Volume 4 Issue 4

October - November 2015

V I S H WA B H A N U
A Bi-monthly bulletin of Vivekananda Kendra Vedic Vision Foundation

Mother revisited

ne of the tragedies of modern times is that we

dont need our mothers anymore. At the slightest
provocation, we push our parents out of the house.
Should we redeem this situation?

IN THIS ISSUE

Editorial

Vijaya dashami and Vidyarambham programme

Karyakarta Prashikshan
Shibir

Campus Cleaning programme

Sadhana Divas

Samidha

Regular Activities

Didis Programmes

Holy Mother - An Educator

par Excellence

Vedas and Upanishads are recognised as a spiritual

treasure chest meant for the entire mankind, left with us
Indians from time immemorial. It is the message of the
Upanishadic ideas that has made India a spiritual
destination for seekers of eternal wisdom.
It is the study of Upanishads that made Indians
recognize the Oneness of the Universal Truth, the potential
divinity in every being, the interconnectedness,
interrelatedness and interdependence of all that exists in
the universe which in turn led to an extraordinary level of
tolerance towards others. Tolerance thus became the
watchword of a true Indian. It is this spiritual wisdom that
has percolated through generations of religious teachers,
philosophers, kings, men of literature, so on so forth. In this
transfer of technology from Satya (Ultimate Truth) into
dharma (life principles), the role of mothers stands
unparalleled.
A Shivaji became Chhatrapati Shivaji and a Narendra, a
world renowned Vivekananda, not mugging up Vedas and
Upanishads, but by sitting in the lap of their mothers
listening to the music of Advaita, universal love, tolerance,
acceptance and tyaga and seva. A true Indian mother was a
living Upanishad.
A woman transforms herself into a wife when she
recognizes and identifies with the Advaita of love. A wife
grows into a mother when she gets merged into the
Oneness of love and she turns into a universal mother
when she learns to love the One in everything in the
universe. This spiritual truth, Indian rishis recognized aeons
ago and modeled our families and human relationships in
the light of this knowledge of Oneness.

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Volume 4 Issue 4

October - November 2015

Values are based on Satya and dharma and can be transmitted from generation to generation
only through living models. Values becomes valuable only when they are enriched through life
experiences.
There is no greater Upanishad than a Mother. It is from her that we learn who we are and what
is our co-relation with other individuals and beings. That is, we come to know our place in this
infinite universe and how we are related to this infinitude. This is the essence of the knowledge that
mothers pass on to their children providing them with life-giving, character-building ingredients. It
is the mother who imparts the power of discrimination, unselfishness, love and sympathy to fellow
beings in her children.
India is today losing her grip on herself, not because our Upanishads have disappeared. In fact,
more and more commentaries and schools of thought are springing up glorifying the value of
Upanishads. But alas! We are neglecting the living Upanishads in our homes. Neglecting mother is
equivalent to bypassing Truth and other attendant life-sustaining values, such as Dharma, Satya,
Yagna, Tapas and so on. Unless and until we restore our mothers into their pristine glory and learn
to imbibe values tested and strengthened through their lives, there is no hope for our growth from
within and without. Let us help our mothers to discover the Upanishads within them so that they
can live, to preserve and pass on those values to posterity.

Incredible India Love India as Swamiji loved

By Dr. M. Lakshmi Kumari

Compilation of Swamijis
Buy the
Book Now

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Vivekananda Kendra Vedic Vision Foundation

Ananda Dham, Sringapuram, Kodungallur, Kerala

` 150/-

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Volunteer your time
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By spreading the work done by the Vedic Vision Foundation

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October - November 2015

Vijaya dashami and Vidyarambham programme

The auspicious Navarathri poojas started every day in the morning with a prayer session by the
Sandeepani Sishuvihar tiny tots along with their teachers in front of the Bomma Kolu. In the
evening it concluded with the Chanting of Devi Mahatmyam by all the
inmates of the Kendra.
On Durgashtami morning at 10 a.m., there was a get together of the
ex-Sandeepani Sishuvihar students of the first two batches who are at
present in classes Xth to XIIth. 16 students turned up. Sri Arjun and
Gishore of class XII, took the initiative of calling all their classmates
and juniors to Anandadham. It was decided that every fourth Sunday
evening a Swadhaya Varga will be held in the campus, especially for
these ex-Sandeepani students.
In the noon Sishuvihar children enjoyed prasadam in Kendra after
placing their study books for puja before Goddess Saraswathi. A number of children of different age groups from neighbourhood also placed their books at the feet
of Saraswathi at the Bommakolu
Vidyarambham: On Dashami day, 23rd October, early in the morning, Sishuvihar tiny tots and
other toddlers from the neighbourhood came for Vidyarambham from Didis hand. After the
usual ritual of writing Hari Shree Ganapathaye Namaha on rice, all the older children took their
books and read from them. All of them received prasadam.

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Volume 4 Issue 4

October - November 2015

Karyakarta Prashikshan Shibir

On 23rd October, a two day nonresidential Karyakarta Shibir was held in the campus. 27 participants including 8 students (Cl VI to XII), 5 brothers and 14 sisters participated. Apart from
Mananeeya Lakshmi Didi who was present throughout, Sri Sudhakarji, Su Sutapa and Sri Raghuji
from Kanyakumari were also present as the organizing team.
There were five lecture sessions apart from group discussions and games.The topics of the sessions were: i) Vivekananda Kendra a thought movement ii) Karyapadhati iii) Mananeeya Eknathji iv)
Swami Vivekananda and v) Kendra Prarthana.
For the group discussion, participants were divided into three groups according to their work ability viz: Samskar Varga group, yoga varga group and project activity group. Each group was led by a
coordinator. On the first day, the topic was how can the activity be improved further. One from
each group was asked to present the report. On the second day, during group discussion, each
participant was individually asked as to how they could contribute and what would be their target
for the next three months. Almost all responded positively.
On the second day the last session from 3pm to 3.30 pm was kept for Sankalpa where each offered
flowers in front of OM and took their Sankalpa.

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October - November 2015

Campus cleaning programme

On 14th November, Sishudivasam was celebrated in a totally different way this time by the mothers
of the tiny tots of Sandeepani Sishuvihar.They volunteered to clean the campus of Anandadham.Mothers, teachers and their tiny tots worked for two hours and cleaned the campus beautifully.
After shramanubhava, there was an address by Master Adith of LKG who was dressed as Chacha
Nehrufollowed by a talk by Didi. All of them enjoyed the refreshment after the talk.

SADHANA DIVAS
The one hundredth birth anniversary of Mananeeya Eknathji was celeberated on November 19th. To celebrate the auspicious day , children
of Shishuvihar under the able guidance of their teachers, put up a
short but sweet programme to convey in their own way, their gratitude and pay their homage to the great leader and founder of this
organisation. The audience being their mothers, inmates of Vedic Vision Foundation and the yoga varga participants who were present to appreciate their effort .
The programme started with prayer and a song in Malayalam on
Mananeeya Eknathji. Each child had memorised a thought of
Mananeeya Eknathji from 'Sevanam Oru Tapas" (Sadhana Of Service)
and recited the thought in front of the audience. A short speech by
Mananeeya Lakshmi Didi on the significance of this day, followed.
Lastly there was pushparchana by all followed by Kendra Prarthana.

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October - November 2015

SAMIDHA
Vivekananda Kendra Vedic Vision Foundation conducted 'Samidha' on 22nd November (Sunday). A
total of forty karyakartas including old patrons, well-wishers and those who are actively involved in
the project's activities.
Programme started with deepa prajwalan by Mananeeya Didi, Sri Ramachandra Prabhuji, a wellwisher who had known Ma.Eknathji personally and the other Poorna kaleen workers. A Malayalam
song on Ma.Eknathji composed by Smt Rema Menon, Didi's younger sister, followed. Didi's talk
was on the reminiscences of Eknathji. A short film on Ma.Eknathji was shown. The programme concluded with shanti mantra and Kendra Prarthana.

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Volume 4 Issue 4

October - November 2015

REGUL AR ACTIVITIES
Yoga Satra
Four ladies and Eight gents enrolled for the regular monthly Yoga satra class in the campus, from
first week of October. Four ladies were enrolled in the month of November.
A new yoga satra for women was started on 11th November in the locality of Sringapuram, consisting of a group of twenty housewives belonging to the SNDP microfinance unit. The satra will be
once a week, on every Wednesday.
Three yoga satras of one month duration each at three different places of Kodungallur namely Eriyad, S.N.Puram and N.S.S.Hall O.K.Hospital Road,have also been started for the ladies conducted
by the yoga students of V.K.Vedic Vision Foundation. An average of ten ladies are attending.

Yoga Varga
Apart from the regular practice of Yogasanas Pranayama in the morning and forenoon, by the
participants, weekly on every Friday all the lady participants about twenty of them gather for yoga
varga.

Ganapathi Homam and Sri Chakra Puja

Ganapathi Homam with Sri Chakra Puja was performed as usual by Karumatra group in the last
week of October and November on Pournami Day. On same days Sri Vishnusahasranam archana
was also held in the evenings when all inmates of Anandadham took part.

Satsanga Prabhashana Parampara

Classes on Srimad Bhagavad Geeta by Sri Girishji was conducted on the last Saturday and Sunday
of October.

Samskar varga
Samskar Varga at two places namely Anandadham, Kodungallur and P.Vemballur continued as
usual.

SKIE
The SKIE programme continued with 12 children on 10th and 18th of October and 14th and 22nd
of November; with focus on the academics, and concentrating on the practical application, so that
the children can prepare for their exams with added confidence.

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Volume 4 Issue 4

DIDIS PROGRAMME
October
2nd

Lalitha Sahasra Namam Shakti Aradhana

11th

Inauguration of Ashram for women at Pandikat, Mallapuram

13th

Satsanghs at Majon Pathyoor, Durga Devi temple, Kayamkulam

15th

Satsanghs at Bhadrakali Temple, Thoniyakavu, North Paravur

18th

Inauguration of Bharat Vikas Parishad, Kodungallur

23rd

Karyakarta Prashikshan Shibir, Kodungallur

November
1st

Satsanghs at Bhagavad Gita Study class, Trissur

19th

Satsanghs at Annual day celebrations of Ayyapa Bhajan Samity,

Methala

20th

Religious Harmony day at Marthoma Church, Kodungallur

21st

Book releasing function at Kodungallur

21st

Satsanghs at Ayyappa Seva Trust, near Kalady

25th

Satsanghs at Shanku Kulangara temple, S.N. Puram

27th

Inauguration of Youth festival of LP School, Moothakunnam

October - November 2015

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October - November 2015

HOLY MOTHER - AN EDUCATOR PAR EXCELLENCE

Dr. M. Lakshmi Kumari

Education is the manifestation of the Perfection which is already in man says Swami
Vivekananda. A great educator, therefore, has to be one who would help the students to manifest the
perfection which is already in him or her. The educator has to be perfect oneself and must also be ever
eager to impart this perfection to those he or she comes in contact with, that is, helping the finite being
to discover the Infinite within. How did an apparently simple uneducated village belle transform herself
into an educator par excellence? It is interesting to look into Holy Mothers life for clues which reveal the
magnificence of her inner transformation which goes beyond all our criteria of education.

The

knowledge she acquired, without stepping into the corridors of learning was so perfect that she could
easily pass on infinitude to ordinary human beings once she ascended the throne of ideal Motherhood.
Let us start with her elementary training which integrated into her wonderful character building
foundational traits on which she built up her future life. Born into a poor strictly orthodox Brahmin family
gifted with unbounded wisdom, Saradas early childhood was automatically built on very strong
foundations so that it could easily carry the weight of the Infinite on them. These foundational pillars
namely, Truth, Dharma, Yajna and Tapas are the foundations of Sanatana Dharma. Her early life
experiences look apparently very elementary or rural but they were all lessons in unfolding the
perfection inherent in her. Starting with her natural love and concern for the members of her family,
looking after the labourers who worked in the fields and the famine stricken multitude who came to
their village seeking help, finally praying for the spiritual welfare of the entire humanity these are the
golden threads which we find woven into the fabric of her life from early childhood. Her faith in Almighty,
the various austerities which were part of an orthodox Brahmin family and of course her early association
with Sri Ramakrishna, helped her to mould herself into a wonderful human being, equipping her to
undertake the Spiritual Mission which was already waiting for her at Dakshineshwar.
Age of five was a turning point in her life as it brought her in contact with her Lord and Master at
whose side she was to spent her adulthood. Her husband proved to be not only her Mentor and Tutor,
but also her Supreme Lord and Guru.
Bereft of all superficial confusing influences of the so called modern education, she brought an
almost blank mind slate as she came to her Master to share the bliss of married life. On one occasion
she pointedly asked Sri Ramakrishna what he thought of her, knowing which she could more fruitfully fill
up her role in his life. Without hesitation he imprinted on one side of her mind slate that she was none
other than the Divine Mother worshipped in the temple. On the other side he added the note that to him

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October - November 2015

she was no less than his grand old mother Chandramani Devi, who stayed near his own residence in the
Kali temple.
Sarada Devi could absorb the second lesson effortlessly as she had already started imbibing from
her mother-in-law those wonderful traits which had qualified her to become the mother of the best of
Avatars. In worldly sense, Chandra Mani was a perfect mother, simple, undemanding, full of natural faith,
rooted in Dharma and overflowing with love and concern for everyone around her. Truth manifested in
her as deep faith in their family deity Sri Ramachandra by whose grace, Gadhadhar, the Divine Child was
born to her. She was Dharma personified. With these two deep seated awareness of Satya and Dharma,
Chandras life turned out to be a happy combination of Nishkama Karma or Yajna and Tapas. Worldliness
found no entrance into her household. Herself an embodiment of purity the young bride Sarada fully
absorbed all these qualities as well as the worldly wisdom effortlessly as a dutiful daughter-in-law. These
lessons made her acquire all the maternal qualities that make life smooth, harmonious and fulfilling,
helping her to take care of not only her own fractured family but also of the larger and more variegated
family of the devotees of Sri Ramakrishna. Even those who could not be made whole by Sri Ramakrishna
were sent to Mother for their training and enlightenment.
The second lesson was not that easy to learn and Sarada left it totally to her Master to enlighten
her on the divinity of her self. At an opportune time Sri Ramakrishna, through the famous Shodashi Pooja
bestowed on his consort the divine status and unfolded the divinity within her.
To understand the real greatness of Sri Sarada Devi we can draw comparison from that
immeasurably profound stotra on Divine Mother, the

Lalithasahasranama. The very first word Sree

Matha denotes that motherhood is the greatest of gifts that Divine Mother has bestowed on humanity. It
looks as though the Divine Mother was not pleased with the Adwaita of knowledge. She wanted to
inundate the world with the Adwaita of love and for that created the glorious Motherhood as the central
focus of her creation so that everyone, at some point or other, would taste the nectar of Oneness. Mother
is the kindergarten teacher helping the child to pick up the abc of life. She is the window through which
the child looks at the world and evaluates its goodness. When in pain or pleasure the natural cry that
comes from a human being is for the Mother. She is the last consolation at the death bed. Languages
may be different but the feeling remains the same.
No wonder that Sri Ramakrishna insisted on Sarada acquiring the traits of a good mother first and
then elevate herself into Universal Motherhood. Sri stands not only for wealth and prosperity but also for
poison. A good mother has to consume or mop up a lot of poison that gets generated during
interactions as a human being lives his life in a family or community. How wonderfully Sarada Devi had
imbibed this lesson and passed it on to her disciples becomes clear in her famous last utterance. If you
want peace of mind never find fault with others. But find fault rather with yourself. Learn to make the

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October - November 2015

world your own. Nobody is a stranger, my dear, the world is yours. As Sarada ascended her steps
to perfection she became very naturally the embodiment of the epithets, which describe the
Divine Mother. She became the Maharajny of the entire Ramakrishna Math and Mission which
recognized her as the Queen of the Sri Ramakrishna family. It didnt stop there. Her nobility and
enlightenment percolated into the society which acknowledged her greatness by calling her as
Holy Mother. Thus did she ascend the throne of Supreme Motherhood as Simhasaneswari.
Like in all Avatars she was the Shakti who accompanied Siva to establish Dharma. Sri
Ramakrishna passed on to her the mantle of the great work of preserving Dharma which he came
to establish. After his Samadhi she remained as the pillar of strength and guidance for thirty four
years making sure that Sri Ramakrishnas legacy is well taken care of and thus she became
Devakaryasamudyatha, ordained to do the Devakarya of not only establishing Satya and Dharma,
but providing consolation to the suffering humanity as the Mother of all.
Sri Ramakrishna ignited chidagni the fire of knowledge in her through the Shodashi pooja
and made the Jnana Ganga flow through her. He made her jnanadayani and compared her to
Sarada the Goddess of Wisdom. Holy Mother played the role of teacher of Para and Apara Vidya
with equal and easy felicity, astounding one and all who went near her. The education she
imparted to those who lived with her in day-to-day worldly matters was simple, elegant and
wholesome. It always carried the fragrance of Advaita. Abheda Bhava and Samadarsana were her
abiding characteristics. Swami Vivekananda says all knowledge must lead ultimately to the
knowledge of Oneness. When Holy Mother brought her Para Awareness to bear upon the daily
chores they acquired a beauty and perfection of their own. As her Apara knowledge started
manifesting more and more her Para Awareness, even her ordinary activities crystallized into what
Swami Vivekananda later called as Practical Vedanta and this is how Saradamani Devi, a finite
human being transformed herself into an educator of the Infiniteness of Motherhood.
Om Shanti! Shanti! Shanti!
ABBBBBD