America 250 celebration with purpose at Irvine Hindu Mandir

 

This Mandir is the oldest and most popular unique Mandir in Irvine, south of Los Angeles . It organized two events to highlight America as our adopted or birth land. Hindu and American constitution values align: logical with personal freedom and liberty of thought.

A daylong well organized and attended seminar on the “Whys” the foundational aspects of most relevant yet misunderstood popular topics of Vivah, Murtipuja and Cow (gau) puja was conducted by renowned scholar researcher author thinker emeritus Prof Dr Shive Chaturvedi. He is engaged in the service of Vedic Rishis (seers, sages) who provided the wisdom.

 

Few takeaways from his talk with almost 50 slides based on Vedic and contemporary texts:

 

1) Vivah sanskar

•Active participation to achieve something to uplift living.

•Unique lifelong sacred dharmic (duty) union (yog) creates new fields.

• Not merely a legal revocable contract as in Abrahamic marriages/ weddings.

• Vital, consequential and transformative in the lifetime of male and female to perpetuate human existence lineage by divine art of procreation as family shapers.

• Vows together in front of Agni (eternal fire), parents, family and friends to uphold specific duties/obligations to each other, family, society and nation.

• Social and scientific explanations of 7 steps.

• New bond between two independent persons for stable living.

• Controlled sexual pleasure for psycho physiological needs.

• Requires mutual compromise and sacrifice.

• Acceptance of responsibility and suffering.

• Joint assessment on anniversaries.

• Parents (who create this universe) Day.

• Living tradition for happiness and longevity.

•Rituals, mantras are learning/counseling.

•Perversions of mere partying must be addressed.

 

2) Murtipuja:

• Not an idol worship.

• Universal all-pervading supreme consciousness in all sentient and non-sentient.

• Entire universe is imbued with the hidden divinity.

• microcosm replica of Cosmos.Personification of divinity and vice versa.

• Closest example: Spider weaves own web.

• One became many and all. “ By, for and of “ the devotees.

• manifestation of human thought in forms and attributes to inspire for those qualities. Examples: written word, artwork express thoughts.

• Direct connection (yog ) to select personal Deities.

 

3) Cow ( gau) puja:

• Not just Animal-in usual sense for animal worship.

• Divine entity represents animal world.

• Weak, meek, gentle, non- hurting and provider of nutritious milk.

• Brahma cow with hump native to Bharat.

• Feminine creative principle.

• Prevention of cruelty to animals.

• Legal living entity for protection.

 

Stories, symbols and metaphors are best to convey these philosophical foundations to masses in a simple way to remember and practice as routine rituals.

The engaged audience had many critical questions. One interfaith delegate observed “….wonderful day of learning and enlightenment! I’m so grateful I could come spend the day at your Temple and learn from Guru Chaturvedi….”

Another senior attendee quipped “ I have heard discourses by many swamis, yogis, kathakars and scholars over two decades but none explained the “Whys” so well”.

A couple in mid- thirties stated “….. we never paid attention to the rituals which were counselling for duties and responsibilities…..”.

 

In a way all these topics encompass the wisdom of 4 Vedas, 4 Ashrams and 4 Purushathas which are practical manuals of DIY meaningful living.

And of course, the second event next day Mandir organized too was a hit session on various aspects of heart health by renowned expert board certified Cardiologists and Dietitian who made detailed power point presentations for care and answered many questions from the engaged audience. The importance of lifestyle choices, dietitian’s guidelines calibrated to age and activity level, regular health checkups were emphasized.

We have only one heart and therefore we need another heart too! If you notice, Bhagwan Ganeshji’s trunk points towards left hand side where heart is. So, let’s take care of our heart by having Vivah with full understanding in the presence of manifestations of deities in a Mandir and also serve Gaumata (mother cow).

This report is to encourage Hindu American community to value their knowledge- based rituals and traditions.