Newsletter October 21, 2009

Past Events

Diwali at Brown - Monday, October 19
Swami guided the customary 'Lakshmi Puja' performed by a student at Brown University in the evening with the Hindu student group and some Vedanta students in attendance at the Brown University.

Swami's talk in Boston - Sunday, October 18
Swami Yogatmananda delivered the Sunday Lecture (Satsang) at the Ramakrishna Vedanta Society of MA, 58 Deerfield St Boston from 11:00AM - 12:00 noon on 'Different Facets of Divine Mother'.

Synopsis of last week's classes

Friday, Oct. 16 - Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 4, verses: 32-34)

Sacrifice is a crucial element of the spiritual aspirant's search for Self-knowledge. The false distinction between enjoyer and enjoyed is due to the ignorance which makes one run unendingly after things of this world. These acquisitions of ignorance must be sacrificed "in the fire of knowledge" thus ridding oneself of ignorance. Ramakrishna emphasizes that God-realization, that is, Self-knowledge, is the only goal worthy of pursuit in life, because it alone brings total fulfillment. The question then comes: how shall we acquire Self-knowledge? The Gita explains that this knowledge is to be gained by prostrating oneself before a spiritual teacher, deep and authentic inquiring, and rendering service to the teacher and others with an attitude of surrender. Prostration or salutation encourages humility, which is a precondition to learning. Deep and authentic spiritual inquiry flows from the aspirant's genuine spiritual aspirations and concerns, and, thereby, establishes a clear-line of communication between the teacher and himself. Service with an attitude of surrender enables the wisdom of the teacher to seep into the aspirant's soul.

Sunday, Oct. 18 - Songs on Mother Kali - Swami Yogatmananda
This talk was interspersed by the singing of 'Kali Kirtan' (devotional songs on Mother Kali) by Rahul & Swapna Ray. The songs presented various spiritual ideas. Unless one gives up the hope of getting joy from this world, one is not fit for spiritual life. Divine Mother is the source of all joy. With great love, determination and patience the devotee holds onto Her feet and waits for Her grace. A seed of spirituality given by the Guru needs to be sown and properly cultivated on the land of mind. The poet Ramaprasad says that the fencing of name of Kali will protect the plant and it will yield the crop of liberation. Another song by Nazrul portrays a devotee's body as an incense stick which starts emanating fragrance when lighted with the fire of name of Kali. When one transcends the false identity with body and mind, one sees the blissful face of Divine Mother everywhere. Poet Kamalakant says that Mother Kali while scattering the waves of immortal bliss all-around, appears to have black complexion because she absorbs all varieties. She takes apparently contradictory forms, sometimes a man, sometimes a woman and sometimes nothing. In another song, Ramaprasad says that mother Kali is the doer of everything; we are just the instruments in her hands. The program concluded with the recital of Swami Vivekananda's poem, Kali The Mother and then a Bengali poem describing the immanence of Mother in all forms. The loving and benign Mother also becomes the cause of destruction and fear uprooting all impurities from the devotee's mind.

Tuesday, Oct. 20 - The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna (Chapter 38)

Because people have different constitutions, Sri Ramakrishna tailored his teaching and meditation methods individually. We read about his going into Samadhi when beautiful songs of Chaitanya being initiated into Sanyasa and of the pangs of separation from Krishna as felt by a Gopi which sent the Master into samadhi. Seeing this state of the Master, the aspirants feel inspiration that attainment of samadhi is possible for them too, if they follow the required discipline.
There must be a strong inner urge for spiritual life. Mere book-reading or intellectual information will not suffice. The strong sense of 'enough is enough' about the outer world must emerge. This is what brought many of Master's devotees to him. They are by no means perfect, such as Girish, who was loud, vulgar and a reprobate, but Ramakrishna let him rant, even though the other devotees didn't want him around. The Master saw goodness in all and saw that Girish would become purer day by day. In fact, people would marvel at him.

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