What is Religion?

Religion Is Between You and Your God

Religion is only between you and your God, and no third person must come between you. 1 It is interesting to note how Swamiji has systematically removed the dross from religion, and has distilled out the purest form of religion.

‘Religion is not going to church, or putting marks on the forehead, or dressing in a peculiar fashion; you may paint yourselves in all the colors of the rainbow, but if the heart has not been opened, if you have not realized God, it is all vain. If one has the colour of the heart, he does not want any external colour. That is the true religious realization. We must not forget that colours and all these things are good so far as they help; so far they are all welcome. But they are apt to degenerate and instead of helping they retard, and a man identifies religion with externalities. Going to the temple becomes tantamount to spiritual life. Giving something to a priest becomes tantamount to religious life. These are dangerous and pernicious, and should be at once checked. Our scriptures declare again and again that even the knowledge of the external senses is not religion. That is religion which makes us realize the Unchangeable One, and that is the religion for everyone. He who realizes transcendental truth, he who realizes the Atman in his own nature, he who comes face to face with God, sees God alone in everything, has become a Rishi. And there is no religious life for you until you have become a Rishi. Then alone religion begins for you, now is only the preparation. Then religion dawns upon you, now you are only undergoing intellectual gymnastics and physical tortures.’ 2

objection advanced: “What good can religion do? Can it take away the poverty of the poor?” Supposing it cannot, would that prove the untruth of religion? Suppose a baby stands up among you when you are trying to demonstrate an astronomical theorem, and says, “Does it bring gingerbread?” “No, it does not”, you answer. “Then,” says the baby, “it is useless.” Babies judge the whole universe from their own standpoint, that of producing gingerbread, and so do the babies of the world. We must not judge of higher things from a low standpoint. Everything must be judged by its own standard and the infinite must be judged by the standard of infinity. Religion permeates the whole of man’s life, not only the present, but the past, present, and future. It is, therefore, the eternal relation between the eternal soul and the eternal God. Is it logical to measure its value by its action upon five minutes of human life? Certainly not.’ 3

‘Religion is not in books, nor in theories, nor in dogmas, nor in talking, not even in reasoning. It is being and becoming. Ay, my friends, until each one of you has become a Rishi and come face to face with spiritual facts, religious life has not begun for you. Until the superconscious opens for you, religion is mere talk, it is nothing but preparation. You are talking second-hand, thirdhand,’ 4

‘Religion is not talk, or doctrines, or theories; nor is it sectarianism. Religion cannot live in sects and societies. It is the relation between the soul and God; how can it be made into a society? It would then degenerate into business, and wherever there are business and business principles in religion, spirituality dies.

Religion does not consist in erecting temples, or building churches, or attending public worship. It is not to be found in books, or in words, or in lectures, or in organizations. Religion consists in realization. As a fact, we all know that nothing will satisfy us until we know the truth for ourselves. However we may argue, however much we may hear, but one thing will satisfy us, and that is our own realization; and such an experience is possible for every one of us if we will only try. The first ideal of this attempt to realize religion is that of renunciation.’ 5

‘Religion is not for the many; that is impossible. A sort of knee-drill, standing up and sitting down, may be suited for the many; but religion is for the few.’

Religion is not in doctrines, in dogmas, nor in intellectual argumentation; it is being and becoming, it is realization. 6 Religion is here and now, in this present life. ’7

‘Religion is not an imitation of Jesus or Mohammed. 8 Religion is not a thing of imagination but of direct perception.’ 9

References 1) The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda. [hereafter CW] Vol-1: Lectures and Discourses: The

Gita III 2) CW. Vol-3: Lectures from Colombo to Almora: The

Work Before Us 3) CW. Vol-3: Lectures and Discourses: Unity, The Goal of Religion 4) CW.Vol-3: Lectures from Colombo to Almora: The

Sages of India 5) CW. Vol-4: Lectures and Discourses: My Master 6) CW. Vol-2: Bhakti or Devotion 7) CW. Vol-4: Lectures and Discourses: The Claims of

Religion 8) CW. Vol-1: Lectures and Discourses: Mohammed 9) CW. Vol-5: Sayings and Utterances

You have only one mind, and if you fill it with everything that is written in various books and everything that has been said by various people, you will only get confused.

Have firm faith that whatever is to be achieved in spiritual life can be achieved by japa and meditation.

Know thi s for cer tain , tha t the Lord’s name cuts through all obstacles. However you may do it, whether perfectly or imperfectly, keep on repeating His name, which has a power of its own. —Swami Subodhananda, a direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna

125 th Anniversary of Chicago Addresses : Concluding Programme

seminar. The Youth Convention was addressed by Swami Balabhadrananda, one of the Asst. Gen. Secretaries of the Order, Swami Divyananda, a senior Trustee of the Order, Dr. Partha Chatterjee, Minister of Education, Govt. of West Bengal, Sri Vinayak Lohani, the founder of Parivaar, a humanitarian organization and others. The Valedictory meeting was presided by Srimat Swami Vagishananda Ji, one of the Vice-Presidents of the Order and addressed by Swami Chetanananda, Minister-in-Charge, Vedanta Society of St. Louis, Janab Firhad Hakim, Mayor of Kolkata, Sri Harsha Dutta, Former Editor of Desh Patrika and other sannyasis and dignitaries. Swami Suvirananda Ji participated in some of these programmes.

National Seminars across India

National Level Seminars on different themes apropos to the event of Chicago Addresses like ‘Hinduism for Youth’, ‘Relevance of Swami Vivekananda in Regeneration of Indian culture’, ‘Swami Vivekananda’s Universal Message’ were held at the following centres: Rajkot on 4 th Aug (700), Mangaluru on 10 th Aug (635), Pune on 11 th Aug (425), Delhi on 7 th Sept (540), Kanpur on 11 th Sept (300), Mysuru on 20 th and 21 st Sept (1100) and Chennai Math on 21 st Sept (220).

Sri Narendra Modi, Hon’ble Prime Minister of India sent his message for the seminar at Rajkot. The seminar at Mysuru was held in collaboration with the University of

Belur Math

Puri

Mysore at the Senate Bhavan Manasagangotri. A special feature of the seminar at Chennai Math was more than 70 paper submissions on 11 different themes and presentations of the 24 short-listed ones by the youth participants.

Jagadguru Sri Shivarathri Deshikendra Mahaswamiji, the 24 th pontiff of Sri Suttur Math, Sri Dr. Nirmalanandanatha Swamiji, Pontiff, Adichinchungiri Mahasamsthana Math, Srimat Swami Gautamananda Ji, Swami Veetamohananda, Minister-in-Charge, Centre Vedantique Ramakrishna, Gretz, France, Swami Balabhadrananda, and Swami Satyeshananda, two Asst. Gen. Secretaries of the Order, Swami Muktidananda, Adhyaksha, Sri Ramakrishna Ashrama, Mysuru, Swami Nityasthananda, Secretary, Ramakrishna Mission, Davanagere, Swami Tyagananda, Minister-in-Charge, Vedanta Society of Boston and the Hindu chaplain at Harvard and MIT, Swami Atmapriyananda, Vice-Chancellor, Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Educational & Research Institute, Belur Math, Swami Shantatmananda, Secretary, Ramakrishna Mission, New Delhi, Swami Yuktatmananda, Minister-in-Charge, Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Center, New York, USA, Swami Nikhileswarananda, Adhyaksha, Sri Ramakrishna Mission Asharma, Rajkot, Swami Atmashraddhananda, Secretary, Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama, Kanpur, Swami Suddhidananda, Adhyaksha, Advaita Ashrama, Mayavati, Rajamata of Baroda Her Highness Shubhanginiraje Gaekwad, Chancellor of the Maharaja Sayajirao University, Prof. Abhay

Mysuru

Rajkot

Khetri

Faridpur, Bangladesh

Karandikar, Dircetor, IIT Kanpur, Prof. Makarand Paranjape, Director, Indian Institute of Advanced Study, Shimla, Dr. Nitinkumar Pethani, Vice-Chancelllor, Saurashtra University, Prof. P.S. Yadapadithaya, Vice-Chancellor, Mangalore University, Prof. G. Hemantha Kumar, Vice-Chancellor, University of Mysore, Dr. M.K. Surappa, Vice-Chancellor, Anna University, Chennai, Dr. Sudha Seshayyan, ViceChancellor, The Tamilnadu Dr.M.G.R. Medical University, Prof. (Retd.) Sumita Roy, Dept. of English, Osmania University, Hyderabad, Dr. Sunita Singh Sengupta, Head & Dean, Faculty of Management Studies, University of Delhi and Founder & Honorary Convener of ISOL Foundation, Delhi, Smt. Jyotiben Thanki, popular Gujarati writer, Sri Vinayak Lohani, Sri Rajiv Mehrotra, noted writer and documentary film-maker, Dr. K. Venkatesham, IPS, Commissioner of Police, Pune, Sri Sharad Vivek Sagar, an Indian Social Entrepreneur & CEO of Dexterity Global, Dr. V. Srinivas, Founder-CEO, Illumine Knowledge Resources, Mumbai, Sri Chakravarthy Sulibele, Founder of Yuva Brigade, Bengaluru, Sri Vijay Menon, mentor and motivation speaker from Kozhikode and several other sannyasis and dignitaries addressed in one or more of these seminars.

Programmes at Branch Centres

In West Bengal, (i) 13 Youth Conventions and lecture programmes, attended by about 3144 students and others, were held by the a s h ra m a s a t A n t p u r, B a j e p ra t a p u r (Bardhaman), Baranagar Math, Cooch Behar, Cossipore, Gourhati, Joyrambati, Kankurgachi, Purulia, Rahara, Shyampukur Bati, Taki and Tamluk; (ii) Cultural competitions were organised by centres at Taki (155 students), Manasadwip (203 students from 19 schools), Bagda and Purulia (jointly 4500 students from 132 education institutions); and (iii) Devotees’ Conventions/Public Meetings were conducted by the centres at Kathamrita Bhavan, RajarhatBishnupur, Taki, Baranagar Mission, Baghbazar, Bamunmura, Barasat, Gadadhar ashrama, Jalpaiguri, and Medinipur in which 4805 people participated. Jalpaiguri ashrama held a series of programmes— conventions for devotees, youths, and military personnel, an interfaith meet, four public meetings and a few cultural events— at the centre from 22 nd to 27 th Sept attended by about 3000 people. Chandigarh centre arranged special lectures at Punjab University on 2 nd Sept and Sri Pratap Chandra Sarangi, Minister of State in the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India addressed the Youth Convention at Puri Mission on 22 nd Sept.

Cultural/Essay/Oratorical competitions over different periods were held for students by centres at Hatamuniguda (400), Vijayawada (32,391 from 257 schools and 7000 from 15

Delhi

Kanpur

Chennai

colleges), Visakhapatnam (5840 from 152 colleges in 4 districts), Chennai Math (5000 from 125 schools), Chennai Students’ Home (200 from 14 polytechnic colleges in 3 districts), Coimbatore Mission Vidyalaya (3191 at 44 schools/colleges), Ramanathapuram (915 students and 40 teachers from 12 schools and 2 colleges), Davanagere (800), Prayagraj (600 from 37 schools/colleges), Guwahati (230 from 35 schools), Shillong (3500), Aalo (1200 from 9 schools and a university) and Narottam Nagar (1800 from 12 schools in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh).

Youth programmes including speeches, cultural events, processions, spiritual retreat etc., were conducted at the following centres: Puri Mission (284), Hyderabad (2000), Kadapa (1100), Visakhapatnam (1000), Bengaluru (665), Mangaluru (2500), Mysuru (300), Ponnampet (526), Aurangabad (476), Pune (450 in a convention and 10,000 at lectures in 34 colleges), Limbdi (1000), Porbandar (1131 in 10 workshops), Rajkot (400), Khetri (1362), Jammu (360 from 10 schools), Almora (80), Dehradun (325), Shyamla Tal (400), Vrindaban (250) and Karimganj (360).

The following centres arranged Public Meetings, Devotee’s Conventions and Seminars: Vijayawada (500), Coimbatore Math (150), Coimbatore Mission Vidyalaya (168), Madurai (900), Koyilandy (350), Nagpur (300), Pune (250), Indore (150), Narainpur (1500), Raipur (300), Vadodara (300), Khetri (190), Chandigarh (300), Prayagraj (300), Guwahati (400), Karimganj (250), Aalo and Kailashahar. Srimat Swami Gautamananda Ji addressed the programmes at Narainpur and Raipur. Srimat Swami Suhitananda Ji, one of the VicePresidents of the Order gave a special talk in Karimganj before 300 devotees. On 11 Sept Shillong ashrama arranged a public meeting at the Meghalaya Raj Bhavan in which Sri Tathagata Roy, Governor of Meghalaya addressed the gathering. On the same day, Narottam Nagar centre held a public meeting in which Sri Chowna Mein, Deputy Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh addressed the gathering

Kadapa asharma flagged off on 7 th Sept a Vivekananda Ratha which will pass through six districts in Andhra Pradesh in the next few weeks, and will disseminate Swamiji’s message.

Teachers’ conventions were held in the ashramas at Tirupati (200), Chennai Mission (200), Nattarampalli (370), Pune (400) and Khetri (278).

Interfaith meetswere held on 11 th Sept by Hatamuniguda (800), and Rajkot ashramas (400). The meet at Rajkot Ashrama was organised in collaboration with the Parliament of World’s Religions and was approved as a Post-Parliament Event as a follow-up of the Parliament of World’s Religions held at Toronto from 1-7 November, 2018.

Programmes Abroad

Bangladesh: Four Public Meetings for devotees: One meeting on 15 th Sept at Faridpur Ashrama (350) and three meetings from 30 th – 31 Aug by the Chittagong Ashrama (2500).

Amstelveen Ashrama, Netherlands held a Public Meeting on 15 th Sept. Phoenix Ashrama held on 7 th Sept a Seminar in Durban (65 people) and a Public Meeting on 9 th Sept in the centre (350 devotees). Johannesburg Ashrama held a Seminar on 25 th Aug at a public auditorium (100).

Pune

Narainpur

Shyampukur Bati