Singaspeaks 81

SingaSpeaks A PERIODIC NEWSLETTER FROM THE RAMAKRISHNA MISSION, SINGAPORE

ROAR 81 | SINGAPORE | WEDNESDAY | 20 DECEMBER 2017

Revered Vice-President Maharaj from Belur Math visiting Singapore Srimat Swami Shivamayanandaji Maharaj, a Vice-President of the worldwide Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission will be visiting Singapore in the month of December 2017. He will be accompanied by his Secretary Swami Durgananda.

Revered Vice-President Maharaj is expected to arrive in Singapore from Penang on Thursday, 21 December 2017 by Flight No. 3K-676 at 6:40 PM. He will be leaving Singapore for Chennai, India on Thursday 28 December 2017 by Flight No. UL 307 at 9:45 AM. During his stay at the Singapore Ramakrishna Mission, Revered Maharaj will be available for consultations on spiritual matters.

S p i r i t u a l a s p i r a n t s w h o a r e seeking initiation (diksha) may, as instructed earlier in the Briefing Session, prepare themselves for the Diksha. Initiation Date is fixed on Sunday, 24 December 2017.

179 BARTLEY ROAD | SINGAPORE 539784

After the evening arati, every day there will be a daily Satsang at Temple Hall Level1 where interested aspirants/devotees may have an opportunity to interact and offer salutations to the Vice-President Maharaj. During Spiritual Retreat on 25 December in the Second Session, Revered Maharaj will deliver a Discourse on “Divinizing Daily Life”.

PH: +65 6288 9077 | FAX: 6288 5798

singapore@rkmm.org

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PAGE TWO

WEDNESDAY, 20 DECEMBER 2017

Guidelines to join Spiritual Retreats Next Spiritual Retreat is on Christmas Day Dear Devotees, As you may be aware, the Ramakrishna Mission Singapore has three Retreats every year. The first Retreat is on Good Friday, the second Retreat on National Day and the third on Christmas Day. These auspicious public holidays coincidentally fall exactly once in four months.

Due to logistics reasons, we shall admit only up to 200 devotees on a first come first serve basis.

Registration is free. Children below 12 years are not eligible.

Please register early so that your participation is ensured.

You may register as follows: Call 6288 9077 OR 6383 5748 during office hours (10 am to 6 pm) or Send an email to: office@ramakrishna.org.sg 179 BARTLEY ROAD | SINGAPORE 539784

or Sign up at the office when you visit the ashram in person.

When you register, please let us know the names of the aspirants attending the programme, the phone no and which session(s) of the Retreat the aspirant(s) would be attending.

We encourage you to spread the word to all your known spiritual aspirants – may be family members, friends and especially those who have taken diksha. Initiated devotees of the Ramakrishna Mission are encouraged to attend without fail.

Wishing you a spiritually stimulating experience, May Sri Ramakrishna bless you all !

Swami Vimokshananda President

PH: +65 6288 9077 | FAX: 6288 5798

singapore@rkmm.org

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WEDNESDAY, 20 DECEMBER 2017

Swami Bhuteshananda on Mantra Diksha

Spiritual Initiation Requires Preparation Purity born of humility, faith, devotion and true yearning must preceed the guru's blessings In this talk, given in August of 1995, Swami Bhuteshananda explains how he counsels those who approach him for the first initiation, called mantra-diksha, the giving of a sacred mantra and instructions on how to use it.

According to scriptural injunction, anyone approaching a guru for initiation must have certain qualifications. Here is an example. A sage named Narada went to Bhagavan Sanatkumara, a great teacher, for initiation. Sanatkumara said, "Tell me first what you know. Then I shall decide what should be taught."

Narada gave a detailed list of what he had studied, and none of the principal scriptures were left out. Yet, in spite of so much learning, he said, "I am not at peace, neither am I satisfied. I still feel discontent." "Well Narada" said 179 BARTLEY ROAD | SINGAPORE 539784

Sanatkumara, "I understand that you have studied quite a lot. But what you know are only some words. You have become a master of words, but you do not know your Self. Only a knower of the Self overcomes grief." Then Narada humbly requested: "Bhagavan, kindly impart to me that knowledge by which I may get rid of all misery." What does this story signify? It signifies the great necessity for preparing the ground of one's mind before initiation.

Many desire to have spiritual initiation.

But before initiation, there must be preparation. Those who are not prepared should be advised to wait.

Being prepared helps one to proceed properly. This process is like preparing soil before planting seeds. The soil must be tilled and manure must be spread first. If the seed is sown after that, it grows well. One must prepare in a similar fashion before receiving mantra diksha or spiritual initiation. This preparedness is conducive to success.

And most humbly, I want to touch upon another point: There is no end to this preparation.

Unless the mind is pure, the mantra given with diksha will not be effective.

The mind can be made pure through the practice of good conduct, humility and true yearning. Only then will the mantra, like a seed, sprout and flourish into a full-grown tree, bearing flowers and fruits. We must repeat that preparedness before receiving the mantra diksha is absolutely mandatory. In fact, nothing in spiritual life is achieved without preparation.

The scriptures recommend that a spiritual seeker should approach the guru for initiation only in humility,

PH: +65 6288 9077 | FAX: 6288 5798

singapore@rkmm.org

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WEDNESDAY, 20 DECEMBER 2017

Swami Bhuteshananda on Mantra Diksha service, selfless devotion and purity. The moment of initiation is an invaluable one. We should receive the holy name in our heart with faith and devotion. We should concentrate our mind upon it. If we can dive deep into our being and remain engrossed in it, a most valuable gem will take shape within.

implies not hurting others physically, it also means not thinking ill of anyone.

But we pose the question to them: "Are these young ones ready for initiation?"

No they are not – not at all. There is an appropriate time for mantra diksha.

When the mind becomes restless for initiation, we know that time is near.

5. We must think of God and strive to realize him.We must lead a simple, straight forward and natural life. We should not seek luxury. This does not mean we should wear beggar's clothes but we must strive to maintain ourselves with minimum requirements. This also means we should be free from greed.

2. We must hold on to truth always. We should never have recourse to falsehood. And we must honor our commitments. Sri Ramakrishna used to say, "One who holds on to truth rests in the lap of God." We will have to make a Once the field has been made ready, the lot of sacrifice in life to observe seeker develops love for the name of truthfulness. It is not an easy job.

God. It's like establishing a Deity in a 3. We must never cheat or deceive temple. Before the installation, the structure and the surrounding area must anyone in any way. Let us be satisfied with what is due. This is honesty in be made ready. Then only can we dealing with others. consider the installation ceremony.

Receiving a mantra symbolizes 4. We must bring all of our sense organs installation of God in our life. under our control. Let us not be guided by them. Control over one or two sense We do not usually initiate young boys and girls. Devotees who are parents with organs will not do. All the senses must children often feel hurt because of this. be brought under strict control.

There is another point to be remembered in this context. Our daily conduct should be in tune with our state of being initiated. To accomplish this, we recommend five codes of conduct to be followed. There is nothing secret about these codes. Everybody should know about them. Hence, we speak to all. No one can move toward God without pure conduct. Here are the five codes of good conduct.

1. We should pray for the welfare of all.

We should behave in such a manner that no one's feelings are hurt and no harm is caused to anyone. We should follow ahimsa, noninjury. This not only 179 BARTLEY ROAD | SINGAPORE 539784

Mantra diksha should be taken with all seriousness. It should not be looked upon as a status symbol. Initiation is for God realization only. At times, we are forced to pass through a number of adverse situations. From where shall we get the strength and motivation to overcome them? If we get initiated after due preparation, that initiation itself will provide us with that necessary strength.

Srimat Swami Bhuteshanandaji Maharaj, former President of the Ramakrishna Math and the Ramakrishna Mission attained Maha Samadhi in 1998.

PH: +65 6288 9077 | FAX: 6288 5798

singapore@rkmm.org