[2nd President and Spiritual Head: the Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa]
DAILY READINGS
Selected from Mother Radha's recordings of Swamiji.
Day 813
When someone sings [chants] the scriptures, or reads the scriptures, you use word symbols. Each word of the scripture is a symbol and every time you utter that a thought comes up. That is, positive thought. Positive thought, positive thought. Like [the invocation to Lord Vishnu] :
Shantakaram bhujagashayanam, padmanabham suresham
Vishwadharam gaganashadrisham, meghavaranam shubangam
Lakshmikantam kamalanayanam, yogibhirdhynagamyam
Vande Vishnum bhava bhaya haram sarva lokaikanatam
[Meaning: I adore Vishnu, the embodiment of peace, who sleeps in the serpent, whose navel is the lotus (centre) of the Universe, who is the Lord of gods, who is the support of the universe, who is the form of omnipresent ether, whose body is auspicious, who is the Lord of Lakshmi, whose eyes are like the lotus, who is attainable by the yogis through meditation, who is the one Lord of the worlds.]
Shantakaram….shanta is shantisvaroop [the form of shanti or peace]. When I think He (God is shanti, what am I thinking of? Of shanti (peace). So what thought is going out? Peace thought. He is the source of all peace. So what actually happens is that I think of Him lying down (resting), living and that word comes into my mind and inspires a thought. Equivalent to the vibration it's created outside (through it being verbalised). So the scripture's words are only symbols.
What is the the [purpose of the symbol? To fire a thought and that thought is most important. It can change the whole vibration of a particular place, of a particular man. After all, you know what the whole body is? It is mind. M-I-N-D [Swamiji spells it out letter my letter].
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.
For more about the Holy Trinity, and also the founding Swamis of the Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa, please mouse over their names below:
The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna - read online
Reference websites - please mouse over the name and click to connect:
Ramakrishna Math and Mission Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa Ramakrishna Dham
