Qualities of an ideal head of government

Srimad Bhagavatam discusses qualities of an ideal king:

The personal qualities of DhruvaMahārāja described herein are the exemplary qualities of a saintly king. Not only a king but also the leaders of a modern democratic or impersonal government must be qualified with all these godly characteristics. Then the citizens of the state can be happy. It is clearly stated here that the citizens thought of Dhruva Mahārāja as their father; as a child, depending on the able father, is completely satisfied, so the citizens of the state, being protected by the state or the king, should remain satisfied in every respect. At the present moment, however, there is no guarantee by the government of even the primary necessities of life in the state, namely, the protection of the lives and property of the citizens.

One word is very significant in this connection: brahmaṇyam. DhruvaMahārāja was very devoted to the brāhmaṇas, who engage in the study of the Vedas and thereby know the Supreme Personality of Godhead. They are always busy propagating God consciousness. The state should be very respectful to societies that distribute God consciousness all over the world, but, unfortunately, at the present moment there is no state or government support given to such movements. As for good qualities, it is very difficult to find anyone in state administration with any good qualities. The administrators simply sit in their administrative posts and say no to every request, as if they were paid to say no to the citizens. Another word, dīna-vatsalam, is very significant also. The state head should be very kind to the innocent. Unfortunately, in this age the state agents and the presidents draw good salaries from the state, and they pose themselves as very pious, but they allow the running of slaughterhouses, where innocent animals are killed. If we try to compare the godly qualities of Dhruva Mahārāja to the qualities of modern statesmen, we can see that there is no actual comparison. DhruvaMahārāja was present in the Satya-yuga, as will be clear from the next verses. He was the ideal king in Satya-yuga. The government administration in the present age (Kali-yuga) is bereft of all godly qualities. Considering all these points, the people today have no alternative but to take to Goḍ consciousness for protection of religion, life and property.

Ideal king, and reason for failures of monarchy

Dhruva Mahārāja, as an ideal king, practically emptied his treasury by giving charity. A king is not meant simply to realize taxes from the citizens and accumulate wealth to spend in sense gratification. World monarchy has failed ever since kings began to satisfy their personal senses with the taxes accumulated from the citizens. Of course, whether the system is monarchy or democracy, the same corruption is still going on. At the present moment there are different parties in the democratic government, but everyone is busy trying to keep his post or trying to keep his political party in power. The politicians have very little time to think of the welfare of the citizens, whom they oppress with heavy taxes in the form of income tax, sales tax and many other taxes — people sometimes have eighty to ninety percent of their income taken away, and these taxes are lavishly spent for the high salaries drawn by the officers and rulers. Formerly, the taxes accumulated from the citizens were spent for performing great sacrifices as enjoined in the Vedic literature. At the present moment, however, almost all forms of sacrifice are not at all possible; therefore, it is recommended in the śāstras that people should perform sańkīrtana-yajña. Any householder, regardless of his position, can perform this sańkīrtana-yajña without expenditure. All the family members can sit down together and simply clap their hands and chant the mantra. Somehow or other, everyone can manage to perform such a yajña and distribute prasāda food to the people in general. That is quite sufficient for this age of Kali. I follow this principle: chant the mantra at every moment, as much as possible, both inside and outside of the temples, and, as far as possible, distribute prasāda. This process can be accelerated with the cooperation of state administrators and those who are producing the country's wealth. Simply by liberal distribution of prasāda food and sańkīrtana, the whole world can become peaceful and prosperous.

(Prasada is food cooked with love towards the Supreme.)

Making national and international grants for peace activists

Hi all,

Yoga Foundation, a foundation I set up is working towards peace and harmony at individual, community, societal and world level.

To further its agenda, Yoga Foundation is seeking to make grants to national and international organizations.  If you have any expertise in dealing with the legal issues to think of in making grants, please contact me by posting a comment here.

Sincerely,
Sudhakar

--
Dr. Sudhakar Govindavajhala
President, Yoga Foundation

Hidden treasures of India

India is the crest jewel of civilization.  I try to teach my bed wetting America-born kids that the wisdom of the India should always be guiding principle of their lives.   There is no better insurance policy better for them than the wisdom of India.   So, I try to connect my kids to India by chanting verses from the best of books from India at their bed time.  

My kid inspired me today to read to him a book in Bengali (with English translation) from Navadvip, Bengal from 1500s; I do not know Bengali. This book deals with the most sublime and deepest subject: Love. I ran across something touching today and feel like sharing something.

India is a poor, corrupt and disorganized country. But if one digs deeper, one would come to the conclusion that India is culturally the richest country. America is rich, strong etc., but the social fabric of the young American civilization is collapsing. While America is successful, it is not really a beacon shining to give way to the world.  In contrast, India was a shining object of civilization for the last 5000 years.  It will likely continue like that for the next 5000 years like that.   The curse of India is that the modern educated elite don't quite appreciate the depth of the Indian culture. 

Roman civilization peaked and died. American civilization is too young (and not promising).  Egyptian civilization peaked and died. Incas, Mayas etc. died.  European civilization is all about money and exploiting Mother nature. But, that does not satisfy the Self.  The most fundamental hankering of humans, animals and plants is Love. This understanding is missing in Europe.  By and large, Asian civilizations --- India, Chinese, and Japanese (ignoring Korea, South East Asia for now) are the civilizations that survived the test of time.  West Asia is a disaster.  Just look at fighting between the Sunni, Shia, the Wahabis of Saudi Arabia.   The best thing out of China and Japan is Zen meditation, which again is inspired by Lord Buddha's realizations in Pataliputra (Patna, India).  In this sense, India influenced even China and Japan.  (Technically, it is a part of discussion between Siva and Parvati.)    It is highly likely that even Lord Jesus had spent 12 years in India.   All the great people of the last 5000 years have either visited India or been inspired by it.

The teachings of the the sages of India have the ability to appeal to the deepest hankerings of the human kind. Ralph Waldo Emerson, the great American Transcendalist, summed it up: "it was as if an empire spoke to us, nothing small or unworthy, but large, serene, consistent, the voice of an old intelligence which in another age and climate had pondered and thus disposed the same questions that exercise us."    Henry David Thoreau summed it up as: "in comparision our modern world and its literature seem puny and trivial."

The philosophies of India have inspired Schrodiner on his quantum physics work. Actually consciousness is the blindspot of Physics.  Indian philosphers have come up with a reasonably concrete model for consciousness five thousand years ago sitting under trees. In contrast, a model for consciousness is missing in modern Physics. Modern physicists would benefit from following the likes of Henry Stapp in studying these models to improve Physics.  The best thing quantum mechanics has to say is that universe came out of nothing and that there is no meaning to anything; just like my computer popped up out of nothing and just like love and hunger pangs do not mean anything.   The weakness to quantum mechanics hypothesis is that they presume a very deep mathematical model for how the universe started out of nothing. This model is definitely not nothing and if anything exposes the flaw in the modern quantum physics view that the universe came out of nothing.

It is true that Chinese medicine system is probably more advanced that western medicine in its understanding of the lymph nodes.  Chinese understanding of human body is comparable to India's Ayurvedic understanding.   India did not have acupuncture (Interestingly, I have heard via my friend Mike Mooney of a very credible claim of a western medical doctor seeing open heart surgery on done on acupuncture for anesthesia).   But, if you look beyond these weaknesses, the understanding of India about consciousness is outstanding. The most fundamental needs of humans, animals, and plants is Love; this Love is different from sex gratification. Real Love is satisfying the Lover's senses even to your detriment.

More importantly, the Bengali/Sanskrit books from India appeal to the deepest hankerings of the world and civilization.  The imagination and intellect of the authors is well beyond anything else outside India. The likes of Shakesphere, Illyiad, Homer, though good, are no match for the depth and sublimeness of the Indian authors.  Just listening to theirs works purifies the minds of our civilization.    That is the secret behind the Indian civilization.      Just as the Ganges forever flows to the sea without hindrance, listening to the works of Indian authors (500 years old or 5000 years old literature) naturally purifies our minds and existence.  The side effect is that automatically the hearer moves away from  ignorance and passion and moves towards bliss and knowledge --- our eternal nature. This is causeless and cannot be obstructed in anyway. That is our essential nature.

Automatically, tendencies towards quarrel will decrease.   While one could quibble whether the stories actually happened and how they are true and how they are impossible, if one is humble and prays to understand, the serenity will be revealed.  This serenity will bring peace and tranquility to you, people around you and the world.  In contrast, our model  science, medicine, neurology and psychology do not even discuss tranquil mind.

Wake up India.  You have been sleeping for too long. Take pride in yourselves. Take pride in your ancestors!  Become ambassadors of world peace. The world is thirsty for the wisdom of India.  The biggest charity anyone can do to anyone is to help others appreciate the intellect and serenity of the works of Indian sages.   The happiness from this beats the happiness from performing sacrifices, undergoing austerities, giving charity, pursuing philosophical and fruitive activities. It beats the happiness from sex, alcohol and money.

A random Hindi story to please your heart.

I had posted this article below to test something with the intention to delete it.  It is a nice story that would touch some hearts. I don't have the heart to delete it.

बहुत समय पहले की बात है वृन्दावन में
श्रीबांके
बिहारी जी के मंदिर में रोज
पुजारी जी बड़े भाव से सेवा
करते थे। वे रोज बिहारी जी की
आरती करते , भोग
लगाते और उन्हें शयन कराते और रोज चार लड्डू
भगवान के बिस्तर के पास रख देते थे। उनका यह भाव
था कि बिहारी जी को यदि रात में भूख
लगेगी तो वे उठ
कर खा लेंगे। और जब वे सुबह मंदिर के पट खोलते थे
तो भगवान के बिस्तर पर प्रसाद बिखरा मिलता था।
इसी भाव से वे रोज ऐसा करते थे।
एक दिन बिहारी जी को शयन कराने के बाद
वे चार
लड्डू रखना भूल गए। उन्होंने पट बंद किए और चले
गए। रात में करीब एक-दो बजे , जिस दुकान से वे
बूंदी
के लड्डू आते थे , उन बाबा की दुकान
खुली थी। वे घर
जाने ही वाले थे तभी एक छोटा सा बालक
आया और
बोला बाबा मुझे बूंदी के लड्डू चाहिए।
बाबा ने कहा - लाला लड्डू तो सारे ख़त्म हो गए। अब
तो मैं दुकान बंद करने जा रहा हूँ। वह बोला आप अंदर
जाकर देखो आपके पास चार लड्डू रखे हैं। उसके हठ
करने पर बाबा ने अंदर जाकर देखा तो उन्हें चार लड्डू
मिल गए क्यों कि वे आज मंदिर नहीं गए थे। बाबा ने
कहा - पैसे दो।
बालक ने कहा - मेरे पास पैसे तो नहीं हैं और तुरंत
अपने हाथ से सोने का कंगन उतारा और बाबा को देने
लगे। तो बाबा ने कहा - लाला पैसे नहीं हैं तो रहने दो
,
कल अपने बाबा से कह देना , मैं उनसे ले लूँगा। पर वह
बालक नहीं माना और कंगन दुकान में फैंक कर भाग
गया। सुबह जब पुजारी जी ने पट खोला तो
उन्होंने देखा
कि बिहारी जी के हाथ में कंगन
नहीं है। यदि चोर भी
चुराता तो केवल कंगन ही क्यों चुराता। थोड़ी
देर बाद
ये बात सारे मंदिर में फ़ैल गई।
जब उस दुकान वाले को पता चला तो उसे रात की बात
याद आई। उसने अपनी दुकान में कंगन ढूंढा और
पुजारी
जी को दिखाया और सारी बात सुनाई। तब
पुजारी जी
को याद आया कि रात में , मैं लड्डू रखना ही भूल गया
था। इसलिए बिहारी जी स्वयं लड्डू लेने
गए थे।
यदि भक्ति में भक्त कोई सेवा भूल भी जाता है तो
भगवान अपनी तरफ से पूरा कर लेते हैं।
शुभ-दिवस
राधे-राधे.
मांगी थी इक कली उतार कर
हार दे दिया
चाही थी एक धुन अपना सितार दे दिया
झोली बहुत ही छोटी
थी मेरी "कृष्णा"
तुमने तो कन्हैया हंस कर सारा संसार दे दिया

Frog, Transcendence,

The purpose of anything we do should be to understand our relationship to the origins of the cosmos.  This is what modern Physicists try. Somehow Physics does not employ mind and meditation as instrument in this.  Via deep meditation, peace and Transcendence can be perceived.

******

The question may be raised, "Since there are so many varieties of philosophers theorizing in different ways, which of them is correct?" The answer is that the Absolute Truth, Transcendence, is never subject to direct experience or mental speculation. The mental speculator may be called Dr. Frog. The story is that a frog in a three-foot well wanted to calculate the length and breadth of the Atlantic Ocean on the basis of his knowledge of his own well. But it was an impossible task for Dr. Frog. A person may be a great academician, scholar or professor, but he cannot speculate and expect to understand the Absolute Truth, for his senses are limited. The cause of all causes, the Absolute Truth, can be known from the Absolute Truth Himself, and not by our ascending process to reach Him. When the sun is not visible at night or when it is covered by a cloud in the day, it is not possible to uncover it, either by bodily or mental strength or by scientific instruments, although the sun is there in the sky. No one can say that he has discovered a torchlight so powerful that if one goes on a roof and focuses the torchlight on the night sky, the sun will then be seen. There is no such torchlight, nor is it possible.

The word avyakta, "unmanifested," in this verse indicates that the Absolute Truth cannot be manifested by any strain of so-called scientific advancement of knowledge. Transcendence is not the subject matter of direct experience. The Absolute Truth may be known in the same way as the sun covered by a cloud or covered by night, for when the sun rises in the morning, in its own way, then everyone can see the sun, everyone can see the world, and everyone can see himself. This understanding of self-realization is calledātma-tattva. Unless, however, one comes to this point of understanding ātma-tattva, one remains in the darkness in which he was born. Under the circumstances, no one can understand the plan of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Lord is equipped with varieties of energies, as stated in the Vedic literature (parāsyaśaktir vividhaiva śrūyate). He is equipped with the energy of eternal time. Not only does He have the material energy which we see and experience, but He has also many reserve energies that He can manifest in due course of time when necessary. The material scientist can simply study the partial understanding of the varieties of energies; he can take up one of the energies and try to understand it with limited knowledge, but still it is not possible to understand the Absolute Truth in full by dint of material science. No material scientist can foretell what is going to happen in the future. The bhakti-yoga process, however, is completely different from so-called scientific advancement of knowledge. A devotee completely surrenders unto the Supreme, who reveals Himself by His causeless mercy. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā,dadāmi buddhi-yogaḿ tam. The Lord says, "I give him intelligence." What is that intelligence? Yena mām upayānti te. The Lord gives one the intelligence to cross over the ocean of nescience and come back home, back to Godhead. In conclusion, the cause of all causes, the Absolute Truth, or Supreme Brahman, cannot be understood by philosophical speculation, but He reveals Himself to His devotee because the devotee fully surrenders unto His lotus feet. Bhagavad-gītā is therefore to be accepted as a revealed scripture spoken by the Absolute Truth Himself when He descended to this planet. If any intelligent man wants to know what God is, he should study this transcendental literature under the guidance of a bona fide spiritual master.

Who is God? Who so many religions?

Question: Swamiji, what is your definition of God? Is God the manifestation of our own superior self, or do you see him as a distinct entity?

Radhanath Swami Answers: In the Brahma Sutra, which is the summary, essence of the Vedas, Upanishads, Samhitas and Puranas, it describes at the very beginning the definition of ‘God’. Janmady asya yatah: God is the source of everything, from whom everything emanates.

The Vedic literature compares God to the sun. Sun planet is the source of all light and all heat, and nothing can live without it. The sun rays are absolutely non-different from the sun, in quality; they give off heat, they give off light, and they are of the same substance. And every sun ray is coming from the same source; so they are all related, they are all united. But quantitatively, there is difference between a sun ray and the sun planet, because the sun planet is not coming from the sun ray, rather the sun ray is coming from the sun planet. Similarly, the Upanishads explain nityo nityanaam cetanas cetananam, there is one Supreme Truth God – who is like the sun – from whom everything emanates, and there are limitless eternal truths – like the sun rays. Wherever there is life, there is part of God. So in the bhakti tradition, we are all like those sun rays. We are sat-chit-anand; just like God, we are eternal, full of knowledge, full of bliss. What is that bliss? The potency to love with compassion. We are beyond birth and death, that’s the nature of the soul. But there are many of us, and we are all connected in our appreciation that we are coming from the same source, who we call Krishna. So Krishna is the supreme object of love and we have the supreme power to love and to feel loved.

The Bhagavat Purana tells, brahmeti paramatmeti bhagavan iti shabdyate. There are 3 principle aspects of that one truth revealed throughout history in all the great scriptures: Brahman, all pervading presence of God, Paramatma, the God who is personally within everyone’s heart as the witness and our constant friend if we just turn to him, and there is Bhagavan who is the supreme all attractive unlimitedly beautiful loving God; we call him Krishna. In certain traditions people aspire to enter into the atmosphere of that unlimited aspect of God, some yogis try to connect with that Lord within their heart, and the bhaktas want to completely offer our love to the supreme, all attractive, all beautiful person of God.

And this is one of the things that convinced me to follow this path of bhakti, because I found in it, not just a sentimental idea, but a really deep understanding of the unity of all religions, even in their apparent contradictions