rd 1 103 Price: ` 10 Year of Publication The Kesari THE LION OF VEDANTA A Cultural and Spiritual Monthly of the Order since 1914

Ganga Arati,

July 2016 2

INDIA’S TIMELESS WISDOM

Seeing a grinder in action, Kabir laments, no grain remains intact that come between the two grinding stones!

Editor: Swami Atmashraddhananda Managing Editor: Swami Gautamananda Printed and published by Swami Vimurtananda on behalf of Sri Trust fromThe No.31, RamakrishnaV edanta KMathesari Road, ~ 2 Mylapore, ~ JULY Chennai 2016 - 4 and Printed at Sri Ramakrishna Printing Press, No.31 Ramakrishna Math Road, Mylapore, Chennai - 4. Ph: 044 - 24621110 3

The Vedanta Kesari 103rd Year of Publication VOL. 103, No. 7 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

JULY 2016

Gita Verse for Reflection 245 Editorial  The Practice of Prayer—A Perspective 246 Articles  Youth and Their Problems: Lessons in Coping with Life from Swami Vivekananda 261 Swami Satyapriyananda  Holistic Development through Religious Harmony :The Vision and Mission of Swami Vivekananda 256 T V Muralivallabhan Reminiscences  Reminiscences of Sargachhi 252 Swami Suhitananda Travelogue  A Pilgrimage to the of Sri Totapuriji—Dera Baba Ladana in Haryana 267 A Monastic Sojourner New Find  Unpublished Letters of Swami 275 The Order on the March 277 Book Reviews 280 Feature  Simhâvalokanam (On ) 251

Cover Story: Page 6 The V edanta K esari 4 JULY 2016 The Vedanta Kesari Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai 600 004 h (044) 2462 1110 (4 lines) Website : www.chennaimath.org For all authors and contributors : [email protected] For all subscription related inquiries: [email protected]

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‘Doing is very good, but that comes from thinking. . . . Fill the brain, therefore, with high thoughts, highest ideals, place them day and night before you, and out of that will come great work.’ —Swami Vivekananda The V edanta K esari 6 JULY 2016

N Cover Story N Ganga Arati, Haridwar Held as one of the most sacred centres of pilgrimage, Haridwar or Hardwar draws thousands of pilgrims every day. Situated in the state of Uttarakhand, it is also known by its ancient names of Mayapuri and Gangadwara. Mayapuri refers to the temple of Mayadevi, a form of the Divine Mother, and Gangadwara indicates that the sacred Ganges, after flowing for 253 kilometres from its source at Gaumukh, enters the plains of North India first at Haridwar. Haridwar is regarded as one of the seven holiest places (Sapta Puri) to and a bath in Ganga is believed to relieve one of all sins and impurities. According to tradition, during samudra manthana, the churning of oceans, Haridwar along with Ujjain, Nashik and Prayag is one of four sites where drops of Amrita, the elixir of immortality, inadvertently spilled over from the pitcher while being carried by the celestial bird Garuda. To mark this, the Kumbha Mela, which draws millions, is held every 12 years in all these four places. Brahma Kund, the spot where the Amrita fell, is located at Har Ki Pauri (literally, ‘footsteps of the Lord’) and is considered to be the most sacred ghat of Haridwar. Every evening, arati, the waving of lights, is performed to Mother Ganga at Har Ki Pauri and other ghats along the Ganga in Rishikesh and elsewhere. Thousands witness the Arati with devotion and a sense of sanctity, inspiring an atmosphere of awe, peace and religious fervour. 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).

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VOL. 103, No. 7, JULY 2016 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

—, 15. 3-4 For one involved in worldly life, the form of the World-Tree is not visible, nor its origin, nor its end, nor its foundation. Cutting asunder the firmly rooted Asvattha (World-Tree) with the powerful axe of non-attachment, and saying, ‘I seek refuge in that Primeval Person from whom this eternal cosmic activity has streamed forth’, man should seek that Status, attaining to which there is no more return to this life of Samsara.

Who can work without any attachment? That is the real question. Such a man is the same whether his work succeeds or fails. His heart does not give one false beat even if his whole life- work is burnt to ashes in a moment. ‘This is the sage who always works for work’s sake without caring for the results. Thus he goes beyond the pain of birth and death. Thus he becomes free.’ Then he sees that this attachment is all delusion. The Self can never be attached. . . .Then he goes beyond all the scriptures and philosophies. If the mind is deluded and pulled into a whirlpool by books and scriptures, what is the good of all these scriptures? One says this, another says that. What book shall you take? Stand alone! See the glory of your own soul, and see that you will have to work. Then you will become a man of firm will.

—Swami Vivekananda, CW, 1:463-464

The V edanta K esari ~ 245 ~ JULY 2016 8 Editorial

The Practice of Prayer—A Perspective

When faced with challenges and 1912 for pioneering vascular suturing difficulties, one often turns to a Superhuman techniques, Power, seeking help and succour. Man seeks Prayer is the most powerful form of energy one a helping hand in the hour of darkness and can generate. The influence of prayer on the crises. As someone remarked: ‘Prayer is not a human mind and body is as demonstrable as that check, request asking for things from God. It of the secreting glands. Prayer is a force as real is a deposit slip—a way of depositing God’s as terrestrial gravity. It supplies us with a flow of character into our bankrupt souls.’ Or as Sri sustaining power in our daily lives. Ramakrishna said, Everyone can attain Knowledge. There are Four Types of Devotees 2 two entities: Jivatma, the individual soul, and Sri Krishna says in the Bhagavad Gita Paramatma, the Supreme Soul. Through prayer that four kinds of persons worship and pray to all individual souls can be united to the Supreme God—the distressed, the seeker of enjoyment, Soul. Every house has a connection for gas, and the seeker of knowledge, and the wise. gas can be obtained from the main storage-tank According to one’s needs and sense of urgency of the Gas Company. Apply to the Company, and reality, one’s prayer takes its shape. and it will arrange for your supply of gas. Then The distressed ones pray to God for solving your house will be lighted.1 their pressing problems and seek His help to Not only is prayer the time-tested overcome some crises. It is like praying before an way to face challenging situation, it is an examination when one has not prepared for it. To effective and a highly dependable aid to self- them God is like a crises-solver. improvement and self-mastery. Regular and of enjoyment pray to God sincere prayers help one overcome many of the for fulfilling their desires for success in life. By lower tendencies and passions which come in success they mean achievements in some field, the way of one’s character-building. Indeed, fame, power, health, beauty, finding a good prayer helps one tide over all situations house, job and so on. When they find all their however challenging and trying they may efforts fruitless, they look up in helplessness be. Developing a healthy personality requires to God for the fulfillment of their desires. To calmness and a burning faith in a Higher them God is a candle by which they can find Power. It helps one to be strong as well as out their lost objects. humble. A sincere prayer goes a long way in The seekers of God pray to God for achieving this. devotion, purity, holiness, strength and all Says Alexis Carrel, the French surgeon other virtues which take one nearer to God. To and biologist who was awarded the them God and going near Him itself is the aim Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in of all their prayers.

The V edanta K esari ~ 246 ~ JULY 2016 9

The ‘wise ones’ pray to God as a beloved decay. The days that are gone do never come one speaks to one’s friend. They seek nothing back. Verily time is the devourer of the world. from God but God Himself. To them God Fortune is as fickle and short-lived as ripples on is the sole reality of life and they are always the surface of water, while life is momentary like in communion with Him. To them God is a the flash of lightning. Therefore, O Thou refuge constitutional necessity. of all do Thou even now protect me who seek 4 It is natural for the man of spiritual refuge in Thee. Do Thou forgive me, O Lord, for all my sins illumination to worship God, to meditate committed with my hands, feet, speech, body, on him and to speak of his glory out of his ears, eyes and mind, while doing actions overflowing love and devotion. But the case of enjoined or otherwise. Glory unto Thee, O Thou the others is different. Lord beneficent, Thou God of gods, Thou ocean ‘Troubled by the challenges of life of mercy.5 or worried by the awareness of sin, and O Lord, with a dull intellect and imperfect realizing the uselessness of human aid, the insight I whirl in this unsubstantial world of care-worn soul turns to the divine for safety births and deaths uncongenial to the practice of and protection. And so great is this need that devotion. Thou shouldst in Thy infinite mercy even skeptics in their helplessness and despair save me. Is there a creature more miserable than have been heard to cry out to the Almighty for myself? And is there anyone more skilled than solace and support. The so-called agnostic’s Thyself in saving the miserable? Therefore, in the prayer—“O God, if there be a God, save my three worlds, who but Thee shall be my savior?6 soul, if I have a soul”—however humorous it may sound, contains a deep truth of human Further Aspects of Prayer existence,’ says in his While belief in the existence of God is compilation of prayers, Universal Prayers. He primary to the act of prayer, the core of prayer further writes, is sincerity and earnestness. ‘Prayer is not Very touching is the prayer that rises forth from eloquence, but earnestness; not the definition the heart of Sri Yamunacharya: ‘O Lord, first of helplessness, but the feeling of it; not figures of all do Thou hear my prayer. I am speaking of speech, but earnestness of soul.’ What only the truth and not falsehood. Unless Thou matters is the earnestness with which one bestowest Thy mercy on me, Thou will never prays. Sri Ramakrishna said that all sincere get one more deserving than myself.’ ‘Thou prayers are heard though God has His own art the father, the mother, the husband and the way of answering them. Words are secondary; son. Thou art the dear friend, the relative, the it is innermost feelings that matter. teacher and the goal of the universe. I am Thine In all ages and religions, spiritual own, Thy servant and attendant; Thou art my seekers have given natural expression to their only refuge. I have taken shelter in Thee, and innermost yearnings and noblest sentiments verily, O Lord, does my burden rest wholly on through hymns, psalms, praises and prayers. Thee.’3 These contain their earnest prayers uttered Here are some nuggets from the in the fullness of their hearts—untouched Universal Prayers: by worldly cares and wants. Often it is the O Lord, With the passing of every day the awareness of limitations and imperfections, duration of life is seen to shorten and youth to or the sense of misery and helplessness that

The V edanta K esari ~ 247 ~ JULY 2016 10 makes the weary and struggling souls turn both and grant me only pure love for You. Here to the omnipotent for solace and succour. is Your purity, here is Your impurity. Take them Language is secondary (though it has its both, Mother, and grant me only pure love for own beauty and charm); it is the intensity of You. Here is Your dharma, here is Your adharma. feeling behind the language that really matters. Take them both, Mother and grant me only pure 8 Earnestness is the point. love for You.’ One can pray anytime and anywhere. ‘O Mother, please dwell in my heart.’9 One can pray constantly, though in the ‘O Mother! O Embodiment of ! Mother, how beginning it is helpful to have set timings—at many things people say about You! But I don’t least once or twice a day. One may take the understand any of them. I don’t know anything, help of sitting in front of an image or picture Mother. I have taken refuge at Your feet. I have of a deity but it is not mandatory. What is sought protection in You. O Mother, I pray only important is sincerity of purpose. Shraddha, that I may have pure love for Your Lotus Feet, deep faith and a positive outlook, is central to love that seeks no return. And Mother, do not how much benefit we derive from the act of delude me with Your world-bewitching Maya. I seek Your protection. I have taken refuge in prayer. Like any other action, prayer too is an You.’10 action and it must bear its result but Shraddha alone brings it to a complete fruition. We Holy Mother Sri , the spiri- may recall one of the significant statements of tual consort of Sri Ramakrishna, emphasised Swamiji in this context, the importance of prayer repeatedly. She said, Never help came from anywhere but from Pray to God with tears in your eyes whenever yourself. In your ignorance, every prayer that you want illumination or find yourself faced you made and that was answered, you thought with any doubt or difficulty. The Lord will was answered by some Being, but you answered remove all your impurities, assuage your mental 11 the prayer unknowingly. The help came from anguish, and give you enlightenment. yourself, and you fondly imagined that someone Open your grief-stricken heart to the Lord. was sending help to you. There is no help for Weep and sincerely pray, ‘O Lord, draw me you outside of yourself; you are the creator of towards You; give me peace of mind.’ By doing the universe.7 so constantly you will gradually attain peace of mind.12 Prayers from the Great Ones One who makes a habit of prayer will easily Sri Ramakrishna laid much emphasis on overcome all difficulties and remain calm and prayer as an effective spiritual exercise. He unruffled in the midst of the trials of life.13 asked almost everyone who came to him for Likewise here are some of Arjuna’s spiritual guidance or for solving his difficulties prayers from the Bhagavad Gita: in life to pray to God. Not only did he himself O Lord, with my nature overpowered by weak pray, at times, he would even demonstrate commiseration, with my mind thrown into how to pray. He prayed thus: confusion about duty, I supplicate Thee. Tell me I prayed to Divine Mother: ‘Mother, here is Your decidedly what is good for me. I am Thy disciple. virtue, here is Your vice. Take them both and Instruct me who have taken refuge in Thee.14 grant me only pure love for You. Here is Your Thou art the imperishable, the Supreme Being, knowledge, here is Your ignorance. Take them the one to be known. Thou art the great refuge of

The V edanta K esari ~ 248 ~ JULY 2016 11

this universe. Thou art the unchanging guardian One needs love and longing, then only will one of the eternal religion. Thou art, I know, the most get the results of spiritual life. Pray: ‘Master, ancient being.15 give me longing for you; give me devotion.’ The Salutations to Thee before and to Thee behind. Master answers the sincere prayer. Pray sincerely Salutations to Thee on every side. O Lord, Thou and wholeheartedly, then the Master will be art everything. Infinite in power and infinite in pleased. When he is pleased, you will attain prowess, Thou pervadest all. Therefore Thou art everything, your heart will be filled with love the all.16 and devotion, and your life will be blessed. . . .’ Thou art the father of the world, of the moving Says Swami Brahmananda, a direct and the non-moving. Greater than the greatest, disciple of Sri Ramakrishna: Thou art the one object of worship. There is none Pray to the Lord with all your heart! Then alone equal to Thee in all the worlds. Who, then, can you will long for him. When one is hungry one 17 excel Thee, O Thou of incomparable power? enjoys food. When one has no appetite one does Therefore, I prostrate myself before Thee in not care even for delicacies. And that is why adoration, and crave Thy forgiveness. Forgive people don’t taste the nectar of His [God’s] name. me, O Lord, as a father forgives his son, a friend Whatever you do, whether you are sitting or his friend, a lover his beloved.’18 lying down, or eating, pray constantly: ‘O Lord, Swami , a direct disciple make me able to understand and receive that of Sri Ramakrishna, and a staunch Vedantin, grace which I know you are ready to give.’22 was a firm believer in the place of prayer in Swami Vivekananda spoke of the impor- spiritual life. He wrote in one of his letters19: tance of prayer thus: God is extremely compassionate. If one takes Say day and night, ‘Thou art my father, my one step towards God, he comes a hundred mother, my husband, my love, my lord, my steps, nay a thousand steps, toward him. It is God—I want nothing but Thee, nothing but absolutely true. It is a matter of doing and not Thee, nothing but Thee. Thou in me, I in Thee, talking. If someone could say wholeheartedly, I am Thee. Thou art me.’ Wealth goes, beauty with mind and speech united, ‘Lord, I take vanishes, life flies, powers fly—but the Lord refuge in you; I have none else,’ the Lord will abideth for ever, love abideth for ever. If there definitely accept him. It cannot be otherwise. is glory in keeping the machine in good trim, One must say and feel: it is more glorious to withhold the soul from Thou art my mother and father; suffering with the body—that is the only Thou art my friend and companion; demonstration of your being ‘not matter’, by Thou are my wealth and wisdom; letting the matter alone. Thou art my all in all, O Lord.20 Stick to God! Who cares what comes to the body Can the Lord keep from accepting a person or to anything else! Through the terrors of evil, who prays like this? Now the question is: Who say—my God, my love! Through the pangs of is truly praying and thinking in this way? Lord death, say—my God, my love! Through all the 21 Chaitanya said: evils under the sun, say—my God, my love! So vast is thy mercy, O Lord! Thou art here, I see Thee. Thou art with me, I feel How huge, then, is my wretchedness Thee. I am Thine, take me. Do not go for glass Who finds, in this empty life and heart, beads leaving the mine of diamonds! This life is No devotion to thy name. a great chance. What, seekest thou the pleasures

The V edanta K esari ~ 249 ~ JULY 2016 12

of the world?—he is the fountain of all bliss. Seek May the wicked become virtuous. May the for the highest, aim at that highest, and you shall virtuous attain tranquillity. May the tranquil reach the highest.23 be free from bonds. May the freed make others Indeed, being prayerful helps one live a free. life of fearlessness and strength drawn from a May the Lord, the destroyer of sin, the presiding Divine Source. Deity of all sacred activities, be satisfied. For, He being pleased, the whole universe becomes Prayer for All pleased. He being satisfied, the whole universe 24 A true devotee does not restrict his feels satisfied. prayers to his welfare only. With his expanded Beginning with prayer for oneself, thus, heart fixed in God, he prays for the good of all. the devotee’s heart expands and he includes His heart goes out for the wellbeing and wel- the whole creation in his prayers. That is fare of everyone for he sees his own good in the nature of true prayer—it expands the the good of all. He thus prays: heart of the practitioner and he begins to May the clouds pour rain in time. May the earth include everyone in his awareness and be blessed with crops. May this our country be prayers. free from calamity. May holy men live without Says Swami , a direct fear. disciple of Sri Ramakrishna, May all be freed from dangers. May all realise Always have the good of the universe at heart what is good. May all be actuated by noble and let this become a part of your daily prayer thoughts. May all rejoice everywhere. . . . May all be happy and blessed; May the May all be happy. May all be free from disease. world, the whole universe, be blessed—keep May all realise what is good. May none be these good wishes always aflow in your mind. 25 subjected to misery. And let this be a part of your daily prayer. o

References

1. Gospel, p.205 14. Bhagavad Gita, 2.7 2. Bhagavad Gita, 4.16 15. ibid, 11.18 3 Universal Prayers, Swami Yatiswarananda, Sri 16. ibid, 11.40 Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai, p.31 17. ibid, 11.43 4. ibid, p.180 18. ibid, 11.44 5. ibid, p.180 19. Spiritual Treasures, p. 95 6. ibid, p.183 20. Prapanna Gita 7. CW, 3.26 21. Shikshashtakam, 2 8. Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, p.138-39 22. What the Direct Disciples Said About it, Advaita 9. ibid, p.263 Ashrama, p. 410 10. ibid, p.299 23. CW, 6.262 11. Teachings of Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi, Sri 24. Universal Prayers, Pp. 239-243 Ramakrishna Math, Chennai, p.9 25. What the Direct Disciples Said About it, Advaita 12. ibid, p.19 Ashrama, p. 422, points number 2 and 13 13. ibid, p.10

The V edanta K esari ~ 250 ~ JULY 2016 13

Simhâvalokanam From the Archives of The Vedanta Kesari (July, 1916-17, p. 68-69) On Meditation

FAMILIAR TALKS BY SWAMI Meditation means complete self-abandonment. To meditate successfully one must get rid of this ego. You know, before a great glory all little glories disappear, so before the effulgent glory of God this little ego will completely vanish, as the stars vanish when the sun rises. The moment you have given up everything and understood your own helplessness, at that moment God-vision will come. If you can reach this state and hold it even for a few moments, you will see how quickly God will begin to rise up in your mind; and when you will be able to remain in that state, God will always be present there. But, you say, I cannot see Him with these eyes of mine, I cannot hear Him with these ears, I cannot touch Him with these hands, how then am I to perceive Him? You can never perceive Him in this way, These senses are made for the creation, not for the Creator. To go to the Creator, you must throw aside these instruments which take you directly to the creation. When, however, you have been able to put down the ego and go beyond the mind and senses meditation will come of itself. This is the easiest way to get it,—by the practice of ‘Not I, not I, but Thou.’ God dwells in the heart of every man. He is the nearest thing to each one of us, but the mind has been dragged out so long by the things of this world that it is difficult for it to come home. Therefore with the sword of wisdom one must cut asunder all these worldly attachments. People often say to me: ‘I find it so difficult to concentrate my mind. It goes to my business, to my househo­ ld affairs and it seems impossible to hold it on God. Why is this?’ The answer is; ‘Because your mind does not belong to you. You have sold it to your business, to your worldly affairs, how can you expect to command what is not yours?’ With a divided mind you can never hope to gain the power of concentration and meditation and without these the vision of Truth is unattainable. Christ said that only the pure in heart shall see God. The mind as we know it, is merely a collection of desires, it is made up of desires. Get rid of selfish desires and nothing remains but the Paramatman or the Divine Self. There is no difference between the purified mind and the Self of man. o   

The V edanta K esari ~ 251 ~ JULY 2016 14 Reminiscences

Reminiscences of Sargachhi SWAMI SUHITANANDA (Continued from the previous issue. . .) Sargachhi is located in Murshidabad district of and is well-known to the devotees of Ramakrishna Order for being associated with Swami , a direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna. The following writing is about another revered monk who lived in Sargachhi, Swami Premeshananda (1894-1967), a disciple of Holy Mother and well known for encouraging many young men and women, as also many married people to live a life of spirituality and service. The following reminiscences in Bengali, Sargachhir , is by Swami Suhitananda, the General Secretary of Ramakrishna Math and , . He was a personal attendant of Swami Premeshananda for several years and while serving him noted his conversations and teachings in his diary. The same is being serially published in the (our Bengali monthly published from ) from its Jyaishtha, B.S. 1419 issue. These reminiscences have been translated by Sri Shoutir Kishore Chatterjee, a long-standing devotee from Kolkata. English words and expressions which appear in the original have been put within single inverted commas ‘ ’. The numbers ||1||, ||2||, etc., denote the serial numbers of the Udbodhan instalments.

||7|| (Observing that the attendant was 26.3.1959 reading the Gita) Revered Premesh Maharaj said to the Maharaj: If anybody reads the Gita, I attendant: Hold fast to the following — become beside myself with joy; the reason is 1. Who is Sri Ramakrishna to me? —the Gita is a treatise on the Science of Man. (Knowledge) Any civilized society can get inspiration from 2. I am eternally related to him. () the Gita. Verily the Gita dwells on the life of 3. To have an attraction towards him. Man. Everybody needs to read this book— (Devotion) members of no community would hesitate to 4. Work with a view to pleasing him. read the Gita. (Work) The day we are physically ill, the whole 6.4.1959 world seems to be full of sorrow. The day we are Most of the time Maharaj kept silent. all right, one is pleased with everything. It means Sometimes he said: I look at these plants and when the medium is healthy all things become trees, birds and animals, creatures and men, pleasing. The body is the medium—I am the one after another, and my heart shudders. seer. The body is an instrument. Whatever I see They will have to come back to this world or feel is all a mechanical process. birth after birth. Yet all these are doing fairly well. All the various creatures, the various 4.4.1959 plants and trees I see, are creatures only

The V edanta K esari ~ 252 ~ JULY 2016 15 from the outside—but each is a particle of that more one practises Ishvara-pranidhana . That consciousness has put (devotion / surrender to God), more perfect a these bodies on itself and is peeping out of one monk becomes. Always watch out that other or other of these forms. worthless thoughts do not arise in your mind. Always one thought—I am the witness of 11.4.1959 body, mind and vital force. Otherwise Attendant: What is meant by think of the disport of Thakur or the attainment of mukti (salvation)? life of Chaitanya-deva. We are Maharaj: Mukti is already supported by the hard-earned there—it is not something to money of devotees. So we be attained. What one attains have to spend money after is lost afterwards; so mukti is due deliberation; we should already there. Ramakrishna- not waste money. loka is above the worlds (loka-s) entitled bhu, bhuvah, 21.4.1959 svaha, mahaha, jana, tapa and Maharaj: Look. More I see satya. There it is a state full of around me, more I understand consciousness (chaitanyamaya)— why Swamiji has spoken about chinmaya shyam, chinmaya dham (Krishna harmonizing the four . Jnana, is consciousness, his abode is consciousness). Karma, and —all four are The state of Maharaj’s health was very one. Through we know—what is bad. A boy had come. He had appeared at the God? As if God is in the room upstairs. We Intermediate Examination—that is why he have to go upstairs. How should we go? For was here. He would join the Order. Maharaj that we have to use the staircase. That staircase gave him a lot of instructions. In particular, is Raja Yoga. Can we go unless we feel an he spoke about harmonizing the Yogas of attraction? That is why we need . Knowledge, Work and Devotion. Through devotion we feel attraction, and In the afternoon, while walking by then, all the efforts we make for going to Him the side of the road, Maharaj showed that a represent . There is a verse: peasant was tilling a field. He said: Do you Antah Shaiva bahir Shaktah sabhayah Vaishnavo observe any difference between us? There is bhava | not a bit of difference between me and that Naanaa-rupadharah kaula vicharanti mahitale || peasant. I know ‘intellectually’ that I am The devotees of Ramakrishna would be the ‘witness’ of this body and mind, but he like that. There would be knowledge inside doesn’t. I know the road and have the ‘guide them; they would be spirited like the Shaktas: book’ in my hand, but it may happen that he in society they would be as modest as the would get hold of a guide and reach before Vaishnavas. They would be gentle, sweet, well- me. That is why I say that we have to think behaved, and yet of pure character. of the or the Chosen Deity. The goal Attendant: In Kathamrita, fifth part (the is not to do good to others or to gain others’ reference here is to the original Gospel of Sri acclaim. The goal is mukti—to take oneself Ramakrishna in Bengali as published from beyond the body, mind and intellect. It is seen Kathamrita Bhavan) there are several essays

The V edanta K esari ~ 253 ~ JULY 2016 16 by Master Mahasaya (‘M’). What purpose do And practise doing japa from sunrise to they serve? sunset. Maharaj: Kathamrita is of Thakur’s. But I later heard from Maharaj that the ‘M’ has included his own writings in the fifth gentleman would practise japa sitting on the part. His conviction was that one should not same seat from sunrise to sunset every Sunday, do work before attaining God. But this holds in and barring exceptional circumstances, would the case of persons who are of high calibre. We devotedly obey the command of Maharaj. are persons of low calibre; we feel attraction Maharaj: He says that I have had direct for God as we engage ourselves in doing work. realization (aparokshanubhuti) but presumably Attendant: What is the difference I do not acknowledge it. The fact of the matter between a renouncer and a monk? is, in course of hearing stories about London Maharaj: Renouncer—the father of from the father, I appear to have been in Montu had performed all his duties in the London. Just like that, in course of discoursing world – shraadha, tarpana, yoga, etc.—but in a about scriptures, I would be able to make any detached way. That is why at the time of death aspirant understand—what is knowledge of he showed signs of seeing God. I am a monk Atman? What is Chit (consciousness)? Chit —I have no duties whatsoever. is just this ‘I’, ‘I’, which all the creatures say. When the knowledge of obtains, do 27.4.1959 the different sheaths () open one after A gentleman who was a bachelor used another?—It is like the bursting out of light in to perform an act of service in the office. In a flame in a room that has remained dark for those days it took a lot of time to procure thousand years. The subject sees clearly—I am envelopes and postcards. For the benefit separate from this body, vital force, mind and of all, he used to purchase envelopes and intellect. postcards worth 20 rupees and keep those in a box. Whoever wanted took envelopes and 1.5.1959 postcards according to his need, placing in the Dr. Chaudhuri often came from box the requisite money as the cost thereof. Berhampur to see Maharaj. One day he was asked, ‘Do you get the Dr. Chaudhuri: Maharaj, the case of right amount in return?’ He smiled nicely and people like you is distinct. You are situated said, ‘Can that ever happen?’—‘Do you feel very high. remorse?’—‘Why should I feel remorse? I just Maharaj: Nothing can happen before take it for granted that I won’t get anything. one’s suffering is over. So whatever I get, is my gain.’ He got an Doctor: In that case, your suffering had ‘offer’ from his employer—he could opt for been over already. But how could it happen taking either a lump-sum money at a time or a eating half-boiled things like that at home? monthly pension. He asked Premesh Maharaj Maharaj: It had not happened. I was in about it. Maharaj said: You are a simple- the jail. My term of imprisonment was for minded fellow—all others together would 17 years. Suddenly George V came to this cheat you of your money. Also, attracted by country. All were set free. Like that, suddenly money, some people would gather around Mother came, and I got my opportunity. I did you and waste your time. You opt for pension. not have to undergo the 17 years’ prison term

The V edanta K esari ~ 254 ~ JULY 2016 17 anymore. We are actually distressed devotees buildings and ‘hostels’, by doing good to (arta bhaktas). others and by delivering the world. The father with his son has gone to see an ‘exhibition’. 13.5.1959 The son’s face has become red in the sun and Maharaj: Those who are unable to give sweat is dripping from it. The father said to their whole mind to God, yet for whom the son, ‘Let us go back.’ But the son said, nothing in the world holds any attraction—are ‘No papa, we have not seen that side. Let us endowed with sattvaguna. go after seeing that.’ The father forced him However beautiful a man may be, to come back. But, in the afternoon, when the nothing can happen unless he is worked upon father was asleep, he stealthily came and saw into shape. I look at all the boys of the school the remaining part. and think how beautiful they are—but all Do not raise any topic other than spiritual would be spoiled without being worked upon. before me—it causes much suffering to me. But There exists only one self-made man what should you do? Some things have to be in the world—that man is Ramakrishna discussed—one has to know about things like Paramahamsa Deva. All others had to be one’s personal food, stay and movement. worked into shape. Had Swamiji not fallen Just as Thakur’s direct disciples were into lathe machine of Thakur, he would have his attendants, if he wills, we too can be born perhaps become a gigantic person in society. as his attendants. This time we would make The real thing is that life has to blossom. progress through spiritual practice. From If, instead of remaining in a half-ripe state the state of creatures we would attain the feigning to be a monk, one marries and if one’s state of Divinity. Those who attain salvation life blossoms, then perhaps one may attain even in this life, remain in the blissful sheath salvation in some three or four births. (anandamaya ). If God wills, they can be companions in His disport. A resident of 15.5.1959 Dhaka named Tarak wrote to Mother, ‘Mother, Attendant: Is it better to renounce with this time I could not see any of your disports. great difficulty or is it better to finish off by Please see to it so that I may see that next time.’ experiencing enjoyment? Mother said, ‘Well, son, it will be so.’ But I Maharaj: If somebody has reached the don’t want to see disport any further. For there last ‘stage’ of ‘evolution’, then he would find it is bliss alone, whereas here it is happiness pleasure in nothing but God. Otherwise he and misery, bliss and absence of bliss—one would exhaust his life by constructing temples, has to experience both. (To be continued. . .)

Vedanta believes in the potential divinity of all souls. It does not believe in standardization of people. Every soul must be free to manifest its inherent divinity. Preserve your own ideas and try to assimilate the ideas of other religions. We Hindus believe in a change of the heart, purification of mind, but we are never satisfied until we are united with God. That is our creed, if you may call it so. Our creed is the creed of God.

—Swami Yatiswarananda

The V edanta K esari ~ 255 ~ JULY 2016 18 Article

Holistic Development through Religious Harmony The Vision and Mission of Swami Vivekananda

T V MURALIVALLABHAN

(Continued from the previous issue. . .)

Part 2 each other’s central concerns. Religions possess Role of Religion and Spirituality one or more of five sources of power:11 Swami Vivekananda was the first person 1. They shape people’s world view and to introduce the need of religious harmony for wield moral authority the progress of the world, on an international 2. Have the ear of multitude of adherents platform in the most scientific manner, yet 3. Strong financial and institutional without losing the spiritual content. Cultural assets historian Thomas Berry sees religion, along 4. Strong generators of social capital with and business as the major 5. An asset in community building societal drivers of change. If all these five sources of power are Religion is an important driver in society properly synchronized in thoughts and that influences all aspects of life, since 80-90 harmonized in actions, the socio-economic and percent of the world population belong to one spiritual capital generated would be sufficient or the other of the ten thousand or so religions to find permanent solutions to the above crises of this world.10 Religion is the sum total of the and fill the world with prosperity, progress belief system, rituals and, practices followed by and peace. Hence religious harmony can be the people in quest of God. Spirituality is the a strong instrument in assuring individual, ultimate realization of the self/God/ almighty family, community, nation and the world reached by following the methods prescribed with peace and development. In spite of by the religions. scientific studies, technological inventions, The effort to build a harmonious, sus- social innovations and political policies to tainable, peaceful and secure world could assure peace and prosperity in society, these advance dramatically if religious people problems of the world have assumed alarming and institutions on one hand and policy proportions, and hence it is time to search for makers and advocates of modern sustainable cultural and religious options, for permanent development on the other, were to embrace solutions.12

Dr. T V Muralivallabhan is a well-known Resource Person in the area of Indian culture, Eco spirituality and Environmental education, and is also, the Coordinator of Sri Ramakrishna Adarsh College, Sri Ramakrishna Math, Pala, Kerala, and former Principal of NSS college, Vazhoor, Kottayam, Kerala. o

The V edanta K esari ~ 256 ~ JULY 2016 19

The ‘Global Ethic’ proposed at the World Swamiji made it further clear in the Religions Conference held in Chicago in 1993 following words. observed that the planet could not be changed I accept all religions that were in the past, and for the better, unless the inner transformation worship with them all; I worship God with of the individuals takes place by the every one of them, in whatever form they awakening of the spiritual powers through worship Him. I shall go to the mosque of the reflection, meditation, prayer or positive Mohammedan; I shall enter the Christian’s thinking. Swami Vivekananda who teaches church and kneel before the crucifix; I shall enter with emphasis about the potential divinity the Buddhist temple where I shall take refuge enshrined in each soul, has great relevance, in Buddha and in his law. I shall go to the forest while defining, discussing, designing and and sit down in meditation with the Hindu, who implementing various models of development is trying to see the light, which enlightens the 15 by international experts. heart of everyone. This approach of Swamiji, rooted in him Swamiji’s Vision and Mission on from the realization of the eternal values of Development Hindu culture and wisdom, made him the Swami Vivekananda says, ‘Man has lighthouse of modern approaches to religion, wanted to look beyond, wanted to expand spirituality and development. This is spiritual himself; and all that we call progress, capital which is the foundation and a pre evolution, has been always measured by that condition of all forms of development. He said, one search for human destiny, the search for The spectacular achievements in science and God.’13 technology, and the radical socio-political Swamiji also says that there was nothing changes made the need of an integral view like religion that had brought to man more of life capable of bringing about an all-round blessings, and yet at the same time, there was reconciliation of conflicting ideas and ideals of nothing that had brought more horror than the modern age and fulfilling the aspirations religion. He adds that variety is the law of of the human soul newly emancipated from 16 nature and hence birth and growth of more centuries of superstitions and dogmatism. and more religions are quite natural. But that Swamiji said that he was proud to belong doesn’t mean that they are contradictory. He to a religion which had taught the world both says, ‘I believe that they are not contradictory; tolerance and universal acceptance. He also they are supplementary. Each religion, as it said that Indians not only believed in universal were, takes up one part of the universal truth, toleration, but also accept all religions as true. and spends its whole force in embodying He concluded the historic thrilling speech by and typifying that part of great truth. It is giving the message of universal unity from therefore addition, not exclusion . . . and this quoting Bhagavad Gita. The concluding is the march of the humanity.’14 Therefore, the remarks were like cold water poured upon message is that there is enough space in each the fire of fanaticism and persecution that religion’s part of the universal truth, for mutual prevailed in the world, in the name of religion understanding, cooperation and harmony. in the world. Swamiji experienced the universal unity Add Spiritual Capital and harmony from his guru, Sri Ramakrishna,

The V edanta K esari ~ 257 ~ JULY 2016 20 who was the king of Ecstasy, derived from the realization that God could be reached through experience of real religious practice. From this different paths, is the basis of peace and great guru, Swamiji learned that the best form harmony in universal religion. of true religion was to see reflected in The mission for realizing this vision was living humans, and especially in the poor. education. Swamiji believed that education During his travels, Swamiji lived like a should help bring out the perfection which is ‘mendicant monk, sometime having his meal already in man. This perfection is the reflection cooked by a cobbler, sometime sharing his pipe of the divinity in man. Divine quality makes with a sweeper, sometimes living in the palaces a man capable of achieving physical, mental, of Kings and Princes’ thus not only preaching, intellectual and spiritual development. This but also practicing the ideals of harmony and development helps institutions, communities, unity, beyond caste, colour, creed , and religion. nations and the world as a whole reach the He also warned people not to quarrel about zenith of secular and spiritual progress. At caste and religion because, ‘the moment you this level, all forms of traditional and modern quarrel, you are not going Godward, you are capital—material, financial, environmental, going backward, towards brutes.’17 human, social and spiritual—act and interact with one another and blend the human How to bring Harmony in and among physical, mental, intellectual and spiritual Religions? faculties to form the basis of a divine Without a spiritual counterbalance, development model. the materialistic emphasis in modern Thus, the idea of development that thinking about development may actually Swamiji conceived was of an integrated and be detrimental to the personal and societal holistic nature consisting of the spiritual betterment it purports to bring about.18 and secular aspects. While the most modern Swamiji first recognizes that to bring development models like sustainable harmony in religion is very difficult. But development and inclusive growth are more his vision became very clear, when he inclined to material welfare only, Swamiji’s divided religion into three parts—philosophy, ideas of development depict a complete picture mythology and rituals. When the spirit of these of the interrelatedness and interconnections three aspects is realized by every follower of between the internal and external nature. all the religions, the individual reaches the Swamiji owed the intricacies of realm of universal religion, where peace and spirituality from the ‘Seraphic Master’ who harmony prevails. The Universal religion of had spent his whole life at the feet of the Swamiji recognizes the natural necessity of Divine Beloved, the Mother—the Living God. variation. He adds, ‘through high philosophy But, the consciousness of his mission only or low, through the most exalted mythology came and took possession of him after years or the grossest, through the most refined of direct experience, wherein he saw with his ritualism or arrant fetishism, every , every own eyes and touched with his own hands the soul, every nation, every religion, consciously miserable and glorious body of humanity—his or unconsciously is struggling upward Mother India in all her tragic nakedness. towards God; every vision of truth that man Swamiji worked for the regeneration of has is a vision of Him and of none else.’19 The the Mother country, the resurrection of the

The V edanta K esari ~ 258 ~ JULY 2016 21 spiritual powers of India and their diffusion activities of the people affected by flood, throughout the universe.”20 earth quake, fire, tornado, etc. In the year The first step in the mission of Swamiji 2003-2004, the organization extended help to was to tackle the twin problems of poverty and 2,55,000 people belonging to 759 villages in ignorance from his own motherland. Swamiji India, by spending about 26 million rupees.21 went to the West on behalf of the people and In the health sector, the Mission is giving free the poor. medical aid and treatment to millions of poor people in the remote villages of India with its The Math and the Mission 15 hospitals, 120 outdoor dispensaries and 46 The Ramakrishna Math and Mission mobile dispensaries. In the educational sector, is the best example of Swamiji’s idea of the mission has 1 University, 12 colleges, 428 developing mother India. The objectives, schools, 2 language schools, 4 polytechnics, policies, programmes and the work culture 119, hostels, 6 orphanages, 2 centres for of the Math and Mission centres all over the the differently-abled, and 270 Non-formal world have shown a secular modus operandi educational institutions. The activities of the of development with spiritual convictions. Mission for women, tribals and the youth are The Ramakrishna Math and Mission also appreciable. Centres and the centres Along with these secular welfare are the institutions that give a body and activities, the spiritual and religious activities spirit to the message and teachings of Sri are also worth mentioning. The Math and Ramakrishna, Holy Mother and Swamiji. The the Mission are promoting ‘Sarvadharma aims of the Math and Mission, as defined Samabhavana’ culture in which all systems in the Memorandum annexed to the act of of beliefs are equally treated. Festivals of all registration of 1909, are divided into three religions are celebrated and the sannyasins of classes: the Math play a positive role to bring down 1. Charitable work tensions in the name of religions in various 2. works (organization and parts of India. publications) The Ramakrishna Math and Mission is an 3. Educational works. institution where the oneness of the universe Apart from the regular spiritual services, is taught and practised. Harmony of religions the institution offers emergency services and peace in the society are its core messages. during times of natural or man-made disasters, In a globalised world order, where cutthroat both inside and outside the country. competition and the consequent conflicts are Through the 123 Ramakrishna centres in threatening the world peace and harmony, India and 40 foreign centres, these institutions the holistic development model preached and are rendering yeomen service in the field practiced by the Math and Mission based on of education, health, rehabilitation, service the ultimate divinity and the inherent and to the tribals, women, youth and religion infinite potentiality of human beings will make and spirituality. Right from its beginning, the future more perfect. the Mission has been engaged in the relief (Concluded.)

The V edanta K esari ~ 259 ~ JULY 2016 22

References 10. World Watch Report No. 164, 2002 17. CW, 3:132 11. Ibid, p-5 18. CW, 3:9 12. World Summit on Sustainable Development, 19. CW, 2:383 Report, 2002 20. Romain Roland, Life of Vivekananda 13. CW, 2:359 21. President, Ramakrishna Math, Trichur, 14. CW, 2:365 Ramakrishna Mathavum Ramakrishna Missionum 15. CW, 2:374 (Malayalam), 2010. For latest statistics, please visit 16. Swami Vivekananda’s Address at the World’s Belur Math website: www.belurmath.org Parliament of Religions, Belur Math, 1993, p-5 v v v

Rights versus Duties All the prophets and great religious personalities were lovers of the poor. They came for all and not for the rich alone. Our society also was built on a socialistic outlook. Our law givers never talked of rights but only of duties. Duties were fixed for everyone from the king to the man in the street, and also for the four castes, which were to serve society according to capacity of each, without claiming any privilege for their services. So also duties were fixed for the members of the four Ashramas or stages of life. It was all duties and no rights. Everyone was expected to work for the nation through his prescribed duties. The present day outlook lays stress on rights rather than on duties, which is alien to our culture. Through the honest performance of duties one can not only serve the nation, but also progress spiritually. By fighting for rights this cannot be done. Swamiji has again and again pointed out to us that ‘the twin ideals of India are renunciation and service.’

—Swami Vireswarananda, 10th President of the Ramakrishna Order

The V edanta K esari ~ 260 ~ JULY 2016 23 Article

Youth and Their Problems Lessons in Coping with Life from Swami Vivekananda

SWAMI SATYAPRIYANANDA

(Continued from the previous issue. . .)

Enduring Physical Sufferings and Extreme absorbed in it. Suddenly there was the Strain deafening noise of firing, and shots whizzed Unaccustomed to the severe winters past his ears! But he went on with his lecture of the Midwest, Swamiji suffered intensely to the end, as though nothing had happened. from cold; travelling by train from each He had withdrawn into that innermost one-night stand to the next was gruelling; consciousness of which he was speaking. accommodations in small town-hotels, where When he had finished, the cowboys crowded he sometimes had to stay, were primitive round him and pronounced him ‘a right good in the extreme. Then, too, the constant fellow’. demands of the lecture platform told on him. Indeed, the Swami had many odd Everywhere he went people flocked about experiences. One, he related as a joke on him, and clergymen—particularly Unitarians himself. He was exhausted when he arrived —beseeched him to lecture from their pulpits. at a particular town. The secretary of the But if the Swami spoke time and again to reception committee showed him courteously enthusiastic audiences, he also had to run the into a small, dark room. It contained a rather gauntlet of innumerable irritating questions frail and rickety armchair. Seeing it only dimly, that disclosed both a monumental ignorance the Swami sat down on it, when, it gave way of Hindu culture and erroneous ideas of Indian in the most awkward manner. He could not life. Some questioners flatly contradicted extricate himself. So he just had to stay in him on subjects on which they were in entire that uncomfortable position and wait for the ignorance; then he fell upon them like a secretary to come to escort him to the platform. thunderbolt. Or, perhaps he would retort with At last the secretary came, calling, ‘Come, sarcastic humour. Swami; the audience is waiting for you!’ ‘Well, A number of university men who had then,’ Swamiji cried out, ‘it will have to wait taken up ranch life and become cowboys till you break this chair and extricate me from wanted to put Swamiji to the test. So they the nice plight I am in!’ invited him to lecture to them. When he Once a Negro porter, who had seen him arrived they escorted him to a wooden tub, being welcomed by a reception committee, which was to serve as a platform. The Swami came up to him and said that he would like to commenced his discourse and soon became shake hands with one of his own people who

o A former editor of Prabuddha Bharata, the author is a resident of Ramakrishna Math, Belur Math.

The V edanta K esari ~ 261 ~ JULY 2016 24 had become a great man. The Swami warmly delivering a lecture alongside of him, as he lay clasped his hand and exclaimed, ‘Thank you! on his bed listening. At other times two voices Thank you, brother!’ He never minded being would argue before him discussing at great mistaken for one of them. length subjects that he would find himself In barbers’ shops of northern as well as repeating the following day from the platform southern cities, he was for this very reason or the pulpit. Sometimes these discussions not infrequently shown the door with scant introduced ideas that he had never heard of or courtesy. Several times in important cities of thought of previously. the south he was brusquely refused admittance to hotels because of his dark colour, but even Withstanding Reactions in such situations he refused to say that he was Ever since his triumph at the Parliament an Oriental. When the hotel proprietors who of Religions, resentment toward him had been had turned him away, read of his lectures in smouldering among the more orthodox and the papers the next morning or heard his name narrow members of the Christian clergy. From spoken everywhere with deference they would time to time, in the wake of his tour through hurry to him and apologize. When asked why the Midwest, that resentment had flared up in he had not told them who he was, Swamiji whispered slander and acrimonious sermons. revealed his inner nature by saying, ‘What! But in Detroit, the opposition exploded in full Rise at the expense of another! I did not come with unrestrained force. Many to earth for that!’ openly and vehemently denounced the Swami The Swami received invitation after and ‘his false doctrines’ from their pulpits. invitation to speak in churches and to clubs The Detroit newspapers flamed with letters to and private gatherings. Most of these he the editors, bitterly attacking him on the one accepted, thinking each to be an opportunity hand, fervently supporting him on the other. of spreading the truths of Vedanta, of giving The Swami made no effort to defend himself spiritual help, and of presenting the true needs or to pacify his detractors. On the contrary, of India before the American people. He gave he had no patience with small-mindedness or himself and his time unstintingly in service, fanaticism. until the mental and physical strain became Sometimes notes and letters were sent to intense. persons who had invited him to their homes Often he had to deliver extempore twelve stating that he was not what he represented to fourteen lectures a week, sometimes even himself to be and floated all kinds of calumnies more. The exertion was so great that after against him. Occasionally this malice had the a time he felt as though he had exhausted desired effect, and the Swami would find the himself intellectually. In this difficulty he was doors of his hosts-to-be closed to him! But in aided in wonderful ways. For instance, at dead most instances, the error would be discovered of night he would hear a voice shouting at after a time, and those who had rebuffed him him the thoughts that he was to speak on the would call and apologize and become greater following day. Sometimes it would come as friends than ever. from a long distance, speaking to him down For many months after the Parliament a great avenue; then it would draw nearer of Religions the Swami had no united support and nearer. Or it would be like someone or recognition from India. An unaccredited

The V edanta K esari ~ 262 ~ JULY 2016 25 delegate to the Parliament, long unrecognised the Swami returned to Detroit in March, Mr. officially by his own country, he stood alone Palmer had dealt with the lecture bureau and against all this opposition and criticism. This got the fraudulent contract annulled. Thus gave great advantage to those who would the Swami’s tour with the lecture bureau harm him and cast doubt upon his standing through the mid-western and southern States in India and upon his honour. Yet amid all of America came to an end between the first these difficulties and distractions the Swami and second visits to Detroit, and he was free. kept his equanimity, trusting the Lord and Envious of Swamiji’s personal success consoling himself with the thought that the at Chicago’s Parliament of World Religions highest-minded Christians—clergymen and in 1893, the leader Pratap Chandra distinguished laymen alike—were his avowed Mazoomdar had kept up a long campaign admirers. Many espoused his cause and were of vituperative slander against Swamiji’s even his followers. Above all, he knew that if character, rousing many Bengalis to his it was the will of God that his message should cause of defaming Swamiji. However, be broadcast, nothing on earth could stand Swamiji ignored the false slander against against him. He would ask, ‘Why should I him in America and India, and demonstrated attack in return? It is not the monk’s place to indifference towards the accolades Americans defend himself. Besides, Truth will have its were simultaneously heaping upon him. His way. Truth shall stand.’ only concern was: Through his lectures and talks the I have an old mother. She has suffered much generality of Americans appreciated the depth all her life and in the midst of all she could bear and beauty of Hindu religion and culture. to give me up for the service of God and man; ‘I am the one man who dared defend his but to have given up the most beloved of her country,’ he was to write on May 6, 1895, to an children—her hope—to live a beastly immoral Indian disciple, ‘and I have given them such life in a far distant country, as Mazoomdar was ideas as they never expected from a Hindu.’ telling in Calcutta, would have simply killed her. Swamiji discovered that the Slayton Lyceum Lecture Bureau (which he had ‘I Have a Message for the East’ engaged for travelling and speaking across Speaking in Madras, the Swami said, America) was exploiting and defrauding Now I come to reform societies in Madras. They him. He wrote to Mrs. Hale, ‘I am thoroughly have been very kind to me. They have pointed out disgusted with this Slayton business and that there is a difference between the reformers of am trying hard to break loose. I have lost at Bengal and those of Madras. . . Madras is in a very least $5,000 by joining this man . . . I hope to beautiful state just now. It has not got into the play do some private lecturing here and then go of action and reaction as Bengal has done. Here to Ada [Ohio] and then back to Chicago. . . . there is steady and slow progress all through; President Palmer has gone to Chicago to try to here is growth, and not reaction. In many cases, get me loose from this liar of a Slayton. Pray and to a certain extent, there is a revival in Bengal; that he may succeed. Several judges here have but in Madras it is not a revival, it is a growth, a seen my contract—and they say it is shameful natural growth. . . Some of these societies try to fraud and can be broken any moment, but I intimidate me to join them. . . A man who has am a monk—no self-defence.’ But by the time met starvation face to face for fourteen years of

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his life, who has not known where he will get In another speech he said, ‘This is the a meal the next day and where to sleep, cannot great practical application of the , be intimidated so easily. A man, almost without that they give us strength. They tell us that clothes, who dared to live where the thermometer we are essentially Spirit—omnipotent and registered thirty degrees below zero, without omniscient.’ ‘If the fisherman thinks that he is knowing where the next meal was to come from, the Spirit, he will be a better fisherman; if the cannot be so easily intimidated in India. This is student thinks that he is the Spirit, he will be the first thing I will tell them—I have a little will a better student.’ From this faith in the truth of my own. I have my little experience too; and I about ourselves, strength will come and fear have a message for the world which I will deliver will go; freedom will come and privilege will without fear and without care for the future. To go. ‘Liberty is the first condition of growth.’ the reformers I will point out that I want root- and-branch reform. Where we differ is in the He pointed out that religion was the life- method. Theirs is the method of destruction, mine centre of the country and that the role India is that of construction. I do not believe in reform; had to play in the harmony of nations was I believe in growth. I do not dare to put myself to freely distribute religious ideas and ideals in the position of God and dictate to our society, when other nations needed it. It is therefore ‘This way thou shouldst move and not that. That incumbent on all Indians, especially the youth, is my position.’ to inherit the ancient religious ideas which In another lecture he said, ‘My plan India represents. Aping the West was not the is to start institutions in India, to train our way, for a sheep in lion’s clothing does not young men as preachers of the truths of become a lion. And, said he, if India gave up our scriptures, in India and outside India. its religious mooring and takes to other ideals, Men, men, these are wanted’—sincere to the in three generations it will be an extinct nation. backbone. ‘A hundred such and the world Speaking gloriously on the greatness of becomes revolutionized.’ He describes what India, Swami said, his ideal of patriotism is: a heart to feel for If there is any land on this earth that can lay the millions who have become next-door claim to be the blessed Punya Bhumi, to be the neighbours to brutes; a head to conceive a land to which all souls on this earth must come to account for Karma, the land to which every way out of their misery; and strong hands and soul that is wending its way Godward must mind to execute even in the face of opposition come to attain its last home, the land where what one thinks is the right thing to do. He humanity has attained its highest towards defined a traitor in strong terms as being one gentleness, towards generosity, towards purity, having been educated at the expense of the towards calmness, above all, the land of masses does not pay the least heed to them. introspection and of spirituality—it is India. He observes: Hence have started the founders of religions This national ship . . . my friends . . . has been from the most ancient times, deluging the earth ferrying millions and millions of souls across the again and again with the pure and perennial waters of life. . . . But today, this boat has sprung waters of spiritual truth. Hence have proceeded a leak; and would you therefore curse it? Let us the tidal waves of philosophy that have covered go and stop the holes. Let us gladly do it with the earth, East or West, North or South, and our hearts’ blood. . . . And if we cannot let us hence again must start the wave which is sink together but never utter a curse. going to spiritualise the material civilisation of

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the world. Here is the life-giving water with company. When they reached the place which must be quenched the burning fire of where he was, they found him meditating. materialism which is burning the core of the After the Swami had come back to normal hearts of millions in other lands. Believe me, my consciousness, he conversed with the princes friends, this is going to be. in Sanskrit. In spite of inspiring the Indians to be The public celebration of Sri Rama- proud of their national heritage yet Swamiji krishna’s birthday fell on 27 February, had to face some other unsavoury on the 1898. The observation by such a public Indian soil too. celebration had been started by Surendranath Mitra and other devotees in 1881, while Sri Swamiji’s Experiences on the Indian Soil Rama­krishna was still alive, and had been At Cranga­nore, before Swamiji’s going cele­brated annually at . It had to the West, people saw him sitting, early one continued each year since then, and had given morning, under a banyan tree near the everybody an opportunity to gather in one temple. The Swami tried to enter the temple place for a shared purpose, with broth­erly to offer worship to the deity; but the temple feelings. However, in 1898, the Trustees of guards prevented him. It was difficult to know the Kali temple at Dakshineswar raised the the caste of people, especially of those who objection that the place would be defiled if the came from outside Kerala, and therefore there foreign disciples of the Swami attended the was this custom. Without getting annoyed, festival. . . Ultimately, the birth anniversary he returned to the tree after bowing down to [public celebration] of Sri Ramakrishna was the Devi from outside. His ochre robes and celebrated at the Radha Ramanji Thakurbari brilliant eyes attracted the attention of a young of Purnachandra Daw. This was at Bally, on man, who approached him with the intention the same bank of the Ganges as Belur, but of having some fun; but the young man came slightly up the river. . . A grand success as away disappointed, when he found that the it was, it put to shame Trailokya , to Swami was not as he had thought him to be. whom, or to whose action of objecting to the Just then two princes of the Cranganore palace celebration at Dakshineswar, none among the came to the temple, and the young man just thousands who took part in it at Bally, gave mentioned brought them to the Swami sitting a thought. . . All the four western disciples of under the banyan tree. The two princes were Swamiji—Miss Muller, Mrs. Ole Bull, Miss well versed in the scriptures. They could see Josephine MacLeod and Miss Margaret No­ from the Swami’s features that he was not an ble—participated in the celebration. ordinary person. They had an argument in Sanskrit over the issue of caste consideration. The Grand Culmination The Swami, however, did not want to interfere On 1st May 1897, at the house of Balaram with their local tradition, even though the Bose in Calcutta Swamiji formulated his plans princes were later prepared to allow a person of the objects of the Ramakrishna Mission of his calibre to enter the temple. They argued Association. Master Mahashaya and even with the Swami for two days, and were some of Swamiji’s brother-disciples saw in that defeated. On the third day they approached scheme an imitation of western methods. They the Swami with the desire to have his holy claimed that it was quite different from what

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Ramakrishna had taught: living in seclusion, stage with none to depend on other than chanting the name of God, remembering the Ramakrishna. Lila of the incarnation, and discrimination Once the Holy Mother had seen in a between what is real and what is unreal. Sri vision that Ramakrishna rushed past Naren Ramakrishna had specifically pointed out that and merged in the Ganges and that Naren was when God appeared before one, would one ask sprinkling that water on all present, both of the for building schools, colleges, hospitals and East and the West, and that they were getting dispensaries, or would one ask for the love of liberated immediately. the lotus feet of God. Swamiji had to burst out Swamiji always believed that before saying that they little understood Ramakrishna Sri Ramakrishna entered Mahasamadhi, She and that they were trying to limit Ramakrishna whom he called Kali, had taken possession to their little understanding of him. It was of himself and would not give him rest until Holy Mother who supported Naren by Her work was accomplished to perfection. pointing out that the case of Ramakrishna was He looked upon himself as a ‘voice without a entirely different in that he had four suppliers form’, the voice of Sri Ramakrishna without of needs. If the monks do not engage in his form. He was the mouth-piece for all service activities, why society would support that Ramakrishna spoke through him. Being them and their time instead of being spent in rooted in the indwelling god and possessed religious practices would be spent on getting a of immense faith in oneself, Naren could morsel of food. She was definite when she said accomplish in less than forty years tremendous that those who would not listen to Naren were transformations for which the world will be free to leave. forever indebted to Swamiji. Swamiji did burst upon society like He would say, you little know what a bomb shell and it followed him like an infinite possibilities lie hidden behind that frail obedient dog. form of yours waiting to become manifested. He would ask everyone to manifest that infinite His Inner Strength potential. He would say: after all I am just a The secret of this unimaginable spirit Calcutta boy playing in the streets of Calcutta, behind Swamiji’s tremendous activities, in who used to sit at the feet of the saint of spite of opposition from all quarters is his faith Dakshineswar and listen with rapt wonderment in himself, his faith in his Guru Ramakrishna, to the nectarine words that fell from his lips. his tremendous love for humanity and his If I could do so much how much more each one tremendous appreciation of India’s heritage of you will accomplish. On the last day of his and contribution to world thought. He had mortal existence he said, only a Vivekananda can come with a mission, to remove the miseries understand what this Vivekananda has done and of humanity, and this he had to do no matter yet how many Vivekanandas will be born in time. what people may say. In fact Ramakrishna Yes, that Vivekananda will take his seat in your had asked him, what will you think if people heart if you imbibe the spirit of Vivekananda. speak ill of you? It was an indication of the Will that not be nice for the youth of India! o fierce resistance Naren was to meet at every (Concluded.)

The V edanta K esari ~ 266 ~ JULY 2016 29 Travelogue

A Pilgrimage to the Monastery of Sri Totapuriji —Dera Baba Ladana in Haryana

A MONASTIC SOJOURNER

Sri Totapuri was the Vedanta teacher of Tracing the Monastery Sri Ramakrishna. He came to Dakshineswar An extraordinary teacher that he was, during his pilgrimage and recognized Sri Totapuri was surely one of the luminaries in Ramakrishna, whom he met on the Ganga the spiritual firmament. And naturally one embankment of the Kali temple, as the most wants to know more about him. Where was competent recipient for Vedanta Sadhana he born, grew up, how and when he became and accordingly stayed there for months and a monk, where did he do his sadhana, how taught him whatever he knew. long did he live—all these and many more A wandering monk of Naga tradition, one wishes to know. Little, however, is Totapuriji initiated Sri Ramakrishna into known, thanks to scanty documentation and Vedic and under his directions preservation of records. Whatever little is Sri Ramakrishna soared into the heights of known about Totapuriji is in Sri Ramakrishna’s Nirvikalpa Samadhi. Sri Ramakrishna in biography by Swami Saradananda, Sri Rama- turn taught Sri Totapuri the subtle truths krishna and His Divine Play, and that is of Bhakti and Saguna Brahman in his own insufficient to be made into a full-fledged inimitable simplicity and purity. Students of biography. Sri Ramakrishna’s extraordinary divine life Of course some fascinating details about are transported into a different realm while Totapuriji are known—he was tall, of a well- reading this fascinating phase of his life. built make, carried a brass pot and tongs in his hands, with little or nothing to cover The road to Ladana his person (which is why Sri Ramakrishna addressed him a Nangta or the naked one). Little is known about his life before his meeting with Sri Ramakrishna or later. This is what Divine Play mentions about him: In likelihood he belonged to the Naga of Hindu monks, having left his home very early, lived with his Guru, meditated long hours and had attained the highest spiritual experience called nirviklpa Samadhi. A few charming incidents related to his 11 months’ stay at Dakshineswar have been narrated by Sri Ramakrishna.

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About Ladana monastery, Sri Rama- This is what the article titled ‘The krishna and His Divine Play describes: Math Belonging to the Guru of Srimat There were seven hundred naked spiritual Totapuri’ by Swami Alokananda (a monk aspirants [in the monastery]. . . Those who were of the Ramakrishna Math) in the November beginning to learn meditation were asked to 1974 issue of Prabuddha Bharata, the English do so on cushions; for they might feel an ache monthly from , Mayavati, in their legs if they were to sit and meditate on says. The article provides many little known hard seats, and their unaccustomed minds might but significant details of Ladana and gives a come to think of their bodies instead of God. charming picture of the place. It is a narrative Then afterwards, the deeper their meditation based on the author’s visit to Ladana. became, the harder were the seats on which There is one book in Odiya on Totapuriji they had to sit. And at last they had to sit on which tries to place his monastery in Puri. The pieces of skin only or on the bare ground to book also gives details of his life. practice meditation. They were also made to One important book that gives a detailed observe strict rules regarding everything, viz., description of Ladana and its connection with eating, drinking, etc. As regards their dress, the Sri Totapuriji is in Hindi. Written by Vaidya disciples were also made to practice gradually Vanmali Dutt Sharma, the book titled Haryana how to remain naked. As man is bound by eight fetters of shame, hatred, fear, egoism regarding Ki Vedant Parampara Aur Baba Totapuri, was one’s birth, lineage, custom, pretentiousness published in 1986 from Kurukshetra. Now out and so on, they were taught to give them up of print, the book puts together many scattered one by one. Afterwards when they developed facts, mostly known and a few new, about deep concentration of mind they had to go and Ladana and its monastery. travel from one place of pilgrimage to another, at first with other monks and later alone and then A Recent Visit return. The naked sannyasins had such rules. We visited Ladana some months ago (in That one only who was found amongst the September 2015). It is located near Kaithal, an naked sannyasins to have attained the true important and ancient town (also a district) state of Paramahamsa was elected by all to the in the state of Haryana. From town one has to seat of the Mahanta [head] of the community pass through a number of villages one of them when it fell vacant. . . They placed that person being Manas, one of the Tirthas mentioned in alone on the Mahanta’s seat from whose mind Entrance to the Baba Ladana Dera the attraction for gold was found to have really vanished and gave him the charge of money and other valuable property. Having said it all, the one question that one poses is—is nothing connected with Totapuri available now! Did not Swami Saradananda write Totapuri’s monastery was somewhere near Ludhiana in Punjab? And that is where our revisiting of the whole issue started. Ludhiana is actually, we learn, Ladana—now in Haryana, and not in Punjab.

The V edanta K esari ~ 268 ~ JULY 2016 31 the Mahabharata. The whole area is dotted with several such little known places of pilgrimage connected with Mahabharata. One can travel to Ladana either from Chandigarh or from Delhi—it is almost mid- distance, and it may take around three hours to reach it depending on traffic and other factors. Ladana is a village of around 5000 plus residents. According to the local tradition, it was a place in earlier times where loading of goods (in Hindi laadna means to load, or put some load on something, for transportation) used to take place. Ladana village is part of the large, vast battlefield where the great Mahabharata War is believed to have taken place. In the Mahabharata it is mentioned that there were The temple dedicated to Baba Rajpuriji in the place where four Yaksha temples guarding the areas and the earlier monastery was located inside the village one of the temples of Yaksha (called Arantnuk Behar Yaksha) is located close to Ladana. Behar Yaksha temple is situated close to one of the famous Gurudwaras blessed by Guru Teg Bahadurji, the ninth Guru of Sikh tradition. The Behar Sahib Gurudwara also has a large school attached to it. Interestingly we were told that the school is situated on the state boundary between Haryana and Punjab. The monastery at Ladana mentioned in Great Master is actually situated in two places—one inside the village, and another on its outskirts. The inside monastery is no longer Entrance to the school located on the place of the monastery inside the village existing and a Haryana government school has replaced it. Swami Alokananda’s article mainly As soon as one reaches the village, after refers to that monastery. crossing a large pond on the left, one finds an The one on the outskirts is very much unfinished welcome arch of red-brick to the 70 there and is a part of an active and living acres land owned by the monastery. We met tradition. a few local residents. They sat on charpayee, Popularly known as the Sidh Baba the knitted cots, with a few of them smoking Rajpuriji Ka Dera, the monastery where the hookah. They cordially offered us tea and Totapuriji lived and passed away (a Samadhi drinking water which we accepted. A local Mandir there indicates it) is a well-known young man (Jasbir) along with his companions place in the area. took us around. His familiarity with the place

The V edanta K esari ~ 269 ~ JULY 2016 32 and its history was truly remarkable and and surrounding areas are built on the same helpful. pattern. Then we came near the Dera, as the The main temple is dedicated to Dhuni, monastery is called in Haryanavi and Punjabi. the sacred fire maintained by Naga monks, On the monastery land one sees sugarcane and has a metal image of Baba Rajpuriji, the crop along with other crops. A simple village founder of the Dera, in an enclosure in front road of about 300 meters, with open space of the Dhuni. The Dhuni is kept burning, on either side takes one to the monastery or rather smoldering, round the clock, with establishment. A fairly big temple is in the the help of cow-dung cakes. A number of centre, the place is surrounded by a few metal trishuls, small and big, were pegged in smaller temples, kitchen, some living quarters various places in the sacred Dhuni. Monks and and an open courtyard. One could see a devotees offer their respect to the Dhuni and number of buffaloes in the rear part of the also offer agarbatis, incense sticks, sometimes monastery. light an earthen lamp. The ash from Dhuni is As one enters the monastery, one sees considered very sacred and is distributed as a cluster of temple domes (called mandhi in Prasad to devotees. Haryanvi) in the monastery. For the first It appears that the temple is located timers, the domes may appear like mosques over some mound of rock or is designed as but the reason why they are so designed such. One has to reach it by climbing the large should be attributed to the long Muslim spiral, marbled staircase. As one reaches the rule of the area. Most temples in Haryana top of stair way, one sees a circular verandah

An overview of temples at Baba Ladana Dera

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The sacred Jaal grove (above) A monk offering water over some of the samadhis of earlier Mahantas of Dera with the Dhuni temple in the centre. One sees Next to the main temple there is a temple images of monks who headed the monastery, dedicated to Totapuriji. There is a point to be from Baba Rajapuriji to Totapuriji, and later considered here—a similar temple exists in ones, placed in small enclosures, with a Puri monastery (in Odisha) which is claimed grill and their names placed in front. One as the place where Totapuriji passed away. As gets a panoramic view of the monastery it is difficult to ascertain facts in this regard, from the various arches around the circular we leave the issue to future research. The red- verandah. coloured temple structure of medium height

Entrance to Dhuni Mandir Steps inside the Dhuni Mandir

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The sacred Dhuni Image of Baba Rajpuriji Image of Totapuriji has one Shivalinga type symbol inside where to various holy men. One important temple worship is offered daily. is dedicated to divine mother—Hingalaj As we went around the place, around 2 Devi. The original temple of Devi is located in the afternoon, a young monk (there were 4 in Hingalaj in Balochistan, some 250 km from or 5 monks in the Dera) came with some water Karachi in Pakistan. Baba Rajpuriji is believed and offerings and made a formal offering to have visited the temple and was devoted in the temple of Totapuriji and a number to Her. During the annual mela, it is believed, of smaller tomb-like structures in the front, Hingalaj Devi visits the Dera and blesses the where, we learnt later, the mortal remains of devotees. the monks who headed (mahantas) the Dera There is a large tree, spread over like a were buried (monks are only buried in this bush, with a platform around it, under which area). He sprinkled water on all samadhis. it is believed that Baba Rajpuriji used to do There are some other temples too, dedicated Tapas. It is located right in front of the main

Monastery building An overview of the courtyard and kitchen

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Devotees offering milk during the mela Devotees lighting the lamps near the Dhuni temple and close to Totapuriji’s temple. Called As part of the mela, people take bath Jaal, the tree is held holy by devotees, who tie in the pond attached to the Dera and milk, sacred threads on its branches as a mark of brought in large quantities by the devotees, their prayers and respect. is served. Free water distribution counters We learnt from Jasbir that according to manned by devotees cater to the needs of the Dera’s tradition, every year a large mela, a thirsty ones. Of course a number of pavement village fair, is held sometimes in the month of shops come up where the visitors can buy October/November (during Sharad Navratri simple household goods, sweets (taken as celebrations) where thousands of people take Prasad) and toys displayed there. part. Over ten thousand people took part last During the Mela a Kushti, wrestling, year. In the Dera, two days before Durga- contest is also organised wherein a number of ashtami, Puja, homa (havan or fire ritual) and young people take part and a large gathering paath (parayan) is performed by monks and of onlookers cheer them. Pandits. The devotees, who come from far and We visited the Dera’s kitchen courtyard. near villages, light diya, earthen lamp, near There were only 4-5 monks in the Dera. But the dhuni as part of their respect to the sacred there are a number of employees who work memory of the Baba Rajpuriji and other saints in the fields and they take noon meals in the who lived in the Dera. The whole monastery Dera. Simple wood-fueled earthen chulas is illumined by electric lamps and the place [cooking-fires] were used in the kitchen for wears a festive look. cooking.

The monastery pond

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Mela shops Kushti competition Before the courtyard, in a big room, the Dera over the years. A picture of Sri there were two kettle drums which are played Ramakrishna on plastic sheet hanging on the whenever there is any puja in the Dera. A monastery wall seems to be a result of this. portrait of Baba Rajpuriji is kept on a makeshift We also saw the pond which is part of altar there. We also saw large quantity of food the Dera. It has concrete bund on all sides and grains stored there. bathing ghats which are used by the devotees. Later we visited the quarters (a concrete, The cool, clean water of the pond added charm modern single-storey building of recent to the otherwise arid place. construction) of the present Mahant of the Thus came to conclusion our short but Dera, who offered us seat and got some tea quite stimulating pilgrimage to Ladana. We prepared. His name is Mahant Dudhpuriji, reflected over the great spiritual heritage of who succeeded his teacher Ompuriji in 2011. the Dera, about Sri Totapuriji and others in his He talked with us for a while about the lineage. But alas, such is the play of time—Kala— monastery and told us that originally they that now it is a merely a relic of the past. What had a much larger land but during the British is astonishing and touching is that the tradition times, it was taken by the British government. and place have been kept alive by the simple He regretted the absence of records which he village folks and devotees who revere it as a said were too badly preserved to be useful in place of inspiration and holiness and visit it in any way. We learnt from him that a number good number daily or whenever an occasion of monks of Ramakrishna Order have visited arises. o

An over view of the annual Mela

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Nov. 10. 1910. Math. Belur. . India. Dearest Grannie,2 Your kind letter of Oct.12. came at a time when we were extremely anxious about your physical conditions. I sent the same immediately to Dr.Bose to relieve his mind a little—for he too had been going through the same strain as myself. The will be due in U.S.A. on Nov. 15th; so that she will be with you long before this reaches your hands. Kindly request her to drop just a line every mail informing us about your improvements. I have made the same request to the ; but she might not be with you or change her plans and start for India, seeing you little better. I am so glad you are with the Swananders[?]. I met Miss Siri and her mother while there. My very kind regards to them please. Sm. Sarada Devi felt a great relief when I gave her your loving message; and so did Jogin Maa. The Holy Mother sends her heart’s love to you and prays that you might soon recoup yourself. Jogin Maa too is always doing the same. The Swami Brahmananda is away; else I am sure, he too had sent his kindest regards and blessings and prayers. With my cordial regards and prayers for your speedy recovery, I remain with all gratefulness, Always your affectionate boy Saradananda

12, 13 Gopal Chander Mogi’s Lane. Calcutta. India. Dec. 15. 10. Dearest Grannie, The Sister Nivedita’s letter of Nov. 16th about your condition of health has relieved my mind to a certain extent. I pray that the improvement may continue and that you may be your former self in a short time.

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The Holy Mother has gone for a change at Kothar in Orissa. She is likely to stop there for 2 or 3 months. She inquired after you most lovingly before leaving and desired me to send her love and blessings to you when I write. Jogin Maa could not go with the Holy Mother on account of her mother’s helpless condition of health. She always inquires after you and desires to send you her love and best prayers for your speedy recovery. The Swami Brahmananda is at the Math now and kindly inquired after you while I was last there. The Bank has informed me of the receipt of a remittance of £60 from the Cambridge trust Co. on Dec.12. last. It is so kind of you to think of me in this way at this time of the sad state of your health. It really brought tears to my eyes to think of the unselfish love of my Dear Grannie. May Sri R. bless you and being you all that you desire! At the same time dear Grannie, try not to get anxious over our affairs just at present, but try to get well first, as fast as you can. I am a Sannyasin and I must learn to curtail my wants sometime or other, and what would it matter if I get a few rupees and lose my precious Grannie? So please try to be in perfect rest until you get strong again, with the idea that you have no obligations to meet, nothing or nobody to look after—for a perfect rest hastens cure. With my grateful love to you always, and sincere prayers and wishing to be remembered to all friends there, I am Ever your’s affectionate boy Saradananda

References 1. A direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna 2. Mrs. Sara Bull, an American disciple of Swami Vivekananda

Courtesy: Ramakrishna Museum, Belur Math

If you are in doubt, pray to Him in this way: ‘O God, if you really exist, do such and such a thing for me that I may believe in you.’ Even such a prayer is helpful. Meditation and prayers, even when they do not bring any material gain, are conducive to immense spiritual good. It is through meditation and prayer that the mind is able to withdraw itself from gross sense objects and lift itself to a higher plane. Is this a small gain? —Swami Saradananda

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The Order on the March News and Notes from Ramakrishna Math and Mission

New Ramakrishna Math Centres of Greater Houston, USA, has been made a branch centre of the Ramakrishna Math. Its address is: Vedanta Society of Greater Houston, 14809 Lindita Drive, Houston, Texas 77083, USA; phone no.: (281) 9887211; email id: ; website address: . A branch centre of the Ramakrishna Math has been started at Ramanathapuram (also known as Ramnad) where Swami Vivekananda had stayed on his return from the West in 1897. The address of the centre is: Ramakrishna Math, No. 1, Raja Aranmanai Mele Street, Ramanathapuram, Tamil Nadu 623 501; phone no.: 98849 88178; email id: . o

Celebration of the 150th Birth Anniversary of Sister Nivedita Narottam Nagar centre conducted two special lectures on 23 and 25 May. Swamiji’s Ancestral House held a lecture on 20 May which was attended by 250 people. On 4 May, Vadodara centre held its inaugural programme to commemorate Sister Nivedita’s 150th birth anniversary. Swami Gautamanandaji among others addressed the gathering. Visakhapatnam centre launched a written quiz competition on Sister Nivedita for school students on 1 May. Bhagini Nivedita, a Bengali film dubbed into Telugu, was also released on that day. o

News of Branch Centres (in India) The General Secretary inaugurated the newly constructed monks’ quarters, dining-hall and office building at Gourhati centre on 8 May. The General Secretary inaugurated the renovated 4th and 5th floors of the old-age home at Barisha Math on 11 May. The new physiotherapy unit setup at Ghatshila Ashrama’s dispensary was inaugurated on 11 May. Almora centre celebrated its centenary on 22 May. The General Secretary addressed the public meeting held on this connection and also inaugurated the newly built monks’ quarters. Shyamla Tal centre held the concluding function of its centenary celebration on 26 and 27 May with special worship, lectures and bhajans. The General Secretary, about 40 other monks, 80 devotees and 900 villagers attended the programme. Eight students of the faculty of General & Adapted Physical Education and Yoga (GAPEY) of Vivekananda University’s centre on Coimbatore Mission campus participated in the 3rd National Youth Rural Games and Sports Archery Tournament organized by Youth Rural Games and Sports Federation

The V edanta K esari ~ 277 ~ JULY 2016 40 of India on 10 May. They won 3 gold medals, 2 silver medals and 3 bronze medals, and also the overall national championship. o

A Commendable Achievement Sri Ramakrishna Math Vivekananda Centenary Girls’ Higher Secondary School, Mint, Chennai, started by Swami Ramakrishnananda, a direct disciple of Ramakrishna, has created a history in this academic year 2015-2016. For the first time in the past 54 years, the school achieved 100% pass in the Board Exams conducted for 10th std. Six students have scored more than 429 out of 500 and 30 students have scored above 400 marks. In the Higher Secondary level the pass is 99% with six students scoring more than 1095 marks out of 1200 and 19 students more than 1000. o

Swachchha Bharat Abhiyan (Clean India Campaign) centre carried out its sixth cleanliness drive on 22 May in which 67 people, including monks, employees and volunteers, cleaned a market area and a few streets in and around Kamarpukur. Mangaluru centre conducted four cleanliness drives in different areas of Mangaluru city in the month of May involving about 500 people. Nagpur centre took out a rally in Dhantoli area on 6 April to create awareness about cleanliness. About 200 people, mostly children, took part in the rally. As a part of the rally, the children enacted a street play. o

Values Education and Youth-related Programmes conducted by centres in India Delhi centre conducted eight values education workshops for school principals and teachers from 3 to 25 May which were attended by 420 people in all. Rajkot Ashrama held 19 values education programmes for school children from 4 to 29 March. In all, 3758 students from 19 schools took part in these programmes. The centre also conducted two 2-day residential camps for the youth in January and February in which 100 students from 2 colleges participated. Silchar centre conducted a two-day values orientation programme on 24 and 25 May in which 208 students and 60 teachers from 35 schools took part. o

Relief Work Drought Relief: In the wake of a drought-like situation in the states of Karnataka, Maharashtra and Telangana, the following centres conducted relief operations mentioned below: Karnataka: Belagavi (Belgaum) centre distributed 32.58 lakh litres of drinking water among 77,200 people of 15 villages in Belagavi district from 28 April to 28 May. Ponnampet centre distributed 30,000 litres of drinking water among 110 families of Halligattu Deva colony and Seetha colony in Kodagu district in the month of May. Maharashtra: Aurangabad centre distributed 13.75 lakh litres of drinking water among 17,990 people of 20 villages in Aurangabad district from 1 to 23 May. Pune centre distributed 25.62 lakh litres of drinking water among 17,695 people of 7 villages in Satara and Ahmednagar districts from 26 April to 19 May. o

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Telangana: Hyderabad centre distributed 22.74 lakh litres of drinking water among 14,598 families of 12 villages in Ranga Reddy, Warangal and Karimnagar districts and in Adilabad town from 28 April to 25 May. Further, the centre excavated a well on a site about 1.5 km away from Adalpur village in Ranga Reddy district. Water is being pumped from this well and supplied to the village. Cyclone Relief: (a) Andhra Pradesh: Visakhapatnam centre laid 10,000 metres of HDPE pipeline and installed 10 water tanks to facilitate supply of drinking water to 265 households of 10 villages in Visakhapatnam and Vijayanagaram districts affected by Hudhud Cyclone in October 2014. (b) : Continuing its relief work among the people affected by Winston Cyclone , Fiji centre distributed 151 cartons of clothes, 9 cartons of food materials, 6 cartons of shoes, 102 hand tools, 7 cartons of utensils and 715 buckets in Rakiraki area in May. The centre also distributed 1889 packets of agricultural seeds in Rakiraki, Nadi and Ba areas and provided medical support to 1490 patients in May. Fire Relief: Bihar: On 3 May, centre distributed 2125 kg rice, 552 kg muri (puffed rice), 490 kg chira (rice flakes), 85 kg sugar and 85 utensil sets (each set containing 2 plates, a tumbler, a cooking pot and a bucket) among 85 families affected by an accidental fire at Rampur-Mohanpur locality in Araria district. Storm Relief: Assam: In the wake of a severe storm, Silchar centre supplied 863 tin sheets among 111 families of 17 villages in Barak Valley from 5 to 13 May. Flood Rehabilitation: Tamil Nadu: Two toilets built by Chennai Students’ Home were handed over to two flood-affected families of Thathaimanji village in Thiruvallur district in May. Distress Rehabilitation: Karnataka: Ponnampet centre constructed 3 public toilets at Halligattu Deva colony in Virajpet taluk of Kodagu district in February. Economic Rehabilitation: Ponnampet centre distributed 11 sewing machines to poor and needy people on 22 March. o

The V edanta K esari ~ 279 ~ JULY 2016 42 Book Reviews For review in The Vedanta Kesari, publishers need to send us two copies of their latest publication.

Pancha Panchakam atman and paramatman. Maya is now rationally By Mee. Rajagopalan discussed and it is shown how though unreal, it appears as real. The Vedantic concept of creation is and Dr. Ketu described in short. After a brief mention of , Ramachandrasekhar begins an Introduction to Manisha Panchaka. Published by Giri Trad- These five verses of ‘conclusive wisdom’ were ing Agency, Pvt. Ltd. composed by Shankara soon after the encounter E-mail: [email protected] 2015, with an Outcast Stranger in one of the narrow lanes paperback, pp.64, Rs.30. of Kashi. The Stranger had asked some poignant Jagadguru Adi questions when he was asked to move out of the Shankara is considered way. These questions are given in three Sanskrit to have written, apart verses. The commentator has given the essence of from many commentaries and the five verses in this Introduction. treatises, as many as 75 Stotras—hymns and The pattern/scheme of presentation of praises—in Sanskrit. Giri, the publishers and the these five panchakas is as follows: First there is the two translators have chosen five panchakas or five- original verse in Sanskrit, followed by its English verse hymns viz., Manisha, Sadhana, Maya, Kashi transliteration, and meaning. There is a detailed and Matru, for this short but delightful book. Mee. interpretation of verses in Manisha Pamchakam. Rajagopalan has written a general introduction In Sadhana Panchakam the values mentioned are to the book, Introduction to Manisha Panchakam enumerated with short explanatory note for each and has translated and interpreted the Manisha value. For Maya Panchakam and Matru Panchakam the Panchakam. Dr. Ramachandrasekhar has contributed meaning of the verses are explanatory also. There to the other segments of this pentad. are no separate explanations. Kashi Panchakam has A passage from the Preface about Adi an Introduction, as well as elaborate interpretation Shankara’s compositions is worth quoting, since it of each verse. applies also to the five hymns under review: Manisha Panchakam is one of the most ‘None equals for the systematic, beautiful compositions of Shankaracharya, where in coherent and logical presentation of thoughts, five verses he has conveyed the essence of Advaita making even the most complex ideas easier to Vedanta. Every verse ends with ‘esha manisha mama’ comprehend, and the most profound wisdom as ie., ‘This is my determinate knowledge or conclusive trivial knowledge. His mastery of poetry, deft wisdom’. The first verse analyses the jivatman and it handling of the language, forthright approach to the is shown that it is none other than Brahman. In the core of the matter, the brilliance of articulation and second verse Brahman is analysed and it is declared synthesis of purport are all unparalleled and even that It alone appears as jivatman. In the next two admired for the rigors of scientific scrutiny.’ verses the methods of acquiring Advaitic wisdom, The Introduction is aimed at giving a general viz. a clear intellect, serenely focused mind and idea of the to the readers. The the guidance of the guru are described. The fourth three means of knowledge, viz., pratyaksha or and the final verses further expand the knowledge perceptual knowledge, anumana or inference and already revealed in the first two verses. There is a the agama or the scriptures in general and in detailed interpretation of each in which the learned particular are explained with stress on the last one. commentator has taken great pains to explain many This is followed by an analysis of the Atma-tattva, concepts associated with logical understanding of which in ultimate analysis means identity of the Advaita Vedanta like the five koshas, or sheaths,

The V edanta K esari ~ 280 ~ JULY 2016 43 three shariras, the three bodies, the three states— The Concept of Tapas in waking, dream and deep sleep; Ishwara, Maya and Valmiki Ramayana its three aspects ie., Mula, sattvika and ; sat, By Anna Subramanian chit, ananda and the various aspects of ananda like priyatva, vishayananda; prarabdha karma, etc. Published by Sri Rama- It is said that when Shankaracharya decided krishna Math, Mylapore, to give up his mortal coil, the disciples asked for a Chennai - 600 004. E-mail: parting advise. In response he composed the short [email protected] treatise called Sadhana Panchaka in which 40 values 2015, paperback, pp.49 are given as means to Self-realization. The translator paperback, Pp iv + 59, has wisely enumerated them for each verse and has Rs.20. given them in bold letters for easy comprehension. The booklet under Shankara has described Maya at review presents an illumi- various places like his commentary on Kathopa- nating talk, delivered by an authority on nishad, in Tattvabodha, , etc. He Sanskrit scriptures, in Madras Sanskrit College in has summarized all his ideas in the five verses 1977, on the topic ‘The Concept of Tapas in Valmiki of Maya-Panchakam. Each verse ends with ‘Aghatitaghata- Ramayana’. Defining Tapas as ‘voluntary suffering in naapateeyasi maayaa’, ie. ‘Maya, the nescience, skillful the performance of one’s duties’, the speaker studies in bringing forth the seemingly impossible things.’ the Tapas of as varied characters in the epic as Rama, To Shankara who had lived for a considerable Sita, Lakshmana, Bharata, Sumitra, Viswamitra, time at Kashi, the city was a symbol of atmatattva, Sabari, Hanuman, Valmiki and even Maricha and which he has expressed in Kashi-Panchakam. Its first Ravana. Tapas, like fire, is obviously a neutral three verses end with ‘Saa Kaashikaaham nija bodha- force liable to be used for both noble and ignoble rupa’ meaning ‘I am the city Kashi whose true form purposes. The quotations of Sanskrit slokas and is pure conscious awareness.’ their explanations by the speaker add richness to the Having embraced sannyasa at a very young lecture. The booklet is doubtless an absorbing read. age, Shankara did not live with his mother, but ______N. HARIHARAN, MADURAI on intuitively learning of her impending death, he reached near her death bed. This little known Enigmas in Valmiki Martu-Panchakam is the outpouring of his heart at Ramayana Explained that time. This panchakam is not found in some of By S.R.Krishna Murthy the editions of Shankara-granthavalis—The Complete Works of Shankara. Published by Suneethi The translation is good, though some editing Prakashan, No.7, 36th would have reduced repetitions and provided Main, Bhavani HBCS, greater precision. The translators have introduced Banagirinagar, BSK 3rd an odd scheme or transliteration or ‘Guidelines to Stage, Bengaluru-560 085. pronunciation’ in which they have made use of E-mail: srkmurthy36@gmail. capital English letters for some Sanskrit letters. com 2015, paperback, pp Nonetheless, this English translation is 305, Rs 500. welcome and non-Sanskrit knowing readers will The highly informative book by a be able to get an idea about Shankara’s five verses. learned author, under review, has 14 Chapters. It is commendable that Giri, a trading agency, has The Introduction (Chapter One) briefly recites the published this religious booklet. We do not know life-story of Valmiki and explains that Valmiki whether it has some other such publications. Ramayana is anchored in the Vedic philosophy. The It can take up the remaining five panchakas of different heads under which criticisms are levelled Shankarcacharya, viz. Minakshi Panchakam, Lalita against the epic are catalogued. Panchakam, Yati or Kaupin Panchakam, Advaita The Second Chapter titled ‘Truth and Pancharatnam and Hanumat-Pancharatnam. Perception’ upholds the thesis of the epic that ______SWAMI BRAHMESHANANDA, ‘unvarnished Truth is the bedrock of life’.

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The Third Chapter titled ‘Texts and should interest readers with a penchant for literary Emendations’ identifies slokas that are interpo- criticism marked by serious research. lations fit to be dismissed as un-Valmikian and even ______N. HARIHARAN, MADURAI anti-Valmikian. Suggestions to impart Valmikian sense to certain slokas misinterpreted by critics Rambles in Vedanta are offered. Certain interpolations deviating from By BR Rajam Iyer Valmikian ethos and beyond rehabilitation are recommended for complete expurgation. Published by Motilal Chapters Four to Twelve discuss the howlers, Banarsidass Publishers Pvt controversies and criticisms pertaining to various Ltd, 41 UA Bungalow Road, episodes. Misconceptions and misinterpretations Jawahar Nagar, Delhi 110 of episodes are highlighted and solutions are 007. E-mail: mlbd@mlbd. offered to rid them of their un-Valmikian flavour. com 2015, paperback, pp Scholars, both Indian and foreign, are lambasted 864, Rs 595. for their superficial understanding and biased Among Swami Vive- interpretations. Foreign scholars like Jacobi kananda’s priceless gifts to and Holtzmann who consider Balakanda and the Indian renaissance was his igniting Uttarakanda as extrapolations are not only severely the story-telling ability of ancient India in the censured for their impudence but effectively English language. He saw the way in which English silenced. education was undermining Indian culture. The Chapter Thirteen shows how the Valmikian language was welcome but not Macaulay’s diabolic descriptions of the geographical terrain of Rama dream behind it. As a result, the ancient ways of conform accurately to their present-day geo- an integral literature which presented the finest graphical features. The unfair criticisms of the emotional tales layered with practical wisdom and scholars arising from their shallow understanding idealism were getting forgotten day by day. Among or deep-rooted prejudices that Valmiki is ignorant the ways Swami Vivekananda sought to arrest the of geography are answered by judicious collation of decay was to present Indian thoughts in English. facts and cogent reasoning. He encouraged magazines like the Brahmavadin Chapter Fourteen (the Final Chapter) reads and Prabuddha Bharata for this purpose. As a result, a convincingly apt allegorical significance into the two immortal lotuses bloomed for strengthening cognomens of characters, the flow of events and the the Indian psyche: Sister Nivedita’s Cradle Tales of finale of the epic tale. Hinduism and B.R. Rajam Iyer’s Rambles in Vedanta. The concluding note titled ‘Vedic Adhaar of Prabuddha Bharata was launched in 1896 Valmiki Ramayana’ reinforces the theory that the and proved that Vedanta was story-telling and epic is only a grand dissertation on Vedic Philosophy. story-telling was the Vedantin’s way. What are The versatile author deserves praise for Upanishads but gentle stories of flowering souls? his research-oriented intellect, for his rigorous Can a modern tale outdo the ‘Begone Chandala’ labour in collecting and presenting mind-boggling story in teaching us how ‘faith is a power agent volume of facts and figures, for drawing parallels in the enlightenment of the heart’? Rajam Iyer and examples from a whole spectrum of diverse (1872-1898) was the right young man for the sources, for utilising his proficiency in Sanskrit editorial desk. He had ‘samathva’, to the nth to good account, for his courage of conviction in degree. A treatise on ‘Hinduism and Religious crossing swords with the Colossuses of Ramayana Evolution’ moves to a brief tale, ‘Tit for Tat’ on scholarship and, above all, for his prodigious rustic commonsense that borders on the spiritual; devotion to Valmiki, the Poet Non-pareil, and his soon a stinging whiplash to those who sport their missionary zeal in propagating his fame by ruthless government titles like C.I.E. and Dewan Bahadur demolition of the barrage of unfair criticisms by which they usually got ‘through the favour of prejudiced and half-baked scholars. Government gods’ that becomes the brief novel, The paper-back book, nicely designed and Vasudeva Sastri. On sadhana, symbology, divine produced and with an exhaustive bibliography, incarnations . . .

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Did you know Vedanta is the most seditious, a deeper esoteric significance also. The individual ultra-radical concept and its literature criminal soul wakes up from its slumber of avidya, in character, set up against the Emperor of (ignorance) and wants to attain the Supreme. Anna Emperors? He is Emperor Ego, of course! There Subramanian writes: ‘Andal typifies the highest is never a dull moment in this precious volume of aspiration of the human soul towards divinity. explicatory essays which has plenty of tiny tales In recent times, the Holy Mother, Sarada Devi, in ‘The Imitation of Vyasa’. Each one of the eight the consort of Sri Ramakrishna embodied this hundred and sixty-four pages is instructive and ideal’. transformative. A bigger font would have made Sri Rajagopalan has translated Tiruppavai the book easier to read for the older generation and in English in his own inimitable manner as he has a greater delight to the young. Rambles in Vedanta done quite a few Vaishnavite ‘pasurams’ (hymns) is a classic from the pen of Iyer as is his Tamil earlier. His translation has the esoteric meaning novel Kamalambal Charithiram. A genius of the also. For example, when he translates ‘seed’ (verse Indian Renaissance; also an ‘inheritor of unfulfilled 6 ), he follows it up with the explanation ‘primal renown’. cause’. In the same way, ‘Devadhi devan’ in the ______PREMA NANDAKUMAR, TRICHY verse 8, is translated ‘Supreme Purusha’. In verse 10 again, in his translation of ‘parai’, a recurring Andal’s Tiruppavai and religious symbol, he translates it as ‘purushartha’ and adds in the foot-note, ‘righteous conduct, Nammazhvar’s Andakola wealth, love and salvation’. Viruddhi After reading his translation, the reader’s By Vankeepuram interest is stimulated to go to the original and Rajagopalan. assimilate the native flavour. For example, in verse Available at ‘Chetana’, 27, ‘enjoying delicacies of rice cooked in milk and No.3 (N/5) Third Canal flowing ghee that slips down the elbow free’ not Cross Road, Gandhi Nagar, only makes one’s mouth water but also makes Adyar –600 020. Email not one wonder how Andal has expressed this idea. Given 2013, paperback, The lion in verse 23 roars faithfully in translation Pp.148+xi.Rs.210 also. ‘Andal’ in Tamil means ‘the Sri Rajagopalan includes in this volume, a one who holds way over the hearts of people solitary composition of 17 lines, of Sri Nammalvar, and was the queen of their affections’. Andal ‘Andakola Viruddhi’ (‘In the Expansion of Aware- (Goda Devi), as a little girl developed unparalleled ness’) which speaks of the unity of existence. devotion to God Sri Ranganatha of Srirangam and In all the books of Sri Rajagopalan, ‘Select wished Him as her spouse. In Tiruppavai consisting Suggestive Short Notes’ is a special feature of thirty hymns, she assumes herself to be a Gopi providing exhaustive and informative notes on of Vrindavan and wakes up her companions for the deeper spiritual connotation of the respective having a holy early morning dip in the Yamuna and ‘pasurams’ the books deal with. observing Goddess Katyayini vrata called ‘pavai It is however sad to note that a long list of nonbu’ praying for a life-partner of their dreams. misprints tarnishes the beauty of such a noble Hence the name ‘Tiruppavai’. ‘Tiru’ denotes ‘sri’, endeavour. splendour, wealth etc., All the Gopis aspire to ______K.PANCHAPAGESAN, MUMBAI marry Lord Krishna. Andal’s hymns bubble with fervid devotion. Yoga-Tarangini They are lyrics of great emotional intensity and By Jan K. Brzezinski have poetry of sweetness and light in them besides a rich dramatic element. Since the poetic diction is Published by Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Pvt simple, it is easily memorised. During the month of Ltd, 41 UA Bungalow Road, Jawahar Nagar, Margasirsa, the Vaishnavaite temples reverberate Delhi 110 007. E-mail: [email protected] 2015, with the chanting of Tiruppavai. These hymns have paperback, pp 351, Rs 600

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There are two covers the rest of Pranayama, Dharana, Dhyana standard textbooks on and Samadhi. Yoga, which are used in The first part commences, after the usual many Yoga institutions. prayers, with a description of Asana. Even though They are ’s Yoga 84 of them are known, only two are important, and Swatmarama’s Sidddhasana and Kamalasana or Padmasana. Hatha Yoga Pradipika. These are then described in detail. This is followed The former is unique in by Chakras. This is rather unusual, since in the sense that there is no most books this comes at a later stage. The six other book of a similar chakras are described in detail. This is followed type. On the other hand, by the ten varieties of Prana, with their functions. there are innumerable Immediately follows the description of the books on Hatha Yoga, each awakening of the Kundalini, which is usually different from the other. Patanjali’s book is the last step before Samadhi. The five standard a part of the Six Systems of Philosophy, and has Mudras are then described. Omkara suddenly a philosophical background. It is also sometimes intervenes, which usually occurs at the time of called Raja Yoga or Indian System of Psychology. Dharana and Dhyana. These are the contents of the Hatha Yoga, on the other hand, has a tantric first part. background, and lays a lot of stress on physical The second part commences with Pranayama. exercises. Along with the description of Puraka, Rechaka Swatmarama places the relation between Raja and Kumbhaka, there is a prescription of the time Yoga and Hatha Yoga in the proper perspective. duration for each of them for a full cycle. The author According to him, Hatha Yoga is a ladder at the top goes into very great detail here, as an indication of which is Raja Yoga. Hatha Yoga’s only purpose of the importance he lays upon this step. Various is to prepare the yoga practitioner to launch out on types of Pratyahara are then presented with a tinge his practice of Raja Yoga, whose end goal is Dhyana of Vamachara, to be ignored by a Brahamachari and Samadhi. This background helps us appreciate practitioner. The author then gives a few practical the book under review. hints for Dharana, which are indeed very useful. ‘Yoga Tarangini’ is not the name of the The next section on Dhyana also contains many original work. It is called ‘Goraksha Sataka’, practical and useful hints. The nature of Samadhi is attributed to , one of the founders of then described as to how at the stage the Yogi defies Hatha Yoga. ‘Yoga Tarangini’ is the name of the all natural laws and becomes invincible. The book commentary. It is not known who the commentator concludes with a list of benefits that accrue to the is. This book was fished out by Swami Veda Yogi with this practice. This in brief is the content Bharati, a disciple of of the Himalayan of the book. Institute, who in turn passed it on to his colleague Beginners may find the book a hard nut to Jan Brzezinski or Jagannatha Das for translation crack, but for advanced students it is full of useful into English. and practical advices. Most people get attracted to For a beginner, the safest way to study the such books, because they hold out the promise of book is to go through the original text and its yogic powers. But, Patanjali does not hold out any commentary, with translation, forgetting all about such promises. He is categorical in his statement the comments of the translator. These comments that such yogic powers are obstacles in one’s path should be reserved for an advanced student, who towards Samadhi and should be shunned. Even if is more familiar with the rest of the literature. Even a Yogi has reached almost the end of his sadhana, though the original book is called Goraksha Sataka, such powers may drag him back to square one and it actually contains 202 slokas, and consists of two should be carefully avoided. Hence, the safest path parts. Each part consists of 101 slokas. The first part is that of Patanjali’s Raja Yoga. It is therefore called covers Asana, Chakras, Nadis, and , Mudras, the Right Royal Path. Omkara and part of Pranayama. The second part ______NVC SWAMY, BANGALORE

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SRI RAMAKRISHNA SEVASHRAM (Regd. No. S/15296 of 1974) Vill. & P.O. B-Ramakrishnapur, PS.: Bishnupur, Dist-24 pgs. (S), West Bengal, Pin-743610 (A member of Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Bhava Prachar Parishad, South 24 Pgs. Dist, advised by Ramakrishna Math & Rama- krishna Mission Belur Math, W.B.) Ph: 9674399608, 9433350418 Website: www.srks.org Regd. Off: 6, Baroda Thakur Lane, Kolkata-700 007

AN APPEAL Dear Sisters and Brothers, ‘Extension of Boys’ Home, betterment of the living condition of the inhabitants of the Ashram, construction of Temple of Sri Ramakrishna and a prayer Hall.’ We are grateful to many of you who extended their assistance for the betterment of our SEVASHRAM, which was set up in 1973 under the patronage of Swami Ramanandaji Maharaj (former Secretary Ramakrishna Mission Saradapith, Belur) and registered in 1974. As you know, ours is a philanthropic organisation, involved in— 1. Upbringing of 50 orphan boys and intend to increase to 150. 2. Helping nearly 200 destitue widows. 3. Maintenance of Old Age Home for common men & women. 4. Renovation of a) The Primary School for Boys upto Class IV. b) Existing Charitable Dispensary c) Guest House 5. Vocational Training (Para Medical Training Course) We have already set up 18 Vivekananda Free Schools for the poor children in remote villages in the Sundarban areas. About 1.5 k.m. from Dakshin Durgapur Rly. Station on Diamond Harbour line, near Kolkata, the sevashram grew up on a 40 Bigha plot of land with all activities. Over the foundation stone, already consecrated by the most Revered Srimat Swami Ranganathanandaji Maharaj, 13th President of the Ramakrishna Math and Mission, we intend to complete the construction of a Sri Ramakrishna Temple and A Prayer Hall to accommodate 500 devotees without any distinction of caste, creed and religion. For the aforesaid activities we need financial assistance of Rupees 1 Crore 5 lakhs. 'Service to man is service to God’ is, to our mind, the essence of Swami Vivekananda's teaching of practical Vedanta, and is our source of inspiration. Our religion is to serve humanity. Arrangement for insertion of memory stone tablet at Rs. 10,000/- (15" x 15"), Rs. 20,000/- (18" x 18") and for insertion on the boundary wall of the temple Rs. 30,000/- (24" x 24") is available. Your valued assistance through A/c Payee Cheque/Demand Draft/M.O. in favour of Sri Ramakrishna Sevashram to our above registered office will be accepted with gratitude. Donations are exempted under 80G of IT Act and the same Yours in the Lord, will be gracefully acknowledged with our official receipt. Biswanath Purkait Secretary The V edanta K esari 48 JULY 2016

Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama (A Branch of Ramakrishna Mission, Belur Math) Sector 15-B, Madhya Marg, Chandigarh – 160015 Tel: 0172-2549477 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.rkmachandigarh.org

A HUMBLE REQUEST New Universal Meditation Hall, Educational and Cultural Complex at Chandigarh Ashrama Dear devotees, well-wishers and friends, Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama at Chandigarh was started in 1955 in the aftermath of India’s partition. Since then the Ashrama has been providing spiritual solace to seekers in search of peace, free mobile medical service, a Boys’ Hostel for college students, value education programs in schools and colleges, spread of inspirational and ennobling literature among the masses, etc. Proposed Hall and Complex Over the years, these activities have steadily increased and so also the number of devotees attending these programs as well as morning and evening prayers, and those coming for meditation, spiritual retreats/ satsangs. To meet the increasing needs for space, it has been decided to construct a new building having a) A spacious Meditation Hall and Monks Quarters - Rs. 1.3 Crores (approx.) b) Educational & Cultural Centre: Rs. 2.1 Crores (approx.) Foundation Stone laying for the Universal Total cost of the project: Rs. 3.4 crores (approx.) Meditation Hall on 24.11.1985—by Swami Cheques/ Demand Drafts may be drawn in Gambhiranandaji, 11th President of the Ramakrishna Order favour of ‘RAMAKRISHNA MISSION ASHRAMA, CHANDIGARH’ and can be sent to the address given above. Contributions, from within India, can also be directly deposited in any of the following banks: 1) ICICI A/c No. – 001301029198, Branch – Sector 15-C, Chandigarh, IFSC – ICIC0002429 2) IDBI A/c No. – 003104000083216, Branch – Sector 8-C, Chandigarh, IFSC – IBKL0000003 (Kindly intimate us the details of the deposit, your address and phone number by e-mail on the same day) Contributions to the Ramakrishna Mission are exempted from Income Tax u/s 80(G) of I.T. Act, 1961. Construction in progress Yours in the service of Bhagavan Sri Ramakrishna Swami Satyeshananda, Secretary The V edanta K esari 49 JULY 2016

RAMAKRISHNA MISSION, VIJAYAWADA City Centre: Gandhinagar, Vijayawada – 520 003| Phone: 0866-2570799 Ashrama: Sitanagaram, Tadepalli Mandal, Guntur District | Phone: 08645-272248 Email: [email protected] | Website: www.rkmissionvijayawada.org

KRISHNA PUSHKAR MELA - 2016 (FROM 12 AUGUST TO 23 AUGUST 2016) APPEAL You are aware about the various service activities being conducted by the Ramakrishna Mission in the fields of education, medicine, culture, spirituality and also at the time of natural calamities. Krishna Pushkaram, an important event occurs once in 12 years. Lakhs of pilgrims take a dip in the Holy River Krishna during the Mela. We fondly remember the great response received from both donors and beneficiaries, during Krishna Pushkar Mela 2004 rendered by the Mission. During Krishna Pushkaram Mela from 12th – 16th August, this year also Ramakrishna Mission, Vijayawada is organizing the following free services for the benefit of pilgrims at its premises at Sitanagaram Village, Guntur District (near the Prakasham Barrage) on the right bank of Krishna river:

Estimated Total for Sl Particulars cost for 12 days No. one day (Rs.) 1 Milk for 2000 children per day @ Rs.17/- per head 34000 408000

2 Feeding 5000 pilgrims per day @ Rs.50/- per head 250000 3000000

3 Butter Milk for 10000 pilgrims per day @ Rs.4.55/- per head 45500 546000 4 Medical Camp - 200000 5 Cultural & Spiritual programmes - 300000 Accommodation arrangements: Sheds, Toilets, Bathrooms, Cloak 6 - 500000 Room (Temporary) 7 Water, Electricity & Washing - 200000 Establishment & Miscellaneous (Printing and stationery, Office 8 - 300000 expenses) Estimated Total Cost Rs. 54,54,000/- - 5454000 We appeal to all philanthropists, well-wishers and admirers to help us in this noble cause. We request you to extend your helping hand to join us in this sacred endeavor. Cheques/ Drafts may be drawn in favour of Ramakrishna Mission, Vijayawada and sent to the Secretary, Ramakrishna Mission, Gandhinagar, Vijayawada – 520 003, Krishna Dist., A.P., India. All donations are exempt from Income Tax Under section 80 G. You can also use online services to transfer donations to our a/c No.10442746439 with State Bank of India, Gandhinagar Branch, Vijayawada-3, IFSC Code No.SBIN0001208. In case of online transfers, we request you to us the transaction details immediately. 05 May 2016 Yours in the Lord’s Service Swami Sashikantananda Secretary The V edanta K esari 50 JULY 2016 The V edanta K esari 51 JULY 2016

Goddess Durga: The Divine Energy The V edanta K esari 52 JULY 2016

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 37 Years of Service to Humanity 1979–2016

1. Navajeevan School & Hostel for Blind – Tirupati, Parlekhimundi, Golamunda Children 2. Navajeevan Free Eye Hospital – Tirupati 3. Navajeevan Free Home for Aged – Tirupati, Rishikesh, Parlekhimundi and Chennai 4. Navajeevan Dumb & Deaf Home - Patapatnam 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, Dundelmal 9. Navajeevan Atharvana Veda Pathasala - Tirupati 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 53 JULY 2016 The V edanta K esari 54 JULY 2016 55 With Best Compliments From:

PRIVATE LIMITED Three things are necessary to make every man great, every nation great: i) Conviction of the powers (Manufacturers of Active Pharmaceutical of goodness. Ingredients and Intermediates) ii) Absence of jealousy and Regd. Off. & Fact. : suspicion Plot No.88 & 89, Phase - II, iii) Helping all who are Sipcot Industrial Complex, trying to be good and do Ranipet - 632 403, Tamil Nadu. good Phone : 04172 - 244820, 651507, —Swami Vivekananda Tele Fax : 04172 - 244820 E-mail : [email protected] Web Site : www.svisslabss.net

Swamiji’s statue at Ramakrishna Mission, Fiji

The V edanta K esari ~ 55 ~ JULY 2016 56

Vol.103-7 The Vedanta Kesari (English Monthly) July 2016. 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

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Contact:The Sri RamakrishnaV edanta K esari Math, ~Chennai. 56 ~ JULY Website: 2016 www.chennaimath.org