vishwabhanu october - november 2015

VISHWA BHANUVISHWA BHANUVISHWA BHANUVISHWA BHANU A Bi-monthly bulletin of Vivekananda Kendra Vedic Vision Foundation

Volume 4 Issue 4 October - November 2015

O ne of the tragedies of modern times is that we don’t need our mothers anymore. At the slightest provocation, we push our parents out of the house.

Should we redeem this situation?

Vedas and Upanishads are recognised as a spiritual treasure chest meant for the entire mankind, left with us Indians from time immemorial. It is the message of the Upanishadic ideas that has made India a spiritual destination for seekers of eternal wisdom.

It is the study of Upanishads that made Indians recognize the Oneness of the Universal Truth, the potential divinity in every being, the interconnectedness, interrelatedness and interdependence of all that exists in the universe which in turn led to an extraordinary level of tolerance towards “others”. Tolerance thus became the watchword of a true Indian. It is this spiritual wisdom that has percolated through generations of religious teachers, philosophers, kings, men of literature, so on so forth. In this

transfer of technology from Satya (Ultimate Truth) into dharma (life principles), the role of mothers stands unparalleled.

A Shivaji became Chhatrapati Shivaji and a Narendra, a world renowned Vivekananda, not mugging up Vedas and Upanishads, but by sitting in the lap of their mothers listening to the music of Advaita, universal love, tolerance, acceptance and tyaga and seva. A true Indian mother was a living Upanishad.

A woman transforms herself into a wife when she recognizes and identifies with the Advaita of love. A wife grows into a mother when she gets merged into the Oneness of love and she turns into a universal mother when she learns to love the One in everything in the universe. This spiritual truth, Indian rishis recognized aeons ago and modeled our families and human relationships in the light of this knowledge of Oneness.

INTHISISSUE

“Mother” revisited

i Editorial

i Vijaya dashami and Vidya-

rambham programme

iiii Karyakarta Prashikshan

Shibir

i Campus Cleaning pro-

gramme

i Sadhana Divas

i Samidha

i Regular Activities

i Didi’s Programmes

i Holy Mother - An Educator

par Excellence

-2- Volume 4 Issue 4 October - November 2015

Values are based on Satya and dharma and can be transmitted from generation to generation only through living models. Values becomes valuable only when they are enriched through life experiences.

There is no greater Upanishad than a Mother. It is from her that we learn who we are and what is our co-relation with other individuals and beings. That is, we come to know our place in this infinite universe and how we are related to this infinitude. This is the essence of the knowledge that mothers pass on to their children providing them with life-giving, character-building ingredients. It is the mother who imparts the power of discrimination, unselfishness, love and sympathy to fellow beings in her children.

India is today losing her grip on herself, not because our Upanishads have disappeared. In fact, more and more commentaries and schools of thought are springing up glorifying the value of Upanishads. But alas! We are neglecting the living Upanishads in our homes. Neglecting mother is equivalent to bypassing Truth and other attendant life-sustaining values, such as Dharma, Satya, Yagna, Tapas and so on. Unless and until we restore our mothers into their pristine glory and learn to imbibe values tested and strengthened through their lives, there is no hope for our growth from within and without. Let us help our mothers to discover the Upanishads within them so that they can live, to preserve and pass on those values to posterity.

Incredible India — Love India as Swamiji loved

Compilation of Swamiji’s

By Dr. M. Lakshmi Kumari

` ` ` ` 150/-

Vivekananda Kendra Vedic Vision Foundation

Ananda Dham, Sringapuram, Kodungallur, Kerala

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Vijaya dashami and Vidyarambham programme

The auspicious Navarathri poojas started every day in the morning with a prayer session by the

Sandeepani Sishuvihar tiny tots along with their teachers in front of the ‘Bomma –Kolu’. In the

evening it concluded with the Chanting of Devi Mahatmyam by all the

inmates of the Kendra.

On Durgashtami morning at 10 a.m., there was a get together of the

ex-Sandeepani Sishuvihar students of the first two batches who are at

present in classes Xth to XIIth. 16 students turned up. Sri Arjun and

Gishore of class XII, took the initiative of calling all their classmates

and juniors to Anandadham. It was decided that every fourth Sunday

evening a Swadhaya Varga will be held in the campus, especially for

these ex-Sandeepani students.

In the noon Sishuvihar children enjoyed prasadam in Kendra after

placing their study books for puja before Goddess Saraswathi. A num-

ber of children of different age groups from neighbourhood also placed their books at the feet

of Saraswathi at the ‘Bommakolu’

Vidyarambham: On Dashami day, 23rd October, early in the morning, Sishuvihar tiny tots and

other toddlers from the neighbourhood came for Vidyarambham from Didi’s hand. After the

usual ritual of writing ‘Hari Shree Ganapathaye Namaha’ on rice, all the older children took their

books and read from them. All of them received prasadam.


Karyakarta Prashikshan Shibir

On 23rd October, a two day nonresidential Karyakarta Shibir was held in the campus. 27 partici-

pants including 8 students (Cl VI to XII), 5 brothers and 14 sisters participated. Apart from

Mananeeya Lakshmi Didi who was present throughout, Sri Sudhakarji, Su Sutapa and Sri Raghuji

from Kanyakumari were also present as the organizing team.

There were five lecture sessions apart from group discussions and games.The topics of the ses-

sions were: i) Vivekananda Kendra a thought movement ii) Karyapadhati iii) Mananeeya Eknathji iv)

Swami Vivekananda and v) Kendra Prarthana.

For the group discussion, participants were divided into three groups according to their work abil-

ity viz: Samskar Varga group, yoga varga group and project activity group. Each group was led by a

coordinator. On the first day, the topic was ‘how can the activity be improved further.’ One from

each group was asked to present the report. On the second day, during group discussion, each

participant was individually asked as to how they could contribute and what would be their target

for the next three months. Almost all responded positively.

On the second day the last session from 3pm to 3.30 pm was kept for Sankalpa where each offered

flowers in front of OM and took their Sankalpa.


Campus cleaning programme

On 14th November, Sishudivasam was celebrated in a totally different way this time by the mothers

of the tiny tots of Sandeepani Sishuvihar.They volunteered to clean the campus of Anandad-

ham.Mothers, teachers and their tiny tots worked for two hours and cleaned the campus beautifully.

After shramanubhava, there was an address by Master Adith of LKG who was dressed as Chacha

Nehrufollowed by a talk by Didi. All of them enjoyed the refreshment after the talk.

SADHANA DIVAS

The one hundredth birth anniversary of Mananeeya Eknathji was cele-

berated on November 19th. To celebrate the auspicious day , children

of Shishuvihar under the able guidance of their teachers, put up a

short but sweet programme to convey in their own way, their grati-

tude and pay their homage to the great leader and founder of this

organisation. The audience being their mothers, inmates of Vedic Vi-

sion Foundation and the yoga varga participants who were present to appreciate their effort .

The programme started with prayer and a song in Malayalam on

Mananeeya Eknathji. Each child had memorised a thought of

Mananeeya Eknathji from 'Sevanam Oru Tapas" (Sadhana Of Service)

and recited the thought in front of the audience. A short speech by

Mananeeya Lakshmi Didi on the significance of this day, followed.

Lastly there was pushparchana by all followed by Kendra Prarthana.


SAMIDHA Vivekananda Kendra Vedic Vision Foundation conducted 'Samidha' on 22nd November (Sunday). A

total of forty karyakartas including old patrons, well-wishers and those who are actively involved in

the project's activities.

Programme started with deepa prajwalan by Mananeeya Didi, Sri Ramachandra Prabhuji, a well-

wisher who had known Ma.Eknathji personally and the other Poorna kaleen workers. A Malayalam

song on Ma.Eknathji composed by Smt Rema Menon, Didi's younger sister, followed. Didi's talk

was on the reminiscences of Eknathji. A short film on Ma.Eknathji was shown. The programme con-

cluded with shanti mantra and Kendra Prarthana.


REGULAR ACT IV IT IES

Satsanga Prabhashana Parampara

Classes on Srimad Bhagavad Geeta by Sri Girishji was conducted on the last Saturday and Sunday

of October.

Yoga Satra

Four ladies and Eight gents enrolled for the regular monthly Yoga satra class in the campus, from

first week of October. Four ladies were enrolled in the month of November.

A new yoga satra for women was started on 11th November in the locality of Sringapuram, consist-

ing of a group of twenty housewives belonging to the SNDP microfinance unit. The satra will be

once a week, on every Wednesday.

Three yoga satras of one month duration each at three different places of Kodungallur namely Eri-

yad, S.N.Puram and N.S.S.Hall –O.K.Hospital Road,have also been started for the ladies conducted

by the yoga students of V.K.Vedic Vision Foundation. An average of ten ladies are attending.

Ganapathi Homam and Sri Chakra Puja

Ganapathi Homam with Sri Chakra Puja was performed as usual by Karumatra group in the last

week of October and November on Pournami Day. On same days Sri Vishnusahasranam archana

was also held in the evenings when all inmates of Anandadham took part.

Samskar varga

Samskar Varga at two places namely Anandadham, Kodungallur and P.Vemballur continued as

usual.

Yoga Varga

Apart from the regular practice of Yogasanas –Pranayama in the morning and forenoon, by the participants, weekly on every Friday all the lady participants about twenty of them gather for yoga varga.

SKIE

The SKIE programme continued with 12 children on 10th and 18th of October and 14th and 22nd

of November; with focus on the academics, and concentrating on the practical application, so that

the children can prepare for their exams with added confidence.


DIDI’S PROGRAMME

November

1st Satsanghs at Bhagavad Gita Study class, Trissur

19th Satsanghs at Annual day celebrations of Ayyapa Bhajan Samity,

Methala

20th Religious Harmony day at Marthoma Church, Kodungallur

21st Book releasing function at Kodungallur

21st Satsanghs at Ayyappa Seva Trust, near Kalady

25th Satsanghs at Shanku Kulangara temple, S.N. Puram

27th Inauguration of Youth festival of LP School, Moothakunnam

October

11th Inauguration of Ashram for women at Pandikat, Mallapuram

13th Satsanghs at Majon Pathyoor, Durga Devi temple, Kayamkulam

15th Satsanghs at Bhadrakali Temple, Thoniyakavu, North Paravur

18th Inauguration of Bharat Vikas Parishad, Kodungallur

23rd Karyakarta Prashikshan Shibir, Kodungallur

2nd Lalitha Sahasra Namam Shakti Aradhana


HOLY MOTHER - AN EDUCATOR PAR EXCELLENCE

Dr. M. Lakshmi Kumari

“Education is the manifestation of the Perfection which is already in man’’ says Swami

Vivekananda. A great educator, therefore, has to be one who would help the students to manifest the

perfection which is already in him or her. The educator has to be perfect oneself and must also be ever

eager to impart this perfection to those he or she comes in contact with, that is, helping the finite being

to discover the Infinite within. How did an apparently simple ‘uneducated’ village belle transform herself

into an educator par excellence? It is interesting to look into Holy Mother’s life for clues which reveal the

magnificence of her inner transformation which goes beyond all our criteria of education. The

knowledge she acquired, without stepping into the corridors of learning was so perfect that she could

easily pass on infinitude to ordinary human beings once she ascended the throne of ideal Motherhood.

Let us start with her elementary training which integrated into her wonderful character building

foundational traits on which she built up her future life. Born into a poor strictly orthodox Brahmin family

gifted with unbounded wisdom, Sarada’s early childhood was automatically built on very strong

foundations so that it could easily carry the weight of the Infinite on them. These foundational pillars

namely, Truth, Dharma, Yajna and Tapas are the foundations of Sanatana Dharma. Her early life

experiences look apparently very elementary or ‘rural’ but they were all lessons in unfolding the

perfection inherent in her. Starting with her natural love and concern for the members of her family,

looking after the labourers who worked in the fields and the famine stricken multitude who came to

their village seeking help, finally praying for the spiritual welfare of the entire humanity – these are the

golden threads which we find woven into the fabric of her life from early childhood. Her faith in Almighty,

the various austerities which were part of an orthodox Brahmin family and of course her early association

with Sri Ramakrishna, helped her to mould herself into a wonderful human being, equipping her to

undertake the Spiritual Mission which was already waiting for her at Dakshineshwar.

Age of five was a turning point in her life as it brought her in contact with her Lord and Master at

whose side she was to spent her adulthood. Her husband proved to be not only her Mentor and Tutor,

but also her Supreme Lord and Guru.

Bereft of all superficial confusing influences of the so called modern education, she brought an

almost blank ‘mind slate’ as she came to her Master to share the bliss of married life. On one occasion

she pointedly asked Sri Ramakrishna what he thought of her, knowing which she could more fruitfully fill

up her role in his life. Without hesitation he imprinted on one side of her mind slate that she was none

other than the Divine Mother worshipped in the temple. On the other side he added the note that to him


she was no less than his grand old mother Chandramani Devi, who stayed near his own residence in the

Kali temple.

Sarada Devi could absorb the second lesson effortlessly as she had already started imbibing from

her mother-in-law those wonderful traits which had qualified her to become the mother of the best of

Avatars. In worldly sense, Chandra Mani was a perfect mother, simple, undemanding, full of natural faith,

rooted in Dharma and overflowing with love and concern for everyone around her. Truth manifested in

her as deep faith in their family deity Sri Ramachandra by whose grace, Gadhadhar, the Divine Child was

born to her. She was Dharma personified. With these two deep seated awareness of Satya and Dharma,

Chandra’s life turned out to be a happy combination of Nishkama Karma or Yajna and Tapas. Worldliness

found no entrance into her household. Herself an embodiment of purity the young bride Sarada fully

absorbed all these qualities as well as the worldly wisdom effortlessly as a dutiful daughter-in-law. These

lessons made her acquire all the maternal qualities that make life smooth, harmonious and fulfilling,

helping her to take care of not only her own fractured family but also of the larger and more variegated

family of the devotees of Sri Ramakrishna. Even those who could not be made ‘whole’ by Sri Ramakrishna

were sent to Mother for their training and enlightenment.

The second lesson was not that easy to learn and Sarada left it totally to her Master to enlighten

her on the divinity of her self. At an opportune time Sri Ramakrishna, through the famous Shodashi Pooja

bestowed on his consort the divine status and unfolded the divinity within her.

To understand the real greatness of Sri Sarada Devi we can draw comparison from that

immeasurably profound stotra on Divine Mother, the Lalithasahasranama. The very first word ‘Sree

Matha’ denotes that motherhood is the greatest of gifts that Divine Mother has bestowed on humanity. It

looks as though the Divine Mother was not pleased with the Adwaita of knowledge. She wanted to

inundate the world with the Adwaita of love and for that created the glorious Motherhood as the central

focus of her creation so that everyone, at some point or other, would taste the nectar of Oneness. Mother

is the kindergarten teacher helping the child to pick up the ‘abc’ of life. She is the window through which

the child looks at the world and evaluates its goodness. When in pain or pleasure the natural cry that

comes from a human being is for the Mother. She is the last consolation at the death bed. Languages

may be different but the feeling remains the same.

No wonder that Sri Ramakrishna insisted on Sarada acquiring the traits of a good mother first and

then elevate herself into Universal Motherhood. ‘Sri’ stands not only for wealth and prosperity but also for

‘poison’. A good mother has to consume or mop up a lot of poison that gets generated during

interactions as a human being lives his life in a family or community. How wonderfully Sarada Devi had

imbibed this lesson and passed it on to her disciples becomes clear in her famous last utterance. ‘If you

want peace of mind never find fault with others. But find fault rather with yourself. Learn to make the


world your own. Nobody is a stranger, my dear, the world is yours.” As Sarada ascended her steps

to perfection she became very naturally the embodiment of the epithets, which describe the

Divine Mother. She became the ‘Maharajny’ of the entire Ramakrishna Math and Mission which

recognized her as the Queen of the Sri Ramakrishna family. It didn’t stop there. Her nobility and

enlightenment percolated into the society which acknowledged her greatness by calling her as

Holy Mother. Thus did she ascend the throne of Supreme Motherhood as Simhasaneswari.

Like in all Avatars she was the Shakti who accompanied Siva to establish Dharma. Sri

Ramakrishna passed on to her the mantle of the great work of preserving Dharma which he came

to establish. After his Samadhi she remained as the pillar of strength and guidance for thirty four

years making sure that Sri Ramakrishna’s legacy is well taken care of and thus she became

Devakaryasamudyatha, ordained to do the Devakarya of not only establishing Satya and Dharma,

but providing consolation to the suffering humanity as the Mother of all.

Sri Ramakrishna ignited ‘chidagni’ the fire of knowledge in her through the Shodashi pooja

and made the Jnana Ganga flow through her. He made her jnanadayani and compared her to

Sarada the Goddess of Wisdom. Holy Mother played the role of teacher of Para and Apara Vidya

with equal and easy felicity, astounding one and all who went near her. The education she

imparted to those who lived with her in day-to-day worldly matters was simple, elegant and

wholesome. It always carried the fragrance of Advaita. ‘Abheda Bhava’ and ‘Samadarsana’ were her

abiding characteristics. Swami Vivekananda says all knowledge must lead ultimately to the

knowledge of Oneness. When Holy Mother brought her ‘Para Awareness’ to bear upon the daily

chores they acquired a beauty and perfection of their own. As her Apara knowledge started

manifesting more and more her Para Awareness, even her ordinary activities crystallized into what

Swami Vivekananda later called as Practical Vedanta and this is how Saradamani Devi, a finite

human being transformed herself into an educator of the Infiniteness of Motherhood.

Om Shanti! Shanti! Shanti!

ABBBBBD

vishwabhanu october - november 2015

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