Such as it is, it will give us an insight into the way in which a new religion, or rather a new sect, springs up and grows. It will place before our eyes the transformation which mere repetition, conversation, or what is called oral tradition will and must produce in the description of the facts
The few cases mentioned here may suffice to show that Râmak ri sh n a was by no means a solitary instance, and that, however much the old social system of the Four Stages as described by Manu may have changed, there are still Sa m nyâsins in India who live the life of the ancient Sa m nyâsins, t
One more case and I have done with my imperfect sketch of the stage on which Râmak ri sh n a appears before us to act his part, together with his fellow-actors who supported and often guided him in his unselfish and devoted endeavours. We read in the Prabuddha Bhârata, May, 1898, p. 132 seq., of
The same applies to Debendranâth Tagore, the friend and constant patron of Keshub Chunder Sen. Though he was the head of a wealthy and influential family, he spent most of his life in retirement from the world, in study, meditation, and contemplation. He has reached now what is considered a very
The second Saint was Pawâri Bâba of Ghazipur. Little Is known of him, but his recent death has created a painful
Of the life of the first, of Dayânanda Sarasvatî, we have very full accounts. He initiated a great reform of Brahmanism, and seems to have been a liberal-minded man, so far as social reforms were concerned. He also was willing to surrender his belief in the divine revelation of the Brâhma n as,
Such a man was Râmak ri sh n a, who has lately obtained considerable celebrity both in India and America, where his disciples have been actively engaged in preaching his gospel and winning converts to his doctrines, even among Christian audiences. This may seem very strange, nay, almost incredib
Within certain limits Yoga seems to be an excellent discipline, and, in one sense, we ought all to be Yogins. Yoga, as a technical term, means application, concentration, effort; the idea that it meant originally union with the deity has long been given up. This Yoga, however, was soon elaborate
Similar ideas existed already among the Brahmans, and we meet among them, even before the rise of Buddhism,
The life of a Brahman was, according to the Laws of Manu, divided into four periods or  s ramas, that of a pupil or Brâhma k ârin, that of a householder or G ri hastha, of an ascetic or Vânaprastha, and of a hermit or Yati. 1 The first and second stages are clear enough; they represent the scholas
IT is not many years since I felt called upon to say a few words on certain religious movements now going on in India, which seemed to me to have been very much misrepresented and misunderstood at home. To people who are unacquainted with the religious state of India, whether modern or ancient,
THE name of Râmak ri sh n a has lately been so often mentioned in Indian, American, and English newspapers that a fuller account of his life and doctrine seemed to me likely to be welcome, not only to the many who take an interest in the intellectual and moral state of India, but to the few also
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Ramakrishna (1833-86), was a Bengali Hindu sage. Although theoretically a high-caste Brahamin by birth, he came from a poor, low-caste village and had little or no education. He did not know a word of Sanskrit and his knowledge of the Vedas, Puranas, and Hindu Epics was obtained orally (in the
ARATI. Worship of the deity accompanied by the offering of lights. ASANA. Seat. ASHRAM. A hermitage or monastery for religious-minded people. Also, a place for practicing or studying religion. AVIDYA. Ignorance, cosmic or individual, which is responsible for the non-perception of Reality. BABA. F
THE NUNS who had been trained by Gauri Ma gradually took upon themselves the responsibility of running the ashram in order to relieve her from day-to-day worries and problems. But her work of teaching went on to the end of her life, uninterruptedly and without a slackening of pace. In fact, thi
WITH THE WORK of the ashram increasing rapidly, Gauri Ma felt it was not feasible or proper that the entire responsibility be on her shoulders. She created an advisory board, whose membership consisted of several highly respected gentlemen, and a women's council, whose membership consisted of a
GAURI MA'S MIND was without a trace of ego. She always disliked honor and fame and was completely satisfied when people praised Sri Ramakrishna and Holy Mother. A few days before the sisters moved into the new convent, Gauri Ma had gone to check on the work. As she alighted from the carriage an
ABOUT A YEAR after the laying of the foundation stone, the four-story ashram building was completed. The temple was also finished and occupied the fourth floor. The ashram was formally opened in December 1925, when, with the performance of some auspicious rituals, the shrine was dedicated.
AS THE ASHRAM EXPANDED, it frequently moved to new locations, but it was not possible to extend the work in rented quarters as much as Gauri Ma would have liked. The foundations of the institution were not stable, and each month there was the problem of rent. Well-wishers became keenly aware of
THE ASHRAM at Barrackpur was thriving, but Gauri Ma soon realized that without close contact with the people of Calcutta, the work there would not spread. Bhagavan Sri Ramakrishna had once counseled her, "No, child. No! This work must be done in the city." Gauri Ma, whose natural inclinations w
ONE DAY DURING her wanderings Gauri Ma stopped at Halishahar on the banks of the Ganges River. At this beautiful place, the birthplace of the renowned poet Ramprasad, she became absorbed in deep meditation. In a meditative mood she began chanting the Durga Saptashati .
FOLLOWING HER FIRST pilgrimage to South India, which was almost ten years after Sri Ramakrishna had left the body, Gauri Ma returned to Calcutta. She recognized that Sri Ramakrishna's instructions to her needed to take more definite shape.
KNOWING THAT SHE would not see Sri Ramakrishna in the body anymore or hear his nectar-filled voice, Gauri Ma was grief stricken. Drawn to the Himalayas, she left Brindavan and once more went on pilgrimage, visiting Jamnotri, Uttar Kashi, Gangotri, Gomukhi, and Badrikedar. At Uttar Kashi there i
GAURI MA THUS PASSED her days in the blessed company of Sri Ramakrishna at Dakshineswar. She was filled with divine joy and a sense of fulfillment. Her mood for intense tapasya had subsided, although she always felt great joy in it. Tapasya was a part of her nature. Even in old age, she would p
GAURI MA'S CALL to service began at Dakshineswar a few days after her unforeseeable but predestined meeting with Sri Ramakrishna. It was the early hours of morning, at dawn. The whole atmosphere was aglow with the golden rays of the rising sun. Gauri Ma was near the nahabat plucking flowers for
AT THE INVITATION of Balaram Babu, Gauri Ma now left Jagannathpuri and went to Calcutta. Balaram Babu respectfully welcomed her to his home in Bagh Bazaar. In that large house, she was given a convenient room to stay in. This was the year 1882, when Gauri Ma had the vision of the Lord's two lot
THROUGH HER INTENSE, one-pointed sadhana in the spiritual atmosphere of the Himalayas, her love for Krishna ripened! That love now led her to Brindavan, the scene where the drama of Krishna's life had been enacted. Although she wanted to stay there longer, she was unable to, because a distant r
IN THE END, her family was no longer able to keep the bird in captivity!
MRIDANI WAS NOW getting older, and her parents felt it was time for her to be married. But Mridani had already decided she would marry only someone who was immortal. She was not prepared to accept anyone but the Lord as her master.
