Swamiji's Maha Samadhi

Hari Om,

4 July 1902 was a memorable day. Swami Vivekananda, a great prophet of modern India , passed away at about 9:00 pm while he was in meditation. The flame of his life-lamp, which brightened the spiritual world, suddenly blew out in the deep darkness of night. The next morning this sad news spread throughout Calcutta and all over India . Swamiji's disciple Kanai Maharaj (Swami Nirbhayananda) came to our house in Ahiritola and gave us the news. I was then busy performing worship in a temple nearby. I returned home before 9:00 am to find my mother crying loudly. When I asked why she was grieving, she said, ˜My son, a great calamity has taken place. Swamiji is no more. He has passed away - and you never did take me to see him. I replied, ˜Mother, all monks in the monastery are called Swami. Which swamiji are you talking about? Perhaps you have misunderstood something. My mother answered: ˜Oh no, Kanai came early this morning and said that the head Swamiji passed away last night at nine o'clock. He asked all of you to go to Belur Math. I consoled my mother, saying, ˜It is not good to express grief for the death of a monk.

Swamiji in Mahasamadhi

At that time my friend Nibaran, a disciple of Holy Mother, arrived. I decided not to go to work. Accompanied by Nibaran and my younger brother Dulalshashi, I went to the Ahiritola ghat, crossed the Ganges by boat, and then reached Belur Math at 10:00 am via Salikha (Salkia) and Ghusuri. It was raining a little. I saw that Rakhal Maharaj (Swami Brahmananda) and some monks were busy decorating a cot with flowers in the western veranda of the Math building. When Rakhal Maharaj saw me, he burst into tears. His voice was choked, so he pointed to the steps and indicated that we should go upstairs.

     

When I entered Swami Vivekananda's room I saw that his divine body had been laid on a carpet. His forehead was smeared with holy ashes; a bouquet of flowers was placed near his head; and his body was covered with a new ochre cloth. His right hand was resting on the floor and a rosary had been placed around his right thumb. His eyes were indrawn and half-closed like Lord Shiva in meditation. The entire room was full of fragrance from incense burning at both sides of his body. Sister Nivedita was seated at the left side of Swamiji's body, steadily fanning his head with a palm-leaf fan. Tears were trickling down her cheeks. Swamiji's head was placed to the west and his feet to the east, towards the Ganges . Grief-stricken, Brahmachari Nandalal sat silently at his feet. We all three bowed down to Swamiji, touching his feet, and then sat there. When I touched his feet, they were as cold as ice.

     

I then touched Swamiji's rosary and repeated the mantra given by my guru. Meanwhile, many distinguished people and devotees from Calcutta and other places arrived to see Swamiji for the last time. One after another they bowed down to him and left; but the three in my party, Brahmachari Nandalal and Sister Nivedita stayed. When I finished my japa, Nivedita whispered to me: ˜Can you sing, my friend? Would you mind singing the songs that our Thakur used to sing? I said that I could not sing. Nivedita then requested, ˜On my behalf will you please ask your friend to sing?

     

Then my friend Nibaran sang a few songs melodiously: ˜Cherish my precious Mother Shyama tenderly within, O mind; Why should I go to Ganga or Gaya , to Kashi, Kanchi or Prabhas?; ˜Is Kali, my Mother, really black? The Naked One, of blackest hue, lights the lotus of the heart; ˜The black bee of my mind is drawn in sheer delight to the blue lotus flower of Mother Shyama's feet; ˜O my mind, chant the name of Kali. If you say Kali, Kali, the fear of Kala [Death] will disappear.

Nivedita's Reaction

Nivedita listened to these songs with all her attention. Pent-up emotions overflowed from her heart and began to flow from her eyes as tears. It was an unforgettable and sad scene; I shall never forget it. Although the incident occurred forty-five years ago, still its memory is written on my mind in golden letters. On that day the expression on Nivedita's face told me how wounded was her lost and sad heart! It truly stirred my consciousness. I realized that her reaction was not the result of mere emotional weakness. Where is this great, learned, spiritual English woman full of renunciation and forbearance, and where are we who are proud of a little learning and devoid of renunciation!

The Last Rites

At about 1:00 pm Swami Saradananda came upstairs to Swamiji's room and said to Brahmachari Nandalal and the three in my party: ˜Look, we are broken-hearted because of Swamiji's passing away. We have lost all our strength. Would you be able to carry Swamiji's body downstairs?' Immediately Brahmachari Nandalal and we three devotees slowly and carefully carried Swamiji's body down the steps to the lower veranda and placed it on the cot decorated with flowers. As was the custom, some pomegranates, apples, pears and grapes were offered to Swamiji. Swami Advaitananda then said to the brahmachari, '˜O Nandalal, Swamiji loved you immensely. You perform the last worship to him. When Swami Brahmananda and the other monks approved this proposal, Nandalal performed the ritual offerings of garlands and flowers, and of fruits and sweets, then waving an oil lamp and finally chanting a hymn.

     

It was proposed that a final photograph of Swamiji be taken, but Swami Brahmananda would not allow it, saying, ˜There are many good photographs of Swamiji; this sad picture will break the hearts of all. Afterwards, Swami Brahmananda, the other monks and brahmacharins offered flowers at Swamiji's feet. Finally, Haramohan Mitra (a classmate of Swamiji's) and other devotees offered flowers. Later, Swamiji's feet were painted with red dye (alta) and footprints were made on small pieces of cloth. Sister Nivedita also took a footprint on a new handkerchief. I took a beautiful rose (not fully open), smeared it with sandal paste, touched it to Swamiji's feet and put it in my front pocket as a memento.

     

When the worship service was over, Swami Saradananda asked the same four of us to carry the cot to the spot where Swamiji's body would be cremated. All the monks and devotees followed the procession. There had been some rain before noon, so the monastery ground was wet and slippery, and moreover it was covered with spear grass. So we slowly and cautiously crossed the vast area and placed the cot on the funeral pyre set with sandalwood. At that time Swamiji's aunt and his cousin, Habu Datta, arrived by car from Simla ( Calcutta ), and began to cry and lament loudly.

     

Swami Saradananda then asked everyone, ˜Please take a bunch of pankati [the dried stalk of the jute plant], ignite it, circle Swamiji's body seven times, place the blazing pankatiunder the cot just below Swamiji's feet, and bow down to him. According to his instructions, Swamiji's body was consigned to the sandalwood fire, and the grief-stricken monks and devotees sat like statues around the blazing pyre. The funeral fire gradually rose high, extending its many lolling tongues to consume Swamiji's body. Girish Chandra Ghosh, Upendranath Mukhopadhyay of the Basumati, Jaladhar Sen, Mahendranath Gupta (M), Akshay Kumar Sen and other devotees were seated on a cement bench near the bel tree and watching this heart-rending scene.

     

Broken-hearted, Girish Babu began to lament: ˜Naren, you were supposed to live and spread the glory of the Master by telling people my story of transformation. But this wish of mine has been destroyed by a horrible Providence . I am an old fellow [he was 19 years older than Swamiji], and I am left alive to see this terrible scene of yours. You are the Master's son and you have gone to him. Look, you have departed prematurely, leaving us in this pitiable condition. How unfortunate we are!

     

At this, Nivedita could no longer suppress her grief. She got up and began to circle the blazing funeral pyre. Seeing her close to the pyre, Swami Brahmananda was concerned that her skirt would catch fire. He conveyed this to Swami Nirbhayananda, who then took Nivedita's hand and led her away from the pyre. He made her sit on the bank of the Ganges and tried to console her.

     

The sacred fire and a favourable wind consumed the lower part of Swamiji's divine body to ashes within a short time; but amazingly that fire did not touch his chest, face and the hair of his head. His facial expression and the look of his broad eyes were beautiful. It was suggested that someone shake Swamiji's body so that it would burn quickly. This greatly upset Swami Nishchayananda, a disciple of Swamiji. He did not want to see his guru's body prodded with a pole. So he immediately climbed up an old tree nearby, cut some branches and set them on the funeral pyre.

Afterwards

Meanwhile, Swami Brahmananda took me aside, gave me a ten-rupee note, and said, ˜You and Nibaran take Girish Babu's boat, cross the Ganges and buy some sandesh [sweets] and other kinds of food from Baranagore Bazar. From last night on, no monk put anything in his mouth - not even a drop of water - and some devotees are also fasting. When Bipin Saha of Baranagore saw us going to carry out Swami Brahmananda's order, he joined us. He contributed five rupees and asked a confectioner in Baranagore Bazar to prepare hot luchis [fried bread], kachuri and sandesh. He then carried the food basket on his head and returned to Belur Math with us. It was evening when we returned to the monastery, and the funeral pyre had been extinguished. Swamiji's remains had been collected, and the monks and devotees were bathing in the Ganges and making water offerings.

     

M said to me, ˜You have touched the dead body. Now you bathe and offer water to the departed soul. I replied: ˜A sadhu is Narayana [God]. Have I become impure by touching that divine body? Following Swami Brahmananda's orders, I carried the food to be offered to the Master without first changing my clothes. Swami Premananda understood my attitude, and said, ˜You do not have to take a bath, but let me sprinkle Ganges water on your head. Take the food to the shrine and then go to the Ganges to offer water to Swamiji as is customary.

     

There were no worship services that day. Vespers were conducted that evening and food was offered to the Master at that time. Prasad [offered food], tea and water were then distributed among the monks and devotees. Afterwards, the grief-stricken devotees returned home.

     

To fulfil Swamiji's last wish, Kali Puja was held at Belur Math on the first new-moon night (amavasya) after 4 July. No outsiders were invited on that occasion, except for Bhupendranath Datta, Swamiji's younger brother. Makhan Maharaj asked me and Nibaran to bring thirty pounds of dry bel wood for the homa fire. The new moon fell on a Saturday. When Nibaran and I arrived at Belur Math with the dry bel wood, Swami Brahmananda was pleased. He recited two lines of a hymn to Shiva: ˜Chandrashekhara chandrashekhara chandrashekhara pahi mam. Chandrashekhara chandrashekhara chandrashekhara raksha mam. [O Chandrashekhara, please nourish us. O Chandrashekhara, please protect us.] 

Then the swami continued: ‘You have saved the situation by bringing dry bel wood in this stormy and rainy weather. May the Divine Mother bless you.

At 10:00 pm Kali Puja began in the upper shrine room of the monastery. Ishwar Chandra Chakrabarty, a Tantric adept and father of Swami Ramakrishnananda, performed the worship. Monks and brahmacharins bowed to the Master in the shrine and then meditated in Swamiji’s room. Before that, when the evening food offering was over, Swami Brahmananda told Swami Premananda, ˜Please give prasad to Bhupen and these two devotees; but the rest of us will fast. After having prasad, we three lay down in the large room downstairs in the western part of the Math building. That night, Swami Nityananda (an elderly disciple of Swamiji) occasionally made loud and pathetic cries that reverberated throughout the monastery.

At 3:00 am Swami Saradananda came to our room and woke us up. He asked us to go to the room upstairs.

There Swami Brahmananda asked me to purify myself by sipping some water and to repeat my mantra. After a while Swami Brahmananda asked everyone present to go to the western courtyard where the homa fire was arranged. We joined the monks and sat around that sacred fire, repeating our mantra. After the homa fire, we all went to the spot where Swamiji's body had been cremated, circled it seven times, and bowed down. Everyone then sat under the bel tree for a while and repeated his mantra. Finally, all of us went to the Master's shrine and bowed down to him, and then took prasad downstairs.

Swami Vivekananda's Room

To the southeast of the old shrine stands Swami Vivekananda's room. In this room, the great Swami lived, and here he attained Mahasamadhi on 4 July 1902. Most of the articles preserved in this room were used by him at different places and times. In the courtyard in front of this room stands a mango tree under which Swamiji used to sit on a camp cot and meet visitors and devotees.

Swami Vivekananda Temple



The temple stands on the spot where Swami Vivekananda's mortal remains were cremated in 1902. Consecrated on 28 January 1924, the temple has in its upper storey an alabaster OM (in Bengali characters). Beside the temple stands a bel (bilva) tree in the place of the original bel tree under which Swami Vivekananda used to sit and near which, according to his wish, his body was cremated.



Swamiji's Words

If in this hell of a world one can bring a little joy and peace even for a day into the heart of a single person, that much alone is true; this I have learnt after suffering all my life; all else is mere moonshine.

Work unto death- I am with you, and when i am gone, my spirit will work with you. This life comes and goes- wealth, fame, enjoyments are only of a few days. It is better, far better to die on the field of duty, preaching the truth, than to die like a worldly worm. Advance!

That you may catch my fire, that you may be intensely sincere is my constant prayer.

If you are really my children, you will fear nothing, stop at nothing. You will be like lions. My prayers and benedictions follow every step you take, Everything will come to you if you have FAITH.

Swamiji Q&A

"When Swami Vivekananda went to USA, a lady asked him to marry her. When Swami asked the lady about what made her ask him such question. The lady replied that she was fascinated by his intellect. She wanted a child of such an intellect. So she asked Swami, whether he could marry her and give a child like him. He said to that lady, that since she was attracted only by his intellect, there is no problem. My dear lady, i understand Your desire. Marrying and bringing a child in to this world and understanding whether it is intelligent or not takes very long time. More over it is not guaranteed. Instead, to fulfill Your desire immediately, i can suggest a guaranteed way. Take me as Your child. You are my mother. Now on Your desire of having a child of my intellect is fulfilled.The lady was speechless."

Disciple: How is it, Swamiji, that you do not lecture in this country? You have stirred Europe and America with your lectures, but coming back here you have kept silence.

Swami Vivekananda: In this country, the ground should be prepared first; then if the seed is sown, the plant will come out best. The ground in the West, in Europe and America is very fertile and fit for sowing seeds. There they have reached the climax of Bhoga (enjoyment). Being satiated with Bhoga to the full, their minds are not getting peace now even in those enjoyments, and they feel as if they wanted something else. In this country you have neither Bhoga nor Yoga (renunciation). When one is satiated with Bhoga, then it is that one will listen to and understand the teachings on Yoga. What good will lectures do in a country like India which has become the birthplace of disease, sorrow, and affliction, and where men are emaciated through starvation, and weak in mind? 

Disciple: How is that? Do you not say that ours is the land of religion and that here the people understand religion as they do nowhere else? Why then will not this country be animated by your inspiring eloquence and reap to the full the fruits thereof? 

Swami Vivekananda: Now understand what religion means. The first thing required is the worship of the Karma (tortoise) Incarnation, and the belly-god is this Karma, as it were. Until you pacify this, no one will welcome your words about religion. India is restless with the thought of how to face this spectre of hunger. The draining of the best resources of the country by the foreigners, the unrestricted exports of merchandise, and, above all, the abominable jealousy natural to slaves are eating into the vitals of India. First of all, you must remove this evil of hunger and starvation, this constant anxiety for bare existence, from those to whom you want to preach religion; otherwise, lectures and such things will be of no benefit. 

Disciple: What should we do then to remove that evil? 

Swami Vivekananda: First, some young men full of the spirit of renunciation are needed — those who will be ready to sacrifice their lives for others, instead of devoting themselves to their own happiness. With this object in view I shall establish a Math to train young Sannyasins, who will go from door to door and make the people realise their pitiable condition by means of facts and reasoning, and instruct them in the ways and means for their welfare, and at the same time will explain to them as clearly as possible, in very simple and easy language, the higher truths of religion. The masses in our country are like the sleeping Leviathan. The education imparted by the present university system reaches one or two per cent of the masses only. And even those who get that do not succeed in their endeavours of doing any good to their country. But it is not their fault, poor fellows! As soon as they come out of their college, they find themselves fathers of several children! Somehow or other they manage to secure the position of a clerk, or at the most, a deputy magistrate. This is the finale of education! With the burden of a family on their backs, they find no time to do anything great or think anything high. They do not find means enough to fulfil their personal wants and interests; so what can be expected of them in the way of doing anything for others? 

Disciple: Is there then no way out for us? 

Swami Vivekananda: Certainly there is. This is the land of Religion Eternal. The country has fallen, no doubt, but will as surely rise again, and that upheaval will astound the world. The lower the hollows the billows make, the higher and with greater force will they rise again. 

Disciple: How will India rise again? 

Swami Vivekananda: Do you not see? The dawn has already appeared in the eastern sky, and there is little delay in the sun's rising. You all set your shoulders to the wheel! What is there in making the world all in all, and thinking of "My Samsara (family and property), my Samsara"? Your duty at present is to go from one part of the country to another, from village to village, and make the people understand that mere sitting idly won't do any more. Make them understand their real condition and say, "O ye brothers, arise! Awake! How much longer would you remain asleep!" Go and advise them how to improve their own condition, and make them comprehend the sublime truths of the Shastras (scriptures), by presenting them in a lucid and popular way. So long the Brahmins have monopolised religion; but since they cannot hold their ground against the strong tide of time, go and take steps so that one and all in the land may get that religion. Impress upon their minds that they have the same right to religion as the Brahmins. Initiate all, even down to the Chandalas (people of the lowest castes), in these fiery Mantras. Also instruct them, in simple words, about the necessities of life, and in trade, commerce, agriculture, etc. If you cannot do this then fie upon your education and culture, and fie upon your studying the Vedas and Vedanta! 

Disciple: But where is that strength in us? I should have felt myself blessed if I had a hundredth part of your powers, Swamiji. 

Swami Vivekananda: How foolish! Power and things like that will come by themselves. Put yourself to work, and you will final such tremendous power coming to you that you will feel it hard to bear. Even the least work done for others awakens the power within; even thinking the least good of others gradually instils into the heart the strength of a lion. I love you all ever so much, but I wish you all to die working for others — I should rather be glad to see you do that! 

Disciple: What will become of those, then, who depend on me? 

Swami Vivekananda: If you are ready to sacrifice your life for others, God will certainly provide some means for them. Have you not read in the Gita (VI. 40) the words of Shri Krishna, " — Never does a doer of good, O my beloved, come to grief"? 

Disciple: I see, sir. 

Swami Vivekananda: The essential thing is renunciation. With out renunciation none can pour out his whole heart in working for others. The man of renunciation sees all with an equal eye and devotes himself to the service of all. Does not our Vedanta also teach us to see all with an equal eye? Why then do you cherish the idea that the wife and children are your own, more than others? At your very threshold, Nârâyana Himself in the form of a poor beggar is dying of starvation! Instead of giving him anything, would you only satisfy the appetites of your wife and children with delicacies? Why, that is beastly! 

Disciple: To work for others requires a good deal of money at times, and where shall I get that? 

Swami Vivekananda: Why not do as much as lies within your power? Even if you cannot give to others for want of money, surely you can at least breathe into their ears some good words or impart some good instruction, can't you? Or does that also require money? 

Disciple: Yes, sir, that I can do. 

Swami Vivekananda: But saying, "I can", won't do. Show me through action what you can do, and then only I shall know that your coming to me is turned to some good account. Get up, and put your shoulders to the wheel — how long is this life for? As you have come into this world, leave some mark behind. Otherwise, where is the difference between you and the trees and stones? They, too, come into existence, decay and die. If you like to be born and to die like them, you are at liberty to do so. Show me by your actions that your reading the Vedanta has been fruitful of the highest good. Go and tell all, "In every one of you lies that Eternal Power", and try to wake It up. What will you do with individual salvation? That is sheer selfishness. Throw aside your meditation, throw away your salvation and such things! Put your whole heart and soul in the work to which I have consecrated myself. 

With bated breath the disciple heard these inspiring words, and Swamiji went on with his usual fire and eloquence. 

Swami Vivekananda: First of all, make the soil ready, and thousands of Vivekanandas will in time be born into this world to deliver lectures on religion. You needn't worry yourself about that! Don't you see why I am starting orphanages, famine-relief works, etc.? Don't you see how Sister Nivedita, a British lady, has learnt to serve Indians so well, by doing even menial work for them? And can't you, being Indians, similarly serve your own fellow-countrymen? Go, all of you, wherever there is an outbreak of plague or famine, or wherever the people are in distress, and mitigate their sufferings. At the most you may die in the attempt — what of that? How many like you are being born and dying like worms every day? What difference does that make to the world at large? Die you must, but have a great ideal to die for, and it is better to die with a great ideal in life. Preach this ideal from door to door, and you will yourselves be benefited by it at the same time that you are doing good to your country. On you lie the future hopes of our country. I feel extreme pain to see you leading a life of inaction. Set yourselves to work — to work! Do not tarry — the time of death is approaching day by day! Do not sit idle, thinking that everything will be done in time, later on! Mind — nothing will be done that way!

Sri Raja Rajeshwari Ashtakam

| shrii raajaraajeshwari aShTakam ||


a.mbaa shaa.mbhavi chandramauLirabalaa.aparNaa umaa paarvatii
kaaLii haimavatii shivaa trinayanii kaatyaayanii bhairavii .
saavitrii navayauvanaa shubhakarii saamraajyalakshmiipradaa
chidruupii paradevataa bhagavatii shrii raajaraajeshwarii .. 1 ..


a.mbaa mohini devataa tribhuvanii aana.ndasa.ndhaayinii
vaaNii pallavapaaNiveNumuraLii gaanapriyaalolinii .
kalyaaNii uDuraajabi.mbavadanaa dhuumraakShasa.mhaariNii
chidruupii paradevataa bhagavatii shrii raajaraajeshwarii .. 2 ..


a.mbaa nuupuraratnaka~NkaNadharii keyuurahaaraavaLii
jaathiichampakavaijayantilaharii graiveyakairaajitaa .
viiNaaveNuvinodamaNDitakaraa viiraasanesa.msthitaa
chidruupii paradevataa bhagavatii shrii raajaraajeshwarii .. 3 ..


a.mbaa raudriNi bhadrakaaLi bagaLaa jvaalaamukhii vaiShNavii
brahmaaNii tripuraa.ntakii suranutaa dediipyamaanojjvalaa .
chaamu.nDaa shritarakShapoShajananii daakShaayaNii vallavii
chidruupii paradevataa bhagavatii shrii raajaraajeshwarii .. 4 ..


a.mbaa shuuladhanuHkushaa.nkushadharii ardhe.ndubi.mbaadharii
vaaraahii madhu kaiTabhaprashamanii vaaNiiramaasevitaa .
mallaadhyaasuramuukadaityamadanii maaheshwarii chaa.mbikaa
chidruupii paradevataa bhagavatii shrii raajaraajeshwarii .. 5 ..


a.mbaa sR^iShTivinaashapaalanakarii aaryaavisa.mshobhitaa
gaayatrii praNavaakSharaamR^itarasa puurNaanusa.ndhiikR^itaa .
OMkaarii vinataa sutaarchitapadaa uddhanNDadaityaapahaa
chidruupii paradevataa bhagavatii shrii raajaraajeshwarii .. 6 ..


a.mbaa shaashvata aagamaadi vinutaa aaryaa mahaa devataa
yaa brahmaadi pipiilikaa.nta jananii yaa vai jaganmohinii .
yaa pa~nca praNavaadi repha jananii yaa chitkaLaamaalinii
chidruupii paradevataa bhagavatii shrii raajaraajeshwarii .. 7 ..


a.mbaa paalitabhaktaraajiranisha.m a.mbaaShTaka.m yaH paThet
a.mbaalolakaTaakShaviikShalalitaa chaishvaryamavyaahatam .
a.mbaa paavanama.ntraraajapaThanaaddante cha MokShapradaa
chidruupii paradevataa bhagavatii shrii raajaraajeshwarii .. 8 ..

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pallavi

jagadOddhAraNa ADisidaLe yashOde
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nigamakE silukada agaNita mahimana magugaLa mANikyana ADisidaLa yashOde
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caraNam 3

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(jagadO)

Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa and Swami Vivekananda Documentary

     Ramakrishna Mission - For one's own salvation, and for the good of the world!!!

       Atmano Mokshartham Jagad Hitaya Ca                  आत्मनो मोक्षार्थं जगद हिताय च

             

 

Food & Meat eating

Ramanujacharya

According to the sage Râmânuja, the following are the preparations for getting that intense love.

The first is Viveka. It is a very curious thing, especially to people of the West.It means, according to Ramanuja, "discrimination of food". Food contains all the energies that go to make up the forces of our body and mind; it has been transferred, and conserved, and given new directions in my body, but my body and mind have nothing essentially different from the food that I ate. Just as the force and matter we find in the material world become body and mind in us, so,essentially, the difference between body and mind and the food we eat is only in manifestation. It being so, that out of the material particles of our food we construct the instrument of thought, and that from the finer forces lodged in these particles we manufacture thought itself, it naturally follows, that both this thought and the instrument will be modified by the food we take. There are certain kinds of food that produce a certain change in the mind; we see it every day. There are other sorts which produce a change in the body, and in the long run have a tremendous effect on the mind. It is a great thing to learn; a good deal of the misery we suffer is occasioned by the food we take. You find that after a heavy and indigestible meal it is very hard to control the mind; it is running, running all the time. There are certain foods which are exciting; if you eat such food, you find that you cannot control the mind. It is obvious that after drinking a large quantity of wine, or other alcoholic beverage, a man finds that his mind would not be controlled; it runs away from his control.

According to Ramanuja, there are three things in food we must avoid. First, there is Jâti, the nature, or species of the food, that must be considered. All exciting food should be avoided, as meat, for instance; this should not be taken because it is by its very nature impure. We can get it only by taking the life of another. We get pleasure for a moment, and another creature has to give up its life to give us that pleasure. Not only so, but we demoralise other human beings. It would be rather better if every man who eats meat killed the animal himself; but, instead of doing so, society gets a class of persons to do that business for them, for doing which, it hates them. In England no butcher can serve on a jury, the idea being that he is cruel by nature. Who makes him cruel? Society. If we did not eat beef and mutton, there would be no butchers. Eating meat is only allowable for people who do very hard work, and who are not going to be Bhaktas; but if you are going to be Bhaktas, you should avoid meat. Also, all exciting foods, such as onions, garlic, and all evil-smelling food, as "sauerkraut". Any food that has been standing for days, till its condition is changed, any food whose natural juices have been almost dried ups any food that is malodorous, should be avoided.

The next thing that is to be considered as regards food is still more intricate to Western minds — it is what is called Âshraya, i.e. the person from whom it comes This is rather a mysterious theory of the Hindus. The idea is that each man has a certain aura round him, and whatever thing he touches, a part of his character, as it were, his influence, is left on it. It is supposed that a man's character emanates from him, as it were, like a physical force, and whatever he touches is affected by it. So we must take care who touches our food when it is cooked; a wicked or immoral person must not touch it. One who wants to be a Bhakta must not dine with people whom he knows to be very wicked, because their infection will come through the food.

The other form of purity to be observed is Nimitta, or instruments. Dirt and dust must not be in food. Food should not be brought from the market and placed on the table unwashed. We must be careful also about the saliva and other secretions. The lips ought never, for instance, to be touched with the fingers. The mucous membrane is the most delicate part of the body, and all tendencies are conveyed very easily by the saliva. Its contact, therefore, is to be regarded as not only offensive, but dangerous. Again, we must not eat food, half of which has been eaten by someone else. When these things are avoided in food, it becomes pure; pure food brings a pure mind, and in a pure mind is a constant memory of God.

Shankaracharya

Let me tell you the same thing as explained by another commentator, Shankarâchârya, who takes quite another view. This word for food, in Sanskrit, is derived from the root, meaning to gather. Âhâra means "gathered in". What is his explanation? He says, the passage that when food is pure the mind will become pure really means that lest we become subject to the senses we should avoid the following: First as to attachment; we must not be extremely attached to anything excepting God. See everything, do everything, but be not attached.

As soon as extreme attachment comes, a man loses himself, he is no more master of himself, he is a slave. If a woman is tremendously attached to a man, she becomes a slave to that man. There is no use in being a slave. There are higher things in this world than becoming a slave to a human being. Love and do good to everybody, but do not become a slave. In the first place, attachment degenerates us, individually, and in the second place, makes us extremely selfish. Owing to this failing, we want to injure others to do good to those we love. A good many of the wicked deeds done in this world are really done through attachment to certain persons. So all attachment excepting that for good works should be avoided; but love should be given to everybody. Then as to jealousy. There should be no jealousy in regard to objects of the senses; jealousy is the root of all evil, and a most difficult thing to conquer. Next, delusion. We always take one thing for another, and act upon that, with the result that we bring misery upon ourselves. We take the bad for the good.

Anything that titillates our nerves for a moment we think; as the highest good, and plunge into it immediately, but find, when it is too late, that it has given us a tremendous blow. Every day, we run into this error, and we often continue in it all our lives. When the senses, without being extremely attached, without jealousy, or without delusion, work in the world, such work or collection of impressions is called pure food, according to Shankaracharya. When pure food is taken, the mind is able to take in objects and think about them without attachment, jealousy or delusion; then the mind becomes pure, and then there is constant memory of God in that mind.

Vivekananda

It is quite natural for one to say that Shankara's meaning is the best, but I wish to add that one should not neglect Ramanuja's interpretation either. It is only when you take care of the real material food that the rest will come. It is very true that mind is the master, but very few of us are not bound by the senses. We are all controlled by matter; and as long as we are so controlled, we must take material aids; and then, when we have become strong, we can eat or drink anything we like. We have to follow Ramanuja in taking care about food and drink; at the same time we must also take care about our mental food. It is very easy to take care about material food, but mental work must go along with it; then gradually our spiritual self will become stronger and stronger, and the physical self less assertive. Then will food hurt you no more. The great danger is that every man wants to jump at the highest ideal, but jumping is not the way. That ends only in a fall. We are bound down here, and we have to break our chains slowly. This is called Viveka, discrimination.

About vegetarian diet I have to say this — first, my Master was a vegetarian; but if he was given meat offered to the Goddess, he used to hold it up to his head. The taking of life is undoubtedly sinful; but so long as vegetable food is not made suitable to the human system through progress in chemistry, there is no other alternative but meat-eating. So long as man shall have to live a Râjasika (active) life under circumstances like the present, there is no other way except through meat-eating. It is true that the Emperor Asoka saved the lives of millions of animals by the threat of the sword; but is not the slavery of a thousand years more dreadful than that? Taking the life of a few goats as against the inability to protect the honour of one's own wife and daughter, and to save the morsels for one's children from robbing hands — which of these is more sinful? Rather let those belonging to the upper ten, who do not earn their livelihood by manual labour, not take meat; but the forcing of vegetarianism upon those who have to earn their bread by labouring day and night is one of the causes of the loss of our national freedom. Japan is an example of what good and nourishing food can do.

All liking for fish and meat disappears when pure Sattva is highly developed, and these are the signs of its manifestation in a soul: sacrifice of everything for others, perfect non-attachment to lust and wealth, want of pride and egotism. The desire for animal food goes when these things are seen in a man. And where such indications are absent, and yet you find men siding with the non­-killing party, know it for a certainty that here there is either hypocrisy or a show of religion.

May the All-powerful Vishveshvari inspire your heart!