Kali Ma

KALI THE MOTHER

The stars are blotted out,

The clouds are covering clouds,

It is darkness vibrant, vocal.

In the roaring, whirling wind

Are the souls of a million lunatics

Just loose from the prison-house,

Wrenching trees by the roots,

Sweeping all from the path.

The sea has joined the fray, 

And swirls up mountain-waves, 

To reach the inky sky. 

The flash of lurid light 

Reveals on every side 

A thousand, thousand shades 

Of Death begrimed and black — 

Scattering plagues and sorrows, 

Dancing mad with joy, 

Come, Mother, come! 

For Terror is Thy name, 

Death is in Thy breath, 

And every shaking step 

Destroys a world forever. 

Thou Time, the All-Destroyer! 

Come, O Mother, come! 

Who dares misery love, 

And hug the form of Death, 

Dance in Destruction's dance, 

To him the Mother comes. 

- By Swami Vivekananda

Why Worship Mother Kali

Lecture by Pravrajika Shuddhatmaprana

Sri Ramakrishna describes his first vision of the Mother: "I felt as if my heart were being squeezed like a wet towel. I was overpowered with a great restlessness and a fear that it might not be my lot to realize Her in this life. I could not bear the separation from Her any longer. Life seemed to be not worth living. Suddenly my glance fell on the sword that was kept in the Mother's temple. I determined to put an end to my life. When I jumped up like a madman and seized it, suddenly the blessed Mother revealed Herself. The buildings with their different parts, the temple, and everything else vanished from my sight, leaving no trace whatsoever, and in their stead I saw a limitless, infinite, effulgent Ocean of Consciousness. As far as the eye could see, the shining billows were madly rushing at me from all sides with a terrific noise, to swallow me up! I was panting for breath. I was caught in the rush and collapsed, unconscious. What was happening in the outside world I did not know; but within me there was a steady flow of undiluted bliss, altogether new, and I felt the presence of the Divine Mother." On his lips when he regained consciousness of the world was the word "Mother". http://www.belurmath.org/gospel/introduction.htm

Kali the Mother

Lecture by Swami Atmajnanananda

"Every Manifestation of Power 

In the Universe is Mother.

She is Life."

- Swami Vivekananda

A Kali in Every Woman : Motherhood and the Dark Goddess Archetype

Swami Vivekananda : Vessel for God

Swami Vivekananda
(January 12, 1863  -  July 4, 1902)

Read the Complete Works

of Swami Vivekananda Online

THE CUP
This is your cup — the cup assigned 

to you from the beginning. 

Nay, My child, I know how much 

of that dark drink is your own brew 

Of fault and passion, ages long ago, 

In the deep years of yesterday, I know.

This is your road — a painful road and drear. 

I made the stones that never give you rest. 

I set your friend in pleasant ways and clear, 

And he shall come like you, unto My breast. 

But you, My child, must travel here.

This is your task. It has no joy nor grace, 

But it is not meant for any other hand, 

And in My universe hath measured place, 

Take it. I do not bid you understand. 

I bid you close your eyes to see My face.
By Swami Vivekananda

Prabuddha Bharata Magazine
 Read about Swami Vivekananda's Gift to the West

Vivekananda Line Drawing Artwork

Ecology and Evolution

IN PRAISE OF MOTHER EARTH 

by Thich Nhat Hanh

Homage to you Refreshing Earth Bodhisattva

Mother of this world with its many species.

We want to turn to you with respect,

Beautiful green planet in the midst of the sky,

You who have given birth to countless species,

Produced so many wonders of life,

Loved in the ultimate sense of non-discrimination,

Embraced all species not barring a single one,

Loyal and reliable, tolerant and stable,

The mother who bears all species.

Countless bodhisattvas spring up

From your fresh green lap.

Mother you embrace and transform

Sweeping away the hatred of humans,

Creating new life day and night,

Helping the earth to bloom with the flowers of heaven.

You are open to thousands of other galaxies,

Sharing your joy with the trichiliocosm,

By seeing that your true nature is interdependence.

Conserving and protecting so that nothing is lost,

Not being, not nothing, not eternal, not annihilated,

Not the same, not different, not coming, not going.

Your love knows no limits,

Your virtues no shortcomings.

Your nature is the Four Immeasurable Minds

Like the four great oceans they never dry up.

Whenever spring returns you wear a new robe

Of red roses, the green willow, beautiful and fresh.

When summer comes the vegetation displays its bright colors,

Wholesome seeds, sweet fruits are to be found everywhere.

How brilliant are the colors of the autumn forest

Until winter comes and snowflakes fill the sky.

The afternoon tide chants like the roll of thunder

The morning sunrise paints an incomparable picture,

Making visible all the splendors of the universe.

You are the most beautiful flower of the Solar System,

The wisdom that lights up the ten directions,

The mind that is open to all places.

Mother, you are the Paradise of the Present,

Making possible the future for all species.

We come back and take refuge in you,

With nothing to run after, accepting the unfavorable as also favorable,

Seeing that you are always in us and

Seeing ourselves in you for all of time.

May we follow your good example,

And live every moment with true peace and joy.

Homage to the Refreshing Mother Earth Bodhisattva

Vedanta Ecology and Evolution

Lecture by Swami Mahayogananda

- - - 

Essay on Global Ecology and Vedanta by Pravrajika Vrajaprana

Part 1

Part 2

Buddhism & Hinduism

Please Call Me By My True Name
by Thich Nhat Hanh

Don't say that I will depart tomorrow -- 

even today I am still arriving.

Look deeply: every second I am arriving

to be a bud on a Spring branch, 

to be a tiny bird, with still-fragile wings,

learning to sing in my new nest,

to be a caterpillar in the heart of a flower,

to be a jewel hiding itself in a stone.

I still arrive, in order to laugh and to cry,

to fear and to hope.The rhythm of my heart 
is the birth and death of all that is alive.

I am the mayfly metamorphosing

on the surface of the river.

And I am the bird 

that swoops down to swallow the mayfly.

I am the frog swimming happily

in the clear water of a pond.

And I am the grass-snake

that silently feeds itself on the frog.

I am the child in Uganda, all skin and bones,

my legs as thin as bamboo sticks.

And I am the arms merchant,

selling deadly weapons to Uganda.

I am the twelve-year-old girl,

refugee on a small boat,

who throws herself into the ocean

after being raped by a sea pirate.

And I am the pirate,

my heart not yet capable

of seeing and loving.

I am a member of the politburo,

with plenty of power in my hands.

And I am the man who has to pay

his "debt of blood" to my people

dying slowly in a forced-labor camp.

My joy is like Spring, so warm

it makes flowers bloom all over the Earth.

My pain is like a river of tears,

so vast it fills the four oceans.

Please call me by my true names,

so I can hear all my cries and my laughter at once,

so I can see that my joy and pain are one.
Please call me by my true names,

so I can wake up, and so the door of my heart

can be left open, the door of compassion.

Buddha, Shankaracharya and Swami Vivekananda Lecture by Swami Tattwamayananda

Training in Mindfulness - Deer Park Monastery

Homa Fire

 Pravrajika Vrajaprana performs Homa Fire Ceremony

Heart strings awaken
Divine melody
Senses reveal
Timeless being within

Stay aware luminous
Atman inside source
Grounded warm nourished
Teachings Mother's milk

Attain here infinite
Wonder content known
And knower dance on
Tip of Brahman's flame

Mirrored in Gaia's sphere
Celestial multitudes
Hold space for awareness
Transport glow of ages bliss

Into being sattva, rajas, tamas are
Awaken consciousness
Be my meditative puja joy
Forged in copper

Quiet changeless breath
Energy found
Love unconditional
Take me home

Om shanti, shanti, shanti, Om

- Andra Rubcic