March 2001
Vedanta Society of Portland
The following are the Society's services and special events for this month.
Except where noted, all lectures are given by Swami Shantarupananda.
All are welcome.


Sunday Mon.  Tuesday Wed. Thursday Fri. Sat.
   
 
 

 

 1
 
 
 

  7:30 PM Scripture Class
Viveka Chudamani

 2
 
 
 

 

 3
4
 11:00 AM Service
God is Love		 5 6
 
 
 

 7:30 PM Scripture Class
"The Mahabharata" (DVD show)

 7 8
 
 
 
 

 7:30 PM Scripture Class
Viveka Chudamani

 9
 12 Noon  Special Celebration
Sri Chaitanya		 10
 
 

 
11
 11:00 AM Service
The Way of a Yogi

 

 12
 
 
 

 

 13
 12 Noon  Special Celebration
Swami Yogananda

 7:30 PM Scripture Class
"The Mahabharata" (DVD show)

 14 15
 
 
 
 

 7:30 PM Scripture Class
Viveka Chudamani

 16 17
18
 11:00 AM Service
Power of the Mind		 19 20
 
 

 

 21
 
 
 

 

 22
 
 
 
 

 7:30 PM Scripture Class
Viveka Chudamani

 23
 
 

 

 24
 
 

 
25
 11:00 AM Service
Concentration and Meditation		 26 27
 
 
 
 

 7:30 PM Scripture Class
"The Mahabharata" (DVD show)

 28 29
 
 
 
 

 7:30 PM Scripture Class
Viveka Chudamani

 30 31

 

You and your friends are cordially welcome to attend the services.

 

Personal

Swami Shantarupananda gave lectures on "Hinduism" at the First Presbyterian Church on Sunday, January 28, at 5 p.m., and at the Mission of the Atonement on Sunday, February 11, at 7:15 p.m.

Swami Shantarupananda will give a talk on "Hinduism" to a group of students from St. Francis Academy on Monday, March 5, at 1:30 p.m.

 
Please note our New Email Address:
swami@vedantasociety.org

 

New Booklet

The Last Disciple of Holy Mother: Reminiscences of Swami Aseshananda,
by Swami Shantarupananda.

It is a short booklet on the life of Swami Aseshananda written with depth of feeling and insight. Those who knew Swami Aseshananda will be reminded of his dedicated life, and those who never met him will be charmed by reading about his simple life permeated with depth of spirituality.

Price $2.95. Postage extra.
 

 
What is Vedanta?

Vedanta is a sanskrit word which literally means 'the end of the Vedas' - the Vedas being the scriptures of the Hindus.  The Vedas are divided into two main portions: the work-portion, which describes how one should work and do worship, and the knowledge-portion.  Included in the knowledge-portion are those books which deal with spirituality and philosophy.  These books are called the Upanishads, or the Vedanta.  Veda means 'knowledge'; therefore, Vedanta also means 'the end of knowledge,' or 'the highest knowledge.'  It is claimed that at least six thousand years ago this body of spiritual knowledge was experienced and discovered in India by its sages and seers.

The principles of Vedanta are impersonal, universal and eternal.  They are about God, soul, and the world.  Vedanta teaches that each soul is potentially divine - the infinite ocean of Existence, Knowledge and Bliss.  The goal of human life is to manifest this innate divinity through meditation (Raja yoga), devotion (Bhakti yoga), selfless action (Karma yoga), and discrimination (Jnana yoga).  Vedanta preaches the unity of the Godhead and accepts every faith as a valid means to realize God.  As the Rig Veda, the oldest scripture of the Hindus, declares, "Truth is One; sages call it by various names."  Vedanta is a religion, a philosophy, and a way of life.

In modern times the eternal vedic truths were re-experienced and re-discovered by Sri Ramakrishna (1836 - 1886).  He also practiced other religions and came to the same conclusion as is mentioned in the Rig Veda, that "As many faiths, so many paths."