DOCSLIB.ORG

THE LION of VEDANTA a Cultural and Spiritual Monthly of the Ramakrishna Order Since 1914

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
THE LION of VEDANTA a Cultural and Spiritual Monthly of the Ramakrishna Order Since 1914 nd Price: ` 10 YEAR OF PUBLICATION 㼀㼔㼑㻌㼂㼑㼐㼍㼚㼠㼍㻌㻷㼑㼟㼍㼞㼕 THE LION OF VEDANTA A Cultural and Spiritual Monthly of the Ramakrishna Order since 1914 Jagadamba Ashrama, Koalpara, Jayarambati, West Bengal May 2015 2 India's Timeless Wisdom Just as the farmer reaps the fruit according to the seed that he plants in the field, a man reaps spiritual merit or sin according to the acts he performed. —Traditional Saying Editor: SWAMI ATMASHRADDHANANDA Managing Editor: SWAMI GAUTAMANANDA PrintedPri and published by Swami Vimurtananda on behalf of Sri Ramakrishna Math Trustst 2 fromThe No.31, RamakrishnaV edanta KMathesari Road, ~ Mylapore, ~ MAY Chennai2015 - 4 and Printed at Sri Ramakrishna Printing Press, No.31 Ramakrishna Math Road, Mylapore, Chennai - 4. Ph: 044 - 24621110 㼀㼔㼑㻌㼂㼑㼐㼍㼚㼠㼍㻌㻷㼑㼟㼍㼞㼕 102nd YEAR OF PUBLICATION VOL. 102, No. 5 ISSN 0042-2983 A CULTURAL AND SPIRITUAL MONTHLY OF THE RAMAKRISHNA ORDER Started at the instance of Swami Vivekananda in 1895 as Brahmavâdin, it assumed the name The Vedanta Kesari in 1914. For free edition on the Web, please visit: www.chennaimath.org CONTENTS MAY 2015 Gita Verse for Reflection 165 Editorial Rowing the Boat of Life 166 Articles Down the Memory Lane—The First Centenary Celebration of Sri Ramakrishna’s Birth 174 Swami Sambuddhananda Transformation of Narendranath into Swami Vivekananda: A Snapshot 179 Asim Chaudhuri Worshipping God through Images: A Hindu Perspective 186 Umesh Gulati The School in Chennai Started by Swami Ramakrishnananda 192 A Monastic Sojourner New Find Unpublished Letters of Swami Saradananda 190 Compilation Insights into Some Keywords: In Swami Vivekananda’s Words 196 The Order on the March 197 Book Reviews 199 Features Simhâvalokanam (How Can We Live a Clean Unworried Life?) 170 Cover Story: Page 6 The V edanta K esari 4 MAY 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 N You can subscribe to The Vedanta reaching us before this or after one Kesari from any month. month (for overseas subscriptions, N On your address slip, the number WZR PRQWKV RI SRVWLQJ RI WKH MRXU RQWKHOHIWRI WKHÀUVWOLQHRI DGG nal are not entertained. UHVV LV \RXU VXEVFULSWLRQQXPEHU N To ensure continuity, please renew your Always PHQWLRQWKLVLQ\RXUFRUUHV subscription well in advance. pondence. N )RUIUHVKVXEVFULSWLRQVUHQHZDOVSODF N 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 7KH9HGDQWD.HVDUL2IÀFH 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 MAY 2015 The V edanta K esari 6 MAY 2015 N Cover Story N Jagadamba Ashrama—‘Mother’s Drawing Room’ Sri Sarada Devi (1853-1920), affectionately and reverentially addressed as Holy Mother by monks and devotees, was the spiritual consort of Sri Ramakrishna. She was born in the village of Jayarambati in Bankura district of West Bengal. After the passing away of Sri Ramakrishna, she lived mainly in her native village and Kolkata. While travelling to Kolkata, she would often board the train at Bishnupur Railway station; on her way, she would halt at Jagadamba Ashrama in Koalpara, a village some 5 km from Jayarambati. From 1909 to 1920, she stayed some 15 times at Jagadamba Ashrama. She greatly admired the calmness and serenity of the place and the piety of the village devotees who always welcomed her and took care of her needs. Jagadamba Ashrama is now a part of Ramakrishna Yogashrama, Koalpara, which is a sub- centre of Matri Mandir, Jayarambati. Both at Jagadamba Ashrama and Koalpara Ashrama, Holy Mother installed and worshipped the photographs of Sri Ramakrishna as well as her own. On some occasions, she also invested some monks with sacred vows of Sannyasa there. The term ‘Jagadamba’ Ashrama is believed to have been given by some devotees who had been doing weaving work in the building which was originally the house of a devotee. When Mother happened to visit the place for the first time, they exclaimed that ‘today Jagadamba herself has come here. So we will call it Jagadamba Ashrama.’ For more details see the Bengali book Sri Sri Ma Sharada Auo Taar Baithak Khana, 2014, Swami Shivapradananda, Ramakrishna Yogashrama, Koalpara, Bankura, hardbound, pages. 282. 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 DONOR 710. Mr. R. Krishna Mastan Rao, Bangalore Ms. Nirmala Ahuja, Bangalore Rs. 5000 The Vedanta Kesari Library Scheme SL.NO. NAMES OF SPONSORS AWARDEE INSTITUTIONS 5854. Mr. K. Prabakar, Hyderabad Gayatri College of Science, Pedapadu, A.P. - 532 401 5855. -do- Nakti Devi College, Sambalpur, Odisha - 768 106 5856. -do- Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Medical College, Jamnagar Road, Rajkot - 360 001 5857. Mr. D.S. Deshmukh, Nashik Shivanthi Aditanar College, Tiruchendur - 628 215 To be continued . 㼀㼔㼑㻌㼂㼑㼐㼍㼚㼠㼍㻌㻷㼑㼟㼍㼞㼕 VOL. 102, No. 5, MAY 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 —Bhagavad Gita, 12-8 Fix your mind on Me alone; let your reason penetrate into Me; without doubt you will then abide in Me alone for ever more. B Give all to the Lord and go on and think not of it. The whole soul pours in a continuous current to God; there is no time to seek money, or name, or fame, no time to think of DQ\WKLQJEXW*RGWKHQZLOOFRPHLQWRRXUKHDUWVWKDWLQ¿QLWHZRQGHUIXOEOLVVRI/RYH$OO desires are but beads of glass. Love of God increases every moment and is ever new, to be known only by feeling it. Love is the easiest of all, it waits for no logic, it is natural. We need no demonstration, no proof. Reasoning is limiting something by our own minds. We throw a net and catch something, and then say that we have demonstrated it; but never, never can we catch God in a net. Love should be unrelated. Even when we love wrongly, it is of the true love, of the true bliss; the power is the same, use it as we may. Its very nature is peace and bliss. The murderer when he kisses his baby forgets for an instant all but love. Give up all self, all egotism; get out of anger, lust, give all to God. ‘I am not, but Thou art; the old man is all gone, only Thou remainest.’ ‘I am Thou.’ Blame none; if evil comes, know the Lord is playing with you and be exceeding glad. Love is beyond time and space, it is absolute. —Swami Vivekananda, CW, 7:10 The V edanta K esari ~ 165 ~ MAY 2015 Editorial Rowing the Boat of Life The Boat Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna2 describing in poig- Often, in the teachings of saints and nant words: scriptures and in general idiom, life has been Mother! Mother! My boat is sinking, here in the compared to a journey in a boat. And living is ocean of this world; compared to rowing a boat. Through all the Fiercely the hurricane of delusion rages on every ups and downs of life, the boat of life sails past side! the rough or smooth waters of life, until one Clumsy is my helmsman, the mind; stubborn my reaches the other shore—the Beyond, where six oarsmen, the passions; there is neither birth nor death. That is how life Into a pitiless wind is often described. I sailed my boat, and now it is sinking! To understand it further, body and mind Split is the rudder of devotion; tattered is the is the boat we use to travel in the waters called sail of faith; life. While travelling in a boat for a joy ride Into my boat the waters are pouring! Tell me, may be a pleasant experience that a tourist what shall I do? may look forward to, not always is boat ride For with my failing eyes, alas! nothing but darkness do I see. a pleasant experience. There are storms and Here in the waves I will swim, strong winds on the way.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Christian and Hindu Swami Ranganathananda Moulding Our
    358 MARCH - APRIL 2011 Monastic Spirituality: Christian and Hindu Swami Ranganathananda Moulding Our Lives with Sri Ramakrishna’s Teachings Swami Bhuteshananda Divine Wisdom MASTER: "Once a teacher was explaining to a disciple: God alone, and no one else, is your own.' The disciple said: 'But, revered sir, my mother, my wife, and my other relatives take very good care of me. They see nothing but darkness when I am not present. How much they love me!' The teacher said: 'There you are mistaken. I shall show you presently that nobody is your own. Take these few pills with you. When you go home, swallow them and lie down in bed. People will think you are dead, but you will remain conscious of the outside world and will see and hear everything. Then I shall visit your home. "The disciple followed the instructions. He swallowed the pills and lay as if unconscious in his bed. His mother, wife, and other relatives began to cry. Just then the teacher came in, in the guise of a physician, and asked the cause of their grief. When they had told him everything, he said to them: 'Here is a medicine for him. It will bring him back to life. But I must tell you one thing. This medicine must first be taken by one of his relatives and then given to him. But the relative who takes it first will die. I see his mother, his wife, and others here. Certainly one of you will volunteer to take the medicine. Then the young man will come back to life.' "The disciple heard all this.
    [Show full text]
  • Sri Ramakrishna & His Disciples in Orissa
    Preface Pilgrimage places like Varanasi, Prayag, Haridwar and Vrindavan have always got prominent place in any pilgrimage of the devotees and its importance is well known. Many mythological stories are associated to these places. Though Orissa had many temples, historical places and natural scenic beauty spot, but it did not get so much prominence. This may be due to the lack of connectivity. Buddhism and Jainism flourished there followed by Shaivaism and Vainavism. After reading the lives of Sri Chaitanya, Sri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother and direct disciples we come to know the importance and spiritual significance of these places. Holy Mother and many disciples of Sri Ramakrishna had great time in Orissa. Many are blessed here by the vision of Lord Jagannath or the Master. The lives of these great souls had shown us a way to visit these places with spiritual consciousness and devotion. Unless we read the life of Sri Chaitanya we will not understand the life of Sri Ramakrishna properly. Similarly unless we study the chapter in the lives of these great souls in Orissa we will not be able to understand and appreciate the significance of these places. If we go on pilgrimage to Orissa with same spirit and devotion as shown by these great souls, we are sure to be benefited spiritually. This collection will put the light on the Orissa chapter in the lives of these great souls and will inspire the devotees to read more about their lives in details. This will also help the devotees to go to pilgrimage in Orissa and strengthen their devotion.
    [Show full text]
  • Newsletter Reach Jan 2021
    Reach Issue 56 January 2021 Daintree Rainforest Reach https://glampinghub.com/ Newsletter of the Vedanta Centres of Australia Sayings and Teachings IN THIS ISSUE 1. News from Australian Sri Ramakrishna on a True Teacher Centres Adelaide He alone is the true teacher who is illumined by the light of true Brisbane knowledge. Canberra Source: Great Sayings: Words of Sri Ramakrishna, Sarada Devi and Swami Melbourne Vivekananda; The Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture; Calcutta; page 9. Perth Sydney Sri Sarada Devi on Herself Obituary: Reflections on the Life of Late Sri Ramakrishna left me behind to manifest the Motherhood of God to the world. Dr. Amrithalingam Source: Great Sayings: Words of Sri Ramakrishna, Sarada Devi and Swami by Swami Sridharananda Vivekananda; The Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture; Calcutta; page 20. 2. Feature Article: Shinto Swami Vivekananda on Man Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life —think of it, dream of it, live on that idea. Let the brain, muscles, nerves, every part of your body, be full of that idea, and just leave every other idea alone. This is the way to success. Source: Great Sayings: Words of Sri Ramakrishna, Sarada Devi and Swami Vivekananda; The Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture; Calcutta; page 35-36. e welcome you all to the Vedanta Movement in Australia, as epitomized in the lives of Sri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi and Swami Vivekananda, and invite you to involve yourselves and actively participate in the propagation of W the Universal Message of Vedanta. Issue No. 56 January 2021 Page 1 Reach 1.
    [Show full text]
  • VII. the Swami Swahananda Era (1976-2012)
    Ramakrishna-Vedanta in Southern California: From Swami Vivekananda to the Present VII. The Swami Swahananda Era (1976-2012) 1. Swami Swahananda’s Background 2. Swami Swahananda’s Major Objectives 3. Swami Swahananda at the Vedanta Society of Southern California 4. The Assistant Swamis 5. Functional Departments of the Vedanta Society 6. Charitable Organizations 7. Santa Barbara Temple and Convent 8. Ramakrishna Monastery, Trabuco Canyon 9. Vivekananda House, South Pasadena (1955-2012) 1. Swami Swahananda’s Background* fter Swami Prabhavananda passed away on July 4, 1976, Swami Chetanananda was assigned the position of head of the A Vedanta Society of Southern California (VSSC). Swamis Vireswarananda and Bhuteshananda, President and Vice- President of the Ramakrishna Order, urged Swami Swahananda to take over the VSSC. They realized that a man with his talents and capabilities should be in charge of a large center. Swahananda agreed to leave the quiet life of Berkeley for the more challenging work in the Southland. Having previously been in charge of the large New Delhi Center in the capital of India, he was up to the task and assumed leadership of the VSSC on December 15, 1976. He was enthusiastically welcomed, and soon became well established in the life of the Society. Swami Swahananda was born on June 29, 1921 in Habiganj, Sylhet in Bengal (now in Bangladesh). His father had been a government official and an initiated disciple of Holy Mother. He had wanted to renounce the world and become a monk, but Holy Mother reportedly had told him, “No, my child, but from your family two shall come.” (As well as Swahananda, a nephew also later joined the Ramakrishna Order).
    [Show full text]
  • The Vedanta Society of St
    The Vedanta Society of St. Louis Swami Chetanananda – Minister and Spiritual Teacher RAMAKRISHNA ORDER OF INDIA July-August 2019 Sunday Services 10:30 a.m. July 7 Early Years of St. Louis Vedanta (video) By First Vedanta Students (1939-1957) 14 Reminiscences of Holy Mother and Swami Brahmananda (video) Swami Bhuteshananda 21 Teachings of Ramakrishna Swami Nirakarananda 28 The Message of the Bhagavad Gita (video) Swami Swananda August 4 Reminiscences of Ramakrishna’s Monastic Disciples (video) Swami Bhuteshananda 11 Satsang Swami Nishpapananda and Swami Nirakarananda 18 How to Cope with Dryness in Spiritual Life (video) Swami Prabuddhananda 25 Reminiscences of Swamis Shivananda and Vijnanananda (video) Swami Lokeswarananda Special Event 10:30 a.m. July 4, Thurs. Vivekananda Festival (205 S. Skinker) Chanting, meditation, symposium, music. Lunch 12:45 p.m No Classes Tuesday or Thursday (Summer Break) Membership in the Society is open to all who accept Vedantic teachings. The Society maintains a rental library for members and stocks books for sale. www.vedantastl.org YouTube: VedantaSTL ALL ARE WELCOME More Than Anyone Else Mother always wanted to feed her children with good items. The first devotee to arrive got the best things, the next got the best of what remained during his turn and so on. Every one was happy and felt that Mother ‘loved him more than anyone else.’ The same love and unbounded affection of Mother to every devotee would sometimes reveal a unique experience in their minds. Nalini Babu tells: “I went one day with Shyamdas Goswami of Beldihar to see Mother. The moment we saw her, she said, ‘Oh, how much distance you have walked! How many difficulties you have faced! First, take some water!’ Keeping both of us near her, she fed us with puffed rice and sandesh.
    [Show full text]
  • Ramakrishna Math Mumbai - Book Sale Department List of Hindi Books Sr
    RAMAKRISHNA MATH MUMBAI - BOOK SALE DEPARTMENT LIST OF HINDI BOOKS SR. NO CODE ITEM NAME PRICE LANGUAGE AUTHOR 1 SG1010 AAP BI MAHAN BAN SHAKTE HAN H:10 10 HINDI SW.SATYARUPANANDA 2 H7645 ACHARYA SHANKAR H:45 45 HINDI SW.APURVANANDA 3 H10507720 ADARSHA GRIHASTHA KAISE BANE H:20 20 HINDI SW.RANGANATHANANDA 4 H11560 ADBHUT SANT ADBHUTANANDA H:60 60 HINDI CHANDRASHEKHAR CHATTOPADHYA 5 H17915 ADHUNIK YUG MEIN NARI H:15 15 HINDI SW.RANGANATHANANDA 6 H9925 ADHYATMA MARG PRADEEP (HINDI) H:25 25 HINDI SW.TURIYANANDA 7 H9935 ADHYATMA MARG PRADEEP (HINDI) H:35 35 HINDI SW.TURIYANANDA 8 H5266X70 ADHYATMIK JIVAN KYON AUR KAISE H:70 70 HINDI SW.VIDEHATMANANDA 9 H15842 AGNIMANTRA H:42 42 HINDI SW.VIVEKANANDA 10 H15835 AGNIMANTRA -H-35 35 HINDI SWAMI VIVEKANANDA 11 H26712 AMRIT SANDESH H:2 2 HINDI INC 12 30081424 AMRITAM (HINDI) H:24 24 HINDI SARDA MATH 13 H9560 AMRITVANI H:60 60 HINDI SW.VAGISWARANANDA 14 H5257460 ANANDA KI KHOJ H:60 60 HINDI SW.BRHMOSANANDA 15 H5260 ANANDADHAM KI ORE H:60 60 HINDI SW.APURWANANDA 16 H225 ATMANUBHUTI TATHA USKE MARG H:25 25 HINDI SW.VIVEKANANDA 17 H219100 ATMARAM KE ANUBHAV100 100 HINDI JAPANANDA 18 H196100 ATMARAM KI ATMAKATHA H:100 100 HINDI SWAMI JAPANANDA 19 H7112 ATMATATWA H:12 12 HINDI SW.VIVEKANANDA 20 H7110 ATMATATWA -H10 10 HINDI SW. VIVEKANANDA 21 30081350 ATMONNATI KE SOPAN H:50 50 HINDI NA 22 30119830 BACCHON KE SRI RAMAKRISHNA H:30 30 HINDI SW.VISVASHRYANANDA 23 H0461730 BACCHON KE VIVEKANANDA H:32 32 HINDI SW.VISHWASHSRAYANANDA 24 H0461734 BACCHON KE VIVEKANANDA H:34 34 HINDI SW.VISHWASHSRAYANANDA 25 H0460930
    [Show full text]
  • Abstract a Critical Study of Śrī Ramakrishna's
    ABSTRACT A CRITICAL STUDY OF ŚRĪ RAMAKRISHNA’S PHILOSOPHY OF SAMANVAYĪ VEDĀNTA Statement of the Problem: India witnessed the emergence of Śrī Ramakrishna in the 19th century who is one of the religious figures of that period. At that time, the relation between any two religious sects or communities was embittered by intolerance, jealousy and contempt of each other. Besides this, conflict of creeds and cultures, dogmas and doctrines, theologies and philosophies also became very much prevalent. To end these conflicts and to bring about reconciliation between them is the mission of Śrī Ramakrishna’s life. He lived a life of diverse spiritual realization. He approached Reality along several paths and had varied experiences of It. He found that though these experiences differ in their specific forms and characters, yet they all refer to the same Reality and reveal only different aspects of It. In his opinion, image worship and meditation of the pure, formless Brahman both are true; and these enable men to reach the highest end of their lives, that is, God. Unlike the rationalists, he has not condemned image worship because in this form of worship what is really worshipped is not the clay or stone image; rather, the conscious, intelligent Deity as invoked and manifested in the image. Being omnipresent, God is as much present in the image as in anything else.1 The images of Śiva, Viṣṇu, Kāli, Krishna etc. are only different forms and names of the same Supreme God. The reason behind this is that God manifests Himself in different forms according as His devotees like to see Him in this or that form.
    [Show full text]
  • Sri Ramakrishna - the Greatest of Avataras
    www.myvedanta.gr 27/08/2012 Source: http://www.eng.vedanta.ru/library/prabuddha_bharata/ramakrishna_the_greatest_of_avataras_june04.php Sri Ramakrishna - The Greatest of Avataras Swami Bhuteshananda (Translated by Swami Sunirmalananda) Swami Vivekananda on Sri Ramakrishna In his countless letters, lectures and valuable writings, Swami Vivekananda has discussed so much of religion, literature, science, art, history, political science, social sciences and so on in such depth that it is impossible for any other literature to compare itself with them. However, surprising as it may appear, how little Swamiji has spoken and written about his own master, Sri Ramakrishna, who was ever awake in his soul, ever in his thoughts, and ever an indispensable part of his life! Regarding Sri Ramakrishna, Swamiji told his disciple: He was the concentrated embodiment of how many previous Avataras! Even spending the whole life in religious austerity, we could not understand it. Therefore one has to speak about him with caution and restraint. As are one’s capacities, so he fills one with spiritual ideas. One spray from the full ocean of his spirituality, if realised, will make gods of men. Such a synthesis of universal ideas you will not find in the history of the world again. Understand from this who was born in the person of Shri Ramakrishna. (1) In fact, Swamiji would become emotional while speaking about Sri Ramakrishna. It has been seen that the very remembrance of Sri Ramakrishna’s name brought tears to his eyes and choked his throat. Swamiji said to his disciple about Ramakrishna, ‘Shall you or I ever be able to do all that he has done? None of us has understood him fully.
    [Show full text]
  • Sri Ramakrishna the New Man of The
    Sri Ramakrishna: The ‘New Man’ of the Age by Swami Bhajanananda (The author is Assistant-Secretary, Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission.) Published in Prabuddha Bharata January 2011 thru May 2012 Table of Contents SECTION I....................................................................................................... 3 PB January 2011............................................................................................... 3 The Epochs.............................................................................................. 3 Paradigm Shifts.........................................................................................4 The Power of Ideas....................................................................................5 Swamiji’s Concept of Epochal Ideas.................................................................6 Role of the Prophet....................................................................................7 The Epochal ‘New Man’...............................................................................8 PB February 2011............................................................................................12 Significance of Sri Ramakrishna’s Avatarahood...................................................12 Avatara as Kapāla-mocana..........................................................................12 The Avatara as the Door to the Infinite...........................................................13 The Avatara as the Revelation of the Noumenon................................................14
    [Show full text]
  • I Saw the Recording Angel N. Bangarayya the Prophet's Promise
    377 MAY - JUNE 2014 The Prophet’s Promise Swami Sunirmalananda I Saw the Recording Angel N. Bangarayya Divine Wisdom Teachings of Swami Ramakrishnananda Adversity Unless one passes through the school of adversity, one can- not properly be called a human being. We learn much from our troubles. You should not lose heart in adversity. Kunti, the mother of the Pandavas, prayed to Sri Krishna to beset her with adversities, since in adversity alone is He more frequently remembered! Aim We must not cease to strive for the highest even though it seems unattainable. We must keep God as our ideal and aim; that will pull us on. If a man aims at the sky, at least he may strike the top of a tree. If he aims at the top of the tree, he may not get above the ground. Ambition The very fact that we are dissatisfied with our finite nature shows that it is not our natural condition. The fact that we have infinite ambition, that we have insatiable hunger for more and more, proves that we are infinite by nature, and that is why we are always dissatisfied with whatever is finite. Wipe away the dust, arouse your ambition, stir up your activity and know that all power is latent in you. You are not limited. Attitude Divine Mother does not like us to call ourselves Her servants. We are her children to Her, not servants. Always think of yourself as Her child. Contentment Do not be content with the little things of this world. This universe is like a baby’s toy.
    [Show full text]
  • IX. Expansion of the Vedanta Society of Southern California (1976-2018)
    Ramakrishna-Vedanta in Southern California: From Swami Vivekananda to the Present IX. Expansion of the Vedanta Society of Southern California (1976-2018) 1. Affiliated Centers – San Diego, Washington D.C., Ridgely Retreat, and Houston 2. Private Centers – Atlanta, Austin, Dallas, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Raleigh, and Tucson 3. Websites for Centers Not Affiliated with the Vedanta Society of Southern California 1. Affiliated Centers: San Diego, Washington, D.C., Ridgely Retreat, and Houston a. Ramakrishna Monastery, San Diego (1986-Present) Katherine Tingley (1847-1929) headed the international headquarters of the Theosophical community in Point Loma near San Diego during the years 1900-1929. Prior to this, she had gone on an eight-month World Crusade for Theosophy with two other Americans. In August 1896 they formed the new German Theological Society, which became a leading supporter of Vedanta in the country, publishing the first continental European translations of some of the writings of Vivekananda and Abhedananda, including Karma Yoga in 1901. They also published Ramakrishna’s parables in their journals (read by Leo Tolstoy in Russia) and wrote a eulogy to Vivekananda.1 Swami Abhedananda visited San Diego in September 1901 while he was in Los Angeles. In July 1916, during his second trip to the Southern California, Swami Paramananda received an urgent invitation to give a course of lectures and class talks in San Diego. He delivered three lectures September 19-21, 1917 under the auspices of the Theosophical Society. On December 15, 1931 Paramananda was invited to speak to a devoted group in San Diego, and his message was received with a warm response.
    [Show full text]
  • Reachreach Newsletter of the Vedanta Centres of Australia in THIS ISSUE SAYINGS and TEACHINGS 1
    Issue 41 October 2017 ReachReach Newsletter of the Vedanta Centres of Australia IN THIS ISSUE SAYINGS AND TEACHINGS 1. News from Australian Centres Adelaide Sri Ramakrishna: On Curbing Passions and Propensities Brisbane He is a true man who is dead even in this life—that is, whose Canberra passions and propensities have been curbed to extinction as in a Melbourne dead body. Perth Sydney Source: Great Sayings: Words of Sri Ramakrishna, Sarada Devi and Swami Vivekananda; 2. Feature Articles (Kolkata: The Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture, 2013), 4. Sri Sarada Devi—In Undying Union Sri Sarada Devi: On Self Effort and Divine Grace B. Direct Disciples—Swami Niranjanananda The mind is rendered pure as the result of many austerities. God who is purity itself cannot be attained without austerities. What else does one obtain by the realization of God? Does he grow two Obituary horns? No, his mind becomes pure, and through a pure mind one We are sorry to record the passing attains knowledge and spiritual awakening. away of Sri Tapesh Gangopadhyaya Source: Teachings of Sri Sarada Devi, The Holy Mother (Madras: Sri Ramakrishna on 3 September 2017. Sri Tapesh was Math, 1982), 54 the main pillar of the Vedanta work in Melbourne and right hand man of Swami Damodharananda He had the Swami Vivekananda: On Faith honour of hosting many senior Swa- mis like Swamis Bhuteshananda and Faith, faith, faith in ourselves, faith, faith in God – this is the secret Ranganathananda. He was the Presi- of greatness. If you have faith in all the three hundred and thirty dent of the Melbourne Chapter of the millions of your mythological Gods, and in all the gods which Vedanta Centre of Sydney until it foreigners have now and again introduced into your midst, and still was handed over to the representa- have no faith in yourselves, there is no salvation for you.
    [Show full text]