On the Vedas, kindness for all creation and why we fast
The Adiveda Weekly #1
Hari Aum Sadhakas!
For the next few weeks, we’ll follow a slightly different format, so do reply to this email and let us know what you think of it!
The Hindu way of life
Hinduism or the Sanatana Dharma as it is called is a vast and mysterious religion. It is very difficult to grasp in its entirety. But all Indians are bound by the basic tenets of Hinduism which lie in the Vedas. The Veda is the origin and foundation of the Sanatana Dharma. We have twenty-nine states in India, each having its own language, customs, food and habits yet we are all bound together by our culture which is the culture based on the Vedas. These Vedas are common to the whole of this country and have existed from time immemorial. Even today the Vedas are chanted in the same way from Kashmir in the Himalayas to Kanyakumari at the tip of the Indian peninsula as they were chanted for thousands of years. This is what holds our country together. This is what makes us one nation. Every Indian should know this and respect the Vedas which are the basis of our culture. We should encourage the study of the Vedas which were once in the custody of the Brahmins but today they are available to everyone so we should encourage our children to learn them and set up schools only for the study of the Vedas. Only then will our country flourish.
Reflection of the week
“The only thing you can change in this world is yourself. Therefore, start changing yourself before trying to change the world.”
For your everyday practice
Feed birds and water the plants daily.
Be kind to every kind. Ancient scriptures state that performing nishkama karma (actions done without selfish desire) counterbalance the ill effects of our past actions and adds to our good karma. Feeding birds and other animals and watering the plants is one such example of selfless action that we can incorporate into our daily lives.
From Vanamali Mataji’s desk
There are twenty-four ekadashis in a year, and there was an ekadashi last week (let us know if you missed the email reminder) and another one this week. Vanamali has now written a blog on the subject – explaining the science and significance behind each of the ekadashis. You can read all about that here:
Important dates this week
Apara Ekadashi on Thursday, 26th May
That’s all for now. What would you like to see more of? Let us know! Thank you very much for reading.
At your service,
The Adiveda Team