Conversations with Swami Turiyananda
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Life Beyond Death by Swami Abhedananda
Life Beyond Death Lectures of Swami Abhedananda A Great Yogi and Direct Disciple of Sri Ramakrishna Life Beyond Death – lovingly restored by The Spiritual Bee An e-book presentation by For more FREE books visit the website: www.spiritualbee.com Dear Reader, This book has been reproduced here from the Complete Works of Swami Abhedananda, Volume 4. The book is now in the public domain in India and the United States, because its original copyright has expired. “Life beyond Death” is a collection of lectures delivered by Swami Abhedananda in the United States. Unlike most books on the subject which mainly record encounters with ghosts and other kinds of paranormal activities, this book looks at the mystery from a soundly rational and scientific perspective. The lectures initially focus on providing rational arguments against the material theory of consciousness, which states that consciousness originates as a result of brain activity and therefore once death happens, consciousness also ends and so there is no such thing as a life beyond death. Later in the book, Swami Abhedananda also rallies against many dogmatic ideas present in Christian theology regarding the fate of the soul after death: such as the philosophies of eternal damnation to hell, resurrection of the physical body after death and the belief that the soul has a birth, but no death. In doing so Swami Abhedananda who cherished the deepest love and respect for Christ, as is evident in many of his other writings such as, “Was Christ a Yogi” (from the book How to be a Yogi?), was striving to place before his American audience, higher and more rational Vedantic concepts surrounding life beyond the grave, which have been thoroughly researched by the yogi’s of India over thousands of years. -
Sri Ramakrishna, Modern Spirit, and Religion
SWAMI PRABHAVANANDA RELIGION AND PHILOSOPHY Sri Ramakrishna, Modern Spirit, and Religion SWAMI PRABHAVANANDA mongst the students of religion who men alive. Yet the state of samàdhi still are acquainted with the life of Sri remained to him an abnormality. ARamakrishna, perhaps only a few In this connection one may also mention regard his life in all its phases as historically Professor Max Muller, and Romain Rolland, true. To these few, what appears to the rest biographers of Ramakrishna, and two of the as belonging to the class of legend and greatest thinkers of our age. They were mythology becomes living spiritual truth. To attracted to and admired the superior spiritual them even the lives of Krishna, Buddha, or genius of the man Ramakrishna, yet viewed Christ which seem lost in the mist of myth many of the incidents of his life as legendary, and legend become true and living in the and some of his spiritual experiences as light of the life of Ramakrishna. But apart delusions, or mental aberrations. from these few, however, to most people Let us, therefore, analyse why there is who have drunk deep of the modern spirit, this contradiction in the estimation of who refuse to accept anything as true which Ramakrishna; why he is accepted as a is beyond the realm of their personal spiritual genius by those very people who at discoveries and thus are circumscribed by the same time reject some of the most their own limitations, much that is told of Sri important experiences of his life— Ramakrishna’s life appears as legendary, experiences which made him what he was. -
THE SERMON on the MOUNT According to VEDANTA Other MENTOR Titles of Related Interest
\" < 'y \ A MENTOR BOOK 1 ,wami \ « r a m A |a fascinating Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2017 with funding from Public.Resource.Org https://archive.org/details/sermononmountaccOOprab 66Like Krishna and Buddha, Christ did not preach a mere ethical or social gos¬ pel hut an uncompromisingly spiritual one. He declared that God can be seen, that divine perfection can be achieved. In order that men might attain this su¬ preme goal of existence, he taught the renunciation of worldliness, the con¬ templation of God, and the purification of the heart through the love of God. These simple and profound truths, stated repeatedly in the Sermon on the Mount, constitute its underlying theme9 as I shall try to show in the pages to followr —from the Introduction by Swami Prabhavananda THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT according to VEDANTA Other MENTOR Titles of Related Interest □ SHAN KARA'S CREST-JEWEL OF DISCRIMINA¬ TION translated by Swami Prabhavananda and Christopher Ssherwood. The philosophy of the great Indian philosopher and saint, Shankara. Its implications for the man of today are sought out in the Introduction, (#MY1054—$1.25) □ THE SONG OF GOD: RHAGAVAD-GITA translated by Swami Prabhavananda and Christopher Isher- wood. A distinguished translation of the Gospel of Hinduism, one of the great religious classics of the world. Introduction by Aldous Huxley. Appen¬ dices. (#MY1425—$1.25) □ THE UPAN5SHAD8: BREATH OF THE ETERNAL translated by Swam! Prabhavananda and Freder¬ ick Manchester. Here is the wisdom of the Hindu mystics in principal texts selected and translated from the original Sanskrit. (#MY1424—$1.25) □ HOW TO KNOW GOD: THE YOGA APHORISMS OF PATANJALI translated with Commentary by Swami Prabhavananda and Christopher Isher- wood. -
SWAMI YOGANANDA and the SELF-REALIZATION FELLOWSHIP a Successful Hindu Countermission to the West
STATEMENT DS213 SWAMI YOGANANDA AND THE SELF-REALIZATION FELLOWSHIP A Successful Hindu Countermission to the West by Elliot Miller The earliest Hindu missionaries to the West were arguably the most impressive. In 1893 Swami Vivekananda (1863 –1902), a young disciple of the celebrated Hindu “avatar” (manifestation of God) Sri Ramakrishna (1836 –1886), spoke at the World’s Parliament of Religions in Chicago and won an enthusiastic American following with his genteel manner and erudite presentation. Over the next few years, he inaugurated the first Eastern religious movement in America: the Vedanta Societies of various cities, independent of one another but under the spiritual leadership of the Ramakrishna Order in India. In 1920 a second Hindu missionary effort was launched in America when a comparably charismatic “neo -Vedanta” swami, Paramahansa Yogananda, was invited to speak at the International Congress of Religious Liberals in Boston, sponsored by the Unitarian Church. After the Congress, Yogananda lectured across the country, spellbinding audiences with his immense charm and powerful presence. In 1925 he established the headquarters for his Self -Realization Fellowship (SRF) in Los Angeles on the site of a former hotel atop Mount Washington. He was the first Eastern guru to take up permanent residence in the United States after creating a following here. NEO-VEDANTA: THE FORCE STRIKES BACK Neo-Vedanta arose partly as a countermissionary movement to Christianity in nineteenth -century India. Having lost a significant minority of Indians (especially among the outcast “Untouchables”) to Christianity under British rule, certain adherents of the ancient Advaita Vedanta school of Hinduism retooled their religion to better compete with Christianity for the s ouls not only of Easterners, but of Westerners as well. -
Abhedananda's Interpretation Of
ABHEDANANDA’S INTERPRETATION OF NEO - VEDANTA Thesis Submitted to Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, Kalady, for the Award of the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN SANSKRIT VEDANTA DIVYA N. K. DEPARTMENT OF SANSKRIT VEDANTA FACULTY OF INDIAN METAPHYSICS SREE SANKARACHARYA UNIVERSITY OF SANSKRIT KALADY – 2017. Dr. K. REMADEVI AMMA Professor, Department of Vedanta, Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, Kalady, Kerala, 683574. CERTIFICATE This is to certify that, this thesis entitled “ABHEDANANDA’S INTERPRETATION OF NEO-VEDANTA” submitted for the award of the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of Sanskrit Vedanta, Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, Kalady, is an authentic record of research work carried out by Mrs. Divya N. K. under my guidance and supervision. KALADY, Date:16/ 11/ 2017. Dr. K. REMADEVI AMMA DECLARATION I, Divya N.K., Research Scholar, Department of Sanskrit Vedanta, Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, Kalady, do hereby declare that the present thesis entitled ‘ABHEDANANDA’S INTERPRETATION OF NEO-VEDANTA’, submitted for the award of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Sanskrit Vedanta is a record of bonafide research carried out by me. It is also declared that this has not previously been formed, in part or full, the basis for the award of any Degree, Diploma or fellowship or any other similar title. KALADY, DIVYA N.K. Date :16/ 11/ 2017. PREFACE The base of Indian culture and heritage is the unity in diversity or the oneness and this is its uniqueness. This unity in diversity, brotherhood, religious tolerance and national integrity are the pillars of Indian heritage. West Bengal is the most gifted land of India as it gave birth to many great leaders in almost all the fields, for example in the field of social reformation it was Rajaram Mohan Roy who is also known as the maker of Modern India, in the field of spiritual reformation and awakening it was Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Vivekananda and so on, in the field of literature and arts it was Rabindranath Tagore, Bankim Chandra Chatterjee and others. -
The Greatness of Misery
The Greatness of Misery Swami Chetanananda People generally love joyful stories with happy endings. But human life consists of happiness and misery, comedy and tragedy. Even when divine beings take human forms, they must obey this law of maya. Because happiness and misery are inevitable in human life, avatars accept this fact but are not affected by it. Most of the time, their minds dwell in their divine nature, which is above the pairs of opposites. They take human birthto teach ordinary people how to face problems and suffering, maintain peace and harmony, and experience divine bliss by leading a God-‐‑centred life. In every age, when religion declines and irreligion prevails, avatars come to reestablish the eternal religion. But they do not come alone. They are aended by their spiritual companions: For example, Ramachandra came with Sita, Krishna with Radha, Buddha with Yashodhara, Chaitanya with Vishnupriya, and Ramakrishna with Sarada. As the birds cannot fly with one wing, so avatars are accompanied by their Shakti, theirfemale counterpart. These spiritual consorts carry the avatar’s spiritual message and serve as an inspiration for others. Sita suffered throughout her life; and she taught how to forbear suffering by keeping her mind in herbeloved Rama. Radha tried to forget her pain of separation from Krishnaby focussing on her longing and passion for him. When Buddha left, Yashodhara was grief-‐‑stricken. She raised their son and led a nun’s life in the palace. She forgot her pain by practising renunciation and thinking of the impermanency of the world. Vishnupriya accepted Chaitanya’s wish to be a monk, releasing her husband to be a world teacher. -
Sri Ramakrishna & His Disciples in Orissa
Preface Pilgrimage places like Varanasi, Prayag, Haridwar and Vrindavan have always got prominent place in any pilgrimage of the devotees and its importance is well known. Many mythological stories are associated to these places. Though Orissa had many temples, historical places and natural scenic beauty spot, but it did not get so much prominence. This may be due to the lack of connectivity. Buddhism and Jainism flourished there followed by Shaivaism and Vainavism. After reading the lives of Sri Chaitanya, Sri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother and direct disciples we come to know the importance and spiritual significance of these places. Holy Mother and many disciples of Sri Ramakrishna had great time in Orissa. Many are blessed here by the vision of Lord Jagannath or the Master. The lives of these great souls had shown us a way to visit these places with spiritual consciousness and devotion. Unless we read the life of Sri Chaitanya we will not understand the life of Sri Ramakrishna properly. Similarly unless we study the chapter in the lives of these great souls in Orissa we will not be able to understand and appreciate the significance of these places. If we go on pilgrimage to Orissa with same spirit and devotion as shown by these great souls, we are sure to be benefited spiritually. This collection will put the light on the Orissa chapter in the lives of these great souls and will inspire the devotees to read more about their lives in details. This will also help the devotees to go to pilgrimage in Orissa and strengthen their devotion. -
Was Swami Vivekananda a Hindu Supremacist? Revisiting a Long-Standing Debate
religions Article Was Swami Vivekananda a Hindu Supremacist? Revisiting a Long-Standing Debate Swami Medhananda y Program in Philosophy, Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Educational and Research Institute, West Bengal 711202, India; [email protected] I previously published under the name “Ayon Maharaj”. In February 2020, I was ordained as a sannyasin¯ of y the Ramakrishna Order and received the name “Swami Medhananda”. Received: 13 June 2020; Accepted: 13 July 2020; Published: 17 July 2020 Abstract: In the past several decades, numerous scholars have contended that Swami Vivekananda was a Hindu supremacist in the guise of a liberal preacher of the harmony of all religions. Jyotirmaya Sharma follows their lead in his provocative book, A Restatement of Religion: Swami Vivekananda and the Making of Hindu Nationalism (2013). According to Sharma, Vivekananda was “the father and preceptor of Hindutva,” a Hindu chauvinist who favored the existing caste system, denigrated non-Hindu religions, and deviated from his guru Sri Ramakrishna’s more liberal and egalitarian teachings. This article has two main aims. First, I critically examine the central arguments of Sharma’s book and identify serious weaknesses in his methodology and his specific interpretations of Vivekananda’s work. Second, I try to shed new light on Vivekananda’s views on Hinduism, religious diversity, the caste system, and Ramakrishna by building on the existing scholarship, taking into account various facets of his complex thought, and examining the ways that his views evolved in certain respects. I argue that Vivekananda was not a Hindu supremacist but a cosmopolitan patriot who strove to prepare the spiritual foundations for the Indian freedom movement, scathingly criticized the hereditary caste system, and followed Ramakrishna in championing the pluralist doctrine that various religions are equally capable of leading to salvation. -
The Yoga Aphorisms of Patanjali
The Yoga Aphorisms of Patanjai TRANSLATED WITH A NEW COMMENTARY BY SWAMI PRABirtA ANDA AND CHRISTOPHER 0 . SI AMAKISA MA 1 SI AMAKISA MA OA MYAOE MAAS - IIA PUBLISHED BY © THE PRESIDENT SRI RAMAKRISHNA MATH MADRAS-600 004 FIRST PUBLISHED , BY VEDANTA SOCIETY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2-MC 2 82 PRINTED IN INDIA PHOTOCOMPOSED AT AUROPHOTOSE'TTERS, PONDICHERRY rntd t O O OSE ESS, Mdr2 UISES O E It th rt plr tht prnt t r rdr th Indn Edtn f t n Gd b S rbhvnnd. h Enlh trnltn f tnjl Y Str rnll pblhd b th dnt St, Sthrn Clfrn fr th bnft f Wtrn rdr h d nt n Snrt nd t r ntrtd n Indn phl hh plb th dpth f th hn nd. S rbhvnnd h h t h rdt h ld xptn `Srd hvd Gt, th d f Gd, `rd f vn v nd th Srn n th Mnt rdn t dnt h tn pl pn n th b t prnt th phlph nd prt f Y n nnthnl, ptdt phrl tht n b ndrtd nd njd b ll nrn nd. r th bnft f r Indn rdr hv ddd l th txt f tnjl Str n vnr. W r r tht th ll fnd th b nntl hlpfl n thr ptl prt. W r thnfl t S rbhv nndj nd th dnt St, Sthrn Clfrn fr nd prn t brn t th Indn dtn. Sr rhn Mth UISE Mdr600 004. CONTENTS Translators' Foreword The Yoga Aphorisms of Patanfali I YOGA A IS AIMS 1 II YOGA A IS ACICE 57 I OWES 112 Iv. -
VIVEKANANDA and the ART of MEMORY June 26, 1994 M. Ram Murty, FRSC1
VIVEKANANDA AND THE ART OF MEMORY June 26, 1994 M. Ram Murty, FRSC1 1. Episodes from Vivekananda’s life 2. Episodes from Ramakrishna’s life 3. Their memory power compared by Swami Saradananda 4. Other srutidharas from the past 5. The ancient art of memory 6. The laws of memory 7. The role of memory in daily life Episodes from Vivekananda’s life The human problem is one of memory. We have forgotten our divine nature. All the great teachers of the past have declared that the revival of the memory of our divinity is the paramount goal. Memory is a faculty and as such, it is neither good nor bad. Every action that we do, every thought that we think, leaves an indelible trail of memory. Whether we remember or not, the contents are recorded and affect our daily life. Therefore, an awareness of this faculty and its method of operation is vital for healthy existence. Properly employed, it leads us to enlightenment; abused or misused, it can torment us. So we must learn to use it properly, to strengthen it for our own improvement. In studying the life of Vivekananda, we come across many phenomenal examples of his amazing faculty of memory. In ‘Reminiscences of Swami Vivekananda,’ Haripada Mitra relates the following story: One day, in the course of a talk, Swamiji quoted verbatim some two or three pages from Pickwick Papers. I wondered at this, not understanding how a sanyasin could get by heart so much from a secular book. I thought that he must have read it quite a number of times before he took orders. -
Polyclinic News
Volume:-11, No. 5 Dec. 16 to Jan. 17 “They alone live who live for others. The rest are more dead than alive.” Polyclinic News Ramakrishna Mission Sevashrama, Lucknow, runs the Vivekananda Polyclinic & Institute of Medical Sciences, a 350 bedded multi-speciality community hospital with the objective of providing quality healthcare at the lowest cost to all patients and to provide charity services to deserving patients from the lower socio-economic strata. Upgradation of Equipment in Physiotherapy: The Physiotherapy Department of Vivekananda Polyclinic & Institute of Medical Sciences (VPIMS), Lucknow has been continuously upgrading its equipment profile and has procured 02 Multi-channel Microprocessor Based TENS and 02 Hydro collator Machine (8 Packs large size) manufactured by Rapid Electro Med. The machines were inaugurated on 21st December 2017 by Swami Muktinathananda, the Secretary of the Institute. Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) are predominately used for nerve related pain conditions (acute and chronic conditions). TENS machines works by sending stimulating pulses across the surface of the skin and along the nerve strands. The stimulating pulses help prevent pain signals from reaching the brain. Tens devices also stimulate the body to produce higher levels of its own natural painkillers, called "Endorphins". It can be used for pain relief in several types of illness and conditions such as Osteoarthritis, acute lumbar and cervical pain, tendinitis and bursitis. Hydro Collator is a stationary or mobile stainless steel thermo statistically controlled water heating device designed to 0 heat silica field packs in water up to 160 C. The packs are removed and wrapped in several layers of towel and applied to the affected part of the body. -
Why I Became a Hindu
Why I became a Hindu Parama Karuna Devi published by Jagannatha Vallabha Vedic Research Center Copyright © 2018 Parama Karuna Devi All rights reserved Title ID: 8916295 ISBN-13: 978-1724611147 ISBN-10: 1724611143 published by: Jagannatha Vallabha Vedic Research Center Website: www.jagannathavallabha.com Anyone wishing to submit questions, observations, objections or further information, useful in improving the contents of this book, is welcome to contact the author: E-mail: [email protected] phone: +91 (India) 94373 00906 Please note: direct contact data such as email and phone numbers may change due to events of force majeure, so please keep an eye on the updated information on the website. Table of contents Preface 7 My work 9 My experience 12 Why Hinduism is better 18 Fundamental teachings of Hinduism 21 A definition of Hinduism 29 The problem of castes 31 The importance of Bhakti 34 The need for a Guru 39 Can someone become a Hindu? 43 Historical examples 45 Hinduism in the world 52 Conversions in modern times 56 Individuals who embraced Hindu beliefs 61 Hindu revival 68 Dayananda Saraswati and Arya Samaj 73 Shraddhananda Swami 75 Sarla Bedi 75 Pandurang Shastri Athavale 75 Chattampi Swamikal 76 Narayana Guru 77 Navajyothi Sree Karunakara Guru 78 Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha 79 Ramakrishna Paramahamsa 79 Sarada Devi 80 Golap Ma 81 Rama Tirtha Swami 81 Niranjanananda Swami 81 Vireshwarananda Swami 82 Rudrananda Swami 82 Swahananda Swami 82 Narayanananda Swami 83 Vivekananda Swami and Ramakrishna Math 83 Sister Nivedita