HINDUISM

Gayathri Murugesu Swamy and Sri Lanka theeswara Temple

Guru Devar Gayathri

Siddhar R.K. Murugesu Swamy who established Sri Lankatheeswara Temple in Nuwara Eliya was born in a poverty-stricken household in 1933. Since his family was so poor, he worked as a labourer in the fields at the age of twelve.

During this period, a yogi by the name Pandit Kannaiya presented a book of Mantras of Lord Ganesha to Murugesu Swamy which he started to chant regularly.

Swamy Murugesu had an Ashram next to Lankatheeswara Temple and conducted Yagnas and religious rituals on Poya Days. Besides, there was a big Shivalingam and directly opposite to this there was a black statue of Goddess Gayathri to which Swamy Murugesu performed Abishekam every month.

Divine Power

When the people of this area realized the Divine Power of Swamy Murugesu, they visited this temple and became his disciples.

One of them was Swamy Shankarananda Maharaji who runs the Gayathri Peedam in South Africa, which was consecrated personally by Swamy Murugesu in 1998.

Further Gayathri Sidda Swamy Murugesu spent most of his time among ordinary men and women and rendered selfless service, relieving thousands from sufferings, pain and sorrow.

He also founded the vibrant Sri Lankatheesvarar Yogasram and the Sri Gayathri Peedam International Trust in Nuwara Eliya.

In fact Swamy Murugesu's main purpose for such establishments was to conduct spiritual teachings, render selfless service to the suffering humanity and to guide truth-seekers to achieve life's ultimate goal.

Swamy Murugesu used the same teaching methods of Maharishis or ancient times. All his work was done in love for his Guru Dr. Pandit G. Kanaiahyogi a Sapta Rishi from a hermitage in the douse jungle of the Nilgris Hills of South India.

The Gayathri Mantra influences the physical body while silently thinkings, speaking or chanting. It also clears the emotional body, leading one to the inner heart.

The Gayathri stimulates and facilitates insightfulness and awakening of the truth within all.

Further our energy centres, levels and rhythms are activated during the recitation of the Gayathri Mantra.

This Mantra works in a multitude of ways, which align the energies, magnetic currents, biochemistry and brainwave patterns on a very subtle level. Immediately one will realize the wonderful effect of this Gayathri Mantram.

The Gayathri Peedam which was consecrated by Swamy Murugesu in South Africa is run by Swamy Shankarananda who is the direct disciple of Swamy Murugesu.

The South African Peedam was established in 1985, functions as a non-profit organization to assist in fulfilling the spiritual needs of the community through prays and devotion to God as Divine Mother.

Guidelines

The Gayathri Peedam in South Africa is also the location of the Jadatharaya Institute of Right living which runs classes in Yoga and Meditation.

Gayathri Siddhar Murugesu Swamy became seriously ill in 2007 and went to India for treatment and died there. Now his Samadhi is in the Gayathri Mandir of the Sri Lankatheeswara Temple.

However, this temple is still running and his disciples are fund-raising for this temple for 108 Sivalingams.

A Samadhi Shrine containing some of Swamy Murugesu's possessions also installed in the South African branch.

By Chelvatamby Maniccavasagar.

Swami Vivekananda’s message – Harmony of all religious faiths

Dr T Kumaraverl -
Chairman, Kingston College, International

Swami Vivekananda's birth anniversary falls on January 12, 2013 and Hindus all over Sri Lanka and India have made elaborate arrangements to celebrate his 150th anniversary in an elaborate manner.

Swami Vivekananda was born on January 12, 1863 as the son of Viswanath Dutta and Bhuvaneshwari Devi.

The Dutta family of Simla, a Northern District of Calcutta was rich and powerful, renowned for many generations for their charity, learning and strong independent spirit.

The infant grew and he was given the name of Narendra Nath. Narendra was a naughty child subject to fits of restlessness during which he was beyond control.

Whenever he played, he played furiously. Further, he had a great fancy for wondering monks.

He had his first education at the feet of his mother, from whom he heard the tales of the Ramayana and Maha Bharatha, which left a deep impression in his mind.

He had the best education available at that time, first at Pandit Iswara Chandra Vidyasagar's Metropolitan Institution and later at Presidency College and Scottish Church College.

In addition to academic studies, he became an adept both in vocal and instrumental music.

His brilliant intellect and his prodigious memory astounded his teachers and professors.

On entering the threshold of youth, the inward spiritual urge became very strong and irresistible.

Narendra was convinced that if God really existed, He would surely appear in answer to the sincere prayers of the devotee.

He fell that there must be a way of realizing Him, else life would be futile.

In his longing to know the truth, Narendra turned to Maharishi Devendra Nath Tagore, who was regarded by many as one of the best teachers of the Brahma Samaj. He went to him and asked “Sir, have you seen God” and burst out the question and Maharishi was unable to answer. Narendra came away disappointed and disillusioned. He went to leaders of other religious sects and not one of them could say that he has seen God.

Suddenly, he remembered Sri Ramakrishna, the God intoxicated Saint of Dakshineswar (Calcutta) whom he had met for the first time in a devotee's house. Further, Sri Ramakrishna had spent his whole life at the feet of the divine mother. Narendra approached Sri Ramakrishna “Have You Seen God Sir?” Yes, I see Him just as I see you here, only in a much intense sense. “God can be realized, Ramakrishna went on “One can see and talk to Him as I am doing with you.”

That reply impressed him at once. For the first time, he found a man who dared to say that he had seen God, that religion is a reality to be felt, to be sensed in an infinity more intense way than we can sense the world.

Thereafter Narendra became Sri Ramakrishna's ardent disciple.

Spiritual culture

The Master took infinite pains in shaping Narendra's life, so that he might become a fit instrument for the dissemination of spiritual culture and the propagation of his mission.

Sri Ramakrishna passed away in 1886. Swami Vivekananda took charge of the Monastery at Barangore, as ordained by the Master.

After two years his wander-thirst, he became so irresistible that he had left the monastery and wandered throughout the length and breadth of India.

Finally, Swami Vivekananda reached the “Lands End” of India. Here at Kanniyakumari was the culmination of days and days of thought on the problems of Indian masses. Here was the culmination for hour of longing that the wrongs of the masses might be sighted.

His eyes looked through a mist of tears across the great waters of the ocean.

His heart went to the master and the mother in a great prayer. From this moment he visualized his mission and dedicated his whole life for this service of India.

Harmony of faiths

When this quite unknown man of thirty appeared in Chicago at the inaugural meeting of Parliament of Religions, opened in 1893 by Cardinal Gibbons, all his fellow members were forgotten in his commanding presence. His concluding address at the Parliament of Religions conveyed in a nutshell his thesis of a Universal Religion and a harmony of faiths.

In his address he said that “the Christian is not to become a Hindu or a Buddhist nor a Hindu or a Buddhist to become a Christian. But, each must assimilate the spirit of the others and yet preserve his individuality and grow according to his own land of growth.

Furthermore Swami Vivekananda visited Sri Lanka on 15th, January 1897 and delivered his first lecture at the Floral Hall (Now the Empire Theatre) on 16th January 1897. Thereafter he visited Ponnambalawaneswaral Temple at Kochchikade. On 21.01.1897, he journeyed to Jaffna and reached Anuradhapura and at Vavuniya he was accorded a reception.

On 24th January 1897 he reached Jaffna. The reception he received in Jaffna was unparalleled. An unprecedented crowd of 50 thousand people walked a distance of nearly two miles. People of all denominations, Buddhists, Christians, Hindus and Muslims participated at the reception.

Thereafter he spoke at the Jaffna Hindu College on Vedantism for more than one hour. Swami Vivekananda's message was peace and harmony and his appeal was help and not fight, assimilation and not destruction, harmony and peace and not dissensive.

Indeed, he was a great advocate of Hindu-Buddhist Unity.

Moreover, his thoughts on education are very relevant to us in Sri Lanka. To him “Education” was not the amount of information that is put into one's brain.... but should be a man-making, character building, assimilation of ideas.

It is only then self reliance, strength of mind, expansion of intellect and the development of peace and human excellence could be had. Undoubtedly, Swami Vivekananda preached the eternal truth of the Vedantha, its eternal principles of unity of existence, Divinity of human soul, harmony of all religious faiths and universal brotherhood of mankind.

Benefits of yoga

Hinduism attaches as much importance to the mind and the soul, as to the body. Scriptures say humans can achieve all aims and reach righteous destinations even through the medium of the body.

Ancient texts like the Yoga Sutra of Pitanjali (300 BC) enunciates the means of keeping the body in good shape, attaining sound health, and increasing lifespan through the physical discipline of Yoga.

Heart diseases are common killers in most developed countries. Can Yoga help prevent heart attacks and keep heart diseases at bay? Yeah! Yoga can do it. If you think Yoga is just a “new-found ability to touch your toes”, you’re mistaken! The practice of Yoga has a substantial foundation in science and provides all-round benefits to a human being.

Owing to its many positive effects - direct and indirect - on the cardiovascular system, Yoga can play a pivotal role in heart care. Yoga, as defined by Pitanjali, is “restraining extrovert activities of the mind so the self emerges in its own form”. It drives a person to self-realization, to awaken latent powers of the body through various asanas (yogic postures) and the mind through meditation and pranayama (breath control). All this results in relaxation of the body and the mind.

Yoga treats a person not merely as a mass of flesh and blood, but as a being with a soul. Doctors have come to recognize that this kind of treatment can give patients greater solace and better recovery.

As soon as a person takes to Yoga, his/her life pattern, personality and diet changes. S/he tends to become a puritan and tries to keep away from smoking, drinking and consuming non-vegeterian food.

Dr. S Thanikachalam, a specialist in heart diseases, feels that yoga is “a combination of psychoanalysis, psychiatry and physiotherapy”, and that it directly affects the hypothalamus - area of the brain controlling endocrine activity - in preventing cardiac attacks.

This helps generate positive spontaneous energy, which helps the person correct himself, and think clearly. Yoga is at the core of alternative systems that are widely employed to prevent and treat various diseases of the heart.

The physical activity in Yoga enhances cardiac efficiency precipitously soon after a person starts practising Yoga. In fact, Yoga is as effective in increasing muscle efficiency as any dynamic exercise like running or swimming.

Yoga and cardiovascular care

Yoga has an important role in both the primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases as well as recurrence of heart attacks, hypertension and coronary heart diseases.

As opposed to a therapeutic intervention, such as an angioplasty or bypass surgery, which cannot stop the disease from cropping up again - medical practitioners agree - Yoga can definitely help in hindering the progress of heart diseases.

According to Dr. HS Wasir, mental relaxation through meditation and Yoga contribute heavily to the prevention of ahterosclerosis (narrowing of coronary arteries and brain blood vessels). Aasanas or Yogic postures have a positive catalytic effect that helps control not only heart diseases, but many others, such as diabetes, obesity, and psychiatric illnesses.

The four cornerstones

Traditional Vedic wisdom encapsulated in Yoga can be effectively applied in the control and prevention of cardiovascular diseases.

The four vital aspects of Yogic training - Achaar (character and conduct), Vichaar (perception), Vyavahaar (behavior) and Ahaar (diet) form the corner-stones of good health.

There are quite a few comprehensive programs for heart patients and certification courses for Yoga teachers, who would like to share Yoga with people living with heart disease, cancer and other debilitating diseases. Such training programs generally focus on the theory and practice of asana, pranayama, deep relaxation, imagery and meditation as applied for cardiac and general health.

These didactic and experiential courses are also useful for people with family histories and risk factors.

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