Singaspeaks 48

SingaSpeaks A PERIODIC NEWSLETTER FROM THE RAMAKRISHNA MISSION, SINGAPORE

ROAR 48 | SINGAPORE | SATURDAY | 18 FEBRUARY 2017

Blessings of Sri Rudra Kaliamman

A Visit to the temple of Sri Rudrakaliamman in Singapore is indeed a boon to the devotees.

Swamis Vimokshananda, Jitamanasananda, Pavitratmananda of the Singapore Centre and

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Swami Supriyananda, President of Malaysia Kuala Lumpur Centre visited Sri Rudrakaliamman Temple upon the invitation of the Trustees of the temple.

The Swamis were accorded a warm welcome reception to the accompaniment of the temple classical Nadaswaram (a long flute-like instrument), Thavil (Drums) and Purnakumbam.

The Swamis felt highly blessed within the temple in the presence of the worshipful deity Sri Rudra Kaliamman.

The Divine Mother was decorated in her splendour with garlands and garments. The archana of the moola deity Sri RudrakaliAmman and deepa arati performed by the senior most priest of the Temple were most singapore@rkmm.org

PERIODIC NEWSLETTER ROAR 48

PAGE TWO

SATURDAY, 18 FEBRUARY 2017

Blessings of Sri Rudra Kaliamman

auspicious sights to behold.

Sri Alagappan, one of the Trustees of the Temple Board took the Swamis around. It was fascinating to see on the walls of the temple sculptures of the different forms of Divine Mother depicting the likeness as seen in different temples throughout India.

The Swamis were elated to see the rare images of Navagrahas.

Usually, the Navagraha deities are depicted as Nine Deities each representing a heavenly body revolving all the time. In this temple,

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the Navagrahas are uniquely represented together with their respective Shakti Deities which is indeed a rare sight. The Board offered the visiting monks the temple prasad (consecrated food to the Divine Mother for the night) in the form of supper. The Chief Priest also gave the prasadi (offered)

garlands. The visit to the Kali temple was conducive to the Nitya Sadhana of the monks.

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PERIODIC NEWSLETTER ROAR 48

PAGE THREE

SATURDAY, 18 FEBRUARY 2017

Mind-born Son of Sri Ramakrishna Rakhal was devoted to God and used to practise meditation even in boyhood. At the age of 12 he was brought to Kolkata for his studies. There he met Narendra (later known as Swami Vivekananda) and, under his influence, joined the Brahmo Samaj.

According to the custom prevalent in those days, he was married at the age of 18 to Vishweshwari.

Soon after marriage, Vishweshwari’s brother Manomohan Mitra, who was a close devotee of Sri Ramakrishna, took Rakhal to the Master.

Prior to that Sri Ramakrishna had had a vision in which he saw the Divine Mother showing him a child who would be his son.

mahasamadhi in 1886 when the new Monastic brotherhood was formed at Baranagar, Rakhal joined it. He underwent sannyasa ordination and assumed the name Brahmananda.

Two years later, he left Baranagar Math and lived an intensely contemplative life at Varanasi, Omkarnath, Vrindaban, Haridwar Swami Brahmananda and other places.

Pre-monastic name: During this period, he Rakhal Chandra Ghosh scaled the highest peak of non-dualistic Born: 21 January 1863 experience (nirvikalpa At: Sikra Kulingram, WB Mahasamadhi: 10 April 1922 samadhi) and used to remain absorbed in Samadhi for days together. In 1890 he treated him like a son – returned to the Math. a manasa-putra.

As soon as Rakhal came to Dakshineswar, Sri Ramakrishna recognized him to be that child, and 179 BARTLEY ROAD | SINGAPORE 539784

After a few visits Rakhal came to Dakshineswar to live permanently with Sri Ramakrishna. Under the Master’s guidance, he practised intense spiritual disciplines, and attained high levels of spiritual illumination.

After the Master’s PH: +65 6288 9077 | FAX: 6288 5798

When Swami Vivekananda, after his truimphant return to India in 1897, wanted to give a new turn to monastic life, Swami Brahmananda wholeheartedly supported him. There was deep love between singapore@rkmm.org

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SATURDAY, 18 FEBRUARY 2017

Manasa putra – Mind-born Son these two monastic brothers.

After establishing Belur Math monastery when Swami Vivekananda got Ramakrishna Math registered as a Trust, Swami Brahmananda became its President.

He held this post till the end of his life.

During his tenure as President, the Ramakrishna Order underwent great expansion and several new branch centres were opened in India and abroad. The

Ramakrishna Mission, which had been founded

by Swami Vivekananda as an Association, was revived and registered during his time. His stress on contemplative life served to counterbalance the

a c t i v i t i e s undertaken by the monks.

During those d i f f i c u l t formative years he gave great stability to the Sangha. For his kingly qualities of administration, Swami Vivekananda gave him the appellation ‘Raja’ and since then he was respectfully referred to as ‘Raja Maharaj’ by all. He was one of the six disciples of Sri Ramakrishna whom the Master regarded as Ishvarakotis.

After a brief illness, he gave up his body on 10 April 1922. At the place where his body was cremated in Belur Math, a temple now stands in his memory.

For further reading: The Eternal Companion: Teachings of Swami Brahmananda by Swami Yatiswarananda and Swami Prabhavananda

179 BARTLEY ROAD | SINGAPORE 539784

PH: +65 6288 9077 | FAX: 6288 5798

singapore@rkmm.org

179 BARTLEY ROAD | SINGAPORE 539784

PH: +65 6288 9077 | FAX: 6288 5798

singapore@rkmm.org