Reminiscences of Sargachhi

SRIMAT SWAMI SUHITANANDA JI (Continued from previous issue. . .)

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Ihave heard from Ramlal Dada1 that Sri Ramakrishna once asked Amrita, Dr. Sarkar’s son, to face the wall, and then began to stroke his back. That made Amrita enter into the state of samadhi. Similarly, anybody who came to Sri Ramakrishna got a taste of bliss in some such way, and that gave them a sense of peace throughout their lives even amidst hundreds of worldly engagements. As a result, they generally lost interest in worldly affairs and may have been liberated at the time of death.

One day, Sri Ramakrishna noticed from his room that a boy from the temple proprietor’s family was roaming around. Sri Ramakrishna asked Ramlal Dada to call the boy. When he came, Sri Ramakrishna made him sit on the smaller cot and touched him. The boy at once became still and didn’t regain consciousness for a long time. This posed a danger. There already had been trouble before when Hriday2 offered flowers at the feet of a girl belonging to the same family.3 So Ramlal Dada became nervous. Then Sri Ramakrishna asked him to fan the boy’s head. That worked, and the boy gradually regained outward consciousness; but he began to walk with a peculiar gait. Sri Ramakrishna sent him home with an escort. It seems that, upon reaching home, the boy became normal again.

Who knows how many people Sri Ramakrishna bestowed his grace on in this way? Master Mahashay has written down a little, and Sharat Maharaj too has written a little. Who knows how many incidents have remained unrecorded?

Question: What is new in Sri Ramakrishna?

Maharaj: The speciality of Sri Ramakrishna is the attraction he held for young people. This had never happened before. This is because there had never been a downfall of this magnitude. That’s why he attracted young people this time. But in those days, it was difficult to find pure, good young men; then what to speak of the householders! If society had not become so degraded, would Sri Ramakrishna have come? In this village [Sargachhi] there was no one but Akhandanandaji who could have established this ashrama. There was no morality in the village, and people were extremely poor

In Sri Ramakrishna we see the living illustration of :

The author, one of the Vice-Presidents of the Ramakrishna Order, presents here his conversations with Swami Premeshananda (1884-1967), a disciple of Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi.

सव्पिपूतसथमातमानं सव्पिपूतावन िातमवन । ईक्षते योगयुक्ातमा सव्पत् समिि्पनरः ।।

“With the heart concentrated by yoga, with same-sightedness for all things, he beholds the Self in all beings and all beings in the Self.”

Many incidents reveal Sri Ramakrishna’s oneness with the world: (a) When he ate, the others with him felt their hunger satiated 4; (b) the blow that a boatman delivered on a fellow boatman’s back, appeared as an injury on Sri Ramakrishna’s back – he had then rise to the level of the Attributeless (nirguṇa); (c) growth of a tail5; (d) signs of femininity in his body6 . These demonstrations were quite novel – perhaps they were not needed in earlier times. Besides, switching frequently between saguṇa and nirguṇa is possible only for avatars.

Sri Ramakrishna kept Swamiji in the world after imparting the subtlest power of discrimination— that is why the sight of human suffering would make him restless almost to the point of madness. Incarnations can come down from the state of samadhi and behave like ordinary beings. Apart from this, we find Sri Ramakrishna physically practising the Islamic, Christian, and Tantra rituals.

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Question: Why do we find the matted hair of sadhus given such prominence in the

Puranas?

Maharaj: In those days the sadhus quietly pursued spiritual practice without feeling attraction for anything of the world. They would live in a mud hut on the edge of a forest and not bother about honour and dishonour; and they appeased their hunger by begging morsels of food.

As a result, matted hair was very much respected.

Their hair grew long and matted because they stayed in the same place for a long time.

We should not trust this body, mind and intellect—especially the intellect. There is no telling when it will declare some bad thing acceptable. We do not know when and how the subconscious mind will express itself. So always Jnana-nayane prahari rekho se jeno savadhane thake:“Keep the eye of wisdom as guard so that he [Jivatama] remains careful.” We all have our shortcomings – none of us is a paramahamsa.

That is why we should learn from senior sadhus, as they have received many knocks from this world. We can learn from them about the pitfalls on the way. As it is said, you can learn by hearing; otherwise you have to learn by experience, and that will undoubtedly be painful. (To be continued. . .) tt

Notes

1) Sri Ramakrishna’s nephew, who served as the priest of Dakshineswar Kali Temple 2) Sri Ramakrishna’s cousin Hemangini’s son, who was a close companion of Sri Ramakrishna and served as the priest of the Dakshineswar Kali Temple 3) Hriday had worshipped the young grand-daughter of

Mathur Babu, which was considered inauspicious for the girl because she belonged to a lower caste. 4) Once, while returning to Dakshineswar by boat,

Sri Ramakrishna and the devotees with him felt very hungry. They stopped the boat and one of the devotees went ashore and purchased some snacks.

Sri Ramakrishna ate it all without offering anything to the others, which was very unlike him. But the next moment, all the hungry devotees felt that their stomachs were as full as they would have been after a good meal! 5) When he practised dasyabhava and saw himself as Sri Rama’s servant Hanuman, the tip of Sri

Ramakrishna’s backbone grew a few inches! 6) When he practised madhurabhava Sri Ramakrishna saw himself as Radharani and his body manifested feminine characteristics.

Swami Vivekananda and the Concept of Freedom in Indian Culture

SWAMI BHAJANANANDA (Continued from previous issue...)

This article was presented as a paper at the seminar on ‘Man and Freedom’, jointly sponsored by the Indian Academy of Philosophy and the Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture (RMIC) on 22 January 2000. It is being reproduced here from RMIC’s journal Bulletin where it was published in July 2006.

It is well known that ethics and morality are not one and the same. Morality refers to actual behaviour, whereas ethics is a systematic study of the criterion or standard for the judgement of moral conduct or character. Western theories of ethics may be broadly divided into two groups: deontological and teleological. By deontology is meant the study of moral obligation (from Greek deont = obligatory). Deontological theories hold that the basis of ethics is man’s sense of moral obligation. We all feel an inherent urge to act morally and, if we don’t act morally, we feel guilty about it. JudeoChristian ethics is mostly based on this inherent sense of moral obligation. Immanuel Kant tried to develop an ethical theory independent of religion but ended up by reaffirming man’s inherent sense of moral obligation which he called ‘categorical imperative’.

Teleological theories hold that our actions are guided by our desire to attain some goal. That goal is usually regarded as happiness; this view is known as hedonism. Most of the teleological theories are really hedonistic theories. The best known theory of this kind is utilitarianism propounded by Bentham, Mill, and others.

In India the deontological theory of ethics was held by the Mimamsakas (especially the Prabhakara school), and teleological theory of ethics was held by the Naiyayikas.

Both the types of theories take into consideration only the urges, desires, and actions of man which belong to the mind and body. They do not take into consideration the true ontic essence of man, his true Self, the Atman. Since the Atman is beyond body and mind, it is regarded as beyond the field of ethics. This has been stated clearly by Sri Shankaracharya in his commentary on the first aphorism of Brahma-Sutra, and in several other contexts.

It was Swami Vivekananda who showed that the freedom and purity of the Atman can form the basis of human thinking and actions. Swamiji laid the foundation for a truly ontological theory of ethics which is much superior to the deontological and hedonistic

Swami Bhajananandaji is a senior sannyasi and a Trustee of the Ramakrishna Math and the Ramakrishna Mission and lives in Belur Math.

theories mentioned above. It makes ethics a According to Swamiji, it is done through yoga. study of the way the freedom of the Self “We have to get the power to become moral;” manifests itself in a multitude of ways. This says Swamiji, “until we do that we cannot does not mean that Swami Vivekananda control our actions. Yoga alone enables us to overlooked the evil tendencies in man or the carry into practice the teachings of morality.”19 compulsive nature of human actions. Like The more a person is freed from the hold of Mencius, who said that man has only samskaras, the greater the freedom of Atman ‘potentialities of goodness’, Swamiji too stated that he feels within himself. Only a yogi who that man is only potentially divine. Man as man has realized the Atman enjoys moral freedom is not divine, but he has in him the potential to without the need for rules and regulations. become divine. This view resolves the

The soul’s divinity and conflict between ‘free will’ freedom remain in a Mere talking about morality and ‘determinism’ (also potential state because their is not enough; it is necessary known as ‘freedom’ and manifestation is restricted to control the samskaras. ‘necessity’) that has plagued by mental and physical Western thought all through automatisms. All normal its history. The basic thinking, feeling and willing are controlled by question here is whether human actions are all latent impression of past experiences called determined by instincts and desires or by God, samskaras. It is under the influence of samskaras and whether man has the freedom to choose that people do good actions or bad actions. Says between good and evil. In the religious context, Swami Vivekananda, “What are you but mere the more moderate Catholic view is that God machines until you are free? Should you be has given man the freedom to choose between proud because you are good? Certainly not. You good and evil but, left to themselves, most are good because you cannot help it. Another is people would choose evil rather than good bad because he cannot help it.”17 because of the presence of ‘Original Sin’ in their

Therefore, mere talking about morality is souls. Protestantism denies free will to man. not enough; it is necessary to control the According to Martin Luther, “Man is as unfree samskaras. Swamiji again says, “We hear ‘Be as a pillar of salt.” John Calvin’s doctrine of good,’ and ‘Be good,’ and ‘Be good,’ taught all predestination would make even sinful actions over the world. There is hardly a child, born in willed by God. In secular philosophy any country in the world, who has not been Schopenhauer, Spinoza, Hume and others told, ‘Do not steal’, ‘Do not tell a lie’, but nobody upheld determinism. According to tells the child how he can help doing them. Schopenhauer, “A man can surely do what he Talking will not help him. Only when we teach wills to do, but he cannot determine what he him to control his mind do we really help wills.” As Bertrand Russell put it, “We can do as him.”18 we please but we can’t please as we please.”20

The minds of most people are conditioned This conflict between determinism and by their samskaras. Good and bad actions are free will never figured prominently in Indian the result of this mental conditioning. True thought. In Hindu philosophy the will, known moral freedom is freedom from the hold of samskaras. How to attain this inner freedom? (Continued on page 37...)

A Tale of Two Contests

GITANJALI MURARI A fictional narrative based on incidents from the childhood of Swami Vivekananda. “Swarn didi,” Naren raced into the courtyard, “where are you?” Swarnmoyee came out of her room, “What’s the matter, Naren?” “There’s a needlework contest at the handicraft fair tomorrow…why don’t you participate?” Swarnmoyee’s face lit up, “I would love to!”

“There’s a boxing match too,” Naren grinned, “we both can try our luck.”

After breakfast the next day, brother and sister set out for the fair, the former swinging boxing gloves in one hand, the latter carrying needlework materials in a bag. Making their way past several stalls, they at last spotted the sign Needlework Contest For Young Ladies outside a large tent. “I’m a little nervous,” Swarnmoyee confessed after registering herself. Naren laughed, “You’ve got nothing to worry about, didi…I’ll see you as soon as my match finishes.”

At the boxing ring, the referee explained the rules to the young contestants. “There will be three rounds of three minutes each and at the end of the third round I will raise the arm of the victor.” Looking at the eager faces, he nodded at Naren, “You…and you,” he told a boy

of the same age, “get ready for the first round.” The two fighters wore their gloves and as soon as the referee blew the whistle, they began the bout. A crowd gathered to watch. Naren soon cornered his clumsy adversary on the ropes, overpowering him in under three minutes.

The second challenger was quick on his feet. Naren decided to change his tactics. Feinting a punch, he landed a quick body jab, taking the boy by surprise. For the last round, the referee called a big, muscular fighter. Without waiting for the whistle, he pounced on Naren, striking him a hard blow in the chest. The crowd booed. “You must wait for my signal,” the referee scolded the challenger, “or I’ll disqualify you.”

Keenly watching this ferocious competitor, Naren realised he would need to confuse him. Using different punches, he forced him to go on the defensive and then quickly threw an upper-cut. The boy staggered back and fell, and when at the count of ten he shook his head, the referee raised Naren’s arm. “Bravo,” the spectators applauded and to Naren’s delight, he was presented with a silver butterfly.

Holding onto his prize and gloves, Naren sped to the needlework stall. Inside the tent, ten girls worked under the sharp gaze of the lady judge. After half an hour, she rang the bell and the girls put down their needles. One by one, they presented their designs. When Swarnmoyee held up a red velvet cloth embroidered with a bright blue peacock on a tree, the audience oohed in awe.

“Time for results,” the judge proclaimed and the contestants straightened, their eyes sparkling with excitement. Announcing the names of the winners from the third place, she finally came to the winner of the first prize. “Swarnmoyee Datta,” the name rang out clearly under the tent. Naren jumped to his feet and as Swarnmoyee received the trophy, he clapped until his hands ached. “Your work is very fine,” the judge smiled at the beaming girl, “it’s like a print.”

“I knew you’d win, didi,” Naren said, running to his sister.

Laughing happily, she hugged him. “What is that?” she asked, noticing the butterfly.

“It’s my prize, didi! I won the boxing match!”

Swarnmoyee’s eyes opened wide, “This certainly calls for a celebration!”

“A double celebration!” And Naren led her to the ice-cream man, “We’ll have two scoops each didi, one for each win!”

It is not whole truth to say that fortune favours the enterprising man; behind there must be the strength that comes of the Divine Mother. But I also admit that it is the enterprising men unto whom Mother gives strength.

— Swami Vivekananda