The Vedanta Kesari – February 2020 issue

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Vedanta Kesari February 2020

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The Vedanta Kesari

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Cover Story Sri Ramakrishna : A Divine Incarnation page 11

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A Cultural and Spiritual Monthly of the Ramakrishna Order since 1914

F ebruary 2020

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Mylapore Rangoli competition To preserve and promote cultural heritage, the Mylapore Festival conducts the Kolam contest every year on the streets adjoining Kapaleswarar Temple near Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai.

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T he V edanta K esari

A Cultural and Spiritual Monthly of The Ramakrishna Order

107

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CONTENTS

Publication

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Vol. 107, No. 2 ISSN 0042-2983

FEBRUARY 2020

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Sri Ramakrishna: A Divine Incarnation Swami Tapasyananda

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Women Saints of Varkari Tradition Arpana Ghosh

Vivekananda Rock Memorial

FEATURES 8 Atmarpanastuti 9 Yugavani 10 Editorial 18 Reminiscences 27 Vivekananda Way 36 Special Report 51 Pariprasna 53 The Order on the March

Sri Ramakrishna and the Pilgrimage Mindset Swami Chidekananda

A Curious Boy Gitanjali Murari

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le Ta

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Sri Ramakrishna Vijayam – Touching 100 Years

Poorva: Magic, Miracles and the Mystical Twelve Lakshmi Devnath

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Editor: Swami Mahamedhananda

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

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February 2020

The

The Vedanta Kesari

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Vedanta

of 95 sue r 18 s i e t b em Firs ept He was a much-celebrated and much-feted Swami.

S , din a v a His famous address at The World’s Parliament of Religions, hm Bra Chicago in 1893 had catapulted him to the status of a super star. But Swami Vivekananda was not one to bask in chaffy glory. A letter to one of his trusted followers, from the USA, dated 12 Jan 1895, read, ‘I want to preach my ideas for the good of the world. …What work have you done in the way of advancing the ideas and organising in India? …My life is more precious than spending it in getting the admiration of the world. I have no time for such foolery.’

Swamiji, as Swami Vivekananda was fondly addressed, loved and revered his motherland as his own mother. Every breath of his aspired for her well being and every cell in his body yearned that she regain her lost glory. She had been a beacon light for the world until repeated invasions pillaged her ruthlessly and left her not just poverty-stricken but also psychologically drained. The latter struck at the very core, underlying the urgency for immediate redressal.

Swamiji’s panacea for this lay in India’s very own practical and ennobling Vedantic wisdom.

Vedanta recognises no weakness. It proclaims that in every individual lies a mine of strength.

All that is needed is an effort to draw from it.

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

If selflessness and devotion would have a form, it would have borne the name of Alasinga Perumal.

Brahmavadin became Alasinga’s calling and the first issue rolled out from a press in Broadway, Chennai on 14 September 1895. The magazine included a First iss ue of The Ved anta Ke poem of Swamiji specially composed for the sari, Ma y 1914 occasion. It was titled, ‘The Song of the Sannyasin’.

One verse ran thus:

Kesari

One hundred and seven years and going strong….

“Strike off thy fetters! Bonds that bind thee down, Love, hate — good, bad — and all the dual throng,

With this message that marked its mission, Brahmavadin made a determined entry into the strife-ridden climate of pre-independence India. The birth of the magazine was certainly an occasion for celebration but the struggles were far from over.

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

Bolstered by this pledge, Alasinga Perumal braved on, surmounting many an impediment.

Sadly, Swami Vivekananda passed away in 1902, at the age of thirty-nine. Alasinga’s intense anguish morphed into heightened devotion towards the magazine. But the next hurdle in Brahmavadin’s journey came in 1909, in the form of Alasinga’s own demise. In May 1914, the magazine, tottering as it was, floundered and ground to a halt.

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

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

It is a celebration of love, transcending forms.

ECO-FRIENDLY Trees are the life-breath of our world. To support environment conservation The Vedanta Kesari is printed on paper prepared mainly from sugarcane bagasse.

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(Handwritten words in Swamiji’s own hand)

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Atmarpanastuti Sri Appayya Dikshitendra

February 2020

Sloka - 5 त्वं वेदान्तैर्विविधमहिमा गीयसे विश्वनेतस्त्वं विप्राद्यैर्वरद निखिलैरिज्यसे कर्मभिस्स्वैः । त्वं दृष्टानुश्रविकविषयानन्दमात्रावितृष्णरन्तर्ग्रन्थिप्रविलयकृते चिन्त्यसे योगिवृन्दैः ॥ 5

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5) O Lord of the Universe! Your innumerable glories are sung in the upanishads. O Bestower of boons, you are worshipped by Brahmanas and others by the performance of the rites assigned to them. You are meditated upon by yogis who have developed distaste for all enjoyments in this world and in other (higher) worlds, for the loosening of the internal knot (of bondage).

Sloka - 6 ध्यायन्तस्त्वां कतिचन भवं दुस्तरं निस्तरन्ति त्वत्पादाब्जं विधिवदितरे नित्यमाराधयन्तः । अन्ये वर्णाश्रमविधिरता पालयन्तस्त्वदाज्ञां सर्वं हित्वा भवजलनिधावेष मज्जामि घोरे ॥ 6

6) Some cross over this transmigratory existence, which is very difficult to cross, by meditating on You; others by always worshipping Your lotus-feet in the manner laid down in the scriptures; and yet others; who are devoted to the rules of Varna and Ashrama by obeying Your commands in that respect. Not following any of these paths, I am being submerged in the terrible ocean of samsara.

Sloka - 7 उत्पद्यापि स्मरहर महत्युत्तमानां कुलेऽस्मिन्नास्वाद्य त्वन्महिमजलधेरप्यहं शीकराणून् । त्वत्पादार्चविमुखहृदयश्चापलादिन्द्रियाणां व्यग्रस्तुच्छेष्वहह जननं व्यर्थयाम्येष पापः ॥ 7

7) O Destroyer of Cupid! In spite of having been born in this lineage of great men, and having imbibed some drops of the ocean of Your glories, with my mind turned away from the worship of Your feet, and because of the fickleness of my senses, alas! I, this sinner, am engaged in trifles and am making my birth futile.

Translated by Sri. S.N. Sastri.

Yugavani

Sri Ramakrishna looked at the householder devotees seated around him and said with a smile: Why shouldn’t it be possible for a householder to give his mind to God? But the truth is that he no longer has his mind with him. If he had it, then he could certainly offer it to God. But, alas, the mind has been mortgaged—mortgaged to ‘lust and gold’. So it is necessary for him constantly to live in the company of holy men. When, he gets back his own mind, then he can devote it to spiritual practice. Either he should think of God in solitude day and night, or he should live with holy men.

Holy company begets yearning for God. It begets love of God. Nothing whatsoever is achieved in spiritual life without yearning. By constant living in the company of holy men, the soul becomes restless for God.

What are the spiritual disciplines that give the mind its upward direction? One learns all this by constantly living in holy company. The rishis of olden times lived either in solitude or in the company of holy persons; therefore, they could easily renounce ‘lust and gold’ and fix their minds on God. They had no fear nor did they mind the criticism of others.

It is good to live in the company of holy men now and then. The disease of worldliness has become chronic in man. It is mitigated, to a great extent, in holy company.

Whatever may be a householder’s profession, it is necessary for him to live in the company of holy men now and then. If a man loves God, he will himself seek the company of holy men.

Repeat God’s name and sing His glories, and keep holy company; and now and then visit God’s devotees and holy men. The mind cannot dwell on God if it is immersed day and night in worldliness, in worldly duties and responsibilities; it is most necessary to go into solitude now and then and think of God. — Sri Ramakrishna

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hen the Divine Mother was born as the daughter of King Himavan, She showed Her various forms to Her father. The king said, “I want to see Brahman.” Thereupon the Divine Mother said: “Father, if that is your desire, then you must seek the company of holy men.”

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

Holy Company

February 2020

Editorial

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O

Seek God Wholeheartedly

nce a theatre artist who had come to perform in a devotional play at the Dakshineswar Kali temple, asked Sri Ramakrishna, “How does one realise the Atman?”

Sri Ramakrishna replied, “Longing is the means of realising Atman. A man must strive to attain God with all his body, with all his mind, and with all his speech.”

This was also Jesus Christ’s counsel to a Jewish lawyer who asked “Which is the great commandment in the Law?” Jesus gave two commandments, of which the first is, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.”

What does it mean to strive with all our mind, all our speech, and all our body?

It means to hunger for God with our whole personality. Our mind should be filled only with the leela and teachings of the Lord; our ears should hear only the singing of His name and glories; our eyes should behold only His form and His devotees; our lips should constantly repeat only His name; and our hands should serve only the Lord and His devotees.

The scriptures teach us, “Whatever ought to be given up, has to be given up with body, mind and speech, and whatever ought to be accepted, has to be accepted similarly. Then and then only will the aspirant be fit to realise God.” A perfect example of one who practised this is Sri Ramakrishna. As soon as he heard that wealth was as worthless as a clod of earth, he “took a few coins and clods of earth and threw them into the Ganga, repeating over and over again, rupee–earth, earth–rupee.” This idea became so internalised that if he even unwittingly touched a coin, his body retracted with sharp pain! To overcome the vanity of his high caste and acquire humility, he thoroughly

cleaned with his own hands the drain of the temple sweeper’s residence. Again, in order to reinforce his knowledge that Shiva is in all beings, “he ate and put on his head, as Prasada, a little of the leavings from the leaf-plates of the poor people” at the Kali temple.

The body and the senses have their own animal level intelligence and instincts. And the mind is a huge storehouse of samskaras – positive and negative. Harmonising thought, word, and action is the first step in disciplining and sublimating these instincts and samskaras.

This disciplining will empower us to understand and experience subtle spiritual ideas. And this unification and purification of body, senses, and mind is called Trikarana Shuddhi.

The first step towards Trikarana Shuddhi is to hold on to truth in our everyday life. In general, even those of us who are serious about spiritual life, become hypocrites due to carelessness or laziness. We have one thing in our mind but something else on our lips. Again we say one thing and act differently. And an untruthful personality can never realise the ultimate Truth.

Once Sri Ramakrishna agreed to visit a neighbouring devotee’s house. But he remembered about it only late at night.

Immediately he went over to the devotee’s house. Though the household was asleep, he stepped into their premises just to keep his word. There are numerous other such examples from the life of saints. Though it may appear impractical, the point is, it is the way to train the mind to hold on to truth.

Finally, another thing we can practice is to put all our mind, all our speech, and all our body into whatever work we do – everyday activities and duties of life. This will give us the strength to seek God wholeheartedly.

Cover Story

Sri Ramakrishna: A Divine Incarnation SWAMI TAPASYANANDA

Now, in the brand of Advaita which Tota Puri professed, there was not much room for a

Personal God or the Divine Mother, who had hitherto been a part and parcel of Sri Ramakrishna’s life. In this connection there is an interesting incident that took place later that reveals Tota Puri’s attitude on this question. One day, while in Tota Puri’s company, Sri Ramakrishna, at the approach of dusk, began to clap his hands and take the Divine Name, as was his daily habit.

Thereupon Tota, who could not appreciate such devotional habits, sarcastically asked him, “Are you making chapatis?” Nevertheless, he offered to initiate him into sannyasa and teach him Vedanta, and Sri Ramakrishna agreed to the proposal, provided he had the permission of h i s M o t h e r. To t a P u r i understood the term ‘Mother’ to mean his earthly mother, and with a suppressed cynicism, asked him to hurry to get that permission. Sri Ramakrishna approached his Divine Mother and prayed to Her in an ecstatic mood to give him the right direction, and received the command: “Be initiated by him. Tota Puri has been sent here only for that purpose.”

So, the day for initiation was fixed, and the ceremony took place in a hut under the Panchavati in the temple compound. After sannyasa, Tota imparted the teaching of Advaita Vedanta, the purport of which is that Brahman

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owards the close of 1865, some three or four months after Sri Ramakrishna had completed the sadhana of madhura-bhava, there arrived at Dakshineswar an august personage who was to play an important role in Sri Ramakrishna’s life. That was Tota Puri, a sannyasin of the Naga sect, who was an adept in Advaita Vedanta, and who, as a symbol of his having overcome bodyconsciousness, went about naked from one holy place to another. Sri Ramakrishna called him Nangta, or the Naked One. He is said to have practised Advaita discipline for forty years on the banks of the N a r m a d a a n d to h ave attained nirvikalpa samadhi.

After that, it was his habit to go about the country, always staying in the open, and never remaining in any place for more than three days. As Rani Rasmani’s temple extended hospitality to all wandering ascetics, Tota Puri also halted there on his return journey from Gangasagar. Sri Ramakrishna soon got acquainted with him, and Tota recognised in the former a highly competent spiritual aspirant to whom he felt inclined to impart the spiritual illumination he had gained.

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

What is the Vedanta preached by Sri Ramakrishna? A brief answer is found in this selection from Synthesis of Vedanta, published last year by Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai. The book is itself a compilation from two books by the author – Sri Ramakrishna: Life and Teachings and Bhakti Schools of Vedanta. Swami Tapasyananda (1904 – 1991) was one of the Vice-presidents of the Ramakrishna Order. Cover page artist: Sri Maniyam Selvan, Chennai.

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alone is real, that the world is a mere appearance projected by ignorance and having no ultimacy, and that the jiva in his real nature is Brahman Himself.

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The teacher asked the pupil to practise discrimination along these lines and take the mind to a state of contentless self-awareness.

When Sri Ramakrishna attempted to do so, the form of the Divine Mother always arose before him. Under the persuasive compulsion of Tota Puri, he fixed the mind between the brows and, when the Mother’s form appeared, he conceived of jnana (knowledge) as a sword with which he cut through that form, thus dissolving it in Pure Consciousness. His mind then merged in nirvikalpa samadhi or absorption in Unmodified Consciousness, the highest attainment of Advaitic spiritual discipline.

He remained in that summit state of Consciousness for three days continuously. Tota Puri was stupefied with wonder to see that his disciple had attained nirvikalpa samadhi so quickly and effortlessly, whereas he himself had taken forty years of strenuous practice to attain it.

All of those who came to teach Sri Ramakrishna got ample returns from his company in the form of completion of what was still imperfect in their spiritual attainments.

Thus, Jatadhari came to realise in Sri Ramakrishna’s company that his Ishta, Ramlala, was not a mere presence in the image, but the Universal Being pervading everything. The Bhairavi Brahmani also had her knowledge perfected by Sri Ramakrishna’s association. It was, however, in the case of Tota Puri that a conversion was effected under conditions that looked like a miracle in a real sense.

We have already observed that Tota had little regard for a Personal God. He accepted only the Impersonal Absolute, the Brahman of the Vedanta, and considered the idea of a Personal God, a Divine Person, who is the Creator, Preserver, etc. of the universe and the bestower of grace on devotees, as a figment of

the imagination, like the world of duality itself.

This extreme and unbalanced form of Advaitic conviction got corrected in Sri Ramakrishna’s company. It happened this way:

Instead of his usual three days, Tota continued to stay at Dakshineswar for several months; and in the course of it he became the victim of an attack of an excruciating form of dysentery, which medicines failed to relieve.

The suffering was so intense that even the disciplined mind of Tota found it difficult to keep itself above body-consciousness, absorbed in Brahman. He therefore thought it better to put an end to that stumbling-block of a body.

With this end in view, he walked into the Ganges towards the deeper levels, where the water would be sufficient to drown him. But to his astonishment, he found that even though he waded almost over to the other bank, the water in the river was too shallow to drown him.

At this point, a new revelation came to the astonished mind of Tota. His conviction till then had been that the Ultimate Reality is Pure Being but he realised through a new revelation that It was Pure Will also. It is this Cosmic Will, the Power of Brahman, that Sri Ramakrishna knew as the Divine Mother and that Tota had denied so far. Now, from his incapacity to court even selfchosen death, he found that without the sanction of that Divine Will, the Reality of realities, not a leaf can move in this world. He realised the glory of the Divine Mother in everything, and became a changed man. By Sri Ramakrishna’s grace, his knowledge was completed when he thus came to understand that Brahman is PersonalImpersonal or Being-Will.

Merged in Advaitic Consciousness

After Tota’s departure from Dakshineswar, Sri Ramakrishna spent some six months continually absorbed in nirvikalpa samadhi without any awareness of the body and the external world. Of this condition, Swami Saradananda writes:

What is Bhavamukha?

The commandment to remain in bhavamukha brings us to an important subject in Sri Ramakrishna’s life. Bhavamukha is a new

The meaning and implication of the attainment of this state of bhavamukha have to be explained in the light of Sri Ramakrishna’s own teachings, as the concept is very new and forms a part of his contribution to Vedantic thought. According to Sri Ramakrishna, a jiva, if he really attains nirvikalpa samadhi, never returns to relative consciousness. His body remains alive for about twenty-one days in that state, and then perishes. It is only the adhikarikas (prophets with divine missions) and avataras (Incarnations of the Lord) who come back to the relative consciousness from the nirvikalpa state. They are drawn back to the relative consciousness by their love for jivas grovelling in ignorance, and thus they are the expressions of God’s redeeming love.

Sri Ramakrishna explains this with an analogy of his: There is a vast enclosure with high walls, from which very delightful sounds and fragrance are being wafted. There is a road around the enclosure, and there are a number of people going round and round along the road. Some of them are attracted by that delightful sound, and with difficulty they get up on the high wall and look down at the overpoweringly charming sights spread within the enclosure. They are so taken with it that they jump down into the enclosure, forgetting everything else, and they never come out. But

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expression unknown to religious texts in Sanskrit, and is for the first time given out by Sri Ramakrishna himself, as he heard it from the command of the Divine Mother. Literally translated, it means ‘the threshold or gateway of Becoming or the world of change’. The idea is that just as a person sitting at the gate or threshold of a building has access at will to both within and without, and is in close touch with the affairs on both sides, so there is a state of consciousness which is a sort of a junction between the absolute and the relative aspects of existence, between the nirvikalpa and the savikalpa states of consciousness.

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PA G E S P O N S O R : S M T. U S H A R A M A K R I S H N A N , C H E N N A I

The Master was in that nirvikalpa state continually for six months. “I was,” said the Master, “for six months in that state from which ordinary mortals never return, for, the body of one attaining to that state lives for twenty-one days only and then falls like a dry leaf from a tree. There was no consciousness at all of time, of the coming of day or the passing of night. Just as flies enter into the nostrils and the mouth of a dead man, so they entered into mine; but there was no awareness of it. The hair became matted on account of the accumulation of dust.

Calls of nature were perhaps answered unconsciously. It was a miracle how the bodily life was sustained. It should have succumbed then and there. But a holy man came there to save it. He had a small stick like a ruler in his hand. He recognised my state as soon as he saw it, and came to know that much of the Mother’s work was yet to be done through this body, that much good would be done to many if only it could be saved. Therefore, he would carry food in time, and by striking this body again and again, would try to bring it back to consciousness. The moment he saw signs of consciousness appearing, he would thrust some food into the mouth. Thus, on some days a little food found its way into the stomach and on others, it did not. Six months passed that way.

Then the Mother’s command was heard: ‘Remain in bhavamukha! For the spiritual enlightenment of man, remain in bhavamukha!’

This was followed by illness, blood-dysentery; there was a wringing pain in the intestines and it was excruciating. It was after continually suffering for about six months that the mind gradually came down to the normal bodyconsciousness; before that it used to be merged in the nirvikalpa state always.”1

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occasionally there will be a few among them who remember the tragic fate of the numerous heedless men going round and round, and so go out to the road to give them the good tidings and to lead them to the higher destiny awaiting them within the enclosure. The Divine Incarnations and adhikarikas are such expressions of Divine mercy, and therefore form manifestations of His redeeming power.

Such personages have no ends of their own to seek, not even salvation, and are entirely devoted to the welfare of all who are suffering in samsara.

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Sri Ramakrishna explains it in another way also, justifying the doctrine that the Ultimate Reality is Being-Will and not mere Being, as maintained in the classical Vedanta.

Unlike Sri Ramakrishna’s theory about nirvikalpa samadhi, the classical Vedanta maintains that there can be jivas who attain the nirvikalpa state, and yet continue to retain the body. They are called jivan-muktas or the liberated-in-life. Vedanta explains this by the doctrine of prarabdha, the operative karma or the quantum of karma that has brought the present body into existence. While the sanchita (stored up) karma, and agami (accumulating and inoperative) karma are burnt up by knowledge (jnana), it is dogmatically maintained that the prarabdha remains undissolved until its momentum is exhausted.

No argument is advanced for this beyond the analogy of an arrow released from a bow, which stops not until it has struck the target.

But Sri Ramakrishna questions this doctrine. He contends that if karma, be it only prarabdha, is real and operative even after nirvikalpa samadhi, then the Divine Mother, the Personal God, who even according to the Vedanta is required to make insentient karma operative, must be accepted as a greater reality than prarabdha. The classical Vedanta is very much loath to accept such a position, because, according to its teaching, in nirvikalpa samadhi

even God is sublated and non-dual Brahman alone is; and this non-dual Brahman, as expounded in the Vedanta, is Pure Being and not Being-Will, as it would be if this theory of Sri Ramakrishna is accepted. According to him, however, the Divine Mother is not sublated in nirvikalpa samadhi. What happens is that She reveals Herself as the Impersonal also, holding Personality in abeyance. Reality is Being-Will.

When the creative process is on, Will is dominant, and Being is latent as the substratum of change. When the creative process is withdrawn, Pure Being subsists, Will latent but not sublated. Sri Ramakrishna illustrates this by the example of the snake in motion and the snake at rest. The snake in motion and the snake at rest are only two modes of the same snake. So, the Personal and the Impersonal are the modes of the one Being-Will, and there is no question of sublating either.

The Impersonal aspect is realised only when the individual ego and the entire karma sustaining it are dissolved. That is nirvikalpa samadhi. If the individuality is to be revived, it can be affected only by a factor outside the karma theory, which presupposes the chain of cause and effect. So Sri Ramakrishna maintains that it is only by the will of the Divine Mother that a person merged in nirvikalpa samadhi regains individuality, and not by prarabdha.

This individuality is not the old one, but a transformed one: God-centred, and not bodycentred. Emerging from nirvikalpa samadhi by the Mother’s will, the transformed individuality recognises that the one Sat-Chit-Ananda is sportively manifesting as the jiva (the sentient being) and the jagat (the insentient world).

From the view of ignorance, the jiva and the jagat form a multiplicity different from the Spirit. But enlightenment reveals that without Himself undergoing any change, the Sat-ChitAnanda, who is Being-Will, has manifested Himself as the jiva-jagat, which continues to be one with Him. In the creative phase, He is God

This knowledge of the totality cannot be had by mere talking or philosophising. It is attained by one only through the Mother’s grace, for which one has to yearn and pant. This yearning and panting for the Divine, is according to Sri Ramakrishna, the highest form of sadhana, and all the practices and disciplines given as sadhana in Yoga and Tantra are only the means for evoking it. For this feeling to m ature, ren uncia tion of a l l worl dly attachments, or what Sri Ramakrishna calls kamini-kanchana, is needed. Only then does the Mother’s grace operate. Sri Ramakrishna’s illustration—the parable of children being left by their mother in the nursery to play by themselves until they begin to cry out of hunger—has already been referred to earlier.

Apart from these ethical implications, the state of vijnana has its metaphysical and psychological significance. The state of mind of the vijnani is what is called bhavamukha. The mind of the ignorant man is circumscribed by his individuality, and he sees everything else as discrete objects outside himself, having their fixed contours. But the vijnani is aware of a Cosmic Whole, a Cosmic Mind, from whom the ideation known as the universe radiates and in whom all beings and objects are like bubbles in a layer of water, or waves on the ocean’s surface—a part and parcel of the Whole, but with individualities that are of the stuff of ideas or fluid contents of Its own stuff or substance. He is not only aware of It but feels as one with It, either as a part of It or as Itself. So, when it is said that bhavamukha is the state of mind of the vijnani, it means that the vijnani is aware of his identity with the Cosmic Whole. As a consequence, a person in the state of

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Sri Ramakrishna calls a person established in this kind of perfect enlightenment a vijnani, in contrast to jnani who rejects the world of jiva and jagat as an appearance and seeks the Brahman transcending them. The vijnani rejects nothing. He perceives the whole universe not as maya, but as leela (sportive manifestation) of the Personal-Impersonal, the Being-Will Divine. He accepts both the terrace and the staircase as real.

In accepting a fruit, he takes the whole of it into account—the seeds, the flesh, and the rind; for they all together constitute the whole, and a complete knowledge and acceptance of the fruit involves the acceptance of the whole.

Now, it has been pointed out that the vijnani gains back an ego when he emerges from the nirvikalpa state. But this ego or individuality is entirely different in quality from that of the unenlightened man. To put it briefly, the ordinary man’s ego is body-centred, while the vijnani’s is God-centred. The body-centred ego is based on a sense of absolute reality of difference, and expresses itself in terms of ‘I’ and ‘mine’ with regard to all objects and individuals. It evaluates everything and everyone in terms of their contribution to its pleasure and survival. An ego-centred man may love others, but it is in terms of his narrow self and the preservation of that narrow self and its interests is his primary concern in life. In contrast to this, the vijnani’s ego is entirely based on a sense of intimate relationship with God as His son, servant, comrade, sweetheart, etc. He looks upon all beings and objects, irrespective of their attitude towards him as a friend, foe or neutral as manifestations of the Lord to be loved and served, and not as objects for his enjoyment and aggrandisement.

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the Personal, along with the jiva-jagat, and when creation is withdrawn, He is the Impersonal Absolute. The Personal and the Impersonal are recognised as the obverse and the reverse of the same coin—a non-dual but coeval existence. Sri Ramakrishna illustrates this by the example of the terrace and the steps of the staircase leading to it. Until the terrace is reached, the steps of the stairs are considered as distinct and different from the terrace, and are left behind as not being the terrace. But when the terrace is reached, it is found that the steps too are made of the same substance as the terrace.

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bhavamukha shares the knowledge and outlook of the Cosmic Whole. Just as a spider stationed in the centre of its web can go to any part of it, similarly, he can at will go on the wings of ecstasy to any dimension in the cosmos. He can attune himself to every stratum of Consciousness, from the crudest to the most evolved, and share their characteristic experiences at will. Thus a vijnani’s state of bhavamukha enables him to be ‘all things to all men’.

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Being one with the Cosmic Whole in consciousness, he becomes the conduit for the expression of Its powers in the relative world.

As the vijnani can traverse the whole gamut of the manifestation of Consciousness, he may behave like the humblest of the humble when he is in the attitude of the devotee. But when his individuality gets attuned to a sense of identity with the Immense Cosmic ‘I’, his behaviour will be different. As a conduit of the will of that Universal ‘I’, he becomes a centre of immense spiritual energy capable of even making a sinner into a saint by an act of will.

In Sri Ramakrishna the Great Master, this alternation between the devotee-mood and the saviour-mood was often noted, because his life was recent and was subjected to study by men who closely observed and recorded it, unlike in the case of the past Incarnations, whose lives have been clothed, long after their passing away, in thundering miracles by poets and mythologists. This process of distortion was partly due to a studied effort on the part of their followers to hide their human side. For, they felt it detrimental to their glory as divinities if any human qualities were allowed to percolate through their divinities. But an Incarnation is man and God in one, and the concept loses all its significance when the Incarnate is made into a Deity. Sri Ramakrishna’s life has enabled us to understand the significance of Incarnation in the proper perspective.

The Immense ‘I’ or the Cosmic Whole, of which we have been speaking till now, is the junction-point between the Absolute and the relative, the Impersonal and the Personal, the nirguna and the saguna aspects of the Divine Mother—the universal Being-Will. And to be established in that is to be in bhavamukha, the threshold of relative consciousness—a state in which the mind can ever dwell in the Divine in both His absolute and relative aspects, and yet without the least distraction to this union, apply itself actively to everyday concerns.

Established in that, Sri Ramakrishna was in touch with all aspects of the Mother’s evolution as the world of manifestation, combined with a keen sense of their unity with Her.

It must be clearly noted that the person in bhavamukha is not in touch with the manifestation of the Whole alone, which Sri Ramakrishna called leela, but also with the unmanifested Absolute state of It, the nirguna, for which he used the term nitya. When he is in the awareness of the leela, the knowledge of the non-separate or hypostatic nature of the leela in relation to the nitya is fully present in his awareness. He is always in touch with It, the nitya, even while he is in the leela. That is the significance of being in the ‘threshold state’. But he could also be in the nirvikalpa state—that of full identity with the nitya, the Infinite and the Absolute as Pure Being, with Will not sublated, according to Sri Ramakrishna, but in abeyance.

This is a point on which Sri Ramakrishna’s doctrine differs from the traditional Advaita represented by Tota Puri, the point on which Tota Puri got corrected by Sri Ramakrishna’s company. The Immense ‘I’, whose play is the leela, is not sublated, but is only held in abeyance or in latency in the nirvikalpa state.

The vijnani, who is poised in the state of bhavamukha, can at will be merged in the nitya with no link to the leela. This is the state of nirvikalpa from which there is no return for the

t

Reference: 1) Great Master, Vol. I, pp. 411–412

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It is said that, in the days of his intense physical suffering, Sri Ramakrishna expressed his willingness to take any number of such On this point, Sri Ramakrishna said, bodies and endure endless suffering if he could referring to his own condition, that the natural bring illumination and put an end to the state of his mind was sufferings of even a single towards the nirvikalpa, jiva. This expression of allIn the days of his intense wherein there is the total consuming and universal obliteration of multiplicity love is the most significant physical suffering, and the ‘I’-sense. In that implication of the Divine’s Sri Ramakrishna expressed his state, one is lost to command to him to willingness to take any number humanity at large, as any remain in bhavamukha. of such bodies and endure kind of communication is For one whose natural endless suffering if he could out of question. But the state was the bliss of bring illumination and put an Will of the Divine Mother, nirvikalpa samadhi, to end to the sufferings of even a which is operative even in come down, in order to single jiva. the nirvikalpa state, unlike serve suffering humanity, in the teaching of classical to the level of bodyVedanta, does not allow consciousness and inhabit the Divine Incarnate to remain in that state. He a filthy human body subject to all kinds of is an expression of the Divine’s grace, of His love ailments, trials, and tribulations, is a far greater for jivas in samsara. As such, in order to keep up act of mercy than anything we can conceive his link to the external world, Sri Ramakrishna of—say, of an emperor abandoning his palace used to create some small artificial desires in his and living in a slum with all its filth and mind, like: “I want to go to such and such a privations in order to serve the slum dwellers. place”, “I want to meet such and such a person”, Yet , this was what was done by Sri “I want to eat such and such a thing”, etc., and Ramakrishna, the greatest lover of mankind with the help of such created desires, he forced that the modern world has produced, when he his mind to remain at the threshold of relative held in abeyance the tendency of his mind to be consciousness, bhavamukha, from where he merged perpetually in nirvikalpa samadhi and could communicate with the world without forced it to live in the state of bhavamukha in losing hold of the nirvikalpa. In bhavamukha, he order to save mankind. Thus, he was a had no will separate from the Will of the conspicuous expression of that redeeming Immense ‘I’ or the Universal Mother. As that Will power of God. That is the implication of calling directed, he could be in complete identification him a Divine Incarnation.

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with that Will when he manifested the capacity to give enlightenment and liberation to jivas. He could also be at any lower levels of identification up to that of a humble devotee worshipping Her through images or participating in the weal and woe of fellow human beings.

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ordinary jiva. It is only the Incarnations, as Sri Ramakrishna insists, who pass from the one state to the other, and who are in touch with both aspects. Hence their uniqueness, expressing itself simultaneously as jnana and bhakti of the highest order, which a jiva cannot attain in one and the same state. It looks somewhat contradictory, but the supreme truth can be expressed, though inadequately, only in the language of paradoxes.

Reminiscences

Reminiscences of Sargachhi SWAMI SUHITANANDA

Swami Premeshananda (1884 – 1967) was a disciple of Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi. For over two decades he lived at Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama, Sargachhi, West Bengal. Under his inspiration countless people led a life of spirituality and service, and many young men and women entered into monastic life. His conversations – translated from Bengali and presented below – were noted by his attendant who is now Srimat Swami Suhitananda, one of the Vice-Presidents of the Ramakrishna Order.

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(Continued from previous issue. . .)

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20.11.60 (contd...)

Maharaj: ये यथा मां प्रपद्यन्ते तां स ्तथैव भजाम्यहम्, “In whatever way men worship Me”.

(Gita 4:11). As an example, Sri Ramakrishna used to give this analogy: whoever wants to dye his piece of cloth in whichever colour, will get his desired colour by putting his cloth in the tub containing seven dyes. Sri Ramakrishna didn’t say anything new; whatever he said is in the scriptures. In Sylhet a brahmin read The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna and said, “All this is in the scriptures; there’s nothing new.” I quarreled with him and said, “Everything in it is new!” But now I see that what he said is right. All the teachings are truly in accordance with the scriptures.

21.11.60

Maharaj: Once, in Sylhet, a riot between Hindus and Muslims became imminent. The Hindus stacked various weapons in the Sylhet ashrama. The householders wanted to use the ashrama as a centre of resistance. Soumyananda was young; he was excited and gave his consent. I wrote to him: “We are sannyasins.

For us Muslims and Hindus are equal. Besides, if they kill us, it won’t be tragic– rather it will be

46 a matter of joy.” Soumyananda was intelligent – he understood my viewpoint and removed the weapons.

When we got independence, I used to side with the Muslims, because the whole country was against them. One person was extremely anti-Muslim. I explained to him the structure and the condition of the ancient Arab society, how Prophet Mohammed transformed it, and the gradual changes which took place under the administration of the ulemas. When all this was explained, he said, “90% of my animosity has gone away.”

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Maharaj: I saw Sarat Maharaj [Swami Saradananda] for the first time in Mayer Bari (Holy Mother’s House). He was sitting behind a small desk. I thought he was an administrator or a steward.

I saw a widow in the courtyard of the old Math house. Somebody said that she was the wife of Jogin Maharaj [Swami Yogananda’s premonastic name]. What an aura of divinity she had! The Math used to help her in some ways.

I once asked Shuddhananda Maharaj “Why don’t you screen people before admitting

Another day a reading session was going on in the Math; it was probably from a book written by Mahendra Nath Datta [Swami Vivekananda’s younger brother]. When somebody commented on a certain statement in the book, Mahapurush Maharaj said, “Oh! Mahinder’s talk!” (i.e., don’t take it seriously!)

Books have been published on Raja Maharaj [Swami Brahmananda]. I once went to offer my salutations to him at Girish Babu’s house [Girish Chandra Ghosh]. He asked, “Have you received any initiation?” Once I saw Girish Babu on the road at Baghbazar in front of a house; he was wearing a short dhoti. Those days I was staying with Mokshada Babu in a boarding house in Kolkata.

I recall that one day Raja Maharaj, Baburam Maharaj and others were sitting side by side in the visitors’ room in the Math. I sang songs there.

When I first met Master Mahasaya [M, the recorder of The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna] I sang the song Shata koti shashi hase Mayer charana-nakhare,“Millions of moons are beaming from the nails of Mother’s toes.” I was completely overwhelmed by the time I ended the song. Tears flowed from my eyes. How

During our meal-time, we recite the mantra ब्रह्मार्पणं ब्रह्महविर्ब्रह्माग्नौ ब्रह्मणा हुतम्। ब्रह्मैव तेन गन्तव्यं ब्रह्मकर्मसमाधिना।। (Gita 4:24). It has a very high meaning. Compared to it the mantra अहं

वैश्वानरो भूत्वा प्राणिनां देहमाश्रितः। प्राणापानसमायुक्तः पचाम्यन्नं चतुर्विधम् (Gita 15:14) is rather easier to

understand. For this reason, I recite Aham vaishvan aro bh u t va al so al on g w it h Brahmarpanam.

Alas! Alas! If we were prepared, what heights we would have reached by now! Sri Ramakrishna came and gave us predigested spiritual food. If we were prepared all of us could have become Trailanga Swami [the great saint of Varanasi whom Sri Ramakrishna also met]. The Divine Mother Herself gave me the mantra from her own mouth; I should have felt liberated right at that moment.

I have seen Gangadhar Maharaj [Swami Akhandananda] a grey haired, fifty-plus sannyasi coming out of Jnan Maharaj’s room, and walking along the embankment with a spring in his steps. I thought that we rarely see Bengalis with such a physique. He came and asked my name. As I told him he said, “I know, I know it very well.” Then we discussed songs.

Mother asked Rasbihari Maharaj to kill an insect. It was flying around the lamp. Mother said, “Kill it. Their life is like that.” Mother used to say, “Only men can be sannyasis; sannyasa is not for women. It’s to be understood that those women who have become sannyasinis have a manly personality.” I sowed flower plants at Jayrambati. Mother said, “I will remember my sons whenever I look at them.” (to be continued...)

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I recollect that one day Khoka Maharaj [Swami Subodhananda] was lying down and I gently massaged his body. Another time I sang a song. Brother Ramlal [Sri Ramakrishna’s nephew] and Akshoy Kumar Sen [the author of Punthi] were there. After listening to my singing Maharaj remarked, “What wonder that his voice is so sweet! He has tasted the sweet oranges of Sylhet – sweet songs are bound to come out from his throat.”

ecstatic I used to be those days! Like the wandering minstrels I used to do japa round the clock. Master Mahasaya later told Durgesh Babu of Sylhet that after the passing of Sri Ramakrishna he had not heard such overwhelming songs from anyone else.

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them into the Order? He replied, “Look here.

Had there been any such screening, I wouldn’t have been admitted to this Order.” Hearing his reply I felt giddy; with whom was I indulging in flippant talk!

Article

Vivekananda Rock Memorial T he Vivekananda Rock Memorial is celebrating its 50 th Anniversary this year.

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This article gives a brief account of how it came into being.

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S

wami Vivekananda’s mission for rejuvenation of Bharat began with the plan he hit upon sitting on “the last bit of Indian rock”. He reveals this in a letter that he wrote to his brother-disciple Swami Ramakrishnananda on 19 March 1894 from America: “Sitting on the last bit of Indian rock—I hit upon a plan …. Suppose some disinterested sannyasins, bent on doing good to others, go from village to village, disseminating education and seeking in various ways to better the condition of all … through oral teaching, and by means of maps, cameras, globes, and such other accessories – can’t that bring forth good in time? …. We, as a nation, have lost our individuality, and that is the cause of all mischief in India. We have to give back to the nation its lost individuality and raise the masses.”

The Rock at Kanyakumari

The spiritual power of the Rock which is the feet of Bharatmata, drew Swami Vivekananda to Kanyakumari. After his sojourn as a wandering sannyasi across India, Swami Vivekananda reached Kanyakumari in Dec 1892. During his travelling, he had seen how Indians had degenerated into poverty, ignorance and utter loss of self- confidence. He was greatly distressed that under the rule of foreigners, the last of whom were the British, Indians had forgotten their own identity. But even amidst this degeneration he could see the unique spiritual potential of the land. He identified this potential as the tool which would uplift his fellow countrymen from their stupor,

and not only that, but also empower them to contribute to the progress of human civilisation. How to achieve this was the question that was tormenting his mind.

After praying fervently to Bhagavati Kanyakumari, Swami Vivekananda came out of the temple. The sacred last bit of Rock surrounded by the waves of the sea attracted his attention. He felt a spiritual pull towards the Rock on which Bhagavati Kanyakumari had performed penance in the ancient past, the proof of which is her footprint still marked on it. Instantly he felt that the Rock on which Parashakti successfully did Her penance would be the seat where he too would find answers to his painful questions. As he had no money for boat fare, he jumped into the sea and swam to the Rock. For three days and three nights from 25 to 27 of December 1892, he remained immersed in meditation. And what a meditation it was! He was meditating not for his own salvation, but for alleviating the spiritual and physical distress of his country men and women. After three days when he returned to the shore, he told people who enquired about him, that he was a disciple of Sri Ramakrishna, and sitting on the Rock he had discovered the mission of his life.

Discovering his life-mission

While meditating on the Rock, Swami Vivekananda realized that the downfall of India was not because of her dharma, but precisely because of ignorance of dharma. So he decided that the Vedantic truth of Oneness, respect for

Rousing call

From the stage of the Parliament of Religions, Swami Vivekananda captured the attention of America. Scores of Americans eagerly imbibed the message of Sanatana Dharma that he delivered for over four years.

On his return to Bharat in 1897, he gave a rousing call to the nation: “Arise! Awake!! Stop not till the goal is reached!”

Eknathji showing the model of the Memorial to senior Swamis of Ramakrishna Order

On seeing Swami Vivekananda’s photographs, the people of Kanyakumari recognised him as the swami who had meditated on the Rock. Later, in Swamiji’s memory the people of Kannyakumari established a Vivekananda Library. But many felt that Swamiji’s visit and meditation on the Rock needed to be properly commemorated.

In the year 1963, the Birth Centenary of Swami Vivekananda was being celebrated all over the country. Now the people of Kanyakumari wanted to build a memorial for Swamiji on that very historic Rock where the unknown monk was transformed into a nationbuilder and a jagadguru.

Initially things moved smoothly. But unfortunately a section of Christian community was instigated and it started demanding that the memorial of St Xavier should be built on the Rock. To fabricate their claim, they erected a big

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Bid to erase Vivekananda’s association with the Rock

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diversity, potential divinity of man, and the host of associated spiritual ideas had to be reached out to the masses across the land. This idea later clinched his decision to go to the World’s Parliament of Religions at Chicago in USA and present Hindu dharma to the world at large. If the message of Vedanta successfully reverberated across the world, then Bharat’s confidence in Hindu dharma would be restored and strengthened. He realised that the mission of his life lay in inspiring fellow men and women to strive and manifest the divinity within them for the good of mankind.

Swami Vireswaranandaji, President, Ramakrishna Math & Mission, giving benediction

stone cross on the Rock. It became a communal issue! Naturally some who could not accept this falsehood, removed it one night. The Tamil Nadu State Government then took the stand that it was indeed Vivekananda Rock, but no memorial could be built on it.

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Blessings of Ramakrishna Mission

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The Vivekananda Rock Memorial Committee approached Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh for help. The Sangh deputed Sri Eknath Ranade to take up the cause. Knowing that the Memorial work would be a full-time task, Eknathji was relieved of his responsibilities in the Sangh.

Before going to Kanyakumari, or to Madras (now Chennai) where the Vivekananda Rock Memorial Committee had its registered office, Eknathji first went to Calcutta (now Kolkata) to seek the blessings of Srimat Swami Madhavananda Maharaj, the 9th President of Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission.

Revered Maharaj blessed Eknathji and told him: “As we are a sannyasi organization we cannot involve in this directly as it may need agitations etc. You go ahead and Thakur will bless you, Swami Vivekananda will bless you, and you have my blessings also. You are born to do this work.”

Obstacles at three levels

Vivekananda Rock Memorial Committee nominated Sri Eknathji as its Organizing Secretary. He faced difficulties at three levels – a section of local Christian community was opposing a memorial for Swami Vivekananda on the Rock; the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu had taken the stand that he would not allow the memorial to be built on the Rock; and Sri Humayun Kabir, Union Minister of Scientific Research and Cultural Affairs while referring to the controversy had said that the memorial on the rock would spoil the natural beauty. The subject of Rock Memorial had all the potential to be a communal flash point.

Eknathji decided first to meet Sri Humayun Kabir. The minister avoided meeting him. Therefore, with the help of some swamis from Ramakrishna Mission, Eknathji contacted the journalists of Kolkata and held a Press Conference. The next day, the newspapers in Kolkata highlighted the news that Sri Humayun Kabir, elected by the people of Kolkata, was opposing a Memorial for Swami Vivekananda, the revered son of Kolkata. The outcry forced Sri Humayun Kabir to immediately invite Eknathji for a meeting and later announce that he was not against the Memorial for Swami Vivekananda. The first hurdle was thus cleared.

Support from 323 MPs

Eknathji next met Sri Bhaktavatsalam, Chief Minister of Tamilnadu. Though the CM refused to give permission, Eknathji kept the dialogue alive. He also realised that he needed to try at a different level. He collected information that the Chief Minister obeyed Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in political matters, and that he was an ardent devotee of the Shankaracharya of Kanchi Kamkoti Peetham, Sri Chandrashekharendra Saraswati, commonly known as Paramacharya.

Eknathji went to Delhi and requested Sri Lal Bahadur Shastri for help. He was told to wait for a better time. Due to the 1962 Chinese invasion the situation in Delhi was depressive.

But Eknathji did not sit quiet. He met various leaders and eminent personalities in Delhi and apprised them of the matter. As the centenary year was coming to a close, he again went to Sri Lal Bahadur Shastri, who told him to get within three days the signatures of at least some members of the Parliament appealing for the Memorial.

After three days Eknathji submitted to Shastriji the signatures of 323 MPs – practically all the MPs present in Delhi at that time.

Shastriji was stunned. Cutting across political, regional and creedal lines all the MPs had

PA G E S P O N S O R : A D E V O T E E , C H E N N A I

Purity, Patience and Perseverance: Key to Success

Deciding that the Memorial should match the aspirations of the nation, Eknathji took the Chief Minister’s permission to consult about the designs for the temple with the President of India, the Prime Minister, other prominent public figures, the President of the RamaLeft to Right: Swami Ranganathanandaji, Sri Eknath Ranade & Smt Indira Gandhi inside the Memorial

The Kanchi Paramacharya took keen interest in the design of the Memorial. Under his directions the traditional temple architect Sthapati Sri S. K. Achari designed the temple.

Only it was a little bigger than what was permitted – the Sabha Mandapam alone was 130’x 56’! Gradually, over the next four years, permission was obtained for Sripada Mandapam, Dhyana Mandapam, administrative quarters, helipad, rain water reservoirs etc.

Funds?

Funds was a big challenge from the very beginning. For six years, almost on an average 650 workers worked every day in stone sculpting, polishing, construction etc. Their salaries had to be paid every week. Sometimes when the salary could not be paid Vivekananda Rock Memorial Committee (VRMC) took loan just to feed the workers. There were suggestions to suspend the work. But Eknathji did not agree. He wanted the Memorial to be constructed in time at any cost, for he had another bigger vision to materialise.

To raise funds VRMC printed one-rupee folders with the picture of the proposed Memorial, Swami Vivekananda, and his inspiring quotations. Public Committees were formed in each state comprising people from various walks of life cutting across political, regional, sectarian lines. Thus 85 lakh rupees were collected through one rupee and two rupee donations from the common people.

Almost all the state governments in spite of whatever party was in power donated one lakh rupees for the Memorial. The Central Government donated Rs. 15 lakhs. The first donation of Rs. 10,000/- was given by Swami Chinmayananda of Chinmaya Mission.

The two-month inauguration

Within a record time of six years, the grand memorial costing one crore and thirty

February 2020

When all the MPs desired the Memorial, it meant the whole country was aspiring for it.

Responding to this development, Sri Bhaktavatsalam agreed for a statue of Swami Vivekananda on the Rock, with the condition that the temple should be only a 15 by 15 feet shrine.

krishna Order, and the Paramacharya of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham.

23 The Vedanta Kesari

signed. How did Eknathji, a pracharak of the Sangh get the signatures of all MPs? Eknathji’s appeal was simple. “In the interest of our nation, to pay our respects to Swami Vivekananda, can we not rise above our political, regional and religious colours?” All responded positively.

February 2020

lakhs rupees was ready for inauguration.

Kanyakumari was then a small village with no facilities to accommodate large numbers of people. Therefore, the inauguration programme was panned out for two months, allotting a separate time for each state.

The Vedanta Kesari

24

Swami Vireshwarananda, the 10 th President of Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission, consecrated the Vivekananda Rock Memorial. It was formally inaugurated on 2 September 1970 by the President of India Sri V. V. Giri. The inaugural celebrations were attended by many dignitaries including Prime Minister Smt. Indira Gandhi, and Vice President of India Sri G. S. Pathak.

Vivekananda Kendra: The second phase of the Memorial

Eknathji did not want to limit the Memorial of Swami Vivekananda to a granite building. He felt that the real living memorial for Swami Vivekananda would be the lives of men and women dedicated to the nation in serving the needy and suffering people. Thus, on 7 January 1972 Vivekananda Kendra a spiritually-oriented service mission was started.

Young men and women ready to dedicate their whole life in selfless work are trained by Vivekananda Kendra and called jeevanvrati karyakartas. They are sent to different parts of the country, where with the help of local volunteers, they take up various service activities like education in tribal and rural areas, rural development, natural resource development, cultural research, publications, youth motivation, samskara varga for children, and yoga vargas. Today, Vivekananda Kendra is working in over 1005 places in cities across the country and in the border states like Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, and Andaman.

This year, Vivekananda Rock Memorial is celebrating its 50th Anniversary. It is in every sense a national memorial. It is – a memorial for

Sri Eknath Ranade

which all Members of Parliament overcoming party politics appealed for; a memorial for which people throughout the country gave one rupee or two-rupee donation; the only memorial for which almost all state governments donated a minimum of one lakh rupees each; a memorial which has the harmonious blending of different styles of Indian traditional architectures. The Memorial is also perhaps the only such example in the world where a Memorial in granite gave birth to a living memorial, a mighty service organization.

The story of the Memorial is also the story of Sri Eknath Ranade. Eknathji’s The Story of the Vivekananda Rock Memorial reveals a unique personality full of grit, brilliant acumen, resourcefulness, patriotism, and love for Swami Vivekananda. In his lecture ‘My Plan of Campaign’ delivered in Madras, Swami Vivekananda gave a call: “Men, men, these are wanted; everything else will be ready, but strong, vigorous, believing young men, sincere to the backbone, are wanted. A hundred such and the world becomes revolutionized.” Eknath Ranade was one such personality. He was a soldier of Swami Vivekananda and played his part in rebuilding India.

Pocket Tales

A Curious Boy GITANJALI MURARI

The author, a media and television professional for over 20 years, is now a writer of fiction. She lives in Mumbai. gitanjalimurari@yahoo.com Illustrator: Smt. Lalithaa Thyagarajan. lalithyagu@gmail.com

February 2020

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he little monkey stuck out its tongue from a safe distance. “Wait till I catch you,” Naren giggled, chasing it around the courtyard. The drawing-room door opened and his father stepped out with a tall, fair-complexioned man. “Jamal chacha,” Naren gave a shout of joy and ran towards the guest. “Where have you been all these days?

I have been waiting for you! Remember the story you had begun the last time you were here, the one about the camels in Afghanistan? Please finish it today…”

Jamal Khan ruffled Naren’s hair and shook his head, “It will have to be another time, my boy…I have some urgent business to attend to...but,” and he winked. “I have brought you a small gift…” and taking out a box from his bag, he handed it to Naren. “These are Turkish sweets…I hope you like them…”

“Thank you,” smiled Naren. “May I give some to my monkey?”

Jamal Khan laughed, waving goodbye. “You may share them with whomever you wish…”

Naren opened the box. Rows of almond-studded sweets gleamed in silver foil. The monkey chittered, tugging his dhoti. “Have some patience,” he scolded. “Look, here comes Munshi babu…first we must offer him some…”

“No, no thank you,” the clerk tried to edge away. “I cannot eat anything that is touched by…er…someone outside my caste…it will be better if you did not eat it too…”

Naren promptly bit into one piece, closing his eyes in ecstasy. “It is delicious…do try one…”

“Hare Ram! What have you done! You have lost your caste now…”

“Munshi babu…” Vishwanath Dutta quietly interrupted from behind.

“Please don’t put such ideas in my son’s head…Naren, forget all this talk…go play outside…”

But Naren could not forget. “Lose my caste,” he wondered, feeding the monkey a sweet and popping another one in his mouth. “What can it mean?” One by one his pets gathered, the goat, the rabbits, pigeons, all wanting a taste of the sweets. “Do you have an answer?” he asked them and when the pigeons flocked outside the drawing-room door, his face lit up and he rushed inside.

It was a large room with a great deal of furniture, and on the carpeted floor were several hubble-bubbles, all lined up together. “One for every community,” Naren murmured, reading the little stickers on them. He chose the one for Brahmins first, putting the curling pipe to his lips. Exhaling the smoke, he glanced down at his hands and feet. “I haven’t

25 The Vedanta Kesari

PA G E S P O N S O R : S R I V I S H N U T. A . , C H E N N A I

A fictional narrative based on incidents from the childhood of Swami Vivekananda.

February 2020 The Vedanta Kesari

26

changed and I feel just the same as before,” and moved to pick up the one next to it, a brass hookah used by Christians. Once again he put the pipe to his mouth, pulling hard.

After a few moments, he shrugged and tried them all, till only one remained. It was a beautiful hubble-bubble inlaid with mother-of-pearl. He had seen Jamal Khan and other Muslim gents smoke it. Sucking in his cheeks, he inhaled deeply, coughing and sputtering a little.

“Naren, what are you doing?” Vishwanath Dutta, who had silently entered the room, asked, a smile twitching his lips.

“Baba, you know what munshi babu said,” he began. “About losing caste…I didn’t lose anything after I ate the sweets, so I thought of trying these different hookahs…”

“And have you lost anything yet?”

“No baba…I don’t feel any different and the hookahs taste the same…I don’t understand why we keep so many…one should be enough for everyone…”

Vishwanath chuckled. “Well done my curious child! Keep that enquiring spirit alive and Truth will have no choice but to reveal itself to you…”

In religion there is no caste; caste is simply a social institution.

— Swami Vivekananda

PULLOUT FOR REFERENCE

ISSUE ISSUE 25 10

Defining Hinduism

II

Books of the Hindus

III

The Core Principles of Hinduism

IV

The Practices of Hinduism

V

The Task Ahead

Vedantism - part 2 This is the second issue of the talk 'Vedantism', delivered in Jaffna on 24th January 1897. In the first issue of this series we explored Sections

I

&

II

as shown above. Please refer Vivekananda Way Issue 24 for the same. In this issue, we explore Section

III

>>

27 The Vedanta Kesari

PA G E S P O N S O R : S R I M . N . TA LWA R , U T TA R A K A N N A D A

focus in this issue:

I

The Core Principles of Hinduism 1: Who created this world? ─ The world was not created on a specific day.

SRISHTI

─ It is not as if a God came one day and created the world. God is eternally creating - is never at rest. ─ The Sanskrit word for creation, properly translated, should be projection and not creation. Thus, the word we use is "Srishti" which means projection.

To say, therefore, that it [the world] had a

EVOLUTION INVOLUTION

beginning is utter nonsense. No question can occur as to its beginning or its end. Therefore wherever in our scriptures the words beginning and Designed & developed by

end are used, you must remember that it means the

ILLUMINE

beginning and the end of one particular cycle; no more than that.

February 2020

Series 5: Issue 4: Vedantism - contd.

Knowledge Catalysts

®

www.illumine.in

2: What is God? ─ What makes this creation? God.

What is this Brahman? He

─ Although we use the English word God, there is a good deal of difference in meaning. It is better to confine to the use of the Sanskrit word Brahman.

is eternal, eternally pure, eternally awake, the almighty, the all-knowing, the all-merciful, the omnipresent, the formless, the

─ Brahman is the general cause of all manifestations.

partless… He creates this universe.

3: Is God partial or impartial?

February 2020

─ God's mercy falls equally on all people. It is we who make the difference.

God's mercy is equal for all Cloud of Rain

─ God's mercy is like a cloud of rain, which falls equally on all fields. But it is the well-cultivated field that gets the advantage of the shower.

The mercy of God is eternal and unchangeable; it is we that make the differentiation.

Well-cultivated field

Neglected field

The Vedanta Kesari

28 4: Why are some people happy or unhappy?

LIFE IS ETERNAL

Our past lives

Our present life

Our future lives

─ It is not this birth that is responsible for people's happiness or unhappiness. What they did in their last birth is responsible for this difference in the current life. This is the Law of Karma. ─ Each one of us carries within us the burden of our past, and therefore we are responsible for what we suffer; yet, each of us is the maker of our own fate.

the sum total which creates our present

people in different conditions of life

our future is within our control

─ Therefore, we alone are responsible for what we suffer and we are also free to transform our circumstances.

The human will stands beyond all circumstance. Before it — the strong, gigantic, infinite will and freedom in man — all the powers, even of nature, must bow down, succumb, and become its servants.

5: What is the Soul? ─ We cannot understand God in our scriptures without knowing the soul. ─ Souls are without beginning and without end, and immortal by their very nature. All powers, blessing, purity, omnipresence, omniscience are buried in each soul. ─ Thus, in every man and in every animal, however weak or wicked, great or small, resides the same omnipresent, omniscient soul - the Atman. ─ The Atman is separate from the mind, as well as from the body. The Atman goes through birth and death, accompanied by the mind, the Sukshma Sharira.

Between me and the

The Atman is the real soul of man

smallest animal, the

1. My gross body or Sthula Sharira - this is the first layer.

difference is only in manifestation, but as a

The talk of the brotherhood of man becomes in India the brotherhood of universal

is the second layer, and lies behind the gross body. It is mind; the fine body, made of fine particles, which goes from birth to death, and so on.

3. Atman - lies behind the mind. This is the Soul, the Self of man. The Atman is separate from the mind as well as from the body, and this Atman goes through birth and death accompanied by the mind (the sukshma sharira)

1

life, of animals, and of all life down to the little ants — all these are our bodies.

[In the West manas (mind) is often identified as soul; while the Hindu regards the soul as a manifestation of God]

6: What is the goal of the human soul?

AN

D

HI GH

ER

HE

AV E

NS

more & more happiness and temporary states of enjoyment

─ According to the Hindu scriptures, even in the highest heavens you are a slave! Whichever state you climb to, you are still bound by the conditions around you.

ER

─ Therefore, the goal of human life is to be free of internal or external nature - i.e. to attain Mukti or freedom.

PATH TO ETERNAL BLISS

ER

W LO

Nature must fall at your feet, and you must trample on it and be free and glorious by going beyond. No more is there life; therefore no more is there death.

No more enjoyment; therefore no more misery. It is bliss

D

AN W LO

unspeakable, indestructible, beyond everything. What

ER S

LL

HE

less & less happiness and temporary states of misery

─ The goal of the soul is neither to go to higher & higher heavens nor to go to lower & lower hells.

we call happiness and good here are but particles of that eternal Bliss. And this eternal Bliss is our goal.

29 The Vedanta Kesari

2

has the same soul as I have.

HI GH

PA G E S P O N S O R : A D E V O T E E , T E Y N A M P E T, C H E N N A I

I am, he is my brother, he

February 2020

3 2. My subtle body or Sukshma Sharira - this

principle he is the same as

7: What is the cause of birth & rebirth, and what is the cure?

It never ages; the ancient One is always

─ The Atman is not the cause of birth and rebirth. ─ It is our ignorance which is the cause.

the same. How did It come down to earth? There is but one answer to that in our scriptures. Ignorance is the cause of all this

─ The cure is Knowledge. It will free us bondage. It is through ignorance that we have from bondage. ─ Knowledge is born when we develop intense love for God. And, knowledge is also born when we love all human beings as temples of God.

become bound; knowledge will cure it by taking us to the other side. ... with that intense love will come knowledge, and ignorance will disappear, the bonds will break, and the soul will be free.

February 2020

8: What is the relationship between soul and God?

The Vedanta Kesari

30

There are two types of relationships mentioned in our scriptures - the personal relationship and the impersonal relationship, as shown below: In the personal relationship, God is viewed as -

The Omnipresent creator, preserver, and destroyer of everything.

...liberation

The eternal Father and Mother of the universe.

consists in

One who is eternally separate from us and from all souls.

coming near to

And, liberation is in coming near Him and living in Him.

Him and living in Him.

In the impersonal relationship, God is viewed as:

An impersonal, omnipresent Being, where adjectives are taken away as superfluous and illogical, such as: ...misery

● Not a knowing being - as knowledge belongs to the human mind ● Not ●

Not a reasoning being - as reasoning is a sign of weakness

● Not

consists in

a thinking being - as thinking is a process of the weak a creating being - as none creates except in bondage

● Not

someone who works - as work is for fulfillment of wants and desires The impersonal "It" is used to refer to this impersonality. This is the Advaitic conception of God. Every one is but a manifestation of that Impersonal.

And, liberation consists of knowing that we are He - and realizing our unity with this wonderful impersonality.

thinking of ourselves as different from this Infinite, Impersonal Being; and liberation consists in knowing our unity with this wonderful Impersonality.

TO BE CONTINUED...

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

www.vivekanandaway.org

You can also access previous issues of Vivekananda Way here.

Ma

gic ,M ira cle s

and the

e Mystical Twelv LAKSHMI DEVNATH

(Continued from previous issue. . .)

wo minutes passed. Nothing seemed to happen. “Swami Thaatha, you said …”

Poorva whined.

“Poorva, we are indeed in a different place.” The Swami stressed each

syllable.

“Are we? Yes, we are. How? Anyway, that doesn’t matter.” Poorva jumbled her questions and answers in elation. Her enthusiasm increased considerably when, through the open door of a house, she saw Thirumazhisai Aazhvaar. He was in deep meditation. A young man was standing respectfully at a short distance from him.

The Swami began, “We’re at Thiruvekka, at the Aazhvaar’s home. Do you recall hearing this name before?” Poorva scratched her head, trying to remember, and the Swami reminded her, “This is Poigai’s native place.” He continued, “The young man attending on Thirumazhisai Aazhvaar is Kanikannan. He sees the Aazhvaar as his guru – follows him around like a shadow, and takes care of all his needs.”

“Look!” Poorva muttered under her breath. Through the open door, they saw an old woman, who had been sweeping the floor, fall at the feet of the Aazhvaar. Poorva wondered whether the woman had done anything wrong till she heard Thirumazhisai Aazhvaar say, “I am very pleased with your services. Tell me, how can I reward you?”

The woman’s answer was so feeble that Poorva could not hear her.

Yet, wonder of wonders, when the old woman got up, she had become young! Poorva whistled in surprise. “I must say, Thirumazhisai Aazhvaar is an expert at turning old people young.”

“Remember Pey Aazhvaar saying that Thirumazhisai Aazhvaar has magical powers?

He has rewarded the maid’s loyal and devoted service by …” The Swami did not get to complete his sentence, as there was a sudden change of scene.

The author is a researcher and writer with various books and articles on Indian music and culture to her credit. lakshmidevnath@gmail.com Illustrator: Smt. Lalithaa Thyagarajan. lalithyagu@gmail.com

February 2020

T

The Story of Thirumazhisai Aazhvaar

31 The Vedanta Kesari

PA G E S P O N S O R : S R I H E M A N T D. VA K I L , M U M B A I

Roots in the Air and Shoots in the Soil

February 2020 The Vedanta Kesari

32

“Wow!” gaped Poorva. “This is ammmaaazzzing.”

“Close your mouth. It looks like a dark tunnel!” cawed two birds as they flew past her and perched on a tree.

The rude remark shook Poorva, but she did not respond. In front of her stood a magnificent palace! A flag with the emblem of a bull was flying from the mast above.

“The Pallavas …” she whispered.

“You’re right.”

Poorva looked up. There were those rude, raucous ravens again. “You mind your …” she began.

“What’s that? Speak up a little – you either open your mouth too wide or not at all!”

With that taunt, the birds took off.

Poorva was nonplussed. This trip was throwing up surprises by the minute. She realized that she was invisible only to human eyes. The birds had seen her. What was more, they could actually understand her language, and she theirs! Poorva’s chest swelled with pride. She was wondering what other hidden talents she might have, when she heard loud voices coming from inside the palace. The next moment, she was peeping through an open window.

“Pardon me, Your Majesty …” a young man was pleading.

This story book is available through www.lakshmidevnath.com

February 2020

33 The Vedanta Kesari

PA G E S P O N S O R : S R I R AV I C H A M U T U R I , H Y D E R A B A D

“Gosh, isn’t that Kanikannan? I wonder what crime he has committed.” Poorva was a little agitated. She turned her attention back to the scene.

“Your Majesty, please pardon me. It was for special reasons that my revered guru, Bhakthisaara, the yogi of Thirumazhisai, restored the youth of an old woman. I concede that your request is similar. Nevertheless, I’m sorry I cannot convey it to him. Riches and power do not mean anything to my illustrious guru. He is a great poet, whose words will adorn only the Lord and not mere mortals. His magical powers will be used only to do the Lord’s work and not for selfish gains.”

Poorva saw the Pallava king’s face turn a deep purple. He thundered, “I banish you from my kingdom!” The ruthless roar sent a ripple of fear through Poorva. At the same time, she could not help chuckling, for the king looked quite comical in his rage.

A woebegone Kanikannan stepped out of the palace gates, and Poorva followed him to the Aazhvaar’s house. She remembered the Aazhvaar’s song, which the Swami had translated for her, and wished that the king would respect other people’s principles.

As she wondered what would happen next, the doors opened and the Aazhvaar walked out.

Poorva jumped up and briskly followed him. The Aazhvaar entered a temple. She felt that, heartbroken as he must be, he had perhaps come there to pray. She too said a small prayer on Kanikannan’s behalf and decided to explore the temple, when she heard Thirumazhisai Aazhvaar’s voice. It was coming from the sanctum. To whom was he speaking?

Through the feeble rays of sunlight piercing the darkness, Poorva tried to identify the other person. Nothing had prepared her for what she saw. “Incredible!” she gasped in disbelief.

“He is actually talking to God. I thought the Aazhvaar was sad, but looks like he’s mad!”

She heard the Aazhvaar say, “Kanikannan is leaving, O Lord of Kanchi! And I go with him. You too should not stay here. Roll up Your serpent bed and come with us.” Vishnu promptly rolled up His serpent bed like one would a mat, and docilely went with him.

Poorva looked at the Aazhvaar with added respect. If someone could not only talk to God, but also get Him to follow orders, he must be one great person.

En route, Kanikannan joined them, and all three left town. A flabbergasted Poorva saw several gods from other temples follow them.

She ran behind the procession, muttering to herself, “My friends are never going to believe this. I can imagine their reactions … Oh, I must not daydream. This is too exciting an event to be missed.”

Poorva sensed a general unease in the air. She surmised that everyone had heard the news of the Lord leaving town. Dogs, cats, cows, even the plants and trees seemed to wear a desolate look. Night was fast setting in. Poorva hurried on, anxious that she should not lose sight of the threesome. Unfortunately, that was exactly what happened. (to be continued. . .)

February 2020 The Vedanta Kesari

34

R

Sri Ramakrishna Vijayam – Touching 100 Years

amakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission brings out 22 cultural and spiritual magazines in 13 languages. Of these, four magazines have completed 100 years of publication. Prabuddha Bharata is into its 125th year of publication, Udbodhan into its 121st year, The Vedanta Kesari into its 107 th year, and Prabuddha Keralam into its 106th year of publication. Now, there is one more feather in the cap of the Order’s magazine publication with Sri Ramakrishna Vijayam, our Tamil magazine joining this centenary club.

the earlier editors, the noteworthy stalwarts are Swamis Vipulananda, Rudrananda, Chidbhavananda, and Paramatmananda. Sri R. Ramakrishnan and Sri Anna Subramaniam, disciples of Swami Shivananda who was a direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna, were closely involved in the publication of Vijayam.

Vijayam is a role-model for other Tamil spiritual magazines. The people behind its illustrious journey are its dedicated monastic editors, and numerous admirers. From among

The uniqueness of Vijayam is in the manner in which it presents the epics, the puranas, religious doctrines and philosophy in a simple language supplemented with stories

Sri Ramakrishna Vijayam started its publication in 1921 from Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai under the guidance of its then head Swami Sarvananda. Over these 99 years Vijayam has carved a special niche for itself in spreading the message of Ramakrishna-Vivekananda across Tamil Nadu. For scores of people it is a touchstone for understanding the deeper truths of Vedanta and Hinduism in practice.

Vijayam underwent a big transformation in its content, layout, and circulation under Swami Kamalatmananda, who was its editor from 1985 to 2000. With the help of agents, the magazine became the first spiritual magazine to be sold in general magazine stores along with other popular magazines. Its circulation increased from 1,100 copies to 93,000 copies reaching every part of Tamil Nadu and even some other states. Later under the editorship of Swami Vimurtananda, the magazine’s subscription reached 1,75,000 copies. Today, under the editorship of Swami Apavargananda, the magazine is entering into its centenary year holding aloft the banner of Sanatana Dharma.

Honourable Vice-President of India Sri Venkaiah Naidu

Many organisations and institutions have come forward to celebrate the centenary of Sri Ramakrishna Vijayam. The Chennai Institute of Technology conducted various competitions for school and college students to commemorate the Centenary of Sri Ramakrishna Vijayam. Over 1.40,000 students participated in the competitions and the prize winners were felicitated by the Vice-President in the Centenary Inaugural Function. Also, as part of the celebrations from Jan 2020 to Jan 2021 cultural programmes like musical performances and discourses by eminent artists and speakers have been arranged in 15 localities across Chennai city. Programmes are also scheduled outside Chennai to spread the Ramakrishna-Vivekananda message.

February 2020

On 12 January 2020, the year-long centenary celebrations of Sri Ramakrishna Vijayam was launched by the Honourable VicePresident of India Sri Venkaiah Naidu in a programme held at Narada Gana Sabha, Chennai. Inaugurating the celebrations, the Vice-President also digitally launched the Sri Ramakrishna Vijayam Mobile Subscription App. The other dignitaries on the stage were His Excellency the Governor of Tamil Nadu Sri Banwarilal Purohit, Sri Jayakumar, Honourable Minister of Fisheries, Government of Tamil Nadu, Srimat Swami Gautamananda Ji, one of the Vice-Presidents of the Ramakrishna Order and head of Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai.

Swami Vimurtananda, Manager and previous editor of Vijayam welcomed the gathering and S w a m i S u k h a d e v a n a n d a , S e c r e t a r y, Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda College, Chennai, delivered the words of thanks.

35 The Vedanta Kesari

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

and pictorials. Its readership is across a wide section of people including traditional and modern devotees, children, youth, and the elderly. Vijayam acts as a bridge connecting the ancient spiritual tradition of Alwars and Nayanmars with the new revived Vedantic message of Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Sarada Devi, Swami Vivekananda and other direct disciples of Sri Ramakrishna.

At a time when our youth are being influenced by the largely sensual, and unethical media, internet, and cinema content, Vijayam acts as a spring of noble ideas and pure feelings and tries to keep the young minds connected with our culture. Through articles based on Swamiji’s manmaking philosophy, and regular competitions Vijayam empowers the youth to grow as selfconfident, patriotic, and service minded citizens of India. Twelve lakh students participated in a competition conducted in 2012, and the prizewinners were felicitated by the then Chief Minister Dr. Jayalalitha. Not surprisingly, Vijayam is perhaps the only spiritual and cultural magazine with the largest number of young readers – One lakh subscribers of Vijayam are students!

Vijayam’s influence on Tamil print media is seen in the development where most of the Tamil magazines and papers now have a spiritual supplementary or at least some pages dedicated to spirituality. Vijayam has also been a platform from where many writers, and artists have established themselves in the field of religious literature. The magazine is also a resource material for speakers on religion and spirituality.

Vijayam articles for students, teachers and mothers are so inspiring that they are brought out in book form which are fast selling.

His Excellency the Governor of Tamil Nadu, Sri Banwarilal Purohit

Special Report

Ramakrishna Math & Ramakrishna Mission

February 2020

Synopsis of the Governing Body Report for 2018-19

The Vedanta Kesari

36

T

The 110th Annual General Meeting of the Ramakrishna Mission was held at Belur Math on Sunday, the 15th December 2019 at 3.30 p.m.

he Ramakrishna Mission won the following recognitions: (i) The Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, presented the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award to the Ramakrishna Mission, in recognition of its service activities in South Africa. (ii) RKMVERI (deemed to be university), Belur, was awarded the highest grade of A++ by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC). (iii) Purulia Vidyapith received the Best School Award from the School Education Department, Government of West Bengal.

The headquarters and a number of branch centres of the Mission and the Math commemorated the 125th Anniversary of Swami Vivekananda’s Addresses at the World’s Parliament of Religions in Chicago, USA, by holding various programmes. In the essay writing, recitation and other cultural competitions, about 1.14 lakh students participated. Our centres also conducted 88 conventions for youths and devotees in which about 34,000 people took part. Some of our centres in the USA and other countries also held public meetings, lectures and cultural events.

New branch centres of the Ramakrishna Mission were started in: (i) Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, (ii) Cuttack, Odisha, and (iii) Yadadri Bhuvanagiri, Telangana. A sub-centre of the Ramakrishna Mission, directly under the supervision of the Headquarters, was started at Shyamsayer in Bardhaman, West Bengal, in September 2018. Subsequently, the ashrama was made a full-fledged branch in October 2019. A new sub-centre of Rajkot Math was started in Ahmedabad. The Phoenix Ashrama in South Africa was made a full-fledged branch centre of the Ramakrishna Mission, and the Johannesburg Ashrama was made a sub-centre of Phoenix Ashrama. A new branch centre of the Ramakrishna Math was started in Dublin, Ireland.

In the educational field, the following new developments deserve special mention: (i) In collaboration with Peerless Skills Academy, a Skill Development Project was started to strengthen the vocational training courses conducted by our centres. (ii) Baranagar Mission centre added a higher secondary section in the school. (iii) Garbeta centre started an English-medium primary school. (iv) Lumdung centre started a primary school. (v) Malda centre introduced an Englishmedium section in its school.

In the medical field, mention may be made of the following new developments: (i) Dehradun centre started a super-specialty eye care centre. (ii) Itanagar centre extended two of its operation

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theatres. (iii) Kankhal centre started an eight-bed high dependency unit. (iv) Lucknow centre set up a fully-equipped IUI (Intrauterine Insemination) laboratory. (v) Seva Pratishthan centre built a Cardiology ward and started an Endocrinology department. (vi) Visakhapatnam centre set up a speech therapy unit at its cerebral palsy clinic and a learning centre for children.

In the rural development field, the following new projects deserve special mention: (i) Khetri centre started a handicrafts training centre for local women. (ii)Â Ranchi Morabadi centre developed watersheds covering 6969 hectares of land and started a Seed Village Programme to produce quality seeds. The centre also adopted Nawagarh Gram Panchayat of Angara Block to develop it into a Model Tribal Gram Panchayat. (iii) Sargachhi centre started a Krishi Vigyan Kendra to help farmers reap the benefits of modern agricultural technologies.

A number of our centres took forward Swachchha Bharat Abhiyan by holding cleanliness drives and awareness campaigns. The following centres require special mention: (i) Mangaluru centre held (a) 36 cleanliness drives in and around Mangaluru. (b)Â 558 cleanliness drives in many villages of Dakshina Kannada district. (c) 35 seminars in colleges attended by 12,300 youths. (ii) Ramharipur centre built 57 toilets in Birrah village, Bankura.

Under the Ramakrishna Math, the following developments deserve special mention: (i) A new gangway and pontoon-type jetty were set up near Sadhu Nivas at Belur Math. (ii) Kankurgachhi centre constructed a dispensary building. (iii) Rajkot centre started a dental unit in its dispensary. (iv) Shyampukur Bati centre purchased a four-storey building for extending its activities.

Outside India, the following developments deserve special mention: (i) The California Heritage Council presented a certificate to the San Francisco centre (USA) in appreciation for the work of restoration and preservation of the Old Temple. (ii) The newly built Vivekananda Bhavan and Brahmananda Bhavan at Chandpur centre (Bangladesh) were inaugurated.

The Mission and Math undertook several relief and rehabilitation operations in the wake of natural calamities including devastating floods in Kerala, Karnataka, the North East and other parts, and cyclonic storms such as Titli and Gaja which had affected Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. The operations involved an expenditure of Rs. 42.41 crore and benefitted 9.73 lakh people.

During the year, the Mission and the Math undertook welfare work by way of providing scholarships to poor students and pecuniary help to old, sick and destitute people. Expenditure incurred was Rs. 21.45 crore.

Medical service was rendered to more than 78.32 lakh people through 10 hospitals, 88 dispensaries, 41 mobile medical units and 916 medical camps run by the Mission. Expenditure incurred was Rs. 259.42 crore.

Nearly 2.68 lakh students studied in Mission’s educational institutions ranging from kindergarten to university level and also in non-formal education centres, night schools, coaching classes, etc. A sum of Rs. 357.97 crore was spent on the educational work.

A number of rural and tribal development projects were undertaken by the Mission with a total expenditure of Rs. 73.21 crore, benefiting about 70.56 lakh people.

We take this opportunity to express our heartfelt thanks to our members and friends for their kind cooperation and help in carrying forward the service programmes of the Ramakrishna Mission and Ramakrishna Math.

(Swami Suvirananda) General Secretary

A New Sri Ramakrishna Math at Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu (A Sub-Centre of Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai) AN APPEAL TO SERVE GOD IN MAN Dear Devotees and well-wishers, We pray that Sri Ramakrishna may shower His blessings on all your endeavours.

Thanjavur is a historically and culturally important city, famous for its art and ancient architecture, especially temples.

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It was Swami Vivekananda’s earnest desire to install Bhagavan Sri Ramakrishna in every town and spread the culture of worship and service. We now propose to begin a centre in Thanjavur and initiate various activities:

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l Youth Camps - to develop self-confidence, awareness of health and yoga etc. l Balaka Sangha - to train children in cultural and spiritual traditions, etc. l Spiritual Practices - daily puja, bhajans, japa yajna, parayanam, discourses. l Spiritual & Cultural Literature - promotion and sale. l Seminar/Workshops - for teachers, doctors and other professionals. l Medical Services - for the poor and needy.

To establish a new centre and conduct the above activities, an amount of Rs. 7 Crore is required. We invite you to contribute whatever you can and be a part of this noble mission.

Names of those who contribute Rs.10,000/- and above will be inscribed in the Math premises.

Donations are exempted under Section 80 G of the Income Tax Act, 1961.

Donations may be sent cheque/DD in favour of “Sri Ramakrishna Math”.

For Online donation please visit https://donations.chennaimath.org After online payment please intimate us by email your address, and PAN number.

Yours in the Service of the Lord, Swami Gautamananda, Adhyaksha.

Sri Ramakrishna Math 31, Sri Ramakrishna Math Road, Mylapore, Chennai-4. & : 24621110. email : mail@chennaimath.org Website : www.chennaimath.org For more details - Mob : 98409 87307

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February 2020

SWAMI ATMASTHANANDA BIRTH CENTENARY COMMITTEE 91/1, SOUTHERN AVENUE, KOLKATA - 700029, W.B. Email: swabcc2020@gmail.com Visit us: www.atmasthanandacentenary.com Mobile: +91 9433654275, 8617023976, 9804984939, 9836463887 AN APPEAL Dear Devotees,

February 2020

Swami Atmasthananda Birth Centenary Committee is going to organise a Memorial Programme to celebrate the Centenary of Srimat Swami Atmasthanandaji Maharaj, the 15th President of the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission in Kolkata on Sunday, 10 May 2020.

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The Committee is extremely glad to announce that two Commemorative Volumes — one compiling the writings, lectures, interviews & letters of Revered Maharaj in Bengali, Hindi, Gujarati and English and the other comprising the reminiscences of Revered Maharaj by sannyasis of the Ramakrishna Math, sannyasinis of Sri Sarada Math, devotees and eminent personalities — will be released on that day. A pictorial biography and a documentary DVD based on the life and teachings of Revered Maharaj will also be released in the function. Also, a commemorative souvenir will be released on that day. Most Revered President Maharaj and the Vice Presidents of the Ramakrishna Order would grace the occasion.

The Committee requests devotees and admirers of Revered Maharaj to share from their personal collections the photographs and letters of Revered Maharaj via email for the Commemorative Volumes.

The Committee cordially invites you to become a Delegate Member and to attend the Programme. Limited numbers of Delegate Membership cards on a first-come-first-served basis will be issued. The delegate charge is Rs. 1,500/- per person. Each Delegate Member will get a complimentary gift of the documentary DVD, Souvenir and 30% discount on the Commemorative Volumes and the Pictorial Biography.

The Committee appeals to the devotees, admirers and well-wishers of Revered Maharaj to support us with financial contribution for this noble cause. All donations (cash/ cheque) and registration charges should be made in favour of: “SWAMI ATMASTHANANDA BIRTH CENTENARY COMMITTEE”. The surplus amount will be donated to “Ramakrishna Math & Ramakrishna Mission, Belur Math” Bank Details: Bank name: State Bank of India Calcutta University Branch; A/c Name.: Swami Atmasthananda Birth Centenary Committee; A/c No.: 38782094486, IFSC Code: SBIN0007766.

Donate online from our website: https://www.atmasthanandacentenary.com After online money transfer, please intimate us by email or phone about your registration/donation/sponsorship.

Thanking you, S. K. Roy, President, Centenary Committee

Article

Sri Ramakrishna and the Pilgrimage Mindset n the previous issue we saw, in the ‘conflicting nature of the human mind’ are light of Sri Ramakrishna’s teachings, 1) detrimental for spiritual aspirants who wish to why places of pilgrimage especially experience a spiritual transformation during manifest the presence of god and 2) the their pilgrimage. It is not sufficient simply to necessity for cultivating a pre-pilgrimage mindhave a spirit of devotion; we must also cultivate set prior to visiting holy sites. By cultivating the vyakulata or intense spiritual yearning, as well pre-pilgrimage mind-set before visiting places as a devotional focus and introspective mindof pilgrimage, spiritual aspirants are able to set. Understanding this necessity, Sri Ramabuild a momentum krishna would develop “a toward a specific spiritual specific spiritual mood” mood and an introsbefore entering a place For one who is endowed with pective mind-set. This of pilgrimage. Swami devotion, devotion increases with mind-set, in turn, helps Saradananda writes, “The the influence of holy places. pilgrims to counter the Master told us many times external and internal that he visited each holy distractions in places of pilgrimage, and also place with a specific spiritual mood in mind.”3. helps them to “easily become spiritually Sri Ramakrishna would often say sadhan korte awakened.”1 In this issue we will discuss the hoy, ar ekta kono bhav ashray korte hoy, “One practical application of the pre-pilgrimage must do spiritual practices and also take refuge mind-set in the light of the teachings of Sri in a definite spiritual attitude.”

Ramakrishna, Sri Sarada Devi, and Swami However, the problem for spiritual Vivekananda. aspirants is that Sri Ramakrishna does not As already discussed, Sri Ramakrishna before embarking on a pilgrimage emphasised the importance of cultivating a spirit of devotion: “For one who is endowed with devotion, devotion increases with the influence of holy places. And as for one who does not have that, what will he gain?”2 In the previous issue, we discussed how external distractions like the presence of ‘lust and greed’ in places of pilgrimage, and internal distractions like the

further elaborate on how to cultivate this “specific spiritual mood” or any of the other elements for cultivating a pre-pilgrimage mindset. Moreover, his own mind—as he himself put it—was like a “dry matchstick”4 in that it could easily ascend towards the Divine at the slightest stimulation. But Sri Ramakrishna’s extraordinary state of mind is simply too high an ideal for the majority of spiritual aspirants to emulate.

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

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(Continued from the previous issue…)

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SWAMI CHIDEKANANDA

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In this regard, we find a great deal of practical, down-to-earth advice in Swami Vivekananda’s “practical training”5 to Margaret Noble (Sister Nivedita’s pre-monastic name), prior to their journey to Amarnath in 1898.6 Swamiji’s advice can help all spiritual aspirants to cultivate a pre-pilgrimage mindset. His instructions were especially helpful to Margaret Noble as she had only arrived in India on 28 January 28 1898—just five months before her trip to Amarnath—and possessed very little knowledge of the history, culture, and spiritual heritage of India. Swamiji’s pre-pilgrimage training of Sister Nivedita consisted of a fourstep process. First, he prepared her mind for the pilgrimage by spending countless hours discussing the historical, cultural, mythological, philosophical, and spiritual significance of Amarnath, including Shaktism, Shaivism, and Advaita Vedanta. He also removed hidden cultural and religious biases within her mind which would have prevented her from assimilating the spirituality of Shiva and Uma, and in a broader sense, the spiritual heritage of India. Second, for this trip Swamiji chose a particular spiritual theme for Margaret Noble, which was compatible with her nature, upbringing and spiritual disposition. Third, after sufficient training, both the teacher (Swamiji) and the student (Nivedita) separately withdrew from external activities into meditation, and contemplated upon the place of pilgrimage in the light of the specific theme chosen by Swamiji. Fourth and finally, on the eve of their pilgrimage, she distributed alms and secured the blessings of local sadhus.

Let us now examine each of these four stages in greater detail.

First stage: Removing cultural and religious biases and acquiring historical, cultural, mythological, and spiritual knowledge of the pilgrim centre to be visited.

Sister Nivedita records that three months prior to their pilgrimage to Amarnath, Swami Vivekananda began —first in Belur and then in Almora—to prepare Nivedita for her impending journey. In his discussions with her, though Swamiji covered the entire landscape of India’s historical and spiritual heritage, he especially emphasised the mythology of Uma and Shiva.

Nivedita describes Swamiji’s teachings on Shiva and Uma in Almora as intensely dualistic and devotional at times: “In the mornings, we still had long talks...on the history of Siva-worship...

Another day coming at sunrise when the snows could be seen, dawn-lighted from the garden, it was Siva and Uma on whom he dwelt—and that was Siva up there, the white snow-pikes, and the light that fell upon Him was the Mother of the World!” However— at times—when Swamiji’s mind soared to the Absolute realm, he described Shiva not as the personal God or as the inner-controller (antaryamin) but as the all-pervading Divine Consciousness. She records, “For a thought on which at this time he was dwelling much was that God is the universe—not within it or outside it and not the universe God or the image of God—but He it, and the All.”7 Here, Swamiji was obviously influenced

by Sri Ramakrishna’s teachings on vijnana, a state in which he realised that Brahman “has become the universe and its living beings”8 or Brahma satyam Jagat satyam, Brahman is real and the Universe is real.9 In addition, he says that this realm of vijnana can only be experienced by Ishvarakoṭis, eternally free souls and not by jivakotis, bound souls.10 Sri Ramakrishna considered Narendranath, later Swami Vivekananda, to be an Ishvarakoti.11

Sister Nivedita had an intellectual and philosophical bent of mind, and hence it was important for her to learn about Shiva from the different philosophical standpoints. She further explained that Swamiji did not merely restrict

Next, Swamiji removed the hidden cultural biases about India from Margaret Noble’s mind. Anyone who wants to assimilate the spirituality of India must understand the link between its culture and its spirituality.

When British citizens visited British-ruled India in the 19th century, it was natural for them to feel ethnically and culturally superior to the colonised India. Margaret Noble initially had such cultural biases to some extent. After initiation when Swamiji “asked her now to

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Apart from all the knowledge Swamiji imparted to Margaret Noble, the devotional and spiritual fervour with which he conveyed this knowledge left a tremendous impression upon her. He did not merely convey dry knowledge; instead, he injected his own bhava or subtle spiritual emotion and feelings for Shiva and Uma into his teachings. She describes Swamiji’s deep love for Shiva at this time: “He had a surpassing love for Mahadeva…[the] very air of the Himalaya was charged for him with the image of that ‘eternal meditation’ that no thought of pleasure could break….[H]e understood...the meaning of the nature-story that made the Ganges fall on the head of the Great God, and wander in and out amongst His matted locks, before she found an outlet on the plains below. He had searched long for the words that the rivers and waterfalls uttered amongst the mountains, before he had realised that it was the eternal cry ‘Bom! Bom! Hara!

Hara!’”13 Nivedita, being a competent spiritual aspirant, was able to receive this transmission of spiritual emotion. This had the effect of making Shiva and Uma come alive in the heart and mind of Nivedita, during the trip and afterwards as well (a point we shall discuss in the next article).

w h i c h c o u n t r y s h e b e l o n g e d ”, S h e described her own “passion of loyalty and worship for the English flag, giving it much of the feeling that an Indian woman Anyone who wants would give to her Chosen to assimilate the Deity.”14 Understanding her spirituality of India attachment, Swamiji was must understand keen to remove this bias the link between its from her mind, as he knew culture and its t h a t i t wo u l d b e a n spirituality. impediment for both her spiritual life as well as for her future work in India.

Unwilling to “tolerate blindness of half-views and prejudices born out of ignorance”, Swamiji “pointed out errors in her judgements and even scolded her”: “Really, patriotism like yours is sin!” 15 She continued, “These morning talks at Almora, then, took the form of assaults upon deep-rooted preconceptions—social, literary and artistic — or of long comparisons of Indian 43 and European history and sentiments, often containing extended observations of very great value. But he had revealed a different standpoint in thought and feeling, so completely and so strongly as to make it impossible for her to rest, until later, by her own labours, she had arrived at a view in which both these partial resentments stood rationalized and accounted for.’16 The Vedanta Kesari

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his teachings to the spiritual: “But it was not religion only that he poured out upon us.

Sometimes it would be history. Again, it would be folk-lore.”12

Fortunately, Swami Swarupananda, a brother-disciple, helped Nivedita to understand Swamiji’s ideas. His elucidation “helped her to understand the atmosphere in which they lived.

He formed a sort of link between her Master’s mind and her own, and Nivedita was grateful to him for all he did for her. He taught her the Gita, asked her to offer her past at the feet of Ishwara. From him she learnt to meditate.”17 Though it caused dissent and conflict at times, Swami Vivekananda was keen to remove the hidden western cultural biases within

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Nivedita’s mind, which would otherwise prevent her from assimilating the essence of Uma and Shiva, and in a wider sense, the spirituality of India. Without this spiritual power and transformation, she would be unable to see Shiva in the Ice Lingam in Amarnath and serve India with her whole heart and soul.

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The main purpose of acquiring various types of knowledge is to further deepen shraddha or one’s faith in the holy place to be visited and its presiding deity. Sometimes pilgrims coming from abroad—or even within India—may have doubts arising either from cultural bias, religious intolerance, or even atheism. Sri Krishna explains to Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita how this doubting mind prevents one from making spiritual progress:

अज्ञश्चाश्रद्दधानश्च संशयात्मा विनश्यति। नायं लोकोऽस्ति न परो न सुखं सश ं यात्मनः।। 4.40

“The ignorant, the man without shraddha, the doubting self, goes to destruction. The doubting self has neither this world, nor the next, nor happiness.”

It is possible that even sincere spiritual seekers may have doubts or may not fully appreciate the spirituality of a holy place.

However, if they have shraddha and are aware of the limitations of their own knowledge and experience, they will seek spiritual solutions through sincere questioning and debating, followed by contemplation and meditation, as in the case of Nivedita described above.

Hence, if spiritual aspirants desire to make a pilgrimage fruitful, in addition to acquiring knowledge beforehand, they should also strive to remove hidden biases which may prevent them from accepting the sanctity and spiritual power of the holy place they plan to visit and the reality of its presiding deity. In other words, to derive maximum benefit from their impending pilgrimage, spiritual aspirants must first acquire knowledge—historical,

mythological, cultural, and spiritual—about the pilgrimage site beforehand and then attempt to convert this knowledge into love in their heart for the holy place and its presiding deity. This is the first stage of cultivating the pre-pilgrimage mindset.

Second stage: Choosing a specific theme

After acquiring the necessary knowledge, the next step for aspirants is somehow to integrate the knowledge into their very being by choosing a spiritual theme or mood for the pilgrimage which is compatible with their nature and upbringing. If the theme is authentic, then the spiritual aspirant can further cultivate and integrate the spiritual mood. As already discussed, Sri Ramakrishna mentions that before going to a place of pilgrimage, he would cultivate a specific spiritual mood. He also describes the two different types of dispositions for spiritual aspirants: “A man born with an element of Shiva becomes a Jnani; his mind is always inclined to the feeling that the world is unreal and Brahman alone is real. But when a man is born with an element of Vishnu, he develops an ecstatic love of God.”18 While it is true that aspirants normally possess tendencies toward knowledge and devotion, there will be one pre-dominant tendency over the other. In Nivedita’s case, she had an intellectual bent of mind, a quality of Shiva. However, even for aspirants with the quality of Shiva, Sri Ramakrishna encouraged the path of devotion, i.e., the harmonious development of head and heart.

The difficulty that many pilgrims face is to know and understand their own nature and disposition. Such an understanding requires either spiritual maturity or a spiritual teacher.

Margaret Noble had only recently arrived in India, and was still a novice with very little knowledge of India and its spiritual greatness.

For this reason, Swami Vivekananda himself, her enlightened teacher, had chosen a specific theme for her pilgrimage, which was consistent

Hence, as the time of pilgrimage neared, Nivedita, equipped with the proper knowledge, theme, and bhava, withdrew herself from other external activities to further cultivate and deepen her “spirit of devotion”. She did this externally by undergoing physical austerities such as fasting, living in solitude, etc., and internally by meditating and contemplating on Uma and Shiva. It is this tapasya that gives an introspective and focused mindset necessary for a pilgrimage.

In addition to preparing Nivedita’s mind, Swamiji withdrew himself from the company of others after deciding to go to Amarnath.

Nivedita records, “[as] we sat at lunch, the Swami invited his [spiritual] daughter [referring to herself ] to go to the Cave of

Fourth stage: Serving sadhus and securing blessings from them

Prior to embarking on the pilgrimage to Amarnath Cave, Swamiji took Nivedita around to meet different sadhus, so that she would receive their blessings for a successful pilgrimage. She writes, “That afternoon [on the day before their pilgrimage] he took his [spiritual] daughter [meaning Nivedita herself] round the camp to be blessed, which really meant to distribute alms.... We stayed a whole day, at this village of the shepherd, to keep ekadasi, and early next morning the pilgrims left.”21

In the next article, we shall further discuss how Swami Vivekananda’s training of Nivedita prior to her pilgrimage, not only facilitated her recognition of the “living Shiva” in Swamiji after his darshan at Amarnath, but also brought about her own remarkable transformation— first, from Margaret Noble to Sister Nivedita, and finally— from Sister Nivedita to Lokamata, mother of the people.

(To be continued)

References 1) Sri Ramakrishna and his Divine Play [hereafter DP], 605 2) DP. p. 606 3) DP. 607 4) The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, p. 629 5) The Master as I saw Him, p. 83 6) Notes of some wanderings with the Swami Vivekananda [hereafter Notes] , p. 92, 7) Notes. p. 24-5 8) Kathamrita, p. 50-51 9) See Prabuddha Bharata ‘Editorial’ December 1956, p. 479. Toward the end of his life, Swami Turiyananda declared from the standpoint of vijnana Brahma satyam jagat satyam, Brahman is real and the Universe is real, – as a counterpoint to the classical Advaitic dictum, Brahma satyam jagat mithya, Brahman is real and the universe is unreal. 10) Mahendranath Gupta, Gospel, p. 237 11) Life of Swami Vivekananda, Vol. 1, p. 87 12) Notes. p. 5. 13) Notes. p. 51. 14) Notes. p. 16 15) Sister Nivedita: The Dedicated. Pravrajika Atmaprana Kolkata: Sister Nivedita Girls’ School, 2017, p.46 16) Notes. p. 17 17) Sister Nivedita, p.45 18) The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, p. 713 19) Notes. p. 7. 20) Notes. 91-92 21) Notes. 92-93

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Third stage: Withdrawing into meditation and cultivating an introspective mindset

Amarnath with him, and be dedicated to Siva....

From this time we saw very little of the Swami.

He was full of enthusiasm about the pilgrimage and lived mostly on one meal a day, seeking no company, save that of sadhus. Sometimes he would come to a camping-ground, beads in hand.”20

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with her leaning toward knowledge. Knowing her dedication, Swamijii decided that she was to be “dedicated unto Shiva” for the work of India, and focused on this particular theme to the exclusion of all else. She describes Swamiji’s exclusive focus on Uma and Shiva before their trip: “Several months later [prior to the trip to Amarnath] he [Swamiji] never talked of any of the gods save Uma and Siva. For Siva and the Mother made the great workers. Yet I sometimes wondered if he knew at this time how at the end of every theme was bhakti.”19

Article

Women Saints of Varkari Tradition ARPANA GHOSH

(Continued from the previous issue. . .)

February 2020

Concluding article in the series on the Varkari tradition of Maharashtra.

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Sant Soyarabai o yarabai (end of 13 th and beginning of 14th century C.E.) was the devoted wife of Chokamela, a great devotee of Lord Vitthala. The couple lived in Mangalvedhe a few kilometres away from Pandharpur. Attracted by Vitthala and the bhakti movement, they later spent most of their life in Pandharpur. Though they were pure in heart and Vitthala’s name was continuously on their lips, they were looked down upon, as they belonged to a very downtrodden class of society — they were ‘Mahars’, ‘untouchables’!

S

Mahars had to do all the menial cleaning tasks in the village including removal of dead animal carcasses; they were therefore considered impure and even their proximity was deemed polluting. As outcastes, they were denied education, knowledge of the scriptures, access to certain social facilities in the village, and were also forbidden entry into the temple.

This was Chokha’s background when he arrived with Soyarabai in Pandhari. He had always aspired for something higher which could raise him above his debased – existence a human dignity which was beyond caste, a longing for God which could not be erased no

matter how oppressive and cruel the world is.

At Pandharpur in Vitthala and his bhaktas – the Varkaris – he saw this all-encompassing love that embraced the whole world in a spirit of understanding.

Little is known of Soyarabai’s life except that she served her husband faithfully and was a spiritual seeker.

Chokamela’s sister Nirmala had married Soyarabai’s brother Banka.

Both families stayed together and most intriguingly all four lived in a high spiritual state, composing abhangs for Vitthala!

They became the loving disciples of Sant Namdev, and Soyarabai’s foremost guru was naturally her husband. She was also greatly devoted to her sister-in-law Nirmala. It is wonderful to see that despite their poverty and deprivations they never fretted about their livelihood, but lived in harmony and singular devotion to Vitthala!

They were lovingly integrated into that first wonderful association of bhaktas in Pandharpur; Sants - Namdev, a tailor; Janabai; Gora, a potter; Narahari, a goldsmith; Savata, a gardener and foremost among all of them – Sant Jnaneshvar and his siblings! As long as they were in the company of these sants their life was blissful; but the moment they stepped

Arpana Ghosh, a German by birth, is settled in Chennai for 27 years. She has embraced Vitthala Bhakti and is Vitthala’s German Varkari. arpana-ghosh@hotmail.com

God always stays with his bhaktas and Pandurang would come to their poor cottage and share their simple, stale morsels! What a paradox that Vitthala, the holiest of the holy, rejects the puja in his temple to eat in the house of ‘impure outcastes’! There are abhangs describing the joy of having Vitthala as a guest in their poor cottage and welcoming him with an arati lamp lit with the five pranas – a symbol of total surrender.

There is an interesting legend about Soyarabai. The couple intensely longed for a son, and Vitthala finally granted their wish. In the late stage of Soyarabai’s pregnancy Chokha left to fetch his sister from another village to help in the delivery. Chokhamela however, immersed in Vitthala, joined a bhajan procession and forgot all about it. Soyarabai was left all alone in that state. Then Panduranga himself assumed the form of Soyarabai’s sisterin-law, delivered the child and thus became a midwife for the sake of his bhaktas! When Chokha finally returned, their son was already born and the soiled clothes washed! It is also stated that at the name-giving ceremony Vitthala was present and named their only son Karmamela. Upajata Karmamela, vace Vitthal savala . . . . “Karmamela was born, a promise

your heart and

Soyarabai eventually mind, became a widow when Says with Chokhamela died with many conviction other workers in the nearby Choka’s Mahari Mangalvedhe while helping to construct a parapet wall which collapsed. His guru Namdev himself went to collect his bones and distinguished them from those of the others by the sound Vitthala emanating from them. Sant Chokhamela’s bones were buried right in front of the Mahadvar, the big gate of Vitthala’s temple – the beloved ‘threshold’ from where he used to sing his abhangs; there is his small 47 samadhi shrine even today!

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Chokamela and his family were not allowed to enter the Vitthala temple. Hence Choka calls himself a ‘singer on the threshold’.

There, at the entrance steps, at the mahadvar, he sang his abhangs with pure love and longing, begging for grace. It is told that Vitthala himself brought Choka secretly into the temple and garlanded him besides gifting his necklace. The priests who were enraged about this, accused him of stealing the necklace and banished the family to the other side of the river.

from black Vitthal. As soon as everyone exalted in Vitthala’s name, the husband of Rukmini came Impurity occurs running to perform the 12th not by touching day name-giving ceremony with all the necessary the body, materials – so says Chokha’s Pollution is in Mahar-wife.”

There is an instructive anecdote told about Chokhamela. One day the Devas from Indraloka came rushing in search of Vishnu/ Vitthala for help. Something awful had happened! The nectar of immortality churned from the milk-ocean, had spoiled! At that time there was a festival in Pandharpur, and all the devotees were seated in rows to partake prasad. Vitthala pointed out to Chokhamela and said, “Let Chokhamela stir the amrit with his finger, he will fix it!” This story is a paradox, for, amrit can never be spoilt! The story shows that a pure devotee of the Lord has the power to purify the whole world even if he is outwardly an outcaste! A painting depicting this incident is hanging right in Chokha’s little samadhi shrine opposite the Mahadvar.

After Chokhamela’s death, Soyarabai spent the rest of her life with his sister Nirmala in Mehunpur, immersed in bhajans.

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out they had to face the atrocities of society.

Especially the brahmins did not accept that a mahar could rise to be reckoned as a sant and be revered by others socially superior to him!

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Their abhangs

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There are about 350 abhangs of Sant Chokamela, and 62 abhangs of Soyarabai. They had no education in the remotest sense, but their abhangs are full of love and wisdom! The highly educated Sant Ekanath (16th C.E.) wrote his famous abhang ‘Kaya hi Pandhari, Atma ha Vitthala, “The body is Pandhari, the Atma Vitthala”. More than 250 years earlier, expressing a similar experience the uneducated Chokamela had sung Deha hi Pandhari Atma Panduranga. And their high level of God realization made them dare question untouchability and the hierarchy of the caste system.

The basis of Vitthala bhakti is that God does not consider high or low; he considers only pure love! Uncha niche kahinene bhagavanta – This abhang of Sant Tukaram sung daily by the varkaris, lists many bhaktas from the lower strata and describes how Vitthala out of love, helps them in their work. Sant Chokamela is depicted here as dragging off dead animal carcasses together with Shri Vitthala – one of the many odd works of a mahar!

Soyarabai was deeply devoted to her husband and her abhangs reflect the same emotions and themes as Chokamela. Like other sants they composed songs on the absolute importance of God’s name, the bliss of Pandhari, and the joyful meetings with the Varkaris during the pilgrimages. But the underlying tone of most of the songs is heart-rending: feelings of utter lowliness, disgust with the world, questions on untouchability, the inability to understand this birth and karma, and this endless waiting for Vitthala’s mercy at the temple gate. “I’m your poor wretch, a dog, barking, in the hope to get your leftovers - waiting at the door for mouthfuls!”

Soyarabai signs her abhangs with the mudra mhane Chokhyachimahari, ‘the Mahar-

wife of Choka’. She must have hated the stigma associated with a mahar, but in her songs she takes almost a defiant pride in calling herself a mahari! Since the Mahars were living from the scraps and leftovers of the higher castes, the request for leavings, ucchishtha, is a common imagery in the abhangs. With the call Johar, a greeting of the lower castes to the higher, Chokamela would call on Vitthala: Johar Maybap, “It’s me Choka, your mahar! I brought my empty plate to get your ucchishtha, your leavings, i.e., your love!”

Soyarabai feels the stigma of impurity when she sings, Hina mi kaya vanu deva, tumhiKeshavaudara, “I’m weak and low, how can I describe your glories? Generous one, Keshava! Make me happy and show me your feet! Even if the broadest river flows over me, this body will not get pure! Please, save the drowning one! says Chokha’s Mahari.” Again, she challenges the state of impurity by singing Dehasi vitala mhana to sakala, atma to nirmala shuddhabuddha, “All say the body is unclean, but the soul is pure! At the moment of birth everyone’s body becomes impure, there is no immaculate birth! … Impurity occurs not by touching the body; pollution is in your heart and mind says with conviction Choka’s Mahari.”

Like all the other Varkari sants, Soyara also extols the greatness of God’s name as the easiest and only way to cross over this terrible samsara. Kalikala kampe name uccharitam, “Death is trembling when the Name is uttered, everything is achieved by saying ‘Vitthala’!

These three syllables are so easy to pronounce; repeat them all the time! It removes all pain, weariness and suffering of life. Have full faith in the Name and hold on to it from within! says Chokha’s Mahari.”

Sometimes Soyara would get a glimpse of Vitthala and that would make up for all her miseries. Aji majha sarva purava navasa, “Today all my vratas were fulfilled! I have seen

In another popular abhang, she expresses this cherished vision of oneness and the means Vitthala bhakti with its tradition of sants, to achieve it: avagha ranga eka jhala, rangi the pride of Maharashtra, stands for equality rangala shriranga, “When all colours became for all, to embrace all mankind in one single one, they were coloured in the Supreme colour ‘caste’ of Vitthalaprem. Choka and Soyara never – Sri Hari! The concept of ‘me’ and ‘you’ has used their abhangs as a means of public become meaningless on protest, but as a means of s e e i n g t h e L o rd o f self-expression. Theirs Pandhari! No place for was a peaceful revolt Death is trembling when the differences, lust and against untouchability, to Name is uttered, anger also ran away! change the mentality of Everything is achieved by saying Though in the body, you the oppressors through Vitthala! are not aware of it, prembhakti and beyond, ever in samadhi! knowledge.

The seer and the seen have vanished, says Chokha’s Mahari.”

Bahinabai Soyarabai describes the mood in Pandhari when thousands of Varkaris celebrate the great Ashad Ekadashi lost in the bliss of bhajan Ananda sohala ashadi Pandhari, “A festival of bliss – Ashadi (Ekadashi) in Pandhari, down at the Chandrabhaga kirtan is roaring! The shouts of ‘Jay, jay!’, a festival of bliss! It is raining nectar on the Vaishnavas! No body consciousness, no other thought — all these sants call out Vitthala’s name! Hearts overflowing, this is the arati of love, Soyara comes rolling on the ground blessed by the dust of the feet of these Vaishnavas!”

Soyarabai was equally devoted to her husband and her sister-in-law. In her abhang Chokha Nirmala ekarupa, darushane hare tapa, she says “Choka and Nirmala are one, all misery is gone by having their darshan! Unceasingly they repeat the name of Vitthala, there is no difference between both of them! The greatest tirtha is Nirmala, the Ganga is flowing there!”

Bahinabai (1628 – 1700) was a disciple of Sant Tukaram and for various reasons she is very significant. A Brahmin by birth, she wrote her whole lifestory by herself in autobiographical verses. In many of her verses she deals with the various difficulties she faced as a woman seeker and her mental agonies.

Bahinabai’s greatest significance however is the reconciliation she achieved between duty and devotion, between marriage and her love for God. This is very rare among the medieval women saints who generally rejected their samsar and husbands in their quest for God. Bahinabai’s marriage was by no means happy, there were conflicts and she was even a victim of domestic violence. But by God’s grace she was able to harmonise her marriage and her devotion to Vitthala.

She was born in 1628 in Deogaon, near Verul (the present day Ellora), a beautiful, sacred tirtha. Her father was the Kulkarni, the

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Nirmala tells Vitthala in an abhang Tumcha bharavasa dharoni manasi, “I’m sure of you, full of determination I took refuge at your feet! Now do what you think is right, I have unburdened myself! I’ve put my head into your lap, Nirmala says: save me or kill me, my whole burden is now yours!”

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Vitthala’s feet! The troubles of endless births have come to an end. His form appeared before me! I kept thinking of those feet, and now I finally saw them on the brick! My mind cannot contain this happiness, says Chokha’s Mahari.”

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scribe, there. Her parents were childless for long and Bahina was their cherished first-born after a lot of austerities. When she was just five years old her parents married her to a vedic priest, a learned but ill-tempered scholar who was thirty years old and a widower.

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Owing to a family-feud they had to leave Deogaon. Taking their son-in-law along, they walked as mendicant brahmins and visited many holy places. On their way they came to Pandharpur, where the little Bahina was deeply impressed by the atmosphere of bhakti and heard for the first time verses of Tukaram and other sants. Eventually they settled down in Kolhapur.

A turning-point in Bahina’s life came when her parents were gifted a cow with a calf in alms. Aged ten then, she describes the deep emotional bond that developed between her and the calf. The calf would eat only from Bahina’s hand, follow her around everywhere and at night they would even sleep together.

She says: “If the calf was out of sight, I felt troubled like a fish out of water!”

At this time Jayaram Swami, well-known for his kirtans and harikatha came to Kolhapur.

Bahina and her parents attended the kirtan accompanied by their calf. When people removed the calf due to lack of space, both Bahina and the calf started crying for each other so inconsolably that it drew the attention of Jayaram Swami, who blessed Bahina and caressed her head. Such a happy event however ended in disaster! When her husband came to know of this he was angered by the attention Jayaram Swami gave his wife. He punished Bahina by tying her up and beating her mercilessly. Nobody dared to interfere, but the cow and her calf were very distressed and stopped eating altogether; a few days later the calf died. Bahina lay unconscious for three days and wished to die as well. In this state, however, she had the vision of Vitthala and Tukaram as one. Sant Tukaram blessed her and gave her the

mantra ‘Ram Krishna Hari’. With all her heart she accepted him as her Guru even without having seen him in physical form. Bahina was suddenly a totally changed person. She sat all the time meditating and her heart was overflowing with Tukoba!

Now people started venerating her and flocked for her darshan which again didn’t go down well with her husband, an orthodox vaidik. His ego was hurt and he was jealous of the attention Bahina received. He hated also the idea that she as a Brahmin had accepted a lower caste as her guru; and so he threatened to leave her. At that time Bahina was three months pregnant, and though anguished, she reconsidered her position in society and decided to hold her husband as her God and Guru. Divine intervention came – Bahina’s husband became very sick overnight. He was bedridden for a whole month, fearing imminent death. Bahina nursed him patiently. When he repented and promised Bahina to bring her to Dehu, the hometown of Sant Tukaram, he recovered. What bliss for Bahina to meet her Guru in person and to experience all the bhajan and harikathas there! She describes how one day the inspiration to write verses came upon her like “the tide of the ocean”, like “the words of God stamped in her heart!”

For many years they lived in Dehu, and Bahinabai gave birth to her daughter Kashibai and later to her son Vithoba. After Sant Tukaram’s physical disappearance in 1650, the family shifted to Shirur where she died at the age of 72 in 1700. On her deathbed, she composed a very unique set of abhangs, where she describes her twelve previous births to her son Vithoba. She says that during all these births she was a spiritual seeker and asserts that the present birth would be her last.

Bahinabai has written about 728 abhangs and she signs them in the last line as ‘Bahina

(Continued on page 52...)

Pariprasna

What is the recompense of work without interest or attachment?

MAHARAJ: Interest is of two kinds, personal interest and impersonal interest. Personal interest, as in business, is always motivated by considerations of personal gain. Under this inducement, man can do much for the advancement of society, provided he is guided by a proper sense of discipline and a code of honour. Give and take is the norm to be followed here. It is the generally prevailing law of life.

Impersonal interest is applicable only to people who have risen to a higher level of thought and living, who feel that life is not worth living if it offers opportunity only to live for oneself and to work only for personal gain. They want a higher sanction for human effort than mere interest born of personal gain. Now the ideal of work without attachment is applicable only to such persons.

In the questions raised above it is assumed that everyone can adopt this ideal or is capable of adopting it, or is asked to adopt it. That is not correct. A person who can temperamentally feel inclined to work only when work fetches personal gain, is incapable of serving humanity with detachment or out of compassion. Give and take is the only law for him.

To one who feels it is not worth living only for the narrow self, interest can be created in work only from higher considerations born of one’s identification with wider groups, causes or ideals.

Thus service of a community, service of one’s country, service of humanity, and service of God have provided such souls of higher evolution with motives for action. It is wrong to think that in such actions there is no interest and there is no zeal in work. Great zeal and energy have been shown by workers in the service of great causes though they do not gain anything personal through it.

Detachment does not mean indifference but zeal without consideration of personal gains.

But complete detachment combined with efficiency in the most genuine sense is possible when service or work of any kind becomes a part of one’s devotional life. The conviction that all the world belongs to God and that we are His humble servants entrusted with certain duties, must become the most dominant note in our life. We must also feel that all the energy we get mentally and physically is from God and that success and failure are attendant on His will and that we are merely His instruments. If we are fully entrenched in this conviction, born of devotional experience,

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QUESTION: How is service of humanity possible without keen interest in such service and how can such interest arise without attachment to work? So is it not likely that the acceptance of the doctrine of work without attachment will remove all incentive to real and efficient service of others?

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

we will be detached in the fullest sense of the term and also be most zealous in the cause for which we are working, be it country, humanity or anything else we could consider as God’s. A sense of instrumentality is also needed to get full detachment and this is possible only when a devotional element supplements the pursuit of impersonal values like patriotism, humanism, etc.

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As for the question of recompense for work without attachment, the issue is raised only by persons who can think in terms of personal gain alone. The feeling that a cause has been promoted or one’s duty has been done properly, is the recompense. The recompense is qualitative, not quantitative and cannot be called recompense in the ordinary sense. It improves the quality of our spirit, it makes us better men and women, it pushes us forward in the path of evolution.

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Those who work with detachment in the devotional spirit, gain God’s grace, says Sri Ramakrishna: ‘A servant works for years for his master without any personal consideration. The master, being pleased with him, puts him on his own seat of honour and tells others that he is as good as himself and they should all obey him. A devotee who works for God’s sake without a tinge of self, is raised by Him to His own exalted state.’

According to the Vedantic doctrine upheld by Shri Shankaracharya, detached work purifies the mind and prepares the aspirant for the higher discipline of knowledge, Jnana-nishtha.

(Continued from page 50...)

Women Saints of Varkari Tradition mhane’. She has a few songs on Vitthala and Pandharpur, where she discusses philosophy and morals, right conduct and Guru, seva to the husband etc. One very famous abhang however stands out and is repeated again and again. In this abhang she compares the Varkari Sampraday to a temple: Santa Kripajhali,

imarata phala ali, “The Sants gave their blessing and the building rose up! Jnanadeva laid the foundation and erected the temple. His disciple Namdev built the walls by his widespread kirtan. Ekanath erected the pillar by writing his Ekanathi Bhagavath, and Tukaram became the pinnacle!”

(Concluded.)

Despite the concept of equality in Vitthala bhakti, caste and gender egalitarianism is rather an ideal than a social reality even among the Varkaris today! Dalits were allowed entry into the Vitthala temple only in 1947 after an uprising! In a historic move towards this equality, the Supreme Court ended in 2014 the centuries old monopoly of the hereditary Brahmins over Vitthala’s temple. Two women now serve as priests for Rukmini Mata, and priests from backward classes perform the ritual worship of Sri Vitthala along with the upper caste priests.

Headquarters

News of Branch Centres

The 110th Annual General Meeting of the Ramakrishna Mission was held at Belur Math on Sunday, 15 December.

Srimat Swami Smaranananda Ji Maharaj, President of the Ramakrishna Order, chaired the meeting. In all, 139 monastic members, 62 lay members and 81 associates attended the meeting.

The birthday of the Holy Mother was celebrated at Belur Math on Wednesday, 18 December. Thousands of devotees attended the celebration throughout the day. Cooked prasad was served to about 32,000 devotees. Swami Balabhadrananda chaired the Public meeting held in the afternoon.

As a sequel to the year-long celebrations of the 125th anniversary of Swami Vivekananda’s Chicago addresses, an All India Alumni Meet of Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission educational institutions was held at Belur Math on 28 and 29 December. Srimat Swami Smaranananda Ji Maharaj inaugurated the event and Swami Suvirananda Ji, General Secretary of the Ramakrishna Order, welcomed the delegates. All the five Vice-Presidents of the Order addressed the different sessions of the two-day Meet. Sri Bibek Debroy, Chairman, Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister of India, and a number of distinguished alumni from various walks of life shared their views. In all, 2000 lay alumni, 150 monastic alumni, 300 other monastic brothers and 700 guests took part in the Meet.

Srimat Swami Smaranananda Ji Maharaj dedicated the newly built assembly-cum-prayer hall at Jhargram centre. Srimat Swami Shivamayananda Ji, one of the Vice-Presidents of the Order, inaugurated the coaching centre building, named Saradalaya, at Coimbatore Math.

A special worship and public meeting were held at Kasundia centre, Howrah, on 22 December, the janma-tithi of Swami Shivananda, to mark the taking over of Ramakrishna Vivekananda Ashram and starting of a branch of the Ramakrishna Mission there. The General Secretary presided over the meeting which was attended by nearly 300 monks and 2000 devotees.

Sri Prahlad Singh Patel, Minster of State for Culture and Tourism, Government of India, inaugurated a 4D Virtual Reality (VR) short film on Swami Vivekananda at Vivekananda House of Chennai Math. The film with an immersive experience of water, aroma,

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News & Notes from Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission

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The Order on the March

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Values Education and Youth Programmes

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The following centres conducted value education workshops, conventions, camps, lectures, etc: Barasat math: Convention (660 delegates and 150 guests); Coimbatore Mission: 3-day residential convention (411 delegates); Delhi centre: 4 Workshops in Delhi and Noida (183 teachers); Rajkot Ashrama: 16 programmes (1326 students from 8 schools); Vadodara centre: 2 programmes on its campus and 7 programmes outside (3358 students)

Cyclone Relief West Bengal: In the wake of the devastation caused by Cyclone Bulbul in November, the following relief services were conducted: Baghbazar centre distributed 1050 blankets, 140 dhotis, 800 saris, 1600 shirts, 600 trousers, 100 children’s garments, 100 plastic sheets, and grains/grocery items among 988 families in South 24 Parganas district. Belgharia centre distributed 2000 blankets, 3000 saris, 3000 lungis and 2108 mosquito-nets among 2108 families in South 24 Parganas district. Taki centre distributed 3000 blankets, 3000 saris and 3000 lungis among 3000 families in North 24 Parganas district.

Batticaloa

Flood Relief Sri Lanka: In response to the floods caused by heavy rains and breach of embankments of lakes in and around Batticaloa, the Batticaloa sub-centre of Colombo Ashrama distributed 5490 kg rice, 1398 kg dal, 1398 kg sugar, 325 kg milk powder, eatables, and other necessary items among 594 affected families.

Fire Relief Arunachal Pradesh: Aalo centre provided clothes and other kitchen necessities to 5 families whose houses were completely burnt down in a village near Aalo. Meghalaya: Shillong centre distributed food items and clothes to 5 families affected by a fire accident.

Winter Relief 32 centres of the Order distributed 14,290 blankets, 1,842 shawls, 13,235 sweaters, and 1,601 jackets to needy people.

Distress Relief 26 centres of the Order distributed 30,895 shirts, 18,535 trousers, and 3,821 saris to needy people

Economic Rehabilitation Under self-employment programme, Khetri centre gifted 103 sewing machines to the needy people and Rahara centre gifted 2 cycle rickshaw/van and 2 sewing machines.

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and wind effects brings alive Swamiji’s wanderings in India and his meditation on a rock in Kanyakumari. Sri Acharya Devvrat, Governor of Gujarat, visited Rajkot Ashrama.

Sri Pratap Chandra Sarangi, Minister of State for Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Government of India, addressed the devotees at Mangaluru centre.

Dr Harisingh Gour Vishwavidyalaya, a central university in Madhya Pradesh, felicitated Mayavati Ashrama for its exemplary role in spreading the message of Advaita Vedanta through its publications. An allopathic dispensary was inaugurated at Barisha Math.

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Vol.107. No.2 The Vedanta Kesari (English Monthly) February 2020.

Regd. with the Registrar of Newspapers for India under No.1084 / 1957. Postal registration number: TN / CH (C) / 190 / 2018-2020. Licensed to Post without prepayment TN/PMG(CCR)/WPP-259 / 2018-2020.

Date of Publication: 24th of every month; Posted on 27 January 2020

When the real history of India will be unearthed, it will be proved that, as in matters of religion, so in fine arts, India is the primal Guru of the whole world.

— Swami Vivekananda

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