April 2020 Words to Inspire “The One Who Became Rama and Krishna Is Now Within This Case (Showing His Body)
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Vedanta Society of Toronto (Ramakrishna Mission) 120 Emmett Ave. Toronto, ON M6M 2E6 CANADA Tel.: 416-240-7262; Email: [email protected]; Website: www.vedantatoronto.ca Newsletter April 2020 Words to Inspire “The One who became Rama and Krishna is now within this case (showing his body). But His advent this time is secret.” ----- Sri Ramakrishna Sri Ramakrishna’s visions The Master followed in Mahavir’s footsteps and practised the her no signs of a goddess, such as the possession of three Sadhana of the Dasya-bhava. The Master did not rest eyes, etc. But the extraordinary, spirited, and solemn satisfied with having only the vision of the divine Mother expression of that face, manifesting love, sorrow, during the first four years of his Sadhana. His mind was compassion, and endurance, was not generally seen even in naturally attracted towards Raghuvir, his family Deity, after the figures of goddesses. Looking graciously at me, that he had had the vision of the divine Mother when he was in goddess-woman was advancing from north to south towards the Bhavamukha state. Knowing that with the help of me with a slow, grave gait. I wondered who she might be, devotion it was possible to have, like Mahavir, the vision of when a black-faced monkey came suddenly, nobody knew Ramachandra, he engaged himself in Sadhana, assuming whence, and sat at her feet and someone within my mind Mahavir’s attitude, for the purpose of attaining perfection in exclaimed, ‘ Sita, Sita who was all sorrow all her life, Sita the the Dasya-bhava. The Master said that, thinking of Mahavir daughter of king Janaka, Sita to whom Rama was her very incessantly at that time, he became so much absorbed that life!’ Saying ‘Mother’ repeatedly, I was then going to fling he forgot altogether for some time his separate existence myself at her feet, when she came quickly and entered this and individuality. “At that time,” said the Master, “I had to (showing his own body). Overwhelmed with joy and wonder, walk, take my food and do all other actions like Mahavir. I did I lost all consciousness and fell down. Before that, I had had not do so of my own accord, but the actions so happened of no vision in that manner without meditating or thinking. That themselves, I tied my cloth round my waist so that it might was the first vision of its kind. I have been suffering like her look like a tail and walked jumping; I ate nothing but fruits all my life perhaps because I saw first of all Sita, who was and roots, which again I did not feel inclined to eat when miserable from her birth.” The Master said to us in connection skinned. I spent much of my time on trees and always cried, with the topic of this vision, “It is true that I had that vision ‘Raghuvir, Raghuvir’, with a deep voice. Both my eyes and it is also true that the Brahmani said so when she heard assumed a restless expression like those of the animals of of it. But how can I say what the real meaning of it is?” From that species, and it is marvellous that the lower end of the these words of the Master regarding that vision of his, we backbone lengthened at that time by nearly an inch.”1 When think that at this time the Master got some clear indication we heard the last mentioned fact, we asked, “Sir, does that that identified with his body and mind, some ancient soul part of your body continue to be so even now?” He said, “No, known to the world for very long ages was dwelling here with in course of time it assumed slowly its previous natural size a view to accomplishing some important purpose. It seems when the mastery of that mood over the mind had ceased.” that the extraordinary indication he had about his individuality An extraordinary vision and experience came to pass in the with the help of these visions and experiences clearly life of the Master when he practised the Dasya-bhakti. That convinced him in course of time that the One, who vision and experience was so novel, so different from his manifested Himself in Ayodhya and Vrindavan as Sri previous ones, that it was deeply imprinted on his mind and Ramachandra, dear to Janaki, and Sri Krishnachandra, the was always fresh in his memory. He said, “One day at that beloved of Radha, respectively, for the purpose of time I was sitting under the Panchavati—not meditating, establishing religion in past ages, has incarnated Himself merely sitting—when an incomparable, effulgent female once more as Sri Ramakrishna in a human body in order to figure appeared before me illumining the whole place. It was impart a new ideal of religion to India and the world”. not that figure alone that I saw then, but also the trees and From the book “Sri Ramakrishna The Great Master” by plants of the Panchavati, the Ganga and all other objects. I Swami Saradananda. saw that the figure was that of a woman; for, there were in KARMA YOGA ACTIVITIES It is a great opportunity to provide your services to the Vedanta Society of Toronto. Kindly come forward and volunteer time towards maintaining and managing the facilities. If interested in volunteering, kindly contact Abhijit Bhattacharya on 416-569-9401, indicating the Services that you are interested in and days you can be available for volunteering. THANK YOU!! Why is Hanuman red? Hanuman always wanted to serve his Prabhu Lord Sri Rama. prabhu. She very well knew Hanuman’s pure love towards One day when Sita mata was entering into Rama’s bedroom, Rama. Hanuman now understood the secret of this sindur. Hanuman also followed her. Then Lord Rama said that he He immediately went to the market in search of sindur and cannot enter into the room. Hanuman said that when Sita found one shop. He ran there and asked. The shopkeeper Mata can enter into the room, why can’t he enter the room. gave him little sindur in a small box. Hanuman said that it is He is having such an innocent devotional service towards not enough. He just went into the shop, opened all the sacks Lord Rama. Just to convince Hanuman, Rama said that Sita of sindhur and poured all over his body. He poured some is having a sindur on her forehead, so she can enter the sindhur on the street and rolled over to cover his whole body, room. After hearing that, Hanuman came out and thought for from head to toe with sindur. Then he came to the palace. a while. Then Hanuman concluded that sindur is the Rama saw Hanuman and enquired what happened. On qualification required to enter into Lord Rama’s bedroom. So seeing Hanuman Sita mata started laughing loudly. She he decided to ask more about this sindur to Sita Mata. Next understood and told Rama that the previous day she told day when Sita was in the dressing table, she was trying to Hanuman that the sindhur will increase the lifespan of his keep sindhur, there came Hanuman. Sita Mata treated prabhu. Hanuman thought if a small amount of sindur on Sita Hanuman as her son because Sita and Rama did not have matha’s forehead can increase the lifespan of Rama, then children for a long time. Then Hanuman asked Sita about the how much it will increase if he puts all over his body. He purpose and value of sindur. She understood what he wanted thought that Rama can live eternally because of this sindur and smiled. She said that she learnt from elders that if she applied throughout his body. This is the pure love Hanuman keeps sindur, it will elongate the life span of his prabhu. Sita had for Rama. mata did not mention her prabhu but she said Hanuman’s Hanuman and the Pearl necklace Great rejoicings and festivities followed the return of Sri Sri Hanuman was behaving like a monkey. Was it the Rama to Ayodhya and his crowning as the King. Lord Rama monkey mind? Sita asked Hanuman, "O mighty Hero! What distributed gifts to all the monkeys who had served as are You doing? Why do You break the pearls?" warriors in his army. Sri Rama noticed his fervent devotee, Hanuman said, "O venerable Mother! It is the most valuable Hanuman and asked: "O mighty hero how am I to necklace, indeed, as it has come to me through Thy holy compensate you for all you have done for me and my hand. But I want to find out whether any of the pearls family?" Many would have wanted wealth, name or fame, contains my beloved Lord Rama. I do not keep a thing devoid approbation or recognition or VIP line in return for their of Him. I do not find Him in any of the pearls." services. But Hanuman was above all these: "I desire At this, one of the assembly members ironically remarked, nothing, Prabhu!" Then, Sita mata removed a valuable "You would not wear anything that has not got in it the name necklace of pearls from her neck and offered it to the humble of Rama. Well, You are wearing your body. You are carrying Hanuman. Hanuman received the necklace with great it about with you. Prove to us that you have Rama in it." respect from Sita mata but began to break the pearls with His Hanuman laughed aloud; he said, "I shall prove, Behold!" teeth.