RAMAKRISHNA NOMO SPIRITUAL JOURNEY

Ranganathananda, his life have become a part of the legacy of Ramakrishna movement, who himself was blessed by his Guru mentor Mahapurusjee most reverted Swami Shibananda, On his Guru, wrote--- I consider myself thrice blessed for getting shelter under a teacher of his spiritual eminence, for being offered by him at the feet of Sri Ramakrishna, and for receiving his ample blessings in as much measure as I could spiritually digest and assimilate. Being a the dust of Holy Path, I, am also grateful to my Guru as I am longing a thirst for a little –aspiration --for spiritual emancipation by the Grace of my Guru, and beloved my Lord The great Gurumaharaj. Guru Brahma, guru Vishnu guru dev Maheswara------------------- Divine Grace is taught in these religions as the ultimate of spiritual development and fulfillment. The

Divine Grace or self-surrender, or krpa or saranagati, as the baby- monkey [baby cat as told by Sri Takur] way and the kitten way respectively. The baby monkey holds on to its mother depending on its own grip, while the kitten only mews while the mother cat moves about, lovingly gripping it between her teeth. So, at the beginning of our spiritual life, we strive to develop character under the guidance of social ethics, what Moses presented as Law, what Vedanta speaks of as Dharma, in the context of interaction with other human beings, whether in a tribal setting, in the wider national setting, or in the widest international context. This training helps us to develop ethical virtues and graces, to humanize us, and to grow and expand beyond our organic and ego limitation. It is gives man the experience of his or her self transcending itself, even at this stage of self

-effort. And ‘unless we erect ourselves above ourselves, how poor a thing is man -sang Wordsworth. It is at this stage that our understanding becomes spiritually mature to recognize, and respond to, the pull of the transcendental, the touch of that dimension of Reality that lies above, the sensory level. This beginning of a more conscious striving in the spiritual life, above the merely moral or ethical level. In the language of religion, it represents a conciousturning to God or to its other spiritual equivalents. The gentle breeze of kripa, or Divine Grace, becomes felt at this stage, in the context of self-effort itself. Often we don’t have that comprehension, don’t want reckon with it. And there is no harm in that attitude, says Gita, and assures man: Depend upon yourself; this reliance is good and salutary and necessary. The Gita also tells us why this self-reliance this PURUSAKARA, is necessary, ‘’’depend ...on Divine GRACE, ON iswara kripa.

Spirituality pervades All Human life----Purusakara: Its importance for the child development—Purusakara : The OPENING Nott in the Yoga Song of the GitaWherefrom has come upon you , at this critical situation, this dejection, un-Arya- like, disgraceful, and not conducive to the attainment, O Arjuna?2—2to 3 STAND UP, ASSERT YOUR OWN MANHOOD, YOUR OWN WOMANHOOD. Develop your inner strength, -- NEVER YIELD TO THIS unmanliness, Partha, Its does not befit you. CASTING OFF THIS MEAN FAINT-HEARTEDNESS, STAND UP, o Scorcher of your enemies ch –5—6 Raise yourself by yourself, don’t let yourself down; for you are your friend, you are enemy.12 Self-Surrender: The Closing note in the Yoga song of GITA.18CH 66---Renouncing all dharma [ duties and responsibilities centered in your own ego ], take refuge in me alone. I shall liberate you from all sins; do not grieve. –18ch—64—65---Listen again to me when I AM Imparting to you the profoundest mystery of spiritual life; you are firmly dear to me; therefore I speak what is to your welfare. Absorb your mind with me, be my devotee, sacrifice unto me, bow down to me; truly do I promise you that you shall, verily, reach ME, [ FOR ] YOU ARE DEAR TO Me.Upasanam—Ramanuja—MEDITATION is SITTING NEAR, IN THE FORM of a constant and long remembrance of the subject of meditation, in a uniform flow, according to the teaching of the spiritual it, like an unbroken stream of oil poured from one vessel ton another.—Gita ch 7 14 Verily, this My divine Maya, constituted of the [three] Gunas of sattwa, rajas, and tamas ] , is difficult to cross over; those who take refuge in Me lone cross over this Maya.

Sri Ramakrishna used to recite song –I am not averse to granting muti-liberation to anybody, but I am very careful about granting bhakti devotion to anyone.

Divine Grace- It’s Presence behind Self-reliance and Self-surrender Sankaracarya in his Visnu- Saatpadi—When the sense of separateness between me and thee] is removed [in Samadhi], it is I who merge in Thee, O Lord, and not Thou in me; verily, the wave merges in the ocean and not the ocean in the wave. In 5ch –Knowing Me as the enjoyer of all sacrifices and austerities [done by beings], as the great Lord of the worlds, and [most intimately] as

The friend of all beings], [man] peace. Srimad Bhagavatam – Lord Vishnu to a devotee, it says 8ch 22—2 6—If birth, actions, [youthful] age, physical beauty, knowledge, power, ect. Do not cause arrogance in anyone, [know that] that is the sign of My Grace. Sankaracary on Vivekcudamani verse 3—Tree things are difficult to obtain and, if obtained, they are to be treated as the result of the Grace of the Divine; these are—human birth ,desire form spiritual emancipation , and guidance and –or help from a mahapusa –a great man

That is we are able to see one another and acquire varied knowledge. One can see God only if He turns HIS LIGHT TOWARDS His face…. IN THE SAME WAY , ONE MUST PRAY TO God – O Lord, be gracious and turn the light knowledge on Thyself that I MAY SEE Thy face. –Again—the doubts of the mind will not disappear without His grace. Doubts will not disappear without self-realization --- Swamijee says religion is realization --Speaking on My Master in New York in 1896 Swami Vivekananda emphasized this tangibility of spiritual giving and receiving—cw v5 –He alone teaches who has something to give, for teaching is not talking, treating is not imparting doctrines, it is communicating. Spirituality can be communicated just as really as I give you a flower. This is true in the most literal sense…. One touch, one glance, can change a whole life. I have read about Buddha and Christ and Mohammed, about all those different luminaries of ancient times, how they would stand up and say, BE THOU WHOLE, AND MAN BECAME WHOLE. I FOUND IT TO BE TRUE, AND WHEN I MYSELF SAW THIS MAN, ALL Skepticism was brushed aside. It could be done, and my master used to say, Religion can be given and taken more tangibly, more really than anything else in the world

Swamy Ranganathananda jee wrote, in Sri Ramakrishna’s view, the existence of many sects and religions not merely does not stand as obstacles in the way, but actually helps the realization of universal religion ? .. But its symphony is marred and distorted by the sharp and dissonant note of sectarianism. And sectarianism will disappear only when the world understands this new ideal of religious harmony taught by Sri Ramakrishna when men will learn to see truth in every sect, when men are taught to sympathize with and appreciate every sincere longing of the human heart, knowing it to be an urge towards light and truth, …Maharajjee wrote on HOLY MOTHER, To THE MOTHER of ANNAPURNA sorrowing at the thought of Holi Mother’s immense passing away, she said these words of up lifting consolation and strength : If you want peace of mind, do not look for faults in others. Rather look out to discover your own weakness. LEARN TO MAKE THE WHOLE WORLDYOUR OWN. No one here is an alien or a stranger, my child. The whole world is your own…….Let me conclude, with the beautiful Sanskrit verse composed by Swamy Avhedananda, direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna, in praise of the Holy Mother’s pure nobility: Whose character is all pure and whose life is similarly pure; who is the embodiment of purity divine, that shining Goddess I salute again and again.

In writings of Swamy Ranganathananda, book named ETERNAL VALUE OF CHANCING SOCIETY, essay, Swamy Vivekananda, the spiritual teacher of modern India—he wrote , Swamy Vivekananda was in every sense of the term a world spiritual; teacher. All his work in East or West was to summon men AND WOMEN TO THEIR SPIRITUAL HE heritage. In line with the great sages and seers of this country, Swamij taught men and women realize the divine that is embedded in man. All his activities in every part of the country and abroad have this one single objective Whether he spoke of India’s poverty, backwardness, untouchability and the need of our industrial development, or he spoke in the west about the need to practice toleration in the world of religion, his primary object was to give to man the priceless gift ATMAJNANA, self knowledge, to make men realize the ATMAN, the Divine that is within all. The way he developed a comprehensive spirituality out of this great Vedantic idea is unique. -- Religion, it is pure spirituality. …great masters the sages of the Upanisads and the teacher of the Bhagad-Gita. They taught us to the view religion as a matter of Anubhava or spiritual realization. Religion is being and becoming, said Swamy Vivekananda. Its does not consist in doctrines and creeds

Dogmas and churches and temples, but it consists in a struggle to realize the Divine. In Rig-Veda--- Truth is one; sages call it by various names. Sri Krishna in Gita – through whatever paths men come unto me, I receive them through those very paths; all paths, O, Arjun, eventually lead unto me only.

Swamijee, said in Chicago Parliament of Religions, I am proud to belong to a religion which has thought the world both toleration, and universal acceptance. We believe not only in universal toleration, but we accept all religions are true. I AM PROUD TO BELONG TO A NATION which has sheltered the persecuted and the refugees of all religions and all nation of the earth. He Swamijee is a spiritual teacher, GURU in Sankaracrya’s Hymn to the Guru: I salute the guru, who, by applying the collyrium of wisdom to the eyes of one suffering from the myopia of spiritual blindness, opens his eyes [to light and truth] quoted from Swamijee—education is the manifestation of the perfection already in man. Identical is his definition of religion: Religion is the manifestation of the Divinity already in man. –He took

Sri Ramakrishna says that all paths leads to same Gos.Only spiritual bliss, joy and blessing of God would shower as rain or dues as peace on us. Yes I assure you, my Lord lives with me, talks and walks beside me. Allow me to share my realization and divine experience. Please call on: e-mail address-somshyamal g mail.com /www Shyamal Som.blogspot.com / mobile no 9339196961 / land line -03324975750 /Residential address –A79DIAMOND PARK P.O-JOKA KOLKATA-700104 INDIA

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