REACH September 2012 - Vedanta Centre of Sydney

12 Pages·2012·2.52 MB·English

Motto:
Reach Atmano mokshartham
jagad hitaya cha,
“For one’s own
liberation and for the
Vedanta Centres of Australia
Newsletter of the welfare of the world.”
Vedanta Centre of Sydney, 2 Stewart Street, Ermington, NSW 2115, Australia.
Website: www.vedantasydney.org; e-mails: [email protected]; [email protected]
Other websites: www.spiritualbookstore.org.au, www.spiritualbookstore.com.au
Phone: [phone]; Fax: [phone].
SSSaaayyyiiinnngggsss aaannnddd TTTeeeaaaccchhhiiinnngggsss
Bhakti alone is sufficient
“One can see God through bhakti
alone. But it must be ‘ripe’ Bhakti,
prema-bhakti and raga-bhakti. When
one has that Bhakti, one loves God
even as the mother loves the child, the
child the mother, or the wife the husband.
When one has such love and attachment
for God, one doesn’t feel the attraction
of maya to wife, children, relatives, and
friends. One retains only compassion for
them. To such a man the world appears
a strange land, a place where he has
merely to perform his duties.”
- - - Sri Ramakrishna
Sri Ramakrishna: A Biography in Pictures
Advaita Ashrama, Mayavati page 61.
On the knowledge of Brahman The Vedanta Church of Universal Religion
“The path leading to Brahman is very The front view of Vedanta Centre of Sydney—Perth Chapter at 51 Golf
difficult. It is quite natural for a man to View Street, Yokine, W.A. 6060.
forget God. Therefore, whenever the
need arises, God becomes incarnated on FFFOOORRRTTTHHHCCCOOOMMMIIINNNGGG CCCAAALLLEEENNNDDDAAARRR OOOFFF EEEVVVEEENNNTTTSSS
earth and shows the path by practising
spiritual discipline Himself. This time Function Centre Date
too, God has shown the example of
Durga Puja Auckland Sunday, 21 October 2012
renunciation. But it seems to me, my
child, that the chief characteristic of the Sydney Monday, 22 October 2012
Master’s sadhana was his renunciation.
Has anyone ever seen such natural An Evening of Music Adelaide Saturday, 3 November 2012
renunciation? ... He who is able to renounce Annual Retreat Adelaide Saturday, 1 December 2012
all for God’s sake is a living God.”
Christmas Eve
- - - Sri Sarada Devi All Centres Monday, 24 December 2012
Sri Sarada Devi: A Biography in Pictures
Brisbane Tuesday, 1 January 2013
Advaita Ashrama, Mayavati, page 71.
Kalpataru Day
On Education Melbourne Friday, 4 January 2013
“Education is not the amount of information Birth Anniversary of
Perth Friday, 4 January 2013
that is put into your brain and runs riot
Holy Mother
there, undigested all your life. We must Sydney Friday, 4 January 2013
have life-building, man-making, character- Sri Sarada Devi
building, assimilation of ideas. If you Auckland Friday, 4 January 2013
(also Kalpataru Day)
have assimilated five ideas and made
them your life and character, you have
Welcome
more education than any man who has
got by heart a whole library.”
We welcome you all to the Ramakrishna - Vedanta Movement and invite
- - - Swami Vivekananda you to attend our programmes and actively participate in the propagation of the
Teachings of Swami Vivekananda; Advaita Universal message of Vedanta as epitomized in the lives of Sri Ramakrishna,
Ashrama, Kolkata, page 53. Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi, and Swami Vivekananda.
Reach Issue No. 23 Page 1 September 2012
News from and activities of the Vedanta Centres of Australia and New Zealand
for the period from May 2012 to August 2012
He also conducted - readings and meditation and occasional
ADELAIDE CENTRE
devotional singing.
i) Scripture classes at the Centre on
Monthly activities:
the 1st Saturday and Sunday, and The bookstall made available literature
a) Swami Sridharananda continued Second Friday and Sunday of every on Ramakrishna-Vivekananda, Vedanta
his three-days-a-month visit to Adelaide
month. philosophy, and other spiritual topics
and delivered discourses on the in print, audio, and visual media
ii) Prayer meetings on the 1st Friday
Bhagavad Gitā and Yoga Sutras of
throughout the period. For further
of the month in Deception Bay, QLD.
Patanjali at the Dulwich Community
information please contact Mr.
Centre, 14 Union Street, Dulwich SA iii) Discussion groups on the 1st Suresh Ravinutala, Secretary, on 03-
5065. Swami Chandrashekharananda Monday and Tuesday of every month 9803 6154 or Mr. Mohana Krishnan
visited in August and gave talks on in Sunnybank Hills, QLD. on 03-9801 6174.
Kena Upanishad. The lectures have
iv) A class on the 1st Wednesday of
Weekly/Monthly Activities:
been recorded. For details of the
every month at Springfield, QLD.
ongoing monthly programmes please a) Swami Sridharananda continued
contact Dr. Raman Sharma, Secretary, Celebrations: to deliver monthly discourses on the
on 08- 8431 9775 or Mrs. Pathma a) The 8th Annual Celebrations of Bhagavad-Gitā from Thursday to
Iswaran on 08-8379 5336. the Centre was held on the 9th of Saturday of a prescheduled week at
b) Every month on a prescheduled June 2012. Hon. Glen Elmes, Minister Monash University Clayton Campus
Sunday a ‘reading from The Gospel for Aboriginal & Torres Straits Islander of Law, Wellington Road (L. Theatre
of Sri Ramakrishna’ was conducted and Multicultural Affairs & Minister L4). The Thursday and Friday sessions
from 2:30 p.m. at 33 Woodhouse assisting the Premier, Queensland, were from 7:45 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. and
Crescent, Wattle Park, SA 5066. was the chief guest. The programme the sessions on Saturdays were from
consisted of devotional hymns, classical 11 a.m. to 12 noon. The recordings
BRISBANE CENTRE
and folk dances and speeches by Dr. of these discourses are available in
Daily activities: Maha Sinnathamby, the Hon. Glen Audio, Video and MP3 formats.
Morning worship, evening ārati, Elmes and Swami Atmeshananda. b) Prayer Meetings were conducted
bhajans, and readings from The Gospel More than 350 persons attended the on the first Sunday of every month,
of Sri Ramakrishna are the regular programme. from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. which
activities of the Centre at 181 included prayer, recitation of sacred
CANBERRA CENTRE
Burbong Street, Chapel Hill, QLD mantras, singing of kirtan and bhajans,
4073, (Phone no. 07-3720 0228). A Swami Sridharananda conducted followed by selected readings from
resident volunteer looks after the day classes on the Bhagavad-Gitā twice a the scriptures and discussions on
-to-day activities at the Centre. month at the Majura Community them by the participants. The meetings
Centre in Canberra. Contacts: Mr. J. concluded with an ārati and the
Monthly Activities:
a) During the monthly prayer meeting Venkataraman, Secretary - 02-6258 distribution of prasād.
7612.
held on Friday, 4th of May both c) Group studies through the
Swami Sridharananda and Swami MELBOURNE CENTRE viewing of (i) the Mundaka Upanishad
Atmeshananda were present. In the lecture series video is held on every
Daily Activities:
meeting Swami Sridharananda hosted Sunday from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. and
spiritual question and answer session Vesper service is held daily at the (ii) the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
attended by more than 40 devotees. Centre at 5-7 Angus Avenue, lecture series video is held on every
Swami Atmeshananda visited Cairns Ringwood, Vic 3135 from 7 p.m. to Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
from the 1st to the 3rd of July 2012. 8 p.m. It includes set hymns, scriptural
Brisbane Centre—the 8th Annual Celebration— photos (from) inauguration by the dignitaries by lighting of the lamp,
(middle) singing by devotees and (right) classical dance performed by local artists.
Reach Issue No. 23 Page 2 September 2012
Celebrations: attended the discourses. Swami SYDNEY CENTRE
Chandrashekharananda visited the
a) Guru Purnima or Vyasa Purnima Daily Activities:
Centre from the 22nd of June to the
was celebrated formally on the
Daily worship including chanting and
2nd of July 2012 and conducted classes
monthly prayer day in July. Some
meditation is held every morning
devotees also gathered on the 3rd of on Kena Upanisad, and Meditation.
from 6:45 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. at 2
Rāmanām-Sankirtanam and bhajans
July 2012 and celebrated the day
Stewart Street, Ermington. The vesper
were sung during his stay.
with singing of bhajans and readings.
service starts in the evening at 7 p.m.
b) Krishna Janmashtami was b) Monthly satsang, which includes and this includes devotional singing,
celebrated on the monthly prayer day the singing of bhajans and readings reading from The Gospel of Sri
in August. from The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna Ramakrishna and meditation.
and other inspiring books, was
Counselling, interviews and discussions
Other Activities: conducted on the first Sunday of every
with devotees are also conducted on a
month from 11 a.m.
The Annual General Meeting was daily basis. The library is available to
held on Saturday the 11th of August at c) Revision session on Bhagavat Gita devotees for reference and research.
12 noon at the Monash lecture theatre. was started in August 2012. An audio The Centre maintains a bookstall
The Secretary’s report and the recording of the talk on Gita of the which has a range of books on the
Treasurer’s report were read out and previous month was played to revise Ramakrishna-Vivekananda, Vedanta,
discussed and the same were passed and refresh the audience’s memory. Yoga, and other spiritual literature.
by the General body. The society also Celebrations: Devotional songs, discourses on the
placed before the body two special Bhagavad Gitā, the Yoga Sutras of
a) Guru Purnima was celebrated on
resolutions : (i) To rename itself as a Patanjali, Mundaka Upanisad, and other
3rd July 2012 after ārati. It included
chapter of the Australian official topics are also available in various media.
chanting of Stotras on Guru, devotional
centre ‘The Vedanta Centre of
Weekly/ Monthly Activities:
singing, and readings from spiritual
Sydney Melbourne Chapter’ and (ii)
books followed by listening of a The Centre conducted the following
To adopt the constitution of the
recorded talk by Swami Sridharananda activities in Sydney:
Vedanta Centre of Sydney. Both the
resolutions were passed and accepted delivered in Sydney on the same day a) Swami Sridharananda conducted
by the Body. on ‘Significance of Guru’. classes on the Bhagavad-Gitā every
Sunday morning from 9:30 a.m. to
b) Shri Krishna janmashtami was
PERTH CENTRE
10:30 a.m. at the Centre.
celebrated on 9th of August 2012.
Daily Activities: after ārati. Worship of Shri Krishna b) Classes on Bhagavad Gitā were
and devotional singing, readings also conducted by Swami Sridharananda
The Centre located at 51 Golf View
from ‘Bhagavatam’, Pushpanjali at 1/11 Boyle Street, Balgowlah,
Street, Yokine W.A. 6060 holds
(offering of flowers) were the main NSW 2093 Manly Beach on Tuesdays
vesper service daily at 7 p.m. with
items in the function followed by from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
ārati, readings from The Gospel of
Sri Ramakrishna and meditation. The Prasad distribution. c) Some devotees availed spiritual
Centre maintains a small bookstall Other activities: counselling and guidance. The Swamis
and a library. Contacts: Mr. Hiren also visited the homes of devotees
Mukhopadyay, Secretary - 0411 478 a) A Trash ‘n Treasure cum Commu- when required.
nity Food Fair was organised for
244, Mr. Parthiv Parekh, Asstt. d) Meditation sessions were held at
spreading the message of Universal
Secretary - 0430 511 699. the Ermington Centre on Sundays
brotherhood on 12 May 2012. It was
from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Monthly Activities: a fun event with many people partici-
e) Sanskrit language classes were
pating
a) Swami Sridharananda visited the
held on Saturdays and Sundays for
Centre every month from Thursday b) The Annual General Meeting of various levels of adult students.
to Saturday on a prescheduled week the Centre held on 18th May 2012 at
f) Bala Sangha Classes on moral
and conducted discourses on Bhagavad 8:45 p.m.
and spiritual lessons and drama
Gitā. A good number of devotees
Perth Centre—the Trash-n-Tressure cum Community Food Fair and a class in progress.
Reach Issue No. 23 Page 3 September 2012
and movement were conducted for Olympic Park in the India Australia were also held on these days.
children every Saturday from 4:30 Friendship Fair on 19th of August 2012. c) Swami Sridharananda conducted
p.m. to 6:45 p.m. at the Centre during Celebrations: classes on Bhagavad Gita on 2nd,
the academic term. a) Buddha Purnima, Guru Purnima 3rd and 4th of August from 7:45 p.m.
On an average 26 children participated and Krishna Janmashtami were to 9 p.m. and on the 5th of August
in the two-day long holiday camp celebrated on 6th May, 3rd July and 2012 from 11:30 p.m. to 12:45 p.m.
conducted at the Centre from the 4rth 9th August 2012 respectively. Celebrations:
to the 5th of July 2012.
Overseas Visit: a) Buddha Purnima was celebrated
g) Classes on moral and spiritual
Swami Sridharananda visited New on 6th of May 2012 from 8 p.m.
lessons were also conducted for children
Zealand from the 1st to the 8th of Devotees sang bhajans and presented
at Eastwood Public School on
August 2012. talks on Bhagavan Buddha.
Wednesdays from 9:45 a.m. to 10:30
a.m. during the academic term. AUCKLAND CENTRE b) Guru Purnima was celebrated
Daily activities: on 3rd July 2012. The programme
h) For the benefit of students the
A vesper service is held daily from 7 started at 8 p.m. after vespers and
Centre provided English Language
p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Centre at 27 finished at 9 p.m. with prasād
tutoring on Tuesdays from 5:30 p.m.
to 6:45 p.m. during the school term. Arawa Street, New Lynn, Auckland. distribution. The program consisted
It includes the singing of hymns and of bhajan, talks on Guru and
i) Rāmanām Sankirtana was sung on
readings from the Sri Ramakrishna The Significance of Guru Purnima.
Ekadashi days after the vesper service.
Great Master followed by meditation.
Other Activities:
j) A class on Meditation and Spiritual
Monthly and annual activities:
Life was conducted on selected Mondays The Annual General Meeting was
a) On the second Sunday of every
twice a month from 10:30 a.m. to 1 conducted on the 24th of June 2012
month satsang programmes, which
p.m. for ladies. from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. after the
include singing of bhajans, discourse
k) 150th Birth Anniversary of Swami satsang. It entailed a welcome,
on the Ramayana, reading and
Vivekananda: Two talks were given confirmation and acceptance of the
discussion about the direct disciples
by Dr. Debu Mukherjee on Swami last AGM's minutes, presentation
of Sri Ramakrishna and meditation
Vivekananda (i) at the North Ryde of the financial and activity reports
were conducted from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Rotary Club on the 1st of June. for the year 2011-2012, and
b) On the last Sunday of every
(ii) at the Paramatta Library in a function presidential address. The members
month reading and discussion on the
organized by Sewa International on unanimously authorized the existing
Bhagavad Gitā, the Gospel of Sri
the 4rth of August 2012. office bearers for their continuation
Ramakrishna, the life and teachings of
(iii) Few handouts were given in a in their positions for another two
Holy Mother and Swami Vivekananda
meeting organized by BITS Pilani
years. The meeting concluded with
were conducted in addition to the
Alumni Association on 9th June 2012.
a vote of thanks from the president.
above. Music and chanting classes
l) A bookstall was organized at the
Sydney Centre— (Left to right) Guru Purnima Celebration and Inaugural worship to start the construction of the new
multi-purpose building; (Below) demolition of the demountable extension over the well.
Reach Issue No. 23 Page 4 September 2012
MANAGING COMMITTEES OF VEDANTA CENTRE OF SYDNEY AND OTHER CHAPTERS
Dr. Ashim Majumdar, Ms. Saratha Sundaralingam,
SYDNEY
Swami Atmeshananda, Mr. Suryanarayana Saripalle.
Patrons: Mr. B. Ramakrishna, Prof. Prasad Yarlagadda,
PERTH
Mrs. Kanaka Ramakrishna. Secretary: Mr. Shyam Das.
President: Swami Sridharananda. Asst. Secretary: Patrons:
Vice Presidents: Swami Atmeshananda, Mr. Atul Deshpandey. Dr. Amirthalingam Sinnathamby,
Mr. Prakash Chand, Treasurer: Mrs. Savithiri Sinnathamby,
Mrs. Vandana Sarathy. Ms. Jayshree Kapadia. Mr. Cecil and Mrs Julie Bethell.
Secretary: Mr. Paul Notholt. Asst. Treasurer: President: Swami Sridharananda.
Treasurer: Mr. Surender Reddy. Mrs. Monica Gupte. Vice Presidents: Dr. S. Devi,
Members: Members: Dr. Bram Singh, Dr. Ganendranath Bose.
Swami Chandrashekharananda, Dr. Gopal Krishna Bose, Secretary:
Br. Harshal, Br. Shivaramakrishna, Mr. Biswadeep Basu, Mr. Hiren Mukhopadhyay.
Mr. Alan Croker, Mrs. Parames Navaneethan, Jt. Secretary: Mr. Parthiv Parekh.
Mr. Saba Arunanthy, Mrs. Vicky Mogana Sundram, Treasurer: Ms. Sharmini Lingam.
Mr. Shivprasad Bhatt, Mr. Indra Raja Selvaduray, Members: Mrs. Maya Chatterjee,
Mr Amitava Sen, Mrs. Krishnavanee Newman, Mrs. Manju Ghosh,
Mr. Debu Mukerji, Dr. Tapan Saha, Mr. Pinak Das,
Mr. Chandan Roy Chowdhury, Dr. Preeti Suraj, Mrs. S. Mazumdar,
Dr. Jenny Spencer, Mr. Hari Raniga, Mrs. Janet Waughray,
Mr. Chandrahas Thakkar, Dr.Vikas Reddy, Mr. Mino Piccolomi,
Mr. Kiritkumar Sodha, Dr.Unnikrishnan Pilla, Mrs. Rani Sanmugam,
Mr. Jaishankar Venkataraman, Ms.Raynuha Sinnathamby, Mr. George,
Mr. Pathy Pathmanabhan, Mr.Mahalingam Paramanathan, Mrs. Nirmala Veaudry
Mr Srinivas Avvari, Mr.Sesan Pillai, Mrs. Chandrani Basumallick,
Dr. Tadipatri Prasad, Mr.Pranev Pillai, Mrs. Radha Raghavani,
Mr. Kalamangalam Mohan, Dr. Bodapati Naidu, Mrs. Siva Shankaralingam.
Mr. Mark Atkinson, Mr. Supratim Banerjee, VEDANTA CENTRES OF
Mr. Anthony Jackson, Mr. Rajah Kunarajah. AUSTRALIA
Mr. Kerry Reid,
Mr. Atul Sood, CANBERRA Chairperson:
Mr. Sankar Chandrasekaran, President: Swami Sridharananda. Mr. Mahalingam Sinnathamby.
Mr. Dilip Mohanty, Secretary: Secretary: Mrs. Modhumita Chaudhuri.
Mr. Yatish Kumar. Mr. Jaishankar Venkataramanan. Directors: Swami Sridharananda,
Treasurer & P.O. : Dr. Ian Doherty. Swami Atmeshananda,
ADELAIDE
Members: Mr. Venkat Krishna, Swami Chandrashekharananda,
Patrons: Dr. Janan Iswaran, Mr. Murugesan Puthur Dr. Jennifer Spencer, Dr. S. J. Iswaran,
Mrs. Pathma Iswaran. Mr. Jaishankar Venkataraman,
MELBOURNE
President: Swami Sridharananda. Mr. Shubroto Bhattacharjee.
Vice Presidents: Dr Nitin Bhise, Patrons: Mr. Santosh Kumar Paul,
AUCKLAND
Dr. Kandiah Parasivam. Mrs. Aruna Paul.
Secretary: Mr. Raman Sharma. President: Swami Sridharananda. President:
Jt. Secretary: Vice President: Mr. Harish Kumar Sundarji.
Mr. L.V. Krishnamoorthy, Mrs. Nandita Bhattacharjee. Vice Presidents:
Treasurer: Mr. N. Rajaramanan. Secretary: Mr. Suresh Ravinutala. Dr. Debes Bhattacharyya,
Members: Mrs. Nirmala Puvan, Tresurer: Mr. Govindan Aiyar. Secretary: Mr. Monnay Kumar.
Mrs. Pathmini Parasivam, Members: Mr. Mohana Krishnan, Treasurer: Mr. Javahri Lal (Jailal).
Mrs S. Gowri Rajaramanan, Dr. Ajit Kumar Ghosh, Members:
Mrs. Shivani Sharma, Mr.Vierend Ramsaran, Mr. Amrat Lal Jogia
Mrs. Anjan Bhise, Mr. Moulinath Ganguly, Mrs. Chitra Mukerjee
Mrs. Margaret Holdsworth, Mr. Kirit Kapadia, Mrs. Ira Sondhi
Mrs. Madhu Saraf. Mrs. Rita Khazanchi, Mrs. Jassu Ben Natally
Mr. M. Neelakantan, Mr. Mahesh Sundarji
BRISBANE
Mr. Narendra Pilaka, Dr. Moushumi Das
President : Mr. Kannan Joghee, Mr. Prem A Mukerjee
Swami Sridharananda. DR. P. L. Aneja, Mr. Shiu Ram,
Vice Presidents: Ms. Robyn McCarthy, Mr. Suresh Raniga.
Reach Issue No. 23 Page 5 September 2012
Feature Article:
Swami Vivekananda on Discipleship
Based on the talk delivered by Swami Vivekananda in San Francisco, on March 29th, 1900.
Introduction: “It is easier for a camel to go through
the eye of a needle than for a rich
An old proverb of India, “There are
man to enter into the kingdom of
hundreds of thousands of teachers,
God.” The rich man has no time to
but it is hard to find one disciple”
think of anything beyond his wealth and
seems to be true. The one important
power, his comforts and indulgences.
thing in the attainment of spirituality
The rich rarely become religious.
is the attitude of the pupil. When the
Why? Because they think, if they
right attitude is there, illumination
become religious, they will have no
will come easily. What does the
more fun in life. In the same way,
disciple need in order to receive the
there is very little chance to become
truth? The great sages say that to
spiritual in heaven; there is too much
attain truth takes but the twinkling of
comfort and enjoyment there-the
an eye - it is just the question of
dwellers in heaven are disinclined to
knowing - the dream breaks. How
give up their fun.
long does it take? In a second the
dream is gone. When the illusion They say there will be no more
vanishes, how long does it take? Just weeping in heaven. There is no sorrow
the twinkling of an eye. When I or misery there; therefore they do not
know the truth, nothing happens care for anyone’s misery. They drink
except that the falsehood vanishes their nectar, dances go on; beautiful
Swami Vivekananda
away: I took the rope for the snake, wives and all that.
(1863 -1902)
and now I see it is the rope. It is only
Going beyond these things, the disciple
a question of half a second and the
conditions have to be fulfilled. Four should say, “I do not care for anything
whole thing is done. Thou art That.
principal conditions are laid down in this life nor for all the heavens that
Thou art the Reality. How long does
by the Vedantists. have ever existed-I do not care to go
it take to know this? If we are God
to any of them. I do not want the
and always have been so, not to 1. Give up all desires
sense-life in any form-this identification
know this is most astonishing. To The first condition is that the student
of myself with the body-as I feel
know this is the only natural thing. It who wants to know the truth must
now. ‘I am this body-this huge mass
should not take ages to find out what give up all desires for gain in this
of flesh.’ This is what I feel I am. I
we have always been and what we world or in the life to come.
refuse to believe that.”
now are.
The truth is not what we see. What
The world and the heavens, all these
Yet it seems difficult to realise this we see is not truth as long as any
are bound up with the senses. You do
self-evident truth. Ages and ages desire creeps into the mind. God is
not care for the earth if you do not
pass before we begin to catch a faint true, and the world is not true. So
have any senses. Heaven also is the
glimpse of it. God is life; God is long as there is in the heart the least
world. Earth, heaven, and all that is
truth. We write about this; we feel in desire for the world, truth will not
in between have but one name-earth.
our inmost heart that this is so, that come. Let the world fall to ruin
everything else than God is nothing - around my ears; I do not care. So Therefore the disciple, knowing the
here today, gone tomorrow. And yet with the next life; I do not care to go past and the present and thinking of
most of us remain the same all to heaven. What is heaven? Only the the future, knowing what prosperity
through life. We cling to untruth, and continuation of this earth. We would means, gives up all these and seeks
we turn our back upon truth. We do be better and the little foolish to know the truth and truth alone.
not want to attain truth. We do not dreams we are dreaming would This is the first condition.
want anyone to break our dreams. break sooner if there were no heaven, 2. Ability to control the internal
You see, the teachers are not wanted. no continuation of this silly life on and external senses
Who wants to learn? But if anyone earth. By going to heaven we only
The second condition is that the disciple
wants to realise the truth and overcome prolong the miserable illusions.
must be able to control the internal
illusion, if he wants to receive the
What do you gain in heaven? You and the external senses and must be
truth from a teacher, he must be a
become gods, drink nectar, and get established in several other spiritual
true disciple.
rheumatism. There is less misery virtues.
Conditions to be a Disciple there than on earth, but also less
The external senses are the visible
It is not easy to be a disciple; great truth. The very rich can understand organs situated in different parts of
preparations are necessary; many truth much less than the poorer people.
Reach Issue No. 23 Page 6 September 2012
the body; the internal senses are not want it to think? I am as it were delusion. We have these dreams and
intangible. We have the external a slave to the mind. No spiritual illusions in life, and we want to have
eyes, ears, nose, and so on; and we knowledge is possible so long as the more of them in the life to come, in
have the corresponding internal senses. mind is restless and out of control. heaven. More and more illusion.
We are continually at the beck and The disciple has to learn to control Resist not evil. Face it! You are higher
call of both these groups of senses. the mind. Yes, it is the function of than evil.
Corresponding to the senses are the mind to think. But it must not
There is this misery in the world—it
sense-objects. If any sense-objects think if the disciple does not want it
has to be suffered by someone. You
are nearby, the senses compel us to to; it must stop thinking when he
cannot act without making evil for
perceive them; we have no choice or commands it to. To qualify as a
somebody. And when you seek
independence. There is the big nose. disciple, this state of the mind is
worldly good, you only avoid an evil
A little fragrance is there; I have to very necessary.
which must be suffered by somebody
smell it. If there were a bad odour, I
(iii) Also, the disciple must have else. The disciple says, “Let the miseries
would say to myself, “Do not smell
great power of endurance. Life of the world come to me; I shall
it”; but nature says, “Smell,” and I
seems comfortable; and you find the endure them all. Let others go free.”
smell it. Just think what we have
mind behaves well when everything is
become! We have bound ourselves. I But I will not drag the ideal down. I
going well with you. But if something
have eyes. Anything going on, good feel I am the body resisting evil. If I
goes wrong, your mind loses its balance.
or bad, I must see. It is the same with get a headache, I go all over the
That is not good. Bear all evil and
hearing. If anyone speaks unpleasantly world to have it cured; I drink two
misery without one murmur of hurt,
to me, I must hear it. My sense of thousand bottles of medicine. How
without one thought of unhappiness,
hearing compels me to do so, and can I understand these marvellous
resistance, remedy or retaliation.
how miserable I feel! Curse or praise minds? I can see the ideal but how
That is true endurance; and that you
-man has got to hear. I have seen much of that ideal? None of this
must acquire.
many deaf people who do not usually consciousness of the body, of the
hear, but anything about themselves Good and evil there always are in little self, of its pleasure and pains,
they always hear! the world. Many forget there is any its hurts and comforts, none of these
evil-at least they try to forget; and can reach that atmosphere. By thinking
All these senses, external and internal,
when evil comes upon them, they are only of the spirit and keeping the
must be under the disciple’s control.
overwhelmed by it and feel bitter. mind out of matter all the time I can
(i) By hard practice he has to arrive There are others who deny that there is catch a glimpse of the ideal. Material
at the stage where he can assert his any evil at all and consider everything thought and forms of the sense-world
mind against the senses, against the good. That also is a weakness; that have no place in that ideal. Take
commands of nature. He should be also proceeds from a fear of evil. If them off and put the mind upon the
able to say to his mind, “You are something is evil-smelling, why spirit. Forget your life and death,
mine; I order you, do not see or hear sprinkle it with rose-water and call it your pains and pleasures, your name
anything,” and the mind will not see fragrant? Yes, there are good and and fame, and realise that you are
or hear anything- no form or sound evil in the world—God has put evil neither body nor mind but the pure
will react on the mind. In that state in the world. But you do not have to spirit.
the mind has become free of the whitewash Him. Instead have faith
When I say ‘I’, I mean this spirit.
domination of the senses, has become and keep quiet.
Close your eyes and see what picture
separated from them. No longer is it
When my Master, Sri Ramakrishna appears when you think of your ‘I.’
attached to the senses and the body. The
fell ill, a Brahmin suggested to him Is it the picture of your body that
external things cannot order the mind
that he apply his tremendous mental comes, or of your mental nature? If
now; the mind refuses to attach itself
power to cure himself. He said that so, you have not realised your true ‘I’
to them. Beautiful fragrance is there.
if my Master would only concentrate yet. The time will come, however,
The disciple says to the mind, “Do
his mind on the diseased part of the when as soon as you say ‘I’ you will
not smell,” and the mind does not
body, it would heal. Sri Ramakrishna see the universe, the Infinite Being.
perceive the fragrance. When you
answered, “What! Bring down the Then you will have realised your true
have arrived at that point, you are
mind that I’ve given to God to this Self and found that you are infinite.
just beginning to be a disciple. That
little body?” He refused to think of That is the truth: you are the spirit;
is why when everybody says, “I
body and illness. His mind was you are not matter. There is such a
know the truth,” I say, “If you know
continually conscious of God; it was thing as illusion-in it one thing is
the truth, you must have self-control;
dedicated to Him utterly. He would taken for another: matter is taken for
and if you have control of yourself,
not use it for any other purpose. spirit, this body for soul. That is the
show it by controlling these organs.”
tremendous illusion. It has to go.
This craving for health, wealth, long
(ii) Next, the mind must be made to
life and the like—the so called good 3. Faith in the Teacher
quiet down. It is rushing about. Just
—is nothing but an illusion. To
as I sit down to meditate, all the vilest The next qualification is that the disciple
devote the mind to them in order to
subjects in the world come up. Why must have faith in the Guru (teacher).
secure them only strengthens the
should the mind think thoughts I do In the West the teacher simply gives
Reach Issue No. 23 Page 7 September 2012
intellectual knowledge; that is all. ways. But for us ordinary mortals embodied in man, until he himself has
The relationship with the teacher is the teacher must come, and our realised God. As you look at him, the
the greatest in life. My dearest and preparation must go on till he comes. Guru gradually melts away and what
nearest relative in life is my Guru; is left? The Guru picture gives place
We attend lectures and read books,
next, my mother; then my father. My to God himself. The Guru is the
argue and reason about God and
first reverence is to the Guru. If my bright mask which God wears in order
soul, religion and salvation. These
father says, “Do this,” and my Guru to come to us. As we look steadily
are not spirituality, because spirituality
says, “Do not do this,” I do not do it. on, gradually the mask falls off and
does not exist, in books or in theories
The Guru frees my soul. The father God is revealed.
or in philosophies. It is not in learning
and mother give me this body; but
or reasoning, but in actual inner “I bow down to the Guru who is the
the Guru gives me rebirth in the soul.
growth. Even parrots can learn embodiment of the Bliss Divine, the
We have certain peculiar beliefs. One things by heart and repeat them. If personification of the highest
of these is that there are some souls, you become learned, what of it? knowledge and the giver of the greatest
a few exceptional ones, who are Asses can carry whole libraries. So beatitude, who is pure, perfect, one
already free and who will be born when real light will come, there will without a second, eternal, beyond
here for the good of the world, to be no more of this learning from pleasure and pain, beyond all thought
help the world. They are free already; books-no book-learning. The man and all qualification, transcendental.”
they do not care for their own salvation who cannot write even his own Such is in reality the Guru. No wonder
—they want to help others. They do name can be perfectly religious, and the disciple looks upon him as God
not require to be taught anything. the man with all the libraries of the Himself and trusts him, reveres him,
From their childhood they know world in his head may fail to be. obeys him, follows him unquestioningly.
everything; they may speak the highest Learning is not a condition of spiritual This is the relationship between the
truth even when they are babies. growth; scholarship is not a condition. Guru and disciple.
The touch of a Guru, the transmittal
Upon these free souls depends the The next condition the disciple must
of spiritual energy, will quicken
spiritual growth of mankind. They fulfil is to conceive of an extreme
your heart. Then will begin the
are like the first lamps from which desire to be free. We are like moths
growth. That is the real baptism by
other lamps are lighted. True, the plunging into the flaming fire, knowing
fire. No more stopping. You go on
light is in everyone, but in most men that it will burn us, knowing that the
and go on. Baptism is the direct
it is hidden. The great souls are shining senses only burn us, that they only
introduction into the life of the spirit.
lights from the beginning. Those who enhance desire. “Desire is never
If you receive the real baptism, you
come in contact with them have as it satiated by enjoyment; enjoyment
know you are not the body but the
were their own lamps lighted. By this only increases desire as butter fed
spirit. Give me that baptism if you can.
the first lamp does not lose anything; into fire increases the fire.” Desire is
yet it communicates its light to other The Guru must teach me and lead increased by desire. Knowing all this,
lamps. A million lamps are lighted; me into light, make me a link in that people still plunge into it all the time.
but the first lamp goes on shining chain of which he himself is a link. Life after life they have been going
with undiminished light. The first The man in the street cannot claim to after the objects of desire, suffering
lamp is the guru, and the lamp that is be a guru. The Guru must be a man extremely in consequence, yet they
lighted from it is the disciple. The who has known, has actually realised cannot give up desire. Renunciation
second in turn becomes the Guru and the Divine truth, has perceived himself of the senses and desire is the only
so on. These great ones whom you as the spirit. A mere talker cannot be a way out of this misery. If you want to
call Incarnations of God are mighty Guru. A true Guru will tell the disciple, be spiritual, you must renounce. This
spiritual giants. They come and set in “Go and sin no more”; and no more is the real test. Give up the world-this
motion a tremendous spiritual current can he sin, no more has the person nonsense of the senses. There is only
by transmitting their power to their the power to sin. one real desire: to know what is true,
immediate disciples and through to be spiritual. No more materialism,
I have seen such men in this life. The
them to generation after generation no more this egoism, I must become
living power you cannot find in the
of disciples. spiritual. Strong, intense must be the
books. The power that can transform
desire. If a man’s hands and feet were
But first you must find a teacher, a life in a moment can be found only
so tied that he could not move and then
true teacher, and you must remember in the living illumined souls, those
if a burning piece of charcoal were
that he is not just a man. You may shining lights who appear among us
placed on his body, he would struggle
get a teacher in a physical body but from time to time. They alone are fit
with all his power to throw it off.
he is not the physical man-he is not to be Gurus. “The teacher was a boy
When I shall have that sort of extreme
as he appears to your eyes. It may be of sixteen; he taught a man of
desire, that restless struggle, to throw
the teacher will come to you as a eighty. Silence was the method of
off this burning world, then the time
human being, and you will receive the teacher; and the doubts of the
will have come for me to glimpse the
the powers from him. Sometimes he disciple vanished forever.” That is
Divine Truth.
may come in a dream and transmit the Guru. The disciple must worship
things to the world. The power of the the Guru as God himself. All a man They all say that God is the Truth,
teacher may come to us in many can know is a living God, God as the only thing that really exists; that
Reach Issue No. 23 Page 8 September 2012
spirit alone is, not matter. Yet the ocean of life, goes beyond. He cross- wrong. The mind is crammed with
things they seek of God are rarely es this terrible ocean; and in mercy, facts before it knows how to think.
spirit. They ask always for material without a thought of gain or praise, Control of the mind should be taught
things. In their prayers spirit is not he in his turn helps others to cross. first. If I had my education to get
separated from matter. But man over again and had any voice in the
Source:
should hunger for one thing alone, matter, I would learn to master my
The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda,
the spirit, because spirit alone exists. mind first, and then gather facts if I
Volume VIII; Mayavati Memorial Edition;
That is the ideal. wanted them. It takes people a long
pages 106-121.
time to learn things because they
We are trying to be disciples. Our

cannot concentrate their minds at will.”
sole concern is to know the highest
Sayings and Utterances of
truth. Our goal is the loftiest. Let us “If a bad time comes, what of that?
Swami Vivekananda
worship the spirit in spirit, standing The pendulum must swing back to
on spirit. Let the foundation be spirit, the other side. But that is no better.
“Remember!” he said once to a
the middle spirit, the culmination The thing to do is to stop it.”
disciple, “Remember! The message
spirit. Stand thou in the spirit. That is
of India is always ‘Not the soul for “What the world wants today is
the goal. We know we cannot reach
nature, but nature for the soul.’ ” twenty men and women who can
it yet. Do not despair. The important
dare to stand in the street yonder, and
thing is: how much less you think of “I am persuaded that a leader is not
say that they possess nothing but
the body, of yourself as matter—as made in one life. He has to be born
God. Who will go? Why should one
dead, dull, insentient matter; how for it. For the difficulty is not in
fear? If this is true, what else could
much more you think of yourself as organisation and making plans; the
matter? If it is not true, what do our
shining immortal being. The more test, the real test, of a leader, lies
lives matter!”
you think of yourself as shining in holding widely different people
immortal spirit, the more eager you together along the line of their common Source:
will be to be absolutely free of matter, sympathies. And this can only be The Complete Works of Swami
body, and senses. This is the intense done unconsciously, never by trying.” Vivekananda, Volume VIII; Mayavati
Memorial Edition; pages 262-280.
desire to be free. Answering the remark of a disciple
4. Discrimination of the Real from who felt that it would be better for
the unreal her to come back to this life again Listener
and again and, help causes that were
The fourth and last condition of Oh mind,
of interest to her instead of striving
discipleship is the discrimination of you cannot hear me,
for personal salvation, with a deep
the real from the unreal. There is for I am the silent listener
longing to get out of life, the Swami
only one thing that is real—God. All to the beat of hearts.
retorted quickly, “That’s because
the time the mind must be drawn to Do not look for me,
you cannot overcome the idea of
Him, dedicated to Him. God exists, with the minds’ eye or other,
progress. But things do not grow
nothing else exists, everything else for eyeless,
better. They remain as they are; and
comes and goes. Any desire for the I am the seer of sight.
we grow better by the changes we
world is illusion, because the world
make in them”. Strive not to touch me
is unreal. More and more the mind
as Michelangelo’s Adam would,
must become conscious of God “Never forget to say to yourself and
for I have no one body,
alone, until everything else appears to teach to your children, as the
but am all,
as it really is-unreal. difference between a firefly and the
touching all.
blazing sun, between the infinite
Conclusion I am the toucher of touch.
ocean and a little pond, between a
These are the four conditions which mustard seed and the mountain of Do not presume
one who wants to be a disciple must Meru, such is the difference between to measure me,
fulfil; without fulfilling them he will the householder and the Sannyasin.” nor sound the depth of infinity
not be able to come in contact with with a weighted thought,
“Everything is fraught with fear:
the true Guru. And even if he is nor divide eternity to intervals,
Renunciation alone is fearless.”
fortunate enough to find him, he will grasping at the sky.
not be quickened by the power that “Blessed be even the fraudulent
the Guru may transmit. There cannot be Sadhus and those who have failed to Oh my mind!
any compromising of these conditions. carry out their vows, inasmuch as you do not know
With the fulfilment of these conditions they also have witnessed to their your own depth,
—with all these preparations—the ideal and so are in some degree the for I am the knower
lotus of disciple’s heart will open, cause of the success of others!” of all that is known,
the Self of yourself,
and the bee shall come. Then the “The less you read, the better. Read
the silent listener to the
disciple knows that the Guru was the Gita and other good works on
beat of hearts.
within the body, within himself. He Vedanta. That is all you need. The

opens out. He realises. He crosses the present system of education is all - - - Russel Atkinson (Gurudas)
Reach Issue No. 23 Page 9 September 2012
Divine Light Personified : Swami Subodhananda, one of the monastic disciples of Sri Ramakrishna
According to the Vishuddha Siddhanta Almanac Swami Subodhananda’s birthday celebration will be observed on
Sunday, the 25th of November, 2012.
Introduction do all sorts of household work.” In
spite of hardship and poverty in the
In September 1885 Sri Ramakrishna
Baranagore Monastery, the disciples
moved to Shyampukur in north Cal-
of Sri Ramakrishna lived in a joyful
cutta for cancer treatment. Whenever
mood. Ramakrishna had joined them
he found any opportunity, Subodh
would visit the Master. On 11th together like a necklace of pearl and
had united them in their one goal—
December 1885 Sri Ramakrishna
God-realization. They dived deep in
was moved from Shyampukur to
the realm of spirituality and at the
Cossipore. On Sri Ramakrishna’s last
same time made their lives joyful
illness Subodh said, “It was extremely
difficult for the Master to talk. One with fun and jokes.
day I said to him, ‘Sir, if you wish you At night when all were asleep, Latu
can get well. Please cure yourself.’ would practise meditation, under his
The Master then asked, ‘Do you really mosquito curtain. Subodhananda
believe that? ‘Yes, I do believe that,’ knew this. Mischievously, he put a
I replied. ‘What you have said is wet cloth on the top of Latu’s curtain.
true,’ the Master said, ‘but I shall not As the water began to drip, Latu
Swami Subodhananda
try to save this body, which is made out became frightened because the Ba-
(One who enjoys the bliss of
of flesh and bone, blood and marrow. ranagore Monastery was haunted.
Spiritual Intelligence)
Whatever is created is subject to After discovering the mischief-
(1867 -1932)
destruction.’ Then he said to me, maker, Latu exclaimed, “Sharat!
‘Promise that you will never ask me Look, this rascal Khoka is frightening
home, so one day he simply walked away.
this again.’ Thus the Master made me me!”
promise.” Subodh crossed the Ganges and started
Pilgrimage
walking on the Grand Trunk Road,
Sri Ramakrishna passed away on 16th
which led to Varanasi. His longing In December 1889 Subodhananda
August 1886. When Subodh heard of
was so intense that he felt his life was and Brahmananda went to Varanasi
the Master’s death, he cried out while
useless without God-realisation. After to practise austerities. They stayed at
holding his mother, and then fell
visiting Lord Vishwananth and Mother Pramadadas Mittra’s garden house
unconscious. Subodh did not go to
Annapurna in their respective temples and lived on alms like other itinerant
Cossipore either because of his family’s
he felt some degree of peace. monks. In the early part of 1890 they
resistance, or because he thought that
Meanwhile, his relatives found out went on a pilgrimage to Omkarnath
the grief and pain would be too much
where he was and brought him back and Panchavati in Central India;
for him to bear. He was then nineteen
to Calcutta. Bombay, Dwaraka, Girnar, Pushkar
years old.
in West India; and later to Vrindaban, the
Early Days in the Monastery
Days of Austerity and Travelling playground of Krishna. Subodhananda
It is difficult for a free bird to live in and Brahmananda stayed in Vrindaban
From his very birth Subodh was
a cage. Ramakrishna had given from the first week of February to the
endowed with passion for God and
Subodh a taste of renunciation and middle of April 1890, practising various
dispassion for the world. After his
divine bliss: He could no longer live spiritual disciplines. As Subodhananda
guru’s passing away, the fire of
at home. He joined the Ramakrishna was very fond of tea, he would go for
renunciation was enkindled in his
Monastery at Baranagore. Performing tea everyday to the cottage of a saintly
heart. Without the Master he felt
the traditional viraja homa, Subodh devotee of Sri Ramakrishna during
empty, and his home became a prison
took final monastic vows and became which time they would often speak
to him. It is said that when the Holy
Mother moved from Cossipore to known as Swami Subodhananda. As of the Master.
he was one of the youngest among
Balaram’s house in Calcutta, Subodh From Vrindaban, Subodhananda left
the disciples, he was known as
visited her everyday. Subodh tried to for a pilgrimage in the Himalayas. He
“Khoka Maharaj” in the Ramakrishna
finish his education, but as soon as visited the holy shrines of Kedarnath
Order. Swami Vivekananda and others
he would open a book, he would see and Badrinath. He also visited
lovingly called him “Khoka”, which
the Master standing in front of him. some important holy places of
means “little boy.” About his days in
He slept very little and felt no South India, such as Kanyakumari,
Baranagore, Subodhananda said,
inclination to eat. He would spend a Rameswaram, Madurai, and Madras.
“Swamiji and others were engaged in
long time in meditation in the temple In 1892, the Ramakrishna Monastery
deep meditation and japam. I used to
that belonged to his family. It soon was moved from Baranagore to
wash the dishes, sweep the floor, and
became unbearable for him to stay at Alambazar, near Dakshineswar. Be-
Reach Issue No. 23 Page 10 September 2012