Tattva

Namaste,

As always, we are pleased to present to you the latest edition of Tattva. Hope you all enjoyed reading the previous edition. In this edition, we have a variety of articles, including one by a college student about the new trend of Indian-American youth entering fields other than the sciences, and a fiery editorial arguing for the need of a strong Hindu lobby.  Please also take a few moments to read the “Yuva for Sewa” article. Yuva for Sewa provides a unique opportunity for youth to volunteer their time and talent for the less fortunate in our society. We encourage all Tattva readers to consider giving some time as a Yuva for Sewa volunteer. Please also pass the information about Yuva for Sewa to anyone who may be interested. Vishwa Dharma Ki Jai!

Please visit http://www.hinduyuva.org/tattva-blog/2008/02 to read the February 2008 edition of Tattva. 

Preface
“Hindu Rashtra” is the cardinal principle of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. It is regarded as the life-breath of RSS. Ironically, it is perhaps the most misunderstood concept in modern India, and is often used to propagate false notions about the RSS and the Sangh Parivar in general. Many articles have been written on this issue and this article borrows ideas from two of them “Hindu Rashtra” by K. Suryanarayana Rao and “Why Hindu Rashtra” by K.S. Sudarshan. This article is by no means a substitute to any of the above articles, but is a mere compilation of ideas from them presented in a simple language.  

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This article is the second of a 2-part series on Ancient India’s contributions. To read Part 1, please visit: http://www.hinduyuva.org/tattva-blog/2008/01/ancient-india/

Impact of Mathematics on Art and Architecture

Indian art is highly symbolic. The art and architecture produced on the Indian subcontinent dates back to the 3rd millennium BC. Therefore from that alone it can be determined as to how culturally influenced it must have been. The basic mathematical principals of Vaastu Shastra were also practiced. The form of the Hindu temple, the contours of the bodies of the Hindu gods and goddesses, and the light, shade, composition, and volume in Indian painting are all used to glorify the mystery that resolves the conflict between life and death, time and eternity. Read the rest of this entry »

The Law of Action
Lord Krishna states the general rule about the nature of action and its result in the famous verse 47 of Chapter II:
“But thou, want not! Ask not! Find full reward
Of doing right in right! Let right deeds be
Thy motive, not the fruit which comes from them.” 

With discriminative intellect, you can choose, plan and perform an action with a view to obtaining a desired result, but you have no choice in determining the result of the action. Innumerable factors go into determining the result and we do not have the knowledge of all of them. An archer can release an arrow at his target based on his judgment but he cannot be certain whether the arrow will definitely hit the target. Once the arrow is released, its flight is governed by the laws of nature and factors such as wind and velocity. The archer can estimate these factors but cannot control them.

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“In a country that prides itself on its religious diversity and its secular constitution, many see the rise of Modi and his pro Hindu agenda as a terrifying chapter of intolerance. They say he is dangerous fire brand and too comfortable inciting the politics of hatred and violence,” states Sam Dolonick in his article published in the recent issue of The Economist. Besides holding Narendra Modi solely responsible for the riots of 2002 he also makes the baseless and completely concocted allegation that “The RSS was influenced by 1930s German fascism…” It’s not that he doesn’t acknowledge the unparalleled achievements of Gujarat Chief Minister. In fact he does when he says, “Modi has attracted more than 20% of the India’s total investment of $69 billion last year,” but he makes a foul attempt of trying to make it irrelevant by adding, “But despite his achievement, for may of India’s 1.1 billion people – 14 percent of whom are Muslims – Modi will always be defined by the anti-Muslim violence…”

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The second annual offering of salutes to the Sun, known as “Surya Namaskar Yagna” successfully achieved its objective of promoting “Health for Humanity.”  Surya Namaskar is a 10-step body conditioning method that uses the ancient Indian Yoga techniques.  Each year Hindus worldwide celebrate January 14th as Makar Samkranti - the day the sun enters the sign of Capricorn or Makar, resulting in a change of season. Makar Samkranti brings in longer days, thus the festivity symbolizes sunshine in the life.  During this auspicious time, Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh, USA (HSS) local centers, along with several Yoga groups and community organizations, actively participated at over 140 locations all across the U.S. in this unique public health awareness campaign that started on January 12th, 2008 and concluded on January 27th, 2008. 

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Yuva (Youth) for Sewa is a unique program designed by Sewa International to offer opportunities to youth to participate in service projects around the world! Through the Yuva for Sewa Fellowship (YSF) one can participate at the grassroots level allowing direct contact with the project of involvement. Anyone between the ages of 18 and 30 who is committed to the value of service work may apply for the fellowship. Projects last from a few a weeks up to six months, depending on the requirements of the volunteer and the project, and occur between the months of June and December. The fellowship is unique as it provides a variety of service projects to choose from in many different locations around the world including the U.S., the Carribean, and India. Read the rest of this entry »