The Vedanta Kesari February 2012 Issue

F ebruary 2012

VOL. 99, No. 2

ISSN 0042-2983

A CULTURAL AND SPIRITUAL M O N T H L Y O F T H E R A M A K R I S H N A O R D E R

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

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

CONTENTS February 2012

Vedic Prayers

45

Editorial

The Temple—Within and Without

46

Articles

Seva Yoga and Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi Swami Vimalatmananda Maud Stumm—Who Taught Swamiji to Draw Somenath Mukherjee What Is Spirituality Swami Brahmeshananda

50 59 64

Reminiscences

Reminiscences of Master Mahashay Jitendranath Chattopadhyay

55

New Find

Unpublished Letters of Swami Turiyananda

57

Travelogue

Western Ghats Shrines in Karnataka—A Pilgrimage ‘Atmashraddha’

69

Annual Report

Synopsis of the Governing Body’s Report for 2010-11 Swami Prabhananda

66

Special Report

Brahmavadin—Digitised Archives Released

76

The Order on the March

79

Book Review

81

Features Simhâvalokanam (Sri Ramakrishna the Great Master)—49, Sri Ramakrishna Tells Stories—75

Cover Story: Page 4

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Cover Story Universal Temple of Sri Ramakrishna, Chennai Math Established in 1897 by Swami Ramakrishnananda, a direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai, is an important landmark in the busy metropolis of Chennai. The Universal Temple of Sri Ramakrishna (consecrated in February 2000), which occupies central place in the Math premises in Mylapore, draws hundreds of devotees and visitors everyday.

Daily morning puja and evening arati, besides celebration of important religious festivals and extended bhajan sessions are held in the Temple. Its large prayer-hall, exuding peace and holiness, is a place for meditation for numerous people.

In February 2012 the Chennai Math celebrates the 12th year anniversary of the consecration of the Universal Temple. †

THE VEDANTA KESARI PATRONS’ SCHEME We invite our readers to join as patrons of the magazine. They can do so by sending Rs.2000/- or more. Names of the patrons will be announced in the journal under the Patrons' Scheme and they will receive the magazine for 20 years. Please send your contribution to The Manager, The Vedanta Kesari by DD/MO drawn in favour of Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai with a note that the enclosed amount is for the Patrons' Scheme. (This scheme is valid in India only).

DONORS Mr. P.K. Dey, Nagpur Mr. B.C. Rao, Pune Mr. K. Surendranath, Kerala

PATRONS Rs.5,000 Rs.1000 Rs.1000

626. Mrs. Chandra Aiyangar, Chennai 627. Mr. V.S. Naidu, Chennai

The Vedanta Kesari Library Scheme SL.NO.

NAMES OF SPONSORS

AWARDEE INSTITUTIONS

5158. Mr.Naveen Chaitanya Kumar,Chennai Lord Venkateshwara College, Kanchi DT, T.N- 631 605 5159.

-doDr. M.G.R College of Pharmacy, Krishnagiri Dist, T.N- 635 109 5160.

-doSri Sakthi Kailash College, Salem, T.N- 636 003 5161.

-doKevi Women College, Salem, T.N- 636 011 5162.

-doNamakkal Kavigner College, Namakkal, T.N- 637 002 5163.

-doVelalar College of Engg, Erode, T.N- 638 009 5164.

-doJ.K.K Nataraja College, Namakkal,T.N- 638 183 5165.

-doP.K.R College, Erode, T.N- 638 452 Continued on page 45

VOL. 99, No. 2, FEBRUARY 2012 ISSN 0042-2983

E

ACH SOUL IS POTENTIALLY DIVINE.

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GOAL IS TO MANIFEST THE DIVINITY WITHIN.

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Vedic Prayers

Tr. by Swami Sambuddhananda

eÞmo Xodra^rï>`o eÞmo ^dÝVw nrV`o e§`moa{^ldÝVw Z… & —Samaveda, Agneya Parva, 1. 33

Xodr… the Divine Power Z… our A^rï>`o for the realisation of the highest end e§ ^dÝVw be favourable Z… to us nrV`o for the enjoyment of perfect bliss Z… upon us e§`mo… streams of happiness A{^ldÝVw may shower.

For the realisation of our end may the Divine Power be favourable (to us). For the enjoyment of perfect bliss may She [Divine Mother] be good to us and shower upon us streams of happiness.

Mother is the first manifestation of power and is considered a higher idea than father. With the name of Mother comes the idea of Shakti, Divine Energy and Omnipotence, just as the baby believes its mother to be allpowerful, able to do anything. The Divine Mother is the Kundalini (‘coiled up’ power) sleeping in us; without worshipping Her we can never know ourselves. All-merciful, allpowerful, omnipresent are attributes of Divine Mother. She is the sum total of the energy in the universe. Every manifestation of power in the universe is ‘Mother’. She is life, She is intelligence, She is Love.

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The Temple—Within and Without The Mylapore Temple Walking down the busy Ramakrishna Math Road in Chennai, some hundred yards from the ancient Shiva temple of Kapaliswara in Mylapore, one cannot fail to notice a largedomed, partly-stone-built temple in the Ramakrishna Math. This magnificent temple, christened the Universal Temple of Sri Ramakrishna, can easily be seen from the road, and, if the temple is open, the marble image of Sri Ramakrishna adorning its sanctum sanctorum, too can be seen. One can get a glimpse of the image even travelling in the city buses that ply in front of it.

What strikes a passer-by or a first-time visitor to the temple is its bigness and a rather different design. It is architecturally different from the Dravida style usually seen in the Kapaliswara temple and other ancient temples that abound in Chennai or in South India in general. The Ramakrishna Temple has a blend of South and North Indian styles of temple architecture, combining elements from other faiths and places of worship as well. Flanked by a well-manicured garden, the temple is a centre of attraction bringing hundreds of devotees and visitors daily, and on Sundays and other festival days, thousands.

As one enters the temple, one is ushered into, as it were, a place pulsating with peace and holiness. The whole ambience is filled with purity and cleanliness. Sri Ramakrishna’s marble image in the sanctum, elegantly draped in dhoti, with a fresh flower garland around T h e

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the neck, and flower vases around, seems to beckon the visitors. There is a Living Presence, filling the ambience with a sense of awe and calmness. A few devotees are seen sitting on the large carpets, meditating—and that is a distinct trait of the place. Meditation is in the air, as if. Indeed, creating and maintaining a meditative atmosphere is one of the characteristics of all Ramakrishna Temples. Unlike most Hindu temples where devotees go to have darshan of the deity but have little time or patience to meditate, the Ramakrishna Temples are a place of worship and meditation.

They are not just ‘meditation halls’, but a place where regular puja and arati is performed and the Living Presence of Divine is maintained by meditation, prayer and bhajans. A holy atmosphere is a great aid in meditation. Adi Shankara says that a place of meditation should be a punya-pradesh, a place hallowed by holy thoughts.

A number of ‘tourist buses’ come to the Mylapore Math daily, bringing curious Indian and foreign visitors to its Universal Temple.

The tourists are often in a hurry, though a few choose to sit in silent meditation. Outside the temple, they go around, admiring the size and design of the temple, and the flowers, shrubs and creepers in the garden. One can see these visitors busy clicking photographs in the front of the temple (the use of mobiles and cameras inside the temple is prohibited) before leaving.

Role of Temples

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Temples are a place of inner reflection, a place for putting together our scattered lives.

Today’s busy urban landscape and demanding lifestyle has further increased the need for a place to sit quietly and meditate. Just as a stadium and a movie hall meet man’s entertainment and sporting-needs, the existence of a temple, vibrant with spiritual activity, fulfils man’s spiritual needs in many ways. Man may be a social ‘animal’ but more than that, he is a spiritual being. He needs to explore the infinite dimension of mystery called life and death.

Religion, in Swami Vivekananda’s words, is a search for the Infinite.

Of course, India is dotted with thousands of temples all over. But these temples are not intrinsic to the idea of Dharma and spiritual life in general. It is so because in Hinduism personal practices are held as the basis of all spirituality. It is the individual, intimate, relation with God, and not a mere congregational prayer, that is considered the basis of all spiritual progress. Says Swami Vivekananda, The temples in India are not like the churches here [in the West]. They may all vanish tomorrow, and will not be missed. A temple is built by a man who wants to go to heaven, or to get a son, or something of that sort. So he builds a large temple and employs a few priests to hold services there. I need not go there at all, because all my worship is in the home. In every house is a special room set apart, which is called the chapel. The first duty of the child, after his initiation, is to take a bath, and then to worship; and his worship consists of this breathing and meditating and repeating of a certain name. . . After one has done this, then another comes and takes his seat, and each one does it in silence. Sometimes there are three or four in the same room, but each one may have a different method.1

Spiritual life is essentially an inner journey; temples are only aids in this journey.

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We should not, however, misconstrue that Hinduism does not approve of temples.

They are necessary. What is to be understood is that only going to a temple is not the goal of a spiritual aspirant. Says Swamiji, He [spiritual seeker] must not stop anywhere.

‘External worship, material worship,’ say the scriptures, ‘is the lowest stage; struggling to rise high, mental prayer is the next stage, but the highest stage is when the Lord has been realised.’

Mark, the same earnest man who is kneeling before the idol tells you, ‘Him the sun cannot express, nor the moon, nor the stars, the lightning cannot express Him, nor what we speak of as fire; through Him they shine.’ But he does not abuse any one’s idol or call its worship sin. He recognises in it a necessary stage of life. ‘The child is father of the man.’ Would it be right for an old man to say that childhood is a sin or youth a sin?2

Spirituality is an inner affair, concerning our feelings and thoughts. It is largely invisible but a truly spiritual person’s life and actions reflect this invisible content of his being. His actions become more unselfish and free from attachments and cravings. But before he reaches this state, he needs to delve into himself. He has to first discover where he stands, to which direction his life is proceeding, what his deepest beliefs, intentions and urges are. He has to become his own friend. A restless mind is man’s greatest enemy and a calm, pure mind, his greatest friend. One has to transform the enemy into a friend, an archrival and rebel into a loving, ever-willing friend. It is a difficult journey, as difficult as ‘walking on the edge of a razor’.

But even the longest journey has to begin somewhere. However large may be the size of a sculpture, the chiselling has to begin with small strikes of a hammer. Likewise, we too need to start our journey somewhere. Let us

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begin with something concrete—with places and images and all those forms which have helped countless spiritual travellers to reach their destination. The road is not the destination but it has to be travelled. There is no other magic formula. We will have to gather back ourselves, and a temple is a wonderful place to do it. It helps one to withdraw the mind from trifles.

The Temple Within According to a well-known verse, the human body itself is the temple (deho devalayam proktam). The temple outside is only a representation of the temple within. In Swamiji’s words, It is impossible to find God outside of ourselves.

Our own souls contribute all the divinity that is outside of us. We are the greatest temple. The objectification is only a faint imitation of what we see within ourselves.3

With the help of external temple, one has to discover the inner temple. One has to seek Him within. Says a popular prayer: Lord, they build high temples in Your name; they make large gifts in Your name; I am poor; I have nothing; so I take this body of mine and place it at Your feet. Do not give me up, O Lord.4

Such is the prayer that comes from the depths of a seeker’s heart. He has learnt that to find the Lord is the goal and purpose of his life, the true gift bestowed on human life. He goes to a temple not as a social ritual but to see his own Divinity objectified as the Beloved Lord worshipped in the temple. He can bring in any number of human feelings and needs to make the presence of Divine real to him.

But having neglected the inner temple for long, he has to first clean it up, remove the

weeds of unwanted thoughts and desires, sweep clean all the dust of laziness and selfrighteousness, sprinkle the place with the water of simplicity and light the lamp of faith and devotion. It is then that he will begin to see the presence of Deity within. There may be many obstacles and temptations on the way but he has to discover his inner temple and the Lord sitting there.

To one who has succeeded in discovering the temple within, God becomes an Allpervasive Reality. To him, The whole sky is the censer of God, and sun and moon are the lamps. What temple is needed?

All eyes are Thine, yet Thou has not an eye; all hands are Thine; yet Thou hast not a hand.5

Finally . . .

A temple is like a school for the growing soul. There, in the quiet hours of meditation and reflection, one has to learn his lessons and graduate from the lower forms of worship to the highest form of worship which is to see divinity within and divinity without. And finally discover that true peace comes, not from self-seeking but from unselfishness. Unselfish man is peaceful, having resigned himself to the Divine Being of his inner temple.

Peace and inner joy are interrelated. Swamiji summarizes, This unselfishness is the test of religion. He who has more of this unselfishness is more spiritual and nearer to Shiva. . . If a man is selfish, even though he has visited all the temples, seen all the places of pilgrimage, and painted himself like a leopard, he is still further off from Shiva.6

One goes to a temple without to discover the temple within, and find the Divine both within and without.

References 1. CW, 5.302 T h e

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Simhâvalokanam

From the Archives of THE VEDANTA KESARI (February, 1921-22, Pp. 290-291)

Sri Ramakrishna the Great Master

BY SWAMI SARADANANDA

We have already related before that the Master [Sri Ramakrishna] used to spend at that time much of his time in the Prakriti Bhava, thinking himself as the eternal handmaid of the Divine Mother and while in this mood sometimes he used to prepare garlands of flowers with his own hand, and decorate the Mother with them; he would spend some time again, in fanning the Divine Image with the chamara. He found much pleasure then in decorating the Mother with all kinds of ornaments which he had newly made for the purpose, and dressing himself in the garb of a woman he used to spend much of his time in singing and dancing before the image as if to entertain the Divine Mother. It is needless to say that the Master did all these out of the spontaneous impulse of his heart, which must have been roused very strongly in him at that time. So when Jatadhari came there, his association with the Master must have given a fresh impetus to the latter to kindle in him the motherly love for the child Rama as described here-to-before. And under the inspiration of that feeling, the Master was blessed with the vision of the ‘child Rama’—nay, with his actual living presence! Therefore, there is no wonder that his heart was filled with a mother’s affection for that Divine Child, under the inspiration of that Prakriti Bhava. What strong attachment and tender affection a loving mother feels for her little child, he felt at that time for that Divine Child in his heart. And we can well imagine how that attraction of love kept him tied to that little image belonging to Jatadhari and drowned him in the ocean of ecstasy which robbed him of all his consciousness of the external work-a-day world.

The virile mind of the Master could not be satisfied with any half-way measure. As it was true with him in ordinary physical actions, it was also true with his subtle spiritual attainments.

It was noticed that whenever any spiritual Bhava took possession of his heart, he could never remain contented until he reached its extreme culmination. Perhaps some of our readers may contend here that such rule of conduct is not safe for others to follow, as no good can ever come to man through the mad pursuit of an uncontrolled emotion. The human mind is ever agitated by both good and evil tendencies, so, although such uncontrolled pursuit of his own inclinations never led Sri Ramakrishna astray, yet such conduct cannot safely be imitated by others. Further, it is hazardous to foster such confidence in one’s own self as to imagine that nothing but good impulses alone can arise in him. Therefore, it is the duty of man to keep his emotions and impulses under strict control that they may not run into excesses.

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Seva Yoga and Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi SWAMI VIMALATMANANDA

(Continued from previous issue. . .)

2) Medical Services: Holy Mother served a widow orphan who suffered from a septic ulcer of the ear at Jayrambati. Daily, Mother herself boiled water with margosa leaves and cleansed the septic place with a syringe while a brahmachari helped her. By her order, that widow orphan received proper treatment at Koalpara Ashrama. One is amazed to think of the role of Holy Mother in medical services.

Koalpara Yogashrama was started in 1911 for Holy Mother’s resting. Her disciple, Swami Keshavananda, was supervising each and every work of the Ashrama. A situation arose there which raised some doubts. Many people who were able to purchase medicines elsewhere used to come to the charitable dispensary at Koalpara Ashrama. On finding this, one day Swami Keshavananda approached Holy Mother with a request that she might sanction the discontinuance of such a practice.

But she stretched her vision beyond that of an ordinary mortal and said: ‘Anyone who comes to beg medicine at the dispensary must be considered needy and as such nobody must be turned out.’13 Thus the charitable dispensary was open to all who would come. This has become a policy matter of the Ramakrishna Sangha and is continued to the present day.

In November 1912, Holy Mother went to Varanasi accompanied by a big party of devotees and monks—Golap Ma, Bhanu Pisi, Swami Keshavananda’s mother, Master Mahashaya’s wife, Nikunja Devi, and his sister-inlaw, Swami Prajnananda and other male devotees. All were accommodated at Lakshmi Nivas, the newly-built house of the Datta’s of Baghbazar, Kolkata. On Sri Kali Puja day, Holy Mother visited Ramakrishna Mission Home of Service, where Swamis Brahmananda, Shivananda, Turiyananda, Charu Babu (later, Swami Subhananda), Dr Kanjilal and others were present. Swami Achalananda, popularly known as Kedar Baba, accompanied her palanquin and showed her round the Sevashrama.

After seeing each and every ward and department, she sat down and was conversing with Kedar Baba. She expressed her great satisfaction at all buildings, gardens, etc., which she saw. She took special note of the proper management and was delighted.

Further Holy Mother said, ‘The Master [Sri Ramakrishna] himself is present here and Mother Lakshmi [Goddess of fortune] is here in all her majesty.’14 Then she wanted to know who was the founder and whose idea it was.

After hearing about and visiting the Sevashrama, she remarked: ‘The place is so fine that

The author is a member of the Board of Trustees of Ramakrishna Math and the Governing Body of the Ramakrishna Mission, Belur Math, West Bengal.

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I feel like staying on in Benares.’15 She also said, I saw the Master Himself present there and that is why this work goes on here. These are all His work.16

After returning to her own residence, she sent a ten-rupee note for the Sevashrama. This was really a great blessing of the Holy Mother to the Sevashrama. That blessed note is still preserved as an invaluable asset. Holy Mother also remarked, ‘By serving these helpless old women one serves Narayana (God) A recent photograph of the Sevashram building Himself. Ah! What a fine piece of 17 work these boys are doing!’ She also said on another occasion: ‘All this is His wish, my daughter! He knows best how He is getting His plan executed and through what.’18 Master Mahashaya, the recorder of The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, was not initially in favour of these services and used to say that this was not in line with the teachings of Sri Ramakrishna. When Swami Brahmananda and others heard about the remarkable expression of Holy Mother about the work going on, he sent some brahmacharis and devotees to Master Mahashaya to ask his opinion. Knowing Holy Mother’s remarks, Master MahaThe ten rupee currency note (in circulation during the shaya said, ‘It can no longer be denied.’19 British period) which Holy Mother sent to Kashi SevaIn this way, Holy Mother removed such shrama as her donation. The note is carefully preserved in a wooden box at the Sevashrama. erroneous thoughts and feelings of many monks, brahmacharis and devotees forever.

We have already mentioned about Holy Holy Mother Herself approved the start Mother’s role in serving others during her of a Homoeopathy charitable dispensary for childhood days at Jayrambati. the people of Jayrambati. Besides these, two This deep feeling and concern of Holy more full fledged Sevashramas (hospitals at Mother was found throughout her life as the Kankhal and Vrindaban) and five homoeosupreme head of the Ramakrishna Sangha. She pathy and allopathy dispensaries were started used to enquire about relief services conducted during Holy Mother’s lifetime. by the Ramakrishna Sangha in detail whenever any monk or brahmachari used to visit her 3) Relief and Rehabilitation Services T h e

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from relief camps. In 1909-1910, many villages of Midnapore and Hooghly in West Bengal were heavily flooded. Thus, Ramakrishna Mission was engaging in relief services in many places. Swami Arupananda was in charge of relief services at Ghatal, Midnapore.

After finishing the relief services, Swami Arupananda came to Jayrambati. Holy Mother served him a hot meal which he ate heartily.

Then Holy Mother said to him: The Master will get a great deal of his work done through you. You went to Ghatal, distributed so many things and a great number of people were benefited. When the work is over, at the right time, the Master will gather his child back to his bosom.20

At the end of the First World War (19141918), famine spread over many places in India. The Ramakrishna Mission immediately started relief services. Swami Saradananda, the then General Secretary of the Ramakrishna Math and Mission, and the chief attendant of Holy Mother, used to send reports of relief services to her for blessings. In one of his letters to her (27 February 1918), he wrote: ‘The famine has spread over many places in different parts of the country. We are not receiving as much money as in previous years, so we are not able to serve the famine-stricken people. From the Math, we have sent our men for serving the people of Indpur, Bankura and Manbhum in a very small way. Now, with the blessings of Sri Ramakrishna, we can do some service.’21 In response to the letters of Swami Saradananda, Holy Mother used to send her blessings for the smooth running of the relief services.

Once Swami Saradananda wrote a letter to her about the famine relief services being carried out by Ramakrishna Mission in Orissa.

The letter was read out before her. Swami Ishanananda, who was present there, said that T h e

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Mother was listening to the letter and shedding tears and saying: Thakur, I cannot bear the sorrows of the people.

Remove their sorrows. . . Thakur, supply sufficient money to distribute among the people.

Swami Ishanananda narrated this and said: ‘Mother was saying this and wiping tears from the eyes with her two hands.’22 Smt. Kshirodbala Roy, a disciple of Holy Mother reminisced: ‘Famine was raging throughout the country. The Ramakrishna Mission was rendering much relief to the famine-stricken people. One day, Mother narrated the famine condition very vividly. She spoke of the distress of the people at various places, the amount of money the Mission was spending to redress the sufferings and the way the monastic members of the Order were working. It seemed to me that She was feeling in her heart of hearts all the sufferings of the world.’23 Koalpara Yogashrama was also at that time rendering famine relief services. From Vishnupur market, rice was purchased and distributed. Once, Swami Ishanananda went to Vishnupur to buy rice. Holy Mother was ready to go to Kolkata from Vishnupur. She heard about this from him and was very pleased. Radhu was insisting on his accompanying them to Kolkata. But Holy Mother rejected it and said: ‘Varada [Swami Ishanananda] will take rice from here and it will be distributed. It is a question of life and death.

Do you understand?’24 In December-January of 1918-1919 at Gangasagar, the famous place of pilgrimage, the Ramakrishna Mission made arrangements and preparations for conducting relief services.

Swami Ishanananda was eager to go with the monks. He was waiting to get the permission of Holy Mother. She was then at Udbodhan, her residence in Kolkata. He went to Udbo-

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dhan and gave a detailed report.

She enquired about the proposed relief work in detail and gave him permission to go ahead. In that period many pilgrims died due to cholera. On hearing this, Holy Mother passed an extraordinary remark:25 Ah! Many people lost their lives at Gangasagar, a sacred place of pilgrimage. By serving them you all attained great virtue. This is the same as taking bath at Gangasagar.

4) Rural Development (Village uplift services) Holy Mother expressed many times that the women and girls of the villages should stand on their own feet.

She was strongly in favour of the starting of cottage industries in the villages. She greatly encouraged embroidery, handicrafts, spinning, cotton textiles, etc. She would be very happy if somebody had such skills. If somebody will do needle work in woollen carpet (asanas), etc., she would be very pleased to see it.

During the First World War (1914-1918), when there was a scarcity of cloth in the country, and the Koalpara Yogashrama was busy plying its spinning wheels and looms, Holy Mother supported it and said encouragingly: ‘Bring me a spinning wheel; I shall also spin.’26 Holy Mother profusely praised the needlework of the woollen asanas prepared by two Bhutanese sisters—Ramadev and Surama Devi of Mayavati in the Himalayas.

These two sisters were disciples of the Holy Mother. They sent the asanas from their home through Mayavati Advaita Ashrama.27 It is a wonder that Holy Mother echoed the ideas of Swami Vivekananda for the uplift T h e

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Holy Mother’s temple, Belur Math

of the village. From the very beginning, Ramakrishna Math and Mission have taken up many rural development projects throughout India. It maybe pointed here that from the 1980s, the Math and Mission has taken up a massive village uplift programme at Jayrambati, Kamarpukur and its surrounding villages.

5) Spiritual Services Holy Mother’s spiritual ministration was unique. She was ever-compassionate to give spiritual initiation irrespective of caste, creed, sect, religion, place and country. This spiritual ministration is the best contribution and is the main and solid foundation of any religious organization. So is her contribution to the Ramakrishna Sangha.

Holy Mother: the Guiding Force Holy Mother prayed to Sri Ramakrishna for the all-round development of the Sangha.

One thing remarkable is to know is that she fully supported this Seva Yoga from its very

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inception whereas some of the disciples of Sri Ramakrishna had doubts about this. Not only was she the main upholder, guide and advisor, but she has also demonstrated this in her life.

She used to consider any work as the work of Sri Ramakrishna. She would even keep a broomstick in its proper place with due honour; she would drop the decomposed rice for the fishes of the pond; she used to keep the vegetable-peelings for the cows. Holy Mother was a glorious exemplar of Seva Yoga.

Without Holy Mother’s support and guidance, it would not have been possible for Swami Vivekananda to give this concept of Seva Yoga a concrete shape. Seva Yoga means selfless work done in a spirit of serving others by seeing God in them—Shiva Jnane Jiva Seva.

No wonder Swami Vivekananda referred to Holy Mother’s sympathy in his famous lecture ‘My life and Mission’ given at the

Shakespeare Club of Pasadena, California, USA on 27 January 1900. He said, We had no friends. Who would listen to a few boys with their crank notions? At least, in India, boys are nobodies. Just think of it—a dozen boys, telling people vast, big ideas, saying they are determined to work these ideas out in life. Why, everybody laughed. From laughter it became serious; it became persecution. . . . On the other hand, nobody to sympathise with me. Who would sympathize with the imagination of a boy—imaginations that caused so much suffering to others? Who would sympathize with me? None—except one. That one’s sympathy brought blessings and hope. She was a woman . . . was the only one who sympathized with the idea of these boys. But she was powerless. She was poorer than we were.28

Devi.

That woman was Holy Mother Sri Sarada (Concluded.)

References 13. HM Life, p. 337 14.Ibid, p.267 15. Ibid, p.267 16. Ibid, p.268 17. Ibid, p.336 18. Ibid, p.336 19. Ibid, p.268 20. HM Gospel, p.84 21. Swami Saradananda Jivani (Bengali) 22. Matri

by Br. Akshayachaitanya, 2nd Edition, Calcutta Book House, Calcutta, p.134 23. HM Gospel, Sannidhye (Bengali) by Swami Ishanananda, 3rd Edition, 1381 B.S, Udbodhan Office, p.57 p.209 24. Matri Sannidhye, p.47-48 25. Ibid, p.82 26. HM Life, p.481 27. Sri Sri Mayer Smritikatha (Bengali) by Swami Saradeshananda, 4th Edition, 2010, Udbodhan Office, p.80 28. The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda, Vol 8, 4th Edition (1977), p.81-82

With the same wholesouled devotion with which a devotee worships the Lord in the shrine, he must serve the Lord in the poor, in the sick, in the lowly. Who are you to help another? It is only when the Lord gives you the power that you can really serve.

True it is that in all creatures He dwells, but His greater manifestation is in man. That is why Swamiji encouraged us to serve mankind. One must have faith that the one Brahman is in man, woman, in all creatures; and with that faith one must learn to serve Shiva in the form of jiva. As you practice this, suddenly one day the veil will be lifted and you will see that it is He who has become everything—man and universe.

It is He who pervades the universe in so many forms. You are that all-pervading Shiva; and thus can serve Shiva in the form of jiva.

—Swami Brahmananda

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Reminiscences of Master Mahashay JITENDRANATH CHATTOPADHYAY

Master Mahashay, Mahendranath Gupta, or ‘M’, was an eminent householder disciple of Sri Ramakrishna. He recorded the conversations of Sri Ramakrishna in Bengali and published them later as Sri Ramakrishna Kathamrita (translated into English: The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna). The following is the translation of reminiscences of ‘M’ from Srima Samipe, edited by Swami Chetanananda (Udbodhan Office: Calcutta, 1996), Pp. 188-91. Swami Chetanananda (the translator of the present article) is the Head of Vedanta Society of St. Louis, USA. He has to his credit several notable books in Bengali and English, translations as well as original.

In M.’s life we observed the culmination of devotion. His heart was filled with faith in and devotion for Ramakrishna. Although he had had a Western education and was a proud teacher, his life was transformed when he came in contact with the Master. His transformation was truly remarkable. When the Chariot Festival of Puri was over, M. would wait in Howrah Station to ask pilgrims for prasad from Jagannath. If someone sent some prasad in an envelope or a basket, he would save the containers in his room after eating the prasad.

He said, ‘They will remind me of the deities.’

Whenever M. passed through Bechu Chatterjee Street and Jhamapukur, he would bow down and touch his head to the ground where Ramkumar’s school had been, and at Digambar Mitra’s house, because those places were connected with the Master. When his companions wondered at M.’s unusual behaviour, he would reply, ‘You see, if a man walks through these streets, he will become a yogi.’

Again, when he visited Dakshineswar, he would soak his towel in the river at the Chandni Ghat and take it back to Calcutta.

When the devotees arrived in the evening, he would squeeze the towel and sprinkle the T h e

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Ganges water onto their heads, saying, ‘This water is from the Ganges at Dakshineswar where the Master bathed.’ What wonderful devotion M. had! Our lives would be blessed if we could achieve a particle of that devotion.

Ramakrishna was in M.’s mind in all three states: waking, dreaming, and sleeping.

If anyone asked him to speak about the Master, he would reply: ‘You see, in olden days students would go to the rishis with sacrificial wood in hand and say, “Please tell us the

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Upanishads.” The rishis replied: “Our words are the Upanishads.” My situation is the same.

The Master’s words are my words.’ This is true indeed. Whatever topic M. discussed, even concerning the war, he would connect it with the Master’s words.

I shall tell a story that illustrates the love and faith M. had for his Master. His mind was completely occupied with the thought of his guru and he was unaware of the world.

Whenever he had a short break during class hours, he would rush to see his guru at Balaram’s house or at Shyampukur. M. was then the headmaster of the Metropolitan School of Shyampukur, which was owned by Vidyasagar. One year the matriculation examination results were not good. From this, Vidyasagar concluded that M. was not paying sufficient attention to his duties at the school, due to his excessive devotion for his guru. But when Vidyasagar discussed this with M., M. resigned. Although M. knew that his family would suffer due to a terrible financial crisis, he could not bear any criticism of his guru.

Chaitanya said: ‘Be humbler than a blade of grass. Be patient and forbearing like a tree.

Take no honour for yourself; give honour to all. Chant unceasingly the name of the Lord.’

M. was the embodiment of this teaching. He addressed everyone as âpani [a respectful form of you]. He took care of his own personal chores—from washing his clothes to cleaning his dishes after meals. If someone tried to arrange his mosquito curtain, he said, ‘Please don’t meddle in my routine.’

He did not care for luxury, nor did he crave for worldly things. Once a devotee presented him with an expensive Italian blanket. He remarked: ‘What have you done? This blanket is like a beautiful young girl. My mind will be always occupied with looking after it.’

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well as any desire for good food. He would rinse rich food with water so that his tongue could not taste the flavour. If any devotee brought him a delicacy, he would say: ‘What have you done? Please take these dishes to the Advaita Ashrama for the monks.’

In 1925 M. went to Puri to visit Lord Jagannath. One evening he and the devotees went to the temple to see the deity. Standing near the Garuda pillar, M. began to wave an oil lamp. He was then in a different world.

His mind had merged into the transcendental realm. The lamp went out, yet he still continued to wave it. After a long time he came back to the normal plane. This kind of deep absorption helped M. to write the Kathamrita [Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna]. M. took a vow to lead human beings towards God. He answered all questions with the Master’s words.

M. was self-controlled and deeply spiritual. And he was extremely frugal. Every penny that he earned, he spent for a holy purpose. He regularly sent money to monks of the Ramakrishna Order who were practising austerities in the Himalayas. Moreover, he would send money to Belur Math from time to time. M. gave 100 rupees to Swamiji’s mother so that Swamiji could concentrate on spiritual disciplines without any financial worry. When Holy Mother lived in Jayrambati after the Master passed away, M. sent 10 rupees to her every month. Holy Mother was very fond of M., and she did not hesitate to ask him for anything that she needed.

M. often used to sing this song: O Hari, you are the life and friend of all the lowly.

The scriptures say that seeing your divine face, one is never reborn.

Seeing that face of the Lord, M. left for the divine realm. It is said, ‘A person lives through his achievements.’ M. will live forever through his achievement: the Kathamrita.

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Unpublished Letters of Swami Turiyananda1 Brindaban The 15th Decr/02 My dear Mrs.Wyckoff, It is indeed a long time that I received your kind letter. I am really very sorry I could not write you ere this.

I received a letter from Shanti afterwards to which I wrote in reply in her Douglas Bldg. address. I trust she got my letter in due time. All this time I had been in a miserable plight both physically and mentally. I need hardly tell you the reason for it. The absence of Swamiji has wrought such a gap in my life and such a tremendous change all around. It was for me like the last straw that broke the camel’s back. I came back to India to see him gone! Just fancy the condition I fell in when for the first time I realised it. Woe unto us who have been left behind to mourn his loss. Blessed and glorious Swamiji. He is now in perfect peace and rest. I could not stay in the Math long, after I reached it. Although I was quite unwell yet I left the Math as a traveling sannyasin wandering alone from place to place. I have come here about three weeks but do not know how long I shall stay here. I would very much like to be as I was when in my early days in this sannyasin life I had been traveling alone. A recluse wandering alone never knowing where to go to or caring for the next meal where it was to come from. Always filled with fervent devotion and love to Mother and feeling her consciousness within almost forgetful of this world. But that is not such an easy thing. And what once goes away it seldom comes back. However I am now feeling a little better and Mother willing may become of some service again before long. The climate of this place is excellent and so are the associations. This is a place to a Hindu what Palestine is to a Christian.

Here was born Lord Sri Krishna the speaker and inculcator of Bhagabad Gita. How and where is Shanti now? Give her my best wishes & love. Dhira wrote me that she hears from Helen, Shanti and yourself and that you were doing well. Gurudasa also wrote to me to say that the Los Angeles friends [are] very kind in sending pecuniary help for the Ashrama from time to time. It is so encouraging. May Mother bless you all. It is so nice and good of you to try to keep up the movement and not to let it die out. Do you even now assemble together as you used to do at the house of Dr.Schenitz to interchange thoughts in Vedantic doctrines? How is Dr and his wife doing? Before this reaches you a new Swami will be in your midst from here. I hope he will be helpful to many there. Kindly write to me at times how you all get along. Remember me to Mrs.Kelly, Mrs.Taylor and all other friends in Los Angeles and Pasadena who were so kind to me. I remember them all with regards and love. How is Miss Basak and Constance. Do you

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see them often. My loving regards to them please. Be sure [wherever] I might be I will always have the interest of you all at heart and shall never cease to pray for your well being and spiritual advancement. I hope Helen is well and prosperous. Remember me to her also. May Mother keep you all close to her. My best remembrances to your good father the grand old gentleman. My affection to your boy and the babe. I suppose you wrote to me about Miss Beckham. Is she living in Los Angeles and do you see her often? I shall be glad if you can let me know about her. If I have ever been helpful to any of you in any way I feel so thankful to Mother for that. It was Mother who made use of her instrument this name and form of Turiyananda and I earnestly and very fervently pray may She again make use of the same instrument for her work as long as it lasts and does not melt away in her formless and nameless identity. May she grant the prayer.

Hoping this will find you all well and prosperous. With best wishes and love, Yours in the Mother Turiyananda.

P.S.Letters will reach me if addressed: The Math, Belur P.O. Howrah, India.

T.

Sri Sri Ramakrishna Sharanam Brindaban The 3rd Jany/03 My dear Rakhal Maharaj2 I received your kind letter duly. I had not been feeling very well of late. I have also been expecting letter from Sarat Maharaj. He must have been very busy I guess. I have received the invitation letter you have so kindly sent and the two American mail letters also. I thank you for them. I am so glad the Celebration of the Birthday Anniversary of the Swamiji is going to commence this year. Herewith I am sending the draft with my signature. I have written to the Hong Kong & Shangai Banking Corporation about it in reply to their letter to me. You can deposit the money in any Bank you consider best or you may buy Govt. paper with it as you have stated in your letter to me. Kindly write to me when the money is realized that I may inform Gurudasa about it without any more delay. I am doing better now.

Kristolal is all right. It is awfully cold here these days. I hope you all are doing well. My best wishes and love and namaskaras to all in the Math please. With love and namaskaras to you as ever.

Yours afftly, Turiyananda

References:

1. A direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna 2. Swami Brahmananda, a direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna

Courtesy: Ramakrishna Museum, Belur Math T h e

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Maud Stumm —Who Taught Swamiji to Draw SOMENATH MUKHERJEE

During 1894-1895, Maud Stumm was under the tutelage of the well-known French painter and illustrator, Oliver Merson (18461920), and afterwards she returned to New York again and ‘found much success designing illustrations for books, magazines and calendars. These are extremely popular even today.’14 About Nicolas Luc-Olivier Merson, her French teacher, it is mentioned that, art became a vehicle for decorative commissions, doing major works for such institutions as the famous Palais de Justice (Courthouse), the Louis Pasteur Museum, and the mosaic in the chancel vault in the Basilica of the Sacrø Cœur. He also did the artwork for stained glass windows, an example of which can be found in the Church of the Holy Trinity Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His profile was raised considerably after being awarded a gold medal for his painting at the 1889 Exposition Universelle, and in 1892 he was elected to the Acadømie des beaux-arts.15

In the early 1900s many excellent judges of art considered Whistler to be one of the leading painters of the day. Within a relatively short time, however, the reputation of this versatile artist suffered a decline, and only recently has Whistler begun to receive serious acclaim once again.

It was, therefore, no small feat for a budding artist in those days in Paris to be spotted by a legend like McNeill Whistler. Looking back to her grooming days in Paris, the Women in the Fine Arts from the Seventh Century B. C. to the Twentieth Century A. D. writes that,

It would later transpire that during her days in Paris in the mid-1890s, Maud would have her first glimpse of Swami Vivekananda.

In Paris Maud’s work had attracted attention of a person no less than James Abbott McNeill Whistler (1834-1903), of whom the Britannica writes,

Her earliest work was flower painting, in which she gained an enviable reputation. In Paris she began the study of figure painting, and her exhibition at the Salon was favorably received, the purity and brilliancy of her coloring being especially commended.

The same book further adds that, Several of Miss Stumm’s pictures are well known by reproductions. Among these is the ‘Mother and Child’, the original of which is owned by Mr. Patterson, of the Chicago Tribune. Her calendars, too, are artistic and popular; some of these have reached a sale of nearly half a million. A series of studies of Sarah Bernhardt, in pastel, and a portrait of Julia Marlowe are among her works in this medium. Many of her figure subjects, such as ‘A Venetian Matron’ and ‘A Violinist’, are portraits, not studies from

The author is engaged in research work on the life of Swami Vivekananda under instruction and guidance of the Swami Vivekananda Archives, Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture, Golpark, Kolkata.

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professional models. This artist has painted an unusual variety of subjects, but is ambitious in still another department of painting—decorative art—in which she believes she could succeed.

Her works are seen in the exhibitions of the Society of American Artists and of the American Water-Color Society.16

3 Since 1916 Maud Stumm began to visit Nantucket, a crescent-shaped Island in southeast Massachusetts in the Atlantic Ocean. It’s a small town with many sandy beaches which have its attraction to millions of visitors even today. A more precise description is available in a local paper of the Island, Nantucket is 26 miles at sea, a tiny spit of sand off the coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, with the Atlantic Ocean and Nantucket Sound defining its borders. . . . Just under 15 miles long and three and a half miles wide, much of life on the island is defined by the waters that surround it.17

Interestingly, a more charming account of the Island is available in Herman Melville’s (1819-1891) classic novel Moby Dick:

about what Maud did at Nantucket, a brief history as to how the artistes have found a cozy nook there may interest the reader.

It was in 1920 when Florence Osgood Rand Lang (1851-1943) came with her husband Henry Lang as a summer visitor at Nantucket.

She was an amateur artist and an art collector living in Montclair, New Jersey with more than sufficient zeal and originality. Besides, Lang also had two substantial inheritances; one was from her father Jasper Rand of the IngersollRand distinction which, presumably, had provided her with sufficient funds to pursue individual hunches, and, the other, was the artistic inspiration, which her mother, Annie Valentine Rand, an enthusiastic collector of Native American art, had bestowed upon her.

Lang and her husband took control of some of the dilapidated and, mostly, abandoned fishermen’s shacks and boathouses along the waterfront. They renovated those hitherto unused shanties and rented them to the visiting artists who preferred to use the

. . . Nantucket! Take out your map and look at it. See what a real corner of the world it occupies: how it stands there, away off shore, more lonely than the Eddystone lighthouse. Look at it—a mere hillock, and elbow of sand; all beach, without a background.18

In fact it is in this picturesque Island that Maud would display her imaginative and organizing ability to create a tradition that, eventually, would make her name immortal in the Nantucket art community. But before we talk T h e

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same as studios. The rent was, even in those days, sufficiently cheap, stretching from fifty to seventy dollars per season. Curiously enough, the renters were predominantly women. Among the tenants in 1923, fourteen out of eighteen were women, while in 1924 it rose to twenty-one out of twenty-four. Among those visiting artistes, using seasonal studios on rent, some sort of camaraderie did develop as time went by.

However, Florence was also behind opening of two art galleries at Nantucket, the first was the Candle House Studio, followed by the Easy Street Gallery. Artistes were permitted to display their work of art in those studios without any fee. Apart from the alluring landscape of the Island and the innovative ideas of the Lang couple, another incident contributed greatly behind the influx of budding artistes at Nantucket. It was the presence of Frank Swift Chase (1886–1958), a reputed landscape painter and a well-known teacher even in his early age, who had frequented Nantucket since 1920 and imparted lessons to young, eager and aspiring artists.

The Nantucket Art Colony had its beginning in 1920 which, finally, proved to be the genesis behind the Artiste’s Association of Nantucket (AAN) in 1945. Inspired by more than three decades of seminal history the AAN still strives today.

Maud Stumm’s brush with Nantucket, as we saw earlier, began since 1916, though we have no means yet to ascertain the nature or tenure of her visits. According to papers made available by the Nantucket Historical Association, Maud is described as An illustrator and painter known for her portraits and magazine illustrations. . . She visited Nantucket early in the century to visit Mrs. Richard Thayer, and soon became a regular summer resident. She was a vivid conversaT h e

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tionalist, a talented draughtsman in pencil and landscape painter in oil. . .19

Just before we have talked about the seasonal influx of artists at Nantucket who came to draw, and a section of them, as also, took art lessons too. Amid such backdrop Maud had come up with a unique and innovative plan. The Nantucket Historical Association writes, The Sidewalk Art Show [was] founded by society illustrator and painter Maud Stumm (ca 18701935). The Sidewalk Art Show was an outdoor exhibition mounted every August for several days, originally along the walls of the Atheneum, but later on the Sanford building at Broad and Federal Streets. Open to all artistes, amateur or professional, the show attracted hundreds of visitors to admire and peruse the often freshly painted works by island artists. It featured the work of as many as fifty artists at a time, with up to three hundred works on display.20

As to the remarkability of Maud’s efforts, the Association further adds that, The Sidewalk Art Show was a phenomenal success. The Inquirer and Mirror credited it with being the first of its kind in the nation, and called Nantucket ‘the cradle of the movement which has brought art . . . to the “man on the street”.’

In its first year, some three hundred people visited the exhibition, which included works by more than twenty painters. While reviewing the occasion, The Inquirer and Mirror wrote, ‘The wide shady walk by the library was an ideal place to examine and discuss Art and beauty of Nantucket, which was the principal subject of the oil, water-color, black and white studies displayed. Little children, tourists, sailors, townspeople came again and again, eagerly examining the varied aspects of the Island, and deciding which was truest to life.’21

Referring to the second season of the Show, the Inquirer and Mirror on 22 August 1932 wrote,

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The second season of the Sidewalk Show closed on Tuesday and was attended by even larger crowd of visitors that [than?] last year’s exhibition, while the sales of picture, a total of 52, was remarkable in this year of financial depression and uncertainty.

Thanks are due to Alfred E. Smith and the Atheneum for the use of the precincts of the Library, and also to the Board of Selectmen for permission to hold the ‘Show’.

Twenty Artists from many parts of Maud (left) with fellow artist and friend Rae Carpenter on the right at the country sent in their paintthe Sidewalk Art Show (Courtesy, Robert Frazier of the AAN) ings, etchings and wood-block prints, and the favorite subjects In 2011 the schedule for the Shows were fixed purchased were, as usual, of the island and its on May 28 and August 13 while the garden of surrounding water and shipping.

Twenty sketches of landscapes, from the famous painter Thomas Manley of New York, were hung in a group by themselves, and brilliant examples of Isabelle Tuttle, Mrs. Congdon, Mrs. Pagon, Mrs. Randolph Guenther, Maud Stumm, Mrs. Hoffmeier, M. E. Jones, Miss Dougherty, R. B. MacDougal, June Coolidge, Miss Ramsdell, and others were among the 210 pictures shown.

the Nantucket Atheneum is selected as the venue for both the Shows. Narrating their role the AAN writes,

The Artists Association took the reins of the event in 1960 featuring work by the likes of Robert Perrin, Colonel Julian Yates and countless others. Of Yates, George Thomas [painter] recalls, ‘People lined up waiting for him to arrive with his canvases which were usually wet. They were snatched up immediately. . .’ In following years, some of which were sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce, the Sidewalk Art Show venues came to include locations such as Straight Wharf, the old town building, and the Atheneum.23

The Nantucket Historical Association further adds that, Emily Hoffmeier took over the direction of the Sidewalk Art Show after Stumm’s death in 1935, and continued the tradition at the Sanford building for many years. The Sidewalk Art Show became a regular offering of the Artists Association of Nantucket, a popular feature of the art landscape on Nantucket into the 1980s.22

Though the Sidewalk Art Show is still held every year at Nantucket, its continuity was interrupted for some reason or other in the 1980s. The AAN, having taken its control since 1960, revived the occasion again in 2006 and now two such Shows are held every year.

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The Show has obviously helped the otherwise unknown but talented artists to have a foothold in the art world. This apart, it also had its impact on many similar shows which later came up elsewhere in the US. May be Maud’s days in France and her brush with the open-air art markets over there had, inter alia, prompted her to initiate such a phenomenal effort at Nantucket, the island she loved dearly.

(To be continued. . .)

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References 14. http://www.askart.com/AskART/artists/ biography.aspx?artist=10052520> accessed 21 January 2011.

15. http://www.answers.com/topic/luc-oliviermerson > accessed 21 January 2011.

16. Women in the Fine Arts from the Seventh Century B. C. to the Twentieth Century A. D, By Clara Erskine Clement (Houghton, Mifflin and Company, Boston and New York, 1904), page 329-330, Available at: http://www.archive.org/stream/ womeninfinearts00wategoog/ womeninfinearts00wategoog_djvu.txt > accessed 20 January 2011.

17. The Inquirer and Mirror, available at http:// www.ack.net/culture_and_history.html > accessed 21 January 2011.

18. Moby Dick – By Herman Melville (The Macmillan Company, New York, 1962), page 64.

19. A catalogue entitled The Nantucket Art Colony, 1920-1945: An Exhibition of the Nantucket Historical Association, May-November 2007, published also by the Nantucket Historical Association.

20. http://www.nha.org/digitalexhibits/ artistcolony/sidewalk.htm > accessed 21 January 2011.

21. http://www.nha.org/digitalexhibits/ artistcolony/sidewalk.htm > accessed 21 January 2011.

22. http://www.nha.org/digitalexhibits/ artistcolony/sidewalk.htm > accessed 21 January 2011.

23. http://www.nantucketarts.org/sidewalk-artshows.html > accessed 30 January 2011.

Religion consists solely in realisation. Doctrines are methods, not religion. All the different religions are but applications of the one religion adapted to suit the requirements of different nations. Theories only lead to fighting; thus the name of God that ought to bring peace has been the cause of half the bloodshed of the world. Go to the direct source. Ask God what He is.

Unless He answers, He is not; but every religion teaches that He does answer. —Swami Vivekananda, CW, 7:96

Oil painting by Arun, a staff of Chennai Ramakrishna Math

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What Is Spirituality SWAMI BRAHMESHANANDA

Some people wrongly use the word ‘spiritualism’ for spirituality. Spiritualism is related to spooks and ghost-mongering.

Although it has nothing to do with real spirituality, we can use this word for the time being in contrast to materialism, and through it we shall be able to understand spirituality.

Materialism is an ‘ism’—a thought system and a way of life—which postulates that matter is the final, absolute reality of the individual living being, as well as the cosmos, and the goal and purpose of life is material enjoyment, and material advancement of the individual, society and world at large. The materialist says that life, mind, thought, emotions, etc., are all effects of material changes in the form of electro-chemical actions and inter-actions, and that electrons and protons, and the energy forces working at various levels are the cause of mind and thought. There is no need to believe in a God or a spiritual entity for explaining the phenomenon of the world.

Contrary to this, the spiritualists say that spirit, soul or consciousness is the absolute, final Reality and that the whole world, both subtle as well as gross, is merely its effect. The Advaita Vedantins go to the extent of saying that the microcosm, i.e. the individual, as well as the macrocosm are mere illusion and that the soul, the atman, consciousness, Brahman, God—whatever name you might use, is the only reality. Obviously, the goal and purpose

of life is to realize and to experience the Absolute Existence-Consciousness-Bliss. In one word, according to the spiritualists, the individual is in reality divine, undying, undecaying conscious entity and the world too, in its essence, is an absolute divine entity.

Needless to say, materialism is easy to understand and still more easy to follow.

Indeed, even most of the ‘so-called’ believers of various religions are materialists with a very shallow faith in one’s divinity or in God, and hardly any urge to seek to achieve or realize that spiritual Reality. They might have faith in some religion and might be practicing their creed, but they are not spiritual. On the contrary, the spiritualists have a hard time to prove the non-existence of the tangible material reality and to convince their followers to pursue the path to attain to that spiritual goal.

In this context, Swami Vivekananda says (CW, 7:501): ‘My ideal indeed can be put into a few words and that is: to preach unto mankind their divinity, and how to make it manifest in every movement of life’, gains greater significance. His Complete Works are simply an expression of this cryptic message. This statement emphasizes the spiritual, divine nature of man. Swamiji points to the spiritual goal, Each soul is potentiality divine. The goal is to manifest this divinity by controlling nature, internal and external.

Swamiji did not stop at merely stating the divinity of soul. He even said that none

A former editor of THE VEDANTA KESARI, the author is the Secretary, Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama, Chandigarh.

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can be really religious unless he has realized his divinity: ‘If there is God, we must see Him; if there is a soul we must realize it. . . until then you are an atheist.’

Sri Ramakrishna expresses the same truth from the point of view of the Cosmic Reality, God. When asked by Narendranath, ‘Have you seen God, Sir?’—a question which also implied another question ‘Is there a God?’, Sri Ramakrishna answered: ‘Yes, I see Him as I see you here, only in much intenser sense. God can be realized, one can see and talk to Him as I am seeing and talking to you. . .’

Just as the divinity of the soul is emphasized repeatedly in the Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda, God-realization as the goal of life has been stressed on almost every page of The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna.

This, thus, is the meaning of the word ‘spirituality’—to accept the pervasive existence of the spiritual reality and to strive to realise it as the ultimate goal of life. Obviously, once these two assertions are accepted, the whole vision and way of the life of the individual must change. Even his or her sense of identity must change. At present, we consider ourselves as man, woman, father, mother, son, daughter, wife or husband; as professor, engineer, doctor, manager; a Hindu, a Muslim, a Christian etc. Once we decide to become spiritual, we shall primarily become spiritual aspirants and our worldly identities would become secondary. Such a change of our identities has tremendous implications. All our actions would become means for achieving the spiritual goal. Nothing would remain secular— everything would become sacred and it is obvious that due to varieties of temperament and life styles, there would be innumerable ways of achieving this spiritual goal.

Changing one’s identity also implies changing the identity of others. The student is T h e

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no more a student. His first identity is that he is a spiritual entity, a soul, a living embodiment of God and his student identity is secondary. A patient is first God and then a patient. To serve the patient as patient may be philanthropy, may be religion, but it is not spirituality. This is what Sri Ramakrishna advised when he said, ‘Service of Man as God’.

Religion has various dimensions. While politicians try to exploit religion for political gains, social scientists consider religion as a social phenomenon. They say that although religion has a spiritual origin in the mystic experiences of the founding prophet, it is basically a social phenomenon. The founder prophet teaches ethics as the essential means for mystic experience, the spiritual goal. Ethics has strong social implications and as individuals try to practice ethical and moral codes, society evolves. Thus, a mystic experience of a prophet takes the form of a social movement. The mystic states that God realization is the goal of life; then alone can one go beyond all suffering.

This spiritual goal cannot be obtained without the practice of truth, non-violence, non-stealing, control of sexual urge, charity, unselfishness, etc. All personal and moral values have social dimensions.

In the scriptures of the world, we hardly find any sociology or political dictum. And yet they become the source of social change.

The Sanskrit equivalent of spiritual is adhyatmic, which also means that which concerns oneself. Says Swami Vivekananda [CW, 2:9], summarizing the meaning of spirituality,

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We are to take care of ourselves—that much we can do and give up attending to others for a time. Let us perfect the means; the end will take care of itself, for the world can be good or pure only if our lives are good and pure. It is an effect and we are the means. Therefore, let us purify ourselves. Let us make ourselves perfect.

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Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission

Synopsis of the Governing Body Report for 2010-11 The 102nd Annual General Meeting of the Ramakrishna Mission was held at Belur Math on Sunday, the 11th December 2011 at 3.30 p.m. Following is the synopsis of the annual report presented at the meeting which was attended by monastic and lay members. The meeting also included presentation of the Report on the Commemoration of the 150th Birth Anniversary of Swami Vivekananda.

The 175 th Birth Anniversary of Sri Ramakrishna was celebrated by the Headquarters and a good number of centres with great zeal. On this occasion Jammu centre brought out a book Sri Ramakrishna Ke Ikwal-eZarin, an Urdu translation of the abridged version of the The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna.

In the Field of Education, the following new projects deserve special mention: (i) Coimbatore centre started (a) a short-term training under Modular Employable Skills programme sponsored by the Govt. of Tamil Nadu in thirteen trades, and (b) trainers’ training programme for the staff of IndoZimbabwe Tool Room, Harare Institute of Technology, Zimbabwe, under the initiative of Govt. of India; (ii) Vivekananda University started PhD programmes in Environmental and Disaster Management and Theoretical Physics at its Belur Main Campus, and a two-year M.Sc. course in Agricultural Bio-technology at its Narendrapur Campus; (iii) Loksiksha Parishad of Narendrapur centre started a child labour school with facilities of midday meal and stipend at Baruipur, South 24 Parganas.

In the Field of Medical Care, the following new projects deserve special mention: starting of a pilot project on electronic management of tuberculosis cases in the TB clinic of T h e

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New Delhi centre; a physiotherapy unit at the dispensary in Kanpur centre; a 20-bed primary health care unit by Ranchi TB Sanatorium centre; an eye operation theatre at the dispensary of Garbeta centre; a dental unit and a physiotherapy unit at Narainpur centre (Chhattisgarh).

In the field of rural development, the following new projects deserve special mention: creation of 11 ponds in different villages by Limbdi centre (Gujarat) and 23 ponds in Silli Block by Ranchi (Morabadi) centre; a number of projects started by Lokasiksha Parishad of Narendrapur centre, viz. a project for preservation of Indian traditional Gir cow, a project for training on dairy farming to milk federation members and rural youths, establishment of 10 soil-testing laboratories for rural farmers in Purba Medinipur, Paschim Medinipur and South 24 Parganas districts.

During the year under review, the Ramakrishna Math started a new centre at Naora in West Bengal and a sub-centre of Balaram Mandir centre known as ‘Shyampurkur Bati’ at Kolkata.

Under the Math, the following new developments deserve special mention: starting of a Critical Care Unit and a Cardiology Clinic

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at the hospital centre Thiruvananthapuram centre; a cell counter, X-ray Unit and Eye Unit by Chennai centre; an eye care unit by Rajkot centre; a mobile medical unit by Ghatshila centre, and construction of 60 houses and a toilet block for underprivileged people (Madari caste—snake charmers) by Rajkot centre.

Outside India, the following new developments deserve special mention: (a) Sarada Kindergarten of Singapore centre won three prestigious awards which were presented by MOE (Ministry of Education) and AECES (Association The 102nd Annual General Meeting—a view of the audience of Early Childhood Educators Singapore); (b) Durban centre (South Africa) 129 dispensaries and 61 mobile medical started an agricultural project in Ladyunits; the expenditure incurred was Rs. 102.91 smith and a dental unit at Foresthaven; (c) Sao crore.

Paulo centre (Brazil) started its publication unit Nearly 3.22 lakh students were studying and provided nutritious basic food items to in our educational institutions from kinderpoor families; (d) Japan centre translated the garten to university level. A sum of Rs. 197.50 Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna and a few books crore was spent on educational work. on Upanishad, and on Swami Vivekananda in A number of rural and tribal developJapanese language; (e) Argentina centre started ment projects were undertaken with a total helping mentally handicapped persons and expenditure of Rs.33.37 crore. brought out ‘Ma Argentina y sus argentinos’ (‘Ma Argentina and her argentines’) in Commemoration of the 150th Birth Spanish; and Habiganj centre (Bangladesh) Anniversary of Swami Vivekananda started a kindergarten.

In commemoration of the 150th Birth During the year, the Math and Mission Anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, a fourundertook extensive relief and rehabilitation year-long service programme was inaugurated programmes in several parts of the country by the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India in New involving an expenditure of Rs. 3.43 crore, Delhi. benefiting 1.68 lakh people belonging to 68 The Railway Minister of India flagged thousand families in 1729 villages. off at Howrah Railway Station ‘Vivek Express’, Welfare Work was done by way of proa special train exhibiting pictures and writeviding scholarships to poor students, pecuups on Swami Vivekananda. The train is niary help to old, sick and destitute people, expected to travel one lakh kilometres before etc; the expenditure incurred was Rs. 11.65 January 2014 covering important stations. crore.

Central Government grant-aided service Medical Service was rendered to more projects—A brief report than 45.44 lakh people through 15 hospitals, T h e

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A sum total expenditure of Rs.8.20 crore was incurred for the period from 08.10.2010. to 10.06.2011 for the following projects: 1. Print Media: 6.85 lakh copies of books on Swamiji’s life and teachings in 10 languages and 6.28 lakh copies on 12 other titles in 6 languages have been printed. A sum of Rs. 72.76 lakh was spent.

2. Cultural Programmes Project: Four state-level seminars on religious harmony / interfaith harmony were organized at Asansol, Pune, Agartala and Vadodara, and publication of brochures on teachings of major religions of the world in Hindi and English is in progress. A sum of Rs.16.31 lakh was spent.

3. Electronic Media Project: The Ministry of Culture constituted a committee consisting of representatives of Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and Ramakrishna Mission to produce a full-length feature film on the life and message of Swamiji.

A sum of Rs.9.90 lakh was spent on preliminary work.

4. Gadadhar Abhyudaya Prakalpa (A project for an all-round development of children in poor and backward areas): 174 units started in 24 states, benefiting 17,400 children (approx.). A sum of Rs.412.62 lakh was spent.

5. Vivekananda Swasthya Parisheva Prakalpa (A project for improvement of health of poor children through elimination of malnutrition, immunization of babies, etc): 126 units started in 24 states benefiting 12,600 children (approx). A sum of Rs.253.70 lakh was spent.

6. Sarada Palli Vikas Prakalpa (A project for educational development and self-empowerment of rural women in ten villages): 10 units started in 8 states benefiting 1696 women. A sum of Rs. 15.87 lakh was spent.

7. Swami Akhandananda Seva Prakalpa (A project for elimination of acute poverty from 10 selected pockets in rural and urban areas): 9 units started in 6 states benefiting 1040 people.

A sum of Rs.17.88 lakh was spent.

8. Special Programmes for the Youth: A good number of regional competitions in elocution, essay-writing, debate and quiz were organized A sum of Rs.21.17 lakh was spent.

Besides, a number of centres organized various programmes without the government aid, e.g. Chennai Math centre published 40 eBooks and launched mobile edition of its journal Vedanta Kesari; Delhi centre developed an animated film on Swamiji; Kadapa centre organized an all Andhra Pradesh written quiz contest with 79,902 students from 759 educational institutions.

We take this opportunity to express our heartfelt thanks to our members and friends for their kind co-operation and help.

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Western Ghats Shrines in Karnataka —A Pilgrimage ‘ATMASHRADDHA’

(Continued from previous issue. . .)

At last we reached Udupi. The impressive big Mahadwara, or the main gate to the town of Udupi, stood as a welcome sentry to the place of Lord Krishna! Malpe beach, and the natural port with the same name, is just six km from Udupi, making the weather in Udupi humid and hot most parts of the year. Though it was sultry and we sweated profusely, we were keen to know more about Udupi. As we inquired and searched, we obtained fairly satisfying and authentic information about its history and glory.

An Ancient Place Udupi is an ancient place. How old is it?

Many, many centuries. That Sri Madhvacharya, the great teacher of Dvaita, lived in

Udipi, in 13th century testifies to the place’s antiquity.

It is widely believed that the term Udupi is derived from Tulu [an ancient language spoken mainly in the southwest part of Karnataka] name Odipu. The story is that the name Udupi comes from the combination of the Sanskrit words udu and pa, which mean ‘stars’ and ‘lord’ i.e., the land of moon (the lord of stars). According to the legend, once moon’s light was reduced due to a curse by King Daksha, whose 27 daughters (the 27 stars, according to Hindu astrology) were married to the moon. The moon prayed to Shiva to get back its original shine. Lord Shiva was pleased with the moon’s prayer and restored its shine.

It is said that the moon and his wives made their prayer at the Chandramoulishwara temple at Udupi, in a Shiva-Linga which is worshipped there even today.

There is also another temple dedicated to Lord Shiva called Ananteshvara.

Both the temples predate the temple of Sri Krishna for which Udupi is famous now.

The Krishna Temple There is an interesting story about the origin of Sri Krishna Mutt—or Matha —(temple of Lord Krishna) in Udupi.

According to the story, way back when Sri Krishna ruled the city of Dwa-

Chandramoulishwara temple at Udupi

The author is a monk of the Ramakrishna Order.

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end of his saffron robe and subduing the raka, Rukmini, his raging storm. A grateful and pleased sailor consort, once requoffered Sri Madhvacharya anything in the ship ested him to show in return. Madhvacharya asked for the Gopiher his childhood chandanam mound (containing the image) plays (lilas). Sri which the sailor gladly gave. Sri MadhvaKrishna complied charya took it to a pond, now called Madhva and at once assuSarovar, retrieved the image of Sri Krishna, med his childhood cleansed it and installed it in what is now form, holding a called Sri Krishna temple or Sri Krishna Matha. churning rod in Later, Sri Madhvacharya handed over the one hand and a puja and administration of Krishna temple to churning rope in his eight monastic disciples. He chose the the other. Rukmini immensely liked An artist’s concept of Sri Madhva- number eight as Sri Krishna was the eighth this form and re- charya retrieving the image of Sri son of Devaki and eighth Avatara of Lord Krishna Narayana. Known as Ashta Mathas, these quested him to Mathas are Pejavara, Puttige, Palimaru, Adamake an idol in this form in Shalagrama Shila maru, Sodhe, Kaniyooru, Shirur and Krishna[a black-coloured stone, found in the sacred river pura. These are actually the names of villages Gandaki in Nepal, worshipped as manifestation of in Karnataka (mainly in south or coastal north Vishnu Himself] for her daily worship. Sri Karnataka) where the Mathas were originally Krishna fulfilled her request. located. While these villages still have the At the end of Dwapara Yuga, when Sri Mathas, the main place from where they Krishna’s divine play on the physical plane function is Udupi town, with each of the was coming to a conclusion, Arjuna deposited Mathas having premises of its own near the this image in the forest of Rukmini Vana in Dwaraka. In due course, the image got covered by Gopichandanam [special soft clay used for putting sanctified marks on forehead and other parts of the body]. A sailor from Dwaraka loaded this heavy lump in his boat as ballast, in one of his trips along the west coast. The ship was caught in a terrible storm while sailing in the western coast of Malpe near Udupi.

Sri Madhvacharya, whose birthplace is some 10 km from Udupi, was meditating near the seashore. He sensed this through his divine powers and brought the ship safely to the shore by waving the The entrance-arch to Sri Krishna Matha (temple), Udupi T h e

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Krishna temple. They have their Matha shrines as well where images of God, given by Sri Madhvacharya himself, are worshipped and Vedic studies are carried out. They also conduct a number of social service activities.

The daily sevas (offerings to Lord Krishna) and administration of the temple has been in the custody of these Mathas.

The monastic names of these pontiffs end with the suffix ‘Tirtha’ (e.g., Visweshwara Tirtha Swamiji)— after Ananda Tirtha, one of the names of Sri Madhvacharya.

Each of the Ashta Mathas, headed by a pontiff, performs temple management activities for two years in a cyclical order called Paryaya. (Originally the cyclical period was two months but it was changed into two years

by Sri Vaadiraja (1480-1600), the illustrious pontiff of Sodhe Matha). When the transfer of the puja and management is held, after every two years, it is celebrated in a grand manner.

Called the Paryaya Mahotsava, the celebrations include procession, special puja, and cultural programmes for several days. The pontiff has to himself perform seva to Sri Krishna and other shrines in the main temple complex and also to look after the overall temple management. There are elaborate and detailed instructions with regard to the daily worship of Sri Krishna, set forth by Sri Madhvacharya himself. These pujas are done several times a day.

The Krishna temple is situated in the heart of the town, with a Car Street (Ratha Veedhi, where the annual Ratha Yatra takes place) around it. We entered the temple through the main entrance, walking through a partly covered narrow pathway. We first T h e

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A view of the Madhva Sarovara

climbed down and touched the water in the Madhva Sarovara and then proceeded to have the darshan of Sri Krishna temple.

Interestingly, one can also have a glimpse of Sri Krishna’s image from a small window, visible from outside. The story has it that in the 16th century, Kanakadasa, an ardent

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Kanakana Kindi—the window from where Kanakadasa had the darshan of Sri Krishna’s image

Kanaka Gopura

devotee, came to Udupi. He was a disciple of Sri Vaadiraja. As Kanakadasa belonged to a lower caste, he was not allowed inside the temple. Kanakadasa prayed intensely to Sri Krishna, and in response to his earnest entreaties, the image turned and a small opening appeared in the wall and Kanakadasa could have the darshan of the image. Called Kanakana Kindi (the ‘window of Kanakadasa’), this window is still used for darshan of the deity. It is a testimony to the superiority of devotion to all social norms. (In recent years, a Gopuram called Kanaka Gopura, over the place where the Kanakana Kindi is located, has been built to commemorate the event).

We also had the darshan of the sacred image from the Navagraha Kindi, inside the temple, which is decorated with carvings depicting the ten incarnations of Vishnu. We could see the image of Sri Krishna, in his form as a young boy, decorated with jewels and T h e

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flowers. The place was lit only with oil-lamps.

We also sat in the veranda opposite the silverplated Mantapa in front of the shrine to experience the intense atmosphere of devotion that pervaded the place. In the sitting place, there were many oil lamps lit in rows and the devotees were making offerings of flowers and other articles. Mainly made of wood and stone, the temple complex has many other shrines as well, including one dedicated to Sri Madhvacharya himself.

We also visited the go-shale, abuzz with numerous cows and calves, and the Gita Bhavan which has all the verses of Bhagavad

Navagraha Kindi—the window from where one has darshan of Sri Krishna’s image

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of different varieties every day. There are certain restrictions on ingredients during Chaturmasa (a four-month period during the monsoon season). These restrictions coupled with the requirement of variety led to innovation, especially in dishes incorporating seasonal and locally available materials. This cuisine was developed by Shivalli Madhva Brahmins who cooked food for the temple. Restaurants specializing in Udupi cuisine are present in most metropolitan and large cities in India.

Bowing down to the Lord Krishna, whose presiding presence, makes such things possible, we took the prasada.

Puja in progress to Lord Krishna —photo courtesy: Sri Shiroor Mutt, Udupi

A Visit to Pajaka Kshetra We took this opportunity to visit Pajaka Kshetra, the birth place of Sri Madhavacharya. The village of Pajaka is located some 10 km from Udupi town.

The house where the Acharya was born is preserved and the image of his kuladevata is still worshipped daily by a devoted family. The house is typical of Rows of oil lamps lit inside the temple during the arati south Karnataka style (akin to Kerala), Gita carved in Devanagari on marble stone with a beautiful temple in the inner coutyard. affixed on the walls. We went to the Bhojan Sri Madhvacharya is believed to be an Shala where thousands of devotees are served incarnation of Vayu, the Wind God [Mukhyaprasada daily. It was a large hall, with marble prana]. In one of his works, Sri Madhvacharya floor, where the devotee sat cross-leged and mentions that he was earlier born as Hanuman partook of the noon-prasada. and then as Bhima and now as Madhvacharya.

Obviously, coming to Udupi includes Born of a pious Brahmin couple, on the partaking of the famous Udupi cuisines! Our auspicious day of Vijaya Dashmi (Dussehra) host-devotee had thoughtfully arranged in 1238 CE, he was named Vasudeva at birth. prasada from the temple and we partook of it Later he became famous by the names Purnain his house. Traditionally served on plantain prajna (his sannyasa name), Ananda Tirtha leaves, the Udupi food, known all over the (conferred by his guru in recognition of world, has its own special taste, order of scholarship) and Madhvacharya (the name by serving the food and—a number of items! The which he wrote his literary works). origin of this cuisine is linked to Krishna Even as a child, Sri Madhvacharya temple where the Lord Krishna is offered food exhibited precocious talent for grasping all T h e

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Sri Madhvacharya

Sri Pajaka Kshetra—the birth place of Sri Madhvacharya

things spiritual. As we went around his house, we were shown a few places or objects connected with Sri Madhvacharya and the stories connected with them were recounted. The devotion and warmth of the devotees, who took us around, made his presence palpable.

As the founder of the philosophy of dualism or Tattva-vada (the ‘Doctrine of Reality’), Sri Madhvacharya wrote several books (37 in number, according to some sources) including his commentary on the Bhagavad Gita and Brahmasutras. The Acharya travelled extensively, visiting various parts of India, held discussions with learned men and established his philosophy of dualism.9 There are many temples in the village of Pajaka including one dedicated to Mother Durga. Throughout coastal Karnataka and Goa, and even beyond, there are numerous temples, communities and monasteries owing

their allegiance to the Madhvacharya’s philosophy and system of worship.

A rich heritage of Bhajans in Kannada and Sanskrit, called Dasa Parampara, has grown around the Udupi Sri Krishna temple.

(Purandara Dasa (1484-1564), the well-known singer-composer and ‘the father of Carnatic music’, was given Ankita Diksha, Purandara Vittala, by Sri Vyasatirtha, one othe pontiffs of Ashta Mathas of Udupi).

For hundreds of years, this tradition of worship and devotion has been in vogue, giving rise to a rich heritage of Bhakti and seva. Not a small accomplishment by any standard!

From Udupi we proceeded to Mangalore, and from there, via the village of Polali (to visit the centuries-old temple of Rajarajeshwari, the Divine Mother), we went to the famous seven-hundred plus year old temple of Shiva called Dharmasthala.

(To be continued. . .)

Reference 9.

For a detailed account of Sri Madhvacharya’s life, see Bhakti Schools of Vedanta, by Swami Tapasyananda, Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai, 2010, Pp.107-200, and an article by Swami Ramakrishnananda, The Vedanta Kesari, 1922, March, Pp.329-37. Also, History of The Dvaita School of Vedanta And its Literature by B.N.K Sharma, Motilal Banarsidass Delhi, pages 619.

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Sri Ramakrishna was a master-story teller. While he spoke of profound spiritual truths and mystery of human life, he amply used stories, anecdotes, examples and analogies to drive home his point. At times, while narrating a story, he would even make gestures and change the tone of his voice to bring in a lively element in his narrative. The following stories, mainly culled from the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna (published by Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai) are an attempt to present before the readers Sri Ramakrishna’s rich storehouse of stories which are both illuminating and simple.

15 Kartik and Ganesha Everything can be realized simply through love of God. If one is able to love God, one does not lack anything. Kartik and Ganesa were seated near Bhagavati, who had a necklace of gems around Her neck. The Divine Mother said to them, ‘I will present this necklace to him who is the first to go around the universe.’ Thereupon Kartik, without losing a moment, set out on the peacock, his carrier. Ganesa, on the other hand, in a leisurely fashion went around the Divine Mother and prostrated himself before Her. He knew that She contained within Herself the entire universe. The Divine Mother was pleased with him and put the necklace around his neck. After a long while Kartik returned and found his brother seated there with the necklace on. (p.376) Kite and Fish It is narrated in the Bhagavata that the Avadhuta had twenty-four gurus, one of whom was a kite. In a certain place the fishermen were catching fish. A kite swooped down and snatched a fish. At the sight of the fish, about a thousand crows chased the kite and made a great noise with their cawing.

Whichever way the kite flew with the fish, the crows followed it. The kite flew to the south and the crows followed it there. The kite flew T h e

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to the north and still the crows followed after it. The kite went east and west, but with the same result. As the kite began to fly about in confusion, lo, the fish dropped from its mouth.

The crows at once let the kite alone and flew after the fish. Thus relieved of its worries, the kite sat on the branch of a tree and thought: ‘That wretched fish was at the root of all my troubles. I have now got rid of it and therefore I am at peace.’

The Avadhuta learnt this lesson from the kite, that as long as a man has the fish, that is, worldly desires, he must perform actions and consequently suffer from worry, anxiety, and restlessness. No sooner does he renounce these desires than his activities fall away and he enjoys peace of soul. (p.314) Righteous Mussalman and His Water-jar Once a woman became attached to a Mussalman and invited him to her room. But he was a righteous person; he said to her that he wanted to use the toilet and must go home to get his water-jar for water. The woman offered him her own, but he said: ‘No, that will not do. I shall use the jar to which I have already exposed myself. I cannot expose myself before a new one.’ With these words he went away. That brought the woman to her senses. She understood that a new waterjar, in her case, signified a paramour. (p.519)

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Brahmavadin

—the first magazine started under the inspiration of Swami Vivekananda

Digitised Archives Released Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission publish several journals in English and in number of Indian and foreign languages— all deriving their inspiration from the lifegiving message of the divinity of man as demonstrated in the lives and teachings of Sri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi and Swami Vivekananda. These journals, of varying frequencies, are published from various centres of the Math and Mission in India and abroad.

The first ever journal, published ‘under the advice and with the encouragement of Swami Vivekananda’, was the Brahmavadin, which means ‘The Messenger of Truth’ or ‘The Voice of Highest Truth’. Students of Swami Vivekananda’s life would be well acquainted with how Swamiji’s inspiration guided this pioneering journal.

It is a matter of great satisfaction and joy that the entire archives of Brahmavadin has now been digitised and released by Chennai Ramakrishna Math.

A Brief History of Brahmavadin It was when he was in America that Swami Vivekananda first took an active interest in publishing a journal, and the first person that came to his mind to take charge of it was Alasinga Perumal, a close associate and disciple of Swamiji in Madras. And like his master, Swami Vivekananda, Alasinga too felt the need for a journal and wrote to Swamiji T h e

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about it. Within a short time Swamiji gave his approval to Alasinga’s proposal. In the letter of 11 July 1894 he wrote to Alasinga: Start the journal and I will send you articles from time to time. . . I shall try to send you money from time to time to publish paper, etc. . . what about Madras magazine?. . .

From this letter it is not difficult to see that discussions regarding the publication of a journal had been going on for a considerable period before this date. Yet it was more than a year before the journal was actually published.

In the meantime, Swamiji was giving much inspiration and many a reminder in a number of letters. It was with his approval that the journal was named the Brahmavadin and took a verse from Rig Veda: Ekam sat vipra bahudha vadanti—‘Truth is one; sages call it by various names’—as its motto.

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Brahmavadin made its appearance in Madras on Saturday, 14 September 1895, as a ‘Religious and Philosophical Journal’. It was printed by Thompson and Co. In its prospectus it was stated ‘. . . it is proposed to start a weekly journal. The main object of the journal is to propagate the principles of the Vedanta Religion of India. . . .’ The prospectus was signed by G. Venkataranga Rao, M.A.; M. C. Nanjunda Rao, B.A., M.B. & CM.; and M. C. Alasinga Perumal, B.A. Even though the prospectus stated that it was to be a weekly, it was a fortnightly magazine. For the first two years it was brought out in a bigger format; afterwards its size was reduced. The number of pages varied.

The first issue contained 14 pages. Although The Brahmavadin was not an official organ of the Ramakrishna Mission, its contribution to the Mission is immense.

Swamiji told Alasinga, the founder-editor of the Brahmavadin, ‘Let this journal be your God.’ And Alasinga responded to Swamiji’s call wholeheartedly. Swamiji’s help, support, and inspiration, as well as Alasinga’s backbreaking labours, made the Brahmavadin a success so long as Alasinga was alive. But within a few years of Alasinga’s death, its publication ceased. Financially, the journal was never a success. It was sustained more by its life-giving ideas. A small portion of the history of its tremendous struggles can be found in hints contained in Vivekananda’s letters.

Later Alasinga Perumal, with the help of others, started Brahmavadin Publishing Company from Madras, which, besides publishing Brahmavadin, also brought out some of Swami Vivekananda's lectures in book form.

In the early years, the news and reports on the Ramakrishna Mission’s philanthropic activities were published mainly in the T h e

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M. C. Alasinga Perumal (1865-1909) Founder-editor of Brahmavadin

Brahmavadin. Hence the archives of the journal have great historical value and documentary importance. The Brahmavadin was the first to publish in India many lectures of Swami Vivekananda delivered in the West. The journal rendered a great service towards the furtherance of the ideals of the Ramakrishna Movement.

From the very first issue, the Brahmavadin published ‘Sayings of Sri Ramakrishna’ almost regularly, sometimes on the first page. In the first year, 198 sayings in all were published.

Besides this, the works of Swami Vivekananda were serially published in ‘The Open Column’, e.g. ‘Bhakti-Yoga’, ‘Karma-Yoga’, ‘The Real and the Apparent Man’, ‘Song of the Sannyasin’. It also included articles by Swami Saradananda, E. T. Sturdy, Mahendranath Gupta, (i.e. ‘M’) and others.

Brahmavadin was regularly brought out for 14 years, until Alasinga’s demise in 1909.

From 1909 to 1914, the publication of Brahma-

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Release of the CD by Sri N.Mahalingam

Dr. C.S. Yogananda briefing about the digitisation

vadin became quite irregular. The last issue was brought out in 1914 (March-April). Soon after, the Brahmavadin’s legacy was continued by a new journal, The Vedanta Kesari, started

by Sri Ramakrishna Math Chennai, and has been in circulation ever since.

The Digitised Archives Considering the need to preserve the archives of Brahmavadin, the digitisation work was initiated a year back and all the pages of the old issues were systematically scanned and digitally cleaned. This massive work was undertaken by Dr. Yogananda CS, HOD of Mathematics, the SJC College of Engineering, Mysore. Sriranga Digital Technologies Pvt. Ltd. (at Srirangapatna, near Mysore), the company founded and run by Dr.Yogananda, is dedicated to the digitization of old manuscripts, journals and documents.

The old volumes of Brahmavadin were hard to locate. Though many of them were available at the Chennai Math Library, some were obtained from Advaita Ashrama, Kolkata, Ramakrishna Math centres at Bangalore and Mysore and some public institutions.

Whatever was available, however, was in a brittle state and scanning required great care.

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Brahmavadin archives consist of 265 issues, with contributions from 247 authors, running into more than 14000 pages. The CD has all the easy-to-use features such as search facilities—indexed author-wise, title-wise, year-wise and by keywords, and other features.

The CD release function was held as part of the Public Celebrations on the occasion of Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi’s 159th birthday.

Sri N Mahalingam, the noted industrialist and litterateur, released the CD and Swami Gautamananda, Adhyaksha, Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai, received the first copy.

Swami Atmashraddhananda, editor of The Vedanta Kesari, gave a short introduction about Brahmavadin followed by a briefing

by Dr. Yogananda on the digitization work.

Arjun Kashyap of Sriranga Digitial Technologies gave a presentation on the various operations and features of the CD, on a giant projector screen.

The CD, priced at Rs.300/-, can be ordered at Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai-04. Email: mail@chennaimath.org A treasured collection and a researcher’s delight is now available at the click of a button.

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Service to the Leprosy Afflicted Persons Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai, has been serving many Leprosy Afflicted Persons (LAPs) for the past 23 years to promote their overall well-being. The Math has been providing medical care and rehabilitation, benefiting umpteen numbers of leprosy afflicted.

To commemorate this service, an annual day was organized by the Math on 23 December 2011.

In the morning, eminent doctors conducted a health check-up that included ENT and dental and screening for tropic ulcer with Amnion treatment. In the afternoon, a function was held in the Vivekananda Centenary Hall in the Math premises. The programme began and concluded with prayers.

Presentation of annual report, talks and presentation of prizes to the winners in sporting events held earlier as also for the best display of the stall put by the LAPs were the main features. These stalls, displaying a number of plastic or cottage industry products crafted and produced by the now-rehabilitated person, were put up near the Hall and Handing over of a wheelchair to a beneficiary were visited by the dignitaries and others. The annual report mentioned about the details of help being extended with the assistance provided by BHEL and others. Dr. P. Gunasekharan, Director, King Institute of Preventive Medicines and Research, presented Power Point slides on the Amnion treatment for LAPs, held every Saturday at the Math’s premises.

Other speakers included Dr. M. Sivakumar of Raagas Dental College, Prof. Chella Krishnan of World Wellness Organization and Prof. Bharathi of Pachaiyappa’s College.

Swami Gautamanandaji, the President of Chennai Math, gave the benedictory address. Three LAPs spoke of how their life was pitiable earlier and after soliciting help from the Math and joining the Self The dignitaries on the dais Help Groups, how their lives have changed for the better helping them to lead a life of dignity and self reliance.

At the end, rehabilitation materials were distributed to select LAPs. It included items like wheel chairs, aluminium utensils for business, among other things.

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Commemoration of the 175th Birth Anniversary of Sri Ramakrishna The following centres celebrated the 175th birth anniversary of Sri Ramakrishna. (Main programmes conducted by them are given against their names.)

Chandigarh: A meeting at Nangal (Punjab) on the life and teachings of Sri Ramakrishna on 4 December which was attended by 60 persons; Chapra: Interfaith conference, youth convention, doctors’ conference and spiritual retreat from 10 to 13 November, which were attended altogether by about 2000 persons; Coimbatore Math: Procession, discourses, devotional songs, film show, etc from 23 October to 4 December; Limbdi: Cultural competitions from 5 to 9 December in which 350 students from 20 schools participated; Lucknow: Music recitals by renowned artistes on 11 December; Mangalore: Cultural programme on 10, 11 & 17 December, which was attended by about 1500 people; Narottam Nagar: Discourses and devotional songs on 8 December; 475 devotees attended the programme; Ponnampet: Devotional music, devotees’ convention, students’ convention and women’s convention on 13, 14, 15 & 17 December respectively; in all, about 1700 persons attended the programmes; Pune: Three-day spiritual retreat for devotees from 23 to 25 December.

Salem: Devotional songs during the whole night on 24 December.

Sargachhi: Procession, youth convention, devotees’ convention, a fair ‘Ramakrishna Mela’, and an exhibition on the life of Sri Ramakrishna on 25 and 26 December; Viveknagar (Tripura): Devotees’ conference on 25 December, which was attended by about 600 delegates.

Felicitation and Award Y The Gold Medalists of the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda were felicitated in a solemn function organized by Vadodara centre of Ramakrishna Mission on Sunday, December 18, 2011. Sri Ashwini Kumar, IAS, Municipal Commissioner of Vadodara Sri Bhagyesh Jha IAS, Secretary, Dept. of Youth, Sports and Cultural Activities, Govt. of Gujarat, addressed the gathering. The speakers stressed the need to study well and learn to stand on one’s feet, as well do something for underprivileged people. It was also mentioned that one should read the teachings of Swami Vivekananda which will equip them to face the challenges of life in a proper way. While congratulating the students, Swami Nikhileswarananda, the Head of Vadodara Centre, spoke of proper time-management and appealed to students to spare at least one percent of their time for reading Swami Vivekananda’s books, and for prayer and meditation.

Y In the international tournaments 2011 (for sportspersons under 24) held in Malaysia under International Olympic Federation, one student of Chennai Vidyapith won gold medal in swimming and another student won gold medal in tennis.

Relief News 1. Flood Relief: Torrential rains caused by the recent cyclonic depression in the Bay of Bengal led to floods in the Kanchipuram district of Tamil Nadu, affecting hundreds of families. Our Chengalpattu centre served cooked food and distributed 145 saris, 145 lungis, 145 blankets, 145 mats and 145 sets of utensils (each set containing 1 frying pan, 2 cooking vessels, 1 filtering vessel, 1 rice basket, 1 plate, 1 bowl, 3 ladles, 2 tumblers, etc.) to 145 flood-affected families in Puliyur village of the affected district. Chennai Math served cooked food to 2800 cyclone-affected persons near Ennore, a suburb of Chennai.

2. Winter Relief: 2470 blankets were distributed to poor people through the Headquarters (600) and the following centres: Agartala (300), Baranagar Math (20), Belgaum (200), Garbeta (200), Jalpaiguri (250), Ponnampet (500), Raipur (150), Silchar (250).

Besides, our Baranagar Math centre distributed 280 woollen chaddars to poor and needy people.

3. Distress Relief: The following centres distributed various items, shown in brackets, to needy people: Belgaum (250 saris), Medinipur (4630 kg rice, 463 kg dal, 463 kg mustard oil, 463 kg salt and 650 kg potatoes).

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For review in THE VEDANTA KESARI, publishers need to send us two copies of their latest publication.

S WAMI V IVEKANANDA —A N INTUITIVE SCIENTIST

By Dr. T.G.K. Murty Published by Nityananda Prakashana, # 46, 4th Cross, Ashoknagar, BSK I Stage, Bangalore - 50. 2011, First Edition, paperback, Pp.128, Rs.40.

It is often said that Swami Vivekananda was a multi-faceted personality. This is borne by the fact that, even a century after his Mahasamadhi, more and more books are being written and published about him, bringing out some new aspect or other of his personality. Very recently, a book has come out highlighting his qualities of leadership. The present book is another such, about his power of intuition, especially from the point of view of science.

The author of the book has been a practicing scientist throughout his career, and is well aware of the power of intuition as evidenced by scientific discoveries and inventions. He is eminently qualified to deal with a theme of this type.

It is said that scientists are of two types—the ‘trail blazers’ and the ‘followers’. The former are those who have original ideas, and who are not afraid to explore unknown territories. Their discoveries and inventions do not necessarily follow any logical sequence, but appear to materialize themselves from thin air. The latter are those who attempt to prove the veracity or otherwise of these.

If they are found to be true, these scientists provide a logical structure to them and place them in the proper slots in science. Most scientists belong to this category. They are also as much necessary for the growth of science as the ‘trail blazers’.

From where do these trail blazers get their ideas? They cannot themselves provide an answer.

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Nor can the ‘followers’ answer it. But, every scientist feels that there is some intuitive power beyond logic at work here. Another name given to that is ‘genius’. What gives it a structure later goes by the name of ‘intelligence’. Such geniuses are designated in this book as ‘Intuitive Scientists’. The aim of the author here is to establish that Swami Vivekananda belonged to this category.

Can a Vedantin be called an intuitive scientist? Intuition is not restricted to science alone, though it is most spectacular in this field of activity.

The ancient sages of India who have given us the scriptures commencing with the Vedas, great poets who had a deep vision of human existence, and several others were great intuitive geniuses in their own right. Swami Vivekananda also was an intuitive genius in the field of spirituality, as shown by the author in this book through arguments and instances.

The genius of Swamiji was such that it covered several fields of activity, including modern science. This sounds strange because Swamiji was not a practicing scientist in the traditional sense, though he had made a deep study of it in his student days. The contention of the author of this book is that, even in the field of science, Swamiji had anticipated some of the later developments in the field of physics. The author has provided several examples for this from Swamiji’s life as well as from his collected works. Swamiji might not have put his intuitive ideas in the language of science, but one can easily transcribe them into scientific language. This has been very well illustrated by the author through a rephrasing of the language in a modern idiom.

The book is, indeed, remarkable, since it touches upon an aspect of Swamiji’s life and personality that has so far been in the background.

The service rendered by the author is to bring it out into open. He appears to throw a challenge

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to scientists to take up this aspect for a deeper analysis.

Though the book is small in size, its importance should not be underestimated. The printing format is easy on the eye, which is the hallmark of the printer and publisher. But, a few grammatical and syntactical errors have crept in, which need to be weeded out in the next edition. It is a book worth reading by students and teachers of science.

Dr.Murthy should be thanked for the service he has rendered. ______________________________ NVC SWAMY, BANGALORE

INDIAN CULTURE AND INDIA’S FUTURE

By Michel Danino Published by D.K.Printworld (P) Ltd, Sri Kunj, F-52, Bali Nagar, Ramesh Nagar Metro Station, New Delhi - 110 015. 2011, Paperback, Pp 248. Rs.300 $15.

30th May, 1909 is an important day in the history of Indian culture. On that day, Sri Aurobindo, acquitted and released after an year-long confinement in the Alipore Jail delivered a speech at Uttarpara, a suburb of Kolkata. He was then a mesmerizing leader of the Bande Mataram Movement and everyone expected him to speak of the future course of political action for patriotic Indians.

But Sri Aurobindo had undergone a tremendous change in the jail. No more was his vision confined to the political freedom of the country. He wanted now to work for the resurgence of India’s Sanatana Dharma, the Ancient Way that had kept the spirit of the nation alive through all the millennia of external aggressions and internal dissensions. He firmly believed that India had to rise again not to save herself but to save the world for if at all there can be a world religion, it had to be the Hindu religion: ‘But what is the Hindu religion? What is this religion which we call Sanatan, eternal? It is the Hindu religion only because the Hindu nation has kept it, because in this Peninsula it grew up in the seclusion of the sea and the Himalayas, because in this sacred and ancient land it was given as a charge to the Aryan race to preserve through the ages. But T h e

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it is not circumscribed by the confines of a single country, it does not belong peculiarly and for ever to a bounded part of the world.’

Sri Aurobindo was saying all this just a decade and a half after Swami Vivekananda had given his message at Chicago. The inspiration is obvious and Sri Aurobindo himself had a vision of Swami Vivekananda guiding him in his yogic sadhana. With these great men coming to the forefront of action, India (and the world) were saved from the catastrophe of racial suicide. Among foreign friends of India who have been inspired by Swami Vivekananda and Sri Aurobindo is Michel Danino. As a student he had ‘felt a certain shudder while reading Swami Vivekananda, perhaps the same shudder that ran through his listeners at Chicago in 1893.’ For the last three decades he has lived in India and has been active in clearing the cobwebs that prevent us from having a unified view of Indian culture. To name a few of these veils of accumulated dirt and dust are the Aryan invasion theory, the rejection of Saraswati as a mythical river and considering Indian culture itself as a worthless relic of the past.

Indian Culture and India’s Future opens with questions as to why the Indian youth look up to the west for leadership, rejecting the time-tested wisdom of the Orient. This is no obsolete culture but a think-tank for global prosperity, even if one wants only material advancement. Science and technology in India’s past were not negligible entities. The mathematical genius Aryabhata and Sayana’s touching upon the velocity of light yesterday have their modern counterparts in J.C. Bose and Srinivasa Ramanujam. Only, India did not isolate materialism from spirituality. It has always been an integral view for the Indian and it has spread its riches all over South-East Asia as also the West.

Colonization has, of course, worked havoc on the Indian psyche. The ‘divide and rule’ as also the educational policy of the British Government paid dividends, since Macaulay could exult: ‘Our English schools are flourishing wonderfully . . . The effect of this education on the Hindoos is prodigious. No Hindoo, who has received an English education, ever remains sincerely attached to his religion.’

Fortunately the roots of our Sanatana Dharma held on, they had gone so deep and remain strong

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as ever except for the ‘educated’ class. A misuse of the term ‘secularism’ has debilitated the post-independence generations and Danino is constrained to get back to Sri Aurobindo’s statement made in 1926: ‘Aggressive religions tend to overrun the earth. Hinduism on the other hand is passive and therein lies the danger.’ Danino also places the Gita in its proper perspective as a call for action ‘not for ourselves but for the world and the divine Intention in it.’

Twentieth century blessed India with the leaders who led its Vande Mataram Movement.

Sterling patriots all, they linked the rise of India with the rise of human unity. They saw through the machinations of the colonizer who raised the divisive bogey of an Aryan invasion of India. The good work of the leaders has been sought to be nullified by new evils like the encouragement given to Dravidian, Dalit and Tribal separateness, cookedup myths like the martyrdom of St. Thomas in a Chennai suburb and the Ayodhya controversy, to name a few. Danino concludes his well-argued thesis with the warning that if Indians do not realise what is happening on the political, economic and religious fronts to destroy the India nurtured by our Santana Dharma, they would have only themselves to blame. If they want to get to action, the model is ready: India’s model, if she has one, is neither the melting pot nor the mosaic, but the thousand-branched tree of the Rig Veda, an endless diversity growing out of a common trunk. I am tempted to evoke the proverbial banyan tree, constantly replanting itself, but unlike the banyan, Indian culture allows a lot of undergrowth to thrive. (p 208)

Michel Danino’s balancing profound spirituality with the claims of material progress makes Indian Culture and India’s Future the best gift for India’s youth generation of today. ___________________________ PREMA NANDAKUMAR, TRICHY

HINDUISM

By Swami Gurudasananda Published by Adarsh Printers, 133 (C), Kalamma Street, Bellary - 583 101, Karnataka.

2009, paperback, Pp.111, Rs.50.

Here is an informative book, a primer in a way to understand the essential tenets of Sanatana T h e

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Dharma or Eternal Religion, as the revered author appropriately names ‘Hinduism’.

This relatively small and moderately prized book explains Hindu philosophical systems, the scriptures viz. Vedas, Smritis, Puranas, Itihasas and Agamas, the theme of Upanisads, doctrine of prapatti, among many others in a concise manner. Thus it serves as a reliable handbook on Hinduism.

Swami Gurudasananda answers a number of misconceptions. Those who question the four ashramas should appreciate that the system promoted ‘dignity, order and balance in society’.

Similarly there is no place in Hinduism for ‘arrogance of caste superiority’. Concepts of heaven and hell are ‘states of the mind and not places of resort’.

To a Hindu, the Swami clarifies, God is the ‘Antaryamin, the Inner Ruler’ and not the ‘Father in the Heaven’. The Prophet of Nazareth merely proclaimed ‘Love thy neighbour as thyself’. However, Hinduism explains why one should do so.

According to one of the mahavakyas, viz., Tat Tvam Asi, your neighbour is ‘yourself in another form’ entitled to your love.

Rituals and ceremonies prescribed by Hinduism are not to be ridiculed or despised. These serve as steps in the process of spiritual evolution of individuals. As the learned author reminds us, if formalities such as oath taking and other strict protocol are acceptable, there is a role for rituals also. Further, ‘man cannot be made virtuous by an Act of Parliament’. And spiritual discipline fills the gap and takes one in the path of rectitude, a function that other agencies cannot perform. Finally, while appreciating welfare services of those propagating other faiths, proper auditing of foreign funds flowing into Indian churches and clergies is recommended to prevent abuse of the funds and for security reasons.

According to Arthur Osborne, ‘Hinduism is the most central and complete of Eastern religions, comprising as it does not merely religion. . .but a code of social life and civil and criminal law. . .’

Nevertheless, since the days of the British Raj, syste-

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matic efforts have been made by vested interests to ridicule Hinduism and even make Indians feel ashamed of their religious beliefs and culture. The credit for arresting this mischief goes to Swami Vivekananda and his efforts are being followed up with vigour. The book under review is therefore most welcome.

Religion and spirituality promote values and morals in public life. Swami Gurudasananda’s work fulfils this need admirably. It is written in a style scholarly yet easy to understand. This will help the elder members of a family to guide the next generation in appreciating the universality of Sanatana Dharma. ______________________________ P. S. SUNDARAM, CHENNAI

STOP COMPLAINING: START THANKING paperback, Pp.63. Rs 60.

IN 2012 ALL WILL BE WELL 2011, paperback, Pp.63. Rs 50.

Both by J.P. Vaswani Published by Gita Publishing House, 10, Sadhu Vaswani Path, Pune - 411 001.

This review covers both the books as they together focus attention on the immense potential for happiness in life.

Happiness, as Dada Vaswani says, is one’s birthright and there is no need to compromise. With a missionary zeal, he has relentlessly been working to promote a life of joy and contentment among people. Distress and diseases often arising from misdirected lifestyle need to be handled with caution. The source of pain is pleasure and therefore we should not mistake pleasures as happiness. The books under review contain valuable lessons to remove darkness and bring light and joy in life.

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‘Thank God’, very casually expressed, should be treated as a mantra, according to Dada Vaswani.

Similarly, ‘thank you’ should be conveyed with genuine feelings. The list of events to thank is formidable; one has to be thankful for everything in life. We tend to overlook many favourable situations and possessions but concentrate on what we perceive are lacking. Vaswani says, ‘When you stop complaining and start thanking. . . appreciating, your life will be transformed’. Accept God’s will, whatever He decides. Past worries and failures should be discarded as ‘excess baggage’.

Stop Complaining: Start Thanking has many useful tips for people in various professions.

Management personnel, for instance, will find valuable lessons to promote harmonious relations and understand and motivate people. They should identify and appreciate the merits and strengths of subordinates and handle their weaknesses with tact.

A good leader needs a mature value system that does not undervalue subordinates. Dada Vaswani reminds us of the ‘waiter-theory’ of a CEO; ‘Watch out for people who have a situational value system, who can turn the charm on and off depending on the status of the person they are interacting with.’

The experience of Somerset Maugham in Spain provides the classic example of sound marketing strategy. Similarly, it is refreshing to know how ordinary folk like fishermen possess unique qualities that others do not have.

Dada Vaswani’s inspiring address at the 131st Birthday Celebrations of Sadhu Vaswani are presented In 2012 All Will Be Well. Dada, the ‘eternal optimist’, wants us to feel well eternally, not only in 2012, and become a ‘New You’. Fearing a disaster approaching, people tend to loose sleep, carry on with ‘excess baggage’ of worries, fears, unable to cope with situations in life. Bad thoughts generate disastrous results. Therefore, remember ‘. . . the best that I can give to the world are good thoughts, good words, good actions’. If you give your best, the best will come to you.

A list of ‘Practical Suggestions’ is provided in the book that should ‘strengthen contact’ with the ever present God and shake off accumulated negative ideas.

It is a privilege to read and benefit from Dada Vaswani’s books. The wisdom of Sri Sarada Devi comes to mind as we read it. ______________________________ P. S. SUNDARAM, CHENNAI

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Vinayaka Mission College, Salem, T.N- 636 001 Maha College of Engg, Salem, T.N- 636 106 PGP college, Namakkal Dt, T.N - 637 207 Vellakoil Arts & Science College, Erode, T.N - 638 111 J.K.K Nataraja College, Namakkal Dt, T.N - 638 183 KMCH College of Physiotherapy, Coimbatore, T.N - 641 014 Cheran College of Physiotheraphy, Coimbatore, T.N - 641 005 Cheran College of Pharmacy, Coimbatore, T.N - 641 039 J.S.S College of Pharmacy, Ootacamund, T.N - 643 001 Kamban College, Tiruvannamali, T.N - 606 601 Bhaktavatsalam College, Kancheepuram, T.N - 631 552 College of Physiotherapy, Coimbatore, T.N - 641 035 P.K.D College of Education, Pollachi, T.N - 642 002 G.S.L Medical college, Rajahmundry, T.N - 533 101 Jayaraj Chelladurai College, Madurai Dist, T.N - 625 604 P.S.G.R Krishnammal College, Coimbatore, T.N - 641 004 Jai Gopal Garodia Vivekananda College, Chennai, T.N - 600 040 SMT. Thirumalai College, Bombay, Maharastra - 400 031 Madurai Diraviyam, Tirunelveli, T.N - 627 010 Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru College, Karaikal - 609 605 Arulmigu Palaniandavar Arts College, Palani, T.N. - 624 615 Chellammal Women’s College, Guindy, Chennai - 600 032 Kandaswamy Kandar’s College, Velur, Salam Dist., T.N. - 638 182 N.R. Swami College, Mumbai - 400 031 Lakshmi College, Ambathurai R.S., Dindigul Dist., T.N. - 624 302 Dental College, Gorimedu, Pondicherry - 605 001 Bharath Engineering College, Selaiyur P.O., Chennai - 600 073 A.M.K. Technogical Polytechnic, Sembarambakkam, Chennai - 602 103 V.H.N. Senthikumara Nadar College, Virudhunagar, 626 001 Gobi Arts College, Gobichettipalayam, T.N. - 638 453 MEPCO SCHLENK Engg. College, Sivakasi, T.N. - 626 005 V.O.C. College of Education, Tuticorin, T.N. - 628 008 Mangayarkarasi Arts College, Madurai, T.N. - 625 001 Govindammal Aditanar College, Tiruchendur, T.N. - 628 215 Saraswathi Narayanan College, Madurai, T.N. - 625 022 Sri Sathguru Sangeetha Vidyalayam, Madurai - 625 002 Sri K.K. Naidu Hr.Sec. School, Coimbatore - 641 014 Ganesar Senthamil College, Pudukottai Dist., T.N. - 622 403 Mannai Raja Gopalaswami Arts College, Mannargudi, T.N. - 614 001 Manickam College, Pillayarpatti, Tanjore Dist. T.N. - 613 403 Meenakshi Chandrasekaran College, Pattukottai, T.N. - 614 601 Muthurangam Arts College, Vellore, T.N. - 632 002 N.M.S. Vellaimmal Nadar College, Madurai, T.N. - 625 019 P.K.R. Arts College, Gobichettipalayam, T.N. - 638 476 D.K. Nursing College, Nethaji Road, Tiruvarur, T.N. - 610 001 Marappan Lakshmiammal College, Tirupattur, Vellore Dist., T.N. - 635 652

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Mercury College, Arakonam, Vellore Dist., T.N. - 631 003 N.K.R. Govt. Arts College, Namakkal, T.N. - 637 001 Navarasam Arts College, Nagamalai, Erode Dist., T.N. - 638 101 P.K.N. Arts College, Thirumangalam, Madurai Dist., T.N. - 625 706 Subramaniam Arts College, Moganoor, Namakkal Dist. - 637 015 Sapthagiri College of Engg., Krishnagiri Dist., T.N. - 635 205 Alagappa Govt. Arts College, Karaikudi, Sivagangai Dist., T.N. - 630 001 Cheran Arts College, Kangeyam, Erode Dist., T.N. - 638 701 D.K. Mudaliar College, Vellore, T.N. - 632 001 Dr. G.R.Damodaran College, Avanashi Road, Coimbatore, T.N. - 641 014 E.M. Gopalakrishna Kona Yadava College, Madurai, T.N. - 625 018 Saveetha Engineering College, Thandalam, Tiruvallur Dist., T.N. - 602 105 B. Padmanabhan Jayantimala College, Cuddalore Dist., T.N. - 608 703 Chikkanna Govt. Arts College, Tiruppur, Coimbatore Dist., T.N. - 641 602 Dharmapuram Adhinam Arts College, Mayiladuthurai, T.N. - 609 001 Dr. R.K. Shanmugam College, Kallakurichi, T.N. - 606 202 Enathi Rajappa College, Pattukottai, T.N. - 614 615 Sri Arumugam Arts College, Cuddalore District, T.N. - 606 303 Spoorthi Degree College, Dilsukhnagar, Hyderabad - 500 036 Annamacharya Institute, Hayat Nagar, Hyderabad - 500 036 Roda Mistry College, Golconda, Hyderabad - 500 008 Narayana Educational Institute, Narayanaguda, Hyderabad - 500 029 Sri Chaitanya Co Education Day Scholars, Hyderabad - 500 036 Bhaktavatsalam College, Korattur, Chennai - 600 080 Sri Chaitanya College, Hyderabad - 500 072 Prathiba College, Hyderabad - 500 072 Hindu College, Hyderabad - 500 018 Medwin Institute, Hyderabad - 500 001 Guru Nanak Institute, Hyderabad - 500 009 Kamala Nehru Polytechnic, Hyderabad - 500 001 Vivekananda School, Hyderabad - 500 038 MNR Medical College, Hyderabad - 500 072 Nova Group of Colleges, Ameerpet, Hyderabad - 500 016 JB Institute, Hyderabad - 500 034 Govt. Polytechnic College, Hyderabad - 500 026 To be continued . . .

India’s Timeless Wisdom

AUwaß`gVm§ g§J… gX²JU w § hpÝV {dñV¥V_²& JwU-ê$nmÝVa§ `m{V VH«$`moJmÚWm n`…&& Even a little association with vices destroys all virtues; just as when even a little of curd falls in milk it curdles it completely.

[So is the effect of bad company].

—Traditional Saying

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SRI RAMAKRISHNA MATH MYLAPORE, CHENNAI-600004 PHONE: (044) 24621110 Email: mail@chennaimath.org Website: www.chennaimath.org Let Auspiciousness be Everywhere!

175TH BIRTH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS OF SRI RAMAKRISHNA 2011-12 Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai, (Chennai Math for short) is a spiritual centre of distinction, having been blessed by the visit of Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi, the divine consort of Sri Ramakrishna. Swami Ramakrishnananda, one of the eminent spiritual luminaries and a direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna, founded this Math.

Several other distinguished direct disciples have hallowed the Math by their visits.

Chennai Math takes pride in celebrating the 175th Birth Anniversary of Sri Ramakrishna in the year 2011-12 through various programmes.

The celebrations will be culminating with spiritual and cultural programmes from 22nd to 26th February 2012 at the Chennai Math. The culmination of the 175th Birth Anniversary celebrations of Sri Ramakrishna in February 2012 also coincides with the completion of 12 years since the consecration of the Universal Temple at Chennai Math.

The Universal Temple dedicated to Sri Ramakrishna and its surroundings need renovation and the 175th Birth Anniversary celebration is the ideal occasion to carry this out and re-dedicate it to Sri Ramakrishna in all its splendour and glory in February 2012. The estimated cost of the renovation which includes painting, repairing and restoration is Rs.82.00 lacs.

We solicit your kind donation for carrying out the renovation work.

Donations may be made by Cheque/DD in favour of ‘Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai’ and sent to Sri Ramakrishna Math at the address given above. Donations are eligible for tax exemption under Section 80(G) of the Indian Income Tax Act. Donations can also be made online at the website by selecting the category ‘Sri Ramakrishna 175.’ For direct transfer to Bank, please contact us for IFSC/Swift code details by email. International donations are welcome.

May Sri Ramakrishna bless us all.

Swami Gautamananda Adhyaksha

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Pictorial Mahabharata

By Swami Raghaveshananda pages. viii + 272, hardback, Rs. 250/Plus postage Rs.30 for a single copy.

Manifestations of Lord Siva pages. vi + 46, paperback, Rs. 60/Plus postage Rs.22 for a single copy.

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Hanuman Chalisa —See and Paint Illustrations: Sitaramacharyalu pages. 88, paperback, Rs. 80/Plus postage Rs.25 for a single copy.

Adversities are Opportunities— Stories from Ancient India pages. ix + 90, paperback, Rs. 25/Plus postage Rs.20 for a single copy.

No request for VPP entertained

Published by Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai - 600 004

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SRI RAMAKRISHNA ADVAITA ASHRAMA (HQS: Ramakrishna Math & Mission, Belur Math) P.O. Kalady, Ernakulam - 683574, Kerala Phone:0484-2462345, Cell:9447051231 E-mail:srkaadv@dataone.in

An Appeal The Ashrama has been running a free hostel for the poor, underprivileged and orphan children from classes V to X since 1936. They are provided with food, uniform, accommodation and education up to Xth Std. absolutely free of cost. They are admitted in the school managed by the Ashrama within its campus.

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

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

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

Swami Amaleshananda

Adhyaksha

NEW RELEASE Pages xiv + 69

Bhagavad Gita for Students Here is a publication meant to help the modern students to become better students and live meaningfully. It is a topical selection of Gita verses keeping a student in mind. It is a ready-reference to know what Gita says about control of mind, overcoming anger, concentration of mind, healthy interpersonal relationships, true happiness and so on.

The booklet has 12 chapters with each chapter containing only 4 verses, with translation and transliteration. Swami Vivekananda’s quotes have been appropriately added at the end of each verse.

A students' guidebook to self-improvement!

Published by Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai - 600 004

Price: Rs. 20/- + Postage: Rs. 20/- for single copy. No request for VPP entertained

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

An Appeal 33 Years of Service to Humanity 1979 - 2010 1. Navajeevan School & Hostel for Blind Children

– Tirupati & Orissa

2. Navajeevan Free Eye Hospital

– Tirupati

3. Navajeevan Free Home for Aged

– Tirupati, Rishikesh & Chennai

4. Navajeevan Harijan Sewa Ashram

– Kothapeta

5. Navajeevan Sharanagati Vridhashram

– Tirupati

6. Navajeevan Orphanage

– Parlaki Mudi [Orissa]

7. Navajeevan Rural Medical Centres

- Berhampur [Orissa]

8. Navajeevan Eye Care Centres

- Serango [Orissa]

9. Navajeevan Orphan Homes

- Visakha & Saluru

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

– Rs. 5000/-

2. Sponsor 5 IOL Cataract Eye Operations

– Rs. 7000/-

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

– Rs. 6000/-

4. Sponsor one poor aged person for one year

– Rs. 5000/-

5. Sponsor one free eye camp at Rural/Tribal area

– Rs. 50000/-

6. Vidyadan—Educational aid for one Child

– Rs. 2000/-

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

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

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

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Vol.99-02 The Vedanta Kesari (English Monthly) February 2012. Regd. with the Registrar of Newspapers for India under No.1084 / 57. POSTAL REGISTRATION NUMBER:TN / CH (C) / 190 / 12-14. LICENCED TO POST WITHOUT PREPAYMENT TN/PMG(CCR)/WPP-259 / 2012-14 Date of Publication: 26th of every month

Teach yourselves, teach everyone his/her real nature, call upon the sleeping soul and see how it awakes. Power will come, glory will come, goodness will come, purity will come, and everything that is excellent will come, when this sleeping soul is roused to selfconscious activity. —Swami Vivekananda

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121-122, Mittal Chambers, Nariman Point, Mumbai - 400 021 Tel: 91 22 6632 5141 (11 Lines) Fax: 91 22 6632 4979 / 6632 4421 / 2282 0577 E-mail: lavino@vsnl.com Website: www.absorbent-cotton.com TARAPUR PLANT: H-1, MIDC, Tarapur Industrial Area Taps Post, Boisar - 401 504 District - Thane.

Tel: 02525-2722 90/91/92

Subscription (inclusive of postage) Annual : ` 100 10 years: ` 1000 Contact: Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai. Website: www.chennaimath.org