nd 102 Price: ` 10 Year of Publication The Vedanta Kesari THE LION OF VEDANTA A Cultural and Spiritual Monthly of the Ramakrishna Order since 1914
Swamiji’s statue at RKM Institute of Culture, Kolkata
January 2015 India's Timeless Wisdom
It is not possible to change one’s own nature through instructions. Water although it is heated, becomes cold once again.
—Traditional Saying
Editor: Swami Atmashraddhananda Managing Editor: Swami Gautamananda Printed and published by Swami Vimurtananda on behalf of Sri Ramakrishna Math Trust fromThe No.31, RamakrishnaV edanta KMathesari Road, ~ 2 Mylapore, ~ JANUARY Chennai 2015 - 4 and Printed at Sri Ramakrishna Printing Press, No.31 Ramakrishna Math Road, Mylapore, Chennai - 4. Ph: 044 - 24621110 The Vedanta Kesari 102st Year of Publication VOL. 102, No. 1 ISSN 0042-2983
A CULTURAL AND SPIRITUAL MONTHLY OF THE RAMAKRISHNA ORDER Started at the instance of Swami Vivekananda in 1895 as Brahmavâdin, it assumed the name The Vedanta Kesari in 1914. For free edition on the Web, please visit: www.chennaimath.org
CONTENTS
JANUARY 2015 Gita Verse for Reflection 1 Editorial The Eternal Relation 2 Articles ‘I Have Wings, I Will Fly and Fly’ 8 APJ Abdul Kalam From the River of Time into Timelessness 13 Pravrajika Virajaprana Vedantic Idea of Civilization: In the Light of Swami Vivekananda’s Teachings 19 Swami Durgananda ‘But for Me, Mother and I—That is All’ 25 Swami Sudarshanananda A Few Women Disciples of Swami Vivekananda 31 Prema Nandakumar Sanskrit Composition Shri-Vivekananda-Dashakam: Ten verses in praise of Swami Vivekananda 6 Brahmachari Bhudevachaitanya New Find Unpublished Letters of Swami Saradananda 17 An Inspiring Story Kiran, the Light 27 Alpana Ghose Compilation Insights into Some Keywords: In Swami Vivekananda’s Words 35 The Order on the March 36 Book Reviews 39 Feature Simhâvalokanam (The Mystic Path) 5 Cover Story: Page 6 The V edanta K esari 4 JANUARY 2015 The Vedanta Kesari Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai 600 004 h (044) 2462 1110 (4 lines) Fax : (044) 2493 4589 Email : [email protected] Website : www.chennaimath.org
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N Cover Story N Swamiji’s Statue, Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture, Kolkata Installed at the initiative of the Citizens’ Committee formed on the occasion of the Birth Centenary Celebrations of Swami Vivekananda in 1963, the marble statue (sculpted by famed artist Sri G. Pal of Kolkata) of Swami Vivekananda was unveiled by Swami Madhavananda, the 9th President of the Ramakrishna Math and Mission. The statue is impressively placed in the courtyard of the Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture, a premier institute under the Ramakrishna Mission in south Kolkata. The Institute was established in 1938 elsewhere and shifted finally to its own commodious building in 1961. From a modest beginning, the Institute has now grown into a centre of learning and research, recognized by the Universities of Calcutta, Burdwan and Jadavpur. It has drawn the interest of the pub- lic as well as many leading scholars of India and other countries. o
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To be continued . . . The Vedanta Kesari
VOL. 102, No. 1, JANUARY 2015 ISSN 0042-2983 EACH SOUL IS POTENTIALLY DIVINE. T HE GOAL IS TO MANIFEST THE DIVINITY WITHIN.
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Gita Verse for Reflection Tr. by Swami Tapasyananda
—Bhagavad Gita, 12-2 The Blessed Lord said: Those I consider as the most perfect in Yoga, who, with their minds fixed intently on Me in steadfast love, worship Me with absolute faith. B
Have you got the will to surmount mountain-high obstructions? If the whole world stands against you sword in hand, would you still dare to do what you think is right? If your wives and children are against you, if all your money goes, your name dies, your wealth vanishes, would you still stick to it? Would you still pursue it and go on steadily towards your own goal? As the great King Bhartrihari says, ‘Let the sages blame or let them praise; let the goddess of fortune come or let her go wherever she likes; let death come today, or let it come in hundreds of years; he indeed is the steady man who The Vedanta Kesari wishes does not move one inch from all its readers and well-wishers the way of truth.’ Have you got A Happy and Fulfilling 2015 that steadfastness?. . . You need not write in the newspapers, you need not go about lecturing; your very face will shine. If you live in a cave, your thoughts will permeate even through the rock walls, will go vibrating all over the world for hundreds of years, maybe, until they will fasten on to some brain and work out there. Such is the power of thought, of sincerity, and of purity of purpose. —Swami Vivekananda, CW, 3: 226
The V edanta K esari ~ 01 ~ JANUARY 2015 Editorial
The Eternal Relation Life is Relation-based In Sanskrit it is called achara, conduct and We live in a world of relations. To live practices peculiar in certain places, times and is to be related. The very act of birth relates situations. It is also called lokachara, deshachara us to someone—mother, father, siblings, and kalachara. For instance, among Hindus it relatives, neighbours, language and gender is considered necessary to remove footwear group, nationality and so on. And as long as before entering their temples. Or taking bath we live, we interact with others based on our and being physically clean in order to perform relations. Even though death seems to annul worship. While these are necessary and have a all our relations, we still continue to be referred definite role to play, they are not the ultimate to as someone who is related to so-and-so. truth of Hinduism—or in some other religion, ‘Relativity’ thy name, life! some other such practice. These practices may We relate ourselves with others at be of little value in another geographically and different levels—social, financial, educational, culturally different milieu. Religion, however, professional, international, and so on. What- is not all about achara; there is another side, a ever be the form of our relation, we need to deeper side of religion, which deals with more have healthy, mature and meaningful relations profound issues than the external and rather and this demands understanding, sacrifice ‘adjustable’ truths of practice and rituals. Says and right action. Pursuit of meaningfulness Swami Vivekananda,2 in relations has been, and is, one of the central There are two sorts of truth we find in our quests of life and even more so in present Shastras, one that is based upon the eternal times. nature of man—the one that deals with the Not only at the visible, mundane plane, eternal relation of God, soul, and nature; the we are ‘related’ at the spiritual plane too. It other, with local circumstances, environments of is relation all the way. Swami Vivekananda the time, social institutions of the period, and so defined1 religions as ‘the eternal relation forth. The first class of truths is chiefly embodied between the eternal soul and the eternal in our Vedas, our scriptures; the second in the God’. In other words, religion is not about a Smritis, the Puranas, etc. We must remember that temporary relation between a temporary soul for all periods the Vedas are the final goal and and a temporary God! It is a relation based on authority, and if the Puranas differ in any respect from the Vedas, that part of the Puranas is to be eternal truths or entities. rejected without mercy. We find, then, that in all these Smritis the teachings are different. One Two ‘Types’ of Truths Smriti says, this is the custom, and this should be Often while speaking of ‘religious books’, the practice of this age. Another one says, this is we refer to things which are of day-to-day the practice of this age, and so forth. This is the relevance—‘what to do, not to do, when not to Achara which should be the custom of the Satya do, how to do’ and so on—set of observations, Yuga, and this is the Achara which should be festivals, rituals and such external actions. the custom of the Kali Yuga, and so forth. Now
The V edanta K esari ~ 02 ~ JANUARY 2015 9
this is one of the most glorious doctrines that Etymologically the term Atman means you have, that eternal truths, being based upon that which is eternal (from the Sanskrit root the nature of man, will never change so long as word att, ‘that which exists always’). So, man lives; they are for all times, omnipresent, eternal soul means Atman. Is there also non- universal virtues. But the Smritis speak generally eternal soul? In a way, yes, and that is called of local circumstances, of duties arising from Jiva which is Atman plus body and mind (so it different environments, and they change in becomes jivatman). While Atman is never born the course of time. This you have always to or grows or decays and dies, in its embodied remember that because a little social custom is state it seems to undergo change, and the most going to be changed you are not going to lose expressive manifestation of this change is your religion, not at all. . . birth and death. In reality, however, Atman is In plain words, we have first to learn the the birthless, deathless, eternal core of human distinction between the essentials and the non- personality. essentials in everything. The essentials are eternal, and non-essentials have value only for The Eternal God a certain time. . . What about God? Of course, God and The most important characteristic of eternity are a synonyms. Never was God these essentials is ‘the eternal relation between born and never therefore He or She or It (in the eternal soul and eternal God.’ What is, first whichever way one may describe that Eternal of all, the idea of soul and God that Swamiji Reality) ever dies. It is, always. Of course, what speaks of? is, is not fully known, not even little known. In fact, we live surrounded by the unknown! God The Eternal Soul is infinite, much more than the sense-world One thing, according to Vedanta, about that we live in. ourselves, the human personality, is that we But this idea of God is not about an inert, are not just bodies and minds but body + mind inanimate source of creation! God, according + atman. While body and mind are not eternal, to Vedanta, is of the nature of Existence, the atman is. What is atman? In his famous Knowledge and Bliss. Explains Swami Viveka- lecture given in Lahore in December 1897, nanda,4 Swami Vivekananda expounded the word Blessedness, eternal peace, arising from perfect atman, and how it is different from body and freedom, is the highest concept of religion mind, thus3: underlying all the ideas of God in Vedanta— I will not translate this word to you in English, absolutely free Existence, not bound by anything, because the idea does not exist in Europe; it is no change, no nature, nothing that can produce untranslatable. The modern attempt of German a change in Him. . . God is still, established upon philosophers is to translate the word Atman by His own majestic changeless Self. You and I try the word ‘Self’, and until that word is universally to be one with Him, but plant ourselves upon accepted, it is impossible to use it. So, call it as nature, upon the trifles of daily life, on money, Self or anything, it is our Atman. This Atman is on fame, on human love, and all these changing the real man behind. It is the Atman that uses the forms in nature which make for bondage. When material mind as its instrument, its Antahkarana, nature shines, upon what depends the shining? as is the psychological term for the mind. Upon God and not upon the sun, nor the
The V edanta K esari ~ 03 ~ JANUARY 2015 10
moon, nor the stars. Wherever anything shines, The stories about God creating this world for whether it is the light in the sun or in our own some end or other that we imagine are good as consciousness, it is He. He shining, all shines stories, but not otherwise. It is all really in sport; after Him. the universe is His play going on. God, further, can be conceived or wor- The whole universe must after all be a big piece shipped as a Being with form or without of pleasing fun to Him. If you are poor, enjoy form. All contradictions are subsumed in that as fun; if you are rich, enjoy the fun of the Ultimate Truth called God. He, She or being rich; if dangers come, it is also good fun; It, with and without form, with and without if happiness comes, there is more good fun. The qualities—all opposites get dissolved in the world is just a playground, and we are here reality of God. having good fun, having a game; and God is with us playing all the while, and we are with The Eternal Relation Him playing. God is our eternal playmate. How Soul is eternal and so is God. While this beautifully He is playing! The play is finished relation is eternal, one can establish, or re- when the cycle comes to an end. There is rest establish, this relation with God in various for a shorter or longer time; again all come out ways such as mother, child, beloved and so on. and play. It is only when you forget that it is all All these ways of relating to God are definite play and that you are also helping in the play, it is only then that misery and sorrows come. methods of discovering our eternal relation Then the heart becomes heavy, then the world with God. Suppose one thinks of God as a weighs upon you with tremendous power. But friend? Of course there are many ways to feel as soon as you give up the serious idea of reality related to God but let us, for illustration, take as the characteristic of the changing incidents of 5 up the attitude of a friend. Swamiji says, the three minutes of life and know it to be but a . . .God becomes our friend, the friend who is stage on which we are playing, helping Him to near, the friend to whom we may freely tell all play, at once misery ceases for you. He plays in the tales of our lives. The innermost secrets of every atom; He is playing when He is building our hearts we may place before Him with the up earths, and suns, and moons; He is playing great assurance of safety and support. He is the with the human heart, with animals, with plants. friend whom the devotee accepts as an equal. We are His chessmen; He puts the chessmen on God is viewed here as our playmate. We may the board and shakes them up. He arranges us well say that we are all playing in this universe. first in one way and then in another, and we Just as children play their games, just as the are consciously or unconsciously helping in His most glorious kings and emperors play their play. And, oh, bliss! we are His playmates!’ own games, so is the Beloved Lord Himself in sport with this universe. He is perfect; He does Becoming His playmates! That is religion, not want anything. Why should He create? realising the eternal relation between the Activity is always with us for the fulfilment of eternal soul and eternal God. But unlike all a certain want, and want always presupposes other relations of this world, this relation can imperfection. God is perfect; He has no wants. never be terminated by anything. We can Why should He go on with this work of an ever- never terminate the eternal. God is, soul is and active creation? What purpose has He in view? so too their relation is, eternal. o
References: 1. CW, 4:209 2. CW, 3.174 3. CW, 3.402 4. CW, 1.337 5. CW, 3.95
The V edanta K esari ~ 04 ~ JANUARY 2015 Simhâvalokanam From the Archives of The Vedanta Kesari (November, 1924-25, Pp. 251-252) The Mystic Path
SWAMI PRABHAVANANDA It has been already mentioned that Vedanta recognises the truth that there must be various methods to realise the same goal, inasmuch as there are various types of men and women with diverse temperaments and characters. The Mystic Path is one of such methods to attain to the realisation of oneness. In Sanskrit this path is known as Raja Yoga, or the king of all Yogas. It is said to be the king of all Yogas because it can be used with all the other Yogas and is suitable to almost all temperaments. It does not ask you to believe in any particular creed or dogma. You may have faith in one religion or other, or you may not have faith in any particular religion. It does not ask you to change your own creed or dogma. If you are a Christian, remain a Christian; if you are a Hindu, remain a Hindu. You can remain in your own faith and at the same time follow these practices. And even if you have no faith in any religion, it does not matter. The chemist does not ask you to believe in anything beforehand. He has made certain experiments and he has found out the truth for himself. He will not simply ask you to believe in the truth he has arrived at, but he will take you to his laboratory and ask you to make the same experiments and find out the truth for yourself. Similarly, the mystic philosopher will ask you to make the experiments, to follow the practices and you will find out for yourself the truth taught by all the religions of the world. This is also called the Mystic Path, because, as I go on describing the different steps, you will find that in the first place you have to practise regularly certain exercises, physical and mental, and you have to practise them in solitude, either in the solitude of a forest or in the solitude of your own room, where there will be nothing to disturb you, where you will be left alone with yourself and your thought. But you must remember there is nothing secret or mysterious about this path. On the contrary, it tries to solve the so-called mysteries. Standing on the strong foundation of logic and reason, it tries to unravel the riddles of the universe and direct the individual souls towards higher and higher development, ultimately to make them realise the final truth taught by all the religions of the world. It does not merely give you hope of compensation for the sufferings of this world in some future birth, somewhere in heaven or other spheres. On the contrary, it asks you to go beyond the sufferings and miseries of this world, even here and now. It seeks of you to realise the kingdom of heaven which is within even in the present life. o
The V edanta K esari ~ 05 ~ JANUARY 2015 Sanskrit Composition
Shri-Vivekananda-Dashakam Ten verses in praise of Swami Vivekananda
BRAHMACHARI BHUDEVACHAITANYA
o The author is a monastic inmate at Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda University, Belur Math.
The V edanta K esari ~ 06 ~ JANUARY 2015 13
Notes 1. Sense objects allure the mind and the mind gets 2. The sacrificial fire lit while taking the vows of trapped by thoughts of sense objects. These Sannyasa. thoughts bubble up repeatedly and this leads 3. Thoughts are often spoken of as waters to indulgence in senses. That in turn intensifies in scriptures. For instance refer Sayana’s infatuation. It forms a no-exit loop! Soon the habit commentary on the 7th Mantra in Rig Veda turns into addiction. And hence it is a vicious Samhita at 10.8.125.— circle.
The V edanta K esari ~ 07 ~ JANUARY 2015 Article
‘I Have Wings, I Will Fly and Fly’ APJ ABDUL KALAM
Education—A Vast Field share with you, how teaching of mathematics ‘When you wish upon a star, makes no and physics in Finland high schools has difference who you are; anything your heart become a great success and the role model for desires, will come to you’, says a poet. the whole of Europe? Or shall I share with you When I am with you, I would like to my experiences with Global Youth Meet at recall the inspiring advice to you by Swami Liverpool and Dubai that focused the youth Vivekananda, power as a powerful resource for world peace? How has all the knowledge in the world been So far what I have said, even though are gained but by the concentration of the power of important, in order to provide an ambience, the mind? The world is ready to give up its secret where multiple civilizations could co-exist if we only know, how to knock, how to give it with no rigid borders between them, the the necessary blow. The strength and force of the education system that one creates or brought blow come through concentration. There is no through must have no respect for borders. limit to the power of the human mind. The more I was fortunate enough to benefit by this concentrated it is, the more power is brought to thinking when I was young and also to see it bear on one point. That is the secret. in practice during my several career efforts. Dear friends, this thought has indeed Friends, I will be sharing these experiences influenced my conscience and I would suggest with you how from my childhood to now, that the education system must develop education, knowledge and value-based events this faith among our youth and the youth to have shaped me. This will indeed be of interest practice this faith in all their actions. to the youth who have assembled here. Dear Hence, I was thinking, for such an young friends, today when I am with you, I international youth congress, what I can share would like to share some views and thoughts with you. Shall I share with you, what I have on the topic ‘I have wings, I will fly and fly’. seen and observed in thousands of schools, colleges, universities in India and abroad? Or Unity of Minds shall I share with you the dreams of millions Since I have come from an integrated of youth whom I have met during the last society of billion people with multi-culture, seven years? Or shall I share with you, what multi-language and multi-religion and the I have seen in Singapore, how primary school environment where many civilizations con- teachers are prepared rigorously, tested and fluence, I am going to talk to you about my deployed in educating the young? Or shall I education which I was fortunate to get.
Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, former President of India, addressed the First International Youth Congress organised by Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Memorial, Vadodara, Gujarat, on 10th August 2013. This is a slightly shortened text of his speech given on that occasion. o
The V edanta K esari ~ 08 ~ JANUARY 2015 15
Born in a small village in the southern Nurturing the Seeds part of India, my education could have Here let me recall an incident that constrained me to the length and breadth happened in the year 2001, while I was of that small island. But then my primary teaching at Anna University in Chennai, school teacher Shri Sivasubramanya Iyer a course on ‘Societal transformation using not only taught me how birds fly, but also technology’. I was invited by the Presidency triggered a mission for my life towards flight College of Chennai to interact with students. sciences. I would like to recall one incident When I reached the venue, I saw more than which commonly occurs in many parts of our 1500 students overflowing the hall. It was country. I have witnessed this event when very tough to reach the dais. After I finished I was a young boy (10 yrs). In our house, my lecture on ‘Vision elevates the nation’, periodically I used to see three different I received number of questions from the unique personalities meet. students, which I answered. When I was Pakshi Lakshmana Shastrigal, who was leaving the hall, suddenly a young student the head priest of the famous Rameswaram pushed himself from the crowd and thrust a temple and a Vedic scholar, Rev. Father Bodal, crumpled paper in my hand. I put the paper in who built the first church in Rameswaram my pocket and read it in the car, while I was Island and my father who was an Imam in returning to Anna University. My mind got the mosque. They belonged to three major elevated with the power of the message from religions: Hinduism, Christianity and Islam. T. Saravanan doing M. Phil, in Presidency All three of them used to sit and discuss College at that time. I would like to share the the Island’s problems and find solutions. content of the letter with all of you, since it is In addition they built several religious relevant to the subject we are going to discuss. connectivities with compassion. These connec- The letter went like this: tivities quietly spread to others in the island Dear Kalam Sir, the full power of banyan tree is like the fragrance from the flowers. This sight equal to the power in the seeds of the tree. In a always comes to my mind whenever, I discuss way both of us, you and me are the same, but we with people on dialogue of religions. exhibit our talents in different forms. A few of India has had this advantage of inte- the seeds become banyan trees but many seeds gration of minds for thousands of years. die as saplings without ever becoming a tree. Throughout the world, the need to have a Due to certain circumstances and environmental frank dialogue among cultures, religions and conditions, many seeds even get damaged and civilizations has been felt now more than become part of the soil as manure helping new ever. I did not realize then, but now I know, seeds to become trees. how these three people have practically Saravanan then asked, demonstrated to me, the power of unity of You have worked for the country and helped minds and education without borders. At such many scientists, engineers, and knowledge a young age they have introduced me to this workers, can you tell me, how you ensured that great theme effortlessly. The theme was Unity their abilities were not wasted or their growth of Minds. This is what I learnt as a young boy was not stunted pre-maturely like banyan seeds equivalent to attending a multi-culture and that never became trees? In your service, what is multi-religious discourse. the percentage of success you can claim?
The V edanta K esari ~ 09 ~ JANUARY 2015 16
I suitably answered Saravanan and disproportionate happiness of any one class, added that it was my great joy to see my but the greatest happiness of the whole’, 2400 team members excelling in knowledge and years ago. action. Since Saravanan wanted to know Similarly, around the same period Tamil the percentage of success, I replied that it poet saint Thiruvalluvar said, could have been minimum 60%. But this 60% Piniyinmai selvam vinai inpam yemam emerged out of the 100% who worked for the Anaiyenpa natirkin vaindu. projects. The important elements that constitute a nation The message I would like to give is: the are: being disease-free, high earning capacity, seeds of banyan tree are indeed something high productivity, harmonious living and strong like the citizens of the nation. Democracy defence. and Governance have the power to give With these thoughts, I made up my opportunity to every citizen to grow with mind of what to say to the students and the capacity to perform. Every citizen therefore youth of Greece. I slowly repeated line by has the capacity to contribute to the vision line, a hymn which I normally hear in Indian of the country in his or her own way and in spiritual centers: the process contribute to the success of few. Where there is righteousness in the heart, And this can grow in geometric proportion There is beauty in the character. and result in the success of our nation which When there is beauty in the character, may be shared by all our citizens. Let every There is harmony in the home. seed nurture. Nevertheless, seeds that become When there is harmony in the home, manure must not be treated lesser that the There is an order in the nation. seeds that become trees. When there is order in the nation, There is peace in the world. Greece Experience When the students and the youth re- Let me share with another beautiful peated with me, the tourists around at experience that I had when I visited Greece in the Acropolis also repeated and there was April 2007. all round ovations. Then I realized how I was negotiating and climbing towards people from multiple nations, young and Acropolis mountain top in Athens and came experienced, were influenced by the thought across a group of 150 Greek students. They of righteousness in the heart irrespective threw a spontaneous smile on me, the teachers of their nationality. You can see how the came forward and introduced the students. righteousness in the heart generates beauty in They said, they were very happy to see the the character in the human beings and beauty Indian President and that the children would in the character leads to harmony in the home. like to hear from him a few words. My mind Harmony in the home in an integrated at that time was thinking about the great way generates order in the nation. Of course personalities the land of Greece had given to the order in the nation finally blossoms peace the world: Socrates, Plato and Aristotle. The in the world. The righteousness in the heart is words of Plato were ringing in my mind when the starting point for great individual, great I saw the young students. Plato brings out that family and great nation and ultimately great ‘Our aim in founding the State was not the planet earth.
The V edanta K esari ~ 10 ~ JANUARY 2015 17
Now the question is: How do we incu- star to black hole following a supernova? Two lcate the righteousness in the heart. In my of his students got the Nobel Prize before him. opinion, there are three sources which can It is of course the famous Nobel Laureate, build a youth with righteousness in the Chandrasekhar Subramaniam. heart. One is mother, second is father and the Do you know an Indian Mathematician third and the most important is the teacher, who did not have formal higher education particularly primary school teacher. Also but had inexhaustible spirit and love for to provide righteousness in the heart to the mathematics which took him to contribute young minds, we should have an environment to the treasure houses of mathematical re- of great education and a spiritual way of life search—some of which are still under serious and spiritual environment. study and engaging all-available world mathe- Now let us see a few great personalities, maticians’ efforts to establish formal proofs. who are always remembered and celebrated He was a unique Indian genius who could by humanity for their unique contribution to melt the heart of the most hardened and society. outstanding Cambridge mathematician Prof G H Hardy. In fact, it is not an exaggeration The Unique You to say that it was Prof. Hardy who discovered If you look up, what do you see—the a great mathematician for the world. This light, the electric bulbs. Immediately, our mathematician was of course Srinivasa thoughts go to the inventor Thomas Alva Ramanujan for whom every number was a Edison, for his unique contribution towards divine manifestation. the invention of electric bulb and his electrical There was a great scientific lady who is lighting system. known for discovering radium. She won not When you hear the sound of aeroplane one but two Nobel Prizes, one for physics going over your house, whom do you think and another for chemistry. Who is she? She of? Wright Brothers proved that man could fly, is Madam Curie. Madam Curie discovered of-course, at heavy risk and cost. radium and she was doing research on the Whom does the telephone remind you effect of radiation on human system. The same of? Of course, Alexander Graham Bell. radiation which she discovered, affected her When everybody considered a sea travel and she sacrificed her life for removing the as an experience or a voyage, a unique person pain of human life. questioned during his sea travel from United When I described to you these historical Kingdom to India. He was pondering on why events, you all jump up. The scientist, techno- the horizon where the sky and sea meet looks logist, warriors and great human being, who blue? His research resulted in the phenomena created the event, are unique personalities. of scattering of light. Of course, Sir CV Raman Young friends, can you join such unique was awarded Nobel Prize. performers of scientific history? Yes, you can. Do you know the scientist who is Definitely, you can. Let us study together, how famous for Chandra Limit which describes it can be made possible. the maximum mass of a white dwarf star, or I have, so far, met 15 million youth in a equivalently, the minimum mass for which decade’s time. I learnt, ‘every youth wants to a star will ultimately collapse into a neutron be unique, that is, You! But the world all around
The V edanta K esari ~ 11 ~ JANUARY 2015 18 you, is doing its best, day and night, to make Education gives you wings to fly. you just ‘everybody else’. At home, you are Achievement comes out of fire in our asked by your parents to be like neighbours’ subconscious mind that ‘I will win’. So, each children for scoring good marks. When you one of you assembled here and elsewhere, will go to school, your teacher says, ‘Why not you have ‘Wings of Fire’. The Wing of Fire will become like the first five rankers in the class?’ indeed lead to knowledge which will make Wherever you go, they are saying, ‘you have to you to fly as a doctor, or an engineer, or a be somebody else or everybody else’. scientist, or a teacher, or a political leader, or a The challenge is that you have to fight bureaucrat or a diplomat or you would like to the hardest battle, which any human being can walk on the moon and mars or anything you ever imagine; and never stop until you arrive want to be. at your destined place, that is, a Unique You! How to achieve unique you? There are Conclusion four proven steps—having an aim in life Finally I would like to ask you, what before 20 years of age, acquiring knowledge would you like to be remembered for? You continuously, hard work towards the aim have to evolve yourself and shape your life. and, perseverance to defeat the problem You should write it on a page. That page and succeed. In this connection, let me recall may be a very important page in the book of famous ancient verses ‘I will fly’ of 13th human history. And you will be remembered century Persian Sufi poet Jalaluddin Rumi: for creating that one page in the history of I am born with potential. the nation—whether that page is the page of I am born with goodness and trust. invention, the page of innovation or the page I am born with ideas and dreams. of discovery or the page of creating societal I am born with greatness. change or a page of removing the poverty or I am born with confidence. the page of finding new technologies in energy I am born with wings. or astronomy. So, I am not meant for crawling, My greetings and best wishes to all of I have wings, I will fly— you for success in your educational mission I will fly and fly. and life. May God bless you!
The soul alone lives. Spirituality alone lives. Hold onto that. Yet, perhaps, some sort of materialism, toned down to our own requirements, would be a blessing to many of our brothers who are not yet ripe for the highest truths. . . The mind is circling forward, as it were, towards the senses, and that mind has to circle backwards; the Pravritti has to stop and the Nivritti has to begin. That is the ideal. But that ideal can only be realised after a certain amount of experience. We cannot teach the child the truth of renunciation; the child is a born optimist; his whole life is in his senses; his whole life is one mass of sense- enjoyment. So there are childlike men in every society who require a certain amount of experience, of enjoyment, to see through the vanity of it, and then renunciation will come to them. . . . Hands off! Let the poor fellow enjoy himself a little, and then he will raise himself up, and renunciation will come to him of itself. —Swami Vivekananda, CW, 3.151
The V edanta K esari ~ 12 ~ JANUARY 2015 Article
From the River of Time into Timelessness
PRAVRAJIKA VIRAJAPRANA
Understanding ‘Time’ and Mother Kali. Time drags all things into a What is time really? It’s one of those ceaseless flow. In the Bhagavad Gita (10.30), tough questions that have stirred scientists, Sri Krishna describes himself, the divine, as philosophers, and truth seekers to look deeper Time—‘of measures, I am Time.’ Time sweeps for answers. Once someone humorously us along its swift current. suggested that time is nature’s way of keeping Who isn’t familiar with the ravages of everything from happening at once. No time? Our time begins here with our birth and one has been able to give a clear, definitive ends with our death. Everything and every definition of time. We know it, however, one of us, not just the pills in our medicine through our experience and by its effects. cabinet, have an expiration date. Searching for Our lives are dominated by it; we are driven life’s meaning during this short interval amidst by time. And the one thing we can say with the constant threat and fear of this expiratory assurance is that we never have enough of it. date is time dependent. Yet, paradoxically, We speak about time as though it had we don’t know what it is that has so much an objective reality; we treat it is an object influence on our lives, especially on our and try our best to manipulate it. We use such thinking; and, what’s even more important, expressions as time is slipping though my to live meaningfully, for peace and spiritual fingers; wasting time; running out of time; fulfillment, we need to escape from time’s hold killing time; making time; time is hanging on us. heavy on my hands; time flies; the years roll on; time out, when we stop the clock In the Wonderland of Time during a basketball game; or in economic There is a wonderful children’s book jargon, trading time for money. We attribute by Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland. Swami qualifiers: a short time; a while ago; the remote Vivekananda was extremely fond of this book; past; the near future; time and again; from day- he felt it was the best book for children written to-day; for the time being. in the 19th century. He commented that the In many cultures time is often per- author Carroll must have had unique insight sonified, such as Father Time, the Grim into the workings of the human mind. In Reaper, the Great Leveler, the Great Avenger, fact, Carroll did have a brilliant mathematical
A nun at the Vedanta Society of Northern California, San Francisco, USA, since 1972, Pravrajika Virajaprana is the editor and compiler of Photographs of Swami Vivekananda. She has contributed many thought- provoking articles for Vedanta Kesari and Prabuddha Bharata. This article is based on her talk on the same subject delivered at the Vedanta Society in May 2012. o
The V edanta K esari ~ 13 ~ JANUARY 2015 20 mind; interestingly, there is another book and rational, and rarely reflect on what the which is a spin on the original called Alice in commotion is all about. Incongruous as it Quantumland. In the first chapter of Carroll’s may seem, this continuous state of motion in book, Alice is sitting beside a stream on a our lives that propels us through time, from warm summer day listening to her sister read one point of view, centers round a series of when she falls into a sort of dream. Suddenly, numbers: one through twelve or multiples a white rabbit wearing a waistcoat rushes thereof. past her. The rabbit paused, pulled a watch Let’s pause a moment and analyze a out of his pocket and seeing the time, dashed rather bizarre phenomenon that we simply off muttering to himself, ‘Oh dear, oh dear, I take for granted, sometimes for a whole shall be too late.’ Alice took all of this to be lifetime, without questioning this strange quite ordinary until she thought about it; it wonderland of our existence in time. We’ll wasn’t so much that the rabbit was talking begin with just a brief look at what we call a to himself that got her attention, but that he calendar, representing what we have named had a waistcoat on and pulled a watch out of arbitrarily days and months, and a clock that the pocket to see the time. Then she began to is numbered one to twelve which consists of wonder about what she had seen. three units: seconds, minutes, and hours. We all have a little of Alice and the white First of all, the old inaccurate dating rabbit in us as we rush through life physically, method of the Roman republican calendar mentally, and emotionally, from one reaction, was updated by Julius Caesar based on the one disconnected chaotic thought to the solar system. Unfortunately, the astronomer next. All the while we consider our flow of who advised him overestimated the length consciousness as quite connected, meaningful of a year by eleven minutes, so by the late 16th century the accumulative effect of this error had shifted the dates of the seasons by thirteen days. Along came Pope Gregory 13th who reformed the Julian calendar (he basically wanted to restore the vernal equinox to March 21), and to this day we in the West follow the Gregorian calendar. Some of the Eastern Orthodox countries still partially follow the Julian calendar, and, by way of comparison, some of the Asian countries have totally different ways of dividing time and calculating the year and its components. For example, the lunar Hindu calendar is based on the phases of the moon; the Chinese lunar calendar has a different method of formulation, and the Islamic world still another and so on. The monthly calendar that Pope Gregory handed down to us has been refined into
The V edanta K esari ~ 14 ~ JANUARY 2015 21 a box with neat grids running horizontally measurement have been geared to the solar and vertically stacked one on top of the other system. By observing the celestial sphere usually in five rows, sometimes spilling over with its rotating, revolving motion, the into six. Within these rows are small boxes attention of ancient philosophers was drawn numbered one to thirty or thirty-one; and to the regularity of these celestial motions as one to twenty-eight or twenty-nine, if it’s a a way time could be measured metrically. leap year. This calendar represents a certain So they devised a method of mathematically number of days, the sum total of which we measuring change. call a month and give it a name. Twelve of these months we call a year. Now these little Cyclic Nature of Time boxes are one way we attempt to quantify and Cyclic time is intrinsic to nature. This organize time. Looking at a particular box, we is the Oriental view of time that everything name it: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and is going round and round. Cosmic cycles of so on. What is a day anyhow? Well, it consists involution and evolution, withdrawal and of three units 864,000 seconds, 1,440 minutes, projection, go on eternally in a wave-like and 24 hours, or the time it takes the earth to motion; day follows night; the seasons come revolve once on its axis. and go; mountains are ground down; ocean The clock is used to measure these units beds rise to the surface becoming mountains; within one of these little day boxes. We are rivers change their courses; and weather so accustomed to this that, like Alice seeing patterns shift from ice ages to global warming. a talking white rabbit dash past her, it all Furthermore, within an individual there are seems so natural that we take it for granted. biorhythmic cycles and changes which are There is a fascinating conversation about continually fluctuating. Everything that is time between Alice and the Mad Hatter at the born dies and then having been recycled is Mad Tea Party. The Mad Hatter’s watch told born again. This is quite different from the the day of the month, but not what o’clock it Occidental homogenous linear flow of time, was. Alice found this curious and questioned where we are born, march through life in a him about it. The Hatter replied, ‘Why should sequence of distinct stages, incorporating into it? Does your watch tell you what year it is.’ them some sort of fixed time epitomized in Alice’s reasoning is even more curious than the Shakespeare’s famous ‘seven ages of man’, Hatter’s, she replied, ‘Of course not, because and proceed according to schedule to the final it stays the same year for such a long time stage death. together.’ Ironically, in the West we think in a Their mysterious conversation brings us linear way, yet we measure the passage to the next point: time intervals symbolized of time in our day-to-day life cyclically. by a clock or a calendar, as we often need Take, for example, a watch that we wear, to be reminded, are not absolute quantities, even the name implies what we are doing, applicable universally as a steady, unvarying, watching the revolving motion of time (even inexorable time flow running from the infinite digital watches); they are little ‘termination past to the infinite future, but are merely a reminders’ that are on our wrists, as if there matter of practical convenience. Most clocks is a sinister plot in the universe constantly dating from the ancient sundials to shadow reminding us of our death day. We always
The V edanta K esari ~ 15 ~ JANUARY 2015 22 want reminders and acknowledgment of our the other succeeding, and join the two events birthday, but unknowingly we carry our death by the idea of succession. Time depends on two day reminder with us daily. events, just as space has to be related to outside Since there is no absolute time and yet objects.1 considering our life is so dominated by it, Then hinting at the elusive nature of it’s about time before proceeding with this space and time Swamiji continues, ‘They are discussion to throw out several working shadows around everything which you cannot definitions. In philosophy and metaphysics, catch.’2 So just as space is merely a possible time is considered the fourth dimension in our order of material objects, so time is simply a space-time continuum. Practically speaking, possible and often probable order of events time is a point in duration, a moment, an concerning those objects. instant, an interval between two events; time is Time flows like a stream, but the rate an attempt to quantify in a numerical sequence of flow varies. It is not always the same, not multiple successive intervals of duration. Time only for different individuals, but for the same is also an indefinite, unlimited duration, a person. Time, as Einstein’s theory of relativity continuance, in which things are considered to so eloquently proved over a hundred years be happening in the past, present, and future ago, is relative. There is no such thing as a and thus inseparable from changes and events fixed interval of time independent of the taking place in it. observer. For example, what we call a year One could say just as there is no is simply our measurement of the earth’s colour without an eye to perceive it, in a progress as we rocket through space during similar way, an instant, an hour, a day, or a our orbit around the sun. Apparently, if we month is non-existent without an event or lived on Mercury instead of earth, we would happening to mark it. Swami Vivekananda, have a different notion of time. Mercury goes who pragmatically deals with abstruse around the sun in eighty-eight of our days and metaphysical subjects, says in his lecture ‘The in that period rotates just once on its axis. So Absolute and Manifestation’: on Mercury a year and a day amount to the You cannot have any idea of abstract time, but same thing. This is something like the Mad you have to take two events, one preceeding and Hatter’s watch. (To be continued. . .) References: 1. CW, 2.135 2. CW, 2.136
The V edanta K esari ~ 16 ~ JANUARY 2015 New Find Unpublished Letters of Swami Saradananda1
Jan 28th 1904 2/1 Bagbazar Street My dear Hari Maharaj,2 I am sorry I could not acknowledge your kind letter of Dec. 28th till now. I cannot tell you how very glad I was to get it. I am sorry you are still suffering. Has the boil been cured? I met your brother (the doctor) a few days ago & he inquired after your health. On my telling him what I knew, he suggested opium for you [to] take. Will you try it? I have heard twice from Tulsi since he left. He is well only frightened or rather nervous with stage fright. I hear from Kali, he (Tulsi) is [has] already taken charge of the Gita & Sanskrit classes. Sarada3 too has written to Sudhir that he is better. More of course you know of him from your Californian friends. Christine’s School is prospering indeed. It has become impossible even now for one horse to do all the work in school days. Prof.J.C.Bose has presented her his own horse & Lalit Babu has promised to try to induce the Kasimbazar Maharaj to present us a bus. I wrote you perhaps, Upen Dev of Entally presented the school his own carriage. It was a old one & the other [day] one of the doors fell off in the street. I have sent it to get repaired thoroughly for the school will be a failure without it. The cost for repairing will come up Rs.120/- or so. Will you undertake to pay it? It will be a great help if you can. I have just bought two machines for knitting socks brought one from Japan by Sadananda (Gupta) from the school funds at a price of Rs.150/- The poor women must be taught some- thing by which they will be able to earn something & be independent. We are directing our efforts to that end. Nivedita is on a lecture tour to N.W.P.4 with Gupta & Haripada. Gupta is still very poorly from the attack of diabetes. The Holy Mother is coming here by the end of this month. It is an age since I met you. I wish you would kindly come here once when the Holy Mother is here. I will inform you when She is here. With my love to you as ever & prayers for your speedy recovery Ever yours affecly Sarat
The V edanta K esari ~ 17 ~ JANUARY 2015 24
April 11th 1904. 2/1 Bagbazar Street. Calcutta. My dear Hari, I thank you for your kind letter of April 9th. I am so glad to hear from you and to learn you are feeling better. May you be quite young again soon is the constant prayer of your devoted friend. I am so sorry to hear of Nag Mahasaya’s wife. It is so good of you to take care of her while there and again to think of this present to help her. I will intimate your wish to Rakhal Maharaj & I am sure he will do as you have desired. I am sorry I cannot write you as often as I would like to. But there is no rest for the wicked like me, you know! I am fighting as best as I can, almost unaided to keep up the works started in Calcutta. The Vivekananda Memorial House has done good work last year & I am sure its influence will grow with time. But there is no funds to carry it on. So I am determined to raise funds & see the work through the second year & try to make it a permanent institution if possible. Sister Nivedita is helping me a great deal in it. Then there is the female work of Sister Christine, which is growing beyond expectation & must be extended as soon as she comes back from her month’s tour from Mayabati5. So you see dear Hari I have been kept pretty busy & anxious too & it is enough that I can keep myself from becoming irritable & giving way to despondency. So do not think hard of me if I cannot write you. The Holy Mother is better but far from happy, on account of the ill-health of Her uncle & ill-temper of Her widowed sister-in-law & anxiety for the little niece not to mention the anxiety for Her old mother’s health. I am glad She has come here for I trust, She will at least gain a little strength by a few months stay here. She would like to send Her love and blessings to yourself & Krishnalal who I hope is well. You have heard perhaps what Jamini of Benares has done. He raised subscriptions in the name of the work there, after his resignation, used about a Rs 1000/- for his own purposes, & has married the daughter of a characterless woman! The public are crying for his warrant & I believe we will have to take the sad step for preserving the prestige of the work. This much for today. I will write more when I can. With my love & pranams to yourself & blessings to Krishnalal. yours affectionately Sarat.
References 1. A direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna 2. Swami Turiyananda, a direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna 3. Swami Trigunatitananda, a direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna 4. North West Provinces of India 5. Advaita Ashram, Mayavati, Uttarakhand
Courtesy: Ramakrishna Museum, Belur Math
The V edanta K esari ~ 18 ~ JANUARY 2015 Article
Vedantic Idea of Civilization In the Light of Swami Vivekananda’s Teachings
SWAMI DURGANANDA
The March of History scuffle for ‘progress’—‘material progress’? ‘While nation states are important actors The present article looks at the factors behind in the world, their interests and conflicts are the dynamics of civilizations and what might shaped by civilizational factors1,’ said the unfold. political scientist Samuel Huntington in his now famous 1992 lecture at the American What is Civilization? Enterprise Institute. Thus, it is civilizations, The word ‘civilization’ originated from not nations, that have been a major force the French word civilisation, ‘to be an opposite in steering humanity’s course in history. to barbarity’. Oxford dictionary defines Human history has indeed been a history of ‘civilization’ as: civilizations. a state of human society that is very developed Arnold Toynbee (1889-1975), the and organized. noted British historian, identified 21 major It is a ‘state of intellectual, cultural and 2 civilizations in the world. According to him, material development.’4 some civilizations developed finer human What then is cultural development? Or, aspects. Some remained barbaric before ‘what is culture?’ vanishing from the eyesight. Some (for According to Oxford dictionary, ‘culture’ example, the Roman) bloated into unwieldy is: greatness which yielded to the weight of its the customs and beliefs, art, way of life and social own pressure and broke apart3. Only about six organization of a particular country or group. or seven major civilizations remain today. We wonder what the future civilization The word ‘culture’ comes from two will be, now that the limitation of material Latin words: cultura (tilling of land) and colere pleasure and harm from its toxic effects has (cultivation through education). What is come to our notice worldwide. What will be implied is cultivation of the mind. the relationship between society and religion? What then is the difference between Will man’s rallying cry for ‘secularization’ civilization and culture? The answer is impli- push the seekers of the grand Ultimate cit in the definitions. Culture is in the mental Truth into their private ambries away from realm while civilization is mainly in the society? If Vedanta, the timeless wisdom of physical. While culture refers to the behaviour, Indian sages, has been the mainstay of the civilization refers to the structure (including Indian civilization, will it take a defeat in this people). Culture is a heritage, unwilling
o The author is a monastic inmate of Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda University, Belur Math in West Bengal.
The V edanta K esari ~ 19 ~ JANUARY 2015 26 to change, difficult to measure (due to the society, further removing people from society problem of ‘self-reference,’ because it itself leaves culture. Culture in turn is an engine is the measuring yardstick), and can be a for the advancement of the civilization. In stand-alone entity. Civilization is a creation, the Indian context, it is through the channel synchronous with time (i.e., must change with of culture that civilization will make progress time), can be measured, and must have one or towards being Vedantic. more cultures in it. While ‘civilizations are dynamic. They The Indian View rise and fall, and may disappear altogether Culture is the sum total of samskaras in the sands of time,5’ The roots of Indian in the collective mind. The memories of the Civilisation, based on Vedanta which empha- glorious past of India, when philosophy, tically holds itself on the immutable and arts, science, literature, logic, mathematics, infinite Brahman which is ever fresh, has a scientific inventions, astronomy, religion built-in renewal mechanism. Thus a civili- and so on flourished in India, remain deep zation that is based on Vedanta, ie, Indian inside the collective mind of her people. Civilisation, which is a philosophy of the These cannot be forgotten just as one cannot ‘unchanging reality’, would, by definition, be forget memories of one’s past years. These undying and eternal. Like Vedanta, which is memories incite the civilization from deep its basis, the Indian Civilisation is also eternal. inside the minds of the people, quite unknown One may portray the relationship of to the people themselves, and consequently these concepts in a figure: the reconstruction of past glory automatically takes place. Civilization: Structure (transport, building, roads, political system, etc.,) and people. How then shall Remove the physical the development take place in India? Before that, let us Society: People (community with a relationships) and its culture look at the following ‘difference’. Remove people Difference Between Culture: ‘Mind’ of society (customs, beliefs, values, practices, behaviour) the Western and the — Language Indian Civilization — Religion Culture builds civilization Since the times — Social habits of Socrates, the great — Music Greek philosopher, — Arts — Skills Western society — Knowledge has followed the analytical approach. The above figure illustrates that civili- On the other hand, at some point in her zation consists of the physical structure long history, India discovered the unity including the people and their culture. underlying everything and thus advanced to Removing people from the picture leaves the integral approach. It should be noted that
The V edanta K esari ~ 20 ~ JANUARY 2015 27 analysis divides, while integration unites and is no wonder that the final conclusions in the synthesizes. By ‘West’ is meant a mind-set Western system appear to be shifting in an ever and approach towards life, and not just a geo- extending and unending sequence. political entity. This could be applicable to the The Indian society, on the contrary, people in India as well as in the West. did not remain satisfied with the cozy One characteristic peculiar to Indian chambers of the intellect. It moved out of people is their synthesizing ability—the the suffocating confines of that which is Indian people are quite comfortable with ‘rational’—and it reached not the irrational but contradictions and paradoxes, knowing them the suprarational8—this pure consciousness is to be in the large fabric of existence. They the ‘supreme’ and a vantage point at which the know that different gods and goddesses have mind is transcended. contradictory characteristics and likes and This brings us to an important difference dislikes, but they worship all of them and are between the Western and the Indian approa- happy. For example, according to vâstushâstra, ches. According to the Western understanding, garbage pit of the house may be located human personality is dichotomic, i.e., body towards the south-west direction in the plot, and mind. According to the Indian under- but this happens to be the south-east direction standing, human personality is trichotomic, for the neighbouring house, and yet they see i.e., body, mind, and the Atman.9 no problem in it. They understand that the Perhaps because of an overemphasis on Ultimate Truth is beyond the capture of the the analytical approach and the absence of a impure mind, and that the mind itself sees the higher stand like the Atman, the West has been Ultimate Reality in contradictions due to the unable to achieve three important integrations: mind’s own peculiar structure. 1. Philosophy and religion: These two were According to Vedantasara6, this sankalpa- a single quest in the West during the Greek vikapla (thoughts and counter-thoughts) is a period. However, for some reason, these two function of the mind. Taking contradictions as separated, and their integration has never reality, placing emphasis on logic and using been achieved in the West to date10. There has mind itself as the ultimate instrument, the always been a separation between rationality Western society could not advance beyond and belief in West11. (Note that Western mind. When a Western man confronts a theology is not philosophy per se.) contradiction, he is awfully stuck and cannot 2. Philosophy and practical life: Philosophy go any further because of his reliance on the has remained abstract and speculative in the incompetent tool, viz., the mind. One cannot West and hence its integration with practical life sit on one’s own shoulder, similarly one cannot has not been achieved. (Note that science and understand the mind through the mind. If technology is not ‘philosophy’ per se. but is a one tries, one goes in circles, pirouetting. part of practical life itself.) Observing the changing understanding of 3. Religion and practical life: In the West, reality given by the Western camp from the religion is equated to ‘belief’, and not to elaborately constructed edifice of logic, the Reality. Being hazy and subjective, belief does present author notes elsewhere7: not concord with practical life. This integration Having built a large philosophic structure on still remains to be achieved in the Western shifting sands of the mind and the intellect, it society.
The V edanta K esari ~ 21 ~ JANUARY 2015 28
In India, religion was discovered to find Of these, except the Uttara Mimâmsâ, solutions to practical aspirations. Philosophy all of the other five ceased to be living was developed much later to ‘formulate’ the philosophies because they either did not discoveries. Thus the three, viz. philosophy, develop further and/or were absorbed into religion and practical life, have always been the Uttara Mimâmsâ now being called the integrated in India. Vedanta. Later on, Vedanta itself developed The four yogas (Karma, Bhakti, Dhyana, its own sub-schools such as the Advaita, and Jnana) that are studied as philosophies in Vishishtadvaita, Dvaita, Shuddhadvaita, the field of Indian religion are practical sciences. Dvaitadvaita and so on. These are not theologies but are charted Vedanta is not a creed or dogma. It pathways, tested and verified, for a journey is a search for the Ultimate Truth. It is this through life and from life to the Ultimate quest that the Indian mind has ever been Reality. The secular and the sacred have been, preoccupied with. In their search, they found except during the dark ages, integrated in a mystery hidden inside one’s own being. India. They found: one’s true being is neither the body nor the mind, but pure consciousness— Vedantic Civilization which is omniscient, omnipresent and India is at least a 5000-year-old civili- untouchable by anything external. This is zation. Since the beginning of this civili- the source and sustenance of the entire zation, spirituality has been its ‘obsession’. universe. Thus spirituality forms India’s ‘vibrant and They made another important dis- living core’.12 covery: they found that the universe is a Quite contrary to the common belief, ‘self-sustaining, self-regulating, supreme Hinduism is not exactly a ‘religion’. It is rather harmony.’13 A harmony not only of matter a culture based on the philosophy known and energy but an interconnectedness of as the Vedanta. The reason Hinduism does consciousness, thought, and matter. The not fit into the conventional definition of the physical objects, thoughts, souls, feelings, word ‘religion’ is that it has ‘no founder, no experience, memory, energy, interaction, defining creed, no centralized authority, is a dynamics, stability, enthusiasm, danger, war, vast complex of confederation’. However, it peace, good, evil, pleasure, pain—all these has ‘an overall coherence and vitality mainly form a single, living, dynamic cosmic entity. because of its dynamic philosophy known as They discovered interconnectedness between the Vedanta.’10 human efforts and results. It is this connection Again, contrary to intuition, in India, the that is known as the ‘law of Karma’ or simply spiritual realizations came first, only later were ‘Karma’. Ethics results from this. philosophic treatises developed to ‘record and Thus, in India, ethics is not a draconian explain’ the realizations. These records have law stipulated in some scripture. There been substantiated by future realisations. is no one to judge our actions. No one to The classical treatises are six in number and sentence a punishment. No one to execute are called the Darshanas. These are Purva the punishment. Ethics is a simple statement Mimamsa, Uttara Mimamsa, Samkhya, Yoga, of harmony: if you are in tune, the harmony Nyaya, and Vaisheshika. itself has the capacity, with all its universal
The V edanta K esari ~ 22 ~ JANUARY 2015 29 abundance, to ‘fill’ you up and make you practicality, education, and society. If we happy. If you go against the harmony, you rearrange Swamiji’s words, we see the suffer—precisely because you distance your- relationship in six parts: self from the larger abundance and couch into 1. True civilization makes divinity in man a whirlpool of self-centred little fort. manifest, (from (3)) In the modern age, Sri Ramakrishna, 2. Manifestation of divinity is religion, with his Herculean spiritual efforts and (from (2)) resulting direct realizations, affirmed that 3. Religion (i.e., highest ideas) is made the ‘Ultimate Reality is one’ and ‘the goal of practical in the greatest society (from (4)) human life is the realization of the Ultimate 4. Practicality (which is one way of Reality.’14 From his chief disciple, Swami manifestation of perfection) needs education, Vivekananda, came the two important defi- (from (1)) nitions: 5. Religion is the innermost core of Education is the manifestation of the perfection education, and, (from (5)) already in man, (1) 6. Society has to pay homage to Truth and, (which is divinity). (from (4)) This, in short, delineates the Vedantic Religion is the manifestation of the divinity already in man. (2) Idea of Civilization. These utterances that were made extem- The Philosophy and Practice of Vedanta pore at different times, in different contexts In Swamiji’s other utterances we get and at different places, are yet homophonic more details: and aphoristic in structure. Swamiji has also v The world is always seeking the practical given us definitions of true civilization and possibilities of religion. Religion is ever a good society: practical science. True civilization is the manifestation of the v The goal is to manifest this Divinity within by divinity in man, (3) controlling nature, external and internal. and, v Vedanta philosophy is not the outcome of Truth does not pay homage to any society, meditation in the forests only, but that the very ancient or modern. Society has to pay homage to best parts of it were thought out and expressed Truth or die. Societies should be moulded upon by brains which were busiest in the everyday truth, and truth has not to adjust itself to society affairs of life. . . . That society is the greatest, where the highest v The actual should be reconciled to the ideal, truths become practical. (4) the present life should be made to coincide with When asked if there should be religious life eternal. element in education, Swamiji replied v Practical side of Vedanta… does not destroy solemnly: the world, but it explains it; it does not destroy I look upon religion as the innermost core of the person, but explains him; it does not destroy education. (5) the individuality, but explains it by showing the We note that in these few words Swamiji real individuality. has shown the relationship between the v And the greatest error, says the Vedanta, is to six entities: civilization, divinity, religion, say that you are weak.
The V edanta K esari ~ 23 ~ JANUARY 2015 30
v The Vedanta recognises no sin, it only will be based on strength. And yet ‘lion will recognises error. Sins are very low degrees of lick lamb’s body in love.’15 Self-manifestation. Vedantic Civilization will do good v Life is the unfoldment and development of to the entire humanity ‘on the strength’ of a being under circumstances tending to press it strength. Arts, literature, science, technology, down. mathematics, religion and philosophy will These quotations from Swami Viveka- flourish again. It will have strength together nanda describe the Vedantic Civilization. with surrender, renunciation coexisting with Vedantic Civilization is an integral life. It will active life, attitude of acceptance as well as be based on real religion, which is a practical sacrifice, and faith in one’s own self concurrent science. Practical Vedanta means divinization with self-effacement. It will not run away from of life—no separate times need be earmarked life into an imaginary heaven-like utopia. for religious and secular activities. The secular Rather, it will let life itself unfold into palpable will be sacralised. The Vedantic Civilization divinity on earth. o
References 1. Samuel P. Huntington, The Clash of Civilizations, 10. See for details Swami Bhajanananda, Sri (New Delhi: Penguin Books, 1997), p.36. Ramakrishna and the Vedic Ideal, Editorial, 2. Arnold Toynbee A Study of History, quoted in Prabuddha Bharata, 88/3 (Mar. 1980), p.89. ibid., p.44. 11. ‘Western civilization is a perpetual battle between 3. Paraphrased from Gibbon, Edward, Decline and Athens and Jerusalem. There is an uneasy alliance Fall of the Roman Empire, (London: Strahan & between the two in building up the Western Cadell, 1789), Vol. 3, Chapter 38, Part 6, sourced civilization.’—author unknown. from www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/892/ 12. Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission—their pg892.txt. History, Ideals, Activities, issued by The General 4. Farlex online dictionary, 2013, www. Secretary, Ramakrishna Math and Mission, p.3. thefreedictionary.com, accessed 25 Sept. 2013. 13. Swami Bhajanananda, Meditation and 5. The Clash of Civilizations, p.44. Sacrifice-V, Editorial, Prabuddha Bharata, 88/9 6. Vedantasara 66 (Sept. 1983), p.364. 7. The Cosmos in Western and Indian Thought, 14. For an excellent account of what Sri Ramakrishna Prabuddha Bharata, 112/9 (Sept. 2007), p.42. has done for humanity, see Swami Bhajanananda, 8. Suprarational means ‘above rational’. What Sri Ramakrishna Has Done for the World, 9. Swami Bhajanananda, Knowledge and Editorial, Prabuddha Bharata, 91/12 (Dec. 1986), Consciousness—An Integral Approach. In pp.492-505. Swami Sarvabhutananda (ed.), Understanding 15. See Swamiji’s conversations with Ranada Consciousness : Recent Advances, (Kolkata: The Babu, The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda, Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture, 2009). (Kolkata: Advaita Ashrama, 1999), vol. 7, p.205.
The older I grow, the better I seem to think of these time-honoured institutions of India. There was a time when I used to think that many of them were useless and worthless; but the older I grow, the more I seem to feel a diffidence in cursing any one of them, for each of them is the embodiment of the experience of centuries. —Swami Vivekananda, CW, 3.132
The V edanta K esari ~ 24 ~ JANUARY 2015 Article
‘But for Me, Mother and I—That is All’
SWAMI SUDARSHANANANDA
‘One day I went to see Sri Ramakrishna’, Brahman. When that Reality is static, we call It related Swami Turiyananda, a direct disciple Brahman, and when it is dynamic, we address of Sri Ramakrishna, It as Mother, or Shakti. Says Sri Rama- there were many other visitors. Among them krishna, was a great Vedantic scholar. The master said My Divine Mother is not only formless, She has to him, ‘Let us hear some Vedanta from you.’ forms as well. One can see Her forms. One can The scholar with great deference expounded on behold Her incomparable beauty through feeling Vedanta for more than an hour. Sri Ramakrishna and love. The Mother reveals Herself to Her was very pleased. The people around were very devotees in different forms.2 surprised at this, but after eulogizing the scholar To Sri Ramakrishna, Divine Mother was the Master said: a palpable reality. He lived and breathed in ‘As far as I am concerned, I do not like all these Her presence. He once said, details. There is nothing but Mother and I. To I saw Her yesterday. She was clad in a seamless you, knowledge, knower and known—the one ochre-coloured garment, and She talked who meditates, meditation and the object of with me. . . She came to me another day as a meditation—this sort of triple division is very Mussalman girl six or seven years old. She had a good. But for me, “Mother and I”—that is all tilak on her forehead and was naked. She walked and nothing else.’ These words, ‘Mother and I’ with me, joking and frisking like a child.3 were said in such a way that it made a very deep impression on all present. At that moment all The Mother that Sri Ramakrishna spoke ideas of Vedanta paled into insignificance. The was both immanent as well as transcendental Master’s ‘Mother and I’ seemed easier, simpler reality. She is, always. She does everything— and more pleasing to the mind She creates, preserves and dissolves the world than the three divisions of but is also beyond it. She does not reveal Vedanta. I realized then that Herself so easily. ‘Mother and I’ was the ideal attitude to be adopted.’1 Learning to Be in Her Presence Who is ‘Mother’ Not only living in Her Presence, Sri whom Sri Ramakrishna Ramakrishna wanted everyone to live in Her referred to? Accord- Presence. He gave certain practical hints as to ing to Sri Rama- how one can practice Her Presence in one’s krishna, Mother is life. Here are some of these: the dynamic aspect 1. Seeking Her Intensely: God is there, of the Ultimate Divine Mother is there, but who wants Her! Reality called This is what Sri Ramakrishna pointed out. So, o The author is a monk of the Ramakrishna Order at Ramakrishna Mission, Shillong, Meghalaya.
The V edanta K esari ~ 25 ~ JANUARY 2015 32 this is the first thing necessary to practice Her frighten us? We have nothing to fear from any Presence: want Her, seek to be in Her Presence. quarter.’ Sri Ramakrishna sought Her like a mad man. 3. Surrendering the self to Her: This means He wept and sobbed that he had not been able one should give up all sense of pride and to see or experience Her. His only thought possession and surrender our actions and was, ‘How can I reach the Divine Mother? I their results to Her. One of the very illustrative have no support in the whole world; can I find examples of self-surrender is narrated by Sri the Divine Mother? Does She want to turn Her Ramakrishna thus: face to me?’ This yearning for divine is the When Rama and Lakshmana went to take their core of religious life. As Swami Vivekananda bath in Pampa Lake, they thrust their bows into pointed out,4 the ground. Coming out of the water, Lakshmana took out his bow and found its tip stained This is the message of Shri Ramakrishna to the with blood. Rama said to him: ‘Look, brother! modern world. Do not care for doctrines, do not Look. Perhaps we have hurt some creature.’ care for dogmas, or sects, or churches or temples; Lakshmana dug in the earth and found a big they count for little compared with the essence bullfrog. It was dying. Rama said to the frog in of existence in each man, which is spirituality; a sorrowful voice: ‘Why didn’t you croak? We and the more that this is developed in a man, should have tried to save you. You croak lustily the more powerful is he for good. Earn that first, enough when you are in the jaws of a snake.’ acquire that, and criticise no one, for all doctrines The frog said: ‘O Lord, when I am attacked by and creeds have some good in them. Show by a snake I croak, saying: “O Rama, save me! O your lives that religion does not mean words, Rama, save me!” This time I found that it was or names, or sects, but that it means spiritual Rama who was killing me; so I kept still.’5 realisation. When a devotee realizes that God is 2. Learning to be Strong: All weakness doing everything, he accepts even death as a comes from the ignorance of our real nature. gift from Him. He thus becomes fully resigned Ignorance generates attachment to the object to His Will. Such is the attitude of children of senses and that in turn creates fear. To a of the Divine Mother. This is the best way to seeker of the Divine Mother, however, nothing ward off all worries and anxieties. can bind. No untoward event in the world can disturb a child of the Divine Mother. In Conclusion the face of calamities, the ordinary person, The one lesson that one learns from the steeped in worldliness, is shattered, but not so example of Sri Ramakrishna is: practice the with the child of Divine Mother. Steady, firm, presence of Divine Mother in one’s day-to-day unmoving, resolute—such are the children of life. His own life was a life of absorption in Her Divine Mother. One may be financially poor thought and of one long prayer—all else was or socially lowest in hierarchy, but once we secondary. He was always either repeating think we are children of Mother, nothing can Her name fondly or talking about Her with take away our faith, dignity and calmness. A the devotees. For him there was prayer in the child of Divine Mother says, ‘My Mother is morning, prayer in the evening, prayer during the Empress of the Universe; why should we the day, prayer at night. He knew nothing but fear anyone? She is our protector; who can ‘I and my Mother.’ o References: 1. Spiritual Treasures, p. 110 2. The Gospel, p. 175 3. Ibid 4. CW, 4.187 5. Gospel, 658
The V edanta K esari ~ 26 ~ JANUARY 2015 An Inspiring Story
Kiran, the Light ALPANA GHOSE
Stirring words of Swami Vivekananda friends have settled well. We talked for a long have ever inspired many young minds to time in between my formalities for opening overcome their trauma. The following is a account was done. She rang her father and stunning story of how Swami Vivekananda’s few told him about my visit. Her father, Mr. Sinha, words changed the life and spirit of a young girl. was delighted to know about me and he It was March 2006. I went to a reputed requested me to visit them with my husband bank in Kolkata to open my account. I was in the evening. I promised him and left for my new to the city. It was as usual busy day for apartment. bank; I was waiting for my turn to come. While returning, flashback memory of Someone called me from behind, ‘Hello Ma’m, Kiran filled my mind. I had seen her as a kid, hello aunty’. I was surprised who may call staying in the next block with her family. Her me aunty in this city. I looked back and saw innocent beauty, her smile, her sparkling eyes a beautiful lady draped in sari; with bank and above all her behavior enchanted us all. Identity card hanging from her neck. I looked She was a girl whom everyone loved. Slowly at her smiling face and sparkling eyes and it she grew up with other children of the colony. reminded me of Kiran, my neighborhood girl. She acquired a name—‘talking parrot’—due to ‘Oh my God! You are here’, I said. She came to her nonstop talking habit. She passed school me and hugged me, instantly my eyes glanced board with record marks and decided to at her legs, she was walking gracefully. She study medicine, so she opted biology in high asked about my family, I also enquired about school. her parents. She said, ‘Come to my room, we She was very studious and intelligent will talk’. but she did not like my subject chemistry. She She gracefully took me upstairs to a used to come to me for help and by helping spacious room and asked me as why I was her in studies I was promoted from ‘aunty in the bank. I told her about opening my to Ma’m’. She always complained, ‘How new account. She called a peon and asked boring is your subject! How could you manage him to bring the required forms and then such a boring subject?’ I used to smile and help we started talking about Ranchi. I was still her solve her problems and gave her certain living in Ranchi; she had nostalgia about hints on how to manage boring inorganic and her childhood place. We were neighbours organic chemistry. in a heavy engineering factory colony. She Days passed by. She, along with other asked about every one of our neighbours. I children of the colony, were preparing for their was happy to tell her that almost all of her competitive examinations.
Dr. Alpana Ghose is former head of the Department of Chemistry, Ranchi Women’s College, Ranchi, Jharkhand. o
The V edanta K esari ~ 27 ~ JANUARY 2015 34
It was summer time I was taking out towards Namkom. They did not notice that it my car from the garage for my morning was an express train which had no stoppage classes. Kiran came running to me, and asked at the small station like Namkom cantonment. me, ‘Aunty, can you please drop me to the When the train did not stop at the station the station?’ Her father also came and said that train was running slow; her father jumped out Kiran is appearing in AFMC (Armed Force from train and called her to jump out. Kiran Medical College) examination which was jumped out but by the time train already had scheduled to start at 9 O’clock. The centre for crossed the platform, so she fell on the track the examination was at Namkom, an army and one of her legs was under the carriage. cantonment, which is about 20 km from Ranchi Her left leg was totally smashed and she cried town and they were not getting any auto at the top of her voice, ‘Papa take me out, else rickshaw for Namkom so they have decided to my whole body will be under the carriage.’ go by train. Mr.Sinha, Kiran’s father, enquired Stunned father rushed and took her out from if I can drop them to Ranchi station so that the track. She was in the pool of blood and her they can avail a train to get down at next stop left leg was completely damaged below knee. Namkom. My husband came forward and People came and helped them to reach happily agreed to drop them at station and me army hospital. While the treatment was on, she to college. On the way, Kiran talked about her was still unconscious. I could not believe that preparation and studies. We dropped them the cheerful girl I saw in the morning had met at Ranchi station and wished her the best of such an unbelievable accident. My husband luck for examination then went to our desti- came from his office and he too was shocked nations. to know about her. We went to Kiran’s quarter It was about 2 O’ clock in the afternoon, but no one was there. We did not have courage I was back from the college; I did not know to go to hospital to see her. what news was waiting for me. What I learnt Days passed by. Our whole colony was from my neighbor was so shocking that I in grief as everyone loved her so much. After could not believe my ears. Kiran and her father fifteen days or so she was brought to our took the first train available at Ranchi station factory hospital for further treatment. After
The V edanta K esari ~ 28 ~ JANUARY 2015 35 few days we went to see her in the hospital. and caught hold of my wrist; I looked at When we approached the cabin we could hear her and said, ‘Oh, you are not sleeping! I loud cry, ‘Please, leave me alone; I can’t, no I thought you are resting.’ Surprisingly she can’t.’ Another voice said, ‘You have to; I will asked me, ‘What are my strengths ma’m? not listen to you, you have to.’ We went to the I am only a crippled girl; I am useless in cabin to see what was going on, only to see this world, isn’t it?’ At first, I did not know that doctor and nurses had brought crutches what to say and then I realized that she and were asking her to stand up with the help had read one of the booklets of Swamiji of those crutches. We went near her bed, her which were lying on her bedside table. I face brightened a little but immediately she replied, quoting and paraphrasing Swamiji’s covered her face with blanket and started words, weeping. I sat near her bed and held her You have great strength. You have your intellect tightly; tears rolled down my eyes too, but I which is not snatched away from you; there is could not utter a word. no limit to the power of the human mind. All Her physician called me aside and power is within you. You can do anything and asked me to tell her to start her new way of everything. Believe in that. Do not believe that living with the crutches. Her parents could you are weak; Stand up and express the divinity not motivate her to use those crutches and within you. The more concentrated it is, the more see if I could help in the matter. I was not in power is brought to bear on one point; that is the favour of pressing her to come to terms of the secret. Don’t brood on your weak legs. You have tragedy. I replied, ‘Give her some time; let her to show the world that you are the bravest girl mind calm down. I cannot press her to use the among us. crutches outright.’ I went to her and sat beside With tear-filled eyes, she looked at me. her and simply held her hand without uttering I picked her school text books from the table a single word. Her father and my husband and placed them on her bedside table and talked about the progress of her treatment. told her with a smile, ‘Start from the most After this visit, we went several times to the boring subject, the mystery of Chemistry. Can hospital to see her; she would sometime talk I help you?’ She did not utter anything. I sat and sometimes keep mum. beside her for a while and then went to see her After about a month, she came home mother in the kitchen. with crutches. I too visited her in the after- As days passed by, she began to slowly noons, after coming back from the college. recover from the trauma and shock she had She would always be in a depressed mood, been undergoing. I used to visit her often and speaking little. I felt bad for her—such a jovial try to cheer her with some amusing stories. girl turned into this state. One day I carried After a few days, her father decided to take some small booklets of Swami Vivekananda’s her to some hospital where artificial limbs sayings and left them on her side table. I did were available. So the family shifted to Pune not tell her anything about the books. for her treatment. This was at a time when After few days I went to see her again. mobile phones were not common and one I saw her sleeping. I sat beside her for a had to depend on the STD call. I spoke to her while and when I was coming out of the over STD calls once or twice every month. In room, suddenly she extended her hand one such conversation, she quoted Swamiji’s
The V edanta K esari ~ 29 ~ JANUARY 2015 36 words, ‘“Purity, patience, and perseverance the ‘little talking parrot’ was in front of me: are the three essentials to success and, above composed, elegant and confident. all, love.” I have learned this; so I am not In the evening when we met at their afraid of my disability. I have to have only house she told me the story of her struggle patience and perseverance. I have new legs with her trauma which was not so easy to now. May it be it is artificial but I can go round overcome. While her treatment was going on, the world with this. I can do anything I like. I she started again with her studies. This time have started my life again. Thank you aunty, she opted for commerce graduation course. for helping me to come over the trauma I was Although it was totally a new subject for her facing. The booklets of Swami Vivekananda yet she adjusted with it. She learned walking that you gave me are now my companion. again but it was without the help of others. I am recovering not only physically but This gave her much strength. She realized mentally too.’ that strength is life, weakness is death. So she Listening to her, my heart skipped a beat started her fearless journey towards life. as I had some guilt feeling because it was I Indeed, strength is life. And glory to who had dropped her to the station on the day Swami Vivekananda for his eternal message of of her accident. But I was delighted to see the strength and compliments to the young Kiran, change. the light, who bathed in this eternal source of After this conversation, for various inspiration and hope! reasons, we lost track of each other. I had no Who knows how many countless Kirans idea as to where she was and what she was are getting inspired by Swamiji’s message of doing. And now, after so many years again faith and strength! o
When you have got the human body, then rouse the Atman within and say—I have reached the state of fearlessness! Say—I am the Atman in which my lower ego has become merged for ever. Be perfect in this idea; and then as long as the body endures, speak unto others this message of fearlessness: 'Thou art That', 'Arise, awake, and stop not till the goal is reached!' —Swami Vivekananda, CW, 213
The V edanta K esari ~ 30 ~ JANUARY 2015 Article
A Few Women Disciples of Swami Vivekananda PREMA NANDAKUMAR
A Historical Perspective According to him, women were not playthings Women as scholars, poets and spiritual for men, and women’s problems could be instructors were not a new phenomenon in solved only by true education, which was, India of the 20th century. As early as the Vedas, . . . A development of faculty, not an accu- they were in the forefront as knowledgeable mulation of words, or as a training of individuals members of the society. The Vedas had to will rightly and efficiently. So shall we bring amongst its Rishis many women, among to the need of India great fearless women— them Ghosa Kaksivati, a granddaughter women worthy to continue the traditions of of the eminent Rishi Dhirgatamas as also Sanghamittra, Lila, Ahalya Bai, and Mira Bai— Ghodha and Vasukrapatni. As Swamini women fit to be mothers of heroes, because they Atmaprajnananda Saraswati has pointed out, are pure and selfless, strong with the strength 1 there is nothing in the Vedas to show that that comes of touching the feet of God. women could not be Adhikaris [recipients] of He realised that education held the key the mantra. to such empowerment. Towards achieving But there was a steady decline in their that he called for the founding of schools and status due to many reasons. One of them was persuaded educated, foreign ladies to come to no doubt the continued foreign invasions and India and inspire the women here. desecration of Indian women by invading Swamiji wanted to get girls into the armies. The Sati of Rani Padmini and the other schooling system to empower them physically ladies of her time are well-known. In trying and economically. Mentally too, for they to keep their women away from the public should become equal to men in everyday eye, men proceeded to deny other facilities for dealings and dare to take decisions on their them, one of them being education. Women’s own. The last part was the direct result of position had indeed become unenviable by 19th his experiences in England and the United century. States. The position of American women in Swami Vivekananda’s travels through their society inspired him no end. He wrote the land as a Parivrajaka [itinerant monk] to Swami Ramakrishnananda on 19th March, revealed to him this ugly state of affairs 1894: regarding the position of women in Indian Nowhere in the world are women like those society. It called for immediate rectification. of this country. How pure, independent, self-
Dr. Prema Nandakumar is a devotee from Srirangam, Tamil Nadu. She has several publications to her credit, and regularly reviews books for The Vedanta Kesari and other journals. o
The V edanta K esari ~ 31 ~ JANUARY 2015 38
relying, and kindhearted! It is the women who properly. Swami Vivekananda’s anxiety for are the life and soul of this country. All learning such womanhood in India can be seen in many and culture are centred in them. The saying, Yaa of his writings on the subject. He went on to Sri Svayam Sukrutinaam Bhavaneshu—‘Who is say: the Goddess of Fortune Herself in the families If I can raise a thousand such Madonnas— of the meritorious’ (Chandi)—holds good in incarnations of the Divine Mother—in our this country, while that other, Alakshmeem country before I die, I shall die in peace. Then Paapaatmanaam—‘The Goddess of ill luck in the only will our countrymen become worthy of homes of the sinful’ (ibid.)—applies to ours. Just their name.3 think on this. Great God! I am struck dumb with This is the reason why when we turn wonderment at seeing the women of America. Tvam sri tvam isvari tvam hreeh —‘Thou art to the page of Swami Vivekananda’s women the Goddess of Fortune, Thou art the supreme disciples, those in the forefront of the list Goddess, Thou art Modesty’ (ibid.). Yaa Devi happen to be women from foreign lands. Sarvabhuteshu Shakti Rupena Samsthithaa Foreign ladies were educated, and could ‘The Goddess who resides in all beings as command themselves whether married or Power’(ibid)—all this holds good here. There not and could always be on equal terms with are thousands of women here whose minds are Swami Vivekananda. They could attend his as pure and white as the snow of this country. meetings without any inhibition, and could And look at our girls, becoming mothers below engage in dialogues with him with perfect ease their teens!! Good Lord! I now see it all. Brother, as in the Upanishadic times, could question Yatra Naaryasthu Pujyanthe Ramanthe Tatra him and even demur with him. This spirit was Devataah, ‘The gods are pleased where the most welcome for Vivekananda who wanted women are held in esteem’—says the old Manu. no doors to bar the freedom of the human We are horrible sinners, and our degradation is species. In the 19th century, Indian women due to our calling women ‘despicable worms’, could not move around freely and could ‘gateways to hell’, and so forth. Goodness never dream of a master-disciple relationship gracious! There is all the difference between with a young Sannyasi. This explains why we heaven and hell.2 have women disciples of Swami Vivekananda He had personally experienced the chiefly from the West. bounty of the maternal heart in American women. In a crisis, they could take a decision Swamiji’s Women Disciples in the West in a split second. One remembers Swamiji There were many foreign women like sitting on the kerb on the opposite side of Josephine MacLeod, S. Ellen Waldo and the 541, Dearborn Avenue in Chicago on 10th singer Emma Calve who were his admirers but September, 1893. He had walked a long way only very few took initiation as his disciples. to find the office of the Parliament of Religions Among his admirers we could begin with the and had had nothing to eat for almost a day. one who helped him in Boston much before he The matronly Mary Hale had seen him, had became famous on 11th September, 1893. come out of the house to meet him, made When he came to Chicago in July and gentle enquiries and took him home to give realised that the convention was in September, a proper meal. She had then taken him to he had a major problem because of his the Parliament Office and everything moved financial condition. He heard that the cost of
The V edanta K esari ~ 32 ~ JANUARY 2015 39 living in Boston was much cheaper. It was one even as he started earning money abroad, thousand miles away but Miss Kate Sanborn he made it sure that a portion of it went to a of Boston whom he had met earlier had given foundation for Hindu widows at Baranagore her card and asked him to feel free to apply in north Calcutta. He also thought that Indian to her for help if he had any problem. When women could receive great inspiration if such he contacted her, she wired him to come to western women he was seeing in the United her place in the Metcalfe village. A teacher States and England could come to India and and farmer who readily helped people, Kate open up the path to them. introduced him to her friends during the Time Spirit was on his side. The educated week he spent in her farmhouse called Breezy women of America were thirsting for more Meadows. Thanks to her, he gave his first knowledge and the Indian monk’s pragmatic speech in America to a women’s club on 21st Vedanta fascinated them. There were to be August. many spiritually-inclined admirers for him Vivekananda left Metcalfe for Boston in America. They may not have become his accompanied by Kate’s nephew Franklin direct disciples, but they could remain tuned Sanborn. Franklin was a journalist who had to his spiritual and compassionate wavelength. a wide circle of friends, one of whom was Dr. Foremost among them is Ellen Hale of John Henry Wright, Professor of Greek classics Chicago. at Harvard. They both met at Annisquam, When he came to Chicago from Boston forty miles from Boston. The victory march of and could not locate the Parliament Office, Swami Vivekananda had begun. Ellen Hale had noticed the ochre robes of the But even as he was in the glowing traveler and had taken him to her house. Mr. limelight of and Mrs. Hale took him to meet the Parliament adulation, he Office and all was well. When grace is in remembered action, what can stop a victorious march? the suffering Later on, when Swami Vivekananda had womanhood to stay in America for a few years, it was Mr. of India. and Mrs. Hale who helped him manage his Hadn’t finances. The entire family—George and Ellen, he seen their two daughters Mary and Harriet as also misery and their nieces Isabel and Harriet McKindley— untimely remained devoted to him. They had drawn so death in his close to him that Swamiji would refer to them own family? as Father Pope, Mother Church and babies or He was sure sisters. There was plenty of correspondence, that the punctuated by humour between Swami treatment Vivekananda and these friends. of women Among other women from the West by Indian who played a major role in his work both as men was helpers and as devotees were Betty Leggett inexcusable. and her husband Frank in whose farm, the Kate Sanborn This is why sprawling Ridgely Manor at Connecticut,
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Swami Vivekananda spent a considerable by herself staying amount of time, during his three visits to in the monastery the place. The Swami found the place very for long periods conducive to meditative life and his longest of time. She also stay here was for ten months in 1899. It was helped in a big here that his other devotees like Josephine way the monks of McLeod (Betty’s sister) and Sister Nivedita the Mission who also stayed, listening to their master. Even went to the West. today one can see the sofa on which Swami Another Vivekananda sat and spoke on Eastern foreign friend mysticism and global unity to his audience of Swamiji of Western admirers which included Sara was a niece of Turnbull, Sister Nivedita, Josephine Macleod, Josephine. Alberta Sister Christine and the Leggett couple. Sturges Montagu who married Josephine Macleod the 9th Earl of When one goes through Swami Viveka- Josephine Macleod Sandwich was nanda’s life and his letters, it is obvious that an accomplished musician. Swamiji who he had many admirers among the western could get tuned to others because of his own women who had deep devotion for him, varied accomplishments, had no problem in admired his stunning capacity to explain communicating with Alberta. This victor of Eastern thought in the Western idiom and the Parliament of Religions could say the right adored him for his commitment to the word in a private letter too as in this epistle to social regeneration of the Indian people, Alberta dated 8th July, 1895: ‘I am sure you are particularly Indian women. The one who engrossed in your musical studies now. Hope comes immediately to our mind in this group you have found out all about the scales by this is Josephine Macleod, a rich aristocratic lady time. I will be so happy to take a lesson on from America. the scales from you next time we meet . . .’ He We are told that it was her material even wrote a poem for her: and heroic backing which helped Swami The mother’s heart, the hero’s will, Vivekananda establish this Belur Math. It was The softest flower’s sweetest feel; also here that Swamiji told her, ‘I shall never The charm and force that ever sway see forty’. He assured her that he had given The altar fire’s flaming play; his message and now must go because ‘the The strength that leads, in love obeys; shadow of a big tree will not let the smaller Far reaching dreams, and patient ways, trees grow up. I must go to make room.’ Eternal faith in Self, in all Swamiji’s passing was a great shock but she The sight Divine in great in small; recovered and applied herself in helping All these, and more than I could see the fledgling Mission acquire strong wings Today may ‘Mother’ grant to thee. (To be continued. . .)
References : 1. CW, 5.321 2. CW, 6.253 3. CW, 6.272
The V edanta K esari ~ 34 ~ JANUARY 2015 Compilation
Insights into Some Keywords In Swami Vivekananda’s Words
A few definitions and descriptive passages from the Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda
The Vedas scriptures of the Hindus. Sometimes in the The Hindus found their creed upon the West by the Vedas are meant only the hymns ancient Vedas, a word derived from Vid, ‘to and rituals of the Vedas. But at the present know’. These are a series of books which, to time these parts have almost gone out of use, our minds, contain the essence of all religions; and usually by the word Vedas in India, the but we do not think they alone contain the Vedanta is meant. All our commentators, truths. They teach us the immortality of the when they want to quote a passage from the soul. In every country and every human scriptures, as a rule, quote from the Vedanta, breast there is a natural desire to find a stable which has another technical name with the equilibrium—something that does not change. commentators—the Shrutis. We cannot find it in nature, for all the universe Now, all the books known by the name is nothing but an infinite mass of changes. But of the Vedanta were not entirely written to infer from that that nothing unchanging after the ritualistic portions of the Vedas. For exists is to fall into the error of the Southern instance, one of them—the Isha Upanishad— school of Buddhists and the Charvakas, which forms the fortieth chapter of the Yajur-Veda, latter believe that all is matter and nothing that being one of the oldest parts of the mind, that all religion is a cheat, and morality Vedas. There are other Upanishads which and goodness, useless superstitions. The form portions of the Brahmanas or ritualistic Vedanta philosophy teaches that man is not writings; and the rest of the Upanishads are bound by his five senses. They only know the independent, not comprised in any of the present, and neither the future nor the past; but Brahmanas or other parts of the Vedas; but as the present signifies both past and future, there is no reason to suppose that they were and all three are only demarcations of time, entirely independent of other parts, for, as the present also would be unknown if it were we well know, many of these have been lost not for something above the senses, something entirely and many of the Brahmanas have independent of time, which unifies the past become extinct. So it is quite possible that the and the future in the present. (CW, 1.330) independent Upanishads belonged to some Brahmanas, which in course of time fell into Vedanta disuse, while the Upanishads remained. These The word Vedanta literally means Upanishads are also called Forest Books or the end of the Vedas—the Vedas being the Aranyakas. (CW, 1.257)
The V edanta K esari ~ 35 ~ JANUARY 2015 The Order on the March
Ramakrishna Math and Mission—News and Notes
Durga Puja Durga Puja was celebrated at Belur Math from 1 to 4 October 2014 with due solemnity and joy. The weather was fine on all the four days and about two lakh devotees attended the Puja to receive the blessings of the Divine Mother. The Kumari Puja performed on 2 October drew huge crowds, and the Sandhi Puja on that day was also attended by many devotees. The Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court, Smt J Manjula Chellur, attended the Puja on the Ashtami day. As in the previous years, Doordarshan Kolkata telecast live the Puja at different times on all the days. The Kumari Puja was telecast by several private channels also, and the entire four-day celebration was streamed live on Belur Math website. Cooked Prasad was served to about 49,000 devotees on Ashtami day and to about one lakh devotees during the four days. Durga Puja (in image) was performed at Mauritius Ashrama and the following eleven centres in Bangladesh: Baliati, Barisal, Chittagong, Comilla, Dhaka, Dinajpur, Faridpur, Habiganj, Jessore, Narayanganj and Sylhet, and also at the Narail sub-centre of Jessore Ashrama. At Dhaka centre, Begum Rowshan Ershad, Opposition Leader of Bangladesh National Assembly; Mr Mirza Abbas, Convenor of Bangladesh Nationalist Party for Dhaka city; Sri Goutam Chakraborty, former Water Development Minister; Dr Kamal Hossain, former Law Minister; Sri Pankaj Saran, High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh, and several other distinguished persons attended the Durga Puja celebration. On the Ashtami day, nearly 15,000 people witnessed the Kumari Puja and were served cooked Prasad. Durga Puja (in image) was celebrated at the following 24 centres in India: Antpur, Asansol, Barasat, Contai, Cooch Behar, Dhaleswar (under Agartala), Ghatshila, Guwahati, Jalpaiguri, Jamshedpur, Jayrambati, Kamarpukur, Karimganj, Lucknow, Malda, Medinipur, Mumbai, Patna, Port Blair, Rahara, Shella (under Cherrapunji), Shillong, Silchar and Varanasi Advaita Ashrama. o
Foundation Laid Foundation stone for the proposed Centre for Human Excellence and Social Sciences, also called ‘Viveka Tirtha’, at Rajarhat, New Town, Kolkata, was laid on 11 November by the Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee. Swami Prabhanandaji, the General Secretary and the Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court Dr Manjula Chellur among others took part in the ceremony. o
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A New Math and Mission Centre A new branch centre of the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission has been started at Shimla in Himachal Pradesh. Its address is ‘Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission, C/o Himalaya Brahmo Samaj, Near A G Office, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh 171003’, phone no. 01772659755 and email id
Commemoration of the 150th Birth Anniversary of Swami Vivekananda The following centres held various programmes to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda. (Main programmes conducted by them are mentioned against their names.) Cherrapunji: 103 youth counselling programmes in 7 states in the Northeast from 3 August to 28 September which were attended by 1128 youths. Rahara: A students’ convention on 11 September in which 898 students participated. Swamiji’s Ancestral House, Kolkata: Two public meetings at the centre on 10 and 16 October which were attended by 1400 people. On the centre’s initiative, two public meetings were held at two places in Kolkata on 22 and 30 September. In all, about 650 people attended the programmes. Bhubaneswar: Dr S C Jamir, Governor of Odisha, inaugurated the seminar on education on 8 October which was attended by 400 teachers, professors and others. o
General News Swami Vagishanandaji inaugurated the renovated Dilaram Bungalow (sanctified by Swamiji’s stay in 1892) at Vadodara centre on 28 October. The newly built Vivekananda Cultural Centre at Ponnampet Ashrama was inaugurated on 26 November. The School Education Department, Government of West Bengal, awarded Shishumitra Vidyalaya Puraskar, 2014, to Ramharipur high school in recognition of its outstanding efforts in adopting child- friendly norms and standards in education and sanitation. The award comprised a trophy, a certificate and Rs. 25,000/- in cash. All the 13 students of Vivekananda University in the MA final year of the five-year integrated MA Course in Sanskrit successfully cleared the National Eligibility Test conducted by University Grants Commission (UGC-NET). While all of them will thus be eligible for being appointed as Assistant Professors in any college or university in India, the top 7 have been further declared eligible for Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) for pursuing higher studies. A class-10 student of Katihar school, who participated in the IGNITE-2014 national competition conducted by National Innovation Foundation, won an award for his idea ‘provision of fourth light (blue) to reduce traffic jams’. The award, comprising a certificate, a memento and a book, was handed over by Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, former President of India, at a function held in Ahmedabad on 18 November. The newly built lower primary school building of Cherrapunji centre’s school at Maraikaphon was declared open on 27 September. A student of our Rahara College has secured first rank in the B.Ed. Examination 2014 conducted by West Bengal State University.
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In the 14th National Paralympic Swimming Championship held at Indore from 6 to 9 November, 6 students of Narendrapur Blind Boys’ Academy (2 each in Senior, Junior and Sub-Junior Groups) have won 7 gold, 8 silver and 5 bronze medals in different events as given below.
Event Senior Group Junior Group Sub-Junior Group Freestyle Stroke Bronze Silver Gold & Bronze Back Stroke Gold Gold & Silver Gold & Bronze Breast Stroke Gold & Silver Gold & Silver Gold & Silver Butterfly Stroke Silver & Bronze Silver Silver & Bronze Sacramento centre celebrated its golden jubilee with a day-long programme on 1 November, Jagaddhatri Puja day, with worship, homa, and a musical performance. About 200 devotees attended the programme. The renovated Vivekananda Grove at the Olema Retreat of San Francisco (USA) centre was inaugurated on 31 August. The grove has been serving as a memorial to Swamiji and as a site for meditation since 1963. Its meditation platform contains a number of stones brought from different places in America which were visited by Swamiji. As a part of renovation, a statue of Swamiji has been installed in the grove. Dhaka centre held the inaugural function of the centenary celebration of its high school on 9 November. Mr Md. Nazrul Islam Khan, Secretary, Ministry of Education, Govt. of Bangladesh, inaugurated the day-long programme in which many other dignitaries also took part. Besides speeches, the programme consisted of a rally, a musical performance, and a drama on Swami Vivekananda. o
Relief and Rehabilitation v Hudhud Cyclone Relief: Andhra Pradesh: Visakha- patnam centre distributed 100 kg lentils, 160 kg onions, clothes and 30 blankets among 200 affected families of Kondarajapalem village in Vijayanagaram district on 31 October. v Jammu centre continued its relief work among the victims of flash floods and landslides in the state. The centre gave 3000 bricks to a family in Mawa-Karora village in Jammu district on 10 June. The centre also distributed 160 blankets, 20 shawls, 20 jackets and 20 sets of utensils (each set containing 2 cooking pots, 5 plates, 5 mugs, 5 spoons and 1 ladle) among 160 families of Subhashnagar, Bithur, Udheywala and R S Pura areas in Poonch and Rajouri districts from 31 October to 15 November. v The night shelter for the poor and homeless constructed at Rohini, Delhi, by our Delhi centre was handed over to Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) in a function held on 12 November in the presence of Sri M Venkaiah Naidu, Union Minister for Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation, Government of India. o
The V edanta K esari ~ 38 ~ JANUARY 2015 Book Reviews For review in The Vedanta Kesari, publishers need to send us two copies of their latest publication.
Celebrating Swami in the Parliament of Religions and how it abides Vivekananda as a living, growing experience in the American consciousness. He points out how Sri Ramakrishna By Swami Tathagatananda and Swami Vivekananda are being accepted more Published by Vedanta and more by the American public. He quotes Society of New York, 23 Arnold Toynbee who wrote that Sri Ramakrishna’s West 71st Street, New York, name will not be missing from future history NY.10023, USA. Available books to show how the relevance of his great life to at Advaita Ashrama, humanity will come to be increasingly appreciated Kolkata. 2013. Paperback, in the days to come. With his long experience Pp.183, Rs.80. as a spiritual teacher in America, the author This very aptly titled confidently states: that more and more people are volume contains six essays being attracted to his life and message as is evident and two appendices; aptly titled, because from the numerous books available now in many no person’s life and memory deserves to be western languages about Sri Ramakrishna; there celebrated with such overflowing joy as that of is an unprecedented increase of interest among Swami Vivekananda for he himself was a man of youth in spirituality; quotes from Ramakrishna and joy, as the famous hymn on him by his brother Vivekananda, sometimes unacknowledged, appears monk Swami Ramakrishnananda describes him. in medical journals, botanical magazines, health This was in spite of the struggles he had to undergo magazines and such diverse publications. Interfaith as a man, a monk, a great leader and the lone dialogue is immensely popular and people show champion of his country among aliens, because interest in and respect for religions other than their he was essentially a mystic, a man in ceaseless own. communion with God. This is a truth that many The third essay is fairly long and depicts scholars especially in the academic circles, dealing Swamiji’s heroism. It is the heroism of the God with his aspects as thinker, activist and man are man, the Avatara who though made of flesh and unable to factor in their studies of the Swami. blood like any other human being, does not yield To the received wisdom of this age, mysticism his spirit to narrow self-centered interests but is an escapist pursuit to be relegated to the twilight struggles to transcend them and seeks to take on regions of abnormal psychology and of no value himself the sorrows of humanity. In history Buddha in everyday existence. The opening essay corrects is the archetype and in mythology Shiva who drank this view. It reviews at length Swamiji’s mystical burning poison to save the world. The author writes experiences and shows how it offers an enriched feelingly about the Shiva nature of Swamiji, ‘He was view of man which complements the Enlighten- the incarnation of Lord Shiva who was roused by ment model of the rational man gloriously but Sri Ramakrishna from deep samadhi. He took a tragically pitted against the wanton tyranny human form and accepted human suffering for of nature (pp.2-30). As the author puts it, ‘he the good of humanity . . . We can never grasp his represents eternal human excellence’. . . ‘He is that infinite spiritual significance or the fullness of his lighthouse of hope and pure guidance (sic) that the human personality’ (p.55). world seeks. Clearly the mystic is profoundly useful The remaining two essays are on Swamiji to humanity’(p.28). as an incarnation of Shakti, and the value of In the second piece, the author describes Brahmacharya. Both are rewarding reading, the the momentous impact of Swamiji’s participation latter especially because it was a subject most dear
The V edanta K esari ~ 39 ~ JANUARY 2015 46 to Swamiji’s heart and its growing relevance in So when Gadadhar Chatterjee was born in these days of growing licentiousness, encouraged the remote Bengal village of Kamarpukur, no one and championed by the print and visual media, could have known what was going to happen in as if, with a vengeance. The author quotes Pitrim the next half century that his life encompassed, Sorokin’s complaint against television that its though. In the years that followed, profound and only achievement has consisted in ‘bringing into great changes were to get revealed in the garden millions of our homes erotically charged, alcoholic temple of Dakshineshwar in Kolkata. Gadadhar atmosphere of night clubs, ugly commercials and would soon take it upon himself to undergo great endless murder and sex plays’(p.118). spiritual experiences in His search for Unity and The last of the six essays is a touching become, almost against his wishes, a household account of the friendship between Raja Ajit Singh name for religious tolerance. Transformed from the of Khetri and Swami Vivekananda. Of the two village boy Gadadhar, Sri Ramakrishna, the world appendices one is on Japa. The last is an account of teacher, knew the extent to which His name would Swami Ramakrishnananda and his love for Swami grow across the globe. Vivekananda and total dedication to his Mission. The book under review is the result of The author copiously quotes from the works an erudite international seminar organized to of Swamiji, his biographers and chroniclers and commemorate the 175th birth anniversary of Sri illustrates his points with anecdotes from Swamiji’s Ramakrishna at which several noted scholars life, and writes with feeling and conviction which presented their views on the different aspects of the makes the book absorbing reading. A book to be ideas and personality of Sri Ramakrishna, with a cherished. view to assessing his relevance in the increasingly ______M.C.RAMANARAYANAN, THIRUVALLA, scientific and technical world of today. The book is divided into six parts and Sri Ramakrishna’s Ideas progresses logically from Sri Ramakrishna in his and Our Times: A own times to his relevance in ours. The first part comprises four papers, beginning with Swami Retrospect on His 175th Prabhananda’s examination of Sri Ramakrishna as Birth Anniversary the ideal monk. He points out that the longevity Board of Editors of his ideas is entirely due to his unique qualities Swarup Roy, Jatisankar which manifested as a personal response to each of Chattopadhyay, Swami his audience. Scholars such as Max Mueller, Romain Shastrajnananda and Rolland and Christopher Isherwood were struck by Sandipan Sen his divine qualities, while many Indians too have tried to encapsulate their own experience of him. By Ramakrishna Mission The writer ends by saying that Sri Rama- Vidyamandira, Belur Math krishna is as relevant today as he was in his own and RMIC. 2013, Hardback, pp.407, times. Rs.200. The second, third and fourth papers examine What happens when a great mystic—whom the social, religious and political climate of Bengal His devotees consider to be God—comes to the in the nineteenth century, a most revolutionary human arena and lives a life totally devoted to and part of her history, when so many new ideas were marked by love for God, in such a manner that He being added to the cultural and religious melting remains relevant for all time to come? pot. While AP Sen reviews Sri Ramakrishna against Several things follow: a revolution in thought, the socio-political milieu of his times, Sabyasachi leading to an examination of those values held dear, Bhattacharya’s paper is a very convincing historical resulting in a redefinition of God and theology and sociological perspective of Sri Ramakrishna’s and ending as a movement that reorganises stance a propos the ascendancy of Christianity religious belief to mean something much vaster in that particular period of Bengal’s history. He than a set of deeply held convictions, but which are describes Sri Ramakrishna as a harbinger of new compartmentalised to suit the occasion. thinking who raised God-realisation to a very high
The V edanta K esari ~ 40 ~ JANUARY 2015 47 level of sophisticated thinking firstly by avoiding ownership of a certain idea. The writer makes the miracle-mongering and secondly by advocating case for ideas being validated only through actual the ideal path as being a mix of jnana and bhakti. action—we consider the ideas of Sri Ramakrishna as This paper sums up diverse spiritual influences, a his because ‘he lived those ideas most authentically’ picture of a resurgent India as against the usually (p. 154, ibid). Sabujkoli Sen’s exposition on Sri accepted description of a people rendered inert Ramakrishna from the feminist perspective clarifies through colonialisation. In the last essay of this his stand on kamini-kanchana, by which he meant part, ‘Sri Ramakrishna and His Chief Disciple’, lust and gold. Since his audiences were in the the author, Swami Tyagarupananda gives a main composed of men, he compressed a wealth of comprehensive guide of Swami Vivekananda’s role meaning into this phrase. The writer brings out his in universalising Sri Ramakrishna’s message, the basic attitude of respect to women—this particular most revolutionary being that of seeing God in man paper’s relevance is not far to seek in these times and serving him through human—and humane- when women demand, and quite rightly, equality service. in every sphere. The second part of the book, discussing Sri The text that sets most people on their journey Ramakrishna: the Man and His Personality, begins towards ‘discovering’ Sri Ramakrishna—the with a highly learned and scientific investigation Kathamrita—is the subject of the next four essays. by Swami Atmapriyananda of Sri Ramakrishna’s There is absolutely no doubt that the historical bhavamukha state. Sri Ramakrishna had been validity of the text, so painstakingly written by urged to remain in bhavamukha on three separate Sri Mahendranath Gupta (Sri M) and so brilliantly occasions by the Divine Mother herself. The author translated by Swami Nikhilananda for the edifi- scrutinises the state in three separate ways, one, cation of non-Bengali knowing readers, and the through science, two, in the light of classical Indian charm and beauty of Sri Ramakrishna’s rustic and philosophy and three, through the lens of the powerful language all combine to make it a most Ramakrishna Mission ideology. memorable reading experience. The second essay in this section is by Swami M’s language, as Professor Sivaramkrishna Tyagananda, who likens Sri Ramakrishna to ‘the points out, binds us to the book with ties of love. tree without a name’ (achina gaach), a tree which Swami Sarvagananda uses the word language to many people would like to—and have—described. denote Sri Ramakrishna’s love for music: ‘You will And why has Sri Ramakrishna been a subject of be able to cite innumerable incidents in the Gospel of so much scholarship and enquiry through the last Sri Ramakrishna where he used music as a medium century and more? Because every step leads closer of communication of his ideas’ (p. 253). to what we are seeking. In the next section, Syed Anwar Hussain The last essay in this part, by Pravrajika points out that even if Sri Ramakrishna did not Bhaswaraprana expresses the view that Sri go in for ‘a fastidious religious texts. . . he had the Ramakrishna is the vehicle through which all right and endowed mind to understand the core systems of belief and thought can be reconciled. message of every faith’ (p.259, ibid). The writer This leads the reader on to the section makes a distinction between the pristine Islam Sri which considers Sri Ramakrishna’s ideas and their Ramakrishna was exposed to and the Islam of today. impact both on contemporary Bengal as well as Sri Ramakrishna achieved interfaith harmony long modern times. Jitendranath Mohanty examines before the term was as well-known as it is today. the multifaceted significance of Sri Ramakrishna’s Jeffery Long gives another angle to under- ostensibly simple statement ‘Yato mat tato path’. standing the depth and sweep of Sri Ramakrishna’s Through a series of premises, the complexity of influence, brought to the West by Swami Viveka- the content of Sri Ramakrishna’s words, couched nanda. To one like himself, who had to reconcile in simple, everyday language, their influence on Ramakrishna’s teachings with his natal Catholic several levels of human existence is brought out. faith, the spiritual slant, rather than the religious The second by P. K. Mukhopadhyay is a scholarly quality, of Sri Ramakrishna was the starting point. inquiry into the validity of Sri Ramakrishna’s ideas Swami Bhajanananda speaks about the value of and goes deep into the conundrum of the first Sri Ramakrishna as a world teacher rather than an
The V edanta K esari ~ 41 ~ JANUARY 2015 48 avatara, in order to survey the mega-trends in the Nandakumar is one such, published under Indus world today. It is through this, says the author, that Source Books’s series ‘Spiritual Masters’. The human consciousness can be transformed to divine author’s name is quite familiar to readers of The consciousness. Vedanta Kesari, through her erudite articles and book The last part contains five essays, two in reviews. Bengali, looking at Sri Ramakrishna through a The objective of the book is quite modest. larger perspective. Swami Sanmayananda looks at It is to present to the readers the life of Swami Sri Ramakrishna’s ability to accept all perspectives Vivekananda in a simple format, easily under- of God while the other authors speak of him as a standable and in its essentials. The life of Swamiji master teacher who used ordinary metaphors to has been extensively documented in various books, illustrate his lessons as well as Sri Ramakrishna’ s like the Life by Eastern and Western disciples, the interest in all forms of art. nine volumes of the Complete Works, the six-volume The volume is thus very comprehensive New Discoveries—a detailed description of his stay —the papers presented are all by scholars who and work in the West by Sister Gargi, Swamiji in have looked at their subject from multifarious Chicago by Asim Chaudhuri, followed by a sequel points of view. The most significant thing is Sri of Swamiji’s entire stay in the West. These books Ramakrishna’s attribute of being so many things are eminently readable, but pose a challenge to one to so many people—it is impossible to define him coming to Swamiji for the first time. The present in any specific way. What has emerged is a picture book provides an entry point to such readers, that we can keep looking at over and over again and by presenting the essential points and events of discovering new aspects. Swamiji’s life. The book is a significant and rich addition One problem facing any author wishing to to the ever-growing collection of Ramakrishna write a concise biography of Swami Vivekananda literature. Readers will find an ocean of thoughts is, what to include and what to exclude. Only those which can be read and re-read, pondered over, who are steeped in the culture of Sri Ramakrishna again and again. A limitless fund of knowledge will be able to exercise this choice judiciously. The it certainly is, but there are some parts which are author, Prema Nandakumar, has been associated with the Sri Ramakrishna Order right from her too esoteric for the average reader. That said, childhood because of the parental influence. this reviewer thinks that part of the challenge of She is, in a sense, saturated with the lore of Sri advancing in spiritual life is learning to read works Ramakrishna, Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi and that at first elude ones understanding but could Swami Vivekananda. This has helped her to grasp become clearer upon reflection because, as the poet the salient points of Swamiji’s life and to present Browning said, ‘Man’s reach should be beyond his them faithfully. grasp/Or what are the heavens for?’ In this handy volume, the author has ______PREMA RAGHUNATH, CHENNAI presented her ‘choice’ in 9 chapters, each with an appropriate and catchy title. The last chapter, the Swami Vivekananda tenth, discusses the achievements of Swamiji. To By Prema Nandakumar the Indian nation, his greatest gift was the establish- ment of the Ramakrishna Order, its band of Published by Indus Source Sannyasins, the large number of branches all Books, P.O. Box No. 6194, over the world. But, last, but not the least, is the Malabar Hill P.O., Mumbai magnificent temple for Sri Ramakrishna on the - 400 006.2013, paperback, holy soil of Belur Math. His other contribution pp.230, Rs.225 was the establishment of spiritual magazines, This year, celebrat- like Brahmavadin (now called The Vedanta Kesari), ing the 150th Birth Anni- Udbodhan and Prabuddha Bharata. This is indeed versary of Swami Viveka- an incredible achievement for any individual! No nanda, has seen a plethora wonder, Swamiji was heard muttering to himself on of publications from all over the last day of his life: ‘Only another Vivekananda the world. The current book by Dr. Prema would have understood what this Vivekananda has
The V edanta K esari ~ 42 ~ JANUARY 2015 49 achieved!’ Lest this appear as a boast, he quickly Sri Sarada Devi was the mirror image of added, ‘But, if He (Sri Ramakrishna) wants, he ideal womanhood, rather motherhood. Though could create hundreds of such Vivekanandas!’ subject to privation, she radiated unbounded love, The author of the book has to be thanked for compassion, forgiveness, fortitude to face head-on her wonderful gift to the reading public, and the meaningless orthodoxy or challenges to her domain, publishers too for bringing out this book, during the guileless seeing ‘good in evil’ and more. She was year of Swamiji’s 150th birth anniversary. the loving mother of all, regardless of caste or ______NVC SWAMY, BANGALORE nationality. Despite maintaining a low profile, ‘both self-assertion and self-effacement ranked parallel in Vedanta and Holy her’ that manifested when needed. She was ‘a social and spiritual reformer’ whose mere touch turned Mother ‘bad persons into good’. Her renunciation was total By Swami Swahananda like Sri Ramakrishna. Published by Advaita She did not study Vedanta as an academic Ashrama, Dehi Entally discipline. Yet, points out the author, ‘. . . Vedantic Road, Kolkata. 2012, teachings were always in the background’ when Hardback, pp.304, Rs. she spoke and ‘. . . in practical life, she advocated 100. applied Vedanta’. A lesson for torchbearers Any statement or of empowerment of women is that in the way topic hard to understand Ramakrishna Movement women have been exalted. is instinctively labeled as In the words of a scholar, Sri Ramakrishna and Sri ‘Vedanta’, remarked Swami Sarada Devi taught that God could be conceived Ranganathananda in a lighter vein. both as man and woman. Thus, ‘the male principle The presumption is that Vedanta is a dry subject, and the female principle are not distinct from each complex, confusing. Such negative perception will other . . . No man is wholly a man; no woman is cease when we study the lives of Sri Ramakrishna entirely a woman . . .’ and Sri Sarada Devi. In fact Vedanta has fascinated Part II of the book titled ‘Ideas’ contains 13 many. One of the articles in the book under review chapters/articles concerning the need for religion, recalls the observation of a monk from the West, role of organizations of religious bodies, areas of Swami Atulananda. The Swami said: ‘I began to operation, relevance of social service, morality and appreciate Christ after being a Vedantist. Through probity in society, and many others. The author Vedanta I could realize that God can assume must be complimented for his sublime presentation different aspects . . .’ of the religious landscape of India. ‘Vedanta, Holy Mother, Ideas and Disciplines’ The creation of an organization (chapter I) ‘. titled as ‘Vedanta and Holy Mother’, says the . . for the practice, preservation and propagation of Publisher, is a ‘collection of self-contained articles spiritual ideas . . .’ of the Ramakrishna Movement and not a planned book’. Part I of the book is was a masterstroke of Swamiji. Observers have dedicated to Holy Mother. The assortment of noted the quiet efficiency of its operation with no articles is a compendium on her unique personality. hidden agenda or cult figures. Moreover breaking However, being an avatara, an infinite entity, none convention the Ramakrishna Movement devoted can fully comprehend Holy Mother’s personality attention to ‘purify social life and create abundant unless she chooses to unmask what is hidden. It sympathy for suffering sections of society’. baffled observers to see her concern for a mere The articles remind us of the inherent strength broomstick when she could in an instant resolve of religious spirit that could not be destroyed by contentious issues like endorsing Swamiji’s armed invaders desecrating holy places, aggressive overseas travels or accommodating devotees under proselytizing or attempts to discredit religious surveillance by the then Government, overruling activity. Elimination of evils like selfishness or opposition and remaining apolitical. She could dishonesty is ‘the positive service of religion’. The handle conflicting interests in hostile environment article ‘The Youth and Spiritual Life’ highlights the with ease. importance of early training in spiritual life. Despite
The V edanta K esari ~ 43 ~ JANUARY 2015 50 occasional overlapping of ideas, these chapters for their culture. After that, the next step would are very informative. The youth of the country be to awaken the masses (from all castes) into the will further benefit from the last two chapters of status of a refined person. Hence, Swamiji reminds Part II. all Indians, ‘Each of you was born with a splendid Why should India, the land of religion, heritage, which is the whole of the infinite past life be ridden with social evils? Chapter 8, Life and of your glorious nation.’ Religion, points out that people and their attitudes/ Most Indians possess an intuitive under- priorities were different in the halcyon days. standing that their ancestors were glorious fore- Lacking in conviction of our spiritual moorings and runners not only in matters of para-vidya (spiritual becoming addicted to temporal possessions, we knowledge) but also in apara-vidya (secular have degenerated. Instead of carping at religion, we matters). But upon deeper investigation, some may should be ‘genuinely religious’. find difficulty in supporting their answers. This The concluding Part III on ‘Disciplines’ is wonderful book (a little more than 100 pages long), devoted to practical spiritual life. Forms of Japa, Glimpses of Excellence in Ancient India which reads meditation, rituals and devotion form the focus of like a mini-encyclopedia, provides the answers and the chapters. Skeptics wonder how one can chant supporting references, attesting to India’s glorious divine names and surrender to Him without even past in a vast array of areas. seeing God. Swami Adbhutananda’s response has In this text, the author explores the ancient been quoted by the author. The wise monk cites Indians’ pioneering and sublime understanding the example of an applicant in an office seeking a in the areas of arts, music, dance, drama, beauti- position or favour. The application is addressed fication, love, food, medicine (including human, to the concerned official even without meeting veterinary and plants), yoga, sports, literature, or knowing the person. ‘Similarly, send your political science, environmental studies, seismology, application to God, and you will receive His grace’. administration, right code of living, etc., in separate In spite of a large number of publications on chapters. Holy Mother, Vedanta and Holy Mother has much to Dr. Suruchi Pande’s method of presentation, offer, available at an incredibly low cost. in some of the chapters, is to introduce the subject ______P. S. SUNDARAM, MUMBAI by referring to a relevant story from the Puranas. Next, she briefly touches upon the diverse techniques and methodologies of the specific field (which in many instances will leave the reader in awe). Third, she cites from different ancient Sanskrit texts both to support her findings as well to further encourage the reader to pursue additional research on the matter. Upon completing the book, the reader begins to realise a common thread of unity underlying all the different subjects. Whether yoga, mathematics, acting, plant medicine, sports or administration, Glimpses of Excellence In Ancient India all are treated as sciences—there is a hidden vidya, which will reveal itself only to one who ‘always By Dr. Suruchi Pande speaks the truth, has control over the senses, good Published by Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai health and no addictions.’ - 600 004. 2014, paperback, pp.140, Rs.110. This short yet wonderful summary of India’s Swami Vivekananda prophesied that in the glorious past should be distributed throughout future ‘millions of Rishis’ will be roaming the land the primary and secondary schools and inspire the of India, and imparting spirituality to the world. Indian youths with a greater pride and love for their But before this can happen, Swamiji felt that the first motherland. step is to remove the ill effects of colonial slavery ______SWAMI CHIDEKANANDA, from their minds, and replace with a genuine love ADVAITA ASHRAMA, KOLKATA
The V edanta K esari ~ 44 ~ JANUARY 2015 The V edanta K esari 51 JANUARY 2015
RAMAKRISHNA MISSION SEVASHRAMA Vijnanananda Marg, Mutthiganj, ALLAHABAD - 211 003 (U.P.) Phone - 0532-2413369, Fax - 0532-2415235 Email: [email protected], [email protected] Website: rkmallahabad.org An Appeal for Endowment Fund Dear Devotees, Allahabad or Prayagraj, as it is fondly called, is a very holy place of pilgrimage in India and devotees from many countries throng here during the Kumbha Mela held after a regular interval. Innumerable devotees gather here for Magh Mela every year held in the month of Magh (January - February). Devotees come to stay here for the Kalpavas for a month during this period. This is one of the most sacred features of the holy city. Every year the Ramakrishna Math, Allahabad, arranges for the Magh Mela Camp in the month of Magh (January-February) for about one month (Kalpavas) starting from 15th January till Maghi purnima. For this annual event, we spend nearly Rs. 40 Lac every year. This cost might even increase due to steep increase in input costs. Ramakrishna Math, Allahabad requests devotees and admirers to contribute liberally for Vijnanananda Endowment Fund.
During Kumbh Mela: Endowment Amount No: of days No: of family reservation members who can in Camp stay in camp 100 donors on first come first Rs. One Lakh or more One day Three served basis in each bracket Rs. Two Lakhs or more Two days Three 50 donors on first come first Rs. 10 Lakhs or more Five days Three served basis for two consecu- Rs. 30 Lakhs or more Ten days Five tive Kumbh Mela During Magh Mela:100 Endow- Rs. 10,000 or more One day One ment donors on first come first Rs. 20,000 or more One day Three served basis in each bracket Rs. 50,000 or more Five days Three 50 Endowment donors on first Rs. One Lakh or more Ten days Five come first served basis Endowment donors desirous of staying during the Kalpavas period would have to deposit an additional Rs.30,000 per member before the end of Sept. 2014. Fifty such donors would be allotted stay on first come first served basis. Donation to Ramakrishna Mission Sevashrama are exempted from Income Tax under Section 80G of the Income Tax Act 1961. Please contact our office to register your name for the Endowment Fund with your contact details. We could then send a form which can be filled by you and sent to us with the Endowment amount. Swami Sarvabhutananda Secretary The V edanta K esari 52 JANUARY 2015
BUILD A BRIGHTER FUTURE FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN Daridra Narayan Seva: Serving the uneducated, illiterate women, and people affected by flood/drought, irrespective of caste, creed, and religion by regularly distributing dhoti and sarees (about 800 per year), blankets (about 700 per year), food packets to the suffering villagers, and 15 to 10 bicycles every year to poor high school girls. Education Seva: Serving the indigent tribal children, who are first generation learners, by running three rural primary schools and six free coaching centres in the remote village areas. In addition, the Ashrama administers a higher secondary school, a primary school, and a kindergarten school for the indigent children of Malda. Finally, we also provide a hostel for 70 students, either at nominal cost or free. Medical Seva: Serving the indigents who dwell in the slums and do not have the means for proper medical care, by operating both allopathic and homeopathic dispensaries, providing mobile medical service for the poor, and conducting ten medical camps every week. T B patients are given free medicines and injections. Every year approximately 30,000 people receive free medical care in the units of the Ashrama.
Dear Friends, Your contributions are the sole sustenance for the above seva. I humbly request you to donate generously. We hope to create a corpus fund of two crore rupees, the interest of which will help us to meet the above expenses. In your donation, kindly mention that it is for the ‘corpus fund for the philanthropic activities of our Ashrama’. All donations for this noble cause are tax exempt as per the Income Tax Act, 80G. A/c payee Cheque/ Draft may be drawn in favour of ‘Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama, Malda’. Online donations may be made to the following bank accounts of Malda Ashrama with intimation to us: State Bank of India of Malda —111753632.70, United Bank of India 0133010034363. Swami Parasharananda Secretary RAMAKRISHNA MISSION ASHRAMA (A branch centre of Ramakrishna Math, Belur Math, West Bengal) Malda, West Bengal—732,101. Tel.- 03512-252479; email: [email protected] The V edanta K esari 53 JANUARY 2015
AN INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE The Ramakrishna Math, Koyilandy, Kerala, a branch centre of the Ramakrishna Math Belur Math, established in the year 1915 will celebrate its centenary in 2015 with launch of various Programmes. Our devotees and well-wishers are invited to participate in yearlong function. Humble Beginnings: There was a Yogi Math & Subrahmanya Temple at Melur near Koyilandy managed by Sri K.P. Krishnan Nair and few others. They requested Swami Nirmalanandaji who was halting then at Vadakara to establish Ramakrishna Math there. Swami Nirmalanandaji accepted the property in April 1914 and installed Sri Ramakrishna at the Math in March 1915. In 1929 the main ashrama building was dedicated and in 1987 a new prayer hall and Shrine was consecrated. Activities at the Ashram: Besides daily worship at the shrine and birthday celebrations of the Holy Trio & other important Hindu festivals the centre conducts weekly classes on scriptures, value education for students. It serves the needy in a spirit of worship providing medical help / educational assistance to the deserving poor. It also runs a Non-formal education centre for 100 deprived children who are provided books, stationeries and uniforms. Teachers at the free coaching centre helps poor students acquire proficiency in academics. Every year about 700 poor students are given free note books and stationeries. Plans for the Centenary Year: To commemorate the centenary year 2014-2015 we wish to build a centre of learning and excellence for our village youth who will be provided training and guidance in: • Waste recycling and management • Programmes to promote learning of Sanskrit, English, and Hindi • Programmes to promote positive health and life style management • Sustained Graded Value Education Programme [SGVEP] for students The project is estimated to cost about Rs. 2 Crores. The task is big but the funds at our end are meagre. With no support from Government our activities are run only on donations from public. We therefore seek generous involvement and participation of devotees, friends, admirers and well-wishers through donations and contributions to this noble endeavor to make the centenary celebrations a grand success. All donation made to the Math are exempted from Income Tax Section 80G the Income Tax Act. You may please send your donation by Cheque/Draft in the name of “Ramakrishna Math, Koyilandy “ Bank A/C No: 10632417896 State Bank of India, Koyilandy, IFS Code SBIN0003338. Yours in the Service of Lord, Swami Bhuvanatmananda Adhyaksha Ramakrishna Math, Koyilandy Swami Vivekananda Road, RO Melur, Koyilandy, Dt. Kozhikode, Kerala 673 306 E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected] Phone: 0496-2630990. Cell no: 09447863787 The V edanta K esari 54 JANUARY 2015
Ramakrishna Sarada Ashrama, Devaprayag An Appeal The Ramakrishna Sarada Ashrama was inaugurated on the auspicious occasion of the Chaitra Shukla Navaratri. The high-points of the week-long celebration were the enshrinement of Devi Durga, the presiding deity of Devaprayag, Lord Raghunathji and Sri Thakur, Holy Mother Sarada Devi and Swami Vivekananda and also chanting, homa and cultural programmes. Mokshaprana Centenary Bhawan Most Revered Mataji accompanied by Pravrajika Atmaprana Mataji had visited Devaprayag. She was ecstatic after taking a bath at the sangam and said, ‘I have completed my journey to the Himalayas.’ To commemorate her visit to Devaprayag and also as a symbol of her immense love for Himalayas, a building is being constructed at Ramakrishna Sarada Ashrama in Devaprayag. The three-storeyed building will have the following facilities: 1. Five guest rooms in the names of Revered Bharatiprana, Mokshaprana, Muktiprana, Dayaprana and Shraddhaprana Mataji. 2. A library and a study room—Mokshaprana Path Bhawan. 3. A Sunday study circle for local students on value education and life-skills—Vivek Bodha. 4. Spiritual Retreats—Moksha Satra. 5. Pre-primary School for local children—Sarada Kusum. The project will cost about Rs 50 lakhs. We appeal fervently to all devotees, NGOS, service and welfare-oriented corporate houses to extend their kind and generous support and receive the choicest blessings of Thakur, Ma, Swamiji and Revered Mataji. Any person wishing to perpetuate the memory of their dear ones may donate minimum Rs. 50,000 and above and have the privilege of displaying a marble plaque in his/her name. For details, please contact: Swami Sarvatmananda, Ramakrishna Sarada Ashrama, Dak Banglow Road, PO: Devaprayag, Tehri Garhwal. Uttarakhand. Pin: 249301 Email: [email protected]; Phone: 09410520930, 9897452084 Cheque/DD drawn in favour of Ramakrishna Sarada Ashrama, may be sent to. For online donation: Our CBS A/C. Punjab National Bank, Devaprayag. A/C--- 0625000100098104 (IFS code: PUNB: 0062500); State Bank of India, Devaprayag. A/C No: 30932831669 (IFS code: SBIN 0014135) The V edanta K esari 55 JANUARY 2015
The Monk without Frontiers We are happy to notify the readers about the new “ENHANCED EDITION” of The Monk without Frontiers—Reminiscences of Swami Ranganathananda. In this edition two more articles on the Swami have been included. The size (layout) of the book has been changed to a larger one, and also the typeset is new, enhancing the overall look and readability of the book. The book now has a new cover. This book is a compilation of articles on Swami Ranganathananda written by the monks of the Ramakrishna Order, nuns of the Sarada Math and Ramakrishna Sarada Mission, and devotees and admirers Pages: 648 Price: Rs. 480/- of the Swami. There are 136 pieces of writing presenting Postage: Rs.50/- before us his multi-faceted personality in an inspiring as well as interesting manner. The V edanta K esari 56 JANUARY 2015 The V edanta K esari 57 JANUARY 2015
NAVAJEEVAN BLIND RELIEF CENTRE (FREE HOME FOR THE BLIND, ORPHAN AND AGED) TIRUCHANOOR, TIRUPATI - 517503. Ph : 0877-2239992, 9908537528 [Mob.] E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.navajeevan.org An Appeal 35 Years of Service to Humanity 1979 - 2014 1. Navajeevan School & Hostel for Blind Children – Tirupati, Parlekhimundi, Golamunda 2. Navajeevan Free Eye Hospital – Tirupati 3. Navajeevan Free Home for Aged – Tirupati, Rishikesh, Parlekhimundi and Chennai 4. Navajeevan Annaksetram - Kothapeta / Rishikesh 5. Navajeevan Sharanagati Vridhashram – Tirupati 6. Navajeevan Rural Medical Centres - Berhampur [Orissa] 7. Navajeevan Eye Care Centres - Serango & Kalahandi [Orissa] 8. Navajeevan Orphanage Children Homes – Tirupati, Parlehkimundi, Saluru, Golamunda, Berhampur, Pandukal, Vizag & Araku A Humble Request for Donation 1. Sponsor one day Annadan to Blind Children and aged – Rs. 5000/- 2. Sponsor 5 IOL Cataract Eye Operations – Rs. 7000/- 3. Sponsor one blind child or Orphan child for one year – Rs. 6000/- 4. Sponsor one poor aged person for one year – Rs. 5000/- 5. Sponsor one free eye camp at Rural/Tribal area – Rs. 50000/- 6. Vidyadan—Educational aid for one Child – Rs. 2000/-
Donor devotees can send their contributions by cheque/DD/MO to the above address on the occasion of birthday, wedding day or any other special occasion and receive prasadam of Lord Balaji Venkateswara of Tirupati as blessings. Contributions to NAVAJEEVAN BLIND RELIEF CENTRE, Tirupati are eligible for Tax Relief U/S 80G of Income Tax Act. Our Bank details for online transfer : Bank Name : Indian Bank , Gandhi Road Branch, Tirupati SB A/c No: 463789382, Account Hold- er : Navajeevan Blind Relief Centre, Branch Code: T036, IFSC code: IDIB000T036, ‘We can attain salvation through social work’ – Swami Vivekananda K. Sridhar Acharya Founder/ President The V edanta K esari 58 JANUARY 2015 The V edanta K esari ~ 59 ~ JANUARY 2015 Vol.102-1 The Vedanta Kesari (English Monthly) January 2015. Regd. with the Registrar of Newspapers for India under No.1084 / 1957. POSTAL REGISTRATION NUMBER:TN / CH (C) / 190 / 12-14. LICENSED TO POST WITHOUT PREPAYMENT TN/PMG(CCR)/WPP-259 / 2012-14 Date of Publication: 24th of every month
Teach yourselves, teach everyone his/her real nature, call upon the sleeping soul and see how it awakes. Power will come, glory will come, goodness will come, purity will come, and everything that is excellent will come, when this sleeping soul is roused to self-con- scious activity. —Swami Vivekananda
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Contact:The Sri RamakrishnaV edanta K esari Math, ~Chennai. 60 ~ JANUARY Website: 2015 www.chennaimath.org