VOLUME 3 ISSUE 6

FEBRUARY MARCH 2015

A Bi-monthly bulle$n of Vivekananda Kendra Vedic Vision Founda$on

Walk of Hope

SWAMI VIVEKANANDA JAYANTHI

ONE DAY PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT

CAMP

SAPTAHAM

ANNUAL DAY OF SANDEEPANI

SISHUVIHAR

SPECIAL VISITORS AT ANANDADHAM

It was in the year 1992 that Vivekananda

REGULAR ACTIVITIES & RAMNAVAMI

Kendra had the unique blessing of taking Swami

Vivekananda all through India, along the same route

CELEBRRATION.

that Swamiji himself had taken hundred years earlier.

DIDIS PROGRAMMES

It was this historic parikrama that finally led Swamiji

to Sri Padaparai (now renowned as Vivekananda
Rock) sitting where he had visualised the regeneration
of India as a global spiritual force. There were fifty
persons and nine vehicles in the parikrama group
which covered 22000 kms in 347 days - starting on
12th January 1992 from Calcutta and ending on 25th
December a Kanyakumari. Hundreds of lectures, road
shows, processions and other inspiring programmes
left an indelible impression on all those who participated and on those who witnessed the programmes.
Though not a walk it was indeed a grand pilgrimage,
to awaken the inherent divinity hidden within all and
to point out to a bright future of hope and fulfilment.
These were the enthralling memories that were
uppermost in our minds as we received that new
Messiah of Hope, Sri M, spiritual guide, social
reformer, and educationist and above all a great

VOLUME 3 ISSUE 6

human being. His Satsangh Foundation has embarked

on this Manav Ekata Mission to emphasise the same
divinity and unity that Swamiji had discovered as he
travelled through this great Motherland of ours, way
back in 1890-92. Sri M has done well to launch his
walk of Hope from Kanyakumari on 12th January
2015, Swami Vivekananda's birthday and also our
National Youth Day.
With bowed heads, with our minds thrilled
with vibrations of Swamiji's vision for India, we
received this great man and his entourage of hundred
people on 12th February and felt blessed in offering
our humble hospitality in the name of Swamiji and our
Founder Ma. Eknathji, at our abode of bliss and hope
Ananda Dham, Kodungallur.
Our ancestors used to pray to Almighty to
transform every walk of theirs into a circumambulation of the Supreme.
Let us at least pray to make every step of ours,
one of Hope, assertion of the Divinity of Man and
Unity of Existence.

FEBRUARY MARCH 2015

VIVEKANANDA JAYNTHI
1st February was the public function
of Swamiji s Jayanthi this year. Swami Bhuvanatmanandaji of R.K. Math, Quailandi
and Sri Suresh from Thrissur, a school teacher and a popular orator, were the Guests.
Both Swamiji and Sureshji spoke to the
children emphasizing the relevance of Swami Vivekanandas message in building up of
their lives. Then followed the prize distribution for the Patriotic and Folk group song
winners held in the month of January and

VOLUME 3 ISSUE 6

for the best group performers

of Surya
Namaskar held in the last week of January,
scholarships for five Xth class students and five
XI th class meritorious needy students from
Govt Girls. H. S. S, Kodungallur. This year also,
a new addition was felicitation for the first prize
A grade winners of the State level Kala Utsavam
of State Board and C.B.S.E Board schools of Kodungallur. and audience.
Rolling trophy for folk song went to Govt
U P School, Konathakonnu and for patriotic
song S.N. Vidya Bhavan, Chentrapinni. The
state level Kalapratibhas were made to perform
on stage. The first prize winners of Folk and Patriotic songs also performed. The programme
ended with prasad distribution.

FEBRUARY MARCH 2015

VOLUME 3 ISSUE 6

FEBRUARY MARCH 2015

Qne day camp for students of classes

VII and VIII was conducted on 7th February,
Saturday. Twenty students from, Bharatiya
Vidya Bhavan, Amrita Vidyalayam and St
Annes High School, attended.
Camp started at 9 a.m. and continued
till 3.30 pm. Resource persons were Mananeeya Didi, Sri Sudhakarji, Sri Santosh, Smt
Jyothi Unniraman and Sri Davis who did the
summing up .
Topics were Swami Vivekananda and
Character building, Techniques for preparation for exams, Building communication skills
and solving puzzles and riddles brain
teasers.
Sri Davis made each student mention
one punch point of what they heard in the
lectures so that by the time they left each
student had twenty punch points guiding
them how to be better students.

There is an intricate web of relationship. The society is interwoven with all

these institutions. A very marvellous system of organisation has been
there in all these spheres. Hence we know organisation is not something
that is new to us. Organisation is in our blood. What is more, that organisation is according to our own necessity, of our own type! We have given
the organisational structure, the ethos, the inspiration from our own view
of life, our own spiritual mission of reality.

-Ma. Eknathji Ranade

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FEBRUARY MARCH 2015

Bhagavatam Saptaham started with Mahatmyam on 22nd February in the evening

hours. The Acharya Rajasree Sangameshan
Tampuran of Kochi Royal Family was accompanied by Smt Shantha Bhattathiripad of
Tripunitara and Sri Krishnan Cherukunnan
was the priest conducted at the saptaham,
About fifty people attended the chanting programme everyday from morning 6 am to evening 6pm.
From the fifth day cultural programmes
by local artists were arranged for the entertainment of the guests. Sri Chandrasekhar an old
student of Sadeepani also gave a Veena recital. On 26th there was a Veena recital by Sri
Manoj and party. Smt JAyashree and her Navamalika group sang bhajans on 27th. On 28th
Sri Murugan and Smt Jaya Adikal participated
in a flute recital.

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FEBRUARY MARCH 2015

The thirteenth Annual Day celebration of Sandeepani Sishuvihar was celebrated on 14th March . Smt Padma Vivekanandan a
noted local social worker, was invited as the
Chief Guest. Smt Sheela, a senior teacher of Amrita Vidyalayam was also invited to talk to children. Children with the efforts of teachers and
our wellwisher Smt Padmaja and ofcourse the
enthusiasm of their parents, put up a beautiful
colourful cultural programme which was enjoyed by all.
The Sandeepani students alumni too took part
in the programme. The mothers of the kids too
enthusiastically presented an attractive Thiruvadira dance which they had practised under
Smt Padmajas with prize distribution. It was a
well attended programme. As in previous years
this year also there a mini convocation in
which five of the senior (UKG) students Surya,
Rishikrish, Ritupoorna, Asritha and Siddhartha
received their shawl, certificate, lighted lamp
and booklet of Swamijis suktas.

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FEBRUARY MARCH 2015

REGULAR ACTIVITIES IN THE CAMPUS

9 Ladies and 3 gents were present in the Yoga Satra. Similarly 10 ladies and 12
gents attended the Yoga Vargas classes held regularly in the
morning and forenoon.

Three foreigners from Germany and Spain were given one week yoga lessons
by Sri Sudhakarji in the Banana Resort, a few km from Kodungallur. They visited Anandadham on the last day and was taken around the campus especially
the Vishwabhanu Exhibition of mural paintings depicting Swamijis life.

Yoga was introduced by Smt Sakeena, our Yoga Varga member, to the orphans of Cherman
pally Orphansage during a one day camp.

Ganapathi Homam with Srichakra Pooja was

held on the pounami day during the month of
February and March. Discples of Dr Vijayan of
Karumatra performed the poojas.
On the 27th of March, Pratistha Pooja of the
Ganapathi temple was also performed. Kalasha pooja, Ganapathi homam and Sri Cakra
pooja and Abhisekham were also performed.

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FEBRUARY MARCH 2015

SRI LALITHA SAHASRANAMA SAMAPANAM POOJA

Sri Girishji concluded the class on Sri Lalitha Sahasra naama with a Sri Lalithaashtottara archana
on the evening of 21st February. All the students who regularly attended the two year long Sri
Lalitha Sahasranama class and all the inmates of Anandadham were present for the archana.
KALARI CLASS
Sri Raghu Gurukan conducted regular weekly Kalari classes
from Monday to Wednesday, during February and March.
There are at present 6-7 kids and 5-6 adults.

RAMNAVAMI CELEBRATION
This year Ram Navami, the birthday of Sri Rama
was celebrated on 28th March . Sri Bhattji of Ernakulam was invited to speak on Sri Rama. Programme started at 4.15 pm and ended at 6.30 pm.
The values we can take from Sri Ramas life was
the topic of his speech. After the programme
there was Prasad distribution.
HOW YOU CAN HELP

BY SPONSORING OUR ENGLISH PUBLICATIONS

BY BECOMING ANNUAL DONOR FOR THE PROJECT

BY SPONSORING PROGRAMMES YOUTH CAMPS,

CELEBRATIONS

BY SPREADING THE WORK DONE BY THE VEDIC VISION FOUNDATION

VOLUME 3 ISSUE 6

FEBRUARY MARCH 2015

SPECIAL VISITORS AT ANANDADHAM

Walk of Hope for Peace and harmony is a padayatra
organized by The Manav Ekta Mission covering 65000 kms
from Kashmir to Kanyakumari,led by Sri M, founder of Manav Ekta Mision. Sri M is a spiritual guide, social reformer and
an educationist. It is based in Madanapalle, Andhrapradesh
where he guides the Satsang Foundation and Manav Ekta Mision . This Padayatra started from Kanyakumari on 12th January and reached Kodungallur on the 12th |February, evening.
Mananeeya Lakshmi didi welcomed him , when he reached
Anandadham. All the members of Kendra felt blessed by his
presence and also were delighted to have all the eighty members of his team stay at Anandadham campus.
On the 13th morning a satsangh was held in the
Dakshina hall of Anandadham. Hall was jammpacked with
devotees. Sri M spoke on the life of Sri Ramakrishna and Swamiji and also conducted a short guided meditation. He blessed
the students of Sandeepani Sishuvihar who offered him flowers and chanted prayer. In the evening there was a gathering at
the Bhagavathy Amman temple premises. On 14th early
morning the whole team along with Sri M, left the campus
and continued their Walk of Hope towards Irinjalakuda.
LAKSHMI DIDIS PROGRAMMES IN THE MONTHS
OF FEBRUARY AND MARCH
5th February

Devi temple, Oorakuzhi, Kodungallur.

14th

February

_ National Teachers Union, Annual Meet, Thrissur.

17th

February

Chinmaya Mission, Thrissur

22nd February to 1st March

Bhagavatha Saptaha Yajna

4th March

Talk at Sri Mahadeva Temple,Konnathukunnu.

6th March

AnnualDay Celebration at C K K Menon Memorial School,

Irinjalakuda, as Chief Guest.

8th March

Chief Guest at Womens Day, at Fisheries Institute,

Ernakulam.

10th March

Ayurveda Camp at Anandadham and Inauguration of

Anna Dana at Bhagavathi Amman temple, Kodungallur.

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FEBRUARY MARCH 2015

10

Dr. M. Lakshmi Kumari

Shall India die? Then from the world all spiritual- spiration to choose such a remarkable ideal?
ity will be extinct; all moral perfection will be ex- Watching his Master Sri Ramakrishna, so efforttinct; all sweet-souled sympathy for religion will lessly transforming the highest ideals of Vedanta
be extinct; all ideality will be extinct; and in its into simple practical day to day philosophy, implace will reign the duality of lust and luxury as planting the idea of Adwaita Oneness in the
the male and female deities, with money as its minds of those around him, Swami Vivekananda
priest, fraud, force and competition its ceremo- wanted the very same idea to become the ideal of
nies and the human soul its sacrifice. Such a thing the Mission in his Masters name to inspire people
can never be.

to lead a life of renunciation and service leading to

There is no aspect of Indian life untouched self enfoldment on one side and service of the
by him and no patriotic Indian who has not been people on the other. This is the mahamantra which
inspired by his life and teachings.The lives of In- Swamiji effectively used to convert the anthadian people are getting more and more lusterless ranga disciples of Sri Ramakrishna, who were getin spite of all the affected external glaze and ting too absorbed in self emancipation, neglecting
glamour imported through western ideas. The the service of the Virat around them.
world- weariness which is spreading throughout

The authors of The Life have recorded

our national life is dangerously carving away our the situation thus:
nations socio-spiritual fabric. As a result all the

Of the Swamijis numerous triumphs one

hidden evil in human heart is sprouting out in vari- of the greatest was the conversion of his Gurubous forms and names. Swamijis meaningful words hais from individualistic to the universal idea of
quoted above, should once again reverberate religious life in which public spirit and service to
throughout the length and breadth of our nation fellowmen occupy prominent place. Up to this time
bringing a new vision to our youth, making their the ideal of the monks of the Math was, to strive
lives purposeful in the service of our motherland.

for personal Mukti and realization of the Supreme

Many a mahamantra has been uttered by Atman by severe penance and meditation, remainSwamiji, each with its own deep implications car- ing as much as possible aloof from the world and
rying its own unique message for humans in general its cares and sorrows, according to the prevailing
and Indians in particular. Yet the most outstand- Hindu idea, sanctified by tradition, and sanctioned
ing among them, which he himself chose to adorn by the sages and the seers from the Vedic period
the emblem of RK mission, is atmano mokshartham down to the present day. But with the appearance
jagat-hitaya ca, for individual unfoldment and uni- of the Swami among them a new order of things
versal well being. This meaningful message, was inaugurated The age demanded, he said,
properly understood, holds great promise for revi- that they should carry the new light unto others,
talizing our national life in this critical phase of that they themselves should show by their examour nations history.

ple how to serve the poor, the helpless, and the

What could be the source of Swamijis in- diseased, seeing God in them, and that they should

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FEBRUARY MARCH 2015

11

inspire others to do the same. The mission of his Madhava seva and hence service to humanity must
life, he said, was to create a new order of Sannya- become an essential ingredient of all human efsins in India who would dedicate their lives to help forts, especially those meant to please Gods.
and save others.

Needless to add, this also very much substantiates

The proposition, though grand and inspir- Sri Krishnas observation that his devotees should
ing, was to them too revolutionary and staggering. visualize Him not only within themselves but also in
How could they suddenly change at anothers bid- everything around them.
ding their precious religious ideal to which they

The actions we do thoughts, words and

had given their lives, for one which apparently deeds should never lead to contraction or tension
went against their whole nature and training? With in human mind but must result in its expansion
them the struggle was hard and long. But who which is a pre requisite for happiness, peace and
could resist the Swami?

sense of well being. Ego, likes and dislikes, self-

In one of the most recent biographies of ish motivations, excessive desire for fruits of acSwamiji, the author adds: It was most ironical tions, etc., pollute our actions and are the obstathat converting his own brother- monks to the cles preventing expansion of mind. Individuals,
Vedanta as a feeling of Oneness with all living be- filled with tension within and spreading tensions all
ings, and hence to the realization that true renun- around, what service can they render to the socieciation was not a selfish seeking of ones own salva- ty?
tion but involved a passionate concern with their

On the contrary, when one transcends self-

suffering, should have been considered as one of ish motivations and his / her work borders on
Swami Vivekanandas greatest triumphs. That he Nishkama karma, bereft of any personal interest,
had to first remove from their minds the limited such deeds automatically lead to Lokasamgraha or
notions of the greatest concepts of Indian philos- Jagathita. It is the Nishkama karma which is being
ophy and their application to life, was ironical no carried out at infinite levels by infinite beings that
less.

essentially provides the links which hold together

In fact Swamijis ideal caters to both as- the web of the great Cosmic Yajna of the Uni-

pects. Atmano mokshartham points to the central verse. From the smallest bacterium to the mightiideal of Hindu religion, where the goal of life is est of galaxies yonder there in the space all have
identified as total liberation through self realiza- their allotted work which is being carried out detion. All the great teachers without exception sirelessly. And the result is this magnificent Unihave bequeathed this ideal to the posterity. Swa- verse.
miji also endorses this as the Supreme Goal of Life

At the outset the ideal carries the message

and points to the necessity of every potentially of ones Self Realization as the prime goal of life
divine soul working it out in their own way through leading to liberation from the clutches of worldly
work, worship, psychic control or philosophy. But pursuits. After liberating oneself what is he supwhat has made it more glorious and relevant for all posed to do muktascha anyan vimochayet the
times to come is the ideal enshrined in the phrase liberated should help others to liberate themJagathitaya ca, which is a direct outcome of Sri selves. That is the jagathita he has to practise. As
Ramakrishnas assertion that Manava seva is Ganga flows down from the very heights of Hima-

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FEBRUARY MARCH 2015

12

layas bringing fresh water and nourishments to the oneself and then should he move on to others. Latplains so should the realized soul work for the er Swamiji further emphasized it with his advice,
welfare of the humanity making himself a good ex- Be and make with special reference to teachers.
ample of renunciation and service. This ideal is to Unfortunately everyone thinks himself or herself
be implanted in thoughts, words and deeds. One perfect and neglecting the first injunction, waste
can mold oneself into such an ideal only if he has their time in improving the society. Of course,
realized that the Self within him is the Self every- some good would come to the society even with
where. If there be any error in his understanding such good actions but the results will not be long
he would turn into a conceited selfish being, self lasting and without a proper living ideal to follow,
motivated, looking for opportunities for self pro- conditions would soon deteriorate and situation
jection. Todays society is full of such people who, worsen. The individuals do not get any enlightenposing themselves as great as politicians, teach- ment or inspiration which leads to decay in Dharma
ers, social workers and so on, exploit the poor and and the loosening of the subtle web of interdethe ignorant. Once the purpose of life gets linked pendence. Interdependence based on the Truth of
to Self realization, then only all the other life ac- Oneness is what makes the society strong and sustivities

mental, intellectual or physical fall in taining, contributing to the welfare of all its com-

line and get integrated with the Ultimate Truth. ponents.

Again, once the central core of ones awareness is

The slogan offers yet another great possi-

the Ultimate Truth within, then all that he does bility. It is a wonderful measuring rod for the indiwould not only carry the lustre of Truth but they vidual to assess the true worth of his own actions.
will automatically result in the welfare of the soci- After a little sincere pondering following execution
ety. As a result a wonderful remolding of charac- of a work, if one finds no tension but a sense of
ter occurs as all good qualities automatically find a well being and expansiveness within, it is surely
place in such a being. Step by step he moves on- an action in the right spirit of Yajna. One must also
ward in his evolution from human to the divine. A see that every action leads to the well being and
society where such a dharmic ideal becomes the peace of those around. This double assessment at
norm of living there will nothing else be, but peace, every step by everyone would help to keep the socontentment and happiness. Sri Krishna emphasizes ciety on the path of

Dharma, on the path of

this when he tells Arjuna Swadharme nidhanam Spiritual Evolution. That is the best way in which
Sreya.

we can give to Swamijis soul searching question

Hidden in Swamijis ideal is another great Shall India die? the answer he himself emphatilesson one must start with oneself, enlightening cally gave Such a thing can never be.

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA VEDIC VISION FOUNDATION

ANANDADHAM, SRINGAPURAM KODUNGALLUR,
PIN 680664. KERALA

Ph. No : 0480-2803349, 2805780, 2812780

Email ID : vkvvf@vkendra.org