Daily Messages - 2019

Messages from Swami Dayatmananda

01/01/2019

Jai Ramakrishna

Musings on the Kalpataru Day Swami Budhananda

(Swami Budhanandaji has written a beautiful article on Kalpataru event. Dear Readers, Please note—in this article he especially highlights the experiences of Sri Ramachandra Dutta, an intimate devotee of Sri Ramakrishna.)

January 1st is a red letter day in the calendar of the devotees of Sri Ramakrishna everywhere in the world. This day is so important not because it happens to be the first day of the New Year, but because symbolically it came to be the first day of the new life.

On this day in 1886 Sri Ramakrishna showered his unbounded grace on lay devotees who had assembled at the Cossipore garden house, where the Master had been lying seriously ill with cancer in his throat. In the afternoon the Master came downstairs unexpectedly. And within a few minutes he touched each one of them with the flame of his transmuting power. Stopping near him in the garden Sri Ramakrishna had asked, "Well, Girish, what have you found in me that you proclaim me before all as an incarnation?"

At once on his knees, with folded palms raised in adoration, and his voice charged with emotion, Girish replied, "What can an insignificant creature like me say about one whose glory even sages like Vyasa and Valmiki could not measure?"

The intensity of faith with which Girish had uttered these words brought about a volcanic explosion from within the ocean of grace that was Sri Ramakrishna. And he went all out in divine abandon to confer on the devotees greatest blessings of life spiritual irrespective of the consideration of competency.

He spoke in these three simple sentences the greatest blessings of the most high: "what more shall I say! I bless you all. Be illumined!"

These simple words of power set afire the souls of devotees. Forgetting their self-taken promise not to touch his feet while he was ill, they all touched his (saviour) feet in salutation. Deeply moved at this manifestation of their devotion Sri Ramakrishna touched every one of them, as a result of which all of them had some instantaneous spiritual experiences.

Sri Ramakrishna himself had said that the wind of God's grace was always blowing. One had only to unfurl the sail. Here there was no need of even unfurling the sail. The wind itself became the unfurled sail too and lapped up the soul in the empyrean heights of spiritual experiences. This was a violation of spiritual law, which God incarnate alone could indulge in!

Sri Ramakrishna himself had also said that the mother bird does not break the shell of the egg before the chick was mature enough to be born in the inclemency of the world-weather. But here we find the mother bird becoming aggressive with her compassion and breaking eggs before chicks were ready. If this is not God's soul hunger, what is this?

Now, this violation of law, this aggression of compassion, if it happened only for a day, it would be a dead day of bygone history. But the actions of God incarnate on earth, though they may be actions in history, are indeed accents of the Timeless in the heart of time. Even as actions temporal, they are but the manners of the Eternal.

In the "Acts of the Apostles" in the New Testament there is a significant passage which says: "To whom also he showed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs..." (Acts, I. 3.)

The God incarnate on earth even after casting off his corporeal body, stays alive in the "next room" "after his passion," i.e. to say in the singular acts which he had performed while alive on earth. If the wound of Christ's body was not even today bleeding in the mystic world-process, how could the mystics receive stigmata even to this day?

Sri Krishna says in the Gita (IV. 9): Whosoever knows in true light My Divine birth and action will not be born again when he leaves his body; he will attain Me, O Arjuna.

To know the Lord's divine birth and actions in true light would mean understanding the Lord's real nature as absolute spirit and also his embodiment in Maya. Here Sri Krishna gave away a great secret of self-apprehension, which the theistic religions were quick to grasp and profit by. In such religions, therefore, "leela-smarana" or remembrance of divine acts of God incarnate on earth is considered to be one of the most potent spiritual practices.

Srimad Bhagavatam (XII. 4. 40) puts it categorically: The Jiva or the embodied soul, who is scared by the miseries of the world, if he wants to get across the terrific ocean of transmigratory existence, then the only way open to him is to take recourse to the remembrance of the Lord's divine actions; there is no other raft for crossing this ocean.

The embodied soul can apprehend the Nitya or the Eternal, only in his Leela or divine sports as an incarnation. Hence Bhagavatam's emphasis on "leela-smarana" or remembrance of the divine deeds. The Song Celestial of the Timeless has been recorded in the disc of time during the avatarana or descent of the Lord on earth. If the aspirant can bring his power of concentration to the pointedness of a gramophone pin, and set it on the disc of "leela" the eternal music can be heard again. If one can have the Gopi-heart Krishna-flute can be heard on the banks of Yamuna even today. On the banks of Kala-kalindi, or time that flows as Yamuna, the eternal one roams about flute in hand.

The only way of apprehending him is the devout observance of the religious calendar for "leela-smarana," remembrance of divine deeds. Even a religion like Buddhism which leans on atheism finds it necessary to observe a thrice-blessed day.

In the calendar of the Ramakrishna tradition January 1 is one of the most significant days, being the day of the law-breaking aggressive compassion of the Lord. If the devotees of the Lord want this aggression to continue, they must rouse in his heart on this day, the divine "passion" which devotees did on January 1, 1886. If the calf strikes the udder of the mother-cow with its tender lips, how can milk help flowing again?

For the remembrance of the divine deeds of the Lord we must know as many details of those deeds as possible from all available sources.

Our greatest authority in regard to the life of Sri Ramakrishna is Swami Saradananda. His magnum opus Sri Sri Ramakrishna-leelaprasanga (translated as Sri Ramakrishna, the Great Master), is a work unexcelled in hagiography in its details, authenticity, rational expositions, interpretative deliberations and illuminating insights.

Such an authority on Sri Ramakrishna's life, Swami Saradananda, did not actually approve of the saying that Sri Ramakrishna had become "Kalpataru" on January 1, 1886. He convincingly argued: "Some devotees like Ramachandra have described the happening of that day as the Master's turning into wish-fulfilling tree (Kalpataru). But, it is more reasonable, it seems to us, to call it 'the self-revelation of the Master,' or the 'bestowal of freedom from fear on all devotees by revealing himself'. The Kalpataru, it is said, gives to all whatever good or bad they ask for. But the Master did not do so; he made clear through that event the fact of his being a God-man and his bestowal of protection against and freedom from fear on all without the slightest discrimination."

Notwithstanding Swami Saradananda's disapproval, this great day has quietly come to prevail in the Ramakrishna world with the word "Kalpataru" indelibly inscribed on its forehead—and this has happened without any theological fight—and neither the sannyasins nor the lay devotees appear to be sorry for that. In all humility we can only take this fact, as the will of the Lord. And this will of the Lord may perhaps be understood this way: as it happened, this day was marked out specially for showering grace only on the lay devotees—as Swami Saradananda has written, "....it is a matter of wonder that none of the Sannyasin disciples of the Master was present there that day—as distinguished from those who were going to become monks." And therefore it would appear that the lay disciple's nomenclature of the great deed has been providentially accepted in preference to the monastic disciple's nomenclature.

"M" the writer of the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna has not written any account of the day, proving perhaps the fact that he was absent from the scene.

Swami Saradananda has quoted in Sri Ramakrishna the Great Master the fragmentary personal accounts or personal reactions of the day as given by such eye witnesses as Ramlal Chattopadhyaya and Vaikunthanath Sannyal. There is also the description of the occasion as given by another eye witness, Akshaykumar Sen, in his famous work Ramakrishna Punthi. Akshaykumar also used the word "Kalpataru." These narrations of the day are more or less familiar to the readers of the Ramakrishna literature.

"Kalpataru"— as Rama Chandra Dutta saw and understood it

What have become obscure and not so easily available is the narration of the day as Rama Chandra Dutta saw and understood it. As he was largely responsible in introducing the word "Kalpataru" his following narration of this day will be found interesting:

"Sri Ramakrishna was brought to the Kasipur garden house for treatment. Here he stayed for eight months. It will take one an aeon to narrate all the sports he performed in Kasipur..."

"When his ailments showed no signs of abatement, some devotees would observe fasts in the name of Taraknath while others supplicated to the Master himself for his own recovery. When nothing proved to be of any avail, one day a few devotees submitted with folded hands, 'Lord, why are you feigning this illness? We have tried our very best but with no effect on the illness. We have now realized that unless you yourself deign to find the remedy, there is no other way.'

"In reply he made various funs. But when the devotees persisted in their request he said, 'You have not yet been able to understand the cause of the disease. Every action bears its fruit. Good act bears good fruit and bad, bad; one has to reap the fruit according to the act. If you have had to reap the fruits of all your evil deeds and sins, your future will be terrible. But it is God's way to suffer the fruits of action; therefore all the multitude of your sins I have accepted in my hand.

"'On the day you have given me your power of attorney, on that very day you have been freed from your accumulated sins. Unless sins are eradicated and the body is made pure, relationship with God cannot be established. In human body one has to suffer the consequences of sin. And so the disease, in my body. Through this disease in my body you have become freed of sins and whosoever will self-surrender unto me they too will be released. So it is that I am getting through the suffering for their sins too.'

"Though we all heard these words, we did not quite realise their significance. It was his another fun, we thought. This wise Ramakrishnadeva passed his days feigning illness. Physicians of various sorts, sadhus of different types and a multifarious assortment of common people used to visit him.

"On some days he would saunter about in the garden like one who had no disease at all. On other days from his sore in the throat blood would come out. And the intriguing part of all this was that when the physician gave a medicine for counteracting a certain symptom, on that day that very symptom would get aggravated.

"His body could not stand even the Homeopathy medicine, the taking of one grain of which would throw his entire body into convulsion. Hence the physicians would not easily venture to give him medicine."

"As mentioned above, various sorts of people used to come to him and almost everyone would return satisfied with a feeling of blessedness. And it so came about on January 1, 1886 that he became the Kalpataru. On that day at five in the afternoon when seated on one end of the garden we were all engaged in discussing various topics we found him coming towards us. With transfixed gaze we all kept looking at his face. His entire body being covered with cloth no other part of the body was visible but his face. That lustre and unprecedented beauty of his that we witnessed on that day are just beyond delineation. Gradually he drew near us and raising his right hand said, 'What more shall I tell you. May spiritual consciousness be awakened in all of you.'

"So saying he began to place his palm one by one on the chests of devotees, as a result of which everyone became mad as it were. Whomsoever we saw before us that day we caught him and brought before the Lord and he showered his grace on all. We were all stirred to our depths with joy finding that the Lord had become the Kalpataru.

"Knowing fully well that such a day, so rare to the jivas, will not come again, we began to run hither and thither to seek out persons until none was left. Shouts of victory to Sri Ramakrishna continued to resound in the firmament. Incessant raining of flowers by devotees on the Lord went on and the ocean of Ananda was in deluge.

"All this time he was standing in ecstasy. Then coming back to the normal consciousness he returned to his room.

"Afterwards one day he quietly called this servant and asked, 'Look here, you all say so many things about me. If all that should be true, why then is this miserable state of mine. This sore in the throat, this diseased body—what all these are due to? Gauranga had such beauty, learning, miraculous powers—why do I not have all those powers? Why do I not have such beauty as his and such learning? And can you tell me what the reason is for my leaving Dakshineswar?'

"Hearing such questions of the Master I held his feet and said with folded palms: 'Lord, you are here again with your waggery! Can this ever be within the capacity of the meanest of your servants to discern the cause of your actions? But if such is your behest, then remembering your feet I say, if you give me strength I must be able to tell the reason. You have made me understand that in gross body the manifestation of leela can never be of the same type. Things happen according to the necessity of times.

"'Gaurangadeva acted in the past according to the felt necessities of his times. In this incarnation things cannot proceed in that fashion. Lord, truth to be told, if beauty and miraculous powers were the only means for the salvation of the jivas, we would have long before turned into saints. Rama, Krishna, Buddha, Gauranga, Christ—their unlimited powers, beauty and splendour have all been extolled in the scriptures.

"'And we have been hearing all those tales since our childhood. But why has not that borne any fruit? We came to you hearing that you were a sadhu. But you alone can say how you have entered within our hearts. The place where we would fain have seated God, you have come and occupied that place. How hard we have striven to drive you out from that place so that Parameshwara might be seated there—we have discussed ever so much, presented your case to the pundits saying that you were God incarnate and argued with them with the intention of having our weakness destroyed by them but uphill now nobody has been able to displace you. No body's learning, intelligence and dialectics have been able to disprove that. Helplessly, therefore, we have been forced to call you God.'

"'You have said that like the wealthy ladies who conduct their affairs from behind the screen, you too have been performing your leelas. Seeing your disease, your outer covering, outsiders will fly away. But the fortunate one who will receive a grain of your grace shall understand the mystery of your leela. Lord, you alone know whether by speaking about these few outer things you are wheedling us or settling the issue.

"'But the question arises in my mind: is it possible for one to discern the beingness (or Bhava) of God through such tales of separation-pangs told in regard to the leelas of Radha-krishna, Rama-Sita or Gauranga? Laughing and weeping is the leela of man. When through such leelas they could be considered as God, then is not this disease of yours also the measure of your Leelas, especially when you yourself have divulged the reason for this?'

"'And, Lord, as to the other question; from the day you came out of Dakshineswar the fate of ordinary people has brightened up. Because of this pretext of disease thousands of men and women have had the darshan of your feet.'

"Ramakrishnadeva then said, 'You are telling all these because of your faith.'

"On hearing this from his lips I said, 'Thakur, enough of lengthening the talk! You are acknowledging my faith, for this I am compelled to call you God. I was a heretic, a barbarian and an arch atheist—I to call a man God! God Himself was seeking out a little place in my heart, and forsooth now it appears that by having faith today I have installed you in the position of God! Lord, be that so, give me that strength, that power so that I can really do so. If through my faith being a man you become God, that is not your ordinary leela, again. O, Thakur, God Himself has to stand before man by furnishing so many introductions and testimonials, and do you mean to say that if a man declares another man as God people will just accept that? You may say whatever you are pleased to say and everything behoves you.'

"Even then Ramakrishnadeva continued to say, 'Do I not so much wish to stay at ease?'

"I replied, 'It is all a disappointment for us to try to answer your points. Yet I shall remind you of only one thing and then close my lips. Thakur, one day in the evening standing on the western veranda of your room you said, "Whoever will come with the hankering for realization of God, for attainment of knowledge and seeking to know how he could see Him, his aspirations will be fulfilled."

"'Then laying stress on your words you again said, "O my men, verily his longings will be fulfilled."

"'Thakur, will you tell me who is the man who can tell this? Who is that siddha-Purusha who has the boldness to say so? With our ocular perception we are noticing how heretics without any spiritual practices are getting miraculously transformed. Even after seeing all these are we to have a mistaken opinion about you? If you say so, we are helpless.

"'And when you refer again and again to your disease, may I ask you, one thing: Sri Radha in Brindavan, what was her terrific suffering in the tenth state of viraha caused by separation from Krishna. Can a single day's suffering of Radha be borne by any jiva? Because Radha performed this nara-leela was she ever without Krishna? You yourself have said, "Brahma and shakti are identical."'

"As I said this his face flushed. As soon as the symptoms of ecstasy were discernible I ended the talk."

(May Sri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother and Swami Vivekananda shower their Divine Blessings on all of us on this Auspicious Kalpataru Day.)

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05/01/2019

Jai Ramakrishna

5 January 2019

(From M. the Apostle and The Evangelist)

It is 8.30 p.m. now.

M. is seated on a mat in the assembly room along with the bhaktas on the second level of the Morton School. They have just returned from the Navavidhan Brahmo Samaj. The devotees comment on what they have heard there.

M. (to the bhaktas)—So many people praise him now. But how great they must be who loved him in his lifetime! When the divinity gets established, everybody begins to adore one.

He was living in Dakshineswar on seven rupees a month. Besides, he was often as if mad. Who are those, brother, who were able to recognize him then? They are not ordinary men.

Sri Krishna said, "Uddhava, go and bring me quickly the news of the gopis. When I was unknown, I was just a village cowherd boy, the gopis gave me their love with their heart and soul. Please go and bring me the news of these very gopis. For so long I have remained absorbed in my state duties. I shall never be able to repay their debt. Only if they kindly release me themselves from it, will it be possible. Otherwise it can never be paid back."

Can an Avatara be recognized? No, not by man. It was by his will that a few were able to recognize him (Sri Ramakrishna). The Avatara comes exactly like any other man, bringing with him all of man's appendages—grief, pain, good and evil—all. And he hides himself with this veil. But within this he dazzles a very few by revealing his real identity. Seeing the splendour of the sattva behind the veil the devotees are speechless with wonder. They begin to wonder whether he is a man or God. That's why Thakur would sometimes enjoy himself with his devotees by referring to his real self.

He would say, "Why, what have you to say about what Girish says (that Thakur was Avatara)?"

Sometimes he would say, achina gach (an unknown tree). Well, it's there though it can't be recognized. And at he would sing a particular song. None of you has recognized him, who in the garb of a lowly mendicant roams about from home to home.

He who recognizes an Avatara has nothing more to do—that's all he had to. He will achieve everything just by it. But how to recognize him? On one hand you have a man, educated in the western way, so learned, on the other hand there is an illiterate priest, poor to the extreme. But it is the latter who wins at the end—all education, learning, pride of family and character lie at the feet of the indigent Brahmin. By a fraction of the Brahmin-priest's grace, Narendra is today a world-conqueror; and that poor priest is the adored of the world. The rajasic westerners bow their heads at his feet. Is it given to anybody to go to the bottom of the divine sport of the Avatara? It is amazing indeed!

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06/01/2019

6 January 6, 2019

(From M. The Apostle and the Evangelist)

It is Tuesday tomorrow. M. had gone to Panchanan Ghosh Lane to listen to the kathakata (narration of ancient stories accompanied with music etc.).

M. (to the devotees)—They was talk of the Vrindaban Lila (of Lord Krishna), about the conversation with Uddhava. Uddhava had gone to Mathura to find all about the gopis—he had been sent there by Sri Krishna. Uddhava saw a gopi milking a cow and singing a song of pangs of separation from Sri Krishna. She was not singing a song composed by any other. Whatever emotions gushed out of her heart, lost as she was in them, came out of her throat in a song. Her mind was not in milking. Her child was crying for milk but she was deaf to it. The husband was shouting at her again and again saying, "The child is crying. Come back quickly with milk," but she would not hear him. At last he came and gave her a push. Then she woke as if from sleep. In a choked voice she asked, "Yes, what's the matter?"

Uddhava saw that the milkmaid had almost lost her external consciousness, her mind having completely merged in Krishna's thought, and losing its identity got absorbed in Him and became one with Krishna. Her hands were working mechanically, milking the cow. After a time even this stopped—"O my mind! plunge into the sea of Krishna's beauty,"—bhava samadhi.

The jnana of the jnani-bhakta Uddhava received a big blow. Uddhava, as soon as he came, said to the gopis: "Your beloved Krishna is an Avatara. He is enacting his Lila as a human being. He is the controller of every mind; it's he who presides as the creator, the preserver and the destroyer of the world." Seeing how the Gopis loved Sri Krishna, Uddhava felt ashamed. Said he to himself, "In vain are my jnana and reason. Blessed indeed is the gopi." This is one scene.

Here is another: A gopi is at the spinning wheel spinning yarn, and singing. Her baby boy is calling out, "Mum, give me something to eat. give me to eat." But she is not aware of it. He gives a push; still no external consciousness. She drops the cotton from her hand—her hand lies in her lap. She does not wink, her eyes are like those of the bird hatching its eggs—merged in the Self. One does not know if she is breathing or not. The baby begins to cry lying on the breast of the mother, thinking perhaps that she is dead. Somebody else, hearing the child cry, comes and tugs firmly at her arm. She regains her senses then.

Uddhava, seeing this sight, is speechless. This is a second blow to his jnana and reason. The gopi is almost dead with the pangs of separation from Sri Krishna—"The mind of the gopi has sunk into the sea of Krishna's love." Another scene on the bank of Yamuna. The gopi is carrying three brass-pots of water on her head, and singing as she moves along. She is late today for her bath and storing water. Her companions have left much earlier—she is alone. She places the water-pot at the edge of the water, sits down and rubs both arms with water. She has the song of Krishna's love on her lips. The woods, the land, the bank of the river—the whole world—are drenched in the rays of the full-moon of (the month of) Kartik. The song she sings is the song of Krishna's love, of the joy of love of Rasa (dance of Krishna with gopis).

Uddhava stands on the bank of the Yamuna and sees this Lila. As she sings, the gopi is oblivious of her surroundings as on the night of the Rasa-leela—her soul having sunk in the sea of Krishna's joy. Uddhava notes that the strains of the song have ceased. He comes nearer and lo! The gopi's face is sweetly aglow; her vital-breath, as if, has ceased in her body. The cloth she is wearing has slipped as it is no longer in her grip—she is insensible to her modesty. After a long time, the members of her family reach there searching for her. Because there is no water they are thirsty, so are the cows and the calves. They pull her out of her swoon. Even then she is inebriated with bhava, and she shouts: "O my life-breath, Krishna, my very life!"

This third blow, as with a heavy mace crushes Uddhava's pride of his love to Krishna. He realizes that the gopis' love for Krishna gushing forth from the depth of their hearts and soul, and making them oblivious of their bodies, has the same relation with his own love of Krishna just as a chunk of butter bears to a piece of stone.

Oh, what a force these reciters have! They narrate the Lila as if it is being enacted before their eyes. The audience sat motionless spell bound—having sublimated the emotions, as it were.

This was followed by a song. I remember a couple of lines and present them to you. Please sing these as you go home. The song is by Uddhava:

Blessed the gopis, blessed you are, blessed Vrindaban! Where the love of Krishna has embodied itself!

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07/01/2019

7 December 2019

(From the Imitation of Christ)

Have a Humble Opinion of yourself

It is natural for all of us to desire knowledge, but what is the value of knowledge without respect for God? The most ordinary person who serves God is better than a proud philosopher who neglects himself while studying the stars. If you really know yourself, you will see that nothing about yourself is worthy of praise. "I may have all knowledge and understand all secrets... but if I have no love, I am nothing" (1 Cor. 13:2). When I stand in God's presence, I am judged by the things I do.

Great learning can be a distraction; it can make you try to appear wise in order to win praise. There are many things you can know which will be of little value to your soul, and it is not wise to waste your time on them. Words do not nourish the soul, but a life well-lived brings comfort to the mind. A clear conscience will give you confidence before God.

If you think you know a lot about something, remind yourself that there are many more things you do not know. "Do not be proud, but accept humble duties. Do not think of yourselves as wise" (Rom. 12:16). If you want to learn something worthwhile, learn how to be a nobody.

The most profound and valuable lesson of all is to truly know yourself and to have a humble opinion of yourself.

Think well of others. If you see someone else engaging in a sinful act or a crime, do not let that make you think more highly of yourself. "You do not know how long it may be before you also stumble. All of us are frail; consider yourself no stronger than anybody else!

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08/01/2019

8 December 2019

(From For Seekers of God)

Place: Belur Monastery. Time: Friday, August 2, 1929.

A brahmacharin saluted Mahapurushji, whereupon he remarked:

"Early in the morning, at dusk and at night you should meditate intensively. This place has a tangible spiritual atmosphere. Swamiji brought the relics of the Master on his head and installed him, here. Here there is a special manifestation of Sri Ramakrishna.

"Besides, Swamiji, Maharaj (Swami Brahmananda), Baburam Maharaj (Swami Premananda) and others performed so much spiritual practice here. Swamiji even laid down his body right here. How holy this place is! Nowhere will you find another place more favourable for spiritual practice. This place is steeped in spirituality. How much meditation, study and singing of the names of the Lord has been done here and is still being done! How many devotees visit this place! How many times homa (fire ritual) has been performed here, and what other ceremonials have also been performed!

"The few days you live here be sure to enjoy the bliss of meditation and japa. The more you meditate, the more you will appreciate the holiness of this place. You are devotees of the Master. Call upon him; you will certainly get a response and your heart will be filled with joy."

Brahmacharin: "Often questions arise in my mind which I intend to refer to you."

Mahapurushji (affectionately): "Why don't you tell me the doubts that arise in your mind? But you know all your doubts will be solved from within. The Lord is within us. He is the inner Self of us all. He solves all doubts from within. Of course, you will have to let Him know your problems."

Saying this, he began singing this song:

Stay by yourself, O mind! Why wander here and there? Look within in the inner chamber of your heart, And you will find, right there, whatever you desire... You have everything within you, only you have to seek, my child.

"You are devotees of the Mother. She is protecting you under all conditions and will always do so. If one takes the name of the Lord and starts on a journey, one will not come to grief. By the strength of His name even distress is transformed into a blessing."

Saying this he sang:

Whoever starts upon a journey taking the name of Mother Durga, Shiva, with His almighty trident, surely will protect him.

"In a couplet composed by Tulasidas there is the same idea:

Every phase of the moon is auspicious; Every day an auspicious day. An inauspicious day affects him only who has forgotten the Lord. The day one takes the name of the Lord whole-heartedly is a good day!"

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09/01/2019

9 January 2019

Absorption Swami Brahmananda

The subtle mind leads the aspirant nearer to God, but it cannot reach God, the supreme Atman. Having reached this stage, the world no longer holds any charm for the aspirant; he becomes absorbed in the consciousness of God. This absorption leads to Samadhi, an experience which cannot be described. It is beyond is and is not. There, there is neither happiness nor misery, neither light nor darkness. All is infinite Being—inexpressible.

Higher still is meditation. When a man practices this form of worship, he keeps up a constant flow of thought toward God and becomes absorbed in the living presence of his Chosen Ideal. He goes beyond prayer and japam, but the sense of duality remains.

Practice japam, whether you like it or not. As you persist, the mind is certain to become absorbed in contemplation.

Hold fast to the truth. Be pure-hearted. The purer you become the more will your mind be absorbed in God: You will be able to see the subtle deceptions of the mind, and you will be able to root them out.

When your mind becomes absorbed in meditation, a fountain of joy will spring up within you. Learn to be absorbed in him. Activity is not the goal. Work without attachment is only a means to absorption in God.

At dead of night the mind becomes absorbed in God with very little effort. The moment you become absorbed in the contemplation of God, you will experience unbounded joy. Days and nights will pass away in the blissful consciousness of God.

By steadfastness alone the mind becomes absorbed in God. Unless absorption is achieved, freedom from the temptations of the world is not possible. Lust, anger, delusion—these are strong foes. Be strong in the strength of God and escape from this net of Maya.

The mind is like a spoiled child always restless. Try repeatedly to steady it by fixing it on the Chosen Ideal, and at last you will become absorbed in him. Meditation means a continuous flow of thought toward God. when meditation ripens, there comes absorption, and Samadhi is experienced.

[To the question, "How can one get the mind absorbed in God?"] Practice meditation regularly.

Can anyone in the primary stage live absorbed day and night in meditation? Therefore you must work, but work without attachment for the good of mankind.

When the mind becomes absorbed, a shining light is first experienced in the mystic vision. With this vision, there comes a kind of higher and nobler joy, and the mind is reluctant to give up this joy and move onward. But if the aspirant goes further, the vision of the light will be concentrated into the form of tile Chosen Ideal and the mind becomes merged in his consciousness.

The more the mind is absorbed within, the greater will be the joy of meditation; and when once you taste joy in your spiritual practices, the desire to continue in them will grow. Then you will no longer have to ask how long you should meditate. Your own mind will tell you.

When you are able to free yourself from these deep-seated subtle desires, when the mind becomes tranquil, then only can you become deeply absorbed in real meditation. The practice of japam and meditation brings the aspirant to this stage.

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10/01/2019

10 January 2019

Place: Belur Monastery Sunday, August 18, 1929

(Swami Shivananda)

The conversation was about pilgrimages. A monk had just returned from Badrinarayan and such other holy places and some of the monks of the monastery were talking about this pilgrimage.

Mahapurushji: "Visiting holy places is an easy thing. It requires just a little hardship. But to have devotion and faith in God is a rare achievement. You will come across many sadhus who have made pilgrimage on foot to the four dhamas (holy places located at the four corners of India) or have done similar things, but how many of them are genuine sadhus with devotion and discrimination? Of course, it is not that there are no such sadhus, but their number is very limited.

"It is very difficult to make progress in the realm of the Spirit. In the first place, it is practically an impossibility with those who do not have any living ideal. Fortunately, if they come in touch with an ideal personality it becomes somewhat easy to make progress; otherwise they can hardly make any progress. Once the ideal of life is determined one can advance slowly towards that ideal through the grace of God. Of course, everything depends upon God's grace.

"We were very fortunate that we came in touch with such a great personality. We have seen in our life what one should do in order to realize God and what happens to a man after God-realization. He was born as a divine Incarnation (Sri Ramakrishna) and he graciously brought us with him. Is this a small matter? We came in direct touch with God Himself. We saw him and shaped our lives in accordance with his ideal. The path to realize God was made very easy for us. Blessed are we!

"On the other hand, those who have not seen Sri Ramakrishna and have not had the blessed privilege of his holy association are seeing us and are trying to reach the Master and understand him through us. They are more fortunate than thousands of men and women in this world.

"What would you say to this? God Himself came down as man: it happened only the other day. The whole drama was enacted right in front of our eyes! What a fire of intense spiritual discipline did he ignite! Even now people can feel the warmth of that fire. Is this age to be slighted? It is indeed a holy age! In this age, whoever will take the name of Sri Ramakrishna and try to advance spiritually, modelling his life after that of the Master, will find it easier to make progress. If one patterns one's life after the Master's life, casting his life in the mould of the Master, it will be easy for him to realize God. But where are the people who can do that?"

(For Seekers of God)

11 January 2019

Jai Ramakrishna

From M. The Apostle and the Evangelist

The fifth part of the Kathamrita is under print. As M. is indisposed he is helped by Swami Raghavananda. He is with M. these days.

Swami Raghavananda wants to read out the fifth part to the sadhus.

The topic is: Shyam Bazar of Thakur's native place, followed by the description of the Hari Sabha of Jorasanko.

Thakur is telling about his state in the Hari Sabha—he was in such a state of bhava that it looked as if his body would not last.

'M.: When the account of Gaya was being read out in Thakur's presence, we saw him sobbing and weeping. You see, his past had come back to his mind. He knew who he was—svayameva atmana atmanam vetha tvam purushottama' (Gita 10:15)—Verily You alone know Yourself by Yourself, O Purushottama.

Antevasi: Is it what happened to Chaitanya Deva in Gaya?

M.: Yes. When Chaitanya Deva went to Gaya to perform the rites for his dead father, he went into a deep bhava—he had the vision of God. When Thakur heard it, he began to sob and weep.

Antevasi: Where, in Dakshineswar?

M.: Yes, in Dakshineswar.

Antevasi: The readers of the Kathamrita think that Thakur would not go to Gaya for the reason that he had been born as an avatara there. When the incident of Chaitanya born as an avatara would come to his mind, he would give up his body—this nobody remembers.

'M.: That's why he would not go to Puri also. Chaitanya Deva was there for twenty years. Towards the last twelve years, he was in the mahabhava. Remembering all those things the body would not last, that's why he wouldn't go there. Chaitanya Deva is now Sri Ramakrishna. He himself said: Christ, Chaitanya and I are one.'

'M. (to all present): Thakur said to Swami Vivekananda on the first day, Have you heard of Gaur of Nadia (Chaitanya)? I am he.'

He replied, 'Yes, I hear people saying Gaur, Gaur.' "Our house had not been partitioned till then. It was in that room in front, that Swamiji told me this.

And he also said, 'Mahashaya, has this person gone mad? He says, that he is the same as that Gaur of Nadia.'" (All laugh).

Antevasi: Well, how did Swamiji take it—in what bhava?

M.: What bhava? He was just a boy then. On the top of it he was an English-educated boy.

M. and Swami Raghavananda (in one voice): He did not believe in reincarnation.

Antevasi: I have been corrected. I thought that because Thakur claimed that he was an avatara of Chaitanya Deva that Swamiji had called him mad.

M.: Swamiji took it the same way as any young man would do. He knew English, so he had become all the more sceptical. He did not believe in reincarnation. You see, the Englishmen do not believe in it.

"That's why Thakur swore by it and said it so emphatically to all. You see, all those who had been educated in English used to visit him. Thakur would say, 'Verily I say, the Mother has come—She who stands in front and talks to me.' Only this could make the sceptics believe. Thakur made ordinary men see God as much is possible in these days of disbelief."

M. (laughing): Narendra said: How much he pulls me with great affection here, while I sleep comfortably in my Simla home!

Just see, he who called Thakur a mad man later wrote a hymn with this—'tasmat tvameva sharanam mama dinbandho'—that is to say, O friend of the lowly, You alone are my refuge.

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12 January 2019

Jai Ramakrishna

Teachings of Swami Premananda

Let the mouth be closed, and action speak.

Is a person worthy to be called a human being if he cannot give up selfishness, if he cannot give up his pleasures of the senses?

To take the name of Sri Ramakrishna, and at the same time to be selfish! Is there any progress for such a hypocrite? Think wisely and firmly; and act accordingly.

Be completely desireless, but act. Do not be swayed by words of praise or blame, or let your actions be influenced by the opinions of others.

I see no evil in you. Who knows but that you may be a saint tomorrow? God plays with us by putting on various masks. We act under the control of our samskaras [tendencies]. We are all toys in the hands of the good Lord, and he is our refuge.

Trust in the Lord and act. You will then succeed. If you depend on men, you will meet with failure.

But we have lost this truthfulness, and that is why we have come to such a pass groaning under the crushing weight of misery and degradation. Now all our efforts must be directed first to retrieve it; not by mere empty speech, but by sincere action, pledging all our heart and soul to it.

Be active also. Free yourself from all sense of ego, and work selflessly. Be very careful that no sense of leadership or any trace of selfishness enter into you. Whatever you do, do as the servant of the Lord.

"Do or die!" Make this your motto. Rome was not built in a day, neither can the ideal character be formed in one day. It is the sum-total of your every thought and action that makes up your character. Remember this and every moment guard well your thoughts and actions. This is an age when we need workers who seek no results for their actions—and are completely devoted to God. No talk, but action; show by the example of your life.

It is not a lazy man's job. Be up and doing!

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13 January 2019

Jai Ramakrishna

On Adversity

It is no easy thing to dedicate oneself heart and soul to the Lord. Many people boast: 'I have surrendered myself and my all to God. I do only what he tells me to do.' But if we observe their lives we see differently. For the good they do they claim the credit and they boast of their achievements, but when adversity or trouble overtakes them they cry out against the Lord and blame him for their misfortunes. (Swami Brahmananda)

At the time of happiness everybody can remain calm, can discriminate, but one is established in it only if one can remain so even in adversity. At that time man has to summon up great strength. If he yields to weakness then, grief will overwhelm him—will altogether ruin him. (Swami Turiyananda)

Nothing can bar the progress of what God intends to make successful. Unless one passes through the school of adversity, one cannot properly be called a man. We learn much from our troubles.

You should not lose heart in adversity. Kunti, the mother of the Pandavas, prayed to Sri Krishna to beset her with adversities, since in adversity alone is He more frequently remembered! (Swami Ramakrishnananda)

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14 January 2019

Jai Ramakrishna

Swami Ramakrishnananda

Do not sit like that [with chin resting on palm of hand], it is a pensive attitude. You should always cultivate a cheerful attitude.

If you can place yourself at the feet of a true Teacher, your egotism will gradually wear away by that very attitude of yours of a servant.

Divine Mother does not like us to call ourselves Her servants... We are her children to Her, not servants. Always think of yourself as Her child.

[Describing the true attitude of a Jnani:] The story is told that Maya, the personified creative force, came one day to a Jnani or sage and said:

'Am I not very great? See, I have created so many worlds, suns and moons and stars. I am the ruler of such a vast universe.'

'You are the Queen of Zero,' said the sage.

Angry at the lack of regard for her greatness she touched him and he became a camel. He was put in the desert, made to carry heavy burdens over the hot sands and subjected to such cruel treatment that Maya herself at last had pity upon him and released him. Then she asked him if he would not now fall down and worship her.

He only laughed saying, 'I have neither camel's body nor mind. You are not hurting me. You are only slapping your own cheek.' Maya exclaimed angrily, 'You are still incorrigible!' Again she touched him and this time made him an ass. As an ass he was beaten, forced to carry evil-smelling burdens, and to live a miserable existence.

Then once more Maya came to him and asked him to bow down to her. 'Why should I? I am not suffering. The ass's body belongs to you, not to me,' he replied.

At last Maya seeing she could not disturb the serenity of his mind fell prostrate before him saying, 'It is you who are greater.'

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15 January 2019

Jai Ramakrishna

Where Many Live Together Friction May Occur—Patience and Forgiveness Necessary

Place: Belur Monastery

Time: Friday, July 26, 1929

It was afternoon. Mahapurushji had just finished his shave. Seeing a monastic worker of the orphanage at Baranagore, he called him to his side.

In the course of conversation the Swami said:

If the mind has a natural leaning towards God, one can make time and opportunity for spiritual practice. What is essential is earnestness. If you cannot carry on your spiritual practice here, you won't be able to do so anywhere. The Master used to say, "He who has it here, has it there too."

That is a statement full of truth, my child. Call upon God and pray to Him with great sincerity. He will give you an abundance of devotion and faith. Why should you go? You are doing the Lord's work. Is it a small matter?

Monk: 'In season and out of season, K. says whatever comes to his mind.' Saying this, he started crying.

Mahapurushji: I had a feeling there was a misunderstanding between you two. Why does he use abusive language? I know very well that you do not deserve that treatment. You are a gentle, good-natured person. Why don't you ask K. to come and see me some time? I will explain matters to him.

Do not take it to heart, my child. You know, when pots that are together are moved, friction is inevitable. Do not take it seriously. Misunderstandings are bound to occur sometimes and they are straightened out eventually. It takes two hands to clap. Let him say whatever he wishes. Just endure it all quietly. You will have to be a little humble. You will have to sacrifice a little.

You have dedicated your body, mind and soul to the Master's work. You have renounced everything for his sake. You will have to do this much also for his work. You should practise forbearance, you should sacrifice for his work. The Lord will bless you abundantly.

Monk: Please bless me so that I can do it.

Mahapurushji: Certainly you will be able to. You have my hearty blessings, my child. But you must pray to the Master sincerely, too. He will give you greater strength. You have come here renouncing everything for his sake. There is nothing that he will withhold from you. How will his work go on if you all do not live at peace in one place?

Be patient for his sake, paying no attention to what people say, good or bad. You are all sadhus and have come here with the idea of improving yourselves. You do not have any other desire or wish in your life. You want Him alone. Temporary misunderstandings are inevitable when several work together. They aren't something to be blamed for; it is quite natural. Such misunderstandings come and go; they cannot touch your inner Self, because the main objective of your life is the realization of God. Such petty matters as attachment and aversion cannot deeply affect you. This is what we feel.

Whenever you can, practise japa, meditate upon God and pray to Him sincerely. The moment you have a feeling of weakness or of lacking in anything, tell the Master about it. If you pray very sincerely, you are bound to get a response. Repeat his name often. The repetition of his name will purify your body and mind, washing away all impurities. You have renounced everything in order to be sadhus. The realization of God is the aim of your life, my child.

Your ideal is "to remain unaffected by praise or blame, to be silent and contented with a little". Balance in praise or blame, silence and being satisfied with whatever comes—this is the state you should aim at. You should be absorbed in God. What does it matter to you what people say about you?

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16 January 2019

Jai Ramakrishna

Anguish / Anxiety / Anxious

Sorrow, bereavement, pain and anguish—this is what the world consists of. Real joy or peace is very rare in this world, and this round of birth and death that is ours, no one can check.

Hari Maharaj used to say: 'The body knows its pain; O my mind, be at peace!' What a beautiful statement! Pain and anguish belong to the body. He who dwells within the body is not affected by them: He is Bliss itself.

There is no need to be anxious about it. Whatever be the Lord's pleasure is definitely for the good of all. (Swami Shivananda)

Throw away all fear and anxiety. Think, 'We are the children of God', then weakness will find no loophole to creep in.

Away with all quarrels and factions. We have come here for only a very short time; why such anxiety for tidying things up? Let others do as they like.

Fear, worries, and anxieties dwell where there are hypocrisy, evil motives, and selfishness. (Swami Premananda)

Just see! Our God is only a verbal affair! A little meditation, a little Japa—this is a poor sort of spiritual life. The heart must burst hungering for Him. An intense anguish must fill it and life should seem to go out without Him—only then it will be right.

A sea is no more than a mud-puddle when you have crossed it. All anxiety and trouble are at the initial stage. (Swami Turiyananda)

Actually very few of us believe in God all the time. How do we know this? Because we allow anxieties and fears to arise in our minds.

All your anxieties and worries come from egotism and selfishness. Let go your little self and they will disappear.

When worries and perplexities rise in our mind it shows we have ceased to believe in God and in that He is caring for us. If we have real faith in God, we can never grow anxious.

Blessed is the man who has faith. He is the happiest of all men because he is free from all anxiety.

You should not be anxious of the future. Whatever takes place here, on this earth, is for our good, for all things are disposed by God. In the meantime, it should be our duty to be dutiful.

It is through sheer ignorance that we bring on ourselves all sorts of groundless anxieties. To work you have the right, but not the fruits thereof. The leader should be a man having not the least egoism. Not "I" but "Thou"—this should be his motto. Remember this and go on working and you are sure to come out victorious... Do not try to have everything done all at once.

It is the greatest relief when we get rid of egotism. It is as if a heavy burden rolled off. At once all our doubts and fears, anxieties and troubles disappear.

Whenever anxiety rises in you, you become an atheist; you do not believe in God and that He cares for you.

If you have real faith you can never grow anxious. Do your duty never grow anxious and do not think of the future. (Swami Ramakrishnananda)

(From What The Disciples Said)

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17 January 2019

Jai Ramakrishna

Argumentation

It is excellent to see only the good. From a pile of mixed sand and sugar, the ant extracts only the sugar. What do we have to do with quarrels and disputes? (Swami Premananda)

Don't argue unnecessarily just to prove your point. It ruins the spiritual atmosphere. Let people do whatever they like; you should live according to your own ideal. (Swami Adbhutananda)

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 an evil 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 these 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. (Swami Vijnanananda)

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18 January 2019

Jai Ramakrishna

Teachings of the Direct Disciples

On Astrology

(Swami Saradananda)

An enlightened soul does not use occult powers nor does he take recourse to astrology. For astrological calculations are in many cases unreliable.

A true guru has super-sensuous powers. He visualizes the inner body of the disciple and instructs him in accordance with his past and future impressions. This is what seeing the past and the future means. Telling the past and the future by divination with numbers or by the use of astrology is not infallible in most cases.

By consulting the readings of the horoscope people always lose faith in their own capacity and become weak-minded. Readings of the horoscope are made from the movements of the planets and stars, but from those movements nobody can say how far a man's capacity will be manifested. For that reason, self-effort can change the readings of the horoscope this way or that way.

Atheism

(Swami Ramakrishnananda)

The theists are in the core of their hearts true theists as they are always searching for God, though indirectly. Those whose minds are busily engaged in the search for God directly or indirectly cannot be atheists.

Attachment

(Swami Brahmananda)

Do your duties conscientiously, and without attachment. Always remember that you are an instrument in the hands of God and that God himself is the only doer.

Sri Ramakrishna used to say that a man will surely attain God if he possesses in an intense degree three kinds of love—the love a chaste wife feels toward her husband, the attraction of the worldly man for the world, and the attachment the miser feels toward his hoarded wealth. This means that the mind must be one-pointed and completely free of all desires but the desire to know God.

If you can perform every action as worship of the Lord, then only will you like to work and feel no attachment to the fruits of your actions.

Without divine attachment and divine love the mind becomes dry and restless.

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19 January 2019

Jai Ramakrishna

Teachings of the Direct Disciples

Swami Shivananda

[To the question: "Holy sir, we are worldly people. We have so many attachments and are confronted by so many obstacles. What are we to do?"]

Pray to the Lord! Talk to him!

If anyone feels the same intense longing as would result if these three attachments were united [that of a devoted wife for her husband, of a Mother for her child, and for a miser for his wealth], only then does he have God-vision.

What counts is not the mere renunciation of external attachments; inner attachments must also be given up.

Do not be attached, my child. Lust and gold destroy the manhood of man.

You have to do His work without any attachment. Know it for certain that, if one goes on performing one's duties under the sincere belief that one is doing God's work, one can never suffer spiritually. God protects such a one for ever.

As a result of association with the holy one reaches the state of being freed from all worldly attachments. All wants and desires are then destroyed root and branch, and one feels the nearness of God.

This process of evolution and involution is only another form of the twin forces of attraction or attachment and repulsion or dispassion. It is because of attraction or attachment that souls are drawn to this world, coming back and forth and playing their different embodied roles.

On account of holy association one attains the most covetable state of desirelessness. It destroys attachments at their very roots and brings one very close to God.

Look here. Nothing will accrue to you if you do not have right and proper attachment, affection and love for the Master.

Swami Premananda

To love the devotees of the Lord brings no attachment, it creates no bondage.

Attachment is bondage; yet again, attachment opens the door to liberation to one who becomes attached to God or the guru or to illumined souls.

One must have true Nishta—steadfast, whole-hearted devotion and attachment to that aspect of God which one has chosen to realize. But let that not produce repulsion for the other aspects.

Swami Turiyananda

[To the question: "How to know whether one is progressing towards Him or not?"]

One can know it oneself. Others also can know it. All his passions, lust, anger and greed will wane, his attachment for the objects of the senses will diminish, and he will have peace at heart.

If there be a hole of attachment in the mind, the result of Japa will run out through it.

Nag Mahashaya once said to me, 'Bless my father that he may have true devotion to God.'

'He has already got it,' I replied, 'He is constantly repeating the name of God. What more do you want?'

Nag Mahashaya rejoined, 'What is the use of rowing a boat which is at anchor? My father is much attached to me. What good will his Japa do?'

'If he is not to love a son like you, whom else should he love?' said I. 'Don't say so, don't say so' he cried out, 'only bless that he may lose all attachment for me.'

Death is no more terrible when there is no attachment. One must throw out all attachments. All the trouble is due to love being centred on specific objects. When you dive into the Ganges you don't feel any weight, although there are tons of water overhead. But one feels so burdened when one places a pot of water on one's head! Even the spine may give way!

Attachment to the body is the last and strongest bondage. The parental affection of monkeys is very great. The mother carries the dead body of her young one even after the flesh has dropped off and the skeleton alone is left. But even they, as all other animals, forget everything about their young ones when their own life is at stake.

Even the least attachment for anything gives the mind a loop-hole to direct you as it pleases. You become a slave to it, which is not the case if you are unattached. Lust, attachment, and the like are one and the same thing, varying only in intensity. One must turn the mind away before it gets attached to any object. Otherwise it becomes an impossible task afterwards.

Never think of transient things. That way you can escape attachment.

The common man takes to those activities which tend to perpetuate the bond of attachment. And this is true of the whole world. The only exceptions are the monks, who have found out the evanescence of the world and renounced it.

Attachment and aversion are at the root of all evil. Hence the injunction to relinquish them. For, free of them, one can do with impunity whatever one likes.

Attachment is made up of the ideas of 'me' and 'mine'.

They are fearless because they are unattached. When Mother is known, attachment goes. The world then becomes so small, so insignificant—a little mud puddle.

20 January 2019

Jai Ramakrishna

Teachings of the Direct Disciples

Attachment

Swami Trigunatitananda

That mind which is attached to more than one thing can never reach the goal. Learn to see God in everything about you. Smear God over everything, and your mind will think of Him alone.

Swami Adbhutananda

Attachments are troublemakers; they fasten the mind with a noose, as it were, and drag it in all directions.

Be attached to no one but God. Only if you hold onto God will your life be meaningful.

Swami Abhedananda

What one seeks, that one gets. You have got what you wanted. When you really hanker after God, He will raise your mind from things of the world and grant you His vision. But as long as you are attached to the world and are strongly inclined to the things of the world can you yearn for the Lord with all your heart?

Swami Ramakrishnananda

If you have the power to go inside yourself, then you have conquered the whole Universe. To go inside oneself means to go away from earthly attachments that hold you down like a captive balloon.

Swami Saradananda

If there is a strong attachment for God and a burning desire to realize Him, all other attractions will drop off.

First, you have to attain knowledge. After attaining knowledge when one returns to this world of diversity, one will see everything as before but will no longer be attached to anything in it. Before realizing the illusion one hopes for water in a mirage, but when one realizes its nature, though one may be seeing the mirage, one no longer expects any water in it. So also, though the world of diversity would still have to be experienced after knowledge, yet one no longer takes it to be real and so has no longer any attachment for it.

Swami Vijnanananda

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.

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21 January 2019

Jai Ramakrishna

Attitude

Swami Brahmananda

Know that you are worshipping the Lord through your work. If you can work with this attitude, work will not bind you; on the contrary, it will improve you in every way, physically, mentally, intellectually, morally, and spiritually.

It is a lazy attitude to think that all one need do is to associate with the holy.

Swami Shivananda

After attending to your regular work, you will have plenty of time for spiritual practice. It is simply a matter of mental attitude. If the mind has a natural leaning towards God, one can make time and opportunity for spiritual practice.

The Lord looks at your mental attitude—your heart's longing. If one has devotion for Him, nothing else is necessary.

So long as you have this idea clear in your mind that you are doing God's work, you cannot have pride or anything like that. If you have the correct attitude, you need have no fear.

One wavers and moves from one attitude to another, only when one's own conviction is not firm.

It is no good frequenting all sorts of places and mixing with all sorts of people without having become firm in one's own attitude. That shatters one's own conviction. One must get firmly established in one's own spiritual attitude, one must get that attitude fully matured.

One has to get deeply absorbed in spiritual exercises; one must strengthen one's spiritual attitude in one's own mind.

There is no such hard and fast rule that all should have some mantra for mental repetition. For all do not have the same kind of spiritual attitude, nor are all equally qualified.

Swami Premananda

'Let the world be selfish, but that should be no excuse for my becoming selfish'—that should be one's attitude.

Every aspirant must take up a definite attitude towards God and stick to it. He must maintain it under all conditions. There are many (Bhavas) attitudes possible. The Master practiced all Bhavas—as a friend, a lady-friend, and a sweetheart of the Lord, and also in the attitude of Balaram, the brother of Sri Krishna. One can also practice the Bhavas of Shiva.

Swami Turiyananda

Yes, one is bound to admit that 'when one feels oneself as body, one must consider oneself as the servant of the Lord; when one thinks of oneself as the Jiva, the individualized soul, one must consider oneself as a part of Him; and when one feels oneself as the Atman, the Self, one is the same as the Lord Himself.'

There is another attitude, according to which God keeps some in bondage and releases others. But who can assume this attitude? Only he who has realized everything as one and who feels His mercy even amidst great sorrow.

There is a third attitude: Whatever is good is His, and whatever is bad is the result of our own karma. If we continue this attitude, we eventually get rid of the ego.

The new psychology of the West has brought a reaction. Your attitude is to scorn failure, and push onward to success. That is laudable. I like your cheerful, hopeful outlook on life. You use failure as a stepping stone to success. Down today, up tomorrow.

What I call good, you perhaps call bad, and the reverse. Where is the standard? The standard is in our own attitude towards life. Each one has his own standard. And with increased experience and insight, the standard changes.

'I must realize God in this very life!'—that should be your attitude.

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22 January 2019

Jai Ramakrishna

From M. The Apostle and the Evangelist

M. (to the devotees): Who are great in the eyes of worldly people? Those who have so much of wealth and money—houses and buildings, people, coaches, name and honour. And who is great in the eyes of Thakur? He who knows nothing else but God—like Narada and Sukadeva.

Thakur renounced money and fame for which the tongue of the worldly begins to water. He would say forcefully, 'I sweep name and fame with the broom.' On hearing the Marwari's proposal to give him ten thousand rupees, he became absolutely unconscious and fell down. Has anyone heard such a thing like absolute unconsciousness anywhere! He had such a deep-seated aversion!

People become unconscious for want of money, and he became unconscious on the matter of receiving money. What an amazing character!

"When he regained consciousness, he said, 'Mother, do You want to enchant me during my last days with money? Mother, do that which shall fix my mind on Your holy feet.'"

He said, 'I received as if a blow of axe on my head. This made me fall unconscious.'

Here is an episode:

Lord, please be gracious enough and grant your darshan to the king (King Pratap Rudra) for once—the king's minister and a great devotee Rai Ramananda, and Vasudeva Saurvbhaum made this request to Chaitanya Deva.

Hearing this, Chaitanya Deva said with a surprise, 'What do you people say? The king is the greatest of worldly man. Meeting him and enjoying sensory enjoyments are one and the same. Have I come to do all this forsaking everything behind?'

The devotees requested him another day also. At this, he replied, 'If that be so, I leave for Alalnath.' Saying so, he immediately left. Then they all went, humbly prayed to him and brought him back. Such is the affair. Is it a small matter?

What is M. thinking about? He again showers the nectarine words.

M. (to the devotees): How much Thakur loved Keshab Sen! What a great man he was! Thakur said (about Keshab), 'He is a divine man.' Even to such a person he said on his face, 'I cannot accept your words. You live with money, fame and honour.'

Keshab Babu had said to Thakur, 'You have attained sixteen annas (full complement) jnana.'

M. (to a new devotee): Is there a way for us other than holy company?

I am reminded of something. A Nanakpanthi sadhu said it. He used to frequent Thakur at that time. It is forty-two years back. I remembered one out of the two things and forgot the other. That too came to my mind just few days back.

It is this: Somebody was performing an yajna of birds at Mansarovar. He hoped that this would bring all kinds of birds to him. So, the hamsa (swan) would also come. The hamsa would definitely be accompanied by the Paramahamsa. Paramahamsa, in other words Narayana.

It means this: By keeping company of sadhus, one can have darshan (Vision) of God.

The guru does not reveal all the things to the disciple immediately. Reason? The disciple shall get frightened. So, he leads him slowly.

M.: That is why, Thakur would say: One cannot ask the people of Calcutta to renounce everything. If I tell that, they will stop coming at all. So I say, 'You people do this and that too. Hold on to God with one hand and with the other live in the world.'

I tell them, 'You people renounce mentally.' Then by coming here frequently, when one oneself understands, realizes that all these—wife, son and relations—are nothing, one shall renounce of one's own accord.

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23 January 2019

Jai Ramakrishna

For Seekers of God

Place: Sri Ramakrishna Ashrama, Bombay

Time: January 28, 1927

At night after supper Swami Shivananda was seated in his room in the Sri Ramakrishna Ashrama at Bombay. Most of the monks and novices of the ashrama were present. One monk said: 'Maharaj, we have heard that the Master used to say, "This is the last birth of those who would come here." Did you yourself ever hear him say it?'

Mahapurushji remained silent for a while and then replied: 'Why, it has been mentioned in the books that have been written about him.'

Monk: 'What is the meaning of this saying of the Master? Does it refer only to those who had seen the Master and had attained devotion and faith through his grace? Or does it mean that this is the last birth of whoever has reverence for him?'

Swami: 'His words meant both. Whoever has deep regard for him, is sincerely devoted to him, and has surrendered himself fully to him, whether he has seen him in the flesh or not, will attain liberation and not be reborn. But self-surrender there must be.'

Monk: 'Maharaj, will those also be free who have taken refuge in him and have joined his Order?'

Swami: Yes, of course, but true liberation calls for complete self-dedication. Even to belong to his fold—is it a mean fortune?'

Monk: 'Why, we don't seem to be making much headway or progress?'

Swami: 'My child, what you have done so far and are doing now, is not negligible. Without his grace even that would have been impossible. How gracious is the Master to you! Not for nothing has he snatched you away from your parents and made you renounce hearth and home. It is because he has been unusually gracious that he has brought you to his fold and given you the opportunity to attain the summum bonum of life.'

Monk: 'But, Maharaj, we do not feel that the works we are engaged in have been very conducive to the development of the spirit of renunciation and dispassion.'

Swami: 'Whatever you are doing here is certainly his work, and you are doing it all for his pleasure. You are not actuated by any selfish worldly desire. These activities of yours will undoubtedly foster a spirit of renunciation and dispassion. Don't think that a life of mendicancy in Rishikesh alone will give you dispassion. For shame! You are certainly on the right track. At present you may not have this consciousness, but in the fullness of time it will grow and you will be established in it. You will realize that everything is his and that you have nothing to regard as your own.'

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24 January 2019

Jai Ramakrishna

Teachings of the Disciples

Swami Adbhutananda

In doing good to others, we try to forget the apparent distinctions between ourselves and other men. The welfare of others is my welfare—that should be our attitude.

Ah, the folly! Can one force the non-dualist's attitude on one's mind? It is a slow growth.

The garden and its produce belong to the master. The gardener does not own anything. Everything is the master's. But he offers the master's things to him with great devotion and humility. Everything of the world belongs to the Lord, we are His gardeners. 'Thou art my Lord, and I am Thy servant'—actuated by this attitude, and with faith and devotion, we offer the Lord's things to Him. This is Dasya-Bhakti.

'I am and my chosen Deity is—there is nought else besides'—when this attitude comes, the mind becomes purified. This is meditation.

Swami Ramakrishnananda

Do not sit like that [with chin resting on palm of hand], it is a pensive attitude. You should always cultivate a cheerful attitude.

If you can place yourself at the feet of a true Teacher, your egotism will gradually wear away by that very attitude of a servant.

The Divine Mother does not like us to call ourselves Her servants. We are her children to Her, not servants. Always think of yourself as Her child.

[Describing the true attitude of a Jnani:] The story is told that Maya, the personified creative force, came one day to a Jnani or sage and said, 'Am I not very great? See, I have created so many worlds, suns and moons and stars. I am the ruler of such a vast universe.'

'You are the Queen of Zero,' said the sage.

Angry at the lack of regard for her greatness she touched him and he became a camel. He was put in the desert, made to carry heavy burdens over the hot sands and subjected to such cruel treatment that Maya herself at last had pity upon him and released him.

Then she asked him if he would not now fall down and worship her. He only laughed saying, 'I have neither camel's body nor mind. You are not hurting me. You are only slapping your own cheek.'

Maya exclaimed angrily, 'You are still incorrigible!' Again she touched him and this time made him an ass. As an ass he was beaten, forced to carry evil-smelling burdens, and to live a miserable existence. Then once more Maya came to him and asked him to bow down to her.

'Why should I? I am not suffering. The ass's body belongs to you, not to me,' he replied.

At last Maya seeing she could not disturb the serenity of his mind fell prostrate before him saying, 'It is you who are greater.'

Swami Saradananda

Whatever is happening is happening at His command and, if He wills, the situation will change. With this attitude resign yourself to the Lord and be happy and free from cares.

The work that you do is to be performed with a right attitude. You must feel that the duties that you are discharging have been entrusted to you by the Lord. You are doing them only to satisfy Him and not to satisfy your selfish will. No work is menial. Even scrubbing the floor may be turned into worship if there is the remembrance of the Lord within.

Swami Akhandananda

At night you have to take a little less food and try to maintain always an attitude of prayer—a current of higher thoughts. And another idea must occupy your mind—that in this very life I must see God, I must finish my task of calling upon Him.

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25 January 2019

Jai Ramakrishna

M. The Apostle and the Evangelist

M. is seated on a chair facing north. All meditate for some time. Thereafter, M. converses on spiritual matters.

M.: What is in one's nature must come about. Sri Krishna said the same thing to Arjuna. Said he—'I shall not fight!'

Vain is this, your saying! Your very nature has war within! Your nature shall compel you to fight—'prakriti stvam niyokshyati' (Gita 18:59).

There is no way out except following one's nature. So, one must connect God with oneself and do it. This is the way. If He is with you, you always remember that one's nature makes one act.

That being so, one keeps oneself separate thinking thus—I am His child, His servant. Then work can't bind him.

M. (to Jagabandhu): Where is the complete program of yesterday's theatre?

Jagabandhu reads all the scenes.

M.: We have also been able to see everything. These people have witnessed it; we must get its benefit. One gains even by hearing. Those who have power of imagination, they attain up to fourteen annas by hearing. Two annas remain the rest.

So, Thakur would say, 'Hearing is better than reading and seeing is better than hearing. Higher than reading is hearing and higher than hearing is seeing.' These people have witnessed it and we have heard it. This has enabled us to see, hear and read. Hearing is next best. We too have been able to do this.

M. (to Antevasi): Let us do some reading of the Kathamrita.

M. asks to read out the first, second and third chapters of the tenth section of the Kathamrita, part III.

Thakur describes his state during the course of conversation and says, "One attains ultimate jnana when one does not remember the amavasya (darkest lunar night) and the purnima (full moon night)."

M.: Thakur says—One does gain ultimate jnana. But Haladhari said, 'Man becomes capricious.' Haladhari's point of view is that of a worldly man having attachment for sensory objects. Those who have their aim as God-realization, who want to gain the state of Shiva (divinity) from that of Jiva, should take Thakur's opinion alone.

When the mind enters samadhi, just as a salt-doll gets dissolved into the sea, one's awareness of the sea vanishes. It is this that the Vedas call the highest aim of man's life. Thakur also said the same from his life's experience.

When the mind that entered samadhi comes down, it sees as if God Himself has become all—the world, its creatures and the twenty four principles. When it descends a little lower, it is in the state he told—amavasya and purnima become the same. In other words, the mind is held back.

The outside affairs proceed of their own accord. Hanuman also had the same state—he could not remember the day, the date, the lunar date, the position of stars; he would only think upon Rama.

"But Thakur's mind was kept in that very state by the Mother. All his states are there to serve as an example. The whole world is covered with a thick fog of materialism. Thakur had such a state of mind to show to the world the ideal of the eternal truth. At this point of time Thakur had such a state—that God-realization is the highest ideal of man. The divine character of Thakur is like a life boat for the devotees in this sea of the world.

People don't put faith in all these states. To understand it, faith in the words of the Guru is essential. Guru means God, avatara—like Thakur.

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26 January 2019

Jai Ramakrishna

Teachings of the Direct Disciples of Sri Ramakrishna

Attraction

Swami Brahmananda

Sri Ramakrishna used to say that a man will surely attain God if he possesses in an intense degree three kinds of love—the love a chaste wife feels toward her husband, the attraction of the worldly man for the world, and the attachment the miser feels toward his hoarded wealth.

Austerity

It is easy to practice 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.

In this age there is no way other than that of taking shelter at His feet. In the Iron Age, man's span of life is short. And within this short span of life one has to attain Him. There is no time for severe austerities as in olden days.

What is austerity? It is to direct the mind toward God in order to taste divine bliss. In this age it is not necessary to practice 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 toward all beings, and to serve holy men.

A little physical austerity also is good some times. For instance, on the day of the new moon, or on the eleventh day after the new or the full moon, eat only one meal.

You must practice severe austerities, but by this I do not mean physical austerities, or the torture of the body. Real austerity consists in the control of the passions. Passion must never be allowed to raise its head. But remember, religion is not for the eunuch, nor for the one who maims his body.

[Body austerities] are not real austerities. Anyone can practice them. The body is easily controlled, but it is another matter to control the mind. It is very difficult to renounce lust and greed, to give up the desire for name and fame.

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.

Do you think that there is any fixed catalogued price of so much austerity, so much japam, so much charity, etc., for God-realization? None can force realization of Him! But, if you don't keep up a regular spiritual struggle, you will not be able to hold It, when It comes.

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27 January 2019

Jai Ramakrishna

The Conversations and Dialogues

Renunciation of Kama-Kanchana—God's Mercy Falls on Those Who Struggle for Realisation—Unconditional Mercy and Brahman Are One

Disciple: Shri Ramakrishna used to say, Swamiji, that a man cannot progress far towards religious realisation unless he first relinquishes lust and greed. If so, what will become of the 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 our 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." (Bhagavata, IX. xix. 14).

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 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.

Disciple: But many of them are struggling for it.

Swamiji: Oh, yes, and those who are doing so will surely renounce by degrees; their inordinate attachment for Kama-Kanchana will diminish gradually. But for those who procrastinate, saying, "Oh, not so soon! I shall do it when the time comes," Self-realisation is very far off. "Let me realise the Truth this moment! In this very life!"—these are the words of a hero. Such heroes are ever ready to renounce the very next moment, and to such the scripture (Jabala Upanishad, 3.) says, "The moment you feel disgust for the vanities of the world, leave it all and take to the life of a monk."

Disciple: But was not Shri Ramakrishna wont to say, "All these attachments vanish through the grace of God when one prays to Him?"

Swamiji: Yes, it is so, no doubt, through His mercy. But one needs to be pure first before one can receive this mercy—pure in thought, word, and deed; then it is that His grace descends on one.

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28 January 2019

Jai Ramakrishna

The Conversations and Dialogues

Disciple: But many of them are struggling (to overcome lust and gold) for it.

Swamiji: Oh, yes, and those who are doing so will surely renounce by degrees; their inordinate attachment for Kama-Kanchana will diminish gradually. But for those who procrastinate, saying, "Oh, not so soon! I shall do it when the time comes," Self-realisation is very far off. "Let me realise the Truth this moment! In this very life"—these are the words of a hero. Such heroes are ever ready to renounce the very next moment, and to such the scripture says—"The moment you feel disgust for the vanities of the world, leave it all and take to the life of a monk."

Disciple: But was not Sri Ramakrishna wont to say, "All these attachments vanish through the grace of God when one prays to Him?"

Swamiji: Yes, it is so, no doubt, through His mercy, but one needs to be pure first before one can receive this mercy—pure in thought, word and deed; then it is that His grace descends on one.

Disciple: But of what necessity is grace to him who can control himself in thought, word and deed? For then he would be able to develop himself in the path of spirituality by means of his own exertions!

Swamiji: The Lord is very merciful to him whom He sees struggling heart and soul for Realisation. But remain idle, without any struggle, and you will see that His grace will never come.

Disciple: Everyone longs to be good, and yet the mind, for some inscrutable reasons, turns to evil! Does not everyone wish to be good—to be perfect—to realise God?

Swamiji: Know them to be already struggling who desire this. God bestows His mercy when this struggle is maintained.

Disciple: In the history of the Incarnations, we find many persons who, we should say, had led very dissipated lives and yet were able to realise God without much trouble and without performing any Sadhana or devotion. How is this accounted for?

Swamiji: Yes, but a great restlessness must already have come upon them; long enjoyment of the objects of the senses must already have created in these deep disgust. Want of peace must have been consuming their very hearts. So deeply they had already felt this void in their hearts that life even for a moment had seemed unbearable to them unless they could gain that peace which follows in the train of the Lord's mercy. So God was kind to them. This development took place in them direct from Tamas to Sattva.

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29 January 2019

Jai Ramakrishna

Talks with Swami Vivekananda

Disciple: It appears to me that those who seek to realise God by restraining their senses and renouncing lust and wealth hold to the (free-will) theory of self-exertion and self-help; and that those who take the name of the Lord and depend on Him are made free by the Lord Himself of all worldly attachments, and led by Him to the supreme stage of Realisation.

Swamiji: True, those are the two different standpoints, the former held by the Jnanis, and the latter by the Bhaktas. But the ideal of renunciation is the keynote of both.

Disciple: No doubt about that! But Sri Girish Chandra Ghosh once said to me that there could be no condition in God's mercy; there could be no law for it! If there were, then it could no longer be termed mercy. The realm of grace or mercy must transcend all law.

Swamiji: But there must be some higher law at work in the sphere alluded to by G. C. of which we are ignorant. Those are words, indeed, for the last stage of development, which alone is beyond time, space and causation. But, when we get there, who will be merciful, and to whom, where there is no law of causation? There the worshipper and the worshipped, the meditator and the object of meditation, the knower and the known, all become one—call that Grace, or Brahman, if you will. It is all one uniform homogenous entity!

Disciple: Hearing these words from you, Swamiji, I have come to understand the essence of all philosophy and religion (Vedas and Vedanta); it seems as if I had hitherto been living in the midst of high-sounding words without any meaning.

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30 January 2019

Jai Ramakrishna

[Place: Baghbazar, Calcutta. Year: 1897]

Meanwhile Swamiji returned and asked the disciple, "Do the people in your part of the country know much of Sri Ramakrishna?"

Disciple: Only one man, Nag Mahashaya, came to Sri Ramakrishna from our part of Bengal; it is from him that many came to hear of him and had their curiosity excited to know more. But that Sri Ramakrishna was the Incarnation of God, the people there have not yet come to know, and some would not believe it even if told so.

Swamiji: Do you think it is an easy matter to believe so? We who had actual dealings with him in every respect, we who heard of that fact again and again from his own lips, we who lived and stayed with him for twenty-four hours of the day—even we have doubts about it coming on us off and on! So what to speak of others!

Disciple: Did Sri Ramakrishna out of his own lips ever say that he was God, the all-perfect Brahman?

Swamiji: Yes, he did so many times. And he said this to all of us. One day while he was staying at the Cossipore garden, his body in imminent danger of falling off for ever, by the side of his bed I was saying in my mind, "Well, now if you can declare that you are God, then only will I believe you are really God Himself."

It was only two days before he passed away. Immediately, he looked up towards me all on a sudden and said, "He who was Rama, He who was Krishna, verily is He now Ramakrishna in this body. And that not merely from the standpoint of your Vedanta!"

At this I was struck dumb. Even we haven't had yet the perfect faith, after hearing it again and again from the holy lips of our Lord himself—our minds still get disturbed now and then with doubt and despair—and so, what shall we speak of others being slow to believe? It is indeed a very difficult matter to be able to declare and believe a man with a body like ours to be God Himself. We may just go to the length of declaring him to be a "perfected one," or a "knower of Brahman." Well, it matters nothing, whatever you may call him or think of him, a saint or a knower of Brahman, or anything. But take it from me, never did come to this earth such an all-perfect man as Sri Ramakrishna!

In the utter darkness of the world this great man is like the shining pillar of illumination in this age! And by his light alone will man now cross the ocean of Samsara!

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31 January 2019

Jai Ramakrishna

Talks with Swami Vivekananda

Disciple: To me it seems, sir, that true faith comes only after actually seeing or hearing something. Mathur Babu, I have heard, actually saw so many things about Sri Ramakrishna, and thus had that wonderful faith in him.

Swamiji: He who believes not, believes not even after seeing, and thinks that it is all hallucination, or dream and so on. The great transfiguration of Krishna, the Vishwarupa (form universal), was seen alike by Duryodhana and by Arjuna. But only Arjuna believed, while Duryodhana took it to be magic!

Unless He makes us understand, nothing can be stated or understood. Somebody comes to the fullest faith even without seeing or hearing, while somebody else remains plunged in doubt even after witnessing various extraordinary powers for twelve years, with his own eyes!

The secret of it all is His grace! But then one must persevere, so that the grace may be received.

Disciple: Is there, sir, any law of grace?

Swamiji: Yes and no.

Disciple: How is that?

Swamiji: Those who are pure always in body, mind and speech, who have strong devotion, who discriminate between the real and the unreal, who persevere in meditation and contemplation—upon them alone the grace of the Lord descends.

The Lord, however, is beyond all natural laws, is not under any rules and regulations, or just as Sri Ramakrishna used to say, He has the child's nature—and that's why we find some failing to get any response even after calling on Him for millions of births, while someone else whom we regard as a sinful or penitent man, or a disbeliever, would have Illumination in a flash! On the latter the Lord, perhaps, lavishes His grace quite unsolicited! You may argue that this man had good merits stored up from previous life, but the mystery is really difficult to understand.

Sri Ramakrishna used to say sometimes, "Do rely on Him; be like the dry leaf at the mercy of the wind" and again he would say, "The wind of His grace is always blowing; what you need to do is to unfurl your sail."

Disciple: But, sir, this is a most tremendous statement. No reasoning, I see, can stand here.

Swamiji: Ah, the limit of all reasoning and arguing is in the realm of Maya; it lies within the categories of space, time and causation. But He is beyond these categories. We speak of His law, still He is beyond all law. He creates, or becomes, all that we speak of as laws of nature and yet He is outside of them all. He, on whom His grace descends, in a moment goes beyond all law. For this reason there is no condition in grace. It is as His play or sport.

All this creation of the universe is like His play—"It is the pure delight of sport, as in the case of men." Is it not possible for Him who creates, and destroys the universe as if in play to grant salvation by grace to the greatest sinner? But then it is just His pleasure, His play, to get somebody through the practice of spiritual discipline and somebody else without it.

01/02/2019

Jai Ramakrishna

1 February 2019

(Talks with Swami Vivekananda)

Disciple:—Sir, I can't understand this (Mystery of God's grace).

Swamiji:—And you needn't. Only get your mind to cling to Him as far as you can. For then only the great magic of this world will break of itself. But then, you must persevere. You must take off your mind from lust and lucre, must discriminate always between the real and the unreal—must settle down into the mood of bodilessness with the brooding thought that you are not this body, and must always have the realisation that you are the all-pervading Atman. This persevering practice is called Purushakara (self-exertion—as distinguished from grace). By such self-exertion will come true reliance on Him, and that is the goal of human achievement.

After a pause Swamiji resumed: "Had you not been receiving His grace, why else would you come here at all? Sri Ramakrishna used to say, 'Those who have had the grace of God cannot but come here. Wherever they might be, whatever they might be doing, they are sure to be affected by words or sentiments uttered, from here'.

"Just take your own case—do you think it is possible without the grace of God to have the blessed company of Nag Mahashaya, a man who rose to spiritual perfection through the strength of divine grace and came to know fully what this grace really means?

"'One attains the highest stage after being perfected by the practice of repeated births.' (Gita). It is only by virtue of great religious merit acquired through many births that one comes across a great soul like him. All the characteristics of the highest type of Bhakti, spoken of in the scriptures, have manifested themselves in Nag Mahashaya. It is only in him that we actually see fulfilled the widely quoted text.

"Blessed indeed is your East Bengal to have been hallowed by the touch of Nag Mahashaya's feet!"

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02/02/2019

Jai Ramakrishna

2 February 2019

(Talks with Swami Vivekananda)

Swami Suddhananda asked, "What is the real nature of meditation, sir?"

Swamiji:—Meditation is the focussing of the mind on some object. If the mind acquires concentration on one object, it can be so concentrated on any object whatsoever.

Disciple:—Mention is made in the scriptures of two kinds of meditation—one having some object and the other objectless. What is meant by all that, and which of the two is the higher one?

Swamiji:—First, the practice of meditation has to proceed with some one object before the mind. Once I used to concentrate my mind on some black point. Ultimately, during those days, I could not see the point any more, nor notice that the point was before me at all—the mind used to be no more—no wave of functioning would rise, as if it were all an ocean without any breath of air. In that state I used to experience glimpses of supersensuous truth. So I think, the practice of meditation even with some trifling external object leads to mental concentration. But it is true that the mind very easily attains calmness when one practises meditation with anything on which one's mind is most apt to settle down.

This is the reason why we have in this country so much worship of the images of gods and goddesses. And what wonderful art developed from such worship! But no more of that now.

The fact however is that the objects of meditation can never be the same in the case of all men. People have proclaimed and preached to others only those external objects to which they held on to become perfected in meditation. Oblivious of the fact, later on, that these objects are aids to the attainment of perfect mental calmness, men have extolled them beyond everything else. They have wholly concerned themselves with the means, getting comparatively unmindful of the end. The real aim is to make the mind functionless, but this cannot be got at unless one becomes absorbed in some object.

Disciple:—But if the mind becomes completely engrossed and identified with some object, how can it give us the consciousness of Brahman?

Swamiji:—Yes, though the mind at first assumes the form of the object, yet later on the consciousness of that object vanishes. Then only the experience of pure "isness" remains.

Disciple:—Well, sir, how is it that desires rise even after mental concentration is acquired?

Swamiji:—Those are the outcome of previous Samskaras (deep-rooted impressions or tendencies). When Buddha was on the point of merging in Samadhi (superconsciousness), Mara made his appearance. There was really no Mara extraneous to the mind; it was only the external reflection of the mind's previous Samskaras.

Disciple:—But one hears of various fearful experiences prior to the attainment of perfection. Are they all mental projections?

Swamiji:—What else but that? The aspiring soul, of course, does not make out at that time that all these are external manifestations of his own mind. But all the same, there is nothing outside of it. Even what you see as this world does not exist outside. It is all a mental projection. When the mind becomes functionless, it reflects the Brahman-consciousness. Then the vision of all spheres of existence may supervene—"Whatsoever sphere one may call up in mind, Whatsoever is resolved on becomes realised at once." He who, even on attaining this state of unfalsified self-determination, preserves his watchfulness and is free from the bondage of desire, verily attains to the knowledge of Brahman. But he who loses his balance after reaching this state, gets the manifold powers but falls off from the supreme goal.

So saying, Swamiji began to repeat "Shiva, Shiva," and then continued: "There is no way, none whatsoever, to the solution of the profound mystery of this life except through renunciation. Renunciation, renunciation and renunciation—let this be the one motto of your lives."

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03/02/2019

Jai Ramakrishna

3 February 2019

(Talks with Swami Vivekananda)

Veda is of the nature of Shabda or of idea. It is but the sum total of ideas. Shabda, according to the old Vedic meaning of the term, is the subtle idea, which reveals itself by taking the gross form later on. So owing to the dissolution of the creation, the subtle seeds of the future creation become involved in the Veda.

Accordingly, in the Puranas you find that during the first Divine Incarnation, the Veda is first made manifest. In this Incarnation the Veda being first revealed, the other creative manifestations began to follow.

Or in other words, all the created objects began to come into concrete being out of the Shabdas, or ideas, in the Veda. For in Shabda, or idea, all gross objects have their subtle forms. Creation had proceeded in the same way in all previous cycles or Kalpas. This you find in the Sandhya Mantra of the Vedas: "The sun, the moon, the earth, the atmosphere, the heaven, the upper spheres, all, the Creator projected in the same manner and process as in previous cycles." Do you understand?"

Disciple:—But, sir, how in the absence of an actual concrete object can the Shabda or idea be applied and for what? And how are the names to be given at all?

Swamiji:—Yes, that is what on first thought seems to be the difficulty. But just think of this. Supposing this jug breaks into pieces, does the idea of a jug become null and void? No. Because, the jug is the gross effect, while the idea, "jug," is the subtle state, or the Shabda-state, of the jug.

In the same way, the Shabda-state of every object is its subtle state, and the things we see, hear, touch, or perceive in any manner, are the gross manifestations of entities in the subtle, or Shabda, state. Just as we may speak of the effect and its cause. Even when the whole creation is annihilated, the Shabda, as the consciousness of the universe or the subtle reality of all concrete things, exists in Brahman as the cause. At the point of creative manifestation, this sum total of casual entities vibrates into activity, as it were, and as being the sonant, material substance of it all, the eternal, primal sound of "Om" continues to come out of itself.

And then from the causal totality, comes out first the subtle image, or Shabda-form, of each particular thing and then its gross manifestation. Now that causal Shabda, or world-consciousness, is Brahman and it is the Veda. This is the purport of Sayana. Do you now understand?

Disciple:—No, sir, I can't clearly comprehend it.

Swamiji:—Well, you understand, I suppose, that even if all the jugs in the universe were to be destroyed, the idea, or Shabda, "jug", would still exist. So if the universe be destroyed—I mean if all the things going to make up the universe be smashed to atoms—why should not the ideas, or Shabdas, representing all of them in consciousness be still existing? And why cannot a second creation be supposed to come out of them in time?

Disciple:—But, sir, if one cries out "jug," "jug," that does not cause any jug to be produced!

Swamiji:—No, nothing is produced if you or I cry out like that; but a jug must be revealed if the idea of it rises in the Brahman which is perfect in its creative determinations. When we see even those established in the practice of religion (Sadhakas) bringing about by will-power things otherwise impossible to happen, what to speak of Brahman with perfect creativeness of will? At the point of creation Brahman becomes manifest as Shabda (Idea), and then assumes the form of "Nada," or "Om."

At the next stage, the particular Shabdas, or ideas, that variously existed in former cycles, such as Bhuh, Bhuvah, Swah, cow, man, etc., begin to come out of that "Om". As soon as these ideas appear in Brahman endowed with perfect will, the corresponding concrete things also appear, and gradually the diversified universe becomes manifest. Do you now understand how Shabda is the source of creation?

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04/02/2019

Jai Ramakrishna

4 February 2019

(Talks with Swami Vivekananda)

Swamiji rose to pay a visit to the great poet, Babu Girish Chandra Ghosh. Swami Yogananda and the disciple followed him. Reaching Girish Babu's place, Swamiji seated himself and said:

"You see, G. C., the impulse is constantly coming nowadays to my mind to do this and to do that, to scatter broadcast on earth the message of Sri Ramakrishna and so on. But I pause again to reflect, lest all this give rise to another sect in India. So I have to work with a good deal of caution.

"Sometimes I think, what if a sect does grow up. But then again the thought comes—no. Sri Ramakrishna never disturbed anybody's own spiritual outlook; he always looked at the inner sameness. Often do I restrain myself with this thought. Now, what do you say?"

Girish Babu:—What can I say to this? You are the instrument in his hand. You have to do just what he would have you do. I don't trouble myself over the detail. But I see that the power of the Lord is getting things done by you. I see it clear as daylight.

Swamiji:—But I think we do things according to our own will. Yet, that in misfortunes and adversities, in times of want and poverty, he reveals himself to us and guides us along the true path—this I have been able to realise. But alas, I still fail to comprehend in any way the greatness of his power.

Girish Babu:—Yes, he said, "If you understand it to the full, everything will at once vanish. Who will work then, or who will be made to work?"

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05/02/2019

Jai Ramakrishna

5 February 2019

(Talks with Swami Vivekananda)

Do you now understand how Shabda is the source of creation?

Disciple:—Yes, I just form some idea of it, but there is no clear comprehension in the mind.

Swamiji:—Well, clear comprehension, inward realisation, is no small matter, my son. When the mind proceeds towards self-absorption in Brahman, it passes through all these stages one by one to reach the absolute (Nirvikalpa) state at last. In the process of entering into Samadhi, first the universe appears as one mass of ideas; then the whole thing loses itself in a profound "Om". Then even that melts away, even that seems to be between being and non-being. That is the experience of the eternal Nada. And then the mind becomes lost in the Reality of Brahman, and then it is done! All is peace!

The disciple sat mute, thinking that none could express and explain it in the way Swamiji was doing, unless the whole thing were matter of one's own experience!

Swamiji then resumed the subject: "Great men like Avataras, in coming back from Samadhi to the realm of 'I' and 'mine,' first experience the unmanifest Nada, which, by degrees, grows distinct and appears as Om, and then from Omkara, the subtle form of the universe as a mass of ideas becomes experienced, and last, the material universe, comes into perception. But ordinary Sadhakas somehow reach beyond Nada through immense practice, and when once they attain to the direct realisation of Brahman, they cannot again come back to the lower plane of material perception. They melt away in Brahman,——'like water in milk.'

"When all this talk on the theory of creation was going on, the great dramatist, Babu Girish Chandra Ghosh, appeared on the scene. Swamiji gave him his courteous greetings and continued his lessons to the disciple.

"Shabdas are again divided into two classes, the Vedic Shabdas and those in common human use. I found this position in the Nyaya book called 'Shabda shakti prakashika.' There the arguments no doubt indicate great power of thought, but, oh, the terminology confounds the brain!"

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06/02/2019

Jai Ramakrishna

6 February 2019

The Passing away of Swami Brahmananda By Swami Siddheswarananda

The following letter written by 'Gopal' in 1922 to his father, who was then the third prince of Cochin and later became the Maharaja, gives a clear and vivid account of the Mahasamadhi (Final Illumination) of Swami Brahmananda of revered memory, the first President of the Ramakrishna Order and the Ramakrishna Mission. 'Gopal', who joined the monastery at Madras in 1920, was given sannyasa by Swami Shivananda in 1923 and became Swami Siddheswarananda. He was one of our most popular monks, and successfully worked in Mysore (1925-37) and later in France (1937-57) till his death. He has several books in French to his credit. He was also editor of Vedanta, a periodical conducted by Centre Vedantique Ramakrichna at Gretz.

Shri Ramakrishna Math Mylapore, Madras. 18.4.1922

My dear Father,

Swami Sharvanandaji and I returned here safe and sound on the 15th instant. At last the quite unexpected happened. Shri Maharaj entered into Mahasamadhi on 10th night at 6 minutes to 9 p.m. You know he completely got over the cholera and he was fast recovering his health. At that stage his old complaint, diabetes, began to work. He began to sink fast. He could take only very little food, and the wastage was double or treble the quantity consumed.

The passing away of Shri Maharaj was a unique event and could be expected only of this spiritual son of Shri Ramakrishna. Some five or six days before the mahasamadhi, he said he was not going to retain the body. He told Swami Abhedananda that he was going to give up his body.

Swami Abhedananda replied that he must keep the body for some years more.

"Can you forcibly retain me?" Maharaj asked.

"It is your wish. If you wish a little you can do so. Will you wish, Maharaj?" Swami Abhedananda asked, at which Maharaj only smiled.

Maharaj told his sevaks (attendants) also that he was going to give up the body, and anyone wishing to do seva (service) to him could do it then. Such an attitude on the part of Maharaj frightened us.

At that time the allopathic doctors were full of hope. At last they also became desperate. Ayurvedic treatment was begun. Maharaj was suffering terribly. Yet he was exceptionally calm, and when the doctor asked him about this, he only replied by quoting the verse, sahanam sarvaduhkhanam apratikara purvakam (quiet endurance of all afflictions).

Swami Saradananda also tried to bring his mind to the body and was telling him that they would all go together to Bhuvaneswar after his cure was over, but Maharaj only replied, "All that Lila (play) of mine is over".

Then occurred an event unparalleled in the biography of the great ones since the time of Shri Ramakrishna. It was the eighth night of Maharaj's illness. Though suffering terribly from a burning sensation and pain, he was exceptionally calm.

It was 8 p.m. Maharaj called his disciple and attendant who had been doing untiring service to him for six years, and addressing him in the most affectionate terms blessed him saying, "My son, my child, you have been doing seva to a teacher, what shall I tell you? By my blessing, you will get Brahmajnana. You will realize Brahman. Don't be afraid, my boy".

Then he began to call, one by one, his disciples who were there, and blessed them all, consoling them in the most endearing terms, giving them abhayam (gesture implying that there is nothing to fear), asking them to immerse themselves in the thought of God.

Meanwhile his mind was climbing up and up into the regions of bhava-samadhi. He was seeing Shri Ramakrishna's luminous form, and Maharaj in the most endearing words was asking him, "Where is my Vivek, my Vivekananda?", and Shri Ramakrishna showed him his beloved brother. Seeing the vision of Swamiji, Maharaj said, "Oh, I recognize you". He then called for all of his brothers who were with Shri Ramakrishna, and he showed him all.

Then away from the region of forms and visions, he entered into the region of Pure Intelligence—Brahman.

Coming down from that state he turned to his children, and feeling sorry for them he told those around him, "My boys, ah, you are not able to cut through and get away from Maya, so you are not able to see the visions I am seeing".

He then called for Krishnalal (Swami Dhirananda, one of the old disciples of Swami Vivekananda, whom Maharaj loved much). The very name Krishna threw his mind off from the physical plane and he found himself standing before the most lovely form of Lord Krishna and so Maharaj wept with joy.

You know that Shri Ramakrishna had said that Shri Maharaj was the real Rakhal of Brindaban, the eternal playmate of Shri Krishna. So with all the flush of joy on seeing his divine playmate, in bhava Maharaj said, "Oh, where are my anklets? Let me go and dance with Krishna."

Swami Shivananda (Shri Mahapurush Maharaj), who was then seeing the way in which Maharaj was addressing Krishna in the most sweet words, pointed out that since the time of Shri Ramakrishna, whom he and his fellow-disciples had seen in similar bhava addressing the Lord, they had almost forgotten Shri Ramakrishna's bhavas. And only now, after thirty-six years, in these moments of Shri Maharaj's spiritual mood, they could remember in full what Shri Ramakrishna was.

Swami Shivananda and Swami Saradananda said that Maharaj was then exactly like Shri Ramakrishna, and it is said they even found the body of Maharaj like his. Maharaj remained in this mood for a long time. Coming down from this mood he turned to the disciples and said, "My Krishna is not the Kathor Krishna, my Krishna is not the hard Tapasvi Krishna, my Krishna is the 'Gopi-Krishna'." In these words he gave the key to his whole life. Whoever had seen Maharaj and studied him could not but be struck by his boyish, childlike nature: his whole attitude towards life was that he was playing with it.

After this he was continually seeing Shri Krishna and Shri Ramakrishna, now and then speaking about those beautiful eyes of Lord Krishna, his "Lotus face" and his blue colour. He was seeing the boy Krishna holding him as a chum on his shoulder, and telling him "Come away, come away".

As he descended from those spiritual trances, he began to speak to those around him about the highest Brahmajnana, repeating now and then "Om Brahmatmane namah, Om Paramatmane Namah" etc. I already told you now he blessed the group of people around him. His heart expanded further and blessed all those who had at any time served him. Calling Shri Ramakrishna, he was praying for the welfare of all his spiritual children. Then his heart expanded and blessed all the devotees of the Lord and all the world. You can understand how a Buddha can bless the whole world only by seeing this. This began from 8 p.m., and till 7 a.m. next day, he was in bhava-samadhi all through.

Sharvananda Swami got a good share of the blessings. Maharaj was telling him that he was always with him and that he need not have any fear. Some he asked to love him, some he asked not to forget him. In the same spiritual mood he called Swami Shivanandaji (Mahapurush Maharaj) and addressing him respectfully, as he was elder to Maharaj, asked him to remain at Belur Math and look after the members, thus handing over charge, in a way, to Mahapurush.

Mahapurush was asking him now and then, "What do you want, Maharaj?" to which he replied, "Amritam. The sweet nectar of the Lord's name and nothing more".

Next day when the doctor came (the doctor is a good friend of Maharaj, and one who had seen Shri Guru Maharaj), he told him, "I am going to Shivaloka". The whole of the 9th instant he was exceptionally calm though suffering terribly.

I went to see him on the 9th. It was heart-rending to see him greatly reduced. On the 9th night he vomited three or four times. This depressed our heart very much and we were awaiting the end soon. I was very fortunate to be with him during the last moment. Just a few moments before the end I managed to get a seat near his feet and touch them. With two hundred devotees around him, and with all his brothers such as Swami Shivananda, Swami Saradananda, Master Mahashay and others, with all of us repeating the name of Shri Ramakrishna by his side, Maharaj entered the final illumination. There was a complete calmness on the face.

Generally his eyes were very powerful as if fathoming the depths of everything. During the last moment they became a thousand times more brilliant than in normal times and concentrated as on some distant object. His face expressed his deep meditation. He brought his hands to his breast in salutation, and silently breathing, entered into mahasamadhi.

It is with great difficulty that I have managed to write these details to you. My heart is full. The stunning effect of grief and the agony of despair are only thickening every minute. Our only consolation is the blessing he has poured on all of us, and the assurance of safety he has given us.

He has said, "If there is a necessity to take up a body, I shall come again". His last advice to everyone was to become immersed in the thought of God. So we are all deeply intent on following his advice, and praying that his divine spirit, though freed from the body, may always help us in the many difficulties of our life.

I remain.

Yours affectionately

Gopal

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07/02/2019

Jai Ramakrishna

7 February 2019

(Talks with Swami Vivekananda)

Now turning to Girish Babu, Swamiji said: "What do you say, G. C.? Well, you do not care to study all this, you pass your days with your adoration of this and that god, eh?"

Girish Babu:—What shall I study, brother? I have neither time nor understanding enough to pry into all that. But this time, with Sri Ramakrishna's grace, I shall pass by with greetings to your Vedas and Vedanta, and take one leap to the far beyond!

He gets you through all these studies, because he wants to get many a thing done by you. But we have no need of them.

Saying this, Girish Babu again and again touched the big Rig-veda volumes with his head, uttering, "All victory to Ramakrishna in the form of the Veda!"

Swamiji was now in a sort of deep reverie, when Girish Babu suddenly called out to him and said: "Well, hear me, please. A good deal of study you have made in the Vedas and Vedanta, but say, did you find anywhere in them any way for us out of all these profound miseries in the country, all these wailings of grief, all this starvation, all these crimes of adultery and the many horrible sins?"

Saying this he painted over and over again the horrid pictures of society.

Swamiji remained perfectly quiet and speechless, while at the thought of the sorrows and miseries of his fellowmen, tears began to flow out of his eyes, and seemingly to hide his feelings from us, he rose and left the room.

Meanwhile, addressing the disciple, Girish Babu said: "Did you see, Bangal? What a great loving heart! I don't honour your Swamiji simply for being a Pundit versed in the Vedas; but I honour him for that great heart of his which just made him retire weeping at the sorrows of his fellow-beings."

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08/02/2019

Jai Ramakrishna

8 February 2019

(Teachings of Swami Brahmananda)

Q: Maharaj, some meditate on the Ishta in the heart, some think of Him in the head, but I visualize Him outside as I see you. Which is the proper way?

A: The process of meditation differs according to the difference in Sadhana. Ordinarily, it is better to meditate on the Ishta in the heart. The body should be considered as a temple and God as residing in it. When the mind becomes steady through continued spiritual practices, then alone can a man have the vision of his Ishta and wherever he feels God intensely—head or heart—there he can carry on his meditation with ease.

D: Generally we find that the mind, after making some progress along the spiritual path, cannot advance further, what is this due to?

M: Weakness of the mind is solely responsible for this mental torpor. According to its capacity, the mind moves up to a certain point, then stops. It cannot advance more. All minds are not of the same capacity, although the capacity can be and must be developed.

Sri Ramakrishna has said that through Brahmacharya the mind can be strengthened more and more, and a strong mind never wavers even when assailed by lust and anger. To such a mind these passions are trifles and they do no harm.

D: Maharaj, you call each one of us to you and inquire about our spiritual progress and our difficulties. You give us fresh courage and enthusiasm. Your encouragement takes away all fear and anxiety and makes us bold and uncompromising.

M: Such an attitude of mind does not always come to me, my child. At times, of course, the mind is in such a state that I feel I could entreat you all, even touching your feet one by one and say, "Do this, my son, do this, I implore you." But again I think, "Who am I to instruct you in all this? God is there, and as He makes us do, so is it done. Whom to ask? God Himself is the cause, God Himself is the instrument and He Himself is all." Why should people take my words even though they ask me? But then you know my boy, when the inspiration comes from within, then people do take them and follow them.

Strive on, my son, strive on and on. Do not waste a moment. At the close of each day, Sri Ramakrishna wept and prayed, "Mother, another day is gone and I am not yet blessed with Your vision!" Even so, yearn for God, my child, and be lost in Him!

Belur Math, December 1915

D: Maharaj, when I sit for meditation, I find my mind roaming about the whole universe. It thinks of no end of things. How to stop this restlessness of the mind?

M: In the beginning this always happens, but you must try diligently to check the mad outgoing tendency of your mind. Never begin your meditation immediately after sitting on your Asana. By discrimination first draw the mind back from its external pursuits and lock it up within, at the sacred feet of your Ishta. Then begin Japa and meditation. If you do this for sometime, the mind will naturally cease to wander.

The easiest way in this Kaliyuga is the path of Japa. By constantly performing Japa, the mind can easily be made calm and steady and finally it will lose itself in the Ishta. There are other paths too. Those are difficult to follow. So, I ask you to perform Japa frequently and along with it think of the Ishta. Japa and meditation should go on simultaneously. This dual method brings quicker success.

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09/02/2019

Jai Ramakrishna

9 February 2019

Sayings of Swami Trigunatitanandaji Maharaj

First of all, control over the senses is required. The power of curbing, at will, the outward tendencies is to be acquired first. In one word, one must be perfectly self-controlled.

Spiritual progress is a far cry in the midst of selfishness and narrow-mindedness.

Material things may succeed, but are not lasting; failure will be coming in the wake of success. But in spiritual culture, even a little effort brings success; it never fails, it is never lost.

That mind which is attached to more than one thing can never reach the goal.

Learn to see God in everything about you. Smear God over everything, and your mind will think of Him alone.

Such distinctions as Brahmin, Sudra, etc. belong to the body, and never to the soul.

Sri Ramakrishna would say, "If one has succeeded in discarding his hankerings for sense-enjoyment, one has no other object left that has to be given up afresh."

Never think, "I can't do it, I am weak." Whenever any dejection sets in, remember that saying of the Lord in the Gita, "Yield not to unmanliness!".

What caste can a true devotee or the perfect souls have? When the individual souls merge in God (like rivers in the sea), they can no more have any individuality.

Our devotion must be without any motive. It is extremely bad if our devotion increases when He is kind and it takes to flight when He is cruel or does not heed our prayers. But I concede that for the beginners, devotion cannot be free from motives altogether.

Infinite are His forms and infinite His qualities.

Goodwill is so pure and holy, so strong and vital that even if one cultivates it for oneself, that goodwill converts itself into the welfare of others at last indirectly and imperceptibly; and though in the first stages others come within its purview indirectly, with maturity it works for others even directly.

Keep on praying to God with your whole heart; If the needs arises for you to have a Guru, God will send somebody for you who will be just the man you want.

One must call on Him, no matter whether one does so under the idea that He is cruel or that He is gracious. I have no need of knowing what He really is, nor can there be any end of such knowing; and what does such knowledge count for?

One who keeps one's mind ever filled with goodwill for others can get a thousand faults of his own burnt to ashes and he comes to be remember as a saint.

When that Self will be realized, one will find It present everywhere; and that is one's highest achievement. One's purpose in life is to attain that state.

It does not take even a single life to dedicate oneself to His lotus-feet, nay it does not take even a moment! The only thing needed is the will to do so. So easy it is, and yet we fail!

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10/02/2019

Jai Ramakrishna

10 February 2019

Teachings of Swami Brahmanandaji Maharaj

Always perform your Sadhana with unswerving steadfastness and do not let a single day pass by without it. Whether you wish or not, sit on your Asana at the appointed hour every day. If you can carry on your practices for three years with such unerring regularity, I assure you that love and attachment for God will grow in you and you will feel yourself nearer to Him. Then you will be prompted from within to call upon Him and Him alone. You will not be able to turn your mind in any other direction. It is at this stage that the joy of Sadhana is felt by an aspirant in his heart.

Without intense love and attachment for God, it is very difficult for a beginner to perform Sadhana in the right way, even after retiring into solitude. In solitude there is always a possibility of serious consequences. Therefore, two of a similar type and temperament should live together. In that case mutual help and guidance may be rendered, should any crisis befall one or the other at any time.

On the other hand, if the number is more than two, gossip and confusion enter in, and nothing is more injurious to spiritual practice than indulgence in worldly talk. By such idle talk not only does the mind lose its higher tendencies and noble aspirations, but it is made to forget God who is the supreme ideal of human life.

11 February 2019

Jai Ramakrishna

Spiritual Teachings of Swami Brahmananda

What shall I repeat? The blessed name of God! The name of that form of His which inspires the greatest faith and devotion in you—that is the name you should choose for your Japa. Without a form, meditation is not possible.

What form shall I meditate upon, and where? You must meditate upon that form of His you like best. You can place Him in the heart or outside. A wise Guru, however, will understand the particular form of God that calls forth the greatest faith and regard from the disciple, and will instruct him to meditate on that.

Then there is mental worship. As you do external worship with offerings of flowers, sandal paste, burning of camphor etc., exactly so is the worship in the mind. In the mind you have to picture the form of the Deity you choose, in the mind you are to offer all the holy things used in worship and in the mind, again, you have to adore Him with all the reverence and devotion of your heart in humble supplication.

You have heard enough, now do something and show your worthiness. No more waste of time. Begin from this day, this very evening. For the present, do these two things—Japa and meditation, every morning and evening without fail.

Continue this habit for a couple of years at least. Then you will find great joy, and will know more and more of spiritual mysteries. No more wasting of time, my child. Begin this very day, and go bravely on.

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12 February 2019

Jai Ramakrishna

Spiritual Teachings of Swami Brahmananda

While meditating, sit erect and cross-legged, and hold your hands near your chest or the upper abdomen. Do not begin your meditation immediately after taking your posture. Sit silently for a couple of minutes or so and try to make the mind blank, so that no alien thoughts may cross it. Then begin meditation in right earnest.

For a year or two you will have to exert your mind to the limit of its power. Thereafter meditation will become natural to you. If any day you are hard pressed with work, you may sit for meditation only once, or may finish it in a few minutes, say, in ten or fifteen minutes. In the event of greater pressure, fix your mind on God for a moment, then bow down to Him. You can do this in exceptional circumstances but not always.

Regarding moral conduct, observe these two rules: Be truthful always, and honour and worship all women as mother. You need not trouble yourself with anything more now. The observance of these two rules will make all other moral rules shine in your life. Frequent holy places, study sacred books, and come to me now and then.

Believe in the existence of God, and never feel He does not exist. I tell you, my child, God is. Therefore hold fast to Him in sincere devotion and humility, and pray and pray! No more speculations, no more waste of time, no more idleness. Begin now, this very day, and move forward. I will see to the rest.

1 June 1913

How can love for God grow?

By Sadhana and prayer.

Is it possible to realize God for those who live in the world? Is there anyone outside the world?

No, I mean, living in the family.

It is possible but very difficult.

When dispassion comes, should one renounce the world?

Yes, that is what is called Vairagya. Real vairagya is like fire which is never extinguished. It goes on growing. Sri Ramakrishna used to say, as a fish swims about merrily when put in larger waters, so is the man who has renounced the world. Never does he want to be fettered again.

Who is a Guru?

Guru means one who shows the path to realize the Ishta through a mantra. Upa Gurus can be many. But the Guru is the one that commands, 'Practise these Sadhanas and move with holy men.' In olden times, the custom was to live with the Guru. The Guru would watch over the disciple and if the disciple went astray, the Guru would bring him back. So none but the knower of Brahman, or one far advanced in Sadhana, should be chosen as the Guru.

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13 February 2019

Jai Ramakrishna

Teachings of Swami Brahmananda

In olden times, the custom was to live with the guru. The guru would watch over the disciple and if the disciple went astray, the guru would bring him back. So none but a knower of Brahman, or one far advanced in Sadhana, should be chosen as the guru.

How to know him?

By moving with him closely for some time. The guru too will watch his would-be disciple. If the disciple possesses a strong desire for enjoyment and cannot be easily brought round, the guru will not initiate him. He will reject him. Whomsoever the guru chooses, he will keep with him and watch over him. The family guru has one advantage—he knows everything regarding the family to which the disciple belongs.

Varanasi, 3 February 1921

Maharaj, scriptures speak of service to the guru as a necessary means to spiritual realization. How far is this true?

It is necessary at the preliminary stage but afterwards, the mind itself plays the part of the guru when it becomes absolutely pure.

The guru should not be looked upon as a human being. His physical body is the temple in which resides the Lord. If the guru is served with this ideal in mind, one comes to acquire love and devotion for him, which can then be directed towards God.

Belur Math 1918

Complete self-surrender to God is not an easy matter. The mind always creates doubts and raises questions as this: 'I have neither seen nor known God. How can I love and resign myself to Him?'

Once a person complained to Sri Ramakrishna, 'I do not feel inclined to take the name of God.'

'What is it that draws your mind away?' asked Sri Ramakrishna.

'It is my goat, I love it more than anything else,' was the reply.

'Very well,' said Sri Ramakrishna. 'When you feel and serve your goat, think that you are feeding and serving God Himself. Do this sincerely for some time and you will find everything all right.'

The guru shows the disciple the path to life eternal, and protects him from all troubles. Putting great faith in the words of the guru, let the disciple live according to them. After a time he will feel that the impurities of his mind are vanishing and divine light is gradually making its appearance within.

There is no doubt that everything is achieved through faith in the guru. The disciple should not look upon him as an ordinary human being, but as God. Through meditation on, and service to the guru, the disciple is purified both in body and mind. Then the guru appears before the disciple, and revealing the Ishta to the latter, he disappears. Without purity in body and mind one cannot have the vision of God.

There is a verse:

Gururbrahma gururvishnuh

Gururdevo mahesvarah;

Gurureva param brahma

Tasmai Sri Gurave namah.

'Guru is Brahma, guru is Vishnu, guru is Siva Himself. Verily guru is no other than the highest Brahman. Salutations to the guru.'

If the disciple has sincere faith in the guru, it is easy for him to attain divine knowledge and devotion. The one thing needed is faith in the guru. When this is gained, everything is gained.

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14 February 2019

Jai Ramakrishna

Teachings of Swami Brahmananda

Realization of God is impossible without purification of the heart. Sri Ramakrishna used to say, 'If the Guru is a perfect and illumined soul, the ego of the disciple is destroyed in no time.

But if the Guru himself is unillumined, then both he and his disciple have to suffer a great deal; the disciple will not be able to get rid of his ego or the fetters that bind him to the world.' It is not possible for an unillumined Guru to bring about the liberation of his disciple. How is it possible for an ordinary man to save another from the fetters of the world? God alone, who is the author of this world-enchanting maya, can free man from its meshes.

Only a knower of God can show the way of liberation to another. But how can he who has not realized God, who has no commission from Him, who has not been strengthened by divine strength, free a soul from the bonds of the world? If the blind leads the blind, both are sure to come to grief. It is only after God-realization one gets the inner vision. Then only can one truly understand the difficulties of another and give him proper instruction.

If a person possesses sincere yearning for God and is eager to follow the spiritual path, he is sure to find a real Guru through the grace of God. Therefore a spiritual aspirant need not feel anxious about finding a Guru.

Those who come under the guidance of a Guru who has attained realization need have no anxiety about their spiritual progress. They have been put on the right track. Now their only task is to follow it. If they meet with any trouble or make any mistake, God is sure to protect them and show them the right course. Having sincere faith in the words of the Guru let them walk along the path shown by him; that is enough.

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15 February 2019

Jai Ramakrishna

Teachings of Swami Brahmananda

What is this world like? It is like the country hog plum—containing only stone and skin, but no pulp. Besides, it increases acidity and brings colic to one who eats it.

You are all pure, young souls. Your mind is now under control, undistracted by worldly thoughts. You can realize God easily, if you strive from now itself. You can fix your mind on God without much exertion when you are young. But it is a very hard task to bring the mind under control once it gets scattered.

The Vaishnavas have this beautiful saying: 'The Jiva has the grace of the three—Guru, God and devotees. But without the grace of the one it comes to utter ruin.'

The meaning is: The disciple has received the grace of Guru abundantly, through the grace of God he has also been imbued with noble ideals and he has the company of holy men.

Now what is wanted is the grace of the one, that is, of his own mind. If the mind is favourable everything is accomplished. The grace of the others can be felt only when the mind is free from restlessness. The mind must be brought under control. Unless this is done, all strivings prove of no avail.

It is the nature of the mind to pull a person away from the thought of God and drown him in worldly thoughts. So, I warn you, my boys, beware! Your mind has not yet learned to wander. Before it does so, hold fast the reins.

Just as the mahout first trains the elephant and then makes it do whatever he pleases, so also we have to train the mind in such a way that it may act according to our command. It must not be our master. The only way to train the mind is to lead it to relinquish the desire for enjoyment. The moment this is done, it becomes your slave. It is for this reason that the Bhagavad Gita and other scriptures speak again and again of the glory of renunciation.

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16 February 2019

Jai Ramakrishna

Teachings of Swami Brahmananda

What is wanted is renunciation. That is the only path, and they alone can realize the glory of renunciation whose mind has not been distracted by the things of the world. Sri Ramakrishna used to say: 'The parrot learns to repeat the words taught to it when it is young. When it grows beyond a certain age, it cannot learn anything. Then it can only squawk in its usual way.'

Divine thoughts leave a deep mark on the mind in young age. It is only in youth that with a little effort one is able to understand them and translate them into practice. How simple and strong is the faith of little boys! They believe what they hear from others and try to act accordingly. They attain success wherever they apply their undistracted mind.

But when age advances, the mind is occupied with many things. It becomes restless and always wants to wander. It loses steadiness and the power of sustained thinking. It is very difficult then to make any deep impression on it. It acquires the tendency to become sceptical. It begins to doubt everything. At last these people reach such a state that it becomes very hard for them to have faith in anything. Therefore, I tell you—do what you want to do, now, when you are young.

We saw in the life of our Master that he used to speak of the life of renunciation particularly to young men. He wanted to impress on their minds the idea that God-realization is the only goal of life. He knew that the young alone would be able to take up this ideal fully.

Fortunately, you are all young and your mind is not tainted by worldly thoughts. Give up all desires and dedicate yourselves solely to God. You cannot have divine bliss and worldly enjoyments at the same time. You cannot get the one without renouncing the other. You cannot give up the lower unless you possess a taste for the higher.

This is the proper time for you to fill your mind with the thought of God to the fullest extent. Make Him your own. 'He is my all'—when this idea is firmly fixed in your mind, all your troubles will come to an end. Then no one will be able to do you harm either here or hereafter.

Does he who has tasted the syrup of sugar-candy relish molasses? Worldly joys lose their flavour when one gets a taste of divine bliss. All objects of enjoyment appear to be not only insignificant but positively bitter.

What I wish to say to you is this—offer yourself heart and soul to God and let Him do with you as He pleases.

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17 February 2019

Jai Ramakrishna

Teachings of Swami Brahmananda

The mind becomes pure through Japa. While repeating the mantra you should remember God. Such repetition and remembrance will do much good. Mere repetition without remembrance will not be of any use. I do not say that this is easy. To do it one must have initiation from a Guru.

The Guru determines your Ishta and other things necessary for your spiritual progress. There are many Ishta-devatas. One cannot suit all. Until spiritual knowledge dawns upon you, you have to follow the directions of your Guru. The more you practise, the purer you become.

To practise without the aid of a Guru is always very difficult. A few rare souls of exceptional strength of mind might be able to do so. So it is better to practise under the guidance of a Guru. Then there is no possibility of your committing any mistake. However, you should not remain idle because you have not got a Guru. Begin your spiritual practices at once and the Guru will come in proper time.

The Guru must select the disciple and the disciple must choose the Guru. If one alone selects, it is not so good. Only a perfect soul can really help the disciple. Such a Guru alone will be able to give initiation according to the differences in the nature of the disciples. An ordinary Guru can do no such thing. This latter is ready to give initiation to anyone at any time. When the proper time comes, God will send you your Guru. Until you get such a Guru, your duty is to worship God. If not, your days will be spent in vain. Hence have regular meditation, Japa and Bhajan every day.

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18 February 2019

Jai Ramakrishna

Teachings of Swami Brahmananda

Maharaj was seated in the living room surrounded by many devotees. His eyes were half closed.

After some time he said:

"What is the aim of spiritual practice? To know Him, to attain union with Him. Through His grace 'the knot of the heart, which is ignorance is loosed, all doubts are dissolved, all evil effects of deeds are destroyed, when He who is both personal and impersonal is realized.'

Take refuge in Him and earnestly pray for His grace. Why did you come here, renouncing hearth and home? While eating, while lying down, while standing, while sitting, pray to Him: 'Lord, give me the power to feel and understand your grace!'

"We are only travellers in this world. Our eternal abode is at the lotus feet of God. Sri Krishna said in the Gita: 'I am the end of the path, the witness, the Lord, the sustainer. I am the place of abode, the beginning, the friend, and the refuge. I lie under the seen, of all creatures the seed that is changeless.'

"Unfortunate is he who, instead of taking refuge in God, becomes entangled in the world. The blessed feet of the Lord are our eternal home. We must reach them somehow. He alone is the truth. That truth is to be attained. Let not your life pass by in vain.

Almost everyone thinks that what he understands is the only truth and the way for everybody. Sometimes man becomes so egotistic and thinks himself so important that he does not even accept the existence of God. It is this ego that binds a man in Maya. There is no escape until you begin to feel, 'Not I, not I, but Thou, my Lord!'

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19 February 2019

Jai Ramakrishna

Teachings of Swami Adbhutanandaji Maharaj

On Maya and Freedom

Biharilal Sarkar: "Maharaj, we read in the scriptures that God is man's inner guide. If that is true, then why does man suffer so much? How can one who is guided by the ever-pure Satchidananda get involved in evil actions?"

Latu Maharaj: "You have answered your own question. The essential nature of man, which is ever-pure, cannot be polluted by good and evil."

Bihari Babu: "Then do you mean that man has two natures, one affected by good and evil and the other not—or are you saying that good and evil do not really exist?"

Latu Maharaj: "Let me explain: Sri Ramakrishna said, 'Good and evil exist and they are also non-existent.' As long as God keeps the sense of ego in a man, he will perceive duality—both good and evil.

When God takes away the sense of ego, the perception of duality, good and evil also disappears. So long as a man is subject to the law of karma, he is aware of good and evil. When, through God's grace, a man is released from the bonds of karma, the man's awareness of good and evil also goes: for good and evil are the fruits of karma.

As you sow, so you will reap. It is the Lord who established this law of karma for the benefit of the world and mankind. Divine Providence has given man the sense of free will and the principle of karma. It is left to man to do as he wishes. If he chooses to do actions which bring him unhappiness and misery, he alone is responsible, not God."

Bihari Babu: "But Maharaj, the scriptures say that God is guiding man. So the responsibility is God's, not ours."

Latu Maharaj: "Yes, the scriptures are right. It is the responsibility of the operator, not the instrument. But tell me, who is guiding the individual soul who is bound by Maya? Maya herself is acting as the operator. Do you know the nature of Maya's game? She loves to play and wants to play always. She enjoys ups and downs, pleasure and pain, creation and destruction. She loves to raise waves of desires in the mind and does not like to still them.

But God takes charge of the soul which is not bound by Maya. When God guides a man, an uninterrupted current of happiness, peace, and bliss flows in his mind and no other waves of thought can be raised there. He becomes one with that unfathomable, waveless ocean of Satchidananda."

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20 February 2019

Jai Ramakrishna

Teachings of Swami Adbhutanandaji Maharaj

On Maya and Freedom

Maya helps man attain mukti

Bihari Babu: "Maharaj, we know that the scriptures have compared Brahman with the ocean and Maya with the waves on its surface. Now let me ask, what is the difference between the waves and the ocean when both are water? In that case wouldn't being guided by Maya and being guided by God be the same?"

Latu Maharaj: "Yes, from one point of view they are the same, but there is another point of view, too. The Master used to say, 'The waves belong to the ocean, but no one can say that the ocean belongs to the waves.'

Similarly, Maya belongs to God, but Maya is not God. So you cannot say that being guided by Maya is the same as being guided by God. Nevertheless, the ultimate purpose of Maya's guidance is certainly to take the individual soul to God."

Bihari Babu: "But everybody says that Maya deludes the individual soul and leads him astray."

Latu Maharaj: "Maya wants to play constantly. Because Maya's play goes on and on, man cannot see where he is being taken on his journey, so he thinks Maya is taking him in the wrong direction. But look, how can she misdirect us? Isn't God everywhere? Maya has become manifest by God's will and she is working for him."

Bihari Babu: "What! Maya is working for God?"

Latu Maharaj: "Yes, what other motive can she have?"

Bihari Babu: "But the scriptures describe Maya as illusory and world-bewitching; she makes the unreal appear to be real, and her main concern is the delusion of mankind."

Latu Maharaj: "Do you know why people say so? The scriptures speak harshly against Maya because she has qualified the unqualified Brahman. And there is another reason: God alone is real, Maya, by comparison, is unreal, illusory.

But Maya is unreal only in relation to God. From man's standpoint, Maya is avidya, ignorance, which is neither real nor unreal. If you watch Maya carefully, you will see that she is pushing man toward God step by step. With one hand she is deluding man and with the other she is unveiling consciousness before him. She works in a balanced way, without any motive of her own. She balances both happiness and misery, both goodness and evil. Do you know the intention behind all this? To teach us. If Maya's purpose were to lead man astray, she would show us only one aspect, not both.

But because Maya shows us two aspects, she simultaneously deludes and enlightens. True, she causes man much trouble and her path is very roundabout and time-consuming, but eventually it will lead one to God. After you suffer repeated blows and much torment in this world and come to understand Maya's ways, Maya won't be able to hold you anymore. Then you will be released by her sattvic power. That is why she is called the one who makes the impossible possible."

Bihari Babu: "Does Maya have a benign power too?"

Latu Maharaj: "Certainly. Maya is God's power, and can that power be all bad?"

Bihari Babu: "Maharaj, from the way you are talking, Maya seems to be something great."

Latu Maharaj: "Yes, that is true. Maya is great and that greatness is God himself.

The other day a monk explained it nicely:

'Man has already attained God: to try further for realization is useless. This universe belongs to God and man is living in it: thus he has attained salokya-mukti, liberation by living in the same region as God.

God made man in his own image: and thus man has attained sarupya-mukti, liberation by having a form similar to God's.

God is everywhere, so man is always near him: and thus he has attained samipya-mukti, liberation by living close to God.

The only thing that he has not yet attained is sayujya-mukti, becoming one with God.'"

And Maya helps man attain this Sayujya mukti too.

21/02/2019

Jai Ramakrishna

21 February 2019

TEACHINGS OF SWAMI ADBHUTANANDA

ADVICE TO A DEVOTEE

A Devotee: "Maharaj, why are there so many ups and downs in the mind of a householder?"

Latu Maharaj: "Because the mind of a householder is too involved with worldly objects. Sometimes it goes up as a result of spiritual practices, but it falls back again. The Master used to say: if one ties a rope with a brick at the end of it to the tail of a mongoose, it will be able to climb a wall only as far as the loose rope permits but no farther, because of the weight of the brick. Likewise, the mind of a householder may move toward God, but the weight of worldly objects pulls it back. To keep the mind always in God is a great tapasya: such a mind does not fluctuate between high and low. A thread with stray fibers cannot pass through the eye of a needle; similarly, a mind with desires cannot be absorbed in God.

"When a man's mind becomes fully concentrated on God, he enjoys the bliss of the Atman. But this is very difficult in the householder's life. Disease, sorrow, enjoyment, desire—all these are constant companions of the householder; also physical lethargy and mental restlessness. In addition to these if the man doubts the existence of God, there is no hope of his getting liberation. Often you will find that worldly people are busy with their families, their children, and other mundane matters, but they have no inclination to think about God. Such distracted minds cannot make progress in spiritual life."

A Devotee: "Then should we give up family life and call on God only?"

Latu Maharaj: "Why should you give up your family? Doesn't one's family belong to God? Therefore, call on him who is the real head of the family. One will have to do one's duty in this world. How can you escape it? Wherever you go, the world will follow you. Does it exist outside us? No, everything is in our own minds. If your mind desires enjoyment, you will seek enjoyment even in the forest; and if you don't have that desire for sense objects, you will not want them even if you are surrounded by them. Whether you live in a household or in the forest, you must call on God; otherwise all is in vain.

"Brother Turiyananda used to say, 'Only a fool thinks that he will take his bath in the ocean after the waves have subsided.' Do you think he will ever take his bath? The waves of the ocean will never stop; he will never get his bath, even if he waits his whole life. So I say, wherever you may be, whatever your mental condition, dive deep in the name of God. He who can do this will attain the highest. On the other hand, a man who decides to solve all his problems before he calls on God will never reach the goal; for as long as you have a body, you must experience disease, sorrow, fear, pain, and suffering. 'It is troublesome to have a body.' Anyone who wants to escape from all these troubles will have to hold onto God. God is Satchidananda—Absolute Existence, Knowledge, and Bliss. His bliss removes all suffering."

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22/02/2019

Jai Ramakrishna

22 February 2019

Teachings of Swami Adbhutanandaji

A devotee: "Maharaj, please tell us about the bliss of Brahman."

Latu Maharaj: "Ah, you see, that bliss cannot be compared with any joy you may find in this world. It is inexpressible. Worldly happiness is the product of Maya. Maya operates within the three states of waking, dreaming, and dreamless sleep. But beyond those three is another realm, Turiya, which is extremely difficult to reach. The bliss of that realm is free from Maya. You know how sweet is the joy within Maya. Ordinary people are enchanted by it. They do not even think for a moment how immensely sweeter is God whose Maya is so sweet!"

A devotee: "Maharaj, why do you say that Maya's joy is sweet? It is nothing but scorching flames."

Latu Maharaj: "But you see, most people love that burning sensation."

On another occasion Latu Maharaj said: "Nothing in this world is valuable except bliss. Do you know why people want money, property, wife, and children? Because they think they will get physical and mental happiness from them. So they are ready to work day and night for them. If they would divert that energy toward God, they could get the permanent genuine bliss of Satchidananda instead of the transitory happiness of the world."

ON SURRENDER

Latu Maharaj: "You speak about dependence on God so superficially! If you do not get any response after calling on God for a couple of days, you follow your own way according to your mood, as if you understood the situation better than he.

"Surrendering oneself to God means that one should move at his command. Do not do anything without his command. Even if it means a great loss for you, do not stray from that. Only when you have attained this state can you say that you have truly surrendered yourself to God.

"Brother Vivekananda used to say: 'If I cannot get Rama, shall I live with Shyama? If necessary, let this life be spent in vain for Sri Ramakrishna.' See how he surrendered himself to the Master! He was ready at any moment to give up his life for the Lord over the smallest thing. This is the way one should hold onto the Master; only then can he guide you in the right direction."

A devotee: "Maharaj, why do we not have that kind of dependence on God?"

Latu Maharaj: "It is because you value your intellect and ego more than God. You are not ready to wait for his command, and moreover, you lose patience in a minute."

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23/02/2019

Jai Ramakrishna

23 February 2019

Teachings of Swami Adbhutanandaji

FEELING FOR OTHERS

"Only a poor man can love the poor. A rich man cannot feel the sufferings of the poor, for no one can understand the sufferings of others unless he has undergone the same suffering."

Brother Vivekananda told Turiyananda: "Brother, I do not know exactly what I have gained by leading this monk's life, but one thing is certain: This [Swami Vivekananda pointed to his heart] has expanded enormously."

"If the desire to do charitable works arises in the mind of a rich man, it shows that his heart has started to feel for the poor. God tests man by making him wealthy, and that is a hard test to pass.

"Tests devised by men are easy to pass, but divine tests are very difficult. God may give plenty of riches to one man, but so delude him by Maya that he will never in his life desire to be charitable. Again, God may give a generous heart to another person, but not give him much money. Blessed indeed are they who are rich yet feel for the poor.

"Money brings vanity. The more egotistic a man is, the farther he is from God, and thus the poorer he is.

"Do not measure the poverty of a man by his possessions. The real measure is how far he is from God. The nearer to the Lord, the richer the man: the more forgetful of the Lord, the poorer and unhappier he is."

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24/02/2019

Jai Ramakrishna

24 February 2019

Teachings of Swami Adbhutanandaji

ON LUST

A devotee: "How can one overcome lust?"

Latu Maharaj: "Keep a picture of Sri Ramakrishna with you. Whenever lustful feelings arise, you should look at the picture intently. You will find that the senses will gradually be gathered in and the mind will be freed from lust."

ATTITUDE TOWARD WOMEN

Once Latu Maharaj told a group of men devotees: "Some men abuse women, but you should never raise your hand against them. You do not know how much they bear—they are forbearance itself. If you abuse them, where shall they turn? They are aspects of the Divine Mother, and if the Mother is insulted, the Lord is displeased. Thus your well-being lies in making them happy. Their tears will ruin you, as Sita's tears destroyed the whole of Ravana's people."

ON RESTLESSNESS

Latu Maharaj once said to a restless devotee: "Why do you think of all sorts of nonsense when you sit to meditate? Can't you whip your mind? Even if you cannot control your mind and you become disgusted, please don't leave your seat: for if you get up from meditation with that attitude of disgust, you will be in a bad mood all day, and you will feel like beating one person, scolding another, and speaking harshly to a third.

"The Master told us, 'Do not get up from your seat immediately after meditation.' While you are still sitting on the asana [seat for meditation], sing devotional songs for ten or fifteen minutes, and then you will feel calmness in your mind throughout the day."

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25/02/2019

Jai Ramakrishna

25 February 2019

Teachings of Swami Adbhutanandaji

DESIRES AND SENSE OBJECTS

Latu Maharaj: "Worldly desires have taken up permanent residence in the mind. Sometimes they float on the surface of the mind, and sometimes they are so hidden that it seems they do not even exist. But the closer you are to God, the more you will see the knots of desire hidden in the mind. The more your body and mind are purified, the more the dirt and dross which have accumulated during thousands of lives will be stirred up and will challenge your spirituality. The energy generated by spiritual disciplines forces the impurities to leave the mind, their fort.

"How can they cope against the power of the Lord's name? You see, the desires are very shrewd. They take possession not only of the mind of a person but his sense organs as well. As soon as a desire is aroused in the mind, the sense organs are awakened. The eyes want to see, the ears want to hear, the tongue to taste and speak, the nose to smell, and the body to feel. The hands want to work and the feet carry the person to where the object is. The other sense organs are alert, and whenever the opportunity comes they also enjoy.

"Do you know what the mind does? It conjures up enticing pictures with the imagination. Imagination is man's worst enemy, his greatest tempter, for it creates beautiful pictures of sense pleasures and nearly destroys man's conscience. Thus man is drawn to sense objects.

"Therefore, if you want to control the desire for worldly things, first, control the imagination and don't be deluded by sense enjoyments."

A devotee: "But how can one control the imagination?"

Latu Maharaj: "The imagination can be controlled by withdrawing the mind from the object, although that will not still the mind.

"Sri Ramakrishna said that three things are necessary in the process of perception: the object of perception, the sense organ, and the mind. Perception of the object is not possible if one of these three is missing. So if you can eliminate one of them, the mind will not be able to cognize. It is hard to eliminate the objects of perception. They come and go. We have to encounter them always. How can one live and avoid sense objects? So long as you can avoid the sense objects, your self-control may be intact: but as soon as you come near them again, you will find yourself deluded by their attraction. So instead, try to withdraw either the sense organ or the mind from the object. Then automatically the object will not be perceived.

"The nature of the mind can be changed by chanting the name of the Lord. Gradually desires and doubts cease and the mind dissolves into its causality. Then there is none to think or imagine. Waves of desire in the mind show that the mind is active: the mind becomes pure only when it becomes waveless. The power of God descends on the pure mind, and only then does one realize the Self."

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26/02/2019

Jai Ramakrishna

26 February 2019

(Teachings of Swami Vijnananandaji)

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.

The body is made up of five Bhutas (the word meaning both ghosts and the constituent material elements), and as one would call on Rama to get rid of the fear of ghosts, so also one must take refuge in Rama to be saved from the lures of these elements.

Your body is built through the food you take, and if that is not clean and pure, how can you expect mental perfection?

Likewise, there have been spiritual interpretations of ratha yatra and snanayatra (the Lord's Car Festival). Whoever sees God inside the chariot of the body derives the joy of the Car Festival. In the Katha Upanishad, also, it is written that the body is the chariot and the soul is the charioteer.

The "Festival of Bathing" means dipping oneself in the water of noble and sacred thoughts.

There are three particular regions of the body which are good for the purpose of meditation: the heart, the spot between the eyebrows, and the nerve centre in the brain (sahasrara).

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27/02/2019

Jai Ramakrishna

27 February 2019

(Teachings of Swami Vijnananandaji)

Now I shall refer to another story. A very well-read man went to a Sadhu for guidance in the matter of Self-realization. The Sadhu told him: "First of all you have to unlearn all that you have learnt in books, and then you can come to me." So you see that book-learning is useless for the purpose you have in view. The only thing required is faith.

Brahman is like a motionless snake. Shakti is like a snake in motion and that is the kundalini.

From Buddha's life and discourses, we find that action follows thought; as you think, so you act.

You recite "Ram, Ram" (the name of Rama). Do you know what "rum" is? It is an intoxicating drink. You cannot know what it is like unless you drink it. You cannot know the glory of God's name unless you chant it.

To grieve over not having a male child and to think that this means the end of the family line is a very crude way of looking at things. Real children are one's good, liberal, and holy thoughts—also, good deeds. These last forever; there is no death for them.

Her divine light is pervaded everywhere; only man cannot realize it. Babies, six or seven months old, see that light, and seeing it smile and play, moving their arms and legs, at the sight of which people say that they are doing so in a dream.

It is a matter of fact, the company of holy men makes the heart pure forever. It is said that the sage Durvasa once went to visit hell where condemned souls were suffering all sorts of tortures as punishment for their sins. As soon as the sage made his appearance there, they were relieved of their agonies and began to sing the glories of God. Hell seemed to have been transformed into heaven; the reason was that the sage's purity of life had such innate power in it as to deliver those tortured souls from their sins, and save them from the agonies of hell.

People very often are saved if they live in the proximity of spiritually developed souls. Once, on Dussera day, we were staying with Swamiji in Nilambar Mukherji's garden-house at Belur. It was the monastery then. Swamiji was in those days on a very high spiritual plane. That day when I touched his feet in obeisance, I received a strong shock like that of electricity. Anyone going near such persons would feel as if a spiritual zone had been created round about them. Whosoever entered that zone could feel as if an electric force was entering into him from outside. He would have that experience immediately.

Great souls, wherever they are, create a spiritual zone around them; and anybody coming within that zone realizes something like an electric current passing into him. It is a very strange phenomenon, impossible to explain, unless one has experienced it oneself.

Swami Brahmananda also was a reservoir of spiritual power. One day, when he was sitting in deep meditation, his body had become stiff. I was sitting close to him and felt my nerves also getting stiff and taut. This is a wonderful play of energy, one's power involuntarily acting on another.

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28/02/2019

Jai Ramakrishna

28 February 2019

(Teachings of Swami Vijnananandaji)

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?

Do not give up japa and meditation simply because you cannot concentrate your mind properly.

My 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 Pure 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 God 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 world where we would be keeping company with the Master.

But I have decided not to go anywhere. 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 Loka—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 grant.

Real welfare lies in using things properly, wrong use of things brings misfortune.

You should be satisfied with whatever you can get to 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.