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Ramakrishna , Kalady, Kerala

July 2015 2

India's Timeless Wisdom

Knowledge is the (real) wealth of a man while staying in foreign lands. His intelligence is his only wealth in adversities. His righteous behaviour is his wealth in other world (after the death). Good conduct (however) is the wealth every where. —A Traditional saying

Sunrise on Periyar River, Kalady, Kerala

Editor: SWAMI ATMASHRADDHANANDA Managing Editor: SWAMI GAUTAMANANDA PrintedPri and published by Swami Vimurtananda on behalf of Sri Trustst 2 fromThe No.31, RamakrishnaV edanta KMathesari Road, ~ Mylapore, ~ JULY Chennai 2015 - 4 and Printed at Sri Ramakrishna Printing Press, No.31 Ramakrishna Math Road, Mylapore, Chennai - 4. Ph: 044 - 24621110 㼀㼔㼑㻌㼂㼑㼐㼍㼚㼠㼍㻌㻷㼑㼟㼍㼞㼕 102nd YEAR OF PUBLICATION VOL. 102, No. 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 in 1914. For free edition on the Web, please visit: www.chennaimath.org CONTENTS

JULY 2015 Gita Verse for Reflection 245 Editorial „The Story of Desire 246

Articles „Learning to Contribute: An Approach to Karma Yoga 255 V Srinivas „ and Swami Brahmananda 260 Hiranmoy Mukherjee „Dissolving Boundaries 264 Pravrajika Virajaprana „Four Encounters with Surdas 272 N. Krishnaswamy Story „God Exists And We Can See Him—Two Short Stories 267 Swami Sudarshanananda New Find „Unpublished Letters of Swami 270 The Order on the March 276 Book Reviews 279 Feature „Simhâvalokanam (How Can We Live a Clean Unworried Life?) 250

Cover Story: Page 6 The V edanta K esari 4 JULY 2015 The Vedanta Kesari Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai 600 004 h (044) 2462 1110 (4 lines) Fax : (044) 2493 4589 Email : [email protected] Website : www.chennaimath.org

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

N Cover Story N Ramakrishna Advaita Ashrama, Kalady, Kerala Well-known as the birthplace of Adi Shankaracharya, Kalady, is a small township on the banks of Periyar river, in the Ernakulam district of Kerala. The place became well known to pilgrims only after its rediscovery and subsequent consecration of a temple for Sri Adi Shankara in 1910. Ramakrishna Advaita Ashrama, situated close to Shankaracharya temple, right on the banks of Periyar river, was started in 1936 and was affiliated to in 1941. Besides a high school and a number of educational facilities, the Kalady Ashrama has an aesthetically designed temple of Sri Ramakrishna, consecrated in 1976, with seating capacity for 200. Celebrations of the birthdays of Holy Trio and other saints are conducted besides regular Puja, evening Arati and Ramnam Sankirtan on Ekadashis. Kalady is well-connected by air, railways and road transport. Cochin International Airport, Nedumbassery, the nearest airport, is 5 km away from Kalady. Angamaly (8 km away), or Aluva (16 km away), are the nearest railway stations. †

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VOL. 102, No. 7, JULY 2015 ISSN 0042-2983

EACH SOUL IS POTENTIALLY DIVINE. T HE GOAL IS TO MANIFEST THE DIVINITY WITHIN.

7

Gita Verse for Reflection Tr. by Swami Tapasyananda

—, 12-10 If you are not capable of practising systematic concentration, then devote yourself whole heartedly to works of service to Me (consisting in external worship and discharge of duties for My sake). Thus working for Me, man can attain to perfection. B

‘Extreme love to God is , and this love is the real immortality, getting which a PDQEHFRPHVSHUIHFWO\VDWLV¿HGVRUURZVIRUQRORVVDQGLVQHYHUMHDORXVNQRZLQJZKLFK man becomes mad.’ 0\0DVWHU>6UL5DPDNULVKQD@XVHGWRVD\µ7KLVZRUOGLVDKXJHOXQDWLFDV\OXPZKHUH all men are mad, some after money, some after women, some after name or fame, and DIHZDIWHU*RG,SUHIHUWREHPDGDIWHU*RG*RGLVWKHSKLORVRSKHUV¶VWRQHWKDWWXUQV XVWRJROGLQDQLQVWDQWWKHIRUPUHPDLQVEXWWKHQDWXUHLVFKDQJHG²WKHKXPDQIRUP UHPDLQVEXWQRPRUHFDQZHKXUWRUVLQ¶ µ7KLQNLQJ RI *RG VRPH ZHHS VRPH VLQJ VRPH ODXJK VRPH GDQFHVRPHVD\ ZRQGHUIXOWKLQJVEXWDOOVSHDNRIQRWKLQJEXW*RG¶ —Swami Vivekananda, CW, 7.8

The V edanta K esari ~ 245 ~ JULY 2015 Editorial

The Story of Desire Is ‘desire’ a person whose biography can happiness comes only when I am not present! be written?! The moment me, the desire, is complied, I Not really. disappear for the time being and the happiness But all persons and personalities, with- inherent in man manifests or, as if, oozes out, out distinction, are a manifestation of the and man becomes happy. And people think phenomenon of desire. It sounds well, it is desire that makes them happy. Such is therefore, that one try understanding desire— my magic! Then, does this mean that there its birth, growth, dynamics and its ultimate is something other than myself that makes dissolution—through a biographical angle. As people happy? Yes, and that is the Divine if desire were a person. Putting all this in first Substance, called by Hindus as Atman or person? Making the desire speak for itself? Let Brahman or God by other religions—that really us see. is the source of all happiness. The happiness derived through senses is only a reflected Thus Was I Born happiness, just as the moonlight is a reflected ‘I’, the desire, was born as soon as the light borrowed from sun. Such is the true creation began. The Upanishads, the ancient nature of all forms of happiness. books of Hindus, rightly describe me as the At a personal level, I am the source of all first evolute of the creation itself. The moment restlessness and mental activity. I create life, the Creator desired, the creation began. So make it go on—creating pain and happiness, creation and I are identical. We are born success and failure and all the dual experiences together and live together and even ‘die’ or of life. I am the cause of all misery, pointed out dissolve together. The moment I disappear, Buddha the Great One. Desires are infinite, the creation too disappears. I am at the root of means are limited, say economics thinkers. manifestation called creation. They only give a half-baked solution to it: Ignorance is what I am actually made choose desires as per your means to fulfill of. Desire means a lack, a vacuum, a want. them. But is fulfilling desires itself the source Though I originate from the Whole called God, of happiness? I am actually ignorance manifest, seeking what I am at the root of all actions, physical I already am. The sense of ‘otherness’ is what and mental. Without me, no action can generates me. Thus one thinks of oneself as happen. But there are two sides of me—you incomplete—that is the trick of ignorance. And work through me or work me out. it is me who breeds inequality, struggle and When you work through me, you actu- strife, growth and decay. All. ally multiply me. No sooner do you satisfy I am a weird being. People run about me. me, a new form of mine springs up. A man They want to be happy by satisfying me but once experimented with it. He imagined that

The V edanta K esari ~ 246 ~ JULY 2015 9 suppose he was to die in a month, what all they lived the whole life of humanity, traversed desires would he like to fulfill or experience! the whole length of time that it takes ordinary So, he enlisted everything he thought was humanity to come to perfection. In one life worth doing—eating a type of ice cream, they perfect themselves; they have no thought learning to play violin, visit a famous beach for anything else, never live a moment for any / temple, do scuba diving, see a film, read other idea, and thus the way is shortened for a long-pending book, and so on. He was them. This is what is meant by concentration, intensifying the power of assimilation, thus resourceful enough, money-wise and time- shortening the time. wise, and could fulfill most of his desire. But as soon as the list neared completion, a fresh set Spirituality or spiritual disciplines is the of desires began to bubble up! He was working science of making this process of shortening through his desires. the span of experience. It is not easy and there My other compliance is when people are many slips and falls on the way. It is like work me out, through experiencing the results the game of football. Of course, there are many of happiness and unhappiness that come out requirements such as determination, stamina, of it. Sri Ramakrishna once demonstrated this and sincerity and so on. But while you do method thus. He narrated:1 many good shots, many self-goals too are part of the game! Without a sportsman’s spirit, you Once I had the desire to put on a gold-embroi- cannot play this game. dered robe, wear a ring on my finger, and smoke a hubble-bubble with a long pipe. Mathur Babu procured all these things for me. I wore the My Roots and Workings gold-embroidered robe and said to myself after Wherein is my root? As said, in ignorance a while, ‘Mind! This is what is called a gold- which is a kind of mist created about the true embroidered robe.’ Then I took it off and threw it nature of reality. This mist called Avidya or away. I couldn’t stand the robe any more. Again Maya manifests first as sense of ‘I’. ‘I’ is not I said to myself, ‘Mind! This is called a shawl, just a personal pronoun. It is a binding link and this a ring, and this, smoking a hubble- that creates boundaries, limitations and is bubble with a long pipe.’ I threw those things the source of all violence, bias, hatred and away once for all, and the desire to enjoy them frustration. Remove the ‘I’, and me the desire never arose in my mind again. too will disappear! That marks the difference between ordi- At the mental level, I begin my operation nary mortals and men of Sri Ramakrishna’s in the following ways: I first create a sense of stature. Sri Ramakrishna intensified the lack in the mind and that gives birth to a sense experience which I bring, see through the of seeking. Men seek and yearn for happiness reality of false joy promised by me and come in life through various objects, possessions out of the network of seeking-fulfilment- and experiences and that happens through frustration-seeking—chasing after happiness me. I begin my work through fascinating and joy. Others take a long time to understand the mind through knitting a rosy dream of this obvious truth. Rightly did Swami Viveka- beauty and worthiness. The mind begins to 2 nanda describe it: feel that something, an object, person, place, All the great prophets, saints, and seers of the experience and so on is very wonderful and world—what did they do? In one span of life worthy of having. It is discovering endless

The V edanta K esari ~ 247 ~ JULY 2015 10

‘good qualities’ in that something—usefulness, by detachment or Vairagya), or the grace of beauty, attraction and so on. Unless one Divine Mother or anything, this alone can put thus gets fascinated by something, I can not an end to my power of self-sustenance. operate. There are two types of desires, largely This infatuation leads to a person develo- speaking: good and bad. Good ones are those ping a deep attachment towards that object. He that finally free one from all desires and the or she feels that life is not worth its name and bad ones are those that bind men more and one must, must have it. This hankering leads more. A good desire is also a desire but as it to all the hardships people undergo to fulfill leads to God, it is spiritually helpful. their desires. If ‘I’ get fulfilled, i.e., if what they What differentiates a thought or a desire becomes a reality, it feeds me further. I passing idea from me? Are all ideas desires? become well-nourished and smile at their folly. The main difference between me and a passing If someone thinks that he can quench the fire idea is the power of resolution attached. Called of desire by fulfilling it, he only adds more fuel Sankalpa in Sanskrit, the power of resolution to it. You cannot quench me. I am an unending is the adhesive that converts an idea into a force; only by an intelligent and introspective strong desire. Stronger the sankalpa, the more handling of me can one free oneself from me. passionate I am. Thoughts are like clouds Suppose I get fulfilled, I become greed. passing through the sky of mind. Only a few When I am not fulfilled, I become anger. Yes, clouds rain, depending on the conditions that it is me that becomes greed and anger. Greed lead to precipitation, wind and so on. In the is born by satisfying me (the ‘have-more’ same way, it is the power of resolution which illusion) and anger is born when my force turns an idea into a desire. of flow is obstructed. A free flowing desire, without moral boundaries is dangerous and Journeying Back To the Source destructive. An obstructed desire bursts into What do people do all their lives? Fulfil flames of anger, hatred and bitterness. Anger me. Everyone works all his or her life to fulfil leads to loss of wisdom and one gets into me, some form of me. ‘I want this, I want that, a very precarious and difficult situation in I want, want, want . . .’ that is what life is all life. about. Man travels from one desire to another I multiply at unremitting pace. You fulfil desire and thus goes on life. some of me, and lo, thousand more will be Not that ‘death’ brings an end to my ready, craving for fulfilment. I am like the working. I keep travelling from birth to birth. legendary demon Raktabija mentioned in the Death means only cessation of physical body, Devi Mahatmya. The special trait of this demon but the mental body where I reside does not is its capacity to be reborn through even a die with death. It travels to new body and new small drop of blood that might fall from its circumstances where I can be fulfilled. All the body. Its Rakta, blood, is itself the Bija, the seed unfulfilled desires need to be fulfilled. That through which it is born. As in Devi Mahatmya, is why man takes birth after birth. Until he only Divine Mother, a power much stronger discovers his real nature which is Whole, not a than me, can cleanse one of all the drops fragmented me, and sees through my game, he oozing out from its body. Call this power has to be born again and again. To see through Viveka, the power of discernment (followed the game means to attain Mukti.

The V edanta K esari ~ 248 ~ JULY 2015 11

Nor does even ageing decrease my perhaps, to some animal. Men are increasing in intensity. I am called mahashana, the great numbers and some animals are decreasing; we glutton. I have unlimited hunger. No amount are killing them off, and taking their land; we are of objects, persons, experiences of all types taking all means of sustenance from them. How can ever satisfy me. A Sanskrit verse says that can we say, then, that happiness is increasing? ageing only weakens the body, not desire. That The strong race eats up the weaker, but do you is my power! think that the strong race will be very happy? No; they will begin to kill each other. I do not see Senses, mind and intellect—these are on practical grounds how this world can become the three places where I reside in the human a heaven. Facts are against it. personality. Senses hanker after their objects of enjoyment—eyes want beauty, ears want If this is the situation, what is the way? pleasing sound, tongue wants taste, nose Turn back to the source. I am born from wants smell and touch wants softness. Senses God and now if you wish to transcend me, are my first vehicles. Then comes mind, the overcome the resultant sorrow and misery that seat of emotion, where I reside. People become comes along with me, go back to the Source. emotional about fulfilling me. If for some How? First, cut down all explicitly harmful reason, I do not get fulfilled, people become forms of me to harm others and things which emotional. ‘How painful, how miserable life make you slave to senses. Second, do not is’ they say, and then complain, compare and justify me—in other words, vacate me from the suffer all their lives. My residence gets a firm seat of intellect. This will give rise to deep faith and permanent place when I enter intellect. and respect for the truth beyond the senses, Man then justifies me. He argues in my favour. ego and me—i.e. God. He debates that without me life cannot be There are two other chief ways to get rid lived. I, the desire, become the sole purpose of me: use your pure will and deny me, that is of life. That is dangerous but that is what it is. the path of analysis and strong will. Or take Swami Vivekananda’s insightful words up the path of connecting me with God, the come to mind:3 Infinite Reality from where I am born, called devotion. It is much slower but very effective. If one thing is obvious to me it is this that desires Once you are freed from me, what bring all misery; it is the state of the beggar, who happens to life? Life goes on—on a different is always begging for something, and unable to note. With my disappearance, my twin self, see anything without the wish to possess it, is the lower self, too melts away. Me and my always longing, longing for more. If the power lower are Siamese twins. If my lower self, the to satisfy our desire is increasing in arithmetical progression, the power of desire is increased ego, vanishes, universal love and compassion, in geometrical progression. The sum total of unselfishness and goodness, and all those happiness and misery in this world is at least the difficult-to-attain values shine forth. You get same throughout. If a wave rises in the ocean it released from the cycle of birth and death and makes a hollow somewhere. If happiness comes pass into eternity and unending joy. to one man, unhappiness comes to another or, That is my story—in short. †

References 1. Gospel, p.113 2. CW, 1: 157 3. CW, 2: 172

The V edanta K esari ~ 249 ~ JULY 2015 Simhâvalokanam From the Archives of THE VEDANTA KESARI (March, 1964-65, p. 536-544) How Can We Live a Clean Unworried Life?

SWAMI BUDHANANDA (Continued from the previous issue...)

VII Now, we come to the more serious issue of our worries of the present. Though it has been said that only 10% of our worries centre round our present, yet they have a most menacing effect on our peace of mind and on our prospects of all-rounded self- improvement. The causes of our present worries are many and various. They are never the same in all details with two persons, though these two persons may be husband and wife. But all the innumerable causes of worries of mankind can be reduced to a handful of basic causes such as these: Under all cir cumstances, in the case of every single person, worries are caused by an unclean conscience. (1) Non-clarity of conscience arises from our failure to live according to the commandments of true religion, (2) from our failure to fulfil our duties and obligations, (3) from our failure to successfully battle in life, (4) from our failure to discover an increasing purpose in life, (5) from our failure to grow inwardly towards self-fulfilment. Worries are also caused by: (I) False fear, false expectations and false imagination, (la) by competitive over-ambition, (lb) by cultivated attachment, (II) by temptation of life, (III) by foolish anxiety to please all people in the world, (IV) by over-anxiety to preserve self-interest above everything else, (V) by idle curiosity in others’ affairs, (VI) by the proneness to find fault with others. If these causes are counteracted by suitable measures, worries issuing out of them will naturally be removed. To live a clean unworried life we have to do certain positive things in life. The most important thing is to keep our conscience always clean. There is a book named Philokalia, which is an important col lection of writings of the fathers of the Eastern Church dating from the fourth to the fourteenth century. In that book St. Simon the New Theologian has something important to say as to how one can keep his conscience clean.

The V edanta K esari ~ 250 ~ JULY 2015 13

He says, ‘It is impossible to have a clear conscience without obedience.’ Obedience to what? Obedience to the commandments of God. Every religion has its basic commandments. Whatever may be our religion, to have a clear conscience we must live in obedience to the commandments of our religion. In fact, those commandments were intended for lift ing the worries of life. St. Simon says: ‘You must keep your conscience clean in three respects: in relation to God, in relation to your spiritual father, and in relation to other men, as well as the things and objects of the world.’2 Proceeding to explain further as to how we shall keep our conscience clear in these three respects, he says that: (a) In relation to God we must keep our conscience clear by permitting ourselves no action which to our knowledge, is distasteful or unpleasing to God. (b) In relation to our spiritual father we must keep our conscience clear by doing what he has asked us to do, and refraining from doing what he has forbidden us to do, and by being guided by his wisdom. (c) In relation to other people we must keep our conscience clear by refraining from doing to them anything which we ourselves dislike or hate being done to us. In relation to other things of the world, we should keep our conscience clear by using them rightly. He means such things as food, drink and clothes etc. 2. Worries are bound to arise if we fail to fulfil our duties and obligations. Therefore we must cultivate a proper sense of duty. And as family man we must discharge fully our duties to our family; as a member of society to our society; and as a human being to humanity. Confucius was once asked about the criterion of a gentleman. And he said, ‘A gentle- man has no worry and no fear.’ ‘Does having no worry and no fear then constitute a gentleman? ‘he was then asked. And Confucius replied: ‘If he looks within himself and is sure that he has done right, what does he have to fear or worry about?’3 ‘Do your best and leave the rest,’ is one of the finest practical maxims of life. If you have really done your very best, in regard to anything, you have no reason for worry in regard to that thing. But we must be sure that we have done our very best. The secret of composure and restfulness in life is in doing one’s very best in every situation, big or small, and in leaving the rest. This in fact is also the secret of Karma-yoga. Worries also arise often in life—and it is common experience with many of us—from exaggerated notion about one’s duties and obligations. Therefore we must keep our sense of duty and obligation in the proper frame of reference in the light of the teaching of the scriptures. 3. Worries arise from our failure to success fully battle in life. Grinding poverty and

The V edanta K esari ~ 251 ~ JULY 2015 14 over much wealth both cause worries. The poor must work hard to remove their poverty. Through self-application, cultivation of good habits and living within the means, the poor man can gradually change his lot. As St. Thomas A. Kempis says in the ‘Imitation of Christ’: ‘Do not wish to enjoy imme diately what many others have only won after much sorrow and struggle.’ A Sanskrit saying has it that the poor man who is reluctant to work hard and the rich man who is not prepared to share his wealth with the less fortunate could not deserve any sympathy in their worries and miseries. They can very well get themselves drowned in the sea with lode-stone tied around their neck. The poor man who wants to get rid of his worries should dispose himself not to empty complaint, but to patience and endurance and hard work. The rich man who wants to get rid of his worries should dispose himself not to self-willed dissipation, but to discreet gene- rosity and dedicated service to fellow human beings. 4. Success in life brings in, with the thoughtful person, a new kind of worry. He asks himself: ‘So what?’ I have earned money, raised a family, made a position in society, so what? Where do all these lead to? He discovers that inside every success an emptiness grins forth like some blinking traffic light: ‘so what?’ ‘so what?’ And he is worried without knowing the reason for it. The reason in his case, however, is the failure to discover an increasing purpose at different stages in life. Secular success is needed. But man has higher needs too. He is fundamentally a spiri- tual being. If we fail to grow spiritually as we advance in age, our old age tends to become progressively dreary, whatever may be the comforts in life. Only by inwardly growing toward self-fulfilment through regular spiritual practices, can we get rid of this type of worry. There is no other cure for this. Those who seek to avoid dreariness of advancing age, should not waste a day to secure spiritual guidance suit able for them. The younger you catch yourself for the life of the spirit, the greater will be your gain. 5. What you call unreal may not be some thing absolutely non-existent. In the dreaming state a man’s dreams are very real, though they are not real for any other person. They are not real even for the same person’s waking state. Therefore if a man is found to be in terrible suffering in his dream, then he should be helped to wake up. A considerable bulk of our worries issue out of absolutely false fears, vain expectations and wrong imaginations. And they create for us real issues of suffering. At the root of all these sufferings, which sometimes lead even to heart-break, is only our own mental powers used in a wrong way. It is possible that some people may suffer from such worries for a pretty long time without even knowing that all troubles were absolutely baseless. Perhaps such a sufferer can be helped by a friend with some difficulty. Because, normally such sufferers are very

The V edanta K esari ~ 252 ~ JULY 2015 15 self- righteous in regard to their worries. Here the question is precisely to break the dream of the person. And then all his worries will be over. There may be a case also in which the person has somehow come to think that these worries might very well be imaginary. But yet he cannot stop worrying. Here one will have to fight out one’s own inner battle. And if he follows the means taught in the Philokalia he has a fair chance of succeeding. As the Philokalia (page 234) points out, he ‘should annihilate chaotic imagination by well-ordered imagination and thus deal a mortal blow to the enemy with his own weapon, like Daniel and Goliath’. , one of the late spiritual leaders of the Ramakrishna Order gives this very helpful advice in his book, Towards the Goal Supreme. He says: Whenever you feel weak and dejected in mind, repeat this verse: ‘I am verily divine, and nothing else than divine. I am Brahman Itself. No misery can ever touch me. I am in essence Existence, Knowledge, Bliss Absolute. I am eternally free by nature. Om Tat Sat Om.’ To repeat this verse with an understanding of its meaning during the spell of our dejection will be fighting the chaotic imagination by a well ordered imagination based on ultimate spiritual fact of life. 6. Those who are over-ambitious cannot be helped out of their worries until they have suffered from the pangs of failure. When one learns that all men are not called upon to do all things and that everyone has to function within a frame of limitations, then alone one begins to get rid of worries born of competitive over-ambition. 7. Some of us cultivate attachments deliberately in order to be happy. But that is just the thing which will make you worry and unhappy. This lesson is not learnt easily, that without practising detachment, we can never lay the axe to the roots of our worries. Prac tice of detachment is a never failing weapon against many worries of life. Says St. Thomas A. Kempis: ‘. . . take great care to ensure that in every place, action and outward occu pation you remain inwardly free and your master . . . Stand firm in all circumstances.’ 8. Temptations of life cause considerable worries, specially to those who are spiritual aspirants. Temptations have an objective rea lity and a subjective appeal. You cannot des- troy temptations existing in the world. But you can so spiritually strengthen yourself that external temptations will not be able to affect you. In fact it is said by mystics that God uses temptations in order to prove the mettle of his devotee. Well, that is said in regard to highly advanced souls. For beginners the advice is not, to court temptations, but to stay away and awake, to practise discrimination and prayer. Many mystics have borne testimony that repetition of the name of the Lord lashes out the appeal of temptations to the mind. 9. Those who are anxious to please all peo ple in the world, will not easily see the end of their worries. This anxiety is not born out of real goodness but of a veiled egotism. You long to be praised universally, therefore you seek to please all. By constantly pining to know

The V edanta K esari ~ 253 ~ JULY 2015 16 what other people think about you, you can very well become a mental patient. First, we must know that it is impossible and unnecessary to try to please everyone. There is a significant Sanskrit saying: ‘ He (God) being pleased, the universe is pleased.’ Our anxiety should be to conduct ourselves in such a way as would be pleasing to God, keep our own conscience free, do our best and leave the rest. 10. Selfishness and worries always go together. To get rid of worries one must give up selfishness. Swami Vivekananda says, ‘that which is selfish is immoral, that which is unselfish is moral.’ He further says, ‘Unselfishness is more paying, only people have not the patience to practise it.’ There is no greater curse than the habit of constantly thinking of oneself. We can get rid of it by beginning to think of others. From contraction of heart many worries arise. Expansion of heart is the remedy to those worries. 11. Finally, those who seek to get rid of all avoidable worries must not cultivate idle curiosity in others’ affairs, and should not make it a habit of finding fault with others. Through the channel of such habits we become infected by the blemishes we seek to find in others. And from such blemishes arise many worries; therefore formation of these two habits should be studiously eschewed. To sum up the remedies of worries centering round our present: (1) Let us keep our conscience clean. (2) Let us do our best and leave the rest. These two measures will take care of everything we have discussed.

VIII We all understand what an insufferable situation we shall be in if we were prevented from throwing out garbage from our homes for a week. But many of us do not even think what happens to us if we do not throw out the gar- bage from within our minds. Many of us do not know the technique of disposing of the mental garbage, the result of accumulation of which is increasing mental maladies. All our worries are rooted in the impurities of our own minds. In the ultimate analysis without removing the impurities of our minds we cannot get rid of worries. Therefore we must launch a vigorous attack on these impuri ties through proper methods. Prayer, repetition of the Lord’s name, and meditation practised regularly, destroy these impurities of the mind, and the resultant worries too. A man of spiritual illumination alone is free of all worries for all times. He alone knows what is true love, true happiness and true peace. Knowing this for certain let us intel ligently and diligently do for ourselves what is really good for us. (Concluded.) References 2. Philokalia, page 156. 3. Wisdom of China and India, by Lin Yutang, page 834.

The V edanta K esari ~ 254 ~ JULY 2015 Article

Learning to Contribute An Approach to Karma Yoga

V SRINIVAS

Karma Yoga and ‘We’ that a higher ideal exists! We think living a Karma Yoga means attaining spiritual self-centred life is a natural choice, nay, the illumination by doing unselfish work. This ultimate choice for we ‘ordinary people’. is the highest ideal for work. However, most It is in this context that the ideal of of us, who are struggling to break free from contribution, as envisaged in the life and the iron chains of selfishness, find this ideal teachings of Swami Vivekananda, gives us very high, perhaps unattainable, from our hope and energy to act positively. Here is an current level of being where we are attached ideal which all of us can practice. to many things. We seem to be interested in higher things but our circumstances and state The Contribution Ideal of being does not always encourage us to strive The contribution ideal is the intermediate for them. So, the point is what to do in such a stage between a life of self-centredness situation? and a life of unselfishness. It may be called Let us ask ourselves: do we struggle ‘enlightened self-interest’. The following manfully towards this high, seemingly diagram depicts it thus: unattainable ideal with little or no The Contribution Ideal hope of attaining that high state of —a significant milestone in the journey to unselfishness unselfishness? Or do we give up all hope, and turn instead towards Unselfish work accepting our current state of leading (Karma Yoga Ideal) a largely moral but essentially self- Transformational centred life focused on personal welfare and the welfare of one’s Enlightened Self-interest family? Whichever of these two we (Contribution Ideal) choose, we are faced with certain issues. Self-Centredness Looking around us, we live (Transactional Ideal) in India, a country whose heartbeat is religion. We find that most individuals have chosen the second of the two In other words, the contribution ideal alternatives above, and, one might even say, gives us energy and enthusiasm to live in a livedlived iin that state long enough to even forget state higher than utter self-centredness and

The author is the CEO of Illumine Knowledge Resources, a Mumbai based Knowledge Consulting company and a longstanding devotee. †

The V edanta K esari ~ 255 ~ JULY 2015 18 prepare ourselves for the higher ideal of pure with the contribution ideal and the lower unselfish work. It helps us discover a link transaction ideal of life. Let us put this in the between our present state and the highest state form of a chart: and thus motivates us to practice it. Instead of living Transactional Contribution Ideal Karma trapped in a self-centred, Ideal (Intermediate) Yoga Ideal often meaningless and pur- (Lowest) (Highest) poseless existence, we now Motive for work Selfishness Enlightened Self- Unselfishness have an opportunity to (good of self) interest (good of (good of the make a difference, live more self, organization/ other) meaningfully, and lead a community and purposeful existence. And, society) as a bonus, we also prepare Process through Ethical works Positive Good works ourselves for an even higher which work is contribution to a life described by the Karma done purpose Yoga Ideal. How does the contri- The outcomes Attaining Attain both inner Attaining bution ideal prepare us for we seek personal development & Freedom the higher state of unselfish rewards and external success work? success In order to appreciate the contribution ideal from The frame or Journey of Journey of inner Journey of the viewpoint of Karma personal vision acquisition fulfilment & spiritual Yoga, let us go back to which sustains welfare of society evolution Swami Vivekananda’s defi- the work (Citizenship) nition of Karma Yoga. Swamiji describes Karma Yoga as a system As this chart indicates, the contribution of ethics and religion intended to attain ideal is a clearly valid and distinct ideal freedom through unselfishness and by good from the transactional ideal and the highest works.1 Karma Yoga Ideal. It is also obvious from This definition of Karma Yoga Ideal the chart that this ideal is in itself valuable covers four key aspects of work and inspiring for individuals at the level of a. The motive for work is unselfishness. transactional thinking and gives them courage b. The process through which work is and inspiration to lift themselves from their done is good works. current state to a new level of thought and c. The outcome we seek is spiritual action, that makes them more fit and capable of freedom. embarking upon the highest path in the world d. The frame or personal vision that or work. sustains the work is the journey of spiritual If the ideal of contribution is perceived as evolution. a valid intermediate stage in our journey to the This four-fold definition is a useful highest Karma Yoga, we must also ask how do framework to compare the Karma Yoga ideal we realize the ideal of contribution?

The V edanta K esari ~ 256 ~ JULY 2015 19

The simplest and most direct method is ‘to work in order to meet Quality of Purpose an expanded goal or a purpose’. It means that we concern ourselves not only with what we do and how we do it, but also with why we do what we do. Keeping this simple definition in mind, let us explore the Evolutionary Purposes journey to becoming a contributor. Expressive Purposes First Step—from Activity to Purpose Material Purposes The first step in the journey is to shift the organizing principle (i) Is it to ‘have’, i.e., is to gain more material of our work from ‘activity or ritual and other forms of possessions? This we may call a focus’ to purpose focus. When we ‘material purpose’. are activity or ritual or process (ii) Is it to ‘do’? For example our purpose is to do focused we are occupied with some creative activity or produce some creative output activity for its own sake. We are for common good. This we could call an ‘expressive quite mechanical and focused on purpose’ only external, visible gains. But (iii) Is it to ‘be’? i.e. our purpose is to reach a new when we begin asking the question higher or different state of being that gives us more ‘what is the purpose behind this strength, peace, joy, knowledge, etc. This we would activity’, then we become far more call an ‘evolutionary purpose’. result-oriented and capable of delivering results. This means that what- Second Step—Enhancing Quality of Purpose ever our purpose is—whether it is doing Thus, when we take the second step well in an exam, or earning money, or towards becoming a contributor, we begin to finding peace of mind—we are more likely focus on our evolutionary purpose and ensure to accomplish it well if we are aware of the that our material and expressive purposes purpose. support or enable our evolutionary purpose. This is the first step towards contribution This is different from just being a consumer because we learn to become effective and of things and situations. It means being a result oriented in whatever we do. As we contributor to whatever we do and find become more effective, pursuing our worldly, ourselves in. individual purposes we are bound, sooner or As a corollary to it, we may add that later, to come to the question ‘Why?’ Why do any individual who believes that his or her we work? Why do we seek what we seek? It is material purpose or expressive purposes are then that we question the quality or depth of more important than his or her evolutionary the purposes we hold. purpose will find it difficult to make the This questioning is understood with the ‘sacrifices’ necessary for any meaningful help of the following model: contribution.

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Third Step - Creating Proactive Zones of that the larger organizational environment in Purpose which we work is not very congenial but that The search for evolutionary purpose sets does not stop us from focusing on improving the stage for the third step in our journey. the immediate team environment around At this stage, we ask a new question: Is us. our purpose or goal to merely respond or cope Thus to contribute means to define for with life as it presents itself? Were it be so, ourselves the space or an environment where then our whole goal would be to try to retain we can make a difference in the overall state or cling on to our ‘higher’ or ‘evolutionary of affairs and then act proactively within that purposes’ in the midst of a complex and space. challenging environment. This is a big leap forward from the state This leads to further query: Can we shift of mediocre accomplishments to bringing our purpose of life to creating or working excellence in life. Then, instead of doing things towards a new state of affairs around us which in a slipshod way we do them with greater not only enables us to live better but also commitment and dedication. enables all others in the same environment Contribution thus involves a mix of to live better? By environment we mean heroic action and forbearance by applying our our own immediate family environment, judgment wisely. One should be willing to our social environment, our cultural environ- Scope of Purpose ment, physical environ- (correlating to the final step of the journey to be a contributor) ment around us, our This becomes clearer when we take the help of a simple 2 workplace environ- model which Swami provides us: ment, etc. Thus, to contri- bute, now means, to take responsibility for the betterment of the Related to the question ‘who am I’ environment around us. While we still have not reached the ideal of Related to the question ‘what I do’ Karma Yoga—that of perfect unselfishness— we have started our Thus, a purpose centred in function (i.e. what I do), translates journey of lifting our- itself into one of many forms of ‘functional excellence’. for selves from gross sel- example, excellence in a craft or mode of expression like dance, fishness to a refined art, etc., excellence in the form, excellence in the products I create, level of living. technical expertise, etc. In this approach, On the other hand, a purpose centred in being (who am I) we can pick and translates itself in one of many forms of ‘being excellence’, i.e., choose our battles—for excellence in character, excellence in conduct, excellence in inter- example, we may find human relationships, excellence in the way we respond to life, etc.

The V edanta K esari ~ 258 ~ JULY 2015 21 take some ‘risks’ and use one’s Stage Point of Key Shift in Impact discretion in a given situation to Transformation Thinking do things in a better way. That I Organize From Activity Improved is how ‘contribution’ becomes activity around Focus to Purpose effectiveness in possible. purpose Focus whatever we do As we begin to contribute II Seeking deeper From Creates the to the environment, we begin meaning Acquisitional ‘intention’ or will seeking sustainability of impact. purpose Purpose to to contribute Evolutionary Final Step—Creating Purpose Sustainable Contribution III Shifting from From Coping Awakens the This leads us to the fourth reactive purpose to Proactive heroic spirit and final step in our journey to to proactive Contribution within purpose becoming a contributor. Any contributor has sus- IV Widens the From Results in tainable impact only when it scope of purpose Functional level the search Contribution to for solutions solves more than material or Function+Being that make a social need. It must also serve a level sustainable more fundamental human need Contribution difference to the like empowering individuals or human condition enabling them to find deeper fulfilment in life. Sustainable contribution takes place only from an activity centred life to a purposive when we are able to integrate function-level life aimed at developing total human excell- excellence with being-level excellence. Hence, ence. contributors seek not only excellence in terms As we reach a stage when we are truly of professional or activity excellence, but in contributing—both to other human beings and terms of character and inter-human excellence, to our own evolution—we become ready, as it and in terms of making an impact at both were, to begin the attempt on the sublime peak levels in the lives of those who they serve. of unselfish action as presented by Karma Yoga. We can now see our transformation Conclusion from a worldly life to a spiritual life, not as These four stages in the journey of a quantum jump but as a gentler ‘ladder of becoming a contributor are summarized in the evolution’—from a transaction ideal to the following table: contribution ideal, and then finally to the This roadmap provides us a set of mile- Karma Yoga Ideal. stones one should look for as we journey That is the spirit of contributor ideal. †

References 1. The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda, Volume 2 Eternal Values for a Changing Society, Volumes 1, Karma Yoga, Chapter VIII, The Ideal of Karma I-IV, by Swami Ranganathananda, published by Yoga, p. 111. Mayavati Memorial Edition, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Bombay (1993) Advaita Ashrama.

The V edanta K esari ~ 259 ~ JULY 2015 Article

Balaram Mandir and Swami Brahmananda HIRANMOY MUKHERJEE

(Continued from the previous issue . . . )

Swami Brahmananda in Balaram Mandir and picked up ‘M’ at school where he was The history of Balaram Mandir will teaching. Then they all set out for the Maidan remain incomplete unless we recount its association with Swami Brahmananda (known in his pre-monastic days as Rakhal and later as Maharaj or Raja Maharaj). The following chronicle of this deep and sacred connection will give us some glimpse of it. Rakhal’s first visit to Balaram Babu’s house was on 11th March, 1882. It was the day of Dol Yatra—the festival of colours dedicated to Sri Krishna. Rakhal accompanied the Master, Sri Ramakrishna, along with Ram Babu, Manomohan, Nityagopal and other devotees. ‘M’ also came as bidden by the Master. The devotees and the Master sang and danced in a state of divine fervour. Several of them were in an ecstatic mood. Rakhal lay on the floor with ecstasy, completely unconscious of the world. The Master put his hand on Rakhal’s chest and said, ‘Peace. Be quiet.’ This was Rakhal’s first experience of ecstasy. When the music or singing of Kirtan was over, the Swami Brahmananda devotees sat down for their meal. Balaram to see Wilson Circus. They saw various feats Babu stood there humbly, like a servant. including one in which an English woman Nobody would have taken him for the master was riding on a horse around a circular track of the house.4 having iron rings at intervals. The rider was On November 15, 1882 the Master to jump through the rings whenever the horse accompanied by Rakhal and several other approached one—the woman never missed the devotees came to in a carriage horse or lost her balance. The Master praised

† A retired government official, the author is an active volunteer of Ramakrishna Math, Nagpur, Maharashtra.

The V edanta K esari ~ 260 ~ JULY 2015 23 her expertise and remarked that she must have and so with the permission of the Master, practiced the feat for a long time. He compared Balaram Babu took him to Vrindavan in this feat with that of the life of a householder the month of August, 1884 for a change of who has to pass through many difficulties air. in this world and concluded that constant At first Rakhal felt better and found spiritual practice is essential for living in an Vrindavan inspiring and wrote highly of it appropriate way in this world. to ‘M’. But after sometime again he fell ill From Maidan they reached Balaram seriously. The Master became worried on Babu’s house. Gradually other devotees getting the news as he was apprehensive collected and the Master started his spiritual that at Vrindavan Rakhal may be reminded talk. Speaking about householders entangled of his past life as a playmate of Sri Krishna in worldliness he said, ‘They are like silk and one of the shepherd boys of Vrindavan— worm who can come out of their cocoon of and decide to give up his body there. In his their worldly life if they wanted—but they do own words: ‘I prayed fervently to the Divine not even make an effort to come out of it and Mother and She assured me that I had no perish within it like silk worms.’ Later they cause for anxiety.’ In due course, Rakhal made had spiritual songs.5 significant improvement in his health and Again, Rakhal visited Balaram Babu’s returned to Dakshineshwar.8 house along with the Master, Narendra, Bhavanath, ‘M’ and others on April 7, 1883. Spiritual Progress of Various Disciples Balaram had invited the young devotees for Once a devotee asked Sri Ramakrishna lunch at the bidding of the Master—the Master about the spiritual progress of his disciples. Sri had told Balaram once, ‘Feed them now and Ramakrishna was sitting in the Panchavati in then; that will confer on you the merit of the temple. He drew a line on feeding holy men.’ The Master looked at his the ground and said, ‘This is this one’s state young disciples—untouched by ‘lust and (pointing to himself).’ Then He drew another gold’—as veritable embodiments of God.6 line, a bit smaller than the first and said, ‘This Rakhal again visited Balaram’s house on is Narendra’s state.’ In this way, He drew June 2, 1883. Thereafter, some time the Master many lines, drawing them progressively went into an ecstatic mood and told the Divine smaller and showed which line indicated Mother: ‘Mother, once I asked Thee to give me whose progress—Baburam’s, Tarak’s, Latu’s, a companion just like myself. Is that why Thou Sharat’s, Shashi’s and so on. But he did not hast given me Rakhal?’7 draw a line for Maharaj. The devotee asked, Once Rakhal became sick and was sent ‘What about Rakhal?’ Sri Thakur smiled and to Kolkata, sometime in the month of August, drew a line which was longer than all the 1884, to live in the house of Balaram Babu. The rest, including the first one. He said, ’This is Master wanted Balaram to take special care Rakhal’s.’ In later years, this devotee narrated of Rakhal and told him: ‘Boys like Naren and it to the Holy Mother. Hearing this, Holy Rakhal are born for a divine mission. To serve Mother commented, ‘But of course! Rakhal is them is to serve God.’ Balaram felt very happy his son.’ to serve his Master’s spiritual child. But the Swamiji used to say, ‘In spirituality, climate of Kolkata did not agree with Rakhal Rakhal is the greatest amongst us.’ They

The V edanta K esari ~ 261 ~ JULY 2015 24 alone know what they meant; how are we to not initiate devotees?’ Sometime after this, understand?9 in 1916, Maharaj went to Minerva theatre One characteristic of all illumined souls, in Kolkata to see a play about ‘Ramanuj’, all great ones who have reached union with the great saint-philosopher from South God, is that they are full of joy and fun. Rakhal India, the Acharya of qualified-monistic Maharaj too was full of fun and joy. This school of Vedanta (vishishtadvaita). The joy would find expression on the one hand play was authored by his disciple Aparesh through fun, jokes and pranks, and on the Mukhopadhyay. other hand, through his deep spirituality. Like On seeing the scene in which Ramanuj Sri Ramakrishna, his mind too would soar into was shown initiating devotees without high spiritual realms and he would bring the distinction, Maharaj was deeply moved and mind down to the normal plane through these began shedding tears profusely. It is said that pranks and jokes. Wherever Maharaj went, shortly after the two incidents Maharaj became there was a constant air of festivity. We will liberal about initiating devotees. He also get a glimpse of these both aspects—joy and persuaded the playwright to include Ramnam spiritual progress—through the instances cited Kirtan, as sung in Ramakrishna Math, in the in the following part of the article. play and deputed Swami Ambikananda for training the singers.11 Raja Maharaj’s Childlike Nature Once the daughter of a professor of Whenever Swami Brahmananda stayed Oxford University came to Belur Math to at Balaram Mandir, there used to be devo- see Swami Brahmananda. She was told that tional singing every morning in his room. Maharaj was at that time in Balaram Mandir. Mahamaya, the daughter of Sri Ramakrishna Observing her earnest desire to meet Maharaj, Bose (Balaram’s son), recalled, Swami , a direct disciple of Sri Swami Brahmananda used to ask all of us to Ramakrishna, took her to Balaram Mandir. She come and listen to the devotional singing. My was very much pleased on meeting Maharaj Mother used to come, as did my auntie if she and wrote about her experience to Sister was visiting us at the time. The monks would Devamata: sing devotional songs such as ‘Meditate on Oh sister, it was far more wonderful than I had Brahman endowed with incomparable glory’. hoped. Only five minutes but he said something Swami Brahmananda would sit on the small wonderful to me and so encouraging and he couch in his room with eyes closed, listening took my hand in his two hands and something intently to the singing. He would make a fist definite happened. I went out of that room with his left hand, and maintain the beat by twenty years younger, full of hope to struggle striking his fist with the forefinger and middle on and with a new faith that it was all true. It finger of his right hand. We would gaze at his was a wonderful day for me. I have felt so much peaceful face and listen to the beautiful music.10 more content and peaceful ever since and so full During his initial days as the President of of gratitude to him and to them all for helping it the Ramakrishna Order, Swami Brahmananda to happen. had for some time not been accepting new On her way to Ceylon, she met Swami disciples. On learning this, Holy Mother had Akhilananda, a disciple of Swami Brahma- commented, ‘What is Rakhal doing? Does he nanda, and related her experience to him. She

The V edanta K esari ~ 262 ~ JULY 2015 25 mentioned that she had an exalted spiritual After talking to her, Maharaj asked his realization which completely removed her attendant to serve with egg sandesh troubles and gave her positive joy and peace. (an egg-shaped sweet—newly introduced in Her whole life was transformed.12 the market). Simple minded Golap Ma was While at Balaram’s place, Swami Brahma- very pleased on eating the same and had nanda continued a life of inner joy and a word of praise for it. Afterwards, Swami innocent pranks. For instance, , a Brahmananda told her, ‘Golap Ma, you have close companion of Holy Mother, was an taken egg today and I find that you are pleased expert in cooking and was fond of feeding with its taste.’ Coming to know from Maharaj Swami Brahmananda. Whenever he used to that she had consumed an egg, Golap-Ma stay at Balaram Mandir, Yogin Ma would became very upset because taking an egg by come and see him almost every afternoon and a widow of a conservative Brahmin family though elder to him would take dust of his was unthinkable in those days. She returned feet. Seeing her he would become very happy to and told Holy Mother about and would cheerfully ask, ‘Yogin Ma, what it. Mother mildly admonished Golap Ma for food you have brought for me today.’ She her indiscretion. In the meantime a monk would reply, ‘My child, I have brought only a from Balaram Mandir reached Udbodhan little something for you. Do please eat it.’ She and appraised Holy Mother about the truth would bring luchis (thin fried cakes of flour), in the matter. Holy Mother started laughing curried potatoes, and chum chums in a large and remarked, ‘Look at the childishness of container. Maharaj would partake the same Rakhal—he is still a child.’ Golap Ma also happily like a five year old child.13 heaved a sigh a relief on coming to know the The childlike Swami Brahmananda true facts.14 would lose no opportunity to tease Golap Swami Brahmananda’s spiritual stature Ma, another close companion of Holy Mother. combined with his childlike nature made all To give an example, one day Golap Ma was those who came in touch with him admire and visiting Balaram Mandir to meet Maharaj. respect him. (To be continued . . . )

References 4. The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai, p. 172 (henceforth, As we saw Math, Chennai, vol.1, p. 93, (henceforth Gospel). Him). 5. Gospel, 154-55 10. Reminiscences of Swami Brahmananda, Brahmachari 6. Ibid, p.198 Akshayachaitanya (translated into English by 7. Ibid, pp. 224-225 Swami Bhaskarananda), Sri Ramakrishna Math, 8. Brahmanand-charit (Bengali), Swami Prabhananda, Chennai (henceforth, Akshaya). pp.17-18 Udbodhan Karyalaya, Kolkata, pp. 48-49 11. Charit, pp. 221, 259 (henceforth Charit) 12. Ibid, p.213; As We Saw Him, p.297 9. Swami Brahmananda As We Saw Him, edited by 13. Akshaya, p.89 Swami Atmashraddhananda, Sri Ramakrishna 14. Charit, pp. 307-308

God is more loving and kind than all mothers taken together. Never lose faith in His loving kindness. —Swami

The V edanta K esari ~ 263 ~ JULY 2015 Article

Dissolving Boundaries

PRAVRAJIKA VIRAJAPRANA

The State Devoid of Boundaries happened and which are about to happen, and Spiritual teachers of different traditions so on. So we are justified in saying that time, speak not only of a timeless state, but as a boundary upon eternity, is not a problem also of one that is devoid of boundaries. to get rid of, but an illusion that never existed All boundaries are mental constructs and in the first place. are intimately connected with time. In an Of course, the paradox is we cannot enlightened state, beyond space and time, utilize time to get out of time because by doing an individual’s sense of identity expands far this we merely reinforce that which we wish beyond the confines of his or her own mind to uproot. We assume time is real and then and body and embraces the entire cosmos. try to get rid of it; so the mystics cleverly ask This experience of supreme identity, unitive us not to try to destroy illusion (how can you consciousness, or nonduality is referred to by destroy an illusion?) but to become aware all mystics. As Sri Ramakrishna used to say, all of it. To recognize the illusion for what it is. jackals howl alike. Then we will be able to see through it; it will When the sages mention eternity, they no longer fool us. If we think deeply about it, are not referring to an indefinite amount of in our immediate awareness there is no time time, a long, long time, but of an awareness really. In one way, it is through memory that that is totally devoid of time. That which is the complex mental imaging process gives us timeless is eternal, outside of time. One of the the sense of time. Through the commingling great Zen Masters said: of memory with its successive changes and If you want to know what eternity means, it is the mental projection of what might be, we no further than this moment. If you fail to catch impose a boundary upon the timeless present; it in this present moment, you will not get it, we introduce a boundary into the territory however many times you are reborn in hundreds of eternity, as it were, and thereby fence of thousands of years. ourselves in. Therefore, the eternal now, the time- less moment, the present is all there is. The Idea of Boundaries The past and future, as we experience And with this idea, we come to our them, are illusions of a symbolic boundary subject: the subtle realm of boundaries. We superimposed on the eternal now, which have bound ourselves on all sides. What are appears to split eternity into yesterday vs. these boundaries? How do they come? And most tomorrow,tomor before vs. after, events which important, how do we dissolve them? We can

The author is a nun of the Ramakrishna Order at Sarada Convent, Santa Barbara, Vedanta Society of Southern California, USA. This article is based on her talk delivered in March 2012. †

The V edanta K esari ~ 264 ~ JULY 2015 27 say at the outset that boundaries, like time, is my real self, my fundamental reality? How are pure illusion; they seem to separate that do I define myself? which is, in fact, inseparable. There are no The boundary of this self is the most real dividing boundaries between things; cherished; we have invested years nourishing every so-called entity in the world is said to and defending it, trying to make it secure and interpenetrate every other entity. According to guarantee that it remains untouched. to quantum science, we never see actual It is the boundary that establishes our boundaries but only manufacture them. sense of being a separate self. We are extremely Boundaries are not part of reality, but are the reluctant to let go of it, but at death, of course, way we map and edit reality. we are forced to release our grip. It’s the first The mystics go so far as to say that boundary we draw when we are aware enough we do not really perceive separate things, to distinguish between things, and the last that but we invent them. In Vedantic language, we erase. It is so fundamental that all other this is taking the unreal for the real. Swami boundaries depend on it. Every subsequent Vivekananda said: boundary that we draw presupposes this The whole universe is one. There is only one fundamental boundary of self. Self in the universe, only one existence and that The psychiatrist Arthur Deikman, the existence is called by different names all mental author of The Observing Self: Mysticism and and physical forms. . . . This whole universe as Psychotherapy, offers a psychological paradigm it exists is that Being. It is unchanged and all rooted in the Eastern mystical tradition, the changes we see in it are only apparent. It is which enables Western psychology to come name and form that differentiates one thing from to terms with the essential issues of meaning another. The name and form alone cause the and the evolution of the self. The self derives difference. In reality, they are one and the same. its sense of identity through four domains of The problem arises as soon as these experience: thought, feeling, action, and an fabrications of name and form are mistaken for observing center. reality itself, because this results in the actual According to him, the experience which world appearing as if it were fragmented and we gain through these various aspects disjointed instead of a seamless reality, which convinces us of our locality in space and of is the truth. our unique psychological identity. Memory Let us analyze how we can substantiate this statement. First of all, what are these boundaries? The initial and most primary boundary that we are aware of is myself, my idea of self. Everything that we think, feel, or do originates here. In theory, we talk philosophically about the first cause, primal ignorance, and so on, but how all this came about is merely speculation. For us, the relevant, the most basic question arises: ‘Who am I?’ What

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(as mentioned earlier is one way that we boundary, but does not define my primary sense the passage of time) applies to the first boundary. three domains, and reinforces our feeling of Another major aspect of the primary continuity in time. So the empirical self, as we boundary is that we divide our experience know it, is embodied and is spatially located into three: one, the seer, subject, thinker, with some sense of continuity. feeler, and experiencer; in other words, the ego; two, the seen, the object, that which is Aspects of the ‘Self’ thought about, felt and experienced, and is Let’s consider this in a little more detail. essentially separate from me, existing out there The first domain of the self is the thinking somewhere; and three, the actual process of self, which is in control; this is the command seeing, thinking, feeling, and experiencing. center. The person considers that he or she is So we create a space between ourselves and in charge; it is the conceptual self which brings the environment where none actually exits. the idea of who and what we think we are. In Whenever we look for a separate entity other words, it’s how we conceive of ourselves, apart from experience, it actually vanishes which may be and often is totally different into experience itself. When we search for from how others see us. This conceptual self the experiencer, we can only find another is the person. Incidentally, person is derived experience. The inner subject and the outer from the word persona, which means a mask. object are two names for one experience. It is really just a mental image. This persona Take an example, hearing. If you close indeed masks our true Self. This is where we your eyes and pay attention to all the draw our first boundary around what we cacophony of sounds around you, maybe a consider to be me as opposed to everything clock ticking, a cell phone ringing, children that is not me. laughing, car alarms blaring, dogs barking, This is actually a simple process in birds singing, and so on, you begin to notice operation: we draw a mental line across one thing which you cannot hear, no matter the entire field of our experience, and then how alert you are: you cannot hear the neatly divide everything on the inside of the hearer of the sounds. The hearer can never be boundary line calling it me, while everything objectified. The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad says: on the other side has nothing to do with me. You cannot see the seer of sight, you cannot In other words, one’s self-identity depends hear the hearer of sounds, you cannot think the completely on where we draw that boundary. thinker of thought; you cannot know the knower According to the Vedantic text Vedanta- of knowledge. sara, when a person is unrefined, one’s sense Further, if we consider various classes of self is actually tied up with external objects, of sentient and insentient beings, we know, such as a son or daughter, a car, or his or for example, that we belong to homo sapiens her home. If something happens to the other and not to the plant kingdom. And thus we person or object, one feels that it has happened think, ‘I am this and not that.’ When we have to oneself. A slightly more refined state is that an identity crisis, we can’t figure out where to we don’t feel things to be actually me, but they draw the boundary line, and as a result our are mine. My laptop, my cat, my cell phone, psyche short circuits and breaks down. and so on; I own them. It is still within my (To be continued . . . )

The V edanta K esari ~ 266 ~ JULY 2015 Story

God Exists And We Can See Him Two Short Stories SWAMI SUDARSHANANANDA

‘Can you see your own eyes? God is ‘No!’ the client exclaimed. ‘They don’t like that. He is as close as your own eyes. exist because if they did, there would be no He is your own, even though you cannot see people with long hair and beard like that man Him’, said Swami Vivekananda1. How to see in the street.’ someone who is closer to us than our eyes! The ‘Ah, barbers do exist, what happens is riddle of someone being so close and yet so that people do not come to us.’ difficult to see may be better understood from The client replied, ‘That’s exactly the two popular stories which answer the question point. God does exist. What happens is people of ‘Where is God?’ in a charming way. don’t go to Him and do not look for Him. That’s why there’s so much pain and suffering First Story in the world.’ A man went to a barber to have The moral of the story is that a haircut. While the barber went while light is present everywhere, it about with his work, he picked up is not perceived always. Whether a conversation with barber. They an owl accepts the presence of light discussed many things and, in due or not, the light is present. Likewise, course, about God. The barber said that God always exists whether one is he did not believe in the existence of God. able to perceive Him or not. He is ever The client asked why and the barber replied shining in the ‘three periods of time.’ He that if God existed then why there were so exists before we begin to search for Him. He many sick people, why there were abandoned is closer to us than our breath and nearer to children and other evils in life. The man did us than our hands and feet. Sri Ramakrishna not react to the statement because he wanted says that during the day we cannot see stars to avoid an argument. The barber finished his but that does not mean that there are no job and the man went out of the shop. stars. Similarly, we might not be able to see As he left the barbershop, he saw a man God in our ignorance, He exists. As Swami in the street with long hair and an untidy Vivekananda said, beard. Then the client again entered the God is still, established upon His own majestic barbershop and he said to the barber that there changeless Self. You and I try to be one with did not exist any barber in the town. Him, but plant ourselves upon nature, upon the The barber reacted and said, ‘How do trifles of daily life, on money, on fame, on human you say that? I am here and I am a barber.’ love, and all these changing forms in nature

† The author is a monk at , Shillong, Meghalaya.

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which make for bondage. When nature shines, ‘Is this what you are worrying about?’ upon what depends the shining? Upon God and exclaimed the boy in amazement. ‘I can give not upon the sun, nor the moon, nor the stars. you the answer in a moment; but will you Wherever anything shines, whether it is the light allow me to talk to the Emperor personally?’ in the sun or in our own consciousness, it is He. Birbal replied in affirmative and took 2 He shining, all shines after Him. the boy to the imperial court and addressed the Emperor, ‘My Lord! Even this little Second Story boy can give you the answer to your question.’ Emperor Akbar once asked his wise Akbar inwardly appreciated the pluck minister Birbal, ‘Well, Birbal, you often repeat and boldness of the boy and was curious to God is everywhere.’ hear him. He asked the boy, ‘If God is all- Birbal rejoined, ‘Yes! God is every- pervading, son, can you show me your God where. There is absolutely no doubt in this.’ in the ring?’ Akbar pulled the diamond ring off his ‘O King!’ replied the boy, ‘I can do so in finger and asked Birbal, ‘Is your God in this a second; but I am thirsty; I can answer the ring, too?’ question after I have taken a glass of curd.’ Birbal replied, ‘Yes, Badshah! He is The Emperor at once had a glassful certainly in the ring.’ of curd given to him. The boy began to stir ‘Then can you make me see Him?’ asked the curd and said, ‘O Emperor, I am used to the Emperor. drinking good curd which has butter in it. I Birbal had no answer to this. He asked do not like this stuff which your bearer has for time; the Emperor allowed him six months brought and which does not yield butter at all.’ in which to find an answer or to find out a way ‘Certainly, this curd is the best available,’ to show Akbar God in the ring. replied the Emperor. ‘Remember, little one Birbal went home; he was puzzled. He that you are partaking of the product of the knew there was a solution to the problem; but Emperor’s farm!’ he knew not that solution. He dared not face The boy said, ‘Very well! If your Majesty the Emperor again without an answer to his is so sure that this cup of curd contains butter question. He grew pale and anxious. Shortly in it, please show me the butter.’ after this encounter with the Emperor, a little boy-mendicant came to Birbal’s house for alms. He asked Birbal, ‘What ails you, Sir? Why do you look so sordid and miserable? You are a wise man, and wise men should have no reason for misery! Joy and tranquility are the marked characteristics of a wise man.’ ‘True!’ replied Birbal: ‘The heart is convinced, but the intellect cannot frame words for it.’ Birbal then narrated all that transpired between him and the Emperor.

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The Emperor laughed aloud and said, ‘I to our intellect, strength to our limbs; it is thought so! O ignorant child! You do not know through His will that we live and die. But that butter can be got out of curd only after man vainly imagines that he is the actor and churning it; and yet you have the audacity to the enjoyer. Man is a mere nothing before the come here and show me God!’ Almighty governing Power that directs the ‘I am not a fool, O Emperor,’ replied the movement in the universe.’ boy quickly: ‘I only gave you the answer to Emperor was deeply impressed with the your own question!’ young teacher and honoured him and looked The Emperor was puzzled. The boy at Birbal with satisfying eyes. said to him, ‘Your Majesty! In exactly the same manner the Lord is residing within Conclusion: everything. He is the indwelling Presence, the Experiencing or realizing God alone Self of all, the Light of all lights, the Power that can put an end to all our doubts forever. maintains the universe. Yet one cannot see Mere reading without practice will do little to Him with one’s physical eyes. A vision is only improve the situation. a projection of one’s own mind before the eye The wheel of birth and death, pain and of the mind. One can realize God intuitively happiness, success and failure, and of birth, and see Him with the eye of wisdom; but disease and death cannot be transcended before that one has to churn the five sheaths, by mere intellectual knowledge. Eternal and the objects, and separate the butter, happiness can be had only in God. That is the the Reality, from the curd, the names and reason why sages and saints and scriptures forms.’ emphasis on living a spiritual life which is how The young boy had thus answered can experience God. Akbar’s question and the Emperor was greatly With devotion in heart, purify the heart; impressed. He wanted to know more and control the senses; sing His Name; feel His asked, ‘Child! Now tell me, what is your God Presence everywhere; repeat His Mantra; doing all the while?’ meditate on His Form; rejoice in Him; and

The mendicant-boy replied: ‘Well, your attain peace, bliss and immortality—that is

Majesty, it is God who lends power to our the way to spiritual fulfilment, the sum and

t senses, perception to our mind, discernmentt substance of God-realisation. †

References: 1. CW, 9.404 2. CW, 1.337

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The V edanta K esari ~ 269 ~ JULY 2015 New Find Unpublished Letters of Swami Saradananda1

April 20, 1905 Math. Belur. Howrah. India. My dear Mrs.Browne This is not a very prompt acknowledgement of your kind letter of Jan 6 and the $18 dollars which were sent by our friends of Montclair through you. You know the reason of this delay of course from my letter in which I acknowledged the receipt of your $7. My eyes have become well now though the doctors have advised not to use them much for a few more months. Kindly tender my thanks to all the friends there and tell them please how much they have been helping our work with their little annual contribution. I am grateful to them all and especially to yourself and our much esteemed friend Mrs Wheeler. I hope both of you are well with all your family members. The hot weather has come and I am intending to leave Calcutta for the hills for a few months if all goes well here. had a very bad attack of fever with brain congestion. She is getting well now & will leave for Darjeeling for a few weeks shortly. So the female work has been closed rather early this season. With my blessings to you and prayers for your growth in Truth & Love, Yours in the Lord as ever Saradananda [on the envelope] Mrs.Browne Mountain Ave. North Montclair N.J. U.S.America _*_*_*_*_

The Math. Belur P.O. Dt.Howrah. India. July 20th 1905. Dearest Granny2 I am sure you have been thinking what has become of me as I have not written you for the last four or five mails. Your letter about a month ago recommended me to go for a trip to Mayabati3; but I decided something else as soon as the date of holy Mother’s leaving for her

The V edanta K esari ~ 270 ~ JULY 2015 33 village was settled. I found my mother & Jogin Ma needing a change just as much as myself & we all decided to go together to a pilgrimage in the eastern most in Assam & also another shrine not far off situated on the sea on the top of a slumbering volcano. Both the shrines are wonderful, the one in Assam is called the temple of Kamakhya or the Mother who fulfills the desires of all & the latter is a shrine dedicated to Siva. I cannot tell you how much have I been rested at the sight of the green slopes of the hills & the mazy wanderings of the river Brahmaputra at their feet, with little islands like green bouquets floating at its breast. My mother & eldest sister who went with her to take care of her and has been very helpful—had never seen mountains; & I need not tell how much they were moved by the sight of them. But the climax of wonder was reached when in the other shrine the ladies saw flames coming out of hill sides, flames burning & licking the surface of the water of a tank in which we took our baths, beautiful waterfalls & to crown it all when we reached the Siva temple at the top of the highest peak, a wide view of the blue ocean! We had to climb the hills on foot for no kind of conveyances were to be found & in some places it was rather steep. I wonder how my mother could do it; I trust the newness of it all & my presence & encouragement & that of Jogin Ma braced her up & on return on each day when Jogin Ma would cook our meals & my sister give her a massage she would sleep soundly like a child! While returning to Calcutta she told me to write to you as soon as we reach home, that all this has been made possible by your kindness alone & the presence & help of Jogin Ma! Jogin Ma has paid Rs.100 for the expenses of the trip & my sister Rs 24 only & I had to pay the rest Rs 400/- What with the expenses of the female work in Calcutta, the expenses at the Holy Mother’s while in Calcutta & the trip I have got very little left in our account at present. The balance will not exceed Rs 150/- I believe. Kindly send some money as soon as is convenient. The mail goes shortly & I must close. Hoping you are well & with my warm love to you as ever & the same of my mother & Jogin Ma Yours affectionately Saradananda. [on the margin:] Tender my kindest regards to Santi & Agnes. I will write them next mail. My cordial regards to Mrs.Vaughan Has she returned from Norway?

References 1. A direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna 2. Mrs. Sara Bull, an American disciple of Swami Vivekananda 3. Advaita Ashrama, Mayavati, the Ashrama started by Swami Vivekananda in Himalayas

Courtesy: Ramakrishna Museum, Belur Math

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The V edanta K esari ~ 271 ~ JULY 2015 Article

Four Encounters with Surdas N. KRISHNASWAMY

Tulasi, Mira, Surdas and Kabir are the be palpably felt. It is like revisiting the spiritual four outstanding saint-poets of north India. universe of Surdas himself. The Bhajan compositions of all the four of them are widely sung in all parts of India, In the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna especially wherever Hindi is spoken. Suffused When reading the Gospel of Sri Rama- with divine fervor and supplication, these krishna, we find its author-recorder ‘M’, Bhajans have been the life-support of millions , describing a parable of devotees all over. of Sri Ramakrishna in two different places. Whereas Tulasidas and Kabirdas worshipped Rama, Surdas and Mira Bai worshipped Krishna. However while Tulasi’s Rama is the Rama of Ramayan, Kabir’s Rama is the Formless God, Nirakara Parabrahman. And while Mira Bai followed the Madhura Bhava (the attitude of a bride) in her love towards Krishna, Surdas followed the attitude of a Dasa, servant, in the hoary tradition of the Dasya Bhava, the attitude of a servant of God. Surdas lived in 15th century India. A traditional picture of Surdas singing and Though blind, he wrote many poems Sri Krishna listening to him as a baby and composed music. Surdas is said to have written a hundred thousand songs in The parable, seen in hindsight, elaborates a his magnum opus the ‘Sur Sagar’ (Ocean of metaphor in one of Surdas songs, ‘Mero man Melody), out of which only about 8,000 are anath kahan sukha paaway’. extant. Endowed with a deep knowledge Sri Ramakrishna taught through simple of music, his name Surdas literally means parables and songs. He wanted to simplify ‘servant of melody’. complex matters of philosophy and spiritual Of the four, Surdas’ influence is what the practices by citing day-to-day examples. A article proposes to describe in some measure. master story-teller that he was, we find Sri We will refer to instances from four great Ramakrishna weave a beautiful story from a personalities where the presence of Surdas can couplet in Surdas’ song. Surdas says:

† Prof: N. Krishnaswamy is a long-standing devotee of Ramakrishna Math, Bangalore.

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Mero man anath kahan sukha paaway Raja sent a message to the Swami asking him to Jaise udhi jahaj ki pachchi come and join the party. The Swami sent word in Phir jahaj par aaway return that as a sannyasi he could not come. The Its English translation is: singer was deeply grieved when she heard this, and sang, as it were in reply, a song of Surdas, My mind is orphaned and where will it the Vaishnava saint. Through the still evening get happiness! air, to the accompaniment of music, the girl’s Just as a bird which has risen from a ship melodious voice reached the ears of the Swami: [flies around and] returns to the ship. . . The devotees of Sri Rama- O Lord, look not upon my evil qualities. krishna can easily see the obvious Thy Name, O Lord, is Same-sighted. One piece of iron is in the image in the temple, reference to the parable of the And another, the knife in the hand of the bird and the ship found in the Gospel of Sri butcher; Ramakrishna.1 Sri Ramakrishna says: But when they touch the philosophers’ stone, Once a bird sat on the mast of a ship. When the Both alike turn to gold. ship sailed through the mouth of the Ganges So, Lord, look not upon my evil qualities, etc. into the ‘black waters’ of the ocean, the bird failed to notice the fact. When it finally became aware of the ocean, it left the mast and flew north in search of land. But it found no limit to the water and so returned. After resting awhile it flew south. There too it found no limit to the water. Panting for breath the bird returned to the mast. Again, after resting awhile, it flew east and then west. Finding no limit to the Water in any direction, at last it settled down on the mast of the ship. It was as if Sri Ramakrishna was reitera- ting what Surdas had sung in his song! Or it is, as Sri Ramakrishna would say of the similarity that exists in the teachings of saints: ‘All jackals howl in the same way!’

An Instance from Swami Vivekananda’ Life A touching Bhajan of Surdas as if woke up and brought in a new insight to Swami Vivekananda. Swamiji’s biography2 describes it thus: Swami Vivekananda as a wandering monk At Khetri an incident occurred which proved The Swami was deeply touched. The woman an eye-opener to the Swami. One evening the and her song told him something he was Raja was being entertained with music by a forgetting, that all is Brahman, that the same nautch-girl (dancing girl). The Swami was in Divinity is back of all beings—ay, even of this his own tent when the music commenced. The woman whom he had despised. He forthwith

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went to the hall of audience and joined the disrobe her in the assembly of Kauravas. party. Speaking of this incident later, the Swami Krishna covered Draupadi with an endless sari said, ‘Hearing the song I thought, “Is this my which Dusshasana could not pull off. ? I am a sannyasi, and yet I have in The song gave solace to Gandhiji, me the sense of distinction between myself perhaps reminding him of the presence of the and this woman!”That incident removed the omnipotence and omnipresence of the Lord. scales from my eyes. Seeing that all are indeed And he sought the grace of that Almighty the manifestation of the One, I could no longer Being to face the situation he was undergoing. condemn anybody.’ The Surdas Bhajan that was sung was Kasturba Gandhi’s Parting Remarks ‘Prabhu mere avagun chitt na dharo’. Surdas, Kasturba, Gandhiji’s noble wife, too was obviously, had touched a deep chord in influenced by Surdas in her own ways. Swamiji’s heart and came handy in a moment Vinoba Bhave, the well-known Gandhi- for spiritual insight. It revealed a new aspect of an, speaking about the last days of Kasturba dealing with others. Gandhi.4 reminisced an incident before she breathed her last in the Aga Khan Palace Mahatma Gandhi’s Soft Singing prison near Pune. She was sick and had There is an inspiring incident in the life of trouble in breathing. One day at about 3 am, Mahatma Gandhi: she was singing to herself a song of Surdas: At the time of Mahatma Gandhi’s Hey Govinda raakho sarana, Ab to jeevan haaray appendectomy operation in Pune (in Sassoon [O Govinda, O Lord, I take refuge in You, now hospital), one night the strains of soft singing that I have lost hope for life] were heard from his room. When his secretary- attendant went there he found Bapu singing to himself. It was the song composed by Surdas!3 Gandhiji sang the following lines: Ab ki tek hamari, Laaj raakho Giridhari Its English version is Now You [the Lord] are the supporting staff of mine, do keep my honour, O Giridhar (Krishna). Referring to Gandhiji, Mahadev Desai, Gandhiji’s trusted personal secretary recalled, ‘In my long association with him (from 1916 to 1942), I had never heard him sing’. But here was an exception. Gandhiji sang and it was noticed by someone. The Surdas song Gandhiji was singing describes how Krishna saved Arjuna’s honour during the War, by becoming his charioteer and guiding him properly. Then Surdas goes on to say how Krishna saved Draupadi’s honour when wicked Dusshasana tried to Gajendra Moksha

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This touching song of Surdas makes a would have asked you to sing. But will anyone reference to the story of the elephant-king get tired taking God’s name?’ caught by a crocodile that prays to the Lord ‘If we learn this one thing, our birth will and is saved by Him. Popularly known as be worthwhile!’ exclaimed Vinoba. Gajendra Moksha, the story appears in Srimad Thus one finds how the immortal wis- Bhagavatam. dom and devotion of Surdas makes its way in Dr. Susheela Nayyar who was like a the lives of many men and women of spiritual daughter to Bapu and Ba came in and checked eminence. His devotion and sense of self- her pulse and told Ba, ‘Do not sing. You will surrender inspire and guide countless people. get tired. If you like we will sing for you.’ Ba His Bhajans are a source of consolation and said in Gujarati, ‘I felt like singing or else I strength to the distressed and the devoted. †

References 1. Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna p.425 and 792 3. cf. Maitri Hindi magazine published by Param 2. Life of Swami Vivekananda by His Eastern and Western Dham Ashram, Pannar, Wardha, p. 23, Jan 2014 Disciples, 1.285 4. Cf. Maitri, p.31, January 2014

Such Men are True Bhaktas A man loves God only when he has no other desire, when he thinks of nothing else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separate from the body, and so, when committing sins ZLWKWKHERG\KLV$WPDQLVXQDIIHFWHG,IUHOLJLRQV ZHUHWUXO\IROORZHGWKHUHZRXOGQRWKDYHEHHQD VLQJOHPDQZKHWKHU+LQGX0RKDPPHGDQRU &KULVWLDQZKRZRXOGQRWKDYHEHHQDOOSXULW\ %XW PHQ DUH JXLGHG E\ WKHLU RZQ QDWXUH ZKHWKHUJRRGRUEDGWKHUHLVQRJDLQVD\LQJ WKDW%XWLQWKHZRUOGWKHUHDUHDOZD\VVRPH who get intoxicated when they hear of God, DQGVKHGWHDUVRIMR\ZKHQWKH\UHDGRI*RG 6XFKPHQDUHWUXH%KDNWDV —Swami Vivekananda

The V edanta K esari ~ 275 ~ JULY 2015 THE ORDER ON THE MARCH

News and Notes from Ramakrishna Math and Mission

Visit of Prime Minister of India Sri Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, paid a visit to Revered Swami Atmasthanandaji the most Revered President Maharaj of Ramakrishna Order at Seva Pratishthan on 9 May 2015 and enquired about his health. Sri Modi has known Revered Maharaj since his younger days. The next day, Sri Narendra Modi, accompanied by Governor K.N. Tripathi, visited Belur Math where he was received with warmth and cordiality and offered his respects to all the sacred temples in the Math premises. He also spent time in Swami Vivekananda Room overlooking Ganga. After partaking some refreshments, he interacted with the assembled monks in front of Sri Ramakrishna’s temple and had a group picture taken along with monks. Sri Modi later tweeted, ‘Its always special to be at the Belur Math. I spent precious moments there. Was a wonderful visit.’ Sri Narendra Modi also paid a visit to Temple at Dakshineswar where Sri Ramakrishna spent long many years in Sadhana and spiritual ministration. Sri Modi went around the temple complex and waved Arati before the Divine Mother in the main temple. †

Awards Presented The Government of West Bengal selected Ramakrishna Mission for the Banga Bibhushan Award, 2015, in recognition of its service to the betterment of society. On behalf of the Mission, Swami Prabhanandaji, Vice-President of Ramakrishna Order, received the award, comprising a memento, a sum of two lakh rupees

The V edanta K esari ~ 276 ~ JULY 2015 39

and a shawl, from Sri Keshari Nath Tripathi, Governor of West Bengal, and Mamata Banerjee, Chief Minister of West Bengal, in a function held at Nazrul Manch, Kolkata, on 20 May. µ6RXQGRI-R\¶DQDQLPDWLRQ¿OPEDVHGRQ6ZDPL9LYHNDQDQGD¶VFKLOGKRRGZDVDGMXGJHGWKHBest Animation Film by the jury of the 62nd National Film Awards. The producer, director and animator of the ¿OPHDFKRIWKHPZDVJLYHQWKHDZDUG 5DMDW.DPDODQGDFDVKSUL]H DWDIXQFWLRQKHOGLQ'HOKLRQ 0D\7KH¿OPSURGXFHGE\$XUD&LQHPDWLFV.RONDWDZDVDSURMHFWRIWKHHPHGLDFRPPLWWHHIRUPHGE\ the Headquarters to commemorate Swamiji’s 150th birth anniversary. Sarada Kindergarten of our SingaporeFHQWUHKDVUHFHLYHG5HDGLQJ,QQRYDWLRQ$ZDUG 'LVWLQFWLRQ IURP National Library Board, Ministry of Communications and Information, Singapore. The award was presented by Ms Sim Ann, Minister of State for Communications and Information, Singapore Government, on 20 March. Mr Tan Chuan-Jin, Minister, Ministry of Social and Family Development, Singapore Government, visited Sarada Kindergarten of our Singapore centre on 4 May. †

Experience Vivekananda at Vivekananda Illam —A Report In 2013, in commemoration of Swami Vivekananda’s 150th Birth Anniversary Celebrations, Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai, launched Experience Vivekananda—a project consisting of restoration and renovation of the Vivekananda House and setting up of Multimedia Museum—with the generous assistance of the Union Ministry of Culture and kind Function held on 15th May 2015 contributions of well-wishers and devotees. The first phase of renovation and restoration of Viveka- nanda Illam or Ice House—the 170 year historic building on Marina Beach in Chennai, where Swami Vivekananda stayed for nine days in 1897—was completed in May 2014. The restoration work was done using traditional methods applied in the construction of heritage buildings of lime mortar, Burma teak-wood joists and rafters, and Brick Bat Coba tiles. At present, the second phase of restoration involving Renovated art gallery

The model of the ice storage A section of the art gallery Virtual projection 2D Hologram theatre

The V edanta K esari ~ 277 ~ JULY 2015 40 verandas, enhancing the support infrastructure, compound wall and landscaping of the open area and garden is under progress. As the first step towards setting up of Experience Vivekananda, a museum where restored oil paintings on Indian Cultural Heritage and the history of Ice House are on display was launched in a simple function held in April 2015. On May 15, a virtual projection 2D Hologram presentation titled ‘The Dawn of a New Age’, introducing Sri Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda to the visitors, was launched by Swami Gautamanandaji, the Adhyaksha, Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai. Swami Jnanadanandaji, Adhyaksha, Ramakrishna Math, Hyderabad, was the Chief Guest of the launch function. Sri VT Chandrasekhar Rao, Director (Operations) of Amec Foster Wheeler India Pvt Ltd., Chennai, was the Special Guest. Sri K Kumar, CEO of Image Infotainment Pvt Ltd., was also present on the occasion. Sri R Sashikumar, Director (Business Development) of EDC Creative Technology Solutions Pvt Ltd., Bengaluru, made a multimedia presentation of Experience Vivekananda Project. It may be recalled that EDC had earlier created Saradar Patel Museum at Shahibaug, Ahmedabad, famous for the concept designs and technological innovations. Vivekananda Cultural Centre, built with the generous grant of Tamilnadu Government continues to broaden its activities. Recently, courses on graphic design, especially meant for the benefit of economically underprivileged section, in collaboration with Image Infotainment Pvt Ltd Chennai, were launched. On an average over 150 visitors come to Vivekananda Illam daily and view the Exhibition on Indian Culture, and pay their respects to Swami Vivekananda in the room (now maintained as meditation room) where he stayed for nine days.†

New Centre A new branch centre of the Ramakrishna Mission has been started at Kailashahar in Tripura. Its address is ‘Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama, Kailashahar, Unakoti, Tripura’, phone no. 03824-222870 and the email id .

A view of the new Ashrama’s campus Meeting at the Ashrama temple

The V edanta K esari ~ 278 ~ JULY 2015 Book Reviews FOR REVIEW IN THE VEDANTA KESARI, PUBLISHERS NEED TO SEND US TWO COPIES OF THEIR LATEST PUBLICATION.

ISAVASYOPANISHATSAVASYO The learned commentator further draws By SwaSwamim Harshananda, comparison between the discoveries and methodology of physical sciences and the spiritual TTranslationranslatio by Swami science. He states with the help of scriptural NitNityasthanandayastha testimonies that Brahman is both the material and PuPublishedblished by Ramakrishna efficient cause of the world. The author describes MMath,ath, BBullu Temple Road, Ishwara, the creator of the universe, in a succinct BBangalore-560angalor 019. E-mail: manner. Ishwara is not different from its power, [email protected],rkmfive@ 2013, Maya, which manifests as knowledge, power and paperback,paperbac pp. 104, Rs.25. will—as well as its two aspects, Avidya Maya and It isis an honour and a Vidya Maya. This is followed by the analysis of the delightdelight to review a Sanskrit individual soul and the cause of its bondage, and cocommentaryommentar of one of the the means of liberation. The Swami has given a fofforemostremom st UUpanishadsppaniishads byy aan erudite scholar novel meaning of the various functions of the mind. oof tthehe sstaturettatut re of SwSwamiwaami Harshanandaji,Harsh and its The four means, Yogas, for attaining the EnEnglishglish trtranslationanslation byy no less a sscholarc than Swami spiritual objective and how they individually lead Nityasthananda. to purification of mind are now described, which The author mentions in ‘To the Reader’ according to the author, take place in two stages. that his commentary has been inspired by Swami The first stage, common to all yogas, is destruction Vivekananda’s famous talk ‘God in Everything’, of contact of senses with the objects. The second which forms a part of Jnana Yoga. stage is special to each yoga. This is one of the Like any standard commentary, it consists special contributions of the author. of seven verses of opening prayer in four different Now, incidentally, the concept of divine grace meters. This is followed by a scholarly and detailed is taken up and the author explains it from the Introduction. Answering a possible criticism of Advaitic standpoint. The three alphabets/letters a such lengthy introduction, the author equates in the Sanskrit word ‘Upanishad’, viz. ‘u’, ‘pa’ and it with the long parade of an army with horses ‘ni’, are interpreted by the author in a novel way to and elephants before, and forming the part of the mean Udaka or water, Parashu or axe, and Nilaya retinue of a King. The magnitude of the caravan or resting place. indicates the glory of the King. After the introduction, the verses of the After stating bliss as the common goal of all Upanishad are commented upon with the standard creatures, the author deals briefly with the three method of objections and answers. The second means of knowledge, Pramanas, and highlights and fourteenth verses are chosen, in particular, the importance of scriptural testimony, and the for a detailed commentary and presentation of need to have reverence for them. Next, he states interpretation different from the traditional views. the object of the Pramanas, also called Prameya, For example, the author does not agree with which are three: the individual self, the phenomenal view that the first verse ‘Isavasyam’ concerns the world, and the Ultimate Reality (Brahman). Jnana-Nishta i.e. for those who are established in Next, the empirical nature of the world and the knowledge and the second is for Kama-Nishtha i.e. individual soul is proved rationally through various for those who are still in ignorance, and eligible for arguments. The scriptural truths stated by the work. external scriptures can, and must be experienced The author has tried to establish through through experiments, observations and conclusions. cogent arguments that Karma Yoga is a direct

The V edanta K esari ~ 279 ~ JULY 2015 42 means of Brahmajnana, like all other Yogas. He also Apart from the ‘Note to the Reader’, there are explains the concept of ‘Vijnana’, and the sanity and ‘Contents’ in the beginning and the Sanskrit Text of rationality of the principle ‘Atmano-mokshartham, the Ishavasyopanishad and Alphabetical Index of Jagad-hitaya-cha’: ‘for the salvation of the soul and the shlokas in the end. for the good of the world.’ We are sure Swami Harshanandaji will Lord Vyasa, Acharya Shankara, and compose another Jnana-bhakti-vairagya-vardhini- Surevaracharya are traditionally considered the commentary of another scriptural text! three Acharayas of . Each hass hishis ______SSWAMIWAMI BRAHMEBRAHMESHANANDA,SHA . own contribution in the evolution of the Advaiticvaitic philosophy. We may also add Vidyaranya Swamiwami NECTARECTAR OFO SUPREME and Swami Madhusudana Sarasvati of the later KNOWLEDGENOWLED —YOGA times. While not contradicting the traditional viewview VASISHTHAASISHTH SARAH of the Upanishads and those of the earlier Acharyas,ryas, these two saint-scholars have made their oownwn TranslationTranslatio by Swami contribution. For example, Vidyaranya has stressedessed SarvadevanandaSarvadev the need for vairagya—renunciation, Upratii i.e. PublishedPublishe by Sri Rama- withdrawal, Manonasha—destruction of mindd and krishnakrishna MMath, Mylapore, Vasana Kshaya, removal of desires. Madhusudanadana ChennaiChennai - 600 043, mail@ Sarasvati has beautifully blended devotion with chennaimath.org,chennaim 2014, knowledge. Hardbound,Hardboun pp. 362. Rs. In modern times, Sri Ramakrishna aandndd 200.200.0 Swami Vivekananda have further widenedennede The Yoga Vasishtha, our understanding of traditional Advaita. TheThT e thethe firstfirsr t work,wor is a conver- author has rationally proved with argumentsments sationsation betweenbetween SriSri RamaR and His and counter-arguments that these contributionstions preceptorpreceptor SageSage VasishthaVasiishtha mainlymainly focusing on the of Sri Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekanandaandaa practiceprp actice ofof Yoga and other subjectivesubje techniques are not contradictory to Advaita. Ramakrishnashna for attainingattaining salvation. The secondsecond work viz., Yoga Advaita is not exclusive but all inclusive of Dvaita, Vasishtha Sarah by an unknown scholarly author Vishistadvaita and Advaita, and also inclusive of the develops the original texts into more viable one paths of Jnana, karma, yoga and bhakti. The author by way of writing commentaries in 223 verses. has effectively shown that the first step in spiritual This work promotes neither rituals nor pure evolution is Dvaita. When one considers oneself as intellectualism, rather it insists on the immediate part of the Supreme self, it is Vishishtadvaita. In experience of the Ultimate Reality through the final state of nirvikalpa Samadhi, identity with determined discrimination, reflection and deep the Brahman is experienced. This, he has called contemplation. The third work in this lineage is as Vijnana. This concept of Vijnana is a special the Bengali translation of the second work viz., the contribution of Sri Ramakrishna. Yoga Vasishtha Sarah, by Swami Dhireshananda, a Thus, although the commentator in his ‘Note scholarly monk of the Ramakrishna Order who has to the Reader’ states that the traditional Advaitic included the commentary of Mahidhara besides standpoint has been maintained, to a large extent’, his own explanations. The fourth work is the there are considerable and welcome deviations too. present book The Nectar of Supreme Knowledge with The translation is in simple readable English. the fascinating title, translated from Bengali into The translator has not done a literal translation, English by Swami Sarvadevananda, a monk of the and rightly so, and has laid greater attention to Order and the Head of Vedanta Society of Southern bringing out the essence of the meaning. While California, USA. translation faithfully conveys the meaning of the The original work makes high emphasis Sanskrit commentary, reading the original Sanskrit on the Supreme experience than intellectual work is certainly delightful (sukha-vardhaka) and speculations. It is enough for emancipation to listen, illuminating and helpful in discrimination (viveka- reflect and meditate on the scriptural messages vardhaka). than practising austerity, chanting etc. In order

The V edanta K esari ~ 280 ~ JULY 2015 43 to overcome the ensnaring evils of the worldly book says in its cover, ‘Learn to: (1) Appreciate the existence, the scriptures alone serve as the boat to Hindu belief that everything is sacred, (2) Grasp the cross the ocean of samsara. diversity of practices that fall under the umbrella The unknown author of the Yoga Vasishtha of , (3) Recognize the major gods and Sarah had compiled this unprecedented text goddesses worshipped by Hindus.’ The book has by choosing the most relevant verses from the done pretty good justice to these. original book with studious attention and rare While the book covers a wide range of topics discernment. The chapter-wise subject matters to a reasonable depth, there are many serious are: 1. Detachment, 2. The unreal nature of the inaccuracies. The ‘Introduction’ section has a lot of Universe, 3. Self-Knowledge, 4. Dissolution of inaccurate statements and glaring omissions. This the mind, 5. Destruction of latent impression, 6. can be confusing and misleading to a person who Contemplation of the Self, 7. Ascertaining the means does not know about Hinduism. Though the book of purification, 8. Adoration of the Self, and 9. The needs a thorough revision to fix the mistakes and State of emptiness and non-emptiness. inaccuracies, it is a good effort. The Yoga Vasishtha elucidates the essentialential ______N. GOKULMUTHU,GOKUL BANGALORE truth of the Vedanta through various storiestories and illustrations. Yoga Vasishtha Sarah, containsntains GAYATRIAYATRI—T— HE PROFOUND the essential philosophical truths as conclusionsusions PRAYERRAYER to enable the readers to pursue the pathth ooff redemption. In this translated work the Sanskritnskrit By RR.K..K. MadhukarM commentary of Mahidhara has been followedowed PuPublishedblishe by New Age which is unambiguous, easy to understand, truerue to BBooks,ooks, A-44, Naraina the original and quite concise. IIndustrialndustria Area Phase-I, In this work we come across the originaliginal NewNew DelhiDel 110 028. 2014, verses, their sources, analysis of conjoined wwordsords paperback,paperbac pp.351+xvii, in the Sanskrit verses, the Bengali translation and a Rs.375.Rs.375. few explanatory notes. All these are given mainlynly to TThereh are several make the readers congenial to reflect upon initiallyitially GayatrisGayatris but when the and realise the truths eternally since this work is not tetermrm is mentmentionedi without any merely a philosophical treatise, but is a conclusivelusive adadjective,jective, iitt is oonlynnly the twtwenty-foure syllables statement of truth. uttereduuttered byy VishwamitraVishwwamitra whosewhos sheer tapasya ______R. GOGOPALAKRISHNAN,PALA CHENNAIHENNAI gainedgainedd hhimim tthehe ttitle,itlle, Brahmarishi.Brahmarish It is a guardian chant, as the etymology of the word makes it clear: HINDUISMINDUISM FOR DUMMIES gaayantham traayatei iti gayatri. The chanter prays to the Sun’s force (Savitri) to come down and ByBy Dr. AmruturA V. empower his human persona. SrSrinivasaninivasa The entire world is aware of the sun who is PuPublishedblish by Wiley literally the life-giver for humanity. Just as the sun PuPublishingblishin Inc, 111 River St, belongs to everybody, the prayer to the Sun-force HHoboken,oboken NJ 07030-5774. is not imprisoned into a particular group, caste ReceivedReceived from Sri Sheenu or religion. It is a simple truth which had to be Srinivasan,Srinivas 25 Colony restated by a Judge of the Madras High Court to Circle,Circle, Glastonbury, CT dismiss a petition against its use. By the time you 06033.06033. UU.S.A. Paperback, reach this significant judgement, you would have p.366.p.366. traversed 338 pages, rich with a variety of material ThisTThiis book iiss written chiefly that focuses on the Gayatri mantra and how it has a forffor readersreeadders in USUS who are not familiar with central place in Indian culture. HinduHHindu cucultureltture anandnd rereligion.ligion. It trtriesi to introduce the R.K. Madhukar, true to his name, has readersreadders to tthehe vvariousarious HHinduindu belibeliefs, books, stories, been gathering honey drops to produce this legends, festivals, places of pilgrimage, etc. As the book which has taken shape as a handbook on

The V edanta K esari ~ 281 ~ JULY 2015 44

Sanatana Dharma. After giving an idea of the vested interest. Saints and philosophers of world sacred literature produced by ancient Indians, repute who stood above the barriers of religion Mr. Madhukar touches upon the various ways in had commended the recitation and chanting of the which man has tried to perfect his body (through mantra.’ (pp. 340-1) yoga including Kundalini) and intellect (Vedanta). Truly said. And our Honey-bee (Sri As we go through the pages we get to know of Madhukar) has other areas also waiting for him our past brought to us in the current idiom. For to add to his study. Like the sun-worship of the instance: ‘Mantra, in effect, relates to the utterance Tamilians which gives a profound opening to of words so that it creates specific sound vibrations.’ the ancient Tamil epic, Silappadhikaram. Nearer So we learn certain salient features of our cultural our time, Sri Aurobindo has translated the riks ancestry and how many of the concepts are still in on Savitar in the Rig Veda, has written on Surya practice. Savitri and Bhaga Savitri; he has also composed Technically, ‘Gayatri’ becomes the subject the highly acclaimed English epic Savitri: A Legend from the 33rd chapter onwards. It is a Mahamantra, and a Symbol. The title has twenty-four letters the Mother of the Vedas. The mantra has been as the twenty-four syllables of the Gayatri. The extolled as superior to all else in the and possibilities are endless for this splendid subject and the recounts how Viswamitra struggled Gayatri: The Profound Prayer, has made an eloquent, hard to attain the state of a Brahmarishi, was most welcome beginning. congratulated by Vasishta for his achievement andand ______PREMA NANDAKUMARNANDAKUMAR,, SRIRANGAM, TAMILNADU received the Mahamantra from a pleased Goddessdess Gayatri. There is also the Pushkar story. We get VERSESERSES OF THE DIVINE to know how Gayatri, Saviri and Saraswati are SPIRITUALPIRITUA LIFE—PART 3 often invoked together: ‘She is called Gayatri in the morning, Savitri in the afternoon and Saraswatiwati Swami Dayanand Giriji in the evening.’ Why so? There are severalral MaMaharajhara justifications brought to our notice. Devvuduudu TranslatedTranslat by Prof. Narasimha Sastry’s creativity as a writer helpslps A.S.MahajanA.S.Mah him draw the way the mantra works as an PublishedPublish by Devotees for inspiration: freefreee distribution.distr 2014. Copies ‘Salutations to thee, O Goddess who abidetheth availableavaia labl from G. C. Garg, in every heart and inspires it. Salutations to theeheee 99,99, PrePreete Nagar, Ambala City Savitri devi, who is the personification of Savitruitru – 134 0003, Haryana. Pp.15 and shines like a cluster of Sun’s rays. Thouhou +xxxiv+368.+xxxiv+3368. HaHardrd bbound. inspirest the growth and development of mind andand ThisThis vvolume,olume, says the Publisher,P is the third intellect. Hence, thou are called Saraswati Devi,evi, partpap rtt ofof thethe book bearing the samesa name and it deals Goddess of Learning. Thou abides everywhere and withith spirituali it l psychology.h l ThThe discourses by Swami fructifies all good actions. Thou art called Gayatri Dayanand Giriji Maharaj have been translated into devi, Salutations to thee Gayatri Devi!’ (p. 255) English, verses and narration. In a lengthy Preface, It is a joy to read through the book, as even the topics covered by the discourses are explained. the appendices are significant areas. It is good A brief sketch of the life of Swami Dayanand Giriji he has given Justice D.Raju’s observations on Maharaj who set an example of a renunciate has the secular nature of the Gayatri Mantra while been included in the book. dismissing the petition of the Dravida Kazhakam Detailed explanations follow the texts that had sought to describe the Mahamantra as a of the verses. The Swami has visualized all symbol of Brahmanic orthodoxy. The learned Judge conceivable experiences that human beings had said: undergo, particularly the power of the mind that ‘There is nothing on record to demonstrate attempts to besmirch a desire to progress from that the Gayatri Mantra is the privilege of any the mundane to the divine. The trivialities of the community. Even ancient texts and scriptures nature of worldly life, need to cultivate dispassion, will belie such blasphemous claims, if any, of any discrimination between the real and unreal, false

The V edanta K esari ~ 282 ~ JULY 2015 45 ideas of spiritual life, foolishly pining over past and considered far superior to rigorous penance or events, and several related issues have all been mastery of scriptures. In order to promote devotion, the addressed by the author. book contains the thousand names of Divine Mother We are also reminded of the inexhaustible worshipped as Shri Mahaalasaa Naaraayani. The prayers fountain of wisdom of the Upanishads. One of are rendered in English with corresponding words in the verses very rightly cautions aspirants against Sanskrit. This method of presentation has its value resorting to extremes. Explains the author, ‘. . . although some inconsistencies are unavoidable. The best Renounce only that much worldly pleasure as course would be to have the words pronounced and made is contrary to attaining salvation. . . Don’t be a available in a CD as some publishers do. votary of pains for nothing.’ (p.150). Further, ‘. . . Anyway, the author must be complimented for his Actually, nothing exists there (referring to the worworldld) efforts in briningg out this book. but the wrong view has created this world off son, ______P. SS.. SSUNDARAM, MUMBAI father, friend, foe etc.’ (page 165). For meditationtation to succeed ‘. . . the mind should be completelyy free A SPRAY OF MYSTIC from the worries of the outer world. . . ’ (p.203).p.203). MELODYELODY The consequences of anger caused by one’ss own By Prof.Prof. Dr. K. negligence are exposed through an interestingesting illustration. (pp. 241/42). SuSubrahmanyambrahm Many of the sermons remind us ooff the PuPublishedblishe by Sanatana words of Sri Ramakrishna. In his unique wayay Sri Publications,Publica No.142 Ramakrishna observed that all those that we callall oourur F,F , SaSabarib Sanatana, own will disappear when earthly life ends. GreenwaysGreenwa Road, Raja At places the texts of the verses as translatedslated Annamalaipuram,Annamala Chennai and the narration are vague. Some more clarityy will - 600 0028,2 omsanatana@ help an aspirant. To illustrate how ‘passion is the gmail.com,gmail.co paperback, root cause of all pain’, a commonplace experiencerience pppp.128.Rs.100.11288.Rs.100 is mentioned but better editing would make itt easy TheThe bookbook isis a charmingcharmin bouquet of 60 to understand (verse 218, 219). The verses conveyonvey verse-blossomsversr e-blossomss celebrating,celebrrating, mainly,mai the majesty useful lessons for spiritual development. After andand gloryglory of,of chiefly,chiefly twotwow divinitiesdivinit viz. Shiva and necessary editing of the verses as well as narration Krishna. The beauty of the string of verse-blossoms the contents of the book would serve as a valuable is that while the verse-blossoms, individually, guide for divine lifelife.. exude varied aromas of shifting moods, the garland, ______P. SS.. SSUNDARAM, MUMBAI as a whole, emits the sweet fragrance of Bhakti palpably and pervasively. SHRIHRI MAHAALASAAAH It is a song of freewheeling blank verse, NAARAAYANIAARAAY SAHASRA almost a sort of poetic prose, void of the frills of NAAMAAVALIAAMAAV rhymes and rhythms. And yet, traces of poetic charm unmistakably surface in the verses. The By SureshSures J. Pai disarming simplicity of language is the special merit PuPublishedblished by Shri Mahaa- of the book. lasaalasaa NNaaraayani Devi The author has packaged profound and Kshethra,Kshethra 41, Shiroor, soul-stirring ideas in simple poetic language. He HarikandigeHarikand - 576 124, has employed, to good effect, varied techniques UdupiUdupi DDist., Karnataka. of poetry such as praise through censure (nindaa [email protected] stuti), open eulogy, appeal to divine compassion, 2013. PaperPap back, Pp.192, prayers brimming with pathos, poignant petitions, PrPriceice RRsRs.. 7575/-./-. undisguised complaints, forthright expostulations InI thethe Kaliyuga,Kala iiyuga, ththe ideal path to et al. A few verses scale high altitudes of emotional salvationsallvattion iss devotiondevvotion throughthrough naamajapa of the expression and contain memorable and punchy Divine.Divine ThisThis hashas beenbeen recommendedrecoc mmended by spiritual leaders epigrams.

The V edanta K esari ~ 283 ~ JULY 2015 46

The very title of the book ‘A Spray of Mystic by observance, some learn from hearing and some Melody’ has a poetic ring. The bunch of verses is others learn by suffering.’ An instance from the certainly a mystic spray which, by its soft sprinkle, book: A young boy from Sadhu Vaswani Gurukul drenches us with the force of a cathartic cascade. was offered a gift of Rs.10 by a neighbour if he The book contains a few typos that should be could show a place of God’s presence. The clever corrected in future editions. The minor flaws in the boy countered with a gift of Rs.500 from his father book do not detract from the value of the book that if the neighbourgp could show a place without God. is spiritually nourishing and aesthetically delightful.ghtful. ______P. SS.. SUNDARAM, MUMBAI The paperback book is quite handy and printednted in bold letters. GURUURU ______N.N. HARIHARAN,HA MADURAIADURAI By SureshSures J. Pai PuPublishedblish by Shri LESSONSESSONS LIFE HAS TAUGHTUGHT MaMahaalasaahaala Naaraayani ME DDevievi KsKshethra,h 41, Shiroor, By J.P.J.P. VaswaniV HHarikandigearikan - 576 124, PuPublishedblish by Gita UdUdupiupi DDist., Karnataka. PuPublishingblishi House, SaSadudu [email protected] VaswaniVaswan Mission,, 110,0, 2014. P.96P.9 + iv. Paperback. SadhuSadhu Vaswani PatPath,h, Rs.50.Rs.50. PunePune - 411001, gph@ In tthe Indian tradi- sadhuvaswani.org,sadhu v o rg, tition,on, tththee precepreceptorp or Guru, is Paperback,Paperbac Pp.288, Rs.150.s.150. accordedaccorded ttheheh hhighestigghest honour,hono and has the AAnyny book by Dada staturesstaature of the DDivine.ivvine. IInn other wwordso God manifests VVaVaswaniswani wwill bring solace asa GGuru.uru. EpicsEpics suchsuch asas RamayanaRamayan reveal the high anandd hohopepe ttoo ththehe depressdepressede and prepare a position enjoyed by the Guru in society. hhehealthyalthy mind.mind. ThisThis bbookook is no exceptionex and must The book Guru provides in great detail bbe wwelcomed.elcoc med. ‘information related to several aspects of spiritual Young and old, often burdened by negative path like Guru, real Guru, disciple, his qualities and emotions, preyas getting the better of shreyas, responsibilities, service to Guru’ and the need for find many reasons to complain. Thought waves surrender. Guru leads the disciple from ignorance are powerful and shape the character. A careful to illumination. Guru comes in the life of a person observation of thoughts reveals negative traits who has a passion for spiritual growth. like ‘fear, anxiety, loss of control, stress, anger and The author details the relationship between envy’. Faith in God will remove them asserts the the Guru and disciple. The commitment of the author. Awareness of God as our eternal companion disciple has to be total; householders could find and ability to surrender to his Divine Will, are some of them challenging. among several lessons that Dada Vaswani conveys The perfect form of Guru-shishya relationship to the reader. is illustrated in the lives of Sri Ramakrishna and The book has 31 lessons, each accompanied his direct monastic and lay disciples. These were by appropriate tales in support. The first, for further refined in the case of Holy Mother Sri instance, is a popular story about the power of who would even undertake Japa on faith. The stories are followed by ‘Exercises’ to behalf of her disciples where needed. reinforce the moral. ‘All power is within you. . . You The author has taken pains to bring together are the creator of your own destiny. . . Each soul every aspect of the relationship between the student is potentially Divine. . .’ Swamiji’s forceful words and teacher. The book will need further editing to come to mind while reading this book. remove grammatical/spelling errors and repetition Swami Premananda, one of the direct of ideas. disciples of Sri Ramakrishna, observed, ‘Some learn ______P. S. SUNDARAM, MUMBAI

The V edanta K esari ~ 284 ~ JULY 2015 The V edanta K esari 47 JULY 2015

Spirituality Today The Centenary Issue of The Vedanta Kesari December 2014 Copies Available The Vedanta Kesari completed its century in 1914-2014. One of India’s oldest religious monthlies in English with an uninterrupted circulation for 100 years, it celebrated its centenary by bringing out a Centenary Issue in December 2014. • With Spirituality Today as its theme, the Centenary Issue has over three dozen articles by learned monks and scholars on what spirituality is, present trends in spiritual practices in India and abroad, essentials of spirituality and so on. • ‘Hear, Ye Children of Immortal Bliss’—a special presentation of 16 colour pages with inspiring quotes on spirituality by the Holy Trio and others. Pages 300. Now available for 30 rupees per copy. Postage rupees 11 per copy. For more details, please write to: Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai - 600 014. Email: [email protected]

Swami Vivekananda The Charm of His Personality and Message

ByB any measure, Swami Vivekananda had a multifarious aandnd multidimensionalm personality. He was a great saint, ththinker,inke scholar, educationist, organiser, nationalist, traveller, writewriter,r poet, musician, ambassador of Indian Culture to the West, and what not! To study the personality and message of susuchc a diverse person is surely a rewarding and enriching eexperience,xperi both individually and collectively. No wonder, SwaSwamijim continues, and will continue to, inspire millions of ppeopleeopl the world around. This book, focussing on various aaspectsspect of his manifold personality and ever-inspiring message, iiss a tributetri to the greatness and majesty that is Vivekananda— oonn hishis 150th Birth Anniversary.

Paperback,Paaperback, pages viii + 455 Price: Rs. 110/- + PoPostage:stage: Rs.Rs. 30/- forfor single copy. No request for VPP entertained Published by Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai - 600 004 The V edanta K esari 48 JULY 2015

6^P°1[TbbTSQh7Xb BPRaTSC^dRW SwamiSwam Vivekananda travelled the length and breadth of InIndiadia duringdurin his Parivrajak-days. Motivated by an inner urge ttoo exploreexplore and imbibe the varying colours of India and her ttimelessimeless culture,cu and inspired by a deep monastic passion to vvisitisit variousvariou Tirthas that dot India’s sacred geography, Swamiji went aroundaroun the country. During these travels, he visited Goa iinn 1892 andan spent some days in this ancient part of India— sseeingeeing momosts of its sacred places, interacting with many people iinn Goa,Goa, bothbo eminent and commoners. This booklet provides aann overviewovervie of this visit, bringing together the scattered facts aandnd information,inform along with multicolour pictures. PublishedPublished by SriSri RamakrishnaRamakr Math, Mylapore, Chennai - 600 004 EmailEmail : [email protected] Pages 72. Price: Rs. 20/- + Postage: Rs.20/-for single copy. No request for VPP entertained

Manifesting Inherent Perfection Education for Complete Self-improvement ThisTh book attempts to discuss the ‘inside’ of education which is man-making. A collection of 50 writings on various aaspectsspects of education ‘in its widest sense’, this book presents tthehe InIndiand worldview of divinity of man and unity of existence. CCompiledompi from the archives of The Vedanta Kesari, these writinwritingsg deal with various aspects of education, including the kkeyey ididease of Yoga and Vedanta which are of great value to all eeducationistsducat and students. ‘As long as I live, so long do I learn,’ ssaidaid SSrir Ramakrishna. This handy volume on education draws oourur attattention to this fact through articles, stories and personal aaccountsccoun of monks, teachers, students, scholars and commoners.

Hardbound,Hardbob und, PagesPages 586,586 Price: Rs.250/- Postage: Rs.75/-for single copy. NoNo request for VPP entertained Published by Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai - 600 004 Email : [email protected] The V edanta K esari 49 JULY 2015

Ramakrishna Math (A Branch of Belur Math) South Nada, Opp. Ashoka Petrol Pump, Haripad - 690514 Dist. Alleppey, Kerala. Phone: 0479-2411700, 0974 5325 834. Email: [email protected], [email protected] Website: www.rkmathharipad.org Help Build A New Centre For Sri Ramakrishna An Appeal Dear Devotees, well-wishers and friends, Ramakrishna Math at Haripad in Kerala was started in 1912 Swami Brahmananda and has been sanctified by the stay of Swami Brahmanandaji Maharaj, the Spiritual Son of Sri Ramakrishna. But by long lapse of time, the buildings have become totally unfit for use. To start with, we propose to have the Monk’s quarters, rooms for Welfare and social activities, office building, Library and free reading room, guests room and a Universal Temple of Sri Ramakrishna. The entire infrastructure has to be re-constructed. By the grace of Bhagawan Sri Ramakrishna, the plans for rebuilding the whole centre has been prepared. The estimated expenditure for this project is Rupees 5 Crores. We invite every one of you the noble-hearted people, specially the devotees of Sri Ramakrishna, to come forward with their generous donations to enable us to erect this abode for Sri Ramakrishna and serve humanity. Every one, who participates in this seva-yajna (service-sacrifice) will be a sure recipient of the blessings of Bhagawan Sri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother Sarada Devi and Swami Vivekananda. Yours in the Lord, Swami Virabhadrananda, Adhyaksha Details for sending donations Donations from India: Cheque / D.D may be drawn in favour of ‘Ramakrishna Math, Haripad’ NEFT Transfer :A/C Number : 30642551603, : State Bank of India. Haripad. RTGS/NEFT/IFSC code: SBIN0010596. (In case of NEFT transfer please email your Name, Amount, Postal Address, PAN NUMBER, phone number &transaction details to [email protected] This is for accounting purposes.) Donations from Foreign countries: Kindly draw a Cheque / Draft in favour of "Ramakrishna Math" and send it to the General Secretary, Ramakrishna Math, Belur Math, Dt. Howrah (West Bengal), Pin -711 202, India. In the covering letter mention that it is a donation for Haripad Centre building fund. And inform all the details of the donation to e-mail: [email protected], [email protected] Donations to Ramakrishna Math are Exempt from Income Tax Under Section 80 G. Old godown used as Monks’ Quarters at present Old building in a dilapidated condition The V edanta K esari 50 JULY 2015

Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda University (RKMVU) Declared by Govt. of India under section 3 of UGC Act, Faculty of Disability Management and Special Education (FDMSE) Specialized Faculty Centre, Coimbatore. The multi-campus Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda University (RKMVU) has its headquarters at Belur Math, Howrah, W.B. Its Faculty of Disability Management and Special Education (FDMSE) is in the Ramakrishna Mission Vidyalaya, Ooty Main Road, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu 641020. ¾ The Faculty prepares teachers in the field of Special Education (Visual Impairment, Hearing Impairment and Mental Retardation). ¾ Special Education course imparts practical and theoretical training for providing professional service to disabled persons and their rehabilitation. ¾ Anyone who undergoes this course is called a Special Teacher or Special Educator. ¾ Both normal individuals and persons with disabilities can pursue Special Education courses. COURSES OFFERED: DEGREE COURSES S.No Course Entry Qualification B.Ed. in Special Education 1 Any degree with 50% marks (Visual Impairment/ Hearing Impairment/ Mental Retardation M.Ed. in Special Education B.Ed. in Special Education with 2 (Visual Impairment/ Hearing Impairment/ Mental Retardation 50% marks 3 M.Phil. in Special Education M.Ed. in Special Education M.Phil. / M.Ed. in Special 4 Ph.D. in Special Education Education Special B.Ed. is equivalent to General B.Ed., according to G.O (Ms) No.56 dt.24.04.2012 DIPLOMA / CERTIFICATE COURSE S.No Course Entry Qualification D.Ed. in Special Education 1 Pass in + 2 (Visual Impairment/ Hearing Impairment/ Mental Retardation DISLI 10th Pass for Deaf persons / 2 (Dip. In Sign Language Interpretation) +2 Pass for Hearing persons CTAHD 10th Pass/ +2 / UG/ PG of any 3 (Certificate Course in Theatre Arts for Holistic Development) discipline CCAT 10th Pass/ +2 / UG/ PG of any 4 (Certificate Course in Assistive Technology) discipline (D.Ed., DISLI, B.Ed., M.Ed. Courses are approved by Rehabilitation Council of India) Hostel Facilities are available, separately for Men and Women For more details contact: Visit us: The Assistant Administrative Head, FDMSE, RKMVU www.vucbe.org Faculty of Disability Management and Special Education Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda University SRKV Post, Periyanaikenpalayam, Coimbatore 641020 Phone: 0422-2697529, 2698553, Cell: 75027 32223, Email: [email protected] The V edanta K esari 51 JULY 2015

Swami Yatiswarananda As We Knew Him Reminiscences of Monastic and Lay Devotees Compiled and edited by the monks and devotees of the Ramakrishna order (A set of two volumes) Swami Yatiswarananda (1889-1966) was an eminent disciple of Swami Brahmananda Maharaj, the spiritual son of Sri Ramakrishna and the first President of the Ramakrishna Order. Swami Yatiswarananda lived with many direct disciples of Sri Ramakrishna and was the President of Mumbai and Chennai Centres of Ramakrishna Math before leaving for Europe in 1933. At the request of earnest devotees in Germany, he was sent to Germany, Switzerland, Holland, and later America. He returned to India in 1950 and was the President of Ramakrishna Math, Bangalore, from 1951 to 1966. He was one of the Vice Presidents of the Ramakrishna Order. His well-known books, Adventures in Religious Life, and Meditation and Spiritual Life, are classics in holistic approach to spirituality, harmonizing the Four Yogas of Jnana, Karma, Bhakti and Dhyana. Containing more than 100 articles by senior monks, nuns and devotees of the Ramakrishna Order, the new book has a detailed biography of Swami Yatiswarananda, select letters, precepts and several pictures. An audio CD containing 16 recordings of his lectures and chanting are a part of the book. Book Size : ‘Royal’, Hardbound Price: Rupees 200/- per set (total pages 1550) Postage: Rupees 100 per set (registered parcel) No request for VPP entertained Published by Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai - 600004 Email: [email protected] The V edanta K esari 52 JULY 2015 The V edanta K esari 53 JULY 2015

NAVAJEEVAN BLIND RELIEF CENTRE (FREE HOME FOR THE BLIND, ORPHAN AND AGED) TIRUCHANOOR, TIRUPATI–517503. Ph : 0877-2239992, 9908537528 [Mob.] E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.navajeevan.org An Appeal 36 Years of Service to Humanity 1979–2015 1. Navajeevan School & Hostel for Blind Children ‒ Tirupati, Parlekhimundi, Golamunda 2. Navajeevan Free Eye Hospital ‒ Tirupati 3. Navajeevan Free Home for Aged ‒ Tirupati, , Parlekhimundi and Chennai 4. Navajeevan Annaksetram - Kothapeta / Rishikesh 5. Navajeevan Sharanagati Vridhashram ‒ Tirupati 6. Navajeevan Rural Medical Centres - Berhampur [Orissa] 7. Navajeevan Eye Care Centres - Serango & Kalahandi [Orissa] 8. Navajeevan Orphanage Children Homes ‒ Tirupati, Parlehkimundi, Saluru, Golamunda, Berhampur, Pandukal, Vizag & Araku 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. Vidyadan̶Educational 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 54 JULY 2015 55

I tell you, he who wants Sri Ramakrishna’s image Him finds Him. Go and at Ramakrishna Advaita verify it in your own life. Ashrama , Kalady, Kerala Try for three days, try with genuine zeal, and you are sure to succeed. He finds God quickest whose concentration and yearning are strongest. —Sri Ramakrishna

Regd. Off. & Fact. : Plot No.88 & 89, Phase - II, Sipcot Industrial Complex, Ranipet - 632 403, Tamil Nadu. Phone : 04172 - 244820, 651507, Tele Fax : 04172 - 244820 E-mail : [email protected] Web Site : www.svisslabss.net PRIVATE LIMITED (Manufacturers of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients and Intermediates) The V edanta K esariWith Best ~ Compliments 55 ~ JULY From: 2015 Vol.102-7 The Vedanta Kesari (English Monthly) July 2015. Regd. with the Registrar of Newspapers for India under No.1084 / 1957. POSTAL REGISTRATION NUMBER:TN / CH (C) / 190 / 15-17. LICENSED TO POST WITHOUT PREPAYMENT TN/PMG(CCR)/WPP-259 / 2015-2017. Date of Publication: 24th of every month

Teach yourselves, teach everyone his/her real nature, call upon the sleeping soul and see how it awakes. Power will come, glory will come, goodness will come, purity will come, and everything that is excellent will come, when this sleeping soul is roused to self-con- scious activity. —Swami Vivekananda

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Contact:The Sri RamakrishnaV edanta K esari Math, ~Chennai. 56 ~ JULY Website: 2015 www.chennaimath.org