PERFECTION TO ITS BEST

PERFECTION TO ITS BEST

 

 

Warren Buffett, the American investor and the richest man on this planet, off and on recently said, "I don't hold myself to a standard of perfection, or I would have committed suicide a long time ago."

 

That gives us the point that nobody is perfect and perhaps one can only aspire to be perfect. No doubt, it is a good idea to try for perfection, but one must know the art of compromise.

 

As they say, life itself is a great compromise. To remain in sanity, the essential message that Buffett gives us to realize that one can't be always the winning horse. Accept and analyze your failures so that the next bid becomes a shade easier. Realize that you have to emerge stronger after a failure. Only then one can hope to carry on without falling a prey to frustration and depression as a result of not attaining perfection.

 

Big goals come with big risks and only the fearless and visionary can surmount the obstacles. One must realize that success is not perfection; it has its own pangs and might drag you further down. There is always a possibility of many failings in one's success. That is why T S Eliot had said, "Success is always relative, it is what we can make of the mess we have made of things."

 

Do what you can best, but never get into a 'mood swing' if things don't go as you had planned. You will always get a second chance and more. Keep in mind what William James had said, "The art of being wise is the art of knowing what to overlook."

 

Your success is measured in your ability come out of failures and turns them into success. If you fail, at times, it need not be because of your shortcomings; there are always several external factors working for or against you.

HOW TO SPEND MONEY WISELY?

HOW TO SPEND MONEY WISELY?

Birbal's wisdom was unmatchable in the whole of the Empire of Akbar's empire. But Akbar's brother-in-law was extremely jealous of him. He asked the Emperor to dispense with Birbal's services and appoint him in his place, for he would be more efficient and capable than Birbal. Before Akbar could take a decision on this, the news reached Birbal.

 

Birbal resigned and left. Akbar's brother-in-law was made the minister in place of Birbal. Akbar decided to test the new minister. He gave 300 gold coins to him and said, "Spend these gold coins on such a way, that I get a 100 gold coins here in this life, a 100 gold coins in the other world and another 100 gold coins neither here nor there."

 

The minister was confused. He spent sleepless nights worrying over how he would  get himself out of this mess. He was going crazy. Eventually, on the advice of his wife, he sought Birbal's help. Birbal said, "Just give me the gold coins, I shall handle the rest."

 

Birbal walked the streets of the city holding the bag of gold coins in his hand. He noticed a rich merchant celebrating his son's wedding. Birbal gave a 100 gold coins to him and bowed courteously saying, "The Emperor Akbar sends you his good wishes and blessing for the wedding of your son. Please accept the gift he has sent." The merchant felt honoured that the king had sent a special messenger with a precious gift. He honoured Birbal and gave him a large number of expensive gifts and a bag of gold coins as a return gift to the king.

 

Next, Birbal went to the area of the city where the poor lived. He bought food and clothing in exchange for a 100 gold coins and distributed them in the name of the Emperor. When he came back to town, he organized a music and dance party. He spent a 100 gold coins on it.

 

The next day, Birbal entered Akbar's darbar and announced that he had done all that the king had asked his brother-in-law to do: "The money I gave to the merchant for the wedding for his son you will get back while on this earth. The money I spent on the poor, you will get in the other world. The money I spent on the music concert, you will get neither here nor there."

 

 

 

POWER OF POSITIVE PRESENTATION

POWER OF POSITIVE PRESENTATION

 

In 1982, University of Wisconsin researchers who were conducting a study of the adult-learning process videotaped two bowling teams during several games. The members of each team then studied their efforts on video to improve their skills. But the two videos had been edited differently.

 

One team received a video showing only its mistakes; the other team's video, by contrast, showed only the good performances.

 

After studying the videos, both teams improved their game, but the team that studied its successes improved its score twice as much as the one that studied its mistakes. Evidently, focusing on the errors can generate feelings of fatigue, blame, and resistance.

 

Emphasizing what works well and discussing how to get more out of those strengths taps into creativity, passion, and the desire to succeed.

The Will of God for Our Own Good

The Will of God for Our Own Good

 

Once God commanded his messenger (an angel), "Proceed to Coimbatore immediately. The life of a middle-aged woman is coming to an end. Bring that soul (jiva) here." The messenger as bid by the Lord left for Coimbatore. On reaching the place, the angel was stunned at the sight that awaited!

There, in an old dilapidated small cottage the angel saw a poor young woman lying unconscious in a pool of blood. She had given birth to three baby girls only an hour earlier. One child was feeding from its mother while the other two were lying on either side of their mother.

The scene touched the heart of the angel. Tears welled up in the angel's eyes and it was angry at God for having asked it to take away the life of the young woman. It thought, "Oh! How could God be so cruel? Unaware of the situation in its entirety, He goes about giving commands. If I obey His command now, what will happen to these baby girls? If the woman's life is spared for another 10 years, these girls will grow up and might be able to support their lives by some means. How could God do this without thinking of these? Oh! I can't take away the life of this woman so mercilessly! I am not concerned about the anger of God that I might incur by disobeying His commands. I am not going to do this." Deciding thus, the angel went empty handed to God.

It begged God to spare the life of the lady and add 10 more years to her life. The Lord smiled at the angel and said, "It is I who have appointed you as the angel. Your job is to take away the life of the human beings once their lifetime ends. And that's it! I have blessed you with the required skills on my own accord. From your words I gather that you believe yourself to be endowed with more intelligence and compassion than Me, the Supreme Being. You dare to teach me how to manage the world that I have created by my will! You have to suffer the punishment for disobeying my orders. I punish you to lead a life of an ordinary human being in the same city of Coimbatore. You will remain there until you laugh at yourself twice for your foolish behavior!"

And Lo! The next moment the angel took a human form and was standing in the Coimbatore Gandhipuram without appropriate clothes to cover its body. It was the month of January and was cold outside. The angel stood there shivering with cold. A cobbler who was passing by took pity on the angel, bought clothes and gave them to the shivering angel. The angel thanked him and said, "I do not have any place to stay either. I will be very grateful if you give me shelter." The cobbler said, Don't worry! Now that we are friends, you can stay with me at my place.

But I warn you, my wife is very short tempered and one cannot prejudge her action when she gets angry. She will not stop from even throwing vessels. If that is ok, you can come". The angel nodded and followed the cobbler home.

When the wife of cobbler got to know that he had bought clothes for the angel with the money meant for buying clothes for the kids her anger knew no bounds! She started cursing the cobbler and started throwing vessels at them. The angel was also badly hurt. The angel laughed at its foolishness for the first time, for ignoring the warning of its friend!

From that day, the angel helped the cobbler in making sandals. The angel designed various shoes imitating the ones it had seen in heaven. The shop soon became very famous for its fabulous and rare shoe designs. Thus, 12 years rolled by.

One day the angel was standing in front of a cloth store. At that time it saw a rich old lady getting down from an expensive car. Three beautiful young women followed her. The angel noticed that the three of them had a trident shaped mole in their right cheek. The angel immediately recognized them to be the children of the lady, whose life God had ordered to take away 12 years ago.

The angel went to the old lady and enquired if these girls were really her children. The old lady replied "Not really! About 12 years back, I was going in my car near Gandhipuram. I suddenly happened to hear the cry of kids. I went to the hut from where the cry of the children was heard and found these three baby girls lying with their dead mother. I had lost my husband and had no children. I adopted these three kids legally. I have educated them well and they are the sole heirs to my entire property."

The angel was dumb-founded. It thought, "Oh! How very foolish of me to have analyzed the orders of the all-knowing God with my small little brain! If that Lady had not died then, would these kids be leading such a happy and rich life now?" And for the second time it laughed at itself for its foolishness!

With the iota of brain and intelligence that God has blessed us with, we dare to question the very actions of omniscient Lord!

Only God should bless us with the realization that all that happens is by the will of God and it is indeed for our own good!

A Big Feast to a Saint

A Big Feast to a Saint

 

A holy man of God was once invited by a wealthy merchant to come and have lunch at his new house. When the saint arrived at the gates of his palatial residence, he was driven away by the guards who thought he was a beggar.

 

A few minutes later, the holy man returned, wrapped up in an  expensive silk and gold shawl. This attire gained him instant admittance into the merchant's house.

 

"Your servants would not let me enter the house when I came in my ochre robes," the saint remarked to the merchant. "That is only natural Swamiji," said the merchant smilingly. "The elite of the town are present here today, and it is entirely proper that they should see you at your best!. Now they know that you are a force ro reckon with, a grand, impressive figure in that resplendent shawl!"

 

The saint smiled, and did not utter a word in reply.

 

When they were seated at the table, a grand feast was laid before them. The wealthy guests began to eat hastily. They did not want to miss out on any of the delicious dishes offered to them.

 

As for the saint, he quietly took away the shawl that covered him. Underneath, he still wore his ochre robes. He laid the shawl on the table, and began to put food on it. Hot, steaming vegetables, creamy kheer, fragrant rice, soft rotis, luscious mithai and deserts – everything was heaped on to the shawl.

 

"Swamiji!" thundered his host, red-faced with anger. "What are you doing?"

 

"My friend, I realize that I am not the guest you invited to dine with you," the saint replied. "When I came in my own person, I was refused admittance. It is this shawl which made you welcome me and seat me at this table with your honoured guests. And so, it is this shawl which is your guest, and it is this shawl which should be the real recipient of your lavish hospitality. As for the real me in my poor ochre robes – I not deserve to eat anything at your grand feast!"

 

First give bread to the hungry, and then eat yourself

This is a true story that happened in Japan.

Once, in order to renovate his house, the house owner broke open the wall. Japanese houses normally have a hollow space in between the wooden walls. While tearing down the walls, he found that there was a live lizard stuck on the wall because a nail from outside had hammered into one of its feet.

He saw this, felt pity, and at the same time he was very curious as to how it had survived, as upon checking the nail he realized that it was nailed 5 years ago when the house was first built!!!

What had happened? The lizard had survived in such position for 5 years that too in a dark wall partition without moving, it is impossible and mind-boggling.

How could it survive for 5 years without moving a single step--since its foot was nailed! So he stopped his work and observed the lizard, what it had been doing, and how it had been eating.

After waiting for some time, he was awestruck to see another lizard from dont know where it came, with food in its mouth. Ah! He was stunned and touched deeply.

This caring lizard had been feeding the nailed lizard for the past 5 years!!!

What is amazing is that it has been doing that untiringly for 5 long years, without giving up hope on its partner.

When a lizard can do it, why cant we?

Reflection

Imagine what a small creature can do, that we humans blessed with such a brilliant mind may not do all the time.

The life saving lizard has taught us never to abandon our loved ones in whatever situation – be it our elderly grandparents crippled with age or our parents who have given us their life and soul to bring us up. We should also try and help the handicapped, needy and other less privileged lives we come across in our day to day life.

The lizard has taught us never to say we are busy when we are needed by others especially our near and dear ones, as we may have the entire world at our feet but we might be the only world to them!

A moment of negligence might break the very heart which loves us through all odds.

Before we say something to our loved ones let us remember that it takes only a moment to break other's heart but an entire lifetime to make!

GOD WILL BE WITH YOU ALWAYS

Do you know the legend of the Cherokee Indian youth's rite of Passage?

His father takes him into the forest, blindfolds him and leaves him alone...  He is required to sit on a stump the whole night and not remove the blindfold until the rays of the morning sun shine through it..  He cannot cry out for help to anyone. Once he survives the night, he is a MAN.

He cannot tell the other boys of this experience, because each lad must come into manhood on his own.

The boy is naturally terrified. He can hear all kinds of noises. Wild beasts must surely be all around him . Maybe even some human might do him harm. The wind blew the grass and earth, and shook his stump, but he sat stoically, never removing the blindfold. It would be the only way he could become a man! Finally, after a horrific night the sun appeared and he removed his blindfold.

It was then that he discovered his father sitting on the stump next to him. He had been at watch the entire night, protecting his son from harm!

 Reflection

We, too, are never alone. Even when we don't know it, God is watching over us, sitting on the stump beside us. When trouble comes, all we have to do is reach out to Him.

Just because we can't see God, it doesn't mean He is not there….for we walk by faith, not by sight!

Have trust in Him, He is always with us in every walk of our life...when God is near, why fear?

I WILL BE WITH YOU

Baba said, "I will be with you, whenever and wherever you think of me. Do not fear."

Do you know the legend of the Cherokee Indian youth's rite of Passage?

His father takes him into the forest, blindfolds him and leaves him alone...  He is required to sit on a stump the whole night and not remove the blindfold until the rays of the morning sun shine through it..  He cannot cry out for help to anyone. Once he survives the night, he is a MAN.

He cannot tell the other boys of this experience, because each lad must come into manhood on his own.

The boy is naturally terrified. He can hear all kinds of noises. Wild beasts must surely be all around him . Maybe even some human might do him harm. The wind blew the grass and earth, and shook his stump, but he sat stoically, never removing the blindfold. It would be the only way he could become a man! Finally, after a horrific night the sun appeared and he removed his blindfold.

It was then that he discovered his father sitting on the stump next to him. He had been at watch the entire night, protecting his son from harm!

Reflection

We, too, are never alone. Even when we don't know it, God is watching over us, sitting on the stump beside us. When trouble comes, all we have to do is reach out to Him.

Just because we can't see God, it doesn't mean He is not there….for we walk by faith, not by sight!

Have trust in Him, He is always with us in every walk of our life...when God is near, why fear?

TRY TO BE HERE AND NOW

TRY TO BE HERE AND NOW

 

A travelling group of foreigners, much interested in spiritual matters, visited during their stay in Japan the Zen Master Fudushi. Much impressed by his strong vibration, his equanimity and wisdom, one of the visitors asked him about his secret in attaining his spiritual state.

 

Fudushi answered, "When I sit, I sit: When I stand, I stand: When I go, I go; when I eat, I eat and when I speak, I speak."

 

The visitors were very much surprised by his answer. "That may be all right," they said, but besides that what else are you doing?"

 

They expected to get some unusual answer, something truly secret. For their simple minds could not believe that truth could be so simple and obvious. However, Fudoshi replied again: "I do nothing else. When I sit, I sit, when I stand, I stand, when I go, I go, when I eat, I eat and when I speak, I speak."

 

Then visitors became impatient because Fudushi's answer did not satisfy them. They thought that the Zen Master did not take them seriously, "We are all doing the same thing, but we have not attained Liberation," they retorted.

 

Then Fudushi answered, "No, no, you are all doing everything differently from what I said. When you sit, you think already about getting up, when you get up, you are almost running, when you are running, you are pushing a hot dog between your jaws and while you are swallowing it, you are talking about what happened yesterday or what will happen tomorrow. You are not where you are. That and only that is your problem."

 

With that Fudushi made it clear what meditation means in the day-to-day life; in everything one does, whether it is sitting, standing, walking, eating, speaking, - in everything the same presence. Here and now.

Srivaishnava Religious festival events chart and Tharppana sankalpams

Please find below the proper links to Srivaishnava Religious festival events chart and Tharppana sankalpams;  As the same is provided in Tamil using Unicode/TSC Avarangal or Baraha Tamil Unicode fonts and in phonetic English.  Please click on the appropriate link of your choice to view & download the needed page.

 

(01) a) Srivaishnava Festival Chart  for Kara Year in Tamil  (2011-2012)

            b)  Kara year Tharppana Sankalpams Chart in Tamil 

            c)  Kara Year TharppaNa sankalpam in Tamil Unicode

 

(02) (a) Srivaishnava Festival & Religious Events Chart for Kara Year in Phonetic English: 

          (b) TharppaNa Sankalpams for Kara Year in in phonetic English.

 

(03)  Kara Year's Avani Avittam 2011 Sankalpam in English (Yajur Upakarma - 13.08.2011)

 

(04) Kara Year's Rig Veda Upakarma in Image format

 

(05) Rig Veda Upakarma in Unicode Tamil Fonts

 

(06) Kara Year's Gayatri Japam - 14.08.2011 (Gayathri Japam is common to Rg, Yajur & Sama Vedhis')

 

(07) Tharppana Mantram in phonetic English (for Vadakalai, Thenkalai Iyengars & Iyer)

 

(08) Tharppana (TharpaNa) Mantram In Sanskrit (By Bruhaspathi Kizhanatham Sri  U. Ve. Sudarsanam Vadhyar) - PDF

 

(09) Poonal (Yagjopaveetham) Changing Mantram in Sanskrit (By Kizhanatham Bruhaspathi Sri U. Ve. Sudarsanam Vadhyar) - PDF

 

(10) Abasthamba Yajur Veda Sandhya Vandanam Mantram in Sanskrit (By Bruhaspathi Kizhanatham Sri U. Ve. Sudarsanam Vadhyar, Mumbai/Chennai) _ PDF

 

(11) Sama Veda Trikala Sandhya Vandana Mantram in Sanksrit (By Kizhanatham Sri U. Ve. Sudarsanam Vadhyar, Chennai)

 

To read the pages in pdf format, please download acrobat reader.

 

(12) Sama Veda Upakarma Mantra in Tamil ( In Unicode Tamil fonts)

 

(13) Samopakarma (Sama Upakarma) In phonetic English accent.

 

How to Practice Mantra Meditation

"How to Practice Mantra Meditation"

A Spiritual Teaching by Sri Dharma Pravartaka Acharya

"A spirituality that is not practiced is a spirituality that is better left alone" is the bold way in which Sri Acharyaji begins this intensive video lesson on the spiritual practice of mantra meditation. This presentation is focused on sadhana, or spiritual practice. It is a practical, step-by-step explanation and demonstration of the deeper aspects of mantra meditation. If you are interested in Vedic and Yoga spirituality, but have always needed more instruction in exactly where to begin with meditation, and how to meditate more effectively, this video will satisfy your yearning.

Visit here to see the full video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktQ2-qBHPkY

‘Brain surgery' during Harappan civilisation?

The Harappan skull indicates an "unequivocal case" of a surgical practice known as trepanation, says a research paper

Scientists at the Anthropological Survey of India claim to have found evidence of an ancient brain surgical practice on a Bronze Age Harappan skull.

The skull, believed to be around 4,300 years old, bears an incision that indicates an "unequivocal case" of a surgical practice known as trepanation, says a research paper published in the latest edition of Current Science.

Trepanation, a common means of surgery practised in prehistoric societies starting with the Stone Age, involved drilling or cutting through the skull vault, often to treat head injury or to remove bone splinters or blood clots caused by a blow to the head.

Other instances

While evidence of the practice has been found from regions in Peru, Europe and Bronze Age Jericho of Palestine, this is the first time the trepanation has been found in the Harappa civilisation.

According to the research paper, a trepanated hole was found in a Harappan male skull that had been kept in the Palaeoanthropology Repository of the Anthropological Survey of India in Kolkata.

It had been unearthed at 'Cemetery H', which contained crude red ware but not typical Harappan ceramics.

Not just ritualistic

The procedure has, in some parts of the world, also been associated with religious rituals and "to ward off evil spirits". However, in the case of the Harappa skull, the trepanation was intended as therapeutic as there is a clear indication of cranial trauma in the form of a visible linear depression, probably resulting from a severe blow, says the study by A.R. Sankhyan and G.R. Schug.

There is evidence too of healing, "indicating that the victim survived for a considerable time after the operation," the paper adds. "Scholars have recorded striking similarities in trepanation techniques across the continents, and therefore consider it as important evidence for prehistoric movements of people and for transfer of surgical skills from one society to another," the authors say.

http://www.thehindu.com/arts/history-and-culture/article2118388.ece

Upcoming Events with Vamadeva and Shambhavi

August 19-21: Toronto Yoga Festival - Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Dr. Frawley and Yogini Shambhavi will give a series of keynote talks and classes on Yoga, Shakti, Ayurveda, Vedic Astrology and Hinduism as part of an important conference featuring a number of important speakers and teachers from throughout the world and from Canada.

September 9-11: Omega Institute, Awakening Yoga Shakti - Awaken the cosmic forces of Shiva and Shakti that pervade the universe, and discover your innate powers of health, balance, and transformation. Vedic scholar and teacher David Frawley (Pandit Vamadeva Shastri) and Yogini Shambhavi Chopra share secrets of the spiritual sciences of Tantra, yoga, Ayurveda, and Vedic astrology to awaken your yogic energy from within and allow the perception, development, and understanding of all your higher potentials.

Our Special Upcoming Retreats in India and Hawaii-----
Dec. 12-19: Hawaiian Yoga Shakti Program - Kauai, Hawaii: A special retreat at a beautiful newly opened private Kerala style retreat center on Kauai's beautiful North Shore. Limited to twenty people in Kerala style rooms. Special interaction with Vamadeva and Shambhavi and visits to sacred sites on the island and the Na Pali coast. Ayurvedic treatments available. Will be our first Yoga Shakti retreat in the United States and will reflect the same teachings and practices as our India programs.

March 7-13, 2012: Fifth Annual Ma Ganga Yoga Shakti Retreat - Rishikesh, India. Now open for early registration (Retreat Registration Form). At Neemrana resort fifteen miles north of Rishikesh with private access to the Ganga. Will include the beautiful Hindu festival of Holi (festival of colors) celebrated on the river itself as well as a day off for river rafting on the Ganga, along with classes, rituals, mantra and meditation to connect with the Shiva and Shakti energies of this region that is the homeland of classical Raja Yoga. Daily Ganga meditations and rituals.

March 13-21, 2012:  Yogini Yantra Sacred Himalayan Tour - Ranikhet, India (near Almora). Now open for early registration (Yatra Registration Form). Guided pilgrimage to special temples and sacred sites in the Kumaon Himalayas seldom visited by westerners, including Jageshwar Shiva complex, Dunagiri  Durga temple and Mahavatar Babaji's cave, along with special teachings from Vamadeva and Shambhavi on Yoga, Vedanta, Tantra and Vedic astrology, with special rituals, mantras and initiations into Shiva and Shakti worship.

Excellent Phrases from our Dharma - in picture form

Here are some of precious quotes from the vast knowledge in the scriptures of Santana Dharma.

These are in the form of postures/pictures so that it can be printed or used for presentations.

https://picasaweb.google.com/sdfglobal/QuotesFromOurDharma#

Thanks to Ashwin Kumar Iyer from VedicManagement.org for creating this valuable pictures.

"Who Has The Truth?"

"Who Has The Truth?"

A New Dharma Video with Sri Dharma Pravartaka Acharya

Everyone claims to know the truth. This is especially the case for spiritual teachers, Swamis and gurus of every description. How can we discern who among this myriad of diverse voices actually has the truth, versus who among all these many people only think that they know the truth? In this surprisingly bold Dharma talk, Sri Dharma Pravartaka Acharya explains exactly how we can know who actually has the truth.

VIEW THE FULL VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GH97BSyXnuw

Please Forward.

Aum Tat Sat

Hinduism and Nature

Nature and Hinduism are so entwined that it is quite impossible to think about one without the other. The need for an ecological balance is stressed in the Vedas and Upanishads and this message is repeated in the Ramayana, Mahabharata, Gita, Puranas and in the messages of Hindu saints. Mother Nature is worshipped in Hindu religion. But for majority of Hindus, worship is confined to temples and homes and thus they are equal contributors in global warming, pollution and emissions.

Here are a few thoughts which ancient seers of Sanatana Dharma had shared more than 5000 years ago regarding the importance of nature and majority of them are highly relevant today.

• One should not destroy the trees. (Rig Veda Samhita vi-48-17)
• Plants are mothers and Goddesses. (Rig Veda Samhita x-97-4)
• Trees are homes and mansions. (Rig Veda Samhita x-97-5)
• Sacred grass has to be protected from man's exploitation (Rig Veda Samhita vii-75-8)
• Plants and waters are treasures for generations. (Rig Veda Samhita vii-70-4)

Earth, in which lie the sea, the river and other waters, in which food and cornfields have come to be, in which lives all that breathes and that moves, may she confer on us the finest of her yield. Earth, in which the waters, common to all, moving on all sides, flow unfailingly, day and night, may she pour on us milk in many streams, and endow us with lustre. (From the Atharva Veda - Hymn to the Earth - Bhumi-Sukta)

May those born of thee, O Earth, be for our welfare, free from sickness and waste, wakeful through a long life, we shall become bearers of tribute to thee. Earth my mother, set me securely with bliss in full accord with heaven, O wise one, uphold me in grace and splendor. (From the Atharva Veda - Hymn to the Earth - Bhumi-Sukta)

• Earth, atmosphere, sky, sun, moon, stars, waters, plants, trees, moving creatures, swimming creatures, creeping creatures all are hailed and offered oblations. (Taittiriya Samhita i-8-13)

• One should protect the habitation. (Rig Veda Samhita vi-71-3)
• Waters as friends of man give full protection to his progenies. (Rig Veda Samhita vi-50-7)

• One shall take care of quadrupeds. (Taittiriya Samhita iv-4-10)
• One shall be auspicious to animals. (Taittiriya Samhita ii-3-14)
• One shall not find fault with animals. (Chandogya Upanishad ii-18-2)

• Waters represent splendor. (Atharva Veda Samhita iii-13-5)
• Waters bear off all defilements and cleanse people. (Vajasaneya Samhita iv-2)
• Whoever injures the essence of food, kine or steeds is a robber who sinks both himself and his offspring into destruction. (Rig Veda Samhita vii-104-10)
• Offerings are dedicated to waters of wells, pools, clefts, holes, lakes, morasses, ponds, tanks, marshes, rains, rime, streams, rivers and ocean. (Taittiriya Samhita vii-4-13)
• There was only water in the beginning. (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad v-5-1)
• Waters and herbs should have no poison. (Rig Veda Samhita vi-39-5)
• Waters are to be freed from defilement. (Atharva Veda Samhita x-5-24)
• Waters cleanse humanity from the evil of pollution committed by it. (Atharva Veda Samhita xii-2-40)
• Waters are healing and they strengthen one to see great joy. (Taittiriya Samhita vii-4-19)

The Mahabharata says that 'even if there is only one tree full of flowers and fruits in a village, that place becomes worthy of worship and respect.'

'No religion, perhaps, lays as much emphasis on environmental ethics as does Hinduism. It believes in ecological responsibility and says like Native Americans that the Earth is our mother. It champions protection of animals, which it considers also have souls, and promotes vegetarianism. It has a strong tradition of non-violence or ahimsa. It believes that God is present in all nature, in all creatures, and in every human being regardless of their faith or lack of it.' Dr. David Frawley

We Hindus are always proud to hear others praise our culture. We publish them, discuss them in social circles but rarely follow the unparalleled teachings in our scriptures.

Lord Ganesha, Holy Cow, Worship of Mountains, Worship of Nagas (Snakes), Tulsi and the numerous other plants and animals that form part of Hindu worship are nothing but messages incorporated by wise Hindu Saints to teach us that we humans are part of nature and not outside it and above it.

The Hindu concept of Brahman, the Supreme Soul, suggests that all animate and inanimate and all born and yet to be born are part of Brahman. Therefore an imbalance in a particular part will affect all other parts. The Supreme Being then finds out a method to transform that defective part. Since Brahman is present in all, it is easy to transform. And we humans might term such a transformation as the End or Death or total annihilation. For the Supreme Soul, it is a small repair work carried out by a minute virus.

Mother Nature is not dependent on Human Beings but Human Beings are. Ancient Seers knew it and therefore they worshiped Nature. Modern Humans termed it as animism and replaced it with more refined worships. And the result of such a refined worship ...

'In our arrogance and ignorance we have destroyed the environment of this planet. We have polluted the oceans, we have made the air unbreathable, we have desecrated nature and decimated wildlife. But the Vedantic seers knew that man was not something apart from nature, and, therefore, they constantly exhort us that, while we work for own salvation, we must also work for the welfare of all beings.' Karan Singh

Only a people's movement can save the earth from destruction. We are armed with wise teachings of our saints. Now what we need is its implementation.

Courtesy: Quotes from Vedas as found in the articles of Dr. S Kannan and Dr. Karan Singh