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Hinduism Today Digital Edition
April 2008 Edition Now Available!
(Click to download the PDF manager)
The April, May, June 2008 Digital Edition has been released. Existing subscribers can just run our already installed Digital Edition PDF content manager program from your machine. It will automatically download and manage your own personal library of Hinduism Today digital edition PDFs. There has been a major upgrade and a new multimedia viewer. If you don't have it, click on the link above to get started.
Our latest issue is one of contrasts, from meditation teachings to New Delhi's magnificent emporiums. The sixteen page meditation feature brings you the wisdom of Hindu masters: the basics, inspired definitions, delineations of basic goals, methods, principles, guidelines, tips on overcoming obstacles and rewards to expect.
In his editorial, Publisher Satguru Bodhinatha points out that we need not limit ourselves to just one perspective when facing the world and our experiences. He explains that there are, in fact, four distinct perspectives always available to us, and we can learn to move awareness from one and then the other, thus giving ourselves a much greater field of possibilities in thought and action.
The issue features a profile of one of last century's great saints, Sri Anandamayi Ma of Bengal, whom Swami Sivananda praised as "the purest flower the soil of India has ever produced." Complete with striking vintage photos.
Our 16-page report on New Delhi's state emporium complex features arts-and-craft marvels from every state in India.
An important article warns that, even if you're a vegetarian, be careful of too much protein. It is complemented, by two other articles on the same subject by Ayurvedic physicians.
If Hindu consensus and action on important issues thrills you, then here's your article. It covers a meeting of Hindu leaders in Florida. No, it was not just a lot of talk--and that is the point. Discussions led to positive decisions with concrete plans to implement. They decided, for example, to become dynamically proactive in helping the media learn what Hinduism is and is not.Stay tuned for the next steps in this all-important project.
For who still prefer a traditional, in-your-hands magazine that you can take anywhere and read at leisure away from computers, our gorgeous print edition is available worldwide.
Now podcasting our publisher's editorial
Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami reads his editorial from the upcoming October/November/December issue as a podcast. Subscribe to it for free via the iTunes Music Store_ and have it automatically downloaded to your computer and/or iPod each quarter download iTunes for Mac or Windows_ if you don't already have it). If you prefer a different RSS reader, subscribe to our podcast here.
Hot News:
Hinduism Today Receives a Portion
of the McDonalds' US$10 Million Settlement
HINDUISM TODAY is an award winning, Macintosh-generated, full color quarterly news magazine articulating Indian spirituality for 135,000 readers around the world. It was founded January 5, 1979, by Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami for the following purposes:
- To foster Hindu solidarity as a "unity in diversity" among all sects and lineages;
- To inform and inspire Hindus worldwide and people interested in Hinduism;
- To dispel myths, illusions and misinformation about Hinduism;
- To protect, preserve and promote the sacred Vedas and the Hindu religion, especially the Nandinatha Sampradaya;
- To nurture a truly spiritual Hindu renaissance.
- To publish a resource for Hindu leaders and educators who promote Sanatana Dharma.
For the whole story, see "Who, What, When and Why Hinduism Today."
FREE OMs, Visit the Original Hinduism Today Aum Page! 
Sacred Aums are now on the web, free for all to enjoy and use: As many of you know, the monks at Kauai Aadheenam in Hawaii have been collecting Aums (also spelled Oms) for many decades. We found these sacred symbols on walls in India and T-shirts in Colombo, in wrought iron gate designs on temples and painted in the sand with colorful grains. Plus the intrepid Hinduism Today designers made our own over the years, and scores came in through e-mail from every corner of the globe. We even made a CD with high-resolution versions. Today marks the first day in history when these aum designs and illustrations, signs and digital creations are ALL on the web, free and abundant, our gift to you all. Bookmark this page, so anytime you need an idea, or a web button you can grab one of these remarkable creatures.
Click here to go to our NEW AUM COLLECTION page.
HPI ARCHIVES
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May 14, 2008
1. Traditional Hindu Death Ceremonies in Flux
CHENNAI, INDIA, May 10, 2008: They're known for their ability to evoke sorrow, to mourn the passing of relatives in a family, singing of the deceased's life and achievements. The wailing women squat around a dead body singing oppari (dirge) songs choked throats. But these days, as there is nobody to sing these songs, the house-in-mourning plays songs of filmy melancholy on loudspeakers. During a visit to Madurai, this correspondent witnessed relatives weeping, while En piranthay makane en piranthay (why were you born son, why were you born?), a hit number rendered by veteran T. M. Soundar Rajan, played on a loudspeaker. The dolorous song that blared out of the loudspeaker had the desired effect on the women who wept and wailed. When asked about the appropriateness of the film song, the reply was this. "These days not many women know oppari songs. So we replaced it with a film song. In fact, this is what most people do these days."
Death-related customs among Brahmins are also changing fast. Subramania Sasthrigal says, "Similar to oppari, Brahmins have the plakkanam. There is also a custom of beating the chest thrice a day for 11 days. Among the present generation, only a few women know how to sing plakkanam." Thaliyarukkal, when the widow's mangalsutra is pulled off and her bangles broken is another ritual that is being phased out. The 10-day ostracizing ritual called pelai is also not observed. During this temporary period of untouchability, the closest relatives of the deceased are barred from entering temples and drawing water from public wells. Neelakanda Sharma says, "In this busy world, how can anyone keep himself isolated for 10 days? Not many observe pelai, not at least in the cities."
2. Indian Temple Elephants Get Microchipped
PUDUCHERRY, INDIA, May 10, 2008: High-end devices have come to the aid of Lakshmi and Ganesh, the two temple elephants in the Union Territory. Micro chip implants would now help tracking the elephants and prevent illegal trading of the animals. On Monday, 17-year-old Lakshmi, belonging to the Manakula Vinayagar Temple, underwent the procedure for the micro chip implant. The "rice-sized" chip was implanted behind her left ear. "There are a lot of complaints of illegal trading of elephants from forests, mostly from Assam. To prevent this, the Government of India has decided to allot numbers to the elephants to help locate or trace them," Chief Wildlife Warden P. Devaraj said.
The situation was especially difficult in States such as Tamil Nadu and Kerala as there were large number of elephants making monitoring difficult, he added. "The 1.5 inch implant will not affect the elephant in any way. Using a scanner, the number assigned for the chip can be read. Through this chip, the location of the elephant and its entire history, including date of birth, age, height, weight and when the chip was implanted, can be obtained. This makes it easy to trace the elephants," Mr. Devaraj said.
3. First Hindu-Jewish Summit Report Available
MAY 14, 2008: The World Council of Religious Leaders has released the final report of the first Hindu leadership summit and meeting with Jewish leaders in Delhi last year. The report (18MB in size) can be downloaded at the URL above until May 21, 2008.
4. Are You A Musician? Your Songs Might Help The "What Is Hinduism?" Movie
KAUAI, HAWAII, May 14, 2008: Hinduism Today magazine produced remarkable material over the last 29 years, gems about Hindu spirituality and culture, metaphysics and philosophy, temple worship and enlightened saints. The best articles were compiled as a gorgeous 416-page book called "What Is Hinduism?" Now, remarkable plunge into Hinduism is about to become a series of documentaries.
The Editors of Hinduism Today are looking for offers from Hindu musicians who might release their royalties for music to be used in this project. You can look at the book's exquisite art http://www.himalayanacademy.com/resources/books/wih/ and see how much the book's potent imagery calls for a good traditional soundtrack. Please contact hpi@hindu.org
5. Daily Inspiration
Sitting in a state of meditation, you must be more alive and alert than a tightrope walker suspended without a net on a taut cable three hundred feet above the surface of the Earth.
Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami (1927-2001)
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