What should be our duty for the society?

Religion have popularized the idea that life has a higher goal. By limitation of ego the acheivement of a higher goal is possible. For society the egocentricity of man is necessary. Ego is a source of energy, source of effort and striving. But it is also a source of conflict. You are a happy man when you have a successful ego. But for one ego to succeed ten egos have been bypassed. What about those ten egos? Most of the people have hard feelings if they do not succeed. But it is the nature of things that all people can not be equally successful in the same measure. So there will have to be some compensation. The compensation is that you raise your standard or drive it to some other direction. So life acquires a value if there is a mission in life.

     Vedic literature teaches us to think each one of us that " I am not an ordinary person; I am somebody great or I am striving for something great. I will sacrifice for the sake of the country, I will sacrifice for God and I will undergo suffering. If suffering is a part of life and if society needs that suffering; I shall willingly endure it. The moment we have endured it, it will no more a suffering for us. We should think that it is our duty. Life acquires a special meaning when we bring a spiritual ideal, which encourages cultivation of higher virtues. Religion teaches us to work in three fields. First one is for the betterment of individual or satisfaction of Individual. A higher goal of life come only after the satisfaction of individual. Second aspect is social which is beneficial for the society. But the ultimate goal of life lies in realizing one's spiritual nature, realizing God which brings us permanent joy. A spirutual person also lives the normal life as the most selfish person. But a spiritual person brings in the spirutual idea: I do this for the sake of the good of the society, the good of the world or for pleasing the Lord.I shall share the goods of life for the greater good of the society.

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Hey where are you (Hey WAY)

Hey Where Are You (HeyWAY)

is a new location service that lets you keep track of where friends, family and colleagues are. Send alerts with your current location to your followers, or send "Hey, Where Are You?" alerts requesting their location. Because HeyWAY uses Apple's brand new Push Notification Service, your alerts are delivered even when the application is not running.

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HeyWAY is written specifically and exclusively for Apple's new iPhone System Software version 3.0, and uses a rich set of new 3.0 functionality, including Push Notifications, embedded map views, in-application email composition (for authorizing others), and peer-to-peer communication over Bluetooth (for authorizing others when they are nearby). Please note, Bluetooth pairing is only available on iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS and 2nd generation iPod Touch devices.

HeyWAY is available now for iPhone and iPod Touch devices running system software version 3.0 or later. Write to info at niftybrick dot com with questions; customers, please write to support at niftybrick dot com.

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Sacrifice

In the development of civilization three important principles works such as :- competition in the animal level, co-operation in the human level, consecration at the spiritual level. Now competition is a way of life, competition gives energy but it also brings sufferings if not for all but for the majority .If other people suffer  there is a today or tomorrow we will suffer. So on the human level co-operation must come. Gradually the idea of co-operation came from the agricultural society. If someone alone cultivate there is less efficiency. If more people join together it is better for all. So co-operation comes at the human level. Normal human behavior is based on mutuality. If you love me I love you and if you don't love me, I don't care for you. That is the normal idea on the human level. In this society everyone are not same in nature. Some people for some reason or other do not behave well. So to balance these people another group of people have to sacrifice. If they willingly do it better if not they will be made to do it by force. In a family as long as the parents are there all the children including the grown up live together. In joint families as long as the father is alive, the family is together because all the money is with him. But when the father goes the mother remains and the family stays together because of her love. She tries to solve all the difficulties and keep the family together. So some sacrificing element must be there in life to balance the people who are selfish. In spite of all training all preaching some people will remain selfish. To balance some body else will have to give up. If love comes that giving up becomes easier. Love sweetens the sacrifice. It is not all sacrifice, all suffering. If somebody unwillingly gives, of course all sacrifices becomes pain. But if he willingly gives it is no more pain. Self sacrifice is a higher ideal which is necessary for the society.

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Spirituality and competition.

Failures are as much as necessary in life as successes. There could not be any successes without failures. Success and failures are always judged by comparison. When failures come, frustration comes. In day to day life or in social life a hundred percent success is impossible. It is not in the nature of things. Limitations are there. If I want to enjoy a little more somebody else stops me. That is competition,limitation. So the competition that is the basis of normal life has to be shifted to some higher goal. A traffic signal glows and everybody has to stop this for safety but a limitation to our freedom. Human nature is such that it defies too much limitations. Due to the rapid development of science and technology, in the mental science men will specialize because the physical aspect is limited. So there is a search for freedom and once we raises our ideal of life from the merely physical to something intellectual we have a wider vista. And from this intellectual if we raise it to the spiritual a still wider field is there where there is no competition. Competition brings frustration because there are still higher goals.
        A non competitive goal is posited by the spiritual urge, spiritual aspiration, a spiritual goal of life. There is no competition in goodness. There is competition in acquiring wealth. If some have more health then someone has to have little less. With any physical acquisition there is competition and there is limitation. Only in the spiritual realm there is no competition. Anybody can advance as much as possible that will not limit the others progress. Spirituality brings a goal in life that we should  be a better human being. We should have a higher goal of life.

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Importance of spirituality in our life.

We all lives a life. But our aspiration is to live the life with some standard of quality. Some people argue that we can manage without religion, which is true. We can manage without education also.For thousand of years we have managed without education but after this discovery of education can we manage without education? Thus the quality of life increases when we add another dimension to our life. This another dimension is spirituality.
      According to Vedic literature there are four goals in life for all people. The natural desire of all is to enjoy. The first desire is just to live.Then to live a little better, here the idea of enjoyment comes. But enjoyment requires money. So the second goal of life is to have wealth. The social fabric gets disturbed when people are given too much to enjoyment. So a third consideration was added called "DHARMA", the consideration for other man. But there is a fourth goal of life. The average man's life may be finished with these three, but unless life acquires a deeper meaning, a deeper significance, something to hope for life really does not have much of the glorious aspect of living. This is called the idea of "MOKSHA"---the liberation,salvation,realization of God, realization of one's spiritual nature.
       Spirituality brings added value to life by positing an enduring goal of life. Chandogya Upanishad says man can not be satisfied with some thing limited,some thing circumscribed. Most of the enjoyments and goals of our life are centered around things or people. So unless and until we have touched the infinite power we can not be permanently satisfied.

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What should be our goal in life?

The great contribution of Vedanta is that it teaches us that life has an ultimate goal,and each one of us is destined to realize that goal. In terms of an ideal the man of spirit can only live. Vedanta is not just a philosophy, it is also a religion. We have to realize its teachings. To realize God is the one goal of life. We must light a match instead of cursing the darkness. We must find the way which leads to God and should make a bridge of humanity for this way. we should understand that this is the life goal of each one of us and destiny of mankind --this is the end towards we all consciously or unconsciously are moving. This goal is the same for all men and women to realize the oneness of all things ..to realize God within us and to see God in everything. The path leading to this goal are many. Rig Veda tells us that " Truth is one, sages call it by various names". We must admit that religion is one though there are hundred separate versions. At this time one of the greatest problem is that we are uncertain about the ultimate goal. Each one of us should have a short term goal which will unite humanity.To build a system of values the chief value of a life goal is that it gives the foundation for it. We need to have some understanding  of the ultimate goal before we can appreciate the eternal values of life.
        Due to non cohesive and transcendent goal of unity the degeneration of society continues. The major blockade for a unifying vision is selfishness and lack of concern among us. Unselfishness and the willingness to make personal sacrifices in the service of others are natural consequences of the Vedantic vision of unity. The present crisis is essentially a spiritual crisis and most of us are searching for spiritual light. We require the light of truth which will guide our steps and show the way out of the forest of inner darkness. Veda's gift to the world has always been spiritual light. This light is manifest in  vedic literature. Thus the confusion of life goal and the lack of purpose that gives rise to conflict, selfishness, and a sense of despair in the life of modern man can be dispelled by the gradual promulgation of vedic princeples and the supreme destiny of man, the realization of God, will become visible to all.

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What is the essence of Vedanta?

The word Vedanta denotes the Upanishads, the ancient scriptures of India and the teaching of Vedanta describes philosophy and religion. The philosophy is presented in the form of universal principles of spiritual life. Vedanta provides the key to understanding the inner significance of Indian culture and literature. The recognition of the divinity in man is the essence of Vedanta. Vedanta teaches us there is one reality and each soul is identical with that reality. All the infinite powers of the world are with in the human soul. According to the Mundaka Upanishad:-- "Brahman is supreme, He is self luminous, he is beyond all thought. Subtler than the subtlest is he, farther than the farthest, nearer than the nearest. He resides in the lotus of the heart of every being.
             Vedanta tell love your fellow beings as yourself. But we do not know why it would be good to love other beings as ourselves. It is possible when we will be able to understand that the whole world is one---the oneness of the universe is the solidarity of life----that  in hurting anyone I am hurting myself, in loving anyone I am loving myself. Vedanta tells us to build in all people a faith in themselves. We have to struggle to manifest the perfection and divinity with in through the practice of yoga. This is the key to inner transformation and to change the world around us. We have to rediscover our own divine nature and help others to do the same. The Veda teaches us " Basudeva Kutumbakam " which means the total world is a family. Here we strive to enclose little spaces and exclude outsiders. So our aim should be to wipe out these little enclosures, to widen the boundaries until they are lost sight of.

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Importance of Ethics and Religion.

Religion is the most important of all the forces that have worked and still working to change the destinies of human race. Religion has always taken a prominent role in the history of man. System of morality and ethics emerge with the rise of civilization. Three most important ideas have been working in the world: competition, co-operation, consecration. Among sub-humans and primitive men competition is predominant while in human level co-operation is common. The selfishness of some has to be balanced by the unselfishness of others. So therefore an important law of life is consecration. To achieve consecration a spiritual view of life is necessary. It is impossible to create a peaceful society with totally egotistic members. Thinking sacrifice is painful so average person is afraid of it. But Veda shows us a number of examples of monks and beggars those who have sacrificed their entire life for the benefit of mankind.
            Conviction, Zeal and love are necessary to perform an unpleasant work with proper attitude. Without passion and enthusiasm nothing great in the world accomplished. A philosophy of oneness is essential to develop ethical consideration. Without faith in God and the immortality of soul building up of proper conduct is difficult. The foundation of strength of every race lies in its spirituality. When materialism gains ground and spirituality wanes the declining trend of that race begins.With the rapid development of science and technology our traditional values are declining . Materialism has indeed gained ground in our present day. So science and technology can not give us the guidance but it can be found in the traditional wisdom of mankind such as Veda and Upanishad. 

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Can Veda able to change today's destiny?

Man's destiny whether individual or collective depends on his conduct. For making a good conduct tradition and culture plays a vital role. History needs centuries and centuries of history makes tradition. Today's world is changing rapidly. Majority are in a way of material progress. We are moving towards a new age. Externally we are rich in material possessions and technological advancements. But internally the darkness is dense on our own heart. We all feel a spiritual emptiness and inner poverty.
      Veda and Upanishads have a great part to play in bringing the whole mankind true education and find out a remedy for the present crisis. Today we are faced with many problems globally such as; nuclear arm race, poverty, crime, drug abuse, complicated health issues, global warming, pollution etc. These problems threatens quality and the future of life on Earth. We must admit that some scientific achievements spell grave danger for the whole of mankind. Today the world stands on a great height of  destruction and at any moment could fall from a great height to a great depth.
       World leader's trying to solve these problems through adjustments of the external environment. For quality of life they are trying to manipulate the social and political environment. More laws and treaties are introduced for new social programs. But all these are ineffective for controlling the rising tide of problems. Veda and Upanishads have the solutions to eradicate all these problems effectively. Veda shows us the root causes. Upanishad teaches us that all these man's present problems arise not directly from external conditions, but from his inner weakness. So in our inner nature all these social, political and economic problems grounded. The external world is a reflection of mind, heart, and character of man and due to turmoil inside we see conflict and confusion outside. The real crisis of today constitutes of the inner turmoil of man, his moral and spiritual emptiness, his weakening of character, his loss of values.
       We are trying to change the society instead of changing our own nature. We are advocating for banning nuclear weapons, eliminating racism, safe environment, eliminating world hunger, poverty, assuring basic rights for all. But without inner transformation of man all these things never be accomplished. To cure all the evils lf life we must clean our inside and require to change our soul. Teach yourself and everyone to his real nature; call upon the sleeping soul and see how it awakes. Power, glory, goodness, purity and everything excellent will come when this sleeping soul is roused to self conscious activity.

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What Veda says about Strength?

The Upanishads are the great mine of strength.There in lies strength enough to invigorate the whole world; the whole world can be vivified,made strong,energized through them.They will call with trumpet voice upon the weak,the miserable and the downtrodden of all races,all creeds and all sects to stand on their feet and be free. Freedom_physical freedom,mental freedom and spiritual freedom are the watchwords of the Upanishads.
      What makes a man stand up and work? strength. Strength is goodness, weakness is sin. If there is one word that you find coming out like a bomb from the Upanishads; bursting like a bombshell upon the masses of ignorance, it is the word fearlessness. And the only religion that ought to be taught is the religion of fearlessness. Either in this world or in the world of religion,it is true that fear is the sure cause of degradation and sin. It is fear that brings misery, fear that breeds evil and what causes fear? Ignorance of our own nature.
      Man are taught from childhood that they are weak and sinners. Veda tells that they are all glorious children of immortality,even those who are the weakest in manifestation.Let positive, strong, helpful thoughts enter their brains from very childhood. Let yourselves open to these thoughts and not to weakening and paralyzing ones. Say to your own minds " I am He, I am He"Let it ring day and night in all minds like a song and at the point of death declare "I am He" that is the truth, the infinite strength of the world is Yours.
     Take of the evil of hypnotism which you have cast upon the world, send not out thoughts and words of weakness into humanity. Know that all sins and all evils can be summed up in that one word weakness. It is weakness that is the motive power in all evildoing; it is weakness that makes men injure others, it is weakness that is the source of all selfishness, it is weakness that makes them manifest what they are not in reality.

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The divinity of Man and Oneness in Existence

Svetasvatara Upanishad says: 

    "tvam stri tvam puman asi tvam kumara uta va kumari
     tvam jirno dandena vancasi tvam jato bhavasi visvato mukhah"
You are the woman, you are the man, you are the boy and you are the girl. You are the old man tottering on his stick. You have taken birth facing every direction. Dvaitins, Visistadvaitins or Advaitins recognize the basic divinity of the soul in theistic terms or absolute terms.
    " samam sarvesu bhutesu tisthntam paramesvaram
      vinasyatsy avinasyantam yah pasyati sa pasyati
      samam pasyan hi sarvatra samavasthitam isvaram
      na hinasty atmanatmanam tato yati param gatim"
He truely sees who sees the Supreme Lord dwelling equally in all beings, deathless is dying. For seeing the Lord equally existent everywhere, he injures not Self by Self, and so goes to the highest goal. Advaita Vedanta teaches the Supreme Brahman and the innermost self are one and the same, it follows that there can not be a plurality of selves, it is one and the same self or Atman, which dwells in all beings, and that self is none other than the Supreme Lord. Thus the doctrine of the oneness of existence gives the logical corrollary of the divinity of the soul.

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Rig Veda

Of all the four Vedic Samhitas the Rig Veda Samhita is the oldest and has a pre-eminent place in the Vedic literature. The topic dealt with in the Rig Veda Samhita fall roughly into three groups. The first group deals with the deities like Agni, Indra, Varuna and others. The second group is concerned with philosophical speculations like the origin of universe and the real nature of human beings. The third group deals with several secular subjects like marriage, wars of kings, ecology of generosity and so on.
         The mantra in which the well known statement " EKAM SAT VIPRAAH VAHUDHAA VADANTI" Truth is one sages call it by various names sums up the spirit of the entire Rig-Veda. The concept of "VASUDEVA KUTUMBAKAM" or Universal oneness was propounded by Rig Veda. In the Rig Vedic period Varna ( caste- system ) had already taken roots. Monogamy, Polygamy and Swayamvara system ( that of a bride choosing her husband ) all existed side by side. Agriculture and animal husbandry were the chief means of livelihood. Civilization was well developed and fine arts was encouraged. Priests and kings were powerful. Satya ( truth ) and Dharma ( Righteousness ) were extolled. Social life was permeated by spiritual consciousness.

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Sama Veda

The Sama Veda ( knowledge of chanted hymns ) in a way stands between the poetic vedas and the ritualistic vedas. Sama stands for love of God and consists of hymns of devotion. The verses are traditionally chanted on different ceremonial occasions. In content and form it is a poetry of the highest order. While in arrangement and purpose it is ritualistic. Mostly the selections are made from the Rig Veda and grouped together and arranged for rutualistic purposes. The Sama Veda contains 1875 verses of which only 75 are not found in Rig Veda. The rest are virtually the repetitions of the Rig Vedic verses. The Sama Veda is said to have had one thousand recentions but only three of them are now preserved and they are ranayaniyasakha, kantumasakha and jaiminiyasakha.

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Atharva Veda

Atharva Veda is also known as Brahmaveda. The contents of this Veda ranges from diseases and their cure, building construction, trade and commerce, statecraft, penances and propitiatory rights. High philosophical ideas much nearer to those of the Upanishads are also found. The Athrvaveda has 6077 mantras spread over 20 kandas. The Veda designates God as the absolute not only as Brahman but also by some intersting names like Skambha, Ucchista and Vraatya. The whole universe has emerged out of him due to his will and is established in him. He is the lord of the whole creation.
    This work gives us an intersting picture of the society of its time. The land in which the people lived extended from Gandhara ( Afghanisthan ) to Magadha ( Bihar ) and Vanga ( Bengal ). The Varna ( caste ) system had been well established. Trade and commerce were prosporous though agriculture was the mainstay of the people. The cow was highly venerated and godaana ( gift of a cow ) was considered meritorious. The three well known Upanishads the Prasna the Mandaka and the Maandukya belongs to this Veda.

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Yajur Veda

It is a collection of Yajus the mantras in prose which are specially useful to the adhvarya priests during sacrifices. The Yajurveda samhitaa is in two major forms the krishna and the shukla meaning the black and the white. Though the krishna yajurveda samhitaa is said to have had 85 saakhaas or recensions, only four are available now. 1. Taittiriya 2. Maitraayaniya 3.Katha 4. Kapishala.
      Associated with the Taittiriya samhitaa are the Taittiriya bhahmana, Taittiriya aranyaka and the Taittiriya Upanishad. The well known Kathopanishad also belongs to the krishna yajurveda, but to the katha recension. The shukla yojurveda samhitaa, also known as the Vaajasaneyi samhitaa is said to have been collected and edited by famous sage Yajnavalkya.

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Veda

The word Veda literally means knowledge, the knowledge par excellance or supreme knowledge. The Hindus consider the Vedas as the original and prime source of their cultural life. The thinking and feelings of Hindus are regulated by the Vedas. It is almost impossible to perceive and fully understand the ethos of spiritual and cultural lives of Indians without having an insight into Vedas. Most of the Indian scholars consider the Harappa-Mahenjodaro culture (4000 BC) to be a later phase of the Vedic culture. This places the date of the Rig Veda the earliest of the Vedas around 10,000BC. For centuries the Vedas have been handed down to the posterity by oral tradition. Hence the name sruti what is heard.
          The great sage Krishna Dvaipayana Vyasa or Veda Vyasa is said to have effected whis division by collecting all the mantras exant during his time and editing them into four groups : Rig, Yajur, Sama and Atharva. He taught them to his four disciples: Raila ( Rig Veda ) Vaisampayana ( yajur veda ) Jaimani ( sama veda ) and Sumantu ( Atharava veda ). This is how the four Vedas took place.

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Woman in Vedic society.

In Manu samhitaa Manu says " where woman are respected there the Gods delight; and where they are not, there all the works and efforts come to naught". There is no hope of rise for that family or country where there is no estimation of woman, where they live in sadness.
      Vedic or Upanishedic age Maitreyi, Gargi and other ladies of revered memory have taken the place of Rishis through their skill in discussing about Brahman...Since such ideal woman were entitled to spiritual knowledge. Without Shakti ( power ) there is no regeneration for the world. Mother had been born to revive that wonderful Shakti and making her the nucleus, once more will Gargis and Maitreyis be born into the world.

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