HINDUISUM
Vegetarian diet:
A factor in human development
Late Swami Sivananda
Self-evident truths do not need to be emphatically scouted or
substantiated by long argumentation.
It is futile to get into hot disputes over this question of
vegetarianism or to bring/statistics in support of non – vegetarianism
diet.
It is not within the reach of all to understand the finer points in
connection with vegetarianism.
The most important reason for which the vegetarian diet is
recommended and non-vegetarian diet condemned is because of their
respective effects upon the ethical and the spiritual development of the
human being.
The considerations is not so much of merely physical and mental or
intellectual development of the man.
Man is more than just body and mind. He is essentially an
ever-perfect, ever pure and ever free Spirit in his true inner nature.
Human birth is given as an opportunity and a means to attain this
sublime knowledge of his inner spiritual nature and to regain his
Divinity.
In this process, all grossness and animalistic tendencies have to be
totally eliminated from the human personality.
Non-vegetarian diet, which is gross and animal by its very nature, is
a great hindrance to this process. Pure Sattvic diet is a great help to
the refinement of the human nature. Vegetarian diet is a great factor in
this.
Ethical idealism and spiritual aspiration find place and flourish
more easily in a pure Sattvic and refined nature. Hence the vital
importance of eschewing gross animal diet and adopting a pure vegetarian
diet.
This is indispensable in the true interests of the nobler inner
culture of the man’s being.
Ignorant people thoughtlessly wax eloquent in their advocacy of
animal diet. They do not know about the important fact that man’s nature
is influenced by that he takes.
All foods are divided by our ancient men of wisdom into Sattvic,
Rajasic or Tamasic.
Animal diet belongs to the Rajasic and mostly to the Tamasic
category. Animal diet is not Sattvic.
Sattvic diet is essential in the process of the ethical and spiritual
culture of man. Vegetarian diet is mostly Sattvic. The subtle part of
the food material goes to make up the mind of man.
Tamasic diet produces Tamasic tendencies in man. Onion and garlic
care extremely Tamasic. They are as bad as meat.
Therefore, they are totally forbidden to those who wish for moral and
spiritual growth. No doubt animal diet may produce a strong Sandow or a
dauntless soldier or a keen brainy scientist. But, in the Hindu view of
life, the real value is placed upon the moral and spiritual worth of the
man. Moreover, flesh eating involves the exercises of cruelty, which is
not an elevating virtue. It is a bestial quality. It degrades man.
Cruelty is condemned by all great men.
Thus the cruel slaughter of animals and taking of innocent lives
which flesh eating entails makes it abhorrent to all right thinking men
and women all over the world.
People who are slaves to flesh easting habit cannot give up animal
deit, because they have become confirmed and inveterate meat eaters and
hence they try to justify their habit by various arguments and
statistics.
Beloved Atman! Be wise. Do not enter into hot disputes. You cannot
expect to change the ways of the world by disputation and argumentation.
Ultimately, it is only the force of human example that has a strong
effect upon the people around you.
Of course, if earnest people with sincere desire to know the right
approach you for enlightenment, you may by all means, explain to them
the true facts about the matter and urge them to follow the right
course.
But self-conceited and dogmatic people only learn through their own
hard and bitter experiences in life.
Pray for them and ask the Lord to shower His Grace upon such souls
and bless them by bringing them upon the right path.
The above article was published in the ‘Hindu Organ’ newspaper (in
Jaffna) on December 23, 1955) when he was alive.
A Creed of the Saivite Hindu Religion
Siva’s followers all BELIEVE that: Lord Siva is God, whose Absolute
Being, Parasiva, transcends time, form and space. The yogi silently
exclaims, “It is not this. It is not that.” Yea, such an inscrutable God
is God Siva. Aum.
Lord Siva is God, whose immanent nature of love, Parashakti, is the
substratum, primal substance or pure consciousness flowing through all
form as energy, existence, knowledge and bliss. Aum.
Lord Siva |
Lord Siva is God, whose immanent nature is the Primal Soul, Supreme
Mahadeva, Parameshvara, author of Vedas and Agamas, the creator,
preserver and destroyer of all that exists. Aum.
In the Mahadeva Lord Ganesha, son of Siva-Shakti, to whom they must
first supplicate before beginning any worship or task. His rule is
compassionate. His law is just. Justice is His mind. Aum.
In the Mahadeva Karttikeya, son of Siva-Shakti, whose vel of grace
dissolves the bondages of ignorance. The yogi, locked in lotus,
venerates Murugan. Thus restrained, his mind becomes calm. Aum.
That each soul is created by Lord Siva and is identical to Him, and
that this identity will be fully realized by all souls when the bondage
of anava, karma and maya is removed by His grace. Aum.
In three worlds: the gross plane (Bhuloka), where souls take on
physical bodies; the subtle plane (Antarloka), where souls take on
astral bodies; and the causal plane (Sivaloka), where souls exist in
their self-effulgent form. Aum.
In the law of karma - that one must reap the effects of all actions
he has caused - and that each soul continues to reincarnate until all
karmas are resolved and moksha, liberation, is attained. Aum.
That the performance of charya, virtuous living, kriya, temple
worship, and yoga, leading to Parasiva through grace of the living
satguru, is absolutely necessary to bring forth jnana, wisdom. Aum.
There is no intrinsic evil. Evil has no source, unless the source of
evil’s seeming be ignorance itself. Saivite Hindus are truly
compassionate, knowing that ultimately there is no good or bad. All is
Siva’s will. Aum.
That religion is the harmonious working together of the three worlds
and that this harmony can be created through temple worship, wherein the
beings of all three worlds can communicate. Aum.
In the Panchakshara Mantra, the five sacred syllables “Namasivaya,”
as Saivism’s foremost and essential mantra. The secret of Namasivaya is
to hear it from the right lips at the right time. Aum.
Affirmation of Faith:
God Siva is Immanent Love and Transcendent Reality.
Anbe Sivamayam, Satyame Parasivam (Affirmation in Tamil).
Excerpted from the Internet
Snake planets:
Their influence on humans
Thilaka V. Wijeyaratnem
Brahaspathi the Guru of the Devas and Sukirachariyar the guru of the
Asuras suggested that the Devas and Asuras should churn the milkey ocean
to get Amudam (manna) which will make them immortal.
Planet Jupiter |
They used a mountain called Manthamalai to churn the ocean with the
snake vasugri as the rope.
The Devas held one end of the rope and the Asuras held on to the
other end. While the two parties pulled the snake alternatively, the
pain was such that varusi spat out the venom called Aalakala poison.
The frightened Devas ran and surrendered to God Siva. To protect them
God Siva consumed the poison – worried that it would harm him, his
consort, parvathi, held His neck and the venom got struck there.
Mythology says that blue mark on Siva’s throat indicates where the
venom was stopped.
Hence His epithet Neelakandan Neela-blue-Kandam-throat.
The Devas and Asuras continued with the cheering and at last Amudam
came out hard Vishnu decreed that Devas should get it.
Two of the Asuras disguised as Devas get the Amudam from Lord Vishnu.
The Devas called Sooriyan (Sun) and Chandran (Moon) pointed them out
to Lord Vishnu who got angry with them and decapitated them with his
weapon – the disc.
As the two took part of the Amudam, they could not be killed.
Instead Rogu got a human face and snake’s body, and kethu got snake’s
face and human body.
They did penance and worshipped Lord Vishnu.
So they were included in the planet world. Their Tapas was such that
they were enabled with the power to make a King of a begger, and reduce
a King to a beggar.
Ragu is dark in complexion, Lording over South West Corner. He has a
very strong influence on humans. Durga Devi the Goddess and Kali are his
chosen Goddesses.
Kethu on the other hand is reddish in complexion and overlooks the
North West. He seems to like multi coloured garments.
I seemed Kethu worshiped God Siva in a Siva temple in the North West
of Sri Lanka. That shrine is known as Thiruketheeswaram in Mannar.
Since Sooriya Deva and Chandha Deva exposed them, Ragu and Kethu take
revenge on them by swallowing them and releasing them.
So this is the cause for the solar and lunar eclipse says mythology.
A book called Sitparathinam says this of Ragu. He is pitch black, he
prefers, black clothes, his flag is also black.
He has the lion as his vehicle. His divine or celestial guardian is
the cow. He likes black gram. The flower of his choise is Banhinia sp (Manthara
malar).
The blue green grass cyoanodon sp, is used in pooja to him. Though
his face is that of a Deva, his body is covered with scales like that of
a snake.
There is a proverb in Tamil “Raagu Pol Koduppavanum illai”. There is
none who could give as bounteously as Raagu nor deprive you as Raagu. So
praying to Raagu will help to overcome difficulties in life is the
belief.
Kethu too does the same. If he is in a favourable position in your
horoscope then you are a lucky person. Otherwise misfortunes will follow
you wherever you go.
Kethu’s celestial guardian is Brahma. It is in his nature to flare up
at the slightest provocation. The eyes are for ever red. His favourite
flower is red Alli – a water plant. His vehicle is the eagle. He has
many names - Thoomakethu, Loka Kethu, Mahakethu Sarva Kethu are all his
names.
Like Raagu he also has a strong influence on humans. The position of
Keltin on one’s horoscopes determines his fate.
Durga Devi: Embodiment of compassion
Chelvatamby Manichavasagar
Durga Devi temple at Tellipalai is a miraculous kovil where a large
number of people gather. The annual festival commenced last Thursday
(12) and the chariot festival was held yesterday (22).
Durga matha |
Durga is another face of Shakthi or Parvathi or Uma. All names refer
to Siva’s consort. K’aali Amman is another form.
Durga means valour the deity depicts elimination of ignorance and
deliverance from illusion.
At this temple thousands of devotees congregate daily. Although this
temple has become prominent in recent years, it has an old history.
It is said that about 400 years ago Kathirkamar a devotee had gone on
pilgrimage to India and worshiped at several Hindu holy places like
Benares, Mathurai, Rameswaram etc. He arrived at Kankasanturai and
walked a few miles. When he felt tired rested by the wayside.
Durga desired that to be her location. So he installed the “Sakthi”
“Yantar” which he had carefully brought from Benares, there under an
Illupai tree.
Thus commenced worship, which is to become an outstanding Devi
Temple. The first “Kumbabishekam” was performed in 1829. Poojas were
performed by priests from Kanchipuram and the temple was under the
management of one “Kathir Rasarpillai”.
In 1953, the temple trustee board constructed this temple according
to Agamic principle.
In fact, when “Selvi Thangammah Appakutty” became the Trustee of this
Temple, the poojar were performed daily and meticulously. She was
responsible for the construction of “Sithira Ther” and “Raja Gopuram” in
1978. Kumbabhisekam was performed in 1981.
As President and Trustee of this temple she rendered tremendous
religious service to Hindu religion in Sri Lanka and abroad. She was
conferred with the title of “Chen Chot Chemmani” by the “Madurai
Atheenam” in 1965 and “Sivathmil Selvi” at “Karainagar Elathu
Sithamparam” temple.
It is very often said that divinity manifests from age to age in the
human forms in order to re-establish Dharma (Righteousness) and to guide
all humankind on the right path. The manifestations in the form of
mother over the age has been recovered in scriptures.
The Mother is the universal embodiment of compassion. The compassion
of the Divine Mother Durga Devi gives us the benevolence of life
elements such as water, earth, fire, wind and space to enable us to lead
an excellent life.
In fact, the “Varana Purana” explains Sakthi in the form of Durga as
symbolizing the bounds of passion, love, hatred, greed, vanity,
illusion, contempt, joy and jealousy. Furthermore, the creator of the
Universe Brahma resides in the Naval of Lord Vishnu. Similarly in the
hearts of men reside the creative urge and faith. This is clearly
evident from the manner the people of Jaffna pray to “Goddess Durga Devi
Amman” at Tellipalai.
During the chariot festival the statue of Goodess Durgai is decorated
and illuminated and taken along the streets in chariot followed by
poojas, Bhajans, Archanai offered by the devotees.
In the traditions of the Hindu literature the chariot is the replica
of the human body. The deity in the sanctum or on the chariot reminds us
of the truth that the God is ‘seated in the hearts of each individual.
This is the symbolic meaning of the chariot festival.
Undoubted, to a world lost in error and weighed down by forces of
darkness, ignorance and arrogance, conflicts and contradiction, trials
and tribulations let us all worship. Tellipalai Durga Devi Amman and
utter her pure name and contemplate and surrender ourselves at Her Lotus
Feet for the progress and success of our lives and also for the
everlasting peace, eternal prosperity and racial harmony and happiness.
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The Annual Chariot Festival of the Sri
Sivasubramania Swamy Kovil, Jeyanthi Nagar, Ginthupitiya,
Colombo 13 was held. The colourfully decorated chariot is in
procession from the kovil premises around the streets of Colombo
city. Picture A. Maduraveeran |
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The Manikkavasagar Guru Pooja organised by
the Colombo Vivekananda Sabai took place at their premises,
Vivekananda Hill Kotahena Colombo 13. Pupil Selvi Vinthiya
delivers a religious lecture. Pic A. Maduraveeran |
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The Sai Trustee K. Balanyagam unveils the
memorial plaque to open the “Anna Poorna Sai Nilayam” at the Sai
Shrine New Chetty Street Kotahena, Colombo 13. The event was
organised by the Sri Sathiya Sai Baba C olombo Centre President
Sai Centre, S. N. Udayanayahan. J. M. Swaminathan and the
member’s participated. Pic A. Maduraveeran |
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