A ugust 2010

VOL. 97, No. 8 ISSN 0042-2983

A CULTURAL AND SPIRITUAL M O N T H L Y O F T H E R A M A K R I S H N A O R D E R

Started at the instance of Swami Vivekananda in 1895 as Brahmavâdin,

it assumed the name The Vedanta Kesari in 1914.
For free edition on the Web, please visit: www.chennaimath.org

CONTENTS
August 2010
Vedic Prayers 285
Editorial
Strength is Life 286
Articles
„ Swami Vivekananda’s Voice Recording? 292
M S Nanjundiah
„ An Event in the Court of Janaka 294
Swami Golokananda
„ Disaster Relief: Valuable Experiences 297
Swami Suvirananda
„ Mary Tappan Wright: Swamiji’s first Western Chronicler 302
Somenath Mukherjee
„ Spiritual Values in the Gita 314
Swami Visharadananda
Special Column
„ Influence of Ramakrishna-Vivekananda on
Contemporary Bengali Literature - IV 309
Hironmoy Mukherjee
New Find
„ Unpublished Letters of Swami Saradananda 312
The Order on the March 318
Book Reviews 321
Features
Simhâvalokanam (Sri Ramakrishna, the Great Master)—289,
Vivekananda Tells Stories—306

Cover Story: Page 4

 2

The Vedanta Kesari

Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai 600 004
h (044) 2462 1110 (4 lines) Fax : (044) 2493 4589
Email : mail@chennaimath.org Website : www.chennaimath.org

TO OUR SUBSCRIBERS
N You can subscribe to The month (for overseas subscriptions,
Vedanta Kesari from any month. two months) of posting of the
N On your address slip, the journal are not entertained.
number on the left of the first N To ensure continuity, please
line of address is your subscri- renew your subscription well in
ption-number. Always mention advance.
this in your correspondence. N For fresh subscriptions, re-
N If you do not receive your copy newals, placing advertisements
by 2nd week of a month, please in The Vedanta Kesari, please
intimate us. Complaints reach- write to The Manager, The
ing us before this or after one Vedanta Kesari Office. †
Vedanta Kesari Subscription Annual 3 Years 5 Years 10 Years
Rates (inclusive of postage)
‰ India Rs.100 Rs.290 Rs.475 Rs.1000
‰ Other Countries
All overseas dispatch by Air Mail. Rs.1500 Rs.4500 Rs.7500 ---
Please send your subscription to The Manager, The Vedanta Kesari by DD/MO
drawn in favour of Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai. Payments/donations can be made ONLINE
using your Master or Visa Cards. Please visit our Website.

We invite our readers to liberally contribute to the Vedanta Kesari Permanent

Fund. This will go a long way in placing this nearly 100 years old magazine on
firm financial footings to continue its service to the cause of a holistic and
meaningful life. Your contributions (minimum of Rs.1000/- or US$ 25) by Cheque/
DD/MO should be sent to Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai, along
with a covering note stating that it is meant for Vedanta Kesari Permanent Fund.
Every contribution will be gratefully acknowledged and the donor’s name
will be published in the Vedanta Kesari. All donations to Sri Ramakrishna Math
are exempt from Income Tax under section 80G of the [Indian] I.T. Act, 1961.
We accept online donations also.
3
 4

Cover Story
Kapaleshwara Temple, Mylapore, Chennai
Located around 300 hundred metres from the Ramakrishna
Math, Mylapore, the Kapaleshwara Temple is an ancient temple.
Shiva, the presiding deity of the temple, is called Kapaleshwara
and the Divine Mother Parvati is called as Karpagambal. Ac-
cording to the tradition, Divine Mother worshipped Shiva here
in the form of the peacock (mayil in Tamil), and that is how
the area around the temple is called Mylapore. Holy Mother
Sri Sarada Devi and many direct disciples of Sri Ramakrishna
including Swami Brahmananda and Swami Ramakrishnananda
have visited the temple. Flanked by a large water tank in front,
the temple is visited by thousands of devotees daily. †

The Vedanta Kesari Patrons’ Scheme

We invite our readers to join as patrons of the magazine. They can
do so by sending Rs.2000/- or more. Names of the patrons will be
announced in the journal under the Patrons' Scheme and they will
receive the magazine for 20 years. Please send your contribution to
The Manager, The Vedanta Kesari by DD/MO drawn in favour of
Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai with a note that it is for the
Patrons' Scheme.

DONOR PATRON
Mr. Mani Bhushan Kumar Suman, Bihar Rs.2000 601. Mr. Anshul Mittal, New Delhi

The Vedanta Kesari Library Scheme

SL.NO. NAMES OF SPONSORS AWARDEE INSTITUTIONS

4390. A Devotee of Sri Ramakrishna The Oxford College, J.P. Nagar, Bangalore, Karnataka - 560 078
4391. -do- The Institute of Certified Management, Jaipur, Rajasthan - 302 016
4392. -do- The Hindu College, Machilipatnam, A.P. - 521 001
4393. -do- The Delhi School of Communication, Nebi Sarai, New Delhi - 110 068
4394. -do- B.H. Education Societies, Station Road, Ahmednagar - 404 001
4395. -do- Thapar Institute of Engineering & Tech., Patiala, Punjab - 147 004
4396. -do- Thanagal Kunju Musaliar Institute of Mgt., Kollam, Kerala - 691 505
4397. -do- Teerthanker Mahaveer Institute, Moradabad, U.P. - 244 001
4398. A Devotee of Sri Ramakrishna Technological Inst. of Mgt., Tirupati, A.P. - 517 501
4399. -do- Technological Inst. of Textiles, Bhiwani, Haryana - 127 021
4400. -do- Technocrats Inst. of Tech., Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh - 462 021

Continued on page 45
 VOL. 97, No. 8, AUGUST 2010 ISSN 0042-2983

E ACH SOUL IS POTENTIALLY DIVINE. T HE GOAL IS TO MANIFEST THE DIVINITY WITHIN.

Vedic Prayers
Tr. by Swami Sambuddhananda
`Ò_mÀnaß Zmna_pÒV qH${MV≤ `Ò_mfimUr`mo Z ¡`m`mo@pÒV H${¸V≤ &
d•j Bd ÒV„Ymo {X{d {V>À`oH$-ÒVoZoXß nyU™ nwÈfoU gd©_≤ &&
—Shvetashvatara Upanishad, III, 9
`Ò_mV≤ to whom na_≤ superior Anaß than whom AUr`Ö more minute
¡`m`Ö older in age H${¸V≤ any one Z ApÒV there is not d•j Bd like a tree
ÒV„YÖ immovable EH$Ö alone {X{d in his own effulgence {V>{V stands VoZ
nwÈfoU by that Purusha (Being) BXß gd™ the whole of this nyU™ filled.
There is nothing higher than or different from Him. Nothing is
greater or more minute than Him. Seated in His own glory He stands
like a tree, one without a second and immovable. By that Purusha
(Supreme Being) the whole universe is filled (pervaded).

Real existence, real knowledge, and real love are eternally connected
with one another, the three in one: where one of them is, the others
also must be; they are the three aspects of the One without a second—
the Existence-Knowledge-Bliss. When that existence becomes relative,
we see it as the world; that knowledge becomes in its turn modified
into the knowledge of the things of the world; and that bliss forms the
foundation of all true love known to the heart of man.
Therefore true love can never react so as to cause
pain either to the lover or to the beloved. . . .When
you have succeeded in loving your husband, your wife,
your children, the whole world, the universe, in such a
manner that there is no reaction of pain or jealousy, no selfish feeling,
then you are in a fit state to be unattached.
—Swami Vivekananda, CW, 1: 58
T h e V e d a n t a K e s a r i ~ 285 ~ D E C E M B E R 2 0 0 9
 Strength is Life
A Perpetual Question get a hold on us, until the mind is weakened.
‘This is the one question I put to every This is the great fact: strength is life, weakness
man, woman, or child, when they are in is death. Strength is felicity, life eternal, immor-
physical, mental, or spiritual training,’ said tal; weakness is constant strain and misery:
Swami Vivekananda, weakness is death.2

Are you strong? Do you feel strength?—for I Strength, therefore, is the one thing needful.
know it is truth alone that gives strength. I know Strength is the medicine for the world’s disease.
that truth alone gives life, and nothing but going Strength is the medicine which the poor must
towards reality will make us strong, and none have when tyrannised over by the rich. Strength
will reach truth until he is strong.1 is the medicine that the ignorant must have when
Indeed, strength is the greatest necessity oppressed by the learned; and it is the medicine
that sinners must have when tyrannised over
of life. Strength is another name for life.
by other sinners; and nothing gives such strength
Weakness, in its widest sense, means death.
as this idea of monism. Nothing makes us so
And strength comes from reality—or from
moral as this idea of monism. Nothing makes
Truth. As is the level of truth, so is the stren-
us work so well at our best and highest as when
gth! Though one can gain strength from ‘lower
all responsibility is thrown upon ourselves.3
truth’, the supreme strength comes from
‘highest truth’ only. God is the ultimate source
Types of Strength
of all strength. And life is nothing but an
When we try to understand the idea of
expression of strength.
strength, obviously, we should see it from
Swami Vivekananda may rightly be
various aspects of our personality—physical,
called as the Prophet of Strength. He was stren-
mental and spiritual. One should try to gain
gth incarnate and it is strength that he taught.
strength at all these levels:
He equated faith in oneself, self-control and
1. Bahu Balam or physical strength is the
feeling for others with strength. In his famous
first and the grossest manifestation of strength.
passage he said,
Of course, we need it! Only a strong body can
The weak have no place here, in this life or in
withstand the wear and tear of daily life and
any other life. Weakness leads to slavery. Weak-
maintain good health. Swami Vivekananda
ness leads to all kinds of misery, physical and
rightly pointed out,
mental. Weakness is death. There are hundreds
of thousands of microbes surrounding us, but We speak of many things parrot-like, but never
they cannot harm us unless we become weak, do them; speaking and not doing has become a
until the body is ready and predisposed to habit with us. What is the cause of that? Physical
receive them. There may be a million microbes weakness. This sort of weak brain is not able to
of misery, floating about us. Never mind! They do anything; we must strengthen it. First of all,
dare not approach us, they have no power to our young men must be strong. Religion will

T h e V e d a n t a K e s a r i ~ 286 ~ A U G U S T 2 0 1 0

come afterwards. Be strong, my young friends;
that is my advice to you. You will be nearer to
Heaven through football than through the study
of the Gita. These are bold words; but I have to
say them, for I love you. I know where the shoe
pinches. I have gained a little experience. You
will understand the Gita better with your biceps,
your muscles, a little stronger.4
Indeed, how many diseases owe their
origin to our lack of exercise and wrong habits!
Rightly did a doctor once tell that if only all
physical exercises could be made into a ‘pill’,
it would be the most prescribed of all pills!
One needs both exercises and a healthy life-
style to become strong and to maintain it. We
cannot ‘buy’ bodily strength from outside; we
have to make it manifest through physical
exercises and right eating habits.
A strong body includes avoiding all
harmful habits such as smoking, eating junk
food and so on. One of the most important
aspects of true physical strength is the practice
of chastity. A licentious way of living can never
lead to strength. In spite of all medical and
nutritional care, an indulgent life style will
only lead to weakness and dissipation. Hence
the need for self-control.
2. Buddhi Balam or strength of intellect is
a special prerogative of human beings. Among
the living beings, it is man alone who is end-
owed with a superior intellect. The capacity
to think is unique to man. A man can, how-
ever, think great thoughts or mean thoughts.
He can think positively or think negatively.
He has the choice while animals have no such
choice. Sri Ramakrishna says,
God no doubt dwells in all, but He manifests
Himself more through man than through other
beings. Is man an insignificant thing? He can
think of God, he can think of the Infinite, while
other living beings cannot. God exists in other
living beings—animals, plants, nay, in all be-
T h e V e d a n t a K e s a r i
7
ings—but He manifests Himself more through
man than through these others. Fire exists in all
beings, in all things; but its presence is felt more
in wood. Rama said to Lakshmana: ‘Look at the
elephant, brother. He is such a big animal, but
he cannot think of God.5
To be able to think of God, or the Highest
Abstraction of Truth called God, is man’s grea-
test capacity. To think of God, one has to
cultivate virtues such as chastity, non-violence,
truthfulness, non-possessiveness, self-disci-
pline and so on. To cultivate these virtues one
should channel one’s thinking rightly.
Of course, it is man’s buddhi balam
which brings forth advances in scientific,
technological, economic, social, political and
other fields. If today we are able to communi-
cate and commute at great speed, it is due to
scientific and technological developments. But
using our buddhi only for external world and
not using it for improving ourselves is actually
not a sign of right use of our buddhi. Despite
all modern advances, modern man is also an
unhappy being. Wide spread violence, crime,
suicides, frustration and depression are clear
indications of this. How surprising it is that
while some people have such high IQ, they
are so poor and deficient in dealings with
others, with their family and organization
matters! Hence, buddhi balam should be taken
in its widest sense of term—i.e., using our
thinking faculty to explore newer areas of
knowledge of the external world on one hand,
and taking care our character, conduct and
behaviour on other hand. Reading authentic
books or articles and listening to inspiring talks
and thinking over those life-giving ideas is a
great help in enriching one’s buddhi balam.
3. Atma Balam or spiritual strength is
man’s greatest asset. The Upanishads say that
a weak person cannot attain Self-realisation
(nayaam atma bala hinena labhyate). Swamiji said,
~ 287 ~ A U G U S T 2 0 1 0

Religion is the manifestation of the natural
strength that is in man. A spring of infinite
power is coiled up and is inside this little body,
and that spring is spreading itself. And as it
goes on spreading, body after body is found
insufficient; it throws them off and takes higher
bodies. This is the history of man, of religion,
civilisation, or progress.6
A spiritually strong and sound man will be
strong in every other respect, if he so wishes.7
Infinite strength is religion and God. . .8
Only the strong can be truly virtuous.
One of the Sanskrit words for strength is virya.
A vira-purusha (brave man) is one who has
virya, strength. Swamiji explains,
Vira, the Sanskrit word for ‘heroic’, is the origin
of our word ‘virtue’, because in ancient times
the best fighter was regarded as the most
virtuous man.9
How does one develop spiritual stren-
gth? Through living a God-centred or Atman-
centred life. This means living an integrated
and holistic life which includes following a
routine of meditation, prayer, japa on the one
side and adhering to moral principles or higher
values on the other. More often than not, many
people after years of spiritual practices seem
to make no progress. One of the main reasons
for this is their lack of following virtues such
as truthfulness, non-violence, contentment,
freedom from jealousy, anger, greed and so
on. Swamiji also cautioned,
In religion, as in all other matters, discard every-
thing that weakens you, have nothing to do with
it. Mystery mongering weakens the human
brain.10
Atma balam means deriving strength
from our deepest core, the atman. Atma balam
References: 1. CW, 1: 201 2. CW, 2: 3 3. CW, 2: 201
6. CW, 8: 185 7. CW, 1: 52 8. CW, 7: 13
T h e V e d a n t a K e s a r i
8
is the capacity to face life with calmness and
resourcefulness. Atma balam equips one with
mental and spiritual vigour to assimilate life’s
good and bad experiences and keep God or
atman as the highest goal. Depending on God
or surrendering oneself to God’s Will in the
true sense of the term is also an indication of
atma-balam. By knowing the true nature of
the Self, one gains immense strength (atmana
vindate veeryam).
Expressions of Strength
Strength should be manifested in all as-
pects of our social, economic and cultural life.
We should become strong as individuals, as
described above, but we should also express
this strength in our outer life as well. In social
matters, one should express this inner strength
by holding on to healthy social practices. In
economics and commercial life, one should
stick to those practises which are an expression
of our inner strength.
One’s inner strength should find its
expression in one’s cultural and moral aspects
also. A culture of strength is that which mani-
fests this inner purity of our being, and not
the grossness of our being. A culturally strong
person will always want to listen to songs, or
see movies and plays, read a literature which
makes him strong. If we wish to be strong, we
should always associate with those who are
already strong. The following prayer from the
Upanishads is truly the ideal prayer for
strength,
Thou art Energy, impart energy unto me.
Thou art Strength, impart strength unto me.
Thou art Spirituality, impart spirituality unto me.
Thou art Fortitude, impart fortitude unto me!11 †
DD
4. CW, 3: 242 5. The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, 432
9. CW, 7: 78 10. CW, 1: 134 11. CW, 6: 277
~ 288 ~ A U G U S T 2 0 1 0
 Simhâvalokanam
From the Archives of THE VEDANTA KESARI
(June-July, 1920-21, pp. 97-101)

Sri Ramakrishna, the Great Master

By Swami Saradananda
Dakshineswar
To understand the further development of Sri Ramakrishna’s life, and the opening up of a
new avenue of earning for Ramkumar, we have to acquaint ourselves a little with the events
that were happening in a famous contemporary family at Calcutta.
At the southern end of the Indian Metropolis, in the quarter of Janbazar, there was the
residence of the famous Rani Rasamani. The Rani was widowed at the age of 40 with her four
daughters and became the sole owner of the vast property of her husband, Raj Chandra Das.
Since her husband’s demise she had been managing the estate herself. And through her
numerous philanthropic deeds and acts of charity she built up a great name and fame for
herself among the residents of Calcutta. Moreover, she won the heart of many by her great
devotion and faith, indomitable courage, unbounded sympathy for the poor and unstinted gifts
of alms. An extraordinary intelligence, presence of mind, great assiduity to uphold a righteous
cause, were also markedly manifest in her. These virtues and her continuous endeavour to do
some good turns to the people endeared her very much to the inhabitants of the West of
Bengal. Though born of the low fisherman caste (Kaivartaka), yet by virtue of the excellences
of her head and heart, and the various good deeds, she gave a real and glorious significance to
her title ‘Rani,’ and was able to earn love and regard from people of all castes,—from the
highest Brahmana downwards.
At the time we are speaking of here, all the daughters of the Rani were married and they
had their children also. When her third daughter had departed from this world leaving behind
a young son, the Rani who had a special partiality for the third son-in-law Mathuranath Biswas,
thought of re-uniting him with her family by a new tie, and so she married her fourth daughter
Jagadamba Dasi to him. The descendants of these four daughters of the Rani are still alive in
Calcutta. Rani Rasamani was particularly devoted to the Divine Mother Kali. The seal that she
had for her State business bore the words—’Srimati Rasamani Dasi, the aspirant of the grace of
Kali.’ . . .
Tradition has it, that the Rani had been fostering fondly for sometime past a great desire
to go to Benares once and worship the Lord Visweswara and Mother Annapurna to her heart’s
content. And for that purpose she had set apart a large amount of money also. But owing to

T h e V e d a n t a K e s a r i ~ 289 ~ A U G U S T 2 0 1 0
 10

the fact of her great responsible work that had befallen upon her shoulder after the death of
her husband, she could not translate her pious intention into action till then. Now, all her
sons-in-law had become quite capable of looking after their own, and specially her youngest
son-in-law, the said Mathuranath relieved much of the burden of her shoulder by helping her
in carrying out the estate business. So the Rani thought of going to Benares in the year 1255 B.
S. When all arrangements for the pilgrimage were completed, on the eve of her proposed
starting she got the Pratyadesha (Divine command),—‘There is no need of your going to
Benares. Erect a temple on a good site on the bank of the Ganges, install there a stone image
of Mine and make proper arrangements for the daily worship and offerings of that image.
Being present in that Image I shall accept all thy worship and homage!’ The devout heart of the
Rani accepted the commandment in full faith; and with much joy gave up the desire of going
to Benares and resolved to utilize all the money she had set aside for the purpose to carry out
the Divine command.
. . . She bought an extensive plot of land on the eastern bank of the river Ganges and
began to build on it a huge temple with nine towers (navaratna) and some other small temples
along with it, and laid a big garden around the temple. The work of construction was carried
on for several years till 1261 B.S. (1855 A.D.) Still it was not finally completed. But having
thought of the uncertainty of life and being eager to do the installation of the Divine Image as
soon as possible, she hurried through the building work and had the Image of the Divine
Mother installed in the Temple on the auspicious day of 18th Jyaishtha, 1262 B.S (1855 A.D).
But here our readers must know something of the incidents that led to the installation.
Either owing to a pratyadesha or through the natural inspiration of her pious heart the
Rani had a great mind to worship the Divine Mother with the offerings of cooked rice. She
mused that the temple was completed after her heart’s desire and she was going to endow the
temple with a large property sufficient to carry on the daily worship, yet if she could not carry
on the worship and offerings as her heart desired,—if she could not offer Her, the Divine
Mother, the dishes of cooked rice along with the side dishes then all would be in vain. Though
this pious work of hers might bring to her some more name or fame,— though people might
speak highly of the temple and her charity, yet all these were useless, she thought, as they
could not give her any true and abiding solace of life; her soul would be satisfied only when
she could worship the Mother of the universe as her very own. And so the pious Rani kept up
praying constantly to her Ishtam, the Divine Mother, to become manifest, accept her worship
and offerings, and thus fulfil her heart’s inmost desire.
And the great barrier in her way of fulfilling that cherished intention of hers was her caste
and the current custom of the society. Otherwise, the instinct of her heart never told her, she
thought, for a single moment that if she were to offer dishes of cooked rice to the Divine
Mother, She would refuse, the offering, when the very idea of making such an offering brings
an elation of her heart with joy! Had it been sinful it would have brought in its train a feeling
T h e V e d a n t a K e s a r i ~ 290 ~ A U G U S T 2 0 1 0
 11

of dejection and gloom only! Then, who could have been the originator of this un-humane
custom! And why? Is Shastra the promulgator? Could it be then that the author of the Shastras
was so heartless as to give sanction to such custom? or, perhaps certain selfish motives might
have prompted him to reserve such high privileges only for the highest caste, even in matters
related to religion and spirituality? If it were so, away with such Shastras; no need with such
Shastras for her! She would follow the promptings of her own heart in this matter. Yet, she
meditated, that would not bring a satisfactory solution of the problem. If she were to go against
the current custom of the land, none of Brahmin devotees, Sadhus and good people would
come to her temple and partake of the food offered to the Goddess. That itself was a matter of
great disconsolation! So, to find a way out—a satisfactory solution of all these difficulties that
arose in her mind in connection with the installation of the Divine Image and the proper
conducting of its worship and offerings—the Rani sent for the opinions of all great Pundits and
scholars of the land, yet none of these opinions she received was after her liking.
In the mean time the constructions of the temple and the Image were completed and
were ready for installation, yet she found no hope of fulfilment of her heart’s desire. All the
Pundits of the country gave their opinion in one accord to the effect that a Sudra had no right
to offer cooked rice to the Deity. And when all hope of hers in the matter was about to flicker
out, there came the scholarly opinion from the Chatuspathi at Jhamapukur saying that if the
Rani could dedicate the temple to any Brahmana before the installation of the Image and if the
said Brahmana would have the installation done in his name and make arrangements for the
offering of cooked rice then there would be no infringement of the mandates of the Shastras,
and all the upper castes like Brahmanas, could partake of the offerings without being degraded
for the same.
This opinion of Ramkumar [the elder brother of Sri Ramakrishna; who taught at Chatuspathi
at Jhamapukur] revived again the withered hope of the Rani and she thought of dedicating the
whole of the temple and the temple property in the name of her Guru and then to remain
herself as an agent of his to look after the proper management and worship of the temple.
Next, she sent round the opinion of Ramkumar Bhattacharjee to other eminent pundits also for
criticism and none of them said that the opinion was against any Shastraic injunctions, although
it might be opposed to the current customs.
We can well understand that the above incident must have attracted the Rani’s attention
particularly towards Ramkumar. And in truth in those days, when Brahmins, the leaders of
the society, were so narrow-minded and immured within the walls of bigotry, that few of
them could see a broad purpose in the words of the scriptures and accordingly give religious
advice suiting to the occasion, it was no small measure of catholicity on the part of Ramkumar
to give the above kind of opinion on the present occasion which solved the difficulties so
satisfactorily. †

T h e V e d a n t a K e s a r i ~ 291 ~ A U G U S T 2 0 1 0
 Swami Vivekananda’s Voice Recording?
A note on voice recordings of speeches given at
the Parliament of Religions held in Chicago in 1893
M S NANJUNDIAH

The Much-asked Question Vivekananda’s speech was not recorded dur-

The much-asked question whether there ing the Parliament of Religions.
are any voice recordings of any of the speeches The author also directly corresponded by
of Swami Vivekananda at the Chicago Parlia- email with the Research Wing of the Chicago
ment of Religions in 1893 has been investigated Historical Society, and the Art Institute Archi-
by the author. Swami Chidananda of the ves, Chicago. They have confirmed to the
Vivekananda Vedanta Society, Chicago, indi-
cated to the author that he had made enquiries
and found that there were no such recordings.
Swami Chetanananda of the Vedanta Society
of St. Louis also followed up this matter and
corresponded with the Chicago Historical
Society (Archives and Manuscripts) and the
Library of Congress, as suggested by the
Historical Society. The conclusion was that
there were no such recordings.
Marie Louise Burke, the well-known
researcher on Swamiji’s visits to the West, who
discussed this matter with Swami Prabha-
nanda, the present General Secretary of Edison Home Phonograph
Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission, author that there are no recordings available;
during her visit to Belur Math in January 1994, the Art Institute archives also said, ‘There is no
also indicated something similar. She told him indication that any voice recordings were made at
that according to two historians who have the Congress’. This is understandable consi-
specialised in that period of American History dering the limitation of technology in those
and also according to her own searches, Swami days.

A long-standing devotee of Sri Ramakrishna, Sri M.S. Nanjundiah from Bangalore worked in the World Bank at
Washington D.C., USA for about sixteen years, and held the positions of Financial Adviser and Senior
Operations Adviser. Prior to joining the World Bank he was a Senior Officer in the Ministry of Railways and later
in the Ministry of Finance, Economic Affairs Department. His deep association with Ramakrishna Movement led
to the publication of A Spiritual Centre Blossoms—a large volume chronicling the 100-year history of
Ramakrishna Math, Bull Temple Road, Bangalore. …

T h e V e d a n t a K e s a r i ~ 292 ~ A U G U S T 2 0 1 0
 13

Cylinder recorder Edison Recording Cylinder

Some Findings by the Author where as Swamiji’s voice. This is unfortunate.

The author has reviewed the position re-
garding the technology available in US in 1893
for voice recording and the manner in which
the recordings were made—record making
required the person to speak into a mouthpiece
attached to a diaphragm which was connected
to a stylus that etched vibration patterns from
a sound source on a rotating cylinder (The
Berliner Gramophone, which could record on
discs for 2 minutes only, became popular in
USA only in 1894). Only ‘two minute’ cylinders
were in use and these could record for only 2 to 3
minutes. Recordings outside studios were not
practicable; getting an acceptable quality
involved a lot of effort even in studios. In view
of the limitations of the technology, a recording
of the sessions at the Parliament of Religions
in 1893 would not have happened.
It appears that there is a voice recording
now being circulated on Internet and else-
The recording includes not only the first add-
ress but other addresses as well and runs for
several minutes; such recordings were not
feasible, for the reasons indicated above.
Also one recording that is circulating has
a lady introducing Swami Vivekananda. This
shows it is not genuine. Swami Vivekananda
himself has said in a letter written to Alasinga
Perumal [an admirer of Swamiji from Madras]
on 2 November 1893 that Dr Barrows intro-
duced him; also that the applause after his
opening statement, ‘Sisters and Brothers. . . ’
lasted two minutes. The applause in the record-
ing is only a few seconds. There is another as-
pect. Recordings of that era (such as Edison
cylinder recordings) when retrieved after many
years have an ‘accumulated noise’ which, if
removed, will distort the sound; the recording
under circulation has no such noise. It cannot,
therefore, be an authentic recording. †

‘Sisters and Brothers of America,

It fills my heart with joy unspeakable to rise in response to the warm and cordial
welcome which you have given us. I thank you in the name of the most ancient order of
monks in the world; I thank you in the name of the mother of religions; and I thank you
in the name of millions and millions of Hindu people of all classes and sects. . .’
—Swami Vivekananda, in his opening address at the Chicago Parliament of Religions, 1893

T h e V e d a n t a K e s a r i ~ 293 ~ A U G U S T 2 0 1 0
 An Event in the Court of Janaka
SWAMI GOLOKANANDA
[A narrative based on the Antaryami Brahmana, i.e. the seventh Brahmana of the third
chapter of the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad]
The Great Challenge
Janaka, the King of Videha, was a cele-
brated king and a knower of Truth. A great
scholar himself, he used to promote philo-
sophical learning through frequently held
discussions and debates in his court. Scholars
participated in these sessions and were hon-
oured with precious gifts.
Once Janaka performed a Vedic sacrifice
(yajna). Learned men from neighbouring
countries were also invited to participate in
the various rituals of this elaborate ceremony.
As part of the sacrifice, a debate on a Vedic
theme was held in the king’s palace. The king
announced a fabulous gift of one thousand
cows with their horns adorned with gold to
the person who would emerge victorious in
the debate.
The announcement sent a flutter of exci-
tement in the court. To the courtiers’ surprise,
one of the learned sages stood up and ordered
his disciples to drive the prize home to his
hermitage. It was Yajnavalkya, the venerable
sage, who gave this order. Expectedly there
was loud protest from the assembly, for the
competition had not even started when the
prize was claimed. With utmost self-con-
fidence Yajnavalkya saluted the assembly of
great scholars and justified his claim with the
plea that he was in need of the cows!
… A senior monk of the Ramakrishna Order, the author is the Head of Ramakrishna Math, Thiruvalla, Kerala.
T h e V e d a n t a K e s a r i
Janaka intervened and requested Ash-
wala, the chief priest of the sacrifice, to begin
the debating session by asking appropriate
questions. The questions were addressed to
Yajnavalkya to gauge his understanding of
God, Nature and the soul by the learned
assembly. Among the questioners was, inte-
restingly enough, Gargi, the great sage’s wife
herself.
The questions were subtle and intricate
and the answers pithy, precise and sagacious.
It was a highly enriching experience for the
listeners who were thrilled by the confident
answers of Yajnavalkya highlighted by his
pleasant eloquence.
After answering queries from many
scholars, then rose Uddalaka, a well-known
scholar, to question Yajnavalkya. He began by
recalling an incident wherein he and his guru
was asked by a Gandharva (a demigod): ‘Did
they know about the Sutra [-atma], the thread
that strings together everything in this uni-
verse—you and me, the multitude of worlds
and every particle therein?’ Neither Guru nor
his disciples were aware of it.
Gandharva’s next question was: ‘There
exists an Antaryami [Inner Controller] in every
thing, in every constituent of this world and
the next, controlling all; do you know Him?’
Again the teacher and pupils had to own igno-
~ 294 ~ A U G U S T 2 0 1 0

rance. The Gandharva then explained to them
the meaning of his riddles.
He assured them that the one who knew
the answers to his questions was the wisest of
the wise, the knower of all, and a realized soul.
Uddalaka was, thus, in possession of the
supreme knowledge and with that confidence
he asked Yajnavalkya if he knew that Sutra
and Antaryami and warned him of serious
consequences if he claimed the prize without
knowing the right answer.
The repeated warnings and forthright
manner would have baffled an ordinary per-
son but Yajnavalkya was unruffled. Calm and
composed, he faced Uddalaka and said, ‘Vayu
is the Sutra by which all things are strung
together. Everything gets loosened in a dead
person when this Sutra vanishes. Vayu acts as
a string holding together every aspect of this
world and the next.’ Uddalaka exclai-
med his approval and Yajnavalkya went on to
describe the Inner Controller of all.
The Inner Controller
Before we try to understand the highly
philosophical exposition of Yajnavalkya, let us
try to understand how Vayu or Prana holds
the world together.
There is a mango tree in our courtyard
that presents us with delicious fruit every year.
It is a marvel to watch it in spring, its boughs
weighed down with honeyed blossom and tiny
green fruit. It spreads its cool shade in the
courtyard and dances to our delight in the
breeze. But to us the ripe juicy fruit is what
the tree means and we are apt to forget that
every part of the tree is equally important to
its system and has its function and value. If
the fruit nourishes many of the animal
kingdom, the leaves breathe for all living
beings. The bees and the birds and the many
insects crawling on its rough bark, bear witness
T h e V e d a n t a K e s a r i
15
to the multifarious purposes of the tree. Which
part of the mango tree can be considered non-
essential to the tree? Is there any part that can
be separated from the basic essence of the tree?
No, because the essence dwells in every part
of the mango tree. It is in the fruit, it is in the
flower, it is in the leaf and the trunk. It exists
everywhere, as the form and the body, as its
true being or essence. Thus the tree dwells in
every part and controls each part from within.
It manifests itself as the vital principle of each
part to retain and develop its identity. This is
true of all living phenomena in nature inclu-
ding human beings.
We possess the senses of action and
perception, the mind and the intellect and all
external and internal organs of the body. In
spite of their varied functions, they are all
coordinated into the main function of keeping
the living being happy.
This being, that is made happy, is not
different from its parts, which work hard to
create happiness for it. Thus the doer and
enjoyer can be understood as one and the
same.
When we open our eyes to the world
around us, we are amazed by the beauty and
grandeur of multifaceted nature. The infinite
blue sky, the unfathomable oceans and the
dark pathless forests are drawn in by our hun-
gry eyes but it is not the eye that sees these
shapes and colours, but it is the brain with its
wonderful mechanism endowed with its
power to identify, select and utilize what it
requires, that makes the process of seeing
possible. But the brain is not the deciding
factor in seeing what it sees. There is a seer
behind the brain, the Self. It is in the brain but
is not of the brain.
The same holds good for the ear. The
world of sounds vibrates into our being. The
laughter of children, words of love, and bursts
~ 295 ~ A U G U S T 2 0 1 0

of thunder thrill our heart. The flow of various
ragas in music can carry us into our inner
recesses, away from the humdrum world. It
is not the ear that really hears. The outer ear
gathers sounds and conveys it to the hearing
faculty seated in the brain. The brain in its
turn listens to and obeys the Inner Controller
who dwells in hiding.
It is the Inner Controller who is within
the eye but hides himself from the eye, says
Yajnavalkya; his body is the eye and yet the
eye knows him not; his body is the ear and
yet the ear knows him not; he is the awareness
that governs seeing and hearing and indeed,
all perception. In his eloquent address the great
sage covers all the modes of sensory perception
and action: seeing; hearing; smelling, taste and
speech and turns to the mind which is the
confluence of all senses. It functions in all states
of awareness waking, dreaming or sleeping.
The enormous data fed into it is processed to
plan various courses of action not by the mind
itself but the Inner Controller, whom the mind
does not know.
The Epicentre of Human Personality
The intellect is the supreme faculty of
the human being and is what distinguishes
man from the other animals. It is also, in turn,
controlled by the Inner Controller, but the
intellect knows him not. The Inner Controller
is the ‘I’, the Self proclaimed by the Upani-
shads who is in each of the five elements—
earth, water, fire, air and ether—which consti-
tute nature and makes it possible for every-
thing to work, but is unaffected by nature.
This ‘I’, which is the epicentre of the
human being, is the epicentre of the elemental
world as well. Each of the five elements of
Nature has its own distinctive character and
T h e V e d a n t a K e s a r i
16
function. It is the combination and recombi-
nation of these elements that give rise to the
dazzling variety of form in this phenomenal
world. But as Yajnavalkya describes in his
succinct, poetic manner, each and every form
and each constituent element is controlled by
the Inner Controller, omniscient and omni-
present, yet unseen and unheard.
The one whose body is darkness, yet
whom darkness does not know; the one whose
body is light, yet whom light does not know—
it is the same being that dwells within us,
guiding us, being our very essence, yet remains
hidden from our mortal understanding. All-
pervasive and all-permeate, it remains the one
and only reality; nothing in the universe is
separate from it. Thus the Inner Controller is
the Sutra that runs through everything, like a
string through a garland, interconnecting both
the physical and the spiritual, making them
the organs of one body.
Uddalaka and the entire assembly of
scholars listened to the brilliant exposition of
Yajnavalkya and they were convinced of his
unparalleled wisdom. They cheered him and
he was requested to take to his hermitage the
winning prize for the debate.
What Yajnavalkya expounded in Janaka’s
court is the greatest of teachings. All matter is
transient and perishable, but the reality that
manifests itself through each and every form
is imperishable and eternal. It is the Essence
of our being, of every being. It is what the
Upanishads call Brahman. Verily all this is
Brahman. This Self ‘is all in all, and none else
exists,’ as Swami Vivekananda too said.
It is love and love alone that I preach, and I base
my teaching on the great Vedantic truth of the
sameness and omnipresence of the Soul of the
Universe. †
MM
~ 296 ~ A U G U S T 2 0 1 0
 Disaster Relief: Valuable Experiences
SWAMI SUVIRANANDA
The Ideal of Service
It is more than a century since Rama-
krishna Math and Mission started conducting
relief and rehabilitation services in the wake
of disasters—natural or man-made, giving
solace to thousands of victims. The Rama-
krishna Math and Mission carry on their relief
activities whenever and wherever there is a
call to do it—be it floods, earthquake, cyclone,
fire and so on. The monks and volunteers of
the Math and Mission have been doing this
sacred task with all sincerity and solemnity.
As their activities are spread all over our vast
country, many people fail to see the vastness
of the work that the Math and Mission have
been carrying on uninterruptedly and silently.
The flame of our relief services lit by Swami
Akhandananda—a disciple of Sri Ramakrishna
—under the guidance and inspiration of
Swami Vivekananda, is still ablaze.
Sri Ramakrishna and Swami Viveka-
nanda elevated all works to the level of
worship. One may recall here the incident
wherein Sri Ramakrishna spoke of service to
man as equal to worship of God (shiva jnane
jiva seva). ‘Each soul is potentially divine,’ said
Swami Vivekananda. He says elsewhere, ‘He
prayeth best who loveth best all creatures—
both great and small.’ The Taittiriya Upanishad
exhorts, ‘One should give with shraddha or
respectfulness.’ This attitude is an important
component of all relief works. The respectful-
The author is Assistant Secretary, Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission, Belur Math. The following article
is based on his talk given at a seminar on disaster management held in Kolkata in February 2010.
T h e V e d a n t a K e s a r i
ness or shraddha also automatically brings
forth the best of quality in all service activities,
under any given circumstances, for the giver,
and for the receiver, an immense sense of relief.
Thus monks and brahmacharins, as well
as the devotees and volunteers, of the Rama-
krishna Order carry on their service activities
with this idea of inherent divinity of man as
their ideal. All our activities are hence a service
of God in man, whether it is teaching in a
school or cooking a meal in a kitchen or ren-
dering relief work and other service activities.
This is a reiteration of what Adi Shan-
karacharya says: ‘Jivas or living beings are veri-
table manifestations of Brahman or God.’ In
our relief work the sacred and the secular
merge into one. This is why our relief-services
are held in so high esteem by the public at
large. Be it an earthquake in Srinagar or a tsu-
nami in Kanyakumari, be it a earthquak in
Gujarat or a fire in Arunachal Pradesh, the
Mission has always tried to provide relief and
succour to the affacted people without any
distinction, and that has won the hearts of all
concerned.
In recent years, two major relief activities
were undertaken: Aila cyclone relief, and the
flood relief in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
As an instance, let us have a look at the Aila
cyclone relief to get an idea of the relief acti-
vities carried out by the Ramakrishna Math
and Mission.
…
~ 297 ~ A U G U S T 2 0 1 0

Aila Cyclone Relief
The Aila cyclone struck the eastern coast
of India and parts of Bangladesh on 25 May
2009. It left behind in its trail a gruesome
spectacle of death and devastation, misery and
destitution in the Sundarban area of West
Bengal and adjoining parts of Bangladesh.
The Ramakrishna Mission immediately
took steps to organise primary relief on a vast
scale with volunteers and monks on 26 May
itself. It was done through six of our centres.
Later on the headquarters (i.e. Belur Math) and
four more centres also joined the relief opera-
tions. Three of these centres served cooked
food to the victims for about a month, while
in Bangladesh, our Dhaka centre rendered ex-
tensive relief in two districts.
To give an idea of what was distributed
to the affected people, here are some figures
(for the sake of easy reading, we give here rounded
off figures).
More than 1,06,300 families of 450
villages were the beneficiaries:
5,00,000 plates of cooked food, 1,50,000 kg chira,
90,000 kg rice, 15,000 kg gur, 11,000 kg sugar,
Glimpses of various distress relief operations by the Ramakrishna Math and Mission
T h e V e d a n t a K e s a r i
18
11,000 kg dal, 15,000 kg other eatables, 36,000
litres drinking water, 43,00,000 halogen tablets,
1,40,000 ORS packets, 34,000 saris, 15,000 dhotis,
20,000 other clothes, 1000 bales of used clothes,
19,000 kg bleaching powder, 7600 kg lime, 71,100
utensils, 17,000 mosquito-nets, 17,000 textbooks,
6400 tarpaulins, 6200 hygiene kits, 3000 solar
lanterns, and so on.
As a part of primary relief, 20,900 pati-
ents were treated through our medical camps.
Besides, we installed a drinking-water storage-
tank at a Primary Health Centre (PHC) of
South 24-Parganas, supplied 1200 litres of
water per day from it for one month to the
patients. It also helped improve sanitation
facilities and hygiene condition of the PHC,
installed solid and liquid waste management
pits and bio-medical disposal pits at the PHC.
We also installed 56 water purification plants
in affected areas. One of our centres sunk a
deep tube-well, and is continuing its work on
5 more tube wells—each having about 900 feet
depth and a 7-foot high platform.
With our speedboats, we were able to
reach many interior places for conducting
~ 298 ~ A U G U S T 2 0 1 0

survey and relief distribution. In many places,
Ramakrishna Mission’s relief was first to reach
the helpless victims. The team members of our
Aila-relief carried on their relief works with
great resourcefulness, at times risking their
lives. The Ministry of Disaster Management,
Government of India, had sent a team to assess
the extent of damage, etc., in the Aila-affected
areas. The following excerpts [translated from
Bengali] from the Ananda Bazar Patrika (a
popular Bengali daily from Kolkata) of the 9
June, 2009, page 6, says it all:
The Aila-affected people of Sandesh-khali-I block
reported to the team of observers, ‘There was
no sign of relief from the Govt. for the last seven
days. Basically, the people are surviving because
of the food and water provided by Ramakrishna
Mission.’
Organising Relief Operations: Some
Suggestions
As noted above, for more than a century
Ramakrishna Mission has been in the field of
relief and rehabilitation and received accolades
for its efficiency and dedication.
In this context, however, one needs to
ask: has there been any significant change in
the situation with regard to the challenge
caused by natural and man-made disasters and
the relief work all these years? Could we really
contain these disasters? Has any mechanism
been evolved to minimize sufferings?
The answer is both ‘Yes’ and ‘No’.
‘Yes’, because a new sense of social res-
ponsibility has been visualized now. The
Government has now a department for Disa-
ster Management with several administrative
powers and resources.
But the answer to this vexed question is
also ‘No’. Despite all improvements, we as a
nation have not been able make much head-
way either to minimize the possibility of dis-
T h e V e d a n t a K e s a r i
19
aster nor could we mitigate the sufferings of
the victims promptly and effectively. The
magnitude of the problem, however, is so
stupendous that a small group of individuals
or a particular section of society cannot tackle
it alone. It calls for an all-out effort by everyone
concerned.
Thanks to the dedicated work done by
numerous monks and volunteers over the
years, the Ramakrishna Mission has gathered
valuable experience in this field. It has enabled
the Mission to develop a methodology by
which relief services can be organised in an
effective and efficient manner at a short notice.
Let us have a look at some of the recent relief
operations done by the Mission. We feel that
many government, semi-government and non-
government agencies can derive some lessons
from our experiences.
1. Organising Mega Camps: In 2009, in
Bihar, the large-scale erosion causing change
in the course of Kosi River left a trail of un-
imaginable devastation of a very large scale
over vast stretches. It rendered lakhs of people
homeless and hapless. The government and
different political parties arranged mega relief
camps, wherein lakhs of people took shelter
and everyday their food, medicines, expectant
mothers’ delivery cases, students’ education,
etc., were systematically taken care of. They
requested us not to serve food to them but
instead give other essentials, and accordingly,
we distributed large quantities of utensils,
clothes, blankets and similar items.
If it was possible in Bihar, it should have
also been possible to set up similar mega
camps in West Bengal during the devastating
Aila cyclone. Had such large camps were to
be arranged after the Aila cyclone in West
Bengal, then lakhs of victims, who did not
have anything for days, could have been pro-
perly fed, clothed and sheltered.
~ 299 ~ A U G U S T 2 0 1 0

Small NGOs and groups of persons, who
were ill-equipped to handle bigger challenges,
could provide relief according to their capa-
cities in the mega camp itself. Small groups
were observed to distribute the relief items to
Aila victims in the roadsides, as they could
not go into the interiors. Again, not being able
to distribute the relief item, it was even found
that in a marketplace, the relief items were
dumped and left behind by some group!
2. Supply of Essential Commodities: As
soon as there is a calamity, there is a man-
made shortage of essential relief materials.
Items such as halogen tablets [used for
disinfecting water], chira, sugar, cooking oil
and so on become unavailable. For instance,
after the Aila cyclone, it was such a difficult
task to get, even by paying money, required
quantity of kerosene oil for our speedboats in
some areas in West Bengal. Again, during
floods and cyclones, scarcity of drinking water
is the main issue to be tackled. All those
engaged in such operations should take special
note of this fact and try to keep the flow of
essential commodities uninterrupted.
3. The Need for Basic Infrastructure:
Even after seven days of Aila cyclone, dead
bodies, both human and animal, were found
to be floating in rivers. It was pathetic to note
that even in villages there was no one to clear
them. Electric supply, telephonic communi-
cation, clearance of debris from the main roads
and similar infrastructure are basic to conduc-
ting any relief operation. After a cyclone, these
things remain hampered for weeks in some
places. If the local government officials such
as Gram Panchayat workers can monitor these
issues and direct the corresponding personnel
to set right these on war-footing, it would be
of immense help.
4. Accessing interior places: Even after
about 3 weeks of Aila cyclone, the victims of
T h e V e d a n t a K e s a r i
20
Hingalganj, near the Bangladesh border, could
not get any relief either from the government
or any NGO. The interior areas were very
difficult to reach; it took us about 7 or 8 hours
by road and water to reach there. We had to
cope with the problems like lack of electricity
and water supply, and flood-born infections
besides risking one’s life. The relief work went
on for about a month. If the government bodies
such as Gram Panchayats can monitor the net-
work of relief operation during such times,
then the interior places will not go unattended
like this.
5. Provision of Speedboats: During the
floods, it is always difficult to get launches or
boats for conducting survey and for trans-
porting the relief items. For example, during
flood relief 2007, in one place in Hooghly
district, only after much trouble we could get
boats for our use. Such issues dissipate pre-
cious time and energy during these hours of
crisis. If the state governments can direct the
respective departments to assist relief workers
by arranging boats, it will be greatly beneficial.
6. River Dredging: Unplanned develop-
ments, lopsided growth of certain pockets and
ecological imbalance often contribute to
natural disasters. For instance, floods have
become almost an annual ritual in cities and
villages of West Bengal (such as Howrah and
Malda districts), causing lakhs of people suffer
each time. Often problems arise due to weak
embankments, faulty designs, improper con-
struction, poor maintenance or unplanned
release of water from dams. One vital measure
to check floods is periodical dredging of rivers.
Similarly, in cities, drainage system also should
be regularly cleared. After the Mumbai flood
during 2005-06, the Maharashtra government
took steps in this direction and it proved help-
ful. Why not similar steps be taken actively
elsewhere?
~ 300 ~ A U G U S T 2 0 1 0

7. Shelter Houses: After the Orissa super-
cyclone in 1999, we constructed 6 school-
cum-cyclone-shelters in Kanaguli and Kotang
areas. The inspiration to do this was drawn
from the construction of a shelter-house before
the cyclone by the Red Cross Society which
saved thousands of lives during the calamity.
The government should take up similar
projects in flood or cyclone prone areas.
8. Rehabilitation Work: While conduc-
ting various rehabilitation projects in the rural
areas, our experience is that in order to
maximize the involvement of the beneficiaries
as well as to overcome the problems, Build
Your Own House Scheme is the best way. It has
been put into practice in several parts of the
country with great success. Such a scheme
brings the beneficiaries a sense of belonging
for their homes; it also ensures proper use and
maintenance of the houses. Small groups of
persons or organisations with their limited
resources should be especially encouraged to
take it up.
9. Feelings for the Victims: Most impor-
tant of all is the sincere and spontaneous
feeling for the victims. If sincerity is wanting,
then the whole exercise will be a mere howling
without any flavour of the soul. One instance
in this regard will make the whole thing clear.
We at the Ramakrishna Mission receive huge
quantities of used garments during large-scale
relief activities like cyclone and flood. Some-
times, we find truckloads of such clothes so
dirty and torn that we just cannot give them
to the victims at all! It appears that the donors
send these clothes to cleanse their ward-robes,
as it were, and not out of any genuine feeling
for the victims!
Swami Vivekananda had this all-encom-
passing feeling which made him utter at one
place:
T h e V e d a n t a K e s a r i
21
The poor, the low, the sinner in India have no
friends, no help—they cannot rise, try however
they may. They sink lower and lower every day,
they feel the blows showered upon them by a
cruel society and they do not know whence the
blow comes.
At another place he said,
Feel, my children, feel; feel for the poor, the
ignorant, the downtrodden; feel till the heart
stops and the brain reels and you think you will
go mad . . .
The service activities started by Swami
Vivekananda were born out of this feeling.
We should try to cultivate sympathetic
feeling for the needy, by trying to help them
to remove their wants, wherever and when-
ever possible—not with the spirit of doing
mercy but with a spirit of service. We should
feel obliged to the beneficiaries for giving us
the opportunity to serve them.
Conclusion
Ramakrishna Mission has won the admi-
ration of people for its relief work because of
its quality of service, transparency in utilisation
of funds and catholicity in serving people from
all sections of society without the slightest
consideration of caste, creed, religion, gender
or complexion. But all voluntary organisations,
however big they may be, have their limita-
tions. It cannot cover the entire area of disaster,
but can play an important role in its limited
area. We need everyone’s involvement.
Seminars and conferences on disaster
management are surely noble endeavours.
Though they bring greater understanding,
better planning, and effective implementation
of relief operation, one should always keep
the spirit of doing such activities—serving the
God in man—to make them effective and
meaningful. †
t t
~ 301 ~ A U G U S T 2 0 1 0
 Mary Tappan Wright:
Swamiji’s first Western Chronicler
SOMENATH MUKHERJEE

Prelude in a costly city like Chicago. He remembered

Whenever one thinks of Swami Viveka- the invitation he received from a lady of Boston
nanda’s advent in the West, instant inference,
more often than not, goes to the inaugural day
of the Chicago Parliament of Religions. So
unique was the occasion, so enormous was
the incident, be in its ceremonial splendour or
in its historical impact, the overriding priority
could hardly be escaped. This has, obviously,
eclipsed an unmistakable but hitherto lesser
discussed stride the Swami unknowingly, or,
perhaps, providentially, took a fortnight before
the religious parliament began.
It all started at Annisquam, which, as
Louise Burke writes, is ‘a popular and picture-
sque little seaside resort village on Cape Ann
some forty miles northeast of Boston.’ But
before we talk about what started in that little
sea village, a small account of how Viveka-
nanda went there has its obvious preference.
Swami Vivekananda in America
The Diversion
When Swamiji reached Chicago, the while both were on the Atlantic Express
Parliament of Religions was one and half journeying from Vancouver to Winnipeg. The
month away. But he was without proper intro- Swami decided to accept the invitation, and,
ductory reference to become a delegate and, eventually, became a guest in Kate Sanborn’s
more so, time for becoming a delegate was farm house at Breezy Meadows, Massa-
well over. With utter dismay he looked for a chusetts. Without going into what exactly
possible way out. But with fund as little as he happened during his one and half week’s stay
had, it was difficult to search for an alternative at Breezy Meadows, we shall, albeit briefly,

The author is engaged in research work on the life of Swami Vivekananda under instruction and guidance of the
Swami Vivekananda Archives, Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture, Golpark, Kolkata. …

T h e V e d a n t a K e s a r i ~ 302 ~ A U G U S T 2 0 1 0
 23

look into the unique role of New England in
America’s cultural and intellectual heritage.
The US history is indelibly influenced by
New England, which includes the regions of
the northeastern United States, viz., the states
of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massa-
chusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. The
Encyclopaedia Britannica, equating the New
England Renaissance with that of the Ameri-
can one, writes:
During the 17th century the [New England]
population’s high esteem for an educated clergy
and enlightened leadership encouraged the
development of public schools as well as such
institutions of higher learning as Harvard (1636)
and Yale (1701). . . Its patriots played leading
roles in establishing the new nation of the United
States of America . . . From the 1830s roughly
until the end of the American Civil War. . . the
literary scene of the period was dominated by a
group of New England writers. . . They were
aristocrats, steeped in foreign culture, active as
professors at Harvard College. . .
Initial difficulties, therefore, took the
Swami to Massachusetts where, as a guest of
A recent photograph of erstwhile Miss Lane's Boarding House
where Swamiji stayed during his first visit to Annisquam
Kate Sanborn, he found himself surrounded
by a few of the fine specimens of New England
intellectuality. At that exact moment John
Henry Wright, a famed scholar and Professor
of the Harvard University, was vacationing
with his family at Annisquam, a place close to
Breezy Meadows as well. The Wrights and the
Sanborns were mutually known, and the news
of one ‘phenomenal’ monk staying at Breezy
Meadows could, somehow, reach the Wrights.
Thus on 24 August 1893 Prof. Wright came to
meet the Swami who at that very moment was
away in Boston. Unsuccessful in his endeavour,
Prof. Wright went back, leaving an invitation
welcoming Swamiji to spend the weekend as
his guest at Annisquam. Swamiji responded
to this warm invitation. The Parliament of
Religions was exactly two weeks away.
The Resort that Welcomed a Monk
Annisquam during the days of Swami
Vivekananda, as is available in a book written
in 1897, was as under:
A square old-fashioned house, with a central
chimney, stands at
the beginning of the
winding country
road to Annisquam.
This is a quiet little
haven, sheltered by
granite hills that rise
steeply between it
and the sea, on one
side, and boulder
strewn cape hills, on
the other. No matter
how the wind may
blow outside, the
little cove is placid.
The houses are
mostly snug cotta-
ges, many of them
very picturesque.

T h e V e d a n t a K e s a r i ~ 303 ~ A U G U S T 2 0 1 0

Here and there is a mouldering boat by a
decrepit wharf, or a dory drawn up on a float,
or an old fashioned well—in fact, the place
abounds in artistic bits of foreground…Past the
post-office and school, the road turns at the head
of the harbour to the west side of the hill, where
there is a summer settlement by Cambridge
people.1
Referring to such setting Elva Nelson, in
her article ‘Footnotes on Swami Vivekananda
in Annisquam’ in Prabuddha Bharata of June
1979, writes,
Such a setting attracted. . . the artistes. . . they
came with their camp stools and yellow um-
brellas and used to dot the landscape. . . Several
small wooden hotels were built and by the time
of Swami Vivekananda’s visit, the villagers had
turned their residences into boarding houses for
the summer visitors.
They came from various parts of the East and as
far away as Chicago. So many came from
Cambridge…They were not only artistes, but
Charlotte Lane
T h e V e d a n t a K e s a r i
24
professors, clergymen, and writers, many with
their families.’2
And so, with his wife, Mary, two sons,
Austin, and John, and daughter Elizabeth,
there came John Henry Wright. Quoting the
Cape Ann Weekly Advertiser of June 23, Elva
Nelson informs us that the Wright family had
arrived in Annisquam on 17 June 1893. They
were staying in a small summer cottage adja-
cent to Miss Lane’s boarding house called ‘The
Lodge.’3
Responding to my queries Stephanie
Buck, the Librarian/Archivist of the Cape Ann
Historical Museum, has advised that ‘the total
population (residents) of Gloucester in 1893
was 26,000. The subdivision (village) known
as Annisquam probably contained around
5,000.’
With such backdrop Vivekananda, on 25
August 1897, Friday, had made his entry at
Annisquam. The Cape Ann Breeze of August
25, as cited by Elva Nelson, writes that on that
day ‘the wind has blown all day in strong
sweeping gusts…and the rain has dropped
down by intervals. There isn’t a hint of sum-
mer abroad…We ought to be basking in
August sunshine, instead of shivering in
November weather.’ 4 His host, Prof. John
Henry Wright, had accommodated Swamiji at
the ‘Charlotte Lane’s boarding house located
at 8 Arlington Street. A spacious house with
about ten rooms, its grounds ran down to
Lobster Cove.’ Citing the Gloucester Daily Times
of July 10, 1893, Elva Nelson also writes that
Miss Lane ‘had no need to advertise her well-
known private boarding house.’5
While researching for this article, it could
be known that ‘8 Arlington Street became the
most popular summer boardinghouse in Anni-
squam. Miss Lane catered to professors,
authors and artists, and she always had a long
waiting list. . . Miss Charlotte Lane, the owner
~ 304 ~ A U G U S T 2 0 1 0

of the boarding house, was ‘a little bit of wo-
man, full of vitality, she was held in high este-
em by the entire community and was affectio-
nately called “Aunt Tot” by everyone in the
village. Children and adults alike were drawn
to her by her warmth and her friendly interest.’
It was her difficulty in maintaining ‘the spaci-
ous house with its large rooms and wide vera-
ndas and its sizeable plot of land’6 which ulti-
mately had led her to open the boarding house.
As regards the building’s remarkability,
it is learnt that
this is one of the most striking Greek Revival
house in Annisquam both for its setting and
design. . . The first wing appears to be original
to the house and has an entablature frame
around the entry. The second may date from
later in the 19th century. This is the Capt. Oliver
G. Lane house. It was built at the height of the
ship building industry in Annisquam during the
late 1820’s and early 1830’s. Local histories were
unclear as to whether the house was built by
O.G. Lane, senior or O.G. Lane, junior. Both were
successful sea captains; however, it appears that
Lane, junior was quite active in Church affairs
and had a great concern for the social welfare of
Annisquam. The house remained in the Lane
family until the 1920’s.7
Advising me about its present state,
Stephanie Buck of the Cape Ann Historical
References
1. Romance and Reality of the Puritan Coast – By
Edmund Henry Garrett (Little Brown & Co.,
Boston, 1897) page 217, available at http://
www.archive.org/stream/
romancerealityp01garrgoog/
romancerealityp01garrgoog_djvu.txt > accessed
12 December 2009.
2. ‘Footnotes on Swami Vivekananda in Annis-
quam’ [hereinafter Footnotes] in Prabuddha Bharata
of June 1979, p. 250
3. Footnotes, p. 251.
4. Ibid 5. Ibid
T h e V e d a n t a K e s a r i
25
Museum has written that the ‘Charlotte Lane’s
Boarding House is a private residence owned
by people from Lincoln, Mass. I presume they
use it as a summer home.’
However, with the Swami well settled at
Annisquam for the weekend, we may, for a
while, be attentive to one remarkable lady; her
maiden name was Mary Tappan. She deserves
our close attention, for hers is the first chronicle
of Swamiji in the West. In the few pages of
her personal diary, and, as also, in letters she
wrote to her mother, Mary Tappan had recor-
ded the story of an unknown Indian monk.
With keen foresight and accuracy she told
things about the Swami which in later days
were echoed on umpteen times by people and
press across the globe. But such notable
observations were by no means accidental or
an outcome of a fluke. It came not only from
the pen of an erudite Harvard professor’s wife,
but also from someone who in her own time
was a noted writer in America. Besides, prior
to her marriage, Mary Tappan had a New
England ancestry of impeccable erudition and
aristocracy. And without knowing the exact
person and prudence behind the chronicle, we
would never know how an unknown young
monk, even less than a month of his arrival,
was first evaluated in the US.
(To be continued. . .)
6. Annisquam (Peaceful Harbour), by Lydia Prescott
Thayer (Cape Ann Ticket and Label Company,
222, Eastern Avenue, Gloucester, Massachusetts –
01930-1361. Proprietor : Mr. Richard W. Tarr.
1994), page 61. Made available by the Cape Ann
Historical Museum, 27 Pleasant Street Gloucester,
MA 01930.
7. As per Architectural Survey done in 1985 on
Charlotte Lane’s Boarding House Building, the
report of which has been made available to me by
the Cape Ann Historical Museum.
~ 305 ~ A U G U S T 2 0 1 0
 Swami Vivekananda was a great storyteller. His talks and
writings are interspersed with numerous anecdotes, examples, similes, and
illustrations mirroring his vast knowledge of human nature—its potential and its relative
limitations. Some of these stories are well known, many others are little known. We
present here some more of these insightful stories, selected from his Complete Works.

XXXXXVIII
The Story of Mahabharata
(Continuation of previous issue. . .)
I began by telling you that the Maha-
bharata is one of the greatest books in the
world and consists of about a hundred
thousand verses in eighteen Parvans, or
volumes.
To return to our main story. We left the
Pandava brothers in exile. Even there they
were not allowed to remain unmolested from
the evil plots of Duryodhana; but all of them
were futile.
A story of their forest life, I shall tell you
here. One day the brothers became thirsty in
the forest. Yudhishthira bade his brother,
Nakula, go and fetch water. He quickly proce-
eded towards the place where there was water
and soon came to a crystal lake, and was about
to drink of it, when he heard a voice utter
these words: ‘Stop, O child. First answer my
questions and then drink of this water.’ But
Nakula, who was exceedingly thirsty, dis-
regarded these words, drank of the water, and
having drunk of it, dropped down dead. As
Nakula did not return, King Yudhish-
thira told Sahadeva to seek his brother and
bring back water with him. So Sahadeva
proceeded to the lake and beheld his brother
lying dead. Afflicted at the death of his brother
and suffering severely from thirst, he went
towards the water, when the same words were
heard by him: ‘O child, first answer my
questions and then drink of the water.’ He
also disregarded these words, and having
satisfied his thirst, dropped down dead.
Subsequently Arjuna and Bhima were sent,
one after the other, on a similar quest; but
neither returned, having drunk of the lake and
dropped down dead.
Then Yudhishthira rose up to go in
search of his brothers. At length, he came to
the beautiful lake and saw his brothers lying
dead. His heart was full of grief at the sight,
and he began to lament. Suddenly he heard
the same voice saying, ‘Do not, O child, act
rashly. I am a Yaksha living as a crane on tiny
fish. It is by me that thy younger brothers have
been brought under the sway of the Lord of
departed spirits. If thou, O Prince, answer not
the questions put by me, even thou shalt
number the fifth corpse. Having answered my
questions first, do thou, O Kunti’s son, drink
and carry away as much as thou requirest.’
Yudhishthira replied, ‘I shall answer thy
questions according to my intelligence. Do
thou ask me!’ The Yaksha then asked him
several questions, all of which Yudhishthira
answered satisfactorily. One of the questions
was: ‘What is the most wonderful fact in this
world?’ ‘We see our fellow-beings every
moment falling off around us; but those that
are left behind think that they will never die.

T h e V e d a n t a K e s a r i ~ 306 ~ A U G U S T 2 0 1 0

This is the most curious fact: in face of death,
none believes he will die!’ Another question
was: ‘What is the path of knowing the secret
of religion?’ And Yudhishthira answered, ‘By
argument nothing can be settled; doctrines
there are many; various are the scriptures, one
part contradicting the other. There are not two
sages who do not differ in their opinions. The
secret of religion is buried deep, as it were, in
dark caves. So the path to be followed is that
which the great ones have trodden.’ Then the
Yaksha said, ‘I am pleased. I am Dharma, the
God of Justice in the form of a crane. I came to
test you. Now, your brothers, see, not one of
them is dead. It is all my magic. Since
abstention from injury is regarded by thee as
higher than both profit and pleasure, therefore,
let all thy brothers live, O bull of the Bharata
race.’ And at these words of the Yaksha, the
Pandavas rose up.
Here is a glimpse of the nature of King
Yudhishthira. We find by his answers that he
was more of a philosopher, more of a Yogi,
than a king.
Now, as the thirteenth year of the exile
was drawing nigh, the Yaksha bade them go
to Virata’s kingdom and live there in such
disguises as they would think best.
So, after the term of the twelve years’
exile had expired, they went to the kingdom
of Virata in different disguises to spend the
remaining one year in concealment, and
entered into menial service in the king’s house-
hold. Thus Yudhishthira became a Brahmana
courtier of the king, as one skilled in dice;
Bhima was appointed a cook; Arjuna, dressed
as a eunuch, was made a teacher of dancing
and music to Uttara, the princess, and
remained in the inner apartments of the king;
Nakula became the keeper of the king’s horses;
and Sahadeva got the charge of the cows; and
Draupadi, disguised as a waiting-woman was
T h e V e d a n t a K e s a r i
27
also admitted into the queen’s household. Thus
concealing their identity the Pandava brothers
safely spent a year, and the search of Duryo-
dhana to find them out was of no avail. They
were only discovered just when the year was
out.
Then Yudhishthira sent an ambassador
to Dhritarashtra and demanded that half of
the kingdom should, as their share, be restored
to them. But Duryodhana hated his cousins
and would not consent to their legitimate
demands. They were even willing to accept a
single province, nay, even five villages. But
the headstrong Duryodhana declared that he
would not yield without fight even as much
land as a needle’s point would hold. Dhrita-
rashtra pleaded again and again for peace, but
all in vain. Krishna also went and tried to avert
the impending war and death of kinsmen, so
did the wise elders of the royal court; but all
negotiations for a peaceful partition of the
kingdom were futile. So, at last, preparations
were made on both sides for war, and all the
warlike nations took part in it.
The old Indian customs of the Kshatriyas
were observed in it. Duryodhana took one
side, Yudhishthira, the other. From Yudhish-
thira messengers were at once sent to all the
surrounding kings, entreating their alliance,
since honourable men would grant the request
that first reached them. So, warriors from all
parts assembled to espouse the cause of either
the Pandavas or the Kurus according to the
precedence of their requests; and thus one
brother joined this side, and the other that side,
the father on one side, and the son on the
other. The most curious thing was the code of
war of those days; as soon as the battle for the
day ceased and evening came, the opposing
parties were good friends, even going to each
other’s tents; however, when the morning
came, again they proceeded to fight each other.
~ 307 ~ A U G U S T 2 0 1 0

That was the strange trait that the Hindus
carried down to the time of the Mohammedan
invasion. Then again, a man on horseback
must not strike one on foot; must not poison
the weapon; must not vanquish the enemy in
any unequal fight, or by dishonesty; and must
never take undue advantage of the other, and
so on. If any deviated from these rules he
would be covered with dishonour and shun-
ned. The Kshatriyas were trained in that way.
And when the foreign invasion came from
Central Asia, the Hindus treated the invaders
in the selfsame way. They defeated them
several times, and on as many occasions sent
them back to their homes with presents, etc.
The code laid down was that they must not
usurp anybody’s country; and when a man
was beaten he must be sent back to his country
with due regard to his position. The Moham-
medan conquerors treated the Hindu kings
differently, and when they got them once, they
destroyed them without remorse.
Mind you, in those days—in the times of
our story, the poem says—the science of arms
was not the mere use of bows and arrows at
all; it was magic archery in which the use of
Mantras, concentration, etc., played a promi-
nent part. One man could fight millions of men
and burn them at will. He could send one
arrow, and it would rain thousands of arrows
and thunder; he could make anything burn,
and so on—it was all divine magic. One fact is
curious in both these poems—the Ramayana
and the Mahabharata—along with these magic
arrows and all these things going on, you see
the cannon already in use. The cannon is an
old, old thing, used by the Chinese and the
Hindus. Upon the walls of the cities were
hundreds of curious weapons made of hollow
iron tubes, which filled with powder and ball
would kill hundreds of men. The people
T h e V e d a n t a K e s a r i
28
believed that the Chinese, by magic, put the
devil inside a hollow iron tube, and when they
applied a little fire to a hole, the devil came
out with a terrific noise and killed many
people.
So in those old days, they used to fight
with magic arrows. One man would be able
to fight millions of others. They had their
military arrangements and tactics: there were
the foot soldiers, termed the Pada; then the
cavalry, Turaga; and two other divisions which
the moderns have lost and given up—there
was the elephant corps—hundreds and hund-
reds of elephants, with men on their backs,
formed into regiments and protected with
huge sheets of iron mail; and these elephants
would bear down upon a mass of the enemy—
then, there were the chariots, of course (you
have all seen pictures of those old chariots,
they were used in every country). These were
the four divisions of the army in those old
days.
Now, both parties alike wished to secure
the alliance of Krishna. But he declined to take
an active part and fight in the war, but offered
himself as charioteer to Arjuna, and as the
friend and counsellor of the Pandavas, while
to Duryodhana he gave his army of mighty
soldiers.
Then was fought on the vast plain of
Kurukshetra the great battle in which Bhisma,
Drona, Karna, and the brothers of Duryodhana
with the kinsmen on both sides and thousands
of other heroes fell. The war lasted eighteen
days. Indeed, out of the eighteen Akshauhinis
of soldiers very few men were left. The death
of Duryodhana ended the war in favour of
the Pandavas. It was followed by the lament
of Gandhari, the queen, and the widowed
women, and the funerals of the deceased
warriors. (4: 90-95)
(To be continued...)
~ 308 ~ A U G U S T 2 0 1 0
 Contemporary Bengali Literature - IV
HIRONMOY MUKHERJEE
(Continued from previous issue. . .)
Bengali Poets among saints, a beacon of hope for the suf-
Before concluding this brief survey, let fering mankind and as the one who built a
us have a look at the poets who have been bridge of immortality between this and other
influenced by the Ramakrishna-Vivekananda world. Jatindramohan also wrote a 10-line
ideology. poem on Swami Vivekananda where he tries
to portray Swamiji’s brilliant personality and
Karunanidhi Bandopadhya contribution to the modern world with won-
Among the Bengali poets Karunanidhi derful poetical skill.46
Bandopadhya (1877-1955) was attracted at his
young age to the philosophy of Sri Rama- Kumudranjan Mallik
krishna and Swami Vivekananda which got Another poet Kumudranjan Mallik (1882-
reflected in his poems written in later years. 1971) in his poem ‘Sri Sri Ramakrishna’
His poem ‘Dakhineshwar’, consisting of 56 (Falgun 1342 BS, Udbodhan) described Sri
lines (included in his anthology of poems Ramakrishna as Nara-Narayan and a recipient
Satnari), gives a poetical description of Sri of motherly love from the Divine Mother
Ramakrishna doing his shakta-sadhana at herself. He calls Sri Ramakrishna’s Gospel as
Panchavati. ‘nothing but a new rendering of Gita’. Sri
Ramakrishna appears to him both as Sri
Jatindramohan Bagchi Krishna and Jesus Christ.
Jatindramohan Bagchi (1878-1948), ano-
ther poet, wrote the poem ‘Ramakrishna Dev’ Kabisekhar Kalidas Roy
(Falgun, B-S 1342, Udbodhan). The poem Kabisekhar Kalidas Roy (1889-1975) in
describes Sri Ramakrishna as the foremost his poem ‘Yug Yugantarer Ramakrishna’
Dr. Hironmoy Mukherjee is a devotee from Nagpur who retired as Chief Controller of Explosives, Nagpur, Ministry
of Industry, Government of India. †

T h e V e d a n t a K e s a r i ~ 309 ~ A U G U S T 2 0 1 0

published in Udbodhan (Falgun, 1342 BS)
describes him as an eternal child in the garb
of an unlettered unknown priest as well as ‘a
condensed version of the spiritual effort of
India for thousand years.’47
Satyendra Nath Dutta
Satyendra Nath Dutta (1882-1942) was a
master in rhyme poetry and a well-known
writer of patriotic songs in Bengali. He was
also an excellent translator of poems written
in foreign languages into Bengali. He was well
known for his masterful translation in Bengali
of Swami Vivekananda’s celebrated poem in
English ‘Kali the Mother’. He also wrote a
number of poems on Sri Ramakrishna, Swami
Vivekananda and Sister Nivedita. His famous
Bengali poem ‘Methar’ (sweeper) articulates
as ‘who says friend that you are unclean and
untouchable; cleanliness always follow you.’
One is reminded here of Swamiji’s rousing
words, ‘The cobbler, the sweeper are your
blood, your brother.’48
Many of Satyendra Nath’s poems carry
Swamiji’s ideas. When one Sri Nafar Kundu
entered a manhole full of poisonous gas in
Kolkata and saved a sweeper from dying at
the cost of his own life, Satyendra Nath wrote
in his poem ‘Nafar Kundu’: ‘He had seen
God’s manifestation in man otherwise how
could he give his own life smilingly seeing
another man in acute distress.’ A number of
his poems speak highly of the religion of
service to all and criticize harmful social
practices. The deepest reflection of Swamiji’s
‘service to all’ doctrine gets echoed in
Satyendranath’s poem ‘Sevashram’.
Kaji Nazrul Islam
Kaji Nazrul Islam (1898-1976) was a rebel
-poet who had to suffer imprisonment because
of his writings which angered the British
T h e V e d a n t a K e s a r i
30
Kaji Nazrul Islam
Government. When he was on hunger strike
in Shillong jail, Rabindranath Tagore had sent
a telegram saying, ‘Give up hunger strike, our
literature claims you.’ But as a poet, his writ-
ings were not only political; he wrote a variety
of poems—religious poems on Mother Kali,
Sri Krishna, Lord Shiva and many other Hindu
deities; he was a modern poet, a patriotic poet
and also excelled in writing satirical poems.
His famous poem on Sri Ramakrishna written
during centenary celebration of Sri Rama-
krishna described Sri Ramakrishna as one who
had worshipped ‘God’ in temple, mosque and
Church with equal reverence—his name mixed
with love for God is spread in all three worlds.
Nazrul truly believed in Sri Ramakrishna’s
teaching that all religions finally lead to the
same God and always raised his voice through
his poems against rigid social practices and
communal attitudes.
He wrote many songs on Mother Kali
(Shyama Sangeet) and took this tradition to
great heights following the footsteps of
Ramprasad and Kamalakanta; even today his
~ 310 ~ A U G U S T 2 0 1 0
 31

songs occupy a prime place in Shyama
Sangeet.49
About Swami Vivekananda he wrote in
his famous poem that Swamiji carried the
message of the Hindu scriptures to the proud
West which removed many misconceptions
about India. He wrote further in the poem that
Vivekananda had brought a new Veda for a
new India to remove all differences between
caste and religion. Many of Nazrul’s poems
had their base on views and thoughts expres-
sed by Swamiji earlier. Swamijis call for
uplifting the lower classes became a national
agenda. Nazrul’s poem ‘Shudrer majhe jagiche
Rudra’ (‘Rudra is rising among Shudras’) is a
reflection of the same. Swamiji’s idea of ‘Seva
to Daridra Narayan’ finds an expression in
Nazrul’s poem in stirring Bengali:
Poor is my companion in pain, Daridra is my
brother . . .
Poor is my closest relation . . .
My constant prayer is that no one should
remain without food or clothes
and without independence.50
Sufia Kamal
BB
References
46. Udbodhan, September 2008, p. 694
47. Ibid, p.695
48. Vivekananda O Samakalin Bharat Barsha, Vol 7 pp.
614-615
A well-known woman poet from Bangla-
desh Begum Sufia Kamal paid her tributes to
Sri Ramakrishna through her poem Se Param-
hansa Smriti. She says in her poem that though
more than a century has passed since Sri
Ramakrishna left this mortal world, still even
today millions swear by Sri Ramakrishna’s
Name. She describes Sri Ramakrishna as ‘a
devotee of Truth’, and his message of Seva-
dharma [service] which has opened a new path
of religion. 51
A number of poets namely Kabita Sinha
(1931-99), Shakti Chattopadhyay (1933-1955),
Jivananda Das (1899-1954) and many others
have paid their literary homage to Sri Rama-
krishna and Swamiji through their poems.
To conclude, Sri Ramakrishna and
Swami Vivekananda are an embodiment and
a beacon light of spirituality and service. Their
influence on writers, poets, thinkers, historians
and others enriched Bengali literature in
various ways. We hope the modern Bengali
literature reignites the spark of idealism and
spirituality lit by Ramakrishna-Vivekananda
in the hearts of some of the finest men and
women of Bengal. † (Concluded.)
49. Udbodhan, May 2007 pp.325-326
50. Vivekananda O Samakalin Bharat Barsha Vol 11
pp.619-620
51. Udbodhan, September 2008, p.695

In my study of the world’s religions I have been fortunate in coming upon inspiring
firsthand accounts of the world’s great spiritual geniuses, including Sri Ramakrishna,
India’s greatest nineteenth century saint.
During the summer in the 1950s while I was writing the chapter on Hinduism in what
was to become my book, The World’s Religions, I read and meditated on ten pages of
The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna each day, and I credit those meditations for the acclaim
that has greeted that chapter.
—Huston Smith, Great Thinkers on Ramakrishna-Vivekananda, p.29

T h e V e d a n t a K e s a r i ~ 311 ~ A U G U S T 2 0 1 0
 Unpublished Letters of Swami Saradananda1
April 7th 1899
Morvi
My dear Akhandananda,
I have mailed today a prospectus for your work at Calcutta, to get it corrected from
the Swamiji. I hope you will receive it soon.
You have heard by this time of the sad death of our brother Jogananda, on the 28th of
March last.
We are glad to hear of the celebration of the Utsab in the orphanage. We start tomorrow
for Bhavnagar, care of Gopaldas Viharidas Desai Esq. With love & best wishes always
Yrs.
Saradananda & Turiyananda

April 11th 1899

Bhavnagar, Kathiawar
My dear Granny,2
I thank you for your kind letter of March 15th, received day before yesterday on our
arrival here. I did not go to the Math during the anniversary and have not heard anything
about it as yet. In the meantime the Swami Jogananda has died. He died on the 28th of
March last at 3 p.m. This must have made great changes in the Math and especially at our
Mother’s place. I fear she will go back to her native place. The last words of dear Jogananda
were ‘Om Ramakrishna!’ Nivedita was present at the last hour. She wrote the funeral
ceremonies were most impressive. They chanted the ‘Hari Om’ and waved lighted camphor
before the dead, after dressing him in his sannyasin robe & turban & then they carried him
away with ‘Jaya Sri Ramakrishna Jaya’—I do not know how it will touch the Swami. It
might pull him down again. I have written to go back to the Math or to Bombay, as he
wants me to for the work.
I have read the letter of Prof.William James & I think it is very fine. I have sent it to the
Swami today & told him to keep it with one of the Math men, for me.
And so you were in Italy for the last month—so near India! Is Mrs.Vaughan also
coming there or does she go direct to Norway where you join her?
Bhavnagar is a very big place with about 75000 inhabitants. It is very near the sea &
boats can be had from here to Bombay. The place is a growing one. There are so many
charitable institutions here, but it makes me sad to see, they are creating beggars for want of
a little method and organisation and these two are the great defects of India. . . What an

T h e V e d a n t a K e s a r i ~ 312 ~ A U G U S T 2 0 1 0
 33

amount of time it will take for India to get them. We do not hope to see it in our life time at
least.
I hope you are now on your way to Norway. Do not forget to take flowers to the little
grane. I thank you for sending the Prof.Maxmuller’s books, to A & S. & Mrs.W. Try to send
some books for the Math library, when you go back to U.S. e.g. Prof.Fiske’s & William
James & Royce’s & Dr.Jane’s & Le Contes’, etc.
My very kind regards to yourself and Mrs.Vaughan. May the journey to Norway bring
you nearer the Love that passeth understanding.

Yours affly.
Saradananda

May 19th 1899

Math. Belur. Howrah.
Bengal
My dear Badri,3
Your two kind telegrams reached me today and I have just sent the message in reply
to you, not to keep the Thompson House, but rent it if you have got a tenant. The lady
friends are Bengali too and they will prefer to come back to their homes at Calcutta after
they have made their pilgrimage. They were once rich; but now rather straitened in their
circumstances. But they are sincere friends to us and disciples of our Great Master. Look
upon them as your own sisters and try to help them what you can. I thank you very much
for your sending Jairam & Ganji to take them to Kedar & Badri Narayan. I hope you have
received my letter by this time, in which I have told you all.
The Swami Vivekananda sails for England with Turiyanandaji on the 20th June per[?]
Steamship Golconda of the B.I.S.N. line. He is well.
I hope yourself and family are doing well. My love and blessings to you all.

Ever your well-wisher

Saradananda.

[On the side margin:]

P.S. The Swami Subodhananda might start with the ladies to Hardwar & up. Thanking
you again for the kind help.
Yours

1. A direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna 2. Mrs. Sara Bull, an American disciple of Swami Vivekananda
3. Lala Badri Shah of Almora, a close devotee of Swami Vivekananda

Courtesy: Ramakrishna Museum, Belur Math

T h e V e d a n t a K e s a r i ~ 313 ~ A U G U S T 2 0 1 0
 Spiritual Values in the Gita
SWAMI VISHARADANANDA

(Continued from March 2010 issue. . .)

[An exposition of verses 7-11 of the 13th chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, the following is the
thirteenth instalment of the article; January to October 2009 issues contained the first ten instalments]

16. Mayi cha ananyayogena bhakti-
avyabhicharini [‘by developing unswerving
devotion to Me by the Yoga of non-separation’]
Bhakta—a Sattvika Bhokta
There are two adjectives used with the
term bhakti or devotion to God in the above
phrase. These two adjectives are: unswerving
devotion to Me (avyabhicharini) and Yoga of
non-separation (ananyayogena). Let us under-
stand these terms.
We, the embodied beings (jivas), have a
strong sense of enjoyment of worldly objects
and desires (bhoktritva). But as spiritual seekers,
we have to change our approach towards life.
Thus the enjoyer (bhokta) has to transform this
worldly tendency to ‘enjoying’ God. This is
how one becomes a devotee (bhakta). When
one becomes a devotee, one’s craving for
sense-enjoyment (bhoktritva) becomes weak-
ened and one progresses towards freedom
from desires. This inner redirection of app-
roach is the best way to change one’s ten-
dencies.
Most people want to enjoy objects of
senses; they want to use every available thing
for their own selfish purpose. The attitude of
Swami Visharadananda is a monk of the dashanami tradition. He lives and teaches at Vivekananda Yoga
Anusandhana Mahavidyapith, Prashanti Kutiram, near Jigani Industrial Area, Bangalore, Karnataka. This
serialised article has been condensed from his book Human Values, published by Swami Vivekananda Yoga
Prakashan, Chamarajpet, Bangalore, pp.102. …
a devotee, on the other hand, is entirely dif-
ferent. He does not want to use anything for
himself; he feels happy to serve God and His
devotees. He feels delighted if he can help
others. He feels happy by serving and not by
being served. This is still being an enjoyer but
a sattvika enjoyer. A gross bhokta thus becomes
a sattvika bhokta.
One has to learn that by giving an upper
hand to sense enjoyment (bhoktritva), one only
becomes miserable.
Can anyone be happy with a demanding,
bossing person? Bhoktritva is to be like such a
person: it makes strong demands and imposes
itself on one’s own mind. A mind demanding
enjoyments can never be easy with itself. It
only makes one frustrated. Expectations and
frustration are inter-related. If mind expects
more, it will be more frustrated! A crude bhokta
expects a lot from people, and hence gets more
miserable too. He swings between the extre-
mes of depression and elation. One can enjoy
playing on the swing as long as it is smooth.
If a swing rises too high, there are twitches in
the stomach and sickness is the result! Playing
on a swing is enjoyable only when it is gentle.
At the same time too slow a swing also does

T h e V e d a n t a K e s a r i ~ 314 ~ A U G U S T 2 0 1 0

not give joy. Mind is like a swing, and our
lives, hooked as they are to mind, too
experience the same up and down as that of a
swing.
We have to realise that holding to strong
likes and dislikes, or strong opinions and
judgments, is like the movement of a swing—
rising high, hitting the roof one moment, and
the next moment bouncing back to bang on
the ground! As we develop bhakti towards
God, we learn to swing in a balanced way.
Then we are not affected by strong likes and
dislikes and become more peaceful.
Cultivating Bhakti
One has to become a devotee in the true
sense of term. A true devotee is sincere to the
core. Of course, one can pretend to be a
devotee, putting marks on one’s body such a
tilakam, chandanam, and vibhuti. But these do
not matter to the Lord; a true devotee of God
is one who is selfless and self-sacrificing.
Bhakti is a relationship formed in the
mind between oneself and God. Through
Bhakti our mind learns to become subordinate
to the object of devotion. In worldly life, our
ego does not want to submit to anyone. Rather,
it wants to take the driver’s seat. It wants to
dominate, manipulate and exploit others. On
other hand, in bhakti our ego learns to humble
itself, by taking the back seat and submitting
to God. It learns to keep its likes (raga) and
dislikes (dvesha) aside, and fill the mind with
holy thoughts.
We all have emotions. If we do not direct
these emotions towards God, we will direct
them towards the family and friends. Bhakti
is directing our emotions towards God. It is
depending on God instead of others.
A bhakta learns to practice respectfulness
towards others. By respecting others, he learns
to get rid of his cranky likes and dislikes. These
T h e V e d a n t a K e s a r i
35
likes and dislikes are the source of all negative
emotions. To have strong likes and dislikes is
like having a notorious terrorist inside. It
dictates terms to us and says, ‘I want this and
do not want that!’ And like a slave of likes-
dislikes, we follow every word of what we
are told by the inner terrorist! What could be
more miserable than this?
But one can overcome this by directing
the mind toward the altar of God. By devotion
one becomes a sattvika bhokta. A sattvika
bhokta does not transgress dharma and accepts
life as it comes. Whatever life brings, he rec-
eives it as God’s prasadam.
When an action is done with devotion, it
becomes spiritually rewarding. A bhakta does
not wait to enjoy the fruits of his action later;
he enjoys even while doing. He sees every
opportunity to serve as a privilege and not a
job to be done. This brings him back his posi-
tive emotional self and when that happens it
makes life joyful, free from all drudgery.
Many times we do not want to do some
particular work yet we cannot help it and
finally become tired and exhausted. In other
words, while working this way our emotional
self is full of negative thoughts and feelings.
But when our emotional self becomes positive,
we do not become tired, and remain enthu-
siastic always. Life, then, becomes a sweet
melody, and all discordant notes vanish. A
sense of gratitude fills the mind. Mind sees
how it has received so much, and in gratitude,
wants to give back something. And one begins
doing so to the best of one’s capacity. Our
vision expands then, and we start seeing the
Lord everywhere.
Sadhana—the Path to Freedom
Sadhana or spiritual practice is a path
towards freedom. We have limited time at our
disposal. If our mind runs after wealth or
~ 315 ~ A U G U S T 2 0 1 0

worldly fame, we should remind it that all
these would be left behind when we leave the
body. Only our mind, its purity and impurity,
will go with us. We should try to make our
mind better through cultivating the divine
qualities (daivisampatti).
By always complaining about things
which we do not have, we are expressing our
lack of gratitude towards Lord. One keeps ask-
ing God to give an endless list of things. Of
course, to ask things from God is not wrong.
If one has to ask, then one should ask God
and not any mortal being. When we approach
God to fulfill all our needs, this it called
‘unswerving devotion‘(avyabhicharini bhakti). A
Sanskrit proverb (subhashita) says:
The legendary Chataka bird is very self-
respecting. It drinks only the rain water. When
it is thirsty, it would have water directly from
the (clouds) only and from no other source, even
if it dies of thirst.
The point here is that to a devotee God
alone is the provider of everything. Why
should he then approach anyone else? A
person who approaches others for his needs
does not have an unswerving devotion.
Unswerving devotion means asking God
and God alone for my needs. Whatever is my
need, I will approach only God—that is the
attitude of a bhakta. He is devoted to God
only. Such an attitude brings steadiness in
one’s spiritual efforts. Or else, one will be like
a housefly which sits everywhere and partakes
of all kind of things. A bhakta, on the other
hand, is like a honey-bee that sits only on
flowers. It is called ‘one-pointed devotion’
(aikantika bhakti).
A person with unswerving devotion
approaches only God to solve his problems
and God rescues him from a precarious
situation. Such a devotee does not ask for
favour from anyone else.
T h e V e d a n t a K e s a r i
36
Bhartrihari, a great Sanskrit poet, says,
O friend please listen carefully to what I say. So
many clouds come in sky; some pour water,
some roar and go away. People are also like
that. All are not going to fulfil your desires.
When desires cannot be fulfiled by all, why do
you go on telling them to all? If at all I ask, I
will ask God only. When He cannot fulfil them,
even others cannot. If it is not in our karma,
nobody can do anything, so why should not one
ask God only? If He gives, fine, and, if not, I
accept it!
The Purpose of Spiritual Practices
The purpose of all our spiritual practices
is to remove our self-centredness. As an en-
joyer, one tries to use everything for oneself.
But as a seeker of God, one becomes aware of
one’s higher purpose of life, and hence instead
to using others for one’s purpose, one develops
an attitude of service and humility. One should
first of all be aware of one’s worldly ten-
dencies. Then only can one amend oneself and
give a spiritual turn to his tendencies.
How to change one’s attitude? Through
introspection and self-analysis. We have to
realise that we cannot be happy by just mani-
pulating others. By manipulating others we
only make others miserable, and that cannot
bring happiness. It is only by making others
happy that one becomes happy. This
is a kind of enlightened self-interest—to
seek one’s happiness by seeking others’ happi-
ness.
We keep complaining about things which
we do not have. When we are thus busy with
our complaints, we overlook the presence of
things we already have. What we are privi-
leged to have is the precious human body—
out of millions of other things which we could
have become, we are born as human. But we
just do not look at this privilege; we only
~ 316 ~ A U G U S T 2 0 1 0

complain. If only we could focus on what we
have, we will feel grateful for it.
This feeling of gratefulness does not
come easily because of our complaining atti-
tude. We need to realise that everything is not
provided to everybody. If something is
provided to us, something else is absent in
our life. Everyone’s life is a permutation and
combination of presence and absence; every-
one gets certain things and does not get certain
things according to one’s past actions. It is said
that people who have teeth do not have
groundnuts (that requires chewing) and those
who have groundnuts do not have teeth. That
is life!
Reversing Our Roles
It is always said that of all the sadhanas,
bhakti is the best sadhana (uttama sadhana).
Ultimately, Supreme bhakti (para-bhakti) and
Self-knowledge (jnana) are one and the same.
An ordinary man’s life is ego-centred. Bhakti
melts down the ego. In bhakti, the attitude is
‘O Lord, what is yours, only is offered to you’
(tvadìyam vastu govinda tubhyameva samarpaye),
Thus, through bhakti, the ego becomes a
secondary enjoyer (gauna bhoktritva). Then
Ishwara/Guru/elders/others become more
important than oneself. This is akin to the
working of a professional cook. Though he
himself enjoys what he cooks, the primary
purpose of his cooking is to please the master.
So also a driver enjoys his driving but he
essentially drives for the master. This is the
case of a secondary enjoyer.
If we apply it in life, ego becomes
purified and ultimately disappears. In the path
of devotion it is said of ego: ‘I and Lord both
With the thirst, the longing for God, comes real devotion, real Bhakti. Who has the
longing? That is the question. Religion is not in doctrines, in dogmas, nor in intellectual
argumentation; it is being and becoming, it is realisation.
T h e V e d a n t a K e s a r i
37
cannot be there. Either He can be there or I
will be there.’
Bhakti is a slow and gradual melting
down of our ego. It is realizing the fact that
we are merely an instrument in the hands of
God. When this feeling (bhavana) becomes
permanent, a change takes place in our per-
sonality and we become free from all angu-
larities and pain.
In bhakti one begins with the assumption
‘I am different from the Lord.’ But as one
progresses, one discovers that one is not
different from the Lord. ‘I and the Lord are
not different.’ This is called ananyabhava. The
term anya means ‘different’ and ananya means
‘not different’. One has to ultimately discover
the Lord as his own self (svarupa). One begins
one’s journey by accepting the difference until
the oneness is discovered.
In another sense, in the path of bhakti
one learns to de-identify oneself from one’s
upadhi—our false personality. Our body and
mind are controlled objects and Lord is the
controller. God is our Inner Controller
(antaryami) and He makes us function. One
should slowly find out the deeper dimension
of one’s personality. We should pray to the
Lord to give us dispassion and strength to see
our oneness with Him.
Finally, let us remember that we live in
our mind only—whether in this life or the next.
Hence it is better to clean it up. Let us clear
up all the garbage of anxieties, worries, ego-
struggles and wrong notions, and cultivate
purity of mind and devotion to God. Once
that happens, peace, shanti, enters into our
life.
(To be continued. . .)
—Swami Vivekananda
~ 317 ~ A U G U S T 2 0 1 0

Bal Vikas Kendra—Patna Ashrama’s Initiative for the Poor Children

More than a century ago, Swami Vivekananda rightly said, ‘I consider that the great national sin is the
neglect of the masses, and that is one of the causes of our downfall. No amount of politics would be of any
avail until the masses in India are once more well educated, well fed, and well cared for.’ He also said, ‘Let
New India arise—out of the peasants’ cottage, grasping the plough; out of the huts of the fisherman, the
cobbler, and the sweeper. Let her spring from the grocer’s shop, from beside the oven of the fritter-seller.
Let her emanate from the factory, from marts and from markets…’
It is, therefore, befitting to do something significant for uplifting the deprived children, especially when
we are preparing to observe the 150th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda in 2013.
At the initiative of the Patna Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama, 100 children from poor sections were
adopted with the idea of meeting their physical, mental, and educational needs. Coming from financially and

Prayer session and coaching class in progress—Patna Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama

socially deprived sections of the society, most of these children are in their pre-teen and teens. The children
were selected and adopted by the Ashrama after a meticulous survey of the children’s background.
To begin with, in order make them feel secure and ‘being wanted’, an affectionate treatment was given to
them by the monks. They were taught Hindi and English alphabets, and basic mathematics through fun and
games, using books and interactive CDs available in the market. They were also taught about basics of
hygiene, how to maintain discipline, and not to utter bad words to which they are accustomed to in their
families. Each adopted child is supplied with:
1. One bath soap and one washing soap and 250 ml oil per month.
2. Two pairs of dresses per year with the Ramakrishna Mission logo on it
3. Study materials (note-books, hand-writing books, pen, pencil, eraser, and a school bag)
4. A pair of slippers
5. A nail cutter

T h e V e d a n t a K e s a r i ~ 318 ~ A U G U S T 2 0 1 0
 39

Five teachers are appointed with honorarium to teach the students for three hours (4.00 pm to 7.00 pm).
The following is the routine of the adopted children when they come to the Patna Ashrama:
1. Arrival at 3.30 pm at the campus with uniform supplied to them, cleaning their own place of study and
keeping the study materials ready (black board, carpets, etc.)
2. Playing the in the campus of the Ashrama (30 minutes)
3. Prayer session (in Hindi and Sanskrit) (10 minutes)
4. Checking cleanliness (dress, hair, nails, teeth) (10 minutes)
5. Teaching session (two and a half hours)
6. Music Class (teaching of shanti panchakam, narayan sukta, purusha sukta, etc.) (20 minutes)
7. A sumptuous evening snack
8. Interaction (story telling by the monks or some general chatting)
While adopting the children, they are divided into two groups (4 to 6, and 7 to 8) and the children are
coached in various ways using stories and games. As the students progress, they are subdivided, for the sake
of better coaching, into different classes—from first to fifth year—and then arrangements are made by the
Ashrama to get the eligible children admitted to schools. Even after getting admitted to schools, the children
keep coming to the Ashrama for coaching and regular studies.
Occasional tours to local tourist spots are also arranged for them. Screening of films/documentaries on the
topics of value education, cartoon films on Indian gods and goddesses, Ramayana, Mahabharata and so on
are also arranged for them.
Sometimes the students are also involved in the activities of the Ashrama so that they identify themselves
with the Ashrama and feel that they are part of the society. This helps them to get back their self-dignity.
Despite financial limitations, the Ashrama has taken up this noble work. It is a right step towards
realising Swami Vivekananda’s dream of a modern India. All right thinking people, including public sector
units and industrial houses, should come forward to support such a worthy cause. Currently the Ashrama is
spending some eight lakhs of rupees annually for this purpose. †
Y The following centres conducted summer camps for children. The programme included chanting,
bhajans, moral lessons, yogasanas, etc.
Sl.No. Centre Duration of the camp Total Participants
Two weeks (from 14 to 29 April) 50 boys from class 8 to 10
1. Belgaum
Ten days (from 1 to 10 May) 85 boys from class 5 to 7
2. Porbandar Five weeks (from 1 May to 5 June) 160 students from class 4 to 7
3. Rajkot Four weeks (from 3 to 28 May) 73 children in the age group 7-13
Three weeks (from 26 April to 14 May) 128 students from class 3 to 7
4. Visakhapatnam
Three weeks (from 17 May to 4 June) 82 students from class 3 to 7
5. Chennai Four weeks (from 3 to 30 May) 350 children in the age group 8-14
6. Hyderabad Four weeks (from 25 April to 22 May) 1080 children in the age group 8-15
7. Kanpur Two weeks (from 9 to 23 May) 175 children in the age group 9-16
Y Swami Prabhanandaji, the General Secretary of the Ramakrishna Math and Mission, inaugurated the
newly constructed western wing of the Higher Secondary School building at Ramakrishna Mission,
Cherrapunji on 11 June.
Y Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai conducted a three-day All Tamil Nadu Youth Retreat from 8 to 10
June in which 225 young men participated.
Y As part of its free tuition centre for the poor students Sri Ramakrishna Math, Madurai, distributed
free note-books worth more than eighty thousand to 500 deserving students from 4 to 12 classes from various
government schools. The function was held on 10 June 2010.

T h e V e d a n t a K e s a r i ~ 319 ~ A U G U S T 2 0 1 0
 40

Concluding Function of Golden Jubilee Celebrations of Japan Centre

The Vedanta Society of Japan [Nippon Vedanta Kyokai] brought its year-long programme, commemorating
50 years of service in Japan, to a close on May 30 this year. The concluding function was combined with
Swami Vivekananda’s 148th Birth Anniversary.

(From left) At Tokyo—the public meeting, Bharatanatyam performance, and Santoor recital

Organised by the Society’s Golden Jubilee Celebration Committee and co-organized by the Department of
Global Citizenship Studies of Seisen University, a women’s Catholic liberal arts university, the event was
held in the campus’ spacious auditorium facility. From May 26 to 30 the Society’s Indo-Japan Relationship
Exhibition was also on display in the foyer of the university’s main building annex.
After the opening Invocation, floral offerings were made to Sri Ramakrishna, the Holy Mother and
Swami Vivekananda. Swami Medhasananda gave the Welcome Address summarizing the centre’s programmes
and projects and highlighting future projects. Sister Junko Shioya also gave a brief welcome, followed by the
release of Society’s new publications. Swami Smarananandaji, Vice-President of the Ramakrishna Math and
Mission, Ambassador of India Sri H.K.Singh, Tokyo Archbishop Peter Takeo Okada, Buddhist Jôdo Sect
Master (Kangaku) and Professor Emeritus of Taisho University, Ryojun Sato, and Dr. Yasuji Yamaguchi of
Meiji University addressed the gathering. A Vote of Thanks was presented by Tsuyoshi Nara. Light Indian
snacks were then distributed to about the 600 guests present. A cultural programme comprising classical
Indian dance and a sitar performance was also presented.
Supplies of the book Swami Vivekananda and Japan, both Japanese and English versions, along with the
booklet Inspirational Messages were completely exhausted. A CD of songs in Japanese on the Holy Trio, a
CD of Mantras and Hymns on Shiva, a DVD, ‘Swami Vivekananda—A Documentary,’ with Japanese sub-
titles, were released. A special Golden Jubilee Issue of The Universal Gospel, the Society’s bi-monthly
magazine, was also released. An exhibition exploring the Indo-Japan Relationship was organized by the
Society and held at four locations throughout the year drawing a viewership of about five thousand.
Service for the homeless Narayanas was included during the Golden Jubilee year and it will be continued
by the Society. †

Karnataka Rehabilitation News

After rendering primary relief services to the victims of October
2009 flood, Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama, Belgaum and Sri
Ramakrishna Ashrama, Mysore have jointly taken up construction
of 229 houses in two villages of Sindhanur Taluka of Raichur
District, Karnataka, for the people affected by heavy rains and
floods. The construction has begun in Chintamanadoddi Village
where 126 houses are in the different stages of construction. Out
of them nearly 72 housed have come up to the plinth level.†

T h e V e d a n t a K e s a r i ~ 320 ~ A U G U S T 2 0 1 0

THE WONDER THAT IS SRI RAMA-
KRISHNA
By Swami Bhaskarananda. An
English translation of the
Bengali book Sri Sri Rama-
krishna Mahima by Akshay
Kumar Sen
Published by Sri Ramakrishna
Math, Mylapore, R.K. Math Road,
Chennai - 600 004. 2009, paperback,
Pp.213, Rs.60.
Sri Ramakrishna is worshipped by millions
as an Incarnation of God. However, very few could
comprehend his greatness, his ecstatic moods and
Samadhi when he was living. The author of the
book under review, Sri Akshay Kumar Sen, was
one among them. The book has a great historical
value so far as the history of Ramakrishna-
Vivekananda literature is concerned.
Akshay Kumar Sen, a householder devotee
of Sri Ramakrishna, is well-known as the writer of
Sri Sri Ramakrishna Punthi, a long narrative poem
in Bengali on the life and divine play of Sri Rama-
krishna. Since its publication more than a hundred
years ago, it continues to be read in most Bengal
villages with the same devotion and fervour as the
Indian epics, the Ramayana and Mahabharata. The
present book is the English translation of Akshay
Kumar Sen’s Sri Sri Ramakrishna Mahima.
The book opens with the conversations and
mature reflections between two friends on Sri Rama-
krishna; they subsequently approach a devotee of
Sri Ramakrishna to satiate their hunger to know
more regarding his life. The first four chapters
introduce Sri Ramakrishna and from the fifth
chapter onwards, the devotee draws up the glorious
and enlightening portrait of Sri Ramakrishna and
T h e V e d a n t a K e s a r i
For review in THE VEDANTA KESARI,
publishers need to send us
two copies of their latest publication.
his divine play. The devotee (the author himself) is
inundated with the devotion for Sri Ramakrishna,
and he beautifully explains the significance of Sri
Ramakrishna’s life and teachings with suitable
examples and establishes him as a Divine Incar-
nation, by chanting whose name one can instantly
remove all sins and sufferings. He advises, ‘Dive
deep into the ocean of Sri Ramakrishna’s Lila, then
you will find precious gems.’
Sitting alongside this ‘devotee’, we witness
Sri Ramakrishna’s spiritual ecstasy, his amazing in-
sights into spiritual life, his wonderful anecdotes,
his straightforward teachings imbued with deep
philosophy, and his advice for common people
yearning to know God. The stories of the disciples
of Sri Ramakrishna are also described in swift sket-
ches. The narrative abounds with incidents and
anecdotes, enlivened by the author’s commentary
interspersed with devotional verses composed by
the author as also those sung by Sri Ramakrishna.
Having read the book, one indeed marvels at
the wonder that was Sri Ramakrishna. An un-
lettered person, unostentatious and simple, he
experienced God not only through Hinduism but also
other religions. Having walked the path to God, he
is best suited to give us authentic knowledge and
guidance. No wonder, today his teachings permeate
the Interfaith Movement, New Age thoughts, Yoga
and modern Hinduism.
The translation is lucid and clear, capturing
the interest of the readers all throughout. The reader
experiences Sri Ramakrishna’s living presence and
feels that the reading of the book is as revitalizing
as a bath in the limpid waters of the Ganga. Swami
Bhaskarananda, the Head of the Vedanta Society
of Western Washington, Seattle, U.S.A. and Sri
Ramakrishna Math, Chennai, deserve gratitude of
Sri Ramakrishna’s devotees.
_______________________ CHETANA MANDAVIA, JUNAGADH
~ 321 ~ A U G U S T 2 0 1 0

TOWARDS THE GOAL
By Mrs. Vandana Sarathy,
Dr.Rajeev Ramakrishna
Published by Chikala Centre, 12A
Fletcher Avenue, Blackhurst,
NSW 2221, Australia. 2009,
paperback, pp.113, $10. [Book
available from Kanaka Rama-
krishna, C/o S.R. Sampath, 36,
NRI Lay-out, RTI Extn., Sanjay-
nagar, Bangalore - 560 094]
Towards the Goal is a chronicle of the coming
true of a dream of a band of devoted and highly
motivated devotees of Sri Ramakrishna, dedicating
their lives to achieving their treasured goal—to have
a Centre of Vedanta in Australia, affiliated to the
Ramakrishna Order. It is a joy to read the evolution
of Ramakrishna-Vedanta Movement, beginning
from a tiny seed to the present proportions.
The seeds of the Vedanta Movement in
Australia were planted by Swami Shivananda, a
direct disiciple of Sri Ramakrishna. During his visit
to Ceylon in 1897, he inspired an Australian lady,
Mrs. Elsie Picket, a keen student of Vedanta and
especially trained her to teach Vedanta. Conse-
quently, she opened the classes in Adelaide and
Nelson, which marked the beginning of the Vedanta
Movement in Australia. In 1920s, a fresh momentum
was added through a mysterious vision of Swami
Vivekananda which James Wales had. James later
joined the Ramakrishna Order as a monk, and
dedicated his life to the ideals of Sri Ramakrishna
and Vivekananda.
Thereafter, it was Swami Ranganathanandaji,
the spiritual and cultural ambassador of India, who,
right from his first visit to Australia in 1956 till
1986, gathered around him a band of sincere
devotees attracted by his life aglow with spirituality
and by his erudition and oratory. The Vedanta
Movement continued to gain strength by the visits
of Swami Damodaranandaji from Fiji Ramakrishna
Mission and other monks who would hold satsangs
and provide guidance to the growing number of
devotees. The book provides a detailed account of
these devotees as also their perseverance and
struggle to set up Vedanta Centres in Australia.
One can palpably feel their intense and passionate
efforts in persuading the Belur Math authorities to
send a Swami to start an official centre. Their efforts
T h e V e d a n t a K e s a r i
42
finally bore fruit when the centre started functioning
from October 2000, with Swami Sridharanandaji to
guide the devotees.
The book opens with the philosophical back-
ground of Vedanta, and the introduction of Sri
Ramakrishna, Sri Sarada Devi and Swami Viveka-
nanda. Chapter I provides a preamble to the Rama-
krishna Order, briefly describing its origin and
activities, enabling the reader to grasp the signi-
ficance of what follows in the successive chapters.
Chapters II through VI slowly unfold the history of
the centre: early years, establishment, growth, affili-
ation, and opening of additional centres spread over
Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne and Perth.
This provides an insight into the contribution of
the devotees and the monks of the Order in establi-
shing and putting the Movement in Australia on
strong footings. Genesis of the centre of Sarada
Math, the women’s wing of Ramakrishna Order, is
also described.
Short biographical sketches of pioneering
monastic members and devotees who worked for
the furtherance of the cause, visits of the swamis of
Ramakrishna Mission from 1985 to 2000, important
photos and references are appended.
Written by the children of a devoted couple,
this book is a faithful and valuable record of the
Vedanta Movement in Australia, offered with bril-
liant lucidity and painstaking detail along with the
philosophical background. One is struck by the
worldwide acceptance of the ideals of the Order by
people belonging to different religion and culture.
Printed on the fine quality paper and with an
elegant cover page, the book will surely be liked
by the Ramakrishna devotees in general and by
thoughtful people in particular.
______________________ CHETANA MANDAVIA, JUNAGADH.
THE SCIENCE OF GOD-REALIZATION
By Roy Eugene Davis
Published by New Age Books, A-
44, Nariana Industrial Area Phase
–I, New Delhi-110 028. 2002,
paperback, pp.142, Rs.150
This is a compact book, a
collection of essays, some of
them published earlier as maga-
zine articles, and the rest new. The
author, Roy Eugene Davis, is a disciple of Parama-
~ 322 ~ A U G U S T 2 0 1 0

hamsa Yogananda of the Self Realization Fellow-
ship, Los Angeles. He is also the founder-director
of the Center for Spiritual Awareness.
There are fifteen short essays in the book,
preceded by a short preface, and containing at the
end a section on questions and answers. This is
followed by a glossary. This makes the book self-
contained.
Each essay is about a specific topic, all topics
having something or other to do with meditation.
The book starts by establishing that the spiritual
quest is a scientific quest. It demands of us the
same methodical investigations as physical sciences,
emphasizing experimentation rather than dogma.
The book goes on to describe what is meant by
self-discovery, in a fairly long essay. The rest of the
book is about specific practices, like meditation, the
purpose of life, how to make life worthwhile, states
of consciousness, mysticism, righteous living, God’s
grace, peace of mind and positive affirmation.
Each of the essays is independent and the
theme of the essay has been described in un-
equivocal terms for easy understanding and
appreciation. Each essay closes with a positive
affirmative statement and a quotation from a
scripture.
An added attraction of the book is the last
section on questions and answers. The answers
provide a good number of practical hints on how
to live in this world and face its challenges. The
suggestions are down-to-earth and do not indulge
in polemics or hair-splitting arguments. This makes
the book all the more useful to the common readers.
Though small in size, the book is profound
in its message. Anyone interested in entering the
field of spirituality will find the book quite valuable.
_______________________________NVC SWAMY, BANGALORE
DEWDROPS OF LOVE
By J.P. Vaswani
Published by Sadhu Vaswani
Centre, Singapore, 127, Mar-
shall Road, Singapore 424914.
2008, Hardback, pp.128,
Rs.500. (Available at Gita
Publishing House, 10, Sadu Vaswani Path,
Pune - 411 001)
Dada Vaswani obliged his Singapore-based
devotee Jyoti Mirchandani by incorporating his
T h e V e d a n t a K e s a r i
43
thoughts in the form of a diary, during his visits to
that country.
This elegantly brought out book contains
those noble thoughts along with attractive pictures
of the spiritual leader taken on different occasions.
Undoubtedly, the wisdom of Dada Vaswani will
enable a person to shed all bad tendencies and
develop true love. The unhappy situations in life
are best tackled if we approach with an offer of
unconditional love.
Every page in the book has very useful
lessons as the following selections indicate:
Y ‘May I see good in everyone I meet. Then I
shall never judge anyone, never criticize anyone
…only then will my mind be at peace’
Y ‘Strive for the imperishable’, not for money
which is ‘like quicksilver’.
Y ‘Blessed is the man who sees no fault in
others, only in himself…’
The book, like its author, abounds in epigrams
of joy and happiness. The sagely wisdom the book
contains will be a source of strength to all those
who feel frustrated and make them realize that ‘life
is’ indeed ‘beautiful’.
_______________________________P. S. SUNDARAM, CHENNAI
CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE INDIAN
SPIRITUAL SCHOOL
By Jack Canfield, Mark Victor
Hansen and Veena Seshadri
Published by Westland Ltd. S-
35A, III Floor, Green Park Main
(In Green Park Market), New
Delhi - 110 016. 2009, paper-
back, Pp.393+xii., Rs295
Everyone is familiar with
the Chicken Soup for the Soul series—
warming and satisfying as only soul food can be.
Here is the next volume which is specially meant
for Indian audiences, with 101 contributions to
further faith in human goodness, to show
emphatically that human beings will conquer any
odds to come up as winners.
The book is divided into eight subheadings,
ranging from Faith, to Love and Forgiveness, Death,
Caring and Sharing, and even on Lighter Moments.
Contributors come from every walk of life—
journalists, editors, doctors, teachers and even an
ex-President of India, Dr A P J Abdul Kalam.
~ 323 ~ A U G U S T 2 0 1 0

We have stories that celebrate triumph over
physical odds that come out of the blue, unexpected
and harrowing as in Way to Go Megha by
Khursheed Dinshaw (p. 44), events that transform,
as in When He Calls by Veena Seshadri (p. 67 ) and
the satisfaction of doing the ‘Right Thing at the
Right Time’ by Shinie Anthony (p. 93). There are
accounts of finding a nugget of truth in the most
unexpected of places, of learning to count ones
blessings, seeing God in the places least imagined.
All through the book the message that comes
out clear and strong is: we are not alone and love
and faith and forgiveness are the pillars upon which
moral fibre stands. These three virtues show up
whether we will or not, and astound us with their
power and magnitude, however small the incident
which revealed it.
This is a very inspiring book which would be
a great addition to our bedside tables rather than
the library shelf—to be read and savoured every
day, to be reflected upon and, most importantly, to
be emulated at every opportunity.
___________________________ PREMA RAGHUNATH, CHENNAI
THE PERFECT RELATIONSHIP (GURU
AND DISCIPLE)
By J.P. Vaswani
Published by Sterling Publishers
(P) Ltd. A-59, Okla Industrial
Area, Phase II, New Delhi - 110
020. 2008, Paperback, Pp.298,
Rs.250. (Copies received from
Gita Publishing House,10, Sadhu
Vaswani Path, Pune - 411 001)
The greatest human experience is liberation
or self-realization. It is also called, by various
traditions, as salvation, mukti, deathlessness or
emancipation from bondages. To ‘attain’ to this
experience, one needs the guidance of a self-realized
person. Such a person is the Guru who acts as a
guide unto the disciple. The necessity of having a
qualified Guru, qualities expected of the disciple,
relationship between Guru and disciple and the
journey to liberation are the main themes of the
book under review.
The book begins with a discussion of the need
to embark on such a journey—by highlighting the
deeper dimensions of our existence and the gift of
human life. Of course, this journey is daunting and
T h e V e d a n t a K e s a r i
44
requires time, effort and attention on the part of
the disciple. The aspirant needs directions,
guidance, protection, encouragement and advice.
But once the disciple succeeds in awakening his
faith and serves and surrenders unconditionally to
the Guru, the Guru takes on the responsibility for
the disciple. The Guru then becomes a father,
mother, guardian and preceptor to the disciple.
The book dwells in great detail on the Guru’s
nature, centred on love and grace. The author
explains that the Guru is not merely a great teacher
or guide, but an exalted being having powers to
purify, transform and bring forth illumination. The
book has references to the Guru-disciple relation-
ship in different religious traditions spanning
several centuries and diverse communities. Highly
anecdotal and narrative in style, multiple illustra-
tions and examples in the book simplify the
concepts explained. All chapters, except the last one
on frequently asked questions (FAQ’s) are greeted
with pictorial line-sketches depicting the stories. The
simple language adopted by the author speaks
directly to the reader. The book ends outlining lives
of great Gurus, teachers and a brief sketch of the
author’s own Guru—Sadhu Vaswani—who was an
embodiment of humility, compassion and service.
A preface or introduction and note on the
author would have further aided readers appreciate
the book. Non-English words are in italic fonts—a
reader new to Indic languages may need some
research to understand them.
____________________SHARATKUMAR VARIYAR, BANGALORE
Book Spotted NEARER HEAVEN THAN EARTH, THE
LIFE AND TIMES OF BOSHI SEN AND
GERTRUDE EMERSON SEN
By Girish N. Mehra.
Published by Rupa & Co., 7/
16, Ansari Road, Daryaganj,
New Delhi - 2. 2007, Hard-
back, Pp.815 +xxi, Rs 995.
The book is a lucid acco-
unt of lives of Boshi Sen and
Gertrude Emerson Sen, with
many rare pictures, and a Foreword by
Dr. MS Swaminathan. Boshi Sen was the founder
of the Vivekananda Laboratory for agricultural
research in Almora. He was associated with many
direct disciples of Sri Ramakrishna. He worked
with the famous Dr. J.C. Bose and many others.
~ 324 ~ A U G U S T 2 0 1 0
 45

The Vedanta Kesari Library Scheme Continued from page 4

4401. A Devotee of Sri Ramakrishna Technical Edu. & Research Institute, Ghazipur, U.P. - 233 002
4402. -do- Technical Inst. of Advanced Studies, Bajitpur, Delhi - 110 085
4403. -do- Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, Maharastra - 400 088
4404. -do- Tamilnadu College of Engineering, Coimbatore - 641 659
4405. -do- T.N. Rao College, Rajkot, Gujarat - 360 001
4406. -do- Synergy Institute of Advanced Mgt., Pune, Maharastra - 411 030
4407. -do- Symbiosis Inst. of Business Mgt., Pune, Maharastra - 411 004
4408. -do- Symbiosis Centre for Mgt., Pune, Maharastra - 411 027
4409. -do- Symbiosis Instite of Telecom Mgt., Model Colony, Pune - 411 016
4410. -do- Symbiosis Institute of Mgt. Studies, Pune, Maharastra - 411 020
4411. -do- Sydenham Institute, Maharastra - 400 020
4412. -do- Swarna Bharathi Inst. of Science, Khammam, A.P. - 507 002
4413. -do- SVKP & DKSR Arts & Science College, West Godawari, A.P. - 534 320
4414. -do- Swami Vivekananda PG College, Secunderabad, A.P. - 500 003
4415. -do- Suryadatta Group of Institutes, Pune, Maharastra - 411 030
4416. -do- Surana College, Bangalore, Karnataka - 560 004
4417. -do- Subodh Institute, Jaipur, Rajasthan - 302 004
4418. -do- SSMRV College, Bangalore, Karnataka - 560 078
4419. -do- Srusti Academy of Management, Bhubaneswar, Orissa - 751 031
4420. -do- SRM Institute, Ghaziabad, Uttarapradesh - 201 204
4421. -do- Sri Y N College, Warangal, A.P. - 534 275
4422. -do- Sri Srinivasa Vidya Parishad College, Visakapatnam, A.P. - 530 041
4423. -do- Sri Sringeri Sharada Institute, Vasant Vihar, New Delhi - 110 057
4424. -do- Sri Ramakrishna Degree College, Nandyal, A.P. - 518 502
4425. -do- Sri Nehru Mahavidyalaya College, Coimbatore, T.N. - 641 021
4426. -do- Sri Indu College, R.R. Dist., A.P. - 501 510
4427. -do- Saraswati Viswa Mahavidyalaya, Kanchipuram, T.N. - 631 561
4428. -do- Sri Balaji PG College, Anantapur, A.P. - 515 001
4429. -do- Sreenivasa Institute, Chittoor, A.P. - 517 127
4430. -do- Sree Rama Institute, Godavari Dist., A.P. - 534 211
4431. -do- Sree Chaitanya P.G. College, Karimnagar, A.P. - 505 002
4432. -do- Sree Aman Institute of Management, Erode, T.N. - 638 102
4433. -do- S.I.E.S. College of Mgt., Mumbai, Maharastra - 400 706
4434. -do- SOM Lalit Institute, Navarangpura, Ahmedabad - 380 009
4435. -do- Soldier Mgt. & Tech. Institute, Jalandhar, Punjab - 144 002
4436. -do- Ranchi University, Bihar - 834 004
4437. -do- SMT. R.D. Gardi Department of Business Mgt., Rajkot, Gujarat - 360 005
4438. -do- Siva Sivani Inst. of Mgt., Secunderabad, A.P. - 500 014
4439. -do- Adarsh College, Bangalore, Karnataka - 560 018
4440. -do- Sister Nivedita College, Hyderabad, A.P. - 500 004
4441. -do- Sir CRR College, A.P. - 534 007
4442. -do- Sinhgad Technical Education, Pune, Maharastra - 411 041
4443. -do- Sigma Institute, Vadodara, Gujarat - 390 010
4444. -do- Siddhartha Technical Institute, Ranga Reddy Dist., A.P. - 501 301
4445. -do- Shri Shivaji Maratha Societies Inst. of Mgt., Pune, Maharastra - 411 002
4446. -do- Shri Shankaracharya Mahavidyalaya, Chattisgarh - 490 006
 46

4447. -do- Shri Ramswaroop Memorial Inst. of Mgt., Lucknow, U.P. - 226 020
4448. -do- Smarak College, Bhojipura P.O., U.P. - 243 202
4449. -do- Mahila College, Amreli, Gujarat - 365 601
4450. -do- Shri Jaysukhlal Vadhar Inst. of Mgt., Jamnagar, Gujarat - 361 004
4451. -do- Shri Guru Ram Rai Inst. of Mgt., Dehradun, Uttranchal - 248 001
4452. -do- Shri Gujarati Samaj Inst., A.B. Road, Indore - 452 010
4453. -do- Sri Devi Institute of Engineering & Tech., Tumkur, Karnataka - 572 106
4454. -do- Shri Chimanbhai Patel Inst. Ahmedabad - 380 051
4455. -do- Shri Chanakya Education Societies, Pune - 411 033
4456. -do- Shri H.N. Shukla College, Rajkot, Gujarat - 360 002
4457. -do- Shivdan Singh Inst. of Tech., Aligarh, U.P. - 202 124
4458. -do- S.P. Mandals Department of Mgt., Nagpur - 441 302
4459. -do- S.P. Mandalis Institute, Pune, Maharastra - 411 030
4460. -do- S.P. Mandalis Institute, Mumbai - 400 019
4461. -do- S.M.G.S. College, Wardha, Maharastra - 442 001
4462. -do- Shikshan Mandals Dept. of Mgt., Nagpur, Maharastra - 440 010
4463. -do- Sherwood College, Lucknow, U.P. - 226 016
4464. -do- V.S.C. Academy of Mgt. Studies, Wardha, M.H. - 442 001
4465. -do- Shadan Inst. of Mgt., Hyderabad, A.P. - 500 004
4466. -do- Hemachandracharya University, Mehsana, Patan - 384 265
4467. -do- Sengunthar Inst. of Mgt. Studies, Namakkal, T.N. - 637 205
4468. -do- SDM Institute of Mgt., Mysore, Karnataka - 570 005
4469. -do- Lakshminarayan College, Bhopal, M.P. - 462 021
4470. Mr. V. Ramaa Subba Rao, A.P. Regional College of Mgt., Bhubaneswar, Orissa - 751 023
4471. Mr. Sumanth Jagannathan, Chennai SPC Jain Institute, Agra - 282 004
4472. Mr. Shantha Murthi, Chennai S.C.S. Kothari Academy, Kilpauk, Chennai - 600 010
4473. Dr. P.A. Vijaya, Karnataka Malnad College of Enginnering, Hassan, Karnataka - 573 201
4474. -do- National Institute of Technology, Karnataka - 575 025
4475. Mr. Ashish Sharma Malout Institute, Malaout, Punjab - 152 107
4476. -do- Lovely Institute, Punjab - 144 402
4477. -do- Lala Lajpatrai Memorial Institute, Punjab - 142 001
4478. -do- Kedarnath Aggarwal Institute, Haryana - 127 306

To be continued . . .

India’s Timeless Wisdom

`Wm ¯oHo$Z MHó$U aWÒ` Z J{V^©doV≤ü&
Edß nwÈfH$maoU {dZm X°dß Z {g‹`{Vü&&
As a chariot cannot move on only one wheel, so also without personal effort
destiny accomplishes nothing.

—Yajnavalkya-Smriti, I, 353
T h e V e d a n t a K e s a r i 47 A U G U S T 2 0 1 0

Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama

P.O. & Dist. Narainpur - 494 661, Chhattisgarh
Phones - 07781- 252251, 252393, Fax - 252393
Email ID - rkm.narainpur@gmail.com
AN APPEAL
The Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama, Narainpur, a Branch Centre of the Ramakrishna
Math & Ramakrishna Mission, Belur Math, Howrah, West Bengal along with its five (5)
Service Centres inside Abujhmarh jungles has been rendering welfare services since its
inception in 1985 for the ‘Hill Marias’, one of the poorest and most primitive Tribes in
India, residing in ‘Abujhmarh’ of Chhattisgarh to eradicate illiteracy, ill health and
poverty. The Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama, Narainpur covers more than 2/3 (two-third/
173 out of total 233 villages) of the Abujhmarh (4000 sqr. km.) with its welfare activities.
The Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama, Narainpur runs -
F A residential Higher Secondary School at Narainpur with 831 students at
present, 2 residential Middle Schools and 3 residential Primary Schools with
total 606 Students in Abujhmarh
F A 30 bedded Hospital at Narainpur and 5 health posts in Abujhmarh
F A Tribal Youth Training Centre (Vocational Training)
F An Agriculture Training and Demonstration Centre
F Integrated Rural Development Project
F A free Coaching Centre for 300 students
F A Computer Training Centre
The enormity of our task in this far corner of Central India demands much more
resources to run the main activities and the problem of regular income can be solved if a
corpus fund is created for each stream. We, therefore, fervently appeal to generous
people, well wishers and friends to contribute in cash, kind and labour whatever is
possible for the noble cause. Your contribution will be of help for years together and
please be assured that every rupee will be spent for the welfare services exclusively.
Cheques and Demand Drafts may kindly be issued in favour of ‘Ramakrishna Mission
Ashrama, Narainpur’. All donations to Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama, Narainpur are
exempted from Income Tax under 80G of I.T. Act 1961 and donations for Integrated
Rural Development Project from Business Organisations only are exempted 100% from
Income Tax under 35AC of I.T Act 1961.
We also need doctors for our 30 bedded hospital. MBBS doctors will be paid
Rs.25,000/- to Rs.30,000/- with rent free quarter and MS, MD, Specialised doctors’
remuneration is negotiable with rent free quarter. Please apply with bio-data to The
Secretary, Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama, P.O. & Dist. Narainpur, PIN - 494 661.
Please visit our website at www.rkmanarainpur.org
Secretary
T h e V e d a n t a K e s a r i 48 A U G U S T 2 0 1 0

Ramakrishna Mission
Shivalaya, Karan Nagar, Srinagar - 190010 : Kashmir
Telephone- 0194-2479141; e-mail: rmsrinagar@gmail.com
(A Branch Centre of Ramakrishna Mission, P.O.Belur Math: Dist Howrah-West Bengal)
AN APPEAL
Kashmir, the land of beauty and culture, is twice blessed with the visits of Swami Vivekananda.
In a letter to Sister Nivedita, Swamiji wrote in 1897: I shall not describe Kashmir to you. Suffice it to say, I
never felt sorry to leave any country except this paradise on earth: and I am trying my best if I can influence the Raja
in starting a Centre. So much to do here and the material is so hopeful.
In 1955, a band of young men, inspired by Ramakrishna-Vivekananda ideology, started a
Centre under the name Sri Ramakrishna Ashrama in Srinagar. Visits of senior monks like Swami
Vireswaranandaji, Swami Abhayanandaji, Swami Bhuteshanandaji and Swami Ranganathanandaji
spurred the religious and philanthropic activities of the Centre. The Centre continued to function
under the leadership of Prof B N Kaul despite the turbulent situation in Kashmir. In March 2008,
the Ashrama was affiliated to the Ramakrishna Mission.
Srinagar Ashrama has a shrine and a prayer hall, a library and reading room, auditorium and
has published a few works in Kashmiri and Sanskrit. We now propose to upgrade our infrastruc-
ture and facilities, and add the following activities for the spiritual and social welfare of the people
of Kashmir.
1. Providing Basic Medical Services by establishing a charitable dispensary and a dental
clinic for the poor in the first phase; a modern pathological laboratory and X-ray clinic to be added
in the second phase.
2. Construct a Pilgrims Guest House to provide accommodation to the pilgrims proceed-
ing to Holy Cave of Lord Amarnath and the shrine of Mata Kshir Bhavani.
Urgent requirements of the Centre include:
Particulars Rs in Lakhs
1 Establishing a Charitable Dispensary and Fully Equipped Dental Clinic 10
2 Renovation of Shrine and prayer Hall 15
3 Renovation of 200 years old Shivalaya in the Ashrama Premises 5
4 Upgrading the present Library and Reading Room 2
5 Construction of Pilgrims’ Guest House for devotees 35
6 Working Capital for Philanthropic services 25
7 Permanent Fund for Ashrama maintenance and Sri Thakur Seva 25
8 Renovation of the existing old monastery building 20
We appeal to all kind-hearted people and socio-philanthropic organizations to extend their
generous hand through donations in cash/kind towards this noble cause. Donations to the
Ramakrishna Mission are exempt from Income tax under section 80G of Income Tax Act 1961.
Cheques/Demand drafts may kindly be drawn in favour of ‘Ramakrishna Mission, Srinagar’.
The names of the donors of Rs. 1 lakh and above will be displayed on a plaque.
With best wishes and prayers Swami Paratmananda
Secretary
 49
T h e V e d a n t a K e s a r i A U G U S T 2 0 1 0

SRI RAMAKRISHNA ADVAITA ASHRAMA

(Hqs.: Ramakrishna Math & Mission, Belur Math)
P.O. Kalady, Ernakulam-683574; Ph: 0484-2462345. E-mai1:srkaadv@dataone.in
The Ashrama has been running a free hostel for the poor, underprivileged and orphan
children from classes V to X since 1936. There is an urgent need for repair and renovation of
the old buildings and also creating a corpus fund for maintaining the hostel of 100 children,
providing them with food, uniform, accommodation and study materials free of cost.
We appeal to the generous public and well wishers to donate liberally for: 1) Hostel
Corpus Fund and/or 2) Hostel Renovation Fund, which are exempt 100% from Income Tax
under 35AC.
An Endowment of Rs.1 lakh and above may be created in memory of the loved ones.
Donations towards other activities of the Ashrama- Daily Puja, Charitable Dispensaries,
Celebrations, Maintenance etc. (General Fund) are exempt from I.T. under 80G.
Cheques/Bank Drafts/M.O. may be drawn in favour of Sri Ramakrishna Advaita
Ashrama, Kalady and sent to the above address.
Donors from foreign countries can send their contributions online to our F.C. A/C No.
338602010005806 while the Indians can send to the I.C. A/C No.338602010009164 at Union
Bank of India, Kalady (IFSC Code: UBIN0533866). Swami Amaleshananda
Adhyaksha

New Release

Madras or Chennai is associated with the

Paperback, number of pages 282 + vi
Price: Rs. 50/- +
postage: Rs. 23/- per copy
No request for VPP entertained
Ramakrishna Movement from its inception.
Swami Vivekananda, Holy Mother Sri Sarada
Devi, Swami Brahmananda, Swami Rama-
krishnananda and several other direct disciples
of Sri Ramakrishna have visited the city of
Madras on different occasions. The first
monastery of the Ramakrishna Math was started
in Madras in 1897.
The present book is a compilation of details
of these visits from various books and articles,
giving a focused and comprehensive picture of
chain of events associated with the great
disciples of Sri Ramakrishna.
Published by
Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore,
Chennai - 600 004
T h e V e d a n t a K e s a r i 50 A U G U S T 2 0 1 0
T h e V e d a n t a K e s a r i 51 A U G U S T 2 0 1 0
T h e V e d a n t a K e s a r i 52 A U G U S T 2 0 1 0

Sr imad Bhag
Srimad avad Gita
Bhagavad
With Sridhara’s Gloss
Fulfilling a long-felt need for having a translation of Sridhara Swami’s
gloss (Tika) along with the original gloss in devanagari script, it is the
revised edition of Swami Vireswarananda’s English translation of Srimad
Bhagavad Gita. The previous edition, with its simple and lucid language,
was quite well-received by scholars as well as general readers. That edition,
however, had only the translation of the gloss. The present edition also
contains the original Sanskrit Tika in devanagari script.
In addition, provides the references (verse
number, chapter and the name of the source
book) to the quotations cited in the Tika, along
with their translations. All references to the
Gita verses appearing in the Tika are also
suitably cited. In order to facilitate search, an
index to the Gita verses and the words ap-
pearing in the Gita verses in Sanskrit has been
added at the end.

Pages xxxiv + 589

Price for single copy:
Hardbound Rs. 200/- + Postage Rs 30
Paperback Rs. 150/- + Postage Rs 25
No request for VPP entertained

Published by Sri Ramakrishna Math,

31, Ramakrishna Math Road, Mylapore,
Chennai - 600 004

An invitation to drink deep at the eternal spring of

Bhagavad Gita presented through these pages!
T h e V e d a n t a K e s a r i 53 A U G U S T 2 0 1 0

NAVAJEEVAN BLIND RELIEF CENTRE REGD.

(FREE HOME FOR THE BLIND, ORPHAN AND AGED)
TIRUCHANOOR, TIRUPATI - 517503. Ph : 0877-2239992, 9908537528
E-mail: navajeevan@sancharnet.in Website: www.navajeevan.org

Our Sewa Kendras

1. Navajeevan School & Hostel for Blind Children – Tirupati & Orissa
2. Navajeevan Free Eye Hospital – Tirupati
3. Navajeevan Free Home for Aged – Tirupati & Rishikesh
4. Navajeevan Harijan Sewa Ashram – Kothapeta
5. Navajeevan Sharanagati Vridhashram – Tirupati
6. Navajeevan Orphanage – Patapatnam /
Parlaki Mudi [Orissa]
7. Navajeevan Rural Medical Centres - Berhampur [Orissa]
8. Navajeevan Eye Care Centres - Serango [Orissa]

A Humble Request for Donation

1. Sponsor one day Annadanam to Blind Children and aged – Rs. 5000/-
2. Sponsor 5 IOL Cataract Eye Operations – Rs. 7000/-
3. Sponsor one blind child or Orphan child for one year – Rs. 6000/-
4. Sponsor one poor aged person for one year – Rs. 5000/-
5. Sponsor one free eye camp at Rural/Tribal area – Rs. 50000/-
6. Vidyadan - Educational aid for one Child – Rs. 2000/-

Donor devotees can send their contributions by cheque/DD/MO to the above address on
the occasion of birthday, wedding day or any other special occasion and receive prasadam of Lord
Balaji Venkateswara of Tirupati as blessings.
Contributions to NAVAJEEVAN BLIND RELIEF CENTRE, Tirupati are eligible for Tax
Relief U/S 80G of Income Tax Act.
We can attain salvation through social work
– Swami Vivekananda
K. Sridhar Acharya
Founder/ President
T h e V e d a n t a K e s a r i 54 A U G U S T 2 0 1 0
 The Vedanta Kesari Regd. with the Registrar of Newspapers for India
under No.1084 / 57. Postal Registered No. TN / CH (C) / 190 / 09-11
Licenced to Post WPP No. 259 / 09-11
Date of publication: 26th of every month

Teach yourselves, teach everyone his/her real nature, call upon the
sleeping soul and see how it awakes. Power will come, glory will
come, goodness will come, purity will come, and everything that
is excellent will come, when this sleeping soul is roused to self-
conscious activity.
—Swami Vivekananda

100% Export Oriented Unit * Registered Export House

Approved
BVQI/UKAS - ISO 9001:2000
SGS, UK - Higher Retail Supplier

(Manufacturers of Absorbent Cotton & Health Care Products)

REGD. OFFICE:
121-122, Mittal Chambers, Nariman Point, Mumbai - 400 021
Tel: 91 22 6632 5141 (11 Lines)
Fax: 91 22 6632 4979 / 6632 4421 / 2282 0577
E-mail: lavino@vsnl.com Website: www.absorbent-cotton.com

TARAPUR PLANT:
H-1, MIDC, Tarapur Industrial Area
Taps Post, Boisar - 401 504
District - Thane.
Tel: 02525-2722 90/91/92

Subscription (inclusive of postage) Annual : Rs. 100 10 years: Rs. 1000

Contact: Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai. Website: www.chennaimath.org