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Swami Vivekananda’s Statue at Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama, Belgaum, Karnataka

June 2015 2

India's Timeless Wisdom

Daylight and darkness, dusk and dawn, winter and springtime come and go. Time plays and life ebbs away. But the storm of desire, one never leaves. (Hence) Worship the Lord, Worship the Lord. —Bhaja Govindam by Adi Shankaracharya

Editor: SWAMI ATMASHRADDHANANDA Managing Editor: SWAMI GAUTAMANANDA PrintedPri and published by Swami Vimurtananda on behalf of Sri Ramakrishna Math Trustst 2 fromThe No.31, RamakrishnaV edanta KMathesari Road, ~ Mylapore, ~ JUNE 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. 6 ISSN 0042-2983

A CULTURAL AND SPIRITUAL MONTHLY OF THE RAMAKRISHNA ORDER Started at the instance of Swami Vivekananda in 1895 as Brahmavâdin, it assumed the name The Vedanta Kesari in 1914. For free edition on the Web, please visit: www.chennaimath.org CONTENTS

JUNE 2015 Gita Verse for Reflection 205 Editorial „The Gift of Remembrance: A Spiritual Perspective 206 Articles „Swami Vivekananda: —A Tribute to His Personality and Achievements 214 P. Raman Menon „Balaram Mandir and Swami Brahmananda 217 Hiranmoy Mukherjee „The Practice of Prayer 221 William Page „Some Aspects of Religion and Spirituality 232 Swami Sthiratmananda Travelogue „Amarnath Yatra: A Memorable Pilgrimage 224 Swami Tathagatananda Reminiscences „‘Is He a Man or a God?’ 228 Haripada Mitra New Find „Unpublished Letters of Swami Saradananda 230 Compilation „Insights into Some Keywords: In Swami Vivekananda’s Words 236 The Order on the March 237 Book Reviews 239 Feature „Simhâvalokanam (How Can We Live a Clean Unworried Life?) 210 Cover Story: Page 6 The V edanta K esari 4 JUNE 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 JUNE 2015 The V edanta K esari 6 JUNE 2015

N Cover Story N Swami Vivekananda Statue at Belgaum Ashrama Swami Vivekananda visited Belgaum, in north Karnataka, and stayed there from 15th to 27th October 1892. His 13-day stay in Belgaum revolved around two houses where he stayed as a guest—Sri Sadashiv Bhate’s house and Sri Haripada Mitra’s house. While Bhate’s house was Bhates’ personal property where Swamiji stayed for the first 4 days, Haripada Mitra, being a sub-divisional forest officer, lived in Government quarters. Swamiji stayed with Haripada Mitra for the remaining 9 days. (One finds Haripada Mitra’s conversations and reminiscences of Swamiji’s stay at his house in Reminiscences of Swami Vivekananda, published by Advaita Ashrama—see p.228 of this issue) After Haripada Mitra, other occupants made many additions and alterations to this 19th century building and over time neglect had greatly damaged the structure. Following an appeal by admirers and devotees of Swamiji, the Karnataka State Government transferred the building along with a surrounding land of 0.8 acres to the Ramakrishna Mission in 2000. After a thorough restoration, this historic building sanctified by Swamiji’s stay is being maintained as a memorial and is the nucleus of other developments of Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama at Belgaum. In the main hall of this building, used as a meditation hall for visitors, a three and a half feet high fibre-glass statue of Swami Vivekananda in the seated posture was unveiled in 2006. Incidentally the Bhate’s house is now being restored as a second memorial to Swami Vivekananda at Belgaum. †

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VOL. 102, No. 6, JUNE 2015 ISSN 0042-2983

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

7

Gita Verse for Reflection Tr. by Swami Tapasyananda

—Bhagavad Gita, 12-9 If you are unable to fix your mind steadily on Me (even at the start), then try to reach Me through the systematic practice of concentration. B

When you are trying to think of God, that is the very time these Samskaras appear. At other times they are not so active; but when you want them not, they are sure to be there, trying their best to crowd in your mind. Why should that be so? Why should they be much more potent at the time of concentration? It is because you are repressing them, and they react with all their force. At other times they do not react. How countless these old past impressions must be, all lodged somewhere in the Chitta, ready, waiting like tigers, to jump up! These have to be suppressed that the one idea which we want may arise, to the exclusion of the others. Instead they are all struggling to come up at the same time. These are the various powers of the Samskaras in hindering concentration of the mind. So this . . . [concentration] is the best to be practised, on account of its power of suppressing the Samskaras. The Samskara which will be raised by this sort of concentration will be so powerful that it will hinder the action of the others, and hold them in check. —Swami Vivekananda, CW, 1.233

The V edanta K esari ~ 205 ~ JUNE 2015 Editorial

The Gift of Remembrance A Spiritual Perspective

‘Do not Forget’ assistance of someone to remind us of an ‘Do not forget to bring tomatoes.’ ‘And appointment. Some people use written notes also biscuits and butter.’ to remind them of something. Reminders and ‘In your physics exam, remember to do remembrances keep chasing us in various the difficult questions first and then others.’ ways. ‘The passport requires a good picture of yours. Do not forget to bring it along.’ Understanding ‘Memory’ ‘Remember to greet your classmate on What is memory? Neuroscientists and his birthday.’ experts in the structure and functions of brain ‘Do not forget your dear younger brother allot a physical status to memory. And rightly when you become a big man.’ so. There is a physical and neurological aspect ‘Remember to talk to your chairman for of memory. In the Yoga tradition, memory is, the salary hike that is long overdue.’ however, viewed as a modification of mind— ‘Nothing works, remember, better than vritti. Called Smriti in Sanskrit, memory is held honesty and hard work.’ to be a capacity of mind. Sage Patanjali says in Reminders and instructions such as these Yogasutra,2 and in innumerable other forms keep coming Anubhuta-vishayasampramoshah smritih. into our mindscape in various situations and Memory is when Vrittis [cognitive thoughts] of times. They are part of our lives. We are told perceived subjects do not slip away and through in numerous ways to ‘remember’, ‘not forget’, impressions come back to consciousness. ‘do remember’, ‘keep in mind’; and so on. Swami Vivekananda’s observations on Reminders everywhere, almost every time— this Sutra are: that is the way of life. Memory can come from direct perception, false Not only in our mundane, day-to-day knowledge, verbal delusion, and sleep. For lives, in our spiritual and moral aspects too, instance, you hear a word. That word is like we are reminded in various ways. Sri Krishna a stone thrown into the lake of the Chitta [i.e. says in the Gita1, ‘Remember Me, and fight mind]; it causes a ripple, and that ripple rouses [the battle of life]’. Sometimes reminders come a series of ripples; this is memory. So in sleep. to us through unexpected ways and people, When the peculiar kind of ripple called sleep situations and circumstances. Sometimes throws the Chitta into a ripple of memory, it commonplace people or children may remind is called a dream. Dream is another form of one of some important but forgotten truth of the ripple which in the waking state is called life. Or reading some book, or article or news memory. may remind us of something vital. Sometimes A thinker once called memory as a little we keep ‘reminders’ in our mobiles or seek child who is walking on the seashore, picking

The V edanta K esari ~ 206 ~ JUNE 2015 9 up pebbles or seashells at random. So we The fewer channels there have been in the brain, too remember or do not remember things and the less the needle of the Prana has made at random. Do we? Or is there some design these passages, the more conservative will be in our randomness? Actually remembering the brain, the more it will struggle against new something depends much on the intensity thoughts. The more thoughtful the man, the of experience and the perceived need to more complicated will be the streets in his brain, remember it. Often the bitter experiences are and the more easily he will take to new ideas, and understand them.3 more intense than the pleasant ones and that is how we remember them more. As to the need This means ‘memory’ is a kind of channel to remember, who needs to be told about not or pathway through which we think. If we touching fire! wish to think fresh and remember what we What happens when we remember learn, we need to create ‘fresh paths’. something? We ‘think’ and that creates a new channel in our minds. In the lucid explanation How Memory is ‘Made’ by Swami Vivekananda: In the spiritual sense, our memory is much determined by the ‘food’ that we take. Every new thought that we have must make, as it 4 were, a new channel through the brain, and that The Chandogya Upanishad says, explains the tremendous conservatism of human Through purity of food comes purity of mind, nature. Human nature likes to run through the through purity of mind comes a steady memory ruts that are already there, because it is easy. If of Truth, and when one gets this memory one we think, just for example’s sake, that the mind is becomes free from all knots of the heart. like a needle, and the brain substance a soft lump Says an eminent monk of the Rama- before it, then each thought that we have makes krishna Order, a street, as it were, in the brain, and this street In the above passage the word ‘food’ means would close up, but for the grey matter which everything that comes in contact with the senses. comes and makes a lining to keep it separate. We must have pure food for the eye, the ear, the If there were no grey matter, there would be no organs of touch, smell, etc. Taking pure physical memory, because memory means going over food for the stomach without purifying all other these old streets, retracing a thought as it were. foods taken in by the senses is of no use.5 Now perhaps you have marked that when one Let us now try to understand the meaning of the talks on subjects in which one takes a few ideas word Ahara, food. The word Ahara means what that are familiar to everyone, and combines and we take in. Does it mean only food? Pure Sattvic recombines them, it is easy to follow because food? Pure vegetarian food? How far does this these channels are present in everyone’s brain, help? It helps a little; but unless you know how and it is only necessary to recur them. But to purify the mind, nothing much happens. whenever a new subject comes, new channels There are plenty of wicked people who are have to be made, so it is not understood readily. vegetarians. What type of vegetarians are they? And that is why the brain (it is the brain, and not Lord bless them! If you feed a poisonous snake the people themselves) refuses unconsciously with pure milk, it will only manufacture poison. to be acted upon by new ideas. It resists. The So it is not enough to fill our bellies with pure Prana is trying to make new channels, and food; our poisonous nature is to be discarded. the brain will not allow it. This is the secret of Therefore Samkara observes while commenting conservatism. on the above passage:

The V edanta K esari ~ 207 ~ JUNE 2015 10

Ahara is that which is taken in, viz., the of the Ramakrishna Order, suggesting a experience of sound, etc., which are taken in powerful solution to handle painful memories: for the experience of the agent; and when this The more you try to forget something, the more cognition of objects is purified, i.e., when the you remember it. You cannot forget anything. cognition of objects becomes free from all taint Any conscious attempt to forget strengthens the of aversion, attachment or delusion—then of one thought, you remember it all the more. having such cognition, the inner nature becomes To forget any thought, do not think about it, pure. think about something else. That is, put your Some of you might have seen the ‘three Japanese mind somewhere else, then the mind goes away monkeys.’ These are three monkey dolls. One from the unwanted thought. If certain memories monkey is closing both the ears, another, both are not pleasant, get away from them by putting the eyes and the third, the mouth. During my the mind on something more sublime. That stay in Europe I came across a stone carving on is why in spiritual life you are asked to think the bank of a lake in Switzerland. There were of God, repeat God’s name even when you also the three monkeys, but with this difference: are disturbed by some memory. To blot out a one had only one eye closed, another had only memory, think of something which is closer to one ear closed and third had half the mouth your heart and soul. . . . Simply telling the mind closed. I was taken aback for a moment. Then not to entertain a thought does not stop it, give in a flash, I understood the meaning. ‘Don’t see it something better, something more divine, what is bad but see what is good. Don’t hear something more precious, and the mind holds what is bad but hear what is good. Don’t speak on to that. what is bad but speak what is good.’ First I Keeping the mind on some divine thought, thought it was an original idea. Then my mind divine name, is of great spiritual significance; turned to the famous Vedic prayer: psychologically it helps us a lot; you can avoid O gods, may we hear with our ears what is many problems, many difficult situations. Even auspicious. without an effort on your part, thoughts come O ye adorable ones, may we see with our eyes up at different times according to the different what is auspicious. suggestions outside or inside. The only way you May we sing praises to ye and may we enjoy can avoid them is to put the mind elsewhere— with strong limbs and body the life allotted us the thought that you give the mind must be by the gods.6 stronger that the one you want to avoid, it must draw your entire mind.’7 ‘Need’ to Forget Sri Krishna says in the Gita (15.15) that The gift of memory includes not only ‘forgetfulness too arises from Him!’ Forgetting the the ability to remember but also the what needs to be forgotten is important in ability to forget what needs to be forgotten. using this gift of remembrance or else it We have, along with good memories, many becomes an instrument of misery and constant bad memories too. What to do with them? We pain. wish to forget those memories. Someone hurt or cheated us; spoke or behaved unkindly with Cultivating Memory us and so on. And we wish to forget it for that Memory is important but how to handle is the best way to deal with those experiences. it is the point. Portraying a graphic picture of How to do it? Says one of the eminent monks the ways of mind, Sri Krishna says in the Gita8:

The V edanta K esari ~ 208 ~ JUNE 2015 11

In one who dwells longingly on sense objects, there. . . It keeps gaining momentum in the an inclination towards them is generated. This course of its fall and does not stop until it reaches inclination develops into desire, and desire the bottom . . . [Similarly] The falling mind begets anger. keeps gathering momentum until it comes down Anger generates delusion, and delusion results crashing to a very low level of human life. This in loss of memory. Loss of memory brings about is the moral fall of man. . . Hence there is need to the destruction of discriminative intelligence and exercise great caution. Be alert! Be alert!9 loss of discriminative intelligence spells ruin to In other words, ‘remember’ always, ‘do a man. not forget’ ever. ‘Delusion results in loss of memory’ To develop remembrance, in a spiritual not only when we are angry and upset and perspective, remember our divine nature. This do things harmful and unethical but it also is generally done in two ways: either being comes when we are careless. Carelessness aware of our divine core, ‘separating’ it from (called Pramada in Sanskrit) does not mean the material entity—drig-drishya viveka or the not doing something but while knowing what discernment of the seer from the seen. This, of is to be done—due to a lazy attitude and lack course, presupposes purification of mind. And of seriousness—forgetting to do it. That is why having mentally separated oneself from the we have to be reminded, again and again. changing and therefore painful phenomenon If ‘loss of memory’ is equivalent to called this material world, one then dwells in carelessness (Pramada), then it implies that one’s Divine Self. one should cultivate constant, unbroken The other method, much easier and memory of the ideal of our divinity. If we fail widely used, is Nama-smaranam, remem- to do it, we ‘fall’ down. And it all happens bering the Divine Name—or the sacred imperceptibly. Acharya Shankara points the name of the Personal God one believes in. dangers of Pramada in Viveka-chudamani (325), This means doing Japa or repeating God’s If the mind ever so slightly strays from the ideal Name. This repetition is not a mechanical and becomes outgoing, then it goes down and act, done with speed and hurry. It is a loving down, just as a play-ball inadvertently dropped remembrance of the Lord, the Beloved One. on the staircase comes down from one step to Both of these methods are effective another. in bringing back the memory of our divine Comments an eminent monk of the nature, our Divinity, to us. And what else is Ramakrishna Order on this verse: the purpose of spiritual living? ‘Remember Me A boy plays with a ball standing on the top stair. and fight’. One should recall till recalling Inadvertently the ball slips from the hands and becomes effortless and one becomes esta- falls on the first stair. The ball does not stop blished in it. †

References 1. Gita, 8.7 6. ibid, pp.296-297 2. Patanjali Yogasutra, 1.11 7. Meditation and its Culmination by Swami 3. CW, 1.225 Sarvagatananda, volume one p.158 4. Chandogya Upanishad, 7.26.2 8. Gita, 2.62-63 5. Meditation and Spiritual Life by Swami 9. The Message of Viveka-chudamani, Swami Ranga- Yatiswarananda, Advaita Ashrama, pp.172 nathananda, Advaita Ashrama, p.531

The V edanta K esari ~ 209 ~ JUNE 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...) Or suppose a brick-layer suddenly stumbles on a brick made of gold which he had never seen before in his life. When he goes to lift that brick he will find it incredibly heavy. Why? Because all his life he had only lifted clay bricks. When he went to lift the brick made of gold he thought its weight would be like that of any other clay brick. But the fact was not so. And therefore he found it too heavy, though the weight of the gold brick never increased or decreased. From these examples we can derive a useful lesson which will be helpful throughout our life. The lesson is this: that facts and our concepts of facts are two different things. When through careful study, observation and verification, we make our concepts of facts conform to the facts themselves, then it is a true concept of fact. A true concept of fact may be considered to be identical with the fact for all practical purposes. But when we have not cared to do so we are not dealing with a true concept of facts but a false conception of it; that is to say, we are dealing with untruth, or mere illusion, which for all practical pur poses has become a fact for us, with all its implications for our lives. There is a Bengali saying, that it is not the tiger of the forest that devours you, but it is the tiger of your mind. As regards the worries of our past sins it may be said that mostly we are being devoured by the tigers of our mind and not by the tigers of the forest. In other words, our worries are not rooted in facts but in our concepts of the facts of sin. Therefore our concept of sin has to be examined. We have to find out how far it tallies with the fact. 1. As regards the sins committed or per sonal sins, we are sure that it is a fact. Even if our friends may not know about it, we know it. It may be said, here the concept of the fact is identical with the fact. And as every committed sin will bear its fruit, there is reason for worry. But is it necessary to worry? It may be natural to worry, but it is not necessary to worry. By worrying over our past sins we do not improve our situation in any way, we rather aggravate it in many ways. We carry an unnecessary burden on our soul all our life. And that affects our nervous system, our present and our future. But it is possible to throw off this

The V edanta K esari ~ 210 ~ JUNE 2015 13 burden. It is an affair of the mind. By doing these three things we can get rid of the worries of our personal sins committed in the past. (1) We must sincerely repent in contrite heart, and in true humility ask pardon of God. (2) We must resolve not to repeat the sins and see to it, no matter what happens, that we keep our resolution. (3) We must be stoically prepared to accept the consequences of sin, as a just retribution, and derive from it a useful education for life. These three things done, we have not to worry about our past sins. 2. The concept of racial or national sin seems to have quite a hold on the minds of the people. If you enjoy certain benefits and privileges by belonging to a race or a nation, you will also be liable to bear its sorrows and agonies. If you inherit your ancestral property, you may have to inherit some hereditary disease also. You can do nothing about it by just worrying. But you can do something about it by not worrying. The mental time which you would spend in worrying over this very myste rious phenomenon, you can better spend in strengthening your character and life. Even if the visitation of nemesis comes on account of that sin, then as a stronger person you will be able to take it easier in your stride. Maybe it will not touch you at all. In any case, from the weakening process of worrying, no gain could possibly accrue. Moreover, your share of the particular sin of your race or nation for which you may be worrying, may be individually counteracted by doing a contrary virtuous act as a matter of personal expiation—if you feel so much about it. This will be something positive to do, which might cancel your share in the racial or national retribution. As an ordinary indivi dual you can do nothing better or more. Then bold preparedness for suffering is any day better than cowardly worrying over an anticipated suffering. Often when you are prepared to suffer, the suffering may not care to inflict you. 3. The Hindu is surprised that anyone should at all be worried about ‘original sin’, which is nothing but a church dogma. Yet as long as you have the concept at the back of your mind, you are worrying about it. But if you want to get rid of this worry then the Hindu can give you an idea. And it is this: lash out of your mind the idea of original sin with the Vedantic concept of divinity of soul, and the inevitability of eventual salvation of every soul. Then you will have no more worry about original sin, as the Hindus have none. Now the fundamentalist will tell you that the original divinity of soul, and the inevitability of the eventual salvation of every soul are nothing but some Hindu ideas. Well, then the doctrine of original sin is also nothing but an idea. And for saving our insides from

The V edanta K esari ~ 211 ~ JUNE 2015 14 being eaten up by worries, it is a very practical and helpful proposition to chase out a bad idea from the mind with the help of a good one. Let me tell you a story: A somewhat drunken man was moving along the street, carrying in his hand a box with perforations on its sides and on the lid. ‘What have you got in the box?’ asked an acquaintance, stopping him on the way. ‘It is a mongoose,’ replied the tipsy man. ‘What on earth for?’ ‘Well, you know how it is with me. I am not very drunk now. But soon I shall be. And when I am, I see snakes all around me and am awfully scared by them. That is why I carry a mongoose for my protection.’ ‘But, good heavens, these are imaginary snakes!’ ‘That’s all right,’ said the drunken man reassuringly, ‘this is also an imaginary mongoose.’ The box was in fact empty. When you are frightened by imaginary snakes it is better you carried an imaginary mongoose. Even that will help. But the Hindu concept of divinity of soul is no imaginary mongoose. It is a real one. Atman has been realized and seen by many. Worries centering round our past can be, therefore, counteracted by these following simple measures: In regard to personal sins: (1) Sincere repentance, (2) Non-repetition of sin, (3) Facing consequences with an anxiety to learn. In regard to racial or national sin: (1) Strengthening character and life, (2) Per formance of virtuous acts as a matter of per sonal expiation, (3) Bold preparedness for joyous suffering. In regard to original sin: Challenging the concept of original sin by the Vedantic concept of divinity of soul and inevitability of salvation of every soul.

VI Now let us turn to worries centering round our future. Our worries, centering round our future, are rooted in: (a) Our general fear of the un- known, (b) our particular fear of losing what we have gained, (c) our fear of old age, and (d) our fear of death. There are many people who live in their past and there are many who live in their future. Those who live in their past are not sufficiently alive. Those who live in their future are not adequately born. To the extent you worry about your future to that extent you are dead to the present. And to that extent you are anti-God also.

The V edanta K esari ~ 212 ~ JUNE 2015 15

When you are dead to the present, you cannot help seeing a fearful ghost in the future making all sorts of faces at you. The more you try to strike at this ghost, the more powerful it appears. There is just no need to strike at the ghost, which is nothing but a mental image projected by yourself on the screen of your future. It has no objective reality at all. If you do not want to confront the ghost of future worries, the first thing to do is to live in the present—fully, vigorously and enthusiastically with all your heart, mind and brain, concentrated here and now. And this should be done in the light of true religion. When you fail to pay homage to the present by living in it fully, it is but right that you must suffer in the future. And those sufferings will only be a harvest born of the seeds sown by yourself in the gaps of your life in the present. ‘In the heart of this moment is eternity,’ said Meister Eckhart. In this moment alone we are alive. And mark, every moment is this moment only up to the end of time. God being co-eval with eternity, He is in thy heart of this moment. Therefore when we have not lived fully in this moment we have not worshipped God. By failing to worship God we have not only discarded Him, we have also embroiled ourselves in illusion born of ignorance, and resultant suffering. The man who says that he has faith in God and at the same time worries about his future is a simple liar—hard words but fact. If you honestly think you have faith in God and at the same time you find yourself worrying about your future, then there is a clear case here of the necessity of filling up the gaps in your faith. The man of true faith has no worries at all. Why should he worry? Why need he worry? Are not his whole life, his future and all in good hands? Will not God dispense only what is good for him? Well, sufferings may very well come. But will not that be only a symbol of His compassion? Destitution may come, but that will be God’s device to pull you nearer to His heart. When He does not want us to stay separated from Him, He may strip us of everything, of all our upadhis or embellishments, which are only separating agents between man and God. All our worries are rooted in our ego-sense. . . When faith ripens, the ego-sense disappears. And as Sri Ramakrishna says, when this ego-sense disappears all our worries will cease to exist. The man of true faith cannot have fear of the unknown. For what is unknown to him, is also within God. And what is within God is all good. It may be terribly good, of course! But he does not worry about it since it is within God. When faith knocks at our fear of the unknown, it also simultaneously uproots our fear of losing what we have gained, our fear of old age and our fear of death, all of which are rooted in our ego-sense. Therefore the remedies for all our future worries are in these two measures: First, to live in the present, fully, vigorously and enthusiastically with all our heart, mind and brain concentrated here and now, and that in the light of the true religion. Second, to make our faith in God true. (To be continued. . .)

The V edanta K esari ~ 213 ~ JUNE 2015 Article

Swami Vivekananda —A Tribute to His Personality and Achievements P. RAMAN MENON

This article is based on excerpts from ‘Birth Centenary of Swami Vivekananda, 1963’, by the well-known Malayalam poet, Puthezhath Raman Menon. The original writing formed a part of Smaraka Upaharam, a release in Malayalam in 1963, marking the Birth Centenary of Swami Vivekananda. This is a translation from Malayalam by M. Lakshmikumari who heads Vivekananda Vedic Vision, Kodungalloor, Kerala and is author’s daughter. Swami Vivekananda’s birth centenary But for Swami Vivekananda thousands [1963] is being celebrated all over the of people would have rejected the life-giving country with fullest co-operation messages of Vedas based only on the of the Central Government . . . dry unintelligible commentaries Swami Vivekananda was like the of the so-called Pundits. Swami great Adi Shankaracharya, an Vivekananda talked with effulgent soul, unfortunately of authority, as different from a short life duration. It was on 11 Pundit because he could delve September 1893 that Swamiji deep into the depths of what gave his first public speech. he spoke. He returned from On 4 July 1902 he entered into this depth to fulfill the desire Mahasamadhi. But this short of his Guru, like Sri Ramanuja, nine years of work made him to reveal its secrets to the renowned as a world thinker of lowliest and the lost, even those eminence. We have received only from other countries. a very small portion of his speeches It was Swamiji who while and addresses, and that too thanks to declaring the experience based his dynamic [English] disciple Goodwin, Supreme Truth, ‘Ekameva Adviteeyam’, who, regrettably passed away after a brief at the same time included Dvaita and illness in 1896 at Ooty in Tamilnadu. Vishishta Advaita, as the components and Very many people—both Indian and part of the realization of the Truth. In his Western admirers—have written about Swami view workplace and study room, the harvest Vivekananda. Under the tablet on his Samadhi store and field, each and every thing was as Mandir are written the following words: ‘What important for discovering Truth and realizing Hinduism had needed was the organizing God—as important as a Temple with its and consolidating of its own idea. What the sanctum and sanctorum—fit enough to realize world had needed was a faith that has no fear God. For him service of man was service to of Truth.’ God; Dharmic life was itself spirituality.

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In short, more than anybody else it was Hence today she is in a pitiable condition Swami Vivekananda who made Hinduism of possessing everything yet owning wholesome, universal, vibrant and alive. nothing. No one could completely visualize India as There has been no subject of study or Swamiji did—from the Himalayas down to field of activity in India that had not caught the Sethusamudra, see her as one and work for considered attention of Swami Vivekananda, her regeneration comprehensively, undaunted including all negative aspects of Indian life. by time and place. Among the worshipful He has provided the most relevant advices for heroes of modern India, Swami Vivekananda their rectification as well. He was a sannyasi deserves the first and foremost place, more and patriot par excellence. He had up-to- than Gandhiji, Nehru and Tagore. We can say date knowledge in everything modern. His with conviction that he truly had understood practical wisdom was unparalleled. He was the Oneness and fullness of India based on the courageous to extreme yet full of humility with essential spiritual heritage of our country and abiding faith in the Lord Almighty. Not even a its universal nature. tinge of egoism spoiled his character. In every Swami Vivekananda’s pride in the sense Swami Vivekananda was the creator of country had no tinge of exclusiveness based on Modern India. caste and creed. He urged Indians to be good During this centenary celebration efforts Indians first. are on to get Swamiji’s Complete Works A great Sannyasi and visionary that he translated into all Indian languages. That is was, he felt that Indian children should play the best possible way to celebrate his birth’s football and consume good healthy food centenary. In this context one cannot but feel before studying Vedanta. No politician of that these should have become a part of the India has understood the true state of Indian compulsory curriculum of our college-going life as Swami Vivekananda. Standing on students. American soil he opened up before the As far as Kerala is concerned we can Americans, who came to listen to Vedanta, the proudly claim that Swami Vivekananda is true picture of India and her poverty. ours. Like a loving elderly Karanavar (Grand He was a prophet who openly declared Uncle), he faulted Kerala as a lunatic asylum. that bereft of self-knowledge, self-confidence He passed through Kerala as an unknown and pride in her own culture India cannot itinerant monk, met the great scholar Rishi stand on her feet nor survive. If at all India has of Kerala Chattambi Swamigal, proceeded to passed through all vicissitudes, the one and Kanyakumari and sat in meditation on the only reason for that is her time tested spiritual rock for three days and nights. It was there, strength. Even today, what she can share with standing at the southern tip viewing the vast others is this spiritual treasure. When India Indian stretch that he received the inspiration forgets her spiritual essence, gives it up and to undertake the journey to the West. That acts contrary to her basic strength, that day foreign travel, visit to America and his India would lose her individuality [which he famous Chicago Address made him known declared many times]. throughout the world. Hence for all of us in Deplorably, independent India has Kerala he should remain specially dear and totally neglected this pristine quality of hers. worshipful.

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Since Swamiji’s famous meditation on the Government. May this centenary celebration the rock at Kanyakumari the rock has come to consolidate all liberal and positive forces, be known as the Vivekananda Rock. Permission awaken them and energize them to stand as one has been granted to construct a suitable and achieve the aim of creating the magnificent memorial on the rock by the Devaswom and Vivekananda Rock Memorial. †

Swami Vivekananda’s Contribution Even now [1963] a hundred years after the birth of Narendranath Datta, who later EHFDPH6ZDPL9LYHNDQDQGDLWLVYHU\GLI¿FXOWWRHYDOXDWHKLVLPSRUWDQFHLQWKHVFDOH of world history. It is certainly far greater than any Western historian or most Indian historians would have suggested at the time of his death. The passing of the years and the many stupendous and unexpected events which have occurred since then suggests that in centuries to come he will be remembered as one of the main moulders of the modern ZRUOGHVSHFLDOO\DVIDUDV$VLDLVFRQFHUQHGDQGDVRQHRIWKHPRVWVLJQL¿FDQW¿JXUHV in the whole history of Indian religion, comparable in importance to such great teachers DV 6KDQNDUD DQG 5DPDQXMD DQG GH¿QLWHO\ PRUH LPSRUWDQW WKDQ WKHVDLQWVRIORFDORU UHJLRQDOVLJQL¿FDQFHVXFKDV.DELU&KDLWDQ\DDQGWKHPDQ\1D\DQPDUVDQG$OZDUVRI South India. I believe also that Vivekananda will always be remembered in the world’s history because he virtually initiated what the late Dr C. E. M. Joad once called ‘the counter-attack from the East’. Since the days of the Indian missionaries who travelled in South-East Asia and China preaching Buddhism and Hinduism more than a thousand years earlier, he was WKH¿UVW,QGLDQUHOLJLRXVWHDFKHUWRPDNHDQLPSUHVVLRQRXWVLGH,QGLD —A. L. Basham (1914-1986), a noted historian and indologist and author of a number of books.

,WLVDQXQGLVSXWHGIDFWWKDWLWZDV6ZDPL9LYHNDQDQGDZKR¿UVWKHOGDORIWWKH banner of Hinduism as a challenge against the material science of the West. ... It was Swami Vivekananda who took on his shoulders this stupendous task of establishing the glory of Hinduism in different countries across the borders. And he, with his erudition, oratorical power, enthusiasm and inner force, laid that work upon a solid foundation.. . . Twelve centuries ago Shankaracharya was the only great personality, who not only spoke of the purity of our religion, not only uttered in words that this religion was our strength and wealth, not only said that it was our sacred duty to preach this religion in the length and breadth of the world—but also brought all this into action. Swami Vivekananda is a person of that stature—who appeared towards the last half of the nineteenth century. —Bal Gangadhar Tilak, the frontline leader of the Indian Freedom Movement, eminent scholar in Sanskrit and Indian issues. The author of Gita Rahasya.

The V edanta K esari ~ 216 ~ JUNE 2015 Article

Balaram Mandir and Swami Brahmananda HIRANMOY MUKHERJEE

‘I Make No Distinction . . .’ An interesting incident took place many years after the passing of Sri Ramakrishna. Balaram Babu’s son, Ramakrishna Bose, had invited the monks of Belur Math and Udbodhan to his house, Balaram Mandir, after the marriage of his daughter—they were to partake of food there. Swami Saradananda (a direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna) informed all the monks that he would be leaving for Balaram’s house at a particular time and those who wish to go there could accompany him. Swami Bhumananda was present there and commented: ‘Being monks how can we [the Hindu monks] attend a marriage feast? It would not be proper to go there.’ Swami Saradananda heard it and did not reply because of his habit to never interfere with anybody’s belief and opinion. Swami Saradananda At the appointed time he left with a stick in his come you monks have come to attend a hand—two monks, Swami Gangeshananda marriage feast! Don’t you get anything to eat at and Swami Dayananda, accompanied him. Math!’ Thus reprimanded, most of the monks At Balaram Mandir, Swami Saradananda prepared to leave the place. along with two of his companions sat down at Then the host Ramakrishna Bose came the appointed place for taking food. Quite a and told Swami Premananda: ‘Please do number of monks who had arrived from Belur not make any comments in the matter. We Math also sat beside them. In the meantime, are devotees for the last three generations. Swami Premananda (another direct disciple I know what offerings are to be given to a of Sri Ramakrishna) who was staying at monk. None of the food items here are in any Balaram’s house due to his illness, came out way connected to the marriage function.’ On of his room and started rebuking the monks listening to this Swami Premananda retired to for attending the marriage feast saying: ‘How his room.

† The author is a retired government official and is an active volunteer of Ramakrishna Math, Nagpur, Maharashtra.

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The monks sat down and partook of the food. After the food, Swami Saradananda while walking back to Udbodhan commented, ‘I do not distinguish between the food offered here at Shraddha and marriage—Sri Thakur used to say that food offered at Balaram’s house is pure—that is why I came to partake the food.’1 This incident highlights the respectful manner in which the disciples of Sri Rama- krishna looked at Balaram Bose and his family. Sri Ramakrishna himself visited Balaram’s house more than 100 times!

Balaram’s House: A Place of Sanctity and History Balaram Bose, born in a wealthy Vaish- nava family of North Kolkata, had read and Sri Ramakrishna heard about the life and teachings of Sri visit to it. There he lost himself in samadhi, Ramakrishna and came from Puri to meet dancing, singing or talking about God. Those him. Himself a devotee, spending hours in of the Master’s disciples and devotees who meditation and Japa, he met Sri Thakur (as Sri could not go to Dakshineswar frequently Ramakrishna is addressed in the Ramakrishna used to meet him at Balaram Babu’s house Order) on 1 January, 1881, at Dakshineswar and listened to his spiritual talks. The Master and was very much impressed by the Master. had visited his house at least a hundred times The Master’s words touched his heart. and Balaram Babu had kept a record of all He again visited Sri Thakur on the very these visits. Sri Ramakrishna had even stayed next day when Thakur told him: ‘The Divine here for seven days at a stretch. Whenever Mother has told me that you are my own—you necessary, the Master would stay overnight are one of Her suppliers—many things are at his place and partake the prasad of Lord stored up for this place (meaning himself) in Jagannath—their family deity, worshipped your house. Buy something and send it here.’ daily at their home. It seemed to Balaram Babu that the While the Master used to describe Master was a close relative of his and he was Dakshineswar temple as Mother Kali’s Fort— very much moved by his sweet nature, high he would describe Balaram’s house in Kolkata spiritual state and repeated Bhava-samadhi. as Mother Kali’s second Fort. The Master used From that time onwards Balaram Babu would to say that ‘Balaram’s food is very pure as supply all the requirements of Sri Thakur till members of the family have been devotees for his passing. Needless to say Sri Thakur was generations and hospitable to monks and poor. always welcome at Balaram Babu’s house. The family members are all pious and devoted Balaram Babu’s house in Kolkata was to God—not only can I take Balaram’s food, sanctified many times by Sri Ramakrishna’s but I take it with pleasure.’

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Balaram Bose

Balaram Mandir, Kolkata Babu’s house and the latter arranged for her pilgrimage to Varanasi, Vrindavan and Sri Thakur had many spiritual sessions other holy places. in this house with his devotees—his songs, Swami Vivekananda had tremendous dances, Bhava-samadhis and spiritual talks love and regard for Balaram Babu. Swamiji kept his audience enthralled. Every year once said to him: ‘Our relationship with Balaram Babu celebrated the chariot festival you is different. If you push us out from the of Lord Jagannath in his home. The Master’s front door, we shall enter again through back presence greatly enhanced the joy of the door.’ occasion. Balaram Babu always stood beside the During the Master’s illness, Balaram disciples of the Master and served them whole Babu continued to provide all his food, since heartedly. He left his mortal coil on 13 April the Master did not care for the food that was 1890. It is said that Sri Ramakrishna appeared bought from the money people contributed before Balaram Babu where he lay and took through subscriptions. After Master’s passing him in a chariot to heaven.2 away on 16 August 1886, a major portion of Even after his death, his family members his sacred remains (ashes) was kept in a vessel saw to it that the home was always open (atmaramer kouto) and was shifted initially to the Holy Mother and the disciples of the from Kashipur (Cossipore) to Balaram’s house Master. Many of them used to stay here and before being finally shifted to Baranagore the family members used to treat them with Math. The Holy Mother also shifted to Balaram respect, devotion and love. The Holy Mother

The V edanta K esari ~ 219 ~ JUNE 2015 22 occasionally stayed in this house for fairly long Balaram’s house came to be known as Balaram periods. During a Saradiya Durga Puja, once Mandir by public at large. It became a place she was there for a whole month. of pilgrimage for devotees along with Belur Most of the direct disciples of Sri Thakur Math, Dakshineshwar temple, Cossipore including Swami Vivekananda and Swami Math, Yogodyana and other religious places Brahmananda had visited and stayed in this in Kolkata. house—some times for long periods. It would On November 12, 1898, a meeting was appear as if it had become a part of Belur Math held at Balaram house to consider the opening premises. Swami Brahmananda and Swami of Sister Nivedita’s school. Swamiji, Swamis Premananda left their mortal coil in this house. Brahmananda, Saradananda and others were The meeting in which Swami Vivekananda present. A series of such meetings were held presided and announced the creation of eventually. An eye-witness has recorded an Ramakrishna Mission on 1 May, 1897, was held interesting incident at one such meeting: at Balaram’s house. In the second meeting held In the hall of Balaram Bose’s house, an informal on 5 May at the same venue the resolution about meeting of the lay devotees was held. Sister the aims and objects of the Mission was passed. Nivedita spoke in English about her proposed Weekly meetings were organized at school laying stress on giving national education Balaram’s house to discuss the Upanishads, to girls. Mahendranath Gupta (M), Suresh Datta, the Bhagavad Gita, the Vedanta scriptures Haramohan Babu and others were present. No and religious subjects in general and which one noticed the presence of Swamiji behind these were attended by monks of Ramakrishna gentlemen. When Nivedia stopped speaking, Math and devotees. It was in this house that Swamiji whispered to the gentlemen to get Swamiji, after his return from his first trip to up and say that they are willing to send their West, tried to convince his brother disciples daughters to her school. When no one really stood up, Swamiji got up and said, ‘Well, Miss about his new conception of religion, namely, Noble,’ and pointing to Haramohan Babu, ‘this the worship of God through service of gentleman offers his girl to you.’ man and succeeded in due course. Though Cossipore was the place where Ramakrishna On seeing Swamiji, Sister Nivedita was very Math was born—it is Balaram’s house which pleased and on hearing his words started gave birth to Ramakrishna Mission. Aptly clapping her hands like a child.3 (To be Continued) References 1. ‘Balaram Mandire Sri Ramakrishna’ in Satabarsher 1991, Advaita Ashrama, Kolkata, p. 150. Aloke (Bengali), 1984, Balaram Mandir, Kolkata, 3. Sister Nivedita by Pravrajika Atmaprana, 6th pp. 36-37. edition, 2007, Sister Nivedita Girls School, 2. They Lived with God by Swami Chetanananda, July Kolkata, p. 68-69.

*RG LV ([LVWHQFH .QRZOHGJH DQG %OLVV 0DQ\ DUH +LV QDPHV DQG HQGOHVV DUH +LV manifestations. As the devotee looks upon Him, so does He manifest Himself to Him. To VRPHWKHUHIRUH+HUHYHDOV+LPVHOIDV.DOLWRVRPHDV5DPDWRVRPHDV.ULVKQDRU Shiva, and so on. It all depends on the devotee’s own mental constitution. —Swami Vijnanananda

The V edanta K esari ~ 220 ~ JUNE 2015 Article

The Practice of Prayer

WILLIAM PAGE

Prayer means talking to God. It is expand into less self-centered kinds of prayer. the primary religious practice in Judaism, One of these is thankful prayer. Anybody can Christianity, and Islam. Westerners who come ask God for things. How many people bother to Vedanta usually feel more comfortable with to thank Him? prayer than they do with Japa and meditation, Thankful prayer is a good way to because they are more familiar with it. start the day. It puts us in a good mood and reminds us of how much God has blessed Talking the Talk us. Counting our blessings, in fact, is a Prayer is especially suited to people who wholesome practice much neglected in the like to talk. It can be of great benefit to people modern world. Thanking God for everything who are lonely and need somebody to talk He’s given us may still be self-centered, but to. Why be lonely? God is with us. He’s right it’s a considerable improvement over ‘gimme, here, right now. He’s in the air that surrounds gimme, gimme.’ us. So talk to Him. That’s what He’s here for. There’s also laudatory prayer, in which The words can be spoken aloud, whispered, we praise God and recount His glories. or uttered mentally. But what should we talk Some people feel uneasy about this, because to Him about? it can get prodigal. ‘O Lord, how great You Some people ask for specific blessings are! You are omniscient, or favours. ‘O Lord, please help me to pass omnipotent, and all my courses, let me find a good job, let me omnipresent. earn enough money to buy a car.’ This is called You bestride the petitionary prayer, and it has a shortcoming. It universe and turns God into a cosmic Santa Claus. give light to the If God were human, He would surely sun and stars. get irritated with people who are always The heavens are begging Him for things. Fortunately for us, Your throne and He is not human. But good manners require the earth is your us to exercise restraint in our importunities. footstool. O Lord, Pestering God for favours all the time is You are so great!’ impolite. Does God want us Despite its shortcomings, petitionary to butter Him up? Is He pleased when we prpprayerayyer is at least a beginning. It can easily flatter and fawn upon Him and grovel before

William Page has been associated with the Ramakrishna Vedanta Societyieety of Massachusetts,Masassas chhussetts, USA,UUSA, sincesincce 1960 and is a member of the Ramakrishna Vedanta Society of Thailand. †

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Him like slaves? Do we want to turn him into these conversations, which may have been a fathead? I can picture him listening to the somewhat one-sided, might have gone. They prayer above and growling, ‘Yes, yes, yes, I might have gone something like this: know all that. Get to the point. What do you O Lord, please help me to make this casserole a want now?’ tasty one. I want it to please the monks. Should I add more salt? What do you think, Lord?. . . All The Lummox and the Casserole right, it’s salty enough. A bit of pepper, then. . . . One of the best kinds of prayer is Good, it tastes good. Into the oven, then. . . . Out conversational prayer. It means simply talking of the oven and onto the table. And, Lord, please to God, and it brings us back to the question help me not to drop it, clumsy lummox that we asked at the beginning: What should we I am. talk to Him about? Some people will scoff at this kind Anything and everything: whatever is of prayer as nothing more than childish going on, both in our minds and in the world. chatter. But Jesus reminds us that we have to We can discuss knotty theological questions become like children to enter the Kingdom of with Him if we like, or any doubts that we God; and our minds are always chattering. may have. We can ask for His advice and Why not funnel such chatter into a constant guidance. Adults can talk to Him about their conversation with God? families and their jobs; children can talk about ‘Well,’ people will say, ‘God will get their friends and their schoolwork. We can talk bored. Do you think He has nothing to do but about our hobbies, sports, and even politics. I listen to some simple-minded fool prattling know a devotee who, as an adolescent, used about casseroles? God has more important to discuss current events with God. It turned things to do with His time. He’s got the entire out to be excellent preparation for his Social universe to run.’ Studies classes. And that’s where they’re wrong. God A wonderful embodiment of conver- does have the entire universe to run, but He’s sational prayer was Brother Lawrence, a 17th concerned with the microcosm as well as century Carmelite monk whose writings have the macrocosm. He’s intimately involved in been compiled into a little book called The both. He has a keen interest in the lives of His Practice of the Presence of God.1 Brother Lawrence devotees, and doesn’t mind being bored. In cultivated God’s presence by constantly fact, He likes being bored. Whenever a devotee conversing with him. He was a simple and reaches out and talks to Him, God is delighted. humble man who worked as a cook in the How do I know this? Because it makes monastery kitchen, and described himself as ‘a sense. He wouldn’t be much of a God if He clumsy lummox who broke everything.’ weren’t concerned about the things that Whether at work or at rest, Brother concern His devotees. He won’t care if the Lawrence talked to God about everything, all devotee’s prattle is boring. What He values is the time, and experienced a constant sense of not so much the prattle, but the reaching out. His presence. I picture Brother Lawrence as a After all, how many people reach out to Him? big, burly guy, lumbering around the kitchen How many bother to talk to Him at all? in his apron, juggling the pots and pans and talking to God. I’ve often wondered how Sri Ramakrishna Shows the Way

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Sri Ramakrishna was the king of devo- tees, and he really knew how to pray. There was nothing formal or rehearsed about his prayers. They were artless and spontaneous. I have often wished that they could be compiled into a book2, so that anybody who wanted to learn how to pray could read it and find out. We know that we can approach God as a beloved master, as a close friend, as our father or mother, or even as our own child. Sri Ramakrishna assures us that God is our nearest and dearest. And that’s how Sri Ramakrishna approached Him. He was never shy or diffident; he never held anything back. His prayers were spontaneous out- pourings of emotion, passionate and intense. He prayed the way a child cries out for its Sri Ramakrishna mother. Before his first vision of Kali, his only unholiness. Take them both, Mother, and give prayer was for her to reveal herself. After me pure love. Here is Thy good and here is Thy his first vision, his only prayer was for her evil. Take them both, Mother, and give me pure to reveal herself again and again, and to stay love. Here is Thy righteousness and here is Thy with him forever. In all his subsequent prayers, unrighteousness. Take them both, Mother, and he conversed with her the same way a child give me pure love.3 converses with its mother: now cajoling, now By his example, Sri Ramakrishna taught weeping, now satisfied, now laughing, now us how to transform petitionary prayer into grateful, now philosophical, now petulant a constant reaching for God. If we’re going and complaining. You can’t compete with Sri to ask for anything, Sri Ramakrishna says, Ramakrishna when it comes to praying. we shouldn’t ask for petty things like wealth, Above all, Sri Ramakrishna prayed for fame, and enjoyment. We should ask for the bhakti, pure love for God. greatest gift of all: the gift of God Himself. And Mother, here is Thy knowledge and here is Thy prayer does that. It calls out to God in love and ignorance. Take them both, and give me only yearning, and through its calling draws Him pure love. Here is Thy holiness and here is Thy from the heavens to the heart. †

References 1. The Practice of the Presence of God, by Brother compilation of Sri Ramakrishna’s prayers Lawrence of the Resurrection, translated by John was published in The Vedanta Kesari, 2010, J. Delaney, Image Books, Doubleday, New York, September, pp.330-335. 1996, p. xxi. 3. The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, New York, 2. See ‘Thus Prayed Sri Ramakrishna’—a Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Center, 1947, p. 312.

The V edanta K esari ~ 223 ~ JUNE 2015 Travelogue

Amarnath Yatra: A Memorable Pilgrimage SWAMI TATHAGATANANDA

It was an exhilarating and memorable pilgrimage to Amarnath cave situated at a height of about 13,000 feet, 88 miles from Srinagar. At the north-east corner of the cave is the majestic ice Lingam which is a natural formation of ice, and is the symbol of Lord Amarnath. The atmosphere is spiritually charged and awe-inspiring. Peace permeated the atmosphere with the presence of Amarnath who is a wish-fulfilling deity. When Swami Vivekananda visited Amarnath in 1898, he had the vision of Lord Shiva in this cave and was blessed with the boon of death-at-will (iccha-mrityu). Reminiscing about his visit to Amarnath, he wrote: ‘I never had been to anything so beautiful, so inspiring! . . . I enjoyed it so much (that) I thought the Lingam was Shiva Himself. . . It was all worship. I never enjoyed a religious place so much.’

There were five in our party, three Pahalgam is a picturesque village located at Swamis of the Ramakrishna Order—Swami the confluence of the Lidder and the Seshnag Satyabratananda, Swami Tanmayananda, rivers at an altitude of 7,200 feet. Its beauty another Swami from Vrindavan Ashram, attracts large number of tourists. It is also a myself—and Mr. Bud, an American devotee health resort. The famous Shiva Temple there of Sri Ramakrishna. Mr. Bud was a young bore the marks of vandalism. There was an boy of nineteen and had spent one year at ancient Vishnu Temple also. The necessary Banaras Hindu University, studying Hindi preparations for the journey, coolies (porters), and Sanskrit. His devotion, sincerity, and ponies, tents and appropriate garments, painstaking capacity had impressed me much. were to be made at Pahalgam. The journey to On the 25th July of 1974, we left Delhi for Amarnath had to be accomplished either on Jammu by Kashmir Mail and reached there foot or pony or in Dandis (chairs carried by 4 in the morning. Previously, the train used to porters). Sometimes, one could go by private go up to Pathankot. From Jammu, we took car or jeep up to Chandanwadi, a distance of a bus to go to Srinagar which is about 200 10 miles from Pahalgam. miles away. The bus fare was Rs.15/- and the We engaged two pack-ponies to carry journey took ten hours. our beddings. The cost for the round trip from The famous Amarnath cave lies at a Pahalgam to Panchatharani was Rs.250/-, distance of about 88 miles from Srinagar and the prices being Rs.130/- and Rs.80/- for the 30 miles from Pahalgam. We took a bus from pony and the porter respectively. There were SSrSrinagariinaga and went to Pahalgam on the 27th. only three halts on the route—Chandanwadi,

The author is a senior monk of the Ramakrishna Order, and the Head of Vedanta Society, New York, USA. This article is based on his pilgrimage in 1974. †

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Seshnag and Panchatarani. Nowadays, tents captivating. The atmosphere is spiritual and and food are available on the way. awe-inspiring. We left Pahalgam at 8 pm on the 27th of We had to pass through Vayujan and July and reached Chandanwadi on foot around Mahagunapas. Mahagunapas, at an altitude 11:30 pm. We were alone. Chandanwadi, of about 14,500 feet, was the highest and most located at 9,500 feet above the sea level, is a formidable climb on the route. Air becomes tourist centre. Beyond this point, no tourists cooler and breathing gets difficult here, other than the pilgrims go. From here, one had pulse-rate rises to an abnormally high level. to undertake the journey along a bridle-path. Mahagunapas to Panchatarani, at an altitude The road, as it winds along, represents a series of 12,015 feet, is a risky descent—very steep of enchanting landscapes. and slippery. On the morning of 28th, we left Chandan- We had to go through long stretches wadi for Seshnag, eight miles up on the of snow beds, torrential rivers and marshy way to Amarnath. After 1.5 miles, began a slopes. In some places, rivers run under a nerve-racking, horrifying steep ascent called heavy sheet of snow. Snow giving way under Pissu Ghati—the valley of Pissu (in Hindi, our feet was not uncommon experience there. snail), indicating that due to its steep topo- Panchatharani is so called because five rivers graphy travelers walk like snails, i.e., very converge there. It has an atmosphere charged slowly. with spirituality. We spent the night there. We halted for meal at Seshnag which is The next morning, 29th of July, we started at an altitude of about 12,000 feet. The famous for the holy cave leaving our luggage in the Seshnag Lake is here, lying about 500 feet tent. At Amaranth, one could stay only till below the road level. The water of the lake afternoon and had to be back to Panchatarani is greenish-milk-white. The clear reflection before dark. The path from Panchatarani of the passing clouds on the water is simply to the cave is open only between June and

The way to Amarnath

The V edanta K esari ~ 225 ~ JUNE 2015 28

September; for the rest of the year, it is covered is said to be 7.5 feet in July, 4 feet in August with snow. Amarnath was 4.5 miles ahead of and 1 foot in September. We saw the Lingam us. The path at some point was too narrow and having a cylindrical shape with a height of the chance of a slip was too high; any accident 7 feet and 3 feet in diameter. Amarnath is a was sure to be fatal. Many of the snow beds wish fulfilling Deity. Swami Vivekananda had were hidden dangers to limb or life. On the the vision of Lord Shiva in this cave and was western side of the cave, flows a small river blessed with the boon of iccha-mrityu—death called Amar-Ganga, crystal clear and icy cold. at will. Shiva manifests in this form for the Four of us took bath in the holy river and benefit of man, out of His infinite mercy. climbed up to the cave 300 feet above. This Darshan or visiting and seeing Lord The Amarnath cave is situated at a height Amarnath stands out in my memory with of about 13,000 feet. It is facing south. The cave glowing vividness. I felt inspired, became is about 150 feet high and 90 feet wide at the quiet—almost breathless with adoration. I entrance, 500 to 600 people can stand there. entered, as it were, into a new world. I was There are two holes in the northern wall of conscious of a vastness, of a hush folded in the cave from which water trickles down and hush, and of something that defies language. freezes into ice. At the north-east corner of Peace permeated the atmosphere with the the cave, is the majestic ice Lingam which is a presence of Lord Amarnath. All our troubles natural formation of ice and is the symbol of and anxieties were amply rewarded. I saw a Lord Amarnath. It is glossy and emits a radiant few snow pigeons in the cave. Seeing them is bluish-white light. considered to be very auspicious. It is said that Amarnath Lingam grows After the visit of Amarnath, we returned and diminishes in size with the waxing and the to Panchatarani at 10 am and started for waning of the moon. The height of the Lingam Seshnag around noon. We spent the night

The sacred Amarnath Cave

The V edanta K esari ~ 226 ~ JUNE 2015 29 there and came back to Pahalgam around 6 pm on 31st July. Pahalgam was full of pilgrims. No place was empty. The ‘official Yatra (pilgrimage)’ was to begin on the next day. The annual festival of Shravan Purnima (full moon day of the Hindu month of Shravan) is a great event which attracts a large number of devotees from all parts of India and abroad. During this time, to make the pilgrimage to Amarnath a success, the Government makes excellent arrangements for the con- Amarnath Shiva Lingam venience of the pilgrims all along the route. Sadhus (monks) are given one meal few were on the ponies or in Dandies. With a day. Hence, during the ‘official Yatra’, the the exception of the coolies and pony-wallas, journey is easier and less risky, but it is indeed all had only one wish—to have Darshan of a very crowded affair. Lord Amaranth. Most of the pilgrims were Before we returned, we visited the householders—all cheerfully walking on, famous temple of Goddess Kshir Bhawani stick in hand, enjoying the wondrous sight of where Swami Vivekananda had a divine the heights, rivers, valleys and the snow-clad experience. peaks. Among the travelers were young men I can never forget the simple, honest, and women, American hippies and college and faithful, though very poor, coolies and students with cameras in hand; some even pony-wallas (pony handlers). They were all were bare footed, like the Sadhus in scanty Muslims, but without them, nobody could clothes. go to Amarnath. I still visualize the trekking May Amarnath attract our youths in of the pilgrims. Most of them were on foot, a large numbers! Jai Amarnath! †

Many times I have been in the jaws of death, starving, footsore, and weary; for days and days I had had no food, and often could walk no farther; I would sink down under a tree, and life would seem ebbing away. I could not speak, I could scarcely think, but at last the mind reverted to the idea: “I have no fear nor death; I never hunger nor thirst. I am It! I am It! The whole of nature cannot crush me; it is my servant. Assert thy strength, thou Lord of lords and God of gods! Regain thy lost empire! Arise and walk and stop not!” And I would rise up, reinvigorated, and here am I, living, today. —Swami Vivekananda

The V edanta K esari ~ 227 ~ JUNE 2015 Reminiscences

‘Is He a Man or a God?’ HARIPADA MITRA

October 19, 1892 [Belgaum, Karnataka] Just then somebody said, ‘Talks on I had been waiting for Swamiji [Swami religious matters should not be carried on in a Vivekananda] from six o’clock in the morning. foreign language, since it is prohibited in such- It struck eight. So without waiting any longer, I and-such a Purana.’ left for Swamiji’s place with a friend. There we Swamiji replied, ‘It is good to talk of reli- found him seated in the midst of a respectable gious things, no matter what the language is.’ gathering of lawyers and other learned men, In support of this he quoted from the and carrying on conversation with them. Vedas and added, ‘A judgement passed by a He answered their questions without the High Court cannot be set at naught by a lower slightest hesitation, sometimes in English and court’ [a reference to the fact that the Vedas are sometimes in Hindi or Sanskrit. There were more authoritative than the Puranas]. also people like myself who accepted Huxley’s Thus it went on till it struck nine, when philosophy as their Bible, and started arguing those who had to attend office or court left, with Swamiji on that basis. But he silenced while others still sat there. Swamiji’s eyes now them all either through repartees or serious fell on me, and he said, ‘My son, I had not the dissertation. As I sat there after saluting him, I heart to disappoint so many people and go was thinking, ‘Is he a man or a god?’ So I could to your place. Please don’t mind this.’ When not remember all that I heard. I write down I pressed him to come and stay with me, he only the few words that come to my mind. replied at last, ‘I shall go if you can make my A lawyer asked, ‘The Mantras we use in host agree to your proposal’. So I persuaded our morning and evening prayers are in Sanskrit, the lawyer friend somehow and returned and we do not understand a bit of them. Is it of to my place with Swamiji. His belongings any use to us to go on uttering them?’ consisted only of a Kamandalu (a water pot Swamiji replied, ‘They do have good used by monks) and a book wrapped in a piece results. Born in a Brahmin family as you are, of ochre cloth. Swamiji was then studying you can easily learn the meaning of those few French music. . . Some time earlier, somebody Mantras. If you do not do so, who is to blame? had published a poem in the Times asserting Even if you do not understand the meaning, that it was extremely difficult to determine I hope, when you sit for prayer, you have the what is God, which religion is true, and such feeling that you are doing something virtuous other abstruse questions. As that poem had and not sinful. If you have the belief that you much affinity to my religious ideas of those are doing something meritorious, then that in days, I preserved it carefully. I now produced ititselfself iiss enough to yield good results.’ it before him. He read it and remarked, ‘The

The author was a sub-divisional forest officer at Belguam. Swami Vivekananda was his guest in 1892 when he moved around India a wandering monk. This article is based on excerpts from Reminiscences of Swami Vivekananda, Advaita Ashrama, Kolkata, Pp.25-28 †

The V edanta K esari ~ 228 ~ JUNE 2015 31 man has become confused’. Gradually I Again I asked, ‘Why do the Sannyasins got over my hesitation. From the Christian idle away their time in this way? Why do they missionaries I had not got any solution of the depend on the charity of others? Why don’t they contradiction involved in holding that God undertake some work beneficial to society?’ is both just and merciful; and I feared that Swamiji said, ‘Now, look here. You are Swamiji, too, could throw no better light. earning this money with such struggle, of which When I put the question to him, he said, only a little portion you spend on yourself; and ‘Methinks you have read much of science. some of it you spend for others who, you think, Do not two opposite forces, centripetal and are your own. But they neither acknowledge centrifugal—act in each material substance? If any gratefulness for what you do for them, such a contradiction can meet in matter, may nor are they satisfied with what they get. The not justice and mercy be reconciled in God? All balance you save like the mythological Yaksha I can say is that you have a poor idea of your who never enjoys it. When you die, somebody God.’ I was silenced. else will enjoy it all; and perchance, he will Again, I believed that truth is absolute, abuse you for not having accumulated more. and that all religions cannot be true at the same This is your condition. On the other hand, I do time. In answer to such questions he said, ‘All nothing. When I feel hungry, I let others know we know about things now or may know in by gestures that I want food; and I eat whatever future are but relative truths. It is impossible I get. Neither do I struggle nor do I save. Now, for our limited mind to grasp the absolute tell me who among us is the wiser—you or I?’ I truth. Hence, though truth be absolute, it was astonished, for before this nobody dared to appears variously to diverse minds and talk to me so boldly and frankly. intellects. All these facets or modes of truth After lunch we had some rest. Then we belong to the same class as truth itself, they went to the house of that lawyer friend, where being based on the same absolute truth. This we had more of such discussion. At nine is like the different photographs of the same o’clock at night we returned home. On the way sun taken from various distances. Each of them I said, ‘Swamiji, you must have been greatly seems to represent a different sun. The diverse bored today by all this argumentation.’ relative truths have the same kind of relation He replied, ‘My son, would you have with the absolute truth. Each religion is thus offered me even a morsel of food, if I had kept true, just because it is a mode of presentation mum, the out and out utilitarians that you all of the absolute religion.’ are? I go on chattering like this. People get When I said that faith is the basis of all amused, and so they crowd around me. But religions, Swamiji smiled a little and said, ‘A know it for certain that people who argue, or man goes beyond all wants once he becomes a put questions like this before an assembly are king; but the difficulty is how to become one. not at all eager to know the truth. I also read Can faith be infused from outside? Nobody their motives and answer them accordingly.’ can have real faith unless he has personal ‘Swamiji,’ I put in, ‘how do you get experience.’ When in the course of talk I called such ready and pointed answers for all the him a Sadhu (holy man), he said, ‘Are we questions?’ ‘These questions are new to you,’ really so? There are holy men whose very sight he said, ‘but these have been put to me and I or touch wakes up spirituality in others.’ had to answer them times without number.’ †

The V edanta K esari ~ 229 ~ JUNE 2015 New Find Unpublished Letters of Swami Saradananda1

Math. Belur. Howrah. 23rd Feb. ’05. My dear Mrs.Brown, I am exceedingly glad to get your kind letter and the enclosed order for seven dollars equivalent to Rs.21 – annas 6 of Indian coin. I thank you for them both. You will be glad to know that the money has been spent on the female work here and it came at a time when we were rather hard-pressed to meet certain items of expenses for the same work. It gave me great pleasure to know the little details of the lives of our Montclair friends. They are and will be dear to me always and the kindness received at the hands of each one of them can never be forgotten. Remember me kindly to all of them. I am sorry to hear of Mrs.Wilmer’s illness. I hope she will come out of it soon. I am indeed sorry to hear of Dr.Butler’s death. His life has been one of great sacrifice. May he rest in the Lord. My eyes have been giving me trouble since a week or so and all reading and writing have been prohibited by the doctors for a month or twain. I hope to write you personally when I am well. With my kindest regards to you always and blessings to the children I am Yours in the Lord Saradananda [on the cover:] Mrs. B. Brown 109 Mountain Ave. (North) Montclair N.J. U.S.America _*_*_*_*_

Math. Belur. Howrah. India. May 11. 05. Dear Mrs.Bull2 Sister Nivedita has gone to Darjeeling with Christina on Sunday last. She sent me the copy of Mr.Thorp’s letter to Mr.Leggett which you so kindly sent. I have seen Mr.Mohini and asked his opinion. He has promised to write his opinion directly to you this mail.

The V edanta K esari ~ 230 ~ JUNE 2015 33

Our attorney Mr.P.C.Kar has been informed too & he too will write to you by the next mail, if not this. The Holy Mother is still here & desires her love & blessings. My mother & Jogin Maa are sending their warmest love to yourself & blessings to Olea. The plague has gone down & the number of mortality has become less than half of what it was before. With my warm regards & best prayers, I am Ever yours affecly Saradananda

P.S. Enclosed you will find letters from Sister Nivedita & myself declining to act as an Executor to the Will leaving you free to do what you think best in the matter. I could not see the Swami Brahmananda else he too would have done the same. I have informed him however & I am sure he will send in his refusal to act as an Executor by the next mail, if not in this.

[On the envelope:] Mrs.Sara C. Bull 168 Brattle Street Cambridge. Mass. U.S.America

[Enclosed letter:] Math. Belur. Howrah. India. May 11. 05.

With regard to the Will of the Swami Vivekananda, I beg to say that in order to facilitate the probation of the Will in America, I decline to qualify myself to act as an Executor. Saradananda

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

Courtesy: Ramakrishna Museum, Belur Math

&RQÀLFWLQJGHVLUHVDULVHLQWKHPLQG%HFDXVHRIWKHVHGHVLUHVWKHPLQGLVFRQVWDQWO\ lashed into waves. As long as these waves form, the mind is restless. In order to control these waves which give rise to thoughts of a worldly and distracting nature, one must live a life of self-discipline. —Swami Saradananda

The V edanta K esari ~ 231 ~ JUNE 2015 Article

Some Aspects of Religion and Spirituality

SWAMI STHIRATMANANDA

Ethics—True Foundation of Religion search for the Eternal, and not observing some Said Swami Vivekananda, ‘No amount rituals, festivals, custom and so on. Upanishad of force, or government, or legislative cruelty says, ‘By knowing Him alone a human being will change the conditions of a race, but it is can cross the ocean of death, there is no other spiritual culture and ethical culture alone that way.’3 Lasting peace comes only when one can change wrong racial tendencies for the transcends the world of relativity and finds better.’1 that which is One and Absolute. Indeed, ‘spiritual culture and ethi- cal culture’ alone can solve the problem of What Religion Provides immorality, fraud, hypocrisy, misunder- Religion brings eternity into our lives. standing and violence that plague the society How? By enabling us realize the eternal truth everywhere. Only making strong government of our being. Swami Vivekananda says, ‘Only laws may check the man from doing wrong but through experience can there be any reality it will not remove the tendency to do wrong. in religion.’4 Prophets and great leaders of We need a lasting solution to these problems religion did not only believe religion but they and not a symptomatic relief. A devoted study had direct experience of the reality. Religion, of the lives and teachings of great mystics such in its deepest sense, is based on direct and as Sri Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda immediate perception. When as a young man and that of the Gita and Upanishads can be Swami Vivekananda asked Sri Ramakrishna, of help to us in exploring this issue and find a ‘Have you seen God?’, Sri Ramakrishna permanent solution. replied, ‘Yes, I see Him just as I see you Swami Vivekananda rightly remarked, here, only in a much intense sense.’5 It is this ‘Anything immoral will not help, but will experience, which Sri Ramakrishna referred to, only retard.’2 An ethically strong life alone that imparts strength to the words of all seers can make one truly religious. But why do we and prophets. need religion? Swamiji says that as long as To see objects or persons eyes are there is death, man needs religion. For it is necessary. How do we see God—through religion which shows man the life beyond life. what or by which instrument? According to It teaches him through spiritual practices how Vedanta, the Highest Truth is Brahman, the all- to transcend body-mind complex and discover pervading reality of our being. To experience the Eternal. So long as death persists, man will Brahman, one does not need any medium; for think about God and religion. For religion is a Brahman is the very core of being and thus

† The author is a monk of Ramakrishna Order at its branch in Dhaka in Bangladesh.

The V edanta K esari ~ 232 ~ JUNE 2015 35 one realizes it through direct experience. Only Swamiji says, ‘Everything that strengthens when we ourselves realize, through our pure the will by revealing the real nature is moral. heart, Brahman, do all our doubts go away. All Everything that does the reverse is immoral.’9 that is needed is that heart or Buddhi should Selfishness separates one from another. It be made pure. ‘Blessed are the pure in heart for instigates one to adopt immorality. The result they shall see God.’ Rest all is a preparation. is anxiety and fear. Small-mindedness and We are using the word ‘He’ for the selfishness are the causes of all evils. It is the Ultimate Reality, but the Ultimate Reality degree of selfishness or unselfishness which is beyond all gender sense. It is not he, she determines how much truly religious one is. or it but includes all these. Again, if we say Swami Vivekananda says: ‘Every religion that there is ‘nothing’ called God, in a way preaches that the essence of all morality is to it is right. For according to Vedanta, God is do good to others.’10 not a ‘thing’—He is Consciousness. God is Without religion a human being becomes not object. All things are objects but God is a brute—says a Sanskrit proverb. Swami Consciousness, Eternal subject. Vivekananda said: ‘Religion leads a brute to Every human being has a sense of man and a man to God.’ The Sanskrit term discontentment which compels it to seek more for God is Deva. It comes from the root div and more. Swami Vivekananda said, ‘There is, meaning ‘to shine’. It is a reference to the Self- again, the universal dissatisfaction. . . . What is effulgent nature of man—the divinity within. the meaning of this universal dissatisfaction? The acts of eating, sleeping, begetting children It is because freedom is every man’s goal. He and fear of death are common to all animals seeks it ever, his whole life is a struggle after and human beings. But man alone has the it.’6 power to separate right from wrong, real from Swamiji illustrates it further: ‘If you put unreal and make one experience one’s inherent a single molecule of air in the bottom of a glass divinity. Thus man has a sense of religion of water it at once begins to struggle to join the which makes him the best of all creatures. Sri infinite atmosphere above.’7 Similarly all the Ramakrishna said: ‘Is man an insignificant creatures continue to go towards the Infinity thing? He can think of God, he can think of from the present finite existence. Swamiji the Infinite, while other living beings cannot.’11 says, ‘To be more free is the goal of all our Further, why should we follow ethical efforts, for only in perfect freedom can there life? Swami Vivekananda says, ‘Behind every- be perfection.’8 thing the same divinity is existing, and out Now, what is morality? Morality is of this comes the basis of morality. Do not the destruction of separateness or false injure another. Love everyone as your own individuality—it means removal of selfishness. self, because the whole universe is one. In

The V edanta K esari ~ 233 ~ JUNE 2015 36 injuring another, I am injuring myself; in Social Ethics loving another, I am loving myself. From this There are two sides of ethics: subjective also springs that principle of Advaita morality and objective. The Bhagavad Gita says: ‘Lust, which has been summed up in one word— greed and anger—these are three gateways self - abnegation. The Advaitist says, this little to hell. These are to be avoided.’ Ethics in its personalised self is the cause of all my misery. subjective aspect is aimed to make one free This individualised self, which makes me from these three. It seeks to purify our heart different from all other beings brings hatred and help us discover our ever blissful spiritual and jealousy and misery, struggle and all other nature. evils. And when this idea has been got rid of, Objective-ethics is related to the social all struggle will cease, all misery vanish. So welfare. All persons must perform his or her this is to be given up.’12 duties. That is objective ethics. In the Hindu Or as the Gita says, ‘Thus seeing the tradition, there is the scriptural injunction same Lord equally present everywhere, to perform five types of sacrifices or duties. the sage does not injure the Self by the self, These are duties towards human beings, and thus reaches the highest goal.’13 Thus towards parents, to seers of truths (Rishis), religion lies in the experience of the spiritual to gods and to other creatures. If these duties practitioner. are performed then religious life or happiness Another aspect of religion is that it is certainly is achieved. The personal or social an attempt to solve the mystery of human unrest or problems come from the defect or existence. No one, no living being including insincerity in discharging duties. humans, wants to die. The reason? The Reality Sri Ramakrishna observes: ‘A worldly behind us—the Atman—is immortal. It has man spends thousands of rupees for his no death. The desire to live is manifested in daughter’s marriage. Yet, all the while, his many ways. For instance, man wants to have neighbours are dying of starvation; and he children so that he can be remembered through finds it hard to give them two morsels of rice; his children. Or he wants to leave behind some he calculates a thousand times before giving form of memory—building up a monument them even that much. The people around him or write a book or create some record in some have nothing to eat; but what does he care field of achievement. Atman is infinite by about that? He says to himself: “What can I nature—Infinite Existence, Knowledge and do? Let the rascals live or die. All I care about Bliss. Hence we too want to have infinite is that the members of my family should live existence, knowledge and bliss. well.” And they talk about doing good to This being our real nature, we are all others!’15 moving towards it. As Swamiji points out, ‘All True purpose of religion is to expand the active manifestations of human nature are our mind. It transforms a brutal human struggles of those ideals to become realized in being to refined human being, and then to practical life. All the various movements that spiritual person. Brihadaranyaka Upanishad we see around us in society are caused by the says: Prajapati Brahma has three offsprings— various ideals in various souls trying to come gods, humans and demons. Devas or gods out and become concretized; what is inside are good but they are selfish and have presses on to come out.’14 attachment for enjoyment. Human beings are

The V edanta K esari ~ 234 ~ JUNE 2015 37 naturally greedy. And the demons are envious, Swami Vivekananda observed, ‘In every cruel. Prajapati Brahma instructs them to country I have visited, I found this fighting practice self-control (dama), charity (datta) and over the means going over, and the people compassion (daya) respectively, to overcome have no eye on the ideal. Sri Ramakrishna the shortcomings of their characters. In the came to show the truth of this.’16 society too, there are three types of people. And in the simple language Sri Rama- Self-control, charity and compassion can uplift krishna: ‘In this creation of God there is a all and make them instruments of good for variety of things: men, animals, trees, plants. society. Among the animals some are good, some bad. T S Eliot, the well-known English poet, There are ferocious animals like the tiger. . . in the poem ‘What the Thunder Said’ of The Likewise, among human beings, there are the Wasteland points out the impact of ethics and good and the wicked, the holy and the unholy. spirituality. He tells that as rain water makes There are some who are devoted to God, and the barren land full with fruits and flowers, others who are attached to the world.’17 so also in social life peace and development This is important: men differ. Remem- come from following the ethical codes like self- bering this diverse nature of society can help control, charity and compassion. Ethical norms us conducting our lives better. All men are not make living in a society meaningful. same but alongside this variety, there is also According to Vedanta, man has four an underlying unity. ‘I am present in the heart goals of life. These are: righteousness (dharma), of all beings’, says Sri Krishna in the Gita. Sri wealth (artha), sense pleasure (kama), and Ramakrishna says, ‘The heart of a devotee is spiritual liberation (moksha). Righteousness the parlour of God.’ When we are aware of or Dharma has been given the first place. This this truth, we will treat everyone with respect. means one should try to earn money with ‘When you hurt anyone you hurt yourself, for righteousness. Money helps in fulfilling desires you and your brother are one,’18 said Swami and those desires too should be fulfilled in a Vivekananda. righteous way. What man seeks everywhere is This is the core of religion and spiri- same but the ways of seeking it is the point of tuality: discovering this oneness of existence. dispute and discussion. That alone can remove all selfishness and differences and make us live lives of meaning Conclusion and peace. †

References 1. CW, 3.182 6. CW, 1. 334 11. Gospel of Sri 15. Gospel, p. 757 2. CW, 3. 89 7. CW, 3. 428 Ramakrishna, p. 432 16. CW, 7.210 3. Shvetashvatara Upanishad 3.8 8. CW, 1.333 12. CW, I. 364 17. Gospel, p. 86 4. CW, 5. 293 9. CW, 8.225 13. CW, 3. 263 18. CW, 6.83 5. The Life of Swami Vivekananda, 1.77 10. CW, 3. 425 14. CW, 3. 90 Spiritual knowledge is the only thing that can destroy our miseries for ever; any other NQRZOHGJHVDWLV¿HVZDQWVRQO\IRUDWLPH,WLVRQO\ZLWKWKHNQRZOHGJHRIWKHVSLULWWKDW the faculty of want is annihilated for ever; so helping man spiritually is the highest help that can be given to him. —Swami Vivekananda

The V edanta K esari ~ 235 ~ JUNE 2015 Compilation

Insights into Some Keywords In Swami Vivekananda’s Words A few definitions and descriptive passages from the Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda

Mahabharata with which we are specially concerned in Maha means great, and Bharata means this subject of Bhakti. One man’s nature has the descendants of Bharata, from whom India a stronger love for children; another has it for has derived its name, Bharata. Mahabharata wife, another for mother, another for father, means Great India, or the story of the great another for friends. Another by nature has descendants of Bharata. (CW, 4.78) love for country, and a few love humanity in the broadest sense; they are of course very few, Istam and Purtam although everyone of us talks of it as if it were Here are two words—Istam and Purtam. the guiding motive power of our lives. Some Sacrificial and other rituals are called Ishtam, few sages have experienced it. A few great and Purtam is making roads, building hos- souls among mankind feel this universal love, pitals and so on. (CW, 9.236) and let us hope that this world will never be without such men. (CW, 4.51) Ishta Devata The word Ishta is derived from the root Food (Ahara) Ish, to desire, choose. The ideal of all religions, This word for food, in Sanskrit, is all sects, is the same—the attaining of liberty derived from the root, meaning to gather. and cessation of misery. Wherever you find Ahara means ‘gathered in’. What is his [Adi religion, you find this ideal working in one Shankaracharya’s] explanation? He says, the form or other. Of course in lower stages of passage that when food is pure the mind religion it is not so well expressed; but still, will become pure really means that lest we well or ill-expressed, it is the one goal to which become subject to the senses we should avoid every religion approaches. All of us want to the following:. . . When the senses, without get rid of misery; we are struggling to attain being extremely attached, without jealousy, to liberty—physical, mental, spiritual. This or without delusion, work in the world, such is the whole idea upon which the world is work or collection of impressions is called pure working. Though the goal is one and the same, food, according to Shankaracharya. When pure there may be many ways to reach it; and these food is taken, the mind is able to take in objects ways are determined by the peculiarities of and think about them without attachment, our nature. One man’s nature is emotional, jealousy or delusion; then the mind becomes another’s intellectual, another’s active, and pure, and then there is constant memory of so forth. Again, in the same nature there may God in that mind. be many subdivisions. Take for instance love, (CW, 4.6)

The V edanta K esari ~ 236 ~ JUNE 2015 THE ORDER ON THE MARCH

News and Notes from Ramakrishna Math and Mission Nepal Earthquake Relief as on 03 May 2015 In the wake of the recent devastating earthquake which affected a major portion of Nepal and some parts of India, the Ramakrishna Mission is conducting primary relief among affected families in the devastated areas. Till now our Kathmandu centre, with assistance from the Headquarters, has set up a community kitchen and served cooked food to about 750 affected people in its vicinity. On 28 April, the Kathmandu centre distributed 100 kg rice, 20 kg dal, 5 kg salt, 5 litres oil, 3 kg sugar, 3 packets of chocolates and 30 packets biscuits among 130 orphan children of Aravindo Orphanage at Thankot in Kathmandu. On

Earthquake Relief by Ramakrishna Mission in Nepal 29 April, the centre distributed 700 kg chira (rice flakes), 700 bottles of drinking water and 500 packets of biscuits in Sako, a village 20 km from Kathmandu, and 800 kg chira, 500 bottles of drinking water and 500 packets of biscuits in Sankarpur Nagarpalika, around 40 kms from Kathmandu. On 30 April, 700 packets dry food (chira and sweets), 500 bottles of drinking water and 500 packets of biscuits were distributed at Liwali, Kamal Binayak and Ghate in Bhaktapur area. Moreover, 200 packets of rice (2 kg each) and 100 packets of dal (100 gm each) were also distributed at a relief camp in Maheswari Playground in Jala Tol. The centre has also conducted extensive survey in some of the worst affected districts and distributed 950 kg chira, 50 kg sugar, 30 kg gur (molasses), 1050 kg rice, 160 kg dal (lentils), 216 kg biscuits, 233 litres of edible oil, 95 kg salt, 150 kg potatoes, etc. among 360 families in Duwachar, Upper Melunchi, Arigaun, Panauti, Tokha, Balaju, Samakoshi and Gairidhara areas on 2 May. Our Lucknow centre has started primary relief work in the worst affected Gorkha district of Nepal. Through its four camps set up at Kharre, Balushora, Mohatar and Gankhu the centre distributed dry food materials, candle sticks, match boxes, etc., among more than 600 affected people. The centre is also providing extensive medical assistance to the affected people in these remote areas. Nearly 308 patients have already been treated, among whom 14 were very serious cases. We are receiving assistance from the local people as well as the Army in our relief services.

The V edanta K esari ~ 237 ~ JUNE 2015 40

Our Darjeeling centre has initiated steps to carry out primary relief work in Sindhuli district of Nepal. The centre has already conducted extensive survey in the affected areas and all arrangements have been made to transport various dry food materials, first-aid materials, etc., at the earliest. Our Patna centre has started a camp at Raxaul in Bihar and is catering to the earthquake victims who have taken shelter in the border areas by distributing 1200 water bottles, 1000 pieces of cake, 1000 packets of rusk, 1000 packets of biscuit and 100 packets of protein powder among 1200 families. The centre, along with our Muzaffarpur centre distributed fruits, water bottles, protein powder, multivitamin tonic, biscuits, cake, etc., among earthquake victims admitted in the Darbhanga Medical College Hospital and the Motihari Sadar Hospital. Arrangements are being made to distribute tarpaulin sheets, blankets, tents, etc., among the affected families. The relief work is running in full swing and will be further expanded depending upon the situation. Further Reports are awaited. RAMAKRISHNA MISSION (Relief Section) P.O. Belur Math, Howrah West Bengal - 711 202, India Phone: (033) 2654-1144, 1180, 5700. Fax: (033) 2654-9885. E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.belurmath.org While thanking all who contributed for this noble cause, we request others to come forward and donate liberally, to help us in this noble endeavour. All donations paid in cash or by cheque / demand draft drawn in favour of “RAMAKRISHNA MISSION” payable at Kolkata are exempt from income tax under section 80-G of the I.T. Act. Online donation facility is also available through our website (http://www.belurmath.org/donation_cca/donation.php). Donation may please be sent to: The General Secretary, Ramakrishna Mission, (Relief Section) Belur Math, Howrah, West Bengal - 711 202, India. Swami Suhitananda General Secretary

A Souvenir Released Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Memorial, Vadodara, Gujarat, published a Souvenir to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda. Titled Swami Vivekananda—A Global Leader for a Global Civilization, it was released by Swami Gautamanandaji, a senior Trustee of Ramakrishna Math and Adhyaksha of Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai, at a public meeting held at Vadodara on April 12, 2015. The souvenir contains tributes paid by world thinkers on Swamiji, by Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, Irina Bokava (Director General of UNESCO) Anna Hazare and others. It also has the report of activities conducted by the centre as a part of the 150th birth anniversary celebration of Swami Vivekananda. It has over two hundred Release of the Souvenir pictures. †

The V edanta K esari ~ 238 ~ JUNE 2015 Book Reviews FOR REVIEW IN THE VEDANTA KESARI, PUBLISHERS NEED TO SEND US TWO COPIES OF THEIR LATEST PUBLICATION.

DIVINEI PLAYS OF LORD roots’. A society wrenched away from its past and SHIVAH (PICTORIAL) its roots may be a society without a future,’ says Edmund Burke. By Dr.T.N. The story of the ancient Madurai and its RamachandranRa Pandya kings, described in the book, is the story PublishedPu by Sri Rama- of Lord Somasundara and Goddess Meenakshi. krishnakri Math, Chennai. When Indra worshipped a Shiva Linga in Katampa E-mail:E-m mail@chennaimath. Vana [the old name for Madurai] to get rid of a sin org,org 2013, hardback, with golden lotuses from a nearby sacred pool, pp.404.pp.4 Rs.400. the Lord was pleased and sprinkled the nectar The Periya Puranam from his crescent moon all over the place. Hence, ((ofof Sekkizhar), the Kanda the name Madurai. Kulasekara Pandya, a small PPuPuranamranan m ((ofofo KKacchiyappaacchhiyaapppa SSivaachaariyar) and the king was bidden by the Lord to raise a city from TiTTiruvilaiyadalruvilaiyiyaddall PPuranamuranam ((ofof PParanjyothia Munivar) are the Katampa Vana with His Grace. The Pandya’s ththee chchiefiei f ShShaiviteaiivite PPuranamsuranams in Tamil. son Malayadwaja and his wife Kanjanamalai (in Chittira Tiruvilaiyadal Puranam, Tamil version previous birth, a fervent devotee of Meenakshi) of the book under review, was published in 2003 got a daughter (Thatathakai who is Goddess which was revised in 2013 and which was again Herself) whom Lord Somasundara weds and adapted and translated into English as the book becomes the ruler of Madurai with the name under review. All the above books and a few Sundarapandya. more on Shaivism were published by the Chennai Lord Siva is described, ‘Kripa Samudram’ Math with the Editorship and munificence of Dr. (Ocean of Grace). He is never appealed to in vain. N.Mahalingam, the well-known philanthropist who Swami Vivekananda’s mother prayed to Lord donated liberally for the revival and dissemination Vireswar of Kashi for a son like Him. She got of the Shaivite Puranams in India and abroad. Swamiji who was an incarnation of Shiva Himself. Dr.T.N. Ramachandran, the master translator, Shiva’s Grace was available even to a blackbird and with an equal mastery in English and Tamil, a heron which took a holy bath in the sacred pool of translated the saint’s long poetic legend into a golden lotuses inside the temple of Meenakshi and powerful prose narrative besides translating attained moksha. Madurai Tamil Sangam (literary a few selected poems from each episode into academy) consisted of poets who vied with one English preserving the original devotional and another for supremacy. Shiva being the chief poet, spiritual tenor. Sri S.Rajam, a renowned musician all the contenders go to Him for judgment which and an amazing artist has brought out the divine scene adorns the backcover of this book. There players alive in his colourful paintings and is an incident here, which is similar to the one in sketches tracing the progress of events in each Bakthisara’s life. When the Alwar and his disciple episode. ‘Tiruvilaiyadal’ in Tamil means ‘divine were banished from Tiruvehka by the king, Lord sport’. Bhujagasayana also left the place. Here, Lord English translations of the Indian scriptures, Somasundara leaves with his devotee Idaikkadan according to Max Muller, are a sine qua non for the when he was offended by the king. During the rule global community to know and benefit by the hoary of Abhisheka Pandya, the Lord assumes the form heritage of India. Secondly, English translations of a Siddha Purusha and performs miracles for of the traditional religious literature in Indian conferring fortune and welfare on Madurai. This we languages help the Indian diaspora to revisit their see on the colourful front cover.

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When Varuna floods the city, the Lord the divine touch of revolutionary change he exerts protects it by four clouds which gave the name on whoever has had the lucky chance to read his ‘the roofed city walled on four side’ (naan- works. maadakkudal) to Madurai. Madurai has another Every corner of India, quite literally from name ‘Alavaai’(aalaa—poison; vaai—mouth). The Kashmir to Kanyakumari and from Kolkata to Lord asks the snake on His wrist to reveal the Dwarka, experienced the essential magic of his boundary of Madurai to the king after a pralaya presence and touch, the magic which transformed (deluge). The snake mapped the boundary. Hence, whoever it came in contact with. This account of his the name. travels in Goa by the author, who edits The Vedanta Sri Ramakrishna said once that it is the Kesari, is an account of Swamiji’s Goa sojourn. Guru who often chooses a competent disciple Wherever Swamiji went, he won respect for his rather than it is the other way about. In the case erudition, admiration for the breadth and sweep of of Vaadhavoorar, it is Lord Dakshinamurthy his knowledge and love for his ability to reach out to who was sitting under the Kurundam tree who the masses. Nor was all this limited to one religion conferred on him His Grace by giving him the or community. Swamiji would converse brilliantly Upadesa and changing the jackals into the horses in a number of languages, including Sanskrit. As and vice versa. God Himself gave him the name the writer has chronicled, Swamiji’s visits to every ‘Manickavaachakan’ as his utterances were rubies. place he went to in Goa starting with his arrival There are 64 lilas of Lord Somasundara in Madgaon station where he was enthusiastically in Tiruvilaiyadal Puranam. It is said to be a Tamil received, to his short stay in the Rachol Seminary version of Halasya Puranam. Each page is adorned to study Christian theology, Swamiji enraptured with the Shiva Panchakshara [five-lettered mystic whoever he came in contact with. syllable on Siva], a cute Linga on top of the golden This slim volume contains a comprehensive lotus pool and a tiny lotus at the foot of ‘A Note history of Goa, from its earliest mention in the on the picture’. As we scan through the paintings, Mahabharata (as Goparashtra or Govarashtra) we have a feeling that we are viewing the frescoes and works through its chequered history when it on the walls and ceilings of the long corridor of an was occupied by various dynasties through to the ancient Siva temple in the south. point when it became a Portuguese colony. Goa’s ______K.PANCHAPAGESAN, BANGALORE liberation and accession to India finally took place only in 1961. The author has packed so much into GOAOA— BLESSEDLES BY HIS a very small space without losing its sacredness to factuality. The book is marked by its readability SACREDACRED TOUCHOU and interest, while it is thought-provoking. There By SwamiSwami is a small collection of Swamiji’s sayings as well AtAtmashraddhanandamashradd as a bibliography for those interested in finding PublishedPublished bby Sri Rama- out more about Swamiji. This pocket-sized book krishnakrishna MaMath, Chennai makes for easy reading and is recommended for the 600600 004,004, EE-mail: mail@ personal library. chennaimath.org,chennaima 2013 ______PREMA RAGHUNATH, CHENNAI paperbackpaperback ppp.72. Rs. 25

SSwamiw am Vive- SRI RAMAKRISHNA ASHRAMA THIRUVALLA kananda’skanaanda’s lifeli and teach- SHATABDI SMARANIKA ingsingss laylay in the way he ddemonstratedemonstrated his beliefs. FFromrom this ddemonstration Published by Ramakrishna Ashrama, Tuklasery, ththatat religion ‘is‘is rerealization,alization, not taltalk,k, not doctrine, Thiruvalla Kerala - 689 101. 2013, paperback, not theotheories,riies, however beautiful ththeyey may be. It is pp.90, Rs 100. being and becomingbecoming….’’ arises the popower he had to The Thruvalla Ramakrishna Ashrama change whoever came in contact with him during completed hundred years of service in the year his eventful life and still continues to have from 2013. The Centenary Celebrations of Ashrama his writings, others’ accounts of his travels and were inaugurated by the Governor of West Bengal,

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Shri MK Narayanan. many of the descriptions regarding the mode of This Souvenir effectively life of a Sannyasin as depicted in these Upanishads highlights the facts are not found in vogue now, the spirit of purity, surrounding the origin of renunciation and service alluded to there have been the Institution, its growth the life-breath of monasticism. through sacrifices and There seems to be some repetitions in notes. dedicated work of those Probably it is deliberate in order to enable a reader who served the organi- to go through the notes without having to turn zation. around the pages. The author has added, wherever Got up in elegant necessary, free translation of the Upanishad style embellished with Brahmayogi’s commentary which clarifies meaning photographs of the to some abstruse ideas expressed in Upanishads. Holy Trio and other pictures, along with many The notes on Turiya-svapna (pp.117-118) supplied by informative articles, the Souvenir attracts attention. the translator is really commendable. He relates this The formation of Thruvalla Ashrama, its progress, state to Sri Ramakrishna’s description of Vijnana the challenges faced by the organization as also a state. Many Sanskrit terminologies which may be history of the Ramakrishna Movement in Kerala are difficult to comprehend to a non-Hindu reader have included for the benefit of readers. been clarified by notes. Significantly, the Thiruvalla Ashrama was Though we already have two other trans- a place where a number of young men joined the lations on the said work, this translation is unique Ramakrishna Order as monastic members. The in its approach and deserves to be added to one’s Ashrama had the privilege of receiving Swami book shelf. Brahmananda, Swami Ramakrishnanandaa and ______SSWAMIWAMI KARUNAKARANANDA,KARUNAKA MYSORE other direct disciples of Sri Ramakrishna. The Souvenir serves as an excellent sourcesource A GUIDEUIDE TO SPIRITUAL LIFE to learn about the progress of the Ramakrishnarishna By SwamiSwam Chetanananda Movement in Kerala. ______P.S.P.S. SUNDARAM,SUN MMUMBAIUMBAI PuPublishedblishe by Adhyaksha, AdAdvaitavaita Ashrama, 5 Dehi EEntallyntally Road, Kolkata - SANNYASAANNYASA UPANISHADSADS 770000 014.014 E-mail: mail@ TRANSLATEDRANSLAT BY SWAMIAMI adadvaitaashrama.orgvaitaas 2013, ATMAPRIYANANDATMAPRIY paperback,paperbac pp.303, Rs.100. PublishedPublishe by Advaitadvaita A spiritual seeker AAshrama,s h r am 5 DehiDeh i pilotingpiloting hhis ship of spiritual EntallyEntally Road, Kolkataolkata voyagevoyage on the choppy 700700 01014.4 E-mail: mmail@ail@ waterswateers ooff wworldlinessor needs a advaitaashrama.org,advaita .org, cocompassompass to ssuccessfullyuccceessfully rereacha his destination 2013, hhardback,a pp.144,p.144, ofo God-realisation.God-realisationn. TheThe book under review is Rs.70.Rs.70. preciselyprecisi ely suchsuch a reliareliableblle compass.compass SaSannyasan Upani- The book is thrice-blessed as it has for its core shads,shads, asas the translator- the teachings of Sri Ramakrishna, for its main body authorauthhor ssays,ay are rich in the experiential findings and outpourings of Swami descriptionsdescriptionsn of the characteristics, Brahmananda, a direct disciple of the Master and qualifications,quq alifici ations, lifestyle,lifestyle, inwinwarda and outward for its English translation Swami Chetanananda, proclivitiesproclivities aandnd inclinations, aandnd various other a senior monk noted for lucid spiritual writings. particularspap rticculara s concerningconcerning thethe SannyasinsSannya (p.12). Of Almost all the essentials of a purposeful spiritual aboutabout 17 SannyasaSannyasa UpanishadsUpana ishads commented com upon life are dealt with in the book. Such spiritual by Upanishad Brahmayogin (an eminent scholar), concepts as Oneness of Existence, Samadhi in its the translator has selected 9 for translation. Though twin levels, the goal of human life, the need to begin

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Sadhana early in life, the alertness to overcomercome MENDEND YYOURO MIND ON obstacles. aversion for sensual joys, mind control,ontrol, MONDAYSONDAY and the need for meditation and renunciation.n. By SwamiSwam Hamsananda Besides this, Swami Brahmananda,a, the spiritual son of Sri Ramakrishna, also discussescusses PuPublishedblis by The the need for a God-realised guru, forbearance,rance, Divine Life Society, holy company, value of solitude, japam,pam, Shivanandanagar-249Shivanan 192, moral excellence, self-surrender, dedicationon to Tehri-GarhwalTehri-Ga District, Truth, infinity of God, divine grace, self-effort,effort, Uttarakhand.U ttarak 2013, brahmacharya, self-study, work and worship,rship, paperback,paperbac pp.54. price and so on. Hardly any aspect of spiritual lifee and not givengiven spiritual disciplines is left out! Many gems aree to be ThThe title bears found in the the mighty sweep of the book. a riddle.riddd le. TheThe answer to it is The book contains a brief essay on Rama-Rama- prprovidedovvidded bbyy tththee rrereveredvered authoraut in the Preface. krishna and Vivekananda, an appendix containingaining Accordingly,Acccordinglly, tthehe lessonslessons are mmeant for all days an article on Guru and also a useful glossary.y. The althoughaalthough MMondaysondaysy hhaveavve some significance.sig handy book may well be considered a kind of a Yoga as a Universal Science by Swami Krishna- gloss—Vartka—on the Gospel of Ramakrishna, the nanda was the sourcebook for the compilation modern Upanishad, by an acknowledged stalwart. of the booklet under review. The Preface advices ______N.HARIHARAN,N.HA MADURAI readers that Swami Krishnananda’s book will need repeated careful reading to understand the subjects. THE SECONDECON EPOCHAL This seems to apply to the present compilation also. TRANSFORMATIONTRANSFOR AND The booklet under review may, therefore, not be SWAMI VIVEKANANDA helpful to beginners. One of the topics titled ‘Two Things Cannot Relate…’ (No.9), for example, can By VijayVijay Kashkhedikar cause some confusion and requires explanation. PuPublishedblished by Ramakrishna Exercising control of the mind through VVivekanandaivekana Matri Dham, yoga is, as we know, necessary but it is not easy. SSriri NarayanaNar Nagar, As the author observes, the term ‘yoga’ is often WWaddhaman,addha Amravati used casually and people attribute their own Road,Road, TTah.a Hingna, Dist. concepts. It is an ancient science. Topic 26 of Nagpur,Nagpur, Maharashtra, Swami Hamsananda’s booklet makes it clear that E-mail:E-mail: vkaskhedikar@ the practice of yoga requires serious involvement. yahoo.co.in,yahoo.co. 2013, paper- Srimad Bhagavad Gita is the yoga shastra. Mere bbaback.48,ckk.4. 8, RRs.30s.30 reading of the Gita will not help as the nuances have ThThee fifirstirsr t pphasehase ooff tthehe Epochal Trans- to be learned from an enlightened teacher. It was for foformation,ormation, ssaysays ththee auauthorthor of this bbooklet, happened these reasons that, when devotees sought guidance, whwhenen SSwamiwami VVivekanandaivekanana da usherdusher in his message Sri Ramakrishna counselled the path of Bhakti as to the West. Swamiji had said, ‘I have a message to ideal for Kali Yuga. the West as Buddha had a message tom the East’. What is happiness and why is it elusive? We ‘West’ meant that part of the world considered are in the process of evolution, says the author. modern and not a ‘geographical concept’. Further, ‘The more we move towards perfection, the more he points out that this mission is being done in two we are happy. . .’ (topic 4). The next topic points phases; the first one in the 20th Century and we out that we seek freedom but it is not accessible have moved to the second phase. . . .In this finite world . . .’ We are burdened with The need for religion, how Sri Ramakrishna ‘. . . prejudices, psychologically and even rationally demonstrated by his own life, followed by Swami . . .Our parents have told us something and our Vivekananda’s exposition of Vedanta are mentioned school masters and professors have said something in the booklet. else.’ Here some explanation over the contradiction ______P.S. SUNDARAM, MUMBAI would be helpful.

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Printed in bold letters the booklet is easy to God’s will is a mantra everyone should adopt if read. It contains useful lessons for aspiring spiritual they want the peace and contentment which makes seekers. for happiness. ______PP.. SS.. SUNDARAM, MUMBAI The last chapter of this book, ‘The Gift God Needs’, is one that Sri Ramakrishna himself has MANTRA FOR THE MODERN said over and over again: God wants only our devotion and love as He appreciates these more MAN ANDAND HEART-TO-HEART than gifts and costly presents, just as a mother TALKSALKS would sooner have the presence of her children PaperbackPaperbac pp.152, Rs.250. than expensive gifts from them. THE HIGHWAYIGH TO Like the first, the second book The Highway to Happiness also consists of fifteen chapters. Here HAPPINESSAPPINES again the selection illustrates some basic truths PaperbackPaperbac pp.132, Rs.195. which very often we tend to forget. Beginning BotBothh booksboo by J.P.Vaswani with the well-known parable of the two birds PuPublishedblished by Sterling Publi- which symbolize the Paramatma and the Jivatma, shers PvPvt. vt Ltd. Available the message of the talk is that one should ‘make aatt Gita PublishingP House, friends with our minds, let not our minds turn SSaSadhudhu VVaswania Mission, into our enemies.’. How to achieve this in a world 110,0, SaSadhudh Vaswani Path, full of strife and violence and unending needs? Pune - 4411 001. E-mail: Dada Vaswani has an answer: the threefold path of mail@stmail@sterlingpublishers. Satsang, meditation and service. ccom;om; gph@sadhuvaswani,gp One of the most inspiring chapters is entitled PaPaperbackperbac pp.152, Rs.250. ‘Arise, Awake.’ Swamiji has made these two words ThThese two books synonymous with spiritual life and here again under rreviewe are a com- they have been used to sound the clarion. Dada pipilationlation of lectures given Vaswani points out that most of us are living in by J P Vaswani,Va who with the dark, occasionally illumined by the electricity hhisis simplesimp interpretations drawn from some outside source. When the inner of profoprofoundu truths culled light shines on us, we come to understand that from all religions, made we are self-illumined. The converse is also true: avavailableaiillable eternaletternal wisdomwis both to his the understanding of self-illumination comes only imimmediatemmediate fofollowerslloowers anandnd nownow ttoo his readers. when the inner light is lit. TThehe fifirstrst bobook,ok, MMaMantrantra fforor the Modern Man, Sufi masters talk of three journeys in a human coconsistsnsists ofof fifteenfifteen chapterschapa ters each of which is an being’s life. The first is wandering around without illustration of a basic tenet of ethical and spiritual a fixed abode or goal. Once we realize that we are living. In the first chapter, The Story of Pundalik, misguided, we make a U-turn and embark upon devotion to the guru is extolled. But who are our our second journey, which leads us on the right first gurus? Our parents, undoubtedly: however, path to our own inner selves. The third journey is in we are forgetful of this. We are often thoughtless of God—not towards Him or away from Him, but our parents and, now with the establishment of the in Him, leading at last to peace and a sense of nuclear family, they are more and more relegated to rightness. spending their last days in loneliness and despair. Both the books are very readable and thought- The spiritual guru is one who awakens us to the provoking and are written in a simple, clear and higher life, while our parents show us the light of unambiguous manner, with the style and language day by giving us the gift of birth. Both are equally matching the content, which makes for easy significant and with the story of Pundalik, the understanding. Here are two books that place the writer is able to illustrate his meaning. benefits of reading and listening to lectures within To explain the title of the book, the writer the reach of every sojourner. uses several examples to show how acceptance of ______PREMA RAGHUNATH, CHENNAI

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DEBATINGEBATING CULTURE Coomaraswamy had a very wide western audience By AnirbanAnirb Ganguluy and readership; he very rightly pointed out that Indian art should be included as part of the PuPublishedblishe by D.K. Print- study of Indian students. It was his earnest desire worworldld ((P) Ltd., Vedasri, that Indians should value their own roots and F-395F-395,, SSudarshan Park, background. (Metro(Metro SStation: Sudarshan Sri Aurobindo, who is the next thought- Nagar)Nagar) NewN Delhi - 110 maker Ganguly talks about, was also of the same 015.015. E-mail:E-m indology@ mind. However, to be true to ourselves, while dkprintworld.com,dkprintw 2013, weaving in western culture into the fabric of Indian hardbound,hardboun Pp.158. Rs.250. life, is what he advocated. $10. To buttress the point, both John Woodroffe India’sIndi cultural history and Sister Nivedita agree that if India desired to anaandd llelegacygacy hhaveavve long bebeene the envy of the take her place in world history and shine with wwoworld,rld, aalthoughltl hoh ugh no oneonne person canca lay claim either the light that slavishness had imposed upon her, tto iitsts ccreationreation or ttoo its ownership.ownersh In every field Indians, particularly those in charge of educational of knowledge we can say that there have been policy, needed to hark back to India’s lost cultural many firsts, much reflection, very deep and gravid ascendancy and reassert the primacy of her position observations arrived at through a system and in the world of art and spiritual thinking. lineage of spirit of enquiry that we can justifiably KM Munshi and SP Mookerjee, both of be proud of. Art, music, scientific and mathematical whose names are synonymous with the re-esta- thinking, medicine: these are some of the areas in blishment of Indian art and scriptural treasures, are which India led the world. Unfortunately, now two more names which bring up the rearguard of greater and greater economic activity, ever more the thinkers who understood the value of India’s exploitative and fierce, the word culture has taken contribution to the world’s corpus of artistic ability. on darker shades of meaning. The message the book seems to give is this: By its very definition, culture cannot be Indian culture was at the forefront of the world’s bought or sold; the usual rules of market forces thinking and philosophy and we ignore it at our cannot be made applicable, which partly accounts own peril. He quotes the great Gandhian and for the decline of Indian culture, which is in educationist Dharampal, who called for linguistic essence very subtle and all-pervasive. Thus it is and cultural rebirth by throwing off the shackles that a certain spiritual basis is almost mandatory in of a newly-acquired slavery that the west imposed understanding Indian culture. through colonialisation. To borrow something and The author of this book, Anirban Ganguly, pretend to own it creates a crisis of identity. has divided the book into two parts dealing with The book is certainly a product of great thinkers of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries reflection and thinking, however, there is far too respectively. In the first part, he has considered much dependence on quotations and not quite the contributions of Swami Vivekananda, Ananda enough interpretation. Another aspect that could Coomaraswamy, Sri Aurobindo, Sister Nivedita and perhaps have been avoided is the long footnotes John Woodroffe. In the second part, K M Munshi on practically every page. They are distracting and (founder of the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan), Shyama take away from the concentration that is certainly Prasad Mookerjee and Jawaharlal Nehru have been required to read a book of this nature. considered. That said, the author’s choices of the path- Swamiji has been placed at the head of the breakers are relevant and cover a period in Indian renewal of interest in Indian culture and the author history which is significant. The question arises: brings out his erudite observations made on his have we really been able to shake off the chains of journeys, primarily as a peripatetic monk. In this, colonial subjugation? Are we able to pay more than as in everything else, Swamiji plumbed the depths just nominal court to our own systems and values? of all the art he came in contact with. And would it be advisable, even if it was possible, Similarly, the place of Ananda Coomara- to do that in the 21st century? swamy as a votary of Indian art has been discussed. ______PREMA RAGHUNATH, CHENNAI

The V edanta K esari ~ 244 ~ JUNE 2015 The V edanta K esari 47 JUNE 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

New ReleaseRelease ByB any measure, Swami Vivekananda had a multifarious aandnd multidimensionalm personality. He was a great saint, ththinker,inke scholar, educationist, organiser, nationalist, traveller, wwriter,riter poet, musician, ambassador of Indian Culture to the West, and what not! To study the personality and message ooff 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/-30/- forfor single copy. No request for VPP entertained Published by Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai - 600 004 The V edanta K esari 48 JUNE 2015

Sri Shankara Stotrani New Release (Sanskrit Text)

TheT great teacher of Advaita Vedanta, Sri Adi ShanShankaracharyak was equally devoted to God with form. HHisis literaryli genius combined with his spiritual eminence aandnd devotiond found its expression in his hymns to various GGodsods and Goddesses. Rich in spiritual fervour, humility, and iinnernner longing for the highest emanicipation, these hymns are eexcellentxcell illustrations of the harmony of Jnana and Bhakti aandnd haveh been sung by countless devotees for centuries. This vvolumeolum contains, in Devanagri script, 65 extant hymns of the AAcharya.char

Hard boubound,nd pages xi + 330 Price: Rs. 160/- + PostaPostage:ge: Rs. 30/-30/- forf single copy. No request for VPP accepted Published by Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai - 600 004

New Release The Mystic Wisdom of Kabir TranslationTransla of Kabir’s Popular Verses and Songs InIn Indian religious history, Saint Kabir is unique. To the HinHindus,du he is a Vaishnava Bhakta, to the Muslims, a Pir, to ththee SiSikhs,k a Bhagat, to the Kabirpanthis, an Avatar, and to the mmodernoder patriots, he is a champion of Hindu-Muslim unity. SwamiS Brahmeshananda, a senior monk of the RRamakrishnaamak Order who is a former editor of the Vedanta Kesari aandnd theth author of many popular books, has painstakingly done tthehe trtranslationa of some of the verses and songs of Kabir. ThisT book would help the readers to gain the secular and spspiritualiritu wisdom ingrained in the mystical verses and songs of KKabir.abir. Hardbound,HHaarddbob unu dd, PagesPagees vi +168,+16 Price: Rs.70/- + Postage: Rs.20/-for single copy. NoN request for VPP accepted Published by Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai - 600 004 Email : [email protected] The V edanta K esari 49 JUNE 2015 The Vedanta Kesari

Some of the recent Annual Issues of The Vedanta Kesari now available in book form: (2002) How to Organise Life : Rs.45/- (2004) Sri Ramakrishna in Todays Violent World : Rs.45/- (2005) Channelling Youth Power : Rs.45/- (2006) No One is a Stranger : Rs.45/- (2007) Upanishads in Daily Life : Rs.70/- (2008) Gita for Everyday Living : Rs.70/- (2009) How to Shape the Personality : Rs.70/- (2010) Facets of Freedom : Rs.60/- (2011) Joy of Spirituality : Rs.80/- (2012) Indian Culture : Rs.275/- (2013) Swami Vivekananda— The CharmChharmarm ofof HisHis Personality and Message : Rs.110/-

Published by Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai - 600 004 Plus postage Rs.30/- for single copy. No request for VPP accepted E-mail: [email protected] The V edanta K esari 50 JUNE 2015

150

1200 The V edanta K esari 51 JUNE 2015 The V edanta K esari 52 JUNE 2015 The V edanta K esari 53 JUNE 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, Rishikesh, 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 JUNE 2015 55

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Why talk of sin and hell-fire all the days of your life? Chant the ‘name’ of God. Do say but once, ‘I have, O Lord, done things that I ought not to have done, and I have left undone things that I ought to have done. O Lord, forgive me!’ Saying this, have faith in Him, and you will be purged of all sings. —Sri Ramakrishna

Shrine at Sri Ramakrishna Vidyashala, Mysore

The V edanta K esari ~ 55 ~ JUNE 2015 Vol.102-6 The Vedanta Kesari (English Monthly) June 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 ~ JUNE Website: 2015 www.chennaimath.org