T h eT h iru m a la T iru p a th i T e m p leo f Lord V enkateshw ara, arguably the m o s t w id e ly re v e re d, w e ll-a tte n d e d a n d ric h e s t te m p le in th e w o rld , h a s fo u n d its e lf e n ta n g le d in a n in tric a te w ebo fs a c re dd u ty a n d ju d ic ia l in te r v e n tio n .Ala n d m a rk ju d g m e n to n

T h e d e c is io n a b o lis h e s th etra d itio n a l o rg a n iz a tio n a l s tru c tu re w h ic h h ith  e rto m a n a g e d th e te m p le . S o m e w e l com e the decree asa m eans toc u r b

h e e n a m is ju s t tw b b lo c k s fro m th e h u g e M a d u ra i M eenakshi te m p le , o n eo fth e m o s t fa m o u s S iv a -S a k ti

tem  p le /m o n a s te ry c o m p le x la b o re d u n  d e rre la tiv eo b s c u ritys i n c e1 8 6 5 w h e n th e B ritis h d iv e s te di to f c o n  tio lo f n o t o n ly th e M e e n a k s h i te m  p le b u t a ls o R a m e s v a r a m S iv a te m  p le,tw oo f th e la rg e s t a n d r ic h e s t in S o u th In d ia. In th e la s t d e c a d e th e w in d s

th ro u g hi t s1 ,4 0 0 -y e a r-o ldh a lls , a n di t seem sp o is e da g a int ob e  com e an in flu e n tia l c e n te r fo r th e

M a d u r a i A a d h e e n a m is th e o Id  e s·to f th e majo r aaaheenam so t S o u th In d ia , w h ic h in c lu d e D har m apura,

c a lle d th e g u ru m a h a s a n n id h a n a m . T h e g u ru is re sp o n sib le fo r th e ru n  n in go fth e aadheenam , tra in in g o f s a n n y a s isa tta c h e dt oi ta n dth e o v e r s ig h to fte m p le sa n de n d o w m e n t la n d s u n d e r its c o n tro l.

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H is H oliness, Sri G nanasam banda D esika Param achariya S w a m ig a l, i s

s a n c tity c o m p ro m is e d a n d its fu tu re th re a te n e d . In e ith e r c a s e , th e liv e s o f th e h e re d ita ry a n d h ire d p rie s tso fth e te m p le w ill n e v e r b e th e sam e.

th e C h ie f M in istersh ipo fN.T .R am a R ao,

C h e lla K o n d ia h c o m m itte e to re c  om m end m easures fo r the effective m a in te n a n c eo fte m p le s in th es ta te . T he ensuing v o lu m in o u s report ad

v is e d , a m o n g o th e r th in g s , th e a b o li tio no fM irasi rig h ts . P ro m p te d b y th is ,th e g o v e rn m e n t, th ro u g h its A c t

3 0o f 1 9 8 7 , p ro m u lg a te d th e A n d h ra P ra d e s h C h a rita b le a n d H in d u R e li g io u s In s titu tio n s a n d E n d o w m e n ts A c t, w h ic h a n n u lle d a ll th erig h ts and em olum ents accrued in casho r k in d to the M irasis(S e c 3 5 ), in c lu d ing th e ir share inp r a s a d a m, h u n d io r

s tre n g th, c o u ra g e , p u rity a n d w is  dom . T odayB h is h m ai sth e n a m eo f a series of im p o rta n t n e w w orks on a n c ie n tIn d iap o s s e s s i n g sim ilar q u a litie s,1 8 v o lu m e s o nh e r h is to  r ya n d

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S o u thto s it to g e th e r a n d d is c u s s life, illu m in atio na n d releasefro m m o rtal i t ya n d re b irth .T he m a g icla yi nth e b o a t'se x tra o rd in a ry a b ility to e x p a n d to a c c o m m o d a te a n y n u m b e ro fp e o p le w ho conversed w itha n a ttitu d eo f re  spect and harm ony.B uti tgrew sm all e rw hen discussion turned rancorous, and th o s e w ho b ro u g h t th e c o n te n tio n s u d d e n ly found them selves inth ew a

te r , sw im m in g t osh o rei n em barrass m e n t.I nS iv a 's te m p le ,i t seem s, o n ly n o n a rg u m e n ta tiv ed i s c u s s i o n w asa l lo w e d . W e h a v e n om a g icb o a tto d a y , o rp e r h a p sw e d o .

D u rin gm yr e c e n tp ilg rim a g e to In  d ia ,I s p o k e to several large groupso f d e v o te e s, in c lu d in g h u n d re d so fs a d 

e r y o n e fo u n dth e m essage p e rtin e n t, y e td iffic u ltt o b e liev e ,for there is no g ro u po fp e o p leo n E a rthfo r w hom

that am ongm y devotees w e have zero to le ra n c efo rd is h a rm o n io u sc o n d i tio n so f a n y k in d .

H arm ony isth e first and forem ost s ta n d a r do fliv in gi na ll s p h e re s ,b u t p a rtic u la rlyi ns p iritu a l w orki t is a m ust.S triv in g

b e g in s w ith in th e hom e a n d ra d ia te so u t in to a ll d im e n s io n so f life , e n h a n c in g a n d m a k in g jo y o u sa n d su b lim ee a c hre 

100:"T o u tte r harsh w ords w hen sw eet o n e s w o u lds e r v e is lik e e a tin gu n rip e fruit w hen ripe ones are ath a n d ."

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a tte n d e dt oa to n c e .I t i s e a c ho n e 'sre s p o n s ib ility t o

c o n tin u e w o rk , e s p e c ia lly re lig io u s w o rk , w h ilec o n flic tp r e  v a ils , fo rd e m o n icf o r c e s

lo n g la s tin g . T h eb r e a c h in th e a n g e lic force fieldo fthe hom e, m onasteryo r w o r k p la c e m u s tb e s e a le do ff q u ic k ly .

O urapproach is sim ple. W e are all co m m ittedto th e s h a r e ds a d h a n a th a t a ll d iffic u lt fe e lin g s m ustb er e s o lv e d

c o n s c io u s im pressions, th a tc a n n o t b eto ta llye r a s e db u t o n lys o f t e n e d a n dn e u tra liz e dth ro u g hth e m y stic

h u rt fe e lin g sa n dm e n ta la rg u m e n ts c o n tin u et of e s t e r u n til th e m atter i s broughtu p and openly faced tob e re 

fact th a t all h a v e c h o s e n to avoid fac ing th e d iffic u lty show s thatm o re se rio u s rem edies a re re q u ire d .

th ek e y n o te.S in c e rea p o lo g yi so f fe re d fo r p a rtic ip a tin gi n a rg u m e n to r confusion, eveni f one w as not neces

a c c e p tin g a p o lo g ie s , b y fo rg iv in g a n d fo rg e ttin g w ith th e firm re s o lv et o n e v e r b rin g u p th e m attera g a in .I t isb a s e do n

com m on u n d e rs ta n d in gth a t b y w o rk  in g to g e th e ro n th e firm fo u n d a tio no f love and trust all w ill progressi n reli g io u ss e r v i c ea n d w o rsh ip . T h ro u g h these efforts, a sukarm aphala, fruito f rig h td o in g ,i sd e lib e ra te ly

d is h a rm o n y , it iso fte n helpful for an u n in v o lv e dth irdp a rtyt ob e p re s e n t, e v e n s ile n tly , tob a la n c e th e e n e rg ie s .

find it d ifficu lt to see eye to eye. H ard fe e lin g s a ris e in e v e n th e s im p le s t a n d w e ll-in te n d e d e n c o u n te rs , fo r th e in d i v id u a lsh a v ebecom e to o e x te rn a liz e d .

ino u rm issions a t s a n g a sa n d in e a c h g a th e rin go fs h is h y a s.R arelyi s m uch d is c u s s io nre q u ire d

w aysc l e a r . T h isi sth e f i r s tb o o n fo r m a in ta in in g h a rm o n ya m o n g a g ro u p . O urs isa tra d itio n a l h ie ra rc h ic a l sy s te mo fg o v e rn a n c e ,u p h e ld w ith ino u r

harm onya n dm e e tin go f m in d s . N everi ss c o ld in g h e a r do r fe e lin g sh u rto r

w h ic hin te llig e n c eo v e rrid e s c o n tro  versya n d th eo n lyrig idru le is w is dom .T h u s th ep r a n icm a g n e tis m

th e fa m ilyo r m o n a s te ry is m a in ta in e d and ever b u ild in g for sustainable suc c e s s a n d s p iritu a lity .

m yb o o k,S a iv a D harm a Sastras.I ti s a 480-pagetr e a s u r yo fw is d o ma b o u t s p iritu a ll i f ea n dg ro u p adm inistra tio n .I t s e lls f o r $ 2 4 .9 5 , b u tw e a reo f fering itt oo u r H IN D U IS MT O D A Y read-

a lte rn a tiv e . T h e m e a n in g a n d d e p tho fg lo b a l h u m a n rig h ts w ill b e e n  riched by our efforts.

T h e D e c la ra tio no fH u m a n R ig h ts a d o p te d b y th e U n ite d N a tio n si s e s s e n tia llya W e s te rn d e c re e . T h e M u s lim s d o n 't lik ei t ,th e C h in e s e d o n 't lik e it a n d y e t H in d u s a re s a y in g ," W h a t'sw ro n g w ith it? " W h ile

s ta ff e n c o u n te re d th is first h a n dy e a r s a g o w h ile v is itin g th e H in d uc o m m u n ityi n S in g a p o re . T h e la w si n th is 3 0- y e a r-o ld n a tio n a re in te r p re te di n the W est as cruel and unusual punishm ent; the 1 9 9 4 c a n in go fan A m erican teenager w ho vandalized a u to m o b ile s p ro v o k e d a n o u tc ryi nth eU S. B u t w h e n y o u a re th e re , o n th e s tre e ts a n d w ith th e p e o p le , y o u re  alize thai those strict punishm ents for crim es m ake fora

d e fin itio n s.I t w o u ld b ee a s y fo r In d ia , s tru g g lin g w ith s o m a n y h u m a n rig h tsi s s u e s - r e g a r d i n g c h ild re n , th e poor, w om en, searcha n d seizure, prisoners, tribals,

p r e - p a c k a g e d W e s te rn v ie w , p r e s u m in gi t to b e th e o n ly v a lid in te r p re ta tio n . W e m u s t u rg e o n e a n o th e r n o t to ta k e th a t

h is to ric a lly b e e n a s o c ia l a n d p o litic a l d is  c u s s io n ,

fu tu re . T h e q u e s tio n th e n n a tu rallya r i s e s : w h a ti sth e H in d u p e rs p e c tiv e o n h u m a n rig h ts ?

w hich a rro g a n tly -a n d dangerously-presum est o im  p o s e its w a y sa n d in te rp re ta tio n s o ne v e r y o n e e ls e ? ) w ro n g ly th in k th a t th e c o n c e p to f h u m a n rig h tsi su n i v e rs a l, e q u a lly v a lidi n e v e ryc u ltu re a n d tim e .I ti s n o t.

th e d e a th p e n a lty .Y ou n e v e r w o n d e r if s o m e o n ei sc a r r y  in g

prove fatal to the transgressor. Nora re pornography or van d a lis m

th e s ea re r a r ei nth a t little n a  tio n .S o m illio n s are given a safe life, freed

a n d g e n u in e th re a tss o c o m m oni no th e r s o c ie tie s .S in g a p o rel e a d e r s , som e tim esa c c u s e do fd r a c o n ia nla w sa n d hum an rig h ts v io la tio n s , sim p ly sm ilea n dp o in tt oth eg r e a t e r crim es le v ie do n c itiz e n s in n a tio n sth a ts t r e s s th e

I n B a n g la d e s h , H in d u , M u s lim , B u d d h is t a n d C h ris tia n p e o p le liv e to  g e th e r. A m o n g th e s e c o m m u n itie s , o n ly th e H in d u c o m m u n ityf a i l s to p ra c tic e th e ir re lig io n in a n o rg a n iz e d w ay , s o m e th in g I h a v e b e e n o b  s e rv in g s in c e m y c h ild h o o d . I s p e n t m y c h ild h o o d a n d b o y h o o d w ith m yfam ily an d so m eo th e r H in d u fam ilies in a M u slim -d o m in ated a re a . I sa w th a t M u s lim c h ild re n le a rn e d th e ir h o ly b o o k s a n d w e n t to th e ir h o ly h o u s e s e v e ry d a y .T h e yk n e w

m a n y fa c tsa b o u t th e irr e l i g io n , b u t w eH in 4 u c h ild re n d id n o t le a rn o u r h o lyb o o k s , a lth o u g h w e w e n t to o u r c o m m u n ity te m p le re g u la rly . W e h a d n oc le a r· id e a a b o u t o u r re lig io n . W e o n ly k n e w

a frie n d in s ix g ra d e . I d id n o t g o to a n y re lig io u s s c h o o l to le a rn o u r re lig io n . I d id n o t g e t a n y e d u c a tio n a b o u t H in d u is m d u r in g m y re g u la r s c h o o lin g e ith e r. O v e ra ll, I w a s n o t p ro v id e d a n y re li g io u s te a c h in g d u rin gm y c h ild h o o d . A n d , g e n e ra lly , I d id n o t g iv e proper answ ers w hen people askedm eq u e s tio n s a b o u tm y re lig io n .

te a c h e r c o n s is ta n tly to ldu s th a tw e should not w orship idols. I w as upsetb y his com m ent because I per fo rm edre g u la r p u ja .A c tu a lly , I d id n o t k n o w

w h y I d id it.M y n o n  H in d u n e ig h b o rs , y o u th a n d c h ild re n fre q u e n tly c ritic iz e dm e a b o u t m yre lig io n , p u ja sa n d life s ty le . I h a d n o e x p la n a tio n fo r th e m . T h e y q u e s tio n e d , w h y K a li is b la c k ? W h y d o e s D u r g a h a v e te n h a n d s ? W h y d o w e w o rs h ip th e S h iv a lin g a ? W h a t is th e S h iv a lin g a ? I h a d n o a n 

W e a ll lo v e d o u r p a re n ts ' G u ru d e v , S ri R a d h ik a G o b in d a G o s w a m i, w ho v is ite d our house once or tw ice every year. H e offered m any pro gram s. Everydayh er e a d fro m

h o ly b o o k s . H e p e rfo rm e dk ir ta n s a n dB h o r A r a ti o n th e p a tho f th e c o lo n y w h e re w e liv e d . H e e x p la in e d w h y w ed o n 't k ill th e c o w . G e n e ra lly , h e s p o k e a b o u t V a ish n a v ism .H e d ire c te d u s d e e p ly in to o u r re lig io n d u rin g th e tim eo fh is v isits. B u t I saw

a d is c re p a n c y d u rin g h is p ro  gram s. C hildren and young boys never cam e forw ard to learn about H in d u is m . I th in k th e ir p a re n ts h a d n o in te re s t to s e n d th e ir s o n s a n d d a u g h te rs to G u ru d e v to le a rn o u r re lig io n .O f c o u rs e , a ll th e c h ild re n

N e v e rth e le s s , w e d id p ra c tic e o u r re lig io n in s e v e ra l w a y s. W e c e le  b ra te dS a r a s w a ti M a n a s h a p u ja , D o ley a t r aa n d R a th ay a t r a.W e or ganized these program sa n d participated. W e danced and offereda n 

during the sum m er season, w e youth decorated ourselves as Shiva, P a rv a ti, G a n e s h a , S a ra s w a ti, L a k s m i a n d a s lio n s . A s a g ro u p , w itha village m usic band, w e w ent to every house and sang songs, danced a n d c o lle c te d pranam i a t the end w ith ap u ja . Ip la y e d the ro leo f S arasw ati fo r tw o years. W e

T h o u s a n d so fv illa g e g u ru s c o n tro l th e m a jo rityo f th e m illio n s o f Bangladesh Hindus. They travel to every com er, event o very rem ote p la c e so f th e c o u n try ,a n d te ll H in d u sa b o u t th e ir ric h c u ltu rea n d

th e S a n a ta n a D h a rm a , th e n th e y w ill fe e l p r o u do f th e ir re lig io n a n d w ill g iv e g o o d answ ers w hen they are asked tough questions.

studento f M edical Geography at D h a k a U n iv e r s ityi nB a n g la d e s h .H ei s a s s o c ia te d w ith m a n y n a tio n a l a n d in te r n a tio n a l n e w s p a p e r s a n d v o lu n ta r y o r g a n iz a tio n s , in c lu d in g th e D e b n a th M is s io n f o r H e m o p h ilia .

m illio n co w s w illb e m u r d e re d in G re a t B rita in , th e la n do f S h a k e s p e a r e . W hat is g o i n g tob e th e

h e in o u s a c t w h ic h th e y a re g o in gt o sow ?I t seem s to m e that yearso f e a tin g

c a u g h t u p w ith th e m . T hem essage c o m e s lo u da n dc le a r a n db e y o n d the slaughterhouses that says "no m ore."S to p e a tin g m eat a n d

sh e s ta te s th a t lite ra c yi s th e k e y to w ip  in g o u t m o s to f th e s e e v il p ra c tic e s . I re c e n tly

C h ris tia n re lig io n h a s b e e n v e ry a c  tiv e in S in g a p o re a n d M a la y s ia c o n  d e m n in g a n d rid ic u lin g H in d u is m . T he Pentecostal group has been cir c u la tin g d a m a g in g lite ra tu re s e n ti tle dT h e T r a ito r .T h isp a m p le t o ri g in a te d w ith th e In te rn a tio n a lM uk ti M is s io n lo c a te d a t B u ffa lo , N e w Y o rk , U S A . I fe e l th a ti f im m e d ia te a c tio n is n o t ta k e n to s to p s u c h p u b  lic a tio n s , e v e n s ta u n c h H in d u s lik e u s

lik e in b e a u ty c o n te s tsa n d d o in g th in g s w h ic ha re in h e re n tly a g a in s t th e ir n a tu re . I re  questo u r superior Bharatiya wo m ento s ta rt a c r u s a d ea g a i n s t th is d e g e n e ra tio no f w o m e n a ll o v e r th e w o rld a n d te a c h m a n k in d th e p ro 

th e h o u s e h o lda n d h e n c e to th e e n  tire hum an ra c e .B y c o p y in g m en th e y a re fa s t lo s in g th e ir fe m in in ity , sw eetness and delicacy and becom  in g m a s c u lin e a n d m e c h a n ic a l. T h is w a y th e y

O n eo f th e g re a te s t tra g e d ie so f th is century is the losso fg e n e tic d iv e r s i t y

(plant and anim al species).I t h a s ta k e n m illio n so f y e a rs to c re a te th is g a rd e no f E d e nb u t a fe w h o u rs a n d a b u lld o z e r top u t th e m

th e b io -d iv e rs ityo f th o s e p la n ts th a t are sacred to the V edic tradition. I pray th e G ods bless his efforts.

shows hu m ility and a sincere desire to share th e k n o w le d g eo f th e

in te r n e t p u b lic a tio n h a s s ta rte d to s e rv e th e n e e d so fp e o p le o fIn d ia n o rig in a ll o v e r th e

is am a jo r h ig h lig h to f th iss e r v i c e , as w e ll as re g u la r c o l u m n b y R a k e s h M a th u r.I t w ill s u p  p le m e n t th e n e e d so fH IN D U IS MT o

v is ito fV .B . S o n i, H ig h C om m issioner for India to Jam aica. T h e r e

D o m in ic a n s h a v e c o n s id e ra b lein te re s t in V e d ic k n o w le d g e , a n d fo llo w e rso fs e v e ra l In d ia n s p iritu a l m a s te rs h a v e e s ta b lis h e d c e n te rs in th is c o u n try s u c ha s M aharishi M ahesh Y ogi, P araham sa

is s u e ] .I t h ig h lig h te d th e c h a lle n g e s th a t c o n  fro n t o u r y o u th in th e ira tte m p ts to m a in ta in th e ir s p iritu a l id e a ls in th e m idsto fa larg er, m aterialistic so ci e ty .H IN D U IS M

has done an excellentjo b addressing key issues for m any years.T he fa m ily e d itio n b rin g s to

the fore com m onb o n d s th a t lin k u s a s m e m b e rso fth e h u  m an fam ily.I t is an im p o rtan t ser v ic e to

b e lie fs . W ith o u t th is d ia lo g u e , c o n flic ts in  e v ita b ly d e v e lo p .

curred against peaceful devotees in th e ir c ity . A s y o u k n o w , o u r m em b e r s

d is trib u tin g fo o d fo r life m e a ls th ro u g h o u t th e e n tire tyo fth e w a r. T h e y h a v e m a d e m a n y frie n d s a n d h e lp e d m a n y p e o  p le in n e e d . C le a rly , th is b ru ta la t tack w as unw arranted.

a n d th e ra d io a c tiv e d e c a y s tu d ie s . O n e c a n in te rp re t th e b e g in n in g a n d e n d

s tru c tio no f th e p h y s ic a l p la n e t. A k a lp a is 4 .3 2 b illio n y e a rs . R a d io a c  tiv e d e c a y s tu d ie s c u rre n tly p la c e th e a g eo f th e e a rth a t a b o u t 4 .5 b il lio n y ears an d th e earliest life fo rm s a t 3 .5 b illio n y e a rs a g o .

W ith re g a rd to th e c o m p la in tso f o u r readers re g a rd in g the deartho fH in d u m a te ria lsfo r y o u th s a n d a d u lts , ina d d itio n

lis h e d b y B h a v a n 's B o o k U n iv e rs ity , B h a r a ty a V id y a B h a v a n , C h a rp a tty , B o m b a y -7 , In d ia .

Road, Kapaa, H a w a ii,9 6 7 4 6U S A S u b s c rip tio n s to th e N o rth A m e ric a E d itio n

M e lw a n i. N e w Y o rk ;Dr. H a ri S a n s h J h a , K a th m a n d u , N e p a l;Pa n d i! S e w h P e rs a u d ,S u rin a m e ;P ar a sra m R a m o u la r, T r in id a d ; R a vi P e ru m a n , C o n c o rd , C a lifo rn ia ; P ra b h a B h a rd w a j, K e n y a ; G o w riS h a n k a r,M a d ra s ; A n a n d h i R a m a c h a n d r a n , M a d r a s ;Ch o o d ie S h iv aram , B a n g a lo r e ;Ra jiv M a lik , D e lh i; M a n g a la P r a s a dM o h a n ty , D e lh i;S a n jo yG a n g u ly , C a lc u tta ; V rin d a v a n a m G o p a la K ris h n a n , K e ra la ;S h y a m a l C h a n d r a D e b n a th , B a n g la d e s h .