OUT OF THE DARKNESS COMMUNITY WALK

WALK WILL RAISE MONEY
FOR SUICIDE PREVENTION GROUP

http://blogs.fredericksburg.com - Every 15 minutes, a person in the United States dies by suicide, according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. More than 36,000 lives are claimed annually, and suicide is the second leading cause of death for teens and young adults in the nation, according to the AFSP. For the past four years, Fredericksburg area residents have participated in Out of the Darkness Community Walks to raise awareness and money to prevent suicides.
Sarah Adams and other Courtland High School students started the Spotsylvania chapter of Out of the Darkness in 2008 after three of their classmates committed suicide within a year and a half. Adams said she and a friend approached a guidance counselor about starting the chapter after the tragedies, and school officials were very supportive. This year, the 5k local walk at Spotsylvania Courthouse Village will take place Oct. 20.

This local Out of the Darkness walk is one of more than 200 taking place across the nation this fall. Proceeds from the walks go to the AFSP, a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to funding scientific research, increasing education and awareness of mental health disorders, promoting policies and legislation that impact suicide prevention and providing support programs for those affected by suicide. Since 2000, the AFSP has given more than $10 million in grants to scientific research on the neurobiological, genetic, epidemiological, clinical, psychological and sociological aspects of suicide, says the AFSP website.
Although a financial donation is not required to participate in the walk, Adams said the goal is to have 300 participants in the local walk and to raise $20,000 for the AFSP. The organizers already have surpassed their goal for participants, with 338 registered as of Oct. 12.  Adams said the community and local businesses have responded well to the cause over the past five years.

“We would walk a million miles to see you smile one last time,” 
read a T-shirt of an attendant in the community walk.

In the United States, a person dies by suicide every 15 minutes and it is estimated that an attempt is made every minute. AFSP is urging the state Legislatures to adopt a bill that would require suicide-prevention training for teachers and other school personnel. “Out Of The Darkness Community Walk” event is held in many places across the USA to bring awareness to the problem with suicide. At the walk, attendees could put photos or name tags of loved ones on a commemorative wall. Some photos featured young people in graduation robes or parents with children in better times. “We want to measure their lives by how they lived, not by how they died,” said Ms. Wallace, an event organizer. Today, more than ever, we should go into Spirituality which can provide inner joy and free us from frustrations and suicidal tendencies.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared that mental diseases - stress, depression, addiction and psychosomatic problems - will be the greatest health hazard of the current century. Worse still, WHO statistics show that over one million people commit suicide every year. This is more than the total annual deaths due to wars and crimes combined. And this figure is only the reported number of suicides. Mental disease in general and suicide in particular has many causes. But the common origin is frustration in achieving one's goals, whatever they may be. When this frustration rises to an acute and hopeless degree, one feels one's very existence to be an agony. And the ending of one's existence appears to be the only solution to that agony. It is then that the person commits suicide. ... Spirituality is not just a part of our life; it is the essence of our life. Stephen Covey, well-known author of the Seven Habits series, aptly remarks, “We are not human beings on a spiritual journey. We are spiritual beings on a human journey.”

Śrīpad Chaitanya Charan das :
“The Spiritual Scientist”
“When Science Points To Spirituality”
Vol 3 Issue 1 - http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/2011/12/when-science-points-to-spirituality/

Published by dasavatara das - "Vedic Views on World News"
http://www.vedicviews-worldnews.blogspot.com.ar/

RELIGIOUS SIGNIFICANCE OF SWASTIKA

SYMBOL OF SWASTIKA
ACCORDING TO HINDUISM

www.boldsky.com - Swastika has become the symbol of genocide and ethnic cleansing in the 21st century. It was the symbol of Hitler's Nazi party that exterminated 6 million people under its banner. 
In the midst of all the persecution and violence, the true meaning of this religious symbol was lost. Symbols are silent speakers. They communicate without words. But the present meaning that we derive from the swastika is not its original meaning. 
This religious symbol pre-dates Hitler, Jews and even the Roman empire. There is no specific date when people started using this symbol but its references have been dated back to 3000 years. The ruins of Troy and the Indus valley civilisation have also yielded artefacts with this symbol on them. 
Whether its purpose was purely decorative or it had some cultural significance is not clear. 
In Hinduism, this religious symbol represents many different things. 

Here are some of its most important meanings. 
1. Stability & Firmness: The 4 blades of the swastika point to the 4 different directions. That is why it has a feeling of all-encompassing presence. 2. The Sun's Rays: The sun is a very important symbol in Hinduism. It is the source of light and life in the Universe. 3. Lord Vishnu's Symbol: Vishnu, the Preserver of the Universe is represented by 108 different symbols. The swastika is on those 108 symbols.  
4. Peace & Prosperity: It is one of the 'holier than thou' symbol in Hinduism because all religious scriptures begin with it. It is used as a symbol of peace and prosperity in household. 5. Two Parts Of Swastika: According to Hindu dictum, every energy comes coupled pairs. If there is light there has to be dark. So even the sun has a shadow. The right side or the male side of this symbols thus, represents the suns' path of rotation. The left side or the female side represents the Dark Mother, Goddess Kali.

Nowadays, the Swastika is the symbol of Nazi war crimes against humanity, but in India or other parts of Asia it represents prosperity, auspiciousness and “good luck.” According to Hinduism, there are many other interpretations of the symbol of Swastika - This symbol aptly represents the sun with its rays shooting in all the directions. It represents stability and a sense of being rooted. That is why swastika is very important for weddings and other Hindu rituals. You would find the swastika drawn with vermilion in front of houses, under the Tulsi plant and as a decoration on hot metal pots or kalash that are used in Hindu rituals.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

In ancient antiquity the Swastika, as a religious and harmonious symbol, was popular in the east as far as China and Japan and in the west its use spread from Persia [Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Syria and Turkey] across Europe and even reached the Americas. Thus the Swastika is known to have been in use across the ancient [and modern] world as a benevolent symbol. But there is a movement in Western Europe to ban the use or display of the Swastika throughout the European Union. .... However, most people would be surprised to learn that in western countries, prior to World War II, the most popular symbol for prosperity, wealth, health, safety, auspiciousness and good luck was the Swastika. ... The Swastika was also widely circulated by the Boy Scouts of America as an honor badge for meritorious deeds and achievements and was also distributed door-to-door across America as a fundraiser. ... In essence, in early 20th century America, the Swastika symbolized for the Boy Scouts, all that a man can be. Quite a twist from how Americans and Europeans look at the Swastika today.

Śrīla Bhakti Gaurava Narasingha Maharaja :
“Swastika and Cross”
Jul 27 2008 - Krishna Talk 80
Sri Narasingha Chaitanya Ashram
http://gosai.com/writings/swastika-and-cross

Published by dasavatara das - "Vedic Views on World News"
http://www.vedicviews-worldnews.blogspot.com.ar/

RADHASTAMI CELEBRATIONS

APPEARANCE DAY OF SRIMATI
RADHARANI AROUND THE WORLD

Mathura (Uttar Pradesh) - Yesterday millions gather yesterday in India and around the world, to offer prayers, worship, and devotional songs glorifying the appearance of the Divine mother, Radha (Radharani). Chants of ‘Radhey Radhey’ echoed in the air early Monday as pilgrims and locals here celebrated Radhastami, the birth of Lord Krishna’s consort Radha. The Krishna-Radha lore has inspired poets and musicians for centuries. The early morning celebrations began at Barsana, the birthplace of Radha, with thousands of devotees lining up at the Sri Ji temple. Speaking to IANS, Ram Babu Sharma, a priest, said: “The festivities started Sunday with an evening of song and dance. This year, the weather being pleasant, we saw a large turnout, but the police arrangements were poor and pilgrims who had come from outside had a tough time.” On Sunday evening, women from Barsana and nearby areas flocked the Ladli ji ka Mandir and sang songs in the local Braj dialect to the beats of drums and strains of harmonium.

A procession with Radha’s jhanki went around the town as foreign and local pilgrims showered rose petals.Radha descended from the spiritual realm shortly after Krishna, approximately 5,000 years ago. She took birth in the small village known as Barsana, which is about 28 miles from Mathura, the birth place of Krishna. The word Radha comes from the Sanskrit verbal root radh, which means to worship, and the word rani, which means queen. Radharani can be literally translated to mean “the queen of worship.” In some texts, she is described as “the supreme goddess who is worshipable by everyone.  She is the protector of all, and she is the mother of the entire universe.” It was a wonderful day to meditate and reflect on the beautiful selfless qualities of Radharani and pray that we can to some degree follow in her footsteps.

Yesterday Hinduist devotees around the world celebrated the appearance of Srimati Radharani, called “Radhastami”, which is the most auspicious holiday of the year Vaisnava.  When people see a picture of Radha and Krishna, they often ask, “Who is that girl with Krishna?” The answer is: She is Radharani, Krishna’s pleasure potency. By Her mercy you can advance wonderfully in Krishna consciousness.  Radhastami is said is far more important that “Janmastami” as Radhastami is the principal feast for Krishna Himself, during which He is in total ecstasy, thinking of the appearance of his most beloved, Srimati Radhika.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US?

aham sarvasya prabhavo, mattah sarvam pravartate // iti matva bhajante mam, budha bhava-samanvitahthe (BG 10.8). ... Lord’s finest potency is Srimati Radharani. Of course, there are many other eternal associates, but the highest order of devotional service is represented in Srimati Radharani. The Lord is therefore saying, “My worship is shown by Me.  I, as My finest potency, worship Myself.  Iti matva bhajante mam  - understanding this conception the devotee will come to worship Me, always under the direction of My best worshiper - My finest potency and representation - Radharani, or gurudeva. Crossing Her, the highest and most desirable form of service to Me is not possible.”  Radha-dasyam, the servitorship of Srimati Radharani, is indicated here. Only those who are blessed with divine intelligence will be able to appreciate this, and not persons with self-acquired intelligence from this mayika quarter, the world of misconception.

Śrīla Bhakti Raksaka Sridhara Mahārāja :
“The Hidden Treasure of the Sweet Absolute”
Srimad Bhagavad-gita  10.8:  Commentary
http://www.scsmath.com/ 
http://bvml.org/SBRSM/thtotsa.html

ANCIENT SEA REPTILE GAVE BIRTH, DIDN’T LAY EGGS

PREGNANT FOSSIL SUGGESTS ANCIENT 
‘SEA MONSTERS’ BIRTHED LIVE YOUNG

Washington (AP) - The remains of a giant sea creature are providing the first proof that these prehistoric reptiles gave birth to their young rather than laying eggs.  Plesiosaurs, which lived at the time of dinosaurs, were large carnivorous sea animals with broad bodies and two pairs of flippers. Researchers have long questioned whether they would have been able to crawl onto land and lay eggs like other reptiles or gave birth in the water like whales. The newly unveiled fossil was originally discovered in 1987 in Logan County in Kansas. Encased in rock, it had been stored in the basement of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County until resources were available to separate the bones for display at the museum.  F. Robin O’Keefe of Marshall University in Huntington, W. Va., and the museum’s Luis Chiappe uncovered the bones of an adult plesiosaur (Plee’-see-uh-sawr) and the remains of a fetus inside her.

The researchers report on their analysis of the pregnant plesiosaur in Friday’s edition of the journal Science.  The museum dated the fossil, which is more than 15 feet long, to between 72 million and 78 million years ago. There had been evidence of live births in an ancestor of plesiosaurs. But the lack of proof for plesiosaur birth has been puzzling, said R. Ewan Fordyce, head of the geology department at the University of Otago, New Zealand, who was not involved in the research. “It would be hard to imagine these animals coming out onto land laying eggs somewhere,” he added, so arguing that all plesiosaurs were doing this is a reasonable hypothesis.  Scientists suggest a parallel between plesiosaurs and modern whales, also large animals that give birth to relatively big offspring. Like whales, they said, plesiosaurs may have formed social groups and tended their young.

A giant marine reptile was likely ready for her baby shower about 78 million years ago when she died.  The large size of the fetus, and the fact that the mother was only carrying one offspring, indicate that these marine reptiles gave live birth and may have invested a lot of time and energy into their offspring, similar to how humans invest years raising kids. The Śrīmad Bhagavatam, Ramayana, Mahabharata and other Vedic literatures often speak of fantastic creatures that may have once lived on this planet but science considers them myths and imaginary legends. Scientists should search for reliable knowledge in the Vedas.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US?

Western scholars assert that the Bhagavatam was only written in the 9th century CE, the Ramayana in the 4th century BCE, and the Mahabharata between the 8th and 4th centuries BCE. But if this were a fact, then how did the writers of these books know about ocean-dwelling creatures, their size, their vicious aggression and their diets if those creatures had already been extinct for 1.5 million years?  Bhagavatam, Ramayana and Mahabharata all mention the existence of the Makara / Pliosaur and the Timingila / Megalodon, but where did the authors get their information?  Who told the Vedic authors about these creatures? ... Scientists and scholars will have to ponder this question, but for us it is simple - there have always been human beings on this planet from its earliest beginnings and the knowledge of all such things has been passed down thru the ages via the disciplic succession of gurus and disciples.

Śrīla Bhakti Gaurava Narasingha Mahārāja :
“Makara - Myth or Fact? - Dinosaurs in Srimad Bhagavatam”
Jul 10 2011 - Krishna Talk 127
Shri Narasingha Chaitanya Ashram
http://gosai.com/writings/makara-myth-or-fact-dinosaurs-in-srimad-bhagavatam

ASTRONOMERS DISCOVER PLANET MADE OF DIAMOND

ASTRONOMERS FIND DIAMOND
PLANET SPINNING IN SPACE  

(Reuters) - Astronomers have spotted an exotic planet that seems to be made of diamond racing around a tiny star in our galactic backyard.  The new planet is far denser than any other known so far and consists largely of carbon. Because it is so dense, scientists calculate the carbon must be crystalline, so a large part of this strange world will effectively be diamond.  “The evolutionary history and amazing density of the planet all suggest it is comprised of carbon - i.e. a massive diamond orbiting a neutron star every two hours in an orbit so tight it would fit inside our own Sun,” said Matthew Bailes of Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne.  Lying 4,000 light years away, or around an eighth of the way toward the center of the Milky Way from the Earth, the planet is probably the remnant of a once-massive star that has lost its outer layers to the so-called pulsar star it orbits.  Pulsars are tiny, dead neutron stars that are only around 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) in diameter and spin hundreds of times a second, emitting beams of radiation.

The planet, which orbits its star every two hours and 10 minutes, has slightly more mass than Jupiter but is 20 times as dense, scientists reported in the journal Science on Thursday.  In addition to carbon, the new planet is also likely to contain oxygen, which may be more prevalent at the surface and is probably increasingly rare toward the carbon-rich center.  Its high density suggests the lighter elements of hydrogen and helium, which are the main constituents of gas giants like Jupiter, are not present.  Just what this weird diamond world is actually like close up, however, is a mystery.  “In terms of what it would look like, I don’t know I could even speculate,” said Ben Stappers of the University of Manchester. 

Astronomers believe they have discovered a planet made purely from diamond.  They claim that a planet orbiting a small fast spinning star, called a pulsar, is likely made of diamond.  The sparkling world 4,000 light years away is 60,000 Km in diameter, five times that of the Earth, and is thought to be all that remains of a once-massive star which collapsed and was crunched down into crystalline.  The planets in this material world are manifested only temporarily, and they are not eternal.  However, the Vedic scriptures tell us about a Vaikunta planet - which never to be annihilated - installed in the material atmosphere, called Dhruva planet.
 

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US?

While Dhruva was traveling upward to heaven, the devas, who were hovering in airplanes singing his glories, showered him with a rain of beautiful flowers.  Gradually, Dhruva could see all the planets and, crossing them without difficulty, he reached the planet of Vishnu, which is above the three worlds and the constellation of the Seven Rsis.  That planet is always self-effulgent and illuminates all the planets beneath it, with its light. It is the supreme abode destined for those saints who are always engaged in working for the actual welfare of others.  Those who are peaceful, equal to everyone, pure and always engaged in helping other living entities to serve Shri Hari, easily reach that planet.  It can be attained without difficulty by those who take pleasure in the soul and consider Shri Krishna to be their dearest friend and protector. ... The son of Uttanapada (Dhruva) thus obtained the topmost position in all the three worlds.

Śrīla Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Mahārāja
“Sages of Ancient India”
“The Sacred Teachings of Dhruva and Prahlad”
Mandala Publishing Group 2001
Sree Chaitanya Gaudiya Math - www.sreecgmath.org

RISING RESTRICTIONS ON RELIGION: WORLD STUDY

32% GLOBAL POPULATION EXPERIENCES
INCREASE OF RESTRICTIONS ON RELIGIOUS

Washington (AFP / CNN) - A third of the world - about 2.2 billion people - live in nations where restrictions on religion have substantially increased, according to a study just released by the Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public Life.  The study also shows increasing polarization: intolerant countries are growing more hostile to religious freedom, while tolerant countries are growing more accommodating. Brian Grim, the primary researcher, explains, “When you have one set of restrictions in place, then it’s easier to add on.”  The report culled data from 198 countries and territories from 2006 through 2009. Egypt, France, Algeria, Uganda and Malaysia were among the countries with the greatest increases in governmental religious restrictions; among those with the greatest easing of restrictions were Greece, Togo, Nicaragua, Republic of Macedonia and Guinea-Bissau. North Korea, one of the most repressive regimes, could not be included in the report for lack of reliable data.

The report also measured social hostility toward religious groups. Although religious freedom is scarcest in the Middle East and North Africa, Europe was found to have the largest proportion of countries with increased social hostilities related to religion. Muslims and Christians were reported to have suffered the most harassment based on their religion. Jews, representing less than one percent of the world’s people, were harassed in 75 countries.  Overall, about 70 percent of the world lives in nations with significant religious repression - a figure that matched that of a similar study Pew undertook two years ago. But the nations in which religious repression is increasing tend to be populous, the study’s authors noted.

Religious tolerance is in retreat and religious violence and abuse are growing globally.  More than 2.2 billion people of the world’s total population of 6.9 billion, live in countries where either government restrictions on religion or social hostilities involving religion rose substantially.  In general, these countries already had high or very high levels of restrictions or hostilities towards religions, according to a new study.   Krishna and Srimad-Bhagavatam teach us that tolerance is necessary not only to know that we are different from the body and mind, but also to see others as our sisters and brothers.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US?

Q:- What are the favourable situations for chanting the name of the Lord ?
A:- At first we shall be freed from enviousness to the Vaishnavas because it causes misfortune in this material world as well as in the transcendental world. This material world is the testing place. We find here only sorrow. Tolerance, feeling insignificant and praising others are helpful for chanting the Lord’s name.
 
Q:-What quality should we possess to serve the Lord ?
A:- The things that are favourable in the line of serving the Lord are tolerance, feeling insignificant and praising others. Unless one has tolerance, one can not have strong faith in the Lord. Tolerance is the ornament of a Vaishnava. One can not praise another person unless one feels oneself to be inferior. So these are the attributes helpful in the line of serving the Lord.

Śrīla Bhakti Vaibhava Purī Mahārāj:
“A Brief History of Sri Srimad B.V. Puri Goswami Maharaj”
“Questions and Answers”
Śrī Krishna Chaitanya Mission - http://www.purimaharaj.com/

HINDUS CELEBRATE KRISHNA JANMASHTAMI

JANMASHTAMI: A DAY SOAKED IN
DEVOTION, RITUALS AND CELEBRATIONS

http://www.hindustantimes.com - While hundreds of Govinda groups will build pyramids and break dahi handis on Monday, families celebrated Janmashtami, the occasion of Lord Krishna’s birth, with their own festive rituals at homes and in temples at midnight on Sunday.  Sri Krishna Janmashtami, also known as Sri Krishna Jayanti, Gokulashtami and Krishnashtami, marks the birthday of Lord Krishna.  Krishna’s arrival in the world is celebrated as with enthusiasm and fervour by his devotees.  In Ghatkopar, the six-member Shah family had hidden an idol of Baal Gopal (baby Krishna), which they brought out at midnight, bathed in milk and honey, and dressed in new clothes.  “In keeping with tradition, each of us rocked the cradle in which baby Krishna was kept,” said Khushali Shah, 24, a freelance interior designer. “My nephews also enacted the scene of the Lord’s childhood attempts to steal butter and curd from earthen pots.”

Nita Kotak, 40, prepared for Janmashtami for a week. “We made prasad from coriander seeds, sugar and dry coconut, to give to our neighbours and friends at the temple at midnight,” said Kotak who recited hymns on Krishna at her local Panvel temple on Sunday night, and will observe a fast on Monday. “The fast is traditionally observed to mark the Lord’s birth.”  

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said the festival celebrates teachings of Lord Krishna - discipline, knowledge and selfless action - which are timeless.  “May the festival inspire us towards a work ethic based on right conduct and bring success and prosperity to all,” he said.  
Vice President Hamid Ansari greeted the people on Janmashtami and hoped that the auspicious occasion brought amity, harmony, prosperity and happiness in the people’s lives.  “I extend my heartiest greetings and good wishes to the people of our country on the auspicious occasion of Janmashtami”, he said in a message.

With elaborately decorated cradles to mark the birth of Lord Krishna, Janmashtami celebrations began in all India with much gaiety.  The birth of Krishna is celebrated with gusto in many Hindu households.  But temples have their own special rituals for the day.  There is joy and celebrations amongst the devotees of Lord Krishna, for whom no effort seems enough when it comes to serving the Lord.  The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, Hari in His original form, appeared as Visnu so that His father and mother could understand that their son was the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US?

Thereafter, at the auspicious time for the appearance of the Lord, the entire universe was surcharged with all the qualities of goodness, beauty and peace. The constellation Rohinī appeared, as did stars like Aśvinī. The sun, the moon and the other stars and planets were very peaceful. All directions appeared extremely pleasing, and the beautiful stars twinkled in the cloudless sky. Decorated with towns, villages, mines and pasturing grounds, the earth seemed all-auspicious. ... Vasudeva then saw the newborn child, who had very wonderful lotuslike eyes and who bore in His four hands the four weapons śańkha, cakra, gadā and padma. On His chest was the mark of Śrīvatsa and on His neck the brilliant Kaustubha gem. Dressed in yellow, His body blackish like a dense cloud, His scattered hair fully grown, and His helmet and earrings sparkling uncommonly with the valuable gem Vaidūrya, the child, decorated with a brilliant belt, armlets, bangles and other ornaments, appeared very wonderful.

Śrīla A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda :
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam - Canto 10: “The Summum Bonum”
Chapter 3: “The Birth of Lord Krishna”
Verses 1-2, 9-10 - Bhaktivedanta VedaBase

POPE LAMENTS ‘AMNESIA’ ABOUT GOD DURING SPAIN TRIP

POPE LAMENTED “AMNESIA” ABOUT GOD,
A DENIAL OF THE TREASURE OF OUR FAITH

Madrid (AP) - Pope Benedict XVI lamented Friday what he called modern society’s “amnesia” about God as he traveled to a famed Spanish monastery on the second day of his four-day visit for the church’s world youth festival.  Several hundred young nuns cheered, waved flags and performed the “wave” at El Escorial monastery as they waited for Benedict inside a courtyard of the 16th-century complex, a UNESCO world heritage site.  Benedict told them their decisions to dedicate their lives to their faith was a potent message in today’s increasingly secular world.  “This is all the more important today when we see a certain eclipse of God taking place, a kind of amnesia which albeit not an outright rejection of Christianity is nonetheless a denial of the treasure of our faith, a denial that could lead to the loss of our deepest identity,” he said.

As he arrived Thursday, Benedict offered words of encouragement to young people facing precarious futures because of the economic crisis, calling for policy makers to take ethical considerations that look out for the common good into account when formulating economic policy.  Benedict’s main priority as pope has been to try to reawaken Christianity in places like Spain, a once staunchly Catholic country that has drifted far from its pious roots.  He has traveled here three times as pope, an indication that he views it as the key battleground as he tries to remind Europe of its Christian heritage and the place he believes God should still have in everyday life.  Later Friday, he will have lunch with a dozen young volunteers of World Youth Day.

Pope Benedict XVI has said modern society is suffering “amnesia” about God on the second day of his four-day visit to Madrid for World Youth Day events.  Benedict denounced the profit-at-all-cost mentality that he says is behind Europe’s current economic crisis and said morals and ethics must play a greater role in formulating economic policy in the future.  Addressing the nuns, Benedict said “In a world of relativism and mediocrity, we need that radicalism to which your consecration, as a way of belonging to the God who is loved above all things, bears witness.”  Unless one practices celibacy, advancement in spiritual life is very difficult.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US?

Celibacy is such an important part of Vedic education that the Sanskrit word for student is brahmacari (“celibate”).  The pressure to give up celibacy begins, of course, in adolescence, the most dangerous age and often the turning point of one’s life.  Young adults need guidance before and during the teenage years to recognize and follow the right path.  Celibacy trains adolescents for self-restraint, whether they stay single or get married.  It develops their inner strength, self-control, and good character.  It also fosters good health and a fine memory.  Without celibacy we can never realize that we are spirit soul, distinct from the body.  Sex reinforces the illusion that we are these bodies.  Sexual attraction and its extensions in family and society are the main knots that bind us to material identification. Vedic education aims to free the child from these knots so the adolescent can act on the spiritual plane.

Śrīmati Urmila devi dasi :
“Teens and Celibacy”
http://urmila.me.uk/
http://www.brahmacarya.info/2010/03/teens-and-celibacy/

TIBETAN MONK BURNS HIMSELF TO DEATH IN CHINA

IN CHINA TIBETAN MONK DIES
IN SELF-IMMOLATION PROTEST

Beijin (Reuters) - A Tibetan Buddhist monk burned himself to death on Monday in southwest China calling for the return of the Dalai Lama, the exiled spiritual leader condemned by Beijing as a separatist.  The Tibetan Buddhist monk protesting Chinese policies immolated himself publicly in a Tibetan area of Sichuan Province in southwest China on Monday, an outside advocacy group reported. It was the second such act in the area in the past five months and appeared to reflect resistance to increased Chinese repression of loyalty to Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama.  The monk’s self-immolation could spark fresh tensions in heavily ethnic Tibetan parts of Sichuan, which neighbors the official Tibet region, following protests in March when a Tibetan monk there also burned himself to death.  The London-based Free Tibet organization said the latest immolation-protest was carried out by a 29-year-old monk, Tsewang Norbu, who was from a monastery in Tawu, about 150 km (93 miles) from where the last immolation happened. 

“Tsewang Norbu drank petrol, sprayed petrol on himself and then set himself on fire,” Free Tibet said in an emailed statement, citing an unnamed witness.  “He was heard calling out: ‘We Tibetan people want freedom’, ‘Long live the Dalai Lama’ and ‘Let the Dalai Lama Return to Tibet’. He is believed to have died at the scene,” the group said.  “I saw a monk lying on the ground and burning, he died right in front of the county government building. Before setting himself on fire, he was distributing leaflets,” a hotel receptionist near the scene told AFP over the phone.  Tensions over the fate of the exiled Dalai Lama and his calls for Tibetan self-determination have continued to dog the region, sometimes flaring into protests.

A 29-year-old Tibetan monk set himself on fire and died of his injuries on Monday in southwest China, months after another self-immolation in the restive area sparked a crackdown by authorities.  Before setting himself on fire he was distributing leaflets right in front of the county government building. He was heard calling out “We Tibetan people want freedom”, “Long live the Dalai Lama”, and “Let the Dalai Lama return to Tibet” before he died.  In the epic Ramayana, we read the story of Bharata who vowed to Rama that if he did not return immediately when the fourteen years had elapsed, he would give up his life by self-immolation.  

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US?

Lakshmana spoke this to Rama:  “Ushered by anguish Bharata must be practising ascesis in city with adoration to you.  On forsaking kingdom and pride of becoming the king of Ayodhya as well and varied and various pleasures too, he is in self-denial, and with his food regulated he sleeps on chilly surface of earth.  That lotus-petal eyed one with blue-black complexion, being the noblest he is knower of dharma thus an advocate of truth, and thus intolerant of ignominy, and as a self-restrained one he talks dearly and sweetly, and he is dextrous and an enemy-destroyer, such as he is, that Bharata on forgoing all of his various pleasures he is devoted to you, as you alone are his adorable brother.”  Whith these broodings Lakshmana is quickening Rama’s thinking to take some action to complete his mission in eradicating the demonic atrocities and quickly return to Ayodhya, lest time slips by and Bharata may self-immolate.

Valmiki Ramayana
“Aranya Kanda (in Prose) - Sarga 16”
http://www.giirvaani.net/giirvaani/vr/aranya/sarga16/aranya_16_prose.htm

SCIENTIFIC DATING OF ANCIENT EVENTS BEFORE 2000 BC

INDIA’S SEMINAR ON SCIENTIFIC
DATING OF EVENTS BEFORE 2000 BCE

New Delhi, India (HPI) - “The anthropological research reports have established that DNA dating for Paleolithic continuity starts from 60,000 BC. The Genome studies during the Holocene have revealed that the genetic profile of humans settled in north, south, east and west of India is the same and has remained the same for the last more than 11,000 years. Therefore, contrary to the popular belief, the Dravidians as well as north Indians have common ancestors and both are originals of India.” This interesting revelation was made by Dr. V.R. Rao, Professor of Anthropology, Delhi University while presenting his paper at the national seminar on “Scientific Dating Of Ancient Events Before 2000 BC”.  The Seminar was held on 30th and 31st July, 2011 at the auditorium of Indian Institute of Mass Communication in New Delhi. 

The seminar was attended by about 400 people including Sanskrit scholars and astronomers, archaeologists and geologists, ecologists and anthropologists, oceanographers and space scientists, bureaucrats and academicians as well as other persons from the public and media, who took deep interest in the deliberations of this otherwise highly technical event organized by the Delhi chapter of I-SERVE [Institute of Scientific Research on Vedas].  Ms Saroj Bala, Director, I-Serve, Delhi Chapter stated, “Till now we have been told that prior to 1500 BC, India was uncivilized and that the Aryans who came from Central Asia pushed the uncivilized inhabitants towards the south and were later known as Dravidians. These invaders were the ones who set up the first civilized society in North India. Multidisciplinary and purely scientific research has shown that this premise, which was based on linguistic guesswork, is not correct.”

Speaking at a national seminar on ‘Scientific Dating of Ancient Events before 2000 BC’, India former president APJ Abdul Kalam welcomed efforts by scientists and scholars to verify the facts of ancient India.  He said their archaeological findings provide scientific clues to the dating of the Ramayana era and places associated with Lord Ram.  A lot of what is treated as mythology, for want of evidence, may actually become history if a systematic and coordinated investigation is made through all the various tools and techniques that are available today.  

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US?

We, Indians, are the products of one of the oldest civilisations.  We need to be really proud of our ancient history and cultural heritage.  However, during the British Rule, we developed an inferiority complex, which adversely affected our quest to unearth facts relating to our glorious past.  But our young and educated men and women, being born and brought up in independent India, are capable of unearthing the true facts and are confident enough to evaluate these objectively. ... There is a need to constitute a multidisciplinary team in order to carry out research pertaining to most ancient period and this team should consist of Sanskrit Pandits, Astronomers, Archaeologists, Geologists and Space Scientists.  This team should be asked to carry out and correlate research activities in order to rewrite the history after verifying the authenticity and dating of most ancient events of Indian history.

Ms Saroj Bala :
“Historicity of the Era of Lord Rama”
Director, I-Serve, Delhi Chapter
Institute of Scientific Research on Vedas
http://sarojbala.blogspot.com/2011/07/historicity-of-era-of-lord-rama.html

ROLLING STONE MICK JAGGER SINGS IN SANSKRIT

MICK JAGGER SINGS IN SANSKRIT
‘SATYAMEVA JAYATE’ WITH A.R. RAHMAN

http://www.hindustantimes.com - Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger has sung ‘Satyameva Jayate’ (Truth alone triumphs) in an album that was produced by a supergroup, which also features Oscar-winning Indian musical legend A. R. Rahman.  In a rare feat in his illustrious career, rock legend Mick Jagger will hum the Sanskrit words (Satyameva Jayate) which is India’s national motto and is inscribed in Devanagiri at the base of India’s national emblem. The band SuperHeavy, which also consists of AR Rahman, Dave Stewart, Joss Stone and Damian Marley, has recorded the song. But only Rahman and Jagger sing the Sanskrit words. The song is the second single that the band has released. The first, Miracle Worker…, released in July and is already a summer hit. The second track specifically keeps India and our Independence Day in mind.

It will also be part of SuperHeavy’s first untitled album, which hits stores on September 19. Says Sunil D’Sa, vice president marketing, Universal India, which is releasing the CD in India. “The song is an original AR Rahman composition. It’s not a patriotic song. It’s just that the timing was right. The other members of SuperHeavy have sung the English lyrics, while Rahman and Jagger sing in English and Sanskrit.” Interestingly, Rahman and Jagger will promote the single on the first day of the third test between India and England at Edgbaston on August 10.  Since Jagger is a huge cricket fan, he and Rahman will join commentators Sunil Gavaskar and Harsha Bhogle for a special session during the lunch break.  Jagger revealed that he had formed the band in May, saying that he ‘wanted a convergence of different musical styles’.  “It’s different from anything else I’ve ever been involved in,” the BBC quoted Jagger as telling Rolling Stone magazine.

Rolling Stones front man Mick Jagger has sung in Sanskrit on a new album by a supergroup, called SuperHeavy, which stars Oscar-winning Indian musician AR Rahman and also features Dave Stewart, Joss Stone and Damian Marley.  Jagger sings Satyameva Jayate (Truth alone triumphs), the band’s second single.  SuperHeavy’s album is expected to be released in September.  “The music is very wide-ranging - from reggae to ballads to Indian songs in Urdu,” Jagger said.  The alphabet and vowel system of the Sanskrit language are found in every language of the world because Sanskrit is the first language of the earth planet.
 

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US?

The Divineness of Sanskrit language is self-evident. You don’t light up a candle to see the sun; just open your eyes and see it. But if you deliberately shut your eyes then how could you see the sun. Scriptures themselves tell about the eternal Divineness of the Sanskrit language and thousands of learned Saints and acharyas have already proclaimed its Divine authenticity. ... No ‘sound shift,’ no change in the vowel system, and no addition was ever made in the grammar of the Sanskrit in relation to the formation of the words. It is in its totally perfect form since it landed on the earth planet with its 52 letter alphabet. As regards its vocabulary, it had abundance of words and its grammar had a capacity of creating any number of new words for a new situation or concept or thing, and the same we have up till today. Its alphabet, vowels and the exacting nature of the pronunciation of the letters and words were all perfect and the same since the very beginning.

Swami Prakashanand Saraswati (Shree Swamiji) :
“Encyclopedia of Authentic Hinduism”
from “The True History and Religion of India”
Chapter 11: “The Divine language of Bhartiya scriptures”
http://encyclopediaofauthentichinduism.org/articles/11_the_divineness_of.htm 
http://www.thevedicfoundation.org/the_true_history_and_the_religion_of_india/index.html

IRANIAN WOMAN SPARES ATTACKER ACID PUNISHMENT

IRANIAN WOMAN BLINDED BY ACID ATTACK
PARDONS ASSAILANT AS HE FACES SAME FATE

http://www.rferl.org - An Iranian woman who was blinded and badly disfigured in an acid attack has stopped a retributive blinding sentence from being carried out on her attacker at the last moment.  “He was standing in the hospital operating room and the doctor was about to put acid in his eyes. It was that moment when I said, ‘No, I don’t want this,’” said Ameneh Bahrami.  The sentence of “retribution in kind” called for five drops of sulfuric acid to be put in each of Majid Movahedi’s eyes for the 2004 incident, when the spurned suitor poured a bucket of acid on Bahrami, ultimately leaving her blind and forcing her to undergo at least 17 operations.  But as the acid was about to be applied by a doctor in a live broadcast on Iranian state television, Bahrami forgave her attacker and spared him the punishment.  “The Koran gives you the right to retribution,” Bahrami says.  “But this very Koran also encourages you to pardon, since pardoning is one of the highest moral standards.”

Movahedi said Bahrami was “very generous,” but she said her attacker “hasn’t changed one bit.  This person is still dangerous for society. I think a person like Majid Movahedi should be kept in prison until the last moment of his life.”  Despite the protests raised against the cruel and inhumane nature of the retributive punishment by Iranian and international rights groups, Bahrami had insisted on it being carried out. Even after sparing Movahedi, she said she had no regrets in doing so. “Other victims after me might decide for the sentence of retribution to be carried out on their attackers, some might drop it,” she said. Bahrami also said she still wanted financial compensation from Movahedi’s family. “I was told that since you’re a woman, you’re entitled to half of the total amount of 200 million tomans [almost $200,000], which is 100 million tomans.  I am a full person and I am entitled to full amount of the blood money,” she said.

An Iranian woman Ameneh Bahrami who is victim of acid attack, pardoned a man named Majid Movahedi who was convicted of throwing acid in her face. Movahedi was sentenced for ‘qesas’ (‘eye for an eye’-style justice) to be blinded in both eyes after being charged with hurling acid in the face of the Bahrami when she repeatedly rejected his suggestions for marriage. She said she forgave the attacker man, “because God talks about ‘qesas’ (retribution) in the Koran but he also recommends pardon; since pardon is greater than qesas and I wanted to do a greater job.”  Justice is human, mercy and forgiveness are divine.  

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US?

When a person is situated in devotional service, his heart melts with love for Krishna. Because such a person sees all other living beings as servants of Krishna, his heart also melts with love for them. Thus he has mercy on them. ... Forgiveness is situated between mercy and humility. In this way one thinks, “I am poor and fallen, how can I be qualified to punish others?” When this thought joins with mercy, forgiveness is born. ... Krishna is eternal and real (satya), the individual spirit soul is eternal and real, the individual spirit soul’s service to Lord Krishna is also eternal and real, and the individual soul’s temporary sojourn in the material world is also real. In this way the relationship between the individual soul and Krishna, a relationship that is manifested as devotional service, is eternal and real.  Therefore eternal spiritual reality, humility, mercy and forgiveness are four things naturally included in devotional service.

Śrīla Saccidananda Bhaktivinoda Thākura :
“Jaiva-dharma” (The Universal Religion)
Chapter Eight : “Nitya-dharma O Vyavahar”
“Eternal Religion and Ordinary Activities”
Bhaktivedanta Memorial Library  -  http://bvml.org/SBTP/JD/index.html