Vishwabhanu 6

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February- March 2012 Volume 1 Issue 6

HIGHLIGHTS OF FEBRUARY-2012

• Seminar in M.E.S.Asmabi College

• Tenth Annual Day Celebrations- Sandeepani

Sishuvihar

• Myannur Satsangh

• Girishji’s Satsangh

• Bhagavata Saptaham

VISHWA BHANU VISHWA BHANU VISHWA BHANU VISHWA BHANU A Bi-monthly Bulletin of

Vivekananda Kendra Vedic Vision Foundation

From the Director’s penFrom the Director’s penFrom the Director’s penFrom the Director’s pen

IIIIn good old days there were simple street lights,

small kerosene lamps, on iron lamp posts. Every evening as the sun was about to set a man would appear with a ladder on his shoulders, a duster and a lighted kerosene lantern in his hand. He would keep the ladder on the lamp post, climb up, clean the glass case inside and outside, fill it with kerosene, light the lamps inside, close the shutter, gets down and continue his trek towards the next street light. Each one of us is a street light wanting to be lighted. Swamiji is this street lamp lighter patiently cleaning the glass case of our minds, light-ing the lamp within with the flame,’ Each soul is potentially divine’’ Each soul is potentially divine’’ Each soul is potentially divine’’ Each soul is potentially divine’.

Contemplate on this simple picture, visualize the process within and we would understand what he means when he says, the goal of life is the goal of life is the goal of life is the goal of life is to manifest the divinity within by controlling nature external and internal. to manifest the divinity within by controlling nature external and internal. to manifest the divinity within by controlling nature external and internal. to manifest the divinity within by controlling nature external and internal. Elementary isn’t it?Elementary isn’t it?Elementary isn’t it?Elementary isn’t it?

Purity, patience, and perseverance are the three essentials to success and, above all, love.Purity, patience, and perseverance are the three essentials to success and, above all, love.Purity, patience, and perseverance are the three essentials to success and, above all, love.Purity, patience, and perseverance are the three essentials to success and, above all, love.

Swami Vivekananda

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Bharatiya dharma aur Samskriti SEMINAR AT M.E.S ASMABI COLLEGE, KODUNGALLUR

A one day seminar with the collaboration of Vedic

Vision Foundation and the Hindi Department headed

by Prof. Ranjit of MES Asmabi College at

P Vemballur, was conducted on the 18th of February

2012. The topic of the seminar was ‘Bharatiya dharma aur Samskriti’. Mananiya Lakshmididi gave the presidential address and Sri Sudhakarji coordi-

nated the sessions. It was a good opportunity for

Vivekananda Kendra to introduce Swamiji to the colle-

giate youth. About 150 students attended.

10TH ANNUAL DAY CELEBRATIONS OF

SISHUVIHAR

On 18th February Sandeepani Sishuvihar had its Annual

day Programme in the evening. Smt Vilasini Teacher a

well known poetess was the Chief Guest. Sri Sundare-

shan Master from Sundarodayam was the Guest of

Honour. The outgoing children UKG were awarded cer-

tificates after being felicitated by the Chief Guest

with a shawl and presented with a lighted lamp symbol-

izing ‘tamaso ma jyotir gamaya’. A short cultural pro-gramme was presented by the tiny tots which included

yoga demonstration. A number of ex-students of

Sandeepani Sishuvihar also participated, This was

followed by prasadam distribution prepared by the

parents of Sishuvihar.


The whole world is in our mindThe whole world is in our mindThe whole world is in our mindThe whole world is in our mind SSSSwwwwaaaammmmiiii VVVViiiivvvveeeekkkkaaaannnnaaaannnnddddaaaa

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MYANNUR PROGRAMME

Didi was invited to Myannur Ramakrishna Ashram an independent ash-

ram started by a local saint who is no more. Didi talked on Swami

Vivekananda on the 18th of February 2012. A number of local devo-

tees and monks attended the programme

GIRISHJI’S SATSANGH PROGRAMME

On the 25 th & 26th of February, Girishji conducted his usual class

on Lalitha Sahasra namam from 4pm to 6 pm. Fifty devotees used to

attend.

SRIMAD BHAGAVATA SAPTAHA JNANA YAGNA

To commemorate the Pratishta Divas of Viveka

Ganapathi temple. at Anandadham it was de-

cided that from this year onwards there would

be a weeklong Bhagavata Saptaham. Swami

Adhyatmanandaji of Sambodh Foundation,

Thiruvanathapuram was the Acharya of this year’s Saptaham which

started with Bhagavata Mahatmyam on the evening of 26th

February 2012


First believe in this world , that there is meaning in everythiong. Everything in this world is First believe in this world , that there is meaning in everythiong. Everything in this world is First believe in this world , that there is meaning in everythiong. Everything in this world is First believe in this world , that there is meaning in everythiong. Everything in this world is good , is holy and beautiful. good , is holy and beautiful. good , is holy and beautiful. good , is holy and beautiful. Swami VivekanandaSwami VivekanandaSwami VivekanandaSwami Vivekananda

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HIGHLIGHTS OF MARCH-2012

• Didi completes shasta saptathi

• Ganapathi Pratishtha Divasam

• Samapanam of Saptaham

• Seminar at Kerala Verma College

• Programme at NPOL,Ernakulam

• Kodungallur Sahitya Sabha felicitates Didi

• Girishjis Satsangh

• Rotary Excellence Award for Didi

.

February- March 2012 Volume 1 Issue

All the powers in the universe are already oursAll the powers in the universe are already oursAll the powers in the universe are already oursAll the powers in the universe are already ours SSSSwwwwaaaammmmiiii VVVViiiivvvveeeekkkkaaaannnnaaaannnnddddaaaa

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1st March 2012

Didi’s seventy sixth birthday by star and birth date

according to English calendar fell on the same day this year.

Swami Adhyatmanandaji and His devotees presented Didi

with a lamp and a Black berry plant (Naval pazham) supposed

to be her star plant which she planted inside the campus.

Saptaham continued with Sri Krishna Janma celebrated in the

evening of the 5th day on 1st March 2012.

2nd March 2012

Ganapathi Pratishtha Divasam was celebrated on 2nd

March 2012. Ganapathi Homam and Srichakra puja was

conducted by students of Gurupadam of Dr G.S. Vijayan. In

the evening there was Sandhya Puja. Simultaneously the

daylong Bhagavatam programme also went on. It was Rukmini

swayamvara on that day which was ceremoniously conducted .

Samapanam of Saptaham

Seven days Bhagavata Saptaham gloriously concluded on

4th March. All the devotees received a booklet Sri Krishna

Leelalayam in Malayalam as Yagna prasadam from Swamiji. It

was a wonderful experience for many of the newcomers. For

some it was the beginning of a new life. Many of them young

or elderly, promised to start Bhagavata parayanam.

VISHWA BHANU VISHWA BHANU VISHWA BHANU VISHWA BHANU


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Seminar at Kerala Varma College, Trissur

Samskrita Dept of Kerala Varma College Thrissur

in collaboration with Vishwa Samskrita Pratishthan and

Vivekananda Kendra Vedic Vision Foundation conducted

a half day seminar on the life and message of Swami

Vivekananda. Mananiya Lakshmi Didi spoke on ‘ Vivekan-

anda Darshanavum Yuvakalum’ through a power point

presentation depicting the life of Swami Vivekananda

based on Vishwa Bhanu, (pictorial exhibition). Sri Nanda

Kumar, the Akhil Bharatiya General Secretary of Sam-

skrita Bharati, spoke on Vivekananda Vidyabhyasa Veek-

shanam’. About 200 students attended.

Womens Day Celebration at NOPL, Ernakulam

Mananiya Didi was invited by the coordinator of the

women's cell of Naval Physical & Oceanographic Labo-

ratory at Kochi, Smt Subhadra Bhai as Chief Guest on

the occasion of International Women’s Day in their in-

stitute. Didi spoke on the ’Art & Science of being

Woman” which was highly appreciated by the staff

mainly consisting of the lady scientists. Later Smt Sub-

hadra Bhai who is a senior scientist and programme co-

ordinator showed us around the laboratories where the

wonderful work of Sonar technology is going. We could

meet several women who work as scientists and tech-

nologists in the naval submarines. It provided an oppor-

tunity to introduce Vivekananda Kendra ‘s activities

amongst the intelligentsia.

VISHWA BHANU VISHWA BHANU VISHWA BHANU VISHWA BHANU


There is no other teacher but your own soulThere is no other teacher but your own soulThere is no other teacher but your own soulThere is no other teacher but your own soul Swami Vivekananda

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11th March 2012

The Kodungallur Sahitya Sabha Awarded Mananiya Lakshmi didi

recognizing the contribution for the spiritual upliftment of people

especially for the less privileged women folk of Kodungallur. A

shawl and a memento were presented on the occasion.

SRI L. GIRISH KUMAR’S SATSANGH

This month Girishji’s class on LSN was kept on 31st march and 1st April

2012. About 50 devotees attended the programme. 31st being Sri Rama

Navami Day Special prasadam in Andhra style was distributed with special

panakam.

ROTARY EXCELLANCE AWARD

For this year’s Rotary Excellence award they se-

lected Mananiya Lakshmi Didi. The award comprised

of a memento and a shawl. A small function pre-

ceded the award giving ceremony held on 30th

March 2012.


With the successful conclusion of the sixth issue of the bi-monthly bulletin of Vivekananda Kendra Vedic Vision Foundation, we have

completed one year in highlighting the various activities of our project. Those who browse through this bulletin may please give their valuable

suggestions so as to make the bulletin better. Your comments are always welcome!

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA VEDIC VISION FOUNDATION

ANANDADHAM, SRINGAPURAM

KODUNGALLUR, PIN 680664.

KERALA

Ph.No : 0480-2803349,2805780,2812780

Email ID : [email protected]

They alone live who live who live for others, rest are more dead than alive

Swami Vivekananda

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SWAMI VIVEKANANDA’S CONTRIBUTION TO NATIONAL MOVEMENT

Dr. M. Lakshmi Kumari


There is no leader in our country who has pondered over the

health of our nation in all its varied aspects as the illustrious pa-

triot saint Swami Vivekananda. His patriotism had its roots in the

depths of our nation’s spiritual heritage, but his nationalism grew

like a giant banyan tree propping itself up on an infinite number of

roots, covering the entire fertile area of nation’s possibilities and

potentialities. Added to this was his deep conviction that India has

a message to the entire humanity and that has to be conveyed

through the lives of its people. That is what made him bring Vedanta

from its Himalayan heights to become practical in the lives of the

lowest and lowliest in the country.

His meditation on the rock at the land’s end of India added a

universal dimension to his nationalist ideas, confirming his dreams

and aspirations on the role of Mother India as a JAGAT GURU. As

we are celebrating the 150th anniversary of our independence it will

do good to remind ourselves of the vision Swamiji has bequeathed

to us and his very valid observations as to why we have failed in

achieving what we should have.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

“It is when the national body is weak that all sorts of

disease germs, in the political state of the race or in its social state,

in its educational or intellectual state crowd into the system and produce disease”

Swami Vivekananda

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

It is feeling that is life , the strength , the vitality without which no amount of intellectual It is feeling that is life , the strength , the vitality without which no amount of intellectual It is feeling that is life , the strength , the vitality without which no amount of intellectual It is feeling that is life , the strength , the vitality without which no amount of intellectual activity can reach God activity can reach God activity can reach God activity can reach God

Swami Vivekananda

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We all know that our national body is weak today with all types of disease germs debilitat-

ing it at all fronts. One can’t but wonder how could Swami Vivekananda, way back in 19th century so

clearly foresee this weakness and the consequent onslaught of the terrible disease.

The Indian nation is a multifaceted gem with its varied cultural traits, races, religions, lan-

guages and so on. It is only natural that our problems are therefore more complicated, more mo-

mentous, than the problems in any other country. But that doesn’t mean that there are no solu-

tions for these. The unfortunate thing is that we all know the cure but do not have the national

will to apply the medicine. The vested interests that dominate our national scene today continue

to project the diversities but not the unity of our people, further and further fragmenting our

nationhood. Recognition of unity in diversity had been the uniqueness of Indian culture. Instead of

discovering the unity and endorsing it through educational, constitutional, political formulations,

attempts are made to deliberately keep the people divided for petty political gains. This is the

double tragedy afflicting the nation today. At this rate of dispersion and disruption how long can

we hold to our nationhood?

The greatest torture to which our society is presently subjected to is the revival of

casteism in its most terrible and endangering form. The occasion demands that we look at the

situation through the eyes of the Master Builder Swami Vivekananda who foresaw this calamity

and forewarned us.

During his wanderings over the country, after the passing away of his Master, Swamiji made

very sincere attempts to discover the strength and weaknesses of our nation. His aim was to

strengthen further the pillars that have carried this magnificent monument from ancient days and

thus pull the nation out of its enfeebling weakness. He understood that India is the crucible of a

gigantic spiritual amalgamation and the benefits of this must be shared by the entire mankind.

Scattered throughout the Vivekananda literature we find his well-considered observations on

both the positive and negative aspects of casteism and other national problems. It would be a


The greatest religion is to be true to your nature .Have faith in yourselfThe greatest religion is to be true to your nature .Have faith in yourselfThe greatest religion is to be true to your nature .Have faith in yourselfThe greatest religion is to be true to your nature .Have faith in yourself

Swami Vivekananda

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good education for all of us to recall some of his very valid observations in order to face the

challenges which threaten to tear apart our centuries old social fabric. Even if the ‘maddening ‘

crowd is not willing to listen to it, at least those who have not yet lost their sanity would cer-

tainly gain through this exercise.

Swami Vivekananda’s perceptions take us back to the very root of our problem. When

comparing it with the European civilization he says, inter alia, “ The object of the peoples of

Europe is to exterminate all in order to live themselves. The aim of the Aryan is to raise all to

their own level, nay even to a higher level than themselves. The means of the European civiliza-

tion is the sword; of the Aryans, the division into various Varnas (natural castes). This system

of division into varnas is the stepping stone to civilization, making one rise higher and higher in

proportion to one’s learning and culture. In Europe it is everywhere victory to the strong and

death to the weak. In the land of Bharata every social rule is for the protection of the weak.”

Clarifying further he adds: “ The institution of caste has always been very flexible to en-

sure a healthy uprise of the races very low in the place of culture. It put, theoretically at least,

the whole of India under the guidance- not of wealth, nor of the sword – but of intellect chas-

tened and controlled by spirituality.”

Institutions such as these were necessary to protect our nationhood in those begone days.

Those which have outlived their purpose must now die a natural death. This can be hastened in

two ways; the ‘higher’ reiterating the spiritual ONENESS and extending their hands of sympa-

thy and help, the ‘lower’ putting all-out efforts to suffuse themselves with a new confidence and

strength that modernism can provide and coming out of the throes of caste stigma. They must

show a readiness and willingness to break open their shackles in the larger interests of them-

selves and the nation rather than be fooled into accepting backwardness as a treasure to be

perpetuated for ever.


The goal of mankind is knowledgeThe goal of mankind is knowledgeThe goal of mankind is knowledgeThe goal of mankind is knowledge Swami Vivekananda

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Whatever we any do at the social or political levels, in the final analysis, it is the individual’s

or group’s sincere self effort alone that will bring strength and dignity. Without the concerted

effort from both sides, out with the understanding of the vision of the whole , we would only be

widening the gulf with every succeeding generation, plunging our nation deeper and deeper in to

the abyss of perennial class/caste conflicts and confrontations.

Only when spiritually viewed does life show its totality, wholeness and dynamism. Nurturing

the spiritual awareness and aspirations of our people is the only sure remedy that Swami Vivekan-

anda prescribes for our national malady. “ All evils come relying on differences. All good comes

from faith in equality, in the underlying sameness and oneness of things.” Giving up religion and

along with it spiritual aspirations of man is not the remedy. Swamiji points out that “religion must

be kept within its proper limits and society must be given the freedom to grow”. He further

adds, “ All the reformers in India made the serious mistake of holding religion accountable for all

the horrors of priestcraft and degeneration of society and went forth to pull down the indestruc-

tible structure; and what was the result? Failure….Caste is simply a crystallized social institution

which after doing its service is now filling the atmosphere of India with its stench; and it can only

be removed by giving back to the people their lost social identity.”

This same mistake is being repeated today as well and the results are for all to see. To

nourish truly secular instincts in one and all and eradicate fanatic sentiments and approaches, a

universal spiritual dimension must be stressed upon in every aspect of our national life. Real secu-

larism is unfortunately getting transformed into pseudo-secularism adding its own share to the

stench.

Swami Vivekananda was extremely averse to the idea of caste as a hereditary system

which he knew hinders man’s progress. On the other hand he could also find some intrinsic worth

in the intellectual categorization of the people so that entire groups of people could be helped and

supported in every way to move forward.


Everything can be sacrificed for truth but truth cannot be sacrificed for anythingEverything can be sacrificed for truth but truth cannot be sacrificed for anythingEverything can be sacrificed for truth but truth cannot be sacrificed for anythingEverything can be sacrificed for truth but truth cannot be sacrificed for anything

Swami Vivekananda

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In this progress Swamiji aimed not only for economic or political freedom but also for a

moral, cultural, intellectual and spiritual kinship based on true freedom of mind. He believed in lev-

eling up and not in leveling down.

Variations in capacity and occupation can’t be ruled out or eradicated by any number of con-

stitutional means. They must remain in the society to make it richer, dynamic, ever moving forward.

At the same time Swamiji reminds us that “ our mission is for the destitute, the poor and the illit-

erate peasantry and laboring classes and if after everything has been done for them first, if there

is spare time then only for the gentry……”

“ One must raise oneself by one’s own exertion……this holds good in all spheres”.

In that lies the glory of mankind, we must help them to help themselves to regain their vital-

ity. Swamiji adds his warning note when he says, “ But then you must take care not to set up class

strife between the poor peasants, the laboring people and the wealthy classes. Make it a point not

to abuse the moneyed classes.”

He was a champion of the cause of the poor, the fallen and the downtrodden and urged his

countrymen to correct the mistakes of the past by preaching Vedantic ideals to one and all, irre-

spective of case, creed and sex so that they all can discover the essential divinity within.

Presently, with questionable intentions, selfish motivations and wrong methods,

we have tried to bridge the gap and the result is predictably, utter chaos. We have

once again proved that even good work when carried out in an improper way creates a

backlash which will hurt the giver and the receiver. For the regeneration of India his

Mahamantra was ‘RENUNCIATION AND SERVICE’. He called upon Indians to inten-

sify them in all spheres of national life to check the erosion of spiritual values by ma-

terialistic encroachments.

Who will show the light? For that matter who has the light anyway?


Condemn none : if you can stretch out a helping hand , do ao . If you cannot, fold your hands, bless your brothers and let Condemn none : if you can stretch out a helping hand , do ao . If you cannot, fold your hands, bless your brothers and let Condemn none : if you can stretch out a helping hand , do ao . If you cannot, fold your hands, bless your brothers and let Condemn none : if you can stretch out a helping hand , do ao . If you cannot, fold your hands, bless your brothers and let thethethethem go m go m go m go their own waytheir own waytheir own waytheir own way

Swami Vivekananda

Vishwabhanu 6

Documents

smt subhadra

continue newsletter

swami vivekananda

swami adhyatmanandaji

volume 1 issue

valid observations

national body

chief guest