Nirvana (2010 October) by Ramakrishna Mission Singapore

ISSUE No. 67 OCT-DEC 2010

RAMAKRISHNA MISSION SINGAPORE MICA (P) 014/09/2010 ISSN0218-7183

State of Spiritual enlightenment or illumination. Nirvana releases humans from the cycle of birth, suffering, death and all forms of worldly bondage.

in this Issue...

he Government of India have announced elaborate plans to commemorate the 150th Birth Anniversary of Swami Vivekananda which falls in January 2013.

Charged with the project is a powerful National Committee headed by the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, whose members include leaders of major political parties, scientists, intellectuals, women’s and youth organization leaders, civil servants and, of course, the Ramakrishna movement. During the inaugural meeting of the Committee held in New Delhi recently, Dr Manmohan Singh called for preparations befitting “one of our greatest spiritual leaders and a revered figure in India’s history and culture.” On this occasion we present the first of a five-part serial on Swamiji by Dr Achuthan. (p.3). Sri Ramakrishna often used to say that he was ready to let go (attachment to) all pairs of opposites except TRUTH. In a scholarly analysis, Mrs Indira Krishnakumar, a Member of the Indian Railway Board, provides the scriptural underpinning for the statement. New Delhi-based Mrs Krishnakumar conducts regular Bhagavata Saptaham in Indian cities. (p.8) By coincidence, obviously, Sri Ramakrishna’s statement also makes an appearance in William Page’s article on Prayer. After his earlier presentation on Japa, the Bangkok-based author takes us to the next incremental step towards self-realization. (p 14) As Swami Muktirupananda says not many people would have heard of Logotherapy, though we are familiar with many other types. It is the secret of turning one’s personal tragedy into triumph. (p 17) Away from the world of adults, R. Pushpavalli,Principal of our Sarada Kindergarten, takes us to the company of children with the question Can Four Year Olds Think? (P 21) In Ayodhya King Dasaratha breathes his last while in the forest Rama, Sita and Lakshmana have no difficulty switching to streams, fruits, berries and the open skies for sustenance days after leaving the luxuries of the palace. (p.23.) Edited and Published by Swami Muktirupananda, President, Ramakrishna Mission, 179 Bartley Road, Singapore 539784 Tel: 6288 9077 Fax: 6288 5798. email: office@ramakrishna.org.sg, Website: www.ramakrishna.org.sg Print Production: VED Print Singapore Pte Ltd

Pearls of Wisdom Uddhava Gita

Translated by Swami Madhavananda Śrī bhagavān uvāca: Proktena bhaktiyogena bhajato maa’sakrinmuneh Kāma hṛdayyā naśyanti sarve mayi hṛdi sthite Bhidyate hṛdayagrandhir icchadyate sarva samśayāh Kshiyante cāsya karmani mayi drṣthe’khilātmani Tasmānmadbhatiyuktasya yogino vai madātmanah Na jnānam na ca vairāgyam prāyah śreyo bhavediha The Lord said: If a meditative man constantly worships Me through the path of devotion mentioned above, all the desires of his heart are destroyed, for I reside in his heart. When he sees Me, the Self of all, the knot of his heart breaks to pieces, all his doubts are dispelled, and his Karma is destroyed. Hence the practice of knowledge or dispassion is scarcely of any use to the Yogi who is devoted to Me and his mind centred in Me. (To be continued) Uddhava Gita, XV, 29-31

Editorial

 Be the Change...

andhiji said, “Be the change that you want to see in the world.” It is the most difficult challenge that one encounters in the world. The whole burden of changing oneself is placed on one’s shoulders. This is the one thing everyone tries to wriggle out of. All of us have a good concept about socio-ethical life, moral society and peaceful community life. Inspite of that knowledge we have failed to bring about any appreciable change in personal as well as in community life. Strife, friction and bitterness have not decreased but multiplied. It is because we like to play the game of grumbling at and blaming one another. Everyone has complaints against and dissatisfaction with another. We expect the world to change, people to change first. But it is an impossible dream. Change always begins with oneself and not with others. What we want must reflect in our daily lives. We are the world and the world is not separate from us. We want to see honest, truthful, compassionate, industrious and non-violent people in our society. Parents expect these qualities from their children, teachers from their pupils, and employers from employees. Good or bad qualities do not fall from the sky nor are they in the air we breathe nor in the water we drink. These qualities are imbibed, learnt and transmitted from one to another. What we see we follow and imitate. No amount of advice or no amount of teaching is effective. One can talk tons of words without anounce of practice. Such shallow talks make a least impression on the minds of people. In life the most powerful and effective thing is the living example that speaks directly through behaviour and everyday acts. It is the only thing that matters and not the explanations and commentaries. The possibility to become good lies within our reach, within our bounds, only a little effort is required. None forbids us to become truthful, honest, generous and loving. Of course these virtues may not bring worldly success, money, name and fame. Is that the reason why we do not want to change or is it the work of others?

The Five Faces of Swami Vivekananda

Dr P. Achuthan an able organizer, a great humanist, a philosopher and religious teacher of exceptional dignity and skill, and a Hindu monk and yogi of towering spiritual realization. Besides, he stood as the bridge immortal – amrutasya setuh – between the ancient and the modern, the East and the West, religion and science, faith and reason, idealism and practicality as well as between the incisive intellect of Sri Shankara and the measureless heart of Lord Buddha. As Swamiji’s French biographer, Romain Rolland aptly points out, “ In the two words, equilibrium and synthesis, Vivekananda’s constructive genius may be summed up … He was the personification of the harmony of all human energy.” (1)

he writer sees Swami Vivekananda as a personality with five faces like Panchamukha Shiva, the five-faced Lord Shiva. The five faces are 1) the Lion of Vedanta, 2) The Patriotic Saint of India, 3) Worshipper of the poor and ignorant, 4) The Humanist and 5) The disciple and interpreter of Sri Ramakrishna. In this article he presents the first facet of Swamiji as the Lion of Vedanta. - Editor The Lion of Vedanta Those who accept divine incarnations believe also that like Sri Shankara, Swami Vivekananda was an incarnation of Lord Shiva, the fountain-head of knowledge and wisdom. There is this difference, however, that while Sri Shankara was the embodiment of just one aspect of Lord Shiva, the eka-mukhaShiva, Swami Vivekananda was the personification of the five-faced Shiva, the pancha-mukha-Shiva. In all his life and works, Sri Shankara presented the ideal of an Advaitaacharya, the teacher of the doctrine of monism, but precious little else. Swamiji, on the other hand, was a many-splendoured miracle of a man, a wondrous diamond scattering rays of rare luminosity all around. He was an ‘orator by divine right’,

It was obvious to all that Swamiji was the living exemplar of the gospel of manliness, strength and courage that he preached everywhere, particularly in India. In him could be seen the warrior-spirit (kshtraveerya) more than the glow of the Brahmin (brahma-tejas). There was an indefinable power and charm in his majestic bearing, kingliness and a leonine spirit about everything that concerned him. Sadhu means a Hindu monk as well as a meek person. Swamiji

was no sadhu of the submissive type. Rather, he was formidable, lion-like and even aggressive, if you like. Yet, he was so benevolent and compassionate that he was the refuge to all spiritual seekers.

and bringing about the material prosperity and spiritual welfare of its beings. The West had reached a high degree of material prosperity to enjoy every kind of comfort and luxury in full measure. But it was utterly poor in religion and spirituality and the solace and joy that they offered. So, to the West, Swamiji showed the path of action-lessness, the nivritti-marga, Vedanta’s pure message of spirituality. It was a call for a life of renunciation, of ascetic withdrawal from sense-pleasures for participation in the ampler joy of the spirit, the Atman, a call for the recovery of the glory and grandeur of the divinity inherent in man but lost through forgetfulness.

Swamiji’s pre-monastic name, Narendra signified the first, the foremost, the ruler of men. As a monk, he came to be called Desikendra, Yatiraja, Vedanta-Kesari etc; all showing that he was the king, the lion among monks and religious teachers. The West thought it fit to describe him with the expressive epithets, ‘The Hindu Napoleon’, ‘The cyclonic Hindu’, ‘Prince ViveKanunda’ etc. On this aspect of his personality, Romain Rolland observes, “He was a born king and nobody ever came near him either in India or America without paying homage to his majesty… He was a prince despite all disguise”. (2) Indeed, Swamiji was a superman, a hero-soul, if ever there was one.

With a rare earnestness of purpose, Swamiji could urge his listeners to give up ‘this indecent clinging to life’, ‘to escape the meshes of maya’ and to strive ‘for that glorious freedom from life and death’ (3). Let us listen to Swamiji’s inspired words of wisdom as given to us by Sister Christine, a disciple of Swamiji who attended his classes at the Thousand Island park, “Don’t be deceived .Maya is a great cheat. Get out. Do not let her catch you this time…. Remember, God is the only Reality”. Up and down, over and over again. “Don’t let yourself be tempted by dolls. They are dolls of sugar or dolls of salt, and they will melt and become nothing. Be a king and know your own the world. This never comes until you give it up and it ceases to bind. Give up, give

Now, it was Vedanta, no doubt, that he preached both in India and in the West. But it was not the same aspect of Vedanta, nor with the same emphasis, that he gave as his message to these two different peoples. In the Introduction to his commentary on the Bhagavad-Gita, Sri Shankara says, dwvidho hi vedokto dharmah… abhyudaya – nissreyasa hetuh – two-fold is the Vedic religion, characterized by action and action-lessness, causing the preservation of the universe

up” (3a). This was the refrain of his teachings everywhere in the West. But India, during Swamiji’s times, presented an entirely different picture. For one thing she lay prostrate before her foreign masters and rulers. Millions of her people were sunk in ignorance and illness, poverty starvation and stark misery. Centuries of oppression and tyranny by the rich and the powerful and the privileged orthodoxy had reduced them to the state of animals, ‘nextdoor neighbours to brutes.’ Their crying need was food and medicine, not God or religion. And to preach Vedanta to destitute India was indeed a cruel joke. What India needed at that time was not so much the recovery of their lost soul as sustenance for their body and restoration of their forgotten human dignity. And so, it was Vedanta’s pravritti marga, the path of manly action that Swamiji showed to India of his times.

His words were passionate, eloquent and fiery packed with a power and glory that only he could impart. His exhortations had the effect of a thunder-clap or a lion’s roar to rouse India from her agelong slumber, indolence and inertia. Swamiji could conjure up the vision of an Immortal India in the hearts of the people, the vision of her glorious past and of greater glory and grandeur for her in the future. Swamiji’s call to India, to her youth in particular, was to acquire strength and fearlessness for manly action. And for this, he wanted them to derive inspiration from the source of these noble virtues, the Upanishads. “ If there is one word that you find coming out like a bomb from the Upanishads, bursting like a bombshell upon masses of ignorance, it is the word fearlessness, fearlessness” (4), declared Swamiji at Paramakkudi in Tamil Nadu. In his lecture at Kumbhakonam, Swamiji gave out his message of strength and manliness. “But this is not the time with us to weep even in joy; we have had weeping enough; no more…. What our country now wants are muscles of iron and nerves of steel, gigantic wills which nothing can resist… meeting death face to face”. (5)

On his triumphal return to India in 1897 after four years of spreading his Master’s message in the West, Swamiji was given a tumultuous welcome everywhere throughout his royal progress from Colombo to Almora. Crowds of admiring people drawn from every walk of life were wild with enthusiasm to catch a glimpse of their hero and to listen to his inspiring lectures. Swamiji, on his part, was more than enthusiastic and equal to the occasion which he wanted to convert into a source of self-awareness for his countrymen.

In his Madras lecture, My Plan of Campaign, Swamiji repeats the idea of strength and manliness. He says, “It is man-making religion that we want. It is man-making theories

that we want. It is man-making education all round that we want”(6). He reiterates his message of strength in his next lecture, Vedanta and Indian Life thus, “First of all, our young men must be strong. Religion will come afterwards. Be strong, my young friends; that is my advice to you…. You will understand the Gita better with your biceps, your muscles a little stronger… and you feel yourself as men”. Thus we have to apply these to our needs. (7)

moment or two. One can only echo the delight and wonder of Romain Rolland who estimates the effect of Swamiji’s inspiring lectures on the audience, “imagine the thunderous reverberations of these words!”(9) Today, more than a century after Swamiji spoke to India giving out the new gospel of manliness and strength, the youth of the country appears more than manly, strong and active. However, one wonders whether the “youth-quake” will take India to the grand goal shown by Swamiji.

Again, we hear Swamiji’s plea to throw away weakness and invoke the strength inherent in everyone, “Let us proclaim to every soul – Arise, Awake and stop not till the goal is reached. Arise, awake! Awake from this hypnotism of weakness. None is really weak; the soul is infinite, omnipotent and omniscient… O ye modern Hindus, de-hypnotize yourselves. The way to do that is found in your own sacred books.”(8)

References : 1 The life of Vivekananda by Romain Rolland, Advaita Ashrama. 1979; Page 281 2. Ibid. Prelude; Page 5. (2a) Page 20 3. 3 and 3a Reminiscenses of Swami Vivekananda, Advaita Ashrama 1983 page 171. 4. Lectures from Colombo to Almora, Advaita Ashrama 2006 page 67 5 Ibid page 101, 105, 141, 162-163 6. Ibid page 141 7. Ibid page 1162,163 8. Ibid page 105 9 The life of Vivekananda by R Rolland page 113

Words such as these that angels speak must have burnt their way into the hearts of men to startle and enthrall, words which not only conveyed the speaker’s ideas but also communicated his profound experience to the listeners at a

Next Issue

The Patriotic Saint

Satyam Param Dheemahi On That Truth Supreme We Meditate Indira Krishnakumar

r i R a m a k r i s h n a Paramahamsa used to speak about the need for going beyond the sense of all pairs because the parts of each pair, that we are familiar with, are like two sides of a coin. When in reality only One exists why have the perception of two? It is difficult to give up one part of the pair retaining the other, as one is very often the extension of the other. In other words, those are like the two extremes of the span covered by a pendulum in its swing from one end to the other. Or more plainly, the concepts involved are related to each other, e.g. heat and cold, joy and sorrow, plenty and few and wealth and poverty. Even matters like ‘dharma’ and ‘adharma’ are determined with reference to the context in which these are to be evaluated and so are relative.

different view. However, instinctively we feel that truth is not something that can be transcended or ought to be transcended, for we exist in Truth which is Existence itself. Sri Ramakrishna was eager to transcend the pairs of opposites. But realizing the indispensable nature of Truth he found it difficult to pray to Jagadambika, the Sat-Chit-Ananda Swaroopini, the embodiment of Existence, Knowledge and Bliss to take away Her Truth and Her falsehood. The Master said, “It is said that truthfulness alone constitutes the spiritual discipline of Kaliyuga. If a man clings tenaciously to truth, he ultimately realizes God. Without this regard for truth one gradually loses everything…… After my vision of the Divine Mother, I prayed to Her, taking a flower in my hands: ‘Mother, here is Thy knowledge and here is Thy ignorance. Take them both, and give me only pure love. Here is Thy holiness and here is Thy unholiness. Take them both, Mother, and give me pure love. Here is Thy good and here is Thy evil. Take them both, Mother, give me pure love. Here is Thy righteousness and here is Thy unrighteousness. Take them both, Mother, and give me pure love’.

But when it comes to ‘Truth’ the value is absolute because Truth is Existence and there cannot be a gradation in this. Grammatically, we may say that ‘falsehood’ is the opposite of ‘truth’. But in ordinary understanding ‘non-existence’ does not exist. With the limited understanding of a lay-person, one may assert that if ‘non-existence’ exists, it ceases to be non-existence. May be votaries of logic may have a

I mentioned all these, but I could not say, ‘Mother, here is Thy truth and here is Thy falsehood. Take them both’. I gave up everything at Her feet but I could not bring myself to give up truth” (1). The Master was like an innocent child, instinctively echoing a great truth, the ultimate Truth.

taking events in the lives of a large number of rulers and sages, Sri Suka Brahmarshi reminds King Pareekshit of a great truth. The king had been listening to the stories with focused attention for seven days, foregoing food and drink, awaiting the inevitable fall of the body to be bitten by serpent Takshaka. Sri Suka tells him now that those stories are of the great and mighty who lived to spread their name and fame in the world only to say farewell and disappear behind the curtain of time. Those stories had been narrated not because those belonged to the realm of Absolute Truth. Those were all enacted on the stage of Maya. But those were recited using the most flowery expressions so that the elusive beauty and magic of the language would kindle transcendental knowledge and the fire of renunciation in the listener which alone would lead one to the experience of Ultimate Truth. After reminding Sri Pareekshit thus Sri Suka narrates no further stories. Giving a description of the spirit of Kaliyuga and the nature of the deluges that would occur cycles after cycle to wipe away the phenomenal world each time it is created, Sri Suka goes on to give his last advice, emphasizing that Atman alone exists and that when this discriminative intelligence triumphs we realize the Oneness of the entire creation. This short chapter of thirteen verses, the fifth of Canto XII contains the grand peroration of Sri Suka and is appropriately

It is this supreme Truth that Srimad Bhagavatam celebrates. Srimad Bhagavatam is ‘Sarva Vedanta saram’. It is essence concentrate of the message of the Upanishads. At the end of this 18,000-sloka scripture, Sri Veda Vyasa, through the words of Sri Suka, declares boldly that the ranges after ranges of stories he narrated are but language at its best. ‘Vacho Vibhootir na tu Paramarthyam’. The stories are only signposts. They do not constitute the destination. They are only indicators of the destination. The ultimate destination which the stories should lead us to is the Absolute Truth. Katha imas te Kathita mahiyasam Vitaya lokesu yasah pareyusam Vijnana-vairagya-vivaksaya vibho Vaco-vibhutir na tu paramarthyam. (Srimad Bhagavatam XII.3.14) In the last chapter of the last canto of Srimad Bhagavatam, just before he exits from the august assembly gathered at the bank of river Ganga, after the brilliant narration of the incredibly remarkable, breath-

called Brahmopadesa. This enables Pareekshit to understand and experience the truth that his body, Takshaka, the poison and the entire manifested creation have no existence apart from Brahman. When Brahman alone exists who can harm whom? Who can spew poison into whom? Which body can fall where? The next chapter opens with the sublime words of King Pareekshit who expresses his utmost sense of gratification saying, “Siddhosmi, anugriheetosmi!” ‘I have indeed attained my highest end, I have indeed been blessed!.’ Raja Pareekshit indeed merges with the Ultimate Truth and experiences Brahmic Bliss. Sri Suka departs from the scene witnessing the transformation that made Pareekshit, who was, seven days ago, quizzing on the duty of one face-to-face with death, abide now in Self-Effulgence realizing his immortality, no matter if Takshaka fulfils Sringi’s curse or not. He is surrounded by a Sea of Light; he is immersed in Bliss. The entire build-up of this lengthy scripture is for this high point of arrival, the grand vision of Oneness that gives no scope for a second.

with the universe itself thus, his father, Sri Veda Vyasa, though a sage, cried out in anguish and called him with intense desire to get him back. But by then Sri Suka had identified himself so much with what was around that it was the trees lining the ashram grounds which had answered Sri Veda Vyasa’s call. It is to this boy, because of whose ‘sarva bhoota hridayata’ the speechless trees responded to the call of his father, that the obeisance is paid ! There is an incident in the Master’s life which is strongly reminiscent of this trait of identifying the self with the universe. The Master was nearing the end of his earthly sojourn and was living in the Cossipore garden house. His body was undergoing intense suffering because of the malignancy in the throat. Taking even small quantities of food became difficult. Many of his devotees pressed him to pray to the Mother for cure. This idea was repugnant to the Master. He could not bring himself to divert his attention, for long riveted on the Eternal, to the cask of a body which is transient. Still, when the devotees became unbearably importunate, the Master agreed to try to pray to the Mother. After a few hours when he was reminded of the issue he said: “I said to Her, ‘I cannot eat anything because of the pain. Please arrange it so I may eat a little’. She showed me all of you and said, ‘Why! You are eating through so many mouths!’ I was ashamed and could not utter another word”. (2).

Sri Suka’s identification of himself with the entire universe is recalled in poetic expressions in the mangala slokas of Srimad Bhagavatam. Sri Suka left his father’s hermitage without sparing himself for the performance of any of the rituals customary in the case of a boy similarly placed. When he left the father’s ashram, merging himself

Only a person who had transcended himself and identified with the universe could have expressed such an awesome thought. The first of the Mangala slokas of Srimad Bhagavatam reveals the secret of creation and makes a grand declaration of the purport of the scripture which is none other than the search for Truth. Different interpreters have interpreted the verse variously. It still remains an enigma even to the enlightened. Janmady asya yato ‘nvayad itaratas’

illumined the mind of Brahma with Vedic revelation whose wisdom is the wonder of even the greatest of sages; in whom the worlds, the manifestation of the three Gunas subsist in reality without in the least affecting Him, just as the combination of material elements like fire, water, and earth subsist in their causes without changing their elemental nature; in whose light of consciousness there is no place for anything false – On that Truth Supreme we meditate. Satyam Param Dheemahi On Truth supreme we meditate is the refrain of the entire scripture. Towards the end of the work also we come across the expression Satyam Param Dheemahi ------ The last but fifth sloka of Srimad Bhagavatam is as follows:

Chaartheshu abhigna svarat Tene brahma hrda ya adi - kavaye Muhyanti yat surayah Tejo -vari -mrdam yatha vinimayo yatra

Kasmai yena vibhasito ‘yam atulo

Tri –sargo ‘ mrsa

Gnana pradipah pura

Dhamna svena sada nirasta kuhakam

Tad-rupena ca naradaya munaye Krsnaya tad rupinah

Satyam param dheemahi.(1.1.1)

Yogindraya tad-atmanatha bhagavad-rataya

Swami Tapasyananda translated this as below:

Karunyatas

He from whom the creation, sustenance and dissolution of the universe take place; who is both the material and instrumental cause of it; who is omniscient; who is the only one having self-mastery, being the one independent entity; who

Tac-chuddam vimalam visokam amritam Satyam param dheemahi. (XI.13.19) “The light of spiritual understanding which was ignited by the Lord

Himself in the heart of Brahma, transmitted to Narada, which again in the form of Narada, He transmitted to Veda Vyasa, which He in the form of Vyasa, transmitted to Suka, which He in the form of Suka, imparted to Pareekshit – On that Truth Supreme, the unpolluted, the pure, the blissful and the griefless, we meditate”.

Truth willed, Truth-formed and True in the three phases of time, Thou art the womb of Truth and Thou art imbedded in Truth. The world that is perceived as real is established in Thy Truth. Truth and Goodness form Thy two eyes. We take refuge in Thee, the heart of Truth. The last expression is highly significant. ‘Satyatmakam tvam saranam prapannah’.

Srimad Bhagavatam is a grand declaration of this Truth; every story, every hymn, every line and expression points to this. The 10th canto is said to be the heart of the text because it is a descrption of the life and sport of Sri Krishna. It has the power of eradicating maya, all kinds of illusions and the power to prevent the mind from going to anything other than Truth. So the hallmark (the lakshana) of the canto is Nirodha.

‘We surrender unto You and seek protection in You, the heart of Truth.’ The Ultimate Truth alone gives us protection. All the seeming security that is bestowed on us in this world by worldly forces is illusory. Anything that we get from our guardians on this earth will lead us only to further entanglement, bondage and fear. We have to constantly remind ourselves that we have to knock at the right door. Only one who has realized the Ultimate Truth is able to transcend sorrows and fears forever. Tarati sokam atmavit. The knower of Atma alone crosses over the ocean of sorrows. Sri Krishna who epitomizes the Truth is alone our Abhaya-Sthana, the abode of fearlessness. When Srimad Bhagavatam says ‘Hari smriti sarva vipad vimochanam’ – the remembrance of Hari releases us from all dangers – or ‘Sri Krishna Charanambhojam smara dukham gamishyathi’ (Bhagavata Mahatmya in Padma Purana) - remember the lotus feet of Sri Krishna and sorrows will vanish – what the

When Krishna’s birth was imminent the celestial beings under the leadership of Brahma and Shiva appeared before Devaki and Vasudeva who were behind bars in Mathura and sang in praise of the baby in Devaki’s womb. That Krishna is the epitome of Truth is the theme of the hymn. Satya-vratam Satya-param tri satyam Satysya yonimi nihitam ca satye Satyasya satyam rta- satya – netram Satyatmakam tvam Saranam prapannah. (X .2.26)

author of these scriptures, Sri Veda Vyasa reminds us is that the Ultimate Truth only can deliver us.

emanated from the lotus feet of Sri Krishna fell on Bhagavatam and from there it proceeded forward to touch the Master’s heart. The beam of light remained thus for sometime uniting the Bhakta, the Bhagavatam

For a person, who has strayed far and long from Truth, the path to the final destination of Ultimate Truth is seemingly difficult to negotiate and the journey is arduous. The road is as sharp as the blade of a knife – ‘Kshurasya dhara nisita duratyaya’ as the Katha Upanishad says. But Srimad Bhagavatam opens up the royal road to knowledge. Through stories, through examples and loving exhortations, the text takes us to the state of supreme effulgence. Bhagavatam is like a loving mother. In her lap all children have equal space. She is ‘sada sevya’ the text can be recited anytime, anywhere. After all, to rush to one’s mother one does not have to stand on formalities. Only one has to remember that Srimad Bhagavatam is Sri Krishna Paramatma’s verbal form – vangmaya murthy – and accord it appropriate reverence, love and place in the scheme of affairs.

and Bhagawan. This made the Master exclaim ‘Three in One and One in Three’. Apparently, the three are different, but actually One. And it is this unity of vision that the seeker of Truth will ultimately arrive at when his sadhana succeeds. Sri Suka had it. He transmitted it to Sri Pareekshit through Srimad Bhagavatam. In modern times, listening to the recitation of Srimad Bhagavatam the Master had a vision which reaffirmed his conviction about the Oneness of Existence. It is this Truth that is celebrated in Srimad Bhagavatam. It is this Truth that the learners of Bhagavatam are advised to meditate upon. It is this Truth that the Master contemplated upon. In fact, the Master’s life was nothing but a meditation on this Truth Supreme. HARI OM

Once Sri Ramakrishna, during the days he was experiencing the Madhura Bhava, was sitting in front of the Radha Kanta temple when the Bhagavata recital was going on inside. Listening to that the Master entered Bhava Samadhi. In his ecstatic vision he saw the luminous form of Krishna. A ray of light that

References: 1. Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, P 312 2. Visions of Sri Ramakrishna, published by Ramakrishna Math, Madras

(Also see Inside back cover)

In Praise of Prayer William Page

rayer is the primary spiritual practice in the Western religious tradition embodied in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Westerners who come to Vedanta usually feel more comfortable with prayer than they do with meditation, because they’re more familiar with it. But prayer, japa, and meditation can be practised together. One tends to segue into another.

Fortunately for us, he’s not human. But good manners require us to exercise restraint in our importunities. Pestering God for favours all the time is extremely uncool. Petitionary prayer, despite its shortcomings, is at least a beginning. It can easily expand into less selfcentred kinds of prayer. One of these is thankful prayer. Anybody can ask God for things. How many people bother to thank him?

Talking the Talk Prayer is particularly suited to people who like to talk. It’s especially beneficial to those who are lonely and need someone to talk to. Why be lonely? God is with us. He’s right here, right now. He’s in the air that surrounds us. So talk to him. That’s what he’s there for. But what should we talk to him about?

Thankful prayer is a good way to start the day. It puts us in a good mood and reminds us of how much God has blessed us. Counting our blessings, in fact, is a wholesome practice much neglected in the modern world. Thanking God for everything he’s given us may still be self-centered, but it’s a considerable improvement over “gimme, gimme, gimme.”

Some people ask for specific blessings or favours. “O Lord, please help me to pass all my courses, let me find a good job, let me earn enough money to buy a car.” This is called petitionary prayer, and it has a shortcoming. It turns God into a cosmic Santa Claus.

There’s also laudatory prayer, where we praise God and recount his glories. I’ve always felt uneasy about this, because it can get smarmy. “O Lord, how great you are! You are omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent. You bestride the universe and give light to the sun and stars. The heavens are your throne and the Earth is your footstool. O Lord, you are so cool!”

If God were human, he would surely get irritated with people who are always begging him for things.

Does God want us to butter him up? Is he pleased when we flatter and fawn upon him like grovelling serfs? Are we trying to turn him into a fathead? I can picture him listening to the prayer above and growling, “Yes, yes, yes, I know all that. Get to the point. What do you want now?”

with him. He was a simple and humble man who worked as a cook in the monastery kitchen, and described himself as “a clumsy lummox who broke everything.” (The Practice of the Presence of God, by Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection, translated by John J. Delaney, Image Books, Doubleday, New York, 1996, p. xxi.)

The Lummox and the Casserole One of the best kinds of prayer is conversational prayer, which means simply talking to God. This brings us back to the question we asked at the beginning: What should we talk to him about?

Whether at work or at rest, Brother Lawrence talked to God about everything, all the time, and experienced a constant sense of his presence. I picture him as a big, burly guy, lumbering around the kitchen in his apron, juggling the pots and pans and talking to God. I’ve often wondered how these conversations, which may have been somewhat one-sided, might have gone. They might have gone something like this.

Anything and everything: whatever is going on, both in our minds and in the world. We can discuss knotty theological questions with him if we like, or any doubts that we may have. We can ask for his advice and guidance. Adults can talk to him about their families and their jobs; children can talk about their friends and their schoolwork. We can talk about our hobbies, sports, and even politics. I know a devotee who, as an adolescent, used to discuss current events with God. It turned out to be excellent preparation for his Social Studies classes.

“O Lord, please help me to make this casserole a tasty one. I want it to please the monks. Should I add more salt? What do you think, Lord? … All right, it’s salty enough. A bit of pepper, then. ... Good, it tastes good. Into the oven, then. … Out of the oven and onto the table. And, Lord, please help me not to drop it, clumsy lummox that I am.”

A wonderful embodiment of conversational prayer was Brother Lawrence, a 17th-century Carmelite monk whose writings have been compiled into a little book called The Practice of the Presence of God. He cultivated God’s presence by constantly conversing

Some people will scoff at this kind of prayer as nothing more than childish chatter. But Jesus reminds us that we have to become like children to enter the Kingdom of God; and our minds are always chattering. Why not funnel such chatter into a

constant conversation with God? “Well,” people will say, “God will get bored. Do you think he has nothing to do but listen to some simple-minded fool prattling about casseroles? God has more important things to do with his time. He’s got the entire universe to run.” And that’s where they’re wrong. God does have the universe to run, but he’s concerned with the microcosm as well as the macrocosm. He’s intimately involved in both. He has a keen interest in the lives of his devotees, and doesn’t mind being bored. In fact, he likes being bored. Whenever a devotee reaches out and talks to him, God is delighted. How do I know this? Because it makes sense. He wouldn’t be much of a God if he weren’t concerned about the things that concern his devotees. He won’t care if the devotee’s prattle is boring. What he values is not so much the prattle, but the reaching out. After all, how many people reach out to him? How many bother to talk to him at all? Sri Ramakrishna Shows the Way Sri Ramakrishna was the king of devotees, and he really knew how to pray. There was nothing formal or rehearsed about his prayers. They were artless and spontaneous. I’ve often wished that they could be compiled into a book, so that anybody who wanted to learn how to pray could read it and find out.

We know that we can approach God as a beloved master, as a close friend, as our father or mother, or even as our own child. Sri Ramakrishna assures us that God is our nearest and dearest. And that’s how Sri Ramakrishna approached him. He was never shy or diffident; he never held anything back. His prayers were spontaneous outpourings of emotion, passionate and intense. He prayed the way a child cries out for its mother. Before his first vision of Kali, his only prayer was for her to reveal herself. After his first vision, his only prayer was for her to reveal herself again and again, and to stay with him forever. In all his subsequent prayers, he conversed with her the same way a child converses with its mother: now cajoling, now weeping, now satisfied, now laughing, now grateful, now philosophical, now petulant and complaining. You can’t beat Sri Ramakrishna when it comes to praying. Above all, Sri Ramakrishna prayed for bhakti, pure love for God. “Mother, here is Thy knowledge and here is Thy ignorance. Take them both, and give me only pure love. Here is Thy holiness and here is Thy unholiness. Take them both, Mother, and give me pure love. Here is Thy good and here is Thy evil. Take them both, Mother, and give me pure love. Here is Thy righteousness and here is Thy unrighteousness. (Continued on Page 20)

Logotherapy Swami Muktirupananda

e have read about many types of therapies which treat physical and mental disorders, like psychotherapy, behaviour therapy, group therapy, occupational therapy and so on. There is also another kind of therapy called logotherapy. Dr Viktor Frankl of Germany was the founder of this method of therapy. It is a meaning centred therapy or healing through meaning. Logos is a Greek word which means meaning. Therefore logotherapy’s main focus is on the meaning of human existence. Man’s struggles and suffering must have a meaning. Frankl tells meaning can be found in 1) work or active life 2) love or experience 3) to grow beyond oneself, in other words, turn personal tragedy into triumph. Depression, aggression and addiction are due to the ‘existential vacuum,’ a sense of worthlessness. When a person is no longer able to change a situation, his fate, he has freedom to change himself and his attitudes towards life.

people have risen above their crippling handicap to lead purposeful life rather than cursing their fate and wallowing in their misery. The good example is that of the famous British theoretical physicist Stephen Hawkings. Inspite of his degenerative motor neurone disease he still resolutely pursues his research in physics. So also is the noteworthy sacrifice of Nelson Mandela of South Africa. He fought against the British government’s apartheid policies and was imprisoned for a long time, 28 years from 1962 to1990. Undeterred by back-breaking labour, frequent beatings and meagre food, Mandela kept alive the flame of independence. Oppression and cruelty could not smother that flame. His personal sacrifice and suffering had a noble goal. Another instance is that of Dr Frankl himself. During the Second World War he was imprisoned for some years in extremely harsh Nazi concentration camps and his entire family perished in those camps. The brutal prison conditions totally changed not only his but others’ lives also. Whether snow, rain or the hot sun under all conditions the undernourished, ill-clad prisoners had to go on working. The only way to survive was to keep fit as far as possible for hard physical labour. Facing starvation, sickness and gas chamber at

A human being is trapped sometimes by overwhelming adverse conditions. It appears all avenues are closed, even a tiny spark of hope is engulfed by darkness. In such tragic situations he is the one who can decide either to succumb to them or boldly accept the challenge to overcome them. No force can deprive him of this innate liberty. Many severely physically disabled

every moment many succumbed to the pressure and died. In these camps Dr. Frankl discovered, “Man is not the product of environmental factors, he can rise above them. He can deserve a vestige of spiritual freedom, of independence of mind, even in such terrible conditions of psychic and physical stress. Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms, to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s way.”

one fights obsession or phobia the more powerful it becomes. Because pressure brings counter pressure. The following few examples will give a clear idea as to how this new way of treatment, Paradoxical Intention works and how the patients with its application freed themselves from their neurotic fears. 1) A young man had a desire to become a teacher and he could not fulfil it because of his defect of stammering. Teaching profession requires clear and fluent speech and stuttering becomes a stumbling block. So this young man’s wish remained an unachievable dream and he suffered silently not knowing what to do. He was advised to apply the paradoxical intention method and asked to go out and show people what a jolly good stammerer he was. He was told to stutter deliberately before others. Gradually he stopped this defect and improved his speech. It is based on the principle that when one fights his problem or habit worse it becomes. To get rid of it is to laugh at it and make fun of one’s habit.

So the infamous concentration camp could break his physical health but unable to touch his spirit. During these years of suffering his mind worked on the logothearpeutic technique and after his release he went on to develop and popularize it. Dr Frankl’s contribution in the field of psycho therapy is called Paradoxical Intention. It is based on two factors 1) that fear brings about that one is afraid of, 2) that forced or hyper intention makes impossible what one wishes. This technique suggests doing just the opposite of what one usually does. Anticipatory anxiety produces in a person fear and that fear always tends to bring what is feared. So fear is the mother of the much dreaded event. For this reason, Paradoxical Intention encourages the patient to face deliberately this situation instead of running away from it. Neither fight against nor flight from fearful situation helps. A patient suffering from neurotic fears is asked to make fun of his obsessions, instead of becoming too serious about them. By deliberately acting on one’s anxieties and fears, they are made powerless. The more

2) To a young school student, standing before the class and giving a speech was terribly a frightening experience. To remove this fear she was instructed that next day she would show the whole class how fearful she was, she should cry, shake and perspire

as much as possible. During her speech she tried to demonstrate how fearful she was but could not. On the contrary, her teacher and class appreciated her speech.

he fears he stops running away from it, or avoiding it. 5) A young student was terrified of the examination. Before the test, due to his anticipatory fright, his mind would go blank. The student was instructed to apply the process of paradoxical intention. He told himself that he was going to fail any way. He would show the examiner how stupid he was by writing down foolish answers that had nothing to do with the questions at all! Making fun of his own fear, in a relaxed mood he would complete his test.

3) A young physician had the fear of perspiring whenever he confronted his superiors. He could not face them without perspiring. This anticipatory anxiety triggered profuse sweating. He did not know how to free himself from this phobia. He was instructed whenever sweating occurred, to resolve deliberately to show people, how much he could sweat. When his encounter with his superior triggered his fear of sweating, he said to himself, “I only sweated a little before, but now I am going to perspire more.” Thus replacing his fear by paradoxical wish he was free from his habit.

6) A lady suffered from an abnormal fear of public places, agoraphobia. She was terrified of crowded places and avoided going out. Whenever she forced herself to go out under compelling circumstances she felt shaky and fearful. This constant dread accompanied her always. She ultimately decided to confront her fear. When she went out she repeated to herself that she should surprise everyone in the street and show how well she could get terrified and ready to collapse. Whenever she went out she applied the paradoxical intention method and ridiculed her irrational panic. Repeated practice enabled her to overcome this nerve-wracking habit.

4) Many people suffer from sleepdisturbance or sleeplessness, insomnia. The fear of not getting sleep or remaining sleepless again results in a forced wish to fall asleep, which in turn, makes a person incapable to do so. In logo therapy he is instructed to do deliberately just the opposite of his intention, that is, to stay awake as long as possible. The determination to keep himself awake will soon be followed by sleep. The more one fights one’s fear and anxiety the more stronger they become. When a person faces the very thing

7) A lady suffered from heavy depression. She fought to get rid of it but could not. She was

asked to try paradoxical intention technique and treat her depression in a jocular way. Accordingly she repeated to herself. ”Now the time has come again for my nice little depression which I have not had for ages or I do not know what is the matter with me. I cannot get depressed any more, and I was so good at it before, I must be out of practice.” Instead of precipitating her depression by unnecessary fretting and fuming she treated it humorously and loosened its hold.

would receive a dollar. The boy thought of earning a lot of money by bed-wetting. But after some days he could not wet the bed. According to Dr Frankl this logotherapeutic method is not a panacea. But it is useful in treating the patients suffering from irrational phobias, anxieties, compulsions and habits. The patient afflicted with phobia tries to flee from fear and the patient oppressed by obsessions and compulsions tries to fight against them. Both are ineffective in overcoming these mental sicknesses. References : Dr Viktor E. Frankl –

8) A boy used to wet the bed every night. His parents punished him, ridiculed him and tried vainly in every way to stop his habit. But they were not successful. Later they sought the help of a therapist. The therapist promised the boy that every night he wet the bet, he

1) The unheard cry for meaning – Pub. Washington Square Press New York, 1985 Edition. 2) Man’s search for meaning – Pub. Washington Square Press, New York, 1984 Edition.

(Continued from Page 16) ask for anything, Sri Ramakrishna says, we should ask for bhakti. For it is through bhakti that God is most easily attained; and by asking him for bhakti, we ask him for the greatest gift of all: himself.

Take them both, Mother, and give me pure love.” (The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, New York, Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Centre, 1947, p. 312.) By his example, Sri Ramakrishna taught us how to transform petitionary prayer into a constant reaching for God. If we’re going to

(Reprinted by permission of the writer from American Vedantist, Vol.15. No.4, Winter 2010)

Can four year olds think? N. Pushpavalli

ducators who work with young children are often amazed at young children’s comments, responses to questions and their power of observation and reasoning. But very few adults take young children’s thinking seriously or endeavour to nurture this.

thinking skills is any mental activity that helps us to process information and solve problems. Thinking skills is categorized into Creative Thinking (new and novel ideas), Critical Thinking (justification) and Problem Solving (applied thinking). However, in practical situations, these categories overlap.

One of the objectives of a participatory action research, (as part of a MEd qualification), conducted in 2008, was to ascertain if four year olds are able to think. One of the impetus for this study is the Singapore Government’s 1997 philosophy of “thinking schools, learning nation” presented by the then Prime Minister Mr. Goh Chok Tong. Subsequently in 2003, MOE (Ministry of Education) Singapore, released A Framework for a Kindergarten Curriculum with the underlying philosophy “to nurture children from the start, to learn to think and to think to learn...”

Picture books were selected as the basis for discussion and thinking because the relationship between illustrations and texts creates space for young children to imagine and create. The findings of this study showed that four year olds possess thinking skills and were able to:

In our fast changing world with knowledge obsolescence, “information revolution and ubiquity of search engines have rendered having information much less valuable than knowing how to think with information in novel situations” (Mansilla and Gardner, 2008). Fisher (2005) states that schools have to teach children to think, to reason and to make wise and informed choices.

Solve problems and demonstrate the solutions through drawings, comments or dramatization.

Build on each other’s ideas and comments to propose new/ modified solutions.

Create their stories (in group work) in line with story concept of a beginning, middle and end.

However, their logic was limited to their experience and understanding. They had difficulties with the concept of incremental weight or force (Books: Who Sank

Fisher ‘s (2005) definition of thinking was adopted for this study. Primarily,

the Boat? and The Enormous Turnip).

was found that the children were able to co-relate their learning from the stories to their daily lives. The following incident demonstrates this point.

One of the books used in this study was Who Sank the Boat? by Pamela Allen. This story involves five animals boarding a boat for a boat ride. However, as the animals boarded the boat, the boat was in danger of capsizing. Finally, when the mouse jumped on to the boat it capsized and the animals could not go for a ride. The problem posed to the children was: “How can the animals go on a boat ride without sinking the boat?” No other clue or support was given and the children had to draw and dictate their solution to the teacher.

When the story of Goldilocks and the three Bears was read the issue of whether it was right for Goldilocks to enter the house of the 3 Bears when the Bears were not at home was discussed. All the children agreed that Goldilocks should NOT have entered even though the door was open or even if Goldilocks was very tired. A few days later, the children were taken on a walk around the school to view their future classrooms for the next year. We knocked at the door and asked permission to enter through three classrooms. At the fourth classroom, all the children stood at the door. When told to enter the classroom the children said: “NO, there is no one here we cannot go in”. The teacher said that it was okay as we were only going to view the class without touching anything. The children were adamant that we should not enter without asking permission. The teacher tried to convince the children when a child bluntly announced: “Cannot be like Goldilocks”. And so, we all stood at the door waiting patiently for the return of the teacher and children.

Some of their solutions (in their own words) included: -

All the animals in one BIG boat, can laugh and talk

Big boat better can go faster

Some animals in one boat and some animals in another boat.

One

The cow goes - the cow comes back, the donkey goes – the donkey comes back.....

boat

one

animal

In conclusion, it is clear that when given the opportunity, support and respect four year olds can think and problem solve. It also demonstrated that concepts or moral values cognitively understood can have an impact on the young children’s values.

One of the characteristics of thinking skills is the ability to be fair-minded. The study showed that the children’s concept of right or wrong (fairmindedness) was clear in their minds. It was either right or wrong with no place for grey areas. Additionally, it

The Ramayana - 17

The Grieving King Dies N.Narandran

(Continued from last issue)

s dusk approached, Rama, Sita and Lakshmana decided to pass the night under a huge shady banyan tree. They spent the night reminiscing about Ayodhya, the king and the mothers they had left behind. Rama feared that once Bharata became the Yuvaraja, his father, the king, would die at the hands of Kaikeyi. He also feared that Kaikeyi would banish Kausalya and Sumitra and their dependents. Plagued by these fears, Rama urged Lakshmana to return to Ayodhya to protect Kausalya and his mother Sumitra and to ensure that Bharata did not overstep Dharma. Lakshmana listened silently but remained adamant that he would only return to Ayodhya in the company of Rama and Sita.

sacred region of Sangama. At sunset they reached the ashrama of the great sage Bharadvaja. The learned sage welcomed them and invited Rama to spend his years of exile there but Rama kindly declined, fearing that the people of Ayodhya, learning of his presence so near, would flock to the ashrama. Bharadvaja then advised Rama to proceed to the mountain named Chitrakuta, an ideal location for performing tapas. That night was spent at Bharadvajaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ashrama. The next day, Rama, Sita and Lakshmana followed closely the directions given by Bharadvaja to get to Chitrakuta. Soon they reached the banks of the Yamuna. Rama and Lakshmana constructed a raft and the three of them crossed the river. After walking a short distance, they

The next morning, they left for the

came upon the big banyan tree mentioned by Bharadvaja Sita went towards the tree and prayed for the successful completion of Rama’s vow and their eventual safe return to Ayodhya. After walking a further short distance, they spent the night at the river bank. As they woke up the next morning, they were enthralled by the breathtaking beauty of the place. Soon they reached the beautiful Chitrakuta mountain. As they climbed the hill, they saw many asharamas of rishis. Rama, finding a suitable spot instructed Lakshmana to construct an ashrama there and he did so single-handedly. This was to be their abode for a long, long time. To ward off any evil, Rama performed the ritual called Vastu Shanti. Here, on the bank of the river Malyavati, surrounded by nature in all its pristine beauty, the three of them settled down happily, forgetting that they were in exile. Meanwhile, Sumantra took leave of Guha and after travelling for three days reached Ayodhya which appeared deserted and lifeless. When he entered the city, a crowd gathered around him inquiring about Rama. When told that he had left Rama at the banks of the Ganga, a cry of grief rose from the crowd. Sumantra drove quickly to

Dasaratha’s palace and went into Kausalya’s chamber where the king was lying almost lifeless. Sumantra then recounted all the events surrounding Rama and concluded at the point where he had left them. The heart-broken king listened in total silence.The grieving king was a pathetic sight. Sumantra tried to console Kausalya and Sumitra that their exiled children were trying to adjust comfortably to the life in the forest with the easy availability of adequate means of sustenance and friendly company of great ascetics. As Dasaratha lay sleepless on his bed, a painful incident during his youth flashed through his disturbed mind. He vividly remembered how he had inadvertently discharged an arrow while hunting in the forest and killed a boy who had come to fetch water from a brook for his blind and elderly parents. He was then cursed by the boy’s father that the king too would, like him, die in his old age grieving for his son. For a brief period his mind became less clouded. He related this incident to Kausalya, who was not aware of it. He told her that the law of Karma was inexorable and his sin had caught up with him. He was ready to face the consequences. But then the thought of Rama again overpowered him. Sobbing “O, Rama, O Rama, where are you?” he breathed his last.

References: (To 1.

Ramayana by C. Rajagopalachari

Ramayana by Kamala Subramaniam

be continued)

Sage Veda Vyasa

December 2010 02 Thursday: Ekadashi 15 Wednesday: Birthday of Swami Premananda 17 Friday: Ekadashi 24 Friday: Christmas Eve 27 Monday: Birthday of Sri Sarada Devi 31 Friday: Birthday of Swami Shivananda 31 Friday: Ekadashi

November 2010 02 Tuesday: Ekadashi 05 Friday: Sri Sri Kali Puja (Deepavali) 17 Wednesday: Ekadashi 18 Thursday: Birthday of Swami Subodhananda 20 Saturday : Birthday of Swami Vijnanananda

October 2010 02 Saturday: Birthday of Swami Abhedananda 04 Monday: Ekadashi 07 Thursday: Birthday of Swami Akhandananda 14Thursday: Sri Sri Durga Puja Saptami 15 Friday: Sri Sri Durga Puja Ashtami 16 Saturday: Sri Sri Durga Puja Navami 17 Sunday: Vijaya Dasami 18 Monday: Ekadashi

FESTIVAL CALENDAR (Oct-Dec 2010)

Registration required for Yoga class

Discourses and classes are open to all

TEMPLE PROGRAMMES & DISCOURSES 1 Daily 6 am: Mangalarati 9 am: Puja 7 pm: Evening Arati and Bhajan 2 Ekadashi 6.15pm: Vishu sahasranamam chanting 7pm: Arati followed by Ram Nam Sankrtan 3 Saturdays 5pm: Bhajan, cultural and religious clases for children (Temple hall- Level 1) 6PM: Discourse on guided meditation and spiritual talk by Swami Satyalokananda (Library hall) 7.30pm: Vedic Chanting & Bhajan class (Temple) 4 Sundays 9.30am: Yoga class (Sarada Hall) 4pm: Sanskrit language classes (Library) 5pm: Discourse on Swetaswatara Upanishad By Swami Samachittananda (Temple level 1) 6pm: Discourse on Vishnu Sahasranama by Swami Muktirupananda (Sarada Hall)