None Like Ramakrishna!

Whether Bhagavan Shri Krishna was born at all we are not sure; and Avataras like Buddha and Chaitanya are monotonous; Ramakrishna Paramahamsa is the latest and the most perfect -- the concentrated embodiment of knowledge, love, renunciation, catholicity, and the desire to serve mankind. 

So where is anyone to compare with him? He must have been born in vain who cannot appreciate him! My supreme good fortune is that I am his servant through life after life. A single word of his is to me far weightier than the Vedas and the Vedanta. 

                  - Swami Vivekananda, 

                     in a Letter to Swami Shivananda from US (1894)

Science and Religion

 

Harmony of Jnana, Bhakti

I agree with you so far that faith is a wonderful insight and that it alone can save; but there is the danger in it of breeding fanaticism and barring further progress.

Jnana is all right; but there is the danger of its becoming dry intellectualism. Love is great and noble; but it may die away in meaningless sentimentalism.

A harmony of all these is the thing required. Ramakrishna was such a harmony. Such beings are few and far between; but keeping him and his teachings as the ideal, we can move on. 

                   - Swami Vivekananda, 

                       Written to “Kidi” from Chicago 

Be Free

 

Sri Chaitanya Teachings

Q.: Then, sir, do instruct us which of the ideas preached by Shri Chaitanya we should take up as well suited to us, so that we may not fall into errors.

Swamiji: Worship God with Bhakti tempered with Jnana. Keep the spirit of discrimination along with Bhakti. Besides this, gather from Shri Chaitanya, his heart, his loving kindness to all beings, his burning passion for God, and make his renunciation the ideal of your life. 

                  - Swami Vivekananda, 

                      Conversations and Dialogues, 

                         at Calcutta, Surendra Nath Sen Diary

Not of World

 

Unity Behind Maya

"Om tat sat" is the only thing beyond Maya, but God exists eternally. … While the universe exists, God must exist. God creates the universe, and the universe creates God; and both are eternal. Maya is neither existence nor non-existence. … 

Persians and Christians split Maya into two and call the good half "God" and the bad half the "devil". Vedanta takes Maya as a whole and recognises a unity beyond it -- brahman. . . . 

             - Swami Vivekananda, Inspired Talks

Free from Good and Evil

 

Same Right to Attain Spirituality

He [Buddha] preached the most tremendous truths. He taught the very gist of the philosophy of the Vedas to one and all without distinction, he taught it to the world at large, because one of his great messages was the equality of man. 

Men are all equal. No concession there to anybody! Buddha was the great preacher of equality. Every man and woman has the same right to attain spirituality -- that was his teaching.  

                      - Swami Vivekananda, 

                        ‘Buddha’s Message to the World’, 

                            Talk at San Francisco

Reality of Everything

 

Living Embodiment of Sanatan Dharma

 … Shri Bhagavan Ramakrishna incarnated himself in India, to demonstrate what the true religion of the Aryan race is; to show where amidst all its many divisions and offshoots, scattered over the land in the course of its immemorial history, lies the true unity of the Hindu religion, which by its overwhelming number of sects discordant to superficial view, quarreling constantly with each other and abounding in customs divergent in every way, has constituted itself a misleading enigma for our countrymen and the butt of contempt for foreigners; 

and above all, to hold up before men, for their lasting welfare, as a living embodiment of the Sanatana Dharma, his own wonderful life into which he infused the universal spirit and character of this Dharma, so long cast into oblivion by the process of time. 

                 - Swami Vivekananda, 

                    ‘Hinduism and Sri Ramakrishna’

Stand up for God

 

Life of Whole Hindu Race

 … in the Ramakrishna Incarnation there is knowledge, devotion and love -- infinite knowledge, infinite love, infinite work, infinite compassion for all beings. You have not yet been able to understand him. 

"श्रुत्वाप्येनं वेद न चैव कश्चित् -- even after hearing about Him, most people do not understand Him." 

What the whole Hindu race has thought in ages, he lived in one life. His life is the living commentary to the Vedas of all nations. People will come to know him by degrees. 

                      - Swami Vivekananda, 

                          in a Letter to Swami Brahmananda (1895)

From Practice till Bliss

 

Universal Power

Mother-worship is a distinct philosophy in itself. Power is the first of our ideas. It impinges upon man at every step; power felt within is the soul; without, nature. And the battle between the two makes human life. 

All that we know or feel is but the resultant of these two forces. Man saw that the sun shines on the good and evil alike. Here was a new idea of God, as the Universal Power behind all -- the Mother-idea was born. 

                   - Swami Vivekananda, 

                      Lecture in New York, June 1900

 

Inspiration and Reason

 

Uniqueness of Sri Ramakrishna

What harm is there in some people worshipping their Guru [referring to Sri Ramakrishna] when that Guru was a hundred times more holy than even your historical prophets all taken together? 

If there is no harm in worshipping Christ, Krishna, or Buddha, why should there be any in worshipping this man who never did or thought anything unholy, whose intellect only through intuition stands head and shoulders above all the other prophets, because they were all one-sided? 

It was he that brought first to the world this idea of truth, not in but of every religion, which is gaining ground all over the world, and that without the help of science or philosophy or any other acquirement. 

                     - Swami Vivekananda, 

                         in a Letter to Haridas V Desai 

                          from Chicago (January 1894)

Idea of Heaven

 

Great Gifts

Shankara taught that three things were the great gifts of God: 

(1) human body, (2) thirst after God, and (3) a teacher who can show us the light. 

When these three great gifts are ours, we may know that our redemption is at hand. Only knowledge can free and save us, but with knowledge must go virtue.  

                           - Swami Vivekananda, 

                            Discourses on Jnana-Yoga, US

Self-sacrifice

 

Reconciliation in Gita

Wherein lies the originality of the Gita which distinguishes it from all preceding scriptures? 

It is this: Though before its advent, Yoga, Jnana, Bhakti, etc. had each its strong adherents, they all quarreled among themselves, each claiming superiority for its own chosen path; no one ever tried to seek for reconciliation among these different paths. 

It was the author of the Gita who for the first time tried to harmonize these. He took the best from what all the sects then existing had to offer and threaded them in the Gita.

- Swami Vivekananda, 

Gita Class at Alambazar Math, Calcutta 

 

Constructive and Not Destructive

 

Object-lesson for Future Generations

The life of Shri Ramakrishna was an extraordinary searchlight under whose illumination one is able to really understand the whole scope of Hindu religion. He was the object-lesson of all the theoretical knowledge given in the Shastras (scriptures). 

He showed by his life what the Rishis and Avataras really wanted to teach. The books were theories, he was the realisation. 

This man had in fifty-one years lived the five thousand years of national spiritual life and so raised himself to be an object-lesson for future generations. 

                         - Swami Vivekananda, 

                            in a Letter to Alasinga Perumal from US

                             (November 1894)

 

Transcending the Golden Rule

 

Greatest Avatara

Disciple: Do you, may I ask, believe him [Sri Ramakrishna] to be an Avatara (Incarnation of God)?

Swamiji: Tell me first -- what do you mean by an Avatara?

Disciple: Why, I mean one like Shri Ramachandra, Shri Krishna, Shri Gauranga, Buddha, Jesus, and others.

Swamiji: I know Bhagavan Shri Ramakrishna to be even greater than those you have just named. 

What to speak of believing, which is a petty thing -- i know! 

                   - Swami Vivekananda, 

                     Conversations and Dialogues, 

                        recorded by Sharat Chandra Chakravarty  

Will as will

 

Buddha's Greatness

The life of Buddha has an especial appeal. All my life I have been very fond of Buddha, but not of his doctrine. I have more veneration for that character than for any other -- that boldness, that fearlessness, and that tremendous love! 

He was born for the good of men. Others may seek God, others may seek truth for themselves; he did not even care to know truth for himself. He sought truth because people were in misery. How to help them, that was his only concern. Throughout his life he never had a thought for himself. 

How can we ignorant, selfish, narrow-minded human beings ever understand the greatness of this man?  

                - Swami Vivekananda, 

                  ‘Buddha’s Message to the World’, 

                      Talk at San Francisco

Tell Truth Boldly

 

Synthesised in Ramakrishna

The truth about it is that in point of character, Paramahamsa Deva beats all previous records; and as regards teaching, he was more liberal, more original, and more progressive than all his predecessors. In other words, the older Teachers were rather one-sided, while the teaching of this new Incarnation or Teacher is that the best point of Yoga, devotion, knowledge, and work must be combined now so as to form a new society...

... The older ones were no doubt good, but this is the new religion of this age -- the synthesis of Yoga, knowledge, devotion, and work -- the propagation of knowledge and devotion to all, down to the very lowest, without distinction of age or sex. The previous Incarnations were all right, but they have been synthesised in the person of Ramakrishna. 

                          - Swami Vivekananda, 

                               in a Letter to his brother disciples 

                                 from England (April 1896)

Be Azad

 

Christ Miracles

What were the great powers of Christ in miracles and healing, in one of his character? They were low, vulgar things that He could not help doing because He was among vulgar beings. 

Where was this miracle-making done? Among the Jews; and the Jews did not take Him. Where was it not done? In Europe. The miracle-making went to the Jews, who rejected Christ, and the Sermon on the Mount to Europe, which accepted Him. 

The human spirit took on what was true and rejected what was spurious. 

                              - Swami Vivekananda, 

                                Addresses on Bhakti-Yoga, New York

Absolute Reliance

 

Shining Pillar of Illumination

It is indeed a very difficult matter to be able to declare and believe a man with a body like ours to be God Himself. We may just go to the length of declaring him [Shri Ramakrishna] to be a "perfected one", or a "knower of Brahman". 

Well, it matters nothing, whatever you may call him or think of him, a saint, or a knower of Brahman, or anything. But take it from me, never did come to this earth such an all-perfect man as Shri Ramakrishna! 

In the utter darkness of the world, this great man is like the shining pillar of illumination in this age! And by his light alone will man now cross the ocean of Samsara! 

                     - Swami Vivekananda, 

                        Conversations and Dialogues, 

                            recorded by Sharat Chandra Chakravarty  

Dead Bodies

 

We are All One

 

Modern Ideal

In order that a nation may rise, it must have a high ideal. Now, that ideal is, of course, the abstract Brahman. But as you all cannot be inspired by an abstract ideal, you must have a personal ideal. 

You have got that, in the person of Shri Ramakrishna. 

The reason why other personages cannot be our ideal now is, that their days are gone; and in order that Vedanta may come to everyone, there must be a person who is in sympathy with the present generation. This is fulfilled in Shri Ramakrishna. So now you should place him before everyone. 

Whether one accepts him as a Sadhu or an Avatara does not matter. 

                - Swami Vivekananda, 

                     Notes on Class Talks 

Religious Conceptions

 

True Guru

The man in the street cannot claim to be a Guru. The Guru must be a man who has known, has actually realised the Divine truth, has perceived himself as the spirit. 

A mere talker cannot be the Guru. A talkative fool like me can talk much, but cannot be the Guru. A true Guru will tell the disciple, "Go and sin no more"; and no more can he sin, no more has the person the power to sin.  

- Swami Vivekananda, 

   ‘Discipleship’, Talk at San Francisco  

 

God of gods

 

Ordinary and Extraordinary

The ordinary experiences of our lives are no less wonderful than any miracles recorded in any sacred book of the world; nor are we any more enlightened as to the cause of these ordinary experiences than of the so called miracles. 

But the miraculous is "extraordinary", and the everyday experience is "ordinary". The "extraordinary" startles the mind, the "ordinary" satisfies. 

                     - Swami Vivekananda, 

                         Article written in New York Medical Times,

                            February 1895  

Glory of Human Nature

 

Ancient Mother

I do not see into the future; nor do I care to see. 

But one vision I see clear as life before me: that the ancient Mother [i.e. India] has awakened once more, sitting on Her throne rejuvenated, more glorious than ever. Proclaim Her to all the world with the voice of peace and benediction. 

                  - Swami Vivekananda, 

                   ‘Reply to the Madras Address’     

Man of Power who Preaches

 

Centuries of Servitude

This is my method -- to show the Hindus that they have to give up nothing, but only to move on in the line laid down by the sages and shake off their inertia, the result of centuries of servitude. … …

Each nation has a main current in life; in India it is religion. Make it strong and the waters on either side must move along with it. 

This is one phase of my line of thought. 

                            - Swami Vivekananda, 

                                 Written from Chicago (Jan 1895) 

Whole and Part

 

Give without Knowing

 

Steeped in Tamas

Myself: Well, Swamiji, it has always puzzled me that, while men of our country, unable to understand their own religion, were embracing alien religions, such as Christianity, Mohammedanism, etc., you, instead of doing anything for them, went over to England and America to preach Hinduism.

Swamiji: Don't you see that circumstances have changed now? Have the men of our country the power left in them to take up and practise true religion? What they have is only pride in themselves that they are very Sattvika. Time was when they were Sattvika, no doubt, but now they have fallen very low. The fall from Sattva brings one down headlong into Tamas! That is what has happened to them. 

Do you think that a man who does not exert himself at all, who only takes the name of Hari, shutting himself up in a room, who remains quiet and indifferent even when seeing a huge amount of wrong and violence done to others before his very eyes, possesses the quality of Sattva? Nothing of the kind, he is only enshrouded in dark Tamas. 

How can the people of a country practise religion who do not get even sufficient food to appease their hunger? How can renunciation come to the people of a country in whose minds the desires for Bhoga (enjoyment) have not been in the least satisfied? For this reason, find out, first of all, the ways and means by which men may get enough to eat and have enough luxuries to enable them to enjoy life a little; and then gradually, true Vairagya (dispassion) will come, and they will be fit and ready to realise religion in life. 

The people of England and America, how full of Rajas they are! They have become satiated with all sorts of worldly enjoyment. Moreover, Christianity, being a religion of faith and superstition, occupies the same rank as our religion of the Puranas. With the spread of education and culture, the people of the West can no more find peace in that. Their present condition is such that, giving them one lift will make them reach the Sattva. 

Then again, in these days, would you accept the words of a Sannyasin clad in rags, in the same degree as you would the words of a white - face (Westerner) who might come and speak to you on your own religion?

    

                   - Conversations and Dialogues, 

                     Recorded by Shri Priya Nath Sinha

                      (CW of Swami Vivekananda, Volume 5, P353 )

Perfectly Hopeless

 

Message of Sri Ramakrishna

This is the message of Shri Ramakrishna to the modern world. "Do not care for doctrines, do not care for dogmas, or sects, or churches or temples; they count for little compared with the essence of existence in each man, which is spirituality; and the more that this is developed in a man, the more powerful is he for good. Earn that first, acquire that, and criticise no one, for all doctrines and creeds have some good in them. Show by your lives that religion does not mean words, or names, or sects, but that it means spiritual realisation. 

Only those can understand who have felt. Only those that have attained to spirituality can communicate it to others, can be great teachers of mankind. They alone are the powers of light." 

            - Swami Vivekananda, 

                 Talk on ‘My Master’ 

Ocean and Wave