Monday, 14 December 2020

Belur Math

BELUR MATH , Belur? Kolkota, West Bengal, India is an epicenter of the worldwide movement of Shri Ramkrishna Mission in India and around the world. 
Whether you are a believer or a non-believer, the tranquil Belur Math Monastery near Kolkata is a must-visit whenever you are in the eastern part of India. Located in Kolkata’s adjacent district, Howrah, the Belur Math is a unique Hindu monastery that exudes secularism in serenity. The sprawling monastery covers about 40 acres of land on the western bank of the Hooghly River. It is the headquarters of the Ramakrishna Mission that is at the core of the Vedanta or the Ramakrishna, the global spiritual movements. Swami Vivekananda, the great Hindu monk and one of the key architects of the Bengali Renaissance, envisioned this monastery to enshrine the relics of the great Hindu mystic and saint, Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa. Swami Vijnanananda, one of his brother monks, gave life to his ideas and founded the Belur Math in 1938.

Things to do at Belur Math

The main shrine at the Belur Math is the Sri Ramakrishna Temple, where the relics of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa have been preserved. Swami Vivekananda’s journey as a Parivrajak (a wandering monk) across India and the world made him encounter a plethora of architectural styles from different times and communities. He wanted to incorporate all those diverse components into a shrine in a way that would best manifest the monotheistic, all-embracing, divine personality of Sri Ramakrishna. Accordingly, the temple boasts an impeccable blend of architectural elements belonging to all possible religions. Here, you must attend the evening aarti (prayer offering), which is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The monks and the disciples offer their prayers to Sri Ramakrishna and his spiritual companion, Sarada Devi, through meditation and music every evening at 5:30 PM. If anything, the Belur Math aarti will make you feel content and at peace!

Friday, 11 December 2020

LAST DAYS AT COSSIPORE

December 11, 1885

LAST DAYS AT COSSIPORE
When Sri Ramakrishna's illness showed signs of aggravation, the devotees, following the advice of Dr. Sarkar, rented a spacious garden house at Cossipore, in the northern suburbs of Calcutta. The Master was removed to this place on December 11, 1885.

It was at Cossipore that the curtain fell on the varied activities of the Master's life on the physical plane. His soul lingered in the body eight months more. It was the period of his great Passion, a constant crucifixion of the body and the triumphant revelation of the Soul. Here one sees the humanity and divinity of the Master passing and repassing across a thin border line. Every minute of those eight months was suffused with touching tenderness of heart and breath-taking elevation of spirit. Every word he uttered was full of pathos and sublimity.

It took the group only a few days to become adjusted to the new environment. The Holy Mother, assisted by Sri Ramakrishna's niece, Lakshmi Devi, and a few woman devotees, took charge of the cooking for the Master and his attendants. Surendra willingly bore the major portion of the expenses, other householders contributing according to their means. Twelve disciples were constant attendants of the Master: Narendra, Rakhal, Baburam, Niranjan, Jogin, Latu, Tarak, the-elder Gopal, Kali, Sashi, Sarat, and the younger Gopal. Sarada, Harish, Hari, Gangadhar, and Tulasi visited the Master from time to time and practised sadhana at home. Narendra, preparing for his law examination, brought his books to the garden house in order to continue his studies during the infrequent spare moments. He encouraged his brother disciples to intensify their meditation, scriptural studies, and other spiritual disciplines. They all forgot their relatives and their worldly duties.

Among the attendants Sashi was the embodiment of service. He did not practise meditation, japa, or any of the other disciplines followed by his brother devotees. He was convinced that service to the guru was the only religion for him. He forgot food and rest and was ever ready at the Master's bedside.

Pundit Shashadhar one day suggested to the Master that the latter could remove the illness by concentrating his mind on the throat, the scriptures having declared that yogis had power to cure themselves in that way. The Master rebuked the pundit. "For a scholar like you to make such a proposal!" he said. "How can I withdraw the mind from the Lotus Feet of God and turn it to this worthless cage of flesh and blood?" "For our sake at least", begged Narendra and the other disciples. "But", replied Sri Ramakrishna, do you think I enjoy this suffering? I wish to recover, but that depends on the Mother."

NARENDRA: "Then please pray to Her. She must listen to you."

MASTER: "But I cannot pray for my body."

NARENDRA: "You must do it, for our sake at least."

MASTER: "Very well, I shall try."

A few hours later the Master said to Narendra: "I said to Her: 'Mother, I cannot swallow food because of my pain. Make it possible for me to eat a little.' She pointed you all out to me and said: 'What? You are eating enough through all these mouths. Isn't that so?' I was ashamed and could not utter another word." This dashed all the hopes of the devotees for the Master's recovery.

"I shall make the whole thing public before I go", the Master had said some time before. On January 1, 1886, he felt better and came down to the garden for a little stroll. It was about three o'clock in the afternoon. Some thirty lay disciples were in the hall or sitting about under the trees. Sri Ramakrishna said to Girish, "Well, Girish, what have you seen in me, that you proclaim me before everybody as an Incarnation of God?" Girish was not the man to be taken by surprise. He knelt before the Master and said, with folded hands, "What can an insignificant person like myself say about the One whose glory even sages like Vyasa and Valmiki could not adequately measure?" The Master was profoundly moved. He said: "What more shall I say? I bless you all. Be illumined!" He fell into a spiritual mood. Hearing these words the devotees, one and all, became overwhelmed with emotion. They rushed to him and fell at his feet. He touched them all, and each received an appropriate benediction. Each of them, at the touch of the Master, experienced ineffable bliss. Some laughed, some wept, some sat down to meditate, some began to pray. Some saw light, some had visions of their Chosen Ideals, and some felt within their bodies the rush of spiritual power. 

Narendra, consumed with a terrific fever for realization, complained to the Master that all the others had attained peace and that he alone was dissatisfied. The Master asked what he wanted. Narendra begged for samadhi, so that he might altogether forget the world for three or four days at a time. "You are a fool", the Master rebuked him. "There is a state even higher than that. Isn't it you who sing, 'All that exists art Thou'? First of all settle your family affairs and then come to me. You will experience a state even higher than samadhi."

The Master did not hide the fact that he wished to make Narendra his spiritual heir. Narendra was to continue the work after Sri Ramakrishna's passing. Sri Ramakrishna said to him: "I leave these young men in your charge. See that they develop their spirituality and do not return home." One day he asked the boys, in preparation for a monastic life, to beg their food from door to door without thought of caste. They hailed the Master's order and went out with begging-bowls. A few days later he gave the ochre cloth of the sannyasi to each of them, including Girish, who was now second to none in his spirit of renunciation. Thus the Master himself laid the foundation of the future Ramakrishna Order of monks.

Sri Ramakrishna was sinking day by day. His diet was reduced to a minimum and he found it almost impossible to swallow. He whispered to M.: "I am bearing all this cheerfully, for otherwise you would be weeping. If you all say that it is better that the body should go rather than suffer this torture, I am willing." The next morning he said to his depressed disciples seated near the bed: "Do you know what I see? I see that God alone has become everything. Men and animals are only frameworks covered with skin, and it is He who is moving through their heads and limbs. I see that it is God Himself who has become the block, the executioner, and the victim for the sacrifice.' He fainted with emotion. Regaining partial consciousness, he said: "Now I have no pain. I am very well." Looking at Latu he said: "There sits Latu resting his head on the palm of his hand. To me it is the Lord who is seated in that posture."

The words were tender and touching. Like a mother he caressed Narendra and Rakhal, gently stroking their faces. He said in a half whisper to M., "Had this body been allowed to last a little longer, many more souls would have been illumined." He paused a moment and then said: "But Mother has ordained otherwise. She will take me away lest, finding me guileless and foolish, people should take advantage of me and persuade me to bestow on them the rare gifts of spirituality." A few minutes later he touched his chest and said: "Here are two beings. One is She and the other is Her devotee. It is the latter who broke his arm, and it is he again who is now ill. Do you understand me?" After a pause he added: "Alas! To whom shall I tell all this? Who will understand me?" "Pain", he consoled them again, 'is unavoidable as long as there is a body. The Lord takes on the body for the sake of His devotees."

Yet one is not sure whether the Master's soul actually was tortured by this agonizing disease. At least during his moments of spiritual exaltation — which became almost constant during the closing days of his life on earth — he lost all consciousness of the body, of illness and suffering. One of his attendants (Latu, later known as Swami Adbhutananda.) said later on: "While Sri Ramakrishna lay sick he never actually suffered pain. He would often say: 'O mind! Forget the body, forget the sickness, and remain merged in Bliss.' No, he did not really suffer. At times he would be in a state when the thrill of joy was clearly manifested in his body. Even when he could not speak he would let us know in some way that there was no suffering, and this fact was clearly evident to all who watched him. People who did not understand him thought that his suffering was very great. What spiritual joy he transmitted to us at that time! Could such a thing have been possible if he had 'been suffering physically? It was during this period that he taught us again these truths: 'Brahman is always unattached. The three gunas are in It, but It is unaffected by them, just as the wind carries odour yet remains odourless.' 'Brahman is Infinite Being, Infinite Wisdom, Infinite Bliss. In It there exist no delusion, no misery, no disease, no death, no growth, no decay.' 'The Transcendental Being and the being within are one and the same. There is one indivisible Absolute Existence.'"

The Holy Mother secretly went to a Siva temple across the Ganges to intercede with the Deity for the Master's recovery. In a revelation she was told to prepare herself for the inevitable end.

One day when Narendra was on the ground floor, meditating, the Master was lying awake in his bed upstairs. In the depths of his meditation Narendra felt as though a lamp were burning at the back of his head. Suddenly he lost consciousness. It was the yearned-for, all-effacing experience of nirvikalpa samadhi, when the embodied soul realizes its unity with the Absolute. After a very long time he regained partial consciousness but was unable to find his body. He could see only his head. "Where is my body?" he cried. The elder Gopal entered the room and said, "Why, it is here, Naren!" But Narendra could not find it. Gopal, frightened, ran upstairs to the Master. Sri Ramakrishna only said: "Let him stay that way for a time. He has worried me long enough."

After another long period Narendra regained full consciousness. Bathed in peace, he went to the Master, who said: "Now the Mother has shown you everything. But this revelation will remain under lock and key, and I shall keep the key. When you have accomplished the Mother's work you will find the treasure again."

Some days later, Narendra being alone with the Master, Sri Ramakrishna looked at him and went into samadhi. Narendra felt the penetration of a subtle force and lost all outer consciousness. Regaining presently the normal mood, he found the Master weeping.

Sri Ramakrishna said to him: "Today I have given you my all and I am now only a poor fakir, possessing nothing. By this power you will do immense good in the world, and not until it is accomplished will you return." Henceforth the Master lived in the disciple.

Doubt, however, dies hard. After one or two days Narendra said to himself, "If in the midst of this racking physical pain he declares his Godhead, then only shall I accept him as an Incarnation of God." He was alone by the bedside of the Master. It was a passing thought, but the Master smiled. Gathering his remaining strength, he distinctly said, "He who was Rama and Krishna is now, in this body, Ramakrishna — but not in your Vedantic sense." Narendra was stricken with shame.

Thursday, 10 December 2020

Mind, senses and rest

*Chapter 4 - Glorify The Divine*

*Day 27*

Once Mullah Naseruddin was galloping on his horse. He looked exhausted, tired. He couldn't even sit. He was lying flat on the back of the horse, hanging on to the horse. His face looked so dull and tired, his eyeballs rolling up . The horse was moving around and around the same streets in the village. People asked, “Hey, Mullah, where are you going?” He said, “I haven't the least idea. Please ask the horse.” Our senses take us on such a gallop-we have no idea where we are going, what we are doing, what we want. I had a friend in school. He would turn the radio on and he would not listen to any station for even one minute. He would keep tuning, keep searching, moving from one station to another station, not even two sentences of a song would he listen to-he was So restless, he just could not keep from fiddling. 

Similarly, we eat and we go on eating and eating. When you are asked what you ate, you don’t even know what you ate. You sit on the couch watching television and you keep stuffing yourself. Suddenly you find there is nothing left in front of you. You've stuffed everything and what you ate, you have no idea , how much you ate, you have no idea. When people become restless, they keep on eating. They are not enjoying the food-it is just the feverishness to stuff things inside. It is a catch 22 situation. When you are exhausted, you keep eating. And when you have eaten so much, you get exhausted, you can't doanything else. 

Similarly, people go for sightseeing. You go to Paris, you go here and there, eyes wide open, looking at all the buildings. You come back tired and tanned, totally exhausted. What did you do? ‘Sightseeing!’ What did you see? ‘Well, nothing.’ Look at all the faces of tourists moving around, seeing this building, that building. Do they feel revitalized, energized, enthusiastic, bubbling with bliss and joy? No. Most of the holidays people take are tiring and exhausting mentally, physically, emotionally, in all senses. After being on a holiday, they want to take another holiday. Coming back from a holiday, they want to rest a few days. 

There cannot be rest unless you withdraw the senses from the objects. Deep rest is when you consciously withdraw all the senses and take a conscious rest. Unconscious rest is inevitable, you have to sleep every night. Nature has designed our systems such that we need to do that, otherwise we would drop dead. But consciously bringing the mind away from the sense into its source, even for a few moments, brings such a deep rest in you. That is what is called _Vishayatyagat sangatyagat cha_ getting away from the objects of the senses. Bringing the mind back to its source will kindle the love that you are, will manifest the love that you are. You know, our senses have a limited capacity to enjoy. But the desire in the mind is unlimited. That is the cause for bulimia. You can only eat so much, but the mind is not satisfied. Your mind wants to just stuff things, more and more. How much can you stuff? Then you vomit. Then again you eat, then you throw up, then again you eat. Then you destroy this beautiful instrument, this body, by over using it, by misusing it. 

_Vishayatyagat sangatyagat cha_

It is one thing to enjoy the object of the senses. Okay, you can listen to music, you can eat food, you can smell fragrance, you can enjoy touch and taste . But if it is in the mind, if you keep thinking all the time about the objects of the senses, then it is even worse. From morning till evening you just think about what food you are going to eat-this obsession cannot bring you rest.

Thursday, 3 December 2020

ध्यान धर्म तथा साधना

स्थान – भद्रक
१९१५
भगवान् कल्पतरु हैं – उनके पास जो जैसा चाहता है, वह वैसा पाता है। जिसका जैसा भाव, उसका वैसा लाभ। दुर्लभ मनुष्य-जन्म पाकर भी जब जीव उसका सदुपयोग नहीं करता, भगवान् के पादपद्मो में मन न लगा असार माया-मोह के समुद्र में डूबे रहकर सोचता है, “मैं मजे में हूँ”, तब भगवान् भी कहते हैं, “मजे में रहो।” और फिर जब दुःख-कष्ट पाकर ‘हाय हाय’ करते हुए, वह सोचता है, “इस जीवन में मैंने क्या किया?” तब वे भी कहते हैं “हाँ क्या किया?” मनुष्य कल्पतरु के नीचे बैठा हुआ है; उनके पास जो माँगेगा, वही पायेगा; देवत्व चाहे तो देवत्व मिलेगा और पशुत्व चाहे तो पशुत्व।
मनुष्य को उन्होंने दो चीजें दी हैं – विद्या और अविद्या। विद्या दो प्रकार की है – विवेक और वैराग्य। इनका आश्रय लेने पर मनुष्य भगवान् की शरण में आता है। अविद्या छः प्रकार की है – काम, क्रोध, इत्यादि। इनका आश्रय लेने पर मनुष्य पशु-भावापन्न होता है। विद्या का culture (अनुशीलन) करने से अविद्या का नाश होता है, और अविद्या का culture करने से ‘मैं’ और ‘मेरा’ यह बोध बढ़कर मनुष्य को संसार में बद्ध कर देता है तथा भगवान् से बहुत दूर ले जाता है, जिससे जीव को अशेष दुःख-कष्ट सहना पड़ता है। जीव को उन्होंने सिर्फ विद्या और अविद्या ये दो चीजें ही दी हों, ऐसी बात नहीं, बल्कि इन दोनों में भला-बुरा क्या है, इसका विचार करने की शक्ति भी दी है। मनुष्य जिसे भला समझता है, उसे ग्रहण करता है और फल भी तदनुरूप पाता है।
मनुष्य दुःख-कष्ट पाने पर भगवान् को जो दोष देता है, वह उसकी भूल है – बहुत बड़ी भूल। तुम अपनी पसन्द के अनुसार रास्ता तय करते हो, और उसी के अनुसार भला-बुरा फल भोगते हो। इसके लिए उन्हें दोष देने से कैसे चलेगा? क्षणिक सुख के मोह में इतने भूले हुए हो कि भले और बुरे के विचार करने का भी तुम्हें समय नहीं रहा। आग में हाथ डालने से हाथ जलेगा ही; पर यह आग का दोष है या तुम्हारा? ठाकुर कहते थे, “दीये का स्वभाव है प्रकाश देना। अब यदि कोई उस प्रकाश में चावल पका रहा हो, या कोई जालसाजी कर रहा हो या भागवत पढ़ रहा हो, तो यह क्या प्रकाश का दोष-गुण है?” उसी प्रकार भगवान् ने मनुष्य को भले-बुरे दोनों रास्ते दिखा दिये हैं। अपनी इच्छानुसार select (चुनाव) कर लो। 
जिसका जैसा भाव होगा, वैसा लाभ होगा। विवेक-वैराग्य का आश्रय लो, तो उन्हें पाकर आनन्द के अधिकारी होगे। और संसार का यदि आश्रय लो, तो इस जीवन में थोड़ा-बहुत क्षणिक सुख अवश्य पाओगे, किन्तु भविष्य को अन्धकार-समुद्र में डुबोकर अनन्त दुःख पाने के लिए भी तुम्हें तैयार रहना होगा। ऐसा कहने से नहीं बनेगा कि सिर्फ सुख ही चाहिए, दुःख नहीं। एक की इच्छा करने से दूसरा आएगा ही, तुम चाहो या न चाहो।
ठाकुर कहते थे, “मलय पवन के स्पर्श से जिन सब वृक्षों में सार है वे चन्दन हो जाते हैं, किन्तु सारहीन वृक्षों का – बाँस, केले आदि का – कुछ भी नहीं होता।” दो प्रकार के मनुष्य होते हैं – एक वे हैं, जिनमें सत्-कथा सुनने से ही विवेक-वैराग्य जग जाता है, संसार-सुख तुच्छ मालूम होने लगता है और उनका कृपा-कटाक्ष पाने के लिए मन व्याकुल हो उठता है। उन्हें जानने के लिए, जीवन-मरण की पहेली को समझने के लिए दृढ़-प्रतिज्ञ हो जाता है। शरीर रहे या जाय, इसकी वह चिन्ता नहीं करता; भगवान् को पाने का दृढ़ संकल्प लेकर वह साधन-भजन आरम्भ कर देता है। ये लोग जीवन मेंे sucessful (सफल) भी होते हैं। एक प्रकार के लोग और हैं, उनके सामने कितना ही बड़ा आदर्श क्यों न रखो वे किसी भी दशा में चेतेंगे नहीं। वे सोचते हैं – “इस संसार में मैं हमेशा जीवित रहूँगा”, “मेरे न रहने से काम नहीं चलेगा”, “हाथ में जो आया है, उसका भोग न करूँ, तो मूर्ख ही सिद्ध होऊँगा।” – ऐसा सोचकर ये लोग अपने को घसीटकर अँधेरे कुएँ में डाल लेते हैं और असीम दुःख-कष्ट भोगते हैं।
चन्दन की सुगन्धा enjoy  (उपभोग) करना अच्छा है या दुर्गन्ध का उपभोग करना? शान्ति अच्छी है या अशान्ति? – यह अच्छी तरह से समझ लो; समझकर एक रास्ता ठीक कर लो। समय तुम्हारे लिए रुकेगा नहीं, वह नदी के स्रोत के समान लगातार बहता चला जा रहा है। बाद में ‘हाय हाय’ करने से कुछ भी हाथ नहीं आएगा। जो समय बीत चुका है, उसे वापस लाने का कोई उपाय नहीं, उसके लिए सोचने से भी कोई लाभ नहीं। जो समय अभी तुम्हारे हाथ में है, उसका सदुपयोग करो, जिससे अब एक क्षण भी वृथा न जाय। अभी से मन को इस तरह गढ़ो, जिससे उनका चिन्तन, उनका स्मरण-मनन छोड़ और अन्य विषय मन में स्थान न पाय। इने-गिने ही दिन तो बचे हैं और वे भी क्रमशः बीते जा रहे हैं। व्यर्थ समय मत गँवाओ।
व्याकुल हृदय से उनके पास प्रार्थना करो, “हे प्रभो, मुझे सद्बुद्धि दो, मुझे अपना बना लो। ‘मैं’-‘मेरा’ भाव दूर कर दो। ‘मै’-‘मेरा’ कहते कहते बहुत धक्के खाये हैं – अब ‘तुम’-‘तुम्हारा’ कहना सिखाओ।” देखते नहीं, सदैव के लिए आँखें मूँद लेने पर तुम्हारा क्या कुछ रहता है? ‘मेरा’ कहकर जिन्हें जकड़े हुए हो, वे क्या तुम्हारे साथ जाएँगे? उनका समय आने पर वे अकेले चले जाएँगे, तुम्हारी तरफ लौटकर भी नहीं देखेंगे। उन सबको छोड़कर तुम्हें एक अनजान देश में जाना है। जितना ‘मेरा’-‘मेरा’ करोगे, उतनी ही पैर में बेड़ी लगेगी। मनुष्य ‘संसार-संसार’ कहकर मरता है, पर इसमें भला क्या धरा है? जब धक्का खायेगा, तब क्या संसार उसकी रक्षा कर सकेगा? जिसके लिए यहाँ आना हुआ, जिसके लिए यह दुर्लभ मनुष्य-जन्म मिला, उसके लिए कुछ न कर, उसे छोड़कर यदि यहाँ से जाना पड़ा, तो इससे बढ़कर दुर्भाग्य की बात और क्या हो सकती है? अतएव जी-जान से प्रयत्न करो, जिससे खाली हाथ कहीं जाना न पड़ जाय। उनके पास खूब रोओ, व्याकुल हृदय से उन्हें पुकारो। 
सुना है तो, ठाकुर दक्षिणेश्वर में किस तरह रोते थे? – “माँ, और एक दिन बीत गया, अभी तक दर्शन नहीं दिये!” उनके लिए व्याकुल होओ, संसार में क्या धरा है, सिर्फ दुख का ही भण्डार तो है। यहाँ तो रोते रोते दिन बीत गये, वहाँ भी क्या रोते रोते दिन बीतेंगे?
ठाकुर के आश्रय में जब आ गये हो, तो उनकी कृपा अवश्य ही पायी है ऐसा जानना। उनकी कृपा का सदुपयोग करो। कृपामय की कृपा पाकर यदि धारणा न कर सको, आनन्द न पा सको, जीवन-मरण का रहस्य भेदकर उनके नित्य साथी न हो सको, तो फिर तुम्हारे जैसा अभागा इस दुनिया में और कौन है? इस युग के लोग हो तुम सब – युग की हवा शरीर से लगी है, उसका advantage (लाभ) लेना मत छोड़ना। अन्य किसी भी युग में किसी ने इतने सीधे और सहज ढ़ंग से राह नहीं दिखायी – यह opportunity(सुविधा) यदि यों ही गँवा दो, तो फिर बहुत समय तक पछताना पड़ेगा।
युग की हवा के अनुसार पाल तानकर तीव्र गति से बढ़े जाओ। वे रास्ता देख रहे हैं, पाल तानने से ही नौका ठिकाने में पहुँच जायगी। पाल खोल दो, पाल खोल दो। तुम लोगों में यथेष्ट शक्ति विद्यमान है। स्वयं पर विश्वास रखो – ऐसा विश्वास कि उनका नाम सुना है, उनका नाम लिया है, भय और दुर्बलता मुझमें रह नहीं सकती, उनकी कृपा से इस जीवन में ही उन्हें प्राप्त करूँगा। पीछे फिरकर देखना नहीं, आगे बढ़े चलो – उनके दर्शन पाकर धन्य हो जाओगे, मनुष्य-जन्म सार्थक हो जायगा, अपार आनन्द के अधिकारी हो जाओगे।

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