Newsletter January 25, 2012

Weekly Classes

Video Lecture – Jan. 20, Friday

Instead of the regular Bhagvad Gita class, a video lecture 'WISDOM OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA' by Swami Adiswarananda was shown which was delivered at the Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Center of New York, in June 2004.

The Song of the Sannyasin - Chester Boncek - Jan. 22, Sunday
Swami Vivekananda was inspired to write this great poem, "The Song of the Sannyasin," during the summer of 1895, while spending time with a dozen of his disciples at Thousand Island Park, New York.  The poem reflects many deep insights into the Goal of life, with renunciation as the means to reach that Goal.  The Sannysin, is one who renounces worldly life.  Such a person's asceticism can be characterized as exercising control and discipline to reach higher spiritual states. The poem starts by imploring us to "wake up" from our slumber of ignorance by meditating on Om: "Sing high that note, Sannyasin bold! Say--'Om Tat Sat, Om!'"  Swami Vivekananda then describes the fetters that bind us: likes, dislikes, and propensities that all lead to attachments. In particular, the "blinking lights" of attraction should make us cautious.  As he expresses, all embodied beings are subject to the laws of karma, and we are presently programming ourselves for our future actions.  Some of this karma we must live out, but some of it can be countered by our present thoughts and actions, as well as self-control.  The practice of ahimsa (nonviolence) is one expression this right thought and action.  As Swami Vivekananda expresses in the poem, "Peace to all: From me no danger be to aught that lives." The purpose of all these efforts to experience one's true Identity. "The Song of the Sannyasin" is a call to all of us to return to this Identity; each can hear the meaning according to his or her ability to receive.

The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna class – Jan. 24, Tuesday

We keep on questioning the suffering in human life, we don’t question happiness. This shows that happiness in intrinsic to us; it does not need a cause, while suffering is extraneous and thus needs to be explained. The more one gets entangled in the world, more of misery and suffering come. We are like kites flying in the sky who are actually controlled by someone else. Some rare kite breaks free. It is all God's sweet will. Due to the ignorance of our real nature, we get misery and sufferings in this play. Sri Ramakrishna told Nanda, as soon as one becomes aware of his/her real nature, there will be no question of pleasures and pain. One must try to enquire the real nature of the self. One day the truth will be dawned for sure. The enquiry of the self shows that this 'I' is not the body, mind or intellect. It is nothing but God alone. But mere intellectual understanding is not enough. One has to get it percolate within. This will resolve all the doubts and bring peace and happiness.
One more devotee present there - whose name was Pasupati agreed to Master's view. To him the Master said that in spite of having so much wealth he did not have any pride or ego. Absence of pride and peaceful nature bring the Grace of God. It is commonly  seen that wealth is so powerful that it captures the owner's mind and generates ego which is the biggest hurdle in God realization. Sri Ramakrishna gives example of Jadu Mallick who was a very wealthy person. It is difficult to eradicate the ego completely. But so long as it stays let that be like a servant of God, son of God or devotee of God or even as an enemy of God. This ego connects one to God. Ego generated out of lust and greed is unripe ego and must be renounced.