Hindu Students Council and the Network of Hindu Minds organize the Second Annual Retreat at Arsha Vidya Gurukulam

By: Le Santha Naidoo

Friedrich Maximilian Müeller (1823-1900), German philologist and Orientalist, once said, "I maintain that for everybody who cares for himself, for his ancestors, for his history, for his intellectual development, a study of Vedic literature is indispensable." The philosophies of Hinduism present an infinite collection of spiritual wisdom, which if one has the patience and discipline to learn, can help him or her find the knowledge to develop oneself and reach the goal of enlightenment.

 

On August 20^th – 22^nd, 2004, fifty-six students and young professionals from the Hindu Students Council (HSC) and the Network of Hindu Minds (NetOHM) from Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Michigan and Texas gathered for the second annual retreat with Swami Dayananda Saraswati at the breathtaking Arsha Vidya Gurukulam. Located in Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania, the Gurukulam serves as an institute for the traditional study of Advaita Vedanta, Sanskrit, Yoga, Ayurveda, astrology, and other classical Indian disciplines (www.arshavidya.org).

 

            The retreat program consisted of a blend of a variety of spiritual activities including an energizing yoga session, morning meditation, lectures about Vedic Chanting and Ayurveda, and lectures presented by Swami Dayananda. The days started with an early rise in the morning to the beauty and calmness of the Gurukulam in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. This beauty was enhanced by the Morning Prayer to Lord Dakshinamurti (considered the first teacher of Vedic knowledge) and a guided meditation by Swami Dayananda Saraswati that would easily make even the most wandering mind focus on the Self and come closer to obtaining inner peace. This morning ritual left all refreshed and ready for the day ahead.

 

            Swami Dayananda Saraswati is a distinguished teacher of Vedanta. His appreciation of Western culture, unassuming friendliness, love, and sense of humor makes Swamiji a rare teacher who can communicate the teachings of Hinduism in a simple manner that captivates and inspires his listeners. The focus of Swamiji’s lectures for this retreat was the importance and benefits of prayer in our every day living in order to lead us to enlightenment. Swamiji also gives lectures and programs at universities and conferences throughout the world. During the retreat, Swamiji gave a lecture on ‘Discovering Inner Shanti’ at Rutgers University (New Jersey) that our HSC group had the privilege to attend.

           

            During the retreat, we also had the opportunity to learn about Swamiji’s All India Movement for Seva (AIM for SEVA), which aspires to unite and transform Indian society through ‘Seva’ (Sanskrit for service). Students were delighted to support one project within the movement by buying exquisite handicrafts and clothing from the gurukulam’s seva gift shop. All shop profits are directed back to poor artisans in India who create the handicrafts.

 

At the end of the retreat, David Gooden, a participant from Duke University, thanked Monika Goel (the retreat coordinator) for arranging the HSC-NetOHM retreat and exclaimed: “It was a wonderful weekend with all the HSC members, and Swamiji of course, at the Gurukulam.  I'll definitely return with HSC next year; hopefully I'll go for a longer stay at the Gurukulam during this year.  This weekend I heard one student say ‘Swamiji rocks my world.’ That pretty much sums it up for me as well.  Since the weekend, I have really been thinking about Swamiji's words and as a result I have been inspired to focus on prayer and practice in my daily life and become involved with the local HSC chapter.”

 

Dhaval Shah, a young professional and participant from New York City, echoed the feelings of everyone when he emphasized: “The memories of the Gurukulam retreat will always stay with me.”

 

 

Hindu Students Council is a non-profit 501(c)(3) youth organization with chapters at over 70 universities across the US and Canada. Established in 1990, HSC is an international forum providing opportunities on college campuses to learn about Hindu heritage and culture; foster awareness of issues affecting Hindus; and provide Seva to the community. The Network of Hindu Minds (NetOHM) is a forum for young professionals in North America to explore, express and experience the glory of their Hindu culture and heritage. For more information on HSC and NetOHM, visit http://www.hscnet.org