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1
The Vedanta
Kesari
Focus
The Blue Plaque in London
page 11
1
`15
A Cultural and Spiritual Monthly
of the Ramakrishna Order since 1914
A ugust
2021
2
क्लैब्यं मा स्म गमः पार्थ नैतत्त्वय्युपपद्यते।
क्षुद्रं हृदयदौर्बल्यं त्यक्त्वोत्तिष्ठ परन्तप ।।
“O Partha! Yield not to unmanliness! It befits thee not. Abandoning
this base faint-heartedness, rise up, O dreaded hero!”
(Bhagavad Gita 2:3)
“If one reads this one shloka, one gets all the merits of reading the
entire Gita; for in this one shloka lies embedded the whole message of
the Gita.”
— Swami Vivekananda
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The Vedanta Kesari
A Cultural and Spiritual Monthly of The Ramakrishna Order
CONTENTS Vol. 108, No. 8
ISSN 0042-2983
108
th
AUGUST
Year of Publication
11 2021
The Blue Plaque in London
Dr Vayu Naidu
39 17
FEATURES
8 Sri Sudarshanashtakam
Jagat Satyam 9 Yugavani North Kolkata:
Swami Satyapriyananda 10 Editorial The Leela Kshetra
15 Reminiscences of Sargachhi Swami Chidekananda
23 Pocket Tales Sri Ramanuja’s Inventive
Adhar Lal Sen 25 Vivekananda Way Arrangement
Dr. Ruchira Mitra 34 Pariprasna
Srirangam Mohanarangan
35 Lessons from Swamis
42 Book Reviews
lls
Ca 44 The Order on the March
d
32
Go
22
en
Wh
Poorva: Magic, Mircles and Mystical Twelve
Lakshmi Devnath
29
Editor: Swami Mahamedhananda
Published by Swami Vimurtananda, Sri Ramakrishna Math, No.31, Ramakrishna Math Road,
Chennai - 600 004 and Printed by B. Rajkumar, Chennai - 600 014 on behalf of
Sri Ramakrishna Math Trust, Chennai - 600 004 and Printed at M/s. Rasi Graphics Pvt. Limited,
No.40, Peters Road, Royapettah, Chennai - 600014.
Website: www.chennaimath.org E-mail: vk@chennaimath.org Ph: 6374213070
The Vedanta
One hundred and eight years
s u e of 1 895
ti s e r and going strong….
Firs mb
S e pte
in,
a vad He was a much-celebrated and much-feted Swami. His
h m
Bra famous address at The World’s Parliament of Religions, Chicago in
1893 had catapulted him to the status of a super star. But Swami
Vivekananda was not one to bask in chaffy glory. A letter to one of his trusted
followers, from the USA, dated 12 Jan 1895, read, ‘I want to preach my ideas for the good of
the world. …What work have you done in the way of advancing the ideas and organising in
August 2021
India? …My life is more precious than spending it in getting the admiration of the world. I
have no time for such foolery.’
Swamiji, as Swami Vivekananda was fondly addressed, loved and revered his
motherland as his own mother. Every breath of his aspired for her well being and every cell
4 in his body yearned that she regain her lost glory. She had been a beacon light for the world
until repeated invasions pillaged her ruthlessly and left her not just poverty-stricken but
The Vedanta Kesari
also psychologically drained. The latter struck at the very core, underlying the urgency for
immediate redressal. Swamiji’s panacea for this lay in India’s very own practical and
ennobling Vedantic wisdom. Vedanta recognises no weakness. It proclaims that in every
individual lies a mine of strength. All that is needed is an effort to draw from it.
Swamiji started looking for the right channel to propagate the powerful message of
Vedanta. He opted for the print medium and decided to bring out a journal, giving it the
name Brahmavadin. In February 1895, he sent from USA $100 and a letter to his trusted
disciple Alasinga Perumal. The letter read: ‘Now I am bent upon starting the journal. Herewith
I send a hundred dollars… Hope this will go just a little in starting
your paper.’
If selflessness and devotion would have a form, it would
have borne the name of Alasinga Perumal. Brahmavadin
became Alasinga’s calling and the first issue rolled out
from a press in Broadway, Chennai on 14 September
1895. The magazine included a poem of Swamiji First iss
The Ved ue of
specially composed for the occasion. It was titled, anta Ke
sari, Ma
‘The Song of the Sannyasin’. One verse ran thus: y 1914
Kesari One hundred and eight
years and going strong….
“Strike off thy fetters! Bonds that bind thee down,
Love, hate — good, bad — and all the dual throng,
For fetters, though of gold, are not less strong to bind;
August 2021
(Handwritten words in Swamiji’s own hand)
5
With this message that marked its mission, Brahmavadin made a determined entry into
The Vedanta Kesari
the strife-ridden climate of pre-independence India. The birth of the magazine was certainly
an occasion for celebration but the struggles were far from over.
One of Swamiji’s letters to Alasinga read: ‘I learnt from your letter the bad financial state
that Brahmavadin is in.’ This was followed by another letter that carried the line, ‘I pledge
myself to maintain the paper anyhow.’
Bolstered by this pledge, Alasinga Perumal braved on, surmounting many an
impediment. Sadly, Swami Vivekananda passed away in 1902, at the age of thirty-nine.
Alasinga’s intense anguish morphed into heightened devotion towards the magazine. But
the next hurdle in Brahmavadin’s journey came in 1909, in the form of Alasinga’s own
demise. In May 1914, the magazine, tottering as it was, floundered and ground to a halt.
It was at this crucial juncture, that the Ramakrishna Mission stepped in to revive it. The
Mission was itself in its nascent stages with many a teething problem but nothing could come
in its way of reviving the Brahmavadin. For, had not their beloved Swamiji repeatedly said,
‘The Brahmavadin is a jewel – it must not perish!” And so, the very same month when
Brahmavadin closed, it was resuscitated with the new name The Vedanta Kesari.
The history of The Vedanta Kesari is much more than just a tale of sweat, toil and a
dream realised. It is a narrative of Swamiji’s passion for India and Alasinga’s devotion to his
master. It is a celebration of love, transcending forms.
Appeal
For the last 107 years, without missing a single issue, the magazine has
been carrying the invigorating message of Vedanta and alongside, continuously
revamping itself to meet the changing needs of the times.
The relevance of Vedantic wisdom to everyday life is all the more pertinent
today than ever before. ‘Arise, Awake and stop not till the goal is reached,’ is the
thundering motto of Swami Vivekananda. The Ramakrishna Mission, as you all
know, is a unique organisation where sannyasis and lay people come together
and endeavour for the common good. Let’s join hands in taking forward our
revered Swamiji’s vision and mission for The Vedanta Kesari.
August 2021
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Prayer
।। श्रीसुदर्शनाष्टकम्।।
।। Sri Sudarshanashtakam ।।
SRI VEDANTA DESIKA
Sudarshana Chakra is the discus weapon of Lord Vishnu and Sri Krishna held by the lord in his
right hand. In the tradition of Sri Ramanujacharya, Sudarshana is personified as the prime devotee and
called Charathazhwar. Sri Vedanta Desikacharya (1268 – 1369) composed an ashtakam, a stotra of
eight slokas, in praise of Sri Sudarshana. It is said that he composed this stotra to help the residents of
August 2021
Tirupputkuzhi when they suffered from the grip of an epidemic fever.
दनुजविस्तारकर्तन जनितामिस्राविकर्तन
दनुजविद्यनिकर्तन भजदविद्यानिवर्तन।
अमरदृष्टस्वविक्रम समरजुष्टभ्रमिक्रम
8 जय जय श्रीसुदर्शन जय जय श्रीसुदर्शन।।
O Sudarshana! You arrest the growth of the evil-minded Asuras and destroy them down to
The Vedanta Kesari
their roots. You are like the resplendent Sun banishing the dark night of Samsara, which bedevil
your devotees. You overcome any and every act of deception practiced by the Asuras. You remove
every shred of false knowledge that invades the minds of those, who seek refuge in you. The Devas
celebrate your heroic deeds and experience joy in witnessing your powerful actions. You revolve
and rotate in many ways in your battles against the enemies of your devotees. May Thou with such
auspicious attributes prosper further! Hail to Thee! Hail to Thee!
प्रतिमुखालीढबन्धुर पृथुमहाहेतिदन्तुर
विकटमायाबहिष्कृत विविधमालापरिष्कृत।
पृथुमहायन्त्रतन्त्रित दृढदयातन्त्रयन्त्रित
जय जय श्रीसुदर्शन जय जय श्रीसुदर्शन।।
O Sudarshana! You give darshana to us with your dynamic gait of One foot placed forward in
movement and the other rapidly following it. Your position in that gait is beautiful to behold. You
are surrounded by your magnificent and fearsome weapons. You are the conqueror of powerful
illusions (Maya) caused by Asuras. You are not therefore affected by their acts of Maya. You are
decorated with many beautiful flower garlands that add to your natural beauty. You are firmly
bound in the warp of your great compassion for your devotees and bless them, when they worship
You through Your Yantra and Mantra. O Sri Sudarshana of such auspicious Gunas! Hail to Thee! Hail
to Thee!
Yugavani
G
od alone is the Master,
and again, He is the
Servant. This attitude
indicates Perfect Knowledge. At first
one discriminates, ‘Not this, not this’,
and feels that God alone is real and
all else is illusory. Afterwards the
same person finds that it is God
Himself who has become all this —
PA G E D O N O R : S R I C H A L A PAT I R A O K . V, H Y D E R A B A D
the universe, maya, and the living
August 2021
beings. First negation and then
affirmation. This is the view held by
the Puranas.
Suppose you have separated
God and
the shell, flesh, and seeds of a bel- 9
fruit and someone asks you the
weight of the fruit. Will you leave
the world
The Vedanta Kesari
aside the shell and the seeds, and
weigh only the flesh? Not at all. To
know the real weight of the fruit, you
must weigh the whole of it—the shell, the flesh, and the seeds. Only then can you tell its real weight.
The shell may be likened to the universe, and the seeds to living beings.
While one is engaged in discrimination one says to oneself that the universe and the living
beings are non-Self and unsubstantial. At that time one thinks of the flesh alone as the substance,
and the shell and seeds as unsubstantial. But after discrimination is over, one feels that all three
parts of the fruit together form a unity. Then one further realises that the stuff that has produced
the flesh of the fruit has also produced the shell and seeds. To know the real nature of the bel-fruit
one must know all three.
The Nitya and the Lila belong to the same Reality. Therefore, I accept everything, the Relative
as well as the Absolute. I don’t explain away the world as maya. Were I to do that I should get short
weight.
— The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna
Editorial
Where Am I?
“M
an is a compound of awaken us into the present moment — the only
animality, humanity, and window of time through which we can realise
d iv i n i t y ” s ay s S wa m i the inner divinity.
Vivekananda. In our daily life we function from Asking ‘Where am I?’ creates multiple
one of these, or from the borderlines of any of levels of awareness in us — we recognise the
these three levels of life. influence of external circumstances on us, we
Our life manifests at the animal or understand the nature and dynamics of our
pashutva level when our senses, behaving like relationship with things and people, we realise
wild horses, drags us to experience the where we stand in our spiritual journey, and at
August 2021
pleasures of sense objects. Dictated by bodily a deeper level we become aware of where our
instincts, our thoughts and actions remain attention is.
selfish and flow mainly towards food, sleep, and This last awareness is most important
lust. We begin to function at the human or because basically we are where are attention is.
manushatva level when our mind awakens to When our attention flows out into the world
10 higher thoughts and develops the capacity for through the senses or through thoughts, we
rational thinking in different fields of become entrapped in the things of the
The Vedanta Kesari
knowledge like natural sciences, humanities, world. Hence, the degree of control we
and religion. At both these animal and human have over our attention decides at what level
levels we remain bounded by the laws of our life manifests — animal, or human, or
Nature or prakriti. It is when we struggle divine.
against this bondage to Nature that we begin to Again, the question ‘Where am I?’
manifest the divinity or daivatva in us which is presumes that we have a clear idea of where we
variously known as Self, Soul, or Atman. want to be. Without this clarity, the question
To break free from the shackles of loses its significance. Speaking about his
prakriti, our scriptures and saints give us mission in life, Swamiji declares that it is “to
powerful tools in the form of awakening preach unto mankind their divinity, and how to
questions like ‘Who am I?’, ‘Where have I come make it manifest in every movement of life.”
from?’, ‘Where am I going?’…. When we deeply This then is where we should seek to be: A state
engage with such awakening questions they of experiencing and manifesting the inner
unveil the divinity within us. divinity through our every thought, feeling, and
There is another question we can ask action as a loving service to the Lord manifest
ourselves as we go through our daily lives; it is: as the world.
‘Where am I?’ As we travel through life with this ideal,
This down-to-earth question with no let us remember to ask ourselves every now
metaphysical trappings, has the power to and then ‘Where am I?’Focus
The Blue Plaque in London
DR VAYU NAIDU
PA G E D O N O R : S R I M AT S WA M I G A U TA M A N A N D A J I , S R I R A M A K R I S H N A M AT H , C H E N N A I
Blue Plaque is a scheme under which London keeps its history alive by marking out
buildings and places associated with eminent people of the past. One such Blue Plaque building
is associated with Swami Vivekananda. In 1896, on his second visit to England, Swamiji stayed
here along with his brother-disciple Swami Saradananda, his disciple J.J.Goodwin, his younger
brother Mahendranath Datta who was there to pursue higher studies, and an American friend.
Dr Vayu Naidu who lives in London draws attention to this building sanctified by the two
swamis’ stay. This article was commissioned by the Royal Literary Fund when the author was a
Fellow at Royal Holloway University College London in 2019 and was originally an audio
podcast broadcast by RLF VOX on social media.
I
August 2021
never dreamed that it was literature location inspired by English politician and
that drew me to London. courtier Henry Jermyn, 1st Earl of Saint
Increasingly, I’ve found Albans (1605-1684) and the court
myself visiting locations that are favourite of Queen Henrietta Maria,
signposted in novels, to work out consort of Charles I of England. I 11
where the action takes place. was trapezing across time.
Apple Tree Yard by Louise By happenstance I looked
The Vedanta Kesari
Doughty is a well-known across and had another ripple of
example, and following its history. Just opposite was a new
television series as well, I building, on the site of an older
decided to stand on the site and one that commemorated where Sir
get the measure of how it appears in Edwin Lutyens unfurled his plans of
reality compared to how the writer building New Delhi for the British Raj
creates it in my imagination. The difference in between 1912-1930. A little over a hundred
scale can result in a multitude of responses years on I was standing on a razed site
culminating in congratulating a brilliant writer dedicated to the place which laid plans for the
for evoking a whole new world peopled with city of my birth – New Delhi; a confluence of
imaginary lives and or a consummate loss of traditional Mughal and colonial style
innocence from where it started. architectures that have influenced the
I was mulling on how words can transport languages I think, dream, speak and write in.
readers across spaces as I was standing It struck me then, that the realities
beneath the alley’s signpost of Apple Tree Yard created by literature through imagination, and
within the proximity of The London Library, the reality across linear time categorised as
and Beau Brummel’s London, all layered in a History can both be experienced in the present,
Dr Vayu Naidu continues to unravel the profound meaning of Sri Ramakrishna’s tales and parables,
researches global oral traditions as Literacy, and is a novelist. vayu@vayunaidu.comif we can locate it. Perhaps that is what makes The Victoria Coach Station takes up
for Tourism – tourists taking a tour of time past considerable destination attention with
in the present seeking out the grand buildings tourists, inlanders, and daily commuters who
that are or on that site what once stood. I’ve barely notice any other landmark. On one of my
often spotted individuals, or couples, or a tour lucid unemployed days I decided to turn off the
group gazing at rubble or a humble brick wall beaten Ebury Bridge Road toward Victoria
as if the thing itself is there in its glory. In other underground and rail station, and found myself
times of history, these might have been pilgrims on the borderland of Pimlico on St. George’s
seeking salvation. In the here and now a Drive. I stumbled on a Blue Plaque on 63 St
significant life qualified by contributions to, George’s Drive, SW 1 which fixed my attention
let’s say evolution of thought, rather than completely. It read:
civilisation, is signalled by the English Heritage SWAMI VIVEKANANDA (1863-1902) Hindu
Blue Plaque. Philosopher lived here in 1896.
London’s Blue plaques have spurred my Vivekananda would not have considered
enthusiasm for rediscovering literature, its himself a philosopher. Yet English Heritage
subscribes to the documentary evidence
August 2021
provided by the Ramakrishna Vedanta Centre,
UK, ‘informing the public’ that Swami
Vivekananda as he was known in the West,
continues that trajectory of contribution to
12 human thought that changed the world.
While the plaque was installed on the 5th
The Vedanta Kesari
of July 2004, I had not then realised this was
the 156th anniversary.
Of course, I could hear Victorian London in
motion: People and carriages hurtling past. And
time stopped its meaning as I have known it from
a schedule of arrivals and departures. I was in a
time which was an age of oratory and empire.
From India, Vivekananda entered the
world of philosophy at Chicago’s Parliament of
Religions in 1893. He fundraised both voyage
Swami Vivekananda in London, 1896 and entrance to the platform to speak on Hindu
writers, with the additional reality of a thought. This was the first time Hinduism was
historical perspective which enables my search not represented by a Christian missionary. The
entering the palimpsest of realities, Address was to an American audience of seven
simultaneously. No passports or security checks thousand without a microphone, in clear
required. This is the liberation that London British English. “Sisters and Brothers of
brings with the Blue Plaque. But the flight is not America” it began, on the 400th anniversary of
as easy as it sounds. The enigma is: Which Blue the discovery of America by Columbus. It was
Plaque to select to begin the journey? the 11th of September 1893.When I read the published lecture, I find a among others to attend. Swami Vivekananda’s
pivotal literary moment inspired by a socialist lecture on another occasion, ‘Privilege,’ sums up
thrust prompted by the freedom of the human the tension between differentiation and
spirit. In attempting to answer the question in unification and what the role of Ethics is, in
his words, about the “common centre to which humanising the individual and as united
all widely diverging radii converge”, he is members of a society. None is superior or
referring to the changing tides of older inferior, each does a task that is different
civilisations, its epic existences, subsumed by towards a unified end. The real privilege is in
the inventions of the new travelling and trading understanding the nature of work.
industries. He is not nostalgic for a past glory: His literary feat in unlocking the potential
“Just as the law of gravitation existed before its of the Indic oral traditions, and the epics based
discovery, and would exist if all humanity forgot on strong philosophical arguments into an age
it, so is it with the laws that govern the spiritual of industrialisation and empire while working
world…the discoverers of these laws are called across the divergences of class and race was
Rishis...I am glad to tell this audience that some inspired by his guru Sri Ramakrishna, a
of the very greatest of them were women.” The visionary teacher in all respects.
August 2021
point of discovery is appropriate to the location Today our understanding of time as linear,
of the time – the land mass now known as non-linear, cyclical, light years and infinity
PA G E D O N O R : S R I V I S H N U T. A . , C H E N N A I
America existed, long before Vespucci or seems commonplace. But it was not so in 1896
Columbus ‘discovered’ it. His unravelling in when Vivekananda began his classes and
English of ‘discovered’ truths that formed a vast lectures, and published essays on the subject.
tract of literature written as poems or haiku,
13
Swamiji stayed at 63 St George’s Drive
was inspired by the Upanishads. While much of
which was rented by Mr. Sturdy from Lady Isabel
The Vedanta Kesari
this and the Bhagavad Gita were in Sanskrit, he
Margesson from 1st May to 1st July for his stay
brought to it the craft of the epic poets. He was
and classes. He held four classes a week in the
at once, transporting a concept of time and
space from a different cultural (Hindu) way of
being, from the Sanskrit into English with all
the practitioner’s rationality and musical heart
of an Indian raga into its cadence. At the centre
of this science of self-discovery and
connectedness was the notion of Time and how
human consciousness can experience true
freedom which is the essence of Vedanta.
He was invited to England not through an
institutional capacity, but as a guest of the
Sesame Club that was interested in education
and among the first that had men and women
as its members. This was co-founded by Lady
Isabel Margesson and Lady Rippon who
brought in May 1896, the Galsworthys,
Margaret Noble, Canon Albert Wilberforce
St George’s Drivefirst-floor double drawing room. Around a writes about the vision of progress through an
hundred people attended these classes which all-pervading time in his:
culminated in the books on Raja Yoga, Bhakti
KALI THE MOTHER
Yoga, and the philosophy of Advaita Vedanta. The
The stars are blotted out,
Blue Plaque write-up at the English Heritage site
The clouds are covering clouds,
notes that the hub of Swamiji’s “everyday life
It is darkness vibrant, sonant.
was the ground-floor parlour, fronting on to the
In the roaring, whirling wind
street, while he slept in a windowless room
Are the souls of a million lunatics
immediately to the rear. Other parts of the house
Just loosed from the prison-house,
were given over to his entourage…”
Wrenching trees by the roots,
The two forces of differentiation and unity Sweeping all from the path.
are best defined in the symbol of Kali in The sea has joined the fray,
regional folk and classical Indian poetry. The And swirls up mountain-waves,
symbol in calendar art was significant during To reach the pitchy sky.
the Bengal Renaissance and indeed, in India’s The flash of lurid light
Freedom Movement in the twentieth century. Reveals on every side
August 2021
Kali is also a female force that is dynamic – A thousand, thousand shades
associated with the process of constantly Of Death begrimed and black —
becoming. Constant and becoming are not seen Scattering plagues and sorrows,
as contradictory – they are two forces of the Dancing mad with joy,
14 same, one revealing the other, and the essence Come, Mother, come!
of the ‘play’ or interaction of these two forces, For Terror is Thy name,
is to eliminate any trace of privilege which is Death is in Thy breath,
The Vedanta Kesari
tightly packed in the fear of loss. It is this ‘fear And every shaking step
of loss’ that obstructs the Light behind the Destroys a world for e’er.
creative imagination. The light of the creative Thou “Time”, the All-Destroyer!
imagination shines with the loss of fear, or the Come, O Mother, come!
death of the limited self. Who dares misery love,
The age of iron and industrialisation is And hug the form of Death,
also referred to as Kali yuga. So, as I stand Dance in Destruction’s dance,
outside 63 St. George’s Drive, I relish the To him the Mother comes.
generosity of the Blue Plaque for liberating me For details about Swami Vivekananda’s
across time zones and continents and tumbling stay at the house, I’m indebted to Swami
down the walls of historical time for a unique Tripurananda for archival notes, and Swami
experience of freedom. In a poem that beats to Sarvasthananda who is Minister-in-Charge
the pounding rhythm of wheels of the steam Ramakrishna Vedanta Centre, UK. Also, Sri
engine, as of his time, Swami Vivekananda Rathin Das who did the research for the book
Swami Vivekananda in England: A Pictorial
Guide published by Ramakrishna Vedanta
Centre, UK.
Albert Bridge over the River ThamesReminiscences
Reminiscences of Sargachhi
SRIMAT SWAMI SUHITANANDA JI
(Continued from previous issue. . .)
63
4.3.61 (Cont...) everything; very few can go up to the end
Even Master Mahashaya was against
1 कश्चिन्मां वेत्ति तत्त्वतः “one perchance knows Me in
PA G E D O N O R : S U B R A M A N I YA B H A R AT H I YA R R . , K A N C H E E P U R A M
work. He used to say, ‘God comes first and work reality” (Gita 7:3).
comes after that.’ He admitted the importance उद्धरेदात्मनाऽऽत्मानं नात्मानमवसादयेत् । आत्मैव
of work when Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi ह्यात्मनो बन्धुरात्मैव रिपुरात्मनः।। (Gita 6:5) “Uplift
affirmed it; but he didn’t give up his own view.
August 2021
It is true that if one works without clearly
understanding the Reality behind this world,
then work turns into a bondage. But if one
understands Reality and works selflessly, then
his inclination for work gradually disappears. 15
This is precisely the reason why Swamiji
prescribed for us the path of work. But if, along
The Vedanta Kesari
with this, the aspirant does not have bhakti,
yoga, and the discrimination of jnana, then he
cannot progress on the spiritual path. Unless
he becomes न प्रहृष्त्ये प्रियं प्राप्य “one who does not
rejoice on receiving what is pleasant”, (Gita
5:20) what will he achieve by becoming
विविक्तदेशसेवित्वं, “resorting to a secluded place
(Gita 13:10)? When he sits for meditation, as
soon as the mind quietens a little, impulses for
work well up from within like bubbles, one your lower self by your higher self. Do not
after another, and he begins to think, ‘Such- downgrade yourself, for you alone are your
and-such work has not been done.’ Even if he own friend, you alone are your own enemy.”
meditates, there may lurk in the mind a People believe in ‘God’s will’ or ‘Fate
hankering for honour. written on our forehead’ without
After seeing a little light or some divine understanding it. How can they understand?
form, many feel that they have achieved Mantu’s father is a man of character and a
The author, one of the Vice-Presidents of the Ramakrishna Order, presents here his conversations with Swami
Premeshananda (1884-1967), a disciple of Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi.scholar! But when he reads the Bhagavatam, body, mind, and intellect are like the chariot,
people offer him a pittance, as if to a beggar. In and the Atman is the charioteer. What can the
contrast, the profligate son of the zamindar charioteer do if his chariot is defective! He has
lives like a king. People are therefore led to inherited this mind and intellect according to
ascribe these different circumstances to his past actions; and there is no knowing when
predestination. In society, a person dressed in his karma began. The poor fellow is helpless; he
a suit like an Englishman is admired more than can attain same-sightedness if he is established
an honest pundit. The present social conditions in this attitude. दु ः खसंयोगवियोगं (Gita 6:23)
have led to this sorry state of affairs. “Severance from the contact of suffering”— in
परमात्मा समाहितः (Gita 6:7) “The Supreme our ordinary state we are linked to suffering;
Self is the object of constant realization”— one but when we delight in the Self, आत्मरतिः (Gita
must go up to the end; कश्चिन्मां वेत्ति तत्त्वतः (Gita 3:17), then contact with suffering is severed. Or,
7:3) “One perchance knows Me in reality” — it a yogi who rejoices in the Self remains detached
won’t do if the aspirant gets stuck at the stage from suffering even if he has contact with it; i.e.,
of jyoti darshan, seeing the light within and the cause of that suffering cannot touch him.
assuming it as the final stage. ज्ञानविज्ञानतृप्तात्मा Mathuradas was shivering in cold with goose
August 2021
(Gita 6:8) “One whose heart is filled with bumps on his skin. Yet, when asked, he replied,
satisfaction by wisdom and realisation” — It is “There is no shaking within.” ब्रह्मभूतम् (Gita
not enough just to know about the path, and the 6:27), “He becomes identified with Brahman.”
risks and attainments associated with that By constantly cultivating this steadiness of
path; one should also have conviction and a mind, the brahmins make it their nature.
16
clear understanding. It is as if I think I know From outside some people appear to be in
everything about a country by studying its map a very high state – always calm and content
The Vedanta Kesari
and repeatedly listening to descriptions of its with the minimum. But, not having any internal
topography. practice, they are soon overpowered by tamas
and become like dead logs of wood. They
6.3.61
mistake the means for the end. Therefore,
साधुष्वपि च पापेषु समबुद्धिर्विशिष्यते (Gita 6:9) unless the aspirant combines the practice of
“Who looks with equal regard on the good and jnana, karma, bhakti and yoga, he can have a
the sinful.” One cannot treat them equally quick downfall in any of the paths without even
without understanding the mechanism. This having an inkling of it.
(to be continued...)
References : 1) The householder disciple of Sri Ramakrishna and author of The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna.Article
North Kolkata: The Leela Kshetra
SWAMI CHIDEKANANDA
Between 1881 and 1886 — the last five years of Sri Ramakrishna’s sojourn on earth —
twelve of the sixteen direct disciples of Sri Ramakrishna lived in North Kolkata. They were either
born there or had moved there for education or work. In hindsight we can see the Divine Mother’s
plan in placing these young men in this region of Kolkata, thus making it possible for them to
frequently meet Sri Ramakrishna and come under his life-transforming influence. The author
PA G E D O N O R : S U B R A M A N I YA B H A R AT H I YA R R . , K A N C H E E P U R A M
narrates this fascinating story in this and three subsequent articles.
W
hen he was suffering from Spiritual power of an Incarnation’s inner
circle
August 2021
throat cancer, Sri Ramakrishna
once told his householder Why is it necessary to know where the
devotee Mahendranath Gupta, “This illness is monastic disciples of an incarnation lived? The
showing who belong to the inner circle and answer is: ‘power of association’. Learning
who to the outer. Those who are living here, about the places which an incarnation visited
renouncing the world, belong to the inner helps us to purify our minds and to make
17
circle; and those who pay occasional visits and spiritual progress. One of the spiritual practices
The Vedanta Kesari
ask, ‘How are you, sir?’ belong to the outer of Mahendranath Gupta (hereafter Sri M.), the
circle. … When God assumes a human body for chronicler of the Kathamrita or The Gospel of Sri
the sake of His devotees, many of His devotees Ramakrishna, was to bow down to holy places
accompany Him to this earth. Some of them whenever he passed by them. Every day, on his
belong to the inner circle, some to the outer way to his school, he would bow down at the
circle, and some become the suppliers of His place on Bechu Chatterjee Street where Sri
physical needs.”1 Ramakrishna’s elder brother once conducted a
This article discusses three things: 1) the Sanskrit Tolle. He would also bow down to the
spiritual power of an incarnation’s inner circle house of the Mitra family at Jhamapukur, where
and how visiting their homes benefits spiritual Sri Ramakrishna once officiated as a priest.
aspirants; 2) why Sri Ramakrishna visited Observing his companions’ surprise, M., would
Balaram Bose’s house in Northern Kolkata tell them, “Do you know that anyone who walks
more than one hundred times in his final years through this street will become a yogi?”2
(1881-86); 3) rare research findings of the homes In other words, places associated with Sri
and addresses of twelve of Sri Ramakrishna’s Ramakrishna’s direct disciples become sacred
monastic disciples in Northern Kolkata. places for spiritual seekers. Each of these
The author is a sannyasi of the Ramakrishna Order and is serving at Advaita Ashrama, Kolkata.
swamichidekananda@gmail.comName Date of Birth Kolkata Residence
Baburam Ghosh Balaram Bose's House, 7, Girish Ave, Sovabazar,
December 10, 1861
(Swami Premananda) Baghbazar, Kolkata
Nityaniranjan Ghosh Probably in
With uncle in Ahiritola
(Swami Niranjanananda) August 1862
Harinath Chattopadhya
January 3, 1863 Bagbazaar, 10/1 Bose Para Lane
(Swami Turiyananda)
Narendranath Datta 105, Vivekananda Rd, Maniktala, Azad Hind Bag,
January 12, 1863
(Swami Vivekananda) Kolkata, West Bengal 700006
Kansaripara: Presently 36, Tarak Pramanik Road
Rakhal Chandra Ghosh
January 21, 1863 (Old name 54 Baranasi Ghosh Street), arrived in
(Swami Brahmananda)
1875
Sashi Bhushan 125 Amherst Street (crossing of Mahatma Gandhi
Chakrabarty July 13, 1863 Rd and Amherst), presently 26 Patua Tola Lane,
August 2021
(Swami Ramakrishnananda) northwest of Sealdah
Gangadhar Gangopadhyay September 30, presently in the area of 38/2 or 38/4 Bose Para
(Swami Akhandananda) 1864 Lane, Baghbazar
Sharat Chandra 125 Amherst Street (crossing of Mahatma Gandhi
18 Chakrabarty December 23, 1865 Rd and Amherst), presently 26 Patua Tola Lane,
(Swami Saradananda) northwest of Sealdah
The Vedanta Kesari
Sarada Prasanna Mitra 164, Acharya Prafulla Chandra Road, Kolkata
January 30, 1865
(Swami Trigunatitananda) 700004 (Kolkata Residence)
Kali Prasad Chandra
October 2, 1866 21 Nimu Goswami Lane, Ahiritola, North Calcutta,
(Swami Abhedananda)
Subodh Chandra Ghosh
November 8, 1867 41 Sankar Ghose Lane, 700 009, Shyamapukur
(Swami Subodhananda)
monastic disciples was a spiritual giant whose spiritual estimate of his monastic brother
spiritual powers were largely overshadowed by disciples. In Talks with Swami Vivekananda, Sarat
the glory and spiritual brilliance of Sri Chandra quotes Swamiji: “Sri Ramakrishna was
Ramakrishna, Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi, and a wonderful gardener. Therefore, he has made a
Swami Vivekananda. bouquet of different flowers and formed his
In the Gospel, Sri Ramakrishna often tells Order… Know each of those who are here to be
the parable of the eggplant seller who offers only of great spiritual power. Because they remain
shrivelled before me, do not think them to be
nine seers of eggplant for an expensive jewel.
ordinary souls. When they will go out they will
The lesson is that only a master jeweller can
be the cause of the awakening of spirituality in
understand the true value of an expensive jewel.
people. Know them to be part of the spiritual
Likewise, Swami Vivekananda, a master body of Sri Ramakrishna, who was the
jeweller of the spiritual realm, gives us the true embodiment of infinite religious ideas. I lookFamily Status Education at Kolkata
Sent to North Kolkata to continue education; first
Father - Taraprasanna Ghosh & Mother - Mangini
admitted to Banga Vidyalaya, then to Aryan
Devi belonged to an aristocratic family.
School, & finally to Metropolitan School
When Niranjan was in his teens, he was sent to
Father - Ambika Charan Ghosh his uncle's house at Ahiritola, for higher
education.
Father - Chandranath Chattopadhya was an Kambuliatola Bengali School & then General
orthodox brahmin who worked for a British firm. Assembly run by Christian missionaries.
Metropolitan School (Simla), Scottish Church
Father - Viswanath Datta was a wealthy lawyer
College.
Father was a wealthy landlord in Shikra Kolkata Training Academy & later Metropolitan
Kulingram School (Shyampukur).
Went to Calcuta for higher English education,
Father - Ishwar was court pandit of Raja Indra passed Calcutta University Entrance Exam, joined
August 2021
Narayan Singh of Paikpara, North Calcutta Albert College, & then studied at Metropolitan
College.
Father - Srimanta Gangopadhyay was a priest and
Not known
Sanskrit teacher who practiced yoga and tantra.
Albert School and later Hare School, later
Large family was partner in Druggist's Hall, a
large foreign-medicine pharmacy
admitted to Saint Xavier's College & then enrolled 19
in Calcutta Medical College.
The Vedanta Kesari
Father - Shivakrishna was a religious man and a Studied for four years in the Metropolitan
rich landlord Institution in North Kolkata from the 7th grade.
Father - Rasiklal Chandra was an English teacher Govinda Seal's Nursery School, Jadu Pandita's
in the Oriental Seminary. Banga Vidyalaya, Sanskrit School at Hatibagan.
Grandfather - Shankar Ghosh started family
Albert Collegiate School, Metropolitan School.
maintenance of Thanthania Kali Mandir.
upon them with that eye. See, for instance, centre of religious power and in time that power
Brahmananda, who is here—even I do not have will manifest.”3
the spirituality which he has. Sri Ramakrishna Five stages of an Incarnation’s life
looked upon him as his spiritual son and he lived
The life and work of an incarnation
and walked, ate and slept with him. He is the unfolds in five stages. In the first stage, the
ornament of our Math, our king. Similarly, incarnation lives like an ordinary individual but
Premananda, Turiyananda, Trigunatita, quickly experiences dissatisfaction with the
Akhandananda, Saradananda, world. In the second stage, the incarnation
Ramakrishanananda, Subodhananda and engages in intense spiritual practices. In the
others—you may go round the world, but it is third stage, he attains spiritual perfection and
doubtful if you will find men of such spirituality then begins to help other suffering souls. In the
and faith in God like them. They are each a fourth stage, sensing his impending departurefrom this physical world, he Baghbazar, and Kali Prasad
begins to gather his Chandra in Ahiritola. The
disciples, to whom he can other six disciples would
impart the fruits of his move from their villages to
spiritual realisations, and Northern Kolkata for further
who can later spread his education or work. They
teachings to the world. We were Rakhal Chandra Ghosh
see this clearly in the lives of to Simla, Shashi Bhushan
Bhagawan Buddha, Jesus Chakrabarty to Northern
Christ, and Sri Chaitanya Central Kolkata, Sarada
Dev. After his enlightenment, Prasanna Mitra to
Buddha gathered ten Shyamabazar, Baburam
principal disciples around Ghosh to Ahiritola and then
him in Sarnath. Similarly, Baghbazar, Nityaniranjan
towards the end of his life, Ghosh to Ahiritola. Finally,
J e s u s ga t h e re d t we lve Taraknath Ghosal (Swami
August 2021
a p o s t l e s . F i n a l l y, S r i Shivananda), who was nearly
Chaitanya Dev gathered six ten years older than his
main disciples. And in the other brother disciples,
case of Sri Ramakrishna, he Sri Ramakrishna in Kolkata would stay in Northern
gathered sixteen monastic Kolkata during the week in
20
disciples around him. In the fifth and final connection with his work, and would return to
stage, the incarnation leaves his body in the his village in Barasat during the weekend.
The Vedanta Kesari
state of mahasamadhi. Why North Kolkata?
In the fourth stage of Sri Ramakrishna’s During this period, Kolkata was the
life, he brought his young monastic disciples capital of India. And North Kolkata in
together during the last five years of his life particular, was the administrative centre and a
(1881-86). Much before this, as he later cultural, economic, educational, literary,
explained, he would go to the roof of the Kuthi philosophical, and spiritual hub. This provided
in Dakshineswar Temple garden, look towards great scope for young people to develop their
Northern Kolkata, and cry out in his native personality. A classic example of this is Kali
Bengali “ore tora ke kothay aachis aay”4, “Oh, Prasad Chandra who later became Swami
where are you all? Come to me!” Yet for many Abhedananda. As a young boy, he received a
years they did not come! So why did Sri traditional Sanskrit education and was
Ramakrishna look towards Northern Kolkata? interested in Indian philosophy. As a teenager,
Amazingly, six of his monastic disciples he attended the lectures of the great national
were born in Northern Kolkata: Narendranath leader Surendranath Banerjee, the famous
Datta in Simla, Subodh Chandra Ghosh in Brahmo leaders Keshab Chandra Sen and
Shyamabazaar, Sarat Chandra Chakrabarty in Pratap Chandra Majumdar, and the Christian
N o r t h e r n / C e n t ra l Ko l k a t a , H a r i n a t h evangelist Reverend Kali Charan Banerjee. In
Chattopadhya in Baghbazar, Gangadhar 1882-83 Pandit Sashadhar Tarkachudamani, a
Gangopadhyay in Ahiritola and later shifted to well-known scholar, began to interpretHinduism from the scientific point of view and this home his baithak-khana or Parlour room.
gave a series of lectures on the six systems of Eventually, in the last five years of his life, Sri
Hindu philosophy. Kali regularly attended these Ramakrishna visited this house over 100 times!
lectures in Albert Hall. Furthermore, he learned Balaram’s house became the central meeting
Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras from Kalibar place for devotees. Sri M. writes, “And so it
Vedantavagish.5 Thus those who grew up in happened that whenever the Master was at
Northern Kolkata during this time had the rare Balaram’s house, the devotees would gather
opportunity to study and understand Indian there. It was the Master’s chief vineyard in
philosophy from various angles. This constant Calcutta. It was here that the devotees came to
search for higher thoughts left many of them know each other intimately.”6
dissatisfied with mere scholarship and they Years later, Swami Premananda nicely
sought a spiritual teacher who had realised the expressed the love that Sri Ramakrishna
PA G E D O N O R : S U B R A M A N I YA B H A R AT H I YA R R . , K A N C H E E P U R A M
truths spoken of in the scriptures. bestowed on his future monastic disciples: “Oh,
how can I explain to you how much he loved us!
North Kolkata’s advantage
He would go to Calcutta in a carriage just so he
The young disciples were teenagers living could feed Purna. He would wait near the
August 2021
under parental restrictions and studying in school where Purna went, send someone to
secondary school or college. As Dakshineswar bring the boy, then feed him delicacies…One
is about 13 kilometers away from North day he was found waiting outside Balaram
Kolkata, they could not make a quick visit to Babu’s house where I was staying. Balaram
Dakshineswar unnoticed by their parents. Babu was not at home, and the Master was
Hence, they would visit mainly on weekends, 21
hesitant to go inside, thinking he might not be
often avoiding the notice of their parents or welcomed. He had come to see me. Someone
The Vedanta Kesari
guardians. Furthermore, the young disciples finally called him in. His love knew no bounds,
did not have the money for round trip fare by and one drop of it completely filled us. Each one
carriage or boat. thus thought himself to be the most beloved of
The solution the Master.”7
Since he wanted his young disciples to visit The homes of the direct disciples, both
him frequently, Sri Ramakrishna often made monastic and lay, which Sri Ramakrishna
arrangements for their visit to Dakshineswar. visited are sacred spaces. Fortunately, many of
But he needed a place in Kolkata where he could these homes are still in existence. In these
meet and interact with them freely. This he upcoming issues, we will explore these holy
found in the house of his dear householder homes of both his monastic and lay disciples in
devotee Balaram Bose in Baghbazar. He called the areas of Baghbazar, Shyambazar, and Simla.
t t
References
1) The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna [hereafter Gospel]. 4) Kathamrita, p. 1103, Gospel. p. 832, August 9, 1885.
p. 933 5) They Lived with God. p. 443
2) They Lived with God. p.221 6) Gospel. p. 724
3) Talks with Swami Vivekananda. p. 392-93 7) They Lived with God. p. 184Article
Sri Ramanuja’s Inventive Arrangement
SRIRANGAM MOHANARANGAN
S
ri Ramanuja, the great Acharya of a servant also along with the marriage gifts
Vedanta who propagated the while sending you here!” Atthuzhaai was deeply
glorious path of Srivaishnavism, had pained by this criticism of her father, for, she
inventive solutions to the challenges of life. One knew with what difficulty her father had
such anecdote is about how he resolved the managed to get her married. Later in the day, she
troubles of a daughter-in-law. came to her father and told him of her sorrow.
Sri Ramanuja wanted to become the Unable to know what he could do, Sri
disciple of Sri Alavandar, the head of Sri Periya Nambi asked her to speak with Sri
August 2021
Vaishnavaite faith at Srirangam. But when he Ramanuja. To the disciples, a guru’s daughters
came to meet him, the guru had just left his are like their sisters. With such a relationship
body. So, Sri Ramanuja had to learn from the Atthuzhaai had always felt free and confident in
disciples of Sri Alavandar. He received his her brother Sri Ramanuja’s presence. When Sri
22 initiation into the Tirumantra or Ramanuja learnt of the in-laws’ displeasure
Ashtaksharamantra from Sri Periya Nambi. with the marriage gifts, he calmly directed Sri
Hence, in a sense, Sri Periya Nambi was Sri Mudaliyandan, one of his main disciples, to
The Vedanta Kesari
Ramanuja’s guru. accompany Atthuzhaai to her in-laws’ house as
Sri Periya Nambi had a daughter named her servant.
Atthuzhaai. As he was not well-to-do, he was Accordingly, Sri Mudaliyandan began to
able to arrange only a very simple marriage for perform all the menial house-hold chores at
her. The poor arrangements and gifts Atthuzhaai’s in-law’s house. He went about it
displeased Atthuzhaai’s in-laws. When with the same one-pointed attention and
Atthuzhaai started living at her in-law’s place, devotion that he had for his scriptural studies.
they often expressed their disappointment to Now Atthuzhaai’s in-laws were greatly
her face. perturbed. The mother-in-law was terrified that
Atthuzhaai had to wake up very early in they would suffer some great tragedy for
the morning, go to the river for a bath, and then receiving labour-service from a noble soul like
begin her daily chores at home. As she was Sri Mudaliyandan.
afraid to go out alone in the dark, she requested Rushing to Sri Periya Nambi, Atthuzhaai’s
her mother-in-law to send someone to agitated in-laws asked why he choose to
accompany her. But the mother-in-law retorted, condemn them by sending a great scholar as a
“Oh! Your people should have arranged to send (Continued on page 31...)
The author is a Tamil writer on culture and Hinduism and has done a comparative study of Nammalvar and
Swami Vivekananda. He lives in Srirangam. ranganvmsri@gmail.comPocket Tales
The Honeycomb in the Mountain
GITANJALI MURARI
A fictional narrative based on incidents from the childhood of Swami Vivekananda.
T
he long train journey was at last over. “But now comes the difficult part,”
warned Bhutnath De, Vishwanath Datta’s business partner, “we must travel for
another two weeks through dense jungles before we finally arrive at Raipur.”
Turning to Naren, he added, “I’ll lead the way in my cart and you bring up the rear...is that
alright?”
PA G E D O N O R : S U B R A M A N I YA B H A R AT H I YA R R . , K A N C H E E P U R A M
“Oh yes Uncle,” Naren’s face flushed with excitement, “it’ll be an adventure!”
August 2021
23
The Vedanta Kesari
A month ago, Vishwanath Datta had shifted from Calcutta to Raipur. “The new project
will take two years to complete,” he had told his family before leaving, “as soon as I find a
good house, I’ll send for all of you…Bhutnath will accompany you and bring you safely to
me.”
The author is a media professional and writer. The Crown of Seven Stars is her first novel. She lives in
Mumbai. gitanjalimurari@yahoo.com Illustrator: Smt. Lalithaa Thyagarajan. lalithyagu@gmail.com“What about my school, Baba?” Naren had asked anxiously. Vishwanath Datta had
laughed, “New experiences are great teachers, son…you will get a unique education.”
Travelling alone in the last bullock-cart, Naren gazed up at the blue sky through the
lattice of leaves. Butterflies flitted about and occasionally a white cloud sailed past. In the
distance, the undulating line of the Vindhya range became visible. The path narrowed and
soon the mountains loomed on both sides. Covered with dense forests, they shone
greenish-gold in the sunlight. Streams sparkled amongst the trees, wild flowers and fruits
scented the air, and colourful birds skimmed overhead, chirping sweetly. “Can’t we stop
here awhile?” Naren asked the driver. “No, no,” came the firm reply, “these forests are full
of wild beasts...we must be out of here before the sun sets.”
Just then, the convoy reached a sharp curve and slowed down. Naren looked up. Two
mountain peaks met each other in a loving embrace, forming an arch high above the path.
As he passed under it, Naren examined this natural bridge and gasped. A fissure spanned
the length of one mountain and inside it nestled a gigantic honeycomb, filling the entire
space. “What a grand kingdom,” Naren exclaimed, “the bees must have taken years to build
August 2021
it…how beautifully it fits inside the rock!” “Indeed,” the driver nodded, “nature is full of
surprises.” Gazing at the remarkable beehive, Naren marvelled at God’s infinite love for his
creation. An inexpressible peace washed over him. The more he reflected on the power of
God’s pure love, the higher his mind soared, until losing awareness of the outer world, he
24 entered a realm of extraordinary bliss.
The cart lurched and Naren sat up. The tall mountains had given way to rolling hills.
The Vedanta Kesari
Much distance had been covered while he had been immersed in heavenly joy. How he
wished to recapture it! Noticing a cave, he clambered off the slow-moving cart. “Where are
you going?” the driver yelled in alarm but Naren hurried on, impelled by an unseen force.
“Hoy, stop,” the driver called out to the cart ahead, “the boy has gone to that cave…
somebody needs to fetch him fast.” Naren’s brothers looked at each other. What could dada
be up to now? “I’ll go,” Mahendra announced and quickly got down.
On entering the cave, he found his older brother sitting cross-legged
on the rough ground, his face radiating joy. “Dada,” Mahendra rushed
forward and Naren opened his eyes. He tried to speak, his eyes aglow
with a mystical light, gazing at something beyond ordinary human
vision. “Dada,” Mahendra said again, this time a little frightened. Naren
shook himself out of the trance and smiled. Catching his brother’s hand,
he walked out into the sunshine. His new education had begun.
When you see a beautiful scenery …the vision … brings you to a
blissful state of the mind; it tones down all the friction in your
soul, it makes you calm, almost raises you, for the time being,
beyond your mortal nature and places you in a condition of
quite divine ecstasy. — Swami VivekanandaPULLOUT FOR REFERENCE
This issue is part 3 of the lecture
Vedanta in its Application to Indian life.
ISSUE 42 We covered the first two parts of this
lecture in Issue 39 and Issue 41.
focus in this issue:
Vedanta in its Application to Indian Life - 3
In Part 3 of the lecture: What the Upanishads tell us
PA G E D O N O R : S U B R A M A N I YA B H A R AT H I YA R R . , K A N C H E E P U R A M
1.2 For centuries, we have weakened
Strength, strength is what ourselves till we have become “earth
the Upanishads speak to me worms”. What we need now is strength
from every “ There are thousands to weaken us, and of stories
August 2021
page. we have had enough. Every one of our Puranas, if
you press it, gives out stories enough to fill three-
This is the one
fourths of the libraries of the world. Everything
great thing to
that can weaken us as a race we have had for the
remember, it
last thousand years. It seems as if during that 25
has been the period the national life had this one end in view,
one great lesson I have been viz how to make us weaker and weaker till we
The Vedanta Kesari
taught in my life; strength, it have become real earthworms, crawling at the
says, strength, O man, be not feet of every one who dares to put his foot on us.
weak. Therefore, my friends, as one of your blood, as one
that lives and dies with you, let me tell you that we
want strength, strength, and every time strength.
1.1 There are human weaknesses, but
more weakness will not heal them. The
answer is to stand up and be strong 1.3 The Upanishads are the great mine of
strength through which the whole world
“ Are there no human weaknesses? — can be unified
says man. There are, say the Upanishads,
but will more weakness heal them, would “ And the Upanishads are the great mine
you try to wash dirt with dirt? Will of strength. Therein lies strength enough to
sin cure sin, weakness cure weakness? invigorate the whole world; the whole world can
Strength, O man, strength, say the be vivified, made strong, energised through them.
Upanishads, stand up and be strong. Ay, They will call with trumpet voice upon the weak,
it is the only literature in the world where the miserable, and the downtrodden of all races,
you find the word "Abhih", "fearless", used all creeds, and
Designed &
again and again; in no other scripture in all sects to stand developed by
the world is this adjective applied either to on their feet and ILLUMINE
Knowledge Resources
God or to man. Abhih, fearless! be free.
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