Vedic Society

A VEDIC SOCIETY

Veda means truth. Truth is something unchanging it is the same today and tomorrow. Through billions of years of change of ideas coming and going of bodies coming and going of seasons of nations of planets, galaxies, universes, truth remains one.

Vedic knowledge is based on absolute understanding of reality as it has been perceived by divine Rshis and revealed directly from the source of all. Our so called “modern” knowledge systems give us what appears to be advancement but the price tag is the ultimate destruction of nature and much more.

Vedic wisdom is here, has always been here, will always be here. It can not be destroyed as it's source is the source of all. Even if all books were lost if all memory was lost, it would re-appear for higher beings would take human birth to remind us this is the map of the universe this is the path of creation.

So when one awakens from the deep sleep that is living without proper wisdom and proper guidance, one realizes that there are pools of knowledge that have always been available and they are always there when one is ready.

The soul is always ready, it always remembers from where it has come and to where it will return but the mind gets clouded by overloaded highways of information feeding the senses and ultimate confusion prevails.

Vedic wisdom is here to bring clarity, the ultimate answer the full stop. The ocean of wisdom is vast but it is one ocean, you can swim on the shore, you can dive deep you can play in the pools but the ocean is one.

We named Vedic Society as an expression of representing how the society should be, it should be Vedic which means it should be aligned with truth and eternal wisdom, today we see so much trial and error, so much error, so like a small child clambering to walk here comes a hand to help, the hand is the hand of the great sages of Bhaarata that gave us and continue to give us this wisdom, Vedic wisdom.

So walk with us on this journey to discover the self, to realize the absolute aim of life, to surrender totally to the supreme to live with eternal wisdom, with flawless understanding and with perfect guidance.

Shri Veda Jaya Shri Satya Jaya Shri Krshna Jaya

Martin Gluckman
Founder
Vedic Society

LINKS

Please visit frequently, we will keep on adding amazing sites doing good things for the planet:

1. American Institute of Vedic Studies
David Frawley is one of the most wonderful and amazing authors and teachers of Vedic knowledge in the West. He is renowned for his educational programs and writtings in the frields of Ayurveda, Yoga, Jyotish and Vedanta. His wisdom is a great gift to

2. Vedic Cultural Fellowship
Very amazing organization run by Howard and Jenifer Beckman. Howard Beckman is a brilliant ayurvedic astrologer specialising in Jyotish gem therapy. The site is very informative on this subject.

3. European Institute of Vedic Studies (EVIS)
The European Institute of Vedic Studies is an educational facility that promotes the ancient Vedic Sciences.

4. Home of Jyotish Ancient Indian Astrology
OSFA is dedicated to enhancing public awareness about Vedic Astrology (Indian Astrology) and its related fields through lecturing, research, writings, media and courses.

5. Vastukalp.com
Vastu Kalp Kendra is the only organization which is wholly devoted to the Vastu Development by performing researches, conducting courses, organizing seminars and workshops.

6. Healthy Wealthy n Wise
Are you looking for more fulfillment in your life? Are you tired of the same-old, same-old? Do you ever have the feeling that there's got to be more to life than this...? We can help!

7. Vedic Mathematics Academy
This site provides comprehensive material on Vedic Mathematics. This includes an introduction, simple tutorials, lists of resources on Vedic Mathematics. It also sells courses on Vedic Mathematics.

8. Namarupa - Categories of Indian Thought
NAMARUPA, Categories of Indian Thought, is a new journal that conveys the vast scope of sacred philosophical thought that has emanated from the land and people of India over many millennia.

9. Jyotish with James Kelleher
The website of James Kelleher, a leading exponent of Vedic Astrology in the West. James is the author of the book, Path of Light, Volume 1: Introduction to Vedic Astrology, and Volume 2: the Domains of Life.

10. Transcendence Design
Vastu consultant Sherri Silverman, Ph.D., author of Vastu: Transcendental Home Design in Harmony with Nature. Vastu consultations worldwide for homes, businesses, and gardens. Vaastu rectification tools, yantras, Vaastu art.

11. Vastu Design
Architectural Consulting Services-the Ancient Science of Vastu Shastra

12. Motilal Banarsidass Publishers
The Leading Indian Publishers on Sanskrit and Indology since 1903, Motilal Banarsidass have an impressive list of scholarly publications on a wide range of disciplines.

13. Yoga-Ayurveda: Om Healing Therapy
Ayurveda and Yoga - Treatments and Massage courses, Meditation and Contemplation in Germany.

14. Sarita Shresta
Amazing ayurvedic practitioner from Nepal who has setup a charitable hospital with other woman in a Nepali village. We have visited the project and seen firsthand the beautiful work she is doing.

15. Arunachala Samudra (Website)

Website dedicated to providing in-depth information of Arunachala; sacred, spiritual power site in South India. History, Saints, Temples, Deepam and Festivala, Ramana Maharshi, mythology, Ecology, Photographs, Tourism.

16. Arunachala Grace (Blog)
Blog dedicated to Arunachala; spiritual, power site in South India. Premier Shiva site - sacred, grace, miracles, photographs, inspiration. Also up-to-date news and information of the events and people of this area.

17. Chakrapani Ayrveda Clinic & Research Center

Wonderful center, based in India, dedicated to Ayurveda - the science of life - a holistic approach to health care. Visit their website for a free online consultation, access to ayurvedic and punchakarma as well as herbal and beauty products along with online and in-house training in ayurveda.

18. CyberAstro

CyberAstro is one of the best Indian Websites for Astrology Predictions, Future Predictions and Free Astrology Readings. Whatever queries you may have regarding your life and future, their expert astrologers would be sure to help you find a solution.

19. Floracopeia
Floropedia offers a large selection of aromatic treasure, including essential oils, traditional Ayurvedic attars from India, exotic and infused body oils and natural perfumes. Floracopeia was established by David Crow, L.Ac., master herbalist, aromatherapist, author of "In Search of the Medicine Buddha" and meditation teacher. For more information about Floracopeia or David Crow please visit their website.

20. Lau'ana Lei's Magnetic Clays

LL's Magnetic Clays are the most effective, all natural, inexpensive way to assist in pulling toxic metals and chemicals out of the body. It utilizes the Earth's natural healing properties. These synergistically tested formulas assist greatly in the removal of these poisonous toxins by using these unique clay/spice/herb bath detox formulas. Please visit their website for further details.

21. Stephen Knapp
Stephen Knapp has been researching Vedic spirituality and comparative religious study for over 30 years in a variety of settings. Visit his website for an incredible introduction to the Highest Levels of Spiritual Reality. This has become a huge site with lots of information for the promotion of personal and social spiritual development, especially by using the Vedic path. This site has something for everyone interested in Spiritual Enlightenment, Eastern Philosophy, the Vedas, Vedic Culture, Yoga, Hinduism, reincarnation, or life after death. It also deals with traveling to the holy places of India, the science of the soul, understanding God, vegetarianism, as well as global peace.

22. Learn MRDANGA, the basics of transcendental drumming
Learn to play the traditional Mrdanga drums online for Free! You will find here simple lessons and advice for an easy beginning on the mrdanga drum. The system found in this site does not belong to any orthodox method, but over the years has shown very useful in terms of achieving to play nicely in the temple kirtan and bhajans. Follow the lessons in order, and you will get the fundamental skills. Practice on your own the simple drills with the aid of the audio files, and learn the tips to become a mrdanga player!

23. Care for Cows in Vrindavan
Care for Cows in Vrindavan(India) maintains abandoned cows, bulls, retired oxen, and orphaned calves. We are international volunteers who offer our talents and resources to tend to the neglected cows living in Krishna's holy land. We provide stray cows hay, flour, fresh grass, medical attention and a place where they can recuperate from injuries.

24. Light on Vedic Astrology
A large Vedic astrology website that offers many online articles, an online course, discussion board, astro-profiles of celebrities etc.

25. Free Ayurveda consultation
Given by CHAKRAPANI AYURVEDA CLINIC & RESEARCH CENTER. They provide free online consultations to anyone who wishes to begin to stop taking Allopathic medication, and to try safe, herbal preparations prescribed exactly for your own personal constitution.

26. Ayurveda Training Programs
'Learn Ayurveda' offers various courses through its distance learning program. Tailor-made courses may also be arranged to meet your specific needs. A practical training facility is also available at our center in Jaipur (India). Upon request, class-room teaching and practical demonstrations may be arranged anywhere in the world. The design of the course structure and the preparation of study material has been done by eminent Ayurvedic experts.

27. Panchakarma Equipment (made from 100% Indian Teak Wood) Greetings from Chakrapani Ayurveda, Jaipur (India)! If you are looking for Panchakarma equipments for your Ayurveda center, Spa, Massage center, Panchakarma center or home, we will be happy to meet your actual needs. We carry wide range of quality Panchakarma products. The design of all the equipments is developed by our Panchakarma experts and very much comfortable to the clients as well as therapists.

28. Agnihotra Direct
Agnihotra is an ancient scientific technology of atmospheric cleansing that has been around for thousands of years. Simply burning dried dung of cow, rice and ghee in a very specially designed copper pyramid at exact moments of sunrise and sunset with special sound vibrations (mantras) is called Agnihotra. Agnihotra heals individuals, families and it heals the environment around us so we all may be balanced, healed and nourished. Agnihotra Direct is helping to heal our planet by promoting awareness and availability of Agnihotra in each and every nation around the world.

29. Radiance Healing with Devananda
After 13 years of intense spiritual practice in Japan, Devananda spontaneously received a gift of healing energy. For the last 16 years, Devananda has worked with this energy to benefit thousands of people with every kind of health problem, including many “incurable” conditions.

30. The Satvik
The Satvik is a wonderful Vedic Spa situated in Bhimtal in the Indian Himalayas and is truly something to behold. Believing in simplicity, truth and love - they take a natural and sincere approach to healthcare and rejuvenation through age old Ayurvedic principles.

31. The American University of Mayonic Science and Technology
Through the blessings of the world-renowned architect and sculptor, Dr. V. Ganapati Sthapati, they offer a program of study that trains and certifies an individual to be a Vaastu Consultant, Level 1 and Level 2. This program is for non -architects who wish to become Certified Vaastu Consultants and architects who wish to become certified Vaastu Architects. The final outcome of these programs may be an Associates degree, a BA/BS, or an MA/MS depending upon prior education, life experience and additional course work.

32. The American University of Mayonic Science and Technology Special Invitation

You are invited to participate in a once in a lifetime opportunity to learn authentic Vastu and Vaastu Science and Architecture as taught by World Master Architect, Dr. V. Ganapati Sthapati during Summer and fall 2008. Under the auspices of The American University of Mayonic Science and Technology (www.aumscience.com ) and in association with the Vaastu Vedic Research Foundation and the International Institute of Mayonic Science and Technology, Chennai, India a summer Cornerstone Series in Mayonic Science & Technology, Vastu Science and Vaastu Science and Technology and Building Architecture of Sthapatya Veda is being offered from June 13, 2008 through July 7, 2008 in Santa Fe, New Mexico. In addition, Advanced Distance Learning courses will be offered from September 7 through December 21 2008. Instructors will be Dr. Jessie J. Mercay and special guest instructors. Please read on for courses and course descriptions.

33. Agnihotra USA Net

Agni or fire is an expression of universal power or energy on an understandable human level. Fire and its Shakti (power) are inseparable. Hence, this fire is the expression of the Almighty that any human being can relate to or understand. It is meant for all mankind. Any being that has the ability of speech can perform Agnihotra. Every human being has a birthright to seek salvation & Agnihotra is the first step.

Happiness is an activity or projection of each one's mind. Hence, this self perception of happiness becomes one's own reality; however, .The Truth. may be far different. Thus, the perceived happiness is merely a play of the mind.

To understand the total well being of any person, the mind has to be addressed. The mind and prana (breath) are inseparable just as two sides of a coin. Agnihotra impacts both mind and breath. Agnihotra gives the mind a sense of genuine contentment and ability to react with Love. Agnihotra helps replace self-serving love with love that is unconditional without judgment or qualifications.

34. Homa Therapy

HOMA, a Sanskrit word, is the technical term from the Vedic science of bioenergy denoting the process of removing the toxic conditions of the atmosphere through the agency of fire. This means healing and purifying of the atmosphere with fire as the medium. You heal the atmosphere and the healed atmosphere heals you. This is the central idea in HOMA Therapy. HOMA replenishes the nutrients that pollution robs from our environment.

35. HomaTherapy and Agnihotra

What is Homa Therapy?
It is the Ancient Science of Healing coming from the Vedas. It is based on the practice of bio-energetic fires, tuned to the circadian rhythm of sunrise and sunset. The bio-energetic equilibrium is called HEALTH.
Homa Therapy is the Science of Bio-energy. Is not based on a belief system, same as physics or mathematics.

What is Agnihotra?
It is the basic and most potent bio-energetic fire of Homa Therapy. Agnihotra performed in a copper pyramid, captures the revitalizing, regenerating and subtle energies from the sun during sunrise and sunset. Agnihotra helps to establish a bio-energetic equilibrium in all of Nature: atmosphere, soil, water, plants, animals, and human beings.

36. India Climate Solutions

Climate change is a rapidly escalating global crisis. With greenhouse gas emissions rising faster than the IPCC worst case scenario, and with the growing threats of climate shocks and resource conflicts, rapid action to mitigate and adapt is paramount. Yet as we seek solutions at every level of society, the challenges of historical responsibility, uneven distribution of resources and impacts, and conflicting global economic and political interests is proving an immense challenge to navigate.

37. Lotus Ocean

A *Lotus* is born of the dirty mud of the world & the celestial ocean.

The fingers *touch* to create sounds you *hear* and the sights you *see* and music you can *taste* and one can *smell* too if one concentrates hard enough ... the lotusocean feel - encapsulating earth, space & regions beyond.

There are only 2 kinds of music:

1. That which enmeshes you more within the matrix
- is more appealing to ears of most people because it is designed to be low vibration ear candy for passive listening

2. That which brings you out of it
- would appear weird to most whose awareness is completely occupied by the mundane. requires active listening (demands something of the listener)

38. Better Place

Better place is working to build an electric car network, using technology avvailable today. Goals - Sustainable transportaion, global energy independence and freedom from oil.

39. Dr. Cary

I had a dream. A genie appeared and offered me one wish. I begged: “I want happiness.” The genie answered: "Happiness? You can't give someone happiness. What is happiness for one person is different for someone else. It is relative. I cannot give you happiness, but I can give you what will make you happy. What will make you happy?” the genie asks.

I examined my life and found that the most ecstatic moments of joy, bliss and happiness were when I was helping people. My happiness came from serving others.

40. Shivpuri - Institute for Vedic Sciences

Shivpuri, the holy Yagya Nagar, was founded by Parama Sadguru Shree Gajanan Maharaj who has reiterated the Eternel Vedic message in the form of a Fivefold Path.Shivpuri is termed as Yagya Nagar where a Yagya Pillar was erected as a symbol of Vedic Somayaga, announcing the ringing in of Satya Yuga i.e. New Era of Super-science, Knowledge and Universal Brotherhood.

41. Homa Project Support Australia

Homa Organic Farming and Homa Medicine is based upon the central principle of "atmospheric fumigation and enhancement" or more simply "the healing of the atmosphere".

42. Creating World Peace

Rigorous scientific research has verified the practical wisdom of ancient Vedic Science. This historic project is assembling thousands of specially trained Vedic pandits in the geographic center of India to create global affluence and permanent world peace.

43. Light on Ayurvedic Education Foundation

Light on Ayurveda Educational Foundation, Inc., (LOAEF) is formed to disseminate information about the science, practice and philosophy of the Ayurvedic health care system, to provide the Ayurvedic community with a means of communication and networking, to foster Ayurvedic education, and to promote research of Ayurvedic practice.

44. Global Good News

The Global Good News website records the historic transformation of time, from the age of ignorance to the Age of Enlightenment—from a time of darkness, suffering, and problems to a glorious new civilization for all mankind, 'Heaven on Earth'.

45. The Vedic Society

To relieve stress of modern living and for holistic well-being, the Vedic Society aims to promote spiritual awareness through the teachings of Sanatana Dharma as described in the Vedas and other scriptures of Hinduism that followed. The focus is on prescribed processes to uplift the physical and spiritual wellbeing of individuals and the society in the spirit of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” – Universal Fellowship principle enshrined therein.

ABOUT AGNIHOTRA

Agnihotra is an ancient powerful method of purifying our environment. In an age of growing pollution and toxicity of air, water and soil, a technology is now availalble that has been used for thousands of years and recently validated scientifically for removing pollution. Not only does it remove pollution but it benifits and nourishes all forms of life and has an immensely balancing effect on the human mind. Various studies have shown its efficacy with de-addiction from alcohol and drugs. It is performed in a small copper pyramid of specific proportions at the exact moment of sunrise and sunset. The reason for this is that at the transition from day to night or night to day, a very special effect is present in the atmosphere and by performing it at this time, it has a much more powerful effect. Dried cow dung, ghee and rice are the only other ingredients needed.

Agnihotra is performed all around the world and was revived in this century by a great teacher from Maharasrtra called Shri who resided in Akkalkot. He has setup a renowned instutute which is teaching Agnihotra throughout India and promoting it around the world.

The beauty of the practice is that it can be done by anyone, anwhere and the effects are most profound on the mind of the performer and all around. By purifying and nourishing our atmosphere, we subsequently purify ourselves.

Vedic Society is supporting that Agnihotra can reach every corner of the world, we have established a project called Agnihotra Direct. We suggest each and every person perform Agnihotra as often as possible, those living in particularly polluted places should do it daily if possible. It has been proven to compliment natural farmining methods immensely and the government in Peru is supporting massive programs promoting Agnihotra as the results saving crops from certain failure have been overwhelming. Many farmers around the world are performing Agnihotra too.

Please visit our online project - Agnihotra Direct, where you are able to get a kit that will enable you to perform this magnificent practice that is highly addictive for the mental peace it brings. Fire is the missing link through which we can restore harmony to the atmosphere surrounding us. Animals and birds love the smoke generated from the Agnihotra fires and it will bring many birds to your land.

We have distributed Agnihotra pyramids to 16 countries and growing. It is our wish to see Agnihotra easily available for all and that it's healing effects can be in every land and of benifit to all.

Agnihotra for Windows is a standalone program that runs on any Windows PC and serves to remind you each day of the Agnihotra times. It even has a training mode where you can learn how to do Agnihotra and learn the mantras.

The software is 100% free and is offered to the entire humanity for more planetary healing and peace. People from almost every country have experienced the beautiful peace and harmony from the science of Agnihotra. With Agnihotra for Windows people anywhere can practice Agnihotra regularly and the software is offered as a yagya to the greater good for all humanity

Agnihotra for Windows 2.0.3

Agnihotra for Windows Mobile 1.0 (Beta).

CONSCIOUS OFFICE PROJECT

How to make the offices around the world more conscious.

When approached by a South African company for ways to improve the "energy" in their offices, we embarked upon an exciting Vedic Society project called "The Conscious Office Project". In today's world business hold much of the might in society, businesses lead and the consumers and public follow. Taking this into account we set upon to create a model for the ideal office where every aspect has been considered for it's impact and effect on the workers and the society at large.

The beauty of conscious office principals is they will bring more productivy, happier workers, higher efficiencies and at the end of the day more profits. A creative and enthusiastic workforce is every businesses dream. Some of the concepts will require a fair ammount of time or commitment to implement but ultimately even if a few small changes are made, results will be borne. In business terminology the ROI or return on investment is huge for making your workers and your office environent more healthy, harmonious and with more "energy".

Read our document called "The Conscious Office" and discover more.

If you wish to suggest further ways to make an office conscious which we will consider and add to our future versions of this document, please do let us know by contacting our editor. If you wish to convert your office to a conscious office, please let us know, we would be glad to help and guide you further.

Special thanks to SAB & T for inviting us to do this work for them.

Vedic Society has produced the Conscious Office Plan for the benifit of all businesses and workers around the world, you are free to use and redistribute this information. Please give reference to www.vedicsociety.org if republishing the document or any parts of it.

NATURAL ENERGY

Nature has been here much longer than any of us, she has a wisdom that is beyond compare. It is time for us to respect her, to be her student, her child, no more to destroy here and treat her poorly. In the ancient view of the world, the entire planet was a living being, in the Kechwa people of Peru when the baby was born it was offered it to the earth mother as it's child. This connection between the earth as a mother of us all who feeds us from her soil, who'se air we breathe, whose water we drink is an essential need in the world today.

It is essential that we adopt technologies for energy, for transport, for daily living that do not destroy but in turn nourish and harmonise.

Biodiesel

Biodisel is a much cleaner way of transporting yourself, all it requires is any disel car and some very basic conversion and testing and you can drive on 100% plant sourced, 100% sustainable fuel for your car. Emmisions are very much less and the net impact on the environment is much better. At Vedic Society we've been driving a Biodiesel Mercedes 240D since early 2006 with amazing results. For more information about Biodiesel please read the incredible classical book on the subject From the Fryer to the Fuel Tank, it is essential reading for those wishing to convert. Any diesel car can be used and Biodisel is becoming more and more available. A copy of this book is available in our library for short term loan. Presently Biodiesel is quite easily available in a number of depots in Cape Town, South Africa where we are running our vehicle. In the USA, Europe and many other countries it is more and more easily available day by day. Contact us for more information about converting in South Africa. We reccomend everyone with a car make their next car a Biodiesel car.

Energy from Sun and Wind

The sun has been sacred for so many ancient cultures and in ancient India the Sun was so highly revered that the first day of the week was given in honour of this profound force that starts each day with it's light and blessings. The rishis saw that sunlight contained much more than heat and warmth and this deep understanding of the sun is one of basic principals of Vaastu Shastra, the Vedic science of designing living spaces. There is ample energy reaching the earth from the sun to power our needs for electrical energy, all that is needed is the right management of resources so this energy can be captured. Presently solar energy equipment is an expensive luxury and it should become something that everyone can afford. In many parts of the world (such as Cape Town), wind energy can also provide ample ammounts of energy. Our present office in South Africa is powered by sun and wind energy, we have run like this for more than half a year. Getting our energy requirements from the elements does not deplete or pollute the planet, there is enough of energy for everyone's requirements, this is the law of nature and this is the great lesson we as a humanity need to learn. If you wish to convert your living to running on natural energy sources please see the excellent monthly journal Home Power which is a wonderful resource for this. Complete guides to wind, solar and micro-hydro energies are provided in this journal. For local contacts in South Africa see our resources section.

This entire website has been made in an office with equipment powered by solar and wind energy in our centre near to Cape Point in South Africa.

VAASTU SCHOOL

What is Vaastu?

Vaastu is the science of creating structures that heal, balance and nourish us. The ancient sages observed the very basic laws of nature and created a science of creating a structures with full respect for these same laws. Buildings built with respect to Vaastu feel more peaceful, gentle and supportive of us. The core principals of Vaastu such as orientating our buildings correctly (in alignment with the grid of the earth), keeping a central open space known as a Brahmasthan and maximising the eastern direction for the morning light to fall and be captured by the house are universal and allow the space to become energised with healing qualities.

In today's chaotic world, the silence, peace and naturalness given by Vaastu has great potential, governmental buildings where a few individuals can influence lives of millions should be constructed without doubt, public halls and spaces will bring more peace to towns and villages when constructed with Vaastu as the basis, and finally our own homes, where we spend most of our time, we should begin there and once our structures have brought peace to us, we can then go out into the world and bring more peace to others too.

Vaastu School Project

We're honoured and delighted to be involved in helping with the design of a high school in Johannesburg, South Africa, which is being designed and built in accordance with the principals of Vaastu. The site the school will be on has a gentle north-east slope and is very well suited for a Vaastu building. The school will be two stories and have a central open courtyard which can also be used for student assembly. The students will come from various backgrounds and will benefit greatly by the Vaastu of the structure which has been specially designed with a fine tuning for education and pursuit of knowledge.

THIS PROJECT IS PRESENTLY ON HOLD AND WILL CONTINUE SHORTLY.

Please look under our services as we offer a Vaastu consultation service and referral service for all those who wish to benefit from the amazing wonders of Vaastu.

Community involved in making Bricks for South Africa's First Vaastu School

Brick making has commenced for SA's first Vaastu school to be based in South Johannesburg. Future students mothers have been employed as a community support program to make the 180,000 bricks needed for the school. The bricks are made in compressed block machine developed in Auroville which are cured using water and sunlight which makes them harder than conventional bricks and 100% natural and raw! The double story Vaastu designed school will be build entirely out of these sun baked clay bricks which will give it's walls a quality of Mother Nature itself.

Promoting Vaastu Education in South Africa

We have recently hosted a number of seminars with worldwide Vaastu expert, Vimal Jhajharia from Vastukalp. Vimal travels most of his time helping people all around the world with Vaastu. His father was a great scholar of Vaastu and Vimal is the disciple of a renowned teacher in India who guided his unfolding into Vaastu science. We have recently hosted Vimal in South Africa, recordings of his public lecture are available online. You can visit Vimal's own website right here: www.vastukalp.com

A few years back we were very honoured to have Dr. Talavane Krishna as our guest who presented a series of Vaastu workshops which were held in UCT in Cape Town. Dr. Krishna is author of "The Vaastu Workbook", a popular title on Vaastu.

View a presentation on Vaastu prepared by Vedic Society Team.

To learn more about Vaastu, please visit our articles pages and read up about this amazing science that can enhance and harmonise your life. Feel free to contact us for further information. Reading material on Vaastu can be borrowed from our library or ordered from Vedic Books.

ONLINE SERVICES

Online Services

We have a number of online projects which are bringing various aspects of Vedic wisdom to people around the world. Vedic Books is our online bookstore where we source the finest titles and make them available affordably to all, Agnihotra Direct allows anyone, anywhere to order Agnihotra kits so they can do this healing practice wherever they may be. Madanapalas is our online Ayurvedic project where the finest Ayurvedic products are available to all as well as online Ayurvedic consultations. Organics Online (South Africa only) brings organic food to people througout South Africa and also supports farmers by doing this.

Vedic Society Online

Our web portal (www.vedicsociety.org) has a number of articles where you can research and read on various enlightening subjects, we also have a calendar which features special events around the world and also a Vedic Sky report which has important astrological events listed to take note and take care of. More content to harmonise and inform will be added to this site so please revisit regularly.

Vedic Society Software

We are presently developing a number of conscious software products for harmonising the world applying various Vedic sciences. Please visit our software page for more details.

Online Sponsorship

Over the past years Vedic Society has sponsored a number of websites for projects we wish to support that are working to make this world a better place. In some cases we sponsor the hosting of the sites on our own servers which are based in the heart of Europe and for other sites we have sponsored the design and hosting. This is a gift back in service to our world. Visit some of our amazing sponsored projects:

Udipalia.org, a vilage woman's employment program near to Bangalore, India. Udipalia is the name of the village situated near the Art Of Living Ashrama. The Udipalia project makes handmade paper products and is affiliated with the Art of Living Foundation.

Samskrti.org is the Samskrti foundation founded by Sri Lakshmi Thathochar. This organization is doing wonderful work in Melkote and Mysore to raise awareness of ancient Vedic culture and wisdom and how it can be of benifit to all.

We have also sponsored sites for Kathmandu University Music Department (an amazing music school set in an old medieval temple complex on a river in Bhakatpaur), TWIG (Third world investment gateway), Krishna Books (an ISKCON Cape Town book distribution program) and many others.

To see more of our online sponsored projects please visit http://www.kalkbay.co.za

LIBRARY

Based in Cape Town we have a small lending library of rare and prescious titles on Vedic subjects collected over many years.

For more information and to find out about membership please contact our librarian.

We will shortly be posting an online catalogue of all available titles here.

COURSES AND WORKSHOPS

We offer lectures and courses on various illuminating subjects from time to time. We have hosted a number of eminent teachers and some of the past programs have been recorded and recordings are available in our media section.

Courses available:

Ayurvedic Cooking Course - 1 day

Discover the secrets of cooking for life, health and happiness. Ayurveda is an ancient science of living and food should be taken a medicine. In this 1-day course we cover the basics of the Ayurvedic kitchen and learn to prepare a healthy Ayurvedic meal. We also cover some basic Ayurvedic home remedies for common ailments. Learn to cook healthy delicious food, learn to understand what to eat, when to eat and how to eat.

Ayurvedic Cooking Course - 2 days

Dive deeper into Ayurvedic cooking and learn some advanced techniques such as preparing fresh curds (yoghurt) and paneer. In this course we cover the basics on the first day culminating in an Ayurvedic feast jointly prepared. On the second day we go deeper into using food as a medicine and cover powerful home remedies for everyone.

Ayurvedic Home Remedies for the Family

Discover how to use the ingredients in your kitchen to treat illness. Home remedies have been used for thousands of years through generation and generation, only recently has this tradition started to wane. We are working to revive Ayurvedic home remedies for all. Discover the secrets of turmeric, ginger, cumin, mint. Learn how to use yoghurt as a medicine. Discover the wonder in your spice box. Discover the science underlying selecting a remedy based on Ayurvedic principals.

Introduction to Sacred Architecture - 1 day

Discover the ancient system of Vaastu Shastra which has been used for thousands of years to make life on earth more harmonious by understanding space. Learn what factors effect a space that some places feel good and others do not. Cover the basic principals of Vaastu in depth and end of with a practicum of designing a house as a group with Vaastu principals. All basic principals such as site selection, orientation of the building, design of brahmasthan (central open space), proportions and measurements, room placement, selection of entrances are covered. This workshop is suitable for anyone wishing to learn the basic principals of Vaastu Shastra.

Introduction to Sacred Architecture - 2 days

The two day course covers the basics and then takes you deeper into Vaastu science covering advanced concepts such as timing of construction, setting the resonance of a structure based on the stars (Aayaadi), Vaastu remedial measures when construction is not possible.

Please note:

Courses are taught on a donation basis only.

For up coming scheduled courses by Vedic Society or other eminent teachers please see our calendar. To find out more about holding courses at your location please contact us.

VAASTU DESIGN SERVICE

Vedic Society offers Vaastu advice to all who wish to either construct or remedy their living/working spaces. Vaastu is a powerful science based on laws of nature and it allows our space to heal and nourish us accordingly. We are presently involved in a number of projects with individuals and organizations assisting with Vaastu design.

If you require guidance with the Vaastu for your project, please contact us and we will provide you with more information. Please note TRUE NORTH must be noted on all plans sent, TRUE NORTH can be best checked with a GPS device.

PAST EVENTS

Past events hosted by Vedic Society (2006):

We've been delighted to have had a number of wonderful events at our beautiful mountain centre near to Cape Point. Some recordings of events are available in our media library. For future event notices please join our mailing list and we will keep you informed.

JANUARY 2005 NEWSLETTER

VEDIC SOCIETY

January 2005
Newsletter

Dearest Friends

At the beginning of this year 2005 we are sending this newsletter to all people interested in our research, ongoing work and projects to share with you our activities and insights from the year past and the year ahead. We welcome all your feedback and also would very much appreciate it if you could forward this newsletter to any persons interested in it's subject matter.

For those new to Vedic Society and it's projects and vision, we have included a brief introduction here.

ABOUT VEDIC SOCIETY

Vedic Society is a non profit, educational and humanitarian organization. Our vision is to help transform the world we live in using the profound ancient knowledge of Vedic wisdom. We feel this to be a vast treasure for this world we live in.

Our journey began with our founder, Martin Gluckman's own journey of self-discovery at a young age which took him across 60 countries in search for deeper understanding of life and at the same time in search for answers to a deep prayer within to help the world we live in during this lifetime.

Vedic Wisdom is universal and does not belong to any religion or country, it is a higher wisdom that has been gifted to the world by true sages who wished that all on earth could experience their deeper purpose and live in harmony with each other and nature.

ABOUT OUR WORK

"Transforming the world with ancient wisdom"

Today's world is facing countless problems on many fronts and it seems each day as we advance more into the modern age, we also loose a little of our connection with nature and the earth. Environmental problems are vast and out of control, human stress and diseases are increasing much, despite advances in technology. Chronic incurable diseases such as HIV/AIDS, cancer and various auto-immune diseases are on the rise. Where shall we look for the solutions ?

Indeed the culmination of our work is that many of our solutions are awaiting their rediscovery in the treasurehouses of wisdom from the Rishis or sages of past. At certain times in our not so distant past this knowledge was available for many on earth, and it is our sincere wish to help revive this wisdom for all people on earth today.

OUR VISION

Our Vision is to revive and share this wisdom and see it available and in application for all humanity. On a practical level we have seen many opportunities where in little time vast and dramatic positive changes can be experienced, all it requires is understanding, knowing and then application of the knowledge or "doing".

For example Ayurveda and it's profound and ancient science of health can rapidly bring healing to people in the grips of disease. When we understand our bodies and minds and their relationship with the cosmos in the Ayurvedic light, we quickly see what actions in our past have lead to our present ill health and can begin by remedying this immediately.

In our own kitchens are powerful and immediate home remedies which can be used as effective treatments in many cases. Awareness of Ayurvedic diet and lifestyle is essential to a life of health, immunity and vitality, when we apply these principals in daily life the results are nothing short of miraculous.

Other Vedic Sciences such as Agnihotra which is a powerful daily fire purification practice can bring immediate mental harmony to the performers and surroundings and has an immediate purification on the environment. A month long study in India showed profound life changes for the good with alcoholics who had performed it daily. The effects of Agnihotra of reducing stress in the environment will also bring much good for the entire society.

Sthapatya Veda perhaps has one of the most profound roles to play in helping the world as it is today for it is a vast untapped science with immense power. As more and more people awaken to it's potential and apply this knowledge, the results can be manifold on all aspects of the society. A single key building designed with Sthapatya Veda principals can effect many hundreds of people directly and indirectly a whole country. It is our wish to help spread the ancient wisdom of Sthapatya Veda to all corners of the world and to act as a clear channel of this knowledge to further and advance it for all. In this newsletter we introduce our journey of discovery into the ancient science of Brahamarishi Mayan, the forefather of Sthapatya Veda and also Dr. V. Ganapathi Sthapathi, the living doyen of this science.

Yagyas and particularly, Somayagyas, were the ancient solution to reducing tension in large areas and long ago people understood their value and many disasters and calamities were avoided as such. A Yagya is a scientific combination of sound, fire, intention, ritual and form which has a profound effect on increasing positive aspects for all. In the 21st century we are faced with much global conflict and it is our dream to help to reawaken a global awareness and accessibility to purely performed yagyas for the benefit of all life. For national and global problems, Somayagyas offer a vast glimmer of hope and can help to neutralize the collective stress of villages, cities and towns. In December 2003 we were very blessed to attend a Somayagya in Hyderabad and to experience it's vast and dramatic effects. Somayagyas are perhaps the most ancient and original of all yagyas still in performance today, they consist of a synergy of ancient mantric energies and vast amounts of fire and ritual offerings and a very specific yagya structure and layout. They continue for many days, sometimes some months. The effects are enormous on the individual and collective level. The priests still performing Somayagyas have carried the flame of this tradition from century to century, grandfather, to father to son and we witnessed this unbroken lineage of centuries old tradition.

On an individual level, personal and familiar yagyas are a powerful way to reduce tension, stress and difficulties in ones life. This year past we conducted much research into this field as it is our sincere wish to make this available and easily accessible to all.

This is just the tip of the iceberg of our work but sufficient of a taste for the introduction in our 2005 Newsletter. We are devoted to engaging technology in a way that it can carry the lamp of this ancient technology and in the course the next years to come please watch out for many online Vedic Society projects which will help to bring the treasures of wisdom in a practical way available to planet earth. The Internet and computing technology offers us a vast canvas for this to be expressed and reach many people rapidly. The past 6 months we have begun development in Nepal of our various online and offline projects. We will keep you posted as this unfolds.

INDIA AND NEPAL RESEARCH 2004

At the end of 2003, I set out on a vast research project in India and Nepal to make contact with exceptional teachers and individuals working with Vedic sciences and to document and study these in the interests of helping many people in need around the world. My particular focus was on Ayurveda and a large amount of my time was spent observing and experiencing various teachers and specialists, some of which I will reflect upon further in this newsletter. Initially I had picked a few areas I felt lacking light so to speak and to meet with people who had some knowledge in these areas. As Vedic Society grows and takes form, many of these projects will become full time projects where we will focus resources and attention. If any readers are interested of volunteering skills, time or resources for our research, please see the further in the newsletter about this.

The research project took me over 12000km of Indian Railway track and through India, Nepal and briefly to Tibet as I made contact with various people venturing deeper and deeper to the heart of these ancient sciences. Besides Ayurveda, I also spent time focusing on the related sciences of Jyotish (Vedic Astrology) and significantly Sthapatya Veda (also known as Vaastu Shastra), the ancient Vedic science of design in accordance with the principals and laws of nature and cosmos. I also attended a very rare and special Yagya called a Mahasomayagya in Hyderabad as part of my related research into Yagyas. As I experienced, observed and processed the material that was presented to me, I also created a broader and broader vision of addressing the problems that are facing this world today. Indeed it seemed clear to me that the sages of ancient had left us many keys for bringing more peace, health and harmony into the world. Who would imagine that an ancient (more than 5000 years) process of burning dried cow dung cakes, ghee and rice (Agnihotra) could have the profound effect of removing radiation and pollution within a radius of many square kilometres ? Who would think that a thread dipped in a medicated plant extract could painlessly remove piles without surgery ? Who would say that deep in the jungles of Kerala are traditional healers who are curing deadly snake bite victims completely without any tissue damage using only natural herbal and mineral methods ? More and more research is being conducted and nothing short of miraculous results are being found.

In the arena of Ayurveda I witnessed nothing short of what would be called medical miracles in the West. Scores of seemingly incurable cases were completely cured with Ayurvedic treatments. I visited a clinic where degenerative neurological disorders were being treated with a synergy of an ancient Ayurvedic recipe from Charaka (2500 years before) combined with Homeopathy. Thousands of video-documented cases with this treatment showed it's remarkable efficacy.

I spent time with a Danish patient who had never walked unaided due to him having multiple sclerosis after receiving oxygen due to a very premature birth. After multiple Panchakarma treatments he was walking unaided and improving daily from a condition that is considered incurable and degenerative in modern times.

In Kerala I witnessed Dr. Ram Nathan treating various degenerative ocular diseases, sometimes in dramatic ways that resulted in people with visual defects being completely cured too in many cases.

In Bangalore I met with Dr. Jaysuth Makwana, a specialist in Ayurvedic dentistry who removed teeth from patients in need of extractions without any anaesthesia, excessive bleeding nor painkillers. He applied a simple ancient yogic method called Jalandar Bandar Yoga which I will write more about in detail below.

The discoveries continued, and each day of this project, my deep faith in this ancient wisdom and the healing power of nature herself was reiterated again and again seeing how the seemingly impossible became possible.

What touched me deeply was the common thread that connected all the sciences; medicine, music, architecture stood not alone, but all as part of a single family of wisdom for the benefit, happiness and harmony of all life on earth. I pray that 2005 can be a year where more and more this wisdom can take form and shape on earth and gradually transform this world.

Please read on as I profile some of the amazing stories and discoveries. Please also feel free to support our work and get involved. In humility and service we wish to share this work with all.

So walk with us in excitement of the possibilities that are there for bringing more light and joy to this world.

Namaste,

AYURVEDA - NATURES HEALTH SECRETS

Coming from a medical family and deeply inspired by my fathers beautiful work as a doctor, I had long a childhood wish to help all around me be relieved of the suffering caused from disease. This quest lead me to spend a number of years with my close friend and mentor Dr. Udo Ehrenfeld, a renowned and award winning medical researcher and humanitarian born in the same village as Albert Einstein. During my working with Dr. Ehrenfeld in the field of immunology with particular focus on cancer, I realized how in our modern world, despite the advancement of our medical technology so to speak, there was very little progress, and sure treatments for chronic diseases. Always there was a voice within me inspiring me to look deeper and deeper and so to speak unpeel the layers to get to the source of understanding disease and it's treatment.

After much research into many medical systems from Japan, Mexico to Peru and the Amazon, I finally encountered the ancient system of medicine borne of ancient India called Ayurveda.

In 1999 I began to personally study Ayurveda with a brilliant teacher and friend who had been introduced to this science many years before, in India, under the guidance of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi who has done wonders to bring the best of Ayurveda to the West since the 1980's. As I dived deeper and discovered more, I realized the vast potential of Ayurveda and practically how little of it's secrets are presently being practiced in today's world.

Every medical scientist dreams to find 'cures' so to speak and in Ayurveda there is a complete system and philosophy that offers a route for treatment and often complete removal of a disease at it's very roots for all pathologies. Even diseases that cannot be adequately understood in the modern model can be well understood with Ayurvedic diagnostic methods. For disease to exist there must be disequilibrium in the bodily systems. Ayurvedic treatment is based upon understanding the nature of the imbalance within the physiology and then taking the appropriate corrective action.

Panchakarma is pinnacle of Ayurveda and after researching and experiencing this first hand, I realized that this procedure of purifying and rejuvenating the body using an exact and scientific process of drawing impurities from deep within body tissues, then eliminating them, could offer profound and immediate healing for so many cases. I witnessed this in the many clinics I visited where Panchakarma was being performed correctly and sagaciously. I witnessed many cases which would take weeks or months with other systems of treatment, completely cured in no time. Panchakarma ingeniously removes the fundament of diseases and subsequently health flourishes anew.

Below I describe some of the detailed encounters and discoveries I had. It is my deep wish to share this with the world and to engage people and resources so that this wisdom can become globally available once more.

PANCHAKARMA - THE NECTAR OF AYURVEDA

Many years fore I read the book entitled 'Ayurveda and Panchakarma' by Dr. Sunil Joshi of Nagpur. For the first time there was a book in English which dove deep into the very essence of Ayurvedic treatment and it's profound rejuvanative and curative therapy known as Panchakarma. This book reawakened a deep awareness within me that Panchakarma is the core component of Ayurveda and sadly in today's world, for the most part, lesser known.

India still has scores of Panchakarma centres but a large number of these are aimed for the affluent tourist market only without respect to the traditional requirements of Panchakarma and most importantly the preparatory and postparatory procedures.

Panchakarma is delicate art and needs an experienced Vaidya (Ayurvedic physician) to guide and oversee the patient every step of the way. Diseases are the product of many factors and aam or toxins in various parts of the body are a fundamental common thread. If one were to take a sampling of chronic disease cases from arthritis to cancer one would find aam as the singular common thread. Panchakarma ingeniously uses the bodies own wisdom to encourage the release of aam and thus renew and clean the body very deeply. I was exceptionally amazed when after performing my first Virechanna (therapeutic purgation), that Dr. Rajashi Metha identified the green tinge in what was being purged from my body as the result of anti-biotics which I had last taken more than 5 years prior. Panchakarma's processes encourage the gentle release of these toxins from where they have accumulated in the body (this will vary from disease to disease and patient to patient) and finally once mobilized they are eliminated from the body. The increase in clarity, youth, vitality and energy becomes noticeable within some hours of the initial purgation, while despite being initially weak, one feels a calmness and clarity that is quiet immeasurable.

When I've studied Ayurvedic classical texts like Charaka Samhita, I've noticed that in the context of Charaka, Panchakarma procedures were very commonly performed as the first line of treatment when a disease had started to appear in the body. It is the wish of Vedic Society to nurture and promote awareness of Panchakarma and also help people to find a means to perform this procedure in their lifetimes so that by purifying ourselves, we become higher expressions of goodness and vitality.

AYUSHAKTI - MUMBAI

In the year past in India and Nepal I visited many Panchakarma centres and each was unique in their own expression. There are two that stood out and I will recommend them here for those seeking somewhere to perform complete Panchakarma.

The first was Ayushakti in Mumbai. Ayushakti is the inspiration of Dr. Pankaj and Dr. Smita Naram who are both exceptional and renowned Vaidyas. What stands out is the profound attention to detail and also the affordability of the Panchakarma treatments at Ayushakti. I personally experienced my first complete treatments there and meeting with scores of people who had been through the process, I noted that the quality of doctors, herbs and knowledge are superb and without compromise.

Ayushakti is located in a suburb of Mumbai which as a modern Indian city is not always the most conducive to purifying ones body but the positive of this is the accessibility and also the amazing architecture and location of Ayushakti itself. Dr. Naram had used Vaastu Shastra for the construction and much attention to natural materials and this tends to insulate one from Mumbai. Once in the side lane where Ayushakti resides and walking in the door, one enters a world of vibrant wisdom and health.

At Ayushakti I met with Lenny Blank who I had know as a key person in bringing Ayurveda to the USA in the forms of Vasant Lad, Sunil Joshi and many others and Lenny was at the same time undergoing Panchakarma there, I took this as a fine concordance that the quality was superb.

What really impacted me deeply was the expertise of Dr. Raja Shri Metha who is the Vaidya in charge of Panchakarma at Ayushakti. She is a very wise, gentle and pure soul and her love and compassion are very much present as she spends time with you each day monitoring most importantly your pulse and your progress. The pulse reveals all the information of the state of the mind and body and Dr. Metha uses the pulse like a modern doctor might use a very advanced machine, she monitors the patient and gently steers the treatment in the direction it needs to go.

For people seeking to experience the dramatic effect of Panchakarma be there a serious illness or just a wish to houseclean your body, I highly recommend a visit to Ayushakti.

CONTACT DETAILS:

Web: http://www.ayushakti.com E-mail: ayushakti(at)ayushakti(dot)com

IVAC - MYSORE

The second Panchakarma centre I wish to mention is the Indus Valley Ayurvedic Centre founded by my good friend Dr. Talavane Krishna. IVAC is indeed a centre of palatial expressions and it is set on a magnificent piece of land overlooking the Mysore countryside and the ancient Lalita palace of Mysore. The place is silent and nature is vibrant and in constant song at IVAC. In terms of setting IVAC could not be beaten for part of Panchakarma is to take deep rest and besides undergo methodical purificationary treatments, to reconnect with nature and the natural rhythms within us.

Dr. Krishna, the founder has been a deep spiritual practitioner through his life and when I met him upon my invitation that he come give Vaastu Shastra workshops in Cape Town, I knew that his depth and spiritual insights were a precious treasure for this world. Besides becoming my first Vaastu Shastra teacher which lead me to much further research and studies in this light, Dr. Krishna also shared with me how he had taken his vision of creating an ideal Ayurvedic centre in India to reality. We had looked seaward across the Atlantic, standing on Table Mountain and I saw how his talk of IVAC lit his eyes.

So when I arrived at IVAC after some weeks in the buzz of Bangalore, it was as if I was a nomad long in the desert without waters, finding a pristine oasis. I was deeply touched at the vast attention to detail that was played out in every aspect of IVAC. Firstly the land was a very fertile, green, living space that had good natural Vaastu due to it gently sloping to the North-East and also having Chyamundee Hill to the South creating stability, prosperity and peace. I know Dr. Krishna had searched long for the ideal land to construct his dream upon.

All buildings had been designed with perfect consideration of the science of Vaastu Shastra as practiced by Dr. Krishna and taught to him by his Guru Mr. Reddy, a renowned Vaastu practitioner from the region. The peace is immediately noticeable.

Every other factor has been done with similar awareness, from the detailed and expert training of the staff to the very sattvik Ayurvedic cuisine which is lovingly served each day in the dinning hall. The doctors are professional and very knowledgeable. I was particularly touched by a young female doctor, who had recently completed her studies and I found her compassion and wisdom very notable.

So many more things I could details such as the construction of the wooden Ayurvedic massage tables, which had been made out of a single piece of wood specially imported from Burma and constructed on site. The pure copper bath tubs. The amazing fragrant in-house post massage scrub powder which seems to transport one into a sensory never-world.

The highlight for me was my first experience of Pizzichil, a South Indian treatment for balancing and nourishing the body, especially Vata. At IVAC I proceeded to be poured and massaged with hot medicinal oil for no less than an hour and a half by 6 men. This transported me into a deep state of oneness and tranquility that prevailed long after I departed from IVAC.

What came to mind clearly when at IVAC is that in the West we have a culture to take a holiday so to speak but rarely do we think of taking our body on holiday. Panchakarma or even the rejuvenative massage and steaming procedures in themselves, combined with a balanced diet, are truly a holiday for the body.

If someone is looking for somewhere to rest deeply, reconnect and discover a level of peace within and without and the true ancient heart of India, then I would deeply recommend a visit to IVAC.

One final note is a special recognition for IVAC's guest manager named Vinita who is an exceptional human being and went always completely over all imaginable levels of service and care and love to please the guests.

CONTACT DETAILS:

Web: http://www.ayurindus.com E-mail: ivac(at)ayurindus(dot)com

SPECIALITY CENTRES

During my research in India I came across various Ayurvedic centres in India that had special focus on certain diseases. I was pleased to see this and also the hear reviews of successful treatments in various chronic incurable diseases. As we continue to document Panchakarma, we will reveal more and more specialized centres with good results in various diseases. Here we will mention four of note :

1. Dr. M. Prasad of the Sita Ram Ayurvedic Centre in Trichur, Kerala

Dr. M. Prasad is a renowned Ayurvedic ophthalmic specialist which is a rare combination. Whilst I could only spend a few days in Trichur, I spoke deeply with Dr. Prasad and discovered that he has much success with many chronic and degenerative disorders of the eye. I observed dramatic results from using traditional Ayurvedic means of treatment. One speciality that Dr. Prasad uses when the disorders are linked to a blood-impurity disorder, is the removal of toxic blood on the temple and sometimes in or near the eye, with the use of special leeches. While it sounds like enough to put most people running outside of any doctors office, it is in fact a very scientific, safe and successful treatment from Ayurveda. It is my wish to do further investigation into this and related treatments and also to have them further documented. Sita Ram is a beautiful centre located not far from Cochin in Kerala.

Contact: Dr. M. Prasad Phone: 91 + 2443895 (Trichur, Kerala)

2. Dr. Mukul Patel of the Shreyas Hospital, Surat, Gujarat

Whilst I have yet to visit this hospital in Gujarat, I have heard that they are well renowned for an Ayurvedic procedure named kshar sutra. This includes dowsing a thread with special medicated herbs and tying the thread around the piles. This results in the safe, painless, non-surgical removal of chronic piles and has brought much relief to scores of patients. Dr. Patel comes recommended from Dr. Rajesh Kotecha, my good friend and founder of Chakrapani Ayurveda clinic in Rajasthan. Kshar Sutra is well known in parts of India and various clinics have popped up specialising in this and related procedures only. It's successes are very remarkable in an otherwise very difficult to treat condition when surgery is the only indicated measure. Patients who would normally have to spend nights in hospital and much time in excruciating pain can have a simple and safe alternative. It is our wish to research and report on this procedure in more detail in the near future.

Contact: E-mail: info(at)proctocure(dot)com Web: http://www.proctocure.com

3. Dr. Oswal, G-THERAPY Centre in Pune

What I loved much about Dr. Oswal was his marriage of traditional Ayurveda (he had studied in the same year and college as Dr. Vasant Lad) and classical Homeopathy. Dr. Oswal had taken a recipe from Charak Samhita and prepared it in a homeopathic way. It was a traditional recipe for neurological disorders and in the few days I spent at his clinic I saw a number of children and young adults passing through with various neurological disorders. Some had mental retardation and other suffered from a lack of mobility and physical control. The common thread of all such diseases in Ayurvedic philosophy is imbalanced Vata.

Dr. Oswal has successfully treated many thousands of patients with very good results. He has video documented most cases showing before and after progress. I was deeply touched by his work, I had been particularly inspired to meet him after meeting a number of cerebral palsy patients on my travels who sought a solution in Ayurveda for their condition. I'm also excited with the prospects of combining Ayurveda and Homeopathy. Homeopathic preparations are very affordable to prepare once the initial preparation has been made. This could help to spread Ayurveda to areas where it was considered normally out of reach and is a vast opportunity for further research.

Contact: E-mail: gunvant(at)pn2.vsnl.net(dot)in Web: http://www.g-therapy.org

4. Dr. Anil Jaggi, Body Soul Ayurveda Centre, Pahar Ganj, New Delhi

While not a speciality centre per say, Dr. Anil Jaggi is a renowned Vaidya from a traditional family of doctors who has a small clinic and Panchakarma centre nestled in the heart of the bustling main bazaar of New Delhi. I discovered Dr. Jaggi quite by chance and at the time I was already feeling the stress of a few weeks in India's cities. Little did I know that a little island of pure Vedic wisdom was present in the alleys of New Delhi. I immediately had a Shirodhara (pouring of medicated herbal oils on the forehead) treatment at Dr. Jaggi's centre which was personally and very lovingly supervised by the doctor himself. In most Ayurvedic centres in India the doctor does not personally supervise such treatments, I felt this very significant and important.

Dr. Jaggi is an immensely knowledgeable and deeply schooled man and he has a wealth of wisdom on Ayurveda and it's sister sciences. I spent many hours in deep discussion with him and we shared a mutual passion for Ayurveda and for helping the world with this knowledge.

In one discussion he told me how that if there were one village which followed only the laws of living in tune with nature, there would be no need for doctors or hospitals. I nodded in agreement for this is the very basis of Ayurveda and despite it being a brilliant system for curing diseases that have come it is even more brilliant to prevent them from ever coming.

Any visitors to Delhi wishing to experience a taste of the real Ayurveda and one of it's renowned, talented and skilled practitioners can contact Dr. Jaggi in his Pahar Ganj clinic where he attends each day.

Contact: E-mail: bodysoulayurveda(at)hotmail(dot)com Phone: 91+9810420969

THE WORLD PANCHAKARMA GUIDE

While being blessed to visit many Panchakarma centres in India from South to North, and also having the chance to experience it first hand, it dawned upon me that there needs to be an online resource that objectively can present information for prospective patients wishing to undergo Panchakarma.

This would allow for people to choose a place based on their budgets and also based on their disorder as the reputation and specialization of some centres would suit some more than others.

Vedic Society has adopted this project and once we have suitable staff and resources we will commence with what we call 'The World Panchakarma Guide'. This will be an online resource that is updated regularly and will seek to help those in need of Panchakarma treatments.

MARMA - THE MAGIC OF TOUCH

When I set out upon my research I did not anticipate that the spotlight would fall upon a very little known area of Ayurveda known as Marma but somehow the course that I was sailing took me upon an encounter with living masters in this ancient, simple and effective treatment.

Marma is one of the lesser known methods used in Ayurveda, Sushruta refers to it in some detail as well as other texts, but in truth it is a traditional knowledge that needs to be handed down from guru to disciple, from heart to heart. The basis is the use of various points on the body which are all interlinked like a complex circuitry and produce different results when pressed or massaged.

When healthy and balanced, energy or prana flows freely through the body like a pure stream. Modern lifestyle and ignorance causes us to take wrong food, improper use of our mind and senses and to do things that are counter-health and thus the little rivers of prana become blocked and result in physical, mental and emotional blocks and also disease. Marma uses an attuned awareness of these points to release blocks, nourish the body and subsequently heal.

The marma practitioner, can heal the body be it a physical, mental or emotional ailment, with the simple awareness of it's energy centres and how to unblock what has become blocked.

DR. PANKAJ NARAM AND BABA RAAM DAS

When I first witnessed Marma treatments at Dr. Naram's clinic known as Ayushakti in a suburb of Mumbai, I knew something quite magical was in process. I was luckily partaking in seminars that had been prepared for a doctors training course in Mumbai and got to observe Dr. Naram in action performing a part of the Marma tradition he practices called Peccoti. Peccoti is a combination of holding certain Marma points in conjunction with a brisk pressure on various positions on the middle, upper-middle and upper back. The result is that stress, tension, blockage, and inflexibilities that are held in our backs, are released suddenly and with much relief. Noone would imagine that pressing tension out of the spine could result in such an array of sounds and there are a regular concertina of cracks and pops and the back seems to melt under the practitioners hands and the muscles that surround the spinal column become more relaxed and in pose.

Following the release on the back, a few further points are held in the lower back to lock and ground the changes (each Marma point links to a certain place in our inner mind and corresponds with a certain dynamic and quality of nature). Then the patient turns around and the umbilical point is pressed so that the stress release and changes can be held in place in the centre of the being.

I witnessed Peccoti perform miracles and heard countless many stories of very chronic immobility's, stresses, confusions, conflicts, and more, all dissolving in a simple and elegant manor.

Dr. Pankaj learnt Peccoti from his Guru, Baba Raam Das, a legendary 125 year ascetic and Yogi who passed this privileged knowledge to Dr. Pankaj. Even well into his hundreds, Baba Raam Das was practicing Peccoti on his patients, a living example of the practical application of Ayurveda. The Upanishads say after all that each man is entitled to at least 100 years of healthful living. It is thus only though our mistakes and also the divergence from mother nature in our society, that we suffer such a rifetude of disease in today's world.

In recent months I began too practicing Peccoti on all who came into my home in the Nepali Himalayas and I witnessed it's profound transforming effect on people. Old habits, inflexibilities, pains and confusion quickly cleared after a session of treatments. This was marma magic in action.

Dr. Pankaj also has a profound array of other Marma applications that he uses with great skill and talent in his Ayushakti clinic and on his tours around the world. It is very beautiful to see such a non-invasive method produce such rapid and lasting results.

Peccoti for example has very dramatic effects on psychosomatic and mental disorders as these are mostly rooted in a voracious excess of Vata or wind in the physiology and as the spinal column is cleared and released and the rib cage aligned, our breath so changes and so follows the mind and ultimately it settles.

The real beauty was to see how clearly Dr. Pankaj was a living embodiment of a true healer, his selfless wish was to serve all life and to share his wisdom and tools with all who came his way.

This year I will continue further practical research into this school of Marma as taught by Baba Raam Das and Dr. Pankaj and continue to reflect upon it's miraculous effects.

HANUMAN DAS - SON OF THE WIND

By mere chance after a sincere prayer to discover more about Marma, I had the grace and fortune to meet a man from South India named Hanuman Das right here in Nepal. Hanuman Das just happened to be spending some weeks in Kathmandu, his first journey out of his mother India.

He was born in a family of traditional Marma and Kalari (South Indian Martial Arts) practitioners and was deeply schooled by his grandfather, father and uncle in this ancient knowledge.

Like many of my teachers in India, his family held a traditional handed down collection of palm leaf ancient texts which revealed the secrets of this art he practiced.

Hanuman Das is exceptionally knowledgeable in all aspects of Ayurveda. His particular speciality is Marma and it's applications to heal physical disabilities and ailments. It was very beautiful to watch his hands move as his exceptionally sensitive fingers strolled the various energy lines and meridians on the body with precision accuracy. His martial arts training also exuded in his medical techniques and there was utmost skill, precision and control in all that was done.

His grandfather had been one of the bodyguard for the previous Maharaja of his state and there was a long history of his family in the royal courts as the knowledge they held, both as warriors and healers, was greatly revered and in that age.

Hanuman Das insisted I take upon training in both Marma and Martial Arts, but I expressed that my school of Ayurveda was one of complete and total ahimsa (non-harming) and I would gladly succumb to deep studies in the healing aspects.

Like a mechanic, he would skillfully find the nodes of energy on the body and press them with required force or apply certain oils. Sometimes a paste, sometimes heat or fomentation. Beneath his actions was a deep awareness and skill as he addressed which of the three humours needed balancing and which points and pressures to apply for achieving this.

His family also have much traditional knowledge on treating injuries, even otherwise fatal injuries. In Hanuman's accompany was a young man who had suffered a very severe and possibly fatal injury to his head in Europe, he had met Hanuman who had fixed it without any surgical intervention other than those provided by his thumb and fingers. Nothing short of a miracle by modern standards!

He informed how broken and fractured bones could be healed to a point of removing the cast within 7-days and completely fused with 41 days. Special oils and internal medicines were used in such cases which accelerated the natural healing processes of the body.

Though my time was limited with him, I sensed deeply that we would meet again and he extended a sincere invitation that I undertake further studies with him in the art of Marma. I gladly accepted and sometime in the near future I will spend some time in Kerala to begin this journey.

What came to mind was how much knowledge had been lost in the last thousands of years and despite the magnitude of the loss and amnesia of our modern world, there still were little islands of pure knowledge bubbling from springs of eternal truth.

FURTHER MARMA RESEARCH IN SRI LANKA

There is a project in my mind to pursue further Marma studies too in Sri Lanka where there is an ancient tradition of Succi Karma (the forefather of acupuncture), that has been well preserved over there. Succi Karma (literally the action with needles) is the ancient predecessor of acupuncture and has a very in-depth wisdom of manipulating marma points with the help of gold and silver needles (modern day acupuncture uses stainless steel, but gold and silver are by far preferred).

Some marma practitioners are averse to using needles but I've observed the immensely powerful effects of using needles on marma points and feel that the world can only benefit by taking the present acupuncture knowledge to a higher point of clarity and understanding.

AYURVEDIC DENTISTRY

One of the topics I came to research was the subject of dentistry which I felt had been much neglected in the field of Ayurveda. I was confident that treatments were present but this seemed to be nearly forgotten in practical application. I was inspired upon this road by doing a study earlier last year on the systematic toxicity of modern dentistry. Virtually all treatments and substances used in modern dentistry were swarmed in controversy, from mercury-amalgam fillings (containing one of the most powerful neurotoxins known to man!) to root canal treatments (which have been linked to weakened immunity and other disorders), to fluoridation which was very controversially being debated on the world medical scene and had been banned by some governments due to it's question marks. In my heart I had the question that there must have been a natural science for preventing and treating dental problems. I was right and upon this quest I discovered Dr. Jaysuth Makwana.

DR. JAYSUTH MAKWANA - AYURVEDIC DENTIST

Dr. Jaysuth Makwana is an Ayurvedic doctor from Gujarat's most famous university who did his post-graduate speciality in Ayurvedic Dentistry. He presently runs an organization called The Divine Dental Trust and has devoted much of his time to promoting Ayurvedic Dentistry and to helping people rediscover this science.

I met Dr. Makwana in Bangalore at a charity dental camp for local people and witnessed him perform an ancient treatment called Jalandar Bandar Yoga. This treatment allows him to single-handily remove teeth that are beyond repair and in need of extraction, without any pain, blood or discomfort for the patient at all. It is a very simply technique to learn and reduces the risks and discomforts caused by this procedure when usually performed. It's also safe for diabetic and heart patients who could not normally tolerate surgical procedures. The practice involves ancient Yogic and Ayurvedic knowledge of blocking prana to the head region using a special "lock" from hatha yoga. When prana is suitably blocked, the tooth can be extracted easily without much effort and without pain or adverse bleeding.

While extraction painlessly is all well and fine, my deep aim was to find methods for saving and restoring and preventing and treating tooth and gum disease. On this journey I spoke deeply with many Vaidyas interviewing them on various treatments. Ayurveda offers various topical applications of oral oils (mostly consisting of bitter antibacterial oils like clove, babul and neem) and most importantly the regular use of tooth powders as opposed to tooth pastes. Of all the tooth powders I sampled, the one I found particularly and immediately effective was Sudanthi Churna prepared by Ayushakti in Mumbai. (See more about Ayushakti later in this article). Sudanthi churna is a combination of herbs that all help to clean, disinfect and strengthen gums and teeth and has a synergistic effect on preventing tooth decay.

From an Ayurvedic perspective, dental problems are linked to poor bone nourishment and related poor diet, with particular reference to taking excess refined foods which remove minerals from the body while passing through the digestive process. For those wishing to strengthen teeth, white sugar and white flour must be removed from the diet as well as any other processed, denatured and refined foods. Nature gives us wholesome, nutritive foods and our modern processing methods remove all the nutrition which has it's price. There are various formulas in Ayurveda for strengthening bones and subsequently teeth such as coral and pearl powders. Ayushakti have a special formula called Keshiya and another called Praval Moti for this purpose alone which we found in clinical observation to be very effective.

If bones are not being adequately nourished, there is often a deeper imbalance in the body which could be addressed by Panchakarma. Panchakarma aims to restore the digestive fire to it's full and optimal power so that what is eaten can be transformed into tissues correctly and completely.

Upon our research on this topic we also got wind of a doctor in Kerala, Dr. Ram Nathan, who had also done some speciality in this area and opened an Ayurvedic dental care centre in a hospital there. We discovered that Dr. Ram Nathan was using many ancient methods for treating and preventing tooth and gum disease with great results.

In conclusion Ayurveda has a vast scope in the dental field, it is our wish that some dedicated research could be directed in this area and in the course of the next years we will plan and proceed with a small project in this field.

Contact: Dr. Jaysuth Makwana, Divine Dental Trust E-mail: drjmakwana(at)yahoo(dot)com

FURTHER RESEARCH

Upon my research I discovered references in Tibetan and Ayurvedic medical texts that indicated a herb existed which could halt oral diseases and trigger the natural remineralization of decayed teeth. Modern studies confirm that there is an ongoing process of dental remineralization which occurs naturally and it makes sense that such a medicine could exist. Thus should this possibility exist, the need to visit a dentist would reduce to almost none in combination with suitable nutrition.

We persisted in this field and discovered two leads that might bear fruit in this regard. One was a Tibetan herbal product which we had travelled to Tibet in May 2003 partially to research further and will be returning later there for more enquiry. Many senior Tibetan doctors report about such a plant but we have yet to find one to identify and prepare it.

We also had read reports from a botanical researcher doing work in Chhattisgarh of a certain traditional healer from Gunderdehi named Mr. Chawda who had a herbal oil preparation that he administered in the form of a traditional Ayurvedic nasya (application of the medicated oil to the nostrils). There have been many reports of dental carries being stopped and reversed with this treatment and the description of the treatment mirrors that mentioned by other references so it is our sincere wish to spend time in this region documenting this further as it could be an immense boon to global dental health. We will update our readers as to further discoveries in this regard after our proposed visit to the region a little later this year.

Dental health is an area we initially decided to focus some time upon researching due to the lack of truly holistic dental treatments available in the West. Modern dentistry is technically superb but systematically nearly all the treatments have vastly immunotoxic and hepatoxic effects.

Any long term treatment of dental disease should bring an awareness to the overall physiological health of the person. To bring the doshas into harmony and to remove aam (toxins) from the tissues of the body and digestive system. Even were a herbal oil be available that can stop and reverse dental decay, people should be aware that there is a greater internal need and the body tissues are simply reflecting this outwardly.

In 2005 we will be spending some time further on this subject. Please visit our soon to be published website frequently for articles and information.

AYURVEDA AND CANCER

Having spent 3 years of my life in close association with Dr. Udo Ehrenfeld of Germany in the field of immunology, I found that destiny had in part fulfilled a deep wish of mine to help alleviate the suffering of those with cancer. One of Udo's first sentences to me, after we met in the midst of Germany was that he had helped people who had been given a few months to live, prove their prognosis well wrong. In the modern medical field a patient who survives 5 years or more is considered cured and Udo had many such patients. Three of them wrote a book called 'Ich Lebe Noch' or 'I'm still alive' in exclamation to them beguiling the medical world out of their predicted prognosis. The real genius was Udo and the team of scientists who ran Jomol Pharma. I was deeply impressed and touched by the work, I also saw the harsh reality of medical politics unfolds before me and the complete disbelieving of the public at their success. Somehow Germany at the least, was not ready to acknowledge that a natural treatment could be part of a treatment for cancer.

Meanwhile some few thousand miles away in India, cancer had long been known of and deeply understood in Ayurveda. In Sanskrit there are various words referring to various kinds of abnormal growths in the body. Classical texts refer to these growths and also suitable treatments.

Where Udo had left off and met dead ends in his research, I found the answers in Ayurveda. Part of my romance with Ayurveda was that it's underlying medical philosophy was a perfect and complete system that could understand any bodily states and expressions and too know how to deal with them. Ayurveda deeply recognizes the mind, emotions and also past actions (karma) as having direct effects on health. Cancer has a common thread whereby toxins (aam) are present in the system and there is a systematic imbalance (usually vata and pitta) for a long time. Agni or the digestive power is weak in this disease and the body is unable to properly metabolize what is put in the stomach. Resultantly an imbalance comes in the tissue metabolic process and various types of growths can be formed.

In Ayurveda the underlying imbalance and digestive impairment would be noticed by a skilled physician, long before it manifests as a disease and thus in a deeper sense Ayurveda is a very perfect system of preventative medicine. If the patient becomes aware of correct practices, diet and takes herbs to support their constitution, the disease could not flourish.

Modern medicine waits until the disease has manifested, which could be decades of incorrect activities and then it acts, violently, extremely, often inflicting much suffering with chemo, radio and surgical approaches. That all said, the success is limited.

In 2005/6 I will be focusing particularly on Ayurveda and Cancer and brining more and more doctors and researchers into this important subject.

Partly my trip to Nepal was to learn about the amazing legacy of Dr. Manu who was a renowned traditional Vaidya of Kathmandu who had done much work with cancer and also seen many complete cures. Those interested in his book should source a copy of his amazing reference book called 'Ayurveda and Cancer'. It is a very comprehensive reference on Ayurveda and cancer and gives many classical references with regards to treating the disease successfully.

In Pune there was also a renowned Vaidya, Dr. Nanal who also had documented many complete cures of cancer treatment with Ayurvedic herbal and mineral methods.

The Ayurvedic approach of treatment, in essence is very simple. It aims to address the underlying imbalance and catabolic results of the disease and rectify them at their root. The mineral preparations of gold bhasma (suvarna bhasma) and diamond bhasma (hiraka bhasma) are extremely useful in cancer, though due to their high cost very little studies have been done. Many herbal preparations like the guggul (a bitter myrrh like substance) preparations and so forth have shown excellent anti-tumor effects. A skilled Ayurvedic physician will use a combination of herbs, minerals and purification procedures to eliminate the source of this disease.

Diet is very key to a successful treatment, as with all chronic diseases, and patients should go to all strides to avoid all refined foods especially white flour and white sugar. Diets such as the Macrobiotic diet or a pure basic Ayurvedic diet should be assumed. Any foods that are not easily digested like meat, potatoes, wheat and tomatoes should be stopped. Foods such as kitcherie and mung soup should be emphasized.

I have heard much of the work of Swami Brahmanand Swamigal of Coimbatore in the field of cancer and it is a deep wish to spend time with him and gain insights into his approach. I know that his tradition is more heavily influenced from the Siddha Medicine tradition and thus makes heavy usage of mineral and metallic ashed medicines. In my heart I have a strong feeling to focus deeply on this area of Ayurveda/Siddha Medicine and I feel it will take me to the South of India where this tradition is still very much strong.

In conclusion cancer is considered in most cases a treatable and curable disease in Ayurveda, the mindset we have at present that it is a deadly and incurable disease should be rethought once a detailed understanding of how Ayurveda views the disease is seen.

Panchakarma is extremely useful as it aims to purify the body of aam and bring the doshas back into their correct functioning but it should be done under expert supervision in the case of cancer.

Thus I can say that as the world awakens more to the Ayurvedic medical system, we shall see that cancer is not the great apparition that we are presently having to believe but simply an expression that there is deep disharmony inside the body-mind-emotions and with a multi-fold ayurvedic treatment, harmony can be restored and the abnormal metabolism can be remedied from inside out.

The only side effects will be clarity, energy, stillness, digestive power, vitality and vigor. These qualities are more often than not lost or lacking in cancer patients.

THE MIRACLE OF GOLD

In ancient cultures gold was valued for it's profound spiritual and incredible medical effects. Perhaps one day we will remember the true value of gold and it will once again become an ambrosia that is shared by all for the goodness of the planet.

In Ayurveda and Siddha Medicine gold preparations are immensely valued for the powerful rejuvenating and life giving effects they have. I have long had a deep attraction to gold preparations and their usage. Recently I came across a French alchemist, living in India, who is preparing medicated gold in the original way, from nothing but sunlight.

Ayurveda considers gold to be related astrologically to the sun and also to be the condensed essence of the suns rays into substance. Pierre Munier is an alchemist of great note who is preparing potable gold preparations in Pune, near to Mumbai.

He has had many amazing results with these preparations and it is my feeling that this is an exciting area for further research.

Sadly in India today many metallic preparations are not prepared in the correct purity or method. Modern methods are used and the medicines bring limited results.

Pierre's production of metallic medicines is of exceptional purity and it will be an area of deep investigation in the near future.

>>> Continue to Part 2 of our January 2005 Newsletter >>>

JANUARY 2005 NEWSLETTER PART II

MUNG FASTING - A SIMPLE BODY CLEANING

Whilst studying at Ayushakti with it's amazing array of doctors, I attended many talks on diet and it's deep significance in restoring health. Green mung beans, when correctly prepared, are one of the most purifying and at the same time life-giving foods one can eat and a 10 day program has been created centered around eating just green mung for the most, as a powerful method to to clear the body of toxins and thus restore energy and power of digestion.

Having done the 10 day program and also put a number of people on it, I've seen enough personally to say that it's one of the best gifts you could ever give to yourself. It's not too difficult to follow, it just needs correct preparation but on doing it one begins to experience the difference between a body loaded with toxins and one free from them.

I strongly suggest people try the 10 day program and send me reports to talk2us[at]vedicsociety[dot]org. Anyone interested can click here for more details on the detox fast and its associated recipes.

Green Mung Bean Soup Recipe :

Soak some green mung beans overnight in pure water
Wash and drain then add pure water and cook on low heat for 30-45 minutes
Add bay leaf, a pinch of turmeric, a pinch of saffron and one black cardamom while simmering

Once the beans are soft (test by taking a bean between finger and thumb) :

Sautee in pure cow ghee :

some cumin sees
some coriander seeds
another pinch of saffron
a little crushed black pepper
five green cardamom pods
a little ajwan (wild celery seeds)
a pinch of hing (asafetida)
a little home made garam masala powder
a few sticks of cinnamon and a bay leaf
some freshly crushed garlic, ginger and onion

Sautee until spices get a golden look and garlic and onion is well toasted

Pour into mung soup

Add some black salt, a little ghee and some fresh coriander leafs (cilantro)

HOME REMEDIES

Home remedies are simple and effective ways to treat most diseases based on what you can find in your kitchen. The spices used in Indian food each warrant a medical treatise for their various medicinal effects, in fact various books have been written in India on cures based on what is in your pantry. Dr. Pankaj Naram and his wife have a vast knowledge of home remedies, and I have since 1999 had a deep interest in learning more about effective and simple home remedies. The beauty is that once you understand the basic principals of Ayurveda, anything can become a remedy of note.

Two of my favourite are roasted fennel and cumin seeds with a pinch of ajwan (wild celery) seeds eaten as a digestive when digestion is overtaxed. The other favourite of mine is gargling with hot water when there is nasal or sinus congestion. If you do this for 5 minutes or so you will see that the congestion that was, will be quickly cleared.

Home remedies are simple and effective and I'm constantly learning various new ones from doctors, some more effective than others.

This knowledge is very powerful and very universal and could save many unnecessary doctors visits if it was once again back in the home where it used to be in times bygone. It is our deep wish to research and revive global knowledge of home remedies for the health of all on earth.

We have an exciting online project to bring home remedies, back to the home planned in this regard for the next year and we will keep you posted on it's progress.

STHAPATYA VEDA - DESIGN THAT HEALS

"When we create a form on earth we are giving birth to a living space. Just as our bodies are living spaces for our consciousness, so a house, a town a temple all are embodiments of living space."

Vaastu Shastra is one of the missing links for creating harmonious life on earth as we know it today. It is the ancient Vedic science of space and form and how to create consciously a space that creates harmony within and without. When we look around at modern cities and houses, we see that although the constructions are practical and functional, they are lacking a fundamental spiritual understanding of creating harmonious space. In recent years a new awareness has sprung up of Feng Shui and of Vaastu Shastra as people are remembering the significance of a balanced and harmoniously created space for themselves and their lives. In my own path I spent many years researching and studying Feng Shui and then later Vaastu Shastra. Like most ancient sciences I felt what had for the most part been published and was being presented was fragmented and without much cohesion. I had a deep wish in my heart to find the source of this knowledge, little did I know that I would discover a spring of knowledge that had run continuously from generation to generation for more than 13,000 years from it's founder and forefather, a man known as Brahmarishi Mayan.

My search for the heart of Vaastu Science took me to Chennai, India where I was blessed to meet with Dr. V. Ganapathi Sthapathi, the modern father of what is more correctly called Sthaptya Veda. Sthapatya means to build or form matter in space-time and Veda means this knowledge is realized and also has the sole purpose of bringing people to self-harmony and subsequently self-realization. All Vedic knowledge has this central theme, from music to medicine, the application of these sciences is a direct watering of the roots of our inner selves as the fruits that result are a life of peace, harmony, service and vitality on earth.

The underlying scientific principals of Sthaptya Veda are profound and deal with a subtle physics of nature that is of a level not yet seen in today's modern laboratories. I set upon an adventure of learning these sciences and discovered that the deeper I went into this knowledge, the deeper I was journeying within my own heart. I was very blessed to spend some time in Dr. Sthapathi's house which had been built in accordance with Sthapatya Veda and directly experienced the amazing calm and clarity that came from being in such a space. Vast attention is paid to the exact layout of the building on a specific grid matrix (either 9 x 9 units or 8 x 8 units) and then within this grid creating a space of specific symmetrical proportions and dimensions that would sing a certain resonance that would subsequently resonate with the inhabitants in the space. In the Sthapatya Veda texts this is called Aayaadi and it is a profound subtle tuning of any building in a way that the building in itself becomes a song of subtle energetic sweet music that quells any stress within.

Dr. Sthapthi is strict and forthright in his application of the science, insisting that one must get it right from the beginning and thus alterations and rectifications are simply not acceptable. One must design and then create a space that has maximum harmony from the beginning. The benefits of dwelling or working in a Sthapatya Veda space are quite simply without measure and it was my realization and feeling that this science is a golden key for bringing harmony rapidly to many spheres of life on earth. With public or governmental buildings built for maximum harmony and coherence, one would see vast shifts in all levels of the society in no time.

STHAPATYA VEDA MODEL PRISON PROJECT

Recently while living in the Nepali Himalayas I conceived a project to produce a model prison in the USA using Sthpatya Veda design principals and then observing and documenting the effects on the rehabilitation of the prisoners. The concept was such that we should take the most extreme situations of social unrest and put them in a space where we are using the most extreme science of spatial harmony creation. Presently a friend of mine in LA, Juliann Jannus and I have started the preliminary planning and fundraising phases of such a project and when I meet with Dr. Sthapathi in the near future I will begin with the practical side of the project too.

Perhaps in a time bygone, prisons were not needed, like I had read in the reports of the ancient kingdom of Mithilal some centuries fore, but in the highly stressed world of today they are a reality and thus there is a vast window of opportunity to revive these ancient sciences and use them in a way that they can rapidly transform the society.

There are many other applications which came to mind which when the right infrastructure, team and resources are in place, can rapidly unfold. One such was to apply the principals of Sthapatya Veda to the low cost housing projects presently on the go in South Africa and other parts of the world. Generally it has been observed that low cost housing projects become rife with crime, alcoholism and social unrest. With just a slight alteration to the design of the project and no or little additional cost we could witness the effects of this science on a section of the society much in need of aid in every way. Sthapatya Veda principals work their magic from the macro (city or town) down to the micro (house or hut).

Our vision is to be part of creating models using Shtpatya Veda and use this as a powerful way to solving the perpetuating world troubles.

Anyone interested on supporting or being involved with our Sthapatya Veda model projects can contact us further below.

Contacts: Dr. V. Ganapathi Sthapathi and Associates
Web: http://www.vastuved.com E-mail: vastuved(at)md3.vsnl.net(dot)in

YAGYAS AND WORLD PEACE

Once of the least explored aspects of Vedic science are indeed Yagyas, from the outside they are ancient, systematic and scientifically performed rituals which combine fire, offering of fragrant and otherwise auspicious substances, sound (mantram) and also the use of auspicious astrological moments for their performances. Yagyas in their pure form have largely been lost though here and there one can find priests and pundits who are performing them correctly. Their effects on a subtle level are vast and very dramatic and in ancient times they would be used regularly by the rulers of a state to prevent calamities and obstacles and improve upon difficult situations when they arose. Combined with astrology it's a very powerful tool to subtly transform ones life and awareness and become more attuned with our inner nature.

When correctly performed a yagya can have dramatic effects on the direction and outcome of our individual expressions. The subject of yagyas has been a subject of great interest on my behalf and on my research through India and Nepal I have proceeded to learn more about them and also find out places where they can be authentically and powerfully performed. In this newsletter I will lay particular focus on Somayagyas, which are a rare, very mystical and ancient form of Yagya performed only by a handful of priests who still retain the tradition. Their effects are vast and dramatic and I feel they are one of the keys to transforming the world we are living in deeply and rapidly for the better.

SOMAYAGYA - THE MOTHER OF ALL

A year back I attended a rare Somayagya in Hyderabad which was being performed on the auspicious occasion of the 50th birthday of Sri Kantji Maharaj, the son of Param Satguru Gajanan Sri Maharaj, the man behind reviving Agnihotra and authentic Somayagyas in this day and age. Some weeks before the Somayagya I had visited Hyderabad and found the city exceptionally stressed and chaotic and I was initially reluctant to return there.

The ambience of the Yagya zone and it's surroundings during the yagya were noticeably more peaceful and I recall how there was quite a different feeling in the air after the yagya.

The Somayagya continued for some 10 days and during the process it was reported that there was a dramatic effect on the pollution. This has also been confirmed by an institute in Haridwar, India who did much research on the effects of Yagya on removing pollution and harmful radiation. Small yagyas effect a zone of a few kilometers around the area so the Somayagya with it's various large sized fire pits must have been having a dramatic effect.

Something very profound and wonderful happens within ones self during the Somayagya and as the ritual and procedure journeys through it's various layers, one feels a purification in various parts of ones mind and awareness. Friends I met there who had attended many Somayagyas reported the same.

I feel this is an area for much research as this technology could be used in a great way for planetary transformation. It needs to be supported, preserved and also applied throughout the world.

Contact: To find out about any future Somayagyas check the Vedic Society web site or contact Ashu at info(at)agnihotraindia(dot)com

THE SAINTS SPEAK OUT

At the end of 2004 I got to be involved with a very beautiful project called 'The Saints Speak Out' which is the brainchild of my dear friend Janet Attwood from Fairfield, Iowa. Janet's vision is to interview and gain reflections from the hearts of saints throughout the world and to use mainstream media such as television or internet to project this message for all. I immediately saw the wonderful potential of this project and realized that the nectar of wisdom that is buried in the east could be transmitted globally through this.

In Nepal we journeyed to meet a number of modern day saints and Janet interviewed them. Presently she is back in the USA and this project will be further unfolding later this year.

Anyone interested in Janet's amazing project can contact her directly on janet(at)stayinginlove(dot)com

VEDIC SOCIETY 2005 PROJECTS

In 2005 we will be devoting time to furthering research into a few areas. I will shortly be traveling to India and be meeting with certain key people to further my research and document key discoveries so that they may be taken further.

Below is a list of a few of the main points we will cover in the near future.

CANCER AND AYURVEDA

Having spent much time working with cancer patients with Dr. Udo Ehrenfeld in Germany, I am deeply inspired to find people working successfully with Ayurvedic treatments for cancer, I feel deeply that humanity need not look any further than Ayurveda for unraveling the cancer mystery. My main intention is to meet with and spend some time interviewing Swami Brahmanand Swamigal in Coimbatore who is a traditional Vaidya from an ancient lineage who has been working much and with much success in the field of cancer. The focus of his treatments are mainly of the Siddha tradition which makes extensive use of mineral and gem medicines. I am planning to meet with him in the unfolding months and I will post an article on this on the forthcoming Vedic Society web site.

AYURVEDIC DENTISTRY - A CONTINUATION OF RESEARCH

I am intending to travel to the remote reigns near to Raipur to meet with some traditional healers and discover more about an oil which is reportedly being used to arrest and reverse tooth decay. I mentioned earlier in this article that such a substance has been referred to in many times but only
in Raipur have I read reports and records of it having been in use in modern times.

THE WORLD PANCHAKARMA GUIDE

Later in the year I will begin working with a team of web programmers and volunteers on the World Panchakarma guide. It will initially be an online interactive resource profiling all available Panchakarma facilities worldwide and in service to those in need of treatments and specialized treatment. People will be able to gain an idea of prospective cost and times of treatments from the guide online. Later it will be made into a printed book and eBook.

HOMEREMEDIES.ORG

Homeremedies.org will be a multi-lingual global web portal which aims to inform people of the simplest and most powerful home remedies that can be used to keep them healthy. We will be compiling an online guide to home remedies that can be easily accessed and applied anywhere and anytime. This is a seva projects in the interests of true world health. The site will be developed by a team of web developers and volunteers and also involve collaborating with many prominent Vaidyas specialising in Home Remedies.

AYURVEDA AND EYE DISEASES

After meeting Dr. Prasad in the Sita Ram Ayurvedic hospital in Trichur, Kerala, I was inspired to learn more about specialized Ayurvedic treatments for eye diseases. Like the other areas I've chosen to focus time and energy upon, I feel there is a large gap open here for the enlightened knowledge of Ayurveda to fill. I will be meeting with further experts in this field in the course of my research and publishing the discoveries on the Vedic Society web site forthcoming.

TREATMENT OF SNAKE BITES WITH AYURVEDA

Growing up in South Africa, one has a constant awareness whilst walking in nature, of the existence of deadly snakes which cause many deaths each year on the African continent and in other parts of the world. Modern methods involve life support and such and can be useful in critical conditions but I had known from my early days with Ayurveda that there was a wealth of wisdom here untapped and it's an area I wish to focus some time and research onto in the near future.

Just recently I have received an invitation attend seminars and studies with a traditional Vaidya from Kerala in South India who has successfully treated over 600 snake bite victims.

I will reflect more in detail on this subject on the up and coming Vedic Society web site.

INDUS VALLEY RESEARCH

After being initiated into Sthapatya Veda studies, I have had a deep wish to visit the original Indus valley (in present day Pakistan) to make a detailed study of the use of Vaastu Shastra in the plans of Harrepa and Mohenjodaro. I feel this could unfold many keys into understanding these lost civilizations. I know that slowly as we discover more and more is excavated that the true greatness of these ancient cultures can be known. I have heard that alchemically solidified mercury had been found there too which shows an advanced knowledge of metallurgy and alchemy. My teacher Dr. Sthapathi has already commented that Vaastu principals were very much in plan in the design of these ancient towns and it is my wish to observe this and report upon it further.

CONCLUSION

This is just a taste of forthcoming work in 2005 and beyond. Besides this I am also devoting much of my time to the launch of a Vedic Books and Madanapalas, two online projects which will bring some of the best things from India to the world at large. I will send more news about this a little later this year.

MICRO PROJECTS NEPAL

Another area of our work is to recognize micro-projects we feel are doing something for the betterment of the world and to give them our support and access to our network and resources. Throughout the year there have been a number of projects that have caught our eye, some we have personally helped to start and others have already been established and we have tried to support them in any way we can. I will mention a few of note here.

TOIT - BHAKTAPUR NEPAL

Toit was founded by a single man named Indra Prasad, a citizen of Bhaktapur, in Nepal, not far from Kathmandu. Indra had the blessing of being sponsored by a friend from France to complete his education when the family he was born in was struggling much to meet costs. This deeply inspired Indra to do the same for his fellow countrymen and TOIT was born some years back starting with just a handful of educational scholarships and growing steadily to it's present total of 115 students. TOIT is working on a grassroots level at a fundamental need in Nepal which is education. The government is presently not in a position to provide optimal education and the society has many legacies where for example education for girls is emphasized less and also in remote or village areas.

I've seen TOIT's miracle and grace in action and a large amount if it is due to the sincerity, purity and dedication of Indra and his team. Anyone wishing to learn more about a NGO and it's unfolding should come spend a few months volunteering and working with TOIT. They are always open to receiving help and Indra is very much steering the TOIT ship in a way that any suggestions and assistance will be made use of.

Presently TOIT is planning to build it's own model school and the have raised a sum of EUR 6000 in start for this work. They are still seeking a further EUR 4000 and anyone out there who wishes to assist or has ideas for some overseas fundraising or 'Friends of TOIT' operations around the world, please get in touch directly with Indra.

Contact: Indra Prassad, E-mail: toit_org(at)ntc.net(dot)np

THE BHAKTAPUR AYURVEDIC SWEET WORKS - BHAKTAPUR NEPAL

Combining Ayurveda, social development and health awareness we have conceived and begun the first steps of a project named 'The Bhaktapur Ayurvedic Sweet Works'. The project is inspired by Ayurveda and also by helping the local society here in Nepal, particularly it's woman. As such we are producing handmade, completely natural and healthy sweets using local ingredients and traditional handed down recipes. Our first production was of sesame ladoos was made with pure sesame seeds, lightly roasted then cooked in jaggery (raw sugar) and ghee with a secret masala.

The aim is to produce a broad range of healthy Ayurvedic sweets that are available throughout Kathmandu and Nepal and even some products like small clay gift preparations of natural sweets will be available for export. The project is entirely manned by Nepali women from financially strained backgrounds, our first Ayurvedic cook is a single mother caring for two children.

All future profits from the project will go to TOIT and also other charity projects in Nepal.

For more information on the Bhaktapur Sweet Works contact TOIT: info(at)bhaktisweets(dot)org

THE HIMALAYAN COW RESCUE PROJECT - BHAKTAPUR NEPAL

Driving back from Kathmandu one night with some guests in a taxi I was shocked to discover a cow in the midst of the road that had been hit by a passing motorcyclist. We stopped to move her out of the road and then I proceeded to phone local police and hospitals to see if there was any facility to deal with such an emergency. It turned out that there was nothing and this became the seed to establish The Himalayan Rescue Cow Project. The project is still in conception phase but the persons who will be involved and managing the project have been identified.

Shortly after having the wish to do a cow rescue project for animals wounded either on the roads or otherwise, I met a very special vet named Kishore Shresta and his wife. Besides been devoted animal lovers, Kishore has a deep knowledge of Ayurveda (being the son of a renowned local Vaidya) and also has had the same deep wish to do something for cows that are injured on the roads. In the past months we've been looking for suitable land for establishing the project, my favour is to find a large enough land with sufficient grazing space to make the food requirements self sufficient. There will also be scope for research into Ayurvedic treatments for cows, especially in the field of broken bones and injuries. It is our wish to send someone to Kerala for specialized training in the management of breaks and fractures so this knowledge can be applied here. Mostly such cases result in limb amputations which are largely avoidable if proper herbal medicated treatments and facilities are available.

Our idea is that funds from the Bhaktapur Ayurvedic Sweet Works would be used for the initial impetus for the Himalayan Cow Rescue Project. If there are any animal lovers traveling to Nepal wishing to volunteer time on this exciting and unique project then please be in touch.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Should you feel inspired by our work there are a variety of ways you can assist us. If you wish to volunteer on any of our projects and feel you would be able to carry them further with your time and skills then please be in touch. We are also very happy to receive any financial support or donations of equipment and you can contact donations(at)vedicsociety(dot)org for information about donating in support of our work or any of the micro-projects. Our wish is to serve the world we are living in and make it a better place, with your support we can do this more. Please share our work with all your feel might benefit and if you have any questions please contact us below.

"When you are inspired by some great purpose,
some extraordinary project,
all your thoughts break their bonds.
Your mind transcends limitations,
your consciousness expands in every direction,
and you find yourself in a new, great and wonderful world.
Dormant forces, faculties and talents become alive,
and you discover yourself to be a greater person by far
than you ever dreamed yourself to be."

--- Patanjali

<<< Back to Part I of our January 2005 Newsletter <<<

AYURVEDA

Ayurveda is a treasure to all mankind, it offers us a path to health that is available for all who truly seek it. India's ancient sages such as Charaka described a complete science of life and health. True health was an expression of happiness, unbounded energy, vitality and joy, this is the gift of Ayurveda and those who heed it can live life to it's fullest expression. At Vedic Society we treasure this knowledge, it's great ancient teachers and the many wonderful people working with it today to cary this flame of health and longevity. We have a number of projects working with Ayurveda to help bring it's healing and wisdom to all upon the planet.

Our Ayurvedic projects:

Madanapalas

Madanapalas was born out of a prayer and vision to make the finest of Ayurveda available to anyone, anywhere on the planet, not just those in localities with an Ayurvedic centre. King Madana was an ancient King who wrote a guidebook for all beings on living a healthy, happy life based on the principals of Ayurveda. Inspired by his wish to see all people live in perfect health, we created an online store where we have sourced the finest of Ayurveda and made it available affordably to all people. All manners of disease can be treated and we have an expert Ayurvedic doctor available for online consultations to guide the best remedies for each particular case. Now anyone, anywhere can receive Ayurvedic healing.

Visit Madanapalas online: http://www.madanapalas.com

Please note all profits from Madanapalas go towards Vedic Society projects worldwide.

Home Remedies

Home remedies have been used for thousands of years to prevent and treat disease. Only in recent history has this profound knowledge waned amongst modern society. Ayurvedic home remedies can be used to treat most conditions from minor to acute. Vedic Society has researched Ayurvedic home remedies for a number of years with many well known doctors who have in turn seen these working on thousands of patients. We are presently developing a web site called homeremedies.org which will be a global platform for home remedies. It will offer an instant, interactive guide for anyone out there in need of a home remedy and will also allow for feedback and suggestions from the public. The site will be ready and go live in 2007.

Ayurveda for Animals

Ayurveda has long had specialists in natural animal medicine, even in Sanskrit there are special titles for doctors of Cows, Elephants, Horses and other animals indicating a specific branch of Ayurvedic speciality. The same medicines that remove disease through balance and purification in humans work in animals under the same universal principals of nature. At Vedic Society it is our wish to make Ayurveda available for animals worldwide through our online Ayurvedic project Madanapalas (named of an ancient benevolent king of ancient India). We have an entire section devoted to Ayurvedic medicines for animals at Madanapalas. We are also in the process of establishing an animal rescue project in Nepal and it will be under the expert guidence of an Ayurvedic Vet who will be using Ayurvedic preparations to treat the injured and infirm animals.

Ayurvedic Research

We are constantly conducting research into Ayurveda. A synopsis of the work can be read about here and in our articles pages you can find various articles on ther subject. Ayurveda is a vast subject with so many areas still not commonly known. Did you know that Ayuveda has an entire branch for managing poisonous snake bites with no side-effects or damage to the patient? There are just a few traditional practitioners still practicing this and we wish to help to preserve such knowledge.

If you feel inspired by our work, have a skill to volunteer or would like to support us in any way please feel free.

GALLERY

Some selected pictures from our research, travels and projects. Enjoy.

Pariament of World's Religions (1999):

Working with Janet Attwood on her amazing Saints documentary:

Yagya for Peace in Cape Town (2006):

Vedic Society Ayurvedic Cooking Courses:

Soma Yagya (Hyderabad):

Vedic Society Nepal Ayurvedic Cook:

Agnihotra in the UK:

AUDIO RECORDINGS

Ayurveda

Introduction to Ayurveda - Dr. Jaya Krishnan [ MP3 ]

Dr. Jayakrishnan is presently the chief medical officer of the Arya Vaidya Chikitsalayam hospital in Chennai. He has served as professor of Coimbatore Ayurveda College and Sri Jayendra Saraswati Ayurveda College in Chennai. He is a renowned physician and teaches and practices Ayurveda in its original essence keeping true to its consciousness base and spiritual roots.

Introduction to Ayurveda - Dr. Vijay Mital [ MP3 ]

Listen to Dr. Vijay introduce the basic principals of Ayurveda in his beautiful and eloquent way of speaking. Dr. Vijay has a BAMS (Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine) and a special qualification in Naturopathy too. He has a special passion for plants.

Vaastu

Vaastu - Creating Healing Space - Vimal Jhajharia [ MP3 ]

Vimal is a world renowned expert on Vaastu. Listen to him cover the basic principals of Vaastu and explain it's deepest secrets in a simple and profound way. Vimal lives in India and travels worldwide to help people harmonise their space.

Vedanta

Festival of Happiness (Part I) - Swami Suddhananda [ MP3 ]

Festival of Happiness (Part II) - Swami Suddhananda [ MP3 ]

Festival of Happiness (Part III) - Swami Suddhananda [ MP3 ]

Swami Suddhananda is one of India's great teachers of self-knowledge, the path to knowing our real nature, real purpose and real destination. His words weave us on a journey to reflect, ponder and re-consider our purpose, our nature our very existence. Ultimately they lead to happiness, bliss, our true nature. Vedanta is the Vedic philosophy of life, how to live, how to be, who we are, where we come from, where we are going. What is the soul, what is the nature of our very being, our very essence. Come sit quietly and listen to a true master teach. Recorded in Cape Town at Swamiji's visit to our centre.

Please visit Swami Suddhananda’s website: Suddhananda Foundation for Self - Knowledge

Genetically Engineered Foods

You're Eating What? - Jeffrey M. Smith [ MP3 ]

You’re Eating What? Stop Eating Genetically Engineered Foods!

Presentation before a live audience by Jeffrey M. Smith, author of the world’s best selling critique on genetically engineered foods, 'Seeds of Deception'.

Find out what the biotech industry doesn’t want you to know. Scientists were offered bribes or threatened. Data was omitted, distorted, or stolen. Government employees who complained were harassed, stripped of responsibilities, or fired; their warnings ignored by officials with ties to the industry.Sounds like fiction? Wish it were. We eat genetically engineered foods every day. Are they responsible for increased allergies, skin, respiratory, and intestinal reactions, the recent doubling of food related illnesses, or other serious diseases? Should we be concerned that laboratory and farm animals developed stomach lesions, excessive cell growth, damaged immune systems, sterility, stunted organs, abnormal blood and liver cells, and higher death rates? Find out and learn to protect yourself.

Please visit his website for more information on Genetically Modified (GM) Foods at http://www.seedsofdeception.com/

PRAYERS FOR WORLD PEACE

Prayers for Word Peace from around the world:

Prayer for Peace:

Devi Prapannartihare Praseeda

Praseeda Matarjagato Akhilsya

Praseeda Viswesweri Pahi Vishwam

Twameeshwari Devi Charcharsya

Heart Lotus Mantra:

Hreet Pundareek Madhyastham

Pratah Surya Sam Prabham

Pashankus Dharam Saumyam

Varadabhaya Hastakam

Trinatram Raktan Va Sanam

Bhakta Kam Dudham Bhaje

This is the sum of all the scriptures

There is no sight equal to learning, no austerity equal to truthfulness, no misery like passion, and no happiness equal to following the ideal of renunciation.
The secret meaning of the Vedas is truth; of truth, self-control; of self-control, freedom from all limitations. This is the sum of all the scriptures.
Purity of conduct is the greatest purity. To think of God continuously, to worship Him, to chant His name and sing His praises – this is the best way of attaining the highest good.
The Mahabharata

Make me so pure and strong
Lord make me so pure and strong
That all creatures may look upon me
With friendship.
And may I also look upon all creatures
with friendship.

Yajur Veda

Truth is one; sages call it by various names
Truth is one; sages call it by various names.
There is one God, one absolute Truth, and one Existence.
People of different countries worship the one God under various names and in different forms.
Each of these names and forms is a face of the Infinite, and is one with the Infinite.

-Srimad Bhagavatam

Home of the spirit
Even as river springs from different sources,
yet mingle in the ocean,
So all the Vedas, all scriptures, all truth,
though of diverse origin, come home to Thee.

-Srimad Bhagavatam

May we be united in heart
May we be united in heart
May we be united in speech
May we be united in mind
May we be united in duties
As did the wise men of old
May we be united in prayer
May we be united in goal
May we be united in resolve
May we be united in understanding
May we be united in offering
May we be united in hearts
May we be united in thoughts
May there be perfect unity amongst us.

-Rig Veda

Study and teaching of the Vedas
Pleasant indeed are the study and teaching of the Vedas!
He who engages in these things attains to concentration of mind,
And is no longer a slave to his passions;
Devout, self-controlled, cultivated in spirit,
He rises to fame and is a blessing to mankind.

-Satapatha Brahmana

The Infinite
As rivers flow into the sea and in doing so lose name and form,
even so the wise man, freed from name and form, attains the Supreme Being,
the Self-luminous, the Infinite

-Mundaka Upanishad

May my speech be one
May my speech be one with my mind,
and may my mind be one with my speech.
O thou self-luminous Brahman,
remove the veil of ignorance from before me,
that I may behold thy light.
Do thou reveal to me the spirit of the scriptures.
May the truth of the scriptures be ever present to me.
May I seek day and night to realize what I learn from the sages.
May I speak the truth of Brahman.
May I speak the truth.
May it protect me.
May it protect my teacher.
Om.. peace –peace – peace

-Aitareya Upanishad

None beholds Him with eyes
None beholds Him with the eyes,
for He is without visible form.
Yet in the heart is He revealed
through self-control and meditation.
Those who know Him become immortal.
When all the senses are stilled,when the mind is at rest,
when the intellect wavers not-then is known, say the wise, the highest state.
The calm of the senses and the mind has been defined as Yoga.
He who attains it is freed from delusion.
-Katha Upanishad

The good and the pleasant
The good is one thing; the pleasant is another.
These two, differing in their ends, both prompt to action.
Blessed are they that choose the good; they that choose the pleasant miss the goal.
Both the good and the pleasant present themselves to men.
The wise, having examined both, distinguish the one from the other.
The wise prefer the good to the pleasant;
the foolish, driven by desires of the flesh,
prefer the pleasant to the good.

-Katha Upanishad

City of Brahman
Within the city of Brahman, which is the body, there is the heart,
and within the heart there is a little house.
This house has the shape of a lotus, and within it dwells that which
is to be sought after, inquired about, and realized.
What then is that which, dwelling within this little house, this lotus
of the heart, is to be sought after, inquired about, and realized?
As large as the universe outside, even so large
is the universe within the lotus of the heart.
Within it are heaven and earth, the sun, the moon,
the lightning, and all the stars.
What is in the macrocosm is in this microcosm.
All things that exist, all beings and all desires,
are in the city of Brahman;
what then becomes of them when old age approaches
and the body dissolves in death?
Though old age comes to the body,
the lotus of the heart does not grow old.
At death of the body, it does not die.
The lotus of the heart, where Brahman exists in all His glory –
that and not the body, is the true city of Brahman.
Brahman, dwelling therein, is untouched by any deed,
ageless, deathless, free from grief,
free from hunger and from thirst.
His desires are right desires,
and His desires are fulfilled.
As here on earth all the wealth that one earns is but transitory,
so likewise, transitory are the heavenly enjoyments
acquired by the performance of sacrifices.
Therefore, those who die without having realized the Self
and its right desires find no permanent happiness
in any world to which they go;
while those who have realized the Self and its right desires
find permanent happiness everywhere.

-Chandogya Upanishad

That which is good
Om
With our ears may we hear what is good.
With our eyes may we behold thy righteousness.
Tranquil in body, may we who worship thee find rest.
Om… Hail to the Supreme Self!

-Mundaka Upanishad

Sri Krishna to Uddhava
He indeed is rich who is rich in virtues
Calmness is a steady flow of the mind toward God.
Self-restraint is control of the organs of sense.
Patience is bearing the burden of life cheerfully.
Steadiness is overcoming the palate and the impulse of sex.
The highest charity is refraining from violence.
Austerity is the giving up of desire.
Valour is the conquest of one’s own self.
To know the truth is to see the oneness of the Self with God.
Truthfulness is true and agreeable speech
as exemplified by the sages
Purity is nonattachment to work.
Renunciation is overcoming the world.
Virtue is the treasure that men covet.
I, the Supreme Lord, am the sacrifice.
The greatest gift is the gift of knowledge.
The greatest strength is the control of prana.
Fortunate is he who meditates on My divine powers.
The highest profit is in devotion to Me.
Wisdom is removing false ideas of multiplicity
and realizing the unity of the Self.
Modesty is abhorrence of evil deeds.
Excellence of character arises from disregard of worldly considerations.
Happiness is the transcending of both pleasure and pain.
Misery is hankering after pleasures of sense.
Learned is he who discriminates between bondage and freedom.
Ignorant is he who identifies himself with the body.
The right path is that which leads to Me.
The wrong path is that which causes restlessness of the mind.
Heaven is the domination of sattva in the mind.
Hell is the predominance of tamas.
The teacher who has realised his oneness with Me is the true friend./pr>
He indeed is rich who is rich in virtues.
Poor is he who is discontented.
Mean is he who is not master of his senses.
Godly is he who is not attached to objects of sense.
Divine is he who has overcome both good and evil.

-Srimad Bhagavatam

Please feel free to send prayers for world peace, both ancient and modern to our webmaster and we will be glad to publish.

GLOBAL CONTACTS

Global contacts of conscious projects related to our work. Find out where to have your next Panchakarma, where to find Agnihotra friends in India, who to consult before marrying to see the stars. This is an independant growing list published by Vedic Society and friends.

AGNIHOTRA
Spain:

For supply of dry dung in Spain:

Contact Person: Joaquín López
Email: joloe[at]hotmail[dot]com
Phone: (+34) 639 62 49 69

India:

Institute for Studies in Vedic Sciences
Shivpuri, Akkalkot - 413216
Dist : Solapur; Maharashtra
INDIA
Phone : 0091-2181-220708

Speak with Mr. Anna Wale. Amazingly beautiful ashrama run by simple selfless people devoted to purifying through Agnihotra. Food is wonderful. There's a beautiful Panchakarma clinic there where medicines are made incorporating Agnihotra ash. This is the place where the father of Agnihotra (Param Satguru Shree Gajanan Maharaj) had resided. Shree Puruchottamji Rajimwale, son of Shree Kant Maharaj is presently residing there. A wonderful warm caring place.

http://www.shivpuri.org/

http://www.agnihotraindia.com/

MEDITATION

Worldwide:

http://www.tm.org/

TM is a simple ancient effortless technique to trancend the waking, sleeping, dreaming states of the mind and reach the fourth state of the mind, the trancendental state. It is effortless and works on all ages from children to the infirm. Awareness, consciousness, enlightenment come all from allowing the physiology to rest deeply into this state of awareness which is the source of all. So much research has been done on the health benifits of TM.

AYURVEDA
Ireland

Maharishi Ayurveda available in Ireland by Dr Donn Brennan.

A Maharishi Ayurveda consultation offers you the chance to learn more about the nature of your mind/body and how to promote good health and prevent disease. Consultations include pulse diagnosis to determine specific imbalances, recommendations for diet, digestion, herbal food supplements, exercise, daily and seasonal routines and general guidelines for good health based on your individual physiology.

Dr Donn Brennan is the founding President of the Ayurvedic Practitioners Association in the United Kindgdom, which is the representative body of Ayurvedic practitioners and is currently assisting in government proposals for regulating the standards and practise of Ayurveda in the UK. He is also a director of the European Herbal Practitioners Association. http://www.ayurveda.ie

India

Swami Brahmananda Swamigal was a great Siddha-Ayurveda practitioner specializing in the treatment of all cancers. He was featured in the well known documentary on Ayurveda called 'Ayurveda - Art of Being'. His son now continues his work.

Dr. Nityanandam (son of the late Brahmananda Swamigalji)
91 + 422 + 2313188
91 + 422 + 2574719
91 + 9443189083 (mobile)

India

Sree Sankara Group Ayurveda Hospitals

Sree Sankara Ayurveda hospital situated at Changanacherry, Delhi, Goa, Kochi, Trivandrum and Khajuraho serve the humanity round the globe by rendering the know how of the unique health science, the ancient Indian system of medicine Ayurveda.

Chronic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, paralysis, facial palsy, multiple sclerosis, ankylosing spondylitis, various brain and spine disease, and debilitating ailments are carefully and successfully treated in these hospitals. Service of qualified, experienced and skilful doctors made available round the clock. All kinds of treatments including panchakarma and Kerala specialties are systematically and attentively carried out.

http://www.sreesankara.com

U.S.A

Vaidya Rama Kant Mishra
Ayurvedic general health practitioner as well as dermatologist, product formulator, researcher and educator, Vaidya Rama Kant Mishra was born into a family of Raj Vaidyas that boast of a 5000-year-old History of healing - the familial lineage is mentioned in the ancient Vedic text, the Puranas.

How to reach Vaidya Mishra
Web: http://vaidyamishra.com/
by Telephone: 1-888-9-SHAKTI
by e-mail: contact(at)vaidyamishra(dot)com

Vaidya Mishra's East Coast contact info
Call James Pace: 1-732-235-1446
by e-mail: Csjp22(at)aol(dot)com

United Kingdom

Dr. Raghunandan Sharma M.D.(Ayurved) from jamnagar.

His contact details:

Address: 110,RUTLAND ROAD.SOUTHALL.MIDDLESEX. UB1 2XS
Phone: 0044-2085783780 / 0044 7737074821
Email: ayurplanet(at)gmail(dot)com

AYURVEDIC EYE SPECIALITY CENTRES IN INDIA

1. Sreedhareeyam: Ayurvedic Eye Hospital & Research Centre

Address: P.B. No.25, Koothattukulam, Ernakulam District, Kerala, India
Phone: +91 4852253007, Fax: 0485 2250880
Website: www.sreedhareeyam.com/
E-mail: sreedhareeya(at)yahoo(dot)com

2. Poonthotham

Chief Physician : Dr.PMS Raveendranath

Address: Poonthottam Ayurvedasram. PO Kulakkad Palakad dt. Kerala, India. 679503.
Phone: + 91 0466 2285934, 2285935.
Mobile: +91 09847905934
e-mail: poonthottam(at)sancharnet(dot)in
Web address: www.poonthottam.org/index1.htm

3. Sathye Eye Research Institute

Sathye Eye Hospital

Contact Doctor: Dr. S..M. Sathye
Address: 244,Narayan Peth,Laxmi Road Pune Pune, Maharashtra, INDIA PIN-411 030
Phone: (020) – 4459186
Fax: 020-445 9186
Web address: www.seekandsource.com/sathyeeyehospital

PANCHAKARMA

India

Dr Franklin’s Panchakarma Institute & Research Centre

DR. V. FRANKLIN, who is the Chief Medical Officer, fully qualified in the field. Hailing from a family of 400 years traditional background. He was formerly District Medical Officer of Kerala Government in the Ayurveda System of Medicine. He was working in this field for the last 35 years and he got very good experience in ‘Panchakarma’ for foreigners and had given Consultation and seminars in almost all-foreign countries The institution located at Chowara, 21 km from Trivandrum Air Port.

Chowara P.O.Thiruvananthapuram
Kerala, S.India, Pin-695501
Tel:+91-471-2480870,2267974,2268071
Fax:+91-471-2267670, Tel/Fax:2480870

e-mail:franklin(at)dr-franklin(dot)com or drfranklin(at)eth(dot)net

Website: http://www.dr-franklin.com

VAASTU

India

Dr. V. Ganapathi Sthapathi, the modern father of what is more correctly called Sthaptya Veda. Sthapatya means to build or form matter in space-time and Veda means this knowledge is realized and also has the sole purpose of bringing people to self-harmony and subsequently self-realization.

Dr. Sthapthi is a wonder and genius of his subject as well as being strict and forthright in his application of the science, insisting that one must get it right from the beginning and thus alterations and rectifications are simply not acceptable. One must design and then create a space that has maximum harmony from the beginning.

Tel:91 + 4885-222-6854

Mobile: 91 + 9447-720-1654

Email: kanipayur(at)sancharnet(dot)in

GEM THERAPY

U.S.A. / World

At the Vedic Cultural Fellowship they provide untreated jyotish gems for astrological uses (wearing externally on the body) and have gone even further by merging this ancient gemstone knowledge of healing and modern day technology together to produce the Gemstone Healing Lamps, the most sophisticated gem treatment, to our knowledge, being used in the world today.

http://www.vedicworld.org/

JYOTISH

India / World

Pandit Sanjay Rath

Sanjay Rath belongs to a traditional family of astrologers from Bira Balabhadrapur Sasan village of Puri, Orissa, who trace their lineage back to Shri Achyuta Das (Sri Achyutananda). Sanjay studied under his uncle, late Pandit Kasinath Rath. His grandfather, the late Pandit Jagannath Rath, was the Jyotish Ratna of Orissa and authored many books on Jyotish. He began his studies at a tender age, and received the depth of Jyotish only found among those who have been trained in the ancient traditional way of the parampara. He later became a graduate of mechanical engineering and worked for some time with the Government of India. Leaving government service to devote himself completely to Jyotisha, he has the depth of the ancient knowledge with the ability to communicate it to the modern mind.

He uses Brihat Parasara Hora Shastra, Jaimini Upadesa Sutras, Brihat Jataka and Saravali as the foundations of Jyotisha and teaches from various other Jyotish scripture and sacred literature such as the Bhagavad Gita, Upanisads, Puranas, etc. Few are able to grasp Sanjay's broad and deep approach, and only the advanced astrologer is truly able to appreciate it. His teachings show the underlying factors of why the principles of astrology work. His teaching and writings span across various schools of thought, although not creating his own brand of astrology, which is wholistic and gets to the heart of the ancient Jyotisha scriptures. He is a strict follower of the teachings of the ancient seers and is also keen for research and further development of the subject.

He gives his students the clarity of vision of the eye of the Vedas and his works are filling the void of advanced teachings and raising the standards in the astrological world. To promote the teachings of his parampara he has formed the Shri Jagannath Center where his advanced students are helping to spread Jyotisha in a way that keeps its spiritual roots. Students learn not only about Jyotisha, but also mantra shastra, mudra, pranayama, meditation, and the Sanatana Dharma.

He is presently working on translating the ancient Jyotish scriptures according to his deep understanding of their meaning that has been given to him through the grace of his parampara.

Visit his website at: http://www.srath.com/

THE ART OF LIVING

Worldwide

Through out our lives we learn many skills reading, writing, science, music and art but very few of us have actually learnt the true Art of Living. We are rarely taught how to handle our negative emotions - anger, depression, stress. Yet, the quality of our life depends upon the quality of our mind.

The Art of Living courses offer simple but effective techniques which eliminate toxins and stresses that accumulate in our systems over time. They are a unique way to harmonize and energize the Body, Breath, Mind, Emotions & Spirit.

Developed by H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, these courses offer simple and effective techniques for eliminating stress, resolving conflict, improving health and living life with new joy and enthusiasm - A combination of the very best of ancient wisdom and modern science.

http://www.artofliving.org

AYURVEDIC HOME REMEDIES

Within the home, Ayurveda provides for numerous self-help remedies that use easily available household ingredients. Unlike modern medicines that greatly weaken the system, Ayurvedic potions strengthen one’s immunity by aiding the body in fighting and preventing disease. In addition to being readily accessible and low on cost, these remedies provide the added advantage of having no side effects. For this reason the following measurements need not be precise, as taking more or less of any particular ingredient would not harm the body in any way.

Purifying Breast Milk
Take Ajwan (wild celery seed) as a tea or with hot organic milk. Ajwan is easily available in Indian spice stores.

Blood thinning
Lime juice taken with hot water or fresh ginger taken as a tea

Aiding Celibacy
Corriander tea (roast and grind corriander seeds) is very good for balancing and transforming sexual energy.

It also purifies the genital-urinary tract and transforms shukra (semen) to ojas.

Diuretic
Corriander

Cleaning Wounds
Neem

Natural external deodorant
Sandalwood powder or oil

Reduce weight
Guggulu

Cleanses meda dhatu.

Diahhrea
Pommogranite juice taken 3-4 times daily (1 cup)

To stimulate digestion
Take hot freshly grated ginger water after meals. Take a pinch of fresh ginger with black salt and lime juice before meals

Pollen allergy
Take fresh corriander juice and drink it frequently. Take basil leafs and black pepper corns, chew and take warm water afterwards

Anger and Frustration
Apply ghee to the temples. Drink the juice of raisens (soaked in water overnight). Soak and then blend into a juice.

Anxiety and Fear
Apply ghee to the temples. Prepare a tea of cumin seeds, fennel seeds, rose petals, corriander seeds, jaggery. Boil, cool and drink.

Arthritis
Take 1tsp fenugreek (methi) seeds with hot water in the evening before bedtime. Swallow the seeds, do not chew it.

Asthma
Fresh ginger juice can be used to manage an asthma attack. It is strong and pungent but will help open the chest.

Toothache
Place a clove near the painful tooth and surrounding area. Clove has antiseptic properties that will decrease the chances of infection.

Minor Burns
A paste made of turmeric powder and water, applied locally, provides instant relief to a burn injury.

Nausea
Add the juice of 1 lemon or lime to ½ glass of soda water and sip in small doses.

Stomach Pains
To relieve indigestion-related abdominal pains consume one spoonful of extracted ginger juice, mixed in ½ a spoonful of ghee.

Mouth Ulcers
A few drops coconut oil applied locally alternatively chewing on a piece of grated coconut is very beneficial for this condition.

Home remedies using Amla:

Piles
Take cream top of yoghurt with wild amla juice or powder with cream top of yoghurt twice a day.

White Femal Vaginal Discharge (Leucorea)
1g Amla with 1 tsp honey and 1 tsp crystal sugar mixed together.

Fever
Amla with crystal sugar

Internal Bleeding (Rakta Pitta)
Wild Amla with Honey

Hiccup
Wild Amla powder with Pippali (or black pepper). 1g Amla, 3-4 pinches of Pippali.

Slow and Burning Urination
Juice of Amla

Dry Cough
Amla taken in a little ghee (liquify the ghee)

Diabetes
Amla and Turmeric

Many more coming soon...

PASSION TEST GIVEAWAY

Our ancient Sages placed so much emphasis on living a life doing something that we loved and enjoyed in order to have a happy and healthy life. Janet and Chris's book is a breath of fresh air as they tell their stories of how they came to live their passions and teach us how. When doing something you love and beleive in, nature supports you and you fall in love with life...everyday!
At Vedic Society, our passion is to bring healing wisdom to the world. We are working with the ancient eternal wisdom of India's great sages which has laid the foundation for so much knowledge that is emmerging today. We are passionate about Ayurveda, Yoga, Vaastu, Healing, we love working with a knowledge that is so practical, so simple and so true.
"The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others." - Mahatma Gandhi

We're delighted to share with Passion Test readers 3 special gifts which we hope will help them on their journey to discover their destiny.
Gift #1 - A Vedic Society eBook on Creating Conscious Office Spaces!
Download your free e-Book now and transform your workspace now!
Gift #2 - A Vedic Books $5 Gift Voucher

Vedic Books is our online bookstore that sources conscious literature and makes it easliy available to all around the world. To date we have sent books to 54 countries and hundreds of people have been able to access the profound teasure of written literature on Vedic subjects. The store is a treasurehouse of rare and specialised titles on Ayurveda, Vedic Astrology, Vaastu, Philosophy, World Religions and so much more. We have hand-picked each title with the question "Will this book make the world a better, wiser, more happy place.". >>> <<<
You can use your voucher against any purchase from Vedic Books. Please note your voucher has a limited window period of usage before it expires.
Gift #3 - A Madanapalas $5 Gift Voucher

MARTIN'S WRITINGS FROM INDIA

Martin is the visionary behind Vedic Society. Inspired by the simple, effective and timeless wisdom of India's Vedic Culture, he has set out to make this knowledge more available and accessible to all through the works of the organization. He has traveled extensively and spent much time in both India and Nepal meeting likeminded people working with Vedic wisdom and has had the honour of meeting many a great teacher.

Martin is presently traveling through India and Nepal. As he travels he will touching base with news of his experiences and discoveries. Here follows his news from those travels.

108 Hours in Bombay

It's amazing what is happening in India, something quite incredible and special. I was last here almost a year and a half back and it seems like I am in the same country but something dramatic is changing. As I arrive in Mumbai airport the old airport which was a classical grey-green government bureaucrat design has been replaced by a new bright design with the department of immigration officials dressed in splashy uniforms with a beautiful, bold and proud new logo displayed everywhere. In the backdrop I note an advert for wind energy and as I step out into the salubrious Mumbai evening, just past midnight our government prepaid taxi, the famous black and yellow Bombay cabs, is powered by natural gas. We quickly pull into a gas station and the smell of cooking gas fills the air as he puts in a few litres.

We speed through the Bombay night to Juhu, besides the Indian ocean with coconut palms hanging in the morning air. I adjust my clock to India and realize it's rather late and lay my head to rest and dream of wonders.

Awake in Bombay, the eve of Diwali and I begin my journey with a friendly taxi driver and pull in to the local temple where I offer my prayers and blessings on my visit so all may be successful and this journey may bear fruits for this world. Mumbai traffic is a lesson in patience and surrender and as I sit in the bubble of modern air-conditioned vehicle with filtered air I enjoy the movie of India through the windscreen, the beautiful signs of god everywhere on every car, window shop. One can't forget God for long in this land India, Rama Cell Shack, Sri Gopal Trucking, Govinda's Fine Vegetarian Cuisine.

Yes vegetarian cuisine everywhere, one wonders how one (being a long term vegetarian) could ever consider living in a non-vegetarian country. Even on the flight South African Airways very politely catered pure Indian vegetarian food which I might add was quite delicious. Generally airline food is not this fresh but the curry seemed to blend even better at the pressurised 33,000 feet. Perhaps curry was made in the high Himalayas and suited our avionic altitudes.

Besides me on the plan was a man named Raj from east Delhi. He came from a religious family living simple and pure life and he was going home for Diwali, the festival of light and lights, co-incidentally falling on the darkest moon of the year.

The light of Diwali is the light of our soul that we all carry within our hearts, it is always there, just the stresses of the choices we make and the toils of this world obscure this light. On Diwali we light ghee lamps and set the whole world alight so our mind can remember our souls light. Today I can feel the lamps of the millions of Indians who have lit lamps silently and with prayer in their homes. There’s a special softness in the air that I don't recall from anywhere.

Let there be light, and let the light of our souls fill this world for when this light shines we live in knowledge, peace and bliss. This is the lesson India, this seemingly chaotic society, culminating in it's jams and struggles and dark unlit streets, can teach this world of ours. That one billion people can live peacefully in harmony and with sharing.

We drive past a community of apartments, India is filled with people from the same religious caste living in a building, doing things collectively, serving and helping one other. A true spirit of community and help is here and alive today. Families stick together, look after each other, mothers with newborn’s are not stranded alone but there is family and community around. So children grow up without that emptiness or need for constant distraction as we often experience in the west.

Today everyone is shopping so the streets are truly jammed, Diwali is a festival of giving gifts of sweets. On my errands and meetings today I made a point to visit my favourite sweet wallah in Malad West and get natural sugar free sweets made with raisons and silver and nuts and spice. A delicacy indeed!

In no time we are stuck behind the local milk delivery truck, brash in red with a sweet sign in white pained saying HORN OK Please and then milk delivery van. Four large tubs of milk are bouncing around overflowing with sweet white nectar.

My driver is patient and skilled and we take back roads to our destination to avoid the jam. I close my eyes to meditate enjoying the cool Himalayanesque breezes from the AC vent.

Only to open my eyes and we pass a fruit vendor. I discover papayas are in season. Aren't they always and fill up with some Indian Papita. Great snack for anytime as it's digestive itself so can be eaten comfortably at most times.

Just after lunch we arrive at Sree Sankara Centre for Ayurveda Consciousness, not far from the International airport situated in what looks like any other office block but surrounded with much greenery.

I am met with a large garland which makes me duly blush and a team of manager, doctor and therapists and full keralian moustaches and smiles. Only the Keralias have mastered the art of the moustache and smiles like none other.

Instantaneously I am transformed into a world of Suddha or pure Ayurveda. Shree Shankara is a century old tradition from a keralian family which I have been honoured to associate with most recently having one of the members of this family as my honoured guest in South Africa. I was moved by their purity of preparations and the amazing sincerity of their therapists and doctors when I visited their clinic some years back in new Delhi and thus in my search for the roots of Ayurveda and proponents of Ayurveda that could sincerely do good in this world, I have connected with them.

I was instantly at home. Ayurveda opens the heart and this is the test of true Ayurveda. In no time I was eating red rice with buttermilk and gentle keralian steamed curries and then on the droni (a droni is a medicinal wooden table used for ayurvedic treatments - it is usually a bitter and astringant wood which aids the healing effect of treatments as it mixes with the medicinal oils). I was chosen a rejuvantive oil based on Camphor for my body and an Amla (Indian Gooseberry) based oil for my head. For the next hours I soared in and out of no-mind consciousness, no thoughts, just pure being and stillness as the massage allowed energy to unblock and flow through my body. After the treatment any signs of travel tiredness or jetlag were gone. I then drank a bitterish ten root brew which was further for balancing and grounding.

Within this world of Bombay a city that is a constant cinema and dance of scenes there are so many worlds, so many hearts, so many prayers and pujas. Especially this bright dark night of Diwali where all pray for more light in this world. Ayurveda is a gift of light, it clears our body and mind so our light may shine so we may be the little suns we are.

May the light of the soul shine strong in all on earth.

Martin Gluckman
Bombay, Diwali 2006

An Indian Sweet

I've recently learnt that chocolate is the most Divine annupana (annupana is the name given to the vehicle given with a particular medicine in Ayurveda to enhance it's effect). Chocolate with a classical formulae like triphala seems to enhance and take it's effects deeply into the system - alcohol is commonly used as an annupana in the famous fermented formulations of
Ayurveda known as Arishta's and Asavaha's and thus chocolate's toxicity becomes an ally carrying the medicine deeper and deeper.

It's Diwali, 3:44am and finally it's quiet. The whole evening dogs were crazed as fireworks filled Delhi's skies. Then doctors announced an epidemic of mosquito carried denge fever this month so Delhians were told to do extra fireworks to clear the Dengue - a typical Indian solution. The noxious firework smoke will cloud not just the Delhi air, it's mosquitoes but also all it's inhabitants and plants.

Diwali is a beautiful and soft time to be in India. I had the glory to fly at 9pm on Spice Jet on the Bombay - Delhi flight. For the first time I can ever recall there was no traffic en route to the airport and the airport was still and uncrowded.

I had the great fortune to be placed next to a newly qualified naturopath from Seattle called Tomm who lives on an island just off from Seattle, Washington. He had terrible luck loosing his luggage on route to India when it was sent to Dubai not Mumbai, an easy enough mistake for KLM to make. He was planning a study with Dr. Vasant Lad in Pune in a week or two and my
ears pricked when I heard the name Lad as I had spent some days in the clinic of Dr. Lad enjoying his simple and humorous way of teaching Ayurveda.

Yesterday evening I left Sree Shankara in Mumbai amidst a corridor of ghee lamps lit in my honour. I blushed again as I was not used to this regal treatment. Venugopal, his wife and myself had had the great honour of spending the afternoon and evening in Mumbai's jungle just besides it's large milk colony where Sri Chinmayananda had established his ashrama.
Chinmayananda was one of India's great saints of this century - formerly a curious child asking why to everything, then an academic and freedom fighter until he was sent working as a journalist to interview Swami Sivananda. This transformed him forever and led him further and higher to spend time with a Saint named Tapovan who lived in the Himalayas. It sounds
a familiar story but here he transformed deeply and changed his name to Chinmayanannda and started his work teaching human beings everywhere the simplest of truths of life.

It seemed to be Divine timing as on this auspicious festival of light, just the three of us, Venugopal, his wife and myself were allowed access into the quarters of Chinmayananda where he sat and wrote at his desk, his bed, his clothes drawer, bathroom and meditation room. The quarters had not changed since he had left this mortal world. His presence was still very much there, I felt the soft love, light and humour of this man everywhere, in his walking
stick, drinking water holder, his chair. What a beautiful Diwali gift. Indian's have the tendency to give sweets on Diwali with every sweet shop in Bombay overflowing with people vying for the best sweets. It crossed my mind that this constant flux of festivals in India is one of the best methods of creating prosperity in a nation. Everyone from fruit sellers to the rickshaw man gets more business as everyone is out shopping for gifts and more. Diwali is one of many festivals that come regularly in India. When I lived in Nepal I recall not a week passed without a festival. Perhaps our ancient Fathers designed this for they new the benefits on so many levels celebrations of God and Godliness would bring to our world.

So all people were out in search of sweet gifts to exchange this Diwali. Even myself passed by my favourite Mithai Wala (sweet shop) at the back of Malad and purchased some boxes of raisin sweets with silver foil. But the real sweet was the sweetness in the air of the Chinmayaashrama with it's Ashok trees tall and ever straight, with crows calling from their tops, with it's monks dressed in orange alight with laughter and smiles.

We sat and met one of the ladies who is in charge of their monthly magazine, a friend of the Venugopal family. She told he story of Bhakti how her teacher had come to find his teacher. What stood out from her words was that when I asked her what did Chinmayananda say of his teacher she replied: When he would speak of Tapovonji, he could not speak, he was lost for words. He would just go silent and then tears would form.

Bhakti is the real sweet of India, a sweetness that is so needed in this world today, our world has too much bitterness impulse, we need more sweetness. Let us all come to India at least once and taste this Bhakti for this is her festival of light. I felt blessed by the Divine timing to sit in the quarters of one of India's greatest Saints an this eve of the sweetness of Diwali.

Martin Gluckman
Kamla Nagar, Delhi

PLAYING CRICKET IN THE BRAHMASTHAN

On the night of Diwali I have arrived in Delhi, nature somehow timing my flight that I touch down as the thick clouded Delhi air is filled with fireworks of every kind. Imagine the children of a city of 10's of millions of people all delightfully launching lollypop exploding rockets, spinning
fire wheels, big bang crackers all at the same time. The doctors are delighted with the Diwali fireworks as they say the thick cloud of smoking sulphurous-salt-peter will help to clear the present Dengue (an airborne disease caused by mosquito) epidemic.

My Spice Jet pilot touches down a little roughly and I look right and see the sky constantly exploding with light. What a beautiful flight to arrive on Diwali. Diwali is the festival on the darkest of nights which is there to remind us of the brightest of lights, our very self.

Yogis have spent lifetimes in silence and penance, in caves and besides twirling rivers to come up all with the same conclusion that we are sat-chit-anand or truth, consciousness and bliss.

The Diwali sky is nothing short of bliss and even leaving Bombay the beginning of the fireworks had descended upon it's humid sky that 'eve and we took off with all kinds of rockets a flare.

I can't easily forget the taste of this Diwali in Bombay as that afternoon I had spent with Shri Venugopal my dear friend who manages an Ayurvedic hospital in the Keralian part of this very multi-cultural Indian city. He decided to take me to a very special place which turned out none other than the very former home and ashrama of Sri Chinmoyananda, one of India's
greatest teachers who walked up and down this nation for decades preaching nothing but Goodness.

I often wonder why India has produced so many lamps for humanity whose very messages all speak the same but with a slightly different tone or flavour. From Ramakrishna to Shivananda to Yogananda, Maharishi, Prabhupada, Sai Baba and so many unnamed Saints. How India is a spiritual seekers treasure. A treasure to be discovered; past, present and future.

The real treasure I tell you is in the home and family of India where the love and devotion of mothers, children, fathers, brothers and sisters is something the world can learn much from. This is the glue that ties India together, that keeps it pulsing and thriving with harmony and love.

In no time I arrive at my hosts in Delhi who are a beautiful Jain publishing family living near the university and one of Delhi's biggest lungs and green belts.

I arrive around midnight, and while the Diwali puja (ceremony) was long completed, the feast's leftovers long tucked away into tidy Tupperware's, the children are still launching rockets from the roof and I leave my bags and rush up to the roof to enjoy some of the wonderment of fireworks.

I can't see much difference between a modern day war and the fireworks in terms of sounds and sights as rockets shoot 50 metres into the night sky with a whoosh from every direction only to explode with much glee in flowers of green, red and blue light. Big blast bombs shake the entire four story building I am on the roof off as I am forced to block my ears and hide. This is a true war zone of Diwali glee. The enemy here is the night, the night of
our soul, our ignorance our decent into fear, anger and our move away from spirituality in any way or part of our life. And of course, the mosquitoes.

The Delhi dogs seem well aware of the sounds of this night and they rest silently in cobbled corners and on pavement edges. Her cows continue to hunt through the day’s garbage enjoying papaya scraps and overripe bananas.

I tried to launch just one of the super-extra rockets. Somehow the launch pad collapses at the last minute and it goes hurtling horizontal with the ground in to the neighbouring building. I have visions of starting the ‘GREAT DELHI FIRE of 2006’ but fortunately it lands safely without setting any building's ablaze. That was definitely my last rocket attempt.

At around 4am I return to my quarters and enjoy a bath and change of dress. The night is heavy with sleep and fulfilment of Diwali and remembrance throughout India of our light, our love, our truth, our awareness as souls.

Delhi has changed a lot and it seems to easily be India's most progressive city. Pollution is down so much due to the conversion of all the rickshaws and city buses to CNG or natural gas. The air is once again breathable in most places. The metro is coming along with new lines under construction. There's a feeling of confidence and progression in this city and it is a model to all India for moving forward, transformation and change.

The morning rises and I sleep late to awaken to breakfast in the beautiful old house where I stay, which is very blessed with a very large courtyard or Brahmasthan. In my studies of Vaastu my teacher Dr. Sthapathi, put so much emphasis on this open space being the nourishing cord between the house and the cosmos. There is a special peace in the Motial house where I stay, one feels nurtured, inside of a womb.

The other advantage of the Brahmasthan is that it's the best place on earth for a game of cricket and in no time, Pranav one of the sons of my hosts is out with bat and tennis ball and we are having a South African Indian test match right in the Brahmasthan.

Today I write this some 180km from Delhi in Yamunanagar. I had my first dip in the Yamuna today enjoying the bathing in one of India's holiest rivers. I can't quite explain the softness of the water and the glee one gets seeing so many offerings of flowers and fruits floating in a river which people are worshiping all over India. It is a pity the rest of the world have lost the
art of worshiping a river. The Yamuna truly is as special river. I lay there buried in mud by Dr. Ram my host and dear friend, an Ayurvedacharya from Yamunanagar, I watched the half moon ascend in the East over the rushing river. A coolness descended the entire night, the river enticed me and I dived in again to wash off the mud.

I guess that is what we are all doing here, washing off our mud so we can see who we really are. Not these bodies, or even this mind. But we are the very Yamuna, we are her cool stillness, her reflected moonlight, her joy as she rushes and returns to the ocean for evermore.

Martin Gluckman,
Yamunanagar
November 2006

AGNIHOTRA FOR WINDOWS

(Version 2.0.3 for Windows - 4.24 MB)

Agnihotra for Windows is a software tool for doing Agnihotra making it effortless to practice this beautiful daily healing for the environment and yourself. The software runs in your system tray and reminds you each day of the Agnihotra times in your location wherever you are in the world. It also has a training mode which helps you to learn the Agnihotra mantras in case you are just starting with Agnihotra.

Thousands of people enjoy the healing benifits of Agnihotra around the world. These little fires of peace have healing effects on diseases, the environment and have been used extensivly with organic farming to promote healthy soil and crops. Agnihotra is also a wonderful treatment for all kinds of mental tension. Research has shown the effects of regularly practicing Agnihotra to have a healing effect on many mental disorders.

Agnihotra for Windows takes just a few minutes to download and install and once installed it runs quietly in your system tray and will calculate your Agnihiotra timings for any day of the year. It also allows you to print and e-mail Agnihotra calendars for any location in the world.

It has a smart location tool which allows you to set your location wherever you may be. Presently we support 1000's of cities around the world but if you are in a smaller location which is not on the map you can either select the location manually on the NASA world map image or browse for the longitude and lattitude on the Internet.

You can also effortlessly print and e-mail Agnihotra calendars for any year and location in the world.

Most importantly the software has a reminder feature so it will sound an audible alarm in due time before the daily Agnihotra giving you time to prepare you Agnihotra and then it will remind you at the exact time to perform Agnihotra. No more timesheets or worrying about having the exact time. Even if you travel simply take your laptop and you have a portable Agnihotra calendar and Agnihotra alarm clock wherever you are.

If you're new to Agnihotra we have a trainer mode where the software can teach you the exact pronounciation of the daily sunrise and sunset mantras and also show you how to do Agnihotra.

Agnihotra for Windows is free software, you are free to use and distribute it. It has been created by Vedic Society for a better world through environmental and individual healing through Yagya.

(Version 2.0.3 for Windows - 4.24 MB)

This software is 100% Spyware, Adware etc. free. It is released as Freeware for all to use and enjoy.

If you find it has helped you and you wish to contribute to support it's ongoing development and other similar Vedic Society projects you are welcome to donate via Paypal.

Related Links:

Agnihotra for Windows Program Users Guide

Please let us know your feedbacks and suggestions.

AGNIHOTRA FOR WINDOWS - USERS GUIDE

Getting Started

To begin using Agnihotra for Windows you need to first download and install the software on your PC.

(Version 2.0.3 for Windows - 4.24 MB)

System Requirements:

Windows Operating System
128MB of RAM
5MB of disk space

Optional:

Internet Connection (if you wish to use the city lookup feature)
GPS (very handy if you want to know your exact location or live remotely)

Agnihotra Requirements:

Agnihotra Pyramid (Available from http://www.agnihotradirect.com)
Dried Cow Dung
Ghee
Rice

INSTALL AGNIHOTRA FOR WINDOWS

Run the file after you have downloaded it and the installer will begin. After completing the installation Agnihotra for Windows will run for the 1st time and ask you to set you present location.

Select first your country and then your city. If you can not find your city use the optional lookup facility. Take care to set your timezone using the following format.

How to enter timezones:

For all timezones EAST of GMT enter them as a postive number e.g.

South Africa is GMT +2 so simply enter "2"

For all timezones WEST of GMT enter them as a negative number e.g.

New York is GMT -5 so simply enter "-5"

Note: If you presently are observing daylight saving, check the box but it will apply to the entire year so take care of this setting. Use it just for the months that are appropriate then set it back.

Next Steps

Once you have set your timezone the software will calculate your Agnihotra timings for your unique location.

Using the Program

Once the calculations are made you will be able to use the information in a variety of ways.

Right click on the little Agnihotra Pyramid to get the main menu.

My City shows you your present location both your country and your location. Click it to change it if you are traveling or wish to calculate the Agnihotra timings for a different location anywhere on earth.

Sunrise and Sunset show you the time of Agnihotra today in your location. If you click on this option you will hear the sunrise or sunset mantras chanted for you in case you need to refresh to correct pronounciation and words of these beautiful Sanskrit mantras.

My Agnihotra Calendar

Click this and it will open a dynamic calendar of sunrise and sunset timings for your location. You can e-mail and print either a month or a year at a time.

Print Month will print the selected month, E-mail Month will allow you to send it to anyone using your mail client.

Print Year will print the selected year, E-mail Year will allow you to send it to anyone using your mail client.

Use the drop-down selector at the top of the screen to jump to a year or month of your choice.

Let us continue now with the main menu options.

Change Location will take you to the location screen where you can set your present location. After setting it select save and the software will automatically recalculate your Agnihotra timings.

Next Agnihotra shows you the time to go of the next Agnihotra. You can also see the next Agnihotra times by simply hovering the mouse over the Agnihotra Pyramid in the Windows system tray.

Settings Menu

The program has various user configurable options.

1. Change My Location we've already covered above.

2. Reminder Settings

(a) Show Agnihotra Reminder

Enable this setting if you want your computer to have popup reminders before and during Agnihotra (this is an aid to remembering to prepare for and do Agnihotra as well as a training system for those new to it.

(b) Reminder Time

Select from 1 - 60 minutes before Agnihotra for your reminder popup time based on what is good for you. The default is 30 minutes giving you ample time to prepare and get ready for the beautiful practice of Agnihotra.

Select if you wish an audio and visual reminder or both audio and visual. The default is both audio and visual.

3. Run at Windows Startup

This is the default setting for Agnihotra for Windows and when it is enabled it is running in your system tray each time you restart your computer. It allows the popup reminder system to work nicely if your computer is near the place you do Agnihotra. If you wish to use Agnihotra for Windows just as a calendar tool and for sending calculations to people but not for it's reminder features, you can consider disabling this option.

Help Menu

Explore the various options here. You have a range of learning tools and feedback tools. You can Learn the Agnihotra Mantras, Learn how to do Agnihotra, send us suggestions, get Agnihotra supplies directly from India and find out about the team who made Agnihotra for Windows.

Special Note on Time

For Agnihotra for Windows to work correctly in terms of reminding you at the exact times of sunrise and sunset, it is important that your system clock is set with the correct time at the moment. If you have an Internet connection and are running Windows XP or Windows 2000 this feature is built in to Windows. Simply click on your system clock and enable the Windows time syncronization feature.

If your computer is keeping good time you only need to update your clock once in a while as most computers keep good time for many months at a time. If you have a good Internet connection you can do it every day to be sure. Actually Windows does it automatically when updated.

If you are running an older version of Windows, we highly reccomend Dimension 4 which is a Freeware time sync software.

If you are without an Internet connection please use your local radio or TV channel to sync your clock with an accurate source.

Agnihotra for Windows is free software, you are free to use and distribute it. It has been created by Vedic Society for a better world through environmental and individual healing through Yagya.

(Version 2.0.3 for Windows - 4.24 MB)

This software is 100% Spyware, Adware etc. free. It is released as Freeware for all to use and enjoy.

If you find it has helped you and you wish to contribute to support it's ongoing development and other similar Vedic Society projects you are welcome to donate via Paypal.

Please let us know your feedbacks and suggestions.

DOWNLOAD

Agnihotra for Windows is a standalone program that runs on any Windows PC and serves to remind you each day of the Agnihotra times. It even has a training mode where you can learn how to do Agnihotra and learn the mantras.

The software is 100% free and is offered to the entire humanity for more planetary healing and peace. People from almost every country have experienced the beautiful peace and harmony from the science of Agnihotra. With Agnihotra for Windows people anywhere can practice Agnihotra regularly and the software is offered as a yagya to the greater good for all humanity.

(Version 2.0.3 for Windows - 4.24 MB)

MANTRA FOR HEALING

Mahamrityunjaya Mantra

Chanted for over 4000 years, Mahamrityunjaya Mantra is the most powerful of all ancient Sanskrit mantras. Mahamrityunjaya means victory over the great death, victory over the illusion of separateness from spirit. Use Mantra for Healing during/after surgery, for illness, emotional trauma, meditation, massage, or preparation for transition.

This Mahamritunjaya mantra is from the Rig-Veda and needs initiation for attaining Siddhi. Anybody can recite this mantra and attain good health, release from bondage and other problems. This is the greatest reliever from all evils and can be recited at any time like any other Maha-mantra. It should be recited preferably for forty days both in the morning and evening, after lighting a jyoti and sitting on a woollen asana while facing east. Recite the Maha-mantra 108 times (one rosary) or its multiples in each sitting. This is the greatest work of Maharishi Vashistha. Before commencing the Mahamritunjaya mantra recite the following small prayer to the everlasting spirit of the Maharishi for his blessings and guidance.

om suchirmarkair brihaspatim adhvareshu namasyatah (21 Times)

We pray to Brihaspati (the Lord of this Universe and the teacher of this Vedic Knowledge), whose wishes are inviolable, for good thoughts (that will lead to good speech and actions that cannot be violated as it will be the truth).

vyam vashishthaya namah (21 Times)

This is the prayer to Maharishi Vashistha (whose Holy Spirit is Omnipresent).

The initiated should practice the Pranayama ten times with the Beejakshara Mantra "om houm jum sah". Others can skip this and go to the Maha-mantra directly.

This is to be followed by the Dhyana Mantra (Meditation) of Sri Tryambakeswara (One of the twelve Jyotirlinga) and then meditate on Sri Tryambakeshwara (Lord Shiva) and Sri Amriteshwari (Gouri or Parvati Shakti) with the relevant beejakshara and Rudra Pooja. Meditate for at least 15 Minutes before starting the Japa (Recitation of Mantra).

Then repeat the following Mahamritunjaya mantra 108 times or multiples of this number. The Mahamritunjaya Mantra reads: om tryambakkam yajamahe sugandhim pustivardhanam urvarookameva bandanaan mrityormoksheeya maamritaat.

What Is The Meaning Of This Mahamantra

It is important to understand the meaning of the words as this makes the repetition meaningful and brings forth the results.

OM is not spelt out in the Rig-Veda, but has to be added to the beginning of all Mantras as given in an earlier Mantra of the Rig-Veda addressed to Ganapati.

tryambakkam refers to the Three eyes of Lord Shiva. 'Trya' means 'Three' and Ambakam' means eyes. These three eyes or sources of enlightenment are the Trimurti or three primary deities, namely Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva and the three 'AMBA' (also meaning Mother or Shakti' are Saraswati, Lakshmi and Gouri. Thus in this word, we are referring to God as Omniscient (Brahma), Omnipresent (Vishnu) and Omnipotent (Shiva). This is the wisdom of Brihaspati and is referred to as Sri Duttatreya having three heads of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.

yajamahe: means, "We sing Thy praise".

sugandhim: refers to His fragrance (of knowledge, presence and strength i.e. three aspects) as being the best and always spreading around. Fragrance refers to the joy that we get on knowing, seeing or feeling His virtuous deeds.

pustivardhanam: Pooshan refers to Him as the sustainer of this world and in this manner, He is the Father (Pater) of all. Pooshan is also the inner impeller of all knowledge and is thus Savitur or the Sun and also symbolises Brahma the Omniscient Creator. In this manner He is also the Father (Genitor) of all.

urvaarokameva: 'urva' means "vishal" or big and powerful . 'aarookam' means 'Disease'. Thus urvarooka means deadly and overpowering diseases. The diseases are also of three kinds caused by the influence (in the negative) of the three Guna's and are ignorance (Avidya etc),falsehood (Asat etc as even though Vishnu is everywhere, we fail to perceive Him and are guided by our sight and other senses) and weaknesses (Shadripu etc. a constraint of this physical body and Shiva is all powerful).

bandanaam: means bound down. Thus read with urvarookameva, it means 'I am bound down by deadly and overpowering diseases'.

mrityormooksheya: means to deliver us from death (both premature deaths in this Physical world and from the never-ending cycle of deaths due to re-birth) for the sake of Mokshya (Nirvana or final emancipation from re-birth).

maamritaat means 'please give me some Amritam (life rejuvenating nectar). Read with the previous word, it means that we are praying for some 'Amrit' to get out of the death inflicting diseases as well as the cycle of re-birth.

Published with the kind permission of Mr. Kamal Kapoor

Mr. Kamal Kapoor is one of the most sought after and popular Astrologers in India and abroad. He is well known for his accurate predictions and to-the-point analysis of various facets of life. He has complete mastery over rectification of Birth Chart and Prasna Charts ( Horary Astrology). He gives extremely inexpensive remedial solutions to his clients, such as mantras, pujas and gem recommendations. A reiki master and a ardent devotee of Goddess Durga and Lord Ganesha, he is available for consultations on http://www.kamalkapoor.com/ and http://www.jyotishvani.com/ .

MAP TO ARYA VAIDYA SALA - PONDICHERRY

Address to Vaidya Salas:

1. Arya Vaidya Sala
   95 St. Theresa St
   Pondicherry
   Phone: 0413 - 2337935

2. Siddha Vaidya Pharmacy - Mr. Chandru
    101 Vysial St, Mg. Rd Cutting
    Pondicherry
    Mobile: 9994473581

HANUMAN CHALISA

hnuman calIsa

hanumàn càlisà

Hanuman Chalisa is a beautiful daily practice that can heal various physical, mental and spiritual conditions. Some astrologers find it very succesfully with Asthma. Hannuman is liked to our vital Prana or airs and thus any breathing or related condition can be helped much by daily chanting this ancient prayer from Sri Tulsidas.

Invocation:

ïIguécr[sraejrj inj mn muk…é suxair, brn%~ r"ubr ibml jsu jae dayku )lcair.

÷rãguru-caraõa-saroja-raja, nija mana mukuru sudhàri.

baranau¤ raghubara bimala jasu, jo dàyaku phalacàri.

[÷rã guru - the revered teacher; caraõa - the feet; saroja - lotus; raja - dust; nija - own; mana - mind; mukuru - mirror; sudhàr - clean!; baranau¤ - I will describe; raghubara - ràmacandra; bimala - stainless; jasu - fame; jo - which; dàyaka - which who gives; phala - fruits; càr - four]

Having cleaned the mirror of my mind with the dust from the guruÙs lotus feet, I will describe the stainless fame of Ràmacandra which gives the four fruits (dharma, kàma, artha and mokùa).

buiÏhIn tnu jainke suimraE< pvn k…mar, bl buix ib*a de÷ maeih< hr÷ kles ibkar.

buddhi hãna tanu jànike sumirau¤ pavana kumàr

bala buddhi vidyà dehu mohi¤ harahu kalesa bikàr

[buddhi - intellect; hãna - devoid of; tanu - body; jànike - knowing; sumirau¤ - I will remember; pavana - wind; kumàr - son; bala - strength; buddhi - intellect; vidyà - knowledge; dehu - give!; mohi - to me; harahu - remove!; kalesa - from the afflictions; bikàr - the changes]

Knowing that the body is devoid of intelligence, I will remember the son of the wind-god. Give me strength, intelligence and knowledge; remove the changes due to the afflictions.

isyavr ramcNÔpd jE zr[<,

siyàvara ràmacandrapada jai ÷araõam

[siyà - sãtà; vara - husband; pada - the feet; jai - victory; ÷araõam - take refuge]

Victory to Ràmachandra the husband of Sãtà! I take refuge in his feet.

jy hnuman }angunsagr jy kpIs it÷~ laek %jagr. 1.

jai hanumàn j¤àn-guõa sàgara , jai kapã÷ tihu¤ loka ujàgara 1

[jai - victory!; j¤àn - knowledge; guna - good quality; sàgara - an ocean; kapã÷ - the monkey; tihu¤ - three; loka - worlds; ujàgara - the illumination]

1. Victory to Hanumàn, the ocean of knowledge and good qualities. Victory to the lord of monkeys, he who illumines the three worlds.

ram Ët Atuilt bl xama A<jin puÇ pvnsut nama. 2.

ràma dåta atulita bala dhàma, anjani putra pavana-suta nàma 2

[ràma dåta - the messenger of ràma; atulita - incomparable; bala - strength; dhàma - an abode; anjani putra - the son of Anjani; pavana-suta - the son of the wind-god; nàma - named]

2. The messenger of Ràma, the abode of incomparable strength, the son of Anjani, named as the son of the wind-god.

mhabIr ib³m bjr<gI k…mit invar sumit ke s<gI . 3.

mahàbãr bikrama bajarangã, kumati nivàra sumati ke sangã 3

[mahàbãr - the great hero; bikrama - valiant; bajarangã - a body as strong as lightning; kumati - bad thoughts; nivàra - one who prevents; sumati - good thoughts; ke - of; sangã - the associate]

3. The great hero, the valiant, whose body is as hard as a lightning bolt, he who prevents bad thoughts and is the companion of good thoughts.

k<cn brn ibraj subesa kann k…<fl k…<ict kesa . 4.

kancana barana biràja subesà, kànana kuõóala kuncita kesà 4

[kancana - gold; barana - colour; biràja - adorns; subesà - nice clothes; kànana - ears; kuõóala - ear-rings; kuncita - curly; kesà - hair]

4. Of gold colour, he is adorned with nice clothes and earrings and has curly hair.

haw b¿ AaE Xvja ibrajE ka~xe mU~j jne^ sajE . 5.

hàth bajra au dhvajà biràjai, kà¤dhe må¤ja janeå sàjai 5

[hàth - hands; bajra - a lightning bolt; au - and; dhvajà - a flag; biràjai - decorates; kàndhe - on the shoulder; må¤ja - grass; janeå - the sacred thread; sàjai - adorns]

5. In his hand is a lightning bolt and a flag. A sacred thread made of mu¤ja grass adorns his shoulder.

s<kr suvn kesrI nNdn tej àtap mhajg b<dn . 6.

sankara suvana kesarã nandan, tej pratàp mahà jagabandan 6

[sankara - ÷iva; suvana - the incarnation; nandana - the son; tej - power; pratàp - glory; mahà - great; jaga - the world; bandana - praised]

6. The incarnation of Shiva and son of Kesari, his power and glory is praised by all the wide world.

ib*avan gunI Aitcatur ram kaj kirbe kae Aatur . 7.

bidyàvàn gunã ati càtur, ràma kàj karibe ko àtura 7

[bidyàvàn - wise; gunã - virtuous; ati - very; càtur - clever; ràma kàj - the work of Rama; karibe - in doing; ko - to; àtura - eager]

7. Wise, virtuous and very clever, he is eager to do the work of Ràma.

à-u cirÇ suinbe kae risya ram lon sIta mn bisya . 8.

prabhu caritra sunibe ko rasiyà, ràma lakhana sãtà mana basiyà

[prabhu - the lord; caritra - life story; sunibe ko - in listening to; rasiyà - taste; mana - the mind; basiyà - dwell]

8. He has a taste in listening to the life story of Ràma and in his heart, Ràma, Lakùmana and Sãtà dwell.

sUúmêp xir isy ih< idoava ibkqêp xir l<k jrava . 9.

såkùma råp dhari siya hi¤ dikhàvà, bikaña råp dhari lanka jaràvà

[såkùma - subtle, small; råp - form; dhari - having assumed; siya - sãtà; hi - indeed; dikhàvà - showed; bikaña - terrifying; jaràvà - burnt]

9. Assuming a small form, he revealed himself to Sãtà; and assuming a fearsome form he burnt down La¤ka.

-Imêp xir Asur s~hare ramNÔ ke kaj s~vare . 10.

bhãmaråp dhari asura sa¤hàre, ràmacandra ke kàj sa¤vàre

[bhãma - terrible; asura - the demons; sa¤hàre - destroy; ke - of; kàj - work; sa¤vàre - completed]

10. Assuming a terrible form, he destroyed the demons and completed the work of Ràma.

lay sjIvn lon ijyaye ïIr"ubIr hri; %r laye . 11.

lày sajãvana lakhana jiyàye, ÷rãraghubãra haraùi ura làye 11

[lày - brought; sajãvana - life-giving herb; lakhana - lakshman; jiyàye - brought back to life; ÷rãraghubãra - ramachandra; haraùi - happily; ura - breast; làye - brought]

11. He brought the sanjãvani plant to Lakùmana and revived him. For that, Ràma happily embraced him.

r"upit kINhI b÷t bfa$ tum mm iày -rtih sm -a$ . 12.

raghupati kãnhã bahuta baóàã, tuma mama priya bharata hi sama bhàã 12

[kãnhã - did; bahuta - much; baóàã - praise; tuma - you; mama - my; priya - dear; bharata hi - to; sama - equal; bhàã - brother]

12. Ràma praised him greatly saying, 'You are like unto my very brother Bharat.'

shs bdn tuMharae js gavE< As kih ïIpit k<Q lgavE< . 13.

sahasa badana tumhàro jasa gàvai¤, asa kahi ÷rãpati kantha lagàvai¤ 13

[sahasa - a thousand; badana - mouths; tumhàro - your; jasa - fame; gàvai¤ - sang; asa - such; kahi - saying; ÷rãpati - Vishnu; kanñha - neck; lagàvai¤ - embraced]

13. 'The divine serpent ÷eùa of a thousand mouths will sing your fame', so saying, Ràma, the lord of ÷rã (Lakshmi), embraced you.

snkaidk äüaid munIsa nard sard siht AhIsa . 14.

sanakàdika brahmàdi munãsà nàrada sàrada sahita ahãsà 14

[sanakàdika - the sages sanaka, etc.; brahmàdi - the gods starting with Brahma; munãsà - the lord of sages; sahita - with; ahãsà - the king of serpents, Shesha]

14. The sages Sanaka and others, the gods Brahma, etc., the lord of sages, Narada, Sàrada along with ÷eùa the king serpents,

jm k…ber idgpal jha~ te kib kaeibd kih ske kha~ te . 15.

jama kubera dig-pàla jahà¤ te, kabi kobida kahi sake kahà¤ te 15

[jama - the god of death; kubera - the god of wealth; dig-pàla - the protectors of the eight directions; jahà¤ te - wherever; kabi - poets; kobida - scholars; kahi - to say; sake - be able; kahà¤ te - how]

15. the god of death, the god of wealth and the protectors of the directions - when they are unable to praise you, how much can poets and scholars say (about your glory)?

tum %pkar su¢Ivih< kINha ram imlay rajpd dINha . 16.

tuma upakàra sugrãvahi¤ kãnhà, ràma milàya ràjapada dãnhà 16

[tuma - you; upakàra - service; sugrãvahi¤ - to Sugreev; kãnhà - he did; milàya - introduced; ràjapada - the royal throne; dãnhà - he gave]

16. You did service for Sugrãva and introduced him to Ràma who gave him the royal throne (of La¤ka).

tuMhrae mÙ ib-I;n mana l<keSvr -@ sb jg jana . 17.

tumharo mantra bibhãùana mànà, la¤kesvara bhae saba jaga jànà 17

[tumharo - your; mantra - advice; mànà - accepted; la¤ke÷vara - the lord of Lanka; bhae - became; jaga - the world; jànà - knows]

17. Vibhã÷ana accepted your advice and become the lord of La¤ka. All the world knows this.

jug shö jejn pr -anU lILyae taih mxur )l janU . 18.

juga sahasra jojana para bhànå, lãlyo tàhi madhura phala jànå 18

[juga - an age; sahasra - a thousand; jojana - a distance of eight miles; para - at; bhànå - the sun; lãlyo - taking; tàhi - that; madhura - sweet; phala - fruit; jànå - knowing]

18. You took hold of the sun, even though it is thousands of miles away, thinking it is a sweet fruit.

à-u muiÔka meil muo mahI< jlix la~i" gye Acrj nahI<. 19.

prabhu mudrikà meli mukha màhã¤, jaladhi là¤ghi gaye acaraja nàhã¤ 19

[prabhu - the lord's; mudrikà - ring; meli - keeping; mukha - mouth; màhã¤ - in; jaladhi - ocean; là¤ghi - leaped; gaye - went; acaraja - a wonder; nàhã¤ - is not]

19. Keeping the Lord's ring in your mouth, you leaped across the ocean. There is no wonder in this.

ÊgRm kaj jgt ke jete sugm Anu¢h tuMhre tete . 20.

durgama kàj jagata ke jete sugama anugraha tumhare tete 20

[durgama - difficul; kàj - work; jagata - the world; ke - of; jete - whatever; sugama - easy; anugraha - grace; tumhare - your; tete - that]

20. Whatever work is difficult in the world, that all becomes easy by your grace.

ram ÊAare tum rovare haet n Aa}a ibnu pEsare . 21.

ràma duàre tuma rakhavàre hota na àj¤à binu paisàre 21

[duàre - door; tuma - you; rakhavàre - the keeper; hota - is; àj¤à - permission; binu - without; paisàre - entry]

21. You are the keeper of Ràma's door and there is no entry without your permission.

sb suo lhE tuMharI srna tum rCDk kahU kae frna . 22.

saba sukha lahai tumhàrã saranà tuma racchaka kàhu ko óaranà 22

[saba - all; sukha - happiness; lahai - taking; tumhàrã - your; ÷araõà - refuge; tuma - you; racchaka - protector; kàhå - any; ko - to; óaranà - to fear]

22. Taking refuge in you is all happiness. With you as the protector what fear is there?

Aapn tej sMharae AapE tInae< laek ha~k t<e ka~pE . 23.

àpana teja samhàro àpai tãno¤ loka hà¤ka te¤ kà¤pai 23

[àpana - your; teja - splendour; samhàro - bear; àpai - you; tãno¤ - three; loka - worlds; hà¤ka - roar; te¤ kà¤pai - tremble]

23. Your splendor you alone can bear. The three worlds quake when you roar.

-Ut ipsac inkq nih< AavE mhabIr jb nam sunavE . 24.
bhåta pisàca nikaña nahi¤ àvai mahàbãra jaba nàma sunàvai 24

[bhåta - ghosts; pisàca - demons; nikaña - near; nahi¤ - no; àvai - come; mahàbãra - great hero; jaba - when; nàma - name; sunàvai - is called]

24. Ghosts and demons donÙt come near when the name of Hanumàn, the great hero, is called out.

nasE raeg hrE sb pIra jpt inr<tr hnumt bIra . 25.

nàsai roga harai saba pãrà japata nirantara hanumata bãrà 25

[nàsai - destroys; roga - disease; harai - removes; saba - all; pãrà - pain; japata - repeating; nirantara - constantly; hanumata bãrà - the hero]

25. Constantly repeating the name of hero Hanumàn destroys illness and removes pain.

s<kq te< hnuman DufavE mn ³m bcn Xyan jae lavE . 26.

sankaña te¤ hanumàna chuóàvai mana krama bacana dhyàna jo lavai 26

[sankaña - difficulty; te¤ - from; chuóàvai - he frees; mana - mind; krama - action; bacana - word; dhyàna - meditation; jo - he who; lave - brings]

26. He who meditates in mind, action and word on Hanumàn is freed from difficulties.

sb pr ram tpSvI raja itn ke kaj skl tum saja . 27.

saba para ràma tapasvã ràjà, tina ke kàja sakala tuma sàjà 27

[saba - all; para - over; tapasvã - the ascetic; raja - king; tina - his; ke - of; kàja - work; sakala - all; tuma - you; sàjà - completed]

27. Ràma the ascetic is king over all; his work you accomplished.

AaEr mnaerw jae kae$ lavE sae$ Aimt jIvn )l pavE . 28.

aur manoratha jo koã làvai, soã amita jãvana phala pavai 28

[aur - and; manoratha - desire; jo koã - whatever; lave - brought; soã - that; amita - immeasurable; jãvana - life; phala - fruit; pave - he obtains]

28. And one who brings any wishes (to you), gets the fruit of abundant life.

carae< jug prtap tuMhara hE prisÏ jgt %ijyara . 29.

càron juga paratàpa tumhàrà, hai parasiddha jagata ujiyàrà 29

[càron - four; juga - ages; paratàpa - glory; tumhàrà - you; hai - is; parasiddha - famous; jagata - the world; ujiyàrà - illumines]

29. The four ages (know) your glory. Your fame illumines the world.

saxu sNt ke tum rovare Asur ink<dn ram Êlare . 30.

sàdhu santa ke tuma rakhavàre asura nikandana ràma dulàre 30

[sàdhu - renunciates; santa - saints; ke - of; tuma - you; rakhavàre - the protector; asura - demons; nikandana - destroyer; ràma dulàre - the beloved of Rama]

30. You are the protector of renunciates and saints, the destroyer of demons and the beloved of Ràma.

AòisiÏ naE inix ke data As br dIn jankI mata . 31.

aùñasiddhi nau nidhi ke dàtà asa bara dãna jànakã màtà 31

[aùña - eight; siddhi - powers; nau - nine; nidhi - treasures; dàtà - giver; asa - such; bara - boon; dãna - given; jànakã - daughter of Janak, i.e. Sãtà; màtà - mother]

31. You are the giver of the eight powers and nine treasures. Such is the boon given to you by mother Sãtà.

ram rsayn tuMhre pasa sda rhae r"upit ke dasa . 32.

ràma rasàyana tumhare pàsà sadà raho raghupati ke dàsà 32

[rasàyana - the elixir of life; tumhare - your; pàsà - side; sadà - always; raho - remains; dàsà - the servant]

32. You have the elixir of life of Ràma and always remain the servant of Raghupati.

tuMhre -jn ram kae pavE jnm jnm ke Êo ibsravE . 33.

tumhare bhajana ràma ko pàvai janama janama ke dukha bisaràvai 33

[tumhare - your; bhajana - devotional singing; ko - to; pavai - attains; janama janama - from birth to birth; dukha - the suffering; bisaràvai - one forgets]

33. Singing your praise, one attains Ràma and forgets the suffering of many births.

A<tkal r"ubr pur ja$ jha~ jNm hir - kha$ . 34.

antakàla raghubara pura jàã jahà¤ janma hari bhakta kahàã 34

[antakàla - the end time, at death; pura - city; jàã - to go; jahà¤ - where; janma - birth; hari - the Lord; bhakta - devotee; kahàã - is called]

34. At the time of death, one goes to the city of Ràma and if he has to take birth again, he becomes a devotee of the Lord.

AaEr devta icÄ n xr$ hnumt se# svR suo kr$ . 35.

aura devatà chitta na dharaã hanumata sei sarba sukha karaã 35

[aura - and, other; devatà - god; chitta - mind; na dharàã - do not put; hanumata sei - with Hanuman; sarba - all; sukha - happiness; karaã - makes for]

35. DonÙt put the mind on any other god, with Hanuman one obtains all happiness.

s<kq kqE imqE sb pIra jae suimrE hnumt blbIra . 36.

sankaña kañai miñai saba pãrà jo sumirai hanumata balabãrà 36

[sankaña - difficulty; kañai - is cut; miñai - is removed; saba - all; pãrà - pain; jo - he who; sumirai - remembers; bala - strength; bãrà - hero]

36. He who remembers Hanuman, the powerful hero, has difficulties cut away and all pain effaced.

jE jE jE hnuman gaesa$< kpa kr÷ guédev kI na$< . 37.

jai jai jai hanumàna gosàã¤ kçpà karahu gurudeva kã nàã¤ 37

[jai - victory; gosàã - lord; kçpà - grace; karahu - do!; gurudeva - the divine master; kã nàã - like]

37. Victory, victory, victory to Hanumàn. Bestow your grace like the divine master!

jae st bar paQ kr kae$ DUqih b<id mha suo hae$ . 38.

jo sata bàra pàñha kara koi chåñahi bandi mahàsukha hoã 38

[jo - he who; sata - a hundred; bàra - times; pàñha - recites; kara - does; koã - someone; chåñahi - is freed; bandi- bondage; mahàsukha - great happiness; hoã - becomes]

38. He who recites (this) a hundred times is freed of bondages and finds great happiness.

jae yh pFE hnuman clIsa haey isiÏ saoI gaErIsa .39.

jo yaha paóai hanumàna calãsà hoy siddhi sàkhã gaurãsà 39

[jo - he who; yaha - this; paóai- recites; hoy - becomes; siddhi - success; sàkhã - witness; gaurãsà - Shiva]

39. He who recites this Hanumàn calãsà gains perfection. Shiva is a witness to this.

tulsIdas sda hir cera kIjE naw ùdy mh~ fera. 40.

tulasãdàsa sadà hari cerà kãjai nàtha hçdaya maha¤ óerà 40

[sadà - always; hari - the lord; cerà - the servant; kãjai - make!; nàtha - O Lord!; hçdaya - heart; maha¤ - in; óerà - dwelling]

40. Tulasidàs is forever the servant of Lord Hari. Make my heart O lord, your dwelling.

pvntny s<kq hrn m<gl mUrit êp, ram lon sIta siht ùdy bs÷ sur-Up.

pavana tanaya sankaña harana mangala mårati råp

ràma lakkhana sãtà sahita hçdaya basahu surabhåp

[pavana - the wind; tanaya - son; sankaña - difficulty; harana - removing; mangala - auspiciousness; mårati - image; råp form; sahita - with; hçdaya - heart; basahu - dwell!; surabhåp - O king of gods]

O king of gods, son of the wind, remover of difficulties! O one with an auspicious form, dwell in my heart with Ràma, Lakùmana and Sãñà!

sTym äUyat! iày< äUyat! n äUyat! sTymiàym!,

iày< c nan&t< äUyat! @;ae xmR> snatn>.

satyam bråyàt priyam bråyàt na bråyàt satyamapriyam

priyam ca nànçtam bråyàt eùo dharmaþ sanàtanaþ

[satyam - truth; bråyàt - one should; priyam - aggreable, pleasant; na - not; apriyam - disagreeable; ca - and; na ançtam - not falsehood; eùo - this; dharmaþ - law; sanàtanaþ - eternal]

One should speak truth. One should speak pleasantly. One should not speak a truth that is unpleasant. And one should not speak a falsehood that is pleasant to hear. This is the eternal law.

FRIENDS OF VS

TOIT School in Bhaktapur, Nepal

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VEDIC SOCIETY LIVE STREAMS

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SEARCH FOR HAPPINESS

WHY DO BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE?

Journey of Self-discovery

Presented by Patri Das

29TH JANUARY 2008

7:00PM ISD (GMT+5H30M)

All are welcome to attend a presentation by Patri Das a traveling monk who has been researching Vedic literature for past 19 years. Patri is fluent in Sanskrit and will be presenting the key to happiness based on ancient Shastra.

VEDIC SOCIETY LIVE STREAM 1

AN INTRODUCTION TO AYURVEDA - DR. JAYA KRISHNAN

3:30PM - INDIA STANDARD TIME (GMT +5H30)

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AKANDA JYOTI

Akanda Jyoti - Our ever burning lamp is herewith offered to all the Rishis known and identified and those not known. Vedic wisdom has been passed down through many great sages who were free from the bindings of this world. Their minds were connected to the inifine ocean of wisdom within, their light will radiate for all eternity. With eternal gratitude we keep this lamp burning in their honor.

Angiraha	Kankayana	Taksaka	Brahma	Varksi
Agastya	Kumarasira Bharadvaja	Dhanvantari	Bhadrakapya	Varyovida
Agnivesa	Kapya	Devala	Bhadrasaunaka	Visnu
Atri	Kankayana Bahlika	Dhaumya	Bharadvaja	Visvamitra
Atrija	Kasyapa	Narada	Bhargava	Vaikhanasa
Atriputra	Kusika	Nimi Vaideha	Bhiksu Atreya	Vaisravana
Atrisuta	Kaikaseya	Parasara	Bhela	Saraloma
Atryatmaja	Kaundinya	Pariksi	Bhrgu	Sarkaraksa
Abhijit	Kausika	Pariksi Maudgalya	Mahesvara	Sakuneya
Asita	Krsnatreya	Punarvasu	Marudgana	Sakunteya
Asvinau	Ksarapani	Punarvasu Atreya	Matrgana	Sakunteya Brahmana
Asmarathya	Gargya	Purnaksa Maudgalya	Marica	Sandilya
Atreya	Galava	Pulastya	Marici Kasyapa	Sivanucara
Atreya	Gautama	Paingi	Markandeya	Saunaka
Asvalayana	Caraka	Pramatha	Maitreya	Sankrtya
Indra	Cyavana	Badisa	Maimatayani	Harita
Isvara	Jatukarna	Badisa Dhamargava	Lokaksa	Hiranyaksa
Uma	Janaka Vaideha	Badarayana	Vasistha	Hiranyaksa Kausika
Kapiñjala	Jnanadevata	Balakhilya	Vamaka	Hutabhaksa
Kasyapa	Drdhabala	Baijavapi	Vamadeva

LEARN

SOMA YAJNYA - APRIL 24TH - 30TH 2010 - SOUTH INDIA

MUNG AND KITCHERI FASTING

There is no safer and better way to rest and balance the digestive system and body than doing a mung / kitchari mono-fast. Mono-fasting means when for a day or more you take a singular food. Nepal had it's famous milk baba who mono-fasted on milk for 12 years or so (this we don't recommend for all of you out there by the way, it is just for select individuals and especially those who have their own cows.)

Charaka Samhita the most ancient and authentic Ayurvedic text teaches that of all the legumes, mung is the most excellent in it's health giving properties. It is easy to digest, nutritive and also helps produce pure tissues and at the same time remove toxins from the system. Even in the Macrobiotic system of diet they are seen as an opportune food.

Mung or Kitchari fasting means for one day at least you take just the recipes as below you can do it with just mung soup or with kitchari. As part of a gentle cleansing schedule you can do it weekly on a day of your choice. You will feel mind, body and senses energized and purified no doubt.

You can do for a few days at a time if there is an acute condition. It works wonders for coughs and colds, lethagy, mental distress and most diseases for that matter. In Yogic lore kitchari is said to be able to cure most diseases. As per Ayurvedic science this makes perfect sense as it pacifies tridosha and nourishes the body with opportune nutrition.

Please note there is no onion or garlic in our mung soup or kitchari, onion and garlic are not good for long term health as they effect the mind (and brain) in ways that are not suitable to long term healing. There are positive health effects of onion and garlic in small amounts in specific diseases but these are not necessary with many other elixirs out there that do not have any ill effects.

TRIDOSHIC AND SATTIVIK MUNG SOUP RECIPE

INGREDIENTS - GET THIS READY BEFORE YOU START:

ORGANIC GREEN MUNG BEANS (SOAK FOR AT LEAST 20 MINUTES, BUT OVERNIGHT IS BEST)
ORGANIC TURMERIC POWDER
ORGANIC FRESH GINGER ROOT PEELED AND CUT INTO TINY CUBES
HIMALAYAN ROCK SALT
HOME MADE RISHIS MASALA
ORGANIC PURE COWS GHEE (HOMEMADE IF POSSIBLE)
CURRY LEAF
BAY LEAF
FRESH CORRIANDER (IF NOT AVAILABLE FRESH MINT IS FINE TOO). HOME GROWN IS BEST.
A LITTLE ORGANIC JAGGERY
FRESH ORGANIC LIME
PINCH OF HING POWDER (NATURAL HING NOT THE PROCESSED ONE WITH ADITIVES!)
DRIED KOKAM
FRESH SPRING WATER OR RO FILTERED WATER.

KARMA - HOW TO PREPARE

COOK THE MUNG BEANS UNTIL SOFT (IF DESPARATELY HUNGRY YOU CAN USE A STAINLESS STEEL PRESSURE COOKER OTHERWISE USE A THICK BOTTOMED POT. PLEASE USE A KNOWN NON-TOXIC COOKWARE.
ADD WATER AS IS NEEDED UNTIL THE BEANS ARE SOFT IF COOKING IN AN OPEN POT IF YOU COOKED IN A PRESSURE COOKER YOU WILL NOT NEED TO ADD WATER
IN A SEPARATE CAST IRON OR STAINLESS STEAL WOK / KARAI OR PAN PLEASE SASUTEE THE FOLLOWING INGREDIENTS IN THE GHEE: ORGANIC TURMERIC POWDER, FRESH GINGER ROOT, RISHIS MASALA, CURRY LEAF, BAY LEAF, KOKAM, JAGGERY AND ROCK SALT
ONCE THE MASALA IS READY AND HAS BROWNED NICELY (WHEN THE GHEE COMBINES WITH THE SPICES AND ALL IT DEEPENS THE MEDICINAL EFFECT OF EACH INGREDIENT), ADD IT TO THE COOKED MUNG BEANS
IF YOU WISH YOU CAN BLEND IT WITH A HOUSEHOLD BLENDER TO MAKE A SMOOTH PASTE AND ALSO IF DIGESTION IS WEAKER IT CAN BE BETTER TO MAKE IT MORE LIQUID FOR A BETTER EFFECT
ADD THE FRESH LIME AND FRESH CORRIANDER (AND FRESH MINT IF AVAILABLE)
OFFER WITH PRAYER TO THE SUPREME
ENJOY AND RELISH THE PRASADAM.

ONION AND GARLIC

Why no onion and garlic ?

In modern times and even in ancient texts both onion and garlic have been listed as suitable medicines as required but if you understand the mythology and the modern science of onion and garlic you will see what it is not ideal to consume them. They are detrimental for any person (and I assume all reading this are qualifying) wishing to develop themselves spiritually and despite having some health benefits there are countless herbs that have the same benifits without any harmful effects.

From the Puranas:

From the Ayurvedic texts:

Modern Science:

Conclusion:

AYURVEDA

For Ayurvedic studies we recommend Vaidya Rama Mishra. He has the qualifications of a great teacher coming form a family of royal Vaidyas and a living example of Ayurvedic wisdom. His style of teaching and his entire presentation allows the student to become awoken in the ultimate knowledge of Ayurveda. Ayu is life and Veda is wisdom. Ayu is defined in the shastra as Sharira, Indriya, Sattva, Aatma se Ayu. This means the body, the senses, the mind and soul this is life. The wellbeing of all these aspects of being, not just "physical" health is the objective of Ayurveda and for the ultimate purpose of Divine realization nothing more. Wealth, happiness, righteousness and pain free living are the "side" effects of this pure Ayurveda.

ARTICLES BY VAIDYA MISHRA

Vaidya Mishra Prana as Medicine Course - March 2009

PRAKRIT - Sutra to Science

In-sync transitions with Shudh Ayurved

Beware of the Nightshades

Why Garlic is not good for your for Spiritual health

AUDIO LECTURES

Dec 5, 2009: Immunity and Health - The SWA Perspective

September 26, 2009: Victory Day - Inaugurating SWA Cooking

August 1, 2009: How to Stay Balanced in the Summer

June 24, 2009: Women's Health from Puberty to Menopause

April 18, 2009: Spring is the Time for Detox

February 9, 2009: Love and Prana

January 24, 2009: Prana and Weight Loss

Dec 27, 2008: Advanced Winter Care

VIDEOS

http://www.youtube.com/user/rkpublications

FOR MORE INFORMATION

http://www.vaidyamishra.com/

READING ROOM

The One Straw Revolution: An Introduction to Natural Farming by Masanobu Fukuoka
Human Physiology - Expression of Veda and the Vedic Literature by Tony Nader
Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha by Swami Satyananda Saraswati
Building Architecture of Sthapatya Veda by Dr. V. Ganapati Sthapati
Health In Your Hands : Acupressure and Natural Therapies (2 Vols.) by Devendra Vora
Kundalini Tantra by Swami Satyananda Saraswati
Moola Bandha (The Master Key) by Swami Buddhananda
Ayurveda and Marma Therapy by David Frawley
Introduction to Sanskrit (Volume I and Volume II) by Thomas Egenes
The Ayurvedic Cook Book by Amadea Morningstar

More Books on AYURVEDA

YUUGAS - GETTING FREE OF "TIME" ONCE AND FOR ALL

The yuugas ...

LIVE

SHRI SOMAYAGYA 2010

From April 24th - 30th we will be performing a Somayagya for creating vibrations of healing, love and peace upon the entire planet. Yagyas and particularly Somayagnyas are the Vedic technology to purify and balance the planet. By regularly performing large Yagyas in the correct way, a profound wave of healing is brought upon the earth that helps to avert disturbances and harm of every form. All Vedic science is based on heart-soul technology where the ultimate outcome of any practice or action is that there is more light and bliss for all. Modern quantum physics shows how yagyas inject waves of coherence into the atmosphere that resonate multi-fold effecting subtle and gross systems upon the planet. When a large group of Vedic pundits perform these yagyas the effect is multiplied and when it is over a longer period, more energy is generated that can nourish and heal all.

SOMAYAGYA ACCOMODATION

SOMAYAJNYA ACCOMODATION:

Accommodation is available within walking, cycling or driving (electric bike is our preferred method) or riding distance as you prefer. We here with list available accommodation with a brief description sorted by the nearest options first.

VERITE GUEST HOUSE:

It is a very nice community with attached organic vegetarian kitchen and running on renewable energy. Basic huts are available then simple rooms and some en-suite rooms.

Verite Guest House - Rate List 2010

The rate includes three organic, vegetarian meals per day, plus laundry, and the Auroville guest fee.

Rooms Name	Description	Amount	Beds	Occupants
Adventure & Joy 2 sharing	Thatched roof tree houses on stilts, only for the adventurous.	540 450	2	Single occupancy Double occupanncy
Abundance & Purpose	Small singles – common bath	820	1	Single occupancy
Gratitude & Humour	Larger singles – common bath	950	1	Single occupancy
Faith, Clarity & Earthroom 2 sharing	Doubles – common bath	1100 880	2	Single occupancy Double occupanncy
Skyroom 2 sharing	Airy, large room on second floor	1170 930	2	Single occupancy Double occupanncy
Goodness 2 sharing	Double room – bath attached	1370 1100	2	Single occupancy Double occupanncy
Generosity 2 sharing 3 sharing	large double room, with bath attached and kitchenette	1650 1320 1150	3	Single occupancy Double occupanncy Triple occupancy
Treatment Room 1	Small singles – common bath	950	1	Single occupancy
NC1 Room	Double room – bath attached	1250 980	2	Single occupancy Double occupanncy
NC2 Room	Double room – bath attached	1250 980	2	Single occupancy Double occupanncy

The rate includes three organic, vegetarian meals per day, plus laundry, and the Auroville guest fee which contributes to the maintenance and development of Auroville as a whole

Phone: 0413 - 2622045

E-mail: verite@auroville.org.in

AFSANAH GUEST HOUSE:

This is an expensive and up-market option with all AC rooms. If you must be cool and need some basic luxuries then this is good. Price ranges from Rs.2600 - Rs.4500 approximately for the rooms.

You can always contact us with your requirements and we can help to find a suitable place in Auroville.

Phone: 0413 - 2622048, 2622108
E-mail: afsanah_gh@auroville.org.in

CENTRE GUEST HOUSE:

It is an oldest and largest guest house in Auroville centrally located meeting point for guests.

Phone: 0413 - 2622155, 2622708
E-mail: centerguesthouse@auroville.org.in

ATITHI GRIHA GUEST HOUSE:

It is a charming south Indian style guesthouse conveniently located in the central area.

Phone: 0413 - 2622445
E-mail: atithigriha@gmail.com

CREATIVITY GUEST HOUSE:

It is a charming western style guest house with emphasize on community life, conveniently located in the central area.

Phone: 0413 - 2622805
E-mail: avipro@auroville.org.in

GRATITUDE GUEST HOUSE:

It is a quiet, forest-like park environment, nature reserve for birds.

Phone: 0413 - 2623079

NEW CREATION GUEST HOUSE:

It is the accommodation in a multipurpose community, with facilities for children from surrounding villages.

Phone: 0413 - 2622125
E-mail: andre@auroville.org.in

SAMARPAN BEACH:

It is a small quiet beach community, retreat for well-being.

Phone: 0413 - 2918571
E-mail: samarpan.gh@gmail.com

SAMASTI GUEST HOUSE:

It is a small and cozy guest house located in peaceful residential setting.

Phone: 0413 - 2622307, 2622306
E-mail: srimoyi@auroville.org.in

SHARNGA GUEST HOUSE:

It is a guest house in a nice, natural surrounding, with singing birds, peacocks, water pool.

Phone: 0413 - 2622338, 2623532
E-mail: sharnga@auroville.org.in

SRI AUROBINDO ASHRAM ACCOMODATION IN PONDYCHERRY

PARK GUEST HOUSE:

Phone: 0413 – 2334412
E-mail: parkgh@sriaurobindoashram.org

COTTAGE GUEST HOUSE:

Phone: 0413 - 2338434

INTERNATIONAL GUEST HOUSE:

Phone: 0413 - 2336699

MOTHER’S GUEST HOUSE:

Phone: 0413 – 2220337
E-mail: mothershouse.regina@gmail.com

SEASIDE GUEST HOUSE:

Phone: 0413 – 2336494
E-mail: seaside@sriaurobindosociety.org.in

Guest House - Auroville

Sl.No.	Name of G.H.	Phone No.	Phone No.1	Cell No.	E-mail	Rooms & Price detail
1	Creativity Guest House			+91 9443385563	avipro@auroville.org.in	Single room - Rs.200/per night & Double room - Rs.400/per night including auroville tax
2	Douceur Guest House	+91-413- 2622322		+91 9047460961	rajavenir@gmail.com	Single room - Rs.200/per day Double room - Rs.400/per day
3	Siddhartha Forest Guest House			+91 99431-06579	jmianthier@hotmail.com	Small house - Rs.200/per day
4	SveDame Guest House	+91-413-2623565				Single room - Rs.350/per day Double room - Rs.450/per day
5	Bobby's Guest House Isaiambalam	+91-413-2622529	+91-413- 2622768			Single room - Rs.350/per day Double room - Rs.700/per day
6	Isai Amabalam Guest House	+91-413- 2622768				Single room - Rs.350/per day Double room - Rs.700/per day
7	Youth Camp	+91-413-2622357	+91 9443647530		youthcamp@auroville.org.in	Double room - Rs.350/per person/per day
8	Atithi Griha - Bharat Nivas	+91-413-2622445				Single room - Rs. 375/per day Double room - Rs.695/per day Large room - Rs.320/per person
9	Pony Farm Guest House	+91-413-2622620				Double room - Rs.375/per night
10	Needam Guest House Certitude	+91-413-2622359		+91 94438-44339	hamritam@auroville.org.in	Double room - Rs. 400 - Rs. 600/per day
11	College Guest House Centre Field	+91-413- 2622584	+91-413- 2622165	+91 9442788016	janet@auroville.org.in	Single room - Rs.450/per day Double room - Rs.390/per day Large room - Rs.300/per person
12	New Creation Guest House New Creation	+91-413- 2622909	+91-413- 2622125		andre@auroville.org.in	Double room - Rs.500/per day
13	Nilatangam Guest House	+91-413- 2623019				Double room - Rs.700/per day
14	Arka Guest House	+91-413-2623799	+91-413-2622443	+91 9943644678	arka@auroville.org.in	Double/Large room - Rs.700/per day
15	Samasti Guest House Samasti	+91-413- 2622306	+91-413- 2622307		srimoyi@auroville.org.in	Single room - Rs.750/per day Double room - Rs.1200/per day
16	Transformation Guest House	+91-413-2622231				Double room - Rs.1000/per day
17	Center Guest House Centre Field	+91-413- 2622155	+91-413- 2622708		centerguesthouse @auroville.org.in	Single room - Rs.1050/per night Double room - Rs.1600/per night Large room - Rs.800/per person
18	Sharnga Guest House Sharnga	+91-413- 2623532	+91-413- 2622338		sharnga@auroville.org.in	Double room - Rs. 1100 to Rs. 1550/ per person
19	Verite Guest House	+91-413-2622045			verite@auroville.org.in	Single room - Rs.1100/per day Double room - Rs.820/per day
20	Forecomers Guest House	+91-413- 2901108				House -Rs.1200/per day
21	Soleil Guest House	+91-413-2623506	+91-413-2623507		rohitarya29@rediffmail.com	Single room - Rs.1200/per day Double room - Rs.1700/per day
22	New Community Guest House	+91-413- 2622169				Double room -Rs.1200/per day
23	Gratitude Guest House	+91-413- 2623079				Apartments - Rs.1300/per person
24	Quiet Healing Center	+91-413-2622329	+91-413-2622646		quiet@auroville.org.in	Single room - Down floor - Rs.2000/1 floor - Rs.2650/per day Double room - Down floor - Rs.2400/1 floor - Rs.3100/per day
25	Afsanah Guest House Kottakarai	+91-413-2622048	+91-413-2622108	+91 9345400700	afsanah_gh@auroville.org.in	Double room - Rs2500/per day Large room - Rs.4100/per day

Guest House - Ashram

Sl.No.	Name of G.H.	Phone No.	Phone No.1	Cell No.	E-mail	Rooms & Price details
1	Karnataka Nilayam	+91-413-2233699				Single room - Rs.100 Double room - Rs.150/per day
2	Mother's Guest House	+91-413-2220337			mothershouse.regina@gmail.com	Single room - seaside - Rs.260 other side Rs.160/per day
3	International Guest House	+91-413-2336699				Double room - Rs.225 Delux room - Rs.450 Delux room with AC - Rs.600/per day
4	Park Guest House	+91-413-2224644	+91-413-2233644		parkgh@sriaurobindoashram.org	Double room with AC - Rs.1000 Non AC - Rs.600/per day
5	Seaside Guest House	+91-413-2336494			seaside@sriaurobindosociety.org.in	Single room - Rs.1100 Double room - Rs.1275/per day

ABOUT SHREE

About Shree

Paramsadguru Shri Gajanan Maharaj referred to as Shree, of Shivpuri, Akkalkot, is revered throughout the world as the Perfect Supreme Master (Param-Sat-Guru).

He is recognized as the mythological incarnation - Kalki. According to the ancient scriptures, it is stated that a divine incarnation will manifest on the planet to destroy 'Kalaka' meaning pollution & resuscitate the Vedas.

He will re-establish the Eternal Religion (Satya-Dharma). The message of Shree delivers the planet from all types of 'Kalka'. The process of Agnihotra revived by Shree purifies the atmosphere and human mind.

Swami Shivanand, the incarnate of Lord Shiva himself, a great Yogi who perpetuated the Mantra Yoga of sound 'Om' (Nadabramha) & Yogini Sonamata were Shree's parents. They belonged to the noble family of Rajimwale, the chieftains of an area of 84 villages like Rajim, Ratnapur & Pendra etc. of the present Chattisgarh (India).

Swami Shivananda & Sonamata, even though lived amidst riches, were totally unattached to worldly matters. By the grace of a Yogi it was revealed to Sonamata that her pure womb was to give birth to the 'Light of the Universe', and the 'Son of Man' Shree was born on 17th May 1918 early morning in Kharagpur (Dist.Midnapore,W.Bengal,India).

Birthchart of Shree

Born in a noble family, the child was destined to fulfill the divine wish. Shree had the stars of a Sovereign King or Supreme Yogic Master in His horoscope.

According to the Buddhist tradition similar was the positioning of stars in the horoscope of Lord Buddha.

In 1938 at the age of 20, He became the Head of the monastery (Peethadheesha) of Gurumandir of Akkalkot. This Holy lineage of Masters had issued from Swami Samartha Maharaj, who is respected as the incarnation of Lord Dattatreya. As the Divine plan unfolded, in the year 1942, (10th of the bright half of the lunar month Phalgun) Lord Parshuram, the sixth & the most powerful incarnation, who by his prowess conquered the universe & then with utter non-attachment gave it away as Daan, in whom the physical as well as the Mantra power attained it's zenith, appeared to Shree.

He was blessed with the ancient & supreme knowledge of 'Shrividya'. The pitiable condition of Satya Dharma was shown to Shree in a vision. Instantaneously, Shree, vowed at the feet of His master "I will resuscitate the Vedas".

The date was 21st September 1944. Ashwin Shuddha 4, Saka 1866. On the day of Vijayadashmi, touching the holy feet of Lord Parshuram, He repeated the most difficult vow.

This historic moment changed the course of mankind.

The vow put an end to the era of Kali Yuga symbolized by ignorance, evil & darkness.

The 'New Era' was named by Shree as Satya Vikram Samvat. On the same day Sapta Shloki (Seven Verses) were revealed unto Shree.

Sapta Shloki is chanted every day throughout the world by countless followers of SATYA DHARMA. It depicts the fundamentals of the Vedas in the form of 'Five Fold Path'. It is a Divine revelation and not a human composition. It is an astonishing verse, lucid, precise and full of meaning. Shree was a Siddha Yogi of great stature. He was Divinity and Purity manifest in the human body.

His daily spiritual routine began at the Brahma Muhurata. i.e. early hours of the morning. He remained perpetually in the state of Samadhi. Most of the time during the day He was engrossed in performance of various forms of austre tapa like Silence (Mauna), Fasting, Chanting of Guru mantras etc.

His personal needs were extremely limited. He wore an unstitched white dhoti around his waist and carried another piece of white cloth on his shoulders.

He spent most of the time in his meditation room sitting on a small square wooden stool, where he received disciples and visitors from all over the world.

Shree had no material possessions. He has never even touched money or gold. He was extremely punctual and his daily chores were attuned perfectly with the watch.

He had a peaceful, royal and pleasant bearing. His deep eyes would penetrate through the outer cover of the person standing in front of him and reach his inner self. In his presence, stressed minds were pacified, and all queries were answered.

Many would go to him with a question in mind and come out without verbally asking anything but feeling satisfied.

He had in depth knowledge of Vedas, Scriptures and the Science of the Mantras. He possessed many miraculous Siddhis (Spiritual powers) but detested from making use of these abilities in the day-to-day life. He lived in a child like simplicity.

As part of his mission Shree performed a Mahasomyaga from 28th Feb to 4th March 1969 at Shivpuri, the Yagya Nagar. It was a great event. Learned Vedic scholars conducted the proceedings of the Somayaga. It was the first time in 2500 years that a Somayaga was performed strictly as per the disciplines of Vedas in which there was no sacrifice of animals, no flesh oblations, not even suggestively.

As a symbol of Somayaga a massive Yagya pillar was erec

ted at Shivpuri. Shivpuri, the holy Yagya Nagar, was founded by Shree on the occasion of the Somayaga to fulfill the command of His father Swami Shivananda. Shree propagated the doctrine of universal peace and brotherhood. He preached the teaching of Ahimsa (Non Violence), Daan (Sharing of our assets with the feeling of humility), love, compassion, forgiveness etc.

His teachings inevitably transcend the barriers of caste, creed, colour, religion, cult, nationality or language and such other man made distinctions. He showered unlimited love and blessings on the downtrodden, poor and ailing of the world.

He often taught his disciples that service rendered unto the needy and suffering, is in true sense 'Divine worship'. He attacked the caste system prevalent in Indian society and advocated equal rights and respect to women with regards to practice of the Satya Dharma.

Shree promoted research and teachings of ancient Vedic language Sanskrit in which the fathomless treasures of humanity are preserved.

AYURVEDA

Eternal wisdom of health & enlightenment.

TESTSUMIT

TESTSUMITTESTSUMITTESTSUMIT

AKKALKOT SWAMI

Akkalkot Niwasi Shri Swami Samartha also known as Swami Samartha Maharaj, Swami Maharaj is a household word in Maharashtra,karnataka and Andra Pradesh.He is believed to be from the tradition of several sages in the Dattatreya sampradaya.

The early life of Swami Samarth like that of Shri Shirdi Sai Baba is shrouded with mystery. For that matter, even Shri Shirdi Sai Baba's advent and early life has not been established. Yet it does not really matter for those who have faith in them.

Shri Narasimha Saraswati, about four centuries before the advent of Swami Samarth is believed to be the earlier incarnation of Shri Dattatreya. The 'Guru Charitra' one of the most famous books gives lot of information about Him. As per the most popular belief, Shri Narasimha Swami, after helping and spiritually uplifting a large number of people over a few decades, went away to the Himalayas for penance and went into Samadhi. In the Samadhi state He remained for about three hundred years. With the passage of time a huge anthill grew over him and he was lost to the outside world. One day accidentally a woodcutter’s axe fell on the bushes grown around the ant hill. He was shocked to find blood stains on the blade of the axe. He cleared the anthill and Lo, he found a Yogi in meditation. The Yogi slowly opened his eyes and consoled the dumbfounded woodcutter saying that it was the Divine Will for Him to re-appear in the world to resume His mission.

This Yogi, in his new role came to be known as Swami Samarth.

Prior to his settlement at Akkalkot, Swami Samarth seems to have visited far and wide. While moving in the Himalayan region he visited places like Puri, Benaras, Hardwar, Girnar, Kathiawad and Rameswaram in the South. He also stayed at Mangalvedha, a town near Pandharpur in Solapur district Maharashtra, which had been inhabited earlier by famous saints like Domojipant and Chokhamela. He came to Akkalkot in 1856 where he continued his physical existence for 22 years.

He came to Akkalkot on the invitation of one Chintopant Tol and stayed at a place on the outskirts of the town.

SOMAYAGYA 2010 TRAVEL

ARRIVING BY TRAIN

If traveling from within India the best way to come is surely by train (most co-logical and economical as well as supporting the employment of more than 1.6 million people in India).

There are some direct trains to Pondicherry (PDY) from:

Bhubaneshwar in Orrisa
Mangalore in Karnataka (via Kerala)
Bangalore in Karnataka

View all the trains to PDY or book your train online.

If you’re new to Indian Railways (this probably means you’ve not been in India before) then you can read a lot of wonderful information about the railways here.

If you’re not on one of the three lines above then theres a good chance wherever you are in India will have a train to Villapuram (VM) which is just 40-50 minutes from the Somayagya by car. See below to arrange shared cars to pick you up at Villapuram and bring you to Auroville.

A good first step will be to check all the trains coming to Villapuram.

For all railway information, this site is generally the easiest to use before doing your actual booking.

If you do not have a direct train to Villapuram then the next choice is Chennai which surely will have a train from 95% of locations in India as it is the capital of Tamil Nadu where the yagya will be located. The only down side is it’s almost 2 1/2 hours to the North of where you need to be. Once you get to Chennai you can try a taxi share below or use the regular bus service to Pondicherry. You can stay in Pondicherry if you wish as there is ample accommodation there or if you wish to be closer to the action then hop on an auto-rickshaw to Auroville.

If you wish our helpers to help you with a railway booking please contact us and we’ll be glad to help.

ARRIVING BY ROAD

Buses

Buses come from most parts of South India to Auroville. Red Bus is good for online bus bookings. We much prefer you come by train but if you have to you can come by car or bus.

Cars

For cars Auroville has a lot of it’s own transport companies. They are safe and reliable.

We highly recommend the Auroville Taxi Share. This helps co-ordinate people coming on the same route it is run by Unity transport and saves pollution and is better for the planet.

Buses are available from Villupuram to Pondy frequently. Taxi charges to pickup from Villupuram to Auroville:

	Indigo	Indica or Ambassador
AC	Rs. 800	Rs. 700
Non - AC	Rs. 700	Rs. 600

If you must come by car and pollute then consider planting trees to offset the harm done.

If you wish our helpers to help you with a taxi share or car booking please contact us and we’ll be glad to help.

ARRIVING BY FLIGHT

If coming from abroad chances are you took a plane. In which case you will arrive in Anna International Air pot which is in Chennai. For a pickup/taxi share you can see the road transport section above.

If your international flight arrives elsewhere in India you can book a connecting flight here (thought we recommend train if you can).

CLIMATE

Even though it is hid-summer we are expecting it to rain so bring light clothing (though even if you bring less you can get wonderful organic cotton clothing in Auroville).

Generally it will be warm in the day and slightly cooler in the evenings. Auroville is cooler than the surrounding areas mostly due to the abundant forest.

ONWARD TRAVEL

If you prefer to use a travel agent, is that we highly recommend Inside India. If you wish to combine your inner purification at the Somayajna with some other activities – travels or pilgrimages then kindly contact Reema from Auroville’s magnificent travel agency called Inside India.

They can arrange elephants, mountains, backwaters, jungles, palaces, forts, temple, beaches just let them know your requirements and they will take away the stress of organizing your travel.

Inside India
Auroshilpam
605101 Auroville, India
Tel: +91 – 413 – 2622047 / 2622555
Fax: +91 – 413 – 2622375
E-mail: insideindia@auroville.org.in
http://www.inside-india.com/

We wish you a safe and peaceful journey within and to the Shri Somayajna.

SUMMER & WINTER SQUASH

The term "summer" and "winter" for squash are only based on current usage, not on actuality. "Summer" types are on the market all winter; and "Winter" types are on the markets in the late summer and fall, as well as winter. Thus, the terms "summer" and "winter" are deceptive and confusing. This terminology was never meant to confuse - it just dates back to a time when the seasons were more crucial to man's survival than they are now. "Good keepers" became known as winter vegetables if they would "keep" until December.

SUMMER SQUASH

Description:

The delicate flavor, soft shell and creamy white flesh of summer squash is a perfect addition to any summer meal. Once only available in the summer, they are now available throughout the year; however, they are in season between May and July when they are at their best and most readily available.

Summer squash, members of the Cucurbitaceous family and relatives of both the melon and the cucumber, come in many different varieties. While each type varies in shape, color, size and flavor, they all share some common characteristics. The entire vegetable, including its flesh, seeds and skin, is edible. In addition, some varieties of the squash plant produce edible flowers. Unlike winter squash, summer squash are more fragile and cannot be stored for long periods of time.

Summer squash are a subset of squashes that are harvested when immature (while the rind is still tender and edible). All summer squashes are the fruits of the species Cucurbit pepo (although not all squashes of this species are considered summer squashes), but they are considered vegetables in terms of culinary use. The name "summer squash" refers to the short storage life of these squashes, unlike that of winter squashes.

Nutritional profile:

Summer squash is an excellent source of manganese and vitamin C. It is also a very good source of magnesium, vitamin A, dietary fiber, potassium, copper, folate, and phosphorus. In addition, summer squash is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, calcium, zinc, niacin, and protein.

List of some summer squashes:

Cousa squash
Pattypan squash (aka. "Scallop squash")
Yellow crookneck squash
Yellow summer squash
Zucchini (courgette in French and in some regional varieties English)
Chayote
Globe squash
Scallopini
Snake gourd
Tinda
Vegetable marrow.

WINTER SQUASH

Description:

Winter squash (Australia: pumpkin) is a summer-growing annual vegetable, representing several species within the genus Cucurbit. It differs from summer squash in that it is harvested and eaten in the mature fruit stage, when the seeds within have matured fully and the skin has hardened into a tough rind. At this stage, most varieties of this fruit can be stored for use during the winter. It is generally cooked before eating.

Winter squash can be harvested whenever the fruits have turned a deep, solid color and the skin is hard. Most of the crop is harvested in September or October (Northern Hemisphere), before heavy frosts hit the planting area.

Winter squash comes in shapes round and elongated, scalloped and pear-shaped with flesh that ranges from golden-yellow to brilliant orange. Most winter squashes are vine-type plants whose fruits are harvested when fully mature. They take longer to mature than summer squash (3 months or more) and are best harvested once the cool weather of fall sets in. They can be stored for months in a cool basement-hence the name "winter" squash.

Nutritional profile:

Winter squash is an excellent source of Vitamin A. Winter squash is also rich in complex carbohydrates such as starch and fiber. Anti-cancer properties are also found in winter squash. It contains a range of health promoting nutrients like iron, niacin, potassium, beta carotene and is also known to be good for lung health.

List of some winter squashes:

Acorn squash
Ambercup squash
Autumn cup squash
Banana squash
Butternut squash
Buttercup squash
Carnival squash
Delicata squash
Fairytale pumpkin squash
Gold nugget squash
Hubbard squash
Kabocha squash
Spaghetti squash
Sweet dumpling squash
Turban squash.

http://www.vaidyamishra.com/pages/Why-Is-Winter-Squash-Not-Recommended-For-Health%3F.html

GAYATRI MANTRA

THE SECRET OF GAYATRI MANTRA

GAYATRI-MANTRA is the most important and basic mantra of the Vedic science of sounds. In ancient Vedic Guru disciple system of learning, a child at the tender age of five was introduced to the learning, of the complexities of the Vedas by initiation into the Gayatri Mantra. This initiation was performed by the child's father who is regarded as first teacher or guru. The Samskara ( Purificatory ceremony) was termed as Upanayana or Maunjibandhana in which a sacred thread was put around the shoulder and arm of the child. It contained three threads and a knot denoting the four Vedas. This thread is also known as Yagya-Sutra with which a child was, as if, tied symbolically with the five fold path of Vedas and practice of Agnihotra and other Yagyas. The learning of Vedas literally commenced with the chanting of GAYATRI MANTRA. This endowed ability and insight to the child's faculty of pronunciation and understanding.

A mantra is an esoteric combination of specific sounds, syllables and meaning. It is all combined together to impart a powerful effect on mind and matter. GAYATRI is the name of poetic meter in which this particular mantra is revealed. This is the reason why it is known as GAYATRI MANTRA. It refers to SAVITA, the almighty cosmic power which impels the entire universe. Thus it is also known as the SAVITRI MANTRA. SAVITA is its presiding deity and AGNI (Holy fire) is the identifying Mark (Mukh i.e. Face) of this mantra. This mantra was revealed unto seer Vishwamitra in the ancient times. It contains eight syllables per couplet and 24 total syllables in entire mantra.

Chanting and meditating on the GAYATRI MANTRA is the essence of the rite Samdhya performed twice daily by followers of Veda. This mantra is called mother of Veda (Vedamata) because it is the essence of the science of sounds. It imparts ability and power to delve deeper in to endowing of Vedas. It opens the doors of liberation by insight into Vedic learning. The ancient seers meditated upon this mantra which in turn endowed them the knowledge of a new array of mantras. In this sense it is truly the mother of Vedas.

The traditional definition of the word GAYATRI clearly denotes its power of liberation from bondage of ignorance. It is defined as follows: " Gayanatam trayate iti gayatri " i.e the mantra has the ability to liberate a person who continuously chants it. What is the simple meaning or sense of liberation? It is thus: " every soul engulfed by dark illusion of ignorance (Maya) and bonds of past karmas experience an inborn feeling of deep attachment to body. It identifies of mistake itself with body which is called dehatama-bhava. While and meditating on GAYATRI-MANTRA we pray to divine power to bestow upon us the feeling and experience that " I am pure divine immortal soul ( aham brahmasmi ) I am the manifestation of divinity " This spiritual experience is described as " I and my father are one " GAYATRI-MANTRA may be chanted mentally, any time preferably before or after Agnihotra-times, otherwise it may be chanted in all states of life, walking, sitting or lying etc.

This mantra is a common or universal prayer ideal for any spiritual aspirant
( sadhaka). Those who are fortunate to have received initiation at the feet of a proper guru also may chant GAYATRI - MANTRA because it has a power and ability to awaken the hidden strength of soul and mind. It does not contradict with ones regular practices of any type, while those who have not received any initiation at the feet of a proper guru may simply treat the chant and meditation with GAYATRI as their principle practice. It is supportive to all spiritual practices.

The word "SAVITA" originates from Sanskrit verbal root "SU" meaning to impel, incite or set in motion. Savita is the denomination of the cosmic power which sets in motion the cycles of the universe. The gross visible form of the power of Savita is sun which sets and rise everyday making day and night. It sets in motion all actions of living beings because with the hint of sunrise the birds start chirping, animals start moving about collecting food and human beings embark upon daily chores. At the time of sunset the luster and power of the sun is, as if deposited in Agni (Fire) around which the life at night encircles. In this essence GAYATRI-MANTRA is addressed to both Sun and Agni.

The chanting of GAYATRI - MANTRA with mental attunement is an effective Swadhayay ( i.e.: Self-Study ) the fifth aspect of the five fold path of Vedas, ordained by Paramsadguru Shree Gajanan Maharaj of Shivapuri, Akkalkot, INDIA.

GAYATRI-MANTRA bears great esoteric relation with the life of SHREE. The maternal grandfather of SHREE, Bhausaheb Shingwekar, was an ardent devotee of GAYATRI-MANTRA, resultant to which he was blessed with a Divine daughter Sonamata. Sonamata was pure saintly Yogini who was the mother of SHREE. She was believed to be the incarnation of goddess GAYATRI, the presiding deity of this mantra. As the mantra has 24 syllables in it. The divine life dedicated to the service of poor and downtrodden led by Sonamata was fulfilled at an early age of 24. The upanayana or thread ceremony of child Gajanan (SHREE) was performed in the holy place Sakori, Dist. Ahemednagar, (M.S). The great Yogi-saint Upasanimaharaj, initiated SHREE with the GAYATRI - MANTRA. Later on SHREE stayed for a few years in Sakori following the strict disciplinary life of a brahmachari and learnt Vedas, at the feet of His grandfather.

The chanting and purport of GAYATRI MANTRA ordained by SHREE is as follows.

You will notice that there is OM sound in the beginning, middle and at the end of the mantra; it is as if engulfed by OM sound.

MANTRA:

OM BHUR BHUVAH SVAHAH OM TAT SAVITURVARENYAM BHARGO DEVASYA DHEEMAHI DHIYO YO NAH PRACHODAYAT OM.

Purport:

OM: Symbol of the Divine power the primal esoteric sound.
BHUH: Physical plane.
BHUVAH: Astral plane
SVAH: Celestial plane.
TAT: That transcendent divinity
SAVITHU: The power which impels the universe.
VARENYAM: Fit to be worshipped, all powerful.
BHARGO: Glory, effulgence
DEVASYA: Resplendent.
DHEEMAHI: We meditate
DHIYAH: Intellects.
YAH: Who NAH: Our
PRACHODYAT: Enlighten, guide.

MEANING OF MANTRA: I meditate and pray unto the Supreme self--illuminated, Divine, cosmic-power, which is the creator of the entire universe, to impel my intellect towards self realization.

VEDIC BIRTHING

It is fascinating to speak with modern day midwifes and correlate the knowledge that they have come to know through their own experience has been given by Shri Charak Samhita in the classical Ayurvedic text. There is also a lot more wisdom still to be revealed so we thought it ripe to give birth to a beautiful summary of the main points. May every mother out there birth a Divine child and may her health be preserved so she can nourish a Divine Society

9^th month (36-40 weeks) onwards:

In the 9^th month of pregnancy the mother should be given unctuous enema preparations with organic cold pressed sesame oil prepared with madhuraushadhi. Madhura means sweet taste which means they embody lots of Soma (cooling lunar energy) in their vibrational makeup. Some of these are roots and some flowers. Liquorice root is the most well known on the list.

Herewith the nominated sweet herbs (Sanskrit / Botanical Name):

Jeevak - Microstylis wallichii (orchid)
Rishbhak – Microstylis muscifera (orchid)
Meda - Polygonatum Verticillatum [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polygonatum_verticillatum)]
Mahameda – Polygonatum [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polygonatum]
Kakoli - Roscoea procera
Kshirkakoli - Roscoea sp.
Yastimadhu – Glycyrrhiza glabra [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liquorice].

Polygonatum Verticillatum

The same oil and sweet herb preparation (medicated oil) should be placed in organic cotton swabs and kept in the yoni (vagina).

The effect of the above protocol gives following results:

Softening of perineum, pelvis, waist, side of the chest and back
Helps with balancing of vata in general and specifically the downward movement of vata.
Normalizes urination and defecation
Softens the skin and nails
Gives the mother more power and radiance.

Most important of all it helps for an easy and safe delivery of the child at the right time of delivery (not too early, nor too late).

Vata is the key focus of the above protocol so that in the 9th month when the fruit is about to ripen and “fall” from the tree, vata is kept in balance maximally so there is an oily, nourishing protocol. In the proceeding 8 months there is an emphasis on internal oleation using dairy products and ghee in the diet. For more information on the 1 – 8 month protocol kindly view here.

MATERNITY HOME

In ancient times a special home was prepared for bringing the Divine soul into this world. The place and method of construction was specified as below:

Place should be cleared of any broken material, bones or anything inauspicious (hence the site should be properly cleared) See link agnihotra
The soil where it is constructed should have a good smell, texture and taste (this indicates the place should be fertile and well irrigated)
The home should be constructed as per Vaastu Shastra
Entrance should be from either EAST or NORTH side only (the scientific reason for this is explained in our Vaastu / Sthapatya Veda section on the site) in a nutshell all prana “arrives” on earth from the East and hence Eastern direction is heavily energized with nourishing prana from nature. The morning sun is full of pathogenic killing light (ultraviolet). By orientating with East entrance maximum morning light can enter the building
The maternity home should be constructed from high vibration and purifying woods. Note that wood is mentioned as the material, wood is known to be one of the most healing and nourishing building materials. A research in Sweden showed that people in wooden homes have lowest cancer in the country. Charaka mentions following woods: bilva, tinduka, ingudi, bhallataka, varana, khadira.

The “modern” maternity home:

Most of us won’t take the time to construct a maternity home but if possible one should try get a home (if doing home birth) birthing centre/hospital, or room (if hospital birth) that has the following qualities:

Vaastu should be good. Building should get maximum light from North and East and have a North or East entrance. Building should be orientated on the earth’s grid (longitude / latitude) and not tilted more than a few degrees from these lines
Building should make use of natural construction materials as possible and preferable as much wood as possible. Also as little synthetic materials as possible.

Perhaps in an ideal world we will all have the chance to construct special birthing homes for our future generations or special clinics could be made that allow for this within the clinic.

Some notes:

Birthing home should have a toilet and all equipments needed for the birth. A fireplace should be there and a full pharmacy of necessary herbs and equipments should be present. The climate should be controlled (naturally if possible) to make it very comfortable. Warm oil in vedic science is comparible in effect with warm water - as commonly used with modern day birthing techniques.

The following should be kept in the pharmacy of the birthing home:

Ghee, oil, honey, all types of natural salt (rock salt, sea salt etc.)
Vidanga, Kustha, Kilima, Nagara, Pippali, Pippali Mula, Hastipippali, Mandukaparni, Elettaria, Langali, Vaca, Cavya, Citraka, Cirabilva, Hingu, Sarsapa, Lasuna, Kataka, Kana, Kundaka, Kanika, Nipa, Atasi, Balvaja, Bhurja, Kulattha, Maireya, Sura and medicated wines (asavas)

The above list are many traditional home remedies for all sorts of ailments and would for the most grow wild in the villages of India. Some of the more famous mentioned are cardamom, brahmi, pippali, calamus and so forth.

The midwives would be skilled to use the herbal preparations to manage any birth situation that would arise. This is an ancient birthing pharmacy.

If the medicines and the learned persons who know to use them are not available you can use what is locally available from your traditional knowledge systems assuming an expert is at hand.

Furthermore the following should be kept for the birth and mother:

Two grinding stones
Two small pestles
Two mortars
A nearby cowshed (if possible)
Gold and silver needles
Surgical instruments
Two beds prepared from sacred wood
Ingudi as firewood.

Female attendants (midwifes and doulas) who are affectionate, deeply caring for the mother, well mannered, resourceful, loving, without grief, able to withstand hardships and calm minded and centred should be present.

The Rishis above are describing the qualities of the midwives and other female attendants.

ENTERING THE BIRTHING HOME

An auspicious and powerful day (based on the Jyotish) would be chosen by the astrologers for the mother to enter the birthing home. The moon should be strong and well placed. At this time prayers should be offered (a yagya could be performed). Some animals should be fed (cows would be ideal).

The mother should pray and chant auspicious mantras.

At this time she enters the maternity home awaiting delivery.

The Rishis gave the following signs for delivery approaching imminently:

Exhaustion of the limbs
Depression of the face
Loose sensation in the eyes sockets
Feeling as if something is untied in the chest
Feeling of something coming down in the pelvis locality
Heaviness in the lower body
Pain in the groin, bladder, pelvis, side of the chest and back
Swelling of the yoni (vagina)
Loss of appetite.

Shortly thereafter the “labour pains” would commence and the excretion of the amniotic fluid.

Once the pain has begun a soft bed should be prepared for the mother. She should sit over the bed.

The female attendants should be present with her now.

IF DELIVERY IS DELAYED

If despite the labour pains the delivery is delayed the woman should be made to open the mouth with deep inhalation (yawn). She should also be asked to walk gently around in circles (pace in circles).

A fine inhalation powder can be prepared of:

Kustha (saussurea lappa)
Ela (elettaria cardamomum
Langaliki (gloriosa superba)
Vaca (acorus calamus)
Citraka (plumbage zeylanica)
Cirabilva (pongamia pinnata)
Cavya (piper chaba).

This powder should be given for her to inhale frequently.

A smoke should be made of bhurja (betula utilis) and simsapa (dalbergia sissoo)

Her body should be anointed every half hour with warm oil at her waists, sides of the chest, back and things. The massage should be gentle.

All the above helps to bring the foetus down:

MANTRA FOR BIRTH

Once the frequency of the labour pains has increased and the foetus has turned and come downwards, the Vaidya should make her lie down over the birthing bed and she should begin to affect the strain needed for delivery in the prescribed manor.

A woman favourably disposed to her should chant the following mantra:

kṣitirjalaṁ viyattejo vāyurviṣṇuḥ prajāpatiḥ
sagarbhāṁ tvāṁ sadā pāntu vaiśalyaṁ ca diśantu te
prasūṣva tvamavikliṣṭamavikliṣṭā śubhānane
kārtikeyadyutiṁ putraṁ kārtikeyābhirakṣitam iti

Note: Transliteration and audio sample will be posted shortly so it can be learnt.

GUIDELINES FOR THE MOTHER DURING LABOUR

The mother must not push unless there is labour pain. If she strains despite the labour pain it will cause a number of possible present and future complications. (Breathlessness, cough, consumption, enlargement of spleen tearing)
When the labour pains come she should push slowly at first and then gradually with more force.

BIRTHING OF THE PLACENTA

PROTOCOL TO FOLLOW IF THE PLACENTA DOES NOT IMMEDIATELY COME

If the placenta does not immediately come out the midwives should forcefully press her abdomen downwards from above the umbilical region and shake the body of the patient well.
Strong pressure should be applied to the hips of the mother and also to the buttocks.

The mother’s throat should be rubbed with the braid of her hair.

The bark of bhurja (Betula utilis) and kacamani should be burnt and the yoni (vagina) should be well fumigated.

A paste of kustha and talisa with sura type of wine can be given. Also a decoction of mandukaparni (centella asiatica) and pippali (piper longum) can be given.

A cotton swab should be soaked in organic cold pressed sesame oil boiled with satapushpa (foeniculum vulgare) [fennel seeds], kustha (saussurea lappa), madana (randia dumetorum) and hingu (ferula narthex) should be kept in the mother’s yoni. Wit the same oil preparation she should be given unctuous enema immediately.

A decoction of balvaja, phala, jimuta, iksvaku, dhamargava, kutaja, krtavedhana, hastipippali should be made and decoction enema should be given.

This enema has a cleaning effect and will help bring vayu downwards and bring the placenta out. All other morbid waste materials will be cleansed from the body.

MANAGEMENT OF THE NEW BORN

The following should be done:

Stones should be struck near the ears of the child
The face of the child should be sprinkled with cold water (if it’s summer) or warm water (if winter)
If the child is not moving he/she should be fanned with a bamboo fan
When respiration is established the child’s excretory passages should be cleansed with water and he should take a bath
His palate, lips, throat and tongue should be wiped with a finger (the nail must be cut short and the hand must be very clean)
After cleaning the mouth the anterior fontanel of the head should be covered with cotton swabs soaked with sesame oil and ghee
The child should then be given a little cows ghee with rock salt to bring upon emesis.

SEPARATION OF THE UMILICAL CORD

The cord should be marked approximately 25.5cm from its root where it is attached with the navel. A sharp instrument made of gold/silver or stainless steel should be used to cut the cord at this mark. The proximal end of the cord should be tied carefully with the help of a thread.

VEDIC BIRTHRITES

The child should be given honey and ghee which has been impregnated with mantra
Mantra should be chanted over the right breast of the mother and the milk should be given first from the right breast

PROTECTION OF THE NEW BORN

This should be done for first 10 days at least.

An earthen jar filled with water should be impregnated with mantra and kept near the head of the child for protection.

Branches of: adani , khadira (acacia catechu), karkandhu (zyzyphus nummularia), pilu (salvadora persica) and parusaka (grewia asiatica)should be placed around the maternity home.

Mustard grains, atasi (Linumusitatissimum) and broken rice should be scattered in all places of the maternity home.

Agnihotra should be performed daily and Mahamrtyunja huma can be done offering ghee to the fire. (See Agnihotra article).

All the above have an effect to purify the atmosphere the child is in of any harmful bacteria and of any negative forces.

Vaca, Kustha, Ksaumaka, Hing, Sarsapa, Atasi and Lasuna should be placed around the room and tied to a beam to hang.

A small garland of garlic and hing can be hung in the room which gives anti bacterial effects. Outside of India hing and Garlic would be easily available.

A fire made from tinduka wood should be kept aglow for the 10 days.

The female attendants (doulas) should be constantly around and the mother should not be left alone. There should constant festivity in the house.

A yagya should be performed by those versed in performing. If outside of India one can proceed with Agnihotra and Mrtyunjaya Homa.

Many of the points above are not easily possible but the underlying principal is for the first 10 days the room where the mother is should be purified energetically and physically. Each country has it’s own “sacred” substances. Sacred means the energy of that substance holds a vibration that brings more light to a place. In India it would be sandalwood or khadira or calamus. In South Africa aloe, sage and mpepu would be used. In South America palo santo would be used.

One should get best quality natural incense (Tibetan incense and Bhutanese are the best and most natural especially those from monasteries) and keep it burning to purify the “space”.

One should learn Agnihotra and perform at sunrise and sunset and also perform daily once the Mrtyunjaya havan. This can be done at sunset or sunrise.

The essence is the new born should be in a “protected” space in all ways. The home where the mother is should not be lonely it should be festive and happy. Of course this would have been much easier when we all lived communally like the Indian village system or old villages of Europe but we should keep the underlying principal in mind and heart and try to perform accordingly.

CARE OF THE MOTHER AFTER DELIVERY – MOST IMPORTANT

This is the most important section - if the mother is not well after delivery the child is affected. In “modern” birthing there is not always a deep understanding of how important it is to care properly for the mother. Giving birth means the body goes through a very instant and dramatic change from one state to another (from very Kapha to less Kapha).

There is loss of fluid of tissue and some blood so Vata is highly aggravated. One may clinically observe many mothers develop underlying lifelong chronic ailments shortly after birth and this is completely unnecessary. Of course many of these factors depend on the age and strength of the mother at time of birth but the principals remain the same.

After birth the mother should have plentiful organic cow’s ghee, sesame oil (organic cold pressed olive oil also fine).

A medicated ghee tonic should be prepared with:

Pippali (piper longum)
Pippali mula (pippali root)
Cavya (piper chaba)
Citraka (plumbago zeylanica)
Srngavera (zingiber officinale).

If the above is not available prepare ghee with ginger juice and cook the ginger into the ghee. Some Ashwagandha powder and Shatavari powder can also be added.

She should take this herbal ghee in liquid form (it should be warmed in cold climates). This is an amazing tonic for the body after the birth trauma.

The quantity and frequency should be as per her appetite.

After this the doulas should anoint her abdomen with medicated oils and ghee. Kshirabala and Mahanarayan Thailam would be a good selection but if nothing else available use a sesame ghee mixture that has been slow cooked for some time to merge them into one compound.

A pure cotton cloth should be wrapped tightly around the abdomen. This helps preventing vayu to do any harm to the abdomen because of the sudden change in the structure there. This point is most important and should be followed strictly.

In note that in many traditional cultures the “binding of the abdomen” after birth is still carried out.

Post Pregnancy Gruel:

Shri Charaka Rishi mentions a very liquid diet to be taken post partum by the mother and gives mention of gruel with pippali and so forth being added. Herewith our post pregnancy gruel:

SWEET VERSION

Any sweet whole grain porridge preparation (organic) could be oats, wheat, rice etc. should be sweet not too astringent
Organic cows ghee
Organic jaggery (must be organic as non organic jaggery must be avoided due to contamination) if not available use another whole sweetener like maple syrup or organic sugar (unrefined)
Cardamon, cinnamon, ginger
Dates.

The sweet gruel can be made with organic raw cow’s milk or with water as you prefer.

SALTY VERSION

Any sweet whole grain porridge preparation (organic) could be oats, wheat, rice etc. should be sweet not too astringent
Organic cows ghee
Little home made vata masala
Rock salt
Fresh coriander
Pinch of pure saffron.

Keep the preparations watery.

The mother should take frequent warm bath (not too hot) and begin a program of regular Abhyanga (oil massage).

The emphasis here is on bringing vata down so taking sweet nourishing warm soupy porridge so she can gently restore to health. The birth of the infant takes much strength from her and she must gradually restore back to full power. She must take maximum rest, keep warm, and keep her diet liquid, warm and unctuous.

References: Shri Charaka Samhita

VYAHRUTI & TRYAMBAKAM HOMA

TRYAMBAKAM HOMA

Yagya is the science of purification of the atmosphere through the agency of Holy Fire. The science and principles of Yagya have been laid down by Vedas, the divine knowledge revealed to the mankind.

Agnihotra is a simple and universally practicable form of elaborate types of yagyas. It involves following of specific simple disciplines such as preparation of cow-dung cake fire, burning of specific organic substances like raw-rice, Ghruta (cow’s ghee), twigs of medicinal herbs, chanting of Vedic mantra vibrations and use of pyramid-shaped copper vessel for making fire etc.

Agnihotra is tuned to specific circadian rhythm of nature. It is performed daily at exactly sunrise and sunset. It is to be performed daily thus it is termed as Nitya (daily) Yagya. Performance of Agnihotra is stated to purify the atmosphere and set in motion a healing cycle in the environs of your house. It spreads the vibrations of peace and love. According to Vedas it is the duty of each family, each person irrespective of any differentiation or denomination, to perform daily Agnihotra.

By rule Agnihotra is to be performed only at sunrise and sunset timings but if any individual wishes to spend more and more time in practicing Yagya what can he do? By regular practice of Agnihotra an urge is automatically born in the mind of the practitioner to spend more and more time in the peaceful and holy atmosphere generated by Yagya. This easily cultivates the feeling of surrender in mind. Nurturing of this feeling is conducive to spiritual progress. Vedas, for this purpose, ordain other Yagyas which may be performed at any times or occasions except Agnihotra timings. These are termed as Naimittika (occasional) Yagyas. The offerings are also called as Homa.

Vyahruti Homa and Tryambakam Homa are such Yagyas. To perform these Homas fire should be prepared in the Pyramid-shaped copper pot with dried cow-dung pieces in the same way as done for Agnihotra. In Tryambakam Homa drops of cow’s Ghee are offered in the fire with the complete chanting of the mantra. At the end of the mantra, uttering the word Swaha, drops of cows Ghee are offered in blazing fire. After completion of the chanting of the mantra and offering cow’s ghee with swaha the whole mantra may be repeated again and the offering may be made for the second time.

This process can be performed for any desirable duration of time. It can be performed from 5 minutes to hours. Some people perform Tryambkam Homa few hours per day. Some perform it collectively on each newmoon and fullmoon days for a period of 12 or 24 hours. With the repetition of the mantra uttering swaha at the end the offering of the ghee continues. During the time of Tryambakam homa, if exact time of agnihotra comes in between then one should interrupt the homa and perform Agnihotra. Agnihotra Yagya is not an interruption but is the fulfillment. After this the homa may be continued.

Tryambakam mantra is a special Mantra given by the Vedas. It is recognized as Mahamrutyunjaya Mantra – the one that frees the self from bonds, of the unending wheel of life and death.

MANTRA:

OM TRYAMBAKAM YAJAMAHE
SUGANDHIM PUSHTI VSRDHANAM
URVA RUKMIVA BANDHANAN
MRUTYOR MUKSHIYA MAMMRUTAT
SWAHA

The purport of this mantra is as follows “I surrender myself to the Divine Almighty Father in the form of Holy Fire. The three layers of the universe BHU, BHUVAH & SWA i.e. this world, the space and beyond are its abodes. It fills this world with aromatic, life sustaining, nutritive energies. Let Agni connect me with the Almighty power by whose divine grace I may be set free from the self created bonds of my past actions (Karma). It may lead me from death to eternity like a well ripened fruit is freed automatically from its creeper. “This is TRYAMBAKAM HOMA. While performing this homa, one should meditate on the purport given above with a feeling of surrender.

VYAHRUTI HOMA

Vyahruti homa is another occasional Yagya. It may be performed to mark any auspicious occasion e.g. birthday, inauguration, commencement of any activities, anniversaries, meditation sessions, talks, meetings etc.

Vyahruti Homa is performed in the beginning. There are four small mantras which are repeated once only, one after another. At the utterance of Swaha in each mantra few drops of cow’s ghee are offered in the fire. The fire is to be prepared in the same way as is prepared for Anihotra. The Vyhruti Homa mantrs are as follows:

BHOOH SWAHA, AGNAYE IDAM NA MAMA

BHUWAH SWAHA, WAYAWE IDAM NA MAMA

SWA SWAHA, SOORYAYA IDAM NA MAMA

BHOOR BHUWAH SWA SWAHA, PRAJAPATAYE IDAM NA MAMA

BHU, BHUWAH & SWA are termed as Vyahrutis. These are mystic mantra symbols uttered by the almighty in the beginning of the creation of the universe. These denote this world, space & beyond or according to others AGNI (Fire), VAYU (Cosmic breath) & ADITYA (The energy that sets the world in motion).

These two Homas may be performed as and when an Agnihotri (one who performs Agnihotra) desires to spend more and more time in the purified Yagya atmosphere. According to Vedas all actions (karma) beget their bonds excepting the karma involved in the performance of Yagyas. This is the reason why one must make an effort of spending more time performing Yagyas. The residual ash of these Homas may be stored and used as medicine or fertilizer in your garden or farm.

Source: Institute for Vedic Studies

AGNIHOTRA INSIGHTS

Agnihotra is a beautiful home practice that anyone can do anywhere. When I say anyone I really mean it, I have a remarkable friend who sadly lost both his limbs when he was in his late teens, he was a young man from Austria. When he was recovering in hospital someone came to demonstrate Agnihotra and from that time he has performed it regularly without any limbs.

Agni is fire, fire is not just fire as we imagine it when someone says the word fire but all transformation and the underlying principal of transformation means one substance becoming another is agni. Agni is needed for the entire creation to exist. The very act of creation comes to life because of Agni. In Vedic tradition Agni is a Dev or a prime aspect of the creation and also another way of understanding god as where Agni is God is and Agni is one of the subtle qualities of God.

In our solar system Agni is very much personified by the Sun. Without the sun our human body could not exist nor any of the plants or life forms on planet earth. If the sun just stopped for short while all “life” would cease. The sun is radiating intelligent fire prana from it’s core out to all around. It is one of countless stars but in our solar system it’s presence is empirical to our life. Trees consume and store this agni from the sun and create great renowned structures this is nothing but son of the sun. Our physical bodies are comprised of the food we eat and this comes from the sun. So our body is just re-organized agni. If we awaken to the presence of agni around us we understand the world in a much deeper way. Ultimately agni will take all as through time and transformation we get what we call physical “death” where our body will no longer be containing the soul and ultimately the body returns back to the earth through agni.

So to understand agni is to understand life itself. Agnihotra is a Vedic practice to prepare a special fire from sacred substances. In Vedic science when a substance was “sacred” this would mean that it had immense value to energising and purifying the atmosphere and our consciousness. Sandalwood is a good example of the most “sacred” of woods. After 30 years the Sandalwood tree gives a fragrance that is nothing but heavenly. The inate intelligence of the tree forms this special substance that is known from Ayurvedic texts to be able to cure countless diseases. The smoke cleans the physical atmosphere removing bad odour and also cleans the vibrational atmosphere. Soma, Agni and Marut are the three basic principals of nature Soma being the cooling lunar essence, Agni being transformation and Marut being the animation of it all, what is also called Prana. In Ayurveda these are also called Kapha, Pitta and Vata. The prior names are more ancient and also the names of Devatas or facets of the gem so to speak the gem being the totality of all. When one sees all facets, one can subsequently grasp the gem itself.

So Sandalwood would be a sacred wood and it happens to have a very special vibrational fingerprint. Modern scientists can make chemical smells that are similar to the original like vanillin as a copy of vanilla, but the vibrational intelligence that is underlying the “fragrance” is what can not be copied, this is from the heart of the Divine in the countless forms that the Divine energy takes.

So with Agnihotra a sacred fire is prepared. Sandalwood can be used if it is available or affordable (at time of writing it is nearly as dear as Gold itself). Most common is to use dried cow dung cakes. Since millennia cow dung has been used in daily living it is the basis of Rshi Krshi agriculture which fed India since the beginning of it’s history, it is used in Ayurveda and is renowned in such formulae such as Panchagavya Grtham which is exempletory for unmade or chronic mental disorders. The floors of homes in Indian villages are all “sterilised” with cow dung. What an amazing magic, the cows excrement is actually anti-bacterial and once it dries it has a remarkable and beautiful fragrance. One of the oldest incenses in existence is simply to dry cow dung and burn it.

The smoke is highly medicinal, now the modern labs will show it has so many special effects but Rishis new it’s value as they understood the cow. The cow is a highly magnificent creature. The reason cows became “sacred” as in reality all creatures are “sacred” was because the Rshis understood it’s magnificence, the wonderment of it’s immense value to society on so many levels that they had to make it stand out that this should be protected, at all costs. Of course this does not mean one can worship cows but neglect other animals. Each and every creature has the Divine spark.

So once the fire is going an “offering” is made which is where the word “hotra” comes into play. The offering is simply an advanced form of smoke therapy on it’s very basic level. The offering is of cows ghee and whole rice. In other forms of Agnihotra other “offerings” are there, it is always a substance that has a particular vibrational fingerprint and when consummated by the fire it’s smoke and residual ashes will contain much potency. With Agnihotra one does the offering at a time that nature is extremely charged, the time of exact sunrise and sunset.

Did you notice how excited all nature gets at the time of sunset and sunrise. Time was taken seriously in the Vedic calendar and the calendar itself followed the very rhythms of natures cycles. So at the exact juncture of day to night or night to day there was a special flood of prana to the entire creation. Firstly the cycle is changing so there is a phase change for the entire planet. This phase change creates more harmony and coherence. This is why people often find sunrise and sunset very romantic. From a Jyotish perspective Sun rise is sun in the 1^st house in the place of source of beginning and of soft and powerful strength. Sunset means sun is in the 7^th house, sunsets are often romantic times, romantic just means a time for falling in love it could be with a person or with God. So this time is a good time to fall in love with God. The absolute dance of colours that comes which are all within our own physiology is a reminder of the source of all. All this creation is just different intelligent forms of vibration. We call it light or we call it sound but it is just vibration, intelligent vibration.

So there is the fire burning, the offering and the exact timing. The final ingredient is the chanting of a mantra. Sound is just a vibration that is within a specific frequency range (our ears here say from 20Hz to 15,000 Hz or a bit more if lucky or younger). Hz just means sine waves or cycles per second, pulsed intelligent frequencies.

Sanskrit was engineered that through the sounds the pulses would be perfect and coherent and represents the pulses of the creation itself. So when we opened our mouth to “chant” means reproduce a Sanskrit sound, we were tuning ourselves to the source of the creation. A recent study by a Sanskrit institute found the sound paters of recorded Sanskrit when analysed had waves within waves of the same mathematical formulae that life itself is using for all. This is called Golden Mean.

So by creating coherent harmonious pulsed vibration (called mantra) we get a specific effect. So when doing Agnihotra, this offering to the sacred fire, we offer the sound too. And finally the offering is done in a specific vessel, its measurements are not abstract, but perfect ratios. The word Pyramid means fire inside and the offering is performed in a pyramid. Fire was inside a pyramid as the triangular shape is ideal as an amplifier or condenser depending which way you sit it. If sit with the small base on the bottom it will amplify like a sound speaker will amplify as it directs the prana upwards and outwards no matter what it’s form is.

With Agnihotra the form is the substance being burnt (cow dung), rice, ghee and dung. Also trace amounts of the copper which the pyramid is made from are released. So it is a powerful home alchemy of purifying the world around us.

Subsequently the performer also gets much benefit by “living” in the purified atmosphere. The released smoke is highly fragrant (the ghee gives it a particular sweetness) and very pleasing to all around both physical beings, birds, insects, trees and all that we can not see too.

NOTES

If you wish to learn Agnihotra then you can start by downloading our free software which has an interactive tutorial which will teach you and also give you easy reminders on your computer (or mobile). This software was produced by Vedic Society for a better world. If you enjoy it please contribute to continuing more projects like this.

You will also need to order Agnihotra equipment which we can send to you wherever you are on planet earth.

NIGHTSHADES

The following is an audio excerpt from a class with Vaidya Rama Mishra with his students presenting research on Nightshades.

Enjoy with love from Vedic Society!

ASHWINI

Sanskrit Name:

Translation of Name: The mother of the Aswins (the two physicians of the gods), wife of the sun

Ashwini is the first nakshatra in Hindu astronomy, corresponding to β and γ Arietis. In Jyotisa, Ashwini is ruled by Ketu, the descending lunar node. In electional astrological, Ashwini is classified as a Small constellation, meaning that it is believed to be advantageous to begin works of a precise or delicate nature while the moon is in Ashwini. The nakshatra is ruled by the Ashwini Kumaras, the horse-headed twins who served as physicians to the Gods. Personified, Ashwini is considered to be the wife of the Ashwini Kumaras. Ashwini is represented either by the head of a horse, or by honey and the bee hive.

Characteristics:

Jyotish states that the constellation through which the moon is passing during the time of a person’s birth has an effect on the personality traits later in life. A person born when the moon is in Ashwini moves quickly and easily. They are brilliant, bright and intelligent. They also tend to possess physical beauty. Once Lord Indra, tried to stop the Ashwini Kumaras from seeking medicinal education from the Sun God. Hence people born with Ashwini Nakshatra may have gaps in their education life, but will complete their education because of devotion and dedication. Ashwini nakshatra is said to have "enemical relation" with Jyeshtha nakshatra as Jyeshtha is ruled by Lord Indra.

Naming Practices:

Under the ancient traditional Hindu principle of naming individuals according to their birth star, the following Sanskrit syllables correspond with this Nakshatra, and would belong at the beginning of a first name: Chu, Che, Cho, La

BHARANI

Sanskrit Name:

Translation of Name: She who supports, maintains.

Bharani is the second nakshatra in Hindu astronomy, corresponding to 35, 39, and 41 Arietis. In Jyotish, Bharani is ruled by Shukra (the planet Venus). Also, it is classified as a Cruel or Active nakshatra, meaning that, under electional astrological beliefs, works of a harmful or deceptive nature are best conducted while the moon is Bharani
Typically, Bharani is seen as being under the domain of Yama, the god of death or Kali. The symbol of Bharani is the Yoni, a representation of the female sexual organ.

Characteristics

Jyotish states that the constellation through which the moon is passing during the time of a person’s birth has an effect on the personality traits later in life. The moon in Bharani indicates a person who suffers struggles and restraint and obstacles in life. They can be resentful of these restrictions and jealous of the good fortune of others. They will inflict oppression on others, or else fight to liberate themselves and others from oppression. They are intelligent and witty and love the fine things of life, but they can also be fanatical in their beliefs, which can lead to ups and downs in life.

Naming Practices

Under the ancient traditional Hindu principle of naming individuals according to their birth star, the following Sanskrit syllables correspond with this Nakshatra, and would belong at the beginning of a first name: Li, Lu, Le, Lo

KRITHIKA

Sanskrit Name:

Translation of Name: The nurse of Karthikeya(son of Shiva and Parvati and god of war)

The star cluster Krithika, sometimes known as Karthika, corresponds to the open star cluster Pleiades in Indian astronomy and Jyotish (Indian astrology). The name literally translates to "the cutters". According to Hindu mythology, the god Murugan was raised by the six sisters known as the Krithika and thus came to be known as karthikeya (literally "Him of the Krithika").

According to the Mahabharata, Murugan was born to Agni and Svaha, after the latter impersonated six of the seven wives of the Saptarshi and made love to him. The Saptarshi, hearing of this incident and doubting their wives' chastity, divorced them. These wives then became the Krithika

In Jyotish, the Indian system of astrology, Krithika is the third of the 27 Nakshatras. It is ruled by Karthikeya.

Naming practices

Under the traditional Hindu principle of naming individuals according to their nakshatra, the following Sanskrit syllables correspond with this nakshatra, and would belong at the beginning of the first name of an individual born under it: A, I, U and E

ROHINI

Sanskrit Name:

Translation of Name: Daughter of Daksha (one of the world creators as a son of Brahma); a young girl in whom menstruation has started

Rohini is a nakshatra in Indian astronomy corresponding to Aldebaran. In Hindu mythology, Rohini is a daughter of Prajapati Daksha and his consort, Prasuti. She was one of the twenty-seven daughters of Daksha who married the moon-God Chandra. She was the favorite and chief consort of Chandra, and the step mother of Budha (not to be confused with Buddha). Chandra is often identified with Soma.

Rohini is ruled by Prajapati, the Creator. Of the 27 daughters, Rohini was the Moon's favorite wife. This is the fourth nakshatra of the zodiac, ruled by the planet Moon. It spreads from 10° 0' in Vrishabha to 23° 20' in Vrishabha. Eyes of the people born in this nakshatra are especially attractive. The word is derived from root word Rohan which means to rise or to bring into existence. The other name of Rohini is Suravi - the celestial cow.

Characteristics

Rohini is the wife of Chandra who is said to have been fond of fine dress, cosmetics and décor and was the most beloved of Chandra or Moon. Therefore, out of all the 27 Nakshatras, it is considered the most fortunate or beneficial for one to have his or her natal Moon placed within, in regards to Vedic astrology. Those born in the star Rohini are magnetic, handsome or beautiful, sexually skilled and driven, good speakers and poets. Rohini evokes some degree of jealousy because others may resent that a person gains such abundance. It can increase desire. These are only side effects to its great prosperity.
Lord Krishna, one of the incarnations of Vishnu, the Saviour is born in this star.

Naming practices

Under the traditional Hindu principle of naming individuals according to their nakshatra, the following Sanskrit syllables correspond with this nakshatra, and would belong at the beginning of the first name of an individual born under it O, Va, Vi, Vu

MRIGASIRA

Sanskrit Name:

Translation of Name: The head of the Deer.

It the 5th nakshatra or lunar mansion as used in Hindu astronomy and astrology is the constellation Orion. Its position is described in the Surya Siddhanta. The first two charana/pada (quarters) of this unnakshatra are part of Vrushabha rashi or Taurus. The latter half of this star belong to Mithuna rashi or Gemini (from 23°20’ Taurus to 6°40’ Gemini). Mrigasira Nakshatra extends from after 23°20 in Vrishabha Rasi up to 6°40 in Mithuna. Star is governed by mars and the presiding deity is Chandra. Symbol is Antelope or Deer. Rules the following parts of the body : face, chin, cheeks, larynx, palate, throat, vocal chord, arms, shoulders, thymus gland, upper ribs.

Indications

This is referred to as the Star of searching. These individuals are constantly searching or looking for something. They are restless, nervous types always traveling. They are collectors looking for one more piece to add to their collections. They love to shop and fine that special deal, and the shopping or searching never ends. Like the deer they are gentle, peaceful, tender and have large soft doe like eyes.
They are seekers and are powerful investigators and researchers. Highly intelligent their quest will eventually take them to spiritual dimensions of their soul. There is a sensual provocative side that can lead to incestuous relationships as the myth suggests. The fun is in the chase or the journey not the destination, for then the thrill is over. They are known for having beautiful children. The word Mriga represents forests, gardens, a search, a seeking to find, to roam about in forests and a hunter, to seek to blaze the trail, a guide and preceptor. Mrigashirsha is partly in Vrishabha and partly in Mithuna. It conveys the ideas of searching for beautiful faces, visit or request a girl in marriage. People born in this nakshatra have a strong body and moderate complexion.

Characteristics

To seek as the primary characteristic of the star, to discover hidden treasures after the churning of the Sea, the Samudra manthan of the Hindu Mythology, the mother, motherly conduct that is to say maternal instincts, self-sacrifice without hope of requital etc. Chandra is the lord of the mind, so all mental attitude, good or bad, sympathies and antipathies, patience and impatience, the fidgety and placidity, imagination, the gift of poetry, purity, sweetness and light, physical and mental aspects, all these come within this star.

Shukra and Chandra both are female grahas (planets) with difference that while Chandra is the Lord of motherhood, maternal instincts and all that, Shukra is the lord of feminine beauty, the structure of feminine form, the physical excellence of women and all that. In the former there is elegance and dignity of the feminine while in the latter, the physical beauty and the lure of feminine form, which leads a male captive, dominates. Chandra is the lord of marine products and of medicines; that it was from the sea that Chandra rose. And it is to Chandra that the influences and causalities have to be traced. Those born in the Mrigashira star are truthful, handsome, enjoy wealth and prosperity, pure in heart, bright, sage-like and fickle minded. They are interested in learning, obedient, always loving teachers, friendly with the king and respected by kings. They are enthusiastic, feared, rich, lovable, knowledgeable in architecture, kingly and good at administration. They are pleasant spoken, intelligent and affectionate to their mother. They are quick and arrogant when crossed by others. Youthful, full of energy, very popular, sharp intellect, unbounded curiosity, and a fine sense of humor, firm views and are interested in sexual pleasures. You will have no problems in attracting romantic partners, though your marital life may not be harmonious.

Naming Practices

Under the traditional Hindu principle of naming individuals according to their birth star, the following Sanskrit syllables correspond with this Nakshatra, and would belong at the beginning of a first name:
Ve, Vo, Ka, Ki

ARDRA

Sanskrit Name:

Translation of Name: A Half

Ardra is the name of a Nakshatra in Indian astronomy that corresponds to the star Betelgeuse. Arudra nakshatra (Betelgeuse) in Mithuna from 6:40 to 20:00. Ardra means the goddess of fortune. The presiding deity the Rudra, the wielder of the trident. Symbol- a teardrop. The ruling planet is Rahu.

When Surya enters Ardra the earth is said to be starting its menstrual course that is Ambobachi. Ardra means wet or surcharged with water, that is fat. From Rudra comes all suffering, persecutions and oppressions, anger, ferocity of countenance or hideousness of noise.

Rudra is another name of Shiva. In knowledge, asceticism, renunciation, as also in enjoyment, he is the supreme consummation of all desires. He is the wielder of the most tremendous powers, what could not be attempted far less achieved by other gods. (During the churning of the ocean of milk, poison was produced--which threatened to engulf the universe. Siva came to the rescue and swallowed the poison, holding it in his throat.) On one side he is the symbol of the most perfect placidity and serenity, on the other hand he is the symbol of all that is terrible. He holds the great serpent on his head and on his forehead crescent Chandra with his sweet-soft light. He is at the same time the most peaceful and also the most terrible. And in all these are to be traced the intrinsic characteristics of Ardra.

Characteristics

Those born in the Ardra star are sharp, stable minded, strong, earning by sacrifice, afflicted by sickness, fear and anger. In Tamil and Malayalam Ardra is referred to as Thiruvathirai and Thiruvathira respectively.

Naming Practices

Under the traditional Hindu principle of naming individuals according to their birth star, the following Sanskrit syllables correspond with this Nakshatra, and would belong at the beginning of a first name:
Ku, Gha, Ing, chh

PUNARVASU

Sanskrit Name:

Translation of Name: Breath again; a name of Vishnu.

Punarvasu is a Nakshatra in Hindu astrology, which refers to the two brightest stars in the constellation of Gemini: Castor and Pollux.

Mythology

The Hindu god, Rama was born under this Nakshatra. There is also a general belief that men born under this nakshatra have only male children. There have been exceptions to this common belief.

Naming Practices

By the traditional Hindu principle of naming babies according to their birth star, the first names should start with the following Sanskrit letters for those who are born under the Nakshatra: Punarvasu
Ke, Ko, Ha, Hi

PUSHYA

Sanskrit Name:

Translation of Name: The month called Paush (December and January)

Pushya is a nakshatra in Indian astronomy. It corresponds to γ, δ and θ Cancri, in the Cancer (constellation).Translation: Nourishing, Deity: Brihaspati

This is considered the best nakshatra of all 27 nakshatras in Indian astronomy. The people born under this nakshatra constellation are intelligent, soft-spoken and spiritual. They help others, asking nothing in return. They are self-sufficient and self-reliant. They are also inclined towards intellectual activities. They have deep-seated political and humane convictions. They help others unconditionally and are a champion of the underprivileged. However they must be cautious of others trying to manipulate them for their own selfish ends. They are a fair and straightforward person and expect others to behave likewise. Medicine, Social Work, health care are ideally suited for them.

Characteristics:

Their talent for spreading happiness and lifting the spirit and activities like comedy, party planning, event planning will be suitable. Their tendency of putting your political or social work before their self, and their family, may cause some friction. It is advisable to have a balanced approach, and be sensitive to the needs of their loved ones. Some of them could be predisposed to ailments like gall stones, gastric ulcers, skin diseases etc.

Naming practices:

Under the traditional Hindu principle of naming individuals according to their birth star, the following Sanskrit syllables correspond with this Nakshatra, and would belong at the beginning of a first name:
Hu, He, Ho, Da.

ASALESHA

Sanskrit Name:

Translation of Name: Disunion, Disjunction

Ashlesha is the name of a daughter of Prajapati Daksha; she is one of the wives of Chandra. She is personified as a nakshatra, and is best known as that, especially in South Indian astrology.

Naming practices

Under the traditional Hindu principle of naming individuals according to their birth star, the following Sanskrit syllables correspond with this nakshatra, and would belong at the beginning of a first name:

Di, Du, De, Do.

MAGHA

Sanskrit Name:

Translation of Name: The months of January and February

Magha is a nakshatra in Indian astrology corresponding to the star Regulus. Magha is ruled by Ketu (the Moon's south node). This is the tenth nakshatra of the zodiac, ruled by the deity Pitrigan. It spreads from 0-13°20' in Simha (in Vedic astrology) or 26° Leo - 9°20' Virgo (in Western astrology). The word "Magha" means 'Grand' or 'Noble'. The symbol for this nakshatra is the palanquin.

The main quality of Magha is that the individual has a sense of tradition and continuity of lineage. These people look towards their parents and ancestors for guidance. They have powerful eyes just like lions. They are leaders in society. On the darker side, these people can be classist and proud.

Naming practices

Under the traditional Hindu principle of naming individuals according to their birth star, the following Sanskrit syllables correspond with this nakshatra, and would belong at the beginning of a first name: Ma, Me, Mu, Me

PURVA PHALGUNI

Sanskrit Name:

Translation of Name: Eastern Phalgun (february - march)

In Hindu astrology, Phalguni is the name of two lunar mansions: Purva Phalguni and Uttar Phalguni. The name is from Sanskrit phalgu "reddish". In the Shatapatha Brahmanas, Phalguni is the name of a double star constellation (hence appearing in the dual), also called Arjuni "the two Silver ones", from Sanskrit arjuna "bright, silver-coloured", probably identical to the "two Arjunis" mentioned in Rigveda.

Naming practices

Under the traditional Hindu principle of naming individuals according to their birth star, the following Sanskrit syllables correspond with this nakshatra, and would belong at the beginning of a first name: Mo, Ta, Ti, Tu

HASTA

Sanskrit Name:

Translation of Name: A hand

Hasta is a constellation (corvus) that belongs to Virgo zodiac.

Normally Hasta nakshatra is considered one of the best nakshatra. A person is born in Hasta only when moon is in Virgo. Its Lord is Moon and its symbol is a hand open in the form of a blessing. Its deity is Savitri or Surya, the Sun God. It is Believed that Lord Ganesha and Swami Vivekanada was born under this Nakshatra.

Characteristics:

As per the symbol assigned to this Nakshatra, Hasta people are skilled in everything related to hand. They are gifted craftsmen, healers, artists, palmists or even pickpockets. Hasta people are usually endowed with comic and clever wit. They are good entertainers and charmers. The people born in this Nakshatra usually suffer a lot of hardships in their earlier life. They usually turn their path to spirituality. Hasta people are very intelligent, and make genuine and good counselors to people.

Hasta people also have the tendency of not letting the things go. They hold on to their routines, their dogmas, and their loved ones. Once they come in touch with their self, their enlightenment is inevitable.

Naming practices

Under the traditional Hindu principle of naming individuals according to their birth star, the following Sanskrit syllables correspond with this nakshatra, and would belong at the beginning of a first name: Pu, Sha, Na, Tha

CHITRA

Sanskrit Name:

Translation of Name: A Picture

Chitra is a Nakshatra. It is also a common hindu name for the female child in India derived from the sanskrit word for portrait or picture.

Naming practices

Under the traditional Hindu principle of naming individuals according to their birth star, the following Sanskrit syllables correspond with this nakshatra, and would belong at the beginning of a first name: Pe, Po, Ra, Re

SWATI

Sanskrit Name:

Translation of Name: One of the wives of the Sun, a Sword.

Swati is a Nakshatra in Hindu astronomy, that corresponds to the star Arcturus. According to Hindu myths it is a nakshatra or star which converts dew drops into pearls. It is ruled by Vayu, the wind god. The symbol of this nakshatra is Shoot of plant, coral.

Characteristics:

Male Natives

He is a peace loving person, but adamant and independent. He does not like neither to swallow others property nor ready to part with his own property. He does not like criticism of his work. Once he loses temper, it will be very difficult to calm down. Hence for a better tomorrow it would be better if he uses his proper balance of mind

He is willing to extend any helping hand to others provided his own freedom is not questioned. He keeps limit of respect to be given to others irrespective of the position or level of persons that is to say he is not hypocritical in giving respect. He is the best friend in need and worst enemy of the hated. He does not hesitate to take revenge on the persons who is against him. His childhood days will be full of problems. He initially tries to give protection and helping hand to the most dear and near ones but he changes his mind later on due to the unwanted criticism received from such persons

Female Natives

She is sympathetic and loving, virtuous and enjoys a very high social position. Fond of religious rites. She is truthful. Have many friends. She will win over enemies. While most of the women folk prefer to wander, this native is not inclined to do so

Naming practices

Under the traditional Hindu principle of naming individuals according to their birth star, the following Sanskrit syllables correspond with this nakshatra, and would belong at the beginning of a first name Ru, Re, Ro, Taa

VISHAKHA

Sanskrit Name:

Translation of Name: A Bull

Vishaka is a nakshatra in Indian astronomy. In Hindu mythology, vishaka is a daughter of king Daksha. She was one of the twenty-seven daughters of Daksha who married the moon-God Chandra. Vishaka is the sixteenth nakshatra of the zodiac, ruled by the planet Moon. There is also a Vishaka who is one of the main gopis in Krishna lila, Lord Sri Krishna's pastimes in Goloka Vrndavana.

Naming practices

Under the traditional Hindu principle of naming individuals according to their birth star, the following Sanskrit syllables correspond with this nakshatra, and would belong at the beginning of a first name Ti, TU, Tea To

ANURADHA

Sanskrit Name:

Translation of name: A Request

In Hinduism, Anuradha is a goddess of good luck (Adrusta Devatha). Anuradha is the 17th nakshatra.

Naming practices

JYESHTHA

Sanskrit Name:

Translation of Name: The best

Jyeshtha (The Eldest) is the 18th nakshatra or lunar mansion in Vedic astrology associated with the heart of the constellation Scorpii , and the stars α (Antares), σ, and τ . The symbol of Jyeshtha is a circular amulet, umbrella, or earring, and it is associated with Indra, chief of the gods. The lord of Jyeshtha is Budha (Mercury). The nakshtra is called honorifically as Trikkētta (Tiru + Kētta).

The moon in Jyeshtha indicates a person with a sense of seniority and superiority, who is protective, responsible and a leader of their family. They are wise, profound, psychic, maybe with occult powers, and are courageous and inventive. They may experience poverty and hardship in life and can be reclusive and secretive.

Naming practices

Under the traditional Hindu principle of naming individuals according to their birth star, the following Sanskrit syllables correspond with this Nakshatra, and would belong at the beginning of a first name: No, Ya, Yi, Yu

MULA

Sanskrit Name:

Translation of Name: A Root

Mula (The Root) is the 19th nakshatra or lunar mansion in Vedic astrology and corresponds to the stars ε, ζ, η, θ, ι, κ, υ, λ, μ and ν Scorpii in the tail/sting of Scorpius. The symbol of Mula is a bunch of roots tied together (reticulated roots) or an 'elephant goad' (ankusha) and the Deity associated with it is Niriti, god of dissolution and destruction. The Lord of Mula is Ketu (south lunar node).

The moon in Mula indicates a person who has a passionate desire to get to the truth and is good at investigation and research. They are direct, ardent and truthful and are shrewd and ambitious, but they can feel trapped and bound by circumstances and so feel resentment and a sense of betrayal. They can also suffer extreme reversals of fortune that may involve pain and cruelty.

Naming practices

Under the traditional Hindu principle of naming individuals according to their birth star, the following Sanskrit syllables correspond with this Nakshatra, and would belong at the beginning of a first name: Ye, Yo, Bha or Bhi.

BIRTHING AND VAASTU

Vaastu Analysis of Cape Town Maternity Clinics by Vedic Society

Shri Charaka Samhita mentions one should construct a proper maternity home and one of the requirements of this maternity home is that it should have proper Vaastu so the building should be in harmony with the laws of nature. As in today’s age people can not construct a maternity home we have to adopt the principal for the birthing clinics/hospitals where birth happens.

We used Cape Town, South Africa as the model but you can do this anywhere in the world.

The two major criteria are perfect alignment on TRUE N/S/E/W and the main hospital entrance for EAST or NORTH side. The detail of why this is necessary is explained in our Vaastu learning section.

1. Mowbray Maternity Hospital

Comment: Very good aligned building with EASTERN entrance.

2. Constantiaberg Medi Clinic

Alignment is slightly off but nothing serious. Entrances are SOUTH and WEST. Not ideal as per Vaastu Shastra but general building is fine.

3. False Bay Hospital

Comments: 45 degree tilt. Not aligned at all. Not recommended.

4. Kingsbury Hospital

Comment: Alignment very good, perfectly aligned & entrance on WEST SIDE. Not ideal but alignment very good.

5. Groote Schuur Hospital

Comment: Not particularly aligned, entrance not ideal either.

Conclusion: Best of all is Mowbray maternity home in terms of Vaastu Shastra.

References: Shri Charaka Samhita - Sharirasthana

We add three more submited by a friend for you to conclude yourself as per the sattelite photos.

6. Panorama Medi-Clinic

7. Gatesville Medical

8. Vincent Pallotti

PERSONAL BIRTH STORIES

Stacy's Experience

May 2010, South Africa

Stacy chose to home birth with a mid-wife and doula. The Vaastu of the home for the most good with at least 85% correct Vaastu. The birth took place in a South-West bedroom with head to the South. Vedic texts advise South as a good direction for health as the heart has to do less work when aligned with the bodies North pole (the head) to the earth's South magnetic pole. South-West bedroom is the most stable and balanced room in a Vaastu and gives stability and stillness hence it's choice as a master-bedroom as per ancient Rishis. The building itself was perfectly aligned to perfect East. Water was located to the East and the North both very auspicious as per Vaastu shastra. The birth was very easy and everything was as per natures plan with no complications and a beautiful child being born in perfect health.

PURVA ASHADHA

Sanskrit Name:

Translation of Name: The eastern Ashadha (months of June and July)

Apah (Deity of cosmic waters) bestows this Nakshatra with a proud independent and commanding nature. It spreads 13°20' - 26°40' Sagittarius.

Naming practices

Under the traditional Hindu principle of naming individuals according to their birth star, the following Sanskrit syllables correspond with this nakshatra, and would belong at the beginning of a first name Bhu, Dha, pha Dha

UTTARA ASHADHA

Sanskrit Name:

Translation of Name: The northern Ashadha (months of June and July)

Uttara ashadha (utharadam) is the 21st nakshatra of the zodiac, which falls in both side of Dhanu and Makar (Capricorn). The star is ruled by the Sun.

Naming practices

Under the traditional Hindu principle of naming individuals according to their birth star, the following Sanskrit syllables correspond with this nakshatra, and would belong at the beginning of a first name Bhe, Bho, Ja, Ji

REVATI

Sanskrit Name:

Translation of Name: Name of the wife of Balarama (the elder brother of Krishna)

Revati or Revathi is the twenty-seventh nakshatra in Hindu astronomy, corresponding to ζ Piscium.It is said to be ruled by Budha, the son of Chandra, also known as the planet Mercury. According to the beliefs of traditional electional astrology, Revati is a Sweet or Delicate nakshatra, meaning that while Revati has the most influence, it is best to begin working on things of physical beauty like music and jewellery .

Symbolism

Revati is symbolized by fish (often a pair of fish). It is also associated with the sea. Due to its association with fertility, Revati is said to fall under the domain of the deity Pushan.

Characteristics

Jyotish states that the constellation through which the moon is passing during the time of a person’s birth has an effect on the personality traits later in life. The moon in Revati indicates a person who is sweet, caring, responsible and cares for other people. People born under Revati are sociable and love humanity and society, and are protective and nourishing of others. They are devoted to loved ones, spiritual, artistic and creative. Disappointments in their early life create compassion and forgiveness for others, and it is said that they will reap karmic rewards in the next life for their caring actions.

Naming Practices

Under the ancient traditional Hindu principle of naming individuals according to their birth star, the following Sanskrit syllables correspond with this Nakshatra, and would belong at the beginning of a first name:
De, Do, Cha, Chi

UTTARA BHADRAPADA

Uttara Bhādrapada is the twenty-sixth nakshatra in Hindu astronomy, corresponding to γ Pegasi and α Andromedae. It is said to be ruled by Shani, the deity identified with the planet Saturn. Under the beliefs of electional astrology, Uttara Bhādrapadā is a Fixed constellation, meaning that while it is prominent, it is a good time to build houses, found communities or engage in other activities related to permanence, stabiltiy and structure.

Symbolism

Uttara Bhādrapadā is represented by dualistic imagery, often two legs of a bed. Other common symbols include a two-headed man, or a pair of twins. The Ahir Budhnya, a serpentine or draconian creature, is the deity which oversees Uttara Bhādrapadā.

Characteristics

Jyotish states that the constellation through which the moon is passing during the time of a person’s birth has an effect on the personality traits later in life. The moon in Uttara Bhādrapadā indicates a person with good discipline and speaking and writing skills, who is cheerful, generous, self-sacrificing and psychic with deep insights. They generally have good wealth and inheritance and have a happy home life; but they like solitude and seclusion and can be lazy.

Naming Practices

Under the ancient traditional Hindu principle of naming individuals according to their birth star, the following Sanskrit syllables correspond with this Nakshatra, and would belong at the beginning of a first name: Du, Jha, Tha, Da/Tra

PURVA BHADRAPADA

Purva Bhadrapada or Poorvabhadra is the twenty-fifth nakshatra in Hindu astronomy, corresponding to α and β Pegasi. It is placed under the domain of Bhaspati, the deity represented by the planet Jupiter. Practitioners of electional astrology see Purva Bhadrapada as a Cruel sign, meaning that activities related to deception, craftiness or wickedness are best begin while this sign is in prominence.

Symbolism

Like its twin, Uttara Bhadrapada, Purva Bhadrapada is often represented by dualistic imagery, such as a two-headed man, or two legs of a bed. Crossed swords can also be used to symbolize this nakshatra. Its patron deity is the serpent Ajikapada.

Characteristics

Jyotish states that the constellation through which the moon is passing during the time of a person’s birth has an effect on the personality traits later in life. The moon in Purva Bhadrapada indicates a person who is passionate and transformational, but a little extreme and indulgent. They are idealists and non-conformists and are good influencers of others and speakers and orators, but they can also be fearful, nervous, cynical and eccentric. Often their life can be full of sadness and problems.

Naming Practices

Under the ancient traditional Hindu principle of naming individuals according to their birth star, the following Sanskrit syllables correspond with this Nakshatra, and would belong at the beginning of a first name:
Se, So, Da, Di.

SHATABHISHA

Sanskrit Name:

Translation of Name: A hundred doctors (bhishak)

Shatabhisha, also known as Chathayam or Sadayam, is the 24th nakshatra in Hindu astronomy. It corresponds to the star γ Aquarii. The ruling planet of this nakshatra is Rahu.

Characteristics

Jyotish states that the constellation through which the moon is passing during the time of a person’s birth has an effect on the personality traits later in life. The moon in Shatabhisha indicates a person who is a good healer or doctor, and who is mystical, meditative, philosophical, scientific and a visionary. However, they can also be secretive, reclusive, moody, depressed, opinionated and stubborn; and suffer setbacks in relationships and marriage as a result.

Naming practices

Under the ancient traditional Hindu principle of naming individuals according to their birth star, the following Sanskrit syllables correspond with this Nakshatra, and would belong at the beginning of a first name: Go, Sa, Si, Su.

DHANISHTA

Sanskrit Name:

Translation of Name: Very rich

Dhanishta is the twenty-third nakshatra in Hindu astronomy, corresponding to α to δ Delphini. It is also known as Dhanishtha or Avittam. In Jyotish, Dhanishta is ruled by Mangala (the planet Mars). Dhanishta is classified as a Movable nakshatra, meaning that, under electional astrological beliefs, it is best to begin activities like travel when the moon is in Dhanishta

Symbolism

The deities which preside over Dhanishta are the eight vasus: Agni, Prithvi, Vayu, Antariksha, Aditya, Dyaus, Chandramas and Nakstrani. The symbol most commonly used to represent Dhanishta is the drum known as the mridanga, and the flute.

Characteristics

Jyotish states that the constellation through which the moon is passing during the time of a person’s birth has an effect on the personality traits later in life. The moon in Dhanishta indicates a person who possesses material wealth and property. They need fame and recognition and are good leaders, but they can be greedy and self absorbed. They are musical and good at dancing and like to travel. They can also experience marital difficulties.

Naming Practices

Under the ancient traditional Hindu principle of naming individuals according to their birth star, the following Sanskrit syllables correspond with this Nakshatra, and would belong at the beginning of a first name: Ga, Gi, Gu, Gu

SHRAVANA

Sanskrit Name:

Translation of Name: The months of July and August

Shravana is the 22nd nakshatra or lunar mansion as used in Hindu astronomy and astrology. It belongs to the constellation Makara or Capricorn.
The word Shravana means hearing/listening in Sanskrit and this is considered to be the star of learning.

Mythology

Lord Venkateshwara [Balaji] is said to have born under this star, also Goddess Saraswati (the deity of Knowledge) is said to have been ‘born’ under this nakshatra.

Naming Practices

Under the ancient traditional Hindu principle of naming individuals according to their birth star, the following Sanskrit syllables correspond with this Nakshatra, and would belong at the beginning of a first name: Shi, Shu, She, Sho.

BEHIND THE SCENES

A little bit of what is required to perform a Somayagya.

Besides the highly specialised pundits who perform the Somayagya, very specific materials are required, some of which are prepared months in advance.

A huge number of flowers and flower garlands.
10kg of rice flour
10kg of wheat flour
110kg of rice
200kg of wheat
2kg of vertiver (a fragrant grass also known as khus)
2kg of incense resin (natural resin)
2kg of pure sandalwood (it's very rare and takes 30 years to harvest one tree)
3000 dried cow dung cakes (thank you to mother cow!)
60 cotton dhotis
30 durva seats
2 bullock cart
52g of gold and 800g of silver (pure)
10 tons of firewood (from fruit bearing trees)

This is just a sample, there are many other items required but to give an idea we have listed.

MANTRA FOR BIRTH

This mantra is from Charaka Samhita and is indicated to be recited by the midwives and doulas during the process of birth to aid the mother for an easy and healthy birth.

Let the earth, water, ether, fire and air (the five principle elements that constitute this Universe) and Lord Vishnu, Lord Brahma, protect you along with your child that is in your womb, from all possible dangers and also give you strength. O pious lady having a beautiful and auspicious face! May you give birth to a beautiful and pious son who resembles Lord Kartikeya (the son of Lord Shiva), who will always be protected by Lord Kartikeya Himself.

Thank you Samskri Foundation for translation.

UTTARA PHALGUNI

Sanskrit Name:

Translation of Name: Northern Phalgun (February - March)

SITE PLAN

STUDY ONLINE

For more visit Jyotish.tv

AGNIHOTRA FOR WINDOWS MOBILE

(Version 1.5.1 for Windows Mobile - 5.0 MB)

Agnihotra for Windows Mobile is a software tool for doing Agnihotra making it effortless to practice this beautiful daily healing for the environment and yourself. The software runs in your system tray and reminds you each day of the Agnihotra times in your location wherever you are in the world. It also has a training mode which helps you to learn the Agnihotra mantras in case you are just starting with Agnihotra.

Agnihotra for Windows Mobile takes just a few minutes to download and install and once installed it runs quietly in your system tray and will calculate your Agnihiotra timings for any day of the year. It also allows you to print and e-mail Agnihotra calendars for any location in the world.

If you're new to Agnihotra we have a trainer mode where the software can teach you the exact pronounciation of the daily sunrise and sunset mantras and also show you how to do Agnihotra.

DETAILED PROGRAM

Shri Somayagya Program

Somayagyas last a number of days and special practices are done so that the healing energy may amplify and accumulate throughout the days. Over each day ancient Vedic scientific sounds from Rk Veda and Sama Veda as well as other Vedas are recited with perfect precision. Special medicinal substances are released into the atmosphere and each day has a special significance. Herewith find the program description in Sanskrit.

24-04-10:

Morning (7:00 to 12:00)

Guru puja, Ganapathi puja, Yagnasankalpam, Madhuparkam

Afternoon (3:00pm to 9:00pm)

Deekshanyeshti, Deeksha, Sanihar prasthapanam

25-04-10:

Morning (7:00 to 18:00)

Prayaneeyeshti, Somakryanam, Aatithyeshti, Gharma sambharanam, Prathama pravargyam, Subramhanyam, Sayam Pravargyam.

26-04-10:

Morning (7:00 to 12:00)

Pratha Pravargyam, Mahavedi puja

Evening (16:00 to 18:00)

Sayam pravargyam.

27-04-2010:

Morning (7:00 to 22:00)

Pratha Pravargyam, Subramhanyam, Uttama pravargyam,Gharmodvaasanam, Agnipranayanam, Agnishomiya yagaha, Sutyopakramam.

28-04-2010:

Morning (4:00 to 11:00)

Pratha savanam

Afternoon (11:30 to 16:00)

Madhyandina savanam.

Evening (17:00 to 23:00)

Tritiya savanam.

Night (23:00 onwards athiratram)

Yagnapuchcham.

29-04-2010:

Morning (7:00 to onwords)

Avabrutham, Udayaneeyesti, Sayam homa.

FEEDBACKS

I live very near Maharishi Vedic City, Iowa, home to 1000 vedic pundits and priest who daily do yagyas to benefit the world too. And it's incredible. Best Wishes with your event!!

- Joe, Fairfield, IO

This is so beautiful dear Martin! Congratulations!

- Taddy, South Africa

All the best for the nice yagya!

- P.V.R. Narasimha Rao

It's perfection!!! I love it.

- Vicki Skovle

Beautiful work!!

- Nivann

Thank you very much for sending me this email!

I think this is going to be such an incredible event and i am really sorry i cannot be there with my phisical body...

I would like to ask you if the Somayagya is performed every year, cause I might be in India next year around this date...

Thank you,

Light & Love

- Federica

...am sure this time Maha Somya Yagya will bring peace, prosperity on this earth. Not only to human beings but to every living creature on this earth.

- Vaidya Jaggi, India

Love your web site

- Chris, UK

I would like to wish you all the best for Somayagya . It feels really great to see people working for welfare of humanity. And i will be really happy to offer my services for this event ...

- Saurabhshrivastava, India

Your Yagya looks very impressive-may it illumine the myriad of minds and matter

- Ian, South Africa

I wish every success of this yoga and sure that the entire world will benefit by it.

- Gln Murthy, India

I must say im starting to feel the beautiful shining of the fire- as if lit in the etheric.

- Stacy, South Africa

Thank you for sponsoring performance of this Agnishtoma

- Maharishi Vedic University

this even looks very significant

- Martina, Czech Repiublic

Congratulations for organizing this

- Maharishi Vedic University

This is a fantastic effort by the society.

- Ari, India

I can see the Vedic Society operates with an open heart. I wish you much success spreading Hindu wisdom and spiritual growth through out the world.

- Tracie, USA

First of all, I have to appreciate your bravery to conduct a very difficult task of conducting a Vedic practice of yagna. The ancient great seers were always suspicious about embarking on such a big work, as it involves great deal of preparation necessary for the successful completion of the venture.

- Kailash Nath, India

NAMASTE DEAR HOMA Brothers and Sisters of MAHA SOMA YAGA in INDIA, thank YOU for inviding to this very special and important HOMA! OM

- Kornelia Maria Fütings, Germany

Great work..Hope it continues for ever and ever.

- Anonymous

Bless to all of you for the good work to safe the universe.

- TVChin

today is also the auspicious start of Purshottama month, and I hope your spiritual practices will please Lord Shri Krsna.

- Pracetana Dasi

Well done for arranging such an incredible event.

- Joan, South Africa

The somayagya is just amazing....i'm just loving it....i feel very blessed to be witness to this....powerful stuff indeed. Today my intention was to go for an hour or so....ended up being there for 12 hours! :)

- Maggie, Auroville

I wish you all the best for the success of the Somayagya . THE WORLD NEEDS IT……

- Satya, India

on your successfull conduction of Somayaga. I must thank you very much for the positive and concrete proof provided by you on the results of this Somayaga.This will add to the knowledge of the students of Vedic and Sanathana Dharma who recite the Vedic Mantras simply without knowing much about them.This will also put the Inidan rationalists and athiests on the right track. Three cheers to all the contributors to this great cause.

- GLN Murthy

The results of the SOMAYANGA is really astonishing.We had heavy rain pours in the mist of very hot summer which not cooled the mother earth but also bought coolness in our life.

- Sreevidyasivam

Thank you for your reply. It's wonderful to hear about more groups that are dedicated to offering the supreme Vedic knowledge in all areas of life to everyone. May we quickly realize this goal of a Vedic world, Heaven on Earth!

- Rebecca Busch

so great OM SHREE OM everything I read about! Such devine messages about Your SOMA YAGYAS OM Speciall effects also has happened here and I will write more about later! Time is very special and we can be very happy about all the gifts we got and get from KRSNA VISNU PARSURAM OM SHREE OM NO WORDS CAN SAY HOW DEVINE AND HAPPY THE FEELING INSIDE CAUSE YOU ALL ARE IN THIS WORLD OM TAT SAT LOVE AND PEACE ALL OVERT HIS MOTHER EARTH AND OUR UNIVERSE OM SHANTIH

- Kornelia Maria Fütings

The DEVAS also must be very happy since we got rain yesterday. I have no words to express for taking such great initiative. May God give you full support for your future activities.

- Dr. S. A. S. Sarma, Pondicherry

thank you for the updates. I too felt the showers and this must be due to the Soma yaga.

- Ganesan Bala Chandran

Blessings on you and this project, and for what is about to be born.

- Ian, South Africa

Yesterday only I returned back from my Haridwar and other North Indian Places tour.Now I knew how much I missed.Cngratulations on your successfull conduction of Somayaga. I must thank you very much for the positive and concrete proof provided by you on the results of this Somayaga.This will add to the knowledge of the students of Vedic and Sanathana Dharma who recite the Vedic Mantras simply without knowing much about them.This will also put the Inidan rationalists and athiests on the right track. Three cheers to all the contributors to this great cause

- GLN Murthy

Congratulations, today morning when the rains came I remembered the Yajna.

- Manoj, India

Congratulations to you for successful completion of Maha SomaYaga

- Shashank Bapat

After the wonderful Somayaag the world feels more blessed.. Guruji Mohan Jadhav has been watching Somayaag from here and is very pleased and happy how you made it all happen.. He is on a Homa tour right now and has asked me to ask you If we can put the pictures and info of the somayaag on usa site. www.agnihotrausa.net

the universe says thank you,

and it is a very small word to say..

Instead we will say with this vedic blessing

May you be blessed with…

Dhanam, Dhanyam, Bahuputralahbam

Shtasamvatsaram, Dheergamayuhu!

From me and Guruji Mohan and all the agnihotris around the world!

- Yogini, Agnihotra USA

thank you for all your contribution to the universal welfare..

- Yogini, USA

keep on the work with the yagyas ... It is beautifull!

- Francois, Norway

The whole South India we have good monson rains, this is the first time we are enjoying good south-west moonsoon what I feel is this is due to our somayagna, because we performed this yagna in pure vedic culture with bhagavadanugrha. We succeed by performing the somayagna.

- Srinnivas Sattri

ABOUT SOMAYAGYA

The name ''somayagya'' is derived from the fact that the essence of the Soma plant, said to be ''relished by the celestials'', is made as an oblation. For soma sacrifices "agnistoma" is the prakrti, the word "stoma" also meaning a sacrifice? The Saman is sung. In such soma sacrifices there is the full complement of priests - the hotar, the adhvaryu, the udgatar and the brahma. Each priest is assisted by three others. So in all there are sixteen priests in a soma sacrifice. Agnistoma which is the first of the seven somayagyas is the ''prakrti'' (archetype) and the other six are its ''vikrti''. These six are: atyagnistoma, uktya, sodasi, vajapeya, atiratra and aptoryama.

''Vajapeya'' is regarded as particularly important. When its yajamana (sacrifice) comes after having had his ritual bath (avabhrtha snana) at the conclusion of the sacrifice, the king himself holds up a white umbrella for him. "Vaja" means rice (food) and "peya" means a drink. As the name suggests, the vajapeya sacrifice is believed to bring in a bountiful crop and plentiful water. The name is appropriate in another sense also. This sacrifice consists of soma-rasa homa, pasu-homa (23 animals) and anna - or vaja-homa.

Yajna (yaga) has been the vital mode of devotion in the Vedic era. More that being a custom, Yajna symbolizes the life and society of that era, the qualities of which ought to be practiced now. These facts throw light on the idea that the Yajna culture is essentially the Indian culture.

Yajnas are of a variety, including Vaidika, Thanthrika, Bhagavatha and much more. While all of these are important in certain respects, the one closest to our lifestyle is the Vaidikayajna. The Vaidikayajna itself has its versions as Panchayajna, Haviryajna, Pashuryajna and Somayajna, of which the Somayajna/Somayaga is the vital most.

ACHARYA RASAYANA

Acharya Rasayana – Rejuvenating through behavior

Rasayana is a deep and profound science of producing perfect health, immunity, bliss and ultimate enlightenment. Rishis have described Rasayana therapeutics so that all human beings may have a long and fruitful life where they can have sufficient time to realize their ultimate purpose of life and live a life of total devotion to the source of it all, God. There is no other aim other than to totally surrender to the Divine for out of this infinite intelligence we came and to it we return. We are just part of it but the same one but different. So this great science of Ayurveda addresses this very position we have and gives ebullient answers.

Acharya Rasayana are behavioral rejuvenatives and allow all other Rasayanas (the ones that comprise of herbal preparations) to take effect and renew our cellular intelligence. Simply by following the acharya Rasayanas one becomes renewed and rejuvenated. They are simple but many do not have the restraint to follow. Try for a little while and you will see wonders blossom.

•    One should be truthful at all times

This means one should always speak the truth it is not just about lying or not but it also means one should understand absolute truth which means Vedic science and live accordingly without compromise irrespective of if the society around you is following these norms or not (most often not). One should speak and live truth, only truth.

•    One should remain free from anger at all times

Anger is totally unnecessary, it shows lack of control of the mind and one should detach from the events of the movie of life and control ones expressions. The mind should be calm like a silent lake and from this calmness one should act.

•    One should avoid alcohol

Alcohol clouds the mind and senses and though it gives some temporary euphoria it is destructive to health and mental peace.

•    One should avoid sexual indulgence

The seminal fluid is a precious dhatu or tissue of the body and any indulgence will lead to loss of seminal fluid and thus should be avoided. Also one should try to contain sexual activity to its normal and natural context rather than allow it to control ones actions. Sex in moderation and the correct context is quite fine but one should strive to be free of constant lusty thoughts.

•    One should refrain from violence

There is never any need for violence in normal behavior. Violence destroys ones health.

•    One should always speak peacefully

•    One should always speak pleasing things, never any harmful words

•    One should chant names of god

•    One should always keep the body and attire and home clean

•    One should be stable and steady despite circumstances surrounding

•    One should always practice charity

•    One should regularly perform penance

•    One should pray regularly

•    One should care for all animals

•    One should respect spiritual elders

•    One should respect the elderly

•    One should always be compassionate

•    One should regulate sleep accordingly neither too much nor too little

•    One should take organic raw milk and organic ghee regularly

•    One should be free of ego in all actions and speech

•    One should be broad minded

•    One should associate with spiritually minded people

•    One should be self controlled

•    One should regularly study ancient texts

The rejuvenatives above are based on ones action and speech and it is something anyone can practice when putting awareness on these matters. Even if you are not 108% there you can make an effort to move in this direction. Bring more Sattva to thought and speech and rejuvenate your body and mind through your behavior.

BREAKFAST RECIPES

Breakfast Recipe

Baked Apple with Butter and Raw Sugar

Apples (a member of the rose family) are a remarkably good way to start the day. This is a very simple and effortless recipe to start your day. This is a very simple recipe but one of our favorites.

Ingredients:

Organic apples
Organic cow’s ghee
Organic raw sugar

Optional additions:

Pinch of saffron
Sprinkle of organic cinnamon powder
A few cloves

Method:

Wash apples in filtered water and prepare in a small baking dish. Add a dollop of cow’s ghee and a sprinkle of the organic raw sugar to each apple.

Roast on 180 degrees Celsius for about 10-15 minutes until the apples burst.

Offer back to the source with a prayer and enjoy!

Baked Apple with Ghee, Cardamom and Maple Syrup

Apples (a member of the rose family) are a remarkably good way to start the day. This is a very simple and effortless recipe to start your day. This is a very simple recipe but one of our favorites.

Ingredients:

Organic apples
Organic cow’s ghee
Maple Syrup
Organic Green Cardamom Pods

Method:

Wash apples in filtered water and prepare in a small baking dish. Add a dollop of cow’s ghee and a pour of maple syrup. Open a single green cardamom pod over each apple and let the seeds stay on the top settled into the ghee and maple syrup.

Roast on 180 degrees Celsius for about 10-15 minutes until the apples burst.

Offer back to the source with a prayer and enjoy!

LOCATION

LOCATION

The Somayajnya is located 10km north-west of Pondicherry (also called Puducherry) in south-east India. Interestingly in Vaastu Shastra the South-East corner is the fire corner so it is quite apt that we are doing a large fire in the fire corner.

Google Map of Somayajnya location looking East off the coast of India.

Google Map of Somayajnya location. Note how India is shaped as a pyramid itself. Pyramids represent 2 (duality) becoming 1 (totality) so it is very apt to be performing such practices in the pyramid shaped India. Relative to that pyramid we are doing it on the south-east portion.

SUTRASTHANA - CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 1

The first chapter relating to long life.

1. 1. Now we shall therefore expound on the chapter relating to long life.

1. 2. Thus spake lord Ātreya.

1. 3. Desiring long life, the eminent ascetic Bharadvàja approached Indra, recognizing him as the immortal lord who protects.

1. 4. In the beginning Prajàpati got the entire àyurveda as surely expounded by Brahma. On the other hand, the two Aświns got it again from Prajàpati.

1. 5. Lord Indra got the entire (àyurveda) from the two Aświns. Therefore, guided by the seers, Bharadvàja approached Indra.

1. 6-7. When diseases like obstacles, manifested in the bodies of those who have a life dedicated to vows of celibacy, study of the vedas, fasting and penance, then, out of pity for beings, the great seers of sacred deeds, gathered in a beautiful valley of the Himalayas.

1. 14. These sages were storehouses of the knowledge of the Vedas and of yama and niyama. Like fires that increase from oblations, they were lit up with the splendor of their penance.

1. 15. Seated comfortably, they spoke this sacred story. Health is the supreme source of social and religious conduct, the acquisition of wealth, the satisfaction of desire and of spiritual emancipation.

1. 16. Diseases take away health, well-being and of life. Disease has manifested as a great obstacle among men.

1. 17. What could be the way to overcome them? Saying this, they went into meditation. With the inner eye they saw Indra as the saviour.

1. 18. He, the immortal lord will fittingly tell (us). Who (then among us) would go to the house of Indra to ask him?

1. 19. "I should be deputed for this work here!" So spoke Bharadvàja. Therefore, because he spoke first, the seers deputed him.

1. 20. Having gone to the house of Indra, he saw Indra shining like fire in the midst of a multitude of gods and sages.

1. 21. Having approached and having praised Indra, the lord of the gods, with words that would bless his victory, he the wise one explained the supreme word of the seers.

1. 22. O immortal lord! Ailments indeed have arisen that are frightening to all living beings. Tell me rightly the way to conquer them.

1. 23. O great seer! Knowing the vast understanding (he possesses), lord Indra briefly explained to him the àyurveda.

1. 24. (Indra explained) the three sacred, eternal threads which Brahma knew, that are devoted to (healing) injury to well-being, i.e. etiology, symptomatology and therapeutics.

1. 25. He, the sage of great intellect and focused mind, duly understood in no time the àyurveda of three divisions and of infinite extent.

1. 26. Thereby, he obtained an unlimited, happy life span. A little of that he conveyed to the seers.

1. 27. The seers, desiring to have long lives, got from Bharadvàja that veda which increases the life-span and is for the well-being of creatures.

1. 28. With the eye of knowledge, those great seers duly gave the various categories of existence such as sàmànyam (generic), viśeşam (specific), gunà (quality), dravya (matter) and karma (action).

1. 29. Having known all that entirely, they practiced the precepts mentioned in the science (of àyurveda) and obtained supreme happiness and also a long life.

1. 30. Then, Punarvasu the friendly, out of compassion for all beings, gave the sacred àyurveda to six disciples.

1. 31. (The disciples) Agniveśa, Bhelada, Jatūkarna, Paràśara, Hàrīta and Kşàrapàni grasped the words of that sage.

1. 32. There, it was the speciality of intellect and not another instruction, from which Agniveśa became the first propounder of the science (of àyurveda).

1. 33. Then the wise ones like Bhela and others did their own science and works; these they told to Ātreya who was in the company of seers.

1. 34. Having heard the compilation of the aphorisms, the seers of sacred deeds were delighted that it was correctly arranged and gave their approval.

1. 35. All (those seers) desiring the welfare of all beings, praised them saying loudly and in one voice, “Good is this sympathy for beings!”

1. 36. The godly seers along with the immortals situated in heaven heard that high, sacred sound of the supreme seers (on earth) and having heard it they were delighted.

1. 37. “Oh good!” This deep, agreeable sound uttered by the gods out of joy resounded in the three worlds.

1. 38. An auspicious wind blew, all the directions were opened with lights and divine showers of water and flowers fell.

1. 39. Then the godheads of Knowledge, Intellect, Perfection, Memory, Intelligence, Steadiness, Fame, Forbearance and Pity entered the disciples and Agniveśa their leader.

1. 40. And these works of theirs, accepted by the supreme seers for the welfare of all beings, obtained renown on earth.

1. 41. That is called àyurveda where life and the beneficial and harmful, happy and painful, wholesome and unwholesome (states) of life and the life span is spoken of.

1. 42. Synonyms for life (àyuh) are 1. the union (samyogah) of the physical body, the five senses, the mind and the soul, 2. the one who supports (dhàri), 3. living essence (jīvitam), 4. the all pervading (nityagah) and 5. continuity (anubandhah).

1. 43. Considered by the knowers of the vedas as the most sacred veda of that life, he (Bharadvàja) will speak that which is beneficial for both worlds of men.

1. 44. Always, a common factor is the cause of increase and a unique, special factor is the cause of decrease of all states of being.

1. 45. The generic makes for oneness but the specific makes for separateness. The generic is characterized by similarity, but the specific by contrariety.

1. 46. Body, mind and soul are a threesome like a tripod on which the world stands. There, all is founded.

1. 47. That is remembered as the one puruùa consciousness and that the subject matter of this veda. For that reason alone, this veda is brought to light.

1. 48. Matter is an aggregate of the soul, mind, time, the four directions and the five elements of earth, water, fire, wind and ether. Matter is conscious when it has the five senses (sight, touch, taste, smell, audition) and is unconscious when it is devoid of the senses.

1. 49. The gunas are said to be -

        1. the five sense objects,
        2. states of matter like heavy, light, cold, hot, smooth, rough, dull, sharp, firm, fluid, soft, hard, clear, unclear, etc.
        3. intellect
        4. states of emotion such as like, dislike, joy, sorrow, exertion
        5. states of mind like above, below, reason, reflection, conjunction, division, separation, measure, etc.

Action is the effort, etc. that is said to be an exertion.

1. 50. Samavàya is considered as the state of being of earth, water, fire, wind and ether not separate from the gunas. It is eternal because where there is matter there is not a guna that is uncertain (i.e. a guna is always there where there is matter).

1. 51. Matter is the inseperable, unmoving cause on which actions (karma) and qualities (gunas) depend.

1. 52. Dependent on matter, karma is the cause in combination and in division. Karma is the activity of what is to be done or achieved; it does not wait on anything else.

1. 53. Thus it is said about the cause. As for the effect, here it is called the equilibrium of the tissues (in the body). The aim of this science (of àyurveda) is called the action to equilise the (seven) tissues.

1. 54. The three-fold group of causes of diseases relating to both (body and mind) are - 1. false, 2. non and 3. excess usage of time, intellect and the sense-objects.

1. 55. The body and mind are considered the substratum of diseases as well as of happiness. But the (balanced) using (of time, intellect and the sense organs) is equally a cause of happiness.

1. 56. But the soul is beyond mind, the elements, the gunas and the senses. It is the eternal cause, the seer who alone sees the activities in consciousness.

1. 57. The aggregate of bodily disorders are called as vàta (wind), pitta (bile) and kapha (phlegm). While of the mind, the disorders are rajas and tamas.

1. 58. The previous (i.e. bodily disorders) resorting to religion or reason are overcome by herbal medicines. Those (disorders) of the mind (are overcome) by scriptural and spiritual knowledge, by patience, memory and meditative concentration.

1. 59. Vàta which is rough, cool, light, subtle, mobile, clear and solid is quietened by medicines that are opposite in quality.

1. 60. Pitta which is greasy, hot, sharp, fluid, sour, runny and pungent is quietened by medicines that are opposite in quality.

1. 61. The qualities of kapha are heavy, cold, soft, greasy, sweet, fixed and slippery. They are relieved by (medicines with) qualities opposite (to these).

1. 62. Curable diseases are handled by medicines having oppositie qualities and are administered according to place, time and dosage.

1. 63. But no medicine is prescribed for incurable illnesses. So, he (Agniveśa) will explain again the qualities and actions as they accord to the medicine.

1. 64. Taste is the object of the tongue; it tastes water and earth in the object. When the specific taste ceases, the substratum (of that object) is made of the other three elements of ether, wind and fire.

1. 65. The six types of taste are sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter and astringent.

1. 66. (Medicines having) sweet, sour and salty taste alleviate vàta; those with astringent, sweet and bitter taste alleviate pitta; those with astringent, pungent and bitter alleviate kapha.

1. 67. Medicines are of three types; they - 1. alleviate the dosas, 2. vitiate the dhàtus (the seven tissues) and 3. keep good health.

1. 68-69. That again (has another classification according to others) where the three types of medicines are spoken of as 1. animal, 2. plant and 3. mineral/metal. Types of honey, milk-products, bile, fats, marrow, blood, flesh, faeces, urine, skin, semen, bone, muscle, horn, nail, hoof, head hair, body hair and cow bile are used in medicines from animals.

1. 70. Gold, the five types of metals (copper, silver, tin, iron and lead) with their impurities, sand, mortar, red arsenic, gems, salt, red chalk and collyrium - these are the metals and minerals used in medicine.

1. 71. (Thus) are described the medicines that are earth derived (see last verse). Now the plant derived (medicines) are of four kinds - 1. vanaspatis, 2. vīrud, 3. vànaspatya and 4. ausadhi.

1. 72. Vanaspatis are the plants with fruits (only). Vànaspatya are the plants with flowers and fruits too. Virud plants are those which extend (like creepers). Ausadhi plants are those which die when their fruits drop.

1. 73-74. The root, bark, sap, resin, fibre, juice, tender shoots, treacle, secretion, fruits, flowers, ashes, oils, thorns, leaves, horns, roots, and sprouts make up the group of medicinal plants. (Next), those (medicines) with roots are sixteen, those (medicines) with fruits are nineteen.

1. 75. The main fats are four, salts are five, urine has eight types and milk varieties are counted as eight.

1. 76. There are again six plants indicated for cleansing therapy. He who knows how to apply these in the (various) illnesses, is a knower of the àyurveda.

1. 80. The remaining eleven are used in purgation. Thus, the names and actions of plants having (medicinal) roots are described. Listen (now) to the plants having (medicinal) fruits!

1. 86. (Thus) the names and actions of nineteen plants (with medicinal) fruits have been described. Oils are of four types - 1. ghee, 2. oil, 3. fat and 4. marrow.

1. 87-88. These (fat varieties) are used for intake (by drinking), massage, enemata and inhalation. They are for the growth, increase, strength, luster, vigor and lubrication of the (body) and they alleviate vàta, pitta and kapha.

1. 89-92. (They are) unctuous, hot, sharp and most stimulating. They are used for smearing (the body) that brings about oil and sweat in the lower and upper parts (of the body), as enemas, in perfuming, in smearing the body, for eating, in elimination of the head, in surgery, as collyrium and perfuming, for suppositories, in indigestion, in constipation, in (removing) vàta in the spleen, colon pain and (pain) in the stomach. The above mentioned are (from) salts. Know (now) from me the eight types of urine.

1. 93-99. The main types of urine which are pointed out in the teaching of âtreya are from the following animals:

1. sheep        4. buffalo       7. horse
2. goat         5. elephant        8. donkey
3. cow            6. camel

Their urines are hot, sharp, unctuous, pungent and salty. They are used for the following purposes:

1. aroma therapy                      11. in kilàsa (a type of leucoderma)
2. anointing                                12. for leprosy
3. for enemata               13. in unguents applied to wounds
4. purgation                              14. in sprinkling, moistening
5. perspiration                          15. as a stimulant
6. constipation                           16. as an antidote for snake bites
7. health maintenainance       17. as an anti-bacterial agent
8. abdominal disorders            18. to control jaundice, anaemia
9. piles                                         19. to alleviate kapha and vàta
10. spleen disorders                 20. to bring down pitta

These are the general properties (of urine) as described by me. The specific ones are (next) mentioned.

1. 100-104.

Sheep urine is bitter, unctuous and not opposed to pitta.
Goat urine is astringent, sweet, and wholesome and alleviates the dosas.
Cow urine is sweetened, alleviates the dosas, acts as an anti-bacterial agent and helps cure skin diseases like leprosy. It alleviates itching and when correctly drunk, is good for alleviating dosas in the abdomen.
Buffalo urine is alkaline, cures piles, swelling and alleviates abdominal (disorders).
Elephant urine is salty and is good for bacteria and skin diseases like leprosy. It is praised as a cure for retention of faeces and urine, as an antidote for snake-bites and to alleviate kapha and piles.
Camel urine is bitter and cures shortness of breath, bronchitis and alleviates piles.
Horse urine is bitter and pungent. It cures ulcers, leprosy like skin diseases and is an antidote for snake bites.
Donkey urine cures epilepsy, insanity and possession by spirits.Thus, the urines have been described according to their capacity and application.

1. 105-106. Now, (the various) milks will be decscribed with their action and properties. (Therapeutically useful milk is from) sheep, goats, cows, buffalos, camels, elephants, horses and women.

1. 107-108. Milk is usually sweet, unctuous, cool, lactogenic, refreshing, a stimulant for desires, good for the intelligence, strength giving, useful for the mental faculties, invigorating, removes fatigue, helpful for breathing problems and alleviates bronchitis. It cures bleeding in different parts of the body and cures wounds.

1. 109-110. It is wholesome for all living beings and is an alleviator and purifyier. It quenches thirst, acts as an appetizer and is the best thing for thinness and for cuts and wounds. It is especially useful for anemia, hyper-acidity, excess weight loss by consumption, problems in the spleen, general abdominal diseases, diarrhoea, high temperatures, burning fever and swelling.

1. 111-112. It is good for diseases in the female genital tract, in the male semianl fluid, in the excess retention of urine and for hard stool and is wholesome for those suffering from vàta and pitta.

1. 113. Later (in chapter 27), I will describe the qualities of each milk separately and in succession in the chapter about food and drinks.

1. 114-115. Then, there are three trees separate from those whose fruits and roots are useful. They are snuhī, arka and aśmantaka. Their action is separately (indicated) as: 1. the sap of snuhī is useful for purgation, 2. aśmantaka is useful for emesis, 3. the sap of arka is useful for both purgation and emesis.

1. 118. Thus, have been mentioned the plants with useful fruits and roots, the various oils and salts, urine and milk (varieties), the six types of trees and their latex uses.

1. 119-123. The goatherds, shepherds, cowherds and other forest dwellers know the medicinal herbs in the forest by their name and form. No one can know the best application (of these herbs) merely by knowing the name or again by knowledge of the form (i.e. what the herb looks like). One who knows the (correct) application, even though ignorant of the shape (of the herb), is said to be one who knows the essential thing; what to speak of a physician who would know the herbs in their totality (shape and all). But he is considered as the best of physicians who would know the (correct) use of these (herbs) as effected by place and time and in consideration of individual temperaments.

1. 124-125. A medicinal herb not known is just as good as poison, a weapon, fire or a lightning bolt; while, when it is known it is like nectar. A herb not correctly known according to its name, form and property, or even though known, is wrongly applied, has purposeless results.

1. 126-127. From (proper) application, an acute poison may become an excellent medicine. (Likewise), even a medicinal herb when wrongly administered becomes an acute poison. So, a wise person desirous of a long-life and health should not accept any medicinal herb prescribed by a physician who does not know the correct application.

1. 128-130. One might make an escape when the lightning bolt of Indra falls on one's head, but one won't escape medicine that is afflicted by ignorance (i.e. the physician didn’t know hot to use it). If there is a physician who considers himself wise and without knowing (correctly the application), gives medicine to a patient who believes (in the doctor) and who suffers and is bed-ridden, then even conversation with that (doctor) who is an unrighteous sinner, an idiot and who is as good as dead, would plunge a man into hell.

1. 131-133. Better is it to swallow snake poison or drink (liquid) copper or eat iron pills heated by fire than dressing in the garb of the learned (and pretending to be a doctor) just because someone takes refuge (in you) or because they are afflicted by a disease and (you as a doctor) accept food, drink or money from them.

1. 134-135. Only that which can bring about health is a proper medicine. And it is only he who is the best of physicians who can free (his patients) from diseases. The success in all endeavours (in curing illness) comes from correct application (of medicine) and from (the presence) of (such) a highly trained physician endowed with the all (necessary) qualities.

1. 136-140. There are these subject headings:

   1. The science of àyurveda,
   2. the cause and commencement of the science,
   3. the approval of the compilation of the verses,
   4. the conclusion of àyurveda,
   5. the entire cause and effect,
   6. the aim of àyurveda,
   7. the causes,
   8. the dosas,
   9. the totality of medicinal herbs
   10. the tastes with their related material substances,
   11. the totality of the three types of matter,
   12. the roots,
   13. the fruits,
   14. the oils,
   15. the salts,
   16. the types of urine,
   17. the types of milk,
   18. the six types of trees relating to their sap and bark, the action of all these,
   19. the application and non-application,
   20. the good and bad qualities,
   21. the criticism of the physicians,
   22. the good qualities of physicians as befits their capacity,
- all this has been spoken of by the great seer in the first chapter.

Thus (ends) the first chapter called 'Longevity' in the work 'sūtrasthàna' as corrected by Caraka and written by Agniveśa.

SOMAYAGYA DONATION

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BALAMATA

Balamata means mother child in Sanskrit and our project is an offering to the mothers and children of this world. We are based in Auroville operating from the schools and working with children who have special needs. All children are Divine incarnations and some need extra special care. Our project is managed by Stacy and Stefania two very talented and experienced therapists. Balamata's approach is multidimensional working with occupational therapy, yoga, ayurveda, body awareness and so much more. Thank you for supporting our work.

AN INTRODUCTION TO VEDIC FARMING METHODS

An Introduction to Vedic Farming Methods (Rishi Krishi)

by Vedic Society based on work of Rishi Parashara and Mohan Deshpande

India had ancient wisdom of farming since beginning of human civilization. It came from enlightened Rishis who lived in forests and understood all the rhythms of nature. One of these great rishis was Parashara but there were many others who taught the art and science of cultivation as per Vedic science. In modern times Mohan Deshpande has propagated this method which is called ‘zero budget farming’ as the raw materials to produce amazing crops, amazing soil fertility and no trouble from pests is close to zero. One comes to understand why the cow was ‘sacred’ in Vedic civilization as through the profound alchemy in her physiology, the cow gives us dung and urine which are amazing medicines and amazing food and medicine for all crops. So the cow was the centre of the Vedic village and is the centre of Rishi Krishi. Outside of India and even in modern India this profound connection with the cow is sadly being lost but we are working hard to raise awareness so all may see how life can be conducted with nature and without having to harm or destroy any life so all may have ample food. Even in the most deserted of soils one can revive with these methods below.

For cow it is recommended to use traditional cow of India not the hybrids that are becoming popular in India and also found mostly outside of India.

ANGARA PREPARATION

Angara is an earthworm seeding preparation. To make it’s selection easy one uses soil from beneath a Banyan tree which has ample fruits and very fertile root systems including the roots that drop which have fertility promoting substances (for man and soil). If Banyan trees are not available or the soil beneath your Banyans is too dry to allow earthworms then looks for other earthworm rich soil to prepare the angara from. You can also start an earthworm cultivation program if the above is not available or possible.

15kg soil from the base of a banyan tree (per acre of farmland)

If you are in an area where the soil is hard packed under the Banyan trees then use soil from places where earthworms are present during the rainy season. The soil does not have to have live earthworms per say.

COATING OF SEEDS BEFORE PLANTING

Coat all seeds with honey and ghee mixture 1:1 before sowing

The coating of seeds with honey and ghee is given by the Rishis. This provides a powerful boost to the potencies of the seeds and helps them germinate and gives a crop that is strong and resistant to disease for it’s entire life.

BULB PREPARATION

Coat all bulbs with wet cow dung before sowing

AMRITPANI

This is a special herbal nectar water that is fed to the soil to improve it’s nutrition and bring more vitality (prana) to the soil.

Use 200 litres of AMRITPANI per acre of farm land
250g pure cows ghee from indigenous cows
500g of organic raw unheated honey
10kg of fresh cow dung from indigenous cows
200 litres of water

Procedure:

Mix the ghee and the dung first well
Blend the honey into this mixture
Add the 200l water stirring all the time

How to use:

Plant sugarcane, turmeric, ginger after dipping into the amritpani
For all seedlings dip the roots into amritpani before planting
When watering crops mix amritpani in stirring all the time
When planting fruit trees, wet around the area with amritpani

Notes:

If the soil is very salty and of poor quality use Amritpani more frequently with extra doses.

SEED DRESSING PASTE

Mix ANGARA with AMRITPANI making it into a thick paste.

When planting any hard seeds such s rice, wheat, corn, okra etc., mix the paste with the seeds in a sifting pan and keep on rotating the pan till the seeds are well coated with the paste. Dry the seeds in the shade and use as needed.

For soft seeds such as mung etc. sprinkle the paste lightly on the seeds and use immediately.

COW URINE AND NEEM

Keep bottles of cow urine (from indigenous cows) in sunlight and mix with neem extract (see below) for spraying crop as a preventative measure for insects. Mix 150ml of the COW URINE NEEM EXTRACT solution in 15l of water. 60l of this solution is enough for 1 acre.

NEEM EXTRACT

Soak 14-20kg of small bunches of neem branches in 150-200l of water. Keep in the shade for 4 days. You can also dilute this with water after filtration if required.

If neem leaves are not available take 4-5kg of neem oil cake and soak, filter and dilute as above.

Cow urine and neem spray is an effective anti-pest measure.

BUTTERMILK

For nightshades and cowpea you can spray the leaf with sour buttermilk with neem extract.

MULCHING

Mulch can be made from help plants that are sowed a few months before the main crop. Also sugar cane bagasse can be used as a much. Mulching is very important.

PEST CONTROL

Cow urine from indigenous cow breeds is an excellent pest control method. Spray it weekly once as a preventative measure. If you store it in glass bottles for some time the potency will improve. You can keep the bottles in sunlight.

To make a spray solution dilute 20% cow urine and 80% water and spray weekly even if the plants are healthy as a preventative measure.

Neem extract mixed with cow urine is even more effective for pest control.

To prepare the neem extract proceed as follows:

Soak 20kg of neem branch bunches in 200l of water
Allow this to stand in shade for 4 days
Filter and dilute with water 1:1 (it can also be used neat)

Note: If neem leaves are not available you can use 4-5kg of neem oil cake.

You can alternate with the cow urine and neem extract preparations for pest control and for treating all sorts of plant diseases.

Buttermilk can be used with neem extract and cow urine for leaf curl disease.

Embelia Rives decoction:

Boil 250g of embelia rives berries with 2l of water till it has reduced to 20%
Dilute 1:10 with water to prepare a herbal spray

Use this for all fruit crops it helps produce healthy produce.

Orris root decoction:

Boil 250g of Verkhand pieces with 2l of water till reduced 20%
Dilute in 200l of water and feed it to the soil through irrigation water

This can be used to keep snakes and scopions out of the farm and also to prevent white grubs from sugar cane crops.

Smoke Treatment:

To manage white fly you can burn organic matter near the crop so the winds will blow it over the farm.

Units of measure:

1 acre = 4 046.85642 m2 vis 63m x 63m

Crops	Dressing Methods
Wheat, jawar, rice and cotton	Mix a small amount of muck of the muck with the seeds and gently shake in a flat pan such that the seeds get a thin coat of the muck. Dry these in shade and use as per the convenience at proper planting time.
Lentils like tuvar, moong, chawli, masur, matki, gram, soybean, ground-nut etc.	Seeds are lightly sprinkled with the Angara Amrutpani muck and immediately sown.
Turmeric, sugarcane, ginger and potato	Dip the seed in Amrutpani before planting. Sprinkle the angara on the soil.
Chilli, onion, cabbage, cauliflower, tobacco	These seeds must not be directly dressed with the Angara - Amrutpani mixture. The angara is spread on the seed beds before seeding and the Amrutpani is mixed with the water used for wetting the beds or into the irrigation water for the bed. However, while transplanting dip root portion of the seedlings into Amrutpani.

1969 SOMAYAGYA

SUTRASTHANA - CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 2

The second chapter on dehusked grains of apàmàrga plant

2. 1. We shall henceforth expound on the chapter about dehusked grains of apàmàrga.

2. 2. Thus spake lord Ātreya.

2. 3-6. For eliminating doùas from the head, for heaviness of head, for headaches, for colds, for hemicrania, for bacterial infections, for epilepsy, for loss of sense of smell (anosmia) and for insensibility the (following) seeds should be given:

2. 7-8. When there is an abdominal ailment brought about by kapha and pitta, to bring about vomiting without harm to the body, the physisican should prescribe the following plants:

2. 9-10. When there is (disturbance) of the doùas in the abdomen, the following plants should be used:

2. 11-14. For alleviating vàta one can use a prescribed enema. For conditions of constipation, for various types of enemas, for udàvartta (an inhibition of natural urges), one can apply salts and oils. This is the group of five karmas, the five types of therapy. The following plants should be prescribed for this therapy:

2. 15. He (the physician) should apply these five karmas considering the dose and the time factor when the doùas that are present are (brought forth) by oil and sweat therapies.

2. 16. Application (of medicine) depends on dose and time (when to give). The success (of treatment) (depends on) application. The physician who knows the application is always superior to those who know (only) the medicine.

2.17. Hereafter, I will explain the different medicines made of gruel for eradicating various diseases that are curable by it.

2. 18-33. (The remedies using gruel are listed one by one):

2. 34. There is this verse: Thus these twenty eight types of gruel have been described and the group of medicines that depend on the five karmas have been mentioned.

2. 35. The medicines which have been mentioned in the previous (chapter) that are the cause of the knowledge of roots and fruits have again been mentioned as the cause of knowledge depending on the five karmas.

2. 36. The physician who is endowed with a memory, has correct knowledge of causes (of diseases), is self-controlled and has (keen) observation, is fit to practice medicine with the combination of (various) medicines.

SUTRASTHANA - CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 3

The third chapter on Cassia Fistula Linn.

3. 1. We shall henceforth expound on the chapter about Cassia Fistula Linn.

3. 2. Thus spake lord Ātreya:

3. 3-7. The (following) six (mixtures) are to be applied by the physician as ointment. They are first soaked in cow-bile, then crushed, then cooked wih mustard oil. When applied they quickly cure the patient from skin diseases and pains like leprosy, recent leucoderma. . . keloids, ringworm, fistula in the anus. . .and scabs.

3. 8-9. To alleviate itching, boils, leprosy like skin diseases and swelling, one should try firstly to smear the body anointed with oil, with the combination of the following that is made in equal (measure) and powdered with buttermilk:

3. 15-16. The two following compounds make for (one of the best) ointments to cure skin diseases like leprosy:

3. 19. Hot vesavàra with meat or fish makes for an ointment that cures vàta.

3. 19. The ointment made of aromatic medicines mixed with the four types of fat and the ten roots (also) cures vàta.

3. 20. Warm powder of yava mixed with buttermilk, should cure pain in the abdomen.

3. 23. When there is gout, an ointment made of ghee, godhūma powder and goat milk (should remove it).

Thus (ends) the third chapter about Cassia fistula Linn., in the work ślokasthàna', as corrected by Caraka and written by Agniveśa.

SUTRASTHANA - CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 4

The fourth chapter on six hundred purgatives

4. 1. We shall henceforth expound on the chapter about the six hundred purgatives.

4. 2. Thus spake lord Ātreya:

4. 3. In brief, here (in this chapter), there are as it were, six hundred purgatives, six receptacles for the purgatives, five sources for decoction, five types of processing the decoction, fifty main decoctions and five hundred decoctions.

4. 5. The six parts in a plant where the purgatives reside are: the sap, roots, bark, leaves, flowers and fruits.

4. 6. Five decoctions in the work are: sweet, sour, pungent, bitter and astringent.

4. 7. Five decoction processes are:
1. svarasa -The juice extracted from a medicine pressed by a machine.
2. kalka - The medicine made into a round lump and pasted with juices.
3. śrta - A medicine boiled on fire.
4. śīta - The decoction extracted from a medicine kept overnight in warm water.
5. phànta - A medicine which has been put into warm water and squeezed.

Like before, the strength of (these) medicines is greater. So, the process of the decoction process depends on the strength of the disease and pain. But they are not applicable in all cases.

4. 8. We will comment on the fifty great decoctions.

1) The first group consists of six that are invigorating, nourishing, reducing corpulence, cathartic, healing and stimulative.
2) The second group consists of four that promote strength, help the complexion, help the throat and are good for the heart.
3) The third group consists of six that cures satisfaction, cures hemorrhoids, cures skin diseases like leprosy, alleviates itching, acts as an anti-bacterial agent and is an antidote for snake poison.
4) The fourth group consists of four that produce and purify milk, produce and purify sperm.
5) The fifth group consists of seven that aid unction, aid in perspiration, aid in emesis, aid in purgation, and act as an àsthàpana type of enema, aid in perfuming and aid in removing dosas from the head.
6) The sixth group consists of three that prevent vomitting, control thirst and cure hiccough.
7) The seventh group consists of five that help to bind and clean faeces, help to bind and clean urine and acts as a diuretic.
8) The eighth group consists of five that cure cough, cure breathing problems, remove swelling, alleviate fever and remove fatigue.
9) The ninth group consists of five that cure burning, cold, itching, and pain in the limbs and colic.
10) The tenth group consists of five that stabilize the blood, act as a sedative for pain, stabilize the consciousness, and help in procreation and to rejuvenate the energy.

Thus the fifty main decoctions are explained by way of definition and example. We will now explain ten parts in each one of these main decoctions. Together, these all total to five hundred decoctions.

4. 11. The decoctions of group three are:

4. 12. The decoctions of group four are:

4. 13. The decoctions of group five are:

4. 14. The decoctions of group six are:

4. 15. The decoctions of group seven are:

4. 16. The decoctions of group eight are:

4. 17. The decoctions of group nine are:

4. 18. The decoctions of group ten are:

4. 19. Thus the five hundred decoctions, grouped together as fifty great decoctions, have been commented on for example and definition.

4. 20. There is indeed no limit to the extent (of the medicines and their description), yet for those of small mind, there is no ability to grasp (the subject) when it is too brief. So, it has been taught neither too brief nor too extensive. What is so much (stated here) is for the practical use of the small minded; and for those who are intelligent and have a good reason and inference as to their own aims, there is the knowledge of things unspoken (in the text).

4. 21. To lord Atreya who was explaining thus Agniveśa spoke - 'O lord, there are not fully five hundred decoctions. Because each of those (you described) are included in (the list of) the great decoctions.'

4. 22. Lord Atreya said to him, 'Agniveśa! Aan intelligent person should not see things like this. Though one, a person gets many names when doing different works. A man who is capable of doing many works, gets a particular name relating to the quality that is expressed in each work as regards the doer of the work, the means of doing it and the result of it. One has to look at medicines in the same way. If we were to get even one medicine used of like quality that should be capable in all actions, then who would want to count or teach about another (medicine) to the disciples?'

There are these verses:

4. 23. Here briefly have been described the six hundred purgatives along with their ingredients and quantities and so also their six sources.
4. 24. The decoctions according to taste, excepting salt, are known; so also their five sources are mentioned.
4. 25. Also, their five-fold preparation is mentioned and the five hundred of the great decoctions.
4. 26. For the sake of definition, the five hundred decoctions have been described in parts, because there is no limit to the quantity.
4. 27. Too much brevity is not conducive to (disciples) of small intellect, therefore it is neither too brief nor too extensive.
4. 28. This group of five hundred decoctions is described for the practical use of disciples of smaller mind and also to stimulate the mind of the wise.
4. 29. He who is acquainted with their (the decoctions) external and internal use, their combination and application, is the best physician.

Thus (ends) the fourth chapter about the six hundred purgatives, in the work ślokasthàna', as corrected by Caraka and written by Agniveśa.

SUTRASTHANA - CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 5

The fifth chapter

5. 1. We shall henceforth expound on the chapter about 'quantitative dietetics'.

5. 2. Thus spake lord Ātreya:

5. 3. One should eat in measured quantity. The quantity of food depends on the power of digestion.

5. 4. The amount of food which is eaten, without affecting the natural balance, that gets digested in proper time is to be known as the proper quantity.

5. 5. Food items like śàli, sastika, mudga, quail, antelope, rabbit, camel, deer, etc., though light by nature are foods that depend on quantity. Likewise, foods like flour, sugar-cane, milk, sesame, màsà and the meat of marsh-water animals, though heavy by nature also depend on quantity.

5. 6. But from this, it should not be considered that the heaviness or lightness (of the food) spoken about is not important. Light food items are predominant in fire and wind, and heavy food items are predominant in earth and water. Therefore, according to their quality, the light food items, being stimulants of digestion are said to give a feeling of fullness and are less harmful (if taken beyond the prescribed quantity). On the other hand, heavy food items do not stimulate the digestion, so they are harmful (when taken) in excess, but otherwise give a feeling of fullness due to the power of digestion and exercise. This is that quantity (of food) that depends on the power of digestion.

5. 7. Not that it (the quantity) does not depend on the food item. Of heavy foods, there should be half or three-quarter fullness (of the stomach). For light foods too, excess fullness is not good for the digestion.

5. 8. Without taking away the natural balance, eating in right qauntity brings strength, complexion, happiness and longevity to a person.

5. 9. One who has eaten, should never after that, eat heavy (foods like) pastries, rice and flattened rice. One who is hungry should eat in measured (quantity).

5. 10. One should not regularly eat dry meat, dry vegetables, root or stalk of the lotus plant. One should not eat the meat of an emaciated animal.

5. 11. One should not regularly eat thickened milk, pork, beef, buffalo, fish, curd, màsà and yavaka.

5. 13. One should always eat that by which a healthy condition exists and which makes for the prevention of diseases not yet developed.

5. 14. Henceforth, the result of collyrium for the eyes, etc. which is aimed at bringing a state of health to the body, will be described.

5. 15. One should regularly use the collyrium made of antimony as it is good for the eyes; rasànjana is to be applied once in five or eight nights.
5. 16. Especially there is fear of a kapha condition for the eyes. So, the therapy (collyrium, etc.) which alleviates the kapha is good for keeping clarity in the vision.
5. 17. A strong collyrium should not be applied to the eyes in the day, as the vision is weak because of the sun and goes down (more).
5. 18 Therefore, the collyrium meant for drainage should as a rule, be applied only at night.

5. 18-20. Just as various types of tarnished gold (ornaments), are polished clean by oil, cloth or hair, etc., so the eyes (are cleaned) by the (various) collyriums, aspersions, etc. The vision (then) shines unaffected like the moon in a clear sky.

5. 20-24. The physician should make a cigar by first grounding a medicinal plant, then rolling it up as thick as his thumb and as long as eight fingers (put together). When it is dry (and ready), a patient should smear it with oil, then lite it and happily smoke it for the benefit of his eyes. (The following medicinal plants can be used for making the cigar:)

5. 25-26. Having made an unctuous cigar roll with sweet flavor and with useful bee-wax, fat or ghee, one should smoke.

5. 26-27. For clearing the head, smoking (is prescribed) using the following plants:

5. 27-33. Smoking cures heaviness of head, headache, corpulence, pain in the ears and eyes, cough, hiccough, shortness of breath (dyspnoea), throat blockage, weakness of teeth, flow from the ears, noses or eyes due to doùas, bad smell from the nose or mouth, toothache, loss of appetite (anorexia), lock jaw, itching, bacterial infection, paleness in the face, excess salivation, impaired voice, swelling of the glands of the neck, tonsilitis, disease of the tongue, loss of hair, baldness, yellowing and falling of the hairs, sneezing, excess drowsiness, loss of intelligence, excess sleepiness; the hair, skull bones, sense organs and voice are also strengthened. However strong the vàta or kapha related diseases of head or neck may be, (they do not affect) the one who smokes.

5. 33-36. Eight times are prescribed for smoking, since vàta and kapha appear vitiated in these times. There are also no illnesses related to vàta or kapha in the neck. A self-controlled person should smoke: 1. after bath, 2. after eating, 3. after scraping the tongue, 4. after sneezing, 5. after brushing the teeth, 6. while inhalating (medication), 7. (while applying) collyrium, 8. at the end of sleep. Smoking should be done three times each with three puffs.

5. 36-37. A wise person should smoke two times during the day for (usual) application, one time for unctuous (variety) and three to four (times) for eliminative (variety).

5. 37-38. The signs of correct smoking are purification of heart, throat and senses, lightness of head and a calming of the (above) spoken dosas.

5. 38-39. Smoking too much or untimely creates (various) troubles like deafness, blindness, dumbness and bleeding in different body parts.

5. 39-40. There, (in case of untimely or excess smoking), what is desired is a drink of ghee or nasal drops or collyrium or a demulscent (soothing) drink. If there is vàta associated with pitta because of dosas due to smoking, an unctuous drug should be applied, a cooling drug when there is raktapitta type of bleeding and a dry drug when there is kapha and pitta.

5. 41-46. Now I will explain (those situations) where smoking is prohibited. One should not smoke: when one has taken a purgative or enema, when one is bleeding, when one is afflicted with poison, when one is suffering from grief, when one is pregnant, when one is tired, when one is drunk, when there is indigestion, when there is a pitta condition, when one is staying awake (at night), when one is feeling faint, giddy or thristy, when is suffering from consumption, when one is injured or wounded, when one has drunk liquor or milk or has eaten fat, honey or curd, when one feels roughnes or anger, when the palate is dry, when there is darkness, when there is a blow to the head, when one has śañkhaka (a type of headache, marked by excess swelling from which a person dies in three days), when one has rohini (a disease marked by excessive swelling of the base of the tongue), when one has a urinal disease, when there is distemper due to drinking. In these situations, the man who smokes ignorantly at the wrong times, has a severe increase of his illnesses because of improper smoking.

5. 46-48. One who is prescribed to smoke should smoke through the nose when there are dosas relating to the head, neck and eyes and through the mouth when there are dosas in the throat. Smoking through the nose, (the patient) should emit (the smoke) through the mouth. While, when (the patient) smokes through the mouth, he should not emit smoke through the nose because the smoke going in the opposite direction can harm the eyes.

5. 48-49. With body straight, eyes looking ahead, mind concentrated and seated comfortable, the self-controlled one should smoke through the nose three times closing one nostril at a time.

5. 49-50. For the eliminative type of smoking, the size of the pipe should be twenty-four fingers length, while for unctuous smoking the pipe is thirty-two fingers and for habitual smoking it is a half finger more, i.e. thirty-two and a half.

5. 50-51. The pipe prescribed is one that is straight, having three layers, the end of which is the size of the kola fruit (Zizyphus jujube Lam.) and which is made from the same material as the enema pipe.

5. 51-52. The smoke that is used with the prescribed time and dosage, that emerges at a distance and is lessened by the dividing knots in the pipe, does not obstruct the senses.

5. 52-53. When there is lightness in the throat, head and chest and lessening of kapha, then it is that one has smoked properly.

5. 53-54. He whose voice is impaired, whose throat has kapha (phlegm) and rigidity in the head, has smoked insufficiently.

5. 54-56. One who smokes too much suffers from drying and heating up of his palate, head and throat. He feels thirsty, unconscious and suffers from too much bleeding and he has excess dizziness and feels faint.

5. 56-57. One should inhale anutaila every year during the three seasons - rain, autumn and spring when there is no cloud in the sky.

5. 57-63. One who practices nasal therapy at the right time according to prescription will not suffer from affliction to his eyes, ears and nose; the hair of his head or beard does not become white; the hair does not fall but rather grows more fully; diseases like torticollis, headache, lock jaw, rhinitis, hemicrania and tremors of the head are cured; nourished by the inhaling, his veins, joints, ligaments and muscles of the head get stronger; his face becomes cheerful and plumpy; his voice becomes sweet, firm and sonorous; all the sense organs become clear and there is an increase of strength; he does not get sudden attacks by diseases to the head and neck; old age does not get stronger in his upper limbs.

This list of medicinal plants should be boiled a hundred times in pure rain water (compared to oil quantity). Then it should be reduced to ten times the quantity of the oil. The oil should be then boiled with that decoction ten times. In the tenth (final) stage of boiling an equal amount of goat milk should be added. This is the process for (preparing) anutaila which is useful for inhalation. The prescribed dosage of oil is 24 ml. After oleation and fermentation of the head, anutaila is to be administered with cotton with three inhalations three times daily for a week. This oil is good for alleviating the three dosas and gives strength to the sense organs. It should be used according to the prescribed times in a place not windy and warm and the patient should be eating wholesome foods and have self-control.

5. 71-73. One should use a stick for cleaning the teeth. The stick should have a crushed end, and have a taste that is neither astringent, pungent or bitter. The cleaning of the teeth should not affect the gums. This removes smell and tastelessness and cleans the tongue, teeth and mouth of dirt. This cleans the teeth immediately and creates a taste for food

5. 74-75. Tongue scrapers should not be sharp edged or straight and should be made of either gold, silver, tin or brass.

5. 75-76. The dirt deposited at the base of the tongue obstructs the breath in exhalation and gives a foul smell. Therefore, the tongue should be scraped.

5. 78-80. Oil gargling is good for strengthening the jaws, the voice and facial increase. It is good for the sensation of taste and (for getting) the best taste coming from food. (With such gargling) one does not get dryness of throat or cracked lips. The teeth do not decay and they become deeply rooted. As well, there are no tooth-aches nor uprightness of the teeth from eating sour or even hard foods.

5. 81-83. From regular application of oil, one does not get headaches, baldness or graying of the hair and the hairs do not fall; the strength of the head and forehead increases; the hair becomes black, long and rooted; the sense organs are clear; the skin becomes bright and one gets a sound sleep and happiness.

5. 84. Torticollis (wryneck), lock jaw, hardness of hearing, deafness and ear diseases due to vàta are cured by dropping (oil) into the ears.

5. 85-86. As a pitcher and skin become resistent and firm from the smearing of oil, so the body becomes strong and bright of skin and is resistent to pain and exertion and the obstructing vàta dosa is cured.

5. 87. Vàta dosa is dominant in the sense of touch. This sense resides in the skin and smearing is beneficial to the skin. Therefore a man should practice it.

5. 88-89. The man who regularly practices smearing (the body) does not suffer from injuries when he is struck and does not partake in strength related illness. (Rather) he becomes soft of touch, more robust, strong, and pleasing to look at and he ages less.

5. 90-92. By smearing the feet, hardness, immobility, roughness, dryness, fatigue and numbness are immediately cured. Tenderness, strength and steadiness of the feet are effected and the eye sight gets clear and vàta is alleviated. From smearing the feet, sciatica, cracking of feet, constriction of veins and muscles is (also) achieved.

5. 93. Unction over the body cures bad smell, heaviness, drowsiness, itching, removes dirt and unpleasantness from sweating.

5. 94. Bathing is best for creating semen (ojas), it is purifying, and it stimulates sexual desire, is life enhancing and removes fatigue, sweat and dirt.

5. 95. Wearing clean garments adds to charm, reputation, and longevity and removes inauspiciousness. It makes for joy and dignity and makes one praised in an assembly.

5. 96. Using garlands and scents is a stimulant for having sex, produces fragrance and charm, is good for longevity and corpulence, is pleasing to the mind and removes inauspiciousness.

5. 97. Wearing of gems and ornaments adds to prosperity, auspiciousness and longevity and removes calamities and ill-luck. It is pleasant, charming and helps in retention of seminal fluid.

5. 98. One who frequently cleans the feet and the organ of excretion, promotes intelligence, brings about purity and longevity and removes inauspiciousness and the bad effects of the age of Kali.

5. 99. The dressing and cutting of the hair, beard and nails adds to the corpulence, stimulates one to sexual activity, promotes longevity, cleanliness and beauty.

5. 100. Use of footwear is good for the eyes and skin, it removes dangers for the feet (like stones, snakes, etc.), is good for strength, happiness and energy and stimulates one to have sex.

5. 101. Use of an umbrella protects one from plague like locusts, etc.; it brings strength amd a happy protecting cover; it also shields one from heat, wind, dust and rain.

5. 102. The use of a walking stick prevents stumbling, wards off troublemakers, is a support, promotes longevity and removes fear.

5. 103. A wise person should be vigilant in the duties to oneÙs own body, just as a city governor towards the city and a charioteer to his chariot.

5. 104. And there is this here -
One should adopt those means of livelihood which are not opposed to virtue. With peace and study, one indeed obtains happiness.

5. 105-111. The following (subjects) have been described in this chapter called 'Quantitative dietetics': 1. the quantity of food, 2. food items, 3. food quantity in relation to their lightness and heaviness, 4. those foods which are prohibited and those which are permited, 5. collyrium, 6. cigars for smoking, 7. three types of smoking, 8. the advantages of smoking, 9. prescribed times for smoking, 10. frequency of smoking, 11. signs of trouble (while smoking) and their treatment, 12. individuals for whom smoking is prohibited, 13. the manner of smoking, 14. the composition of a cigar pipe, 15. different types of pipes, 16. the properties of nasal therapy, 17. the procedure, manner and time when it is to be used, 18. the qualities of the tooth-cleaning stick, 19. the medicines that are to be kept in the mouth and for what purpose, 20. the properties of gargling with oil, 21. the instructions of putting oil on the head, 22. the benefits of putting oil in the ears, 23. the process of smearing the body and feet, 24. the process of massage, 25. the benefits of bathing, 26. wearing of clean clothes, 27. use of scents, 28. use of gems, 29. cleanliness of bowels, 30. trimming hair, 31. use of foot wear, 32. use of an umbrella, 33. use of a walking stick.

Thus (ends) the fifth chapter on 'Quantitative dietetics' in the work 'ślokasthàna', as corrected by Caraka and written by Agniveśa.

SUTRASTHANA - CHAPTER 6

CHAPTER 6

The sixth chapter

6. 1-2. We shall henceforth expound on the chapter about 'Qualitative Dietetics'.
Thus spake lord Ātreya:

6. 3. He who knows the relation of season with reference to diet and regimen, for him there is an increase of strength and complexion from the food that is eaten (in those seasons).

6.4. The year is made of six parts by division of the seasons. There are three seasons starting with winter and ending with summer that make up this period called 'àdàna', of the sun's northern course as it takes away coolness. Then there are three seasons starting with the rains and ending with early winter that make up the period called 'visarga', of the sunÙs southern course as it brings coolness.

6.5. In the visarga period, the winds are not very dry as they are in the àdàna period. The moon is uninterrupted in its effect with its cooling rays that fill and nourish the world. Hence the visarga period is pleasant. On the other hand, the àdàna period is fiery and the sun, winds and the moon, are governed by Time, Nature and their paths. They make up the cause behind bodily strength, the doùas, taste, the seasons and Time.

6.6. (In that period of àdàna), (both) the sun with its rays and the sharp, dry winds, dry up the earth's moisture. In the three seasons of winter, spring and summer, progressively a dryness is brought about by the winds which enhance the bitter, stringent and pungent flavors which are all dry. They bring weakness to men.

6.7. On the other hand (in the visarga period), in the three seasons of rains, autumn and early winter, when the sun is southward facing and its heat is obstructed by the rain, wind and cloud and the course of Time, when the earth is relieved of the heat by the rain waters, (then) progressively the non-dry flavors that are sour, salty and sweet increase and menÙs strength is augmented.

6.8. So it is said, in the beginning and in the end of the periods of visarga and àdàna, there is weakness of men. In the middle there is moderate strength and in the end and at the outset (of these periods) there is optimum strength.

6.9. In the cold winter, the digestion, slowed by contact with cold wind, is strong with those people who are healthy and it is capable (of digesting) heavy items even in large quantity.
6.10. When it does not get proper bodily fuel, then it affects the juices. By this the vàta dosa is cooled and aggravated.
6.11. Therefore, in the winter one should use unctuous, sour, salty juices and the meat and fat of marshland animals.
6.12. A man should eat the meat of snakes and birds of prey and should drink wine, rum and honey.
6.13. Resorting to cow milk, sugar cane juice, oil from fat, fresh rice and warm water in the winter, the life span doesn't decrease.
6.14. One should partake in massage, unction, oil applied to the head, hot bath and resort to a warm underground room or inner room.
6.15. In the cold season, the bed, carrier or seat to be used should be covered and spread over with a cloak, a deer skin, silk, a woolen cloth or a blanket.
6.16-17. In the start of winter, constantly smearing one's body with alot of aguru and wearing heavy, warm garments and feeling very lustful one should lie on the bed embracing a handsome woman with big, fleshy breasts. One should have sexual intercourse to one's heart's content.
6.18. In the start of winter one should avoid limiting one's food intake, avoid stormy winds and avoid foods and drinks that are light and which increase vàta.

6.19. Both the beginning and latter part of winter are similar except that in the latter part of winter, there is dryness due to the coming of the àdàna cycle and there is cold caused by the clouds, wind and rain.
6.20. Therefore, all that is prescribed in the first part of winter is prescribed for the latter part too. One should resort to a windless, warm house moreso in the latter part of winter.
6.21. In the latter part of winter, one should avoid foods and drinks that are pungent, bitter and astringent in taste that affect the vàta dosa and that are light and cool.

6.22. In the spring, the increase of kapha is set in motion by the light of the sun. The kapha obstructs the digestion and so brings about many diseases.
6.23. Therefore in the spring, therapies like emesis, etc, should be done and one should avoid sleep in the day and items that are heavy, sour or sweet.
6.24. When the flowers bloom, one should practice exercise, smearing the body, smoking, gargling and use of collyrium and clean the bowels with luke-warm water.
6.25. (One should) smear the body with candana or aguru, eat food like barley and wheat and the meat of camel, rabbit, antelope, quail or partridge.
6.26. In the spring, one should drink spirit and wine and experience the youthfulness of women and groves.

6.27. In the summer, the sun drinks up the earth's moisture with its rays. Then it is beneficial to have food and drinks that are sweet, fluid, cool and unctuous.
6.28. One who partakes of cooled grain with sugar, meat of forest animals and birds, ghee, milk, rice of śàli does not suffer in summer.
6.29. One should not drink even a little wine, or if so, then with lots of water. One should avoid exercise and foods that are salty, sour, pungent or hot.
6.30. During the day, one should resort to a cool room and at night, after smearing oneself with candana one should sleep in an airy room on the top floor of the house that is cooled by the moon's rays.
6.31. Decorated with pearls and gems, one should be cooled by fans and the touch of hands.
6.32. In the summer time, a man should resort to cool forest groves, flowers and water and should avoid sexual intercourse.

6.33. In the body that is weak during the àdàna period, the digestion becomes weak. It is further obstructed by vitiation of vàta and the other doùas in the rainy period.
6.34. When the power of digestion is diminished during the rains due to gas coming from the earth and from the increased acidity in water, the dosas are aggravated.
6.35. Therefore, it is recommended to be moderate in all ways during the rains.
6.35-36. One should avoid river water, frost, sleeping in the day, exercise, the heat of the sun and sexual intercourse. (Instead) one should generally resort to clean food and drink along with honey.
6.37. On especially cold days when there are rain and wind storms, one should eat (diets) expressively sour, salty and unctuous.
6.38. To maintain one's digestion, foods like old barley, wheat and śàli rice should be eaten with meat of cleaned forest animals alongwith broth.
6.39. One should drink warm or cool water from rain, a well or a pond, or drink màdhvīka and arista types of liquor alongwith a little honey.
6.40. One should have massage, apply oil to the body, bathe, (wear) perfume and garlands, dress with clean, light clothing and have a non-humid place (to stay).

6.41. Usually in the autumn, the pitta condition is increased and aggravated by the suddeness of the suns ray's on the body parts that are used to rain and cold, but which are now heated up.
6.42. Then, foods and drinks that are sweet, light, cool and bitter should be used in proper quantity to alleviate the pitta.
6.43. In autumn the meat of quail, partridge, antelope, sheep, camel and rabbit should be eaten with śàli rice, barley or wheat.
6.44-45. In autumn, purgation, blood-letting and ghee prepared with bitter medicines are also prescribed. Sunshine, fat, oil, frost and the meat of marshland animals should be avoided. One should avoid day-time sleeping and easterly winds.
6.46-47. There is an autumnal water called 'hamsodakam' that is pure and spotless. It is heated by the sun's rays in the day, cooled by the moon's rays at night and which over a time period is boiled, purified and detoxicated.
6.48. In the evenings of autumn, garlands, clean clothes and the moon's rays are extolled (as beneficial).

6.49. Thus the relation of season to regimen and diet has been described. What lies near due to correctness is called as 'oka'.
6.50. Those who know the regimen and diet, want a correct relation of the opposite qualities with the qualities (themselves) of diseases and of place.
6.51. About this, there is this verse: In the choice of season, whatever is used or not used by people and the thought-out relation (of seasons to diet), (all that) has been indicated in (this) chapter on 'Qualitative dietetics'.

Thus (ends) the sixth chapter on 'Qualitative Dietetics' in the work 'ślokasthàna', as corrected by Caraka and written by Agniveśa.

SUTRASTHANA - CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER 7

The seventh chapter

7. 1-2. We shall henceforth expound on the chapter about 'Non-restraint of natural urges'. Thus spake lord Āâtreya:

7.3-4. An intelligent person shouldnÙt hold back the natural urge that is due to faeces and urine, semen, flatulence, vomiting, sneezing, belching, yawning, exhalation due to exertion, hunger, thirst, tears, and sleep.

7.5. Listen from me about each of the illnesses that arise from suppressing these impulses.

7.6-7. Suppression of the urge to pass urine brings pain in the bladder and phallus, gives headaches and causes the body to bend over. For this, fomentation, bath, massage and nose drops of ghee and the three types of basti therapy should be done.

7.8-9. When one holds the urge to pass stool, it brings about pain in the abdomen, headache, retention of faeces and wind, pain in the calf muscles and a distended abdomen. For this, fomentation, massage, bath, suppositories, eliminative therapy and eating and drinking a lot is beneficial.

7.10-11. When one suppresses the urge to discharge semen, the result is pain in the testicles, in the penis, aches in the body, cardiac pain and blockage of the urine. To remedy this, massage, bath, wine, chicken, śàli rice, milk, non-oily enema and sexual intercourse is extolled.

7.12-13. If one suppresses the urge to pass gas (from the bowels), there is retention of urine, faeces, wind, distension (of the abdomen), pain and weakness; there are also other abdominal ailments due to vàta. For that, unction, fomentation, suppositories, enema and foods and drinks that help release gas.

7.14-15. When one suppresses the urge to vomit, there are (various) diseases like itching, urticaria skin diseases, swelling, anorexia, dark spots on the face, paleness and leprosy like skin diseases. For this, induced vomiting, smoking, fasting, blood-letting, dry food and drink, exercise and purgation are prescribed.

7.16-17. By suppressing the urge to sneeze, one brings on wry-neck, headache, hemicrania and weakness of the sense faculties. What is prescribed is massage in the head and neck area, fomentation, smoking and inhalation. As well, one can take food that alleviates vàta, and take ghee after eating.

7.18. Suppresion of the urge to belch causes hiccough, breathing problems, anorexia and blockages in the heart and lungs. The treatment is the same medicine as for hiccough.

7.19. By suppression of yawning, there is bending, convulsion, contraction, numbeness, tremors and shaking of the body. To treat these, one uses the same medicine as for alleviating vàta.

7.20. By suppressing hunger, one gets emaciation, weakness, complexion change, body ache, anorexia and giddiness. To treat it, one should take unctuous, hot and light food.

7.21. By suppressing thirst, the result is a dry mouth and throat, deafness, exhaustion, cardiac pain. For this, one should have a cool drink.

7.22. By holding back tears, one gets a cataract, eye disease, heart disease, anorexia and giddiness. To treat it, sleep, wine and pleasing talks are prescribed.

7.23. By suppressing the urge to sleep one causes yawning, body ache, drowsiness, headache and heaviness of the eyes. Sleep and massage are the remedies for it.

7.24. From suppression of the breath that comes from exertion, one gets enlargement of the spleen, heart disease and fainting. Rest and beneficial therapies that alleviate vàta are prescribed.

7.25. These are the diseases which are due to suppression of natural impulses. Wanting to prevent them, one should not hold back the impulses (when they come).

7.26. But one who wants his well-being in this world and the next when one departs, should hold back the urge to rash and improper deeds of body, speech and mind.

7.27. A wise person should control the impulses of greed, grief, anger and impulses of shamelessness, jealousy, passion and coveting.

7.28. One should hold back the impulse of excess harshness, of tale-bearing and lying and of untimely speech.

7.29. Whatever physical tendencies there are that cause pain to another through injury, theft, sexual intercourse, etc. should be restrained.

7.30. The person who is well-spoken of, who is sinless in the actions of body, speech and mind, is happy and enjoys virtue, wealth and desire (the three aims of life).

7.31. That physical movement which brings about stability and increases strength is known as physical exercise. That should be practiced in moderation.

7.32. Lightness, capacity in work, steadiness, forbearance in suffering, lessening of the dosas and increase of the digestion are due to exercise.

7.33. Excess exercise causes exertion, tiredness, consumption, thirst, dyspnoea, cough, fever and vomiting.

7.33.1. The signs of lightness are perspiration, increase in respiration, body lightness, inhibition of the heart and other organs.

7.34. Even though correct (in moderation), a wise person should not excessively indulge in exercise, traveling, laughing, speaking, and sex and night wakings.

7.35. He who indulges in other (impulses) like these is destroyed like an elephant dragged away by a lion.

7.35.1-2. The following people should avoid exercise: those who are too emaciated due to too much sex, lifting of heavy objects and due to traveling, those who are exhausted because of anger, grief or fear, those who are children, the elderly and who are of the vàta type constitution, those who talk too much and those who are hungry or thirsty.

7.36-37. A wise person should gradually desist from what is unhealthy and gradually resort to that which is healthy. A schedule is here described (for doing this). When there is a decrease in throwing from those two, a schedule should be a portion of the foot. A difference of one, then above that a difference of two, then of three.

7.38. Gradually the dosas are decreased and forever eradicated and the good qualities increased and become unshakable.

7.39-40. Some persons are seen as having an equilibrium of vàta, pitta and kapha from the time they were in the womb. Some are are predominantly vàta or pitta or kapha. The first group do not suffer; the second group always suffer. The bodily constitution of these (two types) is related to the dosas.

7.41. The (dietary) prescription for maintaining health is (food that has) opposite qualities to the doùas predominant in one's physical constitution. For those who are having an equilibrium of the dosas, a diet with an equal portion of all the flavours (sweet, sour, etc.) is prescribed.

7.42. There are two orifices in the lower body and seven in the head and there are the sweat pores that are the pathways for excretion. They are blocked by an increased quantity of excretion and their vitiations.

7.43. When there is felt heaviness in the pathways of excretion one should know that there is an increase in excretion and there is a decrease in excretion by feeling of lightness.

7.44. Considering both time and dose, one should treat those illnesses that are curable by the symptoms of their excretions that are opposite to the cause and the illness.

7.45. These and other illnesses are susceptible to those of up and down health. A healthy person should therefore be intent on a mainting his health.

7.46. On the first day of the spring, rainy and winter season, one should remove the doùas that have increased.

7.47-48. A wise person should always first apply oil, then do perspiration therapy, then elimination therapy and then inhalation therapy in sequence and as is the requirement. Then, knowing the (right) time one should prescribe rejuvenative and aphrodisiac chemicals.

7.49. Illnesses donÙt happen in the tissues that are balanced. Then the tissues increase and the aging process is slowed down.

7.50. This is the method indicated to prevent diseases arising in one's self. Diseases coming from outside will be taught seperately.

7.51-52. For the diseases of men coming from outside due to evil spirits, poison, wind, fire, blows, etc. the intelligence is to blame. Even those defects of mind such as envy, grief, fear, anger, vanity, hatred, etc. are all due to the fault of one's intelligence.

7.53.-54. The way to prevent diseases coming from outside one's self is by giving up of intellectual errors, quietening of the senses, having a good memory and knowledge of self, time and place which results in truthful conduct. One should know what is good for one's self and should do it at the earliest.

7.55. The knowledge gained from an authoritative person is the cause for the prevention and curing of illnesses.

7.56-57. People of low character should be avoided who are sinful in conduct, speech and thought, who are back-biters, who quarrel, who are sarcastic, who are greedy, who are envious of others' wealth, who are cruel, who indulge in defaming others, who are fickle, who help the enemies, who are merciless and who don't live a life of virtue.

7.58-59. Those people should be served who are mature because of wisdom, knowledge, age, conduct, patience, memory and meditation, who serve the elders, who have self-knowledge and who are free of anxiety, who are easy going with everyone, who are calm and who strictly follow their vows, who speak about the righteous path and meeting and seeing whom one is blessed.

7.60. A wise person should try his best to do what is beneficial in his diet and actions for the sake of happiness here and hereafter.

7.61-62. One should not eat curd at night without ghee or sugar, gram soup, honey or àmalaka and it should not be hot. One who likes curd but does not follow this guideline, may get fever, raktapitta (bleeding from different parts of the body), erysipelas, leprosy-like skin diseasese, anemia, giddiness and jaundice.

7.63-66. In this chapter on 'Non-restraint of natural urges', lord Ātreya spoke everything about the urges, diseases arising from the urges, their medication, the urges that should be held back, what is beneficial and what is not beneficial, the sequence (to be followed) to remove what is not proper, diet relating to one's natural constitution, diseases relating to the pathways of excretion, the medication for them, future prevention of diseases and their medication, what is to be avoided, what is to be practiced by a wise person who desires his own happiness and the method for taking curd.

Thus (ends) the seventh chapter on 'Non-restraint of natural urges' in the work 'ślokasthàna', as corrected by Caraka and written by Agniveśa.

SUTRASTHANA - CHAPTER 8

CHAPTER 8

The eighth chapter

8. 1-2. We shall henceforth expound on the chapter about 'The treatment of the sense organs'. Thus spake lord Ātreya:

8.3. There are five senses, five materials of the senses, five abodes of the senses, five sense objects and five sense perceptions.

8.4. Mind on the other hand transcends the senses. Some call it 'sattva' and others 'ceta'. Its action which moves (all) the senses, depends on the self.

8.5. In one and the same person, the mind can be both one and many due to the deviation of the will and sense objects percieved, and due to mixtue with the three gunas of sattva, rajas and tamas. And yet, there is no manifoldness. The mind does not operate through many senses at one time. Therefore all the senses don't function at one time.

8.6. The sages teach that the mind has the guõa which is constant to a person due to predominance of that guõa (in him).

8.7. When the senses come before the mind then they are capable of perceiving objects.

8.8. The five senses are visual, auditory, olfactory, gustatory and tactile.

8.9. The materials of the five senses are ether, wind, light, water and earth.

8.10. The abodes of the five senses are the eyes, the two ears, the two nostrils, the tongue and the skin.

8.11. The objects of sense are five - sound, touch, form, taste and smell.

8.12. There are five kinds of sense perception, i.e. visual, tactile, auditory, gustatory and olfactory. These are again due to the relation of the senses, their objects, the mind and the self. They are momentary and determinative. This covers all the groups of five.

8.13. The mind, the objects of the mind, the intellect and the self make up the spiritual qualities and elements. They are the cause behind doing or refraining from doing pure and impure deeds. Action is said to be dependant on the material thing (with which the act is done).

8.14. The senses are to be inferred and consist of the five great elements. Fire relates to the eyes, ether to the ears, and water to the tongue and wind to the skin. Whatever is the nature of the sense, that object of the same nature is perceived by the sense due to omnipresence (of the elements).

8.15. The senses with the mind get vitiated due to excess use, non-use and wrong use of the objects; this affects its perceptions. But again, (when) due to correct use, it is restored, then the sense perception is increased.

8.16. Thinking is the object of the mind. The causes of the normal and abnormal state of mind are due to the balanced use, excess use, non-use and wrong use of the mind and intellect.

8.17. One should make an effort to keep the senses along with the mind that are not affected (by anything) in a normal condition. This is done by right performance of actions after correctly considering with the intellect along with the sense objects (the pros and cos) and by resorting to the opposite guõas, the self, time and space. Therefore, one who desires oneÙs own good should always perform noble deeds with the help of the memory.

8.18. One who follows this immediately accomplishes both aims - health and victory over the senses. That true conduct in its entirey I will (now) describe Agniveśa! One should honour the gods, cows, brahmins, teachers, elders, spiritual masters and instructors. One should offer oblation to the fire. One should wear medicinal herbs. One should perform the sandhyà twice a day. One should clean the passage of excretion regularly. One should cut the hair, beard and nails three times a fortnight. One should wear untorn clothes. One should be happy, use scents, wear good dress, comb the hair, and apply oil to the head, ears, nostrils and feet. One should smoke. One should speak first (in a conversation). One should have a happy face. One should help those in difficulty. One should offer oblation. One should perform religious rites. One should salute a crossroads. One should offer religious sacrifices. One should honour guests. One should offer rice balls to the ancestors. One should speak beneficial, sweet and measured words in a timely manner. One should have self control. One should be virtuous. One should have envy for the cause but not the result (of actions). One should be free of worry fear. One should be shy and wise. One should have great enthusiasm, dexterity and forgiveness. One should be virtuous and a believer in the vedas. One should honour humility, intelligence, knowledge, and the elderly of noble families, the spiritual masters and the teachers. One should use an umbrella, a walking stick, a turban and shoes. One should see ahead only six feet while walking. One should have conduct that is good and welcoming. One should avoid places where there is dirty clothing, bones, thorns, impure hair, husks of grain, garbage, ash, fragments of earthen pots and places of bath and the offering of animal sacrifice. One should stop exercise before one gets tired. One should be friendly to all beings. One should reconcile those who are angry. One should console those who are afraid. One should protect those who are down. One should be truthful. One should be compromising. One should bear the harsh words of others. One should cure impatience. One should see things with a peaceful disposition. One should remove the causes of passion and aversion.

8.19. One should not lie nor take others' property. One should not desire others' wives or wealth. One should not have enmity or indulge in sinful acts or be sinning in sin. One should not speak the faults of others or disclose others' secrets. One should not bear (to be with) the unvirtuous, traitors to the king, madmen, fallen persons, abortionists, mean and bad persons. One should not ride a vehicle that is bad nor sit on a hard seat that is of knee height. One should not sleep on a bed that is uneven, small, without a pillow or not well covered. One should not walk on uneven mountain slopes. One should not climb trees or take a bath in water that is flowing fast. One should not sit on the shadow of a family member. One should not move around a flaming fire. One should not laugh loudly or release gas loudly. One should not yawn, sneeze or laugh without covering the mouth. One should not pick one's nose, grind the teeth, tap with the nails, strike bones, scrape the earth, cut straw and grind a clod of mud. One should not act with one's limbs in an improper position. One should not look on the planets or an undesirable, impure or condemned object. One should not make the sound 'hum' before a corpse. One should not step on the shadow of a sacred tree, a flag, a teacher, a respectable person or an unworthy person. At night, one should not resort to a temple precincts, a sacred tree, a public court yard, a cross roads, a garden, a cemetery and a slaughter-house. One should not enter an empty house or a forest. One should not hang out with those of sinful conduct, with friends of women or with servants. One should not oppose those of high standing. One should not sit near those who are low in society. One should not delight in crookedness. One should not resort to things ignoble. One should not create (fear in others). One should not resort to excess courage, excess sleep, waking, and bathing, drinking and eating. One should not sit with one's knees up for a long time. One should not follow after snakes, animals with horns or those with fearsome teeth. One should avoid winds that are easterly, snow and storm winds. One should not start a quarrel. One should not sit near the fire and hold oneÙs breath. One should not put a fire below and get heated (by it). One should not bathe when one is not tired, when one has not washed one's mouth or when one is not naked. One should not touch one's head with a bath towel. One should not strike the ends of one's hair. One should not wear clothes without having bathed. One should not go out without touching a gem, a respectable person, an auspicious object or a flower. One should not go (somewhere) keeping a respectable person or an auspicious object to one's left or others to one's right.

8.20. One should not take food without wearing a gem in the hand, without taking a bath, when wearing torn clothing, without reciting mantras, without offering oblations to the gods, without making offerings to the departed fathers, teachers, guests and dependants, without wearing a sacred scent or a garland, without washing one's hands, feet and mouth, with one's mouth unclean, while facing the north, when one is perturbed in mind, when surrounded by the non-devout, the uncultured, the impure or the hungry, if the dishes (to be used) are impure, at wrong times or at the wrong place, without first bringing (offerings) to the sacred fire, without sanctifying it with mantras, while one has a contempt for the food, while taking food served unfavourably or that is spoiled except meat, rhizomes, dry vegetables, fruits and sweets, while taking food in its entirety other than curd, honey, salt, roasted grain flour and ghee. One should not eat curd at night. One should not eat many roasted grains at night after meals or in large amounts or twice daily or in-between water intake nor by tearing with the teeth.

8.21. One should not lie down crooked and then sneeze or eat. One should not do any work while under pressure from a natural urge. One should not let out spit, excreta, or urine while facing the wind, fire, water, moon, sun, the Brahmins or the teachers. One should not pass water on the road, in a public place or at the time of eating. One should not let out phlegm or mucus while doing auspicious acts, making religious offerings, while studying, while performing rites or while repeating mantras.

8.22. One should not insult women. One should not rely on them too much. One should not disclose secrets to them. One should not authorize them. One should not have sexual intercourse with a women during her menses, with a woman who has an illness, with a women who is impure, with a women who is not praiseworthy, with a women who is not of desirable form, conduct or behaviour, with a women who is not skilled, with a women who is not friendly, with a women who is not having desire, with a women who has desire for someone else, with a women belonging to someone else, with another organ then the vagina, in a sacred place, in a public courtyard, at a crossroads, in a garden, in a burning ghàt, in a slaughterhouse, in water, in a hospital, in the house of the Brahmin or teacher or in a temple, at dawn or at dusk, on inauspicious days, if one is impure, if one is not inspired, if one does not have a joyous erection, if one has not eaten or has eaten too much, if one is on uneven ground, if one has to pass urine, if one is struck by exhaustion due to exertion, exercise or fasting and if one is not in a secluded place.

8.23. One should not speak ill of good persons or the teachers. If one is impure, one should not perform magic spells, do study, worship the elders or worship a sacred tree.

8.24. One should study when there is not unseasonal lightning, when the directions are not ablaze, when there is no outbreak of fire, when there is no earthquake, when there is no big festival, when there is no meteor, when there is no coming of a solar eclipse, when it is not that day of a new moon, when it is dawn or dusk, not without getting initiation from the teacher. One should study with vocal accents that do not fall or are excessivly loud, that are not tired, that are not incorrectly recited, that are not unsymmetrical, that are not too fast nor delayed, that are not too unmanly and that are not too high or too low.

8.25. One should not break rules. One should not roam about at night in wrong places. One should not resort to food, study, women and sleep at dawn or dusk. One should not make friends with children, the elderly, the greedy, fools, those afflicted or with eunuchs. One should not have a liking for wine, gambling or association with prostitutes. One should not reveal a secret. One shouldnot insult anyone. One should not be conceited, undexterous, unfriendly or a back-biter. One should not insult the brahmins. One should not hit cows with a stick. One should not abuse or speak harshly to elders, teachers, groups or kings. One should not turnout friends, lovers, those in difficulty and those who know (family) secrets.

8.26. One should not be impatient or over-proud. One should not forget to support the servants. One should not be untrusting to one's family. One should not be happy alone. One should not be miserable in character, conduct or manners. One should not trust everyone. One should not be suspicious of everyone. One should not be on the move all the time.

8.27. One should not waste too much time or work. One should not enter (somewhere) without checking it out (first). One should not be under the control of the senses. One should not let his fickle mind roam about. One should not put too much a load on one's intellect or senses. One should not procrastinate too much. One should not be too much overcome by anger or joy. One should not be grief stricken. One should not be too proud in success nor too down in failure. One should always remember Nature. One should be clear about the origin and cause (of things). One should be encouraged about what is to be done and should not lose spirit. One should not remember insults.

8.28. One who desires his own well-being should not offer oblations to the fire with ghee, thrashed rice grains, sesame seed, kuśa grass and mustard seed while he is himself impure. One should touch water, reciting 'àpo hi sthà' (Rig veda X.9.1) with the following invocations -
'May the fire not go away from me.'
'May the wind bring the pranic forces.'
'May Vishnu give me strength.'
'May Indra give me energy.'
'May the auspicious waters enter me.'
After cleaning the lips and feet twice, one should sprinkle water on the head and its orifices (ears, eyes, nose, and mouth). One should touch the self, the heart and the head.

8.29. One should be intent on continence, knowledge, charity, friendliness, compassion, happiness, detachment and peace.

8.30-33. In this chapter on the treatment of the sense organs, five groups of five, mind, the four-fold causes and good conduct have been entirely described. One who correctly follows the instructions for keeping good health, lives a hundred years free of illness; the world of man is filled with his fame as he is praised by the good souls; he obtains virtue and wealth and friendship to all beings and he reaches the higher worlds of those who perform virtuous deeds and are doers of good. Therefore everyone should always practice this conduct.

8.35. And whatever else is not here spoken that is revered as a way of conduct, that also is acceptable to Lord Ātreya.

Thus (ends) the eighth chapter on 'The treatment of the sense organs' in the work 'ślokasthàna', as corrected by Caraka and written by Agniveśa.
Thus ends the second group of four chapters on 'health'.

VOLUNTEER

The Somayagya 2010 is being done out of our heart for bringing more light upon earth. We are doing this to see the future of the world in a better place. These ancient Vedic practices were given to bring more harmony and happiness to all and we should see them practiced regularly, they should continue.

If you wish to volunteer at the Somayagya in person please be in touch and we will send you further information.
Please contact us and we can begin yesterday!

With Much Love,

Your,

Vedic Society Team

SUTRASTHANA - CHAPTER 9

CHAPTER 9

The ninth chapter

9. 1-2. We shall henceforth expound on the chapter about 'The four parts of therapeutics'. Thus spake lord Ātreya:

9.3. The four parts are the physician, the medicine, the attendant and the patient. Possessing the right quality, they are the cause for the cure of an illness.

9.4. A disturbance in the tissues, is an illness and health is the equilibrium of the tissues. Health is another name for happiness and illness for suffering.

9.5. Medical treatment with the help of the four parts of medicine - physician etc., is that which makes for the equilibrium of the tissues when they have been altered (in anyway).

9.6. Excellent (knowledge) of the medical scripture, an abundance of practical experience, dexterity and purity - these are the four qualities of a physician.

9.7. Abundance, suitability, manifold form and potency - these are the four qualities of a medicinal drug.

9.8. Knowledge of nursing, dexterity, affection and purity - these are the four qualities of a supportive attendant.

9.9. Memory, obedience, fearlessness and expressiveness - these are the four qualities of a patient.

9.10. The four parts of therapeutics with sixteen qualities are the cause for success in treatment, yet the physician is the most important with his knowledge, administrative position and prescribing capacity.

9.11. Just as for a cook the vessel, the fuel and the fire (help) in cooking, and just as for a conqueror the ground, the army and weapons (help) in victory, so for a physician success in treatment is helped by the patient, attendant and medicines. Thus the physician is the most important in medicine.

9.13. Just like a piece of earth, a stick, a wheel, a thread, etc. withouth the potter, so without the physician the other three factors do not carry any meaning.

9.14. Like the city of the gandharvas, the most difficult diseases may disappear or otherwise may spread quickly waiting for a solution.

9.15. When the three factors are there, the cause is in the physician, whether he knows it or not. Better it is to die as an offered oblation than to be treated by an ignorant physician.

9.16. Like a blind person out of ignorance and fear, moves about with his hands (feeling the objects, etc.), or like a boat driven about by the wind, an ignorant physician moves about in his treatments.

9.17. A quack physician may by chance cure someone whose lifespan is fixed, but he quickly kills hundreds of those whose life is not fixed.

9.18. Therefore, well immersed in the scriptureÙs four parts of medicine where there is practical application and scientific explanation, a physician is called the saviour of life.

9.19. He who has the four-fold knowledge regarding the cause, the symptoms, cure and prevention of disease is the best physician and is fit to be the kingÙs doctor.

9.20. The merits and demerits of water, the scriptures and a weapon depend on the one who holds them. So, (a physician) should purify his intellect for the sake of (proper) treatment.

9.21-23. He of whom there are the six qualities - knowledge, reason, specialized knowledge, memory and intensity does not surpass that which can be cured, i.e. he succeeds in curing diseases. Each one of the following completely fulfills the word 'vaidya' (physician) - thought, practical experience, practice, success (in treatment), and dependence (on a qualified physician). He in whom all these pure qualities (knowledge, etc.) are present has truly become that true 'vaidya' and is a giver of happiness to living beings.

9.24. The (medical) scripture is like light for the sake of illumination just as one's own intellect is for seeing. The physician who has both of these, the scriptures and intellect, makes no mistake while practicing medicine.

9.25. The three factors of treatment depend on the physician. Therefore, a physician should make an effort to increase his treasure of (good) qualities.

9.26. The four-fold conduct of a physician to his healthy patients are - 1. kindness, 2. sympathy, 3. affection and 4. detachment.

9. 27-28. In this chapter of the four parts of medicine, the following have been brought to light - the four factors of therapeutics, the four qualities, the importance of the physician over the other factors, the physician's qualities, his knowledge and his four-fold spiritual consciousness.

Thus (ends) the ninth chapter on 'The four parts of therapeutics' in the work 'ślokasthàna', as corrected by Caraka and written by Agniveśa.

SUTRASTHANA - CHAPTER 10

CHAPTER 10

The tenth chapter

10. 1-2. We shall henceforth expound on the chapter about 'The great four parts of therapeutics'. Thus spake lord Ātreya:

10.3. Physicians say that medicines have four parts and sixteen qualities. That there are sixteen qualities has been stated in the previous chapter. According to lord Punarvasuràtreya medicine can fittingly and reasonably be sufficient for health.

10.4. Maitreya says 'No. Why so? Some of those afflicted are having (medicinal) materials, attendants and are attended to by skilled doctors and recover (from their illness). Others having the same things (don't recover) and die. So the medication doesn't do anything. Just like sprinkling a little bit of water in a pond or a chasm or into a flowing river, or like scattering a handful of dust onto a heap of dust. So in the same way, there are some who have no medicinal materials or attendants and are looked after by unskilled doctors and recover, while there are some who die also. So there are those who succeed and those who die while in the recovery process and likewise there are those who succeed and those who die while not going through any kind of recovery process. Therefore, one has to think that medicines are not any more special than having no medicines.'

10.5. Ātreya said (in reply), 'Maitreya! Why do you think falsely? To say that those afflicted patients who take recourse to medicines having the sixteen qualities die is not correct. Nor is it (correct for you to say that) of illnesses curable by medicines that the medicine is doing nothing. Those patients who are cured without the help of medicines, recover not solely without any medicines. Its just like trying to lift an able person who fell down. The person trying to lift him will put his strength; and the other will get up faster without difficulty. Likewise, those patients who depend on medicines would either recover or die. Not all those using medication will recover and not all illnesses are curable by (medicinal) means. And not of those curable illnesses is there success without a means to it. It is not that the group of medicines (I am talking about) is for incurable diseases. Its not enough that a knowledgeable physician is capable of curing a terminally ill patient. Those who are skilled do examinations. Just as an archer who practices constantly, is without fault for putting the arrows to the bow and shooting them to a big target not too close by. He succeeds because of effort. So for the physician possessing his own qualities and medical materials, he begins his work after inspection and is not at fault when he cures with healthy processes a patient who has a curable disease. Therefore, it is not (true that) medicine is inferior to non-medicine.'

10.6. And this is obvious to all that we cure a patient by medicines that are curative, and we cure the depleted by impletion. We nourish those who are weak and emaciated. We remove the satisfaction (in food) for those who are obese and fat. Those who are afflicted by heat, we treat by cooling and those by the cold we treat by warming. We replenish tissues that are deficient and decrease those whose tissues are in excess. We treat illnesses by changing roots and we establish one in a good balance with Nature. So this group of medicines is the best for those who are practicing.

10.7. A physician who knows the distinction between curable and incurable diseases and begins a treatment in time with (proper) knowledge is one who cures with certainty.

10.8. A physician who would treat an incurable disease certainly will obtain the loss of wealth, knowledge and fame and receive censure and loss of (royal) support and favour.

10.9. Curable diseases are two-fold - easy and difficult to cure. Incurable diseases are also two-fold - acheivable and irreversible.

10.10. Of the curable diseases there is a three-fold uncertainty which is mild, moderate and intense. But of the fixed incurable diseases, there is no irreversible (tendency).

10.11-13. These are the characteristics of easily cured diseases:

   1) the causes, previous symptoms and symptoms in general are mild,
   2) the doùas don't have a similar quality,
   3) the doùa would not be the same as the constitution,
   4) the quality of the season is not the same,
   5) the place is not the same,
   6) the movement (of the disease) is singular,
   7) the disease is new,
   8) the disease is not complicated,
   9) there is only one doùa in the arising of the disease,
   10) the body is able to take all medicines,
   11) there are four parts of medicine available.

10.14-16. These are the factors that determine the nature of diseases difficult to cure:

    1) the causes, premonitory symptoms and symptoms in general are moderate in strength,
    2) generally, there is one or another season, constitution and dosa,
    3) There is not excess pain and complication for pregnant woman, children and the elderly,
    4) diseases where surgery, alkalies and cauterizing is used,
    5) diseases that are not new,
    6) diseases arising from difficult locations (in the body),
    7) diseases should be found with one path,
    8) diseases not using fully the four parts of medicine,
    9) diseases of two systems but not chronic,
    10) diseases due to two dosas.

10.17-18. The curable diseases have these characteristics:

1) Thery rresort to a healthy regimen where has been a little relief.

But any small negligence quickly aggravates the condition.

    2) The disease is deeply seated in many of the tissues.
    3) The disease affects vital organs and joints.
    4) The disease is continuous for a long time.
    5) The disease is caused by two dosas.

10.19-20. Likewise, these factors show the disease as incurable:

    1) Diseases due to the three dosas.
    2) Diseases that are beyond therapy.
    3) Diseases which follow all systems.
    4) Diseases that cause excitement, dissatisfaction and confusion.
    5) Diseases which bring loss to the sense faculties.
    6) The disease is in an advanced stage while the patient is weak.
    7) Diseases which have bad omens and signs.

10.21-22. Having previously examined the characteristics of the diseases, the wise physician should next commence the treatment of curable diseases. The one who possesses keen observation and knows the difference between the curable and incurable diseases does not subscribe to the false minded (views) of people like Maitreya.

10. 23-24. Here, medicines, qualities of the (four) aspects of therapeutics, their origins and medicinal substrate, the two views of Atreya and Maitreya, the conclusion, the four-fold alternative diseases and their characteristics have been mentioned in this chapter on the four great parts of therpeutics.

Thus (ends) the tenth chapter on 'The great four parts of therapeutics' in the work 'ślokasthàna', as corrected by Caraka and written by Agniveśa.

SUTRASTHANA - CHAPTER 11

CHAPTER 11

The eleventh chapter

11. 1-2. We shall henceforth expound on the chapter about 'The three of desires'. Thus spake lord Ātreya:

11. 3. Here indeed there are three desires that should be had by someone who of normal mind, intellect, strength and energy, by one who looks to his own well-being here (in this world) and in the world beyond. They are the desire for life, wealth and the world-beyond.

11. 4. Of these desires, the desire to live comes to the forefront. Why? Because when one gives up the life-breath (and dies) all is given up. To achieve that (one needs) to follow after health and keep a healthy conditioning; (and) one should not be negligent in curing a patient's disease. Both these have been described and will be further talked about. So conforming to what was said, one can obtain a long life by preserving the life-force. Thus the first desire is commented on.

11.5. Next is the second desire, the desire for wealth. After the desire for life, one should desire wealth. There is nothing more wretched than a long life without things. Therefore, one should strive to desire things. We will comment (now) on the way to get things. Those means are - farming, cattle-raising, commerce, government service, etc. And whatever other works that are not censured by the good and help in one's livelihood, those one should know and start to do. So doing, a person not looked down upon lives a long life. Thus the second desire is commented upon.

11.6. Now is the third desire, the desire for the other world. Here there is a doubt. How is it? Will we exist after this life? Will we fall again into rebirth or not? But why doubt? There are some people who believe in what is perceptible and do not believe in rebirth because it is imperceptible. And there are some who out of faith want rebirth. There is also the difference in scriptural viewpoints. Some regard the mother and father as the cause of birth, while others believe it is 'nature', 'an outside creator' and 'chance'. Hence the doubt - is there rebirth or not?

11.7. There, an intelligent person should give up doubt. Why? Because what is evident to the senses is small. That which is not evident is large and is gained through scripture, inference and reason. Even those evident things which are gained by the senses, are also not directly evident (because they themselves are the objects of the sense).

11.8. It is not proven that only objects directly perceived alone exist and other things do not. There are things which exist but yet cannot be properly percieved because they are too near, or are too far, or are covered, or that there is weakness in the sense faculty, or there is diversion of the mind, confusion with similar objects, or that they are too overwhelming or too minute.

11.9. Being opposed to reason, these scriptures are not a cause (to believe against rebirth). If the soul of the mother or the father should move within the offspring, it may exist two-fold or wholly or in part.

11.10. If it should be wholly in the offspring, then the mother or the father would die (as their soul has left them). Always, there are no parts to the subtle soul.

11.11. 'Mind and intellect decide (as it is the cause of birth) and is the soul.' They who have this view do not (know) the four-fold cause (of birth).

11.12. One should know the characteristic of the six basic tissues and that karma is the cause of their combination and separation.

11.13. The creating by another of the consciousness that has no origin is not valid. If that is the supreme self, then it must be the (main) cause. This is creation by another (i.e. the supreme self is the other).

11.14-15. The atheistic view is the worst kind of sin. For him there is no test, nothing to be tested, no doer and no cause. There are no gods, no seers, no perfected sages and no action or resut of action. For the atheist there is no soul. His self is struck by chance.

11.16. So having freed (himself) of this erroneous way of thinking, a wise person should see all accordingly by the lamp of the intelligence of good men.

11.17. Everything is indeed twofold - true and untrue. There are four parts in ascertaining whether a thing is true or not true. They are -
    1. scriptural authority
    2. direct observation
    3. inference
    4. reason

11. 18-19. The category of scriptural authority is here described. They who are free from rajas and tamas by the strength of their penance and knowledge and of whom there is an unhindered knowledge of the past, present and future are a source for scriptural authority. They are cultured and enlightened and their word is true and beyond doubt. How will they who are free of rajas and tamas speak an untruth?

11. 20. The intellect that is expressed at that moment of time from the proximity of the soul, the senses, the mind and the objects, is called as direct observation.

11. 21-22. One makes an inference before there is direct observation. The inference is of three types and relates to the three times. Just as one infers a hidden fire from smoke or sexual intercourse by seeing a pregnancy, so it is for the past. The wise see that the fruit is coming from the seed and can infer the fruit not yet come from the seed.

11.23-24. Reasoning is seen in these examples -

    1. The growth of crops from the combination of irrigation, ploughing, seed planting and the seasons.
    2. The production of fire from the combination of the kindling wood, the act of rubbing them and the person who rubs them.
    3. The curing of illnesses from the combination of the four parts of therapeutics.

11.25. The intellect which percieves the combination of many causes and possesses a time frame of past, present and future is known as reason. It is that by which one achieves the three aims in human life - virtue, wealth and desire.

11.26. Having examined the true and untrue, this is the test and no other by which all things are tested. Even by this, one establishes that there is rebirth.

11.27. Scriptural authority is the Vedas. It is also whatever else is not opposed to the Vedas and is composed by experts, approved by the cultured and is undertaken for the welfare of the world. From scriptural authority one obtains these means to liberation and betterment - gift-giving, penance, sacrifice, non-violence and continence.

11.28. And it is taught in the scriptures by those without faults that rebirth is for those whose mind has not overcome error.

11.29. One should indeed decide that rebirth has been taught by the ancient great seers who saw things with divine vision, who possessed a pure mind and intellect, who knew action, who had (great) attainment, who were focused on Brahman and who were freed from fear, passion, hatred, greed, confusion and vanity.

11.30. Even (the theory of rebirth) is supported from direct observation (as in the following). There is the dissimilarity of children from the mother and father. There are differences in complexion, body shape, voice, mind, intellect and fate in those of similar origins. There is birth into higher and lower families. There is slavery or sovereignty. There is a life of suffering or happiness. There are differences in life-span. There is attainment here of what is done. There are tendencies of crying, breast-feeding, laughter and fear, etc. in those who were not taught (these things). There is the appearance of innate characteristics. There are differences in the results in the same work. There is an intuitive sense in some works and not in others. There is the coming here of those fallen from there. There is liking or disliking towards the same thing.

11.31. Hence, one infers that what is done in a previous body is indestructible and unavoidable and has a continuity as karma and is called 'fate'. This is its result and from here there will be another (result). The seed is from the fruit and the fruit is from the seed.

11.32. This is the reasoning. The embryo is formed from the group of six tissues. The action is due to the conjunction of a doer and an instrument. The fruit of action is of what is done and is not of what is not done. There cannot be the germination of a sprout without a seed. The result accords to the action. As is the seed, so is the result.

11.33. So, when by the four proofs rebirth is taught, one should pay attention to the scriptures. Likewise, one should give attention to serving the teacher, to studies, to following the vows, to marriage, to having children, to maintaining the servants, to honoring the guests, to gift giving, to non-covetous deeds, to penance, to non-caviling of others, to body, speech and mind, to non-painful action, to testing one's body, senses, mind, objects, intellect and self and to do meditation. And one should be attentive to whatever other actions of this kind that are not censured by the good, that lead to heaven and help in one's livelihood. One should know them and start to do them. Doing as such one obtains fame here and after passing, one attains heaven. Thus described is the third desire for the other world.

11.34. Next, there are indeed three pillars, three types of strength, three bases, and three illnesses, three paths of illness, three types of physicians and three types of medicine.

11.35. The three pillars are food, sleep and continence. Supported by these three regulated pillars, the body increases in strength, complexion and growth and continues for the life-span so long as one does not indulge in such regimen as are not beneficial. This will be here described (in verse37).

11.36. The three-fold strength is constitutional, temporal and acquired. Constitutional is the natural state of body and mind (from birth). The temporal is due to the division of the seasons and due to age. The acquired strength is due to the combination of food and exertion.

11.37. There are three substrates (for diseases) -

    1. excess use of time, action and sense-objects:
    sight - Such as too much gazing upon very luminous objects.
    hearing - Listening to loud noise from thunder, kettle-drums and loud cries.
    smell - The smell of very sharp and acute things.
    taste - Excess intake of various tastes.
    touch - Very cold or very hot baths, massages and unction.

    2. non-use of time, action and sense-objects:
    sight - Not seeing anything.
    hearing - Not hearing anything.
    smell - Not smelling anything.
    taste - Not tasting anything.
    touch - Not touching anything.

    3. wrong-use of time, action and sense-objects:
    sight - Such as looking at things too far or too close or looking at things that are fearsome, terrifying, strange, disagreeable, frightful, deformed and   alarming.
    hearing - Such as hearing harsh words, hearing about the death of a dear one or hearing assaulting, insulting and terrifying sounds.
    smell - Such as smelling putrid, unpleasant, dirty, putrified and cadaverous smells.
    taste - Excepting ràśi, the wrong use of taste will be described in Caraka, Vimàna 1:21.
    touch - Having hot or cold baths, massages and unction in improper sequence and the touch of ghosts, impure things, injurious objects in an uneven place.

11.38. The sense of touch pervades all the senses and is closely connected to the mind. And it is the mind that pervades the touch. Therefore, that which is a particular state of mind making for a pevading contact through all the senses is this change of the five senses and the three uses (of them). The favourable reaction of the senses is the wholesome conjunction of the senses with their objects.

11.39. Action means the expression of body, speech and mind. There, the uses are as follows.

    1. excess use: Too much expression of the body, speech and mind.

    2. non-use: Total non-expression of body, speech and mind.

    3. wrong use

body - Suppression of natural urges, unbalanced slipping, falling and posture, spoiling of the body, assault, (excess) massage, holding the breath, torture, etc.

speech - back-biting, lying, useless quarrelling, unpleasant talk, irrelevant and unfavourable talks, harsh words, etc.
mind - fear, grief, anger, greed, infatuation, vanity, envy, misconception, etc.

11.40. In brief, whatever action due to body, speech and mind which does not come under the excess use or non-use categories and which is harmful and not prescribed (by the wise) should be known as of false utilisation.

11.41. Thus there are three varities (body, speech and mind) that are three types (non-use, excess use and wrong use) that make for intellectual error.

11.42. Time is that which changes. A year is the time which is made of cold, hot, rainy, then winter, summer and rainy seasons. Here, time as related to use are:

    1. excess use of time: Too much of the seasonal signs.
    2. non-use: A lesser measure of the seasonal signs.
    3. wrong-use: Seasonal characteristics that are opposite to what is normal.

11.43. The three-fold causes of illnesses:

    1. The unwholesome conjunction of the senses and the objects.
    2. Intellectual error
    3. Change
But when these causes are equally used they become a cause for health.

11.44. Both disposition and non-disposition (of temperament) do not achieve their use, non-use, excess use and wrong use without all states of mind. Both depend as it were on one's own reason.

11.45. Illnesses are of three kinds -
    1. one's own: arising from the bodily doùas.
    2. coming from outside: arising from ghosts, wind, fire, trauma, etc.
    3. mental: due to getting and not getting agreeable and disagreeable things.

11.46. There, having looked well with his good mind at the favourable and unfavourable, a wise person suffering from mental disease should strive to practice things beneficial and avoid non-beneficial things in regard to virture, wealth and desire. Without these three of mind, nothing in the world can be attained whether happiness or suffering. Therefore, this should try to practice those sciences and one should try to acquire knowledge of the self, the place, family, time, strength and capacity.

11.47. Here, there is this:
For mental (illnesses) there are three types of treatment. They are -
1. practicing the sciences for that
2. intellect
3. totality of the self, etc.

11.48. The three courses of diseases are:
1. the peripheral system (the external path of the disease): blood, tissues, skin, etc.
2. vital organs, bones and joints (the middle path of the disease):
    vital organs - urinary bladder, the heart, head, etc.
    bones - joined by tendons and ligaments
    joints - the junction of bones
3. the central system (the internal path of the disease): It is the great flow in the center of the body, reaching below and includes the stomach and intestines.

11.49. The particular diseases for the three different systems are:

    1. peripheral system: goiter, pimples, boil, scrofula, wart, granuloma, moles, leprosy, freckles, diseases and the external variety of spreading skin diseases, oedema, abdominal tumor, piles and abscess.

    2. Middle system: hemiplegia, convulsion, clonic convulsion, facial paralysis, consumption, tuberculosis, pain in the bone joints, prolapse and diseases of the head, heart and bladder.

    3. central system: fever, diarrhoea, vomiting, intestinal torpor, choleric diarrhorea, cough, dyspnoea, hiccough, constipation, abdominal disorders, splenic disorders and diseases due to the internal path such as skin diseases that spread, oedema, abdominal tumor, piles, internal abscess.

11.50-53. In the world there are three types of physicians -

    1. pseudo physicians - They get the name 'physician' by the books they have and the doctor's box with medicines in it and their unsteady glances. They are ignorant and are imitators.
    2. feigned physicians - They get the name 'physician' from their being included among those accomplished in wealth, fame and knowledge. They aren't of the first sort and should be known as those who have achieved success.
    3. genuine physicians - In these the very condition of being a physician is established. They are attendants of life, givers of happiness and are perfected and accomplished in knowledge, application and insight.

11.54. There are three types of therapies-

1. spiritual - includes reciting of mantras, use of herbs, auspicious offerings, gifts, oblations, following the rules of self-control, atonement, fasting, doing expiatory rites, making obeisance to deities, going on pilgrimage, etc.

2. reason - includes proper diet and use of medicinal drugs.
3. mind - consists in withdrawing the mind from harmful things.

11.55. When there is vitiation of the bodily doùas, generally (physicians) want three types of therapy for the body -

1. internal-cleansing - That which removes diseases due to food by using medicines that enter within the body.
2. external-cleansing - That which removes diseases by externally touching the body through massage, fomentation, unction, affusion, kneading, etc.
3. surgery - That which uses cutting, splitting, piercing, tearing, scraping, uprooting, covering, stitching and use of alkalines from water animals.

11. 56-63. When an illness arises, a wise person attains inner and outer happiness by following the treatment (advised) in the medical scripture. But an ignorant, childish person who due to negligence and confusion is one who does not recognize the enemy like illness that is in its first stages (of entry into the system). In its first stages, the illness seems insignificant, but later it grows, and when it becomes deeply rooted it takes away one's strength and life. The dull person is not aware as long as he has no pain. But once he is afflicted, he applies his mind to controlling the illness. Then he calls his sons, wives and relatives and tells them to bring a doctor in any way possible. But in such a case, who is it that is capable of saving that emaciated, afflicted, weak, senseless and dying individual? Not having found (such) a saviour, that childish individual gives up the ghost, like an alligator dragged off by its tail by someone strong. Therefore, whether in illnesses just beginning or in those already spreading, one who desires his own happiness should counter (the effect of an illness) with medicines.

11. 64-65. In summary, the desires, supporters, strength, the causes (of illness), diseases, the paths, physicians and medicines have been described by the wise, detached sage Krsnàtreya in this chapter about desires. Each of these eight states have been classified into three groups and in these eight all is established.

Thus (ends) the eleventh chapter on 'The three desires' in the work 'ślokasthàna', as corrected by Caraka and written by Agniveśa.

SUTRASTHANA - CHAPTER 12

CHAPTER 12

The twelfth chapter

12. 1. We shall henceforth expound on the merits and demerits of vàta.

12. 2. Thus spake lord Ātreya:

12.3. The great seers, wanting to know the mutual views with regard to the knowledge of the good and bad properties of vàta, sat together and asked the following amongst themselves:

1. What are the qualities of vàta?
2. What aggravates vàta?
3. What things alleviate vàta?
4. How do the aggravating and alleviating factors repectively aggravate or alleviate vàta which is not an aggregate, is unstable?
5. What are the actions of vàta when it is moving inside bodies or outside or when it is in aggravated and not aggravated bodies?

12.4. Here, Kuśa descended from Sankrti spoke, 'These are the six qualities of vàta rough, light, cold, poignant, coarse and clear.'

12.5. Hearing that Kumàraśirà Bharadvàja said, 'It is so as you revered sir said. These are the qualities of vàta. But with such qualities, by such medicines, by such effects and by such repeated practices, vàta gets aggravated. Only the habitual use of similar qualities is a cause for the enhancement of the tissues.

12.6. Hearing that, Kànkàyano a physician from Balkh said, 'It is as you revered sir said. These are the factors aggravating vàta. Hence, the opposites are those that alleviate vàta. They are opposite to aggravation and are causes for the alleviation of the tissues.'

12.7. Hearing this, Badiśo Dhàmàrgava said, 'It is so as you have said revered sir. These are indeed the aggravating and alleviating factors of vàta. We will (now) explain how the aggravating and alleviating factors affect vàta which is not aggregated nor stable nor accessible. Indeed the factors which aggravate vàta in the body are rough, light, cold, sharp, coarse, clear and hollow. In similar bodies, the vàta increases when it gets shelter there and gets aggravated. Again, the factors which alleviate vàta are unctuous, heavy, hot, smooth, soft, slippery and dense. In similar bodies vàta doesn't get lodged and is alleviated.'

12.8. Hearing the true words of Badiśa which were approved by the group of seers, the great seer Vàyorvida said, 'All this that you revered sir said is without reproach. Those actions indeed of aggravated and not aggravated vàta that moves within and without bodies will be explained as far as possible having paid obeisance to the god Vàyu and relying on direct evidence, inference and scriptural testimony.'

In its non-aggrevated state, vàta supports the bodily organs and consists of pràna, udàna, samàna, apàna and vyàna; it is the prompter of various actions; it is the controller and inspirer of the mind; it co-ordinates all the senses and is the carrier of all the sense objects; it brings together all the tissues of the body and brings the body together; it prompts speech and is the origin of touch and sound; it is the cause of hearing and touch as well as joy and eagerness; it impels the digestion and dries up the dosas; it throws out excreta; it makes the gross and subtle passage ways; it moulds the shape of the embryo and it is indicative of the continuity of life.

But when aggravated in the body, vàta really afflicts the body with various types of illnesses. Affecting the strength, complexion, happiness and life-span it excites the mind, strikes all the senses and destroys, deforms or detains the embryo for a long time. It gives rise to fear, grief, confusion, humility and delirium.

The following are the actions in the world of the vàta in its natural condition:

the support of the earth; the kindling of fire; the constant movement of the sun, moon, stars and groups of planets; the creation of clouds; the showering of rain; the flow of rivers; the maturation of flowers and fruits; the sprouting of plants; the division of the seasons; the division of the elements; the expression of the condition of the elements; the germination of seeds; the growth of plants and their drying up and constant change.

These are the actions of the aggrevated vàta moving in the world:
breaking of mountain peaks; uprooting of trees; disturbing the oceans; overflowing of lakes; reversal of river flows; tremors of the earth; thunder in the clouds; the release of fog, thunder without clouds, dust, sand, fish, frogs, serpents, alkaline water, blood, stone and lightning; disturbance of the six seasons; incoherence of plants; bringing forth of ghosts; removal of states of mind; release of sun, fire, cloud and wind that bring an end to the four ages.

12.8. Lord Vàyu is the eternal source; he is the maker of the origin and end of beings; he is the creator of happiness and unhappiness; he is death, the god of death; he is Prajàpati the controller; he is Aditi; he is Viśvakarma; he is of all forms, is all-pervading and is the creator of all actions; he is subtle and omnipresent and is Visnu the one who exceeds; indeed Vàyu is the lord of the worlds.

12.9. Hearing that word of Vàyorvida, Marīci spoke, 'Although this is so (about vàta), is there support in the science of medicine in speech or in general science? With regard to medicine how do the qualities of vàta fit in?'

12.10. Vàyorvida said, 'If a physician does not cure the excess in vàta that brings about excess in strength, roughness or speed, how would he, with his first tries, suddenly run to save someone in an aggrevated vàta condition? Before even the fear of death, the the true praise to Vàyu is for health, for growth in strength and complexion, for luster, for obtaining knowledge and for longevity.'

12.11. Marīci said, 'Agni alone as represented by pitta is that which causes aggravation and non-aggravation and good and bad in the body. It causes digestion and indigestion, vision and loss of vision, normal and abnormal measure of bodily heat, natural and unnatural complexion, valour and fear, anger and joy, confusion and clarity, etc. and other pairs of opposites.'

12.12. Hearing those words of Marīci, Kàpya spoke, 'Soma alone as represented by pitta is that which causes aggravation and non-aggravation and good and bad in the body. It (causes) things such as firmness and slackness, increase and emaciation, enthusiasm and laziness, sexual potency and impotency, knowledge and ignorance, intelligence and confusion and such other pairs of opposites.'

12.13. Hearing the words of Kàpya, Lord Punarvasu âtreya spoke, 'All that you have said is correct sir, except that it is not conclusive. All the natural functions of vàta, pitta and kapha indeed endow a person with long life, happiness, strength and complexion. Likewise one gets great happiness in the other world (after death) by correctly performing virtue, wealth and desire (the three aims of life). But, when aggravated, these three (vàta, pitta and kapha) have a great reverse effect. Just like when three seasons are aggravated it leads to world-destruction.'

12.14. All the seers accepted and applauded the words of Lord Ātreya.

12.15. There is this also. Having heard all that Ātreya said, all the seers accepted and welcomed the words as did the gods for the words of Indra.

12.16-17. The six qualities, the two-fold causes, various functions of vàta, the four types, the seperate functions of kapha and pitta, the opinions of the seers and the opinion of Punarvasu. All this has been described in the chapter about the merits and demerits of vàta.

Thus (ends) the twelth chapter about the merits and demerits of vàta, in the work 'ślokasthàna'; corrected by Caraka and written by Agniveśa.

Thus ends the quadrate about indication (of physician, medicine, etc.)

SUTRASTHANA - CHAPTER 13

CHAPTER 13

The thirteenth chapter

13. 1. We shall henceforth expound on 'oleation'.

13. 2. Thus spake lord Ātreya:

13. 3. For the good of the world, Agniveśa expressed his doubts to Punarvasu who was seated with those well-versed in Sàmkhya philosophy.

13. 4. O Lord, I wish to know the boundless science of unction. (I would ask these questions):
1. What are the sources of unctuous substances?
2. What are the types of unctuous substances?
3. What are the qualities of the different unctuous substances?
4. What are the times and the anupànas (substance taken with intake of medicine) to administer unctions?
5. What and how many are the recipes of unctions?
6. How many are the dosages?
7. What are the measures?
8. Which dose is prescribed for whom?
9. Which unction is beneficial for whom?
10. What is the duration in applying unction?
11. What is fit and what unfit for using unction?
12. What is the characteristic of proper oleation, non-oleation and excess oleation?
13. What is beneficial and what is unbeneficial after intake and digestion of fats?
14. What are costive and laxed bowels?
15. What are the good and bad effects (of oleation)?
16. What method is desired in using a clean, clear unction?
17. By what method are the recipes to be used and for whom?

13. 9. Then Punarvasu, (thinking of) cutting away all those doubts, replied to Agniveśa, ' There are dear child two sources of unctuous substances: vegetable and animal.'

13. 10-11. The vegetable sources of oil are:

1. tilah                 10. bilva
2. priyàla            11. àruka
3. abhisukau      12. mūlaka
4. bibhītaka        13. atasī

5. citra                14. nikocaka
6. abhayà           15. aksoda
7. eranda            16. karanja
8. madhūka        17. kusumba
9. sarsapàh        18. śigrukàh

The animal sources of oil are:
1. fish             3. birds
2. deer

Derived from the animals are these sources of oil:
1. curd            4. meat
2. milk            5. fat
3. ghee            6. marrow

13. 12. Of all oils the oil from sesame seed is the best for purpose of strength and oleation. But the oil of eranda is foremost for purgation. The oil of eraõóa is hot, pungent, and heavy and cures vàta and kapha. It also cures Pitta when it is used with (substances) that are astringent, sweet and bitter.

13. 13. Ghee, oil, muscle fat, and bone marrow are considered the best of all unctuous substances. Of these, ghee is indeed the best because it conforms to the property (of other substances).

13. 14. Ghee alleviates pitta and vàta, is conducive to the taste, the semen and ojasa. It is cooling and softening and purifies the voice and complexion.

13. 15. Oil alleviates vàta and does not aggravate kapha. It promotes strength and is good for the skin, acts as a stabilizer and cleans the vagina.

13. 16. Muscle fat is for injury, fracture, blows, prolapse uterus, earache and headache. (As well) it enhances a person's virility, is desirable for oleation and exercise.

13. 17. Marrow enhances strength, semen, taste, kapha, fat and marrow. It is good for oleation and strengthens the bones.

13. 18. Ghee should be taken in autumn (September-October) and muscle and marrow in Spring (April-May); oil should be taken in the rainy season. Unctions should not be taken when it is too hot or too cold.

13. 19. One should drink oils in the night when it is hot outside and there is an excess of vàta and pitta. When kapha is in excess in the cold season, one should drink the oil in the day when there is no cloud in the sky.

13. 20-21. When oil therapy is taken during the day or when it is too hot and there is an excess of vàta and pitta, then this can cause fainting, thirst, madness or jaundice. When oil therapy is applied in the cold season at night and there is an excess of kapha, a person may get constipation, anorexia, colic pain or anaemia.

13. 22. It is recommended to drink warm water in ghee and in oil with vegetable soup. But there should be thin gruel with muscle fat or bone marrow. Or all the unctions can be taken with warm water.

13. 23-25. The following are the twenty four preparations of unctions:

1. boiled rice           11. sour milk with vinegar
2. gruel with 4 times water    12. butter milk with spices
3. meat soup               13. roasted grain flour
4. meat                                       14. crushed sesame seeds
5. curd                                         15. liquour
6. milk                                         16. lickable food
7. gruel with 6 times water   17. chewable food                   21. gargling
8. soup                                        18. massage                             22. ear drops
9. vegetable                              19. enema              23. inhalation
10. vegetable soup              20. douche           24. ear-eye preparations

13. 26. An unction that is transparent when drunk is not included as a typical preparation; it is seen by physicians as the foremost type of therapy.

13. 27-28. Unctions are of sixty-three preparations when combined with the six tastes. The simple one (of the previous verse) makes the total to sixty four preparations. The preparation should be used by a physician who knows the season, diseases and individual temperament.

13. 29-40.
29. Oleation therapy is of three types:
    1. the best is 24 hour digestion time
    2. the moderate is 12 hour digestion time
    3. the inferior is 6 hour digestion time
30. I will describe the application of these three doses according to the individual.
31. Those who have a regular habit of taking alot of unctuous substance, can bear hunger and thirst, have a very good digestive strength and possess great strength,
(32-34.) and those who suffer from abdominal tumour, snake bite, are affected by visarpa skin disease, insanity, dysuria, hard stool, should drink the highest oleation dosage (24 hours). Listen to the effects from correctly taking that dosage:
    1. it alleviates (all) ailments quickly
    2. it removes the doùas
    3. it follows all pathways
    4. it strengthens
    5. it rejuvenates the body
    6. it rejuvenates the senses
    7. it rejuvenates the mind
35-37. The second moderate unction dosage is for those who suffer from wounds, boils, pimples, itching, scabs, leprosy, urinary disorder, gout, for those who don't eat much, for those with laxed bowels and for those of moderate strength. This dosage has little complications and does not affect the strength too much. It lubricates easily and is used for purgation.
38-40. But for the following persons, oleation is best in its smallest dosage:
the elderly, children, the young and good looking, those brought up in luxury, those with poor bowel evacuation, those with weak digestion and those with chronic fever, dysentery and cough.
This therapy has the least precautions: it helps oleation, stimulates the sex passion and gives strength. It is harmless and can be administered for a long period.

13. 41-43. Ghee intake is prescribed for those with vàta and pitta body types, for those who suffer from vitiation of vàta and pitta, for those who desire good eye sight, for those who are wounded, for those who suffer from consumption, for the elderly, for children, for the weak, for those who desire longevity, strength, complexion, nourishment, offspring and softness in the limbs and for those injured by fire, poison, weapons, and burns.

13. 44-45. Oil intake is prescribed for the following persons in the winter:
Those whose kapha and marrow is in excess,
Those whose throat and abdomen are loose and large,
Those with vàta affectation,
Those predominant in vàña,
Those who desire strength, slimness, lightness, sturdiness and firmness in the body,
Those who desire smooth and soft skin,
Those who suffer from worms in the bowels,
Those with costive bowels,
Those affected by sinuses.

13. 47-49. Intake of fats is prescribed for the following persons:
Those who can bear the wind and sun,
Those who are rough (of skin),
Those emaciated due to carrying heavy loads or walking long distances,
Those with weak semen and blood
Those with low levels of kapha and marrow,
Those with great pain in the bone-joints, the veins, the ligaments, the vital organs, the bowels,
Those whose orifices are affected by strong vàta,
Those with great digestive power.

13. 50-51. Bone marrow is given for the following:
Those with strong digestive power,
Those who can bear difficulty,
Those who are gluttonous,
Those who are used to intake of oil,
Those afflicted by vàta,
Those with costive bowel.
Thus has been explained the type of unction for whomsoever it us beneficial. Oleation therapy can be beneficial in both a seven night or in a three night duration.

13. 52. Oleation therapy should be for those who think alot, for those who indulge in wine, women or exercise, for those who have diseases due to vitiation of vàta, for those with dry skin and for those who are doing elimination or fomentation therapy.

13. 53-56. Oleation therapy is not advised for those who have an aggravation of the kapha and marrow or for those who, other than for elimination, are being administered drying therapy. In the following cases oleation therapy should not be administered:
those with secretion at the mouth and anus,
those with a constantly weak digestion,
those afflicted by fainting and thirst,
those who are pregnant,
those with a dry palate,
those with an aversion to food,
those with vomiting tendency,
those afflicted in the abdomen,
those afflicted by poison and indigestion,
those who are weak,
those who are emaciated,
those weakened by intake of unction,
those who are intoxicated,
those receiving inhalation and enema therapies.
For such persons, the intake of unction brings rise to very serious illnesses.

13. 57. These are the signs of lack of oleation:
hard and dry stool, confusion of vàta, weak digestion, roughness and stiffness of the body.

13. 58. The signs of proper oleation are: evacuation of flatus, good digestion, smooth and soft stool, softness and smoothness of the body.

13. 59. The signs of over-oleation are: paleness, heaviness, stiffness, stool indicating indigestion, drowsiness, anorexia and nausea.

13. 60-61. Food that is liquid, hot, not runny, not too unctuous and not mixed should be taken by one who wants to take oleation therapy the next day. One should take oleation therapy that calms at the time of eating. Again, for the sake of cleansing, one should take the oleation therapy at night when food is digested.

13. 62-64. (During oleation therapy) one should observe chastity, one should use hot water, one should lie down at night and one should not suppress (the urge) to spit, release gas, urine or stool; one should avoid the cold and heat, anger and grief, loud speech and exercise and one should resort to lying down or sitting in a windless place. Having taken the unction, a person may need to take more. From wrong practice of oleation therapy severe problems can arise.

13. 65-69. A person with laxed bowel is properly oleated by (using unctions) for three nights; a person with costive bowel needs seven nights.
Intake of the following acts as a purgative for a person with laxed bowel:
sugar candy, sugarcane juice, whey, milk, cream from curd, curd, rice boiled in milk, ghee, juice of kàśmarya-triphalà, grape juice, juice of pīlu, hot water and fresh wine.
For a person with costive bowel, these cannot act as a purgative. (It is because) a person with costive bowel has diarrohea that is thick with vàta.
Purgation for those with laxed bowel is (however) easy; they have a predominance of pitta and less of kapha and vàta.

13. 70-78.
70-73. The intake of unctions by a person with great digestive power and an increase of pitta in the intestine gets quickly burned (digested) by the digestive fire. That powerful digestive fire consumes a portion of the unction, purifying the semen (ojas) and aggravates the thirst with complications. Even heavy food is not enough to pacify one with an increase in unction. If he does not get cold water, the patient burns (to death) just like a snake lying in a heap of wood dies by its own fire. If there is thirst in the indigestion of the unction and the patient vomits, the physician should administer first the drinking of cold water then the intake of dry food.
74. When there is pitta associated with indigestion, one should not take ghee alone, as this may discolor the whole body and bring about unconsciousness and then death.
75-77. The following arise due to improper application of unction:
drowsiness, nausea constipation, fever, stiffness, unconsciousness, skin diseases like leprosy, itching, paleness, oedema, piles, anorexia, thirst, abdominal problems, intestinal problems, stillness, suppression of speech, colic pain, diseases from indigestion. Fomentation therapy is prescribed. Purgation may also be used, keeping in mind the strength of the disease for each person.
78. Complications from improper oleation may also be dealt with by the use of takra arista (see chikitsa 14:72-75), by intake of dry food and drink, by intake of urine and intake of harītakī, àmalakī and bibhītaka.

13. 79. Oleation therapy may give rise to complications if it is applied at the wrong time, applied with incorrect dosage, applied with a wrong regimen or when taken in excess.

13. 80. Three nights after completion of the oleation therapy, for the next three days a person, having eaten boiled rice soup, should drink a liquid that is warm and somewhat unctuous.

13. 81. For one day after the oleation therapy, having eaten the same as in the previous verse, one should drink an emetic. The regimen should be related to non-purgation and should be like evacuation.

13.82. Unctuous preparations are prescribed for those people who have an aversion to unction, for those who use unctions regularly, for those with laxed bowels, for those who cannot tolerate pain and for those who regularly drink wine.

13. 83-90.
83. The juices from the following animals are good for oleation: common quail, partridge, peacock, swan, pig, fowl, cow, goat, wild sheep, and fish.
84. The following are to be mixed with the juices of the previous verse: barley, kola, kulatthà, unctions mixed with molasses and sugar, dàdima and curd.
85. Before eating, the following are good for oleation: sesame seeds, unctions with a sugar cane preparation, a type of gruel mix having an abundance of unction, sesame seeds along with sour milk and vinegar.
86. One having dryness should take sugar cane preparation with śrngavera and with oil and wine. When digested with diced meat one should eat the meal.
87. A person with vàta constitution can be oleated by taking oil, the foam of wine, muscle fat, marrow, sugar cane preparation, milk.
88. One gets oleated by taking warm milk mixed with unctuous substance and with sugar; or by drinking the cream of curd along with sugar cane preparation.
89. One gets oleated by the intake of pànca-prasrtikī type of gruel, milk mixed with màùa. There is much oleation in boiled milk.
90. Pà¤ca-prasçtikã is made of these five: ghee, oil, fat, marrow and rice. It should be drunk by one wanting oleation.
(1.) Pork juice made unctuous with ghee and salt when taken correctly twice daily should oleate quickly.

13. 91-94.
91. While oleating, a person suffering from skin diseases like leprosy, oedema and urinal disorder should not use the following: sesame seeds, milk, curd, molasses, the meat of domesticated or water animals.
92. As far as possible, such persons should be oleated with unctions prepared with medicines such as pippalī, triphalà and harītakī.
93. A physician should prepare an unction with dràksa, àmalakī, curd, śunthi, pippalī and pepper. By this a patient gets oleated.
94. The best ghee suited for oleation is that which is prepared with the decoction of barley, kola, kulattha and the alkalies, wine, curd and ghee made from milk.

13. 95. For diseases in the seminal fluid and the female genital tract, one should make a preparation of oil, marrow, and muscle fat, ghee with the decoction of badara, haritakī, àmalaki and bibhitaka.

13. 96-97. As a cloth absorbs water with the excess oozing out, and just as the digestive fire digests, so the unction oozes it when in excess. Just as a clod of earth when moistened with water will have more water flow off if water is quickly poured on it, so does the unction that is quickly administered.

13. 98. Unctions prepared with salt quickly oleates a person because it flows, is not rough, is subtle, warm and pervasive in the body.

13. 99. Oleation therapy should be applied first, then fomentation therapy and after both of these, elimination therapy is to be administered.

13.100. Lord Punarvasu described, according to the question, the various types of oleation, the method of applying unction, all the complications from this therapy and the medicines used with the therapy.

Thus (ends) the thirteenth chapter about 'Oleation', in the work 'ślokasthàna'; corrected by Caraka and written by Agniveśa.

SACRED SOUNDS

Sound is one of the most important compents of Somayagyas. The specially trained pundits chant ancient Vedic chants directly from the Vedas. The pronounciation of these chants is very important as if done corrrectly they allow the brain to syncronize correctly and help amplify the purification and effect of the sound. Vedic chanting is said to be the oldest form of human music and Sama Veda is considered by many scholars to be the first music of man.

Medicinal Substances Released by practice Yagya

Compiled by Vedic Society

This is just a taste of some of the medicinal substances that are released into the atmosphere during a yagya. Yagyas were used in ancient times to purify spaces and lands of all harmful energies.

COW DUNG

Cow dung (usually combined with soiled bedding and urine) is often used as manure (agricultural fertilizer). If not recycled into the soil by species such as earthworms and dung beetles, cow dung can dry out and remain on the pasture, creating an area of grazing land which is unpalatable to livestock.

Walking on fresh cow dung is very healthy," Gumat insisted. "It kills all the germs and bacteria and heals wounds. And dry cow dung is a great scrub to get rid of dead skin and improve blood circulation."

Cow dung is known to be a very good fertilizer and fuel, and psilocybin mushrooms grow naturally from the excrement. The bacteria that are in the dung are said to be good for skin ailments as well. People have been known to rub fresh dung on themselves as a cure for acne and for younger looking skin.

The dung is generally dried for over a week, and then blended at a very high temperature to kill all harmful bacteria and germs. The final product, a dung powder, is mixed with variety of ingredients to make the medicines and toiletries. Cow dung is also used in cases of malaria, itching, snake-bite, burns, dental problems like pyorrhea and cholera.

In ancient medical system the world over practice of treating diseases with the use of cow dung was prevalent. It is a proven fact that medicinal properties are present in the cow dung cakes and the resultant smoke that emanates after burning them.

Cow dung contains plenty of Menthol, Ammonia, Phenol, Indol, Formalin and specifically its bacteriophages eradicate the pathogens and are a recognized disinfectant.

It is the opinion of an Italian scientist that merely with the smell of fresh cow dung malarial fever and the pathogenic bacteria vanishes. The Russian scientists too have found that objects or the walls of houses coated with cow dung paste protects or safeguards them from radiation. Many Doctors in the West are taking interest in Agnihotra and experimenting with the dried cow-dung powder smoke while treating respiratory problems.

As brought out in a Seminar organized by Go-vigyan Bharati, there are 16 different types of micro-organisms in cow dung which destroy harmful bacteria present in urban waste.
It was also said that there are 16 minerals in cow dung and 24 in cow urine, which are beneficial both for human and plant life, for restoring the soil nutrients.
The cow dung is not faeces, but a purifier. It helps produce the best quality grains, fruits, and vegetables when used as manure.

COW URINE

Cow urine cure diseases like liver problems, constipation, piles, water retention, gas, obesity, skin disease, chronic cold, cardiac problems, arthritis, high cholesterol and so on. Cow urine contains copper, which is converted into gold inside the human body. It removes all toxicity

Cow urine, is extremely effective in renal disorders. It is also very effective against some hepatic disorders. It may also serve as a support to anti-cancer treatment, because of its ability to bind free radicals. The ability of cow urine to prevent chromosomal aberrations has also been demonstrated by research conducted at the national Environmental Engineering Research Institute at Nagpur.

It was also said that there are 16 minerals in cow dung and 24 in cow urine, which are beneficial both for human and plant life, for restoring the soil nutrients. It is believed that the urine has medicinal properties and can cure a whole range of diseases. The urine meanwhile is distilled to remove any impurities.

The value of cow urine for medicinal purposes has been mentioned in passing in fore-going paragraphs. The use of cow urine therapy, which is in use over the centuries as a traditional ayurvedic practice, is gaining recognition and acceptability the world over due to recent advances in research in this type of therapy.

Cow urine and dung have tremendous medicinal properties and it is necessary for research in these areas to be augmented even further. Cow Urine Treatment is capable of curing diabetes, blood pressure, asthma, psoriasis, eczema, heart attack, blockage in arteries, fits, cancer, AIDS, piles, prostrate, arthritis, migraine, thyroid, ulcer, acidity, constipation, gynecological problems, ear and nose problems and several other diseases.

The analysis of cow urine has shown that it contains nitrogen, sulphur, phosphate, sodium, manganese, carbolic acid, iron, silicon, chlorine, magnesium, melci, citric, titric, succinic, calcium salts, Vitamin A, B, C, D, E, minerals, lactose, enzymes, creatinine, hormones and gold. A person falls ill when there is deficiency or excess of these substances inside the body. Cow urine contains all of these substances, which are naturally present in the human body. Therefore consumption of cow urine maintains the balance of these substances and this helps cure incurable diseases.

COW GHEE

Gases produced by the burning of cow's pure ghee acts in balancing the cycle of nature. Agnihotra performed using cow's pure ghee removes all pathogenic bacteria from the atmosphere of the place where it is performed. Cow's ghee works as an essentially useful and important ingredient in the purification of the atmosphere and making it sufficiently nutritious for mankind, plants and all life on planet earth.

'Cow's Ghee is Life,' so says the Vedas. Ancient healers (medical practitioners) having known its wonderful healing properties have given it a place of honour by describing it as the 'Medicines Medicine.' Cow's ghee is the most unique matter, the nectar available to man on planet earth.

When cow's ghee is mixed with rice grains and uttering the mantras Agnihotra oblations are offered to the fire 4 types of gases that are produced with the burning of the oblations have been recognized so far. They are: Ethylene Oxide, Propylene Oxide, Formaldehyde and Butapropiolactone.

After the oblations are offered to the fire, cow's ghee produces acetylene, the energy of excessive heat, which sucks in the polluted air and purifies it. The gases that are produced from the burning of the cow's ghee possess the wonderful capacity of removing mental tensions and curing many diseases.

Ghee increases memory and intelligence, stimulates appetite (Jadaragni), improves semen, ojas, kapha and medas (fat tissues). It is useful in treating poisoning, insanity, fever, phthisis. Old ghee is beneficial for treating – intoxication, seizures, phthisis, Ear ache, Head ache, pain in the female genitalia.

It balances vata and pitta, stimulates digestive process, but ghee it self is heavy to digest. It alleviates pain, fever, hysteria. It improves memory, intelligence, radiance, glow, beauty and strength. It improves longevity and semen. It is good for the eyes. It increases kapha. Ghee alleviates tuberculoses and cures many disorders of the blood. It improves digestion and eye sight. It protects the body from diseases. It improves memory and life.

The special attributes of cow’s ghee:- It is generally accepted that some fat is necessary for maintaining health. Ghee does not contain oxidized cholesterol or Trans – fatty acids, associated with heart diseases. It imparts the goodness of fatty acids without the problems of oxidized cholesterol, Trans - fatty acids or hydrogenated fats.
In ancient India, wells full of Ghee were especially for those who suffered wounds... When a surgeon cuts open a body, he only does so knowing that the body will be able to heal itself. It is used on the skin, Ghee softens and strengthens, protects and nourishes. Up until the last generation in India, there used to be men who gave Ghee massages on the street. It was always the preferred substance for the skin, but since it was more expensive than oil it has come to be used only for internal purposes.

SMOKE FROM COW DUNG AND COW GHEE

Pure ghee made with cow milk poured on burning cow cakes dung, produces a smoke that subsides the effect of poisonous gas. These both are using yagnayas which are performed on specific conditions and for specific purposes. Though the rites and rituals, the ingredients and mantras for every yagnya, right from Agnihotra to Ashwamedha, are different there is only one common but essential thing required for all these yagnyas – cow dung and cow ghee. These are offered to the yagnya fire purifies the atmosphere, spreads a pleasant fragrance in it. The evil effects of all the chemically poisonous gases that are floating in the atmosphere due to severe pollution are nullified when yagnya is performed with offerings of cow's pure ghee.

MORE ABOUT THE COW

The whole world calls cow as mother. The reason is that the birth-giving mother gives milk to its child only for one or two years, but the mother cow gives milk throughout its life, which is like nectar.

Ancient Hindu scriptures, like the Vedas and the Puranas, have numerous hymns dedicated to the cow. In India, even today, the cow is considered a holy animal. Cow slaughter is banned in all but 2 states in the country and the animals are allowed to roam free on busy city streets. Cows are to be found near every major temple in the country and people are seen getting blessings from the animals. It is considered good luck to feed cows, perhaps in the search of rebirth or for nirvana. This reverence for the cow stems from the animal's utility and the dependency the ancient Indian civilization had on it. Almost every part of the animal is considered useful, not just the milk and the dung.

The cow was elevated to divinity in the Rig Veda. The cow is formally designated as Vishnu, and `all that the Sun surveys. Indian society has addressed the cow as gow mata.

SANDALWOOD

Sandalwood is generally a slow-growing species that takes many years to reach harvestable size in its natural environment. Sandalwood is a major remedy in Ayurvedic medicine to cure - Physical Benefits, Acne, Bronchitis, Catarrh, Coughs (dry, persistent), Cystitis, Depression, Diarrhea, Dry, cracked, chapped skin, Greasy skin, Insomnia, Laryngitis, Moisturizer, Nausea, Nervous tension and stress-related complaints, Sore throat, Psycho-Emotional Benefits, Lessen stress, Dispel nervousness, Clear tension, Lessen insomnia, Lower anxiety, Clear depression.

It relaxes brain waves. Suitable for all complexion types, the antifungal and bacteria-fighting oil is useful on rashes, inflammation, acne, and dry, dehydrated, or chapped skin. Sandalwood also repairs skin damage and encourages new cell growth. It increases the production of white blood cells to help the body rid itself of infection and aids with digestion.

Sandalwood is also effective in gastric irritability. An emulsion or a paste of the wood is a cooling dressing in inflammatory and eruptive skin diseases such as erysipelas, an inflammatory disease of the face and prurigo, an itchy eruption. It is also useful in the treatment of dysentery. It should be administered as for gastric irritability.
Sandalwood is mixed with honey, sugar and rice-water to treat digestive disorders.

Sandalwood oil is used to cool the body during fevers and heat stroke. It is also used to aid in the passing of kidney and gall stones, and for infections in the urinary tract. In aromatherapy, it is used to calm and relax, and for meditation.

Dry sandalwood powder can be mixed in rose water and applied over parts where there is profuse sweating. Sandalwood powder mixed with milk or made into pills,
An infusion of sandalwood powder made with water or rose water is used to treat headaches, scorpion stings, dry skin, dermatitis, psoriasis, prickly heat and other skin conditions.

Cell Towers and Ayurvedic Hospitals

I have recently visited three hospitals in India that have cell towers either on the hospital or in close proximity. One was PIMMS an allopathic hospital near Pondicherry which happens to have the tower right on the hospital. From a radio perspective being under the antennae is not necessarily the highest amplitude but the other buildings (where the medical students are staying and others) are getting high amounts of non-stop RF.

There is a rising tide of research regarding the safety of being near a cell tower and it is only a matter of time before we find out the real safety of them. Shielding methods are there in the form of paints and curtains etc. which are a good solution if you are unable to change the situation for some reason but my request here is that in India any Ayurvedic hospital or college should not be allowed to put up a cell tower on its premises.

Of course this should extend to all colleges, kind gardens, office blocks and many others but at least Ayurveda should lead the way. The purpose of Ayurveda is to reduce what is ahita (harmful for life) and increase what is hita (good for life) so when I see Ayurvedic “hospitals” not complying I simply state: This is not Ayu-veda but it is some deception going on.

Often it is simply due to ignorance and lack of awareness that it is done. At the institute in Bangalore it was done innocently and was a Pico cell (small amplitude tower) but when I measured effects in the patient’s rooms it was way over the German Building Biology Society standard of 0.01 m W/sq. m. In some areas of the building it was a constant 100mW / sq. m or more.

So this must absolutely stop in India and the heads of the society should ordain it as a law. First the Ayurvedic hospitals and then the rest will follow.

Effortless Delivery with Ayurveda

The following protocol is directly from the classical texts and has been tried and tested by a dear friend who is a Vaidya whose son was born in a very easy, uncomplicated and painless delivery, exactly how birth should be!

I have tried to give the textual (shastric) references where can be.

From onset of pregnancy till delivery – Maha Dhanwantharam Gulika

This is a general medicine for improving heart function of mother and child and balancing vayu

It is also known as Garha Raksha Gulika in the texts.

Take 2 tablets twice daily.

From 7th month till delivery – Sukha Prasava Grantham

The name means good delivery and it helps to prepare the physiology for easy and natural birth. It helps position the child accordingly and prepares the mother accordingly.

Take it twice daily 5ml along with hot organic milk as the annupana (vehicle)

Textual reference: Sahasrayogam and Astanga Hridaya

If hemoglobin levels are low – Annabhedisinduram

Take as prescribed by your Vaidya while monitoring the hemoglobin levels accordingly. It is quick and effective.

9th month

Alternate days take small oil enema with pure cows ghee (30ml) use a 50ml syringe and a urinary catheter. Lie of left side with right leg up and gently insert about 3 inches into anus and inject the oil. It should be slightly warm, not hot.

Daily during course of pregnancy – Dhanvathram tailam massage

Medicated oil should be massaged on the body (daily Abhyanga). If Dhanvantram is not available any medicated high quality oil is fine, otherwise plain cured sesame oil is also fine.

During delivery

After the waters have broken and labor has commenced following protocol is helpful:

Apply a few drops of warm Dhanvantari 101 oil to the umbilicus. This aids easy delivery.

The entire yoni (vagina) should be massaged with Jatyadi Oil. Medicated ghees can also be used.

After Delivery

Dasamula arishta should be given regularly as a restorative

Mother should take oil bath (Abhyanga) for 40 days at least!

Return to eating first with kanji (rice water) then thin gruel then thicker gruel.

Graduate slowly over a few days. This is a very important point.

Bind the abdomen for a few weeks with a cotton cloth.

For the Infant

After birth a little rock salt can be put on tongue to induce vomiting and clear the respiratory system

After birth place a cotton swab with ghee on the babies’ fontanel

Give honey and ghee with a pinch of swarna bhasma (purified gold) continually. Mix 1 part honey with 2 parts ghee.

Regular daily massage with Dhanvanthari oil

Fill the world with love and joy and blissful babies!

AGNIHOTRA FOR WINDOWS FEEDBACKS

This is so cool - thought you might like it. Just locate yourself on its atlas, and your pc will keep an ongoing calculation for agnihotra wherever you are. It will give you a countdown and also an audio of the chants.

- Karla, USA

What a great program!

- Richard, USA

THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! I needed this software.

- William, USA

Thanks for this selfless gift...

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Thank you for your work.

- Jen, United States

I am happy to have your software of Agni Hotra. A couple of years ago I was doing it regularly, and now I started doing it again occasionally.

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(Version 2.0.3 for Windows - 4.24 MB)

MOBILE TOWERS

HARMFUL EFFECTS OF CELL PHONE / GSM TOWERS:

As much as we enjoy the convenience of mobile phones, an increasingly prominent issue is that of the dangers of cell phone towers.

There are numerous dangers of cell phone towers, particularly for people who live in close proximity to a cell phone tower and are continuously exposed to harmful cellular radiations.

Various studies have revealed that frequent exposure to these RF (Radiofrequency) radiations can lead to health related problems ranging from chronic fatigue to DNA damage. These radiations also reduce the competence of the immune system. Leukemia is one of the major illnesses among people living in the vicinity of cell phone towers.

The children living near cell phone towers had double the risk of childhood leukemia than those who lived at least 7 miles away from the towers. Problems like eye cancer, miscarriage, cardiac arrests and brain tumors are also common health risks of living near cell phone towers.

It also leads to other relatively less serious health issues, like; sleep disturbance, chronic fatigue, irritability, anxiety and depression. Some researchers argue that these harmful radiations can also lead to memory loss and infertility. Dangers of cell phone tower radiations are not just restricted to humans but their harmful effects, such as abnormal growth, have also been seen in animals and plants.

And the health effects are not only restricted to humans. A study conducted by the Institute of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacy of the Veterinary School of Hanover (Germany) found that dairy cows were effected by their proximity to cell phone tower sites. The cows had reduced milk production and increased behavioral abnormalities. When the cows were removed from the area, the strange behavior subsided after five days.

Available materials show that the radiation emitted from these towers could cause health hazards. There are two effects in such cases-thermal and non-thermal. A person will fall prey to a thermal effect due to radiation only if he is close to the tower. Being exposed to the thermal effect could cause fatigue, cataracts and reduced mental concentration. This largely occurs to the amount of heat that is generated due to radiation. Then there is the non-thermal effect, which affects people who are at a distance from the tower. The ill-effects of a non-thermal effect are cell membrane permeability. This, according to experts, is also caused due to the heat generated through radiation. Of late there is this talk about how, radiation through mobile towers are causing cancer.

Although many maintain that such radiations could cause cancer, cell phone companies maintain that there is nothing conclusive on this subject. A senior official in a telecommunication company who did not want to be named for this report said that there have been very few cases of people being affected with cancer due to radiation through mobile towers. Although many more towers have come up and the radiation increased two fold, there only been stray cases in which persons have been affected with cancer.

The official, however, added that in the coming years, they will put up towers where there would be very little radiation exposure. They say that exposure to telecommunication towers could cause fatal diseases such as cancer and embryo disruption. It was also pointed out that there are several case studies to show people living near telecommunication towers were more prone to diseases.

People who are living near mobile tower 400-500 meters should get their houses tested for radiation. The possible dangers of cell phone towers are wide-reaching and numerous. Some people may only consider the issues of driving safety and cell phones, but the chronic exposure to cellular radiation may have some harmful effects as well. Moreover, many people assume that the radiation isn't that bad because the towers are further out in the country; the fact of the matter is that cell phone towers have been erected right in our communities, getting attached to schools, churches, firehouses, and even national parks.

The following are the harmful effect of cell phone towers; abnormal cell growth promotion, DNA damage, reduced immune system competence, sleeplessness, irritability, anxiety, depression, weakened blood-brain barrier, childhood and adult leukemia, eye cancer, infertility and miscarriage, attention span deficit and general memory loss, sleep disturbance and chronic fatigue, brain tumors and cardiac problems.

RESEARCH

On Herbal Purification of Air through Yagya:

Saxena M., Sengupta B., Pandya (2007): Forecastign of NO2 Concentration Based on Time Series Models. Ind. J. Air Pollut. Control., VII (1), pp. 57-66

Nautiyal CS, Chauhan PS, Nene YL (2007) Medicinal Smoke Reduces Airborne Bacteria. J. Ethnopharmacology. 114 (3) pp. 446-451

On Herbal Therapy through Yagya:

Joshi R. R., Raghuvanshi M. and Pandya P. (2006): Yagyopathy Vs Oral and I.V. Drug Administration: Evaluation for Pulmonary Tuberculosis using Compartment Modeling. J. Biological Systems Vol. 14(3), pp.463-489

Scientific Report of Somayagya in Maheshwar

Click here to download this report.

YAGYAS AND THE SOLAR FIRE

Soma Yagya Response by Kailashnath, Vedic Astrologer

First of all, I have to appreciate your bravery to conduct a very difficult task of conducting a Vedic practice of yagna. The ancient great seers were always suspicious about embarking on such a big work, as it involves great deal of preparation necessary for the successful completion of the venture.

This all are due to your past life karma that prevailing in this life as well to give relief to the suffering livings.

Today the world is facing severe natural threat like global warming and the rise of human unrest. When we speak about the global warming, I have certain comments that the global warming is not alone due to the human activity, but due to certain change in the rotation and revolution of the earth.

Since, the sun is holding the earth at a regulated path around him, the earth is supposed to obey the power of the sun. This power is exerted from the sun is coming from the potential strength of the sun. If there is a slight change happens in the sun in terms of it energy discharge, the power exerted by the sun on the earth also gets changed. This results in the change of the revolution and the rotation of the earth.

When a slight change takes place, this affects the magnetic field of the earth and consequently it has immense impacts not only on the life but also on the inanimate objects on the earth.

The yagnas are obviously related to the sun. The ancient great seers were aware of the differential influence of the sun on the earth. The thaithireeya brahmanas say that the great rishis are preparing for the yagnas when the sun is entering into the constellation of Mrigasirsa star in the firmament. This implies that they were conversant about the movement of the earth and simultaneously the effect of the sun on the earth.

It is quite impossible to harness the power of the sun, but the yagnas will regulate the power of the sun falling on the earth. The yagnas will create a field which will protect the specific area where there is the yagnas is being conducted. Hence they developed a method, the yagnas. There was no other way of controlling the effects of the sun on the earth, but they went for the option of propitiating the unknown powers acting behind the celestial phenomenon. They set up a system conceived through the mystical way. The result was fabulous. They got wonderful achievement which they utilized for the welfare of the living creatures.

I believe strongly that the sun is a bit disturbed and the variable power acting on the earth is creating troubles for us. We have to confirm whether the sun is getting hotter or relatively cooler. If the sun is getting hotter, certainly, the earth will increase its speed to overcome the force of the sun. If the sun is getting relatively cooler, the earth will slow down. In case, it gets relatively cooler, the earth’s slow motion will make her more time exposure at a constant place, which will make that place on the earth hotter. Any how, this has to be answered by the scientific community.

Similar effects had happened in the known earth history. Several hundred years ago, the draught and climatic changes had taken place. The exodus of people from one geographical area to another area may be due to this natural calamity.

The propitiation of the universal powers by the ancient great seers could, to a large extent, accomplish the work of surviving the difficulty.

The human unrest is basically due to the greed of the people. The unequal distribution of the wealth and the human insecurity about the life and the belief of unending life are causing unrest. Fundamentally, this alludes to the natural procurement of food. The sun’s influence on the earth will disturb the cultivation. Food is the basic essential need of every living organism. The depletion of food is surely a menacing one for the man kind. The influence of the sun on the earth has to be carefully observed and appropriate remedial measures have to be applied. This is possible through the yagnas and yagas only. The only proof we have to put forward is that after yagnas, wonderful results have yielded.

I have many ideas about the sun-earth relationship. This is, I believe, possible to perceive through the ancient Hindu philosophy.

I pray for the success of the yagna and I am sure that your past karma will surely help to do that great work.

K.Kailasnath
Vedic Astrologer, Kerala, India.

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SOMAYAGYA 2010 - KEEP UPDATED

Keep updated with our Somayagya 2010 event.

YAGYASHALA CONSTRUCTION

Amidst auspicious cloudy and cool skies, the construction of the Somayagya Shala (performance room) has commenced.

BOOK

An Introduction to Somayagnyas and Vedic Yagnyas in General - Download pdf here.

SOMA YAGYA 2010 STREAMING UPDATES

Please enter your name and e-mail ID below to get realtime Soma Yagya 2010 streaming updates. We will send you notices of any delays and also schedules of streaming times.

If you wish to receive SMS then enter your mobile number in the format +XX where XX is the country code followed by your mobile number.

SOMAYAGYA AUROVILLE - RAINFALL DATA

It is told in the Vedic texts that a yagya properly performed will bring rainfall. All the Rishis refer to yagyas as bringing rain. When we performed our yagya in Auroville in April 2010 we tried our best to do things as per the ancient standard. The subsequent result has been a remarkable unseasonal rain (recorded by Auroville Water Harvest as below) that is still continuing to this day (I write now in the end of July).

The value of rain should not just be equated on its value to farms or for food or even drinking water, but all life depends on rain. The billions of life forms present on the earth all live and exist composing mostly of water and relying on rain for their nourishment. Of course the yagya does not just bring rain, this is just one of the expressions from the Divine Mother Nature of accepting this sacrifice for a higher ideal and also these healing atmospheric frequencies. So may there be more Soma Yagyas done in this spirit and may the rain continue wherever it is needed.

AGNIHOTRA FOR IPHONE

Vedic Society Agnihotra for iPhone is Now Available!

Check out the hilights...

Use the built in GPS to set your location so you can do Agnihotra anywhere on earth!
Use your iPhone's Internet connection to lookup your location on a dynamic interactive map
Use our offline atlas if all else fails with 1000's of worldwide locations
108% accurate Agnihotra timings with the same code used worldwide for astronomical sunrise/sunset calculations
Built in tutorial to learn Agnihotra mantras for sunrise/sunset and Mahamrtyunja for those still learning
Built in tutorial has Devanagari mantras and sounding so you can learn to read them too
Helps make it easier to do Agnihotra wherever you are in the world at the right time for maximum healing, more healing for all.
All profits go to global Soma Yagyas for planetary healing

on wherever you are in the world. It also has a training mode which helps you to learn the Agnihotra mantras in case you are just starting with Agnihotra.

From Vedic Society the creator of the iPhone App: Our mission is to make Agnihotra effortless for all to perform. Agnihotra benifits all life on earth and helps healing individuals and families. Yagya is a powerful tool for spiritual development and for purification of the earth. May there be little fires of peace in every corner of the globe.

Related Links:

Agnihotra for iPhone Online Users Guide

Please let us know your feedbacks and suggestions

Learn more: Home Page | Program User Guide | Features | Screenshots | Reviews

AGNIHOTRA FOR WINDOWS - AVAILABLE VERSIONS

(Version 2.0.3 for Windows)

(Version 2.0.2 for Windows)

(Version 2.0.1 for Windows)

(Version 1.5.1 for Windows)

(Version 1.5 for Windows)

(Version 1.0 for Windows)

SHRI SOMAYAGYA 2011

From November 6th - 11th we will be performing a Somayagya for creating vibrations of healing, love and peace upon the entire planet. Yagyas and particularly Somayagnyas are the Vedic technology to purify and balance the planet. By regularly performing large Yagyas in the correct way, a profound wave of healing is brought upon the earth that helps to avert disturbances and harm of every form. All Vedic science is based on heart-soul technology where the ultimate outcome of any practice or action is that there is more light and bliss for all. Modern quantum physics shows how yagyas inject waves of coherence into the atmosphere that resonate multi-fold effecting subtle and gross systems upon the planet. When a large group of Vedic pundits perform these yagyas the effect is multiplied and when it is over a longer period, more energy is generated that can nourish and heal all.

SOMAYAGYA ACCOMODATION

PANAUTI

This is the location where to Somayagya will take place. Panauti is called the Varanasi of Nepal as it has three sacred rivers meeting here. Every 12 years a festival is held which is the Kumba Mela of Nepal. Pilgrims come from all around the world. It has been mentioned in the Puranas. We chose Panauti due to its beautiful and sacred history.

All rates mentioned below are in Nepali Rupees unless otherwise mentioned.

Dharmasala Accomodation in Panauti

For pilgrims who wish to stay free of charge we are arranging very basic free accommodation in Panauti. Kindly contact us for more information.

Ananda Café & Guest House:

Telephone: +977-11-6211924

Rate: single / double. Rs: 250/500

Hotel Panauti

Telephone: +977-11-440055;

Mail: panauti@wlink.com.np

Rates: with/without bathroom Rs 1000/400

AROUND PANAUTI

Balthali Resort

This is comfortable cycling distance from Panauti, also a beautiful morning walk. The resort is in a magnificent location.

Telephone: +977-1-4108210;

Website: www.balthalivillageresort.com

Rates: single / double: US$35/45, half board US$47/69

DHULIKHEL

Dhulikel is a 20 minute ride from Panauti it is renowned for its magnificent views of the Himalayas which will be very ebullient in November. It is reachable via bus (change buses at Banepa) or via taxi.

Nawaranga Guest House

Rates: Rs 250/400, without bathroom Rs 200/300

Telephone: +977-11-490226

Shiva Guest House

Telephone: +977-9841254988;

Rates: Double Rs.700, without bathroom Rs 300-500

Snow View Guest House

Telephone: +977-11-661229, +977- 9841482487;

Rates: double with/without bathroom Rs 600/400

Royal Guest House

Telephone: +977-11-490010;

Rates: with/without bathroom Rs. 600/400

Dhulikhel Mountain Resort

Telephone: +977-11-420774

Website: http://www.catmando.com/dhulikhel-mt-resort/

Rates: Single / Double / tw: US$76/78/78

Mirabel Resort

Telephone: +977-11-490972

Website: www.mirabelresorthotel.com

Rates: Single / Double: US$90/100

High View Resort:

Telephone: +977-11-490048

Website: http://www.highviewresort.com/ Rates: deluxe Single/Double: US$60/65

Himalayan Horizon Hotel

Telephone: +977-11-490296

Website: www.himalayanhorizon.com

Rates: Single/Double from US$62/66

Dhulikhel Lodge Resort

Telephone: +977-11-490114

Website: http://www.dhulikhellodgeresort.com/

Rates: Single/Double from US$70/80

Panorama View Lodge

Telephone: +977-11- 680786;

Website: www.panoramaviewlodge.com.np

Rates: lower/upper fl Rs 500/1200

The Dwarikas’ Himalayan Shangri-La Village Resort

Telephone: +977-11-490612;

email: info@dwarikashimalayanshangrila.com

Website: http://www.dwarikashimalayanshangrila.com/

Rates: 1Oct - 31 Dec

Himalayan Single $190
Himalayan Double $215
Extra Bed $70

BANEPA

Rainbow Sisters Organic Farm Homestay with Krishna Shresta. This is a steep uphill walk good for the fit and in search of being in real nature. All food is grown on the farm and organic and delicious!

Telephone: +977-9849014099

ABOUT SHREE

About Shree

Paramsadguru Shri Gajanan Maharaj referred to as Shree, of Shivpuri, Akkalkot, is revered throughout the world as the Perfect Supreme Master (Param-Sat-Guru).

Birthchart of Shree

Born in a noble family, the child was destined to fulfill the divine wish. Shree had the stars of a Sovereign King or Supreme Yogic Master in His horoscope.

According to the Buddhist tradition similar was the positioning of stars in the horoscope of Lord Buddha.

The date was 21st September 1944. Ashwin Shuddha 4, Saka 1866. On the day of Vijayadashmi, touching the holy feet of Lord Parshuram, He repeated the most difficult vow.

This historic moment changed the course of mankind.

The vow put an end to the era of Kali Yuga symbolized by ignorance, evil & darkness.

The 'New Era' was named by Shree as Satya Vikram Samvat. On the same day Sapta Shloki (Seven Verses) were revealed unto Shree.

His personal needs were extremely limited. He wore an unstitched white dhoti around his waist and carried another piece of white cloth on his shoulders.

He spent most of the time in his meditation room sitting on a small square wooden stool, where he received disciples and visitors from all over the world.

Shree had no material possessions. He has never even touched money or gold. He was extremely punctual and his daily chores were attuned perfectly with the watch.

Many would go to him with a question in mind and come out without verbally asking anything but feeling satisfied.

As a symbol of Somayaga a massive Yagya pillar was erec

Shree promoted research and teachings of ancient Vedic language Sanskrit in which the fathomless treasures of humanity are preserved.

AKKALKOT SWAMI

SOMAYAGYA 2011 TRAVEL

ARRIVING BY FLIGHT

Kathmandu is easily reachable by flight. There are many flights from major cities in India (Delhi, Calcutta, Varanasi, Mumbai). If coming from abroad there are good connections through the Persian Gulf as well as Thailand, China, Singapore, Korea and Malasia.

Cleartrip is a good site for checking flight schedules and fares.

ARRIVING BY TRAIN

If coming from India you should train to Gorakpur. This is a short distance from the border crossing where you can get a jeep or bus to Kathmandu.

If you’re new to Indian Railways (this probably means you’ve not been in India before) then you can read a lot of wonderful information about the railways here.

For all railway information, this site is generally the easiest to use before doing your actual booking. You can book from abroad or within India on Cleartrip.

If you wish our helpers to help you with a railway booking please contact us and we’ll be glad to help.

ARRIVING BY ROAD

Buses and Cars

There is a bus service from Delhi you can enquire in the main bus station for further details. Train is quicker and more fun. From all parts of Nepal buses are available to Kathmandu and then on to Panauti is a short ride just over an hour.

If you wish our helpers to help you with a taxi car booking please contact us and we’ll be glad to help.

CLIMATE

In November the days will be pleasant and evenings will be a little cool but not cold.

Average maximum temperature for November: 23 degrees Celsius (73.4 F)

Average minimum temperature for November: 7 degrees Celsius (44.6 F)

Warm clothes should be ground for evenings. You can also easily get woolen items in Panauti or nearby Dhulikel or Bhaktapur if arriving without winter clothes.

ONWARD TRAVEL

If you prefer to use a travel agent, is that we highly recommend Lama Parivar tours in Kathmandu. They can arrange all kinds of packages and programs around your visit.

Owners name: Lal Bahadur Lama

Lama Parivar Himalayan Treks (P) Ltd.
P. O. Box : 8501, Kantipath, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Tel : 977-1-4223469, 4231027
Fax : 977-1-4223467
E-mail: info@come2nepal.com

Lama Parivar India

Indian Agent

Contact Person: Mr. Hamid Narwari - Managing Director
EARTH EXPLORERS TRAVEL & TOURS
H.O:NARWARI Building
COURT ROAD,AMIRAKADAL
SRINAGAR 190001 KASHMIR INDIA
TEL: 00-91-194-2458806
FAX: 00-91-194-2458806
RES: 00-91-194-2490230
HELPLINE: 00-91-9419006526
E mail: contact@earthexplorersindia.com
Websit: www. earthexplorersindia.com

____________________________________________________

Anil Ratna Tuladhar 'Newa'
Chairman

Tika Travel & Tours pvt ltd, Kantipath Kathmandu Nepal

Tour Operators - Travel Consultant - world Wide freight Forwarder

Adarsha Samuha Saving & Credit(Board Member)
Esperanto Klubo - de Katmando(President)
Charumati Buddhist Mission (General Secretary)

Europe Office
Shrestha Sentoxnik Andreja
SKOFA VAS -08
3211 SKOFJA VAS SLOVENIJA
Tel.: 0038651381040

Lantipath, Kathmandu, Nepal
Tel: 00977-1-4226189/4225962
Fax: 00977-1-4239157
Website: www.tikatravel.com.np
Email: tikatravel@wlink.com.np , tuladharanil@hotmail.com & tuladharan@hotmail.com

BEHIND THE SCENES

A little bit of what is required to perform a Somayagya.

Besides the highly specialised pundits who perform the Somayagya, very specific materials are required, some of which are prepared months in advance.

A huge number of flowers and flower garlands.
10kg of rice flour
10kg of wheat flour
110kg of rice
200kg of wheat
2kg of vertiver (a fragrant grass also known as khus)
2kg of incense resin (natural resin)
2kg of pure sandalwood (it's very rare and takes 30 years to harvest one tree)
3000 dried cow dung cakes (thank you to mother cow!)
60 cotton dhotis
30 durva seats
2 bullock cart
52g of gold and 800g of silver (pure)
10 tons of firewood (from fruit bearing trees)

This is just a sample, there are many other items required but to give an idea we have listed.

SITE PLAN

DETAILED PROGRAM

Shri Somayagya Program

Somayagyas last a number of days and special practices are done so that the healing energy may amplify and accumulate throughout the days. Over each day ancient Vedic scientific sounds from Rk Veda and Sama Veda as well as other Vedas are recited with perfect precision. Special medicinal substances are released into the atmosphere and each day has a special significance. Herewith find the program description in Sanskrit.

||Shri Ganeshaya Namaha||
||Yagnyo vai shreshtatamam karma||

Raat agnistoma Mahasoma Yagna

06-11-2011:

Morning (7:00 to 12:00)

Vedic Procession from Indra Temple to Yajnyashala. Guru puja, Ganapathi puja, Yagnasankalpam, Madhuparkam

Afternoon (3:00pm to 9:00pm)

Deekshanyeshti, Deeksha, Sanihar prasthapanam

7-11-2011:

Morning (7:00 to 18:00)

Prayaneeyeshti, Somakryanam, Aatithyeshti, Gharma sambharanam,Prathama pravargyam, Subramhanyam, Sayam Pravargyam.

8-11-2011:

Morning (7:00 to 12:00)

Pratha Pravargyam, Mahavedi puja.

Evening (16:00 to 18:00)

Sayam pravargyam.

9-11-2011:

Morning (7:00 to 22:00)

Pratha Pravargyam, Subramhanyam, saavitra kaathaka chyanam Uttama pravargyam,Gharmodvaasanam, Agnipranayanam, Agnishomiya yagaha, Sutyopakramam.

10-11-2011:

Morning (5:30 to 11:00)

Pratha savanam

Afternoon (11:30 to 16:00)

Madhyandina savanam.

Evening (17:00 to 23:00)

Tritiya savanam.

Night (23:00 onwards athiratram)

Yagnapuchcham.

11-11-2011:

Morning (7:00 to onwords)

Avabrutham, Udayaneeyesti, Sayam homa.

||Shree Shree Shree Shree Shree||
||Shree Shree Shree||
||Shree||

FEEDBACKS

I WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE TO VEDIC SOCIETY TO CONDUCTING SOM YAGNA IN NEPAL,IN THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER.FOR PEACE AND HARMONY ON THIS PLANET.WE ARE ALL HAPPY TO RECEIVE THIS MESSAGE OF SOM YAGNA AND ALL OF US ARE DELIGHT.NEPAL IS VERY AUSPICIOUS PLACE AROUND HIMALAYS.THIS IS DIVIINE MOVE TO CONDUCT SUCH AUSPICIOUS EVENT IN THE HIMALAYAN RIGION,WHERE THE RISHI,AND GOD RESIDE.

- Deshpandevithal

Very good that more and more of these great healing events seem to be performed in different parts of the planet.

- Ulrich, Germany

You are doing such beautiful seva for this planet, and I am so humbled to participate in Agnihotra.

- Tara, USA

Keep up the best work always for the animal welfare. Many salute to you for your compassion to our fellow citizen ANIMAL.

- Bikesh, Nepal

Great that you are planning this Somayag in Nepal now! The planet needs this more than ever it seems.

- Dr. Ulrich Berk, Germany

ABOUT SOMAYAGYA

LOCATION

Coming Shortly

1969 SOMAYAGYA

VOLUNTEER

The Somayagya 2011 is being done out of our heart for bringing more light upon earth. We are doing this to see the future of the world in a better place. These ancient Vedic practices were given to bring more harmony and happiness to all and we should see them practiced regularly, they should continue.

If you wish to volunteer at the Somayagya in person please be in touch and we will send you further information.
Please contact us and we can begin yesterday!

With Much Love,

Your,

Vedic Society Team

SACRED SOUNDS

RESEARCH

On Herbal Purification of Air through Yagya:

Saxena M., Sengupta B., Pandya (2007): Forecastign of NO2 Concentration Based on Time Series Models. Ind. J. Air Pollut. Control., VII (1), pp. 57-66

Nautiyal CS, Chauhan PS, Nene YL (2007) Medicinal Smoke Reduces Airborne Bacteria. J. Ethnopharmacology. 114 (3) pp. 446-451

On Herbal Therapy through Yagya:

Scientific Report of Somayagya in Maheshwar

Click here to download this report.

YAGYAS AND THE SOLAR FIRE

SOMAYAGYA 2011 - KEEP UPDATED

Keep updated with our Somayagya 2011 event.

BOOK

An Introduction to Somayagnyas and Vedic Yagnyas in General - Download pdf here.

SHRI SOMAYAGYA 2011

BEYOND THE IMAGINATION

This is a beautiful compilation on Soma Yagyas prepared for the Kharagpur Somayayga by a team from ISVS in Akkalkot. Enjoy with all our love.

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