The early name of Swami Brahmananda was Rakhal Chandra Gosh. He came of an aristocratic family in Basirhat in the district of twenty-four Parganas. His father Ananda Mohan Gosh was a zemindar. His mother was a pious lady and a devotee of Shri Krishna. Perhaps it was she who gave her son the name Rakhal (meaning the boy-companion of Shri Krishna) when the latter was born on 21st January 1863. Unfortunately the mother died when Rakhal was only five years old. Soon after, his father married a second wife who brought up Rakhal. Rakhals education began in the village school which was started by Ananda Mohan chiefly for the sake of his son. As a student Rakhal was remarkable for his intelligence. But even as a boy he had varied interests in life. Physically he was much stronger than the average boy of his age. Nearby was a temple dedicated to the Goddes Kali. Often enough Rakhal would be found seated still and calm witnessing the ceremony, or at the hour of darkness, when the service was being performed Rakhal would be seen standing before the Deity in great devotion. Rakhal, from his boyhood, had instinctive love for devotional music. When begging friars sang songs in praise of Krishna the Flute-player of Vrindaban, or when anyone sang songs about the Divine Mother, he would become lost himself. After he had finished the primary education, Rakhal was sent to Calcutta in 1875 and admitted into an English High School. In Calcutta he came in contact with Narendra Nath, afterwards known as Swami Vivekananda, who was then leader of the boys of the locality. Narendra, with his dinamic spirit and born leadership, cast his influence over others and carried them along the path he thought right. Rakhal, meek, quiet and soft-natured as he was, easily come under his spell, and there grew a close friendship between the two which culminated in a common discipleship at Dakshineswar and bore far-reaching results. Alarmed at Rakhals indifference to studies and wordly things, his father got him married. Such, however, was the irony of fate that his marriage itself brought Rakhal in contact with the one who afterwards changed the hole course of his life. Swami Brahmananda, the `Spiritual Son of Sri Ramakrishna was the first president of the Ramakrishna Order. Known as Rakhal Chandra Ghosh in his premonastic days, he was born at Sikra, a village near Calcutta, on the 21st January 1863, of aristocratic parents. During the High School days of Calcutta he came into contact with Narendranath ( Swami Vivekananda ) which developed into an intimate lifelong friendship.Even from his child hood days he was given to devotional moods bordering on mysticism, which naturally led to indifference to studies. His father got him married at an early age to ward off the religious pursuits from his mind and fix him up in the world. Strange to say, this very tie of marriage brought him to Sri Ramakrishna who at once recognized in him his `spiritual Son as per the vision vouchsafed to him by the Divine Mother. Thus started a course of spiritual intimacy and intensive training under the loving care of the Guru, which resulted in several exalted mystic moods and spiritual experiences. After the passing away of Sri Ramakrishna, Rakhal , along with Narendra and other brother-disciples, embraced monastic life under the name `Swami Brahmananda. He spent several years as a wandering monk, visiting places of pilgrimage and practicing severe austerities. A little before the return of Swami Vivekananda from the West, he came back to the Baranagore Math and started living there. After his return and establishing the Ramakrishna Mission, Swami Vivekananda made over the responsibility of running the organization, to him remembering that Sri Ramakrishna had once remarked that Rakhal had the capacity to rule a kingdom. His uncanny sense in solving even knotty problem and spiritual eminence of Himalayan heights took the organization to new levels of glory and development. It was a long stewardship marked by work and worship remarkably blended together. During his tenure as the Head, he also guided many earnest spiritual seekers by taking them under his protection, thus fulfilling Swami Vivekanandas prophetic remark that Swami Brahmananda was veritably a spiritual dynamo. He passed away on 10th April 1922. Teachings Practise a little Japa and meditation every day. Never stop for a single day. The mind is like a restless child, it wants to runaway. You must bring it back again and again and apply it to the meditation on the Lord. Go on this way for two or three years, and then an inexpressible joy will fill your mind. Meditation and Japa appear dry in the beggining. But still you must engage the mind in the contemplation of the Deity, like swallowing a bitter medicine. Slowly spiritual joy will grow in you. People work so hard to pass an examination! To realise the God is even easier than that. Only let them call on Him with a calm, cheerful heart. Initiation into a Mantra helps concentration of mind, otherwise your mind will change and fluctuate; today you will like Kali-form, tomorow the Hari-form, and the next day perhaps the formless aspect of God. And thus your mind will not be concentrated on any one. Pranayama and other Yogic practices are not suitable to the present times and conditions. One must observe complete Brahmacharya in order to practise them. Ones food must be absolutely pure, Sattvika, and one must be guided by an expert teacher. Practice is the means of concentrating the mind. Pranayama, breath-control, is also one of the means. But it is not safe for a householder; if one is not continent, one falls ill. Moreover, one must have nutritious food, a fine place, and pure air. In order to have meditation and concentration, you must practise in solitude. The more you will try, the more you will achieve. Wherever you find condition favourable, say if there is a fine serenity, sit down and meditate. God is with form and is also formless and He is also above form and formlessness. What does Vedanta mean by saying that Brahman is true and the world is false? That the world as we see it now is false. The world vanishes in Samadhi, but you feel that you are experiencing a great joy. There is a spiritual eye of wisdom between the two eyebrows. When its vision opens, a fountain of joy is released. The whole universe is seen to be merged in bliss. This apparent universe, which you see, iis within the domain of the mind. The mind is the author, the mind has conjured it up. It cannot go beyond its own domain. Behind the mind, of which we are aware, is a subtle spiritual mind, existind in a seed form. Through contemplation, prayer, and Japa this mind develops, and with its unfoldment a new vision opens. This subtle mind also cannot reach God, the supreme Atman. But it leads you near to Him. At this stage, the world loses all its charm for the aspirant. He remain absorbed n the consciousness of God. Next comes Samadhi. The experience of Samadhi is indescribable-beyond is and is not. In this blessed experience there is neither happiness nor misery, neither light nor darkness. All is infinite Being, inexpresible. The mind is susceptible to suggestions. It learns whatever you teach it. If through discrimination you can impress upon it the joy and fullness of life in the spirit and the folly of worldly attachments, then your mind will devotee itself more and more to God. Everyone must have an ideal firmly established in his life. This ideal must never be lowered. The supreme ideal of human life is to know God. The Guru leads the disciple through different stages until he leaves him with the Lord. But there is no greater Guru than your own mind. When the mind has been purified through prayer and contemplation, it will direct you from within. Even in your daily duties this Guru will guide you. The way of steadying and purifying the mind is to retire into solitude, control all cravings, and engage yourself in contemplation and meditation. The more you occupy the mind with holy thoughts, the greater will be your spiritual unfoldment. Another means of steadying the mind is to let it wander; but keep watch over its workings. After some time the mind gets tired nd comes back to find peace in God. If you watch your mind, the mind, in turn, will keep watch over you. Can anything be achieved without spiritual discipline? Do you not see what severe disciplines even Avataras had to perform? Be self-reliant. Effort is indispensable to succes in spiritual life. Follow some discipline for at least four years. Then, if you dont make any tangible progress come back and slap my face. Resign yourself utterly to the Lord. He is everything. There is nothing besides. Never be calculating. Is self-surrender possible in a day? Work and worship must go hand in hand. It is very good if one can devote oneself solely to spiritual practices. But how many can do that? Two types of men can sit without work. One is the idiot, who is too dull to be active. The other is the saint who has gone beyond all activity. Work is a mean to the state of meditation. Instead of working for yourself, work for the Lord. Know that you are worshipping the Lord through your work. I will declare again and again and emphasize this truth-that however busy you may be in carrying out your duties, you must practise Japa and meditation. If you work and forget God, egotism and pride will overpower you. Therefore I tell you, never forget God, no matter whether you are working or sitting idle. To maintain this attitude you must keep your spiritual practices as well, whatever happens. The Gita and other scriptures emphasize the ideal of worship and meditation in the midst of the activities of life. I can confirm this from my own experience. Work and worship is the surest way to spiritual progress. Why are you afraid of work? Work for Him. You can overcome all disinclination for work if you consider it as dedicated to God. In performing Japa and meditation, certainly sufficient time and favourable conditions are important. But those who are inclined to practise spiritual exercises will do so under all circumstances. Cultivate the habit of constantly remembering God whether you are idle or engaged in work
Posted on: Thu, 22 Jan 2015 07:49:41 +0000
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