“YogaH”, Do anybody Owen It, If So, Who Owns IT?

Written by and © Udayabhanu Panickar.

An ensuing discussion is in progress what people erroneously come to identify as ‘yoga’. The discussion includes articles in the prestigious News Papers like the Washington Post and New York Times. The western countries as whole and eastern countries, in part, refer to it as ‘yoga’, which is not the “YogaH” in reality. Some has even categorized them into their own versions of “yoga”. “YogaH” is a goal to be achieved and ‘yoga’ is only a small fraction of one of the paths too that goal.

I am a naturalized American. I lived more than half of my life in America, that too most of it in the melting pot, i.e., New York, NY. Therefore, you can say I am more American than a bhAratEyan. However, I try very much to live by the Spiritual standards my ancestors devised for the betterment of the whole universe. In there, in ‘braHMavidya’ the ‘Spiritual standards my ancestors devised’ there should not be the commercialization of anything connected to it. As some of you correctly believe, Spirituality should never be commercialized. Once that is done, it is no more spiritual. According to our standards, it becomes religious. Whatever any one says, it is a fact that “YogaH” is a product of braHMavidya, which is the Spirituality of the ancient people of bhAratvaRsha, now some refer to as ‘India’.

When someone say, “yoga became merchandized”, they are correct. However, I cannot accept the statement that “YogaH" became merchandized” only recently. It was merchandised long back. In my opinion, it was commercialized (merchandised) the very first time it was introduced to the west. Because anything connected to the Spirituality of bhAratham cannot be sold for a price. When anyone charges a price or a fee, it becomes commercialized. It may not have been commercialized fully as it is now. This is applicable to anyone who does it, irrespective of the title they go by or the wealth they amassed with it. The case is not much different in eastern countries either. According to our ancestry, we are supposed to do these things without expecting a rewarded or by charging a fee.

Now most of what goes around as ‘yoga’ is only one part of “Pathanjali Maharishi’s Ashtanga Yoga Sutra” from which the ‘yoga’ practiced in the western world is taken from. So even if we accept and refer to “Pathanjali MahaRshi’s Ashtanga Yoga Sutra”, as yoga; we cannot accept what majority of the ‘yoga experts’ selling in the west as ‘yoga’, as ‘YogaH’. “YogaH” means, the merger of jeevAtman with the paramAtman. This cannot be taught by anyone to anyone else. As stated above, what everyone refers to now as ‘yoga’ is only “YogaH Sutra”, the ways and means to attain that “merger of jeevAtman with the paramAtman”. In addition, “Pathanjali MahaRshi’s Ashtanga yoga” is only one of the ways to attain that “YogaH”, as “Pathanjali MahaRsHi devised and conveyed to us.

There are other ways also to attain that “merger of jeevAtman with the paramAtman”. Bhagavad Geetha gives us lessons on Bhakthi, KaRma and JnAna YogaH.

Often some people say they become “so lonely and sad and angry with yoga!” I think that is due to the reason that people are not getting to true guidance of how to get to that attainment of ‘YogaH’. If people find someone giving you the correct guidance it is very good, because “that merger of jeevAtman with the paramAtman” is the birthright of every jeevAtman (the individual) and every one will ultimately will end up there, if you accept that concept or not. Some may take many lives and it may go on for numerous youga. However, I am sure everyone will reach there.

Water is referred to as something the same as ‘YogaH’, intended for the enjoinment and enlightenment of all. As in the case of “YogaH”, we do not get good water any more. We do not need pure water. What we need is good water. That is disappearing, if not already disappeared from this universe. In addition, it is ironic that we, humans are the cause of it. We misuse a lot of it because we, human beings think we own everything in this universe. We waste a lot of good water and good vegetation to produce little animal flesh, which is in fact the most dangerous thing we use after labeling it as food. Then we contaminate the rest of the water and vegetation also for producing that same dangerous animal flesh.

The ‘yoga’, which is being propagated in the world now with numerous variations, was started more that 2500 years back in that part of the world lot of people refer to as “India” and I refer to as BhAratham. How can people who learned it only few years back, (that few do not even get into three digits), can patent them? Is it not a theft, or at least a plagiarism?

It is erroneous to compare our Spirituality to the Biblical religions.
Our spiritual heritage is not a cult, a creed, a dogma, nor is it a one-way single path to heaven. It is multiple lane Super highway for moksham, which is the merger of jeevAtman with paramAtman (for the English speaking world, we may refer this as salvation). It is not even just a religion as such--nor is it just a way of life. It is the complete and comprehensive collection of divine knowledge of the Absolute Truth, which--when learned and practiced--can lead people to the experience of the Absolute and the Ultimate Bliss. It is a continuously evolving and absorbing science - The Science of the Absolute - a flexible body of Divine knowledge centered on the quest of the jeevAtman (for the English speaking world, we may refer this as soul) for Its' birthright, the divine realization. In addition, it makes provisions for all jeevAtman (souls) in this quest. Yet, it remains immeasurable as it safeguards the very purpose of all life everywhere and in all things. We may call It Sanatana Dharma, but never categories it as just a religion, or just as a way of life. It is much Greater and Spiritual than both. The wise called it “The Science of Spirituality”, The Science of the Absolute”, “The Science of the Self” or “The Science of the Soul”. It is braHMavidya.

Anyone can use it. However, please do not try to own it.

The Old is Bold and Gold

Following the dhaRMam passed on by our ancestors, can strengthens tradition and yields bliss
By and © Udayabhanu Panickar

Mark Twain, the great American writer, once wrote, "India is the cradle of the human race, the mother of history, the grandmother of legend and the great grandmother of tradition. The most valuable and the most instructive materials in the history of mankind are treasured up in India only."

He was and is correct. The treasure of India has no limits. Even though the west looted the material treasure, we still have the Spiritual treasure, even though they corrupted and diluted it and now highjacking it. That treasure possesses everything man needs to know about Spirituality and the path to the realization of the Absolute. No other culture, country, scriptures or collection of them all can claim to have such a vast reservoir of divine knowledge.

Our spiritual heritage cannot be contained in a single cult or a creed. It is neither a cult nor a dogma, nor is it a one-way single path to moksham (salvation). It is not even a religion as such--nor is it just a way of life. It is the complete and comprehensive collection of divine knowledge of the Absolute Truth, which--when learned and practiced--can lead people to the experience of the Absolute and the Ultimate Bliss. It is a continuously evolving and absorbing science - The Science of the Absolute - a flexible body of Devine knowledge centered on the quest of the jeevAtman (soul) for Its birthright, the divine realization. In addition, it makes provisions for all (souls) in this quest. Yet, it remains immeasurable as it safeguards the very purpose of all life everywhere and in all things. We may call It Sanatana Dharma, but never a religion. The wise called it the “Science of the Absolute”, the “Science of the Self” or the “Science of the Soul”. It is braHMavidya.

Human suffering began when the practice of dhaRMam started to decline. If we do not personally enjoy peace, prosperity and happiness, which is a heritage made available to us by our ancestors, it is due to our neglect of dhaRMam as revealed in tradition. Some abandon this tradition to seek an "Ultimate Truth” through the hasty application of self-made methods erroneously assumed to provide quick and easy access to the goal.

Those with correct knowledge of the Absolute do not deviate from dhaRMam as taught by our ancestors. The rich may lose their luxuries. Servants may become the served or vice versa. Death may occur at any time. Regardless of circumstances or consequences, the wise--those with knowledge of "the Absolute "--will always adhere to the wisdom laid down by the great masters who have passed before us.

British historian Arnold Joseph Toynbee once said: "At this supremely dangerous moment in human history, the only way to salvation is the ancient Indian way. Here we have the attitude and spirit that can make it possible for the human race to grow together into a single family."

This sentiment has never been as true as it is today. Man's deepest foundation for spiritual progress is his perception of oneness. The existence of this oneness is the truth that assures all of us the eventual attainment of the Realization of The Absolute. The principles of this “Truth” were provided by "The Absolute" millions of years ago by our ancestors in the land of bhAratham, known now as India. From time to time, it was shaken and distorted. Yet it never fell, because it is the "Truth" based upon something invincible. All of the many challenges simply reinforced it.

So, let us dive into that vast ocean of divine knowing provided for us by our ancestors. Let us fill our minds with this knowledge, so that we are inclined to perform dhaRMam and make ourselves ready for that experience of the ultimate bliss. Let us learn from our predecessors what we may not live long enough to learn from ourselves through our own mistakes. May we not waste time seeking something new when that which we need already exists? Let us adopt those established traditions, which have endured the test of time. In addition, finally, let us pass the light of the past to the future for the liberation of innumerable souls yet to come.

Shree Narayana Gurudevan gave us every tool to do it. Let us use them and enjoy the Ultimate Bliss, shivOham, shivOham, shivOham.

Why I am a vegetarian?

Copyright © Udayabhanu Panickar

Sree Narayana Gurudevan wrote thus, "The vow not to kill is great indeed, and greater still is non-eating of the flesh; there would be no butcher, if there is none to eat; in eating thus abides the cruder ill, as he is the reason for the killing."

ShAnthi, ‘Peace’ is an absolute need for human life, but often it is an elusive value for the majority of us. The reason for its elusiveness is that it always sought from external source. However, ‘Peace’ should be a value found within of the self, especially for the people of bhAratEya origin. ‘Peace’ is conceptual and it is inherent for human. It is within each one of us but lost in our egoistic conduct and our quest for materialistic luxuries & sensual pleasure. However, it is waiting to be uncovered. Only the practice of dhaRMam [‘Right Conduct’] leads us to that ‘Peace’. In addition, once the ‘Peace’ in every one is established, it shall lead the whole world to ‘Peace’. ‘Love’ is a necessity for ‘Peace’. If we ‘Love’ ourselves, we should love all others, and that will give us ‘Peace’.

‘Love’ is the basic human characteristic; encompassing charity, friendship, sympathy and understanding in to an ocean of calmness and mercy. It is a tender feeling of reverence. ‘Love’ is incomplete and impossible without benevolence, dedication, forgiveness, generosity, caring, sharing, sincerity, kindness, patience, sympathy and tolerance. When we start practicing ‘Love’, it creates a low grade of joy, an inner happiness. At an exalted stage, it gives us the ultimate of joy, which we call ‘Bliss’, shivOham, shivOham, shivOham.

‘DhaRMam’ [right conduct] is a very important human value. If ‘DhaRMam’ is accepted and practiced, it can lead to the ‘Truth’. It shall lead us to ‘ahimsa’ [Non-violence]. ‘Ahimsa’ is a part of our ‘Truth’ or ‘The ‘Truth’ itself. ‘The Self’, that is the ‘The Self’ in you, ‘The Self’ in me, ‘The ‘Self’ in every one of us.

‘Ahimsa’ can be defined as "universal love". It fosters the understanding that we have an obligation towards every constituent of this universe and that we should try to expand our love to all. Comfort and happiness to all creatures is the highest value of our traditions. Love for all creatures is the highest in our philosophy. When all forms of life revered as various expressions of the ‘Supreme’, ‘ahimsa’ should be the governing law for us. It can become a reality only when we recognize the oneness in all of us. That oneness calls for the unity of all creation. That unity leads us to the respect for all beings. Therefore, eating vegetation is also wrong, some say. Is it really? No, it is not.

We come into this world in a human body. Sure, we will leave this body behind and pass on. It is the parents’ responsibility to keep this body in a healthy condition until we are able to do the same by ourselves. From that point, until bereavement, it is our responsibility to sustain it in a healthy state. One of the most important needs for that are proper nutrients. Therefore, we must eat proper food. There are many things to eat. However, what criteria be taken into consideration to decide the menu? According to our scriptures, we should use the food which is correct for us to lead a caring, compassionate, happy, loving, non violent and healthy life, just enough to grow and maintain the health. In addition, in acquiring that food we must not do any harm to anything more than just necessary.

In a way, Vegetation and other creatures’ flesh, both are meant to be consumed. However, not all are intended for human consumption. Let us see which are preordained for human consumption.

Our eating tools and digestive systems are not shaped or fashioned to eat and/or digest flesh. An assessment of our systems can prove this. Our teeth, jaws and digestive system, favor and need a diet exclusive of flesh. In addition, an examination of history will reveal, "most of mankind for most of human history has lived on vegetarian diets." On few occasions, it might have happened due to non-availability of enough vegetation due to drought or other calamities. Some in the authority, like historians and anthropologists may say that, we human are omnivorous (who eat meat and vegetation). However, a close examination shall show that we have more in common with vegetarian animals.

Human have no claws, have no sharp front teeth; but we do have flat rear molars [large back tooth in humans and some other mammals, used for chewing and grinding. Human beings have twelve molars] for grinding same as other vegetable eating animals (Herbivores). However, carnivore (an animal that eats other animals) has claws, have sharp front teeth for tearing, with no flat molar teeth for grinding. Even though human beings do possess a modified form of canine teeth, they are nothing like carnivore. The shape, length and hardness of these are no match to those of the carnivorous. Their teeth are much harder and they are able to break through the bones. Ours do not have this capability either. They are more common with what the animals that traditionally never eat flesh, such as apes, camels, and musk deer.

Carnivore’s intestinal tract is much short (only three times in length than their body length.) This helps the much more swiftly decomposing flesh to pass through quickly without being completely decomposed. However, human and Herbivores have intestinal tract 10-12 times their body length or even more. The longer intestinal tract makes the flesh rot inside of us and thus become more toxic. Some pure vegetarian animals such as sheep and cattle have even longer digestive tract and several stomachs. This combination allows them to break down cellulose, which we cannot do.

Carnivore’s have strong hydrochloric acid in stomach to digest meat. However, Herbivores and we humans have much weaker stomach acid, about 20 times weaker than that of a carnivore. Therefore, for humans, the prolonged stay of flesh in the intestinal tract and non-availability of strong hydrochloric acid to digest makes it more dangerous to eat flesh. We Humans and Herbivores have well-developed salivary glands which are necessary to predigest [to treat food with enzymes so that it is more easily digested] grains and fruits. However, carnivore do not have this, instead they have acid saliva with no enzyme ptyalin [an enzyme in saliva that catalyzes the digestion of starches and converts it to sugar] to predigest grains.

Now coming to the health reasons, between October 1917 and October 1918 during the First World War, the Danish government was forced to put its citizens on a vegetarian diet and the mortality rate dropped by 34 percent. A very similar experience seen during the Second World War, in occupied Norway. There also, the citizens were forced on to a vegetarian diet and similarly the mortality rate dropped very much. However, after the war, when heavy consumption of animal meat resumed, the mortality rate shot back up. Therefore, it is proof enough that it is healthier to be a vegetarian. The obesity and hart problems are on the increase in our own bhAratham as the meat eating increased in recent years.

Meat is the cause of many mental illnesses and disease. Alzheimer is an example. Few years back, between 6 and 8% of the population over 60 had Alzheimer's disease in the USA, and the rate has been increasing steadily. Lot of scientific literature correlates this to the consumption of flesh and other animal products.

Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. Studies have shown that meat contains large quantity, (much more than required) homocysteine, an amino acid. In addition, methionine, another amino acid, is also found in protein foods. However, animal protein contains two to three times more the amount of methionine contains in plant protein. Too much of these two are very dangerous for health. Consumption of flesh will put more of these two into us. A recent study performed at Harvard Medical School showed that a vegan diet had brought down the homocysteine levels by 13% to 20% in just one week.

Enzymes are very essential to digest food. They are specialized protein molecules facilitating most of our body's metabolic processes. It also supplies energy, purifies the blood and cleanse out the waste products from the body amongst other metabolic processes. This is how the body keeps healthy by lowering the cholesterol level, cleaning the colon, breaking down fats, strengthening the immune system, improving the mental strength & capacity. It also helps in detoxifying the body of unwanted wastes; eliminate carbon dioxide from our lungs and helps building muscles.

Human body produces about 22 different digestive enzymes. Majority of the source of these enzymes comes from food we eat. Enzymes are in all food items, but in abundance in raw fruits and vegetables. Cooking and processing the foods will destroy the enzymes. The rate of destruction of enzymes is directly proportional to the time it is cooked. [Remember flesh needs long time cooking.] This causes us to consume enzyme deficient or even enzymes free food and body forced to generate its own enzymes required to digest the food. This causes more stress on our body systems and organs. When our body enzymes are busy digesting the meal with no replacement enzyme or very little of it from the food we eat, the function of rebuilding and replenishing the worn-out and damaged cells reduced drastically. Also, flesh takes up to an average of 12 hours or more for digestion. Thus, consumption of meat puts our digestive system to over work with fewer enzymes. It also engages enzymes from other parts of the body and this depletes the natural enzymes. Inadequate digestive enzymes results in leftover food wastes (undigested food) in our system. This waste food becoming toxic and so do our body system.

Like creatures, the vegetables also have life and eating them does constitute killing of life? Yes, it does, but the life of vegetation and animals or birds are not the same. As humans, it is our responsibility to live with the least harm to other life forms and eating vegetation is the best way for that. Bhakthi is love of the Lord and Love of the Lord is the Love for our fellow creatures. The true and sincere surrender to the Lord is the essence of Bhakthi and that essence is also the service to the Lord, and that service is the sacrifice we have to do for the Lord. That Sacrifice is not, I repeat, NOT the sacrifice of other creatures, but the sacrifice of our own ego and the sacrifice of offering our services at the feet of the Lord for the benefit of fellow beings. That service to the Lord is the service to other creatures. Killing them and eating them is not the service. Let us Surrender to Him, Serve Him and let us become one with Him. That is our life’s goal and that is our birthright, to achieve that goal, vegetarian food is the best, not animal flesh.

"Abstain from eating the flesh of dead creatures. Living organisms are to be loved, not eaten. Vegetarians are perhaps not totally non-violent. However, they are certainly a few notches above the flesh-eaters in the ladder of non-violence. Non-vegetarianism is good neither for the mind nor for the intellect, nor even of the body. Saints and spiritual masters have invariably advocated vegetarianism. Non-vegetarianism distorts the basic character of man. This universe is the manifestation of but one mind. Alienation between one mind and another mind is unnatural. The mind of man is in no way different from the mind of any other creature. Love an insect, and it can be seen that it reciprocates. Mosksham (Salvation) is the ultimate outcome of non-violence." Shree Chattampi Swamikal said this.

praNavamantram

By Udayabhanu Panickar


The primal sound that existed before the very first of creations, the sound which shall exist even after the mahaapraLayam, the sound that shall never be silent, or which will even sound in the silence of the whole, the sound that has a silence incorporated in it, the form of sound which is and was the first manifestation of the parabrhmam, that nAtharoopam of the Supreme Luminance, the sound “AUM” is praNavam. All in existence are the sum of the pulsing energy, in their most essential level of their vibration. praNavam is the “un-struck’ sound, the sound that is not made by two or more striking elements. The sound that is the sound of the primal energy is actually the sound of the universe it self. No it is not just the sound, but it is the universe it self. It is the Absolute, the Ultimate. Every thing in this universe is the manifestation of it, IT is the parabrhmam.

“AUM”, the praNavam consists of four elements. They include the sounds of “A”, “U”, and “M”. These three sounds along with the silence that follows them create the praNavam. “A”, pronounced some what like the sound of ‘AH’ which should resonate in the middle of the mouth, resembling to the sound of in the word father, after the ‘F’ sound. This sound represents the normal waking state of consciousness. At this stage the subject and the object, the knowledge and the knower, exists as separate entities. In this stage, matter exists in a gross level and it is stable and very slow to change.

The second element is the sound of “U”. This sound is equal to the ending sound in the word ‘who’. Here the sound should transfer the sense of the vibration to the back of the mouth and we shall feel the vibration mostly on the upper part of the mouth. This stage represents the dream consciousness. At this stage the subject and object are intertwined in awareness. Both are with in us and matter becomes more fluid and rapidly changing. This is the realm of dreams, divinities and the inner world.

The third element, the sound of “M” represents the realm of the deep sleep, the one with out dreams, the perfect sleep. In this state there shall be no object to be observed nor there shall be an observer. There shall only be one, which represents all, All are one, and there shall be no second. That is Adwitham. At this state only pure consciousness shall exist. That shall be unseen, pristine, and latent and it shall be covered in darkness, which is the combination of all colors.

The fourth part is the silence after the sound. This is the stage where we try to join with the source of our consciousness, which is the parabrhmam. This joining of the ‘self’, the jeevathman with the ‘Self’, the paramathman, which is the brahman, is what “yogah” is. It is the merger of the individual consciousness with the Absolute consciousness. Dhyaanam done with praNavamantram can lead us to that stage.

As we do “dhyaanam” or meditation as we may call it, chant the first part the sound of “A” of this praNava mantram, fill the mind with the physical beings, all of them but do not hold on to it. Just let your mind go through the objects of the world and go beyond them. Just be aware of that stage. This is the stage where we are awake.

As you move on the second part, the sound of “U” just be aware of the existence of all the subtle or astral realm. This may include all that we might intuit. Here again we must not hold on to them. This is the stage of the dream, the dreaming consciousness. Just be aware that they are there and go beyond them to the next stage. That is the third part, the sound of “M”. At this stage let us be aware of the casual, the stillness from which all originated and to which all shall go back to. At the end of the sound of the “M” the great silence is observed. This may not be that easy. Just imagine the blank screen in a movie theatre and the same screen while the move is projected. This may help us to do it. Let the mind travel between the two. It is very difficult to separate the two, last of the humming sound of “M” in “AUM” and the silence. Because the layer separating the last of the humming sound of “M” and the silence is very thin and our discriminative listening ability is also very tiny. Here is where the practice has to concentrate. Once we achieve this, The knowledge, the knower and the known all becomes one.

The chanting of praNavamantram, if practiced with dedication and accuracy, shall create a vibration within our own “self” which is in tune with the cosmic vibration, which is the Absolute and ultimately we shall merge with IT. As we progress in this process, the mind shall move between the silence and the sound and if successful shall end the sound and only the silence shall remain. At this stage there shall be no other thought. The mind and the intellect are transcended as the individual self, the jeevathman merges with the paramathman. That is the aim of human life. And that is the ultimate goal every life form in this universe. Our ancestry has given us enough tools in the form of aathmavidya or brahmajnaanam for the attainment of that goal.

There are great riSiHs in our ancestry who attained this stage within their life time. Two of them Shree Narayana Guru and Chattampi Swamikal blessed us with their life and work just before our time in our land of origin. They like all other RiSiHs, who came before them have definitely used the praNava mantram to reach where they reached. May be we can learn from what they left for us to learn and practice.

The upaniShad says, “The syllable ‘AUM” is indeed ‘brahman’. This is the highest. Whosoever knows this syllable obtains all that he desires.” (Katha Upanishad -I - ii - 16).”

“The visible form of fire, when latent in its source is not seen and yet its source is not perceived, yet there is no destruction in its subtle form. That fire can be brought out by means of persistent rubbing of the wood, the source of the fire. Like wise, aatman, which exists in two states, manifested and un-manifested like the fire in the two peaces of wood can be grasped in this very body by the means of “AUM”. (Svetasvatara Upanishad 1-13)

By making the body the lower piece of the wood and the ‘AUM’ the upper piece, and through the constant practice of the friction of dhyaanam (meditation), one perceives the luminous Self (Parabrhmam) hidden like the fire in the wood. .(Svetasvatara Upanishad 1-14).

As oil [exists] in the sesame seeds, butter in the milk, water in river-beds, and fire in wood, so the Self is realized as [existing] within the self, when a man looks for IT by means of truthfulness and austerity—when he looks for the Self which pervades all things as butter pervades milk, and whose roots are Self-Knowledge and austerity. That is the brahman taught by the Upanishad. (Svetasvatara Upanishad 1-15-16).

CALL FOR HINDU UNITY

CALL FOR HINDU UNITY BY KHNA CHAIRMAN

This is the full text of the speech by KHNA Chairman Udayabhanu Panickar at Pranav Nagar on July 1, 2007 during the inauguration ceremony of the fourth Kerala Hindu Convention.

AUM poornamadh Poornamidam
Poornath poornamudachyathe
Poornasya poornamaadaya
Poornamevvshisythe
Aum Shanthi, shanthi, Shanthi.

In the early seventies, we the first generation immigrants from the land of the enlightened, the land known for thousands and thousands of years as bhaaratvarSh, landed here in the USA with little finance, a strong mind, a power full heart and hard work as our investment. (Of course a lot of us got that heart in trouble by eating a lot of flesh.) But, we survived, we prospered, we, almost everyone become somebody.

As many other first generation immigrent community, we lagged behind in our spiritual efforts. In the course of the quest for survival and struggle to bring up a family, we did not have enough time to peruse in that direction. We were also not fully equipped for that kind of a challenge. Even the efforts we made lacked much of the power to establish a good base, as most of us were not experts or experienced in our Spiritual Science. Our limited knowledge were even tainted and influenced by the western religions and culture. A lot of our Spiritual Theorems got diluted and corrupted and a lot of us believed those corrupted ones to be true. Some of us believed that our Spirituality is not good enough. Even while we were back home, a good number of us got over exposed to the western culture and religion and under exposed to our Spirituality. Above all we had our petty and silly differences which prevented us from making a real effort in educating our children others and ourselves about the real values of our Culture and Spirituality.

A lot of people think that our Spirituality lags behind the religions of the world, or at least they are only on a par with those Semitic Religions. But that is not the fact. I refuse to even think that “The Science of The Absolute”, as Nataraja Guru named our Spirituality, lags behind any religion. Our Spiritual Science is full of resources to strengthen ourselves and empower us to prosper in every aspect of life anywhere in this world and beyond, most certainly even beyond heaven.

A lot of damage has been done to the reputation of our history and to the minds and self respect of our children through the school systems of this country in the name of “true history” by the so-called experts and intellectuals on our history, Culture and Spirituality. Most of those “so-called and self styled experts” and intellectuals were people like us, the immigrants; and those who came here in the disguise of education and stayed on to become self styled experts on our Spirituality & history, pluralists, secularists and some of them even evangelists. In fact they are all self-styled experts who has no knowledge of any of the Great works of our Spiritual Science, “The Science of The Absolute”, or our Culture or our “real history”.

Thanks to American Hindu Foundation for taking the first step in correcting the wrongs done to our Culture, History and Spirituality by the so-called experts through the California School textbooks.

In our younger years, we learned from the school history books that our country of origin became free in 1947. But it looks like our land of origin is still under the rule of western forces, Financially, Culturally, Spiritually and even politically. Look at the Multi-National companies flourishing there. Look at the Cultural and Spiritual enslavement through TV, Movies and other Media. Look at who owns those Media Houses. You will really be surprised. Look at the political structure of the country. Look at the "who is who" of the government that rules the country, which should be called bhaaratvarSh. Look at the two rupee and one rupee coin the Government brought out with an icon of a western religious symbol on them. The influence began thousands of year’s back and it is still in force. More influencing forces are added to it on a war footing. You can see proof of it in the activities of groups such as “Joshua 2000”, “Mandate 2000”, “Harvesting the crop of souls” and statements made by the leaders of such and other evangelizing institutions. Even some of the evangelists’ wants to operate their evangelization institutions right in side our temples.

They have hundreds of such institutions right by the side or very close to our Temples. Most of it are built either on the land gotten from the ruling elite of the time, be it the kings of the past or be the present day politicians of the left and the right political alliances, or on the land grabbed by them under the pretax of secularism, minority benefits or religious freedom.

The money and matter we donate to our Institutions of Spirituality is for the service to the poor. But, look what is happening! Major part of it are stolen by politicians or diverted to people who don’t believe in our Spirituality, and even to the people who tarnish our Spirituality day in and day out trying to propagate their believes and ways to our people.

We were made to believe that our ancestry was and is divided. That believes actually divided us into religions, chaathur varnyam, castes and sub-castes. We discriminated against our own people thinking that some of us are inferior and some of us are superior. This division made us hate and distrust each other. The wounds of that division are still with us even in this land. We can still hear the echoes of the demeaning and insulting remarks even here in the USA made by our own people against our own people. WE MUST, I emphasize very much WE MUST over come this. And we have to see that more divisions are not created.

Luckily we have a good number of spiritual personalities who re-educated us on our Spiritual Science, “The Science of The Absolute”. I like to mention the names of two such Great people whom I consider to be the representation of the parabrahmmam in this universe. They devised ways and means to create the unity and friendship we need. They did it with there own life. But, it is a shame that we even argue and create friction and division within our community in their name. Those two great people were Shree Narayana Gurudevan and Shree Chattampi Swamikal. There are many more. But I only bring out these two names as I can relate to them more than others in that list. I grow up with some of the people who knew both of those Great Rishi personally. And they told me how great friends and comrades those two were and what a great brotherly relation they had.

Let us follow the ways those two shown us. Let us learn the Spiritual Germs they left for us. Let us not fight in their name. I can tell you with confidence that if we can learn the essence of at least daivadeShakam, the simplest of Shree Narayana Gurudevan's Spiritual Germ, our unity will be very easy to be achieved.

We need Unity and we need it soon. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of separation and segregation to the sunlit path of unity for us. Now is the time to lift our community from the sinking ship of disunity to the forefront of the spiritual awakening based on equality among all of us?

Now is the time for us to make a real effort for unity. Now is the time to forget the petty differences of caste and regionalism. Now is the time for us to come out of the clutches of the dividing forces and join together. It is the time for laying down a strong foundation for a real unity of our community for the future of our children and our samskrithi in this land of Freedom and Opertunity.

This is also very much applicable to our land of origin. It is the time for all our people there in Keralam also to unite.

But there is something that I must say to you all, in the process of gaining our unity and rightful place we must not be guilty of wrong deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for unity by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred for people who are opposed to us. We must forever conduct our struggle for unity on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative endeavor for unity to degenerate into any kind of injustice to others. Or we must not indulge in any kind of violence physical or physiological. But at the same time, we must oppose every effort to degrade and tarnish our Culture, our Spirituality and our GOAL OF UNITY. We must oppose every such effort with all our might and defeat them, here and back in the land of our origin. Never hesitate a bit.

As the events pass by at this Pranav Nagar, the venue of the Convention, for the next three days, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead towards the goal of ours, a united, friendly and service oriented community. That community must be willing to help the ones in need, but also ready to question the wrong doings of anyone, within or without. We cannot turn back. Let us make a promise to ourselves that we shall not turn back and we will unite.

My dear friends, I have a Vision, rather a dream, a dream where all our people, will treat each other and others with love, respect and equality. I have a dream that all others will treat us also with love, respect and equality. I have a dream that soon we will be able to learn and let others learn our Spirituality, “The Science of The Absolute”, and understand its’ true meaning with the help of correct interpretation. I have a dream that soon we will be able to let the world know the true value of our Culture and Spirituality. I have a dream that the helping hand we extended to the fifty poor students back in Keralam for their higher education will continue and grow into a good source of education for the poor of our community there. This is my Vision for KHNA and I hope you all have even better vision than mine. With my limited ability and tiny capacity, I tried to make a little move in this direction. I hope the future leaders of KHNA shall make much more and real progress and move on to higher levels of achievements.

I urge you all, who are here and all those who are not here to join together and learn our Spirituality, “The Science of The Absolute”, the Brhmavidya Shatram, and create the Unity we need and do the service our poor brothers and sisters back home needs.

Thank you all.

(I am indebted and great full to the great civil rights leader Mr Martin Luther King for portions of this speech.)