Pearls of Wise

========================================================================= ======================================================================== Sunday, September 04, 222. 07:00. True Dharma Begets Peace, Purity And Prosperity :  ========================================================================= Generally, the word ‘dharma’ translates as ‘religion'. It brings to mind different religions – Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism, Islam and so on. It generates ideas of customs, rituals, traditions, places of worship as well as memories of wars and atrocities that have happened in the name of dharma. Therefore, the words ‘dharma, religion’ often generate negative feelings. Interestingly, despite all this, dharma thrives. To understand the wisdom and scope of dharma shastra, we need to understand the meaning of the two words, ‘dharma’ and ‘shastra’. The word that most aptly denotes dharma shastra is samvidhan, constitution. Dharma is that universal, divine constitution that relates to all...

======================================================================== Chinmaya International Foundation (CIF) 03.09.2022 Hari Om. On 31 August, the auspicious occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi, the CIF Family, including staff and Vedanta Sadhaka Course (VSC) students, gathered together to welcome Ganapati Bappa, with decorations in the Illom and preparation of naivedya and sweets. Br. Ved Chaitanya led the team to setup the altar and install the murti of Ganesha Bhagavan, and offered an elaborate puja with abhisheka of 11 dravyas. VSC Students along with CIF Staff and residents devotedly chanted the Ganapati Atharvashirsha 21 times followed by an offering of Ashtottara namavali. Special naivedya of modak, sweets and fruits was offered to Bhagavan. The puja concluded with joyous chanting of the Ganapati Aarti and chants of “Ganapati Bappa Moraya!” ======================================================================== Saturday, September 03, 2022. 09:00. PHILOSOPHY : ====================...

 ======================================================================= ======================================================================== Friday, September 02, 2022.10:30. THE CALL OF THE REAL : ========================================================================= -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The seed of the perpetration of evil is sown by the lack of ability to apprehend the nature of wisdom, truth and justice. It is not the human aspiration but the subhuman propensity that ravages the very values of life through contempt for alien temperaments and hatred towards other inhabitants of the earth. It is a great mistake that the boys and the girls of today are spending their career in “education for job, bread and comfort”, neglecting the central realities of true civilisation and culture. It is imperative that all schools and colleges should, if they intend to work for the happin...

 ======================================================================== ======================================================================== Thursday, September 01, 2022. 08:00. THEORY AND PRACTICE : This article is from the book “Sivananda Yoga”. ======================================================================= The Yoga-Vedanta Forest Academy (originally called a University) was Swami Sivananda’s brain child. When he gave expression to this idea he had a certain vision which was characteristic of him–that of a synthesis of theory and practice. In this particular area of the Himalayas you’ll find many enlightened souls (some perpetually silent, others engaging themselves in their own practices) without the urge–and sometimes the ability–to communicate with others. Perhaps if you go and live with them, through what is known as Shaktipath, you might also reach enlightenment–but it is also possible that you might not. For the vast majority of people some form of theoretica...

 ======================================================================= Chinmaya International Foundation (CIF) August 27 at 10:23 AM  ·  Hari Om. This grand mansion - Melpazhur Mana - is the hallowed maternal birth-home of Sri Adi Sankaracharya, the renowned saint and revered Advaita Vedantin.  The Mana is located at Veliyanad village in Ernakulam, Kerala.  Today, this place of pilgrimage is named ‘Adi Sankara Nilayam’, and it is the home of Chinmaya International Foundation (CIF).  The structure as you see now, is a Naalukettu, a quadrangle with an open courtyard in the centre, which is a source of ample sunlight.  That's not all, handcrafted wooden carvings with over 120 designs are incorporated into the structure.  This makes the house a treasure trove of old Kerala style architecture and art.  It is an intelligently designed house incorporating multiple factors such as Vastu, aesthetics and usability, thus reflecting the unique architec...

 ========================================================================= ====================================================================== Tuesday, August 30, 2022. 07:30. UNDERSTAND YOUR LIFE : ====================================================================== Blessed Atman! May God give you the gift of understanding your life and thus living it with understanding! We never stop to ponder life. We never pause in our ceaseless outward-oriented activities which we think is life. We do not pause for a while to take time to step out of life’s stream, to stand on the banks and observe life from that point. The banks do not move; the banks do not change. Constantly the river moves; constantly the waters change. Even for a single second, you are not standing before the same river. The river was before you one second ago is not here now. What is before you is some other river; the other river has gone. Even so with life. You are also ever-changing. If you step out, stand on the...

 ====================================================================== ===================================================================== Wednesday, July 27, 2022. 06:00. Why it is that pride goes before a fall : ======================================================================= Pride is self-admiration, considering ourselves to be superior to others Inherent is the feeling that others are inferior. As human beings we are governed by emotions that are both negative and positive Pride is a negative quality Pride manifests in us as feelings and thoughts that proclaim that we are better than others in terms of wealth, appearance, status, popularity, youthful looks, religion and country. Pride with respect to lower qualities can be beneficial With respect to the Absolute it is.negative. Society accords pride a high position in the hierarchy of qualities Pride can lift one's sense of self and bolster confidence Self-esteem helps us overcome dejection and fear Someone could be i...