A MOTHER'S JOB

SWAMI BHUTESHANANDA: Sri Ramakrishna used to send the earnest devotees to the Holy Mother for her advice. One day he remonstrated that Mother was feeding the devotees as a worldly mother and told her, “You gave Baburam so many chapatis. He ate so much. How can he meditate? At night he must have less food. So don’t give so much food to the boy. That will ruin his spiritual career. Who will then be responsible for his spiritual progress?” The Mother with all politeness and foresight said, “Thakur, I shall be responsible for that. Please don’t worry on this account. Moreover, feeding is a mother’s job. That is my domain and please don’t interfere in it.”

Thakur was not annoyed; he was very happy. That was exactly the role he wanted the Mother to play. That divine motherhood was unfolding itself in the Mother gradually. That was the intention of Sri Ramakrishna and that was the will of the Divine Mother. Once Sri Ramakrishna told Holy Mother. “Don’t you see that the people of Calcutta are squirming like worms in filth? Will you not help me do something for them?” In the beginning the Mother used to say. “What can I do? I am merely a woman.” Sri Ramakrishna would not be satisfied with such an answer, but would remonstrate, “You must help me in this work for regeneration of the people. You must help me. Be my associate in bringing about a change in these people.” And gradually she was also coming up to that stage.

Grateful thanks to 

HAPPY SRI KRISHNA JAYANTI!

PHILOSOPHY : THE GOOD LIFE - KANT

PHILOSOPHY - THE GOOD LIFE: KANT [HD]

227,300 views

Sep 12, 2015

Wireless Philosophy

294K subscribers

In this Wireless Philosophy video, Chris Surprenant (University of New Orleans) discusses the account of human well-being and the good life presented by Immanuel Kant in the his moral, political, and religious writings. He explains why Kant believes that the highest good for a human being is the conjunction of happiness and complete virtue and how it is possible for an individual to attain these two things at the same time.

 

Help us caption & translate this video!

 

http://amara.org/v/HFAX/

 

Grateful thanks to

Wireless Philosophy

Chris Surprenant

and YouTube and all the others who made this video possible 

FINDING HELP IN THE GITA!

THE MISSING YEARS OF JESUS - NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

 

THE MISSING YEARS OF JESUS

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

2,847,681 views

Dec 13, 2007

National Geographic

18.3M subscribers

 

Join historians as they attempt to solve one of the world's greatest biblical mysteries -- the missing years of Jesus. 

➡ Subscribe: http://bit.ly/NatGeoSubscribe

 

#NationalGeographic #JesusChrist #Bible

 

About National Geographic:

National Geographic is the world's premium destination for science, exploration, and adventure. Through their world-class scientists, photographers, journalists, and filmmakers, Nat Geo gets you closer to the stories that matter and past the edge of what's possible.

 

Get More National Geographic:

Official Site: http://bit.ly/NatGeoOfficialSite

Facebook: http://bit.ly/FBNatGeo

Twitter: http://bit.ly/NatGeoTwitter

Instagram: http://bit.ly/NatGeoInsta

 

The Missing Years of Jesus | National Geographic

https://youtu.be/Rxkz_ygndLU

 

National Geographic

https://www.youtube.com/natgeo

 

Grateful thanks to

National Geographic

and YouTube and all the others who made this video possible

SPIRITUAL AWAKENING

An excerpt from Swami Ranganathanandaji Maharaj's speech:

“When we speak of a temple, we often have a very narrow conception of it. We have hundreds of temples. We go there sometimes, talking all the time, pay four rupees to the priest to do some puja, and then come away. Our temple-going has become a simple, and often meaningless, act. It doesn’t produce any change in the individual. Today, you need a new type of temple, which will make for a change for the better in your own character. That is what Sri Ramakrishna is going to give. He never started a new religion. He never preached any creed or dogma. He only blessed every human being: ‘Let your spiritual consciousness be awakened!’ Whether you go to a temple, a church or a mosque, what is needed is spiritual awakening, and the character that comes out of that awakening.

This temple is dedicated to Sri Ramakrishna, who is a symbol of Universal Religion. Religion has become a bugbear nowadays, because it is often misunderstood. True religion does not create conflict, it does not disunite people; it gives meaning to our life, it gives us a binding, universal brotherhood, a universal human community. What is meant by Universal Religion? It does not mean a new religion, but it means a religion that will be understood and appreciated by everybody. For every community, sect, or nation, this will be a binding factor. Now, Sri Ramakrishna, if we understand him rightly, is the embodiment of what is meant by ‘Universal Religion’. He did not believe in sectarianism, but at the same time, he never violently discarded anything that others cherished as their ideal. All the different sects are to be united in the Universal Religion. This religion consists of the essence of all religions.

All religions are in essence the same. As Sri Ramakrishna used to say, ‘All jackals howl in the same way.’ All the leaders of religious thoughts speak the same language. Only, they are differently understood because of the different traditions, cultures and denominations of the different sects. That is a difference due to factors which are extraneous to religion. Religion is that which binds together. Religion becomes worthy of being called religion, only if it is universal. Sri Ramakrishna is symbolic of that Universal Religion. Swami Vivekananda laid emphasis on this future religion of mankind which will take into account all the different sects. And yet, it will be not an artificial combination, but a bouquet which will contribute its quota to the universality of the religion of mankind. That is what is expected to be the theme of this temple.”

Grateful thanks to

ON FAITH & PRAYER

FAITH, THE SECRET OF GREATNESS

Grateful thanks to 

A LONGING HEART

Grateful thanks to 

TEMPLES OF INDIA : SUN TEMPLE, KONARK

Do you know?

The Idol of the Sun God inside Konark Temple was built of a material with iron content & was used to float in air without any support due to the unique arrangements of the top, bottom and the reinforced magnets around temple walls before the Portuguese destroyed it.

The uniqueness of the Sun Temple of Konark lies in the fact that it was built with an architectural setup of various magnets. During the construction of the main tower of the temple the artisans put an iron plate between every two stone pieces.

Lodestone at the top of temple was said to be a massive 52ton magnet. 

Placement of the main temple & the Sun God had been aligned in such a way that the first ray of Sun from the coast would cross the Nata Mandir & would fall & reflect from the diamond placed at the crown of Sun God.

                                  

Grateful thanks to 

BIBLE QUOTES

FOR SPIRITUAL SEEKERS

GOD DOES NOT SLEEP!

Keeping Awake and Taking Care.

Place: Dakshineswar. Period: Sometime in the early 1880s. It's night and Latu (who later became Swami Adbhutananda) is fanning Sri Ramakrishna. Latu has worked hard all day and is feeling drowsy, but despite this, his service to Sri Ramakrishna does not slacken. The Master knows all of this. In a half-joking, half serious tone he asks: 'Latu, can you say weather God ever sleeps?'

Latu says he doesn't know.

Sri Ramakrishna continues, now more seriously: 'Everyone in the world sleeps, but God does not. If God slept , the  universe would be plunged into darkness and would dissolve. God must remain awake day and night taking care of his creatures, so that they can sleep without fear.'

Latu is amazed. He asks: "Do you mean God takes care of us all when we sleep and we accept service from Him?"

"Yes," Sri Ramakrishna says, "that is right. He lulls us all to sleep and stays awake to watch over us."

- Vedanta Kesari

Grateful thanks to 

FOR SPIRITUAL SEEKERS

SWAMIJI'S WIT & WISDOM

GANGES WATER

Once Swami Satprakashananda said to Swami Shivananda: "Some receive initiation from Holy Mother and some from Maharaj [Swami Brahmananda]. Is there any difference?"

Swami Shivananda replied: "I don't see any difference. The same Ganges water is coming through two faucets. The same grace of the Master is coming through Holy Mother and Maharaj."

According to Swami Shivananda, the "Ganges water" is Ramakrishna, who is purifying and awakening the God-consciousness of people who receive initiation from the gurus of the Ramakrishna Order. As an incarnation of God, the Master always reminded his devotees: "Satchidananda, or God , is the only guru, father, and master."  He could not bear anyone calling him "guru", "baba" (father), or "karta," (master). To avoid developing a narrow guru cult, all gurus of the Ramakrishna Order - from Holy Mother and the direct disciples down to the present swamis - have pointed out that Ramakrishna is the Ishta, or Chosen Deity, as well as the guru. He is " the goal, the support, the Lord, the witness, the abode, the refuge, and the friend."

-Sri Sarada Devi and Her Divine Play

Grateful thanks to 

FOR DEVOTEES OF SAI BABA

SAYINGS OF SWAMIJI

BIBLE QUOTES

FAITH OF DISCIPLES

Sometimes Holy Mother tested the faith of her disciples. Sarajubala recorded:

One day I went to Baghbazar and found Holy Mother resting after her lunch. She was gracious enough to ask me to fan her. Suddenly I heard her speaking to herself: "Well, you all have come here. But where is the Master?"

I said in reply: "We could not meet him in this life. Who knows in which future birth we shall be able to see him? But this is our greatest good fortune: that we have been able to touch your feet."

"That is true, indeed," was the brief remark of the Mother. I was rather amazed by this avowal. Very seldom did she speak of herself in such a way.

-Sri Sarada Devi and Her Divine Play

Grateful thanks to 

FOR SPIRITUAL SEEKERS

"Who can fathom the workings of God - His divine play? Man remains subject to happiness and misery as long as he is bound by Karma. This is the lot of every man - no matter whether he is learned or ignorant, good or wicked. Rare indeed is he who has attained unalloyed bliss! Only a man who is free from all cravings can find unending joy."

-Swami Brahmananda 

a direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna 

[in a letter to Balaram]

Grateful thanks to

RAMA AND KRISHNA INCARNATING AS RAMAKRISHNA

At Cossipore [Sri Ramakrishna] transmitted his power to me. … 

Three or four days before leaving the body, the Master called me alone to his bedside. He asked me to sit before him. Then he looked steadfastly at me and went into Samadhi. At that time I really felt that a subtle force, resembling an electric current, was entering my body. I gradually lost outer consciousness. I don’t remember how long I was in that condition. When I regained knowledge of the physical world, I found the Master weeping. On questioning him, he answered me affectionately: “Today I have given you everything I possess — now I am no more than a fakir, a beggar. By the power I have transmitted to you, you will do immense good in the world, and not until it is accomplished will you return”. I feel that power is constantly directing me to this or that work. …

[One day Sri Ramakrishna wrote on a piece of paper: “Naren will teach people”.] But I said to him: “I won’t do any such thing”. Thereupon he said: “Your very bones will do it”. 

Now, all the ideas, that I preach, are only an attempt to echo [Sri Ramakrishna’s] ideas. Nothing is mine originally except the wicked ones, everything I say which is false and wicked. But every word that I have ever uttered which is true and good is simply an attempt to echo his voice. …

Am I able to sit quiet? ... Two or three days before Sri Ramakrishna’s passing away, She, whom he used to call “Kali”, entered this body. It is She, who takes me here and there and makes me work, without letting me remain quiet or allowing me to look to my personal comforts. 

[Question: Are you speaking metaphorically?] 

Oh, no; two or three days before his leaving the body, he called me to his side one day, and asking me to sit before him, looked steadfastly at me and fell into Samadhi. Then I really felt that a subtle force like an electric shock was entering my body! In a little while, I also lost outward consciousness and sat motionless. How long I stayed in that condition I do not remember; when consciousness returned, I found Sri Ramakrishna shedding tears. On questioning him, he answered me affectionately: “Today, giving you my all, I have become a beggar. With this power you are to do many works for the world’s good before you will return”. I feel that power is constantly directing me to this or that work. This body has not been made for remaining idle. 

[Question: Did Sri Ramakrishna, out of his own lips, ever say that he was God, the all-perfect Brahman?] 

Yes, he did so many times. And he said this to all of us. One day while he was staying at the Cossipore garden, his body in imminent danger of falling off forever, by the side of his bed I was saying in my mind: “Well, now if you can declare that you are God, then only will I believe you are really God Himself”. It was only two days before he passed away. Immediately, he looked up towards me all on a sudden and said: “He who was Rama, He who was Krishna, verily is He now Ramakrishna in this body. And that not from the standpoint of your Vedanta!” At this, I was struck dumb. 

It is indeed a very difficult matter to be able to declare and believe a man with a body like ours to be a God Himself. We may just go the length of declaring him to be "a perfected one", or “a Knower of Brahman". Well, it matters nothing, whatever you may call him and think of him, a Saint or a Knower of Brahman. Never did come to this earth such an all-perfect man as Sri Ramakrishna! In the utter darkness of the world, this great man is like the shining pillar of illumination in this Age. And by his light alone will man now cross the Ocean of Samsara!

Swami Vivekananda

(Swami Sambuddhananda “Swami Vivekananda on Himself”, Ch. 2 “Discipleship”, pp. 38, 40-1)

Grateful thanks to 

SWAMIJI'S ROOM IN BELUR MATH

Grateful thanks to 

ON PRAYER

GOOD NIGHT PRAYER TO MOTHER

BIBLE QUOTES

FREEDOM & BHAKTI

Grateful thanks to 

TRUE END OF LEARNING

(15 August, 2021)

Shared bellow is the portion read today in the book:

THE SAYINGS OF SRI RAMAKRISHNA

Written by : SWAMI ABHEDANANDA

CHAPTER V 

BONDAGE OF BOOK-LEARNING 

THE TRUE END OF THE LEARNING 

(Continuation of 14 August, 2021 post)

164. Two friends went into an orchard. One of them possessing much worldly wisdom, immediately began to count the mango trees there and the number of mangoes each tree bore, and to estimate what might be the approximate value of the whole orchard. His companion went to the owner, made friendship with him, and then, quietly going to a tree, began, at his host's desire, to pluck the fruits and eat them. Whom do you consider to be the wiser of the two ? Eat mangoes - it will satisfy your hunger. What is the good of counting the trees and leaves and making calculations? The vain man of intellect busies himself uselessly with finding out the ' why' and ' wherefore' of creation, while the humble man of wisdom makes friends with the Creator and enjoys His gift of supreme bliss. 

165. One ray of light from my Divine Mother, Who is verily the Goddess of Wisdom, has power to cow down even the most learned of Pandits and make him appear like an insignificant worm crawling upon the earth. 

 

166. Utter the word Gita, in quick succession, a number of times—Gi-ta-gi-ta-gi-tagi. It is then virtually pronounced as Tagi\ Tagi\ which means one who has renounced the world for the sake of God. Thus, in one word, the Gita teaches, "Renounce, ye world-bound men! Renounce everything, and fix the mind on the Lord". 

167. In the course of his pilgrimage through the southern parts of India, Chaitanya Deva came across a certain devotee who was in tears all the while a Pandit was, reading from the Gita. Now this devotee knew not even the alphabet. He could not follow a single text of the Gita. On being asked why he shed tears, he replied, " It is indeed true that I do not know a word of the Gita. But all the while it was being read, I could not help seeing with my inner eye the beautiful form of my Lord Sri Krishna seated before Arjuna in a chariot in the field of Kurukshetra, and giving out all those sublime thoughts embodied in the Gita. This it was that filled my eyes with tears of joy and love." This man, who knew not letters, had the highest Knowledge, for he had pure love for God and could realise Him.

Grateful thanks to 

RELEASE FROM BONDAGE

Release From The Bondage 

Very early one morning a calf was pitifully crying in the outer courtyard of the Mother's house at Jayrambati. The calf was kept separated from its mother for the purpose of milking the cow. On hearing its cry the Mother rushed out, saying, 'I am coming, child, I am coming. I shall release you just now.' Coming to the courtyard, she freed the calf. I was wonderstruck on seeing this revelation of the compassion of the Divine Mother towards all beings. Alas! Only such an anguished cry can bring about the release of the soul.

-The Gospel of Holy Mother

Grateful thanks to 

TEMPLES OF INDIA : THE MODHERA SUN TEMPLE , GUJARAT

Ancient temples have always been one of the most amazing threads in the tapestry of Indian culture, and Gujarat surely has an spectacular array of temples to consider when charting out your next trip to the state. 

The Modhera Sun Temple was made by King Bhima I of the Chalukya dynasty in the early 11th century. 

It is a temple made to honour the Sun God in Modhera village of Mehsana district on the bank of River Pushpavati. The temple complex is divided into three parts – Gudha Mandapa (the shrine hall), Sabha Mandapa (the assembly hall) and Kunda (the reservoir). 

The temple is designed in such a way that during every equinox, the first ray of the rising sun would fall on a diamond placed on the head of the Sun God. This would also light up the shrine with a golden glow.

The Sabha Mandap stands on 52 pillars, signifying the 52 weeks in a year. There are carvings of the sun on the walls to show its unity with air, water, earth and space.

By : @chitrapeti_photography

#yesindia #architecture

Grateful thanks to

FIGHTING YOUR OWN THOUGHTS : SADHGURU

FIGHTING YOUR OWN THOUGHTS

SADHGURU

1,622,233 views

Jul 21, 2017

Sadhguru

8.07M subscribers

 

Don’t try to stop negative thoughts, says Sadhguru, as there is no such thing as a positive or negative thought. Fighting your thoughts is like fighting your own ghosts – you make them and then fight against them. If you win, explains Sadhguru, then you’ve really lost it!

 

#Sadhguru

Yogi, mystic and visionary, Sadhguru is a spiritual master with a difference. An arresting blend of profundity and pragmatism, his life and work serves as a reminder that yoga is a contemporary science, vitally relevant to our times.

 

Sadhguru Exclusive (Register Now)

⚡ http://isha.co/ex-yt

 

Sadhguru App (Download)

📱http://onelink.to/sadhguru__app

 

Official Sadhguru Website

🌎 http://isha.sadhguru.org

 

Donate Towards Crafting A Conscious Planet

🙏 https://isha.sadhguru.org/sanghamitra

 

Offerings from Sadhguru in Challenging Times

🌼 https://isha.sadhguru.org/sadhana-sup...

 

Guided Yoga & Meditations by Sadhguru (Free Online)

🌼 http://isha.sadhguru.org/5-min-practices

🌼 http://isha.sadhguru.org/IshaKriya

 

Inner Engineering Online Program

50% off  | FREE for COVID Warriors

🌼 http://isha.co/IEO-YT (Register Now)

 

Official Social Profiles of Sadhguru  (Subscribe)

🌐 https://youtube.com/sadhguru?sub_conf...

🌐 https://facebook.com/sadhguru

🌐 https://instagram.com/sadhguru

🌐 https://twitter.com/SadhguruJV

🌐 https://t.me/Sadhguru

License

Creative Commons Attribution license (reuse allowed)

 

Grateful thanks to

Sadhguru

and YouTube and all the others who made this video possible 

SIGNIFICANCE OF SRI RAMAKRISHNA

HOLY COMPANY

WHY DO WE COMMIT SIN?

Disciple: "If God is the father and mother of all, then why does He make us commit sin?"

Mother: "No doubt, God alone has become all these objects, animate and inanimate, but in the relative world all beings act and suffer according to their past Karma and innate tendencies. The sun is one, no doubt, but his manifestation differs according to objects and places."

Disciple: "If everything happens according to the will of God, then why does He not annual the law of Karma?"

Mother: "Yes, if He wills, He can shorten the period of evolution. But we do not know His will."

-Teachings of Sri Sarada Devi

Grateful thanks to