Europe 2015 with Śhrī Maunish Vyas
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We have been extremely happy and greatly honoured to welcome Śhrī Maunish Vyas, the author of the Rudra Tattva book, for a series of vedic events which have taken place in France, Switzerland and Italy during December.
Coming from Mumbai, this Veda Teacher and Speaker highly involved throughout India, had studied Vedas for eighteen years before being instructed by a first-class Vedic Scholar. He notably conducted a full fledged Veda workshop at the SSSIHL Campus in Praśhānti Nilayam, in which 200 college students including professors from Praśhānti and Brindāvan participated.
Śhrī Maunish Vyas underlines the universality of the Vedas, erroneously considered as “Hindu” only. During these various rudra ēkādaśhinī, he lead us in the chanting and delivered some talks on Veda and śhrī rudram, followed by enlightening Questions-Answers sessions.
Choisy-le-Roi (France) – 20 December 2015
The fifth rudra ēkādaśhinī took place in the new Shirdi Temple, in Choisy-le-Roi, near Paris, and was attended by 150 persons or so. More than 30 chanters, male and female from various nationalities, chanted eleven times the śhrī rudram, while an abhiṣhēka was performed by the priests and bramhans. Besides the inspiring and most awaited presence of Śhrī Maunish Vyas, we were blessed with the participation of a Sai student from Puttaparthi, who had chanted Vedas on the mike for several years in the Sai Kulwant Hall of Praśhānti Nilayam. The programme started and ended with the samāna sūktam (the last sūktam from the Ṛgveda, dedicated to Universal Unity). Just before the chanting, one minute of silence was observed in memory of all the victims of the tragedy that happened in Paris on 13 November.
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To see a brief video, please click here
In his talk, Śhrī Maunish Vyas expressed his great satisfaction concerning the quality of chanting, and he encouraged all those wishing to listen or chant the Vedas, specifying that listening itself constitutes the first step and already confers a number of benefits. He underlined the fact that the beginner should first learn one or several small sūktams, in order to become familiar with the vedic chanting, before embarking on the śhrī rudram.
Concerning the purifying aspect of the vedic chants, Śhrī Maunish Vyas mentioned the great power of the mantras from the śhrī rudram, specially in our turbulent time, the Kaliyuga, declaring that they can remove or reduce negativity (attacks, natural disasters, etc.)
He also explained how the śhrī rudram sharpens our discrimination and shows us what we should accept (cha mē – mine) and refuse (na-maḥa – not mine). He notably gave the youth as an example, for whom such discrimination is essential.
Everybody greatly appreciated this vedic day with Śhrī Maunish Vyas, and we would like to thank every person who contributed to the success of this event.
Locarno – Minusio (Switzerland) – 13 December 2015
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Two marvellous and very awaited days with Śhrī Maunish Vyas in Locarno, in a private house! Nearly 70 persons attended this important vedic event.
Specially for the occasion, a maṇḍapa had been made in the veranda of the house, rigorously following the vedic rules of construction, and which hosted the fire of the rudra yajña on Sunday, during the rudra ēkādaśhinī.
Besides Śhrī Maunish Vyas, joined us Marine, coming from England, who supported us in the chanting of the śhrī rudram, and the bramhan Śhrī Karthik Ragavan, coming from Geneva, who conducted the introductory vedic rituals (Śhrī Rudra Kalaśha Sthāpana, Śhiva Pūjā, Laghu Gaṇēśha Yajña and Rudram Laghunyāsam) and the sacrificial fire ritual, rudra yajña, which accompanied the chanting of the rudra ēkādaśhinī.
The first day, after the introductory rituals and the chanting guided by Śhrī Maunish Vyas of gaṇapati prārthanā, gaṇapati atharva śhīrṣham, puruṣha sūktam, śhrī sūktam and durgā sūktam, took place a lakṣhārchana. In the afternoon, after a brief bhajans session, Śhrī Maunish Vyas gave an important talk about the Vedas and the śhrī rudram, which prepared us for the rudra ēkādaśhinī on the next day. Śhrī Maunish Vyas presented in details the various vedic sounds and their exact pronunciation. Then, he addressed basic issues linked to the approach of the Vedas by Western people.
The second day was totally dedicated to the rudra ēkādaśhinī, along with the rudra yajña (121 oblations were offered to the sacrificial fire, one for each anuvākaḥa). Then, after some bhajans, Śhrī Maunish Vyas taught us the samāna sūktam, the last sūktam from Ṛgveda, dedicated to Universal Unity. He revealed us that Swāmi added the samastalōkāḥ mantra to the samāna sūktam.
Everyone could appreciate the great generosity, availability and competence of Śhrī Maunish Vyas and Śhrī Karthik Ragavan.
Castelletto Ticino (Italie) – 8 December 2015
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The program was dedicated to the rudra ēkādaśhinī in the morning and a conference by Śhrī Maunish Vyas in the afternoon with a “Questions & Answers” session involving the attendance. Almost fifty persons from any corner of the Sai constellation gathered.
In the afternoon, after an energetic bhajans session, an ex-student of the Praśhānti Nilayam campus spoke about Swāmi’s strong determination to have the Veda, and particularly the Rudram, learned in His schools; he narrated several episodes about Swāmi’s direct involvement in the matter.
Śhrī Maunish Vyas gave a generic talk on the Veda and the Rudram. Then, much time was dedicated to questions, to which he gave precise and exhaustive answers. Here are some of the topics:
– The Vedic Hymns help in purifying mind and heart, and this makes the practice of our devotion more efficient and profitable. Their meaning depends on how you consider them: if you think that they exist or not, and what they express or represent. If they have a value for you, then the hymns have a value as well.
– Concerning the chanting and the time it will take to attain the exact pronunciation, Śhrī Maunish Vyas answered: “As you are not paṇḍits who earn their living with such recitations, do not worry about perfect pronunciation; it will get better with time.”
– In the Veda we find written that God, that means spirituality, is beyond the Veda and beyond words, but the Veda can help you or lead you up to a certain point. Then only you can go beyond.
Geneva (Switzerland) – 6 December 2015
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Geneva graciously welcomed the rudra ēkādaśhinī which was planned in Paris on 6 December and which did not take place due to the state of emergency imposed after the terrorist attacks of 13 November.
About sixty persons gathered for this chanting of the śhrī rudram, and at the same time an abhiṣhēka was performed by bramhans.
After the lunch and a brief but beautiful bhajans session, Śhrī Maunish Vyas made a very interactive and detailed presentation of the different vedic sounds. Thus, people discovered this great variety of sounds and the correct way to pronounce them.
Then, he answered many questions from the audience. Has been notably tackled how it is important to respect the brief pauses between two vowels, and to pronounce correctly the sounds and the words, so that one can obtain the correct meaning and effect of the mantra. Śhrī Maunish Vyas gave an example of a brief pause which, when it is omitted, turns “created worlds” into “uncreated worlds”.
He also gave some practical elements concerning the chanting: during a rudra ēkādaśhinī, the chanting lasts 3 hours, which implies a natural evolution of the pitch and the rhythm over the chanting. He specified that the personal chanting should be at a moderate speed, not too fast, not too slow, and at a comfortable pitch for the chanter himself.
It was a beautiful day, indeed, and many children participated both in the Vedam chanting and in the bhajans. Many thanks to the Geneva Team for their warm welcome, and for their perfect management of the event in a short time frame!
Other Events
Three very enlightening satsaṅgs with Śhrī Maunish Vyas took place in private houses : two in East of France on Thursday 3 and 17 December, and one in Parma, Italy, on Thursday 10 December.
In France, were addressed subjects like people motivation to learn and chant the Vedas, the relevance of Vedic chanting to help seriously ill persons, the issue raised in some professional activities when one wants to stick to the Vedic injunctions, or the spiritual upliftment effect of Vedam chanting even though one does not understand the meaning of the mantras.
In Italy, the topic chosen by the organizers was « garbha saṁskāra », a part of the āyurvēda which deals with the positive programming of children right from the conception and guides parents all throughout the pregnancy.
The next Vedam chanting workshop in Leicester will take place on
The next Vedam chanting workshop in Paris will take place on
