Arjuna was one of the five PANDAVAS in the MAHAB-
HARATA epic, all of them sons of Kunti by different gods. Arjuna’s father was the king of the gods, Indra, hence his prominent role in the epic.
It is Arjuna who won the Pandavas’ wife Draupadi at her “self-choice” ceremony, where the contestants competed in various challenges of strength and skill. The rule was that each of the five brothers would stay at night with Draupadi alone. No other brother was to enter their chamber
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on penalty of exile. Arjuna broke this agreement and was sent away from the other brothers for 12 years.
During his exile Arjuna had relationships with many women. He married Krishna’s sister Sub- hadra, to whom was born their son Abhimanyu, who played an important role in the Mahabharata war. Arjuna at this time also met up with Para- shurama, the BRAHMIN warrior and incarnation of VISHNU; he taught Arjuna the use of magical weapons. For helping the god AGNI and KRISHNA
burn down the Khandava forest, Arjuna received his bow Gandiva, his most cherished weapon.
Returning home Arjuna was forced into soli- tary exile again for 13 years when his brother Yud- histhira lost everything to the Kauravas in a dice game. In his wanderings he met a hunter—Shiva in disguise—from whom he received the devas- tating Pashupata weapon. In the last year of his exile he served Virata, king of the Matsya people, disguised as a eunuch. There he taught music and dance to the women. He also helped Virata fight his enemies.
In the final battle of Kurukshetra, the conclu- sive battle of the Mahabharata, Krishna served as Arjuna’s charioteer. The BHAGAVAD GITA details Arjuna’s momentary failure of will as the battle is about to begin and Krishna’s teachings to him.
After the victory, when the customary ashva medha (HORSE SACRIFICE) was done, Arjuna followed the sacrificial horse on its wide wanderings, fighting many kings and claiming many countries for the Pandavas. During these wanderings he encoun- tered his own son Babhruvahana, whom he fought and killed. The son was revived, however, by a Naga princess (see NAGAS) who had once been his lover.
After the war, in which most of Krishna’s Yadava tribe were killed, Arjuna himself performed the funeral rites for Krishna, who had accidentally been killed by a hunter, and for Krishna’s father, Vasudeva. Arjuna took the remnants of the Yadava tribe and their women back to Hastinapura, the Pandava capital.
In his old age Arjuna went to live in the Hima- layas with his brothers and Draupadi, leaving the kingdom to his grandson, Parikshit (Abhimanyu’s son).
Further reading: J. A. B. van Buitenen, trans., The Mahabharata. Vol. 1, The Book of the Beginnings, Vol. 2., The Book of the Assembly Hall, vol. 3., The Book of Virata and the Book of Effort (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1973–78); Ruth C. Katz, Arjuna in the Mahab- harata: Where Krishna Is, There Is Victory (Columbia:
University of South Carolina Press, 1989); P. C. Roy, trans., The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, 12 vols. (Calcutta: Oriental, 1952–62).
Arsha Vidya Gurukulam
(est. 1986) The Arsha (from the RISHIS) Vidya (knowl- edge) Gurukulam (spiritual learning center and residence) at Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania, was founded in 1986 by SWAMI DAYANANDA SARAS-WATI (1930– ) in the tradition of the ancient gurukulams of India. The institute is dedicated to the traditional study of advaita VEDANTA, SAN-
SKRIT, HATHA YOGA, AYURVEDA, Vedic chanting,
MEDITATION, astrology, and other classical Indian disciplines. It offers courses in the UPANISHADS, BHAGAVAD GITA, VEDANTA SUTRA, and other clas- sical Vedic texts in English. The more than 15 teachers have all studied with Dayananda Saras- wati. The center offers short- and long-term study programs and on-site accommodations.
The 54-acre campus includes a temple dedicated to Lord Dakshinamurti, considered the first teacher of Vedic knowledge.
The Gurukulam also sponsors the All India Movement (AIM) for Seva, established in New Delhi in 2000, as its service outreach. It hopes to unite Indian society through service and car- ing, in a way that promotes self-sufficiency and dignity among those served. It seeks to transform Indian society by bridging the gap between privi- leged and less-privileged people through a policy of Indians’ caring for fellow Indians. AIM has 22 K 44 Arsha Vidya Gurukulam
branches in different states of India and publishes many books on various topics in Vedanta, includ- ing a Bhagavad Gita Home Study course and a Vedic Heritage Teaching Program for children.
The Arsha Vidya bookstore in Pennsylvania has over 3,000 publications on Vedanta, Hinduism, Sanskrit, yoga, astrology, Ayurveda, philosophy, and Indian history.
Further reading: Swami Dayananda Saraswati, Arsha Vidya: The Vision of the Rishis (Rishikesh: Sri Gangad- hareswar Trust, Swami Dayananda Ashram, 1999); —
——, Collection, Talks and Essays of Swami Dayananda Saraswati (Rishikesh: Sri Gangadhareswar Trust, Swami Dayananda Ashram, 2000).
artha
See ENDSOFLIFE, FOUR.Arthashastra
(c. 300 C.E.)The Arthashastra, the “Authoritative Treatise on Worldly Affairs,” is generally attributed to Kauti- lya (Chanakya) (c. 300 B.C.E.), the minister of the famous Chandragupta Maurya kingdom, although it was apparently expanded at a later time, as the received text includes references to later phenomena.
The Arthashastra resembles in many ways The Prince, written in the 16th century by the Italian Nicolò Machiavelli. It is a complete and elaborate treatise on statecraft and law, clearly designed for use by a king. It includes sections dealing with clans and tribes who do not belong to the state proper, the conduct of ministers, government officials, city government, taxation, law, punish- ments, spies, types of conquest, the army, slavery, divorce, women’s property, indigent women, pros- titutes, gambling, alcoholic drinks, and interest rates, among other topics.
The book is part of the tradition of authori- tative treatises (shastras; artha means “worldly affairs”) that relate to the four ENDS OF LIFE. It parallels the DHARMASHASTRA and the Kamashastra
(among which is the KAMA SUTRA). The fourth end of life—MOKSHA—is not generally associated with shastras; its subject, liberation from birth and rebirth, relies on gurus instead.
Further reading: Roger Boesche, The First Great Politi- cal Realist: Kautilya and His Arthashastra (Lanham, Md.: Lexington Books, 2002); Subhash C. Kashyap, Concept of Good Governance and Kautilya’s Arthashastra (New Delhi: Indian Council of Social Science Research, 2003); L. N. Rangarajan, trans., The Arthashastra by Kautilya (New Delhi: Penguin Books India, 1992);
Sujata Reddy, Laws of Kautilya Arthasastra (New Delhi:
Kanishka, 2004); Manabendu Banerjee Sastri, ed., Occasional Essays on Arthasastra (Calcutta: Sanskrit Pustak Bhandar, 2000); Bijay Dhari Singh, Bibliography of Kautilya Arthasastra (Varanasi: Kishor Vidya Niketan, 2004).
Art of Living Foundation
(est. 1982) The Art of Living Foundation promotes the spiri- tual endeavors of Sri Sri Ravi SHANKAR (b. 1956) (not to be confused with the prominent musician of the same name). It focuses on the use of ancient Hindu methods for reaching serenity.Shankar is a native of Bangalore, India. As a child he demonstrated great intellectual skills.
He could read and discuss BHAGAVAD GITA by the age of four. In childhood he read Indian literature and was able to grasp complex text material and philosophy.
As an adult, Shankar traveled the world from his home in India, teaching the methods revealed in classical texts for developing a serene life, which he called the Art of Living. Shankar’s teachings emphasize ancient science, especially Sudharsha Kriya, a meditative breathing technique that bal- ances natural rhythms in mental, emotional, and physical life. Sudharsha Kriya gained celebrity in 1998 and 1999 when scientific studies confirmed its benefits. The meditative practice is used for stress reduction, conflict resolution, and personal development.
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The Art of Living Foundation was officially established in Bangalore, India, in 1982 as a non- profit educational and humanitarian organiza- tion. It now has more than 4,000 chapters around the world. Although the foundation claims no religious affiliation, it upholds basic spiritual tenets through its offering of compassionate service around the world, including charitable and educational programs in 142 countries.
It is a consulting nongovernmental organiza- tion (NGO) registered with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations.
Services include the 5-H program, a holistic endeavor that focuses on homes, health, hygiene, harmony in diversity, and human values. All programs follow the general philosophy of the foundation, emphasizing the practical and intel- lectual development of human values and the potential of individuals to strengthen society.
The Art of Living Foundation has provided many workshops over the years at United Nations summits and conferences.
According to the foundation an estimated 2 million people around the world have benefited from Sudharsha Kriya through Art of Living courses. The foundation has also established the Research and Health Promotion Center, which provides scholarships for research into the health benefits of Sudharsha Kriya. The foundation publishes an online journal, Prana. A sister orga- nization, the International Association for Human Values, coordinates volunteer efforts for aid and relief.
In 1995, the president of India recognized Shankar’s spiritual accomplishments by giving him the title of Yogi Shiromani (Supreme Flow- ering of Enlightenment) during a major World Conference of Yoga.
The center in Bangalore, India, administers the various programs to spread the spiritual pre- cepts of the movement, heighten knowledge of Vedic texts, and engage in community service. In En gland, the United States, and Canada, the work is pursued under the name Art of Living; in Europe
it is called the Association for Inner Growth. In Jan- uary 2005 the Art of Living Foundation donated over $34 million for tsunami relief. The founda- tion has also established orphanages for children and homes for women in the affected areas of India and Sri Lanka. Many of the services offered by the foundation are provided almost entirely by volunteers.
Further reading: François Gautier, The Guru of Joy:
Shri Shri Ravi Shankar and the Art of Living (New Delhi:
Books Today/The India Today Group, 2002); Ravi Shan- kar, Bang on the Door: A Collection of Talks (Santa Bar- bara, Calif.: Art of Living Foundation, 1990); ———, Celebrating Silence (Santa Barbara, Calif.: Art of Living Foundation, 2001); Ravi Shankar and Judith S. Clark, Waves of Beauty (Santa Barbara, Calif.: Art of Living Foundation, 1998).