TheVedanta Kesari

THE LION OF VEDANTA

A Cultural and Spiritual Monthly of the Ramakrishna Order since 1914

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Vivekanandar IllamTamilnadu Government extends lease for 99 Years

Vivekanandar Illam, sanctified by the stay of Swami Vivekananda for nine days in February 1897 after his triumphant return from the West, is the birthplace of Ramakrishna Movement in South India. Formerly known as Ice House/Castle Kernan, this magnificent structure, built in 1842, housed the Ramakrishna Math during its initial 11 years. The historic building was given on lease initially for a period of 3 years to Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai, by the Government of Tamilnadu in February 1997 and later extended by 10 years. We are happy to inform our readers that the Government of Tamilnadu, under the stewardship of our Honble Chief Minister Ms. J. Jayalalitha, has extended the lease of the building with the adjoining land for 99 years from October 2012. The Math and its devotees are beholden unto Ms. J. Jayalalitha for her generous gesture, a fitting tribute to the patriotic monk. A source of inspiration to thousands of people who visit it every year Vivekanandar Illam, maintained by Ramakrishna Math, houses a Permanent Exhibition on Indian Culture and Swami Vivekananda. The room where Swamiji stayed is used as a meditation hall. Hundreds of visitors come to Vivekanandar Illam everyday. The Math has chalked out many projects to be launched from the Illam, benefiting the youth, to commemorate the 150th Birth Centenary celebrations of Swami Vivekananda, from January 2013 to January 2014. The Math has approached the Government of India, Department of Culture, for a grant for implementing the projects and also appeals to our devotees and well wishers for their generous support. B

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The Vedanta Kesari

VOL. 100, No. 1 ISSN 0042-2983
A CULTURAL AND SPIRITUAL MONTHLY OF THE RAMAKRISHNA ORDER

Started at the instance of Swami Vivekananda in 1895 as Brahmavdin, it assumed the name The Vedanta Kesari in 1914. For free edition on the Web, please visit: www.chennaimath.org

CONTENTS
January
2013

Vedic Prayers 1 Editorial A Prescription for Inner Peace Articles Living the Spiritual Life: Some Personal Anecdotes Swami Swahananda Maya is a Statement of Facts Umesh C. Gulati The Underlying Oneness of Life Swami Sthiratmananda Growing OldA Holistic Perspective Swami Satyeshananda The Practice of Quiet Time Subhashish Chatterjee Gems From the Complete Works Make Your Own Destiny Swami Vivekananda New Find Unpublished Letters of Swami Saradananda 2 8 15 23 27 32

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21

The Order on the March 34 Book Reviews 39 Features Simhvalokanam6, Sri Ramakrishna Tells Stories31 Cover Story: Page 4

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The Vedanta Kesari

Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai 600 004 h (044) 24621110 (4 lines) Fax: (044) 24934589 Email: [email protected] Website: www.chennaimath.org
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ing us before this or after one month (for overseas subscriptions, two months) of posting of the journal are not entertained. Toensurecontinuity,pleaserenewyour subscription well in advance. For fresh subscriptions, renewals, placing advertisements in The Vedanta Kesari, please write to The Manager, The Vedanta Kesari Office.
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We invite our readers to liberally contribute to the Vedanta Kesari Permanent Fund. This will go a long way in placing this nearly 100 years old magazine on firm financial footing to continue its service to the cause of a holistic and meaningful life. Your contributions (minimum of Rs.1000/- or US$ 25) by Cheque/ DD/MO should be sent to Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai, along with a covering note stating that it is meant for Vedanta Kesari Permanent Fund. Every contribution will be gratefully acknowledged and the donors name will be published in the Vedanta Kesari. All donations to Sri Ramakrishna Math are exempt from Income Tax under section 80G of the [Indian] I.T. Act, 1961. We accept online donations also.

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N Cover Story N Sri Ramakrishna Temple, Ramakrishna Mission, Kadapa, AP

Situated in the lap of scenic Palakonda hills, in Putlampalli, on the outskirts of the city of Kadapa, in Andhra Pradesh, the Ramakrishna Mission, Kadapa, was started in 2005. The newlybuilt temple of Sri Ramakrishna at its new campus was consecrated on 22 November 2012 amidst Vedic chanting and Bhajans, followed by an elaborate puja and homa and cultural programmes for four days. Thousands of devotees and around 170 monks attended the event. The temple, adorned with a marble image of Sri Ramakrishna, has been designed by Sri GV Reddy of Hyderabad. The prayer hall has a seating capacity of 250. It has a wide and spacious Parikram Paath and has many architectural ornamentations, designs and images. It is a milestone in the Ramakrishna temple architecture in general and for the spread of Ramakrishna Movement in Rayalseema area of Andhra Pradesh, in particular.

TheVedantaKesariPatronsScheme We invite our readers to join as patrons of the magazine. They can do so by sending Rs.2000/- or more. Names of the patrons will be announced in the journal under the Patrons' Scheme and they will receive the magazine for 20 years. Please send your contribution to The Manager, The Vedanta Kesari by DD/MO drawn in favour of Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai with a note that the enclosed amount is for the Patrons' Scheme. (This scheme is valid in India only).
PATRONS 641. Dr. S. Nagaraj Rao, Bangalore 642. Ms. Aishwarya Jariwala, Gujarat 643. Smt. Anita Mishra, New Delhi DONORS Dr. N. Padmanabhan, Hyderabad Dr. S. Nagaraj Rao, Bangalore Mr. Deepak J. Sarda, Bangalore Mr. R.P. Premkumar, Chennai Rs. Rs. Rs. Rs. 10000 2500 1000 1000

The Vedanta Kesari Library Scheme

SL.NO. NAMES OF SPONSORS AWARDEE INSTITUTIONS

5674. Ms. K.D. Hemalatha, Chennai 5675. .Mr. N. Madhan, Chennai 5676. -do- 5677. -do- 5678. -do- 5679. -do-

Sree Sankaracharya University, Ernakulam Dist., Kerala - 683 574 Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Kerala Central Library, Machilipatnam, A.P. - 521 001 J.J.M. Medical College, Davanagere, Karnataka Sai International School, New Delhi - 110 003 Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha, Tirupati To be continued . . .

VOL. 100, No. 1, JANUARY 2013 ISSN 0042-2983

E ACH

SOUL IS POTENTIALLY DIVINE.

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GOAL IS TO MANIFEST THE DIVINITY WITHIN.

Tr. by Swami Sambuddhananda

Vedic Prayers

May the blessings of Ramakrishna be on you and yours for ever and ever, and that you may live long for the good of many, and for the spread of truth is the constant prayer ofVivekananda Swami Vivekananda, CW, 4:330

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A Prescription for Inner Peace

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References
1. CW, 1.222 2. Shukla Yajur Veda Samhita, XXXVI, 18 3. CW, 1.60 4. CW, 7: 480

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Simhvalokanam
From the Archives of The Vedanta Kesari
(December, 1922-23, Pp. 305-307)

Reminiscences of Swamiji
BY SWAMI SUDDHANANDA

Long years have rolled away. It was February 1897, I believe, when Swami Vivekananda set his foot in Bharatavarsha after his triumph in the West. From the moment, when in the Parliament of Religions at Chicago, Swamiji proved the superiority of the Hindu Dharma and left the banner of Hinduism flying victoriously in the West, I had gathered every possible information regarding him from newspapers and read them with great interest. I had left college only two or three years ago and I had not settled down to earning. So I spent my time, now visiting my friends, now going to the office of the 'Indian Mirror,' devouring the latest news about him and studying the reports of his lectures. Almost all that he had spoken in Ceylon and in Madras from the time he had set foot in India had thus been read by me. Besides this I used to visit the Alambazar Math and hear from his Gurubhais as well as from those of my friends who used to frequent the Math many things about Swamiji. Further, nothing escaped my notice of the comments concerning him that appeared in organs such as the Bangabasi, Amritabazar, Hope, Theosophist etc.,some satirical, some admonishing, some patronising, each according to its own outlook and temperament. Today that Swami Vivekananda alights at the Sealdah station and comes back to Calcutta, the city of his birth. The idea I had formed of him through hearsay and reports has to be tested today and confirmed by seeing his illustrious personality. So early at break of day many had come to welcome the Swami. I met many of my acquaintances and had many pleasant chats with them concerning him. I noticed that two leaflets printed in English were being distributed freely. These were the farewell addresses which the Americans and Englishmen had presented Swamiji on the eve of his departure from the West, expressing their feelings of gratitude for the services rendered to them by the illustrious Swami. By and by the dense crowd eager to see him began to pour in batches. The station platform became a surging mass of humanity. With anxious expectation every one was inquiring of one another, What more delay for the Swamis arrival? We heard then that Swamiji was coming in a special train and that there was not much delay of his arrival. There it is! The sound of the train is being heard, and with the usual puff, the train heaves into the platform. As the
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carriage stopped, I was fortunately placed on that very spot overlooking the carriage that brought in Swamiji. Swamiji was standing up and making his salutation with folded palms to all assembled to receive him. At that moment I only could get a cursory glance of him. The Reception Committee with Babu Narendra Nath Sen at its head approached Swamiji and brought him down from the train. Many crowded to take the dust of his feet. On this side of him the anxious crowd was spontaneously shouting in exaltation of joyJai Swami Vivekanandaji ki Jai ! Jai Ramakrishna Paramahamsa Dev ki Jai! My voice too mingled with it and began to ring in tune with theirs. When we came out of the platform, we found that Swamijis carriage was already unhorsed and a band of young men were getting ready to draw it up themselves. I also tried to join them, but the crowd prevented my doing so. So giving up this attempt, I began to walk accompanying the carriage from a little distance. In the station a Sankeertan party had come to receive him and along the road a band was playing, ahead of the procession. The roads were tastefully decorated with festoons and buntings. The carriage came and drew up in front of Ripon College. This time I was able to get an opportunity to see Swamiji well. I found him with his head projected out of the carriage and talking with some old acquaintance. That face was extraordinarily brilliant and it seemed as if it was emitting rays of brilliant light; yet it seemed to be a bit dim because of the fatigue the journey entailed. There were two carriages. In one were Swamiji and Mr. and Mrs. Sevier. The Hon. Babu Charu Chandra Mitra was standing in this carriage and with the movements of his hand was manipulating the crowd. In the other carriage were seated Mr. Goodwin, Mr. Harrison (a European Buddhist monk from Ceylon), G.G., Kidi and Alasinga (who were three of Swamijis Madrasi disciples, and Swami Trigunatita. Because of earnest entreaties of many Swamiji got down from the carriage and addressed those present for two or three minutes, and then drove towards the house of Pashupati Babu in Baghbazar. I also tendered my salutations mentally and wended my way back to my house. o

Swami Vivekananda saved Hinduism and saved India. But for him we would have lost our religion and would not have gained our freedom. We therefore owe everything to Swami Vivekananda. May his faith, his courage and his wisdom ever inspire us so that we may keep safe the treasure we have received from him! Chakravarti Rajagopalachari

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Living the Spiritual Life: Some Personal Anecdotes

SWAMI SWAHANANDA

During recent spiritual retreats at the Ramakrishna Vedanta Society of North Texas, Revered Swami Swahananda, Minister of the Vedanta Society of Southern California, responded to devotees questions on meditation and spiritual life. An initiated disciple of Swami Vijnanananda, a direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Swahananda is a senior monk of the Ramakrishna Order. He was the editor of Vedanta Kesari (August 1956 to April 1962) and wrote and translated numerous books and articles in English. The revered Swami passed away in October 2012. This article is based on the question-and-answer sessions, which were transcribed and compiled by Ranjana Chopra, President of the Society, were edited by Pravrajika Brahmaprana, a nun of the Vedanta Society of Southern California, at Sarada Convent, Hollywood, USA. First Inspiration Inspiration to meditate and do japa came in my youth through the first swamis of the Ramakrishna Order that I met and also the books I read in Habiganj [now in Bangladesh], my home town. Every day I used to go and work, play, perform arati and read books at the Ramakrishna Mission. At one time I claimed I had read all the Bengali books of the library. As it was a small town, there were only five almirahs of books. In three months I was made the deputy librarian though I was only thirteen years old. I was so regular, and that was my pride. Swami Shivananda used to say that this pride is like a dogs collar. When a dog belongs to somebody, no one can harm it. This protective pride marks a different class of person, someone extraordinary. At that time itself I learnt to meditate. First of all, my father was a disciple of Sarada Devi, so it was in my blood. He had wanted to become a monk, but Holy Mother had told him, No, others in your family will be
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sadhus. And so it happened that I joined the Ramakrishna Order and my nephew, who is a doctor, also joined later. Because I was a religious-minded boy, I came to the Ramakrishna Mission when I was just a boy, a student in class six. At that time I saw and imitated the swami at the Mission, who told me to meditate and think of Sri Ramakrishna. But first I started with Vivekananda. Receiving the Initiation After some time I had the desire to receive initiation. I corresponded with Swami Akhandananda, the then President of the Ramakrishna Order, and a direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna. After three years I received formal initiation from Swami Vijnanananda, the next President of the Order, another direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna. At that time, we did not choose who we would meditate on, but we had already accepted Sri Ramakrishna. Swami Vijnanananda gave two mantrasThakur (Ramakrishna) and Mother
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(Sarada Devi) both. In fact he used to give four mantrastwo long and two short. To this day I repeat all of them, but the short ones I repeat more times. The long mantras are like a prayer, like the Gayatri mantra. When you are young you tend to believe everything, and you trust. But as you grow older you begin to doubt. If you are an intellectual type, you doubt more. So at first be intellectual for some time, and then later become like a child. At that time, go to Sri Ramakrishna and say, I have nothing. You cannot go with your chest thrust forward in pride. If you have to beg, you must beg properly. Swami Abhedananda composed the song in Sanskrit hey Ramakrishna tayvi bhakti hine, which translates I have no devotion, so please shower your blessings on me. He did not claim I have much devotion, so give me more devotion. We must have that kind of attitude in our spiritual life. At the time of my initiation, one fellow initiate asked my guru, Swami Vijnanananda, Maharaj, you have blessed us by initiating us. If we do not repeat the mantra, what will happen? The swami was a scientist, so he bluntly explained, Whatever was to happen will not happen. In the Hindu tradition it is held that if a disciple disregards the gurus minimum instruction for repeating the mantra, he or she will acquire papam, or demerits. If you have a rosary, you should not keep the rosary hungry. At least once a day you should use it. By not using it, you will simply not receive the result. But we do not stress guilt; so if you like to think of God, think. If you dont like to think of God, dont think. My Gurudev gave me initiation in a group with seven other people, and we were only allowed to give our salutations to him, nothing else. It was Sri Ramakrishnas Birth Centenary [1936], and there were thousands
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of people milling around at Belur Math. Therefore I wanted a private talk with Swami Vijnanananda. So I asked the attendant if I could see him privately, as I had some questions on meditation. He agreed, and when I entered Swami Vijnananandas quarters, the attendant was massaging him. I asked, Maharaj, how should I meditate? Swami Vijnanananda used to give two mantrasone

Swami Vijnanananda

for Sri Ramakrishna and one for Sri Sarada Devi. So I asked him, Should I visualize them side by side or one after the other? He said, Do as you like. I now tell the same thing to the devotees who come to me. There was a sense of awe. Here was Thakurs disciple, a brahmajnani, sitting in front
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of me. He had a large body. There was no time to think of anything, but I dont remember that I was afraid. I immediately asked my question, because I knew if I hesitated the chance would be lost. One only feels afraid afterwards. My Other Teachers Of course I had a succession of upa gurus. As I mentioned, the real guru helps mystically, and we believe he transmits some power at the time of initiation with the power of the mantra. Whoever helps us spiritually - or also otherwiseto lead a more spiritual life can be called an upa guru. When I was very young I began to go to the Ramakrishna Mission which was only six minutes away from my home. I first went in search of story books, because a boy living next door to me said that he had gotten his story books from the Ramakrishna Mission. The Mission library loaned books to everybody at no charge. However, because I was only thirteen years old, they cross-examined me to ensure that I would not write in their library books. Luckily the day I went there to check out a book, a more lenient swami was present, and he simply wrote my name and gave me a book. Three months later I had the key of the library in my pocketI had to manage the library work! So I started going every day to the Mission. After some time I began to attend the evening arati, after which I would run back home. Many of my classmates also used to go to the Mission. I then began to go earlier 4:30-5:00 pm after school hours, and I worked in the garden, and did some cleaning, etc. The head swami then created a volleyball field for us, so we could play and exercise at the centre. We began to help more during puja times at which there would be a reading of Swami Vivekanandas
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letters, lectures, or Inspired Talks, and then there would be discussion. We did this for years and years. Those swamis at the Habiganj centre helped me in so many ways. They told me how to sit straight during meditation, and they even arranged my visit to Belur Math for initiation from Swami Vijnanananda. Early in the morning I would go to the centre to meditate with the swamis. In India, Bengalis normally did not take a bath early in the morning. It was the Ramakrishna sadhus who introduced me to taking an early morning bath, which is a big austerity because the shower is outside the living quarters. But I also started doing this, because I felt it was a test whether I was really devoted, and I did not want to fail that test. I not only meditated with the swamis, but my extra duty was to clean the puja vessels with tamarind, ash, and sand. I did this for four years. Much later, after eighteen years, when I became a brahmachari of the Ramakrishna Order, I went to Madras, and again I was asked to clean the vessels. I thought I had finished this karma. Two swamis were there who were Holy Mothers disciples, and one who was Mahapurush Maharajs disciple. All three of them looked after me and helped me in my spiritual life. Earlier in my college days, I stayed in a hostel. Two elderly swamis were there, and they also helped me in many ways. One swami, who was in charge of the hostel, and another swami used to teach a Gita class. At that time I memorized the first nine chapters of the Gita and asked them many questions about spiritual life. Swami Saradeshananda, a disciple of Holy Mother, guided me during the last part of my college life. I had wanted to join the Ramakrishna Order then, but the swami
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asked me to continue my education, as the Order required professors for the colleges it was going to start. He also advised that if I was planning to become a sadhu, I should change my major from science (engineering or medicine) to liberal arts. Therefore I studied English and Sanskrit. However, my major upa-guru was Swami Premeshananda, disciple of Holy Mother and Swami Premeshananda Swami Saradeshananda a friend of my father, head of the Delhi Center. But as a brahmachari, who was also Mothers disciple. It was when I was first transferred to Madras, Gopesh Swami Premeshananda who introduced the Maharaj wrote to me: It is wonderful. Thakur Ramakrishna Movement to our part of India wants to make you a world citizen, so he (now Bangladesh). Many ashrams were started has moved you to an area where you do not through his inspiration, and he also composed understand the language and there is different many songs. I started visiting Premesh food. Forget you are a Bengali. Forget you Maharaj during my vacations, as I considered are an Indian, and become a world citizen or him to be my mentor. Later, I published his representative of the soul. He had a knack for inspiring letters in the book Go Forward. inspiring people, as he could give ordinary When I was still a student, before joining things a higher meaning. the Order, I stayed one month with the swami. As the head of Ramakrishna Mission, He had the patience to have people around New Delhi, I used to visit Gopesh Maharaj him, even though his health was not good. now and then, and he would guide me in He spoke wonderfully, discussed meditation, various matters. For example, he taught me and also gave practical advice. Once, after he that being the head of a center had its own described to me the real nature of the soul, responsibility. Mere scholarship is not enough; for a few days I actually felt that I was not the a head of the centre must also learn how to body, not the mind, but something pure. This laugh and smile. At times one has to meet is one kind of experience, though we do not many dignitaries and one should be equipped consider it illumination. for it. Once I wrote to him that people often With Swami Saradeshananda came to me seeking solace after some bereaveAfter he passed away, Swami Saradement. But what consolation can I give? I shananda, or Gopesh Maharaj, as we called asked him. What shall I tell them? While I him, who lived in Vrindaban for many years, was the head of Delhi Ashrama I was visited became my upa guru. By that time I was the
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by an Ambassador to Russia, a Minister who was a famous writer, and a motherall three of whom lost their children. In moments of grief, I asked, how can I give advice that life is like thisimpermanent, that the world is transitory? After all, in times of sorrow one cannot give such advice; it sounds hollow. Gopesh Maharaj replied: All these years you have led a meditative life. You have acquired some measure of serenity and calmness. Such vibrations are created, so whoever comes into your orbit, especially in sorrow, will be influenced. And unknowingly they will receive solace and comfort. There is no need for you to be conscious of it. That advice gave me some assurance. Those who have practiced meditation and other spiritual disciplines sometimes acquire small powers. If a desire arises in the mind, suddenly someone fulfils it. For example, in India we wash our own clothes and hang them on a clothes line. Once I thought that it would be good to have a rope so I could hang my clothes in my room instead of outside. The next day someone came and gave me precisely the rope that I needed. Now why should they give a swami a rope? I asked myself. I couldnt fathom it, and so I mentioned this to Gopesh Maharaj. He then told me not to encourage this power, but to

just ignore it; otherwise the mind would be deflected from its path. Sri Ramakrishna spoke against the use of miraculous powers. His idea was that if you encourage them, you cannot have one-pointed meditation on God, and it will impede your spiritual progress. Gopesh Maharaj also gave me some common-sense advice. I had a habit of reading books on philosophy and history. He encouraged me to also read some novels, as I would be in touch with a lot of people both as Delhi head and as the later assistant minister at the San Francisco Vedanta centre He said: You became religious from your childhood, and you do not know the world. You are innocent of life. But now you must know peoples nature and how people think, even though you have not been exposed to life. So acquire indirect knowledge through these novels. Gopesh Maharaj then gave me the example of Swami Ashokananda, who was head of the Vedanta Society of Northern California in San Francisco and well known as a great scholar. But when this swami came by boat to San Francisco, he had a trunk full of novels. One by one after he had finished each novel, he threw it into the ocean. So by the time his boat reached San Francisco, the trunk was empty. o

Holy Mother On Japa

Japa will eventually bring spiritual realization. v Do not give up Japa even if the mind is unwilling and unsteady. You must go on with the repetition. And you will find that the mind is getting gradually steadierlike a flame in a windless corner. Any movement in the air disturbs the steady burning of the flame; even so the presence of any thought or desire makes the mind unsteady. The Mantra must be correctly repeated. An incorrect utterance delays progress. v A single utterance of the Lords name is as effective as a million repetitions of it, if only you do it with a steady, concentrated mind. What is the use of repeating a million times with an absent mind? You must do this whole-heartedly. Then only can you deserve His grace.
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Gems from the Complete Works

Make Your Own Destiny

SWAMI VIVEKANANDA

Sowing and Reaping We human beings are very slow to recognise our own weakness, our own faults, so long as we can lay the blame upon somebody else. Men in general lay all the blame of life upon their fellow-men, or, failing that, on God, or they conjure up a ghost, and say it is fate. Where is fate, and who is fate? We reap what we sow. We are the makers of our own fate. None else has the blame, none has the praise. The wind is blowing; those vessels whose sails are unfurled catch it, and go forward on their way, but those which have their sails furled do not catch the wind. Is that the fault of the wind? Is it the fault of the merciful Father, whose wind of mercy is blowing without ceasing, day and night, whose mercy knows no decay, is it His fault that some of us are happy and some unhappy? We make our own destiny. His sun shines for the weak as well as for the strong. His wind blows for saint and sinner alike. He is the Lord of all, the Father of all, merciful, and impartial. Do you mean to say that He, the Lord of creation, looks upon the petty things of our life in the same light as we do? What a degenerate idea of God that would be! We are like little puppies, making life-and-death struggles here and foolishly thinking that even
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God Himself will take it as seriously as we do. He knows what the puppies play means. Our attempts to lay the blame on Him, making Him the punisher, and the rewarder, are only foolish. He neither punishes, nor rewards any. His infinite mercy is open to every one, at all times, in all places, under all conditions, unfailing, unswerving. Upon us depends how we use it. Upon us depends how we utilise it. Blame neither man, nor God, nor anyone in the world. When you find yourselves suffering, blame yourselves, and try to do better.1 The Only Solution This is the only solution of the problem. Those that blame othersand, alas! the number of them is increasing every dayare generally miserable with helpless brains; they have brought themselves to that pass through their own mistakes and blame others, but this does not alter their position. It does not serve them in any way. This attempt to throw the blame upon others only weakens them the more. Therefore, blame none for your own faults, stand upon your own feet, and take the whole responsibility upon yourselves. Say, This misery that I am suffering is of my own doing, and that very thing proves that it will have to be undone by me alone. That
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which I created, I can demolish; that which is created by some one else I shall never be able to destroy. Therefore, stand up, be bold, be strong. Take the whole responsibility on your own shoulders, and know that you are the creator of your own destiny. All the strength and succour you want is within yourselves. Therefore, make your own future. Let the dead past bury its dead. The infinite future is before you, and you must always remember that each word, thought, and deed, lays up a store for you and that as the bad thoughts and bad works are ready to spring upon you like tigers, so also there is the inspiring hope that the good thoughts and good deeds are ready with the power of a hundred thousand angels to defend you always and for ever.2 Let Us Accept the Responsibility We see in this life that we can shape and form our future; every one of us, every day, is trying to shape the morrow. Today we fix the fate of the morrow; tomorrow we shall fix the fate of the day after, and so on. It is quite logical that this reasoning can be pushed backward too. If by our own deeds we shape our destiny in the future, why not apply the same rule to the past? If, in an infinite chain, a certain number of links are alternately repeated, then, if one of these groups of links be explained, we can explain the whole chain. So, in this infinite length of time, if we can cut off one portion and explain that portion and understand it, then, if it be true that nature is uniform, the same explanation must apply to the whole chain of time. If it be true that we are working out our own destiny here within this short space of time, if it be true that everything must have a cause as we see it now, it must also be true that that which we are now is the effect of the whole of our past; therefore, no
References:
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other person is necessary to shape the destiny of mankind but man himself. The evils that are in the world are caused by none else but ourselves. We have caused all this evil; and just as we constantly see misery resulting from evil actions, so can we also see that much of the existing misery in the world is the effect of the past wickedness of man. Man alone, therefore, according to this theory, is responsible. God is not to blame, He, the eternally merciful Father, is not to blame at all. We reap what we sow.3 The Highest Destiny of Man The knowledge of Brahman is the ultimate goalthe highest destiny of man. But man cannot remain absorbed in Brahman all the time. When he comes out of it, he must have something to engage himself. At that time he should do such work as will contribute to the real well-being of people. Therefore do I urge you in the service of Jivas in a spirit of oneness.4 No search has been dearer to the human heart than that which brings to us light from God. No study has taken so much of human energy, whether in times past or present, as the study of the soul, of God, and of human destiny. However immersed we are in our daily occupations, in our ambitions, in our work, in the midst of the greatest of our struggles, sometimes there will come a pause; the mind stops and wants to know something beyond this world. Sometimes it catches glimpses of a realm beyond the senses, and a struggle to get at it is the result. Thus it has been throughout the ages, in all countries. Man has wanted to look beyond, wanted to expand himself; and all that we call progress, evolution, has been always measured by that one search, the search for human destiny, the search for God.5 o
3. CW, 2.242 4. CW, 197
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1. CW, 2.225

2. CW, 2.224

5. CW, 2.359-360

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Maya is a Statement of Facts

UMESH C. GULATI

When One Becomes Many According to Vedanta, the Ultimate Reality called Brahman or Atman is One without a second. A question often arises: how did the One become many? The answer that our scriptures, especially the Bhagavad-Gita, give is that it is because of Maya. It is like one sun appears many when its reflection falls on several tubs full of water lying side by side. We often call this as an illusion; illusion is not real, but being caught up in the illusion we begin to think it to be real. Swami Vivekananda, who gave several lectures in England in 1896 on the subject of Maya, said that Maya is not a theory, but a simple statement of facts: what we are and what we see around us.1 The Reality is One, Brahman, but passing through time, space and causation, the One appears many, many names and forms, man or woman, Indian or American, Black, Brown or White. We are watching a movie on the TV screen and find some of us shedding tears or even screaming loudly. What an entertainment! We watch movies for entertainment, but the movie we are watching happens to be very tragicbrothers fighting over property, friends cheating each other over woman and gold, to use the language of Sri Ramakrishna, or terrorists attacking a theatre filled with men, women, and children. Mind you, such things have happened in real life, but at the moment, these are just the different scenes on a movie screen. What then

is the cause of all this fuss? A simple answer is that we get caught up with, or attached to these different scenes, and we forget about the movie and begin to feel as if we are seeing a real life occurrence. That is Maya. Identification with Unreal Several decades ago in India I heard of a great stage and movie actor, Prithviraj Kapoor or Sorahab Modi, who was acting a great act of a cruel man on stage. His performance looked so real that a person in the audience threw a shoe at him. But the actor, instead of getting angry with him, thanked him again and again; saying that it was the best tribute he ever got from any one on his acting! That is Maya. So, if a mere human being can be such a great artist, poet, playwright, or a painter, that he or she can create an illusion of reality, how much infinitely more great would it be when it is the God who has created this world of Maya, where that one God alone is everything, but has created the illusion of being many, Himself wears different masks of varieties of beings, humans and non-humans, you and I, physician or patient,

o Umesh C. Gulati is a devotee of Sri Ramakrishna from North Carolina, USA. T h e

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teacher or student, president or sweeper, and so forth. In the Bhagavad-Gita He is called a great Kavi or poet, and this world is His beautiful poem, in which God Himself plays all the roles of you, I and of every one else. It is because we forget our real divine nature and begin to identify ourselves with the masks of I, me, and mine that some time we feel happy and some time sorrow; today we are full of joy at the birth of a child, and tomorrow we are weeping at his death. Indeed joy and sorrow, pleasure and pain, respect and disgrace, birth and death, and so forth, are all Gods play; they are in Maya. Sri Ramakrishna once said: God enchained is man; man unchained is God.2 As Sri Ramakrishna Put it
Woman and gold is the cause of bondage [this enchainment]. Woman and gold (lust and greed) alone constitute samsaara, the world. It is woman and gold that keeps one from seeing God. (Holding the towel in front of his face) Do you see my face any more? Of course not. The towel hides it. No sooner is the covering of woman and gold removed than one attains Chidananda, Consciousness and Bliss.3

In other words, birth and death are also in Maya; the Self, our real divine nature is without birth and death. No weapon can cleave the Self, nor fire burns it; water cannot wet it, nor wind dries it. The sooner we realize this truth, the more joyful would be our life. Says Sri Ramakrishna,
When one attains Perfect Knowledge, then one finds that dying and killing are one and same thing; that is to say, both are unreal.6

The Self is separate from its encasement, its mask, which the body really is. It is this body that is born, and it is this body that dies, not the Self. A Gripping Anecdote In another lecture on Maya and Freedom, delivered in London in 1896, Swamiji gave a very interesting legend of Narada asking Sri Krishna what was the Lords Maya like.7 Sri Krishna said that he would be glad to tell him about Maya, but since He was thirsty, he should first go to the nearby village and bring Him a glass of water from some ones house. So, Narada went as told and gave a knock at the door of the first house he saw. A young, beautiful girl opened the door. Narada began talking with her and they both fell in love with each other. Narada then asked the girls father for her hand, which the father readily agreed. They both began to live happily with the father. Days, months and years passed, and the couple had three children during this time. The father of the girl died and Narada inherited his property as well. Twelve years had passed since Narada had left Sri Krishna to get a glass of water for Him. Then came a terrible flood, which forced the couple and the children leave the house and run for their lives. Narada forded the waters, with one hand holding the hand of his wife, and with the other hand he held
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Sri Ramakrishna also said:

The jiva is nothing but the embodiment of Satchidananda. But since Maya, or ego, has created various upaadhis [masks of names and forms], he has forgotten his real Self.4

In a lecture, Maya and the Evolution of Conception of God, Swamiji said:

We are born in this Maya, we live in it, we think in it, we dream in it. . . We are philosophers in it, we are spiritual men. . . devils in this Maya, and we are gods in this Maya. . . This is the work of Nama Rupaname and form. Everything that has form, . . . is within Maya; everything that is bound by the laws of time, space, and causation is in Maya.5
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one child, his wife holding the hand of another child, and the third child was on Naradas shoulders. But the floodwater was coming with such a force that he couldnt hold either the hand of his wife or that of the child; so they both slipped away from him and vanished in the surging water. Even the third child could not stay for long on Naradas shoulders. Thus, one by one Narada lost every one of them. In the meantime the floodwater subsided, but Naradas anguish knew no bounds. He sat down crying at his fate. Just then he felt a tap on his back. Narada looked up, and it was no other than Sri Krishna, who asked him: Narada, my child, where is my water? You have been gone quite for half an hour. Half an hour! Narada exclaimed. Twelve whole years had passed through his mind, and all these scenes had happened in half an hour! And this is Maya.8 Maya, indeed, is a statement of facts. Arent most of us like Narada? Adi Shankara said: There are three things that are rare indeed, a human birth, the longing for liberation (freedom from reincarnation), and the protecting care of a perfected sage.9 We have a human body, and some of us also have contacts with a holy manthough not with an incarnation of God as Narada had with Sri Krishnabut squander that opportunity away and get entangled in woman and gold, and attached with our spouses, children and relatives. Talking to devotees, Sri Ramakrishna once said:
Remember that daya, compassion, and Maya, attachment, are two different things. Attachment means the feeling of my-ness toward ones relatives. . . Compassion is the love one feels for all beings of the world. It is an attitude of equality. . . But one thing should be remembered: Maya keeps us in ignorance [of our divine
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nature] and entangles us in the world, whereas daya makes our hearts pure and gradually unties our bonds [and attachments].10

A Statement of Facts Rightly, therefore, said Swamiji in a lecture on Maya already noted above, that Maya is not an illusion; it is not a theory but a simple statement of facts; but while we human beings are under Mayas control, the Lord is the master of His own Maya. As Sri Krishna says in the Bhagavad-Gita:11
Though I am unborn, of changeless nature, and Lord of all beings, yet subjugating my prakriti or divine nature, I am born by my own Maya.

According to Sri Ramakrishna, this Maya is the Divine Shakti; it is the Shakti of Brahman. He further said: Brahman and Shakti are identical:
. . . When the Reality appears as Creator, Preserver, and Destroyer, we call It Shakti [Personal God]; when It is inactive, we call It Brahman. But really, It is one and the same thingindivisible. Fire naturally brings to mind its power to burn; and the idea of burning brings to mind the idea of fire.12

That what is Brahman is called Impersonal God (Nirguna Brahman), and that what is Shakti is Personal God ( Saguna Brahman), Ishwar, Divine Mother Kali or Durga, but they are identical. Sri Ramakrishna explained it further with the example of a snake coiled up and the snake in motion; one is inactive and passive, just observing, while the other is active. But these states, passive and active, belong to the same snake. Sri Krishna says in the Gita:13
Verily, this Maya of mine, constituted of the gunas, is difficult to cross over; those who devote themselves to Me alone, cross over this illusion.

So, the Lord says that this Maya belongs to Him, and as such is divine. But it is difficult
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to overcome for most of us; they alone can overcome Maya, who are devoted to Him. As mentioned above, Maya is the Divine Shakti, the Shakti of Brahman. Vidya and Avidya Maya Sri Ramakrishna says that Maya has two dimensions; one is called the Avidya Maya, the other is the Vidya Maya; the one is evil and the other is divine. The first one drags us down to the sensory level; it is when one is under the control of Avidya Maya that one commits sins, crimes, corruption, violence, and so forth. But as soon as Vidya Maya sets in, one becomes pure, moral, ethical, unselfish, and so forth. So both are within Maya, the good life and the bad life are in Maya. It is our responsibility, and we have the freedom, to cultivate Vidya Maya within ourselves. If we do not, our life would be a failure. Besides, to cultivate the Vidya Maya and to cross over even this Vidya Maya, as Sri Krishna says, one has to take refuge in Him. Again, Vidya Maya is the uplifting aspect of Maya; one under this kind of Maya has more of Sattvik element in oneself, which makes one unselfish and compassionate. Tamas keeps one down, while the one with rajas element keeps one more or less down. Suppose some one has dropped his wallet, and you have seen it. If tamas predominates in you, you would pick it up and run away with it. If it were the rajas that was your dominant attribute, you would remain indifferent and walk away without either telling the person
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who dropped the wallet or picking it up yourself. A person with the sattva guna would, however, alert the person about dropping his wallet. But Sattva, too, is Maya, though it is this guna that helps one to get rid of Maya. Sri Ramakrishna illustrates it by a beautiful parable of three robbers.14 Once a rich man was going through a forest with a bag full of gold and silver. Suddenly he was waylaid by three robbers: sattva, rajas, and tamas. After snatching all his possessions, one of the robbers said that there was no use leaving this man alive. So, he was about to kill him when the second robber said, there was no use doing that; let us tie him with a rope. Accordingly, the robbers tied the man with a rope, and left him there, the rope itself being tied to a tree. After they had gone some distance, the third robber came back, sympathizing with him for the pain he must have felt. He untied the rope, set him free and led him out of the forest. When they came near the highway, the robber said, follow this road and you will reach your home easily. But the man said, please come with me; my folks would be very pleased to see you. But the robber said, No I cannot come, for the police would arrest me. So saying the sattvik robber left the man there. Now the first robber who wanted to kill the man, says Sri Ramakrishna, is tamas, which destroys. The second robber is rajas, which binds a man to the world and makes him forget God. Sattva alone shows a man the way to God. Says Sri Ramakrishna,
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It produces virtues like compassion, righteousness, and devotion. . . One cannot attain the knowledge of Brahman unless one transcends the three gunas.

Happiness presents itself before man, wearing the crown of sorrow on its head. He who welcomes it must also welcome sorrow.

Realise God Sri Ramakrishna used to advise his devotees to realize God first and then only do their duties they are assigned. The secret of realizing God is to lead a detached life and transcend these gunas. He gave a very interesting allegory of an unchaste woman, who does her household work, but her mind is always on her lover.15 This illustrated how to keep ones mind on God in the midst of doing our worldly duties. He also gave another allegory of a maidservant, which comes often in the Gospel. The maidservant comes from a faraway village, leaving her own children behind. In the house of her master she does her work with great care, calling her masters sons, my Hari and my Govind, but knowing all the time that they were not her own children. Her own children lived in the village. So, if tomorrow her master relieves her of her job, she would pick up her bags and leave without feeling a bit for Hari or Govind. These allegories illustrate the basic art of living in this world, which is unreal or changeful, and of pair of opposites. Out of ignorance we speak of I and mine, without realizing, as Narada came to realize, that with a blink of an eye, all would vanish. Nothing is permanent in this world, except God, and nothing belongs to us, but to God alone belongs everything, and we are at best His trustees. Living like a maidservant, who is completely detached from my Hari and my Govind, is the way to reach that state. Life in the world is beset with the pair of opposites. Unmixed pleasure is impossible in ones life. As Swami Vivekananda said,
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Long ago Buddha had discovered that the cause of all misery lies in the desire for the things of the world, and declared it as one of the Four Noble Truths. The Upanishads also make the same point that lasting happiness is possible only by realizing the Infinite (Self); there can be no happiness in the finite things of the world. But we want to have our cake and eat it too; it is very hard to talk about renunciation and detachment these days in what we call a consumerist society. Says Swamiji: there comes a time, however,
When the mind awakes from this long and dreary dreamthe child gives up its play and wants to go to its mother. It finds the truth of the statement: desire is never satisfied by the enjoyment of desires; it only increases the more, as fire, when butter is poured upon it.16

Two Ways Out What then is the way? As has been mentioned above, there is the way out of this Maya, for which we have to do two things: the first is to convince ourselves that we indeed are entangled in Maya. The second is that we have to take shelter of a holy man who would help us realize our true divine nature, the Atman. Sri Ramakrishna said,
Some think: Oh, I am a bound soul. I shall never acquire knowledge and devotion. But if one receives the gurus grace, one has nothing to fear.17

Sri Ramakrishna illustrated this by a story that he heard from his guru, Nangta: Once a tigress attacked a flock of goats. As she sprang on her prey, she gave birth to a cub and died. The cub grew up in the company of goats. The goats ate grass and the cub
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followed their example. They bleated; the cub bleated too. Gradually, it grew up to be a big tiger. One day another tiger attacked the same flock. It was amazed to see the grass-eating tiger. Running after it, the wild tiger seized it, whereupon the grass-eating tiger began to bleat. The wild tiger dragged it to a lake and said: look at your face in the water. It is just like mine. Here is a little meat. Eat it. Saying this, it thrust some meat into its mouth. But the grass-eating tiger would not swallow it and began to bleat again. Gradually, however, it got the taste for blood and came to relish the meat. Then the fierce tiger said to the grass-eating one: What a disgrace! You lived with the goats and ate grass like them! And the other was really ashamed of itself. Says Sri Ramakrishna,
Eating grass is like enjoying woman and gold. To bleat and run away like a goat is to behave like an ordinary man. Going away with the new tiger is like taking shelter with the guru, who awakens ones spiritual consciousness, and recognizing him alone as ones relative. To see ones face rightly is to know ones real Self.18

is, what causes it. Maya is what the world in its various aspects is: each and everyone is running after money and sense pleasures, which never seem to provide permanent happiness to anyone. Maya also encompasses the love or rather attachment with ones own family and relatives, but feeling unconcerned about the general welfare of all the people as a whole. It is these attachments that keep people tied down to this world without thinking of going to the world within that is more sublime, more peaceful and simply blissful. It means going beyond this Maya, and realizing what one is and what is ones real nature, the Atman; and that is Self-knowledge, the antidote for Maya. The Bhagavad Gita describes the Eternal Atman in its second chapter, verses 20, 23, and 24:
It is not born, nor does it die, It does not come into existence and then cease to be; It is unborn, eternal, permanent, ancient, when the body is killed or dies, It is not killed. It does not die. No weapon can cut it, no fire can burn. It, no water can wet It, no air can dry It . . . It is eternal, all pervading, steady, and perennial. o

Thus in this terse way, Sri Ramakrishna very vividly sketches the picture of what Maya

References
1 Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda Calcatta, Advaita Ashrama, 2: 89 Cf. Swami Ranganathananda, Universal Message of the BhagavadGita, 1: 383 The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna (tr. Swami Nikhilananda, New York, Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Center) p. 438
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4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

The Gospel, 169 CW, 2:112 The Gospel, 801 Op. Cit. 120-121 Ibid, 121 Vivekachudamani of Sri Shankaracharya (tr. Swami Madhavananda, Calcutta, Advaita Ashrama), verse 3

10. The Gospel, 161 11. Bhagavad-Gita, 4.6 12. The Gospel, 567 13. Gita, 7.14 14. The Gospel, 218 15. The Gospel, 488 16. CW, 2: 100 17. The Gospel, 232 18. The Gospel, 360-61

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Unpublished Letters of Swami Saradananda1

Aug. 30th 1900. Math. Belur. Howrah. India. My dear Mrs.Bull2 Your very kind letter of Aug 11th has reached me last mail. I thank you for it. I am glad to know you have found Swamiji so well. It looks as if your impression is not one of the brain but from a higher source. I thank you also for sending the enclosed order of Swamiji to put the 30000 in the fixed deposit. I have received a letter from him too this mail in which he has found fault with the general account of the work I have sent to your care. He has asked me too to have opinions of all here in the case of transferring the Math land & property to Srimati Sarada Devi. I have told you my opinion about it that all the members here will be only too glad to see their Holy Mother provided & cared for that way. Only I am not sure as [to whether] she shall accept the offer. I will write to Swamiji the same. I am sorry to hear from Swamiji the Trust Deed has not reached him yet. I hope to hear its arrival by the next mail. I am feeling better though not as strong as formerly. The dysentery has been cured but I am feeling low & weak. Perhaps it will pass off in a few weeks. However I will not have my post to take a change until Swamiji returns & takes charge of everything. Our Holy Mother is still in her native village & not very strong in health. She has desired [to send] her love & blessings to you all. My father is seriously ill. My mother & friend send loving greetings. Kindly tell Jane I have received her kind letter dated Aug. 3rd only last-mail. My kindest regards to Mrs.Briggs, yourself & all friends. Ever yours Saradananda P.S. Kindly forward the enclosed to Swamiji with our respects.

Oct. 25th 1900. Belur. Howrah. India. Dearest Granny3 Your two kind letters have come to hand this mail. I cannot tell you how glad I am to have them.
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I have been most undutiful in forgetting to send dear Edwinas picture. I have done it this mail. Will you forgive me for it? It is so good to know what you have written about Swamiji. May your impressions regarding him come to be all true. I am glad to know of our dear Olea. I am thankful to know she is strong again & might come to you in England or go with you to Chicago. My kindest regards to her & Mr.Therp & his family. Sarada Devi always sends you her love & blessings & my mother & friend their hearts love & gratitude. Mrs.Sanyal always remembers you & has a very high opinion of you; so has S.Brahmananda. They all remember you & wished me to send their kindest regards. Ramakrishnananda is well & doing good work in Madras, though the skin disease has not been entirely cured as yet. I am glad to know of Santis work. My kindest regards to her & blessings. I am glad to know she will be with you a little time longer. I am afraid your boy is going to forget his little English by & by, as you may judge from the English of the Report. I am afraid you will have to speak to him in Bengali when you come to see him next. I am quite well though not yet as strong as before. I will go to some place for a few weeks of change shortly. My hearts thanks for giving the means for the same & for caring for my father during his illness. He is little better but the main disease is still the same. With all love to you Ever your boy Saradananda P.S. Have you heard anything from Agni?

References
1. A direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna 2 & 3. Mrs. Sara Bull

Courtesy: Ramakrishna Museum, Belur Math

In solitude pray to God morning and evening and try to perceive the fleeting nature of the world. Then the mind will be withdrawn from earthly objects and will gradually become inward. Perfect concentration is attained, of course, sometimes, only after lifelong struggle. Swami Saradananda

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The Underlying Oneness of Life

SWAMI STHIRATMANANDA

No Exclusion, Please The idea of oneness or unity of life is a simple fact of experience and not a mere speculation. Though simple, it sounds uncertain because we do not have proper frame of mind and are too much attached to our ideas. But once we become willing and develop a proper attitude, it brings a new understanding of life, infusing into it fresh vigour and strength. This idea of oneness of life is an inevitable fact and the more we realize it, the more life becomes harmonious and joyful. Let us illustrate it with an anecdote: A rabbit was being chased by a dog. As the dog was nearing its meaty feast, the rabbit found a hole by the side of a bush and at once jumped into it. It felt safe there. But soon after, the rabbit began to talk with its own organs. It first asked its eyes whether they had done anything to escape the deadly dog. Of course they hadthey helped the rabbit to find the way to the safe hole. What about the front and back feet? They were also important for escaping the jaws of death. The ears helped

it to alert about sounds of the footsteps of the dog. The rabbit became thankful to all the organs. Then came the tail! What role did the tail play in escaping? The rabbit reflected: Nothing! The tail did nothing to help me; it only added to the body weight and slowed down the speed! And the rabbit became angry at the tail. It asked the tail to go away, to get out of the hole. It has no right to stay! Thus the rabbit put its tail out of the hole. And lo! The waiting dog outside caught it by its teeth and dragged the whole rabbit along with all its friendly limbs and had a grand feast. You cannot exclude anything. The rabbit had forgotten that all its limbs including the tail are essential and integral parts of its being. In the same way, everyone is a part of the whole of the human society and civilization. We should not exclude or belittle anybody. This perception of oneness, of interconnectivity and interdependence of the whole mankind, alone can banish all hatred, bigotry, intolerance and other vices that plague us. Let Us Be One We all know how todays world is rife with intolerance and hatred. People seem busy in finding newer ways to hate each other! But the way to peace is not through hatred but through love and that comes from the idea of oneness. Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi gave her last message thus: Learn to make the

o The author is a monk of the Ramakrishna Order at Ramakrishna Mission, Dhaka, Bangladesh T h T h e e

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world your own. Nobody is a stranger, my dear; the world is yours. It was a reiteration of the call of the Vedic Rishis, who declared at the dawn of human civilization: samgacchadhvam samvadadhvam . Let us move forward in unison, let us all speak in unison. Ignorance of this idea of oneness is the key reason of all our distress and strife. One can overcome this by recognizing unity at all levels. Swami Vivekananda spoke of the solidarity of the humanity and said:
Wherever there is evil and wherever there is ignorance and want of knowledge, I have found out by experience that all evil comes, as our scriptures say, relying upon differences, and that all good comes from faith in equality, in the underlying sameness and oneness of things. This is the great Vedantic ideal.1

the Samashti; and how, going one step further, it is also shown in the Vedanta that behind that idea of the unity of the whole show, the real Soul is one. There is but one Soul throughout the universe, all is but One Existence.3

To understand the truth of this statement, let us observe the world from various angles. First, let us look at the physical world around us. What is it made up of? Matter and energy. Life, we all know, is interplay of matter and energy and these two are interchangeable. The material world is one in essence, say the scientists. Swamiji pointed the same when he said,
Modern researches of the West have demonstrated through physical means the oneness and the solidarity of the whole universe; how, physically speaking, you and I, the sun, moon, and stars are but little waves or wavelets in the midst of an infinite ocean of matter.2

Indian Rishis had their own way of speaking of this oneness. In the Chhandogya Upanishad, a Rishi tells his student Shvetaketu that the mind is nourished by food. Mind is a subtle form of food. When Shvetaketu did not eat for fifteen days, he was unable to remember what he had been taught. But when he resumed eating, he could recall whatever he had heard. This shows how food becomes the mind. The human mind is largely dependent on physical food for its sustenance. In that sense, we have oneness at the mental level. We all have same fears, anger, greed and so onthere is no east and west in this matter. We all have same goodness and kindness alsothere is no division on this level. Swamiji in his address at the World Parliament of Religions in 1893 said,
Holiness, purity and charity are not the exclusive possessions of any church in the world, and that every system has produced men and women of the most exalted character.4

Hence everything is nothing but matter and energy which is after all same everywhere, the difference being only in expression and form. Second, let us examine our mental world. We are one at the level of mind. Says Swamiji,
Indian psychology demonstrated ages ago that, similarly, both body and mind are but mere names or little wavelets in the ocean of matter,
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Now, let us turn to the idea of oneness from the level of the Self or atman. According to Vedanta, behind the body and mind is the Atman. Just as a mirror can illumine an object when it receives light from a source of light, so too the light of atman illumines the body and mind. Behind the body and mind is the Self. Atman and body-mind are like master and servant. A servant works only at the behest of his master. So too body and mind are servants of the Self or the atman. This is grand truth of the Reality that Vedanta advocates. Referring to the omnipotent nature of Atman, in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad8 it is said: Through whose command the sun
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and the moon remain in their proper places. Sri Ramakrishna said the same in his simple words,
Rice is boiling in a pot. Potatoes and egg-plant are also jumping about in the pot. The children say that the potatoes and eggplant jump of themselves; they do not know that there is fire underneath.

Thus we find a common ground behind the material, mental and spiritual worlds, and that common ground is One All-pervading atman. Achieving Oneness But it is not easy to accept this idea of oneness. There are several reasons for it. For instance, we are afraid of losing our individualities. We are also afraid that if we accept oneness, we will not able to fulfill our cherished desires and we will become an inert object! The great idea of the real and basic solidarity of the whole universe has frightened many. What we forget is that when a water drop falls in the ocean, it only discovers its source. That is the ultimate destiny of a drop to become one with the ocean. So also oneness is inherent in life. The individual ultimately has to become one with the whole. And then only all fears will vanish when the idea of duality will vanish. The Upanishad says, He who sees as though there is difference here, goes from death to death. Whenever we think of others as an enemy, we become materialists; we forget our spiritual oneness. Adi Shankara says that we think that critics are bigoted and intolerant but the real reason is that they are afraid and insecure in some way. Thus are conflicts and wars born. The only way to rise above fear and conflicts is to discover our oneness and unity at all levels.
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The True Basis of Service Why should we help others or serve others? Because ultimately we are all one. The question Why I shall not cut my brothers throat if I get my desire fulfilled by doing it? cannot be answered satisfactory except by realizing the oneness of life. We should not hurt others because others are we ourselves in a different form. The oneness is the rationale of all ethics and all spirituality. We can understand the cause of our doing good to others philosophically from Swamijis words:
The infinite oneness of the Soul is the eternal sanction of all morality, that you and I are not only brothersevery literature voicing mans

struggle towards freedom has preached that for youbut that you and I are really one. This is the dictate of Indian philosophy. This oneness is the rationale of all ethics and all spirituality.5

Hatred brings distress and love brings happiness. It is like the story of boy in a valley. A boy shouted, I hate you and his voice came back, echoed by the hillsI hate you. He felt sad. He ran to his mother and mother told him to change his wordssay I love you. The boy did as told and soon he heard, I love you. This is the ideal of oneness. This ideal of oneness should be widely preached and practised. It is the best way to instil faith and self-respect in the poor and
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lowly. Behind all waves is the infinite ocean. Waves are nothing but various forms of ocean. So also behind this little personality is the infinite Source of strength, the atman. When one thinks of this idea deeply and internalizes it, one develops self-esteem and self-confidencethe factors most needed for self-improvement.

Conclusion Unity and oneness of life is not only a grand ideal but a fact of life. The more this idea of the solidarity of man and mans inborn divine nature is understood and practiced, the more we can attain peace and harmony at levels of life. Peace and oneness go together. o

References
1. CW, 3.194 2. CW, 3.188 3. Ibid 4. CW, 1: 24 5. CW, 3:189

Intellect or Feeling?
First it is absolutely necessary to clear the intellectual portion, although we know that intellectuality is almost nothing; for it is the heart that is of most importance. It is through the heart that the Lord is seen, and not through the intellect. The intellect is only the street-cleaner, cleansing the path for us, a secondary worker, the policeman; but the policeman is not a positive necessity for the workings of society. He is only to stop disturbances, to check wrong-doing, and that is all the work required of the intellect. When you read intellectual books, you think when you have mastered them, 'Bless the Lord that I am out of them', because the intellect is blind and cannot move of itself, it has neither hands nor feet. It is feeling that works, that moves with speed infinitely superior to that of electricity or anything else. Do you feel?-- that is the question. If you do, you will see the Lord. It is the feeling that you have today that will be intensified, deified, raised to the highest platform, until it feels everything, the oneness in everything, till it feels God in itself and in others. The intellect can never do that. 'Different methods of speaking words, different methods of explaining the texts of books, these are for the enjoyment of the learned, not for the salvation of the soul'. (Vivekachudamani, 58) . . . Do you not know from the history of the world where the power of the prophets lay? Where was it? In the intellect? Did any of them write a fine book on philosophy, on the most intricate ratiocinations of logic? Not one of them. They only spoke a few words. Feel like Christ and you will be a Christ; feel like Buddha and you will be a Buddha. It is feeling that is the life, the strength, the vitality, without which no amount of intellectual activity can reach God. Intellect is like limbs without the power of locomotion. It is only when feeling enters and gives them motion that they move and work on others. That is so all over the world, and it is a thing which you must always remember. It is one of the most practical things in Vedantic morality, for it is the teaching of the Vedanta that you are all prophets, and all must be prophets. The book is not the proof of your conduct, but you are the proof of the book. How do you know that a book teaches truth? Because you are truth and feel it. That is what the Vedanta says. What is the proof of the Christs and Buddhas of the world? That you and I feel like them. Swami Vivekananda, CW, 2:307
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Growing OldA Holistic Perspective

SWAMI SATYESHANANDA

Dealing with Complete Personality Advances in various areas of modern medicine have brought to light the nature and functions of human body and mind, especially the process of growth and aging. Mankind has immensely gained from these discoveries and improvements. While that has greatly helped to deal with many age-related physical and psychological problems, there are other aspects of aging that still need to be addressed. In this context, one can learn many facts and workings about the human personality from the realm of spiritual living. According to Indian tradition, spirituality is a sciencethe science of man in depth. It is about manifesting the potential divinity and not just a monotonous following of certain external forms and rituals which are but secondary details. It is a process of inner transformation involving all the three aspects of human personality: physical, mental (emotional and intellectual) and spiritual. Medical sciences like anatomy, physiology, and pathology deal with the structure, functions, and diseases of the human body. Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and human behaviour. It deals with the mind. While gross body can be seen, felt and experienced, the mind cannot be seen but its existence is felt. Mind and brain are responsible for our thoughts, feelings and awareness. Medical gadgets, instruments such as ECG, EEG, Computerized Tomography,

Nuclear Imaging and various Bio-chemical tests help us in evaluating the bodily processes. But they cannot help us in evaluating our emotions and feelings like joy and sorrow, elation and depression, fears and phobias, likes and dislikes.

Hence there is a need to have a complete, holistic image of human beings incorporating the physical, mental and spiritual dimensions of personality. Spirituality, or the science of man in depth, deals with that profound dimension of human personality called Spirit or atman. With the help of modern medicine the physical problems of aging can be tackled but the emotional, existential and social problems of senior citizens require the help of spiritual science. We should recognize the fact that modern geriatric medicine and spirituality can complement and supplement each other. Spirituality, as the term is used in Vedantic tradition, is a scientific and systematic study of the deeper dimensions of

A monk of the Ramakrishna Order, the author is the Correspondent, Sri Ramakrishna Vidyashala, a residential composite junior college, a unit of Ramakrishna Ashrama, Mysore, Karnataka. T h e

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human personality. It is about the man, the unknownas described by Dr. Alexis Carrel (1873-1944), a French Nobel Laureate, in his book with the same title. It is about the psycho-social evolution and fulfilment of man, the science of infinite possibilities. Spiritual living enhances quality of life. It unleashes our vast energy resources and helps us set free our dormant potentials. It helps us manifest, express the excellence, perfection, bliss and wisdom inherent in us. Just as fire is latent in a match stick but it is lit up only when a match stick is struck against the match box, in the same way, spirituality is the art and science of igniting the inner spark of potential and manifesting it to its full extent. The Human Personality Modern medicine views man as a mere psycho-physical unit. Vedanta and Yoga traditions go a step further and tell us that man is essentially a Conscious Principle or Spirit or Self, having a body and mind. So, a human being is not just a body-mind but body-mind plus Self. It is a combination of Consciousness and Matter in the form of body and mind. One may put it in the form of following equation: Human being = Conscious Principle (Self) + Matter (body and mind). Body and mind may be likened to a covering over the Conscious Principle or the Pure Atman, the innermost core of personality. This Atman is the master-controller of life that the modern science is in search of. The psycho-physical structure has its axis in the unchanging Atman just as the spokes of a wheel are fixed at its hub. At the core of the psycho-physical structure is the Atman, the true self of man. The study of this profound, deathless, immortal, conscious, intelligent principle present in all beings is called spirituality or spiritual science.
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Spiritual Living and Old Age How does spirituality help improve geriatric care or looking after the elderly? The first benefit that a spiritual approach to life brings to us is developing a right mental attitude to face old age with courage. Evening follows morning and night follows day. It is a natural phenomenon. Similarly it is but natural that youth will be followed by old age. We should learn to welcome old age with delight as it is an inevitable, integral part of life. As we plan for the evenings activities in the morning itself, we should prepare for old age in youth itself. It would then become easier to face the problems of old age. Life can be compared to a fruit-yielding tree. Youth is the period when we flower into a beautiful personality spreading our fragrance all-around. Old age is the period when we become like a fully ripe, sweet fruit. It is the period when we reach emotional, spiritual maturity and fulfilment. The young should not forget that they too will become old and they too will have to face the problems their elders are facing now. According to modern science, the purpose of life is continuation of species. But according to spiritual science, the purpose of life is to realize our inherent divine nature, to realize the innate divine bliss, blessedness and fulfilment. For realizing this we have to achieve inner refinement or purification by transcending our organic, genetic limitations. Sincere aspiration or longing powered by the indwelling soulpower can transform animal man into a divine being. Old age does not mean living a helpless life. Let us live in such a way that we would be healthy, financially independent and full of inner bliss in old age. We should learn the secret of remaining unperturbed in sorrow and
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joy, and maintain equanimity in happiness and suffering. Every human being has to learn to accept all situations as gifts of God. We must sincerely feel that all that happens is for my good and plunge deep within ourselves to realize our innate divinity. One should have an open mind to learn new things. Sri Ramakrishna said that as long as I live I learn. Alongside, one should cultivate a spirit of detachment which means not expecting anything from anybody even from our nearest and dearest ones. Or else we will have to face bitter disappointments when our children, relatives and friends fail to live up to our expectations. Cultivating a kind of detached attachment helps us to live in peace, contentment and harmony with all. One should be sportive and look at the world as a Leela or play of the Lord. We need not take everything in this world seriously and bother ourselves with worry and anxiety. We should feel God is with me, He is within me, He alone is my true refuge, God alone is my true support. When this feeling becomes intense and vibrant we will not be haunted by the sense of loneliness, rejection and helplessness that often plague the old. Indeed we can learn to live with joy and courage. Remaining Functionally In Old Age It is important that one should be functionally active in old age. Vedanta suggests that by taking care of all the three dimensions of human personalityphysical, mental and spiritualwe can be happy even when we are old. This is the holistic approach to facing old age. We should be moderate in our diet, exercises, rest and relaxation. Physical health depends on pure water, air, food, Yogasanas, Pranayama, regular walks at dawn and dusk.
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Nature helps us in getting rid of stress. Daily walks in the midst of beautiful greenery, spending time in the midst of plants and trees can act as a tonic to both body and mind. Intellectual and emotional health can be maintained by study of ennobling and inspirational literature, through prayer, devotional singing or bhajans, meditation, company of holy men and so on. So one should try to keep oneself functionally active by cultivating oneself at the physical, mental and spiritual levels. This is how one can face old age squarely and live a fulfilling and meaningful life. Prayer and Positive Attitude One great aid in cultivating a positive attitude and to overcome almost unsolvable problems in life is the practice of prayer. Vedic Rishis prayed, O Lord, take us from darkness to light, from ignorance to knowledge and from death to immortality. Swami Vivekananda says,
Your own will is all that answers prayer, only it appears under the guise of different religious conceptions to each mind. We may call it Buddha, Jesus, Krishna, Jehovah, Allah, Agni, but it is only the Self, the I. . .1 Christs and Buddhas are simply occasions upon which to objectify our own inner powers. We really answer our own prayers.2

Dr. Alexis Carrel, who was awarded the Nobel Prize for his pioneering work in vascular surgery, writes about the power of prayer in his celebrated book Man, The Unknown:
Prayer is the most powerful form of energy one can generate. It is a force as real as terrestrial gravity. As a physician, I have seen men after all other therapy had failed, lifted out of disease and melancholy by the serene effort of prayer. Prayer, like Radium, is a source of luminous,
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self-generating energy . . . when we pray we link ourselves with the inexhaustible motive force which spins the universe. Even in asking our human deficiencies are filled and we arise strengthened and repaired . . . Whenever we address God in fervent prayer, we change both soul and body for the better.3

One may also give positive suggestions to oneself such as: All my limbs and organs are in sound health and are functioning properly, I am getting purer and purer, better and better, stronger and stronger every day in every way. They are quite effective in maintaining a sound health. Consciously striving to get rid of all negative emotions such as anger, infatuation, egotism, jealousy, suspicion, and cultivating virtues such as love, patience, forgiveness, devotion to ones duties and unselfishness helps us to live life with zest and zeal. Spending quality time in service of the poor and the needy, music, gardening, prayer, worship and other constructive activities also are very helpful in keeping the body and mind healthy and vigorous. It is rightly said that an empty mind is the devils workshop and a trained and disciplined mind engaged in useful activities is our great friend. Facing Old Age Age-related immobility, instability, incontinence of natural urges, impaired intellect /memory; impaired vision and hearing are some common problems of old age. One should face them with courage and learn to manage them. With a positive attitude and with the help of modern geriatric medicine we can improve the quality of life of the elderly. Trust or faith or conviction in the presence of a Superior Intelligence or a Higher
References:

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Power (called God, Brahman, or by any other name) can be of great help in facing the various problems of old age. Thus both modern geriatric medicine and spiritual science can work in unison to ameliorate the sufferings of elderly people. Modern medicine can deal with the physical infirmities and spiritual science (in the form of meditation, prayer, worship of the Divine, devotional singing, service activities, engaging oneself in useful hobbies like gardening, study of ennobling literature, company of wise men) can deal with other aspects of life. Thus both can join hands in helping the elderly face their physical and emotional problems. Conclusion Spirituality or the science of man in depth teaches us that we are essentially the Conscious Principle or Atman unaffected by disease, decay and death. Body and mind which are made up of matter are constantly undergoing change and are subject to the laws of nature. But we are essentially atman, the Conscious Principle. When we realize our true nature as Atman, not the changing self called body and mind but the Eternal Atman within, we will not be perturbed by the changes that happen to body and mind. The Upanishad says that the knower of Self goes beyond all sorrow ( shokam tarati atmavit ). Swami Vivekananda said in his famous words:
Teach yourselves, teach everyone his or her real nature, call upon the sleeping soul and see how it awakes. Power will come, glory will come, goodness will come, purity will come and everything that is excellent will come when the sleeping soul is roused to self conscious activity.4 o

1. CW, 7.88 2. ibid, 7.78 3. Quoted in Learn to Live by Swami Jagadatmananda, Volume 2, p. 407, Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai. 4. CW, 3:193

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Sri Ramakrishna was a master story-teller. While he spoke of profound spiritual truths and mystery of human life, he amply used stories, anecdotes, examples and analogies to drive home his point. At times, while narrating a story, he would even make gestures and change the tone of his voice to bring in a lively element in his narrative. The following stories, mainly culled from the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna (published by Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai) are an attempt to present before the readers Sri Ramakrishnas rich store-house of stories which are both illuminating and simple.

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The Busy Bhagavata Pundit There was a king who used daily to hear the Bhagavata recited by a pundit. Every day, after explaining the sacred book, the pundit would say to the king, O King, have you understood what I have said? And every day the king would reply, You had better understand it first yourself. The pundit would return home and think: Why does the king talk to me that way day after day? I explain the texts to him so clearly, and he says to me, You had better understand it first yourself. What does he mean? The pundit used to practise spiritual discipline. A few days later he came to realize that God alone is real and everything else house, family, wealth, friends, name, and fameillusory. Convinced of the unreality of the world, he renounced it. As he left home he asked a man to take this message to the king: O King, I now understand. Here is another story. A man needed a scholar of the Bhagavata to expound the sacred text to him every day. But it was very difficult to procure such a scholar. After he had searched a great deal, another man came to him and said, Sir, I have found an excellent scholar of the Bhagavata. Very well, said the man, bring him here. The other man replied: 'But there is a little hitch. The scholar has a few
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ploughs and bullocks; he is busy with them all day. He must look after the cultivation of his land. He hasn't a moments leisure. Thereupon the man who required the scholar said: I don't want a Bhagavata scholar who is burdened with ploughs and bullocks. I want a man who has leisure and can tell me about God. (p.917) Vyasa and the Gopis Once Vyasadeva was about to cross the Jamuna. The gopis also were there. They wanted to go to the other side of the river to sell curd, milk, and cream. But there was no ferry at that time. They were all worried about how to cross the river, when Vyasa said to them, I am very hungry. The milkmaids fed him with milk and cream. He finished almost all their food. Then Vyasa said to the river, O Jamuna, if I have not eaten anything, then your waters will part and we shall walk through. It so happened. The river parted and a pathway was formed between the waters. Following that path, the gopis and Vyasa crossed the river. Vyasa had said, If I have not eaten anything. That means, the real man is Pure Atman. Atman is unattached and beyond Prakriti. It has neither hunger nor thirst; It knows neither birth nor death; It does not age, nor does It die. It is immutable as Mount Sumeru. (p.719)
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The Practice of Quiet Time

SUBHASHISH CHATTERJEE

The Need for Silence In the rush of activities and noise that have become a part of modern living, we often forget the calming effect of quiet time. We think it is alright if we are full of action and speed and postpone the souls hunger for peace and silence. We fail to realize the need to spend a few quiet moments daily, in our own company. Sitting quietly is a powerful technique for self-improvement. It has great importance in learning process, especially in imbibing higher values of life. Silence gives rise to deeper thoughts and knowledge. Sages and saints, seers and seekers, in all ages and places, have sat in deep silence in order to search profound truths of life. In the depth of that silence the light of knowledge dawned on them. It is rightly said, Voice of God can be heard in the ocean of silence. Exercise in Quietness Although sitting silent is a challenge before all, it is especially a daunting task for the students or young people. By nature they are full of energy and activity. With their growth graph at its peak, their minds join with the outgoing mind and the result is what we see around. Even when they are forced to remain silent, it is only the silence of closed lips while their minds go on chattering and jumping from one thought to another like a mad monkey. This is because the nature

of mind is itself fickle as mentioned in the Gita (6.34-35). But another reason for this restlessness is that they are not made aware of the wonderful effect of silence. Most young students do not know how silence can be a

source of greater concentration and happiness. We wish to present here a technique in visualization as a step to true silence. This will give the young minds an opportunity to taste the sweetness of silence. Here is how one can practice it: This can be practiced in a classroom and is of special importance in urban situations where students hardly get a chance to be in touch with nature. Surrounded by traffic and noise, traveling through busy roads and lanes, students often miss the healing touch of silence and of nature. Let us visualize that the teacher is speaking to students. The teacher: Dear friends, welcome to the quiet time. Having been in an atmosphere

o The author is a staff member of Ramakrishna Mission Boys Home College, Rahara, West Bengal. T h e

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of sound and activity, and of many study assignments, you now need to rest the body and mind. You need relaxation. Let us try to unwind and relax. Let us take a mental trip to a place of natural beauty and calmness. Please sit relaxed with eyes closed and listen to what I say and follow my footsteps to wherever I take you mentally. Now please close your eyes. The teacher should speak clearly and slowly. He should be sincere and earnest and not do it as a matter of routine.
Let us mentally leave all things and start our trip. We are going out of the classroom. May be, we will go to a green hillside. It is all green and beautiful. There are a number of wild flowers, a variety of flowers. There are roses too. Let us go and touch them. The whole place is full of natural beauty. How beautiful! Let us sit amidst them. For a long time. Pay no attention to whatever sounds or thoughts that may knock at your minds door. Feel the presence of divinity in the nature. Feel the bracing wind, the sound of birds, rustling of leaves and so on. Sit quietly, without movement. Now, having been in that healing touch of the nature, slowly trace your steps back to where we are and slowly open the eyes

goddess or a sage or saint and one can think of that. Or one can tell the students to visualize the flame of a burning lamp or candle and concentrate on it. One may instruct the students thus:
Let us enter the inner sanctuary and see the burning flame there. Being present in the light of flame, ones inner being is now full of light. All darkness has gone. All senses are full of light. Our eyes and ear divinised, one sees divinity everywhere. Let us feel the presence of inner light and spread this light everywhere. It is bringing goodness and peace and joy wherever within me, in my home, colony, state, country, whole world.

One can similarly take the students to seaside, or riverfront, or waterfalls, or any place of quietness and natural beauty and ask the students to feel being there. One can use ones creativity to add newer dimensions to it. It is a truly inner ride to joy! The quiet time may also be a trip to a place of holiness and worship. One can go the sacred Ganges in Himalayas. Or one can go to the banks of Narmada or any such place of holiness. One can also think of a form of God one likes. The teacher can ask the students to feel the presence of Divine in their hearts. The Formless Divine may take the form of a god or
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The Practice This kind of quiet time, or a light form of meditation, may be made a part of daily teaching sessions. The students may be encouraged to practice it in their houses as well. At home, one gets up early in the morning, even before leaving the bed they should sit silently on bed and thank God for last nights peaceful slumber. Then they can think of the important or main activities of the day, followed by a prayer to God that the days activities are done well while God is there to guard and guide us at every step. Again in the night before sleeping one can sit on the bed and do a kind of self-audit of the activities one has done in a day. If everything has gone well, if any good work has been done, let us thank God for it. If there is anything wrong, beg apology and promise not to repeat it in future. Needless to say, quiet time has many benefits. It increases concentration, sharpens intelligence improves mental alertness, selfconfidence, inner equilibrium and makes one peaceful. Let us be quiet to know the joy of quietness! o
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The Order on the March

Ramakrishna Math and MissionNews and Notes
k New Temple Consecrated at Kadapa k Having its humble beginnings in 1910, Ramakrishna Math, Kadapa, was made a sub-centre under Ramakrishna Math, Chennai, in 2004 and a full-fledged centre in 2005. In 2006 it was shifted to its new sprawling campus on the outskirts of Kadapa city. The Kadapa centre owes its origin to a brief visit of Swami Shivananda, a direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna, to Kapda in 1924, at the invitation of Roa Bahadur Manju Mein, a Sufi doctor, who later started Ramakrishna Samajam in Kadapa. At present the Kadapa Ramakrishna Mission conducts its major activities from its 10-acre campus near RIMS Hospital. These include: Sri Ramakrishna Balakashrama, a free students home for high school boys from rural areas; Vivekananda Vidya Niketan School with classes from LKG to Upper primary; a spacious Sabhangana for conducing public meetings; Office-Library-Book Sales; Vidya-Value Education programmes, and various other regular spiritual programmes and service activities. The foundation for the new temple was laid in September 2009 by Swami Smarananandaji, Vice President, Ramakrishna Math and Mission. Swami Gautamananda, Adhyaksha, Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai, consecrated the new temple, with a marble image of Sri Ramakrishna, on 22 November, 2012, sacred Jagaddhatri Puja day. An elaborate homa, special worship, discourses, procession and cultural programmes formed part of the four-day programme held from 20 to 23 November. About 170 monastics (including 24 from unaffiliated centres) and 4000 devotees attended the programme.

A closer view of the temple

A view from the eastern side

Consecration procession

First Arati at the new temple

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Religious Harmony procession

Ananda Tandavaa cultural presentation

Several cultural programmes including classical dance presentation by dance-troupes from different parts of Andhra Pradesh, and lectures by senior monks and eminent scholars were organised on this occasion. A special feature of the event was a procession symbolising religious harmony, with different groups of devotees and admirers starting from a Dargah, a Church, a Jain temple and the well-known Devuni Kadapa temple, and converging in one place before dispersing after a mile-long

A view of the public meeting

walk. The procession included nadaswaram, folk-dances by students, tableau, monks and devotees and several automobiles carrying pictures of Sri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi and Swami Vivekananda.o k New Mission Centres k A branch centre of the Ramakrishna Mission has been started at Bagerhat, Bangladesh. The address of the centre is Ramakrishna Mission, P.C. College Road, Bagerhat, Bangladesh 9300, phone no. (880) 468-62253; email <[email protected]>. A sub-centre of Nadi (Fiji) Ashrama has been started at Suva, Fiji. The sub-centre, named Ramakrishna Vedanta Centre, is located at 24 Lekutu St, Samabula, Suva, Fiji, and its email id is <[email protected]>. For the time being, its postal address will be the same as that of our Nadi centre, i.e. PO Box 716, Nadi, Fiji, South Pacific. o

k General News k Narainpur Ashrama started an Industrial Training Institute (ITI) with seven trades on 1 October 2012. On 7 November, Sri Pranab Mukherjee, President of India, laid the foundation stones for the three proposed buildingstwo hostel buildings and one administrative buildingfor the ITI, and also handed over to the Ashrama, the keys of seven buses and one jeep gifted by Chhattisgarh Government.
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Chhattisgarh Government selected our Narainpur centre for Dr Bhanwar Singh Porte Memorial Award for Tribal Service for the year 2012. Sri Pranab Mukherjee, President of India, handed over the award, comprising a citation, a memento, a shawl and a purse of Rs. 2,00,000/-, on 6 November at a public function held in Raipur. The newly installed ten-foot-seven-inch statue of Swamiji at Vivekananda Centenary Assembly Hall in Tapovan, the retreat of Seattle (USA) centre, was unveiled on 7 October. Swami Prabhanandaji, Vice-President of Ramakrishna Math and Mission, laid the foundation stone for the proposed temple at Jessore (Bangladesh) centre on 27 November. o Commemoration of the 150th Birth Anniversary of Swami Vivekananda The following centres organized various programmes in commemoration of the 150th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda. (Main programmes conducted by them are mentioned against their names.) Baranagore Mission: A parents conference at Harit, Hooghly, on 11 November, in which 104 parents participated. Chengalpattu: Processions, devotional music and film shows on Swamiji at Pazhavanur, Periya Venmani, Pudur, Vazhaipattu, Arundhadhipalayam, Ecchankaranai, Silavattam, L N Puram, Samandhipuram and Onampakkam 20, 21, 27 & 28 October and 3, 4, 9, 10, 16 & 17 November respectively. Delhi: A two-day workshop, as the final stage of GenNext Leader Discovery Contest, on 3 and 4 November, in which 30 students took part. Shanmukha Concert, a fusion of rhythm and melody by six musicians on different instruments, on 25 November, which was attended by nearly 400 people. Hyderabad: On 18 November, the centre conducted a spiritual retreat for 150 sweepers, garbage cleaners and drivers working under Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation. At the end of the retreat, each participant was presented with fruits, a woollen blanket, some of our books, and one-year subscription to the monthly Telugu journal, Sri Ramakrishna Prabha. Lucknow: A seminar on Role of Yoga towards Personal Development on 3 November, which was attended by about 150 people. Mangalore: A cultural festival on 6 and 7 October, which was attended by about 1800 people. The programme included Yakshagana and Hindustani classical vocal & instrumental music. Seven district-level youth conventions, one each in the following districts of Karnataka: Haveri (9 Oct), Dharawad (10 Oct), Hassan (17 Nov), Bidar (26 Nov), Gulbarga (27 Nov), Tumkur (29 Nov) and Chitradurga (30 Nov). In all, about 5000 youths attended the conventions. Narainpur: A public meeting on 7 November which was addressed by Sri Pranab Mukherjee, President of India; Sri Shekhar Dutt, Governor of Chhattisgarh; Dr. Raman Singh, Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, and a few other dignitaries. Nearly 5000 people attended the meeting. Ramharipur: A public meeting and a music concert at Durgapur on 25 November, which were attended by about 1300 people. Salem: Discourses at a school in Salem on 17 November, which were attended by about 350 students, teachers and parents. Swamijis Ancestral House, Kolkata: Talks on Swamiji at two organizations, at Durgapur and Salt
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Lake (Kolkata), on 1 and 16 November, which were attended by nearly 650 people in all. Thiruvananthapuram: A youth camp for nurses on 18 November, in which 116 nurses participated. Vijayawada: A youth convention from 16 to 18 November, in which about 3500 youths took part. Outside India: Jessore (Bangladesh): A programme on 27 November. Discourses, procession and musical performances formed part of the event which was attended by about 6000 people. Seattle (USA): The centre held a day-long programme at its retreat, Tapovan, on 7 October. About 300 people attended the programme comprising a talk on Swamiji, devotional music and releasing of the newly published Spanish translation of a book on Yoga. o

k Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Bhavaprachar Parishad, Karnataka k The formal inauguration of the RamakrishnaVivekananda Bhavaprachar Parishad, Karnataka took place at a colourful function at Ramakrishna Math, Bull Temple Road, Bangalore on 18 November 2012. The programme was conducted in 2 sessions, both chaired by Swami Harshananda, Adhyaksha, Ramakrishna Math Bangalore. Representatives of 32 organisations working under the banner of Sri Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda took part in the gathering. The Chief Guest for the first session was Swami Suhitananda, General Secretary, Inauguration of the Karnataka Bhavaprachar Parishad by Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission. Swami Suhitanandaji In his Inaugural Address, Swami Suhitananda stressed the necessity of the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission working together with other organisations in order to spread the message of Ramakrishna-Vivekananda in various areas of the country. The Chief Guest for the second session was Swami Shivamayananda, Convener, Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Bhavaprachar Committee, Belur Math. o k Foundation Laid k Sri Pranab Mukherjee, President of India, accompanied by Sri Hansraj Bhardwaj, Governor of Karnataka, Sri Jagadish Shettar, Chief Minister of Karnataka, and several other dignitaries visited Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama, Swami Vivekananda Marg, Belgaum, (sub-centre of Belgaum Ashrama) on 11 October. The President unveiled a plaque to mark the commencement of the restoration work on Swami Vivekananda Memorial, the house where Swamiji had stayed for 4 days in October 1892. The President also performed Bhoomi Puja for the proposed Swami Vivekananda Value K
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Sri Pranab Mukherjee at the Belgaum function

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Education and Cultural Centre on the adjoining plot of land. The General Secretary, the President of India, and the Governor and the Chief Minister of Karnataka addressed the public meeting organized on this occasion. o k Award Presented k Bhagwan Mahaveer Foundation, Chennai, selected our Itanagar hospital for the 15th Mahaveer Award for excellence in the sphere of community and social service. Dr K Rosaiah, Governor of Tamil Nadu, handed over the award, comprising a citation, an image of Bhagawan Mahaveer and a purse of Rs. 10,00,000/-, on 10 October at a public function held in Chennai. o

k Relief Work k 1. Neelam Cyclone Relief: Tamil Nadu: A devastating cyclone Neelam struck a major portion of southern India on 30 October. Our Chennai Math centre immediately conducted primary relief work in

Distribution of Relief material to the people affected by Neelam cyclone, Tamilnadu

the worst-affected districts of Tamil Nadu, mainly Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam. The relief work was conducted in three phases as mentioned below: Phase 1: In all, 51,500 plates of cooked food were served among 10,250 affected people in 12 villages from 2 to 5 November. Children were served with milk and biscuits too. Phase 2: 2208 towels, 1104 saris and an equal number of dhotis, bed-sheets and mats were distributed among 1104 affected families in Madappuram, Padugai, Kalathidalkarai, Semberi and Keezhapidagai villages on 5 and 6 November. Phase 3: 1000 saris and an equal number of dhotis, towels, bed-sheets and mats were distributed among 1000 affected families in Mylapore, Vadapathi, Kovilpathu, Thensarai, Kodiyalathur, Karai Nagar, Prathabharamapuram, Thamaraikulam and Kaikatti villages from 9 to 11 November. 2. Earthquake and Tsunami Relief: Our Japan centre continued its relief work among the families affected by the devastating earthquake and the ensuing tsunami which had struck Japan in March 2011. The following items were distributed among the victims: (a) 1200 bottles (500 ml each) of Oolong tea and 1200 bottles (270 ml each) of dishwashing soap in September-October 2011, (b) 20 sewing machines, 30 irons, 50 ironing boards, 120 frying pans, 510 cooking pots, 240 pairs of rain-boots, 7992 diapers and 200 tubes of toothpaste in May 2012, and (c) 300 kg rice, 500 boxes of tissue paper and 540 rolls of toilet paper in September 2012. 3. Winter Relief: 750 blankets were distributed through the following centres among poor people: Chandipur - 250, Jamtara - 250, Lucknow - 250. o
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Book Review

For review in The Vedanta Kesari, publishers need to send us two copies of their latest publication.
working in Kumbakonam, Chidambaram and Chennai. At the time of his passing away, he was the Professor of Physics at the Pachaiyappas College, Chennai. He was a beloved teacher and the author recreates the vision with admirable realism: Here was this humble Vaishnava from Triplicane, Madrastall and barefoot, clad in a dhoti, a shirt and a chuddar, wearing the traditional religious mark on the forehead, and carrying a turban on the tufted head. He was the typical Madrasi Brahmin who apparently was a perfect contrast to the subject he taught: modern science. Yet, this contrast brought respect both to ancient culture and modern science. How he met Swami Vivekananda in January, 1893, at the house of Manmatha Nath Bhattacharya and became his staunch follower is now history. The book takes us to the events step by step. Battling against heavy work, meagre pay and the restraints of a traditional background, Alasinga yet became a hero-warrior and would do everything for his leader. Swami Vivekananda also cherished full faith in this sterling disciple. In fact, when one of the rich American followers of Swami Vivekananda happened to make a chance comment on Alasingas caste mark, Swamiji flared up instantly: Hands off! What have you ever done? The American could then gauge the in-depth affection Swamiji had for Alasinga. She wrote later: I did not know what I had done then. Of course I never answered. Tears came to my eyes and I waited. I learnt later that Mr. Alasinga Perumal was a young Brahmin teaching philosophy in a college in Madras earning 100 rupees a month, supporting his father, mother, wife, and four children, and who had gone from door to door to beg the money to send Vivekananda to the West. Perhaps without him we never would have met Vivekananda. Then one understood the anger with which Swamiji met the slightest attack on Mr. Alasinga. When they were away from each other, the Swami and his devotee kept up a regular
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ALASINGA PERUMAL: AN ILLUSTRIOUS DISCIPLE OF SWAMI VIVEKANANDA by Swami Sunirmalananda

Published by Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai - 600 004. 2012. hardbound, pp. 342. Rs. 75 In his letter to Alasinga Perumal dated 11 th July, 1894, Swami Vivekananda wrote: Life is short! Give it up to a great cause. As the acharya, so the shishya! Their coming together and working together in tandem is a golden page in the social history of India. The disciples face and name has been familiar with the students of Ramakrishna-Vivekananda literature for close to a hundred years, and it is, as always, a joy to read again about him in this well-planned biography by Swami Sunirmalananda. Alasinga was not a loner in drawing close to the wandering monk in 1890. At the very start of his biography, Swami Sunirmalananda gives a brief note on some of his associates like Dr. Nanjunda Rao, Singaravelu Mudaliyar and Prof. Rangacharya, among others. It was certainly a deva sanghaa divine order. Says the author, These young men were no ordinary persons each one of them was great in his own discipline, as we shall see presently. Furthermore, they all had one strong quality which led them to the feet of the prophet; it was their heart full of compassion and love for the miserable and suffering. (p. 4) Born in 1865 in an orthodox Srivaishnava family, poverty was a familiar friend for Alasinga. But these families were keen on giving a good education to their sons and Alasinga managed to graduate as a student of Madras Christian College under the legendary William Miller. Unable to pursue a career in law, he became a school teacher,
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correspondence. Thanks to Alasingas reverence for these epistles, we are able to wander in the thought-processes of Swami Vivekananda, his worries, sorrows, enthusiasm, plans, advice and affection. The present volume contains all the letters Swami Vivekananda wrote to his earnest disciple. We get to know about the fascinating beginnings and publication of Brahmavadin, the first magazine that was started under Swamijis inspiration. Alasinga could patiently bear the thunders of Swami Vivekananda and would soon be bathing in the cooling showers of the gurus compassion. Each and every page in Alasinga Perumal is a spiritual drama that elevates us altogether to a higher plane of consciousness. A teacher, a worker, a kindhearted helper to people in distressthe reader will come across golden nuggets like the low-caste man who wished to donate a cow to the Parthasarathi temple, Alasinga outwitting the quarantine on the ship Golconda by traveling in it, and a long letter of Balagangadhar Tilak to Alasinga which reveals his closeness to the freedom-fighters of his time. Alasinga was blessed and beloved for Swami Vivekananda. So is he to all of us, and for all coming generations who have faith in the glory and good of Sanatana Dharma.
___________________________ PREMA NANDAKUMAR, TRICHY

SISTER SUDHIRA By Pravrajika Prabhuddhaprana

Published by Sri Sarada Math, Dakshineswar, Kolkata 700 076.2012, paperback, pp.96.Price: Rs. 25 Pravrajika Prabuddhaprana, a nun of Sarada Math, has written a few books on the American disciples of Swami Vivekananda like Tantinea Friend of Swami Vivekananda and Saint Sara, but the present book Sister Sudhira is very special. It is so because she has ventured to do this after about 100 years since Sudhira left this world. She had to research through 53 publications, as given in the references, to collect scattered information about this great life to present the readers this extraordinary book. It
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is a significant publication about one of the three woman pioneers (Nivedita and Christine are the other two) who steered the movement started by Swami Vivekananda for the freedom and education of women in India. Sister Sudhiras goal in life was decided when she saw Sri Ramakrishna in a vivid dream asking her to do work for the suffering people. This changed her childhood ideal from to be a good person to lead a movement for freedom and rise of women in India. The source of energy and inspiration was Sri Ramakrishna and the Holy Mother. One will be amazed to read how Holy Mother prayed for Sudhiras fresh lease of life when Sudhira was seriously ill with very little chance of recovery at the age of 22 only. Her life was extended by ten years and within this short span, she sacrificed all her energies and time for the education of women and establishment of womans Math. One will be surprised to read how Sudhira dared to encourage young Sarala to escape from home and renounce the worldly life to be a Sanyasini in those days when such an act was unthinkable. Sudhira could to this adventure because Sri Ramakrishna was her inspiration and the guiding spirit. Even the Holy Mother was concerned about the high risk taken. Sarada Devi asked her, Sudhira, have you thought about what you have done? The responsibility of the girls entire life is in your hands now. After a few minutes of silence, Sudhira replied: Mother, what is done is done and cannot be undone, what can I do about it? Of course the Mother, the Adyashakti, protected both of them and finally accepted Sarala at her place, thus ensuring the divine drama to be unfolded when Pravrajika Bharatiprana, as Sarala came to be known later, was made the first President of Sarada Math long after Sudhira left this world. Sudhira wrote to Sarala, Make Sri Ramakrishna your own. He is everything. Aside from him, everything else is false. Call upon him and hold fast to him. He is with you and watching you. And to Mrinalini, wife of Sri Aurobindo, she wrote, I cannot express to you what kind of a dependence on God I have built up here. . . Whether I am conscious or not, a supreme power is always protecting me. After the passing away of Sister Sudhira when she was just 32, Swami Saradananda wrote,
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. . . The thousand-petal lotus blossomed by the grace of her guru, and the influence of her lifelong brahmacharya, teaching, sympathy for the sake of women, the leader of the Sarada Mandir students hostel has suddenly been removed from this world. In short, here is a book of inspiration for all womenand men. For, there are no boundaries to sacrifice and service. The book has a fascinating cover picture where Sri Ramakrishna seems to ask Sudhira to work for the suffering humanity, making her a powerful tool in His hands. Indeed, this book is timely and a sure source of inspiration for anyone sincerely wanting to do selfless service.
________________________________ BISHAN BASU, NEW DELHI

A SPIRITUAL GUIDE TO HEAL YOUR CHRONIC PAIN By Dr. Greg Fors

Published by New Age Books, A-44 Naraina Phase-I, New Delhi 110 028. 2011, First Indian Edition, paperback, pp. 388+xxxiii. Price: Rs.695 As a doctor of chiropractic and a boardcertified neurologist specializing in chronic myofascial pain disorders, Dr. Greg Fros shows us in this book the ways to heal pain and uncover the practical and effective methods to accomplish this. Chronic non-pathological pain is actually very common. It is now estimated that as many as 105 million Americans have some element of chronic pain in their lives, and about 50 million Americans are partially or totally disabled due to their chronic pain. Chronic back pain is now the most common cause of disability in Americans younger than 45 years old. Yet chronic myofascial pain disorders do not get the attention they deserve. This book has been written with the express purpose of: 1. Empowering the reader with a comprehensive and practical guide that will allow him to help himself. 2. Providing the reader with the knowledge to ask the hard questions and find quality health care that can help him or her on the journey to healing pain. 3. Or, if the reader is a
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health-care provider, providing an ideal reference guide for treating individuals with chronic myofascial pain disorders; with well over 200 references, it gives the most up-to-date information for his or her practice. This guide includes a comprehensive table of contents and index, and is divided into two books, five sections and twenty-one chapters. With this detailed table of contents and division into five sections with chapters and sub-chapters one can easily navigate through the material to locate and relocate information most relevant. This book has been written as a comprehensive guide that will provide a broad audience with useful information not for quick pain relief, but to heal their painand there is a vast difference. Therefore, one may utilize this book more as a reference guide, picking and choosing useful information. But, with that said, this book was written in a way that tells a story, a comprehensive interconnected narrative, from the first to the last page, and it is best to read it that way. Section 1 explores the vital importance of taking charge of our own healing and not blindly surrendering to the modern model of healthcare focused on disease, not wellness. It goes on to examine the fallacy of any quick pain relief, whether prescription, over-the-counter, natural, or alternative in nature. In section 2, it has been pointed out that to overcome the challenge of our chronic pain, whether simple back pain or fibromyalgia syndrome, it is vital to heed the warnings of our biochemical individuality. This is achieved through proper diet and lifestyle choices. The author rightly points out in section 2 that the underlying metabolic factors of this recurrent pain and fatigue are the very same factors that can lead to degenerative diseases. If we want freedom from suffering, we must do so by entering the domain of loving. With this always in mind, whatever we do to healeating a healthier diet, becoming more active, exercisingis done out of love for ones true self, for this earth, and for those around us. With this, each act of healing is connected to a greater purpose in life, and this is where real, sustainable health begins. In a world that holds so much potential for beauty and grace, why is there so much pain and suffering? Where does one even begin? We can only begin with our self to hold a more peaceful world within
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us and around us. This process has been explored step-by-step in Book Two: The Triangle of Health which includes all three aspects of healing: physical, bio-chemical, and spiritual. Section 3 provides a powerful toolkit on how to physically remove myofascial trigger points anywhere on our body, a primary factor in any chronic pain syndrome. Then chapters 10 through 13 show us how to treat the specific muscle groups that commonly cause pain in the back, neck, or extremities. Section 4 starts with chapter 14: Eating Your Way Out of Pain and Into Wellness, which provides specific dietary changes to help heal pain. This chapter contains what the author calls baby steps programme, of small, easy modifications that will dynamically transform health and ease pain. The author is a great admirer of herbs and in chapter 15: Spice Up Your Healing, he examines ways to utilize standardized extracts of specific herbs to naturally heal pain. He thinks that these herbs do not have side effects but provide side benefits promoting greater overall well-being. In chapters 16 and 17, the author shows how our digestion gets disturbed, and how to improve it. He gives a three-step programme to reduce toxic chemicals, oxidative stress and inflammation, which include eating organic diet, filtering air and water and green up the personal environment. He further suggests a number of food items which enhance detoxification. Section 5 is perhaps the most important section of the book in which the body/mind/spirit relationship is emphasized and comprehensive suggestions for spiritual healing are made. This section, though smaller than the rest, justifies the title of the book. In chapter 19, the author argues that deep-rooted fear and anger are causes of our sufferings and suggests ways and means of getting over them through inner dialogue and by making ourselves emotionally strong and have greater intelligence. He again discusses the issue of anger in the 21st, the last chapter, and concludes with describing the healing power of forgiveness and gratitude. He talks like a Vedantin when in the 20th chapter, he urges us to awaken to I am nothing; I am everything. He quotes the well known Indian sage Nisargadatta Maharaj to explain this contradictory statement, When I see that I am nothing, that is wisdom; when I see that
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I am everything, that is love. He also quotes in the course of his narration from Isha Upanishad, Bhagavad Gita, Jesus, Tao Te Ching, and Buddhism. The author reads like a religious teacher when he asserts that our desires are the cause of all misery. They cannot be fulfilled; even if fulfilled, they dont come up to our expectations; and there is always a fear of losing our desired objects. Let us, however, be clear about it: not many are really interested in spirituality. They want to get rid of pain and suffering. Gautama, the Buddha, understood it so well and based his whole message on the theme of suffering, its cause and treatment. Yet not many would follow Buddhas teachings. Likewise, how many would go through this book from cover to cover? Most of the readers would probably open the chapter related to backache and shoulder pain to get rid of their local pain with the help of the hints given therein. Few would add to this a programme of diet change and a rare few would take up the challenge of overcoming fear and anger and of practicing love, compassion and forgiveness. It is unfortunate that the title of the book indicates spirituality as a means and healing chronic pain as the end. It ought to have been just the reverse. None-the-less the book is for allthose seeking instant physical pain relief, those seeking change in lifestyle and finally those who are ready to ascend to the top ladder of spirituality.
__________________ SWAMI BRAHMESHANANDA, VARANASI

TRANSFORMING SELF THROUGH YOGA by Tom Pilarzyk

Published by New Age Books, A-44 Naraina Phase-I, New Delhi 110 028. 2012, First Indian Edition, paperback, pp.269 +xvii. Rs. 295 The ancient Indian wisdom not only vests in t h e ory b ut al s o is reflected through practice. Though we have diversified metaphysical standpoints in Indian thought such as monism, monotheism, dualism, pluralism, all the systems of thought agree in two important factors which are essential for putting an end to the transmigratory existence.
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They are: one, alleviation of affliction and second, attainment of salvation from the turmoils of the phenomenal world. Several ways and means have been suggested by the saints and sages to achieve this goal of life. Amidst multifarious differences, all the thinkers in India unanimously agree on the process of Self-Realization which is an important pre-requisite for a peaceful existence free from physical ailments, psychological aberrations, social inequalities, religious feuds, political upheavals, moral degradations, racial discriminations, linguistic fanaticism, etc. Yoga is said to be the only panacea for all human maladies. It involves physical, moral, mental, spiritual and mystical exercises and experiences. The author, Tom Pilarzyk, has attempted to bring to limelight the significant features of yoga which refer to the holistic lifestyle and which transfer the empirical self into the transcendental self. He says that yoga is my transformative helm, anchor, map and compass (ix). As a yoga instructor as well as a practitioner for more than two decades, the author authentically asserts the role of yoga in transforming the material culture into spiritual path especially in the American contexts of living. He gives a panoramic picture of the historical development of yoga in the Indian soil and how the True Self is realized through various yogic paths leading to infinite and blissful existence which are explained in various terms such as kaivalya, sayujya, moksha, sahaja-samadhi, etc. In his opinion, yoga means finding the Truth about ourselves without fear, fantasy, or distortion (p.112). The author also insists, following the tradition, that yoga is to be learnt and practiced under the able and efficient guidance of a master who will annihilate our inner ignorance and infuse eternal wisdom. Since yoga is seriously concerned with the energy of consciousness, light and vibration that pervades everything, the author makes a caution that it should not be treated as a commercial discipline. But at the same time he insists that freedom should be given to practice yoga without much traditional background (p.227). Ultimately this book is an interesting treatise on yogic practice, health and healing of physical ailments and promoting spirituality. The author deserves appreciation for giving comprehensive information about yogic truths.
__________________________ R. GOPALAKRISHNAN, CHENNAI

DEEP YOGA by Bhava Ram

Published by New Age Books, A-44 Naraina Phase-I, New Delhi 110 028. 2012, First Indian Edition, paperback, pp. 153. Price: Rs. 195. There is a general saying that the past is working through the present towards a prosperous future. The customs, habits, conventions, healing practices are inherited from one generation to the other and they survive the test of time. The cultural heritage of India is proudly dependent on the ancient wisdom of the seers and saints who entered deeply into their inner beings and came out with several astonishing truths. Human framework has been bifurcated as inner and outer. The latter is concerned with the sense organs and other limbs of the body. The former is concerned with the mind and the spirit. Three kinds of mind have been proved to exist. First, the sensate mind referring to the sensations, second, the intellectual mind which intends to deal with the knowledge part of human intelligence and third, the intuitive mind which is generally known as the self, soul, jiva, atman, etc. The method of knowing or rather realizing the intuitive mind is yoga, while the first two receive the input from the material world. Sri Bhava Ram has ventured to highlight the significant features of the yogic techniques not merely by reading the scriptures, but from his own transformative life-experience. He has presented his own insightful experience besides the methods of healing the physical ailments and psychical abnormalities. Thus he combines both yoga and ayurveda as two complimentary disciplines ultimately leading to self-heal. Thus we could notice a genuine transformation of the past in the present. In the modern world which is filled with technological development and scientific advancement, we come across mental imbalances, physical deformities and spiritual disturbances. Three essential commodities which are essentially required for human well-being viz., water, air and food are polluted thereby causing traumatic life
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experiences. To set right these kinds of splinters and to promulgate a peaceful life, yoga is a boon to human race as a whole. The author of this book is to be congratulated for systematically analysing the active role of yoga and ayurveda to augment a comfortable and stressfree life. He also exemplifies the incredible relevance of yoga for the modern age through breath control, physical postures, psychic centres or chakras, gratitude as the pathway to the Divine Supreme, taming the ego, the alchemy of yoga, and ayurveda as the sister science of yoga, relaxation of the mind, going within, pulling the splinter preserving the mother earth, ritualistic yoga, seven steps into yoga besides sixteen appendices. A welcome addition to the existing literature on this subject.
__________________________ R. GOPALAKRISHNAN, CHENNAI

VACHANAMRUT By Siddharameswar Maharaj

Published by Adhyatma Bhandar, Shanti Kuteer, Kannur - 586 119, Dt. Bijapur, Karnataka. 2011, paperback, Pp.88, price Rs.60/As religion, especially Hinduism, is being tossed about by secularists and fundamentalists, and the regulatory activities of Government to democratise temple administration creating more complexities, a beginner trying to find the essentials of religious faith is confused. To get over their confusion, books authored by knowledgeable persons are among the best sources. Fortunately books are available in many languages that convey in simple style basic tenets of different faiths.

Vachnamrut is a collection from the discourses given by Sri Siddharameshwar Maharaj, a revered Guru during the 1930s. His disciple, Sri Ganapatrao Maharaj, took steps to compile them in three books one of which was Vachnamrut. Originally in Marathi, it has been translated into English by earnest devotees. The importance of human body, temporal and spiritual life, influence of Maya, realization of Self are among the topics dealt with by the spiritual leader. In his own words, I am expounding the Atma Purana of making a jiva into Brahman . . . He has conveyed in simple style the essential components of holy life. For example, he points out that Maya through giving us hard lessons tries to direct our attention to the path of Self-realization but most of us fail to understand and continue to suffer. Life is hard but we should learn to endure suffering so that it strengthens our resolve. If you think the world is real, so should it be of the worlds that are experienced in dreams. If the latter is false, it should apply to the former too. The subject of Maya has received a good deal of attention in the discourses with examples of commonplace incidents. A witness swears in a court giving his name, age, antecedents, etc., not realizing the truth, namely, his birthless, nameless, deathless state. The book needs to be made more reader-friendly by careful editing. For example, significance of Ekadashi days could be made clearer to avoid any erroneous impressions [p.66]. Similarly, some examples mentioned are far too basic. They may be unavoidable while delivering discourses but could be suitably edited for print [p.69]. Nevertheless, books of this type will be useful to sincere aspirants who are keen to understand the purpose of human life. The translators deserve to be complimented for their resolve to spread the wisdom of the guru.
______________________________ P. S. SUNDARAM, CHENNAI

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Swami Vivekananda Path, P.O. Bela, Muzaffarpur843 116, Bihar Phone: 0621-2272127, 2272963 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.rkmmuzaffarpur.org

Ramakrishna Mission Sevashrama

An Appeal to join us in medical services to the poor

Eye, ENT, Dental Clinic cum Diagnostic Centre
Dear Devotees / Friends, Our Sevashrama has been rendering medical services to the poor and downtrodden in Muzaffarpur, Bihar, where facilities for medical care is not easily available. Facilities and infrastructure at the Sevashrama require upgradation to meet the ever increasing demand for health care among the poor. We have undertaken infrastructure projects to serve the needy and the poor as homage to Swami Vivekananda whose 150th birth anniversary celebrations are on all over India. Present Infrastructure : Oldest Eye Infirmary (30-bedded) in North Bihar established in 1947, General dispensary, Dental, Medicine, Homeopathy, X-Ray, Pathology, Eye O.T. Hospital Building and Eye Work for new medical building in progress Wards are in dilapidated condition. Project Plans: Establish Specialty Wards that are well equipped to handle ENT, Eye and Dental care with OPD sections, Operation Theatre, Modern Diagnostics / clinical lab, R&D section, Para medical Training, Quarters for doctors. First Phase Outlay: Construction on 13000 Sq. ft. area of Medical Block: Rs.60 Lakh (for remaining work), Medical Equipments: Rs.65 Lakh, Permanent Fund: Rs. 1 Crore, Doctors Quarters. Rs. 50 Lakh Work in Progress: Foundation stone laid on 1st January, 2011 for the medical block Plinth work completed in December, 2012. Roof work is going on. Recently purchased Ophthalmic equipments are put to capacity utilisation and three residential surgeons are in service round the clock. We appeal to you to contribute your mite, however humble it may be to help us complete the above projects so as to serve the poor and the needy in this backward area. With prayers to Holy Trinity for your health, happiness and prosperity. Swami Bhavatmananda Secretary
Note: All contribution made to our Ashrama are exempted from Income Tax u/s 80G of IT Act 1961. Contribution can be made by Cheque /Draft in favour of Ramakrishna Mission Sevashrama, Muzaffarpur or by Transferring the amount to SBI, A/C. No.10877071752; IFS Code: SBIN0006016 with an intimation by email.

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Swami Ramakrishnanandas 150th Birthday Special Publication

THE COMPLETE WORKS OF SWAMI RAMAKRISHNANANDA

Swami Ramakrishnananda (Shashi Maharaj), a direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna wrote and spoke on a wide range of subjects, besides penning numerous letters to monks and devotees. The Complete Works of Swami Ramakrishnananda in three volumes bring together all his available writings in English, with translations from Bengali and Sanskrit.
Hardbound. Vol. 1, Pp.xlii + 469. Vol. 2, Pp.v + 462, and Vol. 3, Pp.vi + 542. Price: Each Volume Rs.180/- , Complete Set (3 volumes) Rs.540/+ Postage (by registered packet): Rs. 30/- for single volume, Rs.40- for two volumes and Rs.50/- for the complete set. No request for VPP entertained. Published by Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai - 600 004 Email: [email protected]

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Holy Trio and Their Mission

by Swami Bhajanananda
Based on the short monographs Sri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother and Swami Vivekananda and direct disciples of Sri Ramakrishna by Swami Bhajanananda, one of the Assistant Secretaries of Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission. Originally meant for Belur Math website (www. belurmath.org), these essays place the subject quite contextually. Narrated in a lucid style, the book also has additional matter from other writings of the author.
Pages vi + 170 Published by Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai - 600 004

Price: Rs. 50/- + Postage: Rs.25/-for single copy. No request for VPP entertained

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Apollo Hospital Enterprise Ltd.,

Ali Towers, 55, Greams Road, Chennai - 600 006 Tel: 28294203, 28293333. Fax: 28292026

pray to God but find no relief from pain. But grief itself is a gift from God. It is the symbol of His compassion. . . Tell me, who is there in the world who has not had to bear sorrow? Vrinda once said to Krishna, Who said you are merciful? As Rama you filled Sitas life with sorrow; as Krishna you fill Radhas life with sorrow. In Kamsas prison your parents weep for you night and day, yet we call upon you, because he who takes your Name has no fear of death. Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi

People complain about their griefs and sorrows and how they

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NAVAJEEVAN BLIND RELIEF CENTRE

(FREE HOME FOR THE BLIND, ORPHAN AND AGED) TIRUCHANOOR, TIRUPATI - 517503. Ph : 0877-2239992, 9908537528 [Mob.] E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.navajeevan.org

An Appeal 34 Years of Service to Humanity 1979 - 2012

1. Navajeevan School & Hostel for Blind Children Tirupati, Parlekhimundi, Golamunda 2. Navajeevan Free Eye Hospital Tirupati 3. Navajeevan Free Home for Aged Tirupati, Rishikesh, Parlekhimundi and Chennai 4. Navajeevan Harijan Sewa Ashram 5. Navajeevan Sharanagati Vridhashram 6. Navajeevan Rural Medical Centres 7. Navajeevan Eye Care Centres Kothapeta Tirupati - - Berhampur [Orissa] Serango [Orissa]

8. Navajeevan Orphanage Homes Tirupati, Parlehkimundi, Saluru, Golamunda, Berhampur, Pandukal, Vizag

A Humble Request for Donation

1. Sponsor one day Annadan to Blind Children and aged 2. Sponsor 5 IOL Cataract Eye Operations 3. Sponsor one blind child or Orphan child for one year 4. Sponsor one poor aged person for one year 6. VidyadanEducational aid for one Child 5. Sponsor one free eye camp at Rural/Tribal area Rs. 5000/ Rs. 7000/ Rs. 6000/ Rs. 5000/ Rs. 2000/ Rs. 50000/-

Donor devotees can send their contributions by cheque/DD/MO to the above address on the occasion of birthday, wedding day or any other special occasion and receive prasadam of Lord Balaji Venkateswara of Tirupati as blessings. Contributions to NAVAJEEVAN BLIND RELIEF CENTRE, Tirupati are eligible for Tax Relief U/S 80G of Income Tax Act.

We can attain salvation through social work Swami Vivekananda K. Sridhar Acharya Founder/ President

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Vol.100-1 The Vedanta Kesari (English Monthly) January 2013. Regd. with the Registrar of Newspapers for India under No.1084 / 57. POSTAL REGISTRATION NUMBER:TN / CH (C) /190 / 12-14. LICENCED TO POST WITHOUT PREPAYMENT TN/PMG(CCR)/WPP-259 / 2012-14 Date of Publication: 26th of every month

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

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: 100 2 0 1 3 10 years: ` 1000 Contact: Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai. Website: www.chennaimath.org

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