Rough Notebook-Open Forum

[atmavichar100]

Why do thoughts of many objects arise in the mind even when there is no contact with external objects?

M: All such thoughts are due to latent tendencies (purva samskaras).
They appear only to the individual consciousness (jiva) which
has forgotten its real nature and become externalised.

Whenever particular things are perceived, the enquiry
?Who is it that sees them??
should be made; they will then disappear at once.

From: Spiritual Instruction: CHAPTER II PRACTICE (Abhyasa)

[atmavichar100]

CHADWICK REMEMBERED

Bhagavan would always advise his disciples never to take on the onerous duty of being a Guru. It would only lead to trouble. The disciples would expect all sorts of impossible things from their Guru, and trying to satisfy them he would inevitably resort to trickery. Then, even if he could perform miracles they were things to be avoided as being impermanent and would only deflect him from the true path.

Anantanarayana Rao said that once when he was attending on Bhagavan during his last illness and begging him to continue living for the sake of his devotees, Bhagavan replied, ?The prime duty of a Guru is to establish the certainty of his existence in his disciples and having done this he is free to leave his body.? Another proof that Bhagavan recognized his relationship of Guru to disciples.

A Sadhu?s Reminiscences of Ramana Maharshi

[atmavichar100]

Talk 78.

D.: How to find the Atman?

M.: There is no investigation into the Atman.
The investigation can only be into the non-self.
Elimination of the non-self is alone possible.

The Self being always self evident will shine forth of itself.

The Self is called by different names - Atman, God, Kundalini, mantra, etc.
Hold any one of them and the Self becomes manifest.

God is no other than the Self.
Kundalini is now showing forth as the mind. When the mind is traced to its source it is Kundalini.

Mantra japa leads to elimination of other thoughts and to concentration on the mantra. The mantra finally merges into the Self and shines forth as the Self.

Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi.

[atmavichar100]

Today i.e Tue 13 May 2014 is Sri Narasimha Jayanthi and hence sharing this info here .
Nanganallur Lakshmi Narasimha temple

AN ANCIENT temple, which had totally disappeared due to the ravages of time but was restored to its glory is the Lakshmi Nrisimha, Navaneethakrishnan Temple in modern Nanganallur, a suburb of Chennai, whose original name according to scholars was Nangainallur or the place where Goddess Mahalakshmi is enshrined and worshipped. It abounds with numerous temples, the most important among them being the Lakshmi Narasimha Navaneethakrishnan Temple, the Anjaneyar Temple with the over 30-ft high statue of Ramadhootha in it, and the Ardhanareeswarar Temple, where an ancient Sivalingam, found in a temple tank and identified by the Paramacharya of Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam, as that of Ardhanareeswara, has been enshrined. While the last two mentioned are strictly modern structures, the Narasimha temple has been built over the remnants of what was an ancient temple, which existed during the pre-Pallava period.

The Narasimha temple, which has been built on a 10-ground site, was over 1,500 years old, according to the "Ashtamangala Prasnam" conducted by Sri Narayana Namboodiri of Guruvayur. The Prasnam revealed that the original temple had shrines for Lords Lakshmi Narasimha, Navaneethakrishnan, Rama and Srinivasa and new shrines for these deities should be built. It also said the entire temple complex was razed to the ground in a fire centuries ago and "Bhoomi Sankarshana" should be performed there. It was also predicted that the digging would bring up some idols and puja articles along with the ruins of the ancient temple.

The levelling of the temple site started on April 5, 1974, and a bell, a plate and a lamp were recovered. The bell is said to be of rare kind as its top portion contains the images of both Sudharsana ( and the Panchajanya one inlaid in the other. A stone with an inscription was also found and it said that a land gift was made by "Kaveri Thenkarai Ravichathiran" to keep the two "Nandavilakkus" going. These articles as well as the five-and-a-half feet high idol of Mahavishnu found made the archaeologists conclude that the temple was built in the eighth century during the Pallava rule.

The members of the Krishna Bhakta Jana Sabha took the photos of the recovered articles and idols to Kanchipuram and met the Paramacharya on May 2, 1974, and explained the same to him. The sage of Kanchi blessed them. Sudarsana Homam, Sri Suktha Homam and Bhoomi Sankarshana Puja were conducted at the site on May 24 and Thirukkallam Sri Narasimha Raghavachariar, a renowned scholar, conducted the "Sthala Puja." Efforts of the Sabha bore fruit when the Lakshmi Narasimhar Temple was constructed and the Ashtabandana Mahasamprokshanam was performed on December 14, 1975. The "Sudarsana Yantram," which was kept in the Chakarathazhwar shrine at Kancheepuram, was brought to Nanganallur and installed under the Peetam of the idol by Sri Jayendra Saraswathi. Yagasala puja and other rituals preceded the Samprokshanam and the temple was then consecrated. The Sabha also introduced the "Pidi Arisi Thittam" by collecting one handful of rice and one rupee from the public for conducting the daily puja and other rituals.
The temple complex slowly took shape with the construction of the Veera Anjaneya shrine through public donations and the Samprokshanam was performed in December 1976. "Koti Archanai" was conducted for Sri Lakshmi Narasimhar from June 19, 1978 and special "Thirumanjanam" with 473 Kalasams was performed to the Lord and His Consort. In course of time, the shrines of Sri Rukmani-Sathyabhama Sametha Sri Navaneethakrishnan, Sri Kothandarama, Sri Srinivasa, Sri Andal, Azhwars and Acharyas, including Sri Ramanuja and Sri Vedanta Desika, were established.

Sri Mukkur Lakshminarasimhachariar was a great source of inspiration for the Sabha members and the Lord was said to have appeared in his dream and told him that the temple existed in the Thretha Yuga and was known then as "Dakshina Deepalaya." It was here that Sage Jamadhagni, father of Parasurama, an incarnation of Lord Narayana, conducted the Narasimha Mahayagnam when the Lord appeared before him and he requested Him to stay in the place and bless the devotees.

The temple is a complete complex now with the Sudarsana shrine in the form of a car with "Vedachakra Vimanam." The idol of Sudarsana carries all the 16 weapons and on the other side is the image of Narasimha, seated on "Panchamuka Adisesha". Another speciality in the temple is that the Lord's Holy Disc, which was in "Prayoga Chakra" form and was unearthed during the digging operations, has been installed in front of the Chakarathazhwar shrine.

The temple has a 55 feet high and 30 feet wide Rajagopuram with five tiers and seven Kalasams. As one enters the temple through the Rajagopuram, he can worship Lord Ranganatha and Lord Krishna and then the 44th and 45th Jeeyars of Ahobila Math and Sri Mukkur Lakshmi Narasimhachariar in the Muka Mandapam. The doors of the Rajagopuram contain intricately carved floral designs and images of the Lord's incarnations.

Many annual and monthly festivals are conducted in the temple of which the most important is the Narasimha Jayanthi celebrated for five days. The temple needs funds for its Vahanams and "Kannadi Maaligai." Donations may be sent to Sri Krishna Bhakta Jana Sabha, Sri Lakshmi Nrisimha Navaneetha Krishnan Temple, MMTC Colony, Nanganallur, Chennai, 600061.

[atmavichar100]

வீண் பகை தீர்க்கும் சோளிங்கர் ஸ்ரீயோக நரசிம்மர்


இன்று நரசிம்ம ஜெயந்தி கொண்டாடப்படுகிறது.

பக்த பிரஹல்லாதன்
ஹிரண்யகசுபுவின் மகன் பிரஹல்லாதனுக்கு இறைவனிடம் அசைக்க முடியாத நம்பிக்கை. ஹரி என்னும் பரம் பொருள் எங்கும், எதிலும் வியாபித்துள்ளார் என்பது அவனது உறுதியான கருத்து. ஆனால் அவன் தந்தை ஹிரண்யகசுபுவுக்கு ?தான்? தான் பரம் பொருள் என்று வாதிடுவார். நாரயணனை துதிக்கும் தன் மகனை பல சோதனைக்கு உள்ளாக்கினான். எல்லா சோதனைகளிலும் இறை அருளால் வெற்றி கண்டான் பிரஹல்லாதன். இதை அவன் தந்தையால் பொருக்க முடியவில்லை. இறைவன் எல்லா இடத்திலும், ஒவ்வொரு துரும்பிலும் உள்ளதாகக் கூறிய பிரஹல்லாதனை நிரூபணம் செய்யச் சொன்னார். துரும்பில்லை தாங்கள் பேசும் பேச்சிலும், ஒவ்வொரு வார்த்தையிலும், எழுத்திலும், எழுப்பப்படும் ஒலியிலும் ஹரி உள்ளார் என்றான் பிரஹல்லாதன். ஆத்திரமடைந்த அவன் தந்தை ?இருந்தால் வரச்சொல் என்று கொக்கரித்த வண்ணம் அருகிலிருந்த தூணை தன் கதையால் ஓங்கி அடித்தார்.

ஆச்சரியம்! பாதி மனிதனாகவும் [நரன்] பாதி சிங்கமாகவும் [சிம்ஹா] இறைவன் ஹரி அத்தூணிலிருந்து வெளிப்பட்டார். அந்த அந்தி மாலை நேரத்தில், வெளியும் உள்ளும் இல்லாமல் வாசற்படியில் கீழும் [பூமி], மேலும்[ஆகாசம்] இல்லாமல் தனது மடியிலேயே, மனிதனும், விலங்குமில்லா நரஸிம்ஹராக ஹிரண்யகசுபுவை வதம் செய்தார் ஹரி.

லக்ஷ்மி நரசிம்மர் [நரஸிம்ஹர்]
ஹரியின் எல்லா அவதாரங்களிலும் ஸ்ரீ நரசிம்மர் அவதாரம் பெருமை சற்றே அதிகம். தனது பக்தனின் நம்பிக்கையை நிலைநாட்டுவதற்காக பக்தன் வேண்டிய உடன் அவதரித்ததினால் ஹரி பக்தர்களால் ஸ்ரீநரசிம்மர் சற்று உயர்வாக கொண்டாடப்படுகிறார். ஆனால் ஸ்ரீநரசிம்மர் ?உக்ராவதாரம்? என்பதால் அவர் சாந்தமான நிலையில் இருப்பதை பூசிப்பதை மக்கள் அதிகம் விரும்புகிறார்கள். ஸ்ரீநரசிம்மர் லக்ஷ்மியுடன் இருக்கும் பொழுது சாந்தமாக இருக்கிறார் என்பதால் இவரை ? ஸ்ரீ லக்ஷ்மி நரசிம்மர்? என்று பூசனைச் செய்கிறார்கள்.

அதனால் ஸ்ரீநரசிம்மரை வழிபடுவது கொடுமையான தீயசக்திகளையும் அழிக்க வல்லது என்பது தின்னம். ஸ்ரீநரசிம்மரின் மற்றொரு சாந்த ஸ்வரூபம் யோக நிஷ்டையில் உள்ள ஸ்ரீயோக நரசிம்மர். இப்படிப்பட்ட ஸ்ரீயோக நரசிம்மர் தமிழ்நாட்டில் திருத்தணியிலிருந்து சுமார் 30 கி.மீ தொலைவில் அமைந்துள்ள சோளிங்கரில் கண்டு தரிசிக்கலாம். சோழசிங்கபுரம் என்னும் பெயர் மருவி சோளிங்கர் என்று ஆயிற்று. ஒரு நாழிகை என்பது இருபத்து நான்கு நிமிடங்கள் கொண்டது. நாழிகையை கடிகை என்றும் குறிப்பிடுவர். இந்த க்ஷேத்திரத்தில் ஸ்ரீயோக நரசிம்மரை ஒரு கடிகை தியானம் செயதால் முக்தி கிடைப்பது உறுதி. அதனால் இத்க்ஷேத்திரத்திற்கு ?கடிகாசலம்? என்று ஒரு சிறப்பு திருநாமம் உண்டு.

சோழங்கிபுரம் ஸ்ரீயோகநரசிம்மர் ஆலயம் இருக்கும் பகுதி, இன்று சோளிங்கர் என்ற பெயருடன் விளங்குகிறது. வடஆற்காடு மாவட்டத்தில் திருத்தணிகைக்கு மேற்கே இருபது மைல் தூரத்திலே சுமார் நானூறு அடி உயரமுள்ள ஒரு மலைமேல் இருக்கிறது இந்த ஆலயம்.
ஸ்ரீயோகநரசிம்மர் ஆலயம் உருவானதற்கு முன்பு இந்த மலைக்கு வந்த பைரவேசுவரரிடம், ?நான் கல் மலையாக இருப்பதில் என்ன பெருமை.? எனக்கு நல்வழி காட்டுங்கள்? என்று மலை வேண்டியது. ?மலையே.. நீ உயர்ந்து கொண்டே வா. இங்கு எல்லா வல்லமை படைத்த இருவர் வரப் போகிறார்கள். அதனால் நீ அவர்கள் பெருமைப்படும் அளவில் வளர்ந்துவா.? என்று மலைக்கு கட்டளையிட்டார். அதன்படி மலையும் வளர்ந்து கொண்டே வந்தது. அதன் வளர்ச்சி தேவலோகத்தையே முட்டிவிடும் போல் இருந்தது. இதை கண்ட இந்திரன் பயந்து பலராமனை கொண்டு மலையின் வளர்ச்சியை தடுத்து நிறுத்தினார். கோயில் உருவான கதை வடமதுரையை ஆட்சி செய்து கொண்டு இருந்த இந்திரத்துய்மன் என்ற அரசர், கடுமையான கோபம் கொண்டவர். எதற்கு எடுத்தாலும் இவருடைய வாய் பேசாது, அவர் கையில் இருக்கும் போர்வாள் தான் பேசும். இப்படி சினம் கொண்ட அரசர் ஸ்ரீநரசிம்மரின் தீவிர பக்தர். ?அரசர் இந்திரத்துய்மன், நரசிம்மரை மட்டும் வணங்குவதால்தான் நரசிம்மரை போல் கோபம் அதிகம் ஏற்படுகிறது. அதனால் அரசரை ஸ்ரீயோக நரசிம்மரை வணங்க சொல்லலாம்.? என்று அமைச்சர்களுக்குள் பேசி அதை பக்குவமாக அரசருக்கு எடுத்து சொல்ல ஒரு அமைச்சர் மன்னரிடம் சென்றார். ?அரசே.. நரசிம்மரை வணங்கினால் வீரம் கிடைக்கும். அதுவே ஸ்ரீயோக நரசிம்மரை வணங்கினால் செல்வம், செல்வாக்கு கிடைக்கும். வாழ்க்கைக்கு தேவையானது முக்கியமானது சந்தோஷம். அந்த சந்தோஷத்தை தரக் கூடியவர் ஸ்ரீயோக நரசிம்மர்? என்றார் அமைச்சர். எறும்பு ஊற ஊற கல்லும் தேயும் என்பதை போல் அமைச்சரின் பேச்சு அரசருக்கு ஸ்ரீயோக நரசிம்மரை வணங்க வேண்டும் என்ற மன மாற்றத்தை தந்தது. ஸ்ரீயோகநரசிம்மரை வணங்க தொடங்கினார் இந்திரத்துய்மன். ஒருநாள், அரசர் காட்டு பகுதிக்கு வேட்டையாட சென்றார். மான் ஒன்று, பொன்னை போன்று ஜொலித்தது. அதை கண்ட அரசர், அந்த மானை தன் அரண்மனைக்கு அழைத்து செல்ல விரும்பி, மானை பிடிக்க நினைத்தார். ஆனால் அந்த மானை பிடிக்க முடியவில்லை. பொன்மான், மன்னருக்கு விளையாட்டு காட்டியது. இதனால் சோர்வடைந்த மன்னர், ஒர் இடத்தில் களைப்பாக அமர்ந்தார். அப்போது அங்கே ஒரு அதிசயம் நடந்தது. அந்த பொன்மான், மன்னர் கண் முன்னே ஒரு ஜோதியாக மாறியது. இதை கண்ட அரசர் இந்திரத்துய்மன் ஆச்சரியப்பட்டார். அந்த ஜோதி ஸ்ரீஆஞ்சநேயனாக காட்சிகொடுத்து. ?நான் என்றும் உனக்கு பாதுகாப்பாக இருப்பேன்.? என்று கூறி மறைந்தார் ஸ்ரீஅனுமன். தமக்கு ஸ்ரீஅஞ்சனேயர் ஆசி கிடைத்திருக்கிறது என்றால் எல்லாம் ஸ்ரீயோக நரசிம்மரின் அருளால்தான் என்று ஆனந்தம் கொண்டார் அரசர். சில நாட்கள் சென்றது. அப்போது கும்போதரன் என்ற அசுரன், வடமதுரையை ஆட்டிபடைத்தான். அந்த அசுரனிடம் இருந்து தன்னையும் தன் நாட்டையும் காப்பாற்றமாறு ஸ்ரீயோக நரசிம்மரிடமும், ஸ்ரீஆஞ்சனேயரிடமும் வேண்டினார் அரசர் இந்திரத்துய்மன். ஸ்ரீஅனுமன், அரசரின் வேண்டுதலை நிறைவேற்ற, அசுரன் கும்போதரனிடம் போர் செய்து அவனை வீழ்த்தி கொன்றார். இதனால் அரசர் மகிழ்ந்து, ஸ்ரீஅனுமனுக்கு அதே இடத்தில் கோயில் கட்டினார். இந்த மலைக்கு சக்தி வாய்ந்த இருவர் வருவார்கள் என்றாரே பைரவேஸ்வரர், அதன்படி ஸ்ரீயோக நரசிம்மரும், ஸ்ரீஆஞ்சனேயரும் அந்த மலை கோயிலில் இருக்கிறார்கள். ஸ்ரீயோக நரசிம்மரை வணங்கிய பிறகு ஸ்ரீஆஞ்சனேயரை வணங்க வேண்டும் என்கிறது சாஸ்திரம். இந்த சோழங்கிபுரம் அன்று கடிகாசலம் என்ற பெயரோடு விளங்கியிருக்கிறது. விஸ்வாமித்திரர் இம்மலையில் ஒரு கடிகை அதாவது ஒருநாழிகை (24 நிமிடம்) நேரத்தில் ஸ்ரீநரசிம்மரை நோக்கி துதித்து பிரம்ம ரிஷி பட்டம் பெற்றார் கடிகை என்றால் வடமொழியில் ஒருநாழிகை என்ற பொருள். இந்த ஆலயத்தில் ஒருநாழிகை நேரம் இருந்தாலே எல்லா கஷ்டகாலமும் விலகும் என்கிறார்கள். சப்த ரிஷிகளும், வாமதேவர் என்ற முனிவரும், திருமங்கை ஆழ்வாரும் இந்த ஆலயத்திற்கு வந்து ஸ்ரீயோக நரசிம்மரை வணங்கியுள்ளனர். பேய் பிடித்ததாக நம்பப்படுகிறவர்களையும் சித்த பிரமை பிடித்தவர்களையும் இங்கே அழைத்துவந்து, மலையின் மேலே உள்ள அனுமந்த தீர்த்தத்தில் மூழ்கி எழச் செய்து, அனுமார் சந்நிதியில் அமரவைத்தால், கொஞ்ச நேரம் ஆட்டம் போட்டாலும் பிறகு அவர்களுக்கு தூக்கம் வந்து தூங்கி விடுவார்கள். தூக்கம் கலைந்து கண் திறந்த பிறகு அவர்களுக்கு எந்த பிரச்சனையும் இல்லாமல் குணம் அடைகிறார்கள் என்பது இங்குள்ள நம்பிக்கை. ஸ்ரீயோக நரசிம்மரும், ஸ்ரீஆஞ்சநேயரும் பக்தர்களின் நோய்களையும், வீண் பகைகளையும் தீர்த்து நிம்மதி அருளி சிறப்பாக வாழ வைக்கிறார்கள்.

[Subramanian.R]

dear atmavichar100,

A good write up about Nrsimhar.  He is a powerful deity who can cure all mental illness.  The Sholingar Hill is quite
difficult to climb with steep steps.  However one can climb it if he has got strength. 


Srimad Narayaneeyam beautifully describes Nrsmiha avataram.  On seeing Nrsmiha's ferocious form, everyone including
Lakshmi were afraid. Only Prahalada did not get any fear,  since he was a bhakta.  Bhakta, like Jnani has not fear.

Arunachala Siva.     

[Ravi.N]

Friends,

An excerpt from The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna:

MASTER (to M.): "I learnt Vedanta from Nangta: 'Brahman alone is real; the world is illusory.' The magician performs his magic. He produces a mango-tree which even bears
mangoes. But this is all sleight of hand. The magician alone is real."

M: "It seems that the whole of life is a long sleep. This much I understand, that we are not seeing things rightly. We perceive the world with a mind by which we cannot comprehend even the nature of the sky. So how can our perceptions be correct?"

MASTER: "There is another way of looking at it. We do not see the sky rightly. It looks as if the sky were touching the ground at the horizon. How can a man see correctly? His mind is delirious, like the mind of a typhoid patient.

The Master sang in his sweet voice:

What a delirious fever is this that I suffer from!
O Mother, Thy grace is my only cure. . . .

Continuing, the Master said: "Truly it is a state of delirium. Just see how worldly men quarrel among themselves. No one knows what they quarrel about. Oh, how they quarrel! 'May such and such a thing befall you!' How much shouting! How much abuse!"

M: "I said to Kishori: The box is empty; there is nothing inside. But two men pull at it from either side, thinking the box contains money.' Well, the body alone is the cause of all this mischief, isn't it? The jnanis see all this and say to themselves, 'What a relief one feels when this pillow-case of the body drops off.'"

The Master and M. went toward the Kali temple.

MASTER: "Why should you say such things? This world may be a 'frame work of illusion', but it is also said that it is a 'mansion of mirth'. Let the body remain. One can also turn this world into a mansion of mirth."

M: "But where is unbroken bliss in this world?"

MASTER: "Yes, where is it?"

Sri Ramakrishna stood in front of the shrine of Kali and prostrated himself before the Divine Mother. M. followed him. Then the Master sat on the lower floor in front of the
shrine room, facing the blissful image, and leaned against a pillar of the natmandir. He wore a red-bordered cloth, part of which was on his shoulder and back. M. sat by his side.

M: "Since there is no unbroken happiness in the world, why should one assume a body at all? I know that the body is meant only to reap the results of past action. But who knows what sort of action it is performing now? The unfortunate part is that we are being crushed."

MASTER: "If a pea falls into filth, it grows into a pea-plant none the less."

M: "But still there are the eight bonds."

Divine grace removes bondage

MASTER: "They are not eight bonds, but eight fetters. But what if they are? These fetters fall off in a moment, by the grace of God. Do you know what it is like? Suppose a room has been kept dark a thousand years. The moment a man brings a light into it, the darkness vanishes; not little by little. Haven't you seen the magician's feat? He takes string with many knots, and ties one end to something, keeping the other in his hand. Then he shakes the string once or twice, and immediately all the knots come undone. But another man cannot untie the knots however he may try. All the knots of ignorance come undone in the twinkling of an eye, through the guru's  grace.
Namaskar

[Ravi.N]

Friends,
An excerpt from The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna:

Sunday, April 15, 1883
Surendra, a beloved lay disciple of the Master, had invited him to his house on the auspicious occasion of the Annapurna Puja. It was about six o'clock when Sri Ramakrishna arrived there with some of his devotees. The image of the Divine Mother had been installed in the worship hall. At Her feet lay hibiscus flowers and vilwa-leaves; from Her neck hung a garland of flowers. Sri Ramakrishna entered the hall and bowed down before the image. Then he went to the open courtyard, where he sat on a carpet, surrounded by his devotees and disciples. A few bolsters lay on the carpet, which was covered with a white linen sheet. He was asked to lean against one of these, but he pushed it aside.

Difficulty of overcoming vanity
MASTER (to the devotees): "To lean against a bolster! You see, it is very difficult to give up vanity. You may discriminate, saying that the ego is nothing at all; but still it comes, nobody knows from where. A goat's legs jerk for a few moments even after its head has been cut off. Or perhaps you are frightened in a dream; you shake off sleep and are wide awake, but still you feel your heart palpitating. Egotism is exactly like that. You may drive it away, but still it appears from somewhere. Then you look sullen and say: 'What! I have not been shown proper respect!'"

KEDAR: "One should be lowlier than a straw and patient as a tree."

MASTER: "As for me, I consider myself as a speck of the dust of the devotee's feet."

Vaidyanath arrived. He was a well-educated man, a lawyer of the High Court of Calcutta. With folded hands he saluted the Master and took his seat at one side.

SURENDRA (to the Master): "He is one of my relatives."

MASTER: "Yes, I see he has a nice nature."

SURENDRA: "He has come here because he wants to ask you a question or two."

Different manifestations of divine power
MASTER (to Vaidyanath): "All that you see is the manifestation of God's Power. No one can do anything without this Power. But you must remember that there is not an equal manifestation of God's Power in all things. Vidyasagar once asked me whether God endowed some with greater power than others. I said to him: 'If there are no greater and lesser manifestations of His Power, then why have we taken the trouble to visit you? Have you grown two horns?' So it stands to reason that God exists in all beings as the All pervasive Power; but the manifestations of His Power are different in different beings."
continued...

[Ravi.N]

The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna continued...

Free will and God's will
VAIDYANATH: "Sir, I have a doubt. People speak of free will. They say that a man can do either good or evil according to his will. Is it true? Are we really free to do whatever we like?"

MASTER: "Everything depends on the will of God. The world is His play. He has created all these different things-great and small, strong and weak, good and bad, virtuous and vicious. This is all His maya, His sport. You must have observed that all the trees in a garden are not of the same kind.
"As long as a man has not realized God, he thinks he is free. It is God Himself who keeps this error in man. Otherwise sin would have multiplied. Man would not have been afraid of sin, and there would have been no punishment for it.
"But do you know the attitude of one who has realized God? He feels: 'I am the machine, and Thou, O Lord, art the Operator. I am the house and Thou art the Indweller. I am the chariot and Thou art the Driver. I move as Thou movest me; I speak as Thou makest me speak.'
(To Vaidyanath): "It is not good to argue. Isn't that so?"

VAIDYANATH: "Yes, sir. The desire to argue disappears when a man attains wisdom."

The Master, out of his stock of a dozen English words, said, "Thank you!" in the most charming way, and all laughed.

MASTER (to Vaidyanath): "You will make spiritual progress. People don't trust a man when he speaks about God. Even if a great soul affirms that he has seen God, still the
average person will not accept his words. He says to himself, 'If this man has really seen God, then let him show Him to me.' But can a man learn to feel a person's pulse in one day? He must go about with a physician for many days; only then can he distinguish the different pulses. He must be in the company of those with whom the examination of the pulse has become a regular profession.Can anyone and everyone pick out a yarn of a particular count? If you are in that trade,you can distinguish in a moment a forty-count thread from a forty-one."
Continued....

[Ravi.N]

The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna continued...

The kirtan was about to begin. Some Vaishnavas were seated on one side with their mridangas and cymbals. A drummer began to play on his instrument preparatory to the singing. The sweet and melodious sound of the mridanga filled the courtyard, calling to mind the ecstatic kirtan of Sri Gauranga. The Master passed into a deep spiritual state. Now and then he looked at the drummer and said, "Ah! Ah! My hair is all standing on end."

The singers asked what kind of song they should sing. The Master said humbly,"Something about Gauranga, if you please."

The kirtan began. They sang about the celestial beauty of Sri Gauranga:
The beauty of Gauranga's face
Glows brighter than the brightest gold;
His smile illumines all the world.
Who cares for even a million moons
Shining in the blue autumn sky?

The chief musician added improvised lines as they sang: "O friend, his face shines like the full moon!" "But it does not wane nor has it any stain." "It illumines the devotee's heart."Again he improvised: "His face is bathed with the essence of a million moons."
At these words the Master went into deep samadhi. After a short while he regained consciousness of the sense world. Then he suddenly stood up, overpowered by his spiritual mood, and sang improvised lines with the professionals, thinking himself to be a milkmaid of Vrindavan gone mad with the beauty of Sri Krishna's form: "Whose fault is it-my mind's or His beauty's?" "In the three worlds I see nothing but my beloved Krishna."
The Master danced and sang. All remained spellbound as they watched. The chief musician sang the words of a gopi: "O flute, pray stop. Can you not go to sleep?" One of the musicians added a new line: "How can it sleep? It rests on Krishna's lips."

The Master sat down. The music went on. They sang, assuming the mood of Radha: "My eyes are blinded. My ears are deaf. I have lost the power of smell. All my senses are paralysed. But, alas, why am I left alone?"Finally the musicians sang of the union of Radha and Krishna:
Radha and Krishna are joined at last in the Nidhu Grove of Vrindavan;
Incomparable their beauty, and limitless their love!
The one half shines like yellow gold, the other like bluest sapphire;
Round the neck, on one side, a wild-flower garland hangs,
And, on the other, there swings a necklace of precious gems.
A ring of gold adorns one ear, a ring of shell the other;
Half of the brow is bright as the blazing midday sun,
The other softly gleams with the glow of the rising moon.
Upon one half of the head a graceful peacock feather stands,
And, from the other half, there hangs a braid of hair.

As the music came to a close the Master said, "Bhagavata-Bhakta-Bhagavan", and bowed low to the devotees seated on all sides. He touched with his forehead the ground made holy by the singing of the sacred music.
continued....

[Ravi.N]

The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna continued...

It was now about half past nine in the evening. Surendra entertained the Master and the devotees with a sumptuous feast. When it was time to take leave of their host, the Master, the devotees, and Surendra entered the worship hall and stood before the image.

SURENDRA (to the Master): "No one has sung anything about the Divine Mother today."

MASTER (pointing to the image): "Ah! Look at the beauty of the hall. The light of the Divine Mother seems to have lighted the whole place. Such a sight fills the heart with joy.Grief and desire for pleasure disappear. "But can one not see God as formless Reality? Of course one can, but not if one has the slightest trace of worldliness. The rishis of olden times renounced everything and then contemplated Satchidananda, the Indivisible Brahman.
"The Brahmajnanis of modern times sing of God as 'immutable, homogeneous'. It sounds very dry to me. It seems as if the singers themselves don't enjoy the sweetness of God's Bliss. One doesn't want a refreshing drink made with sugar candy if one is satisfied with mere coarse treacle.
"Just see how happy you are, looking at this image of the Deity. But those who always cry after the formless Reality do not get anything. They realize nothing either inside or outside."

The Master sang a song to the Divine Mother:

O Mother, ever blissful as Thou art,
Do not deprive Thy worthless child of bliss!
My mind knows nothing but Thy Lotus Feet.
The King of Death scowls at me terribly;
Tell me, Mother, what shall I say to him?
It was my heart's desire to sail my boat
Across the ocean of this mortal life,
O Durga, with Thy name upon my lips.
I never dreamt that Thou wouldst drown me here
In the dark waters of this shoreless sea.
Both day and night I swim among its waves,
Chanting Thy saving name; yet even so
There is no end, O Mother, to my grief.
If I am drowned this time, in such a plight,
No one will ever chant Thy name again.
continued...

[Ravi.N]

The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna continued...

Again he sang:

Repeat, O mind, my Mother Durga's hallowed name!
Whoever treads the path, repeating "Durga! Durga!",
Siva Himself protects with His almighty trident.
Thou art the day, O Mother! Thou art the dusk and the night.
Sometimes Thou art man, and sometimes woman art Thou.
Thou mayest even say to me: "Step aside! Go away!"
Yet I shall cling to Thee, O Durga! Unto Thy feet
As Thine anklets I shall cling, making their tinkling sound.
Mother, when as the Kite Thou soarest in the sky,
There, in the water beneath, as a minnow I shall be swimming;
Upon me Thou wilt pounce, and pierce me through with Thy claws.
Thus, when the breath of life forsakes me in Thy grip,
Do not deny me the shelter of Thy Lotus Feet!

The Master saluted the divine image. As he came down the steps, he called softly to Rakhal: "Where are my shoes? Are they missing?"

As the Master got into the carriage, Surendra and the other devotees bowed down before him. Then the carriage started for Dakshineswar. The moon still lighted the streets.

[Ravi.N]

Friends,
The most wonderful aspect about The gospel of Sri Ramakrishna is the vividness of the presentation and how it makes it possible to relive the company of the Great Master.The teachings are presented in the right context and as living, dynamic ,endearing Truth ,personalized as if it is addressed to us and yet at the same time universal as well.The above series of excerpts is a typical setup where the Master is visiting his beloved householder  disciple surendra's home on the occasion of annapurna puja -and how there he encounters  various people there.A band of Vaishnavas are also there ,to sing the kirtan on Gauranga and the Master requests them to sing.How Surendra whose Ishta is the Divine Mother expresses regret that no one has sung on the Divine mother and how the Master understands this and says -"Ah! Look at the beauty of the hall. The light of the Divine Mother seems to have lighted the whole place. Such a sight fills the heart with joy.Grief and desire for pleasure disappear-and how he himself sings a couple of songs on the Divine Mother(and what songs!)-How he salutes the Deity and leaves!
Every action of the Master here leaves an indelible imprint on us -How he falls to the ground and salutes the place where the Kirtan was sung saying 'Bhagavatha -Bhakta- Bhagavan',how he says -'As for me, I consider myself as a speck of the dust of the devotee's feet'
This is the benefit and inspiration that one can easily draw from reading this wonderful book.Also,there is no question on sadhana and practical Living that is not answered here-In this excerpt the Master explains the Nature of 'free will' which confounds many.
I share these excerpts here only from this perspective.
Namaskar.

[atmavichar100]

CHADWICK REMEMBERED

One day Bhagavan was telling us that the Tamil Saint Manickavasagar?s body disappeared in a blaze of light leaving no residue. I asked him how that had happened and he explained that the body is solidified mind. When in Jnanam the mind dissolves and consumes itself in a blaze of light, the body is burnt up in the process. He gave Nandanar as another example of this. I mentioned the case in the Bible of Elijah being carried up to Heaven in a chariot of fire, a poetic way of saying the same thing. I asked if Christ?s disappearance from the tomb had resembled this in any way, but Bhagavan pointed out that this was entirely different, for Christ?s body remained for a time after death, whereas the bodies of the others had been immediately and utterly consumed. He explained that the subtle body is composed of light and sound and that the gross body is a concrete form of the same.

A Sadhu?s Reminiscences of Ramana Maharshi

[atmavichar100]

Do not attempt to run away from surroundings that are not to your liking. God has placed you there to make you grow quickly. If you get all your desired comforts in a particular place you will not grow strong. So never complain about unfavourable surroundings. Triumph over all difficulties ~Swami Sivananda