07/19/98 - 1921

Dharma Journal - July/15/1998

USA (VNN) - The Electronic Newsletter of the Sanatana Dharma Student Association
(The Hindu student and faculty organization of the University of Wisconsin)

Of all yogis,
he who abides in Me always with great faith,
worshiping Me with devotion,
is most intimately united with Me in yoga
and is the highest of all.

(Shri Krishna, Bhagavad Gita 6.47)

Welcome!

To those of you who are with us for the first time, welcome to the latest issue of Dharma Journal. The purpose of this electronic newsletter is threefold: 1) to inform our members and friends about news and upcoming events sponsored by the Sanatana Dharma Student Association; 2) to serve as a way to contact, communicate and work with other organizations and individuals throughout the world who are committed to the ideals of Sanatana Dharma; 3) to provide our many subscribers with interesting facts and information about the nature and philosophy of Sanatana Dharma.

The ancient heritage of Hinduism can only be preserved through the cooperation, unity and commitment of those who hold its truths sacred. Let us all unite in reverence, pride and dedication to Dharma. Let us then share the beauty of Dharma with the world. Please forward this newsletter onto your e-mail lists; and if you have a website, please consider carrying our newsletter on your site. Jaya Sanatana Dharma!

Announcements

1) Temple Board Meeting. On Wednesday, July 1st a delegation of five SDSA officers met with the Board of Directors of the soon to be built Hindu Temple of Wisconsin. In this, and a subsequent meeting on July 13th, both organizations agreed to work very closely in order to insure the success of this future temple, the first Hindu temple in the state of Wisconsin. The SDSA will be the official representatives of the Hindu Temple of Wisconsin in the Madison area and will help coordinate fund-raising and publicizing activities in the area.

2) Bhumi Puja. The Hindu Temple of Wisconsin will be celebrating the Bhumi Puja, or ground breaking ceremony, of the new Hindu Temple to be built just outside the city of Milwaukee. The event will take place on Saturday, August 8th, 1998, at 9:15 a.m. The temple site is at: N36 W243 Pewaukee Road (Hwy J), Pewaukee, Wisconsin. In addition to the Bhumi Puja, there will also be Ganesha Puja, Kalash Puja and Navagraha Puja. Prasada will be served at 11:30 a.m. You are encouraged to sponsor the puja for $501. Or you can have your family name included in the sankalpa for $51. For further information or directions to the site, please call: Dr. Kumar Iyer (414) 785-0187, or Ajay Bhave (414) 784-0565.

3) New Commitees. Several new SDSA committee have been formed. The Website Committee is comprised of Sumit Ringwala, Nittin Bhalla and Frank Morales, and will be directly responsible for creating and maintaining "Dharma Darshan", the upcoming SDSA website. The Liturgical Committee, comprised of Pallavi Gopal, Deepthi Reddy and Frank Morales, will be in charge of revising and streamlining the content of the Sunday puja. Additionally, we have instituted an Executive Council (E.C.) of several officers to better facilitate the operations of the various offices of the SDSA.

4) Shri Krishna Janmashtami. Friday, August 14th, will mark the holy appearance day of Bhagavan Shri Krishna, the speaker of the Bhagavad Gita and Supreme Lord. It is traditional to fast on this day until midnight. The day should be filled with the joyful activities of bhajans, puja and readings from the holy scriptures of Sanatana Dharma (especially the Bhagavad Gita and the Bhagavata Purana).

Article

The Three Gunas:
The Metaphysics Behind the Physical

by
Frank Morales

„Deluded by the three gunas, the whole world does not know Me who am above the gunas and inexhaustible. This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three gunas of material nature, is difficult to overcome. But those who have surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it‰.
(Bhagavad Gita 7.13-14)

The empirical reality that we perceive around us is composed of matter. Whether we are referring to the buildings we reside in, the many possessions we strive for, or the very bodies with which we identify so intimately, all objects are composed of the prakrti, or the primal material energy, of God. Of the many qualities that are discernible in prakrti, the essential feature encountered is that of transience. Matter is in a constant state of flux, a continual cycle of becoming, being and dissolution. Thus everything that we perceive around us, though seemingly stable, ultimately is destined to cease existing. Prakrti, herself, is not a purely undifferentiated field of substance. Prakrti consists of a substratum of three different modes, each dependent upon the other two for their mutual
existence and proper functioning. These three modes of prakrti, or material energy, are also known as the three gunas.

In the two verses from the Gita that are quoted above, Shri Krishna gives Arjuna a glimpse into the nature and power of the three gunas of which prakrti, or prime matter, is composed. This triad of modes consists of sattva (positivity, goodness, wholesomeness), rajas (passion, energy, movement) and tamas (negativity, lethargy, darkness, ignorance). These three aspects of material energy exist as the very core of all empirical material phenomena. They can be seen as being three different modes in the spectrum of the one primary material substance. They represent the material substance in three different, yet completely interdependent, frequencies. Every aspect of material phenomena is composed of a combination of these three gunas, with one or the other predominating. We will now briefly examine the primary characteristics of each of the three gunas.

We will begin this exploration of the gunas by examining the guna which the Bhagavad Gita considers to be the highest quality: sattva. Sattva can be translated as „goodness‰. This guna denotes such qualities as purity, brightness and essence. It is also light - both in the luster of its radiance and in terms of its actual weight in terms of physics. Thus, individuals who are of a spiritual, clean (both physically and mentally) thoughtful and peaceful nature are said to be living a sattvika existence; they are residing in goodness. Sattva is the quality most sought by spiritual practitioners, and most conducive to the spiritual lifestyle.

The next guna is rajas. Rajas denotes activity and movement. It is the mediator between the other two gunas, as well as their empowerer. For without its assistance, neither sattva nor tamas can act. It is rajas which motivates the individual to labor and inspires work. Those persons in whom rajas predominates tend to be of a fiery and passionate disposition. While a certain degree of rajas is always necessary in order to facilitate activity, too much of this quality makes one restless, thus hampering meditation and other forms of disciplined spiritual pursuits, in which underverted attention and concentration are essential.

When the material energy, through the medium of rajas, becomes turned to its lowest frequency, it is then known as tamas. Tamas has the characteristics of dullness, ignorance and inertia. It is a dark mode, both intrinsically and in its consequences. Due to its heavy, weighted nature, it provides stability and forms the very foundation and building blocks of matter. Tamas is the source of obstacles, resistance and obstructions. Tamas brings about cessation. Those who are of a tamasic nature tend toward lethargy, procrastination and self-destructive behavior. It is the end point of the descent of prakrti. It is, thus, the very antithesis of sattva. Those wishing to make spiritual progress must thoroughly avoid all tamasic tendencies.

These three interdependent strands of the material substance are different aspects of the same energy, which in turn is under the full control of the Supreme. Sattva is the finest frequency that prakrti adopts. Rajas is the intermediate catalytic energy source. Tamas is the resting place, the dullest mode of material energy. In the state in which we presently find ourselves, a state of self-imposed separation from the will of God, we find ourselves under the influence of these respective gunas. Upon surrendering to Shri Krishna, however, we then have the ability to transcend the gunas altogether, and to achieve a state of freedom from all material influence, a state known as moksha, or liberation.

Om Keshavaya Namah *** Om Keshavaya Namah *** Om Keshavaya Namah

Article II

Abortion and Karma:
The Inner Truth

There is so much controversy in the world today about abortion. Pro-Lifers picket abortion clinics, and often resort to violence to make their point that an unborn child has a right to be born, and that it’s mother does not have the right to murder her unborn child. The Pro-Choice advocates say that it is a woman’s choice whether or not to have an abortion, that she has the say over anything regarding her body. This point has been argued and reargued endlessly. In some countries abortion is legal, some even allowing state funds to be used for it. In other countries it is illegal, forcing those who feel their desperation for an abortion must be fulfilled to seek one out often in ways that put her own life in jeopardy, as well. Should the laws of man allow abortions? If so what are the karmic ramifications for the mother, and all those involved in performing the abortion? This are very serious questions, indeed, and should be considered by any sane person.

We understand from the "Srimad Bhagavatam", a very important work of India’s religious and historical texts, that there is never a time that a live body, in any stage of growth, is without the presence of the soul. Spirit soul is placed into the semen of a male, according to karma, and transferred to the womb of a female after joining with the egg in her body. (Actually there are millions of souls, one in each individual sperm, in the semen of a man, yet destiny dictates which one shall merge with the egg, thus getting the opportunity to be born in this world.) From this point on there is life within the womb. Legal questions may speculate what constitutes life, and at what time a fetus may be considered a person, but the fact is that there is consciousness from the very beginning. Within two months, approximately, the body has developed all extremities, and is already a miniature version of how he or she shall look at birth. This is also described in the "Srimad Bhagavatam"; and the physical growth of the fetus is corroborated, as well, by the texts of modern medical science. What is now known by science was written in these texts thousands of years ago. Incredible, but true. What is not known by modern medical science, but IS written in these ancient texts, is the development of the consciousness of the child in the womb. The child is conscious and alive. He feels pain, as well as pleasure, comfort, and discomfort. It is not that the child only has consciousness after birth. Therefore killing an unborn child is the most atrocious, and vile type of murder. The child is defenseless, protected by his mother’s womb until the body is sufficiently developed to live outside.

So education as to the consciousness of the unborn child must be gotten if one is to consider all factors involved in having an abortion. Consciousness is eternal, and we are always in some state of consciousness. This is true before birth, as well as after death. "For the spirit soul, there is neither birth nor death". (Bhagavad-Gita) This is the most important understanding to have. If you understand this, how can you possibly murder your own child, whose only shelter is your womb, your love and your compassion. This is proof positive of the loss of mercy in human society.

But what of the reaction to such a heinous act? For every action there is an equal or greater reaction. This is the immutable law of karma. It exists regardless of the changes or superficiality of the laws of governments. For one who kills their child in the womb, or for one who participates in the act, they must be placed into the womb of an equally incompassionate person and be murdered (aborted) in the same way, after the death or expiration of the present body. The pain that the child feels both mentally and physically during an abortion is unimaginable. It has been seen by doctors that there is a look of sheer terror and great pain and suffering on the faces of fetuses aborted. This is not imagination. It is real. If a woman really knew what she was doing in aborting her child, for all but the cruelest of persons, she could not do it. So, this is the education that human society must learn to understand the true implications of abortion. Regardless of a country’s laws, no one can escape the laws of providence, the law of karma. Convincing oneself that this is not a fact is just as absurd as convincing yourself that you can fly, and therefore jumping from a great height to your physical death. Just as you would fall to the ground, suffering the reaction to your stupidity, abortion will bring great suffering to the perpetrator. All the rationalization in the world will not change this.

So what is the legal answer? My own opinion, as well as the spiritual viewpoint, is obvious. Abortion cannot be thought of as another form of birth control. Change is only possible through education. There are many who are so bereft of real love and compassion for others that they will rationalize the killing of their own children before birth, but there are many who would indeed not do such a thing if presented to them in it’s reality. All the picketing, screaming and yelling, and violence in the world will not change the minds of the pro-choice movement. If you want to impress compassion upon the minds of these poor, misguided women seeking abortion, or considering it, then show them some compassion. Remind them of their true selves as spirit soul, and that their unborn children are also individual, conscious spirit souls who are completely dependent on their mercy and care. Show them love, for love between all peoples can change the world.

Howard Beckman (Hamsavatar das)
Vedic Cultural Fellowship
http://www.vedastro.demon.co.uk

Om Tat Sat *** Om Tat Sat *** Om Tat Sat

Information

For further information on the Sanatana Dharma Student Association of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, to offer suggestions for our newsletter or questions about Sanatana Dharma (Hinduism), or to submit articles for publication, please feel free to contact us at:

fmorale1@students.wisc.edu
(608) 288-0266

Om Shanti,

Frank Morales - Editor/Advisor