Reminiscences
Reminiscences of Sargachhi SWAMI SUHITANANDA
1.2.61 (contd…) Maharaj: Swami Vishuddhananda says, “Hold on to Sri Ramakrishna”. If somebody reads his lectures sincerely and seriously, he will understand what it is to “hold on to Sri Ramakrishna”. His holding on to Sri Ramakrishna is just like Sri Ramakrishna holding on to the Divine Mother. He explains the Gita, Upanishads, The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, Jnana Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, and other texts in the light of Sri Ramakrishna’s life and teachings. He explains the ultimate conclusions of Advaita Vedanta. 1 The saying of the Vaishnavas, Nitya siddha Krishna-prem saadhya kabhu nai, “The love of Krishna is the Absolute Perfect State; it cannot be attained by spiritual practices”, is verily a statement of knowledge; it is a Vedantic Truth. It means that at that state my identification with the body-mind-intellect will be cast off and I will remain in the anandamaya kosha, the blissful sheath or dimension of my personality. The Nitya-Vrindavana that the Vaishnavas speak of also represents this dwelling in the blissful sheath. Here too, if an aspirant continues his regular spiritual practices, he attains kramamukti or gradual liberation by going to the Brahma Loka. But if he goes to the Brahma Loka
55
by the dint of some meritorious act, and not by the power of spiritual practices, then he will have to return to this worldly existence.
Our jnanis gradually become fanatics – they won’t utter anything other than so’ham, I am He! The bhaktas are also fanatics – they won’t even try to understand what so’ham means! Although this is true, if the aspirant’s intellect is sharp and he practices austerities sitting like a log of wood for twenty years, (i.e., unshaken from his resolve and not roaming around) then he will attain perfection. But his mind will not remain steady unless, by the power of his spiritual practices, he develops an inclination to realise the Truth. He will reach that state if he has a powerful brain and strong nerves.
Sri Ramakrishna has said that men of true worth are dead though still living (i.e., they are dead to the world). It means that they are not disturbed by external things. They remain unmoved like logs of wood, and take no notice of the world even if it burns or rots. If you have come here sincerely in the name of Sri Ramakrishna, then you need not have any fear. Don’t you understand who has come? Parabrahma himself has come this time! We know what will happen to whom and where and when because we have direct access to the
November 2020
Swami Premeshananda (1884 – 1967) was a disciple of Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi. For over two decades he lived at Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama, Sargachhi, West Bengal. Under his inspiration countless people led a life of spirituality and service, and many young men and women entered into monastic life. His conversations – translated from Bengali and presented below – were noted by his attendant who is now Srimat Swami Suhitananda Ji, one of the VicePresidents of the Ramakrishna Order.
17 The Vedanta Kesari
PA G E S P O N S O R : D R . S U B R A M A N I YA B H A R AT H I YA R R . , K A N C H E E P U R A M
(Continued from previous issue. . .)
