1 TheVedanta Kesari June 2018 1 The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta A Cultural and Spiritual Monthly 1 `15 June of the Ramakrishna Order since 1914 2018 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 Alasinga Perumal. 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 June 2018 he writes: ‘Now I am bent upon starting the journal.’ ‘Herewith I send a hundred dollars…. Hope this will go just a little in starting your paper.’ ‘I am determined to see the paper succeed.’ ‘The Song of the 4 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 virtue 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 has to be kept up by private help always, and we will do it.’ For the last 104 years, without missing a single issue, the magazine has been carrying the invigorating message of Vedanta with articles PERMANENT FUND The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta on spirituality, culture, philosophy, youth, To become self-supporting personality development, science, holistic living, family and corporate values. To establish the magazine Over the years, production and on firm financial publication costs have gone up manifold. footing we need A non-commercial magazine like this can ONE CRORE continue its good work only with the generous RUPEES for the financial support and active assistance of well- Permanent Fund. wishers. Please contribute Hence, we appeal to our readers and generously. admirers of Swamiji to support us by donating Names of the donors will to the following schemes: appear in the magazine. SPONSOR A PAGE GIFT TO LIBRARIES To enhance production quality To reach wider readership Once a year, please Please gift a copy of The sponsor at least one Vedanta Kesari to school, page in one issue of college, university, and The Vedanta Kesari. public libraries. In a year (12 issues This will take India’s including a Special timeless spiritual and cultural heritage, Issue) we need 600 pages to be sponsored. If and the message of Vedanta-Ramakrishna- you sponsor more pages, it will help us reach Vivekananda to a wider section of youth. the target faster and enhance overall quality. You can select any library in India, or let The Vedanta Kesari choose one. The sponsor's name will appear in the margin Name of sponsors and libraries enrolled will of the page. be published in The Vedanta Kesari. Sponsorship per page: Rs. 1000/- Gift Subscription per library: 500/- June 2018 Library will receive the magazine free for 3 yrs. 5 PAYMENT DETAILS 1. You can send 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 IFSC : UTBI0SRM842 Name of the Branch : R.K. Math Road, Chennai - 4 Kesari The Vedanta 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. pullout for reference Chandipur SERIES 2: ISSUE 1 To preach the doctrine“ of Shraddha or genuine faith is the mission of my life... What is Shraddha? THE ELEMENTS OF SHRADDHA Faith in oneself & one’s capacities June 2018 27 Viewing oneself as Positive ‘can-do a ‘creator of one’s approach’ destiny’ PAGE SPONSOR : A DEVOTEE, CHINDADRIPET, CHENNAI CHINDADRIPET, DEVOTEE, A : SPONSOR PAGE ERODE GOWRI, PRADHEEPA U. DR : SPONSOR PAGE The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta Positive belief in one’s future ® ©ILLUMINE KNOWLEDGE RESOURCES PVT. LTD. > Explore this framework... Coming up in the next three issues... SERIES 2: ISSUE 2: Developing shraddha in oneself Fiji SERIES 2: ISSUE 3 Expanding one’s circle of shraddha SERIES 2: ISSUE 4 Harnessing the power of shraddha Exploring the elements of Shraddha... Faith in oneself & one’s capacities Positive ‘can-do’ approach Case: A team leader asks for Case: To meet the increasing demand of volunteers for new college event the international market, the management realizes that they need to double production This is at high speeds something we’ve never done. But, I It’s impossible!! think we can We don’t have We can do it… do it. Why the staff, nor I don’t think with a little bit not try! the funds to I’m that of redesign of our do it creative. I processes, I’m sure won’t be we’ll find a way able to do it.. No point volunteering June 2018 28 Positive belief in Viewing oneself as a one’s future ‘creator of one’s destiny’ Example: A housing society is facing Example: A new course is being offered in an emerging field. A group of students are constant power cuts. After repeated considering whether to apply or not... complaints to the authorities, no steps PAGE SPONSOR : SRI RAHUL H., CHENNAI H., RAHUL SRI : SPONSOR PAGE The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta have been taken. At a meeting, two Sounds good... strong views come up: but will take long before career options in this field What can we open up in India do! We are at the mercy of the It’s not for me... Such authorities! We courses are meant just have to wait... Let’s do something to transform this for students from the View 1 situation and solve few top colleges of the the problem once country and for all... This is the future.. It is View 2 a great opportunity for me... I must take it up!! Let me start preparing Shraddha is the foundation of all great achievement... ... in scientific endeavours ... in building societies Scientific pursuits begin with having There are two pathways by which a community can shraddha in a theory/ hypothesis, in the look at its own development. One is to constantly scientific process, and in the belief that an seek help from outside and in the process become answer will be found. Further, shraddha at dependent on the outsider, and lose shraddha every stage of the journey makes it possible in themselves. The other harder path is one of to persist & sustain despite many obstacles demonstrating faith in the individual’s & the & difficulties. community’s ability to solve their own problems. Through this pathway society becomes much For example, in the 1960s, physicist Peter stronger and creates a sustainable future. Higgs predicted the existence of a particle with properties that can hold the universe together & For example, Bunker Roy, who started the Barefoot give it substance. The scientific community had College saw rural people as ‘professionals’ in their own initial faith in this & experimented. Over the next right (and not as weak, illiterate people who need help), 40 years, they sustained their faith through several with tremendous knowledge, and the willingness to learn, failed attempts, to observe & find their own answers & build their own lives. find the particle. Finally, in 2013, He worked with the rural women and trained them to a team of scientists at CERN, become hands-on solar engineers. One 55 year old found experimental evidence & grandmother, who got trained solar-electrified a village observations to prove its existence – the first in Afghanistan. Since then, she has solar- through their ambitious Large electrified 200 houses & Hadron Collider experiment. they haven’t collapsed. June 2018 Three such women have trained 27 more women and 29 ... in nurturing arts & culture solar-electrified 100 villages When we have shraddha in our own culture, in Afghanistan. we are able to build on the achievements of the past, and add to the creative achievements ... in intellectual & creative pursuits of a group of people. But, when we don’t have shraddha in our own past, we abandon our Often, creative people have a vision or an insight into traditions and culture, and instead try to adopt future trends/ ideas. However, when they combine an alien culture. this vision with shraddha, they are able to act upon it PAGE SPONSOR : SRI RAHUL H., CHENNAI H., RAHUL SRI : SPONSOR PAGE USA LOUISVILLE, SANKARAN SUNDAR, SRI : SPONSOR PAGE The Vedanta Kesari The Vedanta One especially powerful example can be seen in & realize it in their lives. early 20th century India, when British Art was heavily A sterling example is Walt Disney, who never asked ‘why’, promoted throughout the country.