Newsletter "Sangama"

Veersahiva Samaja of New York/New Jersey

Esatblished in 1978

	Newsletter "Sangama"... Volume 1, 2008 Quarterly Newsletter published by Veerasaiva Samaja of New York/New Jersey Editors: Dr. Mahadev Kumbar, Dr Channabasappa Angadi, and Dr. Guru S. Bale The VSNY Executive Board unanimously endorsed to publish a quarterly newsletter to share religious and other news items that benefits the membership. This newsletter is distributed by e-mail and also through the VSNY web site. The Board has nominated Dr. Mahadev Kumbar, Dr Channabasappa Angadi, and Dr. Guru S. Bale to the editorial board. The editors request the members to send in news items such as birthdays, graduation, weddings, anniversaries, recipies for publication. Monthly get together: The Board wishes to arrange get together meetings with the membership. These meetings will be every month of the year except for the months with Samaja’s regular meetings. It is in a restaurant with a private room. The cost of the food is the responsibility of the attendee. News: This year North California chapter hosts the annual convention. The convention will be held on July 4-6, 2008 at San Jose, CA. More information can be found by visiting the VSNA web site WWW.VSNA.ORG. HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the following kids: Suvan and Shruthi Sundaresh celebrated their 5th and 8th birthday’s on February 13 and March 10 respectively. Trischa Gurukar celebrated her 9th birthday on February 28. Sahana Sangappa celebrated her 10th birthday on March 2. Samaja welcomes the new veerashaiva to its family ---- Rhea was born to proud parents Mrs.Ramya and Raju on March 4, 2008 Dr. Pakkirappa G. Halakatti (July 02, 1880 - June 26, 1964) THE FATHER OF VACHANA LITERATURE REINVENTOR Popularly known as 'Vachana Pitamaha', Dr. P. G. Halakatti collected, compiled and published the Vachanas of Shivasharanas of the 12th century. He was instrumental in the establishment of S.S. High School, Sri Siddeshwar Co-op. Bank, B.L.D.E Association and Anti-Famine Institute at Bijapur. Today every kannadiga owes to Dr. P.G. Halakatti for his invaluable gift of entire wealth of vachanas to the kannada literature. Every one should know that but for his yeoman efforts the vachanas would have lost forever to termites or mere human negligence. He dedicated his entire life for compiling and publishing vachana literature. During early nineteen hundreds, Dr Pakkirappa G. Halakatti had education in law and was practicing in Bijapur. The area-farmers were his clients. The poor farmers use to loose their livelihood and wealth by wasting money among their legal family in-fights. He was well known to bring both parties together and negotiate an amicable deal outside the court that benefited both poor parties. This shows how much he was kind-hearted and humane for his people. He could have amassed wealth for himself by encouraging legal battle among his clients. Because of this good nature and honesty he remained financially strapped through out his life. Mean while he had a hobby to collect the vachanas, composed by 12th century Shiva Sharanas. He had recognized the depth and wealth of these vachanas early in his life. Since 12 century the Vachanas were being passed on to next generation by way of two methods: 1) mouth to mouth recital and 2) hand written hard copies on dry palm tree leaves. These hard copies were found among farmers and common people and passed on from many generations. Termites and neglect by people destroyed many of the hardcopy collections. He started gathering these collections of hard copies by visiting each house. Farmers and common people inherited them from earlier generation were ignorantly worshiping (making pooja) without knowing the important content in them. Let us go back to early nineteenth century when the modern day Kannada literature was evolving. In those days, there were not that many printing presses in Karnataka for publication. There was only one printing press operating in Mangalore, South Canara belonging to the Missionary. It was dedicated only to spread Christianity. Dr. Halakatti developed an immense desire to see vachanas in modern day printed book format. He prepared a manuscript out of his Vachanas from the palm tree leaves collections and sent to the Missionary’s printing press at Mangalore along with his own money towards printing expenses. The Missionary rejected and returned his manuscript stating that his work did not qualify for the publication since it did not promote their religion. Later when more printing presses became available and Karnatak University came into existence he got his collection published. He struggled very hard to collect all vachanas on palm tree leaves containing Vachanas and spent all of his time and energy in getting them published. This initial effort to publish Vachanas for the first time gave an enormous momentum for others to discover much more Vachana literature in many other places. Because of his unselfish work, now we are able to understand the wealth and depth of vachanas. I understand that later Karnatak University recognized his work by honoring him with the doctorate. Dr. Pakkirappa G. Halakatti was truly a great pioneer without him we could not have known many vachanas. (These are my recollections from books on Dr. P.G. Halakatti, read long ago - Channabasappa V. Angadi) Featured Article: In Renuka geethe or Siddantha Sikamani, and Allama Prabhu describe God as follow: Siddantha Sikamani describes God as - the one and the only one that is Chinmaya (with knowledgeand self illuminataion), nandamaya ( happy always), Vibhuah (omnipresent, yet cannot be grasped by the mind or sense organs), Nirvikalpa (cannot be imagined), Nira ( no form), Nirguna (no characters), and Nishprapancha (not attached to this world or things of this world). Allama says that God has qualities like Adrushya (no form), Nirliptha (free from this world), Avyaktha (cannot be described) and Abedya (cannot be comprehended by mind)God is the only one and no one is like Him. He is formless. He is true. He has no birth and hence no death. He is not bound by time or place. Mind cannot comprehend Him. God is truly real. He is complete in all respect. God is full of knowledge and self illumined. Hearing, seeing, touching, tasting, smelling, desires, determination by the mind, pride in certain actions are from God’s will. God provides all these to the world and to the things in this world. He is not the light that we see; He is the illumination that we cannot see. Mind cannot comprehend. He is the light of all knowledge. Things of this world are dependent for their existence on God. Hence, associating the things of this world result in unhappiness. God is free and independent without any characters or actions. He is true for all times. So He is happy, nothing troubles Him and there is no question of sorrow arising in Him. God is in all things of this world. He is in both liquids and other substances. He is vast and complete. He is not bound by time, place, or thing. He is beyond the grasp of mind. There is difference in this world. There is difference even in mind.. The things in this world have different characters. But in the mind, the difference is that I am doing, I own this and other types of feelings exist. God has no feelings and He is not attached to this world or to things of this world. Sound, liquid, touch, shape, and smell are called akara or with forms. All the things of this world have some type of character. They are called sakara. God is nirakara because poets cannot give form to Him in their writings, or an artist cannot capture Him on his canvas, or a carver cannot make an idol of Him. Things that are recognized by the sense organs are called saguna; also those things that change with time are also called saguna. Since things of this world including the world change in time, they are all with characters. They have three characters called satva, rajas, and tama. God is free from any of these characters; He cannot be recognized by the sense organs; mind cannot comprehend Him; and He is not attached to this world. The world is created by maya. It shows up sometimes and disappears some other time. Eyes can see them; the changes disturb mind. God is above maya. He is niramaya; eyes cannot see Him.

Newsletter "Sangama"...
Volume 1, 2008
Quarterly Newsletter published by Veerasaiva Samaja of New York/New Jersey
Editors: Dr. Mahadev Kumbar, Dr Channabasappa Angadi, and Dr. Guru S. Bale

The VSNY Executive Board unanimously endorsed to publish a quarterly newsletter to share religious and other news items that benefits the membership. This newsletter is distributed by e-mail and also through the VSNY web site. The Board has nominated Dr. Mahadev Kumbar, Dr Channabasappa Angadi, and Dr. Guru S. Bale to the editorial board. The editors request the members to send in news items such as birthdays, graduation, weddings, anniversaries, recipies for publication.

Monthly get together:
The Board wishes to arrange get together meetings with the membership. These meetings will be every month of the year except for the months with Samaja’s regular meetings. It is in a restaurant with a private room. The cost of the food is the responsibility of the attendee.

News:
This year North California chapter hosts the annual convention. The convention will be held on July 4-6, 2008 at San Jose, CA. More information can be found by visiting the VSNA web site WWW.VSNA.ORG.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the following kids:
Suvan and Shruthi Sundaresh celebrated their 5th and 8th birthday’s on February 13 and March 10 respectively.
Trischa Gurukar celebrated her 9th birthday on February 28.
Sahana Sangappa celebrated her 10th birthday on March 2.
Samaja welcomes the new veerashaiva to its family ---- Rhea was born to proud parents Mrs.Ramya and Raju on March 4, 2008

Dr. Pakkirappa G. Halakatti (July 02, 1880 - June 26, 1964)
THE FATHER OF VACHANA LITERATURE REINVENTOR
Dr.P.G. Halakatti

Popularly known as 'Vachana Pitamaha', Dr. P. G. Halakatti collected, compiled and published the Vachanas of Shivasharanas of the 12th century. He was instrumental in the establishment of S.S. High School, Sri Siddeshwar Co-op. Bank, B.L.D.E Association and Anti-Famine Institute at Bijapur.
Today every kannadiga owes to Dr. P.G. Halakatti for his invaluable gift of entire wealth of vachanas to the kannada literature. Every one should know that but for his yeoman efforts the vachanas would have lost forever to termites or mere human negligence. He dedicated his entire life for compiling and publishing vachana literature.
During early nineteen hundreds, Dr Pakkirappa G. Halakatti had education in law and was practicing in Bijapur. The area-farmers were his clients. The poor farmers use to loose their livelihood and wealth by wasting money among their legal family in-fights. He was well known to bring both parties together and negotiate an amicable deal outside the court that benefited both poor parties. This shows how much he was kind-hearted and humane for his people. He could have amassed wealth for himself by encouraging legal battle among his clients. Because of this good nature and honesty he remained financially strapped through out his life. Mean while he had a hobby to collect the vachanas, composed by 12th century Shiva Sharanas. He had recognized the depth and wealth of these vachanas early in his life. Since 12 century the Vachanas were being passed on to next generation by way of two methods: 1) mouth to mouth recital and 2) hand written hard copies on dry palm tree leaves. These hard copies were found among farmers and common people and passed on from many generations. Termites and neglect by people destroyed many of the hardcopy collections. He started gathering these collections of hard copies by visiting each house. Farmers and common people inherited them from earlier generation were ignorantly worshiping (making pooja) without knowing the important content in them.
Let us go back to early nineteenth century when the modern day Kannada literature was evolving. In those days, there were not that many printing presses in Karnataka for publication. There was only one printing press operating in Mangalore, South Canara belonging to the Missionary. It was dedicated only to spread Christianity. Dr. Halakatti developed an immense desire to see vachanas in modern day printed book format. He prepared a manuscript out of his Vachanas from the palm tree leaves collections and sent to the Missionary’s printing press at Mangalore along with his own money towards printing expenses. The Missionary rejected and returned his manuscript stating that his work did not qualify for the publication since it did not promote their religion. Later when more printing presses became available and Karnatak University came into existence he got his collection published.
He struggled very hard to collect all vachanas on palm tree leaves containing Vachanas and spent all of his time and energy in getting them published. This initial effort to publish Vachanas for the first time gave an enormous momentum for others to discover much more Vachana literature in many other places. Because of his unselfish work, now we are able to understand the wealth and depth of vachanas. I understand that later Karnatak University recognized his work by honoring him with the doctorate. Dr. Pakkirappa G. Halakatti was truly a great pioneer without him we could not have known many vachanas.
(These are my recollections from books on Dr. P.G. Halakatti, read long ago - Channabasappa V. Angadi)

Featured Article:
In Renuka geethe or Siddantha Sikamani, and Allama Prabhu describe God as follow:
Siddantha Sikamani describes God as - the one and the only one that is Chinmaya (with knowledgeand self illuminataion), nandamaya ( happy always), Vibhuah (omnipresent, yet cannot be grasped by the mind or sense organs), Nirvikalpa (cannot be imagined), Nira ( no form), Nirguna (no characters), and Nishprapancha (not attached to this world or things of this world). Allama says that God has qualities like Adrushya (no form), Nirliptha (free from this world), Avyaktha (cannot be described) and Abedya (cannot be comprehended by mind)God is the only one and no one is like Him. He is formless. He is true. He has no birth and hence no death. He is not bound by time or place. Mind cannot comprehend Him. God is truly real. He is complete in all respect.

God is full of knowledge and self illumined. Hearing, seeing, touching, tasting, smelling, desires, determination by the mind, pride in certain actions are from God’s will. God provides all these to the world and to the things in this world. He is not the light that we see; He is the illumination that we cannot see. Mind cannot comprehend. He is the light of all knowledge. Things of this world are dependent for their existence on God. Hence, associating the things of this world result in unhappiness. God is free and independent without any characters or actions. He is true for all times. So He is happy, nothing troubles Him and there is no question of sorrow arising in Him.
God is in all things of this world. He is in both liquids and other substances. He is vast and complete. He is not bound by time, place, or thing. He is beyond the grasp of mind. There is difference in this world. There is difference even in mind.. The things in this world have different characters. But in the mind, the difference is that I am doing, I own this and other types of feelings exist. God has no feelings and He is not attached to this world or to things of this world.
Sound, liquid, touch, shape, and smell are called akara or with forms. All the things of this world have some type of character. They are called sakara. God is nirakara because poets cannot give form to Him in their writings, or an artist cannot capture Him on his canvas, or a carver cannot make an idol of Him. Things that are recognized by the sense organs are called saguna; also those things that change with time are also called saguna. Since things of this world including the world change in time, they are all with characters. They have three characters called satva, rajas, and tama. God is free from any of these characters; He cannot be recognized by the sense organs; mind cannot comprehend Him; and He is not attached to this world. The world is created by maya. It shows up sometimes and disappears some other time. Eyes can see them; the changes disturb mind. God is above maya. He is niramaya; eyes cannot see Him.