1 TheVedanta Kesari

TheCover Durga Story Puja page 11 October 2020

1 The Kesari The Vedanta

A Cultural and Spiritual Monthly 1 `15 October of the Order since 1914 2020 2 Regd. Off. & Fact. : Plot No.88 & 89, Phase - II, Sipcot Industrial Complex, Ranipet - 632 403, T.N. Phone : 04172 - 244820, 651507, PRIVATE LIMITED Tele Fax : 04172 - 244820 (Manufacturers of Active Pharmaceutical E-mail : [email protected] Ingredients and Intermediates) Web Site : www.svisslabss.net

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Creation of the Phenomenal World from Divine Ideas Gopal Stavig

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. Website: www.chennaimath.org E-mail: [email protected] Ph: 6374213070 3 Regd. Off. & Fact. : Plot No.88 & 89, Phase - II, Sipcot Industrial Complex, Ranipet - 632 403, T.N.

The Vedanta Kesari A Cultural and Spiritual Monthly of The Ramakrishna Order Vol. 107, No. 10 ISSN 0042-2983 CONTENTS

th OCTOBER

C 107 o 2020 Year of Publication v e r 11 14 to ry S

The Durga Puja First Durga Puja at Swami Vimalatmananda 50 19 FEATURES 8 Atmarpanastuti Assimilating the Human Spiritual Journey 9 Yugavani Possibilities Vision N Gokulmuthu 10 Editorial 17 Reminiscences Srinivas Venkatram 25 Pocket Tales Creation of the Phenomenal 27 Vivekananda Way World from Divine Ideas 31 Poorva Ruchira Mitra Gopal Stavig 41 Book Reviews 52 Pariprasna Wh 53 The Order on the March en G o d C 45 a

33 l l

s

Sattvika Shraddha The Importance of a Daily Swami Satyapriyananda Schedule in Our Life Swami Medhasananda

43 35

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. Website: www.chennaimath.org E-mail: [email protected] Ph: 6374213070 TheVedanta Kesari

First issue of Brahmavadin, September 1895 He was a much-celebrated and much-feted Swami. His famous address at The World’s Parliament of Religions, Chicago in 1893 had catapulted him to the status of a super star. But 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.’ October 2020 Swamiji, as Swami Vivekananda was fondly addressed, loved and revered his motherland 4 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. The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta Swamiji started looking for the right channel to propagate the powerful message of Brahmavadin Vedanta. He opted for the print medium and decided to bring out a journal, giving it the name ‘Now I am bent upon starting the . In February 1895, he sent from USA $100 and a letter to his trusted disciple journal. Herewith I send a hundred dollars… Hope this will go just Alasinga Perumal. The letter read: 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 The Vedanta Kesari, May 1914 on 14 September 1895. The magazine included a First issue of The Song of the Sannyasin’. poem of Swamiji specially composed for the occasion. It was titled, ‘ One verse ran thus: The One hundred and seven Vedanta Kesari years and going strong….

“Strike off thy fetters! Bonds that bind thee down,

Love, hate — good, bad — and all the dual throng,

For fetters, though of gold, are not less strong to bind; October 2020 (Handwritten words in Swamiji’s own hand) 5

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 ‘I learnt from your letter the bad financial state an occasion for celebration but the struggles were far from over. that Brahmavadin is in.’ ‘I pledge One of Swamiji’s letters to Alasinga read: myself to maintain the paper anyhow.’ This was followed by another letter that carried the line, The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta

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 stepped in to revive it. The ‘The Mission was itself in its nascent stages with many a teething problem but nothing could come Brahmavadin is a jewel – it must not perish!” Brahmavadin in its way of reviving the Brahmavadin. For, had not their beloved Swamiji repeatedly said, The Vedanta Kesari. And so, the very same month when The Vedanta Kesari closed, it was resuscitated with the new name The history of is much more than just a tale of sweat, toil and a dream realised. 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. Sponsor a Page Appeal Once a year, please sponsor one or more pages of the magazine. We need around 600 sponsors annually. Sponsorship for one page For the last 106 years, without missing in one issue: ` 1000/- a single issue, the magazine has been carrying the invigorating message of Vedanta and alongside, continuously revamping itself VK for Students to meet the changing needs of the times. To encourage noble conduct, we are offering The relevance of Vedantic wisdom to a complimentary copy of VK to students (class everyday life is all the more pertinent today 10-12) when they manifest honesty, selfless- than ever before. ‘Arise, Awake and stop not ness, etc., in their daily school life. Teachers till the goal is reached,’ is the thundering will every month choose a boy & a girl from their class to receive this Character motto of Swami Vivekananda. The Recognition gift. Please sponsor these gifts. Ramakrishna Mission, as you all know, is a unique organization where sannyasis and lay people come together and endeavour for the October 2020 Outreach Gift common good. Let’s join hands in taking 6 To spread the message of Ramakrishna- forward our revered Swamiji’s vision and Vivekananda-Vedanta, please gift The Vedanta mission for The Vedanta Kesari. Kesari to academic/public libraries & influential personalities of your choice or those selected by us. 4 Gift Subscriptions for 1 year: Rs 600/- The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta Patrons Become a Patron of The Vedanta Kesari & help us to meet the running cost by contributing every month ` 5,000/- & above

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Atmarpanastuti Sri Appayya Dikshitendra

Sloka - 29 आलोच्뵈वं मयि यदि भवाꅍनथ दोषाननन्त नस्त्पााश्रयणपदवĂ नार㔹तीति क�पेन्मम् । अ饍뵈वेमं शरणविरहाद픿द鴿 भीत्뵈व न�ट 嵍रमो गृणत्यहितनयं किं नु मा配र निरस्म् ॥२९

O Lord, if, considering all these innumerable faults of mine You reject me saying that I do not deserve to be given refuge at Your feet, then know that I am lost now itself October 2020 out of the fear of lack of a protector. Will the village accept an unfavourable son who has 8 been rejected by his mother herself? Sloka - 30 कन्व्य वा निखिलमपि मे भूतभाविव्लीकं दुर्व्यारप्रवणमथवा शिकणीयं मनो मᴂ । न त्ववार्त् निरतिशयया त्त्पाब्ज प्रपꅍन त्व픿न्स्तखिलभरममुं युक्तमीश प्रहातुम् ॥३०

Either all my past and future sins should be forgiven, or my mind which is inclined

The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta towards evil actions should be instructed (by You to proceed in the right way). It is not proper for You, O Lord, to reject one who has surrendered at Your lotus feet in unsurpassed anguish and who has placed all his burden on You. Sloka - 31 सर्ज्ञस्त् निरवधिकृपासागरः पूर्शक्तिः कस्माेनं न गणयसि मामापदब्鵌 निमग्नम् । एकं पापात्ममपि 셁जा सर्वोऽत्न्तीनं जन्तु य饍युरसि शिव कस्तवतातिप्रस敍ग ॥३१

You are omniscient, an ocean of boundless compassion, of infinite power. Why do you not have consideration for me who am immersed in the ocean of suffering? If You uplift one creature, though a sinner, who is intensely miserable because of suffering, how will that be too much, O Shiva?

Translated by Sri. S.N. Sastri. Yugavani

Sri

he jnanis think of God without form. They don’t accept the Divine Incarnation. Praising Sri Krishna, Arjuna said, ‘Thou art Brahman Absolute.’ Sri Krishna replied, ‘Follow Me, and you will know whether or not I am Brahman Absolute.’ So saying, Sri Krishna led Arjuna to a certain place and asked him what he saw there. ‘I see a huge tree,’ said Arjuna, ‘and on October 2020 it I notice fruits hanging like clusters of blackberries.’ Then Krishna said to Arjuna, ‘Come nearer and you will find that these are not clusters of blackberries, but clusters of innumerable 9 like Me, hanging from the tree.’ In other words, Divine Incarnations without number appear and disappear on the tree of the Absolute Brahman. Do you know why images of Krishna or are three and a half cubits high? Because of distance.T Again, on account of distance the sun appears to be small. But if you go near it you will find the sun so big that you won’t be able to comprehend it. Why have images of Krishna and Kali a dark-blue colour? That too is on account of distance, like the water of a lake, which appears green,

PAGE SPONSOR : A DEVOTEE, CHENNAI DEVOTEE, A : SPONSOR PAGE blue, or black from a distance. Go near, take the water in the palm of your hand, and you will find The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta that it has no colour. The sky also appears blue from a distance. Go near and you will see that it has no colour at all. Whether you accept Radha and Krishna, or not, please do accept their attraction for each other. Try to create that same yearning in your heart for God. Yearning is all you need in order to realize Him. The cherished escstatic love for Krishna. There are two elements in such love: ‘I-ness’ and ‘my-ness’. ‘I-ness’ is the feeling that Krishna will be ill if ‘I’ do not serve Him. In this attitude the devotee does not look upon his Ideal as God. ‘My-ness’ is to feel that the Beloved is ‘my’ own. The gopis had such a feeling of ‘my-ness’ toward Krishna that they would place their subtle bodies under His feet lest His soles should get hurt. I went to Syamakunda and Radhakunda in a palanquin and got out to visit the holy Mount Govardhan. At the very sight of the mount I was overpowered with divine emotion and ran to the top. I lost all consciousness of the world around me. The residents of the place helped me to come down. On my way to the sacred pools of Syamakunda and Radhakunda, when I saw the meadows, the trees, the shrubs, the birds, and the deer, I was overcome with ecstasy. My clothes became wet —Sri Ramakrishna with tears. I said: ‘O Krishna! Everything here is as it was in the olden days. You alone are absent.’ Editorial Invite the Mother

Durga Puja this year will be a your worship.” From Saptami onwards and also different experience. Even if at the Sandhi Puja, during the time of arati, devotees go shopping for the Puja, Hriday had the blessed vision of Sri visit relatives and friends, and hop from one Ramakrishna “in a luminous body standing in Puja pandal to another, their joy will be tinged ecstasy beside the image” of the Mother. When with a sense of fear and sadness created by the he returned to , Sri Ramakrishna pandemic conditions. And for many devotees, confirmed the vision stating, “I went along a the only wise option is probably to worship the path of light and was present in your worship Mother in their own homes. hall in a luminous body.” After the first Durga Puja in image at In October 1885, Sri Ramakrishna was Belur Math, Holy Mother Sri who staying in Shyampukur, , undergoing participated in it had said, “Mother will come treatment for his throat cancer. Surendranath here every year.” Truly, this blessing applies to Mitra, a close devotee, was celebrating Durga every branch centre of Belur Math where the Puja at his residence; he was very sad because

October 2020 Mother is worshipped. So, not being at the Math Sri Ramakrishna was unable to join the during the Puja, in the living presence of the celebrations at his home. On the Ashtami Day, 10 Divine Mother and the Holy Trio, is a very in the evening, Surendra sat in the courtyard in painful prospect for our devotees. front of the Mother and wept loudly like a boy But every adverse circumstance has a crying out ‘Mother’ ‘Mother’ for over an hour. At hidden opportunity. Devotees unable to come the same time, Sri Ramakrishna had entered to the Math for the Puja, can invite the Divine into a deep Samadhi. When he returned to Mother and Sri Ramakrishna to attend the Puja normal consciousness, he told the assembled at their homes! devotees, “I saw that there opened a luminous The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta In 1868, Sri Ramakrishna’s nephew path from here to Surendra’s house. I saw, Hridayram decided to worship the Divine further, that attracted by Surendra’s devotion, Mother at his house in Sihar, near . the Mother had appeared in the image and that He wanted Sri Ramakrishna to accompany him. a ray of light was coming out from Her third But Mathur Babu held Sri Ramakrishna back eye. I also saw that rows of lamps were lighted because he wanted him at his own residence in the front verandah and Surendra was sitting during the worship. When Hridayram was and weeping piteously in the courtyard in front about to leave with a sad heart, Sri of the Mother.” Sri Ramakrishna then sent Ramakrishna consoled him saying, “Why are Swami Vivekananda and other devotees to visit you pained? In my subtle body I shall daily go Surendra’s house. to see your worship; nobody except you will see This Durga Puja, let us with a childlike me! Have as the Tantradharaka a Brahmin to faith call the Mother as Sri Ramakrishna often dictate the mantras to you and perform the advised us: “Cry to your Mother with a real cry, worship yourself according to your own O mind! / And how can She hold Herself from devotion. Instead of keeping a complete fast, at you?” When She comes along with Sri midday drink milk, Ganga water, and the syrup Ramakrishna, let us pray for strength to of candy. If you perform the worship in this way, overcome all the challenges that She is the Mother of the universe will certainly accept throwing at us these days. Cover Story

The Durga Puja SISTER NIVEDITA This article is from , a posthumous publication carrying a collection of Sister Nivedita’s writings. Here, Sister Nivedita, one of the foremost disciples of Swami Vivekananda, outlinesStudies the from different an Eastern dimensions Home of Durga Puja and the coupling of the Divine Mother’s worship with the worship of the Motherland.

nd there was war in Heaven: texts that are recited over and over again from

“A October 2020 Michael and his angels fought one end of Bengal to the other, with worship against the Dragon; and the and fasting, throughout the great nine days, Dragon fought and his angels, and prevailed from the new moon of Ashwin, until Dussera or 11 not, neither was their place found any more in tenth day. Here and there are those—monks in Heaven.” Archaic sentences here and there in their , perhaps, or Brahmins in the world’s scriptures tell us of the wars that their homes—who recite the whole of the were waged in Heaven before the beginning of Chandi again and again. But for all alike, time, and of the heritage—dim, prehistoric, whether they do this or not, there is but one supernatural in the natural — that was left object of contemplation—the wars that were in

from them to men and gods. Heaven; one hope, and one alone—the Kesari The Vedanta What is it that makes this element of conquest of the demons by the gods. mythologyChandi so clear, what force has raised it in Everywhere in India the feast that this one case to the significance when it attains corresponds to the Durga Puja is military in in the portion of the Markandeya character. Perhaps fundamentally in Purana? This is, above all others, the Purana of consequence of the fact that, in the North at Bengal. But here the central figure of the drama least, the rains are just over, the first seven days is no archangel, mighty in power and beauty, are spent in the cleaning and display of but the Mother herself, personification of the weapons; and on the tenth occurs the

PAGE SPONSOR : IN MEMORY OF SW. SHANKARANANDA, RAMAKRISHNA VEDANTA MATH, KOLKATA MATH, VEDANTA RAMAKRISHNA SHANKARANANDA, SW. OF MEMORY IN : SPONSOR PAGE creative energy, focus and centre of the visible prostration and exhibition of skill in arms. Very Universe. Back and forth amidst the applause curious is it at Nagpur on this day to see the last of Heaven does She pursue the ever-changing scion of the Bhonsles set out on the stately demons, and at the moment of her triumph, promenade that was, to his fathers, the when, ten-armed, pedestaled on the living lion beginning of a freebooting expedition, and long and sword in hand, She subjugates her foe for long before that, a hunting party. ever, She is portrayed as the image of Durga. But domestically, in Bengal, it is a very Such is the story told by the scripture— half- different element in the festival that determines epic, half-liturgy—from which are taken the the feeling of the home with regard to it. The child to whose afterlife each flash of a waterfall pageantry and national comprehensiveness. is to carry its reminder, more or less vivid, of Those who have studied religions as factors in Durga with crown and sword, does not in its social and political development must be childhood itself conceive of Her as the cosmic conscious of the great variety of threads that energy, appearing from amidst the ten points of are united in any single religious practice. What the compass. For the Mother of the Universe was it that made the Semitic races worshippers shines forth in the life of humanity as a woman, of God the Father, and India the land of the as family life, and as country. Here She is the worship of the Mother? Can these vast tangles maiden, perfect in beauty, nun-like in holiness, of social and geographical conditions ever be whose past and future are a glorified wifehood, completely unravelled? And even so, does India on whose rapture of devotion the eye of the stand alone in her personification, or is it not Great God Himself has fallen, and who enters more or less common to the whole of Eastern the Indian household, goddess and queen Asia? Regarding this last point, it is perhaps the notwithstanding, as, after all, the little wedded fact that what exists elsewhere in fragments daughter, returning for a ten-days’ visit to her and survivals has been preserved and father’s house. developed in India as a coherent whole. And True, as the lad draws nearer to manhood, within India itself, customs and doctrines he must realise that the father of the guest is no bearing on this worship, in more or less of October 2020 less than Himalaya, and his daughter, therefore, mutual un-relation, in many provinces, are in 12 the spouse of God—according to the legend, Bengal gathered together and woven into a Mother India herself. But this only gives single perfect piece. Who shall say how old was continuity and ductility to his idea of the myth. the Chandi in this region when it was fitted into First Durga, the ten-days’ visitant;’ secondly, and accounted for, by the Markandeya Purana? India, as Uma Haimavati; and lastly, Maha- And where can we go, outside the province, that Shakti, the Infinite Force; but always and some echo of the old-time Mother-worship increasingly as his power of recognition grows, does not fall upon our ear? that ceaseless energy which works without and Amman, the Mother, guards every village The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta around him towards the due subordination, by of the South. It wasSister Bhowani, Nivedita the terrible the forces of life and nature, of all that is vicious and unjust and out of place. With what tenderness and intimacy, then, does the Bengali child learn to conceive of his country and of God! It is a tenderness and intimacy which, beginning with the use of images, may become inherent in a language and characteristic of old races. The Mohammedan boatman of Eastern Bengal is not in his own person a worshipper of Durga, and yet the words “With folded hands before the Mother” may carry as much to him as to the Hindu heart. Beyond a doubt, however, it is its higher theological meaning which lends to the Durga Puja its overwhelming elements of civic Mother, who led the Mahrattas to victory. The Mother, again, was worshipped by the Sikh, using his sword as her image. Kali was the patron goddess of Chitore. To this day the great birthday is marked, in the Punjab and throughout the North-West Provinces, by the Ram-Lila, or miracle play of the Ramayana. To this day, in Mysore and all over the Deccan, Dussera Puja is the chief festival of the year. To this day. in every part of India, the nine-days fast is performed by some member of every high-caste household. To this day, in Madras, in Behar, and among families of military tradition everywhere, is Virashtami, the solemn eighth day, the occasion of the worship and the tribute of the sword. In Bengal, however, all these elements— social, military, and theological—are combined October 2020 and rationalised in the characteristic conception of the Divine Mother as Durga-Kali- 13 Jagadhattri : Durga, the divine energy, making and destroying, defeated and again conquering, Bharat Mata. Painting by Abanindranath Tagore impersonal and indifferent to personal desires; Kali, mother of darkness, wielder of destruction, receiver of sacrifice, whose benediction is death; and, finally, Jagadhattri, hour of the Motherland’s need as he saw the

PAGE SPONSOR : SMT. G. KAMESWARI DEVI, HYDERABAD DEVI, KAMESWARI G. SMT. : SPONSOR PAGE the tenderness of the heart of God, who shines image plunge beneath the waves. That the poet Kesari The Vedanta in good women, and from whom came forth the spoke the innermost thought of his Madonnas of the world. It is in Bengal, too, countrymen, interpreting the yearly drama that when the image of the Mother has left her belongs to each one in a national sense, children for a space, when the nine days of however distant he may be in the sectarian; worship and of charity are ended; it is in Bengal that he voiced in his poem what each household that the great tenth day is kept as that of the and each individual had known already in the reknitting of human ties, and the Vijaya heart, is proved by the history that has greetings of the family reunion go out gathered round his song. Every year that goes throughout the length and breadth of the land. by, the images of the Mother become more and For are not all bonds of kindred indeed more deeply, each in its turn, entwined with the sanctified and renewed year by year at the feet thought of India to the Indian heart. Mother of the Divine Visitant? Is not the whole of the and Motherland— where ends the one and country at one in the presence of the Mother? where begins the other? Before which does a It is more than thirty years since Bankim man stand with folded hands, when he bows his Chandra Chatterji, the great Bengali romancer, head still lower, and says with a new awe: “My sang the vision of the ended Durga Puja as the Salutation to the Mother!” Article First Durga Puja at Belur Math

SWAMI VIMALATMANANDA

The Durga Puja, and the associated Kumari Puja of Belur Math and also of the other ashrams of the Ramakrishna Order have become a great cultural and spiritual heritage of our country. Every year lakhs of people come to the Math to witness the worship, pray to the Mother and fill their lives with Her Grace, which gets specially manifested in this worship. This article describes how the first Durga Puja in image was celebrated under the guidance of Swami Vivekananda. Originally published in the Oct 1989 issue of The Vedanta Kesari, the article is reproduced here with a little editing and abridgment. October 2020 hat was in October of 1901. The considered themselves ‘custodians of 14 autumn festival was being held for ’ gave up their animosity and the first time at the Belur Math attended the Puja. They became convinced that which was consecrated only three years before. the sannyasis of the Ramakrishna Order were That was the first Durga Puja in image at the truly ‘Sanatani Sannyasins’. According to Sarat Math. It was, however, not the first occasion Chandra Chakravarty, (a lay disciple of Mothernd Durga was being worshipped by the Swamiji), Swamiji’s main purpose in conducting Ramakrishna Order. Swami , the this Durga Puja was to remove all unsavoury 2 President of the Order, said, “Swami doubts and scepticism from the minds of the The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta VivekanandaT introduced the worship of Mother orthodox. Durga at the monasteryghata at Baranagore. Of Swamiji had not seen Durga Puja for a course, the worship used to be performed in a decade. He intended to see it that year. The consecrated pitcher ( ) in those days.” But decision to celebrate Durga Puja in image at the the worship of 1901 had one distinction— Math in 1901 was his own. He Raghunandanahad cherished Swamiji had introduced for the first time in Smriti,this idea since several months before. He asked Belur Math the worship of Mother Durga in Sarat Babu to bring the book image. which deals in detail with the Many orthodox pundits and Brahmins of ceremonial forms of the worship of various the neighbouring places used to criticise gods and goddesses. Swamiji read the book Swamiji and the other sannyasis of Belur Math thoroughly. On being questioned, Swamiji for their innovating and liberal ideas, their said to his disciple, “This time I have a desire modes of work, and especially their non- to celebrate the Durga Puja. If the expenses observance of the customs regarding caste and are forthcoming, I shall worship the food. EvenThe author these is the bigotedAdhyaksha of people Ramakrishna who Math, Yogodyan,Mahamaya.’ and a Trustee of the Ramakrishna Order. But Swamiji did not speak of his intention Sarada Devi’s residence at 16A, Bosepara Lane, to anybody till only a few days before the date Kolkata, and sought her permission to perform of worship. Four orst five days before the Puja, the Puja. The Holy Mother gladly consented. Swami Brahmananda, (a brother disciple of Swamiji at once ordered the image to be Swamiji and the 1 President of the Order), brought to the Math. Soon the news spread all was sitting in the Math verandah facing the over the city and the devotees joined the Ganga. He had a vision of Mother Durga coming sannyasis to make the celebration a grand over the Ganga from the Dakshineswar side and success. stopping near the Bilva tree (now, in front of The image was brought from Kumartuli a Swamiji’s memorial temple). Just then Swamiji day or two before Shashthi (18 October) and returned to the Math [by boat] from Calcutta was installed in a temporary pandal erected for [now Kolkata] and asked, “Where is Raja the puja in the courtyard between the old (Swami Brahmananda)?” On meeting him, shrine-building and the Math building (which Swamiji told him: “This time make all has Swamiji’s room); the pandal extended up to arrangements for the Durga Puja by bringing the mango tree which still stands there. the Pratima (image) to the Math.” Swami Swamiji felt it imperative to have the Holy Brahmananda hesitated for a while, for there Mother’s presence at the Math during the Puja was very little time to make all the necessary

days. Along with her lady companions the October 2020 arrangements. Then Swamiji disclosed the Mother came and stayed at the near-by vision he had had. He had seen Mother Durga Nilambar Babu’s garden-house, which was 15 being worshipped in image at the Math. Swami rented for one month. Every day the presence Brahmananda too then described his vision. of the Holy Mother and her lady companions in These visions were greeted with great joy and the puja gave immense joy to everybody. In the cheer by the sannyasis and brahmacharins of presence of the ‘living Durga’— the Holy the Math. Mother — the image throbbed with life and the Br. Krishnalal (later Swami Dhirananda) whole atmosphere was surcharged with. divine

PAGE SPONSOR : A DEVOTEE, CHENNAI DEVOTEE, A : SPONSOR PAGE was immediately sent to Kumartuli (a bliss. It is said that Swamiji himself worshipped Kesari The Vedanta traditional potters’ quarterwas in the Holy Mother in the Durga-mandap All the northern Kolkata), to see if an image could be devotees enjoyed the holy company of the procured. Fortunately, one image available, direct disciples like Swamiji, Swamis for the person who had placed the order had Brahmananda, Premananda, , not turned up to take the delivery. Swamiji was and others. informed; he and Swami Premananda (a The arrangements for the whole brother-disciple),Invoking the Mother’s went to presence the Holy Mother Sri celebration wereDurga personally Puja in Belur supervised Math by Swami Brahmananda. Br. Krishnalal was the forehead, he exclaimed, “Ah! Have I hurt the worshipper. Sri Ishwarchandra Chakravarty, third eye of the Mother?” father of Swami and a On Navami night, Swamiji sang in the devout brahmin well-versed in worship, was worship pandal a few songs to the Divine the Tantradharaka, (the director of the worship Mother — the songs which Sri Ramakrishna in strict accordance with scriptural lovedyatra and himself sang on such occasions. One injunctions.) The 5-days Puja lasted from day there was an open-air drama performance Friday, 18 October 1901 (1 Kartika, 1308 B.S.) ( ) named ‘Nala-Damayanti’. The drummers Shashthi, to Tuesday, 22 October (5 Kartika and the flute players played sweet music at Vijaya Dashami). intervals. The sankalpa-mantra was uttered in the On Vijaya Dashami, the image of Mother name of the Holy Mother, for Swamiji declared, Durga was immersed in the Ganga. At the time “We are all penniless beggars; the worship of immersion Swami Brahmananda danced like

won’t be done in our name.” Moreover, as a boy; Swamiji and Swami Premananda sannyasins are debarred from performing Vedic watched from upstairs. At the end of the Puja, and Pauranika rituals, the worship was Swamiji gave Rs. 25 as Dakshina to the performed by a brahmachari of the Order. This Tantradharaka through the Holy Mother. The custom is still being followed. On Shashthi, the October 2020 Holy Mother was highly pleased with the way rites connected with Adhivasa, Bodhana and the Puja was conducted and remarked, “Mother 16 Amantrana were performed under the Bilva Durga will come here every year.” She returned tree (the spot in front of the place where to her Kolkata residence after blessing the Swamiji’s Temple now stands). sannyasis and brahmacharins. On the night of Saptami, Swamiji had an A number of orthodox Brahmins and attack of fever. So he could not join the worship pundits of the nearby Bally, Belur, Uttarpara the next morning. But he came down to the and Dakshineswar were invited and they all pandal at the time of Sandhi Puja, the most enthusiastically participated in the celebration.

The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta important and solemn function of the whole One of the main items in this celebration was Puja at the junction of Ashtami and Navami and the feeding of the poor. The devotees had offered pushpanjali at the feet of Mother Durga Prasada in the north-western portion of the three times. The Sandhi Puja began at 6.17 a m. courtyard, in the space between the existing and ended at 7.05 a m. on 20 October. jackfruit tree and Sri Ramakrishna’s new On Ashtami, the Kumari Puja was temple. Everyone without any discrimination performed. At Swamiji’s request, , a was warmly welcomed and entertained by the lady disciple of Sri Ramakrishna, made the sannyasis. The atmosphere of joy could be necessary arrangements. Swamiji himself palpably felt at Belur Math during the Puja worshipped nine little girls as Kumaris. He days. The total expenditure was Rs. 1,400.

placed flowers at the feet of the Kumaris and ghata.From 1902 to 1911 the worship of Mother offered sweets and Dakshina in their hands. He Durga was conducted not in an image but in a then prostrated before them. One of the As a devotee promised to pay the Kumaris was a very small girl and Swamiji was expenses for the Mother’s image, the worship so absorbed in the thought of the Divine Mother in image was resumed in 1912. The tradition that, when he put red sandal-paste on her continues. Reminiscences Reminiscences of Sargachhi SWAMI SUHITANANDA (Continued from previous issue. . .) 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 Ji, one of the Vice- Presidents of the Ramakrishna Order. 54

30.1.61

(contd…) plan, another person implements it, still Question: Is there any harm in following another person removes the obstacles, and someone else does the calculation.

Tota Puri or Trailanga Swami? October 2020 nirguna, Skill in dealing with people is of great Maharaj: Is it enough tosaguna, know only the the Attributeless? He who is nirguna is advantage because it helps to find out the real 17 again seen through Maya as endowed essence of a man. Not just the common with attributes, and as the manifest world. He people—one should behave well with even the knows rightly who knows both the servants. Holy Mother commented, ‘What! nirguna aspect of Brahman and His maya. Servants for sannyasis?’ Baburam Maharaj said, Otherwise , the real weight will not be known ‘The servants also serve Sri Ramakrishna; (reference to an analogy given by Sri because they are poor they take some money.

PAGE SPONSOR : SRI G. VENKATA RAO, HYDERABAD RAO, VENKATA G. SRI : SPONSOR PAGE We should take care of their well-being.’ Ramakrishna).* Kesari The Vedanta 1.2.61 The concepts of brahmin, kshatriya, नैव vaishya, and shudra are not limited to any किंचित्रोमीति युक्तो मन्ये त配त्वव् । पश्न् particular time or place — they apply to all �रणवन्Question:्पशञ焿घ्रनश्नन ् What’sच㔛न्स् न् the श्वसन् meaning ।। of situations. Think about it. In every activity all four types are required. One person makes the (Gita 5:8)

* “As long as one has not realized God, one should renounce the world, following the process of ‘Neti, neti.’ But he who has attained God knows that it is God who has become all this. Then he sees that God, maya, living beings, and the universe form one whole. God includes the universe and its living beings. Suppose you have separated the shell, flesh, and seeds of a bel-fruit and someone asks you the weight of the fruit. Will you leave aside the shell and the seeds, and weigh only the flesh? Not at all. To know the real weight of the fruit, you must weigh the whole of it—the shell, the flesh, and the seeds. Only then can you tell its real weight. The shell may be likened to the universe, and the seeds to living beings. While one is engaged in discrimination one says to oneself that the universe and the living beings are non-Self and unsubstantial. At that time one thinks of the flesh alone as the substance, and the shell and seeds as unsubstantial. But after discrimination is over, one feels that all three parts of the fruit together form a unity. Then one further realizes that the stuff that has produced the flesh of the fruit has also produced the The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, shell and seeds. To know the real nature of the bel-fruit one must know all three.” — pp.327-328 नैव किंचित्रोमीति Raja-Yoga Maharaj: The meaning of other. Have you not read in that the is ‘I am not the body-mind-intellect.’ Therefore, yogis can do anything? Swamiji gave the name all the fruits of action belong to this body-mind- Swami Adbhutananda to Latu Maharaj. intellect; I am free from action. Were Sri Apparentlyadbhuta he was a miracle — his Ramakrishna and Holy Mother always transformation was trulysamskara extraordinarys conscious of their own real nature? Mother ( ). But if you delve deep, you will find that he had the requisite (past said, ‘At times I forget.’ It is just as sometimes, while watching a game, we become identified impressions), and that is why he felt the affinity with it. But Sri Ramakrishna and Holy Mother (towards Sri Ramakrishna). were free. As Sri Ramakrishna said, the However, if there is any miracle, it is the passengers of a train don’t have the key to the divine play of avataras. He who is Para-Brahma compartment with them, but the officials have appears in human form and talks, acts, and it; they can get on and off of the train whenever roams about like a man. Yet there is no change they wish. or diminution in Para-Brahma; He continues to Question: What is meant by remain Para-Brahma even then. contemplating an avatara? The love, charm, and grandeur manifested Maharaj: Meditate in this method: I am in the divine play of an avatara are

October 2020 not the body-mind-intellect; I am sitting with indescribable. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu saw from Sri Ramakrishna and Holy Mother. I am also Athara-Nala (an ancient bridge at the entrance 18 Consciousness like them. I behold my gross and of Puri town) that a child of dark complexion subtle body. Work is being done by the gross was playing the flute. At once he left behind his part and the impressions of those works are companions and rushed onwards to embrace being collected in the subtle body. Lord Jagannatha. That was because he saw everything as Consciousness. Sarvabhauma (a What are SriSat-Chit-Ananda Ramakrishna and Holy Mother, other than God incarnate? That self- Vedic scholar and logician who was present in same attributeless , through the the Jagannath Temple when Sri Chaitanya

The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta hole (reference to an avatara being the hole in entered it the first time and, overwhelmed by the wall through which the infinite is perceived), the love of God, fell unconscious) rescued him created a frame, and through that enacted the from theAji clutches kokila-kujane of the temple priests and kept role of showing the world the path. The One him in his own residence. Have you heard the who came as Ramakrishna had come earlier as song – (The starting lines of a Gauranga; it is not that Gauranga incarnated as Bengali song composed by Swami Ramakrishna. Both were born in brahmin Premeshananda; it celebrates the birth of Sri families. The brahmins are highly respected in Ramakrishna and goes like this: ‘Today as the society; therefore, they were born in brahmin cuckoos sing….’)? It is difficult to control our families. Shankara, Ramanuja and Madhwa too emotions when we Kali hear Kirtan, such songs; we just were brahmins. Rama, Krishna and Buddha, who burst into tears. This is a song for children to came in earlier ages, were kshatriyas. sing while dancing. the hymns to Mother Kali, present devotion mixed with There are no miracles in this world. knowledge; the hymns of the Vaishnavas Without action there is no effect; the root- (To be continued. . .) present loving devotion. cause is bound to be present somewhere or Article

Assimilating the Human Possibilities Vision SRINIVAS VENKATRAM

The Human Possibilities Vision, gifted to us by Swami Vivekananda calls upon every person to unfold his or her full potential as a person, and thereby be fulfilled. How do we help millions of ’vision-hungry’ people recognise and assimilate this life affirming message of Vedanta?

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potentiality to an active possibility. The real Over a century ago, Swami challenge therefore is to enable human beings Vivekananda reminded us that to translate more and more of their dormant each soul is potentially divine and potentialities into active possibilities. A second, the goal of life is to manifest this divinity equally important challenge is to nurture and October 2020 within. develop the active possibilities so that they The challenge ahead of us is translating are fully manifest as unique capabilities 19 this compelling vision into new models of and contributions associated with the education, new models of work, new models of individual. living, and new models of institutions and The axioms, by themselves, are fairly The Science of Human Possibilities is the society. simple and known widely to anyone familiar pathway or means to translate this vision into with Ramakrishna-Vivekananda literature. The reality. real question is: how to translate this vision PAGE SPONSOR : DR. RAMYA S., CHENNAI S., RAMYA DR. : SPONSOR PAGE

into millions of transformed human beings Kesari The Vedanta II across India and the rest of the world? This means that the real bottleneck is not To understand the term ‘science of human understanding these axioms, but assimilating possibilities’,Axiom 1 let us begin with the core axioms. them, thereby reshaping our engagement with ourselves, with others, and with society at large. III Inside each human being lies infinite potentiality and the more we manifest this Why is it so important that a large number potentiality, the more fulfilled we are as human of people must assimilate this vision of human beings.Axiom 2 possibilities?

When this potentiality (in a seed form) To answer this question, let us consider becomes manifest,Srinivas Venkatram it translates is the from Founder-CEO a dormant of Illuminethe followingKnowledge implicationsResources, a cognitiveof this vision: sciences and knowledge interventions lab, and he is inspired by Revered Swami Ranganathanandaji Maharaj, 13th President of Ramakrishna Math and Mission. (to learn more: illumine.in) [email protected] Implication 1

and interpersonal relationships, (ii) change When we accept ourselves as having people’s conceptions of themselves, their infinite possibility, we are investing ourselves careers, (iii) enhance their understanding of with extraordinary self-respect and self-esteem. what constitutes a happy life, (iv) wipe This gives us both strength and resilience to away many of the barriers to human deal with life and its challenges in a far more fulfillment that humankind has created for Implication 2 itself due to its present vision of human effective manner. IV beings.

When we accept others as having infinite possibility, we must necessarily accept that all If all these benefits await us, what stops human beings, at the most fundamental level, us from making the change? have to be treated equally and with the same The answer is the challenge of helping respect and regard we would reserve for people accept and assimilate these ideas on a Assimilation Challenges - 1 ourselves. This negates all forms of inequality, large scale in our society. racism, or superiority based on caste, class, position, or any other basis for human The first set of assimilation challenges inequalityImplication at 3the social level. that people face is understanding the very idea October 2020 of human possibilities. All of us have been 20 The very act of recognition of both conditioned from childhood to think in terms of oneself and others as infinite, implies that we achievement and performance. We must let go of judgment, fault finding, and acknowledge a possibility in a human being ‘classification’ or ‘slotting’ of human beings. only when it has been ‘proven’ through some This implies a radical change in our interhuman concrete achievement or visible performance in dealings.Implication 4 the world. This means that most possibilities are never visible to people around us (who are conditioned to see success and achievement The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta This vision challenges our conceptions of alone), and to the individuals themselves (since organizing education on the basis of they themselves are trained to respond to comparison of students, and asks us instead to expectations and metrics of success in all their treat each student as pursuing a unique actions). journey of growth, with all comparison ‘Possibilities’ lie in the space of becoming limited to the individual’s own past — between dormant potentiality and active performance, current performance, and future achievement. This means unfolding performance. possibilities needs both internal and external These are but a few of the implications of enablers. External enablers include affirmation, this vision of human possibilities. It is a respect, space for experimentation and growth, profoundly affirmative vision of humankind and the absence of judgement,atmasraddha comparison, and and of the whole process of human learning, evaluation. Internal enablers include helping growth, and development. individuals to develop or ‘faith in In short, the vision of human possibilities, oneself’ so that they may experiment with new if adopted on a society-wide scale, has the possibilities and accept/ digest failure and potential to (i) radically transform social struggle along the way. Assimilation Challenges - 2

(iii)consciously develop higher-order The second set of assimilation challenges capacities like the ‘capacity to learn’ which is around our ‘models of self’ that we have helps us develop ourselves not just in terms of unconsciously or consciously developed over skills and capacities, but also in the way we the years. These include how we think about handle various situations we deal with on a ourselves — our identities, self-descriptions, day-to-day basis. models of personal growth, our vision of Adopting the vision of human possibilities success, and so on. These are deep rooted and really means helping people deal with these sets often come in the way of opening ourselves to of assimilation challenges — (i) reorienting the our own possibilities. basic structure of expectations from self and others, (ii) reorienting their ‘models of self’, and These ‘models of self’ shape our cognitive (iii) developing their ‘capacity to respond’. responses to life and define how we approach challenges critical life situations and respond to them. These are deep rooted At an aggregate level, these ‘models of which need a systematic and scientific approach if they need to be addressed self’ shape our basic stance to ourselves and on a society-wide basis. our aspiration for ourselves. V It is by examining our models of self that How do we address such deep-rooted October 2020 we can answer questions such as: Who are we? cognitive challenges and that too on a large scale Are we mere producers/consumers of goods in our society? 21 and experiences? Are we achievers relentlessly engaged in a rat race in a constant state of comparison with others? Or are we essentially It is only by answering this question that becomers and contributors – who grow and we can help people discover and embark on a offer the fruits of our growth to the world journey of unfolding their infinite human aroundAssimilation us? Challenges - 3 possibilities, and in that process find greater fulfillment in their lives, and develop greater PAGE SPONSOR : SRI VISHNU T. A., CHENNAI A., T. VISHNU SRI : SPONSOR PAGE faith in the vast potentiality that is within their Kesari The Vedanta The third set of assimilation challenges is own selves? around our ‘capacity to respond’ to various To answer the question of how cognitive situations and scenarios we face. The more we change can be brought about on a large-scale in develop a wider capacity to respond, the more society, we need to understand the term we are: ‘assimilation’. How does assimilation take place (i)able to build a positive and and how is it different from education as we strengthening relationship with people and know it? Our present education system is built circumstances and us. For example, do we around the idea of ‘comprehension’ or ‘knowing’ ‘react’ to events around us or do we digest our of ideas and concepts. This includes within its experiences and respond accordingly? ambit how we remember, connect the concepts (ii)transform situations that can inhibit to real world, learn to analyze and evaluate and stop us from unfolding possibilities. For situations related to the concepts, and also apply example, how do we deal with both successes these concepts effectively in the real world. and failures? How do we transform obstacles However, ‘knowing’ ideas does not mean into opportunities? And so on. that we ‘become’ the ideas. For example, we may understand the concept of trust but not (iv)(where organizations are involved), necessarily become trustworthy. Similarly, we the necessary cultural, performance, and other may understand, and even write a sophisticated enablers are put into place (and disablers essay on heroism, but not necessarily be heroic removed), so that the individual’s journey of when we face a situation that demands such a becoming is aided rather than impeded by the response. organization. Assimilation refers to the process of Do all people need such support to make ‘becoming’ in contrast to comprehension of the ‘journey of becoming’? the answer is no — ideas which refers to the process of ‘knowing’. there are a few people who, through the If we say that someone has assimilated strength of their aspiration and yearning for a the idea of trust, we imply that the person has great ideal are able to awaken and unfold their gone far beyond ‘understanding’ the idea of inner possibilities with little or no outside trust and is able to act/ practice in a effort. trustworthy manner. At the very least, it means But for the vast majority of people, a that the basic mental models that support trust systematic framework to help them unfold their behavior are in place and have begun reflecting potential can prove immensely useful. in practice. Even more important, through such

October 2020 A cognitive or knowledge intervention interventions, the critical gap in our that aims to achieve such an outcome on a educational system, in our training and 22 scalable basis is called an assimilation development systems, in the workplace, and in intervention. skills and capacity building system can be If we want people to awaken their infinite addressed. They can focus not only on potential and unfold their hidden possibilities, knowledge and skills, but also on the larger then we cannot achieve this by asking them to task of awakening and unleashing the human study a textbook or even watch a film on potential of schools, colleges and workplaces in a far more effective manner. the subject. We will need to do something VI The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta else — which we call an ‘assimilation intervention’. An assimilation intervention is one where: The vision of human possibilities, and for that matter, several of Swami (i)the ideas themselves have to be Vivekananda’s life transforming ideas can be transformed into living ideals which people delivered through systematically designed must choose to become, assimilation interventions. Here are two case (ii)individuals must be given the concrete examples.Case Example 1 belief — the sense of ‘I can’ — that the ideal is realizable by them and is within their grasp, provided they can put in the effort, Enabling school children to accept and (iii)individuals must be given the enablers assimilate the vision of human possibilities in — tools, methods, new ways of thinking and their lives. working by which they can easily proceed on Illumine Knowledge Resources took over the journey of becoming — just as an four years to design a comprehensive adventurer arms himself or herself with maps, assimilation intervention for students in right equipment, tools, guide books, etc., standard 7, 8 and 9 in schools. Knowledge Possibilities Designing such an intervention required At the next level, the level of us to address a basic question: What does includes dimensions such as ‘human possibilities’ mean to a young student? realising a creative vision, learning in all parts To answer this question, Illumine of my life, extending the limits of human knowledge, etc. formulated the Human Possibilities Framework Universal Possibilities, comprising three types of possibilities – At a much deeper level, at the level of possibilities that we engage with at a Physical there are 6 possibilities, Plane, possibilities that we engage with at a such as seeking perfection, being a truth seeker, Knowledge Plane, and possibilities at the living in harmony, etc. The universal possibility Character Plane which we called Universal of ‘being heroic’ for example, allows young Possibilities open to all people. children to explore the dimensions of mental, This Framework, comprising 18 key physical and moral courage, the necessity for ‘possibility dimensions’ allows a child to reconciliation of both obedience and freedom, the heroism involved in being committed to a explorePhysical and Possibilities grow in multiple ways and at multiple levels of depth. For example, the level goal, and so on. of includes dimensions Such an approach allows students to such as playing games and sports, expressing engage with Human Possibilities not as an

oneself, creating value, engaging with culture abstraction but as a buffet of opportunity October 2020 and society, etc. The possibility of ‘expressing spaces through which their full potential is yourself’ for example, allows a student to unleashed. 23 discover and explore all forms of creative At present, this vision of human expression including art, craft, music, film, and possibilities is being delivered to more than several new forms emerging today as the 5000 schools and several hundred thousand number of media for expressing themselves students by Ramakrishna Mission, Delhi who is proliferate. Illumine’s partner in the intervention. PAGE SPONSOR : A DEVOTEE, KOCHADAI, MADURAI KOCHADAI, DEVOTEE, A : SPONSOR PAGE The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta Case Example 2

to enable them to discover and assimilate these Enabling working professionals to accept ideas in the context of their work lives. and assimilate the vision of contribution — to It is by transforming these ‘models of self’ self, for organization, and to society (based on and ‘models of work’ that the vast untapped Swami Ranganathanandaji’s vision of potential of our workforce will be unleashed, enlightened citizenship). and individual workers too will find fulfillment Designing such an intervention requires us and create impact through their work lives. to answer the question: what are the basic This intervention is being delivered in two models of thinking that can help a working major state universities in India — Gujarat professional discover and embrace the expanded Technological University and Biju Patnaik vision of contributorship in his/her life? University, Odisha. All India Council of What kind of models of thinking are Technical Education has also signed an MoU necessary for working professionals today? with Illumine to take this, with corporate assistance, to other states in India. Here are a few examples of the kind of shifts which working professionals must make: Furthermore, many large organizations — public sector, multi-national, large Indian groups (i)They need to move from frozen, are all recognizing the need to develop outside-in identities based on power, position,

October 2020 contributors in the workplace who can help them degrees, etc., to dynamic and agile inside-out deal more effectively with an uncertain world. identities based on their intrinsic capacities to 24 These are but two examples. There are contribute and purpose/outcome orientation. several more, including the i-Become Initiative (ii)They need to stop complaining and for youth, assimilation interventions for less ‘waiting’ for the environment to be congenial in educated, low-skilled workers, and several order to produce. They need to stop being others. victims of circumstances and start becoming Each addresses the challenge of creators of their destiny. awakening the infinite human possibilities in a

The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta (iii)They need to go beyond seeing their manner specific to that audience group. role as a ‘job description’ or a cage of rules, to VII an opportunity and space to contribute. (iv)At the same time, they need to operate In conclusion, the vision of human with high levels of integrity, seeking to create possibilities is both vast and yet specific to trust surplus instead of trust deficits. every different audience group. Thus, the (v)A highly collaborative environment notion of human possibilities represents a demands that people move from a competitive dynamic vision which helps connect an one-upmanship mode to a mode of enlightened individual to the larger world in which he or self-interest. she lives. (vi)People need to create value for It is therefore not enough for people to organizations rather than be trapped in encounter the life-giving ideas of Vedanta - activities for their own sake, or destroy value Swami Vivekananda in quotations and lectures. with an extreme focus on costs and efficiency. They must now be enabled to assimilate these The challenge is not to ‘tell’ working ideas within the context of their own lives and professionals that they must act differently, but human concerns. For Courses in Discovering Human Possibilites see Illumine Advt. in page 51 Pocket Tales

An Unusual Punishment GITANJALI MURARI A fictional narrative based on incidents from the childhood of Swami Vivekananda.

aren, open the door.” “No,” came the loud answer. “I want to speak to you,” Bhuvaneshwari Devi’s voice had a firm ring to it. Naren took a deep breath and flung the door open. His mother walked into the room and before she could speak, he burst out, “I don’t want to hear anything about Kaka.” “He is your uncle, Naren,” Bhuvaneshwari Devi sighed, “and since we all live together, you must learn to adjust to his wishes.” Naren’s face flushed red with anger, “Ma, you and baba enjoyed the plays my friends and “NI put up in the worship hall but when Kaka smashed the stage, telling me he didn’t October 2020 want me to perform at home, I let go of my drama group…but now he has gone too far—” 25 “Don’t talk like that,” his mother frowned. PAGE SPONSOR : SRI DEBASHISH MAJUMDAR, PUNE MAJUMDAR, DEBASHISH SRI : SPONSOR PAGE The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta

The author is a media professional and writer. The Crown of Seven Stars is her first novel. She lives in Mumbai. [email protected] Illustrator: Smt. Lalithaa Thyagarajan. [email protected] Naren’s hands bunched into fists, “Why did he have to break the bench press and throw away my weights?” “You know very well it was because Batul got hurt.” “That is no reason to do what he did! I’m going to tell him what I think of him!” “You will not be disrespectful,” his mother said, catching his chin and looking at him sternly, “he is your father’s brother.” “You are always defending Kaka,” he shouted, pushing her, “even when he is in the wrong…go away, I don’t want to talk to you.” Bhuvaneshwari Devi was about to speak but Naren turned away. She left the room slowly and saw her husband standing outside. Without saying a word to him, she closed the door behind her and went on to her room. Vishwanath Dutta thought for a moment. Then, taking a pen from his case, he carefully scratched out some words on Naren’s door. Hearing a whistle, Naren jumped to his feet and ran to the window. Shibu and Hari waved to him, “Is your Kaka still angry?” they asked. “Don’t worry about him,” he replied, “come inside.”

October 2020 When after a few minutes his friends hadn’t appeared, Naren went to look for them and found them outside the room. “Why are you waiting here?” he demanded. In answer, 26 they silently pointed to the door. Startled, Naren peered at it and recognized his father’s handwriting. As he read the words, he felt his cheeks burn. “Today Naren was very rude to his mother,” his father had written, “he pushed her out of his room and told her he did not wish to speak with her anymore.” “Did you really say that to your mother?” Shibu stared at him with shocked eyes. Embarrassed, Naren dropped his gaze to the floor. “Let’s play carrom,” Hari caught his

The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta hand, eager to make him smile again. But Naren’s heart was not in the game. After a little while, the two boys exchanged a look and got to their feet. As they left, Naren noticed them steal a glance at the door. This went on for a few days, till one day Naren could not bear it anymore. Overwhelmed with shame, he rushed down the corridor and burst into his mother’s room. “I’m very sorry, ma” he cried, throwing his arms around her, “I’ll never ever say a rude word to you again.” Bhuvaneshwari Devi hugged him tightly, “I have news for you,” she whispered, “your father has spoken to Shri Mitra, our neighbour…he owns a gym…he says you are welcome to join it.” Naren’s tear-stained face broke into a radiant smile and kissing her on the cheek, he declared, “I have the best parents in the whole wide world!” The love which my mother gave to me has made me what I am, and I owe a debt to her that I can never repay. — Swami Vivekananda PULLOUT FOR REFERENCE

Series 5: Understanding India - through Swami Vivekananda's eyes

This series is a presentation of a set of lectures ISSUE 33 that Swami Vivekananda gave over three years, ISSUE 10 as he travelled from Colombo to Almora (January 1897- March 1901). In Issues 22-27 & 29-32, we have covered his lectures at Colombo, Jaffna, Pamban, Rameshwaram, Ramnad, Paramakudi, and focus in this issue: Shivaganga & Manamadura. Talk at Madura Swami Vivekananda begins his speech in Madura by paying a tribute to the Raja of Ramnad, who was one of the first persons to suggest that the Swami go to Chicago.

In this issue, we explore 6 key messages that Swami Vivekananda presents in this lecture: October 2020 1: The Law of Balancing, and India's destiny 27

Time and again, it has been the destiny of India to give Wherever there is a thing spirituality to the world. Swami Vivekananda lists four really needed in one part of examples... the world, the complement will find its way there and Pre 600 BCE 600 BCE onwards around 500 BCE 1800 CE supply it with new life. This Before the rising of During the Persian During the During the is true in the physical world PAGE SPONSOR : A DEVOTEE, TEYNAMPET, CHENNAI TEYNAMPET, DEVOTEE, A : SPONSOR PAGE the Persian Empire Empire ascendancy of ascendancy of The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta the Greeks the English as well as in the spiritual.

1. Whenever there has been a kneading together of different peoples into once race, either due to conquest or commercial supremacy, each nation has brought forth its Continue overleaf>> own quota ─ either political, social, or spiritual. 2. India's contribution to the sum total of human knowledge has been spirituality, philosophy.

Designed & developed by ILLUMINE Knowledge Catalysts

® www.illumine.in 2: Intermingling of ideas will benefit both India and the West

India and the West both are deluging each other with their ideas It is not that we ought to learn Materialism everything from the West, or that Spirituality & philosophy they have to learn everything from us, but each will have to supply and hand down to future generations what it 1. Western ideas of organization and external civilization are entering has for the future into the mind's of the Indian people. Similarly, Indian philosophy and accomplishment of spirituality is deluging the world. Neither can we resist it, nor can that dream of ages they. — the harmony of 2. This inter-mingling of ideas will benefit both. A little spiritualization will nations, an ideal be good for the West, and a little materialization will be good for us. world. October 2020

28 Swami Vivekananda muses: Will there ever be an ideal world?

Whether that ideal world will ever come I do not know, whether that social perfection will ever be reached I have my own doubts; whether it comes or not, each one of us will have to work for the idea as if it will come tomorrow, and as if it only depends on his work, and his alone. Each one of us will have to believe that every one else in the world has done

The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta his work, and the only work remaining to be done to make the world perfect has to be done by himself. This is the responsibility we have to take upon ourselves.

3: The three big challenges ahead of India due to the revival of religion

The first challenge that Swami Vivekananda points out to is that a revival of religion can bring with it, both glory and ... in India there fanaticism. is a tremendous 1. In fact, he says that sometimes this fanaticism can go to revival of such an extreme that it goes way beyond the power of religion. There those who started it. is danger ahead as well as 2. This kind of fanaticism is one of the real dangers which we glory; for revival sometimes have to guard against at all times. breeds fanaticism We have to find our The second challenge that Swami Vivekananda points out is the way between the Scylla reconciliation between orthodoxy and materialism. of old superstitious He shows us how imitating the West is not the answer: orthodoxy and 1. Firstly, from a psychological point of view, the impact of becoming the Charybdis of pure materialists will be that we won't have any life in us anymore ─ materialism — of as it will make us lose our faith in ourselves. Europeanism, of 2. Secondly, from a historical point of view, even if we were to become soullessness, of the so- Western today, we cannot undo the flow of our history through the called reform — which ages, which has resulted in a natural growth of our civilization. has penetrated to the 3. And, thirdly, from a cultural point of view, even if modifying our history foundation of Western was possible, we would not still be able to become Europeanised. progress. These two Just like the west cannot throw away its centuries old culture, we too have to cannot throw away millennia of our culture overnight. be taken care of.

The third challenge that Swami Vivekananda points out is the existence of This you have infinite variety of religious customs all over India. always to He presents 4 key arguments as to why this challenge exists: remember that

because a little October 2020 1. Many of our local customs are contradictory, i.e. what is considered as within the fold of religion in one part of the country, is considered social custom completely unacceptable in another part. is going to be 29 2. People are deeply attached to their local customs and unwilling to change. changed you are 3. A bigger challenge is that each of our Smritis presents a different Aachara not going to lose of the age (i.e. practices), and hence these often end up conflicting one your religion, not another. at all. 4. The greatest mistake we make is to always think that local customs & practices are the essence of our religion. PAGE SPONSOR : SMT. JYOTSANA CHOWDHURY, BENGALURU CHOWDHURY, JYOTSANA SMT. : SPONSOR PAGE The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta

4: The Solution: hold on to the essentials and allow customs & laws to evolve

THE SHRUTI-SMRITI MODEL There are two sorts of truth.. one that is based upon the eternal nature of man.. the other, with local circumstances, Eternal environments of the time, social institutions of the period, values and so forth. The first class of truths is chiefly embodied of our Shruti in our Vedas, our scriptures; the second in the Smritis, the civilization (core) (to be held Puranas. etc. ...eternal truths, being based upon the nature on to at all of man, will never change so long as man lives; they are for Smriti times) all times, omnipresent, universal virtues. But the Smritis speak generally of local circumstances, of Ideas, rituals, & conduct varying duties arising from different environments, spatially and temporally (to be evolved over time) and they change in the course of time. 5. What is the right attitude to religion in the Indian context?

The right attitude is necessary for India, if we are to navigate and reconcile modern materialism and old orthodoxy. Swami Vivekananda outlines such an attitude.

Swami Vivekananda asks us to combine liberal mindedness with the intensity of devotion to what we hold dear. I want the intensity of the He lays down how to create our own course for this: fanatic plus the extensity 1. We need to develop the breadth and the depth to become of the materialist. Deep inclusive of all (not follow a path of exclusion). as the ocean, broad as the 2. We need become as progressive as any nation, but at the same infinite skies, that is the time deeply respect the core of our values & philosophy. sort of heart 3. We cannot revile any existing customs, as we must remember that we want. they were needed for the survival of our race. So let us remove the older smritis not with a curse, but with a blessing.

6: The Rishi Ideal: an ideal for each one of us to become a world mover October 2020 ...every one of us will be called upon to 30 Swami Vivekananda then proposes the Rishi become Rishis; and we must have faith in Ideal: ourselves; we must become world-movers, 1. The leaders of our society have been for everything is in us. neither kings nor generals ─ but Rishis. We must see Religion face to face, 2. Who is a Rishi? The Rishi as he is called in experience it, and thus solve our doubts the Upanishads is not an ordinary person, about it; and then standing up in the but a mantra-drashtâ ─ seer of knowledge. glorious light of Rishihood each one of us The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta 3. Rishihood means actualisation (not will be a giant; and every word falling from book learning, nor argumentation, not our lips will carry behind it that infinite speculation, not talking ─ but actual realization of truths. sanction of security; and before us evil will vanish by itself without the necessity of 4. Rishis do not belong to any caste. cursing any one, without the necessity of 5. Every one of us will be called upon to abusing any one, without the necessity of become rishis. We must have faith in fighting any one in the world. ourselves. 6. When we become rishis, each one of us May the Lord help us, each one of us here, will be a world-moving giant. to realise the Rishihood for our own salvation and for that of others!

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. a i

M ira g c le , M s a nd t lve c he ysti al e

M c Tw

LAKSHMI DEVNATH The Royal Devotee (Continued from The Story of Kulashekhara Aazhvaar previous issue. . .)

“Hey, Sleeping Beauty! Get up. You’ve been sleeping for years now.” “And where is Prince Charming?” Poorva, though groggy, responded smartly to the Swami’s banter. “Prince Charming, Kulashekhara Varman, is on his way back from a successful expedition undertaken to extend the boundaries of his kingdom. In fact, several of the Chola October 2020 and the Pandya states are under his rule now. For this achievement, history will hail him 31 as the founder of the Second Chera Empire.” “How can a baby go to war? Isn’t there a limit to your exaggeration, Swami Thaatha?” Poorva laughed. When he replied, the Swami’s voice assumed a mock expression of hurt. “Poorva, did you think I was joking when I said you had slept for many years? Hold on, can you hear something?” Sure enough, Poorva heard a rousing chorus of: “Kollikaavalan, Koodalnaayakan, PAGE SPONSOR : A DEVOTEE, KARAPPAKAM, CHENNAI KARAPPAKAM, DEVOTEE, A : SPONSOR PAGE Kozhikkon Kulashekharan …” Kesari The Vedanta “He is being hailed as the master of Koodal or Madurai, the ruler of Kozhi or Uraiyur, the protector of Kolli …” “The titles can wait!” Poorva leapt to the scene of action. She watched with fascination the fabulous reception being given to Prince Kulashekhara. The king ordered: “Let arrangements be made for a grand celebration,” and he proudly escorted his victorious son into their private chambers. Hesitant to follow them into their rooms, Poorva waited outside. It seemed like an eternity before father and son came out. They were deeply engrossed in conversation. The king appeared to have aged and the son was in the prime of his youth. Poorva had a vague feeling that at least several months, if not years, had passed since the prince had returned from the war. She did not bother to analyse any further. The old monarch was saying, “I have decided to crown you king, for it is time for me The author is a researcher and writer with various books and articles on Indian music and culture to her credit. to retire to [email protected] the forest and spend Illustrator:my remaining Smt. Lalithaa days Thyagarajan. in prayer.” [email protected] The coronation ceremony took place in great splendour. The lustre of the rubies, emeralds and other precious gems in the crown dazzled Poorva. From a distance, she set about counting the glittering stones. Halfway through, something niggled at the back of her mind and distracted her attention from this task. Hadn’t the Swami said that Kulashekhara would become famous as an Aazhvaar? Poorva was sure that, for once, her matchless Swami had made a mistake. All said and done, he was old, she thought, generously excusing him. She decided, however, to look for the Swami and clear the confusion. Not finding him in the palace, she meandered into the garden. One of the paths that she took led her to the stables. Poorva walked in, feeling thrilled, for she loved horses. As soon as it saw her, a horse there went down on its forelegs. It seemed friendly, and Poorva, pleased with her good luck, quickly climbed on to its back. The horse gently hauled itself up. A few seconds later, it took off at breakneck speed, catching her totally off guard. The horse galloped faster and faster, and she held on for dear life. It was however just a matter of minutes before her fear vanished and she began to enjoy the ride. They passed through large tracts of forest. Slush, shallow pools of water, and recently

October 2020 uprooted trees suggested that the area had had heavy rains. Poorva watched out, with mixed feelings, for lions, panthers and cheetahs, until they exited the forest. The afternoon 32 sun was pouring forth molten gold, and buffaloes were sunbathing in ditches. * * * After what seemed like ages, the horse stopped, and Poorva jumped down briskly. The animal moved towards a small stream, drank the cool water and began to graze. Poorva spotted some caves at a distance. She instinctively felt that the horse had decided to break the journey for some time, so she decided to explore the caves. As she stepped into one of them, an involuntary whistle escaped her lips. The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta Through the rays of sunlight that lit up the caves, she could see a beautiful carving of Lord Vishnu in a reclining position. On the coils of Adhisesha, the huge serpent that formed His bed, were carved Vishnu’s five weapons – discus, conch, sword, mace and bow. On the wall behind were figures of rishis and gods. She could recognise Narada by his customary veena. As she stood in admiration, the horse’s neigh alerted her. She hurried outside and found the animal all set for another run. For a brief moment, Poorva wondered whether she could pay a quick visit to the neighbouring cave, but decided that it would not be prudent. There was no way she would risk being left behind in this strange land. Running like an Olympic champion, she mounted the animal. The next moment, the horse was galloping swiftly again, a majestic figure with its mane flying in the wind. Poorva wondered where it would be taking her next. (To be continued...) The journey had left her feeling very tired. Poorva’s head drooped and she dozed off. This story book is available through www.lakshmidevnath.com When God Calls Mahendranath Gupta RUCHIRA MITRA This is the fifth story in the series on devotees who had a role in the divine play of Sri Ramakrishna.

यमेवैष वृणुते तेन लभ्य

It is attained by him alone whom It chooses (Kathopanishad. 1.2:23) Here was this peace-loving scholar At the time of this first meeting, M., was who enjoyed keeping to himself: the erudite headmaster of a renowned school reading books, writing diary, and in Calcutta (now Kolkata). But his domestic life teaching in school! But would the world let him was beset with storm and stress. He was unable live peacefully? No! So he decided to end his life to bear the pettiness and selfishness of his and left home at the dead of night. But God had relatives and had decided to commit suicide. great plans for him and thwarted his At this moment though, Mahendranath October 2020 resolution! His wife rightly suspecting his was astonished by the peace and spirituality intention, forcibly accompanied him with their surrounding the atmosphere of that hallowed 33 small children. And so he was not able to room. And there he found Sri Ramakrishna commit suicide immediately. seated on a wooden couch. “With a smile on his Finding no other choice, he came to his face he was talking of God. The room was full of sister’s home at , near Dakshineswar. people, all seated on the floor, drinking in his His nephew Sidhu noticed his mental agony words in deep silence.” and understood what would assuage his Mahendranath stood there speechless and

PAGE SPONSOR : SMT. MADHAVI CHAMUTURI, HYDERABAD CHAMUTURI, MADHAVI SMT. : SPONSOR PAGE distress. Casually, he took him to Rani looked on. “It was as if he were standing where The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta Rasmani’s lovely temple garden, as if to stroll in all the holy places met; and as if Sukadeva the peaceful surroundings; but his intention himself were speaking the word of God, or as if was actually to take him to Sri Ramakrishna Sri Chaitanya were singing the name and thatwho lived moment there. became Thus, aaccompanied defining point by Sidhu, in the glories of the Lord in Puri with Ramananda, spiritualhe entered history into of Sri India Ramakrishna’s room and Swarup, and the other devotees.” At the first meeting itself he recognised Sri Ramakrishna . myself my Self as the epitome of ultimate knowledge (like Later this man confessed: “I was thinking Sukadeva) and ultimate devotion (like Sri of killing , but instead I found . My Chaitanya). family troubles led me to God.” Though absorbed in conversation, Sri This was Mahendranath Gupta, revered as Ramakrishna recognised Mahendranath as one the Thesaintly Gospel Master of Sri Mahashay, Ramakrishna. or M., who reorded of those select few who would help him Sri Ramakrishna’s everyday life and teachings in propagate his message far and wide. By giving his The author is a devotee and researcher on Ramakrishna-Vivekanandahim trouble, he literature. brought Her his doctoral apostle thesis to was himself. on the life stories of Sri Ramakrishna. [email protected] Interestingly, Sidhu never came to Sri Ramakrishna thoughts are fixed on her own home in her again. He was just a divinely appointed instrument native village. She brings up her Master’s in bringing the apostle to his guru. children as if they were her own. She even Sri Ramakrishna once told Mahendranath, speaks of them as ‘my Rama’ or ‘my Hari’. But in “Those whom I think of as my own are part and her mind she knows very well that they do not parcel of me. You are my very own, my relative.” belong to her at all.” Mahendranth is one of the Mahendranath became the privileged best examples for how to put this teaching into disciple who was God-ordained to preserve to practice in day-to-day family life. posterity the immortal words of his Guru. All Mahendranath was also instrumental in through his association with Sri Ramakrishna, bringing to Sri Ramakrishna a number of he meticulously noted whatever he saw and teenagers, mostly his own students. Most heard. Though it appeared that he did this for notable among them were Swamis his own benefit, it is evident from Sri Premananda, , , Ramakrishna’s remarks and actions that he was and Purna Chandra Ghosh. There were also others like Younger Naren, Narayan, Bankim, playingKathamrita his part in His Divine Play. M., finally Kishori, Kshirode, Tejchandra, Dwija, Paltu, and published theseThe Gospel notes of as Sri a full Ramakrishna length text. This Gospel is the in Bengali, translated into Binode, — all belonging to well-to-do Kathamrita, English as . illustrious families. The describes October 2020 When he read the a delighted numerous occasions where we find Sri 34 Swami Vivekananda wrote to M.,: “It is indeed Ramakrishna showeringchheledhora his master, motherly love on wonderful. The move is quite original, and these youngsters. No wonder Mahendranath never was the life of a great Teacher brought was known as or ‘teacher before the public untarnished by the writer’s who kidnaps boys’!! mind, as you are presenting this one. The After Sri Ramakrishna’s mahasamadhi, language also is beyond all praise, so fresh, so Mahendranath took up three positions in pointed, and withal so plain and easy. … I now schools and colleges and spent his threefold earning on the needs of Sarada Devi and the The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta understand why none of us attempted his life before. It has been reserved for you, this great monastic disciples of Sri Ramakrishna, besides work. … The Socratic dialogues are Plato all taking care of his own family. over; you are entirely hidden.” Swami One midnight, just before his passing , one of the direct-disciples of Sri away, Mahendranath’sGospel attendant found him Ramakrishna, once said that 80 percentGospel of checking in dim light the proof of the last those who had joined the Ramakrishna Order volume of the . He told the attendant, “It were inspired to do so by reading the . is inevitable that the body will meet its end, so One of Sri Ramakrishna’s important it is better that it is used for spreading peace to advice to householders was: “Do all your duties, others.” He left his body in full consciousness, but keep your mind on God. Live with all — uttering, “Maa, Gurudev, take me up in thy with wife and children, father and mother arms!” He attained eternal life by dedicating it — and serve them. Treat them as if they were at the feet of Sri Ramakrishna. very dear to you, but know in your heart of Mahendranath’s contribution to the hearts that they do not belong to you. A Ramakrishna Movement is immense, and his maidservant in the house of a rich man impact through his immortal work will continue References: performs all the householdThe Gospel duties, of Sri Ramakrishna, but her Thefor Complete generations Works of to Swami come. Vivekananda Article

The Importance of a Daily Schedule in Our Life SWAMI MEDHASANANDA (Continued from the previous issue. . .) One of the powerful tools to have control over our lives is to learn how to control our time, because Time is Life. This article discusses the nature of our mind, the process of getting established in a daily schedule, and thus our self-development.

Focus on the Now

we cannotLet get our itmotto back, be nor‘Mind, can Here we replaceand Now’ it. wami Premanandaji, a direct disciple Tomorrow has not arrived; so focus only on the of Sri Ramakrishna was in charge of present. ,

training the brahmacharis at Belur reminding ourselves of this constantly and October 2020 Math. Besides training in various spiritual practising it as much as possible. exercises, the brahmacharis had to perform A popular poem titled ‘Look to This Day’ 35 many daily chores, as Math could not afford to emphasises this idea very well: hire workers. One thing Premanandaji often Look to this day insisted upon was that the brahmacharis for it is life, should give full attention to the work they were the very life of life. doing.S Once, while a brahmachari was asked to In its brief course lie all cut straw to feed the cows, he sliced his finger. the realities and truths of existence, PAGE SPONSOR : A DEVOTEE, MISSION RD., BENGALURU RD., MISSION DEVOTEE, A : SPONSOR PAGE Premanandaji came in and scolded him saying the joy of growth, Kesari The Vedanta he was not yet ready to become a sannyasi, Forthe splendouryesterday is of but action, a memory, because if he could not concentrate on the work andthe glorytomorrow of power. is only a vision. at hand, how could he concentrate during But today, well lived and build up his monastic life. makes every yesterday a memory of If we can focus well on the work at hand, happiness, we can meditate well. If we are exercising, we and every tomorrow a vision of hope. should concentrate on the exercises. If we are Look well, therefore, to this day. doing housework, concentration should be on that. If studying, concentration should be on the subject at hand. This will help us to control our There is a beautiful story of Leo Tolstoy mind and thus have better meditation. The titled ‘The Three Questions’. The morale of emphasis is focusing on today and whatever we which is as follows: The most important time are doing at the moment. The past is gone and The author is a senior sannyasi of the Ramakrishnafor Order us andis right is serving now; as the President most importantof Vedanta Society person of Japan (Nippon Vedanta Kyokai), Kamakura, Japan. [email protected] troubles, but to live wisely and earnestly for the present.” for us is the one with whom we are dealing right now; again, the most important pursuit ‘Now’ for us is to make that person happy. At times we may have nothing particular While practising‘One our work focus at on a time!’, at hand demanding our full attention, and this two more allied practices are quite important is when our mind wanders of its own will. This and helpful. One is , is detrimental to our control of the mind. During such times, for example, on morning meaning that while attending‘Do to not one rush! work, Slow we walks, travelling by bus or train, or even during downshould a notlittle!’ leave it half-finished to take up another. The second one is a drive, we may repeat holy names or our A tendency to rush always mantra, listen to sacred chanting, soothing reveals our inner restlessness. If we want to music, etc., to prevent the mind from wandering remedy this, we should check it at the physical aimlessly. level. However, practices to stop worrying about Focusing on the ‘Now’ has various the future and focussing on the Now should not positive effects. First, by such focusing we can deter us from having some basic ideas and prevent the frittering away of our time and plans of our future, which is indeed necessary. energy which happens by dwelling on the past What should be avoided is to make a blue print

October 2020 or the future, and instead utilise that time and of our future with minute details and fancying about it, as more than often they do not tally energy for betterthe present’ purposes. Secondly, we can do 36 ‘ with actual events. the job at hand with greater perfection. Thirdly, Just for Today by utilising time well, we can build How to Stop for our better future. Fourthly, though it is Worrying and Start Living almost impossible to stop the sudden In his famous book, appearance of undesirable thoughts in our Dale Carnegie quotes mind, it depends on us whether or not we allow a poem, ‘Just for Today’ written in 1856 by Sybil the mind to dwell on them and make us feel F. Partridge, a Catholic sister also known as The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta miserable. In this regard the aforesaid practice Sister Mary Xavier. Since then this poem has will help us to prevent the mind from dwelling been included in the hymns of other Christian on such thoughts. Finally, another great merit of making a schedule is that by asking the mind to follow one, and by reaffirming whether it has been doing so or not, we are actually commanding the mind and supervising it. Thus, we can reverse our present position with regard to the mind and can become its master. Lord BuddhaThe secret made ofthe healthfollowing for both pertinent body and mindobservation: is not to“ mourn for the past nor to anticipate a

denominations, and many editors and 8) Just for tod y, I shall not criticise writers have borrowed verses and anyone, or try to reform another, rather, I shall praise others, encourage others, and see the modernised terminologies to suit their preferences. I too, like the idea that ‘Just for positive qualities in others. Today’ conveys; so I am borrowing this title, 9) Just for today, I shall focus on this day and while including some of the poem’s alone. I shall live today, which is at my content, I have also added here and there in the disposal, as best and as ideally as possible, as if following piece to convey the ideas we have there were no yesterday and will be no discussed above: tomorrow. ‘Just for Today’ 10) Just for today, I will work with the idea that I am an agent of God, and that I am 1) Just for today, I will try to follow a serving God in others with my work, and I timetable from early morning when I wake up shall dedicate my works to God at the end of the till I go to bed. This timetable will include time day. for my physical as well as intellectual, moral, 11) Just for today, I shall not talk if not and spiritual development. asked, not watch TV, read a newspaper, listen to 2) Just for today, I shall meditate and the news, or a mobile phone, or work on a October 2020 repeat God’s name for fifteen minutes twice a computer. day, in the morning and in the evening, and thus 12) Just for today, I shall try to feel how 37 get connected to God. I shall repeat God’s name much I am indebted to other people and at least ten-times when I am engaged in some Mother Nature, and how much other people work, when I am travelling, and also when I and Mother Nature have been contributing to take a bath. I shall mentally offer to God sustain me. I shall pray for others and whenever, whatever, I eat and drink. Mother Nature’s welfare, as I also try to help 3) Just for today, I shall reflect on the true others. PAGE SPONSOR : A DEVOTEE, MISSION RD., BENGALURU RD., MISSION DEVOTEE, A : SPONSOR PAGE nature of myself, of other people, and of the This 12-verse ‘Just for Today’ includes all Kesari The Vedanta universe. the good practices we should‘ undertake for our all-round development and complete 4) Just for today, I shall reflect on the transformation. Though Just for Today’ is meaning and purpose of my life, and what I repeated several times for as many practices, it have been doing to achieve the goal of my life. does not literally mean that we do each of them 5) Just for today, I shall study spiritual and just once in our lifetime. Rather it suggests that thought provoking books, and learn something we at least start such a practice, first for one new, as it is important to learn something new day, and then try to continue doing so daily every day. thereafter. Some of the practices such as ‘to talk 6) Just for today, I shall breathe, breathe, only if asked, or to refrain from speaking on a breathe, stretch, stretch, stretch, and walk, mobile phone’ may not be altogether possible walk, walk. for some people, but they can restrain 7) Just for today, whatever happens, I shall themselves from it once a week, for a fortnight, not become upset, or perturbed, or dissatisfied. or even for a month. Obviously, to practise ‘Just I shall not complain, grumble or retort, but try for Today’ we need to make a schedule, as to solve every problem calmly. explained earlier. Restraining Desires and Leading a Moderate Life up any new positive practice, because it feels quite comfortable with old habits and old ways of life, however negative they might be. Now-a-days people, especially those A Life Worth Living belonging to the middle class, are enamoured with aspirations for an ever higher standard of living and sky is their limit. This engenders In conclusion, we may repeat that limitless desires, ambition, competition and following a daily schedule and focusing on the selfishness, which results in loss of mental ‘Now’ has tremendous benefits. It will help us peace. Hence, it is imperative that we practise in our hard times arising out of our failures and contentment to become satisfied with a various types of sufferings, and it will be justour moderate way of living, in addition to practising dosupport during the ‘dark nights’ of our soul. some measure of altruism and laying greater When facing adverse conditions, we should emphasis on such things as creativity, the practices mechanically, even if our body acquisition of knowledge and quality of and mind‘enemy’ revolt. Just continuing the practice character than quality of life style. Without will help us to overcome difficult situations.‘friend’ these practises it is hard to achieve full control Our mind which creates endless of the mind and enjoy abiding peace by simply troubles for us will then turn into our following a schedule alone. October 2020 mind, and act as the ‘Good Samaritan’ referred In this context the to in the Bible. It will guide us in the right 38 observes: “One who is temperate in food and direction and even lead us to spiritual recreation, who is detached and self-restrained illumination, the goal of human life. The in work, who is regulated in1 sleep and in vigil, Bhagavad Gita therefore declares, “One should striving for a higher life (yoga) brings about the uplift oneself through the power of the mind, cessation of all sufferings.” and not depress or degrade oneself. This mind We should also be aware that we wrongly is both our friend and foe. The mind becomes imagine that the chief obstacles for our self- our friend if we conquer it;2 if we cannot do so,

The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta transformation are outside us: our verily, it becomes our foe.” environment, our work, our relatives or friends Let us keep a schedule and practise etc. In reality, the obstacle is inside us — our focusing on it, until it becomes a part of our own mind which offers stiff resistance to any nature. We will then enjoy routine life, and life attempt to curtain the freedom it has been will become ever more transcendent(Concluded.) and enjoying thus far. Our mind is reluctant to take worth living. References:

1) Bhagavad Gita. 6:17 2) Ibid. 6:6,7 Life is flowing by like a river. The day that is gone does not return. Blessed is he who uses his time fruitfully. Through many good deeds in many past lives you have been born as a human being. Make this human birth blessed by worshipping the Lord, by meditating on him. Those who complain of lack of time or suitable place can never make any (spiritual) progress in this life. — Swami Brahmananda (A Sub-Centre of Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai) SR AI I RAM ENN AKRISHNA MATH, CH

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Donations for both Thanjavur & Chennai Math may please be sent by cheque / DD favouring “Sri Ramakrishna Math”. For Online donation please visit https://donations.chennaimath.org Transfer directly & intimate us along with PAN details through email. Donations are exempted from Income Tax under Section 80G. May the blessings of Bhagavan Sri Ramakrishna be on you is my earnest prayer to Him. Sri Ramakrishna Math 31, Sri Ramakrishna Math Road, Yours in the Service Mylapore, Chennai-4. & : 24621110. of the Humanity, email : [email protected] Swami Gautamananda website : www.chennaimath.org Adhyaksha For more details : 98409 87307 October 2020

40 The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta How To Get Along with Others by Swami Bhaskarananda. Book Published by Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai - eviews 600 004.2016, paperback, R pp.127,Rs.60.- For review in The Vedanta Kesari, publishers need to send us two copies of their he subtitle says it all — ‘A latest publication. Practical Guide to Trouble- Free Living’; there is nobody who could resist such a guide since life today, being more complex and stressful than ever before, requires more guidance than at any other potentially explosive situations and steer our way time in human history. through turbulent waters to a safe and peaceful The book consists of eleven chapters with haven and emerge relatively unscathed. intriguing titles. As a sample: ‘How to Get Along This book should be made compulsory With Your Spouse’,T and ‘How to Get Along With reading for college students who are on the brink Your Family Members’ as well as ‘How to Get of______starting real life so that PREMA they RAGHUNATH, arm themselves CHENNAI

Along With Those who are not Members of Your against disillusionment and unhappiness. October 2020 Family’. These three chapters by themselves In Search of The Lofty cover the entire gamut of the people the average Heights of Advaita 41 human being has to encounter through the by P.K. Sreedharan. course of his/her life. Published by Munshiram The book is based on ‘Sage Kapila’s Manoharlal Publishers Pvt. method of interpreting human behaviour Ltd, P.O.Box 5715, 54 Rani with the help of the gunas’ (Contents page). Jhansi Road, New Delhi The initial chapter explains the concept of the 110 005. 2019, Hardbound,

PAGE SPONSOR : SRI RAMAKRISHNA YATHRA SERVICES, CHENNAI SERVICES, YATHRA RAMAKRISHNA SRI : SPONSOR PAGE three gunas, a part of every human being’s pp.237,Rs.795. The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta mental and emotional make-up. Subsequent chapters give detailed descriptions of possible behaviours with personal examples, followed his book spans the entire gamut by antidotes to conflicts, which lead to peace, of Hindu religion, philosophy and understanding and co-operative living with both mysticism from the first verse of family members and outsiders. the Rig Veda to the life and teachings of Swami The book has been written with a great deal Chinmayananda. Along the way, it first covers the of humour, wisdom and a deep understanding Upanishads, the various orthodox and heterodox of the human predicament and is a real guide schools of Indian philosophy, Brahmasutras, to steer us through the difficult and sticky Bhagavad Gita, Epics, Yogavashishta and situations all of us find ourselves in, from time to Gaudapada, dedicating an entire chapter for time. The virtues of kindness, non-interference, each. TOther pre-Sankara teachers like Upavarsha, tolerance, the wisdom of seeing only the good in Bharthruhari, Kumarila and Mandana are touched others while turning a blind eye to the bad, are upon. Then, there is an entire chapter dedicated extolled and made to seem easy to follow. Swami to the life and works of Sankara. Then, post- Bhaskarananda has shown how, by using our Sankara saints and philosophers like Sureshvara, common sense and fellow-feeling, we can defuse Bhaskara, Ramanuja, Madhva, Nimbarka, Vallabha, Nayanmars and Alvars of Tamilnadu and and the universal appeal of this magnificent preceptors of Kashmiri Saivism are treated. composition, which fosters both ‘a sense of The book then deals with the contemporary detachment and devotion’ even in a lay man. thoughts starting with Raja Ram Mohan Roy, The author’s explanatory notes of the verses Swami Dayananda Saraswati, Sri Ramakrishna, are lucid, coherent, rational and direct. Besides, Swami Vivekananda, Sri Ramana Maharishi, Sri these notes are refreshingly free from jargons, Aurobindo, Chattambi Swamikal, Sri Narayana circumlocutions and ambiguities, and thus go Guru, Swami Sivananda Saraswati and Swami straight to the minds and hearts of the readers. Chinmayananda. The sense of urgency and the ‘plain speaking’ Thus, this book gives a good summary of the found in the original are maintained in the development of Advaita from Rig Veda till modern English explanations too. The seeming harshness times. There are references given for readers who of style in both is meant, like a surgeon’s knife, want to explore further. This book serves as a not to hurt but to drastically remove the malady good______GOKULMUTHU introduction or refresher on Advaita N, BENGALURU and the of worldliness ingrained in us. It shakes us out lineage of saints and teachers. of our self-forgetfulness and makes us aware From Delusion to Reality how foolish we are in wasting our precious time by Swami Gurudasananda. by our vain pursuits of wealth and pleasure Published by Sri Ramakrishna —‘kamini kanchana’. The futility and transitory Math, Mylapore, Chennai - 600 nature of worldly life are vividly and feelingly October 2020 004.2014, paperback, pp.86, brought out, making us turn inward to seek eternal bliss and real freedom. There is a genuine 42 Rs.45. sense of compassion, born out of meditation and contemplation, behind many of the explanatory wami Gurudasananda’s book notes of this work, and this cannot but inspire and ‘From Delusion to Reality’ is motivate even a casual reader. a welcome addition to the This book is an indispensable practical many already existing English commentaries guide to all seekers of knowledge, especially to on Sri Shankaracharya’s ‘Bhaja Govindam’, the present day youth, who are drifting away,

The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta one of the most popular hymns in religious ignorant of life’s purpose and mission and literature. Consisting of only 31 verses in all (the consequently falling an easy prey either to base first twelve and the last five composed by the instincts and sense gratifications or a victim of Acharya Himself and the remaining fourteen by negative ideologies or of violence, depression and his disciples), Sit is simple, direct and exquisitely suicide. Books of this type, simple, direct, without melodious, containing the distilled wisdom of the embellishments, and appealing to the rational Vedantic thoughts. minds and feeling hearts of the youth, will not The book under review is aptly titled ‘From only interest but also inspire them and drive them Delusion to Reality’ after its original name ‘Moha to seek the higher purposes of life; and in the Mudgara’ or ‘hammering of delusion’, or striking process the youth will become good themselves a deadly blow to our excessive attachment to this and do good to others. The simple, but suggestive ephemeral world in order to awaken us to the Reality. picture on the cover page of the book enhances The book contains the original Sanskrit the beauty and significance of the book verses with their English translations and ______I express my sincere PROF. S.RADHAKRISHNAN, gratitude to SwamiKERALA explanatory notes. The Preface gives an Gurudasanandaji for his ‘labour of love’. account of the genesis, structure, theme, style Article

Sattvika Shraddha

SWAMI SATYAPRIYANANDA

Vishvajit गु셁पदिषवेदान्वाक्यषु विश्वासः, hraddha is a complex term which the sacrifice in which everything is signifies1 सद딿 र्या वस्तूलभ्ये, given away. But somehow the father, despite ‘faith in the words of the guru and being the son of one who was famed for giving scriptures’ and 2 ‘by which food to others, gave away all his wealth but the Truth is comprehended’. It is simply acted in a manner contrary to the dictates of translated into English as ‘faith’ for want of a Shastras by giving away cows that had drunk better word. water and eaten grass for good, whose milk had The Bhagavad-Gita states that “the faith of been milked for the last time, and which had each person is according3 to his constitution. ‘A lost their reproductive capacity. This kind of gift personS is made up of one’s faith: one verily is is a burden to the receiver and it was not the October 2020 what one’s faith is.’” This faith can be of three proper thing to do. This sight irritated the mind types: sattvika, rajasika, and tamasika. Amongst of Nachiketa and his inherent shraddha spoke 43 these three types, people with the sattvika faith out daringly these words of caution: “Father are the best: 1) they worship gods alone, 2) dear, he goes to the world of the joyless who they take foods that augment life, energy, offers gifts such as these.” He expected his strength, health, happiness and joy, and which father to make amends for his wrong gifts. are savoury, oleaginous, nourishing and Seeing his father not responding, agreeable, 3) they perform sacrifice according Nachiketa thought to himself, “There must be PAGE SPONSOR : DR. SUBRAMANIYABHARATHIYAR R., KANCHEEPURAM R., SUBRAMANIYABHARATHIYAR DR. : SPONSOR PAGE to scriptural injunctions desiring no fruit and some way of compensation which will make my Kesari The Vedanta fixing their minds on sacrifice for its own sake, father escape the suffering in hell.” So he 4) they perform physical, mental and verbal thought that his father should give him away. austerity with supreme faith and a Nachiketa therefore asked his father thrice, “To concentrated mind desiring no fruit, 5) they whom will you offer me?” Irritated at his offer gifts in a fit place and time, and to a importunity, the father out of anger said, “To worthy person who will do no service in return. Yama, the God of Death, I offer you!” Such a sattvik person feels very irritated This is a beautiful situation in which the in the presence of one who acts without son and the father reacted differently! The son sattivka faith. His shraddha then flares up and thought to himself, “When it comes to offering he speaks out without .any reservation or fear. service, I am usually of the foremost type, We see this in the life of Nachiketa as narrated sometimes I am of the second category, but in the Katha Upanishad Both the father and the never of the third type.” The foremost offer son were gifted with this quality of faith and it service without being asked to do something; is noThe wonder author isthat a senior the father sannyasi decided of the Ramakrishna to perform Order andthe livessecond in Belur category Math. offer [email protected] service when asked to do so; and the third category do not offer What was Nachiketa to ask by way of service even when asked to do a favour. That three boons? It was an extempore offer! He had Nachiketa did not feel the need to go to Yama three goals before him: 1) to see that his father on his own indicated to him that in this case he is pacified and does not fear to see him as if he was not acting like the foremost but of the were a ghost, on his returning from the abode second category because had to be told by his of Death, 2) that he must seek the knowledge of father to do so. The thought that occupied that sacrifice which takes the performer to Nachiketa’s mind was, “What is Yama in need of heaven, thereby doing good to all humanity, and which I am to fulfil? Maybe my father said so 3) the dearest, profoundest and most beneficial out of anger and yet I must obey him! of all pursuits: the knowledge of one’s true Otherwise his words will become untrue.” nature—what happens to one after death, does Truth cannot be given up for anything. What a he continue to exist or not? wonderful ideal! The first of the three boons was easy to On the other hand, the father was fulfil and Yama complied readily. The second regretting, “What have I uttered out of was a complicated and elaborate description of momentary anger? Which father ever sent his a ritual which Nachiketa heard just once and own son to the abode of the King of Death? repeated verbatim. What a prodigious memory Alas, what am I to do?” Nachiketa exhibited! For this he earned a bonus October 2020 The son, understanding his father’s boon as well that the sacrifice would be named 44 dilemma spoke these eye-opening words: after him! The third was a grand secret revealed “Consider our family tradition which is to none but the competent. Was Nachiketa adherence to truth under all circumstances. competent? That was to be ascertained first. He None can escape the jaws of Death, my father, was tempted and tested with 1) outright and one is born like corn and dies likewise. Life discouragement, for being but a young boy he is but momentary. This is all a matter of the would not be able to comprehend this difficult cycle of birth and death, one succeeding to grasp truth and so it would mean that a boon was just wasted, 2) that there are much nicer The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta the other. There is therefore no purpose served by going back on one’s words for the things to seek for from one who is capable of foolish attempt of trying to postpone my giving anything and everything to a sincere death.” seeker, which Nachiketa being just a young lad, Saying so, Nachiketa went to the abode of Yama proceeded to outline: “Ask for sons and Death, and as Yama was not at home, waited for grandsons that will be centenarians, ask for three days and three nights. The thought, “I human beings, animals, elephants, horses and must meet Yama and ascertain what his wealth, as well as a vast expanse of the earth to assignment to me is going to be,” kept him rule over. Ask for yourself a long life to enjoy all waiting without food or drink all this while. these. Or, if you have any other better things to What a tenacity of purpose! Yama came after ask for, ask all that and I shall give you. Ask for his sojourn, and coming to know of the visitor’s all those desirable things which are difficult to one-pointed purpose of meeting him, pacified get such as women with chariots and musical him by offering him three boons for the three instruments such are not to be had by mortals. They will provide you with amusements.” Like days and nights he had been without food and (Continued on page 49...) drink. This dimension of Yama must be borne in mind by today’s administrators! Article

Creation of the Phenomenal World from Divine Ideas in Indian and Western Thought

GOPAL STAVIG There is agreement among Indian and Western religious philosophers that the universe is created out of the thoughts of Brahman-God, which are mental forms within the Divine Mind. Through the command of the omnipotent Divine Will, these ideas become operational creating and modifying the universe. Consequently, the Divine intellect has omniscient epistemological understanding of their workings within the universe. Thoughts in the Divine Mind not only create physical objects, but also the principles of reason, laws of logic and mathematics, and values such as goodness that constitute the intrinsic and extrinsic structure and framework of existence. Divine ideas are both the formal and material cause of the world. This article presents these ideas supported by quotations from Swami Vivekananda and , and Westerners like Philo Judaeus of Alexandria, Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, and October 2020 Bishop George Berkeley. 45

ndian and Western religious creation proceeded out of the Vedas, Swami philosophers agree that the universe is Vivekananda (1863-1902) stated, “Veda is of created out of exemplary ideas or the nature of Shabda or of idea. It is but the sum forms, the archetypes of all things that exist in total of ideas. Shabda, according to the old the Divine Mind. These ideas are the thoughts Vedic meaning of the term, is the subtle idea, PAGE SPONSOR : DR. SUBRAMANIYABHARATHIYAR R., KANCHEEPURAM R., SUBRAMANIYABHARATHIYAR DR. : SPONSOR PAGE

of Brahman-God, which are mental forms which reveals itself by taking the gross form Kesari The Vedanta within the Divine Intelligence, out of which the later on. So owing to the dissolution of the universe is made. The Divine Intellect generates creation, the subtle seeds of the future creation ideas and has omniscient epistemological become involved in the Veda. Accordingly, in the understandingI (and feeling) of their workings Puranas you find that during the first Divine within the universe. The Mind changes into Will Incarnation, the Minavatara, the Veda is first and through the mediation and command of the made manifest. The Vedas having been first omnipotent Divine Will, these exemplary ideas revealed in this Incarnation, the other creative become operational creating and modifying the manifestations followed. Or in other words, all creation. Power and knowledge are interrelated the created objects began to take concrete since Brahman-God produces everything that shape out of the Shabdas or ideas in the Veda. exists according to some mental form. The Indian Religious Philosophers For in Shabda or idea, all gross objects have their subtle forms. Creation had proceeded in the same way in all previous cycles or Kalpas.... Rig Vedic In support of Sayana’s (1320-87, a Supposing this jug breaks into pieces; does the renowned The author is commentator)a member of Vedanta idea Society that of Southernidea California, of a jug USA. becom [email protected] null and void? No. 3

Because, the jug is the gross effect, while the idea or thought of light in the Divine Mind.” idea, ‘jug,’ is the subtle state of the Shabda-state “After the dissolution of the universe, the of the jug. In the same way, the Shabda-state of universe with its objects remains in thought- every object is its subtle state, and the things form in the Cosmic Mind, or the Divine Energy we see, hear, touch, or perceive in any manner or Prakriti. Plato calls the thought-forms an are the gross manifestations of entities in the Idea or Eternal Type, the Christian theologians subtle or Shabda state. Just as we may speak of call it the Logos4 or Word, and the Indian the effect and its cause. Even when the whole grammarians call it Sphota or the immortal creation is annihilated, the Shabda, as the TheWord Western or Sound.” Religious Philosophers consciousness of the universe or the subtle reality of all concrete things, exists in Brahman as the cause. At the point of creative Philo Judaeus of Alexandria (c. 20 BCE - manifestation, this sum total of causal entities 50 CE) the first person to interpret Hebrew vibrates into activity, as it were, and as being Biblical (Old Testament) ideas from the the sonant, material substance of it standpoint of Greek philosophy, all, the eternal, primal sound of ‘Om’ reasoned out that when the creation continues to come out of Itself. process began, God generated And then from the causal the Intelligible (Divine) world October 2020 totality comes out first the of ideal incorporeal 46 subtle image or Shabda- patterns or forms from His form of each particular eternal ideas. The thing and then its gross transcendent God does not manifestation. Now that directly interact with the world causal Shabda, 1 or word- as its creator, but through the consciousness, is Brahman, operation of the Logos. “When and it is the Veda.” he [God] willed to create this Following Swami visible world, he first formed the The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta Abhedananda’s (1866-1939) Intelligible [Divine] world, so that he conception, “A painter first idealizes in his might employ a pattern completely Godlike mind a design of something, and then projects and incorporeal for the production of the the mental design in the material form. corporeal world.... he put together the Similarly, God thinks of the manifold world in Intelligible world, and, using that as a model, he His Cosmic Mind and then gives them the also brought to completion the sensible world. material form…. He projects the images2 of the As, then, the city prefigured in the architect’s manifold world outside from within.” Philo mind held no place externally but was stamped Judaeus of Alexandria (c. 20 BCE-50 CE) “meant in the soul of the artisan, so too the Intelligible by the Logos the ideal creation which existed in world could have no other location than the the Divine Mind before the actual creation. For Divine Logos … this entire sensible world since instance, before the creation of light God said, it is greater than the human image, is a copy of ‘Let there be light.’ These words, however, were the Divine image, it is clear that the archetypal5 merely an audible expression of the thought or seal, which we declare to be the Intelligible idea of light that existed in the Divine Mind: the world would be the very Logos [Word] of God.” creation of the external light was therefore, “God’s shadow is his Logos, which he used as nothing but the projection or expression of the an instrument and thus created the world. This rationes

shadow and representation, as it were, is in essences or of things are present in the turn the archetype of other things.” “Every man Divine Mind from all eternity as the Divine in respect of his mind is intimately related to ideas, though, in view of Augustine’s teachings the Divine Logos, being an imprint or fragment6 on the Divine simplicity previously mentioned, or effulgence of that blessed nature.” Philo this should not be taken to mean that they are theorized that the Divine Logos is the first- ‘accidents’ in God, ideas which are ontologically begotten Son of the uncreated Father, the distinct from His essence…. The corollary of shadow of the one Supreme Reality, the second this is that creatures have ontological truth in God, the mediator between God and the world. so far as they embody or exemplify the model The Logos encompasses the Word, reason, and in the Divine Being, and that God Himself is the power of God. It is the Intelligible world standard of truth.” These ideas by which the comprising both the objective Divine Mind and world was created are contained in the Word of Its subjective ideas, the pattern of7 all creation, God, the second member of the Trinity. The

the archetype of human reason. He believed Word contains the intelligible pattern of8 all the two creation stories found in Genesis are things that are capable of being actualized. not contradictory, since one describes the As stated by Thomas Aquinas (1225-74), creation of the Intelligible (Divine) world and exemplars (or exemplar forms) are “the likeness the other the corporeal world.

of which something is made.” These ideas in the October 2020 Frederick Copleston, S.J. (1907-94) the Divine Mind are superior to the determinate British Jesuit explains Augustine’s (354-430), forms they exemplify. For example, air 47 the Bishop of Hippo in North Africa, religious participates in the light of the sun, but it does not philosophy this way, “God did indeed create all receive that light with the same brightness that rationesthings together seminales in the beginning … He created is in the sun. Exemplars produce both the form invisibly, latently, potentially, in germ, in their and the matter of individual things. Although [seminal reasons or ideas]. these ideas are eternal, everything that can come In this way God created in the beginning all the to be or perish is formed according to them.

PAGE SPONSOR : DR. SUBRAMANIYABHARATHIYAR R., KANCHEEPURAM R., SUBRAMANIYABHARATHIYAR DR. : SPONSOR PAGE vegetation of the earth before it was actually Exemplars as causes are both thought out by the Kesari The Vedanta growing on the earth, and even man himself…. Divine Intellect and ordered by the Divine Will From all eternity God knew all things which he to produce something. Divine Ideas as exemplar was to make: He does not know them because is an extrinsic formal cause and not part of the He has made them, but rather the other way thing that it exemplifies. Yet, they cause the around: God first knew the things of creation intrinsic9 form in created things. These formal though they came into being only in time. The rationes causes entail both efficient and final causality as species of created things have their ideas or well. in God, and God from all eternity saw in Himself, as possible reflections of Himself, These Divine exemplars are productive of the things which he could create and would both form and material substance. This is why create. He knew them before creation as they the Indian thinkers unlike the Westerners are in Him, as Exemplar, but He made them as consider Brahman-God to be both the formal they exist, i.e., as external and finite reflections and material cause of the world. of His Divine Essence [Nature]…. Contemplating Aquinas (as did Maximus the Confessor, His own essence from eternity God sees in Johannes Scotus Erigena, and Anselm of Himself all possible limited essences, the finite Canterbury) taught that we have eternally pre- reflections of His infinite perfection, so that the existed in the Mind of God. A “house exists in the understanding of the architect before it was during the intervals between the times of my brought into actuality.... the things made by God perceiving them…. it necessarily follows there have pre-existed10 in the Word of God from is an omnipresent eternal Mind.” “The Divine eternity, immaterially, without any idea, therefore, of a tree I suppose (a tree in the composition.” “Natural things have a truer Divine Mind), must be the original or archetype being, absolutely in the Divine Mind than in of ours, and ours a copy or image of His (our themselves,11 because in that Mind they have an ideas are images of His, in the same sense as our uncreated being, but in themselves a created souls are images of Him) of which there may be being.” “Although creatures have not existed several, in several15 created minds, like several from eternity, except in God, yet because they pictures of the same original to which they are have been in Him from eternity, God has known Otherall to be Considerations referred.” them eternally in their proper12 natures, and for that reason has loved them.” God “is the First Being, and all other beings pre-exist in Him as Thoughts in the Divine Mind not only their First13 Cause, it follows that they exist create physical objects, but also abstract intelligibly in Him, after the creatiomode of ex His nihilo own entities such as the principles of reason, laws of nature.” Does this not mean that the idea of logic and mathematics, numbers, values such as “creation out of nothing” ( ) goodness, etc. Brahman-God is responsible for October 2020 must be qualified, since the universe eternally the very intrinsic and extrinsic structure and 48 pre-existed in the mind of God. On this subject framework of existence. This is because Erigena (c. 810-77) wrote, “I understand the according to the Divine attribute of aseity (self- substance of the whole man to be nothing else existent, uncaused), Brahman-God cannot be but the concept of him in the Mind of his limited, determined, constrained, or compelled Artificer, Who knew all things in Himself before by any entity independent of or apart from It. they were made; and that very knowledge is the Physical and abstract entities depend on true and only substance of the things known, Brahman-God for their existence, but It does since it is14 in that knowledge that they are most not depend on them. The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta perfectly created and eternally and immutably If the universe proceeds out of the Divine subsist.” Mind, this implies that metaphysical creation The Irish Protestant philosopher Bishop and relations are also logical creation and George Berkeley (1685-1753) wrote, “To be is relations. We find this idea in the Neo-Platonic to be perceived.” He suggested that the world Realism creation theory of Johannes Scotus exists because it is continually perceived by an Erigena. The universal (the class-concept or incorporeal eternal Spirit (God). Berkeley logical genus) is the original reality that states, “The real tree existing without his mind produces the particulars (the species and is truly known and comprehended by (that is ultimately the individual) taking on definite exists in) the infinite mind of God.” “When I form. The universals of the Divine Mind are deny sensible things an existence out of the determining substances that through logical mind, I do not mean my mind in particular, but subordination become production and all minds. Now it is plain they have an existence inclusion of the particular by the general. exterior to my mind, since I find them by Logical partition and determination transform experience to be independent of it. There is into a causal process by means of which the therefore some other mind wherein they exist, universal takes on form that unfolds in the particulars. Deity the most universal Being this system the unfolding process proceeds16 in produces out of Its ideas all things. FollowingReferences the graded scale of logical universality. The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda Summa Contra Gentiles [ SCG .

1) 10) hereafter ] St. Thomas Thoughts on Yoga, Upanishads and Gita. Basic Writings of Saint Thomas Aquinas. Summa (hereafter CW) (1962), VI, pp. 496-98: II, p. 239. Aquinas. Ed. Vernon Bourke 5 vols, 1975, IV, 13. Theologica ST 2) Swami 11) Divine Heritage of Man. Abhedananda. 1970, pp. 158-59. [hereafter ], tr. Anton Pegis (2 vols.; ST 3) Swami Abhedananda. 1947, New York: Random House, 1945), ST, I, 18:4. Thoughts on Yoga, Upanishads and Gita. ST p. 180. 12) , I, 20.2. Philo of Alexandria Philo Periphyseon. 4) p. 145. 13) , I, 105.3. Philo 5) [hereafter ]. Trans. David 14) Johannes Scotus Erigena. I-IV, Ed. I. P. Idea and Ontology. Winston 1981, pp. 99-100; , ed. F. H. Colson and Sheldon-Williams, 1981, IV, p. 65. Philo G. H. Whitaker (1929, 1991), I, pp. 15-21. 15) Marc Hight, 2008, pp. 181, 186; cf. Philo A History of Philosophy. 6) , pp. 101, 143-44. pp. 180, 205, 209-10. A History of Philosophy. 7) , pp. 9, 26, 36, 172, 217. 16) W. Windelband, 1926, 8) Frederick Copleston, S.J., 9 pp. 289-91. Windelband presents this idea in a Aquinas on the Divine Ideas as Exemplar Causes. vols, 1985, Vol. II, pp. 76-77, 72-73. pantheistic form, but it can also be expressed non- 9) pantheistically. Gregory T. Doolan, 2008, pp. 1-5, 156-61, 195-99. Sattvika Shraddha (Continued from page 44...) October 2020 49

Nachiketa, today’s youth are faced with this understand even while hearing, for it is not mind-boggling scenario and fall a victim textual knowledge like what one gets in because they are unable to differentiate classrooms; it is experiential, actual and full of between the preferable and the pleasurable. bliss, taking one out of the cycle of repeated Everything that titillates the senses is births and deaths, to the realisation of Truth.” PAGE SPONSOR : DR. SUBRAMANIYABHARATHIYAR R., KANCHEEPURAM R., SUBRAMANIYABHARATHIYAR DR. : SPONSOR PAGE The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta pleasurable, short-lived, and people madly run The expounder, like Yama, is wonderful; after these. Preferable is that which in the long the receiver like Nachiketa is equally run proves to be beneficial. Nachiketa was wonderful; and it is all the more wonderful different from the common run of youth, for he when one knows experientially the Self by brushed away all these temptations with just a being taught by an adept. So, the message to few simple observations: 1) these are all young men and women is, ‘look before you ephemeral, 2) they waste away the vigour of the leap’, for if you ‘leap and then look’ you are senses, 3) life without exception is short indeed. likely to regret all your life. The choice is yours “So let all these enjoyments be with you! As you, to make. Nachiketa, having passed the test Yama, said, this Atman is not well comprehended creditably was taught the secret knowledge of unless taught by a knowing instructor like you. Truth—the Permanent in the midst of things There is no boon equal to this either. So, I want evanescent, the Consciousness in those this knowledge of the Atman only.” Why? “This endowed with consciousness, the One behind knowledge of the Self is not available for the the many. This exposition forms the major part mere hearingReferences: to many, and many do not of this excellent Upanishad. 1) Vedantasara, 24 2) Vivekachudamani, 25 3) Bhagavad Gita, 17:3 Article

Spiritual Journey

N GOKULMUTHU

Spiritual life is a journey of discovering our true nature and our true relationship with the manifest world. Here is a short and simple description of the different stages of this journey.

nitially, you see the world as an and all its living beings. You see the hand of God insentient object. You see the other in every situation in life. There are only two living beings as competitors in your entities in existence – you and God. Whole life pursuit of happiness in life, which you wrongly is a beautiful play between you and God. You believe to come from objects and situations. You collaborate with God. This gives you a new blame other people and situations for your reason to lead a life of integrity, compassion

October 2020 shortcomings. You and utility. You keep question the merit of Stages in Spiritual Journey asking, “How can I 50 leading a life of integrity 1) What is in it for me? contribute to the world and compassion.I You keep and the living beings?” You 2) Give and take asking, “What is in it for don’t expect anything in me?” You want all the best 3) How can I contribute to the return. in the world with as world and the living beings? In the fourth level of minimal contribution 4) I am the Witness understanding, you realise from you. that it is God who plays The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta In the second level, your role too. You are a you understand that mere witness to everything that happens everything that happens. in your life is the result of what you have done The whole world, including your own life, is a in the past. You don’t see anyone as a grand show put up by God for you to see, enjoy, competitor or as the cause of your happiness or learn, develop detachment and realise your sorrow. You understand that your destiny is in eternal intrinsic freedom. your own hands only. No one can change what In the final level, your identity merges you deserve. You compete with yourself. This into pure Consciousness. enables you to lead a life of integrity, Thus, in your path to freedom, God is your compassion and utility to the world. You have a eternal companion. “Give and take” relationship with the world and You can compare the above description other living beings. with your own faith and conviction to evaluate In the third level of understanding, you at which level you are in. Based on that, you can accept that it isSri God Gokulmuthu who has N. becomeworks as athe software world engineer strive in Bengaluru. to move to [email protected] next level. October 2020

51 The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta Pariprasna 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. is a selection from this book. Pariprasna Jnana Yoga QUESTION:

It is said that we have to transcend the body, the mind and the intellect to realize Brahman,MAHARAJ: the Absolute Being of the Upanishad. It is also said in Chapter 4 of Kathopanishad that by mind alone the Absolute Brahman is to be realized. How are we to reconcile these views? There is no necessary contradiction between the two ideas. When it is said ‘That from which words together with mind fall back without reaching It’ it means only that a complete comprehension of It by the human mind is impossible. This is so in two or three ways. If the mind is impure and attached to the enjoyment of the objects of senses, it will not have the taste or the capacity to apply itself to the Infinite Brahman. Such a mind is capable of only understanding

October 2020 worldly objects. Next, even if the mind is a refined and trained one, no mental presentation of the Infinite Being can be an exhaustive presentation of It. It can only be a segment of It. In another 52 sense also is this true. A mind that comprehends It fully ceases to be a mind. It is absorbed in It and no report about It becomes possible. Sri Ramakrishna gives the example of a salt doll going to measure the depth of the ocean. When the doll proceeds some steps into the ocean it gets dissolved in the ocean. From his own experience Sri Ramakrishna said that he could report his experiences when the mind was centred in the Chakras upto that corresponding to the throat. But when it went to the level of the brow or of the brain, the mind was merged in the experience and a report became impossible. This seems to be the meaning of the first quotation cited in this question. The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta But then the mind is the only instrument of knowledge that man has got. The mind, as it is constituted in the sense-bound man, may be quite ineffective in the spiritual field and may not grasp the Supreme Being. But it becomes a regenerated power when it is refined through dispassion, concentration, discrimination and devotion. Such a mind becomes capable of giving the aspirant a clearer understanding of the Infinite Being. Without refining the mind in this way and awakeing its latent power of understanding, there is no way for man to progress. That the Infinite Being is beyond the grasp of the mind and that, therefore, we shall not concern ourselves in any manner with It but live satisfied with the life of the senses, is the attitude of an agnostic and not of a man who seriously accepts the existence of the Infinite Being. The Upanishadic passage quoted first is not meant to encourage such an attitude. The mind being the only power in man to understand things, it is only through the full exercise of its powers by practice of reflection, discrimination, concentration, dispassion and devotion that what was once the animal- mind becomes the pure mind. In the pure mind an understanding of the Supreme Spirit dawns. In devotional language, the grace of God operates and the aspirant gets a direct understanding of His Being. So the meaning of the second quotation in the question is that it is only with the mind that man performs spiritual Sadhanas which take him to a state of perfection in which the grace of God reveals the supreme knowledge to him. It is not agnostic negligence, but earnest spiritual striving, that is advocated. The Order on the March News & Notes from Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission Branch centres The Residential College of Narendrapur Ashrama held the inaugural function of its diamond jubilee. Srimat Swami Smarananandaji Maharaj, President of the Order, Swami Suviranandaji, the General Secretary, former Secretaries and Principals of the college, teachers and others spoke on the occasion through video conferencing. The Office of the Deputy Commissioner, Karimganj, presented Chief Minister’s Best Community Action

Award for Development to Karimganj centre on 15 August, Independence Day. October 2020 Health 53 Mumbai, Rajkot, Manasadwip and Khetri centres conducted eye camps where 1309 patients were checked, and among them 299 operated and 533 given spectacles. Flood Relief Owing to incessant rains, many areas in the state of Assam, most parts of Muzaffarpur district in Bihar, many areas of Rajkot in Gujarat, and many areas in Kozhikode district in Kerala were flooded. Ramakrishna Math/Mission centres in Guwahati, Muzaffarpur, Rajkot and Koyilandy provided relief in the PAGE SPONSOR : DR. SUBRAMANIYABHARATHIYAR R., KANCHEEPURAM R., SUBRAMANIYABHARATHIYAR DR. : SPONSOR PAGE

form of cooked food to 2500 people and groceries, food grains, and clothes to 320 families. Kesari The Vedanta Coronavirus Relief Salem centre in Tamil Nadu, Darjeeling and Sarisha centres in West Bengal, Bagerhat, Habiganj, and Narayaganj centres in Bangladesh, Durban, and Phoenix centres in South Africa, Lusaka centre in Zambia, and the centre in Fiji, continued to provide relief by providing cooked food to 21590 people and distributing food grains, groceries, etc., among 3223 families, Cyclone Relief Belgharia, Gadadhar Ashrama, Manasadwip, and Sarisha centres in West Bengal continued the relief work begun in the wake of the severe Amphan cyclone and provided grocery items to 250 families, 407 solar lights, and building material to rebuild their homes.

Covid Relief, Lusaka Covid Relief, Rajamahendravaram Flood Relief, Guwahati Flood Relief, Koyilandy Sri Ramakrishna Math, Thanjavur, Village Centre SRI RAMAKRISHNA MATH THANJAVUR The city of Thanjavur in the Cauvery delta, the erstwhile capital of the great Chola Empire, especially known for the world famous 1000-year old Brihadeeshwara Temple and the indigenous Thanjavur painting is a glorious example of Indian heritage. The dawn of the Ramakrishna Movement in this historic land began when a large crowd gathered at the Thanjavur railway station on 3 February 1897 to honour Swami Vivekananda who was travelling from Ramanad to Chennai on his triumphant return to India after The Parliament of Religions in Chicago. Two other direct disciples of Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Ramakrishnananda and Swami Abhedananda sanctified the city with their visit in 1906. They arrived on 11 July and left the city on 13 July. On 12 July they visited the Brihadeeshwara temple and the palace library and in the evening Swami Abhedananda delivered a lecture on “Vedanta in the West” in Besant Hall. Again, sometime between 1902 and 1904, Swami Paramananda, a disciple of Swami Vivekananda spent three weeks in this town immersed in spiritual practices. He experienced a special divine realisation and later said that the place was very spiritually awakened.

October 2020 The Ramakrishna Movement was later fostered in the city by a devotee Sri K. V. Pakkirisamy Munayathiriyar, the owner the Vetrivel Press. He had a small shrine of Sri Ramakrishna in his press and 54 hosted sannyasis of the Order during their pilgrimage. The next wave of awakening came in 1978 when Srimat Swami Vireswarananda Ji Maharaj, the 10th President of the Ramakrishna Order exhorted Dr. T. Indira, a college lecturer, who was newly posted to Thanjavur with these words: “Indira, do something for Sri Sri Thakur in Thanjavur…” Dr. Indira organised satsangs and study-circles in her own residence, houses of other devotees and also in Sri Guru Joliram Goswami Math on Ellaimman Koil Street, Thanjavur Town. With this initial momentum a state level devotee’s conference under the guidance of the sannyasis of the Ramakrishna Order, especially Srimat Swami Smaranananda Ji Maharaj, the then President of Sri

The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta Ramakrishna Math, Chennai and the present President of the Ramakrishna Order, was held in December 1993. The success of the conference and revered Maharaj’s inspiration led to the formation of Sri Ramakrishna Vivekananda Samiti on 04 January 1994, the auspicious occasion of Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi’s Jayanti. The Samiti conducted satsangs regularly once in a week. Eventually Sri Ramakrishna Vivekananda Educational Trust was formed in 1998. The trust received a donation of a plot of land from a farmer on the idyllic banks of the Vadavar river near the famous Punnainallur Mariamman Kovil, which is some 6-7 Kms away from the city. A small temple dedicated to Sri Ramakrishna was built there and consecrated on 09 January 2002 by Srimat Swami Smaranananda Ji Maharaj, the then General Secretary of the Order. This trust was affiliated to Belur Math and became a sub-centre of Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai on 01 August 2019. To reach out to more people, the Math acquired a plot of land in the Thanjavur city just a kilometer away from the Brihadeeshwara Temple. This city centre with a Prayer Hall and other facilities was inaugurated on 22 August 2020, the sacred Ganesh Chaturthi, with the special worship of Sri Ramakrishna, Ganapati Homam, Bhajans, a traditional paddy seed distribution ceremony to farmers etc. Srimat Swami Gautamananda Ji, the Adhyaksha of Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai and one of the Vice- Presidents of the Order gave benediction through online video conferencing. Nearly 250 devotees and 15 monastics participated in the programme. Annadanam was given to more than 500 people. 55 Vol.107. No.10 The Vedanta Kesari (English Monthly) October 2020. 56 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

Dare to be free, dare to go as far as your thought leads, and dare to carry that out in your life. — Swami Vivekananda

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