Hero, Warrior, Sannyasin

There is no other teacher but your own soul.

- Swami Vivekananda

Vivekananda

Sri Ramakrishna's life-breath,

Sri Ramakrishna's supreme gift to mankind,

Sri Ramakrishna's victory-song all-where!

The victory-world's delight you were;

Lo, the cyclone-valour of the Absolute!

You awakened your slumbering India,

You awakened humanity's sleep.

In you blossomed the Form Universal.

O hero-warrior sannyasin,

In the core of the creation,

Sleeplessly shall burn

The incense of your self-offering.

- Sri Chinmoy

Swami Vivekananda's Practical Vedanta

Lecture by Swami Sarvapriyananda

Swami Vivekananda taught of distinct 
spiritual paths and practices 
suited to four basic personality types:

For the Emotional:

Bhakti-Yoga or Yoga of Devotion

For the Active: Karma-Yoga or Yoga of Unselfish Work

For the Intellectual:

Jnana-Yoga or Yoga of Discriminating Knowledge

For the Meditative:

Raja-Yoga or Yoga of Mind-Control

READ ONLINE: 
The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda

“Vedanta claims that there has not been one religious inspiration, one manifestation of the divine man, however great, but it has been the expression of that infinite oneness in human nature; and all that we call ethics and morality and doing good to others is also but the manifestation of this oneness. There are moments when every man feels that he is one with the universe, and he rushes forth to express it, whether he knows it or not. This expression of oneness is what we call love and sympathy, and it is the basis of all our ethics and morality. This is summed up in the Vedanta philosophy by the celebrated aphorism, Tat Tvam Asi, ‘Thou art That’. To every man, this is taught: Thou art one with this Universal Being, and, as such, every soul that exists is your soul; and every body that exists is your body; and in hurting anyone, you hurt yourself, in loving anyone, you love yourself. As soon as a current of hatred is thrown outside, whomsoever else it hurts, it also hurts yourself; and if love comes out from you, it is bound to come back to you”  - Swami Vivekananda

Swami Vivekananda and the Parliament of Religions
Lecture by Swami Mahayogananda






“Sannyas means courage more than anything else, 

Because it is a declaration of your individuality, 

A declaration of freedom, 

A declaration that you will not be any more part of the mob madness, 

The mob psychology. 

It is a declaration that you are becoming universal; 

You will not belong to any country, 

To any church, to any race, to any religion.”

- Osho

I Am The Infinite Ocean

Look at the Ocean

Lecture by Swami Tyagananda

Yesterday

I lived bewildered,

In illusion.

But now I am awake,

Flawless and serene,

Beyond the world.

From my light

The body and the world arise.

So all things are mine,

Or nothing is.

Now I have given up

The body and the world,

I have a special gift.

I see the infinite Self.

As a wave,

Seething and foaming,

Is only water.

So all creation,

Streaming out of the Self,

Is only the Self.

Consider a piece of cloth.

It is only threads!

So all creation,

When you look closely,

Is only the Self.

Like the sugar

In the juice of the sugarcane,

I am the sweetness

In everything I have made.

When the Self is unknown

The world arises,

Not when it is known.

But you mistake

The rope for the snake.

When you see the rope,

The snake vanishes.

My nature is light,

Nothing but light.

When the world arises

I alone am shining.

When the world arises in me,

It is just an illusion,

Water shimmering in the sun.

A vein of silver on mother-of-pearl,

A serpent in a strand of rope.

From me the world streams out

And in me it dissolves,

As a bracelet melts into gold,

A pot crumbles into clay,

A wave subsides into water.

I adore myself.

How wonderful I am!

I can never die.

The whole world may perish,

From Brahma to a blade of grass,

But I am still here.

Indeed how wonderful!

I adore myself.

For I have taken form

But I am still ONE.

Neither coming or going,

Yet I am still everywhere. . .

I am the infinite ocean.

When thoughts spring up,

The wind freshens, and like waves

A thousand worlds arise.

But when the wind falls,

The trader sinks with his ship,

On the boundless ocean of my being

He founders,

And all the worlds with him.

But, Oh how wonderful!

I am the unbounded deep

In whom all living things

Naturally arise,

Rush against each other playfully,

And then subside.

From: The Heart of Awareness 

A translation of the Ashtavakra Gita by Thomas Byrom

KAMAL

Ripkyn Strader Murphy

R.I.P.

I want to tell you about a very special 20 year old Vedanta Society devotee. Four years ago, at the tender age of 16, a beautiful sweet soul, "Kamal" came to live with the nuns at the Santa Barbara Vedanta Society temple. After finishing high school early he was granted a rare, (for an American teenager) three year, full scholarship to Vivekananda University near Kolkata run by the Ramakrishna monks. His major of concentration was "Sanskrit" and "Vedic Culture". 

While in India,  Kamal decided to start a blog about his adventures as a way to keep in touch with family and friends.    
                                          
http://ripkynkamal.blogspot.com

Take a read through his blog. The posts are very informative with lots of photos and antidotes about local customs and his new Indian life. He was a very brave and wise spirit, old beyond his years, and everyone at the Vedanta temple was so proud of his maturity and high achievements. We all had hopes he would become a full fledged monk of the Ramakrishna order someday. 

I pray his writings will inspire you like they have me. We will miss his passing but we take great comfort in knowing that he has returned to that infinite ocean of unchanging love. Now enjoying the bliss of samadhi with Holy Mother, Thakur & Narendra. Shiva, Shiva, Higher Birth!!

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

EMAIL FROM KAMAL

From: Ripkyn Murphy <kamal.ripkyn@gmail.com>

Date: Saturday, June 23, 2012

Subject: Re: [India] New comment on Hey Mom, So I'm here at the University. They put....

To: <njoyart@gmail.com>

Dear Andra,

Thanks so much for putting the idea of starting a blog in my head, I think that will be the easiest way to let people know what's going on with me. Thanks also for linking my blog with yours, hopefully some people can find it and get something out of reading it. I looked at your blog and was very impressed, it's very well done and has a lot of great information on it. Vedanta needs more people like you who are willing to use the internet to spread the word to people who are searching for it.

Stay in Touch,

Kamal

Life Beyond Death 

Lecture by Swami Bhasarananda

In the words of Swami Vivekananda: 

"One day a drop of water fell into the vast ocean. 

When it found itself there, 

It began to weep and complain just as you are doing. 

The great ocean laughed at the drop of water. 

"Why do you weep?" it asked. "I do not understand. 

When you join me, you join all your brothers and sisters, 

The other drops of water of which I am made. 

You become the ocean itself. 

If you wish to leave me, 

You have only to rise up on a sunbeam into the clouds. 

From there you can descend again, 

A little drop of water, 

A blessing and a benediction to the thirsty earth."

- His Eastern and Western Admirers, Reminiscences of Swami Vivekananda, Advaita Ashrama, 1964

Article: Fear of Death 

Vedanta Society of North Carolina

OBIT
Ripkyn Strader-Murphy: 1996 – 2016 | Santa Barbara Independent

Pravrajika Anandaprana

62 Years of Service

Pravrajika Anandaprana Obituary

“My mind fell like a hailstone 
into that vast expanse of Brahman’s ocean. 
Touching one drop of it, I melted away 
and became one with Brahman.”

Listen to Teachings from Shankara’s Crest Jewel of Discrimination by Swami Prabhavananda

Is God's Book Finished?

Swami Vivekananda

(January 12, 1863  -  July 4, 1902)

Read How Swami Vivekananda Brought Yoga to the West 

BBC News Article & Video

Swami Vivekananda had this to say about the harmony of the worlds religions...

"I accept all religions that were in the past, and worship with them all; I worship God with every one of them, in whatever form they worship Him…. Is God’s book finished? Or is it still a continuous revelation going on? It is a marvelous book–these spiritual revelations of the world. The Bible, the Vedas, the Koran, and all other sacred books are but so many pages and an infinite number of pages remain yet to be unfolded. I would leave it open for all of them. We stand in the present, but open ourselves to the infinite future. We take in all that has been in the past, enjoy the light of the present, and open every window of the heart for all that will come in the future. Salutations to all the prophets of the past, to all the great ones of the present, and to all that are to come in the future!"

Swami Vivekananda the Bodhisattva Ideal 
Lecture by Swami Shantatmananda

Mother, In Vivekananda's Eyes
Lecture by Swami Kripamayananda

The Real Inner Temple

Devotees at Vedanta Society Temple Steps - Santa Barbara, CA

The Message of Sri Ramakrishna

Lecture by Swami Veetamohananda 

It is good and very grand to conquer external nature, but grander still to conquer the internal nature of man. It is grand and good to know the laws that govern the stars and planets; it is infinitely grander and better to know the laws that govern the passions, the feelings, the will, of mankind. This conquering of the inner man, understanding the secrets of the subtle workings that are within the human mind, and knowing its wonderful secrets, belong entirely to religion.  

-- Swami Vivekananda   (The Necessity of Religion - Jnana Yoga 1902 edition)

We should never for­get that our real objective is to enshrine the Lord in the heart of every man in the world, for the real tem­ple of the Lord is the human heart. There within the heart of every man the ground has to be con­se­crated, for it has been defiled by the pro­fan­ity of worldly desires and plea­sures. There on that con­se­crated ground let the tem­ple of Divine Com­mu­nion be raised and the over­flow­ing bliss of the Supreme Good reign. Infi­nite Bliss from within, that is the idea. Let the devo­tee be flooded over by this Bliss from within. Preach­ing is real only when this Bliss pro­vides for its own preach­ing. One devo­tee over­flow­ing from within with this Divine Bliss is worth a mil­lion dol­lars of pro­pa­gan­dist devices. One real tem­ple raised in the human heart is worth dozens of tem­ples built out­side. Remem­ber that our objective is really to raise the tem­ple from within. I pray that our Lord may shower His bless­ings upon you more and more, as He is doing, till your life becomes per­vaded through and through by a blessed­ness which is His love, which is He Him­self. May you be sub­merged in the real­ity of His Pres­ence. With lov­ing bless­ings to all,

Yours in the Lord,
Swami Pre­m­ananda

1861-1918

Living Inwardly 

Article by Swami Shraddhananda

Read the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna Online

Pravrajika Baradaprana

70 Years of Service

Pravrajika Baradaprana 

April 22, 1923 - January 4, 2014

Obituary

Know the Self, unborn, undying, 

Never ceasing, never beginning

Birthless, deathless, unchanging forever.

How can it die, the death of the body.

Bodies are said to die 

But that which possesses the body is eternal.

Know the Self, unchanging forever.

- Bhagavad Gita, Chp. 2, Translated by Swami Prabhavananda -

A Tribute to Pravrajika Baradaprana 

A Dedicated Life: What it Means for Us 

By Pravrajika Vrajaprana

The Beautitudes Teachings 
by Pravrajika Baradaprana

Longing for God

Yearning for God lecture by Pravrajika Servaprana

 "You seem to be quite satisfied with your present condition, but I tell you, 

do not remain satisfied with yourself as you are now.

Contentment with the external conditions, yes, but never

be contented with your state of spiritual growth. 
Become dissatisfied. Try to move ever onward in your search. 
Do not stop until you have found the diamond mine!"

- Swami Brahmananda -

Mother Durga

The Divine Mother slays the mythical demons 

(i.e. our worst traits = laziness, vanity, gluttony, jealousness, unforgiveness, etc.)

The Divine Mother "Shakti" is the creative energy, power and consciousness of the universe. All nature in its beauty is the divine mother. Music and art also are imbibed with the creative touch of the mother. The mother is Everything. Wherever we go we carry the divine mother enshrined in our hearts. Recognizing that she and us are indeed one. Good and Bad are one, not separate these are two sides of the same coin. Bondage and liberation belong to the mind alone. What we think so we become. Only by letting go of resentment can our arms be free to grasp the complete fullness of forgiveness. Mothers divine grace allows us to realize freedom and liberation while living in this worldly life. The world is saturated in divinity. Let all that we do be offered to the divine mother first, fragrance, good food, beautiful music, etc. as she is the creator. The best way to worship Mother Durga is through japa "Jai Sri Durga", meditation, ritual puja, homa fire and the taking of prasad. 

                               

The Story of Durga lecture by Swami Tyagananda

Disciples

Various Facets of Swami Vivekananda Lecture 
by Swami Chetanananda

Discipleship Speech by Swami Vivekananda

(Delivered in San Francisco, on March 29, 1900)

My subject is "Discipleship". I do not know how you will take what I have to say. It will be rather difficult for you to accept it — the ideals of teachers and disciples in this country vary so much from those in ours. An old proverb of India comes to my mind: "There are hundreds of thousands of teachers, but it is hard to find one disciple." It seems to be true. The one important thing in the attainment of spirituality is the attitude of the pupil. When the right attitude is there, illumination comes easily. What does the disciple need in order to receive the truth? The great sages say that to attain truth takes but the twinkling of an eye — it is just a question of knowing — the dream breaks. How long does it take? In a second the dream is gone. When the illusion vanishes, how long does it take? Just the twinkling of an eye. When I know the truth, nothing happens except that the falsehood vanishes away: I took the rope for the snake, and now I see it is the rope. It is only a question of half a second and the whole thing is done. Thou art That. Thou art the Reality. How long does it take to know this? If we are God and always have been so, not to know this is most astonishing. To know this is the only natural thing. It should not take ages to find out what we have always been and what we now are.
Yet it seems difficult to realize this self-evident truth. Ages and ages pass before we begin to catch a faint glimpse of it. God is life; God is truth. We write about this; we feel in our inmost heart that this is so, that everything else than God is nothing — here today, gone tomorrow. And yet most of us remain the same all through life. We cling to untruth, and we turn our back upon truth. We do not want to attain truth. We do not want anyone to break our dream. You see, the teachers are not wanted. Who wants to learn? But if anyone wants to realize the truth and overcome illusion, if he wants to receive the truth from a teacher, he must be a true disciple. It is not easy to be a disciple; great preparations are necessary; many conditions have to be fulfilled. Four principal conditions are laid down by the Vedantists.

Mahasamadhi

Sri Sarada Devi 

The Holy Mother 

1853-1920

Mother left her earthly body and entered into Mahasamadhi on this day in 1920. Worshipped during her lifetime as a manifestation of Divine Motherhood, Sri Sarada Devi's throne was the earthen floor. Her only adornments were the white sari with a thin red border and two simple gold bracelets. In place of bow, trident and other divine weapons, Mother carried a broom and basket. To take darshan of Mother was to help her with the daily chores of cleaning and preparing food for offering. Her principal concern was that her children have enough to eat. All who came were her children. Mother's benediction was an outstretched hand of welcome which bade one always to come again.

"Jaya Jaya Janani"

Victory to you, O Mother Sarada, embodiment of compassion. 

You are the primal energy and supreme manifestation of the divine.

You, Mother, are the refuge of even the lowliest of the lowly. 

Mother, you are the savior of the world, giver of fearlessness, 

remover of all pain and suffering. 

You are the mother of all creatures in the universe, ever engaged in protecting all.

O Mother, you remain covered with a veil of humility and shyness; 

to you both the wicked and the virtuous bow their heads. 

Victory to you, O Mother Sarada, embodiment of compassion.

Read about Sri Sarada Devi
by Swami Tapasyananda

Worship of the Divine Mother

Lecture by Swami Atmajnanananda

Unsolicited Grace: Accounts of Holy Mother

Sarada Devi Relics Stolen from Belur Math

Ramakrishna and His Disciples

Swami Vivekananda     --     Sri Ramakrishna      --      Swami Brahmananda

Pray constantly with a pure sincere heart:

"O Lord I don't know what is good and what is bad for me.

I am entirely dependent on you.

Grant me everything I need for spiritual life.

Take me along the path that will bring me the greatest good.

Give me the faith and strength to remember you

and meditate on you constantly."

- Swami Brahmananda -

The Teachings of Swami Brahmananda lecture by Swami Tyagananda

Holy Mother Puja

Sri Sarada Devi

"Don’t be afraid. Human birth is full of suffering and one has to endure everything patiently, taking the name of God. None, not even God in human form, can escape the sufferings of body and mind. I tell you one thing my child — if you want peace, do not find fault with others. Rather, see your own faults. Learn to make the world your own. No one is a stranger, my child; the whole world is your own."
(From Sri Sarada Devi’s last words, spoken before passing away on July 21, 1920)

Kali

Kali made an appearance at the 2012 Santa Barbara Solstice Parade

Kali Puja Video

Who in this world
can understand what
Mother Kali really is?
The six systems of philosophy
remain powerless to describe Her.
She is the inmost awareness
of the sage who realizes
that Consciousness alone exists.
She is the life blossoming within
the creatures of the universe.
Both macrocosm and microcosm
are lost within Mother's Womb.
Now can you sense
how indescribable She is?

The yogi meditates upon Her
in the six subtle nerve centers
as She sports with delight
through the lotus wilderness
of the pristine human body,
playing with Her Consort,
Shiva, the Great Swan.

When anyone attempts to know Her,
the singer of this song laughs.
Can you swim across
a shoreless ocean?
Yet the child in me still
reaches out to touch the moon.

Ramakrishna Puja

An essential part of puja for the Hindu devotee is making a spiritual connection with the divine. Most often that contact is facilitated through an object: an element of nature, a sculpture, a vessel, or a painting.  This icon is not the deity itself; rather, it is believed to be filled with the deity's cosmic energy. The objects are created as receptacles for spiritual energy that allow the devotee to experience direct communication with his or her gods. Puja is the act of showing reverence to a god, a spirit, or another aspect of the divine through invocations, prayers, songs, and rituals. Sat Chid Ananda Guru. Happy Birthday Ramakrishna!

Divine Mother Durga

Glory be to the Divine Mother Durga, remover of our distress and sorrow.

Glory be to Mother Kali, destroyer of all darkness and shame.

Glory be to the Goddess Uma, companion of Lord Brahma; 

Glory be to the incarnations of purity and love Sri Radha, Sri Sita, and Sri Rukmini.

Glory be to my spiritually compassion Mother Sri Sarada Devi, 

divine companion of Sri Ramakrishna, bestower of all knowledge and devotion.

I bow down, again and again, to the incarnations of Shiva and Shakti, 

embodiments of all peace and blessedness.