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Offline JR

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VEDAS IN MANILA
« on: February 24, 2007, 12:16:39 AM »
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  •                     [ His Holiness Swami Shri Gangeshwaranandaji Maharaj Udasin recently toured in South East Asia with the active collaboration of the world-wide cultural organization, “The Vishwa Hindu Parishad” for the establishment of “Ved Mandirs” in the various cities in all these countries. An account of the revered Swamiji’s Hongkong visit was published in the issue of this magazine for the month of December 1974. It is hoped that the following report of the Swamiji’s visit in the Philippine islands will also be found equally interesting by our readers. –Editor]

            His Holiness Swami Shri Gangeshwaranandaji with his party landed at the Manila airport on the evening of 3rd November 1954 and was received by a very large gathering of devotees and sponsors of his ten day programme in this eastern most Asian bunch of seven thousand islands known as Philippines.

           The visit to these far flung islands was on account of very cordial and pressing invitations of Swamiji’s numerous disciples since three generations and their present fourth generation children, whom Swamiji has been meeting since their childhood. Long before Sindhis were required to seek new pastures and lands in the wake of their sacrifice and loss of the province of their birth for the freedom of their motherland, quite a countable number of them had embarked upon their adventure of conquering the world as traders for which purpose they had gone to the main international markets and with their genius and industry carved respectable positions everywhere. Hongkong, Manila, Singapore, Tokyo are such theaters of trade in the east as Trinidad, Guyana, Seriname,Jamaica in the west, where enterprising Sindhi Houses had migrated much before partition of India.

               Besides in the houses of affluent devotees, Swamiji had daily ‘Satsangs’ in the Hindu Temple which is now the abode of many Hindu Godheads of worship in Manila.

             In his very illuminating talks in the score of gathering Swamiji revealed all aspects of Bhakti-Yoga, relation of Man with his Maker, the significance of devotion to God and how it profits the devotees and so on. I am confident that our Manila brethren must have very much enjoyed the rich food of thought in the series of talks on Bhakti-Yoga.
     
          Swamiji explained very lucidly why Man should offer prayer to his Master and be devoted to Him. Generally it is seen that those who pray and worship their cherished Gods and deities expect them to grant their wishes. They argue: God is a self lover of self-esteem and flattery, if he wants us to pray and praise him without our expecting any rewards and fruits, and that, if the reward and fruit of our ‘Bhakti’ are not to follow, why pray at all?

    Swamiji answered the dilemma by referring to the philosophical concept of the relation of the “universal” to “individual” in the light of the “abhas” reflection theory Vedanta. Swamiji said, “individuals” seek happiness in feeding dressing beautifying and generally pleasing one’s self. It is like standing before a big mirror and feeding, dressing and decorating the reflection in the mirror. All your attempts to decorate ‘Reflection’ will be ridiculously futile. The more you try to clothe the ‘reflection’ which is indeed only an ‘abhas’ unreal – it will be covered and disappear from your sight. The correct way therefore to see the ‘pratibimba’ –the reflection decorative and delightful, is to decorate and please the ‘bimba’ or ‘universal’ which when done, the individual will automatically reflect the ‘sat-chit-anand’, which is the real character of the universal. That is why we should pray, praise and please ‘maker’. That alone, will reflect in our individual lives.

    Swamiji presented on behalf of the Internatioal Chaturveda Committee the sacred Veda to the Hindu temple in a function like of which was never witnessed before in this town. From amongst the large number of elite citizens who were present, Shri P.S.Naskar, the Bharatiya Rajdoota in Philippines, spoke in warm terms about His Holiness and lauded his unique mission.

            The second presentation of the sacred Veda to the university of Philippines, renowned as an international attraction of students from all over the world, deserves to be mentioned. Prof. Joseph Saniel, representative of the Vice-Chancellor, welcomed Swamiji and expressed sense of gratitude for his gift, on behalf of the university. Shri Dada Apte introduces His Holiness Swamiji, and spoke on the general aspects of the Vedas and the great learning, science, and knowledge they contained. Swamiji in his presentation address informed the learned audience of the special features of the mammoth volume of the four Vedas presented to the University. Swamiji referred to the preaching and teachings of the Vedas which are indeed meant for the whole humanity.

    In the last public meeting addressed by Swamiji in Manila while he commended the spirit of patriotism of the great Portugese discoverer, in his naming of the islands after Philipps II, the then ruling king of Portugal, he expressed his sadness at the thought that the people of the islands have not yet changed the name Philippines which smacks of and reminds of the days of bondage. Swamiji offered his reflections on the meanings and purport of the names Manila and Philippines and its relation with Bharat and Asia of which it is a part and parcel.

    Swamiji was very much delighted to learn that the Philippines government had recognized the most honored place of Bhagawan Manu as the first law giver of mankind, and placed his picture in the Department of Justice. Manila in the view of Swamiji must have had close relation with Bhagawan Manu and his daughter Ila, as it is well known that in ancient times this island, then called ‘Gandharva’ was one of the nine islands connected with Bharat.

            Swamiji and his party were the guests of a well known businessman Sri Arjan Mirchandani, Sri Kripaldas, President of the Hindu Temple, Sri Dadalani, Sri Genomal and so many other influential magnates of Manila hosted Swamiji and attended on him regardfully throughout.

    Swamiji was accorded a grand send off on the evening on 12th November 1974 he took off to Singapore.
    सबका मालिक एक - Sabka Malik Ek

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