Article Sri Ramakrishna and the Pilgrimage Mindset SWAMI CHIDEKANANDA (Continued from the previous issue…) n the previous issue we saw, in the light of Sri Ramakrishna’s teachings, 1) detrimental for spiritual aspirants who wish to Iwhy places of pilgrimage especially experience a spiritual transformation during manifest the presence of god and 2) the necessity for cultivating a pre-pilgrimage mind- have a spirit of devotion; we must also cultivate set prior to visiting holy sites. By cultivating the vyakulata or intense spiritual yearning, as well pre-pilgrimage mind-set before visiting places as a devotional focus and introspective mind- of pilgrimage, spiritual aspirants are able to set. Understanding this necessity, Sri Rama- build a momentum krishna would develop “a toward a mood and an intros- before entering a place For one who is endowed with February 2020 pective mind-set. This devotion, devotion increases with of pilgrimage. Swami mind-set, in turn, helps Saradananda writes, “The 41 pilgrims to counter the Master told us many times external and internal that he visited each holy distractions in places of pilgrimage, and also 3. helps them to “easily become spiritually Sri Ramakrishna would often say sadhan korte awakened.”1 In this issue we will discuss the hoy, ar ekta kono bhav ashray korte hoy, “One practical application of the pre-pilgrimage must do spiritual practices and also take refuge PAGE SPONSOR : SRI DHARAM VIR mind-setSETH, DEHRADUN in the light of the teachings of Sri The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta Ramakrishna, Sri Sarada Devi, and Swami However, the problem for spiritual Vivekananda. aspirants is that Sri Ramakrishna does not As already discussed, Sri Ramakrishna further elaBorate on how to cultivate this before embarking on a pilgrimage emphasised the importance of cultivating a spirit of elements for cultivating a pre-pilgrimage mind- devotion: “For one who is endowed with set. Moreover, his own mind—as he himself put it—was like a “dry matchstick”4 in that it could of holy places. And as for one who does not easily ascend towards the Divine at the have that, what will he gain?”2 In the previous slightest stimulation. But Sri Ramakrishna’s issue, we discussed how external distractions extraordinary state of mind is simply too high like the presence of ‘lust and greed’ in places of an ideal for the majority of spiritual aspirants pilgrimage, and internal distractions like the to emulate. The author is a sannyasi of the Ramakrishna Order and is serving at Advaita Ashrama, Kolkata. [email protected] In this re Sister Nivedita records that three months practical, down-to-earth advice in Swami prior to their pilgrimage to Amarnath, Swami Vivekananda’s “practical training”5 to Margaret Noble (Sister Nivedita’s pre-monastic name), Almora—to prepare Nivedita for her impending prior to their journey to Amarnath in 1898.6 journey. In his discussions with her, though Swamiji’s advice can help all spiritual aspirants Swamiji covered the entire landscape of India’s to cultivate a pre-pilgrimage mindset. His historical and spiritual heritage, he especially instructions were especially helpful to Margaret emphasised the mythology of Uma and Shiva. Noble as she had only arrived in India on 28 Nivedita describes Swamiji’s teachings on Shiva and Uma in Almora as intensely dualistic and trip to Amarnath—and possessed very little devotional at times: “In the mornings, we still knowledge of the history, culture, and spiritual had long talks...on the history of Siva-worship... heritage of India. Swamiji’s pre-pilgrimage Another day coming at sunrise when the snows training of Sister Nivedita consisted of a four- could Be seen, dawn-lighted from the garden, it step process. First, he prepared her mind for was Siva and Uma on whom he dwelt—and that the pilgrimage By spending countless hours was Siva up there, the white snow-pikes, and discussing the historical, cultural, mythological, the light that fell upon Him was the Mother of the World!” However— at times—when Amarnath, including Shaktism, Shaivism, and Swamiji’s mind soared to the Absolute realm, February 2020 Advaita Vedanta. He also removed hidden he described Shiva not as the personal God or cultural and religious biases within her mind as the inner-controller (antaryamin) but as the 42 which would have prevented her from all-pervading Divine Consciousness. She assimilating the spirituality of Shiva and Uma, records, “For a thought on which at this time he and in a broader sense, the spiritual heritage of was dwelling much was that God is the India. Second, for this trip Swamiji chose a universe—not within it or outside it and not particular spiritual theme for Margaret Noble, the universe God or the image of God—but He 7 which was compatiBle with her nature, it, and the All.” upbringing and spiritual disposition. Third, The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta By Sri Ramakrishna’s teachings on vijnana, a (Swamiji) and the student (Nivedita) separately state in which he realised that Brahman “has 8 withdrew from external activities into become the universe and its living beings” or meditation, and contemplated upon the place Brahma satyam Jagat satyam, Brahman is real 9 and the Universe is real. In addition, he says that this realm of vijnana can only Be eve of their pilgrimage, she distributed alms 10 and secured the blessings of local sadhus. souls and not By jivakotis, bound souls. Sri Ramakrishna considered Narendranath, later Let us now examine each of these four Swami Vivekananda, to be an Ishvarakoti.11 stages in greater detail. Sister Nivedita had an intellectual and First stage: Removing cultural and philosophical bent of mind, and hence it was religious Biases and acquiring historical, important for her to learn aBout Shiva from the cultural, mythological, and spiritual knowledge different philosophical standpoints. She further of the pilgrim centre to be visited. explained that Swamiji did not merely restrict his teachings to the spiritual: “But it was not which country she Belonged”, She religion only that he poured out upon us. described her own “passion of loyalty and Sometimes it would be history. Again, it would be folk-lore.”12 giving it much of the feeling Apart from all the knowledge Swamiji that an Indian woman Anyone who wants imparted to Margaret Noble, the devotional and would give to her Chosen to assimilate the Deity.”14 Understanding her spiritual fervour with which he conveyed this spirituality of India attachment, Swamiji was knowledge left a tremendous impression upon must understand her. He did not merely convey dry knowledge; keen to remove this Bias the link between its instead, he injected his own bhava or subtle from her mind, as he knew spiritual emotion and feelings for Shiva and that it would be an culture and its Uma into his teachings. She describes Swamiji’s impediment for Both her spirituality. deep love for Shiva at this time: “He had a spiritual life as well as for surpassing love for Mahadeva…[the] very air of her future work in India. the Himalaya was charged for him with the Unwilling to “tolerate blindness of half-views image of that ‘eternal meditation’ that no and prejudices born out of ignorance”, Swamiji thought of pleasure could break….[H]e “pointed out errors in her judgements and even understood...the meaning of the nature-story scolded her”: “Really, patriotism like yours is that made the Ganges fall on the head of the sin!” 15 She continued, “These morning talks at Great God, and wander in and out amongst His Almora, then, took the form of assaults upon February 2020 matted locks, before she found an outlet on the deep-rooted preconceptions—social, literary plains Below. He had searched long for the and artistic — or of long comparisons of Indian 43 words that the rivers and waterfalls uttered and European history and sentiments, often amongst the mountains, before he had realised containing extended observations of very great that it was the eternal cry ‘Bom! Bom! Hara! value. But he had revealed a different Hara!’”13 Nivedita, being a competent spiritual standpoint in thought and feeling, so aspirant, was able to receive this transmission completely and so strongly as to make it of spiritual emotion. This had the effect of impossible for her to rest, until later, By her PAGE SPONSOR : A DEVOTEE, MISSION RD., BENGALURU making Shiva and Uma come alive in the heart own laBours, she had arrived at a view in which Kesari The Vedanta and mind of Nivedita, during the trip and both these partial resentments stood afterwards as well (a point we shall discuss in rationalized and accounted for.’16 the next article). Fortunately, Swami Swarupananda, a Next, Swamiji removed the hidden brother-disciple, helped Nivedita to understand cultural Biases aBout India from Margaret Swamiji’s ideas. His elucidation “helped her to Noble’s mind. Anyone who wants to assimilate understand the atmosphere in which they lived. the spirituality of India must understand the He formed a sort of link between her Master’s link between its culture and its spirituality. mind and her own, and Nivedita was grateful to When British citizens visited British-ruled India him for all he did for her. He taught her the Gita, in the 19th century, it was natural for them to asked her to offer her past at the feet of feel ethnically and culturally superior to the Ishwara. From him she learnt to meditate.”17 colonised India. Margaret Noble initially had such cultural Biases to some extent. After Swami Vivekananda was keen to remove the initiation when Swamiji “asked her now to hidden western cultural biases within Nivedita’s mind, which would otherwise mythological, cultural, and spiritual—aBout the prevent her from assimilating the essence of pilgrimage site beforehand and then attempt to Uma and Shiva, and in a wider sense, the convert this knowledge into love in their heart spirituality of India.