The Vedanta Kesari - May 2015 issue

nd

YEAR

OF

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㼀㼔㼑㻌㼂㼑㼐㼍㼚㼠㼍㻌㻷㼑㼟㼍㼞㼕 THE LION OF VEDANTA

A Cultural and Spiritual Monthly of the Ramakrishna Order since 1914

Jagadamba Ashrama, Koalpara, Jayarambati, West Bengal

M ay 2015

2

India's Timeless Wisdom

Just as the farmer reaps the fruit according to the seed that he plants in the field, a man reaps spiritual merit or sin according to the acts he performed.

—Traditional Saying

Editor: SWAMI ATMASHRADDHANANDA Managing Editor: SWAMI GAUTAMANANDA Printed and published by Swami Vimurtananda on behalf of Sri Ramakrishna Math Trust Pri st 2 M AY 2 0 1 5 T h e V e d a n t a K e s a r i ~ ~ from No.31, Ramakrishna Math Road, Mylapore, Chennai - 4 and Printed at Sri Ramakrishna Printing Press, No.31 Ramakrishna Math Road, Mylapore, Chennai - 4. Ph: 044 - 24621110

㼀㼔㼑㻌㼂㼑㼐㼍㼚㼠㼍㻌㻷㼑㼟㼍㼞㼕

102

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PUBLICATION

VOL. 102, No. 5 ISSN 0042-2983 A CULTURAL AND SPIRITUAL MONTHLY OF THE RAMAKRISHNA ORDER

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

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

CONTENTS MAY 2015

Gita Verse for Reflection

165

Editorial Rowing the Boat of Life

166

Articles Down the Memory Lane—The First Centenary Celebration of Sri Ramakrishna’s Birth Swami Sambuddhananda Transformation of Narendranath into Swami Vivekananda: A Snapshot Asim Chaudhuri Worshipping God through Images: A Hindu Perspective Umesh Gulati The School in Chennai Started by Swami Ramakrishnananda A Monastic Sojourner New Find Unpublished Letters of Swami Saradananda Compilation Insights into Some Keywords: In Swami Vivekananda’s Words The Order on the March Book Reviews Features Simhâvalokanam (How Can We Live a Clean Unworried Life?)

Cover Story: Page 6

174 179 186 192

190 196 197 199 170

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The Vedanta Kesari Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai 600 004 h (044) 2462 1110 (4 lines) Fax : (044) 2493 4589 Email : thevedantakesari@chennaimath.org Website : www.chennaimath.org TO OUR SUBSCRIBERS

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N Cover Story N Jagadamba Ashrama—‘Mother’s Drawing Room’ Sri Sarada Devi (1853-1920), affectionately and reverentially addressed as Holy Mother by monks and devotees, was the spiritual consort of Sri Ramakrishna. She was born in the village of Jayarambati in Bankura district of West Bengal. After the passing away of Sri Ramakrishna, she lived mainly in her native village and Kolkata. While travelling to Kolkata, she would often board the train at Bishnupur Railway station; on her way, she would halt at Jagadamba Ashrama in Koalpara, a village some 5 km from Jayarambati. From 1909 to 1920, she stayed some 15 times at Jagadamba Ashrama. She greatly admired the calmness and serenity of the place and the piety of the village devotees who always welcomed her and took care of her needs. Jagadamba Ashrama is now a part of Ramakrishna Yogashrama, Koalpara, which is a subcentre of Matri Mandir, Jayarambati. Both at Jagadamba Ashrama and Koalpara Ashrama, Holy Mother installed and worshipped the photographs of Sri Ramakrishna as well as her own. On some occasions, she also invested some monks with sacred vows of Sannyasa there. The term ‘Jagadamba’ Ashrama is believed to have been given by some devotees who had been doing weaving work in the building which was originally the house of a devotee. When Mother happened to visit the place for the first time, they exclaimed that ‘today Jagadamba herself has come here. So we will call it Jagadamba Ashrama.’ For more details see the Bengali book Sri Sri Ma Sharada Auo Taar Baithak Khana, 2014, Swami Shivapradananda, Ramakrishna Yogashrama, Koalpara, Bankura, hardbound, pages. 282.

T HE V EDANTA K ESARI P ATRONS ’ S CHEME We invite our readers to join as patrons of the magazine. They can do so by sending Rs.2000/- or more. Names of the patrons will be announced in the journal under the Patrons' Scheme and they will receive the magazine for 20 years. Please send your contribution to The Manager, The Vedanta Kesari by DD/MO drawn in favour of Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai with a note that the enclosed amount is for the Patrons' Scheme. (This scheme is valid in India only).

PATRON

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710. Mr. R. Krishna Mastan Rao, Bangalore

Ms. Nirmala Ahuja, Bangalore Rs. 5000

The Vedanta Kesari Library Scheme SL.NO. NAMES OF SPONSORS

AWARDEE INSTITUTIONS

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To be continued . . .

ăź€ăź”ăź‘ăťŒăź‚ăź‘ăź?ăź?ăźšăź ăź?ăťŒăťˇăź‘ăź&#x;ăź?ăźžăź• VOL. 102, No. 5, MAY 2015 ISSN 0042-2983

E ACH

SOUL IS POTENTIALLY DIVINE.

T HE GOAL IS TO MANIFEST THE DIVINITY WITHIN. 7

Gita Verse for Reection Tr. by Swami Tapasyananda

—Bhagavad Gita, 12-8

Fix your mind on Me alone; let your reason penetrate into Me; without doubt you will then abide in Me alone for ever more.

B Give all to the Lord and go on and think not of it. The whole soul pours in a continuous current to God; there is no time to seek money, or name, or fame, no time to think of DQ\WKLQJ EXW *RG WKHQ ZLOO FRPH LQWR RXU KHDUWV WKDW LQÂżQLWH ZRQGHUIXO EOLVV RI /RYH $OO desires are but beads of glass. Love of God increases every moment and is ever new, to be known only by feeling it. Love is the easiest of all, it waits for no logic, it is natural.

We need no demonstration, no proof. Reasoning is limiting something by our own minds.

We throw a net and catch something, and then say that we have demonstrated it; but never, never can we catch God in a net.

Love should be unrelated. Even when we love wrongly, it is of the true love, of the true bliss; the power is the same, use it as we may. Its very nature is peace and bliss. The murderer when he kisses his baby forgets for an instant all but love. Give up all self, all egotism; get out of anger, lust, give all to God. ‘I am not, but Thou art; the old man is all gone, only Thou remainest.’ ‘I am Thou.’ Blame none; if evil comes, know the Lord is playing with you and be exceeding glad. Love is beyond time and space, it is absolute. —Swami Vivekananda, CW, 7:10

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Editorial

Rowing the Boat of Life The Boat Often, in the teachings of saints and scriptures and in general idiom, life has been compared to a journey in a boat. And living is compared to rowing a boat. Through all the ups and downs of life, the boat of life sails past the rough or smooth waters of life, until one reaches the other shore—the Beyond, where there is neither birth nor death. That is how life is often described.

To understand it further, body and mind is the boat we use to travel in the waters called life. While travelling in a boat for a joy ride may be a pleasant experience that a tourist may look forward to, not always is boat ride a pleasant experience. There are storms and strong winds on the way. And one’s own resources are limited. One has to grapple with many unexpected situations. Called variously as bark, catamarans, trawlers, steamers, big and small ships, a boat is essentially a mode of transport, to travel through waters to reach one’s destination. Comparing the harshness of the boat ride to life’s difficult situations, Swami Vivekananda said, probably making a free translation of a Bengali devotional song, Mother! In the sea of life my bark is sinking.

The whirlwind of illusion, the storm of attachment is growing every moment.

My five oarsmen (senses) are foolish, and the helmsman (mind) is weak.

My bearings are lost, my boat is sinking.

O Mother! Save me!1

A more detailed version of this beautiful song can be had in the song which Sri Ramakrishna used to sing. One finds it in the T h e

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Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna2 describing in poignant words: Mother! Mother! My boat is sinking, here in the ocean of this world; Fiercely the hurricane of delusion rages on every side!

Clumsy is my helmsman, the mind; stubborn my six oarsmen, the passions; Into a pitiless wind I sailed my boat, and now it is sinking!

Split is the rudder of devotion; tattered is the sail of faith; Into my boat the waters are pouring! Tell me, what shall I do?

For with my failing eyes, alas! nothing but darkness do I see.

Here in the waves I will swim, O Mother, and cling to the raft of Thy name!

Of our boat of life mind is the helmsman—the person who steers the boat. A helmsman is one who maintains the course of a boat and carries out the order given by captain and communicates with others involved in navigation of the ship.

In the Kathopanishad [i.III.4], while comparing human personality to a chariot, Yamaraja, the teacher of the Upanishad, likens mind to a rein, the rope that controls the horses. In both the cases—the chariot and the boat—mind plays a pivotal role. It carries on the order given by the rider, the Self within.

As much disciplined and loyal the mind is to the Master of the chariot or boat, so much are we likely to reach the destination safely and quickly. To know the real source of our being, the Divinity within, is the destination of our inner journey.

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The song further says that ‘fiercely the hurricane of delusion rages on every side!

Clumsy is my helmsman, the mind; stubborn my six oarsmen, the passions.’ The oarsmen are the people who row the boat using an oar—wooden or fiber pole with a flat edge.

The ‘six oarsmen’ here refer to Arishadvarga—the six weaknesses that man has.

These are kama (lust), krodha (anger), lobha (greed), moha (attachment), mada or ahankar (pride) and matsarya (jealousy). In Vedanta, these are also called six enemies for they are impediments in the path of seeking inner growth and freedom.

The Bhagavad Gita refers to senses as the whirlwind that can toss a boat and sink it. Sri Krishna says,

mind is absorbed; so you can learn to do it consciously. The mind can put the senses where it pleases. Get rid of the fundamental superstition that we are obliged to act through the body. We are not. Go into your own room and get the Upanishads out of your own Self.5

While rowing the boat, not only our oarsmen should be doing their job but we also should have lifted the anchor—the metal device used to prevent a boat from drifting.

An anchored boat does not move. There is an interesting story in this regard: One moonlit night, some drunken men took it into their heads to go on a boat ride. They went to the river bank, hired a boat, sat at the oars and started rowing. They rowed and rowed the whole night. Early in the morning, when the effect of drink had gone, they found to their surprise that they had not moved an inch. ‘What is the matter? What is the matter?’ they asked one another. They had forgotten to raise the anchor!6

Whichever of the wandering senses the mind follows, that one carries away his wisdom as the wind a ship on the sea.3

And, The turbulent senses, O son of Kunti, violently carry away the mind of even a wise man striving after perfection.4

In the context of spiritual living too, we have to lift our anchors. As it is said by an eminent spiritual teacher,

While the senses are powerful and difficult to rein in, one has to tame them in order to make way in one’s spiritual path.

The oarsmen should be skilled in the art and science of rowing the boat, face the storms on the way and steer the boat to its destination.

Swami Vivekananda says in his famous Inspired Talks:

At the time of your spiritual practice are you able, at least to some extent, to free your mind from worldly matters and give your purified mind to God? That is the point.7

Control the mind, cut off the senses, then you are a Yogi; after that, all the rest will come. Refuse to hear, to see, to smell, to taste; take away the mental power from the external organs. You continually do it unconsciously as when your

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Lifting the anchor means having the capacity to free the mind from attachment to objects of senses and desires as well as from fear, anger, greed and so on.

‘We Are All in the Same Boat’ Sri Ramakrishna, referring to ‘water’ as worldliness and to mind as the boat, says that boat should be in the water and not water in the boat. When water enters the boat, it sinks.

But however big and turbulent may be the waters, if it does not enter the boat, the boat continues to sail.

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Is man a tiny boat in a tempest, raised one moment on the foamy crest of a billow and dashed down into a yawning chasm the next, rolling to and fro at the mercy of good and bad actions—a powerless, helpless wreck in an everraging, ever-rushing, uncompromising current of cause and effect; a little moth placed under the wheel of causation which rolls on crushing everything in its way and waits not for the widow’s tears or the orphan’s cry? The heart sinks at the idea, yet this is the law of Nature.

Is there no hope? Is there no escape?— was the cry that went up from the bottom of the heart of despair. It reached the throne of mercy, and words of hope and consolation came down and inspired a Vedic sage, and he stood up before the world and in trumpet voice proclaimed the glad tidings: ‘Hear, ye children of immortal bliss! even ye that reside in higher spheres! I have found the Ancient One who is beyond all darkness, all delusion: knowing Him alone you shall be saved from death over again.’10

How do we strengthen the boat of bodymind? Some people think if we can earn merit through performing sacrifices and ceremonies we can attain immortality or reach the other shore of existence. This merit-accumulation is like seeking an insurance for the afterlife.

But the Mundaka Upanishad [i.II.8] says this boat of sacrifice-ritual-earned-merit may be a good step in purifying the mind but is a weak vehicle to take across the ocean of transmigration. Swamiji explains: This boat of sacrifice and ceremonies is very frail, we need more than that to know Brahman, which alone is freedom. Liberty is nothing more than destruction of ignorance, and that can only go when we know Brahman. . .8 We are all in the same boat here, and all who are in the same boat see each other. Stand aside— free, beyond dream and hypnotism. Some fools have hypnotized themselves that they have bodies and wives and all these things. I also am a fool and have hypnotized myself that I have senses and all these things. So we are all in the same boat and see each other. Millions of people may be here whom we do not see, touch or feel.

Just as in hypnotism there may be three books before you, but you are hypnotized and are told that one of them does not exist. And you may live for a year in that condition and never see it.

Suppose thirty men are under the same hypnotic influence and are told that this book does not exist. Those who are in this condition will all fail to see the book. Men, women, animals are all hypnotized, and all see this dream because they are all in the same boat.9

Towards the Beyond But when and how shall we come out of this boat of illusion? Are we to live in this boat of delusion forever? In his famous Paper on Hinduism presented at the World Parliament of Religions in Chicago in 1893, Swamiji pointed out, T h e

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The message is clear and straight: we should realize the ‘Ancient One’, the Divinity within—that is the most desirable thing and it is possible to do so.

In another place, in the context of integrating the personality, the oarsmen are compared in a different way—they are compared to the inner forces of our mind such as willing, feeling and thinking. Each of these oarsmen wants to row the boat of human mind in their own direction. And that is the cause of man’s inability to think and act in unison. He thinks something, feels another and acts in still another way. When the oarsmen want to row the boat in their way and method, the boat does not move. It only, as it were, turns round and round. So, in order that boat of life be rowed well, the oarsmen of willing, thinking and feeling should work in a spirit of cooperation and unity. This means psychological integration of personality. The

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main cause of all personal and collective disorders is disintegrated personality and this needs to be addressed. Inner unification of faculties is required. As a Vedic prayer says, ‘may my speech be established in mind and mind be established in speech’.

But how long are we to struggle, work hard towards this? What is the role of God’s grace in reaching our ultimate destiny?

Someone asked Sri Ramakrishna once, ‘Is it necessary to practise discipline all through life?’ Sri Ramakrishna replied, No. But one must be up and doing in the beginning. After that one need not work hard.

The helmsman stands up and clutches the rudder firmly as long as the boat is passing through waves, storms, high wind, or around the curves of a river; but he relaxes after steering through them. As soon as the boat passes the curves and the helmsman feels a favourable wind, he sits comfortably and just touches the rudder. Next he prepares to unfurl the sail and gets ready for a smoke. Likewise, the aspirant enjoys peace and calm after passing the waves and storms of lust and greed.11

In other words, we have to work to unfurl the sail of our boat—the wind of God’s grace is always blowing. Sail has to be unfurled. All spiritual disciples are only efforts to unfurl the sails. Once we succeed in unfurling it, the rest is taken care of.

Sri Ramakrishna further adds that if we succeed in making God as our helmsman, the rest become much easier.12 But doing this is not easy! Though it sounds like a conundrum, it is the fact of life. Says Sri Krishna in the Gita (c.f.

12.6-7), ‘To those who worship Me (meditate

on me as Supreme Goal), I truly become the Saviour out of the ocean of impermanence.’

Reaching the Other Shore What happens when one reaches the other shore? Sri Ramakrishna says, One reaches this state of mind after having the vision of God. When a boat passes by a magnetic hill, its screws and nails become loose and drop out. Lust, anger, and the other passions cannot exist after the vision of God.13

‘Magnetic hill’ is God or the Self within.

Knowing Him or Her, one becomes free from all inner knots that tie us. The Mundaka Upanishad (II.ii.7) says, ‘When one sees the Ultimate One, all the knots of the heart are untied.’

One then becomes simple, pure and calm.

And when one’s boat is nearing the ‘other shore’, what does one say or feel about it? In a moving letter which Swami Vivekananda wrote a few months before his passing away, one gets a vivid description of it: My boat is nearing the calm harbour from which it is never more to be driven out. . . . I am merely a machine. I know nothing else. Nor do I want to know. Glory, glory unto Shri Guru!14 ‘Shiva, O Shiva, carry my boat to the other shore.’. . .Yes, I come. Nirvana is before me. I feel it at times—the same infinite ocean of peace, without a ripple, a breath.15

Reaching this infinite ocean of peace that Swamiji spoke of is the destination of all the rowing of the boat of life that we do. The peace, that ‘passeth understanding’, that is the goal of life. Nothing else can be the goal.

References 1. CW, 7.5 5. CW, 7:71 10. CW,1.10

2. Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna p. 155 6. Meditation and Spiritual Life, p.287 11. Gospel, 112 12. Gospel, 377

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3. Bhagavad Gita 2.67 7. Ibid, p.288 13. Gospel, 405

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4. Bhagavad Gita, 2.60 8. CW, 7. 37 9. CW, 9. 234 14. CW, 8.513 15. CW, 6.432

Simh창valokanam

From the Archives of THE VEDANTA KESARI (March, 1964-65, p. 536-544)

How Can We Live a Clean Unworried Life?

SWAMI BUDHANANDA

I

Human beings differ among themselves in many ways and matters. They differ in about every possible way and in all conceivable matters.

But in one thing, probably in only this one thing, all normal human beings everywhere in the world unanimously agree. And it is this: they all want to be happy. In other words, they all want to lead an unworried life. In this there is no difference between the believer and the non-believer in God, between the coloured and the white, between the communist and the non-communist, between the rich and the poor, between the learned and the ignorant.

Deep down in every human heart is planted this longing for an unworried, happy life.

Seeking to escape worries of life men do a variety of contradictory things. Some minimize their activities in order to escape worries ; others, for the same purpose seek to drown themselves deeper and deeper in activities. Some go to the loneliness of the countryside, others seek the distractions of city life ; some restrain their emotions, cultivate piety, give up bad habits ; others open the flood-gates of their passions, become addicts of drugs and commit crimes.

In order to escape worries some practise charity, others hoard money, some take to games and some to philosophy and arts.

Seeking to escape worries, men have caused themselves no end of worries.

Men, unable to bear the strain of worries have done many extreme things. They have murdered their beloved ones so that they may not witness their suffering. And they have committed suicide.

II

Looking at ourselves we shall find, that irrespective of our economic position, social status or view of life, everyone of us has his own measure of worries. And it will also not be an uncommon experience with many of us that in seeking to minimize our worries we have often only increased them; in seeking to disentangle ourselves from the net of worries we have become more and more involved in their meshes. Or we shall find, while we got rid of one worry three other worries have cropped up in its place. And as we continue to live on in this world, our worries also continue to multiply. Specially in our critical times, in T h e

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a perilous world, in a complicated interdependent society, the type of life we have to live, always brings in for us new issues for worry.

And we just do not know how to escape them. We have perforce to live with them.

We perform our work, go to churches, attend social functions, even take to recreations—but with a dogging sense of increasing unhappiness caused by these worries, which the more we try to shake off, the harder they continue to press on our neck and our nerves. As a result of this, not an inconsiderable number of people live really problematic lives, sometimes even hovering on the brink of non-sanity.

But need life be necessarily like this with the multitude of people, when we have known so much how to minimize the rigours of life? The simple, positive and clear answer to this question is, it need not necessarily be so. It is possible to minimize the worries of every single life—no matter in what condition one has to live—to a considerable extent, if only one would seek to do so in the proper way. And it is not also impossible to reach a state in this life where worries cannot touch one at all.

III

There are many people in the world who are not the least bothered about metaphysical or philosophical problems. They are not burning issues even with the vast majority of socalled religious people. They are therefore significantly called problems of metaphysics, problems of philosophy. They are not yet our problems, whatever academic interest we may show about them.

What really is the concern of everyone, what really agonizes us, what torments our nerves, what really robs us of our sleep and of our happiness, and what we cannot really forget for any length of time is the problem of our worries, even if the worries are not problems of metaphysics or religion.

And if we would not know how to destroy our worries we would not surely know how to grasp the Absolute.

A very low-brow and you may even say, sordid question, therefore, arises: Has religion any answer for the worries of our lives, not in any abstract sense but in a real therapeutic sense? Let us explore.

If the plant of life is allowed to be eaten away by worries, where will religion blossom?

True, in the ultimate analysis, religion is nothing short of attainment of illumination. But that has to take place in life. Hence religion has to get involved in the life-process and is to be infused in all its steps and phases, depths and twists.

Religion should therefore inculcate in us the art of true living through which will emerge within us a conquering principle powerful enough to subdue and solve the brasstack problems of living. If religion fails to do this, it would be cultivating for itself the art T h e

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of gradual vanishing, as far as man is concerned. And meanwhile we would be none the better for that.

In fact, though it may not appear to be a common knowledge, the most fundamental anxiety of all true religion has been to inculcate in us the art of true living. It has always been one of the most predominant preoccupations and predilections of Hindu religion. For all conceivable problems of living, one can find solutions in this religion.

It is said in the Mahabharata that religion was declared for man’s growth, protection and advancement. Hence whatever is conducive to this, is religion. Therefore worries of life, which prevent our growth, protection and advancement, must also have their solution in religion, though they need not be, and are not in actuality, its sole preoccupation.

IV

The secret of unworried life is in a clean life. This is very important to remember.

All our worries are caused by certain uncleanlinesses that are inside us. It may be that the pretext of the worry is outside, but the real cause is always inside. And this is precisely why, no matter what happens to the ever-changing world outside us, we can overcome our worries. If the real causes of worries were outside, then it would not be possible to subdue all our worries, for what is outside us we can never fully control.

While the secret of unworried life is in a clean life, the secret of a clean life is in living certain simple teachings of the scriptures and the spiritual masters. In other words, life lived in the light of Truth alone can be clean. And what is Truth and its implications for life should be learnt from the scriptures and the spiritual masters of the world.

Undoubtedly our lives are tainted by uncleanliness of various sorts and it would appear as though it is part of our being. But in our heart of hearts there is always a revolt against this uncleanliness. A part of our mind always rejects it, while the other part may appear to accept it or even enjoy it, as a worm enjoys living in dirt. This is because a human being is a mysterious amalgam of spirit and matter. There is a secret longing within everyone of us for a clean life. Very often a whole life passes away before we could come to know how to do it. Yet the longing persists all the time.

There are some very useful Buddhist teachings in this regard. It is said: There are many who say: ‘Come error be thou my guide,’ and when they are caught in the meshes of selfishness, lust and evil desires, misery is begot.

Yet does all life yearn for the truth and the truth only can cure our diseases and give peace to our unrest.

Those who fail to aspire for truth have missed the purpose of life.

Blessed is he who rests in truth, for all things will pass away, but the truth abideth forever.1 T h e

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We all want to get rid of worries, yet all our lives worries only continue to increase.

The simple reason for this peculiar situation is: either we do not know the methods of removing worries or even if we knew, somehow we would not just do those things which could remove our worries.

It is but commonsense that if we really mean to remove our worries, we must enthusiastically do those things which cause their removal. But before we can do anything about removing our worries we must try to understand the phenomenon of worries as clearly as possible.

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There are certain fantastic facts about our worries, which often escape our notice. If we would but analyze the absurdities of some of our worries, and realize their utter irrelevance, they would cease to exist right now, even though we might have been their victims for a quarter of a century.

It has been said that: 50% of our worries centre round our past, 40% round our future, and 10% centre round our present.

Now what good are these worries over the past? And what need have we of them?

Most of the worries that centre round our past arise from the concept of sin and its inevitable results. Some may be worried not only about their individual sins but also about what they would consider their racial or national sins. Some seem to find reason for worries in a more fundamental cause, which is known as ‘original sin’.

And there are three concepts of sins: first, sins committed by oneself, the fruits of which will have to be reaped; second, racial or national sin, in which one participates, being an offspring of the race or a nation; third, ‘original’ sin, which one just cannot get rid of, being born as a human being.

It may be said in regard to all worries, of past, present or future, that a considerable bulk of them can be got rid of by just this one thing: some clear, unemotional, rational thinking.

Some of you might have noticed this one interesting fact. You go to lift a jar which you thought was full of water. And you suddenly find it is too light. What is the reason? The reason is the jar which you thought was full of water, was in fact empty. When you thought the jar to be full of water, your mind had formed a concept of its weight. But when in fact it was not full of water the weight fell short of your concept. Therefore you found the weight lighter, though the weight of the jar never increased nor decreased.

(To be continued. . .)

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Reference:

1. The Gospel of Buddha, Paul Carus p. 231 and 230.

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Article

Down the Memory Lane —The First Centenary Celebration of Sri Ramakrishna’s Birth SWAMI SAMBUDDHANANDA

(Continued from the previous issue. . .)

The following article, of much archival and documentary significance, is based on a recorded talk given in the early 1960s by late Swami Sambuddhananda (1891-1974) at the Vedanta Society of Hawaii in Honolulu, USA. This very interesting and informative talk has been thoroughly edited by Swami Bhaskarananda, the Head of Vedanta Society of Seattle, USA. It was first published in Global Vedanta, the English quarterly published from there.

The Bengali message sent by our President [Swami Akhandananda] had to be translated into English as fast as possible.

We had only two days left for translating the message and sending it abroad by cablegram.

We knew one of the translators at the High Court of Calcutta. Since the translation had to be authentic, we requested him to translate the message. If he could do the translation that same day, we would still be able to send it by cablegram to America and Europe in time.

When we took the translated message to the telegraph office in Calcutta, the telegraph operator said that in the entire history of their office they had never received such a lengthy cablegram. We had to spend a lot of money to send that cablegram. As far as I recall, they charged us at least one rupee for each word. [Editor’s note: To satisfy the curiosity of the readers, we give below the entire text of Swami Akhandananda’s message about Sri Ramakrishna]: This time the Lord was born in a hut. His superhuman austerities, His sadhana and its culmination, the extraordinary powers and realizations all took place on the sacred banks of the Ganga, under the wide-spreading boughs T h e

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of the Panchavati and the Bel tree. The Sikh sentinels who kept guard over the Government powder magazine with drawn swords, just to the north of the sacred Dakshineswar, had the enviable good fortune to witness the various sâdhanâs of the Lord, which were hidden from other men. It is from these Sikh guards that the Lord came to be known by the public, that is, the Marwaris of Burrabazar.

It was at the Panchavati that He cried out in pain, ‘They are beating me!’ when a bullock was being beaten, and a welt was seen across His back. Here it was that He fell to the ground as He saw a heavy log being dragged across a field of tender grass. This is the culmination of universal love.

That blessed day is not far off when we shall be illumined by His glory. Through the Lord’s wonderful harmony of all religious ideas—the paths of action, knowledge, devotion, and meditation—the human race is advancing, knowingly or otherwise, towards salvation. That blessed day is coming when peace will reign all over the world, when all humanity, at the Lord’s call, will shun petty quarrels, will hold unto Truth and, with its inspiration, make known with trumpet voice the Lord’s message: ‘As many faiths, so many paths,’ and gather under M AY

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the banner of the new age. Then will the whole world be blessed by realizing the purpose of the Lord’s advent. This is my fervent prayer. Svasti!

Svasti! Svasti! (Peace to the world!)

After sending the cablegram, we all heaved a sigh of great relief. Then we wondered what had changed Swami Akhandananda’s mind regarding his giving a message for the Centenary! Nobody, not even Miss MacLeod could persuade him to do that!

Now I’ll tell you what actually happened: Swami Akhandananda as usual went to sleep.

He went to his bedroom and fell asleep. At about one o’clock he came out of his bedroom and started calling some monks. To one he said, ‘Please bring my pen.’ To another he said, ‘Bring some notepaper. Bring the lantern.’5 When they brought those things, he sat down and started writing his message.

After writing it he told the monks what had happened. At about one o’clock in the morning, when he was still in bed, Sri Ramakrishna appeared before him. Sri Ramakrishna said to Swami Akhandananda, ‘Gangadhar! My children have been organizing a Centenary Celebration all over the world. What does it matter to you if you write a few words by way of your blessing to the whole world?’ By the way, Swami Akhandananda’s pre-monastic name was Gangadhar.

Swami Akhandananda was startled. He got up and saw Sri Ramakrishna fading away after saying those words.

This is how the most important need for the celebration came to be fulfilled.

Unfortunately, even before the commencement of the celebration, Swami Akhandananda passed away and Swami Vijnanananda became our President. The Parliament organized by the Centenary Committee started on the 1st of March and ended on March 8th, 1937.

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Swami Vijnanananda attended the Parliament of Religions, particularly in its evening sessions. He used to sit silently watching the deliberations of the Parliament. In this way the Celebration continued.

As mentioned before, many famous people willingly joined the celebration.

However, the cooperation of India’s Nobellaureate poet Rabindranath Tagore had to be secured by us with great difficulty. I went to him and requested him to preside over only one of the meetings at the Parliament of Religions. There were 14 meetings. And the persons who had agreed to preside over them were all big people, not only of India, but also of Europe, America and so forth.

When I approached him, Tagore told me, ‘Swamiji, my experience is that whenever I’ve gone to speak at any meeting, I’ve only seen indiscipline and chaos. Sometimes people even fight with one another, causing bloodshed.

Would you like me to experience another scene of bloodshed at your celebration?’

Then I told him, ‘Well, I can assure you that nothing of that kind will happen.’

‘Where is the meeting going to be held?’ he asked.

I replied, ‘The meeting will be held at the town hall.’

He said, ‘I won’t be able to go there, because there is a staircase to climb. I won’t be able to climb up the stairs.’

Then I asked him, ‘Well, would you like the meeting to be held at the University Institute Hall? The meeting will be held on the ground floor. You won’t have to climb any stairs there.’

He agreed to be the President in the afternoon session of the Parliament to be held on March 3rd, 1937. So I went straight to the office of the University Institute Hall. They told me that the hall would not be available,

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because another party had already booked it for that particular day.

What could I do?

I then approached the party that had booked the hall and explained to them the urgency of our need. After much persuasion the party agreed and changed their date of booking. So we got the hall.

Parliament of Religions with Rabindranath Tagore in chair We had an Indian friend who had been that as he was not keeping well, he would just in Europe and America several times and read his paper, and immediately after that he was married to a German lady. He was one of would go home. He also said, ‘When I leave the volunteers at our Centenary office. I had the meeting, who is going to sit in my place? made him the Secretary of the Parliamentary Who will then act as President?’

Subcommittee. One day he told me, ‘Swamiji, So I had to look for another Brahmo there is one difficulty. Some Brahmos are not in person, a famous one at that, who could later favor of our holding the Parliament of Religions. occupy Tagore’s Presidential seat. Otherwise ‘The Commissioner of Calcutta CorpoTagore wouldn’t agree to be President. ration is a Brahmo, and he is dead against Our volunteer friend said to me, us. The Brahmos couldn’t celebrate their leader ‘Swamiji, somehow or the other the Brahmos Rammohun Roy’s birth centenary successfully. will try to ruin our function. At the last That’s why the Commissioner cannot tolerate moment they may persuade Rabindranath the idea that Sri Ramakrishna’s birth-centenary Tagore not to come on health grounds. They celebration should be a success. He actually tried may use a sudden rise in his blood pressure or to create some problems for us. But in the meeting something like that as an excuse!’ of the counselors of the Calcutta Corporation all Therefore, to prevent such a possibility, his attempts to harm us were foiled.

I first found out the name of Rabindranath ‘Tagore is a Brahmo. I am afraid this Tagore’s family physician. Then through Brahmo Commissioner may try to influence some friends I was able to find out that family Tagore by discouraging him from actively physician’s teacher, Dr. Sarkar, who had participating in our Celebration.’ taught him in medical school. I met Dr. Sarkar Even though we rented the University and said to him, ‘Will you please accompany Institute Hall for the meeting to be presided me when I go to bring Tagore to preside over over by Tagore, he [Tagore] lay down many our meeting?’ He agreed and went with me. I other conditions. One of the conditions was wanted him to accompany me to take care of T h e

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a medical emergency, if any. Fortunately, he found nothing wrong with Tagore’s health.

Then Tagore said, ‘Your hall will accommodate only 1500 or 1600 people. But it is quite likely that there may be a crowd of several thousand people wanting to enter the hall. Then what will happen? Those people may make a row outside and create all sorts of trouble. And the meeting will be spoiled.’

I assured Tagore that nothing like that could happen, because we had already put several loud speakers outside the hall, some installed on top of the palm trees of the College Square (a park in front of the University Institute Hall). Even if 25,000 people assembled in that park they would have no difficulty hearing the speeches given inside the hall.

Hearing that, Tagore said with much gladness, ‘Swamiji, it’s a very nice arrangement you have made. Now I’m sure that everything will be all right.’

I had already chosen the gentleman who would succeed Tagore as the President of that meeting. He was Ramananda Chatterjee, the editor of The Modern Review. 6 I told Ramananda Chatterjee that he would have to assume the position of the President of the meeting when Tagore would go away. He was extremely pleased to hear it. He said to me, ‘Rabindranath Tagore’s place will be occupied by me! It’s a great honor. I’m immensely pleased.’ Tagore was also pleased to hear that Ramananda Chatterjee had agreed to preside over the meeting after he would leave the meeting.

But in my eagerness to bring Tagore, I forgot altogether to send someone to bring Ramananda Chatterjee to the meeting. Had Tagore seen Ramananda Chatterjee present in the hall, he would at least rest assured that his substitute had come. Thus, he would not be worried. Otherwise he might be anxious T h e

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thinking who would sit there in his place.

So I requested Dr. Sarkar to accompany Rabindranath Tagore and bring him to the University Institute. Meanwhile I rushed to the hall and sent one person to Dr. Chatterjee to bring him by a cab. I told him, ‘Please go at once by a cab to his house and apologize for the delay in bringing him here.’ Meanwhile Ramananda Chatterjee arrived at the Institute, hiring a cab on his own. When I apologized to him he reassured me, saying that he had not minded anything at all.

Just before Rabindranath Tagore was brought to the platform, I found that there was a fight going on between two members of the audience. One had raised a chair to hit the other! Jumping in between them I was somehow able to stop the fight and made the two men sit wide apart.

By the time Tagore arrived the hall was quiet and peaceful. After his arrival, we all sat together at a table on the dais. We had put a reclining chair for his use. A photograph of us was taken, which is there in The Religions of the World published by the Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture. In that picture you will see me sitting with Tagore and other dignitaries, including Sir Francis Younghusband, Sarojini Naidu, etc. Yet, I had to inquire of him every now and then to check how he was feeling.

The greatest draw at that meeting was Rabindranath Tagore, of whom all Indians were proud. He read out his paper while sitting in his reclining chair. It took half an hour to read the paper. It was a brilliant paper.

Over 1,500 people listened to his talk in pindrop silence. Tagore was very pleased. Later he told me, ‘Swamiji, never in my life have I experienced such a calm and quiet meeting with so many people present in it. Wonderful!

You’re a very good organizer.’

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After reading his paper he kept on sitting; he forgot about going home. As the meeting continued, I was feeling more and more embarrassed thinking how would I face Ramananda Chatterjee if Tagore stayed at the meeting till its end. I kept on hoping and praying that Tagore would leave at least a few minutes before the meeting ended. Then Ramananda Chatterjee could be asked to preside over the rest of the meeting.

This, however, did not happen. Whenever I asked Tagore if he were tired of sitting at the meeting, he would answer, ‘Swamiji, I am feeling very well. I am enjoying everything.’ He kept on sitting and enjoying the entire proceedings of the meeting until the meeting ended, three hours after he had read out his speech. Among the speakers that day were Swami Paramananda—a disciple of Swami Vivekananda, Swami Nirvedananda, Mrs. Sarojini Naidu 7 and Sir Francis Younghusband.8 Sir Francis was also in charge of giving thanks. Having heard Rabindranath Tagore’s brilliant speech, Sir Francis Younghusband said that had our Parliament of Religions been held only for that one single day, even then it would have been a great success, mainly due to the wonderful speech of Tagore!

When Tagore left at the end of the meeting, I talked to Ramananda Chatterjee and

invited him to preside over a morning session of the Parliament in one of its next meetings.

To my great relief, he kindly accepted the invitation.

On March 4th, the day after Tagore had presided over the meeting, both Ramananda Chatterjee and I went together to see him and inquire how he was feeling after that day’s strain of having to sit through the meeting for three more hours. But Tagore said, ‘I am feeling quite well; thank you very much.

Never in my life have I attended a meeting of such absolute calmness and peacefulness.

I enjoyed it thoroughly. I am also surprised at the organizing capacity of the Ramakrishna Mission. It’s really a great thing that you all have done.’ I, however, felt strongly that the success of the Centenary Celebration was not due to our own efforts. It was only the grace of Sri Ramakrishna, which made the celebration a success.

After the Centenary Celebration ended, the Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture was started in Calcutta in 1938. I made over all the residual money, publications, etc., to the Institute of Culture. Its impressive building was later constructed at a cost of more than ten million Indian rupees. This institute was an offshoot of the Centenary Celebration. Now this institute has become a famous cultural centre in Calcutta.

(Concluded.)

References 5.

6.

7.

A kerosene lantern. At that time they did not have electric lights at the Sargachhi Ashrama.

Ramananda Chatterjee (1865–1943) was founder, editor and owner of the Calcutta-based magazine, The Modern Review. He is called the father of Indian journalism.

Sarojini Naidu or Sarojini Chattopadhyaya (1879-1949), also called Bharatiya Kokila (The Nightingale of India), was a child prodigy, freedom fighter, and poet. She was the first Indian woman to become the President of the Indian T h e

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National Congress and the first woman to become the Governor of Uttar Pradesh.

Francis Younghusband: Lieutenant Colonel Sir Francis Edward Younghusband KCSI KCIE (1863–1942) was a British Army officer, explorer, and spiritual writer. He is remembered mainly for his travels in the Far East and Central Asia— especially the 1904 British invasion of Tibet, which he led. He was the British commissioner to Tibet and the President of the Royal Geographic Society.

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Transformation of Narendranath into Swami Vivekananda: A Snapshot ASIM CHAUDHURI

Transformation is a Process There have been at least two major instances in the world where in each case a Master chose his messenger and transformed him into a formidable apostle.

One happened in the first century when a resurrected Jesus Christ revealed Himself to Saul, more commonly known as St. Paul, chose him to proclaim His Gospel to the world, and instantaneously transformed his life. Nearly two millennia later, Sri Ramakrishna transformed his favorite disciple Narendranath into Swami Vivekananda for the same purpose. The difference is that in the latter instance, the transformation was gradual and it continued even after the Master left the mortal world.

Transformation is a process, and in Vivekananda’s case it was subtle. It fully manifested itself in the West when he completely immersed himself in the role of a ‘World Teacher’ and actualized his Master’s proclamation: ‘Naren will teach others.’

To give readers some idea of this gradual transformation, we will choose a snapshot of the day when the Master and the disciple discussed the subject of God and His incarnation and a few other related topi p cs in the presence of other devotees of the topics

Master, some of whom also participated in the discussion.

An Insightful Conversation The day was March 11, 1885, and what transpired that day at Girish Ghosh’s house in Calcutta has been well-documented.1 The day is significant, because it is the first time in the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna that we find the Master and the disciple engaged in backand-forth conversation on a very important subject that establishes what Narendranath’s thinking was at that time. We can see how the Master softly countered his disciple’s views without showing the faintest sign of being contentious—it was a lesson with intense love and empathy. We will see how that lesson, and probably many others like it, both public and private, changed Narendranath’s views on the topics discussed on that day.

According to the Gospel, Sri Ramakrishna went to Balaram Bose’s house on that day.

There he met Girish Ghosh and others and a conversation ensued on the subject of God’s infinitude. Girish’s view was that God could incarnate himself in a human body.

Narendranath wasn’t there then, but when challenged by Sri Ramakrishna to argue with Narendranath sometime on that subject, Girish

Living in United States since 1965, the author is a well known researcher whose two seminal works: Swami Vivekananda in Chicago: New Findings and Swami Vivekananda in America: New Findings (both published

by Advaita Ashrama) have been well received by discerning readers. The author is indebted to William Page (Vedanta Society of Thailand) for giving this article its final shape.

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gave some indication of Narendranath’s views on it; he and Narendranath had apparently discussed this before.

According to Girish, Narendranath thought God was infinite, and since infinity could not have parts, we could not perceive anyone or anything as being a part of God; in other words, he did not believe in avatarism.

Sri Ramakrishna had a different view. He said that even though God was infinite, He could will His essence to be manifested through other beings. This subject was discussed in more details when Narendranath appeared on the scene later that evening.

Girish then took Sri Ramakrishna to his house where Narendranath joined them.

Picking up the thread of the previous discussion, Sri Ramakrishna wanted Girish to argue with Narendranath on the subject of incarnation in his presence in English. Not that he didn’t know their views on the subject, but it was his way of getting into the discussion and to express his views for Narendranath to note and test in the crucible of his disciple’s own reason. Sri Ramakrishna knew the truth, but he did not want to impose it on Narendranath, but to let him think and make his own decision. But instead of in English, the argument started in Bengali, and this is how ‘M’ presented in the Gospel the conversation that followed on the subject (with the author’s few comments in between): Narendra: God is infinite. Are we capable of comprehending Him? He is in everybody—not necessarily in one person.

Sri Ramakrishna (affectionately): He [Narendranath] and I are of the same opinion; God is present everywhere. But we must remember one thing that His power is not manifested the same way everywhere. In some places it is manifested as Avidyashakti [bad power], and in other places as Vidyashakti [good T h e

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Sri Ramakrishna power]. In some men the manifestation is greater, and in others it is smaller. All men, therefore, are not equal. [He apparently meant that the manifestation of good power is the greatest in an avatar, but didn’t come out and directly say so.]

Ram: What will come of this useless argument?

Sri Ramakrishna (irritably): No, no, there is a meaning in this. [He was still waiting to hear Narendranath’s logic behind his statement.]

Girish (addressing Narendra): How do you know that God does not come assuming a human body [as an incarnation, or avatara]?

Narendra: He [God] is beyond speech and thought.

Sri Ramakrishna [interjecting himself into the conversation between Girish and Narendranath]: No, He can be known by shuddha-buddhi [pure intellect]. Shuddha-buddhi and shuddha-atma [pure Self] are the same. The seers perceived shuddha-atma through shuddha-buddhi.

Girish (addressing Narendra): Who will teach men if there is no human incarnation of God? He assumes a human body to impart to men divine knowledge and piety. Who will teach them otherwise?

Narendra: Why? He [God] will teach us from within our heart.

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Sri Ramakrishna: Yes, yes, He [God] will teach as the all-knowing dweller in our hearts.

A huge argument then followed where participants quoted various Western philosophers’ views on God’s infinitude. It seems that Narendranath was on one side and the rest on the other. Sri Ramakrishna did not like the nature of the argument and said so at that point. Referring to Shankara’s Advaita, or Non-dualism theory (he knew that was Narendranath’s philosophical leaning), he said that is true and so also is Ramanuja’s theory of Qualified Non-Dualism.

When Narendra questioned him on the latter, he explained it by saying that according to this theory all three—Brahman, the world, and the living beings—collectively represent One Divine Entity. He then drew the analogy of a bel (or bael) fruit. The complete fruit consists of the flesh, seeds, and the shell— all three. One cannot conceive of the whole fruit by considering only the flesh (which is analogous to Brahman according to Sri Ramakrishna); he has to consider the seeds and shell as well. So it is with One Divine Entity and its three components.

Sri Ramakrishna’s point was that one would keep on arguing about the omnipresence of God until one realizes Him. Reasoning would lead to one kind of knowledge, meditation will lead to another, but there is still another kind of knowledge about God that is acquired when He reveals His incarnate presence to the aspirant. The Master then called Narendranath to his side and affectionately enquired about his well being.

Their conversation went on.

Narendra (addressing Sri Ramakrishna): I have meditated on Kali for three days, but nothing happened.

Sri Ramakrishna: It will happen gradually.

Kali is none other than Brahman Itself. She is T h e

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Swami Vivekananda Adyashakti (Primal Energy). When that Energy remains passive, I call it Brahman. When It creates, sustains, or destroys, I call it Shakti or Kali. What you call Brahman, I call Kali.

Sri Ramakrishna then impressed upon Narendranath that Brahman and Kali are one and the same; one cannot think about one without thinking about the other, just as one cannot think about fire without thinking about its power to burn. With love overflowing in his heart for Narendranath he then sat close to him and told him that he did not like to hear them arguing about God; there will not be any argument once God is realized. He probably felt sorry for Narendranath because everybody, including himself, was on one side and his favorite disciple was on the other. The conversation on that particular subject ended for that day.

Some Observations A few things become apparent from the conversation that evening. It is hard to explain Sri Ramakrishna’s motivation for asking Girish to debate Narendranath on the issue of God’s incarnation. He was somewhat aware

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Girish Chandra Ghosh

of Narendranath’s views on it (Girish had also told him earlier that evening). If this was supposed to be a teaching session to persuade Narendranath to change his views, then why did he say in the end that he did not like hearing them arguing? He wanted Girish and Narendranath to have that argument, didn’t he?

There could be several explanations for that. First, maybe Sri Ramakrishna wasn’t sure of Narendranath’s views on the subject at the time and wanted to hear it from his own mouth. Once he heard it he didn’t like it, and went ahead on a teaching mode presenting his own views hoping to persuade Narendranath, and anybody else in the audience, to change his.

Second, great men are known to live lives of continual paradox (at least this is how it appears to a casual observer) and Sri Ramakrishna was no exception. Since he had gone into an ecstatic mood upon seeing Narendranath, he might have forgotten that he was responsible for starting the debate T h e

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in the first place. One thing is obvious from the exchanges between the Master and his favorite disciple: according to Sri Ramakrishna, Narendranath had not yet realized God. There is, however, a third explanation that is more mundane. Sri Ramakrishna had initially wanted them to argue in English and hoped to derive some amusement out of it.

But when the debate started in Bengali and got quite heated, he regretted it.

As far as Narendranath’s transformation was concerned, the conversation that evening was very significant. Some views he had expressed never changed much as his transformation to Swami Vivekananda gradually progressed. One of those was his idea of a teacher’s role. When Girish said that God assumes a human body to teach men, he said man learns from within (and does not need to be taught by someone else). This concept is implicit in Vivekananda’s oft-quoted, insightful definition of education years later: ‘Education is the manifestation of the perfection already in man.’2 He also said later, No knowledge comes from outside; it is all inside, what we say a man ‘knows’, should, in strict psychological language, be what he ‘discovers’ or ‘unveils’; what a man ‘learns’ is really what he ‘discovers’, by taking the cover off his own soul, which is a mine of infinite knowledge.3

A corollary to this, though it appears somewhat paradoxical, is that no one can teach anybody. This is how Vivekananda explained it:

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Each of us is naturally growing and developing according to his own nature; each will in time come to know the highest truth, for after all, men must teach themselves. . . Do you think you can teach even a child? You cannot. The child teaches himself. Your duty is to afford opportunities and to remove the obstacles.4 M AY

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The Three Great Acharyas

Sri Ramanujacharya

Sri Adi Shankaracharya

Actually, Sri Ramakrishna’s and Vivekananda’s views on this point can be reconciled if one assumes either that the knowledge from within comes from realizing God within, or the teacher (God Incarnate) does not really ‘teach’ but affords opportunities to learn and remove obstacles toward that learning. Then the only major bone of contention between the two is Narendranath’s reluctance to believe that God may come to the world inhabiting a human body to impart divine knowledge to human beings and teach how to get nearer to God. This point, and how Narendranath’s view on that changed with time will be discussed later.

A Great ‘Discovery’ It is somewhat perplexing to find Narendranath questioning his Master about the Qualified Non-Dualism theory of Ramanuja.

It is hard to imagine that he did not know the answer himself even if he did not subscribe to the theory. Then why did he ask? He probably did that to test his Master’s knowledge of it, and to understand how it relates to the ongoing argument. His Master definitely left an impression on his mind, because years later, in May 1895, he wrote to Alasinga Perumal from America, T h e

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Sri Madhvacharya

Now I will tell you my discovery. All of religion is contained in the Vedanta, that is, in the three stages of the Vedanta philosophy, the Dvaita, Vishishtadvaita and Advaita; one comes after the other. These are the three stages of spiritual growth in man. Each one is necessary.5

It is not known exactly when he ‘discovered’ it. Still later, in February 1896 in Brooklyn, New York, he said about the three schools of Vedanta Philosophy, Non-dualism (Advaita), Qualified Non-Dualism (Vishisthaadvaita), and Dualism (Dvaita): Now, as society exists at the present time, all these three stages are necessary; the one does not deny the other, one is simply the fulfillment of the other. The Advaitist or the qualified Advaitist does not say that dualism is wrong; it is a right view, but a lower one. It is on the way to truth; therefore let everybody work out his own vision of this universe, according to his own ideas. Injure none, deny the position of none; take man where he stands and, if you can, lend him a helping hand and put him on a higher platform, but do not injure and do not destroy.

All will come to truth in the long run. ‘When all the desires of the heart will be vanquished, then this very mortal will become immortal’—then the very man will become God.6

That definitely points to a transformation. The Master always said that one

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would realize God when all material desires are vanquished. Vivekananda said the same thing, only he equated realizing God with becoming God. Two Important Questions The two important questions from the conversation still remain: First, did Vivekananda accept Sri Ramakrishna’s statement, ‘Kali is none other than Brahman Itself . . . What you call Brahman, I call Kali?’ Did he equate Kali with Brahman?

Did he equate form with formlessness?

Second, did he believe in avataras? And, if so, did he believe that Sri Ramakrishna was an avatara?

The answer to the first question is: yes, Vivekananda later came to believe that Brahman and Kali are the same, but with some qualifications. As a member of the Brahmo Samaj, Narendranath was committed to belief in a formless God with attributes.

Sometime during his early Dakshineshwar days he took Rakhal (Swami Brahmananda) to task for bowing down before the images; he was trying to persuade Rakhal to give up the worship of God with form and embrace the Brahmo creed. When Sri Ramakrishna came to know about that he said to Narendranath, ‘Please do not intimidate Rakhal. He is afraid of you. He believes now in God with forms. How are you going to change him?

Everyone cannot realize the formless aspect of God at the very beginning.’ Narendranath never interfered with Rakhal’s attitude after that.7 Although he talked mostly about the formless in the West, he reconciled with his Master’s statement even before going to the West.

In Madras (in 1892-93) he said, ‘Form and formless are intertwined in this world. The formless can only be expressed in form and T h e

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form can only be thought with the formless.

The world is a form of our thoughts. The idol is the expression of religion . . . In God all natures are possible. But we can see Him only through human nature.’8 Sri Ramakrishna saw Mother Kali—the formless in thought appeared to him as form.

Even earlier during his itinerant days in Rajputana, Vivekananda had talked about Mother-worship and chanted mother’s name in an ecstatic state.9 And who can forget the evening when in a highly exalted mood he wrote the poem ‘Kali the Mother’ and then collapsed ‘while his soul soared into BhavaSamadhi.’10 Although he was reticent about his spiritual encounter with the formless, he did not hide his feelings about form.

Now we come to the resolution of the second question: did Narendranath believe in avataras? (Whether he believed Sri Ramakrishna was an avatara or not depends on the answer to this question.) We have seen on March 11, 1885, that he didn’t. Once when Narendranath demanded proof that God assumes a human body, Girish Ghosh said faith is the only proof.11 Somewhere along the process of transformation the proof was probably revealed to him, but he never mentioned where and how. We see that his view softened significantly by March 1890, exactly five years later, when he wrote to Pramadadas Mitra:

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So now the great conclusion is that Ramakrishna has no peer; nowhere else in this world exists that unprecedented perfection, that wonderful kindness for all that does not stop to justify itself, that intense sympathy for man in bondage.

Either he must be the Avatara as he himself used to say, or else the ever-perfected divine man, whom the Vedanta speaks of as the free one who assumes a body for the good of humanity. This is my conviction sure and certain.12 M AY

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Here Vivekananda mentioned Sri Ramakrishna as an avatara, but he did that indirectly.

After returning from his first visit to the West, Vivekananda’s conversation with disciple Sarat Chandra Chakravarty went like this: Disciple: Do you, may I ask, believe him to be an Avatara (Incarnation of God)?

Swamiji: Tell me first—what do you mean by an Avatara?

Disciple: Why, I mean one like Shri Ramachandra, Shri Krishna, Shri Gauranga, Buddha, Jesus, and others.

Swamiji: I know Bhagavan Shri Ramakrishna to be even greater than those you have just named.

What to speak of believing, which is a petty thing—I know! Let us, however, drop the subject now; more of it another time.

After a pause Swamiji continued: ‘To re-establish the Dharma, there come Mahapurushas (great teachers of humanity), suited to the needs of the times and society. Call them what you will—either Mahapurushas or Avataras—it matters little.’13

Here Vivekananda acknowledged that avataras may come as teachers, but stopped short of saying that Sri Ramakrishna was an avatara. When pressed by the disciple why didn’t he preach Sri Ramakrishna as an avatara while others did, his answer was to let others do it in the light of their understanding of him.

He said he understood him very little, and was afraid of belittling the great personality by painting him in the light of his own understanding of him. It seems that he, in his heart of hearts, accepted Sri Ramakrishna to be an avatara, but did not preach him as one. He was probably afraid of starting a ‘Ramakrishna cult’, a term that was coined by the Western Press anyway.14 As his transformation progressed, we have seen how Narendranath’s views changed on the infinitude of God, the concept of avatara, and accepting Sri Ramakrishna as one. Although he never publicly preached that Sri Ramakrishna was an avatara, in 1898 he paid his greatest homage to Sri Ramakrishna as one by writing the obeisance mantra [pranam-mantra] at the end of Sri Ramakrishna-Stotram that is chanted in homes and institutions all over the world: ‘Om! Obeisance to you, Ramakrishna, establisher of dharma, embodiment of all religions, foremost of Avataras.’

As Swami Vivekananda, he finally acquiesced.

The conversation on March 11, 1885, at Girish Ghosh’s house would have taken a much different turn if Narendranath had recited it then.

References 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

Sri M, Sri Sri Ramakrishna Kathamrita, (Udbodhan Karjalaya, Kolkata, 1st edition, 1986-87), vol. 1, pp.

769-780, or Swami Nikhilananda, The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, (Sri Ramakrishna Math, Madras, 1996), pp. 726-735.

Complete Works, vol. 4, p. 358.

Ibid., vol. 1, p. 28.

Ibid., vol. 2, p. 385.

Ibid., vol. 5, p. 81.

Ibid., vol. 2, p. 253.

Life, vol. 1, p. 94.

Complete Works, vol. 6, p. 115.

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9. Life, vol. 1, p. 266.

10. Life, vol. 2, p. 379.

11. Sri M, Sri Sri Ramakrishna Kathamrita, vol. 1, p.

825, or Swami Nikhilananda, The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, , pp. 771.

12. Complete Works, vol. 6, p. 231.

13. Ibid., vol. 5, p. 389.

14. The Los Angeles Times, August 3, 1902. Quoted in Swami Vivekananda in America: New Findings

by Asim Chaudhuri (published by Advaita Ashrama, Kolkata, 2005), p. 847.

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Article

Worshipping God through Images A Hindu Perspective UMESH GULATI

(Continued from the previous issue. . .)

An Inspiring Incident Let us illustrate the idea that visible images help to focus on the Indivisible Reality by an encounter that Swami Vivekananda had with Maharaja Mangal Singh of Alwar, now a part of Rajasthan, in February 1891; Swami Vivekananda was then a wandering monk and happened to pass through that state.

The Maharaja opened the conversation and one of his remarks was, ‘Well, Swamiji Maharaj, I have no faith in idol-worship. What is going to be my fate?’

The Maharaja smiled as he spoke, apparently on his own sarcastic remark.

‘Surely you are joking’, said the Swami. ‘No, Swamiji, not at all. You see I really cannot worship wood, earth, stone or metal, like other people. Does this mean that I shall fare worse in the life hereafter?’

‘Well, I suppose every man should follow the religious ideal according to his own faith,’ the Swami responded. But Swamiji had not yet finished; his eyes lighted on a picture of the Maharaja, which was hanging on the wall. At his desire, the picture was passed to him.

Holding it in his hand he asked, ‘Whose picture is this?’ The Maharaja’s minister answered that the picture was of the Maharaja.

The Swami commanded, ‘Spit on it.’ He repeated his command, ‘Any one of you may

spit on it. What is it but a piece of paper? What objection can you have against doing so?’

The Maharaja seemed shaken up, and all those present were thunderstruck and feared that some thing terrible was about to happen for such an insolent remark by the Swami.

But the Swami persisted in his demand, ‘The Maharaja is not bodily present in this photograph. This is only a piece of paper.

It doesn’t contain his bones, flesh or blood.

And still if you refuse to spit on this picture, it is because it is the shadow of the Maharaja; indeed by spitting on this photo, you feel that you will be insulting the Maharaja himself.’

Then turning to the Maharaja, the Swami continued, ‘You see, Your Highness, though this picture is not you in one sense, in another sense, it is you. That is why your servants were so reluctant to spit on it. It is a shadow of you; it brings you into their minds. In the same way with the devotees who worship stone images of gods and goddesses, which bring to their minds the thought of their Ishta, or some special form and attributes of the Divinity, and help them to concentrate. I have travelled in many places, but nowhere have I found a single Hindu worshipping an image, saying, “O Stone, I worship Thee.” “O Metal, be merciful to me.” Everyone, Maharaja, is worshipping the same one God who is the

Umesh C. Gulati is a devotee of Sri Ramakrishna from North Carolina, USA. T h e

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Supreme Spirit, the Soul of Pure Knowledge. And God appears to all according to their understanding and their representation of Him.’ Maharaja Mangal Singh felt greatly embarrassed and with folded hands asked the Swami’s forgiveness and said, ‘Swamiji, you have opened my eyes. I had never met anyone who explained to me the meaning of worshipping God through an image the way you have told me today. But what will be my fate? Have mercy on me.’

The Swami assured the Maharaja that God alone could be merciful. ‘Pray to God; He will show His mercy to you.’6 After returning from his very successful tour of America and Europe between early 1893 and the end of 1896, Swami Vivekananda embarked on a tour of India. In early 1897 Swamiji delivered a lecture at the Victoria Hall in Madras (Chennai). There he dwelt, among others, on the subject of idolatry. For, in his time and as it is also now, it had become fashionable and a sign of being an intellectual to say that idolatry was wrong without understanding what it really means. Swamiji said that Sri Ramakrishna realized everything through idols, and said, If such Ramakrishna Paramhamsas are produced by idol-worship, what will you have—the reformer’s creed or any number of idols?7

Other Aspects of Image Worship As a point of fact, installation of images in temples follows an elaborate procedure of preliminary rituals. The priests sing Vedic chants and say prayers to invoke and sanctify, and thereby enliven the presence of the Divine in the image (prana-pratishtha) for T h e

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An artist's representation of the incident (Photo courtesy Ramakrishna Math, Pune)

worship. Once again, worship is offered to the consecrated Deity in the image and not to the image as such. Just as a picture of our father reminds us of our father and not of the paper on which the picture appears, so also the image of Shiva reminds us of Shiva Himself.

In ordinary life when we salute the national flag, we are not doing it for the piece of cloth with some markings, but for the honour of the country or nation that it represents. Similarly, images of the Deity, though humanly conceived, represent the invisible divinity that receives our worship.

The worship of God through an image, however, is not a compulsory practice for every Hindu. But it has certain advantages.

In the first place, as we mentioned before, an image helps the worshipper concentrate on the Deity within oneself, of which the image outside is just a representation. In the second place, worship through images indirectly allows a devotee offer services—plucking flowers, making sandal paste, polishing the utensils of worship, arranging offering, etc.— to the Deities incidental to their worship,

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thereby keeping the body, senses, and mind engaged in the thought of the Deity.

Finally, and quite importantly according to Diana Eck, images of the Deities, artistically sculptured as they are, serve both theological and narrative functions. In a country like India, where a large percentage of population is still without formal education, images are visual ‘theologies’, and they continue to be ‘read’ that way by the Hindus.8 Eck illustrates her point with reference to the icon of the four-armed Shiva or Nataraja, dancing in a ring of fire, which displays the many aspects of this god in one visual symbol.

The flaming circle in which he dances is the circle of creation and destruction called samsara (the earthly round of birth and death) or maya (the illusory world). The Lord who dances in the circle of this changing world holds in two of his hands the drum of creation and the fire of destruction. He displays his strength by crushing a demon under his foot.

Simultaneously, he shows his mercy by raising his palm to the worshiper in the ‘fear-not’ gesture and with another hand, by pointing to his upraised foot, where the worshiper may take refuge. It is a wild dance, for the coils of his hair are flying in all directions, and yet the face of the Lord seems very peaceful and serene, while his limbs are in complete balance. Around one of his arms the Lord has put the ancient serpent as an ornament that he has incorporated as his power. In his hair sits the Holy River Ganga (Ganges), who landed

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first on Shiva’s matted locks when she first descended from heaven to earth.9 More over, says Eck, not only are images visual theologies, they are also visual scriptures. Many myths of the tradition are narrated in living stone. On the railing around the Buddhist stupa at Bharhut, India, one can see some of the earliest sculptural reliefs with carved medallions that tell Jataka tales.

Similarly, many Hindu temples in India display bas-relief portrayals of myths and legends. One such relief of the late Gupta period depicts the story of the descent of the River Ganga. It shows Shiva standing, flanked by his consort Parvati and Bhagiratha, a great Yogi, who had performed austerities for thousands of years in order to bring the Ganga to earth. Bhagiratha, all skin and bones, is shown in an ascetic posture, holding his arms up in the air, while the Triple-Pathed Ganga— flowing in heaven, on the earth, and in the netherworlds—hovers over Shiva’s head.10 Or Swami Vivekananda said in his famous Paper on Hinduism presented in Chicago, 1893: The Hindus have discovered that the absolute can only be realised, or thought of, or stated, through the relative, and the images, crosses, and crescents are simply so many symbols—so many pegs to hang the spiritual ideas on. It is not that this help is necessary for every one, but those that do not need it have no right to say that it is wrong. Nor is it compulsory in Hinduism.11

While we hope to have brought home the point that image worship is not idolatrous, it should be borne in mind that this type of worship is only the preparatory form (gauni) of bhakti or devotion.

Religious quarrels that we often encounter are over such rituals, dos and don’ts of religions. Only when through such preparatory form, worship ripens into what is

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called para bhakti or supreme devotion that the objective of the worship, which is experiencing the direct vision of God within oneself, is achieved. That becomes possible when our hearts get purified through preparatory worship and we develop intense yearning for the vision (darshan) of God as a child that yearns for his or her mother. Keeping the company of holy people, attending spiritual retreats from time to time, cultivating dispassion and discrimination, and having constant awareness of what one thinks, speaks and does, helps this kind of attitude.

Conclusion Since the worship through images and performing many rituals enjoined by our scriptures are only the means for having darshan or view of God, and if and when through intense yearning the objective has been achieved, does a devotee continue to worship through images? Sri Ramakrishna, as was mentioned before, himself became quite casual about visiting the Kali temple, or performing other rituals. He used to illustrate it through many similes. One such simile was about using one thorn to remove another thorn from the body, and when the task has been

accomplished, both thorns may be thrown away. Similarly, it is said in the Bhagavad-Gita (2.46) that when the whole country is flooded, the reservoir becomes superfluous. So to an illumined seer, the Vedas are all superfluous.

Sri Ramakrishna also said that books, scriptures, rituals, and worshipping through images, etc., only point out the way to reach God. After finding the way, what more need is there of books and scriptures? Then comes the time for action.

In other words, one must follow the spiritual disciplines to realize Him. And once God has been realized, all rituals, reading books, etc. drop off. There is no need for them any more. He always reminded his devotees that scholarship was not the goal of religion; it was spirituality. He said that scholars without spiritual inclination and practice behave like vultures, soaring high up in the sky but their attention is always on the dead bodies on the earth. It was more so with respect to performing rituals, going to temples and pilgrimages. A person with a mature and meditative attitude will free from ‘secondary details’ of worship and go the higher aspects of Reality directly. † (Concluded.)

References 6

7 8

The Life of Swami Vivekananda by His Eastern and Western Disciples (Calcutta: Advaita Ashrama, 2000), v.1, 268-270.

The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda (Calcutta: Advaita Ashrama, 1991), v.3, 218.

Diana L. Eck, Darshan—Seeing The Divine Image in

India (New York: Columbia University Press, 3rd ed., 1998), 41-42.

9.

Ibid.

10. Ibid.

11. CW, 1.17

7KHUH LV D +LQGX VD\LQJ ¾6D\ ³\HD \HD´ WR HYHU\RQH EXW NHHS \RXU RZQ VHDW ¿UP œ 'R not compromise on ideals and principles. But when it comes to opinions, appreciate views differing from yours, and accept them when they merit it.

Stubbornness is not strength. Stubbornness merely hides one’s weakness. Strong is he ZKR LV ÀH[LEOH OLNH VWHHO DQG GRHV QRW EUHDN 6WURQJ LV KH ZKR FDQ OLYH LQ KDUPRQ\ ZLWK many people and heed opinions other than his own. —Swami Turiyananda T h e

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New Find

Unpublished Letters of Swami Saradananda1 Jan 5. 1905.

Math. Belur. Howrah.

India.

Dearest Granny2 – A happy New Year to you & many a return of the same! May Sri R. [Ramakrishna] bless you & bring to you all that you wish in the year!

I have missed the mail today yet I will leave my thoughts about you during this first week of the New year & so I write. I missed, because I went to see my mother, who has been taken suddenly ill. She is very poorly since a month. I do not know as she will live very long. She has been such a dear mother and thinks of your kindness so often! She has desired to send her love to you & blessings to Olea.

Jogin Ma is well & desiring her love & best wishes to you. Had it not been for her I do not know how I could have managed the Holy Mother’s place.

Enclosed you will find a picture of the Math, taken by one of the Math boys. I am sure you will like it for the associations.

It is so kind of you to send the £ 50 so soon. The bankers have just informed me of it. My brother too has written me last mail about your sending him $25.

The Holy Mother is coming back from Puri day after tomorrow. The plan is now that She will not stop here more than two months on return; but she might change her plans.

What I asked you in my last about the continuance of her allowances when she goes back to her native village, did not refer to the Rs 25 which she gets from you for herself but to the Rs 35 which you have been paying as the rent of the house taken for her; my plan will be, with your permission, if you continue the latter, to pay the debt contracted for buying that piece of land for her, by the Ganges by installments of Rs25/- every month from the amount & spend the remainder Rs 10/- in paying a part of the rent of a little house, which I will take jointly with another party at Calcutta; for to conduct the work in Calcutta I need a place in the town where I can stop.

The Birthday Anniversary of Swamiji is close at hand; 27th Jan is the private puja in the Math—29th Jan. the feeding of the poor & 5th Feb. a large open air gathering in the Math grounds of all public men of Calcutta & college students, in which I will have to preside & Sister Nivedita, Swami Suddhananda, N.N.Ghose Esq. & Girish Babu (the dramatist friend) will have to speak on the Life & teachings of Swamiji. We hope to make it a great success & I wish you were present to inspire us. Sisters N. & C. are inviting a few lady friends too e.g. Mrs.J.C.Bose, Mrs A.M.Bose & etc.

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The Swami Brahmananda had been very ill. He is much better now & has gone to Simultala for a change. So all the work of the Math as well as that of Calcutta has fallen in my hands, for the present. Winter has come & I am feeling stronger & can work harder. But I have planned never to remain in the plains again during summer.

I went to see my mother again since I began this letter & found her better.

I hope Olea & all whom you love there are well. Remember me kindly to all my friends.

I hope dearest Granny you are strong and happy. May the New Year bring you more light, more power & more peace than you ever had before by the Grace of Sri Ramakrishna, is the heart’s prayer of your affectionate Boy. P.S. The original of Swamiji’s Will has been shown to General Patterson here & he has advised us to send it direct to Mr.Leggett. The General has promised too to write to Mr.Leggett about it.

So it will be sent to Mr.L. direct this mail.

Yours affly Saradananda Math. Belur.

Howrah. India.

May 11. 05.

You will be glad to know that the Indians in British Service at Zientsin, North China have forwarded about Rs1200/- to us to find a scholarship in memory of Swamiji or to use the principal even[?] to educate a proper young man in Japan for 2 years for that purpose.

With regard to the Will of the Swami Vivekananda, I beg to say that in order to facilitate the probation of the Will in America, I decline to qualify myself to act as an Executor.

Saradananda.

References 1. A direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna

2. Mrs. Sara Bull, an American disciple of Swami Vivekananda

Courtesy: Ramakrishna Museum, Belur Math :H WKLQN ZH DUH ORYLQJ ZLWKRXW DQ\ VHOÂżVK WDLQW RU KRSH RI UHWXUQ EXW GHHS ZLWKLQ XV there lurks the expectation that it should be returned and are quite at a loss when we ÂżQG WKH FDVH WR EH QRW H[DFWO\ XS WR RXU LQPRVW ZLVKHV Âľ7R PDNH RXU ZRUGV PRYH DOZD\V in unison with our thoughts is the highest of all attainment,’ said Sri Ramakrishna; and Jesus said, ‘Be ye therefore perfect as your father in Heaven is perfect!’ Remember always that children have brought there own karma with their birth and will develop accordingly in their own lines, and to hold before them the highest ideal by living the same is all that we can do to help them. —Swami Saradananda T h e

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Article

The School in Chennai Started by Swami Ramakrishnananda A MONASTIC SOJOURNER

A Glorious Background ‘Our boys get some sort of education now-a-days’, wrote Swami Ramakrishnananda in a letter dated 20 November 1906, ‘but girls are mostly neglected all over India. So our primary duty is to look after the education of our girls, the future mothers of India.’1 In the same year, in 1906, Swami Ramakrishnananda himself started a school in north Chennai—with just 3 girl students. Now called Sri Ramakrishna Math National School, situated in Mint, a locality in north Chennai, the school continues to flourish.

Swami Ramakrishnananda (1863-1911) was a direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna.

Affectionately known as Shashi Maharaj among his brother-disciples and devotees, he was an amazing person, combining deep knowledge of Hindu scriptures as also scriptures of other religious traditions, an ardent devotion to Sri Ramakrishna and an unrelenting spirit of service and compassion for the needy. His passionate devotion drew the image of Hanuman in the minds of many devotees.

He was sent to Madras by Swami Vivekananda to carry on the message of their Master, Sri Ramakrishna. While Swami Vivekananda was taking leave of devotees sometimes in February 1897 when he came from the West and was given a rousing welcome by the people of Madras, he was requested by a devotee to send someone who T h e

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could sustain the interest he had generated and carry on his noble work. To this request, Swamiji replied, I will send you one who is more orthodox than the most orthodox Brahmins of the South and who is at the same time incomparable in performing worship, scriptural knowledge and meditation on God.2

And soon after going to Kolkata, Swamiji asked Swami Ramakrishnananda, who had been spending a quiet life of mediation, worship and service at Baranagor Math in Kolkata, to proceed to Madras (now called Chennai). Obviously, Swamiji had Shashi Maharaj in mind while promising to send someone for the Madras work.

Arriving at Madras in April 1897, Swami Ramakrishnananda, facing many challenges and hardships, founded Sri Ramakrishna Math in Chennai. Moved by the plight of some orphan boys, he also founded Ramakrishna Mission Students’ Home at Mylapore and worked tirelessly for starting centres at Basavanagudi and Ulsoor in Bangalore. He travelled extensively in different parts of south India and spoke to different audiences about religious and cultural issues. He was a profound thinker and one can get a glimpse of it in the three volume The Complete Works of Swami Ramakrishnananda, published by Chennai Math.

Starting of the School

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Shashi Maharaj had a soft heart and was especially interested in educating the poor and the destitute children. With this idea of educating the deprived sections of society, Shashi Maharaj would walk from Chintadaripet to George Town, a residential area in north Madras, with a wooden box (called Hundi in south India) in his hands, appealing for funds for starting the school.

Whatever funds he would thus collect, he would deposit in the newly opened account of the school at the local post office. Thus, through his untiring efforts the school for children coming from poorer sections of society was started—with only three girl students.

The school was started in a Choultry (rest house—Dharmashala or Sarai in Hindi) of the Kannika Parameshwari temple. It was a rented house at No. 4, Krishnappa-naiken Aghraharam in north Madras.3 When Swami Abhedananda, another direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna, came to Madras in 1906 he visited the newly started institution. The institution has, of course, been relocated to another location.

Swami Ramakrishnananda

The wooden Hundi which Shashi Maharaj used for collection of funds is now preserved as a sacred relic and a symbol of commitment and devotion at the inner shrine

An artist’s view of Swami Ramakrishnananda carrying the wooden box for collecting contributions for the school T h e

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of the universal temple of Sri Ramakrishna at Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai.

The school functioned for several years as a private institution. In 1917, six years after the passing away of Swami Ramakrishnananda, the British Government formally recognized the school. The school records show that it was recognized on 20 October 1917.

In 1978, the Government of Tamilnadu gifted the present site where the school is functioning. The then Local Administration Minister Shri K. Kalimuthu laid the foundation stone for a new school building. The foundation-laying function was presided over

by Swami Tapasyananda, the President of Chennai Math and later a Vice President of Ramakrishna Math and Mission. The building was inaugurated on 3 October 1980 by the Governor of Tamil Nadu Sri Prabhudas Patwari in the presence of Swami Bhuteshananda, Vice President, and later the President, of Ramakrishna Order.

The school is officially called Sri Ramakrishna Math National School, Basin Bridge Road, Mint, Chennai. It is situated some two kilometers from the Chennai Central Railway Station. The term ‘Mint’ refers to the coinminting unit that used to function in this area when the British ruled the country.

Over the years, many senior and eminent monks of the Ramakrishna Math and Mission

who have guided the school over the years include: The valuable guidance of Swami Sharvananda, Swami Yatiswarananda, Swami Amriteswarananda, Swami Saswatananda, Swami Kailasananda, Swami Tapasyananda, Swami Smaranananda, and, presently, Swami Gautamananda.

Starting of a Sister Institution In 1963, the centenary of Swami Vivekananda was celebrated on a grand scale all over the world. At Madras, to mark the event, among other celebrations, a demand was made by the general people that Sri Ramakrishna Math should start a High School for girls.

In response to the earnest request by the locals, Swami Kailasananda, the Head of Chennai Math then, took initiative and thus was started in 1962 Sri Ramakrishna Math Vivekananda Centenary Girls’ Higher Secondary School at Mint in north Chennai.

The land for the schools was purchased with much difficulty and after great efforts the place was cleared of encroachments. To begin with the school had classes 6 to 10. In 2008, the school was upgraded as a Higher Secondary School (which means addition of classes 11 and 12).

Both the institutions are situated in the same area and now cater to the needs of thousands of girl students. Housed in two-

Sri Ramakrishna Math Vivekananda Centenary Girls’ Higher Secondary School at Mint

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Sri Ramakrishna Math National School, Mint, Chennai

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storey buildings, the schools provide all the basic needs of the students.

The Institutions at Present Run by Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai, both the schools are committed to the goal of educating the girl students, especially hailing from the underprivileged sections of society.

Now both the schools are quite sought after schools in the Mint area. About 85% of the students studying in these schools belong to underprivileged sections of the society.

Students hail from families having low income, with many of their parents engaged as daily wage labourers, drivers, washer men, coolies and so on. Many of the students come from scheduled classes and tribes as enlisted in the Indian Constitution. The institutions have around 1500 students on roll. Providing computer literacy, special coaching for the students who need more attention, prayers and so on is conducted.

We must mention here that Sri Ramakrishna Math National School is the second educational institution started by a direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna. The other one being the school (orphanage) started by Swami Akhandananda, another direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna, at Sargachhi in Murshidabad district of West Bengal.

From the view point of administration, Sri Ramakrishna Math Vivekananda Centenary Girls’ High School is the only girls’ school in India run by the Ramakrishna Math

directly—other educational institutions are run by Ramakrishna Mission. Though there are drop-outs—for various personal and social reasons—the noble task of education continues. The pass percentage of both schools is quite good given all the odds they face—95% students clear the exams.

Conclusion Swami Vivekananda, the great prophet of modern times and a profound thinker on education, rightly said, The education which does not help the common mass of people to equip themselves for the struggle for life, which does not bring out strength of character, a spirit of philanthropy, and the courage of a lion—is it worth the name?

Real education is that which enables one to stand on one’s own legs.4

Indeed putting into practice Swami Vivekananda’s vision of ‘man-making education all round’ is the true solution to the personal and social issues that we face today.

The institutions such as these have been trying to materialise these ideas in their own sincere and humble way over the last so many decades.

Swami Ramakrishnananda’s school is a shining example of how service and dedication, despite all obstacles, can help spread this message of man-making among the masses.

For more details about the schools, please visit the websites: www.rkmns.edu.in; www.rkmvcs.edu.in

References

Swami Ramakrishnananda, The Apostle of Sri Ramakrishna to the South, Swami Tapasyananda, Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai, p.264 2. Vivekanandar Illam—the Birthplace of Ramakrishna Movement in South India, p. 67 3. Swami Ramakrishnananda—A Portrait in Pictures by Swami Atmashraddhananda, Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai. Pp. 67 4. CW, 7.148 1.

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Insights into Some Keywords In Swami Vivekananda’s Words A few definitions and descriptive passages from the Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda

Are You Well...

Svastha, the Sanskrit word for ‘standing on your own Self,’ is used colloquially in India to inquire, ‘Are you well, are you happy?’ And when Hindus would express, ‘I saw a thing’, they say, ‘I saw a word-meaning (padartha).

Even this universe is a ‘word-meaning’. (CW. 7:82) Truth The Sanskrit word for truth is ‘isness’ (Sat). From our present standpoint, this world appears to us as will and consciousness.

Personal God is as much an entity for Himself as we are for ourselves, and no more. God can also be seen as a form, just as we are seen. As men, we must have a God; as God, we need none. This is why Shri Ramakrishna constantly saw the Divine Mother ever present with him, more real than any other thing around him; but in Samadhi all went but the Self. Personal God comes nearer and nearer until He melts away, and there is no more Personal God and no more ‘I’, all is merged in Self. (CW, 7.58) ‘The Attained One’ The man who declares himself to be an Apta is a perfectly unselfish and holy person; secondly, that he has reached beyond the senses; and thirdly, that what he says

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does not contradict the past knowledge of humanity. Any new discovery of truth does not contradict the past truth, but fits into it. And fourthly, that truth must have a possibility of verification. If a man says, ‘I have seen a vision,’ and tells me that I have no right to see it, I believe him not. Everyone must have the power to see it for himself. No one who sells his knowledge is an Apta. All these conditions must be fulfilled; you must first see that the man is pure, and that he has no selfish motive; that he has no thirst for gain or fame.

Secondly, he must show that he is superconscious. He must give us something that we cannot get from our senses, and which is for the benefit of the world. Thirdly, we must see that it does not contradict other truths; if it contradicts other scientific truths reject it at once. Fourthly, the man should never be singular; he should only represent what all men can attain.

The three sorts of proof are, then, direct sense-perception, inference, and the words of an Apta. I cannot translate this word into English. It is not the word ‘inspired’, because inspiration is believed to come from outside, while this knowledge comes from the man himself. The literal meaning is ‘attained’.

(CW, 1:205-6)

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THE ORDER ON THE MARCH News and Notes from Ramakrishna Math and Mission Sevavrata, a philanthropic institution at Bairgachhi village in Murshidabad district has been made a sub-centre of Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama, Sargachhi, and renamed “Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama (Sevavrata), Bairgachhi”. Its address is ‘Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama (Sevavrata), Village Bairgachhi, P.O. Kalitaladiar, Dist. Murshidabad, West Bengal 742165’.

The postal address of our centre at Swamiji’s Ancestral House has been changed to ‘Ramakrishna Mission Swami Vivekananda’s Ancestral House and Cultural Centre, 105 Vivekananda Road, Kolkata 700006’.

Celebration of the 150th Birth Anniversaries of the Monastic Disciples of Sri Ramakrishna Nagpur Math held special lectures on 25 and 26 February in commemoration of the 150th birth anniversaries of Swamis Saradanandaji Maharaj and Trigunatitanandaji Maharaj.

In commemoration of 150th birth anniversary of Swami Akhandanandaji Maharaj, Sargachhi centre conducted the following programmes from September 2014 to March 2015: A cycle rally from the Ashrama to Palashi (Plassey) on 23 September in which 250 cyclists participated; Inauguration of the newly built science centre, with a demonstration gallery and a handson workshop, on 29 November; Inauguration of the newly built community hall and a 9-day fair on the theme means for enriching livelihood in rural areas by the General Secretary on 20 March; Releasing of a commemorative volume and a booklet by the General Secretary on 20 March; Four seminars from 21 to 25 March on topics related to health, nutrition, agriculture and animal husbandry. On an average, 850 people comprising scientists, lecturers, students and farmers participated in each seminar; Cultural programmes from 20 to 27 March; Annapurna Puja and a devotees’ convention on 28 March in which about 9500 devotees took part.

General News In the month of March, Lucknow centre provided Vitamin-A capsules to 321 underprivileged children of a school in Lucknow district, and free glasses to 27 children with refractory errors.

Narainpur Ashrama held a kisan mela (farmers’ fair) on 25 and 26 February which was visited by more than 7000 farmers.

The History of Science in India jointly published by the Institute of Culture, Kolkata, and National Academy of Sciences - India (NASI) was released by Swami Smarananandaji and Swami Prabhanandaji in a function held at the Institute on 6 March. In the same function, a DVD of the book and a multimedia DVD on Swamiji’s select lectures were also released.

On 8 March, Swami Prabhanandaji, Vice-President of Ramakrishna Order, inaugurated the six-storey diagnostic & cardiac care centre building and the newly set-up Catheterization Laboratory (cath lab) at T h e

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Seva Pratishthan.

On the occasion of the birthday of Saint Eknath, Aurangabad centre held a medical camp and an exhibition on Swamiji from 12 to 14 March at Paithan (Dist. Aurangabad), the birthplace of the saint. In all, 2574 patients were treated in the medical camp.

Vrindaban centre has started in March a new welfare programme at its hospital, by which widows in distress and requiring medical care will be provided free of charges all medical facilities including diagnostic tests, medication and surgery, and also an attendant, if necessary, while they are admitted to the hospital.

The Vrindavan Ashrama also observed the birth anniversary of Sri Ramakrishna with traditional Puja and Bhajans, as also a Sadhu Bhandara and Rogi Narayan Seva, worshipping the patients in its hospital.

Rogi Narayan Seva

Honouring the monks—Sadhu Bhandara

Dhaka centre held the concluding function of the centenary celebration of its high school on 28 March.

The programme consisted of speeches by some distinguished speakers, cultural events and releasing of a commemorative volume.

Relief News 1. Hudhud Cyclone Relief: Andhra Pradesh: Continuing its extensive relief work among poor families affected by Hudhud cyclone, Visakhapatnam centre distributed 3000 solar lanterns and 6000 blankets among 3000 families of 100 villages in Visakhapatnam and Vizianagaram districts from 1 to 6 March.

2. Fire Relief: Uttarakhand: On 4 March, Dehradun centre handed over 14 goats to a poor shepherd belonging to Thain village in Chamoli district whose entire livestock had been destroyed in an accidental fire.

3. Flood Relief: Jammu & Kashmir: Srinagar centre distributed 363 kg rice, 3 kg dal (lentils), 8 litres of edible oil, 4.5 kg salt, 8.5 kg assorted spices, 8 kg sugar, 5 kg tea powder, 2 utensil sets (each set containing 6 plates, 6 bowls, 6 tumblers, 1 pan, 1 pot and 2 ladles), etc among 20 families in Srinagar town from 30 October to 28 February.

4. Supply of Safe Drinking Water: Chhattisgarh: At the request of the State Government, Narainpur centre sunk 207 tube-wells from February 2014 to March 2015 in 150 remote and tribal villages of Abujhmarh where there was an outbreak of diarrhea caused by drinking contaminated water. † T h e

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Book Reviews

FOR REVIEW IN THE VEDANTA KESARI,

PUBLISHERS NEED TO SEND US TWO COPIES OF THEIR LATEST PUBLICATION.

FEAR NOT BE STRONG

By Swam Swami Tathagatananda Publish Published by Advaita Ashrama, Publication Department, 5 Dehi Kolkata 700 Entally Road, R 014.2013, paperback, 014.201 Rs.20. pp.56, Rs To mark the 150 th birth centenary year of ce Swami Vivekananda, number have been n umber books b published This book is d all over ov ver the world. wo one one such.

Though Thou Th ough gh a book book of mere 56 pages, it is full of strength and vigour. It encompasses within itself self the gist of Swamiji’s teachings.

In the first article ‘Fear not be Strong’ Swami Vivekananda is quoted thus, ‘Millions off years have passed since man first came here, and nd yet but one infinitesimal part of his powers hass been hat you manifested. Therefore, you must not say that are weak. How do you know what possibilities ities lie behind that degradation on the surface? You u know but little of that which is within you. For behind nd you is the ocean of infinite power and blessedness’. s’. That sets the tone of the book.

The next article titled ‘Swami Vivekananda ananda the Dynamic Monk’ talks about the sheerr magnetism and spiritual force displayed by Swamiji miji as witnessed by his admirers and devotees. Swamiji iji said, ‘the essence of my religion is strength’, reasserting the Upanishadic dictum, ‘This Self is not attainable by the weak’ (nayamatma balahinena labhyah). ‘We do not gain dynamism through physical power. We obtain it from the real spiritual reservoir hidden within us. Vedanta calls this storehouse of power the Atman or Self.’ ‘The greatest force is derived from the power of thought.

The finer the element, the more powerful it is. The silent power of thought influences people even at a distance, because mind is one as well as many.’

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Swamiji’s ideas for achievement of material progress through a Rajasic temperament have been vividly mentioned in the chapter ‘Swami Vivekananda’s Call for A Rajasic Temperament’.

Swamiji was of the firm belief that religion cannot be taught to empty bellies and material progress was needed to satisfy individual needs.

This book is worthy of inclusion in the educational curricula of our education system so that each child is made aware of the beautiful thoughts of man-making by our ancient Vedic Sanatana Dharma and the Upanishads as espoused

by Swamiji.

— SANTOSH KUMAR SHARMA, KHARA KHARAGPUR, WEST BENGAL

‘SWAMI VIVEKANANDA, A MUSICIAN – MUSICOLOGIST’.

Original in Tamil by PE. Mani, Translated by SU. Man Dr. Usha Mahadevan Published by Ramakrishna Mission Students Home, Mylapore, Mylapore Chennai - 600 004. Pa Pages: IV + 42.

Paperback.

Paperbac Price not stated.

The book serves as a tribute to the multifaceted personality As part of Swamiji’s p rsson pe onal alit ity y of Swamiji. A 150 1 0 th b 15 birth irtt h anniversary, ir a nniverss ary, a music mu festival was organized organize or zed d by the the Ramakrishna Ramakrishna Mission Students Home, Chennai, H Ch h i and d this hi book b k was released on the occasion.

Swamiji was not only a connoisseur of music but also a talented musician himself. Gifted with a melodious voice he charmed the Great Master Sri Ramakrishna who himself had a refined musical sense. The author, who has many books to his credit, narrates how Naren began to learn music from his 16th year and developed expertise in various systems of music, vocal and instrumental, including Western tradition. As in other fields, Swamiji excelled as a musician and musicologist.

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The author further brings out several interesting and informative events connected with Swamiji’s involvement in music.

The brief Appendix has some of Rabindranath Tagore’s songs translated into English.

Swamiji’s talents in music as revealed in this small book are fascinating and should be widely read. Books such as this focusing on specific aspects of Swamiji’s multifaceted personality are to be welcomed. ‘Music is the highest form of art and . . . highest form of worship’ says author in conclusion. Parents and teachers will do well to identify and encourage children who have hidden talents in fine arts. Arts like social sciences must be accorded adequate recognition to the same level as other academic disciplines. Their presence in society will pave the way for happiness, peace and love replacing violence. _______________________________ P. S. SUNDARAM, MUMBAI.

UNDERST NDERSTANDING VIVEKAN IVEKANANDA Publishe by Ramakrishna Published Mission Institute of Culture Kolkata – 700029. 2012.

Hardback, Hardbac Pp 798. Rs.400 s.400 The Th book under review is i a publication ion of a collection of articles collect les on Swami Vivekananda.

V The title of this anthology intriguing. g is quite q guing.

‘Understanding is not ‘Und ‘U nder erstan andi d ng Vivekananda’ Viv an easy subject subj su bjec ectt to tackle. He was such a multifaceted however much you facetted d personality pers pe r onality that howev ou try to t know know him more aspects of his h personality ity are revealed. The task appears to be endless. To every writer on Swami Vivekananda he appears to be different, revealing only those aspects in which ich the author is interested. This appears obvious to one who merely peruses the contents of this anthology. ology.

Most of the articles in this book are fresh contributions, except for four which have been b culled out of the past issues of the Bulletin of the Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture. The focal point is a study of the ideas of Swami Vivekananda as expressed by him through his speeches and writings. The authors of the articles have attempted to present an in-depth study of these ideas.

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The editors have not tried to categorize the articles and have published them as independent studies. This has given the authors a lot of flexibility in their presentation, instead of trying to confine their attention only to certain aspects.

The contributors come from various different backgrounds. Most of them are laymen, but there are a few articles from monks also. Most or almost all of the lay persons contributing are from the academic background. They have brought to bear upon their writings the precision they are accustomed to while writing technical papers and articles. It is difficult to single out any of them for more detailed analysis, since almost all of them are of uniformly high standard.

This book is one of several offerings of the Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture to commemorate the 150 th birthday of Swami Vivekananda and is sure to act as a catalyst in spreading Swamiji’s message among the youth of India. An added attraction of the book is the large number of photographs relating to Swami Vivekananda. Readers should be grateful to the Institute for this contribution to the scriptural literature of modern India. ______________________________ NVC SW SWAMY, BANGALORE

WALKING THE WALK—A KARMA YO OGA MANUAL

By Swam Swami Tyagananda Publishe Published by Sri Ramakrishna Math Chennai600004, 2013 Paperback pp129.Rs 55 The author of this small boo book was the former editor of Vedanta Kesari, and must be familiar mu to o many of o its readers.

Currently, Curr Cu rren ntl tly, y, he he is is Head of the t Ramakrishna Vedanta Boston, Veda dant nta a Society, So n, USA, and is also the Hindu Chaplain at Harvard and Massachusetts Ch Harv Ha rva ard d University an Institute of Technology. This is apparently his first book, and is all about Karma Yoga. It is based essentially on the set of lectures given by Swami Vivekananda in the United States, which has been published under the title ‘Karma Yoga’.

The book has five chapters: Yoga, Karma, Detachment, Practice and Freedom. The first

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chapter introduces the concept of Yoga to the reader. The author also discusses the classification ication of Yoga into four divisions: Karma, Bhakti, i, Raja and Jnana. He also briefly mentions how these se four Yogas are different aspects of the same discipline. pline.

The second chapter introduces the topic opic of the book, viz., Karma Yoga. The key concept of this Yoga is the ‘Rebirth Hypothesis’. Without this, it is difficult to realize the relevance of Karmaa Yoga in human life. The hypothesis also explains many inexplicable phenomena of human existence. nce. It gives a rational foundation to our actions. In the absence of it, life becomes a random phenomenon. menon.

But, once it is accepted, one can take one’s life fe into one’s own hands, as the author puts it.

The third chapter on Detachment relates ates to one more central aspect of Karma Yoga. Perhaps the deadliest enemy of a spiritual aspirant is Desire. It is the force that drives human beings to get entangled in actions, and more importantly to the results of actions. Once the human being is caught in the clutches of Desire, he becomes its slave, and a victim of the cycle of birth and birth. Only those who have mastered the art of performing actions, without developing a sense of attachment to the result, can avoid the pitfalls of human existence.

Then comes the chapter entitled ‘Practice’.

The question most often asked is: ‘Where does one begin?’ According to the author of this book, an aspirant should ask himself the question: ‘Am I eligible to practice Karma Yoga?’ Anyone who has the interest to lead a spiritual life, who has the determination to pursue the path, come what may, and has the faith that this path will lead him to the goal, is an eligible candidate. The very first step is to harmonize one’s actions, thoughts and speech.

The rest follows as a consequence. The author also gives a daily schedule for the practice. Finally, he describes the end result, a total sense of Freedom.

This book is, in a sense, a condensation of the famous set of lectures of Swami Vivekananda delivered in New York and London in the winter of 1895-96. There are profuse quotations from these lectures at the end of this book, supporting the statements of the author in the main text. The book will surely motivate the readers to read the original lectures of Swamiji, and thus lead them on to the ultimate source, the Bhagavad Gita. It is a book for which one should be grateful to the author. _______________________________ NVC SWAMY, BANGALORE

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ADI SHAN HANKARA—FINITE TO INFINITE

By Prem Prema Nandakumar Publishe Published by Chinmaya International Foundation, Internati Sankara Nilayam, Adi San Adi Sankara Marg, Veliyanad-682 313, Ernakulam Dt., Kerala.

Ernakula 2013, ha hardback, pp.250.

Rs.300.

God-incarnate, the worldGod-inc teacher, of the Vedic teac te ache herr, tthe he greatest he gre rea atest revivalist reviv Dharma, personality Dhar Dh arma m , an iconicc p ma ersonality in the world of spiritual philosophic thought, the indefatigable spirittua sp uall an and d ph phil ilosop phi h c thought barrier breaker and unifier, the mighty visionary and organizer, and the saviour of Hindu culture and spirituality for all times—these are some of the epithets commonly used to describe the superhuman phenomenon known as Adi Shankara. But for this Divine advent, the face of India would have been different today. The incredible enormity of Shankara’s feats is simply mind-boggling from human standards. The book, Adi Shankara—Finite to the Infinite is a commendable effort by the author to sculpt the image of one who lived for just thirty-two years on the mortal plane, but measured the Infinity through his life, deeds, and works.

The author of this book has deftly avoided getting into the waters of controversy regarding dates and times found in the other biographies.

She has based her work on Madhava Vidyaranya’s Shankara Digvijaya and has presented to us a fascinatingly cogent story of this great phenomenon.

It is an authentic account of Shankara’s life and works and will be counted among the finest monographs on the subject.

The author does not just drily narrate the course of events; she richly stuffs the events with concepts and ideas that keep evoking the reader’s choicest feelings. The Upanishads, the Brahma Sutras, Bhagavad Gita, Shankara’s mesmerizing compositions, his treatises, his stotras, the gods and goddesses of the Vedic pantheon, quotes of other saints and thinkers all intersperse the description of events. The narration captivates. The image of the Avatara, Adi Shankara, begins to emerge from its pages, and it possesses. By the time we reach the last page, we are bathed in a stream of supreme

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holiness and bliss. We are left with the feeling of having witnessed a divine drama—unbelievable, yet true. The lay reader will be wonderstruck, the historian’s curiosity will be intensified, and the spiritual aspirant’s sensitive mind will be catapulted lted from the finite to the realm of the Infinite.

The book is published by Chinmaya aya International Foundation. It has a benedictory tory note of the Revered Swami Tejomayananda of the Chinmaya Mission. There are sixteen chapters ters in the book. Out of these some are fully devoted oted to discussing Shankara’s immortal writings and compositions. People in general know Shankara kara only as a Jnani par excellence. They miss the other ther facet of his personality—the facet of being also so a Bhakta par excellence. This is where the author tho or has achieved great success. She has amazingly ngl gy succeeded in presenting Shankara in all his completeness. In him all the levels of life and an existence get properly placed and reconciled—the —the formless and the forms, the nirguna and the saguna, una, the appearing world and the Supreme Reality, Karma-Bhakti and Jnana, the highest Vedantic enquiry and temples and rituals, and the highest inaction and action. He clearly demarcates all the levels of life and experience, and yet he stands as the greatest leveller from the highest standpoint.

There are copious notes and references and also a rich bibliography, which reflect the erudition of the author. There is a good index and also two maps showing the places visited by Shankara during his spiritual conquests (digvijayas). The narration is lucid and simple. The author, Dr. Prema Nandakumar, is an eminent scholar of the Vedas, Sanskrit language, and Tamil epics. She has rendered a great service to humanity by writing this book. R. Balasubramanian has commendably edited the work. We are thankful to both of them. The book will be treasured by all the followers of Sanatana Dharma and spiritual thought.

In the eighth century AD, Shankara emerged and shone like the dazzle of the mid-day sun, dispelling the last trace of gloom that had come over the Indian sub-continent. His life was packed with intense action and super-human achievements which staggers the modern minds. It is left for the readers to explore this phenomenon. Undoubtedly, as the author says, Shankara is an unparalleled Spiritual Fire. His life and works burns all falsity and delusion to ashes and takes every man and T h e

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woman to where he or she belongs. This book is simply a gem of a work. _____________________________ SWAM SWAMI SHUDDHIDANANDA, ADVAITA ASHRAMA, KOLKATA

CLIMATE CHANGE & SUSTAINA USTAINABILITY ISSUES

By M.S Nanjundiah Publish Published by Southern Economist, No.9, 1st Main, Econom Complex,1st Jamia Masjid M Floor, 10 & 11 Palace Guttahalli, Bangalore-560 Guttaha 003. paperback, 00 0 3. 2013, 2 pp.480+xx, pp.480+ Rs.350.

Nanjundiah’s book is Nan a grim rreminder eminder to every citizen em world over.

Foreword, Swami tthee wo th worl rld d ov o e . In his F er Prabhananda, P ab Pr bhana nand nda, Vice President of Ramakrishna Math and d Mission, warns about the disaster as a result of unchecked global warming with emissions of greenhouse gases. Nations are aware of the threat but actions are inadequate for various reasons.

Swami Vivekananda in his unbounded wisdom had provided ideas for sustained growth.

The author points out that warnings have been sounded loud by high powered commissions of UN agencies and supported by studies such as the unpiloted ‘Global Hawk’. Climate changes and natural disasters are frequent phenomena contributed by clandestine deforestation and other reckless actions. He has explained every aspect that impinge on growth, both macro and micro levels, including design of buildings to conserve energy, automobile emission, power intensive industries, fossil fuel, renewable energy, Fukushima nuclear disaster and many others such as surface transport, aviation and marine transportation.

The book provides details of the lopsided economic development not only within a country but globally. Very useful suggestions, for example, in tackling congestion issues in urban areas through ‘Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS)’ are offered quoting studies conducted. Fiscal measures such as the ‘Carbon Tax’ have also been operational.

Growing urban poverty is alarming. According to the 2011 annual report of ‘Global Footprint Network’ . . . ‘takes the Earth one year and six months to regenerate what we use in a year’.

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In short an ethical and holistic approach must govern development activities particularly by large transnational corporations (MNCs).

To achieve this we need visionaries to manage the economy internationally. ‘Interconnectedness of the world’ makes it imperative for nations to act together. The wisdom of Swami Vivekananda quoted extensively should be the foundation to work on. Swamiji’s Vedanta visualizes an ‘integrated view of life’ covering physical, intellectual, moral and spiritual.

We must recognize the harmony of religion and science. In brief, one can enjoy life with due concern for others’ needs.

If there is concerted action based on this universal Truth, future generations can look forward to a safe Earth. Nanjundiah’s book provokes serious thoughts and should be included in the curriculum of universities. _______________________________ P. SS. SUNDARAM, MUMBAI

ANDAL AAND AKKA MAHADE AHADEVI

By Alka Tyagi Published by D.K. Printworld (P) Ltd. Vedasri, Printwo F-395, Sudarshan Park (Metro Station: Ramesh Nagar), N New Delhi-110 01511.

11 2014, 2014 Hardback, pp.278, Rs.650.

An attempt to bring out transforou ut the th intersemiotic inter mations in n the the h poetry of two medieval women wome wo men n saints sain sa ints ts off South India, Andal and Akka Mahadevi in general and Maha hade devi takes up Bhakti poetry poe Srivaishnavism in particular.

Sriv Sr ivai aish shna navi vism sm and and Veerashaivism Veerashaiv To put it simply, intersemiotic transformation means transforming one set of signs into another.

These two poetesses—Andal and Akka Mahadevi— received a heritage of devotional hymnology that broke new pathways from the Vedic tradition without going against it.

The Bhakti tradition emerged with the Tamil hymnologists (3-9 century AD). The Alvars hailed Vishnu as the Supreme and the Nayanmars paid allegiance to Shiva. In this devotional pool blossomed two great traditions: Srivaishnavism and Veerashaivism. Both of them have a sociological T h e

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relevance too, as they brought down caste-barriers and had a place of equality even for the Dalit population. A very important fall-out of this age was the reopening of woman’s space that had been lost to her since the Puranic times.

Alka Tyagi, the author of this work, has given a dependable study of the lives of Andal (8th century) and Akka Mahadevi (12th century). There are many points of comparison as also contrast. Both were hymnologists using their respective languages as waves of sweetness. Andal was unmarried and merged in the Lord at a very young age, leaving behind 173 verses which include some of the finest flights of bridal mysticism. Akka Mahadevi was married but went her way as her husband, who was a Jain, could not tolerate her devotion for the Veerasaiva Saranas. Such was her total renunciation that she used her long tresses alone to cover herself and nought else. Dr. Tyagi brings wide reading, discussions with eminent scholars, multi-disciplinary approach to the hymns as they are being perceived now and her own obvious love for the subject which make this work a valuable as well as appealing document.

Andal transforms the received tradition of man-woman relationship in ancient Tamil Aham poetry completely. The line drawings, as it were, are retained: passionate anxiety to meet the lover, the joy of union and the pain of separation are some of the components. But the human colours are gone. Now the aim is union with the Divine.

Dr. Tyagi rightly points out that Andal’s usage of Krishna myths come from the Harivamsha and Vishnupurana and not from the Bhagavata which was written later. For her the myths became an experienced reality thanks to the atmosphere around her: a devotion-drenched milieu, a father who was famed for his hymnology and the famous temple to Vatapatrasayi. So there is a natural transition from the human to the divine. Today her icons are worshipped in Vishnu temples and her marriage with the Lord (Andal Tiru-k-kalyanam) is a community experience of light and delight observed by the devotees.

Coming two centuries later, Akka Mahadevi’s passion for the Divine is equally vibrant. But we realize how much more difficult it is for a woman now to defy the received tradition. An important component of Veerashaivism is the Jangama, the sky-clad ascetic. Can a woman go around as a

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Jangama? Dr. Tyagi writes that Mahadevi’s fight had three levels. She had to free herself from the man-husband, from ‘men in the outside world who seemed ready to devour her like wolves’ and from saints like Allama Prabhu to whom she had to prove her virginity. Her life is touched by a note of terror at times. Her feminism, however, is not against the species called man. Why condemn the whole basket just because a few fruits are rotten?

Akka’s ecstatic praise of Veerashaiva saints like Basavanna and Siddaramayya puts everything in proper place.

It is Akka’s transformation of Tantra into Bhakti yoga that marks her out as a special aspirantachiever of medieval India. Generally, we tend to think of the medieval Veerashaiva hymnologists as having written only Vachanas (devotional hymns).

But there were a few who could conceptualise the sources of Bhakti too. Akka Mahadevi seems to have recognized the transformative possibilities of Tantric discipline and recorded the same in her Yoganga Trividhi, using what may be termed as a twilight language. Dr. Tyagi studies this esoteric work with perspicacity and brings out its Tantric content of a disciplined progression in spiritual life as also the Kundalini Yoga, and the total elevation of the guru ideal. Akka Mahadevi effectively juxtaposes the six chakras of Kundalini with the Shatsthala scheme in Veerashaiva philosophy.

It is enriching to read the book. Ultimately Andal or Akka Mahadevi, their goal is the same: Kainkarya (servitude) to the Supreme. They present two types of spiritual anabasis undertaken in the Bhakti mode. There may have been slight variations in the paths of these two luminous aspirants, but they were definitely led to the beatitude of coming face to face with the Lord. ___________________________ PREMA NANDAKUMAR, TRICHY

LIFE

By S.P. Chockalingam Publishe by Power PubliPublished shers, Sw Swabhumi Residency, P-12 M Motijheel Avenue, Block - 2, 1st Floor, Kolkata 700 074.

2013, pp.157, 07 hardback, hardbac Rs.250.

Life Lif is about the purpose on earth and it s of life l T h e

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attempts to explain the mystery behind human experiences. The lessons learnt are plenty, many of which will be familiar to those who have read or attended ethical/moral or spiritual discourses.

The utterances of many thinkers, mostly Western, have been cited in this context. The ills of the society identified here are also not new, but narrated in a different style. A few chosen at random are mentioned below.

Time constraint is a common excuse for many as time becomes our master, instead of being a servant. Mind power and its influence on body are phenomenal; it can even prepare a person to fall sick or recover.

These days, food, exercises, etc., have artificial flavour; busy executives find no time for a constitutional walk but go to a gym. Karma is casually cited as excuses. None talks of karma while enjoying comforts but remembers it during hard times. Avoid making comparisons of comfort levels with relatives or neighbours.

Religious and spiritual lessons of most faiths have been briefly mentioned as also on Yoga and meditation.

The concluding chapter titled ‘Magical Pathways’ sounds exotic and evokes curiosity.

However, the topics remind us about Swamiji’s exhortation to manifest the divinity within each one and to stand on one’s own legs. Further, each one creates his or her own destiny. As the author quotes, we find people claiming to know ‘. . . how other people should lead their lives, but none about his or her own’. The ‘pathways’ include ‘positive, productive and creative imaginations’, cultivating positive dreams, beliefs including the placebo effect of medical care. Faith, prayers, meditation and the noble traits of humility, gratitude, compassion, love and service are components of the ‘magical pathways’.

Many affluent parents are frustrated, unable to lead a life of contentment. They are unable to reconcile with the fact that children have their own minds, and find it hard to bring them up. They need specialist guidance in the form of ‘New age parenting’. As stated earlier a wide assortment of books is in the market from well-known publishers that provide guidance. However, it is good to have a wider choice and Chockalingam’s contribution should be welcomed as a valuable addition. _______________________________ P. S. SUNDARAM, MUMBAI.

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Spirituality Today The Centenary Issue of The Vedanta Kesari December 2014 Copies Available The Vedanta Kesari completed its century in 1914-2014.

One of India’s oldest religious monthlies in English with an uninterrupted circulation for 100 years, it celebrated its centenary by bringing out a Centenary Issue in December 2014.

• With Spirituality Today as its theme, the Centenary Issue has over three dozen articles by learned monks and scholars on what spirituality is, present trends in spiritual practices in India and abroad, essentials of spirituality and so on.

• ‘Hear, Ye Children of Immortal Bliss’—a special presentation of 16 colour pages with inspiring quotes on spirituality by the Holy Trio and others.

Pages 300. Now available for 30 rupees per copy. Postage rupees 11 per copy.

For more details, please write to: Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai - 600 014.

Email: magazine@chennaimath.org

From Delusion to Reality Bhaja Govindam of Sri Shankaracharya Bh

by Swami Gurudasananda O One of the most widely known Sanskrit compositions

by Ad Adi Shankaracharya, Bhaja Govindam (also called Moha Mudga Mudgara) extols the highest and noblest truths of Vedanta in exquis poetry. This book is a lucid explanation of these verses exquisite full of dispassion, holiness, devotion and highest knowledge.

T Text in Devanagari and English transliteration and meaning d with detailed elucidation.

Hardbound, H Hard Ha ard rdbo boun und, d Pages Pag ges x +86, +86 Price: Rs.45/- + Postage: Rs.25/-for single copy.

No request for VPP entertained Published by Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai - 600 004 Email : mail@chennaimath.org

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Swami Yatiswarananda As We Knew Him Reminiscences of Monastic and Lay Devotees Compiled and edited by the monks and devotees of the Ramakrishna order (A set of two volumes) Swami Yatiswarananda (1889-1966) was an eminent disciple of Swami Brahmananda Maharaj, the spiritual son of Sri Ramakrishna and the first President of the Ramakrishna Order. Swami Yatiswarananda lived with many direct disciples of Sri Ramakrishna and was the President of Mumbai and Chennai Centres of Ramakrishna Math before leaving for Europe in 1933. At the request of earnest devotees in Germany, he was sent to Germany, Switzerland, Holland, and later America. He returned to India in 1950 and was the President of Ramakrishna Math, Bangalore, from 1951 to 1966. He was one of the Vice Presidents of the Ramakrishna Order.

His well-known books, Adventures in Religious Life, and Meditation and Spiritual Life, are classics in holistic approach to spirituality, harmonizing the Four Yogas of Jnana, Karma, Bhakti and Dhyana.

Containing more than 100 articles by senior monks, nuns and devotees of the Ramakrishna Order, the new book has a detailed biography of Swami Yatiswarananda, select letters, precepts and several pictures.

An audio CD containing 16 recordings of his lectures and chanting are a part of the book.

Book Size : ‘Royal’, Hardbound Price: Rupees 200/- per set (total pages 1550) Postage: Rupees 100 per set (registered parcel) No request for VPP entertained

Published by Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai - 600004 Email: mail@chennaimath.org

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3XVXcXbTS 0aRWXeTb ^U cWT ETSP]cP :TbPaX ( # c^ ! #

New Release

DVD containing the archives of 101 years of the Vedanta Kesari V The Vedanta Kesari has been effectively disseminating Indian Ethos and Values, with d uninterrupted publication for 101 years. This entire u ccollection of archival articles (1914-2014) by scholars aand thinkers, savants and admirers, monks and practitioners of Vedanta is now available in one DVD. p With search facility indexed author-wise, title-wise, W yyear-wise and by keywords, plus other features, this vveritable encyclopedia of Vedanta is now available to yyou at the click of a button!

Price: Rs.300/-Packing and Posting charges: Rs.60/P (within India) For ordering your copy, draw your DD in favour of Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai and send to: The Manager, Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai – 600004.

You can also order Online. Email : mail@chennaimath.org Published by Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai - 600 004

New Release

Manifesting Inherent Perfection Education for Complete Self-improvement T This book attempts to discuss the ‘inside’ of education which is man-making. A collection of 50 writings on various aspects of education ‘in its widest sense’, this book presents aspect Indian worldview of divinity of man and unity of existence. the Ind Compiled from the archives of The Vedanta Kesari, these Comp writings deal with various aspects of education, including the writing ideas of Yoga and Vedanta which are of great value to all key id educationists and students. ‘As long as I live, so long do I learn,’ educat said Sri Ramakrishna. This handy volume on education draws sa aid Sr our attention to this fact through articles, stories and personal o ur att accounts of monks, teachers, students, scholars and commoners. accoun

Hardbound, Hard Ha rdbound, Pages 586, 586 Price: Rs.250/- Postage: Rs.75/-for single copy.

No request for VPP entertained Published by Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai - 600 004 Email : mail@chennaimath.org

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

An Appeal 35 Years of Service to Humanity 1979–2014 1. Navajeevan School & Hostel for Blind Children ‒ Tirupati, Parlekhimundi, Golamunda 2. Navajeevan Free Eye Hospital ‒ Tirupati 3. Navajeevan Free Home for Aged ‒ Tirupati, Rishikesh, Parlekhimundi and Chennai 4. Navajeevan Annaksetram - Kothapeta / Rishikesh 5. Navajeevan Sharanagati Vridhashram ‒ Tirupati 6. Navajeevan Rural Medical Centres - Berhampur [Orissa] 7. Navajeevan Eye Care Centres - Serango & Kalahandi [Orissa] 8. Navajeevan Orphanage Children Homes ‒ Tirupati, Parlehkimundi, Saluru, Golamunda, Berhampur, Pandukal, Vizag & Araku

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

Contributions to NAVAJEEVAN BLIND RELIEF CENTRE, Tirupati are eligible for Tax Relief U/S 80G of Income Tax Act. Our Bank details for online transfer : Bank Name : Indian Bank , Gandhi Road Branch, Tirupati SB A/c No: 463789382, Account Holder : Navajeevan Blind Relief Centre, Branch Code: T036, IFSC code: IDIB000T036,

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

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Vol.102-5 The Vedanta Kesari (English Monthly) May 2015. Regd. with the Registrar of Newspapers for India under No.1084 / 1957. POSTAL REGISTRATION NUMBER:TN / CH (C) / 190 / 15-17. LICENSED TO POST WITHOUT PREPAYMENT TN/PMG(CCR)/WPP-259 / 2015-2017.

Date of Publication: 24th of every month

Teach yourselves, teach everyone his/her real nature, call upon the sleeping soul and see how it awakes.

Power will come, glory will come, goodness will come, purity will come, and everything that is excellent will come, when this sleeping soul is roused to self-conscious activity.

—Swami Vivekananda

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