The Vedanta Kesari September 2021

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Vedanta Kesari September 2021

The

The Vedanta Kesari

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Focus A Journey of One Hundred Years page 11

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`15

A Cultural and Spiritual Monthly of the Ramakrishna Order since 1914

S eptember 2021

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06 Sep - Swami Advaitananda Jayanti 10 Sep - Vinayaka Chaturthi

30 Sep - Swami Abhedananda Jayanti

Giri Ganesh Amaar Shubhakaari

A popular Aagamani song sung before Durga Puja. Sri Ramakrishna sang this song.

O Giri, Lord of the Himalayas, Ganesha is gracious unto me.

Through the worship of Ganesha I have obtained the golden-hued Durga.

A series of moons, as if have been strung together in a garland.

By performing invocatory rites below the Bilva tree, Gauri shall come by the grace of Ganesha I shall bring Chandi to my home; listen to the recitation of the Chandi.

Many asetics with staffs in their hands and matted hair shall come along with Her. My daughter has two beautiful daughters called Lakshmi and Sarasawathi on Her lap.

They appear like the autumnal moon, the chief of gods and Ganesha are Her sons.

My eyes shed profuse tears if they are unable to see them.

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The Vedanta Kesari

A Cultural and Spiritual Monthly of The Ramakrishna Order

CONTENTS

108

th

Year

of

Publication

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Vol. 108, No. 9 ISSN 0042-2983

SEPTEMBER 2021

A Journey of One Hundred Years Swami Atmashraddhananda

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Meditation According to Bhagavad Gita Gokulmuthu N Bhavanath Chattopadhyay Dr. Ruchira Mitra

d

Ca

lls

FEATURES 8 Sri Sudarshanashtakam 9 Yugavani 10 Editorial 16 Reminiscences of Sargachhi 25 Vivekananda Way 34 Pariprasna 36 Lessons from Swamis 43 Book Reviews 45 The Order on the March

North Kolkata: The Leela Kshetra Swami Chidekananda Gadadhar begins His Divine Play Gitanjali Murari Po

ck

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e

t

Go

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Wh

les

en

Ta

Poorva: Magic, Mircles and Mystical Twelve Lakshmi Devnath

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

Website: www.chennaimath.org

E-mail: vk@chennaimath.org Ph: 6374213070

September 2021

The

The Vedanta Kesari

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Vedanta

One hundred and eight years e of 895 u 1 s r s e and going strong…. ti mb Firs pte e S in, He was a much-celebrated and much-feted Swami. His vad a m h famous address at The World’s Parliament of Religions, Chicago in Bra 1893 had catapulted him to the status of a super star. But Swami Vivekananda was not one to bask in chaffy glory. A letter to one of his trusted followers, from the USA, dated 12 Jan 1895, read, ‘I want to preach my ideas for the good of the world. …What work have you done in the way of advancing the ideas and organising in India? …My life is more precious than spending it in getting the admiration of the world. I have no time for such foolery.’

Swamiji, as Swami Vivekananda was fondly addressed, loved and revered his motherland as his own mother. Every breath of his aspired for her well being and every cell in his body yearned that she regain her lost glory. She had been a beacon light for the world until repeated invasions pillaged her ruthlessly and left her not just poverty-stricken but also psychologically drained. The latter struck at the very core, underlying the urgency for immediate redressal. Swamiji’s panacea for this lay in India’s very own practical and ennobling Vedantic wisdom. Vedanta recognises no weakness. It proclaims that in every individual lies a mine of strength. All that is needed is an effort to draw from it.

Swamiji started looking for the right channel to propagate the powerful message of Vedanta. He opted for the print medium and decided to bring out a journal, giving it the name Brahmavadin. In February 1895, he sent from USA $100 and a letter to his trusted disciple Alasinga Perumal. The letter read: ‘Now I am bent upon starting the journal. Herewith I send a hundred dollars… Hope this will go just a little in starting your paper.’

If selflessness and devotion would have a form, it would have borne the name of Alasinga Perumal. Brahmavadin became Alasinga’s calling and the first issue rolled out from a press in Broadway, Chennai on 14 September First iss 1895. The magazine included a poem of Swamiji ue of The Ved anta Ke specially composed for the occasion. It was titled, sari, Ma y 1914 ‘The Song of the Sannyasin’. One verse ran thus:

Kesari

One hundred and eight years and going strong….

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

(Handwritten words in Swamiji’s own hand) With this message that marked its mission, Brahmavadin made a determined entry into the strife-ridden climate of pre-independence India. The birth of the magazine was certainly an occasion for celebration but the struggles were far from over.

One of Swamiji’s letters to Alasinga read: ‘I learnt from your letter the bad financial state that Brahmavadin is in.’ This was followed by another letter that carried the line, ‘I pledge myself to maintain the paper anyhow.’

Bolstered by this pledge, Alasinga Perumal braved on, surmounting many an impediment. Sadly, Swami Vivekananda passed away in 1902, at the age of thirty-nine.

Alasinga’s intense anguish morphed into heightened devotion towards the magazine. But the next hurdle in Brahmavadin’s journey came in 1909, in the form of Alasinga’s own demise. In May 1914, the magazine, tottering as it was, floundered and ground to a halt.

It was at this crucial juncture, that the Ramakrishna Mission stepped in to revive it. The Mission was itself in its nascent stages with many a teething problem but nothing could come in its way of reviving the Brahmavadin. For, had not their beloved Swamiji repeatedly said, ‘The Brahmavadin is a jewel – it must not perish!” And so, the very same month when Brahmavadin closed, it was resuscitated with the new name The Vedanta Kesari.

The history of The Vedanta Kesari is much more than just a tale of sweat, toil and a dream realised. It is a narrative of Swamiji’s passion for India and Alasinga’s devotion to his master. It is a celebration of love, transcending forms.

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

September 2021

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

Appeal

September 2021

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

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

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Prayer

।। श्रीसुदर्शनाष्टकम्।‌। ।। Sri Sudarshanashtakam ।। September 2021

SRI VEDANTA DESIKA

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Sudarshana Chakra is the discus weapon of Lord Vishnu and Sri Krishna held by the Lord in his right hand. In the tradition of Sri Ramanujacharya, Sudarshana is personified as the prime devotee and called Charathazhwar. Sri Vedanta Desikacharya (1268 – 1369) composed an ashtakam, a stotra of eight slokas, in praise of Sri Sudarshana. It is said that he composed this stotra to help the residents of Tirupputkuzhi when they suffered from the grip of an epidemic fever.

महितसंपत्सदक्षर विहितसंपत्षडक्षर षडरचचक्रप्रष्ठित सकलतत्त्वप्रतिष्ठित। विविधसंकल्पकल्पक विषुधसंकल्पकल्पक जय जय श्रीसुदर्शन जय जय श्रीसुदर्शन।।

O Sudarshana of many prime gunas! The wealth of the righteous is their true knowledge about your Lord. You bless them with the unperishable wealth of Moksham, when they seek refuge at your holy feet. Those who recite your Mantra made up of the six letters (Aksharas) gain incomparable wealth. Your devotees invoke you in your Yantra of six corners formed by two intersecting triangles and worship you at its epicentre. You pervade and reside in all the creations of your Lord. You have the power to complete all deeds that you decide to undertake. You are thus a Satya Sankalpa and serve as the divine Kalpaka tree granting all the boons that your devotees request. Oh Sri Sudarshana! Hail to Thee! Hail to Thee!

भुवननेतस्रयीमय सवनतेजस्रयीमय निखधिस्वादु चिन्मय निखिलशक्तेजगन्मय। अमितविश्र्चक्रियामय शमितविष्वग्भयामय जय जय श्रीसुदर्शन जय जय श्रीसुदर्शन।।

O Sudarshana, the eye of the Universe! You are of the form of the three Vedas. You are of the form of the three fires— Gaarhapatyam, Aahavaneeyam and Dakshinagni—of the Yagas.

You are of the delectable form of true knowledge! You have the power to accomplish every deed. You have taken the form of the Universe and its contents. You are worshipped through the sacrificial rituals of your devotees. In return, you destroy the fears and diseases of those, who worship you from all directions. Oh Lord Sudarshana of auspicious qualities! Hail to Thee! Hail to Thee!

(Concluded.)

Yugavani

Sri Ramakrishna: Just try to find out who this ‘I’ is. While you are searching for ‘I’, ‘He’ comes out. ‘I am the machine and He is the Operator.’

You have heard of a mechanical toy that goes into a store with a letter in its hand. You are like that toy. God alone is the Doer. Do your duties in the world as if you were the doer, but knowing all the time that God alone is the Doer and you are the instrument.

September 2021

Devotee: Sir, have we any free

Free Will

A man becomes liberated even in this life when he knows that God is the Doer of all things. Once Keshab came here with Sambhu Mallick. I said to him, ‘Not even a leaf moves except by the will of God.’ Where is man’s free will? All are under the will of God. Nangta was a man of great knowledge, yet even he was about to drown himself in the Ganges. He stayed here eleven months. At one time he suffered from stomach trouble. The excruciating pain made him lose control over himself, and he wanted to drown himself in the river. There was a long shoal near the bathing-ghat. However far he went into the river, he couldn’t find water above his knees. Then he understood everything and came back. Therefore, I say: ‘O Mother, I am the machine and Thou art the Operator; I am the chariot and Thou art the Driver. I move as Thou movest me; I do as Thou makest me do.’

It is God alone who has planted in man’s mind what the ‘Englishman’ calls free will. People who have not realized God would become engaged in more and more sinful actions if God had not planted in them the notion of free will. Sin would have increased if God had not made the sinner feel that he alone was responsible for his sin.

— The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna

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

will?

Editorial

September 2021

How to Surrender?

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I

n the Bhagavad Gita, the Lord gives us his final and supreme word: ‘Take refuge in me alone, I will deliver you from all sins.’ Over the centuries, countless saints have affirmed that this surrendering to God is the most efficacious spiritual sadhana.

Surrendering to the Lord is a dynamic process, and how we go about it depends upon our nature or spiritual maturity.

To surrender means to love God constantly, unconditionally, and wholeheartedly. Such love develops by the steadfast daily practice of repeating His name, singing His glories, serving His devotees and earnestly praying as Sri Ramakrishna taught us to do: “I have taken refuge at Thy feet. I have sought protection in Thee. O Mother, I pray only that I may have pure love for Thy Lotus Feet, love that seeks no return. And Mother, do not delude me with Thy world-bewitching maya. I seek Thy protection. I have taken refuge in Thee.”

To surrender means to connect all our actions with the Lord. Swami Brahmananda teaches us how to do this: a) before beginning the work pray to God for strength to do the job unselfishly; b) again in the course of the work pray to God for strength to do it perfectly; and finally c) after completing the work pray to God to accept the fruits of the work. Along with this spiritualisation of work, we should reject all activities that divert us away from God.

To surrender means to merge our will in the will of the Lord. How this works is seen in the life of Girishchandra Ghosh, the householder devotee who gave to Sri Ramakrishna his ‘power of attorney’ or the responsibility for his spiritual welfare. One day, hearing Girish say “I shall do this” in connection with a small matter, Sri Ramakrishna exclaimed, “How is this? Why do you say ‘I shall do this’? Suppose you fail to do it? You should say, ‘God willing, I shall do this.’” Later in life, Girish explained what merging his will with the will of the Lord meant: “one has to continually scrutinize if even his minutest thought and action are actuated by the power of the Lord or by his own wretched ego.”

But how to know the Lord’s will in our every initiative?

Our will manifests in three levels: a) the animal level where our will is controlled by our sub-conscious mind and its vasanas; b) the human level where our will is empowered by our conscious mind with its power of discernment; and c) the divine level where in our superconscious mind our will intuitively becomes one with the will of the Inner Lord. To awaken to this state of superconscious mind the mental impurities should be removed through steadfast sadhana.

Such ‘cleansing’ implies a total effacement of our limited identity. This is when we reach the highest state of surrender, a state in which we realise ‘He is I’. We can then say with Sri Ramakrishna, “Not I, not I, but Thou, O Mother!”

Focus

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

SWAMI ATMASHRADDHANANDA

A green, clean oasis As you walk through the bustling city of Kanpur, the second most populated city of India’s most populated state, Uttar Pradesh, in its busy Gumti-5 locality, known for its crowded market, an obstructive, busy railway levelcrossing right in the midst of the city, the popular Hanuman Mandir and a Gurudwara thronged by numerous devotees daily and a congested Grand Trunk Road, and if you happen to peep into a small lane in-between numerous shops and small hotels, at the end of the lane you will see something that would undeniably catch your eyes—a neatly painted iron door with a large monogram resting on a horizontal cement beam supported by two pairs of concrete pillars. As you step into the premises, what meets the eye is a temple-like structure flanked by well-manicured green lawns, a double storey building on the right side, a signboard saying ‘Library and Reading Room’ and ‘Vivekananda Sabhagar’ and another building on the left of side, with a signboard

‘Charitable Dispensary’. A sense of cleanliness and orderliness prevails in the place, besides a feeling of peace and holiness. The writing on the flat surface atop the pillared structure at the entrance of the campus says—Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama, Ramakrishna Nagar, Kanpur.

Established: 1931.

1931? That was some eight years before the Second World War (1939-1945) was to begin! Yes, that was also the time when this quiet place was to begin its journey.

The beginning of the journey

Actually the story started even earlier, in 1921 when a young man, initiated by Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi and later initiated into monastic vows, came to Kanpur from Bengal.

Known as Nepaleshwar Banerjee, the young man was born in 1895 in Kolkata and was actively involved in the freedom struggle. He was a member of the Anusheelan Samiti, the well-known revolutionary organisation during India’s freedom struggle. The members of the

The author, who was the previous editor of The Vedanta Kesari, is now serving as Secretary, Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. atmashraddha@gmail.com

11 The Vedanta Kesari

A Historical Overview of Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama in Kanpur

September 2021

A Journey of One Hundred Years

September 2021 The Vedanta Kesari

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Samiti believed in weapons-training and revolutionary methods to attain their goal of political freedom of India. Many members of the Anusheelan Samiti, however, would silently visit Belur Math to meet the direct disciples of Sri Ramakrishna to quench their spiritual hunger, and obtain succour and guidance from these saintly sannyasis. Some of these young men later joined the Ramakrishna Order as sannyasis and lived exemplary lives of spiritual practices and service to God in Man. Nepaleshwar too was one such revolutionarycum-seeker. He had met Swami Shivananda and Swami Premananda who, on learning that he was being pursued by the police, advised him to go away to Varanasi. He followed their suggestion and came to Varanasi where he disguised himself in ochre clothes and moved about the lanes of Varanasi, supporting himself by doing some simple jobs to avoid being caught by the police.

He had earlier got acquainted with the teachings of Sri Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda, and was much inspired by them.

It was this spiritual search which finally took him to Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi who had come to Varanasi in 1918. Holy Mother gave him mantra-diksha and on learning that the police were looking for him, she advised him to leave Varanasi and go into hiding. He was 24 years old then. He took Mother’s advice seriously and went away to the Garhwal region in the Himalayas. After spending some time in the Himalayas, he finally came to Kanpur, a growing city known for its daring spirit and industrial development.

He soon got acquainted with one Dr. Surendranath Sen, a successful doctor and wellknown for social service activities. Dr. Sen had founded the Banga Sahitya Parishad and also started and ran a lower-middle school. He welcomed young Nepaleshwar to join the school as a teacher. While in Kolkata,

Swami Nityananda (1894-1943), Founder, Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama, Kanpur

Nepaleshwar had obtained a Sahitya Bhushan degree in Bengali literature. He accepted the proposal and took up teaching in the school and soon became popular among the students through his attractive personality and inspiring character. He was affectionately called ‘Master Moshai’ by students and others.

Founding of Ramakrishna Seva Sadan

In 1920-21, Nepaleshwar drew many young men to higher values through his personality and interactions. He soon organised a group of local youth who met regularly and discussed spiritual and social ideas besides meditating, praying and reading sacred books.

They read and discussed the ideas of various thinkers like Swami Vivekananda, Sister Nivedita, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, and Booker T. Washington (the eminent Black American reformer and educationist). In due course there came into existence the Ramakrishna Seva Sadan, an organisation dedicated to the ideals of Sri Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda. This was the informal beginning of Ramakrishna Mission activities in Kanpur.

The Seva Sadan began to grow and the members would organise the birthday celebrations of Sri Ramakrishna besides

Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama, Kanpur

In 1931, the Ramakrishna Seva Sadan was affiliated to the Ramakrishna Order, and was renamed as the Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama,

Meanwhile, Nepaleshwar who had been living an austere celibate life decided to take the vows of sannyasa. Swami Shivananda, the then President of the Ramakrishna Order blessed him with the vows of sannyasa and gave him the name Swami Nityananda. Though not an official member of the Ramakrishna Order, he continued to serve the cause of Sri Ramakrishna-Vivekananda until his early passing away in 1943 at the Ramakrishna Mission Sevashrama in Kankhal, Haridwar. But for his initiative and hard work, the Kanpur centre would not have come up and grown.

In recalling these early days of the Kanpur Ashrama, one must mention the name of Alopi Maharaj or Swami Chidatmananda (born in 1910), who came to the Ashrama as a young boy, was an early member of the Students’ Home, completed his studies, joined as a Brahmachari of the Ramakrishna Order, was a member of the Ashrama and then became its Secretary. He was later an editor of the Prabuddha Bharata, the English organ published from the Advaita Ashrama, Mayavati, Himalayas and one of the Assistant Secretaries of the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna

September 2021

K a n p u r. D u r i n g t h i s p e r i o d , Swa m i Abhayananda, popularly known as Bharat Maharaj, a disciple of Holy Mother, visited the f l e d gl i n g A s h ra m a a n d l a te r Swa m i S h u d d h a n a n d a , a d i s c i p l e o f Swa m i Vivekananda, came and gave a few talks and interacted with people to motivate them to carry further the message of Sri RamakrishnaVivekananda. Slowly things began to take a better shape. An old application by the Kanpur Ashrama to the Kanpur Improvement Trust for land dramatically got approved and a piece of land measuring 1.5 acres in the Gumti-5 off the Grand Trunk road was given to the Ashrama on lease. A number of well-wishers of the Ashrama worked hard to get the land and later helped in collecting funds for constructing the buildings.

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PA G E D O N O R : S R I M AT S WA M I G A U TA M A N A N D A J I , S R I R A M A K R I S H N A M AT H , C H E N N A I

holding daily morning and evening prayers and bhajans. They also set up a hostel for students, a gymnasium (called Akhara in Hindi), a middle school and medical facilities to treat the poor people of the locality. Nepaleshwar took the initiative to start a homeopathic dispensary and later when some allopathic doctors agreed to offer their services, an allopathic section was added. By 1924, things expanded considerably and an Advisory Committee was set up with several eminent citizens of the city as its office bearers. All activities of the newly started organisation received enthusiastic response from the general public. The school-cum-hostel was named Sarada Vidyapeeth (or Vidyalaya) and the hostel (or Boys’ Home) was called Brahmananda Hostel. At one point of time, there were nearly one hundred boys in the Brahmananda Hostel! On Sunday mornings the hostel boys would go collecting mushthi bhiksha (a fistful of food obtained by begging) from various localities in the city and distribute what was collected to the poor and the needy.

The gymnasium (Akhara) run by the Seva Sadan too attracted many young body-builders and wrestlers who found the facilities provided there quite satisfying. The Seva Sadan also ran a village-school in Unnao, a town (now a district) some 15 km from Kanpur on the road to Lucknow.

The Ramakrishna Seva Sadan, however, did not have a place of its own. It conducted its activities in rented buildings and had to shift to various locations in Kanpur city like Karachikhana, Raza Manzil, Afeem Kothi, and Anwarganj. Paucity of funds was always a problem and hence they hired such premises where the rent was low and affordable. They had to pass through many hardships.

Mission until his passing away in 1975. During his more than three decades of association with the Kanpur Centre, Swami Chidatmananda contributed enormously for the growth of the institution in many ways.

The Kanpur Ashrama owes much to Swami Nityananda and Swami Chidatmananda, along with other monks, devotees and wellwishers, for its growth in its initial period and establishing it on firm footings.

September 2021

Swami Vijnanananda’s visit to Kanpur

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At the invitation of the sannyasis and devotees of the Kanpur centre, Swami Vijnanananda, a direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna, and then a Vice-president of the Ramakrishna Order, came to Kanpur on 25 October 1936. It was a historic moment for the cause of the Ramakrishna Mission in Kanpur.

He was to lay the foundation for the new Prayerhall-cum-temple at the newly acquired land. Interestingly, 1936 was Sri Ramakrishna’s birth centenary!

He came from Allahabad or Prayagraj to Kanpur by the Kalka Express. The train arrived

at the Kanpur Central at platform number 9 while the members of the Reception Committee were waiting for the train on the front porch of the Station. Vijnanananda’s tall stature and rather unkempt but spiritual looks drew the attention of the people in the station. The Reception Committee had hired a photographer to take a group picture with the honoured sannyasi (that was unlike now when anyone can click a picture with his mobile phone!). In the picture, Swami Vijnanananda is standing in the middle with members of the Reception Committee and eminent citizens standing on either side. A copy of this historic picture, one of its kind, now adorns the office of the Chief of Kanpur railway station. Besides the sacred nature of the moment, it has a truly archival value for the railways!

Swami Vijnanananda was a direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna and later the fourth President of the Ramakrishna Order. When he came to Kanpur, he was accommodated in the Ashrama’s rented premises in Aga Kothi area where he stayed for six days. He came to the present site of Kanpur Ashrama on 28 October 1936 and laid the foundation for the new building which was to house a Shrine-cumprayerhall, rooms for monastics and a dormitory for students.

The land was not even and had a mound in the middle and needed to be filled and made level.

Swami Vijnanananda (in the middle) at the Kanpur Central Railway Station — 25 October 1936

During his stay in K a n p u r, Swami Vijnanananda gave mantra-diksha to eight people. While it is not recorded whether he

A picture of Swami Vijnanananda with the inmates of the Ashrama was taken. He is seen seated on the chair and on his left is Alopi Maharaj as a student, and Nepaleshwar Maharaj at his feet. Among the others present

Picture taken in Kanpur in 1936 with Swami Vijnanananda (with cap) sitting on chair — on his right young Alopi Maharaj (looking upwards), and Swami Nityananda (then Nepaleshwar) at his feet, with his hands resting on a boy

in the picture, only one Basant Bannerjee has been identified.

After staying for six days at Kanpur, he returned to Allahabad by train. It is said that while a car from a well-to-do devotee had been arranged to drop him to the Kanpur Central Station, Vijnanananda, who had his own ways of doing things, left for the Station on a rented horse carriage! A Paramahamsa, it is said, cannot be caught in social norms and etiquettes; he transcends all relativity.

(To be Continued ...)

September 2021

During his stay of six days in Kanpur, Swami Vijnanananda would mostly be in his room but would meet devotees, visitors and students before the evening Arati. He would mainly discuss Sri Ramachandra and Sri Hanuman. He would smile and tell the boys who gathered to hear him, “Do you see me? I am Ramji’s monkey.” While discussing the life and character of Hanuman, he would mimic the facial expressions of monkeys! He did not give any lecture nor was interested in any philosophical discussions. For instance, when a devotee who had read Swami Vivekananda’s books asked him about the Kundalini Shakti, he ignored the question and asked everyone to have devotion to Sri Ramakrishna.

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gave diksha at the new premises or in the rented premises in Aga Kothi area, it is recorded that he gave the initiated devotees a rudraksha mala each after doing Japa on it. He not only uttered the mantra as is done while initiating a seeker, but also wrote the mantra on a piece of paper and gave it to each one of them!

An unusual act indeed.

Reminiscences

Reminiscences of Sargachhi SRIMAT SWAMI SUHITANANDA JI

(Continued from previous issue. . .)

64

September 2021

6.3.61

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Question: The ego projects mind and intellect, they in turn create the vital force, and the vital force builds the body. But in that initial stage how can mind and intellect have any propelling samskaras, as they don’t have any previous experience?

Maharaj: It is precisely for this reason it is said that Prakriti is beginningless. There was no starting point at any time. The trees and plants, the tigers and bears that you see in dream, do they truly exist? Similarly, this world has never existed. This Prakriti is perceived only when we look through Maya represented by time, space and causation. But none can understand what is Maya, what is its origin, or what is its cause. Maya is just a statement of fact. That is why it is said that ‘the world has never been; it appears to be so.’ When the medium disappears, the world too vanishes. It is as if the saguna lies beside the nirguna and creates various beings within itself.

The secret of work lies in giving the responsibility of work to someone else, who in his turn cannot work unless he has a sense of ‘me’ and ‘mine’! Don’t you see the plan of God? Every being toils his utmost under the impression that ‘this is my room’, ‘this is my house’ and t’his is my wife’; and He simply

silently watches how His work is going on smoothly.

Shankara describes our perception of the world as Jaata iva “as if it was born.” This makes the Vaishnavas very angry. They retort ‘That sparklingly energetic person (i.e., Chaitantadeva) danced and wept in ecstacy, and this man (Shankara) says, ‘as if he was born’?

At first even I couldn’t accept that axiom of Shankara. Only later on did I comprehend his view. The observation is valid because an Avatar perceives that he himself doesn’t do anything; only the machine goes on functioning.

During the terminal illness of Sri Ramakrishna, many didn’t give any importance to his disease.

Almost all belonged to that group. It’s only because Swamiji was there that his treatment was arranged. The incident of Hari Maharaj denying his illness is a different matter. He declared it in the spirit of नैव किंचित्करोमीति (Gita.

5:8), “I do not do anything.”

As long as I feel that I am a jiva, I experience happiness and misery as a consequence of my past actions. When I accept Vishishtadvaita or qualified monism, I see the will of the Lord in everything. But when I ascend beyond this stage, I find that there is no action or inaction, no inclination or disinclination.

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.

However, thinking of Gadai [Sri Ramakrishna’s childhood name] is a different thing; it is much more sublime. Is it possible to express what Gadai is! It is enough if we can fathom his real nature and remain intoxicated with him. When I first heard that Baburam Maharaj had told Sri Ramakrishna, “You take your food through this mouth itself”, I couldn’t

Our boys do not obey their teachers. Find out the reason. Remove the obstacles in their path and inspire them to make progress.

However, the country is now going through an attitudinal change — everything will fall in place slowly. By Sri Ramakrishna’s will, here arrangements for Jnana, Karma, Bhakti and Yoga are already in place — there is a school, there is a library, there is a shrine. Serve anywhere! But people are not ready to use it.

However, in future people will come; the field is prepared for them.

For a sannyasi, his practical life is the real test — to remain unagitated by anything. If he is well-established in his own path, he can remain undisturbed by abuse or praise and smile them away. Verily, this is the predominant note of the Gita.

There has always been discord over Advaita (non-dualism), Vishishtadvaita (qualified non-dualism), and Dvaita (dualism).

Shankara said Advaita is true, Ramanuja promoted Vishishtadvaita, and Madhva was the votary of Dvaita. And Sri Ramakrishna said — all these are true.



(to be continued...)

References 1) In the final stages of his throat cancer Sri Ramakrishna couldn’t eat food. He told the disciples that he was eating through them. Baburam (later Swami Premananda) asked him to personally eat so that the body could be sustained.

2) A devotee of Sri Ramakrishna, widowed in childhood, who realised Bhagawan Sri Krishna as Bala Gopala or child Krishna.

September 2021

Once the boy is invested with the sacred thread, he has to practice regular worship.

Repeatedly contemplating on the red sun rising in the blue sky within his heart, his mind is stamped with good impressions and it consequently calms him down. At present our boys are not prepared for spiritual life.

grasp its significance.1 Now I understand what he meant. The River Ganga extends from Haridwar to the Bay of Bengal; but if we touch it at one place, it amounts to touching her.

Everybody knows about St. Francis of Assisi.

Like him Gopaler-ma (Gopal’s mother) too drew the Supreme Lord to herself and adored Him as a baby.2

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But to see God’s will in everything is in itself a kind of spiritual discipline. A worldly man gets consolation at the death of his child by accepting it as God’s will. However, people with sharp intellect have to be intimated: ‘It is the consequence of your own action’ and ‘You only can remake it.’ Even the Muslims say – “O servant, whatever you do is for your own sake!”

A man cannot become moral unless he is familiar with the concepts of rebirth (punarjanma) and the fruits of one’s own action (karmaphala). In the peasant Hindu community, many lead a moral life. They do not tell lies, they conduct themselves nobly, and chant the name of the Lord in their spare time.

As regards women, the question of immorality does not even arise; they cannot think of throwing a lustful gaze at any man.

Article

North Kolkata: The Leela Kshetra SWAMI CHIDEKANANDA

September 2021

From 1881 to 1886 — the last five years of Sri Ramakrishna’s sojourn on earth — twelve of the sixteen direct-disciples of Sri Ramakrishna lived in North Kolkata. They were either born there or had moved there for education or work. In hindsight we can see the Divine Mother’s plan in placing these young men in this region of Kolkata, in close proximity to each other and making it possible for them to frequently meet Sri Ramakrishna and come under his lifetransforming influence. The residences of some of these monastic and householder disciples that are in the Baghbazar locality are presented in this issue.

The Vedanta Kesari

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A

t Dakshineswar, Sri Ramakrishna once told his householder disciple Master Mahashay, “You are my own. The same substance, like father and son.

All of you are coming here again. When you pull one part of the kalmi creeper, all the branches come toward you. You are all relatives — like brothers. Suppose Rakhal, Harish, and the others had gone to Puri, and you were there too. Would you live separately?”’1

By frequently visiting Balaram Bose’s house in Baghbazar and having all his young disciples and householder disciples gather there, Sri Ramakrishna created a permanent bond of love amongst them. These disciples lived in the Baghbazar, Shyambazar/ Ariatola, and Simla/Jhamapukur localities. Swami Vimalatmanandaji, now one of the Trustees of the Ramakrishna Order, in his article Bhaktamilan Tirtha Baghbazar published a map in the Bengali magazine Udbodhan marking out the residences of these disciples.

That map rescaled and presented here with greater accuracy helps us to identify these residences.

When Sri Ramakrishna would visit Baghbazar, Balaram Bose’s house would serve as the central meeting place for the devotees.

Hall in Balaram’s House

The author is a sannyasi of the Ramakrishna Order and is serving at Advaita Ashrama, Kolkata. swamichidekananda@gmail.com

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

(Continued from the previous issue...)

For this reason, Sri Ramakrishna regarded Balaram’s house as his “parlour” or baiṭhakkhāna in Bengali. Today it is a branch centre of the Ramakrishna Order and is known as Balaram Mandir. We will begin with Balaram Bose’s house—and using it as a base—travel to the homes of Sri Ramakrishna’s other disciples in the Baghbazar area.

1. Balaram Basu: Balaram Mandir, 7, Girish Ave, Sovabazar, Baghbazar 2. Chunilal Basu: 58B, Ramkanta Bose Street 3. Swami Nirmalananda 4. Vaikuntha Sanyal: 20, Bose Para Lane 5. Girish Ghosh: Girish Smriti Mandir, 11/A, Girish Ave, Bidhan Sarani, Baghbazar 6. Swami Turiyananda: 10/1, Bose Para Lane 7. Dinanath & Kalinath Basu: 47/A, Bose Para Lane 8. Swami Akhandananda: 38/4, Bose Para Lane 9. Nanda Basu & Pasupati Basu: 9, Pasupati Basu Lane 10. Yogin-Ma: 59B, Bagbazar Street 11. Golap-Ma: 6/A, Nabin Sarkar Lane

Chunilal Bose’s house

Balaram Bose’s House

Proceeding westward from Balaram’s house, we reach 58 B, Ramkanta Bose Street which was Chunilal Bose’s residence. The building shown in the photograph here was recently demolished and replaced by a new

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Map of Baghbazar, Kolkata-3.

Some of the important incidents associated with this house include: 1) Sri Ramakrishna visited this house over one hundred times between 1881 to 1886. During his visits, he would spend hours together engaged in kirtan and spiritual discussions; 2) After the mahasamadhi of Sri Ramakrishna in 1886, Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi stayed in this house for long periods of time. The room where she lived is now preserved as a shrine; (3) When Balaram Bose left his body here in 1890, his wife saw the Divine Mother’s chariot land on the roof of the house and take Balaram’s subtle body to Devi Loka; 4) In this hall in 1897, Swami Vivekananda held a meeting, attended by his brother monastic disciples and lay disciples, which founded the R a m a k r i s h n a M i s s i o n ; 5 ) S wa m i ( s ) Brahmananda, Premananda, Adbhutananda (who spent nine years here from 1903 to 1912), Niranjananada, Yogananda and other monastic disicples stayed in this home for long periods of time after Sri Ramakrishna’s passing away; (6) Swami Premananda in 1918 and Swami Brahmananda in 1922 attained mahasamadhi in this house in the Hall.

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Balaram Bose’s house

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Chunilal Basu

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Chunilal Basu’s house

structure. In contrast to Balaram Bose, a zamindar who lived in a palatial house, Chunilal Basu was a poor man who lived in a small house. But they were united by a strong hunger for God-realisation and love for Sri Ramakrishna. Understanding this, Sri Ramakrishna once told Balaram, “Chunilal lives very close to your house. Whenever you come, please bring him along with you.”2 In this way, travelling to and from Dakshineswar, Balaram and Chunilal became good friends. Whenever Chunilal was sick or in need, Balaram always stepped forward to help him.

Swami Nirmalanandaji & Vaikuntha Nath Sanyal’s house

Walking northward from Balaram’s residence and then turning eastward onto what is today known as Nivedita Lane, we reach the place where Tulsi Charan Dutta’s residence used to be. As a teenager Tulsi had met Sri Ramakrishna for the first time at Balaram Bose’s house. He later joined the Ramakrishna Order and was known as Swami Nirmalanandaji. He did a tremendous amount of work in the South and started many new centers there.

Next to this plot is No. 20 Bose Para Lane, the residence of Vaikuntha Nath Sanyal. A new building stands in the place of the old house.

Sanyal was one of the few householder disciples who were specially blessed by Sri

Vaikuntha Nath Sanyal

Ramakrishna on 1 January 1886, a day now celebrated as Kalpataru Day. With a momentary touch of his guru, Sanyal’s mind rose to a high state of consciousness where he was able to see Sri Ramakrishna in every person and thing.

Overwhelmed by this vision which continued for some days and unable to focus on his work, Sanyal prayed to Sri Ramakrishna that this constant vision come to an end.3 Much later, Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi visited Sanyal’s house and cooked and served food to Sri Ramakrishna while performing his worship.4 Today, Sanyal’s descendants live in this house and continue the daily worship of Sri Ramakrishna.

Girishchandra Ghosh’s house

A few metres from Balaram’s residence towards the North is playwright Girishchandra Ghosh’s house. Girish, now known as the father of Bengal theatre, was one of the staunch disciples of Sri Ramakrishna. Girish lived in a big house. But what is left now is only the front entrance of the building. In 1956 the Kolkata Municipal Corporation demolished the rest of the house to lay a main road (now known as Girish Avenue).

Sri Ramakrishna visited Girish’s residence a few times and some interesting incidents occurred then. On one such visit Girish, who was under the influence of liquor, asked Sri Ramakrishna to be re-born as his son so that he

On another occasion, Girish, when returning from Balaram’s home where Sri Ramakrishna was staying, thought to himself, “Indeed, God comes to the homes of those who have devotion like Balaram. I am a wretched drunkard. There is no one here who can receive the Master properly and feed him.” He then lay down for a nap. At 1:30 P.M. he heard a knock and opening the door found Sri Ramakrishna who said, “Girish, I am hungry, could you give me some food?” Sri Ramakrishna had finished his meal at Balaram’s home only a little while earlier! Surprised and having no food in his house, Girish hurried to a restaurant nearby and returned with fried bread and potato curry.

It was coarse food and hard to digest and not at all the kind of food usually served to Sri Ramakrishna; yet he ate it with great joy.6 Interesting to see how God listens and responds

to the devotee’s inner call, no matter how trivial!

Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi also visited Girish’s home for Durga Puja in 1895 and in October 1907.7 Though not feeling well Holy Mother attended the first two days of Durga Puja at Girish’s house and sat for a long time while devotees made pranams to her. Since the Sandhi Puja was at midnight, it was decided that Holy Mother would not attend and instead take rest at Balaram’s home. Very disheartened at this development, Girish too decided to stay in his room and not attend the Sandhi Puja.

However, when the time for Sandhi puja came, Holy Mother suddenly decided and came to Girish’s house. Overwhelmed with joy, Girish again joined in the puja with full enthusiasm.8 Swami Turiyanandaji’s house

From Girish Ghosh’s house approximately 50 yards ahead to the north on the right side is 10/1 Bose Para Lane, the birthplace of Harinath Chattopadhya, later known as Swami Turiyananda. But the original house has been replaced by a new building (pictured below).

Interestingly, Holy Mother lived in a rented house at 10/2 Bose Para Lane; this house too has made way for a new building.9 Dinanath Basu and Kalinath Basu’s house

Moving eastward, we arrive at 47/A Bose Para Lane, the residence of the brothers

September 2021

could serve him properly. When Sri Ramakrishna dismissed the suggestion, Girish became angry and verbally abused Sri Ramakrishna. The next day, he deeply repented for his behavior, refused to eat and wept piteously. However, he then saw Sri Ramakrishna coming to his home and was relieved. Overwhelmed by his guru’s compassion Girish said, “If you had not come today, I would have concluded that you had not attained that supreme state of knowledge where praise and blame are equal, and that you could not be called a Paramahamsa.”5

Part of Girish’s House now remaining

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Girishchandra Ghosh’s House as in his time

Dinanath Basu and Kalinath Basu. Dinanath was an attorney at the Supreme Court, and Kalinath was an influential police officer.

This house is important because Girishchandra Ghosh, Swami Turiyananda, and Swami Akhandananda all had their first darshan of Sri Ramakrishna in front of this house in 1877.10 Dinanath and Kalinath were companions of Keshab Sen and members of the Brahmo Samaj. Turiyanandaji, who was around 13 or 14 years old when he saw Sri Ramakrishna on this occasion, describes the scene thus: “Everyone in the locality was shouting ‘Paramahamsa has arrived.’ When Sri Thakur alighted from the carriage, it was as if a light was emanating from his face which was attracting everybody. He looked as if he were intoxicated and unaware of the outer world.”11

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Swami Akhandanandaji’s house

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Walking east and then turning southward onto Sachin Mitra Lane we arrive at 38/4 Bose Para Lane, the Kolkata residence of Gangadhar, later known as Swami Akhandananda. In place of the original house, a new residence is now under construction. We can imagine a young Gangadhar walking from his home to meet Sri Ramakrishna at Balaram Bose’s house.

New building replacing Dinanath Basu’s house

The residences of Nanda and Pasupati Basu, Yogin Ma, and Golap Ma

From here, as we walk northbound on Sachin Mitra Lane and cross the Baghbazar Street, on the left side, we can visit the homes of Nanda and Pasupati Basu at 9 Pasupati Basu Avenue, Yogin-ma’s house at 59 Baghbazar street, and finally Golap Ma’s House at 6/A Nabin Sarkar Lane. Sri Ramakrishna’s visit to these residences are described in The Vedanta Kesari June, July, August issues of 2020.

In the next issue, we will explore Sri Ramakrishna’s devotees living in Shyambazar and Shyampukur.

(To be continued...)

New building replacing Akhandanandaji’s house

References 1) Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, p. 359 2) They Lived with God, p. 153, Swami Chetanananda. 3) Sri Ramakrishna and His Divine Play, p. 929-30, Swami Chetanananda. 4) Matri Tirtha Parikrama, 1st Part, p. 21-22, Nirmal Kumar Ray. 5) They Lived with God, p. 298. 6) Ibid., p. 298. 7) Sri Sri Mayer Katha 1st Part, p. 265 8) Matritirtha Parikrama 1st Part, p. 32. 9) Bhakta Milan Tirtha Bagbazar, p. 213, Swami Vimalatmananda, Udbodhan. 10) Bhakta Milan Tirtha Bagbazar, p. 213 11) Bhakta Milan Tirtha Bagbazar, p. 213

Pocket Tales

Gadadhar begins His Divine Play GITANJALI MURARI

September 2021

K

shudiram Chattopadhyaya came awake suddenly. Silvery moonlight flooded the small room. A surge of happiness swept over him as he recalled the extraordinary dream. Yes, his pilgrimage had been successful and it was time to make the long journey back home.

Arriving at Kamarpukur on a hot summer day, Kshudiram was hailed by many friends but he hurried on, eager to meet his family. His wife greeted him joyfully, “There’s so much to tell you,” she burst out. Kshudiram was struck by her unusual appearance.

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A fictional narrative based on incidents from the childhood of Sri Ramakrishna.

Chandramani’s childlike simplicity attracted everyone in the village but now she glowed like a goddess. “I’ve seen so many visions,” she continued, “my friend Dhani tells me I’m having fits but I know it isn’t so…also,” and her voice dropped, “I’m quite certain I’m with child.”

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

September 2021 The Vedanta Kesari

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Kshudiram immediately became grave, “Tell me everything.”

“I was standing outside the Shiva temple when a wave of light came rushing towards me and engulfed me…it seemed to radiate from Shiva’s holy image…I fell down unconscious…since then, I feel the light in my womb.” Chandramani looked at her husband, unsure if he believed her.

“Your vision is true,” he reassured her, “one night in Gaya, Lord Gadadhar appeared to me in a dream…he was surrounded by our ancestors and they all looked very happy… the Lord looked at me and said, ‘Your exceptional devotion has pleased me…I wish to be born in your house…’ you can well imagine my state…I was both thrilled and apprehensive…I said, ‘I’m a poor brahmin, Lord…besides, I’m almost sixty years old and my wife too is not young anymore…I’m worried we will not be able to take care of you as we should…’ but the Lord assured me he would be satisfied with our service…Chandra, we are to be parents to the king of the universe!”

Chandramani’s loveliness grew day by day. The maternal love she felt for her unborn child spilled over to envelop not only the village but also the gods. No more in awe of Raghuvir, the family deity, she served Him as affectionately as she would her children, her relationship with the god becoming real and intimate. 1835 came to an end and the new year heralded an uncommonly pretty spring. Awash in jewel-tone colours, Kamarpukur appeared like a piece of heaven. The time for Chandramani’s delivery drew near and Dhani got the husking room ready.

On the 18th of February, ten minutes before dawn, Chandramani delivered a healthy boy. Carefully placing the baby nearby, Dhani attended to the exhausted mother. A little later, she turned to the baby but found him gone. “I had put him right here,” she muttered in panic and quickly lit a lamp. Searching here and there, she at last caught a movement in the empty fireplace. Dhani gasped, “What are you doing there, little one?” The baby had rolled off from his resting place and lay peacefully in the hollow, smeared from head to toe with cold ashes. “Look at you,” she chuckled, cleaning him gently, “you’re as big as a sixmonth-old infant, and bonny like an angel too!”

The sky flushed a rosy pink and the air resonated with the pure sound of conches, announcing the birth of Kshudiram’s son. “Dear Gadadhar,” the father cradled the newborn, “the stars predict you will do many great things but for me, you will always be my little Gadai.” The baby gurgled and Kshudiram laughed. Kamarpukur, in a twinkling, had transformed into another Vrindavan.

My father spent most of the day in worship, japa, and meditation. When not engaged in worship, he would spend his time making flower garlands with needle and thread to decorate Raghuvir. My mother was an embodiment of simplicity.

— Sri Ramakrishna

PULLOUT FOR REFERENCE

In this issue, we cover the last part of the lecture Vedanta in its Application to Indian Life. Previously, we have covered this lecture in Issues 39, 41 and 42.

ISSUE 43

focus in this issue:

Vedanta in its Application to Indian Life - 4 1. Examines the deeper causes of degradation of our nation and identifies three causes − (i) our physical weakness, (ii) our lack of faith in ourselves, and (iii) our "exclusivism".

2. Shows us that the answer to these challenges is the message of the Upanishads − i.e., developing strength (physical and mental); and recognizing the divinity in oneself, and acknowledging the divinity in others.

If foreigners need the message of the Upanishads, India needs it twenty times more

PART 1: WHAT WE NEED Physical Strength

First of all, our young men must be strong. Religion will come afterwards.

–– According to Swami Vivekananda, "in spite of the greatness of the Upanishads, in spite of our boasted ancestry of sages" we are weak, very weak as compared to other races.

That is the state in which we are — hopelessly disorganised mobs, immensely selfish, fighting each other for centuries as to whether a certain mark is to be put on our forehead this way or that way, writing volumes and volumes upon such momentous questions as to whether the look of a man spoils my food or not! This we have been doing for the past few centuries.

–– He diagnoses the cause as physical weakness. The consequences of this physical weakness have been many, the most important being our inability to work hard, work together, work unselfishly, and learning to go beyond petty differences to work towards a common goal. continued. >>

... We speak of many things parrot-like, but never do them; speaking and not doing has become a habit with us. What is the cause of that? Physical weakness. This sort of weak brain is not able Designed & developed by to do anything; we ILLUMINE must strengthen it.

Knowledge Resources

®

www.illumine.in

September 2021

In this part of the lecture Swami Vivekananda,

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In Part 4 of the lecture: What we want in India

<< continued.

–– Swami Vivekananda's solution to this challenge is the development of physical strength − especially in our young people. He says that we must be strong first and religion can come afterwards.

Be strong, my young friends; that is my advice to you. You will be nearer to Heaven through football than through the study of the Gita. These are bold words; but I have to say them, for I love you. ...You will understand the Gita better with your biceps, your muscles, a little stronger. You will understand the mighty genius and the mighty strength of Krishna better with a little of strong blood in you. You will understand the Upanishads better and the glory of the Atman when your body stands firm upon your feet, and you feel yourselves as men. Thus we have to apply these to our needs.

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Faith (Assert the divinity within)

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I do not mean to preach Advaitism, or Dvaitism, or any ism in the world.

The only ism that we require now is this wonderful idea of the soul — its eternal might, its eternal strength, its eternal purity, and its eternal perfection.

–– Swami Vivekananda helps us understand our own lack of faith in ourselves by comparing us with Englishmen. He points our that Englishmen (Westerners) believe that they are here to rule the world, and it is this belief that they are great and can do anything they wish to do that makes them great. This is despite the fact that they have a religion which teaches them that they are sinners. In fact, when they do catch India's ideals they are even able to come to India and teach Indians their own religion, despite the ridicule of their own fellow countrymen.

In comparison, we Indians talk about reforms and ideals, but do not put anything into practice. The reason for this is weakness (physical and mental), and our lack of faith in ourselves.

–– According to Swami Vivekananda, the solution to uphold the Upanishads and affirm the divinity within ourselves. By continuously affirming our divinity, we will not only become strong, but we will be able to manifest our full potential as individuals.

Believe in the divinity within Let me tell you, strength, strength is what we want. And the first step in getting strength is to uphold the Upanishads, and believe — "I am the Soul", "Me the sword cannot cut; nor weapons pierce; me the fire cannot burn; me the air cannot dry; I am the Omnipotent, I am the Omniscient." So repeat these blessed, saving words.

Believe in yourself Do not say we are weak; we can do anything and everything. What can we not do? Everything can be done by us; we all have the same glorious soul, let us believe in it.

.... And manifest your greatness Have faith, as Nachiketâ. At the time of his father's sacrifice, faith came unto Nachiketâ; ay, I wish that faith would come to each of you; and every one of you would stand up a giant, a world-mover with a gigantic intellect — an infinite God in every respect.

That is what I want you to become. This is the strength that you get from the Upanishads, this is the faith that you get from there.

Equal chances for all

Each person, having been taught about the spirit within, will become better in whatever s/he does, and at the same time will recognize that no human being has special privileges over others.

...conceptions of the Vedanta must come out, must remain not only in the forest, not only in the cave, but they must come out to work at the bar and the bench, in the pulpit, and in the cottage of the poor man, with the fishermen that are catching fish, and with the students that are studying.

They call to every man, woman, and child whatever be their occupation, wherever they may be. ...Even the least thing well done brings marvellous results; therefore let every one do what little he can. If the fisherman thinks that he is the Spirit, he will be a better fisherman; if the student thinks he is the Spirit, he will be a better student. If the lawyer thinks that he is the Spirit, he will be a better lawyer, and so on ...I can perform one duty in social life, and you another; you can govern a country, and I can mend a pair of old shoes, but that is no reason why you are greater than I, for can you mend my shoes? Can I govern the country? I am clever in mending shoes, you are clever in reading Vedas, but that is no reason why you should trample on my head.

rich man farmer cobbler student

poor man

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–– According to Swami Vivekananda, the dominant idea for many centuries was that the Upanishads was only relevant for the forest life of the recluse. [Although Shankara was a little kind and said that even grihasthas (householders) may study the Upanishads as it would do them good].

–– However, Swami Vivekananda reminds us that the most authoritative commentary on the Vedas has been made by Krishna in the Bhagvad Gita − and according to Krishna, it is clear that the Upanishads are meant not just for sanyasins but for everyone in every occupation of life.

–– Swami Vivekananda says that the conceptions of Vedanta must not be restricted to a forest or a cave, but must spread to every walk of life.

–– The Upanishads call to every man, woman, and child, whatever their occupation may be.

People from every occupation can live ideals of the Upanishads, even if it is to a small extent.

–– According to Swami Vivekananda, it is the nature of society to form itself into groups, but that should not mean that there should be privileges.

–– Swami Vivekananda is clear on the subject when he says that one person may be good at mending shoes, another may be clever at reading Vedas, or governing the country − but that does not give any one of these groups a reason to trample on another group.

–– Therefore, if you teach Vedanta, then each group is enabled to assert its essential divinity and demand the removal of privileges and further demand equal chances for all.

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PA G E D O N O R : S R I S A N T O S H C , B E N G A LU R U

I have the same God in me as you have in you. And that is what we want, no privilege for any one, equal chances for all

PART 2: HOW TO SPREAD VEDANTA TO ALL ... let every one be taught that the divine is within, and every one will work out his own salvation

In his closing notes of this lecture, Swami Vivekananda lays out the implications of the divinity of every human being, on the way we serve:

September 2021

Implication 1: –– Swami Vivekananda says that liberty is the first condition for growth. Therefore, it is fundamentally wrong for any individual to think that s/he will work out the salvation of others.

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Liberty is the first condition of growth. It is wrong, a thousand times wrong, if any of you dares to say, "I will work out the salvation of this woman or child."

–– Every soul is the soul of God and therefore it would be wrong for us to assume that we know what is good for another soul.

Implication 2: –– When you look upon each person as divine, you cannot help anyone you can only serve. By serving other human beings you are actually serving the Lord himself. The right attitude is to recognize that it is a privilege to be in a position of serving others. In fact, service should be done only as a worship of God in man. It is the greatest privilege of our life to be allowed to serve the Lord coming in the shape of the diseased, or the leper, the lunatic or the sinner.

Look upon every man, woman, and every one as God. You cannot help anyone, you can only –– We have to give up the idea of ruling over others and instead act serve: serve the as we would in the case of a plant, i.e. supplying the growing children of the seed with materials for making up of its body, such as water, Lord, serve the earth, and air. The plant will take all that it wants by its own Lord Himself nature and will assimilate and grow by its own nature.

THE TASK AHEAD Bring all light into the world. Light, bring light! Let light come unto every one; the task will not be finished till every one has reached the Lord. Bring light to the poor and bring more light to the rich, for they require it more than the poor. Bring light to the ignorant, and more light to the educated, for the vanities of the education of our time are tremendous! Thus bring light to all and leave the rest unto the Lord, for in the words of the same Lord "To work you have the right and not to the fruits thereof." "Let not your work produce results for you, and at the same time may you never be without work."

A Benediction May He who taught such grand ideas to our forefathers ages ago help us to get strength to carry into practice His commands!

If you have any questions on this lecture, do post your queries on

www.vivekanandaway.org

You can also access previous issues of Vivekananda Way here.

Ma

gic ,M ira cle s

and the

e Mystical Twelv

The Divine Bride (Continued from the previous issue. . .)

The loud crowing of a rooster awoke Poorva. She rolled out of bed and raced into the garden to look for the Swami. She had something new to tell him.

“There you are,” she remarked when she saw him, and added, “I can’t wait to tell you about the fantastic dream I had last night. The Lord appeared in Periaazhvaar’s dream and told him that henceforth He would prefer to wear those garlands that were worn by Kodhai.” Poorva wistfully added, “If this dream comes true, it’ll put an end to Periaazhvaar’s distress.”

The Swami laughed spiritedly, “Poorva, the dream within your dream was a real dream, in the sense that Periaazhvaar did have a dream last night, in which God conveyed to him exactly what you now told me. However, you may ask me, “How did you know about Periaazhvaar’s dream?”

Poorva looked at him dumbly. Registering only his last sentence – the rest of them were swimming in her head – she blankly repeated, “How did you know about Periaazhvaar’s dream?”

“Just happened to,” the Swami replied vaguely.

“Honestly, how did I dream about his dream?” Poorva was catching on now.

“That is for you to find out.” The Swami smiled and said crisply, “Run along to the Aazhvaar’s house.”

Poorva was out of his sight almost at once. She saw Periaazhvaar pick up the discarded garlands, place them in the basket and leave the house. He was muttering, “My daughter! She will indeed attain fame in the world as choodi kodutha chudar kodi and also The author is a researcher and writer with various books and articles on Indian music and culture to her credit. lakshmidevnath@gmail.com Illustrator: Smt. Lalithaa Thyagarajan. lalithyagu@gmail.com

September 2021

The Story of Aandal

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LAKSHMI DEVNATH

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as Aandal.” Poorva wondered what these new words meant. She made a mental note to ask Swami Thaatha. Somehow, he seemed to know everything!

But as soon as she entered the garden, she saw the squirrel and started playing with it. She noticed that its injury had healed well. “I’m soooo … happy,” said Poorva, doing a little dance on the grass. The squirrel sat holding a nut between its forelegs, enjoying the entertainment.

“Brrrr …” A little shiver ran down Poorva’s spine. The weather was getting a little chilly. “Maybe you would like to wear this.” Poorva looked back to see the Swami holding out a shawl to her. “Tomorrow is the fifteenth of December – the first day of the Tamil month of Maargazhi. It is the coldest month of the year in our part of the country. Be careful or you might catch a cold,” cautioned the Swami and sneezed so loudly that the squirrel dropped the nut it was holding.

Poorva looked at the Swami and they both burst out laughing. Later, while sitting in the hut, it struck her that she had wanted to ask him something. Much to her irritation, she found that she could not recall it now. She soon gave up and began to stroke the squirrel, muttering, “You know what I’ve decided to call you? Curly.”

And chatting away with Curly, Poorva fell fast asleep. Her dreams were filled with visions of Kodhai, Periaazhvaar, and flower garlands.

Maargazhi thingal, madi niraindha nannaallaal …

The melodious voice dragged her out of sleep. Wide awake, she soaked the music in.

And then, like the children who were mesmerized by the Pied Piper of Hamelin, she followed the notes of the song. It led her to the front of Periaazhvaar’s house. She was pleasantly surprised to find that the bewitching voice belonged to Kodhai.

Poorva looked admiringly at the exquisite kolam Kodhai was drawing on the ground with rice flour. Multi-talented – that’s what Kodhai is, she thought.

Curly, who had accompanied Poorva, darted across and nibbled at the kolam. Poorva carefully avoided a row of ants carrying away some of the flour. “Hmmm …” Poorva observed, “kolams do seem a beautiful way to give tiny creatures some food.”

She saw Kodhai, who was still singing, get up and walk out the gate. “Where is she off to this early in the morning?” Poorva asked Curly with curiosity. He looked at her blankly, and she decided to find out for herself.

Poorva followed Kodhai as she went from house to house. She was singing to awaken her friends and invite them to some function. Poorva noted that the song ended with the word empaavaay. Back in the garden, she wondered whether the girls were planning some kind of party.

Sharp pangs of hunger upset her mood. Looking at Curly, she grumbled, “You’ve had your breakfast. I’ve not.”

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An appetizing aroma reached her. “Come in, Poorva. I have some delicious pongal for you,” called out the Swami.

Ten minutes and two full helpings later, Poorva opened her mouth once again – to speak. “Swami Thaatha …” she began.

“May I have the pleasure of guessing what you are about to say? You’re wondering why Aandal went from door to door singing and waking up all her friends. Last night, you wanted to ask me why Periaazhvaar called her ‘Aandal’ and ‘Choodi kodutha chudar kodi’.

And now you’re curious as to why I also call Kodhai ‘Aandal’.”

As she heard the Swami rattle off her thoughts, an overwhelmed Poorva almost choked on the last bit of pongal. Swami Thaatha was simply great!

The Swami came to the point directly. “Aandal is preparing herself to be the Lord’s bride. I have a feeling that He is also waiting to be united with her. Aandal means ‘one who rules over the heart of the Lord’. Choodi kodutha chudar kodi means ‘a maiden shining like a golden creeper, who offered garlands after wearing them’. It is to achieve her aim of getting married to the Lord that she has undertaken to do a puja for the next thirty days.

Do you know whose example she is following in this?”

Whose? gestured Poorva.

The Swami answered, “Of the gopis of yore in Gokulam. You must have read that they were very fond of Krishna and wanted to be with Him always. To this end, they undertook a fast for thirty days – the paavai nombu, it was called.

“Aandal is absolutely certain that only Vishnu is capable of granting everybody’s desires. Through the song that she sang this morning, she conveyed this message to her friends. Incidentally, she will compose one song for each of the thirty days of the puja. All the songs will end with the word empaavaay. It refers to their vow – the paavai nombu.

This set of thirty songs will become very famous as the Thiruppaavai.”

Poorva tried to take in all that the Swami said. She asked, “Both father and daughter love Vishnu intensely, don’t they?”

“Yes, but with a difference. Periaazhvaar looks upon Him as his own child, while Aandal views Him as her husband.” He briskly added, “I suppose that is enough information for now. Go out and play with Curly and Chatter.” Poorva looked at him quizzically.

The Swami cheerfully said, “Inspired by you, I named him Chatter.” He pointed to a monkey perched on a tree close to the hut.

The monkey waved to her and Poorva rubbed her eyes to make sure she was not hallucinating. This trip was powered by magic – strange places and stranger incidents, familiar animals and unfamiliar behaviour …

Why fret, she smiled to herself, as long as they are all nice?

(To be continued. . .)

When God Calls

Bhavanath Chattopadhyay DR. RUCHIRA MITRA

यमेवैष वृणुते तेन लभ्यः

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

September 2021

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

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O

nce a beloved disciple of Sri Ramakrishna felt that he was losing ground in spiritual path as he was getting entangled in worldly life after marriage. He requested Sri Ramakrishna to remove his Maya. Sri Ramakrishna agreed and asked him to bring some food item on a Tuesday or a Saturday. Thus assured of deliverance by the grace of his guru, he arrived with sweets. Sri Ramakrishna took it eagerly with the intention of swallowing his Maya. But strangely, he could not take his hand to his mouth. He tried again and again, but failed.

Unable to help his disciple, Sri Ramakrishna was in tears; he said, “Mother is not allowing me to do it.” Swami Saradananda explains this strange situation: in human mood the compassionate Master was eager to help people in the spiritual path; but when he ascended to the divine plane, he would find that the time had not come yet, or that it was not the will of the Divine Mother. This disappointed disciple was Bhavanath Chattopadhyay.

Bhavanath was born in 1863 in Baranagar near Dakshineswar. He was a fair and handsome teenager when he started visiting Sri Ramakrishna and received immense affection

from him because of his simple, guileless nature.

Sri Ramakrishna used to tell the householder disciples, “Narendra, Bhavanath and Rakhal are my intimate disciples. They are not ordinary people. Serve them a meal one day.”1 “Feeding them is like feeding Narayana Himself. You will be greatly benefited if you feed them.”2 And again, “Rakhal, Narendra and Bhavanath are ever-perfect. They are spiritually awake from birth. They’ve assumed human bodies only to teach others.”3 Bhavanath consciously tried to renounce whatever he considered harmful for his spiritual progress. Once Narendranath (later Swami Vivekananda) informed Sri Ramakrishna: “Bhavanath has given up fish and betel-leaf.” Sri Ramakrishna then gently corrected Bhavanath: “Well, why is that? What’s wrong with fish and betel leaf? They’re not harmful. Giving up ‘lust and greed’ is the real renunciation.”4

In 1883 Bhavanath got married but initially his spiritual life was not hampered. He brought his wife to Sri Ramakrishna for blessings. Sri Ramakrishna assured him: “It’s enough if you develop love for an incarnation of God.”5 He cited Bhavanath’s example while teaching his disciples. “Bhavanath is married,

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

When Sri Ramakrishna was in the state of Samadhi, he would experience intense pain if a person with an impure mind touched him. But Bhavanath was so pure that he would often hold Sri Ramakrishna during Samadhi to prevent him from losing balance. We read: “…the Master is still absorbed in ecstasy …. He says to Bhavanath, ‘Please feed me.’ He is still in an ecstatic mood and is unable to feed himself.

Bhavanath feeds him.”8 But then, gradually worldly life caught hold of him and his visits to Sri Ramakrishna became irregular. We read Sri Ramakrishna saying, “Did you notice Bhavanath? He came to Shyampukur dressed as a bridegroom and asked me how I was doing. He never came again. I treat him kindly because of Narendra, but my mind is no longer attracted to him.”9 Nevertheless, Sri Ramakrishna was still concerned about Bhavanath, and advised him: “Be a brave man! Don’t be deceived by her crying behind the veil, weeping as she blows her nose! Keep your mind fixed on God. He is a brave man indeed who, while living with his wife, does not have physical relations with her.

Talk only about spiritual matters with your wife.” He told Narendra, “Give him courage.”10 Bhavanath took two great initiatives, for which the Ramakrishna Order is indebted to

Secondly, after Sri Ramakrishna’s mahasamadhi, it was Bhavanath who found a spacious house in Baranagar for the young would-be monastic disciples to stay together and continue their sadhana. It was a dilapidated, haunted house infested with serpents. So, the rent was affordable.

Bhavanath and another boy cleaned the house and made it habitable. The young disciples under the leadership of Narendranath lived in this house for six years from Oct 1886. This house thus became the first Math, one of the holiest sites in the Ramakrishna Order.

In Sri Ramakrishna’s divine play, Bhavanath exemplifies a sad case of a sincere and spiritually evolved aspirant getting enmeshed in the play of Mahamaya; this despite being the recipient of the unlimited love and grace of the Incarnation. His life serves as a caution for all spiritual aspirants.

References: The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna: 1) 22 October 1882

2) 11 March 1883 3) 25 February 1883 4) 7 April 1883 5) 22 December 1883 6) 7 March, 1885 7) 29 September, 1884 8) 22 February 1885 9) 23 December 1885 10) 22 April, 1886 11) Sri Ramakrishna As We Saw Him, p.468

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Another day, seeing Bhavanath appear in ochre cloth, kamandalu in hand, Sri Ramakrishna commented with a smile, “This shows the state of his mind. That is why he is dressed this way.”7

him. Firstly, in October 1883, he brought Abinash Daan, a professional photographer from Baranagar to the Dakshineswar temple to take a photograph of Sri Ramakrishna. But refusing to be photographed Sri Ramakrishna just walked away. Finding Sri Ramakrishna seated on the veranda of the Radhakanta temple, Narendranath approached him and started discussing some spiritual matter. Sri Ramakrishna soon went into samadhi and taking that opportunity a photograph was taken. When after a few days, Bhavanath brought the print and showed it to Sri Ramakrishna, he commented, “This represents a high yogic state. This form will be worshipped in many homes in future.” This particular photo is now worshipped in the shrine of every Ramakrishna temple and in millions of homes across the world.11

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but he only talks of spiritual matters with his wife. Both of them pass their time talking about God. When I said to him, ‘Have fun with your wife,’ he spoke sharply in anger, ‘What! Shall we live a life of frivolity?’”6

Questions & Answers

September 2021

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

Pariprasna is a selection from this book.

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Pariprasna

QUESTION: How are the points of difference regarding the concepts of God, World, and Sadhana of the different schools to be reconciled? What is the relevance of this synthesis of philosophy in spiritual life?

MAHARAJ: The question is probably how the synthesis of the varying interpretations of these concepts in the three systems of Dvaita, Visishtadvaita and Advaita is to be accomplished. No such reconciliation is needed if the synthesis is sought at the experiential level and not at the interpretative level. These systems of philosophy mentioned are not the same as the dualism, qualified dualism and monism representing ways of spiritual apprehension to aspirants. It must be remembered also that Dvaita, Visishtadvaita and Advaita are not purely philosophies. They are as much religions too. Or they are a kind of religion supported by certain philosophical standpoints.

Just as religions have their particular dogmas, mythologies and rituals, philosophies too have their concepts with particular meaning-content attached to them. They can retain them just as religions can keep up their dogmas and forms of worship, even if a common goal for them is accepted. All troubles arise when we equate the systems of religious philosophies known in India as Dvaita, Visishtadvaita and Advaita, with dualism, qualified non-dualism and monism as ways of spiritual apprehension.

The relevance of it is this: We can approach these philosophies as intellectual frameworks for people with differing philosophical outlooks. An intellectual framework is always necessary for people whose thought has been stimulated by study. Otherwise all aspects of their mind would not be properly integrated and to that extent Sadhana will not be effective. When faced by these different philosophies, the human mind thinks that only one of them can be true and the others are either false or are inferior conceptions meant for dull-witted people. That which is suited to an aspirant’s outlook—and there are clear philosophical outlooks like realism and idealism imbedded in people’s intelligence—or that in which he is traditionally brought up is taken up and studied. In order to strengthen his conviction in the truth of his philosophy, the refutation of the other philosophies may seem a necessity for him and he indulges in it with gusto. It is more or less the same as in the case of religions. The crusading spirit and the controversial spirit spring from identical misconceptions. Now if a synthesis of these philosophies is accepted at an experiential level, leaving to each its own intellectual framework, people will not develop this acrimonious and intolerent spirit. This will help their Sadhana also.

But it must always be held in mind that we are not downgrading any of these philosophies by this synthesis. For example, non-dualism, as an experience of effacement of individual consciousness in the contemplation of the Supreme Spirit is the citadel of Advaita Vedanta. What Advaita Vedanta does is to conceive and interpret this experience in the light of its tradition. The same experience

As distinguished from this, there can also be a pure Advaitic Sadhana based upon the theory that the ultimate realization of unity means not only unity in consciousness but unity in entity itself.

In this form of Sadhana, this sense of unity with the Supreme Spirit is taken as the basic ontological fact and the Sadhana takes its stand on this fact from the very start and rejects all multiplicity as apparent, which means non-existent actually.

To help in strengthening him in this consciousness and produce absolute conviction, a philosophical framework suited to it is started on such moot points as: a) Is unity something attained by effort or is it a basic nature which is only covered by ignorance? b) Does unity mean unity subordinating all diversities or sublating all of them?

c) Is the sense of a unity of consciousness attained in Samadhi indicative of unity of entity or only of consciousness? d) Has the individual any ultimacy in spite of such unity in experience? e) Is the world real or only an appearance?

A host of such problems are taken up and discussed without arriving at any final conclusion acceptable to all because of the basic difference in outlook. If these discussions are meant only to strengthen one’s Sadhana, they are beneficial, but if they are meant for confusing or refuting others in a spirit of controversy then there is no better way of wasting time from the spiritual point of view.

Generally the philosophy suited for most Sadhakas is a philosophy of identity-in-difference.

There may however be a rare few who are suited for pure monistic Sadhana.

As for the attitude of one who has renounced the world, it is better for him to understand that none can renounce the world, so long as he is in the world. He can renounce self-centred values and relationships. If he has truly done so, he will develop an intense craving for the Supreme Being and he will serve in the world in the spirit that the Lord resides in it. Work in and for the welfare of the world will then become an auxiliary to this Sadhana. Renunciation of the world is real only to the extent one has a craving for the Divine and antipathy for self-centred values.

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As a rule, a spiritual aspirant is above the propitiatory conception of dualism. He will generally be at the stage of qualified non-dualism, which may be better described by the technical term Bhedabheda, identity-in-difference. It accepts unity and diversity as facts in the Supreme Being, but diversity does not in any way affect Him or compromise with His infinitude for the reason that He is the Supreme Spirit and not a material entity to be subject to and, limited by, a system of logic based on sense-perceptions. God is here both transcendent and indwelling and all entities exist because of Him and there is no entity that is not included in His being. In His all-comprehensive unity, the individual Sadhaka has his distinct entity, by virtue of which alone he is able to commune with Him in worship and devotion. For him it is necessary to accept God as the unity in the multiplicity. A liberal interpretation of the Dvaita and Visishtadvaita philosophies can be accommodated in this outlook. At the acme of communion through love and surrender, the aspirant’s consciousness may be absorbed in the Supreme Spirit. Its interpretation will depend on the metaphysical tradition of the interpreter.

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could be interpreted in terms of the traditions of Visishtadvaita and Dvaita systems of philosophy, which are not however to be identified with mere qualified non-dualism and pure dualism mentioned earlier. If this outlook is carefully maintained, one can study all these systems.

Reminiscences

Lessons from Swamis

September 2021

The Dec 2020 Special Issue of The Vedanta Kesari was on the topic ‘Lessons from Swamis’.

New content on this topic is being serialised this year.

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C

Swami Atulananda

.J.Heijblom born in Amsterdam, Holland, received his mantra-diksha from Sri Sarada Devi and his sannyasa-diksha from Swami Abhedanandaji, one of the direct disciples of Sri Ramakrishna. Popularly known as Gurudas Maharaj, Swami Atulananda was closely associated with and deeply influenced by Swami Turiyanandaji, another direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna. He joined the Order at the New York centre in 1898. During the last period of his life, he was at Barlowgunj in Uttarkhand in a cottage called Sarada Kutir. He attained mahasamadhi in 1966 aged 97 with his last words ‘Om Ma’, and ‘Hari Om’.

Selfless Forbearance All through my life, I longed for the holy company of the elderly sadhus. Hence, I had the good fortune to meet and spend time with many great sadhus. One such Swami was Gurudas Maharaj or Swami Atulanandaji.

I went to meet him at Barlowgunj where he spent the final period of his life. I was fortunate to enjoy his company for quite a few days. There was no end to my queries. He too would respond with a smile on his face. One day, I asked him, “Maharaj! I’ve heard that you were initiated by Holy Mother. I am curious to know if you faced any difficulty at the time of initiation, as neither you nor Mother knew each other’s language.” Maharaj was a Dutch and he spoke English also. But at the time of initiation, he didn’t know Bengali at all. He replied with a smile, “You’ve seen that an infant lies on his mother’s lap and goes on making noises. His mother too goes on speaking to him in her own language. See, the mother doesn’t know his infant language. The infant too hasn’t learnt his mother’s language yet. But both understand each other and interact smoothly. The same happened between Mother and me. She didn’t know my language. Neither did I know her language. But there was no difficulty in our communication. We understood each other without any problem.” I was astounded!

One evening, I was chatting with him. It was time for his supper. The attendant served him food. I wanted to take my leave, but Maharaj stopped me. “Sit here. We’ll talk while eating.” I found that there were 2 dry rotis and a little curry on his plate. The rotis were so dry that it was difficult

He spoke on many more topics — on sadhana, on practicing monastic life, on Holy Mother and on the monastic disciples of Sri Ramakrishna. Those words are the treasure of my monastic life.

– Swami Prabhananda, one of the Vice-presidents of the Ramakrishna Order

S

Swami Satswarupananda

ukumar received mantra-diksha from Sri Sarada Devi at Jayrambati and joined the Order at Belur Math in 1923. Swami Shivanandaji, one of the direct disciples of Sri Ramakrishna gave him sannyasa-diksha in 1928. He had the blessed opportunity of coming in contact with some other direct disciples. He served in various capacities and was editor of the Prabuddha Bharata for a year from 1955, and also an Acharya at the Training Centre for brahmacharis in Belur Math.

He spent his last years at Advaita Ashrama, Varanasi and attained mahasamadhi in July 1987 aged 94.

Mandate to get married

Once I was sitting with Swami Satswarupanandaji under a tree when a young man came and said he wanted to become a sannyasi. Satswarupananda Maharaj asked, “Why do you want to become a sannyasi?” The young man replied that he wanted to be a preacher. At this Maharaj said, he could join the Chinmaya Mission which trains preachers. The young man obviously did not have

September 2021

I was dumb-founded! What a great ideal he was practicing in his life! He was suffering so much, but there was no grievance! He grew up in a distant land under very different surroundings; yet he had accepted this stern life of severe austerities in such humble conditions! It was truly remarkable.

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PA G E D O N O R : S R I S A R V O T H A M A B R A H M AVA R PAT TA N S H E T PA I , B E N G A LU R U

for him to tear them. I felt very bad. I said, “Maharaj, the rotis are very hard and thick.” He replied, “Yes. They are a little hard.” I immediately said, “Maharaj. I’ll make rotis for you as long as I’m here.”

Maharaj didn’t agree, “No, brother, not required.” Anyway, the next day, I asked the attendant Maharaj, “May I cook for Maharaj as long as I’m here?” He got angry and said, “No. You don’t have to intrude. It’ll go on as usual.” I had to keep quiet. A few days later, when we were alone, Atulanandaji said, “Look! You wanted to make rotis for me. I don’t have any problem if you cook; in fact it would have been good for me. But my attendant won’t budge. It’ll lead to disturbance. I don’t want that. That’s why I said ‘No’ to you. Please don’t mind. Look, my gum bleeds when I eat the hard rotis. Yet, I don’t complain. Initially I used to ask him to make softer rotis, but to no avail. He doesn’t listen to me at all.” I was about to speak, but he stopped me. “See! It is not his fault. The fault is entirely mine. He has been here for such a long time. You see, I lead a controlled and disciplined life. He is seeing all these. But there is no change in him. Now he is young. If there is no change in him even after staying with me so long, then the fault is mine alone. Watching Swami Turiyananda there was such a huge transformation in our lives! It is entirely his credit that I am now speaking to you here.”

a clear idea of what to do. So he now said that he wanted to serve. Then Maharaj pointed out that in Ramakrishna Mission he might have to clean even the latrine in hospitals; would he be able to do that? When the young man showed willingness, Maharaj asked him to go and clean the public latrine close by. The boy of course did not do that. At this, Satswarupanandaji Maharaj mildly advised the boy to go home and serve his parents. He even said that there was no harm in marriage and the best course for him would be get to get married and serve the parents. When he left, I asked why he had dissuaded him from becoming a sannyasi? Satswarupanandaji replied, “Oh, he really did not want to become a sannyasi, he just wanted a mandate from a swami to get married!”

September 2021

— Swami Brahmeshananda, Ramakrishna Mission Home of Service, Varanasi

The Vedanta Kesari

38

S

Swami Atmaprakashananda

wami Atmaprakashanandaji, was a disciple of Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi. In his premonastic days, he was a fiery revolutionary fighting for Indian independence from the British colonial rule. He joined the Order at the Baghbazar Math in 1912 and was initiated into sannyasa in 1921.

He was a Trustee of the Ramakrishna Order and for some time also the Manager of Belur Math. He had a childlike simplicity, a calm and sweet temperament and an indomitable dedication to a holy cause. He attained mahasamadhi in 1954.

For a bag of rice

Swami Tyagishanandaji related to us this incident involving Atmaprakashanandaji. Once Tyagishanandaji and Atmaprakashanandaji were involved in famine relief work in Kerala. One night, they were ferrying some rice bags in a boat across a river. It was pitch dark. Somewhere in the middle of the trip, a big splash was heard. What was that! Unfortunately, one of the rice bags had gone down into the river. One whole bag of a commodity so precious, especially at the time of famine. It was also known that some of the boatmen were wily and greedy rascals. They would intentionally push a bag or two overboard and then join in the hue and cry thereafter, bewailing the loss. Next day, however, they would return to the spot where they had dumped the bag — a shallow spot — and retrieving it share it among themselves or sell it in the market for a high price.

Now, almost immediately after the first splash, another was big splash was heard! What was it this time? It was actually Swami Atmaprakashanandaji who had dived into the river to retrieve the drowning bag, and save it for the cause of God in the suffering man. Swami Tyagishanandaji and others were naturally stunned and stood in consternation. Eventually he clambered back and when asked what had happened, he explained why he had done that. Tyagishanandaji expostulated with him, saying, “But Maharaj, what if something untoward had happened? And you know how unscrupulous these boatmen are?” To that Atmaprakashanandaji had replied with supreme unconcern, “What would have happened? There would have been one fool less in this world.”

— Swami Sastrananda

Article

Meditation According to Bhagavad Gita GOKULMUTHU N

To be able to meditate effectively, it is important to have a meditation-conducive lifestyle. Without that, the mind would be thinking about all kinds of things and meditation will not be possible. After aligning the lifestyle, following the prescribed process makes meditation possible with some patient effort. The fruits are enormous to make everything worthwhile.

Preparation

Our strong identification and attachment to our life and what we think support life — money, job, relatives, etc., make us dwell on the past and future. We have a lot of regrets and guilt about what we did in the past. We have grudges against people, situations and even God about what happened to us in the past. We have fear and anxiety about the future. If we

don’t resolve these, at least to an extent, these thoughts will rise up when we close our eyes.

These psychological defects or complexes should be resolved by Karma Yoga.

There is an order in the Universe. What we face in the present is because of our intentions and actions in the past. The people that did undesirable things to us were just delivering the results of our own past actions.

We only get what we deserve. So there is no point in having any grudges against anyone. At any point of time, a person does what he thinks is the right thing to do. If we have done something stupid in the past, it is because we thought it was the best thing to do at that time, or at least thought it was okay to do. If we see that as wrong, it is because we know better now. So, instead of having guilt, we just need to apologize to the people affected and resolve not to repeat it. The same applies to others also.

Someone did something because they thought it was okay at that time. If we think it was not appropriate, it is a difference in understanding.

We need to resolve it or just forgive the person.

Thus, we need to fully forgive everyone, including ourselves, for everything in the past.

What we do now decides the future. So, there is no need to be anxious about the future. We just need to do good things, wish well to everyone, help everyone as much as possible, do our duty

The author is a software engineer and mentors the students of Vivekananda Study Circle at IISC, Bengaluru. gokulmuthu@gmail.com.

September 2021

O

ur true nature is to be free from all sorrow and anxiety in spite of the natural ups and downs of life. We have a wrong notion that our happiness is based on security and pleasure. We have another wrong notion that security and pleasure come from people, objects and situations. All spiritual practices are to free us from these two wrong notions, and free us from the fundamental wrong notion about our limited individuality. Meditation is an important step in this process.

39 The Vedanta Kesari

PA G E D O N O R : M . G . S A M PAT H K U M A R , B E N G A LU R U

The Bhagavad Gita deals elaborately with several aspects of meditation. This article presents these thoughts, especially from the sixth chapter.

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and work hard constructively. Everything will be fine. We don’t need to worry (Gita. 6.40).

God knows every thought in our minds. He knows truly what is needed for our spiritual development and He is our true well-wisher.

Everything happens by His will. By knowing this, we can place all our past, present and future in His hands and relax (5.29). By assimilating these deeply, we can become free from all grudges, regrets and anxiety. We can accept everything that happens as a gift from God and offer everything that we do as a gift to God. This is called Karma Yoga. Having such an attitude at least to a certain extent is needed to be able to meditate.

Moderation in food, sleep, work, entertainment, etc., is needed. Too much eating, too less sleep, too much activity and too less entertainment will make us feel tired and sleepy when we sit for meditation. Too less eating, too much sleep, too less activity and too much entertainment will numb the mind and not let us focus on anything. There should be moderation in these (6.16,17). The right amount varies from person to person. We need to decide the right amount for us based on what keeps us alert and focused during meditation.

We should have a structure and discipline in life. We should have a fool proof system of written to-do list to enable us to remove them from our mind when meditating. Not having this will keep us anxious about things to do.

They will occupy our mind and not let us forget them when meditating.

Process We should choose a place that provides some solitude (6.10). It should be a clean place free from any foul smell or stuffiness. The seat should be stable. It should not be too high. If the place is outdoors or where there can be some insects, it should not be so low that they cannot crawl under without disturbing us. The seat should not be too hard or too soft. It should be thermally insulated from the ground (6.11). We should sit straight with the body, neck and head in a vertical line, so that there is no tension in any muscle. It should be a relaxed posture. We should be able to completely forget the body in this posture. The eyes should be gently closed as if looking at the tip of the nose within the closed eyelids (6.13).

We should not give any attention to the sounds, smell, etc., that will still reach the sense organs. We should neither follow them nor resist them. We should gently let them be. We should not imagine any sense objects (6.12).

We should suspend all our worldly agenda in life, our roles and responsibilities, desires and possessions (6.10). With the mind free from any grudge or regret about the past, free from any fear or anxiety about the future, free from seeking pleasure through the sense organs, we should think of God, who is our innermost Self, with a concentrated mind with God alone as the goal (6.14). The sense organs and the mind can be withdrawn from the sense objects by abandoning all hankering after pleasure arising from them (6.24). This has to be done gradually by reasoning with the intellect with patience and fortitude. The mind should be fixed on the Self within by not thinking of anything else (6.25). Whenever the mind is found to have wandered away due to its restlessness, we should bring it back to the Self (6.26). When the mind serenely rests on the Self alone, it is steady (6.18). It will become like a lamp that is

PA G E D O N O R : S R I S U N I L C H O P R A , G U R G A O N

These will be obtained by practicing this meditation (6.27,28): 1) tranquil mind — free from guilt, anxiety, fear, hatred, etc., 2) great bliss — tangible experience of happiness not caused by any sense organ,

3) freedom from passions — freedom from any dependency or expectation from people, objects or situations,

4) infinite identity — freedom from limited identity based on body, mind, memory, actions, sense experiences, etc.,

5) taintlessness — freedom from biases, tendencies and attachment created by past, present and future actions.

The Yogi sees that everything in the Universe exists within him and he pervades everything in the Universe. He sees everything with equanimity (6.29). He sees that it is God alone who is in all things and everything is pervaded by God. He will never be separated from God (6.30). Even in the midst of different life situations like cold-heat, pleasure-pain and honour-dishonour, the Yogi will not lose sight of the Supreme God (6.7). With his heart fully satisfied with knowledge, he is unshaken, his senses are conquered and he sees mud, stone and gold as equal (6.8). He sees a well-wisher, friend, foe, relative, neutral, arbitrator, the

Meditation upon God

The verses in the sixth chapter talk about meditation on the pure Self in oneself, which is the same as God who is the Self of all living beings. The seventh to twelfth chapters talk about meditation upon God as the Supreme Being of this Universe.

Thinking about and meditating on the abstract unmanifest Self or unmanifest God is difficult for most people (12.5). So, a person can follow these disciplines (12.6):

1) Do everything as an offering to God in the form of the Universe. It is God alone who has become the world and all the living beings.

Everything we do is an offering to God, 2) Do everything as a means to the goal of reaching God, not for worldly gains,

3) Meditate upon God as the omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent, compassionate Supreme Being, 4) Don’t think of anything else during meditation.

If a person does this, God will give him the knowledge of the truth (that God is the innermost Self) and save him from the bondage of the world (12.7). The first two points in the list above are a summary of the preparations and the last two points are a summary of the process, that is mentioned in the sixth chapter of the Gita. God is the origin of all. Everything evolves, resides and subsides in God. With this idea, a person should lovingly worship God (10.8). Thus wholly thinking of God, being fully

September 2021

Culmination

hateful, the righteous and the unrighteous, with equal eye (6.9). The Yogi who thus sees and worships God residing in all beings abides in God even through every walk of life (6.31). Such a Yogi considers himself in others’ position regarding pleasure and pain, and behaves accordingly. Thus, empathy and compassion come naturally to him. He is the highest (6.32).

41 The Vedanta Kesari

kept in a windless place (6.19). We will become fully satisfied with resting in the Self (6.20).

This will give an infinite bliss which is experienced by the mind, but without the involvement of any sense organ. When this bliss is tasted, the mind will not wander (6.21). No other enjoyment is greater than this. When this is obtained, even a great sorrow will not affect the mind (6.22). This state of freedom from sorrow can be attained by practicing with patience and perseverance (6.23).

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absorbed in God, talking to each other about God, the devotees should be satisfied and delighted in God (10.9). To such people, who meditate upon God as the Supreme Being, out of compassion, He lights the luminous lamp of knowledge within to reveal Himself as the Self (10.10,11). The same process of meditation can be used to meditate upon God as the Supreme Being in this Universe. Meditation upon God is done by putting the feeling mind and the discriminating intellect both on God (12.8). If a person is not able to do meditation, he should practice chanting the name of God to develop the ability to meditate (12.9). If a person is not able to do that also, he should practice ritualistic worship to develop the ability to meditate (12.10). If a person is not able to do that also, he should offer all worldly actions to God. This will prepare him for meditation (12.11).

Thus, Gita gives two ways of considering God as an object of worship:

1) considering God as the Supreme Person, the devotee sings the glories of God, goes through various austerities, bows down to God, always thinks of Him and worships through devoted offering of leaf, flower, fruit, water, etc. (9.14, 9.26), and

2) knowing that God alone has become or appears as this Universe, the sadhaka offers every action like contribution, consumption, service, charity, austerities, etc., to God (9.15, 9.27).

Whoever worships God through any name and form through any ritual with faith, God responds to the person through the same name and form to deepen the faith (7.21). If a person worships or works seeking this worldly or other worldly gains, he gets them. But these gains are not permanent. The person will be back to square one when the gain is exhausted (9.20,21). If a person worships or works

seeking God Himself, he gets everything needed for this world and also gets God (9.22). Both these are given by God only. He is the only object of all worship and the bestower of the results of all work (9.23,24). So, the devotee should meditate upon God, become His devotee, do all actions for God and bow down to God, having God alone as the goal. He will reach the goal. (9.34).

Conclusion

Arjuna makes a comment that the mind is difficult to control because it is subtle and powerful like the wind (6.33,34). Krishna agrees that it is so. However, he says that a person should first go through the preparatory steps of Karma Yoga and lead a meditationconducive lifestyle of moderation, forgiveness, detachment, etc. Krishna calls this vairagya, detachment. When such a person follows the process of meditation described, he will be able to succeed with ease. Krishna calls this abhyasa, practice. By following these two disciplines of detachment and practice, a person can succeed in meditation (6.35,36). He who strives by putting in effort will become purified and will gradually become perfect, building on his progress birth after birth, without losing what was gained before (6.44,45). A Yogi on the path of meditation is better than ascetics who perform hard physical austerities, scholars who can recite and explain scriptures, and those who do rituals or social service (6.46). The Yogi who has attained perfection will not be attached to actions (that promise security) and sense objects (that promise pleasure). When he stops seeking outside for security and pleasure, he will be free from all worldly ambitions (6.4).

Such a person who meditates upon God within himself with faith and devotion is the best among Yogis. God will bless him with the supreme knowledge of the truth (6.47).

Sister Nivedita The Fighter Extraordinary for India

Book Reviews

rish-born Margaret Noble, initiated into the service of India as Sister Nivedita by her guru Swami Vivekananda, left indelible footprints in her adopted country as a fearless crusader for the betterment of the nation groaning under the yoke of a tyrannical imperialist rule. Her speeches and writings, her innumerable proactive endeavours and her complete commitment to India need to be reiterated and reclaimed. This has especially been ongoing from 2017 which saw extensive programmes to mark 150 years of the birth of this exceptional personality. Publication of volumes such as the one under review has also been part of these 150th birth anniversary celebrations. Of course, the decisive body of work which Nivedita has left behind needs much incisive research and more wide-ranging engagement at different academic and policy levels; it is hoped that the future will bring out some seminal analyses of her writings and their inculcation in live contexts.

The present volume is an adequate introduction to Sister Nivedita for a reader who is keen to know about the various aspects of Nivedita’s contribution to India. Based on the articles published by the authors—Sukanya Ray and Anil Baran Ray—in the Prabuddha Bharata,

the monthly journal of the Advaita Ashrama, these essays have topical relevance during this historic period associated with Sister Nivedita.

As the subtitle ‘The Fighter Extraordinary for India’ suggests, Nivedita—the ‘lioness’ of Vivekananda’s choosing—showed great courage and bravery in espousing the cause of an enslaved people in whom she found great excellence which had been gradually and systematically obliterated by colonial suppression. With the blessings of her guru, Nivedita acquired ‘the mother’s heart, the hero’s will’ and became ‘the mistress, servant and friend’ of her adopted country. Her aim was to bring back the lost glory of India and for this she had to wage a constant battle with the British.

As a result of this she was considered a traitor to her own race but this did not deter her from continuing her battle as this volume describes.

Four spheres of her struggle are depicted in the present volume.

Divided into four chapters: Dynamic Religion, Education of Indian Women, The Artistic Development of India and India’s Nationality and Freedom, the volume covers four major areas of Nivedita’s involvement in rebuilding the India of Vivekananda’s dreams. Each chapter gives details of her role and the progress she made; these were as significant in those times as they are meaningful today and present valuable lessons for study and emulation. The volume has a short

September 2021

I

Published by Advaita Ashrama, 5, Dehi Entally Road, Kolkata-700 014. Email: mail@advaitaashrama. org. 2018, paperback, pp.152.

Rs.70.

43 The Vedanta Kesari

PA G E D O N O R : S R I S U N I L C H O P R A , G U R G A O N

by Sukanya Ray and Anil Baran Ray

field, ‘Aurobindo nominated Nivedita as a member of the Central Committee of Revolutionary Groups’ (p.112). She motivated the freedom fighters, helped them as much as she could, gave a series of lectures in different parts of the country to popularise the idea of nationality, made efforts to alert ‘authorities in England’ about ‘the vengeful aspect of their rule in India’ (p.114) and best of all, she took on three Viceroys — Curzon, Minto and Hardinge — to show India that freedom from the British was their most urgent need. The second part of the chapter takes up all the details of this ‘fight against the Raj’ (p. 117).

The chapter on Dynamic Religion is short and begins by answering the question why Nivedita espoused Hinduism. Then it elaborates Swami Vivekananda’s concept of how religion can be encapsulated in the ‘renunciation and service’ mantra. The Chapter also speaks about Nivedita’s test by fire in this new path through her service to the plague stricken people of Calcutta.

A little disappointing is the chapter on Women’s education because it mainly talks about Nivedita’s efforts of fund collection for her school. Of course, as an extension of the subtitle of the volume, this struggle is an integral part of the ‘fighter extraordinary’ that Nivedita was.

But the chapter heading is such that it creates an expectation about Nivedita’s ideals of education.

A short coverage of Nivedita’s formulation of her educational framework when it came to Indian women and how it differed from her experience as a teacher in England would have enriched the discussion and justified the heading ‘Education of Indian Women.’

Reluctantly though, it has to be mentioned that there are some slips in proof reading/ usage. But a reader-friendly font and quality of paper, good publication and some interesting insights make up for the rest; so it should be an interesting volume for those who are getting to know Nivedita in the 21st century. _________________________ PROF. SUMITA ROY, HYDERABAD

PA G E D O N O R : S R I T. G . R A M A M U R T H Y, B E N G A LU R U

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introduction at the beginning and a brief chapter of conclusion at the end. The introduction details Ramakrishna’s message and Vivekananada’s ideals along with Nivedita’s interpretation of these. And the conclusion highlights the universal dimension of Nivedita’s contribution.

Of the four chapters mentioned above, the best executed is the chapter on Indian Art. Here the authors have taken up a vast canvas and done some in-depth study. Beginning with Vivekananda’s categorization of European art as fidelity to nature and Indian art as ideality, the chapter shows Nivedita’s relentless efforts to bring Indianness to Indian art as a continuation and development of her guru’s ideas. In spite of not being an artist herself, Nivedita worked tirelessly to impart “a new dimension to the art movement of India.” (p.63) Her own theory of Siva linga, her designing of the flag and the use of the vajra symbol are all quoted by the authors to show the range of her work. Her association with E.B Havell, Principal of Calcutta Art School has been described here as a significant step to actualise her efforts and it provided the right motivation to many influential names in later days such as Abanindranath Tagore and Nandalal Bose.

A couple of pictures give a visual dimension to illustrate these descriptions.

In the chapter on nationality and freedom of India, Nivedita’s political involvement is foregrounded. She faced severe criticism for having entered this field because the Ramakrishna Math and Mission did not sanction this and she had to first distance herself (though this was only an apparent distancing) from the organization in order to jump into the political fray. But again, as the subtitle has rightly said, she was a fighter par excellence, and nothing deterred her when she made up her mind to engage in battle. Also, the authors make the observation that ‘Politics was in the blood of Nivedita’ (p.101) to show the inevitability of her wholehearted participation. Recognising her acumen in this

The Order on the March

Guests-of-honour Sri Amit Shah, Union Home Minister, visited the Sohra (Cherrapunjee) centre on 25 July. The following Union Ministers visited the Delhi ashrama: Dr. Subhas Sarkar, Minister of State for Education, on 23 July; Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, Finance Minister, on 24 July; and Mr. John Barla, Minister of State for Minority Affairs, on 25 July. Ms. Patti Hoffman, US Consul General in Kolkata, visited Belur Math on 3 July.

Covid Relief Covid-19 Pandemic relief was continued by 13 centres in 8 states and 6 centres abroad. They distributed 34,257 kg rice, 10,597 kg flour, 8122 kg pulses, 4289 litres cooking oil, 3802 kg spices, 3594 kg potatoes, 3267 kg onions, 3412 kg salt, 4229 kg sugar, 219 kg tea, 12,712 biscuit packets, 9670 face-masks, etc.

Covid Relief: Thanjavur

September 2021

The pandemic-related lockdown restrictions in Belur Math were briefly lifted on Guru Purnima (24 July), thereby allowing devotees to visit the temples on that sacred day. A total of 11,500 devotees had darshan on that day. Benedictory messages of Srimat Swami Smarananandaji, the President of the Ramakrishna Order, and Srimat Swamis Gautamanandaji, Prabhanandaji and Suhitanandaji — Vicepresidents of the Order, discourses and bhajans were telecast on the Belur Math YouTube channel.

The new English-medium school ‘Vivekananda Vidyalaya’ on the Nagachi campus of the Ramanathapuram centre was inaugurated on 16 July. On the initiative of the ashrama at Almora, a statue of Swami Vivekananda was installed on 23 July at the Government Inter College, Almora, where Swamiji had delivered two lectures in July 1897. A new Monastic Quarters was inaugurated at the Jhargram centre on the sacred Ratha Yatra day. On the same day the Narendrapur centre opened a new annexe to the school building of the Blind Boys’ Academy. A Staff Quarters named Nandananda Bhavan was inaugurated at the Rajamahendravaram centre.

45 The Vedanta Kesari

PA G E D O N O R : S R I T. G . R A M A M U R T H Y, B E N G A LU R U

News & Notes from Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission

Covid Relief: Kathamrita Bhavan, Koyilandy and Porbandar

September 2021

Covid Relief: Dinajpur, Colombo and Darjeeling

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46

Cyclone Relief Continuing relief for people affected by the Yaas cyclone which made landfall over Odisha and West Bengal on 26 May, the Belgharia and Manasadwip centres distributed among the affected people 900 kg rice, 1860 kg pulses, 610 kg potatoes, 1800 kg onions, 1290 kg salt, 1330 litres cooking oil, 259 kg spices, 509 kg soya chunks, 1196 biscuit packets, 2150 bathing soaps, 1300 detergent bars, 400 solar lanterns, 2790 saris, 2790 dhotis etc.

Flood Relief Incessant rains caused inundation in the Paschim Medinipur district of West Bengal. The Garbeta centre distributed 1200 kg rice, 1200 kg pulses, 210 kg soya chunks, 600 litres of cooking oil, 600 kg salt, 180 kg spices, 600 kg sugar 120 kg milk powder, 300 kg detergent powder, 1200 soap bars, 200 tarpaulins among 800 affected families in 16 villages.

Covid Relief: Chennai

Disturbance Relief Several parts of South Africa witnessed large-scale arson and looting. The Order’s centres in Durban and Phoenix conducted relief operations for the affected populace by distributing 3560 kg rice, 3411 kg pulses, 1252 kg maize, 1000 kg salt, 1527 litres of cooking oil, 400 loaves of bread, 787 litres of milk, 56450 tea bags, etc.

Cyclone Relief: Taki, Sikra Kulingram and Manasadwip

Flood Relief: Garbeta

Ramakrishna Math

Sl.

Activity

Amount

1

Daily Worship in the Temple

4

Completion of Sadhu Nivas & Devotees’ Dining Hall construction

2 3 5 6

Salary to School & Math staff

1,00,000/-

10,00,000/-

Renovation of Math buildings & pathways

10,00,000/12,00,000/-

Purchase of land to construct Vocational Training Institute A four wheeler vehicle to support relief activities

Total estimated costing

30,00,000/8,00,000/71 Lakhs

I humbly appeal to you all to donate generously and help us to serve and uplift the people of this region.

Donations details: Cheque in favour of Ramakrishna Math, Mekhliganj Online transfer: Account Holders name

:

Branch

:

Bank

A/c No. IFSC

Ramakrishna Math

:

State Bank of India

:

SBIN0018013

:

Mekhliganj 35367015024

Account Holders name

:

Branch

:

Bank

A/c No. IFSC

Ramakrishna Math

:

Central Bank of India

:

CBIN0280131

:

Mekhliganj 2162973276

After donation, kindly send your PAN Number, full Postal Address, and an E-mail with Transaction details.

Only donations with PAN number are eligible for tax exemption under section 80G of I.T. Act 1961.

In anticipation of your help and prayer to the Almighty for His blessings on all.

Swami Omkaratmananda Adhyaksha

47 The Vedanta Kesari

Dear all, Ramakrishna Math Mekhliganj, situated close to India-Bangladesh border, runs a Primary School attended by around 250 students, a Medical Dispensary offering free treatment, and conducts regular distress relief service in interior tribal and rural villages. Added to this the Math has decided to impart Computer & Agriculture training, and other essential life-skills to the local youth. The Math is trying to purchase land to house this Vocational Training Institute.

For all these service activities, the Math largely depends upon help from outside because, due to economic backwardness, the local people are unable to financially support the Math. Now, as the Covid-19 pandemic condition has almost dried up donations, it is becoming increasingly difficult to even manage the daily expenses of the Math.

We therefore earnestly request your kind aid to support the below mentioned activities of the Math:

September 2021

Mekhliganj, Dt.Cooch Behar, West Bengal- 735304 (A branch centre of Ramakrishna Math, Belur Math, Howrah, West Bengal) Phone: 8017876512 / 8617380756, E-mail: mekhliganj@rkmm.org

Ramakrishna Math (Shyampukur Bati)

(A Branch Centre of Ramakrishna Math, Belur Math, Howrah) 55, Shyampukur Street, Kolkata – 700 004.

Phone: 9475701362; e-mail: shyampukurbati@rkmm.org Proper preservation and up keep of Shyampukur Bati, the most important and sacred tirtha of Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission.

September 2021

AN APPEAL

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48

Dear Friend / devotee / well-wisher, You all know that Sri Ramakrishna spent the last few months of his life (naralila) in Shyampukur Bati and Cossipore.

Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Sarada Devi, Swami Vivekananda and his brother disciples stayed in Shyampukur Bati for 2 to 3 months. It was here that Sri Ramakrishna was worshipped as Mother Kali on Kalipuja night by Girish Ghosh and other devotees. Sri Ramakrishna also manifested many bhavas and samadhis in this place.

In November 2017 this holy place was recognised as a full-fledged branch centre of Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission. This house is now about 200 years old. For its proper preservation, thorough repair work is very much needed from time to time.

We run also one charitable homeopathic dispensary and distribute clothes and blankets to the poor and needy.

For the proper maintenance of this sacred tirtha and to continue our seva works we need a sum of Rs. 25 lakhs every year.

I fervently appeal to all the devotees, donors and well-wishers to donate generously to preserve this sacred tirtha properly.

All donations through bank with valid PAN are eligible for tax exemption under section 80G of I.T. Act 1961.

Our account details are as follows: State Bank of India, Baghbazar Branch, A/c No.32773763307, IFSC: SBIN0001652, MICR Code: 700002007.

For donations of Rupees Two lakhs and above, the name of the donor will be displayed in marble stone in a suitable place.

Kindly send an e-mail informing us the details of your donation along with your full postal address, PAN, and mobile no., otherwise it would be difficult to issue money receipt in favour of the donor.

May the Holy Trio bless us all is my earnest prayer.

Swami Parasharananda Adhyaksha

The Vedanta Kesari

49

September 2021

The Vedanta Kesari

50

September 2021

51

52

Vol.108. No.9 The Vedanta Kesari (English Monthly) September 2021.

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

Date of Publication: 24th of every month. Posted on 26.08.2021 at Egmore RMS/1 (Patrika Channel), Chennai - 8.

Vedanta teaches the God that is in everyone, has become everyone and everything.

— Swami Vivekananda

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