nd 102 Price: ` 10 Year of Publication The Kesari THE LION OF VEDANTA A Cultural and Spiritual Monthly of the Order since 1914

Swami ’s statue at Ashrama, Sargacchi, West Bengal

March 2015 's Timeless Wisdom

Trees laden with fruits bow down. Clouds full of water at the beginning of rainy season come down and down. The good persons remain humble even in prosperity, because this is the very nature of those who are disposed

Editor: Swami Atmashraddhananda Managing Editor: Swami Gautamananda Printed and published by Swami Vimurtananda on behalf of Sri Trust fromThe No.31, RamakrishnaV edanta K Mathesari Road, ~ 2 Mylapore, ~ MARCH Chennai–4 2015 and Printed at Sri Ramakrishna Printing Press, No.31 Ramakrishna Math Road, Mylapore, Chennai–4. Ph: 044–24621110 The Vedanta Kesari 102nd Year of Publication VOL. 102, No. 3 ISSN 0042-2983

A CULTURAL AND SPIRITUAL MONTHLY OF THE Started at the instance of 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

MARCH 2015

Gita Verse for Reflection 85 Editorial  The Glorious ‘Present’ Moment 86 Articles  A Few Women Disciples of Swami Vivekananda 94 Prema Nandakumar  Bringing Vedanta into Daily life 99 Swami Abhiramananda  Down the Memory Line—The First Centenary Celebration of Sri Ramakrishna’s Birth 102 Swami Sambuddhananda  Five Pointers for Good Governance: Swami Vivekananda’s Ideas and the Politics of Our Times 109 Sandipan Sen Compilation  Insights into Some Keywords: In Swami Vivekananda’s Words 106 New Find  Unpublished Letters of Swami 107  114 Alice Mary Longfellow The Order on the March 11 7 Book Reviews 11 9 Feature  Simhâvalokanam (Swami Akhandananda) 90

Cover Story: Page 6 The V edanta K esari 4 MARCH 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

TO OUR SUBSCRIBERS

 You can subscribe to The Vedanta reaching us before this or after one Kesari from any month. month (for overseas subscriptions,  On your address slip, the number two months) of posting of the jour- on the left of the first line of add- nal are not entertained. ress is your subscription-number.  To ensure continuity, please renew your Always mention this in your corres- subscription well in advance. pondence.  For fresh subscriptions, renewals, plac-  If you do not receive your ing advertisements in The Vedanta copy by 2nd week of a month, Kesari, please write to The Manager, please intimate us. Complaints The Vedanta Kesari Office.

Vedanta Kesari Subscription Annual 3 Years 5 Years 10 Years Rates (inclusive of postage)  India Rs.100 Rs.290 Rs.475 Rs.1000  Other Countries All overseas dispatch by Air Mail. Rs.1500 Rs.4500 Rs.7500 --- Please send your subscription to The Manager, The Vedanta Kesari by DD/MO drawn in favour of Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai. Payments / donations can be made Online using your Master or Visa Cards. For Online subscription rates, please visit our Website.

We invite our readers to liberally contribute to the Vedanta Kesari Permanent Fund. This will go a long way in placing this 100 years old magazine on firm financial footing to continue its service to the cause of a holistic and meaning- ful life. Your contributions (minimum of Rs.1000/- or US$ 25) by Cheque/DD/ MO should be sent to Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai, along with a covering note stating that it is meant for Vedanta Kesari Permanent Fund. Every contribution will be gratefully acknowledged and the donor’s name will be pub- lished in the Vedanta Kesari. All donations to Sri Ramakrishna Math are exempt from Income Tax under section 80G of the [Indian] I.T. Act, 1961. We accept online donations also. The V edanta K esari 5 MARCH 2015 The V edanta K esari 6 MARCH 2015

N Cover Story N Swami Akhandananda’s Statue at Sargachhi Ashrama Swami Akhandanandaji Maharaj (1864-1937) was a direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna and the third President of the Ramakrishna Math and Mission. On 23 December, 2006, Swami Atmasthanandaji (now the President of the Ramakrishna Math and Mission) unveiled the statue of Swami Akhandanandaji at Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama, Sargachhi (in the Murshidabad district of West Bengal) and inaugurated the Ashrama’s newly renovated campus at Mahula (three km from Sargachhi Ashrama) where Swami Akhandanandaji Maharaj had stayed for eleven months and organized the first relief operations of the Ramakrishna Mission. Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama at Sargachhi, started in 1897 by Swami Akhandanandaji, is the oldest centre of the Ramakrishna Mission. It runs a number of charitable, educational and welfare of activities such as a high school, 3 units of junior basic school, a residential junior basic teachers’ training institute, two hostels, 7 free coaching centres, 6 libraries with reading rooms, a charitable allopathic-cum-homoeopathic dispensary, a mobile medical unit, and so on. (Also see page 90 of this issue) o

The Vedanta Kesari Patrons’ Scheme We invite our readers to join as patrons of the magazine. They can do so by sending Rs.2000/- or more. Names of the patrons will be announced in the journal under the Patrons' Scheme and they will receive the magazine for 20 years. Please send your contribution to The Manager, The Vedanta Kesari by DD/MO drawn in favour of Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai with a note that the enclosed amount is for the Patrons' Scheme. (This scheme is valid in India only).

PATRON DONORS

706. Mr. Janarthana Reddy Poonur, Mr. G. Keswani Krishnan, Mumbai Rs. 1000 Chennai A Devotee, Coimbatore Rs. 5000 The Vedanta Kesari Library Scheme

SL.NO. NAMES OF SPONSORS AWARDEE INSTITUTIONS 5836. Ms. Anupama, Chennai SRM Easwari Engineering College, Ramapuram, Chennai–600 089 5837. -do- Indian Institute of Management, Ahmadabad, Gujarat–380 015 5838. Mrs. G. Sarojamma, Bangalore Government Medical College, Surat, Gujarat–395 001 5839. Mr. Digvijay Gajapathi Tanjore District Libarary, Tanjore, T.N.–613 001 5840. Mr. Ramakrishna Baba Poludasu, A.P. Sankalchand Patel College, Mehsana, Gujarat–384 315 5841. -do- Govt. Junior College, Andhra Pradesh–508 258 5842. Mr. K. Prabakar, Hyderabad Sri Sathya Sai Loka Seva P.U. College, Bantwal Taluk, D.K. 574 235 To be continued . . . The Vedanta Kesari

VOL. 102, No. 3, MARCH 2015 ISSN 0042-2983 EACH SOUL IS POTENTIALLY DIVINE. T HE GOAL IS TO MANIFEST THE DIVINITY WITHIN.

7

Gita Verse for Reflection Tr. by Swami Tapasyananda

—, 12-5 The obstacles facing those devoted to the Impersonal Absolute are far greater; for the way of an unclear ideal is difficult for an embodied being (the body-centred man) to understand or follow. B

When we come to that non-attachment, then we can understand the marvellous mystery of the universe; how it is intense activity and vibration, and at the same time intensest peace and calm; how it is work every moment and rest every moment. That is the mystery of the universe—the impersonal and personal in one, the infinite and finite in one. Then we shall find the secret. ‘He who finds in the midst of intense activity the greatest rest, and in the midst of the greatest rest intense activity, he has become a Yogi.’ He alone is a real worker, none else. We do a little work and break ourselves. Why? We become attached to that work. If we do not become attached, side by side with it we have infinite rest. —Swami Vivekananda, CW, 1.443

The V edanta K esari ~ 85 ~ MARCH 2015 Editorial

The Glorious ‘Present’ Moment

The Three Tenses seems to pass before us, little caring about Past, present and future—mind moves such inner checks. Cautioning against this in three tenses or moments of time. We live tendency, Adi Shankaracharya, in his famous in time and time consists of these three. Some Bhaja Govindam, says, people are so engaged with the images of Childhood skips off in sport and play. Youth past or future that one finds them, in their flies off in pursuits of love-making. As one grows quiet moments, talking to themselves— older he is drowned in worry about the security arguing, appreciating, contradicting, chiding and future of his wife and children. One’s whole or encouraging the invisible people, or the life gets spent in some kind of worry or other. situations arising out of such interactions. They And at no stage does man find time to lift his live in the company of past or future, swinging thoughts to God. between the two. Though present in the present One can think of God, or the divinity moment, they are actually living in the past or within, only if one frees oneself from the future. burden of past-future combine. Or is it that Past, present and future, in reality, are one should think of the ever-present reality of three modes of thinking. All thinking takes divinity in order to be free from the past-future place in time. We think of past, reflect over combine! what happened, regret or feel elated, sigh at the days gone by, mull over the things that Why This? occurred. Or think of the future—imagining Why are we so attached to these two, what will happen, visualizing ourselves in leaving aside the present moment? The main various situations or with people and objects reason is our attachment to sense objects and places, feeling happy or anxious about and desires. Our ordinary life is a bundle of them. Past and future, most of our time is sensory experiences. We eat, drink, sleep, spent thinking about them. bathe, dress up, walk up, and interact with What about the present moment? There people and so on. But our experiences do not is a fascinating fact about the present moment. end here. They go deep into our minds, forging While everything happens in present and a mental bond, a kind of like and dislike for later becomes past or will determine future, what we experience. Called in Sanskrit Raga we hardly pay attention to it. The present is and Dvesha, like and dislike—or attraction a much neglected moment. So busy with past and aversion, or feeling attached to the and future we are, engulfed with the thoughts pleasant and repulsed with unpleasant—keep of past events or building castles about future, us occupied with our past and future. The that we lose hold over the present. Nor do stronger the likes and dislikes, the greater we question this tendency of ours. We are is our preoccupation with them—recalling generally busy with activities, with whatever the past experiences and seeking or fiddling

The V edanta K esari ~ 86 ~ MARCH 2015 9 with future possibilities. And greater is the born in any country in the world, who has not suffering. been told, ‘Do not steal’, ‘Do not tell a lie’, but Man is in search of something—always. nobody tells the child how he can help doing Sometimes called happiness, sometimes them. Talking will not help him. Why should peace, sometimes fulfillment, sometimes inner he not become a thief? We do not teach him satisfaction, man is in constant search of it in how not to steal; we simply tell him, ‘Do not various ways. Irrespective of what he does for steal.’ Only when we teach him to control his mind do we really help him. All actions, internal a living or what he has studied or not studied, and external, occur when the mind joins itself irrespective of all religions, castes, climes and to certain centres, called the organs. Willingly countries, it is this happiness that man (which or unwillingly it is drawn to join itself to the includes woman) wants. But such is the irony centres, and that is why people do foolish deeds of life that while we seek happiness, we do and feel miserable, which, if the mind were not wish to work for it; we want it to ‘happen’ under control, they would not do. What would irrespective of what we do or do not do. be the result of controlling the mind? It then Somehow, we think, happiness should come to would not join itself to the centres of perception, us. We should not become unhappy. But how and, naturally, feeling and willing would be does ‘true’ happiness come? By obeying the under control. It is clear so far. Is it possible? It is universal laws of goodness, love and sacrifice perfectly possible.2 for the good of others is what brings lasting So, controlling the mind, or inner centres happiness. Temporary moments of pleasure of perception, is what gives us strength and do not bring lasting happiness. True happiness ability to follow the true pursuit of happiness. must have a lasting source and that source lies It frees the mind from the slavery of lower in calming and controlling the mind. Or else tendencies and one develops inner strength. we continue to chase the dream of happiness But achieving it requires inner and outer ignoring the laws of happiness that govern it. training. We need to be present in the present Selfishness, greed, anger and the likes cannot and take charge of our lives. make us truly happy. Swami Vivekananda says, Being in the Present Man thinks foolishly that he can make himself Being in the present moment is indeed a happy, and after years of struggle finds out glorious thing to do. For, in Swamiji’s words, at last that true happiness consists in killing ‘we are what our thoughts have made us; selfishness and that no one can make him happy so take care of what you think.’ We need to 1 except himself. let go what happened. Regret never changes That is fine. But why do we, despite things. We should learn our lessons, and learn knowing this simple fact, fail to practice them well, and move on. There is no good in unselfishness! Are we carried away by our thinking about the past. The more we think of whims, as it were? Swamiji points out that a thing, the more we get caught in it. unless we learn the art and the science of self- To be in the present is to be alert and in control, our desire to be unselfish will only living in the most real reality. Past is a foregone remain just a pious wish. He says, reality and future is yet to become real. It is We hear ‘Be good’, and ‘Be good’, and ‘Be good’, present alone which is practically real. So, taught all over the world. There is hardly a child, one must live in the present. There are several

The V edanta K esari ~ 87 ~ MARCH 2015 10 aspects of living in the present, but let us He did so, and I said, ‘The road that is under discuss some of them here: your feet is the road that you have passed over 1. Being Active and Proactive. Present is the and is the same road that you see before you; it time for taking an initiative. We gain nothing by will soon be under your feet.’ The highest things regretting over the past. We should accept what are under your feet, because you are Divine has happened and move. Says Swamiji, Stars; all these things are under your feet. You can swallow the stars by the handful if you want; We are responsible for what we are; and such is your real nature. Be strong, get beyond all whatever we wish ourselves to be, we have the superstitions, and be free.4 power to make ourselves. If what we are now 3. Bringing Excellence in all that we do. To has been the result of our own past actions, it be present in the present is to be undistracted certainly follows that whatever we wish to be in in what one does and that is the secret of future can be produced by our present actions; so excellence. We must focus on what Swami we have to know how to act.3 Vivekananda says, ‘How to act’ starts from the present Power of mind arises from control of the moment. So let us live in the present and not forces of the body. The idea is to conserve and just act but have extra initiative to do what transform the physical energy into mental needs to be done. ‘A journey of thousand miles and spiritual energy. The great danger lies in starts from a single step’, said the Chinese spending the forces of the body in wanton and philosopher Lao Tzu. And that single step is reckless pleasures, and thus losing the retentive always taken in the present moment. faculties of the mind. Whatever you do, devote 2. Freedom from Anger, Greed—and your whole mind, heart and soul to it. I once Anxiety. Being angry is to live in past and to met a great sannyasi who would clean his brass be anxious is to live in future. One does not cooking vessels, making them shine like gold, become angry with something that has not with as much care and attention as he bestowed happened or become anxious about something on his worship and meditation.5 which has happened. Anger is about past and To bring our meditation or spiritual anxiety is about future. We often fret and fume practices and our physical-mundane activities and let out all our energy and time in useless to the same level of worship and nobility, we thinking and action. Instead of nursing our need to live in the present. This means making hurts and complaints in life, we should try working with concentration a habit in life. We to heal them and go forward in our life. Let should live a life of one-pointedness. us accept what comes and move on. Recalled 4. Being Cheerful: Naturally, when we Swami Vivekananda, live in the present, bereft of the thought of regret and worry, we live in a state of inner I was once travelling in the , and the long road stretched before us. We poor monks recollectedness. To be in the present moment cannot get any one to carry us, so we had to is essentially to be in a state of introspection. make all the way on foot. There was an old We then become less reactive to the negative man with us. The way goes up and down for or unpleasant things that anyway are a part hundreds of miles, and when that old monk saw of life. This means to take life in its stride; a what was before him, he said, ‘Oh sir, how to certain playful attitude towards life’s events, cross it; I cannot walk any more; my chest will learning to see the lighter side of life. This is a break.’ I said to him, ‘Look down at your feet.’ sign of inner progress. Points out Swamiji:

The V edanta K esari ~ 88 ~ MARCH 2015 11

‘The first sign that you are becoming religious her across the river. You have been carrying her is that you are becoming cheerful. When a man all day.’ is gloomy, that may be dyspepsia, but it is not The elder monk was unattached and learnt religion. A pleasurable feeling is the nature of the to live in the present. Having done what was Sattva. Everything is pleasurable to the Sattvika needed in a situation, he was completely man, and when this comes, know that you detached. We may have painful experiences in are progressing in Yoga. All pain is caused by the past. Why ruin the present by brooding over Tamas, so you must get rid of that; moroseness them? Let go. is one of the results of Tamas.6 Conclusion What if the present moment is far from Somehow, some people wish to remain being a source of cheers? Is painful and tragic! in the past. To them ‘giving up’ the past Can one be cheerful even then? Does not one amounts to giving up something precious they become heartless then? Being in the Eternal cannot live without. To give up the past does Present is not to deny the reality one is now not mean giving up the lessons that we learn but in asserting and focussing on the Eternal from our mistakes or to give up the sense of Reality of our being, the deathless, painless, fulfillment that our good actions bring to us. indestructible Atman within. Or being in the It simply means controlling the mind. Practice presence of the Eternal Lord of the Universe of living in the present is a form of Vairagya, whose will we learn to accept and resign. This avoiding all distractions and waywardness of self-surrender is not a state of inaction but a mind. In the words of Swami Vivekananda, state of self-responsibility and not of regret and Renunciation is what we want. I am passing pain-dwelling. It is dwelling on the God, and through a street, and a man comes and takes not on the world. away my watch. That is my own experience. I An interesting Buddhist story can be see it myself, and it immediately throws my recalled in this context: Chitta into a wave, taking the form of anger. Two monks were on a pilgrimage. One day, Allow not that to come. If you cannot prevent they came to a deep river. At the edge of the that, you are nothing; if you can, you have river, a young woman sat weeping, because she Vairagya. Again, the experience of the worldly- was afraid to cross the river without help. She minded teaches us that sense-enjoyments begged the two monks to help her. The younger are the highest ideal. These are tremendous monk turned his back. It was against the rule temptations. To deny them, and not allow the of monastic vows to even touch a woman. But mind to come to a wave form with regard to the older monk picked up the woman without them, is renunciation; to control the twofold a word and carried her across the river. He put motive powers arising from my own experience her down on the far side and continued his and from the experience of others, and thus journey. The younger monk came after him, prevent the Chitta from being governed by them, scolding him and berating him for breaking his is Vairagya. These should be controlled by me, vows. The elder monk said nothing and went on and not I by them. This sort of mental strength his way. Finally, at the end of the day, the older is called renunciation. Vairagya is the only way monk turned to the younger one. ‘I only carried to freedom.7 o References 1. CW 1.84 2. CW, 1.171 3. CW, 1.31 4. CW, 8.187 5. Life of Swami Vivekananda by His Eastern and Western Disciples, 1. 312 6. CW, 1.264 7. CW, 1.209

The V edanta K esari ~ 89 ~ MARCH 2015 Simhâvalokanam From the Archives of The Vedanta Kesari (October-November, 1978, p. 419-421)

Swami Akhandananda SWAMI TAPASYANANDA [Revered Gangadhar Maharaj, as Swami Akhandananda was more intimately known, perhaps came nearest to Swami Vivekananda’s ideal of a modern Sannyasin in that he combined scholarship and austerity in personal life with untiring service of the poor, the distressed and the diseased. The Swami has recorded some of the reminiscences of his daring and devoted life in Bengali under the title ‘Smriti Katha’. The Vedanta Kesari had the pleasure and privilege of serialising an English translation of these memoirs some years back. The translation is now being issued in book form by Sri Ramakrishna Math, Madras, under the title, ‘From Holy Wanderings to Service of God in Man’. The following article forms the introduction to the book.] Swami Akhandananda, whose reminiscences are recorded herein, was one of the sixteen direct Sannyasin disciples of Sri Ramakrishna. Gangadhar Ghatak, as he was known in his pre-monastic life, was born in 1864. He happened to meet the Great Master in 1883 at the young age of 19, and had the benefit of his holy company for more than three years till the Master’s demise in 1886. The story of his intimate contact with the Master and his spiritual development through that, are told in his own inimitable manner in the first chapter of this book. In the Master’s company, a transformation soon came over his views on religion. His deeply religious nature had till then expressed itself in his strict adherence to the rigorous rules of asceticism prescribed by Hindu orthodoxy. He bathed several times a day, ate only self-cooked food once, studied the Gita and other scriptures and practised meditation. Contact with the Master and association with Narendranath (later Swami Vivekananda) gradually rid him of this over-zealous orthodoxy in matters of bath and food, and made him concentrate more on the practice of meditation, renunciation and devotion. The story of his transformation is given in detail in the first section of this book dealing with his reminiscences of the days he spent with the Great Master. After the Master’s demise, he took to monastic life like the other young disciples of the Master, but did not stay long at the Baranagore monastery with them. On the other hand he took to the life of a wandering monk from February 1887. During this period he travelled extensively in the Himalayas and crossed over to thrice. Reference to his experiences

Note: 2014-15 marks the 150th Birth Anniversary of Swami Akhandananda (1864-1937), one of the direct disciples of Sri Ramakrishna.

The V edanta K esari ~ 90 ~ MARCH 2015 13 in those places will be found in the second section of his reminiscences. After spending some months at the , he set out again in July 1890 with Swami Vivekananda on a pilgrimage to the Himalayas, and after travelling through many of those regions, owing to one reason or another, he had to leave Swamiji alone. His great affection for the Swami, however, made him follow him again through Rajputana and Gujarat until he met him again at Mandavi in Kutch. As Swamiji insisted on being left alone to wander by himself, Swami Akhandananda had to leave him, and afterwards travel through the various places of Gujarat and Rajputana alone. It was during his travels in these regions that Swami Akhandananda’s outlook under- went a transformation. From a holy wanderer he was gradually transformed into a zealous worker for the cause of the poor and the suffering, in whom he began to discover the Divine he was seeking within through meditation. In fact, shortly after, Swami Akhandananda was informed by his brother-disciples, Swamis Brahmananda and , that it was the sight of India’s poverty and starvation that drove Swami Vivekananda to the West to find out some means to relieve the misery of the starving people. This did not at first make any impact on Swami Akhandananda. But during his stay of six months at Khetri, the above-mentioned transformation came over him and his heart began to bleed more and more for the poor and the ignorant. He came to discover that the path to one’s own salvation consists in working for the salvation of others. He therefore took upon himself what he calls the ‘vow of service’. The subsequent history of his continuous effort to spread education among the ignorant till his return to Alambazar Math at Calcutta in early 1896, is told in detail in the second section of his reminiscences recorded in this book. During 1896 and early 1897, he stayed at the Alambazar Math, but Swami Akhandananda

The V edanta K esari ~ 91 ~ MARCH 2015 14 even then, whenever he heard of cholera cases in the neighbourhood, he went to the relief of the victims. In 1897 he went on a walking trip northwards along the Ganges. When he was yet about twenty miles from Berhampur in the Murshidabad district, he came across the spectre of famine in the village, and though penniless, he resolved then and there to do his best to give relief to the famine-stricken. The story of his activities in this connection is narrated by himself in thrilling language in third section of this book. Thus the Swami is remarkable in being a pioneer among Swami Vivekananda’s followers in educational work, relief operations and other philanthropic activities for which the Ramakrishna Mission has now become well-known. It is to be noted that the Swami’s pioneering efforts in these directions were the spontaneous expression of his love of man. All the Hindu scriptures say that man’s spiritual life begins with an effort to see an external God, then to see Him as the spirit within himself, and finally as the spirit pervading every thing. For such a person, service of man becomes literally the service of God. Swami Akhandananda was one such. Among the followers of Swami Vivekananda, he has the distinction of being the first to carry out the latter’s religion of service into practice. If one would transport oneself to the monastic way of life prevailing in those times, one can easily understand the revolutionary nature of Swami Akhandananda’s conviction. Monks were then expected to confine their activities exclusively to study, meditation and wandering from one holy place to another. To engage oneself in activities of any other kind, including works of service in the fields of education, health, etc., relating to the worldly needs of men, was considered outside the pale of monastic ethics. It was in this respect that Swami Vivekananda produced a revolution by including active social service as a part of the Sannyasin’s spiritual discipline. The Swami at first found it difficult to convince even his brother-disciples of his novel ideas, but in Swami Akhandananda he found the most receptive follower. These reminiscences will show that this development in him was largely original, no doubt encouraged and fostered later by Swami Vivekananda’s exhortation and advice. The relief operation by the Swami finally culminated in his founding an orphanage in Mahula, which was transferred in 1898 to an old building in the village of Sibsagar near Sargachi, until in the same village a permanent building was put up in 1913. It has continued to function there to this day. The Swami gave vocational training to several batches of orphans in the course of these years, and helped them to stand on their own feet. General education, the teaching of handicrafts like weaving and carpentry along with religious instruction, as well as serving the sick and the poor, all formed part of the all-round education the Swami gave to the boys. Even after the Swami had permanently established this institution of service, his natural impulses to relieve the suffering of those around him found expression in his efforts for the

The V edanta K esari ~ 92 ~ MARCH 2015 15 care of cholera patients whenever he heard of its outbreak in the neighbourhood, in his undertaking relief operations in the heavy floods at Ghogha in Bihar, and above all in the active role he played in the relief operations connected with the great Bihar earthquake of 1934, even though he was far advanced in years at that time. In 1925, he became the Vice-President, and in 1934, the President of the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission. But he continued to have his permanent residence in the rural atmosphere of Sargachi where he could be in touch with the village folk and their problems. A year before his death he had a premonition of its approach, and he had a desire to celebrate, before that event, the Vasanti Puja, a special worship of the Divine Mother in Spring, and to hear the regular recitals of the and the Mahabharata. In his last illness he was taken over to the . It was his desire that he should pass away at that place sanctified by Swami Vivekananda and by many of his brother disciples. He was actually taken over to Belur for better treatment, and there he passed away on the 7th February 1937 in his 71st year. An act very characteristic of him and very expressive of his life was his writing to the , about a month before his passing, for a verse that he had come across in the Prabuddha Bharata sometime back. This verse is from the famous passage in the Srimad Bhagavatam in which Rantideva declares: ‘I do not desire for kingdom, heaven or even liberation. My one desire is to relieve the sufferings of the distressed.’ Swami Akhandananda was in every way a unique personality. As an austere Sannyasin and as a lover of humanity, he is without a peer. The record of his reminiscences declares boldly how keenly sensitive he was to human suffering, and how that sensitiveness was expressed in vigorous action instead of exhausting itself in sentimentality. He was, besides, an intrepid and fearless traveller with indomitable energy. His intellectual qualities were also of a very high order. He was a charming conversationalist who could hold his hearers spellbound with talks full of spiritual wisdom interspersed with thrilling stories and experiences of his extensive travels. He was a powerful speaker too in his mother tongue. Because of his scholarly interest he strove for the revival of Vedic studies and the spread of Sanskrit. He himself was a master of several languages like Bengali, Hindi, English and Sanskrit. He was an expert horticulturist, and wherever he stayed, he developed flower gardens and orchards. Thus as one with a harmonious development of the head, the heart and the hand, and as one endowed with ascetic zeal, intellectualism and fervour in the service of God and of God in man—he was one who came very near to the ideal of the modern Sannyasin that Swami Vivekananda longed to bring into being. o

Serving any Jiva (creature) is serving Shiva (God). Who is the Jiva here? Where is the Jiva to be found? All is Shiva—O, everyone is Shiva! —Swami Akhandananda

The V edanta K esari ~ 93 ~ MARCH 2015 Article

A Few Women Disciples of Swami Vivekananda PREMA NANDAKUMAR (Continued from the previous issue. . .)

Sister Christine friend, Mary Funke. Christine entered the Christine (1866-1930) of Detroit was world of renunciation with a rare intensity and just seventeen years old when her father died Swamiji gave her initiation in 1895, allowing and she had to provide for her family which her to go up the first step, Brahmacharya. included five younger sisters. So she took If dedicated women like Mrs. Bull and Mrs. up teaching in the local Pubic School. With a Hale were considered by him as ‘mother’, natural turn towards the spiritual, and intent young Christine would be his ‘daughter’. on improving her capabilities, she attended When Swamiji returned to India, Christine the lectures of Swami Vivekananda in Detroit continued her career in Detroit and also helped in 1894. The very first lecture so impressed the in the Vedanta Society of that place. Later on, young lady that she became a life-long admirer during a visit to Detroit, Swamiji stayed with and disciple of Swamiji. She has recorded her Christine’s family for five days. reactions when she heard him for the first time: When Christine’s mother passed away, Never have I heard such a voice, so flexible, so she felt free to go to India and take up Swami sonorous. It was the voice of God to me! That Vivekananda’s work of bringing education to range of emotion, that silvery music—I have Indian women. Ever since they met in 1894, never heard in any other. It was sheer music there had been constant correspondence . . . It was the mind that made the first great between the two and one is deeply touched by appeal, that amazing mind! What can one say the paternal affection of Swami Vivekananda that will give even a faint idea of its majesty, its and the anxieties of Christine to spare him all splendour? It was a mind so far transcending worry and pain. Now Mrs. Ole Bull offered other minds, even of those who rank as geniuses to help her to go to India, which was her . . . Its ideas were so clear, so powerful, so dream-land of karma yoga. But by now Swami transcendental that it seemed incredible that Vivekananda was quite ill. And Christine had they could have emanated from the intellect of a her own problems. The letters of Swamiji inject limited human being. strength into the young girl, full of idealism yet She followed this up by attending the lacking the necessary wherewithal to make her Thousand Island Park retreat along with her dreams become a reality.

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. This article is based on the talk delivered at the Devotees’ Convention to Commemorate the 150th Birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda held at Belur Math on 26th January, 2014. o

The V edanta K esari ~ 94 ~ MARCH 2015 17

times and had instruction from Swamiji. As May became very hot, he sent her away along with Sister Nivedita to Mayavati where Mrs. Sevier looked after them with maternal solicitude. On 5th July Christine received a letter from Sister Nivedita (who had returned to Calcutta in the middle of June) informing her about Swami Vivekananda’s passing the previous day. Christine returned to Calcutta, and showed how deep Swamiji’s inspiration ran in the psyche of his women disciples. Undeterred by harsh living conditions and financial insecurity, Christine chose to stay back in India and help Sister Nivedita in running her school and thus transform Swamiji’s dreams into reality. Sister Christine The uncertainty of War years sent her He writes on 12th December 1901: back to America in 1914. She returned to Now, noble heart, take courage. Don’t mope: India a decade later but found the situation you have buffeted [too] many a storm in life, old vastly changed and could not get back to war horse, to be like a silly boarding-school girl. teaching in the school that had been founded Things must go all right. I am not going to die or by Sister Nivedita. She went back to America to be ill just now; I am determined to be healthy. in 1928 and passed away two years later. Her You know my grit. presence in Swami Vivekananda’s spiritual Then he adds a little nursery rhyme to ministry is a golden page of absolute faith cheer up the devotee: and total surrender. Swami Vivekananda’s letters to Christine are a rich treasure house of Here my story ends crystalline affection and rich humour. And spinach top bends. Why is spinach withering? Because the goat is browsing. Sister Nivedita Why is the goat browsing? While there were innumerable admirers Because no grass is growing. and quite a few devotees and helpers of Why no grass is growing? Swami Vivekananda among women, one The gardener is not watering. stands out as verily the Vajrayudha of Swami Why there is no watering? Vivekananda. Sister Nivedita leads them The Master is not commanding. in every way. If today Indian women have Why is he not commanding? gained the illumining and profitable worlds of An ant has bitten the Master! knowledge, it is because Sister Nivedita came Such was the unique master. to India and did pioneering work for the cause Christine came to India in April 1902 of women’s education. and met Swamiji on 8th April at Belur. During Also, guided by Swami Vivekananda, the following weeks she came to Belur several she taught us to respect our own tradition and

The V edanta K esari ~ 95 ~ MARCH 2015 18

without an aim, without an ideal. It was at this juncture in her life in 1895 that Lady Isabel Margesson invited her to hear a Hindu Swami speak at her home. When Margaret entered Lady Isabel’s drawing room, she found a tall and well-built young man in ochre robes sitting self-lost in a chair. As the audience remained completely silent, full of expectancy, a prayer rose from Sister Nivedita Swami Vivekananda: ‘Shiva, Shiva, Namah draw sustenance from it instead of going the Shivaaya!’ His listeners remained spell-bound, sapless way of material glitter in the West. And while the Swami spoke in well-modulated her brief but significant work for the cause of tones. Margaret was all attention. Indian independence just when the nation’s The Swami wanted to eradicate India’s great leaders had been silenced in the first poverty and illiteracy and restore its ancient decade of the last century, calls out for our glory. Religion, according to him, would eternal gratitude. be meaningful to the masses only if they She was born Margaret Elizabeth Noble could be assured of food and clothing. on October 28, 1867 in a family that was Again, his religion would not be a sectarian, religious but not fanatical. The Irish family compartmentalised dead-end. He was bringing was also intensely patriotic. She received a Sri Ramakrishna’s universal outlook, which good education, but quite early in life had to had the sanction of even the ancient Vedas. For take up a job, as her father died when she was turning his tremendous dreams into reality he ten years old. She chose the profession of a needed money and manpower. True, he had a school teacher, and was happy to be one. Even band of devoted fellow-disciples back home, as she taught, she kept improving herself by but the hurdles were too many. However, with continuing to study, and became a good orator the help of the West which was rich in material and writer. She joined the ‘Free Ireland’ group things, Indian spirituality will rise again and and began organising centres of resistance in would help the West as well. the South of . At the same time, she Margaret attended more lectures by was also very much in demand as a journalist Swami Vivekananda and took part in group writing for Wimbledon News, Daily News and discussions. She realised that the Divine had Review of Reviews. taken her future in hand. She was a strong She could never be satisfied with the personality and the Swami was not in a hurry humdrum life of a young middle-class woman. to recruit her though he realised that this There were questions that rose from her inner intense lady would be the woman he needed world. Was this world a chaos of contraries, to take up an important aspect of his work, life and death, love and hate? Or was there which was to educate the children of India’s a power that was consciously guiding the marginalised, poverty-stricken masses. destiny of mankind? If so, what kind of As he told her: ‘Their lot is so lamentable power could it be? Twice she had to face that they imagine they are born to be disappointment in love. Life seemed pointless oppressed by all those who have money. They

The V edanta K esari ~ 96 ~ MARCH 2015 19 have completely lost their individuality.’ And and religious literature to be worthy of Indian women, rich, middle-class or poor, becoming a nun of the Order. There were long all of them needed to be educated too. The trips she had to undertake within India. Swami could not yet get over the sad life of But the idealism burnt steadily, in spite his favourite sister and felt education was a of innumerable hurdles and disappointments. panacea that could draw the Indian woman The school prospered somehow after a couple from the clutches of unworthy men. So he of stoppages and soon became an icon for told Margaret: ‘I have been making plans for women’s emancipation. Sister Nivedita’s educating the women of my country. I think success lay in the method she adopted to bring you could be of great help to me.’ education to Indian masses. She used the time- After Swami Vivekananda returned tested habit of storytelling, which was a great to India, the two continued to correspond. force in educating Indians. She would relate When Margaret decided to come to India, he the subject to historical details about India. wrote to her the famous letter in which he In this manner she instilled in her students a said: ‘The tusks of the elephant come out but reverence and pride for their own traditions. never go back; so are the words of a man never Her studies for this approach resulted in a retracted. I promise you I will stand by you couple of classics from her pen: Footfalls of unto death.’ Indian History and Cradle Tales of . Margaret’s life and ministry in India Sister Nivedita realised that India’s is the saga of a heroic age. She came in 1898 unrivalled, integrating culture that had and was initiated by Swami Vivekananda on spread from the Himalayas in the North to March 25 at Belur and became a probationer Kanyakumari in the South was due to this of the Order of Sri Ramakrishna, and was closeness with the ancient epics, the Ramayana given the name, Nivedita. After a session of and the Mahabharata, a closeness that had meditation and music in which the monks been attacked and almost severed by the participated, the Swami pointed to the Colonial style of education: opposite bank of the Ganges and said: These two great works form together the Nivedita, that is where I would like to have a outstanding educational agencies of Indian convent for women. Like a bird that needs two life. All over the country, in every province, wings to fly, India must have both educated men especially during the winter session, audiences and educated women. of Hindus and Mohammedans gather round Sister Nivedita plunged into work the storyteller at nightfall, and listen immediately. Calcutta was racked by plague, to his rendering of the ancient tales. The and she performed miracles of endurance Mohammedans of Bengal have their own version bringing succour to the people. With little of the Mahabharata. means at her disposal, she opened the first This is why she would never call Indian school for girls in November of the same year. women as ever having been illiterate. They Among the problems she had to encounter had imbibed the best in the Indian tradition was the intransigence of Indian families, which and strove to bring up their children as a Rama frowned upon educating a female child. Sister or Krishna, Arjuna or Karna, Sita or Savitri. Nivedita had to go abroad for collecting funds. The passing away of Swami Vivekananda She had to study a lot of Indian philosophical in 1902 was to be a great test of faith for

The V edanta K esari ~ 97 ~ MARCH 2015 20

Sister Nivedita. With her characteristic and praise her in your resilience she triumphed over her doubts and heart as an angel. depression and continued with her work. She also asked Now it was expanded into actually working him to eschew for the nationalist cause. On the one hand all ideas of caste, she was helping the great scientist Jagadish class and birth and Chandra Bose, rendering editorial assistance enthrone only love for preparing his research papers and getting in his heart. Her sponsorships for him. flaming example led On the other, she was in close touch with Subramanya Bharati the leading lights of the National Movement to become an intense like Sri Aurobindo, Bhupendranath Dutt and nationalist for she Barindra Kumar Ghose. When Sri Aurobindo Subramanya Bharati opened the upper went into self-exile, she edited his Karmayogin part of her gown in with mastery. At one time, she had even to a frenzy and thundered: ‘Your people must move around incognito which she did with become brave. You must have daring to stab becoming verve as a very fashionable lady in us here!’ whom neither her friends nor the British police Henceforth Bharati considered her to recognised Sister Nivedita who used to be clad be his guru, dedicated his first two books in an ochre robe, having no ornaments except of poems to her and preserved the leaf of a a necklace of Rudraksha beads! Himalayan tree she gave him and revered it till the end of his life. One can gauge her Her Influence on Subramanya Bharati inspiration in his poems on Shakti. Though Swami Vivekananda-Sister Nivedita are she passed away on October 11, 1911, Bharati’s very close to the Tamil consciousness. Sister gem-like poem is a living memorial to Swami Nivedita’s special contribution to Tamil Nadu Vivekananda’s disciple Sister Nivedita, the was the manner in which she inspired the great flaming pioneer of the Omnipotent Shakti who nationalist poet Subramania Bharati to become had come to befriend and guide the modern a champion of women’s emancipation to work Indian woman: against casteism. Nivedita, Mother, Bharati had gone to Calcutta in 1905 and Temple consecrated to love, sought to pay his respects to Sister Nivedita. Sun dispelling my soul’s darkness, The moment he saw her, he knew he was in Rain to the parched land of our lives, the presence of a tremendous power, a Shakti. Helper of the helpless, Offering of Grace, When she learnt that he did not bring his wife Destructive fire to the evil in men, with him ‘as she would not understand about My salutation to you, Mother. great Movements like the Congress,’ she flared Thus we see how Swami Vivekananda up: trained his women disciples, some of whom How can one half of a society win freedom we have described in this article, and how when it enslaves the other half? Let the past be they played a pivotal role in carrying out his forgotten. Henceforth, do not think of her as spiritual and social ministration. something different. Hold her as your left hand (Concluded.)

The V edanta K esari ~ 98 ~ MARCH 2015 Article

Bringing Vedanta into Daily life SWAMI ABHIRAMANANDA

India, the Land of Ideas discover the fundamental energy out of which Raghunath Ananth Mashelkar, a all energies are made. Chemistry ends when former Director-General of the Council of we discover the basic element out of which all Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) elements are made. And religion ends when Institute, in a convocation address, asked we discover the underlying unity behind this the youth, ‘America is often called the land vast, diverse universe. Vedanta discovered of opportunities, how you will brand India?’ this unity thousands of years ago and hence None could give a satisfactory answer. Then the last word in religion has been said at that he himself replied, ‘India can be branded as time itself. And what is the last word? It is the land of ideas’. Brahman, the driving force behind this whole India is indeed the land from where the universe. Brahman, the Ultimate Reality, and highest, most profound and loftiest thoughts Atman, the Indwelling Reality in man, are have blossomed forth and revitalised the essentially same and one. entire human race. The Indian philosophy There are several logical derivatives has evolved through thousands of years following this great discovery: and has many schools of thoughts. The first 1. Brahman, the unity behind this twin brothers of Indian philosophy were manifold existence, is pervading the entire Nyaya-Vaisheshika. Their concept of God universe at the macro level. was rudimentary. The second stage of Indian 2. The counter-part of Brahman at the philosophy was Sankhya-yoga which was a micro level is called Atman. far greater progress over the previous one. 3. The macrocosm and the microcosm are The culmination of the Indian philosophy was built exactly on the same plan. reached in the combination Purva-mimamsa 4. This Brahman-Atman can take the and Uttara-mimamsa. Vedanta is another name shape of any God whom we revere and for Uttara-mimamsa. Why do we call Vedanta worship. As the Narayana Suktam, hymn in as the culmination of Indian philosophy? Yajur Veda, says, ‘The light in our hearts is described variously as Brahma, Shiva, Hari, Vedanta, the Quintessential Philosophy Indra, Akshara, Ultimate, All-pervading Swami Vivekananda explains it this Reality (sa brahma, sa sivah, sa hari, sa indra, sa way: Any field of knowledge attains its akshara, sa parama svarat).’ culmination when we resolve it to its utmost 5. This Brahman-Atman is the only fundamentals. Thus physics ends when we living entity in this universe. All the others

A Trustee of Ramakrishna Math and Mission, the author is the Secretary, Ramakrishna Mission Vidyalaya, Coimbatore, Tamilnadu. This article is based on the talk given at the function held to mark the Centenary of The Vedanta Kesari held at Ramakrishna Math, Chennai, on 30 December 2014. o

The V edanta K esari ~ 99 ~ MARCH 2015 22 are insentient, jada, functioning only on the complex; the light of the Atman conducts borrowed light of the Brahman-Atman which every movement of the body and mind. When is sentient principle, chaitanya. we gradually understand this, we get rid of the 6. The goal of human life is to realise ego or identification with this puny little self of or experience this Brahman-Atman. This body and mind and begin to revel in the joy of realisation puts an end to the cycle of rebirths the blissful Atman. We understand that God and deaths, brings us eternal bliss, immense is behind every one of our actions. Says Sri peace and the pure joy of detachment. Krishna in the Gita (18.61-62): The Lord, O Arjuna, dwells in the hearts of The Practice Issue all beings, causing all beings, by His Maya, to Now, how can we put this lofty idea into resolve as if mounted on a machine. Take refuge practice? in Him with all your heart, O Bharata; by His Vedanta asks us to constantly meditate grace shall you attain supreme peace and the on the fact that ‘I am not the body, I am not the eternal abode. mind, I am the Atman.’ Body is gross matter This inner realisation of God’s omni- and mind is subtle matter. The gross part of presence changes our attitude towards the the food that we take nurtures the body and world and human beings. We begin to see the subtle part of the same food builds up the things differently. Our relatives and friends mind. But both body and mind, being matter continue to remain as before, but we start themselves, cannot function without the light seeing them as reflections of Divinity, as of the Atman behind it which gives life to it. children of the same, one God. We will then To constantly hold on to the Atman as our real be able to see this world-drama as a mere play nature, we have to practise a paradigm shift in of God. All the world’s praises and blames, our process of thinking. losses and gains, ups and downs, hopes and What is paradigm shift? To give an disappointments will be like waves on the example: for thousands of years we thought surface of the ocean of life. Deep down the that the sun revolves round the earth. It was ocean will be the absolutely calm, steady, very difficult for the human race to accept infinite expanse of bliss, undisturbed by the truth that the earth revolves around the anything of the world. sun. This is a paradigm shift in our process of thinking. Similarly, for thousands of years, we A Simple But Profound Truth thought that the earth was flat. It was very The truth that we are the Atman is very difficult for the human race to accept the fact simple. Swami Vivekananda says that the that the earth was round. One more instance: greatest truths are the simplest things in the for thousands of years, we thought that the world. But to realise this simple fact, we have sun rises in the east and sets in the west. It to practise hard. What comes in the way of our was very difficult for the human race to accept understanding is ego, or the principle which the truth that the sun never rises or sets, that separates us from one another. The ego is like the earth’s revolving around itself creates the the scum on the surface of water, to give the illusion of sunrise and sunset. simile of Sri Ramakrishna. You see the clear In a similar way, we will have to discover water beneath, but very soon the scum covers and realise that we are not this body-mind it again. The sum and substance of Vedanta

The V edanta K esari ~ 100 ~ MARCH 2015 23 is to get rid of the ego that I am the body and the infinite possibility and the infinite capacity mind and identify ourselves with the Atman of all to become great and good. Let us proclaim which is beyond both. Identifying ourselves to every soul: Arise, awake, and stop not till the with our bodies brings in its train endless goal is reached. Arise, awake! Awake from this miseries. Recently, a son died prematurely hypnotism of weakness. None is really weak; in a family. The mother, who could not bear the soul is infinite, omnipotent, and omniscient. his loss, also died within two months. That is Stand up, assert yourself, proclaim the God within you, do not deny Him! because of the tremendous attachment to their egos. Contrast this with Dr. Sri Shivakumara This is the essence of Vedanta and we all Swamiji who is the head of Sree Siddaganga must teach our youth right from their child- Mutt in Tumkur district in Karnataka and the hood like the Queen Madalasa. Her story founder of the Siddaganga Education Society. appears in Puranas describing how as soon This highly respected Swamiji started an as she has a child she puts her baby with her orphanage for a few destitutes several decades own hands in the cradle, and how as the cradle back and today it has grown to accommodate rocks to and fro, she begins to sing, ‘You are 10,000 orphans—all of them getting completely the Pure One, the Stainless, the Sinless, the free food, accommodation and education. The Mighty One, the Great One.’ Swami is now 106 years old. He gets up at 2.30 Let us recall an inspiring anecdote in a.m, completes his meditation and then goes to conclusion. The great five Pandava brothers, each dormitory, taps the doors with his stick, when they were in exile, once complained to wakes up the boys to get ready for the prayer Sri Krishna about the endless sufferings they at 6.00 a.m. All the 10,000 boys and girls pray had to undergo, despite He, Sri Krishna, the together with the Swamiji every day. He is able Lord, being with them always. Sri Krishna to do this at the age of 106 since he has true, smiled and explained, selfless, detached love for the children, because When you were playing the game of dice with he sees God in them. He is not disappointed by the Kauravas, which you had accepted as part of your royal disposition, and when it was offered their occasional betrayals and misbehaviours that either side could choose anyone whom they because he sees the whole life as a drama held accomplished to represent them as their played by God. This detachment gives him main player who will decide the moves, while true joy and infinite power to work. Kauravas chose their uncle Shakuni, you chose This is exactly what Swami Vivekananda your own elder brother whose skills in dealing taught us, when he said, ‘My mission in life is with this challenge were no equal to it. If you to teach unto mankind its divinity and how to had chosen Me as your main player, the whole make it manifest in every movement of their story would have been different. lives’. He asked us to practice this philosophy The moral is that we should choose of Vedanta and teach it to others also. Swamiji God as our main player and allow Him take observed: the move for those will be indeed the right Let every man and woman and child, without moves. In other words, when we make God, respect of caste or birth, weakness or strength, or spiritual life, as the centre of our life, we hear and learn that behind the strong and the become free from all worry and pain. This weak, behind the high and the low, behind is how we can bring Vedanta into our daily every one, there is that Infinite Soul, assuring lives. o

The V edanta K esari ~ 101 ~ MARCH 2015 Article

Down the Memory Line —The First Centenary Celebration of Sri Ramakrishna’s Birth

SWAMI SAMBUDDHANANDA

The following article, of much archival and documentary significance, is based on a recorded talk given in the early 1960s by late Swami Sambuddhananda (1891-1974) at the Vedanta Society of Hawaii in Honolulu, USA. Swami Sambuddhananda was a disciple of Holy Mother Sri . He was appointed a Trustee of Ramakrishna Math and Mission in 1947 and had the distinction of playing a pivotal role in organizing the Centenary Celebrations of Sri Ramakrishna in 1936 and Swami Vivekananda in 1963. This very interesting and informative talk has been thoroughly edited by Swami Bhaskarananda, the Head of Vedanta Society of Seattle, USA. It was first published in Global Vedanta, the English quarterly published from there. We are grateful to the Editorial Board of Global Vedanta for permitting us to reproduce it here.

The idea to celebrate the birth centenary fact that the celebration had to be organized all of Sri Ramakrishna came as early as in 1933. over the world within such a short period, it In 1934 it was decided by all those attending became a matter of great anxiety and concern the meeting of the Board of Trustees of the for me. Nevertheless, since the work was for Ramakrishna Order [Belur Math] that the centenary of Sri Ramakrishna should be celebrated in a befitting manner. They also unanimously decided that from among our monks I should be placed in charge of taking care of the celebration. But I was not at the headquarters at that time. I was then at our Ashrama in Mayavati [now in Uttarakhand]. As I had not been keeping well I had gone there for a change. After staying there for six months I regained my health and went on a pilgrimage to Kedar and Badri in the Himalayas. When I came down to our headquarters at Belur Math near Calcutta, I had to take up the work that had been assigned to me. I had hardly two years to prepare for the celebration. As we had no adequate resources of manpower and money, and also due to the Sri Ramakrishna

The V edanta K esari ~ 102 ~ MARCH 2015 25

Sri Ramakrishna, I took up the work allotted had he taken up any office, it was his principle to me without any hesitation. to do some work for it. But as he would not be Having taken up the work, I faced a able to do any work for the cause, he said that lot of difficulties. No men. No money. Yet I it would be better to keep him as a member. was told by the Belur Math authorities, ‘You So he was the first member of the General organize the celebration all over the world!’ A committee. wonderful idea indeed! Well, it’s going to be a The Executive Committee was to look long, long talk to tell you how things gradually after the management of the whole celebration. began to take shape. At the beginning, a small Manmatha Nath Mukherjee was the Chairman sum of 400 rupees was advanced from our of that Committee, advocate Bejoy Krishna Headquarters to meet the necessary expenses, Bose was the secretary, and Rai Bahadur for example, purchasing paper, pencils and Hrishikesh Mukherjee and myself were the ink, as well as printing some letterheads, etc., assistant secretaries. Other than being on the without which you couldn’t carry on any Executive Committee, I was also the assistant correspondence. Besides, people also had to secretary of the General Committee and the be informed that this event was going to take Working Committee. Nevertheless, at first place. After getting that small sum of money I had to work as the organizing secretary as the necessary articles were purchased and well. slowly the work began. In the first meeting of the committee, Mr. Three committees were formed—the J. C. Das, who was the treasurer of the General General Committee, the Working Committee Committee as well as the founder of the Bengal and the Executive Committee. In addition, a Central Bank of Calcutta, said that he would sub-committee was formed for the Parliament give me a loan of 5000 rupees from his bank of Religions. The President of the General to conduct the work. I didn’t agree to accept Committee was Swami Akhandananda, any money on loan, because it was against my President of the Ramakrishna Order. The principle to take any loan. Instead, I asked for General Committee had 64 Vice-Presidents, donations, particularly from some members which comprised many famous people, and office-bearers of the Executive Committee. not only of India, but also of Europe Their total donation received was 700 and America. For example, two Nobel- rupees. For safe custody I deposited the money laureates— and Romain with the cashier at the Belur Math office. A few Rolland—were among the Vice-Presidents days later when I went to get back that money, of the General Committee, other than Sir the cashier said, ‘You took an advance of 400 S. Radhakrishnan,1 Sir J.C. Bose2 and Babu rupees for your Committee from us. Out of Rajendra Prasad,3 just to name a few. your deposit, we have taken 400 rupees as the Mahatma Gandhi was alive at that time. refund of that advance. Here is the balance of I requested him to join the panel of Vice- 300 rupees.’ Presidents. He wrote in reply that he would I was a little bit shocked and surprised. I like to be an ordinary member of the General told him that they should have waited a little Committee, and not a Vice-President, because longer to get back their money, instead of

The V edanta K esari ~ 103 ~ MARCH 2015 26 rushing to get the refund even without asking Absolutely tired, I returned to Belur me. Math at about 10 o’clock in the evening. After a day or two, in the morning a For hours I had been walking and running person gave a ring to Belur Math, saying that and knocking at one door or the other he wanted to talk to the organizing secretary and inquiring of the whereabouts of that of the Centenary Committee. When I took up mysterious Rai Bahadur! But all was in vain. the phone, he told me his name, but I have Later I learned that, to have some fun, forgotten that name now. He also told me that the whole thing was a prank engineered he was a ‘Rai Bahadur.’ In British India this by a senior monk of our Order. He had title would be given by the government to asked somebody to pretend to be a Rai honour some very distinguished Indians. In Bahadur and give me that call! In spite of the ladder of honour their position was only my disappointment I found consolation in next to those who were made knights by the thinking that at least I made one brother monk British government. He asked me, ‘Are you the happy! organizing secretary?’ To continue to do my assigned duty I I told him, ‘Yes.’ needed some capable assistants. But only one He said, ‘Then I have to tell you some- thing.’ I enquired, ‘What do you want to tell me?’ He said, ‘I want to contribute a little money to the Centenary Fund.’ I asked, ‘May I know how much money you want to contribute to the fund?’ He replied, ‘About 25,000 rupees. It would be better if you kindly come and see me. After talking to you, I’ll be able to decide how to pay you the amount.’ Out of 700 rupees that I had collected as donation I had already lost 400 rupees; only 300 rupees were left. Therefore, this gentleman’s phone call appeared to me to be a godsend! With great eagerness I said to him, ‘I shall come and see you this afternoon!’ So I went to meet that gentleman. But I couldn’t find any house at the address given to me. I went on knocking from door to door. Nor could anyone help me trace that Rai Bahadur. I think I spent not less than 6 hours looking for Swami Akhandananda the address and the gentleman. But none could brother monk, named Swami Nityaswaru- be traced! pananda [a disciple of Holy Mother Sri Sarada

The V edanta K esari ~ 104 ~ MARCH 2015 27

Devi], could be spared by our Headquarters disciple of Sri Ramakrishna]. Although the to assist me. He used to keep the accounts President was not present at that meeting, while I had to attend to other duties. We the committee passed the resolution about were gradually able to find some suitable celebrating Sri Ramakrishna’s Birth-Centenary. accommodation to set up our office at a Besides, Swami Akhandananda was opposed public building on in Calcutta. to celebrating the birth-centenary of Sri Thereafter we moved to our Calcutta office. Ramakrishna. He said, ‘There shouldn’t be any Aside from this, we also had an office at the birth centenary celebration. Sri Ramakrishna is Headquarters of our Order in Belur Math. Brahman—the Supreme Being. He is beyond I used to spend the whole morning at the birth and death.’ Belur Math office working until lunchtime. But the argument of the Centenary Immediately after lunch I would rush to the Committee was that they were not trying to Calcutta office. observe the birth centenary of the Supreme At the Calcutta office I used to work till Being. It was the birth centenary of the 9 or 10 o’clock in the evening, and then come Supreme Being’s human incarnation. Never- back to Belur Math. As the work intensified, theless, the President didn’t agree. more and more assistants came to help me. Swami Akhandananda used to love me In this way everything was going on well. At very much, but ever since I took up the work the same time we were also trying to get more connected with the Centenary, he became funds. As a result, some money also came. quite indifferent to me. He wouldn’t like to We all knew that the first thing required hear anything about the progress of our work. for such a big worldwide celebration was I was in a peculiar situation. I felt that I should publicity—propaganda—to adequately inform continue doing the work that had been given the public about the event. With regard to to me. Yet, at the same time I was worried the celebration, our main objective was to thinking that the work that had been given to first celebrate it in Calcutta on a very grand me didn’t have the approval of our President. scale. Besides, we would have to organize In our Order the President is to be regarded celebrations, not only in different parts of as the representative of Sri Ramakrishna. India, but also in Europe and America. So That’s what Swami Vivekananda also had the volume of our correspondence went on said. Still the other senior swamis, including increasing day by day. the Trustees of the Ramakrishna Order, went At that time, the President of our on encouraging me to continue doing my Order was Swami Akhandananda [a direct assigned duty. (To be continued. . .)

References 1. Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan (1888-1975) was a signaling and optics. He also made very scholar of comparative religion and philosophy. important contributions to plant science. He was the first Vice-President of India (1952- 3. Dr. Rajendra Prasad (1884-1963), independence 1962) and the second President (1962-1967). activist, Congress party leader, was President of 2. Sir Jagadish Chandra Bose (1858-1937) pioneered the Constituent Assembly (1948-1950) that drafted the investigation of radio and microwave the constitution of the Republic of India.

The V edanta K esari ~ 105 ~ MARCH 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 Rishi of every kind of animal, and let your family The Rishi is defined as a Mantra-drashta, enter the ark, and there will project out of the a seer of thought; not that the thought was his water my horn. Fasten the ark to it; and when own. Whenever you hear that a certain passage the deluge subsides, come out and people the of the Vedas came from a certain Rishi, never earth.’ So the world was deluged, and Manu think that he wrote it or created it out of his saved his own family and two of every kind mind; he was the seer of the thought which of animal and seeds of every plant. When the already existed; it existed in the universe deluge subsided, he came and peopled the eternally. This sage was the discoverer; the world; and we are called ‘man’, because we are Rishis were spiritual discoverers. (CW, 3.119) the progeny of Manu. (CW, 2.73)

Man Character Manu, a great ancient sage, was praying As pleasure and pain pass before his on the bank of the Ganga, when a little soul they have upon it different pictures, and minnow came to him for protection, and he the result of these combined impressions is put it into a pot of water he had before him. what is called man’s ‘character’. If you take ‘What do you want?’ asked Manu. The little the character of any man, it really is but the minnow declared he was pursued by a bigger aggregate of tendencies, the sum total of the fish and wanted protection. bent of his mind; you will find that misery and Manu carried the little fish to his home, happiness are equal factors in the formation and in the morning he had become as big as of that character. Good and evil have an equal the pot and said, ‘I cannot live in this pot any share in moulding character, and in some longer’. Manu put him in a tank, and the next instances misery is a greater teacher than day he was as big as the tank and declared he happiness. could not live there any more. So Manu had In studying the great characters the to take him to a river, and in the morning the world has produced, I dare say, in the vast fish filled the river. Then Manu put him in majority of cases, it would be found that it was the ocean, and he declared, ‘Manu, I am the misery that taught more than happiness, it was Creator of the universe. I have taken this form poverty that taught more than wealth, it was to come and warn you that I will deluge the blows that brought out their inner fire more world. You build an ark and in it put a pair than praise. (CW, 1:27)

The V edanta K esari ~ 106 ~ MARCH 2015 New Find Unpublished Letters of Swami Saradananda1

June 10th 1904. 2/1 Street. My dear Hari Maharaj2 – I do not believe I have acknowledged your very kind letter of April 30th, received some time in May last. I thank you very much for the same. Since the day I received yours I had to face many difficulties & troubles & I do not know whether these are over yet or not. Four died in the family including my youngest brother, then there were troubles with the landlord of the boarding house & we had to close the house hurriedly. The search for a new house up to this time has proved a failure & I believe we shall have to keep the work closed for this year at least. All these things have kept me pretty busy. The Holy Mother is better & will stop here till the . She intends taking her mother to during the Rathjatra festival, where she will stop for a month or so. After the Durga puja she will go back to her native village again. Now my dear Hari will it not be best to come to Calcutta before she leaves for her native village? We too have not seen you for a long long time and are constantly hearing about your health being very poor, making us anxious all the time. So do come to Calcutta once. You can go back to a healthier place in the winter if this does not suit you. I am sorry I could not send you the three Prasthanas3 as desired. It will be best to read them when here. Or if you want them immediately I will send word to the Math & Krishna or some one else will send them to you. I go to the Math very seldom now-a-days. The Holy Mother sends her blessing to yourself & Krishnalal. With our love & pranams to you & blessings to Krishnalal. Yours affly Sarat

Dec 1st 1904. Math. Belur. Howrah. India. Dearest Granny,4 I thank you for your kind letter of Oct 18th & for your kind invitation to come over to you for change & rest. I cannot tell you what a pleasure it will be to your boy when the day comes; but I do not believe it has come yet. I will inform you myself when I will be in a position to go and will wait for no invitations; for who ever waits for an invitation to go to his own home? In the meantime I can assure you that I am not so down as you are thinking. Perhaps I was a little

The V edanta K esari ~ 107 ~ MARCH 2015 30 as when Sister Christine wrote, but I have picked myself up again in the meantime. I do hope that our Granny is doing quite well & is well occupied doing her work of helping others to realise their ideals, without any criticism & without any hope of return whatever! The work here is going on well. Perhaps the work of the Math is rather stationary at the time, Swami Brahmananda having been very ill. He is well again & will take up his work soon. The school of the Sister is getting on as before. The little children have their school every day & the ladies twice a week, besides a few ladies who are coming almost daily and are getting training so that they might earn something by working at their leisure hours. This is our industrial class. My lectures in the Vivekananda Society will not be as many as I gave last year, but I will try to finish the last six chapters on Gita & get up all the lectures written into a book, for these have been very much appreciated. The Holy Mother is still here & I am putting up with her. She might go home when the winter has advanced. She is well & desires to send her love & blessings to you & all friends there. My mother & Jogin ma are well and send their heart’s love to you. How are Santi & Agnes & how is Olea? The accounts in the bank will be sufficient to meet obligations up to January 1905, but there will be nothing left for February. I will borrow & meet February’s obligations if you cannot send anything in the meantime. Some of the Math boys have taken up photography. They are practicing with my [camera] & will soon send their pictures to you. Will it be possible for you to send a roll of films of sixty exposures for Eastman’s Kodak No 3 (the size of each exposure being 3¼ in. by 4¼ inches). With my love to you always & kind remembrances to all friends there. Yours affecly Saradananda P.S.: I have forgotten to tell you that I have bought two little ponies for the school; the red horse having become lame. I have lent it to my brother (doctor) to use until cold [winter]. The cost for the ponies Rs 90 I have paid from our accounts in the bank. Yours S. P.S.: Kindly give addresses of Santi & Agnes in your next & tender my kind regards to Olea please. With a Merry Xmas to yourself & all & the same to Santi & Agnes. Yours S.

References 1. A direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna 2. Swami Turiyananda, a direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna 3. Refers to the three basic scriptures of Hinduism—Gita, Upanishads, Brahmasutras 4. Mrs. Sara Bull

Courtesy: Ramakrishna Museum, Belur Math

The V edanta K esari ~ 108 ~ MARCH 2015 Article

Five Pointers for Good Governance Swami Vivekananda’s Ideas and the Politics of Our Times

SANDIPAN SEN (Continued from the previous issue. . .)

3. Politics of Harmony dividing factor and the root of Maya [illusion]; Even in the twenty-first century, Indian all caste either on the principle of birth or of society seems to be deeply divided on caste merit is bondage.’22 In fact, he sought to end and communal lines. As per the ‘Annual all sorts of privileges claimed by any social Crime Report 2013’ published by the Ministry group over others. Here, he wanted to apply of Home Affairs, Government of India, the Vedantic principle of oneness. As he said: communal riots scored the highest (2.7%) If you teach Vedanta to the fisherman, he will among all types of violent crimes reported say, I am as good a man as you; I am a fisher- in 2013, and the incidents of communal riots man, you are a philosopher, but I have the same increased by 25% in 2013 compared to the God in me as you have in you. And that is what previous year. The report21 also stated that we want, no privilege for any one, equal chances people belonging to the Scheduled Caste and for all; let everyone be taught that the divine is Scheduled Tribe communities were the victims within, and every one will work out his own of more than 26% of total crimes reported in salvation.23 2013.Unfortunately, the divisive politics of On the other hand, Swamiji dreamt of a ‘vote-bank’ is considered as a major reason harmonious Indian society consisting of the behind the escalation of such tensions in our ‘Vedanta brain and Islam body’. In a letter to society. Mohammed Sarfaraz Husain he wrote: But Swamiji had never encouraged such We want to lead mankind to the place where divisive elements in society. Apparently, there is neither the Vedas, nor the Bible, nor the on some occasions, he had appreciated the Koran; yet this has to be done by harmonising positive role of the caste system in Indian the Vedas, the Bible and the Koran. Mankind society, so far as it had helped maintaining ought to be taught that religions are but the social order amidst diversity. However, in varied expressions of THE RELIGION, which is ultimate analysis, he unequivocally con- Oneness, so that each may choose that path that demned the inhuman aspects of a rigidly suits him best.24 stratified caste system. As he wrote in a letter: Underscoring his faith on harmonious ‘The conviction is daily gaining on my growth of humanity, in a letter to E.T. Sturdy mind that the idea of caste is the greatest in 1895, Vivekananda wrote:

The author is Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandira, Belur Math, Howrah–711202, West Bengal. o

The V edanta K esari ~ 109 ~ MARCH 2015 32

There is but one basis of well-being, social, from the perspective of freedom. Emphasising political or spiritual—to know that I and my the importance of freedom Swamiji wrote in a brother are one. This is true for all countries and letter in 1899: all people.25 Freedom in all matters, i.e. advance towards This ideal of oneness is becoming an Mukti [i.e. liberation] is the worthiest gain of increasingly essential but elusive motto for a man. To advance oneself towards freedom— globalised social order in India, and beyond. physical, mental, and spiritual—and help Vivekananda’s ideas in this regard may others to do so, is the supreme prize of man. provide us an effective way out to resolve this Those social rules which stand in the way of the paradox. unfoldment of this freedom are injurious, and steps should be taken to destroy them speedily. 4. Politics for Comprehensive Development Those institutions should be encouraged by 27 Development has been a contentious which men advance in the path of freedom. issue. Vivekananda considered that material To achieve this at the social level progress should not be the only or even ensuring liberty to everyone was essential; as the primary yardstick for measuring the Vivekananda considered liberty as the ‘first advancement of a society. Rather, it should be condition of growth’.28 And in defining liberty measured by the capacity of the members of he wrote: a society to develop themselves morally. So, Liberty does not certainly mean the absence ideally, all development initiatives in a society of obstacles in the path of misappropriation of should be conducive to the manifestation of wealth etc. by you and me, but it is our natural that capacity in its people. In his words: right to be allowed to use our own body, The more advanced a society or nation is in intelligence, or wealth according to our will, spirituality, the more is that society or nation without doing any harm to others; and all the civilised. No nation can be said to have become members of a society ought to have the same civilised only because it has succeeded in opportunity for obtaining wealth, education, or 29 increasing the comforts of material life by knowledge. bringing into use lots of machinery and things of In a similar fashion, Amartya Sen wrote that sort. The present-day civilisation of the West in his Development As Freedom (2000): is multiplying day by day only the wants and Development can be seen . . . as a process of distresses of men. On the other hand, the ancient expanding the real freedoms that people enjoy Indian civilisation, by showing people the way . . . Development requires the removal of to spiritual advancement, doubtless succeeded, if major sources unfreedom: poverty as well as not in removing once for all, at least in lessening, tyranny, poor economic opportunities as well as in a great measure, the material needs of men. . systematic social deprivation, neglect of public . . In this age, as on the one hand people have to facilities as well as intolerance or over-activity be intensely practical, so on the other hand they of repressive states. Despite unprecedented have to acquire deep spiritual knowledge.26 increases in opulence, the contemporary world There are certain striking resemblances denies elementary freedoms to vast numbers— 30 between Vivekananda’s ideas and the recent perhaps even the majority—of people. trends in the development discourse. The most Professor Sen contrasted this vision important of them is viewing development of development with ‘narrower views of

The V edanta K esari ~ 110 ~ MARCH 2015 33 development, such as identifying development I consider that the great national sin is the neglect with the growth of gross national product, of the masses, and that is one of the causes of our or with technological advance, or with downfall. No amount of politics would be of any social modernisation.’31 Since 1990s these avail until the masses in India are once more well ‘alternative’ ideas of development have been educated, well fed, and well cared for. They pay institutionalised through some of the major for our education, they build our temples, but in return they get kicks. They are practically our development initiatives undertaken by the slaves. If we want to regenerate India, we must United Nations Organisation, like the United work for them.33 Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the World Summit for Social Development Swamiji considered that human civili- (1995) and the Millennium Development sation was necessarily a product of collective Goals (2000). Vivekananda was not a social social efforts and no single person or class scientist by training. His perspectives on can claim the sole credit of it. In his Bengali development evolved around his primary article Modern India (Bartaman Bharat), Swamiji concern for the all-round development of asserted that the individual’s existence and man, which he termed as the ‘man-making interests were by nature dependent on the mission’. Interestingly, in a similar vein, collective order. To deny that or to go against 34 defining the concept of ‘Human Development’, that was self-destructive, according to him. the first Human Development Report (HDR) Based on this line of argument, he stated: concluded that for building a ‘just’ society all sections of the population should have a People are the real wealth of a nation. The basic say over the decision-making process and objective of development is to create an enabling due rights on the social resources, without environment for people to enjoy long, healthy and creative lives. . . Human development is a discrimination. In his words: process of enlarging people’s choices. The most Unless the blood circulates over the whole body, critical ones are to lead a long and healthy life, has any country risen at any time? If one limb is to be educated and to enjoy a decent standard paralysed, then even with the other limbs whole, 35 of living. Additional choices include political not much can be done with that body . . . freedom, guaranteed human rights and self- Vivekananda termed this process of mass respect. . . The simple truth is that there is no awakening as ‘Shudra-jagaran’. Welcoming automatic link between income growth and the advent of a new era of people’s power he human progress. The main preoccupation of wrote: development analysis should be how such a link Let New India arise . . . Let her arise —out of the 32 can be created and reinforced. peasants’ cottage, grasping the plough; out of the huts of the fisherman, the cobbler, and the 5. Politics of Mass Awakening sweeper. Let her spring from the grocer’s shop, The idea of mass empowerment remains from beside the oven of the fritter-seller. Let her a major concern of politics for many years. emanate from the factory, from marts, and from Vivekananda believed that the progress of a markets. Let her emerge from groves and forests, nation depended not merely on the condition from hills and mountains.36 of its elites but actually on the condition of its Analysing the nature of popular sover- masses. In an interview in 1897, he said: eignty in developing societies like India, in

The V edanta K esari ~ 111 ~ MARCH 2015 34 a recent work, Partha Chatterjee (2009), has express it. Here again, Vivekananda’s idea of identified a new category of people called the mass awakening has much to contribute in ‘political society’ with immense political clout. understanding these recent trends in politics In his view: of our times. Civil society restricted to a small section of culturally equipped citizens, represents Conclusion in countries like India the high ground of One may argue that Swamiji’s ideas modernity. So does the constitutional model sound good, but they are impractical. The of state. But in actual practice, governmental general perception about politics is so negative agencies must descend from that high ground to today, that it seems hard to find anything the terrain of political society in order to renew positive in it. But in the twentieth century we their legitimacy as providers of well-being have had legendary political personalities like and there to confront whatever is the current Mohandas Gandhi (1869-1947), Martin Luther 37 configuration of politically mobilised demands. King (1929-1968) and Nelson Mandela (1918- For him, ‘political society’ is now one 2013); and if we look carefully into the politics of the key determinants in any process of of our times we will also find people like Anna sociopolitical­ transformation as it was the Hazare (1937-), Aung San Suu Kyi (1945-) and ‘civil society’ during the nineteenth century. Irom Chanu Sharmila (1971-), who, besides And there he finds ‘a constantly shifting their specific political objectives, exemplify compromise between the normative values of the politics of conscience, commitment, modernity and the moral assertion of popular harmony, people’s power and comprehensive demands.’38 A reflection of this ‘assertion’ may development. These political leaders and be traced in the recent popular protests across activists may or may not have been personally India against corruption in public life and influenced by Swami Vivekananda; but the violence on women. The popular uprisings way they perceived and practised politics is in the Middle East called the ‘Arab Spring’ indeed an endorsement of Swamiji’s idea of or the ‘Occupy Central with Love and Peace’ politics—an idea that motivates us to have a movement for democratic rights in Hong much needed positive perspective of politics. Kong may also be cited as instances of such Thus the same ideas of Swami Viveka- mass awakening. In spite of many limitations, nanda that had inspired the different strands these popular protests reveal the inadequacies of the nationalist movement in India a century of the prevailing political set-ups to deliver back, have come up with new implications for justice. They also signify the might of the a globalised political scenario. people’s power and the innovative ways to (Concluded)

Notes and References 21. See: National Crime Records Bureau, 19.11.14, 23. Ibid, ‘Vedanta in its Application to Indian Life’ (http:/ /mha.nic.in/), accessed on 28.11.14 (lecture delivered in Madras on 13 February, 22. CWSV, Letter to Pramada Das Mitra from Almora 1897), Vol 3, pp 245-46 (original in Bengali dated 30 May, 1897), Vol 6, pp 24. Ibid, Letter to Mohammed Sarfaraz Husain from 394 Almora (dated 10 June, 1898), Vol 6, p 416

The V edanta K esari ~ 112 ~ MARCH 2015 35

25. Ibid, Letter to E. T. Sturdy from New York (dated of Regeneration of India’ (interview with the 9 August, 1895), Vol 8, p 350 Madras Times, February, 1897), Vol 5, pp 222-23 26. Ibid, ‘From the Diary of a Disciple’ (original in 34. He wrote: ‘The individual’s life is in the life of Bengali, 1897), Vol 6, pp 462-63 the whole, the individual’s happiness is in the 27. Ibid, Letter to Mrinalini Bose from Deoghar happiness of the whole; apart from the whole, the (original in Bengali dated 3 January, 1899), Vol 5, individual’s existence is inconceivable—this is p 147 an eternal truth and is the bed-rock on which the 28. Ibid, Letter to Alasinga Perumal from USA (dated universe is built. Wisdom, knowledge, wealth, 29 September, 1894), Vol 5, p 47 men, strength, prowess, and whatever else nature 29. Ibid, Letter to Mrinalini Bose from Deoghar gathers and provides us with, are all only for (original in Bengali dated 3 January, 1899), Vol 5, diffusion, when the moment of need is at hand. p 146 We often forget this fact, put the stamp of “mine 30. Sen, Amartya, 2000, Development As Freedom, only” upon the entrusted deposits, and pari New : Oxford University Press, pp 3-4 passu, we sow the seed of our own ruin!’–Ibid, 31. Ibid, p 3 ‘Modern India’ (original in Bengali–Bartaman 32. See: UNDP: ‘Defining and measuring human Bharat, 1899), Vol 4, pp 463-64 development’, Human Development Report 1990, 35. Ibid, ‘From the Diary of a Disciple’, (original in New York & Oxford: Oxford University Press, Ch Bengali, 1902), Vol 7, p 246 1, pp 9-10 (http://hdr.undp.org/ sites/default/ 36. Ibid, Vol 7, pp 327-28 files/reports/219/hdr_1990_en_complete_ 37. Chatterjee, Partha, 2009, The Politics of the nostats.pdf), last viewed on 17.06.2014 Governed Reflections on Popular Politics in Most of 33. CWSV, ‘The Missionary Work of the First the World, New Delhi: Permanent Black, p 41 Hindu Sannyasin to the West and His Plan 38. Ibid, p 41

Statement about ownership and other particulars about The Vedanta Kesari (according to Form IV Rule 8, circulated by Registrar of Newspapers for India). 1. Place of Publication : Chennai - 600 004 2. Periodicity of Publication : Monthly 3. Printer’s Name : Swami Vimurtananda Nationality : Indian Address : Sri Ramakrishna Math Mylapore, Chennai 600 004 4. Publisher’s Name : Swami Vimurtananda Nationality : Indian Address : Sri Ramakrishna Math Mylapore, Chennai - 600 004 5. Editor’s Name : Swami Atmashraddhananda Nationality : Indian Address : Sri Ramakrishna Math Mylapore, Chennai - 600 004 6. Names & Addresses of the individuals who own the newspaper and partners or share- : Sri Ramakrishna Math holders holding more than 1% of the capital Mylapore, Chennai 600 004 I, Swami Vimurtananda, hereby declare that the particulars given above are true to the best of my knowl- edge and belief. Sd/- Date: 1.3.2015 Swami Vimurtananda Signature of the Publisher

The V edanta K esari ~ 113 ~ MARCH 2015 New Find

Sister Nivedita

ALICE MARY LONGFELLOW

The Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Center of New York, in going through its archives, has discovered the typewritten manuscript of this article on Sister Nivedita. Nivedita, the ardent disciple of Swami Vivekananda, followed Swamiji to India, where she established the Nivedita Girls’ School in Calcutta, and dedicated her life in service to her adopted country, India. The author of this brief article was Alice M. Longfellow. Significantly, upon further investigation, it can now be said that the article was written by none other than Alice Mary Longfellow, the eldest surviving daughter of the world-famous American poet, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882), famous for Paul Revere’s Ride, , , and his translation of Dante’s The Divine Comedy. Alice is best known as ‘grave Alice’ from her father’s poem, The Children’s Hour. This article, perhaps published Alice Mary Longfellow Henry Wadsworth Longfellow here for the first time, was found among various letters and papers that Swami Nikhilananda received from Josephine McLeod. Perhaps it was McLeod who encouraged Alice Longfellow to write it. The article is not fully dated but was written from Craigie House, which is the Longfellow home where Alice Longfellow was born in 1850, and where she lived her entire life until she passed away in 1928. In a biography of Sister Nivedita we find the following reference: ‘After Mrs. Bull’s death [January 1911], Nivedita quietly left the house and went to stay with another friend, Miss Alice Longfellow.’ Craigie House

The V edanta K esari ~ 114 ~ MARCH 2015 37

(Reference: Sister Nivedita by Pravrajika Atmaprana, Nivedita Girls’ School, Calcutta, 1961, p. 279) Therefore it is clear that Sister Nivedita stayed at the Longfellow home.

About Alice Longfellow and Craigie House Alice Mary Longfellow was a philanthropist, preservationist and historian. She led a privileged childhood growing up in an affluent family home. She attended classes at during the 1880s and 1890s and studied at Newnham College in Cambridge, England, from 1883 to 1884. Never married, she traveled frequently throughout her life, spending much of her time abroad in and . Alice’s interest in American history was perhaps sparked by the history of her own home, for Craigie House had served as headquarters for General from July 1775 to April 1776 during the American Revolutionary War. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow became owner of Craigie House in 1843 when he received it as a wedding gift from his father-in-law. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Craigie House is now known as the Longfellow National Historic Site, an important American landmark administered by the U.S. . After her father’s death in 1882, Alice Longfellow published a four-page sketch of the poet titled ‘Longfellow in Home Life.’ She was active throughout her life in promoting her father’s legacy as the first great American poet. She did this not just by preserving his home in Cambridge, but also through making personal connections in his name all over the world.

We are grateful to Swami Yuktatmananda, Head of Ramakrishna Centre of New York, for providing us this article.

Some twelve years ago there came to She knows it to be a country where the ideal is a young lady, a member of a Hindu the real, and the real the ideal, and she hopes religious order, to speak at one of the meetings to bring some of this idealism to the hard, of the Free Religious Association. Her bright, practical life of the West, and to carry to India intelligent face, her earnest manner and attrac- the best part of this practicality as a basis for tive personality, enhanced by the simple white its daily life. habit of her order, made a strong impression Miss Noble has made several visits to on the audience. Boston, giving talks in private houses, and Miss Margaret Noble, although her home has many friends here, but her chosen life is was in England, is of Irish family, and has all among the Hindus in India, where she loves the ardour and fire of the Celtic temperament. the simple, religious, poetic customs and She believes strongly in the universality of people. With another sister of the order, she true religion, in all its various manifestations. has opened a school in Calcutta for girls, and The old religion of India made the strongest for married women, whose husbands desire appeal to her intense, imaginative nature, and to widen their interests beyond the home her ardent desire is to enlighten the Western life. Miss Noble has also found time to write world in regard to its many beauties and several books about India—its legends and heights of spiritual thought. She has adopted religion. The last one, ‘My Master,’ was most the country and its life so completely that she favourably reviewed by Canon Cheyne in the sees everything from the Indian point of view. Hibbert Journal.

The V edanta K esari ~ 115 ~ MARCH 2015 38

He says: ‘This book may The Hindus act as if be placed among the choicest their dead were still present religious classics on the same in the body as well as in the shelf with The Confessions of spirit. Their belief is that St. Augustine; and Sabatier’s ‘the soul of the righteous life of St. Francis. . . There goes back to its father, to be are many important ideas poured out as love, wisdom which might be quoted from and peace.’ ‘The human this remarkable volume. . . frame loses a life, which is The possibility of finding gained by all who loved the all religions true and yet be soul, radiating as wisdom, a loyal adherent of one of beneficence and love.’ them.’ With this thought in In Miss Noble’s case her mind, she lingered in this she has never broken her country for several weeks, connection with the English and then, feeling she was no Church, of which she is a longer needed, she returned communicant. At Christmas to India as quietly as she Sister Nivedita time the monks of the order show came. their reverence for Jesus by reading the story Her parting greeting from the steamer of the Nativity, somewhat in the spirit of the was a verse from the Indian Daily Prayer for early Franciscans, and for her dying friend, the World. Mrs. Ole Bull, she dropped her work and at a In the East, and in the West, day’s notice took the long journey to America In the North, and in the South, to be with her friend and to give the comfort Let all things that are, one may at such a time. Without enemies, without obstacles, After her friend’s death her desire was Having no sorrow, and attaining cheerfulness, to return to her home and work as speedily as Move forward freely, possible, but she felt bound by some promised Each in his own path lectures, and by the desire to be of assistance Alice M. Longfellow. to her friend’s family. Craigie House, June 29 v v v

India is probably the one country in the world where a man can be awake to the meaning of his life from his infancy without having a whole growth of superstititions become heart of his heart at the same time. No doubt superstition is there, but it is possible for it to drop away imperceptibly as, to use Ramakrishna’s own expression, the dried petals drop from the ripening fruit. —The Complete Works of Sister Nivedita, vol.1, p.488

The V edanta K esari ~ 116 ~ MARCH 2015 The Order on the March

Ramakrishna Math and Mission—News and Notes

New University Building Opened On the sacred Saraswati Puja Day, 24 January, Revered President Maharaj inaugurated the newly constructed building Prajna Bhavan at Vivekananda University, Belur, which would house (i) School of Mathematical Sciences, (ii) School of Indian Heritage, and (iii) Central Library and Central Computer Facilities Block. On this occasion, Revered President Maharaj also released a Bengali biography of Alasinga Perumal published by Vivekananda University. The book is a translation of the origi- nal English book published by Chennai Math. In response to our request, UNESCO (United Nations Edu- cational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) has established an official cooperation relationship with the Ramakrishna Mission for a period of six years. o Prajna Bhavan, the new University Building Celebration of the 150th Birth Anniversary of Swami Trigunatitanandaji Maharaj Ramakrishna Math, Naora held a three-day programme from 21 to 23 January with a procession, cycle rally, special worship and cultural events. On 23 January, Swami Suhitanandaji, the General Secretary of Ramakrishna Math and Mission inaugurated the newly built multipurpose hall and the archway and presided over the public meeting held in the afternoon. About 8000 devotees attended the celebration. Swami Trigunatitanandaji was one of the direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna. Naora, near , is the place where he was born. o News of Branch Centres v On 24 January, the holy Saraswati Puja day, Swami Vagishanandaji, Vice-President of the Ramakrishna Order, inaugurated the newly constructed building named Vivek Bhavan at Silchar centre that would house a study hall, a library and classrooms for the hostel boys, and a bookshop. v The Governor of Arunachal Pradesh, Lt. General (Retd.) Nirbhay Sharma, visited Narottam Nagar centre on 30 January and presided over the annual prize-giving ceremony of its school. v Ramakrishna Mission Seva Pratishthan conducted a round-the-clock medical camp during Makar Sankranti Mela at Sagar Island in South 24-Parganas district from 10 to 15 January. In all, 5226 patients were treated, out of which 40 received indoor medical care. Besides, 150 blankets and about 4500 copies of religious books were distributed among the pilgrims. v On the occasion of Gangasagar Mela, Manasadwip centre organized a camp at the Mela area from

The V edanta K esari ~ 117 ~ MARCH 2015 40

12 to 16 January. In all, 835 pilgrims were provided with free board and lodging at the camp and the Ashrama. Besides, free meals were served to about 250 non-resident pilgrims daily. Discourses and devotional singing were also arranged in the camp. v The General Secretary inaugurated the newly constructed homeopathy dispensary building and a multipurpose building at Palai Ashrama, Kerala, on 20 January. v Two newly constructed primary school buildings at Manasadwip centre were inaugurated on 20 January. v The General Secretary declared open the new monks’ quarters at Nettayam sub-centre of Thiruvananthapuram Ashrama on 22 January, the holy birthday of Swami Brahmanandaji Maharaj. v Malaysia centre conducted a devotees’ convention on 27 and 28 December which was inaugurated by Sri T S Tirumurti, High Commissioner of India to Malaysia. In all, 300 devotees including representatives of six non-affiliated centres in Malaysia attended the convention. This was the first time when so many non-affiliated centres in Malaysia joined hands with us in holding an all-Malaysian convention. v On 2 January, Baliati (Bangladesh) centre started a free coaching centre for children from kindergarten to class 6. v International Diabetes Federation (IDF), Brussels, , has bestowed recognition to Certified Diabetes Educator-India (CDEI) programme at Vrindaban centre for excellence in providing diabetes education to healthcare professionals. The programme is being conducted under the auspices of Manav Seva Foundation, Chesterfield, Missouri, USA. So far there are only 12 diabetes education programmes worldwide recognized by IDF. v Swamiji’s Ancestral House has been awarded Amiya Nath Sadhu Memorial Challenge Trophy for the year 2013-14 by the Association of Voluntary Blood Donors, West Bengal, for mobilizing a large number of blood donors in that year. The award consisted of a trophy, a memento and a certificate. o Relief News Winter Relief: Various centres in India and two centres in Bangladesh distributed 12900 blankets to poor people: Besides, the following centres distributed various winter garments to needy people: Puri Math: 100 sweaters, Swamiji’s Ancestral House, Kolkata: 57 sweaters. Vrindaban: 250 shawls. Flood Relief: Jammu centre continued its relief work among the people affected by flash floods and landslides in the state. The centre distributed 2000 corrugated sheets, 400 iron pipes (20 feet each), 744 blankets, 689 shawls, 834 jackets and 450 sets of utensils (each set containing 2 cooking pots, 5 plates, 5 mugs, 5 spoons and 1 ladle) among 477 families of 52 villages in Jammu district from 2 to 14 January. 3. Hudhud Cyclone Relief: Visakhapatnam centre distributed 1059 solar lanterns and 2118 blankets among 1059 families in 4 areas of Visakhapatnam district from 2 to 9 January. 4. Disturbance Relief: On 4 January, Guwahati centre distributed 200 kg chira (rice flakes), 100 kg gur (molasses), 135 kg milk powder, 40 kg protein powder, 400 saris, 150 dhotis, 100 shawls, 150 kg detergent powder and 500 bars of washing soap among 650 people in Mazbat, Udalguri district, who were affected by the recent ethnic disturbance in the state. 5. Storm Relief: In the wake of a severe storm on 1 January caused by depression in the Bay of Bengal, Visakhapatnam centre distributed rice, dal (lentils), dry peas, edible oil, salt, chilli powder, turmeric powder and pickles among 220 affected families in M Sunnapalli area of Tekkali Mandal in Srikakulam district on 7 January. o

The V edanta K esari ~ 118 ~ MARCH 2015 Book Reviews For review in The Vedanta Kesari, publishers need to send us two copies of their latest publication.

Swami Vivekananda on ‘eternal values’ and ‘human Praxis of Education excellence’ quoted are most enlightening. The case studies given towards the end of the book reflect By Priya M.Vaidya the ills of the present system. These will be useful to Published by Vivekananda those aspiring to take up teaching as a career. Kendra Prakashan Trust, To transform the system a head start has been No.5, Singarachari street, given by Swamiji long ago followed later by the Triplicane, Chennai 600 recommendations of high powered committees, 005.2013, paperback, viz., the Radhakrishnan Committee, the Kothari pp.104, Rs.60. Committee and Sri Prakasa Committee, apart from In answer to ‘why the suggestions of educationists. this book’, the author It is pertinent to recall Sri Ramakrishna’s relates from personal caution that a person is not qualified to impart experience how Swamiji’s thoughts on life religious lessons in the absence of Divine command. in general and education in particular enhanced Book knowledge and paper qualifications are her life skills, specially teaching skills. In addition, not enough. Applying this test to the teaching a positive outlook, happiness and a tendency to profession, only those who have a passion and help and ‘live for others’ automatically followed. commitment to impart education should join the The book is intended to disseminate the essence of profession. We need people possessing the spirit Swamiji’s views for welfare of humanity. and calibre of Sister Nivedita in order to bring in Through four chapters, the book examines transformation. human values. The contents cover a wide range of The book under review is a step in the right topics including purpose of human life, the need direction. to realize one’s divinity within, moral discipline, ______P. S. SUNDARAM, MUMBAI ethical and spiritual values and the pursuit of four Purusharthas. Swami Vivekananda’s The ancient Ashrama Dharma system Vision and Indian that disciplines life and the impact of the family Womanhood, The Road surrounding the individual are worth recalling in the context of the modern nuclear family Ahead culture. Sadly, there has been a neglect of value- By Nivedita Rathunath oriented education and inner development of Bhide students. Parents show keen interest in the ‘outer Published by Vivekananda development’ of children to enable them ‘to face Kendra Prakashan Trust, the world outside’. They may succeed in enabling No.5, Singarachari street, the child to become a high-earning professional, Triplicane, Chennai 600 but may ‘fail in making a moral man out of him’. 005.2013, paperback, Their talents are visible in accumulating material pp.120, Rs.60. wealth in plenty but spiritual values are devalued. It is quite appropriate that during the The neglect of a spiritual orientation in education 150th birth anniversary year of Swami Vivekananda might result in encouraging selfishness and, as the such a book has been published. The book is author remarks, inability ‘to cope with conflicts divided into three chapters, tracing the Indian and turmoil’ in life. The views of revered Swami women’s life from the Vedic period. Right in the

The V edanta K esari ~ 119 ~ MARCH 2015 42 beginning, the author states how till recently in young ones, will definitely benefit from reading India women of any age were addressed as Mother the book. (p.13). She aptly quotes from Swami Vivekananda ______S. UMA, CHENNAI the Indian ideal of womanhood with respect to the magic word ‘mother’. She proceeds to explain Reviewing Hindutva, the status of women from the Vedic period till the A Historic Perspective period of Muslim invasions and by those professing in the Light of Swami exclusive faiths. Vivekananda The second chapter contains the reasons for deviations and roadblocks in the path of By Manoj Shankar Naik development of Indian women. While explaining Published by Vivekananda the road blocks, various aspects of loss of Kendra Prakashan Trust, indigenous education of India and misinterpretation No.5, Singarachari street, of our customs are highlighted. Triplicane, Chennai 600 The third chapter details the ‘Road Ahead’. 005.2013, paperback, Here the Women’s Power, Stree Shakti, her special pp.192, Rs.100 powers and abilities as a woman, to be a dynamic The Wikipedia attempts to leader are described. All through apt quotations explain ‘Hindutva’ from a number of sources from Swami Vivekananda, Mata Amritanandamayi, but it remains vague. It is deemed to be an ideology Vinobha Bhave, Ms Eleanor Stark, Asim Choudhary, centering on many beliefs one of which states that Guru Golwalkar, to mention a few, are given. the majority of secular Hindus does not support While describing the ‘Road Ahead’, the difference Hindutva movement. Reviewing Hindutva purports between duties and rights are well explained—how to refute ‘the myths associated with Hindutva…’ the feeling of oneness is the basis of social and The expression is also misconstrued as Hindu individual duties and what connects us with the fundamentalism that militates against other faiths. whole of humanity. The Supreme Court ruled that ‘. . . It is a fallacy and The women in our society are considered the error…’ to equate Hindutva with fundamentalism. form of Shakti—the Divine Power. Grihalakshmi Rather it stands for the Indian culture and way is the power behind family-society-nation. Even of life. The author’s research to challenge this though in earlier days women were worshipped, myth is based mostly on the writings of Swami such respect for women is not seen at present. Vivekananda and other well-known leaders before This has affected our lives in a very big way and India’s Independence. yet there is a hope. The author writes ‘with the The opening chapter recalls the words of advent of Shri Ramakrishna and Shri Sarada Swamiji on the catholicity and greatness of India at Devi, the power of women and their participation the Parliament of Religions where he said ‘. . . I am for societal and national good was re-awakened’ proud to belong to a nation which has sheltered the (p.108). She quotes Swami Vivekananda ‘Who persecuted and the refugees of all religions and all will give the world light? The best will have to nations of the earth . . .’ Unfortunately, religion was sacrifice themselves for the good. That is the task abused and sullied by the machinations of vested that awaits Indian women’. Citing another passage interests and priestcraft that harassed the poor, from Swamiji, the author says in concluding arbitrarily creating ‘untouchables, unapproachable section that the women have to educate themselves and unseeables’. meaningfully and they would have to work for the The author marshals evidence to buttress society. In fact, salvation of any country depends the fact that the Hindu faith and ‘the mild Hindu’ upon women. The author calls upon the women of have been unfairly treated by mischievous and India to take up the regeneration of India. India has misguided elements depriving large sections within to be awakened first to be able to sing her note for the community of their basic rights. While it is true the harmony of humanity (p.118). that basic rights have been denied, is it the fault Except for a few typos, the presentation and of religion? Swamiji identified the real culprit as production of this book is fine. Mothers, especially politics, not religion.

The V edanta K esari ~ 120 ~ MARCH 2015 43

The book recalls the acts of vandalism and the grammar text of Panini. The second Patanjali murderous attacks on Hindus and their places is identified with the famous Ayurvedic surgeon of worship by fanatical elements. While Gandhiji Sushruta. The third one is none other than the rightly supported retaliation in self-defence instead compiler of the Yoga Sutras. It is also not known if of suffering as cowards, the author is disappointed all the three people are the same person or different that he failed to condemn the brutalities. Even the people. events of the Mapla Rebellion (in Kerala) did not Riddled with so many uncertainties, it evoke the protest expected from National level for is indeed a formidable task to venture to write fear of jeopardizing Hindu-Muslim unity efforts. his biography. The book under review is one Unfortunately, Indian history was distorted such attempt by Ramabhadra Dikshita, a great by pseudo secularists and it suited foreign rulers grammarian of Tamil Nadu of the 17th century CE. to manipulate education to ridicule India’s The original work consists of about 600 verses, achievements. Swami Vivekananda abhorred presented in 8 chapters. The book is a condensation fundamentalism. The author quotes a scholar: of the original work, in a prosaic form, shorn of ‘. . . the Swami was among the earliest thinkers many incidental descriptions not really relevant to claim the Indo-Islamic period as part of Indian to the main work. The condensed version has heritage…’ The views of Dr. Ambedkar and Veer been published with an English translation. Savarkar have also been quoted that indicate the The condensation and translation are due to Dr. reluctance of minority communities to be part of M. Jayaraman of the Krishnamacharya Yoga the mainstream. Swami Vivekananda’s thoughts Mandiram, Chennai. on nation building referred to in the book are The book has been written in the Pauranic significant. The concluding chapter highlights the style and is a mixture of history and mythology. It sincere efforts of some scholars to present a true commences with Lord Shesha, the thousand-headed picture of pre-Independence history. Serpent, Mahavishnu’s resting place. Noticing that While Reviewing Hindutva will provoke some the weight of Vishnu suddenly increases, Shesha rethinking among policy makers to undertake asks him for the reason. Vishnu replies that He was corrective action to understand the term ‘Hindutva’. in a Yogic state and was watching the cosmic dance ______P. S. SUNDARAM, MUMBAI of Shiva on earth in the town of Chidambaram in Tamil Nadu. Vishnu bids Shesha to go down to Patanjali-caritam Chidambaram to see Shiva who has an assignment for him. Vishnu also tells Shesha about the By Dr. M. Jayaraman grammarian Panini, whose book Ashtadhyayi is Published by Krishnama- not easily understandable by earthly beings, and charya Yoga Mandiram. that it will be Shesha’s task as Patanjali to write an 31, 4th Cross Street, R.K. explanatory text. Nagar, Mandaveli, Chennai The story continues with twists and turns, 600 028. 2012, paperback, with Patanjali composing his aphorisms on Yoga pp.96, Rs.60. and teaching them to his disciples. Meanwhile, Ever since the the characters in the story move between heaven therapeutical aspects of and earth. Mythological personalities freely mix Yoga came to be recognized and communicate with historical persons, to the during the last few decades, the names bewilderment of the reader. The story culminates Yoga and Patanjali have become known in with the introduction of Govinda Bhagavadpada, many countries around the world. But, even though the Guru of Adi Shankaracharya. the name of Patanjali has become quite well known, If the reader expects from the book a historical hardly anything is known about him from the perspective of the life of Patanjali, he or she will be historical perspective. It is, however, known that disappointed. The story is more like the Vrata-Katha there are three prominent personalities in Indian associated with and read out at the end of a Vrata History called Patanjali. One of them is identified or even a Sthala Purana used to eulogise a sacred with the grammarian, who wrote a commentary on place. People who are used to read or listen to such

The V edanta K esari ~ 121 ~ MARCH 2015 44 stories would probably find nothing in the story merged in the God but wants to serve Him, then that is incongruous. But, others may find the book one must have strong mind. In order to develop odd and quaint. that strong mind, one should practice Yoga The book has an Appendix at the end, according to the instructions of the teacher’ (verse containing a glossary of the characters in the story 35). The work though mentions same terms like and a list of books referred to in the text. There is Yama and Niyama as done by Patanjali, it gives also an interesting set of shlokas at the end of the different connotations. It says, ‘not performing book, attributed to Patanjali. acts forbidden is called as Yama’ and ‘the study It goes to the credit of Krishnamacharya Yoga of scriptures as Niyama’ (verses 25 and 22). The Mandiram, Chennai that it has brought this book translator, however, in his footnotes, argues that out of oblivion and published it in the form of an all those virtues like truth, non-violence and so on abridgement and English translation. The title of mentioned by Patanajli are also included in the very the original text is Patanjali Charitam, translated definition of the word Yama. as ‘the Legend of Patanjali’, and that is just what In Nadanusandhana, it is told that even if for a one finds in the book, a legend and nothing more. moment one contemplates on the nature of oneself, Nevertheless, the book is a good addition to the one can hear the anahata dhwani (unstruck sound) scanty literature available on the background of in the right ear. One should never get carried away Patanjali. by the initial success. If the mind gets absorbed ______PROF. NVC SWAMY, BANGALORE in the light that is seen within the Nada for long duration, then, one is never again bound by worldly Astanga-yoga-nirupanam life. The book consists of Sanskrit verses of the & Nadanusandhana- two works separately. Along with the Devanagari panchakam script Roman transliteration is also given which Edited with translation helps one who is not versed in Devanagari script. and critical notes by Copious notes help a reader understand the Dr. M.Jayaraman concepts clearly. Three appendices at the end Published by Research De- contain the image of the manuscripts, different partment, pp.62, versions on lineage of Yoga, short introduction to Krishnamacharya Yoga Yogi Tirumala Krishnamacharya. All these have Mandiram, 31, 4th cross added to the value of the small book. street, RK Nagar, Mandaveli, More and more of such works from the Chennai - 600 028. 2013, research department of Krishnamacharya Yoga Paperback, Rs.60. Mandiram should see the light of the day. Ashtanga-yoga-nirupanam is a work on eight- ______SWAMI KARUNAKARANANDA, MYSORE fold path of Yoga in 51 verses and Nadanusandhana is a very short monograph of 5 verses on attaining Demystifying Death enlightenment taking the anahata sound as a prop. By Vinod Malhotra Ashtanga-yoga-nirupanam starts with a dialogue between Sanatkumara and Gargya on the Published by New Age eight-limbed Yoga. This work, unlike Patanjali’s Books, A-44, Naraina Ashtanga Yoga, contends that ‘this Yoga can both Industrial Area, Phase-I, be used for attaining one’s desired objects and later New Delhi - 110 028. 2013, on to attain imperishable results’ (verses 13 and paperback, pp. 153 +x. 14), ‘by Samadhi one has to attain Narayana’(verse Rs.275 19). The practice of Samadhi is only an aid to The author of this leave the body at the culmination of Yoga through book has been a successful Brahmarandhra and the ray of light to have IAS officer and an ardent communion with the Lord (verse 34). The speciality devotee of the Bhagavad Gita. It is this of this work is that ‘if one does not want to get understanding of the Gita that made him write

The V edanta K esari ~ 122 ~ MARCH 2015 45 this book ‘Demystifying Death’. Citing Sri Krishna’s mortals who live for themselves and those who die advice to Arjuna, the author tries to unravel the idea in the welfare of the society, country and humanity. of death as commonly held. He provides examples like the death of armed The book is divided into twelve chapters. At personnel fighting for the country, the lives of social the end we have a brief epilogue and index as well. reformists, to that of great religious leaders. In his preface the author brings out the inevitability The chapter ‘Death the Great Leveller’ deals of one event in our lives i.e., ‘death’. To quote the with the common notion about death that it washes author, ‘Every living entity that is created by nature away all the sins and grants the ultimate pardon is compulsorily subjected to two phenomena. It even to the most evil and vicious of the human must perform some work to survive and in the being. The chapter ‘Death and Cosmic Energy’ tries fullness of time, must perish. There is no exception to be ‘rational’ and even deny the existence of God. to this rule and Nature is absolutely ruthless in This is not in tune with the Indian ideas that God its execution . . . viewed from that perspective, is realizable and human birth is the door to God- death is a blessing and is essential to provide realisation. vibrant energy and youthful look to our temporary The book is a good read. While what is cited abode. Let us not get delusional with respect to the from the Bhagavad Gita is contextually appealing, permanence of our physicality, and waste no time in some of the citations from the modern scientific achieving our dreams or the task that we set for thoughts may not convince the common readers. ourselves.’ Printed on quality paper, it is a neat piece of In the first chapter ‘Death-A Myth’ the author production. brings home the point that ‘death to the body is ______SANTOSH KUMAR SHARMA, KHARAGPUR (W.B) real, everything else is a myth’. In this context he mentions about the horoscope which parents So You Shall Know the prepare for their newborns, which the author says Truth talks about everything except death which is an By Svami Purna inevitability in everybody’s life, thus making it a non-event! He compares life and death to the Published by New Age everyday event of day and night. In the chapter Books, A-44, Naraina ‘Death—A Complete Stranger’, the author quotes Industrial Area, Phase-I, the Bhagavad Gita to argue that this reality need New Delhi-110 028. 2013, not frighten us and should perhaps make us a little paperback, pp.182+ix. more hopeful. We need not look at death with fear Rs.275 but remain prepared and accept it as any other Svami Purna, the event of our life. Prudence demands that we accept author of this book, born it gracefully as and when it comes. The Gita (2.22) in an affluent family, chose to live simplifies the phenomenon of death as an act of an ascetic life in the Himalayan caves and after discarding worn out clothes and donning new ones. enlightenment came out to show people how The chapter ‘Fear of Death’ vividly brings they could overcome their unhappiness and home the uselessness of fear of death, citing the suffering by following a spiritual path. According Gita (2.27)—‘Death to those who are born is a to him, the source of unhappiness is related to certainty and those who die shall be born again. spiritual poverty. Only ‘Satsang’ (the company Nobody can do anything about this phenomenon. It of holy persons) will enable everyone to acquire is pointless therefore to either grieve or fear death.’ positive energy and inner peace. In another chapter titled ‘Our Fragile Existence’, Negative forces such as anger, hatred, the author points out various forms of fear which jealousy and rivalry are antithetical to spiritual engulf us besides death like the fear generated life. In spirituality, there is only caring love. Sage by superstitions such as people changing their Narada says that love is the nectar of immortality. direction of travel if a cat crosses their path. By love, he means a profound understanding of The chapter ‘Death in Public Domain’ aptly the Self. Even in Kaliyuga, one can create one’s brings out the difference between death of ordinary own golden age by radiating love as a flower

The V edanta K esari ~ 123 ~ MARCH 2015 46 radiates fragrance. As Saint Tulasidas says, ‘the The attractive cover carries an esoteric world has everything to give. Only the unfortunate diagram. ones fail to receive it.’ A really enlightened person ______K. PANCHAPAGESAN, MUMBAI becomes humble like a tree laden with fruit. All life is interdependent. Separation causes fear, anxiety Sri Krishna A Multi- and jealousy. The Punjabi mystic Bulle Shah said, Faceted Personality. ‘I did not know that I was the veil that I created By M.N. Gopalan my own separateness.’ On spiritually protected persons, negative forces will have little impact. In a Published by Yadugiri Publi- lighter vein does the author say that one has to take cations, 56,Maruthi Temple spiritual insurance for which the premium one has Road, Saraswathipuram, to pay is humility, service, love and egolessness. Mysore-570 009. 2012, Spirituality as different from organised paperback, pp.160, Rs.100. religion can lead one to a happy, healthy, balanced This book attempts and fulfilled life. Organized religion teaches us the ‘to bridge the gap between basic tenets; it gives a sense of direction. Once you Science and Philosophy’. are able to walk, you must walk alone by growing The unbounded personality out of the dogma of your religion and advancing of Sri Krishna is well known. Among others, towards spirituality like a snake sheds its skin. You the Lord is an adept in psychology, science and must take responsibility for your own growth. management. Gita has lessons on productivity, Positive and insightful hints on practical motivation, right to work, HRD, etc. that baffle spirituality pervade through all the 26 discourses management; not to speak of mind management. which are based on the perennial ancient Vedic Based on science and mathematical models, wisdom. This timeless wisdom is imparted in a aided by schematic presentation and charts, Dr. friendly and heart-to-heart manner to suit modern Gopalan writes about the soul, theory of karma, etc. mundane life irrespective of the disciple’s caste, Sri Krishna is described as an expert creed religion or nationality. The teachings have psychiatrist. He is also seen as an economist; and been given in oral tradition enriched with stories in this context the author mentions Gresham’s Law and anecdotes, both in a perspicacious and on monetary policy. Apart from the Gita, verses perspicuous style. The nub of the discourses is that from Vishnu Sahasranama and Upanishads are life is a joy to be celebrated in a balanced way. Only referred to. The contributions of saints of —for a Sat guru can give the key with which the disciple example, Alwars, Purandaradasa, find mention. must open the right door. There are two interesting Those with no background in scientific and instructive chapters containing questions and subjects may find sections of the book hard to answers. The book is addictively readable and can follow. benefit both the laity and the spiritually inclined. ______P. S. SUNDARAM, MUMBAI.

Books Received Outlines of Indian Philosophy by M. Hiriyanna Published by Motilal Banarsidass, 41, U.A. Bungalow Road, Jawahar Nagar, Delhi 110007, 5th reprint, 2014, paperback, pp.417, Rs. 345.

Quarter Index to the Bhagavad Gita by Dr. K.S. Kannan Published by Ramakrishna Math, Bangalore 560019, 2014, paperback, pp.136 + xxiv, Rs.75.

Note: Please read ^JdZ² ^JdÝ_`_² ApIb{_X§ as ^JdZ² ^JdÝ_`_² Ed g_§ on p. 6 of Jan. 2015 of the Vedanta Kesari.

The V edanta K esari ~ 124 ~ MARCH 2015 47 MARCH 2015

‘Educate your women first and leave them to themselves’–Swami Vivekananda

For decades Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, has been running the following two schools: 1. Sri Ramakrishna Math National School, at Basin Bridge Road, Mint, Chennai. Swami , a direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna, started this School in 1906–now having 370 girls and boys on the roll, from classes 1 to 5. See website: www.rkmns.edu.in 2. Sri Ramakrishna Math Vivekananda Centenary Girls’ Higher Second- ary School at Saravana Street, Mint, Chennai-79. Started in 1962, having 900 girl students from classes 6 to 12. See their Website: www.rkmvcs.edu.in Located in underprivileged sections of populace in north Chennai, 85% students in both the schools are from the below poverty line. Striving to serve the poor students with financial and other constraints, the school urgently needs to improve its infrastructure. We appeal to all the good-hearted citizens, funding agencies and philanthropic organisations and especially Corporate Social Responsibility departments of all Business Houses to contribute generously for the noble cause. Cheques / Drafts may kindly be drawn in favour of ‘Sri Ramakrishna Math National School’ or ‘Sri Ramakrishna Math Vivekananda Centenary Girls’ Higher Secondary School’ and sent to our address. Please mention your full name, postal address, contact numbers and mail ID along with PAN. Contributions of above 1,000/- rupees will be added to our Endowment Fund. All donations, however small, will be thankfully received and acknowledged. Sri Ramakrishna Math National School Sri Ramakrishna Math, No. 31, Ramakrishna Math Road, Mylapore, Chennai-600 004. For more details contact: Swami Vimurtananda, Manager, or Swami Srividyananda, School Secretary–09445738065 e-mail : [email protected] & [email protected] Yours in the service of the Lord, All donations made to Sri Ramakrishna Math are eligible for tax benefit under section 80-G of Income taxt Act. Swami Gautamananda Adhyaksha SRKM Vivekananda Centenary Girls’ Hr. Sec. School You may also send your contribution by NEFT/CTGS transfer directly and intimate us along with PAN details through email. The following are the details for bank transfer: Sri Ramakrishna Math National School Bank and Branch: SBBJ (State Bank of Bikaner & Jaipur, Mylapore Br. Chennai-600004. Account No. : 61003734105 IFSC : SBBJ0010419

SRKM Vivekananda Centenary Girls' Higher Secondary School Bank and Branch : CB. Canara Bank, Mandaveli Br., Chennai–600028. Account No. : 8636101036893 IFSC : CNRB0000937 The V edanta K esari 48 MARCH 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 49 MARCH 2015

ALASINGA PERUMAL An Illustrious Disciple of Swami Vivekananda A Saga of Commitment, Dedication and Devotion to His Guru Author: Swami Sunirmalananda ‘One rarely finds a man like our Alasinga in this world—one so unselfish, so hard-working, and devoted to his guru, and such an obedient disciple is indeed very rare on earth.’ —Swami Vivekananda Alasinga Perumal (1865-1909) was a disciple of Swami Vivekananda. He played a pivotal role in Swamiji’s going to the West. Swamiji addressed many of his letters to Alasinga and had much appreciation for Alasinga’s selfless and pure character. Here is the story of an extraordinary individual whose legendary dedication and commitment, and devotion to his Guru are an everlasting source of inspiration and strength. The book has 19 chapters, 3 appendices and over 50 illustrations.

Hard bound, pages ix + 342 Price: Rs. 75/- + Postage: Rs. 60/- for single copy. No request for VPP entertained Published by Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai - 600 004

New Release From Delusion to Reality Bhaja Govindam of Sri Shankaracharya by Swami Gurudasananda

One of the most widely known Sanskrit compositions by Adi Shankaracharya, Bhaja Govindam (also called Moha Mudgara) extols the highest and noblest truths of Vedanta in exquisite poetry. This book is a lucid explanation of these verses full of dispassion, holiness, devotion and highest knowledge. Text in Devanagari and English transliteration and meaning with detailed elucidation.

Hardbound, Pages x +86, Price: Rs.45/- + Postage: Rs.25/-for single copy. No request for VPP entertained Published by Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai - 600 004 Email : [email protected] The V edanta K esari 50 MARCH 2015

Crore

online The V edanta K esari 51 MARCH 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 programs. 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 and 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 help 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 • Programs to promote learning of Sanskrit, English, and Hindi • Programs to promote positive health and life style management • Sustained Graded Value Education Program [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 donations 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 , PO Melur, Koyilandy, Dt. Kozhikode, Kerala 673 306 E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected] Phone: 0496-2630990. Cell no: 09447863787 The V edanta K esari 52 MARCH 2015

Ramakrishna Mission TB Sanatorium (A Branch Centre of Ramakrishna Mission, Belur Math, West Bengal) P.O. Sanatorium, Tupudana, Ranchi – 835221, Jharkhand. Email: [email protected] ‘The poor, the illiterate, the ignorant, the afflicted—let these be your God. Know that service to these alone is the highest religion.’ —Swami Vivekananda An Appeal Spread over 285 acres, Ramakrishna Mission TB Sanatorium in a backward area of Jharkhand, serves the patients suffering from the deadly disease of tuberculosis. Inaugurated in 1951 by Dr Rajendra Prasad, the first President of India, the centre was planned and executed by Srimat Swami Vedantanandaji, Swami Atmasthanandaji and many other pioneering monks of the Ramakrishna Order. The sanatorium has been the only asylum for the poor TB patients in this area over the last 60 years. As there has been a decline in TB cases, the Mission has opened its doors to patients suffering from other diseases too. To meet the increasing need for medical care, we wish to convert this sanatorium into a full-fledged hospital bringing relief to the suffering poor. v Our Project plans are as follows: v 150-beds Hospital exclusively for TB patients—recurring expenses 3 crores p.a. v 50-beds hospital for patients other than TB and O.P.D—recurring expenses of Rs 1 crore p.a. v Upgradation of medical equipment—estimated cost Rs 10 crores v General medicine, radiology, ultrasonography, pathology, gynaecology, minor surgery, eye, orthopaedics, paediatrics, dentistry, ENT, dermatology, physiotherapy, naturopathy and Ayurveda—all units of the OPD and polyclinic need to be upgraded by installation of modern medical equipment and providing specialist doctors. v Mobile Medical Unit: In order to extend health-coverage to 600 remote villages, the centre runs a Mobile Medical Unit (MMU) thrice a week in three base camps, free of cost. As there is need to expand these units, a number of well-equipped ambulances are needed. v Women Empowerment Projects: Training in vocational, computer, health and paramedical—estimated cost: rupees one crore. v Essential Infrastructure development (estimated cost: Rs 20 crores): (a) New Complex for 50 beds general hospital and OPD (there is an immediate need to build separate block for general patients to avoid mixing with the TB patients). (b) Building of quarters for RMO and other staff. (c) Renovation of old buildings, water treatment plant, sinking of deep tube wells, de-silting of check dam for water reservoir, construction of boundary wall and roads within the campus, etc. v Permanent Fund: Rs 50 crores corpus: Inadequacy of government grants and rising prices of drugs and medicines have resulted in financial crises, necessitating to build a permanent endowment fund. We earnestly appeal to all to extend their helping hands by making generous donations for the Permanent Fund and to enable us to continue service to the poor. All donations to the Sanatorium are exempt from Income Tax u/s 80G of the Income Tax Act, 1961. Cheques/Demand drafts may be drawn in favour of ‘Ramakrishna Mission TB Sanatorium’ payable at Ranchi. All donations will be gratefully accepted and acknowledged. Yours in the Service of the Lord Swami Buddhadevananda Secretary The V edanta K esari 53 MARCH 2015

Digitised Archives of the Vedanta Kesari (1914 to 2014) New Release DVD containing the archives of 101 years of the Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta Kesari has been effectively disseminating Indian Ethos and Values, with uninterrupted publication for the 101 years. The entire collection of archival articles (1914-2015) by scholars and thinkers, savants and admirers, monks and practitioners of Vedanta is now available in one DVD. With search facility, indexed author-wise, title-wise, year-wise and by keywords, plus other features, it is a veritable encyclopedia of Vedanta now available to you at the click of a button! Price: Rs.300/-Packing and Posting charges: Rs.60/- (within India) For ordering your copy, draw your DD in favour of Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai and send to: The Manager, Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai – 600004,You can also order Online. Email : [email protected] Published by Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai - 600 004

New Release Manifesting Inherent Perfection Education for Complete Self-improvement This book attempts to discuss this ‘inside’ of education which is man-making. A collection of 50 writings on various aspects of education ‘in its widest sense’, this book presents the Indian worldview of divinity of man and unity of existence. Compiled from the archives of The Vedanta Kesari, these writings deal with various aspects of education, particularly the key ideas of Yoga and Vedanta which are of great value to all educationists and students. ‘As long as I live, so long do I learn,’ said Sri Ramakrishna. This handy volume on education draws our attention to this fact through articles, stories and personal accounts of monks, teachers, students, scholars and commoners.

Hardbound, Pages 586, Price: Rs.250/- Postage: Rs.75/- for single copy (within India) No request for VPP entertained Published by Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai - 600 004 Email : [email protected] The V edanta K esari 54 MARCH 2015

Sri Ramanuja Pictorial New Release Text by Smt. Latha Balasubramanian Art by Venkatesan A pictorial presentation in 34 pages, providing an engaging narrative of the life and teachings of one of the greatest of Vaishnava teachers, Sri Ramanuja, using multicolour drawings. Born in Sriperumbudur near Chennai, Sri Ramanuja (1017-1137) lived for 120 years, living and spreading the path of devotion to God, travelling various parts of India, writing a commentary on Brahmasutras, composing numerous devotional hymns and establishing many spiritually elevating practices in the Vaishnava tradition. Following the Tenkalai tradition of Vaishnavism, this little book comprehensively gives many historical facts and is rich in devotional fervour. Paperback, Pages 24, Price: Rs.40/- + Postage: Rs.25/-for single copy. No request for VPP entertained Published by Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai - 600 004 Email : [email protected]

Glimpses of Swami Vivekananda’s Heroic Struggle Swami Tathagatananda A booklet of 52 pages, it gives a graphic description of the hardships and struggles that Swami Vivekananda encountered throughout his life. Despite all hurdles and obstacles, the book shows, how Swami Vivekananda accomplished many extraordinary feats, demonstrating what holiness, strength, devotion, determination, faith, love, patience and other noble virtues can bring in human life. It is a remarkable saga of a heroic struggle and its glorious result. The author of the book is a senior monk of the Ramakrishna Order and heads the Vedanta Society founded by Swami Vivekananda in New York in 1896. The author has many scholarly works to his credit. Paperback, Pages 52, Price: Rs.15/- + Postage: Rs.20/-for single copy. No request for VPP entertained Published by Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai - 600 004 Email : [email protected] The V edanta K esari 55 MARCH 2015 The V edanta K esari 56 MARCH 2015 The V edanta K esari 57 MARCH 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, , 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 Holder : 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 MARCH 2015 The V edanta K esari ~ 59 ~ MARCH 2015 Vol.102-3 The Vedanta Kesari (English Monthly) March 2015. Regd. with the Registrar of Newspapers for India under No.1084 / 1957. POSTAL REGISTRATION NUMBER:TN / CH (C) / 190 / 15-17. LICENSED TO POST WITHOUT PREPAYMENT TN/PMG(CCR)/WPP-259 / 2015-2017. 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

Lavino-Kapur Cottons Pvt Ltd 100% Export Oriented Unit * Star Export House BUREAU VERITAS–ISO 9001:2008 certified (Manufacturers of Absorbent Cotton Products)

REGD. OFFICE: 121-122, Mittal Chambers, Nariman Point, Mumbai–400 021 Tel: 91 22 6632 5141 (30 Lines) Fax: 91 22 6632 4979 / 6632 4421 / 2282 0577 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.lavinokapur.com

TARAPUR PLANT: H-1, MIDC, Tarapur Industrial Area Taps Post, Boisar–401 504 District–Thane. Maharashtra Tel: 02525-2722 90/91/92 v Subscription (inclusive of postage) Annual : ` 100 10 years: ` 1000

Contact:The Sri RamakrishnaV edanta K esari Math, ~Chennai. 60 ~ MARCH Website: 2015 www.chennaimath.org