Society of Toronto ( Mission) 120 Emmett Ave. Toronto, ON M6M 2E6 CANADA Tel.: 416-240-7262; Email: [email protected]; Website: www.vedantatoronto.ca Celebrating Golden Jubilee Year 2018 Newsletter September 2018 Words to Inspire “Always discriminate—your body, your house, the people around, and the world are all unreal like a dream. Always think that this body is only an inert instrument. And the Atman within is your real nature.” ---

Once Sri Ramakrishna said of an experience of his that projected, in which we have reflected ourselves; that is all we suddenly a boy came out of his body, a sixteen-year-old boy are doing. This is the idea. So Vedantists say since everything with a shining form; he also became a sixteen -year-old boy, is really an incarnation of divinity, if some incarnation smiles and the two began to run and play for a long time. He said back at us and says, ‘Yes, here I am; what do you want? Come there came a mist of joy; the whole world vanished away, and on!’ then he becomes the Divine Incarnation. And why not? they played like this. You might think that was some kind of Why not? All the talk about prophets who laid down the law, all fantasy. Nothing of the kind. Divine nature has a tendency to the struggles, and all the conceptions that we are steeped in see Itself magnified in infinite forms. That is what creation is. ignorance—all these ideas belong to a lower vision of He is the One, He sees Himself reflected in an infinite number ourselves—a lower vision which we can at this moment of forms; that is His joy. Just as a vain person will surround discard, because everyone is capable of a higher vision—now. himself with mirrors, look at his reflections all around him, and Even the greatest sinner can say, ‘Lord, I am a miserable admire his eyebrows or lips or eyes and curl his hair like this sinner; I know You are my only hope.’ In that very statement or like that—that is what the Lord is doing. That’s the great fun. the miserable sinner has access to the higher vision. He may You think that only the foolish enjoy such fun? Everybody is not use this grand language, ‘I am God’, but when he says, doing it; you understand another person to the extent that you ‘You are the only one I have’, he is making the same see yourself reflected there. Do you see anything more than statement. So you see, anyone is capable of having a higher your own reflection in another person? You don’t. That is why vision, only he may use different language. The moment he Christ said, ‘Judge not that ye be not judged.’ When you say, has that vision, the whole world changes for him. Why should ‘there is a bad man’, you are saying, ‘The badness of my mind we not have that vision? All this talk about who created this is comprehending the badness there’, and thereby you are world, who destroys it—this is the talk of of those who do not being judged. You are not judging the other person, you are want higher truths. But when they want divine truth they say, ‘I judging as much of yourself as you can catch in the other form. don’t care whether You create or destroy or don’t create or Everything is one’s own reflection, a judgement of oneself. Can destroy. I want You. Let us go and talk. Come on! No creation you deny this? If you think deeply, you cannot deny it. That is this time!’ That’s the language of the devotees’s heart to God; the mystery of the whole creation: we are the One. We are and it is said that in the Divine Incarnation that longing is seeing the dead part of our being as matter, dead matter. The fulfilled. It is said that God becomes incarnated not for sinners, ferocious part we are seeing as tigers and lions and so on. but for already illumined souls. You see, when God takes There is a good part also; we are seeing it as saints. That is human form, there is an intimacy in which the soul enjoys Him what is happening. If you go deep, deep down and investigate much more than in flights of ecstasy. And it is for these souls all the layers of your mind and see how consciousness that God becomes incarnated. It is said that it is the most functions in each of these levels, you will be astonished. Some intimate purpose of a Divine Incarnation. part of this mind is creating this vast universe; another part is From the book ‘Meditation ecstasy and illumination’ creating the gods. We are all seeing ourselves in so-called by Sw Ashokananda Pgs 224-227 others. There are no others, there are just infinite forms

GOLDEN JUBILEE CELEBRATION – Tickets details

Vedanta Society of Toronto completes 50 years in 2018 since its inception in this country in 1968. Ticket details as follows: • The tickets priced at $50, $100, $150 can be purchased at the Living Arts Centre with their service charge of additional $2 per ticket, or online with their extra fee of $6 per ticket. • If you want to purchase the tickets from the , please contact Abhijit @ 416-569-9401 or Asha Burman @ 416-494-1765 ; pay the amount (say 1 x $100 tickets +$2 = $102), by issuing cheque on “Vedanta Society of Toronto” and mail to reach us before September The8 ContemplativeOR in person at theLife Society between 5.30pm to 7.30pm any day by Cash/Cheque/Credit or Debit cards. The tickets can be collected Mostimmediately. Revered TICKETS Swami AtmasthanandajiWILL NOT BE ISSUED Maharaj AT THE GATE ON SEPTEMBER 15. Most• Kindly Revered note that Swami NO TAX AtmasthanandajiMaharaj RECEIPTS will be issued for ticketswas the purchased. present Donations President for theof theGolden world Jubilee-wide celebration Ramakrishna can be made Math separately, and Ramakrishnafor which Tax Mission. receipts will In issuedthis article as usual. Most Revered Maharaj provides guidelines on how to lead a contemplative life citing • Please order and collect your tickets as early as possible to avoid disappointment, since these will be sold on first come first served manybasis personal and we doreminiscences not have any controlof senior on thismonks process, of the it Ramakrishnabeing managed traditionby Living who Arts leadCentre. inspiring spiritual lives. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT !

Contemplative Life SADHAN-BHAJAN or spiritual practice - japa, prayer and meditation – used to go out walking on the bank of the Kanchan River. Sometimes should play a very vital role in the lives of all. This is a sure way to peace he would ask if I would like to go with him. During the walk he would despite all the hindrances that one has to face in daily life. The usual suddenly ask: ‘What are you thinking as you are walking? Always think complaint is that it is very difficult to lead an inward life of sadhana or of Him, of God. “Ho jayeterenam vasa, ho jayeterenam vasa" - May contemplation amidst the rush and bustle of everyday life. But with your name become my refuge, may your name become my refuge.” earnestness and unshakable determination one is sure to succeed. Sri Whenever you walk here and there, you must mentally think like this.’ Ramakrishna has said that a devotee should hold on to the feet of the He would find a nice place to sit by the riverbank, and would soon close Lord with the right hand and clear the obstacles of everyday life with his eyes and start meditating. What could I do? Not knowing what the other. meditation was, I started imitating him. He would be very still and There are two primary obstacles to contemplative life. The first one is appear very happy. I imitated him, and in this process, discovered posed by personal internal weaknesses. One must have unswerving something happening within. The swami also allowed me to determination to surmount these. The second one consists of external occasionally spend the night at the Ashrama. There were not many problems. These we have to keep out, knowing them to be harmful rooms there, so he let me stay in his own room. And there I saw impediments to our goal. For success in contemplative life, one needs something wonderful. Whenever I happened to wake up, at midnight or earnestness and regularity. Study of the scriptures, holy company, and any other time, I found the swami sitting and meditating! I was amazed! quiet living help develop our inner lives. I have clearly seen that all the You see how holy company works! Swami Gadadharananda was great swamis of our Order have led a life of contemplation even in the nothing short of a saint. I have never seen him hating anyone. He was midst of great distractions. They lived this life amidst engagement in always ready to serve anybody in need. Even his way of collecting service to the Lord through whatever responsibility they were assigned. flowers, making garlands, and preparing for the arati impressed me. I I have been very fortunate to have come in close contact with some of could not help following him and assisting whenever possible. As the very illustrious of our Order like the revered Swamis mentioned earlier, even before I met Swami Gadadharananda, I used Virajananda, , Shantananda, Jagadananda, to do puja at home. Ours was a religious home, and we had a tradition Madhavananda, Nirvedananda, and Gadadharananda. Their lives have of thakurseva (service to the family deity). In the hostel also I used to been wonderful. There was always a glow on their faces, and do sandhya-vandana (daily devotions prescribed by the scriptures) association with them was spiritually very inspiring, assuring one of the regularly. That, however, was traditional. What I got from the ashrama priceless value of sadhana. One thing that is a very great power in all was something totally different. An ashrama is a place full of spiritual men of God is unaccountable love. You cannot explain why they love vibrations. That is something inspiring, lively. But in one’s home and you. They don’t ask anything in return. They do not ask that you become family, it is a mere traditional way of life, and religious practice, a routine a or do anything in return. They just love you. This is something thing; there is not that life there. Another person who greatly inspired very, very wonderful. Whenever I visited , I found this to be me to take to monastic life was Swami Achalananda, popularly known true. But the first monk to leave a deep impress on me was Swami as Kedar Baba. He was a very austere sadhu. When I first saw him at Gadadharananda. I was then doing my intermediate at Cotton College, Belur Math, he was walking about clad only in a kaupina (loin cloth). Gauhati. During summer vacation, when I was visiting my home at Oh, his regular prayer, japa, and meditation! Even when his health was Dinajpur, I came down with serious malaria with several complications. completely broken, out of twenty-four hours, his rest and other personal My father, who was a big Sanskrit pandit and a specialist in the activities would take up at most six to eight hours. I was in close contact Bhagavata, had gone to deliver a lecture at a function in a nearby with him. He used to come to Belur Math every year for two to three school. Swami Gadadharananda was at that time the head of the months and stay in the Leggett house, in the room where Holy Mother Dinajpurcentre (now in Bangladesh). He happened to meet my father had lived. Whenever he used to come, I would go and clean his room at this function and found him very worried. He enquired about the and serve him a bit. Every day he would ask me to read the Kathamrita reason and, on learning about my illness, asked if he could come and and would ask me, ‘How much japa have you done?’ Once there was see me. My father of course welcomed him. Next I found a monk placing a feast at the Math. Next day Kedar Baba asked us how many rasgullas his hand on my head and chest – and to my surprise, and everybody we had eaten. When I said that I had had two, he exclaimed, ‘What? else’s, all problems were soon over! He had also spoken in such an Two rasgullas, and that at night! And you want to be a monk and follow affectionate and loving manner that I had at once felt drawn to him. So Swamiji! Impossible! Those who want to live a pure life must eat a very when I was cured I asked my father who the sannyasin was, and light meal at night and be careful about sweets.’ He was a terrific coming to know that he was the head of the nearby Ramakrishna inspiration. I was in the Calcutta Students’ Home while pursuing my Ashrama, went to meet him one day with some friends. Swami graduate studies, and there I came in close contact with Swami Gadadharananda was very pleased to see us. He took us to the shrine Nirvedananda, a real inspiration in every sense. He emphasized there and introduced us to Sri Ramakrishna, Sri , and brahmacharya and a God-oriented life, especially for students. Swami Swami Vivekananda. He gave us prasad and asked us to come again. Shantananda was another great contemplative. He was a quiet man So I started frequenting the Ashrama. The swami gave me books like and talked very little, but you would always find him doing japa. I think, Swami Vivekananda’s Lectures from Colombo to Almora, which I out of twenty-four hours, he would be doing japa for eighteen to twenty started reading. Knowing that I came from a Brahmin family with the hours. Very sweet and very kind – that was Swami Shantananda. Even tradition of worship at home, he asked me to do arati in the shrine and when he was down with tuberculosis, there was no change in his then also puja, even though I had not had my spiritual initiation as yet. routine. When he was asked not to strain himself doing prolonged After the arati he would ask me to meditate a little before returning spiritual practice, he said that he could not do otherwise. And never did home. I was deeply impressed. In the morning, after mangalarati, he he give any external expression to the distress of disease. Then there

was . Though he was the General Secretary, was gone! Are the joys of work and that of quiet contemplation and and very active, his life was very regular. He was very strict in matters study equivalent? Yes, they are. But both are necessary for harmonious of principle. But he also knew when to be considerate. Those who live spiritual development. I had also the opportunity to serve Swami this contemplative life regularly also work better. There is no doubt Virajananda, the sixth President of the Order. His life too was very about it. There is nothing haphazard about their work. Whatever they regular, in its own way. And he was very hard-working also. Everything do they do with all their heart, and as service to God. Does it work the that he did, he did thoroughly – everything! And he was a hard other way round too? For those who work well, do their inner lives also taskmaster too. He had his hours of deep contemplative moods. And improve? Well, work alone will not do. The spirit behind the work is he had a great sense of humour. Sometimes he would prepare some important. If you work with the spirit that it is service to God, then that sweets and snacks and send them for the monks after having checked work will be spiritually fruitful. Otherwise, well, everybody works. But the number – you could not get two! We knew that there would be more their work and the work of a monk is not the same. in his stock, and that all of it was turning stale. Coming to know what There are many doctors attending to patients. But there is a difference we were thinking, he would remark sarcastically, ‘Rotten! Rotten!’ Then between their work and the service rendered by a monk to the sick. The he would do some trick and send those foodstuffs to us; and lo! it was monk’s spirit is that of service to Narayana, God. The other person all very good and fresh! He would then ask, ‘Now what are they doing, doesn’t necessarily look upon the patient as an embodiment of God or what are they doing?’ Even at the time of his passing away he retained any such thing. ‘He is a patient, I give treatment, and I get my fees, this sense of humour. The doctors had given up hope and many sadhus that’s all’ – that is the professional attitude. For those who have heavy had gathered in his room. When he saw that the sadhus were preparing work responsibilities, will the simple maintenance of this attitude of to chant ‘Hari Om Ramakrishna’ (which is usually done at the final hour) service to God improve their meditative life? Yes! There is no doubt he quipped: ‘Ekhonna, ekhonna, deri ache - Not now, not now, there is about it. Relief work or hospital work or school work or kitchen work or still time.’ But when the actual time came it was a sight to see: a whatever – it is all His service. That spirit must be there. Then your beaming face, hair standing on end, and tears trickling down from the inner life improves automatically. This is my own personal experience. outer corners of the eyes – all signs of divine joy according to the I have derived tremendous joy from hospital work. I worked at the scriptures. Sevashrama in Rangoon, a busy general Can householders also have equally inspiring lives? Yes, they can. Let hospital. I was also involved in the building of the tuberculosis me recall just one incident, again a parting scene: I heard that a certain sanatorium in Ranchi, practically from the beginning. Oh, the joy! And devotee was on the verge of death. I went to see him. His wife was when you worked with devotion, help came from the most unexpected massaging his feet. He looked up and, seeing me, said, ‘Bless me, so quarters. We had to work hard. But I worked keeping in mind that this that I can reach the goal, the feet of the Master.’ He was quiet for some was service to the same Being to whom I offered flowers in the shrine. time.Then he looked at his wife and said, ‘Now the moment has come. If He came in this shape and form, this was how I had to serve Him. But Put charanamrit (holy water) here (in my mouth).’ Having swallowed the I also practiced japa and meditation every day, irrespective of the time. charanamrit he uttered: ‘Ramakrishna, Ramakrishna.’ And that was the That is the support one has to hold on to. For everybody that is a must, end. So, both householder life and monastic life can equally be ways of there is no question about that. There were also occasions when I took developing oneself spiritually. But one must follow the right route. A time out from work. That time I spent in spiritual practices and scriptural monastic life that ends with the taking of gerua robes alone is nothing. study. I used to go to Swami Jagadananda and study Vedantic texts. You have your mantra; you have to make that mantra practically Swami Jagadananda was a living embodiment of the spirit of Vedanta. realized in your life. Then alone is your worthwhile. I shall describe the scene of his passing, and from that you can have Let me conclude by recalling my own initiation from Swami an understanding of his personality. He had had a heart attack and was Maharaj, a direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna. As he was gasping for breath. We had brought him to the Vrindaban Sevashrama giving us the mantra and reciting God’s name, it appeared as if he was for treatment. The doctors had declared that there was no hope of intoxicated. The atmosphere was indescribable. It is this divine recovery and that he would collapse very soon. His legs were turning intoxication that one seeks in leading the life of a contemplative. And ice-cold. The doctors asked us to massage the legs with brandy. While on obtaining even a bit of that divine joy, one attains fulfilment. I was doing that, he suddenly looked at me and exclaimed in his native Source: - Jan 2007 Sylhet dialect: ‘Kita karo? Kita karo? What are you doing? What are you doing?’ ‘Your legs are turning cold, so I am massaging them a little.’ ‘Massaging them a little!’ he retorted. ‘Satchidekam brahma! - Brahman is Absolute Knowledge and Existence! Have you understood that, or not? Sarvamkhalvidam Brahma, all this is verily Brahman. Know and hold on to this!’ And he 2018 Parliament of the World's Religions is scheduled to be held in Toronto, at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, between November 1 – November 7. More than 50 Luminaries from around the world are expected to participate. Registration can be done on ParliamentOfReligions.org/2018POWR.

UPCOMING EVENTS – MARK YOUR CALENDAR

Events Date & Time Golden Jubilee Celebration Venue: Hammerson Hall, Living Arts Centre, Mississauga Sept 15 @ 4.30pm Gate closes at 4.30pm. Please arrive at Venue not later than 4pm. Music of Faiths & Sept 16 @ 10.30am Audio Drama with songs on the life of Swami Vivekananda Venue: Vedanta Society of Toronto Vivekananda Public Speaking Competition Oct 6 @ 11am For High School students Mahalaya Oct 8 @ 7pm Presented by devotees of Vedanta Society of Toronto – Maha Ashtami Oct 17 @ 6.30pm Durga Puja – Maha Navami Oct 18 @ 6.30pm Durga Puja – Vijaya Dashami Oct 19 @ 6.30pm Senior's Day Oct 28 @ 10.30am Puja Nov 6 @ 6.30pm Annual General Meeting (AGM) Nov 18 @ 11am 50th Foundation Day Celebration Of Vedanta Society of Toronto Nov 30 @ 6.30pm Consisting of Puja, Homa, Bhajans.

REGULAR PROGRAMMES SCRIPTURE CLASS: Friday Scripture Classes DAILY BREAD FOOD BANK: We encourage begin at 7:30 pm, following the regular evening people to donate in the Daily Bread Food Bank, prayer at 6:00 pm. The class, held at the Society, available in the Society. is open to all interested persons. For details, INTERVIEWS/INSTRUCTION: please see the ‘Calendar of Events’ on the next Swami Kripamayananda will be happy to give page. Interviews to those interested in knowing more VIGIL: A vigil consisting of japa and meditation will about Vedanta and meditation. Individual be observed, from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm, for date interviews are also given for Spiritual instructions. kindly see ‘Calendar of Events’, on next page. To Appointments for interviews should be made in participate, please call at 416-240-7262. advance with the Swami at 647-990-1418. RAM NAM: Ram Naam is conducted once every DAILY MEDITATION: Participate in daily month. For details on date and time, please see Meditation at the Vedanta society every morning the ‘Calendar of Events’ on the next page. between 6:00 to 7:00 am. BOOK STORE: Spiritual books are available in Devotional singing and meditation time in the the Book Store for purchase. evenings is between 6:00 to 7:30 pm. SOUP KITCHEN: Soup Kitchen is conducted at the Vedanta Society, please see the ‘Calendar of Events’ on the next page for details.

KARMA YOGA ACTIVITIES

It is a great opportunity to provide your services to the Vedanta Society of Toronto. We have started creating groups of volunteers to administer and take care of few operations - maintenance related work in the ashram. Kindly come forward and volunteer time towards maintaining and managing the facilities. If interested in volunteering, kindly send email or contact Abhijit Bhattacharya on 416-569- 9401, indicating the Services that you are interested in and days you can be available for volunteering. THANK YOU AGAIN!

Vedanta Society of Toronto CALENDAR OF EVENTS Minister and Teacher- Swami Kripamayananda, Ramakrishna Order of September 2018

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 9.30am

Soup Kitchen 2 11:00am 3 4 5 6 7 8 Sri Krishna 9.30am 9.30am 6:00am to 6:00pm Soup Soup VIGIL Janmashtami Kitchen Kitchen 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 4:30pm 9.30am 9.30am "Golden Jubilee Soup Soup Celebration" Kitchen Kitchen **Please arrive by 4pm sharp". (See Pg 5 for details) 16 10:30am 17 18 19 20 21 7:30pm 22 9.30am Music of Faiths & 9.30am 9.30am Scripture Class: Soup Kitchen Soup Soup ‘Gospel of Sri Audio Drama with songs Kitchen Kitchen Ramakrishna’ on the life of Swami Vivekananda 23 11:00am 24 25 26 27 28 7:30pm 29 Lecture: "'I' live in ALL" 9.30am 9.30am Scripture Class: 9.30am 1:30pm Soup Soup ‘ Soup Kitchen Vidyamandir Registration Kitchen Kitchen No classes 5:00pm RAMNAM 30 11:00am Lecture.

1:30pm VVM – regular classes begin

AN APPEAL FOR DONATION

Vedanta Society appeals to the devotees and well-wishers to kindly come forward and donate generously, so that we can pay-off all loans and build up funds to secure ourselves for our regular operations. Donations are required for ongoing maintenance of Ashram, facilities and functions, as well as repayment of interest free loans of $165,000 from our members in coming years. For those who wish to donate full or part of the loan amount to receive donation tax receipt for 2018 may do so by sending email to the Swami with cc to Anupam .