Bhagavan Speaking on His 73rd Birth Anniversary

I created this video with the YouTube Video Editor (http://www.youtube.com/editor)

I shot the video with mobile camera.

International Vedanta Society celebrated its founder Bhagavan's 73rd Birth Anniversary on 3rd January 2014 at Birati, Kolkata.

Bhagavan spoke about spirituality. He emphasized to be with Truth and lead life accordingly.

Guru Purnima~ 2012

Press Report of Bhagavan's Europe visit

Quiet Content

-- Suzie Palmar from Australia.

A moment in meditation
Is worth a day
Of whiling every moment away

Time well spent
In no lament
Lifts our hearts
To quiet content

It is our choice
To mourn or rejoice
Ride our horse
Along our chosen course

Rein in hands
We guide our thoughts
Freeing them from self-rebuke
Picking a track
That takes us on
A joyous ride
Of kin and song

A report on Bhagavan’s visits to Shillong- a beautiful city with beautiful people at the North eastern state of Meghalaya, India.

-Sanjib Bhattacharjee & Smt Champa Nag, Shillong, India

Bhagavan- the founder and core of the International Vedanta Society paid a 3 day visit to Shillong, the capital of Meghalaya, a small but beautiful North Eastern state of India.

The arrival 1st of July 2008.
· Respected dignitaries of Shillong welcomed Sri Bhagavan with traditional “Gamosa” and garlands when Bhagavan arrived here at 12.30 pm. He was accompanied by Swami Sankarananda, Vice President IVS, Mrs. Maushumi Deb, Vice President, women’s wing, from Arunachal Pradesh and Miss Shikha Sarkar from Assam. Some of the members present were Sri Sanjib Bhattacharjee, Smt Shibani Talukdar, Sri Siddhartha Nag,Smt Champa Nag, Sri Api Das, Smt Nami Das, Smt Sonali Das, Sri Chandan Dev, Smti Devi Dev etc.
· On His arrival speech, Bhagavan highlighted the importance and significance of appearance of Sri Bhagavan in this earth to a moderate gathering which included devotees other dignitaries of Shillong. While elaborating on the concept of Diksha, Bhagavan said that the traditional “Mantra Diksha” given to the disciples is not enough, but the touch of a highly spirited super power can guide the holy heart to the ultimate realization.

The stay 2nd of July 2008
· Bhagavan said, “Vedanta should not be practiced separately; it should be made a part of our life. Every step and teachings of Vedanta helps us to lead a tension and stress free life”.
· While elaborating on the Mahamantra He said, in earlier days, the Hare Krishna Mahamantra was chanted mostly by people without realizing its inner meaning and power. But now, as the power of the Mahamantra is being discovered, it is now chanted by people of all classes, especially the literate ones, not only in India but also around the world.

· After a long time the devotees had the opportunity to listen to the Advaita Vedanta from the Master. Bhagavan was in the mood of delivering the essence of the highest form of spiritual knowledge to his loved ones. He said-“Common people are aware of three stages- awake ness, dream and deep slumber. But the ultimate internal fragrance of realization comes from the fourth step of spiritual awakening i.e. the “Paramarthik Jagaran” or the transcendental state”. He said that we or rather our mind is constantly trying to get something or the other. Naturally some of our wants are fulfilled while others are not. We feel happy when everything we want is achieved but we start to blame others for our failures and miseries when our wants and desires are not being fulfilled. The main message was that we are only responsible for our sorrows and miseries. “Nobody but me to Blame”. The sooner we can understand this the quicker we will learn to remain contended and happy.

3rd of July 2008
· Bhagavan said that the realization of eternity in every soul can only be explored when the quest for the same is felt inside.
· Sri Bhagavan said, innumerable numbers of people around the world has experienced the essence of realization with His divine touch, but compared to that it is very unfortunate that appropriate recognition is not given by the people, the reason for this being the selfishness of the aspirants who happily experienced the pleasure and joys of Realization but never had tried to express and spread this message to the world.

The departure 4th of July 2008
Every good thing comes to an end. After spending three really wonderful days with Bhagavan, the day of separation finally arrived for the people of Shillong. Devotees with tearful eyes bid farewell to His Holiness Sri Sri Bhagavan who left Shillong for Guwahati on the 4th of July at 9AM accompanied by Swami Sankarananda, Mrs Mousumi Deb and Miss Sikha Sarkar. Members present during Bhagavan’s departure were Smt Tapashi Bhattacharjee, Sri Malay Talukdar, Sri Pradip Rakshit, Sri Pinak Pani Hore, Smt Sudipta Hore, Sri S.R Choudhury, Sri Suparna Choudhury, Smt Chandra Nag, Smti Meenakshi Choudhury and others.

The frog in the well

What is Universality? How can all the religions be true, when there are so many divergent dogmas? The great Swami Vivekananda sought to address this question by telling the following story at the World’s Parliament of Religions in 1893.

Once there was a little frog who lived in a well. He grew up in the well, and ate the food he found in the well. One day, another little frog fell into the well. The first frog asked, “Where did you come from?”

The second frog responded, “I come from the great sea.”

The first frog said, “Is it like this well?”

The second said, “How can you compare the sea to a well?”

The first little frog leaped across his well, and asked, “Is it so big?”

And the second little frog said, “Such nonsense you speak, to compare a sea to a well!”

The first frog became indignant and said, “I don’t know what you’re talking about. There can be nothing bigger than this well. You are a liar.”

There are many wells in this world; Christian wells, Islamic wells, Hindu wells, Pagan wells, Buddhist wells, and Jewish wells. But from where comes the source of this water in our well? Can we transcend these walls, and swim our way into the great sea that nourishes us all?

Religion is the form that brings explanation and context to the divine experience, but even this form can be transcended to the universal truths that lie beyond. This transcendence is the path that the Vedas teach, that the mystics meditate, that the yogi’s breath, and the Sufi’s whirl. It is the path of transcendence to the heart of God that lives within each of us.

Truly, you hold the sea within you. Dare to travel from beyond your well, and find the source of that water within you, and within us all. Dare to find out just who you really are.

A Peaceful Shelter

Suzie Palmer, Umina, Australia.

Writing a poem or two
Is a pleasure to do
If only they could get into
Places that need them to

Where people are suffering and dying
If these words could stop them crying
Ease their troubles, we'll go flying
Imagine life is not so trying

Holding hands, we'll reach the stars
Gather strands of golden sparks
Embrace our family
Near and far
Bundle us in one global car

Takes us to a land that's giving
A peaceful shelter
All foods brimming
In creativity we'll go swimming
Goodness of humankind
Alive and Living.

Marie Saide's Notes

MIRROR.
Marie Saide, Damascus, Syria.

The good you find in others is in you too. The faults you find in others, are your faults as well. After all, to recognize something you must know it. The possibilities you see in others are possible for you as well. The beauty you see around you, is your beauty. The world around you is a mirror showing you the person you are.


To change your world, you must change yourself. To blame and complain will only make matters worse. Whatever you care about, is your responsibility. What you see in others shows you yourself. See the best in others, and you will be your best. Give to others, and you give to yourself. Appreciate beauty, and you will be beautiful. Admire creativity, and you will be creative.



Love and you will be loved. Seek to understand, and you will be understood. Listen and your voice will be heard. Teach, and you will learn. Show your best face to the mirror, And you'll be happy with the face looking back at you.

Letter from Risa, Devotee of Bhagavan from Greece

Hello Swamiji,

I just arrived to my village after 2 weeks at Athens. I had to do some work there, sell some clothes and it is only now that I came to see my family and settle my things. I have been doing very fine, sometimes I had time to practice, sometimes not but I never felt disconnected from God. Actually I think that it is impossible now for me to disconnect from Him even though the situation around me doesn't help me to practice at all. I saw my mother and she is very happy with my progress, she noticed that I seem much more mature now, and most of my friends too. And the fact is that I feel very firm to what I am now. That's why I think that it would be very difficult to stray from the path chosen for me. It is not a matter of me leaving it; It won't leave me!!!! I mean that, my mind has been very quiet, and I surely enjoy this quietness. I also tested myself in some ways to see whether I could stray, but as I told you it doesn't let me, and I am very happy about that. Other than that everythings going on fine. I got sick but it is a matter of climate change. Anyway, that is all Swamiji, send me news soon.

Love
Risa

A Highly Encouraging Letter from a True Spiritual Person

Thank you swamiji!!
I'm liking it!I know him and love his music!...
we talked to Christian yesterday and he's coming next month to mexico.
I'll tell you about my spiritual life...I meditate and I try to make maditation my lifestyle, constantly sitting in my neutral witness while doing my daily things and activities...meditate in every act and moment..I try to do that...I approach totality practicing the truth in the simple things, compassion, peace, patience and respect to my husband and friends, and remembering that everything around me is Me and is God...we are one...I practice yoga and I pray to all kinds of Gods, ascended Masters, Buddhas, Deities and different manifestations of Divinity that appear in my life...I'm open to all religions and ways of approaching the experience of GOD and UNITY...my dancing and singing are ways to approach spirituality too...all the best for your class....love and light for your day
...Siri Bhagwati Kaur( Maria Aisha Skoufalos, Mexico)

IVS is a white elephant, writes Saroda......

White resembles truth,purity;White elephant is the magnitude & potentiality of our Organization.Its the resemblance of hauling itself with an elephant. As the gigantic creature doesn't panic or get disturbed by anything & walk with his own swiftness so is the International Vedanta Society. It will gradually but unquestionably take itself to new horizons & will one day reach the Pinnacle...
You may ask, why not Tiger??? I shall say , its sheer an unsuccessful attempt to paint black stripes on our austerely beautiful ''White Elephant''!!! It is considered as the most sacred & thus our IVS too!!! Tiger gets tempted easily on seizing its victim.Tiger is the symbol of strength , activeness & fast development...Which White Elephant has too with an addition of functioning with own pace in a royal style!!!
Now , we are the body parts & body functioning system of this White Elephant-IVS , with Bhagavan as its Heart...Now its a must duty of all of us to function properly as disturbance of even a small body segment will effect the whole body of this mighty creature , no matter how strong it is...So come, lets function in an equilibrium style so that our heart beat(Bhagavan) plays its glorious tune & spread it like that melodious tune of Pied Piper of Hameline...to every corner of this scorched world...
Come on IVS , lets start the journey....
JAY BHAGAVAN.
Saroda......

Shivendra ,Research Scholar, IIT Guwahati, writes......

Dear Brothers and sisters,
Hope u all are enjoying the divine love rain of Bhagavan.Great! it's our utmost luck and nothing else that we are able to attain peace and purity under the aegis of Bhagavan.Purity of heart, mind and deeds should be our goal, rest all will follow it.Bhagavan is everything of ours.Many of us "know" this fact and rest others "beleive".But we have to know Him."To know" is different from "To beleive".No doubt, at a point of time all will know the truth.Let's pray Him to make each and everybody know Him.We have only one life to live with a fixed number of time drops.All the time-drops keep vaporizing and later none is left.But unfortunately, people live their life in such a way as they have many more lives in their bank.Bhagavan teaches us the complete utilization of time,power and wealth in a right direction which is to serve people.IVS is an enormously large banyan tree planted by Bhagavan, under which the entitre universe is rushing to get a shelter.Under the shade of this tree people slake the thirst of their
soul. Let's perform our duty to make this world full of joy and bliss.The masses possess inertia.As Newton's first law suggets that we need to apply an external force to break the inertia of a system.The same way, we need to put
our dedication, sacrifice and hard work to break the inertia of common masses.To wake them up is to break their inertia.This is what we have to do.Let's pray Bhagavn to pour His blessings over us inordinately and to keep flowing His infinite energy in us so that we can wake our friends up to make them know themselves.All Swamijis and many devotees at IVS are working day and night to make this word beautiful.They are going to fly the flag of "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam" in this universe.Come on! let's move ahead!

Best regards,
shivendra

Nieves letter:

Amingaon, 27^th February, 2008

Dear Swami Probuddhananda:

When I arrive first time in India, last 19^th January, since the first day, I felt very comfortable. It could be said this trip was casual, but I know it is “causal.”

When I get in Kolkata ashram I felt like coming back at home. A seed of Vedanta has been put in soil years ago, it was in me, quietly and silently waiting for this since this new contact makes it awaken and inspired me very much.

I have to thank you all for the true love that you give. I have feel like living with my own family, a very beautiful family that protects our body, mind and soul. I have received something unexpected, a precious gift, pure love. I will never forget you all.

Tomorrow we are leaving for Varanasi; new experiences are waiting for me there. I am happy for this time we have shared, at the same time, I am also sad because we are leaving , but all of you are very deep in my heart, so you come with me too.

I have to go on with my responsibilities and my family, but these days I have waked a step, so I hope to continue with the practice that I renew here and I am sure it will help, not only myself.

I would like to come once again with my husband and who knows, with my two sons, too.

I can tell you great things that have happened to me. When I was in Kolkata ashram I realized two things:

At the precise moment when Bhagavan was leaving Birati, I saw Jesus in Him; I could understand both messages because they are the same. Although Catholics has misunderstandings in it and they have put relevance in suffering and sin, Jesus always made Love and Truth- his way.

Swami Premananda has touched my soul as a brother. He healed sad and empty feelings that I had with my own brother. When I arrived here in this Ashram I was very well received, immediately I feel love. I felt the energy of grand mother I never had a Vaishanavima she was very close to me. I appreciate every word, every chat, every song, every meal, everything is blessed here.

Swamiji, I want you to know that I appreciate very much all your dedication that you have given us all this days and I hope in a future not too far away I could do the same for you in Tenerife. You ought to know you are very well coming there any time and if you need something I can do, you could stand by me.

Thanks very very much for all good things I have received from you and all other Swamijis.

With sincere love from heart,

Nieves

Maria

Narayani.

FOR ENLIGHTMENT WE ARE BORN

The most precious thing we have in life surely can only be life itself. But now we have this gift, what should we do with it? Lost in the wilderness of the world, men grow old and die without finding out the answer to this question, open which our very destinies hang.
For enlightenment we were born, and enlightenment alone. Every soul is the Light Divine; our minds alone cloud this Truth. Cut asunder the knots in the mind, so that Divine Light may blaze forth and envelop all from one who has attained to the very pinnacle of life. This can only be achieved with awesome strength, gigantic will, or else the sweetest love of the purest of hearts. Generating that strength, strengthening that will, gently nourishing that love into flowering, and purifying each and every heart on the planet is the ideal of IVS.