vishwa bhanu feb march 2014

VOLUME 2 - ISSUE – 12 1 FEBRUARY-MARCH 2014

vakya holding within a great

potential for the survival of

mankind. Motherhood is the

golden thread which connects

us with the primeval mother,

the principal cause of the uni-

verse. Identifying oneself with

such an exalted cause is not

easily grasped by most of us.

Those who are unable to ab-

sorb this motherhood feel lost

in the torrents of that purifying

universal love and are afraid of

loosing all their false values.

Second point is, Amma

gave to temples a new mean-

ing, dimension and practical

relevance turning man away

from foolish pursuits of rituals

and making them concentrate

on the Power residing within.

World civilization is standing

at crossroads. Man has lost

his ability and willpower to dis-

criminate between good and

bad. As a result he is enhanc-

ing his tendency to drag down

the ‘good’ and trample it under

his feet. The latest expression

of this is the way the media

are trying to dishonor and dis-

credit Pujya Amritananda Mayi

Devi.

One thing which, we all

should understand is that this

challenge is not for Amma, but

for her devotees who love,

adore and worship her for the

Universal expression of moth-

erliness she embodies. “Matru

devo bhava”, “Vasudhaiva ku-

tumbakam’, ‘Universal

motherhood’, etc. are

ideals enshrined in the

sanatana dharma which

forms the basis of Hin-

duism wherein lies the

strength and glory of

Mother India.

First and foremost

Amma’s manifestation of

Universal Motherhood is

what enchants every-

body, irrespective of

caste, creed, and nation-

ality. For most people

bilogical mother is just a

machine fit only to pro-

duce children. They

have not tasted the deep

meaning of Matrudevo

Bhava which is a maha-

Bi-monthly bulletin of Vivekananda Kendra Vedic Vision Foundation

♦ WELCOMING OF VIVEKANANDA RATHAM

♦ ANNUAL DAY OF SANDIPANI SISUVIHAR

♦ NARAYANEEYAM SAPTAHAM

♦ GANAPATHI PRATISTHA DIVAS

♦ REGULAR ACTIVITIES

Inside this issue:

From the Editors deskFrom the Editors deskFrom the Editors deskFrom the Editors desk


Amma’s temples have no

commercial aura about

them. The deity is very

much inside oneself as well

as in the temple outside.

Through a variety of rituals

and pujas the power of the

deity is brought within the

reach of human mind which

brings lot of succour and

consolation to the individual.

Thirdly, religion got a new

meaning and practical rele-

vance when the rituals took

the form of “tyaga and seva”

and service of people be-

came the central core of

Math’s activity. Elsewhere

we find service of people

leading to their exploitation

and religious conversions,

often leading to annihilation

of the local culture.

Those who are

unable to absorb

this motherhood

feel lost in the

torrents of that

purifying

universal love and

are afraid of

loosing all their

false values.

All these are capable of

generating a lot of jealousy at

individual and even at national

and international levels, which

can find expression only in one

way, creating suspicion and

hatred among devotees lead-

ing to the downfall of the

movement. It is upto Amma’s

devotees to see that we do not

fall into their trap and cherish

the real values of Motherhood.

Let us remember Swami Vive-

kananda’s words that Jealousy

is one of the characteristics of

Indian people which prevent

them from expanding into high-

er reaches. Let us keep our-

selves safe from the octopus

grip of jealousy. It is our duty

to help the Math in everyway

we can to come out from the

shadow to Light.

Adversities and difficulties are sent by the Divine power to manifest our faculties and capabilities which have been

granted to us. We must channelized them for the proper

cause only and never for a wrong cause. Ma. Rknathji RanadeMa. Rknathji RanadeMa. Rknathji RanadeMa. Rknathji Ranade


SWAMIJI’S RATHAM ENTERS KERALA

19TH

February, Wednesday, Ratham

carrying Swamiji entered Kerala at

Palaghat after the parikrama of the

entire Tamilnadu. Two schools and

Chinmaya College students got the op-

portunity to receive the ratha in their

institution premises and to listen to the

lectures on Swamiji delivered by the

Ramakrishna Mision Swamiji Swami

Veerabhadranandaji and Mananeeya

Lakshmi Didi. The fourth programme

was at a temple premises of Palaghat.

Many eminent guests apart from Didi

and Ramakrishna Mission Swamis

were present for the programme. In

every place the reception was grand

and people especially the students

listened to all the speeches with rapt

attention.

LET US WORK HARD MY BRETHREN,

THIS IS NO TIME FOR SLEEP. ON OUR WORK

DEPENDS THE COMING OF

THE INDIA OF THE FUTURE.

SWAMI VIVEKANANDA


February is the month when we seek

the blessings of Sri Ramakrishna on our Sishu-

vihar children by coinciding their annual day with

Sri Ramakrishna Jayanthi. On 1st March Sri

Ramakrishna Jayanthi was celebrated as usual,

with the annual day celebration of Sishuvihar.

One notable thing was the wholehearted partici-

pation of our Samskarvarga children in the festiv-

ities through dance, skits, speech and so on.

That gave an opportunity for them also to

express their talents.

Sri P.S.S.Kaimal who was the sub

editor of our Vishwa Bhanu (Malayalam-

bimonthly) magazine, was honoured on the

occasion. He was recently awarded the

Sangeeta Sahitya’Acedemy’s Gurudakshina

Award.

Didi was the chief guest. Adding grace

to the occasion was our senior engineer well-

wisher of Kendra, Sri R.M.Pavitran who also

blessed the children on the occasion. Adding

more rhythmic charm to the occasion, the local

Thiruvadira group presented an attractive

Thiruvadirakali.

Four of our UKG children who

were to leave us this year were honoured

with certificates, shawls, books and

above all lighted lamps,emphasising their

role in the society as torch bearers of

Swamiji’s message.A new addition to the

entertainment was the kitchen dance

presented by the mothers of our Sishuvi-

har children. As usual, prizes were dis-

tributed to all the winners of competitions

that were held earlier.

ANNUAL DAY OF SANDEEPANI SISHUVIHAR


Use all things around you in the best possible way but for a higher purpose

only


Commemorating Didi’s seventy eighth

year, this year it was decided to have a

Narayaneeyam Saptaham rather than the

usual Bhagavata Saptaham.

NARAYANEEYAM SAPTAHAM


Sri Kesavan Namboodiri of the Naraneeya

Ashramam, Pundanur,Palakad, was ap-

proached and he readily agreed to con-

duct.Saptaham started on the evening of 5th

March, by Sri Kesavan Namboodiri and his

team.It continued for seven days. Concluding

ceremony was on 12th March. More than 200

people attented everyday. Anandadham was

filled with joyous songs and dances in the

praise of Lord Guruvayur, especially on Krish-

na Janma divasam and Rukmini Swamvara

day. In the evenings cultural programmes like

classical and traditional dances, songs and

instrumental music was arranged. Local artists

from in and around Kodungallur performed.

9TH March was the Pratishtha Divasam of

our Viveka Ganapathi temple. Early morning

Ganapathi Homam and Sri Cakra Puja was

conducted by the disciples of Shakti Upasak

Dr.Karumatra Vijayan.

This was followed by abhisekham and arati

of the idol of Ganapathi. In the evening the

temple was lighted with lamps and special

puja was performed.

GANAPATHI PRATISHTHA DIVASAM


YOGA SATRA– Yoga Satra for men and

women continued on monthly basis. In the

month of February there were 15 gents

for the morning satra and four ladies for

the forenoon class. No new satra was con-

ducted in the month of March, except for

a week long class for the Marine con-

struction labourers working in the Azhi-

kode beach area

YOGA VARGA– For the Yoga Varga aver-

age of ten men were present in the early

morning class.During weekends they had

their Varga on the sea beach. Four to

five ladies attended the uaual Yoga Varga

each day during the forenoon session.

KIDS YOGA– Ten to twelve children at-

tended weekly Saturday morning classes.

SAMSKARVARGA– Twelve to fifteen

children attended the weekly Sam-

skarvarga on all Sundays in Anandadham .

Fifteen children attended Samskar varga

class at Vinayakapuram twice a month on

Sundays.

KALARI-The Kalari training course con-

ducted by Sri N.Raghugurukan is running

smoothly . 15 students have registered

for the class three days a week i.e. on

every Monday to Wednesday.

SWADHYAYA VARGA- Every first Sun-

REGULAR ACTIVITIES

day of the month we are having Bhagavat Geeta class taken by Mananeeya Lakshmi Didi.

On 2nd February and March we had the class. About 10 people attended.

POURNAMI PUJA-Usual monthly Ganapathi Homam and Sri Chakra Puja was held on

14th February and 15th March on full moon days.


DIDI”S PROGRAMMES DURING THE MONTH OF

FEBRUARY-MARCH 2014

1st FEBRUARY Seminar On Indian Culture-

Asmabi College

8th FEBRUARY Yoga Teachers’ Meet,Anandadham

9th FEBRUARY Geetha Study Class, Anandadham

11th FEBRUARY Sanskrit College, Puranattakara-

TCR.Inauguration of Students ‘

Welfare Programme

12th FEBRUARY Cheroor-Surya Prabha Ashram.

19th FEBRUARY Programme at Palakkad at 3 places

Vivek Rathayatra Reception.

26th FEBRUARY Chief Guest at Bharat Vidya Mandir

Valapad ,Annual Day

27th FEBRUARY Programme at Sukritam-Edavilangu

Miss Katherine Heyer, Didi’d friend

from Switzerland visited Anandadham and

stayed for three days.

1st MARCH Annual Day of Sishuvihar.

2nd MARCH Geetha Study Class,Anandadham .

5th –12th MARCH Narayaneeyam Saptaham

22nd MARCH Protest Programma for Mata

Amritanandamayi, Police Maydan

23rd MARCH NSS Unit– inauguration of Spiritual class.

30thMARCH Programme at two places in Kozhikode

at Ramakrishna Math and at MATHA.


This simple sloka was written in ad-

oration of Swami Tapasyanandaji Maharaj by

late Pravrajika Shyama Prana Mataji of Sara-

da Math, Dakshineswar. It was passed on to

me when Mataji heard that I had taken

deeksha from Revered Swamiji. Simple

though the expressions are, they speak vol-

umes of the personality of Revered Swamiji.

Specially noteworthy was his great devotion

to Lord Krishna out of which came his classic

commentary on Srimad Bhagavata. Equally

important are his commentaries on Adhyatma

Ramayana, Narayaneeyam, Soundarya La-

hari and others. What stands out in all these

is his indepth knowledge, practical approach

and scientific explanations. Only a Poor-

nakumbha of knowledge and erudition could

have achieved such spiritual literary excel-

lence.

About his childhood and other personal

matters he was very reluctant to speak. His

meeting with Rev. Tulasi Maharaj in his child-

hood was a turning point as it led to strength-

ening his devotion to Sri Ramakrishna. As a

student of SSLC he started reading the com-

plete works of Swami Vivekananda as also

the Journal Prabuddha Bharata. He lost his

father early in life, but his mother was a great

devotee of Sri Ramakrishna and was a

guidepost in his spiritual wanderings. It is

said that Swamiji’s Mother had prayed to Ma-

hapurush Maharaj that one of her sons

should become a monk of Ramakrishna Or-

der! His visit to Chennai, meeting with Rev.

Swami Brahmanandaji Maharaj and Maha-

purush Maharaj were all part of the flow of his

life that guided him to the final decision to join

the Math as a Brahmachari.

He was a saint par excellence whose

life was totally centered on Truth and at the

Swami Tapasyanandaji Maharaj

A Poornakumbha of Knowledge

Dr M. Lakshmi Kumari

Swadhaya pravachne matto Mitha bashee sabhajayee

Taponishto nigudosi Paramapoota chittavan

Syad anandamayo bhavo Nandanandana varnane

Punah punah smaramiste Reejya samsara sagaram


same time dedicated to sharing it with the needy and the yearning. He was not a great ora-

tor, but his words had the power to go straight to the minds of liseteners and leave their

marks there. From 1942 to 71 he was the President of Ramakrishna Math, Trivandrum.

Under his guidance, care and concern for the patients, the small health centre at the Math

expanded into a grand hospital of repute which is a landmark in Thiruvanantapuram today.

It was during his Thiruvananthapuram days, that he made his name Tapasyananda truly

meaningful. Extremely difficult and strenuous were the days when he struggled almost sin-

gle handedly to build up the hospital. Indeed it was the culmination of a great tapas.

I was a worshipper of Swami Vivekananda from my childhood and others didnt enter

into my orbit at all, including Sri Ramakrishna. It was my surrender to Swami Vivekananda

that caught the attention of Late Mananeeya Eknathji Ranade, way back in 1975, which

was later instrumental in my leaving the sanctity and security of a governement job and

moving towards the unknown destiny that awaited me at Vivekananda Kendra, Kanyakur-

mari.

During my first visit to South Africa in 1987 I was the guest at the Ramakrishna Cen-

tre of South Africa, Durban. It was there that I watched and discovered with wonderment

the unfoldment of Swami Shivapadanandaji’s (President of the Centre) love and adoration

for Sri Ramakrishna and how it worked wonders among the large number of devotees,

predominantly of Indian origin. For them Sri Ramakrishna was the Saviour, Lord and Mas-

ter of their homes. Every home had a shrine for Sri Ramakrishna and Swami

Shivapadanandaji Maharaj had initiated all of them, including children and installed in their

minds the Great Master Sri Ramakrishna. So when I was staying with Swamiji, he could

immediately recognise the vacant throne in my shrine and he went on insisting that I must

take initiation from a great Swami and place Sri Ramakrishna as the Lord and Master in

my heart. Slowly and steadily listening to the innumerable stories, anecdotes and miracles

Sri Ramakrishna had worked among the devotees, my heart very naturally opened up to

receive the Master at the earliest. But who was to be my guru? The only Swami of Rama-

krishna order with whom I was very close was Rev. Swami Ranganathanandaji Maharaj.

Naturally I thought of him as the right person to give me deeksha, little knowing that the

appointment of one’s Guru takes place at a secretariat unknown to us, far far away some-


where at the cosmic realm. So it was with my case too.

When I broached the subject to Rev. Swami Ranaganathanandaji Maharaj, he was

very happy but expressed his inability to initiate me as only Vice Presidents are permited

to give initiation. Swamiji didnt want me to postpone my decision and kindly suggested

the name of Rev. Swami Tapasyanandaji Maharaj adding that he has lot of affection for

me. According to him Swami Tapasyanandaji was the right person to guide me towards

Sri Ramakrishna. I thought it over in my mind and said to myself that in it lies a message

for me, that more tapas is needed from my side. It was on Jan 28, 1989 that I was initiat-

ed by Rev. Swami Tapasyanandaji Maharaj at Chennai, Ramakrishna Math.

Ususally the disciples have a sense of fear for their Gurus, but I didn’t feel anything

like that and felt very close to him. Everytime I went to Swamiji, I would insist on his put-

ting his hands on my head and blessing me which he did happily, smiling. He used to ad-

dress me as Vivekananda Rock Memorial, which for me hid many shades of meaning

within.

In a flash it would bring to my mind the hard and dedicated work that had gone into

its making. It would remind me that I am only an instrument in the Lords’ hands as Man.

Ekanathji who was ordained to create this poetry in stone in the mid sea. It also pointed

to the need of polishing myself, a rough sharp edged stone into a fine smooth blazing

one. It used to bring tears to my eyes when I detected Swamijis’ message and blessings

in this address.

When Vivekananda Kendra decided to create an exhibition as part of the comemo-

ration of the centeneary of Swami Vivekananda’s parivrajaka life we invited Swamiji for

the foundation laying ceremony. It was on 2nd September 1989 that Swamiji laid the

foundation for the Wandering Monk exhibition. It has also now become a landmark at the

land’s end of India.

On 1st Septemeber we the life workers had a satsangh session with Revered Swa-

miji. Speaking on Swami Vivekananda Swamiji described him as the vibhuti of Sri Rama-

krishna. He added that Swami Vivekananda was like the epic Mahabharata from where

everyone can get what they want. To know the truth of these words one has only to go


through the Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda.

When the seventh edition of the Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda was pub-

lished, Swamiji as Vice President received one set of books for himself. He kept It with

him for months and later when I went to meet him at Chennai Math, he carefully took

them out and gave to me with the inscription, scribbled in his own hands “May the teach-

ing of Swamiji establish you in spritiual strength.” (2.9.1989) He felt confident that I

would make good use of it. Over the last one year I, indeed, made good use of the vol-

umes that would have pleased Swamiji very much. One attempt was compilation of 366

thoughts of Swami Vivekananda for daily reading in Malayalm at the request of DC publi-

cations, Kottayam. Following this exercise, I have now compiled another set of Swamiji’s

incomparable thoughts under the name “Incredible India, Love India as Swamiji Loved

Her” which has just now been published by Vivekananda Kenda Vedic Vision Founda-

tion. I am sure Swamiji would have been very happy seeing it, I can feel the flow of his

blessings.

My last visit to him was at Vijaya hospital during his last illness. He pointedly asked

me about the preparations going on for the proposed Bharata Parikrama and of course

showered his blessings for the success of the parikrama.

It is very difficult to evaluate the role of one’s Guru in modelling one’s life. So it is

with me, more so because my contacts with my Guru were very few and far between.

Firstly I was at kanyakumari as the Head of Vivekananda Kendra, and Swamiji was at

Chennai heading the Ramakrishn Math. Only when passing through Chennai could I call

on him occassionally and seek his blessings, which he poured on me in abundance invis-

ibly helping me in my spiritual expansion and ascent. Not even a single day have I

missed the japa of the mantra Swamiji conferred on me and naturally it is preceded by

pranams to my deeksha Guru who ever remains the guiding star in one’s spiritual evolu-

tion. This has given me the strength to admit always that my humble life is but an expan-

sion of the idea “ Apara mahima Guru Mahima’’


VIVEKANANDA KENDRA

VEDIC VISION FOUNDATION

ANANDADHAM, SRINGAPURAM, KODUNGALLUR,

PIN 680664. KERALA Ph. No : 0480-2803349, 2805780, 2812780

Email ID : [email protected]

vishwa bhanu feb march 2014

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