emalpaiz

Thank you, Suzanne! Yes, what you say is true. In chapter 10 of the at the end of Chapter 10, the Lord says: "Living or lifeless, still or stirred, whatever beings be, None of them is in all the worlds, but it exists by Me! No tongue can tell, Arjuna! nor end of telling come Of these My booundless glories, whereof I teach thee some; For wheresoe'er is wondrous work, and majesty, and might, From Me hath all proceeded. Receive thou this aright" (Srimad Bhagavad Gita 3:39 - 41). We can never know the vastness of the glory of God with our limited mind. **** After the mornig service in the shrine, I read the followin verses from the Gita: Arjuna asks: "Yet tell me, Teacher! by what force doth man go to his ill, unwilling -- as if one pushed him that evil path?" Sri Krishna answered: Kama it is! Passion it is! born of the Darkness, which pusheth him. Mighty of appetite, sinful, and strong is this! -- man's enemy!" (Srimad Bhagavad Gita 3:37-38). Ignorance; it is ignorance that leads us to act in wrongful ways. Ignorance fills our minds will all kinds of ill desires. This is a very Buddhist attitude. We have to be alert at all times, for the mind will easily follow a wrong path withou thinking. For those who live in a monastery or a convent where life is strictly controlled by the rules of the order, it is very difficult to take a wrong path; but to those of us who live in the world and try to live the spiritual path, it is very difficult. There are to many obstacles in the world. The founding Guru of my spiritual tradition, Sri Shyamacharan Lahiri (1828-1895), was a family man: He had a wife, three daughters, two sons, a job as a civil servant; he was a poet, an author of 26 books, an educator, a social reformer, and -- of course -- a spiritual teacher whose teachings have gone around the world. He suffered many difficulties during His lifetime, but He overcame the obstacles, and managed to reach advanced states of enlightenment in samadhi. He taught many persons how to meditate and search enlightenment, many of his disciples also became outstanding Gurus. Sri Shyamacharan Lahir knew that the spiritual path was not easy for people living in the world. So He would encourage His students with these words: "Banat, banat, ban-jay!" (which mean in a literal sense, "Making, making, one day made!"). Every obstacle, every failure that we face must be treated as a spiritual lesson. I read somewhere that a saint was a sinner that never gave up. When I am teaching I tell people, "We are not sinners; but we are fallible human beings, and we can overcome all of our deficiencies." Let us not think of our deficiencies, but let us think that within each and every one of us there is a Divine Spark that can be awakened with faith and effort. Just before the end of the Srimad Bhagavad Gita, God tells Arjuana: "In faith of Me all dangers thou shalt vanquish, by My Grace; But trusting to thyself and heeding not, thou can'st but perish!" (Srimad Bhagavad Gita 18:66). OM Peace Amen! Hermano Luis Moriviví Hermitage

One of my spiritual teachers was a very devout man. He was a strong believer in God. He used to say that when things went bad, and our faith was tested somehow or the other, just take a moment to make silence and mentally repeat: "God, God God!" Never lose faith. Hermano Luis

"I am -- of all this boundless Universe -- the Father, Mother, Ancestor, and Guard!" (Srimad Bhagavad Gita 9:17). All the great sages of mankind have taught that God is not anything like a human being. But it is difficult not talk about God without using human images. The great teachers of the Sanatana Veda Dharma have taught that we can approach God by bringing God down to our level. This is called Bhakti Yoga or the Yoga of Divine Love. the great lovers of God have spoken of the different human relationships we can establish with the Divine. 1. God the Father: This is a relationship that was established between Jesus the Christ and God. This relationship has continued with devout Christians for over two thousand years. The Christian Lord's Prayer begins, "Our Father who art in Heaven..." That relationship is also recognized in Vedic Hinduism. 2. God the Divine Mother: Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa (1836-1886), one of the greatest saints of modern Vedic Hinduism, was a priest of Mother Kali. He found the fullness of God by worshipping God in the form of a Goddess. In Hinduism for every male deity there is a female counterpart. Sri Ramakrishna was an ecstatic lover of God. He would enter profound trance states called Samadhi, and there He would speak to the Mother of the Universe. Even though in the Judeo-Christian Bible we get the image of a stern and manly God, in Isaiah we find God talking to His/Her people in a maternal manner: "As a mother comforts her son, so I will comfort your..." (Isaiah 66:13). 3. God the Divine Child: Near to where I live there is a Roman Catholic Church that worships God as the Christ Child. In the Hindu path there is also a similar form of worship: the worship of Sri Krishna as Gopala, the Baby Krishna. Many devotees take care of the image of the Divine Child as if it were a living child. Their devotion is so great that they will eventually have an ecstatic vision of the Divine Child, and they will be taken to the Supreme Abode of the Beloved. 4. God as the Lord: This attitude is very common among the Jews, Muslims, and Christians. God is the Supreme Lord and King of the universe. So we read in the beautiful Psalm 23, "The Lord is my shepherd..." Yes! The Lord God is the Shepherd of every sentient being. 5. God as the Divine Friend: This is the attitude of Abraham, and the attitude of Arjuna. God is our Cosmic Friend, we can talk to God as if we were talking to a very good friend. This is an attitude that I cherish a lot. I talk to God as if He were right next to me; sometimes I complain or even get angry at Him, for I know that God is my Cosmic Friend. That complaining becomes a prayer. 6. God as the Beloved: There is a mystic poetry that is dedicated to God and borders in the realm of the erotic. Read St. Teresa of Avila, or the Muslim poet Rumi. God is the Beloved One, there is no greater Lover in the Universe. There are many approaches to God. You will find in the Srimad Bhagavad Gita many of those approaches. Do not be afraid to approach God with intimacy. Whichever way we approach God do it with sincerity, and God will fill you with True Joy (Ananda). May the Beloved One shine in our hearts always. Hermano Luis Moriviví Hermitage

Isn't it wonderful when one liberates oneself from that old way of thinking? One should have the freedom to believe or not to believe. I have always seen religion as a path of freedom. Hermano Luis

"You have the right to work, but not to its fruits. You shoud never perform actions for the sake of reward, nor should you long for inaction" (Srimad Bhagavad Gita 2:47). The Srimad Bhagavad Gita is essentially a text on Karma Yoga. Karma Yoga is the path of selfless action. The Gita is dedicated to people who live active lives in the world, and at the same time desire to live a contemplative life. The Gita was my guide during my military life, and now in my secular life I am a law enforcemt officer; the Bhagavad Gita continues to be my guiding light. In no moment does the Gita asks us to abandon the activity in the world. But in almost every chapter it asks us to act in a selfless manner. The word "Karma" means "action". Karma is every physical, mental, and spiritual action. Every action produces a result (the fruits of the work). For many years I asked myself why I should not enjoy the fruits of my actions. I could not understand the true esoteric meaning of the above verse. As I deepened in my study of the Gita and in my meditations, I realized that the fruits of the actions are the actions themselves. There is no difference between the act and its fruits, they are one. This is what Buddhism calls "Right Effort". I love how Sir Edwin Arnold translates that verse: "Let right deeds by thy motive, not the fruit that comes from them. And live in action, casting all self aside..." When we act in a selfless manner, that action is the true reward. We do not need anyone to recognize the value of the act. Meditation is a form of work or action. Meditation should be practiced without waiting for any results. Some Buddhists claim that when we meditate without expecting results, we are in Nirvana. Among the devotional yogis (Bhakti Yogis) of India it is said that it is sufficient that we learn to love God with all our hearts and that it does not matter if God loves us back. They state that in loving God without any expectations, we find true salvation. I have always enjoyed something that Jesus the Christ told His students with respect to alms: "do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.." (Matthew 6:3). I think that is the essence of Karma Yoga. Hermano Luis Moriviví Hermitage

Meditation can be used by everyone. It matters not if you are Christian, Buddhist, Muslim, Hindu, Atheist, or Agnostic... it does not matter. Enlightenment is a profound serenity that touches our True Nature and manifests as Understanding, Love, Compassion, and Joy. Enlightenment does not belong to any religion. As we read the Gita, Sri Krishna insinuates that there are many paths of meditation. In every chapter of the Gita we encounter new ways to meditate. The enlightened Guru (Spiritual Teacher) that uses the Bhagavad Gita as his/her instrument of teaching will enhance the scriptural teachings with the ancient Vedic oral tradition. The Gita and the Vedic oral tradition go hand in hand. At the same time that the Guru teaches, the Guru is also observing the students. The Guru will give to the students the oral teachings necessary for their spiritual advancement. One of the most popular teachings among the followers of the Sanatan Veda Dharma (the spiritual name of Hinduism) is the receiving of the Mantra. The Mantra is a word or a phrase that holds within it a special meaning. Vedic Mantras are in Sanskrit, but a Mantra can be in any language. For example, the Lord's Prayer of the Christians can be used as a Mantra. Sit quietly for meditation, begin by observing the breath, when the mind feels serene say the Lord's Prayer mentally concentrating in each of the words. Repeat the Prayer over and over, each time feel that the words become part of you... let the Prayer flow within you. That is the way to repeat a Mantra. The Bhagavad Gita offers one very profound Mantra: "OM Tat Sat." OM in itself is one of the oldest and most revered of Mantras in Vedic Hinduism, and It represents Brahman, the Supreme, the divine ground of existence. Most Hindu mantras begin with OM. The Mantra "OM Tat Sat" has a profound meaning that is difficult to translate into Western languages. Roughly it means, "God is that pure existence". "OM TAT SAT has been declare the triple Name of the Absolute , who is Truth, Consciousness, and Bliss solidified. By that triple Name the Brahmanas and the Vedas as well as sacrifices were created at the cosmic dawn" (Bhagavad Gita 17:23). Many devout Hindus will repeat mentally "OM TAT SAT". It is, according to many Vedic Hindu spiritual traditions, a very powerful Mantra. May the Beloved One always shine in our hearts. OM Shantih, Shantih, Shantih! Hermano Luis Moriviví Hermitage

Every religion has a right and left wing. There are times when one side predominates over the other. In recent years we have seen that the right has become the defender of an extreme orthodoxy. I do not think that either side will ever perish, but I would like to see a more middle of the road aspect of religion. Lord Buddha talked of the Middle Path. My Middle Path is about keeping religion in the personal level, at the home, and at the temple. Religion should stay out of the public school systems, politics, and science. I believe that religion should not be a cause of separation, but an instrument of fellowship among people of different beliefs. The temple should be a true house of prayer and meditation. Hermano Luis

"In the still mind, in the depths of meditation, the Self reveals Itself" (Bhagavad Gita 6:20 as translated by Eknath Easwaran). The Vedic contemplative tradition and the Buddhist contemplative tradition have many things in common. One of those things is the path of meditation. Vedic/Buddhist meditation have one purpose: to still the mind. Sri Krishna will tell Arjuna: "Wherever the mind wanders, restless and diffuse in its search for satisfaction withoout, lead it within; train it to rest in the Self" (Bhagavad Gita 6:26). Easier said than done! Arjuna is aware of that fact, "the mind -- Arjuna says -- is restless, turbulent, powerful, violent; trying to control it is like trying to control the wind" (Gita 6:34). Sri Krishna has the answer that all the great Masters have used through the ages: "It is true that the mind is restless and difficult to control. But it can be conquered, Arjuna, through regular practice and detachment" (Bhagavad Gita 6:35). When we begin our training the first thing we are taught by the teacher is to observe our breathing. Most schools of meditation teach the counting of inhalation and exhalation. It is a very simple, but difficult practice. All you have to do is observe your normal breathing. Breath in and mentally chant "One". Breath out and mentally chant "Two". Breath in again and mentally say "Three". Breath out, "Four". Continue in that manner until reaching "Ten", and start on "One" again. Once and a while the mind will wander away. Bring it back gently to breathing in and breatning our, and the counting. Many Vedic Hindus and Buddhists have reached Enlightenment by this simple exercise. It is a simple exercise, but difficult to master. In order to master the exercise, you must not think on the results. Concentrate in observing the breath (inhalation and exhalation). One of the great secrets of Vedic/Buddhist meditations is to simply concentrate on the effort, the result (Enlightenment) will come by itself. "The practice of meditation frees one from all affliction" (Bhagavad Gita 6:23). Enlightenment is for everyone!

Yes! I agree with you. The Rig Veda, the oldest of the Vedic texts, some 3,000 years ago or more, proclaimed the oneness of the Supreme. "To what is One, the sages give many Names: the call It Agni, Yama, Matarishvan" (Rig Veda I:164:46). Even though India is famous for its many deities, the Rig Veda and the Vedic Upanishads proclaim only One Supreme Reality or God. Sri Bhagavan Krishna in the Gita proclaims that Truth: "Arjuna, howsoever men seek Me; even so do I approach them; for all men follow my path in every way" (Bhagavad Gita 4:11). Sri Krishna, as the Avatar (Incarnation) of the Supreme God, does not proclaim Himself to be the God of only the Hindu world. It is a universal proclamation of the Oneness of God. Whereever you go in India there is a shrine to one or various deities. But all those divine beings are simply manifestation of the One called Brahman or Parambrahman in the Gita an in other texts. The modern sages of Vedic Hinduism have insisted that the God worshipped by the Christians and Jews is nothing else but Brahmman. Allah of the Muslims is Brahman. All the Devas and Devis (Gods and Goddesses of HInduism) are Brahman. When I started my spiritual discipline in the neo-Vedic tradition, I was never asked to abandon Christianity. Even though I like to say that I am a Hindu and I follow many of the Hindu doctrines, the reality is that I am more of a Universalist trained in the Vedic contemplative tradition. God or Spiritual Enlightenment can be found in any religious path. As Suzanne's quote says, "there is only One God, names are irrelevant." To find God there is no need to change religions or to believe that "only my religion is the true religion." As minister-priest of the ULC, I always teach people, "You do not have to abandon your traditional religion to find God." Every theistic religiion that I know teaches that God is Omnipresent. If that is the case, you can find God where you are. Many blessings to all! From my perspective, it is our ignorance and selfishness that induces us to say, "Only my religion and God are true."

Brahman is the Ocean. Atman is the Wave. Ocean and Wave are One. Brahman and Atman are One. It has been mentioned that Brahman is the Supreme Reality or God. Atman has been translated into the western languages as "soul" (or Self), but it is in reality the synonym of Brahman. Sometimes Brahman is called Paramtman (Supreme Soul). In modern times it is better to use the concept Atman as soul. But let it be understood that Atman and Brahman are one essence. Sri Bhagavan Krishna says to Arjuna: "I am the Atman abiding in the heart of all beings" (Bhagavad Gita 10:20). We are spiritual beings. But let is be understood that the Gita is not just speaking for human beings. All sentient beings are spiritual beings. We are all waves in the Ocean of Spirit. The goal of true religion or spirituality is to restore our True Nature. The path has been set out by the Great Souls (Bhagavan Krishna, Lord Buddha, Jesus Christ, Guru Nanak, and other spiritual giants). Their teachings have been written down in many of the Sacred Books of mankind: the Vedas, the Bhagavad Gita, the Bible, the Qur'an, the Avesta, the Guru Granth Sahib, the Dhammapada, and in many other texts. The Gita recognizes that the teachings have always been offered to mankind, but as time passes the spirit of the teachings are lost, and mankind needs to restore its essence. The Hindu world believes that when that happens an Avatar or Incarnation of God appears of Earth. It is interesting to note that many of our modern religions are awaiting for such a teacher: the Christians wait for the second coming of Christ, the Jews wait for the Messiah, the Muslims wait for the Imam Mahdi, some Buddhist wait for the next Buddha or Maitreya, Hindus wait for the Kalki Avatar. I believe that everyone of us is an Avatar. We have within us the glory of the Beloved One. Sri Krishna insists throughout the Gita that "the Lord abides in the heart of all beings" (Gita 18:61). We are the Atman, we are Brhaman, we are one with the Supreme. We have to awaken the Beloved One in our hearts. Theres is only one obstacle: the Ego, our selfishness. Lord Krishna says: "They are forever free who renounce all selfish desires and break away from the ego-cage of 'I', 'me,' and 'mine' to be united with the Lord. This is the supreme state. Attain to this, and pass from death to immortality" (Bhagavad Gita 2:71). This is the Goal of religion, and we all have the Goal within ourselves.

The Srimad Bhagavad Gita states that the Supreme Lord is "Brahman", and It is described in the following manner: "I will tell you of the wisdom that leads to immortality: the beginningles Brahman which can be called neither being nor nonbeing" (Bhagavad Gita 13:12). In other words, this phrase simply says that God, the Supreme Being, is undefinable. In this same chapter, verses 13 through 17, the Gita expands its explanation of Brahman, the Supreme Lord. All those verses can be summarized in the initial verse: "It (Brahman) dwells in all..." (Gita 13:13). In the last of those verses explaining Brahman, the Gita ends with the following: "Dwelling in every heart, It is beyond darkness. It is called the light of lights, the object and goal of knowledge, and knowledge itself" (Gita 13:17). When Sri Bhagavan Krishna reveals His Divine nature to Arjuna in chapter 11, Arjuna will say "I see you everywhere, without beginning, middle, or end. You are the lord of all creation, and the cosmos is your body" (Gita 11:16). Yet God having no beginning, is at the same time the beginning, middle, and end of everything. Sri Krishna, the Avatar of God, will say: "I am the true Self in the heart of every creature, Arjuna, and the beginning, middle, and end of their existence" (Gita 10:20). God is undefinable. God has not been created, we can say that It is "causa sui" (Its own cause), nor does It have an end. In this manner the ancient Rishis (sages) of the Sanatana Veda Dharma understood the Supreme Lord. Yet htis Undefinable is the Beginning, Middle, and End of everything. This becomes the heart of the Sanatana Veda Dharma, today known as Hinduism. The founding Guru of my spiritual tradition, Sri Shyamacharan Lahiri (1828-1895), said: "God transcends the comprehension of mind and intellect" (Sayings of Shyamacharan Lahiri). But all the great teachers of the Sanatana Veda Dharma have insisted that God can be known. When the mind becomes still, when all pre-conceived notions about what God should be or not be are abandoned, our True Nature -- Brahman -- will manifes silently. Do nothing! Be still! I am. Hermano Luis Moriviví Hermitage

That is also one of my favorite parts of the "Mahabharata". Both Arjuna and Duryodhana come to ask Lord Krishna for help in the war. Lord Krishna says that He will not participate, but He offers the following option: to serve as the couselor of either one, and the other could take His army. Of course, Duryodhana chose Krishna's army. Arjuna was relieved, for he wanted Krishna at his side. That is how Lord Krishna ends up being the charioteer of Arjuna. There is a profound symbol in this. The Army of Lord Krishna represents His Cosmic Power (Shakti), but the Cosmic Power without Its Lord is nothing. Arjuna feels confident having the Lord in his side, for there is no greater Power. Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa (1836-1886) told His most outstanding disciple, Swami Vivekananda (1863-1902), that he would receive great spiritual powers during his life. Vivekananda then asked the Master if that would give him the knowledge of God, and the Master answered, "No!" Then Swami Vivekananda said "Of what value is all that power if one does not have the knowledge of God?" (Not his exact words.) Of course, the Master was testing His disciple. According to the Vedic teachings, the Lord and His Power are One. In every mystical tradition given the choice, the true mystic will always select the Lord. Hermano Luis

Thank you, Rev. Rainbow! The Gita has been at the heart of my spiritual tradition, and it has been my spiritual companion for almost fifty years. Arjuna is not a coward, but he understand the harshness of war. In this moment of distress he turns to Krishna who is an Avatar of the Supreme. "My will is paralyzed, and I am utterly confused. Tell me which is the better path for me. Let me be your disciple. I have fallen at your feet; give me instruction. What can overcome a sorrow that saps all my vitality?" (Bhagavad Gita 2:7-8) Many times those of us who believe in God find ourselves lost in the problems of the world, and we fall to our knees and ask for guidance. To those who do not believe this attitude might seem irrational and senseless, but to us it is a source of strength. We become humble before the Beloved One. Yes, we find answers and strength. Sometimes the answer might not appear immediately, but at some moment the answer comes to us in an unexpected manner. Someone will say something, and we hear the answer that was sought; we pick up a book and there is the answer or we will go to sleep and wake up with the answer. Someone said that God works in strange ways. Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection (1614-1691), a Carmelite lay brother, would simply talk to God while performing his chores in the monastery. After he died his words were compiled in a book "The Practice of the Presence of God", a book that should be read by all those who believe in God and follow a spiritual path. That little book has a lot in common with the Srimad Bhagavad Gita. Arjuna is now turning to God for help. God is his Friend, and his Charioteer. I am not perfect, but God is also my Friend and my Charioteer. God is the Friend of all; God has never turned away from us, we turn away from God. Peace to all! (NOTE; I am using two translations of the Bhagavad Gita; (1) "The Song Celestial", a poetic translation by Sir Edwin Arnold; and "The Bhagavad Gita Translated For The Modern Reader" by Eknath Easwaran.)

Sri Krishna speaks to Arjuna: "How hath this weaknes taken thee? Whence springs the inglorious trouble, shamful to the brave, barring the path of virtue? Nay, Arjun! Forbid thyself to feebleness! It mars thy warrior-name! Cast off the coward-fit! Wake! Be thyself! Arise, Scourge of thy Foes! (Srimad Bhagavad Gita 2:2-3). (I love Sri Edwin Arnold's poetic translation of the Gita; he called it "The Song Celestial". There is a great similarity between a spiritual person and a warrior, they should never have the attitude of cowards. Both the warrior and the spiritual person must be bold. The Bhagavad Gita is a book for the spiritual warrior, for the person who lives in a world where conflict in different levels is the reality. Even though the background of the Gita is a war, it could have been another crisis: an economic crisis or a family crisis, a problem at our work place, etc. It does not have to be a war. The Bhavavad Gita is a theistic work, and it is also very allegorical: Sri Bhagavan Krishna is God, and Arjuna is Man. The concept of God in the Gita is the panentheistic understanding of Vedic Upanishads. However for traditional Hindus, Sri Krishna is God in the same way that for traditional Christians Jesus Christ is God. But let us not enter into those dogmatic issues. The Gita was written for the person in the world that wants to follow a spiritual life. The first lesson is, "Thow shall not be a coward." Every religious tradition has had its spiritual giants, and every one of them has been a true hero and a spiritual warrior. The battle field of the spiritual warrior is himself or herself; he/she battles the blind ego or ignorance (Dhritirashtra) and his/her inner selfishness (Duryodhana). Sometimes this inner battle becomes merged with the external battle in the world, and the spiritual warrior must face the challenge of death. They become martyrs in the name of what they believe. Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948), a devout Hindu who was inspired by the Srimad Bhagavad Gita, fought for the independence of India. He wanted an India were Hindus, Moslems, Christian, Parsis, and people of all religions could live in peace and harmony. Gandhi-ji was shot by a Hindu who could not tolerate this openness. There had been attempts against his life, and he knew that probably some day someone would assasinate him. So it was! He met his death like a true hero. Father Maximilian Kolbe (1894-1941), a Roman Catholic priest, was taken prisoner by the Nazis. He offered his life so that another prisoner could live. His faith gave him strength, he died a true hero. Edith Stein (1891-1942) was born Jewish, she converted to Christianity, and became a Carmelite nun (Teresia Benedicta of the Cross). She was taken to a Nazi concentration camp where she died bravely with those Jews who died mercilessly in the gas chambers. She kept her faith. They will not be forgotten. Like the warrior, the spiritual person runs the risk of facing death is a violent manner. Even in this twenty first century, people of different spiritual traditions are facing death because of their faith. But it is their faith that gives them strength. They are not cowards, they are strong; they give us strength. It was the belief of the ancient Aryan Kshatriya warriors that if you died in glorious battle, you would go to a special heaven. The spiritual warriors who died honoring their faith must have a special place in the heart of the Beloved One. Le us look deep into our hearts. Are we true spiritual warriors? (to be continued)

I enjoy Christmas. It is a time that liberates me from the tensions of daily life, just like any other special celebration. It matters not if its origins are Pagan or not, it is a joyful time of the year. To be honest, I do not think that God has established any holidays. I think that we can have sacred celebrations in any time of the year. Why must we limit ourselves? Hermano Luis

"A season is set for everything, a time for every experience under heaven... A time for war and a time for peace" (Ecclesiastes 3:1 & 8). When is the time for war? I am an idealist, and I would say never. But this world is not an ideal world, and wars have existed in every generation of mankind. Duryodhana harassed Arjuna and his four brother from the moment that they met as children. He envied every talent that they had, so he always tried to humiliate them. As they grew older the rivalry became violent. Duryodhana tried to kill them, but they were somehow protected by some divine power. Arjuna and his four brother eventually created their own kingdom, but Duryodhana managed to take it away from them by illegal means; he also tricked them into exiling themselves from the kingdom for thirteen years with a false promise that if they returned on the thirteenth year, they could have their kingdom back. After the thirteen years ended, they returned to the kingdom, but Duryodhana refused to hand it over. The sons of Pandu tried to reason with Duryodhana without luck. Now was the time for war. Many of the warrior clans agreed with Duryodhana, and other clans took the side of the five brothers. Both armies met in the Valley of Kurukshetra. When the first day of battle was about to begin, Arjuna asked his charioteer, Lord Krishna Himself, to take him between the two armies: "I want to see those assembled to fight for Duryodhana.." (Gita 1:23). This is not Arjuna's first battle. He has fought many battles in his life, and he knows the true horrors of war. He complains to Sri Krishna, for he knows that war will not end hatred, it will generate more hatred. Arjuna does not want to fight his evil cousin Duryodhana. "It would be better for me if the sons of Dhritarashtra armed with weapons, killed me in battle while I was unarmed and unresisting" (Gita 1:46). Someone said, "War is hell!" Arjuna knows this. Why -- he asks -- must one fight for a temporary kingdom? (to be continued)

I had already mentioned that King Dhritarashtra is blind, and the uncle of Arjuna and his brothers. King Dhritarashtra is not only physically blind, but he is also morally and spiritually blind. In my understanding King Dhritarashtra represents our ego. The eldest son of the blind King is Duryodhana who, in my understanding, represents selfishness. The blind King could have stopped the war with one word, but guided by his son selfishness he does not. Duryodhana, like all selfish people, has three favorite words: "Me, myself, and I". To him everything else is of no value. In chapter sixteen of the Bhagavad Gita we have an outstanding definition of the attitude of selfish people. "I got this today -- they say -- tomorrow I shall get that. This wealth is mine, and that will be mine too. I have destroyed my enemies. I shall destroy others too! Am I not like God? I enjoy what I want. I am successfull. I am powerful. I am happy. I am rich and wellborn. Who is equal to me?" (Bhagavad Gita 16:13-15). Even though Duryodhana is not blind like his father, he has inherited his father's moral and spiritual blindness. How blind are we? Are we morally and spiritually blind? Do we believe that we are superior to other human beings? Whenever I think of King Dhritarashtra, I think of the words of Jesus Christ: "Can one blind man guide another? Will not both fall into the ditch?" (Luke 6:39). (to be continued)

King Dhritarashtra said: "Sañjaya, gathered on the sacred plain of Krurukshetra, eager to fight, what did my sons and the sons of Pandu do?" (Gita 1:1). In this way begins the Srimad Bhagavad Gita. Before we really start any conversation on the Gita, we must understand that it is a dialogue between four persons: between King Dhritarashtra and Sañjaya, and between Sri Krishna and Arjuna. King Dhritarashtra is blind, and Sañjaya is his counselor who has been given special vision so that he can see what is going on in the battle field. Pandu is the brother of Dhritarashtra; and Pandu should be the King. Pandu is the "legal" father of Arjuna and his four brothers (Yudhishtira, Bhima, Nakula, and Sahadeva). Pandu has been cursed by a "magical" being, and he can not have any children, so he abdicated, left his blind brother as the King, and went to the wilderness with his two wives to meditate. (We must never forget that the Mahabharata is an ancient epic poem, and like all ancient epic poems, the Gods and magical being participate in the story.) Even though Pandu can have no children on his own, one of his wives, Kunti, has the power to invoke any divine being and bring forth a child. While they are in the forrest, Kunti uses her power to have three sons: Yudhishtira, Bhima, and Arjuna. The second wife, Madri, would eventually use that same power to produce the twins Nakula and Sahadeva. Pandu eventually becomes careless and has sex with Madri and dies. When the funeral pyre of Pandu is lit, Madri jumps into the pyre and commits suttee. Therefore Kunti will become the mother of those five boys, and Pandu will be their putative father. Those boys will be know in hindu historical mythology as the Five Pandavas. In the mean time, Dhritarashtra has numerous sons being the oldest one Duryodhana. Kunti eventually returns to the court of King Dhritarashtra so that the five sons of Pandu can be educated as Kshatriyas. From the start Duryodhana will dislike his five cousins; that rivalry will eventually bring about the war in Kurukhetra. (to be continued)

The Srimad Bhagavad Gita or "Song of God" is at the center of my spiritual tradition, and I enjoy reading from it periodically. Many Hindus consider it as the "Word of God". I do not feel that any of the Sacred Books of mankind is the "Word of God", but I do have a great love for the Gita. The Gita is a very small section in the world's longest epic poem: The Mahabharata. The Mahabharata is a poem similar to the Ilyad or the Odyssey. It tells the story of the conflict of a royal family of India. The Gita begins in the moment that the great war in Kurukshetra is to begin. Prince Arjuna is in his war chariot, and his charioteer is Sri Bhagavan Krishna, an Incarnation of the Supreme Lord. In the moment that the war is about to begin Arjuna asks Sri Krishna to take the chariot between both armies. Arjuna is an experienced warrior, but now he must battle against his cousins, teachers, one of his brothers, and his great uncle. It is a war that he does not want, and he tells Sri Krishna that he would rather die than fight against his family. Arjuna is a member of the Kshatriya or warrior caste. To the Kshatriyas of that time it was an honor to die in battle. During chapter one of the Gita, Arjuna offers Sri Krishna the reasons why he should not fight. This first chapter gives the impression that the Gita is a book of war. It is not! It is a book that teaches us how to face the conflicts of life in a spiritual manner. The conflict could be a war, many people have found God or spirituality in a war or as a result of a war (for example St. Ignatius of Loyola). The conflict could be a family problem or a problem at our job. We should not have excuses to not face the problems that life has to offer us. That is just what Arjuna is doing in this first chapter. Arjuna does not know what to do in this situation, and he has turned to Sri Krishna for help. We must first understand that the Srimad Bhagavad Gita should be taken as an allegorical conversation between God (Sri Krishna) and Man (Arjuna). There are many interpretations of the Gita; every interpretation is just an opinion. If anyone really wants to know what the Gita has to say, he or she must read it, and think about it. I will be offering some of my interpretations to the Gita periodically. By no means should my interpretations be taken as the one and only possible interpretation. (to be continued)

Tündér, let us really asume that you are a Hindu born in the Punjab. You have just arrived and asked me a simple priest the question if only Christians are saved. Here is my answer: Our beloved Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa (1836-1886) used to say that the Beloved One was like a loving mother who must prepare food for a small family. She only has fish to offer her family: her husband likes soup, one of the children likes the fish boiled, the other child likes it fried. In her love she will offer each member of her family the fish the way each of them likes it. God -- the beloved saint used to say -- has offered mankind different religions according to their needs. Some need saviors, like the Christians, others need very complex rituals, others do not like the word God, others enjoy many Gods, etc. To each the Beloved One has given a different path. When we read from the Rig Veda, the oldest of our sacred books, we find the following: "They call Him Indra, Mitra, Varuna, Agni, and He is the heavenly-winged Garutman. To what is One the sages have given different Names: the call It Agni, Yama, Matarishvan" (Rig Veda I:164:46). The Isha Upanshad says in the first verse, "The Lord is enshrined in the heart of all. The Lord is the Supreme Reality." Look deep within your heart, and you will find the Beloved One. There have been many saints in the different religions of the world, and all of them have said that they have had the experience of God. Some call it salvation, others call it enlightenment. You can find Spiritual Enlightenment (Moksha) in every religion. Some Christians believe that it is only through Jesus Christ; there are Hindus that believe that it is only through Sri Krishna. But these are only instruments of the Supreme. You may even find Moksha by not believing in any religion. So do not fear, learn to have a mind of Understanding, and a heart of Loving-Compassion, and I am sure that you will find the Beloved One.

In many contemplative traditions both theistic and nontheistic, "emptiness" is a state of profound awareness. Hermano Luis

Very good! Yes, God is seen everywhere. We are distracted with the outer form that we can not see the inner light. Hermano Luis

The ULC is not about agreeing, it is aboout our freedom to believe. In my own special way, I have learned many things from you. I am sad that you want to leave. I am sure that the Beloved One will always shower you with the blessings of Understanding, Love, Compassion, and Joy. Hermano Luis

To our brother Reve Rainbow and his family go my prayers.The Srimad Bhagavad Gita tells us the following: "Never the Spirit was born; the Spirit shall cease to be never; Never was time it was not; End and Beginning are dreams! Birthless and deathless and changeless remaineth the Spirit forever; Death hath not touched it at all, dead though the house of it seems!" Rev. Rainbow may the Peace of the Beloved One always shine in your life and in the life of your family. OM Peace Amen! Hermano Luis Moriviví Hermitage

I agree that the world needs a change, but that change is not coming by some magic power. We have to start changing ourselves. We can start those changes in our own communities. Let us continue to improve our lives and the lives of those around us. There are a lot of things we can do. I support a special refuge for animals where they are treated with love and compassion, another friend of the Moriviví Hermitage is dedicated to feeding homeless people, another friend has retired and now dedicates herself to do all kinds of volunteer work. These are not big heroic things, but they improve the quality of our lives around us. The change in the world has to begin in each and everyone of us. Every new day is the beginning of that New Spiritual Age that we all hope for, but we have to make a small effort of loving kindness to make it happen. Hermano Luis Moriviví Hermitage