Society of Toronto ( Mission) 120 Emmett Ave. Toronto, ON M6M 2E6 CANADA Tel.: 416-240-7262; Email: [email protected]; Website: www.vedantatoronto.ca Celebrating Golden Jubilee Year 2018 Newsletter October 2018 Words to Inspire “Why are you so restless, my child? Why don’t you stick on to what you have got? Always remember, “I have at least a Mother, if none else.” --- Sri

After establishing the in 1902, The next day Raja Maharaj, together with Hari Maharaj and I, went to Mahapurush Maharaj would himself perform the worship of the Mother’s residence early in the morning. She was waiting for us. Master and Swamiji in the ashrama as long as he was there. In 1912, Maharaj fell prostrate in front of her and said: Holy Mother had stayed in Varanasi for about two and a half months ‘Mother, we have a request. Please take your food first so that we can to improve her health. That was her last visit to Varanasi. During that have your prasad.’ Mother gave the following answer through Golap time she herself had placed her own Ma: ‘Tell Rakhal, can a mother eat without feeding her children first? photograph in the old shrine of the Advaita Ashrama and even I will eat after my sons have eaten and then everyone can have the worshipped it. She also instructed Chandra Maharaj to worship it prasad.’ The three of us then sat down to eat in the hall on the ground every day. From that time on, worship of Holy Mother was performed floor. Mother fed us there along with that of the Master. with great affection and after the meal was over gave each of us a Upon arriving, she first came to Advaita Ashrama, and after taking rupee and a new piece of cloth. Maharaj was so happy to receive the rest there, went to stay in ‘Lakshmi-nivas’, a house belonging to the cloth that he immediately tied it on his head and began to dance in Dutta family of Baghbazar. This house had just been built, and joy while clapping his hands. We two started dancing with him. Mother Mother was the first to take up residence in it. Holy Mother was the greatly enjoyed this scene. Whenever Maharaj would go to see Holy goddess Lakshmi herself, and that is why the devotees wanted her Mother, he would be so overwhelmed with spiritual emotion that his to be the first one to reside there. Mother stayed there for about two hair would stand on end and his whole body would begin to shake. and a half months with her companions, so Lakshmi-nivas is Three or four days before she returned to , Mother carried a considered to be a very holy place. framed photograph of herself—hiding it in her wearing cloth—to The day following the Puja, Mother visited the Varanasi Advaita Ashrama. There was a small niche carved in one of the walls Sevashrama. Kedar Baba and Khagen [Sw Shantananda] of the shrine, to the east of the Master’s picture. Mother placed her accompanied her palanquin and showed her around. She was very own photograph there and offered two flowers to it. Upon coming out pleased to see the service activities there, and remarked, ‘The of the shrine, she called Master Himself is present here and Mother Lakshmi is here in all her Chandra and said to him, ‘Chandra, my son, please offer a few majesty.’ Soon after she reached her residence, she sent Rs.10 as flowers every day to the picture I have just placed in the shrine.’ Holy a donation to the Sevashrama. The note is still preserved there with Mother was humility personified. Rather than ask him to worship the great care. photo, she just asked for a few flowers to be offered to it. Upon arriving in Varanasi, Holy Mother, like other pilgrims, heard the From the book ‘In The Divine Realm’ reading of the Kashi Khanda by a brahmin for two months. After the by Sw Apurvananda Pg 160-167 reading was over, she fed the reader as well as some other brahmins and also gave them gifts of pots and pans, etc. After this, a desire arose in her to feed us, and she asked Golap Ma to convey this to Raja Maharaj. We were overjoyed to get this invitation! What could be greater than Mother herself feeding us! 2018 Parliament of the World's Religions is scheduled to be held in Toronto, at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, between November 1 – November 7. More than 50 Luminaries from around the world are expected to participate. Registration can be done on ParliamentOfReligions.org/2018POWR.

Come Mother Come! Based on lecture given by Swami Kripamayananda at of Toronto on November 8, 2015

Many of us have these questions – is there a God, how Mother, that I may not be deluded by Thy world- do we know his existence and can we ever see Him? bewitching maya, that I may never be attached to the But how many of us actually pursue to get the answers, world, to 'woman and gold', conjured up by Thy with single minded focus and make this as the only goal inscrutable maya! O Mother, there is no one but Thee of our life? whom I may call my own. Mother, I do not know how to We do find ways to realize God, when we read the worship; I am without austerity; I have neither devotion scriptures or listen to the holy discourses and our nor knowledge. Be gracious, Mother, and out of Thy desires of God-realization is satisfied. Sri Ramakrishna infinite mercy grant me love for Thy Lotus Feet.’” says – “The desires of a worldly person to realize God Does God listen to our prayer? Sri Ramakrishna says is just like sprinkling water on a red-hot pan. The water - “Surely. I can assure you of that a hundred times. But evaporates immediately.” Yes, most of us get the prayer must be genuine and earnest. Do worldly- satisfaction after this and don’t pursue further. Few do minded people weep for God as they do for wife and go forward and do the necessary austerities and children? You will feel restless for God when your heart practices, as enjoined in the scriptures. But only very becomes pure and your mind free from attachment to few devotees march forward and do not stop till the the things of the world. Then alone will your prayer goal is achieved. We know the story from the Gospel reach God. A telegraph wire cannot carry messages if of Sri Ramakrishna about how the wood cutter was it has a break or some other defect. God is the advised by the holy man to go forward deeper into the Kalpataru, the Wish-fulfilling Tree. You will certainly get forest. If the wood cutter stopped short satisfied then whatever you ask of Him. But you must pray standing he would never get to the mine of gems and precious near the Kalpataru. Only then will your prayer be stones. Although the road to God is full of thorns, a true fulfilled.” seeker never stops. He has complete faith in the words But what happens to the average house-holder of his ideal and goes forward on this razor edge path devotee, who does not have the sincere devotion that of God-realization till he sees God and merges in Him. we have discussed before? Does he not get the When a man has true Knowledge, he feels that chance to feel the bliss of God, even though he prays everything is filled with Consciousness. to God in order to fulfill his worldly desires? Sri Spiritual seekers are often assailed by doubts about Ramakrishna says – “God knows our inner felling. A whether their prayers reach God and whether God man gets the fulfillment of the desire he cherishes while listens to their prayers. Regarding this, Sri practicing sadhana [spiritual discipline]. As one thinks, Ramakrishna says – “One must be restless for God. If so one receives.” He also emphasizes the Tamasic a son clamors persistently for his share of the property, – devotee should force his demand on God, just his parents consult with each other and give it to him like a child forces his demands on his mother. even though he is a minor. God will certainly listen to The concept of worshipping God with form has your prayers if you feel restless for Him. He has emerged in order to cater to the devotional emotion of begotten us, surely, we can claim our inheritance from the devotee. Clay images are not just imaginations but Him. He is our own Father, our own Mother. We can clear visions obtained by the great Rishis (sages) in the force our demand on Him. We can say to Him, “Reveal ancient times. God with form is necessary for a Thyself to me!” beginner to focus his mind when he prays to God. God, Sri Ramakrishna taught the devotees how to call on the who is infinite, formless and pervades throughout every Divine Mother....“I used to pray to Her in this way: ‘O atom of this Universe, by His own will and pleased with Mother! O Blissful One! Reveal Thyself to me. Thou the devotion, assumes form, just to please his devotee. must!’ Again, I would say to Her: ‘O Lord of the lowly! Thus emerged the various deities like Ganesha, Shiva, O Lord of the universe! Surely, I am not outside Thy Krishna, Durga, Kali, etc.. God is an object of universe. I am bereft of knowledge. I am without passionate love and without this sincere and pure love discipline. I have no devotion. I know nothing. Thou how can one attain Him? The most important thing is must be gracious and reveal Thyself to me. O Mother, that the devotee has to establish relationship with God I throw myself on Thy mercy; I take shelter at Thy as mother, friend, servant or any relationship which will Hallowed Feet. I do not want bodily comforts; I do not bring him closer to the Divine. When the devotee cries crave name and fame; I do not seek the eight occult to Her, Mother uplifts the devotee on her lap, clean him powers. Be gracious and grant that I may have pure and provides him comfort. love for Thee, a love un-smitten by desire, untainted by Do we worship clay image? or any selfish ends — a love craved by the devotee for ‘M’ the recorder of the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna the sake of love alone. And grant me the favour, O asked Sri Ramakrishna that God with form cannot be

in the clay image which is worshipped by the devotees. destroy Madhu and Kaitabha, when Vishnu was in He also insisted that someone must explain these mystic sleep. I resort to Mahalaxmi, the destroyer of devotees that God does not exist in the clay images. Mahisasura. I meditate on the incomparable But the Master clarified that it is not clay image but an Mahasaraswati, who issued from Parvati’s body and image of Spirit or Consciousness- “He who is the Lord destroyer of Sumbha and other asuras, and is the of the Universe alone will show people the way to substratum of the three worlds.” worship Him, He is our Inner Guide. Suppose there is How to bow down to Mother Durga? Once Swami an error in worshipping the clay image; doesn't God Vivekananda went with Swami to pay know that through it He alone is being invoked? He will obeisance to Holy Mother Sarada devi. Then Swamiji be pleased with that very worship. Why should you get showed him how to bow to Holy Mother by laying a headache over it? You had better try for knowledge prostrate full length at her feet. Swamiji knew that Holy and devotion yourself." During Durga puja, we worship Mother was none other than the Divine Mother and he the Devi in the image. Sprinkling Ganga water and proved this by worshipping Mother Sarada in Belur chanting specific mantras, we first purify ourselves. Math as the ‘living Durga’. Then we meditate upon the Divine Mother in the form Swamiji in his poem ‘Kali the Mother’, wrote – of Mother Durga in our spiritual heart and then we For Terror is Thy name, invoke Her divine presence in the Ghatam and then in Death is in Thy breath, the image. Once ‘Prana-pratistha’ is completed, the And every shaking step image manifests divine consciousness. We should Destroys a world for e'er. pray- ‘O Devi, be propitious. You are Supreme, always Thou "Time", the All-Destroyer! bounteous, with whom you are well pleased, they are Come, O Mother, come! indeed blessed and attain to heaven. O Devi, you are In this poem Swamiji explains Divine Mother as that the Intellect, by which the essence of all scriptures is Supreme power, benign and blissful and at the same comprehended. You are Durga, the boat that takes time She is the all destroying power, who provides her men across the difficult ocean of worldly existence, devotees ‘Abhaya’ – Fearlessness. Swamiji told the devoid of attachments. You are Bhagawati, the Bramhacharis and monks before coming to the West, supreme Vidya which is the cause of liberation, and to love Death- meaning- to be fearless and face all great inconceivable penances. You are the soul of circumstances with complete self-confidence. Sabda-brahman. You are the embodiment of the Invocation of Mother can come only when we Vedas and you are the life sustainer and destroyer of understand the meaning of complete surrender to Her all pain. You are incomprehensible even to Shiva, will. Thereby we always feel the presence of Divine Vishnu and Bramha, this world is composed of an Mother and experience supreme bliss. infinitesimal portion of yourself! O Devi, you are Svaha Mother Sarada has provided her assurance to all of us at whose utterance the whole assemblage of gods when she said - I am the mother of the wicked, as I am attain satisfaction in all the sacrifices. You are the the mother of the virtuous. Never fear. Whenever you Svadha which gives satisfaction to the manes. I bow are in distress, say to yourself, ‘I have a Mother.’ down to Mahakali, whom Bramha extolled in order to

Maha Ashtami Puja at On Ashtami day after Mahasnan and Shodashopacharapuja, nine small pots with flags of different colours attached are installed and the Nine Shaktis are invoked in them and worshipped. After this sixty-four yoginis are worshipped. Then one crore yoginis are worshipped. This is followed by worship of Nava Durga (nine aspects of Durga) and Goddesses Jayanti, Mangala, Kali, Bhadrakali, Kapalani, Durga, Shiva, Kshama, Dhatri, Svaha and Svadha. Kumari Puja Worship of a young girl, treating her as Devi, is also a part of Ashtami Puja. Sri Ramakrishna has said that the Divine Mother manifests herself more in a pure-hearted girl and that is why Kumari Puja is done. He used to bow down before little girls looking upon them as manifestations of the Divine Mother. When Durga Puja was done at Belur Math for the first time, worshipped several Kumaris. Now only one Kumari is worshipped. The same kinds of offerings made to the Devi are given to the Kumari also, and finally Arati is performed. Even senior monks offer flowers at her feet. Sandhi Puja The last 24 minutes of Ashtami and the first 24 minutes of Navami (a total of 48 minutes between the two lunar days) constitute the Sandhi or ''Sacred Juncture''. It is considered to be a most auspicious time. At this time Durga is worshipped as Chamunda (that is, Kali who killed the demon Chanda and Munda). This Puja is considered to be the highest point in the whole Durga Puja and the most important ritual. It is customary to perform bali or animal sacrifice at this sacred juncture. When the first Durga Puja was celebrated at Belur Math in 1901, Swami Vivekananda wanted to have bali done. But Holy Mother prohibited it and, in obedience to Holy Mother's injunction, animal sacrifice is never done at Belur Math. Instead, a banana is ‘sacrificed' as a symbolic bali.

UPCOMING EVENTS – MARK YOUR CALENDAR

Events Date & Time Mahalaya Oct 8 @ 7pm Presented by devotees of Vedanta Society of Toronto "Our Doors are Open" workshop by OCAD University Oct 14 @ 11am

Durga Puja – Maha Ashtami Oct 17 @ 6.30pm

Durga Puja – Maha Navami Oct 18 @ 6.30pm

Durga Puja – Vijaya Dashami Oct 19 @ 6.30pm

Vivekananda Public Speaking Competition Oct 20 @ 11am For High School students Senior's Day Celebration Oct 28 @ 10.30am

Kali Puja Nov 6 @ 6.30pm Annual General Meeting (AGM) Nov 18 @ 11am

50th Foundation Day Celebration Of Vedanta Society of Toronto Nov 30 @ 6.30pm Consisting of Puja, Homa, Bhajans.

REGULAR PROGRAMMES

SCRIPTURE CLASS: Friday Scripture Classes begin at 7:30 pm, following the regular evening DAILY BREAD FOOD BANK: Daily Bread Food prayer at 6:00 pm. The class, held at the centre, is Bank has actively started. We would like to open to all interested persons. For details, please encourage people to donate. see the ‘Calendar of Events’ on the next page. INTERVIEWS/INSTRUCTION: VIGIL: A vigil consisting of japa and meditation will Swami Kripamayananda will be happy to give be observed, from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm, for date Interviews to those interested in knowing more kindly see ‘Calendar of Events’, on next page. To about Vedanta and meditation. Individual participate, please call the centre at 416-240- interviews are also given for Spiritual instructions. 7262. Appointments for interviews should be made in advance with the Swami at 416-240-7262. RAM NAM: For the date and time of the monthly Ramnam, please see the ‘Calendar of Events’ on DAILY MEDITATION: Meditation is done at the the next page. Centre every morning from 6:00 am to 7:00 am. Devotional singing and meditation time in the BOOK STORE: The Book Store has re-opened evenings is from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm. and books are available for purchase. SOUP KITCHEN: Soup Kitchen has now started

at the Vedanta Society, please see the ‘Calendar

of Events’ on the next page for details.

KARMA YOGA ACTIVITIES It is a great opportunity to provide your services to the Vedanta Society of Toronto. We have started creating groups of volunteers to administer and take care of few operations - maintenance related work in the ashram. Kindly come forward and volunteer time towards maintaining and managing the facilities. If interested in volunteering, kindly send email or contact Abhijit Bhattacharya on 416-569-9401, indicating the Services that you are interested in and days you can be available for volunteering. THANK YOU AGAIN!

Vedanta Society of Toronto CALENDAR OF EVENTS Minister and Teacher- Swami Kripamayananda, of India October 2018 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 2 3 4 5 7:30pm 6 Scripture Class: Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna 7 11:00am 8 7:00pm 9 10 11 12 7:30pm 13 6:00am Mahalaya 9.30am 9.30am Scripture Class: to 6:00pm

Lecture: Presented by Soup Soup ‘Vivekachudamani ‘The Living devotees of Kitchen Kitchen VIGIL Durga’ Vedanta Society of Toronto 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 9.30am 11:00am 9.30am 6:30pm 6:30pm 6:30pm Soup Kitchen "Our Doors Soup Durga Durga Durga Kitchen 11:00am are Open" Puja Puja Puja Vijaya Vivekananda workshop by Maha Maha Dashami Public OCAD Ashtami Navami speaking University Competition For High School students 21 11:00am 22 23 24 25 26 7:30pm 27 Guided 9.30am 9.30am Scripture Class: 9.30am Meditation Soup Soup ‘Vivekachudamani Soup Kitchen Kitchen Kitchen 5:00pm RAMNAM 28 10:30am 29 30 31 Senior's Day 9.30am Celebration Soup Kitchen 1:30 pm Vedanta Vidyamandir

AN APPEAL FOR DONATION Vedanta Society appeals to the devotees and well-wishers to kindly come forward and donate generously, so that we can pay-off all loans and build up funds to secure ourselves for our regular operations. Donations are required for ongoing maintenance of Ashram, facilities and functions, as well as repayment of interest free loans of $165,000 from our members in coming years. For those who wish to donate full or part of the loan amount to receive donation tax receipt for 2017 may do so by sending email to the Swami with cc to Anupam .