Dear HSC Supporters,
Namaste. Hope you all had a chance to look at our revamped website. The website features our monthly newsletter and also other relevant details about HSC. In the coming months, we plan to add more pictures, informational videos and many exciting things to our website. If you would like to help, please shoot us an email.
This past Memorial Day Weekend, HSC celebrated its 20th Anniversary at our Annual Camp! Check out the press release below.
This Monthly newsletter aims to keep our chapters, our members and our supporters informed about various HSC events and happenings as well as encourage Hindus from various backgrounds to write about topics and issues related to Hindu Dharma.
We hope you enjoy our Newsletter. Thank you for your continued support.
Sincerely,
The HSC Executive Team
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Hindu Students Council Celebrates 20th Anniversary at Annual Camp
By Aditya Kashyap
Monday, May 31, 2010
Schuylkill Haven, PA - Hindu Students Council (HSC) celebrated its 20th anniversary with its Annual Youth Camp at the Vraj Bhoomi gro  unds this Memorial Day Weekend. Students from over ten of HSC's fifty-five plus college chapters, traveling from as far away as California, attended the event. Camp activities focused on and celebrated key facets of Hindu culture, tradition and philosophy. The weekend agenda included a series of discussions and debates, historical skit performances, competitive games, aarti (prayer), bhajans (devotional songs), yoga and meditation sessions, and a raas/bhangra closing celebration.
The camp marks a historic twenty years of HSC servin  g the community. The organization was founded in 1990 by three students seeking to help their peers organize and provide them with opportunities to learn about Hindu heritage and culture. One of the three original founders, Kanchan Banerjee, was present this weekend to donate his time to the camp. A 501c3 non-profit, HSC also seeks to foster awareness of issues affecting Hindus, and this mission took center-stage at the camp. "The discussions were really illuminating; sharing the issues that we as Hindu students deal with, and offering suggestions and support to one another was empowering," remarked Sonal Nadchickadhara, from Stony Brook University.
 Students were divided into two groups named after ancient Hindu dynasties - the Cholas and the Guptas. They competed against each other throughout the weekend in outdoor activities and a Hinduism Trivia game. Each team was also responsible for learning the historical, cultural and religious aspects of these kingdoms, and presented this knowledge in two well-choreographed skits using various props and mantras (chants).
Camp coordinators, understanding the importance of passing on Hindu values to future generations, sought to organize the camp in a way that would be educational yet engaging for young people.  A particular student favorite this weekend was a forum on the Bhagavad Gita led by Acharya Vivekji from Chinmaya Mission. His two sessions, "Wellness Through Work" and "Spirituality in Day to Day Living", drew upon the essence of Karma Yoga and how students may incorporate these teachings into their daily lives. "Vivekji is from our generation, and someone who grew up here. He explained Vedantic philosophy in an engaging and passionate tone", said former Rutgers General Secretary Ravi Jaishankar. "By putting the Gita in the context of his life experiences, the lessons were relevant and interesting to us", added Lehigh chapter President Neal Sankhla.
 Sunday saw a special emphasis on Seva (service) with a presentation on Hindu American Seva Charities (HASC) by its convener Anju Bhargava, a member of President Obama's Council on Faith Based and Neighborhood Partnership. Ms. Bhargava stressed the need for Hindu Americans, especially youth, to get involved in service initiatives at both the grass-roots as well as national levels in order to bring the community on par with other established traditions in the country.
Following Ms. Bhargava, Shivi Chandra, a dynamic youth speaker from the Gayatri Pariwar and a student at Johns Hopkins, delivered an inspiring talk on "The Responsibilities of Hindu American Youth Leaders". Shivi maintained that self-development and introspection are the keys to creating true leaders in society and that our culture offers us the tools necessary to bring about this transformation.
Overall, the camp left the student attendees with a general sense of excitement and pride about their Hindu heritage. Throughout the weekend, Vraj temple visitors on the other side of the campground lake could hear the youth cheer: "Who are We? Who are We? HSC, HSC!"
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Disclaimer: The views expressed by the authors and sources are their own. |
Nrsimha Caturdasi
By Asha Jyoti Pandey-Smith
Nrsimha Caturdasi  is a celebration of the Appearance Day of Lord Nrsimhadeva, Whose eternal pastimes demonstrate the victory of Bhakti, or devotional service, and Dharma over evil. His pastime is very unique and every appearance day, many fortunate souls are able to hear of this wonderful pastime. Many today worship Lord Nrsimhadeva for protection, as He does have a very ferocious half-man, half-lion form. Here is a shortened version of Lord Nrsimhadeva's eternal pastime.
After the defeat of Hiranyaka by Lord Varaha, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu in the form of a boar, the material world had once again entered into dark times. Demons were terrorizing all who worshiped Lord Vishnu and one such man was Hiranyakashipu, the brother of Hiranyaka. Hiranyakashipu was determined to be the controller of the entire universe, so he did very powerful austerities and penance that disturbed the demigods. Chief of the demigods was Lord Brahma, who was pleased with Hiranyakashipu, descended to pacify him by granting whatever he desired. Hiranyakashipu was granted the following: not to be killed by any living creature, not to die inside or outside, not during daytime or nighttime, not on the ground or in the sky, not to be killed by any being created by Lord Brahma, nor by weapon, nor by a human or animal, nor any living or nonliving entity; that he has no competitor, that he become the Lord of all living beings and deities, and acquire mystic powers. After being granted these, he conquered the whole universe, even taking up Lord Indra's throne.
 Meanwhile, his wife Kayadhu had bore Hiranyakashipu a son named Prahlada. Prahlada was a very pious boy, who respected his father, but also worshiped Lord Vishnu. He was an epitome of all transcendental qualities because he was a pure devotee of the Lord. He had full control of his senses and his mind and was very humble. Hiranyakashipu wanted him to become a powerful demon who would be his successor in ruling the universe, but Prahlada was unattached to name, fame, and wealth, and instead desired to engage in the service of Lord Vishnu. Prahlada would fearlessly talk to his father about the Lord, but Hiranyakashipu would not have it. So he ordered his servants to have his son killed.
Due to the fact that Prahlada was a devotee of Supreme Personality of Godhead and the Lord always protects his devotees, Prahlada was unaffected by all the various ways his father was trying to kill him with - whether it was poison, or being thrown into the fire, or in a pit with snakes, Prahlada was not affected. Hiranyakashipu wondered what to do next.
Hiranyakashipu questioned Prahlada, asking if his God was more  powerful than him. Prahlada answered "yes." Hiranyakashipu asked where his God was and Prahlada simply answered "everywhere". His father asked if his God was present in this pillar, Prahlada said "yes, He is there." Then, with all his might, Hiranyakashipu struck the pillar and out came a sound of a ferocious roar. Suddenly, the pillar broke and Lord Nrsimhadeva appeared. He contradicted all of Lord Brahma's grants and killed Hiranyakashipu. He was killed by Sri Nrsimha, half-man, half-lion; he was killed in the lap of Lord Nrsimha, with His sharp claws and was killed at dusk.
JAI NRSIMHADEVA!!!
To read more about Lord Nrsimhadeva, please visit www.nrsimhadeva.com
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Mantra of the Month
Ganesha Mantra
Vakratunda Mahaakaaya Suryakoti Samaprabhaa.
Nirvighnam Kurumedeva Sarvakaaryeshu Sarvadaa
Meaning : Salutations to the supreme Lord Ganesha, whose curved trunk (vakra-tunda) and massive body (maha-kaayaa) shines like a million suns (surya-koti) and who showers his blessings on everyone (sama-prabhaa). Oh my Lord of lords Ganesha (kurume-deva), kindly remove all obstacles (nir-vighnam), always (sarva-) and forever (sarvadaa-) from all my activities and endeavors (sarva-kaaryeshu).
Lord Ganesha is one of the most famous deities of Hindu Dharma. He enjoys a special place in Hindu Dharma, since his name is invoked before the start of any prayer and for any endeavor to be successful. He is the son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati.
This famous prayer is recited devoutly by millions of Hindus as part of their daily prayer routine.
To listen to a recitation of this mantra, click here
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