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WORLD January 20, 1999 VNN2885 Dharma Journal 1-18-99 USA, Jan 20 (VNN) — The Electronic Newsletter of the Sanatana Dharma Student Association (The Hindu student and faculty organization of the University of Wisconsin) He who meditates on the Supreme Person, his mind constantly engaged in meditation, without being deviated, he, Oh Partha [Arjuna], achieves the Transcendent. (Bhagavad Gita 8: 8) Editorial Namaste. There have been several very positive developments recently concerning the future of the Sanatana Dharma Student Association. The most important development has been our decision to become affiliated with the Hindu Students Council, or the HSC. The HSC is the largest national Hindu student organization outside of India. Founded in 1990, the HSC has close to 60 branches in universities and colleges throughout North America, including most Ivy League campuses. In addition to their many local branches, the HSC has many programs that are carried out on a national scale. These include: the Community Action Network (CAN), which combats instances of discrimination and bigotry directed against Hinduism; the Hindu Women's Project, which is a forum for the discussion of issues and concerns pertaining to Hindu women; and the Hindu Universe (http://www.hindunet.org/home.shtml), the largest Hindu information website in the world (it gets about 100 thousand hits per day!). Having voted overwhelmingly to become the first branch of the HSC in the state of Wisconsin, the former Sanatana Dharma Student Association of U.W.-Madison looks forward to continued growth and success as the new Hindu Students Council of U.W.-Madison. Along with this new organizational change comes some positive changes for Dharma Journal as well as the Journal's editor, Frank Morales. We have decided to discontinue Dharma Journal as of this issue. Since the North American HSC has it own national quarterly newsletter - Samskar - we felt it would be redundant to also publish our own local newsletter. Rather, news and updates about our local U.W.-Madison branch of the HSC will appear in Samskar. Additionally, Frank Morales will have a regular column in Samskar known as Dharma Darshan, which will focus on shedding light on the more philosophical aspects of Hinduism. In addition to being the advisor of the HSC of U.W.-Madison, Frank is now also the Chapter Coordinator. All this being the case, this will be the last published issue of Dharma Journal. It has been wonderful being able to provide this service for our many supporters, well-wishers and readers. We thank those who contributed articles, sent in encouraging letters and who contributed in many other untold ways. We especially want to thank Dr. David Frawley, Howard Beckman (Hamsavatar Dasa) and Pallavi Gopal. Dhanyavad! Please look for the spirit of Dharma Journal to continue in Samskar (http://hindunet.org/hsc/samskar/) every season. Please support your local Hindu Students Council on any university campus you find yourselves affiliated with. Please continue to make our world more peaceful, more tolerant and more filled with love and compassion for all living beings...and please continue to grow in your understanding of Sanatana Dharma and helping others to know the great beauty of this eternal spiritual culture. Om Shanti. ******************************************** Article "Sankranthi" by Pallavi P Gopal Sankranthi is a time replete with happiness, magnanimity, and hope. Also known as Pongal and Makar Sankranthi, this festival celebrates the joy of a new harvest season and is closely associated with the agricultural life of people in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu. The customs associated with Pongal may vary somewhat, and I can only comment on the traditions of my own family in Karnataka. Sankranthi, a three day festival, begins with Bhogi. First, some old belongings are burned or thrown away to symbolically chase away all negative forces. Then we clean, paint, and decorate our homes. Friends and family exchange sweets and warm wishes. On the second day, Surya Pongal, we boil milk and rice, allowing them to overflow from the vessel. The spilling over represents hopes of an abundant harvest. Mattu Pongal, "the thanking of the farmer's best friends", comes on the final day of Sankranthi. Cows and oxen are honored, and their horns are cleaned and polished and made red with a powder. We sprinkle them with turmeric to ward off evil, garland them with flowers, and feed them sugar cane. Sankranthi concludes with game playing and high spirits. In my father's village, everyone parades through the narrow streets to the field by the school yard. We watch as flickering flames glowing from the ends of short and long rods which are juggled and spun in the crisp blackness of the night by local friends and daredevils. Happy Sankranthi to everyone! ************************************** Sanatana Dharma Network (SDN) An electronic news service was recently created by Frank Morales called the Sanatana Dharma Network (SDN). SDN is a free electronic information service linking together over five-hundred organizations and web sites dedicated to Yoga, Vedic spirituality and Hinduism. We are hoping it will be a tool that will help to bring about a greater sense of community as well as better communication between people and groups who share a common interest in Dharma. If you or your group have news, articles or information that you would like forwarded to the Hindu organizations and web sites on the rapidly growing Sanatana Dharma Network e-mail list, please take advantage of this opportunity to reach a large audience by sending it to: fmorale1@students.wisc.edu ********************************************** Jaya Shri Rama! Frank Morales - Editor http://www.sit.wisc.edu/~fmorale1/index.htm fmorale1@students.wisc.edu (608) 288-0266 Comment on this Story This story URL: http://vaishnava-news-network.org/world/WD9901/WD20-2885.html
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