Freedom

|| Sri Ramakrishna Sharanam||

|| Aum Namo Narayanaya||

 

Yesterday, 27th April, was Freedom Day in South Africa. The delight of a national public holiday could be seen in the deserted streets with most curtains still drawn at 08:00am. The raucous movement of the dispersing birds echoed with a deafening clatter as they fled in search of their morning grub. But a stench of uneasiness, despondency, irritation and annoyance wafted with the gentle breeze that fanned the resting leaves. South Africa was politically freed by the vote 19 years ago, but is still saddled by the yoke of economic and social inequalities.

 

This situation then begs an enquiry as to the meaning of freedom, the validity of its use in this context and whether such a state is in fact achievable. The dictionary defines freedom as: “the state of being free or at liberty rather than in confinement or under physical restraint”.

 

Our Revered Swamiji (Vivekananda) describes freedom as:

 

The mind cannot be easily conquered. Minds that rise into waves at the approach of every little thing, at the slightest provocation or danger, in what a state they must be! What to talk of greatness or spirituality, when these changes come over the mind? This unstable condition of the mind must be changed. We must ask ourselves how far we can be acted upon by the external world, and how far we can stand on our own feet in spite of all the forces outside us. When we have succeeded in preventing all the forces in the world from throwing us off our balance, then alone we have attained freedom.

 

How beautiful is this concept of freedom derived from the depths of Vedanta by Swami Vivekananda. It speaks to the cessation of any sort or form of bondage or restraint that inhibits the expression of the bliss which is our inherent nature.

 

In this body - we are bound by the calls of hunger, age and disease. In the world -  we are bound by time and nature. This clearly illustrates the idea that all that is manifest in this world is always bound. I think back to two weeks ago and even on Thursday this week when the celebrations of Ramayan Week, Ram Naumi and Hanuman Jayanthi were celebrated respectively. It was with tears of overflowing love that one heard of the trials and tribulations of the Lord. But what surfaced during these discussions is that even the Lord was bound at so many levels... but what was also evidently clear is that the Lord is bound the greatest in the devotee’s heart... as seen in the life of Shri Hanumanji. The Lord is at the beck and call of His devotees. This is declared also by Shri Krishna Himself .

 

I read an article once in one of the Mission’s magazines which outlined that the Upanishads state that absolute freedom comes not by wealth, progeny or even work... but by tyaga (renunciation) alone. The knowledgeable are not tempted by fame, wealth and other lures but stay steadfast on the part of renunciation to attain the ultimate goal. Swami Vivekananda further clarifies this renunciation:

 

The idea of freedom is the only true idea of salvation - freedom from everything: the senses - whether of pleasure or pain and from good as well as evil. More than this even... we must be free from death; and to be free from death, we must be free from life. Life is but a dream of death. Where there is life, there will be death; so get away from life if you would be rid of death. Everything in time, space, and causation is bound. The soul is beyond all time, all space, and all causation. That which is bound is nature, not the soul. Liberation means entire freedom---freedom from the bondage of good, as well as from the bondage of evil. A golden chain is as much a chain as an iron one.

 

 

Thus having ascertained that all in this manifest world is bound in some way or the other, and that absolute freedom is attained by absolute renunciation... what recourse do we have to the freedom that we so desperately seek which is intrinsic to our eternal nature? For this my dear friends, I prescribe the tried and tested Sri Ramakrishna method to freedom.

 

Master said: ’I am a free soul. How can I be bound, whether I live in the world or in the forest? I am a child of God. Just as a child is bound to its parents for love attention and nourishment yet is able to grow independently according to its nature.’ Master’s life demonstrates that if we bond ourselves to the Lord, as He did with the Divine Mother, irrespective of whether we live in the world or live in the forest, we can enjoy sat (truth), chid (consciousness) and ananda (bliss) as He did.

 

It was through Master’s life that we see tangibly the philosophies of Vedanta being played out for humanity to realise that these truths can be achieved by us all. It is in the absolute surrender at the feet of God, casting aside all other things as secondary, and with the knowledge that God alone will provide for our sustenance in this world... will we be able to enjoy a taste of freedom.

 

Many people place emphasis on removing or relieving themselves from the cycle of birth and death, but loose the opportunity of enjoying the divine bliss through this worldly existence. We fail to help others raise themselves and also be in a position to enjoy this ananda (bliss). Master and Swamiji have repeatedly stated they are prepared to take birth a million times over in order to prepare and raise everyman to taste the divine nectar of satchidananda.

 

Let us all realise that through God alone we are born, through God alone we exist, and through God alone shall we attain freedom. May we all attain this freedom, is my sincere prayer.

 

With love and prayers always
Yogan
www.sudarshanavidya.blogspot.com

 

Sri Rama Hanuman - self and me

||Aum Sri Ramakrishna Sharanam||

||Aum Namo Narayanaya||

There is a psychological theory which purports man as a social being. This is probably based on our inherent longing to communicate, share, love and form relationships. We tend to feel comfort, strength and immense joy when in the company of someone we deem special. Besides the personal aspects of this bonding, we come to the realisation that the society module will fail to operate without the harmonious interaction with one another. Great things have been achieved through the collective co-operation of men/women for a common purpose. However, we find that in our contemporary surroundings... these bonds are merely forged on a “superficial level” in that it exists only if some personal benefit is derived from it. It fails to penetrate beyond the physical layer.

As I am disillusioned by the transience of these mundane relationships, I marvel at the level these bonds are forged amongst spiritually elevated beings. Their union goes beyond just unity of purpose... but they become an extension of each other by discovering and exposing the non-dualistic nature of creation.

Once, Sri Ramakrishna had a vision in which He explained that God has covered all with His maya.

He doesn't let us know anything. He who puts maya aside to see God, can see Him. Once, when I was explaining God's actions to someone, God suddenly showed me the lake at Kamarpukur. I saw a man removing the green scum and drinking the water. The water was clear as crystal. God revealed to me that Satchidananda is covered by the scum of maya. He who puts the green scum aside can drink the water.

When we engage to form bonds with people... we take some of the following criteria into consideration, viz: common interests, gender, social status, wealth, physical appearance etc. These are formed on the foundations of the green scum or maya that Master speaks of.

In the lives of the elevated beings, we see a total contrast from our approach. They go beyond the physical and establish these bonds on an extremely pure level.

Our emotions are stretched to the heights of divine euphoria when we contemplate on the relationships between Sri Rama and Hanuman & Sri Ramakrishna and Vivekananda (Swami) who have majestically enunciated the inextricable link that exists between every form of creation.

As much as the Master was regarded as a ‘mad man’ and was ridiculed by sections of society, it was the purity of thought and word that emanated from Sri Ramakrishna that immediately attracted Naren (Swami Vivekananda’s pre-monastic name) and gravitated His entire life towards Sri Ramakrishna. So much so, that even after His mahasamadhi, Swami Vivekananda was the extension of His life and work. During the first encounter with Hanuman - having seen Rama and Lakshmana, Sugriva sends Hanuman to ascertain their identities. Hanuman approaches the two brothers in the guise of a brahmin. His first words to them are such that Rama says to Lakshmana that none could speak the way the brahmin did unless he or she had mastered the vedas. He notes that there is no defect in the brahmin's countenance, eyes, forehead, brows, or any limb. He points out to Lakshmana that his accent is captivating... adding that even an enemy with sword drawn would be moved. He praises the disguised Hanuman further... saying that sure success awaited the King whose emissaries were as accomplished as he was.

When Rama introduces Himself, the brahman identifies Himself as Hanuman and falls in prostration before Rama, who embraces Him warmly. How wonderfully we notice how Rama looked beyond the physical and engaged with the purity that Hanumanji was.

In the way we appreciate and express delight of these friendships, we must also understand they form the basis on how we should live our lives. If our body is the Hanuman or Vivekananda, the atman is the Rama or Ramakrishna. Instead of being subservient to the senses or the mind, we should take the atman as our master -becoming totally surrendered and absorbed in the atman- and then we shall enjoy the highest peace. We shall enjoy victory in our life and against all the challenges that confront us.

Like how taking the name of Sri Rama, Hanuman was able to scale the mighty ocean; lift the gigantic mountain; torch Lanka and defeat many demons along the way... Swami Vivekananda in total surrender to His Master was able to awaken the sleeping masses in India... sparking a spiritual revolution and taking these noble ideas to the West in order harmonise humanity in thought, word and deed.

Our bodies must become an extension of the atman within. The body must become an instrument of this divinity - and every action, word and thought must reflect it. There must be complete synthesis between the inner spirit and the outer being. It is in this great friendship and bond that great things can be achieved. If each person can make the effort with sincerity to achieve this, it will be the start of a revolution towards the ‘golden age’. As we start to socialise and network with such people in the world, their character and demeanor will become infectious and viral. Hatred, jealousy, envy and other vices will be replaced by love and harmony.

The good and peace we want to see in the world starts right here within us. When each and every one of us takes a conscious decision to think and act purely, the world will surely change. Swamiji said:

The highest men are calm, silent and unknown. They are the men who really know the power of thoughts; they are sure that, even if they go into a cave and close the door and simply think five true thoughts and then pass away, these five thoughts of theirs will live through eternity. Indeed such thoughts will penetrate through the mountains, cross the oceans, and travel through the world.

May we all establish a relationship like Rama and Hanuman & Master and Swamiji between our body and soul. Let that be our contribution towards dharma and world peace, is my sincere prayer.

With love and prayers always

Yogan

www.sudarshanavidya.blogspot.com

Litmus Test for Peace and Joy

Sita Ram

|| Aum Sri Ramakrishna Sharanam||

|| Aum Namo Narayanaya||

A clever and simple test that enables one to identify a substance as an acid or alkali can be the difference between a disfigured body and a healthy one. Swami Vivekananda has also enforced the principle of testing and experiencing rather than accepting something from others. Many false ideals and superstitions have been perpetuated through time because of this inability of humanity test ideas before accepting them.

The week tapered into an interesting programme for Ramayana Week celebrations which began on Thursday (attendance to which can become extremely challenging as the climate becomes conducive to Kumbhakarna’s favourite past time being sleep). But as the saying goes, ‘he who snoozes looses’ - it will become important for the true seeker to make an effort to attend classes on the Ramayana.

Unlike other religions who prescribe a single scripture for study, Hinduism has a scripture for every individual constitution and temperament. If you enjoy worshipping God by glorifying His form, you can do so by reading the wonderful Bhagavatam or Ramayana; and if you prefer to worship God as the formless, the Vedas are at your disposal. This is the accommodating nature of Hindu Dharma in taking you to that one truth that can be achieved through different paths, as explained by Sri Ramakrishna.

I have noted over the many years of attending Ramayana discourses that devotees melt into an emotional devotional bhav as they discuss the accounts of Sri Ramachandra’s life... and taking cognisance of His impeccable character and virtues, glorify Him as Mariyadha Purushotama. However, like a movie gone wrong... towards the end... many become disillusioned and annoyed at one particular incident where after the defeat of Ravana in an arduous battle, Lord Rama asks Mother Sita to prove Her chastity by placing Herself in fire.

I think before people start to criticise Lord Rama for this action and compare this to the improper treatment of woman, we need to understand that Puranas should not be looked at literally, but read with the intention of extracting the imbedded truths.

We are all familiar with the mythology of how Rama lived in Ayodhya after marrying Sita and just before He could be crowned King, He was banished to the forest for 14 years because of a promise His father made to His step-mum. Whilst in the forest, Sita was captured by Ravana. Accompanied by Hanuman and His allies, He defeated Ravana. Before returning to Ayodhya, Sita was asked to prove Her chastity in a fire. After emerging out of the fire pure, they returned to Ayodhya where they were crowned King and Queen and ruled the Kingdom. It is said during this time much prosperity, peace and joy reigned over the Kingdom and this period was aptly named Rama Rajya.

 

In order to understand the spiritual message of these events, I recall a discourse by Revered Swami Vimokshanandaji Maharaj where He adequately explained the concept of Ayodhya. Yodhya in Sanskrit means ‘pain’ and ‘suffering’ hence Ayodhya will be the opposite, He explained. We notice that Sri Rama’s woes started after His marriage to Sita (not that getting married is a bad thing always!!! Lol). The word Sita (she was found by her father while ploughing the field) in Sanskrit means ‘of the earth’. She is an allegory for the material world or materialism. Sri Rama represents the jiva who is search of mukthi. When one attaches oneself to materialism, then peace and joy (ayodhya) is replaced by misery (yodhya). Materialism will always bring to light its favourite friend -insatiable desires-, which is represented by the 10-headed-Ravana.

In the battle we read how difficult it was for Rama to kill Ravana as every time He shot his head, another grew in its place. A wonderful parable by Sri Ramakrishna amplifies the point:

Once a barber was taking rest under a tree and heard this voice who asked if he wanted 7 jars of gold. The thought of such increased his cupidity and at once replied with great delight “yes”. The voice instructed him to go home and he will find the gold. Upon his arrival he was surprised to find the jars as proclaimed by the voice but alas he saw only 6 full jars and the 7^th was only filled half-way. This incensed him and he wanted to fill the 7^th jar so he could have his 7 seven full jars of gold. He then melted as his gold ornaments into coins and tried to fill the jar, but alas it refused to fill up. He became miserable and eventually asked the king to double his salary and placed all that into the jar which still did not full up. His family was eventually starving whilst he begged door to door to try and fill the jars. One day the King came across him and was horrified to see his condition and told him that he noticed that when he was earning half what he did now he was more at peace and filled with joy. He then questioned if he has the 7 jars at home. The barber was surprised as to how the King knew of it. The King explained that he was also offered the jars but when he question if he could spend all 7 seven jars the voice disappeared. The barber having learnt his lesson returned the tree and asked the voice to take back the jars. The voice agreed and when he went home he found that the jars were gone together with all his wealth as well.

Once we kill desire it is important to remove our minds from worldliness and immerse it into spirituality and God. Hence, after the defeat of Ravana... Rama asks Sita to enter into the fire. The fire represents knowledge which burns ignorance caused by materialism (it is said that the real Sita was hidden long ago in the fire... so a duplicate Sita was captured by Ravana... and after the war, the duplicate Sita perished in the fire allowing the real Sita to emerge). The true Sita is Mother Luxmi Herself, who represents shakti, purity and divine energy. When the atman (jiva) once again unites with paramathman (divine energy), joy and peace return... which is represented by the return of Rama and Sita from Yodhya to Ayodhya to be crowned King and Queen.

For the spiritual aspirant, the materialism must be sacrificed into the fire of austerities like japa, meditation, prayer and seva activities that disconnect the self from lust, sense pleasure and greed... and replace that with peace, love, compassion and devotion... which will ensure that you live your life in Ayodhya under Rama Rajya.

May Sri Sita-Rama bless us with their grace so that we may never lured into the entrapments of material life, is my sincere prayer.

From Thursday to today, Hindus have been busy with New Year celebrations... here’s wishing all Telegu, Hindi and Tamil speaking readers respectively, a blessed New Year.   

With love and prayers always

Yogan

www.sudarshanavidya.blogspot.com

Destiny: a path created

||Sri Ramakrishna Sharanam||

Aum Namo Narayanaya

At this very moment, as I pen this blog -as certain as the sun rises in the east-, we can be assured that there are hundreds of thousands of people who are weeping on account of failed relationships, being hurt by a special person or even at the death of someone close. Everyday people go to bed or arise crying on account of this attachment or bond to someone, that has been broken. Our very ignorance of the nature of this universe and its laws is what solely contributes to the emotional ache that parasitically inhabits our being to such an extent that it ends in tragic circumstances in some cases. Proof of this glares us in the face when we read the daily newspaper or watch the news: the amount of divorces, quarrels before the court and the huge amount of suicides.

The irony of all this news is that it is full of worldly ignorance. I recall how Sri Ramakrishna refused to sit in a devotee’s house until the newspaper which was nearby was removed because it was full of worldliness. Going forward for many people is extremely difficult, hence the tragic endings and painful lives they lead thereafter. The only solution to this dilemma is to educate humanity of the true nature and laws of the universe.

In the ensuing week, Hindus throughout the world will prepare themselves by engaging in austerities and satsangh in commemoration of Ramayan Week, culminating in the birth anniversary of Lord Rama. The wonderful concept of studying the life of Lord Rama in the Ramayana gives the devotee an enlightened appreciation for Sri Rama as a son, brother, husband, ruler and father. The word Ramayana translates into Rama meaning ‘pleasing’ and ayana meaning ‘path’ – the path to joy or rejoicing.

 

The Ramayana remains eternally relevant because it delves into challenges that are affecting society in this very day. The style and language is easy and falls within the grasp and understanding of the common man... placing the goal of joy within sight.

 

I would like to expose the theme of karmic action which relates to my opening remarks as expounded by the Ramayana. If we understand this law of karma, we would be in a position to accept the consequences of them more gracefully... and sometimes we find that it can very well assist in our liberation, as seen in the case of Ravana.

 

Mythology explains (from internet): The daughter of the rishi Kusadhwaja, son of Brihaspati refers... When Ravana was passing through a forest in the Himalaya, he met with Vedavati - a damsel of great beauty dressed in ascetic garb. He fell in love and tried to win her. She told him that Gods and Gandharvas had sought to woo her, but her father would give her to no one but Vishnu, whom he desired for his son-in-law. Provoked at this resolution, Sambhu – the King of the Daityas, slew her father; but she remained firm to her father's wish, and practiced austerities to gain Vishnu for her spouse. Not daunted, Ravana urgently pressed his suit, and boasted that he was superior to Vishnu. He then touched her hair with the tip of his finger. This greatly incensed her, and she forthwith cut off her hair, and said she would enter into the fire before his eyes, adding: "Since I have been insulted in the forest by thee who art wicked-hearted, I shall be born again for thy destruction." So she entered the blazing fire and celestial flowers fell all around. It was she who was born again as Sita, and was the moving cause of Ravana's death.

In another incident: Dasaratha had killed a young boy named Shravan mistaking him to be an elephant. Dasaratha who was then a crown prince had gone hunting on the banks of river Sarayu. He was an expert in hunting by determining the direction of sound and heard the gurgle of an animal drinking water. Mistaking it to be an elephant, Dasaratha shot the arrow. He became mortified when he heard a human cry as the arrow found its target. Dasaratha hurried there to find a boy lying sprawled on the banks of the river with an arrow lodged in his chest. The boy rebuked Dasaratha for his unrighteous act and demanded that he pull the arrow out of his chest. He also told him to take the pitcher of water to his blind parents who must be waiting for him. The boy died. Dasaratha approached the blind couple and told them about his unfortunate death. The parents, grief-stricken, cursed the prince: “Just as we are dying due the separation from our beloved son, you too shall have the same fate”.

It is interesting to note how these actions played such a pivotal role in fanning out the events in the Ramayana. In Hinduism, all the karmic action that we accumulate is collectively called sunchita karma. Those that are ripe and ready to be enacted out in this life is called prarabdha karma. Sri Ramakrishna talked with His devotees about the pleasure and pain one has to go through during his lifetime because of his prarabdha karma (past actions).

Sri Ramakrishna said:

The fact is that pleasure and pain are the characteristics of embodiment. In Kavi Kankan’s ‘Chandi’ it is narrated that Kalubir was sent to jail and stones were placed on his chest. Though Kalubir was a highly favoured child of Bhagavati… when one takes up a body, one takes pleasures and pains with it.

The fact is that one reaps the fruit of one’s prarabdha karma. One has to remain in a body till one’s past actions are not cleared. Once, a blind man had a dip in the Ganga - he was freed from all his sins. But his blindness did not get cured (all laugh). It was the fruit of his actions in his past life, so he had to bear it.

Whatever be the pleasure and pain of the body, the spiritual knowledge of a bhakta and the wealth of his bhakti lasts. This treasure is never lost. Just see what calamities the Pandavas suffered! But they never lost their spiritual consciousness even once amidst their troubles.

 

Since there is no immunisation against our past karma, the only relief or antibiotic against the karma is to take the divine name of God. The sweet name of God -although cannot erase- can create an opportunity for your liberation. In the case of Ravana, we find that he had to be slain because of his past actions... but through his constant thinking and mentioning of his enemie’s name Rama - who was the Lord Himself, He was actually liberated at his death.

Let us take the name of God and rejoice at every moment, even in the face of challenges due to our past karma, is my sincere prayer.

With love and prayers always

Yogan

www.sudarshanavidya.blogspot.com