
renunciation.
Shukla Yajur Veda, Jabala Upanishad, 6. VE, P. 441
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