NOVEMBER 2002 - advaitaashrama.org · (Swami Vivekananda) The guru should not be looked upon as an...

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NOVEMBER 2002

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9 PB-NOVEMBER 2002

Traditional Wisdom

SPIRITUAL TEACHER

gôgiJ ôVwUhKk m=tÀbfUbmÀfUÖvt:ofkU Ctm;u mtGtútúJbmer; Ju=Jamt gtu ctuÆtgÀgtr¶;tlT >

gÀmtGtÀfUhKtØJuªt vwlhtJ]rútCoJtöCturlÆtti ;ôbi ¶edwh¥bq;ogu lb R=k ¶e=rGKtbq;ogu >>

Though based on the real, whose outward manifestations appear as illusory, ever-changingobjects; who grants to those who take refuge in Him through the Vedic pronouncement‘Tattvamasi’ (That thou art) the boon of immediate knowledge of Brahman, attaining whichman returns no more to the realm of birth and death—to that Ùræ Dakøiîámérti in the formof my guru I bow in reverence. (Dakøiîámérti-stotram, 3)

Nhehk mwÁvk m=t htudbwÿkU gN´tth¥ raºtk Ætlk buh¥;wÖgbT >

bl´tuªt Ötd¿k dwhtuhETrD{v«u ;;& rfkU ;;& rfk ;;& rfkU ;;& rfUbT >>

Your body may be beautiful and ever in perfect health, your name and fame may be unsul-lied, and mountain-high may be your hoarded gold; but if your mind is not absorbed in theguru’s lotus-like feet, what of all that? Yes, what indeed will it all avail? (Guru-aøôakam, 1)

It is a mysterious law of nature that as soon as the field is ready the seed must come, as soonas the soul wants religion, the transmitter of religious force must come. ‘The seeking sinnermeeteth the seeking Saviour.’ When the power that attracts in the receiving soul is full andripe, the power which answers to that attraction must come. (Swami Vivekananda)

The guru should not be looked upon as an ordinary human being. His physical body is thetemple in which resides the Lord. If the guru is served with this idea in mind, one comes toacquire love and devotion for him, which can then be directed towards the Lord. … Theouter guru cannot be had always. As the aspirant goes on with his spiritual practices, hispower of comprehension also increases. Then his mind can act as a guide. (SwamiBrahmananda)

PRABUDDHA

BHARATAArise! Awake! And stop not till the goal is reached!

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Vol. 107 NOVEMBER 2002 No. 11

� This Month �

Feverless Work, this month’s editorial,discusses some ‘fevers’ associated with workand their remedies.

Prabuddha Bharata—100 Years Ago fea-tures this month excerpts from an articleentitled ‘Discipleship’.

Swami Kalyananandaji’s unique methodof training, his attitude towards money, hislove that could transform lives, his care andconcern for patients, his motto of ser-vice—Swami Sarvagatanandaji describes allthis in the third instalment of ‘You Will Be aParamahamsa!’ The author is from Ramakri-shna Vedanta Society, Boston.

In the third instalment of his article Edu-cation according to Vedanta, Swami Pitam-baranandaji continues his discussion on theprocess of education, drawing examplesfrom the Bhagavadgita and the Upanishads.The author is a senior monk of the Ramakri-shna Order.

Swami Smarananandaji, General Secre-tary, Ramakrishna Math and RamakrishnaMission, visited Mauritius from 26 April to 1May 2002 on his way to South Africa. In SixDays in Mauritius he gives graphic descrip-tions of the country, of more than six de-cades of work there by the RamakrishnaMission, and of the places and persons hevisited, including the President of Mauritius.

In the second and concluding part of his

well-researched article The Vedic Conceptof God in All Its Aspects Swami Mukhya-nandaji discusses the inter-relationshipamong man, God and the universe; the needfor realization of the Atman; God in popularreligion; evolution of the concept of deities,their nature and significance, and meditationon them. Quoting from the Bhagavadgita, heconcludes assuringly that irrespective of theform through which He is worshipped, Godlistens to His creation. A senior monk of theRamakrishna Order, the author has a num-ber of books and articles to his credit. He ispresently in Belur Math.

Swami Gananathanandaji from Ramakri-shna Mission Ashrama, Morabadi, Ranchi,was interviewed in Hindi by the All IndiaRadio on 3 November 2001 about the activi-ties of the centre, known for its pioneeringstrides in agriculture-based rural develop-ment. Divyayan Krishi Vigyan Kendra is anedited transcript of the interview, which wasbroadcast under the ‘Youth Corner’ prog-ramme of the All India Radio.

Jábála Upaniøad is the third instalmentof the translation of this Sannyasa Upani-shad by Swami Atmapriyanandaji, Principal,Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandira, Belur.The elaborate notes are based on UpanishadBrahmayogin’s commentary.

Glimpses of Holy Lives features thismonth inspiring incidents from the life of thePunjabi saint Lala Ramnarayanji.

PB-NOVEMBER 2002 10

Feverless Work

EDITORIAL

Agovernment official boasted of manymiracle workers in his department. ‘In-deed!’ exclaimed his friend. ‘Yes,’ said

the official. ‘It is a miracle when they work.’Work is indispensable in life. According to theBhagavadgita, ‘None can ever rest for an instantwithout doing work. All are made to work inspite of themselves by the guîas born of prakìti(nature).’1 And work means not just physicalactivity. It also includes mental activities. So‘miracle workers’ also work, considering theirrestlessness and mental gyrations. The Gitasays that even bare maintenance of the bodybecomes impossible without work.2

The Problem of Work

In today’s competitive world work is in-evitably associated with tension, stress andhealth setback. People eagerly look forward torespite from work to do something of their lik-ing. The very need for respite from work indi-cates that the problem could be in how wework. People look forward to the day they willbe free from all care and work—in short, re-tirement. But how many people retire with asense of fulfilment? ‘Miracle workers’ mostcertainly do not. They live, move and havetheir being in frustration.

Is there a way to work that can bring ful-filment and joy even during work? That iswhat karma yoga is about. That apparently isthe main thrust of the Bhagavadgita. That isagain what Swami Vivekananda prescribed asan independent path to perfection. Here arehis assuring words promising a way out: ‘Donot fly away from the wheels of the world-ma-chine, but stand inside it and learn the secret ofwork. Through proper work done inside, it isalso possible to come out. Through this ma-chinery itself is the way out.’3

Fevers of Different Kinds

An important verse in the third chapterof the Bhagavadgita refers to fever associatedwith work: ‘Surrendering all action to Me,with your mind intent on the Self, free yourselffrom expectation and selfishness and fightwithout fever.’4 Though Sri Krishna advisedArjuna thus to make him fight, we too candraw lessons from it in our fight with the envi-ronment—outside and inside. The outside en-vironment refers to our day-to-day work andinteraction with people. The inside environ-ment refers to our own mind, its prejudices,likes, dislikes, desires, and so on. In short, it isa prescription on how to fight the battle of life.

‘Fever’ in the above verse has differentshades of meanings. Sri Shankara interprets itas repentance (santápa) and remorse (ùoka).Some more forms of fever are tension, disap-pointment, excitement and fussing aboutwork. Some people are so constituted thatthey cannot possibly be in peace unless there iswar. They cannot work without gettingworked up—both themselves and others.Again, there are some who cannot do withoutexcitement in work: something novel, some-thing new, every day. Fussing about work—more output of noise than work—is a way ofdoing work (or making noise) with some oth-ers. All these fevers mean only drain of pre-cious mental energy that could have beenused to further one’s own spiritual growth be-sides improving the quality of work. Is thereany medicine for these fevers?

Calmness amid Activity

Swami Vivekananda’s eight brilliant lec-tures on karma yoga are packed with gems ofwisdom. He advocated selfless work as an in-dependent means to manifest perfection. Ac-

11 PB-NOVEMBER 2002

cording to him, calmness is a prerequisite tosane and productive work: ‘The calmer we areand the less disturbed our nerves, the moreshall we love and the better will our work be.’5

A significant verse from the Gita emphasizesthis truth: ‘He who sees inaction in action, andaction in inaction—he is wise among men. Heis a yogi and he has performed all action.’6 Theimport of Swami Nikhilanandaji’s commen-tary on this verse follows: Action belongs tothe body, mind and the senses and is a func-tion of the guîas. The Atman is beyond theseinstruments of action and is itself actionless.The ignorant regard the Atman as active. Theyogi, on the other hand, regards the Atman asactionless even if his body and mind are ac-tive. This is inaction in action. An ignorantperson may strive hard to remain inactive be-cause he regards work as the cause of suffer-ing, and inaction as the way to knowledge.Though apparently inactive, such a person isreally active, since his mind is full of ideas. Awise man sees action in such inaction.7

Thus even the so-called ‘selfless’ workneeds an alert Self behind to effect any trans-formation in the individual. In other words,while engaged in work we need to identifyourselves with a higher dimension of our per-sonality, behind the body, mind and thesenses. Especially while doing repetitivework—which, most of the time, is monoto-nous in most cases—our body is busy doingthe work, but the mind usually roams about,dwelling on some past or future event. Ithardly dwells on the present, the task in hand.While repetitive work might mean some mas-tery over work, the very restlessness of themind will tire the person, not to speak of noteffecting any positive change in him. Per-forming work with calmness, on the otherhand, gives us an opportunity to observe thevagaries of the mind. It is this observation ofthe mind’s wanderings and bringing it back tothe task in hand that forms an important stepin converting work into a tool for spiritualprogress.

Self-conscious Activity

A calm performance of our work sharp-ens our witness attitude, the ability to observethe mind’s vagaries. This means awakening ofbuddhi, the discriminative faculty in us. Onebecomes more alert and conscious about one’swork. One can no more afford to be carelessabout work, for carelessness means giving into the unruly mind. Swami Vivekanandacalled this ‘self-conscious activity’: ‘Powerwill come, glory will come, goodness willcome, purity will come, and everything that isexcellent will come when this sleeping soul isroused to self-conscious activity.’8 Again it isthis self-conscious activity he meant when hesaid, ‘When you are doing any work, do notthink of anything beyond. Do it as worship, asthe highest worship, and devote your wholelife to it for the time being.’9

The secret thus is not to think of anythingbeyond the work in hand. A person who haslearnt to be alert in his work will also learn tobe one-pointed in his devotions and medita-tion. Sri Ramakrishna trained his disciples notonly in spiritual life. He paid as much atten-tion to the way they worked. Let us hear hisdisciple Swami Turiyananda:

One day at Dakshineswar the Master said tome: ‘Go to the Panchavati. Some devotees had apicnic there. See if they have left anything be-hind. If you find anything, bring it here.’ I wentand found an umbrella in one place, a knife inanother place, and some other articles. I gath-ered them up and took them to the Master. Theknife had been borrowed from him. I was justplacing it on the shelf when he said: ‘Where areyou putting it? No, not there. Put it underneaththis small bedstead. That is where it belongs.You must put everything in its proper place.Suppose I need the knife during the night. If youput it anywhere you please, I will have to goaround the room in the dark, stretching out myarms in search of it, wondering where you putit. Is such service a service? No! You do things asyou like and thereby only cause trouble. If youwant to serve properly, you should completelyforget yourself.10

PB-NOVEMBER 2002 12

536 Prabuddha Bharata

Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi was a shin-ing example of inaction in action and action ininaction. She advocated and lived an activelife, but had her mind deeply anchored in thespiritual Reality within. That was the secret ofher life amid her demanding relatives, some ofwhom were insane. On a devoted study of herlife one cannot but be amazed at her spiritualministrations, motherly love, her steering thefledgling Ramakrishna Order of monks withunerring intuition—all this despite beingplaced in unenviable, worldly surroundings.In the words of Sister Nivedita, ‘Her life wasone long stillness of prayer.’11 Holy Motherhad this to say on the importance of work:‘One must always do some work. Onlythrough work can one remove the bondage ofwork. Total detachment comes later. Oneshould not be without work even for a mo-ment. Work helps one to fend off idlethoughts. If one is without work suchthoughts rush into one’s mind.’12

In the light of the above discussion, it isneedless to say that a person who is slipshodin work or skips his allotted work ostensibly tomeditate, only fools himself. For it is the samemind that is behind both the careless work andthe frustrating attempts at meditation.

Work for God’s Sake

Besides trying to identify ourselves withthe Atman while performing our work, offer-ing the fruits of our actions to God can con-duce to reduction in fever and progress inspiritual life. The verse quoted at the begin-ning of this essay says, ‘Surrendering all ac-tion to Me, with your mind intent on the Self,free yourself from expectation and selfishnessand fight without fever.’ According to SriShankara, we need to work with the mind in-tent on the Atman, with discriminating wis-dom and free from the idea that ‘this is mine’but with the idea that ‘I am an agent and Iwork for God as a servant.’ The Lord assuresin the Gita, ‘From whom arise the activity of allbeings, by whom all this is pervaded—wor-

shipping Him by one’s work, one attains per-fection.’13 Resigning mentally all deeds to Me,having Me as the highest goal, resorting tobuddhiyoga fix your mind ever on Me.14

Fever Medicines

We saw that expectation, tension, fussingabout work, repentance and remorse are someforms of fever associated with work. SriRamanuja interprets ‘fever’ as the inner anxi-ety that makes one wonder ‘what will happento me with the sins accumulated from timewithout beginning?’ He also prescribes thecure: ‘Perform karma yoga remembering that“It is the supreme Person whom I worshipwith work; He will release me from bond-age.”’ 15

Sri Ramakrishna dissuaded people fromdwelling on sin; rather he emphasized faith inthe divine Name:

Will you tell me one thing? Why did you harpso much on sin? By repeating a hundred times ‘Iam a sinner’, one verily becomes a sinner. Oneshould have such faith as to be able to say,‘What? I have taken the name of God; how can Ibe a sinner?’ God is our Father and Mother. Tellhim, ‘O Lord, I have committed sins, but I won’trepeat them.’ Chant His name and purify yourbody and mind. Purify your tongue by singingGod’s holy name.16

Expectation and tension are born of at-tachment to results of action. In his celebratedlecture ‘Work and Its Secret’ Swami Viveka-nanda stresses perfecting the means ratherthan dwelling on the results: ‘Whenever fail-ure comes if we analyse it critically, inninety-nine per cent of cases we shall find thatit was because we did not pay attention to themeans. Proper attention to the finishing,strengthening, of the means is what we need.With the means all right, the end mustcome.’17 ‘Ask nothing; want nothing in return.Give what you have to give; it will come backto you—but do not think of that now, it will comeback multiplied a thousandfold—but the at-tention must not be on that.’18 [emphasis added]

13 PB-NOVEMBER 2002

Feverless Work 537

An oft-quoted verse from the Gita under-lines the above important fact: ‘To work aloneyou have the right, not to the fruits. Don’t letthe fruit of action be your motive; don’t be at-tached to inaction either.’19 Working withoutattachment to fruits is indeed difficult. So thealternative is inaction. Sri Krishna warnsagainst this tendency. Work we must, lookingupon it as worship, as Swamiji said. That im-plies that we take all possible care in the per-formance of work—never cutting corners,never holding back our efforts, never settlingfor the second best because striving for thebest could mean personal discomfort—with-out thinking about the fruits of action.

Having done our part to the best of ourability, when we do not lay claim to the fruitsof action, but offer them to God, success orfailure will cease to affect us. It is this even-mindedness that is called yoga, according tothe Gita: ‘Being established in yoga, O Dha-nanjaya, perform your actions without attach-ment and remaining even-minded both insuccess and failure. This evenness is calledyoga.’20

The fever of disappointment results froman improper assessment of oneself. When aperson feels that he has not got his due, thatthe organization has not used his talent prop-erly, it is good to remember Swamiji’s twogolden pronouncements:

1. ‘No power in the universe can withhold fromanyone anything he really deserves.’21

2. ‘… man never examines himself. He thinks heis quite as fit to be on the throne as the king.Even if he is, he must first show that he has donethe duty of his own position; and then higherduties will come to him. When we begin towork earnestly in the world, nature gives usblows right and left and soon enables us to findout our position. No man can long occupy satis-factorily a position for which he is not fit.’22

��

To conclude. There are time-honoured

prescriptions to rid ourselves of work-associ-ated fevers. A goal in life, a proper work phi-losophy, goal orientation and filling one’smind with noble thoughts—these are some ofthe means to cure us of these fevers and leadus to our well-being—svásthya, which meansabidance in the Atman. �

References

1. Bhagavadgita, 3.5.2. Gita, 3.8.3. CW, 1.115.4. Gita, 3.30.5. CW, 1.80.6. Gita, 4.18.7. Swami Nikhilananda, The Bhagavad Gita (New

York: Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Center,1944), 132.

8. CW, 3.193.9. ibid., 1.71.

10. Swami Chetanananda, God Lived with Them (StLouis: Vedanta Society of St Louis, 1997), 362.

11. Quoted in Swami Nikhilananda, Holy Mother(New York: Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Cen-ter, 1962), 237.

12. ibid., 229.13. Gita 18.46.14. ibid., 18.57.15. Anádikálapravìtta anantapápasaðcayena ‘katham

ahaó bhaviøyámi?’ ityevambhéta anta-jvaravi-nirmuktaë ‘paramapuruøa eva karmabhiëárádhito bandhanát mokøayiøyati’ iti smaransukhena karmayogameva kuruøva ityarthaë. —SriRamanuja’s commentary on the Gita, 3.30.)

16. M., The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, trans. SwamiNikhilananda (Madras: Sri RamakrishnaMath, 1985), 159.

17. CW, 2.1.18. ibid., 2.5.19. Gita, 2.47.20. ibid., 2.48.21. CW, 4.366.22. ibid., 1.66.

PB-NOVEMBER 2002 14


15 PB-NOVEMBER 2002

� Prabuddha Bharata—100 Years Ago �

November 1902

DISCIPLESHIP

Development of character is indicated by its growing freedom from selfishness. The highest

form of character is that from which the dross of self has been completely purged out. Religion

which teaches the essential unity of all beings alone furnishes the rationale of this sort of char-

acter and helps its evolution more than anything else. Morality founded upon views other than reli-

gious does not believe in the complete giving up of the self. On the other hand, self is the corner-

stone upon which it is based, for morality is encouraged by these schools only in so far as it is found

to be a means of securing the greatest amount of happiness to all—including, of course, the selves of

those who conceive and propound these physico-ethical views of morality. ...

A few words now about independence and self-reliance. We call a man independent who can do

things according to his liking. But the character of this liking determines the moral nature of the inde-

pendence a particular person enjoys. A man who is strong enough to satisfy his cravings for gold by

plunder and can escape being arrested may be called independent in one sense but his liking being

of a very low moral order—we do not call his independence right.

The disciple who places himself under the guidance of a Guru does so not under compulsion but

out of his own free will. Anything done of one’s own accord does not show any lack of self-reliance on

the part of the doer. Moreover the motive which impels the disciple to choose a Guru, being of the

very highest order—the realisation of the Infinite—the charge of want of self-independence cannot

hold good in the case of the true disciple.

To have control over the senses, not to feel agitated by the gusts of passion, is the beginning of

religion. But in order to fulfill itself it demands that the higher self-consciousness, which had to be

carefully developed and strongly asserted in order to bring the animal nature under perfect control,

should itself be destroyed. There comes a time in the life of an aspirant, when what we call the loftiest

morals cannot satisfy him: when even the higher egoism—which was so very helpful in the begin-

ning—seems to be a hindrance to perfect self-realisation. At this stage the sadhak feels as if he can

see the Light but cannot touch it owing to the intervention of a thin transparent veil. This thin veil must

be rent asunder. To effect this grandest achievement he must give up his self-will completely. But

how should he begin? Should he give up his independence to anybody and everybody? No. Though a

man who has risen to the high state of morality indicated above is in not much danger of falling off

from the right path by being taken advantage of by men of sinister motives, yet he is not quite out of

danger. So long as there is the least touch of egoism one cannot be quite safe. So he begins by giv-

ing up his will to one who has no self in him (for such is the true Guru) and who cannot therefore err

and lead others to err. When by giving up his self the disciple becomes self-less, he sees his unity

with all and loves all and serves all as his own dear self. He in his turn ‘becomes like the spring bring-

ing peace and blessings to all’. This is true wisdom—the revelation of the Vedas in the heart—the true

self-reliance.

—A Sannyasin

‘You Will Be a Paramahamsa!’

SWAMI SARVAGATANANDA

Part 3: Kalyan Maharaj’s Personality: More Glimpses

Swami Akhandanandaji Maharaj sent meto the best place for my monastic training.Nine years at Kankhal Sevashrama under

Kalyan Maharaj’s care—simply indescrib-able! In every way the place was most conge-nial for a monastic aspirant. We were well pro-tected, and our daily routine—work, worship,study, contemplation—was so set that every-thing went on smoothly. No other centre thenresembled Kankhal. The uniqueness ofKankhal Sevashrama was that the monasterywas absolutely secluded from hospital work.When we came out of the monastery weserved in the hospital or taught schoolchildrenin the evening. After the work, back at themonastery we were left absolutely to our-selves. In the Sevashrama there were only pil-grims and patients—no devotees. In everyother centre monastics had to give time to dev-otees, to people. Ours was different. We didworship at the shrine at our convenience, ser-vice in the hospital being the Sevashrama’smain activity. No doubt we had our regularmorning prayer, meditation and classes. Wealso celebrated Durga Puja, and the birthdaysof Sri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother, Swamiji,Brahmanandaji Maharaj and MahapurushMaharaj. But none of these meant neglect ofhospital work. Someone was always there totake care of that.

My Fear of the Dead Laid to Rest

Swami Kalyananandaji was a great inspi-ration to me in many ways. One night, when itwas my turn to serve at the hospital, KalyanMaharaj quietly walked in to see some patient.Naturally, I too joined him as he visited thewards. Finally we came to the mortuary. I was

terribly afraid of dead bodies. When we werechildren we were not allowed to approach acorpse. Even when I grew up, I had no occa-sion to go near one. To me the ordeal wasworse than hell. Whenever dead bodies had tobe carried from the Sevashrama, others didthat. I was never asked to go; I don’t knowwhy. So I had never visited the mortuary andhad avoided it all those months. But that nightKalyan Maharaj was slowly approaching themortuary, enquiring after a patient. I told himthat the patient was no more and that his bodywas in that room. Since Maharaj went ahead Icould not stay back. He opened the door,switched on the light and walked inside. I fol-lowed him. I was not afraid while with him. Iwas as bold as he! He went to the body, re-moved the shroud from the face, observed it,turned to me and said, ‘You see, people areafraid of corpses. If there is anything abso-lutely harmless in this world, it is a dead body.Angul tulte parena, katha bolte parena. It can’traise a finger, can’t say a word, and yet peopleare afraid of it! Abhaye bhay darshan. People areafraid where there need be no fear.’ ‘Yes,Maharaj, it is true,’ I told him. After he heardthis, he slowly walked away, washed hishands, and was ready to go out. But I had todraw the shroud back over the corpse’s face! Idid it. I was not afraid at all. Then I washed myhands and both of us left the place.

Believe me, from then on I was neverafraid of corpses. He just laid that fear to rest.Later on when the hospital had many cholerapatients, we had to remove a number of bod-ies. Once we spent a whole night doing that.But my fear had completely disappeared.While in the mortuary Kalyan Maharaj had

PB-NOVEMBER 2002 16

‘You Will Be a Paramahamsa!’

not addressed me directly. He had only said,‘People are afraid of dead bodies.’ I was in-tently following every word he said. He meantit, and I took it well—that is all! He did not hu-miliate me, did not say, ‘Oh, you are a coward,a sissy!’ Nothing of that sort. His way of teach-ing was always like that. Moving with himyou could learn many valuable lessons thatyou would cherish all through your life.

My Bitterness for Bitter Squash

Another instance: I did not like the tasteof bitter squash. But when he encouraged meto eat it, how nicely he put it. He did not tellme, ‘You are too choosy. You must eat what-ever is served.’ No. One day he prepared adish in such a way that when I ate it I relishedit. ‘Do you know what it is?It is bitter squash,’ he re-marked. ‘But it is not bit-ter,’ I said. ‘Well, there is away of preparing it,’ he re-plied. But as I ate it I grad-ually started feeling thebitter taste. ‘Now it tastes alittle bitter,’ I said. ‘But itwon’t hurt you anyway,’he said. That was Kalyan Maharaj’s method ofputting forth an idea in a most acceptable way.I love bitter squash now. You see? His way ofdoing things was very, very nice. Nothingdrastic. Many ideas, even today I cannot for-get them.

His Attitude towards Money

There were many mango trees in theSevashrama which he himself had planted—125 of them. When they began bearing fruit aswami said, ‘We have so many thousands ofmangoes. If we sell them we can get a lot ofmoney.’ Kalyan Maharaj said, ‘Well, I didn’traise these plants to make money. Eat whatyou can, and from the rest give two each tosadhus coming for bhiksha. Nischayanandaand I worked hard so that people could enjoythese fruits. Poor people cannot afford good

mangoes. So distribute them.’ He neverwanted to make money out of it. What a niceidea: for people’s sake, not for money! Howhard he worked! Every year he would invitelocal monks and give them a feast of mangoesand rice pudding. They would all come andgreatly relish the feast. In fact, they used tolook forward to Kalyan Maharaj’s invitationfor the feast. Only rice pudding and mangoes,nothing else. Well, Maharaj belonged to a gen-eration of his own, not to be seen again.

As I said, I used to keep the accounts. Acertain man had promised to contribute onerupee every month to the Sevashrama. For afew months he did not keep his promise. Iused to see him at the marketplace. One day Isaid to Kalyan Maharaj, ‘I often meet that per-

son in the market. Should I remind him aboutthe money?’ ‘Oh, do you? But did Akhanda-nandaji Maharaj tell you to collect moneywhen you came here?’ I said no. ‘Did I tellyou?’ I said no. ‘Then why do you worry aboutit? We shall manage with whatever comes. To-day you want to make collections, increasefunds and build more things. And what hap-pens? The mind goes towards that and spiri-tual life vanishes. You have come here to leada spiritual life. Struggle for that, lead the life;that is more important. Don’t worry aboutfunds and buildings. Let people donate if theywant; if they don’t, it doesn’t matter. You neednot worry about it. If they forget, what can youdo? You need not remind them. Don’t theyknow it? Leave it at that.’ He made it very clearnot to make an issue of money. Needless tosay, this left a deep impression on my mind.

17 PB-NOVEMBER 2002

‘You Will Be a Paramahamsa!’ 541

Every year he would invite local monks andgive them a feast of mangoes and rice pudding.They would all come and greatly relish thefeast. In fact, they used to look forward toKalyan Maharaj’s invitation for the feast. Onlyrice pudding and mangoes, nothing else.

Kalyan Maharaj used to say, ‘The impor-tant thing is to do the work well. Whatever co-mes through Sri Ramakrishna’s grace, let ususe it, that’s all. It is not the quantity, but thequality of work that is important. Even if youare able to help only one patient, that’senough. What’s important is service. Dowhatever is at hand, even though little. Other-wise the mind will go on making plans, wast-ing your whole life on that. Leave these thingsas they are.’ That is why it took time for theSevashrama to grow.

This is a very great ideal in spiritual life:we are here not to make money and erect

buildings. We have come to lead a good spiri-tual life. We need this kind of direction; other-wise we will be lost. Kalyan Maharaj ensuredthat we remembered this in everything wedid. And we always kept up that spiritual atti-tude towards life. Now the Sevashrama has towrite to people because they are opening newdepartments. That is a different question. ButKalyan Maharaj had a very considered viewon this. He cared little for money. Once some-body stole five hundred rupees and he said,‘Well, I think he needed that money.’ He neverworried about people stealing money.

How His Love Transformed Lives

Once a thief came to our garden to work,and the swami who was in charge of the gar-den said, ‘You rascal! You stole somethingfrom such-and-such a place and now youcome here asking for work? Get out!’ I did notknow that this had happened, and when I sawthe man slowly going away, I asked him,‘What happened? You came here to work. Iasked you to go to the garden.’ ‘That swamiasked me to go away,’ he replied. As we were

talking, Kalyan Maharaj came there and toldthe man to go and work in the garden. ‘Butthat swami told me to leave,’ he said. At this,Maharaj laughed and said, ‘Well, the swamidoes not know that even though you didsomething wrong, you confessed to me aboutit. Come with me.’ Maharaj took the man tothe garden and explained to the gardenswami, ‘Look, he did something wrong, nodoubt, but he is sorry for that.’ Kalyan Maha-raj forgave him. But the garden swami did notlike the man to be excused and later said to mein the dining hall, ‘Narayan, who knows whatthis fellow will do.’ ‘I would give everybody

the benefit of the doubt,’ I re-plied. ‘Not only him; every-body.’ ‘Then what is to bedone?’ ‘Either keep worry-ing about that doubt or givehim a chance.’ ‘Well, I don’tknow,’ said the gardenswami. ‘Neither do I,’ I told

him, ‘but Maharaj’s ideal is superior to ours.We have to give the thief an opportunity whena man like Maharaj wants us to.’

One more incident comes to my mind. Aman used to visit Kalyan Maharaj now andthen and ask him for money. Having got somefrom Maharaj, he would just walk away. Thishappened a number of times. One day I asked,‘Who is he? He just comes to take money fromyou and walks away. He doesn’t do anything.How is it?’ Maharaj never answered my ques-tion. Sometime after Kalyan Maharaj passedaway, this man came to the Sevashrama andasked for him. ‘How much money do youwant?’ I asked him. He said, ‘I don’t wantmoney, I want to know where Maharaj is.’Then I told him that Maharaj had passedaway. The man collapsed there and cried like ababy. Then he said, ‘You don’t know what hedid for me.’ ‘What did he do?’ I asked. ‘Well, itis a very big story. One day I was at the mar-ketplace. I had no money and I stole some-thing from a shop. They caught me and the po-lice were giving me a good thrashing. Maharaj

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Just imagine: by giving a few rupees, KalyanMaharaj had straightened that man. He had

changed his entire mind, his whole pattern ofbehaviour. It impressed me very much.

was passing by in a horse carriage. He stoppedthe carriage and asked the police to stop beat-ing me. “What is the matter?” he wanted toknow. “This man stole these things,” theysaid. “How much do they cost?” asked Maha-raj. He paid the money and told me, “In future,if you want money come to me. Don’t steal.You look like a decent man. Why do yousteal?” I used to work hard but whenever Icouldn’t earn enough money, I would come toMaharaj and he would give me some money. Istopped stealing afterwards. He was so nice tome. He never asked me a question; he simplygave.’ Just imagine: bygiving a few rupees,Kalyan Maharaj hadstraightened that man. Hehad changed his entiremind, his whole pattern ofbehaviour. It impressedme very much. I told the man that I would liketo give him some money, but he said no. Henever accepted my offer.

Kalyan Maharaj was generous to a fault.There were all sorts of people at the Seva-shrama. For example, there was a dumb manwho did absolutely nothing. He would just sitquiet, eat, come back, sit quiet, eat … Andthere was another who was mentally de-ranged and a bit violent too. All were fed, allwere taken care of. We had, however, to bevery careful in dealing with them. And therewas a sadhu, a very great soul. He had a bulletwound in the chest; the bullet could not be re-moved. Somebody had to apply sandalwoodoil on his head daily to relieve him of his terri-ble headaches. Kalyan Maharaj cared for allthese people. None was ever turned out. Theystayed there and received the best care wecould provide. Referring to such people,Maharaj would tell us: ‘Can’t you give him alittle food? Why do you throw him out? Whatwill he do outside?’ Anybody seeking shelterat the Sevashrama was certain to find a placethere.

Once an interesting thing happened.

Swami Madhavanandaji, the then GeneralSecretary of the Ramakrishna Order, was inKankhal. He noticed a brahmacharin goingabout and told Kalyan Maharaj, ‘Do you knowthat boy?’ ‘Yes, I know him.’ ‘He has been sentaway from three of our centres. He is no good.He should not be kept here.’ Because he wasthe General Secretary Madhavanandaji coulduse his authority and say this. ‘Well,’ said Kal-yan Maharaj, ‘the boy has told me his wholestory. He confessed everything to me. Hecried and said, “I will try to be good here. I willdo whatever you say. I will be careful.” That is

why he is here.’ And with a raised voice hesaid, ‘Look here, Sri Ramakrishna came not tomake gold out of gold. He takes base metaland turns it into gold. If we can convert suchboys, well, that is the best thing we can do. Youwant only good boys? They are already good.But such boys as that brahmacharin needhelp.’ And, you know, that brahmacharinserved Kalyan Maharaj and the Sevashramavery well. Earlier, he would lose his temperand throw things about. This had happened inthree places. But at Kankhal he became verycareful. Eventually he controlled his tempercompletely and turned a new leaf.

Motto: Unselfish, Loving Service

Some day in 1935 some of our brotherswere chatting in the library. Someone re-marked, ‘We have renounced everything andare happy under the loving guidance of Kal-yan Maharaj.’ Kalyan Maharaj was passingthat way. He entered the library and occupieda chair. We all stood up. Then he said, ‘Whosays you have renounced everything? Whathave you renounced? Your father, mother,brothers, sisters, your home? Did you own

19 PB-NOVEMBER 2002


‘Look here, Sri Ramakrishna came not to makegold out of gold. He takes base metal and turnsit into gold. If we can convert such boys, well,that is the best thing we can do. …’

them in the first place? Renounce somethingthat you own. What is that which you own?Your ego and selfishness. Renounce them.Swami Vivekananda said, “Renunciation andservice.” Renounce your ego and selfishnessand serve with love. That is true renunciation.’Then Maharaj looked at me and said, ‘Nara-yan, write this down: “Unselfish, loving ser-vice is the motto of our Order.”’ He then leftthe room. We were all silent for some time.

Love for Patients

Once Kalyan Maharaj told us, ‘If youdon’t love the patients, don’t go to the hospi-tal; if you don’t love that work, don’t go there.’After this, two of the brahmacharins didn’t at-tend to their work in the hospital for sometime. I asked them what was the matter. ‘Wedon’t love the work.’ ‘Is that how you under-stood Maharaj?’ ‘Yes, we think that is what hemeant.’ I told them, ‘Suppose you came thereas a patient. What would you expect of us andwhat would you get from us? That we don’tlove you and we don’t like this work? Then

what will be your fate? We have to love thework because if you came as a patient, that iswhat you would expect. We all have to be pa-tient, persevering. We have to love the pa-tients. Why do they come here instead of go-ing to the municipal hospital? We monksserve them, love them and care for them. Andthis Kalyan Maharaj has been doing all thesethirty-seven years. Just see. It is a good occa-sion for us, while such people are still alive.We can learn from him.’ Then they under-stood. They felt it—the need of it.

Proper Attitude towards Service

Some monastics would say, ‘We will doonly temple work and library work, not hospi-tal work.’ They would avoid it because we hadto do everything, including menial work likescrubbing the floors and cleaning the bed-pans. Some of them did not like it. ‘If you wantto become real monks,’ Maharaj told themvery plainly, ‘you must regard this as ourwork.’ We had no nurses or servants, exceptone sweeper. And the day she was sick we hadto do her work too. He taught us that we mustbe prepared to do everything, and he was verycareful to see that we did it properly. Not onlythat—he also did it. Once Maharaj went to seea certain patient when we were not around,and the situation was pretty bad. He cleanedthe whole area; he didn’t call anybody. Hespread fresh sheets on the bed. There was awater tub and he put the patient’s clothes in itto soak. Later he washed them and put themout to dry in the sun. When we came, we no-ticed all this and asked the patients who haddone all the work. ‘We didn’t do anything,’

they said. Kalyan Maharajhimself had done every-thing.

Some of the monasticswanted only meditation andstudy. A brahmacharin toldme, ‘I want to be a jnanayogi.’ ‘Very good,’ I said, ‘bea jnana yogi. Read Swamiji’sJnana Yoga. And you must

have preparation for that too. [For us] karmayoga is the best.’ And I told him, ‘Without ful-filling that you cannot be a jnana yogi.’ Peoplehave their arguments. They want to quotescriptures.

When I was in Kankhal I was witness tomany people who came to serve, but theywere soon to quit. Very few of them remainedhealthy after some service at the Sevashrama.Do you know why? It was hard work. I hadnoted some two hundred names of peoplewho came to serve during my nine years of

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Kalyan Maharaj had clearly told us, ‘Here is ashrine for your worship, meditation andprayer, and there is a hospital for you to

serve—both are the same.’ Leaving this, whygo for a walk? I never joined anybody in that

walking business.

stay. As Kalyan Maharaj did, I too would letpeople serve and would provide a place forthem to stay for two or three days. And thenthey would go away. Only three becamemonks. Kankhal is a pilgrim spot where allsorts of people come. Some liked it and somedid not. You cannot force anybody to stayback. Sometimes we did not even know whenthey left—they would just walk away, that isall. Kalyan Maharaj did not believe in rulesand regulations. That is why he could not findanybody he could rely on. Everybody came ofhis own accord and left likewise—they did notcare for what was going on at the Sevashrama.

The Evening Walks

Everybody would go out for an eveningwalk when there was so much to do at the hos-pital. I never went for a walk. I said, ‘Whyshould you go for a walk? It is only for peoplewho are either lazy or old, not for young peo-ple, who must be working. Work itself is an ex-ercise for us. Why do you have to go some-where for a walk? This bad habit is not for us.Swamiji used to do exercises, that’s all.’ I usedto say this to even Belur Math swamis whocame to Kankhal on a pilgrimage. We couldnot afford to take a walk. Where was the time?The evening was for arati and hospital work.Kalyan Maharaj liked that attitude. He himselfhad no time to go for a walk. How could weleave him and go on pleasure trips? In Bengalithey say bedate jaoa (to go for a walk). Not here,sir. Nischayanandaji never went for a walk;neither did Kalyan Maharaj. Both workedhard, and we want to go for a walk! In the eve-

ning people wanted to go and see the Gangaarati, Brahmakund, and so on. I never wentout like that. Here in our shrine is Thakur; ev-erything we need is there. Why should some-body want to leave that and go to the Gangafor arati? Then why have a shrine here? KalyanMaharaj had clearly told us, ‘Here is a shrinefor your worship, meditation and prayer, andthere is a hospital for you to serve—both arethe same.’ Leaving this, why go for a walk? Inever joined anybody in that walking busi-ness.

Austere Conditions at the Sevashrama

One more thing. We had no breakfast fortwo years; we could not afford it. At twelvenoon we had a little rice and soup for lunchand at night two rotis and some vegetable forsupper. My weight was never more than 98pounds (about 45 kg). It was constant duringthose nine years. Undoubtedly I was quitestrong and healthy, but my weight never in-creased because of poor food. We did nottouch hospital money for our food. If anybodygave some donation for the monks, that couldbe used; not hospital funds. We were trainedto be careful like that. So people came and left.Two or three years after my arrival at Kankhal,a certain devotee came to stay with us. Afterseeing our predicament, he made a sizable en-dowment for the monks. It was only after thatthat we were able to invite monks who wantedto live with us. Otherwise our food was verypoor. But Kalyan Maharaj did not care; he toosuffered hardships like the rest of us.

(to be continued)

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Guilt Treatment

Doctor to patient: ‘I’ve been treating you for guilt for the past ten years, and you are still feeling guilty

about a trifle like that? You ought to feel ashamed of yourself! ’

Education according to Vedanta

SWAMI PITAMBARANANDA

Part 2: The Process of Education (continued)

In the last part we saw the different aspectsof the educational process: the necessity ofa teacher, the role of concentration in edu-

cation and different methodologies employedfor different students. We shall now see somemore instances of different methodologies.

According to the Bhagavadgætá

Ùri Kìøîa says in the Bhagavadgætá: ‘Somerealize the Self in themselves through medita-tion with the help of the mind, some by theyoga of analytical knowledge and some othersby the yoga of action. And yet there are somewho do not know It thus. They hear of It fromothers (teachers) and worship [take to heartwhat they have heard]. They too, who are de-voted to hearing, certainly overcome death(by realizing the Self).’1

Ùri Ùaïkarácárya explains the verse:Meditation means contemplation on the Self af-ter withdrawing the sense organs like ears fromtheir objects like sound into the mind, and nextwithdrawing the mind into the indwelling con-scious Self. Thus ... meditation is a constant anduninterrupted current of thought (and feeling)like an unbroken stream of flowing oil.Through that meditation some yogis realize theindwelling Consciousness (the Self) in the intel-lect with the help of the mind purified by medi-tation

As for the others, we can easily infer fromthe context that those who do not possess thecapacity for exclusive meditation take to ana-lytical thinking along with meditation; andthose with a restless mind dedicate their ac-tions to God to make their mind pure andone-pointed. Others may lack understanding,but use their faith to finally achieve the sameconcentration and meditation.

Let us now see one more instance ofteaching methodology where practical ses-sions admirably supplement theory instruc-tions.

Some More Examples

In the sixth chapter of the ChándogyaUpaniøad we have already seen Ùvetaketu’s fa-ther point out to him the inadequacy of the ed-ucation he had received till then, because hehad not realized That by knowing which whatis unknown becomes known.2 Now we con-tinue with the narrative to see the method ofinstruction employed by his father.

Ùvetaketu said, ‘Please, revered father, teach methat.’ ‘So be it, my dear,’ said he. (6.1.7)

‘My dear, in the beginning there was Exis-tence alone, One only, without a second. Withregard to that some say, “In the beginning therewas non-existence alone, one only, without asecond. From that non-existence existence wasborn.”’

Áruîi said, ’How indeed could, my dear,existence come out of non-existence? Surely, inthe beginning all this was Existence, One only,without a second.

‘That (Existence) willed: “I shall becomemany. I shall be born.” That created fire. …[Fire created] water. … and [water created]food (6.2.1-4). That Deity willed: “Let me enterinto these three cosmic elements—fire, waterand food—by means of their living self andthen develop names and forms.” (6.3.2)

‘When eaten, food becomes divided intothree parts: the grossest ingredient turns intofaeces; the medium constituent becomes flesh;and the subtlest becomes the mind.

‘When drunk, water [fluids] becomes di-vided into three parts. The grossest ingredientturns into urine; the medium constituent be-comes blood; and the subtlest becomes the vitalforce.

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‘When eaten, fire [in the form of oil, clarifiedbutter, and so on] becomes divided into threeparts: The grossest ingredient becomes bone;the medium constituent becomes marrow; andthe subtlest becomes [the organ of] speech.’

[Ùvetaketu said,] ‘Please explain it to me fur-ther, revered sir [with examples; a firm convic-tion hasn’t yet arisen in me].’ ‘So be it, my dear,’he said (6.5.1-4). ‘My dear, when curd ischurned, that which is its subtle part rises up-ward. That becomes [butter and then] clarifiedbutter. Similarly, my dear, when food is eaten,that which is the subtle part rises upward, andbecomes the mind.’ (6.6.1-2)

‘Hence, my dear, the mind is made up offood, the vital force of water, and speech of fire.’[The idea is, ‘What I have said is logical.’]

[Ùvetaketu thought, ‘But I still do not get anabsolutely firm conviction that the mind ismade of food alone. Therefore] He said, ‘Pleaseexplain to me further, revered sir.’ ‘Let it be so,my dear,’ he said. (6.6.5)

‘My dear, a man consists of sixteen parts.Don’t eat for fifteen days. Drink water as muchas you like. The vital force is made up of water.It will not depart if you drink water.’

The boy did not eat for fifteen days. Then heapproached his father (saying), ‘Sir what shall Isay?’ He replied, ‘My dear, (recite) the ìk, yajusand sáma mantras.’ ‘They do not at all flash inmy mind, sir.’

To him he said, ‘Dear boy, just as a singleember of the size of a firefly, left over from alarge burning big fire, cannot burn much morethan that, even so, my dear, of your sixteenparts only one is left, with which you do not re-member the Vedas. Now go and eat and youwill understand me.’

Ùvetaketu ate and then approached his fa-ther. Whatever he asked him, he answeredthem all. The father said to him, ‘My dear, a sin-gle ember of a great lighted fire may be made toblaze up again by adding straw to it. Similarly,of your sixteen parts one was left and thatblazed up by the nourishment from food. Withthat you can now remember the Vedas. Hence,my dear, the mind consists of food, the vitalforce consists of water, and speech consists offire.’ After that he understood what his fathersaid, yes he understood it.’ (6.7.1-6)

Shall we call this ‘the example and experimentmethod’?

Several examples and experiments con-tinue throughout this chapter of the Chándo-gya Upaniøad. Finally the father leads the son tothe realization of the supreme Truth: ‘Thou artThat. The individual in Reality is the same asthe universal Absolute.’

And we find in the next chapter Sanat-kumára employing a different methodologyto help his student Nárada— who is already avenerable sage—to make him realize his truenature, the infinite Reality, the One without asecond.

Importance of Life with the Teacher

An important point to be noted in allthese narratives is the student’s life with theteacher. About this vital component of educa-tion Swami Vivekananda said: ‘My idea of ed-ucation is personal contact with the teacher—Gurugriha-vása [living in the abode of theteacher]. Without the personal life of theteacher, there would be no education.’3

And again, ‘One should live from hisvery boyhood with one whose character is likea blazing fire and should have before him aliving example of the highest teaching. … Inour country the imparting of knowledge hasalways been through men of renunciation.’4

Need for Right Assimilation

Again, in the eighth chapter of the Chán-dogya Upaniøad we find:

Prajápati (the Lord of the created beings) said,‘The Self which is free from sin, free from oldage, free from death, free from grief, free fromhunger and thirst, whose desires come true,whose resolves come true—That has to besought; one should desire to understand That.He who realizes that Atman attains all theworlds and all the desires.’5

Both the gods and the demons heard thisand said: ‘Well, let us seek that Atman by know-ing which one attains all the worlds and all thedesires.’ Saying so, among the gods king Indrahimself went to Prajápati [leaving behind allother gods, all enjoyable things and garments].Virocana, the king of the demons, too went to

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Education according to Vedanta 547

Prajápati. Each not knowing about the other’svisit, both of them came to Prajápati, faggots inhand. [8.7.2]

Ùri Ùaïkarácárya comments: ‘They leftbehind all their royal paraphernalia and wentto Prajápati by themselves. This shows that thepossession of Self-knowledge is more impor-tant than the rulership of the worlds. Oneshould therefore approach the teacher withdue humility.’

And the narrative continues: ‘These twolived in celibacy (being engaged in service) forthirty-two years. To them Prajápati said: ‘Whyhave both of you been living here?’ They said,‘A saying of yours is being repeated by people:“The Self which is free from sin, free from oldage, free from death, free from grief, free fromhunger and thirst, whose desires come true,whose resolves come true—That has to besought; one should desire to understand That.He who realizes that Atman attains all worldsand all desires.” Desiring to know that Atmanwe have lived here. ‘ [8.7.3]

Ùri Ùaïkarácárya comments: ‘Althoughbefore coming to Prajápati the two were jeal-ous of each other, yet on account of their ea-gerness to acquire knowledge they lived withPrajápati practising celibacy and gave up suchfaults as attachment, aversion, delusion andjealousy. Thus is proclaimed the glory ofSelf-knowledge.’

The Upanishad continues: ‘To them Pra-jápati said: “The Person that is seen in theeye—that is the Self. This is immortal, fearless.This is Brahman” [8.7.4]. They went away sat-isfied in heart. [8.8.3]

Prajápati saw them [going] and said: ‘They areboth going away without having known andwithout having realized the Self. And whoeverof these, whether gods or demons, follow thisdoctrine shall perish. ‘ Virocana, satisfied inheart, went to the demons. To them he preachedthis doctrine: ‘The self (body) alone is to beadored in this world. The self alone is to beserved. It is only by adoring and serving the selfthat one attains both this world and that.’ [8.8.4]

Therefore even today in this world they

speak of one who does not practise charity, whohas no faith, and who does not perform sacri-fices: ‘Alas, he is verily a demon.’ [8.8.5]

But even before reaching the gods Indrasaw this difficulty: ‘Just as when this body iswell adorned, then this one (the reflection) alsocertainly is well adorned; when well dressed itbecomes well dressed; when clean, this also be-comes clean. In the same way, when the bodybecomes blind this becomes blind; when thishas running eyes or nose it also has runningeyes or nose; when this is crippled this also be-comes crippled; in accordance with the destruc-tion of the body, this also gets destroyed. I donot find any benefit in this [knowledge].’ [8.9.1]

Ùri Ùaïkarácárya’s comments: ‘Being agod, Indra was endowed with spiritual quali-ties like non-cruelty. He reflected on Prajá-pati’s words again and again, and found cer-tain difficulties in accepting the body as theSelf. He wondered how, if the reflection castby the body in water or in a mirror was theSelf, it could be immutable, since it changeswith changes in the body.’ Hence

He came again to Prajápati, faggots in hand. Tohim Prajápati said, ‘O Indra, you went awaywith Virocana, satisfied in heart. Now whatbrings you back? ‘ He said, ‘O venerable sir, … Ido not find any good in this [knowledge].’[8.9.2]

He said, ‘So it is, Indra. I shall explain theSelf to you further. Live for another thirty-twoyears.’ He lived with him another thirty-twoyears. To him [who had stayed thus and devel-oped some inner purity] he said: [8.9.3]

‘He who moves about, exalted, in dreams—this is the Self. This is immortal, fearless, this isBrahman.’ Indra went away with a satisfiedmind. Even before reaching the gods he foundthis difficulty: ‘This [dream self] is not blindeven if the body is blind, nor do its eyes or noserun when the eyes or nose of the body run; thisself is not affected by the defects of the body. It isnot killed when the body is killed, nor one- eyedwhen it is one-eyed. Yet they kill it, as it were;they chase it, as it were. It becomes conscious ofpain, as it were; it weeps, as it were. I do not seeany good in this [knowledge].’ [8.10.1-2]

He returned again, faggots in hand, … andtold Prajápati: ‘O venerable sir, … I do not see

PB-NOVEMBER 2002 24


any good in this.’ He said, ‘So it is, Indra. I shallexplain this Self further to you.’ [‘Althoughtwice I spoke to him logically, he has still not un-derstood it properly. Therefore, as before, evennow he has some cause of mental obstruction.’Thinking thus, Prajápati said to him:] ‘Live withme another thirty-two years.’ He lived withPrajápati another thirty-two years. To him[who had lived thus and had his defects attenu-ated] Prajápati said: [8.10.3-4]

‘When a man is asleep, with senses with-drawn and serene, and sees no dream—this isthe Self. This is immortal, fearless. This is Brah-man.’ He went away satisfied in heart. Even be-fore reaching the gods he found this defect: ‘Intruth, it [the self in deep sleep] does not know it-self as ‘I am it’, nor does it know these [other]creatures. It has therefore reached annihilation,as it were. I do not see any good in this.’ [8.11.1]

He came again, faggots in hand, and toldPrajápati :‘O venerable sir, … I do not see anygood in this.’ He said, ‘So it is, Indra. I shall ex-plain the self further to you, and nothing else.[But there is only a little residual defect in you.To eliminate that] Live with me for another fiveyears.’ Indra did that. This amounted to a hun-dred and one years. … To him Prajápati said:[8.11.2-3]

‘O Indra, this body is indeed mortal, held bydeath. But the body is the support of the immor-tal, bodiless Atman. Verily, the embodied self isheld by pleasure and pain. Surely, there is nocessation of pleasure and pain for the embod-ied. But pleasure and pain do not touch onewho is free from body consciousness.’ [8.12.1]

‘When the person in the eye resides [in thebody], he resides where [the organ of] sight hasentered into the space (pupil of the eye); the eyeis the instrument of seeing. He who is aware ofthe thought: “Let me smell this”—he is the Self.;the nose is the instrument of smelling. He whois aware of the thought: “Let me hear”—he isthe Self; the ear is the instrument of hearing. Hewho is aware of the thought “Let me thinkthis”—he is the Self; the mind is his divine eye.He, the Self, sees all these desires in the World ofBrahman through the divine eye, the mind, andrejoices. The gods meditate on that Self. There-fore all worlds belong to them, and all desires.He who knows that Self and understands It ob-tains all worlds and all desires.’ Thus said Prajá-

pati, yes, thus said Prajápati. [8.12.4-6]

What a teacher!

Life with the Teacher: Another Illustration

There is a beautiful story in the PraùnaUpaniøad. ‘Sukeùá, Satyakáma, Sauryáyaîæ,Kausalya, Bhárgava and Kabandhæ—all thesewho were devoted to and intent on a search ofthe supreme Brahman, approached the vener-able Pippaláda, faggots in hand, with the be-lief that he would tell them everything aboutBrahman.

To them the seer said ‘[Although youhave already practised control of the senses,still] live (here) with me for a year more,practising austerity, chastity, faith [and ser-vice to your teacher]. Then you may ask ques-tions as you please. If we know, we shall tellyou all.’6

The Upanishad describes that after a yearhe fulfilled their desire for knowledge. Thestory ends thus: ‘While worshipping him theysaid, “You indeed are our father (since youhave given us a new birth by imparting theknowledge of Brahman that is eternal, ageless,deathless and fearless) who have taken usacross ignorance to the other shore. Salutationto the supreme rishis! Salutation to the su-preme rishis!” [6.8] Ùri Ùaïkarácárya callsthese seers ‘originators of the line of tradi-tional transmission of the knowledge of Brah-man’.

(to be continued)

References

1. Bhagavadgætá, 13.24-25.2. Chándogya Upaniøad, 6.1.33. The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda, 9

vols. (Calcutta: Advaita Ashrama, 1-8, 1989; 9,1997), 5.154.

4. ibid., 5.369.5. Chándogya Upaniøad, 8.7.1.6. Praùna Upaniøad, 1.1-2.

25 PB-NOVEMBER 2002

Education according to Vedanta 549

Six Days in Mauritius

SWAMI SMARANANANDA

Invited by the Ramakrishna Centre of SouthAfrica, Durban, 1 I was to reach there by 3May 2002. I thought, why not I visit Mauri-

tius on the way. The Ramakrishna Mission hasbeen functioning there for more that 60 years.Thus I left for Mumbai on 25 April and tooknext morning’s Air Mauritius flight. Beforedescribing our work there, I think it will be agood idea to give some idea about this marvel-lously beautiful island and its history.

Mauritius—A Brief History

Mauritius is a small island of 2040 sq km,65 km from north to south and 45 km from east

to west, nearly 800 km east of Madagascarnear the east coast of Africa. Set like a jewel inthe Indian Ocean, the island is famous for itsbeauty. The principal towns are Port Louis,the capital, Vacoas on the inland plateau,Curepipe and Phoenix.

Till the end of the sixteenth century thisisland lay uninhabited and undisturbed, cov-ered by thick forests. Sailors from India andthe Middle East to African shores made occa-sional brief halts in Mauritius.

The first people to settle in Mauritiuswere the Dutch. They took formal possessionof the island in 1598 AD and called it Mauritius

after Maurice Van Nassan, the ruler oftheir country. Though they plantedsome fruits and vegetables, it was notadequate even for the small population.The slaves from Madagascar hardlynumbered 300. The Dutch killed moreanimals than necessary. A bird knownin English as ‘dodo’ was roaming allover the island. But the Dutch settlerskilled them in such great numbers thatthis species of bird became extinct, giv-ing rise to the English expression ‘asdead as a dodo’. The Dutch introducedsugarcane cultivation also, which playsan important role in the modern econ-omy of Mauritius.

The Dutch left the island in 1710and the French came in their place in1721. They gave it the name ‘Ile deFrance’. During the French rule therewas all-round progress: agriculture,sugarcane cultivation, sugar industry,education, and so on flourished. By nowboth the French and the British had no-ticed the strategic importance of Mauri-tius, in their voyages to and from India.

PB-NOVEMBER 2002 26

Six Days in Mauritius

Mauritius

So the British made many attempts to conquerthe island from the French and finally suc-ceeded in 1810 in annexing it to the Britishcrown. Nevertheless, while signing the capit-ulation treaty the French made the Britishagree to keep the French language and cul-ture. So French is in vogue in the island to thisday. There are French newspapers, but nonein English!

Demographically, the island underwenta sea change during the successive rules of theFrench and the British. The former broughtAfrican slaves to work on their farms. TheBritish brought Indian labourers to work inthe sugarcane fields and manage the sugar in-dustry. Even today sugar forms the main ex-port of the country.

Today the population of Mauritius is 1.2million—Indo-Mauritian 68%, (Hindus 52%,Muslims 16%), European-African and mixedEuro-African 27%, and Chinese and others5%. English, French and Creole (a mixed dia-lect of African, French and certain other lan-guages) are spoken in Mauritius. In everydaylife Creole is very much in use. Hindi was be-ing preserved by the population of Bhojpuri (aHindi dialect) descent, but now with so manylanguages to learn,the new generationhas almost forgottenHindi. Tamil and Tel-ugu are also sparselyspoken.

Over the years,the slaves were freedand the indenturedIndian workers werereleased. Mauritiusfinally became inde-pendent in 1968. In1992 it became a re-public severing itsconnection with theBritish crown.

Since independ-ence the country has

made rapid strides in different fields, thoughthere have been economic hiccups. Tourismand export of sugar, woolen knitwear and teasustain the economy. The country is develop-ing on the lines of advanced countries of theWest, including their darker side like drugabuse.

Ramakrishna Mission in Mauritius

During the latter half of the nineteenthcentury and the first three decades of thetwentieth, proselytizing of the Indo-Mauritiancommunity—particularly the Tamils—byChristian missionaries was rampant. In orderto check it, a committee of Tamil leaders wasset up to study the problem and take correc-tive measures. Some influential Hindus wereits members. This group established contactwith John de Lingen Kilburn, a British protag-onist of Hinduism. This gentleman calledupon the Hindus not to give up their religionand asked the committee to get in touch withthe Ramakrishna Mission and request them tosend a swami to Mauritius. Already theHindu community had heard about theRamakrishna Mission and so they requestedthe Mission to send a swami to preach Hindu-

27 PB-NOVEMBER 2002

Six Days in Mauritius 551

Ramakrishna Mission, Mauritius

ism. Thus it was in July 1939 the Mission sentSwami Ghanananda, a deep scholar and pow-erful speaker. On his arrival the Swami wasgiven a hearty welcome by the Indo-Mauri-tian community of the island. His lectureswere greatly appreciated, particularly byyoung men.

In due course Swami Ghanananda estab-lished contact with people of different parts ofthe island. This meant securing the Rama-krishna Mission’s work on a permanent basisin Mauritius. The Swami conducted reliefwork for cyclone victims. All this enabled himto acquire properties in different parts of theisland. With a handsome contribution from RG Desai & Co he bought the property at 15Cantons, Vacoas, where the Mission’s maincentre is now located.

In 1946 Swami Ghanananda left for Eng-land to start the Ramakrishna Vedanta Centre.But before he left Mauritius the RamakrishnaMission’s work had been permanently estab-lished in the island.

Swami Nihshreyasananda succeededhim in 1947 and continued the work started byhis predecessor. An erudite scholar and ac-complished speaker, he was highly respectedby the people of Mauritius. His sense of hu-

mour and jovial interaction endeared him todevotees. However, he left for Africa in 1950to continue his preaching work among theethnic Indians there.

Swami Nihshreyasananda’s was suc-ceeded by Swami Kritananda, who also left in1971. Till 1979 more swamis came and went.In August 1979 Swami Balaramananda, ascholarly monk, took charge of the work. Tillhis passing away in 1987, the work progressedin several directions.

The performance of Durga Puja, startedby Swami Aparananda in 1977, continues tothis day. A new temple of Sri Ramakrishnawas dedicated by Swami Vireswaranandaji,the tenth President of the Ramakrishna Order,on 5 December 1976. Swami Gambhiranan-daji, the eleventh President of the Order, in-stalled a marble statue of Sri Ramakrishna inthe temple in 1981.

Swami Krishnarupananda took chargeas President of the Ramakrishna Mission inMauritius in July 1987, and has been carryingon the work smoothly. The centre is quite pop-ular among the local Hindus.

My Visit

As mentioned at the outset, I began mytour with a visit toMauritius and arrivedthere from Mumbai byan Air Mauritius flightwhich left at 9:05 am on26 April and reachedthere by 1:35 pm,Mauritian time. Theflight took six hours,Mauritian time beingone and a half hoursbehind Indian time.

Swami Krishna-rupananda and Kish-ore Gujadhur, Secre-tary of the Manage-ment Board of theashrama, received me

PB-NOVEMBER 2002 28


Ramakrishna Mission temple, Mauritius

at the airport. Ramakrishna Mission is awell-recognized organization in Mauritius.Thus there was no problem in immigrationand customs clearance at the airport and verysoon I was on my way to Vacoas, 22 km away,where our main centre is situated. The excel-lent road runs through picturesque sugarcanefields. Low hills with barren basalt rocks ofvarious shapes came into view on the horizon.These are of volcanic origin, shaped by naturethrough millions of years.

As soon as I entered the ashrama therewas a TV crew to interview me for three min-utes (of course, it took a little more than that!)and record my visit. No doubt, it was not pos-sible to tell them anything about Mauritius, asI had just landed there! The weather was cooland pleasant. It should be remembered that inthe southern hemisphere this was the begin-ning of winter.

After the evening arati at the temple, Imet a few devotees and we had some informaltalk.

Next morning (27 April) began with avisit to the temple. The cool and crisp, pollu-tion-free air was invigorating. The greenlawns, flowers and trees at the ashrama madefor a pleasant view.People said, ‘Well,you are lucky. Theweather is good now.Sometimes we getheavy rains andpowerful storms.’ In-deed, during my sixdays in Mauritiusthere was no heavyrain, only occasionaldrizzles.

In the morningwe left for GangaTalao. The well-paved road laythrough pine forests.Traffic was thin. Ittook about an hour to

reach the place. There was a huge lake on theway, which is the water source for the entire is-land.

Ganga Talao is a small lake in the midst oflow hills. It is called so because someonebrought Ganga water from India and pouredit in the lake. There are temples, the main onededicated to Mauritiuseswar! There are othersdedicated to Ganesha, Gayatri, Kali, Lakshmi-narayan, and so on. Hanumanji stands on thetop of a steep hill, maybe 1500 ft above meansea level.

Returning to the ashrama, I had to pres-ent myself for a 30-minute TV interview on‘The Ramakrishna Mission: its ideals and ac-tivities in the modern context’. This recordedinterview must have been telecast later; I hadno way of seeing how the interview turnedout.

In the evening we went for a satsang atRajiv Gujadhur’s house, next to Kishore’s.They had put up a shamiana and chairs for theaudience—maybe around 200 of them. SwamiKrishnarupananda conducted a nama sankir-tan, group singing of bhajans. I spoke for 40minutes. We had dinner at Rajiv’s. So had allthe people who had assembled.

29 PB-NOVEMBER 2002


With Swami Krishnarupananda (right) at Ganga Talao

The next day, a Sunday, was a retreat dayat the ashrama. Some lady devotees came inthe morning and took care of cooking fornearly 300 participants. All were to haveprasad at noon. It was a nice gathering of dev-otees. They had bhajanananda, joy resultingfrom devotional songs and thinking of God.

In the afternoon we went for a short out-ing to Port Louis. Even here there is the prob-lem of peak-hour traffic jams! Offices closehere by 4 pm and so downtown traffic was inthe opposite direction.

In the evening we went to the village of StJulien d’Hotman. Here our centre runs a pri-mary school. Late in the evening some 100devotees had gathered. After some bhajan anda talk, we returned to the ashrama for dinnerand rest.

Next morning Swami Krishnarupanan-da took me to meet the President of Mauritius,Mr Karl Hoffman. He is a Catholic. Over a cupof tea we talked about the youth in general. Hewas quite worried about the alarming prob-lem of drug abuse among them. He felt thatparents have an important role to play in com-bating the problem and said that the childrendeserved more attention from them. Indeed,

civilization and affluence bring in their trainthe curses of modern life. From the President’spalace we went to see a shopping plaza. This issimilar to the shopping malls in the USA andother advanced countries. No scarcity of park-ing space here! You may say that it is a bit ofUSA transplanted. From there we went to seea volcanic crater, near the town of Curepipe.This is a tourist spot.

Again, in the afternoon, we went toGrand Bay, another popular tourist rendez-vous, and from there to the Botanical Gardensat Pamplemousses. Though not very big, it is anicely kept botanical garden. Here we couldsee huge Brazilian lilies, whose leaves are thesize of big plates! After that we went to theLong Mountain area where a retreat was heldat the Swami Vivekananda Pre-primarySchool. More than 100 people were present.Sarada Hoolash, a devotee, is managing thisschool. After dinner we returned to theashrama by 10:15 pm.

Next day, 30 April, dawned with a lightrain and stormy weather, perhaps to acquaintme with the terrible side of Mauritius! Tour-ists who go into ecstasy about the island havecertainly not experienced its vagaries of

weather.At 8:30 in the

morning we visitedIndira Gandhi HigherSecondary School, fi-nanced by the govern-ment. This is only forboys, but it has a ladyprincipal, an ethnic In-dian. I addressed theboys for about 25 min-utes on ‘Education forLife and Living’.

From the schoolwe went to the south-ern side of the island,to Blue Bay, anotherbeautiful spot. We re-turned to the ashrama

PB-NOVEMBER 2002 30


With the President of Mauritius

by 12:15 pm. Inthe afternoon,before the eve-ning arati, Ispoke to the as-sembled devo-tees for about30 minutes.This was a sortof ‘leave tak-ing’, for thenext day I wasto leave forSouth Africa.

On 1 Maythere was suffi-cient time in themorning to visit the highest point in Mauri-tius—2760 ft above sea level—and the BlackRiver gorge, including a waterfall. The scen-ery is captivating with a string of hills androcks of weird shapes and the valley in front,surrounded by quiet forests. 1 May being aholiday, picnickers were out on the road.Many went into the forest to collect wildguava fruit, which ripen during this season.There were busloads of men, women and chil-

dren. I heardthey preparejelly out ofthese fruit.

At noon,some 25 to 30close devoteescame to theashrama. Swa-mi Krishnarup-ananda hadasked them tobring their ownlunch. Theycould bid fare-well to the visit-ing swami at

2:30 pm, for not more than two persons are al-lowed into the airport’s VIP enclosure, wherewe had our tea. At 4:20 pm the plane took offfor Johannesburg, South Africa’s biggest city.It was a four-and-a-half- hour flight. Aboutthat later. �

Note

1. An unaffiliated centre.

31 PB-NOVEMBER 2002


At the Botanical Gardens, Pamplemousses

Why Worry?

There are only two things to worry about:

Either you are well or you are sick.

If you are well, then there is nothing to worry about.

But if you are sick there are only two things to worry about:

Whether you will get well or whether you will die.

If you get well there is nothing to worry about.

But if you die there are only two things to worry about:

Whether you go to heaven or to hell.

If you go to heaven there is nothing to worry about.

And if you go to hell you’ll be so busy shaking hands with old friends,

you won’t have time to worry.

So why worry?

The Vedic Concept of God in all its Aspects

SWAMI MUKHYANANDA

(continued from the previous issue)

Various questions that assail the mind ofthe Vedic investigator are deliberatelydiscussed, analysed, and their solu-

tions sought in the later Vedic literature—theUpanishads, which are called the Vedanta orthe last portions of the corpus of Vedic litera-ture. The thought-process of the Vedas asknowledge (from vid, ‘to know’) also reachesits culmination (anta) in the Upanishads. Fromthis point of view also the Upanishads arecalled the Vedanta.

Experiencer the Central Core

What is the relationship between the Oneand the many? Where do both these aspects,the noumenal and the phenomenal, converge?What is their relationship with the investiga-tor? Is not the experiencer the central core inall these problems? The ultimate Reality, Godin His personal or impersonal aspects, all godsand nature itself—all these have a subject-ob-ject relationship with the experiencer. All con-ceptions of Reality are his. Without the experi-encer, all talk about their existence becomesabsurd; all problems become meaningless. Foreven to affirm, negate, doubt or characterizetheir existence, the experiencer is necessary.Then what is the nature of the experiencer? Isit that the secret of Reality, God and naturesomehow lies hidden in the experiencer him-self as his inmost and intimate essence? Whatis the nature of the experiencer, our inmostSelf?

The Relationship betweenthe One and the Many

The search for the Unity of all existence orReality (Brahman) and Its realization in the

Self (Atman, the locus of all experience) pre-dominate the Upanishads. Without the unitywith the Self, the experiencing subject, Brah-man merely remains an object, an incompleteobjective infinite; and without the unity withBrahman, the Self is reduced to a point of mereindividual subjective consciousness. It is soonrealized that the subject and the object are thetwo poles of one and the same Reality. The ex-ternal search for the absolute and infiniteBrahman—which mind and speech fail tocomprehend—culminates in Its discovery asthe omnipresent Self of all existence, hidden inall things and beings, inspiring their function-ing and that of the universe. Instead of beingmerely a remote inference and an object of log-ical thought-process, Brahman is intimatelyexperienced as one’s innermost Self (antar-átman).1 Says the Shvetáshvatara Upanishad:‘The one supreme divine Being, the attribute-less Absolute, is hidden in all beings [as theirinmost Self]. He is the all-pervasive, indwell-ing Self within all [and energizes the wholeuniverse and inspires and guides its function-ing], the witness of all their activities, and theReality beyond the three guîas.’2

The sage Sháîõilya expresses his realiza-tion of the Self thus: ‘This is my Self within theheart, smaller than a grain of rice , than a grainof barley, than a mustard seed, than a grain ofmillet, or than the kernel of a grain of millet;this Self within my heart is greater than theearth, greater than the mid-region, greaterthan heaven, greater than all the worlds. Thisis Brahman.’3 The Kaôha Upanishad declares:‘This Self hidden in the heart of all beings issmaller than the smallest particle and greaterthan the greatest entity.’4 We find the same

PB-NOVEMBER 2002 32

The Vedic Concept of God in All Its Aspects

idea echoed in the Shvetáshvatara Upanishad:‘Subtler than the subtlest, the Creator abides inthe minutest germ, manifests this whole varie-gated universe and also enfolds it within Him-self. …’5

The Great Equation

The great equation ‘Atman = Brahman’and vice versa, is discovered and declared inthe mahá-vákyas (great utterances) in theUpanishads. The Máîõékya Upanishad de-clares: This Self is Brahman.6 The Brihadáraî-yaka Upanishad points outthat one can experienceone’s Self to be Brahman,7

like the sages Sháîõilyaand Vámadeva. But this ‘I’is not the ego in me as thecorporeal individual, butthe Essence that is in me,you, and all other beingsand things as their substra-tum. ‘Thou art That Real-ity’, assures the Chhándo-gya Upanishad.8 The ÆshaUpanishad and the Bhaga-vadgætá point out that it is not mere solipsismor subjective visualization of all beings andthe universe in oneself.9 On the contrary, it is adirect realization of one’s Self in all beings,10

thus reinforcing each other and removing anymutual shortcomings. It is a direct awareness(aparoksha anubhéti) of the unity of all exis-tence. Brahman is pure universal Conscious-ness within all,11 according to the AitareyaUpanishad. The source of all existence and ex-perience, that Consciousness enables every-one to reveal (bhá) himself.

Brahman and the Universe

According to the Taittiræya Upanishad,Brahman is of the nature of absolute Exis-tence-Consciousness-Infinity.12 It is the basisof all relative existence, knowledge andboundless manifestation on the phenomenalplane. But from the absolute Infinite the rela-

tively infinite universe has emerged withoutinfringing the character of the infinite Brah-man in the least, as affirmed in the invocatoryverse of the Æsha Upanishad: Pérîam-adaë, pér-îam-idam, pérîát pérîam udachyate; Pérîasyapérîam ádáya, pérîam-eva avashishyate. And asthis universe has for its substratum Truth(satya—sat stands for Truth as well as exis-tence, for Truth alone exists), it is phenom-enally and rationally apprehended by themind as an evolutionary process. Theunmanifest, subtle avyakta projects grosser

manifestations13 by stages guided by the cos-mic Law and Order (rita). But it is not astraight-line evolution, but a cyclic process14

of evolution and involution, like the cycle ofthe seed and the tree. In the process, more andmore of the hidden Truth is manifested. Thereis no hiatus or disjunction anywhere in exis-tence. It is the appearance of the continuous,unbroken (akhaîõa) Existence as differentthings at different levels, from the subtlest tothe grossest, one leading to another (compare:H2O and its various forms such as water, ice,vapour, frost, dew and fog). As the KaôhaUpanishad describes,

The elements are subtler [superior and morepervasive] than the senses [for the senses alongwith their objects are evolved from these subtleelements], the mind is subtler than the ele-ments, the intellect (buddhi) is subtler than themind, the cosmic Ego (Mahán Atman) is subtler

33 PB-NOVEMBER 2002

The Vedic Concept of God in all its Aspects 557

These are not really mutually exclusiveconceptions, but are only indicative of man’spsychic journey from the external to theinternal until its culmination in therealization of the Atman, the supreme Reality,as the inmost core of his personality. These aredifferent stages of psychic evolution and notexternal independent realities.

than intelligence, and the Unmanifest (avyakta)(creative Power of the supreme Being, Puru-sha), is subtler than the cosmic Ego, andPurusha is subtler and more pervasive than theUnmanifest, avyakta; there is nothing higherthat transcends the Purusha, the Infinite. That isthe culmination and that is the supremeGoal.’15

On the macrocosmic scale, the Ego is rep-resented by Hiraîyagarbha, and the Unmani-fest by the inscrutable primal energy-matter,prakriti or maya, the great creative Power ofPurusha as Æshvara, which is highly wonder-ful and indescribable (mahá-adbhutá anirvacha-næya-répá). There is an interesting parallel inthe Bhágavata: ‘Receiving energy from Thee(the infinite Brahman), the Purusha (Æshvara)

of infallible power, along with maya (avyakta),holds within Himself the Mahat (Hiraîyagar-bha or cosmic Ego), signifying, as it were, theembryonic state of the universe. Backed by thesame maya, this Mahat projected from withinitself the golden sphere of the universe pro-vided with outer coverings (that is, enclosedin different layers of cosmic existence of vary-ing subtlety).’16

The Atman Is to Be Realized

Because everything of the manifesteduniverse is Brahman,17 by knowing That—theSelf or Brahman—everything of this (phe-nomenal universe) becomes known;18 There-fore the Atman is to be sought after, is to be en-quired into and realized;19 ‘O, dear one, the

Atman is to be seen’20—‘the Atman, which isthe direct and immediate Brahman, the inner-most core of one’s being.’21 Then knowing histrue infinite immortal nature, man rises aboveall sorrow, all delusion, all fear (shoka, moha,bhaya) and remains in his blissful nature.22

Interrelationship ofMan, God and the Universe

Though from the noumenal (páramár-thika) point of view everything is Brahmanalone and there is nothing other than Brah-man,23 from the phenomenal point of view weneed to examine the mutual interrelationshipof living beings (jævas), the universe (jagat) andGod as the Lord of the universe (Brahman asÆshvara). What must be the attitude of man to-

wards these and howshould he conduct himself?These questions also occupythe mind of the Upanishadicrishis. On the basis of theirinsights, great thinkers builtup systems of philosophy,all of which come under thename Vedanta. As alreadyexplained, in these systemsall the three aspects of Godas extra-cosmic (Dvaita),intra-cosmic (Vishish-

ôa-advaita), and supra-cosmic (Advaita) arepropounded and paths of realization delin-eated.

These are not really mutually exclusiveconceptions, but are only indicative of man’spsychic journey from the external to the inter-nal until its culmination in the realization ofthe Atman, the supreme Reality, as the inmostcore of his personality. These are differentstages of psychic evolution and not externalindependent realities. The internal psychicstates are projected externally as seen in a mir-ror or as in dreams where the ego projects itsown universe which, though internal, appearsto be outside of oneself, says Áchárya Shan-kara in his Dakshiîámérti Stotra.24 Similarly,

PB-NOVEMBER 2002 34


Hanuman, the great devotee of God in Hisincarnation as Shri Rama, says to Him: ‘O

Lord, when I look upon myself as the body,you are the Master and I am Your servant;

when I think of myself as a soul, I am a partof Yourself; when I realize that I am the Self,

verily I am You, this is my conviction.’

though we apprehend this projection of theuniverse empirically as an evolutionary pro-cess within an externalized space and timewith a causal relationship, we need to remem-ber that space, time and causality themselvesare the products of maya, the principle of rela-tivity and divine Power that makes the Abso-lute appear as relative.25

Man’s personality is a viewing point, andhis conception of the external world dependson how he views himself. When the locus ofhis personality is in the body (deha), he findsthere is a corresponding concrete external uni-verse of which his body is a part, and there is aLord of the universe with a divine form and at-tributes, separate from the universe and its be-ings, which are dependent on His will. This isDvaita, dualism.

When the locus of his personality is in theliving soul within the body (jævátman), he seesthe universe animated by a Soul. That Soul isGod, whose body is the universe and its livingbeings. The souls of all beings are parts of God,who is the universal Soul (paramátman), theSoul of souls. He con-trols the universe andthe souls from within asthe antaryámin orsétrátman, just as the in-dividual soul controlsthe body from within.This isVishishôa-advaita, qual-ified non-dualism.

Finally, when thelocus of man’s personal-ity is in the Self, the Atman, transcending thebody and soul, the universe and God are tran-scended in Brahman, which is the inmost Selfor the Atman in all. The bodies, which areparts of the universe, and the souls, which areparts of God, are seen merely as the mani-fested glory of the one Self or Brahman, thesole Reality, the sole infinite spiritual Exis-tence. This is Advaita, non-dualism.

Hanumán, the great devotee of God in

His incarnation as Shræ Ráma, says to Him: ‘OLord, when I look upon myself as the body,you are the Master and I am Your servant;when I think of myself as a soul, I am a part ofYou; when I realize that I am the Self, verily Iam You, this is my conviction.’26

These three main conceptions of Dvaita,Vishishôa-advaita and Advaita are inter-spersed with several shades and grades ofviews according to man’s psychic or emo-tional necessities; but all those views are com-prehended by one of these three main con-cepts.

God in Popular Religion

Apart from these philosophic and quasi-philosophic conceptions, there are popularversions of these conceptions in the Itihásasand Puráîas, which Hinduism accepts as asecondary authority to meet the devotionalneeds and practical spiritual life of people atdifferent stages of mental growth, under-standing and capacities. These Itihásas andPuráîas render abstract philosophic concep-

tions of Truth into picturesque and poetic, liv-ing deities with divine and philosophic attrib-utes for the sake of worship and meditation inpeople’s daily life. They have given inexhaust-ible inspiration to art, architecture and sculp-ture; music and song; poetry and literature, in-numerable hymns and joyful rituals and festi-vals, and have permeated people’s livesthrough and through. In one word, they ren-der philosophy into living religion.

35 PB-NOVEMBER 2002


Electrical energy is neither a fan nor a light bulbnor a motor, but works through differentmachinery and manifests its power differently.So the divine Spirit animating all these formsmay be conceived or addressed in any suitableway. That is how God is addressed as our Mother,Father, Friend, and so on.

According to the Kulárîava Tantra,‘Those people of weak intellect who are notable to realize the absolute, attributeless Brah-man are helped to think of It through impro-vised forms with attributes.’27 The Mahánir-váîa Tantra has this to say with regard to Kálæ:‘To facilitate concentration of mind, to help insubtle meditation and to hasten the fulfilmentof aspirations, the supremely glorious form-less Kálæ, the Mother of Time,28 is investedwith forms consistent with Her attributes andfunctions.’29

The Evolution of the Concept of Deities

Brahman in relation to the universe isÆshvara, the Lord, with the threefold functionsof creation, sustenance and dissolution or re-absorption of the universe. In relation to thesethree functions, He is a Trinity (Trimérti).These threefold aspects are personified intothree separate deities: Brahmá (Projector),Vishîu(Protector)andShiva(Dissolver).Theycarry out the functions of srishôi (projection),sthiti (protection/maintenance) and laya (dis-solution). At the next stage, they are conceivedas male deities, and the powers (shaktis)

through which they function are personifiedinto their female counterparts or spouses.Gradually, from philosophic conceptions theydescend to be popular deities or gods withtheir own families and retinue (subsidiarypowers). Then again the curve takes an up-ward turn and by a process of synthesis, ab-straction and refinement each god is raised tothe philosophic conception of Æshvara or thesupreme Lord performing all the three func-tions of projection, protection, and dissolutionof the universe. Then He is identified as themanifestation of the impersonal Brahman, the

supreme Reality. The female counterparts arealso similarly sublimated to the power of Brah-man, like maya and prakriti. Thus to the follow-ersofShiva,Vishîu,Gaîapati,Sérya,Kumára,and otherdeities, therespectivedeities cease tobe mere subsidiary gods, but represent God(Æshvara) Himself, performing all the threefoldfunctions. Ultimately, in their true nature theyare thought of as, and identified with, the su-premeabsoluteBrahmanItself.

Similarly, those who conceive the su-preme God as female (Devæ), as Mother in-stead of as Father of the universe, identify theDevæ with the conception of Æshvara and at-tribute to Her the threefold functions of the Di-vine,30 just as the followers of Brahmá, Shiva,Vishîu and other gods do in the case of theirdeities. The Devæ is then thought of as themaya Power of Brahman (Mahá-máyá,Shakti), and is ultimately identified with theabsolute Brahman (Brahma-mayæ), based onthe principle that Shakti and Shaktimat (pos-sessor of Shakti) are non-different, being in-separable. In the Tántric literature, Shiva (notone of the Trinity) stands for absolute Brah-man, and Devæ is Æshvaræ, His Shakti responsi-

ble for creation, in placeof Æshvara. Shiva isMahá-kála (the great po-tential Time or Eternity),and Shakti is Mahá-kálæ(the great kinetic Time,who dances forth the

universe on the bosom of Shiva, the still Eter-nity). Shiva and Shakti are non-different likelight and its brilliance. Brahmá, Vishîu andShiva—the Trinity—are looked upon as Herthree forms. Devæ is also conceived in manypopular forms with different names and at-tributes such as Durgá, Lalitá, Meenákshæ,Chaîõæ, Kálæ and Párvatæ.

God and His Shakti are often thought oftogether with prominence to Shakti as inUmá-Maheshvara, Lakshmæ-Náráyaîa, Sætá-Ráma, Rádhá-Krishîa, Umá-pati, Sætá-patiand Lakshmæ-pati. Shiva and Shakti are also

PB-NOVEMBER 2002 36


A person can be helpful to others, but should notviolently force his ideas and methods on them.What is important in food is nutrition and not

the names and forms of various dishes.

thought of in the combined half-Shiva (male)and half-Shakti (female) form as the famousArdha-náræ-æshvara. The Trinity of Brahmá,Vishîu and Shiva are also fused into a singlepopular form of Dattátreya with three headsand six hands. The deities are also thought oftogether in combined names such as Ráma-Krishîa, Shiva-Ráma-Krishîa, Shiva-Ráma,Ráma-Gopála and Ráma-Æshvara (Rámesh-vara). This process was current in Vedic timesalso.31

Meditation on Deities

As already discussed, the Reality is be-yond names, forms and genders, but can beconceived in any manner to facilitate medita-tion. The Shvetáshvatara Upanishad declares:‘This supreme One is neither woman nor man,nor is This neuter. It isconnected with the par-ticular body in which Itdwells and is describedas such.’32 So the Divinecan be described in allways for It manifests inmyriads of ways: ‘Thouart woman, Thou artman, Thou art boy andthe girl too; Thou art the old man totteringwith a stick, Thou art manifest everywhere inmyriads of forms.’33

All subtle things share this characteristicas we see in empirical experience too. The lifeprinciple itself is neither male nor female, butworks through male and female physical bod-ies and in asexual plants and micro-organ-isms. Similarly, electrical energy is neither afan nor a light bulb nor a motor, but worksthrough different machinery and manifests itspower differently. So the divine Spirit animat-ing all these forms may be conceived or ad-dressed in any suitable way. That is how Godis addressed as our Mother, Father, Friend,and so on. The Divine Mother also is similarlyconceived as male or female and beyond both:‘Think of the Divine Mother as of male or fe-

male form; or meditate on Her as the formlessReality with the attributes of Existence-Con-sciousness-Bliss.’34

Since God is all-pervading, He can alsobe contemplated in non-human forms of ani-mals, plants or images (pratimá) with or with-out form. Different images and figures madeof gold are nothing but gold. Similarly, allforms of God are nothing but God. He mayalso be meditated upon in objects like the sun,the sky and time, which reflect some of Hischaracteristics (pratæka) such as all-pervasive-ness, detachment, equality for all, removal ofdarkness (of ignorance) and the source of lifeand activity. He can also be meditated upon asword symbols (Logos) like Om, knowing fullwell that the supreme Reality is beyond wordsand thought (avák-manasa-gocharam). In fact,

there is no symbol that can really representIt.35

What is important is divine communionand a rapport with the divine Reality, and notthe form in which It is conceived, worshippedor meditated upon as a help.36 Thus a manmay have very high intellectual conceptionsof God and yet be of demoniac nature, andthere may be another very saintly by worshipwith inner fervour of God through a stone im-age. As Swami Vivekananda pointed out, ‘Re-ligion is the manifestation of the Divinity al-ready in man.’37 Divine qualities are to mani-fest from within; they are not to be filled infrom outside. The outside is only a help in thisprocess. It is the lack of understanding of thispsychological law that lies at the root of somuch confusion and conflict in the field of

37 PB-NOVEMBER 2002


Though like currency bills they may beapparently imaginary and artificial, they havean empirical value. Again, though an aeroplaneis an artificial thing, it serves the purpose oftaking people to the destination. A simpleladder helps us ascend to a higher level.

worship of God through different methods. Aperson can be helpful to others, but should notviolently force his ideas and methods on them.What is important in food is nutrition and notthe names and forms of various dishes. TheReality is thought of differently because of dif-ferent tastes, temperaments and stages of de-velopment of persons; but the object of loveand worship is the same all-pervading divineReality. As the Shiva-mahimna Stotra puts it, ‘OLord, due to variations in tastes, people think

of You in different forms and names and fol-low different paths, whether straight or mean-dering; but, ultimately, Thou art the only goalof all people, just as the ocean is the one goal ofall rivers.’38 The Hindu hymnal literature isfull of such universal sentiments. To quote an-other from Shræ Hari-sharaîáshôakam, ‘Somedescribe Shiva as the goal of meditation; somesay it is Shakti (the Divine Mother); some say itis Gaîesha; some say, verily, it is Sérya. But, OLord, everywhere in all these forms Thoualone art shining.’39

The Nature and Significance of Deities

These different deities with their myriadsof forms, statuses, families and retinue serve,so to say, as containers and purveyors of theSat-Chit-Ánanda Brahman (infinite Existence-Consciousness-Bliss); they serve as objects ofworship and adoration to bring the Sat-Chit-Ánanda Brahman within the reach of all, ac-cording to their own inclinations, tempera-ments and capacities. They intimately live,

move and have their being among people andgive them the needed emotional and psycho-logical satisfaction.

Though God can be conceived and wor-shipped in any form, certain forms have be-come convenient and useful and avoid confu-sion in social life. They have been visualizedand adopted by saints and sages and havebeen handed down to us by tradition. They areoften conceived symbolically with divine at-tributes and philosophical principles and are

of great help in meditation.In some respects these con-ceptions may be comparedto popular descriptions ofabstract science in concreteterms. Or they could bethought of as similar toworking models to facilitateeasy comprehension andappreciation of subtle phe-nomena, like models ofatomic structure or of the

DNA molecule. However, one should notimagine that the conceptions of God or godsare only imaginary and have no phenomenalexistence. Though like currency bills they maybe apparently imaginary and artificial, theyhave an empirical value. Again, though anaeroplane is an artificial thing, it serves thepurpose of taking people to the destination. Asimple ladder helps us ascend to a higherlevel. The Reality behind the conceptions ofGod is like the gold that supports the papercurrency. The ultimate Reality is not insen-tient or material, but of the nature of universalConsciousness operating in all beings. Itabides as the Self in all beings and insentientthings. It responds to devotees by appearingin the very forms in which It is conceived andapproached. It is this same Reality that is ap-prehended by our minds in several ways onthe phenomenal plane through deities receiv-ing our worship.

Again, to illustrate from modern science:Our views of matter have changed, reducing it

PB-NOVEMBER 2002 38


It may be mentioned in passing that the‘scientific’ view of things, which itself hasbeen changing from time to time, is also justone of the standpoints valid in its ownparticular field. Neither is it the only view ofphenomena possible, nor is it coterminouswith Reality.

to subtle energy-particles. Still that does notpreclude its manifestation as atoms, mole-cules, elements, compounds and various arti-cles of daily use. Further, our ideas of many ofthe laws governing energy, material bodies,time and space have changed. But the old con-ceptions are also true to a certain extent andserve the purpose as far as they go. Each viewhas its own validity and unique purpose in itslimited field of operation (sva-kále satyavatbháti). Similar is the case on the spiritual plane.

It may be mentioned in passing that the‘scientific’ view of things, which itself hasbeen changing from time to time, is also justone of the standpoints valid in its own particu-lar field. Neither is it the only view of phenom-ena possible, nor is it coterminous with Real-ity. The Bhágavata says:‘That from which a thingoriginates, into which itdissolves, and in which itabides in the intermediatestage— that alone is Real.The modifications have amere phenomenal exis-tence. … A state fromwhich another state origi-nates and into which it isdissolved, is also relativelycalled real.’40 ‘We accept as true the causal or-der and enumeration of the categories upheldby the different exponents, just as they put it;for they are all equally reasonable from differ-ent points of view.’41

God Listens to His Creation

It should always be kept in view that theReality is not only impersonal absolute Brah-man, but, as far as Creation is concerned, It isalso the personal Æshvara under whose guid-ance the whole universe consisting of the liv-ing and the non-living evolves.42 Æshvara lis-tens to His creation, for He says: ‘I am the Fa-ther of this world, the Mother, the Sustainer,and the Grandfather (impersonal Reality); thePurifier, the one thing to be known, the Om

(the Word), and the Scriptures.’ [He is also]‘the Goal, the Support, the Lord, the Witness,the Abode, the Refuge, the Friend, the Place oforigin and merging, the Storehouse (of allpower), and the Seed Immutable (of the uni-verse).’43

In the Gætá the Lord further assures devo-tees that He accepts and grants their prayers inthe very form in which they worship Him,44

and also favours them in the way they ap-proach Him.45 He is the essence that runsthrough all forms in the universe, like thethread in a necklace of beads.46 The Bhágavataalso emphasizes this truth.47 The Gætá is thegreat charter of spiritual liberty, freedom ofworship and equality and fraternity before theLord. He is close to His creation and resides in

the heart of all beings.48 He is easily pleasedand is easily approachable by all who wantHim alone,49 the greatest sinner not ex-cluded.50 The Lord is our very own, our verySelf.51

In the Gætá the Lord has declared that Heappears to devotees in the form in which theyworship Him, for He infills and permeates theforms conceived by their minds, though HeHimself is without form, just as the formlesswater when poured into containers of differ-ent shapes assumes their forms. Not only that;He Himself assumes special forms of His ownaccord and lives among men from time to timewhen there is need,52 like water freezing intoicebergs and assuming shapes and forms inthe formless ocean. Thus though there are ap-

39 PB-NOVEMBER 2002


In the Gita the Lord has declared that Heappears to devotees in the form in which theyworship Him, for He infills and permeates theforms conceived by their minds, though HeHimself is without form, just as the formlesswater when poured into containers of differentshapes assumes their forms.

parent forms, the content of all the containersis the same water, the same infinite Sat-Chit-Ánanda Brahman.

Brahman, the supreme Reality, is infiniteand indivisible and is of the nature of absoluteSat-Chit-Ánanda. Time and space and allother phenomena are derived from It, throughits creative divine Power, prakriti or maya.‘The projection of the universe in its variedforms goes on for the experience of the soulthrough an unbroken succession of causes andeffects until the term of its continuance ceases,according to the will of the Lord.’53 The wholeof manifestation—God, gods, universe and allthe living beings—is permeated through andthrough with Brahman, which abides as theSelf (Atman) of all. This realization and livingin that light is the highest worship (pará péjá).

Notes and References

1. Yat sákshát aparokshát brahma, ya átmá sarván-taraë. —Brihadáraîyaka Upanishad, 3.4.1.

2. Eko devaë sarvabhéteshu géõhaësarvavyápæ sarvabhéta-antarátmá;

Karmádhyakshaë sarvabhétádhivásaësákshæ chetá kevalo nirguîashcha.

—Shvetáshvatara Upanishad, 6.11.3. Chhándogya Upanishad, 3.14.3.4. Aîor-aîæyán, mahato mahæyán átmá asya jantor-

nihito guháyám. —Kaôha Upanishad, 1.2.20.5. Sékshmátisékshmam kalilasya madhye

vishvasya srashôáram aneka répam;Vishvasya ekam pariveshôitáram …

—Shvetáshvatara Upanishad, 4.14.6. Ayam-átmá brahma. —Máîõékya Upanishad, 2.7. Aham brahmásmi (I am Brahman). —Brihad-

áraîyaka Upanishad, 1.4.10.8. Tat-tvam-asi. —Chhándogya Upanishad, 6.8.7.9. Sarváîi bhétáni átmani eva anupashyati. —Æsha

Upanishad, 6.10. Sarva bhétastham-átmanam sarva bhétani cha

átmani … —Bhagavadgætá, 6.29.11. Prajnánam brahma. —Aitareya Upanishad, 3.1.3.12. Satyam-jnánam-anantam brahma. —Taittiræya

Upanishad, 2.1.

13. ibid.14. See Gætá, 8.16-9; Bhágavata, 11.24.21-7.15. Purushát na param kinchit, sá káshôhá sá pará

gatië. — Kaôha Upanishad, 1.3.10-1. ‘Purusha’ isused in several senses such as a man, a person,a male and the soul which dwells in the body(pura). In the Upanishads and the Puráîas it isoften used for Brahman/Atman and Æshvara,which is different from the concept of su-pra-cosmic and personal-impersonal Purushain the ‘Purusha Sékta’ of the Vedas, thoughlater on it paved the way to the Upanishadicconception.

16. Bhágavata, 11.6.16.17. Sarvam khalu idam brahma. —Chhándogya Upa-

nishad, 3.14.1.18. [Tasmin] vijnáte sarvam-idam vijnátam bhavati.

—Muîõaka Upanishad, 1.1.3; Vijnánena idamsarvam viditam. —Brihadáraîyaka Upanishad,2.4.5.

19. Saë anveshôavyaë, saë vijijnásitavyaë. —Chhán-dogya Upanishad, 8.7.1.

20. Átmá vá are drashôavyaë. —BrihadáraîyakaUpanishad, 2.4.5.

21. Yat sákshát aparokshát brahma ya atmá sar-vántaraë —ibid., 3.4.1.

22. Æsha Upanishad, 7; Taittiræya Upanishad, 2.7.23. Brahmaiva idam vishvam idam varishôham.

—Muîõaka Upanishad, 2.2.11; Aitadátmyamidam sarvam.—Chhándogya Upanishad, 6.8.7;Ekam-eva advitæyam.—Chhándogya Upanishad,6.2.1.

24. Vishvam darpaîa-drishyamána-nagaræ tulyamnijántargatam, pashyan átmani máyayá bahirivaudbhétam yathá nidrayá. —Dakshiîámérti Sto-tra, 1.

25. Máyá-kalpita desha-kála-kalaná vaichitrya chitræ-kritam. —ibid, 2.

26. Deha-buddhyá tu dáso’hamjæva buddhyá tvadamshakaë;

Átma-buddhyá tvameva ahamiti me nishchitá matië.

27. Nirvishesham param brahmasákshátkartum-anæshvaraë;

Ye mandáë te anukalpyantesavishesha-nirépaîaië.

PB-NOVEMBER 2002 40


28. Kála = time; Kálæ is Time personified, for inTime everything comes into existence, flour-ishes, and decays.

29. Manaso dháraîártháyashæghram sva-abhæshôa-siddhaye,

Sékshmadhyána prabodháya …arépáyaë kálikáyáë

Kálamátur mahádyuteë, guîa-kriyá-anusáreîakriyate répa-kalpaná.

30. Srishôi-sthiti-vináshánám shaktibhéte sanátanæ.—Chaîõæ or Devæ-máhátmya.

31. Compare: Gods like Maitrá-Varuîa andVishvedevás (all-gods).

32. Naiva stræ na pumán eshaëna chaiva ayam napumsakaë;

Yat yat sharæram-ádattetena tena sa yujyate.

—Shvetáshvatara Upanishad, 5.10.33. Tvam stræ tvam pumán asi

tvam kumára uta vá kumáræ;Tvam jærîo daîõena vanchasi

tvam játo bhavasi vishvatomukhaë. —ibid., 4.3.34. Pumrépam vá smaret devæm

strærépam vá’pi chintayet;Athavá nishkalam dhyáyet

sat-chit-ánanda lakshaîam.35. Na tasya pratimá asti yasya náma mahad-yashaë.

—Shvetáshvatara Upanishad, 4.19.36. It is generally thought that we please God by

our prayers, and we praise Him in high termsabout His wonderful nature and qualities. Butit is not God who is benefited; nor does Hestand in need of our praise. It is we who arebenefited and uplifted psychologically. Weare shaped by our conceptions and attitudeswith which we are imbued when we worshipGod. ‘Yat dhyáyati tat bhavati. What one medi-tates upon, that one becomes.’ ‘Yádrishæ bhá-vaná yasya siddhië bhavati tádrishæ. As are one’ssentiments and feelings, so will be one’s at-tainment.’ That is the psychological law. Theexternal object of worship is only a help forconcentration; it is our feelings and approachthat are important. God is all-pervading andinfinite and is present everywhere in all beingsand entities. He responds to our love and sen-

timents. So whether the object of worship is ahighly refined conception of God or a stoneimage, it is our inner sentiments and feelingsthat determine the psychological results thataccrue, such as a calm and joyful state of mind,noble character, and divine vision, and even inexternal results such as help in times of need,since God is omnipresent and knows ourmind and attitude. It is not the intellectualconceptions but the emotions of the heart andcharacter that count.

37. The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda, 9vols. (Calcutta: Advaita Ashrama, 1-8, 1989; 9,1997), 4.358.

38. Ruchænám vaichitryátriju-kuôila náná pathajushám;

Nriîám eko gamyaë tvamasipayasám arîava iva.

—Shiva-mahimna Stotra, 7.39. Dhyeyam vadanti shivam eva hi kechit anye

shaktim gaîesham apare tu divákaram vai;Répaistu tairapi vibhási yataë tvamekaë …

—Shræ Hari-sharaîáshôakam, 1.40. Bhágavata, 11.24.17-8.41. ibid., 11.22.9.42. Gætá, 9.10; see Bhágavata, 11.22.17-8.43. Gætá, 9.17-8.44. Yo yo yám yám tanum bhaktaë

shraddhayá architum ichchati;Tasya tasya achalám shraddhám

tám eva vidadhámi aham.—ibid., 7.21; see also 9.23.

45. Ye yathá mám prapadyantetámstathaiva bhajámi aham. —ibid., 4.11.

46. Mayi sarvam idam protamsétre maîigaîá iva. —ibid., 7.7.

47. See Bhágavata, 3.9.11; 3.24.31.48. Æshvaraë sarva-bhétánám

hriddeshe arjuna tishôhati. — Gætá, 18.61.49. Tasya aham sulabhaë pártha

nityayuktasya yoginaë. —ibid., 8.14.50. See ibid., 9.22, 26, 30-2; 10.10-1; 18.66.51. Aham átmá guõákesha

sarva-bhétáshaya-sthitaë. —ibid., 10.20.52. ibid., 4.6-8; 9.11.53. Bhágavata, 11.24.20.

41 PB-NOVEMBER 2002


Divyayan Krishi Vigyan Kendra

A Model for Rural Development

SWAMI GANANATHANANDA

All India Radio: Swamiji, could you brieflytrace the origin and growth of this institution?

Krishi Vigyan Kendra: During the 1960sthe areas Hazaribagh, Chatra and Palamuwere in the grip of a severe drought, affectingmany people and making them anxious abouttheir bare survival. True to its tradition, theRamakrishna Mission swung into action byconducting distress relief in the area and sup-porting the people till normalcy returned. Af-ter the relief operations the concerned swamisseriously deliberated on how the local peoplecould be helped to equip themselves to face asimilar situation in future. They came to theconclusion that the solution lay in impartingto people a need-based technology in agricul-ture in a way they could easily understand.That would equip them better to face such sit-uations in future. They decided on building amodel training centre under the name ‘Divya-yan’, enrolled the poor farmers in the area,and gave them training in agriculture througha residential course. Though launched ini-tially on an experimental basis in 1969, theproject soon won the appreciation of people.This led to the programme being establishedon a permanent basis under the name ‘Divya-yan’. A lady devotee from Canada providedinitial funds for the project.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Agriculture,Government of India, was also thinking abouttransferring a need-based agriculture technol-ogy to grass-roots level farmers with a view toachieving self-sufficiency in the food front byincreased food production. They were on thelookout for a suitable strategy, and theirsearch ended when they visited Divyayan.This encouraged the Indian Council of Agri-

cultural Research to formulate a scheme calledKrishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK). In 1977 Divyayanwas adopted as a KVK, and from then on the in-stitution never looked back.

The Ramakrishna Mission is well known forits rural development programmes. How did thiscome about?

In order to understand this we need tounderstand the evolution of the RamakrishnaMission. More than a hundred years backSwami Vivekananda traversed our entirecountry and got a first-hand experience of themisery of the people, whose country was onceknown for its glorious spiritual heritage. Heidentified lack of education to be the maincause for this degeneration of the masses. Heconsidered education to be the panacea for allthe ills plaguing society and held that educa-tion alone can rejuvenate the country. Swamijifelt that the masses had all the qualities, butthey lacked technical knowledge and func-tional skills. What was needed was the helpand support of organizations genuinely con-cerned about and committed to their welfare.The Ramakrishna Mission thus got into serv-ing people, looking upon them as manifesta-tions of divinity. The service rendered be-comes an act of worship, aiding the spiritualgrowth of those who serve: monks, friendsand devotees of the Mission.

You have briefly outlined the history of theinstitution. May I now ask you about the specificprogrammes offered at this centre.

The activities of this centre can bebroadly classified into four groups: (1) educa-tional and cultural, (2) health care, (3) spiritual

PB-NOVEMBER 2002 42

Divyayan Krishi Vigyan Kendra

development and (4) rural development. Un-der each group there are different activities.The aim of these groups of activities is to de-velop and educate the target group in theadopted villages by giving them the ‘man-making and character-building education’ ad-vocated by Swami Vivekananda. All the activ-ities are geared towards that single aim, withservice to God in man in a spirit of worship asthe governing philosophy.

Could you tell me more about the rural devel-opment programmes at this institution?

There are two types of rural developmentprogrammes: One refers to programmes im-plemented on the Divyayan campus in theform of training and demonstration; the otheris about extension programmes conducted invillages. Basically, the idea is to transferneed-based technology to the target groupand help them develop a self-sustaining enter-prise with the knowledge and skill gained atDivyayan. Presently, agriculture farming hasbecome an enterprise by itself, where the en-trepreneur has to be conscious about not onlythe quantity but also the quality of the pro-duce. They also have to strike a balance be-tween their investment and earnings so thatthey can pursue a profit-making enterpriseand are able to survive on their own.

Could you kindly explain the training meth-odology adopted at Divyayan KVK?

Divyayan KVK organizes training coursesof different kinds. There is a basic motivationcourse to which admission is open to anygrass-roots level farmer in the age group of 16to 35 years, with or without basic education. Inthis initial 45-day practical course farmersgain basic knowledge about agriculture andallied disciplines. ‘Learning by doing’ is themethod adopted in this non-formal course.Besides imparting technical skills to farmers,Divyayan motivates them to imbibe andstrengthen certain human values in them-selves, so that on return to their places they be-

come instrumental in the uplift of fellow vil-lagers.

After this motivation course if a farmerdesires to undergo area-specific specializedtraining, he can attend special courses onagronomy, horticulture, poultry, dairy, work-shop trades, beekeeping, mushroom cultiva-tion—to mention a few. In these specialcourses of three to six months’ duration train-ees get intensive practical training so that theycan organize and run their own independententerprise in the chosen field of specialization.Besides these courses, Divyayan also offersshort-term, need-based courses. Needless tosay, all the training programmes are offeredfree of charge. During these more than threedecades of Divyayan’s existence, more than13,000 grass-roots level farmers have beentrained in different branches of agricultureand allied disciplines. Divyayan has adoptednearly 70 villages of Angara block, where dif-ferent programmes relating to water harvest-ing, agriculture practices and organizingself-help groups are being implemented.

Please tell me something about the extensionprogrammes in villages.

The main thrust of the Divyayan KVK’swork is in the villages. The nucleus of thiswork is a village-level organization compris-ing Divyayan’s ex-trainees. Our trainees aremotivated to form service organizations un-der the name ‘Vivekananda Seva Sanghas’(VSS). With a flexible constitution adaptable tolocal conditions, these Sanghas function asagencies to implement the programmes for-mulated at Divyayan. Actively networkedwith Divyayan, these Sanghas maintain a con-stant liaison with it, with village welfare inmind. There are many field functionaries inbetween Divyayan and VSS, who in the for-ward mode remain in active touch with thevillagers and in the background mode keepDivyayan informed of the progress of theirwork and of any incidental problems. Func-tional in 71 villages, these Seva Sanghas also

43 PB-NOVEMBER 2002

Divyayan Krishi Vigyan Kendra 567

conduct non-formal schools in their villages toprovide education to school dropouts. Vi-brant with activity all the time, these organiza-tions are the nerve centres for effective imple-mentation of development programmes invillages.

These programmes undergo periodicevaluations at Divyayan. Some results: train-ing effectiveness is about 92%, farmers havegained in self-confidence and have created vil-lage-level capital to free themselves frommoneylenders’ clutches. More important, mi-gration to cities in search of jobs, and addic-tion to drink has almost stopped or signifi-cantly reduced in the villages.

Swamiji, here is my last question: What isyour ultimate goal in the implementation of theprogrammes?

This branch of the Ramakrishna Missionaims at an integrated, holistic rural develop-ment with thrust on not only economic devel-opment, but also inculcation of some impor-tant human values in villagers, resulting in in-dividual well-being, mutual fellow feelingand a sense of brotherhood. The movement isever directed towards the welfare and happi-ness of the many, as visualized by SwamiVivekananda. �

PB-NOVEMBER 2002 44


White or Black?

Ashepherd was grazing his sheep when a passerby said, ‘That’s a fine flock of sheep you have. Could I

ask you something about them?’ ‘Of course,’ said the shepherd. Said the man, ‘How much would you

say your sheep walk each day?’ ‘Which ones, the white ones or the black ones?’ ‘The white ones.’ ‘Well,

the white ones walk about four miles a day.’ ‘And the black ones?’ ‘The black ones too.’

‘And how much grass would you say they eat each day?’ ‘Which ones, the white or the black?’ ‘The

white ones.’ ‘Well, the white ones eat about four pounds of grass each day.’ ‘And the black ones?’ ‘The

black ones too.’

‘And how much wool would you say they give each year?’ ‘Which ones, the white or the black?’ ‘The

white ones.’ ‘Well, I’d say the white ones give some six pounds of wool each year at the shearing time.’

‘And the black ones?’ ‘The black ones too.’

The passerby was intrigued. ‘May I ask you why you have the strange habit of dividing your sheep into

white and black each time you answer one of my questions?’ ‘Well,’ said the shepherd, ‘that’s only natural.

The white ones are mine, you see.’ ‘Ah! And the black ones?’ ‘The black ones too,’ said the shepherd.

The human mind makes foolish divisions in what Love sees as One.

—Anthony de Mello, The Prayer of the Frog, 2.230

45 PB-NOVEMBER 2002

Jábála Upaniøad

TRANSLATED BY SWAMI ATMAPRIYANANDA

Section Four

Inquiry into the Knowledge [which arises from] renunciation of all actions [with desire]

mJofUbomkàgtmÒttlrsÒttmt

y: slfUtu n Ji=untu gtÒtJÖ¢gbwvmbuÀgtuJta > CdJàmkàgtmblwc{qner; > m ntuJta gtÒtJÖ¢g& > c{Ñagø

mbtËg d]ne CJu;T > d]ne CqÀJt Jle CJu;T > Jle CqÀJt ŒJ{su;T > gr= Ju;h:t c{Ñagto=uJ ŒJ{su’]ntÅt JltÅt >

y: vwlhJ{;e Jt J{;e Jt ïtt;fUtu Jtïtt;fUtu Jt WÀmªttrd¿hlrd¿fUtu Jt g=nhuJ rJhsuút=nhuJ ŒJ{su;T >>1>>

1. Then, Janaka, [the king] of Videha, approached Yájñavalkya and said: ‘Bhagavan (re-vered, all-knowing sage), expound [to me] the [tenets] of renunciation (sannyása).’ He, Yájña-valkya, then said: ‘After completing the period of brahmacarya,1 one may become a householder(gìhastha).2 After being a householder, he may become a forest-dweller (vánaprasthin).3 After be-ing a vánaprasthin, he may renounce the world [and become a monk]. Or, on the other hand, hemay renounce the world from the stage of brahmacarya itself4 (celibate studentship under a spiri-tual preceptor in gurugìha) or of gárhasthya (householder’s life) or of vánaprastha (retirement in aforest).5 Further, again, [a person may embrace the life of renunciation of all worldly ties and at-tachments] whether he happens to be an observer of vows or not,6 whether he has completed hisVedic studies (that is, has graduated in his studies) or not,7 or whether he has discontinuedmaintaining the sacred fire at the death of his wife or does not maintain the fire [for othercauses].8 [Thus] one may renounce the worldly life [and embrace sannyása] that very day whendispassion (vairágya) dawns on him.9

(to be continued)

Notes

1. Brahmacarya is an áùrama or stage of life consisting of discipleship in the gurugìha, that is, in the spiri-tual teacher’s home, practising celibacy and living an intensely austere life devoted to study and con-templation of the Vedas and other scriptures under the guru’s loving care and guidance.

2. Having become a householder, he shall spend his time performing as far as possible desireless actioncalculated to do good to society.

3. Vánaprastha is the third áùrama or stage of life after the gìhastha áùrama (householder’s life). After ful-filling his duties in the world and getting tired of any more worldly activity, a householder should re-tire into a forest. In the modern context, this may be interpreted as a quiet place away from the din andbustle of hectic activity. There he should devote himself exclusively to contemplation on God, thehereafter and the higher values of life.

4. When a feeling of intense dispassion (vairágya) arises in the mind of a spiritual aspirant, then, havingfinished with the study of Vedanta, he may renounce the world and embrace sannyása straightawayfrom the brahmacarya stage (that is, without going through the other stages of gárhasthya and vána-prastha). Moreover, he may then enter a higher stage of sannyása, namely, that of a paramahaósa, with-out going through the other lower stages of kuôæcaka, bahédaka and haósa (see the fourth mantra of the

PB-NOVEMBER 2002 46


Turiyátæta Avadhéta Upaniøad), for these lower stages are for those renouncers whose dispassion isweak, fragile (technically, those possessed of manda vairágya).

5. Since dispassion (vairágya) is the only essential requirement for renunciation (sannyása), there is nopresupposition of a particular stage of life (áùrama)—this is the main thrust of the argument.

6. Even after the completion of his initiation into the vánaprastha stage, if he does not obtain sannyása forsome reason, then his state will be twofold: japa (repetition of mantras) and dhyána (meditation). Thisindeed is his vow (vrata). One who observes this vow is called a vratin and one who does not is calledan avratin. —Upaniøad Brahmayogin’s commentary.

7. The technical term used in the text is snátaka, one who has completed his Vedic study in the brahma-carya áùrama. An asnátaka is one who has a smattering of the Vedas.

8. Among the householders, again, there are two types: (1) one who has accepted the sacred fire and itsmaintenance as part of his stage of life, but has discontinued it at his wife’s death. Such a person iscalled an utsannágni (literally, one who has abandoned the [sacred] fire); (2) one who has not acceptedthe sacred fire despite having a wife, on account of his lack of proper saóskáras (purificatory ceremo-nies). Such a person is called an anagnika (literally, one who is without the [sacred] fire). Householdersof both the types may renounce the world and embrace sannyása, provided they are seized bydispassion (vairágya).

9. After elaborately discussing the conditions for renunciation, the Upaniøad ends the discussion bysaying: What more needs to be said? There is no time-bound framework or rule for embracing a life ofrenunciation (sannyása)—the only condition for sannyása is the overpowering of the personality bydispassion (vairágya).

The More You Go towards the East …

Therefore all the senses should be brought under control. Although all senses are turbulent, the tongue

and the sex organ are undoubtedly the prominent ones. It is mentioned in the Bhagavata: ‘Even if a per-

son has gained mastery over all the other senses, he cannot be called conqueror of the senses until he has

subdued the tongue. If the tongue is conquered, all the other senses are as good as conquered’ (11.8.21).

Therefore control of the tongue is the first duty. But the Lord has said from another standpoint: ‘The objects

of the senses fall away from a man practising abstinence, but not the taste for them. But even the taste falls

away when the Supreme is seen.’ (Gita, 2.59)

Our Master used to say, ‘He who has tasted syrup made from sugar candy regards a drink made from

treacle as a mere trifle.’ In other words, if one has developed love for God, one does not care for human love.

One should have love for God; then sense objects will become distasteful. Everything becomes worthless in

comparison. As ‘the more you go towards the east, the farther you will be from the west’, likewise, the more

you want to go towards the Lord, the more you will leave sense attractions behind. One need not make any

special attempt to get rid of them. That is the secret. The essential thing is to worship God. If you do that,

you will not have to strive to control the tongue and other senses—they will be controlled automatically.

—Swami Turiyananda, Spiritual Treasures, 118

� Glimpses of Holy Lives �

The Silent Influence of Holy Company

Lala Ramnarayanji and Dayaliram weretwo Punjabi merchants who migrated toVaranasi in search of better business op-

portunities. Of the two, Ramnarayan was anardent devotee of Lord Shiva. Though a busi-nessman by occupation, he never swervedfrom the path of virtue and honesty and re-garded his prosperity as due to Lord Shiva’sgrace. It is common knowledge that wealth be-gets pride and selfishness. But in Ramnara-yan’s case it was just the reverse. As his wealthincreased so did his humility and detachment.He looked upon himself as merely a trustee ofthe riches that Lord Shiva had bestowed onhim, and spent the greater part of his incomein charity. As a result his fame spread far andwide.

Though Ramnarayan was quite friendlywith Dayaliram, the latter inwardly resentedhis prosperity and popularity. He would se-cretly try to harm his unsuspecting friend invarious ways. Guileless Ramnarayan was of-ten surprised to find his friendly gestures metwith malice by Dayaliram. Gradually Dayali-ram’s ill will developed into open hatred; hebegan to verbally abuse and insult Ramnara-yan on the slightest pretext. Seeing that Ram-narayan did not offer any kind of resistance,an emboldened Dayaliram took to intimida-tion and had him beaten up by ruffians. Oncehe even went to the extent of setting hisfriend’s shop on fire, seeking to damage Ram-narayan’s business.

One morning, as Ramnarayan was re-turning from his bath in the Ganga, Dayaliramaccosted him and tried to draw him into aquarrel. Loudly accusing Ramnarayan ofbusiness malpractices, he struck him with hisshoe! Far from reacting violently, Ramnara-yan bore even this with fortitude. Smiling

sadly, he walked away. Ramnarayan was sadnot because he was humiliated but because hisfriend had sunk so low. He worried aboutDayaliram’s well-being and determined tobring him around, resolving to show morelove towards his fallen friend.

How the Change Came About

Whatever mental vibrations a personemanates will eventually come back to him. Ifhe sends out thoughts of hatred towards an-other, those vibrations will evoke similarthoughts in that person, thereby causing himto hate in return. Thus both become bound upin a negative relationship of hate, each tryingto destroy the other. However, if a person re-sponds to his ‘enemy’ with thoughts of love,those thoughts are sure to conquer the ‘en-emy’ in the end. This is a law of the subtleworld: love breeds love, hatred breeds hatred.

Ramnarayan was full of love and com-passion, whereas Dayaliram’s crooked heartwas full of bitterness and resentment. Butthen, goodness is stronger than wickedness.As days went by, Ramnarayan’s determina-tion to bring his friend back to the path of righ-teousness began to bear fruit. Unknown tohimself, Dayaliram was influenced by Ram-narayan’s goodness and he began to showsigns of repentance.

But Ramnarayan sought to reform hisfriend completely, not just outwardly. Heprayed to Lord Shiva for Dayaliram’s spiritualwelfare: ‘Lord, it distresses me greatly to seehow low Dayaliram has stooped. You dwell inthe hearts of all. If you think I have even a traceof ill feeling towards my friend, punish me;but may peace, brotherliness and love dwell inDayaliram’s heart. I am ready to suffer hell fireif that soothes and purifies his heart. All my

47 PB-NOVEMBER 2002

riches, all the honour that I enjoy are due toYour grace. But if they be the cause of enmity,O Lord, I don’t want them; please take backYour gifts and make me a humble beggar! Sofar as I am aware, I have never prayed forearthly things. Nor do I remember to haveever used Your gifts selfishly—I have alwaysconsidered myself a mere custodian and dedi-cated them to the service of Your devotees. …But it is egotistic on my part even to think likethis, because it is You alone who are gettingsuch things done through me. Still, my Lord, Isuspect that there is hidden somewhere in myheart some hypocrisy, some impurity I don’tknow about, or why should Dayaliram be sohostile towards me? How else could I stir upsuch violent feelings in the heart of my ownfriend? Besides, how can I confidently say thatI have absolutely no desire for wealth andhonour, that I use all my riches in Your ser-vice—as if I understood all my motives fully?That itself is a great sin. Lord, I don’t knowwhat to say. Kindly do what You think is bestfor both of us, but my heart cries in anguish forDayaliram’s well-being …’

Absorbed in intense prayer, Ramnarayanlost consciousness of the outer world. In thatstate he saw a divine vision. Shiva, the God ofgods, appeared before him. Affectionatelyplacing His hand on the devotee’s head, LordShiva spoke to him: ‘Ramnarayan, I am deeplytouched by your faith, devotion and selfless-ness. You and Dayaliram were both mer-chants in your past lives. You walked on thepath of virtue whereas your friend, though abrahmin by birth, chose evil company andstrayed from the path of morality. Under theinfluence of his terrible greed he turned into arobber. One night he came to rob your houseand you, instead of resisting him, gave awaywhatever he wanted to have. You even initi-ated him with My mantra. Your large-heart-edness and compassion had a profound effecton him and he began to worship Me. Once hewent on a pilgrimage to Rameswaram and

worshipped Me with Ganga water and belleaves. But the sins he had already committedwere too great, and in his next birth he wasborn as an evil spirit. However, due to his as-sociation with you and his worship of Me thisevil birth lasted only ten years. Again he wasreborn as a human being, only to continue inhis old evil ways due to the bad tendencies hehad failed to overcome in his earlier lives.Throughout your last three incarnations, im-pelled by karma, he has worked to injure youand you in return have consistently workedfor his welfare, without harbouring a grudge.All this time your love has been silently trans-forming Dayaliram, and today your prayerhas succeeded in completely purifying hisheart. You have come out of these trials suc-cessful. Ramnarayan, I am much pleased withyou. Blessed you are that there is not the leasttrace of worldliness in your pure heart. Restassured that you have always served Me mostselflessly. A self-centred person can neverserve Me; I have no use for such a person’smoney. You are sure to come to Me at the endof this life. Until then remain in the world re-membering Me and discharging your duties.’

When Ramnarayan regained externalconsciousness he found Dayaliram holdinghis feet, sobbing uncontrollably. Lamentinghow greatly he had troubled his holy friend,Dayaliram shed burning tears of repentance.Ramnarayan raised him up and embracedhim, assuring his friend that he was no morethe old Dayaliram but a recipient of the Lord’smercy.

Divine grace, his friend’s goodness andhis own sincere repentance had thoroughlycleansed Dayaliram. He prayed to be initiatedby Ramnarayan. As soon as the mantra wasuttered in his ear, the mantra that he had re-ceived long, long ago gushed up from hisheart like a hidden spring. Henceforth bothfriends devoted themselves entirely to spiri-tual practices and served Lord Shiva till theend of their lives. �

PB-NOVEMBER 2002 48


Review Article

Lakømæ Tantra (A Páðcarátra Text)

Dr Sanjukta Gupta. Motilal Banarsidass, 41-UA Bungalow Road, Jawahar NagarNew Delhi 110 007. 2000. 398 pp. Rs 295.

From time immemorial Tántric Yoga hasbeen considered to be the highest andmost rapid path to spiritual enlighten-

ment. As early as 1916 Otto Schrader recom-mended the Lakømæ Tantra for a meaningfulstudy of Páðcarátra philosophy. If Viønuism isregarded as one of the chief religions of theHindus, the Páðcarátra is the oldest survivingViønuite sect. In spite of constant change andcorruption, says Dr Gupta, the detailed ritualworship prescribed in the old Páðcarátra textsis still performed and practised in many of thefamous temples in southern India and some inthe north.

Lakømæ Tantra stands out prominent be-cause of its exclusive treatment of the mother-goddess Lakømæ, the ùakti of Viøîu- Náráyaîa.Ùakti is regarded as the supreme metaphysicalprinciple. The most striking feature of theLakømæ Tantra is that it has made attempts tomake a synthesis of all the concepts current inthe Paðcatantra and Tántric milieu. It does notalways succeed in blending all these notionssmoothly. The author feels that she could notblend all the contradictory ideas obtainedfrom the Sáïkhya realism and the radical mo-nism of Ùaïkara (Advaitaváda).

The fundamental philosophical postu-lates underlying the Lakømæ Tantra are incor-porated in the five realities. Starting from thehighest, these are God, the absolute void,puruøa, ùakti, niyati, kála, sattva, rajas and tamas,máyá, praséti, prakìti, buddhi, manas andahaïkára, the ten cognitive and conative or-gans, the five subtle and the five gross ele-ments. These represent the basic stages of cre-ation. Puruøa is the collective Man and his ùakti

is Mahálakømi, the active aspect of God. Niyatiis Mahávidyá, who represents the cosmic wis-dom recorded in the Vedas and who controlslaw and order in the universe. Kála is Mahá-ùakti, who is, in fact, primordial nature or thematerial source of creation. The subtle distinc-tions in the stages of primordial nature fromkála to prakìti enable the Páðcarátra system toachieve some degree of consistency in incor-porating the Puráîic concept of creation.

According to Dr Gupta, various streamsof ideas have been reflected in the diverse reli-gious traditions like the anthropomorphic cre-ator, the mythological concept of PrajápatiBrahmá, the Upaniøadic concept of anirvácyabrahma, and the Sáïkhya concept of prakìti-puruøa. The eternal unchangeable Reality has,however, two aspects. In one it is devoid of po-larity (nirálambana-bhávanam). In the other as-pect, all these divine qualities are manifest.Thus Brahman is absolute Being, whereasLakømæ-Náráyaîa is both Being and Becom-ing, or, in other words, manifested Being. Noreason for Brahman’s manifestation or Be-coming is proffered. It is just a will, a pleasure(lælá) of the Supreme.

The author has tried to explain the sec-ond aspect of the supreme Being, which shedescribes as God’s Ùakti, who is knowledge,bliss and activity. In this second aspect, Brah-man is polarized into the divine power (ùakti)and the possessor of the divine power (Ùakti-mat). Ùakti is inherent in God just as light is in-herent in the sun. She is inseparable from God,yet not absolutely identified with Him. Twophrases are often used in the text to denote thisrelationship existing between Ùakti (Lakømæ)

49 PB-NOVEMBER 2002

and God: bhavat-bhávátmaka (being and be-coming) and ahamartha-ahaótá (I-entity andI-hood). These terms exactly describe the rela-tionship. Lakømæ is the Becoming, or the sub-sistence of the absolutely existing God. She isalso the self-hood of the supreme Self (param-átman), that is, of God. In other words, Lakømæis God’s ùakti, His essential nature. She is thedivine presence. She forms the so-called bodyof Náráyaîa consisting of the six divine quali-ties (guîas): jðána, ùakti, aiùvarya, bala, værya andtejas. These guîas contain all the Páðcarátraconcepts of a supreme God. Hence, embody-ing these guîas, Ùakti actually replaces God byperforming all His divine functions and yet re-mains inseparable from Him. This is a unity-in-duality, a two-in-One, the advaya-tattva.

About liberation Lakømæ Tantra has fol-lowed the true nature of Vaiøîava emancipa-tion. The liberated being is not absolutely ex-tinguished in the existence of the absolute Be-ing, but is lifted up to the level of transcenden-tal existence. The existence is identical withthat of Ùakti. The concept of liberation basi-cally depends on (1) the concept of Ùakti andHer relation to God, and (2) the concept of thejævas’ relation to God as being parts of a whole.

According to Dr Gupta, the Lakømæ Tantracontains hundreds of millions of verses andher present translation is only an abridgedversion of the original text. It is very difficult

to ascertain whether the Lakømæ Tantra has fol-lowed any particular philosophical system.But if properly scrutinized, we find well knitin the text two philosophical systems, Sáï-khya and Vedánta, as well as the influence ofMaháyána Buddhism along with the Bhaga-vadgætá. However, the main thrust of the Lakø-mæ Tantra is to establish the supremacy ofLakømæ as a philosophical principle and con-centrate and dedicate the central ritual wor-ship to her.

Dr Gupta has done a monumental workin bringing out this book consisting of fifty-seven sections with a detailed introductorynote. For any serious scholar doing researchwork in this field, the present book is really aboon. The worth of the book has been furtherenriched by five important diagrams (includ-ing two colour diagrams depicting navapad-ma-maîõala, cakrábja-maîõala and navanábha-maîõala) along with authentic indexes ofterms and mantras. The scholarly author mustbe congratulated for her comprehensive re-search in the field of tantra-ùástra. For genera-tions to come this book will give inspirationand fruitful guidance to serious-minded re-searchers both in India and abroad. �

Prof Amalendu ChakrabortyHead of the Department of Philosophy (Retd)

Presidency College, Kolkata

PB-NOVEMBER 2002 50


Jesus at the Football Match

Jesus Christ said he had never been to a football match. So we took him to one, my friends and I. It was a

ferocious battle between the Protestant Punchers and the Catholic Crusaders. The Crusaders scored first.

Jesus cheered wildly and threw his hat high up in the air. Then the Punchers scored. And Jesus cheered

wildly and threw his hat high up in the air.

This seemed to puzzle the man behind us. He tapped Jesus on the shoulder and asked, ‘Which side are

you rooting for, my good man?’ ‘Me?’ replied Jesus, all excited, ‘I’m not rooting for either side. I’m just en-

joying the game.’

The questioner turned to his neighbour and sneered, ‘Hmm, an atheist!’

—Anthony de Mello, The Song of the Bird, 168-9

Reviews

For review in PRABUDDHA BHARATApublishers need to send two copies of their latest publications.

51 PB-NOVEMBER 2002

� Rev iews �

The Essence of the Gita. Swami Sarada-nanda; trans. Swami Tyagananda. Sri Rama-krishna Math, Chennai 600 004. 2000. 125pp. Rs 25.

This book is a slender yet invaluable addition toGætá literature. It contains a series of six talks de-

livered in Bengali by Swami Saradanandaji, a directdisciple of Sri Ramakrishna, to a predominantlyyoung audience. The lectures have been translatedby Swami Tyaganandaji, a former editor of theVedanta Kesari. The book consists of an ‘Introduc-tion’, two chapters on ‘Jnana Yoga’, two chapterson ‘Karma Yoga’ and one on ‘Knowledge and De-votion’. Swami Tyaganandaji ascribes pithy subti-tles which essentially convey the message of theGætá. Some of them are ‘The body, the mind and theSelf’, ‘karma and rebirth’, ‘Self-knowledge, the goalof life’, ‘intense rest in the midst of intense activity’,‘the characteristics of an illumined person’, ‘renun-ciation, the only path to perfection’, ‘wrong notionsabout work and non-work’, ‘the utility of karma’,‘the art of doing work’, ‘desire, the root of all trou-bles’, ‘the role of fate’, ‘harmony between jnana andkarma’, ‘karma leads to knowledge’, ‘knowledgeversus devotion’, ‘harmonizing one’s thoughts andspeech’, and ‘seeing God in everything’.

The necessity of knowing one’s true nature, in-tense detachment, abstaining from the reactionwhich inevitably follows every work we do, culti-vation of a yogi’s calmness in the intoxicating battleof life, and doing work with a higher purpose andunselfish attitude—these are the essential teachingsof the Gætá, as revealed in the pages of this book.Readers can easily understand them. More so be-cause these words have come from a realized soulwho himself had struggled hard to assimilate theseteachings. Saradanandaji was a personification ofcalmness, equipoise and perfection amidst thewhirlpool of activity—the very characteristics de-scribed in the Gætá.

The cover and printing are both excellent. Thisbook is commended for all: youths, academics,devotees and lay people who want to lead a life ofharmony and enlightenment.

Dr Chetana MandaviaAssociate Professor of Plant Physiology

Gujarat Agricultural University, Ahmedabad

Kálámukha and Páùupata Temples inDharwar. Dr (Mrs) Vasundhara Filliozat.Kuppuswami Sastri Research Institute, B4TVK Road, Mylapore, Chennai 600 004.2001. xiv + 256 pp. Rs 250.

This book is the outcome of a deep research onvarious aspects relating to the planning of and

ritualistic worship in the temples belonging to theless-known Pashupata and Kalamukha sects ofShaivism, which are confined to the northern re-gion of Karnataka. The author successfully clarifiesthe prevailing misconceptions regarding these reli-gious sects belonging to Lakula-Shaivism, based onthe adverse comments of Yamunacharya, Rama-nuja and Madhavacharya, who were Vaishnavitephilosophers. According to the author Pashupatasand Kalamukhas were not vamacharins (followersof the left path), but were essentially followers ofthe dakshinachara (right path) system of worship.The Lakulisha Agama which guided the Pashupataand Kalamukha systems of worship is not availablenow; it is possible to know about them onlythrough the Puranas, sthala mahatmya (greatness ofthe holy place) literature and epigraphical data.

According to the Puranas the four disciples ofSage Lakulisha had founded four subdivisions ofLakula-Shaivism, namely, Kalamukha, Pashupata,Kapalika and Kaula. The latter two sects followvamachara. It is interesting to note that modernVirashaivism, which was founded by Basava, is amodified and refined version of Kalamukha and

PB-NOVEMBER 2002 52


Pashupata Shaivism. It is generally believed thatthe Kalamukhas are those who blackened theirfaces by smearing black cinder. This is not correct.They are worshippers of Shiva with five faces—which are associated with five Kalas—and hencecalled Kalamukhas. The systems of worship fol-lowed by Pashupatas and Kalamukhas are almostidentical, but the Kalamukhas attached more im-portance to Shakti (Goddess), while the Pashupatasadored the lion (Simha), Her vehicle. In Karnatakaboth Pashupata and Kalamuka saints were called‘Mahavratins’ or just ‘Bratis’ or ‘Vratis’.

This book deals in detail with the severe austeri-ties (vratas) to be undertaken or performed by thesesaints. The Shiva Purana lays down the detailedcode for the observance of these vratas. All the pon-tiffs of these systems of Shaivism owed their alle-giance to Mallikarjuna and Brahmarambha of Sri-sailam in Andhra Pradesh on the banks of RiverKrishna. In the chapter dealing with the history ofKarnataka the author traces the origins of thespread of Pashupata and Kalamukha systems ofShaivism in Karnataka.

The Shiva temples referred to in this book be-long to the period when Kalyani Chalukyas andHoysalas ruled various parts of Karnataka. The au-thor has given more emphasis to the iconographicalaspects of these temples, including the ones in theDharwar region. Equal importance should havebeen given to the architectural characteristics also.The antarala—the narrow vestibule which sepa-rates the garbhagriha from the rangamandapa (maha-mandapa)—is referred to in this book as sukhanasi.According to shilpa-vastu sastras, the sukhanasi is infact an architectural frontal motif prominentlyplaced above the antarala and attached to thevimana or shikhara roofing the garbhagriha. Thoughthis book mainly deals with the Pasupata-Kala-mukha temples of the Dharwar region, the generalreader will have no idea about the architecturalstyles and other features which distinguish themfrom other temple architectural styles of India. Thisdeficiency could have been overcome by providingphotographic views and ground plans of at leastthe temples with which this book deals in detail.

The book contains eight appendices coveringmore than two thirds of the book. Each appendixcontains the Sanskrit original extracted from vari-ous Shiva Puranas and their translation into Eng-lish. Wherever possible, the author could haveomitted the Sanskrit originals extracted from Pura-

nas, and given enough room for more photographsand other illustrations in the shape of drawings ofthe plans, elevations and sections of the templesdealt with in this book. On the whole this book canbe recommended to scholars who have undertakenresearch regarding the evolution of the planningpatterns and architectural forms of Indian temples,which have been influenced by the ritualistic wor-ship of people in various parts of India.

Mrs Filliozat is to be congratulated on the enor-mous pains she has taken to study in depth theglory that is the Indian temple.

G Venkataramana ReddyArchitect and Planner, Chennai

The Prasthanatraya—An Introduction.Swami Harshananda. Ramakrishna Math,Bull Temple Road, Bangalore 560 019.2001. viii + 134 pp. Rs 25.

Swami Harshananda is an acknowledged author-ity on Indian scriptures and his extensive publi-

cations in this field are well known. This small bookis an invaluable addition to the area. It gives the es-sence of the three foundational texts which spell outthe final goal of human existence and form the basisof the Vedanta philosophy. They are theBhagavadgita, the Upanishads and the Brahma Su-tras, together called the prasthanatraya. Publishedearlier as separate booklets, these three have beenput together for the first time in a convenient vol-ume helpful to those who want to be introduced tothese texts for the first time or to those who want touse it as a ready reference.

The book is divided into three broad sectionsand each of these is subdivided into chapters. Thefirst section deals with the smritiprasthana, that is,the Bhagavadgita. It speaks about the date of com-position, its author, its philosophy (a chapter-wisesummary) and commentaries of some great think-ers along with the dates. In conclusion, the authorstresses the continuing relevance of this text, itssublimity, universal outlook and its independentexistence in spite of its being a part of the largerepic, the Mahabharata. He considers it the quintes-sence of this monumental epic.

The next section is on the Upanishads and is thelongest one in the book comprising thirteen chap-ters. Belonging to the category of the srutiprasthanaor the revealed scriptures, these texts are said to be

53 PB-NOVEMBER 2002

Reviews 577

God is Everything. Swami Sarvagatananda.Vedanta Society of Toronto, 120 EmmettAvenue, Toronto, Ontario, M6M 2E6.2001. 130 + x pp. Hardback US $ 15, paper-back US $ 12.

This book is based on the lectures that SwamiSarvagatananda, a senior monk of the Ramakri-

shna Order and former head of the Vedanta Soci-eties of Boston and Providence, gave at a retreat inToronto. Although so many other books are avail-able on all Upanishads, including the IshavasyaUpanishad, the one under review is unique in the

the highest representatives of the Hindu spiritualtradition. The author observes that ‘the Upanishadshave created, strengthened and preserved a greattradition of spirituality … by a fearless spirit of in-quiry … by intuitive mystical experiences beyondthe ken of the intellect … converging to a unitiveprinciple.’ In this section the author has identifiedthe oldest and most authoritative works from alarger body of compositions included under theheading of Upanishads. Under the discussion oftheir philosophy Harshanandaji has taken up con-cepts that engage the human being at all times, suchas Brahman, Atman, creation, bondage and libera-tion, eschatology, and vidyas or upasanas.

The last section of the book deals with theBrahma Sutras and begins with an explication of theterm sutra. Then the author and the work are intro-duced followed by a summary of the four adhyayasof the text: samanvayadhyaya, which attempts to har-monize the principles of the Upanishads; aviro-dhadhyaya, which dispels contradictions; sadhana-dhyaya, which discusses diverse topics such astransmigration, karma, dream-creations, vidyas, rit-uals, ashramas and prayashcittas; and finally phala-dhyaya, which mainly concentrates on the jiva’sjourney after death.

It is to the credit of the author that he has expli-cated such abstruse doctrines with the greatest clar-ity and brevity. The volume is thus indispensableto all who have some interest in matters spiritual.The pleasing getup, symbolic cover design andreader-friendly print add to the value of this com-prehensive volume.

Dr M SivaramkrishnaFormer Professor and Head, Department of English

Osmania University, Hyderabad

way the author has handled and presented the sub-ject matter. He seems to be not only speaking di-rectly from his own heart, but also talking to read-ers face to face. Of the 130 pages of the book, twelvepages comprise the glossary, bibliography and in-dex, which immensely increase its value.

Like any other Upanishad, the main objective ofthe Ishavasya Upanishad is to impart the knowledgeof Brahman. However, this Upanishad focuses ourattention on the immanence of the Divinity in ev-erything that constitutes this manifest universe.Hence God is Everything is an apt title for this book.But the swami is quick to point out on page 5 that hewould rather prefer the words, ‘ruling force’ or‘spiritual force’ to ‘God’. For the latter gives the im-pression of a deity sitting above the clouds, whilethe God of the Upanishads is the nearest of the near.It is He who sees through our eyes, hears throughour ears and thinks through our mind. That spiri-tual force is also called the Self or Atman. The At-man is identical with Brahman, the cosmic con-sciousness, which the swami calls blissful or lovingconsciousness, which like space is infinite and con-stant. So the first verse says, ‘The ruling forcedwells in all of this, in every bit of it, even in any-thing that is changing or moving. By that renuncia-tion, enjoy; do not covet the wealth of anyone’ (5).The remaining seventeen verses of this Upanishadare nothing but the elaboration of the same theme.

How do we know that God or the ruling force isimmanent in every particle of this universe? An im-plied answer to this question is that the sages of thisUpanishad said everything based on their own ex-perience. However, the swami provides examplesof many illumined souls to validate the truth of thisverse. In particular, direct testimonies from thelives of Sri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother Sri SaradaDevi and Swami Vivekananda are cited to bringhome the meaning of this first verse. For example,Sri Ramakrishna said, ‘I see that it is God Himselfwho has become all this. It seems to me that menand other living beings are made of leather, andthat it is God Himself who, dwelling inside theseleather cases, moves the hands, the feet, the heads’(The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, 941-2). The author’sextensive quotes from the lives of Sri Ramakrishna,Holy Mother and Swamiji to illustrate the meaningand verification of the truth of the first and otherseventeen verses is a unique feature of this book. Atthe same time one can now better understand thesubtle meanings of the Gospel and Swamiji’s Com-

PB-NOVEMBER 2002 54


plete Works. Holy Mother’s last message, whichalso the Swami quotes, ‘Learn to make the wholeworld your own. No one is a stranger, my child; thewhole world is your own’ (14), assumes a new sig-nificance in the context of this verse. So also Ma-hatma Gandhi’s ideas on Trusteeship and equalityof all castes and calling untouchables as Harijans(15-6) find their philosophical underpinnings in thefirst verse.

Sri Ramakrishna used to say that the purpose oflife is to realize the Self. Why? For the Self is blissfuland immortal. In this changing world there is noth-ing permanent. We must give up the idea of propri-etorship. By detaching from that which is transientand holding fast to the One that is permanent, onecan enjoy life on earth. The next two verses resolvethis seeming contradiction between renunciationand enjoyment. There are other such contradictionsthroughout this Upanishad, which the author hasadroitly resolved by referring back to the meaningof the first verse.

Most importantly, Swami Sarvagatanandaseems very authentic in his exposition when he pro-vides some personal anecdotes about his own guru,Swami Akhandanandaji, a direct disciple of SriRamakrishna. Similarly, the swami’s appreciationof a fellow Muslim passenger during a train jour-ney from Lahore to Calcutta in 1944 is a further ver-ification of the universal message of thisUpanishad. (12)

Although this is a relatively short Upanishadwith only eighteen verses, the swami cautions thereader not to hurry it through, but use the threefoldtechnique often urged by ancient sages for realizingthe Self. They are sravana, manana and nididhaysana(3-4, 117-8). He has reinforced this advice by quot-ing his own guru (18-9), who impressed on him thevalue of introspection and conducting our lives inwhat the swami calls a ‘conscientious-consciousway’.

Lastly, Vedanta Society of Toronto should bethanked for publishing these excellent lectures.However, even the moderate price set for this bookis beyond the reach of many of our compatriots inIndia. I would, therefore, like to urge any of the twopublishing houses of the Ramakrishna Order to get

Hinduism—A Panoramic View. SwamiHarshananda. Ramakrishna Math, Banga-lore. 1999. 40 pp. Rs 10.

This book is a successful elucidation of the mean-ing of Hinduism in a changing society. Swami

Harshanandaji has rightly emphasized that the per-spectives of Sri Ramakrishna and Swami Viveka-nanda are as relevant today as they are significant.A society cannot be prosperous without religion.Again, religion cannot endure except within theambit of society.

Sri Ramakrishna alluded to the householder’sway of life as the basis of social life. Swami Viveka-nanda also said as much: ‘The householder is thebasis, the prop, of the whole society. He is the prin-cipal earner. The poor, the weak, the children andthe women who do not work—all live upon thehouseholder’ (CW, 1.45). Hinduism is a way of lifeoffering guidance to people in all stages of life,householders included. It defines four basic values:righteousness (dharma), wealth (artha), desire(kama) and liberation (moksha).

Every ritual a Hindu observes—the namingceremony (namakarana), the first-feeding ceremony(annaprashana), to mention two—has a philosophybehind. The author brings out clearly the philoso-phy behind various acts and rituals in a Hindu’slife. He also surveys the various stages throughwhich Hinduism has traversed: from the Upani-shadic to the modern. The Hindu believes that hisreligion is destined to have a more glorious future.The author justly remarks that ‘there is an urgentneed to give a new look to the Hindu society, tomake it more homogeneous or, at least, moreunited.’ (35)

A brief but authentic interpretation of Hinduscriptures, this booklet is sure to inspire everyone.

Swami GirishatmanandaBelur Math

the publishing and distribution rights for India atan affordable price.

Dr Umesh C GulatiProfessor Emeritus

East Carolina University, USA

Nothing dies faster than a new idea in a closed mind.

� Repor t s �

Commissioned. Mobile medical service; byRamakrishna Mission (Advaita Ashrama),Jammu; on 2 August.

Visited. Uttar Pradesh Governor Sri Vishnu-kant Shastri; Ramakrishna Math, Lucknow;on 9 August. He inaugurated a 3-day Ram-charitmanas discourse.

Inaugurated. The central administrativeblock, Saradananda Bhavan, and three thor-oughly renovated monks’ quarters; at Rama-krishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission,Viveknagar; by Srimat Swami Atmasthanan-

daji Maharaj, Vice-President, RamakrishnaMath and Ramakrishna Mission; on 21 and31 August, respectively.

Won. Second prize at the state-level YouthParliament Scheme competition organizedby the West Bengal government; by studentsof Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandira,Belur; on 28 August.

Secured. 1st and 4th ranks in this year’s Cal-cutta University BSc (General) examination;by two students of the college run by Rama-krishna Mission Students’ Home, Rahara.

Gujarat Earthquake Relief and Rehabilitation Project

(Progress up to 31 March 2002)

A report issued by

Swami Smarananandaji, General Secretary, Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission

The massive earthquake that rocked Gujarat on 26 January 2001 was one of the worst natural

disasters in the country. Out of 25 districts of Gujarat, 21 districts having 181 talukas and 7633 vil-

lages fell prey to this calamity.

Primary Relief: The Ramakrishna Mission conducted extensive relief operations from the very

first day itself. Cooked food, food packets, food grains, drinking water, tarpaulins, tents, blankets and

clothes were distributed to tens of thousands of quake-affected people of nearly 281 villages in Kutch,

Rajkot, Jamnagar, Porbandar and Surendranagar districts through our Rajkot, Porbandar and Limbdi

centres. Medical camps were also conducted at Bhuj and surrounding areas.

After distribution of these items in the first phase of primary relief, about 3400 families rendered

homeless by the earthquake were provided temporary shelters.

The total amount spent on primary relief was nearly Rs 3 crore.

Rehabilitation: After conducting primary relief, the Ramakrishna Mission undertook a massive

rehabilitation project. On 16 February the General Secretary performed bhumi pujan (ground-breaking

ceremony) for the proposed new township at Dhaneti village near Bhuj in Kutch in the presence of

several monks, government officials and many other distinguished persons. Construction of houses

started on 23 March at Dhaneti village through our Rajkot centre.

Meanwhile, the Government of Gujarat started giving cash subsidies to earthquake victims, cat-

egory-wise, under the Build Your Own House scheme. Those for whom any voluntary organization

55 PB-NOVEMBER 2002

had proposed to build houses were not entitled for the subsidy and they were to relinquish their old

lands. Therefore, most of the villagers preferred accepting cash subsidy from the government. On the

other hand, the Gujarat government authorities requested us to take up reconstruction of as many pri-

mary school buildings as possible. Therefore, the Mission had to reduce the number of dwelling

houses to be built, and take up instead construction of school buildings in many places. Large-scale

rehabilitation projects were launched in Kutch, Porbandar, Rajkot and Surendranagar districts through

our Rajkot, Porbandar and Limbdi centres, and through the rehabilitation camps at Surendranagar,

Dhaneti (Kutch) and Morbi (Rajkot). The projects included the following: (i) construction of 353

houses, 76 school buildings, 2 community centres and 2 prayer halls; (ii) providing building materials

to 159 families under the Build Your Own House scheme; (iii) digging 7 ponds, water reservoirs, etc.

Inauguration of Buildings: On 30 June 2001 the first two newly built primary school buildings

were inaugurated and handed over to the school authorities. Subsequently, at regular intervals, the

school buildings and housing colonies were completed and handed over. His Excellency the Governor

of Gujarat, the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Gujarat, Revered Swami Atmasthanandaji, Vice-President of

the Ramakrishna Math and the Ramakrishna Mission, the General Secretary of the Ramakrishna

Math and the Ramakrishna Mission, and other dignitaries inaugurated the buildings at different

places. The construction work of the remaining houses and school buildings is in progress. Till now

43 newly built school buildings and 240 houses have been inaugurated and handed over to school

authorities and beneficiaries. Although our original target was Rs 10 crore, in view of overwhelming

response from generous donors, both from India and abroad, we had to extend it to nearly Rs 16

crore.

We are glad to inform the donors that all Indian donations received under 100% income tax ex-

emption were fully utilized by 10 March 2002. Needless to mention, we could not have undertaken

such a massive primary relief work and huge rehabilitation projects without the unstinted support and

cooperation from generous and large-hearted people, benevolent organizations, volunteers and oth-

ers, their sympathetic concern, spontaneous response and painstaking hard work for the noble cause.

This progress report is just for information and not an appeal for further donations.

PB-NOVEMBER 2002 56


Contentment

Henry Ford always bought flowers for his wife from a shop every Friday evening. Once he asked the old

florist, ‘Gentleman, you have a good shop. Why not open a branch?’

Florist: ‘Sir, then what?’

Ford: ‘You’ll then have several branches in Detroit.’

Florist: ‘Then what?’

Ford: ‘Then all over USA.’

Florist: ‘And then?’

Ford (angrily): ‘Damn it, you’ll then be able to relax.’

Florist, ‘What do you think I’m doing now?’

Ford walked away sheepishly.

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