SINGA SPEAKS ROAR 5 | SINGAPORE | SATURDAY | 23 APRIL 2016 A PERIODIC NEWSLETTER FROM THE RAMAKRISHNA MISSION, SINGAPORE
Skype Class A Skype Class for the first time to the delight of Bangkok devotees of the Ramakrishna Vedanta Association of Thailand was conducted by Swami Vimokshananda on 6 March 2016. This class is a sequel to his earlier visit to Bangkok when the devotees had requested for repeat visits. Instead, a Skype Class was thought of that can be mutually convenient. It is scheduled on the first Sunday of every month. This is a series of Talks on “Lessons from Life”. The class was followed by a Q & A session. Similarly the devotees of Jakarta Vedanta Association were also showing keen interest in having a Skype Class. Hence, on 12 March 2016 the first experiment began which ran successfully. It is expected more and more devotees may like to participate in the future. This would continue on every second Saturday of the month.
Sri Ramakrishna Jayanti The 180th Birth Anniversary of Bhagawan Sri Ramakrishna was celebrated in all solemnity on 10 March 2016 beginning with Mangalarati and chanting of Sri Narayanopanishad, Sri Ramakrishna Suprabhatam and other hymns on Sri Ramakrishna. Being the janma-tithi day, a special puja was performed followed by a homa. Earlier Swami Vimokshananda addressed the devotees in the Temple Hall about “The Great Master”, explaining how He was an unparallel Master. He encouraged the devotees to go through books about Sri Sri Thakur so that their devotion at His holy feet can be strengthened. In the evening after the sandhya-arati, Swami Samachittananda addressed the gathering on “Sri Ramakrishna – the Universal Ideal”. The devotees were given breakfast, lunch and supper prasad suitably. A Book Stall was put up where literature of Ramakrishna-Sarada-Vivekananda and Vedanta books were sold.
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PERIODIC NEWSLETTER
SATURDAY, 23 APRIL 2016
Some events of Sri Ramakrishna Jayanti Celebration held on 10 March 2016 in a few snaps…
179 BARTLEY ROAD | SINGAPORE 539784
PH: +65 6288 9077 | FAX: 6288 5798
singapore@rkmm.org
PERIODIC NEWSLETTER
SATURDAY, 23 APRIL 2016
Some events of Sri Ramakrishna Jayanti Celebration held on 10 March 2016 in a few snaps…
179 BARTLEY ROAD | SINGAPORE 539784
PH: +65 6288 9077 | FAX: 6288 5798
singapore@rkmm.org
PERIODIC NEWSLETTER
SATURDAY, 23 APRIL 2016
Maha Shivaratri Celebrated
On the holy night of 7 March 2016, Maha Shivaratri was celebrated in all solemnity. Shiva mahina Stotram and Shiva nama sankirtanam were recited in chorus. The auspicious Shiva Puja was duly performed by Swami Jitamanasananda. Rudram and chamakam from Vedas were also recited. Also bhajans were sung, led by Swami Samachittananda. Swami Vimokshananda, the President explained to the assembled devotees that how Lord Shiva 179 BARTLEY ROAD | SINGAPORE 539784
bestowed His blessings by removing the ego in the devotees. He narrated an interesting story of Pushpadanta, a gandharva, the author of Shiva Mahimna Stotram whose ego was crushed by the Lord twice. Pushpadanta finally understands that Lord is the All-Doer and not he. All the devotees poured the sacred water, with flowers and Vilva leaves on the Shiva Lingam after the arati as part of the ritual abhishekam. Prasad was duly distributed.
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singapore@rkmm.org
PERIODIC NEWSLETTER
SATURDAY, 23 APRIL 2016
Chaitanya janma tithi Celebrated On 23 March, it was Dol Purnima, the holy and auspicious tithi when Sri Chaitanya Maha Prabhu, considered as an avatara purush was born. The picture of Chaitanya and Nityananda together singing and dancing in ecstacy and also the marble image of Sri Ramakrishna were tastefully decorated in Sri Ramakrishna temple. Yellow, the colour dear to Bhagavan Sri Krishna, was the theme in deco. After Sri Ramakrishna arati in the evening, puja to Chaitanya Deva was performed by Swami Jitamanasananda. Bhajan songs on Sri Krishna including Sri Shyam nam Sankirtan were sung by Swami Satyalokananda. A discourse was given by Swami Pavitratmananda on the life and teachings of Chaitanya Deva. Devotees offered abir and were given prasad at the conclusion of the programme.
NIRVANA released… Nirvana, our quarterly magazine for the period April - June 2016 was relesed for posting to the Committee members and the public. This issue has reproduced some excerpts from the celebrated lecture of Swami Vivekananda on Ramayana. Aju Mukhopadhyay, Poet, Critic and Author of Kolkata, India, narrates the lively story of Kabirdas, the mystic, poet and saint. This will continue to next two issues. “Lessons from Legends” – a new feature especially for the youth and children beginning from this issue, would glean stories from our hoary traditional sources and show what lessons we can derive from them. This continuing series by Sujatha Ravi Baskar, a Volunteer-Teacher of Children’s Classes on Hinduism will appear regularly. As usual interesting News & Notes pages are there for your reading pleasure. 179 BARTLEY ROAD | SINGAPORE 539784
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