The Vedanta Kesari August 2012

A
ugust 2012
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A A A A A CULTURAL AND SPIRITUAL CULTURAL AND SPIRITUAL CULTURAL AND SPIRITUAL CULTURAL AND SPIRITUAL CULTURAL AND SPIRITUAL MONTHLY OF THE RAMAKRI SHNA ORDER MONTHLY OF THE RAMAKRI SHNA ORDER MONTHLY OF THE RAMAKRI SHNA ORDER MONTHLY OF THE RAMAKRI SHNA ORDER MONTHLY OF THE RAMAKRI SHNA ORDER
Started at the instance of Swami Vivekananda in 1895 as Brahmavdin,
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Vedic Prayers Vedic Prayers Vedic Prayers Vedic Prayers Vedic Prayers 285
Editorial Editorial Editorial Editorial Editorial
Self-change: Some Lessons from the Kathopanishad 286
Articles Articles Articles Articles Articles
Guru, Mantra and Initiation 294
Swami Swahananda
Swami Vivekanandas Heroic Struggle 299
Swami Tathagatananda
Man Beyond All Coverings 304
S.Panchapakesan
Dhaniya Sutta: An Introduction 308
Swami Sunirmalananda
Belur Math Temple 312
Hiranmoy Mukherjee
Monastic Rules for the Layman 317
Gokul Muthu
New Find New Find New Find New Find New Find
Unpublished Letters of Swami Turiyananda 297
The Order on the March The Order on the March The Order on the March The Order on the March The Order on the March 318
Book Reviews Book Reviews Book Reviews Book Reviews Book Reviews 321
Features Features Features Features Features
Simhvalokanam (Swami Ramakrishnananda: The Meaning of
His Life And Work)
Swami Ranganathananda 290
Sri Ramakrishna Tells Stories 307
VOL. 99, No. 8 ISSN 0042-2983
CONTENTS
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The Vedanta Kesari
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285 T h e V e d a n t a K e s a r i D E C E M B E R 2 0 0 9 ~ ~
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VOL. 99, No. 8, AUGUST 2012 ISSN 0042-2983
V VV VVedic Prayers edic Prayers edic Prayers edic Prayers edic Prayers
Tr. by Swami Sambuddhananda
vt a v e vt|=|ae|a
tvtv == at +vetv =
AtharvavedaChap. X. 8. 1
v who a the past and v the future as
well e the whole universe v |=|ae|a governs,
controls t bliss vtv whose (nature) verily ==
pure at to that +vetv the highest (of all gods)
to Brahman = salutation.
He who is all that was in the past and that will be
in the future, who lords over the whole universe and
whose very nature is pure blissto Him, Brahman the
highest, my salutation.
Come out int o t he broad open light of day, come out
from t he lit t le narrow pat hs, for how can t he infinit e
soul rest cont ent t o live and die in small rut s? Come out
int o t he universe of Light . Everyt hing in t he universe is
yours, st ret ch out your arms and embrace it wit h love.
I f you ever felt you want ed t o do t hat , you have felt
God.
Swami Vivekananda, CW, 2: 323
5
286 T h e V e d a n t a K e s a r i A U G U S T 2 0 1 2 ~ ~
Self-change:
Some Lessons from the Kathopanishad
The Kathopanishad
The term Upanishad means to sit near
an illumined teacher, an act that destroys
ignorance or misconception about the real
nature of the Self. The idea of self is the
deepest concept one has about oneself. To
begin withand this beginning may last for a
very long time!one thinks of oneself as body
or mind or a body-mind combine. But as one
evolves in ones thoughts and perception, a
new and better understanding opens up on
ones mental horizon. With a greater refine-
ment of thinking, one begins to recognize the
essential fallacy of body-mind being the Self.
This realization is the start of the inner journey
of self-change which every thinking human
being is struggling for. Without changing
oneself, how can one change others!
Kathopanishad is one of the Upanishads
which has been, and continues to be, the source
of inspiration for numerous thinkers and
seekers down the centuries. Swami Viveka-
nanda was fond of this Upanishad. He once
told one of his disciples to commit to memory
the whole Upanishad (consisting of 120 verses).
The Kathopanishad is told in the form of a
dialogue between Nachiketa, a young, intelli-
gent and bold seeker, and Yamaraja, the god
of death.
As one reads through the Kathopanishad,
one finds Yama making profound statements
about different aspects of life, the power of
desires as well as discrimination, Self, Ultimate
Reality, liberation and so on. His description
of the human personality, and how one can
develop it, is one the most gripping and fasci-
nating passages. Let us go through some of
them and cogitate over their implications for
higher living.
The Imagery of a Chariot
Says Yama (Kathopanishad I.ii.1), using
a powerful imagery,
Know the (individual) self [Jiva] as the master
of the chariot, and the body as the chariot. Know
the intellect as the charioteer, and the mind as
verily the bridle.
They call the organs the horses; the organs
having been imagined as horses, (know) the
objects as the roads. The discriminating people
call that Self the enjoyer when It is associated
with body, organs, and mind.
He likens human personality to a chariot
or a car. Suppose you own a car, you own the
car but you are not the car. You and car are
different. So, too, chariot is different from the
master who is riding it. Here the master refers
to the Divinity or the Divine Self which is
riding the chariot called body from birth to
birth. Senses are likened to the horses which
pull the chariot. The sense-horses are con-
trolled by the reinsthe strap fastened to each
end of the bridle, by which the driver checks
and directs a horsewhich are in the hands
7
of the driver called intellect or buddhi. To
complete the picture, Yama says the horses
run on the road called objects of senses.
What are senses? They are the windows
through which the body-mind perceives the
world. We see or hear the world through the
senses. According to Vedanta, senses, ten in
number, are of two types: jnanendriyas and
karmendriyas or organs of perception and
organs of action. The five senses of perception
or jnanendriyas are vision (eyes), hearing
(ears), smell (nose), taste (tongue), and touch
(skin). Through these, we import the external
world into our inner world.
The five senses of action, or karmen-
driyas, are speech (mouth), manual movement
(hands), locomotion (feet), excretion (anus) and
procreation (organ of reproduction). Some-
times mind is also included as a sense organ,
the eleventh organ. We export things into
external world through these senses.
We function through these senses, with
mind as the controlling and directing autho-
rity. Without the presence of mind or the mind
feeling one with the sensory perceptions and
actions, the senses cannot be fully functional
or effective. Mind, organs, body, along with
ahamkara or the sense of I, together make the
whole process of perception complete.
In terms of three gunas (sattva, rajas,
tamas), body has more of tamas or inertia,
senses have more rajas or activity/restlessness
and the mind, and the buddhi, have more of
sattva or serenity in them. Ego or ahamkara,
too, has sattva element in it but as it gets
predicated to various ideas such as I am
body/mind, I am beautiful/ugly, I am
wealthy/poor, I am learned/ignorant, and
so on, it becomes covered by tamas and rajas
and loses its pristine nature.
Yama later says (ibid, 10-11), tracing the
origin of the whole thing to God:
The sense-objects are higher than the senses, and
the mind is higher than the sense-objects; but
the intellect is higher than the mind, and the
Great Soul is higher than the intellect.
The Unmanifested is higher than Great Soul; the
Purusha, the Supreme One, is higher than the
Unmanifested. There is nothing higher than the
Purusha. He is the culmination, He is the highest
goal.
Indeed, the energy behind the senses is
the Supreme Self, of God. But since the senses
are created with outward tendencies, they fail
to see the reality within (K.U., II. i.1).
The Role of Buddhi
Yama points the role of buddhi or
intellect whose use or abuse empowers or
weakens a persons capacity to control the
senses. Without controlling or disciplining
senses, one cannot face the vagaries of life.
Disciplined senses are mans good friends or
else they are enemies leading to greed and
violence.
Says Yama (K.U., I. iii.5-6),
But the organs of that intellect, which, being ever
associated with an uncontrolled mind, becomes
devoid of discrimination, are unruly like the
vicious horses of the charioteer.
But of that (intellect) which, being ever associated
with a restrained mind, is endowed with dis-
crimination, the organs are controllable like the
good horses of the charioteer.
In other words, if we are alert enough, if
our intellect is freed from attachment to desire
for enjoyments in its gross and subtle forms,
our senses behave better. They do not behave
as if they are the master. The point is that
intellect should be made pure, free from all
attachments. It is the one basic condition all
religious teachers speak ofpurity of intellect.
In itself, intellect is like a sharp knife which
8
can be used in any way. We can also argue
against or for somethingthis is a function of
intellect. It knows how to take sides. But
spiritual life is not about taking sides but
finding the ultimate reality. What it means is
that we should free the intellect from likes and
dislikes (raga and dvesha), purge it of all
hankerings for enjoyment of objects of senses
and redirect the intellect to its source, the
Divinity within, which is by nature full of joy
and peace. After all, it is this joy and sense of
meaning which everyone is seeking, though
the real source is within and not without.
A saint once described an attached
intellect thus: An army, mainly consisting of
horse-mounted soldiers, was proceeding to
invade the enemy territory. Coming to know
of this, the enemy country acted smart and
employed a trick. As the horses approached
the country, they laid out heaps of fresh dry
hay and fresh grass, mixed with oats, barley
and other things which horses like to eat. They
also added some intoxicants in the fodder. As
the war-strategists of the enemy had bribed
the riders of the front rows, the riders let the
horses eat the grass and in the meanwhile the
enemy attacked the advancing army and
defeated them.
Same is the case of those people who let
their senses get tempted by the object of senses
without any check. While the sense-organs
devour the grass of sense-objects, enemies
such as lust, anger, greed, delusion, egoism
and jealousy attack the master of the chariot
leading to inner and outer turmoil. Conquered
by the enemy called sense-objects, the senses
surrender their freedom, leading to personal
and collective ruin.
Swami Vivekananda describes it thus
[CW, 1:235]:
The organs are the horses, the mind is the rein,
the intellect is the charioteer, the soul is the rider,
and the body is the chariot. The master of the
household, the King, the Self of man, is sitting
in this chariot. If the horses are very strong and
do not obey the rein, if the charioteer, the
intellect, does not know how to control the
horses, then the chariot will come to grief. But if
the organs, the horses, are well controlled, and
if the rein, the mind, is well held in the hands of
the charioteer, the intellect, the chariot reaches
the goal. What is meant, therefore, by this
mortification? Holding the rein firmly while
guiding the body and the organs; not letting
them do anything they like, but keeping them
both under proper control.
In the words of Yamaraja,
The man, however, who has as his charioteer a
discriminating intellect, and who has under
control the reins of the mind, attains the end of
the road; and that is the highest place of Vishnu
(all-pervading reality).
Resolving the Intellect versus Mind
Often there is a conflict between what
one feels (i.e. what their mind is telling them
to do) and what one thinks is right (i.e. what
their intellect is telling them to do). Most of us
know what is right but do not do it and know
what is wrong but cannot resist doing it!
Knowing and not doing is what makes one
helplessly stuck in ones inner evolution.
It would be good to understand the terms
mind and intellect in Vedantic terminology.
Vedanta says that mind and intellect both are
part of antah-karna or the internal instrument,
the umbrella term used for mind in general.
The antah-karna has four functions or aspects
chitta, manas, buddhi and ahamakara, i.e.,
mind-stuff, mind, intellect and ego.
Chitta or mind-stuff is the repository of
all past experiences and tendencies in their
seed form called samskaras. The chitta is the
receiver of all sensory experiences. It receives,
for instance, the impression of a bird through
the sense of eye. It passes on the data thus
received to mind or manas which searches out
various options about the object/event per-
ceived and presents them to buddhi. By nature
buddhi is that part of the antah-karna which
decides or settles on something. Ahamkara or
the sense of I makes the process complete
and hence, we say, I know it.
Now, if one wants to improve oneself, to
know ones real Self, one should try to attack
the enemy through proper understanding of
antah-karna. One should, first of all, ensure
that ones chitta is trained to receive only good
samskaras and block all the bad ones. The well
known peace-chant from Upanishads says,
Om, May we hear with our ears what is
auspicious,
May we see with our eyes what is auspicious,
May we live with contentment with strong body
and limbs.
May we praise the God and sing His glories
during our lifespan allotted to us by gods.
This is the first step towards cleansing
the mind: to take in through our senses what
is healthy and noble. Let us take care of what
books we read or what sites, pictures, blogs
and pictures on Internet we see, what con-
versations or songs we hear and so on. What-
ever we gain through the senses gets deposited
inside, in the mind. And ultimately, it is the
mind which gets polluted or cultured through
the senses. One should be conscious about
whatever one hears, sees, smells and so on.
The second step in controlling and
refining the antah-karna is to strengthen the
buddhi. In most cases, as said earlier, buddhi
is attached and hence sees only a limited view
of the reality. In order to make the buddhi
awake, let us discipline it to make healthy,
good choices. Let us choose good, and reject
what is not good. Almost at the very beginning
of the Kathopanishad, Yama refers to making
a choice between shreyas [preferable] and preyas
[pleasurable]. He says,
The preferable is different indeed; and so, indeed
is the pleasurable different. These two, serving
divergent purposes, bind men. Of the two, good
comes to him who accepts the preferable and he
who selects the pleasurable, falls from the true
end.
Buddhi has to be trained to follow the
path of shreyas, what is beneficial. This means
we choose beneficial over pleasurable. To go
for only the mere pleasurable-ness of some-
thing is to allow the senses to have the upper
hand. We should look for ultimate spiritual
benefits and that is what prepares the intellect
to become a tool for self-change. To train a
buddhi is to develop viveka or discernment
which plays a central role in all pathsKarma
Yoga, Raja Yoga, Jnana Yoga and Bhakti Yoga.
Conclusion
UNESCOs constitution famously says:
Since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in
the minds of men that the defenses of peace
must be constructed. Indeed, whatever change
we want outside, we should first make it in
ourselves. As Swamiji says,
We are to take care of ourselvesthat much we
can doand give up attending to others for a
time. Let us perfect the means; the end will take
care of itself. For the world can be good and
pure, only if our lives are good and pure. It is
an effect, and we are the means. Therefore, let
us purify ourselves. Let us make ourselves
perfect.
To make ourselves perfect is to know our
inside world, to change it slowly and gradu-
ally, through right thought, right words and
right action. We have to make our body-chariot
run on the path of spiritual perfection through
checking the sense-horses, reining in the mind
through a trained, awakened intellect. Are we
willing?
9
From the Archives of THE VEDANTA KESARI
S i mh v a l o k a n a m
(August, 1953-54, Pp. 261-265)
Swami Ramakrishnananda: Swami Ramakrishnananda: Swami Ramakrishnananda: Swami Ramakrishnananda: Swami Ramakrishnananda:
the Meaning of His Life and W the Meaning of His Life and W the Meaning of His Life and W the Meaning of His Life and W the Meaning of His Life and Work ork ork ork ork
Among the disciples of Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Ramakrishnananda holds a unique
position; he bears the Masters name; and he, among all the disciples, may be considered
as a specially commissioned apostle chosen to work in one part of the worldthe South
of India. While other disciples were sent to various places as a matter of course, the
special act of commission to this teacher by Swami Vivekananda is something distinctive,
and significant.
The Early Promise
Shashi [the future Swami Ramakrishnananda] entered this world at Calcutta in the
same year in which Swami Vivekananda entered itin 1863. We find him cheerful,
vivacious and active as a child, and intelligent, inquisitive and energetic as a boy. At
school he studied the various subjects that were taught to him but the fire in him could
not be quenched with the studies that the school provided. There was in him a passion for
purity, a spirit of dispassion, and a mood of searching and inquisitiveness, a burning
desire to probe deeper, and not rest content with what was given on the surface plane of
experience. A mood of spiritual quest was marked in him even in his boyhood.
Along with Sarat (the future Swami Saradananda), a younger cousin of his, we find
him wending his way to the Brahmo Samaj which was then the movement to which most
of the spiritually hungry among the English-educated went at that time. There he came in
touch with the great Keshab Chandra Sen and others. He participated in the spiritual
ministry of the Brahmo Samaj and sought to satisfy his souls hunger. From there an
inexorable destiny guided his steps gently and steadily to the temple of Dakshineswar
where he met with the great Sri Ramakrishna whom he accepted as his Guru, guide, and
all in all, and under whose training he developed into that great spiritual personality in
whose blessings we all have the privilege to share.
Mutual Discovery of the Master and the Disciple
Shashis meeting with Sri Ramakrishna is significant because of the future which lay
hidden within it. He goes to the teacher and there was an interview between the teacher
(Excerpts)
SWA M I RA NG A NA THA NA NDA
11
and the disciple. It was characteristic of Sri Ramakrishna
and characteristic also of the disciples who went to
him, that in these interviews there were interesting
questions and answers. Sri Ramakrishna asked Shashi
hardly 18 years thenas to what aspect of God he
would like to meditate on, whether God with form or
God without form. This was a usual question which
Sri Ramakrishna put to various aspirants coming to
him. But straight came the answer from this young,
inquisitive and frank boy to this query of the Master: I
do not know whether God exists at all or notso how
can I decide whether I should worship God with or
without form. . . The mood behind this frank answer
is very significant for religion.
The Mother-Heart of the Young Yogi
Swami Ramakrishnanandas devotion to his
Master was characterised by a supreme spirit of dedication and self-effacing service
characteristic of the mother-heart. During Sri Ramakrishnas illness in the last year of his
mortal existence Swami Ramakrishnananda dedicated himself to the unremitting care of
his masters body, excelling in this all his other brother-disciples. The spirit and intensity
of that service to the person of the Master earned for him, after the passing of the Master,
the name Ramakrishnananda. Swami Vivekananda who had desired to take that name for
himself, chose, however, to bestow it on his brother-disciple, Shashi, in appreciation of
his self-effacing love and service to the Master. We next meet with him as Swami
Ramakrishnananda in the first monastery of the Ramakrishna Order at Baranagore, Calcutta,
in the company of Swami Vivekananda and other young Sannyasin disciples of the Master.
The great mother-heart of Shashi found another remarkable expression in the life of that
monastery. This famous monastery is the origin of the now world-wide Ramakrishna Math
and Mission. In the Baranagore monastery the life of the members was marked by an utter
forgetfulness of the body and its needs in an intense pursuit of spiritual awareness and
Divine presence. But in this code of life there was one exceptionand that was Swami
Ramakrishnananda. Second to none in his spirit of renunciation, austerity and devotion,
he chose to give expression to these through the loving service of the Masters relics in the
chapel and of the Masters children in the monastery. His mother-heart found the fullest
expression in these two channels. For ten long years he tended the infant Order with a
rare love and devotion. The monasterys life centred in him and his life centred in the
Master whose service constituted his austerity and spirituality, pilgrimage and devotion. In
Swami Ramakrishnananda
12
the meantime, great things were happening outside which were to affect profoundly the
course of the world and the life of Swami Ramakrishnananda.
Southward Ho!
Swami Vivekananda, after his wanderings through the length and breadth of India,
had gone to the West and preached successfully for four long years the message of
Vedanta through the Chicago Parliament of Religions and a thousand other platforms. On
his return to India in 1897, he had burst upon our horizon with a mighty spiritual force,
had shaken our nation out of its lethargy and complacency, and had imparted to it a
message of strength and practical spirituality, of patriotism and national service, the message,
in short, of a dynamic national character. This dynamic impact was to affect Swami
Ramakrishnanandas life also in a radical way. For, as part of his plan of spiritual campaign
in India, and in response to the desire of his Madras devotees and admirers, Swami
Vivekananda decided to open one of the three centres of his movement in Madrasthe
other two being in Calcutta and in Mayavati. And he deliberately chose Swami Rama-
krishnananda for Madras, as his apostle to South India. The call was sudden as well as
revolutionary. From the even tenor of a cloistered life, he was to plunge into the
responsibilities and cares of an abbot in a big city. Swami Ramakrishnananda cheerfully
responded to the call of his beloved leader and thus expressed another facet of his great
spirit of renunciation and self-effacement. He reached Madras in the middle of 1897 to
commence a new form of spiritual sadhana where service of God flowed into service of
man, and which continued to the end of his life in 1911.
A mantle of simplicity and humility, covered the gigantic spiritual stature of Swami
Ramakrishnananda, Swami Premananda and other disciples of Sri Ramakrishna. He went
about his work in his new field in Madras denying himself in the affirmation of the Divine.
Only to a few discerning souls was it given to see the man behind the mantle.
Swami Ramakrishnananda came to a Madras which had only just a while ago
experienced the mighty impact of Swami Vivekanandas personality. The difference between
the two personalities was wide. Swami Vivekananda was an orator and organizer, and a
dynamo of spiritual energy and power which neither the East nor the West could resist or
ignore. Swami Ramakrishnananda was the opposite of this. But he possessed just those
gifts which could canalise a spiritual flood for the lasting benefit of the people concerned.
His purity and renunciation, non-sectarian spirituality and broad tolerance, his utter
selflessness and intense love for man, and above all, his complete dedication to the cause
of his Masterthese he placed in the devoted service of the people of this part of our
country. He was endowed with a strong physique and keen intellect; the first enabled him
to bear the hardships of a pioneers job, while the second enabled him to satisfy the
spiritual demands of an intellectual people such as the people of Madras are known to be.
South India may well claim the honour of having been the spiritual teacher of India
for centuries together. To this South India came Swami Ramakrishnananda. We can see
the unseen hand of Providence in this choice; his attainments and outlook and approach
bore a relation to the spiritual background and present requirements of South India. The
wholesome effects of this choice are already beginning to manifest, but its full effects, its
mature fruits, would come in course of time.
Thawing the Frozen Snow of the Spirit
A stagnant religiosity which found expression largely in formal acts of piety and
correct smarta behaviour could not catch up with, much less sustain, the movements of a
dynamic society. Life and religion, therefore, began to function in separate compartments.
This division in the mind of man had disastrous consequences for his character and
personality. The impulses of a static piety and the forces of dynamic social urges tended to
cancel each other so as to reduce mans strength of character and effectiveness of personality.
The country needed a re-statement of religion as a spiritual adventure and quest which has
the capacity to invigorate a society from within and make for progress all-round. This was
the service that Sri Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda did to religion in general and
India in particular. And it was the message of that dynamic and comprehensive spirituality
that Swami Ramakrishnananda bore to the religious people of the south.
(To be continued. . .)
13
Swami Ramakrishnanandas Personality
Swami Ramakrishnananda was a radiant embodiment of love and purit y. Such physical
and ment al purit y is rare t o find. His devot ion and fait h t oward his only God in life was
infinit e and unparalleled. His devot ion t o t he Guru can only be compared wit h t hat of
Mahavira t o Sri Ramachandra. He held his brot her- disciples like Swamis Vivekananda,
Brahmananda, and ot hers in high est eem, considering t hem as Sri Ramakrishnas
inseparable limbs. His love for brot her- disciples was akin t o worship. He knew no
difference bet ween t he high and low, rich and poor. He remained ever anxious for t he
well- being of one and all. He would st ret ch out his hand t o embrace all, and would give
away compassion t o all irrespect ive of t heir good or evil nat ure. The vow of his life was
t o serve t he Mast er in every being and help t hem manifest t heir inherent divinit y. He
sacrificed himself on t he alt ar of t his vow; he would perform t he act himself before
compelling ot hers t o do it . He came t o t his world only t o fulfill t he work of t he Mast er. . .
The great field of work t hat has been creat ed in Sout h I ndia in t he name of Sri
Ramakr i shna had i t s f oundat i on st one l ai d wi t h t he hear t s bl ood of Swami
Ramakrishnananda. Wit h t he passage of t ime people will come t o realize by degrees t he
ext ent of his love and it s influence. Swami Shivananda

Guru, Mantra and Initiation
SWA M I SWA HA NA NDA
Why Take Mantra from a Guru?
If a mantra is taken from a book, the
results will not be exactly the same as if
received directly from a guru, nor will it be a
waste of time either. Gods name has its own
power. Illumined souls explain that if an
aspirant learns from a guru who lives the life,
who has progressed a little, the results will be
greater. One becomes convinced it is possible
to realize God after having seen such a soul
before ones own eyes. In the struggle God-
ward, every now and then aspirants become
discouraged. Therefore, to keep up the struggle
and sustain a certain zeal, one must associate
with the holy. That is another benefit of the
guru.
Sri Ramakrishna was asked, Is a guru
necessary? Who is the guru? He explained,
GodSatchidanandais the guru. Human
gurus are the conduits of this supreme Source.
Swami Satprakashananda, former head of the
St. Louis Vedanta center, had a conflict from
whom he should take initiationSwami
Brahmananda or Holy Mother. Each one
told him to go to the other. Finally he went to
Swami Shivananda who said, It is the same
water (meaning the power conveyed from the
supreme Guru). Rain water has fallen from
the roof. It is coming out through the mouth
of the tiger and the mouth of the lion. There is
no distinction between the two.
We are only the conduits, the channel
through which the guru power flows. If ones
guru is evolved, the result will be better. The
power of the mantra will be more. Your faith
will be more. Your power, mantra power, and
the guru power all combined give the results.
Mantra power is increased if you have faith,
and it increases even more if the teacher has
faith.
In another context, Ramakrishna taught:
When ones mind becomes pure, then that
mind itself becomes the guru. In other words,
the pure mind shows us what is right and
what is wrong, what is good what is bad. But
one must receive the mantra from a person, a
human being. When Swami Brahmananda was
asked, Is a guru necessary? he replied, Of
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 has written and translated
numerous books and articles in English.
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.
15
course. If you want to learn how to steal you
require a guru. So why not accept a guru for
God-realization when one has no immediate
experience and the path is not so evident?
In the Vedanta tradition, the guru is the
Veda, which is knowledge not found within
the range of ordinary human experience.
Anything that is beyond the normal experience
must come from some source, and that source
is the Veda. It is a self-evident truth. No one
has created it; but it exists for all to experience.
Ultimately, everything comes from the Veda
or from the personal GodVishnu, Brahma,
or Shiva.
The Ramakrishna Tradition
In the Ramakrishna Order the guru tells
the disciple, I am not the guru. The guru is
God. Swami Shivananda and other direct
disciples of Ramakrishna all verified, I am not
the guru, meaning, according to the guru
lineage, the supreme Guru was Sri Rama-
krishna. Furthermore, the direct disciples
spoke this way from experience; they did not
have the sense of ego, the idea I am the doer.
In them that idea of I and mine was almost
nonexistent. In the Ramakrishna-Vedanta
tradition, their example is normally followed.
Although, on one hand we say we are
not the guru, but in another sense, we agree
that Yes, we are the human guru. However,
before the human guru dies, he should try to
inspire initiated devotees that the real guru is
not the human guru. The atman within is the
real guru. The atman is nothing but God, or
the Ishta. In other words, that guru is the real
guru, which is God.
Sri Ramakrishna explained that if the
human guru has attained a certain spiritual
level, he will be releasednot the final release,
but released into the body of the Ishta, and
there he remains identified with the Ishta.
Therefore, whenever the human guru is
praised by the devotee, that praise actually
goes to the Ishta. If the devotee wants to see
the guru at the end of his or her life, the guru
may come, but really it is God himself who
comes.
In this connection, there is a beautiful
story of Kusum, a child widow who lived an
austere life. Initiated by Swami Subhodananda,
a disciple of Sri Ramakrishna, Kusum was
devoted to guru and God. The story goes that
she died at the age of forty. On the day that
she passed away a light was seen above her
house, which some neighbours saw and under-
stood to mean that she had died. Her guru
was also aware that she had passed away.
After sometime Swami Subhodananda
visited that area where Kusum had once lived
and came down with a high fever. He was
put into a guest house alone, where he tossed
and turned all night. Suddenly he saw Kusum
sitting by the bed, fanning him. He asked:
Kusum, where have you come from? Did you
not die? Yes, she replied. Thakur has sent
me.
What happened the day you died?
Swami Subodhananda asked.
I was in great agony, she explained,
and I was calling on you. (The guru is
considered more accessible, while the Ishta is
less so.) I was calling on you and suddenly I
found you had come, hooded, and took me
by the hand. We both ascended into the air
higher and higher until we reached a wonder-
ful place. You removed your hood and I saw
the face of Thakur smiling. I asked, What
happened to my guru? Sri Ramakrishna
replied, It was always me. But you were
calling on your guru, so I had to take that
form when I came to you.
This story also explains the theory that
the guru will not be released until all his
16
disciples are liberated. The guru merges into
the Ishta, who does whatever is necessary for
the disciple.
The Ishta when manifested is the guru.
After the human guru passes away, you may
think, The guru has not left me. The guru has
become more infinite, more cosmic. The guru
is part of the Ishta. So, do not feel you are not
thinking of the guru when you are remember-
ing the Ishta, because the gurus major job is
to introduce you to the Ishta by the mantra.
Swami Vivekananda stipulated that the
minimum qualifications of a guru are, first, he
must be sinless. Second, he must know the
spirit of the scriptures. He need not be a great
scholar, but he should have insight into the
disciples nature and thus be able to recom-
mend proper solutions to spiritual problems.
Third he should be without any worldly
motive, keeping the good of the disciple as
his main purpose. Therefore the human guru
should be ethical and never take advantage of
the disciple.
Guru and Upaguru
The real guru gives the mantrathat is,
the power of the mantraand helps the
disciple mystically. But a teacher who helps
an aspirant spiritually in other ways can be
called an upa guru.
Sometimes in the Ramakrishna Order,
ones guru is quite old and has so many
disciples that it is difficult to receive an oppor-
tunity to go near him for guidance. So often
the aspirant will seek out some other senior
swami, normally the head of a Rama-
krishna Math centre, to ask crucial questions
about spiritual life. This teacher is called a
subsidiary teacher, an upa guru, or siksha guru.
Dreams about the Guru
Swami Vivekananda explained, Deva-
swapna satyamSpiritual dreams are true. Sri
Ramakrishna used to say that if one dreams
about sannyasis, a cremation ground, or fire,
these are auspicious signs. I normally say that
if a dream gives you encouragement, then
believe it. If it depresses you, forget it. Do not
try to find meaning in everything. But if the
guru scolds you in a dream, obey him.
Serving the Guru
The best service one can give the guru is
to realize Godhave the vision of the Ishta or
attain Brahmajnana. The second best service
would be to try to achieve that realization.
Another would be to convey Sri Ramakrishnas
message to others.
Once, Swami Yatiswarananda, later a
Vice President of Ramakrishna Order, wanted
to perform sadhana in solitude. Swami Brah-
mananda, his guru, asked: How much capa-
city do you have to do this? We have already
done this for you. Go and preach the message
of Vivekananda door to door. To lessen the
ego, dont think you are preaching, but rather
that you are merely conveying the teachings. If
you are asked, Have you realized God? say,
I believe in God and I have some conviction
that God is there, but I have not yet realized
Him. We practice humility by not thinking
we are either the guru or the teacher.
The highest spirit ual discipline is t he pract ice of Brahman consciousness. The next is
medit at ion. Chant ing of hymns and repet it ion of t he divine Name form t he t hird st ep. The
lowest st ep is ext ernal worship wit h t he help of an image.Mahanirvana Tantra, 14.122
297 T h e V e d a n t a K e s a r i J U N E 2 0 1 2 ~ ~
The Ramakrishna Advaita Ashrama
Lakoha, Benares City
U.P.
The 13th Jany/17.
My dear RamChandra,
I am in receipt of the Gita Rahashy by Bal
Gangadhar Tilak which you so kindly sent me at Almora
by registered Book Post. It was redirected to me here as
advised before. I already made acknowledgment of the parcel
of Dhupa to you form here the other day. I hope you have got
that by this time. I expected a letter from you. But I think you must be
very busy and could not make time to write. I trust you are doing well in every way. I am
doing a little better just at present. S. Shivananda, Premananda and myself going to the
Belur Math very shortly. I will be there for some time, may be till the winter is over and
when it is hot I may again go to the mountains with S. Shivananda who loves to be there
especially in summer. I shall feel happy to hear from you about your well being in reply to
this. My best wishes and love to you as ever. With sincere greetings
Yours afftly
Turiyananda
Sasi Niketan
Puri.
India
The 10th July/17
My dear Miss McLeod,
2
Many thanks for your kind letter of May 12
th
which I received here on the 22
nd
June
last. It relieved us a great deal. The news that Lord Charmichel lost all his belongings in
the steamer he sailed by put us not to a little anxiety about you. We are very glad to know
that you are once more amongst your own safe and sound. I left the [Belur] Math on the 3
rd
June and arrived here the next day and was delighted to find Swami Brahmananda and
party hale and hearty after a long time. Really I found him very much more active &
Unpublished Letters of
Swami Turiyananda
1
298 T h e V e d a n t a K e s a r i J U N E 2 0 1 2 ~ ~
18
energetic than what I saw him last time some five or six years ago. His travel in the
Southern Presidency has done him good. We had a very nice time of it here at the Car
Festival of Jugannath Deva. But I had the other side of it also. I had a boil in my right ear
which kept me almost confined to bed and made me restless for twenty two days. Now I
am all right again. You see I could not attend the Darjeeling Conference. Gonen went
there. You must have heard the sad news of Mrs.Geddes passing away by this time.
Nobody can understand the ways of the Lord. We are now more concerned for Mr.Geddes
who seems to be quite helpless at this terrible loss. We invited him to come and live with
us in the Math. He came for a day but could not stay as he had to go back to Darjeeling to
look after the Conference there.
Perhaps you are not aware that Swami Premananda had an attack of Typhoid fever
of late. We were put to great anxiety and almost despaired of his life. But thanks to the
mercy of the Lord he has come round and now is in the fair way of recovery. He is in
Calcutta at 57 Ramkanto Boses Street Baghbazar and progressing fast there. They are
doing well at the Math the Swamis and Brahmacharins of the Mission. You will be sorry
to learn that Biren had relapse of the brain disorder from which he suffered twice before.
He has gone to his parents and being treated there medically but shows no signs of any
improvement yet. He may come to his senses after some time as he did twice before. You
asked me to write to you often nay oftener. But I am so sorry I could not write to you in
reply so long. I hope you hear from Swami Saradananda every now and then. He also
suffered a great deal from liver complaints of late but now he is quite himself again.
Kindly let me know from time to time how you do.
Trusting you are well and prosperous. With my best wishes and affectionate regards
& greetings as ever
Yours afftly
Turiyananda
Courtesy: Ramakrishna Museum, Belur Math
References: References: References: References: References: 1. A direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna
2. Josephine McLeod, a friend of Swami Vivekananda
Swami Vivekanandas Heroic Struggle
SWA M I TA THA G A TA NA NDA
Prophets and saints suffer for the good
of humanity. They bestow love and wisdom
to the world. They accept suffering willingly
throughout their life for the lasting welfare of
humanity. All are exemplars of self-sacrifice
and renunciation. They come to remove our
suffering. Through their love for us, they show
us the way that leads to the end of sorrow. Sri
Shankaracharya says:
O Lord, with thy nectar-like speech, sweetened
by the enjoyment of the elixir-like bliss of
Brahman, pure, cooling to a degree, issuing in
streams from thy lips as from a pitcher, and
delightful to the eardo thou sprinkle me who
am tormented by worldly afflictions as by the
tongues of a forest fire. Blessed are those on
whom even a passing glance of thy eye lights,
accepting them as thine own.
4
Swami Vivekananda says, The purity of
these few Paramahamsas is all that holds the
world together. If they should all die out and
Suffering is the lot of the worlds best and bravestyet, for aeons yettill things are righted,
if possible, hereat least it is a discipline which breaks the dream [of worldly existence]. In my
sane moments I rejoice for my sufferings. Someone must suffer here;I am glad it is I, amongst
others of natures sacrifices.
1
Come ye that are heavy laden and lay all your burden on me, and then do whatever you like
and be happy and forget that I ever existed.
2
For the good of the many, for the happiness of the many, great-souled men take their birth;
their lives and works are past the ordinary human run, and the method of their preaching is equally
marvellous.
3
Swami Vivekananda
leave it, the world would go to pieces.
5
In the
Bhagavad-Gita Lord Krishna says to Arjuna:
Whatsoever the superior person does, that is also
followed by others;
What standard he or she demonstrates by action,
people follow that.
I have, O Partha, no duty, nothing that I have
not gained, and nothing that I have yet to gain,
in the three worlds;
Yet, I do continue in action.
If ever I did not continue to work without any
relaxation, O Partha,
Men and women would, in every way follow
my example.
6
Gods messengers have always been mis-
understood, persecuted, and tormented. They
suffered more than others did. Swami Viveka-
nanda says:
The great Prophets were giantsthey bore a
gigantic world on their shoulders. Compared
with them we are pygmies, no doubt, yet we
The author is a senior monk of the Ramakrishna Order, and the Head of Vedanta Society, New York. His books
include The Journey of the Upanishads to the West, and Light from the Orient, among others.
20
are doing the same task; in our little circles, our
little homes, we are bearing our little crosses.
There is no one so evil, no one so worthless, but
he has to bear his own cross. But with all our
mistakes, with all our evil thoughts and evil
deeds, there is a bright spot somewhere, there is
still somewhere the golden thread through which
we are always in touch with the divine.
7
The lives of the prophets testify to the
Divine love and truth that transforms people
when they go astray. Swami Vivekananda was
a world prophet and apostle of Shakti, divine
strength. He had the great heart of Lord
Buddha. He had the penetrating intellect of
Sri Shankaracharya. He had Sri Chaitanyas
love for God. He had the burning renunciation
of Jesus Christ and the dynamism of St. Paul.
Swami Vivekanandas share of the human
struggle made him a truly heroic person.
Swami Vivekananda was a God-man, a
great spiritual luminary, a Rishi. He was the
Incarnation of Lord Shiva
8
who was roused
by Sri Ramakrishna from his deep samadhi.
He took a human form and accepted human
suffering for the good of humanity. The Master
explained Narendras profound power of
meditation by saying that Narendra was the
embodiment of the Shiva-nature or Shiva-
power.
9
We can never grasp his infinite spiritual
significance or the fullness of his human
personality. His life was perfectly balanced.
His universal sympathy for human suffering
drew him to others. We are giving some
illustrations of his heroic struggle to remove
human suffering while he was enduring his
own trials and tribulations. These sketches will
create a deep impression in the minds of
sincere devotees.
Christ says, If any will come after Me,
let him deny himself, and take up his cross
and follow Me.
10
The cross is our symbol of
compassion, forgiveness and universal love
that Christ gave us through his crucifixion.
Swami Vivekanandas soul was always han-
kering after peace and rest eternal undis-
turbed
11
and longing for the solitary life of a
sadhu:
I long, oh! I long for my rags, my shaven head,
my sleep under the trees, and my food from
begging! India is the only place where, with all
its faults, the soul finds its freedom, its God.
12
Swamiji had to experience extreme
hardship, humiliation, betrayal, and undergo
many other sufferings throughout his life. He
bore his cross with love and was the apostle
of strength to others. He taught them that they
too might experience the glory of the Self that
had given him his strength.
One of Swami Vivekanandas earliest photographs
21
Narendras Early Experience of Poverty.
The dire poverty of young Narendranath and
his family after his fathers death in 1884 is
well known. Narendra, still in college and
unemployed, was the eldest child. All hope
rested on him alone. During this period, he
got his first bitter taste of betrayal. His once
affectionate relatives became hostile enemies.
They evicted his family from their residence
on illegal terms. They deprived his mother of
her legitimate possessions and her share of
property. For many years, Swamiji
had to go to court to defend the
legal rights of his family. These
lawsuits were expensive and caused
him severe financial and emotional
difficulties. He was often without
food for days at a time. One time
he was so famished that he fainted
by the roadside. His emotional and
psychological suffering more than
matched his physical suffering.
While his heart burned with
the desire to protect his mother and
family, his mind longed for God
and the contemplative life. He
wanted to renounce everything and
become a monk. That was his noble
ideal. Friends and relatives tried to
discourage him and circulated
horrible false statements about his character.
Then, in 1886, when he was twenty-three years
old, his beloved and revered Guru left the
mortal coil. This was more than he could bear.
Sri Ramakrishna had been the Life of his life
and the support of his being. He had been his
only friend, consoler and spiritual teacher.
Bereft of the Master, all hope left him and he
began to doubt himself. The shock severely
tested his faith in God. It was a terrible time.
Narendras Hardships at Baranagore.
Just before his Mahasamadhi on 16 August 1886
at Cossipore, the Master had transmitted his
power to Narendra. This profound power was
working within Narendra to make him a fit
instrument for creating a new epoch. He
established the basic form of the Ramakrishna
Math in a rented building at Baranagore on 19
October 1886. He later wrote,
When my Master left the body, we were a dozen
penniless and unknown young men. Against us
were a hundred powerful organizations, strug-
gling hard to nip us in the bud.
13
During his lecture, My Life and Mission,
in Pasadena, California in 1900, he spoke of
the physical, emotional and psychological
hardships of those days:
We had no friends. Who would listen to a few
boys, with their crank notions? Nobody. At least,
in India, boys are nobodies. Just think of ita
dozen boys, telling people vast, big ideas, saying
they are determined to work these ideas out in
life. Why, everybody laughed. From laughter, it
became serious; it became persecution. . . . And
thus we went on, that band of boys. The only
Swamiji (with turban and rudraksha mala) with along his brother-
disciples in Baranagore Math
22
thing we got from those around us a kick and a
cursethat was all. Of course, we had to beg
from door to door for our food: got hips and
hawsthe refuse of everythinga piece of bread
here and there. We got hold of a broken-down
old house, with hissing cobras living underneath;
and because that was the cheapest, we went into
that house and lived there. . . . I believed, as I
was living, that these ideas [life-trans-
forming ideas of Sri Ramakrishna] were going
to rationalize India and bring better days to
many lands and foreign races. With that belief,
came the realization that it is better that a few
persons suffer than that such ideas should die
out of the world. What if a mother or two
brothers die? It is a sacrifice. Let it be done. No
great thing can be done without sacrifice. The
heart must be plucked out and the bleeding heart
placed upon the altar. Then great things are
done. Is there any other way? None have found
it. . . .
14
Sri Ramakrishnas young disciples need-
ed to succeed as a brotherhood with a clear
mission. Narendra, as their leader, bore this
heavy responsibility alone while also looking
after his family. Narendra suffered mental
agony at Baranagore:
I had to stand between my two worlds. On the
one hand, I would have to see my mother and
brothers starve unto death; on the other, I had
believed that this mans [Sri Ramakrishna] ideas
were for the good of India and the world, and
had to be preached and worked out. And so the
fight went on in my mind for days and months.
Sometimes I would pray for five or six days and
nights together without stopping. Oh, the agony
of those days! I was living in hell! The natural
affections of my boys heart drawing me to my
familyI could not bear to see those who were
the nearest and dearest to me suffering. On the
other hand, nobody to sympathize with me. Who
would sympathize with the imaginations of a
boyimaginations that caused so much suffer-
ing to others? Who would sympathize with me?
Noneexcept one. . . . [Holy Mother Sri Sarada
Devi] was the only one who sympathized . . .
but she was powerless . . . Oh, how much it has
cost! What agony! What torture! What terrible
suffering is behind every deed of success in every
life!
15
After practicing hard austerities, Naren-
dra acted on his innermost resolve. In Decem-
ber 1886, at the home of Matangini Devi in
Antpur,
16
he took the vow of renunciation on
Christmas Eve along with the other disciples
who were living at Baranagore.
A serious conflict troubled his mind.
Before the Masters death, he had experienced
Nirvikalpa Samadhi by his grace but Sri Rama-
krishna had denied him further experiences
of that state. Still, he longed to go to a solitary
place in the Himalayas and remain absorbed
in the Absolute. This desire would not leave
him. During this period of mental turmoil,
Balaram Bose and Surendra Mitra, the two
main householders who supported the Bara-
nagore Math, died.
Swami Vivekanandas Hardships as a
Wandering Monk. Between 1890 and 1893,
Swamiji wandered as a monk throughout the
length and breadth of India. He encountered
great hardships along the way, with his health
breaking all the time:
It tells on the body in the long run: sometimes
one meal at nine in the evening, another time a
meal at eight in the morning, another after two
days, another after three daysand always the
poorest and roughest thing. Who is going to give
the beggar the good things he has? And then,
they have not much in India. And most of the
time walking, climbing snow peaks, sometimes
ten miles of hard mountain climbing, just to get
a meal. They eat unleavened bread in India, and
sometimes they have it stored away for twenty
or thirty days, until it is harder than bricks; and
then they will give a square of that. I would
have to go from house to house to collect suffi-
23
1. The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda
(Calcutta: Advaita Ashrama, 1977), VI: 419.
[Hereafter CW]
2. CW, VII: 521.
3. Ibid, IV: 419.
4. Vivekachudamani of Sri Sankaracharya, (Crest-
jewel of Discrimination) Swami Madhavananda,
trans. (Mayavati: Advaita Ashrama, 1952), Sloka
no. 39, p. 15.
5. CW, VII: 85.
6. Bhagavad Gita, 3: 21-23.
7. CW, IV: 152.
8. Udbodhan, Vivekananda Centenary Number, p.
262. two volumes), Vol. I, p. 134.
9. The Life of Swami Vivekananda By His Eastern and
Western Disciples (Calcutta: Advaita Ashrama, 5
th
ed., 1979 in two volumes), Vol. I, p. 134. [Here-
after Life of SV, Vol. I]
10. St. Mark, 8: 34. See also St. Matthew, 16: 24.
11. CW., VI: 359.
12. Ibid.
13. Letters of Swami Vivekananda (Calcutta: Advaita
Ashrama, 1976), p. 247. [Hereafter Letters]
14. CW, VIII: 80-3 passim.
15. Ibid, 81-2 passim.
16. Life of SV, Vol. I, p. 196.
17. CW, VIII: 84.
18. Life of SV, Vol. I, p. 257.
cient for one meal. And then, the bread was so
hard, it made my mouth bleed to eat it. Literally,
you can break your teeth on that bread. Then I
would put it in a pot and pour water over it
from the river. For months and months I existed
that wayof course it was telling on the health.
17
Several times, Swami Vivekananda be-
came seriously ill due to starvation and severe
cold. Once in Almora, a single cucumber
offered to him by a Muslim farmer energized
him. Another time when Swamiji was minis-
tering to the needs of the local people in Khetri,
he completely forgot to eat or drink water for
three days.
The most serious illness attacked him
when he was in Hrishikesh with a few of his
brother-monks towards the end of 1890. It
turned out to be a great blessing. A dange-
rously high fever and diphtheria had lowered
his pulse. In the bitter cold, he fell down un-
conscious but gradually recovered. Later, he
told his brother monks that
During that apparently unconscious state, he had
seen that he had a particular mission in the world
to fulfill and that until he had accomplished that
mission, he would have no rest. Indeed, his
brother-disciples noticed such a super-abundant
spiritual energy welling up in him that it seemed
that he could hardly contain it. He was restless
to find a proper field for its expression.
18
The vision ended his desire for intense
sadhana in the Himalayas. (To be continued. . .)
References References References References References
The Devoted Crow
One day in t he forest Rama and Lakshmana st opped by a clear st ream t o rest . There
t hey saw a crow, apparent ly parched wit h t hirst , yet every t ime it would go down t o t he
wat er, it would t urn and come back wit hout drinking.
What a foolish crow t his is! said Lakshmana. He is suffering from t hirst here on t he
bank of a st ream and does not drink single drop.
Do not j udge so hast ily, my brot her, Rama replied. This crow is a great devot ee of
God. He is const ant ly repeat ing Gods name. Whenever he goes down t o t he wat er t o
drink, he remembers t hat in order t o drink he must discont inue t he repet it ion and he
cannot bear t o do t hat , so he goes back wit hout drinking. Swami Ramakrishnananda
Man Beyond All Coverings
S.PA NC HA PA KESA N
What Is Important
Let us begin with an analogy.
Nowadays, we keep all our important
documents, jewellery and other valuables in
the bank lockers. Whenever we want to
retrieve them for usage or checking, we go to
the bank, sign the register (with the locker
details), enter the strong-room and with
simultaneous use of our keys and the bank-
keys, open our locker. What is important to
us is our belongingsdocuments or jewels.
The bank, the register, the strong room, locker
and the keys are only the means to get to that.
Without our valuables, none of these are of
any value. These are needed for keeping the
documents or jewels which is what we possess.
We do not own the bank, its register, the strong
room, the locker or the keys (as the last two
are only given to us on rent), but only our
valuables such documents or jewels. Our
valuables alone matter to us.
Similarly, the most important thing about
a human being is his Divine Self. This Self or
atman, says the Vedanta, is covered under a
number of coverings or sheaths. In order to
know the Self, we need to transcend the
covering layers or sheaths. These sheaths are
needed for the Self to carry on its mundane
journey, and their usefulness ends there. They
are not intrinsic to the Self.
As in the above example, we do not own
any of the first five items (bank, register,
strong-room, key and locker); they are only a
means to access our valuables, so also is our
Divine Self the most valuable thing about us
body, mind, vital energy, knowledge and other
things are only coverings over it.
There are some more examples in this
regard. When we offer a cup of tea to a guest,
we need a receptacle to offer the teaa cup or
a mug. But the empty mug or cup is of no use
to the guest; it is only what is contained in the
cup which matters to him. The guests do not
eat or drink the cup. They are interested in
the tea.
We can see similar things in other cases
like the wrapping of a sweet with a coloured
paper, sheath or case of a sword, envelope of
a letter, packing of machineryto cite a few.
In all these, the outer sheath, though a nece-
ssity, does not assist in the experiencing of the
object they cover. We need to remove the outer
layer to get to the item which is of our interest.
It is like peeling the jack fruit, removing its
thorny and sticky skin to reach pulp of the
fruit. We take the fruit and reject the others.
Sri Ramakrishna gives the example of peeling
the jackfruit after applying the oil on hands.
While jackfruit stands for the world, the oil is
that of viveka or discernment. To know the
Self, one should apply the oil of viveka on
ones mind, negate the five sheaths, and affirm
the unchanging Divinity within.
Called Koshas or sheaths, these coverings
are annamaya kosha, pranamaya kosha, manomaya
kosha, vijnanamaya kosha and anandamaya kosha
A retired technical consultant in mechanical engineering, the author lives in Mumbai.
25
the food-covering, vital energy-covering,
mind-covering, (lower) knowledge-covering,
and (relative) joy-covering. These are men-
tioned in the Taittiriya Upanishad. (II.ii.1 to
II.v.1)
Beyond the Sheaths
To understand the idea further, let us
take the case when we go to a doctor for a
medical check up. Though we may go to his
clinic well-dressed, when we go to his exami-
nation room, he asks us to remove our coat,
shirt, etc., for a clinical examination of the
body. The type of dress we wear while going
to the clinic does not make any impact on the
body (or its ailments, which we came to check).
The outfits that we wear are needed only for
travelling from our home to the clinic. Though
these layers of garments covered the body, for
the check-up, they need to be discarded at the
time of checking. They are, however, not
thrown out, but kept aside in order to observe
the body. Same is the use of the five sheaths;
they are just coverings for the Self within.
But in the case of Self-realisation, removal
of sheaths does not mean removing them
physically; it is, on the other hand, a process
of intellectual negation. It means removing our
misconception about the real Self. Adi
Shankaracharya in his Atma Bodha [verse 16]
says
Through discriminative self-analysis and logical
thinking one should separate the Pure Self within
the sheaths as one separates the rice from the
husk, bran, etc., that are covering it.
Hence when one says, I am sad, or I
am happy, one does not refer to the tongue
or mouth that utters it. He refers to the mind.
His words transcend the mouth that utters
them and refer to the mind which is the real
perceiver. Further, in Vedantic tradition, when
one says I am Atman, it is not the mouth or
body which is meant but the I, the real I,
the Self which is being referred to.
Take another example. In a water tank
or pond, sometimes the surface is covered with
hyacinth or scum, which gives a lush green
look of cultivated field to an unwitting
observer. If the hyacinth is removed, one gets
clear water. And this clear water allays the
pangs of our thirst and satisfies us. One may
be standing on the banks of such a tank and
be thirsty. All that one needs to do is remove
the scum and quench our thirst with water.
Similarly, supreme happiness will be obtained
when the Self is realised after removing the
covering (koshas). (cf. Vivekachudamani, verses
149-152).
Swami Ranganathananda in his com-
mentary on Vivekachudamani quotes American
scholar George Gaylord Simpson from his
book The Meaning of Evolution where he refers
to the isolation of the three sheaths of the body,
vital force and mind respectively. This is what
has been enumerated in the Upanishads.
As Sri Ramakrishna says,
A thief enters a dark room and feels for the
various articles therein. He puts his hand on a
table perhaps, and saying, Not this, he passes
on; he comes in contact with some other objects
and again says Not this. Thus he leaves one
thing after another till he finally lays his hand
in the box containing the treasure; then he
exclaims, It is here! and his search ends there.
Such is indeed the search for Brahman.
The same is defined in the Taittiriya
Upanishad, as to how to negate the various
Koshas and discover the atman within.
In his Advaitapancha-ratnam (verse 1),
Adi Shankarcharya says,
I am not a body, I am not the network of various
sense-organs, I am not the ego of I, I am not
the set of Prana (life-breath), and I am not
wisdom. I am away from wife, husband, farms,
26
finances, etc. I am the eternal witness of
everything turned inwards towards the Atman.
I am eternal bliss.
To know the Self by transcending the
sheaths is like digging a well. When you dig a
well, you are not creating any space there;
space is already there. When you scoop out
the mud, you are removing a covering, the
false notion that space was not there. In the
same way, what we call liberation is nothing
but the removal of the covering of avidya, the
five sheaths, of the false notion that I am not
the infinite Brahman or Atman. It is already
there, that pristine state of our being, beyond
the Koshas. All that one needs to do is to
remove the coverings and discover the Eternal
Self present within. That is the real man, the
man beyond all coverings.
Swamijis Drawing by Maud Stumm
This is a phot ograph of a past el drawing of Swamij i au Bedouin by Maud St umm, a
young art ist who was one of t he Legget t s house guest s during 1899.
The lines of t he mout h were so
simple and lovely and yet so very
difficult ! Miss St umm wrot e of her
at t empt s t o draw him.
A charming sequel t o t his account
is t hat Swamij i himself t ook drawing
l essons f r om Mi ss St umm. She
recalled:
At an appoint ed hour he came,
prompt ly, bringing t o me, wit h a
curious lit t le air of submission, a
huge red apple, which he laid in my
hands, bowing gravely. I asked him
t he significance of t his gift , and he
said, I n t oken t hat t he lessons may
be fruit fuland such a pupil as he
proved t o be! Once only did I have
t o t ell him anyt hing; his memory
and concent rat ion were marvellous,
and his drawings st rangely perfect
and int elligent for a beginner. By
t he t ime he had t aken his fourt h
l esson, he f el t qui t e equal t o a
port rait . . . .
[ Fr om Maud St umm s r emi ni -
scencesfor more det ails see Maud
St ummWho t aught Swami j i t o
Draw by Somenat h Mukherj ee, The Vedanta Kesari, January- May 2012]
Pundit who could not swim
Once several men were crossing the
Ganges in a boat. One of them, a pundit, was
making a great display of his erudition, saying
that he had studied various booksthe Vedas,
the Vedanta, and the six systems of philo-
sophy. He asked a fellow passenger, Do you
know the Vedanta? No, revered sir. The
Samkhya and the Patanjala? No, revered sir.
Have you read no philosophy whatsoever?
No, revered sir. The pundit was talking in
this vain way and the passenger sitting in
silence, when a great storm arose and the boat
was about to sink. The passenger said to the
pundit, Sir, can you swim? No, replied the
pundit. The passenger said, I dont know the
Samkhya or the Patanjala, but I can swim.
(p. 392)
Bird on Ships Mast
A bird sat absent-mindedly on the mast
of a ship anchored in the Ganges. Slowly the
ship sailed out into the ocean. When the bird
came to its senses, it could find no shore in
any direction. It flew toward the north hoping
to reach land; it went very far and grew very
tired but could find no shore. What could it
do? It returned to the ship and sat on the mast.
After a long while the bird flew away again,
this time toward the east. It couldnt find land
in that direction either; everywhere it saw
nothing but limitless ocean. Very tired, it again
returned to the ship and sat on the mast. After
resting a long while, the bird went toward the
south and toward the west. When it found no
sign of land in any direction, it came back and
settled down on the mast. It did not leave the
mast again, but sat there without making any
further effort. It no longer felt restless or
worried. Because it was free from worry, it
made no further effort. (p.792)
Man who Lost Letter
A man received a letter from home
informing him that certain presents were to
be sent to his relatives. The names of the
articles were given in the letter. As he was
about to go shopping for them, he found that
the letter was missing. He began anxiously to
search for it, several others joining in the
search. For a long time they continued to
search. When at last the letter was discovered,
his joy knew no bounds. With great eagerness
he opened the letter and read it. It said that he
was to buy five seers of sweets, a piece of
cloth, and a few other things. Then he did not
need the letter any more, for it had served its
purpose. Putting it aside, he went out to buy
the things. How long is such a letter necessary?
As long as its contents are not known. When
the contents are known one proceeds to carry
out the directions. (p. 729)
21
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.
Dhaniya Sutta: An Introduction
SWA M I SUNIRM A LA NA NDA
The author is the asisstant Minister of Centre Vedantique, Geneva, Switzerland.
Swami Akhandananda was in Tibet then,
enduring terrible cold of the coldest months
of the year. While there, he translated the
Gandara Sutta and sent it to Swami Viveka-
nanda. Swamiji was then in Ghazipur, in
todays Uttar Pradesh. Pleased with Akhanda-
nandas translation, Swamiji wrote these
famous words in February 1890: The Lord
Buddha is my Ishtamy God. He preached
no theory about Godheadhe was himself
God, I fully believe it. Further, he wrote: The
translation of the Gandara-Sutta that you have
made from the Suttanipata is excellent. In that
book there is another Suttathe Dhaniya-
Suttawhich has got a similar idea.
1
The following is an introduction to this
wonderful Sutta. Dhaniya Sutta is a poem in
Pali containing seventeen verses. It forms part
of the Uraga Vagga of Sutta Nipata. Buddhist
monks, nuns and scholars attach great impor-
tance to this Sutta, and Venerable Thanissaro
Bhikku and others have translated it into
English. There are also several commentaries
on this Sutta (Sukta). Though a small sutta,
the Dhaniya Sutta has deep meaning. The
author of this sutta has combined poetic
imagination with spiritual depth, renunciation
with involvement, simple narrative with
profound philosophy, all in one little Pali
poem. What greater certificate does its author
need when Swami Vivekananda, the greatest
prophet and the embodiment of the Buddha,
has himself liked this Sutta!
Dhaniya Sutta is an interesting narrative
of two situations in which two individuals are.
Dhaniya, the Gopa or cowherd, is one; and
the Buddha, the other. The worldly cowherd
and the enlightened Buddha are the heroes of
this song. They both speak to the god of rains.
The Sutta is a dialoguenot between two indi-
viduals, but two individuals, the Buddha and
Dhaniya, talking to the god of rains indirectly.
Theres also a verse in which Mara, the
tormenter, enters the field.
Dhaniya, a cowherd, is deeply attached
to the world. His words in the initial stages
Bhagawan Buddha
29
appear to show that he leads a prosperous,
happy and contented life. So he is not bothered
if it rains. The other person is the Buddha, the
supremely illumined one. The Buddha too is
contented, but his contentment is of a different
order altogether. So he is not bothered if it
rains. Since both are not bothered if it rains,
they say, atha yadi patthayasi pavassa devaso
if you wish, pour down, O Lord. The Sutta is
arranged in such a way that the reader is initi-
ally made to feel that the cowherd, Dhaniya,
is blissful and happy while the Buddha is alone
on the dark banks of the River Mahi, without
a hut, without help, and it might rain. Tables
turn only towards the end.
This Sutta is mystical. While the cowherd
symbolizes worldliness, the Buddha symbo-
lizes renunciation and spirituality. Rains
symbolize fate, difficulties and problems.
While the cowherds vision is very limited and
cannot see farther than that moment, and
foolish enough not to understand whereto
heavy rains lead, the Buddha is not concerned
about problems. Therefore both the Gopa and
the Buddha address the rain god and ask him
to shower if he so wishes.
The first verse of Dhaniya Sutta says (in
Pali):
Pakkodano duddhakhiro hamasmi (iti dhaniyo
gopo)
Anutire mahiya samanavaso
Channa kumi ahito gini
Atha ce patthayasi pavassa deva.
A simple Sanskrit rendering could
perhaps be this:
Pakvodanah dogdha-kshriah ahamasmi (iti
dhaniyo gopah)
Anutire mahiyah svagriha-vasah
Chadito kutirah ahitognih
Atha yadi pipatishasti pavasva deva
Venerable Thanissaro Bhikkus transla-
tion reads as follows:
The rice is cooked, my milking done. I live with
my people along the banks of the Mahi; my hut
is roofed, my fire lit: so if you desire, rain-god,
go ahead and rain.
The cowherd is confident. He is happy
that his family is doing well. He lives perma-
nently on the banks of the River Mahi. He has
a good hut, an excellent family with helpful
wife and children. He is affluent as he has
hundreds of milk-giving cows. He thinks he
is quite safe, and so wishes that it might as
well rain.
The next verse is from the Buddha. He
says (in Pali):
Akkodhano vigatakhilo hamasmi (iti bhagava)
Anutire mahiyekarattivaso,
Vivama kumi nibbuto gini
Atha ce patthayasi pavassa deva.
A somewhat close Sanskrit version could
perhaps read thus:
Akshobhanah vigata-khilah ahamasmi (iti
bhagavan)
Anutire mahiyah eka-ratri-vasah
Vivrita-kutirah nibhrtoagnih
Atha yadi pipatishasti pavasva deva
Thanissaro Bhikkus translation reads
thus:
Free from anger, my stubbornness gone, I live
for one night along the banks of the Mahi; my
huts roof is open, my fire out: so if you want,
rain-god, go ahead & rain.
The Buddha has attained supreme calm-
ness and tranquillity. He is little concerned
about the world and its changes. He knows
life is momentary and hence does not have a
huthis place is here one day, and elsewhere
the other. So, he is not worried if it rains.
In the next two verses each, we see the
cowherd, Gopa Dhaniya, and the Buddha
explaining their positions further. According
to the Gopa the area around is full of green
grass, which shall not be disturbed by heavy
30
rains. Then there are no flies to disturb, and
the situation is favourable and prosperous. In
his subsequent verse, the Gopa adds that he is
free from problems as his wife is in excellent
health and wonderful state of mind. The
Buddha says in his two verses that he has
crossed the river and has overcome the flood
of worldliness. So he has no need of a raft
anymore. He also adds in the subsequent verse
that he has controlled his mind, has overcome
evil, and is free; so if it rains, it may do so.
The Buddha is not concerned about rains,
i.e., misery and misfortune, as he has crossed
the ocean of life and has attained illumination.
The Gopa does not see problems and mis-
fortunes because he is blinded by his apparent
prosperity. This shows that apparent pro-
sperity blinds our vision of the future.
In another verse, the Gopa says:
Atta-vetana-bhatohamasmi,
Putta ca me samaniya aroga.
Tesam na sunami kinci papam.
Atha ce patthayasi pavasva deva.
The Sanskrit version of this Pali text
could read thus:
Atma-vedana-bhritohamasmi. Putrah ca mama
vidheyah nirogah ca. atha yadi pipatishasti,
pavasva deva.
Gopa Dhaniya is happy that he is not
dependent on anybody for anything. He has
his own, good income. His children are
hardworking, obedient and good. A good,
prosperous, and happy family. If it rains, he is
not concerned now, he says.
The Buddha says that he is independent
in the spiritual sense of the term. He moves
about in all the worlds freely. He lives on alms
and is not in need of any money. So, whether
it rains or not is immaterial to him.
In subsequent verses, Dhaniya gives a
list of his wealth and property to show how
secure his life has been: he has a number of
cows and calves (thousands according to one
commentator), bulls and breeding cows, a
fertile field full of munja grass, the fences being
strong and well maintained. Everything is in
order. So, says the Gopa, there would not be
any problem if it rained. The next verse is from
the Buddha. He says that he has neither bulls
nor cows nor calves. He has no possessions.
So, he has nothing to bother about if it rains.
We saw the cowherd being proud of the strong
fences protecting his fields. But the Buddha
says (in Pali):
Usabhoriva chetva bandhanani,
nago putilatam va dalayitva,
nanaham puna upessam gabbhaseyyam,
atha ce patthayasi pavassa deva.
The Sanskrit version would be somewhat
like this:
Vrishabha iva chitva bandhanani,
naga iva puti-latan dalayitva,
naham punah pravishyami garbhashayam
Atha yadi pipatishasti pavasva deva.
Having broken all my bonds as the Bull breaks
the bonds or the elephant cuts asunder rotten
creepers, I am free. I shall never again enter the
womb. So what worry is there for me about the
future or the past?
This extraordinary verse is like the song
of the liberated of the Upanishads. Sage
Trishanku (in the Taittiriya Upanishad), for
instance, sings immediately after his attain-
ment of supreme Knowledge that he is beyond
all bonds and is free.
With both the cowherd Dhaniya and the
Buddha having declared their positions, it
rains. It rains heavily.
. . . ninnan ca thalan purayanto mahamegho
pavassi tavad eva.
Sanskrit rendering of the verse could be
thus:
31
nimnan sthalan ca purayanto mahamegho
plavati tavad eva.
Torrential rains start immediately, flood-
ing the high and the low areas. When this
happens, the tune of the Gopas song changes.
He becomes wise. He changes completely. His
confidence in all his belongings, family and
wealth vanishes. And he along with his wife
meet the Buddha, who is on the same banks
of the River Mahi.
Dhaniya Sutta just says this much:
Dhaniya Gopa sees the God of rains shower-
ing, and says: We are blessed; our fortune is
beyond limit, for we have seen the Buddha. O
Lord! We have surrendered to you! Please
teach us. Not just that. The cowherd Dhaniya
understands the vanity of everything, and
renounces the world along with his wife:
Brahmachariam Sugate charamase (Pali),
Brahmacharyam Sugate charamvahewe shall
lead a mendicant life following the Sugata (the
Buddha).
They want to do this in order to over-
come the torment of births and deaths. So
heavy rains awaken the ignorant cowherd and
his wife, and make them know the futility of
the world.
Mara, the tormenter, however, is not to
give up so easily. He tries to instigate and
induce the Gopa to return to the world with
these words:
Those who have a good family, wealth, children,
etc., rejoice always and live a contented life. They
are the ones who are truly happy. Those without
anything are in misery.
The Buddha silences Mara and replies:
Sochati puttaihi puttima (iti Bhagava), gomiko
gohi tatheva sochati. Upadhi hi narasasa
sochana. Na hi so sochati yo nirupadhi.
He who has progeny has misery. He who has
wealth has misery. All thesewealth, progeny,
cattle, and so onare mere superimpositions and
bondages. He alone is free from sorrow who
has no such bondages or superimpositions.
This, then, is the Dhaniya Sutta. A person
who thought he was comfortable with his
wealth and worldly security is reminded by
the Buddha of the momentary nature of the
world. He is also taught the truth of renun-
ciation and freedom from bondages.
Reference: 1. Complete Works, Vol. 6, p. 227
Alt hough a man has not st udied a single syst em of philosophy, alt hough he does not
believe in any God, and never has believed, alt hough he has not prayed even once in
his whole life, if t he simple power of good act ions has brought him t o t hat st at e where
he is ready t o give up his life and all else for ot hers, he has arrived at t he same point t o
which t he religious man will come t hrough his prayers and t he philosopher t hrough his
knowledge; and so you may find t hat t he philosopher, t he worker, and t he devot ee, all
meet at one point , t hat one point being self - abnegat ion . . . Have you not seen even a
most bigot ed Christ ian, when he reads Edwin Arnolds Light of Asia, st and in reverence
of Buddha, who preached no God, preached not hing but self- sacrifice? The only t hing is
t hat t he bigot does not know t hat his own end and aim in life is exact ly t he same as t hat
of t hose from whom he differs.
Swami Vivekananda, CW, 1: 86
Belur Math Temple
And the Role of Two American Devotees in Its Construction
HIRA NM O Y M UKHERJEE
The Construction Work
The construction of Belur temple started
while Swami Akhandananda was the Presi-
dent of the Ramakrishna Math and Rama-
krishna Mission. The responsibility to oversee
the construction work, however, was given
to Swami Vijnanananda, another direct
disciple of Sri Ramakrishna. Swami Vijnana-
nanda was also a professionally trained civil
engineer.
The foundation stone for the temple by
Swami Shivananda, the second President of
the Order, was laid in 1929. But it had to be
shifted by about a hundred feet from south
to north as per the advice of the engineers.
Accordingly the earlier foundation was
relocated on 16
th
July, 1935 by Swami Vijnana-
nanda. Thus began the construction work
which took more than three years to complete.
Josephine Macleod, a close friend of Swami
Vivekananda (as she used to call herself), had
come to India in November 1935. Her visit
was to last till early March, 1936. The new
Belur temple was under construction at that
time. In a letter dated 24
th
November, 1935,
she wrote,
It is good seeing these hundreds of workmen
about and the growing of this great Rama-
krishna Temple320 feet long, 120 feet broad
and 120 feet highthe hundreds of bamboo
scaffoldings reminding me of Milan Cathedral. .
. . the new temple will not be finished till 1937.
10
Date for the Consecration
After Swami Akhandanandas demise in
1937, Swami Vijnanananda became the Pre-
sident of the Ramakrishna Math and Mission.
He would generally stay at Ramakrishna
Math, Allahabad. During one of his visits to
Belur Math in 1937, on the occasion of
Jagaddhatri Puja which comes immediately
after Kali puja, an interesting development
A retired officer from the Ministry of Industry in the Central Government, the author is associated with
Ramakrishna Math, Nagpur, Maharashtra.
Swami Vijnanananda
(Continued from the previous issue. . .)
33
took place. It had been earlier decided that
the consecration of the new temple would be
done on Jagaddhatri Puja day but as the work
on the sanctum had not been completed, it
was postponed. Swami Vijnanananda knew
his own end was nearing and hence he was
keen to install Sri Thakur in the new temple
as early as possible. One day he poured his
heart out to the trustees of the Belur Math:
Do not delay it [completion of the temple] any
more. Swamiji conceived the idea, [but] could
not start it; Mahapurush Maharaj laid the
foundation but [he] failed to get the work started.
Gangadhar Maharaj, yes, started the construction
but was unable to get it through. One by one,
all [direct disciples] have passed away. So I say,
please try to finish as quickly as possible. Let
there be no more delay.
Everyone understood what he was driv-
ing at. He, himself, consulted on almanac and
said, See, there are auspicious days for the
construction of the temple in the coming
month of January between 14
th
to 18
th
. Try your
best to hold the [consecration] ceremony
during that period.
11
Though construction of the temple had
taken nearly three years, some work on the
assembly hall was yet to be completed.
However, the trustees of the Math did not
want to delay the consecration ceremony any
further in view of Swami Vijnananandas
failing health. Finally the day for consecration
was fixed: the 14
th
January, 1938, the Makar
Sankranti, an auspicious day.
Belur Temple Consecration
Swami Akhilananda along with two
American devotees Mrs Anna Worcester
(Annapurna) and Miss Helen Rubel (Bhakti),
both of whom had donated handsomely
towards the construction of the new temple
had arrived in the latter the part of 1937 to
attend the consecration ceremony. Swami
Vijnanananda had arrived two days earlier (on
12
th
January, 1938) before the consecration
ceremony. Swami Virajananda, the General
Secretary of the Math, along with three senior
monks visited Sri Ramakrishna Vedanta Math
to invite Swami Abhedananda, the only
surviving direct disciple of the Master other
than Swami Vijnanananda. He was requested
to attend the consecration ceremony. Swami
Abhedanandas health was very poor, and
physicians had forbidden any movement for
him. The great saint talked with the visitors
for some time affectionately and told them that
it would not be possible for him to attend the
function.
12
On the day of consecration, Friday 14
th
January, 1938, Swami Vijnanananda got up
early and put on a new ochre cloth. He sat
quietly in his chair waiting for the auspicious
moment. His countenance was serene and he
spoke very little. He whispered to his atten-
dant standing nearby,
Having installed the Master on the altar in the
new temple, I will tell to Swamiji: Swamiji, you
installed the Master in the old shrine, you
conceived the grand idea of the temple now
completed; the Master has been installed on the
altar. You told me you would see it from above;
so fulfil your promise; see it, the Master is seated
there illuminating the whole temple. And then
to the Master, I will say something else.
Swami Vijnananandas health was not
good, so a car was arranged for taking him to
the new temple from the old Math building.
The entire road was covered with red silk
cloth. Arati was done before Sri Thakur in the
old temple. The auspicious moment was at
hand.
Swami Vijnanananda came down and sat
down in the car. Swami Shankarananda sat
next him. A monk brought the relics of the
34
Master (atmaramer kouto) from the old shrine
and handed it over to Swami Vijnanananda;
later he handed it over to Swami Shankara-
nanda. Above the car was a huge umbrella of
red colour. A milch cow was proceeding in
front of the car. The devotees fanned from
either sides of the car. The monks, brahma-
charis and devotees moved along the car to
the accompaniment of conches, bells and
burning of incense. A group of singers led the
procession singing a well-known Bengali song,
Eseche Nutan Manush dekhbi jodi aye chole (a
new man has come; come if you want to see
him).
The procession reached the new temple
by 9.30 a.m. Near the staircase of the new
temple, Swami Vijnananandaji alighted from
the car, carrying the relics in his hand, and
entered the garbha-griha (sanctum sanctorum)
and placed the relics on the altar. Then he
offered flowers, performed arati and then
offered cooked rice and other food items to
the newly installed image of Sri Thakur. When
the worship was over, he returned to his room
slowly, in measured steps. Still in the grip of
inwardness, he sat without any motion, a
picture of gravity. The attendant, in order to
take him out of his grave mood, asked him a
question, Maharaj, you said you would say
something to the Master, after the consecration
ceremony. Did you do it? Yes, I did, was the
reply and then he added,
I told Swamiji, you said you would see the
ceremony from above. There on the altar is
seated the Master, whom you installed in the
old shrine. Please keep your word. Then I saw
vividly in the sky above, all of them standing
with folded hands: Swamiji, Mahapurush
A recent picture of Belur Math temple
35
Maharaj, Sharat Maharaj, Hari Maharaj, Ganga-
dhar Maharaja whole host of them. They were
standing and observing the ceremony.
The attendant was struck with wonder
on hearing this. The attendant put another
question to him, Did you not say you would
say something to the Master? Did you do it?
He replied: Yes, that also I did. But that I will
not divulge to any one now. And then he
smiled. Most probably, he had prayed to the
Master to release him now from the bondage
of the body
13
. (He was to leave his mortal coil
on 25
th
April, 1938 at Allahabad.)
The function went on for the whole
daypuja, homa and other ceremonies
connected with consecration went on till 10
p.m. The Math campus resounded with
sankirtan, Bhajan and songs of Mother Kali.
About one lakh people, without distinction of
rich and poor, had assembled in the Math of
which twelve thousand devotees partook of
prasad. With illumination at night, the temple
looked gorgeous. Dasmahavidya puja, which
continued till midnight, was done at the
temple. In late night hours Viraja homa was
performed and nine brahmacharis were given
sannyasa vows (monastic vows) and nine
devotees were initiated into Brahmacharya.
14
After the Consecration
Swami Akhilananda along with Swami
Virajananda and some other monks went by
road and visited Kamarpukur (the birth place
of Sri Ramakrishna) and Jayrambati (the birth
place of Holy Mother) while Bhakti and
Annapurna, the two American devotees,
stayed at Grand Hotel. One day they invited
Swami Virajananda and some other monks.
Swami Virajananda visited them and told them
about Swamiji and stories of the earlier days
in the Math.
The citizens of Calcutta presented
welcome addresses to Swami Akhilananda,
Annapurna and Bhakti at a crowded public
meeting at the Albert hall, Calcutta on Monday
the 31
st
January, 1938. It was organised under
the auspices of Vivekananda Society. Mr. Sanat
Kumar Roy Chowdhary, Mayor of Calcutta
presided. The Mayor then presented the
addresses in three expensive caskets to Swami
Akhilananda, Annapurna and Bhakti amid
prolonged cheers. Mayor in his speech had
said:
These two noble American ladies, coming from
distant America to India, have not only donated
seven lakh rupees but had made great efforts to
fructify a dream of Swami Vivekananda . . . This
temple will be a permanent meeting ground of
culture as well as religious thoughts of America
and India and this temple will leave an unique
impression of universal brotherhood, on the
The marble image of Sri Ramakrishna worshipped
in Belur Math temple
line of thinking of thoughts of the East and the
West.
Swami Akhilananda and the two Ameri-
can devotees thanked the organizers in suitable
speeches for the addresses presented to them.
The women of Calcutta, not to be left behind,
appreciated the princely donation by the two
American disciples and as many as nine
womens association gathered at Grand Hotel,
Calcutta on 4
th
February, 1938 and presented
garlands and addresses to them.
15
Miss Josephine Macleod, who was not
present in India during the consecration
ceremony and returned to Belur in Autumn
1938, was to write in a letter:
All criticism of spending this vast sum of money
fades away in this fulfillment of Swamijis plan!
For he himself gave (made) the plan forty years
ago. Thousands came to see it [temple] daily.
16
After the celebrations were over, Bhakti
decided to stay back in India and saw Swami
Akhilananda, Annapurna and Frances off from
Bombay on February 15
th
1938. Though she
decided to stay in India, Bhakti came to
Switzerland in April 1952, because of poor
health. She again came back to India but this
visit was very short. She was in regular touch
with Swami Virajananda, Swami Abhyananda,
Swami Shankarananda and other Swamis
during her stay in India. She was held in great
esteem by the monks and devotees. She passed
away on 5
th
August, 1959 in Zurich.
Conclusion
Here we again remember the words
spoken by Swami Vivekananda while placing
the relics of Sri Ramakrishna in the newly
purchased land at Belur in 1898:
Pray today all of you, heart and soul, to the holy
feet of Sri Ramakrishna, that the great Avatara
of the cycle that he is, he may, for the welfare of
the many and the happiness of the many (bahujan
hitaye, bahujan sukhaye), reside in this holy spot
from this day for a great length of time, and
ever continue to make it the unique centre of
harmony amongst all religions.
Later he further said.
Through the will of Sri Ramakrishnahis
dharmakshetra (sanctified spot) has been
established today . . . This Math will be a centre
of learning and spiritual discipline.
17
Belur Math Temple is a living monument
of these prophetic words of Swamiji.
(Concluded.)
10. Josephine Macleod and Vivekanandas Mission, Linda
Prough, Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai, p. 439
11. Divya Prasange (Bengali), 3
rd
edition, Swami
Divyatmananda (henceforth Divya), p. 149-50.
12. Atiter Smriti (Bengali), Swami Shraddhananda
(hence forth Atiter), p.252-253
13. Divya, p.155-156
14. Atiter, p. 254
15. Atiter, p.254-255 and Prabuddha Bharata, May 1938
16. The Life of Josephine MacleodPravajika Pra-
buddhaprana, p.263-264
17. Talks with Swami Vivekananda, p.131.
References References References References References
Work performed as worship is no work at all, for it fails t o bind. But inact ivit y in t he
mat t er of dut y is really work, for it causes bondage. He who t hus sees inact ion in
act ion, and act ion in inact ion, he is int elligent among men, he is a Yogi and a doer of all
act ions. Bhagavad Gita
36
Monastic Rules for the Layman
G O KUL M UTHU
A devotee of the Lord, Gokulmuthu N. works as a software engineer in Bangalore.
All monastic orders of all religions follow
the three cardinal rulespoverty, chastity and
humility. These directly correspond to the
basic psychological defects in mangreed, lust
and arrogance, respectively. Most monastic
orders add at least two more rules service
and contemplation. There are other rules and
disciplines like silence, fasting, etc., which are
supplementary. Thus the five rulespoverty,
chastity, humility, service and contemplation
form the bedrock for almost all monastic
orders.
Poverty is followed as non-possession of
any material belongings. Chastity is followed
as celibacy. Humility is followed as complete
submission to the head of the monastery and
to God. Service is followed as various kinds
of work in the monastery, medical and educa-
tional service, teaching and counselling, etc.
Contemplation is followed in the form of
prayer, study of scriptures, meditation, etc.
The psychological defects that a monk
fights, very much trouble the other human
beings also. Thus these disciplines are not ex-
clusively for the monks. They are to be follow-
ed by the laymen also. However, due to the
roles and responsibilities in the society, the
way they are followed by the laymen can be a
bit different.
Poverty, chastity and humility can be
toned down to honesty, purity and kindness.
The monk also follows honesty, purity and
kindness. But the monk follows them to the
extreme as poverty, chastity and humility. The
laymen can be a bit relaxed.
Honesty is followed by complete con-
gruence of knowledge, intention, words and
action, and also as absence of unfair posses-
sion.
Purity is followed by decent and appro-
priate attitude towards the other gender. The
appropriate attitude towards everyone is to
look upon the person as thinking and feeling
human beings, and not as physical entities.
Kindness is followed by treating every-
one with dignity. It is in not exploiting the
weakness of anyone, but bringing out the best
in everyone by highlighting and encouraging
the persons strengths.
The last twoservice and contemplation
are almost the same for both monks and
laymen.
Service is followed by positive contri-
bution by doing ones duty towards family,
profession, society and environment. It is also
in charity to the needy and support for noble
enterprises.
Contemplation is followed by doing
everything as an offering to God and accepting
the results as a gift from God. In addition to
this, prayer, study of the scriptures and medi-
tation also forms a part of the laymans life.
Every thinking human beingmonk or
laymanis a self-declared warrior against the
animal propensities of lust, greed and arro-
gance. He has to be ruthlessly honest, pure
and kind to fight the battle. Any further
relaxation in this is to give up to the enemy in
defeat. To fight is to rise as a man. To succumb
is to fall as a brute.

Commemoration of the 150th Birth Anniversary of Swami Vivekananda
The following centres organized various programmes to commemorate
the 150th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda. (Main programmes
conducted by them are mentioned against their names.)
Bangalore: Spiritual retreat on 16 and 17 June, in which about 1200
devotees participated;
Baranagar Mission: Inter Ramakrishna Mission School Football
Tournament from 21 to 25 June, in which 15 school teams took part;
Chengalpattu: Processions, bhajans and film shows on Swamiji at
Naduvakkarai, Puliyur, Vitalapuram and Paiyambadi on 3, 16, 17 and 24
June respectively;
Guwahati: Quiz competitions on 30 May and 2 and 4 June, in which
143 students from three schools took part;
Hyderabad: On 20 June, several books on the life and teachings of
Swami Vivekananda in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam were
released by Sri Jawhar Sircar, CEO, Prasar Bharati, and the General
Secretary. The General Secretary presided over the meeting.
Itanagar: A two-day programme on 16 and 17 June, in which 218
school children and 240 devotees took part;
Salem: On 29 June, the centre launched Salem District Swami Vivekananda Literary Competitions for
school and college students. The Ashrama will be distributing 1,00,000 books on Swamiji to various schools
and colleges in the district free of cost for conducting these competitions.
Swamijis Ancestral House: On the centres initiative, two institutions, one at Pathuriaghata and the
other at Garia, organized public meetings on 2 and 24 June on the relevance of Swamijis message in todays
context. In all, about 900 persons attended the meetings.
The function at Salem
39
The centre conducted a youth conference on 16 June, in which 250 youths and 100 observers took part.
General News
Porbandar centre conducted a one-month summer camp for children from 1 May to 2 June, in which
165 students from Class IV to VII took part. The programme included chanting, bhajans, meditation, moral
lessons, classes on drawing, painting, etc.
Guwahati centre conducted a free medical camp during Ambuvachi Mela near Kamakhya Temple from
22 to 24 June in which 2233 patients were treated.
Relief News
1. Drought Relief: Our Pune centre continued its
drought relief work in Ahmednagar district. The centre
distributed about 30 lakh (3 million) litres of drinking
water to nearly 56,000 residents of 25 villages in the
district last month.
Earlier the Pune centre distributed drinking water
to about 45,000 persons affected by acute water scarcity
in 6 villages of Solapur district and 9 villages of
Ahmednagar district.
2. Hailstorm Relief: West Bengal: Our Malda centre
supplied hut-building materials (640 bamboos, 22,600
roof tiles, etc) to 52 families of Khaspara village in
Malda district, whose dwellings had been severely
damaged in the destructive hailstorm last month.
3. Tornado Relief: Bangladesh: In the wake of the
powerful tornado that had hit northern Bangladesh in
the month of April, our Dinajpur centre distributed
rice, plates, buckets and dhotis among 136 affected
families of 7 villages in Thakurgaon district,
Bangladesh.
4. Flood Relief: Fiji: Our Nadi centre continued its
primary relief work in Western Viti Levu in Fiji. The
centre further distributed 2730 lunch parcels among
needy students. Moreover, 10,000 exercise books and
stationery goods are being distributed among 1200
students of 10 schools in flood-affected areas.
5. Fire Relief: Arunachal Pradesh: Our Itanagar
centre distributed 18 sets of utility items [each set
containing a steel trunk, a bed-sheet, a plastic mat,
two buckets, a tawa (griddle), cooking vessels, ladles, a mug, a plate, a tumbler, candles, bathing soap,
washing soap, matchboxes, toothpaste, toothbrush, etc] among the families whose houses had been gutted by
a devastating fire in Barapani basti (area) in Naharlagun district.
6. Distress Relief: Our Madurai centre distributed 5008 notebooks among 500 needy students on 8 June.
The following centres distributed various items, shown in brackets, to needy people:
Belgharia (saris, dhotis, lungis, shirts, pants, frocks, sets of salwar-kamiz, woollen garments and blankets
among 728 families of 15 villages in Bankura, Paschim Medinipur and Hooghly districts);
Vrindaban (rice, wheat flour, pulses, mustard oil, salt and sugar among 600 elderly widows of Vrinda-
ban).

Distribution of water in the Ahmednagar district

For review in THE VEDANTA KESARI,
publishers need to send us
two copies of their latest publication.
THE BHAGAVAD GITA
by Swami
Gurudasananda
Published by the author,
Sreyas, Plot No.53, IV Street,
Kulandai Ammal Nagar,
Thanjavur, Tamilnadu - 613
007. 2012, paperback, Pp.
307, Rs.120.
Srimad Bhagavad Gita
or the Song Celestial is an
immortal classical text in the
Indian spiritual and philosophical lore.
Undoubtedly, it is a divine message passed on to
humanity through the divine-incarnated soul, Sri
Krishna. The symbolic theme of this comprehensive
perennial philosophy is that the whole world is a
battle field wherein there is a constant fight between
the good and the bad, the sacred and the profane,
truth and falsehood, morality and immorality,
perfection and imperfection, and so on. As long as
the duality persists, there is no remedy to all human
maladies. Through the yogic techniques and spiri-
tual moorings the aspiring souls can annihilate the
dual nature of existence and achieve Oneness or
unity of consciousness. At this stage there emerg-
es an intimate rapport or inseparable union between
the divine and the human. The commentators of
this grand text may have varying views with regard
to its philosophical interpretations, but the ultimate
truth remains that man, in spite of his multifarious
evil-tendencies and temperaments, is bound to work
out his salvation. It is a state where there is no iota
of suffering and at the same time he experience the
presence of divinity in himself whether one with,
along with or different from the Supreme Reality.
Swami Gurudasananda, the translator of the
present volume, has made an earnest endeavour in
giving a lucid and elegant translation of the Gita,
with a fair and small interpretation without any
bias or prejudice and without any philosophical
commitment. For instance, to verse no. 35 of 4th
chapter, he translates and comments thus: Know-
ing which you will not fall again into this kind of
confusion; O Pandava (Arjuna). For by this you
will see the whole of creation in (your) self and in
me. The commentary goes thus: The Lord declares
here in unequivocal terms that He is non-different
from mans inmost self. When wisdom dawns, we
gain a universal stature and an expansion of
consciousness that comprehends the whole of
creation and in itself. All devotees vanish and
confusion comes to an end once for all.
This interpretation reveals the truth that when
spiritual illumination enlightens the soul, all
varieties of personal aspirations with all its
vexations, vanish. The sub-titles to each chapter
are really remarkable and thought-provoking. Only
those, who are disciplined in the yogic path and
initiated into the spiritual realm leading to perfect
wisdom, are eligible to have a thorough under-
standing of this kind of sublime teaching.
This work serves as a means to fulfil the
requirements of the novices who are unable to give
up the worldly attachments and at the same time
inclined to climb the ladder of spirituality to acquire
inner peace, strength and tranquillity. Undoubtedly
this work will be a boon to the English-knowing
readers to read, reflect and realize the truth about
the various vistas of life especially elimination and
enlightenment.
__________________________ R. G O PA LA KRISHNA N, C HENNA I
STUDY STRATEGIES
by Dr Ramakrishna Sankara
Published by Giri Trading Agencies, 134, TSV
Koil Street, Mylapore, Chennai 600 004, 2010,
paperback, Pp, 120, Rs 60.
41
This slim volume con-
tains the kind of information
that almost all students
would like to get as they
face the big bogeyman
examinations. However, it
goes a step beyond just
preparing students to con-
quer their immediate fears.
Here is guided, step-by-step
approach which, if assimi-
lated, will help students to
lay a foundation for systematic,
controlled attitude towards any stressful
delivery situation, which is what exams actually
are.
The book is divided into seventeen chapters,
followed by three appendices. All the chapters are
tightly written and remain short and succinct, so
that the reader is not put off by lengthy homilies.
The first three chapters deal with the mindset
one must have towards learning. Dr Sankara has
given many examples and has dealt with each type
of learner. Tips have been given for each persons
learning style, comparable with Dr Howard
Gardeners Eight Intelligences. But where Dr
Gardener addresses teachers so that they can tailor
their teaching methodologies, Dr Sankara addresses
the students, thereby making them active parti-
cipants in the learning process.
The next three chapters have to do with the
nitty-gritty of studying itself. Many students would
like to do well, indeed, they are hard-working and
conscientious, but dont get the desired results.
Experts have already talked about working smartly
rather than merely working hard. In these three
chapters, Dr Sankara has outlined his strategies for
effective reading and time management, essential
to good performance. The chapter on reading skills
is particularly interesting. Here, different types of
readers have been described and readers have to
identify their own styles. The game plans for each
type have been briefly related and it is for the
student to choose whatever suits him/her best.
The last part is entirely devoted to eliminating
the obstacles to success in studies. Chapter 10,
entitled Overcoming Procrastination (p. 83), talks
about the common hurdleslaziness, stress, for
example. The final chapters have to do with physical
health in order to be at the peak of ones powers.
Thus, breathing exercises and stress-busters are
described.
There are several advantages in this book.
The first is its simple but fluent writing style, its
logical manner and the fact that students are given
the (right) idea that they are themselves in charge
of their performances and thus, finally, their futures.
At every step, the student is addressed and he/she
is made to participate. Mnemonic devices (QUA-
SAR, p. 63) and diagrams and flow charts take the
monotony off just reading.
This is a very efficient attempt at ameliorating
an experience which has today become a major
cause for concern for parents, students and teachers
alikeand Dr Sankara deserves praise for his
proactive approach.
On the whole, a good reference book for
anyone who has a stake in the teaching and learning
process.
___________________________ PREM A RA G HUNA TH, C HENNA I
GURUKUL: ENDURING VALUES FOR CHILDREN,
CLASSES
by the Sadhu Vaswani Mission; Gita publishing
House, Sadhu Vaswani Path, Pune 411001;
Hardback, Pp. 270; Price not mentioned.
GURUKUL - II INSPIRING AND MOULDING YOUNG
MINDS
by the Sadhu Vaswani Trust; Hardback,
Pp.257+appendices; Price not mentioned.
These two books form an extensive and
intensive course in Value Education designed by
the well-known Sadhu Vaswani Trust of Pune. The
first one is obviously intended for younger children
42
and the second, Gurukul II is aimed at an older age
group.
The first book, Gurukul, begins with qualities
that children should be encouraged to cultivate and
goes on to describe attitudes that these qualities
should engender. In that respect there is a logical
progression in the way the book can be used by
teachers, whether formally in the classroom or
informally in, say, a workshop. To illustrate: the
titles of the first five chapters of the book are
Empathy, Humility, Perseverance, Faith and Tole-
rance. The chapters begin with a definite routine of
chanting, prayers, meditation, kirtan singing and
thought for the week. The values then follow,
illustrated with a story which may be read aloud.
Following this, activities are suggested to further
impress the lesson on the hearer/reader. The lesson
ends with another arati and closing prayers.
Some of the chapters contain very interesting
vignettes of information about famous people such
as Edison the scientist and inventor, and Tennyson
the poet. This is to illustrate to the children that
attitude matters more than a privileged background,
which in itself is a very valuable lesson to learn.
The book then goes on to deal with attitudinal
issues, such as Hold No Grudges, Never Judge Others.
In chapters such as these, beliefs that have been
handed down over the agessuch as the meaning
of the Indian greeting namaste is explained. The
pattern of the proceedings remains the same, so
that both teacher and learner are familiar with the
methodology.
The book also contains stories of Sri Krishna
and Ganesha, while the value of the Ramayana is
also discussed. However, it is a course on values
which a person has to learn from the earliest
childhood and thus the book abounds in that
particular aspect of Indian culture.
The second book, Gurukul II, largely follows
the same pattern, the difference being that, while
Gurukul contains 52 lessons for each week of the
year, this books contents is demarcated by months.
Thus there are topics arranged for each month,
subdivided into weeks. The format could not be
more self-explanatory: Om, followed by Opening
invocation, hymn, kirtan singing and prayer. There
is a prayer recommended for the end of the session,
as well. While topics have been dealt with in a
more complex manner, the weeks programme is
fixed: the first week there is a story, followed by
the character sketch of a saint. Then a religion is
studied and finally, a theme is chosen for self deve-
lopment. This particular area starts with physical
well-being, followed by emotional health followed
by spiritual wholesomeness. Finally, the course is
synthesised to include overall personality develop-
ment. This is a very valuable progression and one
that often gets overlooked in schools today.
Both books contain very well-thought out
appendices which contain prayers and other
relevant material such as kirtans, which could be
taught in class. They are beautifully produced, in
colour and on glossy art paper and are hardbound
so that they can withstand repeated use over the
year. The stories are told in a simple, easy flowing
style and both books are packed with material and
suggestions. They are also very well-organised: every
teacher will welcome material that has been thought
out so carefully and is so classroom-friendly.
However, since it is the duty of a critic to
point out all aspects of a book, mention has to be
made of two things. The first is that it is essentially
Hindu in content which means that children
belonging to other faiths will find it difficult to relate
to. The second is an aspect which requires careful
handling and that istalking about God in class.
There is a danger that the concept of an omnipotent,
omniscient spirit might result in complacence and,
worse, belief in fatality. A good mentor will be
required to handle that.
REVISITING VEDANTA IN
THE TWENTY FIRST
CENTURY,
Edited by S.Panneer-
selvam and Uma
Shankar.
Published by Depart-
ment of Philosophy, SIES
College of Arts, Science
and Commerce, Sion
West, Mumbai - 400 032.
2010, paperback, pp.273
+ xv. Rs.250.
Comparative studies of Indian
and Western philosophies by Indian scholars is very
less. In that way, some articles in this book are a
good exception. This book contains some articles
43
with comparative studies. However, it is dis-
appointing that most of these articles look at Indian
Philosophy from a Western point of view. Most of
the comments on the Vedas, Upanishads and other
Indian books are quoted from Western scholars.
The book inadvertently shows the lack of confidence
in the Indian scholarly work on Indian philosophy.
The need of the day is to look at the Western
Philosophy from Indian point of view and show
how Vedanta can contribute in understanding the
world in the twenty first century.
Another major drawback of the book is that
almost all of the authors are academicians who
have not learnt Vedanta from a traditional Guru.
Many of the views presented as Sankaras is not
accurate. Many of the questions that are left open
are actually answered adequately in the tradition.
Universities which deal with Vedanta should get
guidance from traditional teachers to rightly
understand Vedanta according to Sankara and other
Acharyas.
The book is a record of the proceedings of
the seminar held at SIES College, Mumbai in
January 2009. The book has five sections:
1. Vedantic Tradition
2. Interpretation of Vedanta
3. Redefining Vedic / Vedantic Concepts
4. Vedanta Through the Ages
5. Debates in Vedanta
The imaginary dialogue between Adi Shan-
kara and a contemporary Western Philosopher
presented in the chapter by R.Balasubramanian is
very interesting. It presents a very sympathetic
Western Philosopher. The dialogue is more of
finding the commonalities. It will be interesting to
have a similar imaginary dialogue to bring out the
differences in a friendly way. This will make a
balanced presentation of the topic.
The article by S.Panneerselvam, comparing
Sankaras and Western methods of interpretation
is good. It presents Western Hermeneutics as
described by Heidegger and Gadamer and the
Indian Mimamsa method as presented by Sankara.
The interrelation between the two is brought about
in detail. A detailed discussion on the common
grounds and the places where they differ could
have been a good addition.
S.E.Bhelkey points out a very important need
of the time: We think of perennial problems and
solutions as given in the Indian philosophical
tradition. However, common man does not for-
mulate his problem as it has been formulated as a
perpetual one. And hence, such a philosophizing
becomes obsolete to him. . . . The modern philo-
sopher has to transform the perennial (problem and)
solution to make it relevant and satisfying. The
chapter by him in the book tries to do this.
The article by T.C.Roymon titled Approaches
to Reality: Sankara vs Plato and Kant, is one of the
best academic articles in the book. It introduces the
concept of these three thinkers and provides a
detailed comparison of their views. It provides the
similarities and dissimilarities in great detail.
L.Vijais article presents Sri Aurobindos
philosophy of Integral Yoga as the synthesis of
Advaita Vedanta and Agama. Mahesh Ursekars
article and ShobhaDoshis article raise some
questions on the Law of Karma and Free Will.
However, if these articles had been reviewed by a
traditional teacher of Vedanta, many of the
questions left open in the articles could have been
closed for the benefit of the author and the readers.
The article by SunitaJeswani and Vatsala Pai present
some salient concepts in the Upanisads in the light
of Swami Vivekananda.
There are several refreshing articles like
RajshreeVasudevans article on Guru, Kanchana
Natarajans article on the saint, Avudai Akka, Uma
Shankars article on Ramana Maharishi, S.G.Nigals
article on Shri P.V.Athawale Shastri, Geeta Mehtas
article on Vinoba, and Gauri Mahulikar and
Shubada Joshis articles on the saints of
Maharashtra. There are also some general articles
relating Vedanta with Environmental Ethics, Vedic
Mathematics, Management, Secularlism, etc.
There should be more such conferences and
debates of still better quality all over the country.
There should be a clear and consistent understand-
ing of Indian philosophies of Sankara, Ramanuja,
etc in the academic circles. The academia should
take help from traditional scholars to achieve this.
_____________________________ G O KUL M UTHU, BA NG A LO RE
DOES GOD HAVE FAVOURITES?
By J.P. Vaswani
Published by Sterling Publishers (P) Ltd. 2009,
paperback, Pp.168, Rs.125.(Available at Gita
Publishing House,10, Sadu Vaswani Path, Pune
- 411 001).

The title is instantly
thought-provoking be-
cause, as we look around
us, the thought has surely
crossed many points that
certain people are the
chosen ones, chosen to be
luckier, cleverer, richer,
more powerful, to name
just a few of the situations
that most of us aspire to.
The book is a compi-
lation of talks given by JP Vaswani
over the years, translated into English so as to
enable a larger audience to benefit by them.
So, does God have favourites? This volume
by JP Vaswani answers that question in fifteen
chapters of this well-written and easily accessible
book, where he discusses commonly expressed
doubts that spiritual aspirants have always had.
The book begins with a talk on the Guru and
what a Guru symbolises. JP Vaswani says that a
Guru, being the person who aids the aspirant to
achieve his goal by helping him/her to differentiate
between the true and the false, is to be considered
the light that illumines darkness. The next talk, The
Power that is Within You, is equally important
because it lays the onus of spiritual progress
squarely on the practitioner. The first two chapters
are particularly significant as they set the stage for
individual participation. The value of meditation
and the question of what real wealth are addressed.
That it is not worldly riches is something everyone
understands, but then what is it? Meditation helps
us to understand and experience this higher self
(p. 20).
In the chapters following this beginning,
conscious participation in the great journey to self-
awareness is emphasized. One generally goes
through life with blinkers on. This leads to more
and more involvement with worldly matters,
further, it puts one on the treadmill of desire and
acquisition. To get off the treadmill, there must be
realization, a moment when one stops to ask the
questions befitting human intelligence. In the
chapter Art of Living, the concept of detachment
is introduced. A true pilgrim on the path is one
who has no attachment to any kind of worldly
affairs (pg 115). The various metaphors used to
describe this world and our short spans on it are
described: a bridge, a stage, a field of thorns. JP
Vaswani everywhere brings the reader to the
realization that purity of heart and sincerity of
purpose are the two main attributes to success in
spirituality. However purity of heart, as he points
out, encompasses humility and love. Without these
two, all our efforts are in vain.
The book ends with a talk that is really the
answer to the intriguing question in the title of the
book: The Man Who Made Friends With God. He
makes it clear that one cannot be anything other
than single-minded in the pursuit of this noble and
lofty goal. However, there is one flag post on the
waythat God is ever ready to help us, always
available and accessible. We only have to call on
Him; again, with love and humility. If we do this,
then it becomes that God does not particularly
favour anyone except his true devotee.
JP Vaswanis writing is full of wisdom and
understanding and the style of his expression is so
simple that it is easily understood. However, this
is not to say that the content is not complexit is,
though he makes it appear straightforward. This
quality deepens the value of the lecturessince it
is inclusive, the reader is encouraged in his
attempts, however feeble they may be at the begin-
ningto reach the goal. Beautifully produced and
arranged, it is a book that is at once reassuring and
encouraging.
31 PEARLS OF FEELINGS
by Mrs. Sushil Suri.
Published by M.R. Publications, # 10, Metropole
Market, 2724-25First Floor Kucha Chelan,
Daryaganj, New Delhi - 110 002. 2011, paper-
back, Pp.72, Rs.50.
This small book is a collection of some of the
couplets composed and sung by Mrs. Sushil Suri to
her son Vicky Suri on various occasions. The
original is in Urdu. Vicky Suri has given transli-
terations in Devanagri and English and meaning
with short explanations.
The subject covered is mainly Bhakti in its
various aspects. One couplet says that life without
divine love is a series of intoxications and sadness.
There is a couplet glorifying the need for continuous
remembrance of God. The booklet should interest
sincere devotees and spiritual aspirants.
_______________________________________________ VK O FFIC E
44
RAMAKRISHNA MISSION,KADAPA
Putlampalli, Near RIMS Hospital, Kadapa - 516002, AP
Ph-08562- 200120, 200633
City Centre: Ramakrishna Math, Trunk Road, Kadapa, 516001, Ph-08562-241633
Email: kadapamath@yahoo.com Web site: www.rkm-kadapa.org
Consecration of the Universal Temple
By the grace of the Holy Trio, the Universal Temple of Bhagavan Sri Ramakrishna at
Kadapa is nearing completion. Though initially the temple was estimated at Rs.140 Lakhs, we
have to spend an additional Rs.20 lakhs to complete it. Now it has been decided to perform
the consecration of the temple along with a marble image of Sri Ramakrishna on Thursday,
22 November 2012 (the sacred Jagad-
dhatri Puja day). In this connection a
four-day programme will be held from
20 to 23 November. We welcome all
devotees and admirers Sri Rama-
krishna to the celebrations.
Srimat Swami Smarananandaji
Maharaj, Vice-President of Rama-
krishna Order, has kindly agreed to
perform the consecration ceremony.
We expect about 250 sadhus and
brahmacharis and around 5000 devo-
tees (2000 from outside Kadapa) for
the function which would include
Vastu Homa, special pujas, bhajans and cultural programmes, procession of sadhus and
devotees, discourses by monks and eminent persons, and the publication of a souvenir. The
estimated cost of these celebrations is Rs.45.00 lakhs. We appeal to all the devotees and
admirers to generously contribute towards this noble event and make it a grand and memorable
occasion.
You contributions through cheques or DDs, drawn in favour of Ramakrishna Mission,
Kadapa, payable at Cuddapah (the old spelling still in use in banks), may be sent to the above
address. You can also use the E-transfer facility to remit to our bank account (details for back-
transfer: Ramakrishna Mission, A/c No 30186936408, State Bank of India, RIMS Branch
Cuddapah. Bank code: SBIN 0010107). Please intimate us your full name and address soon
after the e-transfer is complete.
With prayers and good wishes,
Note: The details of the celebrations can be had on our website. You can also download the enrolment
form and send back the filled-in form along with the DD as required. For more details for enrolment as
delegates, please SMS your full address to 09248545012. The last date for enrolment is 15 August 2012.
Swami Atmavidananda
Secretary
A recent picture of the temple under construction
RAMAKRISHNA MISSION SEVASHRAMA
Vijnanananda Marg, Mutthiganj, Allahabad - 211 003
Phone : 0532-2413369 Fax : 0532-2415235
E-mail : rkmathald@dataone.in
PURNA KUMBHA MELA CAMP - 2013
An Appeal
Dear Friend,
The famous Kumbha Mela of Prayag is believed to be the biggest religious gathering in
the world. This time Purna Kumbha Mela is being held here from 15th January to 25th
February 2013. More than a hundred fifty lakh pilgrims and Sadhus are expected from all
parts of the country and even abroad to participate in this great event. Special arrangements
have to be made for the medical care of the Sadhus and the pilgrims including the Kalpavasis.
The Sevashrama proposes, as in the previous years, to open a camp on the Mela
grounds with charitable Allopathic and Homeopathic clinics and a first-aid centre for giving
free medical treatment to the assembled pilgrims and Sadhus. Qualified doctors, compounders,
paramedical staff and volunteers will be required to help us in the work. Board and lodging
arrangements will also have to be made for one thousand pilgrims and two hundred Sadhus
and volunteers. It is also proposed to maintain a Mandir and Satsang Pandal for regular
religious programmes in the camp.
The approximate expenditure of the whole camp is Rs. 100 lakhs. The Sevashrama
therefore earnestly appeals to the generous public for help in the noble venture as they have
spontaneously done in the past. Contribution in cash will also be thankfully received and
acknowledged.
Cheques and drafts should be crossed A/c Payee only and drawn in favour of
RAMAKRISHNA MISSION SEVASHRAMA, ALLAHABAD and sent preferably by registered/
speed post.
Thanking you,
Yours in the Lord
Swami Nikhilatmananda
Secretary
1. Donation to the Ramakrishna Mission Sevashrama are exempted from income-tax
under Section 80 G of the Income tax Act, 1961.
2. Important bathing days are 15th January (Makar Sankranti), 27th January (Paush
Purnima), 10th February (Mauni Amavasya), 15th February (Basant Panchami) and 25th February
(Magha Purnima).
3. Those who want board and lodging facility at our campus during the Purna Kumbha
Mela should reserve their accommodation by applying in the prescribed form along with an
advance payment by 15th October, 2012. For the prescribed form and details please write to
the above address at your earliest.
SWAMI VIVEKANANDA
AN INTUITIVE SCIENTIST
Swami Vivekananda was a multifaceted genius.
Besides his profound insights into spiritual life, Swamiji
was well-acquainted with the scientific thoughts of his times
and was remarkably accurate in his observations with
regard to many scientific notions. What is even more
important is the ample hints he gave on ways to train the
mind, arousing the unseen power of intuition, which is
vital to all scientific pursuits. This book attempts to
explore this aspect of Swamijis personality.
The author of the book is a retired scientist
of ISRO, Bangalore.
N NN NNEW EW EW EW EW R RR RRELEASE ELEASE ELEASE ELEASE ELEASE
Published by Sri Ramakrishna Math,
Mylapore, Chennai - 600 004
Price: Rs. 40/- + Postage: Rs.22/-for single copy. No request for VPP entertained
Pages xvi + 156
NAVAJEEVAN BLIND RELIEF C ENTRE
We can attain salvation through social work
Swami Vivekananda
K. Sridhar Acharya
Founder/ President
1. Navajeevan School & Hostel for Blind Children Tirupati & Orissa
2. Navajeevan Free Eye Hospital Tirupati
3. Navajeevan Free Home for Aged Tirupati, Rishikesh & Chennai
4. Navajeevan Harijan Sewa Ashram Kothapeta
5. Navajeevan Sharanagati Vridhashram Tirupati
6. Navajeevan Orphanage Parlaki Mudi [Orissa]
7. Navajeevan Rural Medical Centres - Berhampur [Orissa]
8. Navajeevan Eye Care Centres - Serango [Orissa]
9. Navajeevan Orphan Homes - Visakha & Saluru
A Humble Request for Donation A Humble Request for Donation A Humble Request for Donation A Humble Request for Donation A Humble Request for Donation
1. Sponsor one day Annadan to Blind Children and aged Rs. 5000/-
2. Sponsor 5 IOL Cataract Eye Operations Rs. 7000/-
3. Sponsor one blind child or Orphan child for one year Rs. 6000/-
4. Sponsor one poor aged person for one year Rs. 5000/-
5. Sponsor one free eye camp at Rural/Tribal area Rs. 50000/-
6. VidyadanEducational aid for one Child Rs. 2000/-
(FREE HOME FOR THE BLIND, ORPHAN AND AGED)
TIRUCHANOOR, TIRUPATI - 517503. Ph : 0877-2239992, 9908537528 [Mob.]
E-mail: sreenavajeevan@gmail.com Website: www.navajeevan.org
An Appeal An Appeal An Appeal An Appeal An Appeal
33 Y 33 Y 33 Y 33 Y 33 Years of Service to Humanity 1979 - 2012 ears of Service to Humanity 1979 - 2012 ears of Service to Humanity 1979 - 2012 ears of Service to Humanity 1979 - 2012 ears of Service to Humanity 1979 - 2012
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.
Vol.99-08 The Vedanta Kesari (English Monthly) August 2012. 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
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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-
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