Voice of the Worldwide Vedanta Movement

Fall 2010 Vol. XV, No. 4

In this Issue: Religions of the World A Sadhana for Shoppers Yoga in the Eyes of Vivekananda Sri Chaitanya

and more

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Editor-in-chief Swami Bhaskarananda Editors Allen R. Freedman Stafford Smith Editorial Assistant Devra Freedman Production/Design/Artwork Charles Mathias Brahmachari David Kathleen Teague Scott Wirth Advertising/Business Assistant Swami Avikarananda Editorial and Business Offices 2716 Broadway East Seattle, WA 98102-3909 Phone: 206-323-1228 Fax: 206-329-1791 E-mail: global@vedanta-seattle.org Global Vedanta, Issue #58 (ISSN 1089-6902) 2010 Viveka Press. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any portion of Global Vedanta without the express written permission of the publisher is prohibited. The opinions expressed by the contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher. Global Vedanta is published quarterly for us$12.00/year in the U.S.A.; us$14.00/year in Canada & Mexico; us$18.00/year in all other countries. Viveka Press, the publisher of Global Vedanta, is the publishing arm of the Vedanta Society of Western Washington, a branch of the Ramakrishna Order of India. The Society, a non-profit corporation founded in 1941, gratefully accepts tax-deductible contributions and bequests to assist its efforts to publicize various aspects of Vedanta with special emphasis on its teaching of the harmony of all religions. All editorial and pre-press work on Global Vedanta is provided on a voluntary basis.

fall 2010 vol. xv, no. 4

This Issue
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Religions of the World: Same or Different? by Swami Tyagananda Symbols of Some of the Worlds Religions artwork by Kathleen Teague Treasure from the Attic: Sri Chaitanya by Swami Prabhavananda A Sadhana for Shoppers by Bahut Pagal Yoga in the Eyes of Vivekananda by Swami Bhaskarananda

Departments
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Letters HumorThe Spice of Life Poets Corner Vedanta News from Around the World In Memoriam About the Contributors Chakraborty.

President Swami Bhaskarananda Cover: Sri Chaitanya, from a drawing by Biswa Ranjan Board of Directors Additional artwork by Brahmachari David. Chairman Mr. Stafford Smith Vice-Chairman Dr. Anadijiban Das Treasurer Dr. AllenR. Freedman Secretary Mr. Charles S. Wirth Directors Swami Avikarananda, Swami Brahmatmananda, Mrs. Rita Das, Mr. John E. Flynn, Swami Manishananda, Mr. Charles Mathias, Dr. Parthasarathi Mukhopadhyay, Dr. Usha Sankrithi Emeriti Dr. Santosh Kumar, Dr. Darbari Lal Sharma

Ghosts by Marion Lee is the most enlightening description of the nature of the concentric universe. The nature of the frequency of vibrations determines the nature of each of the lokas. Thus all lokas can co-exist in the same space.
R. Roychudhury, Austin, Texas

have been performing for the upliftment of the human soul is an immeasurable effort for the well-being of humanity.

LETTERS

Ajit Maitra, Sheoraphuli, West Bengal

I am a regular reader of Global Vedanta. This great magazines mission, I think, is enlightenment of the human soul, in the light of practical Vedanta. The great job you, along with your devoted companions, Vol. xv, No. 4

I look forward to the issue of the Global Vedanta eagerly. The two part story of Swami Sambuddhanandaji organizing the First Birth Centenary of Sri Sri Thakur was very informative and also inspired us by the perserverance of Swami Sambuddhananda in overcoming all the obstacles that beset him. The part where the mesGLOBAL VEDANTA

sage of Srimat Gangadhar Maharaj [the then president of the Ramakrishna Order] was sought for, his refusal even when Josephine Macleod went to ask for it, and finally the miraculous intervention of Sri Sri Thakur Himself, and the way a friend in the postal department helped in the dispatch at the very last minuteduring a time when no emails were even dreamed ofmakes fascinating reading.
Umasundari Sambanthan, Malaysia

religions of the world: same or different?

t is simplistic to say that the religions of the world are all the same. They are clearly not. But it is also simplistic to say that the religions of the world are so different that they share nothing at all in common. That is not true either. Religions do share much in common, but opinions can vary about what it is that is shared among religions and where it is that they differ. To me it seems reasonable to affirm that every religion has something unique to contribute to the religious consciousness of the world. If it didnt, it would not only not survive for long but wouldnt really be a religion in the best sense of the term. Every religion which has survived the test of time is special and, of course, different from other religions. It has been suggested by some that while religions of the world differ considerably in their social aspect (based as it is on culture, languageand the symbols and images that emerge from them), they are remarkably close to one another in their experiential aspect (based on the direct experience of what lies beyond the sensory field). This has led to the idea that religions of the world, while no doubt different, are essentially the same. This idea is tantalizing and welcomed by many. Others resist it, because it raises several questions: who gets to decide what the essential part of religion is? Since the social aspects of different religions are obviously different, should we assumeand upon what evidencethat the experiential aspects of the religions are the same (or even similar)? Did the enlightened ones of the different religions experience the same thing? None of these is an easy question to answer, primarily because there is no universally accepted definition of even the word religion, what to speak of words such as enlightenment or religious experience. What makes something a religion? Can something be called a religion just because its followers identify it as such? There is no universal agreement about the nature of what gets described as religion. Is religion primarily a social phenomenon or a spiritual quest? Reli2

by swami tyagananda

gion, to many, is inseparable from their mortality, imperfection, bondage, and social lives and relationships; for others, ignorance? Freed from their theological it is primarily concerned with their rela- trappings, it would seem that the words tionship with God and only secondarily point to an experience of something that with the world. God is another loaded every human being seeks. It would seem word in the field of religion: it seems un- that where human beings differ is in the avoidable but not everyone uses it in the how of their quest, not in the what of same sense. Two people may talk about their prize. But the prize gets clothed in God, but each of them may be thinking, different words and hung upon different or picturing, or conceptualf rameworks and then it izing a being who looks very different. may be very difSimilarly, it is Sooner or later we all ferent f rom the realize that all religions possible to look others. the different are only so many labels: at Language and w o rd s s u c h a s they play an important concepts become God, Allah, vara, the barriers for Great Spirit, even role in our lives but communication Emptiness, and it is good not to remain and, ironically, wonder whethconfined to these they are also the er they point to labels forever. instruments we use the same Truth or to communicate with Being but conceived one another. Can we use language to differently since it is viewed from the overcome the barrier of language? Can lenses of different minds. Because the we use concepts to lead us beyond (or lenses are different, the answers to these around) concepts toward the reality that questions are different as well: Is the Ulis being conceptualized? I believe we can, timate with form or formless or beyond butas with most significant things in even the concept of form? Is the Ultimate lifeit is not easy. It needs patience, per- with attributes or attributeless or beyond severance and, most importantly, clarity even the concept of attribute ? Never of vision and purpose. mind the different answers, but does As mode of communication and carri- that necessarily make the Ultimate difers of ideas, words are indispensable. But, ferent too? If it is claimed that there are as Shankaracharya points out: The web different Ultimates, then none of them of words is like a dense forest that causes would be much of an Ultimate, unless we the mind to wander.1 When we get want to go back to a much simplerbut caught in words, or in the concepts that increasingly problematicaffirmation they convey, and lose sight of the reality that ones own Ultimate is true and all they point to, we are in trouble. Take the others are false. case of the goal of life. Do religions point Once we begin to search for unity in to the same goal? Apparently not. There the midst of diversity, there is no stopis no way to affirm that the Christian ping. It is possible to do this carefully salvation, Buddhist nirvana, and Hindu and respectfully, without diminishing moksha are one and the same. Not only the sanctity, beauty and importance of are the words different but the concepts diversity. If we persist in our efforts to they stand for look different too. But it look deeply into the differences between is possible to dig deeper, to clear through religions, we may make more startling the dense forest of conceptual frame- discoveries. While the practices of difworks, and ask: dont all of these words ferent religions are obviously different, point to an experience that eclipses or is it really impossible to find things that leaves behind the human experience of they share in common? Most religions advocate practices such as prayer, wor1. Vivekachdmani, 60. ship, contemplation, and selfless service. GLOBAL VEDANTA fall 2010

The details regarding thesethe how and the whenwill be different and the why will be answered through the theological f ramework of every religion. But the essence of the practice, in my opinion, is shared across religious boundaries. Those engaged in prayer and other spiritual practices, irrespective of their religious affiliations, are trying to transcend their human limitations by employing the means provided by their faith traditions. It is possible to associate all religious practices with the different faculties of the human mind. There are practices that primarily employ the faculty of reason; others use feelings and emotions; yet others, will-power. Any practice that helps to establish a relationship or connection between the individual and God is a spiritual practice, and is called yoga. Yoga is a Sanskrit word meaning to yoke or to joinin this case, it joins the human being with the Divine Being, or the creature with the Creator. Depending on which faculty of the human mind is dominant in any practice, the yogas have been classified by Swami Vivekananda into four groups: karma yoga (the path of selfless work), bhakti yoga (the path of love or devotion), jnana yoga (the path of philosophy or reason), and raja yoga (the path of contemplation). Sooner or later we all realize that all religions are only so many labels: they play an important role in our lives but it is good not to remain confined to these labels forever. At some point our consciousness must rise beyond what each of us sees as my religion. There is a Religion (with a capital R) that transcends all religions (with a small r). Being a citizen of a country is good and helpful, but at some level we must realize that we are also, simultaneously, citizens of the world. The same is true in the field of religions as well.

symbols of some of the worlds major religions

artwork by kathleen teague

OM (or AUM) representing the Ultimate Reality or Brahman

Hinduism

The Faravahar, a complex symbol depicting the striving and ultimate glory of the soul

Z o ro a s t r i a n i s m

The Menorah, used for religious rites in homes and temples

Judaism

Yin Yang depicting the pairs of opposites and endless cycles that make up the world

Taoism

The Wheel of Dharma depicting Lord Buddhas eightfold path to enlightenment

Buddhi sm

The Cross upon which Jesus was crucified thus saving humanity from its sins

Ch r i s t i a ni t y

The Crescent and Star accepted by many, but not by all Moslems as a symbol of their faith

Is lam

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tREAsure from the attic sri chaitanya

(This article has been compiled, with only dia. Sri Chaitanya was the youngest son. friend to read a few pages to him, he grew slight editing, from two articles by the late He was given the name Bishwambhar, dispirited. I cherished a hope, he replied Swami Prabhavananda which appeared in nicknamed Nimai. He was also called to a question from Chaitanya, of leaving the Voice of India September and October Gaur or Gouranga (fair-complexioned) a name behind me, but I realize that my 1938.ed.) because of the exquisite beauty of his work will not be read if yours is given to n Sri Chaitanya is to be found the person. The name Sri Krishna Chaitanya the public. culmination and fulfillment of the he received after his acceptance in the To this Chaitanya replied: This trivial philosophy and the religion of love. order of monks. matter must not disturb you. I will see Vaishnavism, which is that your work is recthe philosophical exognized. Thereupon he pression of the ideal of threw his own manulove for God, through script into the Ganges. him ushered in a new Though he had not era in the cultural life yet completed his eduof Bengal. Some one cation, at sixteen he has truthfully said: It opened a school of his has found exquisite exown at Navadwip, and pression in lyrical poetry in that city he gained and music in a richly fame as one of the emotional school of devogreatest teachers of tional hymns which has grammar and logic of been a peculiar contribuhis time, and hundreds tion of Bengal. Every of students flocked to Bengali has in his blood a him. During this peliberal dose of this sweet riod of his life he wrote religion of love as a cula book on Sanskrit tural inheritance. grammar, which was Sri Chaitanya dancing and singing in spiritual ecstacy with devotees. Even more than his widely used. philosophy, it is Sri At the age of twenChaitanyas pure and gentle character, his As a small baby he was afflicted with ty-two or twenty-three, he departed upon ecstatic love for God, full of sweetness prolonged fits of weeping, the only rem- a pilgrimage to Gaya, the site of a famous and loving-kindness, that has ruled, and edy for which his mother found to be the temple dedicated to Vishnu. It was at still does rule, the hearts of the people of chanting of the name of Hari (God). As Gaya that Buddha, centuries before, sat Bengal. He knew no distinction of caste a boy, he was full of mischief and took under the Bodhi tree in meditation and or creed in his overflowing love for God pleasure in teasing others and playing attained illumination. And here the young and man; all men, whether they were sin- pranks, more than in study. Sri Chaitanya, then known as Nimai ners or saints, were to him but creatures He lost his father when he was eleven Pandit, while worshipping at the feet of of God, and his heart overflowed with years old. It was then that the boy serious- Vishnu, received a sudden illumination kindness and sympathy for the lowly, the ly bent himself to mastering his studies in that transformed his whole being. Tears suffering, and the destitute. So his very literature and grammar and other branch- rolled down his cheeks and he lost himself name excites genuine spiritual emotions es of knowledge. He became the pupil of in ecstasy. Amongst the pilgrims was a in the hearts of those who know of him. the well-known teacher of Sanskrit learn- monk, Iswar Puri, a sannyasin of the orHis followers see in him Krishna reborn ing, Vasudeva Sarababhauma, the famous der of Samkara, who had met Chaitanya in the flesh. founder of Neo-logic (Nabya-Nyaya) of before and knew him for a great scholar. Sri Chaitanya was born in the year the Bengal school in conjunction with his Now he recognized in him a great devotee as he witnessed his ecstatic condition. 1485 at Navadwip, at that time a large city brilliant pupil Raghunath. in Bengal and the seat of Sanskrit learnAn interesting story is told of the rela- Chaitanya asked for blessing at the hands ing, particularly of grammar and logic. tion between Raghunath and the young of Iswar Puri, who then initiated him into His parents lost their first eight children, Chaitanya. The former, a fellow-student, the worship of Krishna. Nimai returned to Navadwip a changed all of them daughters, in infancy, and the being at work upon his famous treatise on man. The unrivalled scholastic debater, the ninth, a boy, named Viswarupa, at an early logic, learned that Chaitanya was writing grammarian, the logician, now disapage, entered a monastery in Southern In- a book of the same character. Asking his

by swami prabhavananda

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peared. Instead, there presented itself before men a serene, exalted person, continually chanting Krishna, Krishna. His former students gathered about him as was their custom, but he could no longer teach them. Brothers, he cried, I can no longer give you lessons. Whenever I attempt to explain anything to you, I see before me the little boy Krishna, playing upon his flute. You had better seek some other teacher. Thereupon he sang a kirtan, which has come down to this day and is sung by the Vaishnavas of Bengal.1 Now there gathered round the master devotees who would meet together and find joy in the contemplation of God. So did Sri Chaitanya become a great spiritual force in the city of Navadwip, and the lives of many unbelievers were transformed by the touch of this Godintoxicated man. Some of the disciples in later years played an important part in preaching his message of love and giving peace and consolation to many a hungry soul. At the age of twenty-five, but two years after his conversion at Gaya, Sri Chaitanya was seized by a burning desire for renunciation. Swami Durga Chaitanya Bharati, a follower of Sri Chaitanya and his biographer, writes of this: The story of Gourangas renunciation has few parallels in history. The heart-rending story of his renunciation when he left his aged mother, loving young wife, and all Navadwip bewailing his separation, soon spread in all directions and moved the people in a way that nothing else did before in Bengal. This story has since been carried to the furthest corners of the country through poetry, songs, ballads, dramas, and discourses, and yet even after these four hundred and forty-four years it has not lost in the least in its original pathos. There is no man or woman, young or old, who even to this day hearing of Gourangas renunciation is not moved to tears. He then took monastic vows at the hands of Kesava Bharati, a follower of the order of Samkara. To Kesava Bharati
1. The kirtan, which is composed of the many names of Krishna together with His various attributes, is sung to the accompaniment of certain musical instruments. The devotees join in the singing and dance in ecstatic joy. The first chant composed by Sri Chaitanya as he closed down his school, runs thus: Hari Haraye nama, Krishna Jadavaya nama, Golpala, Govinda, Rama, Sri Madhusudana.

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he related how in a dream he had received the Mahavakyathe sacred truth, Tattam asiThou art Thatas revealed to the seers of the Upanishads, and the great saint and philosopher Samkara accepted as containing the very essence of ultimate truth. Keshava Bharati, in initiating Gouranga into the mysteries of the life of a monk, also initiated him into this same Mahavakya. Whatever of philosophy may have been codified by his disciples into a system, this great saint discovered an essential harmony between love and knowledge. His biographers tell us that he possessed a dual personality. On the one hand, while he was in samadhi, having lost consciousness of the outer world and all sense of me and mine, he taught men that he was one with God; on the other, upon his return to normal consciousness, he remained a lover of God and he could not bear the thought that he was one with God. In the normal state of consciousness he desired to taste the sweetness of sugar and not become sugar. Sri Ramakrishna has explained this attitude by remarking that like an elephant, he had two sets of teeth, one with which to chew his food, the other with which to defend himself from outside obstacles. Sri Chaitanya moved in two states of consciousness. While in the normal state, he was a dualist: he was the lover of God, and God was the Beloved. In samadhi, however, he realized the truth of non-dualism, the lover and the Beloved became one. To the outside world and for the mass of men, he preached the ideal of love and the philosophy of dualism; and to the chosen few he preached the highest truth, which he dared not reveal to all men, who are not prepared to receive it, the supreme truth of non-dualism. This basic principle is corroborated by his famous conversation with Ramananda Roy: Sri Chaitanya: What is the goal of life? Disciple: A man must follow the rules and injunctions as prescribed in the Scriptures. This is the means of attaining devotion. Sri Chaitanya: This is the external part of religiononly a means, not the goal. What next? Disciple: Surrendering the fruits of action to Krishna. Sri Chaitanya: This, too, is external. What next? Disciple: Devotion that arises from self-surrender. Sri Chaitanya: This, too, is external. What next? Disciple: Devotion with knowledge. Sri Chaitanya: This, too, is external. What next? Disciple: Pure devotion, which knows no reason. Sri Chaitanya: That is good. Go further. Disciple: Loving devotion is the best. Sri Chaitanya: That is good. Go further. Disciple: The spirit of service to Krishna. Sri Chaitanya: That is good. What next? Disciple: To love Krishna as a friend. Sri Chaitanya: That is very good. Go further. Disciple: To love Krishna as a child. Sri Chaitanya: That is also good. Go further. Disciple: To love Krishna as the beloved bridegroom. Sri Chaitanya: This is no doubt the furthest goal. But tell me if there is any attainment further than this. Disciple: My understanding does not reach beyond this. But there is another stage called Prem-Vilas-Vivarta, The biographers of Sri Chaitanya record that at this point Sri Chaitanya stopped Ramananda from speaking, indicating thereby that the highest truth, the highest secret, must not be divulged. Prem-Vilas-Vivarta is the truth of mystic union, wherein there is no longer the distinction between the lover and the beloved. In this is realized the truth of non-dualismTat Twam asiThou art That. It is interesting to note in this connection that Sri Chaitanya, though he did not accept Samkaras doctrine of maya, nowhere denounced Samkara as did most of the philosophers of the doctrine of love, who preceded him. On the contrary, it is recorded GLOBAL VEDANTA 5

by the disciples of Chaitanya that their master very plainly stated that Samkara wrote his commentary and expounded his philosophy by the direct command of God.2 But to return to the story of Chaitanya: After his initiation into the monastic order he set out for Puri, a well-known place of pilgrimage. There he resided for many years, with occasional departures for preaching or teaching. At one time he toured Southern India, visiting and worshipping in many of the temples without prejudice against other forms or aspects of the one Godhead. He also paid

a visit to Brindaban, the holy seat of the Vaishnavas, where Krishna had engaged in his divine play with the shepherds and shepherdesses. The present Brindaban owes much to Sri Chaitanya and his disciples, who rescued the holy place from oblivion. His last days were spent in Puri. Here his overmastering consuming love for God literally flooded the country round about. In the Temple of Puri his influence continues to be felt. During most of the last twelve years of his life at Puri, Chaitanya lived in samadhi and in the state midway between samadhi and normal consciousness. In

these states, he was like a mad lover of Krishna, sometimes enjoying the sweetness of union with Krishna, and again suffering the pangs of separation from Him, and these pangs were also sweet. The passing of Sri Chaitanya is shrouded in mystery, his biographers giving no certain account of it. Most of them, however, do record the fact that he entered a temple and came out no more, simply disappearing at the age of forty-eight. So there exists the belief that in the image of God, in that Temple, Sri Chaitanya lives for eternity.

(This poem was originally composed in Sanskrit by Sri Chaitanya. The translation is by Swami Prabhavananda and Christopher Isherwood. This poem is recited regularly in many Vedanta Centers.ed.) Chant the name of the Lord and His glory unceasingly, That the mirror of the heart may be wiped clean, And quench that mighty forest fire, Worldly lust, raging furiously within. Oh name, stream down in moonlight on the lotus heart, Opening its cup to knowledge of thyself. Oh self, drown deep in the waves of His bliss, Chanting His name continually, Tasting His nectar at every step, Bathing in His name, that bath for weary souls. Oh, Lord and soul of the universe, Mine is no prayer for wealth or retinue, The playthings of lust or the toys of fame; As many times as I may be reborn, Grant me, oh Lord, a steadfast love for Thee. A drowning man in this worlds fearful ocean Is Thy servant, oh sweet One. In Thy mercy Consider him as dust beneath Thy feet.

Chant the Name of the Lord

Biswa Ranjan Chakraborty

Various are thy names, oh Lord, In each and every name Thy power resides. No times are set, no rites are needful, for chanting of thy name, So vast is Thy mercy. How huge, then, is my wretchedness, Who find, in this empty life and heart, No devotion to Thy name! Oh, my mind, Be humbler than a blade of grass, Be patient and forbearing like the tree, Take no honor to thyself, Give honor to all, Chant unceasingly the name of the Lord.

Ah, how I long for the day When an instants separation from Thee, Oh Govinda, Will be as a thousand years, When my heart burns away with its desire, And the world, without Thee, is a heartless void. Prostrate at Thy feet let me be, in unwavering devotion, Neither imploring the embrace of Thine arms Nor bewailing the withdrawal of Thy Presence Though it tears my heart asunder. Oh Thou, who stealest the hearts of Thy devotees, Do with me what Thou wilt For Thou art my hearts beloved, Thou and Thou alone.

2. Sri Chaitanya did not comment on the Brahma Sutras as did his predecessors. Once he remarked that the Bhagavata Purana is the best commentary on the Brahma Sutras. Valadeva Vidyabhusan, one of his followers, however, wrote a commentary, calIed Govinda Bhasya, in which he supported the Chaitanya philosophy.

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a sadhana for shoppers

one of the traditional religions have anything good to say about shopping, a vice to which many in our switched-on, gimme-gimme world are unfortunately addicted. But theres good news for shoppers who are trying to break the habit, for an up-and-coming young guru has devised a sadhana designed specifically to cure them. People who may have a weakness for shopping can benefit greatly from his program. Baba Bhoga-Vairagi is a sadhu who has founded an organization called the Sadhana Sabha. His purpose is to wean spiritual aspirants away from whatever vice theyre most addicted to. Currently his most popular programs are the Twitter Sadhana, the Texting Sadhana, and the Cellphone Sadhana. These have supplanted the older Internet Sadhana and Television Sadhana as the disciplines that address the most serious needs of contemporary spiritual aspirants. Baba Bhoga-Vairagi borrows (we dont say he steals) a leaf from the Zen people by boldly stating his fundamental principle in the introductory module to his Shopping Sadhana: Best Shopping Is No Shopping. No matter what you may be thinking of buying, you dont need it. If you needed it, youd already have it. The fact that youve lived this long without it proves that it is utterly superfluous to your life. So put that shopping cart back where you got it, put your credit cards back in your wallet, jump back in your car, and put as much space as possible between yourself and that fiendish fortress that houses every evil that comes between you and your spiritual progress: the shopping mall. Alas, as Jesus wisely reminds us, the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. (Matthew 26:41; Mark 14:38.) It is very difficult for hopelessly addicted shoppers to follow the stern advice immortalized in the paragraph above. If it were that Vol. xv, No. 4

by bahut pagal

easy, the Shopping Sadhana would not be needed at all. Often a husband and wife will go shopping together. To foster the proper anti-shopping spirit, Baba Bhoga-Vairagi gives them a new, Vedanta-friendly designation. The husband is the sahadharmi of the wife, who in turn is his sahadharmini. These two terms translate rather awk-

of diamond necklaces, golden bracelets, ornamented brooches, pendants, watches, rings, and glitzy baubles, all priced at sums rivaling the U.S. national debt. It is almost certain that the man will buy nothing. He will emerge, dazed and traumatized, with an aching head, a broken spirit, and a hardened aversion to entering a shopping mall ever again. He has completed a vital stage in his sadhana. He has attained vairagya, renunciation. Freed from the bondage of attachment, the Atman singing for joy within him, he retires triumphant to the car to await his wife. His wife, meanwhile, must avoid like death the section from which her husband has just emerged. s thia Instead, she must imMa s e l ar Ch merse herself in the mens section. She must browse through mile after mile wardly as co-practitioner of dharma. of tools in the hardware department, Thus armored in religious terminology, with its vises, clamps, electric saws, power the dharmic duo will be better equipped drills, sanders, wrenches, and hammers. to resist the siren song of goodies begging She must explore the vastness of the to be bought. camping and sports department, with Having agreed that shopping is, in its tents, backpacks, sleeping bags, cramprinciple, wicked, the sahadharmi and pons, ice axes, ropes, carabiners, barbells, sahadharmini will make a pact to buy as dumbbells, fitness machines, fishing rods, little as they can possibly endure. They golf clubs, tennis racquets, basketballs, will fortify themselves by chanting the footballs, baseball bats, and all the acAnti-Shopping Mantras: Abstinence is companying regalia. The experience will confirm her in a the way to immortality; restraint leads to redemption; renunciation rocks. As they suspicion she has always harbored: men enter the portals of the malignant mega- are crazy. Shaking her head in disbelief, mall, treading a dangerous path that could she will exit the mens department withlead to their spiritual annihilationthey out making a single purchase. Returning to the car, she will rejoin her must go their separate ways. The man must spend all his time in the husband, both now accomplished bhogawomens section. He will browse through vairagis. Renounce and enjoy! sings the aisle after aisle of cosmetics, perfumes, Isha Upanishad. Our heroic couple has acskin conditioners, eyeliners, shampoos, complished this. Blessed are they among and face creams. He will lose himself in sadhakas! But they must beware, for the tempters a sea of womens wear, with its nightgowns, evening gowns, sequined purses, snare is ever present. Once in the car, they high-heeled shoes, and fancy hats. Most might fall into a dialogue like this one: important of all, he must immerse himSee Sadhanapage 11 self in the jewelry section, with its acres GLOBAL VEDANTA 7

yoga in the eyes of vivekananda

he Sanskrit word yoga has more than 30 meanings. The meanings are as diverse as magic, a vehicle, spy, secret agent, traitor, endeavor, propriety, union, yoke, deep and abstract meditation, and also the school of philosophy founded by the great sage Patanjali. In the context of spiritual life, the word yoga has been used by the Bhagavad Gita to mean various disciplines leading to spiritual enlightenment or liberation. The disciplines are Sankhya-Yoga, KarmaYoga, Jnana-Yoga, Sannyasa-Yoga, Dhyana-Yoga, Vijnana-Yoga, Akshara-Brahma-Yoga, Raja-Yoga, Bibhuti-Yoga, and Bhakti-Yoga. The yoga system of Patanjali uses the word yoga to mean its well-defined goal of creating a state of the mind where there is no thought. Kriya-Yoga is also mentioned as the preliminary step to that goal. Other than all these yoga s, there i s also H a t h a -Yo g a , w h i c h teaches some physical postures and related techniques to keep the body healthy. When the body is diseased, the mind is often affected by it, and cannot strive for spiritual enlightenment. Therefore, Hatha-Yoga puts great emphasis on making the body perfect. But there is a problem associated with Hatha-Yoga. Too much emphasis on the body can easily make a person obsessed with the idea of maintaining only a healthy body, rather than pursuing the spiritual goal. The final goal of Hatha-Yoga is forgotten, and one ends up being a body-worshipper. Yoga, according to Swami Vivekananda, means unionthe union of the soul of man with the supreme Soul or God. (The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda, vol. VIII, p. 36.) This union is no other than getting rid of the false ego that separates a 8

by swami bhaskarananda

person from God. Once the ego is eliminated, the individual soul melts away in God-consciousnessbecomes one with God. This freedom of the individual soul from the bondage of the false ego is the goal of all the yogas, according to Swami Vivekananda. This is also called Godrealization. The end and aim of Yoga is to realize God, says the Swami. (The Complete Wo r k s

Swami Vivekananda 1863 1902

VI. Page 124.) He also accepts the other meaning of the word yoga, which means a method or a set of disciplines that helps an aspirant attain that goal. To learn these disciplines one needs a competent teacher. Yoga can only be safely learnt by direct contact with GLOBAL VEDANTA

a teacher, says Swami Vivekananda. According to Hinduism people can be divided into four broad categories: (1) the emotional person, (2) the rational person, (3) the meditative person and (4) the habitually overactive person. As they are each temperamentally different from one another, the same spiritual disciplines are not suitable for all of them. Hinduism offers them four different paths. Each of these paths is a yoga. The path suitable for an emotional person is the Yoga of Devotion or the Path of Worship, also called BhaktiYoga in Sanskrit. The path suitable for the rational person is the Yoga of Rational Inquiry or Philosophy. This path is called Jnana-Yoga in Sanskrit. For the meditative person the suitable spiritual path is the Path of Mental Concentration or Psychic Control. It is called Raja-Yoga in Sanskrit. For the habitually overactive person the Yoga of Right Action is the right path. This path is also called Karma-Yoga. Swami Vivekananda recognizes these four yogas as four major means of achieving the freedom of the soul. When the soul becomes free it fully manifests its inherent divinity. In the words of Swami Vivekananda: Each soul is potentially divine. The goal is to manifest this divine within, by controlling nature, external and internal. Do this either by work, or worship, or psychic control or philosophyby one, or more, or all of theseand be free. This is the whole of religion. Doctrines, or dogmas, or rituals, or books, or temples, or forms, are but secondary details. Even though each of these yogas is generally meant for people of a particular temperament, Swami Vivekananda does not think that the yogas are independent watertight compartments. According to him, to develop a well-integrated spiritual fall 2010

personality one should take advantage of all the four yogas. In so saying he echoes the teachings of his teacher, Sri Ramakrishna. He points out that Sri Ramakrishna did not encourage lop-sided growth in spiritual life. Sri Ramakrishna liked all-round spiritual development. Sri Ramakrishnas life is a glowing example of this all-round spiritual growth. What was he? Was he a Bhakti-Yogi, a Jnana-Yogi, a Raja-Yogi, or a Karma-Yogi? The answer is that he was all of them. In his well-integrated spiritual life all the four yogas found their fullest expression. The Nobel-laureate poet of India, Rabindranath Tagore, confirmed this in the following lines that he wrote as a tribute to Sri Ramakrishna: Diverse courses of worship from varied springs of fulfillment have mingled in your meditation. The manifold joy of the Infinite has given form to a shrine of unity in your life where from far and near arrive salutations to which I join mine own. In his own quiet way Sri Ramakrishna was also a reformer. Through his own lifes example, he brought about a wonderful reform in traditional Hinduism. He broke down the walls around the four yogas, so to say, and practiced them together in order to manifest his divinity. This was a departure from the pre-existing idea that a person should practice only the one type of yoga that suits his temperament. According to Swami Vivekananda, a spiritual aspirant like Sri Ramakrishna, who became equally developed in all the yogas, is the greatest yogi. Several thousand years before Sri Ramakrishna, another great reformer of Hinduism came. He was Sri Krishna. He wanted to reform the old Hindu religious tradition of performing rituals with the hope of achieving eternal heaven. Sri Krishna pointed out that it was not possible for a person with his finite body and mind, to perform an infinite amount of work. A limited amount of rituals can never produce an unlimited effect, such as living in heaven throughout eternity. Limited rituals can only produce limited results. Through the performance of limited ritualistic action, one might go to heaven, but after a while the finite effects of the rituals would wear off, then one would have to be born again on earth. Such a Vol. xv, No. 4

person would never be able to achieve the freedom of his soul. Sri Krishna, therefore, taught a new technique for performing action. He instructed people to work without expecting results. And he called that technique Karma-Yoga. It was a revolutionary idea introduced by him at that time. He also gave a new definition of a true monk and a yogi. According to the ancient Hindu tradition, a monk would have to give up his family life and stop performing the religious duties of a householder. He would not have to work for a living. Instead he would maintain himself by begging food from householders. Sri Krishna claimed that such a person was not necessarily a true monk. A true monk is one who works, but does not expect the results of his work. According to this new definition by Sri Krishna, even a householder could be called a true monk and a yogi, as long as he worked without expecting the fruits of his work. In other words, Sri Krishna emphasized the glory of Karma-Yoga more than any other yoga mentioned by him in the Bhagavad Gita. Tilak, a great Indian scholar, used to call the Bhagavad Gita Karma-Yoga Rahasya or The Secret of Karma-Yoga. According to Tilak, the principal message of the Bhagavad Gita was the message of Karma Yoga. Swami Vivekanandas claim that a spiritual aspirant could simultaneously practice all four yogas and reach spiritual freedom is based on his realization that each of these yogas, either directly or indirectly, teaches unselfishness. Selfishness is no other than identification with our body-mind complex. When we identify with our body, mind and senses, we are

selfish. For the freedom of our souls we have to give up this selfishness. Swami Vivekananda says, freedom is to be attained only by perfect unselfishness; every thought, word, or deed that is unselfish takes us towards the goal.... (The Complete Works Vol 1 Page 110) Bhakti-Yoga teaches a devotee to love God alone, and to do all his activities not for his own pleasure, but for the pleasure of God. This is the practice of unselfishness through love of God. Jnana-Yoga teaches its followers to disidentify with their body-mind complex in order to manifest the soul within. In other words, Jnana-Yoga also teaches the practice of unselfishness. The goal of Raja-Yoga is Asamprajnata Samadhi, the highest spiritual level attainable through the practice of yoga. In order to achieve this samadhi a spiritual aspirant has to overcome some obstacles, one of which is asmita or egoism. Asmita causes the identification of ones mind with the senses. Asmita is the root cause of selfishness. It has to be given up in order to reach the goal of Raja-Yoga. As has been said earlier, a Karma-Yogi has to give up his attachment to the fruits of his actions. Attachment is no other than selfish involvement. Therefore, the practice of Karma-Yoga is also a practice of unselfishness. Thus, we can conclude that the common principle underlying all the four yogas is unselfishness. Unselfishness alone can lead us to our spiritual freedom. Swami Vivekanandas ideal of integration of the four yogas is justified by the above arguments.

It is in the mind alone that one feels pure or impure. A man first makes his own mind guilty and then sees anothers faults Can you injure anybody by enumerating his faults? You only injure yourself. Practice meditation, and by and by your mind will be so calm and controlled that you will find it hard to keep it away from meditation.
GLOBAL VEDANTA 9

The Sayings of Sri Sarada Devi

Q. What stays in bed most of the day and sometimes goes to the bank? A. A stream. Q. Whats the difference between a musician and a savings bond? A. One of them eventually matures and earns money. Q. Whats the difference between a good lawyer and a bad lawyer? A. A bad lawyer can let a case drag out for several years. A good lawyer can make it last even longer. Q. What does a Hindu wish a friend on his birthday? A. May you not have many happy returns. Q. W hy didnt the husband speak to his wife for 18 months? A. He didnt want to interrupt her. Oscar Wilde I am not young enough to know everything. (Oscar Wilde, 18541900, was an Irish dramatist, novelist, & poet) Eyes Under the Bed Joan went to a psychiatrist. Doc, she said, Ive got big troubles. Every time I get into bed, I think theres somebody under it. Am I going crazy? Just put yourself in my hands for one year, said the shrink, Come to me three times a week, and Ill cure your fears. How much do you charge? A hundred dollars per visit. Ill think about it, said Joan. Six months later the doctor met Joan on the street. Why didnt you ever come to see me again? asked the psychiatrist. For a hundred bucks a visit? No way! Instead, my handyman cured me for $25. Is that so! How? He cut the legs off my bed! Saving Money 10 Faced with hard times, the company

Riddles

HUMORTHE SPICE OF LIFE

offered a bonus of one thousand dollars to any employee who could come up with a way of saving money. The bonus went to a young woman in accounting who suggested limiting future bonuses to ten dollars. What the Ape was Reading One day the zookeeper noticed that the orangutan was reading two books the Bible and Darwins On the Origin of Species. In surprise he asked the ape, Why are you reading both those books? ing the ruling the judge agreed with the insurance company that the claim was frivolous. The judge stated, nevertheless, that the lawyer held a policy from the company in which it had warranted that the cigars were insurable and also guaranteed that it would insure them against fire, without defining what is considered to be unacceptable fire, and was obligated to pay the claim. Rather than endure a lengthy and costly appeal process, the insurance company accepted the ruling, and paid $15,000 to the lawyer for the rare cigars lost in the fires. After the lawyer cashed the check, the insurance company had him arrested on 24 counts of ARSON!!!! With his own insurance claim and testimony from the previous case being used against him, the lawyer was convicted of intentionally burning his insured property and was sentenced to 24 months in jail and a $24,000 fine. Things to Ponder When two enemies fight, its an eye for an eye. When two egotists meet, its an I for an I. Beware of Children A pediatrician in town always plays a game with some of his young patients to put them at ease and test their knowledge of body parts. One day, while pointing to a little boys ear, the doctor asked him, Is this your nose? Immediately the little boy turned to his mother and said, Mom, I think wed better find a new doctor! The Motorcycle Ride A pastor and his wife were riding very fast on a motorcycle. A church member that was a policeman stopped him promptly, and said, What do you think you are doing? You were going mighty fast there, pastor. fall 2010

Well, said the orangutan, I just wanted to know if I was my brothers keeper or my keepers brother. A Lawyer Story A Charlotte, North Carolina, lawyer purchased a box of very rare and expensive cigars, then insured them against fire among other things. Within a month, having smoked his entire stockpile of these great cigars and without yet having made even his first premium payment on the policy, the lawyer filed a claim against the insurance company. In his claim, the lawyer stated the cigars were lost in a series of small fires. The insurance company refused to pay, citing the obvious reason: That the man had consumed the cigars in the normal fashion. The lawyer suedand won! In deliverGLOBAL VEDANTA

Ch

arl

es

ath

ias

An Important Question While a friend and I were visiting Annapolis, we noticed several students on their hands and knees assessing the courtyard with pencils and clipboards in hand. What are they doing? I asked our tour guide. Each year, he replied with a grin, The upperclassmen ask the freshmen how many bricks it took to finish this courtyard. So whats the answer? my friend asked him when we were out of earshot of the freshmen. The guide replied simply, One.

Man: Say, sweetheart, do you suppose we might go back inside for just a minute? Id like to check out some of the new power tools they may have. Woman: Well, theres a new perfume Ive been dying to try. I suppose we might go in just for a minute. If such a subversive dialogue takes place, each must vehemently oppose the wicked design of the other. If they fail to do so, all their efforts will have been in vain: the entire edifice of spiritual achievement they have so carefully constructed will come crashing down about their ears in a blizzard of sales receipts and maxed-out credit cards. In presenting his program of sadhanas, Baba Bhoga-Vairagi was once asked, What comes next? Having eradicated the shopping urge, will the noble couple now go on to scale the heights of Godrealization? The sadhus eyes twinkled, and he stroked his beard. Ah, he chuckled. For that they have to pursue higher studies, which are beyond the scope of my programs. I recommend that they go to the Vedantists.

Sadhanafrom page 7

Charles Mathias

The policemans pastor said, We were just taking the bike for a spinto see how it runs. The policeman shook his head. Im going to have to give you a ticket. Driving like that isnt safe. What if you had an accident? The preacher said, Dont worry, my son. Jesus is with us. The policeman said, In that case, I have to book you. Three people are not allowed to ride on a motorcycle. A Living Will A man and his wife were sitting in their living room and he said to her, Just so you know, I never want to live in a vegetative state, dependent on some machine and fluids from a bottle. If that ever happens, just pull the plug. His wife got up, unplugged the TV and threw out all of his beer. Vol. xv, No. 4

Experience A motorist was on trial for hitting a pedestrian. The motorists lawyer made this point: Your honor, my client has been driving for over thirty years. To which the lawyer for the plaintiff retorted: Your honor, if we are going to judge this case by experience, may I remind you that my client has been walking for over fifty years. In a New York City Courtroom The lawyer for the accused thief: Your Honor, I want to bring to your attention just how unfair it is for my client to be accused of theft. He arrived in New York City only a week ago and barely knows his way around. Whats more, he only speaks a few words of English. So the accusations brought against him are not only unfair, but have no basis whatsoever. The Judge looked over at the defendant GLOBAL VEDANTA

and sized him up and down. He then proceeded to ask slowly and distinctly: JusthowmuchEnglishcan youspeak? The defendant looked up at the judge and said: Give me your wallet!

Global Vedanta will gladly consider articles, poetry, humor, etc. submitted for publication. The subject matter should be religious, cultural, or educational, and must appeal to a general and broad-minded readership. Articles should be entertaining and yet substantial, and be within 1500 to 1700 words in length (not exceeding 2000 words in any event). Articles accepted for publication may require a release signed by the author and, unless prior arrangements are made, no materials submitted to Global Vedanta can be returned.

About Contributing to Global Vedanta

11

POETS CORNER
Mayas Maya
Put rules away with all things heard of ins and outs and ups and downs, law and logic is absurd, where paradox abounds. Serpents here dont bite but beguile, to cast about a deeper night, so you stay a longer while, heedless of the loss of sight. Here dragons live on rich delights, to enjoy on balmy nights, in the best of all possible worlds until the flag of truth unfurls to show all the things we did not know, and while we strived to be, all the truths we could not see Angels glories, by and by, are mushroom clouds up in the sky, and in the gloom of musty death, babies take their first breath. In this strange land, beliefs, grow the seeds of many griefs. Bright spirits that come to inspire become demons burning some in fire, while gnomes, ghosts, spirits, sprites, in and out, dance their delights and learned lunatics shout, to tell us what its all about. In Mayas gloom we do not know that doing good makes badness grow, and all the play of life and death hangs each second on the breath. So confused and perplexed, the vaunted marvels of each age, become the problems of the next; as brilliant illusions are believed, by those who love to be deceived. In bright daylight but in the dark, our knowledge is so small a spark, in ignorance we live and breathe, how the magic does deceive! Rhyme and reason there is none; the multitude equals one. But comes the marvellous, freeing, day when this awful life becomes a play because beyond all doubt we know, all the worlds a shadow-show. Then amazed and aghast at this fte of magic, ask, what magician made it be, such an impenetrable mystery? Stand amazed and aghast, at the minute and the vast, with intricacies of balances and checks, giving life to single-cell amoebas, and Brontosaurus Rex. Look back, amazed and aghast, at the history of our past, to now human, from the ape and on to Gods at last; escape, from death and birth and the bondage of the earth. Laugh and be free, love marvels and mystery; find, Samsara is a state of mind.
By Russell Atkinson

Chanakya, also known as Kautilya, is believed to have lived in India in the 4th century B.C. Among other things, he wrote some Sanskrit couplets called Shlokas. Some of them are given below. Who is a true friend? He is your true friend, who is with you during festivities, famines, political turmoil, or when you have to appear in the court having been accused of something, as well as during your funeral.

WISDOM OF CHANAKYA

Four kinds of friends While traveling in a foreign country, scholarship is ones friend; while at home, ones mother is the friend; during illness, medicine is ones friend; and for a departed soul spiritual practice performed during his or her lifetime is the friend. Whose strength is what? The strength of the subjects lies in the might of their king; crying is the strength of the children; silence is the strength of the fools; and lying is the strength of thieves and cheats. The difference between a king and a scholar Scholarship and kingship are never the same. A king is adored only in his own kingdom but a scholar is adored everywhere.

There are pearls in the deep sea, but you must hazard all perils to get them. If you fail to get them by a single dive, do not conclude that the sea is without pearls. Dive again and again, and you are sure to be rewarded in the end. So also in the quest for the Lord, if your first attempt to see Him proves fruitless, do not lose heart.
12 GLOBAL VEDANTA

The Sayings of Sri Ramakrishna

The Difference between snakes and wicked people Snakes and wicked people are both cruel by nature. But a person who is wicked is even crueler than a snake, because one can subdue a snake by chemicals or magical chants, but no one can subdue a wicked person.

translated by Swami Bhaskarananda

fall 2010

VEDANTA NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

Belur Math celebrates the worship of the Divine Mother Durga. Durga Puja was celebrated at Belur Math from October 14th to 17th in a festive and yet solemn atmosphere. On all the four days of the event, thousands of devotees attended the worship to receive the blessings of the Divine Mother. The Kumari Puja performed on October 15th drew huge crowds, and the Sandhi Puja held that afternoon was also attended by many devotees. Among INDIA its work among the tribal people of the Bastar region. as resource persons for the seminars. The purpose of this seminar was to synergize the talents and capabilities of our youths to script the great Indian story of inclusive growtha total regeneration of India in all the fields of life, encompassing all

Presentation of the Indira Gandhi Award to Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama, Narainpur

Ramakrishna Math, Chennai, releases a special DVD. On October 9th, the Chennai Ramakrishna Math released a DVD containing the archives of 96 years of its journal The Vedanta Kesari. The DVD has 14,300 articles by 2400 authors.

Durga Puja, Belur Math

the sections of the society, as envisioned by Swami Vivekananda. The seminars were organized as a prelude to Swami Vivekanandas 150th Birth Anniversary Celebrations. BANGLADESH Durga Puja celebrated in Ramakrishna Mission, Dhaka, and other Ashramas in Bangladesh. As in other years, the Ramakrishna Mission, Dhaka, performed the worship of the Divine Mother Durga with due solemnity and grandeur from October 12th to 17th. A large number of devotees and friends participated in the celebration.

Mangalore Ramakrishna Math seminar for youth

others, Sri M K Narayanan, Governor of West Bengal, also attended the Sandhi Puja. Doordarshan, the government-run TV station in Kolkata, telecast the worship live at different times on all the four days. Prasad was served to more than 47,000 devotees on the Ashtami day, and to about one hundred thousand devotees during all the four days of the worship. Ramakrishna Mission honored for its social service. The Ministry of Culture, Government of Madhya Pradesh, conferred Maharaja Agrasen Rashtriya Samman on Ramakrishna Mission, Belur Math, in recognition of its outstanding service to achieve fraternity and equality in society. The Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama at Narainpur in the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh receives the Indira Gandhi Award for National Integration. The prestigious award, a citation and a cash prize, were presented by Mr. Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India, and Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Sunday, October 31st. Swami Vyaptananda accepted the award on behalf of the Narainpur Ashrama. The Ashrama got the award for Vol. xv, No. 4

Ramakrishna Math, Chennai DVD release

Mangalore Ramakrishna Math holds Seminars for Youths. Ramakrishna Math, Mangalore, conducted Seminars for youths from September 27th to 29th. More than 600 youths participated every

day in the seminars. Seminars were organized for B. Ed. students on the first day, students of Post Graduate Studies in Social Work and Management on the second day, and for engineering students on the third day. Many dignitaries acted GLOBAL VEDANTA

Mangalore Ramakrishna Math seminar for youth

Durga Puja in Dhaka

Durga Puja was also celebrated in the Ashramas in Baliati, Barisal, Chittagong, Comilla, Dinajpur, Habiganj, Narayanganj and Sylhet. 13

Ramakrishna Mission celebrates Durga Puja, Lakshmi Puja and Kali Puja in Mauritius. The worship of the Divine Mother Durga was performed in the Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama in Vacoas, Mauritius, for six days starting

MAURITIUS

Minister of Education. The e-learning Centre of Swami Vivekananda College has been set up to provide basic technology, resources and professional development for teachers;

number of devotees. The Ramakrishna Sarada Vedanta Society of NSW celebrates Durga Puja. On Sunday, October 17th, the worship of the Divine Mother Durga was performed in the presence of many devotees at the Sarada Math branch in NSW. UNITED KINGDOM The Divine Mother Durga worshipped at Bourne End. On Sunday, October 17th, the Ramakrishna Vedanta Centre performed the worship of the Divine Mother Durga at Bourne End. About 300 devotees attended the event.

E-learning center, Fiji

Durga Puja in Mauritius

on October 12 . About 9,500 devotees arriving from all corners of the island participated in the worship. On Sunday, October 17th, the image of Mother Durga was immersed in the sea.
th

Worship of the Divine Mother Durga, Bourne End, UK

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

E-learning center, Fiji

a creative learning space with the aid of digital technology for students; and high quality multi-media based contents for mathematics, sciences, arts, and commerce. The Deputy Permanent Secretary for Education visited the College a few days later. He praised the project highly. AUSTRALIA
Kali Puja in Mauritius

Laksmi Puja was celebrated on the night of October 23rd, and Kali Puja on the night of November 5th. The pujas were attended by a thousand devotees. FIJI Swami Vivekananda College (SVC) in Nadi starts its pioneering e-learning project. The first phase of Ramakrishna Missions project for change and progress in education in Fiji was inaugurated on October 22nd by Mr. Filipe Bole, Hon. 14

Durga Puja celebrated in Sydney. The Vedanta Society of Sydney performed Durga Puja. It was attended by a large

Durga puja celebrated in all the Vedanta Centers in U.S.A. Vedanta centers in Hollywood, San Francisco, Berkeley, Sacramento, Portland, Seattle, Providence, Boston, New York, Chicago, St. Louis and St. Petersburg performed the worship of the Divine Mother Durga. Durga Puja celebrated at the Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Center of New York. From October 15th to 17th the Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Center of New York celebrated Durga Puja. The celebration consisted of worship at

Durga Puja celebrated at The Ramakrishna Vivekananda Center, New York Durga Puja celebrated at Vedanta Society, Sydney

the shrine in the centers monastery and two public events in the Centers chapel. fall 2010

GLOBAL VEDANTA

Several hundred devotees attended the celebration. Around 1,000 devotees attend the Durga Puja celebrated by the Seattle Vedanta Society. On Saturday, October 16th, the Vedanta Society of Western Washington, Seattle, celebrated the worship of the Divine Mother Durga at Tapovan, its retreat property in Arlington, WA. The day-long event, attended by about 1,000 devotees, consisted of the ritualistic

The newly remodeled guesthouse of the Vedanta Society of Greater Washington

CANADA The Vedanta Society of Calgar y acquires its own home. On Saturday, October 30th, the new home of the Vedanta Society of Calgary was dedicated in the presence of more than 100 people. Swami Bhaskarananda, Spiritual Guide of the Calgary Vedanta Society and President of

The Vedanta Center in Sao Paulo observes the worship of the Divine Mother Durga. On October 16 th, Saturday, a special worship for the Divine Mother Durga was performed at the temple of the Ramakrishna Vedanta Ashrama, Sao Paulo. The event, attended by around 160 devotees, consisted of devotional music, holy readings, flower offering and distribution of Prasad. The Ashrama also observed Sandhi Puja of the Divine Mother in the early morning on Friday in which about 55 devotees participated

BRAZIL

Seattle Vedanta Society celebrates Durga Puja at the Tapovan Retreat

worship of Mother Durga both in the morning as well as in the evening. A session of devotional singing was held in the afternoon. Those who attended the event were given sumptuous lunch (Prasad) at noon and snacks in the afternoon. The celebration ended with Arati in the evening. The Vedanta Society of Greater Washington DC inaugurates its guesthouse. On August 22 nd , Swami Shantarupananda of the Portland Vedanta Society conducted the inauguration ceremony

Durga Puja in Sao Paulo, Brazil

Swami Kripamayananda performs worship at the new home of the Vedanta Society of Calgary

the Vedanta Society of Western Washington in Seattle, gave the inaugural lecture. Other speakers included Dr. Ramananda Chatterjee, Mr. Kishore Aurora and Mr. Anirvan Basu. Swami Kripamayananda, head of the Vedanta Society of Toronto, performed the worship of Sri Ramakrish-

The Sayings of Swami Vivekananda

Look upon every man, woman, and everyone as God. You cannot help anyone, you can only serve: serve the children of the Lord, serve the Lord HimselfDo it only as a worship. I should see God in the poor, and it is for my salvation that I go and worship them. The poor and the miserable are for our salvation, so that we may serve the Lord, coming in the shape of the diseased, coming in the shape of the lunatic, the leper, and the sinner!
15

Swami Shantarupananda leads the way to the inauguration ceremony at the Vedanta Society of Greater Washington, DC

of the newly remodeled guesthouse of the Greater Washington DC Vedanta center.

Swami Bhaskarananda delivers the inaugural address at the new home of the Vedanta Society of Calgary

Vol. xv, No. 4

na, the Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi and Swami Vivekananda. There was also devotional singing by local singers during the event. All the participants were given lunch. GLOBAL VEDANTA

available from The Vedanta Society of Western Washington (most can also be obtained from AMAZON .COM)
Life in Indian Monasteries$14.95 The Philosophical Verses of Yogavsishtha$9.95 Meditation, Mind and Patanjalis Yoga$14.50 The Essentials of Hinduism$14.50 Reminiscences of Swami Brahmananda$14.95 Journey From Many to One$15.95

viveka press

books from

In memoriam

Contributors
Russell Atkinson is a poet and member of the Ramakrishna-Sarada Vedanta Society of Sydney, Australia. Swami Bhaskarananda is the editor in chief of Global Vedanta and the president of the Vedanta Society in Seattle, U.S.A. Charles Mathias, a devotee of the Vedanta Society in Seattle, is a gifted cartoonist and writer. Most of the cartoons and pictures contained in this issue of Global Vedanta are his contributions. Bahut Pagal is an American devotee of Sri Ramakrishna who has traveled in India and lived for many years in Asia. He is a retired teacher of English who presently lives near Bangkok. Swami Prabhavananda, deceased, was the founder and head of the Vedanta Society of Southern California. Kathleen Teague is a gifted artist of many talents and a devotee of the Vedanta Society in Seattle. Swami Tyagananda is the head of the Ramakrishna Vedanta Society in Boston.

Brahmachari Nityachaitanya
With a sad heart we announce the passing away of one of our brother monks, Brahmachari Nityachaitanya ( James Edward Smith). He passed away on November 21st, 2010, after suffering from cancer. He was 80 years old. An initiated disciple of Swami Prabhavananda, he joined our Order at the Vedanta Society of Southern California in January 1965. He had his Brahmacharya vows on August 14th, 1971. A person of genial and sweet temperament, he endeared himself to all who had come to know him closely. He spent most of his monastic years in the Hollywood Vedanta center doing work in the centers publication department and also in the bookshop. He occasionally conducted Sunday services at the Hollywood Vedanta center in the late 1970s and 1980s. May his soul rest in peace in the blissful abode of Sri Ramakrishna!

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That by which all this is pervaded know to be imperishable. None can cause the destruction of that which is immutable.
Bhagavad Gita, ch.2 ver. 17
GLOBAL VEDANTA

Even as a person casts off worn-out clothes and puts on others that are new, so the embodied Self casts off worn-out bodies and enters into others that are new.
Bhagavad Gita, ch.2 ver. 22
fall 2010

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