Bhagavan Speaking on His 73rd Birth Anniversary

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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

Bhagavan in Guru Purnima-2012, Kolkata

A beautiful dance honouring Bhagavan and Guruma by two little kids

"God is religion. Religion is not of God. Religion is just a path to reach God. In this world, everyone is fighting in the name of religion. Everybody loves his own religion and thinks that is the best in this world. However, it is also very important to have respect for other’s religious faith. Then there will not be any fighting in the name of religion. Religion guides us towards peace. Religion is for peace. However, it is ironic that in the name of religion when people engage themselves in war. Truth is everywhere, in every religion.

There are many ways to reach our goal but we have to select the best for us. Then to follow until we reach our goal. If we want to go on the top floor of a skyscraper, there would be many ways to go but we have to select one way to reach the destination. Different ways are not our subject. Our aim is to reach on the top by any way.

Similarly, there are many ways to realize God. However, we have to focus on achieving the ultimate goal – God, not on the way, by which we marching. Select any one religion, any one way and then follow it. Everyone should have the aim to achieve God. To realize the Supreme is our ultimate goal. As that is the place where we all can meet, where there is no differences, where there is no demarcation. Realizing Oneness is the only solution to stop the war in our world.".......Bhagavan

What is the use of getting liberated?

Swarup Chaitanya
joint General Secretary, IVS.

In this ever changing world we all are trying to invest best of ours to find fulfillment in our life. In this search we are more often misguided with the fact that by merely fulfilling the wants of our mind does not complete oneself, rather the fellow is then left with more complicated situations which generally does not seem to be controllable. So to ask the question - are we content? The answer if we judge neutrally is obvious- No. Why? That we can not answer, and in the process of expressing the reply we exaggerate our might and hide the facts.
I assume who so ever shall be going through these lines, understands that the path of deliverance always starts with the fact of inquiring with one’s self. The people in the path of deliverance is shown the way by the inquiry of –“who am I? Where do I come from?”
As is been told in the “Yoga Basistha”. This inquiry leads to the realization of the Atman or Bramhan which is the true identity of us.
International Vedanta Society is striving hard to manifest the divinity that is already within us by practicing the Upanishads. And under the divine presence of Bhagavan many people are enlightened.
Now as many of the people who got a touch of Bhagavan got enlightened, though not all. However every one of them undergone a wonderful experience of peace and bliss within. “What does that represent; does it bring any benefit to my personal life?” This basic question arises in our mind when we are met with hard line people who say goal of life is to be free from all types of bondage. Does getting liberated bring any change to the present grim scene of the world?
I remember one great event which may just fit here; it is from time immemorial a great conversation between Bhagavan Sri Krisna and his beloved friend Arjuna. If we are familiar with Srimad Bhagavat Gita, then we all know at the beginning, after seeing the great army of the Kaurabs, the opponent of Pandaba,Arjuna the greatest warrior did not wanted to fight ,he got trembled in fear, and hid his fear saying he does not want to fight, what does it get by fighting with own people? It is better to go to the woods and take alms rather to fight with the people who are his relatives, whom he loved so much.
Then came the greatest of blessing in the words of rebuke by Lord Sri Krisna, who said why you act like a meek , if you do not kill these people they shall be brought to their fates automatically, they shall die; it is a previlage given to you that you to fight for good and truth. So be an instrument to the almighty and fear not, fight, because it is your nature, it is your duty.
Actually whenever we are met with words which lead us beyond this material world we basically react by asking ourselves this question what benefit does this bring to my life or to the world?
Is it not true that great many deeds by great many people is just being forgotten, and however great work one has done does not leave a trace behind in this ever flowing time; everything is forgotten. What our great forefathers did, even we do not remember they did so many wonderful things; all are past and gone in the darkness.
Our Bhagavan once said.” Sei Ram o nei, sei Ajyodhya o nei” it means neither Great Rama is there nor his Great kingdom, where everything was so peaceful, so blissful.
Every thing gets fainted in this ever passing world. Nothing is permanent, so it is for my sake to get the eternal peace with in me, because a lighted lamp can only light another lamp and an enlightened person can only remove all the darkness of ignorance, and only the person who got eternal peace within his Self can only give peace to the world.

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.