Ashwin Krishna 3 Vik. Samvat 2080, Yugabda 5125 : 1 October, 2023: SM 5013(For Private Circulation only)
1. FESTIVALS:
NAVRATRI: Navratri (October 15-23 this year), the nine-night festival, is
celebrated with great enthusiasm in Bharat and holds profound spiritual
significance. It is dedicated to various forms of Ma Durga, each symbolizing
distinct aspects of feminine power. One captivating aspect of Navratri is the
association of specific colours with each day, representing different forms of
the Devi.
2. RSS SARASANGHCHALAK’S PROGRAMS: On September 19,
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Sarsanghchalak Dr Mohan Bhagwat installed Shrimant
Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati in Pune, Maharashtra.
In a statement on September 22, Dr Bhagwat lauded the Bharatiya Parliament for passing the ‘Nari Shakti Vandan Act 2023’ or the Women’s Reservation Bill and called the decision helpful in making the nation strong and inclusive. The statement further added that RSS considers this as a welcome and commendable step and has full confidence that women’s participation will add new dimensions to the country’s development.
‘Jagala Pokharnari Davi Valvi’ (The Left Termite That Destroys the World), a book written by author Abhijit Jog and published by Dilipraj Prakashan, was released by Dr Bhagwat in the Symbiosis Vishwabhavan Auditorium in Pune. Jawaharlal Nehru University’s Vice Chancellor Dr Shantisree Pandit, Dilipraj Prakashan’s Managing Trustee Rajeev Barve, author Abhijit Jog and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.
3. TIME TO ACCOMPLISH RESOLVES : PM MODI: In his first
speech in the Lok Sabha in the new Parliament building on September 19, Pradhan
Manrti Narendra Modi said that the new Parliament building reflects the
aspirations of 140 crore Bharatiyas and it is time to accomplish the resolves
and begin the new journey with renewed enthusiasm and energy.
4. AKHIL BHARATIYA SAMANVAY BAITHAK: Akhil Bharatiya
Samanvay Baithak of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh was held on September 14-16 at
S.P. College in Pune. 243 representatives from 36 organisations attended the
baithak.
In response to a question on Sanatan culture, he said that Sanatan Dharma does not mean religion, but Sanatan civilization is a spiritual democracy.
Dr. Vaidya also said that the response to the Sangh work is increasing across the country. The number of daily shakhas of Sangh has increased from 62,491 in 2020 to 68,651 in 2023.
Meeting of RSS-inspired organizations takes place once in a year. The organizations participating in Samanvay Baithak exchange their work and experience, as well as upcoming events. -GoTop
5. WOMEN’S RESERVATION BILL GETS PARLIAMENT SEAL:
History was scripted on September 21 night when The Constitution (One Hundred
and Twenty-Eighth Amendment) Bill, 2023, seeking to reserve 33% of seats in Lok
Sabha and state Assemblies for women, was passed unanimously by Rajya Sabha, a
day after it sailed through Lok Sabha.
Later, both Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha were adjourned sine die, ending the special session of Parliament. Pradhan Mantri Narendra Modi, who came to the Upper House before the voting process got underway at night, thanked all members for their support for the Bill. -GoTop
6. 108-FT ADI SHANKARACHARYA STATUE UNVEILED: A grand
108-foot tall statue of the revered Hindu Sant Adi Shankaracharya was unveiled
in Omkareshwar, Khandwa district, Madhya Pradesh. This imposing structure, known
as ‘Ekatmata Ki Pratima’ or the ‘Statue of Oneness,’ is a testament to Bharat’s
rich spiritual heritage.
7. SHRI GANESHOTSAV ACROSS THE WORLD: Vishwa Hindu
Parishad Association Thailand celebrated the 16th Ganesha festival on September
22-24, at Nimbutr Stadium, Bangkok. Many VIPs, ministry personnel, embassy
officials, associations, and influencers attended the function.
The festival showcased various cultural performances, including traditional
dances and music from Bharat and Thailand. The painting competitions allowed
participants to showcase their artistic skills and creativity, while the no-gas
cooking promoted eco-friendly practices and alternative cooking methods. The
immersion of Bhagwan Ganesha in a colorful procession filled the streets with
vibrant colors and joyful Thai dancing and was a grand spectacle with devotees
singing and dancing in celebration.
Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh Montreal Shakha organized a Clay Ganesh Making Workshop to create beautiful clay murtis of Bhagwan Ganesha, deeply understanding the profound religious significance of this cherished festival.
Ganesh Murti making workshops were also conducted by Kuber Shakha and Kailash Shakha of Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh Las Vegas and by Shivaji Shakha of Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh Japan in Yokohama.
8. UNIVERSAL ONENESS DAY EXHIBIT AND CELEBRATION: On
September 19, the East Whiteland Township employees and the East Whiteland
Township Police and Fire department met with members of the Hindu Swayamsevak
Sangh USA (HSS) to celebrate Rakshabandhan. Since 2004, HSS has celebrated this
holiday as “Universal Oneness Day”, broadening its scope from the family to the
community with the simple idea that all should love and protect each other.
9. RAKSHABANDHAN UTSAV BY SDSS MYANMAR: Rakshabandhan
utsav was celebrated at 41 places in 6 vibhags of Myanmar by Sanatan Dharma
Swayamsevak Sangh. Around 4400 people including 1300 bal and 1800 sevikas
participated in these utsavs. 10 groups participated in the one-act-play
competition conducted by the Dakshin Vibhag. Gruha Sampark was also conducted
during Rakshabandhan in which close to 7000 homes were visited in 49 cities and
66 villages. Three swayamsevaks worked as short-time vistaraks for the Gruha
Sampark program.
10. WORLD SANSKRIT DAY IN OMAN: On September 22,
the Sanskrit Wing of Indian Social Club, Muscat, along with Sanskrit Bharti,
celebrated World Sanskrit day (Vishwa Sanskrit Dinam) at the Main Hall of the
Bharatiya Embassy in Muscat, Oman. 300 Bharatiya community members including the
chief guest H.E. Amit Narang, Ambassador of Bharat to the sultanate of Oman,
participated in the event.
The Indian Social Club Chairman Mr. Babu Rajendra addressed the gathering and delivered part of his speech in Sanskrit.
Children also conducted cultural programs like songs, storytelling, and antakshari in Sanskrit. -GoTop
11. DHARMAFEST OF NEW ZEALAND'S DHARMIC COMMUNITIES: On
September 9, Mahatma Gandhi Centre, Eden Terrace, Auckland witnessed the grand
celebration of New Zealand’s diverse Dharmic communities with DharmaFest 2023.
Organised by Hindu Youth New Zealand (HYNZ), DharmaFest was an event to bring
together New Zealand’s Dharma based groups, mandirs, and spiritual organisations
to showcase the dimensions of New Zealand’s diverse Dharmic communities and
celebrate ‘Vibhinnatāyām Ekatvam’ - Unity in Diversity.
12. AGASTYA GURUKULAM OPENS IN HOUSTON: Agastya
Gurukulam, the world’s first Samskrit-medium modern school unveiled its first
North American campus in Houston with a grand inauguration ceremony. The event
on August 26 was attended by a diverse group of educators, community leaders,
parents, children, and well-wishers who gathered to celebrate the expansion of
this unique institution.
In his keynote address, Dr. Raj Vedam - a renowned scholar and historian of Bharatiya traditional knowledge systems - spoke about the dissemination of Bharatiya knowledge, discoveries and inventions across the world over centuries and the challenges with distinguishing the authenticity of historical facts regarding ancient knowledge. -GoTop
13. BHARATIYA-ORIGIN THARMAN SHANMUGARATNAM SWORN IN AS
PRESIDENT OF SINGAPORE: Tharman Shanmugaratnam, an Bharatiya-origin
Singapore-born economist, was sworn in as the ninth president of the Asian
city-state on September 14. The 66-year-old will serve a six-year term. Tharman
occupied several administrative responsibilities and also served as the deputy
prime minister of Singapore between May 2011 and May 2019.
14. BHARAT REJECTS CANADIAN ALLEGATIONS: Hardeep Singh
Nijjar, head of the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara Sahib in Surrey, Canada, was killed
on June 18 evening outside a gurdwara in Surrey. He was the chief of the
separatist organisation Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF).
On September 18, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, in a speech in the
House of Commons, alleged a “potential link” between the Bharatiya government
and the killing. This was followed by the expulsion of a senior Bharatiya
diplomat in Canada. Bharat has not yet received any specific and credible
information regarding this issue from Canada. Rejecting the allegations as
absurd and motivated, Bharat expelled a senior Canadian diplomat in Delhi and
said that Bharat had strong concerns about continuing anti-Bharat activities of
extremist elements in Canada. Bharat has temporarily stopped issuing visas to
Canadian citizens.
Following the allegations, Khalistani leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, Leader of
Sikh for Justice, has issued a warning to Canadian Hindus to leave the country.
Public Safety Canada - the department responsible for matters of public safety,
emergency management, national security and emergency preparedness - said that
the circulation of the video is offensive and hateful and is an affront to all
Canadians and "the values we hold dearly".
According to a release issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on
September 20, Bharatiya nationals, students in Canada and those planning on
travelling to the country have been advised to exercise caution and avoid
travelling to regions and potential venues in Canada that have seen growing
anti-Bharat activities.
Highlighting the incidents of threats, violence, and intimidations against
Bharatiya diplomats and missions, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said
that a climate of violence exists in Canada and urged the international
community not to normalize what is happening there. Canadian MP Chandra Arya
said that the extremist elements are attacking and threatening Hindu-Canadians
to go back to Bharat. He has also urged all the Hindu-Canadians in the country
to stay calm and vigilant and report any untoward incident to law enforcement
agencies. He further expressed dismay at “glorification of terrorism” and hate
crime being allowed in the name of “freedom of expression”.
Many Hindu Organizations have given statements against Hinduphobia and the way
in which politicians from all the parties are creating an anti-Bharat,
anti-Hindu environment.
Participating in a panel discussion at the Hudson Institute think-tank, Michael
Rubin, Senior Fellow at American Enterprise Institute, claimed that Trudeau is
playing into the hands of people who are looking at the Khalistani movement as a
movement of ego and profit.
Indian World Forum (IWF), an organisation working for the Bharatiya diaspora in
various countries has firmly denounced the illegal organisations in Canada for
harassing and spreading violence against the Bharatiya diaspora in Canada.
Sant Singh Chatwal, a prominent Bharatiya-American businessman based in New
York, spoke of the unwavering love and loyalty of the Sikhs towards Bharat. He
empathetically stated that more than 99 per cent of Sikhs have a deep affection
for their homeland and rejected the notion of widespread support for Khalistan,
emphasising that extremist elements discussing this issue have never placed
their foot in Punjab.
Many prominent politicians have issued statements condemning the Hindu hatred.
Leader of Opposition Mr Pierre Poilievre said that every Canadian deserves to
live without fear and feel welcomed in their community. He added that
Conservatives condemn the comments against our Hindu neighbours and friends.
Anita Anand, Member of Parliament from Oakville, and Treasury Board President
has tweeted that Canada is the home of Canadian-Hindus and as Canadian society
is diverse and inclusive, we must hold those values close to our hearts.
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s spokesperson told reporters that “work on the
trade negotiations will continue as before” and that the UK was not looking to
conflate the trade negotiations with the Canadian allegations. shwa Hindu
Parishad has also started a Hindu Help line to report incidents of Hinduphobia.
The situation is being closely monitored by all concerned.
-GoTop
15. NATIONAL MEDICAL COMMISSION ACHIEVES WFME RECOGNITION
STATUS: The National Medical Commission (NMC), Bharat has achieved the
remarkable feat of being granted the coveted World Federation for Medical
Education (WFME) Recognition Status for a tenure of 10 years.
As part of this recognition, all the 706 existing medical colleges in Bharat
will become WFME accredited and the new medical colleges that will be set up in
the coming 10 years will automatically become WFME accredited. It will also
enable Bharatiya medical graduates to pursue postgraduate training and practice
in other countries that require WFME recognition, such as the United States,
Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. It will increase the international
recognition and reputation of Bharatiya medical schools and professionals,
facilitate academic collaborations and exchanges, promote continuous improvement
and innovation in medical education, and foster a culture of quality assurance
among medical educators and institutions. With NMC being WFME accredited all the
Bharatiya students become eligible to apply for Education Commission on Foreign
Medical Education and United States Medical Licensing Examination.
-GoTop
16. ISARC
SCIENTIST SWATI NAYAK HONOURED: Dr Swati Nayak, scientist at the
International Rice Research Institute South Asia Regional Centre (IRRI-SARC),
Varanasi, has been honoured as the recipient of the 2023 Borlaug Field Prize by
the prestigious selection jury of the World Food Prize. The award was officially
announced on September 19 during an event hosted at New York City Climate Week.
The Borlaug Field Prize is awarded annually to individuals under the age of 40
whose pioneering and extraordinary science-based work has greatly improved the
world’s cuisine production and helped reduce hunger and malnutrition. Dr Swati
Nayak is set to formally receive the award during the Borlaug Dialogue on
October 24 in Des Moines, Iowa.
17. 91 BHARATIYA UNIVERSITIES IN THE RANKINGS: A record
number of Bharatiya universities featured in the latest Times Higher Education’s
(THE) World University Rankings 2024 and Bharat’s top ranked Indian Institute of
Science, Bangalore has returned to the global top 250. The list released on
September 27 has an unprecedented 91 Bharatiya institutions, up from 19 in 2016.
Two IITs – Guwahati and Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad — moved up two bands to
join the world’s top 800 universities. Bharat has also become the fourth best
represented nation in the 2024 rankings, up from the sixth spot last year.
-GoTop
18. UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE TAG FOR SHANTINIKETAN:
Shantiniketan was inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage list during the 45th
Session of the World Heritage Committee in Saudi Arabia on September 17.
Expressing his happiness External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that it is
a fitting tribute to our first Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore and all those
who have kept his message alive.
19. 'DO DHAGE SHREE RAM KE LIYE': Shri Ram Janmabhoomi
Teerth Kshetra Trust, Ayodhya and Heritage Handweaving Revival Charitable Trust
(HHRCT), Pune have decided to provide an opportunity for people to connect to
the Ram Janmabhoomi movement by organizing ‘Do Dhage Shri Ram Ke Liye’.
20. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN:Pravas: RSS Sah Sarakaryavah
Dr. Manmohan Vaidya will be travelling to Singapore and Vishwa Vibhag Samyojak
Saumitra Gokhale will be travelling to Fiji. Visitors:
-GoTop
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Liberation is acquired by Nishkama-Karma — Action,
which is done without any feverishness or attachment to the fruits of the
action. Karma yoga is doing work with total responsibility. - Srimad Bhagvad
Gita (16.21)
-GoTop
JAI SHRI RAM
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SANATAN DHARMA AND WESTERN INTELLECTUALS
A person who does not properly know
(a+b)2 and perpendicular should not speak about Integral calculus and Matrix
Algebra. Unlearned political leaders with self-centered ambitions can hardly
define Sanatan Dharma (or Hinduism). Sadly, such immature public figures like
Udhayanidhi Stalin, MK Stalin, D Raja, and Prof. Divya Dwivedi… who deliberately
denigrated Sanatan Darma (Hinduism), hold sway over huge, unsuspecting masses in
society. Such people as in Europe's medieval times, lead the public into the
darkness of ignorance. They pose serious threats to the communal harmony among
the different communities.
Some ascetics said if anyone truly wants to know the depth of Sanatan Dharma, as enshrined in ancient texts, then he must go into solitude. Learning to swim in the "stillness" within by the practice of meditation alone helps prepare one to feel what exactly DHARMA is. As per the ancient scriptures, ‘Sanatan Dharma' literally means "eternal and universal laws or principles" that govern “everything” and “everyone”, irrespective of culture, race, religion, belief, and practice. Dharmic or spiritual practices should not be touched by the blemishes of the material world. One has to transcend the mundane world and take flight to a higher dimension through self-practice. There is no question of hatred and envy for others in Dharma.
A great American thinker, Henry David Thoreau, writes in his masterpiece WALDEN: "In the Indian ancient scriptures, the idea of man is quite ILLIMITABLE and SUBLIME. He is at length lost in the SUPREME ENTITY himself." Can our so-called intellectuals who look upon the Western intellectuals as their masters refute Henry Thoreau? Therefore, there is a great mantra (mahavakya) in one of the Upanishads: "Tat Tvam Asi", meaning "Thou Art That" -- unity of an individual soul with "Brahman" -- UNIVERSAL CONCIOUSNESS, we also call it God.
Of course, the scriptures of "dharma" (or religion) not only speak of ethics, duty, the laws of karma, life, the afterlife, and reincarnation; they also expound with absolute precision the cosmic setup and infinite timeline. A great American astrophysicist Carl Sagan says: "The Hindu religion is the only one of the world's great faiths dedicated to the idea that the Cosmos itself undergoes an immense, indeed an infinite, number of deaths and rebirths. It is the only religion in which the time scales correspond, to those of modern scientific cosmology." -- (source – COSMOS by Carl Sagan).
What is most intriguing is that those Indian sages who talked about mysticism also talked about subtle and fundamental principles that govern everything, from tiny atomic particles to giant celestial bodies and their functioning and existential phenomena. This very grand concept of Dharma and its allied intellectual wisdom bowled over scientists like Schrödinger, Heisenberg, and Oppenheimer almost a century ago. Erwin Schrödinger, the father of Quantum Mechanics, in his deeper studies of "particle" and "wave function", concluded: "The unity and continuity of Vedanta are reflected in the unity and continuity of wave mechanics.
This is entirely consistent with the Vedanta concept of ALL IN ONE." (VEDANTA is Hindu philosophy based on the doctrine of the Upanishads). Please note that Schrödinger’s "Wave Equation" revolutionized the field of quantum mechanics and paved the way for numerous technological advancements. Its application in understanding the behavior of particles at the electromagnetic level has not only enabled the development of a plethora of modern electronic devices but also played a crucial role in satellite communication, Quantum enhanced GPS, space exploration, et al.
With the finding of pulsating vibration of Quantum physics, David Bohm, David Josephson, Archibald Wheeler, Jack Sarfatti, John Hagelin, and John Bells had made attempts to plunge headlong into the cosmic sea of “UNIVERSAL Consciousness” of Upanishads as an ultimate answer.
Here is another mind-blowing opinion by a prodigious American scholar, Huston Smith, who says: "While the West was still thinking, perhaps, of 6,000-year-old universe – India was already envisioning ages and eons and galaxies as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. The Universe so vast that modern astronomy slips into its folds without a ripple." One of the most read scholars, Huston Smith's "The Religions of Man", sold worldwide over 3 million copies as of 2017.
Furthermore, after taking a plunge into Indian scriptures, TS Eliot also exclaimed, "Indian philosophers’ subtleties make most of the great European philosophers look like schoolboys."
Incidentally, yesterday, British Prime Minister Rishu Sunak, who was in India for the G20 summit, said that he takes pride in his 'Hindu' roots. To the media, he said, "I think faith is something that helps everybody who has faith in their lives, particularly when you have these stressful jobs like I do. Having faith to give you resilience to give you strength is important."
What a paradox! Many pseudo-intellectuals in the home country choose to just dismiss and belittle Hindu culture and its intellectual heritage. They neither have respect for Sanatan Dharma nor have they ever put effort to delve into its extensive spiritual texts.
Nothing is more disheartening in the country than seeing the "Courts of Law" watch in silence while non-Hindu leaders disparage the profound WISDOM of Sanatan Dharma (Hinduism). There are countless instances when leaders and celebrities deliberately belittled Sanatan Dharma and respected courts did not utter a word against them. However, when Nupur Sharma, an outspoken social activist, came out in defense of a deluge of offensive remarks made against Hindu culture, the same court yelled and lambasted her. What if Nupur Sharma on that fateful day was not "provoked"? At least chaos would not have ensued. Who provoked Ms. Sharma, and why are such provocations purposefully ignored while her isolated eruptions are not? Who will answer this reasonably?
Many saints were immediately put behind bars for hate speeches, while non-Hindus, with impunity, deliver hate speeches every day against Hindus, Sanatan Dharma or even the country in various public forums, newsrooms and social media platforms. If Courts of Laws were sincerely strict and unbiased as they are against Hindus, Udhayanidhi Stalin, MK Stalin et al would not have the audacity to ridicule Sanatan Dharma. Therefore, many other leaders are now publicly backing Udhayanidhi Stalin. This is in fact a serious development in the country which is tantamount to leaving the entire Hindu population in the lurch. Are the "custodians" of the constitution listening? Pseudo-secularism has done greater harm to the nation and its integrity. https://www.newsbharati.com//Encyc/2023/9/14/Sanatan-Dharma-and-Western-Intellectuals.html -GoTop
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