Newsletter March 18, 2009

Past Events

Synopsis of Last Week's Classes

Friday - Bhagwad Gita - March 13
Ch. 3- Verses 39-42: We have been seeing that desire is our enemy on the spiritual path. In Verse 39, Lord Krishna explains that to overcome our desires, we should have a strategy that is practical and tactical, much like a military strategy. First, we must always know that desire is our enemy. In Verse 40, Krishna warns Arjuna that our desires have already taken our mind, intellect, and senses hostage. Because our intellect has become a slave of our desires, we shouldn't try to intellectualize our condition, since whatever conclusions we come to will actually be colored by desire, our very enemy! In Verse 41 we see that we must disown our intellect, mind and sense organs, and see them for what they truly are (i.e. under the control of our desires). This will make them powerless. We will be able to finally vanquish our enemy (desire) by employing a "superior weapon," something which is stronger than the senses, mind or intellect-- the Self. We must have confidence in ourselves and use our knowledge of our true Divine nature to conquesr desire.

Sunday - Gourang Chaitanya: The Devotion Incarnate - Swami Yogatmananda - March 15
Born in 1485 in Navadweep, West Bengal, Gourang Chaitanya was an erudite scholar of Logic in his youth and earned a lot of fame. Once while visiting the temples in Gaya, a place of pilgrimage in North India, a sudden transformation came - with his heart overflowing with the love of God, brushing aside his scholarly interests. There he met his guru, Iswara Puri, who initiated him into the Krishna Mantra. Upon returning to his native place, Chaitanya gave up his earlier profession of running a school and spent all his time chanting name of God (Sankirtana). Many people including Hindus and Muslims started following him and Chaitanya preached them how to cultivate love for God through the repetition of God's name. Soon he met his companion Nityananda and both of them created a huge wave of devotion embracing all people irrespective of their caste, religion or social status. Once he had a vision of the great Upanisadic Statement (Mahavakya) 'Thou Art That' unfolding before him the harmony of knowledge and devotion. At the age of 25 he was initiated into Sannyasa by his teacher Keshava Bharati. He lived in Jagannathpuri for many years and preached the philosophy of devotion as a means of liberation. He also visited Vrindavan and revitalized that holy place with his devotional fervor. Vaishnava scriptures mention the communion with God through Bhava, Mahabhava and Prema and people saw a complete manifestation of them in Chaitanya's life. His teachings have greatly influenced devotional movements all over India. He emphasized self-control and renunciation for cultivating pure devotion. Shikshashtakam (Eight Verses on Education) composed by Chaitanya condenses all his teachings.

Tuesday - Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna - March 17

The sole purpose of Sri Ramakrishna's words was to uplift others and impart knowledge. He was truly compassionate. Two devotees, Suresh Mitra and Girish Ghosh had bad reputations and the other disciples didn't want them to visit. Although Girish was sometimes even abusive to the Master, Ramakrishna did not condemn him, for Girish was a man of great faith. Mahimacharan was a man of great book learning, but often a showoff. Girish scoffed at book learning saying he can't be fooled by that anymore. Books and scriptures can be read, but they can only take one so far. Once you have the direction, what's called for next is action. So study the scriptures for the right reason which is spiritual development. There was an amusing analogy likening realization from reading a sacred book and squeezing an almanac which predicted rainfall for the year and actually expecting rain by squeezing the almanac.