2

THE ROAD TO WISDOM

True Worship of Shakti,
The Divine Mother

I n religions of dualism, among the Persians, there was a God and a Satan. This through the
Jews has gone all over Europe and America. It was a working hypothesis thousands of
years ago; but now we know, that is not tenable. There is nothing absolutely good or evil; it
is good to one and evil to another, evil today, good tomorrow, and vice versa. ...
Yet the riddle remains: Who presides over this Evil? Many are hoping against hope that
all is good and that we do not understand. ...
There was the other idea in the old Vedic hymn to the Goddess: “I am the light. I am the
light of the sun and moon; I am the air [prāṇa] which animates all beings.” This is the germ
which afterwards develops into Mother-worship. By Mother-worship is not meant
difference between father and mother. The first idea connoted by it is that of energy—I am
the power that is in all beings. ...
There is one power behind all phenomena. Power is power everywhere, whether in the
form of evil or as Saviour of the world. So this is the new idea; the old idea was man-god.
Here is the first opening out of the idea of one universal power. “I stretch the bows of Rudra
when He desires to destroy evil” (Rig-veda, X.125, Devi-Sukta).
Very soon in the Gita (IX.19, also X.4-5) we find [the same idea clearly expressed], “O
Arjuna, I am the Sat and I am the Asat, I am the good and I am the bad, I am the power of
saints, I am the power of the wicked.” ...
Good and evil are not separate existences, but there is an evolution of
good, and what is less good we call evil. ... Be bold, face facts as facts.
Do not be chased about the universe by evil. Evils are evils. What of
that?
After all, it is only Mother’s play. Nothing serious after all. What could
move the Almighty? What made Mother create the universe? She could
have no goal. Why? Because the goal is something that is not yet
attained. What is this creation for? Just fun. We forget this and begin
to quarrel and endure misery. We are the playmates of the Mother.
Look at the torture the mother bears in bringing up the baby.
Does she enjoy it? Surely. Fasting and praying and watching. She
loves it better than anything else. Why? Because there is no
selfishness.
Pleasure will come—good: who forbids? Pain will come:
welcome that too... To be brave is to have faith in the Mother!

From: The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda,

(Kolkata: Advaita Ashrama, 2016), 6.156-160
Vol. 129, No. 10
October 2024
Periodicity: Monthly
Publication city: Kolkata
PB RABUDDHA
HARATA
3

`: 30/-

Contents
Managing Editor
Swami Shuddhidananda 613 Traditional Wisdom
Editor
614 This Month
Swami Divyakripananda 615 Editorial: The Great Dilemma
618 God Is Mother as Well
Associate Editor
Swami Jnanishananda Swami Pavitrananda
625 ‘Dhāranā’ or Assimilation in Spiritual Life
Production Editor
Swami Paramahamsananda Swami Medhasananda
633 History of Sri Durga Puja and Sri Durga Saptashati
Cover Design
Amalendu Bagchi
Subhabrata Chandra
637 A Rude Introduction to Chicago
Circulation Diane Marshall
Indrajit Sinha, Tapas Jana
643 The Torchbearers of Swami Vivekananda
Editorial Office Swami Dakshajananda
Prabuddha Bharata 649 Mundaka Upanishad
Advaita Ashrama Swami Bhuteshananda
PO Mayavati, Via Lohaghat
Dt Champawat · 262 524
652 ‘Ātma Anātma Viveka’: Discernment between
Uttarakhand, India Self and Non-Self
Tel: 91 · 93680 88640 Swami Atmapriyananda
prabuddhabharata@gmail.com 654 Glimpses of Human Values – 6:
Printed and Published by
Diwan Sahib Swept the Road
Swami Vedavratananda Swami Japananda
656 Sri Rama, the Perfect Man:
Publication Office
Kaikeyi: A Mistress, and Her Maid
Advaita Ashrama
5 Dehi Entally Road Lakshmi Devnath
Kolkata · 700 014 658 Poetics of Spirituality: In Literature, Science, and
West Bengal, India Religion
Tel: 91 · 7439664481 / 7603067067
Dr Tapan K Ghosh
mail@advaitaashrama.org
663 Reviews
Internet Edition
www.advaitaashrama.org 664 Reports

Prabuddha Bharata (or Awakened India)

A monthly journal of the Ramakrishna Order started by Swami Vivekananda in 1896
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 7

Traditional
Wisdom
उत्ति�ष्ठत जााग्रत प्रााप्य वराान्नि�िबोोधत ।
Arise! Awake! And stop not till the goal is reached!

October 2024
Devi Suktam Vol. 129, No. 10

अहंं रााष्ट्रीी संंगमनीी वसूनांं� ू चि�कि�तुषीु ी प्रथमाा यज्ञि�याानााम्् ।

तांं� माा देेवाा व्यदधुः�ः पुरुु त्राा भूरिू �स्थाात्रांं� भूर्याू ा� वेेशयन्तीीम्् ॥

I am the queen of the universe. I bring wealth to my worshippers. I am the knower of Brahman (I have
realized Brahman as my Self ). I am the foremost among the objects of worship. I have assumed the
form of this manifold universe, and as the Atman, have entered into all beings. Therefore, the gods
have established Me (who am of such glory) in many places.

मयाा सोोऽअन्नमत्ति� योो वि�पश्यति� यःः प्रााणि�ति� यईं ंशृृणोोत्युक्त ु म्् ।

अमन्तवोोमाान्त उपक्षि�यन्ति�ि श्रुधि�
ु ु श्रुत श्रद्धि �वं ं तेे वदाामि� ॥

He who eats food, (eats) through Me, he who sees, who breathes, who hears what is spoken, does so
through Me. Those who are ignorant of Me perish. You, who have ears, hear. I tell you about That
which is obtained through faith.

अहमेेव स्वयमि�दंं वदाामि� जुष्टंु ं देेवेेभि�रुत माानुषेु ेभिः�ः ।

यंं काामयेे तंं तमुग्रंु ं कृृ णोोमि� तंं ब्रह्मााणंं तमृृषिं�ं तंं सुमेु धाे ाम्् ॥

Verily, I myself say this and my words are pleasing to gods and men—the person whom I desire I make
mighty: I make him a Brahma, a Rishi, a wise man.

अहंं रुद्रााय धनुराु ातनोोमि� ब्रह्मद्वि�षेे शरवेेहन्त वाा उ ।

अहंं जनााय समदंं कृृ णोोम्यहंं द्याावाा पृृथि�वीी आवि�वेेश ॥

I bend the bow for Rudra to kill the demonic enemies of the brahmanas. For the sake of My devotees
I fight against their enemies. Indeed, I pervade heaven and earth.
Rig Veda, 10.125.3–6

Prabuddha Bharata October 2024 613

 8

THIS MONTH
We often wonder whether there is any equiva- Kapurthala, allegedly attributed to Swamiji,
lent to our inner conflicts in the ancient scrip- but it actually reflects the resentful opinions of
tures. Did the great men of yore face similar a third party.
dilemmas that we face on a day to day basis? The In the next part of The Torchbearers of
answer is yes. This month’s editorial, The Great Swami Vivekananda: Sri Manmathanath
Dilemma, examines Arjuna’s emotional and psy- Bhattacharya, the Chennai Host, Swami
chological conflicts in the Mahabharata war and Dakshaja­nanda explores Swamiji’s corres-
compares his situation to ours. pondence from America with his followers in
Around every October, the air is filled with Chennai, as well as his brother disciples and
devotional vibes to the Divine Mother. Swami supporters in Kolkata.
Pavitrananda elaborates on the worship of God Swami Bhuteshananda’s commentary on the
as Mother and how this concept evolved among Mundaka Upanishad, translated from Bengali
the Indian masses in God is Mother as Well. by Swamis Nityadipananda and Madhurananda,
This is an edited version of a talk he gave at the continues with a discussion of the attainment
Vedanta Society of New York on 11 October of Brahmaloka (Hiranyagarbha) and Pitriloka
1964. Swami Pavitrananda, a disciple of Swami (Heaven), and of gradual liberation.
Brahmananda and a former editor of Prabuddha This part of the series Ātma-Anātma
Bharata, served as the minister of the Vedanta Viveka: Discernment between Self and Non-
Society of New York from 1951 to 1977. Self by Swami Atmapriyananda delves into the
‘Dhāraṇā’, or Assimilation in Spiritual various sheaths—Annamaya, Prāṇamaya, and
Life, discusses the nuances of spiritual striv- Manomaya—and demonstrates that they cannot
ing, focusing on assimilation. In this first part, be equated with the Atman.
Dharana and the obstacles to achieving it are We also present a story, Diwanji Swept the
covered. The author, Swami Medhasananda, is Road, from Swami Japananda’s itinerant days,
in charge of the Vedanta Society of Japan (Nip- about a Diwanji (prime minister of a princely
pon Vedanta Kyokai). state in Gujarat) and his selfless administration.
Sri Amalendu Bagchi, a former waste man- It is translated from Hindi by Swami Videhatma­
agement engineer from Wisconsin, USA, pres- nanda, the former editor of Viveka Jyoti, the
ents a few conclusions from his post-retirement Hindi monthly of the Ramakrishna Order.
study of Indology in History of Sri Durga In this part of Sri Rama, the Perfect Man,
Puja and Sri Durga Saptashati. Citing various Lakshmi Devnath discusses the character of Kai-
texts, he traces the origins of the worship of keyi and her maid, and explains how Manthara
Mother Durga. manipulated the weaker side of Kaikeyi’s mind.
In the concluding part of A Rude Intro- Poetics of Spirituality: In Literature, Sci-
duction to Chicago, Daine Marshall quotes ence, and Religion is a series by Dr Tapan K
an article from the Indianapolis Journal, re- Ghosh. In this part, he offers a Vedantic in-
printed from the Chicago Journal. It contains terpretation of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer
a long-winded rant about the Maharajah of Night’s Dream.

614 Prabuddha Bharata October 2024

 9

EDITORIAL

The Great Dilemma

A rjuna had come all prepared for the

battle of Kurukshetra. For long, his
blood had been boiling at the thought
of the atrocities committed against his family.
Now time and tide were both looking favour-
able for taking revenge on those who had sided
with unrighteous ways of life. During the many
years they had spent in exile, every moment had
felt excruciating, like an arrow stuck in the heart.
The planning and preparation for the war had
been going on for a long time, and it had culmin-
ated in having Arjuna’s best friend, philosopher,
and guide by his side throughout the war. survival instincts are activated. It is most likely the
Thus far, Arjuna had flowed with the current. law of nature that makes this happen. Siddhartha
He did not have to take any crucial decisions in Gautama was completely away from the miseries
his life, including his marriage. He was third in of the world, unaware of them, until his horseman
seniority among the five Pandava brothers. Most showed him the reality of this merciless life, where
of the important aspects of his life were decided disease, old age, and death are always on the prowl.
by either his mother or his elder brothers. He was Narendra, who later became Swami Vivekananda,
thus saved from the disadvantages of both—being was also a happy-go-lucky boy until his father died
the eldest or being the youngest. The eldest bear of a sudden heart attack and his family lost all their
the brunt of responsibility towards the family; wealth overnight. Thus, the best within us is some-
they are weighed against high expectations and times overshadowed by our naivety.
judged by a yardstick of excellence in everything. The Kauravas, on the other hand, were victims
The youngest are pampered to the extent that they of entitlement. When someone is an heir to a great
are systematically spoiled and sometimes end up legacy and did not have to sweat and toil to achieve
being good for nothing. Being in the middle, Ar- the status that came naturally, it is more likely that
juna was neither burdened with the responsibility he will succumb to arrogance and complacency.
of decision-making nor spoiled by excessive indul- Entitlement is a responsibility, not a privilege, and
gence from his elders. Probably, as a consequence this wisdom comes only through sacrifice, about
of such a situation, he had an element of residual which the Kauravas knew nothing. Human beings
childishness carried forward into his adulthood. are built on the premise that they must act, choose,
Many a time we find such examples around suffer, experience, and evolve. They are not made
us. Some people do not grow up till they are to be like machines, eternally the same. Machines,
yoked with some compulsive responsibility and being purely made of matter, have no choice
awakened to the harsh realities of life. Then their but to undergo the same predesigned processes

Prabuddha Bharata October 2024 615

 10 Prabuddha Bharata

and functions, whereas humans are born to cut Most of the time, what we think of as right-
through the intricate web of ever-changing appear- eousness outwardly is, in fact, the contrary. But
ances and open themselves to eternal Reality. In here, Arjuna, out of delusion, devised a convenient
that sense, this Kurukshetra war can be depicted philosophy to justify his magnanimity in allowing
as a struggle for existence between spirit and mat- the Kauravas to have the entire kingdom while he
ter, between those forces that want to evolve and himself was willing to remain a recluse. Arjuna
those who resist evolution. In contemporary times, was not a cunning warrior. His bravery defied cun-
we can find an analogous struggle in the tug of war ningness in all its forms. However, he appeared
between the orthodox or reflective and the pro- to be swayed by weak emotions and attachments
gressive or liberal forces. to his near and distant relations, who were ready
Animals can also be equated with machines to shed each other’s blood. Despite being a man
in the sense that they act purely on instinct, com- of intelligence, dignity, and prowess, when he be-
pulsively following the laws of nature and acting came weak emotionally, his weaknesses apparently
without considering the consequences. Humans, activated his survival mechanism and presented a
in their initial stages of development, are like ani- number of excuses before him. There may also be
mals who do not know how to navigate their free an element in his behaviour of seeking a litmus
will. In fact, what they call freedom is a grosser, test for the validity of this war.
slavish form of ‘free will’. In this state, they are We often endlessly try to douse quarrels by sur-
unable to understand that their actions produce rendering ourselves and accepting defeat to avoid
good or bad outcomes and, consequently, they greater conflicts and violence. We may take pride
will have to endure the results of those actions, in doing so, thinking we have mitigated a possible
whether willingly or unwillingly. The Kauravas disaster. The Pandavas had tried all this. But that
can be said to have exhibited such tendencies. was just postponing a disaster rather than averting
Humans in their evolved state are more careful it, which made them feel like cowards. Arjuna’s
about their intent, which makes them act with full mind presented myriad shades of grey. Fortunately,
awareness of future consequences. The Pandavas, he had someone right before him who could seg-
especially Arjuna, were stuck at the crossroads of regate everything into black and white.
possibilities. He was a thinking being who would The narrative of the Bhagavadgita starts with
not want to do anything compulsively. The reality graphic details of the battleground. It eulogises the
of war between his kith and kin had suddenly various warriors and commanding officers from
forced him to relinquish his past naiveties—as he both the armies. This may lead us to think that the
had depended on his mother and elder brother for objective of this great ‘scripture of mankind’ was to
all major decisions of his life. But this life and death instigate us to fight. To understand this better, let
situation forced him to consider the fundamen- us first consider that the two extremes—the super-
tal outcome of this catastrophic faceoff, in which conscious state of Samadhi and the unconscious
he wanted to decide for himself the future course state of death—always appear similar outwardly.
of his life, taking the whole responsibility on his The peace that we generally talk about is a peace of
own shoulders. Here, Arjuna stands apart from the inactivity, tamas, dullness, and death. The so-called
other warriors in that he was fully equipped for war peaceful regions in the world have often been the
but was not convinced about the outcome of the least developed, both secularly and spiritually.
‘eye for an eye’ and ‘tooth for a tooth’ philosophy. The ultimate peace lies only in the realisation of

616 Prabuddha Bharata October 2024

 The Great Dilemma 11

Oneness. Peace in any other form cannot be ev- that Arjuna was also a humble, truthful, virtuous,
erlasting. The path to peace goes through a dense and kind human being responsible to his family
forest of volatile action. All those propagating the and society, he experienced complex emotions
message of ‘peace’ around the world must intro- while confronting the obviously disastrous war.
spect and determine if they are, in fact, the mes- This combination makes the situation in which
sengers of dullness and darkness. the Bhagavadgita was set up much more relevant
Humankind is at the mid-steps of the ladder to us, as we often find ourselves in circumstances
of progression or evolution. At the top is the that, though not as intense as Arjuna’s, are similar
perfected supreme Soul, and at the bottom is the in character. We may not be warriors by profes-
single-celled amoeba. We are sitting on a fence, sion, but in our own places of living and working,
one side of which represents all goodness and we are likely to face an inner battle similar to that
auspiciousness, while the other side represents of Kurukshetra, between our current state and
all cruelty and selfishness. Being in the middle of the ideal we are striving to reach. In that sense, the
evolution, we are empowered to make our own guidance of Sri Krishna for Arjuna may greatly
choices, determining whether we will climb up benefit us if we understand it in the proper con-
the ladder or fall down. The battlefield of Kuru- text with an unbiased mind.
kshetra provided a decisive moment for all the An inspiration is often hidden behind a ca-
‘action heroes’ present to make this choice for lamity. Arjuna’s predicament, vishada, acts as a
themselves—whether to fight for the holistic springboard to enter the realm of Yoga—a union
progress of humanity or for egoistic progress of between the soul and God, a journey from imper-
a particular person, family, or clan. fections to supreme Perfection. The Kauravas were
This Kurukshetra was not only a battlefield but not so confident and spirited, as they were unjust
also a holy place, a Dharmakshetra, where many and unrighteous, and their hearts were filled with
penances and pious actions had been performed fear and devoid of morals. Their egos, especially
before. Now, it was turning into a court of judge- that of Duryodhana, were bloated, which made
ment as well. Here, the verdict would be pro- them lack the necessary humility to approach
nounced on who was on the side of dharma and the great acharyas present on the battlefield and
who was on the side of adharma. If Arjuna had not consult them. Arjuna, on the contrary, unhesitat-
suffered the mental trauma mentioned earlier, the ingly opens up to Sri Krishna about his great di-
event might have ended without delving into the lemma and seeks his guidance with utmost faith
subtleties of Dharma. Thanks to Arjuna and his di- and surrender. This act opens the door to the yoga
lemma, we come face to face with decisive factors of action, knowledge, devotion, and so on, ultim-
of our thoughts and actions that might otherwise ately resolving Arjuna’s dilemma and making the
remain obscure to us, and that contribute to the Bhagavadgita the scripture of mankind.  P
cycle of birth, death, disease, and sufferings.
Arjuna was a professional warrior seeking his
legitimate right to survive as a dignified human
T he whole of life is only a swan song! Never forget
those lines: The lion, when stricken to the heart,
gives out his mightiest roar. When smitten on the
with the resources necessary for his family’s ex-
head, the cobra lifts its hood. And the majesty of
istence. Now, he had to accept the conflict im-
the soul comes forth, only when a man is wounded
posed upon him by his oppressors, his Kaurava
to his depths. —Swami Vivekananda
cousins, and face them in war. By dint of the fact

Prabuddha Bharata October 2024 617

 12

God Is Mother as Well

Swami Pavitrananda

D uring this time [October] of the

year, throughout India, from the Him-
alayas to Cape Comorin [Kanyakumari],
the worship of what we call the ‘Divine Mother’ is
celebrated for nine days of the bright fortnight (the
period of the waxing moon). Worship is done in
different ways in different places. When I lived in
the interior of the Himalayas, I was surprised to
hear that there was a temple there for the Divine
Mother. I went to the temple, but found it was not
a temple from the outside; it was a cave. Inside the
big cave there was an image and people were chant-
ing in Sanskrit the Chandi, a scripture relating to
the Divine Mother. I did not expect that in that
region people would know Sanskrit, but there I
found they were reciting the Chandi.
Once while going towards our monastery Sri Durga as Mahishasura Mardini
in the Himalayas, I was stopping at a travel-
lers’ bungalow for the night. The watchman was social activity, of outer display and enjoyment. But
delayed in coming to open the door as he was behind these things, at least in certain places, there
doing his spiritual practice. I felt interested, and is a manifestation of intense devotional feeling.
asked him what he was doing. He said he was This worship of the Divine Mother in India
reciting the Chandi. I asked, ‘Do you recite the is very, very old. It goes back at least five thou-
whole thing?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ It takes one hour sand years. From excavations it has been found
and a half, and he does that, he said, in the morn- that five thousand years ago there was a highly
ing and in the evening. It was surprising that he developed civilization in northwest India. In
could do so much spiritual practice. Harappa in Punjab and Mohenjo Daro in Sindh,
At the last corner of India, where three seas figurines of the Divine Mother have been found.
meet, there is a beautiful temple dedicated to the That is the pre-Aryan period. Even at that time
Virgin Goddess Kanya Kumari. I know that one they worshipped the Divine as Mother.
disciple of Sri Ramakrishna went there, and when Coming to the Vedic Age, we find in the
he saw the worship going on he was in an ecstatic Vedas prayers or hymns to the Divine Mother, or
condition, if not in actual samadhi. In Bengal the mention of the Divine Mother in other hymns.
worship of the Divine Mother (as Durga) is done Some of the hymns are extremely beautiful. In
with an image specially made each year for the one hymn it is said, ‘In Thee, O Divine Mother,
worship. It is a very big festival—a great deal of of luminous form, who with the intensity of Her

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 God Is Mother as Well 13

power burnest up all our difficulties, who repre- few days back I was coming from my walk when
sentest the Divine Energy, who givest the fruits I met two boys here. They were looking at the an-
of our actions, good or bad—in Thee do I take nouncement board, and I asked what they wanted.
refuge, O Mother Durga.’ Durga means ‘who re- They asked me, ‘What is this Vedanta?’ I said,
moves all difficulties.’ ‘Thou helpest to cross the ‘Come and attend some Sunday service.’ They said
ocean of ignorance.’ In my poor English transla- they would come. I told them that the subject of
tion, it sounds so tame, but the original Sanskrit our talk next Sunday would be ‘God Is Mother as
words are so powerful. Agni varnam—which is Well.’ One of them said, ‘God is Mother? Then
the colour of fire; tapasa jvalantim—the intensity you make God a human being.’ I replied, ‘When
of Her spiritual power is burning up all the impur- you make God a Father, is He not a human being?’
ities in our hearts. ‘I take refuge in Thee because They could not answer. Many persons are accus-
Thou art the only refuge, Thou art the only power tomed to thinking of God as Father, but they find
who can help us cross the ocean of ignorance.’ it difficult to believe that God can be Mother, too.
We find a trace of Mother worship in other The fact is that Ultimate Reality is Oneness.
religions, too. Buddha did not mention the word Through the mists of senses, with our intellect
‘God’ in his religion, but afterwards there arose and emotion, we call Him Creator, and then we
the system of worshipping the Divine Mother. call Him Father. Many people are accustomed to
Buddhists began to worship innumerable god- consider God as a Father or Master, whom we are
desses, forms of the Divine Mother. There are one serving. Why should we necessarily be a servant
thousand names of the Divine Mother and they of God? A son is not a servant to his father. If we
repeat those names. And this custom spread, this call God a Father, why should we think we are ser-
tradition of worshipping God as Mother. In time vants? Christ once called his disciples friends. God
it went to Japan and to the western part of Asia. can be conceived of as our Friend. It is a better re-
In Jainism, also, which did not talk of God—it is lationship. Why should we feel so low? In many
mostly an ethical religion—there is the tradition houses, servants are not well treated. Servants have
of worshipping the Divine Mother. In a most im- a feeling that they are inferior. But we belong to
portant Jain temple there are sixteen images of Him. In that case, Friend is a better term.
the Divine Mother on top of the temple. In Cath- In India, those who practise the path of de-
olic Christianity, Mary is substituted for the Di- votion take all human relationships towards
vine Mother. ‘Hail Mary, Mother of Christ.’ In God. They start with what is called a serene
Judaism, we find in Isaiah, sixty-sixth chapter, the form of worship. God is considered the Good,
following passage: ‘As one whom his mother com- the Beautiful, the True, and is worshipped with
forteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be com- controlled emotion while developing ethical vir-
forted in Jerusalem.’ The conception, ‘as mother tues. In the beginning they think of God in these
protects you, as mother gives you comfort, in the terms—He is all good, all truth and all beauty.
same way I shall give you comfort,’ seems to imply You see, it is a form of intellectual worship, calm
that the comfort of mother is much more intense and serene. There is not any deep emotion. But
than the comfort of father. Excuse me, I do not emotion is not bad. When there is no emotion,
make any distinction. But the idea comes in. worship becomes dry; there is no life in it. We
Many people outside the fold of Hinduism will cannot give up emotion. Fortunate are those
find it difficult to conceive of God as Mother. A who have emotion, provided it is directed well.

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 14 Prabuddha Bharata

Sri Krishna and the Cowherds–God as a Friend (Sakhya Bhava)

When love for God increases, it begins to take God is the creation of human imagination or in-
a definite shape. No longer is it controlled in an in- tellect, and we are worshipping that man-made
tellectual form. It becomes at once another thing. God. Yes, if you are a man you will have to devise
Some begin to think of God as a Master. ‘I am His man-made methods. But that does not mean God
servant.’ There is at least some relationship. ‘God is does not exist. That does not mean these prayers
great, so I shall be His servant.’ But, as I said, why with these emotions are not answered. So long as
should you consider that you are only a servant of you are a human being, whatever you see, what-
God? At the next stage comes the conception of ever you think, you do with human feeling and
God as our Father. Then another form of emotion reason, with human senses.
takes its place: God is considered as a Child—the Therefore, so long as you are true as a human
Child Christ, or in India, Baby Krishna. And then being, as long as you consider yourself to be this
God can be worshipped as the Beloved, too. living lump of flesh and bones; in the same way,
According to the Vaishnavas, there are five God whom you worship, whom you consider
forms of worship, representing five human feel- even in your imagination as Creator or Father or
ings. You see, if we are to worship God, we have to Mother, can be seen exactly in that form. So long
worship with our feelings. And, when we worship as our human existence is a reality, man-made con-
God with our human feelings, we do not consider ception of God also becomes a Reality. This has
Him as one Who is beyond all attributes. We wor- been the experience of all saints. It is extremely lo-
ship Him with various human relationships, we gical. What we see as matter does not really exist.
call Him Father, or Master, or Friend, or Mother, But we see matter as hard reality. In the same
and so on. If one is true, all others are true. That way, with the same human mind, when we look
is logical. But don’t go away with the idea that to the Ultimate Reality which is called Oneness,
these conceptions are mere human creations, that which has no attributes, which is beyond good

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 God Is Mother as Well 15

and evil—when we approach That with devo- The power or the energy with which Brah-
tional feeling, It becomes Living. Or rather, in man creates is called the Divine Mother. Or
our state of perfection It is seen. Then, transcend- you may call it whatever you like—God, Cre-
ing all forms, we see the same Reality—Ultimate ator, Father, and so on. All these terms mean
Reality—behind everything. That is Oneness. the power, the Divine energy of the Ultimate
Swami Vivekananda was extremely logical, Reality. Therefore, when we say God is Father
ultra-logical. But from his personal experience, or God is the Divine Mother, they are not two
he said that these forms of God are not mere sym- entities. It is simply a way of expressing things.
bols: they are the forms which devotees, bhaktas, The same thing we see, we experience, in dif-
can and do see. He himself saw them, and spoke ferent ways. There have been saints who would
from his personal experience. How it can be done meditate and realize the Infinite in the transcen-
is a different thing. But saints do get these experi- dental condition of mind. But they also, coming
ences. God becomes a living Reality to them. So down, would worship the same Reality as Father
when they worship God as the Divine Mother, it or Mother, and pray to Him. Sri Shankaracharya
is not simply a sentiment. It is a Reality. At what wrote hymns in which he said, ‘I am one with
time were these forms of God discovered? Were the Absolute.’ And he also wrote hymns to the
they first perceived by some saints: in prayer and Divine Mother.
meditation? We do not know. But this is a fact: The concept of the Divine Mother has one
the tradition has come down to us, and we find great advantage. In the creation we find a mix-
that when we follow the rules, when we fulfill the ture of good and evil. It is bound to be. When
conditions, we get similar experiences of God. there is creation, when there is duality, there will
That does not mean that God the Mother, be a mixture of good and evil. It is a great prob-
or any of these forms, is different from the Ul- lem with many—why there is evil in this world.
timate Reality. Ultimate Reality is called Brah- It is said that One became many through what
man. Brahman means the Infinite—without is called: Maya or cosmic ignorance. Anyhow
form, without any attributes. But when He cre- One became many, through what power we do
ates, He does function. How He creates we do not exactly know. When there is manifoldness,
not know. But when we find that from Oneness there will be imperfection.
this manifestation has come, it is creation from Ordinarily we cannot reconcile why in God’s
the human standpoint. We see it as a created world there is good and also evil. We usually want
thing. And when He creates, He is the same God to take one and reject the other. But when we
as when He did not create. As Ramakrishna used consider that from the same Energy the whole
to say, ‘You cannot separate fire from its burning creation has come—this creation which is neces-
power.’ Fire is there—we see that it is beautiful; sarily a mixture of good and evil—then we know
but when we touch it, our fingers burn. It has that there is Something which is beyond both
the burning power in it. Previously we did not good and evil, and is unaffected by them. And
know. A child does not know that fire burns. Or, that Something, or Somebody, we can also reach.
to use another illustration, a snake in motion is This is the solution. Otherwise we do not know
the same snake when it remains static. So the how to find out the solution of the problem of
Ultimate Reality has created—and the Ultimate evil. But this we know for certain: that we can
Reality existed before creation. go beyond good and evil, that we can reach God.

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 16 Prabuddha Bharata

To Ramakrishna someone came and asked, page he would be writing hymns and songs, or the
‘Why is there so much suffering in the world?’ name of the Divine Mother. His employers found
‘We cannot know,’ he answered, ‘but we do know out that their bookkeeper was doing these things.
how to get beyond it. That is the important thing Fortunately, the owner of the firm had religious
for our life. When you reach God you may ask sense. Seeing the genuineness of his feeling, he gave
Him the question. But when you reach Him you him a pension and asked him to retire.
will not be in a mood to ask Him that question.’ Then this devotee was free to pursue his di-
In other words, behind the many which we vine madness with the Divine Mother. He would
see, there is the same Power, the same Energy. In be singing much of the time. He composed many,
the West some make a distinction between the many beautiful songs to the Divine Mother, and
authors of good and evil. But both are manifest- from these songs themselves we find he passed
ations of the same Power. The same Power is work- through different moods of human feeling.
ing behind everything. So Vedanta says it is all the Sometimes he sang, ‘Why do you fear, my mind?
play of the Divine Mother. Those who know this You are the child of the Divine Mother.’ In an-
do not get upset. Even those who have realized the other song, he said, ‘Divine Mother is dead! Had
Divine Mother will have their problems—they She been alive, She would surely have revealed
will have their diseases, they will have their death. Herself to me.’ Another time he said, ‘My mind,
But they are not affected by these things. They you do not know how to cultivate your land.
live in an atmosphere, at a height where they are Had you known that this land could give a very
not affected by these things. This is the philosoph- good harvest, you would not have let it lie fallow.
ical approach to any form of worship, including My mind, you do not know how to farm.’ In one
the worship of the Divine Mother. Please keep of his songs, he said, ‘Who hast come? Is it Thou,
in mind that religion is not mere philosophical O Divine Mother, who hast come? After putting
theory. The important thing is realization. The me through a long period of suffering, Thou hast
important thing is that saints have realized these come at last. As a mother cometh at the cries of
things as experiences in their lives. her children, in the same way, do Thou install
In Bengal, in the eighteenth century, there was Thyself in my heart so that I may worship Thee
a devotee who began life as a bookkeeper in a firm. to my heart’s content.’ Sometimes he would be
As days passed by, his religious feeling developed. crying with indignant pride; in some of his songs
As I said, when our feeling is not strong enough we find dark despair; and sometimes we find the
we speak of ‘controlled emotion’, of worship with a importunate demands of a child. But fortunately,
moral attitude, of God the Good, the True and the we find the facts of realization, too. After pass-
Beautiful—all abstract ideas, worshipping in an ing through moods of doubt and despair, he got
abstract way without any stirring of emotion. But the realization.
in this devotee—a poor man who kept accounts as There are many stories about his realization.
a means of livelihood—religious yearning began There might be exaggeration, but even exagger-
to grow, and he lost all control of emotion. In ation points to some fact. From his songs, we
his books he would be writing prayers to the Di- also find indications that the Divine Mother was
vine Mother: ‘Make me Thine own bookkeeper, a living Reality to him. It is said that once he
O Mother, I shall not be a defaulter’ (This is the was repairing a bamboo partition in his house.
English translation of one of his songs). On every It requires two people; from one side one puts a

622 Prabuddha Bharata October 2024

 God Is Mother as Well 17

string through, and from the other side another

returns it. His daughter was returning it from
the other side. He was working for some hours,
but in the middle of the work, his daughter went
away. When she came back, she found that the
fence had been repaired. She asked her father,
‘How could that be? Who returned the string to
you while I was away?’ Then he understood that
the Divine Mother had done it.
One day he was singing a devotional song
with intense fervor, before starting for his bath
in the river, when a little girl came and requested
him to sing a song for her. He said, ‘It is time for
me to take my bath,’ and went away to the river.
When he came back, he found that on the wall
of his shrine was written, ‘I came here … You may
meet Me in Benares [Banaras].’ He was aggrieved
that he had made the saddest mistake—the
Divine Mother came to him and he would not
sing for her. Naturally he was extremely sorry,
and he started for Benares. On the way to Bena- Ramprasad
res, he fell sick and prayed to the Divine Mother.
She asked him to return home, which he did. At be constantly talking with Kali, as with one’s
this time, he sang, ‘My mind, what will you gain own mother. He would get directions from Her.
by going to Benares? If you have real devotion, In times of trouble he would go to Her.
hundreds of Benares’ will be realized at the lotus Once a monk who was established in the mo-
feet of the Divine Mother.’ nistic system of meditation and had realized his
If you find it hard to believe the divine ecstasy oneness with the Absolute, came to the place
of Ramprasad, a similar thing was re-enacted where Sri Ramakrishna lived. He saw so much
in the nineteenth century in the life of Sri spiritual consciousness in Ramakrishna that
Ramakrishna. When he began his spiritual life, he himself asked Ramakrishna to take the vow
Ramakrishna cried, ‘Mother, Thou didst reveal of monasticism and meditate on God as Brah-
Thyself to Ramprasad. Why not to me?’ After- man. Ramakrishna said, ‘I shall have to take per-
wards he would say that religious life is built up mission from my Mother.’ Totapuri, the sage,
on some simple idea, some simple point. Here thought Ramakrishna would go to consult
with Ramakrishna, the point was, ‘If Thou hast his earthly mother, but instead, he went to the
revealed Thyself to someone else, then why not temple to consult the Divine Mother. Totapuri
to me?’ And with that began his struggle with thought it strange and funny. But when he gave
the Divine Mother. He worshipped the Divine Ramakrishna the directions to meditate, at once
Mother as Kali, in an image. And that image be- he got the highest realization, his union with the
came living, became a fact in his life. He would Ultimate Reality. Nevertheless, afterwards when

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 18 Prabuddha Bharata

his mind would come down to the ordinary plane, Mother. We are simply tools, we are simply toys in
Ramakrishna was a child of the Divine Mother. the hands of the Divine Play. We may or may not
Like Ramprasad, he would sing many, many believe it, but we can’t help it. As Vivekananda
songs. When people came to him, one of his said, we are knocked down. In another letter he
methods of teaching was by singing devotional said, ‘I am just following Her will. She knows.’
songs. And he would be singing with such deep She was such a great Reality in his life. Sometimes
feeling that even those who had no feeling for he would sing a song to the Divine Mother for
God and religious things would be moved to hours—the same Swami Vivekananda, who was
tears. Most of these songs were addressed to the so iconoclastic in his younger days. In the West
Divine Mother. She was a Reality to him. he talked much of the philosophy of monism, of
Ramakrishna’s religious experiences were chal- Brahman, the Infinite without any attributes. But
lenged by a young man, afterwards known as in his personal life he was the child of the Divine
Swami Vivekananda. Vivekananda had a modern Mother. He would sometimes shed tears while
attitude and did not believe in the orthodox forms. singing songs to Her.
He was iconoclastic and disapproved of image wor- One day he was sending Sister Nivedita on
ship. He was amazed to see Sri Ramakrishna talk- a mission to raise funds in America for doing
ing to the Divine Mother, behaving as though She educational work in India. Perhaps he had
were a Reality. Afterwards Vivekananda would say, some worry about Nivedita, as she was being
‘How I hated that conception of Kali the Divine sent alone and it might be difficult for her. As
Mother! I considered Ramakrishna a brain-sick she was making preparations for going, Swami
baby, seeing visions and all that. I wrestled with Vivekananda all of a sudden gave her a prayer
him for six long years. Then I found how right he which had acted as a veritable charm in his own
was. Even I had to accept the Divine Mother.’ Af- life. It was a prayer to the Divine Mother. After
terwards he would say, ‘Every little thing in my life giving her that prayer, Swami Vivekananda said
is directed by the Divine Mother.’ in his characteristic way, ‘And mind, no cring-
One of Vivekananda’s disciples, Sister Nivedita, ing before Mother! Make Her listen to you!’ He
wrote: ‘Vivekananda was not always a very docile asked her to make the prayer efficacious with
child of the Divine Mother. At times he would that attitude. That was Swami Vivekananda.
be rebellious.’ Even after realization he would be That was his attitude; that was his realization.
rebellious. You see, when the Divine Mother has These things have come down to us as a living
become a Living Reality, you can afford to be re- tradition. God is a Reality. The Divine Mother is
bellious. That means your love for Her is so great a Reality. Here in New York, now and then I re-
and intense. There are many things in the world member how in my young days I heard someone
with which we cannot be reconciled. Swami in the village singing a song: ‘O Divine Mother,
Vivekananda would become very rebellious teach me how to pray to Thee so that by one
against the Divine Mother at the sight of miseries prayer I shall be saved from praying to You for
in the world. But in one of his letters he wrote: ‘I life after life. Teach me how to pray once in the
am floating in the current of the will of the Divine right way.’ This is the fact: when we pray, our
Mother. Whenever I tried to resist, I was knocked prayer is answered. And if we know how to pray,
down.’ We want to have our own way. We can- if we are ready, by one prayer the Mother comes.
not. We do not know the plans of the Divine Mother becomes a Reality for all of us. P

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 19

‘Dhāraṇā’ or Assimilation in Spiritual Life

Swami Medhasananda

A Basic Question

A ll sincere spiritual seekers, both

monks and devotees, face a basic issue
when they introspect over the fact that
although they study and listen to explanations
of a great many spiritual texts, as for example,
be retained and made part of ourselves by in-
ternalizing it, or in other words, by assimilating
it. On doing so, a positive impact is exerted at
all levels of our personality or being. For ex-
ample, when we ingest food or drink, we assimi-
the Bhagavadgita, the Bhagavatam, the Dham- late their nutrients. With good digestion this
mapada, the Bible, the Koran and the Gospel of improves our health, since our bodies absorb the
Sri Ramakrishna, they wonder as to how much essence of food, thereby nourishing our flesh,
of that wisdom is actually absorbed by them, blood, and bones, and consequently making us
bringing about a transformation of their per- strong and active.
sonalities. If we reflect deeply, we realize that In Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras too, we find the
although we read and hear much about spiritu- practice of ‘Dharana’ mentioned, but here the
ality, the effect of it on our personality is really word is used in a technical sense, exclusively with
doubtable as we have hardly assimilated what we regard to the practice of meditation. However,
have heard and read. the dharana we use in this text refers to the per-
Swami Nikhilananda, a scholarly monk of the sonality change that is produced, by the assimi-
Ramakrishna Order who had preached Vedanta lation of the teachings of the scriptures.
in the West for many years, translated the Ben-
gali text of Sri Sri Ramakrishna Kathamrita in Examples of Dharana in
English, titled, The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna. the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna
This Gospel is now regarded as one of the reli- On searching for the mention of the term ‘as-
gious classics of the Modern Age. Recorded by similation’ (of spiritual teachings) in the Gos-
Sri Mahendranath Gupta, who was profession- pel of Sri Ramakrishna, we find that it has been
ally the headmaster of a school and better known noted at least fourteen times. It would appear
as ‘M.’, this book contains the nectar-like words as though Sri Ramakrishna was never tired of
of Sri Ramakrishna, the well-known Man of God reminding the devotees that it was not enough
of Modern India. Nikhilanandaji often translates just to study or listen, but that one had to assimi-
the original Bengali word ‘dhāraṇā,’ which is re- late the ideas contained in scriptures, and he was
ferred to in several places in the Kathamrita, as also never tired of pointing out that the spiritual
‘assimilation’ in the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna. practices we talk about must be reflected in our
Dharana, is originally a Sanskrit word, sig- actions. Following are some examples of dharana
nifying intentness of the mind or right compre- in the Gospel.
hension. However, the accurate connotation of In the Gospel we find a devotee asking a per-
the word dharana used in the Kathamrita im- tinent question: ‘We read the scriptures. Why
plies that whatever we listen to or study, should is it that we can’t assimilate them?’ Do we ask

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 20 Prabuddha Bharata

ourselves the same question? We may read or Some scholars who study the scriptures,
hear the same thing many times, and yet, just as love to flaunt their scholarship by quoting ex-
this devotee stated, we find that we have not as- tensively from them. Regarding this the Mas-
similated them. On another occasion a devotee ter said: ‘What will one gain by merely quoting
arrived, and he was chanting from Sri Chandi, a or hearing the scriptures? One must assimilate
scripture on the Divine Mother. What he quoted them. The almanac makes a forecast of the rain-
was: ‘You are the Creator of the World, You are fall for the year, but you won’t get a drop by
Savitri, You are Eternal,’ and so forth. When Sri squeezing its pages.’
Ramakrishna heard this, he observed, ‘Yes, but Sri Ramakrishna, while talking to Ram­
you must assimilate that (idea)!’ chandra Datta, who was one of his devotees and
In the following passage that has been quoted, a doctor by profession, explained that when a
Sri Ramakrishna answers the question as to why person takes medicine and it mixes with and be-
we cannot assimilate spiritual teachings: comes one with his body, only then can we see
A man with ‘green’ bhakti cannot assimi- the effect. At the spiritual level there is the mind,
late spiritual talk and instruction; but one buddhi (intellect), and ahankara (ego-self ), and
with ‘ripe’ bhakti can. The image that falls on only when we absorb these teachings at those
a photographic plate covered with black film levels, can we assimilate spiritual truths.
(silver nitrate) is retained. On the other hand,
thousands of images may be reflected on a bare Examples of Assimilation
piece of glass, but not one of them is retained.
As the object moves away, the glass becomes We find a good example of the assimilation of
the same as it was before. One cannot assimi- the concept of Atman Consciousness in the life
late spiritual instruction unless one has already of Swami Shivananda, one of the monastic dis-
developed love of God. ciples of Sri Ramakrishna, who later became the
There is a story Sri Ramakrishna narrated president of the Ramakrishna Order. As he grew
of an evil fellow who had beaten a monk un- older, he suffered from such high blood pressure
conscious. On hearing that, his brother monks and such severe bouts of asthma, that often he had
found him, took their unconscious brother back to pass sleepless nights. Since he was the second
to their ashram, and attended to his wounds. As president of the Ramakrishna Math and Mission,
he gained consciousness with sips of water and the monks of the Belur Math, the headquarters
milk, he was asked some questions to determine of the Order, would often visit him in the morn-
whether he had truly regained consciousness. ings to offer pranam (reverential salutations), and
‘Maharaj’, he was asked, ‘do you know who is enquire about his physical condition. Normally,
giving you water and milk?’ ‘Yes, I know,’ he an- even before being asked, patients who are critically
swered. ‘The same person who beat me, is now ill, share information with their visitors as to how
feeding me.’ He said so, because he saw God be- much they have been suffering to draw their sym-
hind the man who beat him, and the men who pathy. In Shivanandaji’s case, the truth was just the
were nursing him. opposite. Before the visiting monks who had ar-
Upon hearing this, ‘M.’, the recorder of the rived could even question him regarding his phys-
Gospel, said, ‘Yes, I know that story.’ To this Sri ical condition, he would ask them how they were
Ramakrishna responded, ‘It is not enough to keeping. Despite passing a sleepless night, Shi-
know it! One must assimilate its meaning.’ vanandaji’s face would look rested and refreshed.

626 Prabuddha Bharata October 2024

 ‘Dhāraṇā’ or Assimilation in Spiritual Life 21

Even when his doctor visited him to inquire not the mind, I am the Atman, I am Pure Con-
about his condition, Shivanandaji would first sciousness.’ In the second chapter of the Gita
enquire about the doctor’s own well-being, and we read the following details about the nature
later, in answer to the doctor’s query, he would of that soul: ‘I am the Atman, fire cannot burn
say that he was keeping fine. The doctor how- It, swords cannot cut It, and even if the body
ever being aware of Shivanandaji’s high spiritual dies the soul will live on,’ and so forth. Yet, the
state and lack of body-consciousness, would pertinent question is, have we been able to as-
reply, ‘Maharaj, I know your condition is fine, similate this idea? If, however, we start suffering
but how is your body?’ In response Shivanandaji from some critical or terminal disease, would
would answer, ‘Oh, it has lots of problems!’ Shi- we think, ‘I am the Atman, and therefore I have
vanandaji was established in Atman Conscious- nothing to fear about death?’ Or, would we be
ness, and hence he was able to say sincerely that genuinely stricken by fear of death?
he was fine in spirit. Swami Tapasyananda was a disciple of Swami
The best example of this unshakable Atman Shivananda. In the course of his reminiscences of
Consciousness and utter lack of body conscious- his guru, Tapasyanandaji mentions Shivanandaji as
ness, is found in the life of Sri Ramakrishna. In having once said that when the body is healthy, it is
his last days he suffered excruciating pain from easy for us to say or to think in accordance with the
throat cancer, to the extent that while eating scriptures that we are the Atman, that is to say, Pure
food, blood would sometimes ooze out of the Consciousness. But when we suffer from old age
wound in his throat. Despite such a condition or from some critical disease, will we be able to ac-
Sri Ramakrishna was established in a blissful tually stick to the truth enjoined in scriptures and
state of mind, charging the atmosphere with bliss assert that we are the Atman which is beyond suf-
that was so palpable, that the devotees nearby fering and that the object that suffers is the body?
would also feel and imbibe it. The following are some profound scriptural
On one occasion while speaking to a young statements that we often hear: ‘The purpose of
aspirant named Harinath, later known as Swami life is the realization of Atman or God’; ‘Worldly
Turiya­nanda, Sri Ramakrishna expressed that he pleasures often become the source of suffering
was suffering severe pain owing to his throat can- and are great obstacles to the experience of
cer. To this Harinath replied, ‘No, Revered Sir, you spiritual bliss, which is timeless and limitless.’
are not suffering, I find you blissful!’ In response Moreover, ‘Whatever God does, He does for
to this Sri Ramakrishna declared, ‘Can’t you see our good.’ Despite having heard these truths over
how much I suffer? How can you say such a thing?’ and over again, to what degree are our being and
Harinath retorted, ‘No Sir, I am confident that you personality impacted upon and transformed by
remain blissful all the time!’ This exchange con- them? If we reflect upon this issue, we will realize
tinued a few times, until Sri Ramakrishna finally how little we have assimilated these truths.
confided, ‘This rascal has found me out.’ During the Master’s (Sri Ramakrishna’s) life-
time, ‘M.’ was the only individual among his
Examples of the Lack of Dharana direct disciples who visited the village of Kamar-
During spiritual discourses, we have been repeat- pukur, which is the Master’s birthplace. When
edly reminded of the central teaching of the Ved- ‘M.’ arrived, a ritualistic worship was in progress
anta scriptures, namely, ‘I am not the body, I am in Sri Ramakrishna’s ancestral home. The priest,

Prabuddha Bharata October 2024 627

 22 Prabuddha Bharata

a very elderly Brahmin of about eighty years of vulture soars high in the sky, but its eyes are fixed
age, was a scholar of the scriptures. Later, ‘M.’ on the charnel-pits where the carcasses of ani-
was introduced to the priest as the headmas- mals are burned.’ ‘M.’ thereupon continued say-
ter of a school in Calcutta, and as a disciple of ing, ‘The same is true of pundits and scholars who
Sri Ramakrishna. On hearing this the scholarly seek name and fame and money, while the exact
priest was surprised, and he commented slight- opposite is true in the Master’s case. The Master
ingly as to how he, a headmaster who had stud- had no formal education, yet he is completely free
ied and graduated from an institution of higher from worldliness, and he has attained God-reali-
learning, could be a devotee of ‘Gadai’ (Ram- zation.’ Hearing these words, the scholarly priest
akrishna’s boyhood nickname), since Gadai was regretted his remarks about Sri Ramakrishna, and
an illiterate fool who had not studied anything. admitted later that what ‘M.’ had stated was true.
To this ‘M.’ retorted and silenced the priest Although he himself had studied the highest phil-
by quoting an anec­dote by Sri Ramakrishna: ‘A osophies, he still lived a common worldly life.

Obstacles to Assimilation
Now let us discuss obstacles to the assimilation
of spiritual truths and their realization. Accord-
ing to the Yoga Aphorisms of Patanjali, there are
nine such obstacles, and they are vyadhi (phys-
ical illness), styana (mental lethargy), samshaya
(doubt), pramada (negligence), alasya (lack of
vigour), avirati (not abstaining from indulging in
sense pleasures), bhrantidarshana (false percep-
tions), alabdhabhumikatva (inability to attain to

628 Prabuddha Bharata October 2024

 ‘Dhāraṇā’ or Assimilation in Spiritual Life 23

any yogic state), and finally, anavasthitatva (in- so that I may do the necessary practices to pro-
ability to hold on even after achieving tangible gress spiritually.’
progress in spiritual life). By recognizing these (3) Our next obstacle is samshaya or doubt.
obstacles, we can counteract them. This doubt has many aspects. We may doubt
(1) The first is vyadhi or disease. We cannot whether God exists. We may doubt whether
practise anything if our body is suffering from what we learn is true. If we practise as instructed,
some acute or chronic disease. In this connec- we doubt whether we will get the results. We
tion, a commentator stated that the cure and pre- doubt if the scriptures reveal the truth. We may
vention of many diseases is possible by regulating have questions for our spiritual teacher concern-
one’s digestion. Good nutrition is also ensured ing issues that we need clarification on, which is
by the selection of healthy foods, prepared and rather encouraged. However, some people are
consumed in amounts suited to the individual, just sceptical. They ask questions and entertain
as everyone’s system is different. We should eat doubts solely for doubt’s sake.
only after having digested our previous meal. (4) Pramada means a lack of enthusiasm, and
Most diseases originate from either the brain or without enthusiasm we cannot proceed.
the stomach, hence we should take special care of (5) Alasya means physical laziness. It is the
these two vital body organs, which are the most state of tamas, wherein people like to sleep for
important for maintaining good health. long hours and do not really exert themselves suf-
(2) The next is styana, mental laziness or dull- ficiently, in order to accomplish much of anything.
ness. While many people are not physically lazy, For those who suffer both alasya and styana, there
yet they are mentally lazy. Though we may hear is little hope of their becoming spiritual aspirants.
many pieces of beneficial and inspiring advice, (6) Avirati is non-abstention from looking
the mind does not want to change its comfort- for ways to be pampered, and an attachment
able patterns and ways of life, to which it has to sense pleasures. With regard to the eyes,
grown accustomed over a long period of time. one such attachment is excessive sightseeing or
This is the most dangerous and subtle obstacle, watching entertaining movies. With the ears,
which we need to be especially aware of. it is the frequent need to listen to music. With
There is a relevant saying in Bengali which regard to taste, some people exhibit an excessive
states: ‘We may have the grace of Krishna (God), love of certain foods, and their lives are centred
the grace of the Guru, and the grace of the de- on their palates. With regard to smell, some love
votees of God, but without the grace of one, our to use fragrances, perfumes, colognes, and so on
spiritual life is doomed!’ The grace of that ‘one’ is in excess. With regard to comfort, some require
the grace of our own mind. That is to say, merely thick and very soft beds to sleep. There are also
reading or hearing talks on spiritual ideals is of people who are garrulous and extremely fond of
little value, unless we induce our mind to trans- gossiping. Some feel the need to keep themselves
form our life by exercising our will-power and continuously busy, even without having any real
undertaking the necessary spiritual practices. business to attend to. Others have to continually
Hence, Swami Vijnanananda, one of the mo- move about here and there, and they cannot sit
nastic disciples of Sri Ramakrishna, suggested quietly. On taking up a spiritual way of life, un-
that we should pray to our mind, ‘O mind, please less one is able to break away from such negative
be gracious to me and please cooperate with me, habits and abstain from them through discipline,

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 24 Prabuddha Bharata

it will be impossible for them to make progress eternal God.’ We need to give the highest prior-
and assimilate spiritual instructions. ity to choosing the identity we desire as spiritual
(7) Bhranti-darshana means misperception. aspirants, and adjust our other identities in ac-
This obstacle causes people to mistake the tem- cordance with that choice. Unless we are able
porary for the eternal, the finite for the infinite, to do that, we will remain indecisive and unable
the relative for the absolute, suffering for joy, at- to assimilate the spiritual teachings we receive.
tachment for love, and the whims of the mind Hence, this is a vital issue for spiritual aspirants,
for freedom of the mind. Such people misjudge because if they want to progress in spiritual life
things like close relationships to be something and attain this goal, they must assign top priority
eternal, and that the people and things sur- to their identities as spiritual aspirants, centring
rounding their lives will last forever. their lives on God or Brahman.
(8) Alabdhabhumikatva means non-attain-
ment of any yogic state. This implies that the Wrong Perceptions
practitioner has been unable to find a footing, The next obstacle is having wrong perceptions
and get firmly established in any yogic state. of ourselves—that is, to think we are a com-
(9) Finally, there is anavasthitatva, meaning plex of body and mind. The correct perception
mental unsteadiness, wherein the yogi may make would be, ‘I am the Atman,’ which is eternal.
substantial spiritual progress, but falls again be- Also, whatever we perceive through our senses is
cause of the rise of the ego within him, or be- relative and not eternal. Those things are condi-
cause of self-complacency or laxity in guarding tioned by time and space, and only God is eter-
himself against the pitfalls of spiritual life. nal and absolute. Additionally, the idea that by
There are still more obstacles to assimilation, merely reading spiritual books or listening to
which we shall discuss below: spiritual talks one becomes spiritual is not true.

Hesitancy Worldly Desires and Attachments

There are people who having some interest in All great spiritual teachers of the world have
God feel satisfied by merely hearing or reading warned spiritual aspirants of worldly desires
about Him but are not inclined to do any spir- and attachment to objects that are fleeting, since
itual practices. Others may wish to delve deeper spiritual aspirants are on the quest for the eter-
into spirituality, but they worry that such efforts nal. Sri Ramakrishna put it briefly as attachment
may cause disruptions in their relationship with to ‘women and gold’—but he would change this
their family members, friends, and with regard to ‘men and gold’ when addressing members of
to their work. Hence, they hesitate to embrace the opposite sex—or in other words ‘lust and
a serious spiritual life, which is both demanding lucre’. He would often tell his devotees that one
and challenging. They require a paradigm shift had to take special care in early spiritual practice
in their ideas of a genuine spiritual life, its condi- to avoid the company of the opposite sex. As it
tions and challenges and finally, its goal. is natural to be attracted and attached to mem-
bers of the opposite sex, it would bring about
First Priority the fall of both from the spiritual path. But once
Swami Vivekananda defined religion as: ‘the a person has realized God, he sees all people as
eternal relation between the eternal soul and the veritable manifestations of God, regardless of

630 Prabuddha Bharata October 2024

 ‘Dhāraṇā’ or Assimilation in Spiritual Life 25

their sex. He compared the goal of spiritual life the company of evil-minded people. We fill our
to reaching the rooftop. If we want to reach the minds with unholy stuff, which enters through
rooftop we must use the stairway carefully, one the unguarded gates of the senses.
step at a time. We should not venture to dance • We sit to meditate on God with intensity,
on our way to the roof. and yet we use that quiet time mostly for think-
ing of our dear ones or our work plans, or we
Lack of Willingness simply doze.
One of the commonest obstacles to spiritual life •We wish to calm our restless mind, and yet
is the utter lack of willingness to practise spir- on the other hand we make it more restless by
itual disciplines regularly and methodically, in reckless living, random use of the Internet, ad-
spite of people understanding the efficacy of diction to mobiles, social networking and such
doing so. This occurs due to some sort of phys- other negative practices.
ical and mental inertia, especially in matters of • As practitioners of Karma Yoga we wish
spirituality. Others may have a motivation to to assimilate the idea that God is the doer and
practise, but they have no endurance and fail we are His instruments. Yet we brag about our
to continue practising very long. Lack of mo- achievements, and get elated when we are praised
tivation can be rectified by keeping holy com- for some spectacular success.
pany, and by reading the scriptures as well as the • As devotees we wish to depend entirely
lives and reminiscences of saints. Also, regular upon God in all situations, regardless of trying
reading of inspirational messages such as Swami situations, and to believe that whatever God
Vivekananda’s ‘Arise, awake, and stop not till does He does for our good. Yet we cannot stop
the goal is reached’ and imbibing their mean- worrying or grumbling against God, when hard
ing, are quite helpful. Thus, the laxity of mind times appear and apparently no help comes from
can be steadied, and one can continue leading Him in spite of our prayers for the same.
one’s spiritual life. • Our ideal is not to find faults with others,
but to see their good qualities. Yet we often do
Working at Cross Purposes precisely the opposite, and find ourselves indulg-
Another obstacle to assimilation which we often ing in finding fault with others and criticizing
encounter is that though we set a spiritual goal, others, overlooking their good qualities.
we often lose sight of it. What makes it worse is These aforesaid examples of working at cross
what we do is often contrary to our ideal. This purposes are matters of common experiences of
becomes evident if we critically introspect and spiritual practitioners, which obstruct their pro-
analyse our everyday thoughts, words, and deeds. gress in spiritual life.
The following are some common examples: The remedy to this problem is to become
• We wish to assimilate the idea that we are aware of such contradictions and lapses through
not the body but the Atman or Pure Conscious- continuous awareness and introspection, and
ness, and yet more often than not we are focused then redress them by exerting will power, by
on our body to the point of pampering it. practising discrimination, and by praying to
• We wish to assimilate the idea of the purifi- God. Lord Buddha’s following advice to Ananda,
cation of the mind, and yet we concurrently in- his chief disciple, ‘Ananda! Be wide awake,’ is
dulge in all sorts of secular enjoyments and enjoy extremely relevant to all spiritual aspirants. It

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 26 Prabuddha Bharata

means a spiritual aspirant should always employ Fancying an Ideal Environment

a discriminating mind to keep a strict watch on In the book Meditation and Spiritual Life,
what he thinks, what he says, and what he does, wherein the spiritual discourses of Swami Yat-
and censure that which is not in conformity with ishwarananda are recorded, the author notes that
his ideal. since the scope of worldly enjoyments and temp-
tations are profuse, some Western devotees say
Negative Mental Tendencies it is more difficult to practise spiritual discip-
It also happens that when we begin to practise lines in the West than in Asia or India. However,
and intend to think of spiritual things, sud- according to him, this observation is not true,
denly worldly thoughts or memories crop up since temptations lurk everywhere and one can
within our minds and overpower us. One of also practise spiritual disciplines in the West. If
the reasons for the occurrence of such disturb- one lives in a worldly environment, one must
ances is that our accumulated secular tenden- see how one can protect oneself from worldly
cies (samskaras) of previous lives as well as of influences and avoid situations not congenial to
this life, are working on our conscious and sub- spiritual life. In other words, we should exert our
conscious minds. will power more in such situations. Moreover, a
Samskaras are mental and emotional patterns spiritual teacher can be consulted about navigat-
or habits which leave a lasting impression on our ing the spiritual obstacles that arise in such cases.
minds, and influence our present thoughts, atti-
tudes, and actions. In Western psychology there Not Now
is the concept of the ‘Id,’ or the ‘unconscious’ Some people cherish the idea that later in life
as postulated by Freud, which is not clearly de- when their work schedule gets more relaxed or
fined. In the Indian psychology and scriptures, their personal situations are more favourable,
samskara is a widely recognized and understood they will begin spiritual practice. Swami Turi-
concept. For the spiritual aspirant, the struggle yananda liked to quote a Sanskrit verse which
to overcome his negative and secular or in other states that he who wishes to bathe in the ocean
words, rajasik and tamasik samskaras and create but waits until the waves subside can never
and strengthen positive and spiritual samskaras, bathe because the waves of the ocean will never
is a long struggle that lasts until his spiritual life subside. Sometimes our situation just never
becomes steady. seems to improve, and the so called ‘ideal en-
vironment for spiritual practice’ seldom occurs.
Irregular Lifestyle So, if one wishes to bathe in the ocean, let him
An irregular lifestyle is another obstacle that jump in now, regardless of the waves! If one
adversely affects our ability to assimilate spir- truly wants to practise spiritual disciplines one
itual teachings. This fritters away our mental and should begin now, regardless of the constraints.
physical energy that is required for sustained If we keep postponing our practice until a more
spiritual practices. Hence, we have to follow an favourable situation arises, there is every possi-
ideal daily schedule, and include in it specific bility we may never encounter such a chance
times for meditation and prayer, study of the during our lifetime, since we cannot postpone
scriptures, physical exercise, and work in the our death indefinitely. 
spirit of Karma Yoga. (To be continued)

632 Prabuddha Bharata October 2024

 27

History of Sri Durga Puja and

Sri Durga Saptashati
Amalendu Bagchi

B efore embarking on a discussion of

the theme of the article, it is essential to
objectively establish the following two
issues: 1) Who are the ārṣaya and anārṣaya;
2) the era of Vedavyasa.
Hence, the Aryans mentioned in the Rig Veda
were not outsiders but were the natives of the
Indus Valley region. Rig Veda, 1.117.21, mentions
that Aryans were farmers which is also the opin-
ion of Swami Vivekananda.5
Initially, all inhabitants of the Indian subcon-
Who are the Arshaya and Anarshaya? tinent were hunters and gatherers. Over time, a
Based on dental data of many Indus Valley IV area group of hunters and gatherers developed farm-
skeletons, Hemphill and others1 concluded that ing and identified themselves as Arshaya and the
there was no migration from outside in the IV area non-farmers as Anarshaya. Singh,6 citing several
between 4500 BCE and 800 BCE; however, the IV Vedic hymns, summarized that the Arshaya de-
area was part of an early urban interactive sphere scribed the Anarshaya as savage naked nomads
centered in the Iranian plateau. Genomic studies living in the forest, who had no respect for Aryan
of skeletons from a vast area north and west of the gods, and practised magic as part of their reli-
IV area provide a clearer picture of the migration gion; they ate raw meat. This description fits well
of outsiders to the IV area. Narasimhan and others2 with the hunter-gatherers or the Anarshayas. Sev-
reported a genomic study involving 523 individuals eral Rig Veda hymns (3.34.9, 10.48.6–7, 10.69.3)
spanning the last 8000 years, from the following describe feuds between Aryans (Arshaya) and
three areas: 1) 182 from Iran and the southern part non-Aryans (Anarshayas). Many scholars portray
of central Asia (present-day Turkmenistan, Uz- these feuds as a conflict between foreign invad-
bekistan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, and Kyrgyzstan); ers and the native population. The feuds between
2) 209 from the Steppe and northern forest zone Arshayas and Anarshayas described in Rig Veda
mostly in present-day Kazakhstan and Russia; 3) hymns were feuds between two groups of the
132 from Swat Valley in northern Pakistan, which native population. Since the Arshayas needed
is located at the periphery of the IV area. The study areas for their farmland, which they created by
indicated that the Steppe pastoralists, the so-called destroying forest lands, whereas the Anarshayas
Aryans, arrived in the Swat Valley in Pakistan in needed forest for their survival, the two groups
c. 1000 BCE. Based on several genetic studies, fought each other for their existence. Thus, con-
Danino3 concluded that Ārṣaya were not outsiders, trary to widely accepted opinion, Arshayas did
but were inhabitants of the Indian subcontinent. not come to the IV area from outside of the
Since the gradual decline of the IV area cit- Indian subcontinent. Both the Arshayas and
ies occurred between 1900 to 1300 BCE,4 the Anarshayas are natives or Adivasis of the Indian
so-called Aryans arrived in the Indian subcon- subcontinent. So, it is wrong to identify only the
tinent long after the Vedic sages left the IV area. Anarshayas as Adivasi.

Prabuddha Bharata October 2024 633

 28 Prabuddha Bharata

However, there is a genetic difference between the archaeologically established date of Dwarka
the Arshayas and Anarshayas. Ancestral South In- between 1600–1500 BCE, the dates of the Kuru-
dian (ASI), the oldest people of the subcontinent, kshetra war proposed by Iyengar and Sharma
have genomes from inhabitants of Andaman and are realistic. Taking a middle ground based on
Nicobar Islands’ Hunter and Gatherer (AHG) these two objective studies, in this article c. 1480
and Iranian farmers. ASI formed in IV periphery BCE is used as the date of the Kurukshetra War.
(Gonur and Shahr-i-Sokhta) due to a spread of Since Vedavyasa composed Mahabharata, it is
West Asian domesticates into peninsular India be- reasonable to use c. 1500–1400 BCE as the era
ginning around 3000 BCE. The Ancestral North of Vedavyasa.
Indian (ANI) has a genome from ASI and Steppe
pastoralists. The Steppe ancestry is primarily from The History of Durga Puja
males and is disproportionately high (than is pre- An upper Paleolithic shrine, dated c. 9000 to
dicted by a simple model of ASI-ANI mixture) in 8000 BCE, built by hunter/gatherers has been
current-day Brahmin and Bhumihar groups, trad- discovered in Bangor, Sidhi district, Madhya
itionally of priestly status who are considered as Pradesh. In this shrine, on a circular platform,
the custodians of liturgy in Sanskrit. The Arshayas’ a sandstone with concentric triangular lamina-
genome is ANI.7 There is practically no social inter- tion, of colors ranging from light yellow-red to
action between Anarshayas and the Steppe area dark reddish brown, was found. About one-kil-
pastoralists, and their ancestry is primarily ASI. ometer northeast of the shrine site, in the village
Currently, only the Anarshayas are called the Adi- of Kerai, the same type of concentric triangular
vasi. It may be mentioned that the Vedic era feud lamination placed on a circular platform is wor-
between the two groups is continuing. Currently, shipped as Kerai ki Devi. The inhabitants of the
the feud is based on timber harvesting by the Ar- area are Kol and Baiga tribes who have Dravid-
shayas in forested areas where the Adivasis live. ian affinities.12 Thus, the Anarshayas worshipped
Shakti. However, the Arshayas deviated from
Era of Vedavyasa their ancestor. Vedas are dominated by male
Using marine archaeology, the submerged city of deities. Whereas female deities, like Aditi, Prith-
Dwarka has been discovered; based on the dat- ivi, etc., were often given a secondary place.
ing of a submerged iron anchor, Dwarka is dated In ‘Khila-Hari-vamsa’ (an appendix to Maha-
1600–500 BCE.8 It is mentioned in Mahabharata bharata) it is mentioned that Goddess Durga
that Arjuna visited Dwarka after the Kurukshetra was worshipped by savages like the Shabaras,
War. He witnessed the city submerging under the Barbaras, and Pulindas and that she was very
sea as he was leaving.9 Thus, Dwarka went under fond of meat and wine.13 Thus, Goddess Durga
the sea after the Kurukshetra war. was worshipped by Anarshayas, the ancestors of
Various scholars, using a subjective approach, the Adivasi tribes, even before the Mahabharata
proposed the following year of the Kurukshetra was written. The Goddess or Shakti is still the
War: 3162, 3143, 3067, 3067, 2559, 1298, and 950 main deity for many tribes. For instance, the
BCE. Two astronomy based objective studies, Oraon tribes worship a round stone as Goddess
one by Iyengar10 and the other by Sharma11 as- Chandi, who brings success in war and hunt-
certained that the year of Kurukshetra war was ing. The Mundas also worship Goddess Chandi
1478 BCE, and 1493 BCE, respectively. Based on Bonga. So, the Goddess Chandi, another name

634 Prabuddha Bharata October 2024

 History of Sri Durga Puja and Sri Durga Saptashati 29

for Goddess Durga, may very well have been bor- c. 1450 BCE, as will be seen later, whereas the
rowed by the Arshayas from the Anarshayas. paintings and murals of Nana found in Sogdia
As indicated earlier, Mahabharata was com- are dated around 100 BCE or later. A Sogdian
posed by Vedavyasa after the Kurukshetra war (present-day Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajik-
in 1480, say in 1470 BCE. In Mahabharata, both istan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan) mural in Banji-
Yudhishthira and Arjuna chanted hymns to kat depicting a four-armed Goddess seated on a
Durga. So, it is surmised that around c. 1480 lion has been discovered.17 It may be noted that a
BCE Goddesses Durga and Chandi were in- meditation hymn describing a four-armed God-
cluded in the pantheon of the Arshayas. dess seated on a lion is included in Sri Sri Chandi
Two forms of the icon of Durga have been (5th Chapter, hymn 2). A painting showing a
reported—Mahisha Mardini and Mahishasura goddess (Durga?) and two Gods, one of which
Mardini.14 However, currently, worship of the looks very similar to Shiva has been discovered
Mahisha Mardini idol is not practised. Worship in a 6th-century Buddhist temple in Dandan
of the idol of Mahishasura Mardini is practised Oilik, in Western China. Several figurines and
widely in the eastern part of India, but not so coins depicting a Goddess seated on a lion and a
widely in the western or southern parts of India. Goddess killing a demon were also found in the
In summary, the worship of Goddess Durga Kushan Kingdom. Initially, the Kushan kings
or Chandi was practised by the Anarshayas be- were Hindu. They subsequently became Bud-
fore c. 1400 BCE. Around c. 1480 BCE Goddess dhist. Thus, the opinion of Indologists that the
Durga and Chandi were surmised to be included worship of Durga in India was influenced by
in the pantheon of the Arshayas. In Sri Sri Goddess Nana does not stand substantiated.
Chandi, the Mahishasura Mardini icon of Durga Swami Jagadishwarananda18 believes that
has been mentioned in several Shlokas, for in- ‘Medhashram’, located ten to twelve miles from
stance, the second chapter of Madhyam Chari- the city of Chattal (in Bangladesh) on Karal-
tra, Mahalakshmi Dhyanam.15 Shlokas 13.10–11 danga hilltop is the Ashram of Medha Muni of
of Sri Sri Chandi indicate that King Suratha and Sri Sri Chandi. A temple known as King Surath’s
Merchant Vaisya worshipped a clay idol with temple is located near Shantiniketan, West Ben-
flowers, etc. So the worship of Durga, most likely gal. An archaeological investigation of the tem-
the Mahishasura Mardini idol, started in the sec- ple site is worth undertaking. If it is found that
ond half of 1400 BCE. the date of the temple is 1500–1400 BCE, then
Many Indologists believe that the worship it would be reasonable to assume that the temple
of Durga in India was influenced by a Bactrian was built by King Surath mentioned in Sri Sri
Goddess Nana—a Goddess seated on a lion. Chandi. In addition, since Medhashram is lo-
However, the influence of Sri Sri Chandi on cated in present-day Bangladesh, the episode de-
central Asia, Southern Russia, West Afghani- scribed in Sri Sri Chandi most likely took place
stan (Bactria), and West China was known to within the undivided Bengal.
the authors of the Hindu Scriptures ‘Mahasid- A tribe named ‘Asur’ lives in Bihar, Jharkhand,
hasartantra’ and ‘Shaktimangaltantra’—com- and West Bengal. They speak the Asur language,
posed much earlier than the modern era; they which belongs to the Munda family of Astro-
named the above-mentioned region as Vish- Asiatic languages. The Asur tribe believes Mahi­
nukranta.16 Sri Sri Chandi was composed in shasura was their benevolent ancestor, and they

Prabuddha Bharata October 2024 635

 30 Prabuddha Bharata

mourn during the Durga Puja period for what Excavations 1986–1990, Ed. Richard Meadow,
they see as the unjust butchering of their ancestor. Prehistory Press, Madison, Wisconsin, USA,
Thus the historicity of the tale of Mahishas- 1991).
2. V M Narasimhan et al., The Formation of Human
ura Mardini narrated in Sri Sri Chandi may not Populations in South and Central Asia, (Science
be ruled out. It is noteworthy that the Asur tribe 365, 6 September 2019).
lives in the eastern part of India, namely Bihar, 3. Danino, M (2024)., Genetics and the Aryan
Jharkhand, and West Bengal, where the worship Debate, <https://archaeologyonline.net/ar-
of the Mahishasura Mardini idol is very popular tifacts/genetics-aryan-debate>, accessed on 8
September 2024.
amongst the Arshayas. In the rest of India, the
4. J M Kenoyer, Ancient Cities of the Indus Val-
worship of the Mahishasura Mardini idol is rare. ley Civilization, (American Institute of Paki-
stan Studies, Oxford University Press, Oxford,
Composition of Sri Sri Chandi 1998), 173.
In the Introduction of Sri Sri Chandi Swami 5. Swami Vivekanander Bani O Rachana (Kolkata:
Udbodhan Karyalaya, 1981), 6.204–211.
Jagadishwarananda cited the following opinions
6. Bhagwan Singh, The Vedic Harappan, (Aditya
of several scholars regarding the time of compos- Prakashan, Delhi, 1995), 37–38.
ition of Sri Sri Chandi: 7. The Formation of Human Populations.
Based on a 6 CE inscription on a rock in ‘Na- 8. S R Rao, Further Excavations of the Submerged
garjuni’ cave, Mr Parsitar in his English transla- City of Dwarka, (Proc. 2nd Indian Conference
tion of Sri Sri Chandi, published in 1905 by the on Marine Archaeology of Indian Ocean coun-
Asiatic Society of Bengal, ascertained that Sri tries, Marine Archaeology, National Institute of
Sri Chandi was written in 3 CE. Oceanography, 1991), 51–59.
9. Mahabharata: Maushala Parva, Chapter 6.
Archaeological investigation indicated that
10. R N Iyengar, Historicity of Celestial Observa-
the Kingdom of the Saka existed in the Ma- tions of Mahabharata (Quarterly Journal of the
thura region from a little before the beginning Mythic Society, Vol. XCIV, No. 1–2, 2003), 150–
of the common era to the start of the common 186.
era. Based on this archaeological information 11. U N Sharma, Model of Planetary Configurations
the past curator of the Rajasthan Museum as- in Mahabharata, ( Journal of Archaeo-Astron-
certained that Sri Sri Chandi was written some- omy, Vol. IX, 1986), University of Maryland,
time between 1 BCE to 350 CE. USA, 1-4.
All of these opinions are subjective. To es- 12. Kenoyer et al. An Upper Paleolithic Shrine in
tablish the composition time of Sri Sri Chandi India? Antiquity, LV II, 1983, 88–94.
13. S B Dasgupta, Evolution of Mother Worship in
objectively, it is essential to take note of the era
India (Kolkata: Advaita Ashrama, 2011), 27.
of Vedavyasa, discussed earlier. Sri Sri Chandi is 14. Durga Bose, Variations in the Iconographic Forms
part of Markandeya Purana, supposed to have of Mahishasuramardini Through the Ages: A
composed by Vedavyasa. Since the era of Vedavy- Lesser-Known Tale of Tradition, Iconography &
asa is c. 1500–1400 BCE, it is ascertained that Worship, Ed. Durga Bose (Kolkata: Banglar Pu-
ratattva Prakashana, 2022), 9–13.
the time of the composition of Sri Sri Chandi is
15. Swami Jagadishwarananada, Sri Sri Chandi
c. 1500–1400 BCE. P (Kolkata: Udbodhan Karyalaya, 1985), 24, 26.
16. Sri Sri Chandi, 26.
References
17. <https://sogdians.si.edu/the-sogdians-at-
1. B Hemphill, Biological Adaptations and Af- home> accessed on 9 September 2024.
finities of Bronze Age Harappans, (Harappa 18. Sri Sri Chandi, 22.

636 Prabuddha Bharata October 2024

 31

A Rude Introduction to Chicago

Diane Marshall

(Continued from the previous issue)

H ere concludes The three-part series

following the first known appearance
of Swami Vivekananda in an American
newspaper on 13 August 1893, prior to the Par-
liament of Religions. The third section of this
article from the Indianapolis Journal, reprinted
from the Chicago Journal, is a long-winded rant
about the Maharajah of Kapurthala allegedly
attributed to Swamiji—but it actually expresses
the resentful opinions of a third person.
Of all the foreign dignitaries that visited the
Fair, none was more celebrated in the press than
Jagatjit Singh, the Maharajah of Kapurthala
(1872–1949). Chicago was simply agog over
him. This was not due to anything that the prince
stood for in terms of history, politics or religion1;
he filled Chicago’s need because he was royal,
rich and exotic, but best of all, he was a sporting Maharajah of Kapurthala (1899)
fellow. He was willing to oblige by playing the do about as they please, make their own laws
great potentate from the East for their pageant and enforce them. But the upper castes will
at the Exposition on 15 August. More important have nothing whatsoever to do with the social
than his symbolic value were the dollars to be stratum to which he belongs. Even the Brahmin
made from increased Fair attendance. The Jour- priests will not accept money, or gifts, or con-
nal reporter sought to sensationalize the Mahara- tributions from him; nor could he hire a priest
jah controversially by using Swamiji’s name—but to perform any rite or office for him, no matter
what the circumstances might be.
in another person’s words—to denigrate him:2
‘Men of his stripe are ostracized by all upper
‘You people seem to have queer notions con- castes. The laws of India observed by the Brah-
cerning polygamy in India,’ remarked the Cal- mins give a married man the right to take a
cutta traveler. ‘You talk about the maharajah of second wife if he has lived with his first wife
Kapurthala having 300 wives as if such a state seventeen years and she has borne no children,
of affairs were an ordinary thing in India.3 This provided, always, that she consent to the second
maharajah may have a number of wives because marriage. Divorce is unknown and widows can-
he belongs to the lowest caste, and such fellows not remarry. Adultery or fornication is always

Prabuddha Bharata October 2024 637

 32 Prabuddha Bharata

punished by making the offender lose caste and read, had already expressed such an opinion.5
thus he becomes ostracized socially. There was another voice speaking in these three
‘Wealth cuts no figure in determining one’s
paragraphs.
social standing in India. The Maharajah who Teresa Dean, the sensible and witty columnist
is now here may have an immense income mentioned in Part 2 of this article, identified this
and may be an absolute monarch among the voice. Notice how closely the Indianapolis Jour-
low classes that belong to his caste; but that’s
nal article, above, resembles Miss Dean’s earlier
all. Why, on Midway Plaisance near the Fer-
ris wheel is a small Parsee shop where a Hin- 11 August ‘White City Chips’ column in The
doo boy makes paper flowers and birds with Inter Ocean, below. Dean correctly attributed
the thumbnail. That boy belongs to the second these opinions to a ‘finger-nail artist’:
caste, humble and poor as he is, and the laws Oh, dear! oh, dear! After all our bowing and
in India are so strict that the Maharajah of Ka- scraping, and running after and dining the Indian
purthala must salaam to him reverently if they prince, the maharajah of Kapurthala, or whatever
ever chance to meet. In the snake charmer’s tent he is, we are now told that he is of low caste, and
in the “Street in Cairo” is another Indian boy money and an abundance of wives cut no fig-
who belongs to the first caste. If you ever see ure in India. My friend, the finger-nail artist, of
the maharajah of Kapurthala meet that snake- Ferris Wheel at the Columbian Expo.
charmer you will see the maharajah go right
down on his face before him.’4
While it might be possible that Swamiji
made a comment to the reporter about
the legality of polygamy, he certainly
would not have disparaged Jagatjit
Singh, the Maharajah of Kapurthala,
as ‘low-caste.’ The New York Sun, a
paper that the reporter probably

638 Prabuddha Bharata October 2024

 A Rude Introduction to Chicago 33

whom I told you last week, who stands in front East India exhibits. Swamiji, wearing his Indian
of the East India bazar, not far from the Ferris clothes, was, after all, ‘in costume’. He probably
wheel, and decorates cards while you wait, told blended right into the Fair, like a theme actor
me yesterday that it was not modest for him to say wearing eighteenth-century clothes in Colonial
so, but he himself was of the caste higher than the
Williamsburg, Virginia.8 Jagatjit Singh was only
maharajah and he would receive a salaam from
him if the ‘prince’ came by. And he said there twenty-one years old. He lacked the acumen to
were several here from India who were of the very recognize a real sadhu in such surroundings.9
first caste. He mentioned one of these moguls as Swamiji continued his letter to Alasinga:
holding forth just now, for the amusement of the There was an eccentric Mahratta Brahmin sell-
World’s Fair sightseers in the ‘Street in Cairo.’ ing nail-made pictures in the Fair, dressed in a
He is charming snakes. It may not sound in this dhoti. This fellow told the reporters all sorts of
country as a criterion or as a passport to the crème things against the Raja—, that he was a man
de la crème of society, but in India, finances or of low caste, that those Rajas were nothing but
conditions, or surroundings, or snakes would not slaves, and that they generally led immoral lives,
interfere. And even in this country, if this great etc., etc. And these truthful editors, for which
maharajah should chance to visit this sideshow in America is famous, wanted to give to the boy’s
the street in Cairo, he would be obliged to bow stories some weight; and so the next day they
to the earth before his superior—the man of the wrote huge columns in their papers about the
first caste—who is charming snakes with an ad- description of a man of wisdom from India,
mittance fee of 25 cents apiece.6 meaning me—extolling me to the skies, and
The Indianapolis Journal article concluded by putting all sorts of words in my mouth, which
attributing the following statement to Swamiji: I never even dreamt of, and ascribing to me all
those remarks made by the Mahratta Brahmin
I presume it is difficult for Americans to under-
about the Raja of Kapurthala.10
stand such social conditions, but all Indians do.
The maharajah of Kapurthala, for instance, is Teresa Dean confirmed Swamiji’s account of
great only among his own followers. Aside from the Mahratta Brahmin criticizing the Mahara-
this he can do nothing and amounts to nothing. jah. What is puzzling is the claim repeated by
Even now he has his master along. A British of- Swamiji that ‘Chicago society gave up the Raja
ficer accompanies him to tell him what he may
in hot haste’—which cannot be true.11 The Chi-
and may not do.7
cago Daily Tribune ran a full-page article describ-
In his 20 August 1893 letter to Alasinga ing how 50,000 people turned out to see the
Perumal, Swamiji wrote about an encounter Maharajah of Kapurthala feted at the Fair on 15
with the Maharajah: ‘I once met the Raja in the August. Swamiji could not have known that be-
Fairgrounds, but he was too big to speak with a cause he was on the train to Boston that day.12
poor Fakir.’ The Maharajah of Kapurthala and Yet he told Alasinga:
Swami Vivekananda were both frequent vis-
And it was such a good brushing that Chi-
itors to the Columbian Exposition during the
cago society gave up the Raja in hot haste. …
first two weeks of August. It can be imagined These newspaper editors made capital out of
that Swamiji attempted to greet Jagatjit Singh me to give my countryman a brushing. That
courteously, but either he or his chaperone, shows, however, that in this country intel-
Lt. Col. C F Massey, ignored Swamiji because lect carries more weight than all the pomp of
he mistook him for an employee of one of the money and title.

Prabuddha Bharata October 2024 639

 34 Prabuddha Bharata

The fingernail artist must have impressed Te- write to Swamiji as an effort of damage control,
resa Dean because she wrote about him in three and tell a fable just to please him, boasting that
columns. She introduced him on 27 July, describ- Chicago society gave the Maharajah a ‘brush-
ing how he used his manicured thumbnail to cre- ing’—to use his peculiar phraseology.16 Teresa
ate blind-embossed flower designs upon malleable Dean used this ‘brushed up’ expression when
white paper for ten cents, all the while entertaining quoting the fingernail artist. It seems this fellow
his customers with a fluent line of patter: had no problem manipulating the truth. Dean
He attracts a great deal of attention as he stands continued:
there on the porch of the East Indian bazaar, After he had talked yesterday in his most elo-
with his work, his costume, and his highly culti- quent way for twenty minutes to a gathered
vated flow of the English language. He seems to score of people a man said: ‘Do you belong to
have a half-formed contempt for all things not the Dahomey village?’ ‘No; I am a Russian’,
up to his standard of intellect, and his manner was the reply.17
of communication is didactic in the extreme.13
In light of the fingernail artist’s sarcasm, it
On 11 September, the same day that Swamiji would not be a stretch to believe that he might
was given a rousing ovation at the Parliament of write an exaggerated letter to Swamiji saying
Religions, Dean related that the fingernail art- there were huge columns in the newspapers ex-
ist had read her articles in the Inter Ocean about tolling him to the skies as a man of wisdom from
him—‘My finger-nail artist, the Hindoo, or the India. Clearly Swamiji was embarrassed by such
Brahman, or the man from Bombay,’—and that flattery. He called the Maharajah of Kapurthala
he had written her a letter of appreciation: ‘my countryman’. As he wrote his 20 August let-
‘He said he had a half contempt for the people ter, Swamiji was pondering his next step:
who stopped to talk with him whose intel- I do not know whether I shall go back to Chi-
lect was not up to his standard.’ Furthermore, cago or not. My friends there write me to repre-
‘People along the Midway are not the kind who sent India. And the gentleman, to whom Varada
are looking for a spiritual leader. … The major- Rao introduced me, is one of the directors of
ity of them are not out to get their intellects the Fair; but then I refused [to stay there] as I
brushed up particularly by any one individual.’14 would have to spend all my little stock of money
in remaining more than a month in Chicago.
The fingernail artist would have recognized
Swamiji as someone whose intellect did not re- Consider for a moment this telling line:
quire ‘brushing up.’ Since he valued Miss Dean’s ‘My friends there write me to represent India.’
opinion enough to write to her, it is possible Swamiji as yet had no American friends in Chi-
that he also wrote to Swamiji care of Thomas cago, even though he said his hosts, Mr and Mrs
Cook & Son, Boston.15 The letter could have Phelps, were ‘very kind,’ they were not kindred
been forwarded before Swamiji wrote to Alas- spirits who hoped he would ‘represent India’ at
inga on the 20th. In fact, Swamiji confirms that the Parliament as a Hindu. Erskine Phelps had
he received a letter from Chicago in his 20 Au- enough political clout to get Grover Cleveland
gust letter: ‘My friends there [Chicago] write elected President of the United States, yet he did
me to represent India.’ Had the fingernail art- not help Swamiji become a delegate to the Par-
ist read the article in the Journal and was he liament of Religions.18 The people who Swamiji
mortified by the insulting race story? Did he counted as friends in Chicago were unable to

640 Prabuddha Bharata October 2024

 A Rude Introduction to Chicago 35

support him financially or offer him a the Maharajah—at least that is one pos-
place to stay. This appears to confirm sible conjecture.
that they were Indians employed at Journalists hung around the fin-
the Exposition, and it increases the gernail artist for gossip, and at some
probability that the fingernail artist point Swamiji was overheard by an
wrote to Swamiji giving him his ver- opportunistic reporter. Yes, Swamiji
sion of the newspaper article about ‘A probably gave the reporter some
Disgusted Brahmin’ and its criti- impressions of Chicago that
cism of the Maharajah. were ‘not very flattering.’ He
So how did Swamiji get surely remarked that ‘it costs
caught in this mess? The Mid- a great deal of money to live
way Plaisance must have been here.’ Clearly the Journal
a strange jungle to work in. reporter did not bother to
There had probably not been separate Swamiji’s opin-
such a mishmash of imported ion from the fingernail
ethnicities and ambitions in artist’s opinion, but con-
one small space since Rome veniently conflated them,
ruled the world. In addition ‘putting all sorts of words
Maharajah of Kapurthala (1903)
to the tourists, journalists in my mouth’ as Swamiji
from all over the country flocked to the Mid- wrote, to make a more entertaining story. From
way Plaisance in search of sensational stories, and the ambitious reporter’s point of view, the dis-
culture clash provided entertainment. appointment of an unknown Hindu who would
Since Swamiji spent at least twelve days at not be going to the congress of religions was
the Fair it is elementary to speculate that he not newsworthy enough by itself, but combined
visited the East India bazaar near the Ferris with a race story about a fake Indian ‘princess’
Wheel more than once.19 The sharp-eyed fin- and juicy gossip about the Maharajah being low-
gernail artist would have spotted him as one class—now this reporter had himself a printable
imminently worthy of engaging in conversa- story. It is doubtful if Swamiji saw it in the Jour-
tion. Swamiji must have told him many particu- nal as it was not one of the larger newspapers.
lars about his journey to Chicago, beginning Admittedly, I have had to use conjecture to
with the dedicated band of devotees in Madras parse out the backstory between Swamiji’s 20
who collected funds to send him to America, August letter and these newspaper articles, but I
his ocean voyage and the long train trip across believe my speculation is reasonable. Chubildas
Canada, including his invitation to go to Bos- Lallubhai is known to have kept in touch with
ton. Evidently Swamiji trusted the fingernail Swamiji.20 As soon as he saw his young friend’s
artist as someone to whom he could vent his dejected state of mind, he must have insisted
frustration when his application to be a dele- that they go to Boston together. That destination
gate to the congress of religions was denied. proved auspicious. By the time Swamiji wrote
Perhaps Swamiji told the fingernail artist that to Alasinga on the 20th, his faith had been re-
Jagatjit Singh would not speak to him; then the stored and he had gained a positive perspective
fingernail artist unleashed his opinions about and renewed determination: ‘A hundred times I

Prabuddha Bharata October 2024 641

 36 Prabuddha Bharata

had a mind to go out of the country and go back to 2000) p. 60. Chaudhuri stated that due to re-
marks printed in the newspapers made by the
India. But I am determined, and I have a call from finger-nail artist but ascribed to Swamiji, ‘Chi-
Above; I see no way, but His eyes see. And I must cago dropped the Raja like a hot potato.’ This
stick to my guns, life or death.’ P did not happen.
(Concluded) 12. The journey from Chicago to Boston was at least
30 hours. Swamiji and Chubildas Lallubhai ap-
peared in a Boston newspaper: ‘Thought they
Notes and References were the Rajah’s people,’ Boston Evening Tran-
script, 16 August 1893, 4.
1. It helped that the Maharajah’s uncle, Hon. 13. White City Chips, Chicago Inter Ocean, 27 July
Harnam Singh, was known to be an ‘earnest 1893, 7.
Christian’. Barrows, The World’s Parliament of 14. White City Chips, Chicago Inter Ocean, 11 Sep-
Religions, 37. tember 1893, 2.
2. A lavish reception was planned for the Ma- 15. Alternately—Miss Sanborn, Metcalf, Mass.—
harajah at the Fair on 15 August 1893. He was was a sufficient address.
addressed as ‘His Highness, the Maharajah of 16. The phrase ‘brushing up’ means improve; and
Kapoorthella, king of kings,’ Chicago Inter- ‘brushing off ’ means dismiss. Swamiji wrote
Ocean 15 August 1893, 3; ‘The Maharajah of Ka- only ‘brushing’ but his context indicates some-
purthala at the Fair,’ Chicago Tribune, 16 August thing dismissive. His uncharacteristic repeti-
1893, 1. tion of the word ‘brushing’ echoes someone
3. The young wife who accompanied Jagatjit Singh else’s usage. In his other correspondence,
to the West in 1893 was allegedly ‘No. 4’. His Swamiji used the word ‘brushing’ only once, in
first marriage had been arranged when he was reference to a nail brush in a manicure set.
only 14. 17. White City Chips, Chicago Inter Ocean, 11 Sep-
4. Indianapolis Journal, 13 August 1893, 10. tember 1893, 2.
5. The Chicago Journal reporter may have previ- 18. Why E M Phelps, a Director of the World’s Co-
ously read this statement: ‘These Kapurthala lumbian Exposition, did not assist Swamiji to
princes are Sikhs, and consequently, from a become a delegate to the Parliament of Reli-
Hindoo standpoint, they are of the lowest class, gions remains a mystery. See Diane Marshall,
and rank with the outcast sweeper.’ T P H, ‘Our ‘Swami Vivekananda’s First Impression of Chi-
Princely Indian Guest,’ The Sun, NY, 23 July cago Hospitality,’ Prabuddha Bharata, October
1893, 7. 2016.
6. ‘White City Chips,’ Chicago Inter Ocean, 11 Au- 19. India was represented in three places at the
gust 1893, 7. World’s Columbian Exposition: there was an
7. Indianapolis Journal, 13 August 1893, 10. East India tea pavilion inside the Woman’s
8. J H Beadle, ‘The Races Mingle, One of the Building; there was the India Emporium de-
Pleasantest Features of the Fair, Far-Foreigners signed by Chicago architect Henry Ives Cobb
Not Stared At.’ Atchison Daily Globe, 22 August on the east side of the WCE with the other na-
1893. tional buildings; there was the East Indian Ba-
9. In contrast, Teresa Dean reported that two zaar on the Midway run by Ardeshir & Byramji,
16-year-old girls approached the Maharajah on 23 Oxford St London, second building west of
12 August at the fairgrounds, asking ‘Can we the Ferris Wheel.
look at you?’ and received a gracious reply from 20. Chubildas ‘Lulloobhoy’ had been interviewed
Jagatjit Singh. White City Chips, Chicago Inter by the Chicago Inter Ocean on 9 August 1893
Ocean, 19 October 1893, 7. regarding shipments of wheat from India. The
10. Letter to Alasinga Perumal, 20 August 1893, paper described him as ‘a member of the firm of
Complete Works, 5.12. James Mackintosh & Co., who are largely inter-
11. Asim Chaudhuri, Swami Vivekananda in Chi- ested in the grain and cotton trade at Bombay’
cago, New Findings (Calcutta: Advaita Ashrama, and ‘he conversed in English very fluently.’

642 Prabuddha Bharata October 2024

 37

The Torchbearers of Swami Vivekananda

Sri Manmathanath Bhattacharya, the Chennai Host
Swami Dakshajananda
(Continued from the previous issue)

An Intimate Epistle Bhattacharya, I was much pleased to read your

D uring the birth centenary of Swami

Vivekananda in 1963, Manmathanath’s
son, Mohit Kumar, handed over a letter
of Swamiji addressed to his father, to the Head-
quarters of Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna
affectionate letter.’ Here are some more titbits.
Swamiji points out what blinded and blighted the
Indian community: ‘Keeping aloof from the com-
munity of nations is the only cause for the down-
fall of India. … But Manmatha Babu, you will have
Mission at Belur Math. Swamiji’s letter, dated 5 to stop this shameful business of marrying off nine
September 1894 from USA, was in reply to Man- year old girls. That is the root of all sins.’ Whether
mathanath’s. In the endnote of this letter, Swamiji Swamiji raised the child marriage question from a
categorically cautioned Manmathanath not to broad perspective, or specific to Manmathanath’s
share this letter with others and reasoned out thus: daughter is for speculation; Sarama Devi was said
‘Please don’t make this letter public. You under- to have been married at the age of 11 and widowed
stand, I have to be careful about every word I say. at 16! About American women’s competence and
I am now a public man. Everybody is watching, their affable families in contrast to their don’t-
particularly the clergy.’ This cautionary postscript touchiest counterparts, Swamiji observes:
locked up his letter deep into Manmathanath’s pri- Many of the American women are very well
vate possession. It is a compendium of intensely in- educated and put many a learned professor to
timate and instructive wordings, funny as well as shame; nor do they care for anyone’s opinion.
grave reflections between the East and West, a style And as regards their virtues: what kindness,
similar to Swamiji’s Memoirs of European Travel. what noble thought and action! Just think, if a
man of this country were to visit India, nobody
It’s a profound reading of occidental and oriental
would even touch him; yet here I am allowed
cultural makings, a critical study of the progressive to do as I please in the houses of the best fam-
and regressive features reflected in both societies. ilies—like their own son! I am like a child; their
While a majority of the people would have taken women shop for me, run errands for me. For ex-
in these musings positively, it might not have gone ample, I have just written to a girl for informa-
down well with some, as Swamiji observed. Man- tion about the machine, which she will gather
mathanath was quite sensible, otherwise, Swamiji’s carefully and send on to me. Again, a phono-
adversaries could have polluted it to emit toxic gas graph was sent to the Maharajah of Khetri: the
in those days of stifling resistance. girls managed the whole affair very well.’
The very opening sentence showcases that Earlier, Manmathanath requested Swamiji to
Manmathanath was not least offended by Swa- send a phonograph as a compliment to the Raja
miji’s earlier admonitions. It begins: ‘Dear Mr of Khetri. Swamiji not only did as asked but as

Prabuddha Bharata October 2024 643

 38 Prabuddha Bharata

an added bonanza, recorded his golden voice only as a grand inaugural session to his mission
to convey his message through it! A voice mes- and on no account he would return but continue
sage across the world in those non-tech eras! But to work until and unless the Vedantic seeds sown
none of these could be retrieved—sad episodes by him grew into saplings. Even if the Parliament
to recollect now. were never to be arranged, Swamiji would have
Praising American entrepreneurship, Swamiji done the same in those countries! The Parliament
writes, ‘These men are very clever in earning was only a window-view of Hinduism and India
wealth. Where others do not see even dust, there for the global religious and cultural audience! But
they see gold.’ The current era has been the emer- these frequent Chennai missiles demanded his re-
gence of this Indian intelligence, which is com- turn. Swamiji mockingly countered: ‘I cannot say
peting with global firms. Swamiji’s wish is coming when I shall return to India, possibly next winter.
true! In describing the stark contrasts of their There I shall have to wander, and here also I do the
women, men, and the social order, Swamiji also same.’ Thus ends the epistle, translated from Ben-
pepped them up with witty comments. His letter gali, of Swamiji to Manmathanth Bhattacharya.
was of a dispassionate reflection of lighter moods The following month, he earnestly wrote to Alas-
and a friendly chat with Manmathanath. But if inga, ‘Bhattacharya writes me to come over. Here
some critiques, with jaundiced eyes, attempt to is a grand field. What have I to do with this “ism”
misconstrue these remarks of Swamiji, then their or that “ism”? I am the servant of the Lord, and
assessments would be indicative of a ‘subjective where on earth is there a better field than here for
study’ and not an objective one. Swamiji also as- propagating all high ideas?’27 In the track of the
sures Manmathanath that he would look for the Chennai gathering, the Kolkata meeting of Sep-
weaving machine that Manmathanath wanted, tember 1894 turned out to be a crucial one with
perhaps, to train the poor as suggested by Swamiji an emphatic declaration—‘The prophet has been
to Alasinga. Quelling all ill-intenders, a public honoured and with a vengeance.’
meeting was held in Chennai on 28 April 1894,
in which sizable dignitaries passed a resolution in The Resounding Kolkata Meet in Defence
support of Swamiji. Manmathanath was one of its of the Prophet
organizers and concluded it with a vote of thanks. Swamiji, having come to know about the suc-
Then, these resolutions were forwarded to Dr Bar- cessful Chennai meet, instructed Alasinga in July
rows, President of the Parliament of Religions. Re- 1894: ‘Now if similar things come from Calcutta
garding this, Swamiji confirms, ‘The papers have with big names, then I will get what the Ameri-
arrived duly and in good shape. … The enemy has cans say a boom, and then half the battle will be
been silenced. Consider this: They have allowed won.’ On 31 August, the Chicago Inter Ocean fea-
me, an unknown young man, to live among their tured the news of Swamiji’s official vindication in
grown-up young daughters, and when my own Chennai, fascinating the readers with its choice
countryman, Mazoomdar, says I am a rogue, they of phrase: ‘It is pleasant to note, that this Hindoo
don’t pay any attention!’ Like other Chennai dis- teacher is not a prophet without honor in his own
ciples, Manmathanath too supposed that after country, and that, at a public meeting recently held
a few months of America-Europe lecture trips, in Madras, the Hindoo community indorsed all
Swamiji would return homeland. Little did they his efforts in America, and sent their thanks to
know that the Parliament of Religions served him America for the manner in which he was received.’

644 Prabuddha Bharata October 2024

 The Torchbearers of Swami Vivekananda 39

Sri Ramakrishna). On having heard that Nar-

endranath (Swamiji) had gone to America he
commented ‘Babaji, those who in spite of pro-
fessing Hinduism go abroad are outcasts. Will
it be proper on our part to have any connection
with them?’—Manomohan Babu who used to
maintain close contact with Marwari business-
men knew their nature quite well. He at once
said, ‘Sethji, your name has been included in
the Committee.’ This silenced the Marwari
gentleman and he readily agreed to join the
meeting. Either Sarat or Sashi (Saradananda or
Ramakrishnananda) would invariably be with
me every day. Moreover, Manomohan Babu and
other devotees would work tirelessly with me at
their convenience. We sent invitations to prom-
inent members of almost all communities.
Selection of the President of the meeting only
Swami Abhedananda remained to be done. I went to the house of the
Swamiji also asked his fellow monks in Kol- venerable Gurudas Banerjee with Nagendranath
kata to organize a similar meeting there. But Basu, Bhupendra Kumar Basu, and Manomo-
han Mitra and requested him to preside over the
Kolkata lacked that emergency care that Chen-
meeting. Having heard me he said, ‘The name
nai had in readiness: the intelligentsia to rally “Vivekananda” was not given by his preceptor.
around liberal Hinduism! The Chennai intel- Moreover, according to the scriptures, a Sudra is
lectuals had been brought together by the Trip- not eligible for initiation into monkhood. So, I
licane Literary Society in the late 1880s and were am not agreeable to preside over such an unor-
subsequently moulded by Swamiji in early 1893. thodox matter.’ Although the Venerable Gurudas
Such a never-tried task among Kolkata’s elites Babu was a Judge of the Calcutta High Court yet
stood before the brother disciples like Himalayas he was an orthodox Brahmin.
on the slippery side. However, in the clash of An unavoidable comparison between Justice
events, the organizational spirit of Sri Ram- Subramania Iyer who presided over the Chen-
akrishna’s disciples, both monastic and lay, got nai meet and Sri Gurudas Banerjee arises! Mis-
ignited. Swamis Abhedananda, Ramakrishna­ judging the prisoners of time is intolerance but
nanda, and Saradananda went about gathering courteously accepting as they were, has been Sri
support from the elite society members for Ramakrishna’s angle of vision. To continue with
the proposed objective. Swami Abhedananda Swami Abhedananda’s record:
penned the hairpin turn of incidents—a strange
At last, we went to Raja Peary Mohan Mu-
fusion of funny, pitiable, and admirable mind- khopadhyay, the famous Zemindar (Land-
sets that preceded this grand assembly’s success: owner) of Uttarpara, and made a request to
So, in order to request a prominent mem- him. Before making the request, we told him
ber of the Marwari community I went to all about Narendranath’s activities in the mat-
him accompanied by Haramohan Mitra and ter of preaching Hinduism in America. We had
Manomohan Mitra (householder disciples of some cuttings of newspaper comments sent to

Prabuddha Bharata October 2024 645

 40

us by Narendranath from America. Yajurveda commends: यथेमां वाचं कल््ययाणीमावदानि

As we read out to him one of these जनेभ््ययः । ब्रह्मराजन््ययाभ््ययाां शद्रा
ू य चार््ययाय च स््ववाय चारणाय ॥
comments he said, elated with joy, (26.2). The English translation of it means:
‘It is quite true. He (Swami ‘The way I gave this knowledge of
Vivekananda) has upheld
the prestige of the en-
Vedas for the benefit of all humans,
tire Hindu commu- similarly you all also propagate
nity and Hinduism the same for the benefit of
in America and for Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Sh-
that India should udras, Vaishyas, Women,
remain ever grate- and even most downtrod-
ful to him.’ The den. The scholars and the
comment of the wealthy people should
American newspaper
ensure that they do not
was ‘After hearing him
(Swami Vivekananda) deviate from this mes-
we feel how foolish it is to sage of mine.’
Raja Peary Mohan Mukherjee • In the 1830s, if not
send missionaries to this
learned nation.’ The Honourable Raja Peary earlier, the Kayastha caste, to which Swamiji’s
Mohan Mukhopadhyay gladly agreed to pre- pre-monastic clan belongs, was downgraded
side over the meeting and kept on repeating, from Kshatriya (warrior-class) to Shudra
‘Really, it is foolishness to send missionaries to (labourer-class) out of malice and bias by a herd
this learned Indian nation.’28
of self-appointed judges. The case went to Brit-
Now, the key factors to unveil the factual and ish High courts, which delivered a split verdict;
untold storylines from this account of Swami the Kayastha caste was elevated to the twice-
Abhedananda are: born Brahmin status in one instance and in an-
• The monastic brotherhood of Swami Viveka- other, it was downgraded to Shudra. But then
nanda while talking among themselves and close the society leaders seemed to have prevailed
devotees used their pre-monastic names by way upon its implementation. Who was meant by
of affection and also of habit. the word Kayastha in pre-historic times? Like
• Sri Ramakrishna bestowed Sannyasin’s robes other castes, Kayastha was a job-oriented desig-
to Swami Vivekananda and his other monastic nation for people living in the society, and noth-
disciples. He also made them beg alms in line ing related to birth or spiritual status. If we go by
with Sannyasa tradition. Bestowing Sannyasa is Bhagavadgita (18.41), it’s synonymic with talent:
more vital than giving monastic names. After the castes are determined by the characteristic nature
passing away of Sri Ramakrishna, all his monas- of human beings, not by their biological birth.
tic disciples took formal Sannyasa by performing On 31 March 1901, quoting the aforesaid su-
Viraja Homa and obtained their monastic names preme authority in an open-air meeting con-
as per tradition. vened at Dacca, Swamiji thundered:
• As discussed in the preceding second chapter, Thus says the Shukla Yajur Veda (26.2) Can you
the so-called orthodox persons were ignorant of show any authority from this Veda of ours that
Vedic wisdom and comfortably relied on sec- everyone has not the right to it? The Purānas,
ondary texts of Puranas, Smritis etc. The Sukla no doubt, say that a certain caste has the right

646 Prabuddha Bharata October 2024

 The Torchbearers of Swami Vivekananda 41

to such and such a recension of the Vedas, or a due to the august presence of Sri Mahesh Chan-
certain caste has no right to study them, or that dra Bhattacharya. Swami Abhedananda did not
this portion of the Vedas is for the Satya Yuga name him at all in his reminiscences while men-
and that portion is for the Kali Yuga. But, mark
tioning all other lesser personalities. Why? It
you, the Veda does not say so; it is only your
Puranas that do so. But can the servant dictate needs little deduction as to who stood behind
to the master? The Smritis, Puranas, Tantras— this stupendous move. The conclusive answer was
all these are acceptable only so far as they agree that Sri Mahesh Chandra Bhattacharya partici-
with the Vedas; and wherever they are contra- pated in it at the request of his son, Manmathan-
dictory, they are to be rejected as unreliable. ath. It was as simple as the person was.
But nowadays we have put the Puranas on even Now, we come to Manmathanath’s father,
a higher pedestal than the Vedas! The study of Sri Mahesh Chandra Bhattacharya, who mod-
the Vedas has almost disappeared from Bengal. estly played a heroic role for Swamiji. Sri Mahesh
How I wish that day will soon come when in
every home the Veda will be worshipped to-
Chandra Bhattacharya actively participated in
gether with Shalagrama, the household Deity, not just one, but two public meetings. The first
when the young, the old, and the women will one was as early as May 1894, chaired by Angarika
inaugurate the worship of the Veda! Dharmapala, who represented Buddhism at the
Parliament in Chicago. Dharmapala’s speech was
Swamiji went into the heart of the matter that the early voice in support of Swamiji with a ring
enshrines the ideal of monkhood and its indis- of authority as a participant in the Parliament
pensable qualification that transcends the bio- events. Significantly, Sri Gurudas Banerjee along
logical human elements: with Dr Mahendra Lal Sircar and the High-Priest
Who are these Rishis? Vatsyayana says, ‘He who of Japan, His Holiness Utoki attended this meet-
has attained through proper means the direct ing in Minerva Theatre premises.
realisation of Dharma, he alone can be a Rishi The other was the official gathering, as dis-
even if he is a Mlechchha (foreigner) by birth.’ cussed before, presided over by Raja Peary
Thus it is that in ancient times, Vasishtha, born
Mohan Mukherjee, a renowned educationist
of an illegitimate union, Vyasa, the son of a fish-
erwoman, Narada, the son of a maidservant with and philanthropist. The information about this
uncertain parentage, and many others of like na- meeting moved Swamiji to tears as he described
ture attained to Rishihood. Truly speaking, it it to his admirers, the Hale Sisters:
comes to this then, that no distinction should The prophet has been honoured and with
be made with one who has realised the Truth.29 a vengeance. I am weeping like a child at His
At last, the massive and painstaking efforts of mercy. … The names (participants) there are the
Swamiji’s brotherhood bore fruition on 5 Sep- very flower of our country. The President was the
tember 1894. The eminent Hindu community of chief nobleman (Raja Peary Mohan Mukherjee)
Kolkata’s presidency accredited Swamiji as a bona of Calcutta, and the other man Mahesh Chan-
fide representative of Hinduism and thanked him dra Nyayaratna is the principal of the Sanskrit
College and the chief Brahmin in all India and
for his great service to his country. Gurudas Ba-
recognised by the Government as such.
nerjee also attended this meeting as his objection
was only to preside over it. The upbeat of the Sri Mahesh Chandra’s prominent position, sur-
whole occasion was a host of orthodox pandits passing the entire orthodox community of India,
attended it, shelving their misgivings, perhaps, corroborated by an official stamp of the British

Prabuddha Bharata October 2024 647

 42 Prabuddha Bharata

Government, brought immense solace to the tu- sent by Raja Peary Mohan, wrote to him in part:
multuous times. His second son, Manmathanath’s ‘I am much honoured by the kindness of your let-
younger brother, Munindranath Bhattacharya, ter, and of the Resolutions. Your friend, Viveka-
also joined him in this meeting. Thus, almost the nanda Swami, was received with great favour
whole family of Manmathanath rallied around at the Parliament of Religions and is a man of
Swamiji! However, a cryptic matter creeps in! Sri magnetic eloquence and great personal attrac-
Mahesh Chandra did not speak on either of these tion.’ Since the smear campaign was a personal
occasions. Was he passive to support Swamiji, just attack on Swamiji, this Kolkata meeting hit the
to please his son, or was he tongue-tied? It was the mark and won the first round of the bitter bat-
latter, rather, an innocence on his part that will tles for India. Amazingly, this seething trouble
be seen later! Detecting the obverse and reverse for Swamiji in the USA and Europe brought all
of this historic event on where the Indians forged prominent and resilient men of India under one
ahead but faltered behind, Swamiji wrote to the umbrella, to stand by as an organization, which
Chairman of the Committee, Raja Peary Mohan was never the scene before, as they lay scattered
Mukherjee on 18 November 1894: and disorganized! Ravana and Kamsa might
Give and receive is the law; and if India wants have plotted, but who made the kill? This is how
to raise herself once more, it is absolutely neces- God, the great charmer, playing his reed pipe of
sary that she brings out her treasures and throws grace, pooled in the righteous for Swamiji, and
them broadcast among the nations of the earth, restrained the other, the spiteful snakes. 30
and be ready to receive what others have to give (To be continued)
her in return. … We must mix, therefore, with References
all the races of the earth. And every Hindu that
27. Prabuddha Bharata, May 1963, 164; The Com-
goes out to travel in foreign parts does more plete Works of Swami Vivekananda, 7.296–97,
benefit to his country than hundreds of those 470–77, 5.18,40, 51–52, 8. 312,318, 9.31, 38–50;
bundles of superstition and selfishness whose Tarit Kr Bandyopadhyay, Indian Women in the
one aim in life is to be the dog in the manger. company of Swami Vivekananda (Dakshinesh-
Those wonderful structures of national life war: Sri Sarada Math), 174–75; Benishanker
which the Western nations have raised are sup- Sharma, A Forgotten Chapter of His Life (Cal-
ported by the pillars of character, and until we cutta: Oxford book & stationary co.), 222–24;
can produce such by hundreds, it is useless to New Discoveries, 2.225.
fret and fume against this or that power. 28. New Discoveries, 2.104–110; Complete Works of
Swami Abhedananda (Kolkata: Ramakrishna
Swamiji could sense even at that time that Vedanta Math, 1970), My Life Story, 10.769–73,
visiting other countries would be a learning ex- 29. The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda,
perience for Indians, and the lessons thus learned 3.454–57; Anupama Rao, The Caste Question:
Dalits and the Politics of Modern India (Califor-
could be implemented only by the strong char- nia: University of California, 2009), 55.
acters of India and not by the weaklings who did 30. New Discoveries, 4.418; Vivekananda in Con-
but complained against foreign or local power- temporary Indian News (1893-1902) (Calcutta:
houses! Freedom, political or spiritual, can only Dineshchandra Basu, Basu Bhattacharyya and
be attained through strength not weakness was co. (Pvt) ltd.), Ed. Sankari Prasad Basu & Sunil
Bihar Ghosh, 161, 665; Swami Vivekananda in
the oft-repeated quote of Swamiji. Contemporary Indian News (Kolkata: Rama-
John Henry Barrows, the President of the Par- krishna Mission Institute of Culture), 2.320–21,
liament of Religions, on receipt of the resolutions 755, 1. 164–65.

648 Prabuddha Bharata October 2024

 43

Mundaka Upanishad
Swami Bhuteshananda

Translation: Swami Nityadipananda and Swami Madhurananda

(Continued from the previous issue)

काालीी कराालीी च मनोोजवाा च सुलो ु ोहि�ताा याा च सुधूु म्रू वर्णाा� ।

स्फुुलि�ङ््गि�नीी वि�श्वरुचीी च देेवीी लेेलाायमाानाा इति� सप्त जि�ह्वाः�ः ॥ ४ ॥
Kālī karālī ca manojavā ca sulohitā yā ca sudhūmravarṇā;
Sphuliṅginī viśvarucī ca devī lelāyamānā iti sapta jihvāḥ. (1.2.4)

Kālī, karālī ca, manojavā ca, sulohitā, yā ca, and who is; sudhūmravarṇā, sphuliṅginī, devī, effulgent;
viśvarucī ca; sapta, seven; lelāyamānāḥ jihvāḥ, flaming tongues (of that fire). These are the seven flam-
ing tongues of the ritualistic fire: kālī, karālī, manojavā, sulohitā, sudhūmravarṇā, sphuliṅginī, and
viśvarucī.

These are the seven tongues of the ritualistic fire: kālī, called so because of its black colour; karālī,
terrible; manojavā, travels as swift as thought; sulohitā, beautiful red coloured; sudhūmravarṇā, colour
of smoke; sphuliṅginī, from which sparks emerge; and viśvarucī devī, well lit flames of fire surrounded
by great beauty. These are the seven flames of the fire, which are flickering and blazing. Those are not
flames but are referred to as the tongues of the fire god, who is protruding his seven tongues to take
your oblations. The next mantra says:

एतेेषुु यश्चरतेे भ्रााजमाानेेषुु यथााकाालंं चााहुुतयोो ह्यााददाायन्् ।

तंं नयन्त्येेताः�ः सूर्ययू स्य रश्मयोो यत्र देेवाानांं� पति�रेे कोोऽधि�वाासःः ॥ ५ ॥
Eteṣu yaścarate bhrājamāneṣu yathākālaṁ cāhutayo hyādadāyan;
Tam nayantyetāḥ sūryasya raśmayo yatra devānāṁ patireko’dhivāsaḥ. (1.2.5)

Bhrājamāneṣu, in the shining; eteṣu, in all these tongues of fire; yaḥ, the performer of the agnihotra; ca-
rate, performs the ritual; etāḥ, these, āhutayaḥ ca, also these oblations; sūryasya raśmayaḥ, transformed

Prabuddha Bharata October 2024 649

 44 Prabuddha Bharata

into sun’s rays and along the course of the sun’s rays; yathākālam hi, at the appropriate time; tam, that
performer; ādadāyan, carrying; (there) nayanti, lead him; yatra, to that heaven, devānām, of the gods;
ekaḥ patiḥ, sovereign Indra, or Prajapati, the Creator; adhivāsaḥ, dwells.

As these flames rise up blazing, and the performer of the rite offers oblations in them at the appro-
priate time, the oblations get transformed into sun’s rays [and] carry the performer to where Indra,
the sovereign of gods, dwells.

After these flames rise up blazing, when the By performing rites, the Lord whom the per-
performer offers oblations in them at the ap- former attains is Indra, the Lord of the gods. In-
propriate time, those flames—that is, the gods draloka, or Brahmaloka, is the world where the
corresponding to each of those flames—carry performer is carried to. Further, it is being said
him to Brahmaloka, the world where Brahma, that these flames carry him by showing him great
the Lord of the gods, dwells. Those flames turn respect. As a result of pouring oblations, the gods
into the rays of the sun and carry the performer, corresponding to each of these flames carry him
so that he can enjoy the fruits of his actions. with respect saying: ‘welcome! welcome!’ He
Where do they take him? They carry him to is not simply carried, but they respectfully sing
where Indra, foremost among the gods, dwells. praises to him while carrying him.

एह्येेहीीति� तमााहुुतयःः सुवु र्चचसःः सूर्ययू स्य रश्मि�िभि�र्ययजमाानंं वहन्ति�ि ।

प्रि�यांं� वााचमभि�वदन्त्योोऽर्चचयन्त्य एष वःः पुण्ु यःः सुकृ ु ृ तोो ब्रह्मलोोकःः ॥ ६ ॥
Ehyehīti tamāhutayaḥ suvarcasaḥ sūryasya raśmibhiryajamānaṁ vahanti;
Priyāṁ vācamabhivadantyo’rcayantya eṣa vaḥ puṇyaḥ sukṛto brahmalokaḥ. (1.2.6)

Ehi ehi iti, invitingly saying: Welcome! Welcome!; (and) eṣaḥ, this alone is; vaḥ, your; puṇyaḥ, auspi-
cious, unseen; sukṛtaḥ, the path laid out by you; (also) brahmalokaḥ, the form of one’s fruits of deeds,
or the world of Hiranyagarbha; (like this), priyām, pleasing; vācam, words of praise; abhivadantyaḥ,
while uttering; (and) arcayantyaḥ, while worshipping; suvarcasaḥ, the luminous; āhutayaḥ, all obla-
tions; tam yajamānam, that performer; sūryasya, of the sun; raśmibhiḥ, along the rays; vahanti, carry.

Those oblations become luminous and, approaching the performer saying: ‘Welcome! Welcome!’,
carry him along the sun’s rays while uttering: ‘This is your merit, the path laid out by your good deeds
and the heaven achieved by your good works.’

Those oblations become luminous and ap- world full of enjoyments.’ This is the world of
proach the performer to take him along the highest enjoyment; there is no enjoyment sur-
sun’s rays while uttering: Ehi, ehi, ‘Welcome! passing this.
Welcome!’ They utter many more words of This is the highest one can attain through
praise. Thus, gratifying him and showing him aparā-vidyā. One may reach the limits of ex-
respect, they say: ‘This is Brahmaloka, the re- treme enjoyment, but cannot go beyond that.
sult of your meritorious deeds; enjoy this pure Why then is aparā-vidyā praised so much? The

650 Prabuddha Bharata October 2024

 Mundaka Upanishad 45

reason is that by understanding the true na- of Brahman mentioned in the present context
ture of aparā-vidyā one develops dispassion must be understood in the relative sense, that is,
towards it. Until one grows dispassionate to- the attainment of the state of Hiranyagarbha.
wards enjoyment, one cannot become fit for Hiranyagarbha is also Brahman, but even from
the knowledge of Brahman. When the enjoy- there one must return: ‘Ābrahmabhuvanāllokāḥ
ments of this world and the world beyond do punarāvartino’rjuna; all worlds up to Brahm-
not tempt one any longer, when such a dispas- aloka are subject to return.’2
sion for the enjoyments of the here and the The second route is pitṛyāna, the path of
hereafter arises, one becomes fit for the know- manes, or dakśiṇāyana, the southern solstice,
ledge of Brahman. whose explanation we get from the Gita: ‘Dhūmo
The attainment of Brahmaloka, or the state rātris tathā kṛṣṇaḥ ṣaṇ-māsā dakṣiṇāyanam; tatra
of Hiranyagarbha, is the highest form of enjoy- cāndramasaṁ jyotir yogī prāpya nivartate; smoke,
ment that can be achieved in this world and night, the dark fortnight, and the six months
in the world beyond. It means that Hiranya- of the southern solstice—taking this path the
garbha is the one who governs Brahmaloka. yogi attains the lunar world or heaven.’3 After
In spite of all this, there remains a ‘but’ in the exhausting the fruits of his good deeds there, he
form of doubt. again comes back to this world.
It has been mentioned that the attainment Now, in order to reconcile these two con-
of the state of Hiranyagarbha in Brahmaloka is trary views—the one who does not return after
the highest result of performing rites. The goal attaining Brahman and the other who returns
called Brahmaloka has different meanings. The to this world from Brahmaloka—the idea of
Bhagavadgita, which is the essence of Upani- krama-mukti, gradual liberation, is introduced.
shadic teachings, speaks about it as: ‘Agnir jy- If spiritual aspirants who have attained Brah-
otir ahaḥ śuklaḥ ṣaṇmāsā uttarāyaṇam; tatra maloka can, while residing there, eliminate any
prayātā gacchanti brahma brahmavido janāḥ; vestige of ignorance that stands in the way of
the knowers of Brahman attain Brahman taking gaining knowledge, and true knowledge dawns
recourse to fire, light, day, the bright fortnight, in them, they will not have to return. They
and the six months of the northern solstice.’1 merge into Brahman and get liberated. This is
This is called devāyana, the path of gods, or called krama-mukti. But there is yet another
uttarāyaṇa, the path of the northern solstice. class of aspirants, whose knowledge is not com-
The attainment of Brahman referred to here, plete; they reside in Brahmaloka until the end
and the attainment of Brahman by a jñāni, of Brahma’s or Hiranyagarbha’s lifespan. At the
knower, are not the same. The moment the jñāni end of their enjoyment in Brahmaloka, they
gains knowledge, he attains Brahman; he does have to be born again. For that reason, it is said
not have to go to any other world for this. To ‘subject to return’.
attain godhood one has to go to Devaloka, the (To be continued)
world of gods; unlike this, the jñāni does not
need to go to Brahmaloka to attain Brahman. References
Attaining Brahman means to become liberated 1. Bhagavadgita, 8.24.
from the bondage of ignorance, to remain estab- 2. Ibid., 8.16.
lished in Brahman. Therefore, the attainment 3. Ibid., 8.25.

Prabuddha Bharata October 2024 651

 46

VEDANTA IN ORIGINAL (SANSKRIT)

Ātma Anātma Viveka:

Discernment between Self and Non-Self
Sanskrit Original: Sri Shankaracharya  English translation: Swami Atmapriyananda
(Continued from the previous issue)

अत्र मयट्् प्रत्ययोो वि�कााराार्थःः� | Ātman (Self ). Also because of its absence before
[birth] and after [death].2
अत्र atra here मयट्् प्रत्ययःः mayaṭ pratyayaḥ the suf-
fix mayaṭ वि�काार vikāra modification (change) अर्थःः� पूर्णोू ो देेहेे बलंं यच्छन्नक्षााणांं� यःः प्रवर्ततकःः |
arthaḥ meaning (sense) वाायुःः� प्रााणमयोो नाासाावाात्माा चैैतन्यवर्जजनाात्् ||

Here the suffix mayaṭ is in the meaning (sense) ू � pūrṇaḥ full देेहेे dehe in the body बलंं balam
पूर्णःः
of modification (change).1 strength (power) यच्छन्् yacchan giving (provid-
ing) अक्षााणांं� akṣāṇām of the senses यःः yaḥ who प्र-
तथाा च - वर्ततकःः pravartakaḥ propelling agent वाायुःः� vāyuḥ
wind प्रााणमयःः prāṇamayaḥ [sheath] composed
तथाा tathā thus च ca and of vital airs न na not असौौ asau this आत्माा ātmā
Ātman (Self ) चैैतन्य caitanya Consciousness वर्जजनाात््
And thus [it is said] - varjanāt devoid of

पि�तृृभुक्ता
ु ान्नजााद्वीीर्याा�ज्जाातोोऽन्नेेनैैव वर्धधतेे | That vital air (Prāṇa) which, by providing (giv-
देेहःः सोोऽन्नमयोो नाात्माा प्रााक्् चोोर्ध्वं�ं तदभाावतःः || ing) strength (power) to the whole body, propels
the senses3 is [called] Prāṇamaya, [the sheath]
पि�तृृभुुक्त pitṛbhukta eaten by the father अन्नजाात्् composed of vital airs (prāṇa). This is not the
annajāt by that which is born of food वीीर्याा�त्् vīryāt Ātman (Self ) as it is devoid of Consciousness.
by the virility जाातःः jātaḥ born अन्नेेन annena by
food एव eva only वर्धधतेे vardhate grows देेहःः dehaḥ अहन्तााम्् ममतांं� देेहेे गेेहाादौौ च करोोति� यःः |
body सःः saḥ that अन्नमयःः annamayaḥ [sheath] काामााद्यवस्थयाा भ्राान्तोो नाासाावाात्माा मनोोमयःः || ३३ ||
made of food न na not आत्माा ātmā Ātman (Self )
प्रााक्् prāk before च ca also ऊर्ध्वं�ं ūrdhvam after तत्् tat अहन्तााम्् ahantām ‘I’-ness ममतााम्् mamatām ‘mine’-
that अभाावतःः abhāvataḥ because of absence ness देेहेे dehe in the body गेेहाादौौ gehādau home
(abode), etc. च ca also करोोति� karoti does यःः yaḥ who
The physical body is born of the virility produced काामाादि� kāmādi desire, etc. अवस्थयाा avasthayā by the
by the food eaten by the father [and] grows by state of भ्राान्तःः bhrāntaḥ deluded न na not असौौ asau
food only. That [physical] body (sheath) is made this आत्माा ātmā Ātman (Self ) मनोोमयःः manomayaḥ
of food (Annamaya). [Therefore it] is not the mental [sheath]

652 Prabuddha Bharata October 2024

 Ātma Anātma Viveka: Discernment between Self and Non-Self 47

That which feels the sense of ‘I’-ness and ‘mine’- चेेतनश्चेेतनाानााम्’् (क. उ. २ । २ । १३) इति� । श्रोोत्रााद्येेव सर्ववस्याात्मभूतंू ं
ness [with regard to] the body and the home चेेतनाामि�ति� प्रसि�द्धम्् ; तदि�ह नि�वर्त्य�यतेे । अस्ति�ि कि�मपि� वि�द्वद्बुुद्धि�गम्यंं
(abode), etc. and being deluded by the state of सर्वाा� न् तरतमंं कूू टस्थमजमजरममृृत मभयंं श्रोोत्राादेे रपि� श्रोोत्राादि�
तत्साामर्थ्य�यनि�मि�त्तम्् इति� प्रति�वचनंं शब्दाार्थथश्चोोपपद्यत एव । तथाा मनसःः
desirefulness, is the mental sheath; it is not the अन्तःःकरणस्य मनःः । न ह्यन्तःःकरणम्् अन्तरेे ण चैैतन्यज्योोति�षोो दीीधि�तिं�ं
Ātman (Self ). स्ववि�षयसङ््कल्पााध्यवसाायाादि�समर्थंं स्याात्् । तस्माान्मनसोोऽपि� मन
(To be continued) इति� । इह बुद्धिु �मनसीी एकीीकृृ त्य नि�र्देेशोो मनस इति� । ‘The signifi-
cance here is this: The ear, to which, is seen to
Notes be able to reveal its own object. This ability of
the ear to reveal its own object is possible only
1. Elaborate discussion on this is found in Śrī when the eternal non-composite, all-pervad-
Śaṅkarācārya’s commentary on the Sūtra ing light of the Self is there, but not otherwise.
ānandamayo’bhyāsāt in Ānandamayādhikaraṇa Hence the expression, ‘Ear of the ear’ etc. is
of the Brahmasūtras (Brahmasūtra, 1.1.12). justifiable. To the same effect there are other
Vedic texts: ‘It is through the light of the Self
2. A similar verse in regard to the world (prapa-
that he sits’ (Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad, 4.3.6),
ñca), occurring in the Māṇḍūkya Kārika as-
‘Through His light all this shines’ (Kaṭha
serts that That entity alone is real which exists
Upaniṣad 2.2.15; Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad, 6.14;
at all times—past, present and future: प्रपञ्चोो
Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 2.2.10), ‘Kindled by which
यदि� वि�द्येेत नि�वर्तेेत न संंशयःः | माायाामाात्रमि�दंं द्वैैतमद्वैैतंं परमाार्थथतःः || light the sun shines’ (Taittirīya Brāhmaṇa,
(Māṇḍūkya Kārika, 17) ‘If the perceived mani-
3.12.9.7), etc. And in the Gita, ‘(Know that light
fold were real then certainly it would disap-
to be mine), which is in the sun and which il-
pear. This duality (that is cognized) is mere
lumines the whole universe’ (Bhagavad Gīta,
illusion (Māya). Non-duality is [alone] the Su-
15.12), and ‘(As the one sun illumines the
preme Reality’ (trans. Swami Nikhilananda).
whole universe), so does He who reside in the
3. Although it is mentioned in the text, from body, O descendant of Bharata, illumine the
the commonsense point of view, that the whole body’ (Bhagavad Gīta, 13.33). So also in
prāṇa is propelling the senses, the real pro- the Kaṭha Upaniṣad, ‘the eternal among the
peller is Ātman/Brahman which is spoken of ephemeral, the consciousness among all that
in the Kena Upaniṣad as prāṇasya prāṇa (the is conscious’ (Kaṭha Upaniṣad, 2.2.13). It is a
Prāṇa of Prāṇa). See Kena Upaniṣad verse commonly accepted belief that the ears etc.
1.2: श्रोोत्रस्य श्रोोत्रंं मनसोो मनोो यद्वााचोो ह वााच्ँँ�स उ प्रााणस्य प्रााणःः । constitute the Self of all, and that these are con-
चक्षुषु श्चक्षुरति�मु
ु च्ु य धीीराः�ः प्रेेत्याास्मााल्लोोकाादमृृताा भवन्ति�ि ।। Since scious. This is being refuted here. There does
He is the Ear of the ear, the Mind of the mind, exist something which is known to the intellect
the Speech of speech, the Life of life, and the of the men of realization, which dwells in the
Eye of the eye, therefore the intelligent men inmost recesses of all, which is changeless, un-
after giving up (self-identification with the decaying, immortal, fearless, and unborn, and
senses) and renouncing this world, become which is the Ear etc., of even the ear etc., i.e. the
immortal. (Swami Gambhirananda’s transla- source of their capacity to act. Thus the answer
tion). Śrī Śaṅkarācārya’s commentary on this and significance justified. Similarly, manasaḥ,
verse 1.2 (relevant extract): अयमत्र पदाार्थःः� — श्रोोत्रंं of the mind, of the internal organ; (He is) the
ताावत्स्ववि�षयव्यञ्जनसमर्थंं दृष्टम्् । तत्तुु स्ववि�षयव्यञ्जनसाामर्थ्यं�ं manaḥ, Mind; because the internal organ is not
श्रोोत्रस्य चैैतन्येे ह्याात्मज्योोति�षि� नि�त्येेऽसंहते
ं े सर्वाा�न्तरेे सति� भवति�, न able to perform its own functions-thinking, de-
असति� इति� । अतःः श्रोोत्रस्य श्रोोत्रमि�त्यााद्युपपद्यते
ु े । तथाा च श्रुत्ु यन्तरााणि� termination, etc.—unless the radiance of the
—‘आत्मनैैवाायंं ज्योोति�षाास्तेे’ (बृृ. उ. ४ । ३ । ६) ‘तस्य भाासाा सर्ववमि�दंं light of consciousness is there. Therefore, He
वि�भााति�’ (मु.ु उ. २ । २ । १०) ‘येेन सूर्ययू स्तपति� तेेजसेेद्धःः’ (तैै. ब्राा. is the Mind of the mind, too. Here the mind
३ । १२ । ९ । ७) इत्याादीीनि� । ‘यदाादि�त्यगतंं तेेजोो जगद्भाासयतेेऽखि�लम्  ् ।’ and the intellect are jointly mentioned by the
(भ. गीी. १५ । १२)‘क्षेेत्रंं क्षेेत्रीी तथाा कृृ त्स्नंं प्रकााशयति� भाारत’ word manaḥ (mind)’ (trans. Swami Gambhira-
(भ. गीी. १३ । ३३) इति� च गीीताासुु । कााठकेे च ‘नि�त्योो नि�त्याानांं� nanda).

Prabuddha Bharata October 2024 653

 48

GLIMPSES OF HUMAN VALUES – 6

Diwan Sahib Swept the Road
Swami Japananda
Translation: Swami Videhatmananda

S achin is a small state in the Gujarat prov-

ince.1 It is a beautiful place—quiet and en-
chanting—surrounded all around by lush
green scenery. The Wandering Sannyasin had
gone to Surat City. There, his health condition
The Sannyasin agreed and was ready to leave
immediately. The gentleman picked up his blanket
and water pot with great care. As soon as the train
arrived, both entered with tickets, took their seats,
and became engrossed in various discussions. The
deteriorated a little. He was sitting in a Shiva train reached Sachin around evening. When they
temple and meditating. A gentle-looking (Gaud) arrived at the house, everyone there was very happy
Brahmin came there. After worshipping Shiva, and made arrangements for his stay in a good room
he approached the Sannyasin, saluted him, and located at the front. The whole house seemed to
enquired about his well-being, as if they were be full of sattvika qualities; to the Sannyasin it was
former acquaintances. The Sannyasin felt as if he like a hermitage of rishis—the sages. He was ex-
were someone—his very own. The conversation tremely pleased and satisfied. Satsanga—the holy
began and continued on holy topics. Seeing that conversations—went on until late in the night.
it was time for meals, the Brahmin asked, ‘What The Brahmin host and the Sannyasin both slept
is the arrangement for your alms?’ When he was in the same room. The Sannyasin said, ‘I have a
told, ‘None, but total dependence on what the habit of getting up early in the morning, so please
providence may bring,’ he immediately went to keep a bucket and a rope nearby. I will draw some
the market and brought some snacks—Gathia, water from the well, so that I don’t have to ask for it
Bhujia, and sweets etc. While the Sannyasin was in the morning.’ The Brahmin laughed and asked,
eating, the Brahmin began to request him to ‘At what time in the morning will you need it? My
come to Sachin, his home town, and stay there sister wakes up daily between 3 and 4 o’clock, takes
for a few days to recuperate his health. her bath, and sits for worship. You will not have to
Brahmin: ‘Sachin is nearby, it is a healthy draw the water yourself; it will be provided.’
place. Let’s go. Your health will improve, and In the morning, the sister had already kept the
I will also get some holy company. After that, water ready. When the Sannyasin returned after
you may go wherever you wish. I have a sister answering the call of nature, he found everything
who keeps herself engaged day and night in prepared. After having his tea, the Sannyasin went
worship and prayers. She will serve you and will out for a short walk on the adjacent road so that
also benefit from your sermons. She asks a lot of the others in the household could conveniently
questions, but I don’t know much, and there are finish their morning ablutions, etc. The path was
no saints or a monastery where we could go to beautiful, but on both sides, there were babul,
gain spiritual knowledge or inner peace. Let’s go i.e., acacia trees. Small thorns and yellow flowers
for 5-10 days, and then please stay as long as you of acacia were lying scattered all over the path-
like. Our home is out of town, just like a hermit- way. It was very difficult to walk there barefoot.
age—you will like it very much.’ He saw many poor vegetable and milk vendors,

654 Prabuddha Bharata October 2024

 Diwan Sahib Swept the Road 49

men and women, coming to perform their daily The Sannyasin understood that this gentleman
chores from far away villages. Those who didn’t was certainly some eminent person. When the
have shoes were crossing the thorns with great work was over, the gentleman said, ‘Where are
difficulty. The thorns pricked them repeatedly, you staying? When did you come?’ When he
and they kept removing them to proceed fur- heard that the Sannyasin had arrived only the
ther. What other option did they have? The San- previous night and was staying with that Gaud
nyasin felt very sad. Acacia or any such thorny Brahmin, he was happy and said, ‘Gaud is a good
tree should not be planted beside a public road, and very pious man. Well, why don’t you come to
and these thorny trees were planted exclusively my abode? It’s very near—hardly a 5- to 7- minute
for shade and beauty. What a peace of wisdom! walk.’ The Sannyasin accompanied him. Talking
A small date palm tree was nearby. He cut a on various topics, they arrived at the gentleman’s
leaf from it, made it into a broom, and started house, where the armed guard saluted him and
sweeping the middle of the road. Whoever saw stood alert. A board was hanging outside: ‘Diwan
him laughed and walked away, but the Sannyasin Sahib, Sachin State.’ After respectfully offering a
continued to remove the thorns with great effort. seat to the Sannyasin, the Diwan called for tea
On both sides of the road, there were around and said, ‘Holy sir, today I received a great lesson
two hundred thorny acacia trees. Meanwhile, a from you for life. Every day, I go there for a walk,
Gujarati gentleman of advanced age came there, but this never occurred to me! I saw everything,
and asked, ‘What are you doing, sir?’ but could not take notice of it. That’s why holy
Sannyasin: ‘Nothing much. These thorns company is essential. Today, I am so happy that
cause a lot of trouble for people, so I am remov- I too could render some service with my own
ing them a little.’ hands—such service as we never even imagine!’
Gentleman: ‘But if the trees are not cut, this The court was in front, and when Sahabzada
will continue to happen!’ Sahib (the prince) came from that side, Diwan ji
Sannyasin: ‘The planners have wisely planted narrated everything to him. He said, ‘What you
thorny trees along the road. Perhaps they could say is true; people must have suffered much. We
not imagine that there are thousands of poor must arrange to send someone twice daily. So
people who cannot afford shoes. It is necessary please issue a dictate for that.’ Uttering saluta-
to draw the attention of the Nawab Sahib—the tions to the Sannyasin, he left.
ruler—about this. If a sweeper comes and cleans Diwan Sahib was a pious and righteous Brah-
even the middle part of the road every morning, min. The Sannyasin stayed there for 5-6 days.
the suffering of people will go away.’ He would meet him every morning on the same
Gentleman: ‘Yes, it can be done. It’s not a big road, and talking of holy things, would walk long
deal. Holy sir, give me the broom; let me also distances and then return.
sweep a little.’ Wherever there is religious and spiritual senti-
He took the palm leaf from the Sannyasin’s ment, there will be noble human virtues too.P
hand and continued cleaning the thorns with
Notes
it for some distance. But now, after seeing this,
people were no longer laughing but were respect- 1. The Sachin State was a princely state under the
Surat Agency, formerly part of the Khandesh
fully putting their fingers to their lips as they
Agency, within the Bombay Presidency during
went away silently. No one even offered to help the era of the British Raj. It was ruled by Sidi
because they were all going to their work or hur- Nawabs until it acceded to the Dominion of
rying to reach the market in time. India in August 1947.

Prabuddha Bharata October 2024 655

50

Sri Rama, the Perfect Man

Kaikeyi: A Mistress, and Her Maid
Lakshmi Devnath
(Continued from the previous issue)

I ncensed to her very bones by Kaikeyi’s

response, Manthara flung the jewel away.
Her rage and grief further expressed itself in
the form of a renewed rhetoric. With a blatant
sense of entitlement, she once again jibed at Kai-
Not just that. She sincerely tried to impress upon
her loving but short-sighted maid the justification
behind the king’s decision. She listed the virtues
of Rama. He was a knower of Dharma; admirably
self-restrained; endowed with a fine sense of grati-
keyi for being ingenuous even as she ingeniously tude; virtuous; and impressively truthful. For all
introduced some significant points, using a smart of those reasons and the fact that he was the eld-
blend of politics and psychology. She resumed, ‘I est son of the king, made him eminently qualified
can only deplore your perversity. What sensible for the crown.4 She further chided Manthara for
woman would rejoice over the advancement of burning with grief when it was, in reality, an occa-
her enemy’s son which should be as death to her? sion for unbridled joy. Alongside, she reassured her
It is Bharata whom Rama has cause to fear since he maid that Bharata would inherit the kingdom after
has an equal claim to the throne. It is this thought Rama had ruled for a hundred years, and that, they
that distresses me. For the man that labours under would continue to enjoy prosperity as they always
fear is a menace.’¹ She continued, ‘Even according had. Kaikeyi rounded off her reply strongly assert-
to the order of birth, Bharata’s claim to the throne ing, ‘If Bharata is worthy of my esteem, even more
is just next to Rama’s. … I tremble to think of the so is Rama. For he is more diligent in his attend-
danger to your son from Rama, who is sagacious, ance on me than upon Kausalya. If the kingdom
shrewd and quick to strike.’2 She then once again goes to Rama, it is as good as being Bharata’s. For
aimed her darts at Kaikeyi in an effort to inflate Raghava regards his brothers as in no way differ-
the queen’s ego and further intensify her sense of ent from himself.’
insecurity. ‘You will wait with folded hands, like Manthara’s aim was to delude Kaikeyi into
a servant, on Kausalya, who would be happy, her believing that she was the victim of a palace
supremacy acknowledged, her enemies put down, conspiracy. To this end, she crafted a shrewd
the sovereignty of the earth secured for her son. If two-pronged initiative. On the one hand she
that happens, you will be at her beck and call like continually impressed upon the queen the strong
us, and your son will be reduced to the position of kinship that she felt with her and the concern
Rama’s errand-boy. Rama’s womenfolk will rejoice, that she had for her. On the other, she relent-
while our daughters-in-law will become strangers lessly sowed seeds of suspicion and enmity in
to happiness with the downfall of Bharata.’3 Kaikeyi’s mind against Dasaratha, Kausalya and
Even as Manthara strove to impress upon Kai- Rama. Her diatribe was, therefore, packed with
keyi the terrible loss of status that awaited Kaikeyi’s outright lies and dramatic statements like:
whole family, if she acquiesced to Rama’s corona- Save yourself, your son and me today; I tremble
tion, Kaikeyi continued to remain unperturbed. to think of the danger to your son from Rama;

656 Prabuddha Bharata October 2024

 Sri Rama, the Perfect Man 51

you will be at her (Kausalya’s) beck and call like as to the nature of the problem that existed be-
us, and your son will be reduced to the position tween the two queens. There is many a reference
of Rama’s errand-boy. He (Dasaratha) is treach- in the Ramayana to the fact that Dasaratha openly
erous and cruel. favoured Kaikeyi over Kausalya, his principal
However, not one of her statements about queen, because of his perception of her beauty
Dasaratha and Rama were factually correct. In and intelligence.8 The epic contains references to
fact, they were outright fanciful. Her charge that a heady Kaikeyi insulting Kausalya on several oc-
Dasaratha had sent Bharata to his uncle’s house casions. Her attitude must have been the result
with a larger plan in mind stands negated by of her own nature, Dasaratha’s obvious partiality
verses that describe the incident as it happened. towards her and the ‘bride price’ deal. That the
Dasaratha tells Bharata: same attitude continued even after the birth of
The heroic Yudhajit, the son of the king of Ke- Rama is a point of interest. Bharata also provides
kaya, your maternal uncle, who has come to an insight into Kaikeyi’s personality through this
take you home with him, waits my child. O question that he asked of a messenger. ‘And is my
Knower of dharma this was his request to me mother Kaikeyi, who is selfish, ever violent, wrath-
in Mithila in the midst of sages. You should ful, and possessed of an inordinate opinion of her
bring him delight (by obliging him).5
own wisdom—is she well and what did she say?’9
Fanciful utterances without as much as a shred Kaikeyi comes across as an interesting character
of truth in them are classified as vikalpa, the third with several positive traits to her credit but also as
in Patanjali’s five classes of mental modifications. one, despite her apparent strength, weak enough
His definition of this term runs thus: ‘An image to succumb to the frailties of the mind. Knowing
conjured up by words without any substance be- Kaikeyi as she did, it was this aspect of her person-
hind it is fancy.’6 The key phrase in this defin- ality that Manthara was trying to kindle.
ition is, complete absence of reality, vastu sunyah.
(to be continued)
Rohit Mehta writes, ‘In fancy there is a complete
non-existence of facts. … when the mind is en- Notes and References
gaged in image-building activity without any fac- 1. शोोचाामि� दुर्ममति�ु त्वंं तेे काा हि� प्रााज्ञाा प्रहर्षषयेेत्् । … तद्वि�चि�न्त्य वि�षण्णााऽस्मि�ि भयंं
tual foundation then it is impelled by centres of भीीतााऽद्धि� जाायतेे ।। 2.8.4–5, trans. N Raghunathan.
reaction that reside at the subconscious layers of 2. प्रत्याासन्नक्रमेेणाापि� भरतस्यैैव भाामि�नि� । … भयाात्प्रवेेपेे राामस्य चि�न्तयन्तीी
तवाात्मजम्् ।। 2.8.7–8, ibid.
consciousness.’7 Mehta’s words draw attention to 3. प्रााप्तांं� सुमु हतींं प्रीीतिं�ं प्रतीीतांं� तांं� हतद्वि�षम्् । … अप्रहृष्टाा भवि�ष्यन्ति�ि स्नुषाु ास्तेे
the silent but powerful influence of mental afflic- भरतक्षयेे ।। 2.8.10–12, trans. N Raghunathan.
tions or klesas. Induced by her mental afflictions, 4. धर्ममज्ञोो गुुरुभि�र्दाा�न्तःः कृृ तज्ञस्सत्यवााक्छुुचिः�ः । राामोो रााज्ञ स्सुुतोो ज्येेष्ठोो
Manthara consciously resorted to falsehood, in यौौवरााज्यमतोोऽर्हहति� ।। 2.8.14.
an effort to foment anguish or duhkha in Kaikeyi 5. अयंं केे कयरााजस्य पुुत्रोो वसति� पुुत्रक । … ऋषि�मध्येे तुु तस्य त्वंं प्रीीतिं�ं
कर्तु�मि�हा
ु ार्हहसि� ।। 1.77.18–19, translation from Valmiki Rama-
and turn her against Rama.
yana with Selected Commentaries (Rashtriya Sanskrit Vid-
Significantly, even with Manthara bringing up yapeetha).
the validity behind Bharata’s claim to the crown, 6. शब्दज्ञाानाानुपाु ातीी वस्तुशू ु न्ू योो वि�कल्पःः ।। Y.S.1.9, trans. I K Taimni,
Kaikeyi did not bite the bait. Such was the queen’s The Science of Yoga, 17.
conviction in the nobility of Rama and such was 7. Yoga-the Art of Integration, 18–19.
her fidelity to the Ikshvaku kula­dharma in this 8. भाार्याा�वद्भगि�नीीवच्च माातृृवच्चोोपति�ष्ठति� । … इदाानींं तत्तपति� मांं� यन्मयाा
सुकृ
ु ृ तंं त्वयि� ।। 2.12.69–70; अत्यन्तनि�गृृहीीताास्मि�िभर्तु�र्नि�ि ु त्यमतन्त्रि�िताा। …
regard. By the same token, Kaikeyi did not re- 2.20.42; नि�त्यक्रोोधतयाातस्याः�ःकथंंनुखरवा ु ादि�तत््। … 2.20.44.
fute Manthara’s description of Kausalya as her 9. आत्मकाामाा सदाा चण्डीी क्रोोधनाा प्रााज्ञमाानि�नीी । … 2.70.10, trans. N
‘enemy’ which immediately raises the question Raghunathan.

Prabuddha Bharata October 2024 657

 52

Poetics of Spirituality
In Literature, Science, and Religion
Dr Tapan K Ghosh
(Continued from the previous issue)

A Midsummer Night’s Dream: contrasting with his previous courtship using a

A Vedantic Interpretation sword. Suddenly, discord emerges as Egeus, the old

S herrington wrote about the mind:

‘Mind, for anything perception can com-
pass, goes … in our special world more
ghostly than a ghost. Invisible, intangible, it is a
thing not even of outline … it remains without
man, strides into the court, telling the King that
he wants to marry his daughter Hermia to Dem-
etrius. He invokes the law of Athens, which states
that a daughter must marry the man chosen by her
father, or else she may be sent to a nunnery or put
sensual confirmation, and it remains without it to death. But Hermia’s choice is Lysander, another
for ever’ (Gifford Lectures). young Athenian. The way she sees Lysander differs
See how the mind is considered ‘more ghostly from how her old father sees him. Hermia says, ‘I
than a ghost.’ What does it mean? How can any- would my father look’d but with my eyes.’ The-
thing be more ghostly? In the case of a ghost, we seus quips, ‘Rather, your eyes must with his judg-
have something airy and without body, how can ment look.’ Thus, an impossible situation threatens
the comparative adjective function at all with to disrupt the upcoming merriment—the King’s
it? But Sherrington used the qualitative con- marriage. It appears impossible, yet such situations
notation to mean that the mind conceives any disrupt family peace in real life on many occasions.
perception that remains more shadowy than a The truth is no one sees with another’s eye be-
ghost, exactly as suggested by Shakespeare in A cause the eyes as organs don’t see at all; the mind
Midsummer Night’s Dream [MSND] that also or the consciousness behind does. Theseus advises
speaks of the function of the mind while discuss- Hermia: ‘Either to die the death, or to abjure/For
ing the dreams of the lovers in the play. This is ever the society of men. Therefore, fair Hermia,
one reason why Swami Ranganathananda chose question your desires’. It is not known what The-
this play for his interpretation of the Gita. seus himself would do in a similar situation in case
Let us take a close look at Shakespeare’s A Mid- there were a discord between him and Hippolyta.
summer Night’s Dream, mentioned earlier in this Shakespeare spares him, and doesn’t subject him
discussion. At the beginning, we hear the dissent- to test, which he does in many other plays.
ing voice of an old father complaining against Lysander interrupts at this juncture, and the
his daughter in the court of Theseus in Athens, audience comes to know the odd fact that Deme-
Greece. Theseus, the King, is engaged in an am- trius is fickle in love, because he was once engaged
orous conversation with Hippolyta, Queen of the to Hermia’s friend Helena, but soon abandoned
Amazons and betrothed to him. Theseus promises her when he saw Hermia. This is important be-
to marry her after four days with pomp and revel, cause it provides a commentary on the impulsive

658 Prabuddha Bharata October 2024

 Poetics of Spirituality 53

nature of love. Shakespeare lets the audience on

this information deliberately in the context of
the play to suggest that if Demetrius could be
restored to Helena, a harmonious solution to
the love triangle might be sorted out. But the
other implication of providing a commentary
on the fickleness of human love cannot be
ruled out since Shakespeare has made love
subject to criticism on many occasions, often
with sinister implications. Let us see how he
treats love in this play—this life, that passes
out like a dream. Love in many cases is an
adjustment. It’s a big joke—maybe what a
Vedantin would ask one to remember in the
context of the riddles of life.
Swami Vivekananda makes a revealing
comment on the mysterious puzzle of life,
‘We are walking in the midst of a dream, half
sleeping, half waking, passing all our lives in a
haze; this is the fate of everyone of us.’ (Com-
plete Works, 2.110). Shakespeare’s play is a brilliant
dramatization of this idea suggested by Viveka- Enter a Fairy and Puck:
nanda. Lysander in MSND decides to elope with Act 2 Scene 1 from
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Hermia to a place, seven leagues away from Athens,
where his aunt stays and dotes on the Athenian as waggish assistant Puck hold the centre
her son. Away from Athens, the place would be out stage, Shakespeare feeds his audience with
of the Athenian law, and provide a venue for the a mirthful digression through the members
marriage of the couple. Before leaving, Hermia tells of the working class, the carpenter, weaver, the
her friend Helena of their plan. Helena feels a tinge bellow-mender, and the tailor. This releases the
of jealousy because she has been jilted by Dem- tension of the opening scene and balances the fan-
etrius, whom she loves. She informs Demetrius of tasy world with realistic undertones. The workers
Hermia’s elopement, hoping to please him because are rehearsing a play they want to perform before
Demetrius, in that case, would follow Hermia to the King at the court to please him on his mar-
the woods to prevent her union with Lysander, giv- riage day. First, the cast. The amateur actors are
ing Helena a chance to win back Demetrius’s love called by name and are then assigned the roles
by staying close to him in the woods. This brings they are going to perform. The way each responds
them all under the influence of the fairies and their to the cast is funny. Peter Quince, the carpenter,
King Oberon, who takes pity for the mistuned announces the name of the play: ‘Our play is “The
lovers and their sad predicament. most lamentable comedy … Pyramus and Thisbe,”’
Before we witness the spell of fantasy in the he says. Mark the phrase ‘lamentable comedy’.
second act of the play where Oberon and his Shakespeare seems to be experimenting with

Prabuddha Bharata October 2024 659

 54

genre even while writing a sat to rehearse their play

fanciful comedy. Comedy by turning Bottom’s head
is not simply fun; it can be into that of an ass, making
lamentable also, inviting a the actors scared and de-
lot of mourning. Bottom, part. Bottom, unaware of
the weaver, welcomes the his bitter transformation
play, ‘A very good piece of from being ‘sweet-faced’,
work,’ he assures, but after thoughtfully ambles into
hearing that he’s to play Titania’s bower. The Fairy-
Pyramus, he asks, ‘A lover Queen, under the magic
or a tyrant?’, having no potion, addresses Bot-
idea of the role he’s asked tom as a ‘sweet-faced man’,
to play. Still, he pretends the same epithet used by
to show off. When Francis Quince, hailing Bottom as
Flute, the bellow-mender, the fit person to play Pyra-
is given the role of Thisbe, mus. We asked readers to
he asks, ‘What is Thisbe? Bottom Transformed Into a Donkey by Puck remember this. Titania,
A wandering Knight?’ The fun goes on. in her delusion, requests that Bottom stay with
Later, Peter Quince smugly recommends that her, and summons her fairies to serve him—now
Bottom must play Pyramus, and Flute Thisbe. a donkey. Does the same thing often happen in life
Peter Quince justifies his choice by reminding too? We often worship worthless people as being
Bottom that ‘Pyramus is a sweet-faced man.’ super-excellent.
That is why Bottom has been given the role. This may be love-delusion, faced by mortals
Dear readers, please remember this phrase— under hilarious and joking circumstances. But all
‘sweet-faced.’ By this time, night casts her spell, of us take our delusions to be real. The magic po-
the fairies shuffle across the lawns of the woods tion makes us blind to the person we fall in love
and dream, or maybe, dream within a dream in with, considering an ass-headed person (symbol-
the Vedantic sense begins. ically) an angel. Sri Ramakrishna once jokingly
In the next act, Oberon is introduced. He is, of said in the Gospel that no one thinks his wife
late, not on good terms with his wife Titania, who to be bad. Each one is good, praised unequivo-
has taken fancy for an Indian boy, looking cute. cally by the male partner. Thus, we are all under a
Oberon, the King of the fairies, wants to engage magic spell, willy-nilly. When a confused Snout,
the boy as his page, but Titania refuses to hand a tinker that sells or repairs things, cries in fear,
over the boy to him. To teach her lesson, Oberon ‘O Bottom, thou art changed! What do I see on
asks Puck to search for the juice of a magic flower, thee?’ Bottom says in conceited arrogance, ‘What
and after the fairies put Titania to sleep with their do you see? You see an ass-head of your own, do
lullaby, Oberon sneaks in and puts the juice on you?’ Peter Quince, the director of the play, cries
her eyes, making her fall headlong in love with in disbelief, ‘Bless thee, Bottom, bless thee! Thou
Bottom, now transformed into a donkey (‘the art translated.’ He leaves the stage, but Bottom
sweet-faced’ one) by Puck’s mischief. Puck had is unmoved, unconcerned about his head. Self-
before this disturbed the mechanicals when they delusion at its extreme. Sounding clever, Bottom

660 Prabuddha Bharata October 2024

 Poetics of Spirituality 55

blurts, ‘I see their knavery: this is to make an ass of new situation, and are about to fight between
me.’ Imagine the flow of laughter among the audi- them. So Oberon must try and right his servant’s
ence. To this day, MSND has been a very popular wrongs once and for all. He asks Puck to bring
play. If one watches the play in the Globe theatre the lovers together and put another potion on
of London even now, it will be great fun. But life Lysander’s eyes so that this time, when he wakes,
is both real and fantasy. Take it as you will. he sees Hermia and loves her once again. On the
Let’s appreciate the fun when Titania, the other hand, the juice sprinkled on Demetrius’s
Queen of the fairies, awakens from sleep, hear- eyes, having Helena by his side as contrived by
ing Bottom’s song. She says, ‘I pray thee, gentle Puck, would restore the situation. Demetrius
mortal, sing again, Mine ear is much enamour’d would be bound to accept Helena again.
of thy note,’ and again, slightly later, ‘Thou art as By the end of the play, the fairies’ interven-
wise as thou art beautiful.’ tion brings the desired outcome. All becomes
This is superb comedy, providing mockery of well, though it is worth noting that the restor-
what we make of our cobweb-fantasy in life, our ation of Demetrius’s love for Helena is the re-
doting on undeserving persons. Titania, under sult of magic rather than a natural awakening of
the spell, finds the ass-headed Bottom beautiful. feelings. The message is: life cannot guarantee
Probably asses have never been idealised so much. all happiness. That is the limitation of life. It is
While asking Puck to search for the magic here that the teachings of Vedanta come in. If
juice, Oberon had seen Demetrius quarrelling with the unhappiness was a dream, so was the quarrel
Helena, who was pitifully running after him, and between the misled lovers. The sudden happiness
he, cursing her. Oberon feels sad and asks Puck now is another dream.
to apply the juice on the eyes of Demetrius. For One must have seen these days that, after a
identification of the right man, Oberon describes film ends, shooting footage glides on the screen
Demetrius as a young Athenian. Meanwhile, the as they show the full cast. Some actors, after the
lovers get tired by wandering in the woods, en- end of a shot or shots, are seen laughing, moving
veloped by foggy night, and set up a camp for the out of the camera zone and shaking hands with
night. As they sleep, the puckish Puck mistakes Ly- the man he was battling with. Where do they go
sander for Demetrius, and sprinkles the juice of the to? If what was shown before was Maya or illu-
magical flower on his eyes. Waking up, Lysander sion, then what begins now is another illusion.
sees Helena before him, and falls in love with her. We accept it gleefully and complacently; the
Helena considers this a terrible cruel play. Dem- way Bottom speaks to his fellow players. So, de-
etrius as usual runs after Hermia. hypnotisation is necessary. Swami Vivekananda
When Puck triumphantly informs Oberon spoke of this urgent need.
that his Queen has fallen in love with an ass, he is The question is: can we get de-hypnotised by
glad, but just then he sees Demetrius and Hermia. reading A Midsummer Night’s Dream? The an-
He realises that Demetrius still loves Hermia, swer is we can. What happens in this play is the
not Helena. So, Puck must have done it wrong. result of a dream of one night. Sage Narada was
Oberon tries to correct the mistake by using the also hypnotised for just half an hour, which he
flower juice on Demetrius, but this means that believed to be twelve years. This delusion hap-
both Lysander and Demetrius will love Helena. pened when he went to fetch water for Lord
As expected, the lovers start squabbling over the Krishna. That was Maya. It has a powerful spell

Prabuddha Bharata October 2024 661

 56 Prabuddha Bharata

on the human mind—very difficult to get over. tied to a post in rope, and circling round merrily,
Significantly, the story of Narada has been told but unable to amble beyond the limit, and look-
by Sri Ramakrishna in the Gospel, and it has been ing furtively if anyone has seen it in its desper-
narrated also by Swami Vivekananda in his essay ate effort. That gives an example of us, rejoicing
‘Maya and Freedom’. Swami Ranganathananda over our limited freedom. Swami Vivekananda
refers to the story while explaining the 14th sh- brings it out poignantly and with rare mastery
loka of chapter 7 of the Bhagavadgita. He writes: in his essay ‘Maya and Freedom’. This is a special
‘There are many stories told about this Maya and hallmark of what Christopher Isherwood calls
its power to delude man or woman; and some of ‘Vivekananda English’. The cryptic phrase ‘And
them are very fascinating from this point of view. this is Maya’ sounds like a Beethoven symphony,
Sri Ramakrishna tells one such story.’ and rings nine times in the lecture.
Before this, Swami Ranganathananda quotes In the lecture ‘Maya and Illusion’, Swamiji says:
Swami Vivekananda from Jnana Yoga: ‘Maya is ‘The Vedantic position is neither pessimism nor
not a theory. Maya is a simple statement of facts, optimism. It does not say that this world is all evil
what we are and what we see around us.’ Ranga- or all good. It says that our evil is of no less value
nathananda comments beautifully, considering than our good, and our good of no more value
our debatable notion of freedom: ‘We feel we are than our evil.’ Hear Shakespeare now to see how
free, but we cannot express that freedom. This a poet and a prophet join together. This is from
Maya comes in between. Everywhere you see a less read play of Shakespeare’s All’s Well That
Maya working. The whole manifested universe Ends Well. ‘The web of our life is of a mingled
is in Maya’ (Universal Message, 234). yarn, good and ill together. Our virtues would
In Shakespeare’s play, this same Maya operates. be proud if our faults whipt them not; and our
It’s all illusion, super illusion. In the fifth act The- crimes would despair if they were not cherish’d by
seus, the King, refers to the power of the poet’s eye: our virtues.’ What a realisation! And remember,
The poet’s eye, in a fine frenzy rolling, Shakespeare dramatizes this knowledge/experi-
doth glance from heaven to earth, ence through a minor character of the play. He’s
from earth to heaven, the second Lord in Act IV, scene III.
And as imagination bodies forth The real break of illusion and the herald of
The forms of things unknown, the poet’s pen dawn in MSND after the night’s misadventures
Turns them to shapes, and gives to airy nothing is spoken by no other than Puck himself, one
A local habitation and a name.
who was responsible for the mischiefs. Turning
These lines have been quoted by Ranga- towards the audience, Puck summarises in an
nathananda in page 228 of volume II of his apologetic tone what we witnessed so long, con-
commentary on the Gita. Mark the language, im- sidering everything to be real:
portant for us. ‘Gives to airy nothing.’ It is noth- If we shadows have offended,
ing, after all—only Maya, and yet we add to it ‘a think but this, and all is mended,
local habitation and a name.’ That is exactly what That you have but slumber’d here
Oberon, the King of the fairy world, assisted by While these visions did appear.
Puck, did to the lovers in Shakespeare’s play. This is exactly what a Vedantist would say—
Cornered by Maya, we throw our hands up, we slumbered here for a while. We all have been.
rejoicing over our restricted freedom, like a goat (To be continued)

662 Prabuddha Bharata October 2024

 57

REVIEWS
For review in P RABUDDHA B HARATA,
publishers need to send two copies of their latest publications

Inward
the practice in solitude soon spills over into daily
Vipassana Meditation and
life, thus orienting one to connect with the world
the Embodiment of the Self
by using the meditative sensory cues.
Michal Pagis,
Assistant Professor of Sociology at The author discusses the subject with exten-
Bar-Ilan University sive participant observations and ethnographic
Sanctum Books, data. The popularisation of meditative prac-
68, Medical Association Road, tices in the modern world often trying to keep
Darya Ganj, New Delhi 110002.
itself far away from the influences of the estab-
2024. ` 1195. 225pp. HB. ISBN
9788194783022. lished religions, brings forth a cultural gap which
needs to be filled up with modern ways of search-

I n search of the deeper meaning of our lives, we

look into the spiritual traditions which often
guide us into a realm of transcendental subject-
ing backed by scientific temper. The book uses
Vipassana as a window for understanding the
place of the body-consciousness in the process of
ivity. However, the world around us just does not discovering, knowing, monitoring, and healing
disappear as the result of a theoretical under- one’s self and critically approaches to connect
standing and we are often left in a dichotomy of it with the social world, trying to re-discover
the secular and the spiritual. Some of the East- and thus reaffirm the ancient truths through the
ern traditions have worked on this problem of modern context. As the teachings are essentially
split-search. Vipassana, a Buddhist meditation related to practice, the author meticulously ex-
of mindfulness, one of the prominent ways of a plores the ways of being and becoming a Vipas-
meaningful search, has become quite a visible so- sana practitioner in relation with the testimonies
cial phenomenon. Having its origin in the monas- of real-life practitioners.
tic spheres of Theravada Buddhism in Southeast The book is indeed a door to one who is curious
Asia, it is now being practised by many in the up- to know about the practice of Vipassana, a critical
per-middle educated strata in post-industrial soci- explanation to the sceptic who doubts on the prac-
eties of developing and developed nations. ticality of this inward spiritual approach to address
The practice emphasizes on one sitting silently the challenges of the outward secular modern
with oneself turning the focal point of attention life, a practical guide to know and compare the
from the world to one’s interior. The ones who methods adopted by the real-life practitioners,
try the teaching find preliminarily that we have both preliminary and advanced, and an invitation
turned ourselves into social objects and are living to the sincere seekers of the Truth to practise the
constantly reacting to the world. Vipassana teaches ancient spiritual wisdom of Vipassana.
a consistent and concentrated effort to stay away —Swami Vedanishthananda
from the self as seen by others. The momentum of RMIC, Golpark, Kolkata

Prabuddha Bharata October 2024 663

 58

REPORTS
New Centres and Sub-Centres
A new Mission centre has been started in Silig-
uri, West Bengal. Its address is ‘Ramakrishna
Mission, 4th Mile, Sevoke Road, Siliguri,
Dist. Jalpaiguri, West Bengal 734008’, phone Coimbatore State Level Tournament
number: 9038355130, and email id: <siliguri@
rkmm.org>. of Saradapitha for five years in the third cycle
A sub-centre of Jhargram ashrama has been of assessment.
started. Its address is ‘Ramakrishna Mission Swami Suhitanandaji, a Vice President of the
Ashrama, Srirampur, Ward No. 16, P.O. & P.S. Ramakrishna Math and Mission, inaugurated
Jhargram, West Bengal 721507’. the Swami Saradeshwarananda Archive at Nar-
endrapur Vidyalaya on 26 July.
News of Branch Centres Khetri centre inaugurated a two-storey ex-
A new service centre of Narainpur ashrama tension to its primary school on 2 August.
was started in Orchha, Narainpur, following Gretz centre, France, held an All European
the takeover of Vivekananda Institute of So- Vedanta Summit from 8 to 11 August. Swami
cial Health, Welfare And Service (VISHWAS), Suhitanandaji addressed the summit, alongside
which was founded in 1989. speakers from 11 countries around the world.
Three tribal girls of our Jhargram school se- About 350 devotees and well-wishers joined
cured the third position in an international ka- the summit.
rate championship held in Kolkata on 27 July. Swami Vivekananda College of Fiji centre
They received prizes from Mamata Banerjee, celebrated its 75th anniversary (1949–2024)
Chief Minister of West Bengal, at a programme from 12 to 16 August with various cultural
held in Jhargram on 9 August, which is ob- programmes and inter-college symposiums.
served as the International Day of the World’s Deputy Prime Minister of Fiji Prof. Biman
Indigenous Peoples. Prasad, students, alumni and others attended
Swami Suviranandaji, General Secretary, the celebration.
Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission,
inaugurated a dispensary and an educational Flood Relief
centre at Bilaspur ashrama on 11 August. India: Floods in July and August caused severe
Coimbatore Mission conducted a State damage in some parts of the country. The fol-
Level Tournament in Adapted Sports for per- lowing centres conducted relief operations in
sons with disabilities on 14 and 15 August. A response to the disaster: Dibrugarh and Sil-
total of 616 participants from 25 districts of char (Assam), Rajkot and Vadodara (Gujarat),
Tamil Nadu took part. Shimla (Himachal Pradesh), Kozhikode (Ker-
National Assessment and Accreditation ala), Dhaleswar, Kailashahar, and Viveknagar
Council (NAAC) awarded the ‘A’ grade to Sik- (Tripura), Dehradun (Uttarakhand), Rahara
shanamandira (College of Teacher Education) (West Bengal). Bangladesh: Chandipur.

664 Prabuddha Bharata October 2024

 Reports 59

Rajkot Flood Relief

Disturbance Relief Africa: Durban and Phoenix. Sri Lanka: Batti-

Bangladesh: Tragic violence, riots and arson dur- caloa (Colombo).
ing the protests that began in June, adversely af-
fected many lives across Bangladesh. In the wake Tornado Rehabilitation
of the unrest, Bagerhat centre distributed 250 kg A violent tornado tore through Jalpaiguri dis-
rice, 50 kg pulses, 65 kg potatoes, 50 kg onions, 25 trict of West Bengal on 31 March, uprooting
litres cooking oil, 50 kg salt and 25 kg sugar among several trees in its wake. Jalpaiguri centre dis-
50 families in Bagerhat district on 24 August. tributed 309 coconut seedlings, 1545 betel nut
seedlings, 450 lemon seedlings, 450 guava seed-
Distress Relief lings and 618 bay leaf (tez patta) seedlings to
The following centres distributed essential items 309 families on 31 July and 3 August to mitigate
to the needy people: India: Cuttack and Hata- the damage. P
muniguda (Odisha), Halasuru (Karnataka), In-
dore (Madhya Pradesh), Kalyani (West Bengal), Errata ∙ Please read prāna in place of prājna on
Madurai, Nattarampalli, Ootacamund, Thanjavur page 572 of the September 2024 Issue.
Correct Sentence: They found that all individ-
(Tamil Nadu), Nagpur (Maharashtra), Narottam ual lives are manifestations of one universal life
Nagar (Arunachal Pradesh), Porbandar (Gujarat), known as prāna in the Upanishads.
Viveknagar(Tripura). Nepal: Kathmandu. South We regret the error. –Editor
Gretz centre in France organized an All European Vedanta Summit

Prabuddha Bharata October 2024 665

60

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62

Ramakrishna Math, Cossipore

Sri Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa Dev Sarani
90, Cossipore Road, Kolkata – 700 002
The Cossipore Udyanbati Contact No.: 9433306107, (033) 2557-3605/ 2532-9348
Website: www.rkmcudyanbati.org | Email: cossipore@rkmm.org

AN APPEAL
A Dedicated Building for Devotee-Seva
Dear Devotees and Friends,
Ramakrishna Math Cossipore (Udyanbati), Kolkata is the abode of Bhagavan Sri
Ramakrishna Paramahamsa deva. Ramakrishna Math Cossipore is an important branch of
the Belur Math and is one of the great pilgrimage places. You all know Sri Ramakrishna
became the Kalpataru at this holy place on 1st January 1886 and bestowed his choicest
blessings on all the devotees assembled
there. Due to its spiritual importance,
many devotees visit this Punyabhumi
every day. At present, there is no proper
place to seat a large number of people
and serve them prasad. To address
this issue, we are planning to build a
three-storeyed building in which two
floors will be used for serving prasad
to devotees and the third floor will be
used for accommodation for volunteers
and staff. The estimated cost of this
project is around four crore rupees.
We appeal to all the well-wishers and devotees to generously donate to complete this
building in the holy land of Cossipore Udyanbati.
Bank details for Indian donors only:
PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK - A/c name: RAMAKRISHNA MATH, COSSIPORE
Savings Account no.: 0078010118087
IFSC Code: PUNB0007820 ; Bank Branch: BARANAGAR
Donations may also be made through A/c payee Cheques and Demand Drafts (DD) in
favour of RAMAKRISHNA MATH COSSIPORE.
After donating, please write to us or send an email to cossipore@rkmm.org giving
your complete address, PAN, phone no., transaction date & amount, and mention that this
donation is for BUILDING FUND. All donations are exempt from Income Tax u/s 80G of the
Income Tax Act.
Wishing you all the best, and prayers to Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Maa Sarada Devi, and
Swamiji for the welfare of you all.
Swami Divyananda
Adhyaksha
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Ramakrishna Mission Sevashrama, Prayagraj

(A Branch of Ramakrishna Math & Ramakrishna Mission)
Vijnanananda Marg, Mutthiganj, Prayagraj -211 003, Uttar Pradesh
Mob: 7908804203 / 7905386056, E-mail: allahabad@rkmm.org

Maha Kumbha (Purna Kumbha) Mela 2025 at Prayagraj

An AppeAl
Dear Friends,
The Tirtharaj Prayag (Prayagraj) is a great
place of pilgrimage and religious significance. The
people of not only the different sects of the Hindu
Dharma but also the other religions come to Prayag
to benefit from its vibrant spiritual atmosphere.
One can see the confluence of religions here
during the Maha Kumbha Mela which is a sort
of ‘mini Bharat’. By the grace of spiritual teachers
from time immemorial, pious devotees come to
the Maha Kumbha Mela to take a holy dip in the
Triveni-Sangam and get sanctified.
The upcoming Maha Kumbha Mela at Prayagraj is scheduled from 11 Jan to 15 Feb
2025. As per the Govt. estimates, more than 40 crore sadhus, devotees, and pilgrims are
expected.
The Ramakrishna Mission Sevashrama, Prayagraj, with the blessings of Revered
Swami Vijnanananda ji (who started it in 1910), is planning to organise a camp on the
bank of Triveni-Sangam to serve more than eight lakh sadhus, devotees, and pilgrims
coming to the Mela. Following facilities will be provided:
1) Prayer cum lecture hall, 2) 24x7 free dispensary with emergency facility,
3) Bookstall, and 4) Boarding & lodging.
The expected cost of our Mela Camp is around Rupees Two crore. To meet such a
huge expense we appeal to you, your friends & other generous devotees to contribute to
this sacred endeavour and be a member of this Seva Yajna started by Swami Vivekananda.
Please send your kind contributions, either by:
A/C payee Cheque or Draft in favour of ‘Ramakrishna Mission Sevashrama — Allahabad’;
Or by Bank Transfer (NEFT / RTGS) to State Bank of India, Allahabad, A/C No. 10210448619,
IFSC: SBIN0002584.
Please send your PAN No. / Aadhaar No., E-mail Id, and Mobile No. along with your
donation.

Our PAN No. is AAAAR1077P. All the donations are exempt from Income Tax u/s
80G(5)(vi) of IT Act, 1961.
We sincerely hope all of you will avail this unique opportunity and help us to make
this Seva Yajna successful.
With Namaskar and best wishes,
Swami Akshayananda
Secretary
66

Sri Chandi
A Thematic Analysis
Dr Antara Chakraborty
There are several works dealing with this subject, but this
book is unique for its analytical presentation. The book has
two parts: “part one” deals with the history and philosophy
Pages: 95 | Price: ` 120 of Shakta/Tantra tradition, and part two with the three main
Packing & Postage: ` 50 episodes of Sri Chandi.

A Call For Progressive Spiritual Hinduism

• Electrical & Fire monitoring system engineers.

—The Vivekananda Way

• Consultant and Government licenced Engineers
• Engaged in the electrification of National Capital Region Swami Muktidananda
(Delhi Under BSES Rajdhani and Yamuna Power Ltd &
Greater Noida under Noida This
Powerbook
CompanycanLtd)
be an inspiration
for the devout followers of Hin-
duism and also for those who are working for the regeneration of
Registered Office: our ancient
Corporate religion.
Branch:
85 A Kilokri family
4/2A Siraj Ud Daullah Sarani Spiritualizing (Top Floor)
life is essential for the survival of Hinduism…
Kolkata 700 069 New Delhi 110 014
Emulating the Rishi-ideal is the only way of spiritualizing family
Ph: 09312343592
Ph: 033-40048573/ 9331203852 life. This alone can ensure strengthening of the roots of Hinduism.
By providing religious education, youths would feel proud to de-
Pages: 112 | Price: ` 75 fend their Santana Dharma by proclaiming its unique contribu-
Packing & Postage: ` 50 tions in promoting the spiritual welfare of entire humanity.
—Swami Gautamananda

From Darkness to Light

Selected Writings from Prabuddha Bharata
Vol. 1 : Volume I : Writings of Prominent Personalities
Pages: 500 Volume II :Writings of the Editors of Prabuddha Bharata
Price: ` 350
Packing & Postage: ` 80 P rabuddha Bharata, the monthly journal of the Ramakrishna Or-
der, was started by Swami Vivekananda in July 1896. In 2021, as it
celebrated its 125th anniversary, we are greatly delighted to present to
our readers this two-volume commemorative work titled From Darkness
to Light. Both the volumes are compilations of select articles published
in the Prabuddha Bharata during the last 125 years.
Vol. 2 : Swami Vivekananda wanted the eternal message of Hindu San-
atana Dharma to be spread through this journal all over the world.
Pages: 456 For the last 125 years Prabuddha Bharata has been commendably doing
Price: ` 350 this work and has been successful in impacting the minds of people
Packing & Postage: ` 80 everywhere.
Please write to: ADVAITA ASHRAMA, 5 Dehi Entally Road, Kolkata 700 014, India
Phones: +91-7439664481, 7603067067; Email: mail@advaitaashrama.org
Buy Online: https://shop.advaitaashrama.org/
 67
An Appeal from 67

Advaita Ashrama
Dear Devotees and Well-wishers,
Advaita Ashrama, the premier publishing
house of the Ramakrishna Order, was founded by
Swami Vivekananda in 1899. Our mission has always
been to spread the uplifting message of Vedanta
and the teachings of Sri Ramakrishna and Swami
Vivekananda worldwide.
To continue our work more efficiently and
address the acute space shortage, we are constructing
a new ground-plus-six-storied building with two
wings (A & B) at 36 Ananda Palit Road, Kolkata. This
facility will include ample space for book storage and publication activities, a 400-seat auditorium,
a meditation hall for the public, a spacious sales section, rooms for educational and character
development programs for the youth, monks’ and
staff quarters, and guest accommodations.
The total cost of this project is estimated at `42
crore, of which we have raised ` 20.78 crore so far
through the generosity of our supporters, for which
we are sincerely grateful to them. We now seek your
help to raise the remaining ` 21.22 crore.
Your donations, eligible for Income Tax
exemption under section 80G (5) (vi) of the IT Act,
1961, will significantly further the cause of Sanatana
Dharma and the vision of Swami Vivekananda.
Please contribute online at https://advaitaashrama.org/donate or through bank transfer to:
Bandhan Bank, CIT Road Branch, Kolkata 700 014, A/c No: 50190020938949, IFSC: BDBL0001843.
Contributions by Cheques and Drafts may be drawn in favour of “Advaita Ashrama” and sent to
address given below. For international donations, kindly email us at mail@advaitaashrama.org

Project Progress: The work on Wing-B is in the advanced phase and is expected to be
completed by Feb 2025.
With heartfelt gratitude and prayers,
Yours in OM,
Swami Shuddhidananda
(A Publication House of Ramakrishna Math) (Adhyaksha)
5 Dehi Entally Road, Kolkata 700 014
Ph: (+91) 74396-64481 / 76030-67067
www.advaitaashrama.org | mail@advaitaashrama.org

Printed and Published by Swami Vedavratananda on behalf of Ramakrishna Math and printed at Gipidi
Box Co., 3B Chatu Babu Lane, Kolkata 700 014 and published from Advaita Ashrama, 5 Dehi Entally Road,
Kolkata 700 014. Editor: Swami Divyakripananda
68
ISSN 0032- 61 78
R.N. 2585/1957 REGISTERED Postal Registration No.
Kol RMS/96/2022-24
Published on , October 2024
9 770032 61 7002

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