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1 TheVedanta Kesari February 2019

1 The Kesari The Vedanta

A Cultural and Spiritual Monthly 1 `15 February of the Order since 1914 2019 2 PRIVATE LIMITED Regd. Off. & Fact. : Phone : 04172 - 244820, 651507, Plot No.88 & 89, Phase - II, Tele Fax : 04172 - 244820 (Manufacturers of Active Pharmaceutical Sipcot Industrial Complex, E-mail : [email protected] Ingredients and Intermediates) Ranipet - 632 403, . Web Site : www.svisslabss.net

Ratha Saptami - Vasant Panchami 12 February 2019 10 February 2019

COVER STORY On 6 Feb 1897, Saturday, people of gave a euphoric welcome to on his triumphant homecoming from the West. Streets were lavishly decorated, triumphal arches were erected, mottoes were blazoned on all sides, and there was a perpetual

shower of flowers at every point on the route to Castle Kernan (now Vivekananda House) Editor: Swami Mahamedhananda where Swamiji was lodged. The whole Hindu society stood awakened and invigorated. The Published by Swami Vimurtananda, Sri , Chennai - 600 004 and Cover Page recaptures that day. Printed by B. Rajkumar, Chennai - 600 014 on behalf of Sri Ramakrishna Math Trust, Chennai - 600 004 and Printed at M/s. Rasi Graphics Pvt. Limited, No.40, Peters Road, Royapettah, Chennai - 600014. Website: www.chennaimath.org E-mail: [email protected] 3 106th The Vedanta Kesari Year of Publication

A Cultural and Spiritual Monthly of The

FEBRUARY Vol. 106, No. 2 2019 CONTENTS ISSN 0042-2983

11 16

Reminiscences of Sargachhi and the Hindu Society Swami Suhitananda Dr. Purba Sengupta FEATURES T h e V 49 21 ed 7 Dakäiëàmùrti Stotra as 8 Yugavani The Braahmanas 9 Editorial The Story of a Locket Lakshmi Devnath 25 Pariprasna Dr. Hironmoy N. Mukherjee 27 Vivekananda Way 31 Special Report Ramakrishna Math & Ramakrishna What is Religion? 45 Book Reviews Mission:Synopsis of the Governing Body Report for 2017-18 46 Topical Musings 49 The : An Exploration 52 The Order on the March 48 31 Ramakrishna- A Message to Garcia Vivekananda in ‘The Land of Five Rivers’ Swami Atmashraddhananda

s ng si u M l a c i 46 32 34 p o

T

Editor: Swami Mahamedhananda Published by Swami Vimurtananda, Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai - 600 004 and Printed by B. Rajkumar, Chennai - 600 014 on behalf of Sri Ramakrishna Math Trust, Chennai - 600 004 and Printed at M/s. Rasi Graphics Pvt. Limited, No.40, Peters Road, Royapettah, Chennai - 600014. Website: www.chennaimath.org E-mail: [email protected] TheVedanta Kesari Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai 600 004 h(044) 2462 1110 e-mail: [email protected] Website : www.chennaimath.org

Dear Readers, The Vedanta Kesari is one of the oldest cultural and spiritual magazines in the country. Started under the guidance and support of Swami Vivekananda, the first issue of the magazine, then called Brahmavadin, came out on 14 Sept 1895. Brahmavadin was run by one of Swamiji’s ardent followers Sri . After his death in 1909 the magazine publication became irregular, and stopped in 1914 whereupon the Ramakrishna Order revived it as The Vedanta Kesari. Swami Vivekananda’s concern for the magazine is seen in his letters to Alasinga Perumal where he writes: ‘Now I am February 2019 bent upon starting the journal.’ ‘Herewith I send a hundred 4 dollars…. Hope this will go just a little in starting your paper.’ ‘I am determined to see the paper succeed.’ ‘The Song of the Sannyasin is my first contribution for your journal.’ ‘I learnt from your letter the bad financial state that Brahmavadin is in.’ ‘It must be supported by the Hindus if they have any sense of or gratitude left in them.’ ‘I pledge myself to maintain the paper anyhow.’ ‘The Brahmavadin is a jewel—it must not perish. Of course, such a paper The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta has to be kept up by private help always, and we will do it.’ For the last 105 years, without missing a single issue, the magazine has been carrying the invigorating message of Vedanta with articles on , culture, , youth, personality development, science, holistic living, family and corporate values. Over the years, production and PERMANENT FUND publication costs have gone up manifold. A non-commercial magazine like this can To become self-supporting continue its good work only with the generous To establish the magazine on firm financial financial support and active assistance of well- footing please contribute to the Permanent wishers. Hence, we appeal to our readers and Fund. admirers of Swamiji to support us by donating Names of the donors will appear in the to the following schemes: magazine. SPONSOR A PAGE GIFT TO LIBRARIES To enhance production quality To reach wider readership

Once a year, please sponsor at least one page Please gift a copy of The Vedanta Kesari to in one issue of The Vedanta Kesari. school, college, university, public libraries & In a year (12 issues including a Special Issue) study circles. we need 600 pages to be sponsored. If you This will take ’s timeless spiritual and sponsor more pages, it will help us cultural heritage, and the message of Vedanta- reach the target faster and Ramakrishna-Vivekananda to a wider section enhance overall quality. of youth. You can select any library in India, The sponsor's name will or let The Vedanta Kesari choose one. appear in the margin of the Name of sponsors and libraries enrolled will page. be published in The Vedanta Kesari. Sponsorship Gift Subscription for 3 libraries per page: ` 1000/- for 1 year: ` 500/-

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 You can subscribe to The Vedanta Kesari from any month.  On your address slip, the number on the left of the first line is your subscription number. Always mention this in your correspondence.  If you do not receive your copy by the 15th of a month, please intimate us. Complaints reaching us before this or after one month (two months for overseas subscriptions) of posting of the journal are not entertained.  Only one complaint copy will be sent in a year.  Subscribers facing irregular postal delivery can choose Registered Parcel by paying additional `36/- per issue or opt for digital copy (pdf). PAYMENT DETAILS 1. You can send subscription payment/donations either by Cheque/DD/MO or Bank Transfer or Online Payment. 2. Cheque / DD / MO in favour of: ‘Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai’ Postal Address: Sri Ramakrishna Math, # 31, Ramakrishna Math Road, Mylapore, Chennai 600 004. 3. Bank Transfer in India: Name of the Bank : United Bank of India Bank Code No. : 600027009 Name of the Branch : R.K. Math Road, Chennai - 4 IFSC : UTBI0SRM842 Name of the Account : Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai {here ‘0’ is zero} Account Number : 1511010100001 Swift Code : UTBIINBBMBS of UBI 4. Donate Online: https://donations.chennaimath.org 5. After any donation please e-mail transaction details to : [email protected] a) In the e-mail / covering letter mention purpose of payment: VK Subscription / VK Permanent Fund / VK Sponsor a Page / VK Gift to Libraries. b) Kindly mention your postal address and contact number. c) Please give your PAN Number for donations `10,000 and above. d) All donations are exempt from Income Tax under section 80G of the [Indian] I.T.Act, 1961. February 2019 PATRONS: Pragati Offset, Hyderabad ` 25,000.00

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SL.NO. NAMES OF SPONSORS AWARDEE INSTITUTIONS 1. Dr. R. Subramaniya Bharathiyar, Vivekananda Foundation, Mysuru, 2. -do- Ramakrishna Seva Sangha, Ramakrishna Nagar, Mysuru 3. -do- Badarikashrama, Madehalli, Turuvekere, Karnataka 4. -do- Sri Ramakrishna Vivekananda Ashrama, Kunigal Road, Tumkur, Karnataka 5. -do- Swami Vivekananda Athmajnana Sevalayam, Udupi, Karnataka 6. -do- Sri Ramakrishna Ashrama, Davanagere, Karnataka 7. -do- Sri Ramakrishna Vivekananda Ashrama, Harihar, Karnataka 8. -do- Sri Sharadashrama, Hiriyur, Karnataka 9. -do- Ramakrishna Tapovan, Kariangala, Bantwal, Karnataka 10. -do- Sri Sharadashrama, Challakere, Karnataka 11. -do- Sadhanashrama, Davanagere, Karnataka

To be continued . . . Verse 2 बीजस्봾न㔤रिवा敍啁रो जगदिदं ꥍरङ्ꄿर्픿कल्प पुनः मायाकल्पितेशकालकलनावैचि配र्ि配रकृतम् । मायावीव विजृम㔭यत्यप महायोगीव यः स्वच㔛या तस्म �रगु셁मूर्ते नम इदं �रीद�णामूर्ते ।। २ ।। 2. Obeisance to him, Árì Dakäiëàmùrti, who is the , who, out of his free will, like the magician or a great yogi, manifests this world, which was, before creation, undifferentiated even as the sprout was within the seed and became variegated later, on account of its association with space and time brought forth by màyà. This verse forms the basis for the presentation of the Advaitic view of creation. Incidentally, the other schools are brought in and refuted. Whereas most of these schools depend upon two methods of knowledge, viz. pratyakäa (direct perception) and anumàna (inference), laying great emphasis on the intellect and reasoning, the Vedànta school depends primarily February 2019 on àptavàkya or áabda (verbal testimony of the scriptures), using logic also, to meet the 7 other schools on their own grounds. Dakäiëàmùrti Stotra The main contention of Advaita - Sri Vedànta is that the fundamental Truth is one, without a second, Advitìya. It is or Àtman which is pure (sat), pure consciousness (cit) and pure bliss (ànanda). Since this world is a fact of our experience and since its creation has to be explained somehow to satisfy our curiosities, this verse is giving two examples: Firstly, this world of wonderful varieties existed in Ìávara, PAGE SPONSOR: SRIMAT SWAMI GAUTAMANANDA JI, SRI RAMAKRISHNA MATH, CHENNAI MATH, RAMAKRISHNA SRI JI, GAUTAMANANDA SWAMI SRIMAT SPONSOR: PAGE even as a mighty tree with its several roots, branches, leaves and fruits, existed in its seed, in an Kesari The Vedanta undifferentiated form. When the màyà power of Ìávara, under His direction, projected deáa (space) and kàla (time), this ‘seed’ of the world got evolved into all its varieties. Secondly, this projection of the world is not a real creation like the potter making a pot out of clay, but the illusory manifestation brought about by Ìávara just by His own will, like the magician or a yogi (like Viávàmitra) producing articles of magic. This obviates the need for a material cause outside Ìávara which would otherwise militate against the conception of Advaita. There are plenty of references in the scriptures to this Advaitic view of creation: त뤾饍व एत뤾दात्मन आकाशः संभूतः। ‘From this Àtman, verily, àkàáa (ether) was produced.’ —Taittirìya Upaniäad (2.1); सदेव सो륍यढमग्र आसीत्‌ ‘My dear, in the beginning, Reality alone existed’ —Chàndogya Upaniäad (6.2.1); तदै啍ष ब स्य प्रजायेयेति ‘It thought—“Let me become many! Let me give birth!” ’ —Chàndogya Upaniäad (6.2.3); यतो वा इमािन भूतािन जायꅍत। ‘That from which all these beings are born.’ —Taittirìya Upaniäad (3.1). Dakäiëàmùrti Stotra with Manasollasa. Translated and Annotated by Swami Harshananda Yugavani

GURU aya is nothing but the egotism of the embodied soul. This , that is to Msay, the ego, is like a cloud. The sun cannot be seen on account of a thin patch of cloud; when that disappears one sees the sun. If by the grace of the guru one's ego vanishes, then one sees God. All the knots of ignorance come undone in the twinkling of an eye, through the guru's grace. Do you know what it is like? Suppose a room has been kept dark a thousand years. The moment a man brings a light into it, the darkness vanishes. Not little by little. One needs faith—faith in the words of the guru, childlike faith. One understands the scriptures better by hearing them from the lips of the guru or of a holy man. Then one doesn't have to think about their non-essential part. One attains God by following the guru's instructions step by step. The guru is like a companion who leads you by the hand. It is like reaching an object by following the trail of a thread. There can be no fear if the guru's grace descends on one.

February 2019 If a man in the form of a guru awakens spiritual consciousness in you, then know for certain that it is God the Absolute who has assumed that human form for your sake. 8 When the disciple has the vision of the Ishta, through the guru's grace, he finds the guru merging in Him. Satchidananda alone is the guru. Anyone and everyone cannot be a guru. It is not good to be a guru by profession. One cannot be a teacher without a command from God. But it won't do if a man only imagines that he has God's command. God does reveal Himself to man and speak. Only then may one receive His command. How forceful are the words of such a teacher! They can move mountains. But mere lectures? People will listen to them for a few days and then forget them. They will never act upon mere words. The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta A man who is himself ignorant starts out to teach others—like the blind leading the blind! Instead of doing good, such teaching does harm. After the realization of God one obtains an inner vision. Only then can one diagnose a person's spiritual malady and give instruction. A huge timber floats on the water and can carry animals as well. But a piece of worthless wood sinks, if a man sits on it, and drowns him. Therefore, in every age God incarnates Himself as the guru, to teach humanity. Renunciation of the world is needful for those whom God wants to be teachers of men. One who is an should give up kamini-kanchana, and greed. It is not enough for him to renounce only mentally; he should also renounce outwardly. Only then will his teaching bear fruit. —Compiled from The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna Editorial

The Task Before Us

Today, there is a growing fear that the shraddha ceremony of his father. He was Sanatana Dharma is under threat; that it is assisted by his two young sons. When they sat being defamed, distorted, and weakened. for worship with eyes closed, their pet cat ate Some of our ancient customs and beliefs are the naivedya before it could be offered. The man being swept away under the hammer blows arranged for new naivedya and also put the cat of different forces — forces of social justice, in a corner and covered it with a wicker basket. of malice, and of ignorance. There are people The cat was let out after the worship. The next clamouring to change ancient temple customs; year, before the worship began, the cat was some are out to discover the caste of Hindu confined to the same corner with the basket gods; some are crying hoarse that over it. This practice continued for many years. has become intolerant of other faiths; some One day the man himself passed away. Now indulge in all kinds of deceptions to wean his two grown-up sons got ready to perform Hindus away from their faith; and some regard his shraddha ceremony. Just when the worship animals as more sacred than fellow human was about to begin, the elder brother exclaimed, February 2019 beings! In short, the religion that enshrines ‘My God! We have forgotten an important ritual 9 eternal, universal truths seems to be losing its of our sacred tradition!’ ‘What is it?’ asked fire. the younger brother anxiously. ‘Don’t you In his first write-up for Udbodhana, the remember, how at every shraddha ceremony our Bengali monthly of the Ramakrishna Order, father would keep a cat in that corner covered Swami Vivekananda makes an interesting with a wicker basket?’ replied the elder brother. observation. Pointing out to the fast paced As the pet cat too had died by then, the younger changes in sentiments, manners, customs and brother rushed to the market and purchased a PAGE SPONSOR: SWAMI BANESHANANDA, , GERMANY SOCIETY, VEDANTA BANESHANANDA, SWAMI SPONSOR: PAGE morals that the enforced upon the new wicker basket and a new cat in the name Kesari The Vedanta Hindu society, Swamiji writes: ‘Slowly and of the dear departed father. The worship began slowly, by the strong dint of law, many of our with a cat once again kept in the same corner most cherished customs are falling off day by covered in a basket! A ‘sacred’ tradition had day — we have no power to withstand that. been safeguarded!! And why is there no power? Is truth really The sooner such cat-basket customs powerless? “Truth alone conquers and not are weeded out from our faith, the better for us. falsehood.” — Is this Divine Vedic saying false? But what if we in ignorance discard the very Or who knows but that, those very customs fundamentals of our religion, like throwing the which are being swept away by the deluge of baby out with the bathwater? the power of Western sovereignty or of Western To avoid this danger, the first thing we education were not real acharas, but were have to do is to learn to distinguish between anacharas after all.’ the essentials and the nonessentials of Sanata How are acharas corrupted? A parable Dharma. The essentials are eternal and based explains this. Once a man was performing upon the immortal nature of man, and are as recorded in the Vedas, the . In the name of secularism, or just plain laziness Everything else are non-essentials, are customs we have failed to assimilate our cultural and which have value only for a certain time; and spiritual knowledge into the mainstream as Swami Vivekananda points out, if after education system. We have forgotten Swami a time they are not replaced by something Vivekananda’s advice that, ‘The secret of a true essential, they become positively dangerous. Hindu’s character lies in the subordination Swamiji reassures us, ‘This you have always of his knowledge of European sciences and to remember that because a little social custom learning, of his wealth, position, and name to is going to be changed you are not going to that one principal theme which is inborn in lose your religion, not at all.’ Again, he says, every Hindu child – the spirituality and purity ‘Whatever is weak and corrupt is liable to die of the race.’ — what are we to do with it? If it goes, let it Even our children are pushed into the go, what harm does it do to us? What is strong whirlpool of competition without giving them and invigorating is immortal. Who can destroy a real opportunity to imbibe the fundamentals that?’ of our culture and spirituality. Parents and The point is that we should have a firm educators should give ear to Sister Nivedita grip on the immortal fundamentals of Sanatana who declares that the development of the child Dharma. This is not just for our sake, but for is for the good, not of himself, but of jana-desha- the good of the world. Swamiji never tired of dharma. She writes: ‘Why are you going to telling us that the mission of modern India is school?’ says the mother to her little one, at the

February 2019 ‘to conserve, to preserve, to accumulate, as it moment of parting. And the child answers, in were, into a dynamo, all the spiritual energy of some form or other, growing clearer and more 10 the race,’ and then pour forth that concentrated eager with growing age and knowledge, ‘That energy in a deluge upon humanity to help it ‘to I may learn to be a man, and help!’ There is no realise its own true, divine nature.’ fear of weakness and selfishness for one whose The next thing is to be proud of our whole training has been formed round this spiritual heritage. In his reply to the welcome at nucleus. This, the desire to serve, the longing the World’s Parliament of Religions, in Chicago to better conditions, to advance our fellows, to on 11 September 1893, Swamiji repeatedly lift the whole, is the real religion of the present

The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta professed his pride in being a Hindu. Then, day. Everything else is doctrine, opinion, right from his first public address on returning theory. Here is the fire of faith and action. Each to India in 1897, he reminded Hindus that day should begin with some conscious act of they were inheritors of ‘the most wonderful, reference to it. A moment of silence, a hymn, convincing, broadening, and ennobling ideas a prayer, a salutation, any of these is ritual found only in’ Vedanta. He declared that sufficient.’ India still survived as a nation because it held These then are the sacred tasks that every on to God, ‘to the treasure-house of religion Hindu has to take up today: understand the and spirituality.’ Therefore, he said, we should fundamental universal teachings of Vedanta; keep religion as the backbone of our national strive utmost to live up to them; and then with life. a missionary zeal take these life-giving truths Unfortunately, most of the educated to the ‘homes of the poorest and the lowest, as Hindus are today drowned in self-preservation well as of the richest and the highest.’ If this is with all their energies and time spent in earning done, no power on earth or heaven can harm a livelihood and then indulging in recreations. Sanatana Dharma, the Eternal Religion. Reminiscences

Reminiscences of Sargachhi SWAMI SUHITANANDA

Conversations with Swami Premeshananda (1884-1967) a disciple of Holy Mother Sri .

35 (Continued from prvious issue. . .) are polluted by fate, and who are careless, malicious, and quarrelsome. There are also 9.9.60 fellows who embrace the life of renunciation Maharaj: Can you tell me your identity but don’t follow their vows, who are unclean, when you were just a foetus? Were you beggarly, and live family lives, who perform then a Hindu or a Muslim, a Bengali or a austerities living in villages and are greedy for

Bihari? You then had only one reality – your money.’ February 2019 ‘I’ consciousness. This is what is known as awareness or consciousness. 10.9.60 11 Wherever you stay, you have to abide Question: Is it the sannyasi’s job to reform by the rules and customs of that place. Some society? sadhus have been living in Kashi for twenty Maharaj: Not at all. However, a sannyasi years, yet they have not learnt Hindi. But has to keep watch from a distance and ensure the Christian missionaries learn the Santhali that such tasks are carried out properly. He language and teach the Santhals. When a sadhu has to train suitable workers, assign them the

PAGE SPONSOR: SRI VENKATARAMANAN T., CHENNAI T., VENKATARAMANAN SRI SPONSOR: PAGE is posted to Kanpur, he must become a full- responsibility of carrying out such work and The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta fledged Kanpuri. Only then he can be called a then observe whether or not it is done properly. real sadhu. In our country as yet we do not have A sadhu has to remain extremely alert. I capable leaders. Those whom you see belong have seen sadhus for whom only two things to the class of ordinary workers. They want to are important – pranam and pranami (receiving do all the work by themselves. For example, the devotees’ salutations and receiving their suppose a worker has the responsibility of offerings). You can’t imagine how low some tilling the land and he is cultivating eggplants. sadhus stoop in the name of performing duties! The owner comes and plants two cucumber Do you remember those verses composed by saplings, just to show that the land is under Sridhara Swami? Recite them – his management! He doesn’t care whether प्रमािदनो बहिश셍椿त्त पिशुनाः कलहो配कःस his act will improve or damage the land. सꅍयसिनोऽपि द्दश्यꅍत देवसꅍ饂षिताशयाः। Our leaders today are like that owner. A true अव्रता वटवोऽशौचा भिक्षवश् कुटु륍넿नः। leader keeps himself in the background and तप픿नो ग्रामवासी ꅍयसिनोऽत्यर㔥लोलुपाः।। monitors from there the work done by others. ‘One comes across sannyasis whose Whenever anyone is in difficulty, the leader minds are outwardly oriented, whose thoughts steps in, sets it right, and then withdraws. The person entrusted with the task then continues brotherhood. All aspire to the same goal. Just to manage the work. The leader has to totally see all the places they come from–Saradapeeth, forget his ego and be one with the team Narendrapur, and even from far-off Madras, members. Madhya Pradesh, and Bombay. Here is an old All activities should be performed as a man in a remote area – who holds no position, unit. Suppose you worship the Lord in the nor wields any power – yet why do they come shrine and by chance you are delayed. It doesn’t to him? This is because is the life of this matter; I will go and quickly finish the worship. Order. It has so happened that a young man On another occasion you come forward to help comes here because there is nobody to me in my work. Onlookers will see that all are sympathise with him; no one has time to look engaged in one single task. However, such a after the newly joined novitiates. I truly love mode of work is possible only when four or five people; there is not a whit of hypocrisy in this. persons are involved. If there are many people, This is the true test: whether you are this method may be disruptive. Our sadhus moving towards God, and whether you can are university-degree holders. Truly, they are love all living beings सर्भूतस्थम뤾त्म뤾नं… [he good sadhus. They don’t have any dearth of beholds] the Self in all beings’ (Gita 6:29). renunciation, austerity, knowledge, or devotion. Besides, we don’t have a wife, sons, property, or But they are unable to work together in a group land; all we have is a little love. So, whoever through mutual consultation. Leaders cannot be comes to us, we can only give them a little love. made – leaders are born. Swamiji said that Sri Ramakrishna is ‘L-O-V-E February 2019 Can training be imparted through books personified’. alone? Participating in games and mixing with Indeed, we went to Sri Ramakrishna’s 12 others in work is the right kind of education. monastic disciples and found the same love in After visiting Oxford, somebody said, ‘When do them. How sweet were their words! You can they study here? There are only competitions, bind others with love. No relationship lasts sports and games, functions, dining together, unless it is based on culture. We can build a and such things!’ Proper education happens relation frivolously, but it lasts only a few days. when both the sensory nerves and the motor Question: What should we do if there is an nerves function equally well. inimical environment in the ashrama?

The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta Maharaj: Even if the environment in 11.9.60 an ashrama is bad, you should not put Question: What if we receive blows for it in difficulties by leaving it. You should sticking to the path of truth? pray to Sri Ramakrishna day and night Maharaj: This is the very reason that you and watch out for an opportunity to leave it. have embraced . You have joined the Run away post-haste as soon as you get such Order to live by high ideals. If you remain on an opportunity. If the new place you go to is the path of truth, nobody can harm you. You also bad, then again seek the opportunity to are bound to win in the end. The man who leave. drubs you with shoes now, will perhaps later Beware! Never get into a conflict. It will worship you and after five years even take the disturb your mind. You should not be obstinate dust of your feet! I have seen such things with in your dealings with those who hold power. I my own eyes. hope you recall Sri Ramakrishna’s instructions Young monastics of our Order come here in this matter. just to visit. Well, why shouldn’t they? This is a (To be continued. . .) Sri Ramakrishna Math (A Branch of Ramakrishna Math & , ) Puranattukara P.O., Thrissur-680 551, Kerala. Phone Office: 0487-2307719; 082817 82193; 095261 72929 E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected] Web.: www.rkmthrissur.org

Appeal for Financial Help for Constructing ‘Publication & Research Centre’ at Sri Ramakrishna Math, Thrissur, Kerala. Namaste. ‘Sri Ramakrishna Math’ situated at Puranattukara near Thrissur city in Kerala is a branch of ‘Ramakrishna Math & Ramakrishna Mission’. Established as early as 1927 with a Gurukulam (hostel) for educating the poor Harijan children of the locality, this branch of the Ramakrishna Movement has since been tirelessly serving the society in a number of areas including value education, healthcare, propagation of Dharma, publication of Vedantic texts and spiritual ministration. The Publication Dept. of this Math has published 300-odd books. By its unique service of February 2019 decades, this Publishing House has contributed to the material and 13 spiritual progress of the society. Although it has developed over the years, its infrastructure has not developed in line with the increase in the volume of work and the Dept. now works under spatial

constraints. Kesari The Vedanta It is under these circumstances that we plan to build a 4-storeyed ‘Publication and Research Centre’, estimated to cost Rs. 6 crores. The new building will house the Publication Godown, Despatch Office, Publications Office (Books Section), Prabuddhakeralam Magazine Office, Public Library, Research Section, Living Rooms for Monks and Guests etc. So, we request our devotees and well-wishers to make generous contributions to realize this unique project. I am fully sure that this project will contribute greatly to the welfare of society for decades to come. We will be greatly thankful to you if you could contribute even partially. Your donations may be sent as DD/Cheque in the name of ‘Sri Ramakrishna Math’ or transferred to our bank account: A/c Name: SRI RAMAKRISHNA MATH; SB A/c Number: 6711843752; Bank Name: Kotak Mahindra Bank; Branch Name: Thrissur; IFS Code: KKBK0000596. All donations are exempt from income tax under section 80-G of the I.T. Act. Thanking you in anticipation, Yours sincerely and affectionately, Swami Sadbhavananda Adhyaksha Sri Ramakrishna Ashram, Nettayam (A Branch Centre of Ramakrishna Math, belur Math, W.B. Sasthamangalam, Thiruvananthapuram - 695 010 Phone: 0471 - 2722125, 2722453, 2727607, 2726603, 2727393 Email: [email protected] Dear Devotees, Please accept our greetings and best wishes. The temple at Sri Ramakrishna Ashrama, Nettayam, Thiruvananthapuram was constructed between 1916 and 1924. Revered Swami Brahmanandaji Maharaj, the spiritual son of Sri Ramakrishna, and the first President of Ramakrishna Math, laid the foundation stone of this Ashrama in 1916 and Revered Swami Nirmalanandaji Maharaj consecrated it in 1924. Revered Swami Vijnananandaji Maharaj, another direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna visited this Ashrama and had a vision of Sri Ramakrishna in the shrine. The Ashrama is located on a hilltop at Nettayam in Trivandrum. This hundred-year-old Ashrama is an ideal place for worship, japa and meditation and is an inspiration for sincere spiritual aspirants. Many senior monks of Ramakrishna Math have February 2019 stayed and did tapasya here. Devotees visiting this serene, calm and holy place experience its 14 spiritual current. Due to ageing, this important shrine is in a dilapidated condition and often leaks at several places during monsoon. As such, a thorough revamping of the roof and other parts of the structure including the rubble construction has to be done immediately to preserve it for posterity. The repair & renovation project will cover civil, electrical and structural work. It is estimated to cost rupees 52 lakhs. The Ashrama has to mobilize this amount immediately for completing this noble work as early as possible so that the next all Kerala Sri Ramakrishna Devotees’ Conference in May, 2019 can be held in the renovated Ashrama. The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta We earnestly request you to donate generously for this holy endeavor and be blessed by Sri Ramakrishna. Praying for the blessings of the Holy Trio, Yours in Sri Ramakrishna, 5th December, 2018 Swami Mokshavratananda, Adhyaksha. Donations may be sent in favor of “Sri Ramakrishna Ashrama, Thiruvananthapuram” in the above address or deposited in any of the following bank accounts directly with an sms to (mob)8289916882. Savings a/c Name & No. 1. State Bank: Sri Ramakrishna Ashrama Charitable Hospital 30549599482 IFSC:SBIN0004685 Jawaharnagar Branch 2. Syndicate Bank: Sri Ramakrishna Ashrama Charitable Hospital 40182200003630 IFSC:SYNB0004018 Sasthamangalam Branch 3. Canara Bank: Sri Ramakrishna Ashrama Charitable Hospital 0821101007005 IFSC:CNRB 0000821 Sasthamangalam Branch 4. FCRA a/c: Sri Ramakrishna Ashrama Charitable Hospital 0821101008404 SWIFT Code:CNRBINBBTDC Sri Ramakrishna Ashramam Road, Kalady Dist: Ernakulam-683574, Kerala Email: [email protected] Ph: 0484-2462345/2461071 An appeal to Devotees and Well-wishers Kalady is the Birthplace of , a great spiritual leader, and founder of Advaita School of Vedanta. This Ashrama is situated on banks of river Purna. Centre began in the year 1936 and further affiliated to Ramakrishna Math, Belur Math in 1941. Swami Agamananda, a disciple of Swami Brahamananda is the founder President of this Centre. From the inception, this Ashrama is an important hub of activity for Spirituality, Social reformation and Welfare Service in Kerala. We are rendering tirelessly invaluable service to the people in the field of Welfare and Education from past 77 years. Ashrama is conducting multifarious social activities through Educational institutes, Hostel, Community Centre, Computer and Typewriting training centres. Ashrama has a Universal Temple, Auditoriums and School with play grounds for day scholars from Kindergarten to +2 supported with School Buses & School Libraries. Since 1966 Ashrama is running Gurukulam (Hostel) for Boys for both Schedule Tribes and general section. A Computer and Typewriting training centre for Schedule Castes which helps them for seeking Government and Private Company jobs. It has a sub-centre at Muvattupuzha.

Ashrama depends largely on the contributions from devotees and well wishers like you for February 2019 sustaining the above activities. Often our financial resources dries up quickly owing to meagre regular donations, insufficient corpus funds and spiraling cost of living. Hence we humbly appeal to our 15 devotees to contribute as well as to inspire friends and relatives to participate in the noble cause for the services mentioned below.

Sl No. Activity Annual expenses 1. General - Sri Ramakrishna Puja, Jayanti Celebrations, Ashrama 25 Lakhs establishments, Nitya Annadanam & Sadhu Seva. 2 Education – School establishment expenses, Building maintenance, Up- 10 Lakhs gradation and modernization of School activities. Commute facilities Kesari The Vedanta maintenance etc. 3 Welfare & Social Services – Sri Ramakrishna Gurukulam (Hostel) building 15 Lakhs Maintenance. Schedule Tribe Welfare, Schedule Caste Skill Training- Computer Training, Typewriting etc. Poor and widow pecuniary aid. 4. Purchase of new Generator - For the stand-by electricity supply to 6 Lakhs Temple, Office, Gurukulam Hostel, Monks Quarters and Guest House. You may send your kind contributions by Cheque/DD/ (In the name of “Sri Ramakrishna Advaita Ashrama”). For Electronic transfer (Canara Bank, Kalady, IFSC Code: CNRB0002921, Savings Bank Account Number: 2921101005444). Please send an E-mail after sending donations with full address and PAN number to [email protected]. The contributions are eligible for exemption u/s 80G of the Income Tax Act. Contribution above Rs.25,000/- will be taken as endowment fund. May Bhagavan Sri Ramakrishna shower his choicest blessings in all your endeavors is our sincere prayer. Yours in the service of the Lord, Swami Srividyananda Adhyaksha Article

Sister Nivedita and the Hindu Society

DR. PURBA SENGUPTA dwelt on mysticism and was full of The word ‘Hindu’ came to be coined by superstitions. the Persians. That was their way of pronouncing They declared that the river Sindhu (Indus) which marked the it advocated ‘strange western frontier of the ancient Aryan settlement things’ like worshipping in Punjab. Consequently, they used the word idols and cows, and it did Hindu to refer to the followers of the eternal not treat its women with due religion who lived in the Sindhu valley. From respect. At this juncture, Nivedita made such time immemorial, Hindu religion was subject a revolutionary presentation of Hinduism to repeated attacks by the belief systems and that it created a huge tumult in the western philosophy of the invading religions. Though world. It was a time when the whole world was February 2019 wounded, the Hindu religion or Hinduism has thirsting for a new meaning of life; an earnest 16 survived all these attacks from medieval times call for discovering the Truth was knocking to the present age, and held aloft its tenets. It the doors of their hearts. Swami Vivekananda is this very religion that a woman from a far- led this scorched humanity into the soothing, off land heartily embraced. Her adoration for liberal shade of Hinduism. The world heard the religion was not a mere gush of emotion, this Hindu saint proclaim, ‘Heirs of immortal but founded on the bed-rock of rationales. bliss – yea, the Hindu refuses to call you According to her, Hinduism and India were sinners.’ Sister Nivedita, like his mind-borne synonymous. In her profound love for India daughter, marveled, felt encouraged, dedicated The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta there was a slice of such love for the Hindu herself to fulfill her guru’s mission, and stood society too. This lady was Sister Nivedita. enlightened.

Source: Her Guru Swami Vivekananda’s Speech at Chicago Nivedita’s love for Hinduism and the In his Chicago addresses, Swami Hindu society originated from her guru Vivekananda had said on 11 September Swami Vivekananda, whom she knew as ‘the 1893, ‘I thank you in the name of the most Cyclonic Hindu Monk.’ Swamiji taught her the ancient order of monks in the world…..these fundamental tenets of Hinduism. It was the men from far-off nations may well claim the time when Karl Marx, in his book Asiatic mode honour of bearing to different lands the idea of Production had expressed his deep revulsion of toleration. I am proud to belong to a religion for Hinduism. The Christian missionaries too which has taught the world both tolerance repeated his words and said that Hinduism and universal acceptance.1 On 19 September,

The author is a sociologist working as a scholar of at Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture, and writes regularly on Indian mythology and Ramakrishna-Vivekananda literature. This article originally in Bengali is translated by Lisa Sen. [email protected] he spoke exclusively on Hinduism. Referring India, Hinduism was sub-divided into sects to this address titled ‘Paper on Hinduism’, like and . and Nivedita later wrote, ‘Of the Swami’s address too had their source in the founding before the Parliament of Religions, it may be structure of Hinduism. These divisions said that when he began to speak it was of “the presented different ideas and beliefs. The need religious ideas of the Hindus”, but when he of the hour was for Indians to understand that ended, Hinduism had been created.’2 Nivedita these sects and faiths were presenting different formed a concrete idea about Hinduism from facets of the same Truth. this speech of Swami Vivekananda and from Nivedita states that while Swamiji had other discussions with him; and from this idea a profound reverence for Sri as the sprang forth her conception about customs and universally accepted prophet of Hinduism, rituals of the Hindu society. his adoration for the Buddha was no less. Swamiji moulded Hinduism to make Swamiji believed that behind an individual’s it suitable for the present age, and in his spiritual fulfillment there had to be first some speeches he clearly depicted the history of the contribution from another individual. The evolution of Hinduism. This helped Nivedita first person initiates it and the second brings to understand that there is a religious spirit about its culmination. Nivedita recounts that which desires not opulence but peace; religion Swamiji used to say, ‘Buddha had received is not meant to be an entry pass for heaven nor his philosophy of the five categories – form, freedom from the fear of hell; its real purpose feeling, sensation, motion, knowledge – from is moksha. Though there are various forms . But Buddha had brought the love that February 2019 of religious practices, they in fact have one made the philosophy live.’4 In this manner, central fulcrum – the Vedas, the Vedanta and Nivedita learnt from Swami Vivekananda about 17 the Advaita philosophy. Despite belonging to the gradual evolution of the fundamentals of the Semitic faith by birth, Nivedita understood Hinduism and the life and background of the that all the religions of the world are anchored great religious seers. to the theoretical base of Vedanta. As a result, India’s gods and goddesses, its rituals, religious Idol Worship and the Worship of Man practices, its , its folklore – all had a Recording Swami Vivekananda’s opinion PAGE SPONSOR: SRI VENKATA RAO G., HYDERABAD G., RAO VENKATA SRI SPONSOR: PAGE vibrant place in her mind. Swamiji presented about image worship, Nivedita quotes, ‘You Kesari The Vedanta the ancient Vedanta philosophy as practical may always say that the image is God. The spirituality, and Nivedita described this as error you have to avoid, is to think God the dynamic Hinduism or dynamic Vedanta. She image.’ When asked to condemn fetichism, clearly depicted how this journey from Advaita Swamiji had replied, ‘Don’t you see that there Vedanta to dynamic Vedanta brought about is no fetichism? Oh, your hearts are steeled, that changes in Hinduism. you cannot see that the child is right! The child sees person everywhere. Knowledge robs us of Progression of Hinduism the child’s vision. But at last, through higher In her book, ‘’ knowledge, we win back to it. He connects a Sister Nivedita discusses Swamiji’s views living power with rocks, sticks, trees, and the on the features of Hinduism and the various rest. And is there not a living Power behind courses of its progression. At the outset she them? It is symbolism, not fetichism! Can you writes, ‘The Swami was constantly preoccupied not see?’5 with the thought of Hinduism as a whole.’3 Sri Ramakrishna who was established in This was because when Nivedita came to the sweet mother-child relationship through the image of Mother , could at the same modes of work, all modes of struggle, all modes time, rise to the highest rungs of non-duality. of creation, which are paths of realisation. We hear him say, ‘If God can be worshipped in No distinction, henceforth, between sacred an image, why can’t He be worshipped in the and secular. To labour is to pray. To conquer living image of man!’ Nivedita gives us Swami is to renounce. Life is itself religion.’7 Sister Vivekananda’s explanation of this worshipping Nivedita truly made a close observation of even the living image of God. She writes, ‘His mind the smallest of Hindu customs and brilliantly was extraordinarily clear on the subject of what analysed them. he meant by individualism. How often has he said to me, “You do not yet understand India! Hindu Festivals and Rituals We Indians are MAN- worshippers, after all! Just as she was fully versed with the Our God is man!” He meant here the great metaphysical aspect of Hinduism, Nivedita individual man, the man of self-realisation – was equally interested in Hindu rituals and Buddha, Krishna, the Guru, the Maha-Purusha. observances. She stayed in the orthodox But on another occasion, using the same word precincts of Baghbazar area, and depicted in an entirely different sense, he said “This idea Hindu rituals in minutest detail. This is the of man-worship exists in nucleus in India, but fruit of her research-oriented keen power of it has never been expanded. You must develop observation. She has given an introspective it. Make poetry, make art, of it. Establish the account of festivals like Doljatra, Janmashtami, worship of the feet of beggars, as you had it in Saraswati Puja, Durga Puja and Rasa-Utsav. February 2019 Medieval Europe. Make man-worshippers.”’6 She notes that our festivals are based on the Nivedita gives a glimpse of the practical orbit of the moon. There is one or the other 18 spirituality evolving out of Vedanta. In her festival on full moon days, and the new moon masterly introduction to The Complete Works of too is considered auspicious. The rituals are so Swami Vivekananda, she writes, ‘And yet this planned that even the cloistered and secluded statement that his teaching holds nothing new women can participate in them. is not absolutely true. It must never be forgotten Nivedita gives a detailed description that it was the Swami Vivekananda who, while of the festival of Rasa. She depicts how three proclaiming the sovereignty of the Advaita days prior to the festival, the idols of Radha

The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta Philosophy, as including that experience and Krishna are moved from the temple to the in which all is one, without a second, also sanctum of the festival and how the priests added to Hinduism the doctrine that Dvaita, keep vigil. In the sublime moonlit night, the , and Advaita are but three women folk, who are otherwise confined to phases or stages in a single development, of their homes, come out to offer worship. In the which the last-named constitutes the goal. This Semitic religion, God is more of an authoritative is part and parcel of the still greater and more entity than an object of love. One can bow simple doctrine that the many and the One down in reverence but cannot be soaked in the are the same Reality, perceived by the mind at ambrosia of selfless love for Him. Though born different times and in different attitudes;…… into such a religion, Nivedita makes no mistake It is this which adds its crowning significance in recognizing the mental disposition of the to our Master’s life, for here he becomes the Vaishnavas. She also has a keen understanding meeting-point, not only of East and West, but of the discriminative aspect of divine love. In also of past and future. If the many and the the concluding part of her Rasa-Utsav narration One be indeed the same Reality, then it is not she writes, ‘How foolish are those who dream all modes of worship alone, but equally all that Ras-Mela comes but once a year, and ends! To the eyes of the wise man life itself is that tones of the kindly old priest sounded dim and forest on the banks of the Jamuna in which far away. Centuries had rolled back. The walls ever dwells the Lord, filling sweet days with of a prison closed about us, and we waited once mirthful labour, and calling the soul from more with the royal victims, Devaki the mother height to height of hidden joy.’8 and Vasudeva the father, for the coming of the Just as she was interested in the Holy Child.’ metaphysical aspect of the Vaishnava cult, ‘A sudden chime of bells, a blaze of lights Nivedita also had a keen interest in all the waved before an altar—while without, the festivals that the Bengalis organise for Sri watching stars and purple blackness of the Rama and Sri Krishna. She discusses the lives midnight sky look down—such is the solemn of Krishna and Radha. The first is the Doljatra moment of the Birth of Krishna.’ 10 Utsav. Nivedita gives a beautiful description In all civilizations and cults, there is of the festival: ‘On full-moon of the beautiful a close connection between worship and month of Phalgun—that month when the the movement of the sun and moon. In the Ashoka tree and the mango are in bloom, when background of the Christian missionaries the foliage buds of the leaf-almond are long criticizing the Hindu worshipping God in the and slender against the blue, and when the manifest Nature, Nivedita points out that, scarlet plumes of the Palash stand out on its ‘The Western monk chants his Hours—Lauds naked branches—occurs the Holi festival, or and Prime and Matins, and Terce and Sext Dol-jatra.’9 and Vespers and Nones—but those footfalls of For the Janamashtami Utsav, ‘the day of the Sun that he commemorates were trodden February 2019 the Great Birth’, Nivedita preferred to visit the long ago in the deserts of the Thebaid, and temples. The sanctum sanctorum, the tranquil he sings within closed doors, holding himself 19 ambience, the mystic chanting of the mantras snug against the chill winds without.’11 But by the priests and the assemblage of devotees the Christian missionaries could not see the – all had great appeal for her. She writes, ‘All origin of these prayer schedules. In contrast to the evening through the street had been full of this, Nivedita writes, we in India ‘practise the passers up and down. And sudden bursts of Faith in the very land, and every day we realise singing and sounding of Shankha and gongs had afresh the cosmic events that gave it birth. Who PAGE SPONSOR: A DEVOTEE, CHENNAI DEVOTEE, A SPONSOR: PAGE disturbed the ordinary quiet in all directions. has felt the stillness that falls on lawn and river Kesari The Vedanta For we are early old-fashioned folk in the at the moment of noon? Who, watching through Hindu quarter of Calcutta. Lights are out and long hours, has heard the distant music of the noises hushed, as a rule, before ten o’ clock; and flute arise by the Ganges side with the first by eleven o’clock, even on the Janmashtami, ray of dawn? Who has wandered in field and everything was closed except the temples. forest at the time of cowdust, and known the Here, by the light of his own altar, an Oriya sudden touch of twilight on the soul, without priest still sat chanting the tale of the Holy Birth understanding why the village bells ring and from a palm-leaf book. There, a few Brahmins prayers are enjoined at the stated hours? For chatted late round the foot of an image at which that which in one man’s eyes is superstition, presently they would be offering worship. But another may know to be but an added firmness the bamboo mats were all up and padlocked of sensation. But surely of all the worships in in front of the shops, and only the lamp lights the Hindu cycle, none has the power and force from the open shrines streamed across the curb. of those celebrated at midnight.’12 In India the It was thus that we waited for the moment of two junctions of the night and day are given the Birth. The temple had disappeared. The great importance. The night loses itself in the dawn, then the dawn matures into afternoon attains poetic heights. When she narrates the followed by the dim twilight hours and again story of the great god , she describes the back into the abyss of the dark night. Therefore, bow of Madana, the god of Love. This bow is all spiritual practices enjoined in our religion decorated with flowers and is marked with have a close bearing with the rotation of the a black line—a line of bees that came to suck earth along the axis and the aligned movement honey from the flowers and got stuck! Their of Nature. When at the end of the day, peace humming stopped at the very sight of Shiva. A envelopes the earth, the Hindu considers the deep silence prevailed. Again while describing moment conducive to spiritual practices. The the mountain on which Parvati was doing prayer which the Christian missionaries chant her penance, Nivedita describes the foothills today within the four walls of the Church had immersed in magnificent greenery and the its origin based on the movement of the sun equally magnificent snow-clad summit. When across the sky in the vast desert land. Similarly, she speaks about , she gives a vivid the prayers and observations of the Hindus description of Sita’s captivity in the Ashoka have arisen from the womb of the poetic beauty Vana. We are filled with awe when we read her of the river bank. This is the only difference. description of Hanuman’s first meeting with We being unaware of the origin of our prayer Mother Sita. There is then her description of schedules become an easy victim of criticism the boy Dhruva renouncing his home; at that or ourselves indulge in criticism. Nivedita’s sublime moment he prays, ‘O Lord of Lords, analysis of society was profound and vibrant to I leave the entire responsibility of my mother February 2019 such a degree! upon you.’ And the moment he steps out of Among all the Hindu festivals, the the house, his prayer is that of complete self- 20 Saraswati Puja was very special for Nivedita. surrender, ‘O Lord of Lords, I bequeath upon She held Mother Saraswati’s worship in her you my entire responsibility.’ Her description school and felt a Christmas-like joy pervading reaches a matchless dimension, when she the whole atmosphere; it culminated in a speaks about Savitri, the highest ideal of Indian solemn worshipful mood. The worship enjoined womanhood. inviting the goddess onto the altar with a While selecting stories she takes care prayer to reside in the house for the entire year. to present those that will give the reader a

The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta Nivedita writes, ‘Man has had many dreams of complete picture of Indian culture. During the Divine Wisdom, but surely few so touching marriage the groom and the bride accept as this of Saraswati in . A simple woman, each other in the sacred presence of the ascetic and poor, standing on the white lotus, fire and the ends of their cloths are tied in surrounded by flowers, not jewels, suggestive a knot symbolizing the permanency of the of all things white and colourless and simple, relationship. Indian women do not wear and carrying the mystic Vina, from which the gold bangles on their feet because Mother touch of her hand is bringing a secret music— Durga’s skin is of golden hue! In this manner, this is she who has been our guest.’13 Nivedita through her grand style of story- telling elucidates the smallest of details of The Puranas the Hindu culture. After going through her Besides keenly observing Hindu festivals, writings, one understands how profound is rituals, and rites, Nivedita also studied her comprehension of Hindu culture. How religious literature and the epics. The literary Mandodari revealed the highest state of value of her book, Cradle Tales of Hinduism determinism after Ravana’s death, how the is outstanding. Time and again her writing (Cotinued on page 41...) Article

The Story of a Locket DR. HIRONMOY N. MUKHERJEE

Josephine MacLeod is an important the way, the party stayed at Vienna for three figure in the history of Ramakrishna Math days. On one of those days, Joe came to meet and Ramakrishna Mission. She was 35 years him at his place and saw him without his usual old when she met Swami Vivekananda. head turban. She saw his thick flowing black She considered 29 January 1895 – the day hair and was fascinated by it. Tempted to have she met Swamiji for the first time, as her it as a keepsake, she crept behind him with a spiritual birthday. Swamiji used to call her scissors and cut off a lock of hair. Taken aback ‘Joe’ or ‘Tantine’. She described herself as a at this transgression, Swamiji angrily asked, friend, not a devotee of Swami Vivekananda. ‘What are you doing?’ She boldly replied, ‘I After Swamiji’s death in 1902 she went into took some of your hair; had I asked you, you depression. She slowly recovered, and then would not have let me have it.’2 devoted the next four decades to help spread In one of her initial trips to India when Vedanta as propagated by Swami Vivekananda. Swamiji was still living, Joe was in Bombay February 2019 She always carried a few mementos with her in when two young Indians met her. One of them memory of her association with Swamiji. had a sapphire jewel on his wrist watch chain. 21 Miss Macleod (henceforth ‘Joe’) had made Joe was charmed by the beauty of the jewel and a number of trips to India starting from 1898 expressed her admiration for it. Next day the when she visited India for the first time along young man came back and offered her the jewel with Mrs. Sara Bull. She left India for the last saying, ‘Because you love my people, will you time in March, 1939. , the take it?’ Though initially reluctant, Joe had to then President of the Order, had come to the bow to the young man’s sentiment and accept PAGE SPONSOR: A DEVOTEE, CHENNAI DEVOTEE, A SPONSOR: PAGE guest house at Belur Math to bid farewell to it. Seven years later, by when Swamiji had Kesari The Vedanta her. She gave him some of Swamiji’s hair which attained mahasamadhi, Joe approached Monsieur she had in her possession. He was delighted Lalique, the famous French jeweller in New and told her, ‘Once, as Swamiji’s hair lay on the York and requested him to make a reliquary (a floor, cut by the barber, Swamiji said to me, “In repository for a saint’s mortal remains or some a hundred years, one lakh rupees will be given belonging) for the sapphire. Monsieur Lalique for one hair of my head.”’1 took away the sapphire and after a year sent In her reminiscences, she has described as it back mounting it on a locket. The design of to how she came into possession of Swamiji’s the finished locket was wonderful—two angels hair. Swami Vivekananda during his European were holding the sapphire in their hands and tour was once travelling from Paris along with there was a small box behind the sapphire. Joe, Madame Emma Calve (the celebrated Joe was delighted to get the locket. She kept French opera singer and an admirer of Swami some of Swamiji’s hair inside the small box. Vivekananda) and others in October 1900. On Monsieur Lalique did not charge for his efforts

The author is a devotee of Ramakrishna Math, Nagpur, Maharashtra. [email protected] saying that it was a gift to Joe for her love for French people. All photographs of Joe taken in her later years show this large locket hanging from a chain around her neck. She also had with her some small crystal statuettes of Swamiji made by Monsieur Lalique. This article mainly revolves around this locket and to some extent on the small crystal statuettes of Swami Vivekananda.3 Miss Maud Stumm, was a guest at Ridgely Manor where Swamiji stayed along with Swami and others as guests of Mr. and Mrs. Leggett during his second visit to America in the later part of 1899. She was an artist and had made a portrait of Swamiji during their stay. Now, on Joe’s request Miss Stumm made a sketch of the sapphire locket. Joe sent the sketch to Sister Nivedita on 4 July 1904. In her reply Nivedita wrote: ‘Today, Miss Stumm’s picture of your Reliquary has come. How wonderfully February 2019 beautiful! How mystic! How still! Oh how I envy M. Lalique his power to think in symbols! Tantine, painting by Pizella 22 But only, I do not think, if I were you, that I locket. That contained the locks of Swamiji. would wear it. I think, I should make a place for What shall I do, Bharat? I must have that locket it on a wall, and have a …(pew?) in front and at all costs. By whatever means it be, please kneel to look at it. But after all, you are such a search it out.’ Seeing that the lady was in wandering bird, how could you? The only place tears and mental pain, Bharat Maharaj pacified 4 with you, is your own heart!’ her and asked all members of the ashrama In 1915, after nearly a 14-year gap, to look out for the locket. A thorough search The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta Joe once again visited India. She stayed at was made in and around the ashrama but the Belur Math. In December Mrs. Charlotte locket could not be found. In the meanwhile, Sevier invited her to visit Advaita ashrama Joe talked to the local higher authorities who in Mayavati to see the new ashram set up started searching the huts of the poor villagers at Shyamla Tal. Joe had last visited Advaita adjacent to the ashrama. Sensing the turn the ashrama in 1902, a few months before Swamiji’s matter was taking, Bharat Maharaj approached passing away. She reached Mayavati in Joe and told her that the villagers were innocent January, 1916 and stayed for ten days. Swami and should not be harassed. Joe held Bharat , popularly known as Bharat Maharaj’s hands and said, ’Bharat, that thing Maharaj was then posted at Mayavati Ashrama is my all in all. If anyone can get back the as a junior monk. Her stay at Mayavati was thing so very dear to me, that certainly is you. pleasant and she delighted the ashrama inmates Please search diligently for it.’ Shortly she recounting incidents from her association with returned to Belur Math, practically in tears. Swamiji. One day, Joe came rushing out of her Bharat Maharaj renewed the search, but the room quite agitated and told Bharat Maharaj, locket could not be found. A few months later ‘Bharat! Bharat! I am done. I have lost my a labourer working for the Math met Bharat Maharaj with an object looking like a necklace take the locket instead of taking so many other in his hand that he had found lying on the road expensive things lying around? As you know side. Maharaj was delighted as he realized that the locket contains Swamiji’s hair. I feel that this was the necklace with locket which they the thief had planned to steal only the locket.’ were all searching for. The necklace would have The simple and child-like Mahapurush Maharaj slipped from Joe’s neck while she was taking believed Joe and gave orders to Priya Maharaj a walk around the ashrama. At once he sent a to take the thief to the Ganga river for a holy telegram to Joe informing her of the recovery of dip and also instructed that he be given new her locket.5 clothes to wear. While the brahmacharis were Joe came to India again in the early part naturally dumbfounded to see the surprising of the year 1922. She stayed in ‘Girish turn of the event, the thief was found happily Bhavan’ which was then the Belur Math moving around the Math premises wearing Guest house. During this stay, the locket was new clothes. Later the thief, on his own, went to again almost lost. Priya Maharaj (later Swami Mahapurush Maharaj’s room and touched his Punnyananda) along with other brahmacharis feet. Maharaj affectionately asked him, ‘Well, were staying on the ground floor of the would you like to be a monk?’ We do not know building. Joe was affectionately called Tantine what reply the thief gave or whether Maharaj’s by the brahmacharis as she was quite free and words came to be fulfilled in any way in his friendly. Once late at night a thief sneaked into later life; but a great soul’s words never go in Joe’s room and tried to snatch the locket with vain.6 chain from her neck. Fortunately, Joe woke up Once Emma Calve while travelling with February 2019 and started shouting. The brahmacharis rushed her good friend Drinette Verdier predicted out and caught the thief at the head of the stairs that the latter would have to face a difficult 23 as he was trying to escape. Priya Maharaj gave phase in her future. She then spoke about him a sound beating and left him there after Swami Vivekananda and her experiences with tying him with ropes. Early in the morning they him, and advised Drinette to seek Swamiji’s brought him near Jnan Maharaj’s room and left blessings to overcome her problems. She him on the verandah there. Swami , advised her to always take his name. Though a direct-disciple of Sri Ramakrishna and she could not show Drinette a picture of PAGE SPONSOR: DR. RAMYA S., CHENNAI S., RAMYA DR. SPONSOR: PAGE popularly known as Mahapurush Maharaj, was Swamiji, she told her about the crystal statuettes Kesari The Vedanta then the President of the Math and Mission. of Swami Vivekananda which were in Joe’s Every day, he would go around the Math possession. Soon enough, Calve’s prophecy premises after finishing his morning prayer came true and Drinette was in great distress. and meditation. On seeing him, the young She sincerely prayed to Swami Vivekananda. brahmacharis excitedly narrated the attempted As she put it: ‘I was thinking of him, loving theft of Joe’s locket and pointed out the captive him and calling him when the blows which thief. Mahapurush Maharaj turned to the thief I received were too hard.’ She tried her best and said in jest, ‘Is this a place to steal? If the to acquire either a photograph or a crystal boys start beating you by turn you may lose statuette of Swamiji but none could be found. your life.’ Saying this he resumed his rounds. One day, while she was in New York, she After some time, he retired to his room and was chanced to meet a woman who had just having his breakfast when Joe came rushing in returned from India. The latter coming to and said, ‘Maharaj, do you know that a thief know about Drinette’s interest in Vivekananda had entered my room? I feel that the thief is a suggested that she should meet Joe who was devotee—otherwise why would he decide to in New York. The next day, Drinette drove to So in the late 1930s she contacted Jean Herbert, a friend of Joe and Swami Siddheshwarananda (Founder of Vedanta Centre, Paris which was later shifted to Gretz in 1947). They had already brought out the - Vivekananda in French with the help of Joe. Drinette Verdier now requested M. Jean Herbert to carry out the necessary translations. It was a heavy task requiring several years to complete, and Drinette agreed to meet all the expenses. The result was wonderful; the French speaking people could access to the writings, letters and lectures of Swami Vivekananda. Drinette Verdier’s love for Swami Vivekananda and her faith in him (she had never met him) was a matter of wonder for all who knew her. Furthermore, she recorded and preserved many reminiscences concerning Swamiji from her friends Emma Calve and Joe, which she related Crystal image of Swami Vivekananda by Lalique to others and to Swami Vidyatmananda of February 2019 Vedanta Society of Southern California; all these the hotel where Joe was put up. On seeing her, have now passed into literature concerning Joe opened her arms and said, ‘Come in, my 24 Swamiji. It was Emma Calve who told child.’ Drinette opened her heart to Joe and Drinette about the immensely wealthy John D told her about meeting Calve and how that led Rockfeller’s meeting with Swami Vivekananda to her devotion to Swami Vivekananda and and the former’s transformation into one of the her subsequent ordeal in finding a portrait of greatest philanthropists. Drinette also wrote: Swamiji. Suddenly, Joe said, ‘By the way have ‘I took many notes under Miss Macleod’s you seen the crystal of Vivekananda?’ Drinette dictation, having generally a pencil or pen with was astounded and could hardly mutter a reply. The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta me… Tantine used to tell me: “Write this down! Joe, without listening to her, stood up saying, One never knows, you might need it one day. I ‘A very strange thing happened to me. You see shall not be always there.”’ 8 I always travel with one crystal of Vivekananda Joe was nearly ninety in 1948. In the and yesterday I was looking in my suitcase autumn of that year, she invited Drinette to her and found two! It is to give to you!!’ Saying so, room in the Barbizon Plaza Hotel, New York for Joe took out the crystal which, as she said, ‘no a short but significant ceremony. Drinette wrote money, no efforts, nor influence could buy.’ ‘In 1948 (autumn) I was in Tantine’s room 1811, Drinette then removed from her neck the scarf Barbizon Plaza. Tantine gave me the reliquary. she was wearing, and with love and devotion, I knelt down before her and she put it around received the precious crystal image of Swami my neck. My faithful maid, Anges Lamdry was Vivekananda in it. She gently wrapped the with me and witnessed it. It was very solemn…. crystal in the scarf, herself enwrapped in joy. I knew then, as Tantine was giving it to me, she The two thus became good friends. 7 would not live longer after that. Joe spent her It was Drinette’s earnest desire that the last days – six to eight months – in the Vedanta Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda be published in French, a language so dear to him. (Continued on page 42...) Pariprasna Q & A with Srimat Swami Tapasyananda (1904 to 1991), Vice-President of the Ramakrishna Order.

Approach the wise sages, offer reverential salutations, repeatedly ask proper questions, serve them and thus know the Truth. —

Question: How can I know that I am making any progress in the path of spirituality? Maharaj: Progress in most cases is very gradual and anything very gradual will be difficult to notice, say, like the slow movement of the hand of a clock of huge circumference. Even when we study a language as infants, it is very difficult for us to observe our progress, although it is all the while taking place. The Holy Mother compares the progress of a spiritual aspirant to a man asleep who is being carried on a stretcher. He is not aware of the progress he is making, but only finds himself at the destination when he wakes up. Though unaware of it, he was all the while progressing, provided he had really been taken on the stretcher. Our outlook in respect of spiritual life must be entirely different from that which we bring to

bear on our worldly enterprises. In worldly matters our outlook is quantitative, and measurement February 2019 is our technique to ascertain progress or success. But until we have given up this idea of calculation we have not entered the realm of spiritual value. 25 A spiritual aspirant should be one ‘committed’. He has been compared to an angler who casts his line with the hook and bait, knowing full well that some fish will swallow it, however long it might take. Sri Ramakrishna compares him to a hereditary cultivator as contrasted with a cultivator who takes to agriculture as a business. As soon as there is a drought or fall in the price of grains, the latter gives up the work and takes to some other occupation. But not so the hereditary cultivator. The genuine spiritual aspirant considers spiritual practice as the only thing worth doing and carries on without making a profit-and-loss account from time to time, firmly established in the hope that PAGE SPONSOR: A DEVOTEE, KOCHADAI, MADURAI KOCHADAI, DEVOTEE, A SPONSOR: PAGE it is bound to fructify some time or other. As Sri Sarada Devi said, every genuine spiritual aspirant Kesari The Vedanta is making progress whether he knows it or not, like the sleeping man who is carried on a stretcher. We can, however feel reassured in our sadhana if we find our faith and aspiration getting generally stronger and stronger. There will be periods of depression and dryness when the thin flame of aspiration seems to get very dim. But in every genuine aspirant these are passing phases, when he will have to wait patiently for the mood to move away like a gust of wind or a passing cloud. If our longing for God is becoming more and more insistent and absorbing, we are on the safe track and are going forward. More and more peace, purity and strength will become manifest in us. Guru Question: What exactly is the relationship between the Guru and the Ishta (Chosen Deity)? Can one meditate on them as one? Maharaj: The conception of Guru is that there is only one Guru for all, namely, the Supreme Being who alone can bring spiritual enlightenment to an aspirant and that the different human of whom disciples speak form only the human media through whom the one Guru of all speaks. Without understanding and accepting this idea, if people speak of ‘my Guru’ and ‘your Guru’ as individual human beings only, they violate the fundamental philosophy underlying the Guru doctrine. In recognition of this intimate relationship between the conceptions of the Guru and the Ishta, the practice is to meditate first on the Guru and then merge him mentally in the Ishta. Prayer Question: Does God listen to the prayers of man? If He does, what is the proof that He does? When one prays for a particular object, and the prayer is fulfilled, one considers that to be the effect of one’s prayer. But can it not also be a mere coincidence? Perhaps what the person wanted would have been fulfilled even without his prayer. Again so many persons pray, pray most piteously, with no response at all from God. Maharaj: If every petition we make to God were answered by Him, all would have been devotees, only praising and never working for the achievement of all things, as it is the best short cut for attaining one’s ends. It is said that when wars take place, both the belligerents would make earnest prayers to God for victory for themselves. People have too naive an idea of God—an idea of Him as a mighty potentate sitting on a throne on high, granting favours and rejecting petitions according to His whims. God is as much justice as He is love and, in regard to persons who approach Him for favours, February 2019 He is mainly a judge. He functions through the law of , according to which man’s merits and 26 demerits are responsible for his enjoyments and sufferings. Then the question would arise: is there no place for prayer at all? There are several alternatives. To adopt a stoical attitude, accepting the ultimacy of Karma, but striving one’s best for the attainment of one’s objective, is one way. Those who believe in the psychic efficacies of rituals, can resort to them for aiding the forces of favourable and counteracting those of evil ones. But a true devotee, who puts entire reliance on the Supreme Being, can seek refuge in Him in a distressing situation. He does so not in a spirit of petitioning for advantages but of a total surrender in expectation of an upliftment, which neither his own powers The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta nor merits can accomplish. In such a prayer there is also an attitude of submission, which consists in a willingness to abide by His will and wisdom, without any trace of that egotistic attitude of judging by the results. If he gets the Divine aid, he is thankful; if he fails to get it for reasons unknown to him, he says without the slightest dejection or scepticism: ‘May His will be done!’ In such an attitude there is no question of attributing success to chance or of becoming sceptical in case of failure. In either case, the attitude will be one of ‘Your will be done’. Neither is there in it any semi-sceptical attitude of experimentation and of taking calculated risk, which expresses itself in the thought—there is gain if the prayer succeeds and if it fails, we lose nothing that we would not have lost otherwise. Such a worldly-wise attitude of giving a trial to prayer makes a travesty of it. In genuine prayer cent percent acceptance of the reality, power and beneficence of the Being one addresses must be there in the mind of the votary who should be fully en rapport with that Being, undeviated by the slightest trace of doubt or scepticism. It is not the piteous nature of the appeal made by the suppliant but his robust and unflinching faith and surrender that helps him in his prayer. Selections from Spiritual Quest: Questions & Answers by Swami Tapasyananda pullout for reference

Series 4: Swami Vivekananda's messages to the youth of India – a nine-part series ISSUEISSUE 1014 ISSUE 13: MESSAGE 1: It is the youth who will transform this nation

ISSUE 14: MESSAGE 2: Take up an ideal and give your whole life to it In this issue: ISSUE 15: MESSAGE 3: Stand on your own feet MESSAGE 2 ISSUE 16: MESSAGE 4: Awaken the spirit of ‘rajas’ Take up an ideal and within you ISSUE 17: give your whole life to it MESSAGE 5: Believe in yourself ISSUE 18: MESSAGE 6: Be bold and fearless February 2019 This is the second of the 9-part series on ISSUE 19: Swami Vivekanada's message to the youth MESSAGE 7: Expand your heart 27

(refer series schedule on the right). ISSUE 20: MESSAGE 8: Be open to learning from In this issue, we explore what it means to live anyone

the life of an ideal, and how we can begin our ISSUE 21: journey of living our chosen ideal... MESSAGE 9: Develop a gigantic will PAGE SPONSOR: A DEVOTEE, TEYNAMPET, CHENNAI TEYNAMPET, DEVOTEE, A SPONSOR: PAGE The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta

…it is a great thing to take up a “ grand ideal in life and then give up one's whole life to it. For what otherwise is the value of life, this vegetating, little, low life of man? Subordinating it to one high ideal is the only value that life has.

[CW. 3:168]

> explore further... Swami Vivekananda's vision – how we can take up an ideal and give our whole lives to it...

1 “Rouse yourselves, therefore, or life is short. [CW. 3: 304] [Awakening to the ideal]

…it is a great thing to take up a grand ideal in life and then 2 “ give up one's whole life to it. For what otherwise is the value of life, this vegetating, little, low life of man? Subordinating it to one high ideal is the only value that life has. [CW. 3: 168] [Recognizing the importance of living the life of an ideal]

This is the time to decide your future – while you possess 3 “ the energy of youth, not when you are worn out and jaded, but in the freshness and vigour of youth. [CW. 3: 304] [Choosing to commit to the ideal] 4 “There are greater works to be done than aspiring to February 2019 become lawyers and picking quarrels and such things. A far 28 greater work is this sacrifice of yourselves for the benefit of your race, for the welfare of humanity. [CW. 3: 304] [Breaking free from the boundaries of convention]

5 “As the great King Bhartrihari says, "Let the sages blame or let them praise; let the goddess of fortune come or let her go wherever she likes; let death come today, or let it come in hundreds of years; he indeed The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta is the steady man who does not move an inch from the way of truth." Have you got that steadfastness? [CW. 3: 266] [Being able to stay steadfast to the ideal through good times and bad times]

6 “What India wants is a new electric fire to stir up a fresh vigour in the national veins... Be content to work, and, above all, be true to yourself. Be pure, staunch, and sincere to the very backbone, and everything will be all right. [CW. 5:57] Designed & developed by [Staying aligned to the ideal at all times] ILLUMINE Knowledge Catalysts >> See this vision come alive in a ® www.illumine.in 'Roadmap for Action' (on the right) How to live the life of an ideal – based on Swami Vivekananda's vision

LIVING AN IDEAL – A ROADMAP FOR ACTION

Staying aligned to the ideal at all times 6

Recognizing the 2 importance of living 5 the life of an ideal 1 Being able to stay steadfast to the ideal Awakening through good times to the ideal and bad times

4 3 Choosing to commit to the ideal February 2019 Breaking free from the 29 boundaries of convention

® ©ILLUMINE KNOWLEDGE RESOURCES PVT. LTD.

>> See this Roadmap come alive in the life of Shivaji Maharaj (overleaf) PAGE SPONSOR: A DEVOTEE, KISMATPUR, HYDERABAD KISMATPUR, DEVOTEE, A SPONSOR: PAGE EXPLORATION EXERCISE: Kesari The Vedanta Take up some examples of people who have lived great ideals... Find out more about their life stories on the internet:

1. Can you identify what ideal they were trying to live in their own lives?

2. Use the above Roadmap to understand how they were Sister Nivedita Jamshedji Tata living the ideal. Identify incidents showing each of the points on the roadmap. (See how it unfolds in Shivaji Maharaj's story overleaf)

What about 3. What can you learn from them you? to walk your own journey towards your ideal?

M. Visvesvaraya Anasuya Sarabhai Shivaji Maharaj – an example of living a grand ideal

Shivaji is well known as an ideal ruler and courgeous warrior. Here are incidents from his life which bring out how he lived his ideal...

6 Staying aligned to the ideal at all times... 5 Being able to stay steadfast to the ideal through good times and bad times... Shivaji placed the sandals of his Shivaji and his son became captives Guru (Ramdas) on the throne of Aurangazeb. Their and acted as regent of the kingdom under the confinement was extremely order and guidance of his Guru. This was his way strict, with 6 rings of guards of staying aligned to the vision that the kingdom to keep vigil. During the did not belong to him but was entrusted to him to many months of confinement, rule justly and well before God. Shivaji did not despair. He used this time to strategize and plan an escape. Their ingenious BEGIN HERE escape, by hiding themselves in sweet boxes, 1 was considered nothing less than a miracle. Awakening to the ideal... When he was a little 4 Breaking child his mother February 2019 6 free from the Jijabai used to tell boundaries 30 Shivaji stories of of convention... heroes, of saints and sages who 2 appear in the Ramayana, the Shivaji was highly unconventional 5 in his methods - of governance, 1 Mahabharatha and the Puranas. of warfare, of leadership building. As Shivaji listened to these tales For example, his most effective of heroism and Dharmic deeds, he grew more and more eager attack strategy was that of 4 3 'surprise attacks' as against the to be like Rama or Krishna, Bheema or Arjuna.

The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta convention of planned war. His army successfully used guerrilla 2 warfare to defeat the mughals time Recognizing the importance of living the life of an ideal... and again. To begin, Shivaji was just like thousands of other small rulers all over India. 3 Choosing to commit to the ideal... But, even as a teenager, he had a vision of Right from a young age, an independent nation where everyone, having made up his mind irrespective of their faith, could live as proud to dedicate his life to and free citizens. building a nation, Shivaji along with his Mavala friends and soldiers Sources: took a blood oath to fight for the 'Swarajya' 1. Wikipedia at Rohideshwara temple. 2. Lives of Indian Saints by Swami Shivananda (E-Samskriti.com) 3. Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj - A hero for modern India (Blogspot.com) 4. Shivaji Maharaj and His Management by Hitesh Chawla (Scribd.com)

Share examples of your experiences of trying out these practices, on www.vivekanandaway.org Any questions that come up in your mind while doing so, can also be discussed here. Special Report

Ramakrishna Math & Ramakrishna Mission Synopsis of the Governing Body Report for 2017-18

The 109th Annual General Meeting of the Ramakrishna Mission was held at Belur Math on Sunday, the 16th December 2018 at 3.30 p.m. A synopsis of the report presented in the meeting is given below. Some of the major awards received by the Ramakrishna Mission together with its twin organization Ramakrishna Math and their branches in the year 2017- 18 are as follows: (i) Divyayan Krishi Vigyan Kendra of Ranchi Morabadi Ashrama was awarded Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Rashtriya Krishi Vigyan Protsahan Puraskar at the national level by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, (ii) Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission were listed in the World Book of Records, London, as a spiritual movement

working for the harmony of religions, (iii) school and Narendrapur Vidyalaya February 2019 received the Best School Awards from the School Education Department, Government of , (iv) Vivekananda College of Chennai Vidyapith secured the third position under the 31 colleges category in the all-India Swachchhata rankings. In commemoration of the 150th birth anniversary of , four national seminars on Indian Culture and Philosophy, and a number of other programmes were held at different centres of Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission. The 150th birth anniversary of Sister Nivedita was celebrated by the Headquarters and a number of branch centres in India and abroad. Nearly 55,000 people attended 115 seminars PAGE SPONSOR: A DEVOTEE, KISMATPUR, HYDERABAD KISMATPUR, DEVOTEE, A SPONSOR: PAGE

and conventions held in this connection, and about 50,000 students took part in the cultural Kesari The Vedanta competitions. A few new books on Sister Nivedita were also published in different languages. New branch centres of Ramakrishna Mission were started in: (i) Goa, (ii) Lumdung, Arunachal Pradesh, (iii) Jhargram, West Bengal, (iv) New Town, Kolkata, (v) Davanagere, Karnataka, and (vi) Dibrugarh, Assam. A sub-centre of Lucknow Mission Sevashrama was started at Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh. In the educational field, the following new developments deserve special mention: (i) NAAC awarded A++ grade to the College of Education at Coimbatore Mission centre and A+ grade to the Vivekananda College of Chennai Vidyapith. (ii) UGC conferred autonomous status on Vivekananda Centenary College of Rahara centre for six years, (iii) Visakhapatnam centre started Vivek Institute of Excellence, which conducts life-enhancing courses and programmes mainly for the youth, (iv) Our centres in Coimbatore, Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam added smart classroom facility to their schools. In the medical field, mention may be made of the following new developments: (i) Itanagar hospital started four new departments: Oncology, Plastic Surgery, Cardiology and Ayurveda, (ii) Lucknow hospital was accredited by NABH (National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers) for a period of three years, (iii) A cardiac catheterization laboratory and a cancer centre were set up at Vrindaban hospital, (iv) Varanasi Home of Service started dental and dialysis units and a pharmacy, (v) Many of our hospitals and dispensaries added new medical equipment to their diagnostic laboratories. In the rural development field, the following new projects deserve special mention: (i) Chennai Students’ Home built a community hall at Poovalambedu village in Tiruvallur district, (ii) Ranchi Morabadi centre developed watersheds covering 6969 hectares of land and started two projects to conserve a variety of scented rice crop. The centre also undertook a Seed Village Programme in which farmers were trained in the production of paddy seeds. Under this programme, farmers from 25 villages produced 1,025 quintals of paddy seeds. A number of our centres took forward Swachchha Bharat Abhiyan by holding cleanliness drives and awareness campaigns. Special mention may be made of Mangaluru centre which conducted the following: (i) 184 cleanliness drives in and around Mangaluru. (ii) Cleanliness drives in 332 villages of Dakshina Kannada district, (iii) 426 awareness programmes in 110 schools covering nearly 44,000 students. Under Ramakrishna Math, the following new projects deserve special mention: (i) New dispensary buildings were constructed by Antpur and Nagpur centres, (ii) Cooch Behar and Rajkot centres added extra floors to their medical units, (iii) Nattarampalli centre constructed an annexe to the school building, (iv) Coaching-cum-vocational training centre was started at Bagda Math. February 2019 Outside India, the following new developments deserve special mention: (i) The newly built Sri Ramakrishna Temple at Jessore (Bangladesh) centre was consecrated. (ii) Phoenix (South Africa) 32 centre built a kitchen-and-dining-hall building at a home for terminally ill patients in Inanda, South Africa, (iii) Dhaka (Bangladesh) centre celebrated its centenary, and kindergarten of Singapore centre observed its silver jubilee. The Mission and Math undertook several relief and rehabilitation programmes in different parts of the country involving an expenditure of Rs. 44 crore, benefiting 10.53 lakh people. During the year, the Mission undertook welfare work in a number of ways, including providing scholarships to poor students and pecuniary help to old, sick and destitute people. PAGE SPONSOR: A DEVOTEE, MYLAPORE, CHENNAI MYLAPORE, DEVOTEE, A SPONSOR: PAGE The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta Expenditure incurred was Rs. 17 crore. Medical service was rendered to more than 72.74 lakh people through 10 hospitals, 80 dispensaries, 40 mobile medical units and 928 medical camps run by the Mission. Expenditure incurred was Rs. 227 crore. Nearly 2.31 lakh students studied in Mission’s educational institutions ranging from kindergarten to university level and also in non-formal education centres, night schools, coaching classes, etc. A sum of Rs. 324 crore was spent on the educational work. A number of rural and tribal development projects were undertaken by the Mission with a total expenditure of Rs. 71 crore, benefiting about 42.86 lakh people. We take this opportunity to express our heartfelt thanks to our members and friends for their kind cooperation and help in carrying forward the service programmes of Ramakrishna Mission and Ramakrishna Math. 16 December, 2018 (Swami Suvirananda) General Secretary February 2019

33 PAGE SPONSOR: A DEVOTEE, MYLAPORE, CHENNAI MYLAPORE, DEVOTEE, A SPONSOR: PAGE The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta Article

Ramakrishna-Vivekananda in ‘The Land of Five Rivers’ An Overview of Ramakrishna Movement in Punjab and Haryana

SWAMI ATMASHRADDHANANDA

(Continued from the previous issue. . .)

In Sialkot for heaven; it is not if a man worships February 2019 From Jammu, Swamiji and his entourage with the desire of being saved from the tortures 34 reached Sialkot on the morning of Sunday, of hell. Bhakti is not the outcome of fear or October 31, 1898. He was warmly received greediness. He is the true Bhagavata who says, and accommodated in the residence of Lala ‘O God, I do not want a beautiful wife, I do Mulchand, a pleader. That evening Swamiji not want knowledge or salvation. Let me be spoke in English and after the lecture he gave born and die hundreds of times. What I want is its summary in Hindi for those who did not that I should be ever engaged in Thy service.’ understand English. (That was quite novel of It is at this stage—and when a man sees God Swamiji!)11 in everything, and everything in God—that The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta Swamiji’s Sialkot lecture was titled he attains perfect Bhakti. It is then that he ‘Bhakti’. Here is an excerpt from it: sees Vishnu incarnated in everything from ‘Some persons worship God for the the microbe to Brahma, and it is then that he sake of obtaining wealth, others because they sees God manifesting Himself in everything, want to have a son, and they think themselves it is then that he feels that there is nothing Bhagavatas (devotees). This is no Bhakti, without God, and it is then and then alone that and they are not true Bhagavatas. When a thinking himself to be the most insignificant of sadhu comes who professes that he can make all beings he worships God with the true spirit gold, they run to him, and they still consider of a Bhakta. He then leaves Tirthas and external themselves Bhagavatas. It is not Bhakti if we forms of worship far behind him, he sees every worship God with the desire for a son; it is man to be the most perfect temple.’12 not Bhakti if we worship with the desire to be During Swamiji’s Sialkot visit many rich; it is not Bhakti even if we have a desire women also used to come to see Swamiji;

The author is the secretary of Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama, Kanpur. He gratefully acknowledges the valuable and timely help in various ways that he received from many monks, brahmacharis, devotees and volunteers in preparing this article. [email protected] among them were two sannyasinis. On seeing [now titled ‘the Common Bases of Hinduism’]. them, Swamiji expressed his wish that a school The numbers present were large and the for girls be started (women’s education was space available was altogether too small to almost absent in those days!); it was gladly accommodate all who came to hear, and the taken up and a committee was formed for this necessity for disappointing many, at one purpose. He said that the girls should be trained time threatened to prevent the holding of the by women teachers only. Though short, the meeting at all. After at least two thousand had Sialkot visit of Swamiji was significant. been refused admission, there still remained fully four thousand who listened to an excellent In Lahore discourse. Lahore was the last and the most On the following Tuesday [on November magnificent sojourn of Swamiji’s visit to Punjab. 9], another large crowd gathered in the pandal Lahore finds mention in some Greek books of Prof. Bose’ Bengal Circus to hear the Swami’s and has been ruled by a number of dynasties lecture on Bhakti in Hindi. including Greeks and Mughals. While there The third lecture on the following Friday are many ways in which the term ‘Lahore’ [November 12] evening was a triumphant can be derived, according to Hindu tradition, success. The arrangements, this time entirely ‘Lahore’ is derived from Lavapuri or the city made by students of the four Lahore Colleges, of Lava, founded by Lava, one of the twin were exceedingly good, and the audience, sons of Sita and Rama. The city is dotted with without being inconveniently large was in every many historical monuments particularly that sense representative. The subject for the evening February 2019 of Mughal period. It was an active centre of was Vedanta, and the Swami for over two hours freedom movement of both India and Pakistan. gave, even for him, a masterly exposition of the 35 Swamiji arrived in Lahore on 5 November monistic philosophy and religion of India. The 1897. He was welcomed at the station by the manner in which, at the outset, he traced the residents of Lahore and taken to the palace of psychological and cosmological ideas on which Raja Dhyan Singh. Here he conversed with religion in India is founded, was marvellously visitors, and after his meals he went to stay at clear, and his insistence that Advaita is alone the house of Shri Nagendranath Gupta, editor able to meet the attacks not only of science PAGE SPONSOR: GREENMESG.ORG, CHENNAI GREENMESG.ORG, SPONSOR: PAGE of the Tribune. The Arya Samajists also gave but also of Buddhism and agnosticism against Kesari The Vedanta him a welcome. Lala Hamsaraj, President of religious and transcendental ideas, was the Dayananda Anglo-Vedic College (DAV conveyed in definite language and was full of College), often had talks with Swamiji. Daily, in convincing power. . . The lecture created great the morning for two hours and in the afternoon enthusiasm . . .’ for an hour and a half, about 200 Bengali and Here is an excerpt from this lecture of Punjabi residents of Lahore would gather at Swamiji: the palace of Raja Dhyan Singh to meet Swamiji ‘The time has come when this Advaita and discuss religious matters. is to be worked out practically. Let us bring Swamiji gave three lectures in Lahore. it down from heaven unto the earth; this is J. J. Goodwin, the trusted stenographer and the present dispensation . . . Ay, you may be English disciple of Swami, described these astonished to hear that as practical Vedantists lectures thus13 : the Americans are better than we are. I used ‘On Friday evening [on November 5] to stand on the seashore at New York and he [Swamiji] lectured in the large courtyard look at the emigrants coming from different of the old palace on ‘The Problem Before Us’ countries—crushed, downtrodden, hopeless, unable to look a man in the face, with a little Young men of Lahore . . . Have Vairagya. bundle of clothes as all their possession, and Your ancestors gave up the world for doing these all in rags; if they saw a policeman they great things. At the present time there are were afraid and tried to get to the other side men who give up the world to help their own of the foot-path. And, mark you, in six months salvation. Throw away everything, even your those very men were walking erect, well own salvation, and go and help others. Ay clothed, looking everybody in the face; and you are always talking bold words, but here what made this wonderful difference? Say, is practical Vedanta before you. Give up this this man comes from Armenia or somewhere little life of yours. What matters it if you die else where he was crushed down beyond all of starvation — you and I and thousands like recognition, where everybody told him he was us—so long as this nation lives? . . . What a born slave and born to remain in a low state matters it if this little life goes? Everyone has to all his life, and where at the least move on his die, the saint or the sinner, the rich or the poor. part he was trodden upon. There everything The body never remains for anyone. Arise and told him, as it were, ‘Slave! you are a slave, awake and be perfectly sincere. Our insincerity remain so. Hopeless you were born, hopeless in India is awful; what we want is character, you must remain.’ Even the very air murmured that steadiness and character that make a man round him, as it were, ‘There is no hope for you; cling on to a thing like grim death.’14 hopeless and a slave you must remain’, while Incidentally, this was the last lecture the strong man crushed the life out of him. And Goodwin recorded through his stenographic February 2019 when he landed in the streets of New York, he skills. Goodwin, who had given all his life in found a gentleman, well-dressed, shaking him the service of Swamiji by way of noting down 36 by the hand; it made no difference that the one Swamiji’s lectures, editing them and making was in rags and the other well-clad. He went them available for publication, passed away a step further and saw a restaurant, that there soon after at Ooty in Tamil Nadu, where he had were gentlemen dining at a table, and he was gone to recoup his health. asked to take a seat at the corner of the same An open-air party was given in honour table. He went about and found a new life, that of Swamiji in the evening of 14 November, there was a place where he was a man among Sunday, on the lawns of the Lahore Town

The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta men. Perhaps he went to Washington, shook Hall. It was attended by many prominent hands with the President of the United States, people. Another day Swamiji was invited and perhaps there he saw men coming from by the Sikhs of the Sabha (a reform distant villages, peasants, and ill-clad, all shaking movement preceding Singh Sabha Movement hands with the President. Then the veil of Maya among Sikhs) and Swamiji appreciated their slipped away from him. He is Brahman, he who work. At Lahore Swamiji tried hard to bring has been hypnotised into slavery and weakness reconciliation between Arya Samajists, who is once more awake, and he rises up and finds stood for a reinterpreted Hinduism and himself a man in a world of men. the Sanatanis, who represented orthodox Ay, in this country of ours, the very birth- Hinduism. How much success attended his place of the Vedanta, our masses have been efforts is difficult to assess but surely Swamiji’s hypnotised for ages into that state. . . We are to message impressed everyone who heard it. blame. Stand up, be bold, and take the blame on Of Swamiji’s Lahore visit, S. Puran Singh, your own shoulders. Do not go about throwing an eminent Punjabi poet and writer, who was mud at others; for all the faults you suffer from, an eyewitness to these lectures, wrote in The you are the sole and only cause. Story of , ‘One of the causes, which led him (Swami Rama) to seek the role of a spellbound and lifting them up to the delectable monk, in my opinion, was his meeting with heights of his mental eminence. Swami Vivekananda at Lahore.’ Lahore was struck by one who owed ‘Swami Vivekananda at Lahore was quite his inspiration to no less a personage than an inspiration to the people of the Punjab; his Paramahansa Ramakrishna. One could see the divine eloquence, his burning renunciation, his flame of inspiration burning before him in this strength, his power of personality, his gigantic great person. intellect, all made a deep impression on the I did not know Swami Rama then, but it people. Perhaps his lecture on “Vedanta” at was he who arranged all those lectures, and he Lahore was one of the most brilliant pieces was of the opinion that Swami Vivekananda of oratory. It was in those days that Swami was at his best while speaking on Vedanta, Vivekananda was made the admiring witness for that was his subject. This visit of Swami of the Amrita ceremony of Guru Gobind Singh. Vivekananda, no doubt, strengthened the In his address, Swami Vivekananda spoke of silent ambitions of the young Swami Rama for the “Punjab of the lion-hearted Guru Gobind leading the life of a monk and to go round the Singh”. The Swami was a great admirer of world, preaching Vedanta like Vivekananda. Guru Gobind Singh, his marvelous courage and Swami Vivekananda had already defined strength of character.’ Vedanta from a practical point of view, and Puran Singh further writes: just as modern educated India, by the contact ‘The Swami was put up at Dhyan Singh’s of the West, has discovered the greatness of Haveli, and I distinctly remember to this Bhagavad-Gita in its gospel of duty, so did February 2019 moment the huge number of turbanned masses Swami Vivekananda interpret Shankaracharya’s of Lahore that had assembled in the large hall philosophy in terms of Bhakti, 37 to listen to the Swami. I was then a little boy Karma, and even patriotism and humanity.’15 reading in the college for the intermediate Swami Ram Tirth (known as Tirth Ram examination of the Punjab University. The scene before he took to monastic vows), whom Puran has been impressed indelibly on my memory. Singh refers to, is also known as Swami Ram The hall was filled and there was an overflow of (1873-1906). He travelled to the United States people in the courtyard. People eager to see the in 1902 and lectured on ‘Practical Vedanta’. PAGE SPONSOR: SRI RAVI CHAMUTURI, HYDERABAD CHAMUTURI, RAVI SRI SPONSOR: PAGE Swami pressed each other shoulder to shoulder, He was a professor in Lahore College and Kesari The Vedanta to pass into the hall. The Swami seeing these underwent a complete transformation after earnest unmanageable crowds announced that meeting Swamiji. Swamiji’s Life describes it thus he would lecture in the open air. The enclosure, (slightly paraphrased, pp. 291-293): the courtyard of the Haveli, is a large one, and It was at Lahore that the Swami met there is a temple-like structure with a raised Mr. Tirtha Ram Goswami, then a professor platform in the centre. The Swami ascended of mathematics at one of the Lahore colleges. the platform and there he stood—superb, a Sometime later, he took sannyasa and the giant in his superb physique, robed in orange name Swami Ram Tirtha. He preached like a Rishi of old, with his large fiery eyes Vedanta in India and America and became magnetizing the very air. He had a dopatta [a widely known. It was under his guidance that long piece of cloth generally worn round the the college students of Lahore had arranged neck and shoulders] swung round him and Swamiji’s lectures. He invited Swamiji and he had a large orange turban in the fashion his disciples including Goodwin, to dine at of a Punjabi. This lion of Vedanta roared and his residence. After the dinner, Swamiji sang a thundered for hours, keeping the Punjabis song [composed by Gosvami Tulasidas] which begins: Jahan Ram Wahan Kam Nahin, Jahan Kam a unique occasion—for me more memorable Tahan Nahin Ram. Translated the song runs, than even the address at Chicago, since it “Where God-consciousness is, there no desire was then that I actually saw the Swami and is: where desire is, there no God-consciousness listened in pin-drop silence to his address, is.” Tirtha Ram wrote: “His melodious voice which left an abiding mark on my memory and made the meaning of the song thrill through the hypnotized me. The spot at which he spoke hearts of those present.” He placed his library in the big compound of Raja Dhyan Singh’s at Swamiji’s disposal, but of the numerous Haveli is visited by many admirers of the volumes in it, the latter chose only Leaves of Swami who happen to visit Lahore. I have a Grass by Walt Whitman—whom he used to call clear picture in my mind of the vast audience ‘the Sannyasin of America’. that gave him a most enthusiastic ovation— One evening Swamiji, accompanied by people occupying every inch of ground in the his brother-monks, Tirtha Ram, and a number spacious compound, the platform, the opposite of young men, was walking along the road. stairs, parapets, and even clinging to the large The party broke into several groups. “In the branches of the big tree that stood there. By that last group” Tirtha Ram later wrote in a letter, one speech alone, Vivekananda had conquered “in answer to a question, I was explaining: ‘An the Punjab, as he had previously conquered ideal Mahatma is one who has lost all sense America by his one speech alone at Chicago.’ of separate personality and lives as the Self of An incident of intimate nature that took all. When the air in any region absorbs enough place in Lahore reveals the human side of February 2019 of the solar heat, it becomes rarefied and rises Swamiji very well. A boyhood friend of Swamiji higher. The air from different regions then was Moti Bose who had now become the owner 38 rushes in to occupy this vacuum, thus setting of Professor Bose’s Circus. When he heard that the whole atmosphere in motion. So does a Swamiji was in Lahore, Moti Bose went to see Mahatma marvelously infuse life and spirit into him. But he was apprehensive as to how he a nation through self-reform.’ Swamiji’s group should address Swamiji; Naren, his playmate, happening to be silent at the time, he overheard was now a highly revered teacher. Feeling a this part of our conversation and stopped little embarrassed, he approached Swamiji suddenly and emphatically remarked, “Such with a question, ‘How shall I address you now,

The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta was my guru, Paramahamsa Ramakrishna.” as Naren or Swamiji?’ Immediately Swamiji As a token of his earnest love and responded, ‘Have you gone mad, Moti? Do admiration for Swamiji, Tirth Ram presented not you know that I am the same Naren and Swamiji a gold watch before he left. Swamiji you are the same Moti!’ Thus the old comrades took it very kindly, but put it back in Tirth met with each other. Swamiji’s simplicity and Ram’s pocket, saying, ‘Very well, friend, I shall unassuming personality found its expression wear it here in this pocket’. everywhere, in all situations. Another eye-witness account by Another incident which speaks volumes Dr. Prabhu Dutta Shastri, who had heard Swamiji of Swamiji’s understanding, generosity and both in Chicago and Lahore, is contextually greatness took place while Swamiji was in important here. He wrote in an article titled Lahore. One day he was praising a certain ‘Swami Vivekananda in Chicago and Lahore’, in person at length. On hearing it all, one of those , 1943 September: with him said, ‘But Swamiji, that gentleman ‘I should refer to his [Swamiji’s] visit has no respect for you!’ Swamiji at once to Lahore in October 1897 [actually 1898], replied, ‘Is it necessary to respect me in order after his return from America. That was also to become a good man?’ The questioner was taken aback at these words. This is an instance Punjab, even as, near the end of his life, he is said of unconditional love for all, a trait natural to to have done again at Benares, that he called to Swamiji. him a Mussalman vendor of sweetmeats, and After ten days of speaking, discussions bought and ate from his hand Mohammedan and meeting visitors, Swamiji left Lahore and food [indicating that Swamiji accepted people of all came to Dehradun (now in Uttarakhand). Thus religions and traditions, in contrast with orthodox came to a close Swami Vivekananda’s historic sections of Hindu society who adhered to strict rules visit to the Undivided Punjab, sowing seeds regarding food and social mixing]. of the future Ramakrishna Movement and As we went through some village, inspiring people with his marvelous personality he would point out to us those strings of and messages. marigolds above the door that distinguished As we conclude this discussion, let us look the Hindu homes. Again, he would show us at Swamiji’s impression of Punjab. Of Swamiji’s the pure golden tint of skin, so different from love of Punjab, Sister Nivedita, his gifted and the pink and white of the European ideal that inspired Irish disciple, wrote in her immortal constitutes the ‘fairness’ admired by the Indian work, The Master As I Saw Him.Obviously she races. Or as we drove beside him in a tonga, he had accompanied Swamiji to Lahore in 1898 would forget all, in that tale of which he never and keenly observed his thoughts and emotions wearied, of Shiva, the Great God, silent, remote as they travelled in Punjab: upon the mountains, asking nothing of men but ‘It was as we passed into the Punjab, solitude, and ‘lost in one eternal meditation’. 16 however, that we caught our deepest glimpse In these poetic words of Sister Nivedita February 2019 of the Master’s [Swami Vivekananda’s] love Swami Vivekananda’s admiration and deep of his own land [India]. Anyone who had seen identity with Punjab and Punjabi traditions is 39 him here, would have supposed him to have indeed aptly summarized! been born in the province [Punjab], so intensely had he identified himself with it. It would seem Visits of the Direct Disciples of that he had been deeply bound to the people Sri Ramakrishna: there by many ties of love and reverence; had Besides Swami Vivekananda, a number received much and given much; for there of direct disciples of Sri Ramakrishna visited PAGE SPONSOR: SMT. RAJAM SUBRAMANIAM, CHENNAI RAJAM SUBRAMANIAM, SMT. SPONSOR: PAGE were some amongst them who urged that they the Undivided Punjab during their days of Kesari The Vedanta found in him a rare mixture of ‘Guru Nanak travel and wanderings. They visited various and Guru Govind,’ their first teacher and their pilgrim centres now located in the states of last. Even the most suspicious amongst them Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab trusted him. And if they refused to credit his Province of Pakistan—and nearby regions. Not judgment, or endorse his outflowing sympathy, many details are available of these visits but in regard to those Europeans whom he had here is some information, as far as we could made his own, he, it may have been, loved the gather (from God Lived with Them, Swami wayward hearts all the more for their inflexible Chetanananda, Advaita Ashrama, Kolkata): condemnation and incorruptible sternness. His Swami , or Latu Maharaj, American disciples were already familiar with accompanied Swami Vivekananda during his his picture—that called to his own face a dreamy travel to Punjab, Rajasthan and other places delight—of the Punjabi maiden at her spinning in north India in 1897. Swami Adbhutananda wheel, listening to its ‘Shivoham! Shivoham! I also visited the Golden Temple at Amritsar and am He! I am He!’ Yet at the same time, I must later observed, ‘the top of the Amritsar temple, not forget to tell that it was here, on entering the like that of Vishwanath at Banaras, was covered with gold and that formerly people had wealth wanted Swami to take his western and they knew how to spend it well too.’17 disciples around some places in north India. Swami Brahmananda, the ‘spiritual Swami Abhedananda, or Kali Maharaj, son of Sri Ramakrishna’ and later the first visited, along with other places in north India, President of the Ramakrishna Order, and Lahore and Rawalpindi in 1922. Swami Turiyananda, known for his austere Swami , or Vijnan Maharaj, life-style and spiritual insights, came to visit later the fourth President of the Ramakrishna holy places in Punjab, Sindh, Pathankot, Order, visited Lahore and Peshawar in 1931. Multan, Gujaranwala and other places in 1891 Thus, including Swami Vivekananda, during their days of wandering. In Multan seven disciples of Sri Ramakrishna have blessed (now in Pakistan), both of them visited Sadhu the historic land of Punjab. In the Ramakrishna Bela, an acclaimed Hindu temple in Sindh. It tradition, these direct disciples are held in is located on an island in the river Sindhu. At great respect as, besides being disciples of the insistence of the abbot of Sadhu Bela and Sri Ramakrishna, they are believed to have impressed with the natural beauty of the place, experienced God, a fact richly expressed in their they spent some months in meditation and hard noble lives and teachings. austerities in Sadhu Bela.18 We may also mention here that Swami Five years after he returned from America, Ambikananda, a disciple of Swami Brahmananda, Swami Turiyananda came again to Kurukshetra spent a number of years in austerity in Kapurthala (in Haryana) to witness the Mela (religious fair) in the 1950s as also Swami Saradeshananda, February 2019 held there to mark the Surya Grahana (solar a disciple of Holy Mother Sarada Devi, who eclipse). He was joined by Swami Atulananda, performed austerities in Punjab. During his 40 a western monk initiated by Holy Mother Sri extended stay in Punjab, Swami Saradeshananda, Sarada Devi. or Gopesh Maharaj, developed interest in the Sikh Swami Shivananda, or Mahapurush spiritual tradition and learnt to read Punjabi as Maharaj, the second President of the well. Later he used to often chant Sukhmani Saheb Ramakrishna Order, visited Kurukshetra (now (‘The Treasure of Peace’), a composition of the in Haryana) and Jwalamukhi temple (now fifth Sikh Guru, Guru Arjan (1563-1606), which Himachal Pradesh) in 1892. forms a part of the Guru Granth Saheb (it is in 24

The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta Swami Saradananda, or Sharat Maharaj, Ashtapadis or sections, discussing the nature of the first General Secretary of Ramakrishna Math meditation, Japa, holy association, characteristics and Ramakrishna Mission, came to Rawalpindi of a man of realization, grace of God, and so on). in the Undivided Punjab in October 1898. He Gopesh Maharaj kept a copy of Sukhmani Saheb came by train to Rawalpindi, and then took along with Durga Saptashati and Stotra book a tonga to Srinagar. He was called by Swami which he used during his daily devotions. Vivekananda who fell sick in Srinagar and (To be continued. . .) v v v References 11) Sialkot was part of the Undivided Punjab. Its 14) CW. 3:428-31. earliest mention is Madra kingdom ruled by King 15) Quoted in the article ‘Swami Vivekananda in Punjab’, Shalya in the . It has been ruled by by Jasbir Kaur Ahuja, Prabuddha Bharata, 1997. Greeks, Huns, Mughals and others. 16) The Complete Works of Sister Nivedita. 1: 71-72 12) The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda. [hereafter 17) Swami Adbhutananda As We Saw Him. Ramakrishna CW] 3: 363. Math, Chennai, p. 283. 13) Life of Swami Vivekananda by His Eastern and 18) Swami Brahmananda Charit. (Hindi) Swami Western Disciples. [hereafter Life], 288. Prabhananda. Nagpur: Ramakrishna Math, p. 102. Sister Nivedita and the Hindu Society (Continued from page 20....)

King Nala felt the pangs of separation from his Paramita. When told that keeping such an idol wife at the time of deserting her, the courteous was not considered auspicious, she turned a attitude of Hindu women and the decency of deaf ear to it. In her school for girls, she had men – all command a place of esteem in her made stitching and tailoring a compulsory item penned pages. in the course curriculum. She used to buy from weavers clothes dyed in green and yellow hues. Artistry of the Hindus A variety of needle-work used to be carried Just as the traditional values, the elegant out. She wrote in a letter to Miss Macleod, ‘I am architecture of Hindu temples too had a special trying to master the design prevalent among appeal for Nivedita. Her close knowledge of Indian women. A highly fascinating thing!’ Indian artistry is revealed in her book, Notes of Some Wanderings with Swami Vivekananda Practical Vedanta and Aggressive Hinduism where she records her observations of the On 20 June 1899, Nivedita sailed for architecture and sculptures of Kashmir temples. London on the Golconda, along with Swami In this regard she exchanged ideas with the Vivekananda and Swami Turiyananda. The Tagores. , in his Bengali party reached London on 31st July. This book Jorasankor Dhare, compares Nivedita with period of about one and half months was an Mahasweta and writes how he was inspired by invaluable learning session with her Master. her. The Europeans stubbornly believed that Reminiscing about this period she writes, ‘From February 2019 no artistry could be compared to that of the the beginning of the voyage to the end, the flow 41 Greeks; like her guru, Nivedita too disagreed of thought and story went on. One never knew with this. She had a penchant for Buddhist what moment would see the flash of intuition, architecture and sculpture. From the streets to and hear the ringing utterance of some fresh the cities – everything that was of the Buddhist truth.’14 tradition was analysed and elucidated from an It was in these zealous hours that the artistic outlook. She had directly witnessed it in entire gamut of the history of the world Ajanta, Ellora, Kanheri and Elephanta Caves. and that of India especially her religion was PAGE SPONSOR: SMT. SHUBHALAXMI PITRE, MUMBAI PITRE, SHUBHALAXMI SMT. SPONSOR: PAGE She even visited Udaygiri and Nalanda. While unveiled to Nivedita. Along with it continued Kesari The Vedanta describing the artistic heritage of the Buddhists, the story of the great night of Shiva, the she points out how a spiritually inclined mind story of Prithviraj, the thirty-two stories of leaves an indelible impression on the fabric of Vikramaditya, the story of Lord Buddha and artistry. She had great attraction for folk-art. Yashodhara and many more. Based on these Once when she saw a clay-doll in the streets of conversations Nivedita presents some of Swami Baghbazar, she excitedly wrote to the reputed Vivekananda’s most significant ideas about historian Dinesh Chandra Sen how she had Hinduism: ‘In India, the Swami was extremely seen a similar doll in a British museum. She jealous of any attempt to exclude from was well versed with the symbolic language of Hinduism any of her numerous branches and art and had used this knowledge to design the offshoots. A man was none the less a Hindu, national flag for independent India. It was a for instance, in his eyes, for being a member of golden coloured thunderbolt on a red cloth; the the Brahmo or the . The great Sikh thunderbolt being the symbol of renunciation. Khalsa was one of the finest organisations ever During the last days of her life, she had asked created within the Mother-Church, and by her from Dinesh Chandra Sen an idol of Pragya genius. ...There were, he held, three different stratifications to be recognised in the Faith. therefore advocated the fighting spirit and One was that of the old historic Orthodoxy. brought forth the concept of aggressive Another consisted of the reforming sects of Hinduism. Swami Vivekananda extended the Mohammedan period. And third came Vedanta into Practical Vedanta or Vedanta the reforming sects of the present period. in action. It was the pragmatic aspect of this But all these were equally Hindu.15 Nivedita Practical Vedanta that Nivedita highlighted considered this classification of Hindu religion as Aggressive Hinduism. Nivedita was a from the historical point of view as the pivot of non-Hindu and a westerner, but the extent her own idea and analysis of Hinduism. and precision of her analysis of Hinduism A spiritual life, in its true sense, enjoins and its tenets is matchless. Outstanding in a courageous attitude. One who dares to contemplative power, brilliantly powerful in fight against vice, is capable of establishing her spirit, Nivedita was like a beacon light who virtue. It was for this reason that Lord Krishna like Draupadi arose from the sacrificial pyre at commanded Arjuna to fight. Sister Nivedita the confluences of ages.

References 1) The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda. [hereafter CW] Mayavati Edition. Kolkata: Advaita Ashrama, 1:3 2) Ibid. 1:X 3) The Complete Works of Sister Nivedita. [CWSN] Kolkata: Advaita Ashrama, 1:141 4) Ibid., 1:141-42 5) Ibid., 1:145 6) Ibid., 1:144-45 7) CW. 1:XV 8) CWSN. 2:331 9) Ibid., p.308-09 10) Ibid., p.312-14 11) Ibid., p.312 12) Ibid., p.312 13) Ibid., p.317-18 14) CWSN. 1:122 15) Ibid., p.164 February 2019

42 The Story of a Locket (Continued from page 24 ..) Society, Hollywood, and passed away on then President of the Ramakrishna Vedanta 14 October 1949.9 Centre at Gretz) and Swami Vidyatmananda, The locket was Drinette Verdier’s most together with Swami Swahananda (who was precious possession and to her it was a link visiting France at that time), to her apartment. with her great hero and a talisman offering There in her gracious manner, almost too ill to protection to an aged and solitary woman. sit upright, Mme. Drinette Verdier presided

The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta She was approaching eighty when Swami over a high tea in their honour. As they finished Vidyatmananda met her. Sensing that her end their tea, she took off her locket and placed it in was near and wanting that the valuable relic, the hands of Swami Ritajananda. This was on 9

entrusted to her by Joe, should be left in safe August 1972. She died on October 24. The locket

10 t hands, Drinette invited Swami Ritajananda (thet is now preserved in Belur Math.

References 1) Tantine: The Life of Josephine Macleod - Friend of 5) Ashrama. 212-214 Swami Vivekananda (henceforth Life). Pravrajika 6) Shivananda- Smriti Sangraha (Bengali). Vol.2. Prabuddhaprana. Kolkata: , 1990, 267 Compiled by Swami Apurvananda. Barasat: 2) Life. 136,267 Ramakrishna Shivananda Ashrama, 1968, 43-44 3) The Charm of Mayavati Ashrama. Ed. Swami 7) Life. 238-241 Satyapriyananda. Kolkata: Advaita ashrama 8) The Making of a Devotee. Swami Vidyatmananda. (henceforth Ashrama), 2009, 215-216; Life. 135-136 Ch.6, p.7; Life. 241 4) Letters of Sister Nivedita. Vol.2. Kolkata: Nababharat 9) Life. 295 Publishers, 1982, p.653 10. The Making of a Devotee. Ch. 6, p.7 February 2019

43 The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta February 2019

44 The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta Brahmasutra Shankarabhashyam Chatussutri Tr. and Commentary by Swami Shuddhabodhananda Saraswati. Published by Sri Visweswar Trust, A-203, Parijat, Lallubhai Park Road (West) Extn., Mumbai-400 056. Book E-mail: [email protected]. 2017, hardbound, pp.406. Donation per copy Rs.500 (India) $ 18 (overseas) postage extra. https://rubhuvasishtha.wordpress.com Reviews It is a rare good fortune to get unasked-for a For review in highly scholarly and at the same time mathematically The Vedanta Kesari, precise book for review. publishers need to send The translator informs us that there are as us two copies of their many as 150 commentaries on the Brahmasutas and latest publication. many commentaries on the Chatussutri Shankara- Bhashya. The speciality of this commentary is that there are as many as 72 captions with further sub-titles which makes the difficult subject easily comprehensible. There is also a detailed table of contents and an exhaustive multiple index for quick Another feather in the cap is the last chapter: access to topics of choice. Summing up. It is a brief and clear summary of all Apart from the chapters dealing with Adyasa the chapters including the Introduction which helps February 2019 Bhasya and the four chapters dealing with the the reader to recapitulate what he has already read. first four of the Brahmasutras, there is a This chapter also includes Epilogue which deals 45 Preface and an Introduction in the beginning and specially with the scriptural texts which show the Summing up with epilogue in the end. The main experiential nature of Brahmajnana and its essential text of the commentary has the Brahmasutra and constituents. the Shankarabhashya in Devanagari script, followed Many Sanskrit terms used in Vedanta have no by English translation in bold letters and the equivalent words in English. Hence at most places commentary by the author in English. the original Sanskrit terms are used along with their The extremely informative Introduction English equivalents or with explanations, at places provides a concise description of Vedanta and even at the risk of repetition or of lengthening the PAGE SPONSOR: A DEVOTEE, VIDYARANYAPURA, BENGALURU VIDYARANYAPURA, DEVOTEE, A SPONSOR: PAGE Brahmamimamsa. It gives the correct perspective sentence. Most of the vague terms of Vedanta are Kesari The Vedanta on the authorship, significance of prasthana-trayam, clearly defined. the importance of chatussutri, the gamut of Vedanta The learned translator Swami has many other with the role of Brahmasutrasas elaborated by works, both books as well as MP3 audio CD, to Madhusudana Saraswati in his Vedanta-Kalpalatika, his credit, a list of which is provided at the end of the methods of reasoning employed in Brahmasutras, this volume. On going through this volume one is and the appropriateness of the Adyasa Bhashya. strongly tempted to listen to his scholarly audio CDs The bhashya with its translation and and get enriched, both spiritually and intellectually. commentary have been classified under topic- Once Sri Ramakrishna had commented: ‘What wise captions. This enables the subject matter to is the gist of Vedanta? Isn’t it “Brahman is true and be grasped easily, especially where the bhashya is the world is unreal?” Then give up the unreal world too lengthy. Most of the standard scriptures on the and hold on to Brahman.’ One has just to hold on to Vedanata like the Brahmasutras, commentaries and one of the many prakriyas explained in the Epilogue works of Shankaracharya and other great Vedantic and get direct Brahmanubhuti. For an uttam adhikari , do not present the matter topic-wise with or highly qualified aspirant, Bramajnana is so simple! captions. The commentator has set a new trend The philosophical extensions are for those who find which, I am sure, will have revolutionary effect on this simple process too difficult!! the future works on Vedanta. ______SWAMI BRAHMESHANANDA, VARANASI Topical Musings

A Message to Garcia

(Continued from the previous issue. . .) Horse Sense Washington’s Birthday, and we were just going If you work for a man, then work for him to press with the March issue of ‘The Philistine’. with all your heart. If he pays wages that supply The essay leaped hot from my heart, written after you your bread and butter, work for him, speak a really busy day, when I had been struggling well of him, think well of him, stand by him, and to train some rather lazy villagers to come stand by the institution he represents. I think out of their sleepy, idle state and get active & if I worked for a man, I would work for him. I productive. The immediate suggestion, though, would not work for him a part of his time, but came from a little argument while having tea, all of his time. I would give an undivided service in my house. During the argument, my son Bert or none. An ounce of loyalty is worth a pound suggested that Rowan was the real hero of the of cleverness. If you must vilify, condemn, and Cuban War.1 Rowan had gone alone and done eternally disparage, why don’t you resign your the thing – carried the message to Garcia. position? And when you are outside, speak ill It came to me like a flash! Yes, the boy February 2019 of the man and his institution to your heart’s is right. The hero is the man who does his work content. But, I pray you, so long as you are a part – who carries the message to Garcia. I got up 46 of an institution, do not condemn it. Not that you from the table, and wrote the essay ‘A Message will injure the institution—not that—but when to Garcia’. I thought so little of it that we ran it you disparage the institution of which you are in the Magazine without a heading. The edition a part, you disparage yourself. And don’t forget went out, and soon orders began to come for that the excuses, ‘I forgot’ or ‘I didn’t know’ won’t extra copies of the March ‘Philistine’, a dozen, do in this world. fifty, a hundred; and when the American News This essay, ‘A Message to Garcia’, was Company ordered a thousand, I asked one of my

The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta written one evening after supper, in a single helpers which article it was that had stirred up the hour. It was on the 22nd February, 1899, cosmic dust. ‘It’s the stuff about Garcia,’ he said.

1) Colonel Andrews Summers ROWAN was born in Gap Mills, Virginia, in 1857. He was an American officer and graduated of West Point class of 1881. In the years before the Spanish American War, Rowan served several frontiers posts and with military intelligence in Latin America. He was interested in Cuba in particular and wrote a book about the island. With tensions between the United States and the Spanish (who then ruled Cuba) growing, President William McKinley saw value in establishing contact with the Cuban rebels who could prove a valuable ally in case of war with Spain. McKinley asked Colonel Arthur Wagner to suggest an officer to make contact with Garcia’s rebels. Wagner suggested Rowan who then travelled to Cuba via Jamaica. Rowan met Garcia in the Oriento Mountains and established a rapport. Rowan garnered information from Garcia who was eager to cooperate with Americans in fighting the Spanish. Rowan returned to the US and was given command of a force of ‘Immunes’, African-American troops assumed to be immune to tropical diseases found in Cuba. After his service in the Spanish-American War, he served in the Philippines and posts in the US Fort Riley (Kansas), West Point (Kentucky) and American Lake (Washington), retiring in 1909. More than twenty years later, Rowan was presented the ‘Distinguished Service Cross’ for his extraordinary heroism in action in connection with the operations in Cuba in May, 1898. Rowan died in San Francisco in 1943. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery. A Message to Garcia In all this issue with the Cubans, there is one man who stands out in my memory. When war broke out between Spain & the United States, it was very necessary to communicate quickly with the leader of the Insurgents. Garcia was somewhere in the mountain vastness of Cuba – no one knew where. Neither mail nor telegram could reach him. The President of USA must secure his cooperation, and quickly. What to do! Someone said to the President, “There’s a fellow by the name of Rowan in our Army. He will certainly find Garcia for you, if anybody can.” Rowan was sent for and given a letter to be delivered to Garcia. How ‘the fellow by the name of Rowan’ took the letter, sealed it up in an oil-skin pouch, strapped it over his heart, in four days landed by night off the coast of Cuba from an open boat, disappeared into the jungle, & in three weeks came out on the other side of the Island, having traversed a hostile country on foot, and delivered his letter to Garcia, are things I have no special desire now to tell in detail. The point I wish to make is this: President McKinley gave Col Andrew Summers Rowan a letter to be delivered to Garcia; Rowan took the letter and did not ask, “Where is he? Where can I find Garcia?” By God! There is a man whose form should be cast in pure bronze and the statue placed in every college of the land. It is not book-learning that young men need, nor instruction about this and that, but a stiffening of the backbone which will make them to be loyal to a trust, to act promptly, to concentrate their energies: Do the thing – ‘Carry a message to Garcia!’ General Garcia is dead now, but there are other Garcias. Every man, who has endeavored to carry out an enterprise where many hands were needed, would have certainly been shocked at the imbecility of the average man. What do I mean by imbecility? It is the inability February 2019 or unwillingness to concentrate on a thing and do it. Slip-shod assistance, foolish inattention, indifference, & half-hearted work seem to be the rule. In the present circumstances, no man succeeds in getting work done by 47 others, unless by hook or crook, or threat, he forces or bribes other men to assist him. Of course, in the rarest of the rare situations, God in His goodness performs a miracle, & sends him an Angel of Light as an assistant. You, reader, put this matter to a test: You are sitting now in your office. Six clerks are working in your office and you are free to call any of them and assign them a task. Call any one and make this request: “Please look in the encyclopedia and write a brief note for me concerning the life of Correggio.” PAGE SPONSOR: SRI RAJU Z. MORAY, MUMBAI MORAY, RAJU SRI Z. SPONSOR: PAGE Will the clerk quietly say, “Yes, sir”, and go do the task? Kesari The Vedanta I will bet you a thousand dollars, he will not. He will look at you out of the corner of his eye and ask one or more of the following questions: Who was Correggio? Which encyclopedia? Where is the encyclopedia? Was I hired for that? Don’t you mean Bismarck? What’s the matter with Charlie doing it? Is he dead? Is there any hurry? Wouldn’t it be better if I bring you the book and let you look it up yourself? What do you want to know for? And I will bet you another thousand dollars that after you have answered the questions, and explained how to find the information, and why you want it, the clerk will go off and get one of the other clerks to help him try to ‘find Garcia’ – and then come back and tell you there is no such man. Of course I may lose my bet, but according to the Law of Average, I will not. Now if you are wise you will not bother to explain to your ‘assistant’ that Correggio is indexed under C, not under K, but you will smile sweetly and say, “Never mind”, and go look it up yourself. This incapacity for independent action, this moral stupidity, this infirmity of the will, this unwillingness to cheerfully catch hold and lift, are the things that put pure Socialism so far into the future. If men will not act for their own good, what will they do, when the benefit of their effort, is for all? A whip-cracking supervisor seems necessary; and the fear of getting ‘fired’ by the end of the month, holds many a worker to his place. (To be continued) What is Religion?

Religion is the idea which is raising the the Self.’4 ‘Even this selfishness, which is so much brute unto man, and man unto God.1 condemned, is but a manifestation of the same love. What defines a brute, a man, and God? Stand aside from this play, do not mix in it, Is it language, dress, food-habits, living but see this wonderful panorama, this grand styles, race, learning, social systems, historical drama, played scene after scene, and hear this background? Or is it all these put together, wonderful harmony; all are the manifestation which we give the generic name – Culture? of the same love. Even in selfishness, that self According to Swami Vivekananda, it is will multiply, grow and grow. That one self, the the degree of unselfishness. A brute is he who is one man, will become two selves when he gets February 2019 utterly selfish. A man is one who has started to married; several, when he gets children; and manifest a certain degree of unselfishness. God thus he grows until he feels the whole world 48 is perfectly unselfish.2 as his Self, the whole universe as his Self. He The soul evolves. Progressively, the expands into one mass of universal love, infinite soul manifests greater and greater degrees of love – the love that is God.’5 unselfishness. The training that ensures this ‘We always begin as dualists. God is a evolution is Religion. separate Being, and I am a separate being. Love Last month, we saw Swamiji define comes between, and man begins to approach Religion as ‘realizing God’. Opening of our God, and God, as it were, begins to approach

The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta heart and seeing God face-to-face in the deep man. Man takes up all the various relationships recesses of our heart is Religion. Here, the same of life, as father, mother, friend, or lover; and Swamiji seems to be saying that, ‘realizing of the last point is reached when he becomes one God does not happen all of a sudden.3 There with the object of worship. ‘I am you, and you is a gradual unfoldment in the soul. There is a are I; and worshipping you, I worship myself; training that is imparted to the soul. And who and in worshipping myself, I worship you.’ imparts that training? Life itself! Experiences of There we find the highest culmination of that life teach and train the soul to move towards with which man begins. At the beginning it was greater and greater levels of unselfishness, until love for the self, but the claims of the little self, all selfishness is washed away and the soul made love selfish; at the end came the full blaze stands alone in its true splendor. of light, when that self had become the Infinite. ‘None, O beloved, the husband for That God who at first was a Being somewhere, the husband’s sake, but for the Self that is in the became resolved, as it were, into Infinite Love. husband; none, O beloved, ever loves the wife Man himself was also transformed. He was for the wife’s sake, but for the Self that is in the approaching God, he was throwing off all vain wife. None ever loves anything else, except for desires, of which he was full before. With desires (Continued on page 51...) The Vedas: An Exploration The Braahmanas

LAKSHMI DEVNATH

(Continued from previous issue...)

The two branches of the Yajur Veda – reflects on the intellectual activity of a gifted and Krishna and Shukla have their own respective devout race. Braahmanas distinct in information and content. The Sama Veda has the largest number One of the Braahmana of the Krishna Yajur of Braahmana texts attached to it. Pertinently, Veda is called Taittriya and is a continuation only a few amongst these can lay claim to the of the Taittriya Samhita of the same Veda. It nomenclature of Braahmana. The others are does not appear as a separate text but is found more like appendices. The Braahmana with its mingled with the Samhita portion. The Taittriya name Jaiminya or Talavaakara with its 1252 Braahmana contains a good deal of astrological sections is one of the bulkiest among Vedic texts.

and astronomical information. It is interesting that A fund of information is detailed regarding the February 2019 even the Yajur Vedic hymns speak of 12 months techniques used by Samagas – the officiating and 360 days in a year. The Sukla Yajur Veda priests of this Veda. The textual matter isolates 49 however has its own Braahmana called Satapatha. legends and ritualistic data, making the reading A remarkable work in more ways than one, it is of it a comparatively formidable task. Another one of the most important texts in its genre. It may Braahmana of this Veda called Tandya is also be recalled that the Samhita portion of this Veda familiar with the name of Pancavimsa probably came in two versions – Madhyandina and Kanva. on account of the 25 chapters of which it is The Braahmanas of this Veda also subscribe to the made. This has earned itself the name of Maha PAGE SPONSOR: SMT. LAKSHMI DEVNATH, CHENNAI DEVNATH, LAKSHMI SMT. SPONSOR: PAGE same divisions. The Madhyandina version has 100 Braahmana. Hymns of praise, the Soma sacrifice Kesari The Vedanta chapters from which probably it derived its name and Sattras – sacrificial sessions, are included in - Satapatha or 100 parts. Its subject matter apart its subject matter. The Sanskrit names of months from the customary explanations pertaining to like Chaitra, Vaisakha and so on also figure in liturgy has interesting portions like Agnirahasya, this. Reference is found to two rivers Saraswati where it unravels the mysteries of the fire altar. and Drisadvati that form the two boundaries of It also details the Upanayana or the initiation Kurukshetra. The historical and geographical ceremony relevant to certain castes. Prayaschitta information from this Braahmana deserves to be – acts of atonement for sins committed, death collected. Yet another Braahmana of this Veda, ceremonies, legends like those of the Manu and goes by the name of Sadvimsa, meaning 26 the fish and the story of Pururavas and Urvashi chapters. It is only a completion of the Tandya heighten the mystical aura of this Braahmana. or Pancavimsa. It concentrates on omens and The geographical and ethical allusions in this text portents and earns for itself the name of Adbhuta almost exclusively point to the regions along the Braahmana or Braahamana of Wonder. The Ganga and the Jamuna. The Satapatha Braahmana Chandogya Braahmana is also attached to The author is a researcher and writer with various books and articles to her credit on Indian music and culture. [email protected] the Sama Veda. In this are also given mantras legends and parables that explain the various pertaining to birth and marriage rites. The Vedic ceremonies. Angiras of the Atharvan- last three chapters of these are the Chandogya Angirasah fame is glorified as the ‘sage of Upanishad. sages’. This Braahamana also warns that The Samavidhana Braahmana, of the Sama Vedic sacrifice performed without the help of Veda talks of the seven musical notes, last one a priest of the Atharva Veda is bound to fail. being called Antya instead of the earlier term One of the appendices of this Veda called the Atisvarya. A point to be noted is that unlike Caranavyuha says that the Gopatha Braahmana the Braahmanas of the Rig Veda, Braahmanas consisted of 100 divisions out of which today of the Yajur and Sama Veda, while specifying only two are present. Quite possible, when one the duties of their priests—Adhvaryu and the finds that many statements, referred to in other Udgatr respectively, stick to the original order Vedic texts, as being derived from the Gopatha of the mantra. Braahmana cannot be traced to the present two There is only one extant Braahmana of books available. the Veda of the magic – Atharva Veda. It is The Braahamanas, as a whole, represent called the Gopatha Braahmana. It has two the religious, and intellectual activity of the Vedic parts Purva Gopatha and Uttara Gopatha. This age. The Sanskrit is also Vedic distinct from Braahmana begins with a legend that narrates Panini Sanskrit. There is a constant and tiresome as follows – the rishis saw the mantras that repetition of sentences. It is quite possible that this formed the Atharva Veda. From Atharva Veda meandering style may have subsequently led to February 2019 came Om, from it the three worlds – Earth, Sky the composition of sutras that are encapsulated and Heaven, from them the three Gods Agni, forms of elaborate texts. However, the language 50 Vayu and Sun, from them the three Vedas Rig, of the Braahmanas is vivacious and graceful. The Yajur and Sama, from them the Sea, from them Braahmanas were further subdivided into the Varuna the Atharva Vedic rishi Angiras and Aranyakas and its last chapters are the famous so on. Naturally, its contents contain myths, Upanishads. (To be continued….)

Interesting Information

The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta Panini the Sanskrit grammarian, refers to etymological application of Nakshatra is given the Satapatha Braahmana also as Sashtipatha as – na kshtra, ‘that which does not diminish meaning 60 parts. The first 9 sections of this in anyway’. Braahmana have 60 chapters. The remaining 40 Mahidasa Aitareya is said to be the compiler are contained in the remaining 5 sections. The of the Aitareya Braahmana of the Rig Veda. famous Brihadaranyaka Upanishad is but the The oft quoted sentence of the Braahmana concluding portion of this Braahmana. is – ‘the soul of all beings, all gods is this The Madhyandina version of the sacrifice.’ In the Braahmanas, sacrifice is treated Satapatha is divided into 14 books while the with the utmost respect – whether an act has Kanda version has 17 books. to be performed towards the left or right side, The name of Yagnavalkya occurs frequently whether a pot is placed at this or that point of the in the Satapatha Braahmana. Interesting dialogues sacrificial place, whether a stalk of grass shall be of a metaphysical nature between Yagnavalkya placed with its tip pointing to the north or North and Janaka of Videha are narrated. East, whether the priest goes to the front or to the The Taittriya Braahmana talks about 14 back of the fire, to which direction he must have Devanakshatras beginning with Krittika and 14 his face turned, in how many parts the sacrificial Yamanakshatras beginning with Anirudha. The cake is to be cut, whether the butter shall be poured in the Northern or in the southern half they alone understood all the details of the or in the middle of the fire, in which moment the sacrificial ceremonial which although small, recitation of some text, the singing of some song were declared to be extremely important. has to take place. These are thoroughly treated It happened in Rome that a sacrifice had to in the Braahmanas be repeated 30 times because some small The story of the Matsya Avatar is present mistake was committed in the course of a in the satapatha Braahmana. small ceremony; and in ancient Rome also Eggeling in his Sacred Books of the East a ceremony was considered null and void if Vol.12 p.10 reminds that in the case of ancient a word was pronounced wrongly or an act Romans also, the Pontifics attained power was not performed quite right or if the playing of and influence exactly by virtue of the fact that the music was not stopped at the right moment.

What is Religion? (Continued from page 48...)

vanished selfishness, and, at the apex, he found will come a time when we shall become that Love, Lover, and Beloved were One.’6 perfectly unselfish; and the moment we attain ‘There are two things which guide to that, all our powers will be concentrated, the conduct of men: might and mercy. The and the knowledge which is ours will be exercise of might is invariably the exercise of manifest.’9 February 2019 selfishness.’7 ‘Yet it is work through the sense of duty ‘It is selfishness that we must seek to that leads us to work without any idea of 51 eliminate. I find that whenever I have made a duty; when work will become worship – nay, mistake in my life, it has always been because something higher – then will work be done for self entered into the calculation. Where self its own sake. We shall find that the philosophy has not been involved, my judgment has gone of duty, whether it be in the form of ethics or of straight to the mark.’8 love, is the same as in every other – the ‘But we have to begin from the beginning, object being the attenuating of the lower self, to take up the works as they come to us and so that the real higher Self may shine forth – PAGE SPONSOR: SMT. LAKSHMI DEVNATH, CHENNAI DEVNATH, LAKSHMI SMT. SPONSOR: PAGE slowly make ourselves more unselfish every the lessening of the frittering away of energies Kesari The Vedanta day. We must do the work and find out the on the lower plane of existence, so that the motive power that prompts us; and, almost soul may manifest itself on the higher ones. without exception, in the first years, we shall This is accomplished by the continuous denial of find that our motives are always selfish; low desires, which duty rigorously requires. The but gradually this selfishness will melt by whole organization of society has thus been persistence, till at last will come the time when developed, consciously or unconsciously, in we shall be able to do really unselfish work. the realms of action and experience, where, We may all hope that someday or other, as by limiting selfishness, we open the way to an we struggle through the paths of life, there unlimited expansion of the real nature of man.’10

References: 1) The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda [hereafter CW]: Vol-5: Sayings and Utterances 2) CW. Vol-1: Karma-Yoga: Ch-VI: Non-Attachment Is Complete Self-Abnegation 3) See for instance Swamiji’s words: ‘Religion is a long, slow process’; CW: Vol-4: Addresses on Bhakti-Yoga: The Need of Symbols 4) Brihadaranyaka Upanishad: 2.4.1-5 5) CW. Vol-2: Bhakti Or Devotion 6) Ibid 7) CW. Vol-1: : Ch-III: The Secret of Work 8) CW. Vol-8: Sayings and Utterances 9) CW. Vol-1: Karma Yoga: Ch-I: Karma in Its Effect On Character 10) CW. Vol-1: Karma Yoga: Ch-IV: What Is Duty? The Order on the March News & Notes from Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission

Celebrations in the Order a group of local devotees for many years the settlement The 166th Jayanti of Holy started in 1917 a Seva Samiti in of lakhs of Hindu refugees from Mother Sri Sarada Devi was Karimganj, Assam of erstwhile East Pakistan. With a students’ celebrated in great joy with East Bengal. In 1929 the Samiti home, library, coaching centre, special worship, bhajans, and was affiliated to Belur Math charitable dispensary and mobile spiritual discourses on Friday, as a branch centre of Sylhet medical unit, the centre now 28 December 2018 at Belur Math ashrama, now in Bangladesh. houses a beautiful temple of Sri February 2019 and in the branch centres. At Following the , Ramakrishna, consecrated in Karimganj became a remote 1992 by Swami , 52 Belur Math, thousands of devotees attended the celebration and corner in Assam; yet the the 12th President of the Order. cooked prasad was served to about centre continued its services The centre concluded its year- 33,000 devotees. and became an independent long centenary celebration, which Christmas-Eve was observed branch centre on 1 October began on 10 May 2017, from 1 on 24 December 2018 in our 1947. The centre rendered — 5 December 2018 with public centres. tremendous relief services meetings, a procession of 7000 Conclusion of Centenary during Burma Evacuation at the odd people, naranarayana seva The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta Celebration of Karimganj times of World War II, East and cultural programmes. On this Ashrama, Assam Pakistan Exodus in 1950, and occasion a life-size bronze statue Inspired by Swami Bangladesh Evacuation in 1971. of Swamiji was unveiled and a Premeshananda, a disciple of Requested by the Govt. of India, souvenir was released by Srimat Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi, the centre befittingly handled Swami Gautamananda Ji, one of

Belur Math Karimganj Nivedita 150 the Vice-Presidents of the Order, of Organic Farming (NCOF), by Vijayawada centre, in which on 1 December. Revered Maharaj Ghaziabad. The village along about 40,000 students from also inaugurated a Durga Mandap with two neighbouring villages 350 schools took part. Chennai and a multi-purpose building was selected in 2016 to be Students’ Home, Coimbatore housing prasada distribution hall developed as a Fully Certified Mission Vidyalaya, Mangaluru and an auditorium. Among others Organic Village with marketing and Mysuru centres organised Swami Jyotirupananda, Minister linkage. Currently 91 farmers of youth conventions, cultural In-Charge, Ramakrishna Vedanta these villages are growing organic competitions and discourses, in Centre, Moscow and Swami crops on their 177 acres of land. which 7554 students participated. Tattwavidananda, one of the Asst. 125th Anniversary of Swami Colombo centre, Sri Lanka General Secretaries of the Order Vivekananda ’s Historic held a student’s meet in Batticaloa addressed the gatherings and Chicago Addresses on 10 November, attended by reminisced their association with 5000 students. The centre also A three-day national tribal the asharma. In all, about 35,000 conducted cultural competitions youths’ convention from 18 to 20 people attended the programmes in Maskeliya town on 19 and 24 December with 2198 registered in 5 days. November in which 750 students delegates and 1000 others was from 35 schools took part. First Organic Village of held at Narainpur ashrama. Jharkhand Pune ashrama organized on Conclusion of the 150th Birth With the dream to produce 11 December a mega musical Anniversary of Sister Nivedita healthy food through sustainable play on the life and teachings The year-long celebrations February 2019 means, Divyayan Krishi Vigyan of Swamiji at Nagpur, attended of Sister Nivedita’s 150th birth Kendra, Ramakrishna Mission by 7000 people. From 23 anniversary was formally 53 Ashrama, Morabadi, Ranchi, to 26 December, Bengaluru concluded with a three- initiated rigorous initiatives in Math, Basavanagudi held an day Residential Youth organic farming since 2006. And art exhibition, which was camp on 29 – 31 December on the occasion of World Soil inaugurated by Sri Vilas Nayak, 2018 at Ramakrishna Mission Day observation on 5 December an internationally renowned Vidyamandira, Belur Math. 2018, it has achieved a significant speed painting artist and visited Attended by about 350 youths, milestone with the declaration of by about 3000 people. A coffee- the camp was inaugurated by PAGE SPONSOR: A DEVOTEE, VIDYARANYAPURA, BENGALURU VIDYARANYAPURA, DEVOTEE, A SPONSOR: PAGE Dhurleta village in Ranchi dist. table book on the exhibits was Swami Suvirananda, the General Kesari The Vedanta as the “First Organic Village also released. Jagruti Cultural Secretary of the Order, and Swami of Jharkhand”. The farmers of Competitions for students of Balabhadrananda, one of Asst. the village were awarded with classes IV to X was conducted in Gen. Secretaries of the Order certificates from National Centre four districts of Andhra Pradesh spoke in the Valedictory Session.

Nivedita 150 Sarada Vidyalaya, Chennai Ranchi Guests of Honour Coimbatore Mission Vidyalaya exhibition to create awareness Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, held tournaments in adapted about the disease. Union Minister of Defence volleyball, cricket and football, Values Education and Youth participated in the inaugural from 6 to 8 December, attended Programmes by 361 differently-abled persons function of the Project “BETI” Centres at from Tamil Nadu. (Better Education and Training Thrissur, A sub-centre of Ramakrishna Initiatives) of Rotary Club of Ahimsa

Madurai, Seva Jiva Madras East at Ramakrishna Math, Hyderabad, has been Medinipur, Desha Bhakti started adjacent to the newly Mission Sarada Vidyalaya, Nagpur opened branch of Ramakrishna Satya Shraddha Chennai on 29 November and Rajkot Mission in Yadadri Bhuvanagiri, 2018. Sri K. J. Alphons, Union conducted Tyaga Telangana. Pavitrata Minister of State for Culture and 22 Personality Tourism visited Belur Math on Education Services development/ Nirbhaya 22 December. Sri Kummanam Srimat Swami Gautamanandaji youth programmes in December, Rajasekharan, Governor of dedicated two high school attended by 5661 youths/students. Mizoram and Padma Vibhushan buildings of Narainpur centre at Delhi ashrama conducted 25 Dr. E. Sreedharan spoke in the Akabeda and Kundla villages of values education workshops, youth programme at Thrissur Abujhmarh on 8 December. attended by 1291 teachers and 43 Math on 29 December. principals in seven states between Healthcare Services News from Branch Centres 28 November and 22 December. February 2019 Srimat Swami Smaranananda , the branch Ji Maharaj, the President of Relief Services 54 centre functioning in the house the Order dedicated the In continuing the Gaja Cyclone of Sri Balaram Basu, one of new dispensary building relief in four districts of Tamil the chief lay disciples of Sri at Kankurgachhi Math on 12 Nadu, Kanchipuram and Madurai Ramakrishna and the historic December. A new six-storey centres distributed about 9548 birthplace of Ramakrishna building at Seva Pratishthan, kgs of groceries, 1100 packets Mission association on 1 May Kolkata for the nursing school of biscuits, 2972 shirts/lungis/ 1897, observed the 175th birth and college and OT Complex saris etc., among 780 families anniversary of Sri Balaram Basu was dedicated on 17 December. and Chennai Math distributed The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta on 21 December 2018. Swami Lucknow Sevashrama launched 1000 tarpaulins on 8 and 16 Suvirananda spoke in the public on 17 November a free mid-day December. meeting held on this occasion. meal scheme for the attendants of In response to a flood in Srimat Swami Gautamananda indoor patients. The Sevashrama Visuvamadu village in Sri Lanka, Ji laid the foundation stone hosted a three-day Ayurveda fair Colombo centre distributed 2635 for the construction of Sadhu from 24 to 26 November treating kgs of rice, dal, noodles etc., Niwas and Prayer Hall at about 1000 patients and held a and biscuits, malt powder, mats/ Ramakrishna Math, Yelagiri paediatric nephrology workshop bedsheets, and other necessities 24 December 2018. Srimat with 30 paediatricians on 16 among 194 families on 29 and 30 Swami Shivamayananda Ji, November. Narottam Nagar December. one of the vice-presidents of centre held a medical camp by The Order has distributed the Order inaugurated the new six specialists on 9 December 8908 blankets, 18036 sweaters, Staff Quarters and Office-cum- and treated 472 patients. jackets, etc., 1700 shawls through Book Showroom at Gourhati and Sevashrama observed World 25 centres in India and 340 Lalgarh centres on 12 and 25 Diabetes Day on 25 November blankets through Baliati centre in December respectively. with a procession, speeches, and Bangladesh. 55 Vol.106. No.2 The Vedanta Kesari (English Monthly) February 2019.

56 Regd. with the Registrar of Newspapers for India under No.1084 / 1957. Postal registration number:TN / CH (C) / 190 / 2018-2020. Licensed to Post without prepayment TN/PMG(CCR)/WPP-259 / 2018-2020. Date of Publication: 24th of every month; Posted on 28 January 2018

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