The Passing of a Great Soul
Regarding the article “A Saint’s Self-Willed Death” (Sep/1997) by Choodie Shivaram— Swami Nirmalananda was my guru since 1986, and many times I visited him at his ashram. In 1997, I attended his mahasamadhi ceremony. He was a blessed soul, a political anti-war activist, and a critic of TV who called himself “the anarchist-swami.”
David Life Kirkpatrick
david@jivamuktiyoga.com
This willful method of leaving the physical plane needs to be explored. I always wondered if there was a better, more dignified way for the old and infirm to exit from the world by fasting, which is not self-killing but rather a way of renouncing the world for the younger generation, having fulfilled one’s duties. One day we all will be old and infirm.
Jana
janakirathod@yahoo.com
Turmeric’s Amazing Qualities
Thank you for the article, “A Testimony to Turmeric,” by ‑Lakshmi Sridharan (Oct/Nov/Dec 2024). Knee replacement is a popular surgical answer for several conditions that turmeric, in my experience, has eliminated. Tumeric’s anti-inflammatory properties have allowed me to regain mobility from osteoarthritis in my lower body without surgery and the huge costs associated with modern mainstream healthcare.
Tiru Adi Srikantha
adisriadi@gmail.com
Honoring the Feminine
To Erica Bassani: thank you for your beautiful interview with Vanamali Mataji, “All Women Are Sacred” (Oct/Nov/Dec 2024). What a great perspective on the traditions, scriptures and role of women today. Mataji makes everything so simple and beautiful—filled with wisdom and sweetness. Yet it remains sublime and uplifting. I feel so grateful to read this and learn. Thank you!
Ramya
n_ramya108@yahoo.com
A beautiful interview! Thanks for this divine exchange. Vanamali Maa is a powerhouse of love, bhakti and compassion.
Priyanka Kadam
priyanka.kadam99@gmail.com
Transformed by an Artform
Ms. Oviaa Madanganesh Sumathi has penned an excellent article that beautifully showcases her passion for Bharatanatyam and its deep connection to our tradition, in “The Value of Hindu Art Forms” (Jan/Feb/Mar 2025). Her unwavering dedication and consistent efforts have transformed her into the accomplished artist she is today. The article radiates her inner happiness and self-assurance. Congratulations to Oviaa and her proud parents and teachers!
Dr. Visalakshi P.
visapsg@gmail.com
Becoming a Hindu
Thank you, Devala Rees, for your opinion piece, “How I became a Hindu” (Jul/Aug/Sep 2018). I would like to add to your thoughts that no one is a Hindu by mere birth; dharma and karma make it so. May God bless you to achieve even higher levels of attainment.
Ramesh Upadhya Dr.
drrameshupadhya@gmail.com
Learning from a Master
Greetings and namaste Priya. Thank you for the wonderful article about Swami Bua Ji Maharaj, “I Learned Yoga from a Living Master” (Jul/Aug/Sep 2023). Reading it brought back many memories of Swamiji. I was fortunate to begin studying with him in 1982 and well into the 2000s. Joanne O’Day and I traveled with Swamiji, demonstrating asanas in temples and yoga centers throughout the Northeast. It was truly a blessing to study yoga so intimately with a true hatha yogi. I am always grateful for having a close relationship with him. I treasure the conversations with him on Sanatana Dharma and fondly recall the delicious vegetarian meals he would prepare following a class. You have captured many wonderful moments in your article and I thank you for sharing. Hari Om.
Raymond Wolff
rwolffdc@aol.com
Swamiji blessed me every time he saw me. He was a true spirit. I was his doorman at 330 West 58th Street, in New York City, where he lived.
Richard M Vrana
jcvellen@aol.com
Spiritual Parallels
I am a student of philosophy trying to understand and feel ancient knowledge for a deeper insight into Life. Your article, “Taoism’s Hindu Parallels” (Jul/Aug/Sep 2022), profoundly met my expectations and enhanced knowledge about Taoism. I fell in love with Tao upon first encountering the concept of Wu wei. I made no effort to understand it—it simply resonated. Thanks for augmenting a what I just felt deep inside.
Abinav Vinayak V
abinavvinayak@gmail.com
The Self God
I found “The Self God” in the book Merging with Siva, by the founder of Hinduism Today magazine, and sought a more readable version online (The Self God: Life’s Ultimate Goal,” Sept/1997). How does a human describe the unexplainable? I personally don’t know, but Subramuniyaswami has made a most remarkable attempt, in my opinion. What an incredible Being! This treatise is not to be read casually just one time, but to be studied again and again. . . and savored!
Richard
richlaudt@gmail.com
The Logic of Reincarnation
I thoroughly enjoyed reading your article, “Do Hindus Believe in Reincarnation?” (Jan/Feb/Mar 2024). The law of karma and reincarnation are two linchpins of Hinduism that can explain just about everything that happens in the lives of living beings. Reincarnation alone can explain phenomena that are otherwise inexplicable within the framework of a single lifetime. One, how else can we explain the apparent disparity in individual talents and predispositions and some individuals displaying exceptional skills or talents from a very young age, seemingly without any prior exposure or training in their current lives? Two, how else can we explain cases of children who remember past lives and exhibit talents that cannot be attributed to their current life experiences? Three, how else can we explain phobias and irrational fears? Four, how else can we explain the phenomenon of déjà vu, where individuals feel a sense of familiarity with a situation or place they have never encountered before? Five, how else can we explain some children correctly remembering their birthmarks and congenital anomalies of previous lives? Lastly, how else can we explain the phenomenon of near-death experiences (NDEs), where individuals report vivid encounters with a realm beyond our conventional understanding?
Pradeep Srivastava
pradeepscool@hotmail.com
Kudos
Please accept a heartfelt appreciation for your January 2025 edition of Hinduism Today, which I found rich with insights and resources—as usual! Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami’s reflection on the continued relevance of Hinduism and the beautifully translated verses of the Sarvajnanottara Agama by Dr. S. P. Sabharathnam struck a wonderfully counter-cultural tone for this hectic era where our lives are increasingly consumed by trivialities and ego-driven pursuits that distract us from what truly matters. .
Dr. Asha C. Shipma, Director of Hindu Life
Yale University Chaplain’s Office
asha.shipman@yale.edu>
The latest issue featuring the Nallur Temple was greatly appreciated, coming at the time of Karthigai Deepam! The Murugan Temple of North America, Maryland, was built with a Pillaiyar idol gifted from Iraivan Temple. I frequent it and had the fortune of seeing seers from Hawaii when the kumbhabishekam of the Rajagopuram was done. My friend from here has gone to Nallur for Deepam festival. She was excited to know of the article. I will pass on the magazine to her when she returns. Thank you very much for the vibrant editions.
Sunitha Madhavan
sunitha.madhavan44@gmail.com
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What Is Karma?
from: “Fourteen Questions People Ask About Hinduism”
Karma is the universal principle of cause and effect. Our actions, both good and bad, come back to us in the future, helping us to learn from life’s lessons and become better people. Karma is one of the natural laws of the mind, just as gravity is a law of matter. Just as God created gravity to bring order to the physical world, He created karma as a divine system of justice that is self-governing and infinitely fair. It automatically creates the appropriate future experience in response to the current action. Karma simply means “action” or “cause and effect.” When something happens to us that is apparently unfortunate or unjust, it is not God punishing us. It is the result of our own past actions.
The Vedas, Hinduism’s revealed scripture, tell us if we sow goodness, we will reap goodness; if we sow evil, we will reap evil. Thus we create our own destiny through thought and action. And the divine law is: whatever karma we are experiencing in our life is just what we need at the moment.
Preserving and Promoting Hinduism in the Modern World
Our publisher submits that help given to this magazine benefits all Hindus
Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami, founder of Hinduism Today, often emphasized that we have one duty to perform. Can you guess what that duty is? That duty is “to pass our religion on to the next generation, the next and the next.” We provide needed resources in Hinduism Today.
Dharma can be taught in children by teaching them to study and memorize the yamas and niyamas—which together form the ethical restraints and religious observances of Hinduism. They comprise a broad set of principles to guide our conduct. Stories are an excellent way to introduce these guidelines to young children. The October 2024 issue of Hinduism Today featured two stories based on these principles.
The educational Insight, “Raising Children as Good Hindus” (April 2021) was expressly written to teach children Hindu concepts related to contemporary concerns. The section “Teach of Hinduism’s Greatness” notes,“Since the middle of the 20th century, Hindu teachings have become more widely understood throughout the world. As a result, cardinal aspects of the Hindu approach to living have been taken up by many thoughtful individuals of diverse religions and ethnicities far beyond India. This is because they find them to be wise and effective ways of living.”
Youth will be inspired to learn that many Hindu precepts are being widely adopted in our modern times. These include following a vegetarian diet; a reverence for and protection of the environment; resolving conflicts nonviolently; tolerance towards others; viewing the world as one family; the belief in karma as a system of divine justice; the belief in reincarnation; the practice of yoga and meditation; and seeking for personal experiences of the Divine.
Hinduism Today also encourages educating Hindu children in their religion through reporting on the successful teaching programs of organizations such as Chinmaya Mission. Our article on their Bala Vihar program (April 2024) quoted from their curriculum: “‘Remember that values are more important than valuables,’ Pujya Swami Tejomayananda has noted, and Chinmaya Mission emphasizes and prides itself on the systematic value-based education it provides for children. It starts in pre-kindergarten, where tiny tots are nurtured in play and Hindu culture, and then moves on to the celebrated Bala Vihar program for children in kindergarten through grade 12. The structured teaching is done with Advaita Vedanta forming the basis of all understanding shared in class.”
Help our magazine continue to promote Hindu education to the young by helping it to remain financially strong and secure. Donate at: bit.ly/help-HT, or contact us at: +1-888-464-1008 or support@hindu.org