Treasure for the Devotees...

I received this Treasure Box from the threads of the Holy Trio group on Google. You may be wondering what treasure lies within this box. Without, taking more time let me come straight to the point. Recently, I discovered this book @ the Book stall of Sri Ramakrishna Ashrama, Mysore with the following title "How to Live with God: In the company of Ramakrishna" by Swami Chetanananda, Minister of Vedanta @ the Vedanta Society of St. Louis. I had read books titled "God Lived with them" and "They Lived with God" also by Swami Chetananandaji, but here was a book which gave a new perspective about Sri Ramakrishna the world knows about.

By reading this book a Devotee or for that matter the common man will be able to understand 'how to live with God, how to love Him and how to establish a relationship with God and Sri Ramakrishna' just as the publisher has mentioned in the publisher's note. The Treasure Box as I have mentioned earlier consists of lectures delivered by Swami Chetananandaji maharaj (part 1 and part 2) on the book 'How to Live with God' @ Vedanta Society of Sacremento. Follow the instructions given on the downloads page to listen to the various lectures delivered @ Vedanta Society of Sacremento which they have offered as free downloads.

The book is published by Advaita Ashrama in India and available @ all the centers of Sri Ramakrishna Math and Mission.

Three Things....

Three things are necessary to make every Man great, every Nation great:
1. Conviction of the powers of goodness.

2. Absence of jealousy and suspicion.

3. Helping all who are trying to be and do good.

- Swami Vivekananda. C.W. Vol. 8, Epistles - Fourth series. XV

How to Pray...

How to pray is the question. Let us not pray for things of the world, but pray like saint Narada. Narada said to Ramachandra, 'O Rama, grant that I may be favoured with Bhakti (love, devotion and self-surrender) for your lotus-feet.' 'Be it so, Narada,' said Rama, 'but will you not ask for anything else?' Narada replied, 'Lord, may it please You to grant that I may not be attracted by Your Maya, which fascinates the universe.' Ramachandra said once more, 'Be it so, Narada, but will you not ask for anything else?' Narada replied, 'No, Lord, that is all I pray for.' - Sri Ramakrishna

Swami Harshanandaji Maharaj's Article

Article by Swami Harshanandaji Maharaj, President, Sri Ramakrishna Math, Bangalore in courtesy of Vijaya Karnataka (Kannada daily)....

Mother Ganga: the story of a living Goddess

This is a story of Maa Ganga: the living goddesses.

From Char Dham Yatra 2007

A family of 3 people a couple and their little daughter of 4 or 5 years came on a pilgrimage to one of the most revered pilgrim places in our country "Gangotri" on the last day just before winter would set in and the authorities were making preparations to close the Holy shrine of Mother Ganga at Gangotri. The couple had darshan of Mother Ganga in all her splendour and also the other temples in the surroundings. Just when they were about to leave they noticed that their little daughter was missing. They searched for their little daughter for a long time but in vain. By the time the couple lodged a complaint with the local police, the authorities had closed down the main temple gates of Ganga Mata Mandir for the season and were preparing to leave the place. The couple requested the authorities to atleast open the main gates of the Gangotri temple so as to look for their little daughter inside, but the authorities cited their helplessness and assured the couple of all possible help in this regard. The couple had to leave for their hometown as Gangotri and its surroundings are closed to the outside world for a period of 6 months.

After 6 months, when the authorities opened the holy shrine of Maa Ganga, to the amazement of one and all present. A little girl was found inside the main shrine of Maa Ganga, as if waking up from a state of deep sleep. The authorities asked the little girl how she came to be inside the temple for such a long time without food and water. The young girl said that when the gates of the temple were closed 6 months earlier she cried out for help and started crying for her parents and went to sleep in a corner of the temple. Later, a young girl came to the little girl and talking to the little girl in a sweet and soft voice stayed with little girl all the time bringing food and playing with her all through the 6 months inside the temple. The authorities were amazed at the story of the girl and were convinced that the young girl who came to the rescue the little girl was none other than 'Maa Ganga: the living goddess'. The authorities prayed to Maa Ganga for her love and compassion towards the little girl and also informed the little girl's parents who having lost all hope were overjoyed to be reunited with their little daughter....

I heard the above story from a monk and after having had the opportunity of going on a pilgrimage last year "Char Dham Yatra" to Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath in October 2007 conducted by Nirmala Travels. I am convinced that Maa Ganga is amongst us looking after us with her life giving touch inspiring us to go onwards on a spiritual journey.

Why read the Gita?

An old farmer lived with his grandson. Each morning grandpa would red his Gita. His grandson wanted to be just like him and tried to imitate him. One day the grandson asked, 'Grandpa! I try to read the Gita just like you but I don't understand it and what I do understand I forget. What good does reading the Gita do?' The grandfather quietly replied, 'Take this coal basket down to the river and bring me back a basket of water.' The boy did as he was told but all the water leaked out before he got back to the house. The grandfather laughed and said, "You'll have to move a little faster next time,' and sent him back. This time the boy ran faster but again the basket was empty. Out of breath, he told his grandfather, that it was impossible and went to get a bucket instead. The old man said, 'I don't want a bucket of water; I want a basket of water. At this point, the boy knew it was impossible but he wanted to show that even if he ran as fast as he could, the water would leak out before he got back to the house. The boy again dipped the basket into the river and ran hard but when he reached his grandfather the basket was again empty. Out of breath he said, 'See grandpa, it's uselless!' 'So you think it is useless?' the old man said, 'Look at the basket.' The boy looked at the basket and for the first time realized that the basket was different. It had been transformed from a dirty coal basket and was now clean, inside and out. 'Son, that's what happens when you read the Gita. You might not understand or remember everything but slowly you will be changed inside and out.'

courtesy: Samvit, No. 57. March 2008. published by Sri Sarada Math, Dakshineswar, Kolkata

Read about the Bhagavad Gita here:
Swami Vivekananda about his Thoughts on the Gita
Bhagavad Gita, the divine song translated by Swami Tapasyananda

Sri Ramakrishna Ashrama, Mysore Photographs.....

Photographs of Sri Ramakrishna Ashrama, Mysore...

Sri Ramakrishna Sharadashrama, Ponnampet Website

Sri Ramakrishna Sharadashrama, Ponnampet a branch centre of
Sri Ramakrishna Math & Ramakrishna Mission now has a website. The centre was started in the year 1927 and is located in the scenic and natural beauty of Kodagu district of Karnataka. To read more about Sri Ramakrishna Sharadashrama, Ponnampet visit the following url: http://rkmponnampet.org/.

Ramakrishna Darshan: a humble offering...

An Appeal

Sri Ramakrishna Ashrama, Mysore to spread the life giving message of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa is in the process of organizing an exhibition titled "Ramakrishna Darshan: a humble offering" based on his Life and Teachings. The exhibition consists of 40 multi - colored 19" x 29" poster kit made of thick card, mounted on plastic flute board available in the following languages; English, Kannada, Bengali, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Marathi, Gujarati, Oriya and Assamese.

Individuals and Institutions willing to contribute for the noble cause and conduct the exhibition at different places, please contact for further information, download brochure from the following links:

Sri Ramakrishna Ashrama,
(Ramakrishna Darshan Dept.)
Yadavagiri,
Mysore - 570020
Ph: 0821-2417444/2412424