Interfaith Meeting - March 06
Swami Yogatmananda and devotees attended the monthly interfaith meeting which was held at Grace Episcopal Church, No Attleboro, continuing discussion of each denomination's perspective on "How does your faith tradition understand justice and deal with injustice?"

 

Sri Ramakrishna's birth-day Celebration - March 9

From 11:00 AM - 7:30 PM, Vedanta Society conducted a day-long program to honor Sri Ramakrishna. Puja (ritual worship, food and flower offering, chanting, Aarati) was performed by Swami Yogatmananda from 11:00 - 12:45PM; flower offering by the approximately sixty attending devotees followed. Prasad luncheon was next. A full video on 'Ramakrishna Museum' and one segment of a multimedia CD 'Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna' was then shown to about fifty persons. The four- speaker symposium on Sri Ramakrishna was attended by eighty persons (see synopsis below); the multi-cultural music-hour to honor Sri Ramakrishna, and evening Aarati was enjoyed by about fifty devotees. Simple Prasad dinner finished the program. Click here to see photos.

Synopsis of Last Week's Classes

Friday - Bhagavad Gita Class - March 7

Ch. 2 Verses 42-46: The Gita wants to give us the highest good. Just like a mother wants the best for her child. We want absolute freedom. It's quite possible to achieve this state. It's practical as well. What's needed is dedicated, scientifically made effort. One must ask questions and know the means to the end. There has to be a connection between the means and the end. This is scientific method. Once the method is chosen, follow it doggedly. Patanjali states that the practice may take a long time spent in focused, determined, unbroken and devoted effort. Lord Krishna knew we should be focused on God. Why not focus on other worldly things too? The truth is you can't focus on anything else. Everything else is constantly changing and the mind will only get scattered in running after anything in the world.
What happens after God realization? Will you have desires left to chase? The answer is no. No desire will be unfulfilled. If one sees the Self, nothing else remains to be achieved.

Sunday -Symposium on Sri Ramakrishna - March 9
Four devotees spoke on the life and teachings of Sri Ramakrishna.

Robert Smith (Ramaji) spoke about his religious family background and the impact of eastern philosophy of Sanatana Dharma (Eternal Truth) which propelled him to study Bible in a new light. Sri Ramakrishna's harmony of religions and his extraordinary love of God have much influenced him.

Teresa Guerra spoke on Sri Ramakrishna and his great humility which manifest in his deep devotion to Mother Kali and taking her to be the only refuge and guide. We can also follow his example in different ways like establishing a particular relationship with God, by introspecting our daily thoughts and actions, by feeling the presence of God in everyone etc.

Dr. Sukalyan Sengupta spoke about the extraordinary teacher-ship of Sri Ramakrishna that becomes obvious through his parables and analogies which is like taking pills for sweetness but the drug works all the life. Sri Ramakrishna was very approachable and in any conversation he would turn the attention of devotees towards God-realization.

Sheila Krishnan in her inspiring speech presented Sri Ramakrishna's teachings from the lecture 'My Master' of Swami Vivekananda. She feels that Sri Ramakrishna is easier to understand through the literature of Swami Vivekananda. Sri Ramakrishna's teachings are very practical which have inspired her to strive for God-realization.

Swami Yogatmananada gave concluding remarks.

Tuesday - The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna Class- March 11

Sri Ramakrishna was like a blossoming flower, scattering the fragrance of truth and attracting the truth-seeking bees. We have to remember that the names and forms, to which we get attached, are unreal and God alone is real.
Sri Ramakrishna tells to keep company all the time. One can do this by reading scriptures, listening to recordings of discourses, by meditating on God. By constant practice, you yourself become a holy person and are automatically in holy company all the time. As perspectives become clearer, our problems abate. Then one can see that God alone is Real. Renunciation of all attachment is the way to experience this truth. But Sri Ramakrishna specifies that for the householders, it means renouncing mentally. What is called for is renunciation or surrendering the ego. It also means loving service to others.

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