\Samvad

Phalgun Krishna 11 Vik. Samvat 2079, Yugabda 5124 : 1 6 February, 2023:SM 4022 (For Private Circulation only)


1. FESTIVALS: HOLI 2. PROGRAMS OF SARSANGHACHALAK DR. MOHAN BHAGWAT
3. ALL PEOPLE LIVING IN BHARAT ARE HINDUS: SHRI HOSABALE 4. TRADITIONS AND SENTIMENTS EMANATING FROM KASHI, AYODHYA, MATHURA AND SARNATH UNITE ALL BHARATIYAS
5. 200TH BIRTH ANNIVERSARY OF SWAMI DAYANANDA SARASWATI 6. HINDU SWAYAMSEVAK SANGH NEW ZEALAND
7. RELIEF WORK IN TURKEY 8. THAIPUSAM : MASSIVE CROWD IN BATU CAVES MALAYSIA
9. 108 BUDDHISTS FROM REPUBLIC OF KOREA TO WALK FOR OVER 1100 KM ON A 43-DAY PILGRIMAGE 10. HUNDREDS ATTEND OPENING OF SWINDON'S NEW HINDU MANDIR
11. IT WAS MY ‘DHARMA’ TO TAKE OVER AS UK PM: RISHI SUNAK 12. ‘PAINED BY RISING HINDUPHOBIA': CANADIAN MP RAISES ATTACK ON BRAMPTON MANDIR IN PARLIAMENT
13. IN A FIRST, ROAD CONSTRUCTION BEGINS IN UDHAMPUR 14. LCA TEJAS OF NAVY MAKES MAIDEN LANDING & TAKE-OFF FROM AIRCRAFT CARRIER INS VIKRANT
15. STONE-AGE CARVINGS FOUND IN ARAVALIS IN GURUGRAM 16. BHARAT ANNOUNCES SUPPORT TO BHUTAN FOR 3RD INTERNATIONAL INTERNET GATEWAY
17. 12TH WORLD HINDI CONFERENCE HELD IN FIJI 18. BHARAT, NO. 1 AMONG 110 NATIONS FOR INCLUSIVITY MEASURES TOWARDS RELIGIOUS MINORITIES
19. WORLD'S FIRST CLOUD-BUILT DEMO SAT MADE BY BHARATIYA FIRM 20. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN & FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Article: INFINITE AND ETERNAL


1. FESTIVALS: HOLI (8th March this year) is a festival of colours that celebrates the triumph of good over evil, good harvest, and fertility. It starts with lighting the bonfire in the evening of Purnima in Falgun month as Holika Dahan or Choti Holi and the following day is called Holi. On the day of Holi people play with colours with their friends and families. Holi is also known as Phaguwa in Bhojpuri, Ukkuli in Konkani, Panguni Uthiram in Tamil, Jajiri in Telugu and Dol Jatra in Bengali.

The six day celebrations by Manipuris culminate in Yaosang. In Odisha it is known as ‘Dola’ during which the murtis of Jagannath replace the murtis of Krishna and Radha. Lathmar Holi is celebrated in the Radha Rani mandir at Barsana (Uttar Pradesh) and Kumaoni Holi in Uttarakhand includes a musical affair. Holi is a national holiday in Nepal where it is celebrated as Phagu Purnima and also in Suriname and Guyana. Bharatiya diaspora across the world hold celebrations in various countries including Trinidad and Tobago, Fiji, Mauritius and Indonesia.  -GoTop

2. PROGRAMS OF SARSANGHACHALAK DR. MOHAN BHAGWAT: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Sarsanghachalak Dr. Mohan Bhagwat on 14th February said that ‘good countries’ of the world have multitude of ideas, and one ideology or one person cannot make or break a country. He was speaking at an awards function organised by the Rajratna Puraskar Samiti in Nagpur. Speaking of the Bhonsle family, the former royal family of Nagpur, he said it was connected with the RSS from the time of the Sangh's founder K B Hedgewar. While Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj founded `Swarajya' (sovereign state) and freed southern Bharat from atrocities during his time, East and North Bharat were freed from atrocities by the rule of the Nagpur Bhonsle family, he said.
On 5th February speaking at the 647th birth anniversary programme organised by Ravidas Samaj Panchayat and Vasudha Charitable Trust at Ravindra Natya Mandir, Prabhadevi in Mumbai, Dr Mohan Bhagwat said that to our Creator, we are equal and there is no caste or sect.
On the occasion of the combined celebrations of Silver Jublee of Sewa Bharati and Guru Ravidas Jayanti in Bhopal, Dr. Bhagwat said that a country progresses only when it respects the hard work of its workers. Talking about Sewa Bharati, Sarsanghachalak said that true Sewa means no income, no ego, only welfare of others. Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan hailed the sewa work of Sewa Bharati in the fields of education, health and service. A book on Sant Ravi Das by Ramnath Nikhara and a special issue of Sewa Prerna were also released on this occasion.
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3. ALL PEOPLE LIVING IN BHARAT ARE HINDUS: SHRI HOSABALE: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Sarkaryavah Dattatreya Hosabale said on 1st February that all people living in Bharat are Hindus because their forefathers were Hindus and though their methods of worship and eating habits may be different, but they all have the same DNA.
Shri Hosabale was speaking on 'Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow' organised by the Ekatm Manavdarshan Anusandhan Evam Vikas Pratishthan in Jaipur. RSS Sarkaryavah also emphasised the fact that Bharat can lead the world by becoming a 'Vishwa Guru' only with collective efforts of all.
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4. TRADITIONS AND SENTIMENTS EMANATING FROM KASHI, AYODHYA, MATHURA AND SARNATH UNITE ALL BHARATIYAS: On February 12 Rashtrapati Droupadi Murmu while addressing a civic reception hosted in her honour by the Uttar Pradesh government at Lok Bhavan in Luknow said that the traditions and sentiments emanating from Kashi, Ayodhya, Mathura and Sarnath unite all Bharatiyas in one thread.
She said, “Naimisharanya, Gorakhpur, Magahar and many other holy places of Uttar Pradesh have witnessed Bharat’s flourishing spiritual power. The spiritual energy of such holy places would continue to provide strength to our country for ages.” The Kumbh in Prayagraj has been a major religious, spiritual and cultural event since ancient times, she said, adding that in 2017 UNESCO recognised Prayagraj Kumbh Mela as an “Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity”. She expressed confidence that Bharat has a bright future as the hardworking and dedicated people of such a vast state are working to build a new Bharat. Governor Anandiben Patel, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and people from diverse fields were present on the occasion. Earlier, Rashtrapati Murmu also addressed the valedictory session of the Uttar Pradesh Global Investors Summit.
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5. 200TH BIRTH ANNIVERSARY OF SWAMI DAYANANDA SARASWATI: Pradhan Mantri Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the year-long celebrations commemorating the 200th birth anniversary of Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati, at Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in Delhi on 12th February. He also released a logo for commemoration. Upon arriving at the venue, the Pradhan Mantri walked past the panorama and live representations of Arya Samaj and also offered Ahuti Arpan in the ongoing Yagya. Later on, he handed over the LED Mashal to youth representatives as a symbolic carry forward of the spark ignited in this programme and reinforcing the messages of Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati to the rest of Bharat and the world.
PM Modi underlined that the auspicious occasion will be celebrated for two years. He said that the country is following Swamiji’s teaching with great confidence. Referring to Swamiji’s call ‘Back to Vedas’, PM Modi also said that today the country is confidently calling for ‘pride in our heritage’, as he noted the confidence of the people of Bharat to lay the path of modernity while enriching the culture and traditions at the same time. Pradhan Mantri underlined that the country is witnessing progress with non-discriminatory policies and efforts which were a priority for Swami Ji also. He recalled Swami ji’s definition of a realized person as a person who gives more than he takes.
Emphasizing that lots can be learnt from the Maharishi’s personality, the PM Modi narrated the story of an English officer who came to meet Maharishi and asked him to pray for continuous British Rule in Bharat to which Maharishi fearlessly replied, “Independence is my soul and the voice of Bharat”. The Pradhan Mantri said that innumerable freedom fighters, institution builders and patriots took inspiration from Swami Ji and gave examples of Lokmanya Tilak, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Veer Savarkar, Lala Lajpat Rai, Lala Hardayal, Chandrashekhar Azad, Ram Prasad Bismil and other freedom fighters. He also gave examples of Mahatma Hansraj, Swami Shraddhanand, Bhai Parmanand and many other leaders who found inspiration from Maharishi. Governor of Gujarat Acharya Devvrat, Union Ministers G. Kishan Reddy, Arjun Ram Meghwal and Smt Meenakshi Lekhi, President of Delhi Arya Pratinidhi Sabha Daram Pal Arya were present on the occasion among others.
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6. HINDU SWAYAMSEVAK SANGH NEW ZEALAND: On 3rd February, Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh New Zealand Yuva toli carried out seva activity at Wesley Primary School where ARK Collective is running the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) supported center. 10 karyakartas worked in different groups.
One group managed incoming donations by helping people unload their donations and place it the right room while another group was helping with giving a food box, cleaning kits, and toiletries to the affected people. They also helped in loading and unloading packaged boxes coming from different centers.
The Yuva toli set a great example of responding in time of need and putting others needs before their own by changing their schedules to carry out the sewa.
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7. RELIEF WORK IN TURKEY: Over 36,000 people have died since the earthquake struck Turkey and Syria on February 6. According to the United Nations, the quake might have left over 5.3 million homeless. Sewa International, with the combined efforts of the partner organizations like Sewa Canada, Sewa Europe, DSV Global Transport, Sewa USA, and ISKCON is providing relief to the survivors. Sewa International and Food For Life (ISKCON Turkey and Hungary) volunteers arrived in Antakya, in Hatay province, Turkey, on 12th and 14th February and to set up cooking stations that served 800 -1200 hot vegetarian meals, snacks and tea to survivors of the earthquake.
Bharat’s Operation Dost: After the first earthquake hit in Turkey, Bharatiya government held a meeting to provide assistance. Hours after Pradhan Mantri Office's announcement to send aid, a team of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel with a specially trained dog squad along with necessary equipment, including an array of medical supplies, advanced drilling machines, and other crucial tools departed for Turkey.
NDRF said that their team, in a joint operation with AFAD (Disaster and Emergency Management Authority) of Turkey, pulled out a 6-year-old girl alive from the rubble of a collapsed structure in Nurdagi town of Gaziantep province and also retrieved 8 dead bodies from the debris till now. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar gave details about the sixth plane for Turkey and said that it carried rescue personnel, essentials and medical equipment for earthquake relief efforts reached Turkey. Turkey's Ambassador to Bharat Firat Sunel has described 'Operation Dost' as a "very important operation" and demonstrated the friendship between the two nations.
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8. THAIPUSAM : MASSIVE CROWD IN BATU CAVES MALAYSIA: In Kauala Lumpur, Malaysia, the Thaipusam festival was celebrated on a grand scale across the country on 5th February after two years of muted celebrations due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Sri Subramaniar Swamy Mandir in Batu Caves was a sea of people, with thousands of devotees carrying 'kavadi' and 'paal kudam' (milk offerings) to pay homage to Bhagwan Murugan.
Around 150,000 Hindus thronged at Sri Subramaniar Swamy Mandir in Kuala Selangor. In Negri Sembilan, George Town, Perak and other mandirs premises thousands of devotees visited for the celebrations. The annual Hindu festival of Thaipusam is traditionally celebrated with great fanfare by Hindus in Singapore. Thousands of people gathered to witness the devotees walking a 3.2km route between two major Bhagwan Murugan mandirs.
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9. 108 BUDDHISTS FROM REPUBLIC OF KOREA TO WALK FOR OVER 1100 KM ON A 43-DAY PILGRIMAGE: On 6th February Apurva Chandra, Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, announced that 108 Buddhists from Republic of Korea will walk over 1,100 kms over 43 days as part of walking pilgrimage being organized by Sangwol Society of South Korea. The pilgrimage aims to increase friendship and collaboration between the two countries.
The tourists will be on a 43-day tour to Buddhist holy sites in Bharat and Nepal from 9th February to 23rd March. Ambassador of Republic of Korea to Bharat Chang Jae-bok said that the year 2023 is special for the bilateral relation between the countries as the two celebrate the historic milestone of 50 years of diplomatic relations. The occasion coincides with Bharat’s G20 Presidency and South Korea is committed to Bharat’s success at G20, he added. The Ambassador further remarked that Buddhist teachings are similar to the motto of Bharat’s G20 Presidency ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future’.
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10. HUNDREDS ATTEND OPENING OF SWINDON'S NEW HINDU MANDIR: On 12 February Swindon's new Hindu mandir’s opening comes nearly 18 months after Swindon's previous mandir closed in October 2021 following safety concerns. The Hindu Mandir and Cultural Centre will occupy two floors in Regent House, with the mandir sitting on the second floor.
The space will also be used for cultural activities. Pradeep Bhadwaj, chairman of the mandir, said that having so many people attend the event was "overwhelming to say the least". The opening ceremony was carried out by Gurukul Sudershan - the priest of London's East Ham Mandir. Around 400 people attended the opening ceremony.
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11. IT WAS MY ‘DHARMA’ TO TAKE OVER AS UK PM: RISHI SUNAK: British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has spoken of his motivation behind taking on the top job at 10 Downing Street in the wake of intense political turmoil last year as his “dharma”.
In a televised interview with 'Talk TV' host Piers Morgan at his Downing Street home to mark 100 days in the job as Britain’s first Bharatiya-origin Prime Minister on 2nd February, he was asked what made him take on the tough task amid a crippling cost-of-living crisis and his predecessor Liz Truss’ shortest term as Prime Minister at just 45 days.
“For me it’s about duty. There’s a concept in Hinduism called dharma, which roughly translates into duty and that’s how I was raised. It was about doing the things that were expected of you and trying to do the right thing,” he replied.
The 42-year-old, who swore his oath of allegiance on being elected member of Parliament in the House of Commons on the ‘Bhagavad Gita’, has often spoken about his Hindu faith giving him strength.
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12. ‘PAINED BY RISING HINDUPHOBIA': CANADIAN MP RAISES ATTACK ON BRAMPTON MANDIR IN PARLIAMENT: Two days after a prominent Hindu mandir in Brampton, Gouri Shankar Mandir, was vandalised with anti-Bharat graffiti, Bharatiya-origin Member of Parliament in Canada, Chandra Arya, condemned the attack and raised the issue of 'hate-crime' in the Canadian parliament on 1st February. "Hindu Canadians are deeply pained by the rising Hinduphobia in Canada," Arya said in the Canadian parliament. Calling it an "alarming trend," he called upon Canada to stop rising hate-crimes against Hindus. The Bharatiya Consulate General in Toronto also condemned such act of vandalism on 31st January 2023.
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13. IN A FIRST, ROAD CONSTRUCTION BEGINS IN UDHAMPUR: In a huge development in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, the construction of road under Thanoa Panchayat began under a Centre-sponsored scheme.
The 3-km long road is funded by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) which will enhance connectivity for the locals. A road will be established between Khubani village and Tarmara village in Panchayat Thanoa of Udhampur district, J&K. Being built at a cost of Rs 6 crore 39.10 lakhs road will benefit a population of 2,000 people across four wards of Thanoa and other adjoining areas. There have been several developments taking place under the Centre-sponsered scheme. Locals of the tribal area in Tethan in Dooru block, Anantnag district of south Kashmir were ecstatic after electricity reached their village.
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14. LCA TEJAS OF NAVY MAKES MAIDEN LANDING & TAKE-OFF FROM AIRCRAFT CARRIER INS VIKRANT: In a major milestone to boost "Atmanirbhar Bharat" in the Bharatiya Navy, the naval variant of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas, named as LCA Navy, made its maiden landing and take-off from Bharat's first indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant on 6th February. The Bharatiya Navy said, "A historical milestone by Indian Navy as Naval Pilots carry out landing of LCA (Navy) onboard INS Vikrant." Further, it added, "It demonstrates India’s capability to design, develop, construct & operate Indigenous Aircraft Carrier with indigenous Fighter Aircraft." Notably, the carrier has a capacity for around 45 aircraft.
Prior to this, the LCA Navy had made successful landing onboard INS Vikramaditya.
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15. STONE-AGE CARVINGS FOUND IN ARAVALIS IN GURUGRAM: The trove of history that the Aravalis hold has widened with the latest discovery of stone carvings that archaeologists say date back to the Paleolithic period or the Stone Age.
The petroglyphs discovered in Badshapur Tethar village of Sohna include graffiti, and hand and footprints of humans and animals engraved on quartzite rocks. The site is atop a hillock and just 6km from Mangar, where cave paintings believed to be from the same period were discovered in 2021. The carvings, however, seem to be older, experts said. The Paleolithic era spans from about 25 lakh years to 10,000 BP (before present, the carbon dating marker that archaeologists use with 1950 treated as the base year). Spread across a 2km radius, the latest site was discovered recently by Sunil Harsana, an ecologist and wildlife researcher. On 5th Febraury a team of archaeologists confirmed that the rocks indeed dated back to the Paleolithic period. In 1986, stone paintings were discovered in Anangpur area of Faridabad. A total of 43 sites were traced then, prompting researchers to start surveys of the area.
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16. BHARAT ANNOUNCES SUPPORT TO BHUTAN FOR 3RD INTERNATIONAL INTERNET GATEWAY: On 31st February, Bharat announced its help for the development of Bhutan’s third international internet gateway. According to the Embassy of Bharat in Bhutan, the government will facilitate a concessional rate to reduce the cost of the gateway’s operations. “As part of the expanding Bharat-Bhutan digital partnership, the Government of India is pleased to support the Royal Government of Bhutan for the establishment of the third international internet gateway for Bhutan. In this regard, India will be facilitating a concessional rate to bring down the cost of operations of the gateway. The gateway is expected to enhance redundancy, connect remote pockets of Bhutan, increase internet bandwidth, and reduce the cost of internet connectivity for users,” said the Bharatiya Embassy in Thimphu.
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17. 12TH WORLD HINDI CONFERENCE HELD IN FIJI: The 12th World Hindi Conference was held in Nadi, Fiji from 15th to 17th February.
The event was organised by the External Affairs Ministry, Government of Bharat and the Government of Fiji. The aim of the event was to promote Hindi as a global language. Fiji’s recognition of Girmit Day is significant as it reflects the tremendous difficulties faced by Bharatiyas that came to Fiji through the indentured system.
On 15th February the External Affairs Minister of Bharat, Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said that the fact that Fiji marks the day is humbling as the sacrifices made by those that travelled miles from their homeland will always be remembered. He said that the commemoration of Girmit Day is also a decision that has strong cultural resonance as such steps express our sense of mutual respect and understanding and has a deep impact on strengthening international cooperation.
Dr Jaishankar said that Bharat is also appreciative of the Fiji Government’s decision to be a collaborative partner for the 12th World Hindi Conference in Nadi. According to Dr. Jaishankar, the event demonstrates their appreciation for Hindi culture and language.
Dr Jaishankar’s is in the country for the first time to attend the 12th World Hindi Conference and heads the first foreign ministerial delegation to visit the country after the formation of a new coalition Government.
Apart from his engagements at the conference, the External Affairs Minister held bilateral meetings with the new Fijian leadership. On the occasion, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar along with President of Fiji Ratu Wiliame Maivalili Katonivere released a postal stamp in Nadi, Fiji on February 14.
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18. BHARAT, NO. 1 AMONG 110 NATIONS FOR INCLUSIVITY MEASURES TOWARDS RELIGIOUS MINORITIES: According to the Centre for Policy Analysis' (CPA) inaugural assessment on global minorities, Bharat has been ranked as number one among 110 nations for its inclusivity measures towards religious minorities. Notably, the Centre for Policy Analysis (CPA) is a research institute, having its headquarters in Bharat's Patna.  Among 110 nations, Bharat has the highest level of religious minorities acceptance, followed by South Korea, Japan, Panama, and Maldives, Afghanistan, and Somalia are at the bottom of the list, with the UK and the UAE coming in at positions 54 and 61, respectively, the report said.  
Bharat's minority policy is based on an approach that emphasises diversity enhancement, according to the CPA report. Apart from that, Bharat's Constitution contains specific and exclusive provisions for the advancement of religious minorities in culture and education. According to the report, there are no explicit provisions for the promotion of linguistic and religious minorities in any other Constitution. The report highlights how, unlike many other nations, there is no restriction on any religious sects in Bharat.
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19. WORLD'S FIRST CLOUD-BUILT DEMO SAT MADE BY BHARATIYA FIRM: JANUS-1 satellite that rode on Isro's new mini-rocket SSLV-D2 and reached its orbit successfully on 10th February is the world's first satellite fully conceived, designed and manufactured using an Bharatiya company's end-to-end cloud platform.
Interestingly, the complete assembly, integration and test for JANUS-1 has been conducted in Bengaluru by Ananth Technologies Ltd (ATL). JANUS-1 is a software defined 6U technology demonstration satellite designed and built using the Antaris cloud software platform and SatOSsoftware, as well as XDLinx's modular spacecraft bus. From concept to launch readiness, JANUS-1 was designed and built in just 10 months at a cost saving of 75% over comparable satellite missions .
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20. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN: Pravas: Visitors:

FOOD FOR THOUGHT : It must be known that bad conduct leads to misery and good conduct to happiness. Hence it is the duty of everyone to acquire goodness for the sake of worldly enjoyment as well as salvation. – Shiva Purana 1.13.58
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JAI SHRI RAM
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INFINITE AND ETERNAL
Dr David Frawley (Vamadeva)

Shiva Mahadev, perhaps the most enduring Hindu Devata, is difficult for many people, particularly in the Western world, to imagine, much less to understand. The reality of Shiva is hidden in mystery, transcendence, enigma and paradox that cannot be confined to definitions, ideologies or beliefs. Shiva presents to us a vast yet indefinable reality beyond the mind and its limited perspectives of time, place and person. Shiva’s complex symbolism, and the depths of Shaivite psychology and philosophy is meant to break down the hubris of the dualistic mind and the conflicts it has created in its efforts to control the world.
Shiva has a multidimensional existence at all levels of the universe, from our dense physical world to all the lokas of the cosmos and ultimately to the supreme Brahman beyond all possible manifestations. Everything in essence is pervaded by Shiva, who is like boundless space and light.
Today, under the domination of the machine, our thinking and perception is becoming ever more linear, superficial and lacking in depth perception, trapped inside the screen of our shifting thoughts and biased opinions. This makes Shiva even harder for us to perceive and we tend to reduce him to one level only, as if He were but a physical from or mental image. Yet Shiva remains as the inscrutable power to take us beyond our preconceptions, conditioning and expectations. We live in the immutable reality of Shiva but with our inner eye closed as if we were our own reality, when we are but a transient play of artificial desires and borrowed imaginations, not seeing the real universe in which we truly life, which is full of the wonder of Shiva.
Mahayogi Shiva

Shiva is Mahayogi and Adi Yogi, the great Yogi and the original Yogi, though the scope of his all-encompassing Yoga is seldom comprehended. He is the most well known Yoga Deity and Yoga guru among all the Devatas. The Sanskrit language and all mantras arise more the sound of his drum, which reverberates through of all of space. He holds the immortal unitary Prana behind the breath, which no poison or deceases or body or mind can disturb.
All Yoga asanas reflect Shiva’s natural movement, which is a dance of stillness leading to the Tandava, which dissolves all that is merely outward or apparent into the fire of pure consciousness. Samadhi is Shiva’s natural state of awareness, untainted by thought, which holds the fullness, untainted by thought, which holds the fullness of bliss, Purnanada. His state is Nirvikalpa, beyond any formations, conclusions of imaginations of the mind.
Shiva is perhaps the most enduring Hindu Devata or that of the entire world, such an ancient stone formations reveal on every continent, as the sacred mountains, pyramid, obelisk, cosmic tree, pillar and the great Shiva linga, used to recognise and worship his supreme power to ascend over everything by the steadiness of his own being and fearlessness.
Shaivite Yoga Traditions
Shiva represents the main Vedic deities going back to the oldest Rigveda and its Rishi mantras. As Trinayana, his three eyes are the Sun (Surya), Moon (Soma) and Fire (Agni), the three main devatas of the Rigveda. Indra is his lighting form. Shiva is called Rudra in the Vedas, the maker of sound and thunder, but he is also Soma, the nectar of immortality, with which Rudra (who is also called Agni) are often combined. He is dramatically lauded in the famous Rudram chant of the Krishna Yajurveda, which resonates though all Shiva temples even today, thousands of years later.
The older Shaivite Vedic Yoga was based upon Rudra and his forces as the Rudras or Maruts, with Vishnu as Evayamarut and Indra a Marutvan. Maruts as the great Vedic Rishis who were Mahayogis and could travel freely over the Earth, its mountains and seas, and through all the lokas.
In the Mahabharata and before, Shiva is called Pashupati, which connects to the Pashupata Yoga attributed to the Rishi Lakulish Pashupati is not just the lord of animals, he is also the lord of ruler of what is seen, the seer of all.
Later, Shaivism developed as the Shaivite Nath Yoga of Gorakhnath and Matsyendra Nath, which included Hatha Yoga and Siddha Yoga. Yet Shiva and the Nath Yoga are mentioned by Adi Shakara, who knew their secrets as well. Adi Shankara was Shiva in manifestation as Dakshinamurti.
Most Yoga historically has been a Shaivite Yoga, yet not in any sectarian sense. Often it is Vishnu who teaches Shiva like Matsyendranath to Gorakhnath. It is Shiva who teaches Yoga to Parvati, his Shakti. Yet it is Parvati who holds the Yoga Shakti that brings about all transformations compared to which Shiva is but a silent, immobile witness in pure transcendence.
Shiva has his special forms, forces and expressions throughout nature. Shiva on Earth is first of all the mountain. All mountains in all countries are forms of Shiva. In the atmosphere, Shiva is thunder and lightning which sets in motion the seasons, life and movement through the winds and pranic forces. In the sky beyond is Shiva as both the Sun and Moon, our prime luminaries. He rules over the Nakshatras of Mrigshira (Soma) and Arda (Rudra), which mark what is called the constellation of Orion in western traditions, and the place of Osiris and immortality for the ancient Egyptians. Immorality is only possible when we return to our Shiva nature of silence, stillness, solitude and yet all encompassing Being, Consciousness and Bliss.

AWAKENING TO THE REALITY OF SHIVA
In India today there is a great revival of Shiva Bhakti, epitomized by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s devotion to him, with the renovations of His temples in Kedarnath, Kashi and Ujjain. As Shiva is Mahakala, the lord of time in Ujjain, a new Shiva Yuga is slowly emerging for all.

The entire world and humanity as a whole needs to discover the presence of the infinite and eternal Shiva, inspiring an honoring the nature’s vastness, the wilderness, and the boundless and uncharted realms of pure consciousness and light around the within us, which we are quickly losing our connection to.
Mahashivaratri is the sacred time of the Hindu year to worship Shiva Mahadev and draw in his awareness which takes us beyond all ignorance, duality, sorrow and death. The night of Shiva is the day for all the Devatas, the time of inner light which is self-illumining beyond all horizons.
May Mahashivaratri awaken you to your eternal Shiva nature! Om Nama Shivaya! (Organiser, February 19, 2023)
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