SITAR MAESTRO PT RAVI SHANKAR PASSES AWAY

“GODFATHER OF WORLD MUSIC”
RAVI SHANKAR, DIES AT 92

www.radioandmusic.com - Legendary sitar maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar passed away on Tuesday at the age of 92 years in San Diego in United States. Pandit Shankar was admitted to the Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla, San Diego last Thursday after he complained of breathing difficulties. He breathed his last at 4.30 pm Pacific Time Tuesday. Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh said, “ I was deeply saddened to learn of the passing away of Bharat Ratna Pandit Ravi Shankar. India has lost an eminent son, the world of sitar has lost one of its ablest exponents ever and a shining light in the firmament of music has been extinguished. 
Like many others around the world, I join you in grieving this loss and in extending to you and your loved ones my heartfelt condolences.” The legend had developed a style distinct from that of his contemporaries and integrated influences from Carnatic music. Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar condoles the demise of Sitar Maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar. India has lost a distinguished son, she said.

Ravi Shankar was born Robindro Shaunkor Chowdhury on 7 April 1920 in Varanasi. Shankar went on to work as a composer, creating the music for Satyajit Ray’s Apu Trilogy and was music director of All India Radio (AIR), New Delhi, from 1949 to 1956. He was nominated to the Rajya Sabha from 1986 to 1992. He was awarded Bharat Ratna in 1999. He received the music award of the UNESCO International Music Council in 1975.A three-time Grammy-award winner; Pandit Ravi Shankar was nominated for a Grammy award for 2013 where he was competing against daughter Anoushka Shankar, also a sitar player.  
In 2010, Shankar received an Honorary Doctor of Laws from the University of Melbourne, Australia. Shankar served as the country’s unofficial ambassador for music playing with the world’s famous artists like violinist Yehudi Menuhin and George Harrison of the Beatles. He is survived by his wife Sukanya; daughter Norah Jones; daughter Anoushka Shankar Wright and husband Joe Wright; three grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.

The music world is mourning the loss of a legend. Ravi Shankar, a sitar player lauded as the “Godfather of world music,” died at the age of 92. “Many people, especially young people, have started listening to sitar since George Harrison, one of the Beatles, became my disciple. He is a beautiful person. His attitude toward our music is very sincere. He's very humble, and becoming better and better. His love for India and its philosophy and spiritual values is something outstanding.” ... “The message I'm trying to get through is that our music is very sacred to us and is not meant for people who are alcoholic, or who are addicts, or who misbehave, because it is a music which has been handed down from our religious background for our listeners,” the Indian musician explained. As extension of the Vedas, the Upavedas were created, for example, Sama Veda has its Upaveda, “Gandharvaveda”, which deals with the Art of Music.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

Veda Vyasa compiled the Vedas - literally, the books of knowledge - into four parts: • Rig Veda. • Yajur Veda. • Sama Veda and • Athar Veda. Along with the main body of the Vedas, the Upavedas, or secondary Vedas, were created. These contain more secular sciences, such as the science of life (Ayurveda) and Vedic mathematics. Each Veda has its own Upaveda. The Upaveda in the Sama Veda is Gandharvaveda, which deals with music. The Gandharva music of the Sama Veda may have been the beginning of this fine art by mankind. The classical notes of this period have remained an inspiration for all music lovers through the centuries. India became the first land to use the system of notations. ... Carnatic (sometimes called Karnatic) music is the original classical music of the Hindu culture, which started the basis of the sa, re, ga, ma, pa, dha, and ni musical notes.

Dr. Hiro Badlani :
“Hinduism - Path of the Ancient Wisdom”
Chapter 6: “Vedas: The Foundation of Hinduism”
http://hinduismpath.com/

Published by dasavatara das - "Vedic Views on World News"
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NOT ONLY HINDUS REVERED THE COW

WHY BOVINE IS
SEEN AS DIVINE ?

ww.speakingtree.in - The cow enjoys a special place in healing and purification rituals across cultures and faiths, writes Ranjeni A Singh. Every day after lunch and dinner, my mom would sprinkle a solution of water and dried cow dung on the dining table and then clean the surface. I would wince and scoff at the “cleansing” ritual. One day, she sat me down and explained why she did it. “Cow dung contains disinfectants. Both cow dung and cow urine have been used in purifying rituals since the Vedic period,” she said. Kamadhenu or Surabhi, the cow of plenty that gives ceaselessly, rose up from the milky ocean during samudra manthan, when the devas and asuras churned the ocean in search of nectar. 
When reading up on other cultures, I found that in China, some Guan Yin worshippers do not eat beef. In ancient Egypt, animal sacrifice was a common practice but this did not include the cow. The Bible describes Lebanon as the land of milk and honey. The beef taboo is fairly widespread in Burma, particularly within the Buddhist community. 

And all this while, I was under the impression that only superstitious Hindus revered the cow! Further readings and discussions were instructive on the divine attributes of the bovine, a belief that is common to many religions and cultures. Jewish tradition says that a red heifer or cow heralds the Messianic era, an era of global peace and harmony. Recent scientific research suggests that cow urine could help in treating cancer, diabetes and blood pressure. Indian scientists were awarded a US patent in 2002 for a desi drug formulation composed of cow urine distillate and an antibiotic. The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research’s former director-general R A Mashelkar says, “Ancient Indian texts have recorded the use of go-mutra (cow urine) for therapeutic purposes.” 
A Scientific American report says that among all species, cow’s milk is the closest match to human (mother’s) milk. This is because the DNA of the cow is compatible with that of human DNA. So, it does seem, we have close links with the bovine, sometimes extending to the divine.

According to the author of the article, Ranjeni A Singh, the cow is a walking, living, eating, ecosystem. The panchagavya or five products of the cow - milk, curd, ghee-butter, urine and dung - are used in pujas and rites of severe penance. Singh mentions that the ninth chapter of the Vendidad of the Avesta expounds the purificatory power of cow urine. It is declared to be a panacea for all bodily and moral evils. “Milk nourishes children as they grow up, and gobar or cow dung, is a major source of energy in households across India. Cow dung is sometimes added to the materials used to make the tilak that is drawn on the forehead. For us it is an earthy and useful natural product,” says Ramanatha Shastrigal, a Delhi-based priest. Cow's milk is sometimes called “liquid love” in the Ayurvedic shastras, because it's so life-giving, for babies or old men or anybody.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

What is the relationship between cow’s milk and love? Milk is very necessary for human life. You can’t manufacture milk or water or grains in a laboratory. No scientists can do that. ... In Maharaja Yushidstira’s time, the cows were grazed freely in the pasture and they would happily give their milk. The milk coming from the cow was actually the love of the cow. The cow gives the milk for the calf out of love. ... The cow's milk is very good for the mind because the cow has more love for her offspring than any other species including humans. The scientists have observed this. ... So that love of the cow, which is more intense than any other mother in the entire creation, is also in her milk, the cow’s milk. And that milk is being given to her baby, so she is giving the baby her love in the form of the milk. ... Previously cows gave milk happily.  Now cows are afraid of the milkman ... because they pull all the milk out and they don’t leave any for the calf.

Śrīla Mahanidhi Swami Mahārāja :
"Cow's Milk and Love"
http://www.mnsbooks.com/
http://www.mnsbooks.com/content/cows-milk-and-love

Published by dasavatara das - "Vedic Views on World News"
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HINDU KANYA PUJA

NEPAL GIRLS IN MASS HINDU
KANYA PUJA PRAYER CEREMONY

www.bbc.co.uk - More than 11,000 girls have taken part in a mass Hindu prayer ceremony in western Nepal, which organisers say is one of the biggest of its kind ever to be held in the country. The traditional Kanya Puja ceremony honours girls as incarnations of the Goddess Bhagawati. It included girls from different ethnic communities and castes. Organisers say the aim is to dismantle the caste system and spread a message of equality and social harmony. Many girls taking part in the ceremony at Ramnagar in Nawalparasi district wore school uniforms and performed Hindu devotions and chants.
“It is our Vedic tradition to offer Puja (Hindu devotions) to girls who are regarded as incarnations of Goddess Bhagawati,” festival organising chief Bharat Raj Poudel said. He added that the Puja was being done in a manner to bring about “social revolution” by ensuring a more inclusive society and discarding discriminatory caste traditions such as “untouchability”.

“We want to do away with ethnic discord,” Mr Poudel said. Nepal has recently witnessed ethnic unrest amid heated debate over the composition of a new constitution. Members of parliament remain divided over the issue. Some ethnic communities, mostly from indigenous groups called Janajati, have called for the country's provinces to be demarcated along on ethnic lines. They have also opposed what they have described as the domination of high-caste Hindus - such as Brahmins and Chhetris - within “the body politic”. The Kanya Puja is to be followed by the two-week-long Mahayagya - another Hindu ritual which is typically performed by priests using fires to carry out symbolic sacrifices.
The main objective of the Mahayagya, according to organisers, is to preserve Hindu traditions, philosophy and values of life. Priests from neighbouring India have been invited to this programme. Formerly a Hindu kingdom, Nepal was transformed into a secular republic six years ago.

More than 11,000 girls have taken part in what’s believed to be the biggest mass Hindu prayer ceremony ever held in Nepal. Hindu Girls from different Janjatis and Jatis unite to perform mass Kanya Puja prayer ceremony to dismantle the caste system and spread a message of equality and social harmony. Ethnic minorities want their rights respected, so girls from various castes took part in this traditional Kanya Puja ceremony which honors girls as incarnations of the Goddess Bhagawati. Organisers say that the aim of the ceremony was to bring about social revolution by ensuring a more inclusive society in Nepal. Durga is the Goddess of the universe and being the personification of the material energy, Durga is also the maidservant of Lord Krishna, and conducts herself in accordance to the will of the Supreme.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

Worship of the Goddess goes back at least 4,000 years in India, and further back to the Vedic times. Durga is the Goddess of the universe, and Parvati, the wife of Lord Shiva, is a form of Durga. She has up to 64 different forms, with different names for each form. Each form represents a different pastime, power, or aspect of the Goddess. Some of the names of these forms of Durga are Ambika, Bhadra, Bhadrakali, Aryadurga, Vedagarbha, Kshemakshemakari, Naikabahu, Bhagavati, Katyayani, and others, such as Sati, which means chastity.  In her gentle aspects she is worshiped as Kanya, Kamakshi, or Mukamba. Uma (Parvati) is the maiden name for the consort of Lord Shiva. She represents matter (prakriti). ... Durga is the personification of the material energy, in which all materially conditioned living beings are absorbed in thoughts, actions and identity. ... She is also the personification of wisdom and knowledge. Her energy permeates the universe.

Stephen Knapp (Śrīpad Nandanandana dasa) :
“Shiva and Durga: Their Real Identity”
http://www.stephen-knapp.com  -  http://www.stephenknapp.info/
http://www.stephen-knapp.com/shiva_and_durga.htm

Published by dasavatara das - "Vedic Views on World News"
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VEDIC RITUAL IMPACTS THE SURROUNDING ENVIRONMENT

ANCIENT FIRE RITUAL HAS POSITIVE
IMPACT ON ENVIRONMENT: SCIENTISTS

www.dailymail.co.uk - A 4,000 year old fire ritual conducted in the remote village in Kerala, India, in April last year has a positive impact on the atmosphere, soil and other environment effects, according to scientists who are now ready with their findings. 
The “Athirathram” ritual held on April 4 - 15 at Panjal village in Thrissur district was the focus of a detailed study by a team of scientists led by Prof V P N Nampoori, former director of the International School of Photonics, Cochin University of Science and Technology. 
The scientists had focused on the fire ritual’s scientific dimensions and impact on the atmosphere, soil and its micro-organisms and other potential environmental effects. The yagna seems to have accelerated the process of seed germination and also the microbial presence in air, water and soil in and around the region of the fire ritual is vastly diminished, according to a statement released by the Varthathe Trust, who organised the ritual. 

The team had planted three types of seeds - cowpea, green gram and Bengal gram - on all four sides of the ritual venue at varying distances. They found that the growth was better in case of pots kept closer to the fire altar. This effect, the study says, was more pronounced in the case of Bengal gram with growth about 2,000 times faster than in other places. According to Nampoori, sound is a vibration and continuous positive vibrations through chanting, accelerates the process of germination. The study focused on counting bacterial colonies at three locations - within the yagnashala (ritual enclosure), 500 metres and 1.5 kilometres from the yagnasala. Microbial analysis made before, during and four days after the yagna (fire ritual) revealed that the air in the vicinity of the yagnashala was pure and had very low count of microbe colonies. 
The research team also found that microbial activities in the soil and water around the yagnashala were remarkably less compared to normal ground. The scientific team members were supported by Zarina (Research Scholar, CUSAT), Ramkumar (Biotechnologist), Asulabha (Biotechnologist) and a number of postgraduate, graduate and school students.

The “Athirathram” ritual usually held to propagate universal peace and harmony, was first documented 35 years ago by US - based Indologist Frits Staal, currently Emeritus Professor of Philosophy and South and Southeast Asian Studies at the University of California, Berkeley. Studies are on to find out if positive changes on the atmosphere are transitional or permanent. Further research could prove that some bio-amplifier phenomenon is generated in the atmosphere because of the ritual. “The findings would not only help dispel superstitious notions associated with Vedic rituals but also help in continuation of such tradition for the betterment of nature and the environment,” said Prof V P N Nampoori.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

Athirathram is an ancient Vedic ritual of twelve days, consisting of homas (offerings into a consecrated fire) and Vedic chanting. Athirathram is considered as the ultimate invocation of Vedic Scriptures for universal harmony. The objective of Athirathram is to promote universal harmony, marked by peace, solidarity, prosperity and spiritual enlightenment, and is regarded as extremely relevant today, with the world witnessing a marked rise in discontentment, violence and strife. Athirathram cuts through all barriers - caste, religion, race, colour and sex - making it a true union of humanity as one to invoke the bounty of Universal Energy to promote solidarity and peace. It is believed that the 12-day ritual will help cleanse the atmosphere; purify the soul and mind of all participants and visitors at the event. The choice of Panjal village (in Thrissur district in the state of Kerala, India. ) as the is in line with geographic and Vaasthu principles.

Varthathe - Trust For Harmony
“About Athirathram”
http://athirathram2011.com/
http://athirathram2011.com/faqs.html

Published by dasavatara das - "Vedic Views on World News"
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