a year of spiritual celebration

8/14/2019 A Year of Spiritual Celebration

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His Holiness

Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji

A Year ofSpiritual

Celebration:How to turn your holidays intoholydays

Illustrated by Rozalia Hummel (Radhikapriya)

Cover Art by Dawn Baillie


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PAGE

We would like to offer special thanks to the following people

for their loving and dedicated seva in bringing this book to

fruition: H.H. Sri Shankaracharya Swami Divyanand Teerthji

read the first draft of the book and offered insightful com-ments and suggestions. Padmashri Pandit Vidya Niwas

Misraji read the book in its entirety as a draft and also pro-

vided the inspiring and educational foreword. Shri Ramniklal

Solanki and his sons Shailesh and Kalpesh Solanki, the edi-

tors and publishers of Garavi Gujarat magazine, lovingly

offered to publish the book, and therefore they are to thank

for bringing the concept into reality. Rozalia Hummel

(Radhika Priya) upon hearing about this book immediately

offered to create illustrations for it. Thus, she has helped to

create our first illustrated publication. Dawn Baillie is our

divine cover artist, bringing beauty and magic to the front

and back covers. Anar Mashruwala is our fastidious proof-

reader. Not even a misplaced comma escapes her flawless

eye for detail. She and her sister, Avani, also provided in-

valuable comments -- from the perspective of Hindu youth

living in the West -- on the content of the first draft.

Acknowledgements

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored ina retrieval system, or transmitted in any former by any means, electronic,mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the priorpermission of the publishers.

Book Design & Printed by Asian Media and Marketing GroupGaravi Gujarat House, 1 Silex Street, London SE1 0DW

Tel: 020 7928 1234, Fax: 020 7261 0055,Email: [email protected] website: www.gg2.net

First published 2004


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The Rituals

Fasting.............................

Aarti......................................

Yagna..................................

Prana Pratishtha..............

For More Information

About the Author...............

India Heritage Research F

Parmarth Niketan, Rishik

Blessings/Message by H.H. Sri Shankaracharyaji

Swami Divyanand Teerthji, Bhanpura Peeth.....................................7Foreword by Pandit Shri Vidya Niwas Mishra.....................................8

Introduction.....................................................................................11

The Festivals:

Ram Navami..................................................................................16

Hanuman Jayanti...........................................................................24

Buddha Jayanti...............................................................................30

Guru Purnima.................................................................................38Indias Independence Day..............................................................52

Krishna Janmashtami....................................................................58

Raksha Bandhan............................................................................66

Navratri........................................................................................72

Dusshera..............................................................................................78

Diwali......................................................................................................82

Thanksgiving..................................................................................92

Gita Jayanti.....................................................................................98Valentines Day.............................................................................108

Maha Shivratri..............................................................................112

Holi.........................................................................................................118

Table of Contents:


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Das Kabeer has said, "If yo

into the waters. Similarly

pierce deeply into a rock. L

ety, he needs to deeply kno

Sri Swami Chidanandji Sa

has a deep knowledge of

practical guide to humanity

the truth has to be expres

Mansarovar" would have m

due to the ceaseless efforts

ity. I have always found him

and he is a divine light ded

In his present work, "A Yea

emphasized that one should

der unto Him is the key to t

- a Holy Day.

I believe that this book wil

particular to turn their holid

May the Lord give Swami

the Lord and humanity wit

mative thoughts, ideas andH.H. Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji

Parmarth Niketan; P.O. Swargashram, Rishikesh (Himalayas); Uttranchal -- 249304

Ph: (0135) 2440088, 2440055, 2434301 Fax: 0135-2440066;

Email: [email protected] ; [email protected]

websites: www.parmarth.com ; www.ihrf.com


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The

light of knowledge, the light of compassion and the light of

love.

Second, the book teaches us how these beautiful holidays

apply to our lives today and how we can transform ourselves

with each and every holiday. Pujya Swamiji infuses the expla-

nation of each holiday with an explanation of how we shoulduse to the holiday to become better people.

Hindus across the Western world should proudly (and knowl-

edgably) share with their friends, associates and colleagues

the deep, rich meaning of their culture. The youth should not

be ashamed of the intricate rituals, nor should they shy away

from participating for fear that their friends might not ap-

prove. Rather, they should proudly and boldly participate in

activities which celebrate not only historical events, but that

also truly signify a time for us to replenish ourselves spiritu-

ally. Hindu holidays are filled with ways and reasons for us to

examine our lives, measure our progress and re-affirm our

commitment to follow the path of dharma, of righteousness

and of integrity.

Through this book, the young, the old, the traditional, the mod-

ern, the conservative, the liberal, the Indian and the non-In-

dian will find the historical, spiritual and mythological sig-

nificance to their myriad festivals, as well as inspiring, com-pelling reasons to celebrate. Most importantly, they will learn

how to make the holidays true holy-days.

Sadhvi Bhagwati

Rishikesh, India, May 2004


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Rama Navami is thethe seventh incarna

nated in human form

falls on the ninth da

month of Chaitra (Aerally means one who

joy to others, and on

It is said that the repeis the surest, fastest

peace, wisdom, undultimately liberation

Repetition of My na

of one thousand nammantra one thousan

nation, Mahatma G

after having been vivengeance or anger fwords which escape

were, He Rama, He

On the beautiful da

Earth, let us ask ou

What lessons did heWhat lessons do we

the glorious depictio

R


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birth? Has the powerof adharma within

holiday about Bhagw

examining ourselveswhen the end will clive in us? Do we wan

must give birth todayWe must let BhagwaWe must make a ple

esty, humility and r

tors in our lives.

As a brother: Remain loyal to your brother. Care for

him.

As a husband: Protect your wife. Fight for her protec-tion and her purity. But there are times when onesdivine path must even take precedence over the path

of householder. Do not keep the role of householderas the ultimate role.

As a King: Sacrifice everything for your people. Do notworry about your own comfort, your own convenience

or your own pleasure. Be willing to put the Kingdom

ahead of your own needs.

Ravanas ego led to his own demise, first the demise ofhis spirit and heart and then the demise of his body.

He thought he was the one who ran everything. He

thought that he was the doer of it all. On the otherhand, Bhagwan Rama was always humble, and he

never took credit for anything. At the end of the warin Lanka, Bhagwan Rama was giving Sitaji a tour of

the city, showing her where all of the various events

had occurred. When, they reached the place whereBhagwan Rama victoriously slew Ravana, he reportedit to Sitaji only as, and this is where Ravana died.

He didnt say, This is where I crushed the demon, or

This is where I killed Ravana. No. Even after achiev-

ing the great victory, he simply stated, This is whereRavana died.

As we celebrate this holiday, as we revel in Bhagwan

Ramas appearance, let us ask ourselves, Is Ramaliving inside us? Has the good in our hearts taken


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Hanuman Jayanti is(purnima) of the mo April). The day c

Hanuman, a divine

perfect devotee. Hanwind.

In the Heavenly, Dnamed Punjikasth

Brihaspati, the precetime she insulted a sbe born on Earth as

could only be remov

would be an incarna

Thus, she took birt

Kesari. Both were vea life filled with aust

penance. Anjana pra

He would grace her and graced her withLord Shiva to take bi

her from the curse of

Shiva was pleased byby her intense spiritu

Hanu


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Hanumanji wanted nothing in exchange for his ser-vice to Lord Rama. He, as the epitome of selfless devo-

tion, wanted only to have Lord Ramas presence in

his life at all times. When Sitaji presented Hanumanjiwith a garland of pearls as a gift for his valour,Hanumanji was not pleased with this expensive gift.

He took the string of pearls and began to break eachpearl in half, one by one. What are you doing? on-lookers exclaimed, as he destroyed the expensive gar-

land. I am looking for Lord Rama. If this is really a

gift for me, then Lord Rama must be here in thesepearls. Otherwise they are worthless.

On this day of Hanuman Jayanti, let us strive to be as

singleminded in our devotion as Hanumanji. Let uspray that our hearts and even our blood may be filled

only with the raas (divine essence) of God and ourGuru. Let us sing the glories of such pure devotion andlet us seek to emulate Hanumanjis boundless fidelity.


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The Buddha was born

in the month ofVais

that he also achievMahasamadhi (dep

same date

There are so many b

life of the Buddha. H

ment in action.

The word Buddha One or The Awa

Siddhartha Gautamborn in the region ofday, that area lies in

was born to a father

Legend has it that w

told Siddharthas fat

an emperor or a sanyunderstood that in o

nouncing the materiworld, he would hav

tected. Thus, Siddhar

utmost of luxury an

BudEnligh


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Guru Purnima is cele

Ashadha (July-Augumonth period of Cha

which the monsoons movement). It is the

love and devotion to

that the Guru is Brathe Guru is the Supr

But what is a guru

West, the term has trogatory connotation

simple. In Sanskrit,means one who rem

moves our darkness

emanates so much ldivinity that every da

changed into light. A

for a guru. Their ligform even the darkesmidnight would last

to rise 6 hours early

in the Divine presen

Gur


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question is sim

the disciple.

4. Continues to g

ing a commitmemore holy, and

5. Vows to live assentative of the

of the Guru. So,

our Gurus we shining exampreflections of th

6. Is humble in f

Gurus words (

surrender and

7. Is ever ready to

day, any day oSeva given by th

is a rare and pRealization. In Guru is one of

to ultimate mo

opportunity to

The Guru of Natur

Another beautiful asented by the teachiregarded as a Guru

minds, thoughts and senses. Only then can we truly

be free.

The Guru Gita tells us: Meditate with concentrationupon the Gurus form. Worship with devotion the

Gurus feet. Take the Gurus teachings as sacred, per-

fect mantras and recite them diligently. Only throughthe Gurus grace will you attain liberation.

The Qualities of a Disciple

People sometimes make the mistake of putting all of

the responsibility on the Guru. We expect that we cancontinue to live our lives exactly as we want -- along

with our own egos, greed and vices -- and yet the Guru

will come, wave a magic wand and grant us instant

peace, prosperity and enlightenment. It is not likethat. The disciple must be dedicated, committed, faith-

ful and assiduous in his/her sadhana. A good disciple:

1. Always tells the truth to the Guru and never

hides anything from the Guru.

2. Practices the teachings of the Guru with faith,

discipline and regularity.

3. Follows the instructions of the Guru without ar-

gument. Questions, of course, can and shouldbe asked when there are doubts or confusion in

the disciples mind, but prior to asking any ques-

tion the disciple should first deeply introspect to

see whether the question really warrants thetime and attention of the Guru or whether the


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tion of God Himself. Dattatreya said that he had 24Gurus, all manifestations of nature. From each of

natures creations, he learned a different lesson, rang-

ing from the selfless service of the fruit-bearing tree tothe persistence of the rain drops.

Let us, too, on this day, look around us at Gods natu-ral creation and ask what we can learn from MotherNature. Rather than look upon Her as a commodity

to be used and abused, let us look upon Her as a Guru

from whom we receive countless lessons and blessings.


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It is the special time oanniversary of Mothe

in memories of Her st

the British. We shout

This ardent pride inMother Land and M

the Indian people. M

India is the only coun

nized so forcibly for where the people los

of their ancient cultu

to their original cult

As we celebrate this gour hard-earned freeternal freedom to ru

whether, internally, tSwarajya means selfdian people, have co

government and ourswarajya; we achievehave we achieved inhave control over ou

nally?

August 15- In


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Our country won ind

ago. When will we wWhen will we be theour lives, rather than

desires, our attachm

has given each one oercise it. We are not

on and off at the will

act like that. Too freqdetermine our state o

ues. Let us take our and turn the reins o

become surrendereBharat Mata and to

be a truly free nation

tion. Thus, our youth (and now, unfortunately their

parents as well) are trapped in a vicious cycle in whichwith each effort to become more and more Westernthey must forsake another piece of their Indian cul-

ture. Although they are searching for deep and last-

ing happiness, they will find only superficial, tempo-rary pleasure.

The key to breaking this chain lies in love and accep-tance of Bharat Mata and Her culture. It lies in learn-

ing as much as we can academically, professionally,

technically, scientifically from the West withoutabandoning our loyalty to our own value system and

our own sanskaras. When our children can look at

themselves and their friends and say, I am proud to

be Indian, then and only then will they truly be free.

Sadly, we are also bound by chains of corruptionwithin our own hearts. Are we honest people? Are we

righteous? Do we uphold the principles of dharma?

We fought a long, arduous battle to win our right tofreedom from the British. Let us truly bask in this free-dom, realizing the real richness of our values, ethics

and sanskaras. The principles set forth in our scrip-

tures are just as applicable to people living in mod-ern Mumbai or Delhi as they were to people living

thousands of years ago in the Himalayas. Let us notbe bound by the chains of jealousy, anger and greed.

These chains bind not only our hands but also ourhearts. Instead, let us live lives of generosity, seva,

love, purity and divinity.


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Krishna Janmasthathat Bhagwan Krishupon the Earth. It i

eigth day of the d

Bhadrapada (Augu

The day is celebra

Krishna, fasting andbhajans until past m

The Bhagavad Gita

ness in the world, whvail, the Lord incarn

the darkness. He gr

preventing it from d

However, the Lord dodom and depart. Ra

message and His diand on, upon all fu

such that, once give

nite and universal.Bhagavad Gita and

not meant merely foin the lands of Ma

and Dwarka. Rath

as His presence and

Ja


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we must see God. Thmessage of Bhagwan

The Ultimate Divin

As we celebrate the dappearance day, let

message of His life: ncumstances, never lose

Let us offer to Him,

prayers and our aar

holy feet, so that weand ever blissful.

kingdom of Dwarka.

We may be kings in this lifetime, living in palaces of

gold, but at the end we are always alone. We mustcross the threshold from this life to the next alone.Therefore, it matters not what riches we acquire, nor

what status we hold. None of it can save us from thehunters arrow. None of it can come to our rescue atthe time of death. All that matters is how we have lived

our lives, whom we have helped, whom we have

healed, and to whom we have brought peace and com-fort.

However, although Lord Krishna departed from theEarth on that day in the jungle, He is always with us,

living on and on in our hearts, minds and souls. He is

ever-present, all-knowing and all-powerful.

Seeing Bhagwan Krishna everywhere

A very important message from Bhagwan Krishnaslife is to see him everywhere, in everyone, all the time.

He is embodied in every form and in all forms. In Lord

Krishnas childhood, he gave Mother Yasoda thedarshan of the entire world in his mouth. Everything

was shown to her in Lord Krishnas mouth. When we

sit in our puja, in our worship/meditation we look at

Gods divine image and we see everything in Him.However, we must go further than just seeing every-

thing in God. We must also see God in everything!

When we look at a poor child, or when we look at anold widow, or when we look in the face of our enemy,


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The holiday of Rakshtion of the bond of l

celebrated on the fShravana (August -

tie sacred threads arbolizing their love an

promises to protect h

for her. Raksha mebandhan means a b

Bandhan symbolizes

tion between brothe

As the Rakhi is tied, a

says:

Yena baddho bali r

Tena twaam anubadhn

This is a sacred proterity and protection t

In the South RakshaBrahmins who put on

RakA Festiv

&


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The true Raksha B

Last and most import

of love, affection andman brothers and sisa small thread to the

our true Sister, our trwant to be eternallyoffer to the Lord will

come faded and will

to learn, so many vows to make. First, there are theancient, traditional meanings, whereby girls and

women remember their brothers far and near with

love and affection. In exchange, all men and boyspromise to protect their sisters both against physi-cal harm, and also against dishonor to their name or

to their family. These are as crucial today as they werein the past.

However, perhaps even more importantly, we must

realize that the only way the current world will sur-vive is united as one family. Thus, now, we must also

take the deeper, underlying meaning of Rakhi. Wemust vow to make the world our brothers and sisters

not only in theory, but also in practice. Let us userakhi as a symbol of our universal brotherhood. May

our girls and women lead the way toward this univer-sal family as they tie rakhi bracelets on the wrists ofnot only their closest male friends, but also on the

wrists of enemies. Let us use this holiday to reach outto those around us, embracing them as brother and

sister.

Additionally, in this world in which relations betweenboys and girls are becoming more and more promis-

cuous, let us use rakhi to re-purify our relations. As

girls and women tie rakhi bracelets on the wrists of

boys and men who are their friends, may all of theirminds become purified of any lustful feelings by thisnew, sanctified relationship of sister and brother.


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The festival of Navar

filled with joy, celebrfor our lives. Navar

festival occurs twice a

to summer in the Sprisummer to winter in

val is celebrated from

the bright half of Ash

the Spring Festival iMay). The two Nav

Rama-Navaratri in CAshvina. The celebrthe great Mother Go

days, signifying the

vine Mother.

Additionally, dur

Dusshera, particularis a special traditioncial type of group da

in a circle, along with

The garba dancing ian open space, and

dance to the Mother

Goddess ispartof thers are dancing with

N


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The day after Navra10th day of Navratrrates the day on whic

was killed. On this d10-headed Ravana, th

had been kidnapped

story of the war and

with great fervor on

There is a beautiful the story of Bhagwawith song and dance

of Bhagwan Rama o

safe return of Sitaji.

However, embeddedtal messages for our

deeper lessons and m

joyous festivities of th

The word Dusseraof Ravana, or symbo

represent passion, plust, hatred, jealousy

D


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The time of Diwali is tiful times of the yea

of Lights. It is a timewhen Indians all ove

ebrated on the thirte

half of Kartik (Octobas Krishna Chaturdadarkest period, yet i

is heralded as the tri

The meanings of Diw

the reasons for celebcelebrates Lord Ram

return to his Kingdo

long years of exile in Krishnas victory ovehad kidnapped and t

When the evil Nara

Krishna and Satyabmercy; thus, upon hi

this day of his death

joy and festivity. IBhagwan Vishnu ma

Diwali is also associBali a demon kin

Vishnu. Lord Vishnu


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have empathy for the plight of another, to makechoices that not only satisfy our bodies in the moment,

but that satisfy our hearts and souls. Let us, rather

than destroy our precious environment and the crea-tures who live within it, let us give thanks for the landthat can feed us, feed our fellow creatures, convert car-

bon-dioxide into oxygen, give us medicine to heal oursickness and provide shelter for all Gods creatures.

Let us give thanks for our ability to think clearly, to

discriminate between right and wrong, to sacrifice atemporary pleasure for the benefit of another. Let us

give thanks for our ability to choose right from wrongand our freedom to act accordingly.


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Gita Jayanti is celebr

of the bright fortnigh(December Januaras the Birthday of tvine wisdom cannot

really say that the D

ally, Gita Jayanti is t6000 years ago, when

Bhagwan Shri Krishn

field in Kurukshetra,Along with the epic

Song was transcribethe benefit of human

As Paramhansa Yoga

tual leaders of IndiaGita to the West) smost beloved scriptutures. It is the Hindu

that all masters depescriptural authority.

upliftment, comfort from all walks of life

Bhagavad Gita litethe Soul, Song of the the language of the

G


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in peace and harmochanging as the Rive

cerns of each genera

ing as the Himalaya

The Gita provides the guiding principles for both peacein this life as well as for ultimate salvation. When I

was in Japan, I saw a sign that said, Follow the rules,

and enjoy your stay. While it is simple and common,it is also profoundly true. The rules for our lives arelaid out in the scriptures: do divine, be divine, serve

without expectation, love all, hate none, heal all, hurtnone, see the Divine in all, surrender to God, be hon-est, be humble, remember that He is the real Do-er and

we are only His tools.

When we follow these rules our lives overflow with joy

and love and peace. It is when we ignore these com-mandments or amend them to suit our own agendas

that we bring pain and turmoil into our lives. TheGita is a complete yet concise listing of all the teach-

ings (rules) necessary to achieve self-realization inthis life as well as eternal salvation and liberation.

Additionally, because it was sung by Bhagwan Shri

Krishna, Himself, the Gita has the miraculous abilityto give the reader exactly the answer and meaninghe/she was searching for. So, if you open it today in

the midst of a crisis at work you will come upon a pas-sage that will speak something different to you than

when you open it a year from now, looking for com-

fort after the death of a parent. Similarly, youth will

find a different jewel in the treasure chest than adultswill. But, it is still a jewel from the ultimate treasurechest.

The Bhagavad Gita shows us the way to live with God,

to live with each other and to live with Mother Earth


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112

Shivaratri is one of t

the night dedicated erally, Shivratri mea

is celebrated on the

of the month of Phal

In the trinity of god

Lord Shiva is the on

and impure in order of that which is pure

lates our egos, our a

Many fear Lord Shivit is destruction for th

out death, life cannohilation of old habitnot progress toward

less our vessel has

negative and impur

qualities.

The holiday of Shivrspecial Shiva puja an

ing awake at night During the course o

S


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118

Holi is one of the moHindu year. It is cele

India and it falls on

(February - March).revelry during whichbrightly colored pow

green, yellow and p

the occasion.

The meanings of Hothe festival of Sprin

weather and bidding

seen as a festival of l

rility. However, sidelove and fertility is th

the emerging passion

is told on Holi of Kawhom Lord Shiva bu

duce Him out of His

ebrate love, but doncelebration of divini

The Puranas describover vice. It is a timepure, divine Prahlaa


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So,

LET THIS HOLI BE

NOT ONLY THBUT THE CO

LET US NOBUT LET

LET THE

TRULY PENBE TH

FOR, ON THE

THE OTHER CO

BUT WE MUSTB

IN OUR EYES, IN O

vine Prahlaad.

The fire of purity and divinity which we light on Holi

must burn continuously in our hearts throughout theyear. We must have an ever-burning bonfire of impu-rity, so that we are continuously renewed, continuously

purified and continuously rejuvenated.On Holi we sing loudly in the Hindi language: Holi I,

Holi I, Holi I. However, let us not just chant thisrhyme; rather, let us truly pray to God that on this

day I may become holy. Let us pray that I may

become pious, pure and devoted as Prahlaad. In that

way our lives and our hearts and our souls will be for-ever protected, forever sheltered at His holy feet.

As we chant Holi I, Holi I, Holi I. let us also pray

that our eye may become holy, that we may begranted the divine vision by which we behold Him in

all whom we see. Let us pray that through our holyeye, we never are led toward anger, greed, lust or jeal-

ousy.


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The


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A fast is:

About God

A time of reflection

For peace of the b

mind and spirit

A day of discipline

To purify you

Today, fasting has bworld. In any books

erature extolling one

fasts, water fasts, fruheralded as the mihave tried all else w

Connection with th

However, while fastinefit, to define it mere

mine one of the olde

tices. Fasting has bee

Fasting-It


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kichari and so many

even notice it is a fas

a recipe for phalaha

On the one hand, it

eration of the idea o

that observing weekrituals which have ncentury.

However, it is crucial

are calling a fast, still upheld with gre

purpose can be obsc

pes.

Upvas

In Sanskrit, the wormeans, sitting near

to God.

Fasting is a time in w

in which our vital through the process

time in which we are

argy resulting from o

However, a fast is nfromeating. In facttirely from food on tenable our bodies to

saints and sages in order to purify their bodies, mindsand souls and to bring every cell of their bodies into

connection with the divine.

A True Fast

A true fast, undertaken with understanding and dis-

cipline has the ability to restore all systems of the body.The nervous, circulatory, digestive, respiratory and re-

productive systems are all regenerated. The toxins and

impurities in our blood and tissues are eliminated andour system becomes rejuvenated. The majority of all

todays terminal illnesses are rooted in over-consump-tion, and a fast is a way of purifying our bodies from

an excess of not only food but also preservatives,

chemicals and toxins.

A fast also is one of the best ways of controlling our

mind and senses. Fasts have been used for millennia

to subdue passion, anger and lust. They allow us to

withdraw our senses from the outside world and be-come refocused on our own divine nature and our con-nection to God. Additionally, during this period of

sadhana, austerity, and restraint one realizes that oneis truly the master of ones body, not vice versa.

Unfortunately today, so many people in the Indiancommunity seem to have forgotten much of the pur-

pose of a fast. Today, you will see people with plates

overflowing with puris and pakoras who say they arefasting. There are phalahari chapatis, saboodana


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One of the meaningpain. This is beauti

herent in the name

form or name of Goshould be performedour life.

Aarti is the beautiful ceremony in

which dias (the oil lamps) are of-

fered to God. Aarti can be doneto a deity in the temple, it can

be done on the banks of the

Ganges to Mother Ganga, or it can be done to a saint.It is performed to God, in any manifestation, any form,

by any name.

In the Aarti ceremony, the devotee waves the oil lamp

burning with ghee and camphor from the eye to the

feet, back to the eye and back to the feet of the Divine.

Typically this is performed three times.The essence of the aarti ceremony is that all day long

God offers us light the light of the sun, the light of

life, the light of His (Her) blessings.Aarti is a time when

we say thank you, and we offer back the light of ourthanks, the light of our love and the light of our devo-

tion.

We realize that the small deepa is nothing comparedto the divine light which shines on us all day. So, aarti

is a ceremony of humility, a time in which we acknowl-edge that God, you are everything. I am nothing. All

day you shine upon the world. All I can offer you is

this small deepa, a flame which will be blown out bythe passing wind. But, I offer it with devotion and with

love. Please accept my offering.

Aarti


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A Hindu Temple is a

vine energies and polie the deities, to who

Why is it, though, thworshipped as God?

with divine charactePratishtha ceremony

is the time in which

Life Force is infused i

embodiments of the

People say that Hindnot. We are ideal womarble and stone w

of God which has bewise lifeless statues

Pratishtha are follow

amic texts. Prior to in

well trained in vedic

and pujas which havmate object with div

These mantras and

who sculpts the ston

Rather, he is one whity to create a physic

Prana Pr

be the center of everything; we want to be the mostimportant; we want offerings to be made to us. That

is the root of our unhappiness. So, in a yagna, we sit

around the fire and place our offerings inward. Thisreminds us that in life we should be on the outside,with God in the center, and we should just offer in,

offer in, offering our every breath, every thought, ev-ery action at His holy feet, praying for Him to purifyus.

Lastly, just as the flames of a fire only rise higher andhigher, so we pray that God may carry our lives only

upward, closer and closer to His divine abode.


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More I


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Spiritual and Academ

of God at eight years o

in silence, meditation a

At the age of seventee

tense sadhana, he retuan academic educatio

Swamiji has masters

as well as fluency in m

The Teaching of Unity

infinite paths to God a

religion. His goal is

gardless of what name

better Hindu. If you ar

If you are a Muslim, b

be a better Jew, he sa

In this line, he has been

inter-faith conferences

liament of World Relig

ment of World Religion

ABOU

His Holiness Swa


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1998, for Outstanding Humanitarian Service

5)Prominent Personality Award, 1999, by Lions Club

6)Diwaliben Mohanlal Mehta Charitable Trust Award for

Progress in Religion

7)Best Citizens of India Award

Further, he has been given the title of Patron of the Rus-

sian Indian Heritage Research Foundation, Moscow, and

he is also a Patron of the Centre for Religious Experience in

Oxford, UK.

The True Sanyasi: Pujya Swamiji seems unaffected by

this incredible list of accomplishments and remains a pi-

ous child of God, owning nothing, draped in saffron robes,

living a life of true renunciation. His days in Rishikesh are

spent offering service to those around him. Thousandstravel from America, Europe and Australia as well as from

all over India, simply to sit in his presence, to receive his

darshan. To them, the journey is an inconsequential price

to pay for the priceless gift of his satsang.


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Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji is the founderand chairman of India Heritage Research Foundation,a non-profit charitable organization dedicated tohumanitarian and cultural projects. Founded in 1987,IHRF is committed to preserving the timeless wisdomand ageless grandeur of Indian culture. By weavingtogether ancient tradition, cultural history, a widerange of non-discriminatory charitable services, andinspiring youth programs, IHRF has created a tapestryof true, universal beauty.

The Encyclopedia of Hinduism

IHRF is currently completing the revolutionary projectof compiling the first Encyclopedia of Hinduism inhistory. The Encyclopedia will mark the first time thatthe urgent need is met for an authentic, objective andinsightful well of information, capturing both thestaples and the spices of Indian tradition and culture.This 18 volume work is currently in the final stages ofresearch and compilation by over 1250 internationally

renowned scholars. We expect to have the manuscriptcompleted by 2005.

The Encyclopedia of Hinduism will be a significantlandmark, encompassing the entire spectrum ofcalled Bharat.

While its current focus is on the momentous Encyclo-

INDIA HERITAGE RESEARCH

FOUNDATION (IHRF)


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Ecological Clean,

IHRF runs progra

awareness of envir

the mission of rest

ance. Its focus is cur

age areas, called T

Currently, IHRF is

rene Programs, i

Veerpur. In these n

clean up the holy b

In order to restore M

of sublime beauty,

and Serene progr

Through these proage cities will be r

purity, sanctity an

In general, IHRFcharitable orga

range of serviccated to bringincine to the sickIHRF does not drace, religion, c

All of its service

IHRF embracesseeks to heal w

ple, uneducated ways, they will never be able to sur-vive.

Rural Development Program:

We are running a rural development program in atown called Veerpur, on the banks of the Ganges,

about 3 km south of Rishikesh. In this program, weare doing the following:

Water facilities although the town lies on the banksof the River, most people had no running water orwater for their farms. We dug a boring well and havebrought running water to this village.

Tree plantation program

Organic Gardening program We have started a

special organic farming program as well. We havebrought in trained organic farmers and scientists toteach the local farmers alternative, chemical-freemethods of farming. Further we have a special buyback program with them where we buy back fromthem all of their crops.

Womens Vocational training program

Construction of a proper road

Spirituality and Culture we have started anevening devotional ceremony there on the banks ofthe Ganges, called Aarti. It is a way for the villagersto come together in a spirit of peace, culture and pi-ety.

Gurukul/orphanage: The second of the two gurukul/orphanages is here in Veerpur.


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Additionally, therespiritual programsacclaimed musiciaothers.

Additionally, the

pilgrims come fromintensive courses ostress managemenIndian, ancient sci

Further, Parmarth services make no dcolor, gender, creemphasize unity, hhealth, and the holmind and spirit.

True to its name, to the welfare of a

and free to all.

H.H. Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji is president ofParmarth Niketan Ashram in Rishikesh, India, a true,spiritual haven, lying on the holy banks of MotherGanga, in the lap of the lush Himalayas.

Parmarth Niketan is the largest ashram in Rishikesh.Parmarth Niketan provides its thousands of pilgrims who come from all corners of the Earth with aclean, pure and sacred atmosphere as well asabundant, beautiful gardens. With over 1000 rooms,the facilities are a perfect blend of modern amenitiesand traditional, spiritual simplicity.

The daily activities at Parmarth Niketan includemorning universal prayers, daily yoga and meditationclasses, daily satsang and lecture programs, kirtan,world renowned Ganga aarti at sunset, as well as fullNature Cure, and Ayurvedic treatment and training.

PARMARTH NIKETAN ASHRAM

RISHIKESH, INDIA


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a year of spiritual celebration

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