Issue 5

March 2001

Namaste

2

Chinmaya Mission (UK)Signal House,

Lyon Road Harrow,Middlesex

HA1 2AG UKTel: +44 (0)20 8861 2625 Fax: +44 (0)20 8427 5169

email: info@chinmayauk.orgweb: www.chinmayauk.org

Life is a series of constantly changingexperiences often in diametrically opposingcircumstances. Recent events clearlyshow these extremities.(In India alone, the Mahakumbh Mela,followed by one of the greatest naturalcatastrophes - the Earthquake in Gujarat,even as people were celebrating Republic Day.)

This major event brought together people fromdifferent backgrounds and beliefs, but joinedtogether for one common purpose - to followtheir faith in the purification that MotherGanga bestows. To many it served to uplift theirminds, provide a milestone and reaffirm theirfaith Yet, to others it was a reminder of howthe mind is purified through knowledge of theOne Truth, that flows from the higher(Himalayas- the abode of the Gods), to thelower (plains). Like the understanding of thedisciple, the river initially made up of pure,small trickles builds up to a single strong flow,which is then able to serve all who come to her.Finally the three rivers meet to form One.To all it was an uplifting and even a purifying experience.

It was both an awesome sight and a humblingexperience to see some 27 million people on24th January, one of the most auspicious days inthe event. They were streaming in, young andold, clutching their baggage - some part ofworldwide organisations and Missions withtheir different colours. Most came with noknowledge of where they would stay, what theywould eat and when - and yet everything wasprovided. The systematic organisation,cleanliness and the all-pervading spirit ofmutual co-operation and support made me feelvery proud. The enormity of people's faith mademe feel extremely humble and honoured tohave been part of this unique experience. Thiswas not the greatest show on earth, but thegreatest sign of shrada.

And unbelievably soon after..

The Gujarat Earthquake:a tragedy of monumental proportions.Statistics are still being derived suggesting50,000 people have been killed and over500,000 people made homeless. Some villagesand towns have been destroyed in their

entirety. The infrastructure of the affected areashas been damaged and people's homes lostforever - insurance relief - largely unavailable.

But where there is catastrophe human naturecomes into its own. All over the world peoplehave come together to raise funds, and provideessential supplies. Children selling cookies,youngsters collecting clothes and blankets, topeople just sending in cheques. In the shortterm these donations have been life saving.There is a lot of rebuilding needed, of homes,infrastructure and peoples lives. It will be manyyears before this area is back to normality,if ever.

Chinmaya Mission centres worldwide have beenco-ordinating donations received andchannelling them to the Mission's owndistribution centre in Ahmedabad and Jamnagar.Swami Tejomayananda toured parts of Gujaratand identified two villages, Bhavpar in Maliaand Taluka in Rajkot District where we can help.Chinmaya Mission has undertaken to provide allthe necessary relief, including building about500 modular row houses predominantly madeof fiber-reinforced-plastic (FRP) sheets incorrugated form. The material is lightweight,safe in case of an earthquake. Work has startedand will be completed within a month.

Many generous donations have been received,for which we thank you. Clearly, fund raisingefforts must be sustained for the foreseeablefuture, as there is still much work to be done.Please send any donations to Chinmaya Mission (UK).

Both these events - while apparently ofopposing significance, have served to bringpeople together, burying all their differences ofbackground and belief to shine through theOneness of us all.

What message can we add to this display of'Gods play'?

In His service

Rupin Vadera

"To assume differences in the

world is to belie

this great Oneness in life."

– Swami Chinmayananda

Kumbhmela

ContentsNamaste . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Guruji's Millenium Message . . . . . . . . . . 3

You, Me and God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

A Brief Profile - Adi Shankaracharya . . . 5

Interview with our Resident Acharya . . 6

Who is God? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Festivals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8/9

Ayurveda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

I Love that CHYK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Where Dreams Come True . . . . . . . . . . 10

One and Equal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Current & Forthcoming Events . . . . . . . 12

President’s Letter

"When man is threatened with asure mishap, and he knows no remedy or

defence against it,he, in his desperation, always turns to prayer.

Daily prayer and meditationare wonderful therapeutic agencies

in building up peace and happiness within

and individual."– Swami Chinmayananda

Editorial Sevaks: Br. Viboothiji, Ashwina Samtani, Tushar Karia, Raju Mahtani, Ziaji Rawji, Seema Vadera, Kiran Panjabi

3

Guruji’s Millenium MessageFrom Pujya Guruji Swami TejomayanandajiHead of Chinmaya Mission Worldwide.

That which is new, fresh and elevating isbeautiful. And what is beautiful is delightful.Every moment is new but if we look at it withall our preconceived notions and prejudices,then even though it is a new moment, itbecomes a stale experience. Look at everymoment anew and enjoy all the blessingshidden therein. I wish all the members ofChinmaya Mission worldwide a very happyNew Year, which also ushers in the new Millennium.

It is said that to realise your dream, you have tostay awake. Chinmaya Mission is living proofof the power of the firm, strong and nobleresolve of an inspired master who worked dayand night to realise his dream. Param PujyaGurudev Swami Chinmayanandaji had the

dream of reaching the vision of the Upanishadsto each and every individual to lead to his orher inner transformation. With the sameselfless, far-reaching vision, he wanted to bring out the pristine glory of Hindu religionand culture which was so misunderstood over centuries. He thus presented the rationale behind it all in a most logical andsimple manner.

Now the result of his tireless work is in frontof you in the form of a global spiritual, culturaland educational movement - the ChinmayaMission which spans 25 countries andencompasses over 250 centres, 75 schools,colleges, women’s, youth and children’s wings,social service projects including a hospital,clinics, old age homes, orphanages, temples andashrams and the unique Vedanta schools forthe systematic dissemination of Hinduscriptures in the traditional gurukula spirit.

A question is generally put forth that inspite ofall this work, if we look at life in general today,it appears rather dismal and one may wonderwhat impact all this work has made. Thequestion is valid if you look at it in a superficialmanner. But let us look at it differently.

Despite every country having a governmentand a system of governance as well as the lawenforcement authorities like courts and the

police force, the law and order situation allover the world is worsening. Does it imply thatall systems are useless? Inspite of hundreds ofmedical colleges and varieties of systems ofmedicine, man is not free from diseases.Does this mean that medicine is useless?Though in the totality, not much difference isseen, all the individuals who do come incontact with the medical field are benefited,infant mortality has dropped, life expectancyhas gone up, pain is managed so much betteretc. So too, it is only because individuals havebeen positively influenced and benefited thatthey support Chinmaya Mission. This is aprocess of spiritual evolution not a one timerevolution. While revolutions come and go,evolution is slow but sure and lasting.

Fill your heart with love and gratitude. The restof the things just happen. When I first went tothe ashram, my only concern was for my self tostudy Vedanta. As I stayed there and keptlearning, the depth and beauty of thisknowledge grew in me but more than anythingelse, what struck me most was Swamiji’s(Gurudev’s) vision, compassion and love thatthere are seekers and their need must be met -with absolutely no other expectation.The Vedanta course was free and it had noprecedent in centuries, yet people identifiedwith Gurudev’s vision and kept funding thecourse. When we remember all this, our heartsare naturally filled with love and gratitude.

A brahmachari once asked Pujya Gurudev,“What do you expect from me?” He said,“Nothing. Only give me a smile when you meetme.” And some people did not give even that!And yet he kept on. Each day I discover howgreat Swamiji was. (We know he was great butcan never wholly fathom how great he was.)And with each new discovery there is somuch joy.

As sevaks/sevikas and devotees our area of workmay change and we may face so many conflictsbut only one thing keeps us going - love andgratitude to Gurudev and the whole society. In a

family, is there any constitution or law? Wherethere is love, rules are not required and wherethere is no love, again rules are not required (forthey will not work)! Don’t keep asking - what todo for Chinmaya Mission? If you have love, you

will find some way to serve. Sometimes we haveto be in the front and sometimes at the back.We should be ready for both.

As the year 2000 came to a close, according tothe English calendar, a millenium came to anend and the new millennium has been usheredin with a New Year, which is a very significant

one for the Chinmaya Movement. PujyaGurudev started his work in 1951 and workedtirelessly till his Mahasamadhi in 1993. For theGolden Jubilee, special programmes will beconducted at all Chinmaya Mission centresthroughout the world culminating in the GrandFinale at Mumbai from 24th to 31st December2001. This will be a grand global celebration ofthe living legacy that Pujya Gurudev gifted us,for us to cherish, nurture and perpetuate.

Such a global gathering has a great purpose - tosee for ourselves how Pujya Gurudev touchedcountless lives. We expect atleast 10,000 toparticipate in the Grand Finale. Though this is asmall number compared to the millions whocame under his influence, still, by itself it wouldbe a grand gathering of the Chinmaya Familyworld wide. I personally request each andeveryone to get motivated to express ourgratitude to Pujya Gurudev in action, throughour own inner transformation and our lovingservice to the community. I invoke PujyaGurudev’s and God’s blessings on you all andonce again wish you a very happy New Year.

It is said that to realise your dream, you have tostay awake.

Fill your heart with love andgratitude. The rest of the

things just happen.

A brahmachari once askedPujya Gurudev, "What do you

expect from me?" He said,"Nothing. Only give me

a smile when you meet me."

You, Me & God

4

Extracts from a conversation with Swami Chinmayananda

"Swamiji, I don't believe in God".It was a young man, modern, tight pants, tobacco pipe stuckat waist, trim thin moustache. He spoke English with anAmericanized drawl, and was evidently one of our universityproducts, with higher education abroad.Swamiji beamed. "Excellent!" With a broad welcoming smile,nodding his head slowly, Swamiji continued: "That's fine. Ilike you. You are the man I have been wanting to meet. I likeyour outspokenness. You are intelligent and you thinkindependently. You have the courage to speak out yourconviction, straight from the shoulder, as they say. Nowcome, WHAT KIND of GOD is it, that you don't believe in?"

The young man, who had made his statement about his non-believing, with a little hesitation, probably at his ownaudacity at denying GOD before a God-man, was pleasantlysurprised at Swamiji's cordial tone and benign smile, and,feeling encouraged, went on:"This God, who sits above the clouds, and judges men, anddispenses favours and punishments by remote-control,at his own sweet will, don't you think Swamiji, it is allhocus pocus?"Swamiji laughed. "Shake hands, young man. I am entirelywith you. Now, we are two, together. I too, don't believe inTHAT KIND OF GOD. But........hmm, did you have breakfastbefore coming?"

"Yes, Swamiji." "Well, What did you have for breakfast?"

"The usual things, porridge, toast, scrambled eggs, coffee...." "Eggs. That's nice. Eggs! Now, where did the eggs come fromRam, that's your name isn't it? Did they grow in fields, or arethey made in factories?"

"Simple. Hens, of course. Hens lay eggs, you know!"Ram said with an air of flippancy.Nodding his head, up and down, thoughtfully, Swamijicontinued: " I see, I see, so the eggs come from hens. Nowwhere do the hens come from?"

Ram, an intelligent man, could see the trap he was being ledinto. He started saying: "Of course from.....". Then wide eyed,looked at Swamiji silently.

Swamiji smiled: "So, eggs come from hens, hens come from eggs, which again come from other hens,and so on, ad-infinitum. Can you, Ram, say with any certainty,which was the first cause? Egg or hen? How and why?

Swamiji, now addressing all the devotees present, went on:"You see, God is not just a person or individual, sitting in apalace above the clouds, dispensing favours. It stands to

reason that every effect must have had a cause prior to it.The watch that you are wearing did not make itself. Yourbreakfast did not cook itself. There was a cause, in each case.The cause must have emerged from a previous cause. GODis now the first cause. The sole cause. The UNCAUSEDCAUSE. There was no cause before Him. He is the oldest,the most ancient, He was before TIME. The Sanaatanah,the Puraanah.This `Causation hunting' is the favourite pastime of theevolving human intellect -- trying to trace everything to itsultimate origin. That which is beyond the point at which theintellect gets stalled, is G-O-D. The intellect cannot come toa conclusion as to the ultimate cause as in the age - oldexample of the hen and the egg. `Thus far -- not farther' isthe limitation of the capacity of the human intellect."

Ram was flushed with excitement and exclaimed, "Swamiji,am I to understand that THAT is God?" "That, which you now speak of as GOD, my boy, the muslimcalls Allah; the christian refers to as "My father in Heaven";the Parsee as Ahura Mazda. These are a few of the differentways in which HE or IT is referred to, but all are referring tothe SAME SUPREME PRINCIPLE. The cause behind allcauses. The source of all that was, now is, and ever will be.The Vedas refer to it as BRAHMAN, the Absolute, theinfinite. THE TRUTH IS ONE. THE WISE SPEAK OF ITVARIOUSLY."

" But, Swamiji, the description does not seem to becomplete. Is that all that God is? How can one come toknow Him?"`Know him!' He cannot be `known' as you know this tableor this chair or your wife or your pipe. He is not an object ofthe intellect. He is the VERY SUBJECT. Have you heard ofthe great disciple of the Kenopanishad who approached theMaster and enquired :"Revered Sir, What is IT, directed bywhich the mind cognizes objects, the eyes see, the ears hearand so on?' The master cryptically answered :"It is the eye ofthe eye; the ear of the ear, the mind of the mind'. In fact It isthe VERY Subject that enables the eyes to see, the ear tohear etc. It is not an object of the senses or the Mind or theIntellect. Hence, to answer your question, I have to tell youthat you cannot make God an object of Knowledge.

An example will elucidate the idea. You are walking along adark country road at night, occasionally illuminating yourpath with the aid of a battery torch; you want to know howthe torch gives light; you unscrew the torch, you will not beable to see the battery cells, as the bulb will not emit lightunless powered by the battery of cells. Similarly, the eyes,the ears, the mind and the intellect, all of which get theirown power to function from the LIFE PRINCIPLE, cannotunderstand IT as an object. God is thus conceived of as thelife principle, in every one."

The audience sat spell-bound listening to Swamiji'sexposition of a difficult vedantic truth in easy lucid style.

"Then Swamiji, you say that God or Truth is somethingabstract, that cannot be seen or heard or touched -- oreven thought of. Am I right?"" You are very much right. In fact, God is all this and muchmore. The Bhagawad Geeta says: `Weapons cleave It not;fire burns It not; water wets It not; wind dries It not. Thisself cannot be cut, nor burnt nor wetted nor dried.' It is notmaterial; It is not matter, understand."

Now, the other members of the audience who had beenlistening with awe and reverence, took the opportunity toclear their doubts.

"Swamiji, if God cannot be seen or thought of, is an abstraction, is there any significance to idol worship?""Of course there is a lot. When your dear son is in America,and you cannot see him whenever you want, do you or doyou not get solace by looking at his photograph? You doknow that the photo IS NOT YOUR SON, but only a pieceof paper with various tones of grey, but it reminds you ofyour beloved boy and his great love for you. So also theidols in temples are to remind the devotees of the ideal, theSupreme. Since the human mind cannot conceive of aformless Supreme, God is conceived of in the form asrepresented by an idol. To the earnest devotee, the idolappears as a living embodiment of his Lord, and he goes intoecstasy at its sight. It is, however, necessary to rememberthat the idol is NOT God, but represents God."

" Why is it, Swamiji, that as in Christianity or Islam, aparticular day of the week is not earmarked in Hinduismfor temple worship?"At this question, Swamiji drew himself up, straightened androared at the top of His voice; " HINDUISM IS NOT A PARTTIME RELIGION." " Have you heard of the school boy whosaid that `the earth is round on Sundays and flat on otherdays'? So also, a man cannot be made to be divine onSundays and devilish on all other days. (Maybe, most of usare that way!) Steps to constantly purify the mind should betaken at all times of the day, at home, in the office, at themarket place."

"What is a pure mind, Swamiji?""A pure mind is one which is calm, free from agitations.Agitations are caused mainly by our likes and dislikes anddesires. Desires spell disaster, fulfilled or frustrated.Mahatma Gandhi was very fond of the `Sthitha Pragna'portion of the second chapter of the Bhagawad Geeta, inwhich the causes and consequences of desire are mostgraphically described.

It is the ladder of fall: "When a man thinks of objects,attachments for them arises; from attachment, desire isborn; from desire (unfulfilled) arises anger; from angercomes delusion; from delusion loss of memory, thedestruction of discrimination; from destruction ofdiscrimination he perishes."

"Our sastras have laid down a clearcut procedure. The three -fold practice consists of Sravana, Manana and Nidhidhyasana- Hearing is not in one-ear-out-the other, `It is attentivelistening to discourses on our great scriptures (includingreading them), contemplating on the ideas containedtherein, and lastly meditation.

Many people come and tell me that they have gone throughthe Geeta many times. I tell them `Let the Geeta gothrough you once at least. It will do you more good.'

If you ask me `how to start', my answer is `Just start'. when?Now !Today is the best day. A better day will not come. Thegreatest master who lived and worked for the cause ofreligion in India, Adi Sankara, has laid down the prescription:"Bhagawad Geeta and Vishnu Sahasranama are to bechanted; always the form of the Lord of Lakshmi is to bemeditated upon. The mind is to be led towards thecompany of the good. wealth is to be shared with the needy".

Hari om! Hari Om!! Hari Om!!!

SwamiChinmayanandain Sidhbari 1983

5

Adi ShankaracharyaIn the village of Kalati in Kerala livedShivaguru and Aryamba, a pious couple bornfrom orthodox, noble parents. The couple werewithout a child for a long time and so theyobserved various austerities and undertook apilgrimage to the Shiva temple at Trichur(Central Kerala) to beseech the Lord to fulfilltheir desire for a child. Pleased with theirdevotion, the Lord appeared to them in adream and granted their wish stating thatthey could either have a brilliant boy with ashort life or a dull-headed one with long life.Shivaguru and Aryamba, with great zeal,opted for the former. Within a year, Aryambagave birth to a beautiful son and in gratefulremembrance of the Lord’s grace, the happycouple named their son, Shankara.

Early Life – Shankara was a natural prodigy.Even as a child, he exhibited uncommonintelligence. He was able to read andunderstand entire books from the age of three.At the age of five, Shankara’s father passedaway and his mother, Aryamba, according toVedic principles, conducted his Upanayana(sacred thread ceremony) and sent him toGurukula (school system which intermingledspiritual and academic studies).

Education – During his Gurukula days, as wasthe custom, Shankara set out for his dailyBhiksha (alms). On one such occasion, he arrivedat the house of a very poor lady who, despiteher desperate plight, humbly offered himamlaka (fruit) for bhiksha. He was so moved byher poverty and sincerity that out ofcompassion, he invoked goddess Lakshmithrough a devotional hymn. The Goddess wasso pleased at his sincerity, she showered goldenamlakas onto the house.

At the age of eight, Shankara completedhis formal education and returned home.

Love for Mother – One day his mother,who was very ill, insisted on going forher daily bath in the river Poorna, a riversome distance from her house. After her bath,as she was returning home she fainted.Shankara, perturbed that his mother had notreturned at this late hour, set out in search forher and found her unconscious. After giving herfirst aid and bringing her home, he ferventlyprayed to the Lord to redirect the flow of theriver so that it ran by the side of his houseensuring that his mother did not have toventure far from the house for her bath. Andlo! The next morning the river Poorna was

flowing alongside their house. Such was hispure and true love for his mother.

Sanyasa – Shankara was already mentallyprepared to take up sanyasa, but his mother didnot approve. He did not go against her wishesbut he secretly hoped that someday he wouldbe granted his desire.

One day while bathing in the river Poorna, acrocodile caught his leg and began to drag himdeep into the river. No matter how hard hetried, the crocodile pulled him deeper. He calledout to his mother, who was standing on thebank and begged for her consent to allow himto give up this worldly life and take up sanyasa.Aryamba, reconciling herself to the inevitable,

immediately consented. Shankara loudlychanted three times the words,“Samnyasatoham” (I have renounced). Thecrocodile instantly let go of Shankara.

Shankara’s incident with the crocodile has greatsymbolic significance. Allegorically, the riverPoorna stands for Sanyasa (river of life, of birthsand deaths). The crocodile represents maya(worldly delusion), living in the cyclical river andpreying on the jivas (individuals of the world)

that bathe in her depths. Escape from thiscrocodile can be made only throughrenunciation; hence the crocodile, the illusorypower, let Shankara free from its hold when hedeclared “Sannyastoham”.Before Shankara left on his pilgrimage for the Truth, he promised his mother that hewould return and be at her side at the time of her death.

In search of a guru – In a dream, the Lordappeared and directed Shankara to go in searchthe great ascetic, Sri Govindapada Acharya atOmkaranath. When Shankara reachedOmkaranath he found the hermitage of GuruGovindpada. The guru received him with openarms and upon discussion with Shankara, theguru was deeply impressed and ordained him asa Paramahamsa sanyasi (the highest order ofsanyasa). The guru initiated Shankara intoBrahma-vidya (knowledge of the highest Truth).He stayed with Guru Govindpada for threeyears and in that time mastered all scripturesand yogic techniques. During his time at thehermitage, Shankara was asked by his guru towrite commentaries on the Upanishads,Bhagwad Gita and Brahma sutras.

Shankara, however, harboured deep desires toimmerse himself in deep meditation but hisguru reminded him that he had not carriedfinished serving the world and so Shankara, athis guru’s instruction, proceeded to Kashi.

At Kashi – One day, at dawn, while returningfrom his morning ablutions in the river Ganga, a

chandala (low caste man) accompanied byfour dogs stood blocking his way. Shankaraasked him to move away as he was anuntouchable. The man replied, “To what areyou referring as untouchable, this body orthe self? Is not this body also made of thesame elements, as your body? Does the selfever get polluted? And how can the Self

which is present everywhere keep itself at adistance? Is there any difference between theway you and I have been pervaded.” Shankaraimmediately recognised his folly, seeing theAbsolute in this untouchable, he fell at his feet.The chandala vanished and in his place stoodLord Shiva himself in all his glory......TO BE CONTINUED ........

Kanchan Wadhwani

Pleased with their devotion, the Lordappeared to them in a dream and granted

their wish stating that they could either have a brilliant boy with a short life or a

dull-headed one with long life.

Is not this body also made of the same elements, as your body?

Brahmacharini Vibhooti Chaitanya

6

Neelam Joshee was born on 9th September

1948 in Tanzania to a Brahmin couple. They had

10 children (3 sons and 7 daughters). Neelam is

the 5th daughter and the 8th sibling. Her father

was a businessman and the mother a dedicated

homemaker. Both the parents were devout,

Brahmins. In the early years Neelam's father

also conducted various spiritual ceremonies as

a social service to the local Hindu community

members. Daily Sandhya Vandanam (evening

prayers) and havana/homa vidhis, etc. were

regular spiritual practices at home.

Neelam completed her high school studies in

Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania. She earned a B.A.

degree (English and Psychology) from St.

Xavier's College, Ahmedabad, India and moved

to the U.K. in 1973. She obtained a Diploma

certificate in Business Administration, while

working with the Inland Revenue as a Collector

of Taxes. In 1985 she emigrated to the U.S. In

New Jersey she established a career with an

insurance company and earned BSc in Business

Management through evening studies. She

moved to Washington DC in 1990 and studied

for a Masters degree in Business Management

while pursuing a career in management with a

national lobbying firm.

During her formative years in Dar es Salaam,

Neelam's parents sent her and her sisters to a

Paatha Shaala (a traditional spiritual study

center), to learn various scriptural texts. She

studied the Bhagavad Gita, Hanumana Chalisa,

various hymns and stotras, prayers as well as

traditional and folk dancing. Neelam also

studied the Indian national language, Hindi, as

well as Gujarati (one of the Indian regional

languages) through the Rashtra Bhasha Prachaar

Samiti (Indian National Languages Education

Center). At home, through her mother's

dedicated discipline, the family members

customarily, reverentially practiced Trikaala

Sandhya, and Sandhya Vandanam (morning and

evening prayers). These unique sources laid out

a firm foundation for spirituality in her.

She practiced these teachings during her

teenage and early twenties while absorbed

with secular studies.

In 1976 Neelam's mother died suddenly causing

a profound impact on her. She was motivated

to understand the deeper meaning of life and

death. She explored this inquiry by attending

various spiritual discourses, study classes, and

reading books. She also learnt 'yoga' and

'meditation' exercises.

After moving to Washington DC in 1990

Neelam was blessed with wider resources and

opportunities to enhance her spiritual quest.

Initially she joined a Buddhist center and learnt

the essence of Nirvana, and Vipashyana

meditation.

Subsequently she

explored the Swami

Narayana faith for

several years and

served children by

teaching Gujarati, coordinating and conducting

family, youth and children's summer camps.

Neelam also connected with the Shri

Pandurang Shahtri founded Swadhaya group to

attain a deeper understanding of the Bhagavad

Gita teachings. There she taught spirituality

(through various Hindu scriptural texts) to

children aged 11-14 years. She then linked with

a local social service center named Asian Self

Help Association (acronym - ASHA) first as an

assistant treasurer and then as the chief

secretary, and served the local population of

destitute East Indian families (with domestic

problems) for over six years.

In the summer of 1997 Neelam was in New

Jersey visiting her brother's family. During that

week her sister-in-law's mother died following

a brief illness. Neelam helped to bathe, anoint

and dress up the dead body and bid final

farewell to 'BAA' (mother). There was again a

profound feeling of loss of a 'mother' figure. A

few months later Neelam's younger sister

sustained acute anguish due to serious ill

health. These two crises had a piercing impact

on her, deepening her craving for deeper

spiritual knowledge.

In December 1997 Neelam was spontaneously

introduced to the Chinmaya Mission Center in

Langhorne, Pennsylvania. In an answer to her

prayers, the doors to the world of spirituality

finally opened up. In Washington DC she

attended a Baala Vihara (the children's

activities) training workshop for volunteers.

In February 1998 Neelam met the current head

of Chinmaya Mission worldwide Pujya Guruji -

Swami Tejomayanandaji in Mumbai. During her

stay at the Sandeepany Sadhanalaya in Powai,

Mumbai Guruji took her to his Yagna sessions

downtown, to the bhikshas (special dinners) and

the study classes at the Ashram (monastery).

Neelam returned to Washington DC in March

1998, resigned from her job, clean swept the

cobwebs of her erstwhile lifestyle, and joined

the Sandeepany Sadhanalaya in Powai -

Mumbai in July 1998 to study Vedanta for two

and a half years. She graduated from the

Sandeepany Sadhanalaya

in October 2000 and was

initiated into the

Mission's family of

renunciate volunteers as

Brahmacharini Vibhooti

Chaitanya. Vibhootiji has been assigned to

facilitate the Chinmaya Mission UK center as

the resident Aacharyaa (teacher) and arrived in

London in November 2000. She has not 'looked

back' since then. Her individual Vedanta mantra

is "Man may come and man may go but 'I' go on

for ever."

OM TAT SAT.

HARI OM

Compiled by Suresh Wadhwani with the help

of Brni. Vibhooti Chaitanya.

In an answer to her prayers,the doors to the world of

spirituality finally opened up

In Search of the Supreme TruthA regular column by our resident Aacharyaa

7

Who is God? ......OH GOD! IF THERE BE ONE,WHERE ART THOU?

Who is GOD and where is HE? Is GODtranscendent? Does HE have a form? Many of uswonder thus and have such questions. In searchof HIM most of us are striving to understandand appreciate the essence of GOD.

Let us pursue this inquiry to learn about GOD.

- (One of the108 Upanishads, 800-300BCE -Hindu scriptures) declares as follows:

Thou art woman; Thou art man; Thou art youth;Thou art maiden; Thou art the old man

tottering on his staff; Thou dost appear born in manifold forms.

Salutations to the God who is in the fire,who is in the water, who has pervaded the

whole universe, who is in the plants,and who is in the trees.

Another Hindu spiritual text named(1500-800 BCE) declares:

Thou art my mother, Thou art my father, Thouart my friend, and Thou art my comrade;

Thou art my knowledge, Thou art my wealth,and Thou art my all-in-all, O God of gods.

THE OMNIPRESENT, OMNICIENT,OMNIPOTENT:These Sanskrit verses conclusively state thatGOD is in all the creations, every aspect of theUniverse. However, we want to explore HISexistence in detail.

THE MULTI NAMED:Indeed, we appreciate that the focal point of allthe various religions in this world is GOD butnamed differently. At the supreme level ofspirituality, in Hinduism GOD is addressed as.Moslems refer to Him as Allah. The Christians

refer to the Trinity. In Judaism He is Hashem.Sikhs call Him Akal Parkh.

THE IMMUTABLE PRINCIPLE (attributeless):Irrespective of varied names, GOD is the ONEwithout the second, the AGGREGATE WHOLESupreme Reality. He is the center of all that is in this universe, our world, as the Changeless Principle. Thus He is all pervasive,all-powerful, infinite, deathless, imperishable,immortal, permanent.

THE HUMANOID:GOD is simultaneously anthropomorphic - inmanifestation, with attributes. This universe isHis Revelation. Accordingly, though ONE, Godis in two states - attributeless and withattributes. We feel devoted to His manifestedstate in vivid forms and names, generallyaddressing HIM as the Supreme Ruler, theAlmighty, the Supreme Spirit, the HeavenlyFather, Purushottama in Hinduism, etc. HE isthe Unique Cause of the cosmos, the SoleCreator of the entire world of matter. All of usare innumerable fractions, mere expressions ofHis Life, the ONE WHOLE. All that existswithin our universe is also invariably subject toconstant change, in the process of evolution.Just as in an immeasurable, boundless oceanthere are innumerable waves, that momentarilyarise and promptly merge within theunfathomable expanse of water, so too, all theinnumerable creations/beings within this worldcome from Him and return into Him.

THE THEOCRACY

THE THREE STATES OF GODThe manifested state of the Supreme Reality issystematically established for always intripartite - threefold - a triad. These threeprofound principles conduct functions ofRegeneration/emanation, Preservation, andCreation. GOD expresses HIMSELF throughthese three aspects, three facets but isessentially THE ONE ONLY.

UNITY IN TAXONOMY:In Christianity this Trinity is referred to as TheFather, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Hindusworship this Trimoorty triad as Shiva, Vishnuand Brahma. The Hebrew Kabbalists mentionthe trio as the Kepher, Binah, and Chochmah.The Zoroastrians speak of the threefold asAhura, Mazda, and Ahuramazda.

THE TRIAD’S PROVINCES:The EESHWARA’s creative role is namedBrahma in Hinduism, and the Christians refer to

it as the Holy Ghost (Spirit). The preserving andmaintaining function is attributed to Vishnu inHinduism, whereas to the Christians it is theSon. Shiva or Mahesha in Hinduism is theLord’s aspect of dissolution of the worlds whenconsidered to be obsolete by HIM. TheChristians refer to this aspect as the Father.

THE SEVEN QUONDAMS:The Solar Deity mentioned above also hasfurther aspects as His seven Primordials. TheTheosophy refers to them as the seven ‘CosmicPlanetary Logoi/Embodiments/Spirits’. They arethe seven ministers of the Solar Deity knownas prajaapati(s) the masters of all the creatureswithin our entire universe.

The Zoroastrians refer to them as the sevenAmesha Spentas and per the Jewish andChristian tradition they are the “Seven Spiritsbefore the throne of God.” In essence, theseseven ‘ministers’ control, manage, and direct thefunctioning of all the unfathomable dynamicswithin this solar system. Metaphysical studiesincluding the Theosophy explain that ‘they arethe rulers of the planets Vulcan, Venus, Earth,Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune’.Guided by these seven they have under themvarious entities that creatively apply theirarchitectural and supportive energies withinthe solar system.

Further down within this hierarchical system asdirected by the Solar Deity are Angels,Archangels etc. as referred to by Christianity;per the Hindus they are the Devas, Nakshatras,Gandharvas, Kinnaras, - the Angelic hosts alsootherwise called Adityas, Vasus.

In summary, please know however that all ofthese expressions are innumerablemanifestations of the Supreme Reality whomwe perceive as GOD. He is immanent in everybeing, every object within this world of ours.Whatever we conceive and perceive areabsolutely HIS glories in myriad of forms.

Next...God’s message within the frameworks ofthe world’s major religions...OM TAT SAT.

Brni Vibhooti Chaitanya

Our Festivals

8

The Kumbha Mela is one of the mostancient festivals of the Indian traditionand is described even the Vedas. It ismarked by the gathering of millions ofdevotees at one of the four holy places,Allahabad, Haridwar, Ujjain and Nasikevery 3 years in rotation.

This year marks the culmination of twelveof these 12-year cycles and is beingcelebrated as the Maha Kumbha Mela—amonumental eventoccurring only onceevery 144 years.It takes place inAllahabad (the City of God), traditionallyknown as Prayag and Tirtha Raja (the Lordof all Shrines) --- a divine location at the Sangam (confluence) of three sacredrivers, Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati.

The dates of the Kumbha Melas areastrologically significant and are timed tocoincide with the auspicious alignmentsof certain planets constellations and othercelestial bodies which results in anincredible positive charge in theatmosphere. This positive charge affectsthe water, the air and the entireenvironment suchthat simply being atthat special placeand taking a bath inthe Holy Gangaduring that periodhas a powerful transformative effect.

This year the four most auspicious datesfor bathing in the Ganga during thealmost 2-month long festival are:14th January----------Makar Sankranti24th January----------Mauni Amavasya29th January----------Basant Panchami8th February----------Magh Purnima21st February----------Mahashivaratri

Even the saints and sages who live indivine isolation high in the Himalayas,engaged only in meditation andausterities emerge from their tapas duringthis great cosmic event to bless and

inspire the multitudes. Their merepresence further enhances the alreadycharged atmosphere which reverberateswith the recitation of mantras, prayersand group meditations of countlesspilgrims from all parts of the globe.

THE LEGEND AND SYMBOLISM OFKUMBHA MELA:Amrit, the nectar of Immortality wasresting deep at the bottom of the

primeval ocean.To attain it, both thegods and demonstied the sea-serpent

Anant Nag around Mount Meru andchurned the ocean till finally, the pitcher(kumbha) of nectar emerged.

A fierce battle ensued. The godsmanaged to snatch the pitcher away, butnot before four drops had fallen on earth,at Allahabad, Haridwar, Ujjain and Nasik.

Kumbha literally means a pitcher----thepot filled with the nectar of immortality.Our Scriptures tell us that the trinity ofgods---Brahma (the Creator), Vishnu (theSustainer) and Shiva (the Destroyer)---andall the Goddesses, Mother Earth, and all

Knowledge in the formof the Rig Veda, YajurVeda, Sama Veda andAtharva Veda exist inthe Kumbha.

Symbolically, this overflowing potrepresents our own body filled withknowledge, happiness and bliss.This Sat-Chit-Ananda rises to the surfaceonly when all the negative tendencieswhich are also within the pot, are churnedout through the continuous process ofright discrimination.

So this celebration, the festivalof theGlory of the Kumbha is a celebration ofall knowledge and especially that of theNectar of Immortality lying deep withineach being.

Zia Rawji

The Mahakumbha Mela – Jan-Feb 2001

Amrit, the nectar ofImmortality was resting deep

at the bottom of theprimeval ocean.

a monumental event occurringonly once every 144 years

9

Holi ...................As a general rule religious festivals across theglobe have one common theme; the triumphof good over evil. Holi follows these traditionsin a colourful and flamboyant manner. It iscelebrated in several ways but the mostcommon features include the date (the fullmoon of Phalgun) and the building of abonfire. However contrary to most festivals,which celebrate with great discipline, Holi ismore freely undertaken as everyone takespart in some form of mischief.

There are several variations in the stories aboutHoli, but perhaps the most common isinvolving a demon king called Hiranyakashipuwho had a son called Prahladha. Prahladha,followed Lord Vishnu instead of worshippinghis father. The King failed in his pleas to his sonto change from being a devotee of Lord Vishnuto following himself. Realising that he could

not do anything himself he decided to call onhis sister, the demon goddess Holika, whobecause she has been granted boon by the firegod Agni, can survive the fiercest of flames.Holika lures Prahlada onto an unlit funeral pyreand then uses her powers to make it burst intoflames. Prahlada calls out to Vishnu who comesto his rescue and as a result Holika perishes inthe fire. As a result, good triumphs over evil.

Holi is often remembered as the festival ofcolour. This is derived from notions thatKrishna and the Gopi’s squirting coloured waterat each other as part of the “mischief” theme.The various colours of the water reflectcolourful flames of the fire. The anarchicelement to the celebrations, which eventuallydies down perhaps represent the coming andfalling of the demons.

Neil Patel

Ayurveda ..................The translation of Ayurveda is Ayur/s meaninglife or longevity, and Veda meaningknowledge/wisdom; it is the traditionalmedicine and healing science of India withroots going back over 5000 years based uponthe great stream of Vedic spiritual knowledge.

Ayurveda sees the human being as part of theCosmic Creation, it’s every cell pulsating inharmony with the same Cosmic Intelligence thatsustains and regulates all of Nature including theSun, Moon and Stars. As long as the individualmaintains a harmonious relationship with therest of the Universe; all his systems function

with regularity, and the person enjoys a state ofgood health, physically, mentally and spiritually;this state is regarded as his natural state.

Ayurveda places the primary cause of ill healthon breakdown of the body’s natural rhythm.Endowed with free will, humans often commitcrime against the cosmic intelligence(“Pragnaparadha”) by unwisely adoptingincorrect dietary habits including overindulgence in food and drink. Added to this,they cause themselves stress through work andother anxieties of material pursuits; all of

which results in their falling out of step withthe natural rhythm. The further they fall out oftune, the greater their discomfort, till theirnatural state of ease turns into “Dis-Ease”.The ancient sages were cognizant of thevalidity of such holistic approach to healththrough extensive process of focussed anddetailed observation of all kinds of naturalphenomena, and research into the medicinaland curative properties of natural resources.This priceless knowledge, preserved in the formof thousands of sutras was originally passeddown orally through the generations by a guru-shishya parampara.

Fortunately for us, the knowledge wascollected and written down in coherent formabout a thousand years ago by the two greatscholars of Ayurveda, Charaka and Sushruta, thesurgeon and pioneer of plastic surgery. Histechniques of nose transplants are still in usetoday even in the Western world and anAmerican Society of Surgeons even calls itselfthe Sushruta Society.

Disease in Ayurveda is viewed as a progressivedeparture from the body’s natural balancedstate. This balance is expressed in terms of the3 principles or “doshas” which govern all bodilyand mental functions:

Vata (Vayu) – The air and space principle(responsible for movement and transport)Pitta – The fire and water principle(responsible for all kinds of transformations)

Kapha – The earth and water principle(responsible for mass and lubrication)Just as the powers of water, fire and wind workin the environment, they also work on abiological level within us. Allowing a fire toget too close to us will burn us externally; soallowing our inner fire to burn too highly willdamage our internal organs. Similarly,increased or decreased levels of air and waterwill give rise to a corresponding set ofdisturbing conditions in the body. Ayurvedatherefore emphasises the importance ofbalancing these forces within us as the basis ofgood health.The proportion of Vata, Pitta, Kapha (VPK) is

different in each individual and is conferred atbirth, giving each person his own unique bodilyconstitution and nature. Maintaining this birthratio of VPK is the key to his health andharmony. Management of disease in Ayurvedaconsists in recognising which of the doshas(VPK) is disturbed and then using naturalsattvic (non-traumatising ) methods oftreatment to re-dress the balance.

Next issue:Ways of managing your own doshas

Zia Rawji

Just as the powers of water, fire andwind work in the environment, they

also work on a biological level within us.

Ayurveda sees the human being as part of the Cosmic Creation, it's every cellpulsating in harmony with the same

Cosmic Intelligence

I Love that CHYK

10

WAKING UP to see the majestic HimalayanRanges one peaceful morning is perhapssomething many of us dream of. We may evenrealise this dream by taking a vacation tolovely tourist resorts. However, nothing quitecompares to experiencing that scenic vision incombination with residing at a tranquilashram, offering seva in a villagedevelopment project and learning from localpeople. This was my "dream" come true, whenI recently visited the Chinmaya Rural HealthProject in Sidhbari as part of my final yearmedical student elective.

Whilst many of my colleagues weredetermined to reach the busy E.R. of ChicagoHope or the beach-hospitals of the Caribbean,my personal destination was clearly fixed to myspiritual "Motherland" - India. Whilst on mytravels in Nepal, Haryana, Brindavan and Delhi,I met and learnt from various inspirationalpeople in the fields of health, education andspirituality. My fondest memories, however, areof the few weeks I spent in Sidhbari, nearDharamshala in the Kangra Valley of HimachalPradesh.

The famous Sandeepany Himalayas ashram islocated here at the foothills of the Himalayas.Created by Pujya Gurudev SwamiChinmayananda in the early 1980s, it housesthe great Hanumanji murti, Ram Mandir,satsang halls, numerous kutias, and now alsothe Mahasamadhi Shrine of Gurudev.The ashram has a unique aura of serenity whichsomehow diffuses into one's personalityimmediately. The supersonic speeds and strainsof London life seem like many lifetimes away,hopefully never to return. My dailyparticipation included Vedic chanting, HanumanChalisa, evening satsang and of course, regulartea snack parties!

My main focus was in the rural health projectsituated next to the ashram. This amazingprogramme of village development has beenrunning for about 15 years and has grownsteadily to now reach the status of NGOtraining centre for various Indian states.The main aim has been "comprehensive human development of the rural population"through various means, focussing on women,adolescents, and children; segments of the population that have been traditionallymarginalized.

The project directly reaches out to anincredible 30,000 people in 300 villages in theKangra district, bringing about awareness ofissues such as gender sensitisation, alcoholabuse, income generation, local governance andenvironmental protection. Activities includeMahila Mandals for women, adolescent girlgroups, Baalwaadis for children, communityrehabilitation teams, village health sub-centres

and a central out-patient facility. Variousgovernmental & charitable grants havesustained this work, with recent contributionsfrom the Canadian International DevelopmentAgency. Alongside this project runs theChinmaya Seva Centre, which trains localwomen in sewing and weaving, giving them asource of income and self-sufficiency for the future.

One of the main inspirations behind the ruralhealth project is Dr Kshama Metre MD.Kshama didi (as she is fondly known) has beenthe heart and soul of the project since itsconception. Having been inspired by SwamiChinmayananda, she devoted her life to helpthese rural women effect a positive change intheir own lives and subsequently the lives ofothers. She was recently recipient of theprestigious Ojaswini Shikhar Sewa Alankaran -a national award to honour the excellence inachievement of Indian women.

All of my work assisting in health clinics,visiting slum children, village physiotherapy,self-banking groups, literacy projects andinteracting with the project staff, was uniqueand special. It renewed my faith in the powerof human warmth, teamwork, friendship, loveof one's goals and the joy of laughter. This wasreal Seva in action: grass-roots sustainabledevelopment combined with spiritualknowledge.

Plan your future trips to such magical places ofdynamic service and love. This is where dreamsare made...

Milen Shah

Sidhbari - where dreams come true...

In every action that we do and every thought thatwe entertain, there is one common thread bindingit all, the search for happiness. Yet it seems thatthe more we work towards it, the further away itgets. The few times we are happy, we are also atpeace and neither is possible without love. Allthree are experienced in the mind. Our mind. Amind constantly running everywhere, a mind sohard to control and focus. The answer is simple; love.

Love doesn’t require practice, effort orconcentration. It is a feeling so pure and fulfillingthat the heart is overflowing with joy and happinessand the desire to share. When love flows throughin our actions and words, there is equpoise andsingle-pointedness of the mind.This love directed towards the higher is calleddevotion (Bhakti), the path of music and dance.

Without love every action becomes mere labour,without devotion knowledge becomes dryphilosophy and emotions become meresentimentalism.

The message of love expressed beautifully indifferent ways is found in the great epic we havethe privilege of inheriting, the Ramayana. The loveshared between Sri Ram and Sita is eternal,enveloping the world with purity and strength.Shabri had faith that the Lord will come to her and

with devotion she waited patiently for Him, hermind revelling in Ram, only Ram. Surrenderingherself at His feet, she attained the Supreme withthe purest form of devotion.

Hanumanji served Sri Ram with selfless love,keeping the form of the Lord in his heart, he sawHim in everyone. This vision of oneness, the stateof meditation, which is the theme of everyUpanishad, is achieved through love, the love thatknows the truth and recognises the Lord in His essence.

A taste of the Lord’s compassion can beexperienced through true human love, a simplefeeling that strangely, we don’t value. Love and live freely.

Mita Patel

Love has no other desire but to fulfil itself.But if you love and must, needs have desires,

let these be your desires:to melt and be like a running brook that

sings the melody to the night.'

By Kahlil Gibranfrom the book 'The Prophet'

Love ..........

One and Equal

11

“If ignorance is bliss, why seekknowledge”, is a clever witticism oftenheard in the high society party circuits.Some use it to sound intellectuallyinteresting; others to justify theiraversion to the labour required to seek knowledge.

The very fact this question is asked showsthe person asking it is aware - to whateverdegree - that knowledge and ignoranceare two separate and distinct zones.So, how can ignorance provide one withbliss when there is no basis ofcomparison? The nature of ignorance can only be experienced with the benefitof knowledge, and in the light ofknowledge no trace of bliss can ever be found in ignorance.

At best, it could probably be said thatignorance is bliss of the unaware, andknowledge the bliss of the aware, just like the difference between coma andconsciousness.

The level of bliss rises from zero toinfinite, from the ‘peace’ of ignorance tothe ‘piece’ of the absolute, Tat Tvam Asi.The levels are dealt with in the depth ofthe Mundakpanishad, which takes theseeker up each rung of knowledge, fromlower to higher, negating and jettisoningeach preceding rung along the way toreach beyond the knowledge of words,“knowing which all knowledges become known”.

So, there is knowledge and there isknowledge. This maxim is clearly apparentin each and every transaction around us.One has the knowledge that takingAspirin can cure headache, but noknowledge of what Aspirin is made of.The Aspirin taker is probably not evenconscious of taking the tablet, and mostcertainly not conscious of the process ittriggers inside his body to cure thatheadache. However, should the headachepersist, and develop into fever or some

other complication, there will be need forhigher knowledge of a doctor to treat the condition.

Put another way, there is ignorance andthere is ignorance. While the existence ofLower ignorance and Higher ignorancemay be manifest in the transitory sense,total ignorance has got to be non-existent,for even the basest of human being comes pre-programmed with some knowledge.He ‘knows’, for example, when he ishungry or thirsty, and he ‘knows’ thedifference between night and day.

Ignorance by any definition is a delusioncaused by Ego, it is not anything requiring‘removal’ per se; how can anything non-existent be removed? It disappears, as all

illusions and delusions must eventuallydo, on realisation of ‘knowledges’ en-routeto true reality.

If we meditate on the truly awesomemiracle of the non-existence or non-permanence of ignorance, it should dawnupon us how unconditionally and equallywe are all graced with the potency of SelfRealisation and liberation. It is a solidaffirmation of the pure love and absolutetruth of The Oneness of All, and TheEternal Perfect State of Self, the essenceof which is so beautifully founded in thedepths of the following Mantra:

Om Poornamadah PoornamidamPoornat Poornamudachate,Poornasya PoornamadayaPoornamevavishishyate,

Om Shantih, Shantih, Shantihin

(That is perfect – This is perfectWhat comes from such perfection

truly is perfect,What remains after perfection from

perfection is yet perfect.May there be peace, peace, perfect peace)

This is indeed the true meaning of thestatement that “All are equal in the eyesof God”, which statement is oftenmisinterpreted in the grossest materialsense where on one hand there are thosewho hope and pray that under thatdictum God should make them equal infame and fortune as their peers, and onthe other are those who use thestatement to justify their denial of God,by pointing to the glaring materialinequalities seen everywhere on earth.

In the end though, all interpretations andmisinterpretations of the equalitystatement too are bound to melt intonon-existence, on ascending the ultimaterung of knowledge, to realize theOneness with God.

As final ‘food for thought’, I leave youwith the following words of PujyaGurudev Swami Chinmayananda:

The entire living world is held together, inone web of love. To assume differences inthe world, is to belie this great Onenessof life.

Raju Mahtani

The level of bliss rises from zero to infinite, from the 'peace' of ignoranceto the 'piece' of the absolute, Tat Tvam Asi.

it should dawn upon ushow unconditionally and

equally we are all graced.............

Current EventsBal ViharNorthwood Bal Vihar Sundays 10:30am - 12:00pmFor Children aged 5 to 12 years oldContact Madhavi Vadera020 8861 2625VaderaMR@aol.com

St Johns Wood Bal ViharSaturdays 12:00 - 1:15pmAges 12-17: Introduction to Hindu CultureAges 8-11: Values/IndiaAges 4-7: Bal Vihar Alphabet/Bal BhagwatamSupplemented with Geeta Chanting, HanumanChalisa Chanting, Bhajans and StorytellingContact Suresh Wadhwani020 7722 5869Sureshwad@msn.com

Junior CHYKNorth London Junior ChykSundays 10:30am - 12:00pmAges 12-14Studying: Children's Geeta & Bal Bhagwatam +Questions and Answers sessions withVibhootijiContact Smita Samani07961 177106Smitasamani@hotmail.com

CHYKSt Johns Wood Advanced Chyk ClassWednesdays 7:00 - 8:30pmAges 18-30Text: Tattva Bodh Contact Ashwina Samtani07973 350547Chykuk@aol.com

AdultSt Johns Wood Adult Study ClassSaturdays 12:00 - 1:15pmContact Suresh Wadhwani020 7722 5869Sureshwad@msn.com

Harrow Adult Study ClassThursdays 8:00 - 9:30pmContact: Smita Samani07961 177106Smitasamani@hotmail.com

Northwood Adult Study ClassMondays 9:00 - 10:30pmContact Rupin Vadera020 8861 2625

Northwood Adult Study ClassSundays 11:00 - 12:30pmContact Br. Vibhoothiji020 8424 9910

Central London Devi GroupMondays 4:30 - 6:00pmContact Br. Vibhoothiji020 8424 9910

Forthcoming Events• 9th March: Holi• 2nd April: Ram Navmi • 20th March - 2nd April 2001: Swamini

Vimlanada visits the UK• 27th – 29th April 2001: Bal Vihar camp with

Swami Swaroopananda.• 25th December - 29th December: 50th

Anniversary Celebrations take place inMumbai (all are welcome)

For further information contact Rupin VaderaTel: 020 8861 2625

THERE WILL BE NEW JUNIOR CHYKAND BAL VIHAR CLASSES STARTING INNEW AREAS. PLEASE CONTACTCHINMAYAUK@AOL.COMFOR FURTHER DETAILS

Visit our website www.chinmayauk.org

Om Namah Shivah!

Bal Vihar Camp 2001With

Swami Swaroopananda

27th - 29th April 2001

Ages: 4 - 12

For further information pleasecontact:

Suresh Wadhwani: 020 77225869Ashwina Samtani: 07973 350547

Discover Your True Selfwith Swamini Vimalananda

March 19th to April 2nd 2001Talks are in English and Gujrati

Please Contact:

Brni. Vibhoothiji - 020 8424 9910,Rupin Vadera - 020 8861 2625, Smita Samani - 07961 177106

Mon 19th - Fri 23rd MarchMorning and Evening talks

St Christina’s School, St John’s Wood

Mon 26th - Sun 1st AprilMorning, Afternoon and Evening talks

Kadwa Patidar Samaj Hall, Harrow

Sun 1st April Youth Symposium

Kadwa Patidar Samaj Hall, Harrow

Mon 2nd AprilRam Navmi Pooja

Preston Manor High School, Wembley