Swami Shivapadananda

Swami Shivapadananda presiding at a Hanuman Jhanda ceremony

SWAMI SHIVAPADANANDA

DAILY READINGS

From Mother Radha's recordings of Swamiji

604

[At a Hanuman Jhanda (flag-planting and raising) ceremony – it appears to have taken place at the Ramakrishna Centre of Southern Africa in KwaZulu Natal South Africa, or at one of its branches. From the context, it seems that there were five monastic disciples present]

After reciting the Hanuman Chalisa (the poem-prayer-adoration of Hanuman) Swamiji said:]

O Hanumanji, how must I boast with you, about you? Because of bhakti [divine love or devotion] you gave up your human form; you preferred a monkey's form. But these people here are giving up bhakti; they prefer a nice form, a beautiful form. That is the difference between you and them.

[After Hanumanji's Arati Swamiji said:]

At home in your own shrine, do not feel ashamed. Just go ahead and say whatever comes into your heart, with whatever kind of praise comes into your heart, as long as it is uplifting. The poets have written these words in the Hanuman arati [ceremonial waving and offering of lamps/lights] but they have not necessarily said what your heart wants to say. You can say your own prayer. Hanumanji does not care to hear the same things over and over: Om jay Jagadisha hare etc. By now he knows that he is Jagadisha, Lord of the universe. You tell him what you want to tell him.

[Swamiji prays to Hanumanji after the Jhanda Ceremony:]

'You are the Lord of the whole universe. Even in a dream you did not think of getting married. O Lord, even in dream state you are always serving your Atman called Sri Rama. Lord, may this jhanda that we are putting here today bring that same purity to these Ramakrishna ashrams [monasteries].

'Wherever the ashram is may all people come there. May you somehow impel them to be truthful brahmacharis [male celibates, monastic novices or renunciates] and brahmacharinis [the female equivalent]. May you, like ten thousand thunderbolts, protect the sadhus [holy men and women] as you promised. May you always be the destroyer of asuras [demons] and adharmas [unrighteous acts], and ever be the beloved of Sri Rama [the great Hindu Avatar or incarnation].

'We do not know about these five people's past births but we know in this birth they have kept brahmacharya. Therefore we ask you, Lord, to accept this jhanda, this jhanda of the highest sattva [balanced, harmonious] quality, this jhanda of brahmacharya, and this jhanda of the karma yogi's rajasic [energy and activity-driven] qualities, to do God's work. Tamas [slothfulness] was not in you. May tamas go where tamas is needed. May these five people that are holding you get bhakti to your lotus feet. Hanumanji, these are brahmacharis who are offering you a jhanda here if you will accept it.'

1) Care should be taken by the reader to understand and take Swamiji's words in these postings, in context. Every teaching or instruction that he gave was specific to the people who were with Swamiji at the time. 2) Mouse-over the words highlighted in red in the posting for further explanation or links.

There are currently available, over 100 different CDs or DVDs with mp3 files, of Swamiji speaking. Please email timhoare@webmail.co.za to order. Click HERE for the second website on Swamiji's life and teachings.

Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Sarada Devi, Swami Vivekananda, Swami Nischalananda Puri, Swami Shivapadananda

Click Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna to read online...

Reference websites (please mouse-over the name to connect): Ramakrishna Math and Mission, Ramakrishna Centre of SA, Ramakrishna Centre of Southern Africa, Ramakrishna Dham, Swami Shivapadananda 2

 

Swami Shivapadananda on reading

SWAMI SHIVAPADANANDA

DAILY READINGS

From Mother Radha's recordings of Swamiji

603

We must improve our lives, uplift our lives and become the final word in motherhood, like Sri Sarada Devi Herself.

You may think that Sri Sarada Devi was an ordinary woman but do you know how much trouble she went through? Indian girls at that time were not allowed to read books but she would hide away and study religious books. Today our young girls and boys also hide away and read books; but they usually read love stories etc. This proves that they only have sensuality, and they want to improve on that sensuality. Sri Sarada Devi was not like that. She hid and read books or listened to books that increased her intense yearning for God. Outwardly she expressed this by doing all things that were dharmic [righteous].

Modesty in a woman can even make a man prostrate to God. Lord Shiva prostrated to the modesty of Mother Kali. Hari Om Tat Sat.

The more japa [meditative repetition of a mantra or one of God's many names] you do, the better for me.

Surrender to God and your nature will change.

I love Hanumanji so much. I know that Hanumanji is living. I know that he will answer anyone's prayer. This Hanumanji has fulfilled not only our prayers but Sri Rama's prayers as well. Sri Rama, the Universal God, the Lord of the whole universe, he who takes away the difficulties of the whole universe, wanted and needed Hanumanji to take away his difficulties. He took over the difficulties of Sri Rama. If he can take away the difficulties of Sri Rama do you think there are any difficulties that are too big for him? He gave life back to Lakshman, do you think that he cannot give us life? He is blessing itself. He is bliss itself. He is knowledge itself. Go, pray to him and experience him. This is my prayer.

1) Care should be taken by the reader to understand and take Swamiji's words in these postings, in context. Every teaching or instruction that he gave was specific to the people who were with Swamiji at the time. 2) Mouse-over the words highlighted in red in the posting for further explanation or links.

There are currently available, over 100 different CDs or DVDs with mp3 files, of Swamiji speaking. Please email timhoare@webmail.co.za to order. Click HERE for the second website on Swamiji's life and teachings.

Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Sarada Devi, Swami Vivekananda, Swami Nischalananda Puri, Swami Shivapadananda

Click Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna to read online...

Reference websites (please mouse-over the name to connect): Ramakrishna Math and Mission, Ramakrishna Centre of SA, Ramakrishna Centre of Southern Africa, Ramakrishna Dham, Swami Shivapadananda 2

 

Swami Shivapadananda on pilgrimage

SWAMI SHIVAPADANANDA

DAILY READINGS

From Mother Radha's recordings of Swamiji

602

   

When you go on pilgrimage it must not be for sightseeing. You must go to awaken your spirituality, to yearn for God Himself. You must feel the same love that the Rishi who founded that particular temple that you are visiting felt. Feel the same sacrifice that the Rishi who founded that particular holy place felt.

When Swami Vivekananda [pictured] took Sister Nivedita and the band of devotees from the West on pilgrimage, he had an experience at Amarnath. Swami Vivekananda said that he obtained the gift of immortality from Lord Shiva. Sister Nivedita [Margaret Noble, the Swami's western disciple] later qualified it by saying, 'Lord Shiva told him that whenever he wished to leave his body he would leave it.' Now that is immortality. He would still have to throw away the body, but throw it away at will.

Swami Vivekananda obtained his freedom there, at that particular time. He became conscious of his absolute freedom. Most of us can get free from many things but we never get free from death. We die when we do not want to die. Therefore that is not jivan mukta, it is 'mortal-mukta'.

Swami Vivekananda became absolutely free - just like Hanumanji who gives up the body when he feels like it, or keeps the body when he feels like it.

It is surprising that a westerner like Sister Nivedita could say that she felt that Sri Sarada Devi was the final word in Indian motherhood. Sister Nivedita also warned that we [of the Hindu culture] should not imitate the western world. She said, 'You may take the good in it but never imitate them in any other way.'

One of Sri Ramakrishna's disciples said, 'A woman can do anything in this world.' I say that a woman can even be like the Rani of Jhansi who got on a horse to fight and defend her country. Through it all she never lost her modesty. A woman who loses her modesty is no woman. In all things that you do, have that modesty.

1) Care should be taken by the reader to understand and take Swamiji's words in these postings, in context. Every teaching or instruction that he gave was specific to the people who were with Swamiji at the time. 2) Mouse-over the words highlighted in red in the posting for further explanation or links.

There are currently available, over 100 different CDs or DVDs with mp3 files, of Swamiji speaking. Please email timhoare@webmail.co.za to order. Click HERE for the second website on Swamiji's life and teachings.

Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Sarada Devi, Swami Vivekananda, Swami Nischalananda Puri, Swami Shivapadananda

Click Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna to read online...

Reference websites (please mouse-over the name to connect): Ramakrishna Math and Mission, Ramakrishna Centre of SA, Ramakrishna Centre of Southern Africa, Ramakrishna Dham, Swami Shivapadananda 2

   

 

Swami Shivapadananda on courage and truthfulness

SWAMI SHIVAPADANANDA

DAILY READINGS

From Mother Radha's recordings of Swamiji

601

   

Once somebody asked Swami Vivekananda: 'Have you realised God?' His reply was typical of him. He said, 'It is difficult enough to be a gentleman.' Gentlemanliness involves so many things: to be united with your brothers and sisters; to utter words which are sweet and pleasing to people and yet not bring harm to them; your sitting and your standing should not agitate anybody; your walking should not agitate anybody. So it is difficult enough to be a gentleman yet we foolish people think we have become God-realised.

Simplicity, purity, holiness. You must base your life on these things. Read the scriptures and see how you can be simple, not complicated.

Swami Vivekananda said to Sister Nivedita that he only wanted a few disciples who had the highest and best in life to renounce. Swami Vivekananda did not want a lazy person who could not make it at school or at work to come and take shelter at his feet.

Once one of Swami Vivekananda's friends came to him and said, 'Maharaj, [a term of respect, meaning literally 'great king'] I am so inspired with your life that I want to become a holy man, I want to renounce.' Swami Vivekananda looked down and said, 'Can you steal?' The man said, 'No.' Swami Vivekananda said, 'First go and learn to steal.'

If the man was not brave enough to steal, do you think he would be brave enough to be killed? Sannyasa [monastic renunciation] means nothing else but 'death'. If a man has thoughts like: 'What will others think of me if I say certain things?' then he can never practise truth, he can never be a renunciate. That is why Swami Vivekananda said: 'First go and learn to steal.' Do you think that a man who was afraid to go to jail if he was caught could live in the 'forest'? He could not even live in a nice jail. So his words may have been extreme but Swami Vivekananda was trying to say, 'Only the fearless, those sticking by truth, can realise God and no one else.'

Those of you who are too afraid to tell your husbands the truth, you cannot realise God. Those of you who are too afraid to tell your wives the truth cannot realise God. Tell each other the truth. There must be the understanding that your partner is always trying to help you, not run you down.

1) Care should be taken by the reader to understand and take Swamiji's words in these postings, in context. Every teaching or instruction that he gave was specific to the people who were with Swamiji at the time. 2) Mouse-over the words highlighted in red in the posting for further explanation or links.

There are currently available, over 100 different CDs or DVDs with mp3 files, of Swamiji speaking. Please email timhoare@webmail.co.za to order. Click HERE for the second website on Swamiji's life and teachings.

Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Sarada Devi, Swami Vivekananda, Swami Nischalananda Puri, Swami Shivapadananda

Click Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna to read online...

Reference websites (please mouse-over the name to connect): Ramakrishna Math and Mission, Ramakrishna Centre of SA, Ramakrishna Centre of Southern Africa, Ramakrishna Dham, Swami Shivapadananda 2

Swami Shivapadananda on purity

SWAMI SHIVAPADANANDA

DAILY READINGS

From Mother Radha's recordings of Swamiji

600

If you study the Ramayana you will find that Mother Sita's life was so very pure. Think about Mother Sita; she did not care for anything except her Rama; she did not give up her pure life for anything. And was Sri Rama any less than this? No. He was a king in his own right although for a time he was in a beggar's garb in the forest.

Their characters were not lost by this experience. Sri Rama's own kingdom did not tempt him; the 'kingdom' offered by Ravana did not tempt Mother Sita; nor was she tempted by all the psychic powers which were offered to her. Ravana said, 'Look, I control the moon, I control the stars, I even control death, O Sita. What is the beggar Rama compared to this? Marry me instead.' She refused straight away.

How many of us get attached to a holy man who performs a few miracles? Remember that no matter how advanced a holy man is, your Atman is still holier than him.

Ultimately Sri Rama and Mother Sita themselves were the victors because character was not lost; they led a simple life.

Similarly, a sannyasi [Hindu monk or Swami] is not tempted by the wealth of all the three worlds. He may wear a beggar's garb like Sri Rama but he knows he is a prince. He controls the ten senses. He is the son of God Himself. That is how you and I should be.

Sister Nivedita [Margaret Noble, a western disciple of Swami Vivekananda] had no miracles in her; but she had purity of heart. She could have done a lot of things with her beauty. But her purity in thought, word and deed became her all in all to serve her own guru, Swami Vivekananda. The thing that made her holy was devotion to her duty, devotion to her guru.

1) Care should be taken by the reader to understand and take Swamiji's words in these postings, in context. Every teaching or instruction that he gave was specific to the people who were with Swamiji at the time. 2) Mouse-over the words highlighted in red in the posting for further explanation or links.

There are currently available, over 100 different CDs or DVDs with mp3 files, of Swamiji speaking. Please email timhoare@webmail.co.za to order. Click HERE for the second website on Swamiji's life and teachings.

Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Sarada Devi, Swami Vivekananda, Swami Nischalananda Puri, Swami Shivapadananda

Click Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna to read online...

Reference websites (please mouse-over the name to connect): Ramakrishna Math and Mission, Ramakrishna Centre of SA, Ramakrishna Centre of Southern Africa, Ramakrishna Dham, Swami Shivapadananda 2

 

Swami Shivapadananda on non-conversion

SWAMI SHIVAPADANANDA

DAILY READINGS

From Mother Radha's recordings of Swamiji

599

[Pictured: The Ramakrishna Centre of Southern Africa temple at Avoca, on the north coast of KwaZulu Natal, South Africa]

[Continued from yesterday]

The Ramakrishna Centre [of Southern Africa] in no form whatsoever preaches conversion . . .

Whilst we accept all as human beings we also accept all as religious people. But above all we definitely stick to our principles like tenacious bulldogs. We must not give up our religious principles. They are our birthright.

At the Ramakrishna Centre we preach introversion not conversion. Mankind has gone out too much seeking pleasures in this world. While our dharma allows us to enjoy certain pleasures, we will enjoy them - like having a wife, having children, owning a building, owning a motor car and so on. Our dharma allows us to have these things but to have them in such a way that we do not get attached to them. Ultimately we must leave these too.

We want to be attached only to God but we take aid from these various things. If I have to climb a tree I may take the aid of a ladder but I do not get stuck to that ladder. So these things are different 'ladders' to help us. They are not there to break our inner spirit but rather to assist us. Whilst going up we take the aid of 'this' and let go of 'that'.

Sri Ramakrishna is the most Universal Being so far. Maybe there are others who will come one day when we are lacking, but he is the most Universal so far.

Sri Ramakrishna said that all the scriptures have contained truth but by following one scripture you yourself must try to improve your life and progress towards the spiritual goal - God-realisation. He himself did this.

1) Care should be taken by the reader to understand and take Swamiji's words in these postings, in context. Every teaching or instruction that he gave was specific to the people who were with Swamiji at the time. 2) Mouse-over the words highlighted in red in the posting for further explanation or links.

There are currently available, over 100 different CDs or DVDs with mp3 files, of Swamiji speaking. Please email timhoare@webmail.co.za to order. Click HERE for the second website on Swamiji's life and teachings.

Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Sarada Devi, Swami Vivekananda, Swami Nischalananda Puri, Swami Shivapadananda

Click Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna to read online...

Reference websites (please mouse-over the name to connect): Ramakrishna Math and Mission, Ramakrishna Centre of SA, Ramakrishna Centre of Southern Africa, Ramakrishna Dham, Swami Shivapadananda 2

Swami Shivapadananda on the validity of all the scriptures

SWAMI SHIVAPADANANDA

DAILY READINGS

From Mother Radha's recordings of Swamiji

598

[Continued from 597]

In the Vedas [very ancient Hindu scriptures] you will find it said that only those who practise religion as embodied in the Vedas will get immortality, will dwell in heaven or will be eternally free. Because of this you may say that we must stick to the religion of the Vedas. But let me ask you: If I was born now do you think my name would be mentioned in the books that were printed a hundred years ago? No. It is logical to say my name would not be found there. When the Vedas were written there was no Bible, so the Bible is not mentioned in the Vedas. There was no Qur'an at that time so it is not mentioned in the Vedas. There was no Dhammapada, so it is not mentioned in the Vedas.

That is why Sri Ramakrishna did not say, 'Practise religion only as laid out in the Vedas . . . ' He said, 'Practise religion as laid out in all the scriptures.' Sri Ramakrishna did not say, 'Follow the Bible', but by practising its teachings himself, he followed it. By becoming a Christian he followed it. By virtue of this fact he is telling us: 'There is truth in that.' By practising the Qur'an he is telling us, 'The truth is also in that.'

But we as Hindus must not be blind. We do not owe anybody anything. We are proud to be Hindus. And Sri Ramakrishna himself said that a Hindu should not become a Christian, he should become a better Hindu; a Christian should not become a Hindu, he must become a better Christian. Why is this? If there is a tap in your house and another tap in my house what is the need for you to leave your house and come to my house for drinking water? The water is already there, drink it.

The Ramakrishna Centre [of Southern Africa] in no form whatsoever preaches conversion. But a bad man can be converted into a good man by following his particular dharma [righteous path or 'way']. If he is born in that dharma it will be easier for him to understand it.

1) Care should be taken by the reader to understand and take Swamiji's words in these postings, in context. Every teaching or instruction that he gave was specific to the people who were with Swamiji at the time. 2) Mouse-over the words highlighted in red in the posting for further explanation or links.

There are currently available, over 100 different CDs or DVDs with mp3 files, of Swamiji speaking. Please email timhoare@webmail.co.za to order. Click HERE for the second website on Swamiji's life and teachings.

Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Sarada Devi, Swami Vivekananda, Swami Nischalananda Puri, Swami Shivapadananda

Click Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna to read online...

Reference websites (please mouse-over the name to connect): Ramakrishna Math and Mission, Ramakrishna Centre of SA, Ramakrishna Centre of Southern Africa, Ramakrishna Dham, Swami Shivapadananda 2

 

Swami Shivapadananda on the resurgence of Dharma

SWAMI SHIVAPADANANDA

DAILY READINGS

From Mother Radha's recordings of Swamiji

597

[Continued from 596]

Then came the time when dharma [righteousness] was embodied in the form  Sri Ramakrishna, in the form of Raja Ram Mohan Roy [pictured left], in the form of Dayanand Saraswati [Swami - pictured right] in the form of Rabindranath Tagore, [pictured below left] in the form of Keshab [Chandra] Sen [pictured below right]. And because we realise that our roots have been planted in the wrong place we are now uprooting them from there and planting them in these dharmic ideals, so that they will be revitalised, rejuvenated.

In the Western world, though people grew materially strong, spiritually they starved. But amongst them were people like Sister Nivedita; [the Anglo-Irish Ms. Margaret Noble - pictured below Tagore on left] and Swami Vivekananda [pictured below Chandra Sen on right] accepted, selected, and gathered many disciples from the West.

 In this case we find that though Sri Ramakrishna was born in India his  fruits are scattered all over the world. Is he confined only to India? He is the Universal tree. A tree that is even in the three lokas [realms of existence]. He is the Universal loka. His fruits fall on all. Sister Nivedita was one and Mr. Anthony Goodwin [the devoted 'scribe' who recorded in shorthand, so many of Swami Vivekananda's talks] was another fruit that dropped in a place other than India. In my opinion all the saints and sages who came after Swami Vivekananda (no matter to which organisation they belong) are all the fruits of Sri Ramakrishna. I say this because the principles that were preached by Sri Ramakrishna are now embodied and preached under the names of many other organisations. Sri Ramakrishna did the work of Sri Krishna himself. He actually said to Swami Vivekananda in his last days: 'He that was Rama and he that was Krishna is Ramakrishna.' It shows that he himself came to uplift his own principles in the form of the scriptures. Sri Ramakrishna uplifted all the scriptures of the whole world, regardless to which religion those scriptures belonged.

[To be continued]

1) Care should be taken by the reader to understand and take Swamiji's words in these postings, in context. Every teaching or instruction that he gave was specific to the people who were with Swamiji at the time. 2) Mouse-over the words highlighted in red in the posting for further explanation or links.

There are currently available, over 100 different CDs or DVDs with mp3 files, of Swamiji speaking. Please email timhoare@webmail.co.za to order. Click HERE for the second website on Swamiji's life and teachings.

Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Sarada Devi, Swami Vivekananda, Swami Nischalananda Puri, Swami Shivapadananda

Click Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna to read online...

Reference websites (please mouse-over the name to connect): Ramakrishna Math and Mission, Ramakrishna Centre of SA, Ramakrishna Centre of Southern Africa, Ramakrishna Dham, Swami Shivapadananda 2

 

Swami Shivapadananda on the world’s foundation

SWAMI SHIVAPADANANDA

DAILY READINGS

From Mother Radha's recordings of Swamiji

596

God's working is so wonderful. People do not know how, in invisible ways, He puts things together. In India in the last century there was a need for a certain kind of assistance. The life, the heart, the very existence of India is only spirituality. But the people had forgotten this ideal and without the backing of spirituality they were trying to accumulate material wealth.

Of course in the olden days when Sri Rama and Sri Krishna lived (in the body that is) India was prosperous, not only materially but spiritually. And the secret of that was that the leaders, the kings, the rulers, were deeply religious people. And because they were deeply religious people there was no fear. India's foundation was spirituality, and the walls built were material prosperity.

In the [Bhagavad] Gita it is said, 'The root of this world is in God.' And you and I know for sure that the root that gets nourishment from the all-powerful Being, God Himself, can never perish. How can it? It will not run short of anything. Its root is in God. To destroy this world you would have to destroy God Himself, and we know this is impossible.

But the difference is that the world we are living in is not buried in God, it is not deriving its nourishment from God. Your world and my world (we have individual worlds) is not in God. It derives its apparent vitality from pleasure, from ego, from name and fame. And therefore our world must perish because the supply of the vitality is adharma. [unrighteousness] When our world is embedded in dharma then it never perishes because the nourisher of dharma [righteousness] is God Himself.

We call Sri Rama the embodiment of dharma and therefore Sri Rama never perishes. We call Sri Krishna the embodiment of dharma because Sri Krishna never perishes. And in ancient times when India had its roots in dharma, it flourished. India at that time was known as the Mother of the whole universe. But now that Mother has become very old, and it appears people have left dharma. [To be continued in reading 597]

1) Care should be taken by the reader to understand and take Swamiji's words in these postings, in context. Every teaching or instruction that he gave was specific to the people who were with Swamiji at the time. 2) Mouse-over the words highlighted in red in the posting for further explanation or links.

There are currently available, over 100 different CDs or DVDs with mp3 files, of Swamiji speaking. Please email timhoare@webmail.co.za to order. Click HERE for the second website on Swamiji's life and teachings.

Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Sarada Devi, Swami Vivekananda, Swami Nischalananda Puri, Swami Shivapadananda

Click Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna to read online...

Reference websites (please mouse-over the name to connect): Ramakrishna Math and Mission, Ramakrishna Centre of SA, Ramakrishna Centre of Southern Africa, Ramakrishna Dham, Swami Shivapadananda 2

Swami Shivapadananda on the most important duty of all

SWAMI SHIVAPADANANDA

DAILY READINGS

From Mother Radha's recordings of Swamiji

595

You may be treating many other duties as important; you may think that if you do not do those other duties it will bring disgrace to you or that you may be scolded. Perhaps you feel that if you do not do those other duties, you will not get a 'piece of bread' or shelter. But you must rather think about that duty which, if not done, leaves you a brute; and sadhana [spiritual practice] is that duty. Do sadhana to keep inspiration and divine revelation in you.

But we cannot realise God just by sitting here in a Yoga [retreat] Camp for four days. Of course it is possible for the rarest ones that may already be God-mad. But can we sincerely say that we are God-mad?

I like one thing about drunken people: If they want to go and face someone whom they fear, they say, 'Let me get some dutch courage first. Let me put some spirits down my throat.' First they must secure that bottle of spirit - they must secure that which makes them intoxicated, as if mad. Then the next step is to prepare it. And the third step is to take it in. The last step the madness itself will accomplish.

Similarly the first step in spiritual life is to look for satsang [spiritual or religious service or gathering]. And having found it you have to prepare yourself - be seated there in the satsang. And after preparing for it, you have to take it in. Taking it in means you seriously have to believe that that which is said to you in the scriptures, by the gurus, is true. Take it in and put it into practice, then the task is already done. You will become God-mad, and when you are mad It Itself will accomplish Its own task.

You will be like a mad Sri Ramakrishna who cried day and night for God and God alone. But we must remember that for many years Master had associated with sadhus. [holy men, monks, nuns, mendicants] He had learned everything through his ears. He had prepared himself. He had looked for the satsangis [those.devoted to holy company and divine service] And when he was mad nobody was there to encourage him further, the madness itself made him restless. And when he became restless, utterly mentally restless, he found that which was restful, nay, rest itself: God, [the Divine] Mother.

1) Care should be taken by the reader to understand and take Swamiji's words in these postings, in context. Every teaching or instruction that he gave was specific to the people who were with Swamiji at the time.

2) Mouse-over the words highlighted in red in the posting for further explanation or links.

There are currently available, over 100 different CDs or DVDs with mp3 files, of Swamiji speaking. Please email timhoare@webmail.co.za to order. Click HERE for the second website on Swamiji's life and teachings.

Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Sarada Devi, Swami Vivekananda,

Click Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna to read online...

Reference websites (please mouse-over the name to connect): Ramakrishna Math and Mission, Ramakrishna Centre of SA, Ramakrishna Centre of Southern Africa, Ramakrishna Dham, Swami Shivapadananda 2