Once a young daughter, barely eight years old, accompanied her parents to a place of worship. After attending the prayer service which included the usual sermon the family returned home. That evening the parents were discussing the morning worship. Listening to the discussion the observant child said, "But the preacher did not tell us anything about God." Upon reflection it was true. The preacher spoke about the sad condition of the world, environmental issues and a touch of current politics. The young girl had an innate spiritual quest and it went unsatisfied even in a regular place of worship. This is the tragedy we see in several places of worship.
Swami Vivekananda pointed out that spirituality can be given as tangibly as one person can hand over a rose to another. Furthermore the effect of sacred knowledge is indeed wonderful. It slowly transforms man the brute into man the saint. It purifies the character, transforms the personality and leaves one full of a divine light that produces strength, inner security and fulfillment. The effects of divine knowledge can be noticed as an individual grows spiritually.
The teacher, preacher or Guru is the most important component in the transmission of sacred knowledge. Such a person has a tremendous responsibility. If one preaches the word of God without purity of character and an abiding love and surrender to God then all one's words become fruitless. Sri Ramakrishna says:
"If you go on preaching without a commission from God, it will all be powerless and none will listen. One must first attain God by devotion or otherwise, and then, if one receives His word one may teach and preach anywhere. For this only one gets power and strength; and then only can one rightly perform the responsible duties of the preacher."
One sees this very statement exemplified in the life of Sri Ramakrishna. He taught as 'one in authority'. His love for God was contagious. He transmitted his passionate love for God and his inner realizations to his listeners through his words, his actions, his songs and even his silence. His listeners were spellbound. People were transformed and left with a lingering sense of joy. They were left with strength and wisdom to fulfil their duties in an earnest and righteous manner.
Swami Vivekananda was a religious teacher par excellence. After his epoch-making speeches at the World's Parliament of Religions in 1893 he was invited to preach in many parts of the USA. On Wednesday, 29 November 1894 he was in Iowa State. The Daily News of Des Monies carried the following news item and some significant comments of Swamiji:
'Vivekananda attended a prayer meeting on Wednesday evening and witnessed the baptism of two young [American] women. The service impressed him very much. He said, " I see. The sentiment is ennobling and the ceremony beautiful. It is more impressive that the minister is honest, earnest and believes what he says."'
Though Swami Vivekananda was observing a Christian ceremony his comments are universally applicable. Teaching religion requires an inner honesty. Obviously any person who is too worldly, that is to say, who loves the world more than God, would be a poor instrument for teaching the values of religion. In religious practice hypocrisy breeds failure.
In the ultimate analysis, religious teachings do not just have academic value nor leisure fulfilment. The purpose of divine knowledge is to empower, transform and enlighten people.
(The Lord incarnates Himself from time to time for the welfare of all humanity. A few words, a gentle touch or just a glance from Him is enough to change a person's life. Swami Akhandananda, a direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna, relates the following incident of Sri Ramakrishna's transforming effect on Manmath the ruffian.)
It will not be out of place here to relate a story in connection with Manmath - an expert wrestler and noted ruffian, who was, as we shall see, completely transformed by coming in contact with Sri Ramakrishna. It happened like this. Yogin Ma, the great woman devotee [of Sri Ramakrishna], had a brother, Hiralal, who objected to his sister's visiting Sri Ramakrishna at Dakshineshwar. So on the occasion when she invited the Master to the house for the first time and I accompanied him there, her brother asked Manmath to be present in order to frighten Sri Ramakrishna away. But Manmath, after seeing the Master and hearing a few of his words, fell flat at the Master's feet and wept, saying, "My Lord, I am very guilty. Please forgive me." The Master told him to come to Dakshineshwar. I knew Manmath very well indeed, and he asked me, "Do take me to him - he has graciously invited me to go there". So a day was fixed and we both set off together in a coach with a pot of Rasagollas (Bengali sweets). The Master treated him very kindly.
I said to Sri Ramakrishna in front of Manmath, "This man is a noted ruffian of whom all the boys are afraid, and in riotous clashes he is always the ringleader."
The Master touched Manmath's body, and said, "How hard!"
Hearing that Manmath had cast off his sacred thread, the Master asked him, "Why don't you put it on?"
"Sir," he replied, "when I perspire it sticks to my body causing a scratching sensation. So I dropped it".
The Master gravely said, "You should put on this Brahminical symbol". Then he took Manmath to the Kali temple and while circumambulating, blessed him in a solitary corner and asked him to visit him on another Sunday. Once again I took Manmath to see the Master - they met only three times in all.
This is what I heard some years later from my fellow disciple, Swami Shivananda: "When I passed by Manmath's house in Baghbazar, I heard him repeating 'Mother, Mother!' And his appearance is quite different these days - his body is no longer bulky and his hair is long. If you could see him now, you would be astonished." Then in 1890 (four years after the Master's passing), Manmath came to our first monastery at Baranagore, barefooted and with only one piece of cheap cloth around him. He kept repeating with folded palms, "My beloved Lord! My beloved Lord! (Priyanath! Priyanath!)". Many of us, brother-monks, were present, including Swamiji, Ramakrish-nananda, ... and others. Manmath smiled sweetly at me from time to time. Swamiji said to me, "You were instrumental in his having the Master's bountiful grace and this transformation". Then a few years after that, I went with a friend to see Manmath at his home. He was winklessly gazing at the sun, without any outward consciousness. His body was emaciated and he wore an ochre cloth. The sight of his divine madness moved me exceedingly.
That day I realized that what is not gained by austere penances in the mountains and forests, is attainable easily at home through the Master's grace.
(Reprinted from: "Service of God in Man" by Swami Akhandananda; Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai, 1981.)
Memories of the Holy Mother - Swami Vishuddhananda
(During his young days Swami Vishuddhananda had the great good fortune of serving the Holy Mother, Sri Sarada Devi. The following is a beautiful recollection of the Swami's, when he accompanied the Mother on a visit to the Bangalore Ramakrishna Ashram. Swami Ramakrishnananda, a direct disciple of Sri
Ramakrishna, was also at Bangalore at that time.)
It was about the end of March 1911, when the Holy Mother visited Bangalore .
The surroundings of the Ramakrishna Ashrama at that time were quiet and charming. And even at the present time the Ashrama, with its extensive grounds, continues to preserve that solitude in spite of the rapid growth of the city. The compound is dotted with valuable fruit and flower trees. In front is the wide Bull Temple Road (Basavangudi) which leads to the temple of that name, which enshrines a huge image of Nandi (bull) and is visited by streams of pilgrims. The Mother and her women companions were accommodated in the Ashrama building, while the monks and devotees lived in temporary tents outside. As the happy news of the Mother's visit spread over the town, devotees began to come in great numbers, and the flowers they brought for offering sometimes formed into huge heaps.
At Bangalore the Mother stayed for about a week. One afternoon she was taken by me in a carriage to the cave temple of Gavipur, a little distance behind the Ashrama. The Mother got down and visited the temple and then returned to the Ashrama by the carriage. The whole time spent outside was not long. But whereas there was none there at the Ashrama besides the inmates at the time of our going out, when we returned, we found the whole compound crowded with thousands of visitors. At the sound of the Mother's carriage they stood up instantaneously and then prostrated on the ground. The Mother, who was visibly moved by the sight, alighted from the carriage and stood there motionless for about five minutes, extending her right arm in blessing. A perfect silence reigned all round, and the whole atmosphere was surcharged with a divine inspiration which every one felt. The Mother then silently walked to the Ashrama and sat down in the central room, where the devotees also gathered. Here again were enacted those speechless transmission and imbibition of transcendental bliss that the scriptures speak of. There was no question and no answer, and yet all doubts were resolved. Breaking that tangible silence the Mother said to me, who was by her side, 'What a pity, I don't know their language. What solace they would derive, if I could but speak a few words'. When I translated this for the devotees, they said, 'No, no, this is all right. Even as such our hearts are filled with bliss in your presence. No word of mouth is necessary on such an occasion'. Wonderful are the ways of the Mother and wonderful her children!
It was on another evening. There is a small hillock behind the Ashrama, within the compound. A little while before dark, the Mother climbed on its top along with one or two others and sat there enjoying the beauty of the setting sun. When this news reached Swami Ramakrishnananda, he was immediately transported to a new region. He hastened to the spot and said in amazement, 'Indeed the Mother has become a dweller on the mountain (Parvata-vasini)'. He was stout and began to pant as he climbed that low hillock; but nothing daunted he went up straight to the Mother and prostrating before her, laying his head on her feet, chanted three well known verses from the Chandi, which are used as Mantras for the salutation of the Divine Mother, viz. beginning with 'Sarva-mangalamangalye' (xi. 10-12). And he prayed fervently, 'Grace! ,Grace!'. The Mother caressed his head, as though pacifying an importunate son.
(Reprinted from: "Prabuddha Bharata", March 1954.)
Swami Vivekananda's Message to the Young - Prof. J N Dey
(The following is a transcript of an address delivered by Prof J N Dey, in Kankhal, India. The professor highlights three key qualities that all youth should possess, and which Swami Vivekananda had laid great stress on. Although this message was delivered to an Indian audience, it has a universal relevance.)
Persons like Swami Vivekananda should not be taken as belonging solely to a particular sect or community, or a particular province or a particular country. They come for the whole world. They are really world figures. And, if we try to see them from this angle, we are able to appreciate them more fully. Swamiji [Vivekananda] was a fountain of spirituality, one who had had the highest realization. But as his purpose of coming to this world was to show man the right path, he chalked out paths for us too - by us, I mean us, students.
In the gradual evolution of man, he goes from Tamas to Rajas and then to Sattva, after which he goes beyond these. When he is in the Tamasic stage his qualities are laziness, sleep, attachment to little things like eating, drinking etc. In the Rajasic stage he is full of action and energy, is always up and doing, does his best to surpass others in the field or fields that he is interested in, and so on. It is after the Rajasic stage that he goes to the Sattvic,-why, we are not discussing here. In the Sattvic stage, he is cool and collected, has complete mastery over his senses, so much so, that he seldom does any wrong. In this stage, the activity and restlessness of the Rajasic stage has vanished. To the outward eye the Tamasic may, in a number of respects, look like the Sattvic one. And, to our great misfortune, it was this mistake, says Swamiji, that we had been committing for centuries. We had been taking our Tamasic stage as the Sattvic and were thinking that we were great religious people. He, of course, never meant that there were no Sattvic men in India. There certainly were such men. But it is about the average man that he spoke thus. We would not defend ourselves against foreign attacks on our country and our culture, with the result that we have been slaves for centuries. It would fill us with dread to think of developing Rajasic qualities in us, thinking that thereby we would be going down and that it was against the injunctions of our scriptures! Here it was that Swami Vivekananda hammered us most.
He would say that the future of the country depended on the young boys and girls - that from them we had to create the future Gargis, Maitreyis, Arjunas, Bhimas - men and women who would be ideals in any country! So we had to see that these young boys and girls were given the right education. Unfortunately in this country, education had come to mean only the acquiring of a few university degrees by any means. But the real meaning of education, according to him, should be "the manifestation of the perfection already in man," To do this, he says, we have to cultivate in our young generation "self-reliance", "a high standard of character" and "fearlessness." According to him, if a man after acquiring the highest degrees that the country can give, lacks these qualities, he is not educated at all. He is no better than a donkey who carries a huge load of learned books on his back. "Unless we can have men and women possessing these qualities," he would say, "the future of the country is very dark indeed!" Fortunately for us, we have today a few men in this country, who, judged from this angle, are really educated in spite of the system of education prevalent. And, you see for yourselves how they have raised the country's prestige.
Should we then not try our best to acquire these qualities, so that each one of us does something for the motherland? Let us then take these qualities one by one and see how we can develop them in us, following the way as indicated by Swamiji.
The first one in the list is Self-Reliance. Swamiji was very much struck with the American system of education. "There," he said, "the teacher would announce beforehand the subject matter to be taken up in class. The students would then consult their text books and the library and prepare themselves on the subject to the best of their capacity. Then in class the major portion of the teacher's time would be devoted to hearing what the various members of the class had to say. Often discussions would follow. The teacher would help them on to come to the right conclusion by suggestions or statements as the occasion required. This would be followed by the announce-ment of the next day's topic, which, in most cases, would automatically follow from the present discussions."
The result of this was, as Swamiji saw it, that each boy would try to understand by himself the subject in hand to the best of his capacity. Then next day, during the discussions, or when the suggestions would be made by the teacher, he would have the few points that eluded him, made clear, and as understanding would dawn on him, he would become very happy and the lessons would become very interesting. As days passed this way, the student would find that there would be very few points which he would not understand when reading by himself. So gradually the student developed more and more self-reliance and when he grew up to be a young man, he was ready to face any problem by himself, for that had become his habit. This system is slowly coming into our schools too. During the time that we give to our private study, we should be going over the portion that the teacher would take up the next day, which does not require much intelligence to find out, even if the teacher does not tell us about it beforehand. Then, next day when the teacher teaches this subject we shall have the few points that were beyond us when we did it by ourselves, made clear and we shall start taking an interest in the lesson. Anyone who will follow this principle, will, I am sure, see for himself or herself, the benefit that comes out of it. And, when we grow up, we too, like the American students, will be ready to face any problem by ourselves.
The second one in the list is Character. This, according to the Swami, entailed many qualities. One who has this quality, has to be honest in word, mind and deed. He has to have a strong sense of morality and chastity in thought and action, has to have a strong mind in a strong body. Nothing about him should be cringing. He should be a force in himself. This, Swamiji said, would easily come to one, if one practised unstinted Brahmacharya (Celibacy). By this practice would come to him a great power of concentration and a strong memory would follow. So Swamiji's advice to students was always to be up and doing - that they should take an active part in games that improved their physique and have time for constant reading of books dealing with the lives and doings of our great characters of the past. Along with these, the lives of the great men of other countries also should be studied. From these one has to take lessons as to how to improve oneself. So, only that which would apply to one's own case should be isolated with great care and then assimilated. He hated mere copying. "We should never be imitators," he would say. Every student should start taking pride in his own culture and the glorious past of his country - and there should be a desire in every student to make the country of the future a more glorious one - by taking what was good in us and adding to it what is good in others. Every student should feel that his or her objective in life is not just to pass examinations somehow and thus have the wherewithal to earn his bread, but that he has to devote all his energies to the acquiring of real knowledge by virtue of which he would become an ideal worker in any field into which inborn abilities would fit him. "No work was," would say the Swami, "low or useless. Our scriptures say again and again that it was how a work was done that really mattered and not the work itself."
The third quality that Swamiji would again and again ask us to develop was Fearlessness. He would say that the idea of "Fearlessness" was the very backbone of Indian Culture. Our Vedas again and again pronounce that word. This is the reason why the Upanishads and especially the Katha Upanishad was such a great favourite with the Swami. What great sraddha (faith) the teenager Naciketa had and how he ultimately, by virtue of this quality, attained that highest knowledge which makes us 'Fearless'! "Sri Krishna", would say the Swami, "in the Gita again and again asks Arjuna to shed his fear complex and to stand up and fight." Every one of us has to be an Arjuna in our daily lives when we have to fight our own battles. It is with "Fearlessness" in our heart that we have to face these. The same blood that flowed in the veins of our ancestors, those great seers, who proclaimed, "That great Truth has been found, knowing which we cross all fear", still flows in our veins. If we simply turn a little within we shall find that the quality of fearlessness is already in us. The position that India has made for herself today is due to a few men in our country who actually believe in this state of fearlessness. Imagine those glorious days, when those who are young now will have the hold of future India, each one having been brought up in the mantram of 'Fearlessness'!
(Reprinted from: "Prabuddha Bharata", September 1958.)
President's Page: Lead us to the Light - Swami Vimokshananda
(Maha Shivaratri, the festival of Lord Shiva, is celebrated by Hindus the world over. Devotees offer worship on this holy night in various different ways. In this article, Swami Vimokshananda looks at how Maha Shivaratri is celebrated by the Centre in South Africa. Swami Vivekananda's important teaching regarding Shiva and Seva or service is also explored.)
Maha Shivaratri is a momentous occasion for Hindus throughout South Africa. Devotees pray fervently for the long twelve hours in each phase of day and night. They not only keep vigil throughout the night but also fast and observe
rituals.
Our Ramakrishna Centre observes Maha Shivaratri from 6 pm to 6 am the next morning. The period is divided into four sessions of three hours each. Each session has a special puja, offering of milk, curd, ghee, honey in the respective four sessions, pasting of chandan, offering of bilwa leaves, garlanding and flower offerings etc, arati, discourses and a combination of bhajans and kirtans.
After attending the initial puja at the Centre, I spent my first session at the Phoenix Sub-Centre where more than 400 devotees had assembled. A large number of devotees had to be accommodated in the adjoining covered space where CCTV had been installed for the occasion. The topic of my talk was 'Shiva-shakti'.
The second session was at the Centre, Glen Anil where the theme of my talk was on 'Maheshwara and the Monk', comparing the salient features between Lord Shiva and Swami Vivekananda .
The third session was at the Chatsworth Sub-Centre. I took up the panchakshara mantra (Five-letter mantra) of Shiva, "Om namah shivaaya" for discussion. This was based on the stotram composed by the great Saint, Adi Shankaracharya.
In the fourth session I was at the Sri Sarada Devi Ashram, Asherville where I spoke about "Master and Shiva".
I arrived back at Glen Anil at 5 am and witnessed the havan ceremony where devotees performed the yajna.
A devotee took me by his car to all these places hopping from one to another in quick succession so that I arrived everywhere timeously. The day being spent in fasting and thinking of Lord Shiva, the night spent again in speaking about Him and His glory - indeed a very soul-fulfilling experience!
Swami Vivekananda
Swami Vivekananda's famous address at the pilgrim town Rameswaram came to my mind on that holy Maha Shivaratri night. In the address, Swamiji clearly spells out the intimate connection of Seva (service) to Shiva:
"This is the gist of all worship —to be pure and to do good to others. He who sees Shiva in the poor, in the weak, and in the diseased, really worships Shiva; and if he sees Shiva only in the image, his worship is but preliminary. He who has served and helped one poor man seeing Shiva in him, without thinking of his caste, or creed, or race, or anything, with him Shiva is more pleased than with the man who sees Him only in temples."
I started to reminisce about a memorable experience I had had in one of the jyotirlinga spots. Let me narrate how a woman in one place of pilgrimage, illiterate and poor, understood what the real worship of Shiva was.
I once went on pilgrimage to the famous jyotirlinga at Bhimashankar in the Maharashtra State, India, some years ago. From the bus I could see the distant black clouds hovering over the hills. Walking from the bus stand to the temple through the small vendors' shops and watching the selling of all and sundry items of worship and interest to pilgrims was as enchanting as it was being lightly drenched in the drizzle.
It was noon by the time I reached the holy temple. After darshan, I sat at the entrance in utter silence. Suddenly I saw a lady coming towards me. She asked, "Baba, have you had your meal?" I replied in the negative. Undoubtedly I was indeed hungry but had no inclination to go to the roadside eateries. She then asked me to accompany her to her home which, as she showed, was up in the hills. I was obviously hesitant - should I go or not? Was it proper to go with an unknown woman? And what dangers might be lurking? It is well-known that places of pilgrimage do have the usual human perils too.
Yet, finally I decided to go as I felt Master was with me and was confident that no evil would befall me. Reaching her home, in that biting cold and rain, I found her small baby playing with her little brother. It was easy for me to establish a rapport with those lovely children. Within half an hour the kind lady served me hot rotis with potato curry. Did I feel it was like nectar? Undoubtedly, yes. The love and affection that beamed in her face while feeding me cannot be forgotten.
After food, she raised some questions about some puranic tales. My answers seemed to satisfy her. In my narration, I drew on some of the parables spoken by Sri Ramakrishna to her attention and she ran inside her kitchen and brought a small photo of Thakur with great joy! I felt that it was the Master alone who had brought me to the home as He alone knows where to feed His son!
Taking leave of her and thanking her profusely for the cordial, hearty hospitality, I offered a few Rupees (Indian currency) that I had. The unlettered village woman's face turned sour and she quipped angrily as to whether I was paying the charges for the meal that she supplied. She scolded me and asked whether or not it was not enough that she served me thinking that Lord Shiva had
come to her home as atithi (honoured guest)?
It was quite difficult to convince her of the necessity to take the money. Finally when I said that she should spend it on her children's dress for the ensuing Diwali Festival, she hesitantly relented.
Poor indeed but with what a rich heart; ever ready to serve a sadhu signifying that rural India is such that it cannot see a monk in an ochre robe go unfed. India is not a punya bhumi (blessed land) merely in poetic terms.
To the Ramakrishna
Centre of South Africa's Website
