Society of Toronto ( Mission) 120 Emmett Ave. Toronto, ON CANADA M6M 2E6 Tel: 416-240-7262 Email: [email protected] Website: www.vedantatoronto.ca

Newsletter September 2013

Words to Inspire “He who is the guru is also the Ishta. The guru is the thread that leads to God” -The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna THE MASTER’S BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION AT DAKSHINESWAR

Friday, March 9, 1883 About nine o’clock in the morning, the with the enjoyment of ‘woman and gold’. Once a Master was seated in his room with Rakhal, M, and man registers his name in the hospital, he cannot a few other devotees. It was the day of the new run away. The doctor will not let him go away moon. As usual with him on such days, Sri unless his illness is completely cured.” Ramakrishna entered again and again into During these days Sri Ramakrishna’s heart communion with the Divine Mother. He said to the overflowed with motherly love like the love devotees: God alone exists, and all else is unreal. Yashoda felt for Krishna. So he kept Rakhal with The Divine Mother has kept all deluded by Her him. Rakhal felt toward the Master as a child feels maya. Look at men. Most of them are entangled in toward its mother. He would sit leaning on the worldliness. They suffer so much, but still they Master’s lap as a young child leans on its mother have the same attachment to woman and gold. The while suckling her breast. camel eats thorny shrubs, and blood gushes from its Rakhal was thus seated by the Master when mouth; still it will eat thorns. While suffering pain a man entered the room and said that a high tide at the time of delivery, a woman says, ‘Ah! I shall was coming in the Ganges. The Master and the never go to my husband again. But afterwards she devotees ran to the Panchavati to see it. At the sight forgets. of a boat being tossed by the tide, Sri Ramakrishna “The truth is that no one seeks God. There are exclaimed: “Look! Look! I hope nothing happens to people who eat the prickly leaves of the pineapple it.” and not the fruit.” They all sat in the Panchavati. The Master DEVOTEE: “Sir, why has God put us in the asked M. to explain the cause of the tide. M. drew world?” on the ground the figures of the sun, moon, and MASTER: “The world is the field of action. earth and tried to explain gravitation, ebb-tide, Through action one acquires knowledge. The guru flood-tide, new moon, full moon, eclipse, and so instructs the disciple to perform certain works and forth. refrain from others. Again he advises the pupil to MASTER (to M.): “Stop it! I can’t follow you. It perform action without desiring the result. The makes me dizzy. My head is aching. Well, how can impurity of the mind is destroyed through the they know of things so far off?” performance of duty. It is like getting rid of a “You see, during my childhood I could paint well, disease by means of medicine, under the instruction but arithmetic would make my head spin. I couldn’t of a competent physician. learn simple arithmetic.” “Why doesn’t God free us from the world? Ah, He Sri Ramakrishna returned to his room with the will free us when the disease is cured. He will devotees. liberate us from the world when we are through (From The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna).

Vedanta Society of Toronto Renunciation in Everyday Life Based on a lecture by Swami Girishananda at the Vedanta Society of Toronto in June 2013

This year marks the 150th birth anniversary of So when it comes out of the water, it shakes off who is the role model of the water and remains dry. In another example renunciation. Our scriptures say that human birth he tells us to live in the world like a mud fish. is a rare opportunity given to us and it will be Although the mud fish lives in the mud, not a successful if we can realize God. single particle of mud attaches to its body. We Let us discuss an incident on the occasion of should try to discriminate between the real and Ratha-yatra in June 25, 1884, Sri Ramakrishna unreal, through Vairagya. Sri Ramakrishna also said to Pandit Sashadhar about renunciation, “A tells us that God is the heavy magnet and we are devotee who can call on God while living the the small magnets. Due to the covering of mud, life of a householder is really appreciable. The impurities in our mind, the heavy magnet or God person who has renounced the world for my cannot attract us to him. By constant repetition sake will surely pray to me and must serve me. of the divine name, we can remove this mud and There is nothing much remarkable about it. then God will attract us. Our mind has People will cry ‘Shame on you’ if he fails to do developed the taste of sense pleasures and feels so. But he is blessed indeed who prays to me in that nothing else can be better. So it does not the midst of his worldly duties. He is trying to want to come out of them. We have to get rid of find me overcoming great obstacle, pushing the desires in our mind by any method, so that away as if a huge block of stone weighing a ton, our mind can concentrate on God. such a man is a real hero”. Here Sri How to develop the taste of God in our mind or Ramakrishna is comparing a monk and a how to renounce the world – do we need to run householder. A monk has enough time in his away from the world and live in caves and capacity to pray to God and practice forests? Even if we run away from the world, renunciation. But there is very little scope and our mind will carry the world with us. So opportunity for a householder, who is engaged wherever we live, our mind will continue to in worldly duties, to call on God. So he is really dwell in the world. And so long as we don’t get a hero who, in spite of having many duties, rid of the sense enjoyments, God will be distant focusses his mind on God, which is compared to from us. There is a saying – Where Rama (God) pushing away a huge block of stone. Sri exists, there Kama (desire) cannot exist and Ramakrishna asked the devotees to practice where Kama exists there Rama cannot exist. repeating the name of God and practice Due to the desires, we get attached to this world Vairagya or non-attachment to worldly things. and take birth after birth in order to fulfill our He said that we must remain in the world and desires. Let us get rid of the desires and get out serve the people, but not get attached to the of this cycle of birth and death and re-birth. various things of the world. How to develop the discriminative tendencies – But this is extremely difficult task, so Sri this can be done by developing love for God in Ramakrishna explains this by his lucid us. By studying the lives of the incarnations like examples. He says the world is a mix of truth Chaitanya, Buddha, Sri Ramakrishna, one can and untruth that is sugar and sand. We must be realize this intense love of God. Chaitanya was like an ant which picks up the grains of sugar immersed in the intense love of God. So much and leaves the sand intact. In another example he was his mind focused on God that once they put says the world is a mixture of bliss of God and sugar powder on his tongue and not a bit of the pleasure of sense enjoyments that is milk and saliva wetted the powder. This shows his water. We must be a swan, which can immense control over the sense organs. Once differentiate milk from water and drink the milk, Mathur babu who looked after the requirement leaving the water. In yet another example he of Sri Ramakrishna took him to the house of a tells us to be like a water fowl in this world that prostitute. Sri Ramakrishna’s mind was so is water. The fowl dives into the water, but it’s immersed in the Divine Mother that he saw the feathers does not allow water to stick to its body.

Vedanta Society of Toronto

Mother in those women of ill-repute. He experienced God even in them. songs, by doing japam, meditation, keeping holy They are inspiration for us to develop the love of company, collective prayers, etc.. God and to give us a hope that this intense Whichever way suits your temperament, you renunciation and divine love of God can be should use that, but the focus must be God. practiced and developed by us also. In the scripture ‘Vivekachudamani’, In the , Arjuna asked Sri Krishna Shankaracharya described the three types of – Oh Lord-how do I concentrate my mind on the Vairagya: Uttam Vairagya or Highest Self? The mind is so powerful that it won’t sit dispassion–this is very rare; the devotee must calm even for a while. It is just like controlling have practiced great austerities in his previous the wind. Sri Krishna explains – That is correct, life and soon leads to God realization. Madhyam but by constant practice this mind can be Vairagya or Medium dispassion–here the mind brought under our control. So ‘Practise’ is the of the devotee fluctuates between God and mantra. What is to be practiced – it is the worldliness. This may prove disastrous if the practice of Vairagya or renunciation. The devotee does not maintain strict vigil, it can lead worldly thoughts that arise in our mind have to to his downfall from spiritual path. Last one is be brushed off and constant higher thoughts Manda Vairagya or Least dispassion – here the have to be cultivated. devotee has most of his mind in the world and It is not enough to think that God exists only in very less towards God. In such cases, the the picture or image. Whenever we think of devotee has to practice very hard and he has to God, we must feel his presence in us. It is said take refuge at the feet of a Guru or spiritual that wherever there is singing of Rama’s name teacher and practice spiritual discipline as per Hanuman is present with tearful eyes. This his instructions. We must find out which shows us Hanuman’s deep love for Rama. Sri category we belong and accordingly we must Ramakrishna said, “You must apply to the gas practice. But here one thing is indicated very company so that you can get the gas cylinder to positive, every person who wants to follow cook your food”. Similarly we must send our spiritual path gets opportunity as per his level of application to God to see him. spiritual attainment. God has infinite grace and Swami Vivekananda said, “We have to be he always takes care of an earnest devotee. Sri constantly vigilant about our thief mind and Ramakrishna said– A mother cooks different police it day and night”. The police mind is the dishes as per the appetite of her various children, Vairagya or discrimination. We look around us, knowing fully well that each of her child has a everything around us is unreal and will be different capacity to digest food. He also said to destroyed one day or other. This is the law of his disciple Swami – If the nature – that which is created will be destroyed. devotee walks one step towards God, he will Keeping this in our mind, we have to constantly march 99 steps to the devotee and take his hand. practice discrimination and finally concentrate God only sees how earnestly the devotee is on our Self or Atman. How to get these higher striving to reach him. So never get disheartened. thoughts – the best way as per Sri Ramakrishna Let us all pray to Sri Ramakrishna and put in our is through Satsanga or Holy company. We must best efforts. Surely by His grace we will develop ask questions to the holy men, with the intention the dispassion for the unreal world and renounce of benefiting ourselves in spiritual path and to it. A time will come when we will develop cultivate devotion is us. God can be enjoyed in devotion to God and ultimately will be able to various ways and means, by singing devotional reach Him. ***

Vedanta Society of Toronto Swami Advaitananda - Disciple of Sri Ramakrishna

Adbhutananda) and other direct disciples of Sri Ramakrishna. Monastic life In 1887 Gopal along with other disciples took up the monastic life and came to be known as Swami Advaitananda (Advaita – non-dualism, ananda - bliss). After staying for a few years in Math, Swami Advaitananda travelled to Benaras where he stayed for around 5 years. Here he stayed in a small room, where he rose at 4 AM every day and bathed in the Ganga river, after which he did his spiritual practices for the day. He lived on madhukari i.e. begging small quantities of cooked food from various places, as per the injunctions of the scriptures. He spent time mostly in contemplation. When Swami Vivekananda returned to India after his visit to the west, Swami Advaitananda returned to Alambazar, where the had moved to. Pre-monastic days Afterwards, when the new monastery in Belur Gopal Chandra Surs was born on 28 August 1828 in Math was established, he used to stay mostly there Rajpur (Jagaddal) village in 24 paraganas, a few and looked after gardening and other managerial miles from Calcutta, to Govardhan Sur (Ghosh). He affairs. Even in his old age he was self-sufficient. lived in Sinthi in Calcutta. Little is known about his After his return to the monastery, Swami early life and education. He was an employee in a Advaitananda's special duty was to look to the shop in Chinabazar,which belonged to Beni levelling of the newly purchased land at Belur and Madhav Pal, a member of the , the repair of the old structures there. The land had whose name appears in The Gospel of Sri been in use for repair of steamers etc. and was Ramakrishna. Gopal was married and at the time of hence full of pits and canals. All this meant meeting Sri Ramakrishna for the first time he was strenuous work. When the monastery became fully more than 50 years old. After the death of his wife established there, he took up the duty of looking he was taken by a friend to Sri Ramakrishna to after the comforts of the monks and producing food. assuage his grief. On his first visit Gopal was not He sometimes expressed disappointment that he fell very impressed with Sri Ramakrishna, but after a so short of the ideal. He was very old and did not few more visits he became devoted to him, and take up any public activity; his monastic life was served him in various ways, by buying provisions quite simple. However he lived austerely and and running errands. practiced meditation till his last days. He travelled Gopal distributed the twelve ochre clothes in the extensively and visited at one time or other sacred presence of Sri Ramakrishna to the first bunch of places including Kedarnath, Badrinarayan, and monks of Ramakrishna order, which Hardwar in the north, Dwaraka in the west, and included Swami Vivekananda. After death of Rameswaram and other places in the south. He was Ramakrishna, the "Baranagar Math" was started in sound health throughout his life, even at an with Gopal as the first inmate. He was soon joined advanced age. He accompanied Sri in by Narendra Nath Dutta (later Swami some of her travels. Vivekananda), Rakhal (later Swami Brahmananda), After suffering for some time from stomach trouble, (later ), Latu (later Swami be died on 28 December 1909, at the age of 81.

Vedanta Society of Toronto SUMMARY OF PAST EVENTS Sri Guru Purnima was celebrated on Monday, July 22, 2013 at 6:30 pm. The programme included bhajans, reading, puja, flower offering followed by prasad distribution.

UPCOMING EVENTS Sri Krishna Janmashtami will be held on Wednesday, August 28, 2013 at 6:30 pm. The programme will include bhajans, reading, puja, flower offering followed by prasad distribution. REGULAR PROGRAMMES

SCRIPTURE CLASS: Friday Scripture DAILY BREAD FOOD BANK: Many less Classes begin at 7:30 pm, following the regular fortunate families are dependent on the food evening prayer at 6:00 pm. The class, held at bank for their daily nutrition. Please help us by the centre, is open to all interested persons. contributing non-perishable food items that we VIGIL: On Saturday, September 14, 2013, a may pass along to the Daily Bread Food Bank. vigil consisting of japa and meditation will be SOUP KITCHEN: The Soup is cooked at the observed, from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm. To Vedanta Society and offered 9 days in a month participate, please call the centre at 416-240- serving 450 meals at Syme Woolner 7262. Neighbourhood & Family Centre, 2468 RAM NAM: Sunday September 15, 2013 at Eglinton Ave W, Unit 3, Toronto, ON, M6M 5:00 pm. 5E2. Please contact the Centre, if you are INTERVIEWS/INSTRUCTION: interested in participating. Donations for the Swami Kripamayananda will be happy to give Soup Kitchen will be highly appreciated. interviews to those interested in knowing more BOOK STORE: The Book Store is open after about Vedanta and meditation. Individual Sunday Services and special programmes, and interviews are also given for spiritual arrangements can be made by phone for instruction. Appointments for interviews weekday and Saturday visits. We carry selected should be made in advance with the Swami at titles from the Ramakrishna-Vivekananda 416-240-7262. literature, as well as other Vedantic materials. DAILY MEDITATION: Meditation is observed at the Centre every morning from 6:00 am to 7:00 am. Devotional singing and meditation is held in the evenings from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm.

VOLUNTARY SERVICE Vedanta Society would like to invite volunteers for the following activities conducted by Vedanta Society : *Soup kitchen : To help in preparation of soup & salad. Please drop in for 2 hours on Tuesdays at 9:30 am & on Saturdays at 9:30 am. *Vedanta Vidya Mandir : To help in the instructor led classes and also in children’s snack arrangements. *Book store and library work : To help in the book store and library work. *** If you are interested, please contact the society at 416-240-7262 or [email protected] ***

Vedanta Society of Toronto Minister and Teacher - Swami Kripamayananda, Ramakrishna Order of India

CALENDAR OF EVENTS September 2013 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 9:30am 9:30am Soup Kitchen Soup Kitchen 8 11 am Lecture: 9 10 11 12 13 14 Ishta-Nishtha: 9:30am 9:30am 7:30pm Adherence to the Soup Kitchen Soup Scripture class: ANNUAL Chosen Ideal-Swami Kitchen ‘Gospel of Sri SEMINAR Kripamayananda Ramakrishna’ 15 11 am Lecture: 16 17 18 19 20 7:30pm 21 Pilgrimage-Swami 9:30am 9:30am Scripture class: 9:30am Kripamayananda Soup Kitchen Soup ‘Vivekachudamani’ Soup Vedanta Vidya Kitchen Kitchen Mandir 1:30pm RamNam:5pm 22 11 am Lecture: 23 24 25 26 27 7:30pm 28 “The Living Face of 9:30am Scripture class: 9:30am the Truth- Shyamal Soup Kitchen ‘Gospel of Sri Soup Ghosal Ramakrishna’ Kitchen

29 11 am Lecture: 30 The Cosmic Form of the Divine- Swami Kripamayananda Vedanta Vidya Mandir 1:30pm

** Vedanta Society of Toronto would like to thank all members of the Telugu Seniors group of Scarborough for conducting the soup kitchen on 2nd Thursday every month at Vedanta Society**