Daily Reads-2: November 19, 2009

Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda – Volume VII

Though this book is in my Daily Reads collection, I find I am not actually read it daily – so many distractions, disturbances and demands on my time. What to do! However, today I could read it. I generally read only a page or two and savour what I have read.

From today’s reading, the following passage impressed me most and hence I am excerpting it here.

“The greatest sin is to think yourself weak. No one is greater: realise you are Brahman. … Stand up and say, I am the master, the master of all. We forge the chain, and we alone can break it.”

Daily Reads-1: October 24, 2009

1. The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna by Mahendranath Gupta –
(A beautiful translation from Bengali by Swami Nikhilananda – Published by Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai)

My Bible. Though read several times, reading again daily at the rate of one or two pages a day. Hence it occupies a special place on my table. It is a present from my dear friend, Dr.R.Janakiraman. He has very kindly inscribed the book for me. It reads: “To Suri, with Love, Signed R.Janakiraman, 07.07.1990.

Nearly for seven or eight years, it was just gathering dust in my bookshelf. A time came when I was going through a very miserable period in my life, somehow I sought out the book and started reading. It acted like a balm and changed the course of my life completely.

Read today pages 325-326. They contain some useful guidance for householders from Sri Guru Maharaj himself:

“Master: It is extremely difficult to practise spiritual discipline and at the same time lead a householder’s life. There are many handicaps: disease, grief, poverty, misunderstanding with one’s wife, and disobedient, stupid, and stubborn children. I don’t have to give you a list of them.

But still there is a way out. One should pray to God, going now and then into solitude, and make efforts to realize Him.”

Neighbour: “Must one leave home then?”

Master: “No, not altogether. Whenever you have leisure, go into solitude for a day or two. At that time don’t have any relations with the outside world and don’t hold any conversation with worldly people on worldly affairs. You must live either in solitude or in the company of holy men.”

Probably based on the views of the Master only, nowadays ‘Andar Yogam’ programs are conducted in the various branches of the Math. I did attend ‘Andar Yogam’ consecutively for three years at the Ramakrishna Tapovanam, Tirupparaithurai, Trichy District, Tamil Nadu. These 3-day Andar Yogams were conducted just after Sri Ramakrishna Jayanthi. They were unforgettable experiences and will remain ever green in my memory. They made my journey on the spiritual path a little easier.

Actually ‘Andar Yogams’ are conducted on a regular basis at Sri Ramakrishna Tapovanam, Tirupparaithurai. In case you are interested, you can write to them or get a copy of ‘Dharma Chakram’, the Tamil monthly, published by them.