The newsletter provides information on new training options through Kerala Ayurveda, including discounts for AIVS students. It introduces an excerpt from an upcoming book by Vamadeva on the Vedic deities, mantras, and seers. It also discusses a study of the sacred word "Bhagavan" and notes the passing of Swami Kriyananda, who was a friend for many years. Upcoming programs highlighted include an Agni retreat in Turkey.

1. VO LU M E 8 | I S S U E 7 |
Light of the Vedas
TheVEDICVISION
of a NEW HUMANITY
B I M O N T H LY N E W S L E T T E R O F A M E R I C A N I N S T I T U T E O F V E D I C S T U D I E S
W W W. V E DA N E T. C O M

2. We are happy to highlight new advanced
training options for our students with Kerala
Ayurveda, including special discounts that
they can receive through ataking Kerala
Ayurvedaprograms.
We are introducing the first excerpt from
Vamadeva's upcoming new book, Vedic Yoga:
The Path of the Rishis, which will contain an
extensive study of the deities, mantras and
seers of the Rigveda, the oldest of the four
Vedas.
The newsletter contains a study of the sacred
word Bhagavan by Yogi Baba Prem. It has a
special note on the passing of Swami
Kriyananda, who was our good friend for
manyyears.
For future programs we are highlighting our
upcoming Agni retreat in Adrasan, Turkey
Nov. 18-25, for experiencing the ancient
sacredfiresintheMediterraneanregion.
Our prayers go out for the many victims of the
Himalayan floods, especially for the
destruction at Kedarnath, our favorite Shiva
Temple. The message is clear. We must
protect the Earth and remove greed from our
holyplacesortheywillleaveus!
With the Light of the Vedas,
Vamadeva and Shambhavi
Message
Yogini Shambhavi
Vamadeva David Frawley
Light of the Vedast VOLUME 8 | ISSUE 7 | AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF VEDIC STUDIES | PAGE 1

3. KAA now offers online options for learning as well as
indepth handsonintensives (licensed andapproved
by the state of Washington). Due to our association
with KAA, we are able to arrange a special benefit
package with the Academy. Vamadeva is now a
KeralaAyurvedaAcademyAdvisor.
Kerala Ayurveda Academy offers a 500 hour direct
study certification course (not simply distance
learning). It has agreed that any AIVS student that
has completed our “Ayurvedic Healing Course” can
enroll in Ayurvedic Wellness Counselor course for a
discounted amount of $3,000.00 (this course is
regularly $5,000.00). This is an online course with
University grade e-learning support. Students will be
able to use their e-learning system to learn and
review the course through classroom videos of all
topics, class presentations, home study guides,
online library and many more features. You can see
the tutorial and the overview of Kerala Ayurveda
A c a d e m y ' s e - l e a r n i n g s y s t e m a t
http://ayurvedaacademy.com/overview.php
Nature of the Kerala Ayurvedic Practitioner
Program
Kerala Ayurveda Academy also provides 6 sessions
of in-class hands-on intensives to augment the e-
learning with the applied and practical part of the
same topics. If you wish to attend all 6 weekend long,
in-class, hands-on, live intensives please add
$1,000.00. If you wish to attend only specific hands-
on, weekend, live intensives please add $200.00 for
each individual weekend you plan to attend and
notify the Academy Director of the specific dates and
locations.
To join the Ayurveda Wellness Counselor of KAA or
for more information please contact Leslie Gallaher,
Senior Manager (Admin) of Kerala Ayurveda
Academyatadmin@ayurvedaacademy.comorcall1-
888-275-9103
It is our hope that people who have worked with us
and have studied with us will look into all that Kerala
Ayurveda Academy has to offer; their benefits, many
teachings and products, wonderful staff, brilliant
teachers and great doctors who all work to make KAA
awonderfullearningfacility.
How to Sign Up and for More Information
Join our Alliance with Kerala Ayurveda
for Advanced Training in Ayurveda
Kerala Ayurveda is a global company that is based in Ayurveda, their goal is to modernize
Ayurveda while preserving its ancient authenticity much the same as our teachings. Kerala
Ayurveda Academy is one of the largest schools for Ayurveda in the West and operates a
number of Ayurvedic programs in various cities throughout the country. KAA has managed to
keep Ayurveda authentic and is spreading it worldwide. They offer advanced clinical and class
room trainings teaching Ayurveda at deeper levels. These trainings supplement the work we
doinaveryimportantway.
Light of the Vedast VOLUME 8 | ISSUE 7 | AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF VEDIC STUDIES | PAGE 2

4. The Vedas can take us back to the 'consciousness
of Manu', the primal human being or root state of
human consciousness, in which a new Manu or
new humanity can arise – implying a new mind
and consciousness. This is perhaps the greatest
gift of the Vedas, to seed a new Veda for the
future.Tobringthisinnerrevolutioninhumanity
about, we need a new group of Vedic Yogis, who
have mastered deep sadhanas on all levels, as
well as possessing a deep knowledge of Vedic
mantras.
Sri Aurobindo alluded to this potential
global change in his call for a Supramental
humanity, a new type of human being reflecting
divine energies rather than the powers of
ignoranceandkarmathatpresentlydominateus.
Many yogic and spiritual traditions have looked
to create such higher human beings. Clearly our
current species needs to undergo a radical
transformation at a very deep level, so that we
can truly fulfill the ultimate human destiny of
divinity. This is not a matter of one generation,
butisamillennialconcern.
The Rishis themselves are said to be
manifestations of Manu and each Rishi carries
special energies of human culture and
spirituality. The Rishis are called world-makers,
meaning that they can help create new species
Vedic mantras, applied as part of a deep Vedic sadhana, have the power to create a
newworldageoryugaandanewhumanity.Theyholdthekeystocosmiccreation.
Our higher evolutionary potential as a species can be unlocked through the right
understanding and application of Vedic mantras. However, for this purpose, a
mechanical repetition of the mantras is not enough. One must repeat the mantras
along with the consciousness of the Rishis, which means that one needs to create
aninnerlinktotheRishiconsciousnessandhigherawarenessinone'sownheart.
TheVEDICVISION
From Upcoming Book, The Vedic Yoga: The Path of the Rishis,
by David Frawley
of a NEW HUMANITY
Light of the Vedast VOLUME 8 | ISSUE 7 | AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF VEDIC STUDIES | PAGE 3

5. and new cultures. This the Rishi does through the
power of consciousness within, not through genetic
manipulation on the outside. The Rishi has the power
tochangekarma,notsimplytoalterphysicalDNA.
Avatars, like Rama and Krishna, are also
manifestations of Manu, and connect to the Rishi
vision, helping to develop new human potentials. We
need to open up to their flow of grace. Today we do
need a new avatar, not as a new hero figure or savior,
but as a new creative consciousness to enlighten the
planet present within everyone. Such an avatar mind
and avatar consciousness is required, not just a single
sagetoguideus.
Manu is the earthly manifestation of the
cosmic intelligence that comes through the Sun. Manu
brings us the evolutionary power inherent in the Sun,
which is responsible for the unfoldment of the solar
system. The Sun is the source not only of light and life,
but also of intelligence, consciousness, and
spirituality. The Sun is the abode of the Vijnana,
Buddhi, Dhi, Supermind, and cosmic mind, which are
all connected in Vedic thought. The Kundalini is but a
portion of the solar energy latent within our deeper
consciousness.
The Vedic seers drew in this solar
transformative force through Vedic chants and
mantras, notably the Gayatri Mantra to the Supreme
Light. The Gayatri Mantra is directed to the aspect of
the Solar Deity called Savitri, which is the most
important manifestation of solar intelligence. Savitri
governs all transformations, daily and seasonally,
outerandinner,includingtheunfoldmentofallhigher
evolutionarypotentialsthroughtheprocessofYoga.
A new Manu and a new Rishi order can help us
create a new humanity that can better reflect the
cosmic intelligence and its enlightened dharma, and
help us move beyond the vagaries and violence of the
ego-mind. Developing that vision of Manu and
creating such a new humanity is the need of the times,
however one may look at the details. This new
humanity is a species that reflects and develops a new
planetary consciousness, based upon an inner Self-
knowledge as linked with an outer cosmic
knowledge.
A new Rishi order implies not only a new
Manu, but also a new Brihaspati, who is the leader
and primal guide of the Rishis. A new human
consciousness needs a new seer-order, a new Rishi
consciousness and Rishi community. We need a new
Brihaspati or new founder of such a new Rishi order
for a new Vedas. The works of Ganapati Muni and
Brahmarshi Daivarata on Brihaspati can aid us in
thisdirection.
Such a new humanity would have a
connection to the old priestly families and monastic
orders of the past, but consist of their renovation
and transformation for a new era, no longer bound
by local or regional boundaries and limitations. It
would create new spiritual communities, such as Sri
Aurobindo and Swami Yogananda foresaw. These
new spiritual communities would have a semi-
monastic orientation, in that they would aim at the
primacy of the inner life, but also be creative and
innovative in the outer realms of art, science,
healing, and culture building. They would be forces
not simply for renouncing the world but for a new
spiritual and intellectual renaissance for the planet.
They would consist of families but like the ancient
Vedic Rishi lines, of a more spiritual than emotional
nature, with ties of the soul, not simply of the body
orblood.
Such new Vedic communities would aim at
restoring and enlivening the ancient Vedas, but also
bringingintoconsciousnessanewVedicvision,with
a vision of future Vedas as well. These groups would
not rest upon emotional fervor or expectations of an
external savior, but on the ability of serious
individuals to dive deeply into their inmost
consciousness and reality, looking not only to
elevate the human, but also to create a path beyond
thehumantotheDivine.
Light of the Vedast VOLUME 8 | ISSUE 7 | AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF VEDIC STUDIES | PAGE 4

6. Swami
Kriyananda's
Passing
Swami Kriyananda (J. Donald Walters),
who moved on to the higher lokas at
the end of April, was one of the most
important western teachers of yogic
spirituality over the past fifty years. He
was a profound thinker, philosopher
and visionary with a concern for all
humanity, who understood the deeper
traditions of India. He has left many
noteworthy books that should be
examined for years to come.
Kriyananda, as a many sided
personality, was also a refined
musician and dramatist who could
access the best creative aspects of
Europeanculture.
Besides his extensive work in the fields
of the mind, Kriyananda was a
powerful influence in the social world.
Kriyananda was probably the most
important recent voice in creating new
spiritual communities, and has trained
a remarkable set of teachers. Very few
from his generation in the West have
been able to approach even a small
portion of his many accomplishments.
Kriyananda has left an important
legacy that can help guide not only the
Western Yoga movement, but also the
dawningglobalculture.
Light of the Vedast VOLUME 8 | ISSUE 7 | AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF VEDIC STUDIES | PAGE 5

7. Bhagavan is an important term within Sanatana
Dharma and yoga; as frequently it is interpreted
to literally mean “lord”. But there is more that
can be derived from this common, yet illusive
term. BhagavanisderivedfromtheSanskritroot
Bhaj, meaning to distribute, share, grant, and
bestow indicating these qualities are present
withinbhagavan.
Bhagavan is commonly used as a reference to
anyone that is considered highly evolved, as well
as being used for a variety of deities including
Shiva, Vishnu and more recently to Krishna as an
incarnation of Vishnu. Interestingly, many do
not realize the powerful association of bhagavan
with Shiva, the lord of yoga, or Shiva's Vedic
form—Rudra; as the word 'bhagavan' appears
within such well known Vedic mantras as the
Rudram from the Taittiriya Samhita of the Yajur
Vedas.TheRudramopenswiththemantra:
OmNamoBhagavateRudrāya.
SalutationstolordRudra(Shiva).
BhagavanandtheSunGods.
The sun gods are called Adityas, as they are the
sons of Aditi. The number of sun gods varies, but
when the number of sun gods is 12, it is often a
reference to the zodiac. Bhagavan and its root
'Bhaj' are powerfully connected with one of the
Adityas known as Bhaga. As one of the sun gods,
Bhaga represents qualities such as joy,
happiness, delight, bliss as well as knowledge.
Bhaga is mentioned by name in the Rig Veda and
is connected with Savitā, the deity of the well
known Gayatri Mantra (Rig Veda 3.62.10);
indicating an important connection with
realization and transformation as well as the joy
orblissofspiritualawakening.
BhagavanasMantra
Using bhagavan as a mantra is a powerful tool to
accelerate spiritual evolution. Bhagavan as a
mantra is believed to represent prosperity,
strength, happiness and exclusion of negativity.
But upon examination of the primal roots of
bhagavan one discovers important additional
information. Within the Puranas, Bhagavan is
broken into the primal roots--Bha, Ga, Va, Na. It is
said these primal roots provide protection, non-
attachment, and knowledge. These primal roots
carry a variety of energies within their sound
structure. Bha is a reference to Bharata which
means protector; additionally it is a name of
Venus,andislinkedwiththe27thnakshatraofthe
Zodiac. Ga means creator or mover, in later times
it became a reference to Ganesha the remover of
obstacles. Va carries the energy of air and wind.
Nameansunbroken,praised,undivided.
Even without a deep understanding of mantra,
one can see that bhagavan is connected with
numerous subtle energies and can be quite
beneficial in spiritual growth. It can have a
powerful transforming effect on the mind, and
can aid as part of a holistic approach toward
transformation of the ego. As a mantra, bhagavan
is a simple and easy tool for spiritual growth,
though it should be learned from a skilled teacher,
familiarwithSanskrit.
BhagavanBy Yogi Baba Prem Yogacharya, Veda Visharada, www.vedicpath.com
Light of the Vedast VOLUME 8 | ISSUE 7 | AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF VEDIC STUDIES | PAGE 6