ब्रह्मचर्य की महिमा और शक्ति

महर्षि दयानंद के जीवन की ब्रह्मचर्य को लेकर कुछ ऐसी सत्य घटनाएँ है, जो आश्चर्यजनक है किन्तु सत्य है । यह दृष्टान्त आज के युवाओं के लिए प्रेरणा के स्त्रोत हो सकते है । इस उद्देश्य को लेकर उनमें से एक  दृष्टान्त का उल्लेख इस लेख में किया गया है ।

उदयपुर के महाराणा सज्जन सिंह महर्षि दयानंद के मित्र थे । बाद में शिष्य बन गये । एक बार महर्षि दयानंद से उदयपुर गये तब महाराणा सज्जन सिंह उनके निवास स्थान पर उनसे मिलने गये ।

महाराणा सज्जन सिंह ने कहा – “मैं धन्य हो गया, स्वामीजी ! जो आपके परम पवित्र चरण मेरी राजधानी में पड़े । मैं चिरकाल से आपके आगमन की प्रतीक्षा कर रहा था । सारा उदयपुर आपके दर्शन के लिए उत्सुक था ।” इस तरह प्रणाम करते हुए महाराणा ने स्वामीजी का स्वागत किया ।

मुस्कुराते हुए स्वामीजी बोले – “ चिरंजीव हो !” कुर्सी की ओर संकेत करते हुए कहा –“आइये ! विराजिये !”

महाराणा – “ नहीं नहीं स्वामीजी ! मैं नीचे ही ठीक हूँ ।” इस तरह शालीनता का परिचय देते हुए महाराणा नीचे बैठ गये ।

इसके बाद एक दुसरे की कुशल क्षेम पूछने के बाद महाराणा ने स्वामीजी से उपदेश देने के लिए आग्रह किया ।

तब स्वामीजी बोले – “ राजन ! मुझे यह देखकर बड़ा दुःख होता है कि प्रत्येक भारतीय विषय वासना में पड़कर अपने मन और शरीर के ओज को खो रहा है । निरंतर बढ़ती विलासिता ब्रह्मचर्य जैसे पवित्र को विचार को धूमिल करती जा रही है । साधनों से संपन्न लोग जैसे राजा और उनके सेवकों पर वासना का भूत बुरी तरह से हावी है । जिसके कारण वे अपने राजकाज के कार्य भी यथाविधि संपन्न नहीं कर  पाते । यदि ऐसे ही चलता रहा तो जल्द ही पुरे भारत पर मानसिक गुलामी छा जाएगी ।”

महाराणा बोले – “ आपकी बात सही है, स्वामीजी ! निसंदेह मनुष्य ब्रह्मचर्य से दूर होकर पाप की ओर बढ़ रहा है । लेकिन ब्रह्मचर्य की ऐसी शिक्षा का व्यापक स्तर पर शिक्षण भी तो संभव नही ।

स्वामीजी बोले – “ क्यों संभव नहीं ? ब्रह्मचर्य की महिमा और शक्ति को उत्तमता से बताकर इस अधर्म और अत्याचार से लोगों को बचाया जा सकता है ।”

तब महाराणा बोले – “स्वामीजी ! आप एक बार जोधपुर जाकर महाराज यशवंत सिंह की को संयम की महिमा बताइए । हो सकता आपके कहने से वो सही राह पर आ जाये ।”

स्वामीजी – “ जी मैं जोधपुर अवश्य जाऊंगा और महाराज यशवंत सिंह को इस महापाप से मुक्ति दिलाऊंगा ।” इतना कहकर स्वामीजी और महाराणा दोनों खड़े हो गये और बाहर की ओर चलने लगे । जाते – जाते महाराणा स्वामीजी को संदेह से देख रहा था ।

आखिरकार महाराणा बोल उठा – “ स्वामीजी ! आप ब्रह्मचर्य की बड़ी महिमा गाते है, बड़ी शक्ति बताते है । जहाँ तक मुझे पता है, सभी आपको अखण्ड ब्रह्मचारी भी मानते है । किन्तु मुझे तो आपमें कोई विशेष शक्ति दृष्टिगोचर नहीं होती ।

राजा की यह बात सुनकर स्वामीजी उसकी दुविधा समझ गये और बोले – “ क्या आपने कभी मेरी शक्ति की परीक्षा की है ? बिना परीक्षा किये आप अपने मन से कुछ भी अनुमान लगा सकते है । आपको पता भी है ! भारतवर्ष में चिरकाल से एक बाल विवाह की एक ऐसी बीमारी चली आ रही है जो ब्रह्मचर्य आश्रम को कभी पूरा नहीं होने देती है । संभवतः मेरे माता – पिता का भी ब्रह्मचर्य आश्रम पूर्ण नहीं हुआ होगा । जिसका प्रभाव संतान पर पड़ना अवश्यंभावी है । जब मूल ही कच्ची है तो वृक्ष क्या खाक चलेगा । जब शरीर का विकास ही नहीं हुआ तो बल और बुद्धि का विकास कहाँ से होगा ? उस समय की कल्पना करो जब भीष्म और भीम जैसे धुरंधर योद्धा हुए । अर्जुन और कर्ण जैसे धनुर्धर हुए । राम और लक्ष्मण जैसे परमवीर हुए । जिन्हें इतिहास आज भी जानता है ।”

यह सुनकर महाराणा बोला – “ संभव है स्वामीजी ! आपकी बात सही हो और आज के ब्रह्मचर्य पालन में पहले जैसी शक्ति न रही हो, लेकिन फिर भी एक ब्रह्मचारी और एक गृहस्थ में कोई तो विशेष अंतर होना चाहिए ना । यदि ऐसा कोई प्रत्यक्ष प्रमाण आप दे सके, मुझे भी विश्वास हो जाये ”

स्वामीजी मुस्कुराते हुए बोले – “ अच्छी बात है, जब समय आएगा तो आपको इसका प्रमाण भी मिल जायेगा ।”

जाते – जाते महाराणा बोला – “ माफ़ कीजियेगा स्वामीजी ! आपको बुरा लगा हो तो । मेरी दुविधा थी अतः पूछ लिया ।  बाकि आप तो हमारे गुरु है । प्रणाम !”

स्वामीजी – “ इसमें माफ़ी मांगने जैसा कुछ नहीं । आपने अपने मन की शंका मुझे बताई, यह तो अच्छी बात है ।”

यह कहकर महाराणा अपने अपने दो धोड़े की बग्घी पर सवार हो गया और अपने सारथि से बोला, “चलो !” सारथि ने घोड़ो चलने का इशारा दिया । लेकिन घोड़े चले नहीं । उसने हंटर बरसाना शुरू कर दिया लेकिन बग्घी जहाँ की तहाँ खड़ी हिलने का नाम नहीं ले रही थी । बिचारे घोड़े उसी जगह कूद – कूदकर थक गये । तभी महाराज ने पीछे मुड़कर देखा तो देखकर हैरान रह गये । अखण्ड ब्रह्मचारी महर्षि दयानंद ने बग्घी का एक पहिया अपने एक हाथ से पकड़ रखा था ।

स्वामीजी बोले – “ देख लो महाराणा ! ब्रह्मचर्य की शक्ति का यह है प्रत्यक्ष प्रमाण । अब मिल गया आपको अपने प्रश्न का उत्तर । ये तो दो घोड़े है, यदि चार भी होते तो भी नहीं हिलने वाली थी ।”

महाराणा झट से बग्घी से उतरकर स्वामीजी के पेरों में गिर पड़ा और बोला – “ धन्य हो प्रभु, आप धन्य हो । यह मेरी भूल थी जो मैंने आपको चुनौती दी । आपसे प्रमाण माँगा । अब मैं समझ गया हूँ कि ब्रह्मचर्य की ताकत के आगे किसी की नहीं चलती । अब मेरी शंका का समाधान हो चूका है । मुझपर कृपा करने के लिए कोटि कोटि नमन !”

उसके बाद स्वामीजी ने आशीर्वाद देकर सकुशल महाराणा को विदा किया ।

शिक्षा – इस सत्य घटना से हमें यह शिक्षा मिलती है कि हमें भी महर्षि दयानन्द की तरह यथासंभव संकल्पपूर्वक संयम का पालन करके अपनी शारीरिक और मानसिक शक्तियों का विकास करना चाहिए ।

Rama was a Perfect Incarnation

Rama was a Perfect Incarnation:

" Ordinary people do not recognise the advent of an Incarnation of God. He comes in secret. Only a few of His intimate disciples can recognise Him. That Rama was both Brahman Absolute and a perfect Incarnation of God in human form was known only to twelve rishis. The other sages said to Him,  'Rama, we know You only as Dasaratha's son.' 

"Can anyone comprehend Brahman, the Indivisible Existence-Knowledge-Bliss Absolute?  He alone has attained perfect love of God who, having reached the Absolute, keeps himself in the realm of the Relative in order to enjoy the divine lila. A man can describe the ways and activities of the Queen if he has previously visited her in England. Only then will his description of the Queen be correct. Sages like Bharadvaja adored Rama and said:  "O Rama, you are nothing but the Indivisible Satchidananda. You have appeared before us as a human being, but You look like a man because You have shrouded Yourself with Your own maya." These rishis were great devotees of Rama and had supreme love for God."

-Sri Ramakrishna 

(to the devotees)

HOW INDIA HAS EXPERIENCED MANY A DECAY BUT AVOIDED DEATH

As found in the book:

UNIVERSAL MESSAGE OF 

THE BHAGAVAD GITA

Written By: SWAMI RANGANATHANANDA

HOW INDIA HAS EXPERIENCED MANY A DECAY BUT AVOIDED DEATH:

Our Indian culture has passed through all these phases. Take the Vedic period, great culture. What struggles and hardships people endured to build it up. The mind was active and energetic and had great vigour. This continued till the Epic period. There was a tremendous setback; the "Mahabharata" war at Kurukshetra, more than three thousand years ago, was a great setback! The best of the race died in the war, thousands of them. That is considered to be a watershed in our history. Sometimes later, new strength came but again it declined. It went on, like waves rising and falling, but the uniqueness, as I mentioned before, is that we decay but we never die. Some new power comes and we are refreshed once again. What a depth we had gone to in the last century! When we read the literature of the time, we can see to what low level the human mind in India had degenerated. All the original strength, vigour, and creativity disappeared, and we were a half-dead people. Out of that state came a tremendous awakening and new developments. How did it come about? Here comes the great idea. Not only does a great spiritual teacher arrive on the scene and raise the people, but sometimes a cultural cross-fertilization also takes place. Western culture helped destroy many of our foolish notions. It showed us new paths and made us more energetic. This was not the intension of the Westerners, but that was the result; infusion of Western ideas into India resulted in a new awakening and a new strength and youthfulness.

When Maya runs away....

A priest was once going to the village of a disciple of his. He had no servant with him. Seeing a cobbler on the the way, he addressed him, saying, "Halloa! good man, will you accompany me as a servant? You will be fed well and taken good care of if you come with me." 

The cobbler replied, 'Sir, I am of the lowest caste. How can I come as your servant?" 

The priest said, "Never mind. Do not tell anybody what you are. Do not also speak to anyone, or make anybody's acquaintance." The cobbler agreed. 

At twilight, while the priest was sitting at prayers in the house of his disciple, another Brahmana came and said to the priest's servant, "Go and bring my shoes from there." 

True to the behest of his master, he made no response. The Brahmana repeated his order a second time, but even then the servant remained silent. The Brahmana repeated again and again, but the cobbler did not move an inch. 

At last, 

getting annoyed, the Brahmana angrily said "Sirrah! how dare you disobey a Brahmana's command? 

What is your name? 

Are you indeed a cobbler?" 

The cobbler, hearing this, began to tremble with fear and looking piteously at the priest, said, "O venerable Sir! I am found out. I dare not stay here any longer. Let me flee." 

So saying, he took to his heels. 

Just so, as soon as Maya is recognised, she flies away.

🕉 Wise Sayings of Sri Ramakrishna. 1109.

Chaitanya was an incarnation of bhakti (love and devotion)

" After attaining the Advaita jnana, comes spiritually awakened consciousness (Chaitanya). Then one sees that God alone exists in all things as Consciousness. After this realization comes Nityananda (bliss). Advaita, Chaitanya, and Nityananda. "

Chaitanya was an incarnation of bhakti (love and devotion). He came to teach love of God to mankind. Have love for God and everything else is done for you. 

Chaitanya experienced three states of mind. First, the conscious state, when his mind dwelt on the gross and the subtle. Second, the semi-conscious state, when his mind entered the causal body and was absorbed in the bliss of divine intoxication. Third, the inmost state, when his mind was merged in the Great Cause. This agrees very well with the five koshas, or 'sheaths', described in the Vedanta. The gross body corresponds to the annamayakosha and the pranamayakosha, the subtle body to the manomayakosha and the vijnanamayakosha, and the causal body to the anandamayakosha. The Mahakarana, the Great Cause, is beyond the five sheaths. When Chaitanya's mind merged in That, he would go into samadhi. This is called the nirvikalpa or jada samadhi. While conscious of the outer world, Chaitanya sang the name of God; while in the state of partial consciousness, he danced with the devotees; and while in the inmost state of consciousness, he remained absorbed in samadhi. 

To attract the wordly, Chaitanya and Nitai, after much deliberation, made an arrangement. They would say to such persons, ''Come, repeat the name of Hari, and you shall have a delicious soup of magur fish and the embrace of a young woman.'' Many people, attracted by the fish and the woman, would chant the name of God. After tasting a little of the nectar of God's hallowed name, they would soon realize that the 'fish soup' really meant the tears they shed for love of God, while the 'young woman’ signified the earth. The embrace of the woman meant rolling on the ground in the rapture of divine ecstasy.

Chaitanya said: "The name of God has very great sanctity. It may not produce an immediate result, but one day it must bear fruit. It is like a seed that has been left on the cornice of a building. After many days the house crumbles, and the seed falls on the earth, germinates, and at last bears fruit." 

Once a man said to Chaitanya: "You give the devotees so much instruction. Why don't they make much progress?" Chaitanya said: "They dissipate their powers in the company of women. That is why they cannot assimilate spiritual instruction. If one keeps water in a leaky jar, the water escapes little by little through the leak." 

Once Chaitanyadeva was passing through a village. Someone told him that the body of the drum used in the kirtan was made from the earth of that village, and at once he went into ecstasy. Chaitanya once said to Nityananda: 'Listen to me, brother. A man entangled in worldliness can never be free.' 

The fire of Chaitanya's renunciation was so great that when Sarvabhauma poured sugar on his tongue, instead of melting, it evaporated into air. He was always absorbed in samadhi. How great was his conquest of lust! To compare him with a man! 

Chaitanyadeva set out on a pilgrimage to southern India. One day he saw a man reading the Gita. Another man, seated at a distance, was listening and weeping. His eyes were swimming in tears. Chaitanyadeva asked him, "Do you understand all this?". The man said, "No, revered sir, I don't understand a word of the text." "Then why are you crying?" asked Chaitanya. The devotee said: "I see Arjuna's chariot before me. I see Lord Krishna and Arjuna seated In front of it, talking. I see this and I weep." 

Chaitanya used to shed tears of joy at the very mention of Krishna’s name....Chaitanya embraced all, including the outcastes.

Chaitanya was intoxicated with the love of God. Still, before taking to monastic life, for how many days did he try to persuade his mother to give him her permission to become a monk ! He said to her: 'Mother, don't worry. I shall visit you every now and then.' 

~ Shri Ramakrishna Paramhamsa

🌹 देवताओं का आयु प्रमाण 🌹

🌹 देवताओं का आयु प्रमाण 🌹 

🍂उपोसथ सुत्त में भगवान द्वारा वर्णित कुछ अंश🍂 

क्रमश: ....“विसाखे! जितना समय मनुष्यों का पचास वर्ष का होता है, वह चातुम्महाराजिक देवताओं का एक रात-दिन होता है। उस रात से तीस रातों का महीना। उस महीने से बारह महीनों का वर्ष। उस वर्ष से पांच सौ वर्ष चातुम्महाराजिक देवताओं की आयु की सीमा। विसाखे! संभव है कि अष्टांगिक उपोसथ करने वाली स्त्री या पुरुष शरीर छूटने पर, मरने के बाद चातुम्महाराजिक देवताओं का सहवासी हो जाय। विसाखे! इसीलिए यह कहा गया कि दिव्य-सुख की तुलना में मानुषी-राज्य बिचारे का कुछ मूल्य नहीं। 

“विसाखे! जितना समय मनुष्यों का सौ वर्ष होता है, वह तावतिस देवताओं का एक रात-दिन होता है। उस रात से तीस रातों का महीना। उस महीने से बारह महीनों का वर्ष! उस वर्ष से हजार दिव्य वर्ष, तावतिस देवताओं की आयु की सीमा। विसाखे! संभव है कि अष्टांगिक उपोसथ करने वाली स्त्री या पुरुष शरीर छूटने पर, मरने के बाद तांवतिस देवताओं का सहवासी हो जाय। विसाखे! इसीलिए यह कहा गया कि दिव्य-सुख की तुलना में मानुषी-राज्य बिचारे का कुछ मूल्य नहीं। 

“विसाखे! जितना समय मनुष्यों का दो सौ वर्ष होता है, वह याम-देवताओं का एक रात-दिन होता है। उस रात से तीस रातों का महीना। उस महीने से बारह महीनों का वर्ष। उस वर्ष से दो हजार दिव्य-वर्ष, याम देवताओं की आयु की सीमा । विसाखे! संभव है कि अष्टांगिक उपोसथ करने वाली स्त्री या पुरुष शरीर छूटने पर, मरने के बाद याम-देवताओं का सहवासी हो जाय। विसाखे! इसीलिए यह कहा गया है कि दिव्य-सुख की तुलना में मानुषी-राज्य बिचारे का कुछ मूल्य नहीं। 

“विसाखे! जितना समय मनुष्यों का चार सौ वर्ष होता है, वह तुषित देवताओं का एक रात-दिन होता है। उस रात से तीस रातों का महीना। उस महीने से बारह महीनों का वर्ष। उस वर्ष से चार हजार दिव्य-वर्ष, तुषित-देवताओं की आयु की सीमा । विसाखे! संभव है कि अष्टांगिक उपोसथ करने वाली स्त्री या पुरुष शरीर छूटने पर, मरने के बाद तुषित-देवताओं का सहवासी हो जाय। विसाखे! इसीलिए यह कहा गया कि दिव्य-सुख की तुलना में मानुषी-राज्य बिचारे का कुछ मूल्य नहीं। 

“विसाखे! जितना समय मनुष्यों का आठ सौ वर्ष होता है, वह निम्मान-रति देवताओं का एक रात-दिन होता है। उस रात से तीस रातों का महीना। उस महीने से बारह महीनों का वर्ष। उस वर्ष से आठ हजार दिव्य-वर्ष, निम्मान-रति देवताओं की आयु की सीमा । विसाखे! संभव है कि अष्टांगिक उपोसथ करने वाली स्त्री या पुरुष शरीर छूटने पर, मरने के बाद निम्मान-रति देवताओं का सहवासी हो जाय। विसाखे! इसीलिए यह कहा गया कि दिव्य-सुख की तुलना में मानुषी-राज्य बिचारे का कुछ मूल्य नहीं। 

“विसाखे! जितना समय मनुष्यों का सोलह सौ वर्ष होता है, वह परनिम्मितवसवत्ती देवताओं का एक रात-दिन होता है। उस रात से तीस रातों का महीना । उस महीने से बारह महीनों का वर्ष। उस वर्ष से सोलह हजार वर्ष परनिम्मितवसवत्ती देवताओं की आयु की सीमा।  विसाखे! संभव है कि अष्टांगिक उपोसथ करने वाली स्त्री या पुरुष शरीर छूटने पर, मरने के बाद, परनिम्मितवसवत्ती देवताओं का सहवासी हो जाय । विसाखे! इसीलिए यह कहा

गया कि दिव्य-सुख की तुलना में मानुषी-राज्य बिचारे का कुछ मूल्य नहीं। 

क्रमश:....

महावर्ग -> द्वितीय पंचाशतक-> त्रिक निपात-> अंगुत्तरनिकाय ।। 

भवतु सब्ब मगंलं !! 

🙏🙏🙏

How was photo of Sri Ramakrishna taken?

On the photo of Sri Ramakrishna often just called ‘the Shrine pose’.

This picture of Bhagavan Sri Ramakrishna (the greatest of Avatars according to Swami Vivekananda) was taken in front of the Krishna temple at Dakshineswar in 1884, when Sri Ramakrishna was 48 years old. 

According to Swami Nirvanananda, “Bavanath Chatterjee, the Master’s devotee from Baranagore, wanted to take a photograph of the Master. 

One day he requested him very strongly to give his consent, and on the afternoon of the next day brought a photographer along with him from Baranagore. 

He could not make the Master agree. 

The Master just went away near the Radhakanta [Krishna] temple.

“In the meantime Narendra arrived on the scene and heard everything; 

He said, ‘Wait a bit. I shall put everything straight.’ 

Saying this, he went to the veranda on the west of the Radhakanta temple where Sri Ramakrishna was sitting and started a religious conversation with him. 

The Master went into samadhi. Swamiji went and called the others and ordered them to get ready and quickly to take the picture.

“In the state of samadhi the Master’s body was bent on one side and therefore the cameraman went to make him sit erect by softly adjusting his chin. But as soon as he touched his chin the whole body of the Master came up like a piece of paper – so light it was!

“Swamiji then told him, ‘Oh, what are you doing? Be quick. Get the camera ready.’ 

The cameraman took the exposure as hurriedly as possible. 

The Master was completely unaware of this incident.

“After some days when Bavanath brought the printed copy of the photo, 

the Master remarked: ‘This represents a high yogic state. 

This form will be worshipped in every home as time goes on.’” (“Concerning the Photographs of Sri Ramakrishna” by Swami Vidyatmananda; Vedanta and the West, No. 172).

Swami Vishuddhananda stated that when Sri Ramakrishna saw the photo he went into ecstasy and touched the photo to his head several times, saying: “The photo is nicely taken. This mood is very high – fully merged in Him. Here the Lord is fully depicted in his own nature.”

The following is a quotation from Sri Sarada Devi: The Holy Mother, (p. 416) concerning one of the prints of this photograph:

“Disciple: Mother, that photograph of Sri Ramakrishna which you have with you is a very good one. One feels it when one sees the picture. Well, is that a good likeness of the Master?

“Mother: Yes, that picture is very, very good. It originally belonged to a brahmin cook. Several prints were made of his first photograph. The brahmin took one of them. The picture was at first very dark, just like the image of Kali. Therefore it was given to the Brahmin. When he left Dakshineswar for some place – I do not remember where – he gave it to me. I kept the photograph with the pictures of other gods and goddesses and worshipped it. At one time I lived on the ground floor of the nahabat. One day the Master came there, and at the sight of the picture he said, ‘Hello, what is all this?’ Lakshmi and I had been cooking under the staircase. Then I saw the Master take in his hand the bel leaves and flowers kept there for worship, and offer them to the photograph. This is the same picture. That brahmin never returned, so the picture remained with me.”

This picture which Sri Ramakrishna worshipped is now on the shrine at the Udbodhan Office in Calcutta, where it is worshipped daily. 

This fact was authenticated by Swami Madhavananda, Swami Vireswarananda, and Swami Nirvanananda. 

Swami Atmabodhananda, who was the head of Udbodhan for many years until his death in 1959, stated that the Udbodhan print was the same one that Sri Ramakrishna worshipped at the nahabat. (“Concerning the Photographs of Sri Ramakrishna” by Swami Vidyatmananda; Vedanta and the West, No. 172).

In 1982, Swami Chetanananda received a negative from the original picture of Sri Ramakrishna mentioned above. 

It was made by Braja Kishore Sinha, the Curator of Victoria Memorial Hall, Calcutta. 

Swami Chetanananda brought that negative to the United States and gave it to Mr. John Hench, Vice President for Creative Development of Disneyland, who worked on this picture for two years. 

Mr. Hench carefully removed the scratches, black dots, and other imperfections from this historical, one hundred-year-old photograph without disturbing its originality. 🕉