Latest revision as of 16:55, 25 January 2026

Messages from Swami Dayatmananda

26 October 2018

Truthfulness

'Once it so happened that there was a swelling in his legs. He was still at Dakshineswar. Mahendra Kaviraj asked him to take lemons. Brother Yogen used to bring two fresh lemons every day. Master would take them daily. But one day he could not take them. Yogen was astonished. On enquiry it was found that from that day the garden had been leased out to another man for a year. As the Master was given to truth he could not take the lemons that day, for the permission to take the fruits had been obtained not from the new lessee but from the old owner, who, after the leasing out, had no right over the fruits.'

'On the occasion of the Master's last birthday celebration at Dakshineswar during his lifetime Narottama sang kirtana there. There was quite a crowd then; about 250/300 devotees took prasada that day. That day, when the Master touched Loren Babu, he (Master) passed into samadhi. Since that time there was a division among the devotees of the Master. In one party there were Ram, Girish, Manomohana, Kedar and others. They used to call the Master an Incarnation of God. In the other group were Balaram, Kishori, Suresh, Prankrishna and others.

It was on this occasion the Master made it known to the devotees that Maya was no other than Ishwara Himself. 'The creatures and creation are but He. Jivas are His manifestations. Avataras also are His manifestations but with a difference. But ultimately all are He, all are one... The same one who Incarnated as Rama and Krishna has Incarnated this time (showing himself) as Ramakrishna'.

A devotee once asked Latu Maharaj, how lust could be brought under control, rather be driven off completely. Latu Maharaj replied, 'Do one thing. Keep a photo of the Master. Whenever the fell urge would come, look at it intently, prayerfully. You will see all unworthy desires have vanished. Do it.'

To another devotee he said, 'Do you think passions and desires leave us so easily? Constant remembrance of our guru or Chosen Deity is a great help in this matter, I should say, the most powerful means to its achievement. One who has this has advanced far enough towards the goal. It is the Lord who will give you the proper wisdom and will to turn the passions to your advantage. Depend on Him, have unbroken faith in His words, you will see He will give you the strength to conquer them; He will create circumstances, favourable to your growth. If you take refuge in Him with heart and soul all your difficulties will be removed. But your dedication must be wholehearted.'

The disciple: 'Maharaj, we have not seen Him, how can we dedicate ourselves to Him? We do not know the method. Will it do if we say, "Lord be kind to us, bestow your grace on us", and keep quiet?'

Latu Maharaj: 'My boy, He is showering His grace unceasingly. Your very life is dependent on it. Very good, you say, you do not know Him. Granted, but you know His name. Why don't you advance with the name as your only guide? Is it not a fact that you send your application to the manager of a firm without seeing him? You know him later during the interview. And what do you write in your application? Stating your qualification, you promise unswerving obedience to him and pray for the favour. All this you do without knowing him. Don't you?'

Disciple: 'Yes, Maharaj, we do.'

Latu Maharaj: 'Do the same thing with the Lord. But this application is not something to be sent. It is to be written in the pages of one's own mind, which the Lord sitting within it reads. But the drafting must be factual. Our prayers must be sincere, our words must ring true. When we say, "May we not forget your name; I have taken refuge in you; kindly make me your servant; remove all doubts that you are our Master, Guru, father, mother, everything, that I am your son; find me my auspicious path; save me from your bewitching Maya; I have not seen you, only heard your name; my Lord, make me your own," we must mean it wholly, fully. Then only He might one day deign to bestow His grace on you. When that auspicious moment comes all your hard, soul-burning attempts would come to an abrupt end. Nothing more will remain for you to do. He will take full charge of you and guide you on to the goal, give you your destined work to do, to show you the method; and lead you to its fulfilment.'

27 October 2018

Musings of M. (From M. the Apostle and the Evangelist)

M: (to himself, wonderingly)—Where does this feeling, (that I am the doer) come from? Just as the fish cannot live without water—and if one keeps it out of water it tosses about—Similarly we cannot also live without air. Where is kartagiri (doership) in this?

"The child drinks the mother's milk. So it lives. We also do the same. The Big Mother's milk (Jagadamba's) we are always drinking. Air, water, food—everything is Her milk. During the winter, She is Herself on the body, in the form of cotton and wool, protecting the body. That's also drinking Her milk."

M. sits down on the north side of the terrace. Overwhelmed with emotion he sings:—You are Tara. Though you have assumed the three gunas, You are even beyond the limitless. I know You, merciful Mother! You are the one to free me from all trials and tribulations. You live on sea, You live on land and you are at the root of the Beginning. You live in all the bodies, in all hearts, both with and without form: You are Sandhya, you are Gayatri. You are the nurse of the Universe, O Mother! You enable one to cross the ocean of the world, You, the Ever-Beloved of Shiva.

O Ma, the Controller of the hearts! You are ever awake within. Night and day I live in your lap. Why have you so much affection, love for this worthless child? You are, as though mad in Your Love. Sometimes lovingly, sometimes with all Your force, You make me drink Your nectar and tell me sweet tales. How You love me! It cannot be calculated.

Again and again You redeem me, You are the Redeemer of the fallen! Oh! I have found the secret now: Ma is mine and I am Hers. I must walk the path of virtue, listen to You. Sucking at your breast I must be strong and brave, And sing joyfully, "Victory to You, Mother Eternal!"

M. remains silent for a while. Then he resumes his talk.

M.: It's just like a puppet dance. The wire drops, immediately it's the end.

He again sings a song:

Ever blissful Kali, the Charmer of the mighty Mahakala. You dance alone, You sing alone clapping Your hands. O Mother! You are the First Cause, Eternal, of the form of the Void, wearing the moon on Your forehead. When the universe did not exist, where did you find your string of severed human heads? You alone are the Mover in every body; we move as you move us. We dance as you make us dance; we speak as You make us speak. But the restless Kamalakant, calling Your names says: 'Ma, the Destroyer of all, holding Your sword now, You have eaten up both virtue and vice!'

M: That is why the rishis, in their search for the Real found Him alone! Thakur also said: "What more shall I think of? I see, that the Mother alone pervades all."

"It is like the pulling of the string of the handpulled ceiling fan through a hole—a man sitting outside pulls at its string, but as the puller is not visible one may say there is nobody. Likewise, people say that the creation is automatic. They cannot see its predisposition. That's why they say that God does not exist."

29 October 2018

The Holy Mother

A Devotee: I asked the Mother, "Mother, how shall I live my life?"

Holy Mother replied, "As you are doing now. Ever pray to Him yearningly in constant recollection and contemplation of Him."

"Mother, I am frightened at the sight of even great souls—Mahapurushas—slipping from the Ideal."

"If one lives amidst objects of enjoyment, one is naturally overcome by them. Do not cast your eyes even on a wooden representation of a woman or ever go near it."

"But, is it not true that it is God who inspires man to every action?"

"Yes, it is true. But is man conscious of it? He thinks, in his blind infatuation that he is the doer, he does not rely on God. Whoever surrenders himself to God is saved. A Sadhu must be always alert. His path is very slippery, and a slippery path has to be trod with exceedingly careful steps.

Is it a fun to be a Sannyasin? He must not even look at a woman, and when he walks the street, his eyes should be fixed on his big toes. Just as the collar of a dog saves it from being killed as a street dog, even so does the ochre-robe of a Sannyasin save him from harm. His is the royal road, and every one makes way for him."

30 October 2018

The True Gentleman by John Walter Wayland

The True Gentleman is the man whose conduct proceeds from good will and an acute sense of propriety, and whose self-control is equal to all emergencies; who does not make the poor man conscious of his poverty, the obscure man of his obscurity, or any man of his inferiority or deformity; who is himself humbled if necessity compels him to humble another; who does not flatter wealth, cringe before power, or boast of his own possessions or achievements; who speaks with frankness but always with sincerity and sympathy; whose deed follows his word; who thinks of the rights and feelings of others, rather than his own; and who appears well in any company, a man with whom honour is sacred and virtue safe.

As a human being man possesses virtue, even nobility; he also possesses human limitations and imperfections. We honour the man who exploits his strengths and controls his weaknesses...whose conduct proceeds from good will... The man of good will has a genuine interest in other people. He likes his fellow men because of their virtues and in spite of their faults. A man of good will is willing to co-operate with others. He doesn't wait to be asked to help when he knows his help is needed. He responds voluntarily and warmly and will almost certainly like those with whom he cooperates.

Develop a good sense of humour. The man who has a sense of humour knows that life can be a wonderful experience. The man who has forgotten or never learned how to laugh is a sad case. He lives out his life as if it were the last act of a Wagnerian tragedy and makes everyone around him as miserable as he is himself. But the man who has learned to laugh—especially at himself—has gone far in developing the attractive personality of a gentleman.

Can you laugh with others, even though they may be laughing at you?

Be flexible. To be flexible means to be able to give a little here and there, to admit readily that you're wrong when you're wrong—and do it gracefully. It means keeping an open mind, being willing to accept new ideas, a different outlook, or being prepared to change your opinion. If you are a gentleman, you will make an honest attempt to see the best qualities in others. With this knowledge of his own dignity, the gentleman can move out in life with hope and ambition, two important ingredients in good personality.

31 October 2018

Holy Mother

11th December, 1912

The Holy Mother, while in Banaras, used to listen to the reading of the Kasi Khanda. One evening, after the reading of the book, she was engaged in conversation with the disciple.

Disciple: Do all that die in Banaras gain liberation?

Mother: The Scriptures say, "Yes."

Disciple: What is your direct experience? The Master saw that Siva Himself whispers the holy Mantra (Taraka-Brahma) into the ears of the dead.

Mother: I don't know about it, my child; I have not seen anything of this kind.

Disciple: I cannot believe unless I hear something from you on this point.

Mother: Well, I shall tell the Master, "R does not want to believe. Please show me something about it."

I referred to the destruction of temples in many places in India during the Mussalman rule and said, "There was so much oppression. What did God do to prevent it?"

Mother: God has infinite patience. People worship Siva by pouring water in jugs over His head day and night. Does it affect Him in the least? Or they worship Him, covering the image with dry clothes. Does it trouble Him at all? God's patience knows no limit.

The following morning the Holy Mother said to Khagen Maharaj, "Yesterday night I lay awake on my bed when I suddenly saw the image of Narayana of the Seth's temple of Brindavan standing by my side. The garland of flowers round the neck of the Deity hung up to the feet. The Master stood with folded hands in front of the image. I thought, 'How could the Master come here?' I said, 'R does not want to believe.'

The Master said, 'He must. This is all true.' He meant that one dying in Banaras does gain liberation. That Narayana image told me two things. One was: 'Can one ever get the knowledge of Reality unless one knows the truth about God?' The other thing I do not recall."

Khagen Maharaj: Why did the Master stand with folded hands before the image of Narayana?

Mother: That was his characteristic attitude. He was humble before all.

I called on the Mother in the morning and asked her, referring to the conversation of the previous day: "Please tell me if one dying in Banaras gains liberation. What have you seen?"

Mother: The Scriptures say so. Besides, so many people come here with this faith. What else can happen to him who has taken refuge in the Lord?

Disciple: It is, of course, true that he who has taken refuge in God will be liberated. But take the case of those who have not surrendered themselves to God, who are not His devotees, or who belong to other faiths,—will they also get liberation by dying at Banaras?

Mother: Yes, they too. Banaras is permeated with the spirit of God. All living beings of this place, even the moths and insects, are filled with divine consciousness. Any being that dies here, be it a devotee, an atheist, one belonging to another religion, or even an insect or moth—will surely be liberated.

Disciple: Are you speaking the truth?

Mother: Yes, it is true, indeed. Otherwise how can you explain the glory of the holy place?

Nearby there were some sweets that had been offered to the Lord. A fly, buzzing about, sat on my arm. Pointing to it, I said, "Even this fly?"

Mother: Yes, even that fly. All living beings of this place are filled with the spirit of God. Bhudev wanted to take home two young pigeons that had been caught in the niche over the staircase. I said to him, "No, no; you must not take them away. They are inhabitants of Banaras."

1 November 2018

Teachings of Swami Shivananda (Peace Hard To Attain)

Place: Monastery at Belur Math. Time: Thursday, October 28, 1920.

Presently a monk, who had come from a branch centre a few days previously, unburdened his mind, saying: 'Maharaj, though I have been practising meditation to the best of my ability, I find hardly any joy in it. Most often I find I go through my practice as through a routine. That does not satisfy my heart nor does it give me any peace.'

Swami Shivananda said very quietly: 'Look here, my boy, peace is not such an easy thing to attain. The way to peace is very difficult, full of thorns. "Sharp as the blade of a razor and hard to cross is the way to Self-knowledge"—so the sages have described it.'

These are the actual words of the illumined seers. The path is indeed extremely difficult, however easy it may seem to those who have not entered it. Great effort is required to make progress in the realm of the Spirit. But if one sincerely wants to realize God, it is certainly true that he will receive His grace. You must have read in the life of Sri Ramakrishna that even he had to go through tremendous spiritual discipline before gaining the vision of the Mother.

'Spiritual efforts without sincere love for God are fruitless. Sincere love is what counts. The Master used to say that when the three attachments—that of a devoted wife for her husband, of a mother for her child, and of a miser for his wealth—become one, then one realizes God. If anyone feels the same intense longing as would result if these three attachments were united, only then does he have God-vision. Sincere love brings God-realization and in that alone is genuine peace and joy.

'Of course, without the grace of God one cannot have such love overnight, and that is why regular practice is necessary. One should cry to God, laying bare the heart. "O Lord, be merciful to me. I am an ordinary man. How can I hope to realize Thee unless Thou vouchsafest to appear before me? Have mercy on me, O Lord; have mercy on this weak being." Pray this way to Him every day. The more you cry to Him the more your mind will be cleansed. The Lord will reveal Himself to the pure transparent mind.

'Pavhari Baba said to Swami Vivekananda: "Remain lying at the door of your guru like a dog." Swamiji repeated this remark to us many times. As a dog never leaves his master's home to go elsewhere, whether he is fed or not, whether his master beats him or is kind, in the same way one must be completely resigned to the Lord. He who can take refuge at His feet and stay resigned under all conditions and circumstances till the last, will indeed obtain divine grace.

You have no reason to worry, because you have taken refuge in him and found shelter in his Order. As the Master used to say: "The child whose hand is held by the father has no fear of falling." Know for certain that the Master will save you as long as you remain in his Order.

'Though you did not see Sri Ramakrishna in the flesh, you see us, his devoted servants, and through us you hear his words. It is indeed unusual good fortune, because the next generation of monks will not see even us. It was with this in mind that Swamiji founded the Order.

In the body of the Order the spirit of the Master is manifestly present and will be so for many centuries for the good of the world. From now on he will do his work through the instrumentality of the Order. Constantly bear in mind that loyalty to the Order is loyalty to the Master. Swamiji founded this monastery in direct obedience to the wish of Sri Ramakrishna. Our words, also, are for the good of the world and for your good. We say what is true. We have not come to the world to mislead people.

Be convinced that our Master is gracious to those who take refuge in him. He protects those in every way who are wholly resigned to him with their body, mind and soul. You have given up worldly attachments in order to realize God and find peace. Look up to the Master for everything. He will certainly bless you and bring you peace.

'You are expected to live his commandments and pursue the path he chalked out. Purity and guilelessness should be your watchword. The Master forgives all failings except hypocrisy and self-deception.'

Monk: 'Please bless me that I may always remain in his fold. Sometimes I feel very unhappy because of the many undesirable thoughts which cross my mind. Please instruct me how to be rid of them.'

Mahapurushji (Swami Shivananda) said with great tenderness: 'My boy, I bless you with all my heart. May you remain in his shelter and attain the consummation of your life! Just ignore the bad thoughts. Don't you know Sri Ramakrishna is the very embodiment of radiant purity? If you meditate on his blessed form and repeat his holy name, impure thoughts will hang their heads in shame and disappear in no time. The moment an impure suggestion comes to your mind, cry to Him fervently and pray: "Lord, I am weak. Protect me. Unless thou savest me, who else will do so? Am I not thy servant and have I not taken refuge in thee?" Talk to him in this way about your weaknesses. He will certainly listen to your prayers.'

2 November 2018

From Memoirs of Swami Adbhutananda

The Master would say, 'How to know that a man has advanced in meditation? Birds will settle on his head taking him to be something inert.'... 'A snake will glide over his body from side to side and he will not know it.'... 'His meditation will continue unbroken in all circumstances with eyes shut or open, while talking or walking or engaged in any work.'

Below are some testimonies to show that Latu Maharaj's condition was like this at this time. Swami Advaitananda says, 'One day Latu was meditating on the bank of the Ganges. Latu used to take his seat at a place where water did not rise during the flood tide. But that day it came up to where he was sitting in meditation. Water was still rising and Latu was unaware of it. I observed it and in anxiety reported the matter to the Master. He came hurriedly and saw Latu was surrounded by water. He crossed the water and brought back Latu from his meditation to normal consciousness.'

The next is also from Senior Gopalda:

'One day Latu was meditating, he lost consciousness of his body and fell down and started rubbing his face against the ground. An indistinct sound of pain was coming out of his throat. I got afraid and called the Master there. When he saw Latu in that condition he laid Latu down on his back in an instant and went on forcibly rubbing his chest with his knees. After some time Latu slowly came to his normal condition. Then the Master asked him, "Did you not see Mother Kali today? Keep quiet. Don't shout, otherwise people will assemble here in numbers."

Hearing the Master's words Latu kept quiet, all right, but since that day whenever Latu would meditate his eyes, face, and chest would turn blood-red. It lingered on for some time long after his meditation was over.'

The third incident is from Latu Maharaj's own lips.

At Balaram Babu's residence one devotee asked Latu Maharaj if it is good to see devas [gods] and devis [goddesses] other than one's Chosen Deity. To this Latu Maharaj replied:

'To see visions of gods and goddesses is always good. The same Chosen Deity assumes various forms. It is His sport to manifest Himself as many gods and goddesses. Everything is in that One, so why should people make distinction in showing respect to them?'

The devotee's doubts were not solved, so he took up the matter over again. Said he, 'Maharaj, our scriptures have described these deities differently. There (in the scriptures), for meditation purpose, these deities have been given different forms, their method of worship is different. The mantra for bowing down to them are all different. Still in meditating on one, other deities also appear. Is it not strange? So I ask if such visions are conducive to our spiritual progress.'

Latu Maharaj: 'You fellows are full of differentiation, cannot give up differences. Well, would you concede that all these deities are but one in essence? They are different in forms, that is all. What does it matter if in essence they are but one? Take for example you yourself. You are a man. When you are angry your appearance changes, you assume a terrible form. Again when you laugh do you have the same terrible form? When you cry you assume a third form. With the sway of emotions altered, your appearances undergo corresponding changes. Would you say you have yourself changed for all that? Whatever might be your moods if somebody calls you by name do you not respond? It is exactly the same with the various forms of the deities.

The Master used to say, "The chameleon changes its colours. It is sometimes red, sometimes green, sometimes yellow, brown, violet, blue, etc. All men do not see all its colours, so each attributes to it that colour which he has seen. But one who has seen it in all these colours at different times knows that the same creature assumes so many colours. Similarly, one who goes on meditating on his Chosen Deity and does not give up seeing Him in one form is blessed with other visions of Him and comes to understand that though names and forms differ his Chosen Deity is the same."'

Our probationer Latu saw in meditation various devas and devis. We mention them all here together: Sri Rama, Hanuman, Vishwanatha, Mother Kali, Sri Krishna, Yogamaya. He might have seen many others, but we do not know them.

3 November 2018

From Memoirs of Swami Adbhutananda

Here we feel tempted to make a special mention of his vision of Yogamaya. It took place at Dakshineswar. A part of the story we have heard from Rakhal Maharaj and another part from Sri Biharilal Sarkar.

'One night the Master woke us up at dead of night. He said, "Should you sleep away the night? Have you come here for that?" He woke all of us up, gave individual instructions and sent us away to different parts of the garden to meditate. That night he sent Latu to meditate under the Bilwa tree. When Latu returned from his meditation the Master said, "Tonight Leto has returned from the jaws of death."'

This much we heard from Rakhal Maharaj. Below is what we heard from Biharilal Babu. He said, 'It is not a matter of joke to take seat on a pancha mundi asana* for meditation—an asana, sitting on which a sadhaka has realized the Deity. Nobody can do this unless his body and mind have been fully purified and he is fully established in Brahmacharya, the vow of absolute celibacy. Many gods and demigods appear in their subtle forms, send chilling terrors into the occupants of the seat, do not allow them to sit on it, sometimes throw them out of it. If the occupant has not conquered fears fully he cannot sit on it.

It is for this reason that the Master would not send anyone and everyone to meditate under the Bilwa tree. He had his select ones for that. One night such a strong-willed sadhaka as Latu got frozen with fear. At the end of his meditation Latu could not get up from his seat, such terrible figures had he seen during meditation that he had no strength left to move. At that moment the Master saved him. From a distance the Master called out, "Are you very much terrified, my boy? Why is this fear? From whom? Come away with me." When Latu heard the Master's voice courage returned to him. It is not possible for all to sit on that seat. The Master had his realization of Mother sitting on that seat. Hence its great power.

During this period the Master warned them repeatedly, 'My boys, be extremely cautious, Yogamaya is testing you all. If you pass these tests of Hers all the knots of Maya will be untied one by one. Then you will see that there is no distinction between God with forms and the formless Lord.' We hear that the Master said many things about Yogamaya. But unfortunately nobody took notes of them. We asked Latu Maharaj many times about Her. But every time we met with the rebuff, 'Of what avail is hearing about Her? Practise and know Her infinite powers and graces. Who is there who can speak about an infinitesimal part of Hers? Infinite are Her occult powers. If She but expresses just a few of them, Mother Earth, noted for Her patience, shakes in fright, what to speak of puny man.'

We would like to paint one more picture of Latu's meditation. This too occurred under the Bilwa tree. That night he was immersed in deep meditation. Consciousness of the external world including his own body was totally lost. He was then under the grip of what is called yoga-nidra, a sleep-like relaxation in meditation when the individual willpower is nil and when various visions and experiences come and go of themselves making the sadhaka a passive observer. During that time various divine figures appear. They are endowed with all kinds of powers and can give any boon to the sadhaka. In the sadhakas there remains at that time only a residuum of passive observance, otherwise everything is calm and quiet, motionless as figures on a canvas. Latu was in that condition.

He sat for meditation at midnight, now the dawn broke; twilight spread her beauty on the eastern horizon; Latu was still sitting motionless. Not finding his boy to serve him at that hour, the Master came out in search of him. Coming near the Bilwa tree the Master saw two dogs keeping watch over Latu at a distance. He did not proceed farther. In the meanwhile the day broke and the first rays of the morning sun lit up the horizon, some falling on the face of superconscious Latu and brought him slowly to the conscious plane. He opened his eyes and was beside himself with joy when he saw his Master standing at a little distance watching his beloved disciple. He left his seat and prostrated himself at the feet of the Master.

While both were returning to the Master's room, the Master said to Latu, 'Do you know, my boy, (Universal) Mother sent two Bhairavas (demigods of terrible powers and followers and associates of Shiva and Mother) in the guise of dogs to protect you?'

This narrative also is from the lips of Biharilal Babu.

*Panchamundi literally means 'of five heads or skulls'. It is an asana prepared by the tantrika sadhakas under which are buried five heads: of a jackal, a snake, a dog and a bull, and in the middle that of a man; or alternately five skulls, all of men.

4 November 2018

Teachings of Swami Premananda

Remain some days in Jayrambati with the Holy Mother. Serve her. Thereby be blessed and realize the object of human life. This is my earnest wish. With what patience, forgiveness, and forbearance does she lead her life at home! Never before has such an ideal life been visible in this world. If such an example does not result in your remoulding your life, then there is no hope for you.

Seeing the Holy Mother is equivalent to seeing Sri Ramakrishna. Only in her native village can we perceive the Holy Mother's real nature. What substance she has! You will learn how large-hearted and loving she is. Seeing her makes egotism and conceit fly away. Try to learn thoroughly her ways and manners. She has infinite compassion for all mankind. We should become full if we were to get but a particle of that compassion.

Brahmacharya means performing the ritualistic worship, doing japa, meditating and studying with faith and reverence. Austerity means making the lips correspond with the heart. Does this state consist only in uttering a few mantras while taking the vows of Brahmacharya in a formal way?

A devotee has asked the Swami whether the picture of Sri Krishna can be kept in the shrine of Sri Ramakrishna. Pictures of all gods and goddesses, of all religions, can be kept there. Sri Ramakrishna was a great leader in all sects of all religions.

Do not see the defects of one another; see the good, the merits only. As Sri Ramakrishna said, be like the winnowing basket that retains the good grain, while rejecting the chaff. Do not be like a sieve that lets the good material drop through and holds back what is worthless.

We should move about freely, seeing the world as the manifestation of Rama. To hate and injure anyone is to hate and injure Rama, who pervades the whole world.

5 November 2018

Teachings of Swami Vijnananandaji

As you think, so you become. As thoughts of love help in expanding the self, so do thoughts of anger and jealousy lead to its contraction. Unless one can restrain one's passion, anger, etc. it is impossible to get anywhere near God. If you want to control your passion, anger, etc., you have to meditate on the Master and the Holy Mother and you will then be free from all degrading thoughts.

Once, while I was at Belur, a gentleman came and expressed his regret that we had not married and had renounced the world. By all sorts of arguments, he demonstrated that our supreme Guru Shiva was also married.

Owing to ignorance, man tries to support his views with numerous intellectual arguments, and the result is philosophizing. But he gets over all these, once he is blessed with true insight. The Master used to say, 'The world is a bad place, and you should renounce it.' There was no argument behind it, because he knew that no one can get over his unhappiness without renouncing the world. Once it is realized that a thing is bad, the best thing is to discard it, there is no question of arguing about it.

You better leave debates and arguments alone. We have got a brain of very limited capacity; and for realizing God, all this hair-splitting is of no use. What you require is burning faith in Him. In order to be firmly established in that faith, you may raise one or two valid points, but nothing more. Our arguments are just like armchair discussions; they lead us nowhere. We argue about God and then go home and lie down in bed. That is not religion, and it does not contribute to peace of mind.

Faith is the foundation of spiritual life. Too much of argumentation is of no avail... In order to be firmly established in that faith, you may raise one or two valid points, but nothing more. Unless you have faith, arguments and discussions will only cloud the issue and create confusion.

When, therefore, our entire existence depends on Him, why should we form an attachment for worldly things? Worldly attachments draw people away from God and scorch them in the wildfire of the world.

The Bible describes God in all His three forms, with attributes, without attributes, and as incarnate.

Let us make our minds pure, the rest will be easy; and we shall attain spiritual bliss comparable to nothing else in life. Our worldly pleasures are but a speck of dust, when weighed against that great mountain of joy.

6 November 2018

Revelation of Sri Ramakrishna as Kali (From Sri Ramakrishna the Great Master)

The disease aggravated

The month of Aswin passed and that of Kartik and the day of the worship of Kali were approaching; but no improvement in the physical condition of the Master was seen. The good effect the treatment produced at first was fast disappearing and there was apprehension lest the disease should assume a serious turn. But the bliss and the cheerfulness of the Master's mind appeared to the devotees to increase rather than decrease. Although Dr. Sarkar visited him frequently now as before and changed medicines repeatedly, he did not get the expected result and considered the change of the season to be the cause; and that condition, he thought, would pass as soon as the cold of winter increased a little.

The description of the wonderful Bhavasamadhi of the Master on the occasion of the annual worship of Kali

The devotees witnessed an extraordinary spiritual manifestation at the time of the annual worship of Kali also, as at the worship of Durga. At one time Devendranath had a desire to bring an image and worship Kali in it. Thinking that it would be a matter of great joy if he could carry that resolve into practice in the presence of the Master and his devotees, he made a proposal to perform that worship at the Shyampukur house.

But the devotees thought that the Master's body would get more exhausted on account of the zeal, excitement and noise at the time of the worship and tried to dissuade him. These words of the devotees appeared to be reasonable to Devendra, who consequently gave up that idea. But on the day before the worship, the Master said all of a sudden to a few devotees, "Collect all the ingredients for a brief worship; Mother Kali must be worshipped tomorrow."

Happy to hear him say so, they began consulting others. But as they had no other instruction from the Master regarding the preparation for the worship except the aforesaid words, all kinds of suggestions were offered. Unable to come to a decision regarding such important matters as whether the worship was to be performed with sixteen ingredients or five, whether cooked rice was to be offered or not, who was to officiate as priest, etc., they decided at last to keep ready sandal-paste, flowers, incense, light and fruits, roots and sweets only, and wait for further instruction from the Master, which they might afterwards follow.

But the Master gave them no more instruction even when the whole of that day and a half of the following day on which the worship was to take place had passed.

The preparation for the worship

It was sunset and it was 7 p.m. Seeing that the Master did not suggest to them anything more regarding the worship and was sitting quiet on his bed, they washed clean a portion of the floor to the east of his bed, brought the collected articles and placed them there. While he was at Dakshineswar the Master sometimes worshipped himself with sandal-paste, flowers and other ingredients. Some of the devotees had witnessed it. At last they came to the conclusion that on that occasion also he would worship the universal Consciousness and Its Power in the symbol of his mind and body or perform the scriptural worship of the self as one with the Mother of the universe. It was therefore no wonder that they should place the ingredients of the worship near the Master's bed in the aforesaid manner. The Master did not in any way dissuade them from doing it.

The Master sat silent

All the articles were gradually brought. Incense was burnt and lamps were lighted and the room became illumined and filled with fragrance. Seeing that the Master was still sitting quietly the devotees sat beside him; some among them awaited his command and looked at him with a concentrated mind and some others meditated on the divine Mother of the universe. The room was thus completely silent; and although there were thirty or more persons in it, the room seemed to be vacant altogether. Some time passed that way; but the Master even then sat quietly without himself beginning to perform the worship or asking any one of us to do it.

Girishchandra came to a decision and offered flowers at the lotus feet of the Master who entered into Bhavasamadhi

The elderly devotees, Mahendranath, Ramchandra, Devendranath, Girishchandra and others, as well as the young devotees, were present. Of them all, Girishchandra, the Master sometimes said, had a super-abundance of faith. Many of them were now surprised to see the Master take that attitude regarding the worship.

But Girish had a different sentiment surging in his heart. It struck him that the Master had no need to worship Kali for his own sake. If it was suggested that he had a desire to perform the worship under the impulse of selfless devotion, why was he sitting thus quietly without doing so? It did not seem so. Might it not be then that these preparations were meant for the devotees so that they might be blessed by worshipping the Mother of the universe in the living image of the Master's person? It was certainly that. Thinking so, he was beside himself with joy and, suddenly taking the flowers and sandal-paste that were lying there before all, offered handfuls of them at the lotus feet of the Master uttering, "Victory to Mother".

At this all the hairs of the Master's body stood on end and he entered into profound ecstasy. His face radiating effulgence, his lips adorned with a divine smile and both his hands assuming the attitude of granting boons and freedom from fear—all indicated the manifestation of the divine Mother in him. These events occurred in such a short time that many of the devotees who were near Girish, thought that he saw the Master in ecstasy first and then offered flowers etc., at his holy feet over and over again, and to those who were a little farther away it seemed that the luminous image of the Devi suddenly appeared before them in the body of the Master.

The devotees worshipped the Master in that state of Bhavasamadhi

It is superfluous to say, that there was no limit to the joy of the devotees. Each of them managed to take flowers and sandal-paste etc., from the tray, and uttering a Mantra according to his liking, worshipped the lotus feet of the Master and filled the room with the repeated sounds of 'Jai' (Victory).

Some time passed this way when the ecstasy of the Master came to an end and he was in a state of partial consciousness. The fruits, roots, sweets, etc., collected for the worship were then brought before him and were given him to eat. He, on his part, took a little of all those things and blessed the devotees so that their knowledge and devotion might increase.

Afterwards they took his Prasada and sang the glory of the Devi and the greatness of Her name till a late hour in the night.

The devotees experienced a joy they had never felt before, at this especial worship of the divine Mother that year, the memory of which remained fresh in their minds ever after. And whenever sorrows and miseries came and they became dejected, that serene face of the Master, brightened with a divine smile and his hands promising boons and freedom from fear, appeared before them and reminded them that they were all under the protection of the Divine.

7 November 2018

Teachings of Swami Vijnanananda

The greatest need is to concentrate on Him when we are dying.

The best time for meditation is midnight. You can then achieve results very soon. Nature is in a quiet mood then and the concentration is easier.

Every day you should regularly practise meditation. That helps you to concentrate your mind.

One should try to help others as far as possible, but without beating one's drum. For the rest of the time, one should be all by oneself. In this way concentration of mind will be gradually achieved.

Everybody complains that he cannot concentrate his mind on God, because it is assailed by all sorts of thoughts. Why not put up a "No admittance" notice and refuse to let those thoughts crowd into the mind?

Don't give up japa and meditation simply because you cannot concentrate your mind properly.

My only advice to you all is to forsake idleness. An idle brain is the devil's workshop. You must do everything with concentration and diligence.

Within everybody there is consciousness. This consciousness pervades the earth, the sun, the moon, the stars, the sky, the air, etc., down to the minute being, and it is because of this consciousness that there is motion in everything.

In the transcendental state, i.e. the state of complete union with the Infinite, there is no outward consciousness; only a slight feeling remains there.

Contemplation on Him should enable us to gain lordliness over our passions and become masters of our souls.

The question that arises in my mind is, where shall we be after giving up this mortal frame? I asked Mahapurush Maharaj who told me that we would be in the Ramakrishna Loka where we would be keeping company with the Master.

To contemplate on the Master all the time and not to forget him even for an instant is to be in his company. That is Ramakrishna world—to think of him all the time with heart and soul, never losing him even for a moment.

One should not ask for anything from God, but remain satisfied with whatever He is pleased to give. Real welfare lies in using things properly, wrong use of things brings misfortune.

You should be satisfied with whatever you can secure for keeping the body fit, and then, go on working selflessly for God.

There is a Hindi couplet which says that jewels, elephants, and houses, indeed, all wealth is just valueless compared to contentment.

It is all so difficult, you cannot have contentment so long as you are subject to worldly desires. Once they disappear, you are free.

Purity, Truthfulness, and honesty should make the cornerstone of your life. And there should be faith. With these a man will have contentment in life, whatever circumstances he may happen to be in. Contentment in all circumstances is the mark of religious life.

When we have control over our passions, we shall succeed; we shall ourselves then feel that we are advancing towards God.

When the mind is completely under your control, it will have nothing to exist on except noble thoughts.

After the dissolution of the mortal frame, the soul takes a subtle form and more intensely reaps the harvest of previous deeds.

God pervades everything. But, of course, it is a joyful experience. He is inside and outside. When you realize that He is within you, the senses get controlled once for all; and it is for this that you have renounced everything, do you understand?

This universe—the entire creation and all living beings—has been there from the beginning of time. Nothing new is happening; the same process has been going on in different ages, just like a lump of clay being made into a particular image and then broken and made into another image. This is how the process of creation has been going on; nothing new, only a repetition.

8 November 2018

Reminiscences of Sri Ramakrishna's God-intoxicated state

Oh, what a state of mind I passed through! When I first had that experience, I could not perceive the coming and going of day or night. People said I was insane. What else could they say? They made me marry. I was then in a state of God-intoxication. At first I felt worried about my wife. Then I thought she too would eat and drink and live like me.

I visited my father-in-law's house. They arranged a kirtan. It was a great religious festival, and there was much singing of God's holy name. Now and then I would wonder about my future. I would say to the Divine Mother, 'Mother, I shall take my spiritual experiences to be real if the landlords of the country show me respect.' They too came of their own accord and talked with me.

Oh, what an ecstatic state it was! Even the slightest suggestion would awaken my spiritual consciousness. I worshipped the 'Beautiful' in a girl fourteen years old. I saw that she was the personification of the Divine Mother. At the end of the worship I bowed before her and offered a rupee at her feet. One day I witnessed a Ramlila performance. I saw the performers to be the actual Sita, Rama, Lakshmana, Hanuman, and Bibhishana. Then I worshipped the actors and actresses who played those parts.

At that time I used to invite maidens here and worship them. I found them to be embodiments of the Divine Mother Herself.

One day I saw a woman in blue standing near the bakul-tree. She was a prostitute. But she instantly kindled in me the vision of Sita. I forgot the woman. I saw that it was Sita herself on her way to meet Rama after her rescue from Ravana in Ceylon. For a long time I remained in samadhi, unconscious of the outer world.

Another day I had gone to the Maidan in Calcutta for fresh air. A great crowd had assembled there to watch a balloon ascension. Suddenly I saw an English boy leaning against a tree. As he stood there his body was bent in three places. The vision of Krishna came before me in a flash. I went into samadhi.

Once, at Sihore, I fed the cowherd boys. I put sweetmeats into their hands. I saw that these boys were actually the cowherd boys of Vrindavan, and I partook of the sweetmeats from their hands.

At that time I was almost unconscious of the outer world. Mathur Babu kept me at his Janbazar mansion a few days. While living there I regarded myself as the handmaid of the Divine Mother. The ladies of the house didn't feel at all bashful with me. They felt as free before me as women feel before a small boy or girl.

Even now the slightest thing awakens God-Consciousness in me. Rakhal used to repeat the name of God half aloud. At such times I couldn't control myself. It would rouse my spiritual consciousness and overwhelm me.

9 November 2018

[Note: The date shows as "8 November 2018" in the message but timestamp is 09/11/2018]

From M. The Apostle and the Evangelist

A Young Man—All religions, Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, Jainism, Zoroastrianism show the way to eternal peace by wiping out the sorrow of man for ever. The Hindu dharma, the Vedic dharma does the same. So, what is special about the Hindu dharma?

M.—One, in Hinduism the jiva is the image of God;

Two, every jiva will attain deliverance one day. This is not to be found in any other religions.

Three, the Hindus believe in Advaita (doctrine in which only the Brahman is true and real), Vishishta-advaita (doctrine that regards Brahman and universe as identical and real) and Dvaita (doctrine that regards the Brahman and universe different from each other and real), in all the three bhavas.

Four, the Vedic dharma broadly gives four paths for God-realization: Bhaktiyoga, Karmayoga, Rajayoga and Jnanayoga. Five, the doctrine of re-birth.

Six, in Hinduism there are a lot of emotions for establishing relationship with God—shanta, dasya and so on. In other religions, it is one or at the most two. In Hinduism, sadhana can be carried out in so many bhavas.

Seven, Hinduism believes in the Law, not in the individual.

Eight, in Hinduism one believes that liberation can only come in a human body.

Mohan—They say that Thakur was the embodiment of Sanatana dharma. What is the significance of this?

M.—The set of eternal values of which the Sanatana dharma is composed has been fully manifested in Sri Ramakrishna. That is why he is called its embodiment. Take for example, truth. If Thakur once said that he would not take water he did not do so even when pressed a hundred times. Once he did not take water for six months. He said that he would go to Mani Mullick's house. So, he reached his house in Baranagore late at night and said, 'See I have come'. Once he said, 'I will go to answer the call of nature at three o'clock.' He went for it even when he felt no pressure. He was the solid embodiment of celibacy.

Once somebody brought sweets for him with the money he had earned by dishonest means. He could not touch them. A person brought a lemon without asking the master of the garden. Thakur would not put it in his mouth. He was never able to store. He could not carry even a clod of earth in his hand. He could not touch money. He never thought of harming even an ant.

"He always saw that it was the Mother Herself who was living as jiva-jagat (the living creatures and the world). Not even for a moment did he separate himself from the Mother."

10 November 2018

From M. The Apostle and the Evangelist

A Young Man—All religions, Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, Jainism, Zoroastrianism show the way to eternal peace by wiping out the sorrow of man for ever. The Hindu dharma, the Vedic dharma does the same. So, what is special about the Hindu dharma?

M.—One, in Hinduism the jiva is the image of God;

Two, every jiva will attain deliverance one day. This is not to be found in any other religions.

Three, the Hindus believe in Advaita (doctrine in which only the Brahman is true and real), Vishishta-advaita (doctrine that regards Brahman and universe as identical and real) and Dvaita (doctrine that regards the Brahman and universe different from each other and real), in all the three bhavas.

Four, the Vedic dharma broadly gives four paths for God-realization: Bhaktiyoga, Karmayoga, Rajayoga and Jnanayoga. Five, the doctrine of re-birth.

Six, in Hinduism there are a lot of emotions for establishing relationship with God—shanta, dasya and so on. In other religions, it is one or at the most two. In Hinduism, sadhana can be carried out in so many bhavas.

Seven, Hinduism believes in the Law, not in the individual.

Eight, in Hinduism one believes that liberation can only come in a human body.

Mohan—They say that Thakur was the embodiment of Sanatana dharma. What is the significance of this?

M.—The set of eternal values of which the Sanatana dharma is composed has been fully manifested in Sri Ramakrishna. That is why he is called its embodiment. Take for example, truth. If Thakur once said that he would not take water he did not do so even when pressed a hundred times. Once he did not take water for six months. He said that he would go to Mani Mullick's house. So, he reached his house in Baranagore late at night and said, 'See I have come'. Once he said, 'I will go to answer the call of nature at three o'clock.' He went for it even when he felt no pressure. He was the solid embodiment of celibacy.

Once somebody brought sweets for him with the money he had earned by dishonest means. He could not touch them. A person brought a lemon without asking the master of the garden. Thakur would not put it in his mouth. He was never able to store. He could not carry even a clod of earth in his hand. He could not touch money. He never thought of harming even an ant.

"He always saw that it was the Mother Herself who was living as jiva-jagat (the living creatures and the world). Not even for a moment did he separate himself from the Mother."

M. (to all present)—Thakur did not like dry discussions, academic discourses. His effort was always to see how a man's mind could be tied to the feet of the Lord. He would say, 'I don't even want to know what is there in the Vedas, in the puranas, what is where. Grant me pure devotion at Your Lotus feet.'

"Seeing the bhaktas in discussion he would sometimes apologise to the Mother, 'Mother, what else can they do but discuss at times?'

As the saying goes, just by talking one cannot cook rice, so one has to carry out spiritual practice. He used to ask us to practise tapasya, austerity. When one has gained true faith in God, when one loves Him with one's heart and soul, all intellectual doubts disappear themselves. Why did they who were known as great intellectuals behave like earthworms at Thakur's feet? His was a direct knowledge, the knowledge of others was born of intellect. There is difference of heaven and earth between the two. By keeping the company of sadhus, by living alone by calling Him with a yearning heart, one gains love for Him. Loving Him brings liberation."

Morton School, the staircase room on the fourth level. M. is talking about God to the bhaktas surrounding him all around. When questioned by the Elder Jiten, M. explains different aspects of the Sanatana dharma or the Vedic dharma.

M. (to the bhaktas)—The rishis earned everlasting joy after God-realization. They made a durable arrangement for transmitting that joy to the society. Their socio-religious arrangement is also everlasting in a way—the supreme joy and peace from God-realization. So they would not let man turn away from God in any situation. Just note, what a beautiful arrangement this is: Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha.

Dharma, that is, truth and so on. Taking recourse to it to earn wealth (artha). Fulfil desire (kama) according to the scriptures and attain liberation (moksha) that is God-realization. It is like having mother on one side, the father on the other and the children in between. When that is so the children cannot fall. This is an incomparable discovery.

"This arrangement is as deep as it is broad, and it is equally lasting. So many cycles of Satya, Treta, Dwapara and Kali come and go, this arrangement lasts unbroken.

They say, 'Son, Just don't live as a worldly man, giving up dharma, that is, God and His basic law. Rather, adopt them and do what you like.'

The Hindu view of life holds true amidst the endless whirlpools of time—this is the first arrangement.

The second, the discovery of the four paths—Jnanayoga, Rajayoga, Bhaktiyoga and Karmayoga. First, they placed the man behind a fence; then they put him on one of the paths suited to his nature. By treading this path he will finally attain his goal. He will then rid himself of all sorrows and gain lasting happiness and peace.

The End is also infinite, ever existing i.e. sanatana; and the means also the same. The former truly sanatana, the latter relatively true."

11 November 2018

From M. The Apostle and the Evangelist

Question — Why did God create vice and virtue?

Answer: He did not. We have done it. We are the creators of vice and virtue. This is my personal belief. It is by one's own sanskaras, good and bad that vice and virtue come into being. The work done in ignorance, that which keeps us away from God, is sin. That which brings God near is virtue.

According to the Evolution Theory, the first stage is that of minerals, then of trees, animals, and men, successively. The man has first ignorance, thereafter he gets knowledge. Ultimately divinity, man-God.

What was the Buddha in his previous births, all this is found in the Jataka tales. Animal, bird and any number of other states he went through before he became the Enlightened one. Sri Krishna has said, "I am born many a time." Similarly, as one goes on birth after birth, in the end one becomes a paramahamsa. On becoming a paramahamsa one has touched "the target in the game of hide and seek". His play can no longer go on. His work is finished, now he is God himself. Dog, cat — all living beings will have to attain godhood one day in this way. This is called mukti, this is what is named attainment of self-rule.

In today's talk, M. has nicely dwelt upon practice. Practice means to think of the same one thing again and again. This very thing is called tapasya. The mind is drawn towards worldly pleasures and enjoyments like a restless child. To bring it back home and settle it down, sometimes by love, sometimes by teaching, sometimes by beating, the way mothers do to the children. Home, that means His lotus feet. This is beautiful indeed! And prayer too. Both of these are also high concepts. By practising them, one will be saved. One should always pray: O Lord, grant me right thinking, keep my mind at Thy lotus feet. Thakur used to pray, O Mother, "Don't enchant me with your world-bewitching Maya."

And the company of the holy too. Practice, prayer and holy company — these are priceless words. Company colours the man, so the need of holy company. By bad company, how low Bharat had gone down! But now it is rising again.

12 November 2018

Swami Turiyananda

Swami: "In order to realize the Self, you have to scale the highest peak of renunciation."

"Is it easy to detach the mind from all objects? Only a hero can do that. The external objects are ever trying to enter into your mind and conquer you. In the mind itself there are many layers, one upon another. It is no use merely closing the eyes and ears."

X wants to finish studying Raja Yoga quickly. But we poured out our very life in this quest. We have been doing this ever since our childhood. Yet even now the mind has not been purified. There are still attachment and hatred in it.... O Lord, make me the servant of the servant of Thy servant!

Egotism is no good; it is extremely pernicious. Egotism is like drinking wine, it leads astray the senses. The Master used to say that water accumulates only in a low land. Only in humility the good qualities of the mind and heart become manifest. Pride always holds the head high. That which is elastic and unbreakable like steel, that indeed is strength. He alone is strong, who can live in harmony with different natures in a spirit of amicable compromise.

Make yourself for ever His, then there will be no more fear. Swamiji (Vivekananda) used to say, "Since you have been born on earth, leave a lasting mark on it."

"If you want to preach, you must also give something. Preaching is not merely lecturing to a class or explaining a book. You have to give them something. Therefore you must accumulate spirituality beforehand.

And never pride yourself on your having gained control over the passions. If you do, they will at once raise their heads. Ever pray to him, 'O Lord, save me from them.'"

"There are several obstructions to concentration: Laya, Vikshepa, Kashaya, Rasasvada.

Laya is the mind being overcome by Tamas (inertia)— the mind falls asleep and loses consciousness. Most aspirants are held down by Laya.

Vikshepa is the scattering of the mind on multifarious objects.

Kashaya is finding meditation distasteful—one feels disinclined to meditate. But one must still persist.

Rasasvada is the mind being fascinated by the vision of divine forms and refusing to ascend higher.

Passions will last so long as the body lasts. But through His grace they cannot raise their heads."

13 November

Devoton or Bhakthi

Swami Turiyananda said: "A little casual reading of the scriptures and a little meditation are not enough to realize the Lord. You must yearn to see Him. The heart must pant and pine for Him. The Master said to us, 'It is because I had such intense longing for the Mother that She gave me every convenience— She gave me this Kali Temple and Mathur Babu. If there is sincere longing for God, everything becomes favourable.'"

"There is no other way than Bhakti."

Swami S.: "Quite true. Meditate on His lotus-feet; the senses will withdraw of themselves and the mind will lose itself in Him. Ramaprasada says in a song that devotion is at the root of all spiritual achievements. Ramaprasada was in a sense the ideal of Shri Ramakrishna. The Master used to say, 'Mother, Thou hast revealed Thyself to Ramaprasada; why shouldst Thou not reveal to me?' The Master's teaching is Bhakti tempered with Jnana."

Swami: "'When will that day come when the very utterance of the name of God will bring tears to my eyes?' (To the devotee) Do you cry when you take His name? Ah, what a supernal condition! Just consider! The very utterance of His name makes you cry!"

"When I first used to go to the Master, I would often feel inclined to cry. One night I cried much on the riverside near the Bakula tree. Just at that time the Master in his room was enquiring where I had gone. When I returned to him, he asked me to sit down and said, 'The Lord is greatly pleased if one cries to Him. The tears of love wash away all mental impurities accumulated through ages. It is very good to cry to God.'"

"Another day I was meditating in the Panchavati grove. My concentration became very deep. Just then the Master came towards me from the side of the Jhau tree. As soon as he looked at me, I burst into tears. The Master stood still. I felt something creeping up inside my bosom, and I was overcome by an irrepressible fit of shaking. The Master remarked that this crying was not for nothing, it was a sort of ecstasy. I then followed him to his room where he gave me something to eat. The awakening of the Kundalini was an easy matter for him. He could do this even without touching, by merely standing nearby."

15 November 2018

Dispassion or Vairagya

Vairagya Dindima of Adi Sankaracharya (A Proclamation of Dispassion) THE DRUM-BEAT OF AWAKENING A Story

Long long ago there lived in a well-known village in North India a good soul whose sole vocation was providing spiritual instruction to earnest seekers. He was a saintly person who ever kept to the hard path of austere living. He was rooted in righteousness and always had his gaze fixed on the distant but definite goal of self-perfection.

In him were seen in a happy combination most, nay all, of the qualities of the Daivi Sampat, the Divine Wealth, as elaborated in the Bhagavad Gita. He was a lovable and inspiring personality and he drew many pious souls to his presence. He was as much interested in helping others to ascend the steep way of soul-glory, as he was desirous of making his own life a poem of virtue and worth.

Many were the persons in the neighbourhood of his village and also in distant regions who owed their spiritual awakening to this holy man, and regarded him with reverence and gratitude. He was simple but profound, humble but great, unassuming but deep-souled.

Years passed, and the influence of this worthy saint, like the force of spring, was in an increasing measure providing the healing touch to many hearts which might otherwise have withered.

In due course old age came on the great benefactor and he felt he would not live long. Like every other pious Hindu he wished to spend his last days in the Holy City of Viswanatha, Varanasi, and give up his body at the feet of that Lord of the Universe, and have it cremated at the Manikarnika burning ground, for tradition holds that on those who die at Kasi, Parameswara bestows salvation. But he was now too old to think of footing the distance to Banaras.

When therefore he was preparing himself to give up the plan of moving to Kasi, four of his admiring devotees offered to carry him in a palanquin and take him to the holy Shivapuri. The saint agreed and was being so carried. The going was however slow, for the palanquin-carriers were not professional ones, and moreover a quick march was not thought to be advisable as it would be rather an inconvenience to the saint whose health showed alarming signs of decline as the journey proceeded. The palanquin had covered only half the distance when one day the saint told his carriers that he was not destined to reach Kasi as his last moments had come.

He asked them to tell him where exactly they were at the moment. The carriers were very sad that their plan of taking the saint to Kasi had been thwarted and they looked round and told him that just then they were passing a hamlet inhabited by uncultured outcastes and untouchables. On hearing the news the saint's mind pictured to itself the pitiable condition, the economic distress and the uncultured atmosphere that normally go with a slum, and at that moment life left him.

All through his life this saint had managed to keep his mind steadfastly fixed on God and God's manifold glories; even in the palanquin he had been either meditating on the Divine Entity or singing devotional songs. But it so chanced that death overwhelmed him when in a short respite from his wonted reflection on Providence his thoughts were hovering - in compassion and sympathy of course - on the poor dwellers in the slum near which he was being carried.

Now it is a cosmic law that is inescapable that the last thoughts of a dying man determine the nature of his next birth. Therefore the saint was reborn as a child of an untouchable couple in the very same slum area where he breathed his last. But the very many past good impressions in his mind and the healthy attitude and righteous outlook that had always been his nature were still his equipment even though he was now a child of the slum.

His father was the State Drum-beater whose business was to beat the drum, draw people's attention and then announce Government's orders and instructions to the citizens for implementation by them. It was also his job to go round the streets of the capital city at night and by beat of drum warn the people to be awake and guard themselves against thieves and robbers who went about in dark nights for house-breaking and way-side robbery.

The State Drum-beater (who got the saint as his son) had earned a name for honest work and responsible discharge of duties. Though he held a petty office his integrity had made him well known to the king who often consulted him in regard to improving the arrangements in the capital city for safety of persons and possessions.

But the birth of a son had not made the Drum-beater happy at all, for the son as he grew up hardly learnt to speak a word and chose to keep away from contact with people. He shunned society though he never did anything wrong. The parents did their best to make him normal, but in vain. The boy displayed no interest in anything and seemed to be hard of hearing, slow of understanding, dull-witted, averse both to play and work. The father had to leave him to himself.

The truth about this strange boy however was something different. He was not stupid and backward. In fact by merely watching his father beat the drum he had acquired skill in drum-beating (the hereditary occupation of the family), but he let no one know of it.

He retained the memory of the last moments of his previous birth and remembering how a mere association (in thought) with the slum and its unedifying environment had had such an impact on him as to actually make him take birth in a slum, he had resolved even at birth to avoid any sort of voluntary active involvement in the affairs of his environment. He yearned to live as a philosopher, watching but not participating, a looker-on at the drama of life.

Once the drum-beating father had to be away from the city for a day on some urgent business of his own, but at that time there was a scare in the city about expert thieves being busy, and the chief guard of the city refused to grant him leave of absence from work even for a night. The Drum-beater was in tears, because the business which compelled him to ask for leave was so very important to him.

The king saw him in this condition in the palace grounds and asked him why he was weeping. On being told of the cause of his remorse, the king said that leave would be granted to him if he would provide a substitute, as capable as he, to take his place. The Drum-beater could think of no one who would take his place. Then he had an idea, and said, "My son is now quite grown up to officiate for me. I shall coach him up well and make him beat the drum as well as I beat it." He knew what a good-for-nothing youth his son was, but there was no other way out of the predicament and he hoped that his son would do the work tolerably well and that by God's grace nothing very serious would happen.

The king who was soft-hearted let the father go, but at evening he began to wonder if he had done the right thing in overruling the chief guard and letting the veteran Drum-beater be absent from the city even for a night; for he had heard all the rumours current in the city about spies, enemy agents, smugglers, etc.

He was sure that the Drum-beater's son could not be a satisfactory substitute for his father and so resolved to go himself round the city in disguise at night and ensure its safety. It was not unusual for kings in those days to go round the city at night in order to mingle with the common folk and study their condition and also to know the nature of the public reaction to their rule. So on the dark night the king, dressed like a wayfarer, was going through the streets and lanes of the city.

The Drum-beater's son widely regarded as a dunce and an idiot was also going round the city not knowing that he shared the honour of the nocturnal vigil with royalty. After a time when towards the end of the first quarter of the night the city lay hushed in sleep, the king was surprised to hear the drum-beat a little away from where he was, and the beating was loud and long.

This gladdened the king who said to himself, "The son is even better than the father, for if at the father's beat the drum has roared like a lion on all the nights, at the son's beat tonight it volleys and thunders. Listening to this yell even Kumbhakarna cannot quietly slumber on. The city is in no danger whatever. People at home will surely be compelled to be wakeful."

But soon he was surprised to hear the sweet tune of a verse coming over the air. In the silence of the night the verse resounded and reverberated all over the city.

आशाया बध्यते जन्तुः कर्मणा बहुचिन्तया। आयु क्षीणँ न जानाति तस्मात् जाग्रत जाग्रत॥

Aashaya baddhyate loke, karmana bahu chintaya, Aayuh ksheenam najanati, tasmat jagrata, jagrata.

People are bound in this world by desires, actions and manifold anxieties. Therefore they do not know that life is slowly decaying and is wasted away. Hence, wake up! wake up!!

कामक्ष्च क्रोधक्ष्च लोभक्ष्च देहे तिष्ठन्ति तस्कराः। ज्ञनरत्नापहाराय तस्मात् जाग्रत जाग्रत॥

Kama krodhascha lobhascha, dehe tishtanthi taskarah, Jnana ratnapa haaraya, tasmat jagrata, jagrata.

There lurk thieves in the frame viz., lust, anger and greed to steal the jewel of wisdom. Hence, wake up! wake up!!

सम्पदः स्वप्नसँकाशाः यौवनँ कुसुमोपम्। विधुच्चन्चचँल आयुषँ तस्मात् जाग्रत जाग्रत॥

Sampadah swapna sandeshah, youvanam kusumopamam, Vidyut chanchalam aayushyam, tasmat jagrata.

Health and wealth like dreams, wither away like flowers at the sight of scorching Sun. Day-by-day, we are nearing to the last days of this body. Hence, wake up! wake up!

माता नास्ति पिता नास्ति नास्ति बन्धुः सहोदरः। अर्थँ नास्ति गृहँ नाति तस्मात् जाग्रत जाग्रत॥

Mata naasti pita naasti, naasti bandhuh sahodarah, artho naasti griham naasti, tasmat jagrata, jagrata.

You have no mother, no father, no relatives, no brothers, no wealth, no house, (nothing will remain forever, nothing will follow you after death). Hence, wake up! wake up!!

जन्म दुःखँ जरा दुःखँ जाया दुःखँ पुनः पुनः। सँसारसागरँ दुःखँ तस्मात् जाग्रत जाग्रत॥

Janma dukham, jara dukham, jayadukham punah, Samsara sagaram dukham, tasmat Jagrata, Jagrata.

Birth is full of pain, old age is full of miseries, spouse is again and again the source of all miseries and pains. This ocean of Samsara is full of grief. Hence, wake up! wake up!!

Soon it was dawn, and the king returned to the palace, happy to have discovered a sage in his city. The Drum-beater's son too returned to his hut, hoping that his philosophical drum-beating had roused at least a few slumbering souls to wakefulness.

When the father came back to the city he had an urgent summons from the king to appear at court forthwith along with his son. The father was naturally alarmed, fearing that his son had kept the watch so ill that the king was about to punish him. But on reaching the palace gates he was astonished to see his son being garlanded and being led to the king's presence with music and other signs of honour.

The king told the father, "Your son is no fool. He is a great sage. It is a pity we did not discover his genius and worth all these years. I have resolved to keep him at court. It is for him to choose any office in the kingdom and it will be bestowed on him at once."

The chief minister, the court pundit, and several other high state officials wondered which one of them was going to be relieved of his office in order to find a place for the strange favourite of the king.

And great was their relief when the newcomer told the king, to the surprise of all, "I shall choose a job befitting my birth and social position. Make me the Chief Executioner, the Senior Beheader, of the criminals in the kingdom who are sentenced to death by your courts."

The king was very much puzzled by the nature of the profession the Drum-beater's son preferred to get into, but while several others regarded the would-be Executioner as eccentric, the king remembered the adage that the strange conduct of great men may perplex ordinary folk, but always has a background of supreme sense to it, and let him have what he demanded.

Orders were issued to the effect that criminals who were given the capital sentence were to be handed over to the new officer to be beheaded by him as and when and how he chose. In a hut close to the field where executions were carried out lived the Drum-beater's son who had thus opted for the ghastly job.

Soon were installed in that bloody field of execution two lovely images of Narayana and Mahadeva.

When the criminals were sent to him the Drum-beater's son used to tell them delightful stories about Vishnu and Siva for days and days. He was a marvellous storyteller and would make the simple-hearted, rustic prisoners actually visualize the scenes in the stories he narrated to them. The criminal tendency in them which had led them to a sentence of death was looked upon by him as just a disease, and he knew the disease was curable. He therefore never cursed them, but slowly toned up their souls.

But the law had to take its course and the sentence of death had to be carried out, and at a time when he found the condemned ones in a particularly God-minded mood, singing or dancing in devotion or chanting the Lord's names, he would go behind them and chop off their heads in a trice. And as the last thoughts of the beheaded ones were invariably related to God, because of the sublime way in which he arranged the setting of the execution, the victims of the State law had enviable rebirths, in which they rapidly strode towards perfection.

The bloody act of beheading became in the hands of the holy executioner the blessed service of soul-redeeming.

16 November 2018

Queen Madalasa

Long ago there lived a Hindu king who had a daughter of extraordinary beauty. Her name was Madalasa. Besides charming appearance she was endowed with many spiritual qualities which lent her a rare glow— both external and internal.

The fame of her beauty had spread so far that a demon, Patalketu by name, wanted to marry the princess. Like a greedy spider he spread his web of tricks round all the people of the palace, and one day he stole her.

Madalasa, thus kidnapped, did not lose her presence of mind. She began looking for a way of escape from the clutches of the demon but could not find any. Then she went on praying to the Lord for her deliverance.

Prayer never fails and after some days King Ritaddhaja arrived there. There was no one who was braver and worthier than the king. Then a battle took place between Patalketu and King Ritaddhaja. After a fierce fight the king rescued Madalasa from the clutches of the demon and returned to his kingdom to marry her. Thereafter the queen became a part of Ritaddhaja's very being.

All worldly pleasures are transitory by nature. Soon the demons attacked the army, and Ritaddhaja had to go and fight them. The wicked demons meanwhile spread a rumour that the king had died in the battle-field. Hearing this heart-breaking news queen Madalasa had given up her body.

In the meantime, Ritaddhaja has won the battle and rushed to the palace to meet his beloved. But alas, there was no more that lotus-faced, lustrous-eyed beauty. The king completely broke down. He saw nothing but dense darkness all around.

Nagaraj, a great devotee of Lord Shiva, was the bosom friend of Ritaddhaja. Seeing the immeasurable sorrow of his friend, he made up his mind and left for the Himalayas. There, by dint of his penance, he pleased Lord Shiva and got back the queen's life.

The very sight of Madalasa and the reunion filled her beloved with profound joy. The stream of life in the palace again began to flow merrily, the birds began to twitter and the flowers bloomed in the world of Ritaddhaja.

Thus days passed on. Previously all people loved Madalasa for her compassionate nature. But from now on, the king as well as the other members of the palace also began to respect her as if she was the personification of divinity. They smelt an unusual fragrance in her presence, saw a divine glow in her face and wondered at an aura of serenity always emanating from her countenance. Though they marvelled at her composure, they did not know that by the grace of Lord Shiva Madalasa had attained Self-knowledge, that the small river had now turned into an infinite ocean of bliss!

Sometime later, a son, Vikranta, was born to the royal couple. But Madalasa so much desired that all her children should obtain freedom in this very life that she personally began to take all care of them. And, as she rocked the new-born Vikranta to sleep she would sing "Tat tvam Asi, Tat tvam Asi." She would say in ecstatic mood, "O my child, you are neither the body nor the mind: you were never born and therefore you will never die. You are imperishable, ever free. You are that One Indivisible Brahman."

Thus the child used to drink the bliss of Eternal Truth from his very birth. As a result, when he grew up the superficial happiness of this material world appeared too dross to him. He renounced the world to realize the Ultimate Truth.

Three more sons were born to the royal couple. Two of them grew up in the same way and they followed the same path of renunciation and God-realization.

The king naturally became very anxious. "Who will be the heir to the throne?"—he wondered. One day he went to Madalasa and said to her: "My dear queen, three of our sons have already renounced. Now please train your youngest, the fourth son, in such a way that he can be an ideal king in future who would renounce the transitory world only in mind."

"All right," said Madalasa. She began to train Alarka in such a way that he became an ideal householder. He was well-versed in the scriptures and lived a pious life. Knowing fully well the ephemeral nature of this world, he performed all his duties unattached.

This is a story of Vedanta which depicts the picture of an ideal mother. Every nation needs plenty of such enlightened mothers so that they can mould the character of their children who will become a blessing to the world.

The story of Madalasa was very dear to Swamiji because of its bold message.

In a lecture called "Vedanta in its application to Indian life" he said: "People get disgusted ... at my preaching Advaitism.... The only 'ism' that we require now is this wonderful idea of the soul — its eternal might, its eternal strength, its eternal purity, and its eternal perfection. If I had a child I would from its very birth begin to tell it, 'Thou art the Pure One, Tat Tvam Asi'."

17 November 2018

Passion Transformed Life of Tulasidas by C.K. Handoo

Indian lore is full of beautiful episodes from the lives of saints where one can find illustrations. They are the living lessons which help us overcome the turmoil of Maya and transform worldly attachment into transcendent love. In the lives of Bilvamangala and Tulasidasa, we witness such transformation. They are shining examples which speak for themselves. The events are so touching and colourful that they leave an indelible mark on our minds. Here, such an episode in the life of Tulasidasa, the medieval saint of India, will be retold.

Tulasidasa lost his parents when he was very young. There was none to tend the orphan boy. The tradition goes that a maidservant came forward to nurse the boy and that she was Mother Durga herself. Anyway, Tulasi grew up and went to a Ramayat saint, named Naraharidasa, at Chitrakuta, for education. Having completed his education, he came to visit his parental home. The good neighbours cordially received the learned young man. They were reluctant to let Tulasi go and advised him to marry and settle down there. Bridal offers came from all quarters; so at last Tulasi, though unwillingly, gave his consent and got married.

The bride's father was charmed to see Tulasi's scholarship and devotion. The bride, Ratnavali, was as beautiful as she was good, and Tulasi was completely captivated by her sweetness and charm. He also proved himself a devoted husband. He loved Ratna so much that if she were a single moment out of his sight, he would become restless with an agony in his heart. Gradually he became completely infatuated.

But everything has a limit in this world. Violent delights have violent ends. Fire and powder, when they meet each, consume themselves completely.

One day when Tulasidasa had gone to a neighbouring village for work, Ratnavali's brother came to visit her, and she left with him for her parental home without her husband's permission. Formerly, when Ratnavali had been invited by her parents, Tulasi had refused her permission out of extreme attachment. At that time in India, girls were married at a very young age, and naturally they were rather fond of their parents. They would feel more free at their parental homes than at their fathers'-in-law where they had some restrictions. So young Ratna did not miss the chance to see her kith and kin after a long time.

On his return home, finding his beloved absent, Tulasi was very much upset. The pangs of separation were unbearable. After making inquiries of the maidservant and obtaining the necessary information, he crossed the river at night and reached his destination. He called loudly and knocked hard at the door of his father-in-law. In the dead of night, Ratnavali awoke and, recognizing her husband's voice, opened the door for him.

The mind of man works in mysterious ways. Nobody knows what happens on account of what. Sometimes harsh, biting words cannot disturb the mind; at other times, a mild, sweet reproof can create a terrible upset. Anyhow, Ratnavali was disturbed and ashamed to see the unbecoming manner of her husband.

She mildly reproached him: "Don't you feel ashamed that you have followed me here? Fie on your love, my dear! If this your devotion to my frame of skin and bone were given to Rama, the fear of the world, you would surely overcome."

These words of Ratna pierced Tulasi's heart like an arrow. What force was in them! Instantly Tulasi's lust was transformed and his dormant spirituality aroused. Binding attraction turned into burning dispassion. Then and there, at the gate of his father-in-law's house, he turned on his heel. Ratnavali's brother tried to pacify him but to no avail.

In anguish, Tulasi suddenly remembered the words of Naraharidasa, his guru: "If you have your spiritual welfare at heart and wish to realize God, keep away from 'woman and gold', says Narahari."

After leaving the house of his father-in-law, Tulasidasa came to Prayag, had a bath for purification at the holy confluence of the Ganga and the Jamuna, and took the vows of Sannyasa. Tulasi, with all his energy, started to turn the wheel of his life in another direction. People were startled to see his severe austerity. In time he had the vision of Ramachandra.

The biographers of Tulasidasa have depicted very beautifully the circumstances of his God-vision. According to the instruction of the great devotee Hanuman, Tulasi was waiting for Sri Rama with sandal-paste at the busy bathing ghat at Chitrakuta. Suddenly Sri Rama, disguised as a handsome young boy, came before Tulasi and said: "Baba, give me some sandal-paste."

Tulasi was overwhelmed with joy and drank in, with unwinking eyes, the enchanting beauty of Ramachandra. The Lord again asked for the sandal-paste, but Tulasi was in an ecstatic mood: he could neither speak nor move. The Lord then bent down, took a little paste with His own finger, applied some to His own forehead as well as Tulasi's, and disappeared. Thus Tulasi was blessed by God Himself.

Ratnavali, the sweet wife of Tulasidasa, could not forget her beloved husband. She kept track of him. Once she wrote a letter:

Of slender waist and golden skin am I. With women comrades I live secure. My heart may burst, I don't fear. But I do care that you may be caught, By other damsels fair.

Tulasidasa replied in the following words:

Devotion's sweetness I have tasted, Through the teachings of my wife. With matted hair I live, secure, In Rama's love alone, my life.

This correspondence was in dohas, small Hindi couplets. Their poetic beauty is beyond description.

Ratna's doubts about her husband were dispelled. She was fully satisfied and praised the devotion and renunciation of her husband. Amongst the wise, some said that Ratnavali was Sarasvati, the Goddess of wisdom; while others said that God had spoken through her to destroy the delusion of His favourite devotee. The fascinating story of Tulasi and Ratna does not end here. The story continues.

Many years had elapsed and a curtain of forgetfulness had fallen between the two souls. Tulasi had aged. His old memories had been completely erased by the repeated remembrance and overwhelming visions of Rama. Though a pilgrim of God like Tulasidasa is himself a moving holy place, yet he had a desire to see his Chosen Ideal, Sri Rama, in the places of pilgrimage.

He started his journey. On the way, by chance and unknowingly, he became a guest at his father-in-law's house. Ratna, who was no more young, came to receive the holy guest. Neither Tulasi nor Ratna could recognize each other. She arranged his food, but Tulasi refused to partake of it as he was strict in his rules. He himself started to cook his own food. After a short time, Ratna recognized her beloved husband, but she did not disclose the fact. On the contrary, she carefully concealed her emotion.

Again the sweet game started. Ratna mischievously asked: "Sir, shall I bring a chilli for you?" Tulasi replied: "Thank you, madam; I don't need it. There is one in my bag." She asked him to have this and that, but Tulasi's reply was negative. Ratna wanted to wash his feet but Tulasi did not allow her. Night came. Ratna passed a sleepless night. She was thinking deeply of her saintly husband. Her mind was turning over this thought: How was it that her husband had renounced the vital things of life, but still could not give up trivial things?

Next morning Ratna asked: "Sir, do you recognize me?" Tulasi: "No." Ratna again asked: "Do you know where you are?" Tulasi gave a negative reply. Then Ratna disclosed her identity and sought to remain in his company. Tulasi flatly refused her request.

Ratna saw that Tulasi was carrying in his bag gopi-chandana (sacred yellow earth of Vrindavan) and camphor for his daily worship. This suggested a way to tease him. If he could carry these accessories with him, then, she asked, why not a humble woman? She insisted that either he carry her along with him in his bag or depend on discrimination and renunciation alone.

This was the last blow for Tulasidasa. He admitted that his wife was wiser than himself. Immediately he got rid of the few articles he possessed, giving the bag to a Brahmana.

It is said that Tulasi did not forget his debt to Ratnavali. In an indirect and subtle manner, he tried to convey his gratitude to her through the women characters of Ramacaritamanasa, his magnum opus, the famous Hindi version of the Ramayana.

Lust brings bondage, love brings freedom. Lust springs from body-consciousness and love from God-consciousness. Deluded people cannot discriminate between lust and love. Discrimination is the beacon of spiritual life. Ratnavali (literally, a garland of gems) is for ever blessed that she was the cause whereby divine nectar, through the Ramacaritamanasa, was sprinkled over the people of India.

(Reprinted from Prabuddha Bharata, April, 1971)

18 November 2018

Abhayam or Fearlessness

(The sixteenth Chapter of the Bhagavad Gita begins with a description of the spiritual treasures endowed with which one attains the wisdom hinted at in the end of the fifteenth Chapter.)

Fearlessness is one of the first qualities Sri Krishna advises all spiritual aspirants to cultivate. Fear is the result of selfishness, and the cause of selfishness is ignorance about the real nature of man.

All of us are subject to various types of fear: fear of old age, disease, death, etc., and even fear of fear. Then there are all sorts of irrational fears known as phobias. But the greatest of all fears is of the loss of individuality.

Fear is an existential condition. If fear were not there, no creature would survive for long. A fear which helps one to survive and lead a righteous life is good, but a fear which makes life a living hell is to be got rid of.

The opposite of fear is courage. The greatest of all courages is the "Courage to Be."

How do we cultivate this courage? Through reliance on God and a philosophical outlook on life.

Accept the inevitable with equanimity and poise.

Every spiritual aspirant knows that whatever happens is for his good and through every event, God is slowly leading him forward. This faith makes him face life with courage and strength.

Prayer and a righteous life can equip us all with strength and courage to be.

Satva samshuddhih (Purity)

Purity is an essential condition of spiritual life. Purity is the very bed-rock of spirituality; without it none can advance in the spiritual path. It is impurity which obstructs our vision of God.

Impurity arises from ignorance. Ignorance gives rise to egoism; we forget our real nature and identify ourselves with non-self i.e., the body and mind. The ego gives rise to attachment and aversion; it is because of the ego we have intense clinging to life.

What is purity? That which dispels delusion and reveals our real nature to us is purity. Purity manifests in thought, speech and deeds. As we go on practising spiritual disciplines our mind becomes pure (Satvik), and like a clean mirror starts reflecting the divine. This reflection of the divine further intensifies our longing for God-realisation.

As the mind becomes purer it makes us aware of impure thoughts, desires, motives etc., and also shows us the way out.

"Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God."

19 November 2018

Jnana Yoga Vyavasthitih (Steadfastness)

One of the most important spiritual qualities is steadfastness in the practice of knowledge.

What is knowledge? Sri Ramakrishna says: "Do you know what ignorance means? It is the feeling: 'This is my house; these are my relatives; I am the doer; and the household affairs go on smoothly because I manage them.' But to feel, 'I am the servant of God, His devotee, His son' - that is a good attitude.

"To know many things is ajnana, ignorance. To know only one thing is Jnana, Knowledge - the realization that God alone is real and that He dwells in all.

"Do not forget Him but remember that all men must one day walk down the same path. We stay in the world only a couple of days." Knowledge means that God alone is real and all else is temporary. Knowledge means that the goal of life is the realization of God. Knowledge means that this world is only a temporary place. Knowledge is to remember God always and to keep the mind calm, balanced and rational, and to practice discrimination between the Real and the unreal.

One who is treading the path of knowledge strives to remember that he is a child or a servant or a devotee of God.

Whatever be the circumstances of life a devotee forges ahead with his practice. Through regular practice he achieves steadfastness.

Steadfastness of knowledge is a sure sign of spiritual progress.

20 November 2018

Dana or Charity

Sri Krishna tells us that charity is one of the divine qualities; certainly it is a great and necessary virtue.

But what is Dana i.e., charity? It is not merely giving a gift, or helping or serving. It is an attitude, a way of looking at the world. Kindness, compassion, respect, sweet speaking, and prayer for the welfare of others are some of the expressions of charity.

Charity is love of God and love of man.

Charity is living a simple life; it is a way of reducing selfishness and egotism; it helps us develop non-attachment towards the world. It is a way of sharing and caring, loving and serving. Charity is an inevitable expression of love. In a way it is a way of giving back to the world what we receive from it.

Real charity is to offer oneself to God and see the Divine in all beings.

There are three types of charity - material, intellectual and spiritual. Of these spiritual charity, helping one to reach God, is the highest. No other charity can be compared to spiritual charity.

Charity should be practised with sincerity, humility, devotion, reverence and without expecting any return. Charity is done purely for pleasing the Lord.

Holy Mother used to say: "Those who have wealth must measure it out, and those who do not have should pray for the welfare of the needy."

Dama (Sense-control)

Dama is sense-control. One who aspires to Self-knowledge cannot be too careful about control of the senses. Unless the senses are controlled it is impossible to control the mind.

What does sense-control mean?

Does it mean that we close our eyes, ears etc. Obviously this cannot be the meaning, for besides being impossible to stop them functioning, it is unwise to do so. Sense-control means:

Using all the senses to discharge one's duties with proper care and attention. This improves our concentration and will-power. Besides it gives a sense of fulfilment.
Using the senses in a way that does not agitate the mind but on the contrary promotes spiritual progress. For example, let the eyes enjoy divine forms, let the ears hear devotional music or let one talk and hear about spiritual things as far as possible.
Let all the senses be directed towards God. If we can remember God and try to do actions to please Him then the senses will gradually turn towards Him. Karma-Yoga is of great help here.

The control of the senses is a difficult task, but through constant practice and through the grace of God it is possible.

"A man becomes a saint by conquering the senses. Is there anything impossible for a man who has subdued his passions? He can even realize God, through His grace." (Sri Ramakrishna)

Swami Subodhanandaji Maharaj Today is his birthday

Once Khoka Maharaj was going to Kolkata from Belur Math by steamer. On the way, a few young men from Bali started criticizing Swamiji.

Maharaj boldly told them: "Do you give any donations to Belur Math? If so, please stop from today. What will you gain by criticizing Swamiji? Neither will your criticism make Swamiji's hands fall off, nor will your praise help him grow two more hands."

When he heard that those young men did not help Belur Math, Maharaj said: "Then why do you criticize unnecessarily? Can you appreciate the monks? You work like slaves under English officers and you are supposed to flatter them; if you make any mistake, they will kick you out with their boots."

A few days later, one of those young men came to Belur Math and apologized to Khoka Maharaj: "Maharaj, the other day, out of sheer ignorance, we did wrong. Your words came true. One of us was kicked out of the office by an English officer."

Khoka Maharaj's compassion knew no bounds. Once, when he was staying in Shantipur, he met one Dr Lahiri. The doctor was in the habit of drinking alcohol. One evening, while drunk, he used very foul language while talking with Khoka Maharaj. That very night the doctor came down with a high fever. Khoka Maharaj went to see him the next morning. The doctor was then lying down in his drawing room. He still had a high fever and was restless with pain. Maharaj sat beside him and began to gently stroke his forehead.

When the doctor saw him, he called out to his sister and said: "Come and see who is attending upon me! These people don't know what it is to be angry. Though I behaved so rudely to Maharaj, he has come to serve me today!"

Maharaj once told Dr Lahiri: "You have earned a lot of money by practicing medicine. From now on, don't take any fees from poor people. Spend the rest of your life serving the poor."

The doctor followed this advice and gradually even gave up drinking.

The parents of Khoka Maharaj were great devotees. After Maharaj had embraced monastic life, some friends of his father asked him to try to bring back his son. But at this his father said: "Living a householder's life, we haven't been able to realize God. What is the harm if he tries to do so as a monk? He has done what is right. If he realizes God, what can be a matter of greater joy?"

When Khoka Maharaj went to meet his mother after becoming a monk, she blessed him and said: "Whatever you do, do it with all your heart and soul. Have a firm grasp on your ideal. I bless you that you may realize your goal and be happy under all circumstances."

21 November 2018

From M. The Apostle and the Evangelist

M: On the coming of an avatara, persons with their mind tuned to Him, are able to hear Him. Otherwise, you see, so many people hear Him: but how many receive his message? Just a few. Those who have such a machine installed in their heart, because of the actions of their past lives, can only catch the silent message of the avatara.

A Bhakta: Which message?

M: Amritasya putrah. O man, you are the child of immortal bliss, you are not a human being. Your home is in BrahmapurI, the abode of Brahman. Eating, sleeping, procreating and fearing, these are not the right actions for you people. Your only duty is to return home, win back your real wealth and reside in the abode of Brahman realizing your true Self. Win immortality and live for ever.

"This message is being propagated night and day. Those who have the machine within, rightly tuned and pure, can only imbibe His great teaching. Those who have their minds and soul covered by the hard iron lid of life cannot hear this message, they cannot imbibe it.

"On the other hand persons whose lids have become a little loose try to seek it here even while living within the extremely tight bonds of existence and feel restless. One day they also clearly hear and catch the message, which is always ringing, even while living through the cruel cycle of life and death. Their very life then becomes divine."

"This very man then becomes a God-man."

22 November 2018

Swami Vijnananandaji

The Master was the living embodiment of purity, and he had the simplicity of a child. It seemed strange to him that anyone would wish to lose himself in the ephemeral pleasures of the world when there is eternal happiness within his reach. To Sri Ramakrishna, the only purpose of human life is to realize God and to attain unending joy in him.

If man can detach his mind from the objects of the sense world, he will have the vision of the Reality. He will see Brahman and the light of Brahman everywhere in the universe. Man burns in the fire of worldliness, forgetting the peace that is in God because of his inordinate craving for material objects. Sri Ramakrishna lived continuously immersed in the consciousness of the Blissful Mother, and so the fire of worldliness never touched him.

His heart was filled with the joy of Brahman; he lived intoxicated by that joy; and his only sorrow was that he could not give it to all mankind, although he was always eager to share his bliss with each and every one. Compared to the wisdom and bliss that result from the vision of Brahman, all secular knowledge and worldly pleasures are like dust.

Sri Ramakrishna saw Brahman everywhere; we, on the other hand, sense and experience only the world appearance.

Once I asked the Master if God was with or without form.

Sri Ramakrishna replied, "He is with as well as without form. And he is beyond both form and formlessness."

I inquired again, "If God is all, is this cot also God?"

He answered emphatically, "Yes, this cot is God, this glass, this utensil, this wall—everything is God." As he spoke, I experienced an inner transformation and was lifted beyond the mundane consciousness. My heart was illumined, and I saw the light of Brahman everywhere.

Sri Ramakrishna was unique in every way. His photograph symbolizes the awakening of the kundalini. It shows him immersed in the ocean of bliss. When I look at his photograph, many spiritual visions come to me.

Swamiji and Maharaj also used to have many visions through his image, but they did not divulge their experiences.

One day the Master showed me his photograph and said, "Meditate on this image. I am living there."

Those who have taken refuge in Sri Ramakrishna's name will be looked after by him. He will do everything for them.

On one occasion I was massaging the Master's feet, when a gentleman came to visit him from Konnagar. After he left, Sri Ramakrishna said, "You know, I can see the inside of a man's mind just like objects in a glass case." I thought to myself, "Well, then he can also see everything in me. What a dangerous man he is!" But he would only speak of the goodness in others, not of their evil deeds or tendencies.

In Sri Ramakrishna we found manifest the aspects of other divine incarnations of the past. When I first heard him say, "He who was Rama, he who was Krishna, is born as Ramakrishna," I did not believe him. I thought to myself, "He may be talking nonsense, but anyway, he is a holy man and very sincere." Much later, during my college days, the Master once again remarked in a very serious mood, "In my incarnation as Krishna I played with the shepherds and shepherdesses at Vrindavan." This time also I did not accept his words either.

He knew my doubts and so began to talk of the deep love of the shepherdesses for Sri Krishna. He explained how they had surrendered their all, mind, body, and soul to their beloved. While talking about this divine attraction, Sri Ramakrishna suddenly became speechless and lost all outward consciousness. He was deeply absorbed in samadhi. I also experienced an ecstatic joy and felt a dense atmosphere of divine love in the orbit of his power.

For the first time I realized the true significance of Sri Krishna's divine play with the shepherds and shepherdesses, and my doubt that the Master was a reincarnation of Sri Krishna was completely removed. When Sri Ramakrishna returned to normal consciousness, he laughed like a little boy. I kept silent.

Wherever great souls live, they create a spiritual atmosphere around themselves. Whoever comes within their orbit is elevated to a higher consciousness. One can feel a spiritual power like an electric current emanating from them and entering into him. It is a strange phenomenon. One has to experience it to know what it is.

One time, when I touched the feet of Swamiji [Vivekananda], I felt a shock like that of an electric current from him. Maharaj [Swami Brahmananda] also had great power to transmit spirituality to others.

One day he was deeply absorbed in meditation. I was seated near him. I began to feel a nerve current within me and also became absorbed. To transmit such spiritual power to another, even without the knowledge of the recipient, is the manifestation of the greatest spirituality.

Maharaj was a spiritual dynamo, and at the same time he was full of fun. What compelling attraction those two great souls, Swamiji and Maharaj, possessed! They drew others to themselves by their magnetic power of love. Whoever came within their orbit was gradually freed from evil tendencies, and the veil of ignorance was lifted.

23 November 2018

Guru Nanak

Today is the birthday celebration of Sri Guru Nanak. Sri Ramakrishna had high regard for Guru Nanak. Talking of him he quotes Guru Nanak: "I was about to eat the food of unholy people, when I found it stained with blood."

Once Sri Guru Nanak met some Yogis. They wanted to show him their superiority. The Yogis began to display their miraculous powers, created thunder and lightning, and raised terrifying cries as of howling beasts. Stones began to fly, and a commotion as of the world falling to pieces was produced.

All through, the Guru sat unperturbed, composed. After the Yogis had finished with the display of their occult powers, he spoke in a calm voice, rising from the depth of his soul:

"Reverend Sirs, I have little to show in the way of the marvels practised by you. My sole support is the Word of God and holy company.

"What are miracles worth? Were I to wear the vesture of fire, Lodge in a house of snow and feed on iron; Were I to drink at a gulp all the suffering of mankind; Were I to drive the earth about; Were my will omnipotent and bind the universe in obedience; what even then? God's greatest gift is not such powers; Great is one in whom is devotion to His Name."

After this he called upon them to betake themselves from their retreat to the world of men, to relieve suffering and teach true religion.

Said he:

"Reverend Sirs, the moon of righteousness lies hidden under the darkness of iniquity; The dark night of evil hath covered the earth; I have set out to find the light of Truth; Those like you who are holy, have hidden themselves in mountain caves; Who might then save the world? Ignorant mendicants know little besides smearing themselves with ashes; The whole world is in the grip of ruin for lack of a guide."

Guru Nanak's spiritual-moral teaching disarmed the Yogis, who acknowledged the superiority of his way, in which the spiritual life led man to the path of service and compassion.

24 November 2018

Swami Vijnanananda

Swamiji and Maharaj could not be compared. Each was unsurpassed in his own way. Each was complementary to the other. Swamiji's ideals were given the practical shape by Maharaj.

Swamiji preached knowledge and action, but inwardly he was a great devotee. His heart was tender and affectionate. What deep love he had for all of us, his brother-disciples, and especially for Maharaj! His attitude toward Maharaj was:

"The son of the guru is to be regarded as the guru himself." Yet he would not spare us, not even Maharaj, if we made any mistakes.

One day I was supervising the building of the embankment of the Ganges in front of the Belur monastery. The sun was hot, and I felt very thirsty. I noticed Swamiji seated on the veranda on the second floor, drinking lemonade. I was wishing I too had a cool drink. No sooner did this thought come to mind than an attendant brought me a glass with the message that Swamiji had sent this drink for me. I was very happy and put the glass to my lips. But what a disappointment! It was empty excepting a few drops. I felt rather hurt that Swamiji would play such a practical joke on me. However, I thought that as long as a holy man had sent me his prasad, I should accept it. To my great surprise, as soon as I had finished those few drops, I was satisfied.

Later in the day, when I met Swamiji, he teased me, "Did you drink the lemonade?"

I said, "Yes, I did, and my thirst was quenched." Swamiji looked pleased.

At one time a doubt arose in my mind. Sri Ramakrishna had taught that a monk must not even look at pictures of women, not to speak of associating with them. He had also told me particularly to be careful and not to look at any woman, even if she was deeply devoted to God. Yet Swamiji travelled all over the world, delivered lectures everywhere, and associated freely with women in the West. For this reason I wondered if Swamiji was really following Sri Ramakrishna's teachings in spirit.

One day, finding Swamiji alone in his room, I brought up the topic and mentioned what the Master had taught us. As Swamiji was listening, he became very serious. After a little while he said, "Peshan, it is not as easy to understand Sri Ramakrishna as you think. Do you know, he obliterated from my consciousness all distinction between man and woman. Through his grace I have realized that there is no sex in the Atman. Furthermore, Sri Ramakrishna came for the good of all. Do you think he came only to save the men? His grace makes no distinction between races and sexes. Of course, you must follow his instructions to you, but he taught me differently. Not only that he taught me, but now as ever he is holding me by the hand and guiding me, and I do as he makes me do."

I was sorry that I had ever doubted Swamiji and kept silent. Then Swamiji smiled at me and continued, "The mother power, the source of all divine energy, needs to be awakened in all women, whether of the East or of the West. Don't you realize that our Holy Mother was born to kindle this power in all women? Only the beginning has been made. A great spiritual awakening will come in women all over the world."

At the Belur monastery I slept in the little room opening onto the veranda. Swamiji often walked there. I recall one night when he was pacing up and down the veranda, singing to himself, "Thou art the Saviour, Mother." He repeated this line over and over again. At times I could see him standing motionless in ecstasy, with tears of joy running down his cheeks. And so he continued until dawn.

25 November 2018

From M. The Apostle and The Evangelist

A Devotee: Thakur saw a number of monkeys sitting in the Panchavati. Well, will these monkeys also attain liberation? Thakur's sight did fall on them.

M: Yes. There were many monkeys in Dakshineswar in those days. Even now one can see some of them. The monkeys had Thakur's darshan. Blessed they are!

If you ask, but did they know that he was an Avatara? The answer to it is: but Thakur knew that he was an Avatara. His holy sight fell on them. Don't we believe in previous life? What is there to wonder at if they have been liberated by having his darshan.

About Vedanta people say one attains liberation in a human body. In the Bhagavata, the commentary on Vedanta, they say that like human beings, other creatures are also liberated by the grace of the company of Avataras.

Once Chaitanya Deva was asked why he didn't write a commentary on Vedanta. He answered: 'Had there been no Bhagavata one could have written it. The Bhagavata is a commentary on Vedanta.'

"The trees and all that there is in Dakshineswar and Kamarpukur are all gods, rishis and gandharvas. It is for enjoying the sport of the Avatara that they assumed these forms. Thakur saw them all enveloped in divine light, that is to say, personified consciousness. By his grace some bhaktas (Once M. visited Kamarpukur and saw the whole village enveloped in a divine light!) also saw them as illumined beings.

"The bhaktas have also seen the trees and the other life in Vrindavan enveloped in a divine light—divinely illuminated is Shyam, divinely illuminated is his Abode.

"There are but two sights—one is the sight of reason, and the other is that of bhakti. In the eye of a Bhakta all this is true.

"Thakur used to say, I have seen the Mother in Her aspect of God-with-form. And I have also seen Her as formless God. She is both with form and without form. Besides, she has any number of other aspects too. There is no end to Her aspects. It is the same thing but there are two views of it.

"Those who have said that liberation comes in a human body are correct, the other belief is also correct. There is no contradiction between the two. They are complementary to each other. They have stressed birth as a human being. So man may become conscious, he may make the fullest use of human life.

"What is impossible for Him? He who has created this universe in the twinkle of an eye can also destroy it in the same way?

"All of you want a reason for all this. How far can your reason go? The moment the fever goes a little higher you begin to wail. You become unconscious—this helpless human intellect cannot go far.

"Modern biologists only have the lower sight (Apara)—a sight bounded all around. The solution to all problems can only be had from the point of view of the scriptures, the Vedas, the Avataras.

"He who has uninhibited faith in Thakur, he who believes in all these, does not have to strain his intelligence. He is blessed by the garland of pearls of the Mother of the universe round his neck."

26 November 2018

Renunciation of Kama-Kanchana

Disciple: Shri Ramakrishna used to say, that a man cannot progress far towards God-realisation unless he first relinquishes Kama-Kanchana (lust and greed). If so, what will become of householders? For their whole minds are set on these two things.

Swamiji: It is true that the mind can never turn to God until the desire for lust and wealth has gone from it, be the man a householder or a Sannyasin. Know this for a fact, that as long as the mind is caught in these, so long true devotion, firmness, and Shraddha (faith) can never come.

Disciple: Where will the householders be, then? What way are they to follow?

Swamiji: To satisfy smaller desires and have done with them for ever, and to relinquish the greater ones by discrimination—that is the way. Without renunciation God can never be realised—even if Brahma himself enjoined otherwise!

Disciple: But does renunciation of everything come as soon as one becomes a monk?

Swamiji: Sannyasins are at least struggling to make themselves ready for renunciation, whereas householders are in this matter like boatmen who work at their oars while the boat lies at anchor. "Is the desire for enjoyment ever appeased—It increases ever and ever".

Disciple: Why? May not world-weariness come, after enjoying the objects of the senses over and over for a long time?

Swamiji: To how many does that come? The mind becomes tarnished by constant contact with the objects of the senses and receives a permanent moulding and impress from them. Renunciation, and renunciation alone, is the real secret, the Mulamantra, of all Realisation.

Disciple: But there are such injunctions of the seers in the scriptures as these: 'To restrain the five senses while living with one's wife and children is Tapas.', "For him whose desires are under control, living in the midst of his family is the same as retiring into a forest for Tapasya."

Swamiji: Blessed indeed are those who can renounce Kama-Kanchana, living in their homes with their family! But how many can do that?

Disciple: But then, what about the Sannyasins? Are they all able to relinquish lust and love for riches fully?

Swamiji: As I said just now, Sannyasins are on the path of renunciation, they have taken the field, at least, to fight for the goal; but the householders, on the other hand, having no knowledge as yet of the danger that comes through lust and greed, do not even attempt to realise the Self; that they must struggle to get rid of these is an idea that has not yet entered their minds.

(Swami Vivekananda) THE CONVERSATIONS AND DIALOGUES

27 November 2018

Yajna or Sacrifice

It is said in the Vedas that the Lord (Purusha) made a sacrifice of himself for the sake of creation, and he is sustaining it through continual sacrifice; for it is he who is manifest in the form of the sun, the moon, air, water, fire, earth etc.

Creation came out of sacrifice; hence sacrifice is the law of life; Life is a continual act of sacrifice. Willingly or unwillingly everyone is forced to participate in this sacrifice.

We receive and we give out. If we do not give we will not be able to receive or die! Lord Krishna tells us in the Gita that one who does not live a life of sacrifice lives in vain, that is he remains ignorant and suffers.

One of the most important spiritual qualities is to make life a sacrificial act.

In Vedic times the ancient seers used to light a fire and perform varieties of sacrificial rites. Most of these were performed either for the fulfilment of some personal desires or for the general welfare.

In course of time the Vedic seers acquired a holistic vision. They understood that the whole universe is an integrated whole and that everything depends upon everything else, both the living and the non-living.

This understanding gave rise to the concept of the five great sacrifices (Pancha Maha Yajnah).

Of all sacrifices Brahma-Yajna, seeing Brahman in everything, is considered the best; it is the goal of all spiritual endeavour.

Sacrifice becomes valid only when it entails some amount of loss, pain or inconvenience. Spiritual life is an attempt to transform every action into an act of sacrifice. For an act to become a sacrifice it must fulfil four conditions:

It must entail some amount of deprivation.
It must be done without the expectation of any return.
It must be done for pleasing the divine only.
It must help reduce selfishness and egotism, and must be done unselfconsciously.

There are, again, four stages through which the sacrificial journey progresses.

The first stage of sacrifice is where we feel enormous gratitude for all that life is providing us, including loss, failure, pain, suffering etc.; for pain is a great teacher and leads us Godward.

In the second stage we express our gratefulness in some form of return—charity, service, prayer etc.

In the third stage we feel strongly that the whole world is a manifestation of God and that everything in it really belongs to Him only.

In the last stage one becomes firmly established in this knowledge, and joyously participates in the divine sport, Leela.

Swami Vivekananda described Sri Ramakrishna as 'pranarpana', i.e., one who has offered his life as a sacrifice at the altar of humanity. Christ accepted crucifixion for the sake of mankind. The same may be said of Rama, Krishna, Buddha and every great person. It is through sacrifice that one becomes great and glorious.

Greatness is directly proportionate to sacrifice, sacrifice of time, energy, wealth, comforts etc. Giving up of selfishness, self-pity, sloth, pessimism, fault-finding, stubborn false opinions, bearing criticism and calamities calmly, sincerely attempting to reduce one's ego, all these, are spiritually helpful forms of sacrifice.

Complete self-surrender (Atma-Yajna) to the divine is the ultimate act of sacrifice.

Lives of great men all remind us, We can make our lives sublime, And, departing, leave behind us Footprints on the sands of time. (H. W. Longfellow)

28 November 2018

Swadhyaya or Scriptural Study

Sri Krishna advises an aspirant to practise Swadhyaya, study of the scriptures; it also means study of one's mind. Scriptures are the foundation of every religion. It is seen that religions without a scripture vanish quickly.

What are Scriptures? They are the spiritual realisations of saints and mystics, the records of their experiences of the Ultimate Reality, translated into local language and idiom.

Truths about the existence of God, the after-life and the other-world cannot be known through the five senses; they can be known only through scriptures. Mystics through their experience assert these truths. Hence we can accept them only through faith until our own experience confirms them.

Since Reality is One, its experience must be the same for all. "All jackals howl to the same note", said Sri Ramakrishna.

The Vedas proclaim: "Truth is One. Sages call It by various names".

The seeming differences are due to language only and interpretations.

Swami Vivekananda clarifies: "Truth is of two kinds: (1) that which is cognisable by the five ordinary senses, and by reasonings based thereon; (2) that which is cognisable by the subtle, super-sensuous power of Yoga; and knowledge acquired by the second is called the Vedas.

"The person in whom this super-sensuous power is manifested is called a Rishi, and the super-sensuous truths which he realises by this power are called the Vedas.

"This Rishihood, this power of super-sensuous perception of the Vedas is real religion. And so long as this does not develop in the life of an initiate, so long is religion a mere empty word to him."

Spiritual functions of Scriptures:

a) It is from scriptures that we come to know of God, the goal of life, and the various paths which lead us to Him. We also come to know what should or should not be done, which qualities true devotees should acquire, which defects one should overcome etc. Since human beings are different in their nature and temperament they require different paths. Scriptures provide different pathways suitable to different temperaments so that everyone can reach the one goal, God.

b) Scriptures give us the benefit of holy company. Sri Ramakrishna used to advise spiritual aspirants to cultivate holy company—association with holy men and sincere devotees of God. Their association is extremely effective in bringing home to us the reality of God and spiritual life.

Devotees are the witnesses of God. Through them God Himself is manifested; through them we receive contact with God Himself. It is literally true that even a moment spent in the company of a true devotee produces lifelong results. Unfortunately real devotees are rare. What should we do then? We may read the scriptures and the lives of saints—for they are also wonderfully effective.

A scripture is not a mere book; it is another form of God. Sri Ramakrishna once had a vision where he found God, scripture and devotee as three manifestations of the same Reality. He used to say: "Bhagavan (the Lord), Bhagavata (His word or scripture) and Bhakta (devotee) are all one and the same."

c) Scriptures console and give us hope. Life is painful. The pain is felt all the more by the struggling aspirant (since the aspirant grows refined and soft). At times all hope vanishes and despair takes possession. Every aspirant, beginner and advanced alike, has to pass through these dry periods, the "dark nights of the soul". But a study of the lives of saints shows us clearly that everything must come out all right, at least, at the end.

d) Scriptures give us inspiration. 'Familiarity breeds contempt'—there is a lot of truth in this saying. Spiritual practices tend to become repetitive and mechanical after a time.

At this period regular study of scriptures and the lives of holy men provides us with inspiration and slowly takes us towards our goal.

e) Scriptures provide us with right guidance. Men are weak, irrational, and are easily misled by passions. It is easy to forget the goal and go in the wrong direction. Yet most often people tend to justify their actions rather accept their mistakes and correct their behaviour. It is here that regular devout study of scriptures can help immensely.

f) Scriptures reinforce our faith. Faith is like a muscle. Muscles grow strong through regular exercise and become weak through lack of it. Similarly faith also can be strengthened through regular study of scriptures and holy lives. Through a constant barrage of atheistic ideas with the help of powerful media whole nations can be brainwashed and made atheistic, materialistic or fanatical, resulting in wars and bloodshed—recent history proves this fact abundantly.

A similar technique, however, can be turned to our spiritual advantage. Scriptures can help us to de-hypnotise ourselves by constantly reminding us of our divine nature, and our goal in life.

g) The power of Truth is irresistible. Since scriptures are nothing but varied expressions of Truth they cannot but lead us in the direction of God. When scriptures are studied regularly with devotion they seep into the very depths of our unconscious.

They purify us, washing away age-old impressions, filling our minds with holy thoughts, and ideas, and slowly but steadily they lead us towards the Ultimate Reality.

However if we forget the true aim of scriptures, instead of liberating they bind us.

"The Grantha does not always mean a holy scripture, but often it comes to mean a 'Granthi' or a knot. If a man does not read it with an intense desire to know the Truth it will be an encumbrance on his mind like so many knots. It is useless to pore over the holy scriptures if one's mind is not endowed with discernment and dispassion". (Sri Ramakrishna)

'Look for truth in the Bible; not eloquence. Every verse should be read in the spirit with which it was written. Read the devout and simple books as gladly as the learned and profound. People die, but God's Word will never pass away. If you want to make your Scripture reading worthwhile, read with humility, simplicity, and faith. Don't try to appear learned. Listen in silence to the words of the holy men, and take pleasure in the teachings of the elders. They spoke with good reason'. (Of The Imitation of Christ)

29 November 2018

Tapas or Austerity

The Upanishads tell us that the creator performed austerities before creating the world. Millions of devotees regard Sri Ramakrishna as an Incarnation, yet he performed super-human austerities to realise God. Holy Mother had to go through the ordeal of five fires. We will not come across a single saint or mystic who has realised God without austerities.

At one time Swami Brahmananda practised severe austerities at Brindavan. Seeing Maharaj thus absorbed in contemplation and neglecting food and sleep, Swami Subodhananda one day asked him: "You are the spiritual son of God Incarnate; he has already done everything for you. Through his grace you have attained samadhi. Where is the need for these austerities?"

"What you say is true," Maharaj answered. "The Master did everything for us. But I have to make these experiences my own."

Varuna was a knower of Brahman. His son Bhrigu, an ardent seeker, requested him to teach the knowledge of Brahman. The teacher gave a few hints and asked him to go and perform austerity: "Seek to know Brahman through austerity; for austerity is Brahman".

Any type of creative expression is the result of austerity. Thus we see that nothing great can be achieved without undergoing hardship.

We hear of people fasting for days, observing silence for years, standing on one foot for a long time, flagellating themselves severely etc. We even hear of Yogis lying on a bed of nails! We mistake these for austerities.

Once a disciple asked Swami Brahmananda,

Q: "Maharaj, is that what austerity means"?

Swami: "Remember God constantly. Remember him when you eat, when you sit, when you lie down; remember him whatever you do. By such repeated practice you will find that, when you go to meditate, it will be easy to remember God and become absorbed in him. As your mind becomes absorbed in meditation, a fountain of joy will spring up within you. Give no time to idle cares or idle talk."

So what is austerity? Usually austerity is defined as an act of privation and hardship, but suffering caused by sickness, poverty or oppression etc., cannot properly be called austerity.

Any act undertaken for a noble purpose, especially, for spiritual progress, and done voluntarily, and which involves some sort of privation and hardship can be called austerity.

As mentioned earlier austerity is unavoidable if one wants to achieve greatness in any field. Austerity should not be felt to be a hardship. Austerity burns up evil tendencies and purifies the body and mind. It springs from freedom and helps one to be master of oneself.

The Bhagavad Gita mentions three types of austerity, pertaining to the body, speech and mind.

"Worship of the gods, the twice-born, the preceptors, and the wise; purity, straight-forwardness, continence, and non-injury are called the austerity of the body."

"Speech which causes no vexation, and which is true, as also agreeable and beneficial, and regular study of the Vedas—these are said to form the austerity of speech."

"Serenity of the mind, kindliness, silence, self-control, honesty of motive—this is called mental austerity."

The only purpose of austerity is to make the body and mind fit instruments capable of taking us to God. If we are undergoing hardships and privations but they are not making us pure and are not leading us to God then we must suspect that there is something wrong with our motive.

If our purpose is God-realisation, then we need not go to the top of a mountain or to deep forests infested with wild animals. Life affords us enough opportunity to practise more than our share of austerity.

To calmly put up with sickness, discomfort, inclement weather, traffic jams, is an austerity. To live with hope and optimism under adverse circumstances is an austerity. To live in harmony with others whether at the office or at home is a great austerity. Giving up unnecessary talk, harmful activities; fault-finding, entertaining negative thoughts, controlling food, are also austerities.

To love God, to practise regularly japa, meditation, and the study of holy books etc., are big austerities.

If we look around we can find many opportunities for the practice of austerity.

In later years Swami Brahmananda used to say: "It is easy to practise austerity by not allowing the mind to come into contact with sense-objects, but it is hard to get rid of the mental craving itself.

"The mind deludes us in many ways. We must control it and direct it along the right path. What is austerity? It is to direct the mind towards God in order to taste divine bliss. In this age it is not necessary to practise physical austerities, such as standing on your head. The path in this age is to create the desire to chant the Lord's name, to be compassionate towards all beings, and to serve holy men. Real austerity consists in the control of the passions.

"Real austerity is based upon these three principles: First, take refuge in the truth. Truth is the pillar to which you must always hold while performing any action. Second, conquer lust. Third, renounce all cravings. Observe these three principles. That is real austerity, and the greatest of these is to conquer lust." (Eternal Companion)

30 November 2018

Jai Ramakrishna

Arjavam or Straightforwardness

Straightforwardness is one more quality Sri Krishna advises all spiritual aspirants to acquire. Straightforwardness is an indispensable virtue which must be practised by all aspirants desirous of realising God.

During the time of his sadhana Sri Ramakrishna used to keep the company of small children. By observing them he wanted to learn their purity, innocence and detachment.

Straightforwardness is the opposite of guile, deceit, crookedness, hypocrisy etc. It is akin to truthfulness. To be frank, to think, speak and act with one accord is straightforwardness. To make the mind, speech and action one is straightforwardness.

Straightforwardness also means uprightness. Only those who lead a righteous life can really become straightforward for they will, then, have nothing to hide or to be afraid of.

There are many aspirants who are sincere and pure. Unfortunately some of them are too outspoken, often hurting and creating problems both for themselves and others. The case of Golap Ma, a woman disciple of Sri Ramakrishna comes to mind. Many times Holy Mother, Sri Sarada Devi, warned her to be careful and not to speak out harshly. She did not heed and had to suffer as a result.

There are few of us who can claim we are straightforward. Apparently we may feel sometimes we are being straightforward, but often it may turn out to be a case of pure rashness. A rash or impulsive way of speaking is not a sign of straightforwardness.

Straightforwardness invariably follows simplicity. Simplicity, as many misunderstand, is not having less number of things. If this were the case all poor people would be simple people.

Simplicity is a great virtue; it is the result of conquering desires and depending solely on God. Because a simple person depends for everything on God he has nothing to hide or fear. Therefore he can afford to be straightforward. Such straightforwardness not only does not harm anyone, it often helps one go to God.

Straightforwardness leads the way to true faith. Sri Ramakrishna says: "Unless one is guileless and broad-minded, one cannot have deep faith. A guileless man easily realises God. He who can resign himself to the will of the Almighty with simple faith and guileless love realises the Lord very quickly".

But it is not easy to be guileless. Unless one practises spiritual disciplines for a long time, it may be for many lives even, one cannot become guileless.

Sri Ramakrishna says: "One cannot be guileless and liberal-minded without much austerity, or unless it is one's last birth. When a man has performed many good actions in his previous births, in the final birth he becomes guileless. Unless a man is guileless, he cannot so easily have faith in God."

Practice of spiritual disciplines makes one unworldly. Even a trace of worldliness does not allow one to be straightforward or guileless.

Sri Ramakrishna says: "The worldly man is a hypocrite. He cannot be guileless. He professes to love God, but he is attracted by worldly objects. He doesn't give God even a very small part of the love he feels for 'lust' and 'gold'. But he says that he loves God. One cannot be guileless without a great deal of spiritual discipline in previous births. Spiritual instruction produces quick results in a guileless heart. Unless a man is guileless, he doesn't receive the grace of God."

Bayazid was a great Sufi master. He advises that a believer be straightforward and completely humble as a servant. According to him straightforwardness is the last step on a three-stepped stairway leading to nearness of God.

He says: "The first step is consistency, where a traveller strives to embody Islam's theoretical and practical dimensions. Success in this continuous effort brings one's carnal self under control.

"The second step is settlement or tranquillity, where an initiate purifies his or her inner self of the vices contaminating the spirit and heart (e.g., show, fame, and vanity, all of which cannot be reconciled with servant-hood), thereby purging the heart of all that is not God.

"The third step is straightforwardness, where the doors of Divinity and creation are slightly opened to the traveller, and the Divine gifts are bestowed in the form of wonder-working and blessings, although he or she neither desires nor seeks them.

"Straightforwardness, the last station of the way, means living without deviation from loyalty to God and under His direct protection; it is an environment in which Divine gifts and favours are bestowed."

"So long as people pursue straightforwardness on the path of belief in Divine Unity and fulfil their covenants with God and His Messenger by fulfilling the Divine ordinances, Divine gifts and bounties will flow abundantly."

Straightforwardness takes one to God quickly.

1 December 2018

Ahimsa or Non-injury

Ahimsa means non-injury or non-killing. Non-injury is abstinence from causing any pain or harm whatsoever to any living creature, either by thought, word, or deed.

Swami Vivekananda says: "Never producing pain by thought, word, and deed, in any living being, is what is called Ahimsa, non-injury. There is no virtue higher than non-injury."

He further says, "The test of Ahimsa is absence of jealousy." This would come as a surprise to most of us. We think of Ahimsa as hurting others by word or deed. But jealousy is the subtlest and the most insidious form of causing injury. For what is jealousy but wishing none but me should have all the best for all time!

Measured by this definition there would be few who can be said to have the virtue of Ahimsa. Often we are not even aware of how much jealousy we cherish in the depths of our unconscious. Even advanced spiritual aspirants fall easy victims to this evil.

Ahimsa is not merely a negative virtue. It is a positive, universal love; it is a spiritual attitude in which evil qualities like jealousy, cruelty, and hatred are replaced by pure love and service. Ahimsa is not merely abstaining from doing injury, but actively doing all we can for the welfare of others. Only those who consider the whole universe as their own Self can truly be said to be established in Ahimsa. The one constant thought of those saints who are established in Ahimsa would be: 'May all beings be happy. May all be free from disease. May all realise what is good. May none be subject to misery.'

The practice of Ahimsa needs tremendous strength and is not for weaklings. Neither is it for those who are intellectually weak and irrational. There are vegetarians who consider themselves superior and are apt to look down upon non-vegetarians. For these Swami Brahmananda gives a fitting response:

Q: "Should we avoid eating meat, since it entails killing?"

A: "Nonsense! The Buddhists say: 'Harmlessness is the highest virtue.' What does this mean? You can understand the significance of this only when you have attained samadhi, when you have reached enlightenment and have seen God in all creatures. Until then mere talk is useless. When you can see the same God in the ant as in yourself, then you can practise this virtue. You may talk of not killing, but can you possibly avoid killing? What would you eat? Potatoes? Plant a potato underground, it shoots forth young sprouts. Has the potato no life? Would you eat rice? Plant the paddy grain in the earth, it grows into a rice plant. You want to drink water? Examine a drop of water under a microscope and see how many millions of tiny lives are there. You must breathe to live. Yet with every breath you kill millions of creatures. Do you see any harm in that? You think you lose your religion if you take a little fish. Such arguments are foolish. The ancient Hindus held no such ideas. These are later Buddhist and Vaishnavite interpolations."

In the practice of Ahimsa motive is more important than mere action. If we think a bit deeper we will be faced with surprising questions: Would a soldier be committing a sin when he kills enemy troops who are invading his country? Would a teacher be cruel when he needs to discipline a student? Would a mother be heartless when she binds her child's hands so that it cannot scratch itself to the point of bleeding? What about a recluse who does not bathe for fear of killing invisible creatures but thereby may cause an epidemic? What about the brute who goes on breeding children year after year but lives only on boiled vegetables?

Can we consider a man evil who is ever ready to give up his life for the sake of others but lives on fish and meat? What about the goody-goody citizen who has knowledge of evil doers but does not inform the authorities either because of fear, or in the name of religion, or in the name of goodness?

Let us hear Swami Vivekananda:

"This one idea that deserves special notice is Ahimsa, non-injury to others. This duty of non-injury is, so to speak, obligatory on us in relation to all beings. As with some, it does not simply mean the non-injuring of human beings and mercilessness towards the lower animals; nor, as with some others, does it mean the protecting of cats and dogs and feeding ants with sugar - with liberty to injure brother-man in every horrible way! A good practice carried to an extreme and worked in accordance with the letter of the law becomes a positive evil."

"The test of Ahimsa is absence of jealousy. Any man may do a good deed or make a good gift on the spur of the moment or under the pressure of some superstition or priest-craft; but the real lover of mankind is he who is jealous of none. The so-called great men of the world may all be seen to become jealous of each other for a small name, for a little fame, and for a few bits of gold. So long as this jealousy exists in a heart, it is far away from the perfection of Ahimsa.

"The cow does not eat meat, nor does the sheep. Are they great Yogis, great non-injurers? Any fool may abstain from eating this or that; surely that gives him no more distinction than to herbivorous animals. The man who will mercilessly cheat widows and orphans and do the vilest deed for money is worse than any brute even if he lives entirely on grass.

"The man whose heart never cherishes even the thought of injury to anyone, who rejoices at the prosperity of even his greatest enemy, that man is the Bhakta, he is the Yogi, he is the Guru of all, even though he lives every day of his life on the flesh of swine."

Ahimsa is a positive spiritual quality which helps us perceive the Self everywhere.

2 December 2018

Satyam or Truthfulness

Sri Ramakrishna used to say: "The virtue of truthfulness is most important. If a man always speaks the truth and holds to the truth tenaciously, he will realize God; for God is Truth."

God wants sincerity, truthfulness and love. Outward verbal effusions do not touch Him. Practice of truthfulness is one of the most fundamental qualities a spiritual aspirant has to cultivate.

Mahatma Gandhiji used to say: "I often describe religion, my religion, as Religion of Truth. Of late, instead of saying God is Truth, I have been saying Truth is God; in order more fully to define my Religion. ... nothing so completely describes my God as Truth. Denial of God we have known. Denial of Truth we have not known."

The word 'Satya' has many meanings such as existence, goodness, purity, truth, righteousness, and holiness.

It is another name for God. Satya means that which never changes. Everything in the world is changing constantly. The only thing that does not change is Brahman or God.

Therefore truthfulness is that practice which makes us good, pure, holy and gradually leads us to the unchanging Reality, God. The practice of truthfulness is both the means and the goal.

For most of us truthfulness means the verbal expression of an incident as it occurred or of a fact as it is, and also that of adhering to a given word; to act as we say and to think as we speak. As Sri Ramakrishna says, to make thought, word and deed one, is truthfulness.

Practice of truthfulness in thought, word, and action makes the mind pure, holy and one-pointed. And it makes us truth-seekers; turns the mind away from the ephemeral to the Eternal; produces intense longing for God-realization. Spiritual practice, truly, starts at this stage only. To lead a spiritual life — this is the real meaning of truthfulness.

There is an idea that speaking of truth is dangerous and unfavourable for one's material and social advantage.

Nothing can be further from truth! Truthfulness is not merely admitting of one's failings; it is also to recognize one's virtues, merits and moral and spiritual assets. Truth is not merely the recognizing of facts and realities of the outer world. It also extends to the vast inner world of man's higher nature, his unlimited potentialities. Truth is fundamental to man, to his survival, stability and progress.

Unless we understand things and persons in their true nature our plans and aspirations may fail.

As the saying goes 'Truth alone Triumphs.' Again, it is said truth hurts. No doubt, sometimes it does! But truth, in the long run, helps always even if it seems to hurt temporarily. Pain and suffering are the greatest teachers.

Truth is auspicious and beautiful (Satyam-Shivam-Sundaram), it is the source of all real beauty. As poets declare 'Beauty is truth, truth is beauty.' The advice 'Be true to yourself' not only applies to our physical and psychological well-being, it applies even more to our spiritual nature.

However, the practice of truthfulness needs caution.

As the saying goes: 'Speak the truth; but speak it sweetly and not harshly, and never speak of an unpleasant truth for the sake of pleasing.' The test of truthfulness is not merely speaking out what is true but what proves to be beneficial to all concerned. If it harms any one in any way, whatever else it may be, it certainly is not truthfulness.

Truthfulness cannot be practised in isolation; it requires cultivation of other moral qualities such as fearlessness, simplicity, dispassion, poverty, non-violence, continence, and self-surrender to God. Without these the practice of truthfulness is impossible.

Also there is a close connection between righteousness and truth. The Upanishads emphatically declare that truth and righteousness are one and the same. The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad says: "What is righteousness is indeed Truth. Truth is the Lord of the world, prosperity depends on Truth. Everything originates from Truth, there is nothing greater than Truth." One who is not righteous cannot be truthful.

The Mundaka Upanishad proclaims that, "Truth alone triumphs, not untruth; the way to the divine is paved with Truth."

The same Upanishad explicitly declares again: "The Atman can be realized only through Truth and austerity." Indeed the practice of truthfulness is the greatest austerity.

Sri Ramakrishna is an embodiment of truthfulness. He says, "The best name that we can give to God is Truth. Under no circumstance should one give up truth. Even those who are engaged in worldly activities such as office work or businesses should hold to truth. Truthfulness alone is the spiritual discipline in Kaliyuga." He especially instructs householders: "If a man leads a householder's life, he must have unflagging devotion to truth. God can be realized through truth alone."

Very often Sri Ramakrishna used to show his displeasure to those who did not observe truth in their words and deeds.

Sri Ramakrishna did not preach anything that he did not practise in his own life. He could give up everything, but could not give up truth. He himself revealed this nature of his when he was talking to devotees: "If by chance I say that I will go to the pine grove, I must go there even if there is no immediate need for it; otherwise I lose my hold on truth.

"After my vision of the Divine Mother, I prayed to Her, taking a flower in my hands:

'Mother, here is Thy knowledge and here is Thy ignorance, take them both and give me only pure love. Here is Thy holiness and here is Thy unholiness, take them both, Mother, and give me pure love. Here is Thy good and here is Thy evil, take them both and give me pure love. Here is Thy righteousness and here is Thy unrighteousness, take them both, Mother, and give me pure love.'

"I mentioned all these, but I could not say: 'Mother, here is Thy truth and here is Thy falsehood, take them both.' I gave up everything at Her feet, but could not bring myself to a position of giving up truth."

Such was the Master's love for truth. He was an incarnation of Eternal truth and he demonstrated how to practise truth in day-to-day life.

Hence it is that Swami Vivekananda says that, with the advent of Sri Ramakrishna the Satya Yuga, the age of Truth, has begun.

3 December 2018

Akrodhah or Controlling Anger

A spiritual aspirant should have absolute control over anger.

Controlling and expressing anger in a right way is a divine quality. Though difficult it is possible to control anger.

Some people consider our generation as a 'generation of anger', and this age as an 'age of rage'. There is road-rage, plane-rage, domestic-rage; and there is even an internet-rage!

Hardly do we come across a person who has not felt anger at some time or other in life, not excepting saints. Then we find some people who are less prone to be angry than others. There are some who do not express any anger outside but go on simmering inside all the time. If a person does not appear to be angry but is grouchy all the time we can be pretty sure he is angry.

Anger is a normal emotion. It helps us to defend ourselves in dangerous situations and has its uses in life when controlled properly. But when it goes out of control it can lead to problems to oneself and others. If it is not dealt with properly it can lead to depression, high blood pressure, stroke, or to heart attack. Extreme anger can even cause death.

Is there also a thing called righteous anger? Most of us think there is and use it to justify some of our actions. But from the spiritual point of view there is no such thing. Here is what Swami Vivekananda has to say: "Our religion teaches that anger is a great sin, even if it is 'righteous'. I could not for my soul distinguish ever the distinction between 'religious anger' and 'commonplace anger', 'religious killing' and 'commonplace killing,' 'religious slandering and irreligious', and so forth."

Anger is a negative emotion, a concentrated outburst of energy in the form of annoyance, rage, dislike, coldness etc. According to some psychologists anger is 'a temporary state of madness,' an emotional state that varies in intensity from mild irritation to intense fury, rage etc. Swami Turiyananda regarded anger as concentrated desire. Anger is called a demon by Sri Ramakrishna, for like a demon it keeps us bound to this world.

Without doubt anger is one of the deadliest enemies in spiritual life. According to Vedanta it is one of the six inner passions that block progress in every field of life. If it is not controlled one courts ruin even in this world and can never progress in spiritual life.

Anger can manifest in myriad forms. Often it is difficult to recognize it; for it can hide its nature under different guises such as cynicism, pessimism, looking down with coldness and indifference upon others, constant grumbling, dissatisfaction with one's life etc. Whatever the expression the underlying cause is the same - anger.

Causes of anger

Anger, of course, is a symptom and not the disease itself. The root cause of anger is egotism. The ego, when ignorant of its true nature, identifies itself with body and mind.

This ignorance leads to passions like lust, anger, greed etc. The Bhagavad Gita gives a graphic description of the cause of desire: "When a man dwells constantly on sense-objects, he feels an attachment for them. Attachment gives rise to desire, and desire (when thwarted) breeds anger. From anger comes delusion; from delusion, failure of memory; from the failure of memory, discrimination is lost; and from the loss of discrimination man perishes." Now we can see that anger, in a way, is thwarted desire and expectation.

Expressions of anger

Anger can be expressed mainly in three ways - suppression, irrational outburst and sublimation. In some it bursts forth in the form of instantaneous and aggressive behaviour often leading to tragic consequences. Other people, especially those who are timid, try to suppress and internalise this emotion bringing harm to themselves. However it cannot be suppressed for long but will be out some time or other and with greater violence. These two ways of expressing anger are counter-productive and lead to great damage.

But spiritual aspirants have a better and productive way of expressing their anger. They control, sublimate and direct it towards a higher goal. Sometimes it may even be their duty to express righteous anger. Sri Ramakrishna used to say "It is sometimes very necessary to hiss but never to bite!"

Here is a quotation from Aristotle:

"Anybody can become angry - that is easy, but to be angry with the right person, and to the right degree, and at the right time, and for the right purpose and in the right way - that is not within everybody's power and is not easy."

Perhaps only a saint can express anger in this way!

Ways to control anger

Those who wish to control anger must have a firm determination and a higher spiritual goal. Even a noble but worldly goal may not be enough. Since egotism is the root of all passions, we must realise that the only way to control anger is to uproot egotism. Naturally this involves controlling other passions too. It is a hard task but not an impossible one.

Here are some ways of controlling anger:

One way is to look upon all persons and objects as divine.
Another way is to consider that whatever happens in life is the result of our past Karma. This is easy for those who believe in the law of Karma and its corollary, rebirth.
Regular meditation, japa, prayer, study of scriptures, keeping company of holy people and places - all these spiritual disciplines are of great help.

Marcus Aurelius writes in his Meditation: "When you are angry above measure, think within yourself, how momentary is man's life. Let us think how much more grievous are the consequences of our anger than the acts which arouse it. Let this truth be present to you in the excitement of anger, that to be moved by passion is not manly, but mildness and gentleness, as they are more human, so also are they more manly."

Passions by themselves are neutral. They become good or evil according to the way we use them. In any case they cannot be eradicated. Sri Ramakrishna advises: "Since you cannot get rid of your passions - your lust, your anger, and so on - give them a new direction. Instead of desiring worldly pleasures, desire God. Have intercourse with Brahman. If you cannot get rid of anger, then change its direction. Assume the tamasic attitude of bhakti, and say: 'What? I have repeated the hallowed name of Durga, and shall I not be liberated? How can I be a sinner anymore? How can I be bound anymore?' If you cannot get rid of temptation, direct it towards God. Be infatuated with God's beauty. If you cannot get rid of pride, then be proud to say that you are the servant of God, you are the child of God. Thus turn the six passions towards God."
Having a definite goal and a daily routine helps immensely. Otherwise we are likely to brood over unhappy experiences and increase our anger.
Patanjali advocates the eradication of negative emotions by meditating on their opposite, positive qualities.

The positive quality opposed to anger is love. Constantly thinking of love gradually erodes anger.

Ignorance makes us unrealistic. We expect everything to go according to plan - our plan. This world, unfortunately, does not come up to our expectations many times. So we must be prepared to expect the unexpected and graciously accept life as it comes.
Ours also is an age of impatience. We become annoyed if things do not go according to our plan and quickly.

Deep breathing and relaxation can help us curb undue impatience to some extent.

A bit of humour is very helpful. As a wag said, "If one can learn to laugh at oneself one will never again lack entertainment." Humour helps us by making light of things which we take too seriously and makes us see the funny side of life.
Above all, prayer for the welfare of all, especially those who injure or annoy us, is of immense help.

Anger is a passion that every spiritual aspirant needs to address. We come across many exemplary incidents in the lives of holy men and women. They show us definite ways and means of controlling it giving us courage and inspiration.

4 December 2018

Tyaga or Renunciation

Tyaga means renunciation or sacrifice. Renunciation is one of the most important spiritual qualities; it is the very foundation of spirituality. Without it no one can progress in any field of life. Man becomes great in proportion to all that he can give up.

The Bhagavad Gita is an exposition on renunciation.

There are hundreds of commentaries on it, but Sri Ramakrishna's commentary is the shortest and the most succinct: "The essence of the Gita is what you get by repeating the word ten times. The word becomes 'tagi', which refers to renunciation. The essence of the Gita is: 'O man, renounce everything and practise spiritual discipline for the realization of God.'"

The word renunciation does appear to be negative, life-denying, and almost abnormal, especially these days. The progress made by science and technology has brought many changes in the ideals and attitudes of people everywhere. One of the results of progress in science is that we have lost faith in God and religion and our preoccupation with this world has increased.

All the great teachers of the world proclaimed again and again that man is divine and without manifesting this innate divinity man cannot attain to true peace and happiness.

There is a teleological urge in every one of us which will not allow us to rest until we reach perfection and infinity.

It is in this context of spiritual life alone that the idea of renunciation makes sense.

Renunciation or sacrifice is a most natural thing in the world. Parents make great sacrifices of their time, energy, wealth and happiness for the sake of their children. Great men forgo their happiness for the sake of art, freedom or some new discovery. Patriots cheerfully give up their life for the good of their country. People are doing it all the time albeit without being aware of it most of the time; without renunciation life becomes impossible.

Only when it comes to spiritual life people balk at the idea of renunciation. Saints and sages renounce the joys of life willingly, cheerfully and undergo lots of suffering for realizing God. There is no religion which does not advocate renunciation; there is no scripture which does not extol renunciation. Without renunciation there can be no spiritual life.

Sri Ramakrishna says: "Knowledge never comes without renunciation of lust and possessions. With the dawn of renunciation is destroyed all ignorance, all Avidya."

What is renunciation? It is the giving up of the finite and mortal in order to attain the Infinite and Immortal; it is the giving up of the lower for the attainment of the higher.

Renunciation is not in giving up of the external. It is not in putting on the ochre dress and wandering about. True renunciation is in the giving up of egoism, of lust and gold.

Here is a relevant passage from the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna: Narendra said to the Master with a smile, referring to Bhavanath, "He has given up fish and betel-leaf."

Master: "Why so? What is the matter with fish and betel-leaf? They aren't harmful. The renunciation of 'lust and gold' is the true renunciation."

Here is a beautiful story: Once a famous scholar, respected and wealthy, longed for the realization of God. He approached a holy man and asked him for instruction.

The holy man smiled, and said: "You must renounce. That is the way to the Self."

Accordingly, the scholar gave away all he possessed - his treasured books, his gold, even his house. He was left with only a simple loin-cloth to cover his body, a blanket, and a bowl with which to beg his food.

Time passed, but he still was unable to find peace. He went again to the holy man and asked him for instruction.

Again he was given the same answer: "Renounce. That is the way to the Self."

The scholar owned only a bowl, simple cloth, and blanket; he gave these away also. A long time passed, but he did not find peace. So he approached the holy man and was given the same advice.

He said to himself: "I renounced everything except this body. If it is this which stands in my way of realization, I shall give it up also." He built a large fire and was on the point of throwing himself into the flames when his teacher arrived and held him back.

"What are you doing?" he said. "Do you think you will realize God by destroying your body?"

Then the scholar realized it was his "ego" he must renounce, and at last understood the true meaning of renunciation. In time he realized the imperishable Self, which is beyond all change and attained peace.

A rich young man asked Jesus, "Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?" Jesus said unto him, "One thing thou lackest; go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasures in heaven: and come, take up thy cross, and follow me." Renunciation is the turning point in all the various Yogas.

Swami Brahmananda said: "Sri Ramakrishna's message in this age is renunciation of lust and gold." Renunciation of lust and gold is the ornament of a holy man, and it is the only means of attaining God.

This also is the message of the Gita and all scriptures. Without renunciation one cannot attain to Self-Realization.

As the Upanishad says:

न कर्मणा न प्रजया धनेन त्यागेनैके अमृतत्वमानशुः।

परेण नाकं निहितं गुहायां विभ्राजदे तद्यतयो विशन्ति॥१॥

"Neither by actions, nor by progeny and wealth, but by renunciation alone is immortality attained. That Supreme State is far beyond the highest heaven, hidden in the cave of the heart, shining brilliantly therein; only the sages perceive it constantly."

5 December 2018

Shantih or Peace

Peace is an important spiritual quality. It is impossible to make progress in any field of life, not to speak of spiritual life, without attaining some degree of peace. Peace and happiness are closely linked. Without peace one can never attain happiness. "Where is happiness for a peaceless man?" asks the Lord in the Gita.

Consciously or unconsciously everyone longs for peace and happiness. To be healthy, happy and peaceful is the natural state of all beings. At the lower level if an organism is ensured of survival and security it lives a contented and peaceful life, and this is true of the majority of human beings too.

But man has higher needs, called values, and cannot be satisfied with biological needs only. He seeks higher values like (Satyam—Shivam—Sundaram) truth, goodness and beauty. He won't have peace or rest until these values are realised.

What is peace?

Peace is not a negative state of mere calm; it is a state where the mind is not agitated with desires, is full of contentment and happiness; it is a state where man feels fulfilled because he has found meaning in life. It is only when man realises God that he finds true meaning in life. Peace is that state of mind in which the potential divinity in us becomes manifest.

Naturally very few experience real and abiding peace, the peace that passeth all understanding. It can be attained by everyone but it is a pearl of great price and few are prepared to pay the price.

There is a tradition in India of chanting thrice the word peace (Shantih) at the end of all sacred actions. There is a reason for this. Man is subject to various types of miseries.

These are usually divided into three according to their source.

They are Adhyatmika - those that are born of the ills and pains of the body and the mind; Adhibhautika - those that are caused by other creatures such as bugs, birds, bears, snakes, thieves, and also from floods, famines, droughts, earthquakes, etc.; and Adhidaivika - those miseries that arise from the heavens such as wind, rain, heat, cold, or due to the displeasure of gods, demi-gods, etc. It is for the cessation of these three types of miseries that the threefold peace chant is usually done. Vedanta believes that these are the three areas in which we need to obtain peace.

Adhyatmika, Adhibhautika, Adhidaivika - these three words can also be translated in other ways such as physical, mental or spiritual; as individual, familial and social; or as gross, subtle and causal.

Whatever be the interpretation, one point is clear: no man is an island; we are individuals living in the world, in a family and in a society. Hence if we are to obtain happiness there must be peace in the individual, in the family and in the society.

Of these three areas, we have almost no control over the family or society. The only choice left is to deal with oneself. Happily there are shining examples of men and women who, in spite of adverse circumstances and almost insurmountable obstacles, rose above them and enjoyed abundant peace and happiness.

The secret is self-control and spiritual life.

How to attain peace

Now let us discuss ways of attaining peace in the physical, mental and spiritual areas.

Physical: The body is said to be the first instrument of peace. Hence it is to be kept healthy and strong through proper diet and exercise.

Mental: The mind is said to be the cause of both bondage and liberation. It is true that we experience both happiness and unhappiness according to the state of our mind. When our mind is agitated with uncontrolled thoughts we feel restless; and desires are the root cause of this restlessness.

Therefore we have to try to gradually bring this turbulent mind under our control by controlling desires. Though difficult, the mind can be brought under control through dispassion, discrimination and daily practice of prayer, meditation, scriptural reading and keeping holy company.

Spiritual: Each soul is potentially divine. Spiritual life is the way of manifesting this potential divinity within. It is impossible to attain perfect peace without Self-knowledge, without realising our true nature. Therefore Sri Ramakrishna says that the goal of life is to attain God.

Says Sri Ramakrishna: "You will get peace of mind only when you have seen God. You will enjoy bliss and gain strength only when you have talked to Him."

"Man attains his liberation, therefore, by piercing the veil of Maya and rediscovering his total identity with Brahman."

"Knowing himself to be one with the Universal Spirit, he realizes ineffable peace."

"The nearer you come to God, the more you feel peace."

"Peace, peace, peace - Supreme peace! The nearer you come to the Ganges, the more you feel its coolness. You will feel completely soothed when you plunge into the river."

Echoing the words of the Upanishads Swami Vivekananda says:

"The nature of the soul is bliss and peace unchanging. We have not to get it; we have it; let us wash away the dross from our eyes and see it."

"In the midst of the manifold, he who sees that One; in the midst of this infinite death, he who sees that one life; in the midst of the manifold, he who sees that which never changes in his own soul - unto him belongs eternal peace. Unto none else, unto none else."

"Only resting in the Divine Mother are we safe."

Sincere self-effort makes us realise that absolute surrender to the Divine is the only way. With this understanding comes peace and happiness.

6 December 2018

Paisunam or Aversion to Fault Finding

"Don't find fault with anyone, not even with an insect. As you pray to God for devotion, so also pray that you may not find fault with anyone."

(Sri Ramakrishna)

One of the deadly sins Sri Krishna advises us to avoid is Paisunam. It is a Sanskrit word meaning slandering, fault-finding, spreading scandal, back-biting, calumniating, betraying, being harsh, cruel, low, vile, wicked, malicious, etc.

Even in a world context such a type of behaviour can be unprofitable, unwise and even can endanger one's life. In a spiritual context it means talking shop, gossiping, etc. and is harmful in the extreme degree.

Unfortunately we live in an age of sensationalism.

There is a saying: "No news is good news." No news may be good news, but hardly anyone wants to hear or bear good news. If the media - TV, Radio, newspapers, etc., were to broadcast only good news I wonder how many of us would care to see, read or listen to them! The media bombard us with sensational news. Fed constantly on such unsavoury diet our bodies and minds become polluted and unfit for spiritual progress. (Sri Ramakrishna used to sprinkle holy Ganges water on the spot where a newspaper had been left! We may not go to such an extreme.)

Hence those who are intent on spiritual progress must take all care to avoid this undesirable quality.

Why should we avoid slandering, fault-finding, etc.? First of all, it is a waste of time, and time is very precious. Many consider time as money, and those who are intent on profit, worldly or otherwise, cannot afford to waste time. Certainly it is not going to make those whom we are criticising or finding fault with any better; on the contrary they may become even worse. And according to the law of Karma we are sure to get back all that we gave with compound interest.

There is a saying: "To err is human." If we look around can we find even a single human who is free from faults? Secondly, it is a waste of energy. Every activity is an expenditure of energy and evil activities require even more expenditure of energy. Energy is limited, and is a precious commodity. If it is spent in wrong ways it will not be available for a higher, creative purpose. As it is we need all the energy we can muster if we want to advance in spiritual life.

Thirdly, those who dwell on the faults of others will develop those very faults; for we become what we think of intensely and constantly. There is a well-known saying in India: "Those who find fault do not know their own faults."

The Holy Mother used to say: "Man is bound to make mistakes. One should not notice them. If one does not follow this rule, it harms oneself alone. By constantly observing the faults of others, in the end one will become a mere fault-finder. To see the faults of others! One should never do it. I never do so."

"Forgiveness is Tapasya (austerity)."

Swami Vivekananda says: "Never talk about the faults of others, no matter how bad they may be. Nothing is ever gained by that. You never help one by talking about his fault; you do him an injury, and injure yourself as well."

It is the experience of many of us that those of us who find fault with others often suffer from those very faults, perhaps in an even greater degree than others! It may, perhaps, be that we have an unconscious recognition of our defects but do not wish to acknowledge the fact because either they are too painful or we are too weak to overcome them. Also very often finding fault with others is a way of feeling that we are somehow better than others. Only those who are shallow and have no substance resort to this method.

Reject the thought that you are better than anyone else. If you think such haughty thoughts, God (who knows what is in you) will consider you worse than they.

"Pride about our good deeds is pointless. God has his own ideas regarding what is good and he does not always agree with us. If there is anything good about you, believe better things of others. This will keep you humble. The humble are always at peace. It will be disastrous for you to consider yourself better than even one person."

(Imitation of Christ)

In any case pride is a demonic quality and the sooner we get rid of it the better for everyone.

Fourthly, this habit of fault-finding prevents us from looking into our own hearts and finding our own defects and weaknesses. According to Vedanta we are already perfect but ignorance or Avidya prevents us from the knowledge of our true nature. Ignorance manifests in the form of defects and weaknesses. Spiritual practice is meant only to remove these faults and when they are removed ignorance vanishes and the Self manifests automatically.

Swami Vivekananda says: "We do not look at our own faults; the eyes do not see themselves, they see the eyes of everybody else. We human beings are very slow to recognise our own weakness, our own faults, so long as we can lay the blame upon somebody else. Men in general lay all the blame of life upon their fellow-men, or, failing that, on God, or they conjure up a ghost, and say it is fate."

Fifthly, Vedanta declares again and again that "each soul is divine." So spiritual aspirants are advised to look upon everyone and every object in this world as a manifestation of God. The goal is reached when we can perceive God in everything.

Holy Mother says: "But I tell you one thing - if you want peace of mind, do not find fault with others. Rather see your own faults. Learn to make the whole world your own. No one is a stranger, my child. The whole world is your own."

Hard and constant practice is necessary to make even a small advance in spiritual life. Needless to say an aspirant should struggle to uproot this evil habit of fault-finding and slandering.

Lastly, it is not only fault-finding but even gossip and meaningless chatter that should be avoided assiduously by those who wish to progress in spiritual life for small talk disturbs the mind, makes it restless, brews undesirable thoughts, and gradually turns the mind away from God. If we do not take care in the beginning it will turn into an evil habit and may be harder to eradicate later.

Avoid small talk as much as you can. Even shop talk can be a great hindrance. Our chattering is an escape from unwelcome thinking. Watch and pray, so that you won't waste your time. If you want to talk about something, discuss a worthwhile subject.

"Failing to guard your mouth is a very bad habit. But reverent discussion of spiritual matters can help us all grow.

"We will have much peace if we refrain from minding the business of others."

"Try to be patient with the defects and blemishes in others, because you also have many things about you that they must endure. If you can't make yourself what you want to be, how can you expect to remake somebody else?"

(Imitation of Christ)

7 December 2018

Daya or Compassion

"Compassion, love of God and renunciation are the glories of true knowledge."

Sri Krishna tells us that compassion towards all beings is an important spiritual quality. As we progress in spiritual life the capacity to feel sympathy, mercy, tenderness, compassion etc. grows. This feeling is the outcome of true knowledge and not any moribund emotion.

Often Maya (attachment) and Daya (compassion) look alike, but they are diametrically opposed.

It is very natural to feel compassion for one's own family, relatives, friends, country, religion etc. More often than not this feeling is not compassion but attachment. True compassion transcends national, religious, cultural and gender barriers.

Sri Ramakrishna clarifies:

"Remember that daya, compassion, and Maya, attachment, are two different things.

Attachment means the feeling of my-ness toward one's relatives. It is the love one feels for one's parents, one's brother, one's sister, one's wife and children. Compassion is the love one feels for all beings of the world. It is an attitude of equality."

"If you see anywhere an instance of compassion, as in Vidyasagar, know that it is due to the grace of God. Through compassion one serves all beings."

Compassion is a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering. The important point to be noted is, if compassion does not lead to concrete action, it is worse than useless.

Even animals are known to be kind, compassionate and caring, not to speak of human beings. As the Chandi tells us "The Divine Mother is present in every being in the form of daya or compassion." Because of this love and compassion animals too tend their young, sometimes at the cost of their own lives.

Without this care existence becomes precarious. It is God who has kept this tender emotion in the heart of all beings. Sri Ramakrishna says:

"The love that you see in parents is God's love: He has given it to them to preserve His creation. The compassion that you see in the kind-hearted is God's compassion: He has given it to them to protect the helpless. It is not for man to show compassion, but for God. One feels compassion as long as one has the ego of Knowledge. And it is God Himself who has become the ego of Knowledge."

Qualities like compassion spring from Sattva guna. With the practice of spiritual disciplines one gradually develops sattva and sattva brings a great longing for God realisation. This longing in its turn brings spiritual qualities which take us near to God.

Sri Ramakrishna says: "What are the glories of that longing? They are discrimination, dispassion, compassion for living beings, serving holy men, loving their company, chanting the name and glories of God, telling the truth, and the like."

"When you see those signs of longing in an aspirant, you can rightly say that for him the vision of God is not far to seek."

Therefore one who is merciless and devoid of compassion can never hope to be spiritual.

However, the practice of compassion needs deep understanding, rationality, and self-control. The quality of compassion is nearer to truth, love and knowledge than to a mere emotional outburst. Expressions of compassion like shedding tears, rushing into unthinking actions, etc. sometimes lead to undesirable results.

Though most of us do not like it, certain acts like punishing criminals, or disciplining children, can well be expressions of love and compassion. Spiritual teachers are frequently seen to be stern and harsh towards their students. It is because they would like to help their students get rid of their defects and progress in spiritual life.

Holy Mother goes so far as to say that "misery is a gift of God." "People complain about their griefs and sorrows and how they pray to God but find no relief from pain. But grief itself is a gift from God. It is the symbol of His compassion."

True compassion springs from the knowledge that we are all part of God. Compassion is not mere pity; it is to feel oneness with the other, with the whole universe, because all that exists is God. The man of realisation sees only God everywhere.

It is this which prompts him to feel compassion towards all beings. Hence some great souls retain their bodies even after samadhi and feel compassion for the suffering of others.

Compassion leads to service of God in man. One of the important tenets of Sri Vaishnavism is to show compassion to bound souls. Many misunderstand the deeper import of this tenet. The feeling of compassion often makes us take pity and look down upon others. It may produce a feeling of superiority in us thus causing our spiritual downfall. Sri Ramakrishna advises us not to show compassion but to serve man as God.

This was the basis of the Karma-Yoga preached by Swami Vivekananda. He says:

"As Jiva (individual soul) and Ishvara (God) are in essence the same, serving the Jivas and loving God must mean one and the same thing. For us, Advaitists (non-dualists), this notion of Jiva as distinct from God is the cause of bondage. Our principle, therefore, should be love, and not compassion. Ours is not the feeling of compassion but of love, and the feeling of 'Self' in all."

"The application of the word compassion even to Jiva seems to me to be rash and vain. For us, it is not to pity but to serve. Doing good to others out of compassion is good, but the Seva (service) of all beings in the spirit of the Lord is better."

The practice of compassion, however, has its own peculiar problems. Though we are prepared to sacrifice much if it is for our own nation, religion etc. we find it is hindered by our hatred for other nations, religions, and cultures.

Added to this our emotional wounds, hurts, jealousy, feelings of ill-will towards others stop us from showing them compassion. The only remedy for this seems to be to spiritualise our life, to see God in all.

Finally we must not forget that the good Lord is within us also! We need to be compassionate towards ourselves too. Failure to understand this simple truth can bring much misery. Merciful towards others but stern towards oneself is a self-defeating attitude. To be compassionate towards oneself means to admit that we are also weak, vulnerable, and can make mistakes.

The practice of compassion makes life joyful and creative. Undoubtedly it brings us nearer to God.

15 December 2018

Aloluptvam or Non-Covetousness

Sri Krishna says in the Bhagavad Gita that lust, anger and greed are the three gateways to hell. Sri Ramakrishna used to say that Maya is nothing but lust and greed. These two are the greatest obstructions in spiritual life. One who is caught in the net of Maya is called Jiva, i.e. a bound soul.

"You have the traits of a Jiva, an embodied being. These are the traits: lust, egotism, greed for wealth, and a hankering after name and fame. All embodied beings have these traits."

Spiritual life is impossible without a sound moral basis. The underlying principle of all morality is unselfishness.

A man cannot be unselfish unless he is imbued with the spirit of renunciation. To renounce is not easy. The spirit of renunciation manifests in life as purity of character, as devoted service to fellow beings, and as a strong and steady aspiration for the Divine. The vision of God dawns in a heart in which the spirit of renunciation and the intensity of aspiration have reached their maturity.

Renunciation means the giving up of lust and greed.

Of these greed is the most difficult to give up.

Greed is also called avarice or covetousness. What is greed? It is an inordinate desire for material possessions, wealth, name or fame. The Bible says:

"And he said unto them, take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth."

Greed is defined by Shankaracharya as the sense-organs running madly after objects of enjoyment. Intense agitation of the mind in the presence of sense-objects is also another form of greed.

Greed not only binds man but also makes him commit crimes. The medieval theologian Thomas Aquinas said of greed: "It is a sin directly against one's neighbour, since one man cannot over-abound in external riches, without another man lacking them... it is a sin against God, just as all mortal sins, inasmuch as man rejects things eternal for the sake of temporal things."

Greed would not be so bad if it could make the greedy person happy, for greedy persons are seldom happy. The tragedy of greed is that often the person spends more time and energy in accumulating than in enjoying! The pursuit of greed leaves little time for anything else.

Though we may not be aware, all of us are greedy, for all bound souls are greedy. If we were not we would have been free. We live in a society which promotes more and more accumulation in the name of happiness, freedom and security.

At no time in the history of mankind do we find so much of consumerism. In fact modern economy cannot survive without actively propagating greed and accumulation.

By our very nature we are all greedy. The Imitation of Christ says: "Human nature is greedy and finds receiving more blessed than giving. It enjoys owning private property. But grace is generous to the poor and content with a little. It knows there is more happiness in giving than in receiving."

The Upanishads identify and condemn three types of greed: for sons, wealth and enjoyment of the sense-objects. To this can be added greed for name and fame, greed for power, and greed for learning. There are many who spend all their life trying to learn more and more, spending little time in actual practice of what they have learnt. Sri Ramakrishna's saying that "lust and greed is Maya" includes all these by implication.

Greed is self-perpetuating; for the more one starts accumulating the more one's thirst increases. Greed makes people criminals. Greedy people try to obtain things by hook or by crook. Greed also increases jealousy for greedy people cannot bear to see others having more or better things than themselves.

Unless this monster is destroyed root and branch one can neither enjoy life in the world nor make headway in spiritual life.

How can one overcome greed? Before we tackle the question we must try to understand the psychology behind it.

Why does the mind become so greedy? There are several reasons. One is the natural instinct for security. We mistakenly think that the more we have the more secure will be our life. Then we also feel that our prestige and power increases in proportion to our possessions. Present-day society encourages this view. A third reason is the belief that the more material wealth one has, the more will be our happiness. In this view happiness is equated with abundance of things. The famous social physiologist, Eric Fromm, has conclusively proved in his book, To Have Or To Be, that happiness depends upon what we are rather than what we have, and the pursuit of happiness through too many possessions may even prove to be counter-productive.

According to Vedanta the soul becomes greedy because it is infinite. Though the soul has forgotten, it has a vague memory of its real nature. Hence it longs to regain its infinite nature and won't be satisfied until it attains oneness with the Infinite.

Overcoming Greed

How to overcome greed? According to Sri Ramakrishna prayer to God is one of the very best ways of getting over greed. He advises spiritual aspirants to weep and pray to God. He says: "When the impurities of the mind are thus washed away, one realizes God. The mind is like a needle covered with mud, and God is like a magnet. The needle cannot be united with the magnet unless it is free from mud. Tears wash away the mud, which is nothing but lust, anger, greed, and other evil tendencies. As soon as the mud is washed away, the magnet attracts the needle, that is to say, man realizes God. Only the pure in heart see God."

Another way is to increase greed but direct it towards God. Sri Ramakrishna says: "Direct the six passions to God. The impulse of lust should be turned into the desire to have intercourse with Atman. Feel angry at those who stand in your way to God. Feel greedy for Him. If you must have the feeling of I and Mine, then associate it with God. Say, for instance, My Rama, my Krishna."

Along with sincere prayer there are four other habits which can help us overcome greed.

One way to overcome greed is to be generous.

Generosity and greed are opposed to each other. Hence practice of generosity helps us overcome greed.

The second way is to remember that life is ephemeral and death can take us away at any time. When we die we cannot carry anything with us. Contemplation of death definitely helps.
However much wealth or material goods one has, one's enjoyment is limited by time, energy and capacity. One can sleep in one bed only, one can ride in one car only, one can eat only what one can digest. We often forget this and suffer. If we can remember this fact our greed is sure to become less.
Regular daily practice of spiritual disciplines, keeping of holy company, study of uplifting books, and above all, practice of dispassion, can help us overcome the evil of greed.

16 December 2018

Mardavam or Gentleness

The Sanskrit word mardavam is a beautiful word. It means gentleness, softness and sweetness. A spiritual aspirant is expected to develop these qualities. Not to speak of humans, even animals appreciate and are attracted by love, gentleness, etc.

Gentleness, meekness and humility are all allied virtues. Often gentleness - especially these days, where aggressiveness is the hall-mark of a competitive person - is mistaken for weakness, and spinelessness.

There is a Sanskrit verse which says that the hearts of great men are as soft as a flower and as hard as a thunderbolt. (वज्रादपि कठोराणि मृदुनि कुसुमादपि)

This goes to show that gentleness can belong only to the strongest. Swami Brahmanandaji used to say that one should become a gentleman before one becomes spiritual.

Many devotees think Sri Ramakrishna was always soft and gentle. Holy Mother remarked of him:

"I was married to a husband who never addressed me as 'thou.' Ah! how he treated me! Not even once did he tell me a harsh word or wound my feelings. He did not strike me even with a bunch of flowers!"

But Sri Ramakrishna could also be very hard when needed! When we study the events in the lives even of incarnations we often find them harsh and anything but gentle. (Holy Mother is an exception!) Yet their hardness is but a cover for their motherly heart and they act that way for the benefit of devotees.

Harshness, insensitivity, and lack of consideration are just the opposite of gentleness and are the signs of a selfish and worldly person.

Gentleness is a great spiritual quality. Only those who are spiritual, moral and rational can afford to be gentle in this world of cut-throat competition. One can acquire the quality of gentleness only through long austerity.

Sri Krishna tells us in the Bhagavad Gita that gentleness of speech and mind is an austerity. "Speech that is not offensive, truthful, pleasant, and beneficial is called the austerity of speech."

(अनुद्वेगकरं वाक्यं सत्यं प्रियहितं च यत्,

स्वाध्यायाभ्यसनं चैव वाङ्मयं तप उच्यते)

(Bhagavad Gita, 17:15)

Gentleness begins with our thoughts. Invariably our actions follow our thoughts. Generally we all act impulsively, reacting according to the situations we are in. Especially these days when we are accustomed to instant gratification we tend to become impatient at the slightest inconvenience. It takes time and practice to develop the quality of gentleness. So it is clear that control of the mind is an essential condition for acquiring gentleness.

Gentleness also requires us not to find fault with others. As the saying goes "To err is human."

Swami Brahmananda has this advice for us:

"Keep yourself pure and go forward, following your own ideal. Learn to see the good in others. If a man has some goodness, exaggerate his goodness in your mind. Give honour to all, praise all. Do this and sympathy for others will grow. He himself is honoured who honours all beings. Never run down a fellowman or slight him. Everyone sees the faults in others. Give him your love, make him your own, and help him to overcome his weakness. A man is composed of both good and evil. It is easy to see the evil in others but a holy man is he who can overlook their evil qualities and help them to become pure and holy. Remember, my children, you are holy men. You must always be calm, gentle, modest, and kindly of speech. Goodness and purity must flow through every word you utter, every action you perform, through all your behaviour and movements."

The quality of gentleness also requires humility.

Humility is not mere show of outward respect but the ability to see divinity in every being. Holy Mother used to say that one should respect even an insect for God dwells therein also.

Swami Bhavyananda says: "Gentleness is a powerful and mighty divine quality. A person who has strength can conquer another by force; but conquering oneself is a gentle process. One who conquers himself is a mighty person. One who conquers by physical strength may be conquered by another, who is stronger. But a gentle soul can never be overcome; he is triumphant even in defeat!"

A gentle person is soft, tender, loving and humble.

He is calm and peaceful, even under provoking conditions.

Arrogance, pride and harshness lead only to peacelessness.

Hardness, rudeness, cruelty and impatience are unspiritual qualities. They make for the downfall of man. There is great strength in humility and gentleness. Such a person treads softly and goes far; a gentle person makes everyone feel great.

Socrates was a gentle soul. Though he was put to death, he lives with us today. So does the risen Christ. When a person starts his journey to meet his Creator, he walks the path of righteousness and humility. The power of darkness cannot hurt him. Such is the power of gentleness.

A spiritual aspirant will be gentle, good and noble. He strives to see the divine in everyone and everything.

"With gentleness one can advance both in this life as well as in spiritual life."

17 December 2018

Modesty or Hree

Modesty (Hri) is one of the divine treasures and one of the most indispensable of spiritual qualities. Without its cultivation one cannot progress in spiritual life.

What is modesty? Modesty is freedom from vanity, boastfulness; it is regard for decency of behaviour, speech, dress; it is simplicity and moderation - in short it is a balanced behaviour.

Modesty may be described as that virtue which prompts us to be decorous, proper, and reserved, in the way we dress, stand, talk, walk, and sit - in general in the way we behave exteriorly. Modesty is allied to the virtue of temperance, or the habit of self-restraint. A modest person is intelligent and well aware of both his capacities and limitations.

Jnanadeva, a great saint, defines modesty as a feeling of deep shame when a spiritual aspirant thinks or does something ignoble and unspiritual.

On the other hand, indiscriminate self-assertion, selfish display of one's gifts of body or soul, inordinate display of one's intelligence or talents or skills or abilities in any field of human achievement, overtly or covertly - are all examples of what modesty is not.

These days modesty is identified exclusively and excessively with dress, especially that of women. We may recall the admonition of Holy Mother here: "Mark you, my dear, modesty is the greatest ornament of a woman. A flower best serves its purpose when it is offered to a deity; else it may as well wither on the plant."

Though there is some truth in the above teaching, true modesty is much deeper than mere dress, or even proper conduct - it includes the whole range of good qualities such as purity, humility, chastity and simplicity. The injunction of St. Theresa of Avila: "Be modest in all your words and works," implies that modesty spans all external expressions of our internal possession of humility.

The practice of modesty is intimately related to chastity. Chastity means to be faithful to one's spouse (by implication to one ideal i.e. God). One cannot be chaste and immodest at the same time; for immodesty means drawing attention to oneself - look at me, how beautiful and desirable I am! Be it in dress or speech or conduct, in any form, immodesty is unattractive and injurious.

Modesty is a highly desirable spiritual quality.

It is a very endearing and attractive quality. All of us are helplessly drawn to modest persons.

On the contrary we are repelled by immodesty in any form even if we may not say anything for fear of being politically incorrect.

There is also a misconception that modest persons are too self-effacing, shy, and possibly suffer from an inferiority complex. Nothing can be further from the truth. When we look at Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Vivekananda, Buddha or Jesus Christ, we do not find them suffering from any complex. They knew their worth more than anyone else, yet all of them are models of modesty.

Pretence of false modesty also draws our attention.

There are people full of pride and arrogance almost bursting inwardly who pretend external humility and modesty. God help those who fail to notice their humility or modesty! We come across such a person in The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna. Addressing the doctor (Dr. Sarkar), the Master said:

"Give up this false modesty. Why should you feel shy about singing the name of God? The proverb says very truly: 'One cannot realise God if one is a victim of shame, hatred, or fear'."

Absence of modesty is a sure indication that one is impure, proud, arrogant and full of oneself. It means one does not give credit to God for whatever capabilities or talents one has but appropriates all credit to oneself. Therefore every spiritual aspirant must cultivate the virtue of modesty. As Krishna declares in the Gita all extraordinary manifestations of power belong to God only.

St. Francis de Sales says: "If you want to know whether a man is really wise, learned, generous or noble, see if his life is moulded by humility, modesty and submission. If so, his gifts are genuine; otherwise they are only surface and showy."

"Simplicity, gentleness and modesty are to be desired in all society; there are some people who are so full of affectation in whatever they do that everyone is annoyed by them."

There is a common quirk within us all; we want to be admired by others, we want people to think well of us, and our natural tendency is to put on our most attractive behaviour in the presence of others so as to obtain their attention and admiration. The best way of securing attention is to practise modesty.

These days we have become the worst idolaters - worshippers of the human body. At no time in history do we see the human body so much publicised, advertised and idolised as these days. Since we derive so much of our pleasures from the satisfaction of bodily desires, all efforts are made to encourage bodily satisfactions immediately. What we call fashion is nothing but vulgar display of, specially, the female body.

Under these circumstances who can dispute that the practice of modesty is indispensable?

In conclusion, modesty is an invaluable and indispensable spiritual quality. It is valuable because:

(1) It is a sign that a person keeps things in perspective, in proper balance.

(2) It prevents one from being too easily distracted from what is really important, i.e. spiritual progress, by an excessive concern for how one is esteemed or appreciated.

(3) It makes one keenly aware of the grace of God and the ephemerality of life.

(4) Since a modest person believes that all that he has is a gift from God, it keeps destructive emotions like pride, jealousy and envy in check.

Needless to say those who wish to realize God must cultivate modesty.

18 December 2018

Jai Ramakrishna

Steadfastness or Achapalam

Steadfastness or absence of fickleness is one of the most important spiritual qualities. In most persons the mind has been allowed to run wild and follow its own sweet will and desires. The mind is like a spoiled child who is indulged by his parents or it is like a badly trained animal. Control of the mind is a thing unknown to most of us. It is said the average attention span of a modern mind is no more than twenty seconds.

Importance of the mind and its control

No question has been asked or answered as frequently as how to control the mind. Our feeling of well-being depends on the state of our mind. The mind plays a most crucial role in human life.

The Gita tells us that a controlled mind is our best friend and becomes our worst enemy when we lose control over it.

If we do not restrain and direct the mind towards a higher goal we will never feel the sense of fulfilment and joy in life. Inability to restrain the mind can lead to mental sickness.

What could be more revealing than the fact that one person in three is mentally sick in the developed nations! The mind uncontrolled and unguided is a dangerous instrument that may bring harm to ourselves and to others, whereas a controlled mind will save us from the dangers of life and will free us from all bondage. A controlled mind brings success in every field of life.

Mind alone is the cause of bondage and liberation, of happiness and unhappiness, of success and failure, of health and sickness, of good and evil.

Sri Ramakrishna says: "It is all a question of the mind. Bondage and liberation are of the mind alone. If you are in bad company, then you will talk and think like your companions. On the other hand, when you are in the company of devotees, you will think and talk only of God."

There is a well-known saying that even after one obtains the grace of three (the grace of God, the Guru, and holy company) one comes to grief for the lack of the grace of one (one's own mind!). There is no greater blessing than a mind that is filled with righteous, noble, positive and strength-giving thoughts, and no greater treasure than a mind filled with joy, peace and harmony. Such a mind is the key to success, health, wealth, power, prosperity, and, of course, to spiritual progress.

Realization of God or Self-knowledge is the only goal of life according to Vedanta. Only a pure and controlled mind can liberate us and lead us to God-realization.

No wonder so much of importance is given to the study and control of the mind. Patanjali, the author of Yoga Aphorisms defines Yoga as "the control of mind-stuff."

Why is the mind so restless? The mind is restless because it is weak and impure. On the surface the mind seems to be so fickle and restless because it is filled with innumerable desires. So it is natural for us to conclude that when all the desires are fulfilled the mind will automatically become calm and tranquil. Nothing is further from truth. Giving in to desires is like adding fuel to fire.

However many times we may fulfil desires the mind will never become satiated; on the contrary desires will only become all the more stronger.

The real reason

The mind is restless because it knows, instinctively, though unconsciously, that we are all Divine, Infinite, and Immortal souls. The mind will become tranquil only when it attains perfection, Self-knowledge or God-realization.

Conquest of Mind

Swami Vivekananda says: "How hard it is to control the mind! Well has it been compared to the maddened monkey.

There was a monkey, restless by his own nature, as all monkeys are. As if that were not enough someone made him drink freely of wine, so that he became still more restless. Then a scorpion stung him. To complete his misery a demon entered into him.

What language can describe the uncontrollable restlessness of that monkey?"

It is difficult to control the mind, but there are definite guidelines that slowly but surely help us in bringing it under control.

Have a definite noble goal in life. A person without a goal is like a rudderless boat adrift in the sea of life. A fixed goal is a great help in restraining the restless mind.
The mind can be controlled by Abhyasa and Vairagya (practice and dispassion). Abhyasa is constant effort to fix the mind on God or the Self. Vairagya is dispassion or non-attachment to sense objects.
Sit alone and watch the thoughts of the mind as a witness. Do not identify yourself with the thoughts. Let us not think of the past or the future nor allow the mind to build images. Let us try to live in the present. Then the mind will gradually become calm and comes under our control.
Another way to control the mind is to do a thing which the mind does not want to do and deny a thing which the mind hankers after very much.
Regular practice of simple Pranayama or breath control helps make the mind steady and one-pointed.
In this age the easiest way for controlling the mind and attaining liberation is through japa and meditation. Japa is singing the Names and Glories of the Lord. Japa of the Mantra of our chosen deity and contemplation of the divine destroys the impurities of the mind, makes the mind inward and helps concentration, eventually leading to control of mind and attainment of God-realization.
Regular study of spiritual books, a bit of austerity, and, above all, cultivation of holy company goes a long way in the control of mind.
The quality and quantity of food we eat has a great influence over the mind. Sattvic food (milk, fruits, etc.) calms the mind. Rajasic food (hot, spicy, sweet foods etc.) excites the mind.
Retiring into solitude now and then can help greatly. Swami Brahmananda has this advice: "The easiest way to purify and steady the mind is to retire into solitude, control all cravings, and engage yourself in contemplation and meditation. The more you occupy the mind with holy thoughts, the greater will be your spiritual unfoldment. Just as a cow yields much milk when it is well fed, so when the mind is fed with spiritual food it will yield greater tranquillity. Spiritual food consists of meditation, prayer, contemplation, and japam." "Another way to steady the mind is to let it wander, but to keep a steady watch over its wanderings. After a while the mind itself becomes tired and comes back to find peace in God. If you watch your mind, your mind will in turn watch over you."
Selfless service according to one's capacity is very helpful in purifying and controlling the mind.
Finally let us not forget that mind can be brought under control by the grace of God alone. Sri Ramakrishna says: "Bondage and liberation are both of Her making. By Her Maya worldly people become entangled in woman and gold, and again, through Her grace they attain their liberation. She is called the Saviour, and the remover of the bondage that binds one to the world."

19 December 2018

Jai Ramakrishna

Tejah or Spiritual Splendour

Tejas is spiritual splendour. Those who live a life of purity consisting of continence, prayer, contemplation, truthfulness and righteousness acquire this splendour. Every spiritual seeker is advised to acquire this divine quality by Lord Krishna.

Often we see in the pictures of saints and holy people a halo surrounding their heads, symbolic of their spiritual attainment.

It is said that Kshudiram, father of Sri Ramakrishna, used to be revered like a Rishi (a Seer), and when he would go out the villagers would stand up with folded hands until he was out of sight.

Again it is said of Sri Ramakrishna that a divine light would come out of his body. The Master himself said: "Ah! There was such beauty then that people used to stare at me; the chest and the face used always to be red, as if a light emanated from the body. As people used to stare, I always kept the body covered with a thick wrapper and asked the Divine Mother importunately; Here is your external beauty, Mother, please take it back and give me internal beauty. I used to pass my hand over the body, slapping it again and again, and say, 'Go in, go in'. As the result of this, the exterior became pale, as you see it now."

It is said of Jesus Christ that he spoke like one with authority and not like the scribes. Of Swami Vivekananda the newspapers reported that he spoke with divine authority. We come across many such instances in the life of practically every saint.

Tejas may also be translated as spiritual power. Those who have had higher spiritual experiences exude a special power, albeit unconsciously. Whatever they speak has the great power of bringing about a real and lasting transformation in sincere devotees.

But spiritual power is not like political or economic, or military power, which are likely to cause more harm than good.

Sri Ramakrishna said: "In the Purana it is said that it was as if a hundred suns were shining when Rama entered the court. Why, then, weren't the courtiers burnt up? It was because the brilliance of Rama was not like that of a material object. As the lotus blooms when the sun rises, so the lotus of the heart of the people assembled in the court burst into blossom."

Spiritual splendour or Brahma Tejas soothes and confers blessings on all fortunate enough to come near it. It can only help and not harm.

We come across many a beautiful prayer in the Upanishads for endowing a sincere aspirant with this spiritual splendour.

As a result of sincere spiritual efforts, made for a long time, this divine effulgence radiates from devotees, and Yogis who have controlled their thoughts and whose thoughts constantly dwell on Brahman.

Such a person will have a beautiful, sweet and charming personality. A spiritual light will shine in his face due to the practice of continence. People will be drawn to such a personality. Physical beauty is nothing compared with spiritual beauty.

The most important function of this spiritual splendour is to protect aspirants from worldly snares. Wicked and selfish people, however much they may try, will not be able to take advantage of such spiritual seekers. Nor will they be able to harm them or create obstacles in the path of such spiritual seekers; for there is always a divine protection for such sincere aspirants.

That is why Sri Krishna advises all spiritual seekers to cultivate Tejah.

20 December 2018

Jai Ramakrishna

Kshama or Forgiveness

Kshama, Shankaracharya says, is unaffectedness when harmed, beaten or reviled. Forgiveness is freedom from antagonism towards others even when they cause injury to oneself, says Ramanujacharya.

Forgiveness is the ornament of a hero. He has the capacity and the opportunity to avenge the wrongs done to him. But he aims at self-effacement by forgiving the offender and forgetting the wrong. Only a strong person can forgive, never the weak.

Swami Vivekananda says: Even forgiveness, if weak and passive, is not true, fight is better. Forgive when you could bring legions of angels to the victory.

Then, Peter came to Jesus and asked: Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?

Jesus answered, I tell you, not seven times, but seventy times seven. (Matthew 18:22)

Jesus is saying that one should not keep count of times. True forgiveness does not keep a record! The practice of forgiveness is also a great service to the world. Gandhiji used to say that if we practice an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, soon the whole world will be blind and toothless.

The well-known saying that, To err is human; to forgive is divine, is too true. None of us are free from faults. So we must try to cultivate the art of 'forgive and forget'; for to say I can forgive, but I cannot forget, is another way of saying, I will not forgive.

One who cannot forget has not really forgiven. The memory is still lurking and may manifest at the earliest opportunity.

21 December 2018

Jai Ramakrishna

Thitiksha or Forbearance

Life is full of uncertainty, and one has to put up with so many unpleasant things in life. There is no guarantee that good and righteous people will not suffer; in fact good people seem to suffer more. There are evil and wicked people whose pleasure seems to lie in giving trouble to others. If one does not learn to forbear one has to suffer greatly.

Sri Ramakrishna was kicked by the family priest of Mathur Babu. Holy Mother had to put up with endless sufferings caused by her relatives and disciples, especially, Radhu. Swami Vivekananda had to face immense opposition in America. There was even an attempt to do away with him in U.S. Did we find any of them harbouring any grudge?

In the Bengali alphabet no three letters are alike in sound except the three sibilants (Sa, Sha and Sa); and they all mean for us, forbear, forbear, forbear (In Bengali Sa means forbear. It is derived from the Sanskrit root Sah.) This shows that even from our childhood we are made to learn forbearance through the very alphabet. The quality of forbearance is of the highest importance to every man. (Sri Ramakrishna)

Shankaracharya in his Vivekachudamani defines forbearance as: The bearing of all afflictions without caring to redress them, being free (at the same time) from anxiety or lament on their score.

Forbearance helps us much in living happily in this world as well helping us make progress in spiritual life.

22 December 2018

Jai Ramakrishna

Patience

Patience is defined as the ability to wait for an expected outcome without experiencing anxiety, tension, or frustration. One of the most important qualities in spiritual life is patience. Patience is described as a great virtue in every religion.

There may be many factors affecting the outcome of all our actions. We can only do what best we can and accept with patience whatever be the outcome. This point is highlighted in the Bible in the story of Job.

Even God has to practise patience!! His patience knows no limit. Even though He knows all our doings He waits with infinite patience for us to turn and return to Him.

Needless to say patience is a quality all of us do well to cultivate.

Sri Ramakrishna says: With implicit trust in the sayings of holy saints and sages, one must try to secure God in one's own heart with the bait of devotion, and the rod and hook of one's mind. With unceasing patience one must wait for the fullness of time. Then only can one catch the Divine fish.

We live in an age of instantaneous gratification. That is why we become so agitated when things get delayed. We become deeply disappointed when our expectations do not come true. But success comes only to him who has infinite patience.

Swami Vivekananda says: He who has infinite patience and infinite energy at his back, will alone succeed.

Impatience is a sure cause of failure and can impair our physical as well as mental health greatly. Many times impatience is a sign that our actions are done as a matter of duty and not with a sense of joy.

So Sri Krishna advises all spiritual aspirants to cultivate the divine quality called Kshama consisting of forgiveness, forbearance and patience.

23 December 2018

Dhriti or Steadfastness

Dhriti is an important spiritual quality. The Sandilya Upanishad describes Dhriti as firmness of mind amidst a period of ups and downs. To remain calm, steady and self-possessed even when confronted with the greatest calamity, danger or sorrow, and not to deviate from the path of righteousness or duty under the influence of passions like lust, anger, fear or greed is called Dhriti or fortitude.

The great Shankaracharya defines Dhriti as: That state of mind which removes the exhaustion of the body and senses when they droop down, and upheld by which the body and senses no longer get dejected. (Gita)

It is said of the Buddha that he performed super-human austerities to obtain illumination but did not succeed. Then he made a firm determination that he would not get up from under the Bodhi tree till he attained illumination, even if he were to die in the process. He uttered these words: Here on this seat my body may dry up.

Let my flesh, skin and bones dissolve. Not getting Enlightenment, (which is difficult to obtain even after many eons), Not indeed from this seat will this body move. (Lalitavistara)

With this firm resolve the Buddha sat down under the Bodhi tree and obtained illumination the same night.

Without steadfastness and strong determination one reaches nowhere. Sri Ramakrishna used to say of people who have no grit whatsoever:

There are some people who have no grit whatever. They are like flattened rice soaked in milk — soft and mushy. No inner strength! The mind is everything. Bondage is of the mind, and freedom is also of the mind. A man is free if he constantly thinks: 'I am a free soul. How can I be bound, whether I live in the world or in the forest? I am a child of God, the King of Kings'.

Who can bind me? By repeating with grit and determination, I am not bound, I am free, one really becomes so - one really becomes free. One must have stern determination; then alone is spiritual practice possible. One must make a firm resolve.

One can be firm and steadfast under favourable circumstances, but none can escape the dualities of life. There will be trying times. It is under these difficult circumstances one needs strength, courage, patience and grit.

Swami Turiyananda often used to teach:

Clench your fists and say: I will conquer! Now or never - make that your motto, even in this life I must see God...

That is the only way. Never postpone. What you know to be right, do that and do that at once, do not let any chance go by. The way to failure is paved with good intentions. That will not do.

Remember, this life is for the strong, and the persevering: the weak go to the wall. And always be on your guard. Never give in. It is natural to be dejected under unfavourable circumstances. Even great souls feel the burden.

Swami Turiyanandaji narrated an incident from his life: When we were living at the old Math, now many years ago, it happened once that I was very sad. I could not make any progress for some time and everything looked dark to me. I was walking up and down on the flat roof of the Math. It was evening and the moon was hidden by clouds. Sleep was impossible for me, I was so unhappy. Then suddenly from behind the clouds the moon emerged and everything looked bright and beautiful. As soon as I saw that, I thought: 'see, the moon was there all the time but I could not see her. So the Atman is also ever present, shining in its own glory, but I did not see it. The cloud of ignorance stood between the Atman and my intellect overshadowing my mind. And at once I felt strong again, my doubts all gone.

Circumstances may or may not be favourable, but who cares? We must strain every nerve to accomplish the thing.

If you are determined to do it at any cost, you will find that great obstacles which you thought would overpower you, ultimately turn out to help you. But you must struggle sincerely. Does one find circumstances always propitious? Consider what you have got to do as your duty and go on.

Swami Shivananda used to say: With firm determination, one has to strive for God-realisation. Make a start from this very day; for life is fleeing every moment. Nobody can say when one will have the call for departure; so don't waste a single day. Those who think that these things can be put off for the future never do anything. They will be tossed in this current of birth and death for infinite ages.

Dhriti is a word rich with many meanings. Dhriti means steadfastness, fortitude, patience, courage, strong will-power etc. Without these qualities no one is going to succeed in anything.

It is also very easy to misunderstand the word Dhriti and confuse it with stubbornness, which is quite the opposite in meaning. We find innumerable examples of wicked and cruel dictators persisting in their wrong views bringing immense harm to millions.

Indeed, Sri Krishna himself, in the Bhagavad Gita classifies Dhriti into three types: Tamasic, Rajasic and Satvic. The resolve by which a person persists in wrong, irrational views and deeds is Tamasic. Tamasic resolve stubbornly holds on to a wrong notion or course of action.

We find many spiritual aspirants possess this Tamasic Dhriti. Some are not even aware that they are treading the wrong path. Even after becoming aware of this tendency, many refuse to change their ways, continue to suffer themselves, make others suffer, but still persist in their wrong ways. Such is the power of Mahamaya.

That resolve by which a person regulates his life for the enjoyments of this world is Rajasic.

Only that resolve by which one dedicates one's life for the realisation of the Self is Satvic Dhriti. One needs a lot of self-introspection in order to find out one's true motive.

To be steadfast one needs tremendous will-power. It is impossible to be steadfast if we do not have patience, fortitude, cheerfulness, positive thinking and infinite patience. An essential part of steadfastness is overcoming indecision of mind. Constant indecision is a disease of the mind. Steadfastness with flexibility is what is needed.

The spiritual path is a long and arduous process. No speedy result can be expected in this path. One has to go on persevering in the path, day after day, month after month, year after year, with the same determination, one has to make spiritual effort.

It may even take many lives before one can reach the goal. There will be lots of ups and downs, and challenges. Therefore steadiness and perseverance are absolutely essential on the spiritual path. No one has become great without steadfast effort.

Perhaps many of our readers may remember the story of Robert the Bruce and the spider that fell several times yet finally succeeded.

Try, try until you succeed is the secret behind many great achievements.

If one is possessed of Satvic Dhriti and sincerely goes on striving with faith and patience one is sure to reach the goal. A Sadhaka with tremendous fortitude alone can reach the goal.

Jai Ramakrishna

24 December 2018

Jai Ramakrishna

Saucha or Purity

Sri Krishna describes saucha or purity as one of the divine treasures. Purity is not merely a virtue but the culmination of all spiritual practices.

The sine qua non of spiritual life is purity of heart. The vision of God, a glimpse of the beyond, never comes until the soul is pure. It is to those who are true in heart, pure in deed, whose senses are controlled, that this Self manifests itself.

Swami Brahmananda says: God is manifest in the hearts of His devotees, his children. Therefore we must be pure in heart. The pure mind receives a clear reflection of God. If the mirror is covered with dirt it does not reflect, so also the Lord's reflection does not fall upon an unclean mind.

Purity is among the five observances which form one of the eight limbs of yoga. According to the commentator Vyasa, it includes both external and internal purity. While internal purity or the purity of mind is definitely more important, external purity is also recommended in all religious systems.

Purity is stressed in every religion. There cannot be any form of spiritual life without purity in some form or the other. It is the very heart of all spiritual endeavour.

The entire essence of all religions, has been put into that one sentence: Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. The vision of God, which is the culmination of all spiritual practice, is reserved for the pure in spirit.

Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.

Swami Vivekananda said: In that one sentence lies the gist of all religions...It alone could save the world were all other scriptures lost. A vision of God, a glimpse of the beyond, never comes until the soul is pure.

All these forms and ceremonies, these prayers and pilgrimages, these books, bells, candles, and priests, are preparations; they take off the impurities of the soul; and when the soul becomes pure it naturally wants to get to the mine of purity, God Himself.

These are not mere words. Swami Vivekananda was an embodiment of purity. Sri Ramakrishna used to say that there was nothing on earth or heaven which could pollute Narendra.

Once Swami Vivekananda was asked by his Western disciples whether he had exercised some yogic power while uttering the now famous words, 'Sisters and Brothers of America,' at the inaugural session of the Parliament of Religions which had such a mesmerizing effect upon the audience.

In reply the Swami said that It was the power of purity. He had, in his life, never even once thought an impure thought.

What is purity? Purity is a state of knowing and being oneself, it is abiding in one's real nature. It is hard to describe what purity is, yet we can recognize it when we encounter it. When we see a baby we know what innocence, purity, simplicity is. Being pure in heart a baby does not see evil or impurity in others. Similarly a saint also, being pure in heart, sees God only everywhere and in everything.

The Gita tells us that only through austerity alone can we become pure in thought, word, and deed.

The worship of gods, holy people, the guru, and the wise; purity, honesty, celibacy, and non-violence; these are said to be the austerity of deed. (17:14)

Speech that is not offensive, truthful, pleasant, beneficial, and is used for the regular reading of scriptures is called the austerity of word. (17:15)

Serenity of mind, gentleness, silence, self-restraint, and the cultivation of pure motives; these are called the austerity of thought. (17:16)

Various techniques have been adopted in various spiritual paths for the purification of mind. Karma yoga is, of course, the standard method advocated for purification of the mind. It involves performance of all actions without hankering for their fruits, or by surrendering the fruits and actions to God.

The Atman by nature is pure, immortal, and ever blissful. The best way to attain purity is to assert one's eternally pure nature, and to be established in it is the goal of life.

Prayer, japa, meditation, holy company, selfless service, and diligent practice of spiritual disciplines as directed by one's teacher, now and then retiring into solitude; these are some of the means indicated in the scriptures for the attainment of purity.

Hindu scriptures also caution us about taking impure food. Pure food makes our heart pure. Pure heart results in constant recollectedness of God. Constant recollectedness of God brings union with God.

Food does not mean merely what we eat, but what we gather through all our senses. How do we gather pure food through our senses? By seeing God everywhere. Wherever the senses go, let us be conscious of the presence of God.

Through diligent spiritual practice the mind gradually becomes pure and becomes blessed with the vision of God.

25 December 2018

Merry Christmas to all

The Master attains perfection in Christianity in a marvellous way

A year after the worship of Shodashi, the Master's mind was eager to see the Divine Mother by means of another religious path. At that time he was acquainted with Shambhu Charan Mallick, who would read the Bible to him. Thus, he became aware of the pure life of Jesus and of the Christian faith. As soon as the desire to practise Christianity arose in his mind, the Divine Mother fulfilled it in a miraculous way; he did not make any special effort. The event took place as follows.

Jadulal Mallick's garden house is situated at the south side of the Dakshineswar Kali temple. The Master occasionally went there for a walk. From their first meeting, Jadulal and his mother loved and respected the Master greatly. If they were away when the Master went to Jadu's garden for his walk, the caretakers would open the parlour for him and ask him to sit and rest awhile.

There were some magnificent pictures hanging on the walls of that room, and one of them depicted the child Jesus on his mother's lap. The Master said that one day he sat in that room and intently studied that image, thinking of the wonderful life of Jesus. Just then he saw the picture become animate and luminous. Rays of light emanated from the bodies of Mother Mary and the child Jesus, entering the Master's heart and revolutionizing his mental attitudes.

When he observed that his inborn Hindu impressions were vanishing from his mind and that different ones were arising, he tried to control himself by resisting them in various ways. He entreated the Divine Mother, saying, "Mother, what are You doing to me?"

But the onslaught continued. The waves of those impressions rose forcefully and completely submerged the Hindu bent of his mind. The Master's love and devotion for Hindu gods and goddesses disappeared and his heart was filled with faith in and reverence for Jesus and his religion.

He then had a vision of Christian clergymen offering incense and lights in front of the image of Jesus in a church, expressing their inner longing through prayer.

After he returned to the Dakshineswar temple garden, the Master remained uninterruptedly absorbed in meditation on those experiences pertaining to Jesus. He completely forgot to visit the Divine Mother in the temple. The waves of Christian faith that swayed him lasted for three days.

When the Master was walking in the Panchavati at the end of the third day, he saw a beautiful but unfamiliar godman with a fair complexion advancing towards him, gazing at him steadily. The Master immediately realized that he was a foreigner, and that he belonged to a different race. He saw that his eyes were large and beautiful, and though his nose was a little flat at the tip, it in no way marred the handsomeness of his face. The Master was charmed by the unique divine expression on his serene face and wondered who he could be.

Very soon after that the figure drew near, and a voice from within told him, "This is Jesus Christ, the great yogi, the loving Son of God who is one with his Father, who shed his heart's blood and suffered torture for the salvation of humanity."

Then the godman Jesus embraced the Master and merged into him. In ecstasy, the Master lost external consciousness and his mind remained united with Saguna Brahman for some time.

With this vision, the Master became convinced that Jesus was truly a divine incarnation.

How the Master's vision of Jesus proved to be accurate

One day when we visited the Master, long after his vision of Christ, he raised the topic of Jesus and asked us: "Well, you have read the Bible. What does it say about the features of Christ? What did he look like?"

We replied: "Sir, we have not seen this particularly mentioned anywhere in the Bible. But Jesus was born a Jew, so he must have been fair, with large eyes and an aquiline nose."

The Master then said: "But I saw that his nose was slightly flattened at the tip. Who knows why I saw him this way?"

Although we did not respond further at that time, we wondered how the image seen by him in ecstasy could resemble the actual picture of Jesus. Like all Jewish men, he must have had an aquiline nose.

Sometime after the Master passed away, we learned that there were three recorded versions regarding the features of Jesus, and that one of them mentioned that the tip of his nose was a little flat.

May Jesus Christ bless us all with Bhakti and Jnana.

26 December 2018

Jai Ramakrishna

Christmas

Swami Brahmananda's vision of Christ on the Christmas Eve

Maharaj (Swami Brahmananda) used to observe Christmas every year by offering special worship to Jesus. The story of the Nativity was read aloud from the Bible and followed by meditation. Fruit, bread, cake, and wine were offered in the worship.

Sister Devamata, an American devotee who happened to be present on one such occasion records the scene as follows: "When I had finished reading, the intense stillness in the air led me to look towards Swami Brahmananda. His eyes were open and fixed on the altar, there was a smile on his lips, but it was evident that his consciousness had gone to a higher plane. No one moved or spoke. At the end of twenty minutes or more, the look of immediate seeing returned to his eyes and he motioned to us to continue the service."

After the service, as Maharaj was partaking of the sacramental food, he remarked to Sister Devamata: "While you were reading, Christ suddenly stood before the altar, dressed in a long blue cloak. He talked to me for some time. It was a very blessed moment." (From The Eternal Companion)

How to Follow Christ and Disregard the World's Prizes

The Lord says, "Whoever follows me will have the light of life and will never walk in darkness" (John 8:12). Christ encourages us to pattern our lives after his so we can become spiritually enlightened. Our most important task, then, is to meditate on the life of Jesus Christ.

Christ's teaching is superior to all the teachings of the saints, and if you have the Spirit you will discover through him "the hidden manna" of the Word (Rev. 2:17).

Many who have heard the gospel all their lives have not been affected by it because they do not have Christ's Spirit. If you truly want to understand and enjoy the words of Christ you must attempt to live like him.

What is the point of scholarly discussion of a deep subject like the Unity, if you lack humility? You can be sure that profound talk does not make anyone holy and just, but a pure life pleases God. I would rather feel contrition than know its definition!

If you knew the entire Bible by heart and were familiar with all the philosophers, what good would it all be without the love of God and his grace?

Anything other than loving and serving God is 'useless, useless... all useless' (Eccles. 1:2).

Here is the wisest thing you can do: forget the world and seek the things of heaven.

It is pointless, then, to desire and trust perishable wealth.

It is also pointless to search after honours or to be a social climber.

It is useless to give in to physical desires and to crave wrong things when indulging ourselves will only bring severe punishment.

It is futile to wish for a long life, and then to give so little care to living well.

It is nothing but vanity to think only of this present life and to ignore the future.

It is vain to care about things that are quickly passing away rather than to hurry to the place of everlasting joy.

Repeat this proverb frequently: 'Our eyes can never see enough to be satisfied; our ears can never hear enough' (Eccles. 1:8).

Try, then, to turn your heart away from the love of things that can be seen, and to start loving the things that cannot be seen. Those who follow the way of sensuality will have a nagging conscience and lose God's favour.

(From The Imitation of Christ)

27 December 2018

Adroha or Absence of Malice

Adroha is complete absence of malice, hatred, ill will, or injury in thought, word and deed. It is a quality without which one cannot progress in spiritual life.

Ramanujacharya explains it as non-interference in others affairs when otherwise one may cause them harm or suffering.

According to Madhusudana, adroha is not the taking up of arms and weapons etc., with the idea of killing.

Non-injury, of course, does not convey the real meaning of the word adroha. The essence of adroha is complete absence of anger, malice, hatred, or jealousy; it is a spiritual concept. Total absence of self and selfishness is the test of adroha.

It is in this sense that adroha is equated with truth at its highest level, and is regarded as the highest principle in life.

Long ago the Jain prophet, Lord Mahavir, declared: The being whom you want to kill is none other than you; the being whom you wish to govern and enslave is none other than you. Killing a living being is equivalent to killing one's own self.

It is well-nigh impossible to live without injuring any creature. Physical violence in some form or other is a fact of life, and the sin that accrues from it does not come from the fact of violence itself, but from motives of desire, hate, and selfishness.

As it is said Life can be sustained only by life. Bhagavan Buddha said: He who deserves punishment must be punished. Those who go to war in a righteous cause after exhausting all means of preserving peace are not blameworthy.

In our own times Dr. Radhakrishnan writes:

We live in an imperfect world where all men are not saints, and force has to be used to keep the world going. If we say that the criminal's personality should not be violated, if we treat the gangster's life as sacred, we are acquiescing in evil. We cannot judge the use of violence as evil or as good by looking at it in isolation.

Any pain or injury inflicted during the course of living need not be an injurious act unless motivated by selfishness or hatred.

Again both good and evil, violence and non-violence are not ends in themselves, but only the means leading mankind to its goal of realising its divine nature. Conditions and circumstances in life influence and dictate whether violent means are necessary or not. Right conduct is always to be measured by the motive, since ethics and morality are all in the mind.

Though adroha, or non-injury, is the highest ideal, it can truly be practised only by a rare few in any society at any given period of time. Such an ideal can only be for the few who have taken to the spiritual path seriously and are bent on Self-realisation. Only he who can look upon all creatures as one's own Self can truly be said to practise the virtue of adroha or non-injury.

Adroha means remaining true to one's faith or trust. In the light of this meaning there are five areas in which we should be careful not to break our trust: one's duty, country, religion, Guru and Self.

Dharma: One of the meanings of Dharma is sincere discharge of one's duties according to one's station in life. This not only purifies the heart but also pleases the Lord. One can advance in any field of life only through proper discharge of one's duties. This rule applies whether one works in an office or an institution. One who fails to discharge one's duties is called kartavya drohi.

Duties to one's country: A country shelters, nurtures, and protects its citizens. Hence it is the bounden duty of every citizen to love, respect and serve his country to the best of himself ability. If one fails to do so, he will be doing great injury to himself or herself and also to the whole nation. One who fails to love and serve his country is called desa drohi.

Religion: One of the most important teachings of Sri Ramakrishna is that all religions are valid paths leading a sincere aspirant to God. Though this is true one should love and follow one's chosen religion, at the same time taking care to show respect to all other religions and prophets. One who fails to do so is called Dharma drohi.

Guru: Hinduism accords the highest respect to the Guru; He is equated to God himself. Hence one should look upon one's Guru with the highest respect. It does not mean merely saluting him or showing outward signs of reverence. Real respect to the Guru lies in strictly following the instructions he has given to his student. Any deviation from it is disrespect to the Guru and is bound to make one fall from the spiritual ideal. One who fails to do so is called Guru drohi.

Sri Ramakrishna used to say that the goal of human life is to realise God or the Self. One who does not strive to realise the Self lives in vain and is called a Self-slayer. The Isavasya Upanishad puts it so succinctly:

Verily, those worlds of the demons are enveloped in blinding darkness; and thereto they all repair after death, who are slayers of Atman. One who fails to follow and advance in the spiritual path is called Atma drohi.

The only way to avoid harming or injuring others is to look upon all as one's own Self. Needless to say this state can be achieved only through following a spiritual path and by realising God. Before one reaches this state one should take care not to injure any creature by thought, word or deed. And one should be faithful to one's duties, country, religion, Guru and Self. This is a sure way to acquire the spiritual quality called adroha.

28 December 2018

Nati-manita or Absence of Pride

Nati-manita is humility. Sri Krishna considers humility as one of the great spiritual qualities without which one cannot advance in spiritual life.

Atimanita is pride, vanity, conceit, overestimating oneself. Natimanita is the exact opposite of this. It really means humility.

Let us discuss pride.

Pride (or hubris or vanity) is considered as the most serious of the seven deadly sins. It is the ultimate source from which all other sins arise. Pride generates egotism and obscures truth. Regarding ourselves as exalted, superior or worthy of adoration and cherishing intense craving for fame, honour, prestige and respect and feeling happy on getting these (even if we do not hanker after them) - this is called pride. This is overestimating ourselves. It breeds excessive love of self and makes one look down upon all others.

Pride, said Dante, is 'love of self perverted to hatred and contempt for one's neighbour'. The natural tendency of most of us is to appear important in the eyes of others. This desire expresses itself as pride and vanity. A true enquiry into the Self compels man to relinquish pride as a disease of the mind.

Pride makes us feel that we are the centre of the world. We have high self-esteem, which is often a mask behind which our own self-esteem is hidden. Pride makes us feel we are all powerful, all knowing, and faultless. Pride makes us impatient and distrusting; it breeds contempt for those who do not subscribe to our philosophy, beliefs and way of life. If others do not agree with our views we become sarcastic and biting. Pride makes us look down at people who react negatively to our beliefs and views. Pride makes us deny the warning signs that there is something seriously wrong with us and thus we become easy prey for a downfall when a serious crisis or disaster strikes our lives - pride comes before a fall.

Pride, vanity etc., are qualities derived from tamas. A characteristic of tamas is pride. Pride and delusion come from tamas— Pride of learning, pride of money, and pride of social position. One cannot attain divine knowledge till one gets rid of pride. Water does not stay on the top of a mound; but into low land it flows in torrents from all sides. (Sri Ramakrishna)

There are many forms of pride - pride of beauty, pride of strength, pride of wealth, pride of ancestry, pride of power and position, pride of talent, pride of intellect, name and fame, etc.

Many, especially parents, feel proud when their children attain wealth, fame, power etc. Many become vain even when there is nothing to be proud about. These unspiritual qualities like pride, secretiveness, and the like are so many bonds which keep man in ignorance. Man is free only when he is liberated from all these.

Of all forms of pride the worst and most harmful is spiritual pride.

And, above all, if the pride of spirituality enters into you, woe unto you. It is the most awful bondage that ever existed. Neither can wealth nor any other bondage of the human heart bind the soul so much as this. 'I am purer than others', is the most awful idea that can enter into the human heart. In what sense are you pure? The God in you is the God in all. If you have not known this, you have known nothing. How can there be difference? It is all one. Every being is the temple of the Most High; if you can see that, good; if not, spirituality has yet to come to you. (Swami Vivekananda)

But we need not think all pride is inimical and dangerous. There is a form of pride which is positive and highly helpful in spiritual life. This spiritual pride is the result of the grace of God.

Regarding this Sri Ramakrishna says:

The ego of a devotee begets no pride; it does not create ignorance. On the contrary it helps one realize God. Haven't you heard Ramprasad's song? He used to say, Whom do I fear in the world, whose sovereign is the Divine Mother! Keep such a pride always awake in the mind. If you must have pride, then feel like Vibhishana, who said, I have touched the feet of Rama with my head; I will not bow this head before anyone else. There are two signs of knowledge: first, absence of pride, and second, a peaceful nature. You have both. Therefore you must have received the grace of God.

This kind of spiritual pride also helps us overcome frustration and depression. Swami Vivekananda says to a disciple who was feeling low:

Then think like this: Whose child am I? I associate with him and shall I have such weak-mindedness and lowness of spirits? Stamping down such weakness of mind and heart, stand up, saying, I am possessed of heroism, I am possessed of a steady intellect, I am a knower of Brahman, a man of illumination. Be fully conscious of your dignity by remembering, I am the disciple of such and such who is the companion-in-life of Sri Ramakrishna, the conqueror of lust and wealth. This will produce a good effect. He who has not this pride has no awakening of Brahman within him.

Do we suffer from pride and vanity? Many of us are blissfully unaware of our pride, egotism and vanity. A little self-enquiry is sure to confirm that we suffer excessively from pride, etc. If we are highly sensitive, if even an innocent remark or slight criticism puts us off and we take offence, if we are not open to truth; then, surely we are suffering from this disease!

As mentioned earlier, pride is a deadly poison. No one likes a proud and vain person. Pride makes others unhappy and resentful towards us; it also makes us miserable, hampers our happiness and creativity, and bars our progress in spiritual life.

Until we recognize and take steps to eradicate this demon of pride there is no hope of progress in any field of life.

So how do we get rid of pride and vanity? The best antidote to pride and vanity is the practice of humility. The practice of humility opens all doors to peace, prosperity, and truth in this as well as the other world.

29 December 2018

Jai Ramakrishna

The Practice of Humility

Humility is the foundation of all virtues.

Do you know my attitude? As for myself, I eat, drink, and live happily. The rest the Divine Mother knows. Indeed, there are three words that prick my flesh: 'guru', 'master' and 'father'. There is only one Guru, and that is Satchidananda. He alone is the Teacher. My attitude toward God is that of a child toward its mother. One can get human gurus by the million. All want to be teachers. But who cares to be a disciple? (Sri Ramakrishna)

Girish Ghosh used to say that Sri Ramakrishna conquered the world by his humility. He was a personification of humility. In order to destroy the vanity born of noble descent and to acquire true humility thereby, he cleaned very carefully with his hands places which are absolutely shunned as unclean by others. All saints, by nature, are humble.

Humility is the greatest of all spiritual qualities. Without humility no one can advance in any field of life. The moment a man feels that he knows everything, that he has nothing to learn, then he is done for. Pride is an excessive belief in one's own abilities, a high regard for oneself and one's abilities. Pride begets vanity and leads to destruction.

Humility is the very opposite of pride, vanity and egotism; it is the only virtue which can destroy egotism, the root of all evil. And until one gets rid of pride and egotism there is no chance of peace and happiness. If we do not consciously try to get rid of egotism, life will do that for us in a painful way.

Humility is the greatest destroyer of egotism. Quoting Tulasidas, a great saint of India, Swami Brahmananda says: Tulasidas is a liar, if God be not realized by truthfulness, obedience, and motherly attitude towards women.

Commenting on the above saying the Swami says: Do you know what obedience is? It is humility. When the right kind of humility comes, egoism is destroyed and God is realized.

Speaking of humility Christ says: Learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly of heart. (Matt. xi. 29) Whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant, even as the Son of Man came to serve. (Matt.10:27)

In our arrogance we look down upon others. In our ignorance, we imagine that the whole world has been created for us, for our enjoyment. Very often our ego gets identified with the objects of worldly prosperity. Then we develop pride like, I am wealthy, I am a high-born person, I am a great scholar, great singer, speaker etc. But death can destroy all these in a trice. If only we are able to dwell on the evanescence of wealth, erudition and the like, and immerse our mind in the constant contemplation of God, then all this pride disappears.

When people praised him, Newton used to say: I have been only like a boy playing on the seashore and diverting myself in now and then finding a smoother pebble or a prettier shell than the ordinary, while the great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me.

Following Newton, Sri 'M', the chronicler of The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna also used to say the same thing.

Humility is a great aid in the building of character. Sri Ramakrishna used to say:

Water accumulates on low ground; when the ground is high, it runs off. In a humble man sweetness of character and other good qualities develop effortlessly and naturally.

Sri Ramakrishna, again, used to say that one cannot realise God until the ego is destroyed. He used to illustrate this beautifully, citing the example of a bullock:

Egotism is so injurious to man that as long as it is not eradicated there is no salvation for him. Look at the young calf and the troubles that come upon it through egotism. As soon as it is born, it cries, 'Ham hai'- 'I am', 'I am'. The result of its egotism is that, when it grows up it is yoked to the plough, to drag heavily loaded carts. But still, in spite of all this punishment, the animal does not lose its egotism; for drums that are made of its hide produce the same sound of Ham, 'I'. The creature does not learn humility until the cotton-carder makes bow-strings out of its entrails: for it is then that the animal's intestines sing out 'Tu hai'- 'Thou art'.

The 'I' must go and give place to the 'Thou', and this is not achieved until man becomes spiritually awakened. When a man becomes perfect he becomes truly humble and tender. As Sri Ramakrishna says:

What is the state which a Siddha (perfect man) attains? As a potato or brinjal becomes soft and pulpy, when it gets Siddha (boiled), so a man, when he becomes a Siddha, is seen to be all humility and tenderness.

Humility or humbleness is a quality of being courteously respectful of others. It is the opposite of aggressiveness, arrogance, boastfulness, and vanity. Rather than, Me first, humility allows us to say, No, you first, my friend. Humility is the quality that lets us go more than halfway to meet the needs and demands of others.

Humility as a virtue is praised and emphasised in all religions. Qualities such as humility, courtesy, patience, forbearance etc., have to be acquired patiently through diligent spiritual practice. Humility is needed to live in peace and harmony with all. Humility dissipates hatred, anger and heals all wounds. Humility allows us to see the innate dignity and worth of all people.

Being humble, however, does not mean feeling worthless or having a low opinion of oneself; it does not mean one should have an inferiority complex. It certainly does not mean one should compare oneself unfavourably with others. There is a beautiful saying: No pride is pride that expresses the glory of the soul. No humility is humility that humiliates the self.

Sri Ramakrishna says: Many a man with a show of humility says: I am like an earth-worm grovelling in the dust. In this way, thinking themselves always to be worms, in time they become like worms. Let not despondency ever enter into your heart. Despair is the greatest enemy in the path of progress. As a man thinks, so he becomes.

Humility is a quality by which a man has a modest estimate of his own worth, and submits himself to God and others. A humble person respects himself and others because he recognises the innate divinity, the latent potentialities of all beings. A humble person recognises that God has given different qualities to different people. So he does not entertain a superiority complex. He respects all people, all creatures.

Humility is a quality achieved with great effort and spiritual practice. Prayer and the repetition of the holy name of God are of help in the acquisition of humility. According to Sri Chaitanya, japa or the repetition of the name of God is one of the best forms of spiritual practice. Interestingly he says that God's name should be repeated with great humility. Commenting on this Swami Ashokananda, in his Spiritual Practice, says: 'Mere outward humility and patience are not meant'.

Inner purification is essential. True humility comes only when we have risen high above worldly considerations, so that the standard of worldly judgement no longer affects us, and we feel in our inmost heart, every moment of our life, the presence of the Infinite, Omnipotent and Omniscient. Without at least a partial perception of spiritual immensity, real humility is impossible; it will be only mock humility.

We must also distinguish between humility and timidity. In most cases our humility is only another form of timidity and ineffectuality: we are cowed by the immensity of powers playing around us, and feel that we cannot play up to such greatness. But the aspirant of God must not be cowed by worldly powers. He must rise above them.

But is it easy to defy the world? We can then very well guess what a tremendous training the mind must pass through before the conditions as laid down by Shri Chaitanya can be properly fulfilled.

True prayer always makes one humble. Holy Mother used to say: As you pray and meditate you will find the Master actually speaking to you, fulfilling all your desires immediately, and your mind will be filled with such deep peace. ... You will realize that He who is in me, is in you too and in the humblest of men; only then will humility be born in your mind. In the fullness of one's spiritual realization, one will find that He who resides in one's heart, resides in the heart of others as well: the oppressed, the persecuted, the untouchable and the out-caste. This realization makes one truly humble.

The practice of humility involves:

One should never have a base or inferior opinion of oneself. One should have a healthy self-respect.
One should respect all creation as the manifestation of God. The Indian custom of greeting others with 'Namaste' i.e., 'salutation to the Lord within you, is a great custom.
One should never criticise or find fault with anyone. One should never try to exalt oneself above others or try to deprive others of their due. Humility means putting God and others ahead of our own interests. Humility comes with the knowledge that God's creation transcends all our narrow interests.
One should never feel jealous of others. However humble may be our outward behaviour, entertaining jealousy indicates we are inwardly conceited.
One should be open-minded to receive truth from whatever source or from whomsoever it comes.
One should strive to unfold one's latent talents and use them in the service of the Lord. Not to do so is unspiritual.
Finally, one should never forget that humility means seeing God in everything.

Humility has great power; a humble man can never be destroyed. Before the power of humility, all people - kings, scholars, wealthy people - all bow down their heads in reverence; because humility is Godliness.

30 December 2018

Jai Ramakrishna

From M. The Apostle and the Evangelist

M: (to the bhaktas): When God comes as an Avatara the attraction for religion particularly increases. However, with time it gets diluted. Then He comes again. Even when there is a decline some flow is still there. The flow of the religions of the Buddha, the Christ and Mohammed are still going on.

Now it is Thakur who has come. It is so very recent. This flow will remain for a long time even after him. Yearning for God is the very soul of religion. With the passing of time it becomes weak but flow is still there. It is God who sports as a deity, who sports in the world, and who sports as a human being. The sport of God as an Avatara is the same as His sport as a human being.

The two streams of good and evil have been flowing since eternity. The Avatara comes and fortifies the good. The evil is then subdued. Then it again develops a form and is again followed by the stream of good. Thus the world goes on.

Thakur said, 'Hold on to me.' On doing so the evil will then have no effect. It is his (Thakur's) age now.

M: Thakur used to say, 'The rishis were fearful but not Narada and others. It means that one should finish one's work at the earliest. He said, 'It is like wiping one's mouth after eating a mango.' The main thing is to finish one's work.

The Vijnani is fearless - he dances raising both of his arms. It means that he accepts God both with form and without form. When he is immersed in Brahman-jnana, he is joyous and when he is out of it he is still joyous. Reason? He sees that the God who is without form is also with form - that He is living among the world and the twenty-four elements.

A devotee: Did Thakur dissuade Pundit Shashadar from reading too much of scriptures?

M: He said that it results in dry discussions. Is there no difference between sucking the pressed sugar cane and sucking a fresh one? Read a little and then take to sadhana. It is no use reading the scriptures without inculcating discrimination, dispassion and love for God. It only causes confusion.

Mohan: It is said that the jnani's disposition is that of a frightened person. Here has the Jnani been discouraged or is the devotee being praised?

M: No, here the Jnani and the Vijnani have been compared and not the Jnani and the Bhakta. It is the state of both of them after God-realization. The one who gets merged in Brahman, he becomes one with Him. The other comes back bringing with him the 'I' of Vidya (knowledge) and that of the Bhakta. And on coming back, he sees that it is Brahman who is appearing as name and form, and the world - that everything is permeated with Brahman. Whom can he fear? He himself is Brahman. All creatures and the whole work are Brahman. Overwhelmed with jnana, Durvasa saw everything filled with Brahman.

31 December 2018

Jai Ramakrishna

From M. The Apostle and the Evangelist

Thakur said the same to the Pundit, 'First establish God-with-form in your mind. Later proceed to God-without-form.' When one has practised Bhava-shakti (the power that It exists), it becomes easier to practise later the a-bhava (without form). It is a travel from bhava to a-bhava and then from a-bhava to bhava - that is the entire circle. By Thakur's grace his intimate disciples have progressed in this way. He brought Narendra from a-bhava to bhava and took Rakhal from bhava to a-bhava.

He took Another devotee (M.) also from bhava to a-bhava and then from a-bhava to bhava. The devotee has asked for both jnana and bhakti together.

Thakur used to say, 'The essence is love for Satchidananda, whether it be by the path of jnana or by the path of devotion.' First of all, one has to practise the sadhana according is one's bhava with all one's effort. When it becomes established in the heart He reveals Himself in that very bhava. If He feels the need, He also shows himself in other bhavas.

He used to say, 'First go and see Jadu Mullick by any means possible. Then he will himself show, and tell, how much wealth, how much riches he has'.

Antevasi — He said to a Pundit, 'You have become a 'chhanabara.' What does it mean?

M: It means that the Pundit was quite ready. He had been carrying on with puja, path (reading of the holy books), japa, dhyana and right conduct. So Thakur asked him now to remain immersed in the nectar for some days. In other words, he asked him to carry out tapasya for some days - to bring the notation to the fingers.

To be a 'chhanabara' is to remain immersed in the nectar of bhava and bhakti through tapasya after one has gained the knowledge of the shastras. He knew that the Pundit did not have that inclination. That is why he asked him it to do a little.

Mohan — Let us dance raising both the arms - what does it mean?

M: Nitya and lila both are equally true. The jnanis accept only Brahman and deny the world; Brahman accepted, the world denied. But, the nitya and leela belong to the same One. Those who are only jnanis, to them he says they are frightened persons. But the vijnani sees that the same Brahman has become the world, taking up all names and forms. So, Thakur said, 'There is joy in merging the mind in the Indivisible One by meditating on Him. And there is also joy in keeping the mind in His lila.' His was not a single-track mind. He believed in the nitya and the lila, both. Said he, 'Both lila and nitya belong to Him.'

All this is a description of Thakur's own state. His life constitutes a scripture.

Daily Messages - 2018: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 16:55, 25 January 2026

Messages from Swami Dayatmananda

26 October 2018

Truthfulness

27 October 2018

Musings of M. (From M. the Apostle and the Evangelist)

29 October 2018

The Holy Mother

30 October 2018

The True Gentleman by John Walter Wayland

31 October 2018

Holy Mother

1 November 2018

Teachings of Swami Shivananda (Peace Hard To Attain)

2 November 2018

From Memoirs of Swami Adbhutananda

3 November 2018

From Memoirs of Swami Adbhutananda

4 November 2018

Teachings of Swami Premananda

5 November 2018

Teachings of Swami Vijnananandaji

6 November 2018

Revelation of Sri Ramakrishna as Kali (From Sri Ramakrishna the Great Master)

7 November 2018

Teachings of Swami Vijnanananda

8 November 2018

Reminiscences of Sri Ramakrishna's God-intoxicated state

9 November 2018

From M. The Apostle and the Evangelist

10 November 2018

From M. The Apostle and the Evangelist

11 November 2018

From M. The Apostle and the Evangelist

12 November 2018

Swami Turiyananda

13 November

Devoton or Bhakthi

15 November 2018

Dispassion or Vairagya

16 November 2018

Queen Madalasa

17 November 2018

Passion Transformed Life of Tulasidas by C.K. Handoo

18 November 2018

Abhayam or Fearlessness

19 November 2018

Jnana Yoga Vyavasthitih (Steadfastness)

20 November 2018

Dana or Charity

Swami Subodhanandaji Maharaj Today is his birthday

21 November 2018

From M. The Apostle and the Evangelist

22 November 2018

Swami Vijnananandaji

23 November 2018

Guru Nanak

24 November 2018

Swami Vijnanananda

25 November 2018

From M. The Apostle and The Evangelist

26 November 2018

Renunciation of Kama-Kanchana

27 November 2018

Yajna or Sacrifice

28 November 2018

Swadhyaya or Scriptural Study

Spiritual functions of Scriptures:

29 November 2018

Tapas or Austerity

30 November 2018

Arjavam or Straightforwardness

1 December 2018

Ahimsa or Non-injury

2 December 2018

Satyam or Truthfulness

3 December 2018

Akrodhah or Controlling Anger

4 December 2018