-- Swami Vivekananda (1863-1902), disciple of Sri Ramakrishna

Take up one idea and make that your life-- think of it, dream of it, live on it. Let the brain, muscles, nerves, every part of your body be full of that idea, and just leave every other idea alone. This is the way to success. One single soul with good motives, sincerity and infinite love can destroy the dark designs of millions of hypocrites and brutes.
-- Swami Vivekananda (1863-1902), disciple of Sri Ramakrishna

Mahabharata XII: 113, 8

"One should never do that to another which one regards as injurious 

to one's own self. This, in brief, is the rule of dharma. Yielding to 

desire and acting differently, one becomes guilty of adharma." 

 

Mahabharata XII: 113, 8 

-- Swami Chidananda (1916-2008), President of Divine Life Society

Life is meant for God-realization. If you die without attaining God-realization, your life is in vain. Even having one hundred gurus will not help, unless the disciple has a great desire for liberation and tries to get rid of all that stands in the way.
-- Swami Chidananda (1916-2008), President of Divine Life Society

Thousands Of "Missing Girls" In Pakistan Suffer In Silence

Source: http://hafsite.org/sites/default/files/HHR_Hindus_in_South_Asia_2013.pdf

WASHINGTON, DC, May 22, 2014 (Hindu American Foundation) An estimated 1,000 Christian and Hindu girls are abducted every year in Pakistan, as reported by the Hindu American Foundation's (HAF) tenth annual human rights report, released today. Their stories, unfortunately, have largely gone unnoticed by the international community. "Similar to the plight of the 200 girls kidnapped by Boko Haram in Nigeria, girls and women from Pakistan's religious minority communities are under constant threat of kidnapping, forced conversions to Islam, and either being married off to older Muslim men or being sold into the sex trade," said Samir Kalra, Esq., HAF's Director/Senior Human Rights Fellow and author of the report. 

Kalra added, "Given the prevalence of such incidents, the U.S. Department of State must change its policy towards Pakistan and designate it as a 'Country of Particular Concern' for its ongoing and egregious violations of religious freedom. A CPC designation is necessary and will help expedite long-overdue reforms, while furthering our national interests in promoting secular democracy and moderate forces in Pakistan." Abductions and forced conversions were among several issues covered in the Foundation's latest report, entitled Hindus in South Asia and the Diaspora: A Survey of Human Rights 2013. The report documented the challenges facing Hindus and other similarly situated minorities in ten countries/regions around the world within the context of domestic legal frameworks and international human rights law. 

Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Malaysia, and Pakistan, in particular, were censured as Egregious Violators for either engaging in or allowing rampant and systematic human rights violations to take place against their minority populations. The report also detailed conditions in Bhutan, the Indian State of Jammu and Kashmir, and Sri Lanka, which were designated as Countries of Serious Concern, as well as those labelled as Monitored Countries, including Fiji, Saudi Arabia, and Trinidad and Tobago. It further highlighted HAF's on-the-ground fact-finding missions and direct relief projects with refugee populations. 

"From discriminatory constitutional injunctions and laws, to widespread restrictions on religious freedom, to violence and discrimination, the human rights and fundamental civil liberties of religious minorities are coming under increasing attack from both state and non-state actors in many of these countries," said Kalra. "It is imperative that the international community and the U.S. urgently address this unrestrained denial of basic human rights." 

three wise, blind elephants

One day three wise, blind elephants were discussing what humans were like. Failing to agree, they decided to determine what humans were like by direct experience. The first blind elephant felt the human and declared, "Humans are flat." The other blind elephants tested and said, "We agree."

Can you decode the message in this?

-- Lord Hanuman in the epic Ramayana

When I think of myself as a body, I am your servant, my Lord; when I think of myself as an individual soul, I am part of you; but when I realize I am atman, you and I become one.
-- Lord Hanuman in the epic Ramayana

-- Swami Dayananda Saraswati (1825-1883), Hindu reformer

"God is the creator, and the best way of offering prayer to him is to be creative. God is all loving, and the best way to serve him is to serve humanity."
-- Swami Dayananda Saraswati (1825-1883), Hindu reformer

-- Swami Chidananda (1916-2008), President of Divine Life Society

To enter into the spiritual life is a rare blessedness, it is a great good: to take it seriously and engage in active spiritual Sadhana is a second blessedness and a still greater good: but to persevere in the spiritual life, to be ever progressive and ceaseless in one's spiritual life, is the greatest good, the crowning blessedness.
-- Swami Chidananda (1916-2008), President of Divine Life Society

Happy Earth Day 2014

Namaste, Hari Om,

Wishing everyone and our beautiful earth, a very happy earth day!

http://www.dltk-kids.com/Crafts/earth/index.html

may the earth bless us with support, food and peace. 

We are all connected through the ground, even those we have lost will find us through these very earth. 

''If you protect it, it will protect you'' - Anonymous

Radha Madhav Society - Tests are Important

Tests are Important               

 There once lived a very godly man in a village.  He was a gentle soul who always wished everyone well.  But some of the villagers wanted to humiliate the holy man.  They gathered some discarded, beat up old shoes and strung them together with thread, fashioning a sort of shoe garland.  When the holy man was out one day, they hung the garland above the door to his house. 

They thought, "This crazy fellow is always intoxicated with God; he won't even notice what we have done.  When the shoes hit him on the head, we will all enjoy a good laugh."  Sure enough, when Venkatnath was about to enter his house, the shoe garland fell on his head.  The culprits expected the holy man to be enraged by this and to come after them.  Instead, he started laughing and said, "My Lord!  You are so merciful to me.  You have given me the foot-dust of your devotees as protection."   

 When someone insults you, there are two possible reactions you can have.  You can lash out at the offender, or you can gain something positive from the experience.  If there were no opposition in your life, you would never be tested.  And if you are never tested, how can you gauge your level of spiritual progress?  If you remain calm despite there being every reason in the world for you to get angry, you have succeeded.  If you refuse to hate despite there being a valid reason to hate, you have won.     You should not desire for life to be free of tests.  These tests prove our true mettle and shape us into better individuals.

-- Tirukkural Quote

Just as the Earth bears those who dig into her, it is best to bear with those who despise us.
-- Tirukkural

-- Swami Sivananda (1887-1963), founder of Divine Life Society

Go beyond science, into the region of metaphysics. Real religion is beyond argument. It can only be lived, both inwardly and outwardly.
-- Swami Sivananda (1887-1963), founder of Divine Life Society

-- Swami Vivekananda (1863-1902)

"The downfall of a religious sect begins from the day that the worship of the rich enters into it."
-- Swami Vivekananda (1863-1902)

In pictures: Stunning Ramayana manuscript goes digital

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-26670449

From HPI

Source

UNITED KINGDOM, March 24, 2014 (BBC): A stunning manuscript of the great Hindu epic, the Ramayana, is brought together by the British Library for the first time in 150 years. The 17th century manuscript was split between Britain and India in the early 19th century and has been reunited in digital form by the British Library and the CSMVS Museum in Mumbai. It is considered one of the most beautiful versions of the Ramayana, produced in the 17th century for the royal court in Rajastan.

Slideshow at source.

-- Swami Vivekananda (1863-1902)

One party says thought is caused by matter, and the other says matter is caused by thought. Both statements are wrong; matter and thought are coexistent. There is a third something of which both matter and thought are products.
-- Swami Vivekananda (1863-1902)

-- Mataji Indra Devi

It is very important to give light and love to everyone, because everyone needs affection. Let light, love and peace live today and always in our hearts. Let these words not just be words pouring out of our lips. Let light invade your whole being so that everyone may be able to love.
-- Mataji Indra Devi

-- Akka Mahadevi, twelfth-century Vira Saiva saint

Like treasure hidden in the ground, like flavor in the fruit, like gold in the rock, and oil in the seed, the Absolute is hidden in the heart.
-- Akka Mahadevi, twelfth-century Vira Saiva saint

-- Swami Omkarananda, (1930-2000), founder of Omkarananda Ashram

The more we are conscious of God's presence in daily life, the more intense is the fullness of the joy we experience. God means infinitely more to our existence than the light of the sun means to the plants and trees.
-- Swami Omkarananda, (1930-2000), founder of Omkarananda Ashram

Shiva and Durga: Their Real Identity By Stephen Knapp

Shiva and Durga: Their Real Identity

By Stephen Knapp

http://www.stephen-knapp.com/shiva_and_durga.htm

Purusha Suktam - Translation & Meaning

Namaste, Hari Om,

The word ‘Purusha’ means God Almighty. This Suktam is in praise of the
glory of God. It is chanted in houses, places of worship during rituals and
ceremonies. Reciting this confers blessings on one’s life. This mantra is chanted
by Rishis before performing Yagna so that there are no obstacles or intermissions
during the Yagna

Download Here: https://app.box.com/s/493hysbuemm1mbeuds1e
Or here: http://www.sathyasaiottawa.org/pdf/Vedam/Purusha_Suktam.pdf