We are grateful to all those who have appreciated the post titled “Let us end the World”. There is a lot of gossip going around nowadays: let alone the old news of the December 2012 thing; there is a new thing now,  the Elenin comet. Scientists are calling fear about this stupidity.       Whatever be the [...]

What happens to us when we die? Where do we go? The Indian scriptures of the world tell us so many things. They speak of Chandra Loka, Surya Loka, Heaven, etc. Are they real? Swami Vivekananda’s excellent answer has been given below. _____________ 1. All these spheres or layers of the universe are only so [...]

The Buddha’s Visions Gautama Siddhartha saw the four famous visions — of a sick man,  an old man, a dead body, and a monk. These visions made a tremendous impact upon him, and knew he had a message to give to the world. The first vision of the sick man showed the Buddha that life [...]

Dear all, The greatest tragedy of Japan pains one and all. We feel helpless because of the distance, and because we cannot do anything at all. But we can do something for certain: Let us all send positive thoughts to all those dear Japanese, suffering so much. Let us all pray constantly for them. Let [...]

The Worldly Parasite It was a small upcoming company with a great promise. It had a team of dedicated souls, which was not only eager to build the company up, but also to work with a sense of value. All except one. This one person was a ‘special’ sort of a fellow. He had passed [...]

Though the Yoga that is practised in the West now is Hatha Yoga in its various forms, the actual, fundamental yoga system was brought to the Western world by Swami Vivekananda.

I seek your pardon…

Jai Maa Sarada


    MEDITATION – 11

The World will come to an End soon!!

 The Prophecies

The world will come to an end soon. So, please get ready. Unfortunately it will end. Some people go so far as predicting the date: it will be 22 December 2012! They say the Mayans predict this. They say somebody wrote this. And they also say that the Sun will cool down or a planet will strike us. Or a comet will run through us. And many such things will happen, they say.

There are, however, these diehard optimists. According to them, not one Mayan has predicted any thing of this sort. Nobody says that 22 December is the last day, [excepting that it is the day of the birth of Sri Sarada Devi]. Furthermore, according to these optimists, the sun is getting more energized as days pass by, the proof being the sweat we are shedding. And, rest assured, nothing is going to strike us.

Now, let these optimists say what they want. The world will end soon. Do you know why? This is because, we the glorious servants of Ramakrishna-Sarada-Vivekananda, their proud soldiers, shall end the world.  True!

The Facts

Now for the facts. You may ask: ‘How will that ever happen?’  The answer is simple. But before that, a sincere question to your heart: do you believe that Swami Vivekananda was a prophet, and his words are the Vedas?

Vivekananda declared:

Kurmas-taaraka-charvanam, tribhuvanam utpaata-yaamo balaat |

Kim bho na vijaanaasi asmaan, ramakrishna daasaa vayam ||

‘We shall crush the stars to atoms, and unhinge the universe. Don’t you know who we are? We are the servants of Shri Ramakrishna.’

(Complete Works, Vol. 6, p. 275)

So here it is. ‘Have faith in yourself — all power is in you — be conscious and bring it out. Say, “I can do everything.”’ (Complete Works, vol. 6, p. 274). We shall take not just this world but all the three worlds and make footballs of them. Don’t you know who we are? We are the servants of Sri Ramakrishna.

Swami Vivekananda said: ‘I was once travelling in the
Himalayas, and the long road stretched before us. We poor monks cannot get any one to carry us, so we had to make all the way on foot. There was an old man with us. The way goes up and down for hundreds of miles, and when that old monk saw what was before him, he said, “Oh sir, how to cross it; I cannot walk any more; my chest will break.” I said to him, “Look down at your feet.” He did so, and I said, “The road that is under your feet is the road that you have passed over and is the same road that you see before you; it will soon be under your feet.” The highest things are under your feet, because you are Divine Stars; all these things are under your feet. You can swallow the stars by the handful if you want; such is your real nature. Be strong, get beyond all superstitions, and be free’ (Complete Works, Vol. 8, p. 187).

So those of us who have faith in Swamiji shall end this world. Come on, let’s do it.

How to Do it

Swami Vivekananda wants us to have these three qualities before starting with our work of ‘ending’ the world:

ü      First, feeling from the heart. 

ü      Second, having practical solutions to problems.

ü      Third, possessing the Will to surmount mountain-high obstructions.

 If we have these three, we are perfectly ready to ‘end’ the world.

Now, what practical methods have we to change this world? We shall use three methods: greening, feeding and praying.

 1. Greening the World

We have had enough of religious intolerance. We have seen enough red, ie, blood. We had enough of those religions which try to force-convert, burn, kill, destroy—all in the name of religion. Let us be religious in a different way now. Vivekananda’s religion, Instead of “reddening” the world, makes it green. Let us individually or in small groups go places and plant saplings of fructiferous trees. Let us plant in places where there is little possibility of greenery. Let us tell people to, and we ourselves dedicate one mug of water at least for these plants. Let us make impossible places green. Do you think this is impossible?

Ø                 Could you, about 200 years ago, ever imagine that drinking water would ever be sold? Now drinking water is costly—it is sold in bottles. Only air is for free—you can breathe as much air as you want now, but it is of course polluted. So you can imagine the horror of the world.

Ø                 For a change, imagine those days in India, before Ghazni attacked her; that is, before 1000 AD. Gold was sold on her streets. Wealth lay on the roadside. It is unbelievable, but true. So everything is possible.

Ø                 Once again, imagine the day in the near future, when fruits will be available for free on streets—people can pluck and eat! So it can be done. Not just in one country, but in the whole world.

You may say: yes, we plant some trees, but what does this so-called green revolution do to eradicate the ills of the terrible global warming?

Swami Vivekananda quotes the scriptures and says: ‘The householder by digging tanks, by planting trees on the roadsides, by establishing rest-houses for men and animals, by making roads and building bridges, goes towards the same goal as the greatest Yogi’ (Complete Works, Vol. 1, p. 46). So works like planting trees are the greatest deeds.

So greening the world is one most important, fundamental and vital methods of changing the world. The problem is serious today, and each one of us can contribute towards its elimination.

2. Feeding the World

 Apart from planting trees and plants, the second thing we all can do is offering a little part of our food to others. Nri-yajna—the sacrifice of serving human beings, was a law for every follower of sanatana dharma in ancient times. Swami Vivekananda brought this law to force once again.  He said: ‘Praise be to Vyasa, the great author of the Mahabharata, that in this Kali Yuga there is one great work. The Tapas and the other hard Yogas that were practised in other Yugas do not work now. What is needed in this Yuga is giving, helping others (Complete Works, Vol. 3, p.133).  He further said: ‘The more I live, the more I become convinced every day that every human being is divine. In no man or woman, however vile, does that divinity die. Only he or she does not know how to reach it and is waiting for the Truth.’ (Complete Works, Vol. 8, p. 186). A householder has to share his food with at least one person. A morsel of what we are going to eat, before cooking, could be saved for others.

Praying for the World

Swami Vivekananda believed strongly in the power of prayer. Sri Ramakrishna insisted on the power of prayer. Holy Mother’s life was a constant prayer. Vivekananda prayed for others constantly. He writes, for instance: ‘Sometimes I would pray for five or six days and nights together without stopping’ (Complete Works, vol. 8, p. 81). Collective prayer has enormous benefit. It has been proved even by science that prayer has positive effect. Swami Vivekananda remarked: ‘Let each one of us pray day and night for the downtrodden millions who are held fast by poverty, priest craft, and tyranny — pray day and night for them’ (Complete Works, Vol. 5, p. 58).  If we can devote some minutes of our time daily to pray with intensity for the good of all, for the benefit of all—we can definitely serve others positively. Says Vivekananda: ‘If a man goes into a cave, shuts himself in, and thinks one really great thought and dies, that thought will penetrate the walls of that cave, vibrate through space, and at last permeate the whole human race. Such is the power of thought’ (Complete Works, vol. 4, p. 177).  ‘Such is the power of thought, of sincerity, and of purity of purpose’ (Complete Works, Vol. 3, p. 227).

Conclusion

We cannot feel shy in devoting some free time of ours in planting saplings. Sharing a morsel of our food is no difficulty. Praying for others sincerely, with utmost intensity, is no difficulty either. Later on will come other higher forms of service. But these three can revolutionize the world. How long could it take? Swami Brahmananda, the spiritual giant of modern times, says: ‘Do something for a period of at least four years. Then if you have not made any tangible progress come and slap my face!’ (A Guide to the Spiritual Life: Spiritual Teachings of Swami Brahmananda, translated by Swami Chetanananda, p. 124-5).

So this present horrible world of bloodshed can end in just a few years. We can herald a new world soon—called the golden age. Suppose we think that a few of us can never achieve anything. Vivekananda replies: ‘Perfect sincerity, holiness, gigantic intellect, and an all-conquering will. Let only a handful of men work with these, and the whole world will be revolutionized.’ (Complete Works, Vol. 8, p. 335).

MEDITATION -  10

Aye, let every man and woman and child, without respect of caste or birth, weakness or strength, hear and learn that behind the strong and the weak, behind the high and the low, behind every one, there is that Infinite Soul, insuring the infinite possibility and the infinite capacity of all to become great and good. Let us proclaim to every soul “Arise, awake and stop not till the goal is reached.”

Swami Vivekananda

How to suffer less during this Economic Recession?

       It’s official. We are amidst a serious economic crisis now.  There is suffering ahead. We don’t know until when. When in trouble, people look for help. But that shouldn’t be just banks or economic consultants; not even psychiatrists for that matter. 

The Ten Commandments of Swami Vivekananda for being in peace even though there is external suffering are: (1) give more; (2) work for inner fulfillment; (3) work for values; (4) work for higher interest and not wealth alone; (5) work for the joy of it; (6) work for overcoming fear; (7) work avoiding negative qualities; (8) work for oneness; (9)  work for Truth; (10) work for freedom.

To those who are suffering due to this economic avalanche, here are the words of hope.

1. No Good Work is Lost: If you have worked hard, and are in difficulty now, do you think all is lost? No! The secret of classical economics is: ‘Hoard more’ (and, of course, suffer). The watchword of spiritual economics is: ‘Give more’ (and attain fulfillment).  ‘We know that nothing is lost. In the Bhagavad Gita, Arjuna asks
   Krishna, “Those who fail in attaining perfection in Yoga in this life, are they destroyed like the clouds of summer?” Krishna replies, “Nothing, my friend, is lost in this world. Whatever one does, that remains as one’s own, and if the fruition of Yoga does not come in this life, one takes it up again in the next birth.”’ [Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda, (hereafter, CW), vol. 2, p. 36].

2. Let be Content with what we get: Greed is not the way; capitalist madness for growth is not the way. What we deserve, we get; what we don’t deserve, we shall never get. It is not the amount of things that we have that makes us great. The ancient Indian ideal is to have less. Many people remain depressed because their standard of living will come down due to economic crunch. But what is important is inner strength. Vivekananda says: ‘In some oil mills in India, bullocks are used that go round and round to grind the oil-seed. There is a yoke on the bullock’s neck. They have a piece of wood protruding from the yoke, and on that is fastened a wisp of straw. The bullock is blindfolded in such a way that it can only look forward, and so it stretches its neck to get at the straw; and in doing so, it pushes the piece of wood out a little further; and it makes another attempt with the same result, and yet another, and so on. It never catches the straw, but goes round and round in the hope of getting it, and in so doing, grinds out the oil. In the same way you and I who are born slaves to nature, money and wealth, wives and children, are always chasing a wisp of straw, a mere chimera, and are going through an innumerable round of lives without obtaining what we seek.. …. Study your own lives, and find how little of happiness there is in them, and how little in truth you have gained in the course of this wild-goose chase of the world’ [CW, vol. 1, p. 408].

3.        Simple Living is the Way: Simple living, with the only aim of attaining inner peace, will lead to mental balance and calm during calamities such as this one. Swami Vivekananda says: ‘Want and anxiety are the causes of all unhappiness and happiness too. Is want increasing or decreasing? Is life becoming simple or complex? Certainly complex. Wants are being multiplied. Your great-grandfathers did not want the same dress or the same amount of money [you do]. They had no electric cars, nor railroads, etc. That is why they had to work less. As soon as these things come, the want arises, and you have to work harder. More and more anxiety, and more and more competition’ (CW, vol. 6, p. 53).  

4.        Let’s be Prepared for Any Work: Let’s be prepared to do any work. All works are equal because spiritually, everything is one. Everything is an integral part of the cosmic sacrifice. Swami Vivekananda says: ‘We are responsible for what we are; and whatever we wish ourselves to be, we have the power to make ourselves. If what we are now has been the result of our own past actions, it certainly follows that whatever we wish to be in future can be produced by our present actions; so we have to know how to act. You will say, “What is the use of learning how to work? Everyone works in some way or other in this world.” But there is such a thing as frittering away our energies. With regard to Karma-Yoga (the yoga of action), the Gita says that it is doing work with cleverness and as a science; by knowing how to work, one can obtain the greatest results. You must remember that all work is simply to bring out the power of the mind which is already there, to wake up the soul. The power is inside every man, so is knowing; the different works are like blows to bring them out, to cause these giants to wake up’ (CW, Vol. 1, p. 31).

5.  Let’s not envy the others if they are better than us: Competition, jealousy, envy and so on are only self-destructive and have no place in the scheme of things. ‘Make yourself a dynamo. Feel first for the world. At a time when all men are ready to work, where is the man of feeling ? Where is the feeling that produced an Ignatius Loyola? Test your love and humility. That man is not humble or loving who is jealous. Jealousy is a terrible, horrible sin; it enters a man so mysteriously. Ask yourself, does your mind react in hatred or jealousy? Good works are continually being undone by the tons of hatred and anger which are being poured out on the world. If you are pure, if you are strong, you, one  man, are equal to the whole world’ (CW, vol. 6, p. 145). ‘If you really want to judge of the character of a man, look not at his great performances. Every fool may become a hero at one time or another. Watch a man do his most common actions; those are indeed the things which will tell you the real character of a great man. [CW, vol. 1, p. 29] …Do all work but without attachment; work for work’s sake, never for yourself.’ [CW, vol. 7, p. 19].

6. Work is a Cosmic Sacrifice: Work is not mere physical activity of individuals but the active participation of living beings in a cosmic sacrifice. Our lives are important. Our work is important. We are important. Everything is important. Swami Vivekananda declared in Chicago in 1893: ‘Ye are the Children of God, the sharers of immortal bliss, holy and perfect beings. Ye divinities on earth — sinners! It is a sin to call a man so; it is a standing libel on human nature. Come up, O lions, and shake off the delusion that you are sheep; you are souls immortal, spirits free, blest and eternal; ye are not matter, ye are not bodies; matter is your servant, not you the servant of matter’ (CW, Vol. 1, p. 11).

7. Let’s have Faith in Ourselves: Yes, we can achieve success in every endeavor if we are sincere. ‘Faith, faith, faith in ourselves, faith, faith in God — this is the secret of greatness’ [CW, vol. 3, p. 190].

8. The Art of Giving: ‘It is not the law of nature to be always taking gifts with outstretched hands like beggars. To give and take is the law of nature. Any individual or class or nation that does not obey this law never prospers in life. We also must follow that law,’ Vivekananda declared (CW, Vol. 5, p. 356). Are you suffering? Want a remedy? Then serve others who are suffering—through deeds, words, even your thoughts, even prayer. Yes, anything will help. And your suffering will go. ‘…this life is short, the vanities of the world are transient, but they alone live who live for others, the rest are more dead than alive’  [CW,  Vol. 4, p. 363].

9. Work Constantly, for the Good of the Many: ‘There arises a difficult question in this ideal of work. Intense activity is necessary; we must always work…. The ideal man is he who, in the midst of the greatest silence and solitude, finds the most intense activity, and in the midst of the most intense activity finds the silence and solitude of the desert. He has learnt the secret of restraint, he has controlled himself’   [CW, Vol. 1, p. 36].

 10. Concentrating on Life’s Higher Purpose: Work, money, work, money—we have had enough. There is a Higher Power which takes care of us. ‘This world is utterly false; all the great teachers of the world found that out; there is no way out of it but through God. He is the goal of our life; all ideas that the world is the goal of life are pernicious. This world and this body have their own value, a secondary value, as a means to an end; but the world should not be the end’  [CW, vol. 4, p. 20].

11. Praying for All: Prayer is being considered effective nowadays. Swami Vivekananda says: ‘(God) quickly answers prayer’ [CW, vol. 7, p. 27). We must pray for the difficulties to pass. Those who have faith in God should surrender to Him. The Lord never ignores His sincere devotee.

Conclusion: The gist of Swami Vivekananda’s teaching to the world of economics is simple: ‘The more selfish a man, the more immoral he is. And so also with the race. That race which is bound down to itself has been the most cruel and the most wicked in the whole world’ (CW, Vol. 2, p. 352).