Reminiscences

SWAMI SUHITANANDA

(Continued from previous issue. . .) The author, now one of the Vice Presidents of Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission, noted these conversations while serving Swami Premeshananda (1884 – 1967) at Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama, Sargachhi, Murshidabad, West Bengal. Premeshananda Maharaj was a disciple of Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi. He inspired countless men and women to lead a life of spirituality and service. These reminiscences were originally published in Bengali.

25.9.60 A sannyasi who was the head of a large, reputable college went to Hrishikeshforsomedays. Maharaj:Look.Itisanactofmanlinessto walkawayfromsomuchhonour,influence,and luxury. He has great potential as a spiritual seeker. But there is a flip side to this. On returningfromHrishikesh,hewillgainprestige amonghisfriendsandaddingtothehonourhe alreadyenjoys,hewillbecertifiedasasadhu from Hrishikesh (i.e., a tapasvi)! All these aspectsshouldbekeptinmind. TheBrahminpriests areendowedwith tremendous rajoguna – so many ritualistic practices,wavingofhands,recitingverses,and performingyajnaswithmuchaffectation.Just noticehowrajogunithe tantrikas (practitioners of Shakti worship) are –smearing their foreheads with red sandalpaste, etc. The devoteesofKrishnaarefulloflove,Gauranga (Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu) devotees are emotional, and the devotees of Sri Ramakrishna areserene–gentleanddignified.

Brahmachari: Is there any need for sannyasis to read the Sri Sri Chandi, or is it enoughiftheyjustreadtheGita? Maharaj: Wecanlearnmanythingsabout Indian culture byreadingthe Sri Sri Chandi. Althoughthereisnoneedforsannyasistoread thisbook,itisamustforlearningaboutIndian culture. The foundation ofthe Sri Sri Chandi is Saguna Brahman (Brahman with attributes). Creationstartswiththecombinationof Akasa, Ether,and Prana, Life force–thesehavebeen depicted variously as the goddesses Chandi, Jagaddhatri, and Durga. The metaphors of Mother Kali and Lord Shiva also stand for Saguna Brahman and Nirguna Brahman (Brahmanwithoutattributes).Thepracticeof worshippingtrees,stones,andserpentsslowly evolvedfromtheseconcepts.

People who have not yet felt the need of God in their lives see only the defects in the livesofgreatmen.Doyouknowwhytheydo this?Theirmindsareweak,sotojustifytheir ownweaknessestheycriticisethelivesofgreat men.SuchpeopleevenallegethatSwamijihad thedesireforhonourandfame. 8.10.60

Maharaj: Some sadhus roam about as parivrajakas (itinerant monks) without any definitepurpose.Butasannyasihasagoal–to tryandexhausthisrajoguna. Whereverhegoes, his mind should always remain spiritually oriented. He should remember the Creator whenever he sees beautiful scene. Thus, gradually his mind will turn inward. The 40

purposeofbecominga parivrajaka is to avoid attachmenttoanything. Suppose a seeker practises spiritual discipline for fifty years. Perhaps he had committedanevilacttenlifetimesago.Nowin this birth a coincidence o f similar circumstances may lead him to commit the sameevilactagain.Forthisreason,wehaveto always remain alert. Who knows what untoward action I may commit in a weak moment? Dispassionisasubjectivematter.Itwells upfromwithin.Toquickenandmakeitstrong, we must practice abhyasa-yoga, living in a community life in accordance with definite prescribedrules. Listen.Listenhere.Fetch‘Srim’. Attendant:Whatis‘Srim’? Maharaj:Oh!Don’tyouknowthestory?It isaboutthedoctoryouseethere–theonewho isaged,dark,andthin.Whenhewasstudying medicine in Kolkata, he wentto Belur Math once or twice. Possibly as a volunteer he distributed khichuri prasada todevoteesduring somecelebration.Intheafternoonheattended the religious meeting as well. The direct disciples of Sri Ramakrishna too were present there. Aftercompletinghisstudies,hetookupa job.TheWorldWarbegan;hewentabroadon commissionandearnedalotofmoney.After retirement he returned to his own house in Murshidabad.Onedayhewenttoashoptobuy something.Theshopkeepergavehimtheitem wrappedinasheetofpaper.Whenhereadthe textwrittenonit,thesubjectseemedfamiliar. ItincludedthenamesofBaburam,Khoka,and others.Actuallythewrappingpaperwasapage from the Kathamrita (the Bengali original of The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna). When he recogniseditasapagefromthe Kathamrita, he arrangedtogetacopyofthebook.Asheread thebook,adeepsorrowwelledupwithinhim. ‘Alas!’hethought.‘HowmuchIhavelost!’ Then the Udbodhan office cabled him informationabouttheSargachhiashramaand Premeshananda.Sincethenhehasbeencoming herenowandthen.Noticethatwheneverhe comeshebringssomeproducefromhisfarm. One day he asked me, ‘Have you read this book?’Iasked,‘Whichbook?’Hereplied,‘Srim’. Withoutgettingannoyed,Isaid,‘Thenameof thebookis Sri Sri Ramakrishna Kathamrita – as told by Sri Ma’(‘astoldbyMr.M.’InBengali,‘m’ is pronounced ‘ma’, like the letter of the alphabet;butthedoctorjoinedthetwowords –SriandM,andpronounceditas‘Srim’!). Letmetellyouanotherstoryabouthim. For some days he had been pestering me: ‘Please give me your photograph.’ I tried to avoidthis, buthewas persistent. Eventually, onedayIaskedhimtocomeaftertakinghis bath.Sohecameafterbathingandrespectfully spreadhiscuppedhands.Itookaphotograph fromaclothbag,helditfacedown,andputitin hishands.Hetouchedhisheadtoitreverently andthen,turningitover,foundthatitwasa photograph o f Sri Ramakrishna! He remonstrated, ‘But it is Sri Ramakrishna’s photograph!’Isaidtohim,‘SriRamakrishnais God,andGodisall-inclusive.Wheneverything iswithinhim,isn’tPremeshanandathere?’And Iadded,‘Neverloweryourideal.’ (To be continued...)

RAMAKRISHNA MATH Ganganagar, P.O: Uttarkashi

Uttarakhand: 249193 Email: uttarkashi@rkmm.org

Dear Devotees & Friends,

Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission, Belur Math declared open a Math centre at Uttarkashi, an ancient holy town in the Garhwal Himalayas on 20 th Oct 2017. There was already a small dwelling house, named as Ramakrishna Kutir since 1963, where sadhus of our Order used to stay for intense Tapasya in the traditional monastic way — begging food from outside and living a simple austere life. Swami Turiyananda, a direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna spent a year or so in Uttarkashi during his wandering days. Impressed by the Swami’s overwhelming personality and knowing him to be a disciple of Sri Ramakrishna, the Raja of Tehri donated a piece of land to him at Uttarkashi and the then Mahant of Kailas Ashrama built a small hut for him. That was the sowing of the seed of future Ramakrishna Math in Uttarkashi.

In view of spreading Swami Vivekananda’s ideal of service and spirituality among the masses, we plan to purchase some land measuring at least one acre in Harsil Valley, 75 kms off Uttarkashi and 25 kms from Gangotri. Along with retreat centres for sadhus and devotees, some welfare activities for the benefit of the poor and underprivileged will be taken up after acquiring and developing the land.

A sum of Rs. 2 crores is estimated to set up and develop this additional unit of the Uttarkashi Math. We request our friends and devotees, trusts and corporate bodies to contribute liberally to complete this project of welfare and spirituality at the earliest.

Donations can be made by NEFT/RTTGS to the Ramakrishna Math, Uttarkashi, Union Bank of India, Uttarkashi Branch; IFSC: UBIN0560189, A/c No. 601802010006696.

Kindly mention the purpose as “Donation for purchase of land and development of the Math centre” and send your PAN and full address by email to uttarkashi@rkmm.org or SMS to 9447051231.

May Sri Ramakrishna, Ma Sarada, Swami Vivekananda bless you all.

Date: 1 June 2019 Yours in the Lord, Swami Amaleshananda Adhyaksha

AstudyoftemplesinBengalofthe late medieval period is an interesting chapter in history of Indian art and architecture. Evolving in intimateassociationwiththechangingphases oflifeandfaith,templearchitectureofBengal with its varied styles – Chala, Ratna, Deul, Dome-shaped, Flat-roofed etc., –and the decorations, designs and graceful terracotta worksoffloral,animalandhumanfiguresisa great legacy. The low-lands of Bengal are sustainedbyriversandcanalsanditsalluvial soilinspiredthethenartisanstomakebrick temples. In the humid and moist climate of Bengalitisverynaturalthatinsteadofstones, clay was chosen as the medium to give expressiontoBengalisentimentsandculture throughterracotta(bakedclay)templesacross the Rarh Bengal specially in the districts of Bankura, Birbhum, Hooghly, Murshidabad, Medinipore, Howrah, Purulia, Burdwan and Nadia. The subject matters in terracotta on these temples are generally Hindu epics –Ramayana, Mahabharata, Krishna Lila, Vaishnavism,MangalKavyas;socialsceneswith differenttypesoffloralandgeometricaldesigns alsocoverthetemplewalls.Therearehundreds ofbeautifulterracottatemplesstillexistingin Bengal. Some ofthem are –Radha Govinda templeofAntpur,AnantaVasudevatempleof Hooghly,ShyamraiandJorBangaltemplesof DEVASHIS NANDY BishnupurinBankura,LaxmiJanardanTemple of Daspur in Medinipore, Pratapeshwar temple ofKalna in Burdwan, Raghunath Temple of GhurishainBirbhum,andRaghaveswartemple ofDignagarinNadia. ThisarticleisaboutRatneshwartemple –a beautiful five-pinnacled terracotta ornamented Saivaite temple which is fading intooblivion. Ratneswar Temple

The author, who lives in Chandannagar, W.B., has a number of publications on Terracotta temples. devashisnandy1957@gmail.com

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Bhattamati, is a small village in Murshidabaddistrict,locatedabout5kmswest of Lalbag Court Road Railway Station on Howrah–AzimganjsectionofEasternRailway. The presence ofRatneshwar, a Pancharatna Shiva temple full of terracotta artwork, indicatesthatthevillagehadagloriouspast. Most of the terracotta artwork has been destroyedduetoneglectandpassageoftime. Stillonecanenjoythebeautifulhandiworkof the artisans of those times, and the temple can easilystandinfavourablecomparisonwithany otherterracottatempleofBengal. Thereisno dedicatory plaque and it is not known who builtthistemple. The village was initially knownasBhattabati,theabode of Bhattas; it later became corruptedasBhattamati.Itissaid that four hundred Carnatic Bhatta Brahmins settled in this village in the days ofAllauddin HussainShah(1494-1519),the kingofGaur.ThereignofHussain Shah was known for religious tolerance towardsHindus.Itwasduringhisreignthatthe celebrated medieval saint Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu preached the Bhakti cult throughout Bengal. Two high level Hindu officersinHussainShah’sadministration,one his private secretary (Dabir-i-khas) Rupa Goswamiandanotherhisconfidantminister (Saghir-Malik) Sanatan Goswami became devoted followers of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.Thesetwowereinstrumentalin bringingtheseBhattaBrahminstothisvillage. Itcanbepresumedthattheyweretaskedto establish a Vaishnava learning school in MurshidabadtospreadtheVaishnavaculture andtheteachingsofSriChaitanya.Thereisa largepondinthesoutherndirectionknownas Kalisagar. ThisisaPancharatnatemplei.e.,having fiveturretsonthetop–fourpinnaclesonthe sides and the one atthe centre beingmuch larger in size. The entire structure is on a squarebaseandeachoftheratnasorturrets which are pyramidal in shape, are in symmetry with the main structure of the temple. The temple faces south to which is its singleentrance.Thissouth-facing wall has the richest terracotta ornamentation. All the exterior w a l l s f o l l o w a s i m i l a r arrangementofthreetierswith overhangingcornices.Insidethe temple there is ahuge Sivalingam which is worshippeddailybyalocalpriest. Thefrontside,i.e.,thesouthfacewhich hasarectangularspacebetweenthefirstand second arch is heavily decorated with social and domestic scenes like hunting, dancing, music,smoking,andevenagurufollowedby hisdisciples.Thesedifferentscenesareonthe two sides of beautifully carved Mangala

Four hundred

Carnatic Bhatta Brahmins settled in this Bengal village during the reign of Allauddin Hussain Shah (1494 -1519).

Kalashas, the auspicious earthen pots, set verticallyoneabovetheanother.Thesecond archhasanoverhangingcornicesupportedon ninetwintigers standingontheirhindlegs. The entire arch is overhung by a heavily ornamentedvinedesign.Abovethedesignis stucco work ofdifferent leafy structure. A smallerarchabovethatsupports aseries of panels of Dashavataras, the ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu, flankedbyGanas.Almostall bricktemplesinBengalof t h e l a te m e d i eva l period portray the Dashavatars. These panels are flanked on either side from bottomtothetopby a series of panels. Those on the right side depict episodes from the life of Lord Rama, while those on the left side present the life of LordKrishna.Interestingly,on either side of the doorway, just abovethebasefriezethere,thereare twogroupsapproachingeachother–fromthe rightcomeatroopofEnglishmenwithsuits andhats,andfromtheleftcomeabrigadeof Muslimsoldiers.

Other than on the southern side, the rest of the temple’s terracotta plaques are in a dilapidated condition. On the western side, thereisanunusuallylarge6ftheightMatsya Avatar, the Fish Incarnation ofLord Vishnu. Similarly, on the northern side there is the 6ft heightVamanaAvatar,theDwarfIncarnationof LordVishnu.Ontheeasternfaceofthetemple, to the leftis Gour Nitai, to the rightRadha Krishna, and in the middle Sharabhuja Gouranga,orSriChaitanyaMahaprabhuwith six hands. It is believed that Sri Chaitanya revealed this form with six hands to Sarvabhauma,RamanandaandNitai.Thefirst twohandsholdabowandanarrow,thesecond twohandsholdafluteintheactof playinguponit,andthelasttwo hands hold a danda, or stick, and a kamandalu, or sacred water pot. By this manifestation, Sri ChaitanyamadeNitai understand that he was Rama as well as Krishna. The religious, social, and political scenes depicted on the temple walls reflect a society which was at the crossroads in late medieval Bengal,especiallyinthefieldof temple building. Although this temple was first documented and notifiedforrenovationandprotectionbythe DirectorateofArchaeologyandMuseums,Govt. ofWestBengalin1973,therenovationwork was carried out only in 2005-2006 with the help o f Public Works Department, Murshidabad.Butafterthattherehasbeenno arrangement to protect this priceless monument.Thetemplestandsinthemidstof paddyfields surrounded byponds, awaiting curious tourists and lovers of terracotta temples. Sharabhuja Gouranga

Correction: In the article ‘Swami Vivekananda in Sri Lanka: New Findings’, June 2019 page 24 the caption for the photographshouldbeas: Vennarpannai Shivan temple and adjoining Kathiresan (Murugan or Kartikeya) temple where Swamiji worshipped on 24 January 1897.

ASIM CHAUDHURI

Introduction S wami Vivekananda’s first three speeches at the Parliament of Religions in 1893: ‘Response to Welcome’(September11),‘WhyWeDisagree’ (September 15), and ‘Paper on Hinduism’ (September19),wererespectivelyanappeal for tolerance or acceptance, an appeal for interfaith understanding, and a profound expositionofHinduism.Butitwasadifferent storyonSeptember20(‘ReligionnottheCrying NeedofIndia’).Thatwasaspeechaccusingthe ChristianmissionariesinIndiaoftryingtosave thesouls oftheheatheninsteadoftryingto savetheirbodiesfromstarvation.Hewasnot scheduled to speak that night. It was a fortuitous coincidence that some of the speakers didn’t show up and the audience persuadedhimtotakethepodium.The Chicago Inter Ocean ofSeptember 21 reported the followingastowhathappenedjustpriortohis actual speech:

AtthecloseofthereadingofMr.Headland’s paperon‘ReligioninPeking’ Dr. Momerie announced that the other speakers bulletined for the evening had failed to appear.Itwasbut9o’clock,andthemain auditorium and galleries were well filled. Therewasanoutburstofapplauseasthey caught sight o f the Hindoo monk, Vivekananda,sittinginhisorangerobeand scarlet turban upon the platform. This popularHindoorespondedtothegenerous applausebysayingthathedidnotcometo speaktonight.Hetookoccasion,however,to criticizemanyofthestatementsmadeinthe paper by Mr. Headland. Referring to the poverty which prevails in China, he said that themissionarieswoulddobettertoworkin appeasing hunger than in endeavoring to persuade the Chinese to renounce their faith ofcenturiesandembraceChristianityat[as] the price of food. And then the Hindu steppedbackontheplatformandwhispered toBishopKeane,oftheCatholicchurch,a moment. Hethenresumedhis address by sayingthatBishopKeanehadtoldhimthat Americanswouldnotbeoffendedathonest criticism.

ThisisthefirsttimeweseeBishopKeane enteringthe ‘Vivekananda Orbit’. Itis highly likely that they had some prior discussions on that general subject. The absence of the scheduled speakers in that time slot gave Swamijitheopportunitytospeak.Wewillsee laterhowthe bishop’s views coincided with thoseofSwamiji.

Who was Bishop Keane? It may be appropriate at this point to introduce Bishop John Joseph Keane (1839- 1918),thentherectoroftheCatholicUniversity ofAmericainWashington,D.C.,andalso the bishop ofRichmond, Virginia. Bishop Keane was known for his liberal and progressive views. Although the Catholics were

discriminated againstin the 19 th century, he stronglyadvocatedthe full representationof theCatholicChurchattheWorld’sParliament of Religions. His deep commitment to education, and to interfaith understanding were legendary. He constantly reached out beyond the confines ofhis church, andwasthefirstCatholicbishopin Virginia to preach to the AfricanAmerican community. His liberal/ progressiveworldviewdrewtheire of conservative members of the Catholic Church hierarchy and he was forced to resignhisrectorshipin1896. BishopKeanewasafriendofthepoorand disenfranchised. He worked tirelesslyfor the social and cultural uplifting ofthe working classes and for the rapid assimilation of immigrants into American life. He drew a distinctionbetweenthepoorandthedestitute. Just before he expressed his support on September 21, 1893 at the Parliament (as reportedbythe Herald)for Swamiji’s views, the day before, he had said, ‘Christwould bless poverty, but Christ would never bless destitution.Christwaspoor,hisapostleswere poor, butChristand his apostles never were miserable and destitute. It is a mistake to suppose that the Church ofGod gives any sanction or benediction to destitution or wretchedness.’ There is a subtle difference betweenpovertyanddestitution.Whilepoverty isastateofbeingmateriallypoororindigent, destitution goes beyond poverty; it implies reductiontoastateofabjectness—adegrading mental state. The distinction is important, because Swamiji had taken vows ofchastity, poverty,andmendicancy—butnotofdestitution. Bishop Keane’s endorsement of Vivekananda

On September 21, the day after the whispered communication between Swamiji andBishopKeaneontheplatform,thebishop was reading a long paper by one Charles F. DonnellyattheParliament,titled‘TheRelation of the Roman Catholic Church to the Poor and Destitute.’ Buthe paused duringthe reading andsaid,asreportedbythe Chicago Herald of September22,1893(page10): …..My heart was glad when I listened last night [September 20] and heard our good friend, the Hindoo,confessthatforyearshedid notknowwherehewasgoingtoget hisnextmeal.Thatwasthewaywith these poor Franciscan monks. They were reduced to povertyin orderthattheymight betterconsecratethemselvestotheserviceof God everywhere. And let me also say here, because it is in close connection with the thoughtprintedinthepaper[Mr. Donnelly’s paper], from my heart I indorse the denunciationthatwashurledforthlastnight againstthesystemofpretendedcharitythat offeredfoodtothehungryHindooatthecostof theirconscienceandtheirfaith.Thequestion mightwellbeaskedwhetheramongChristian peoplesuchasystemwaspossible,andyetwe haveonlytolookbacktothehistoryoffamine inIrelandinordertoknowthatsuchthings havebeen.Ashame,adisgracetothosewho callthemselvesChristians.ButIamhappyto state, in answer to a half question also asked lastnight,andinconnectionwiththissubject, that in China and in India, the Sisters of Charity and the Little Sisters of the Poor have many institutionsinwhichtheyarepledgedbyholy vowstocarefortheindigent,nomatterwhat mightbetheirfaith,withoutaskinganymanto beguiltyoftheshamhypocrisyofpretending conversioninordertogetbread.[Applause.]

Iwillgofurtherandsay:Wewerestartled at the denunciation that came also from the heartofthe Hindoo monklastnight, ofthe Christian system of the atonement, as he understoodit.Isympathizewithhimfromhis standpoint.Therehavebeenmenwhothrough Christ would bless poverty, but would never bless destitution

a mistaken piety have so exhausted the supremacy of God as to utterly annihilate all responsibility and the co-operation ofthe humanfreewill.Foranysuchsystemorthe idea of the atonement of Christ I have no more sympathythanhasourBuddhist[sic]friend.I say to him let him go on criticizing the Christians,wedonothearhalfenoughofthis.I firmlybelieve in the principle laid down by dearBobbyBurns[RobertBurns]: OwadsomepowertheGiftiegieus Toseeourselsasithersseeus.[Applause] And ifby these criticisms Vivekananda can only stir us and sting us into better teachingsandbetterdoingsinthegreatwork of Christ in the world I for one will be profoundly grateful to our friend, the great Hindoomonk.[Applause.]

A friend in deed

Swamiji rarely received such public endorsement of any clergy in the U.S., and that too in front of an international audience of Christians of all denominations. He must have been in the audience listening in appreciation to every word of it and must have been grateful to the bishop for his support. It is important to note that the bishop said things that Swamiji had left unsaid.

Swami Vivekananda in Chicago Sept 1893

It is unfortunate that very little is known about their interaction during the rest of the Parliament days and thereafter; maybe there wasn’t any. Swamiji was in Washington, D.C., the home of the Catholic University of America, in the fall of 1894, but there is no record of his meeting with Bishop Keane, who had spoken his mind against the ‘system of pretended charity’ of Christian missionaries in Asia. The bishop’s defense of the Hindu monk probably did not sit well with the conservative leaders of his church, and might have been added to the list of his other unorthodox views that led to his forced resignation from the rectorship three years later.

Bishop John Joseph Keane will always be remembered as Swamiji’s friend in need. They were of the same mindset. Swamiji consulted with him before firing his salvo of criticism against Christian missionaries; and the bishop came back, praised him for it the next day, and did more of the same.