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Saraswati Publications Newsletter       (sanskritmantra.com) 


September 2013


Satyabhama-2010 India
Satyabhama

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Namaste, Divine Brothers and Sisters,

 

Ganesha Chathurthi, Ganesha's special day of the year, is today, September 9 in the West.  This is an excellent day to remember Ganesha by chanting his mantras.  His main/moola mantra is Om Gam Ganapatayae Namaha. 

 

It would also be a good day to chant a half mala or more of each of the mantras below for healing Mother Earth and her people and animals from the previous Gulf spill not yet healed, as well as the continuing problem of radiation from the earthquake in Japan, etc.  

  

In September, I taught the Abode of Bliss - Ganesha II workshop this past weekend in Niagara Falls, Canada. My next workshops will be Lakshmi in Miami and The Mysterious Kundalini in Chicago.  

 

In early May 2014 we will be going to India again, and I hope you will sign up to travel with us soon.  The itinerary is being modified to shorten it to a 17-day trip, still emhasizing Goddess Temples. I will send out a notice with the modified itinerary, and it will be posted on the website about September 20, when I return to Oregon.

     

Prem & Shanti,

Satyabhama  

 

 

LORD GANESHA
from Sadguru Sant Keshavadas' book*:

OM, the first manifested sound, is the sound of creation.  Om is the first word of God.  Om is God.  The Vedas have declared with one voice that Om, Lord Ganesha, is the support of the whole universe, the foundation of existence.  It is God her/himself, one of whose names is Ganesha or Ganapati, who is the Personification of OM.  As OM is the first manifestation of God as Word, Ganesha is worshiped first, being the word Om itself.

Lord Ganesha's body is vermilion red color.  His head is that of an elephant, the symbol of OM or infinite consciousness.  His elephant face has one tusk, the symbol of oneness, one-pointed mind or that concentration with which one can attain perfection.  The four arms symbolize the four directions or his all-pervading nature.   He is holding in his upper hands the pasha/noose and ankusha/goad.  He is showing in his lower hands the abhaya/fear-not and varada/bestowing blessings mudras/gestures.

The elephant has a majestic body, the symbol of the macrocosm/brahmananda, and the human body is the microcosm/pindanda. Truly macrocosm is in microcosm and vice versa.  When you realize this, you have found the unity of both of you.  

Lord Ganesha has a big belly, the symbol of plenty.  The whole universe is in his belly, for the whole universe is like the body of God.  As He projects the universe out of Himself, He is known as the source of creation. His big belly is the symbol of holding all worlds within Himself.  There are three marks on his forehead, symbolizing the third eye, also the three dimensions (nether,  middle/earth, and heaven) and the three
gunas or modes of nature (sattva/poise, rajas/passion, and tamas/inactivity.)  

The elephant head has small eyes.  The symbology here is that we should have the penetrating eyes (the inner eyes) to see the spirit of God in everyone.  Then you will not see duality and negativity; instead you will see unity in diversity. Ganesha represents that consciousness of unity/yoga.

The elephant head has two marvelous big ears which He is constantly fanning.  The meaning behind this is that the world is constantly bombarding us with news, mostly bad and confusing news.  'Fanning the ears' is to ignore all that, to refuse to take in all those negative thoughts.  Take in only that which expands your consciousness and let the rest be fanned away.

Ganesha's vehicle (in most of his incarnations) is the mouse. The symbology is that the mouse represents our own ego. Just as the mouse moves in darkness and steals food from the kitchen and pantry, similarly, the ego moves in the darkness of ignorance and interferes in other people's business, always creating trouble.  Lord Ganesha with the noose and goad, curbs the ego and makes the ego behave and walk in the light.  Thus, Lord Ganesha makes our tamed ego/the mouse his vehicle.

"Truth is One; Names are many" is a great statement from the Rig Veda.  Even though Lord Ganesha as the support of the universe is One, his colors, forms, names, hands, weapons and powers differ due to his different avataras/incarnations and manifestations.  At least 32 such manifestations are described in a book called Tattva Nidhi.

Ganesha had eight great incarnations.  In each one of the eight temples for these avataras, which we visited around Poona/Pune in Maharashta in 2007 and 2009, the murtis/statues look different, and we experienced on our pilgrimage that their energies are quite different from each other.  In each incarnation, Ganesha came to rid the world of a different raksha/demon of greed or lust or arrogance or other bad quality.

Ganesha comes again and again in all the yugas/ages to save us from ourselves.

*You can purchase Sadguru Sant Keshavadas' book, Lord Ganesha, from Amazon to download to your iPad, iPod, iPhone, PC or Kindle.

 



Mantras of the Month:


Om Gam Ganapataye Namaha
Salutations to Ganapati, Remover of Obstacles

Om Shrim Hrim Klim Ganeshvaraya 
Brahma Rupaya Charave
Sarva Siddhi Pradeshaya 
Vighneshaya Namo Namaha 
Salutations to the Supreme Ganesha, Whom I invoke now.
You are the imperishable Brahman, as well as the very form of this universe, although not limited to it in any way.  You are the bestower of Siddhis (supranormal powers) and spiritual perfection.  O Vignesha, remover of all obstacles, salutations again and again.

 
Mantras for Healing the Earth

All of these mantras are powerful Ganesha Mantras.

Om Vighna Nashanaya Namaha
To relieve energy blockages especially for the Devas that work with the energies of the various species: wind, water, plant, bird, mammal, fish and human.

Om Ucchista Ganapatayei Namaha
To destroy negativity 

Om Vakratundaya Hum
To correct something that is not working properly.

Om Dhumra Ketuve Namaha
To bring difficult circumstances under an umbrella of peace.

Om Gana Dhyakshaya Namaha
To bring healing to a group. In this case, the people harmed by the earthquakes and tsunami. 

Om Kshipra Prasadaya Namaha
 For immediate assistance.



We offer a number of pujas and fire ceremonies which may be done on your behalf for various purposes.  You will find a list of them here:

If you wish to have a puja performed for you, purchase it online, and one of the priests or pujaris certified by Sanatana Dharma Satsang will contact you to make arrangements with you as to which puja or fire ceremony/yajna you want and when. 

 

Certified Priests and Pujari
s
 
Sri Savitri Devi and Maheshwara, Sanatana Dharma 
Satsang Certified Priests, are available for pujas and fire ceremonies in absentia.  Please click here for further ordering details:  Pujas in absentia

Bharata/Bill Barry, a Certified Priest who lives in Massachusetts, teaches workshops and is available for pujas and yajnas in his area. Please contact him at [email protected] 

 

Rajeshwari/Gretchen Carmel is a Certified Priest living in Keene, NH.  She teaches workshops and is available for pujas and yajnas in her area.  Please contact her at [email protected]
 
Shivani/Silvia Sune is a Certified Priest.  She teaches workshops and is available for pujas and yajnas in the Miami Area.   Please contact her at [email protected]
 

Mahavir has been certified by Sanatana Dharma Satsang as a Pujari for 10+ years.  He is available to do pujas or yajnas in Brooklyn or at your location in the New York City area on a donation basis.  He can be reached at [email protected]


Parvati/Pat Murphy J is a Certified Pujari.  She is available for pujas and yajnas in Los Angeles area.  Please contact her at [email protected]

 

 



The works of Thomas Ashley-Farrand (Namadeva Acharya) (1940-2010) give unprecedented, detailed instruction in how to empower yourself using the techniques of the ancient sages and rishis.  He and Satyabhama have been given the mission by their Gurus Sadguru Sant Keshavadas (d. 1997) and Satguru Rama Mata to bring these teachings to everyone.   

 

To that end, he wrote and recorded a number of works.  He also traveled to North America and the UK to teach workshops, which Satyabhama is now continuing. 

We lead  Pilgrimage Tours of India's Holy Places, visiting with the Shankaracharayas at Kanchi Math, Vishwa Shanti Ashram (our gurus' ashram), and doing fire ceremonies in the Himalayas, among the highlights of the trips. 

 

We have founded a religious organization, Sanatana Dharma Satsang (a 501(c)3 nonprofit religious corporation,) which has opened a Gayatri Temple in Beaverton, Oregon.  The link to it is in the right column.

Our new place in Albuquerque, NM, is the location of some workshops.  We  hope to expand to the East Coast and other locations. 

 

These works are offered in a spirit of service.  We sincerely hope that they will further you on your path.

 

Prem & Shanti,
Satyabhama (Margalo Ashley-Farrand)
Saraswati Publications, LLC
In This Issue
Lord Ganesha
Mantras of the Month
Mantras for Healing the Earth
Certified Priests & Pujaris
Events at the Gayatri Temple
Video Quick Links
Visit with SatGuru Mata at Vishwa Shanti Ashram and Pujas
India Video
India Video HD


The Ancient Power of Sanskrit Mantra and Ceremony
Visit Sanskritmantra.com 

 NEW ITEM
Mantra Therapy for Traumatic Injury-PTSD  
Mantra Therapy for Physical Injury, PTSD, Healing Intensive 6
 
Ancient Power of Sanskrit Mantra and Ceremony, Volumes I, II & III Books and CD-sets available separately or bundled with or without the books.  
   

Dr. Wright's Clean Out Technique - guided pranayama for healing and releasing negativity  

    

Ganesha's Abode of Bliss, Guided Meditation (CD)


Mantra Therapy 
Healing Intensives 1,2
 CDs

Disk 1 - Systemic Disorders,

Disk 2 - Mental, Emotional Disorders

 

Mantra Therapy for Overcoming Obesity, Overeating, Healing Intensive 3 CD

 

Mantra Therapy for Under Eating, Overcoming Anorexia, Bulemia

Healing Intensive 4 CD

 

Mantra Therapy for Deeply Imbedded Habits, Drug Abuse, Alcholism, Smoking

Healing Intensive 5 CD

 - Very effective Shakti mantras to destroy evil energies. 

 

Mantra Therapy for Restoration of Dharma and Peace, Healing Intensive 7 CD
- Help with karmic blocks to prosperity and mantras to bring it in.

Piercing the Knots-Granthis CD - A Mantra & Visualization Meditation to gently release the Kundalini from its home at the base chakra, through the knots and to the crown chakra, then back again.

Gayatri Mantra Meditation -2CDs with the long and short versions of the mantra, an intensive Gayatri Discipline and 1000 Names & Powers of Gayatri on Disk 2.

 

Recorded workshops:

 

Adventures of Sita & Rama, Co-Starring Hanuman, a version of the Ramanaya with mantra intensives, including the Bala Ati Bala mantra - 16 CDs  

 

Mantra, Path to Spiritual and Material Attainment

- a 15-hour workshop on 14 CDs.  This is a comprehensive overview of Eastern and esoteric cosmology and spirituality with mantra intensive practice.  

 

Mantra:  Sacred Words of Power 

 

 

Books by Thomas Ashley-Farrand:

Healing Mantras, Shakti Mantras, Chakra Mantras, Mantra Meditation (with CD)

  

Price Reduction:   Vital Yoga,A Sourcebook for Students & Teachers, by Meta Chaya Herschl -  This is a full-color yoga book like no other on the market. Meta Hirschl opens the door to the full vision of yoga with graphics, photographs, and personal stories plus yoga asanas.   
  

Quick Links Online Store 

Preview of Ganesha Puja from DVD

Join Our Mailing List
 
2013-14 Schedule of Workshops

Satyabhama will be doing workshops in the following places:
 2013 information:  Schedule

September - Niagara Falls, Canada

October: Miami, FL; Chicago, IL

December - Tampa, FL

March 2014 - Cologne, Germany; London, England

April 2014 - Boston, MA; Keene, NH

May 2014:  India Pilgrimage - emphasis on Goddess temples

August 2014 - Albuquerque, NM, Summer Program

Other workshops are in the process of finalizing their dates.
Gayatri Murthi
Gayatri Murthi
  Events at the Gayatri Temple 

 

October 1 - Namadeva Acharya's Second Mahasamadhi Celebration

 

October 29 - Satya Narayana Puja

 

Click on the Events link above for more information.   

 

You can donate to Sanatana Dharma Satsang just by shopping, if you join iGive.  Hundreds of stores give a percentage of your purchase to your cause, so please join. 

 

Click here to join our cause 





 


Gayatri
 
CHANTING GROUPS

Portland, OR
Gayatri Temple Meetup
Thursdays at 7 pm
Gayatri & Healing Mantras Meditation
 
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Contact Helen at [email protected] 

 

Cochrane, Alberta, Canada 
Contact [email protected]  

Los Angeles, CA
Atma Jyoti Chanting Group, Contact Jagadamba,  Certified Mantra Instructor: [email protected]
 
Centennial, CO
Contact Maheshwara, Certified Priest:  
[email protected] 

 

Kilauea, HI

Contact Anandra George, Certified Mantra Instructor:
info@truefreedomcoachingcom

Chicago, IL 
Contact Lalita/Deanne Lozano at  [email protected]

St. Louis, MO
Contact Nita Turnage, Certified Mantra
Instructor, at [email protected]


Western  MA  Contact Rev. Bharata/Bill Barry, Certified Priest, at [email protected]

New Hampshire
Contact Don Campbell and Chris Walsh, Certified Mantra Instructors: 
[email protected]

New York-Upstate

Contact Saraswati/Mary-Ann Muth, at [email protected] 

 
Austin, TX
Contact Sara Minnis: [email protected] 
 
New Braunfels, TX
Contact Roger Hays at [email protected]  

Sherman, TX

Listed at Dr. Jennifer Laing's website: