03 the vedanta kesari march 2014

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The Vedanta Kesari THE LION OF VEDANTA

A Cultural and Spiritual Monthly of the Ramakrishna Order since 1914

Shashvata Bharat— Vivekananda Ratha, West Bengal

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India's Timeless Wisdom

Editor: Swami Atmashraddhananda Managing Editor: Swami Gautamananda Printed and published by Swami Asutoshananda on behalf of Sri Ramakrishna Math M A R C H 2 0 1 4 T h No.31, e V Ramakrishna e d a n t a K eMath s a r i窶コoad, ~ II ~Mylapore, Trust from Chennai - 4 and Printed at Sri Ramakrishna Printing Press, No.31 Ramakrishna Math Road, Mylapore, Chennai - 4. Ph: 044 - 24621110

The Vedanta Kesari VOL. 101, No. 3

ISSN 0042-2983

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A CULTURAL AND SPIRITUAL MONTHLY OF THE RAMAKRISHNA ORDER

Started at the instance of Swami Vivekananda in 1895 as Brahmavâdin, it assumed the name The Vedanta Kesari in 1914.

For free edition on the Web, please visit: www.chennaimath.org

CONTENTS MARCH 2014

Vedic Prayers

85

Editorial  Shraddha—the Power that Empowers Everything

86

Articles  Vedanta: The Root of American Transcendentalism Pravrajika Virajaprana  The Spiritual Universe of Sri Ramacharitamanas:

As Seen through Its Two Invocatory Verses A.P.N. Pankaj  Swami Vivekananda: The Saint and the Patriot:

And the Continuing Legacy Umesh Gulati New Find  Unpublished Letters of Swami Saradananda

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Compilation 

Call to the Youth of India Swami Vivekananda

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The Order on the March

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Book Review

121

Feature Simhâvalokanam (Pages from the Past)

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Cover Story: Page 4

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The Vedanta Kesari Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai 600 004 h (044) 2462 1110 (4 lines) Fax : (044) 2493 4589 Email : mail@chennaimath.org Website : www.chennaimath.org TO OUR SUBSCRIBERS

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We invite our readers to liberally contribute to the Vedanta Kesari Permanent Fund. This will go a long way in placing this nearly 100 years old magazine on firm financial footing to continue its service to the cause of a holistic and meaningful life. Your contributions (minimum of Rs.1000/- or US$ 25) by Cheque/ DD/MO should be sent to Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai, along with a covering note stating that it is meant for Vedanta Kesari Permanent Fund.

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N Cover Story N Shashvata Bharata—Swami Vivekananda Ratha, West Bengal To mark the 150th Birth Anniversary of Swami Vivekananda and to spread his message of eternal values which India represents, Shashvata Bharata (Eternal India), a Ratha, chariot, was commissioned by Ramakrishna Math, Yogodyan, Kolkata, a branch centre of Belur Math. It traversed 17 out of 19 districts of West Bengal (covering 11000 km) during 2013-2014. Made in fibre glass by the artists in Bengal, and mounted on a Tata- Euro IV 912 bus chassis, it is 32ft long and 9ft wide and 12ft high. Having two 8ft high statues of Swamiji, one sitting on a chair in front and the other in Padmasana at the rear, each flanked by two lions, the Ratha is designed on the lines of the stone chariot of Hampi (in Vijayanagar Empire, Karnataka). The Ratha is provided with nightillumination and an inbuilt audio system. As part of the arrangements, while driving, its driver and his assistant wear a gorgeous royal dress representing the kings of Khetri and Ramnad, two of Swamiji’s royal disciples. The Ratha has visited numerous schools, colleges, university campuses, youth organizations and other public institutions and functions where public meetings, lectures and other programmes were held. o

T he V edanta K esari P atrons ’ S cheme We invite our readers to join as patrons of the magazine. They can do so by sending Rs.2000/- or more. Names of the patrons will be announced in the journal under the Patrons' Scheme and they will receive the magazine for 20 years. Please send your contribution to The Manager, The Vedanta Kesari by DD/MO drawn in favour of Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai with a note that the enclosed amount is for the Patrons' Scheme. (This scheme is valid in India only).

678. Ms. 679. Mr. 680. Ms. 681. Mr.

PATRONS Rinku Bhadra, Goregaon, Maharastra Vishnu Srinivasan & Hari Srinivasan, Chennai Anu V. Zachariah, Bangalore, Karnataka K. Nageswara Rao, Guntur, A.P.

682. Prof. Ashis Patra, Gwalior DONOR Mr. N. Srinivasulu, Mylapore, Chennai

Rs. 1000

The Vedanta Kesari Library Scheme SL.NO. NAMES OF SPONSORS

5749. Dr. Triveni Shekaraiah, U.K. 5750.

-do- 5751.

-do- 5752.

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AWARDEE INSTITUTIONS

Vydehi Institute of Med. Sciences, Epip Area, Whitefiled, Bangalore - 560 066 Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Kochi, Kerala - 682 026 Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh - 160 012 R.D.C.C., Thakurpukur, Kolkata - 700 063 Civil Hospital, Aizawl, Mizoram - 796 001 To be continued . . .

The Vedanta Kesari VOL. 101, No. 3, MARCH 2014 ISSN 0042-2983

E ACH

SOUL IS POTENTIALLY DIVINE.

T HE GOAL IS TO MANIFEST THE DIVINITY WITHIN. 5

Vedic Prayers

Tr. by Swami Sarvananda

B This Self, being beyond the little universe of matter and force and thought, is a simple; and as a simple It cannot die. That which does not die cannot live. For life and death are the obverse and reverse of the same coin. Life is another name for death, and death for life. One particular mode of manifestation is what we call life; another particular mode of manifestation of the same thing is what we call death. When the wave rises on the top it is life; and when it falls into the hollow it is death. If anything is beyond death, we naturally see it must also be beyond life.

I must remind you of the first conclusion that the soul of man is part of the cosmic energy that exists, which is God. We now find that it is beyond life and death. You were never born, and you will never die. —Swami Vivekananda, CW, 2: 234

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Editorial

Shraddha—the Power that Empowers Everything A Positive Attitude What do we need most in order to succeed in life—mundane and spiritual?

Possibly, there are many answers that can be enlisted. But according to Swami Vivekananda, the most vital and essential quality needed to succeed in life is Shraddha.

What is Shraddha? What is its English translation? Says Swami Vivekananda, while narrating the story of Nachiketa in the Kathopanishad, I would not translate this word Shraddha to you, it would be a mistake; it is a wonderful word to understand, and much depends on it; we will see how it works, for immediately we find Nachiketa telling himself, ‘I am superior to many, I am inferior to few, but nowhere am I the last, I can also do something.’ And this boldness increased, and the boy wanted to solve the problem which was in his mind, the problem of death. The solution could only be got by going to the house of Death, and the boy went. There he was, brave Nachiketa, waiting at the house of Death for three days, and you know how he obtained what he desired. What we want is this Shraddha.1

Nachiketa had both—faith in himself and boldness. Hence Shraddha is faith plus boldness. Not only that. Shraddha has many shades of meaning and includes many ‘higher values’. It is considered a cardinal virtue in the Indian Tradition. Says one of the monks of the Ramakrishna Order, Shraddha is a mental attitude constituted primarily of sincerity of purpose, humility, reverence and faith. You have Shraddha for T h e

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your Guru—it is a sincere reverence. You have Shraddha for the Gita—it is admiration for those of its teachings you understand and faith in those that you do not. You give alms to a beggar with Shraddha—it is a sense of humility, combined with the hope that what you give will be acceptable and serviceable.2

Purpose, humility, reverence and faith— all these together constitute Shraddha. So if one has Shraddha, one is endowed with all these qualities. And the Gita says, shraddhavan, one endowed with Shraddha, attains the highest knowledge (both mundane and spiritual). Let us contemplate on the four aspects of Shraddha stated above. All the four aspects, let us remember, are interrelated: Purpose: Or prayojanam in Sanskrit, purpose means the force or the power of motivation with which one does something.

According to the Gita [17.3] there are three types of forces that influence us in whatever we do or think. Called Gunas (sattva, rajas tamas), these forces are the basic building blocks of the universe. So, one’s purpose may be laced with either sattva or rajas or tamas Guna. One with a sattvik intent will be inclined towards pure and higher things in life. And those who are rajasik or tamasik, will have their Shraddha towards worldly things or wicked objectives. Purpose means the motive with which we seek, and here it means, seeking with faith and not doubt and suspicion.

Humility: It is the quality of receptivity and willingness to learn and to undergo all

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that is involved in learning. Humility is not an attitude of servility but it is the ability to let go one’s ego and bend oneself to receive something. Sri Ramakrishna used to say that rain water always flows downwards.

Similarly knowledge and all higher things in life go towards a receiver who is opened with humility. You cannot pour milk into a cup already filled! Nor can knowledge be imparted to one who is filled with a sense of pride that he already knows everything.

Reverence: Shraddha and reverence always go together. One should have a sense of respect and adoration as opposed to casualness and carelessness. It is respect for something that endows one with continuity and stability.

Sage Patanjali (1.14) includes respect (satkara) as one of the vital components for the practice of mind-controlling. Respect is called also Bhava, the emotional disposition. Swamiji says, When in ancient times this knowledge (Jnana) and this feeling (Bhava) thus blossomed forth simultaneously in the heart of the Rishi, then the Highest Truth become poetic, and then the Vedas and other scriptures were composed.3

At the core of respectfulness lies admiration and appreciation. We admire and admire, and that becomes frozen into a respectful attitude. Respect is also described as an attitude of non-exploitation—one is honest and devoted and does not behave with calculation.

Faith: Faith is the very basis of normal life. One cannot be normal if one doubts everything. Faith means being firmly rooted in the presence of something. In fact, the term Shraddha primarily conveys the idea of faith.

Swami Vivekananda too mostly uses the term to mean faith. He says, The . . . qualification required is Shraddha, faith.

One must have tremendous faith in religion and God. . . . A great sage once told me that not T h e

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one in twenty millions in this world believed in God. I asked him why, and he told me, ‘Suppose there is a thief in this room, and he gets to know that there is a mass of gold in the next room, and only a very thin partition between the two rooms; what will be the condition of that thief?’ I answered, ‘He will not be able to sleep at all; his brain will be actively thinking of some means of getting at the gold, and he will think of nothing else.’ Then he replied, ‘Do you believe that a man could believe in God and not go mad to get Him? If a man sincerely believes that there is that immense, infinite mine of Bliss, and that It can be reached, would not that man go mad in his struggle to reach It?’ Strong faith in God and the consequent eagerness to reach Him constitute Shraddha.4

Purpose, humility, reverence and faith, thus, together are called Shraddha.

The Capacity ‘to Hold Truth’ In its etymological sense, Shraddha means our inherent capacity to hold the truth (shrat dharane). And indeed so. Here is some truth. How do you know it? By holding it to be true. That holding-ness is called Shraddha. It is an inherent power like we have the inherent power to digest food without which we cannot live.

Let us look at Shraddha further. Adi Shankara says in his Viveka-chudamani [25]; Shastrasya guru-vakyasya satyabuddhi-avadharanam; Sa shraddha kathita shadbhir-yaya vastu-upalabhyate Acceptance by firm judgement as true of what the scriptures and the guru instruct, is called by sages shraddha or faith, by means of which the Reality is perceived.

Says Swami Ranganathananda, the 13th President of the Ramakrishna Math and Mission:

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Here we have a precise definition of the term shraddha. Understanding as true the words of M A R C H

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guru and scriptures is shraddha or faith (shastrasya guru-vakyasya satyabuddhi-avadharanam). What we usually understand as faith is mere static belief (visvasa). Such a static believer simply swallows what others say. He does not subject it to evidential tests. But shraddha here means faith with a view to investigating the truth of what is told. Deep rational thinking forms the basis of such faith. Satya-buddhi-avadharanam means ascertaining through reason the truth of what is taught. This makes us go ahead from the level of faith to the level of truth.

struggle to make that belief true by realization.

That’s why Thomas Huxley, a collaborator of Darwin, said in the last century (quoted by J. Arthur Thompson in his Introduction to Science, p. 22): ‘The longer I live, the more obvious it is to me that the most sacred act of a man’s life is to say and feel, “I believe such and such to be true.”

All the greatest rewards and all the heaviest penalties of existence cling about that act.’

It is not enough to say, ‘I believe’. Any fool can say that. But a man who says, ‘I believe such and such to be true’ and carries his life to that truthlevel has transformed his belief into truth. He possesses Shraddha. It is a capacity to convert belief into truth and conviction. What does Shraddha mean in physical sciences? It means a faith in the meaningfulness of the universe. A scientist cannot investigate into the mysteries of nature unless he has a prior feeling that nature is worth investigating, that there is some meaning behind all the confusing mass of data before him.

Without that prior faith, he cannot get even the impulse to undertake his scientific inquiry.

That is why in another place Shankara defines Shraddha as astikya buddhih, which, precisely translated, will mean ‘the positive-attitudeoriented reason’. There is tremendous dynamism in such an attitude, which transforms itself into truth and conviction through direct experience.5

Whether it is physical science or science of spirituality, as sciences they tell us their respective truths. We must have faith that the teachers of these sciences are telling the truth, and when this faith makes us forge ahead to experience the truth, it is shraddha. It is not merely believing, but believing that the teachings of the scriptures and the words of guru are true, and struggling to reach that truth-level. Shraddha is that by which the truth is realized (sa shraddha kathita sadbhir-yaya vastu-palabhyate).

Sri Ramakrishna gives a beautiful illustration.

When we go to fish in a lake, we take a fishing rod and line, with bait fixed to it. We cast the line and bait into the lake and wait patiently. We may not have seen fishes in that lake. We have only heard from others who have fished there. Our shraddha in their words makes us go to the lake and verify the truth of their statement. We sit for a long time and yet fail to catch a fish. But by this alone we do not conclude that there is no fish in the lake. We come again the next day and keep striving. What is the basis of this unremitting effort? It is the dynamic faith that there is fish in the lake. All great discoveries in the fields of science and religion are the result of such a positive attitude and the action based on such an attitude. Finally when we catch a fish, our belief turns into a verified truth. Similarly, there is a divine truth hidden in all of us. Our guru tells us about it and so do the scriptures. We have not seen it. But we believe in their words and T h e

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Shraddha is an important tool without which no success can be had in our inner and outer lives. Shraddha is the basis of all healthy and stable human relationships and dealings as well.

Shraddha: Swamiji’s Mission The following two statements of Swami Vivekananda aptly illustrate how deeply Swamiji valued cultivation of Shraddha. He says,

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To preach the doctrine of Shraddha or genuine faith is the mission of my life. Let me repeat to M A R C H

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you that this faith is one of the potent factors of humanity and of all religions. First, have faith in yourselves. Know that though one may be a little bubble and another may be a mountain-high wave, yet behind both the bubble and the wave there is the infinite ocean.6 What makes the difference between man and man is the difference in this Shraddha and nothing else. What makes one man great and another weak and low is this Shraddha. . . . this Shraddha is what I want, and what all of us here want, this faith in ourselves, and before you is the great task to get that faith. Give up the awful disease that is creeping into our national blood, that idea of ridiculing everything, that loss of seriousness. Give that up. Be strong and have this Shraddha, and everything else is bound to follow.7

Conclusion Indeed, Shraddha in oneself, Shraddha in God who has created us, and Shraddha in the divinity of man—this is what gives meaning to life. It is the power of Shraddha that makes everything possible. Swami Vivekananda said that the history of the world is the history of those people who had this Shraddha. It is power behind all powers, a power that empowers life and is the signal cause of all success, growth and strength. Let us invoke the power of Shraddha in our lives, as the Shraddha Suktam from the Rig Veda does, We invite the Goddess Shraddha in the morning.

We invite Goddess Shraddha at noon and at sunset. O Goddess Shraddha, bless us that we may have Shraddha in this life, at this time, and in this place.8 o

References 1. CW, 3: 319 2. Swami Swarupananda, The Bhagavad Gita, Advaita Ashrama, Kolkata, p.80 3. CW, 5. 409-22

4. CW,1.407

5. The Message of Vivekachudamani by Swami Ranganathananda, Advaita Ashrma, Kolkata, pp.82-85 6. CW, 3:445 7. CW, 3.320 8. Rig Veda, 10-151, Shraddha Suktam, 5

Power of Faith One must have faith and love. Let me tell you how powerful faith is. A man was about to cross the sea from Ceylon to India. Vibhishana said to him: 'Tie this thing in a corner of your wearing-cloth, and you will cross the sea safely.

You will be able to walk on the water. But be sure not to examine it, or you will sink.’ The man was walking easily on the water of the sea—such is the strength of faith—when, having gone part of the way, he thought, 'What is this wonderful thing Vibhishana has given me, that I can walk even on the water?' He untied the knot and found only a leaf with the name of Rama written on it. 'Oh, just this!' he thought, and instantly he sank.

—Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, 106-107

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Simhâvalokanam From the Archives of The Vedanta Kesari (February, 1923-24, Pp. 841-842)

Pages from the Past We give below a letter received from an American disciple of the great Swami Vivekananda and a few newspaper clippings kindly sent by her to Srimath Swami Brahmanandaji in 1908 and we hope that these pages from the past would help the admirers of Swamiji to live back, at least for a short while, in the memory of those blessed days when Swamiji was still in their midst. . . .

85, Alfred Street, Detroit, Mich.

My dear Swami, The Inspired Talks arrived a few days ago and how can I thank you for sending them to me ? They are doubly dear coming from one so close to the Beloved. Thank you more than I can express in words. It made me very happy when I read the inscription on the blank page. I shall treasure it all my life. How much we owe to those who have given us such a beautiful edition of the work. I feel that we owe Miss G. much for making it possible, as we do also to all those who have helped towards the publication.

How very wonderful was our life that blessed summer at Thousand Island Park! It all comes back to me so vividly, the cottage at the crest of the hill, balanced as it were on a rock, the upper verandah where we used to sit up till the ‘wee small hours’ the mysterious moonlight and the fitful gleam of the search-light of the St. Lawrence River steamers. It was almost weird—a fit setting for the figure of our Guru, walking up and down, God-inspired if ever man was ; we fairly held our breath, fearing to lose a single word.

There is no record of those wondrous nights, save that which is indelibly written upon the tablets of our hearts. God grant that it may be given unto us to embody in our lives that which He gave so freely. His whole life was an inspiration. Blessed indeed are we to have known such an One! I suppose Sister C—has told you many of the little anecdotes concerning him. Aside from his great spiritual gifts, he was so full of boyish fun and his wit and repartee were sparkling. I remember that on his first visit to Detroit, when he was lecturing at the Unitarian Church, we were told that the Swami would be glad to answer any question we might wish to ask. The questions were to be written and put in a box one night and the Swami was to answer them publicly the evening following. Many of the questions submitted were serious, others were trivial and flat. Of course, some ninny asked the same old question about Hindu T h e

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mothers throwing their babies to the crocodiles, etc. I noticed the Swami shrink as he read it and then came a smile of merry mischief and he told in a half serious, half comic manner how, when he was a baby, his mother took him to the Ganges but that he was ‘such a fat little baby the crocodiles refused to swallow me’; and he added facetiously ‘whenever I feel badly about being such a fat monk, I think of how I was saved from the crocodiles and am comforted.’ Then he suddenly became very serious, even stern, drew himself up proudly and in tones of thunder hurled forth, ‘But, ladies and gentlemen, we, I assure you, never burned witches.’ This brought down the house and there was cheer after cheer, for an American audience enjoys a joke on itself and none of us are proud of the burning of witches at Salem.

Dear Swami—I am enclosing the newspaper clippings of fifteen years ago, for I think they may be of interest to you. They are priceless to me and cannot be duplicated. I trust that you will not consider it selfish in me to ask you to return them, but at your leisure. I have so few mementos of him and you have the [Belur] Math, his room, and the sacred spot under the Bel tree. Please keep them as long as you wish and believe me to be, With love and gratitude, Yours very sincerely, Mary C. Funke Swamiji's Blessings That night [in 1895] at a quarter to nine Swamiji, accompanied by Miss Waldo, boarded the river steamer for Clayton, where they would take the train—Miss Waldo for Albany, Swamiji for New York. Tradition has it that as Swamiji took leave of the Park he said, 'I bless these Thousand Islands.'

The words, though spoken in gratitude for the peace he had known, cannot but seem redundant: his very stay at the Park had been a long, sustained blessing. 'The presence of those who love God makes a place holy,' he had said in one of his morning classes, 'such is the glory of the children of the Lord.' They are He; and when they speak, their words are scriptures. The place where they have been becomes filled with their vibrations, and those going there feel them and have a tendency to become holy also.' His parting words but put a seal upon the fact.

—Swami Vivekananda in the West, New Discoveries, Marie Louise Burke, Advaita Ashrama, Kolkata, 3: 178

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Vedanta: The Root of American Transcendentalism PRAVRAJIKA VIRAJAPRANA

(Continued from the previous issue. . .)

Both Thoreau’s and Emerson’s journals and other works are full to overflowing with Vedantic ideas and quotes from a wide range of Vedic literature. Emerson’s numerous essays and lectures were often centered on Vedantic, especially Upanishadic themes; for example, his essay on ‘Immortality’ which concluded with a lengthy version of the story of Nachiketas related in the Katha Upanishad, included the exalted teachings centering around the Atman and its realization. In Vedanta, Emerson found an answer to his quest for absolute being as illustrated in the Chandogya Upanishad through the instruction concerning the soul that Shvetaketu received from his father. On a number of occasions he cited from the Kena Upanishad’s reference to the Supreme Self as being separate from all organs of perception and action. He never missed an opportunity to share his extensive knowledge and insight, nor to pay his debt to the ancient seers of Truth.

For a few years the transcendentalists published a magazine, The Dial, which became a vehicle for them to present to their readers their discovery of the hidden treasures in Vedic literature. Emerson and

Thoreau published some articles called ‘the ethnical religions,’ in which they explored philosophical and mystical issues as well as citing innumerable quotations from various scriptures. Thoreau would say, ‘What extracts from the Vedas I have read fall on me like the light of a higher and purer luminary, which describes a loftier course through a purer stratum.’ Again he said, ‘I can’t read a sentence of the Hindus without being elevated.’

The Influence of Bhagavad Gita The Bhagavad Gita was perhaps the book that had the most influence on the transcendentalists; they were so taken by the lofty thoughts in the Gita that one finds references to it throughout their works, especially in Emerson’s and Thoreau’s. The Gita molded their philosophy and sustained their inner being. Emerson was attracted to the impersonal creative energy of Brahma, which he dedicated an entire poem to. In fact, Indian scholars said that Emerson presented the ideas in this poem more brilliantly than any other Westerner of the time. I’m sure, however, many American were scratching their heads trying to figure out what he was

A nun at the Vedanta Society of Northern California, San Francisco, USA, since 1972, Pravrajika Virajaprana is the editor and compiler of Photographs of Swami Vivekananda. She has contributed many thoughtprovoking articles for Vedanta Kesari and Prabuddha Bharata. This article is based on her talk on the same subject delivered at the Vedanta Society in March 2009. o T h e

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talking about. In addition, he was drawn to other ideas including Maya, the varied shifting appearances of the phenomenal world, his favorite theme the Over-Soul, the Paramatman, and karma, which he called compensation all of which fascinated him.

In one of his essays entitled ‘Compensation’ in which he insightfully and poetically lays out the logistics of the law of karma, he writes: ‘Cause and effect, means and ends, seed and fruit, cannot be severed; for the effect already blooms in the cause, the end preexists in the means, the fruit in the seed.’

Thoreau had read the first English translation of the Gita by Sir Charles Wilkins referred to earlier. Once he read the Gita, he could never get enough of it. He threw himself completely into the study of the truths contained therein. And he not only read them, but became engrossed in them, meditated on them, and practiced them in his daily life. He dedicated an entire chapter in his book The Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers to the discourse between Sri Krishna and Arjuna concerning understanding or knowledge versus the way of action. His journal entries indicate that he was keenly attentive to Sri Krishna’s response to Arjuna’s dilemma, as he himself no doubt shared Arjuna’s uncertainty about the efficacy of knowledge over action.

However, Thoreau used to say that most people had things backwards. Normally people toiled six days a week and rested or contemplated one day; whereas they should contemplate six days a week and toil one.

Walden, his masterpiece, is a brilliant representation of some of his most profound reflections on the Gita. He would say, ‘How much more admirable [is] the Bhagavad Gita than all the ruins of the East.’ While at Walden he wrote, ‘In the morning I bathe my intellect in the stupendous and cosmogonal philosophy T h e

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of the Bhagavad Gita.’ What he wrote after that during his stay at Walden Pond amply substantiates his words; the effect the Gita had on his intellect was profound.

One of the principal ideas that Thoreau responded to in the Gita was that a man must cultivate those principles that are inherent in his nature and then act accordingly. A journal entry reads: ‘We are constantly invited to be what we are.’ Thoreau felt he was a spiritual being and none strove more earnestly than he to be what he was.

Swamiji’s Admiration Swami Vivekananda had great admiration for the transcendentalists and for the enlightened service they rendered to America. Walt Whitman passed away only one year before Swamiji came to America.

Whitman felt that all the world’s thoughts on the quest for Truth were integrated in India’s ‘infinite greatness of the past.’ Swamiji read Whitman’s mystical poem Leaves of Grass at least twice that we know of. Having read it, he called Whitman, America’s sannyasin. Swamiji refers to the transcendentalists’ attraction to the teachings of the Gita in his talk on The Mahabharata that he gave while in southern California. In the course of talking about the Gita, he commented [CW, 4.95]: If you only knew how much it [the Gita] has influenced your own country even! If you want to know the source of Emerson’s inspiration, it is this book, the Gita. He went to see Carlyle [the English poet, Thomas Carlyle], and Carlyle made him a present of the Gita; and that little book is responsible for the Concord Movement. All the broad movements in America in one way or other, are indebted to the Concord party.

Emerson recognized, as the ancients did, the limits of mere intellectual knowledge, of discursive thinking and reasoning. He

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grappled with the question of how to enliven thought; that is, how to enter into the world of living ideas or creative spiritual being by transcending the inherent barriers of thought.

He, as well as Thoreau, knew intuitively what can be, what must be. The mind had to be transformed in order to perceive the real.

Direct vision always simplifies, leading to unity; diversity dead ends in a muddle. If an individual, they held, could surrender himself completely to the divine within, he or she, in effect, became God, because nothing of the small self remained.

Emerson no doubt raised a few eyebrows when he said, ‘I could not be, but that absolute life circulated in me and I could not think without being that absolute life.’

While writing about the universal mind in his journal, he entered the following: ‘I see my being imbedded in it. I am only a form of Him. He is the soul of me. I can even . . . say, I am God.’ Self-transcendence figures at the top of the ‘to do’ list for him as well as for Thoreau; it is central to self-actualization. Without transcending the ego, the true self cannot be revealed. Emerson wrote in the Divinity School address, ‘The man who renounces himself, comes to himself.’ That is, to his real Self. ‘I am divine,’ he would say, ‘Through me God acts, again through me he speaks. Would you see God, see me.’ Some sixty years later Swamiji presented the same ideas to Americans in his lecture on ‘Immortality’ when he said: ‘You are all God. See you not God and call him man?’

For the transcendentalists, the ancients and moderns, Easterners and Westerners, Hindus and Americans, were all joined by an identical spirituality. The writings of both the earlier and later generations of transcendentalists mark a stage in the emancipation of the American mind from puritanical narrowness. This definitely T h e

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broadened the outlook of educated Americans which encouraged them to search beyond their own horizons. The transcendentalists were unquestionably the first Americans to approach Oriental thought sympathetically and to incorporate their ideas into their lives and worldview. In this way, they prepared the minds of Americans for the arrival of Swami Vivekananda, who was the actual living embodiment of ancient wisdom.

Conclusion At the Parliament of Religions and thereafter, Swamiji ushered in a new age of profound philosophical thought in America, which helped expand Americans’ awareness of other possible ways of thinking, especially about the meaning and purpose of life and religion by breaking fictitious barriers between East and West in the meeting of the one universal truth. He opened the door for Eastern philosophical and religious traditions (including the Vedanta Societies) in this country [America], which before this time were virtually unknown.

Further, the transcendentalists, followed

by Swamiji, have stirred similar philosophical, religious, and new thought movements over time with emphasis on the spirituality of man, the unity of all traditions, and the common points of all the worlds’ great religions, and in addition have fostered the study of comparative religions with stress on dialogue, respect, and harmony. It has been said that Thoreau’s practical approach to religion presaged the actual practice of Buddhism and Hinduism in America. As Swamiji said, ‘All the broad movements in America in one way or other, are indebted to the Concord party.’

Transcendentalism began as a protest, a rebellion in religion, though as a movement it slowly faded out around 1880 with many

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of the members engaging in social and educational reform. However, it still remained essentially a religious quest for truth. Long after Transcendentalism supposedly died out, underground currents continued to nourish Oriental thought, which were later reinforced by the tremendous spiritual power of Swami Vivekananda. The ideas that the transcendentalists passed on to the American tradition, the force set in motion are what count. They speak to thoughtful and sensitive people even now.

To the extent that Transcendentalism, rooted in the truths of Vedanta, represents a sympathetic understanding in the West of its spiritual unity with the Orient and the rest of humankind, it is still as alive for us today as when Thoreau wrote in Walden, in eternity there is indeed something true and sublime. But all these times and places and occasions are here and now. God himself culminates in the present moment and will never be more divine in all the lapse of all the ages.

(Concluded.)

To the man who discriminates between himself and another, on the ground of their separate hungers, I [the Lord] come as Death, and I inflict on him the dread travail of samsara. Therefore, while maintaining an equable attitude towards all creatures, men should worship Me suitably in all of them, since I abide in them as the Inner Ruler, by making them gifts, rendering them due honour, or giving them their friendship, as might seem proper.

—Srimad Bhagavatam

Statement about ownership and other particulars about The Vedanta Kesari (according to Form IV Rule 8, circulated by Registrar of Newspapers for India).

1. Place of Publication : Chennai - 600 004 2. Periodicity of Publication : Monthly 3. Printer’s Name : Swami Asutoshananda Nationality : Indian Address : Sri Ramakrishna Math

Mylapore, Chennai 600 004 4. Publisher’s Name : Swami Asutoshananda Nationality : Indian Address : Sri Ramakrishna Math

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Mylapore, Chennai - 600 004 6. Names & Addresses of the individuals who own the newspaper and partners or share-

holders holding more than 1% of the capital : Sri Ramakrishna Math

Mylapore, Chennai 600 004 I, Swami Asutoshananda, hereby declare that the particulars given above are true to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Date: 1.3.2014 Sd/Swami Asutoshananda Signature of the Publisher

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The Spiritual Universe of Sri Ramacharitamanas As Seen through Its Two Invocatory Verses A.P.N. PANKAJ

(Continued from the previous issue. . .)

Sita—the Divine Mother Sita is Kleshaharini—Remover of All Afflictions.

To overcome avidya and the other kleshas and to be liberated from the cycle of birth and death, Jiva, the individual soul, must seek her favour and invoke her grace and compassion. She is the Mother and when, with her merciful glance, she looks at Jiva, her heart melts and she commends him to Rama’s mercy.

Tulasi sings: O Mother! Finding an opportune occasion, remind Rama of me by bringing up some context or the other. (Tell him that) there is this poor, resourceless, dense and emaciated sinner of worst kind who fills his belly by using his (Rama’s) name and calling himself the slave of his (Rama’s) slave, dasa (Tulasi, the basil plant).

When the Lord asks who he is, please tell him my name and plight. As soon as he hears this, my misfortunes will fall by the wayside. O Janaki, Mother of the universe! A few words put in by you, will immensely help and this Tulasidasa, by singing glorious virtues of your Lord, will cross over the ocean of birth and death.28

According to the Vishishtadvaita, the school of Vaishnavism propounded by Sri Ramanujacharya, ‘In Vaikuntha, the Lord is seated on the serpent Shesha, supported

by his consort Laksmi’. She is the creative energy of God. . . intercedes with God on behalf of weak and erring humanity. She is the power united eternally with the Lord. While Ishvara symbolizes justice, Lakshmi stands for mercy and the two qualities are united in the Godhead. Lakshmi, the Shakti of Vishnu, has the two forms of kriya or the principle of regulation and control and bhuti, or the principle of becoming. These, answering to force and matter, enable Vishnu to become the efficient (nimitta) and the material (upadana) causes of the universe.29 Tulasi says, Like the word and its meaning, like water and its current, they are united, although in a manner of speaking, different. I bow in the feet of Sita and Rama, who immensely love the distressed.30

While performing the functions of creation, etc., on being prompted by or in assistance with Rama, Sita is Sarasvati, Lakshmi and Kali or Parvati; She and Rama as Supreme Brahman dwell in their highest abode—‘mama dhama’ or ‘nijadhama’31—just as Lakshmi and Vishnu do in their Vaikuntha.

This is their Supreme state.

When Manu and Shatarupa, following severe penance and austerities, seek to have

o The author is a devotee from Chandigarh and is known for his scholarly and insightful writings on spiritual matters.

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darshana, vision, of the supreme, when Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, turn by turn and several times over, appear before the couple and offer to grant them the boons of their choice, they are not tempted. They wish to see him ‘who abides in the lake of Bhusundi’s heart like a swan, who is extolled by the Vedas both as with and without form, whose form dwells in Shiva’s heart and for whom ascetics strive hard.’

Eventually, Sri Rama, with Janaki on his left, appears before them and grants them the boon derived by them. While we shall later discuss the details of the name Rama, the fructification of the boon to Manu-Shatarupa takes place in the descent of Rama as the son of Dasharatha and of Sita as the daughter of Janaka.32 She is Mercy Sita thus stands for mercy. When the individual soul, ensnared by Samsara invokes her grace, she presents his petition (Vinaya Patrika) to Rama who, though dispenser of justice (nyayakari) dispenses compassion (daya) and rids Jiva of his kleshas, sufferings, the obstacles in the path of his salvation. Liberated from the tangles of karmas, the Jiva attains to the fellowship with Rama (tadvishnoh paramam padam).

Tulasi, however, emphasizes that the devotees of God with attributes (saguna) do not seek moksha but wish to be blessed with Rama-bhakti and perennial proximity with Rama.

The saint-poet, in fact, goes even a step further. He does not mind being born again and again but in every life, his love for Rama’s feet must remain firm.33 Sita, as the Mother Supreme, facilitates the Jiva’s access and proximity to Rama. He even bends his rules for such devotees, ignores their evil acts and owns T h e

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them. Doesn’t for example, Sri Ramakrishna accept the Power of Attorney of Girish Ghosh; or does it not remind us of the Holy Mother Sarada Devi who accepts in her refuge saints and sinners alike?

And She is All Good Sita is Sarvashreyaskari, Dispenser of all Good.

We have seen that Sita, as Rama’s vidya maya, exercises the functions of creation,

continuance and dissolution in the forms of Sarasvati, Lakshmi and Parvati. These are, so to say, the principal functions. These are performed through the modes of sattva, rajas and tamas—goodness, passion and inertia.

Then there are the other related, subsidiary or incidental functions as well. When

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we say, for example that Sarasvati is the goddess of learning and speech; Lakshmi of wealth and prosperity and Parvati or Kali, by annihilating evil, grants protection and desired boons to her devotees, we refer to these related functions and powers. The gods, led by Indra, supplicate her in the following words suggesting some such functions: Yashrih svayam sukritinam bhavenshvalakshmih Papatmanam kritadhiyam hridayeshu buddhih Shraddha satam kulajanaprabhavasya lajja Tam tvam natah sma paripalaya devi vishvam We bow before you who are wealth and fortune in the homes of the virtuous, adversity for sinners, intelligence in the minds of the wise, reverential faith in the saintly hearts and modesty in the noble people. O Goddess! Protect this universe.34

Sri Krishna, exhorting Arjuna to rise above three modes, tells him that even the Vedas deal with these modes (traigunyavishaya veda nistraigunyo bhavarjuna).35 He also says that his maya consists of these modes and is hard to surmount but those, he says, ‘who take refuge in Me alone, get over this maya’(mama maya duratyaya… mayametamtaranti te, Gita, 7.14).

Shreyas versus Preyas All the abovementioned, desirable or undesirable, effects, being subjects of Gunas or modes are, according to the Upanishads, either liked or disliked, wanted or unwanted.

Some we admire, others we abhor, some we

cherish, others we avoid. Those that we abhor or avoid are a-preya or apriya and those that we cherish and desire and preya—unpleasant and pleasant respectively. Above and different from these, however, is shreya, good. It does not attract manda, the foolish, who is interested in preya, his worldly well-being.

The wise ones—dhira-s—chooses shreya over the pleasant. Says the Kathopanishad, Shreyascha-preyashcha manushyam-etastau samparitya vivinakti dhirah Shreyo hi dhiro’bhipreyaso vrinite preyo mando yogakshemadvrinite36

In his commentary on this mantra, Sri Shankaracharya uses the metaphor of a swan: ‘As a swan separates milk from water, so does he—a dhira, a wise person—separates good from the pleasant.’

Nachiketa, young in years but mature in wisdom—dhira—chooses good over the pleasant. He is not shaken in his determination, by Yama’s tempting offers of preya, riches, luxuries—kama and kanchana. But for most of us, with the exception of microscopic minority, pleasant is good. Nachiketa is in that minority. Even those who boast of wisdom but are full of vanity, in fact, abide in the midst of avidya and opt for preya. ‘They are like blind men led by one who is blind himself.’ Thus the duratyaya—insurmountable—maya deludes and entices even the self-styled ‘wise’— Panditas.37 (To be continued. . .)

References 28. VP 41 29. Radhakrishnan, S. Indian Philosophy Vol. II p. 689 30. Manasa I. 18 31. Ibid, (i) III. 31; 5 (ii) I. 110 32. Ibid, I. 142 to 151 33. Ibid IV. 10. Ch.2 34. Chandipatha (Sri Durgasaptasati IV. 5) p. 163 T h e

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35. Gita, II. 45 36. Kathopanishad I. 2.2. In fact, Sri Krishna assures us that those who opt for Shreya—mam paryuapasate (worship Me), their yoga and kshema (accession to and protection of welfare) are looked after by Him (Gita IX. 22) 37. Kathopanisad I. 2.5

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New Find

Unpublished Letters of Swami Saradananda1 THE MATH. P.O.BELUR;HOWRAH 5/7/1902 My dear Nivedita The end has come. Swamiji has slept last night at nine never to rise again.

Yours affl S.S. THE MATH. P.O.BELUR;HOWRAH The 17th July 1902.

Dearest Granny2 I trust you have received the telegram which we requested Nivedita to send to you, and know by this time how we feel ourselves utterly lost at the sudden passing away of our beloved Swamiji. Yet from his point of view it has been a great victory indeed. He told us many a times that he was not going to die like others but will retire from this world like a hero & it has come to that indeed! For he passed off in a Samadhi and without the slightest pain whatever! And the beautiful expression of the face when he left, I tell you, I have never seen him so beautiful while living!

You were here when he took up that strict regimen of diet and gave up drinking water; he improved so much under the treatment that we all hoped that for three years at least his life was secured. He used to eat and sleep & work & walk like any one of us almost. Little more than two months before he passed away he paid so much attention to make the men of the Math meditate everyday. He used to rise very early and would go himself to the worship room to meditate himself, that others might follow his example. And in the morning of the last day he went to the bed room of Sri RK3 all by himself closed the door behind him so that none might enter and meditated for full three hours. He took his morning meal with a very good appetite talked & joked with others as usual, gave lessons on Panini Grammar & the Vedas for more than two hours and then feeling ever so much freer than other days, walked about two miles round the village. Resting for an hour on return he went into his bed room at seven in the evening and called for his mala (beads) & told the disciple who was attending him to retire, that he might meditate alone. ‘Watch & pray in the next room until I call’ that was what he said & what proved to be almost the last words. An hour after he called, lay down to rest & told the disciple to fan him & massage the right leg. He lay on his bedding in the floor an hour T h e

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& seemed to be sleeping soundly when a little trembling of the right hand & a deep breath then an indistinct sound like a child dreaming and another deep breath and all was over! The man gave the alarm when he found the Swami not breathing for two or three minutes and took him to be in Samadhi. Others went immediately & made the same mistake. The doctor was called forth however & news sent forth to Brahmananda & myself at Calcutta, where we were sent a day before to attend to some business. He went off at 9.15 on the Friday evening, July 4th. We came two hours after to find him in a samadhi, but a samadhi from which he would awake no more to the affairs of this world but in which he will ever be with Sri Ramkrishna, till He (Sri R.) comes down again after two hundred years; for that was what He prophesyed!

The body has been cremated in the Math grounds, near the Bel-tree in the southern boundary.

Great changes are coming to us since his passing away. One of them has been the perfect separation of the Math work with that of her (Nivedita) own with the agreement of both the parties, so that the Math work might not be ruined, if her own comes to that.

The Holy Mother is at her native village. My family is at Benares and my brother must have reached Japan by this time, for his last came from Hong Kong thirteen days ago.

My love & blessings to yourself & Olea. Do write me soon how she & yourself are doing.

My mind is in that high strain where it fears & gets anxious for every one.

Ever Your Affectionate Boy Saradananda P.S. As I finish this & sign myself your telegram comes in from Bergen, of loving sympathy.

Swami Brahmananda & all the Math men join me in sending you thanks for the same. Write me how Olea is & take some flowers to Mr.Bull’s & dear Edwina’s grave for me. I will send you the footprints of the Swami, which we took before cremation, soon. A temple will be raised over the place of cremation shortly.

Yours S. [On the cover::] Lyseklostov Bergen Norway Mrs.Sara C. Bull C/o The Baring Bros Bankers London England References 1. A direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna

2. Mrs. Sara Bull

3. The shrine room at Belur Math

Courtesy: Ramakrishna Museum, Belur Math T h e

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Swami Vivekananda: The Saint and the Patriot And the Continuing Legacy UMESH GULATI

Two Illuminating Anecdotes Swami Vijnanananda (1868-1938), one of the direct disciples of Sri Ramakrishna once said, ‘When Swamiji lived in Belur Math, I felt that the whole monastery was full of light and joy. . . When one entered the Math, one could sense whether Swamiji was there or not.’

Swami Vijnanananda’s room was to the north of Swamiji’s room. One night he left his room and heard a cry from Swamiji’s room. He entered Swamiji’s room and found him crying in distress on the cement floor. ‘Swamiji, are you sick?’ Swami Vijnanananda asked. Startled, Swamiji came to his senses and said, ‘Peshan,1I thought you were sleeping.’ Vijnanananda then asked him why he had cried out. Swamiji replied tearfully, ‘I cannot sleep because I am thinking about the suffering and poverty of our countrymen. My mind is disturbed with agony and anxiety. So I was praying to the Master for the welfare of our country.’ Swami Vijnanananda consoled Swamiji and asked him to sleep on his bed.2

In the above two paragraphs two things strike out: one is how the whole monastery seemed to be filled with light and joy by the presence of Swamiji; the other is Swamiji’s intense concern for the poverty, misery and suffering of the millions of India.

Swamiji had come to this realization by sitting at the feet of his Master, Sri Ramakrishna, and assimilating his teachings more clearly than anyone else.

Discovering the God in Man Let us recall an important incident in this context. Sri Ramakrishna was once discussing with devotees the cardinal tenets of the Vaishnava path of devotion—a dominant sect in Hinduism—where Narendra, the future Vivekananda, was also present. The Master said that these were three: chanting the name of God, service of the devotees, and compassion toward all beings. As soon as the Master uttered the word ‘compassion’ as the third principle, he went into a spiritual trance.

Regaining his outer consciousness a little, he said: how an insignificant worm like man,

 Umesh C. Gulati is a devotee of Sri Ramakrishna from North Carolina, USA. T h e

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can have compassion for others? It has to be service, not compassion, recognizing every man as the manifestation of God.3 Everyone present there, no doubt, heard those words uttered by the Master, but only Narendra could understand their significance.

When he left the room he said to the others: What a wonderful light I have discovered in those words of the Master! How beautifully he has reconciled the ideal of Bhakti with the knowledge of the Vedanta, generally interpreted as dry, austere, and incompatible with human sentiments! . . . What a grand, natural and sweet synthesis! The usual idea is that the practice of the knowledge of Vedanta demands a complete withdrawal from society and a rooting out of all such sentiments as love, devotion and compassion. . . But from those words of the Master . . . I have understood that the ideal lived by the recluse outside the pale of society can be practiced even at home and applied to all aspects of daily life. [And], let him understand and realize that it is God alone who has manifested Himself as the world and created beings. He is both immanent and transcendent. It is He who has become all the diverse beings, objects of our love, respect and compassion, and yet He is beyond all these. . . Serving man, knowing him to be a manifestation of God, purifies the heart; and in a short time the aspirant who does this realizes that he is a part of God—Existence-KnowledgeBliss Absolute.

However, Narendra had not yet reached the point when he was ready to put into practice this understanding and insight that he had gained by the above experience. For, a few months before the death of Sri Ramakrishna, Narendra asked the Master to give him the boon of remaining absorbed in meditation continuously for days and to experience Nirvikalpa Samadhi, the highest realization of Advaita Vedanta. Hearing this request of his beloved disciple the Master said: ‘You are a very small-minded person.

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There is a state higher even than that. ‘All that exists art Thou’—it is you who sing that song.4

Sri Ramakrishna wanted his disciple to see God in the poor and the downtrodden as His veritable manifestation, and to serve them in the spirit of worship. He told Narendra to serve Shiva in Jiva, or, the Lord in man. For the Master, the motiveless service of man, nay of every being, is indeed a worship of the Lord Himself.

This last incident occurred on January 4, 1886 at the Cossipore Garden House where the Master spent the next and final seven months of his life. During the next few weeks after that incident, Narendra again felt an intense yearning for renunciation to leave this world, Maya, of name and form. Of course, nothing could be hidden from Sri Ramakrishna, and sensing his state of mind he told his disciples, including Narendra, that a Jnani needed only mental renunciation; a Jnani should live in the world but keep the ego of knowledge. The Master said: Even after attaining jnana, the jnani can live in the world, retaining vidyamaya, that is to say, bhakti, compassion, renunciation, and such virtues. This serves him two purposes: first, the teaching of men, and second, enjoyment of divine bliss. If a jnani remains silent, merged in Samadhi, then men’s hearts will not be illumined. Therefore Shankaracharya kept the ‘ego of Knowledge.’ And further, a jnani lives as a devotee, in the company of bhaktas, in order to enjoy and drink deep the Bliss of God.5

Service to the Living God After the passing away of the Master, confiding to M, the chronicler of the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, Narendra said that because of his dissuasions, continued association with a holy person of the highest order like the Master, and the fact he had ‘tamed us by love’6,

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he (Narendra) abandoned his thought of going away from the world. Besides, the Master had also indicated to all his disciples a broad outline of the future organization, known as Ramakrishna Mission and Math today. And most importantly, he designated Narendra as the leader of his monastic disciples.

How far the wishes of Sri Ramakrishna have been carried out is now a history. The very fact that Narendra, as Swami Vivekananda, went to America to attend the first World Parliament of Religions in Chicago, in September 1893 and stayed there for almost three years, giving there and also in England the eternal wisdom of Vedanta, tells us loud and clear how the wishes of the Master have been fulfilled.

Most importantly, how closely the Swami’s message followed the teachings of his Master becomes evident only if one diligently reads the Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda.

To give just one example: shortly after returning from America, Swamiji wrote from Almora in India in July 1897 to Mary Hale in Chicago, addressing her as sister, Swamiji said: I have lost [any] wish for my salvation. I never wanted earthly enjoyments. . . ; and may I be born again and again, and suffer thousands of miseries so that I may worship the only God that exists, the only God I believe in, the sum total of all souls—and above all, my God the wicked, my God the miserable, my God the poor of all races, of all species, is the special object of my worship.7

Not only did he give up the idea of his own liberation, he also pledged to work for the liberation of every man and woman.

Therefore, when in 1897 Swami Vivekananda formally opened the Ramakrishna Mission in Kolkata, he incorporated exactly these two goals: Atmano mokshartham jagat hitaya cha, T h e

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which when translated mean, ‘For one’s own salvation, and for the welfare of the world.’

Indeed Swamiji identified himself with the humblest of his countrymen and this is what makes him truest of the ‘patriots’ although he was a monk of the highest order.

One day a young man complained to Swamiji that he could not make progress in spiritual life. He said, ‘I sit still in meditation, shutting the door of my room, and keep my eyes closed as long as I can, but I do not find peace of mind. Can you show me the way?’

‘My boy,’ replied Swamiji in a voice full of loving sympathy: If you take my word, you will have first of all to open the door of your room and look around, instead of closing your eyes. There are hundreds of poor and helpless people in your neighborhood; you have to serve them to the best of your ability. You have to nurse and procure food and medicine for the sick. You will have to feed those who have nothing to eat. You will have to teach the ignorant. My advice to you is that if you want peace of mind, you shall have to serve others to the best of your ability.8

Continuing Swamiji’s Legacy Swamiji taught Advaita, the religion of oneness, during his tour of America and England, and it is this same religion of oneness, the crown jewel of Hinduism, that he wanted to preach in India as well. He never failed to impress on his countrymen the moral implications of strength, unselfishness, fearlessness, love, and most of all, service, which flow from Advaita. So back in India, he embarked on a lecture tour throughout India, which can be read in Lectures From Colombo to Almora. These lectures provide us the patriotic side of Swami Vivekananda, his love for the country, which had remained under foreign domination for centuries.

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Swamiji was a saint and a patriot. It is not only because he was perhaps one of the first Indians who initiated the movement for independence from the British rule; rather, he was a patriot because he had the courage to scold our own ‘aristocratic ancestors who went on treading the common masses of our country’ that kept our country under the foreign rule for over one thousand years.

No wonder if anyone who asked Swami Ranganathananda, the 13th President of the Ramakrishna Order, as to what particular book one should read about Swamiji, he always recommended Lectures From Colombo to Almora—which have inspired many generation of nationalists and leaders alike.

Swami Vivekananda’s legacy of service and spirituality has been continuing through the Ramakrishna Math and Mission.

Swamiji’s message was specially spread far and wide by Swami Ranganathananda.

We may recall here that Swami Ranganathananda (1908-2005) was a world traveler and speaker on Vedanta, and that too, because Swami Vivekananda had ordained that the universal message of Vedanta should be broadcast to the world; as Swamiji himself once said: ‘I have a message for the West as Buddha had a message for the East.’

As a student the author had the privilege of listening to Swami Ranganathananda’s talks during the 1950s at Delhi School of Economics and also attended his Sunday discourses at the Ramakrishna Mission in New Delhi. These discourses were largely attended not only by many Indian dignitaries, but also by foreign diplomats like Ellsworth Bunker, the US Ambassador to India at that time.

Being students of economics, we were quite familiar with India’s dire poverty, concentration of incomes and wealth, and the low level of economic development of India.

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Swami Ranganathananda’s exposition of Vedanta, and its implication for spiritual and secular democracy, seemed to indicate that he provided a clear endorsement of the objectives of democratic socialism as advocated by India’s leaders during that time. In particular, he took India’s wealthy to task for their utter indifference toward the poor and miserable millions of India, who found it difficult to get even one square meal a day.

More importantly, the love that Swamiji had for India and his grief for the poor and the meek, for the widows and orphans, and for the low caste millions who are socially deprived, are also very clearly reflected in Swami Ranganathananda who embodied the ideals of Swami Vivekananda.

To illustrate, let us look at the ‘Introduction’ to Swami Ranganathananda’s Universal Message of the Bhagavad-Gita,

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In the past, people mostly read the Gita as a pious act, and for a little peace of mind. We never realized . . . that this is the greatest book of practical Vedanta capable of helping us to create a society of fully developed human beings. . . If we had done so, we would not have had thousand years of foreign invasions, internal caste conflicts, feudal oppressions, and mass poverty [all echoes of Swamiji]. . . We need a philosophy that can help us to build a new welfare society, based on human dignity, freedom, and equality. . . [And] here in the Gita is a philosophy that will train people’s minds and hearts in that direction. This orientation, a practical orientation, was given to the Gita for the first time in the modern age by Swami Vivekananda.9

Swami Ranganathananda refers to the following passage of Swamiji exhorting the nation in his Lahore lecture on Vedanta in 189710: Therefore, young men of Lahore, raise once more that mighty banner of Advaita, for on no other ground can you have that wonderful love until you see that the same Lord is present everywhere. Unfurl that banner of love! . . .

Arise; arise once more, for nothing can be done without renunciation. If you want to help others, your little self must go. . . Throw away everything, even your own salvation, and go and help others. . . The nation is sinking, the curse of unnumbered millions is on our heads – those to whom we have been giving ditch-water to drink when they have been dying of thirst. . . [or having allowed them] to starve in sight of plenty, the unnumbered millions whom we have hated, [and unnumbered millions] to whom we have talked theoretically that we are all the same and all the one with the same Lord, without even an ounce of practice. . . Wipe off this blot. . .

Arise and awake and be perfectly sincere. Our insincerity in India is awful; what we want is character; steadiness and character that make a man cling on to a thing like grim death.

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Swami Ranganathananda would often refer to Swamiji’s ‘Address At the Rameswaram Temple’11: It is in love that religion exists and not in ceremony, in the pure and sincere love in the heart. . . This is the gist of all worship—to be pure and to do good to others. He who sees Shiva in the poor, in the weak, and in the diseased, really worships Shiva; and if he sees Shiva only in the image, his worship is but preliminary. He who has served and helped one poor man seeing Shiva in him, without thinking of his caste, or creed, or race, or any thing, with him Shiva is more pleased than with the man who sees Him only in temples.

In retrospect, both Swamiji and Swami Ranganathananda came to the world stage at two different eras; the one when our country was a part of the vast British Indian Empire with Calcutta as its capital, while the other when that empire was in the midst of great transition and India became an independent country. The unique feature of this transition was that its political leadership under Mahatma Gandhi achieved our country’s freedom without bloody revolution that had been the fate of many other similar transitions.

Of course, there were communal riots that occurred on both sides of the divided country, which came to be called India and Pakistan.

Inspired as they were by the teachings of Sri Krishna and other incarnations of the past, and also by the teachings of Sri Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda in recent times, India has emerged as the world’s largest democracy.

A unique feature of democratic India is that it is a multilingual, multi-religious, multiracial and multi-caste society. But the Hindus, who form 80% of the country’s population, have been nurtured on the belief that behind these apparent differences of names and forms resides within every one of us the same spirit,

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the Self or Atman, which is pure, perfect and immortal. In the words of Swamiji, ‘each soul is potentially divine; the goal is to realize this divinity’ through various spiritual disciplines.

So, there is unity in diversity, and the Self in me is the same Self of all. Vedanta thus proclaims spiritual democracy along with the secular one, and makes no distinction between the sacred and secular. As a result, despite differences, all religious communities in the country live in harmony and peace.

Conclusion Swamiji had great hope and faith in India’s future. He believed India to be the spiritual teacher of mankind. Likewise, Swami Ranganathananda too was very optimistic that the teachings of Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Vivekananda and Holy Mother would slowly transform the Indian society, moving it from

the state of being ‘mere static piety to dynamic spirituality.’ In his view, [every] citizen will achieve high character strength and the nation also will achieve total human development. From being small people in a great democracy, our people then will become great people in a great democracy.

Swami Vivekananda summoned modern India to give this humanist orientation to our religion and society.12

In conclusion, Swami Vivekananda, the saint-patriot, made every Indian proud for his achievements in India and America. 13 Continuing his legacy Swami Ranganathananda, provided, one of the best commentaries on The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda through his life and works. Swamiji's contribution to east-west understanding requires further study. There is much to gain from him. o

References 1.

Swami Vijnanananda’s premonastic name was Hari Prasanna, and Peshan is the abbreviated form of Prasanna.

2. Swami Chetanananda, ‘Various Facets of Swami Vivekananda—111’, in Samvit, September 2013,12.

Cf. Swami Chetanananda, God Lived with Them (St. Louis, Vedanta Society of St. Louis), 1997, 600, 601.

3. The Life of Swami Vivekananda By His Eastern and Western Disciples (Kolkatta, Advaita Ashrama), Volume 1, Fourth reprint, 2000, 138-39 4. Cf. The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna by M. (New York: Ramakrishna Vivekananda Vedanta Society),

Seventh Printing, 1984, 935-36.

5. Cf. Ibid. 940.

6. The Gospel, 980 7. Complete Works, v. 5, 50 8. Swami Nikhilananda, Vivekananda A Biography, (Kolkata, Advaita Ashrama, 234.)

9. Universal Message of the Bhagavad Gita, v.1, 10.

10. The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda, v. 3, 430 – 31.

11. Ibid. 142.

12. Practical Vedanta And the Science of Values, 136.

13. Ibid. 59.

The wind of God's grace is incessantly blowing. Lazy sailors on the sea of life do not take advantage of it. But the active and the strong always keep the sails of their minds unfurled to catch the favourable wind and thus reach their destination very soon.

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Compilation

Call to the Youth of India SWAMI VIVEKANANDA

(Continued from the previous issue. . .)

Swami Vivekananda’s ideas on India and his call to the youth of India are spread across his various talks, writings, interviews and letters. The core of his ideas was written in his letters to his disciples and brother-disciples in India, and in the series of talks that he gave when he reached India.

Here is a selection from his talks given at Colombo, Kumbhakonam, Madras (Chennai) and Lahore, which covers almost all the important ideas with regard to India, her history, and the task before the Indian youth. The following compilation, made by Gokul Muthu of Bangalore, can be an appetizer to help the youth get an overview of Swamiji’s ideas and encourage them to probe further. References and pointers for further reading are given at the end.

All excerpts are from the section Lectures from Colombo to Almora, which can be found in the third volume of the Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda. This section is also available as a separate book by the same title, published by Advaita Ashrama, Kolkata.

None is really weak; the soul is infinite, omnipotent, and omniscient. Stand up, assert yourself, proclaim the God within you, do not deny Him! Too much of inactivity, too much of weakness, too much of hypnotism has been and is upon our race. O ye modern Hindus, de-hypnotise yourselves. The way to do that is found in your own sacred books. Teach yourselves, teach every one his real nature, call upon the sleeping soul and see how it awakes.

Power will come, glory will come, goodness will come, purity will come, and everything that is excellent will come when this sleeping soul is roused to self-conscious activity. Ay, if there is anything in the Gita that I like, it is these two verses, coming out strong as the very gist, the very essence, of Krishna’s teaching— ‘He who sees the Supreme Lord dwelling alike in all beings, the Imperishable in things that perish, he sees indeed. For seeing the Lord as the same, everywhere present, he does not T h e

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destroy the Self by the Self, and thus he goes to the highest goal.’30 Our National Ideal In all our books stands out prominently this ideal of the Brahmin.31 . . .Our ideal is the Brahmin of spiritual culture and renunciation. By the Brahmin ideal what do I mean? I mean the ideal Brahmin-ness in which worldliness is altogether absent and true wisdom is abundantly present. That is the ideal of the Hindu race. Have you not heard how it is declared that he, the Brahmin, is not amenable to law, that he has no law, that he is not governed by kings, and that his body cannot be hurt? That is perfectly true. Do not understand it in the light thrown upon it by interested and ignorant fools, but understand it in the light of the true and original Vedantic conception. If the Brahmin is he who has killed all selfishness and who lives and works to

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acquire and propagate wisdom and the power of love — if a country is altogether inhabited by such Brahmins, by men and women who are spiritual and moral and good, is it strange to think of that country as being above and beyond all law? What police, what military are necessary to govern them? Why should any one govern them at all? Why should they live under a government? They are good and noble, and they are the men of God; these are our ideal Brahmins.32 . . . The command is the same to you all, that you must make progress without stopping, and that from the highest man to the lowest Pariah, every one in this country has to try and become the ideal Brahmin. This Vedantic idea is applicable not only here but over the whole world. Such is our ideal of caste as meant for raising all humanity slowly and gently towards the realisation of that great ideal of the spiritual man who is nonresisting, calm, steady, worshipful, pure, and meditative.33

of every man in India, whether he knows the Sanskrit language or not.34 The ideas must be taught in the language of the people; at the same time, Sanskrit education must go on along with it, because the very sound of Sanskrit words gives a prestige and a power and a strength to the race.35 . . . It is culture that withstands shocks, not a simple mass of knowledge. You can put a mass of knowledge into the world, but that will not do it much good. There must come culture into the blood.

We all know in modern times of nations which have masses of knowledge, but what of them? They are like tigers, they are like savages, because culture is not there.

Knowledge is only skin-deep, as civilisation is,

Rejuvenation of India 1. Spiritual Knowledge and Sanskrit Language for all My idea is first of all to bring out the gems of spirituality that are stored up in our books and in the possession of a few only, hidden, as it were, in monasteries and in forests—to bring them out; to bring the knowledge out of them, not only from the hands where it is hidden, but from the still more inaccessible chest, the language in which it is preserved, the incrustation of centuries of Sanskrit words. In one word, I want to make them popular. I want to bring out these ideas and let them be the common property of all, T h e

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and a little scratch brings out the old savage.

Such things happen; this is the danger. Teach the masses in the vernaculars, give them ideas; they will get information, but something more is necessary; give them culture. Until you give them that, there can be no permanence in the raised condition of the masses. There will be another caste created, having the advantage of the Sanskrit language, which will quickly get above the rest and rule them all the same.

The only safety, I tell you men who belong to the lower castes, the only way to raise your condition is to study Sanskrit, and this fighting and writing and frothing against the higher castes is in vain, it does no good, and it creates fight and quarrel, and this race, unfortunately already divided, is going to be divided more and more. The only way to bring about the levelling of caste is to appropriate the culture, the education which is the strength of the higher castes. That done, you have what you want.36 2. Unity of Castes The solution of the caste problem in India, therefore, assumes this form, not to degrade the higher castes, not to crush out the Brahmin.37 . . . The solution is not by bringing down the higher, but by raising the lower up to the level of the higher. And that is the line of work that is found in all our books.38 It is the duty of the Brahmin, therefore, to work for the salvation of the rest of mankind in India. If he does that, and so long as he does that, he is a Brahmin, but he is no Brahmin when he goes about making money. … Secular employment is not for the Brahmin but for the other castes. To the Brahmins I appeal, that they must work hard to raise the Indian people by teaching them what they know, by giving out the culture that they have accumulated for centuries. It is clearly the duty of the Brahmins T h e

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of India to remember what real Brahminhood is. As Manu says, all these privileges and honours are given to the Brahmin, because ‘with him is the treasury of virtue’. He must open that treasury and distribute its valuables to the world.39 To the non-Brahmin castes I say, wait, be not in a hurry. Do not seize every opportunity of fighting the Brahmin, because, as I have shown, you are suffering from your own fault. Who told you to neglect spirituality and Sanskrit learning? What have you been doing all this time? Why have you been indifferent?

Why do you now fret and fume because somebody else had more brains, more energy, more pluck and go, than you? Instead of wasting your energies in vain discussions and quarrels in the newspapers, instead of fighting and quarrelling in your own homes — which is sinful—use all your energies in acquiring the culture which the Brahmin has, and the thing is done. Why do you not become Sanskrit scholars? Why do you not spend millions to bring Sanskrit education to all the castes of India? That is the question. The moment you do these things, you are equal to the Brahmin.

That is the secret of power in India. Sanskrit and prestige go together in India. As soon as you have that, none dares say anything against you. That is the one secret; take that up.40 Being of one mind is the secret of society. And the more you go on fighting and quarrelling about all trivialities such as ‘Dravidian’ and ‘Aryan’, and the question of Brahmins and non-Brahmins and all that, the further you are off from that accumulation of energy and power which is going to make the future India. For mark you, the future India depends entirely upon that. That is the secret —accumulation of will-power, co-ordination, bringing them all, as it here, into one focus.41

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3. Service to the Country For the next fifty years this alone shall be our keynote—this, our great Mother India.

Let all other vain gods disappear for the time from our minds. This is the only god that is awake, our own race—‘everywhere his hands, everywhere his feet, everywhere his ears, he covers everything.’ All other gods are sleeping.

What vain gods shall we go after and yet cannot worship the god that we see all round us, the Virât? When we have worshipped this, we shall be able to worship all other gods.

Before we can crawl half a mile, we want to cross the ocean like Hanuman! It cannot be.

Everyone going to be a Yogi, everyone going to meditate! It cannot be. The whole day mixing with the world with Karma Kanda, and in the evening sitting down and blowing through your nose! Is it so easy? Should Rishis come flying through the air, because you have blown three times through the nose? Is it a joke? It is all nonsense. What is needed is Chittashuddhi, purification of the heart. And how does that come? The first of all worship is the worship of the Virat—of those all around us. Worship It. Worship is the exact equivalent of the Sanskrit word, and no other English word will do. These are all our gods—men and animals; and the first gods we have to worship are our countrymen. These we have to worship, instead of being jealous of each other and fighting each other. It is the most terrible Karma for which we are suffering, and yet it does not open our eyes!42 4. Right Education We must have a hold on the spiritual and secular education of the nation. Do you understand that? You must dream it, you must talk it, you must think its and you must work it out. Till then there is no salvation for the race.43 . . . Education is not the amount of information T h e

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that is put into your brain and runs riot there, undigested, all your life. We must have lifebuilding, man-making, character-making assimilation of ideas. If you have assimilated five ideas and made them your life and character, you have more education than any man who has got by heart a whole library

`Wm IaüÝXZ^madmhr ^mañ` doÎmm Z Vw MÝXZñ`& —‘The ass carrying its load of sandalwood knows only the weight and not the value of the sandalwood.’ If education is identical with information, the libraries are the greatest sages in the world, and encyclopaedias are the Rishis. The ideal, therefore, is that we must have the whole education of our country, spiritual and secular, in our own hands, and it must be on national lines, through national methods as far as practical.44 5. An Institution We must have a temple, for with Hindus religion must come first. Then, you may say, all sects will quarrel about it. But we will make it a non-sectarian temple, having only ‘Om’ as the symbol, the greatest symbol of any sect. If there is any sect here which believes that ‘Om’ ought not to be the symbol, it has no right to call itself Hindu. All will have the right to interpret Hinduism, each one according to his own sect ideas, but we must have a common temple. You can have your own images and symbols in other places, but do not quarrel here with those who differ from you. Here should be taught the common grounds of our different sects, and at the same time the different sects should have perfect liberty to come and teach their doctrines, with only one restriction, that is, not to quarrel with other sects.45 Secondly, in connection with this temple there should be an institution to train teachers who must go about preaching religion and

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giving secular education to our people; they must carry both. As we have been already carrying religion from door to door, let us along with it carry secular education also. That can be easily done. Then the work will extend through these bands of teachers and preachers, and gradually we shall have similar temples in other places, until we have covered the whole of India.46 Call to the Youth Where are the men? That is the question . . . Will you respond to the call of your nation?

Each one of you has a glorious future if you dare believe me. Have a tremendous faith in yourselves, like the faith I had when I was a child, and which I am working out now. Have that faith, each one of you, in yourself—that eternal power is lodged in every soul—and you will revive the whole of India. Ay, we will then go to every country under the sun, and our ideas will before long be a component of the many forces that are working to make up every nation in the world. We must enter into the life of every race in India and abroad; shall

have to work to bring this about. Now for that, I want young men. ‘It is the young, the strong, and healthy, of sharp intellect that will reach the Lord’, say the Vedas. This is the time to decide your future—while you possess the energy of youth, not when you are worn out and jaded, but in the freshness and vigour of youth. Work—this is the time; for the freshest, the untouched, and unsmelled flowers alone are to be laid at the feet of the Lord, and such He receives. Rouse yourselves, therefore, for life is short. There are greater works to be done than aspiring to become lawyers and picking quarrels and such things. A far greater work is this sacrifice of yourselves for the benefit of your race, for the welfare of humanity. What is in this life? . . . Life is short, but the soul is immortal and eternal, and one thing being certain, death, let us therefore take up a great ideal and give up our whole life to it. Let this be our determination, and may He, the Lord, who ‘comes again and again for the salvation of His own people’, to quote from our scriptures—may the great Krishna bless us and lead us all to the fulfilment of our aims!47 o (Concluded.)

References 30. CW, III-193 31. CW, III-196 32. CW, III-197 33. CW, III-198

34. CW, III-290 35. CW, III-290 36. CW, III-291 37. CW, III-293

38. CW, III-295 39. CW, III-297 40. CW, III-298 41. CW, III-299

42. CW, III-300 43. CW, III-301 44. CW, III-302 45. CW, III-302

46. CW, III-303 47. CW, III-304

So long as people believe in religion, no doubt religion itself will be very beneficial in teaching them fineness of perception. But as religion is not taken seriously by the majority of people, more tangible means, more appealing intermediaries, must be found for them and associated with religion. Morality is more real and tangible to most people than the spiritual verities; knowledge is more effective; service is more fruitful.

We should, therefore, lay the utmost emphasis on them in the case of the average man.

Spiritualization of the concerns of life is all right. But most men can only slowly progress along that path without substantial aid from morality, art, knowledge, action and service.

—Swami Ashokananda

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The Order on the March Ramakrishna Math and Mission—News and Notes Commemoration of the 150th Birth Anniversary of Swami Vivekananda v The Ministry of Culture, Govt of India, held the closing ceremony of Swamiji’s 150th birth anniversary at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi, on 12 January. Dr Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India; Smt Sonia Gandhi, UPA Chairperson; Sri A K Antony, Union Defence Minister; Smt Chandresh Kumari Katoch, Union Culture Minister; and the General Secretary addressed the gathering. v The Govt of West Bengal marked the conclusion of Swamiji’s 150th birth anniversary with a public function at Red Road, Kolkata, on 10 January. Mamata Benerjee, the Chief Minister of West Bengal; the General Secretary and many other dignitaries and about 25,000 students attended the programme that included Ratha Yatra in Gujarat parade and cultural events. v Gujarat Ratha Yatra (procession with Vivekananda carriage), jointly organized by our centres in Gujarat and Gujarat RamakrishnaVivekananda Bhava Prachar Parishad, was launched from Dharampur (Dt. Valsad) on 12 January. About 6500 tribal youths and a large number of dignitaries and devotees participated in the programme.

Also, Narendra Modi, Chief Release of book on Swamiji by Narendra Modi Minister of Gujarat, released a T h e

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book in Gujarati on Swamiji’s visit to Gujarat (Gujaratma Swami Vivekananda) on 11th January, 2014 in a function in Gandhinagar to mark the concluding of its two year long celebration of Swami Vivekananda’s 150th birth anniversary in Gujarat. The Government of Gujarat has placed an order of one lakh copies of the book for distribution in libraries and institutions of Gujarat.

Hyderabad Ramakrishna Math organized the concluding event of the 3-year long 150th Birthday Celebrations of Swami Vivekananda from 10th to 12th January 2014. It included a students’ convention on 10th in which more than 2000 students from CBSE / Kendriya Vidyalaya and Higher Secondary schools took part. On 11th January 2014 a convention for girl students of different colleges was held in which more than 900 students took part. On 12th January, Swamiji’s statue on tank bund was garlanded, followed by REBUILD INDIA WALK from the tank bund to Ramakrishna Math, in which thousands of youth and devotees took part. Later a pubic meeting and cultural programmes where. Prof.

Bhaskara Ramamurty, Director, IIT Madras, V.V.Lakshmi Narayana, Joint Director, CBI and a host of eminent persons addressed the gathering. o

At Belur Math The Headquarters and the following centres held various programmes to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Swami Celebrations at Hyderabad Math Vivekananda. (Main programmes conducted by them are mentioned against their names.): v The concluding programme of Swamiji’s 150th birth anniversary celebration was held at Belur Math from 13 to 31 January. v On 13 January, a procession on the Ganga was held in which 35 specially decorated vessels having monastics and devotees on board sailed from Budge Budge to Kharda via Belur Math and Dakshineshwar.

The procession was flagged off by Swami Smarananandaji.

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Snap shots of events at Belur Math

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v Revered President Maharaj formally inaugurated the programme on 19 January. On the same day Sri Subrata Mukherjee, Minister, Public Health Engineering and Panchayat & Rural Development, Govt of West Bengal, declared open the exhibition on National Integration through Arts and Crafts where artifacts, utensils, attires, and other items of daily usage used in different parts of India were tastefully displayed in a specially designed enclosure next to the Ramakrishna Museum. v In the evening a classical dance performance (Shiva Nritya) was held. v On 20 and 21 January classical music recitals were presented by renowned artistes. v A devotees’ convention was held on 25 and 26 January, an international seminar on Universal Significance of Swami Vivekananda’s Life and Message in the 21st Century and a parliament of religions were held on 27 and 28 January, and a youth convention on 29 and 30 January. About 12,000 delegates besides 1500 monks, nuns, patrons, General Committee members and guests participated in each convention. The international seminar and the parliament of religions were attended by nearly 5500 people. Youth Convention, held on 29-30 January, was attended by more than 12000 youth delegates from 23 states in India besides several representatives from other countries such as Bangladesh, USA, France, South Africa and others. Apart from the speeches, there were also several cultural programmes such as devotional music, classical dance and tribal dance.

Revered President Maharaj, Swami Smarananandaji, Swami Prabhanandaji, the General Secretary, Sri M K Narayanan, Governor of West Bengal; Sri Shekhar Dutt, Governor of Chhattisgarh; Smt Chandresh Kumari Katoch, Minister of Culture, Govt of India; Mamata Banerjee, Chief Minister of West Bengal; Sri Jawhar Sircar, CEO, Prasar Bharati; and many other dignitaries spoke in the various sessions. v On 31 January a laser show on Swamiji by Manick Sorcar was presented. o

Centres in India Bagda: Value education and personality development workshops at 10 educational institutions in Purulia district from November to January in which 2137 people took part.

Bangalore: An interfaith meet on the subject World Peace and My Religion on 5 January in which about 900 people took part.

Barasat: Concluding programme on 20 January comprising: (a) cultural competitions in which 220 students of 20 schools took part, and (b) discourses and a film show on Swamiji which were attended by a large number of devotees.

Bhopal: A classical music concert (vocal and instrumental) on 15 and 16 January which was attended by about 200 people.

A district-level youth convention on 17 January in which 285 youths participated.

Chennai Math: An exhibition on the special activities of the centre in connection with Swamiji’s 150th birth anniversary was inaugurated on 12 January.

A public meeting comprising speeches, bhajans and a video presentation on 12 January which was attended by more than 2000 people.

Cherrapunji: Ten youth conventions from 31 December to 22 January in which altogether 5082 youths from various districts of Meghalaya participated.

Cooch Behar: A district-level youth convention on 19 January in which about 950 students participated.

Delhi: A puppet show on Swamiji on 29 December which was watched by about 500 people.

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A musical mono-act performance on 4 January which was attended by nearly 700 people.

On 6 January the General Secretary inaugurated the night shelter for the poor and homeless at Rohini area in Delhi built by the centre.

A laser show on Swamiji at a sports complex in Delhi on 11 January. About 1300 people watched the show.

A value education workshop in Bhopal on 15 January which was inaugurated by Sri Deepak Joshi, Minister for Higher Education, Govt of Madhya Pradesh, and attended by 100 principals and teachers.

A flute recital on 18 January which was attended by around 650 people.

Gadadhar Ashrama, Kolkata: A puppet show on Swamiji on 14 January which was watched by more than 400 people.

Hyderabad: A students’ convention on 10 January in which about 2000 students from different schools participated.

Another students’ convention on 11 January in which nearly 900 girl students of different colleges participated.

Jamshedpur: Cultural competitions on Swamiji in which about 5000 students of 32 schools and colleges participated. The winners were awarded prizes in a programme on 19 January which was attended by 1200 people.

Kankhal: A public meeting on 22 November which was attended by 500 people.

A Sant Sammelan (congregation of monks) on 23 November in which nearly 1000 monks of various monasteries participated.

A youth convention on 24 November in which 400 youths took part.

Kankurgachhi: A classical music concert on 12 January which was attended by about 500 people.

Kochi: Youth camps at Kochi and Vadayampady (Dist. Ernakulam) on 1 and 23 December respectively in which altogether 211 youths took part.

Lucknow: An interfaith goodwill meet on 1 January which was attended by about 400 people.

A state-level youth convention from 10 to 12 January in which nearly 2000 youths participated.

Mangalore: A yakshagana (dance-drama) on 29 December which was attended by 800 people.

A youth convention on 11 January in which 650 youths participated.

A music programme on 14 January in which many musicians of international repute gave performances. About 500 people attended the daylong programme.

Mumbai: A laser show on Swamiji on 8 January which was watched by about 1000 people.

Muzaffarpur: Cultural competitions in which 6003 students from 45 institutions of Muzaffarpur city participated. The winners were given prizes on 12 January.

Patna: A procession and a youth convention on 22 January in which about 500 students and teachers took part.

Ponnampet: A personality development workshop on 11 January in which 160 college students took part.

Porbandar: Cultural competitions and a sports meet in which altogether 700 students participated. The winners were given prizes on 12 January.

Pune: An interfaith dialogue on 5 January in which 300 delegates participated.

A laser show on Swamiji on 7 January which was watched by about 2000 people.

A youth convention on 11 and 12 January which was attended by 1300 youths.

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Puri Mission: Cultural competitions from 7 to 10 January in which 434 students participated.

A procession and a public meeting at a village near Puri on 13 January in which about 500 people participated.

A seminar on Swamiji on 14 January in which 200 students took part.

A monks’ conference on the topic Swami Vivekananda and Hinduism on 23 January in which 100 monks belonging to various Hindu religious traditions took part.

Ramharipur: A programme comprising speeches and cultural events on 11 January in which about 1500 people took part.

A classical music concert on 23 January which was attended by 200 people.

Salem: Value education programmes for youths on 27 and 28 December at a college in Salem. The programme was attended by 200 youths.

A value education programme for parents in Salem on 18 January in which 54 parents took part.

Sarisha: A devotees’ convention on 25 December in which nearly 250 devotees took part.

Puppet shows on 10 and 11 January which were watched by 4000 people.

Seva Pratishthan: A music concert on 11 January which was attended by 250 people.

A puppet show on Swamiji on 17 January which was watched by 300 persons.

Shillong: A bike rally on 11 January. About 90 bikers took part in the rally which passed through all the main roads of Shillong. Brief reception meetings were held at two places.

A public meeting on 13 January which was addressed by Dr K K Paul, Governor of Meghalaya, and other dignitaries. In the afternoon cultural shows depicting the local culture of North East India were held.

Nearly 600 people attended the programme.

Swamiji’s Ancestral House, Kolkata: On the centre’s initiative, 12 public meetings were held at different places in Kolkata from 22 December to 20 January. In all, about 6500 people attended the programmes.

Public meetings and a cultural show at the Ashrama from 30 December to 15 January which were attended altogether by 2600 people.

Vadodara: A state-level written quiz competition on Swamiji in which 88,000 students of 1200 high schools participated. The prizes were awarded to winners on 19 January. o

Centres outside India Japan: A special programme comprising lectures by distinguished speakers, classical Indian dance and a video show on Swamiji at Suita, Osaka, Japan, on 30 November. The message for the occasion sent by Mr Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan, was read out, and the Japanese version of the book The Religion of Love by Swamiji was released.

Malaysia: A nation-wide essay-writing competition on Swamiji in which about 300 students participated. The winners were awarded prizes on 12 January.

A programme comprising speeches and cultural events on 12 January.

St. Louis (USA): Nineteen special lectures in the year 2013.

The centre published the second edition of Vivekananda: East Meets West, a coloured pictorial biography of Swamiji. o

Celebrations in South Korea ‘Vivek 150’ a grand celebration in commemoration of the 150th birth anniversary of Swami T h e

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Vivekananda got underway on 20 th Oct 2013 at Samsung Convention Hall in Sookmyung University, Seoul, South Korea. Organized by the newly established Vedanta Society of Korea in association with the Indian Cultural Centre and Indian Chamber of Commerce in Korea with help and patronage of Vedanta Society of Japan, the festival drew more than 300 participants comprising of scholars, students, businessmen and South Korea festivities representatives of various Indian and Korean groups. Prominent among them were Kok Hyun Chang, Secretary General of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Dr. Chae Yong Kim, Professor, Sogang University who paid rich tributes to Swami Vivekananda and his contribution to world thought. Vivekananda Yoga Olympiad, Speech contest and exhibition on the life and works of Swami Vivekananda were the highlights of the event. The commemorative event also showcased various facets of Indian culture including music, dance and yoga.

National Youth Day Celebrations

Chennai Math distributed 12,00,000 pamphlets containing 20 inspirational quotations of Swamiji to about 4000 educational institutions in Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry, Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh for their students. The students recited the quotations at their institutions on a day earmarked by the latter as “Vivekananda Day”. Some schools have made it a practice that their students recite these quotations every week so that they get attuned to Swamiji’s thoughts.

On this occasion of 150th Birth Anniversary, Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai, organized, among others, a pictorial exhibition of the various activities and projects it took for the year-long celebrations.

Consisting of flex printouts of the pictures of different events, the exhibition was put up around the outer wall of the universal temple of Sri Ramakrishna.

Exhibition and cultural programmes at Chennai Math

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As part of the Tamilnadu Swami Vivekananda Ratham’s itinerary, the Ratham visited various parts of Chennai and was accorded a warm welcome wherever it went. The Ratham was given a befitting reception by the students of Ramakrishna Math Vivekananda Centenary Girls’ Higher Secondary School, Mint Street, Chennai. Students paid floral tributes to Swamiji besides listening to his message and taking part in other festivities.

Welcome to Vivekananda Ratha by Students of R.K.Math Vivekananda Centenary Girls’ Higher Sec. School, Mint, Chennai

Madurai Math conducted an essay-writing competition in which 23,361 students from 287 institutions in 8 districts of Tamil Nadu participated.

Nagpur Math conducted cultural competitions for students in which 9700 students from 110 schools in 50 villages took part. Besides, a procession and a symposium were also held.

The birthday (tithi-puja) of Swami Vivekananda was celebrated at Belur Math on Thursday, 23 January. Thousands of devotees attended the celebration throughout the day. Cooked prasad was served to about 24,000 devotees. Swami Buddhadevananda presided over the public meeting held in the afternoon.

The Headquarters (jointly with Saradapitha) and the following centres celebrated the Youth Day with various programmes such as processions, speeches, recitations and cultural competitions: Aalo (Along), Agartala, Allahabad, Asansol, Aurangabad, Baghbazar, Bangalore, Baranagar Mission, Belgaum, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Chandigarh, Chapra, Chengalpattu, Coimbatore Math, Coimbatore Mission, Cooch Behar, Dehradun (Kishanpur), Delhi, Deoghar, Gadadhar Ashrama, Garbeta, Ghatshila, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Institute of Culture (Kolkata), Jalpaiguri, Jamshedpur, Jayrambati, Kadapa, Kalady, Kanchipuram, Kanpur, Kochi, Limbdi, Malda, Manasadwip, Mangalore, Medinipur, Mumbai, Muzaffarpur, Patna, Ponnampet, Port Blair, Pune, Puri Mission, Raipur, Rajkot, Ramharipur, Ranchi Morabadi, Ranchi Sanatorium, Salem, Sargachhi, Sarisha, Seva Pratishthan, Shillong, Sikra-Kulingram, Silchar, Swamiji’s Ancestral House, Taki, Thiruvananthapuram, Tiruvalla, Ulsoor, Vadodara, Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam and Vrindaban. o General News Revered President Maharaj inaugurated the newly built four-storey monks’ quarters near water treatment plant at Belur Math on 14 January, the sacred birthday of Swami Turiyanandaji Maharaj.

Lucknow Sevashrama provided Vitamin A capsules to 1869 underprivileged children of two schools in Sitapur district and free glasses to 52 children with refractory errors in the month of January.

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The General Secretary unveiled a statue of Swami Vivekananda, installed on the initiative of our Kamarpukur centre, at Kamarpukur New Chatti on 3 January.

The General Secretary inaugurated the newly built extensions to the dispensary building and primary school (Vivek Vithi) building of Kamarpukur centre on 3 January.

Seva Pratishthan conducted a round-the-clock medical camp during Makar Sankranti Mela at Sagar Island in South 24-Parganas district from 10 to 16 January. In all, 5483 patients were treated, out of which 45 received indoor medical care. Besides, 150 blankets, 100 pieces of clothing and 4000 copies of religious books were distributed to poor pilgrims and monks.

On the occasion of Gangasagar Mela, Manasadwip centre organized a camp at the Mela area from 12 to 16 January. In all, 1135 pilgrims were provided with free board and lodging at the camp and the Ashrama. Besides, free meals were served to about 200 non-resident pilgrims daily. Discourses and devotional singing were also arranged in the camp.

On 22 January, Mamata Banerjee, Chief Minister of West Bengal, inaugurated the renovated Roy Villa at Darjeeling centre, where Sister Nivedita had spent her last days, along with the language school and computer training unit in the presence of Sri Bimal Gurung, Chief Executive of GTA (Gorkhaland Territorial Administration), and several other dignitaries. The General Secretary presided over the function. o Award Presented Our Fiji centre has received Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award from the Government of India for raising the prestige of India by rendering commendable community service in that country. The award comprising a citation and a medal was handed over by Sri Pranab Mukherjee, President of India, at a function held in Delhi on 9 January. o Relief News Woollen Blankets Distributed: More than 11000 blankets were distributed to poor people by our 23 centres in India. Our Jamtara centre distributed 304 sweaters and 67 shawls from 29 November to 20 December.

Refugee Relief: Our Lucknow centre continued relief work among the 44 families who are camping in Mobaiya area of Lucknow, having been uprooted from their homeland along the LOC in Baramulla district of Kashmir owing to hostile environment there. The centre distributed rice, dal (lentils), oil, salt, spices, tea and sugar to these families in the month of January.

Distress Relief: Various centres distributed various items, such as dhotis, saries, towels, writing materials, T-shirts, chaddars, tea bags and cooking materials in varying quantities to thousands of needy people across the country.

Economic Rehabilitation: West Bengal: Our Antpur centre distributed 6 sewing machines, 5 rickshaw vans and 5 weaving sets to needy people on 17 December. o You see, when we who understood Swamiji, and remember Him are dead, there will come a long period of obscurity and silence, for the work that He did. It will seem to be forgotton, untill, suddenly, in 150 or 200 years, it will be found to have transformed the West. —Letters of Sister Nivedita, letter dated 11 April 1906 p.800

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Book Review For review in The Vedanta Kesari,

publishers need to send us two copies of their latest publication.

Yoga in day-to-day Life

By Swami Brahmeshananda Published by Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai-4, 2013, Paperback, pp.250+xiv, Rs.50.

The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali constitute one of the six systems of Indian Philosophy. But Yoga has now become popular throughout the world, not so much for its philosophy, but as a system of alternative medicine.

Very few teaching institutions of Yoga discuss its philosophical aspects, confining themselves to Asana and Pranayama. Patanjali’s Yoga is the Indian Psychology, with its main objective being the study of the mind. But, unfortunately there are not many books describing the philosophy or psychology in a simple language. The book under review fills that gap eminently.

The author has pieced together in this book some of the editorials he had written for Vedanta Kesari, when he was its editor. He has also included a few independent articles of his. Some of the articles are in the form of essays, whereas the others are in the form of questions and answers. The author has covered practically the entire range of Patanjali’s Yoga, making this edition an attractive handbook.

The book commences with a general introduction, and then proceeds chapter-wise with a description of the limbs of Yoga. The first part is about Yama and Niyama. All the five Yamas, viz., Ahimsa, Satya, Asteya, Brahmacharya and Aparigraha are discussed in separate chapters.

The aim of the author is not only to explain the principles, but also their application in human life and the methods of applying them. This adds significantly to the value of the book. The chapters are well written and directly appeal to the reader.

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Four chapters have been dedicated to Niyama, one each for Shaucha, Tapas, Svadhyaya and Ishwarapranidhana. Surprisingly the author has not written anything about Santosha, because contentment is a very important prerequisite for Yogic practice. The explanations are lucid and down to earth. Thus, the author has made up for the gap left by most books in ignoring these basic ethical principles. Patanjali himself considers them so important that he devotes several sutras to them, many more than to the other limbs like Asana, Pranayama and Pratyahara.

The chapters on Asana and Pranayama, which follow, are both in the form of questions and answers. Though short, they cover every aspect of these limbs adequately. The following chapters on Pratyahara and Dharana are in the form of essays.

These are brief, but very clearly written. The next chapter on Japa and meditation is the one to which the author appears to give the greatest importance.

It is also in the form of questions and answers. From the point of daily practice they occupy the central position, and practically every spiritual leader has considered them mandatory for all spiritual practitioners.

The author winds up with five chapters dealing with some general issues, like obstacles to meditation, benefits of meditation, yoga in daily life, developing a healthy personality and last, but not the least, yoga and the Gita. This last topic is interesting. The sixth chapter of the Gita deals with certain aspects of Ashtanga Yoga, complementing the Yoga Sutras. What Patanjali glosses over is treated in the Gita more elaborately, and vice versa.

The book makes pleasant reading and is at the same time educative. The author has provided a complete picture of Yoga and people coming to Yoga for the first time will find this book an excellent entry point. Chennai Math has brought out the book with its usual elegance. It is, indeed, a great tribute to the Master Yogi, Swami Vivekananda, on his 150th birth anniversary! ______________________________ NVC SWAMY, BANGALORE

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Enlightenment is Your Birthright

By Deepk Kodikal Published by Viva Books, 4737/23, Ansari Road, Daryaganj, New Delhi 110 002, 2013, paperback, pp.223, Rs.395.

Swami Ranganathananda (the 13th President of the Ramakrishna Math and Mission) used to highlight the fact that in the course of biological evolution, up to the pre-human stage, i.e., up to the emergence of the human being, progress is almost automatic and mechanical. Once man has appeared, a clear demarcation sets in between the developments during evolution at the pre-human stage and progress from that point. According to Julian Huxley and Swami Ranganathananda, the evolution at the human stage is not organic, but turns out to be ‘psycho-social,’ requiring conscious efforts to rise higher and higher (in parenthesis, it may be mentioned that this theory well fits in with Aurobindo’s view that ‘man can grow into a superman’).

Naturally, man being endowed with numerous mental faculties can set goals for fulfilment in his lifetime and strive to attain them. And the highest goal one can think of is ‘enlightenment,’ which is the central theme of the book under review.

From birth, the physical and physiological growth of human beings occurs naturally, many not even being aware of it, much less being conscious of changes happening almost constantly. Once mental faculties come to play, they need to be fostered, nurtured, and refined. Amongst various expressions such as enlightenment, Moksha, Kaivalya, and Nirvana, the author has chosen the term enlightenment for a detailed study. In a pithy summing up, the author says that the ‘experiential realisation of the self as God and God as self, and the two as one self is enlightenment.’ In other words, enlightenment is both self-realisation and God-realisation—a merger with the Lord so to say (chapter 8). It is striking that the meaning of ‘Advaita’ or the absorbing experience of a mystique cannot be described better! No wonder that a few T h e

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sections in the book are devoted to an exposition and elucidation of the ‘Advaita’ philosophy.

Enlightenment is also ‘Atma darshan’—coming face to face with one’s pure consciousness. All this implies discerning God as the embodiment of ‘Sat-chit-ananda’ (chapter 9). The experiencer confidently feels ‘Aham Brahmasmi,’ i.e., ‘I am the Supreme Being’. Tattvamasi [‘You are That’] is realising the infinite consciousness behind the finite personality (chapter 12). This is an affirmation of Swami Vivekananda’s clarion pronouncement that divinity is latent in every human being, and with appropriate spiritual practices, it can be manifested.

Enlightenment also causes major upheavals in a person, powerful energies being activated in the body (chapter 63). Events in the lives of numerous saints and sages the world over and in different eras bear ample testimony to this.

Amongst various paths or means, to march towards enlightenment, the author rightly emphasises the utility of meditation. The simple steps suggested will be of great help to the readers and beginners of yoga exercises. What is popularly known as ‘Kundalini Yoga’ is described in detail in a separate chapter (no. 102), the author referring to Kundalini as a female person. The author avoids the pronoun ‘it,’ but uses ‘she,’ and ‘her’ and calls Kundalini a mighty force.

In sum, when denied political freedom, Bal Gangadhar Tilak proclaimed that ‘freedom is our birthright.’ Then, enlightenment is certainly the birthright of every human being.

That the entire book is in Question-Answer format makes reading and understanding simple. _______________________________ K.GOPALAN, BANGALORE

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Ubhaya Bharati—A historical Play

By C.K. Venkata Ramayya, Translated by S. Ramaswamy Published by Bhavan’s Gandhi Centre of Science and Human Values, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, #43/1, Race Course Road, Bengaluru-560001 and C.V.Nagaraj memorial trust, Bangalore, 2012, Paperback, Pp xx+ 186. Rs.110 M A R C H

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The book under review is a translation of a Kannada drama written by Venkata Ramayya. The translator of the play, S.Ramaswamy, with great difficulties in translating the play, has standardised the events that took place in the eighth century which have well educated and cultured individuals as the characters. Several philosophical concepts and religious differences have been intellectually debated in the play. Hence the dialogues and discussions are in an unusual but sophisticated language.

The deep erudition and consummate skill in stagecraft are revealed in every scene of the play in which Ubhayabharati (Saraswati), the Bauddha Jagadguru, Mandana Mishra (Vishwarupa—the husband of Ubhayabharati), Kumarila Bhatta(Bhatta pada) and Sri Shankaracharya (young ascetic) are made to play the key roles adding glory to the fruitful and worthwhile discussion on the fundamental philosophical doctrines between the two major schools of Indian philosophy viz., Mimamsa and Advaita.

The conversation among the supporting characters also go along with the main characters in the exposition of the emotional elements of the play thereby bringing full life to it. The bhavas, rasas, and dhvanis which are essential for a play, according to Bharata, are very well knitted for joyous delightful experience and an aesthetic enjoyment of the play, besides intellectual debates. Particularly in act four, scene two, the dialogue among Mandana Mishra, Ubhayabharati, King Prabhakara Varma, and Adi Shankara pertaining to the validity of the ashrama dharma, religious practices, ascetic experience, caste distinction, nature of the ultimate truth, observance of dharma, role of a guru, Vadic divisions based on the lenience to karma and jnana etc., provides dramatic entertainment and philosophical enlightenment.

Both the author and the translator are to be appreciated for their phenomenal contributions exhibiting ‘extraordinary blend of deep scholarship, dramatic plots and skilful stagecraft of the highest order’. Some thought-provoking statements such as ‘It is mandatory that a Sannyasin should prostrate to his Guru and his mother’ (p126), ‘For an ascetic, praise and blame are the same’ (p127), ‘Only the wealth of Knowledge and the splendour of virtue are important, not age’ and other such statements certainly make the readers contemplate seriously T h e

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on the elimination of evil and the inculcation of noble traits for the attainment of liberation from the shackles of empirical existence. __________________________R. GOPALAKRISHNAN, CHENNAI

Women: Where Would the World Be Without You

By J.P.Vaswani Gita publishing house, Sadhu Vaswani Mission, 10, Sadhu Vaswani path, Pune411 001, 2013,paperback, pp.439, Rs.195.

Imagine a world where about half the inhabitants are not able to access public and private spaces, unable to travel in safety, prevented from further education, teased, tortured and, in some cases, driven to suicide simply because the other half has decided that they should not be allowed to do these things. This is the world most women inhabit.

That is why this book is a timely and welcome work which asks an important question squarely: where would this world be without women?—a very important question and one that everyone should ask himself.

The book is divided into two sections. The first section has ten chapters and the second, has seventeen. In the first section, the writer deals with general issues, burning problems which are exacerbated owing to gender inequalities. Here he ponders over the evils of female foeticide, physical violence, discriminatory pay and working conditions and points out that women need to be financially independent as well as have the liberty of living where they want to, a liberty that is in many cases denied them for reasons of safety.

In the second section, Vaswani talks with great conviction and sincerity about the very many qualities of women which have been either taken for granted or ridiculed and reviled, as their weaknesses, such as kindness, respect, nurturance,, but in fact which are the very basis of civilised society. He begins with a chapter entitled ‘Second Class Citizens?’, where he examines the present attitude towards women, despite the many strides they have taken through education and increased

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opportunities. Vaswani asks some uncomfortable questions about the everyday life of women which men would do well to examine and answer. Here is a sample: ‘From New York to Nice, from New Delhi to Sydney, can a woman feel safe and secure moving about on her own, without a male escort, especially after dark? On city roads and motorways, at parking lots and signals, are women drivers treated with the same courtesy and politeness shown to men?’ (p 37) Having said this, the author then goes to decry so-called advances when even these basic rights are denied. He examines the institutions in society such as marriage and motherhood. Both these are highly valued in our society and are associated with much that is admired and respected. However, even these ancient traditions are now being questioned.

This, according to the author, is because people are moving away from the traditional roots and occupations towards new lifestyles. Immigration can be forced, as through the Partition of India, or voluntary, as has happened right through the last century because of perceptions of a better life. This leads to a kind of rootlessness, where the values of the new culture are not entirely acceptable. On the other hand, the mores of the old culture are not viable, indeed, they are forgotten. Vaswani feels women can play a role in sustaining all that is good in accepted wisdom.

The book discusses many of the particularly relevant questions and dilemmas facing women today: remaining single, working in the world of men. The author goes through many of the

difficulties such choices present in a culture where domesticity and family life have been the norm for the previous thousand years and extolled in religion and literature. Vaswani examines the qualities that women are specially noted for—love, sacrifice, purity, spirituality—all of which make them the natural guardians of traditional culture.

The book is very interesting and a timely evaluation of the trends that are in vogue in society in a state flux. Vaswani presents very convincingly the many opposing trends that are today present, confusing and contradictory to a generation seeking their way forward. He certainly makes the reader think and reflect by his direct and hard-hitting analysis of the problems that ambivalent attitudes create. His style is easy and extremely readable and every reader will surely understand the logical deductive quality in every one of his views.

The book abounds with exemplars of lives of strong women who have successfully battled the obstacles placed by life and come through despite many odds. It is recommended reading as a starting point for anyone—especially men—who has begun thinking about inequalities. Across the world, women are viewed as repositories of culture and values, but in a world created largely by men who choose aggression over peace and regression over progress.

We would like more such appraisals of society where the other half can feel truly respected as individuals, rather than simply as guardians of traditions. ___________________________ PREMA RAGHUNATH, CHENNAI

Swami Vivekananda in Tamil Nadu—Swami Vivekananda's 150th Birth Anniversary Souvenir (in Tamil and English) Published by Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai - 600004. Tamil Nadu. 2014, pages 457 soft bound. Price: 100/- rupees

Organised in to six sections and containing articles in English (10) and Tamil (12) on various aspects of Swami Vivekananda's visits to Tamil Nadu, their historical significance and contemporary relevance, short history of Vivekanandar Illam (the place where he stayed in Chennai in 1897), and a host of related articles. The last section gives a detailed report of Swami Vivekananda's 150th Birth Anniversary Celebrations in Tamil Nadu by the Ramakrishna Math and Mission centres including All-Tamil Nadu Swami Vivekananda Ratha Yatra.

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December 2012 issue of the Vedanta Kesari now available in book form

Indian Culture Its Timeless Appeal and Ageless Charm The core philosophy of Indian Culture a nd its significance in modern times

A must for all students and admirers of Indian Culture

Indian culture is one of the most ancient and diverse cultures in the world.

What is more, it is a living culture, not tucked away in museums and dusty volumes but a living force in the daily and social lives of millions of Indians, in India and abroad. Despite these ennobling truths, it is also a fact that much needs to be done to preserve and cultivate Indian culture especially amongst youth. Dwelling on various aspects of our cultural heritage and the grand philosophy, this volume tries to bring together the scholarly and everyday approach to Indian culture. This aims at promoting understanding of Indian culture in a simple and easy-to-read style, without losing its serious and profound dimensions.

The whole book printed in four-colours Hard bound, Pages. x + 374 Price: Rs. 275/- + Postage: Rs.30/-for single copy.

Published by Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai - 600 004 Email: mail@chennaimath.org

Request for VPP not accepted

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Ramakrishna Sarada Ashrama Devaprayag Dedication Ceremony Dear Devotee, By infinite Divine grace and continuous support of innumerable devotees, Ramakrishna Sarada Ashrama Devaprayag is almost completing the first phase of its construction work.

Nestled in the midst of the Garhwal Himalayas in Uttarakhand (100 kms from Haridwar), the Ashrama is located in Devaprayag, a small hill township adorned with beatific silence and solitude. The sacred rivers Alakananda and Bhagirathi mingle together to form the Ganga at Devaprayag. Many mythological temples including the ‘Raghunathji Temple’ and ‘Chandrabadani Temple’ have made Devaprayag a great place of pilgrimage.

It is proposed to consecrate the newly constructed Ashrama at the altar of the Holy Trio of Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Sarada Devi and Swami Vivekananda through a ‘Dedication Ceremony’ and public celebration, organized at Devaprayag on 7th & 8th of April, 2014. Puja, Havan, Bhajans and cultural programs will be held to mark this solemn occasion.

It is our privilege to welcome all devotees to be a part of this event. Accommodation and prasad for devotees will be arranged at nearby hotels/ resorts for 3 days- 6th, 7th and 8th April 2014. To and fro transportation will also be arranged between Haridwar and Devaprayag on the morning of 6th and 9th April.

Devotees requiring help in arranging their accommodation/ transportation may kindly contact: Name Bharati Dutta Dipti Chowdhary Utpal Saraswati Tripti Sarkar Debasis Biswas

Place Delhi Delhi Kolkata Faridabad Bhopal

Telephone 09818529576 09313784860 09163397338, 09830057787 09312407968 7747010312

Communication: Swami Sarvatmananda, Ramakrishna Sarada Ashrama Devaprayag, Dak Banglow Road, PO Devaprayag, Tehri Garhwal, Uttarakhand. PIN 249301. Telephone: 09410520939, 09897452084 Cheque/DD may please be drawn in favour of: Ramakrishna Sarada Ashrama.

Online Donation: CBS A/Cs- PNB Devaprayag; A/C 0625000100098104 (IFSC: PUNB 0062500) SBI Devaprayag; A/C 30932831669 (IFSC: SBIN 0014135) Yours in service, Swami Sarvatmananda

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Ramakrishna Mission Sevashrama

(A branch centre of Ramakrishna Mission, P.O. Belur Math. Distt. Howrah, W.B. – 711 202) Swami Vivekananda Path, P.O. Bela, Muzaffarpur–843 116, Bihar, Phone: 0621-2272127, 2272963 E-mail: rkm.muzaffarpur@gmail.com Website: www.rkmmuzaffarpur.org

Appeal On the Occasion of 150th Birth Anniversary of Swami Vivekananda

Eye, ENT, Dental Clinic cum Diagnostic Centre Present Infrastructure: Oldest Eye Infirmary in North Bihar established in 1947,

General dispensary, Dental, Homeopathy, X-Ray, Pathology; Our Vision:

A new Medical Building with Specialty in Eye, ENT and Dental care, Various OPD Sections, Well equipped Clinical Lab., R & D Section, Modern Diagnostic, Para medical Training.

First Phase Requirement: 13000 Sq. ft. Construction of Medical Building, Gl.Fl.

remaining work—Rs.20 Lakh, Recovery Unit—70 Lakh,

Diagnostic Unit—60 Lakh, Doctors / Staff Qrs.—60 Lakh,

Equipments: Rs.65 Lakh, Permanent Fund: Rs. 1 Crore Work in Progress: Finishing work of Gr. Fl. and construction of Recovery Unit is in progress

Work in Progress

Surgery in O.T.

Post Care

Dear Friends, Your contribution towards up-coming eye, e n t, dental care project for a place like Muzaffarpur where backlog in blindness eradication is very large and health infrastructure is very poor will be palpably a real homage to Swami Vivekananda whose heart bled for poor humanity. Donors will find here a right place to perpetuate memories and sentiments of their near and dear ones.

With Prayers to Holy Trinity for you and all yours, Swami Bhavatmananda Secretary Any contribution made in favour of “Ramakrishna Mission Sevashrama, Muzaffarpur.” is exempted from Income Tax u/s 80G of IT Act 1961.

Details of the Project may be had from our office.

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Goa—Blessed by His Sacred Touch Swami Vivekananda travelled the length and breadth of India during his Parivrajak-days. Motivated by an inner urge to explore and imbibe the varying colours of India and her timeless culture, and inspired by a deep monastic passion to visit various Tirthas that dot India’s sacred geography, Swamiji went around the country. During these travels, he visited Goa in 1892 and spent some days in this ancient part of India— seeing most of its sacred places, interacting with many people in Goa, both eminent and commoners. This booklet provides an overview of this visit, bringing together the scattered facts and information, along with multicolour pictures.

Published by Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai - 600 004 Email : mail@chennaimath.org

Pages 72. Price: Rs. 20/- + Postage: Rs.20/-for single copy.

No request for VPP entertained

SRI RAMAKRISHNA ADVAITA ASHRAMA (HQS: Ramakrishna Math & Mission, Belur Math) P.O. Kalady, Ernakulam-683574, Kerala Phone: 0484-2462345, Mob: 9447051231 E-mail: srkaadv@dataone.in The Ashrama has been running a free hostel for the poor & underprivileged children from classes V to X since 1936. They are provided with food, uniforms, accommodation and education up to Xth Std. absolutely free of charge. They are enrolled in the school managed by the Ashrama within its campus.

There is an urgent need for repair and renovation of the old hostel buildings and also creating a ‘Hostel Corpus Fund’ of Rs. 2 Crores for maintaining the hostel with 100 boys.

We appeal to the generous public, friends and well wishers to donate liberally for this most essential educational project.

You are also welcome to donate towards various other regular activities: a) Daily Puja & Seva; b) General Maintenance of the Ashrama; c) Charitable Dispensary; d) Widows’ Welfare.

Donations towards the activities of the Ashrama are exempt from Income Tax under 80G. Cheques or Bank Drafts may be drawn in favour of ‘Sri Ramakrishna Advaita Ashrama, Kalady’ and sent to the above address. Donations also can be sent directly through RTGS/NEFT to our A/c No. 338602010009164 at Union Bank of India, Kalady (IFSC Code: UBIN0533866).

Swami Amaleshananda Adhyaksha

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NAVAJEEVAN BLIND RELIEF CENTRE (FREE HOME FOR THE BLIND, ORPHAN AND AGED) TIRUCHANOOR, TIRUPATI - 517503. Ph : 0877-2239992, 9908537528 [Mob.] E-mail: sreenavajeevan@gmail.com Website: www.navajeevan.org

An Appeal 34 Years of Service to Humanity 1979 - 2012 1. Navajeevan School & Hostel for Blind Children – Tirupati, Parlekhimundi, Golamunda 2. Navajeevan Free Eye Hospital

– Tirupati

3. Navajeevan Free Home for Aged – Tirupati, Rishikesh, Parlekhimundi and Chennai 4. Navajeevan Harijan Sewa Ashram

– Kothapeta

5. Navajeevan Sharanagati Vridhashram

– Tirupati

6. Navajeevan Rural Medical Centres

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Berhampur [Orissa]

7. Navajeevan Eye Care Centres

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Serango [Orissa]

8. Navajeevan Orphanage Homes – Tirupati, Parlehkimundi, Saluru, Golamunda, Berhampur, Pandukal, Vizag

A Humble Request for Donation 1. Sponsor one day Annadan to Blind Children and aged

– Rs. 5000/-

3. Sponsor one blind child or Orphan child for one year

– Rs. 6000/-

2. Sponsor 5 IOL Cataract Eye Operations

4. Sponsor one poor aged person for one year

5. Sponsor one free eye camp at Rural/Tribal area 6. Vidyadan—Educational aid for one Child

– Rs. 7000/– Rs. 5000/-

– Rs. 50000/– Rs. 2000/-

Donor devotees can send their contributions by cheque/DD/MO to the above address on the occasion of birthday, wedding day or any other special occasion and receive prasadam of Lord Balaji Venkateswara of Tirupati as blessings.

Contributions to NAVAJEEVAN BLIND RELIEF CENTRE, Tirupati are eligible for Tax Relief U/S 80G of Income Tax Act.

‘We can attain salvation through social work’ – Swami Vivekananda K. Sridhar Acharya Founder/ President

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Vol.101-3 The Vedanta Kesari (English Monthly) March 2014. Regd. with the Registrar of Newspapers for India under No.1084 / 57. POSTAL REGISTRATION NUMBER:TN / CH (C) / 190 / 12-14. LICENCED TO POST WITHOUT PREPAYMENT TN/PMG(CCR)/WPP-259 / 2012-14 Date of Publication: 24th of every month

Teach yourselves, teach everyone his/her real nature, call upon the sleeping soul and see how it awakes.

Power will come, glory will come, goodness will come, purity will come, and everything that is excellent will come, when this sleeping soul is roused to self-conscious activity.

—Swami Vivekananda

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Subscription (inclusive of postage) Annual : ` 100 10 years: ` 1000 Contact: A R C H 2www.chennaimath.org 0 1 4 T h e Sri V Ramakrishna e d a n t a K eMath, s a r i Chennai. ~ IV ~ MWebsite: