The Vedanta Kesari - February 2021 Issue by Sri Ramakrishna Math Chennai

The

Vedanta Kesari

“Love India” — Swami Vivekananda

`15

A Cultural and Spiritual Monthly of the Ramakrishna Order since 1914

F ebruary 2021

स्वदेशमन्त्रः

February 2021

Swami Vivekananda contributed a seminal essay on India, titled Bartaman Bharat or ‘Modern India’ in the March 1899 issue of the Udbodhan, the Bengali magazine of the Ramakrishna Order. In the concluding paragraph, Swamiji gave a powerful call which is popularly known as Swadesha Mantra. Given below is a Sanskrit translation of this call, done by some devotees:

The Vedanta Kesari

हे भारत, इमं परानुवादम्, इमां परानुकृतिम्, इमां परमुखापेक्षाम,् इदं दासजनोचितदौर्बल्यम्, इदं च घृण्यं जघन्यं नैष्ठुर्यम्— एतावन्मात्रम् अवलम्ब्य त्वम् उन्नताधिकारं लप्स्यसे किमु? उतैतया लज्जास्पदेन कापुरुषतया त्वं वीरभोग्यां स्वाधीनताम् अनुभोक्ष्यसे? हे भारत, मा विस्मर— तव नारीजनानाम् आदर्शः सीता, सावित्री, दमयन्ती। मा विस्मर— तवोपास्य उमानाथः, सर्वत्यागी शङ्करः। मा विस्मर— तव विवाहः, तव धनं, तव जीवनं च नेन्द्रियसुखार्थं, न वा वैयक्तिकसुखार्थम्। मा विस्मर— जन्मनः एव त्वं जनन्यै बलिभूतः। मा विस्मर— तव समाजः तस्याः विराड्रूपिण्याः महामायायाः छायामात्रम् इति। मा विस्मर— नीचजातीयः, मूर्खः, दरिद्रः, अज्ञः, चर्मकारः, स्वच्छताकरः च सर्वे तव रुधिरं, तव सोदराः। हे वीर, धैर्यम् अवलम्बस्व, सदर्पं ब्रूहि— अहं भारताभिजनः, प्रत्येकं भारतीयः मम भ्राता। वद— मूर्खभारतीयः, दरिद्रभारतीयः, ब्राह्मणभारतीयः, चण्डालभारतीयः सर्वे मम सहोदराः। त्वमपि कटिदघ्नवस्त्रावृतः सन् सदर्पं संघोष— भारतीया मे भ्रातरः, भारतीया मे प्राणाः, भारतस्य देवता ममेश्वराः, भारतस्य समाजः मम शिशुशय्या, मम यौवनस्योपवनं, मम वार्धक्यस्य वाराणसी। हे भ्रातः वद— भारतस्य मृत्तिका मे स्वर्गः, भारतस्य कल्याणं मम कल्याणम्। वद च दिवानिशं— “हे गौरीनाथ, हे जगदम्बिके, मह्यं मनुष्यत्वं प्रदेहि, मातः मम दुर्बलतां, कापुरुषतां च प्रजहि, मां मनुष्यं विधेहि।” (English translation: The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda. 4: 479-80)

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The Vedanta Kesari

A Cultural and Spiritual Monthly of The Ramakrishna Order

108

CONTENTS

Year

Publication

Vol. 108, No. 2 ISSN 0042-2983

FEBRUARY 2021

A Glimpse of Swami Brahmananda Swami Kailasananda

Swami Shivananda: A Living Light Swami Shraddhananda Ramachandra Dutta Dr. Ruchira Mitra

lls

8 Atmarpanastuti 9 Yugavani 10 Editorial 19 Reminiscences of Sargachhi 25 Vivekananda Way 34 Pariprasna 35 Lessons from Swamis 46 The Order on the March

International Peace in the Light of Indian Philosophy Swami Durgananda A Problem in Geography Gitanjali Murari Po

les

FEATURES

Poorva: Magic, Miracles and the Mystical Twelve Lakshmi Devnath

Editor: Swami Mahamedhananda Published by Swami Vimurtananda, Sri Ramakrishna Math, No.31, Ramakrishna Math Road, Chennai - 600 004 and Printed by B. Rajkumar, Chennai - 600 014 on behalf of Sri Ramakrishna Math Trust, Chennai - 600 004 and Printed at M/s. Rasi Graphics Pvt. Limited, No.40, Peters Road, Royapettah, Chennai - 600014. Website: www.chennaimath.org E-mail: vk@chennaimath.org Ph: 6374213070

February 2021

The

The Vedanta Kesari

Vedanta

One hundred and seven years e of 895 u 1 s r s e and going strong…. ti mb Firs pte e S in, He was a much-celebrated and much-feted Swami. His vad a m h famous address at The World’s Parliament of Religions, Chicago in Bra 1893 had catapulted him to the status of a super star. But Swami Vivekananda was not one to bask in chaffy glory. A letter to one of his trusted followers, from the USA, dated 12 Jan 1895, read, ‘I want to preach my ideas for the good of the world. …What work have you done in the way of advancing the ideas and organising in India? …My life is more precious than spending it in getting the admiration of the world. I have no time for such foolery.’ Swamiji, as Swami Vivekananda was fondly addressed, loved and revered his motherland as his own mother. Every breath of his aspired for her well being and every cell in his body yearned that she regain her lost glory. She had been a beacon light for the world until repeated invasions pillaged her ruthlessly and left her not just poverty-stricken but also psychologically drained. The latter struck at the very core, underlying the urgency for immediate redressal. Swamiji’s panacea for this lay in India’s very own practical and ennobling Vedantic wisdom. Vedanta recognises no weakness. It proclaims that in every individual lies a mine of strength. All that is needed is an effort to draw from it.

Swamiji started looking for the right channel to propagate the powerful message of Vedanta. He opted for the print medium and decided to bring out a journal, giving it the name Brahmavadin. In February 1895, he sent from USA $100 and a letter to his trusted disciple Alasinga Perumal. The letter read: ‘Now I am bent upon starting the journal. Herewith I send a hundred dollars… Hope this will go just a little in starting your paper.’ If selflessness and devotion would have a form, it would have borne the name of Alasinga Perumal. Brahmavadin became Alasinga’s calling and the first issue rolled out from a press in Broadway, Chennai on 14 September First iss 1895. The magazine included a poem of Swamiji ue of The Ved anta Ke specially composed for the occasion. It was titled, sari, Ma y 1914 ‘The Song of the Sannyasin’. One verse ran thus:

Kesari

One hundred and seven years and going strong….

“Strike off thy fetters! Bonds that bind thee down,

(Handwritten words in Swamiji’s own hand) With this message that marked its mission, Brahmavadin made a determined entry into the strife-ridden climate of pre-independence India. The birth of the magazine was certainly an occasion for celebration but the struggles were far from over. One of Swamiji’s letters to Alasinga read: ‘I learnt from your letter the bad financial state that Brahmavadin is in.’ This was followed by another letter that carried the line, ‘I pledge myself to maintain the paper anyhow.’ Bolstered by this pledge, Alasinga Perumal braved on, surmounting many an impediment. Sadly, Swami Vivekananda passed away in 1902, at the age of thirty-nine. Alasinga’s intense anguish morphed into heightened devotion towards the magazine. But the next hurdle in Brahmavadin’s journey came in 1909, in the form of Alasinga’s own demise. In May 1914, the magazine, tottering as it was, floundered and ground to a halt.

It was at this crucial juncture, that the Ramakrishna Mission stepped in to revive it. The Mission was itself in its nascent stages with many a teething problem but nothing could come in its way of reviving the Brahmavadin. For, had not their beloved Swamiji repeatedly said, ‘The Brahmavadin is a jewel – it must not perish!” And so, the very same month when Brahmavadin closed, it was resuscitated with the new name The Vedanta Kesari. The history of The Vedanta Kesari is much more than just a tale of sweat, toil and a dream realised. It is a narrative of Swamiji’s passion for India and Alasinga’s devotion to his master. It is a celebration of love, transcending forms.

5 The Vedanta Kesari

For fetters, though of gold, are not less strong to bind;

February 2021

Love, hate — good, bad — and all the dual throng,

Appeal

February 2021

For the last 107 years, without missing a single issue, the magazine has been carrying the invigorating message of Vedanta and alongside, continuously revamping itself to meet the changing needs of the times.

The relevance of Vedantic wisdom to everyday life is all the more pertinent today than ever before. ‘Arise, Awake and stop not till the goal is reached,’ is the thundering motto of Swami Vivekananda. The Ramakrishna Mission, as you all know, is a unique organisation where sannyasis and lay people come together and endeavour for the common good. Let’s join hands in taking forward our revered Swamiji’s vision and mission for The Vedanta Kesari.

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Prayer

Atmarpanastuti Sri Appayya Dikshitendra

February 2021

Sloka - 38 काले कण्ठस्फुरदसुकलालेशसत्तावलोक व्यग्रोदग्रव्यसनिसकलस्निग्धरुद्धोपकण्ठे। अन्तस्तोदैरवधिरहितामार्तिमापद्यमाने ऽप्यङ्घिद्वम्ढे तव निविशतामन्तरात्मन् ममात्मा ॥३८

The Vedanta Kesari

O Indwelling Self of all! When, at the time of my death, I am suffering countless internal pangs and the throats of those around me are choked by grief on seeing my breathing becoming faint, let my self be united with your two feet (let me attain liberation).

Sloka - 39 अन्तर्बाष्पाकुलितनयनानन्तरङ्गानपश्यन् अग्रे घोषं रुदितबहुलं कातराणामशृण्वन् । अत्युत्क्रान्तिश्रममगणयन्नन्तकाले कपर्दिन् अङ्घिद्वंद्वे तव निविशतामन्तरात्मन् ममात्मा ॥३९

O, One with matted hair! Without seeing those dear to me whose eyes are filled with tears of grief and without hearing the sound of weeping of the frightened ones in front of me and without feeling the pain caused by departing life, let my self merge in your two feet at the last moment of my life, O Indwelling Self!

(The poet prays that at the time of his death his mind should be so totally absorbed in the Lord that he does not see, hear or feel anything else.)

Sloka - 40 चारुस्मेराननसरसिजं चन्द्ररेखावतंसं फुल्लन्मल्लीकुसुमकलिकादामसौभाग्यचोरम् । अन्तः पश्याम्यचलसुतया रत्नपीठे निषण्णं लोकातीतं सततशिवदं रूपमप्राकृतं ते ॥४०

I see in my mind your supreme form with your lotus face with a charming smile, with the crescent moon on Your forehead, that defeats the beauty of a garland of jasmine buds, sitting on a throne of gems with the Daughter of the Mountain, beyond the worlds, ever bestowing auspiciousness. Translated by Sri. S.N. Sastri.

Yugavani

Practice of Discrimination

‘I’ and ‘mine’—that is ignorance. By discriminating you will realise that what you call ‘I’ is really nothing but Atman. Reason it out. Are you the body or the flesh or something else? At the end you will know that you are none of these. You are free from attributes. Then you will realise that you have never been the doer of any action, that you have been free from virtue and faults alike, that you are beyond righteousness and unrighteousness. Consider—what is there in money or in a beautiful body? Discriminate and you will find that even the body of a beautiful woman [or man] consists of bones, flesh, fat, and other disagreeable things. Why should a man [or woman] give up God and direct his [or her] attention to such things? Take the instance of a bel-fruit. A man wanted to know the weight of the fruit. He separated the shell, the flesh, and the seeds. But can a man get the weight by weighing only the flesh? He must weigh flesh, shell, and seeds together. At first it appears that the real thing in the fruit is the flesh, and not its seeds or shell. Then by reasoning you find that the shell, seeds, and flesh all belong to the fruit; the shell and seeds belong to the same thing that the flesh belongs to. Likewise, in spiritual discrimination one must first reason, following the method of ‘Not this, not this’: God is not the universe; God is not the living beings; Brahman alone is real, and all else is unreal. Then one realises, as with the bel-fruit, that the Reality from which we derive the notion of Brahman is the very Reality that evolves the idea of living beings and the universe. The Nitya and the Lila are the two aspects of one and the same Reality.

February 2021

Discrimination is the reasoning by which one knows that God alone is real and all else is unreal. Real means eternal, and unreal means i m p e r m a n e n t . H e w h o h a s a c q u i re d discrimination knows that God is the only Substance and all else is non-existent. With the awakening of this spirit of discrimination a man wants to know God. On the contrary, if a man loves the unreal — such things as creature comforts, name, fame, and wealth, then he doesn’t want to know God, who is of the very nature of Reality. By turning the mind within oneself one acquires discrimination, and through discrimination one thinks of Truth.

9 The Vedanta Kesari

PA G E S P O N S O R : D R . R A M YA S . , C H E N N A I

hat is jnanayoga? The Jnani seeks to realise Brahman. He discriminates, saying, ‘Not this, not this.’ He discriminates, saying, ‘Brahman is real and the universe illusory.’ He discriminates between the Real and the unreal. As he comes to the end of discrimination, he goes into samādhi and attains the Knowledge of Brahman.

Editorial

Love India

February 2021

hen one of his Western followers asked Swami Vivekananda, “How can I best help you?”, he just replied, “Love India!” Indeed, these two words are at the core of Swamiji’s message to us.

The Vedanta Kesari

What does it mean to love someone? From our mothers we learn that to love is to feel empathetically; to love is to serve without any expectations in return; to love is to forgive faults; to love is to correct with infinite patience; and to love is to have unfailing faith in the potentialities of the beloved.

What should we love in India? Swami Vivekananda says — love the poor common people of India because neglecting them has been one of the main reasons for the downfall of our country. He declares that “until the masses in India are once more well educated, well fed, and well cared for”, no amount of politics or policies can truly uplift India. How did the land of Sanatana Dharma which teaches the oneness of creation commit this sin? Swamiji says it is because of the “want of practical application, the want of sympathy — the want of heart”— a heart that feels for suffering mankind.

Who should feel for these downtrodden masses? Swamiji says, it is primarily the responsibility of the youth. In one of his letters from America addressed to his disciple Alasinga Perumal, he writes, “I bequeath to you, young men, this sympathy, this struggle for the poor, the ignorant, the oppressed.” With this ideal, Swamiji has directed the spirited energies of the youth into the dispirited lives of the masses. This is a bridge that benefits both the groups. In loving and uplifting the “the poor and the downtrodden, the sinful and the afflicted.” the youthful energy becomes positive and socially

productive, and in the process the masses too regain their self-belief, their lost individuality. Over a hundred years ago, Sister Nivedita, a disciple of Swami Vivekananda, called upon students coming out of colleges to dedicate one or two years to educate and serve poor villagers before taking up a job for their own livelihood. This cannot be enforced by any authority. Only the patriotic youth can answer this call and go forward holding aloft the banner: “Sympathy for the poor, the downtrodden, even unto death— this is our motto.” Every year schools, colleges, and other institutions celebrate the National Youth Day on 12 January, the birth date of Swami Vivekananda. But it is disappointing to see such celebrations largely limited to a routine of lectures and essay and cultural competitions. Swamiji’s call for the regeneration of the masses has three definite steps: The first step is to learn to feel, because “through the heart comes inspiration” and “Love opens the most impossible gates.” The next step is to work out practical solutions to the challenges. And the last step is to develop the “will to surmount mountain high obstructions.” Admirers and followers of Swami Vivekananda would do well to remember these steps. According to recent health reports, millions of Indians are malnourished and lakhs of children are suffering from stunted growth. Can we claim to love our country and yet not feel the sufferings of these hungry millions of fellow men, women and children? When we celebrate Swami Vivekananda’s Janma Tithi this month, let us pledge to take up one definite act of service to our masses. Young and old, let us ask ourselves, ‘How am I actualising my love for India?’

Article

A Glimpse of Swami Brahmananda SWAMI KAILASANANDA

We shall understand the profound significance of this piece of Swami

February 2021

eople wondered: who might be this stately young man in saffron standing at the palace-gate with a garland in his hands? Presently there arose a t u m u l t u o u s u p ro a r, ‘ V i c t o r y t o S r i Ramakrishna!, Victory to Swami Vivekananda!’ With green laurels on his forehead the victor had just returned to his home-city Calcutta. The seething crowd ran mad in trying to snatch a glimpse of that wonderful man, Vivekananda. The decorated coach stopped at the gate. Extricating himself somehow from the heap of flowers and garlands under which he was almost buried, Swami Vivekananda alighted from the coach. The first thing he did after being garlanded by the young man at the gate was to prostrate himself at his feet with the words, “Unto the son of the Guru as to the Guru!” In his turn the young man prostrated himself at the feet of Vivekananda with the words, “Unto the elder brother as to the Father!” People wondered the more; who could be this young man at whose feet the great Swami Vivekananda, at whose feet millions bow wherever he goes, prostrates? This was Swami Brahmananda, popularly known as ‘Maharaj’ in the Ramakrishna Order.

11 The Vedanta Kesari

PA G E S P O N S O R : S R I M A N I S H S H U K L A , PA LG H A R

This month we are celebrating the Janma Tithi Puja of Swami Brahmananda, the first President of the Ramakrishna Order. We are presenting from our archive, the Editorial of Feb 1949 which gives an excellent introduction to this special disciple of Sri Ramakrishna. The author is Swami Kailasananda, the then head of Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai, who later became one of the Vice-Presidents of the Ramakrishna Order.

Vivekananda’s behaviour, as we go back to the idyllic days of Sri Ramakrishna’s spiritual ministrations at Dakshineswar. “...no man knoweth the Son but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father save the Son and he to whom the Son will reveal him.”

Sri Ramakrishna had finished the sadhana period of his life. The Divine Mother had asked him to remain in Bhava-mukha, on the borderline of the Absolute and the Relative with free access to both, for the good of the world. But how was he to do that? The mind had become so vertical in its tendency! There was nothing

February 2021 The Vedanta Kesari

on the earthy plane of this earth on which his mind, so rarefied that it had become, could rivet. He felt a tremendous loneliness, a loneliness which the Absolute alone perhaps feels! Not that people did not come to him. They came. They came in numbers. But mostly of the sort stinking in gross worldliness. In that state of his being so ethereal in texture, it was an acute suffering for him to bring himself to mix and talk with people, antipodal in disposition. So he supplicated to the Divine Mother, “Mother my tongue is burnt because of talking to worldly people.” “Be not afraid, my child, devotees of pure heart and full of the spirit of renunciation will be soon coming”, assured the Mother. But Sri Ramakrishna was impatient. He importuned again, “Mother, get me a companion—like unto me. Mother, I have not to have a son but I wish I had a pure-souled devoted boy always with me as a companion. Get me a son like this.” Coming of the scion of the Divine

Shortly after this Sri Ramakrishna saw in a trance a little boy standing under the banyan tree. He wondered, what might be the significance of it? Again, to quote Sri Ramakrishna’s own words, “A few days before Rakhal came to me, Mother placed a little boy on my lap and said, ‘This is your son.’ At first I was startled. ‘My son?’ Mother smiled at this and made me understand that I was not to have a son in the ordinary sense, but that this boy would be my spiritual son who would live up to the highest ideals of renunciation. While eagerly awaiting the advent of his spiritual son, one day Sri Ramakrishna had another wonderful vision. Suddenly he saw a hundredpetalled lotus blossoming on the waters of the Ganga, each of the petals of the lotus shining in exquisite loveliness. On the lotus two boys were dancing with tinkling anklets tied to their feet. One of them was the ever young Sri Krishna

himself; the other was the same boy whom he 1 had seen in his previous visions. This divine dance of theirs was indescribably beautiful; every movement they made seemed to splash foam, as it were, in the ocean of sweetness. As one can only expect, Sri Ramakrishna was lost in ecstasy. Just at that moment a boat anchored on the bank of the Ganga and from therein emerged Rakhal—Sri Ramakrishna’s spiritual son. This was the coming of the Scion of the Divine by the currents of the Holy Waters to join the Father at the Divine play which he had convoked on the threshold of humanity. With the coming of Rakhal one of the sweetest chapters of Sri Ramakrishna’s life opened. Rakhal did not come to Sri Ramakrishna as a disciple comes to his guru समित्पाणिः, but as a long-awaited only little child to its mother. Viewing Rakhal with eyes soaked with affection, Sri Ramakrishna would be transported into the disposition of Mother Yasoda. He would feed him, fondle him and play with him just as parents do with their children. Sometimes holding him on his shoulders Sri Ramakrishna would dance. Rakhal too reciprocated the exact feelings of a little baby. He would sometimes come running and jump into the lap of Sri Ramakrishna.

It is very difficult to explain what made Sri Ramakrishna who was established in the highest Advaitic realisations and would times without number pass into samadhi, become so motherly in his disposition to Rakhal, who again, in his turn would become so baby-like though by the time he came to Sri Ramakrishna he was a muscular young athlete and a married man withal. But the truth of this relationship made Rakhal one of the sweetest personalities that ever walked on the surface of this earth. He is the sweetest facet of Ramakrishnaincarnation. Through him Sri Ramakrishna touches the feverish forehead of humanity like

“Like the gentle dew that falls unseen and unheard, and yet brings into blossom the fairest of roses, has been the contribution of India to the thought of the world. Silent, unperceived, yet omnipotent in its effect , it has

Swami Brahmananda was the very personification of this characteristic of Indian thought, so much so, that he is very little known even in India, outside the orbit of the influence of Ramakrishna Mission. Perhaps his name will not be mentioned in the official annals of Indian history as one of the greatest men that India ever produced. But all the same the services of the ‘gentle dew’ is there, one knows it or not, behind the proud magnificence of ‘the fairest of the roses.’ Flames that made him golden

As far as spiritual practices were concerned, Sri Ramakrishna was always the hardest possible task-master. It was but natural

(From left) Swamis Trigunatitananda, Shivananda, Vivekananda, Turiyananda, Brahmananda and (seated below) Sadananda

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“The one characteristic of Indian thought” said Swami Vivekananda, “is its silence, its calmness. At the same time the tremendous power that is behind it is never expressed by violence. It is always the silent mesmerism of Indian thought... And whoever had dared to touch our literature had felt the bondage, and is there bound for ever.

revolutionised the thought of the world, yet nobody knows when it did so.”

13 The Vedanta Kesari

the fragrance of a flower in benign gentleness, and soothing sweetness. This sweetness in its fullness found expression in his character in the form of deep silence and perfect calmness.

February 2021 The Vedanta Kesari

that the father should have been only anxious to hand down all the secrets of his pursuit and the techniques of his art to one who was destined to go forth in the world, largely written on his forehead — Spiritual Son of Sri Ramakrishna. The result was that Rakhal had to practise various modes of sadhana under the watching eyes of Sri Ramakrishna. The realisations that were to be achieved through spiritual practices-cum-God’s grace all came to him as naturally, providentially and lawfully as a patrimony descends to a son. But as a cautious son that he was and fully loyal son too, the severely austere sadhanas that he practised during the years 1886 to 1897 after the passing away of Sri Ramakrishna in different parts of India staggers a listener. One of his brotherdisciples actually asked him, “Why do you live so strictly? You are the spiritual son of God Incarnate? He has already done everything for you. Through his grace you have attained samadhi. Then why do you still have to sit like a beggar, begging for Lord’s grace?” “What you say is true,” Maharaj answered. “The Master did do everything for us. But still I find a lack within. This proves that we need repeated practice in order to make the state of samadhi natural and habitual to us. You know Uddhava was a devoted disciple and friend of Sri Krishna; through His grace he realised God. And yet Sri Krishna sent him to the Himalayas to live in solitude and contemplation.” Vijay Krishna Goswami, the well-known saint, also asked Maharaj the same question. He replied simply, “I am only trying to become established in that vision of God which I received through my Master’s grace.” And he did become established in the vision of God so much so that in his after-life volleyed by the biting questions of a doubting disciple he could say, “I do not move or do anything until I know the will of the Lord...Yes, I wait until I know His

will directly and He tells me what I should do... Yes, for everything I do have the direct guidance of God.” “Raja is the greatest treasure-house of spirituality”, said Swami Vivekananda. Once a European devotee came to visit him in the monastery, wishing to have his spiritual problems solved. Swamiji sent him to Maharaj, saying, “There you will find a dynamo working and we are all under him.” This reveals Swamiji’s own greatness but none the less it shows Maharaj also in true perspective.

Aunt Bhanu was a devotee of Sri Ramakrishna and a highly advanced sadhika. Her’s was the attitude of the Gopi. Once she sang a song regarding Sri Krishna before Maharaj which moved him so much that he went into ecstasy. Torrents of tears soaked his garments absolutely. At this the Holy Mother remarked, “Bhani, one must admit that you are not an ordinary being—you have been successful in ruffling even Rakhal, who is nothing if not a mighty ocean.” The triple strands

I n t h e t h re e v i s i o n s wh i c h S r i Ramakrishna had seen concerning Rakhal before his coming are embedded the three main strands which formed the mystic texture of the sweet, lofty, vast and possessing personality that was Swami Brahmananda’s. Even India, which is so prolific in producing sages, has rarely produced a sage of this type. As we explore deeper into the character of Maharaj, we shall find that it was mostly the sovereign blend of these three golden strands that gave the uniqueness of this magnificent personality. The first was the childlikeness of his disposition. ‘Except ye be converted and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.” The ‘conversion’ of Maharaj was absolute in this sense and so he

The second and the most important strand of Rakhal’s personality was his Sonship of the Divine. The Divine Mother had told Sri Ramakrishna that Rakhal was his spiritual son who would live upto the highest ideals of renunciation. Sri Ramakrishna himself not only accepted Rakhal as his spiritual son but also gave him to the world with the same designation appended to him. We do not pretend to say that we understand all what this Sonship of the Divine means. There is perhaps only another example in the religious history of the world where Sonship of the Divine is

This Sonship of the Divine gave Swami Brahmananda a unique prestige and privilege among his brother-disciples. In this one respect he stands always on a higher level (not to be confused with any misunderstood hierarchy) than all his brother-disciples not excluding even Swami Vivekananda. All of them cherished the profoundest reverence for him. Every one of them knew that Sonship of the Divine, unlike earthly sonship, is always more and greater than the discipleship of the Divine. ‘I and my Father are one’ but not the disciple and his guru.

How his brother-disciples used to look upon their Raja is patent in the following incidents. “I am astonished seeing the work of 2 Raja”, said Swamiji once to Girish Ghosh. “How beautifully he is guiding the work of the Math and Mission! One has to admire the royal intelligence of Raja. The Master used to say, ‘Rakhal possesses kingly intelligence and he can rule an empire.’ Exactly so.” “Why not? The Son that he is of His!”, replied Girish. Hearing this, almost melting in joy, said Swamiji, “Immeasurable is Raja’s spirituality. Could anyone be comparable to him whom the Master

February 2021

His naive simplicity was so surprisingly consequential that one day Sri Ramakrishna wept bitterly saying, “Ah me you are so simple. Who will look after you when I am gone!” By allowing ourselves to be en rapport with the profound pathos of these tearful words of Sri Ramakrishna, we may aspire to have a glimpse of the nature of that simplicity which was the very breath of Rakhal’s personality. Even when he grew grey, had disciples and devotees by the legion, was the venerated President of the Ramakrishna Order, he retained the same fresh elemental childlikeness in him. His body suffered change. But he did not change. For he was one of those who are not fashioned by the world but fashion the world. When he would be in the presence of the Holy Mother, he would even at the age of fifty sometimes dance innocently while clapping his hands just like any unreasonable little baby. It is however to be remembered that behind this simplicity was always awake that supreme intelligence about which Sri Ramakrishna remarked,”Rakhal possesses kingly intelligence and he can rule an empire.”

presented before man. Jesus claimed Sonship of God-head and assured that, ‘I and my Father are one’. Whatever may be the metaphysical explanations and implications of this, for all practical purposes we find that through the instrument of this Sonship the Divine descends to man in large sweetness and effective intimacy and becomes a connecting link, as it were, with all that is furthest removed from the Divine. Jesus asserted that he was the representative of the Most High and so had the power-of-attorney to administer His Father’s wishes unto humanity and to mediate and supplicate before the Father on behalf of humanity. The son is only the modification of the Father, a projection of the same entity.

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was truly heavenly. This was the secret how he was able to enter the very sanctuary of Sri Ramakrishna’s heart so playfully and could enthrone himself there as his beloved darling.

used to take on his lap as his son, used to feed in great fondness and lull him to sleep on his own bed. He is incomparable. Raja is the very life of our Math—he is our King!”

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After the consecration of the Belur Math on 2 January 1899, one day Swamiji ceremonially fed Maharaj with sodasopachara (sixteen items) and then standing before him with folded hands said, “Raja! it is only he (meaning Sri Ramakrishna) who knew your value—what do we know that we could value you?”

The Vedanta Kesari

When Swami Prabhavananda, one of the disciples of Maharaj was about to leave India for taking up his duty in U. S. A., Swami Shivananda blessed him with the words, “Never forget that you have seen the Son of God. You have seen God.”

The Holy Mother once presented clothes to her renouncing children (the direct-disciples of Sri Ramakrishna). Everyone was presented with a cotton-cloth whereas Maharaj was given a silken one. One, whose sense of democracy was perhaps a little disturbed by this discrimination of the Holy Mother, ventured the question, “Mother, everyone is your child, then why this silken cloth to Rakhal Maharaj?” Replied the Mother instantly, “Don’t you know, Rakhal is the Son?” The Holy Mother was the affectionate mother of all the disciples of Sri Ramakrishna. Yet this little discrimination she kept up regarding the ‘spiritual son’. With this Sonship of the Divine was associated the idea ‘who would live up to the highest ideals of renunciation’ as we have seen in the second vision of Sri Ramakrishna regarding Rakhal. In point of renunciation Maharaj very naturally reminds one of the Prince of Kapilavastu. Like the latter the former too was to be the inheritor of the vast properties of his father, had a youthful wife and a child. When the call of the Divine came he

Swami Brahmananda

renounced them as easily as the Sakya Prince did. When Sri Ramakrishna said, “Rakhal was born with very intense love for God”, he revealed the depth of Rakhal’s spirit of renunciation, for, such love for God could be only the resultant of such a spirit.

About the sweetness of his deportment, as deduced from the third vision which forms the third strand of his personality, we have referred to previously. This made of him a centre of tremendous attraction. Wherever he went he brought with him peace, music, joy, solace and silent inspiration. In his presence life received a fresh cadence, God became the only reality of life and the daily problems most unreal

These three main strands of character as seen above nourished under the ever-watchful care of Sri Ramakrishna, formed the basis of Maharaj’s lofty personality. After the passing away of Sri Ramakrishna, specially during the time when Swami Vivekananda was delivering his message in the West, Maharaj was constantly engaged in very severe sadhanas in various parts of India. Burnt in the flames of these tremendous austerities, rich with the highest treasures of spirituality, Swami Brahmananda had emerged like the Golden Purusha at the threshold of humanity by the time Swami Vivekananda returned from the West. Before he came to take up active work as the Head of the Ramakrishna Order at the behest of Swami Vivekananda, he could say, “The spiritual life begins after the attainment of Nirvikalpa Samadhi.” So widely unlike: So intensely akin

The personality of Brahmananda is best revealed when seen against the personality of

Swamiji was inflamed like an animated lion, boundless and fathomless like an ocean, a vast reservoir of jnana, vairagya, vidya and buddhi, ever-wavy with stormy upsurge of deluging youth-force. Maharaj was like the i m m e a s u ra b l e s k y, s e re n e , t ra n q u i l , imperturbable, infinitely ecstatic, mellow and sweet with childlike softness. One was the burning mid-day sun of terrific spiritual energy, the other was the limpid and cool effulgence, of the light within. The message of one is but galvanizing electricity, of the other a subterranean flow of ambrosial Mandakini. One was ‘an Orator by Divine right’; the other was a man of supreme silence by Divine right. Vivekananda almost cruelly tears you away from the moorings of your degrading complacence and giving you a portion of his own dynamism sets you alone on the rough road of perpetual quest to find the truth all by your own toil; whereas Brahmananda weans you out for almost a pleasant walk, himself eager to walk with you the entire path tirelessly, sometimes giving you a joke to cope with and at other times pointing out a pitfall on the way and always inspiring you to go ahead. One was to work-out the world-mission from many to one, the other the same mission from one to many. The one was, so to say, the centripetal force, the other was the centrifugal force, as it were. So the path of the one, one might say, lay across the path of the other on

February 2021

Vivekananda. The natures of the two brotherdisciples were widely dissimilar, and yet, in a sense, complementary. In the words of Sri Ramakrishna, “Naren dwells in the realm of the absolute, the impersonal. He is like a sharp drawn sword of discrimination. Rakhal dwells in the realm of God, the Sweet One, the repository of all blessed qualities. He is like a child on the lap of his mother, completely surrendering himself to her in every way.”

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phantoms. One of his disciples vouches that even his hands and feet had a peculiar charm and attraction about them, perhaps because one who would fall at those feet was sure to be saved, and one who was to be touched by those hands was sure to conquer. It is perhaps not even a half-truth to say that ‘Our sweetest songs are those that tell us of saddest thoughts.’ Why, there was no sadness about Maharaja’s sweetness. It was only joy become humble, anandam become inoffensive and mellow. It was the life-expression of the Incomprehensible. God is nothing if not also sweet रसो वै सहः। True, we have also our God, the terrible, Kali, the Mother. But have we not at another point our Krishna, the sweet, the beautiful? Maharaj’s sweetness gave all a profound sense of security in life and death. It is impossible to remember Maharaj and to be afraid of anything.

which they met at every immediate point throughout the whole distance and revealed each other against themselves — for while the circumference is the consummation of the lifeprinciple of the centre, the centre is the self-realisation of the circumference.

These two vast men so different outwardly were at heart but one. They were like two flowers of different hue and odour on the same petiole. They used to hold each other in invulnerable faith, boundless love and fathomless sraddha. Sri Ramakrishna and his mission were their life and soul and all. February 2021

Uttara-sadhaka: The divine mason

The Vedanta Kesari

Swami Brahmananda is the first among those who understood Vivekananda with all his revolutionary ideas through and through and never for a moment doubted or questioned his mission. He could very easily traverse the vast sweep of Vivekananda’s epic imagination and was always at home with any of his new ideas. The points of stresses and the programme of work which Vivekananda brought with him received unanimous assent and support from Brahmananda. He could at once see the infallibility of Swamiji’s approach and always stood behind him as a silent Himalayas of strength. Just after his return to Calcutta, Swamiji placed in Maharaj’s hand all the money which the American devotees had subscribed towards the Indian Mission. “All this time,” he said, “I have been acting as a trustee. It is a relief to give this back to its real owner—our Raja.” After delivering his message and handing over the funds Vivekananda felt himself free, for he knew that it was now Raja’s part to play. The

plan once given, this divine mason began his work silently and with unerring precision, and even before the passing away of Vivekananda in 1902 gave him the supreme and perfect satisfaction of understanding that his work had fallen on the shoulders of an equal uttarasadhaka.

Brahmananda did his great work in profound silence and with perfect ease. He made gold out of dust and angels out of worms. He did not deliver lectures. He simply lived ‘gazing in the Infinite’, as a conduit of the Divine. When tempests of work, cyclones of service stormed the seats of meditation, with silent power he held all fast to the feet of the Lord. The destination was always before his open eyes. He held the helm always firmly and was never daunted by any bad weather. Forsooth, during the fiercest of storms he sang most sweetly for on that plea the Lord came the nearest to him even though He was always nearer than the nearest.

As the Head of the Order he impressed indelibly upon the minds of the inmates the truth, “The success of a religious body depends, not on its external achievements, its efficient organisation, its buildings, the size of its membership or its philanthropic activities — but upon the inner life of each of its members and measure of their progress towards devotion and knowledge of God.” The portrait we have essayed to reveal here is of the very heart of the Ramakrishna Order. The heart can never be fully revealed, for it is the very seat of the Inscrutable. Therefore, we could have but given an imperfect glimpse alone.

References

1) This vision led the Master to identify Rakhal as one of those pure souls who had been incarnated as playmates of Sri Krishna.

2) “Swamiji” always refers to Swami Vivekananda in the pale of the Ramakrishna Order,

Reminiscences

Reminiscences of Sargachhi SWAMI SUHITANANDA

3.2.61 (continued…) Maharaj: Sri Ramakrishna is the Lord of the present age. Each of his instructions has to be obeyed verbatim – otherwise we will have to face great danger. In the Bhagavad Gita, Sri Krishna says –

अथ चित्तं समाधातुं न शक्नोषि मयि स्थिरम्। अभ्यासयोगेन ततो मामिच्छाप्तुं धनञ्जय।। अभ्यासेऽप्यसमर्थोऽसि मत्कर्मपरमो भव। मदर्थमपि कर्माणि कुर्वन् सिद्धिमवाप्स्यसि।। अथैतदप्यशक्तोऽसि कर्तुं मद्योगमाश्रितः। सर्वकर्मफलत्यागं ततः कुरु यतात्मवान्।।

(Gita. 12: 9-11) The Lord doesn’t allow us to go astray under any circumstances. He says: Worship Me through the yoga of practice. If you are not able to do that, if you feel an urge to do work, then take to doing good work, such as grazing cattle at the command of the guru. If you cannot do even that, then whatever you do, be it good or bad, offer its result to God. If you practise like this, you will rise gradually. The crux of the matter is, wherever you are, start rising from right there. Whether you are good or bad, you have to be up and doing. It won’t do to sit idly. Get started right now. Suren Babu [a householder devotee of Sri Ramakrishna] is unable to give up drinking. So, Sri Ramakrishna

says, “All right, drink after offering it to the Divine Mother.” Let him drink! But how long can he drink? As he continues to remember God, he will develop a taste in that direction and automatically he will have the bliss of devotion. Question: What is devotion?

Maharaj: Devotion is not something external to human beings — it is the first and primal instinct of man. The child first learns to be devoted to its mother. Lying in her lap, it learns to feel oneness with her. This instinct is found even among birds and animals. If this tendency can be sublimated and turned towards God, then that is called devotion. Men generally have a liking for women. That is how worship of the women in various forms — the left-handed practice, or worship in accordance with the Tantras, or the cult of worshipping using human skulls, or worship of the goddess in young girls (vaamachar, tantrika, kapaalika, kishori-bhajana) — originated. The householder is instructed to continue conjugal intimacy, but for seven days he has to regard his wife as a goddess. In this way, physical relationship is sublimated into the worship of God.

One day Swamiji [as young Narendranath] railed vehemently against such practices. Then

February 2021

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 Vice-Presidents of the Ramakrishna Order.

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(Continued from previous issue. . .)

February 2021

Sri Ramakrishna said, “Oh no! This also is a path; but it is akin to entering a house through the backdoor [traditional houses had a backdoor for the scavenger to enter and clean the privy].”

The Vedanta Kesari

I have witnessed true devotion at my premonastic home — it’s not something artificial or contrived. We had the tradition of worshipping Govindaji [Sri Krishna] at home. Right from daybreak, the womenfolk were busy with the service of Govindaji. One person would be plucking flowers, another would be making a garland, and someone else would be cleaning the utensils. It seemed Govindaji was living in the house — exactly like a revered elderly relative residing at home; everyone was alert to taking the utmost care of him. This is called worship. Just see what a great scholar Swami Vishuddhananda Maharaj is! [8th President of the Ramakrishna Order] And yet he constantly keeps calling on the Mother. Swami Shantananda too is experiencing great bliss by calling on the Mother. You will learn many things about jnana yoga in the Panchadashi. But you will see that finally only three ideas have been discussed — the five sheaths, the Charioteer or the Atman, and the three states of being (avastha-traya). Liberation can be attained by discrimination about the five sheaths. The sadhaka has to reject these sheaths intellectually. For example, he discriminates thus: hunger, pain and injury belong to the body, strength and weakness are felt because of the vital force, irritation caused by abusive words pertains to the mind, and so on. He has to reject all these as not his real self. This intellectual exercise is a part of jnana yoga.

(A patriot was conversing with Maharaj.) Maharaj told him: “You have been angry because you were humiliated, and you have resorted to going on a hunger strike. Now you take a resolution: ‘I will go on a hunger strike against my own nature. I will mercilessly stamp out every bit of temptation arising out of lust, anger, or greed.’” Swami Vivekananda cried himself hoarse about the need of applying the heart in all

dealings. He travelled throughout India but couldn’t find a feeling heart anywhere. When the heart is present, head and hand will come by themselves. Of course, we sometimes come across a kind of heart that flares up all of a sudden, like when love overflows towards a particular person; this is dangerous, instinctive love. Perhaps at the very next moment it may become violent and tear the throat of the beloved. A true follower of Sri Ramakrishna is bound to be a patriot. Once, Swami Abhedanandaji was very ill. But even in that condition, he sent for Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose; and when he came, Abhedanandaji got up to embrace him. If a follower of Sri Ramakrishna or Swami Vivekananda is not a patriot, then know for certain that he is not their follower. 6.2.61 Question: Is there any danger if I give up the process of discrimination and follow just the path of devotion? Maharaj: Just as chanting the name of Hari is compulsory for the Vaishnava mendicants, you cannot become a sannyasi without constantly discriminating about the five sheaths. How is it possible? I am such-andsuch, I am the son of so-and-so, I am this or that of the university — how will you forget all these without discrimination? Those who are brought up with dignity and luxury at home cannot give up that identification; they somehow bring up their pre-monastic identity and revel in their own superiority. You can succeed by following the path of devotion; but it takes a long time, and there is a risk of falling prey to various dangers on the way. Our monastic life seems to be like swagriha sannyasa, i.e., rooted in familial background, unable to overcome its identity. A Bengali has become a sannyasi and he will mix only with Bengalis; also he will not learn any other language. In a speech at Madras, someone referred to Sri Ramakrishna as a Bengali saint!! (To be continued. . .)

Article

International Peace in the Light of Indian Philosophy SWAMI DURGANANDA

Pravritti and Nivritti

The sum total of individual samskaras deposited in this life together with those that

are inherited from parents is called the karmashaya, which may be translated as ‘instincts’. The instincts, roughly the same as the ego, include good and bad tendencies such as altruism, love, greed, desire, caprice, jealousy etc. They constantly drive the mind according to their own character. Man has very little control over this mechanism. He then seeks external freedom to vent out these promptings and drives—the action that may be described as dancing to their tune (Fig. 4). This external freedom to act in compulsion to the force of the impulses is called the lower freedom in Indian philosophy. It is like the freedom given to a drunkard (by the society) allowing him to drink. It allows you to do what you like or want. A person then acts to relieve the stress built from desires and impulses. This gives the pleasure of gratification which is sometimes likened to the satisfaction coming from scratching an itching skin.11 It is this freedom that almost the entire West has been preoccupied with and has been their highest achievement. Such an action is called pravritti (indulgence, lit., going in the direction of desires) in the Indian tradition. It must be noted, however, that in Indian classical literature, pravritti includes only ‘righteous behaviour, practice of truth, with cleanliness of body and mind. Enjoyment with fraud and deceit or injury or wanton behaviour is not pravritti, whatever else it may be.’12

The author is a sannyasi of the Ramakrishna Order and is now serving as Personal Secretary to Srimat Swami Shivamayanandaji, one of the Vice Presidents of the Order. durganandaswami@gmail.com

February 2021

Two types of freedom ccording to Indian philosophy, every experience leaves a mark in the mind. This ‘mark’, called the samskara (which is like a memory), is in two parts: 1) names and forms (nama-rupa) located in upper mind, 2) desires in subtle form, called vasanas, corresponding to the names and forms, located in lower mind. Vasanas are connected with names and forms and it is this connection that is troublesome. For instance, eating a cake or even seeing it will leave in the mind a ‘mark’ of 1) name and form of the cake, and, 2) the vasana (desire) to eat again. When one sees cake again or even hears the word ‘cake’, formerly deposited name and form activates the corresponding vasana. The vasana, which is like a seed, sprouts into the desire or impulse to eat the cake again. Eating the cake based on this desire completes the vicious circle. This cycle keeps life moving. Operational energy to the sprouting of the impulse of the vasana is provided by the individual’s life force (which is a part of the universal life force) and is delivered to the vital and the mental levels of the individual by metabolism—this is the reason why a person’s desires and impulses increase when he is healthy and diminish when he is sick or lacking in vital energy.

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(continued from the previous issue. . .)

February 2021 The Vedanta Kesari

Thus, pravritti is the freedom ‘for’ the satisfaction of desires. This is the freedom most people are obsessed with almost all of their time. The higher freedom, in contrast, is nivritti (lit., turning away f ro m d e s i re s , o r t h e freedom from the compulsion of desires). It is the freedom ‘from’ impulses themselves. It is like the freedom from addiction. It Fig. 4 Two types of freedom for individual or society (third thesis) is the freedom from the prison walls and the tyranny of body and mind the other hand, though better, is very difficult to itself. It detaches you from your deeply achieve because one cannot just ‘wish away’ ingrained likes and dislikes and frees you to do desires and instincts. What then is the way out? what is beneficial (called shreyas) as opposed The solution is to purify the karmashaya itself to what gives satisfaction or pleasure (called (the content of which, as mentioned before, preyas). This freedom allows man to be truly consists of the good and the bad instincts). free, releasing him from the grip of instincts Then pravritti (indulgence) will not be harmful. and freeing him to do good to himself and to This purification can be done by any one of 13 the society. Without this inner freedom too these two ways: 1) removing the bad instincts much external freedom can even be harmful. An or at least keeping their impulse under control unencumbered mind, free of impulses, by training and effort, 2) sublimating the bad misconceptions, perversities, and fears is a instincts. In the first method one acts on the factory of peace and progress. Control of impulse of the bad samskaras and controls instincts is thus the answer to the question how them. In the second method, their impulse is justice, liberty etc., can live together and not kept intact, but this impulse is turned from bad encroach on each other. to good rather than striving to tame it. Fig. 4 depicts pictorially the two types of freedom and how the subconscious mind dictates the conscious mind. The conscious mind, in its turn, operates the organs. Atman is the ultimate source of energy and light for mind as well as for the vital and physical functions. The purification

Pravritti (acceding to desires or karmashaya), which is the same as craving, usually degenerates into uncontrolled and instinctive behaviour. Nivritti (withdrawal), on

It must be noted that in the other, the Nivritti method, one does not so much toil over removing or sublimating the bad instincts, rather, he strives to attain freedom from them by sheer will. It is for this that detachment (vairagya), and dispassion are practised. Society has a Karmashaya

This article offers the view that exactly as individuals, societies (or nations) too are

(continued on page 40...)

Pocket Tales

A Problem in Geography GITANJALI MURARI

February 2021

“A

n estuary is formed by a river or a freshwater body joining the sea or ocean,” the teacher turned from the blackboard, “can anyone give me an example of an estuary?” Hari raised his hand, “Chilika lake, sir.” “Very good,” nodded Pranab Sen, “it’s the largest estuary in India.” “Sir,” Naren raised his hand. “Yes?” “Chilika lake is a lagoon, and a lagoon, although similar to an estuary, is still different…the current of water is slower, sluggish and it’s less deep than an estuary.” “I’m quite certain that Chilika lake is an estuary,” the teacher said coldly. “But sir,” Naren started to speak again when Pranab Sen snapped at him, “I’m the teacher…don’t you think I would know better than you? Now keep quiet.”

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PA G E S P O N S O R : D R . S U B B A R A O K R O V V I D I , K A K I N A D A

A fictional narrative based on incidents from the childhood of Swami Vivekananda.

The author is a media professional and writer. The Crown of Seven Stars is her first novel. She lives in Mumbai. gitanjalimurari@yahoo.com Illustrator: Smt. Lalithaa Thyagarajan. lalithyagu@gmail.com

February 2021 The Vedanta Kesari

But Naren wouldn’t give up. “Sir,” he said, holding up a book, “it says so here…should I read it out?” The teacher snatched the book from Naren and glanced at the cover. “This is not a textbook from the syllabus,” he said angrily, “how dare you bring it to class? Hold out your hand, you little show-off,” and he hit Naren’s open palm with a stick several times. Naren didn’t flinch. He clenched his jaw to stop himself from crying out. Pranab Sen glared at him, “Admit you’ve made a mistake.” Gritting his teeth, Naren shook his head, “Please read the book, sir and then tell me if I’m right or wrong.” “Insolent boy!” Pranab Sen lashed the already bruised palm few more times. But when Naren still refused to accept his mistake, Pranab shouted, “Get out of my class.” In the pin-drop silence of the classroom, Naren picked up his bag and left. As soon as he was out of the school, he began to run, tears trickling down his cheeks. Bursting through the front door of his house, he called out, “Ma, where are you?” Surprised to hear her son’s voice, Bhuvaneshwari Devi came out of the kitchen. “You’re home early,” she exclaimed but noticing his distress, became concerned, “What’s the matter Naren?” A flood of words poured out of him. While his mother applied ghee on his injured hand, Naren narrated the entire story. When he finished, she asked, “Naren, are you absolutely certain you haven’t made a mistake?” “Ma, that’s what it says in the book baba got for me.” “In that case, stick to your word no matter what…when you’re right, nothing matters… let the teacher do as he pleases.” That evening, just as the family gathered for prayers, a servant hurried up to Bhuvaneshwari Devi and whispered in her ear. She came out into the courtyard. Pranab Sen rushed up to her and with hands folded said in a low voice, “I’m sorry to disturb you at this hour but I couldn’t keep away.” Bhuvaneshwari Devi smiled graciously, “How may I help you?” “I’ve come to apologize...you see, I’ve been quite unfair to Naren…today, in class…” Pranab Sen hesitated. “Naren told me everything,” Bhuvaneshwari Devi said gently, “would you like to meet him?” The teacher nodded. Naren was sent for and at the sight of Pranab Sen, he became worried. “Naren,” the teacher began, “you are right about estuaries and lagoons…I read your book and looked it up elsewhere too…instead of encouraging your spirit of curiosity, I raised my hand on you...please forgive me.” Without a moment’s hesitation, Naren ran up to Pranab Sen and hugged him. Bhuvaneshwari Devi smiled. Leaving the two to chat, she went inside the worship hall. Have faith in yourselves, and stand up on that faith and be strong.

— Swami Vivekananda

PULLOUT FOR REFERENCE

Series 5: Understanding India

- through Swami Vivekananda's eyes This series is a presentation of a set of lectures that Swami Vivekananda gave over three years, as he travelled from Colombo to Almora (January 1897March 1901). In Issues 22-27 & 29-35, we have covered his lectures at Colombo, Jaffna, Pamban, Rameshwaram, Ramnad, Paramakudi, Shivaganga & Manamadura, Madura and Kumbakonam.

ISSUE ISSUE 36 10

focus in this issue:

Part 1: Setting the Record Straight

1.1

SWAMI VIVEKANANDA ON THE EFFORTS OF THE REFORM GROUPS OF INDIA TO HINDER HIS PROGRESS

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Swami Vivekananda faced tremendous difficulties, before, during, and after his speech at Chicago in the Parliament of Religions.

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While some of the difficulties were due to the fact that he was an unknown Indian presenting a radically new vision of life to the Western world at the height of its power, many of the difficulties were caused by so called reformers.

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In this talk Swami Vivekananda discusses three groups of reformers – (i) The Theosophists, (ii) The Christian Missionaries and (iii) The Reform Societies and sets the record straight on the role of these reformer groups in hindering his progress.

––

In all these cases, he demonstrates how these reformers help only when it serves their own interests, and not when it is actually needed or goes somewhat contrary to their ideas or agenda.

“We hear so much tall talk in this world, of liberal ideas and sympathy with differences of opinion. That is very good, but as a fact, we find that one sympathises with another only so long as the other believes in everything he has to say, but as soon as he dares to differ, that sympathy is gone, that love vanishes.”

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From Kumbakonam, Swami Vivekananda went on to Madras, where he addressed a packed audience at Victoria Hall. His speech here is a long one, and we will be presenting it in four parts − Part 1: Setting the Record Straight, Part 2: Some principles of reform, Part 3: A survey of reform in India, and Part 4: Swami Vivekananda's plan of action. In this issue we will cover Part 1 and Part 2.

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My Plan of Campaign - 1

1.2 SWAMI VIVEKANANDA AND THE THEOSOPHISTS ––

Before going to America, Swami Vivekananda approached Theosophists for help. However, they were willing to help if and only if Swami Vivekananda was willing to subscribe to their views and join their society.

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When Swami Vivekananda was suffering in America due to want of money and help, the Theosophists wrote: "Now the devil is going to die; God bless us all."

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At the beginning of the Parliament of Religions, they dealt with Swami Vivekananda with looks of scorn on their faces, as if to say: "What business has the worm to be here in the midst of the gods?" Even after Swami Vivekananda became popular at the Parliament, the Theosophists prevented their supporters from attending his lectures.

There is a report going round that the Theosophists helped the little achievements of mine in America and England. I have to tell you plainly that every word of it is wrong, every word of it is untrue.

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1.3 SWAMI VIVEKANANDA AND THE CHRISTIAN MISSIONARIES; THE BRAHMO SAMAJ

The Vedanta Kesari

What harm does it –– The Christian missionaries in America blackened Swami do to the Christian Vivekananda's character from city to city, even though he was missionary that poor and friendless in a foreign country. They even tried to the Hindus are trying to starve him out. cleanse their own houses? –– One of his own fellow countrymen, who was in the Parliament What injury will it do to of Religions representing the Brahmo Samaj, and whom the the Brahmo Samaj and Swami knew since his childhood, became jealous of him after other reform bodies that Swami Vivekananda became popular in Chicago, and in an the Hindus are trying underhand way, tried to do everything he could to injure the their best to reform Swami's interests. themselves? Why should –– One magazine of such social reform groups tried to question they stand in opposition? Swami Vivekananda's right to become a sannyasin, on the Why should they be the grounds that he was from the Shudra caste. To this Swami greatest enemies of these Vivekananda points out that they had got the caste wrong movements? Why? — I ask. he was a kshatriya, and moreover, he was not affected in the It seems to me that their least by being called a shudra since all people have got equal hatred and jealousy are so rights to become a sannyasin. bitter that no why or how can be asked there.

1.4 SWAMI VIVEKANANDA AND THE REFORM SOCIETIES OF MADRAS ––

Even some of the reform societies of Madras, who were otherwise well-wishers, tried to intimidate Swami Vivekananda to join them.

––

To this the Swami points out that, he was a man who had met starvation face to face for 14 years of his life, had lived with almost no clothes in temperatures of 30 degrees below zero, and had not known where he will get his next meal from or where he would sleep. And so such a man was not to be intimated easily in India.

I have a little will of my own. I have my little experience too; and I have a message for the world which I will deliver without fear and without care for the future.

1.4 THE IDEAL REFORMER ACCORDING TO SWAMI VIVEKANANDA ––

Swami Vivekananda brings out the case of his own Guru − Sri Ramakrishna, who, in order to destroy caste-division in his mind, chose to clean the toilet of a Pariah's house with his own hair, and eradicate thereby the ego of brahminhood.

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This, Swami Vivekananda says, demonstrates what reform within really means - translating noble thoughts into practice and thereby bringing about a change in society.

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Swami Vivekananda concludes that Hindu's should uplift themselves rather than look for any foreign influence.

By being the servant of all, a Hindu seeks to uplift himself. That is how the Hindus should uplift the masses, and not by looking for any foreign influence.

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Swami Vivekananda points out that while he too seeks reform, reform for him is not a process of destruction or negation of all that is from the past. Rather he sees reform as a process of growth from where individuals or society have reached this far.

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He is clear that his goal is not to dictate or advise society to go one way or other; rather his goal is to contribute to the development of society.

I do not dare to put myself in the position of God and dictate to our society, "This way thou shouldst move and not that." I simply want to be like the squirrel in the building of Râma's bridge, who was quite content to put on the bridge his little quota of sand-dust.

3.2 Reform as enablement of the "National Machine" ––

Ours is only to work, as the Gita says, without –– looking for results. Feed the national life with the fuel it wants, but the growth is its own; none –– can dictate its growth to it.

Swami Vivekananda recognizes that Indian national life is like a wonderful & complex machine or a mighty river that is flowing in front of us. There are several factors and influencing forces which impact it making it “dull” at one place/time and “quicker” at another, giving it a life of its own. It is futile to command and control such a machine. As reformers, we can only work without seeking results, i.e. feed the national life with fuel it wants and let it find its own way rather than dictate its growth to it.

3.3 The work against evils in society is primarily educational in nature ––

Every society has several evils. In fact, evil and good are two sides of the same coin. If society makes progress on some counts, then new evils are also created by that same progress.

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Therefore, the only thing we can do is understand that evil cannot be eradicated, rather the work against evil is more subjective than objective – more educational that actual, i.e. rather than hope to destroy evil we can seek to help people grow and evolve, thereby making them more able to deal with the evil.

...the only thing we can do is to understand that all this work against evil is more subjective than objective. The work against evil is more educational than actual, however big we may talk.

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3.1 Reform as growth, not negation

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Part 2: Some principles of reform

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3.4 Reform means giving concrete assistance, not criticizing or fanatical reform movements

The Vedanta Kesari

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Swami Vivekananda firstly warns against all fanatical reform movements. Such movements, even if well intentioned, end up defeating their own ends or lead to unforeseen consequences. Therefore, he is against all “condemning societies” who are continuously haranguing everyone on the evils of society. Instead, he says, what is needed are people who will help in concrete ways.

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We need a reformer who does not condemn, but instead loves and has genuine sympathy for those who he/she seeks to reform.

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In the absence of such help, love and sympathy attempts at reforming others leads to a cycle of condemnation and counter condemnation by those accused, all of which can be most unpleasant and shameful. It will not lead to genuine reform.

Everybody can show what evil is, but he is the friend of mankind who finds a way out of the difficulty. Like the drowning boy and the philosopher — when the philosopher was lecturing him, the boy cried, "Take me out of the water first" — so our people cry: "We have had lectures enough, societies enough, papers enough; where is the man who will lend us a hand to drag us out? Where is the man who really loves us? Where is the man who has sympathy for us?" Ay, that man is wanted.

3.5 The challenge of reform is also the challenge of creating the “sanction” or the power of the people to reform themselves The whole problem of social reform, therefore, resolves itself into this: where are those who want reform? Make them first. Where are the people?

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For ages, India has been ruled by kings. They are gone. Governments do not have the power to go against public opinion. But developing a healthy and strong public opinion (which solves its own problems) takes a long time to develop.

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... Why does not the nation move? First educate the nation, create your legislative body, and then the law will be forthcoming. First create the power, the sanction from which the law will spring. The kings are gone; where is the new sanction, the new power of the people? Bring it up. Therefore, even for social reform, the first duty is to educate the people, and you will have to wait till that time comes.

At the same time, a small number of people, who think that certain things are evil or need to be changed, cannot make a nation move.

––

The solution is to educate the people, create a legislative body that has the social sanction of people, and then whatever laws are needed for social reform will be forthcoming.

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Most reforms that have taken place in the 19th century have been ornamental or superficial impacting a small proportion of the population.

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But deep or radical reform requires us to go down to the fundamentals or roots of the whole problem.

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This means creating a strong sense of citizenship or nationhood – i.e. creating an Indian Nation.

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This is what Swami Vivekananda called radical reform – create an Indian nation that can take responsibility, has the maturity and the legislative mechanisms to address its own problems.

TO BE CONTINUED... If you have any questions on this lecture, do post your queries on

www.vivekanandaway.org

You can also access previous issues of Vivekananda Way here.

gic ,M ira cle s

and the

e Mystical Twelv

The Story of Kulashekhara Aazhvaar

(Continued from the previous issue. . .)

oorva admired the king’s kindness and thought that the ministers had undoubtedly got off very easily. She also wondered what the king had meant by saying that one should distinguish between ‘truth and falsehood’. Since the Swami was not around to help her out on this, she decided to find out for herself by meditating on Lord Vishnu, as the king had suggested. She folded her legs and sat down on an exquisitely woven carpet. Closing her eyes, she wondered what the next step in meditation was, when she experienced a funny feeling. “Do people levitate when they meditate?” Poorva chuckled when she found that the words rhymed. Ten seconds later, she told herself, “It’s ages since I shut my eyes. I wonder what’s happening around me.” When she opened her eyes, she was horrified to see that she was up in the air, a good seven feet above the ground! The carpet on which she was sitting was slowly rising. She looked at the ceiling barely a few feet above and screamed, “Aaaaah! Vishnu, please come to my rescue.” The carpet picked up momentum. Poorva buried her face in her hands, sure that her head would be smashed to smithereens. Seconds later, a draught of cool air caressed her eyelids. She gingerly opened her eyes and found herself high up in the skies. Giggling nervously, she remarked, “Thank God, I’m still alive.” The author is a researcher and writer with various books and articles on Indian music and culture to her credit. lakshmidevnath@gmail.com Illustrator: Smt. Lalithaa Thyagarajan. lalithyagu@gmail.com

February 2021

The Royal Devotee

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LAKSHMI DEVNATH

February 2021 The Vedanta Kesari

Gradually, Poorva regained her composure and, when she turned around, saw the Swami seated behind her on the carpet. He greeted her in his usual jaunty way, “Hello, Poorva, nice ride, isn’t it?” “Great!” laughed Poorva, pushing back the irritating curl that fell on her forehead every time she got excited or agitated. “I’m never able to guess what you’ll do next, Swami Thaatha.” The Swami lightly brushed aside her compliment: “Well, you can expect the unexpected on this trip.” “Tell me, where are we off to now? By the way, I think we sort of deserted King Kulashekhara halfway through – the last I saw was that he had renounced his throne.” “And if you look down, you’ll see that Kulashekhara Aazhvaar is now at the famous Thirupathi temple, on a pilgrimage,” replied the Swami. Poorva looked down. The temple was different from the way she remembered it. That’s because right now we’re in olden times, she reasoned to herself. The flying carpet dropped height and she heard the Aazhvaar singing. His voice faded into the background as the Swami took over with the translation: “‘I would rather be a little bird or an insect or a stream, or even a stone in the abode of the Lord, if it would ensure my being close to Him.’” The Swami added, “In appreciation of his wish, the step at the entrance of the sanctum sanctorum in all Vishnu temples will, in the days to come, be called Kulashekharan padi.” “Padi means ‘step’, so that means the ‘Kulashekharan step’,” Poorva mumbled to herself. She heard the Aazhvaar sing a few more songs and then saw him come out of the temple. He was proceeding elsewhere. “I think it’s time we bid goodbye to Kulashekhara Aazhvaar, Poorva. From now on, his life will be spent in pilgrimages to various temples. His songs – 105 in all – will be collected and compiled as the Perumaal Thirumozhi – auspicious words of Perumaal. Through his songs, he conveys the message that one should serve both God and His devotees. When he turns sixty-seven, he’ll breathe his last at a place called Brahmadhesam near Aazhvaar Thirunagari.” “Swami Thaatha, you mentioned Perumaal Thirumozhi. Did you mean Kulashekhara Thirumozhi?” asked Poorva. The Swami replied, “No, no. There are different opinions on why his songs are called Perumaal Thirumozhi. Tradition has it that he has been honoured with the title of Perumaal, meaning ‘God’, because of his intense devotion to Lord Rama. There are others who say that ‘Perumaal’ is the king’s family name. People are also not sure whether it is this Kulashekhara who has authored the famous Sanskrit poem, Mukundhamaala.” “Jayathu jayathu deva …” Poorva started enthusiastically reciting the verse she had learned at school and stopped at the end of the line to remark, “This is Kulashekhara’s composition. My teacher said so. Come on, aren’t you teasing me? I’m sure you know it!”

February 2021

“Hold on, Chatterbox. I was only saying that there are two opinions on this. Some say the poem was composed by Kulashekhara Aazhvaar, while others say it was by another person with the same name.” “If that is your doubt,” replied Poorva brightening up, “let’s ask him straightaway. That would solve matters, wouldn’t it?” “It would,” agreed the Swami, “but think a little. Throughout this trip, you’ve been seeing people, but they can’t see you. You can hear them, but they can’t hear you. So what you see is what you get to know, in addition to what I tell you, of course,” said the Swami. “And that in itself is quite a lot,” laughed Poorva, as the carpet gained momentum and raced past a flock of migrating birds. “Have a good time in Siberia, or wherever else you’re going …” Poorva waved to them. A moment later, her face wore a puzzled look. I’m up in the sky, and so are these birds. Then how come they suddenly look like small specks? At what altitude are they flying? As she mused, something bit her leg and she winced in pain. “I didn’t know mosquitoes could fly higher than eagles!” exclaimed Poorva as she tried to swat the irritating pest. The target escaped and Poorva’s palm landed firmly on soft grass. (To be continued. . .)

The Vedanta Kesari

PA G E S P O N S O R : S R I . R . C H I N T H A I A H , C H E N N A I

When God Calls

Ramachandra Dutta DR. RUCHIRA MITRA

This is the eighth story in the series on devotees who had a role in the divine play of Sri Ramakrishna.

यमेवैष वृणुते तेन लभ्यः

February 2021

It is attained by him alone whom It chooses (Kathopanishad. 1.2:23)

The Vedanta Kesari

3 November 1879. Three affluent gentlemen of Kolkata were on their way to meet Sri Ramakrishna, about whose pure life they had heard from Keshav Chandra Sen. On reaching Dakshineswar, they found his room closed. But as soon as they reached the room, Sri Ramakrishna himself opened the door and came out to receive them, as if he was expecting their arrival. Sri Ramakrishna asked them to sit and looked smilingly at one of them and simply told him, “Hello, you are a doctor. Please check his [his nephew Hriday’s] pulse. He is suffering from fever.” The man did as he was bid, but was dumbfounded that Sri Ramakrishna knew he was a doctor! Very soon this gentleman became one of the foremost householder disciples of Sri Ramakrishna. He was Ram Chandra Dutta, a doctor with many professional achievements. H e i nve n te d a n a n t i d o te fo r b l o o d dysentery which got the approval from the British government. He became famous when leading doctors started prescribing it. Consequently, he was appointed a member of the Chemist Association of England. He was raised to the post of Government Chemical Examiner and was also appointed as a teacher at the Calcutta Medical College for the military medical students. This deep involvement with

modern science had a flip side to it, in that it made him an atheist.1

When his little daughter died suddenly, Ram was plunged into immense grief. His attempts to find solace in the Brahmo ideas proved futile. His first visit to Sri Ramakrishna was the turning point in his life and he soon became a staunch devotee.

One night, Ram dreamed that he took bath in a pond and Sri Ramakrishna initiated him with a sacred mantra and asked him to repeat it one hundred times every day after his bath. When he woke up from the dream, he felt his body pulsating with bliss. The next morning, he rushed to Dakshineswar and related his dream to Sri Ramakrishna. At this Sri Ramakrishna joyfully said, “He who receives divine blessings in a dream is sure to attain liberation.”2 Ram used to carry out Sri Ramakrishna’s teachings to the letter. Sri Ramakrishna told him, “Whoever serves the devotees, serves me,” Ram used to say, “He who calls on Sri Ramakrishna is my nearest relative.” Sri Ramakrishna visited Ram’s house for the first time on Vaisakhi Purnima, and henceforth every year Ram celebrated this day as a festival. During Sri Ramakrishna’s lifetime, Ram organised festivals with Sri Ramakrishna and the devotees in his home; and later his home

The author is a devotee and researcher on Ramakrishna-Vivekananda literature. Her doctoral thesis was on the life stories of Sri Ramakrishna. ruchiranewid@gmail.com

On 1 January 1886, Sri Ramakrishna revealed his divinity to his householder devotees and bestowed the taste of divine joy on all. Ram explained that Ramakrishna had, in effect, become Kalpataru, the ‘wish-fulfilling tree’. Henceforth, every year Ram celebrated January 1 as Kalpataru Day at his Kankurgachi garden house, called ‘Yogodyan’.

Yogodyan was constructed as per Sri Ramakrishna’s advice to build a place for nirjan-vas and sadhana far away from the city. Therefore, Yogodyan holds a special position as the centre that was started at the bidding of Sri Ramakrishna, who visited this site and commented, ekhane besh dhyan hoy, “This place is suitable for meditation.” After Sri Ramakrishna’s mahasamadhi on 16 August 1886, his ashes were collected in an urn. Ram wished to keep the urn of ashes in

References: 1) They Lived with God, 96-97

Ram became Sri Ramakrishna’s first evangelist and played a big role in spreading his message. He delivered 18 public lectures extolling Sri Ramakrishna’s life and teachings. His first lecture was titled “Is Ramakrishna Paramahamsa an Avatar?” Ram also wrote Sri Ramakrishna’s first biography, Sri Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansadever Jivanvrittanta, and subsequently expanded it by including his teachings and named it Tattva-Prakashika. Moreover, at Yogodyan, Ram groomed many youngsters who later became the second generation sannyasis of the Ramakrishna Order. Five days before his passing away, Ram shifted to Yogodyan, as he had a premonition that he would die soon. He was just 47. On arriving there, Ram said, “I have come here to have my final rest near my Guru Sri Ramakrishna.” Ram’s relics are kept near the gate of Yogodyan adjoining Sri Ramakrishna’s temple, as his last wish was “When I die please bury a little of the ashes of my body at the entrance to Yogodyan. Whoever enters this place will walk over my head, and thus I shall get the touch of the Master’s devotees’ feet forever.”4 2) Ibid. 99

3) Ibid. 95

4) Ibid. 109

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Ram had the firm conviction that Sri Ramakrishna was an incarnation of God. His dedication and love for his Guru was so profound that he passionately asserted that any place visited by Sri Ramakrishna was holy; and the coach and the coachman which carried him around were holy too! Once, someone sarcastically remarked, “If that is true, so many men have seen him, so many coachmen have driven him, will they get liberation?” Ram vehemently retorted: “Go and take the dust of the feet of the coachman who drove the Master. Go and take the dust of the feet of the sweeper of Dakshineswar who saw the Master! This will make your life pure and blessed.”3

Yogodyan. But Sri Ramakrishna’s future monastic disciples too were eager to keep the ashes. So, they transferred a major portion of the ashes to another urn, and handed over the original urn to Ram. He, in good faith, then ceremoniously consecrated it in Yogodyan on Janmashtami day, 23rd August. All the monastic and householder disciples of Sri Ramakrishna participated in the grand celebration. Ram soon established the first Ramakrishna Temple at Yogodyan, enshrining Sri Ramakrishna’s relics. He led a frugal life and made it a ritual to offer worship at Yogodyan every day, commuting from his residence 6 km away.

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became a shelter for the devotees practising austerities. It was Ram who took his cousin Naren (later Swami Vivekananda) to Sri Ramakrishna at Dakshineswar for the first time in his own carriage!

Questions & Answers

Pariprasna

February 2021

Srimat Swami Tapasyananda Ji (1904 – 1991) was one of the Vice-Presidents of the Ramakrishna Order. His deeply convincing answers to devotees’ questions raised in spiritual retreats and in personal letters have been published in book form as Spiritual Quest: Questions & Answers. Pariprasna is a selection from this book.

The Vedanta Kesari

QUESTION: Finite man’s knowledge is necessarily finite. So what is meant by the term ‘omniscience’ in such Sruti statements as ‘The knower of the Self knows everything’?

MAHARAJ: The above statement in the Upanishads does not mean that an illumined sage knows every one of the subjects in world like algebra, geometry, anthropology, history etc. It means only that when the ultimate essence of all is understood, one has a basic knowledge of all the diversities springing from it. Thus if the nature of gold is understood, one has the knowledge of the basic stuff of all things made of gold. When one has a knowledge of the basic stuff, gold, one will be evaluating gold, ornaments etc., from the point of view of gold and not from the point of view of the changing modes into which gold can be shaped. Another example often given is that of a grain of rice from a cauldron of boiling rice being taken and squeezed between the fingers. One can thereby know whether all the rice in the pot is well boiled or not. The Vedanta holds that Brahman is the one Substance and all the multiplicity experienced is either an apparent expression of it, or an evolution of Its inherent powers, or of the attributes organically related to It. This basic nature of everything is outside the understanding of men in ignorance. Englightenment enables men to understand that Brahman is the basis of everything. This is the omniscience spoken of in the Upanishads.

It is also true that a person whose mind has gained the subtlety and concentration required for attaining this enlightened understanding, can very easily gather any particularized knowledge, if he but applies his mind to it. A controlled and concentrated mind, the key to all knowledge, is in his possession, and with it he can open any mansion of knowledge, if he cares to do so. Probably some of the Rishis were persons of this type, who had the spiritual awakening and at the same time the mastery of much of the then known arts and science by the application of their concentrated minds on them. Traditions coming from such personages must have given rise to the current notion of omniscience held by some persons interested in occult lore.

Reminiscences

Lessons from Swamis

he swami joined the Order at the Contai Ashrama in 1922 and received his mantradiksha from Swami Shivanandaji and also sannyasa-diksha from him in 1926. As Secretary of the Rangoon Sevashrama (which no longer exists) for a decade from 1932 and then as the first Secretary of the Rahara Boys’ Home from 1944 he developed the centres in a remarkable way and he also did outstanding relief work during Burma Evacuee Relief, Bengal Famine Relief and East Bengal Refugee Relief. He attained mahasamadhi on 24 Nov 1971 aged 68.

“I would like to die in harness”

Swami Punyanandaji because of his galvanic personality had a tremendous effect on my life and in the lives of those who came in contact with him. Perfectly cast in the mould of Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Punyananda Maharaj harmoniously synthesised all the four yogas in his life and we were fortunate to see a living demonstration of this ideal. He was a true soldier of Swami Vivekananda. Once when Swami Shivanandaji offered to grace him with a boon, Punyanandaji had immediately asked, “Maharaj, kindly bless me that I may die in harness.” Swami Shivanandaji, time and again asked him the same question and every time he received the same answer from Punyanandaji, “I would like to die in harness.” Mahapurush Maharaj granted him the boon saying, “Let it be so!” Those who know Punyanandaji, know very well that the swami literally died in harness!

Swami Punyanandaji was an exemplary Karmayogi. But when he was at the dusk of his life, he was very much troubled by this thought: “I have done Swamiji’s work to the best of my capacity. But I have not done formal spiritual practices to that extent. Now that I am approaching the end of this mundane life, I feel concerned and worried about what would happen to me hereafter?” Swami Punyanandaji one day came to Belur Math and narrated his agony to Swami Madhavanandaji, the then Sangha-Guru and asked him, “Maharaj! What will happen to me?” Immediately Madhavanandaji Maharaj in a very affectionate but at the same time stern voice said, “You have done ‘Shiva Jnane Jiva Seva’ all through your life. Do you think that Swamiji is a traitor and a liar? Know it for certain that at the end, Swamiji Maharaj will come to take you to Ramakrishna Loka.” After some years, just on the eve of his last breath, Punyanandaji asked his attendant, “Make me Get up! Make me Get up! Can’t you see Sri Sri Thakur, Maa and Swamiji have all come? Give them asanas for sitting.” Saying so, Punyanandaji looked above and breathed his last.

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Swami Punyananda

35 The Vedanta Kesari

PA G E S P O N S O R : S R I S R I N I VA S A N S . , C H E N N A I

The Dec 2020 Special Issue of The Vedanta Kesari was on the topic ‘Lessons from Swamis’. New content on this topic is being serialised this year.

February 2021

Thus, he presented an exemplary demonstration of dedicating one’s life for the good of the suffering masses. Swami Vivekananda, in his famous Sivashuktam wrote, परहितकरणाय प्राणप्रच्छेदप्रीतम्, नतनयननियुक्तं नीलकण्ठं... “Who joyously sacrifices Himself for the good of others, whose throat is blue from drinking the poison intended for others, I prostrate before him.” And again, Swamiji said about Sri Ramakrishna, प्राणार्पण जगत-तारण “He has sacrificed his life to redeem the world and thus cut the bonds of the Kali Yuga.” In a letter addressed to his brother-disciple Swami Ramakrishnanandaji, Swamiji wrote in Sanskrit, प्राणात्ययेऽपि परकल्याणचिकीर्षावः, “They alone are Sri Ramakrishna’s children who render services to the suffering people even at the risk of their own lives.” In the person of Swami Punyanandaji Maharaj, we saw the living testimony of those blazing words of Swami Vivekananda.

The Vedanta Kesari

Whenever I remember Swami Punyanandaji’s life, I feel doubly assured that if we respond to Swamiji’s call sincerely, he will never let us down, though we may be very insignificant. By his infinite grace, Swamiji has granted us refuge at his holy feet; Swamiji certainly has seen us, is still watching us at every moment, protecting us, and leading us onward and onward. — Swami Suviranandaji, General Secretary, Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission

Swami Shiveshananda

wami Shiveshananda (1894 -1975), was well-known as Dwaraka Maharaj. He joined the order at Belur Math in 1925 and received his mantra-diksha from Swami Shivanandaji and later also his sannya-diksha from him in 1931. He lived most of his monastic life at Belur Math. He attained mahasamadhi on 11 Oct 1975.

Shabari’s waiting

Swami Shivanandaji lived upstairs in the Old Math building where Swami Vivekananda spent his last days. In the courtyard below stands the mango tree which was there during Swami Vivekananda’s time as well. There is also a jackfruit tree and some other plants. Dwaraka Maharaj had been told by his guru to see that the courtyard was kept clean and that leaves from the tree did not litter the place. Dwaraka Maharaj knew about Shabari, who lived an ascetic life in the forest. Shabari had heard that Sri Rama would pass by her hermitage, and she waited and waited for months and years to have the darshan of Sri Rama. She was waiting earnestly to hear his footsteps. At last he came and Shabari’s dream was fulfilled. Similarly, Dwaraka Maharaj was always watchful to see that leaves did not litter the courtyard. As soon as a leaf fell, he would rush forward to remove it! Thus his whole mind was given to his guru, Mahapurush Maharaj.

I have seen him reciting those verses that deal with the episode of Shabari from the Ramayana in Bengali poetry, tears pouring down from his eyes. In his room was a picture of old Shabari, which someone had got for him. His was a great example of how an ordinary act can also become a practical spiritual action. —Srimat Swami Smarananandaji Maharaj, President Ramakrishna Math & Ramakrishna Mission

Article

Swami Shivananda: A Living Light

(Continued from the previous issue...)

ome of my friends said, “Well, what are you doing? Passing so much time in meditation and japa. While the guru is living, you should do some personal service.” I had found that many samskaras arise when you take such a step as this, and so I thought meditation and prayer were more important. Besides, there were so many other swamis for personal service. My friends would not listen to me. Gradually, of course, the idea began to take root in me. One day I went with the idea of rendering personal service to my guru. Swami Shivanandaji smoked the hubble-bubble. At home, my father was a veteran tobacco smoker, and at one time I had prepared his tobacco. So hopefully I said, “Maharaj, I would like to prepare your tobacco.” Delighted, he asked, “Do you know how to prepare tobacco? All right. Try.”

But it had been a long time since I had prepared tobacco for my father, and I found that I had forgotten how to do it. A brotherdisciple rescued me as I was floundering, and I managed to complete that task.

Still, my friends kept after me. “Every evening,” they insisted, “you come right to Swami Shivanandaji’s room and do some personal service.” He was ailing by this time. He was about seventy-six years old and his health was failing. There was no electric fan and so he had to be fanned in the summer.

For two or three days I did that service. I had continued to wear my normal dress. Wearing the monastic robes would come after passing the period of the probationer. My friends had said, “Why should you look like a student? You are no longer a student. You should shave your head and leave a tuft of hair in the back as brahmacharis do.” I had done as they said. But, I had had no instruction from my guru to do so, and he stared at me. “Who is this? That boy. He has become a sadhu.” Then, after two or three days, he said, “I see, my boy, that you are not prepared yet to do this personal service, so I think you had better spend the time in meditation. That would be more beneficial for you.” My vanity was hurt. Many thoughts were racing

February 2021

In this hitherto unpublished article, Swami Shraddhananda reminisces about his interactions with his guru Swami Shivanandaji, one of the direct disciples of Sri Ramakrishna and the 2nd President of the Ramakrishna Order. Shraddhanandaji joined the Order in 1930 and was the head of the Vedanta Society of Sacramento for many years till his mahasamadhi in July 1996. Mrs. Lali Maly, a devotee of the Sacramento ashrama from Union City, California, has sent this article to The Vedanta Kesari.

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SWAMI SHRADDHANANDA

around in my mind, and after some days I went to him.

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“Maharaj, do you think I am not prepared for this life? Do you think I should go back and finish my studies?” “My idea,” he answered gently, “was that you have just come, and that you should spend more time in meditation. That will be of more benefit to you. Not that I want you to go back. You will remain here.” This was very encouraging to me.

The Vedanta Kesari

Much later, when I reflected on these things, I realised how graceful he was. He knew that I was not ready, but he said, “Let him have a chance.”

My problems and questions continued. I remember in the early years of my staying at the Math, I had another problem — it was about Holy Mother. So, one day I asked him, “Maharaj, what is the place of Holy Mother?” In those days, very few knew about Holy Mother. It was the custom of the devotees to keep Mother in secret, in the heart. He stared at me, and closed his eyes, and said, “Sri Ramakrishna is identical with Holy Mother.” There were trials in my studies, too. Of course, there were many Sanskrit classes and the Upanishad classes where I had become a regular student. Naturally many questions would come, and I thought, “Since I am here, I must utilise my guru.” Once, being very confused by some of the things I had read in the Sanskrit books, I asked Swami Shivanandaji, “Maharaj, there are two paths. Which is the better path to follow?” He replied, “If you want the path of knowledge, you can have that, and you will have mukti. And there is also the path of devotion, and if you want that, you can have that. That is the path you will take if you want a combination of love and knowledge. Knowledge is the harder path to follow. But the best thing is perfect self-abandonment. Say ‘Lord, Lord, I

am Thine; if it be Thy will that I have mukti, or that I have devotion, let it be up to Thee.’ Perfect self-abandonment in the Lord. That is the thing.”

Then one day, after I had asked him many questions, he said, “You are asking these questions as if it were a mathematical problem. Your questions are very superficial, and you have not the understanding to pose a good question.” All my vanity was being crushed. He knew I had that sense of vanity, and so sometimes he would say, “These university boys are worthless. They think that they have passed these exams, but they are quite impractical and are worthless.” Still, patiently, he would continue. “You are a mere boy now. You must just go on and live this life, and if you can live this life for seven or eight years, then much will come. This life is quite a different life. You should not have the same kind of ambition as getting a college degree. One struggles hard for years, and has ups and downs, and so you must have patience, you must have patience.” Again, one day he asked me, “What are you studying now?” I answered, “The Upanishads.” “Upanishads! Does it not conflict with your devotion?” he asked. I was really confused and still replied, “No, not much.” Maharaj then explained, “These ideas of Advaita must be carefully approached, and a life of devotion must be lived.”

Then, gradually, what he had expected came to happen. I began to think, “What is this personal God?” One day I asked, “I have a question, Maharaj. Well, I do my japa and meditation, but sometimes I don’t like the idea of a personal God. Even the name of God seems not at all pleasing to me. I want to repeat only the word Om without the idea of a personal God.” He was very grave and appeared to be sad, and kept quiet for some time. “All right, my boy. There are two ways for the realisation of

Although he was always loving, kind and affectionate, he later on decided, ‘This boy requires some other medicine.’ He scolded me, and he said, “You are a selfish boy, and you think you will have spiritual life in the way you are used to having in the world.”

But though he scolded me severely, I bore it well, because by that time I knew he was my well-wisher, and he did it for my good. Some of the other swamis were very sorry for me. When they asked, “Why has he scolded you so severely?”, I could only answer, “I cannot recall anything I did that would offend him. Of course, I am all the time asking questions.”

But matters got worse. When I would go to offer my pranams to him, he would not answer, but instead become very grave. He would be very cheerful until I put in my appearance, and then he would lapse into silence. By that time, I had matured a little. I thought this was my trial and I would not fail. I would stand it. With all reverence I would stand it.

He would get up at 3.00 A.M. and do his meditation and by 6 o’clock he was all through and ready to receive the swamis. The tea bell would ring at 6.30 A.M. Being in his room in the morning with all the sadhus was really a place of pilgrimage. Of course, no devotees from Calcutta would come at that early hour. From 6.00 to 6.30 A.M. would be reserved for the monastic inmates, and he would receive them with great affection, and that was their food for the day. “My son, how are you?” “My child, how are you?” Just a few words and a kind look; and that worked on the minds of everyone who used to come. By that time his illness had aggravated. He was confined in his room and could not come down. But he radiated love. It was an hour of great joy and inspiration. However, whenever I appeared, he had not a word for me. I thought, “What is this?” (To be continued...)

The more you weep for Him, the more will He be revealed in your heart. Weep with intense love, weep with the utmost longing. — Swami Shivananda

February 2021

I remember one of the sadhus was studying the Mandukya Upanishad, which doesn’t recognise God or anything but the Self. The position is very rational. One night Swami Shivanandaji asked him, “What are you studying? Does it contain my Mother’s name? I don’t care for the Mandukya Upanishad. Knowledge has to have devotion, otherwise one is liable to be led astray any moment.” That was a revelation to me.

One day he said, “You must sweep this whole courtyard in addition to your studies.” It would take more than one hour with a broom and he would notice me from his room in the morning. The other sadhus felt very sad for me.

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God. One is the path of knowledge, and the other is the path of devotion. There is no contradiction between the two. In the beginning they seem to be different. You need not repeat the mantra, but don’t think that the personal God is different from the impersonal God. Rather, you should first pray to the personal god and then you go on to Om.” He did not quite encourage the idea, but he subdued me that way. After doing that for some time, I thought it was foolish. But he would say, smiling, “All right. Go on, go on.”

(Continued from page 22...)

February 2021

International Peace in the Light of Indian Philosophy

The Vedanta Kesari

influenced by their prejudices, memories, ambitions, desires and fears operating at a collective level — societies are knowingly or unknowingly prompted by their instincts and act on their compulsions. These instincts in the societies are built over long periods of time and are deeply engraved in them. Experiences, jolts, lessons on the winding and excruciatingly long path of human history, particularly that which is related to the particular society, lie deeply buried inside the collective subconscious of the society and are carried on coded into scripture, legend, literature, music, folk art, conventions, festivals, traditions, language, mythology, culture and the like, which affect the external collective behaviour. Thus the third thesis of this article is:

‘Just as individuals, societies too are influenced by instincts, desires, memories, ambitions fears etc., that lie in their collective subconscious.’ (Fig. 4)

Thus, for peace, there is a need to tackle the mind of a society/nation in preference to dealing with environment and external activity. Societies must either 1) seek to remove or deal with perverse cravings, especially because they are unseen, or alternatively, 2) sublimate them. An example of the former would be a removal of animosity towards the other nation by education and edification. An example of sublimation would be turning human energy from belligerence to research for human progress. A society which is slave to its instincts, which has inflated and misplaced pride, and is a victim of its mean passions, will surely indulge in atrocities in the name of nationalism or some such virtue—no matter how benign the environment and the neighbours.

Mahatma Gandhi’s approach Satyagraha The Sanskrit word Sat, one of the three aspects of the Atman, connotes both ‘Truth’ and ‘Existence’. The universal virtue ‘truth’ (satya) thus derives directly from the infallible Existence aspect of the ever incontrovertible Atman and is thus unfailing. Mahatma Gandhi te s te d t h e ve ra c i t y o f t h i s fa c t by ‘experimenting’ with truth in his own life since his childhood.14 Having been convinced that truth is a force in itself, he used it as a weapon to tackle injustice and atrocities in society. He declared, “The sword can kill, but it cannot compel.” He then invented a principle that is of the nature of ‘passive resistance’ which is free from weakness, fear and hatred and gave it the name satyagraha (which translates as truthfirmness or truth-insistence). Non-violence

Similarly, love (or its obverse, non-injury) derives directly from the Bliss aspect of the incontrovertible Atman. Hence, it too is a force by itself. Gandhiji says, “The ‘law of love’ will work, just as the ‘law of gravitation’ will work, whether we accept it or not.” He exhorted his people to extend love even to the enemy. Gandhi’s aim was to ‘liquidate’ his enemy by destroying hatred and turning him into a friend: “Your enemy is your foolish brother. Minister to him when he is hurt; disobey him when he tries to hurt you. No enemy can ever be strong enough or savage enough to withstand the fire of love.”15

If love should be extended to everyone, how did he fight evildoers? The answer lies in the fact that his new kind of warfare was designed to kill not the man but his meanness,

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

Peace is ‘still’ power From the above discussion it is clear that peace is neither a ‘passive’ state nor some sort of complacency or benumbed silence, rather it is a calm, dynamic, ‘still’ power. This power is derived from inner strength coupled with understanding and love. Bravado, display of strength, war, attack, etc., come from hidden weakness or fear.16 A really strong person does not harm anyone.

Further, peace does not come from compromising differences, as an improvised or an ill-planned solution may provide; neither does it come from road-rolling differences as war intends to do. It may be noted that while war aims at settling differences, it invariably ends up creating them. The symphony of diversity

How then does peace view differences? The answer is, it knows the principle ‘Variety is the first principle of life’ and ‘Unity in variety is the plan of creation’.17 Rather than ‘tolerating’ differences, which is a kind of suppression, it develops strength to assimilate them or, it may be said, it broadens the outlook and takes them within its enlightened stride. The Indian approach has always been seeking harmony within diversity. This harmony, however, is not a fusion, a jumble, or a medley or a muddle of things that are different in nature, rather, it is a symphony built from differing things in a variegated diversity. Peace is dynamic

‘Peace’ in Indian understanding is not a static concept. Atman, the deeper, undeniable,

This is the one reason why Mahatma Gandhi’s non-violence is not passive, rather, it has the blazing power in it. His non-violence has not the strength of a stone that resists its own destruction, but something entirely ‘alive’ or ‘conscious’ that makes a statement, insists, faces, and even cares for the offender.

The dynamic aspect of Atman is power (shakti)—a power that permits and causes everything to move or change, the Atman itself remaining beyond the limitations of space, time and change. The great acharya Shankara calls Atman pura api nava, “ancient but new.” Owing to this understanding as a foundation, the builtin capability to change and adapt to different circumstances and times has percolated into the Indian concept of peace just as it has seeped deep into her culture, philosophies and ideas and even beliefs. The Indian concept of peace is not an ossified, petrified, fossilized, written in stone, defined-once-for-all concept, but has the capacity to change as social, economic, technological and cultural changes take place over time, yet remaining eternal and fresh. This is because Indian religious beliefs are not based on God’s commandments or instructions but on a perennial philosophy called the Vedanta, which consists of universal principles valid at all places and all times. Religions of non-Indic origin may not stand this test of capacity to change. Afflictions and their causes

The two types of ego There are two types of ego in Indian philosophy. The first type of ego is ‘egoity’ which is an individuating principle. The second type of ego is ‘egoism’ which is some sort of self-centredness. These two types of egos are severally referred to in the Bhagavat Gita in verses 7:4 and 16:18 respectively and both are expressed by the same word ‘ahamkara’.

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Indian understanding of peace

self-existent and causal reality, has not only the static but also the dynamic aspect.

41 The Vedanta Kesari

not the thief but his desire to thieve, not the enemy but his enmity. People could see the “power of his weapon that healed as against the ineffective weapons that killed.”

February 2021 The Vedanta Kesari

Egoity defines any entity distinguishing itself from the rest of the world. For example, a pen is a pen, and not a pencil or a pot, because of its pen-egoity. Egoity by itself does not cause any harm, and provides a valid reason for the existence of individuals or nation-states as autonomous, independent, and functional units. No blame of selfishness etc., can be ascribed to it. On the other hand, egoism struggles desperately to perpetuate the separation of ‘me’ and ‘mine’ from the rest and also sees everything else as a threat (to its existence). An egoist person constantly suffers from an excessive and morbid need to augment and protect him/herself and, as a result, falls prey to attachment, hatred and fear. Attachment is self-centered love. Hatred and fear are selfcentered protection. Now, a nation or a society also displays almost all the characteristics of an individual such as greed, fear, desperation, selfcenteredness, aggrandizing, misunderstanding and so forth in its desperate attempts to preserve, expand, and protect its egoity—this attempt is egoism. Nations amass, covet, brag about themselves, they act in their own interests, and they hate, fear, attack, or lobby with other nations. Further, sacred literature of many religions mention that, similar to an individual, a nation as a whole, as an agent responsible for its acts, must bear the consequences and ‘pay for its sins’ or ‘reap what is sown’ just as an individual does.18 This brings us to the fourth thesis of this article, which is:

individuating principle that defines any entity distinguishing itself from other entities, and, 2) egoism, or self-centredness, which forms when egoity falls into the clutches of attachment, hatred and fear.’ (Fig. 5) Egoity may expand or contract too. For example, patriotism is the ripening and expansion of the individual since it is ‘inclusive’ of others. Nationalism, on the other hand, is some sort of contraction of the collective ego to one’s own nation since nationalism is rather ‘exclusive’ in character. Patriotism and nationalism

Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India, explained that patriotism is love for one’s countrymen while nationalism is hatred towards other country’s men. Although patriotism allows some opportunity for expansion, it displays some flaws too. This is because the attribute love, on which it is based, may sometimes turn into obstinate attachment (in this case, towards one’s own countrymen), which results in favouritism, bias, prejudice, and hatred for other nations. Lobbies of nations is an example of favouritism among nations. Unless love is pure, it degenerates into attachment and brings misery, and patriotism is no exception. It is for this reason that the Buddha recommended Metta, friendliness, and not love (Pali: Metta, from Sanskrit Maitri,

‘Just as individuals, societies are characterised by, 1) egoity, which is an

Fig. 5 Three basic attitudes of individual or society and their causes 19 (fourth thesis)

Attachment, hatred, and fear are thus the three defects that have come into view in the discussion above (Fig. 5). Precisely these are the three dysfunctions identified in the ancient Indian tradition as the root of all suffering (see, for example, The Yoga Sutra of Patanjali, 2.3-6). Attachment is the tendency to move towards the other object with the feeling of liking, hatred is the tendency to move towards the other object with the feeling of dislike (as in an attack), and fear is the tendency to move away from the other object with the feeling of dislike. Clearly, these three are the only possible combinations arising from two movements (towards and away) and two attitudes (like and dislike). In the context of international peace, at the collective level, the first dysfunction gives rise to favouritism (self-centred grouping of many nations), the second gives rise to an attack (as in war) and the third gives rise to taking cover. The yoga psychology identifies ‘egoity’ itself as the primary cause of all three dysfunctions (i.e., egoism), and its deeper root as ‘ignorance’. It must be mentioned here that this ‘ignorance’ is not the ignorance of objects or the lack of any knowledge or information but is an existential ignorance—that is, ignorance of the true nature of one’s own self, which is divine and full of unconditional love. This matter is discussed here briefly to highlight the need to look for the causes of friction among nations at the deeper inner levels as opposed to only in the outer interactions. Trends of human progress

Evil and the evil-doer One trend apparent in recent times is that man has noticed the difference between ‘evil’

From Exclusivism to Universalism

The other trend that is developing in the world is that mankind is moving during its progress from Exclusivism to Inclusivism, then to Pluralism, and further to Universalism.

Exclusivism, in the present context, is the exploitation of one nation by the other using military power for its own benefit. Inclusivism is a belief that one’s own country is superior, and therefore the other country must live as a protectorate and receive mercy and aid. Pluralism evolves when an understanding develops that all nations have

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PA G E S P O N S O R : S R I A S H I S H M A J U M D A R , K O L K ATA

Attachment, hatred, and fear

and the ‘evil doer’. Earlier, when an evil was detected, the evil doer was punished. Nowadays, the trend is to remove evil itself from the society while the evil doer receives a sympathetic, humanitarian treatment. This is akin to the elimination of a disease, as opposed to quarantining or killing the person who has the disease. Or, to give another example, removing a possibility of war rather than capturing, dominating, or even gobbling up the warring state. Thus humanity is now tackling the system in which evil takes place believing that the people themselves are sincere adherents of the prevailing system and beliefs, and are therefore innocent. It must be noted that Indian culture has always been at home with this attitude of recognising a person’s guiltlessness. This is due to the discovery of Atman, early in the civilisation’s history, as one’s real self, which is pure, immaculate and untouchable by anything external such as evil or sin. Thus, in Indian culture, evil or sin is looked at as incidental, adventitious, or superimposed on one’s inherent divine self due to ignorance. This is in sharp contrast to the other cultures in which man is believed to be tainted to the core since birth and is inherently a sinner.

43 The Vedanta Kesari

which means friendliness, kindness or good will, or love without attachment).

The Vedanta Kesari

Universalism, is a unique contribution of Swami Vivekananda. In Universalism, an underlying substratum is found in the midst of the externally differing variety. 20 The substratum covers not only humans but life itself. It is discovered that life is driven by love.21 However, self-love is replaced by lovefor-all and societies or nations live as brothers. This is not an admixture or cross-breading of cultures or nations, nor is it beating the differences by force to form one uniform, homogeneous, amorphous substance without any individuality, rather, it is like weaving different cultures and nations into one single beautiful fabric called the mankind. Man has moved (Fig. 6) from the state of a barbaric society to an agricultural society, and then to the industrial state. It is now becoming clear that mankind is advancing towards a state of ‘Knowledge Society’. Further progress will be towards spirituality that will tackle, at a collective level, existential problems. Then man will find himself in an ‘Enlightened Society’. “The time is to come when prophets will walk through every street in every city in the world.” prophesied Swami Vivekananda.22 Man’s future

Man’s essential nature, pure consciousness23, is not obvious in everyday experience because of a covering of ignorance. When the covering is removed, Atman shines

forth. Newspapers and media usually portray pessimistic trends such as increasing crime, violence, corruption and the like. Yet, it should be understood that darkness is a cover on the inherent goodness. According to the Indian philosophy, the cover is incidental and thus will not prevail over the intrinsic force of light within man however hard this cover may appear. Any outer corruption cannot withstand the shattering force of the goodness within. Eons of obstinate darkness can be dispelled instantly by a single ray of light.24 Practical action points for peace

In view of the above perspective, a few practical action points are listed below for fostering international peace:

Each nation must (a) shift its attitude from passive tolerance to active acceptance of other nations, (b) break the prison walls of its own concepts and transcend the limitations set by its own standards, conventions or history, (c) free itself from egoism and doubt. Just as it is foolish for a student sitting in a class-room to keep praising his/her own family, similarly, a country that continues to harp on its own glories forgetting that it is in a community of nations invites lampoon. Thus misplaced pride of one’s own country (the attitude ‘my country, right or wrong’) must be judiciously avoided. Any ‘achievement’ by a country should not be arrogated as an achievement of that particular country in exclusion to others, but be recognised as an achievement of the whole of

Fig. 6 Human evolution

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their rights and dignity; each nation must tolerate the other nation’s presence. No active co-operation is expected in Pluralism.

Similarly, the adage ‘A nation must love peace, but keep its powder dry’ means that the killing mechanism must be kept switched on. Mankind must find an alternative to this type of double talk in the name of so-called ‘vigilance’.

Lack of knowledge about other countries breeds xenophobia and hatred for other people. Information about other countries, their cultures, heritage, religions, etc., must be spread and included in formal education. This will foster goodwill among countries and help unify humanity. (Concluded.)

PA G E S P O N S O R : S R I P R AV E E N K U M A R D A R I S I , B E N G A LU R U

The patriotic statement ‘I must die for my nation’ has been much acclaimed because of the sense of sacrifice involved in it. However, the statement also means ‘I must kill someone’. The world must re-think the value of such patriotic statements. In other words, narrow nationalism must be replaced by universal internationalism.

References

11) Interestingly, the Sanskrit word ranakandu (rana=battle, kandu=itch), refers to a person ‘itching for war’. 12) Swami Nirvedananda, Hinduism at a Glance, p.59. 13) In the Western thought too there are the two: ‘Positive freedom’—internal freedom to carry out one’s own free will, and, ‘Negative freedom’— freedom from external interference in one’s activity. However, most literature in the West is undecided about the Positive freedom because it fails to recognise that one’s ‘free’ will is enslaved by one’s own deeply engraved instincts and is thus not truly free. Bertrand Russell came close to the identification of true Positive freedom, he put it in the form of a paradox: ‘We can do as we please but we can’t please as we please.’ Eric Fromm wrote fittingly in his famous The Fear of Freedom: “… freedom from instinctual determination of one’s actions”. 14) M. K. Gandhi, The Story of My Experiments with Truth, Tr. Mahadev Desai, (Ahmedabad: Navajeevan Press, 1940), p.16, 27, and passim. 15) Thomas H. and Thomas D. L., Great Religious Leaders, (Mumbai: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, 1996), p.242. 16) Tradition has it that St. Paul, prior to his conversion when he was persecuting the followers of Jesus, the

Judaic sovereign Dharmaguru asked him: “What fear hides in your heart that you are committing this bravado?” 17) The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda. 2:379 and 6:114 18) The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda, 3:369; and also, The Holy Bible, Job 4.8, Proverbs 11.18, Mark 4.3-8, James 3.18 and passim. 19) Based on and adapted from Swami Bhajananandaji’s Basic Principles of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras—an Integral Approach in Swami Sarvabhutananda et al. (eds.), Some Responses to Classical Yoga in the Modern Period. Kolkata: Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture, 2010. 20) Harmony of religions. Swami Bhajanananda. Kolkata: Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture, 2009, 26. 21) Killing for food or stealing is also love—love for your family or yourself. It is love misplaced, but love indeed. 22) The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda. 6:10 23) The view of the Chinese philosopher Mencius (372-289 B.C.E.) came close to this understanding— Mencius asserted the innate goodness of the individual. 24) Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna p.26, 616, 703, Atmabodha 3, 1 John 1:5

February 2021

Human rights ideology allows every country (or person) to defend itself (or himself). However, in practice, the tools of defence are hardly different from those of offence. Weapons that are designed, manufactured and deployed to kill cannot bring about lasting peace, however much these be labelled as ‘defence related’, although they may bring about a temporary lull. Thus it is necessary to redefine ‘defence’.

45 The Vedanta Kesari

humanity. This is an expansion of the collective ego leading to the dissipation of fragmented individualistic puny egos.

The Order on the March

The Vedanta Kesari

A new branch centre of the Ramakrishna Mission has been started at Raiganj in the Uttar Dinajpur district of West Bengal. Sri Amit Shah, Home Minister, Government of India, visited Swami Vivekananda’s Ancestral House, Kolkata, on 19 December. Sri Jagdeep Dhankhar, Governor of West Bengal, visited Sarisha Ashrama on 16 December. Sri T S Singh Deo, Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Government of Chhattisgarh, inaugurated the new building for the outpatient department at Narainpur Ashrama on 3 December. A telemedicine centre was inaugurated at the dispensary of Shillong Ashrama on 5 December. It is estimated that the COVID-19 lockdown has affected the emotional health of over 40 million children and teens hailing from poor families in India. To monitor their emotional health and create interventions, the Media Lab of Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai developed an experimental WeMindYou App which detects any signs of fear, anxiety, and stress on the children’s face during online classes. This was experimented at the Meyyur, a village adopted by the Chennai Math. Children identified with such problems were trained in Yoga and meditation. A few weeks later a non-invasive EEG scan was conducted to see how the children had benefited from the interventions. Quick Base, an American company which conducted a virtual hackathon, awarded the first prize for this WeMindYou facial recognition project. The prize announced on 16 December carries a sum of 35,000 dollars. In 1906, Swami Ramakrishnanandaji, a direct-disciple of Sri Ramakrishna, started a primary school in the Mint area of North Chennai for the most backward children living there. 300 children receive free education, nutritious food, and training in yoga and sports. This school has now been recognized as the Best School in North Chennai. Covid-19 Relief: Six ashrama centers in India and two abroad continued Covid-19 relief by distributing groceries, and homeopathy immunity boosters, digital note books etc. Cyclone Relief: In response to the cyclones Nivar and Burevi, the Order through Chengalpattu, Chennai Students’ Home, Thanjavur and Villupuram ashramas distributed about 59623 kg groceries, 16450 bars/ pieces of soap/toothpaste etc., 10,000 biscuit packets, 5000 milk-powder packets, and other items like mats and tarpaulins to 6665 families in 10 districts in Tamil Nadu. Winter Relief: 37 ashrama centres in India, distributed 22,286 blankets, sweaters, jackets etc., to the poor. Distress Relief: 16 centres in India distributed 500 dhotis, 1167 saris, 4672 shirts/trousers, 80 school bags, 1460 stationery items, groceries, snacks, etc. Rehabilitation: Manasadwip ashrama in Sagar Island rebuilt a primary school building destroyed by Cyclone Amphan in May 2020.

PA G E S P O N S O R : S R I M A N I S H S H U K L A , PA LG H A R

February 2021

News & Notes from Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission

Ramakrishna Math (Shyampukur Bati)

(A Branch Centre of Ramakrishna Math, Belur Math, Howrah) 55, Shyampukur Street, Kolkata â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 700 004. Phone : (033) 2555-8580. E-mail: shyampukurbati@rkmm.org Preservation and Extension of SHYAMPUKUR BATI, the most important and sacred tirtha of Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission.

For a donation of Rupees Two Lakhs and above, the name of the donor will be displayed in marble stone in a suitable place. Donors are requested to provide their ADDRESS, PAN NUMBER, MOBILE NUMBER, E-MAIL. Present Activities:: v Homoeopathic charitable dispensary (40-50 patients weekly two days); v Distribution of dhotis, sarees, blankets to poor people every year; v Regular spiritual talks, Devotees conventions, Memorial lectures, Inter-school recitation & lecture competitions on moral values etc. With warm love and namaskar, Swami Parasharananda Adhyaksha

February 2021

AN APPEAL

47 The Vedanta Kesari

Dear Friend / devotee / well-wisher, You all know that Sri Ramakrishna spent the last few months of his life (naralila) in Shyampukur Bati and Cossipore. In Shyampukur Bati, Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Sarada Devi, Swami Vivekananda and other brother disciples spent 70 days together. Here Sri Ramakrishna was worshipped as Mother Kali on Kalipuja night by Girish Ghosh and other devotees. He also experienced a good number of bhavas, samadhis and various such higher spiritual realizations. In November 2017 this holy place was recognized as a full-fledged branch centre of Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission. Now, as the matter stands, this house is 190 years old. For the proper preservation of this house, thorough repair work is urgently needed. There is a severe scarcity of accommodation for the inmate sadhus here. Also, to extend our seva work we need more space (rooms). To meet the above urgent needs we have to purchase one or two nearby houses. For this, we need a minimum sum of Rupees Four Crores. I fervently appeal to all the devotees, donors and well-wishers to donate generously to make the above project successful. All donations to Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission are exempt from income tax vide IT act, 80G,1961. Donation may please be sent through A/C payee CTS cheque, Demand Draft or Bank Transfer to:- Adhyaksha, Ramakrishna Math, Shyampukur Bati, 55, Shyampukur Street, Kolkata â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 700 004. Bank Details United Bank of India, Baghbazar branch. State Bank of India, Baghbazar Branch A/C no. 0090010362696, A/C no. 32773763307, IFSC : UTBI0BAZ101, IFSC : SBIN0001652, MICR Code : 700027005 MICR Code : 700002007

The Vedanta Kesari

February 2021

The Vedanta Kesari

February 2021

RAMAKRISHNA MATH, UTTARKASHI Ganganagar, P.O. Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand, 249193 Mobile: 9447051231; Email: uttarkashi@rkmm.org Offering to Bhagavan Sri Ramakrishna: An Appeal Dear Devotees & Friends,

February 2021

Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission, Belur Math declared open a Math centre at Uttarkashi, an ancient holy town in the Garhwal Himalayas on 20 Oct 2017. There was already an ashrama, named “Ramakrishna Kutir”, on a small piece of land since 1963. It was maintained directly by the Belur Math, and sadhus of our Order used to stay for intense tapasya in the traditional monastic way, begging food from outside and living a simple austere life. The same tradition continues till date.

The Vedanta Kesari

In view of expanding Swami Vivekananda’s ideal of service and spirituality among the masses we plan to purchase some land measuring at least one acre around Harsil Valley, near Gangotri. Along with retreat centres for sadhus and devotees, some welfare activities for the benefit of the poor and underprivileged will be taken up after acquiring and developing the land. An estimated cost of Rs. 2 crores is required to set up and develop this additional unit of our Math. We request our friends and devotees, trusts and corporate bodies to contribute liberally to complete this project of welfare and spirituality at the earliest. Donations can be made by NEFT/RTGS to the account given below: A/C Name

: Ramakrishna Math, Uttarkashi

Bank Name

: Union Bank of India

Branch Name

: Uttarkashi Branch

A/C No.

: 601802010006696

IFSC : UBIN0560189 Foreign contributions may kindly be sent through the headquarters at Belur Math (Ramakrishna Mission, Belur Math, Howrah-711202; email- accounts@rkmm.org) requesting it to credit the fund in Uttarkashi Math A/c. Kindly send us email (to uttarkashi@rkmm.org ) or SMS (to 9447051231) after the transaction intimating the purpose of your donation as “Donation for purchase of land and development of the Math.” Please also send your PAN and full postal address. Donations towards our Math are exempted from IT under 80G Act. May Sri Ramakrishna, Ma Sarada, Swami Vivekananda bless you all. Yours in the Lord, Swami Amaleshananda Adhyaksha

Vol.108. No.2 The Vedanta Kesari (English Monthly) February 2021. Regd. with the Registrar of Newspapers for India under No.1084 / 1957. Postal registration number: TN / CH (C) / 190 / 2021-2023. Licensed to Post without prepayment TN/PMG(CCR)/WPP-259 / 2021-2023.

Date of Publication: 24th of every month

We must always remember that God is Love. Be strong and stand up and seek the God of Love. This is the highest strength. What power is higher than the power of purity? Love and purity govern the world. This love of God cannot be reached by the weak; therefore, be not weak, either physically, mentally, morally or spiritually. — Swami Vivekananda

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The Vedanta Kesari - February 2021 Issue

Articles inside

The Order on the March

Lessons from Swamis

Pariprasna

Vivekananda Way

Reminiscences of Sargachhi

Editorial

Yugavani

Atmarpanastuti