M a tria rc h y in In d ia ? R e a lly ? O h , m u s t b e s o m e fo re ig n p ra c tic e th a t in v a d e rs s m u g g le d in lo n g a g o o n ships or cam el caravans. N o, actually not. India's m any pockets ofm atriar c h a l

in d ig e n o u s ly In d ia n , H in d u a n da so ld a s the sa cred cow , M other G anga and w or s h ipo fG o da s" S h e ." N o w h e re d id th is s y s te m flo u ris h o ns u c h a g ra n d a n d fm e ly tu n e d s c a lea sin the south eastern seaboard stateo fK e ra la .

B e g in n in gi n1 9 9 1, th e U n ite d N a tio n s p e a c e k e e p in g fo r c e s s tr u g g le dt o b r in g p e a c et oC a m b o d ia :"T o d is a r mth e e n e m y fa c tio n s , c o n d u c t fr e e e le c tio n s and rebuild a ravaged country."S u c h a re th e c h a lle n g e s fa c e d b y th eU N .

D ar es S a la a m 's S h r i S h a n k a r te m  ple is w ell m a in ta in e d b y T a n za  nia's progressive H induM a n d a I.

w o m e n ru le d . N o t o nr o y a l th ro n e s w ith g ia n t a rm ie s b u ta s h e a d so f g i a n t h o u s e h o ld s -p o s itio n s

o fte n m ore pow erful. H ere, w om en w ere educated, respected, m oved about w ith o u tfe a r o r c e n s u re , p a rtic ip a te d o c c u p a tio n a lly

th e y w ished, and w ere the m a jo r fo rc e le a d in g K e ra la to b e c o m eIn d ia 's first near-lO O %

The N airs defied the rest ofIndia, w h e re p a tria rc h a l p a tte rn s h a v e re  m a in e d e n tre n c h e d s in c e M a n ua n d o th e r p o s t-V e d ic la w g iv e rs re a s  s ig n e d w o m e n to th e s ta tu so fsu 

h e a rd m u c h ta lka b o u t th e m a tria r chal system , but itw as never clear to m e h o w m u c h o f th is o ld w a y o f life w a ss t i l l p ra c tic e d . S o

t oh e r h u s b a n d 's hom e, asi s the c o m m o n p ra c tic e am ong H in d u s . T h e o p p o s ite o c c u rs.H ecom es and liv e sw ith h e ra n d h e r fa m ily . In

T h in ko f c o n flic t re s o lu tio n a n d h u  m a n rig h ts , a n d y o u th in ko f th e U n tie d N a tio n s . T h in ko ffo o dfo r th e s ta rv in g , h e a lth c a re fo r c h ild re n , e d u c a tio n fo r th e g irl c h ild , a n d o n c e a g a in y o uth in k o fth e U N . In an ide al w o rld , g lo b a l c o o p e ra tio n a n d w o rldu n ity w o u ld be m axim st oliv e for andd ieb y ,b u tin o u r im p e rfe c t w o rld , fu llo fs t r i f e and racism

m e te d U N p e a c e k e e p in g tro o p s h a v e g o n et od a n g e ro u s w a r-to m c o u n trie s to b rin ga ne n dt o strife . T h e v m io u s U N

a g e n c ie s h a v e b e e n th e ra yo f h o p e fo r p o p u la tio n s ra v a g e d b y w ar, flo o d s o r fa m in e .

year, the U N is alm ost an endangered species. O n th e b rin ko f g o in g

v a s tb u  reaucracy and expense. Y et, w ith o u tth e

s h e d in th e M id d le E a s t o r a p a rth e id in S o u th A fric a , th e U N has m an aged to avert catastrophes and save liv e s . Im a g in e a w o rld w ith o u t th e

w o rld . H e a v o id s s h y in g a w a y fro m th e m . T h e" o u t th e re " a n d th e w ith in ish is p la y g ro u n d .

f a c eo f th e E a rth lo o k in ga t the odic forceso f the cities. L o o k th e n , to o , a t th e o d ic

fo rc e s , th e m a g n e tic fo rc e s th a t m o ti v a te y o u r life w ith in y o u rs e lfa n d b e  tw e e n

In c o m in g o u to f th is m e d ita tio n , n e x tfe e l th e p o w e ro f th e s p in e ,v i b ra n t e n e rg y flo o d in g o u t th ro u g h th e

T h e fin est tim es to m ed itate are six in th e m o rn in g , tw e lv e n o o n , s ix in th e e v e n in g a n d a t tw e lv e m id n ig h t. A ll fo u ro f th e s e tim e s c o u ld b e u se d , o r c h o o s e o n e . T h e m e d ita tio ns h o u l d be from

fifte e n m in u te st o o n e -h a lf h o u rt o b e g inw ith. W h a t to m e d ita te on? The

tra n s m u te th e p h y s ic a l fo rc e sa n d th e em otional forces. Through the con tro lo f th e b re a th ,pranayam a,

tra n s m u te th ein te lle c tu a l fo rc e s a n d m ove aw areness out of the areao f the m ind

o n b e f o r e b e g in n in g . T h e n s ta y w ith th e d e c is io n th ro u g h o u t th e m e d ita  tion and m ake every effort toa v o id th e

d is tra c te d a n d ta k e o f fi n a n e w d ire c tio n . T h is is sim ilar to h o w w e m u s t d is c ip lin e ourselves to be successful in outera c  tiv itie s .T o b e c o m e d is tra c te d is u n a c 

ita to r a llo w s him self to b e c o m es i d e  tra c k e d o n c e th ein s id eo f th e m in d has opened.T o be successful one has

w h e n b e g in n in g a m e d ita tio n . E a c h m e d ita tio n m u s t b e p e rfo rm e di n th e w ay it was intended.

T h e nw e b e c o m e v ib ra n ta n d c o n fi d e n t in o u rs e lv e s , fe e lin g th e p o w e r o four spineth ro u g h w hich the ac tin ic

n e rv e system .W e le a rn to le a n o n o u r owns p in e moreth a n on any other person, teacher, book, organization or

in m e d ita tio n and satsang w ith m a n y g ro u p so fdevotees. I have n a m e d th is p ilg rim a g e th e R a ja y o g a Y a tra , b e c a u s e a ll a lo n g th ew ay, in o u r q u ie t m o m e n ts , w e are d e v e lo p  ing and recording various inner areas o fconsciousness reached th ro u g h th e fin ea rto f m e d ita tio n , a n d p a s s in g o n som e

d e v o te e s. In la s t m o n th 's P u b lis h e r 's D esk we shared Part Oneo f the In spired Talk,B e g in n in g to M e d ita te . T h is m o n th , w e a re h a p p y to b rin g y o u P art T w o.

b e tte r th e m s e lv e s year after year a fte ry e a r h a v et o a p p r o a c h th is a r t in a n e x 

congests itself between people and tu g sa n d p u lls a n d c a u s e s u n h a p p i n e s s , it is c a lle dsim rehbe. W h e n th e o d ic fo rc e c o n g e s ts w ith in o n e s e lf, w e b e c o m e aw areo f u n h a p p y , fre tfu l, d is tu rb e ds ta te s o f th e m in d. T h e o d ic

W h e no n e b e g in s to m e d ita te , h e s h o u ld a p p ro a c h it d y n a m ic a lly , for it is b e c o m in g m o re a liv e . H e is p e n e  trating his awareness into the very s o u rc eo flife itself. C hoose a tim e for y o u r m e d ita tio n . S it u p

th o u g h t in to th e p e rc e p tiv e a re a so f th e m in d . T h e n b e g in m e d ita tin g o n th etw o fo rc e s , o d ic a n d a c tin ic . B e

In th is w a y y o u w ill b u ilda s tro n g , disciplined nerve systema n d subcon s c io u s m in d . T h is w ill le a d y o u n a tu  ra lly o n to th e n e x t in n e r p la te a u , th e n to th e n e x t a n d th e n e x t. N e v e r a llo w yourself to

m y riad problem s?I s this even possi b le ?W e ll, c o n s id e r th e h u m  b le p o ta to .O n ew o u ld h a rd ly consider these

ic a a t le a s t 8 ,0 0 0y e a r s a g o a n d c u ltiv a te d fo r th e la s t 2 ,0 0 0 . B u t u n til th e S p a n is h in v a d e rs s w e p t through Peru, led by Francisco Pizarro, it w as com  p le te ly u n k n o w n in E u ro p e , A s ia o r A fric a . Iro n i c a lly , th e g o ld w h ic h b u rd e n e d th e re tu rn in g c o n  quistadors's h ip holds w as m ere pocket change c o m p a r e d to th e p o ta to th e y to o k b a c k to E u ro p e a n d w h ic h to d a y y ie ld s c ro p s w o rth $ 1 2 0 b illio n a n n u a lly in 1 3 0 n a tio n s .

A t first th ere w asr e s i s t a n c et oth e s tra n g e th in g . Lord B yron gave it bad press w hen he w rote that it resulted in a losso fsexual passion, and the Scots refusedt o touch it because it w asn't m entioned in th e B ib le . S u p p o rte rs in c lu d e d S ir W a lte r R a le ig h , C a th e rin e th e G re a t a n d s e a m e n lik e C a p ta in C o o k (th e h ig h v ita m in C

c o n te n ts a v e d s a ilo rs fro m s c u rv y ). W ith in tw o c e n tu rie s th e p o ta to h a d b e  com e oneo fEurope's m ajor crops.I t was hardy, n u tritio u s (R ussians c a lli t th e ir" s e c o n db r e a d , " ) h ig h -y ie ld in g a n d v e rs a tile .

O nce accepted by the m asses, the potato pro v id e d th e fo o d n e c e s s a ry fo r th e p o p u la tio n e x p a n  s io n w h ic h d ro v e E u ro p e 's In d u s tria l R e v o lu tio n . L a te r,i n W o rld W a r II, th e v ic to ry a g a in s t G e rm a n y w a s a ttrib u te d , in p a rt,t oth e p o ta to , w h ic h s u s ta in e d S o v ie t c itiz e n s a n d s o ld ie rs . I t lite ra lly c h a n g e d h is  to ry a n d m a y c o n tin u e tod o so . T h e rei s to d a y a n a m b itio u s s c ie n tific e ffo rt o n a t th e M a xP la n c k In  stitute in W est G erm any and the International P o ta  toC e n te r in L im a , P e ru ,t o " m a k e th e p o ta to a 2 1 s t century solution to the w orld food crisis."

tic s, e c o lo g y a n d c u ltu ra l fre e d o m . I s u b m it th a t in th e c o n c e p to f n o n v io le n c e , m a n h a s a n in te lle c tu a l to o l w ith w h ic h to c o p e w ith th e c u r r e n t h u m a n p re d ic a m e n t: w ar, e n v iro n m e n ta l d e g ra d a tio n , h u n g  e r,c u ltu ra l e ro s io n , e x tin c tio no f s p e c ie s , o v e rp o p  u la tio n a n d m o re . T h a t is a lo tt oa s ko f o n e p rin c i p le , b u t lo o k w h a t th e p o ta to h a th w ro u g h t.

A him sa,o fcourse, has already w rought a few sm all m iracles.I t d ro v e th e B ritis h o u to f In d ia a n d th u s fre e d o n e -s e v e n tho f th e h u m a n fa m ily fro m C o lo n ia l d o m in io n . T h ro u g h M a rtin L u th e r K in g , o n eo fits g re a te s t m o d e rn a d h e re n ts , n o n v io le n c e transform ed A m erica's racial landscape.

d a m a g e , a b s te n tio n fro m in ju ryt oliv in g th in g s , g e n  tle n e s s , n o n v io la tio n ." In its m o s t p e rfe c te d fo rm , it ish ru m le s s n e s s n o t o n ly o n th e m a te ria l p la n e , b u t in th e re a lm s o f e m o tio n , th o u g h t a n d p s y c h ea s w e ll.

L ik e th e e a rth y p o ta to , a h im s a 's e a rth -e m b ra c in g v irtu e s c a n h e lp o u r p la n e ta ry p re d ic a m e n t. I t c a n d o this in several w ays. First by changing our fun d a m e n ta l a p p ro a c h to th e p ro b le m

a t h a n d . H in  duism sees a onenesso fth in g s . I t is n o t a q u e s tio n o fm a n a n d h is e n v iro n m e n t, b u t o fa w h o le w h ic h in c lu d e s m a n a n d h is e n v iro n m e n t. A s lo n ga sth e p ro b le m s a re lo o k e d a t a s te c h n o lo g ic a lly c a u s e d a n d th e re fo re te c h n o lo g ic a lly re s o lv a b le , w e w ill s im p ly s in k d e e p e r a n d d e e p e r in to th e q u a g m ire . T h e W e s te rn -o rie n te d (is th a t a n o x y m o ro n ? ) p ro b  le m -s o lv e r w a n ts to d o s o m e th in g .T o prevent w ar,

hew a n ts to erect as p a c e based deterrent.T o han d lea g ro w in g m o u n ta ino f to x ic a n d n u c le a r w aste, h e w a n ts to b o re c ity -s iz e d c a v e rn s o r g e n e tic a lly e n g in e e r

a h im s a p ro v id e s is a to ta lly d iffe re n tapproach, one w h ic h fo c u s e s o n a c h a n g eo f a ttitu d e. A h im s a is n o t a b o u t d o in g g o o d , b u t a b o u t n o t d o in g h a rm . T h e re in lie s th e re a l s o lu tio n .

T h e b e d ro c ko f a h im s a is th a ta ll life iss a c r e d a n din te rtw in e d .I fw e b e lie v e th is , liv e it a n d te a c h i tto o th e rs , th e n th e re w ill b e n oa n im a l a b u s e , th e re w ill b e n o g e n o c id e , th e re w ill b e n o ra m p a n t lo s so fspecies (for w e w ill protect their right to ex is ta s o u r o w n ). S tric tly s p e a k in g , s u c h a p rin c ip le e n jo in s u s to e a t h ig h e r o n th e fo o d c h a in , fo r,a s th e D a la i L a m a o n c e n o te d , " a ll b e in g s p rim a rily seek peace, com fort and security; life isa s dear to a m u te creatu re as it is to a m an ." A ll by itself, a v e g e ta ria nd ie t w id e ly fo llo w e d w o u ld s to p h u m a n h u n g e r in its tra c k s . H in d u s , so fa m ilia r w ith th e s p iritu a l id e a lso f a h im s a , c a n s e t th e g lo b a l e x a m  p le b y p le d g in g to liv e a h a rm le s s , c o m p a s s io n a te life . F ro m th is e x a m p le m a n m a y le a rn n o tt oa llo w hatred to rule the heart, not to force his w ill on oth ers, lim it th eir freed o m s, d estro y th eir faith . B y th is o n e little o b s e rv a n c e m a n yo f th e w o rld 's s o c ia l a n d p o litic a l te n s io n s c o u ld b e a s s u a g e d .

th in g s . O n e : m a nh a s m a d e e q u a llyr a d i c a l c h a n g e s in th e p a s t. T im e w a s w h e n n o o n e d a r e d to s a il th e open seas for fearo f falling off the edge. A few courageous souls ventured

that G reat U n know n, changed hum an perception and ushered in a n a g eo f e x p lo ra tio n . A h im s a is n o b ig g e r a c h a n g e th a n th a t. T w o: m an m ust do som ething or fa c e h u m a n e x tin c tio n . F e a r is a p o te n t m o tiv a tin g fo rc e , a n d it is c le a r th a t th e re is m u c h to fe a r a b o u t th e fu tu re .T im em a g a z in e o n c e p o in te d o u t th a t it is m a n , n o t life o n e a rth , th a t is th re a te n e d . M o s t s p e c ie s

T he tw e n tie th c e n tu ry,m o re th a n a n y o th e r p e rio di n hum an h isto ry , has w itnessed trem endous progressi ns c ie n c e, te c h n o lo g y , s p a c e a n d o u te r s p a c e, m e d ic in e a n d te le c o m m u n ic a tio n. B utth esu m to ta lo fh u  m a n h a p p in e s s ,o f p e a c e , tra n q u ility a n d h a rm o n y h a sb e e n in in v e rs e p ro p o rtio n to a ll th e m a te ria l a d v a n c e s . T h a t is b e c a u s e e q u a l e m p h a s is has not been laid on m oral upgrading as it haso nm aterial progress.

S w a m i V iv e k a n a n d a s a id , " E d u c a tio n is n o t th e a m o u n to f in fo rm a  tio n th a t isp u ti ny o u rb ra ina n d ru n srio t th e re u n d ig e s te d a lly o u r life . W e m u s t h a v e life b u ild in g ,m an m a k in g , c h a ra c te r m a k in ga n d a s s im ila tio no f id e a s .I f e d u c a tio n is id e n tic a l w ithin fo rm a tio n, li braries are theg r e a t e s ts a g e so f th ew o rld

e n c y c lo p e d ia sa re ris h is . " S w a m iji a ls o s a id th a t a m an w h o h a s e x te n s iv e le a rn in g w ith  o u tw is d o m

is lik eap a c k a n im a l w h ic ho n ly k n o w sth ew e ig h tb u t n o t th e v a lu eo f th e s a n d a lw o o d it c a rrie s . T h e re fo re w h a t is n e e d e d is to m a k e e d u c a tio n a to o l fo r d e v e lo p m e n to fsocial and m oral values.

tim ea n d p r e a c h e d m o ra lity, h a rm o n y , lo v e , c h a rity , k in d n e s s, c o m p a s s io n , s a c  rific e a n d d e v o tio n to d u ty a s c o rre c t c o n d u c to fth e in d iv id u a l. R e li g io n sc a lle du p o n th e ir fo llo w e rs to a b ju rev io le n c e a n d fa ls e h o o d , decoity and robbery, cheating and covetousness, selfishnessa n ds o o n . T h u s re lig io n s s h a p e d h u m a n b e h a v io r in s u c h a w a y th a t p e o p le c o u ld liv e in h a rm o n y w ith th e ir fe llo w b e in g s a n d d e v o te th e m s e lv e s to th e p u rs u ito fa rt, s c ie n c e a n d c u ltu re .

T hem orala n de th ic a l v a lu e s h a v eb e e n enum eratedb y th eL o rd K ris h n a in th eB h a g a v a d G ita.I n C h a p te r X II, s lo k a s1 3 a n d 1 4 , th e Lord says,"O ne w h oi s w ith o u t h a tre d o r ill w ill to w a rd s a n y b e in g , frie n d ly, c o m p a s s io n a te, w ith o u t e g o a n d a rro g a n c e , e v e n -m in d e d in p a in a n d p le a s u re , fo rg iv in g a n d a lw a y s c o n te n te d is d e a r to M e."

M a h a tm a G a n d h i s u m m e d u p e th ic a l v a lu e s in tw o w o rd s: s a ty a a n d ahirnsa, in their w idest sense. T here is no deartho fp re c e p ts o fhum an v a lu e s. Y et,m odem e d u c a tio n m a k e s n o e ffo rt to in c u lc a te th e m in th e s tu d e n ts. N o th in g is d o n e to d a yi no u r e d u c a tio n a l in s titu tio n s to in s till m o ra lity a n d v irtu e in th e s tu d e n ts .I n a p lu ral so ciety lik e o u rs, w ith m a n y re lig io n s, c a s te s, c re e d s a n d fa ith s , e d u c a tio n s h o u ld fo s te r u n i v e rs a l a n d e te rn a l v a lu e s o rie n te d to w a rd s th e u n ity a n d in te g rityo fth e n a tio n.I t s h o u ld fig h t a g a in s t re lig io u s fa n a tic is m , v io le n c e, e x p lo ita  tio n a n d in ju s tic e.I t s h o u ld c o n c e rn its e lf w ith th e d e v e lo p m e n to f a to ta l p e rs o n . T h is is w h a t S w a m i V iv e k a n a n d a c a lle d m a n -m a k in g e d  u c a tio n . O n e s h o u ldb e ta u g h t to ra tio n a liz e e v e n ts a n d s itu a tio n s w ith  o u t b ia s o r p re ju d ic e a n d w ith a n e q u ip o is e b e re fto fd o g m a tis mor sur render to sudden spurtso fe m o tio n .H e is tru ly e d u c a te d w h o c a n s a c  rifice his selfish, p erso n al in terests fo r th e sak eo fth e c o u n try a n d th e p e o p le, a n d th u s p ro m o te p e a c e a n d h a rm o n y a m o n g fe llo w m e n .

A great dealo fim p ro v e m e n t ino u r e d u c a tio n re s ts o n th e te a c h e rs. O u r s o c ie ty h a s a lw a y s p la c e d th e g u r u (te a c h e r)o n th e s a m e p e d e s ta l with Brahm a, Vishnu and M aheshvara.T he g u ru ta u g h t m o re b yh is e x a m p le th a n b y p re c e p t. W ith th e c h a n g e s in s o c ie ty , th a t v e n e ra b le te a c h e r h a s n o w p ra c tic a lly d is a p p e a re d . R e p la c e m e n to fthose great te a c h e rs b y te a c h e rs w ith d e d ic a tio n to w a rd s th e d e v e lo p m e n to f th e p u p ils, a b le to id e n tify th e la te n t ta le n tsi nth e ma n d to b rin g th e mo u t a n d e n c o u ra g e th e ir g ro w th , is th e u rg e n t n e e do f th e h o u r.

an adm irero fth e tre m e n d o u s p ro g re s sth a t In d ia h a s m ade in in d u s try , s c ie n c ea n d te c h n o lo g y . W eh a v ep u t s a te llite s in to o rb it, a c h ie v e d n u c le a r c a p a b ilitie s , m a s te re d m is s ile te c h n o lo g y a n d m a n y other sciences far aheado fany d e v e lo p in g country.B ut these are only partial successes. A s an Englishp o e ts a id , " V a ini s y o u r s c ie n c e , v a in y o u r a rt,y o u r triu m p h sa n d g lo rie s , v a int of e e dth eh u n g e ro fth e h e a rt a n d th e fa m in eo f th e b ra in ." E d u c a tio n w ill, th e re fo re ,b e c o m  p le te o n ly w hen it in c u lc a te s m o ra l v a lu e si nth e p u p ila n d e n n o b le s h is m in d a n d h e a rt.I ns h o rt, w e s h o u ld s p iritu a liz e e d u c a tio n .

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le v e lo fe x c e lle n c e a n d e x p a n  sion for the paper.T he a d d itio no f a rtic le so n Vastu Shastra, Ayurveda a n dly o tis h n ic e ly ro u n d o u t th e p a  per, educating readers to these great V edic sciences. T he January issue's

a m p leo fthis.I t is ag r e a th o p et o s e e re g u la r fe a tu re so nt h e s e th re e sciences, affording readers practical in s ig h ts th a t a llo w fo r in te g ra tio no f

h isto ry , th e re a p  peared a classo fH in d u -h a tin g H in  d u s

in v a d e rs ru le dth ro u g hth e sw o rd.T he B ri tis hru le dth ro u g h In d o lo g y . T hey to o k o v e ro u r e d u c a tio n a n d ta u g h t u s tolo o ka t o u rs e lv e s th ro u g h th e ir e y e s.T h e y created a class Indian in b lo o da n d c o lo r,b u ta n ti-H in d u in its in te lle c tu a l a n d e m o tio n a l o rie n ta tio n . T his is th e b ig g e s t p ro b le m th at risin g In d ia faces-

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d is tu rb th e p e a c eo f m in do f h u m a n b e in g s .I n sucha n atm osphere, at te m p tsa tw o rld p e a c ec a n n e v e rb e really successful.H ence the w orld m ust re a liz eth e d iren e e do f sto p  p in g th e k illin go fin n o c e n t a n im a ls a n d

India W est, India Post, News In d ia T im e s, In d ia A b r o a da n d In d ia M o n ito r-

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