Vedanta Society of Toronto (Ramakrishna Mission) 120 Emmett Ave. Toronto, ON M6M 2E6 CANADA Tel: 416-240-7262 Email: [email protected] Website: www.vedantatoronto.ca
Newsletter March 2014
Words to Inspire The greatest manifestation of God is through His Incarnations. The devotee should worship and serve an Incarnation of God as long as He lives in a human body. -Sri Ramakrishna
TOWARDS THE GOAL SUPREME By Swami Virajananda
At the Baranagore Math I heard from the In the same way, persons of mean nature revered Swami Premananda two parables of Sri become anxious to show off what little they Ramakrishna, which I have not seen published may possess, or what little skill or power they anywhere. This is the first one: “Persons who may have acquired, even though they may belong to the class of Acharyas, or teachers, thereby cause loss to themselves. with special divine authority and mission are, ‘ripe’ or mature counters, as it were, in a game The whole life of a man is a mass of of drafts, whose moves for quickly reaching the temptations. The six passions like lust, etc. are goal are inevitable; but they purposely come ever awake; they are ever on the look-out for down from the goal and play again. They anyone whom they can entrap and devour. One know that with their master-strokes they can must, therefore, be always awake and alert, throw at will any number – two, four, six, must always discriminate between right and eight, or ten. They pair with other ‘green’ or wrong, and pray to God. If a thief finds light unreturned counters and take them to the goal burning in a room and someone awake there, he also. Try to get paired. Nobody can destroy does not break into the house, but goes away the pair in a play at dice. Likewise, there is no elsewhere. The moment you slacken, become longer any fear if one gets a Guru like that.” careless or weak, your enemies also, finding an entrance, will grow violent and try to fell you The second parable runs as follows: “A hag with all sorts of crafty means, and even if they had a pair of gold bracelets on her arms, which suffer defeat over and over again, they will she had had made after denying herself much. never give in or fall back. But by no means But nobody came forward to speak in high lose heart. Even if you fall down again and terms of them. At last being disappointed, she again, you must get up every time with new set fire to her own hut, and having collected a vigour and fight with all your might and main. crowd around her by yelling and sobbing with You will then find that even your defeat, if it tears in her eyes, she began to lament pointing be, is as good as victory. This will advance with her hands, ‘Alas! Look you all, my hut you a little further on your way every time! has caught fire. Woe to me, all that I have is being burnt to ashes, only this pair of my bracelets is left.’
The Power and Glory of the Gayatri Mantra
[Based on a lecture by Prof. Narendra Bakhshi at the Vedanta Society of Toronto on December 8,2014]
Gayatri Mantra is probably the most well-known At the outset, we should be aware of the mantra of the Vedas. It belongs to the Rig Veda 3rd importance of various technical terms used in mandala, the 10th mantra of the 16th sutra. Swami Vedanta. Each term has a precise meaning and Shivananda of Hrishikesh (1887 – 1963) talks carries its own subtle significance. Vedas contain about the greatness of this mantra. He says, “Of all knowledge that was directly revealed to the sages the mantras, the supreme and the most potent by the Lord Himself. These sages are called the power of powers is the great, glorious Gayatri ‘Seers of the mantras’ or ‘Mantra drshta’. The Mantra. It is the life and the support of every true Gayatri mantra was revealed to the sage Maharshi Hindu. It is the support of every seeker after Truth Vishwamitra. Thus he is considered to be the who believes in its efficacy, power and glory, be he Mantra-drshta of this great mantra. of any caste, creed clime or sect. It is only one’s Phase-1: The Gayatri Mantra is as follows: faith and purity of heart that really count. Indeed “OM, BHUR BHUVAH SVAH, TAT SAVITUR Gayatri is an impregnable spiritual armour, a VARENYAM, BHARGO DEVASYA veritable fortress that guards and protects its votary, DHEEMAHI, DHIYO YO NAH PRACODYAT.” that transforms him into the Divine and blesses him (i) OM : Para Brahman, Sound symbol of with the brilliant light of the highest spiritual Brahman sphota (that from which the meaning illumination. bursts forth) It is the greatest of all mantras and its Presiding There is a verse in the Vedas: Deity is the Para-Brahman itself. “Prajapati vai idam agra asit”– In the beginning “Dear aspirants! Realise the wondrous potency of was Prajapati (Brahman) the glorious Gayatri. Realise clearly what a “Tasya vak dvitiya asit”–With whom was the word precious heritage you have in this mantra. Neglect “Vag vai Parmam Brahman” – And the word was not this Divine Shakti that the Rishis of yore have verily the supreme Brahman. This ‘sphota’ has its bequeathed to us.” Similarly Sri symbol in the word ‘OM’. Chandrasekharananda Saraswati (1894 – 1994), the In the fourth Gospel of the New Testament we Sankaracharya of Kanchipuram says, “The Gayatri read: “In the beginning was the word and the word is the mother of all the vedic mantras. People who was with God and the word was God”. chant the Gayatri mantra with affection and The sound of OM is also called ‘Pranava’ meaning devotion are protected.” Only by the intense that it is something that pervades life or runs repetition of the Gayatri mantra shall we be able to through Prana or Breath. master the vedic mantras. The benefit we derive Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa says about OM from the Gayatri mantra is the cleansing of the (Gospel pg 404): mind – Chitta Shuddhi.” “The sound of OM is Brahman. The Rishis and sages practised austerity to realise that sound This talk is presented in four phases: Brahman. After attaining perfection one hears the Phase-1: What the Gayatri mantra is, it’s meaning sound of this eternal word rising spontaneously and deep significance? from the navel. ‘What will you gain’, some sages Phase-2: Some comments on this mantra indicating ask, ‘by merely hearing this sound’. You hear the its greatness and uniqueness. roar of the ocean from a distance. By following the Phase-3: Role of some recent research in trail of OM, you attain Brahman, of which the word alternative medicine (Homeopathy) and vibrations is the symbol”. towards understanding the power of the Gayatri The literature on OM is quite voluminous. The mantra. central theme of the Mandukya Upanishad is ‘OM’. Phase-4: Integration of all the information to explain the greatness of the Gayatri mantra.
` (ii) BHUR BHUVAH SVAH : BHUR : Bhu Loka (The physical plane) – this Thus, the Radiance, Resplendence, here is world. It also refers to the body made up of the indicative of the knowledge which will destroy all Five Pancha-Bhutas (Akasha, Vayu, Agni, Jala and imperfections (mis-apprehensions) projected by Prithvi). These five elements constitute the ignorance (Avidya or non-apprehension of Reality). ‘Prakriti’. When ignorance (veiling of Reality, Avarna Shakti) BHUVAH : The Bhuvah Loka (The middle world). and its consequent results of mis-apprehensions The world next to the physical plane or physical (agitations – vikshepa) are destroyed, the world and closely connected with it but constituted apprehension of the Reality becomes self-evident of finer matter. and immediate. Bhuvah also is the Prana Shakti. However it is DEVASYA : Divine Reality. The light (Devasya) Prajna (constant integrated awareness) that enables here suggests the ever present pure conscious the Prana Shakti to animate the body. That is why illuminating everything within and without, in all the Vedas declare ‘Prajanam Brahma’ – constant the three states – waking, dream and deep sleep. integrated awareness is Brahman. Thus it also DHEEMAHI : We meditate. suggests the awareness that illumines our thoughts. SVAH : The Heavenly / Spiritual world (Loka). It (v) DHIYO YO NAH PRACODYAT : also suggests one’s own essential DHIYO : Pure intellect, Pure Buddhi reality. YO NAH : Our In the Vedic vocabulary these three “BHUR PRACODYAT : Enlighten, illumine. BHUVAH and SVAH” are called ‘Vyahrutis’. In the Gayatri Mantra when these Vyahrutis are Thus the overall translation / meaning is : chanted, the meditator can visualize the three “OM, we meditate on the spiritual effulgence of worlds (lokas) as arising from, existing in and the Divine Reality, the source of physical astral disappearing in ‘OM’. In this sense, the three and heavenly planes of existence. May that Vyahrutis in the Gayatri Mantra represent in one Supreme Divine Reality enlighten (illumine) our sweep the entire world of the subjective and the Buddhi (intellect).” objective experiences of man. Rabindranath Tagore summarizes the spirit of the (iii) TAT SAVITUR VARENYAM : Gayatri mantra in his famous book ‘GITANJALI: Life of my life, I shall ever try to keep my body pure, TAT : The word ‘Tat’ indicates the Self within, knowing that thy living touch is upon all my limbs. which is nothing but the Self in all, the Supreme I shall ever try to keep all untruths out from my thoughts, Self or Brahman. As in the Maha-vakya : Tat knowing that thou art that truth which has kindled the light Twam Asi (Thou Art That). of reason in my mind. SAVITUR : That from which all this is born. The I shall ever try to derive all evils away from my heart and keep my love in flower, knowing that thou hast thy seat in Self-within (as under ‘Tat’) is indicated by the term the inmost shrine of my heart. ‘Savita’ or ‘SUN’. The term ‘SUN’ thus indicates And it shall be endeavor to reveal thee in my actions, the one substratum for all the delusory experiences knowing it is thy power that gives me strength to act. of plurality and their illusory play in a field of Creation-Sustenance-and-Destruction. This indeed should be the attitude of a practitioner VARENYAM : Fit to be worshipped. “That which of Gayatri Upasana. Thus the Gayatri Mantra is a is courted by all”, as it is of the nature of INFINITE Universal prayer which asks for a pure intellect or BLISS. pure buddhi, so that the truth (SATYAM, (iv) BHARGO DEVASYA DHEEMAHI : REALITY, BRAHMAN) may be reflected BHARGO : The ‘Radiance, Spiritual Effulgence’, therein without distortion, that is, so that buddhi is the light that bestows wisdom. illumined or becomes enlightened.
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SUMMARY OF PAST EVENT
Saraswati Puja was celebrated on Sunday, Maha-Shivaratri was celebrated on 9th February, 2014, around 70 devotees Thursday, 27th February 2014. More than 100 attended. devotees attended.
UPCOMING EVENTS RamNavami, the Birthday of Sri Rama, will ‘Bhajan for Bhakti’, a 90 minute be observed on Tuesday, April 8, 2014 at 6:30 programme of devotional music by devotee- pm with Puja, singing of RamNam, Hanuman singers will be held on Saturday, April 12 at Chalisa,devotional songs and Pushpanjali. 11am, followed by lunch. All are welcome to attend. REGULAR PROGRAMMES SCRIPTURE CLASS: Every Friday at 7:30 meditation is held in the evenings from 6:00 pm, following the regular evening prayer at pm to 8:00 pm. 6:00 pm. DAILY BREAD FOOD BANK: Many less VIGIL: A vigil consisting of japa and fortunate families are dependent on the food meditation is observed from 6:00 am to 6:00 bank for their daily nutrition. Please help us by pm. For the date of this month’s vigil, please contributing non-perishable food items that we see the ‘Calendar of Events’ on the next page. may pass along to the Daily Bread Food Bank. To participate, please call the Centre. SOUP KITCHEN: The Soup is cooked at the RAM NAM: For the date and time of the Vedanta Society and offered serving meals at monthly Ramnam, please see the ‘Calendar of Syme Woolner Neighbourhood & Family Events’ on the next page. Centre, 2468 Eglinton Ave W, Unit 3, Toronto, INTERVIEWS/INSTRUCTION: ON, M6M 5E2. Please contact the Centre, if Swami Kripamayananda will be happy to give you are interested in participating. Donations interviews to those interested in knowing more for the Soup Kitchen will be highly about Vedanta and meditation. Individual appreciated interviews are also given for spiritual BOOK STORE: The Book Store is open after instruction. Appointments for interviews Sunday Services and special programmes, and should be made in advance with the Swami at arrangements can be made by phone for 416-240-7262. weekday and Saturday visits. We carry selected DAILY MEDITATION: Meditation is titles from the Ramakrishna-Vivekananda observed at the Centre every morning from literature, as well as other Vedantic materials. 6:00 am to 7:00 am. Devotional singing and ______
VOLUNTARY SERVICE Soup Kitchen is looking for volunteers to enable to continue its activities. Volunteers are required to work for 2 hours to prepare soup & salad. Please drop in on Tuesdays at 9:30 am & on Saturdays at 10:00 am. Vedanta Vidya Mandir is looking for volunteers to help in running classes and also for arranging snacks for the students. If you are interested, please contact the Society at 416-240-7262 or
TAX RECEIPTS Please note that tax receipts for your donations have been mailed. Please inform the
Society if you have not yet received the receipts. Vedanta Society of Toronto Minister and Teacher - Swami Kripamayananda, Ramakrishna Order of India CALENDAR OF EVENTS March 2014 Sunday Mon Tuesday Wed Thu Friday Saturday 1
2 11am: Lecture: 3 4 5 6 7 7:30pm 8 9:30am ‘Unique Sri Ramakrishna’ 9:30am Scripture class: Soup Soup ‘Gospel of Sri Kitchen VVM 1:30 pm Kitchen Ramakrishna’
9 11am 10 11 12 13 14 7:30pm 15 9:30am 9:30am Scripture class: Soup Soup Vivekachudamani’ Kitchen Kitchen
SRI RAMAKRISHNA BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION 16 11am Guest 17 18 19 20 21 7:30pm 22 Lecture: 9:30am 9:30am Scripture class: 6am-6pm ‘Sri Aurobindo: scholar, Soup Soup ‘Gospel of Sri VIGIL poet, revolutionary and Kitchen Kitchen Ramakrishna’ Yogi’ by Prof Binu ------Mukherjee 9:30am Soup 5 pm:RamNam Kitchen 23 11am Lecture: 24 25 26 27 28 7:30pm 29 ‘To Be Like A Lotus Leaf’ 9:30am Scripture class: 9:30am Soup ‘Gospel of Sri Soup VVM 1:30 pm Kitchen Ramakrishna’ Kitchen
30 11am Guest Lecture: 31 ‘The Gita: Its Relevance in Modern Times’ by Swami Pushkarananda
All religions are true. God can be reached by different religions. Many rivers flow by many ways but they fall into the sea. There all are one. A truly religious man should think that other religions also are paths leading to truth. We should always maintain an attitude of respect towards other religions. - Sri Ramakrishna