The flower garden

garden as with the first light the priests came to begin the morning worship, chanting, blowing conches and sounding gongs. Dawn music flowed from the music towers. The joyous sounds filled the temples, the flower gardens, orchard and goose pond…

Mahabharata) and Puranas. There is a specific curriculum designed for each of the different age groups and includes chanting and meditation. Online classes for adults on Vedantic texts on Sunday and Wednesday evenings, holiday programs for children, teen retreats, youth/family camps, free public talks are also conducted by Chinmaya Mission Brisbane every year.

The upcoming free public talks (Jnana Yagnas) by Pujya Swami Swaroopananda, on the topic “Success without stress” based on the 3rd Chapter of Bhagavad Geeta are not to be missed. They will be held from the 23rd to 26th of June 2023 (7:00pm-8:30pm) at SunPAC Performing Arts and Cultural centre, Sunnybank, Brisbane. There will be sessions for children (Bala Yagnas) for children by Swami Shrikarananda at the same time in the same venue. More details about Pujya Swami Swaroopanandaji's Jnana Yajna and Swami Shrikarananda ‘s Bala Yajna is available on https:// www.chinmaya.com. au/pages/pujya-swamiswaroopananda-brisbanetour-2023.

Chinmaya Mission was established in 1951 and it operates in more than 30 countries with 350 over centres. The Mission provides practical means for spiritual growth and happiness, enabling us to be better each day and become positive contributors to society. Our motto is to give maximum happiness to the maximum number for the maximum time. Please visit www. chinmaya.com.au/brisbane for details of Chinmaya Mission Brisbane classes and events.

Ecstatic, he offered flowers to the Cosmic Mother, or laughing, put them on his own head, then taking the yak-tail fan, began to fan the splendid image. In a voice of indescribable sweetness and pathos, he sang hymn after hymn.

‘Who is there who can understand what Mother Kali is? All the philosophies are powerless to reveal Her…

…Áll creation is the sport of my mad Mother Kali. By Her Maya the three worlds are bewitched…’

..’Kali, who can know Thee? Numberless are Thy forms….’

...’Oh Mother, make me drunk with Thy love!

TO the east, far beyond the darkened city of light, the sun rose, as it had since the dawn of time. The lightened city awoke to the caw of crows and the whistle of kites high aloft, as it had since the dawn of cities. Slowly brightening, its light touched the tips of the temples in the Dakshineswar temple garden on the banks of the holy river, its Himalayan waters flowing fast with the ebb tide to the distant delta. Joy flowed in the temple

…and to the panchavati, the grove of five sacred trees north of Sri Ramakrishna’s room; even over to the village on the distant bank of the holy river. In his room, Sri Ramakrishna rose, chanting the names of avatars, deities, the names of the ten mahavidyas* or intoning the mahavakyas+, clapping his hands the while, smiling or occasionally laughing as he walked slow and stately to the temple of Mother Kali. There She stood, emblem of All, dancing resplendent on the recumbent body of Her Lord. Her hand gestures and everything about Her symbols signifying deep meaning.

What need have I for knowledge or reason?

Thus drunk with transcendental bliss, unsteady on his feet, he staggered back to his room, a bewitching smile on his radiant face. The river flowed onto the sea.

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*The names of the great Goddesses.

+The four great sayings from the Upanishads, encapsulate the wisdom of the Vedas.