Subject: [world-vedic] The chapatti approach to Vedic Understanding Date: Tue, 25 Dec 2001 15:42:11 -1000 From: "Raghunata \(John\) Anudasa" Reply-To: vediculture@yahoogroups.com To: "'Ashwini Kumar'" CC: , The 'Chapatti' Approach to Vedic Understanding Dear Kumar, Well, you have mentioned two points, the format and nature of your magazine. And the possibilities for ROOPA. On the first front (your magazines focus), you will run into some problems if you focus too narrowly on a Western approach to Vedic culture. God is not at the center in the Western paradigm. Therefore, each thing has become an island unto itself. In Vedic culture, because the Lord is at the center, all other things are simply an extension of him whether they be social, academic, medical, political, philosophical, religious, economic etc. Such approaches to life and learning lies at the heart between divinity and the material and between the West and Vedic culture. When applied to man, you end up with so many 'isms' until and only upon our common spiritual denominator being applied. Only then can all men and women be truly equal. Applying 'science' to research Vedic culture (without using its spiritual foundation as the primary measure) is to strip the Vedic sciences into their most abrasive elements. A good example is the India chapatti. In the West, they separate the white flower from the wheat bran and the wheat glutton from the wheat. They then offer you white bread and paste with no fiber, mock meats made from wheat glutton for protein and bran for roughage. India offers you the chapatti wherein all of these ingredients are automatically included and done so in perfect balance--the way nature intended. And so it is with the Vedic sciences. Their different areas of study are not intended as a stand alone as the West would approach it. Such demarcations are of a Western way of thinking. They need to block things into their most basic because they have forsaken the intuitive which would otherwise allow multi-tasking at its most comprehensive. Nor is 'scientific evidence' sufficient to uncover the Vedic civilization if it fails to incorporate divinity as its first and primary premise. The Economics of Love: Varna-Asrama demonstrates the point. It has viewed economics from the premise of Love of God and worked its way out from there. As such, it can account for all factors of economic activity otherwise overlooked by the micro managing of political and commercial interest. Such demonstrations will prove powerful for others wishing to delineate Vedic culture to the Western, 'scientific,' audiences. I therefore encourage you to reconsider presenting ROOPA to both your readers as well as your editorial contributors. As for the 'paradigm shift' of our politicians, it happens when the people change. Politicians don't offer those changes, the people do--grass roots. Gandi new this and so didn't wait for the British to have a paradigm shift in their thinking for India. Gandhi recognized the British would 'change' once the rest of India, the people, decided they wanted the change. You must decide you want such a change, then others will follow. This is the way of true grass roots revolution and of transcendence knowledge. It will begin for you the day you commit to make it happen. Forget the politicians: Are you ready? That is our only concern. That was the secret to Gandhi's success as will be for us. Great to hear from again. Merry Christmas Raghunatha Anudasa -----Original Message----- From: Ashwini Kumar [mailto:ashwini_kumarr@hotmail.com] Sent: Monday, December 24, 2001 5:55 PM To: raghu@roopa.org Cc: vedicscience@hotmail.com Subject: Fwd: The Economics of Love--Varna-asrama Namaste Raghu Our magazine is limited to articles related to scientific interpretation of Vedas and Allied Literature. We would be happy to consider any article that falls into this category for publication. Ashwini Kumar P.S. Your piece on the Economics of Love is well written.When do you see our politicians making a paradigm shift in this direction?