Episodes

  • Discourse by Revered Swami Chetananandaji Maharaj, senior monk of the Ramakrishna Math and Minister of the Vedanta Society of St. Louis, given at Kali Mandir Ramakrishna Ashram on 27 August 2022. Swamiji reads from his new book "Stories of Vedanta Monks" as he remembers the life and message of the great ascetic Most Revered Swami Saradeshananda, a disciple and attendant of Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi.

    _____________________https://kalimandir.org/https://vedantastl.org/

  • Discourse by Rev. Swami Chetanananda Puri, senior monk of the Ramakrishna Math and Mission, and Minister of the Vedanta Society of St. Louis, given at Kali Mandir Ramakrishna Ashram on 29 July 2023.

  • Missing episodes?

    Click here to refresh the feed.

  • Two Poems by His Holiness Guruji Swami Vishnudevanand Saraswati of Prayagraj~Allahabad (1904-1997), read by Rev. Dr. Swami Bhajanananda Saraswati. Guruji wrote these poems in 1978 sitting on a bench in Central Park in response to a devotee's question: "What is vairagya?"

    ADMONITION I

    Oh Son of Immortality!

    You are the Divine Dweller

    You have come here as a stranger and a traveler

    It is a domain of diversity and endless dilemma

    Life is perpetually puzzling in its phenomena and panorama

    Here there is always attractive and repulsive illusion

    You may play or struggle but be detached from delusion

    The life of sensuality is confused, deviated, and fallacious slavery

    The habit of mundane greediness is temptation and bad beggary

    Be free from this changing farce and absurdity of duality

    Don't be blindly absorbed in this transitory sensuality

    This mysterious dramatic stage is not your final goal

    Play dispassionately and finish your ordained role

    Go to the background of plurality, quality, and quantity

    Know that Unity, Self-identity, and Inconceivable Divinity

    There is neither darkness or light or nothingness

    But Plenum, Superconsciousness, and Full Awareness

    It is not a mental conception, imagination or hallucination

    But Supersensuous Perception and Self-Realization

    It is the culmination of culture and the consummation of wisdom

    It is the life of emancipation and the Divine Freedom

    ADMONITION II

    Oh Dearest Soul,

    Rise from animality; cross the realm of humanity

    Taste the Immortality and realize the Eternal Divinity

    Refrain from ignorant sensuality; know your Self-Identity

    Dance in ecstasy in the the innermost field of felicity

    Go beyond the changing pleasure and pain, timidity, and knavery

    Control the stubborn mind and be free from empirical slavery

    Through the inner senses enjoy the innermost Light and Sound

    Transcend this profane world; recognize the Provident Profound

    Internal Existence is the embodiment of Peach, Bliss, and Wisdom

    External perception is hallucination, delusion, and bad boredom

    The external force is the field of mysterious phantasmagoria

    It is a tantalizing puzzle spreading like infectious bacteria

    How wonderful is the Perennial Peace of Celestial Scenery

    Is the fruit of Yogic Meditation and Spiritual Discovery

    Be heedful and free from the live of corruption and pollution

    Realize the Self and attain Everlasting Joy of Blissful Liberation

    Go beyond good and evil, mind and speech, and the sensual bound

    Dive deep into the River of Rapture; reach the Divine Ground

    If you be desireless, in the nothingness you may find

    The Ubiquitous, All-knowing, the Superconscious mind

    The Self knows no anger, hate, nor enmity

    Self remains unchanged from infancy to maturity

    He is beyond space and time; He has no form or hue

    He is you whom you seek; He seeks all of you

    He is the Creator, Destroyer, and Inner Ruler

    He is the All-sustainer and Cosmic Controller

  • Swami Bhajanananda Saraswati is joined by special guest scholar George Barselaar, a disciple and attendant of the great master of Kashmiri Shaivism His Holiness Swami Lakshmanjoo, live from Swamiji's ashram in Srinagar, Kashmir. We are continuing the discussion we started last week on verse 2.10:

    विमर्श इति तां प्राहुः शैवशास्त्रविशारदाः |

    अविद्यामितरे प्राहुर्वेदतत्त्वार्थचिन्तकाः || १० ||

    10. vimarśa iti tāṃ prāhuḥ śaiva-śāstra-viśāradāḥ |

    avidyāmitare prāhur-veda-tattvārtha-cintakāḥ || 10 ||

    "Those versed in Shaiva scriptures (Shaivites) declare Her to be vimarśa (reflective awareness), while those who contemplate the doctrines of the Vedas (Vedantins) declare Her to be powerful avidya (ignorance).”

  • A short exert from "Advice for Spiritual Living" by His Holiness Gurudev Swami Chidananda Saraswati (1916-2008), read by Rev. Dr. Swami Bhajanananda Saraswati.

    "Blessed Immortal Atman!

    "It is now the holy period of Navaratri as I write this. The atmosphere is surcharged with deep devotion to Maha-Devi and vibrant with the fervor of worshipfulness, adoration and prayer. Our thoughts are filled with the glorious Divine Mother, and Her Blessed and wondrous manifestation as Durga-Lakshmi-Saraswati. She is the great Mystery, the inscrutable Power of the Supreme Brahman, who holds in Her Hands both bondage and Liberation.

    "The grace of the Divine Mother it is, that enables you to walk the path of Divine Life. Through Her benign blessings you are able to shine as a sincere spiritual seeker and a man of dharma. To worship the Mother with devotion is to be immediately uplifted by Her strength and power. She works within your inner being as the triple force of destruction, evolution and illumination. Destroying the impure and vicious aspects of one’s lower nature, the unworthy, base, and bestial in the individual personality, and helping evolve the human nature into sublime heights of goodness, nobility and the purity of beauteous virtue. She illumines the jiva with supreme divine wisdom. Thus the Divine Mother is the very life and support of the aspirant’s spiritual sadhana. She makes your quest fruitful with attainment. The Divine Mother grants kaivalya moksha or eternal release and immortality.

    "To worship and to adore the Blessed Mother is to welcome Her divine help in working out your highest good and everlasting welfare. When you thus seek Her divine aid, Her compassionate response is immediate. She sets to redeem you in Her own way. She sends experiences both pleasant and painful, through trials and difficulties. She molds and strengthens you, through sorrow and suffering, She refines and purifies your nature. She enriches and blesses you with spiritual experience and raises you to exalted heights. She makes use of your very life and its experiences to make you perfect and bestow upon you divine peace and joy and the Illimitable splendor of Self-realization. Therefore, O beloved seeker! learn to accept the joys and sorrows, the temptations and the trials of your life with wisdom and understanding. Seek to recognize their hidden meaning and purpose for your own evolution and supreme good. Find Her divine hand behind all occurrences and see the Mother’s will working through them. Then will you behold your entire life as the expression of the Mother’s immeasurable love for you.

    "Resolutely overcome all defects, faults and wrong tendencies in your nature and behavior. Develop noble character. Grow in virtue. Ever walk upon the path of perfect righteousness. Seek the immortal, Be thou an embodiment of Divine Life. Let the sacred name of Gurudev Sivananda be glorified by thy true discipleship into him. Personify his ethical and spiritual teachings. May the world find in you a source of inspiration. Let thy presence elevate all. May the Divine Mother shower Blessings upon you! Jai Sivananda!

  • A short exert from "Sadhana, a Textbook of the Psychology and Practice of the Techniques to Spiritual Perfection", pg 365-367 by His Holiness Gurudev Swami Sivananda Saraswati (1887-1963), read by Rev. Dr. Swami Bhajanananda Saraswati.

    "Why should you prolong your bondage unnecessarily? Why should you not claim your birthright right now? Do it now. Stand up. Gird your loins. Do rigorous and vigorous sadhana and attain freedom, immortality and eternal bliss. Make the lower nature the servant of the higher through discipline, tapas, self-restraint and meditation. This is the beginning of your freedom. Build your character. Purify the heart. Develop divine virtues. Eradicate evil traits. Conquer all that is base within you. Endeavor to attain all that is worthy and noble. Only when you have purified the heart, silenced the mind, stilled the thoughts and surging emotions, withdrawn the outgoing senses, thinned out the vasanas, can you behold the glorious Atman during deep meditation. Even a ray of inner light during meditation will lighten your path. It will give you you encouragement and inner strength. It will goad you to do more sadhana. You will experience this ray of light when the meditation becomes deeper and when you rise above body-consciousness. Meditation and worship are the means of evolving your potentialities and seeking a higher level of consciousness. Life is the unfolding of the latent capacities of the soul. Lead the divine life. Generate sublime divine thoughts through meditation, japa, kirtan and study of sacred scriptures. Bask the body in physical sunlight. Bask the soul in the sunlight of the Eternal. You will have good health and everlasting life. Sit down with a compose mind. Assert your mastery over body and mind. Plunge deep into the chambers of the heart and enter into the stupendous ocean of silence. Listen to the voice which is soundless. Build your spiritual life upon a sure foundation, upon the rock of divine grace and strength of character. Take refuge in the Lord and His law. There is no power in heaven or on earth that can bar your march now. Success in Self-realization is certain. There is light on your path. All is brilliant."

  • Swami Bhajanananda Saraswati is joined by special guest scholar George Barselaar, a disciple and attendant of the great master of Kashmiri Shaivism His Holiness Swami Lakshmanjoo, live from Swamiji's ashram in Srinagar, Kashmir. We are continuing the discussion we started last week on verse 2.10:

    विमर्श इति तां प्राहुः शैवशास्त्रविशारदाः |

    अविद्यामितरे प्राहुर्वेदतत्त्वार्थचिन्तकाः || १० ||

    10. vimarśa iti tāṃ prāhuḥ śaiva-śāstra-viśāradāḥ |

    avidyāmitare prāhur-veda-tattvārtha-cintakāḥ || 10 ||

    "Those versed in Shaiva scriptures (Shaivites) declare Her to be vimarśa (reflective awareness), while those who contemplate the doctrines of the Vedas (Vedantins) declare Her to be powerful avidya (ignorance).”

  • Scripture class by Rev. Dr. Swami Bhajanananda Saraswati on Devi Gita, chapter 2, verses 9 & 10 given to students of the Ramakrishna Seminary at Kali Mandir via Zoom on 14 June 2023.

    केचित् तां तप इत्याहुस्तमः केचिज्जडं परे |ज्ञानं मायां प्रधानं च प्रकृतिं शक्तिमप्यजाम् || ९ ||kecit tāṃ tapa ityāhus-tamaḥ kecij-jaḍaṃ pare |jñānaṃ māyāṃ pradhānaṃ ca prakṛtiṃ śakti-mapyajām || 9 ||9. "Some call this Maya the power of austerity; others call it darkness; still others, dullness, or knowledge, illusion, matter, nature, energy, or the unborn."

    विमर्श इति तां प्राहुः शैवशास्त्रविशारदाः |अविद्यामितरे प्राहुर्वेदतत्त्वार्थचिन्तकाः || १० ||vimarśa iti tāṃ prāhuḥ śaiva-śāstra-viśāradāḥ |avidyāmitare prāhur-veda-tattvārtha-cintakāḥ || 10 ||10. "Those versed in Shaiva works call it intelligence (vimarśa), while the Vedantins call it ignorance (avidya)."

  • A short selection from "Ramdas Speaks, Vol. V", page 142-143 by His Holiness Papa Swami Ramdas (1884-1963), read by Rev. Dr. Swami Bhajanananda Saraswati

    "The easiest way to attain this beatific vision, Ramdas can tell you, is the repetition of God's holy name. Ramdas has read in the teachings of all the great sages and saints of India, about the glory of the Divine Name. Sri Ramakrishna and the Holy Mother also have been telling us to repeat God's name and do japa, because it is so very easy. We need not have any paraphernalia to repeat God's name. We can utter it all all times and at all places. After practicing various types of discipline, Sri Ramakrishna found the repetition of God's name most efficacious and suitable. Saint Tulsidas says that God's name is like a light that you keep on the doorstep. You can get light inside as well as outside. So if you have the name on your tongue, you will have the divine light within you and also everywhere about you. Such is the power of the Divine Name. He who has uttered the Divine Name constantly can alone know its sweetness and power. Ramdas can vouch for the power of the Name, but you should repeat it without desiring anything from God. As soon as you repeat the Name, you start getting bliss. It is not that anything can be attained after repeating the Name for some time. The attainment is immediate. This is what Ramdas felt. The sweetness of the Name is such that it will not leave you. Ramdas went on drinking the sweetness of the Name until the drink and Ramdas became one. After that, the repetition automatically stopped and he was filled with ecstasy. There is nothing but joy and this joy has been with him for the last thirty years. He has been going about telling everybody to repeat the name of God constantly.

    "All the names of God are equally powerful. You may repeat the name Shiva, Rama, Krishna or any other Name you like with full faith and devotion, and you will see that the Name will purify you and free you from all desires and attachments. When you sit for meditation, you find the mind wandering here and there. This is because the mind is not pure. Purity comes only when you repeat God's name constantly. When the min d is restless and agitated, you cannot know who you are. You think you are only a bundle of flesh and bones. But when your mind has been purified and made still by the practice of meditation you come to realize that you are the immortal Spirit.

    "Now you have all been singing God's name. The vibrations created thereby were merging our mind in them. By hearing the sound of the Name, the mind gets absorbed in it. It forgets to run about because it is imbued or intoxicated with the sweetness of the Name. All the vasanas and desires within us are uprooted, and so the mind becomes calm. For progress on the spiritual path, satsang or contact of great souls is an important thing. You must see them, hear their nectarian words, follow their advice and take God's name. This will liberate us from all desires, elevate us and give us the joy of the Eternal. This is possible only by contact of saints, and by taking God's holy name. If these two things are done, you are saved. The object of all sadhanas is only to keep God's name continuously on our lips. No sadhana can itself take us to God. It is only a means so that we may repeat the Name continuously and have unbroken remembrance of God. When remembrance leaves us, the ego-sense takes hold of us and the mind becomes restless. As soon as there is remembrance the ego-sense disappears and we are in tune with God.

    "Ramdas will stop this talk by invoking Sri Ramakrishna's blessings to help you all attain this supreme goal. May he grant you continuous remembrance of God and may he bless you with the supreme vision, experience, and realization!"

  • Scripture class by Rev. Dr. Swami Bhajanananda Saraswati on Devi Gita, chapter 2, verses 7 & 8 given to students of the Ramakrishna Seminary at Kali Mandir via Zoom on 7 June 2023.

    स्वाशक्तेश्च समायोगादहं बीजात्मतां गता |स्वाधारावरणात् तस्या दोषत्वं च समागतम् || ७ ||svāśakteśca samā-yogād-ahaṃ bījātmatāṃ gatā |svādhārā-varaṇāt tasyā doṣatvaṃ ca samāgatam || 7 ||7. "By uniting with this inherent power of mine, I become the cosmic seed. By obscuring Me, its own basis, this power is prone to defects."

    चैतन्यस्य समायोगान्निमित्तत्वं च कथ्यते |प्रपञ्चपरिणामाच्च समवायित्वमुच्यते || ८ ||caitanyasya samāyogān-nimittatvaṃ ca kathyate |prapañca-pariṇāmāc-ca sama-vāyitvam-ucyate || 8 ||8. "Through its association with consciousness, Maya is called the efficient cause of the world. Through its evolution into the visible realm, it is said to be the material cause."

  • Scripture class by Rev. Dr. Swami Bhajanananda Saraswati on the Devi Gita of the Srimad Devi Bhagavatam, chapter 2, verses 5 & 6 given to students of the Ramakrishna Seminary at Kali Mandir via Zoom on 17 May 2023.

    पावकस्योष्ण्यतेवेयमुष्णांशोरिव दीधितिः |चन्द्रस्य चन्द्रिकेवेयं ममेयं सहजा ध्रुवा || ५ ||pāvakasyoṣṇyateveyamuṣṇāṃśoriva dīdhitiḥ |candrasya candrikeveyaṃ mameyaṃ sahajā dhruvā || 5 ||5. "As heat inheres in fire, as brilliance in the sun, as cool light in the moon, just so this Maya inheres firmly in me."

    तस्यां कर्माणि जीवानां जीवाः कालश्च सञ्चरे |अभेदेन विलीनाः स्युः सुषुप्तौ व्यवहारवत् || ६ ||tasyāṃ karmāṇi jīvānāṃ jīvāḥ kālaśca sañcare |abhedena vilīnāḥ syuḥ suṣuptau vyavahāravat || || 6 ||6. "Into that Maya the actions of souls, the souls themselves, and the ages eventually dissolve without distinctions, as worldly concerns disappear in deep sleep."

  • Scripture class by Rev. Dr. Swami Bhajanananda Saraswati on Devi Gita, chapter 2, verses 3 & 4 given to students of the Ramakrishna Seminary at Kali Mandir via Zoom on 10 May 2023.

    अप्रतर्क्यमनिर्देश्यमनौपम्यमनामयम् |

    तस्य काचित् स्वतः सिद्धा शक्तिर्मायेति विश्रुता || ३ ||

    apratarkyam-anirdeśyam-anaupamyam-anāmayam |

    tasya kācit svataḥ siddhā śaktirmāyeti viśrutā || 3 ||

    3. "It is beyond reason, indescribable, incomparable, incorruptible. From out of itself evolves a certain power renowned as Maya."

    न सती सा नाऽसती सा नोभयात्मा विरोधतः |

    एतद्विलक्षणा काचिद्वस्तुभूतास्ति सर्वदा ||

    na satī sā nā’satī sā nobhayātmā virodhataḥ | etadvilakṣaṇā kācid-vastu-bhūtāsti sarvadā || 4 ||

    4. "Neither real nor unreal is this Maya, nor is it both, for that would be incongruous. Lacking such characteristics, this indefinite entity has always subsisted."

  • Scripture class by Rev. Dr. Swami Bhajanananda Saraswati on Devi Gita, chapter 2, verses 1 & 2 given to students of the Ramakrishna Seminary at Kali Mandir via Zoom on 26 April 2023.

    शृण्वन्तु निर्जराः सर्वे व्याहर्न्त्या वचो मम |

    यस्य श्रवणमात्रेण मद्रूपत्वं प्रपद्यते || १ ||

    śṛṇvantu nirjarāḥ sarve vyāharntyā vaco mama |

    yasya śravaṇa-mātreṇa mad-rūpa-tvaṃ prapadyate || 1 ||1. "May all the gods attend to what I have to say.
 By merely hearing these words of mine, one attains My essential nature."

    अहम्वेवास पूर्वं तु नान्यत् किञ्चिन्नगाधिप |

    तदात्मरूपं चित्संवित् परब्रह्मैकनामकम् || २ ||

    aham-evevāsa pūrvaṃ tu nānyat kiñcin-nagādhipa |

    tadātma-rūpaṃ cit-saṃvit parabrahmaika-nāmakam || 2 ||

    2. "I alone existed in the beginning; there was nothing else at all, O Mountain King.
 My true Self is known as pure consciousness, the highest intelligence, the one supreme Brahman.
"

  • Scripture class by Rev. Dr. Swami Bhajanananda Saraswati on Devi Gita, chapter 1, verses 71-74 given to students of the Ramakrishna Seminary at Kali Mandir via Zoom on 13 April 2023.

    न जानेऽस्मत्पितॄणां किं स्थानं स्यान्निर्मितं परम् |

    एतादृशानां वास्याय येषां वंशेऽस्ति मादृशः || ७१ ||

    na jāne’smat-pitṝṇāṃ kiṃ sthānaṃ syānnirmitaṃ param |

    etādṛśānāṃ vāsyāya yeṣāṃ vaṃśe’sti mādṛśaḥ || 71 ||

    71. "I know not what heavenly realm has been prepared for my ancestors to rest in, so blessed are they to have one such as myself born in their family.

    इदं यथा च दत्तं मे कृपया प्रेमपूर्णया |

    सर्ववेदन्तान्तसिद्धं च त्वद्रूपं ब्रूहि मे तथा || ७२ ||

    idaṃ yathā ca dattaṃ me kṛpayā prema-pūrṇayā |

    sarva-vedantānta-siddhaṃ ca tvadrūpaṃ brūhi me tathā || 72 ||

    72. "As you have already granted me one favor through Your loving compassion, would You also please describe for me Your true nature as explained in all the Upanishads."

    योगं च भक्तिसहितं ज्ञानं च श्रुतिसम्मतम् |

    वदस्व परमेशानि त्वमेवाहं यतो भवेः || ७३ ||

    yogaṃ ca bhakti-sahitaṃ jñānaṃ ca śruti-sammatam |

    vadasva parameśāni tvamevāhaṃ yato bhaveḥ || 73 ||

    73. "And further describe the paths of both yoga and knowledge combined with devotion, as approved by scripture.

    इति तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा प्रसन्नमुखपण्कजा |

    वक्तुमारभथाऽम्बा सा रहस्यं श्रुतिगूहितम् || ७४ ||

    iti tasya vacaḥ śrutvā prasanna-mukha-paṇkajā |

    aktumārabhathā’mbā sā rahasyaṃ śruti-gūhitam || 74 ||

    74. (Vyasa spoke): "Hearing these words of Himalaya, and with Her lotus face kindly disposed, the Mother undertook to reveal the mystic teachings hidden in scripture."

  • Scripture class by Rev. Dr. Swami Bhajanananda Saraswati on Devi Gita, chapter 1, verses 66-70 given to students of the Ramakrishna Seminary at Kali Mandir via Zoom on 29 March 2023.

    व्यास उवाच

    vyāsa uvāca

    Vyasa said:

    हिमालयोऽपि तच्छ्रुत्वात्यनुग्रह-करम् वचः |

    बाष्पैः संरुद्धकण्ठाक्षो महाराज्ञीं वचोऽब्रवीत् || ६६ ||

    himālayo’pi tacchrutvātyanugraha-karam vacaḥ |

    bāṣpaiḥ saṃ-ruddha-kaṇṭhākṣo mahā-rājñīṃ vaco’bravīt || 66 ||

    66. "Hearing Her exceedingly kind words, Himalaya on his part replied to the Great Sovereign Queen, his eyes and throat congested with tears."

    महत्तरं तं कुरुषे यस्यानुग्रहमिच्छसि |

    नोचेत् क्वाऽहं जडः स्थाणुः क्व त्वं सच्चित्स्वरूपिणी || ६७ ||

    mahattaraṃ taṃ kuruṣe yasyānugraham-icchasi |

    nocet kvā’haṃ jaḍaḥ sthāṇuḥ kva tvaṃ sac-cit-svarūpiṇī || 67 ||

    67. "You greatly ennoble whomever You wish to favor. For who am I, so dull and motionless, compared to You who embody infinite being and consciousness?"

    असम्भाव्यं जन्मशतैस्त्वत्पितृत्वं ममानघे |

    अश्वमेधादिपुण्यैर्वा पुण्यैर्वा तत्समाधिजैः || ६८ ||

    asambhāvyaṃ janma-śataistvat-pitṛ-tvaṃ mamānaghe |

    aśvamedhādi-puṇyairvā puṇyairvā tat-samādhijaiḥ || 68 ||

    68. "That I should become Your father in the course of hundreds of births is astonishing, O Faultless One, even with all the merit gained by performing horse sacrifices and other religious penances."

    अद्य प्रपञ्च कीर्तिः स्याज्जगन्माता सुताभवत् |

    अहो हिमालयस्यास्य धन्योऽसौ भाग्यवानिति || ६९ ||

    adya prapañca kīrtiḥ syāj-jagan-mātā sutā-bhavat |

    aho himālayasyāsya dhanyo’sau bhāgyavān-iti || 69 ||

    69. "Now I shall be renowned, for all the world will think: 'The World Mother has become the daughter of that Himalaya, wonder of wonders! How blessed and fortunate is he'."

    यस्यास्तु जठरे सन्ति ब्रह्माण्डानां च कोटयः |

    सैव यस्य सुता जाता को वा स्यात्तत्समो भुवि || ७० ||

    yasyāstu jaṭhare santi brahmāṇḍānāṃ ca koṭayaḥ |

    saiva yasya sutā jātā ko vā syāt-tat-samo bhuvi || 70 ||

    70. "She whose womb contains tens of millions of worlds has been born as his daughter—who on earth is his equal?"

    _____________________https://www.ramakrishnaseminary.org/

    https://kalimandir.org/

    Support the work of Ramakrishna Seminary>>:

  • Scripture class by Rev. Dr. Swami Bhajanananda Saraswati on Devi Gita, chapter 1, verses 63-65 given to students of the Ramakrishna Seminary at Kali Mandir via Zoom on 15 March 2023.

    इति तेषां वचः श्रुत्वा प्रोवाच परमेश्वरी |मम शक्तिस्तु या गौरी भविष्यति हिमालये || ६३ ||iti teṣāṃ vacaḥ śrutvā provāca parameśvarī |mama śaktistu yā gaurī bhaviṣyati himālaye || 63 ||63. (Vyasa continued): "The Supreme Ruler listened to these words of theirs and gave reply." (The Goddess spoke): "My potency who is Gauri will be born to Himalaya."

    शिवाय सा प्रदेया स्यात् सा वः कार्यं विधास्यति |भक्तिर्यच्चरणाम्भोजे भूयाद्युष्माकमादरात् || ६४ ||śivāya sā pradeyā syāt sā vaḥ kāryaṃ vidhāsyati |bhaktiryaccaraṇāmbhoje bhūyādyuṣmā-kamādarāt || 64 ||64. "She will be given in marriage to Shiva and will furnish what you need. You shall be devoted to My lotus feet due to Your earnest desire."

    हिमालयो हि मनसा मामुपास्तेतिभक्तितः |ततस्तस्य गृहे जन्म मम प्रियकरं मतम् || ६५ ||himālayo hi manasā mām-upāste’ti-bhaktitaḥ |tatastasya gṛhe janma mama priyakaraṃ matam || 65 ||65. "Himalaya, moved by intense devotion, truly worships Me in his heart. Thus I consider it a pleasure to take birth in his house."

    _____________________https://www.ramakrishnaseminary.org/

    https://kalimandir.org/

    Support the work of Ramakrishna Seminary>>:

  • Scripture class by Rev. Dr. Swami Bhajanananda Saraswati on Devi Gita, chapter 1, verses 58-62 given to students of the Ramakrishna Seminary at Kali Mandir via Zoom on 8 March 2023.

    ना’ज्ञातं किञ्चिदप्यत्र भवत्या’स्ति जगत्त्रये || ५८ ||

    nā’jñātaṃ kiñcidapyatra bhavatyā’sti jagat-traye || 58 ||

    58. (The Gods said): “Nothing here in the three worlds is unknown to You

    सर्वज्णया सर्वसाक्षिरूपिण्या परमेश्वरि |

    तारकेणासुरेन्द्रेण पीडिताः स्मो दिवानिशम् || ५९ ||

    sarva-jṇayā sarva-sākṣi-rūpiṇyā parameśvari |

    tārakeṇāsurendreṇa pīḍitāḥ smo divāniśam || 59 ||

    59. Who are omniscient, the incarnate witness of all, O Supreme Ruler. The demon chief Taraka torments us day and night.

    शिवाङ्गजाद्वधस्तस्य निर्मित्तो ब्रह्मणा शिवे |

    शिवाण्गना तु नैवास्ति जानासि त्वं महेश्वरि || ६० ||

    śivāṅgajādvad-hastasya nirmitto brahmaṇā śive |

    śivāṇganā tu naivāsti jānāsi tvaṃ maheśvari || 60 ||

    60. His death shall come only at the hands of Shiva’s son—so has Brahma arranged, O Auspicious One. But as You know, Great Ruler, Shiva has no wife.

    सर्वज्ञपुरतः किं वा वक्तव्यं पामरैर्जनैः |

    एतदुद्देशतः प्रोक्तमपरं तर्कया’म्बिके || ६१ ||

    sarva-jña-purataḥ kiṃ vā vaktavyaṃ pāmarairjanaiḥ |

    etaduddeśataḥ proktama-paraṃ tarkayā’mbike || 61 ||

    61. What can ignorant beings reveal to one who is omniscient? Such is our situation in brief; You can infer the rest, O Mother.

    सर्वदा चरणाम्भोजे भक्तिः स्यात् तव निश्चला |

    प्रार्थनीयमिदं मुख्यमपरं देहहेतवे || ६२ || ||

    sarvadā caraṇāmbhoje bhaktiḥ syāt tava niścalā |

    prārthanīyamidaṃ mukhyamaparaṃ dehahetave || 62 ||

    62. May we always show unswerving devotion to Your lotus feet; This is our foremost wish. We also pray that You will assume a body."

  • Scripture class by Rev. Dr. Swami Bhajanananda Saraswati on Devi Gita, chapter 1, verses 54- 57 given to students of the Ramakrishna Seminary at Kali Mandir via Zoom on 1 March 2023.

    इति स्तुता तदा देवैर्मणिद्वीपाधिवासिनी |

    प्राह वाचा मधुरया मत्तकोकिलनिःस्वना || ५४ ||

    iti stutā tadā devair-maṇi-dvīpādhi-vāsinī |

    prāha vācā madhurayā matta-kokila-niḥsvanā || 54 ||

    54. "Thus praised by the gods, She who dwells in the Jeweled Island then answered in the sweet, joyous tones of the cuckoo."

    श्रीदेव्युवाच वदन्तु विबुधाः कार्यं यदर्थमिहिअ सङ्गताः |

    वरदा हं सदा भक्तकामकल्पद्रुमा स्मि च || ५५ ||

    śrī-devyuvāca vadantu vibudhāḥ kāryaṃ yadarthamihia saṅgatāḥ |

    varadā haṃ sadā bhakta-kāma-kalpa-drumā smi ca || 55 ||

    55. The blessed Goddess said: “O wise gods, explain the reason that brings you together here. I am ever the bestower of boons, a wish-yeiliding tree to devotees.”

    तिष्ठन्त्यां मयि का चिन्ता युष्माकं भक्तिशालिनाम् |

    समुद्धरामि मद्भक्तान् दुःखसंसारसागरात् || ५६ ||

    tiṣṭhantyāṃ mayi kā cintā yuṣmākaṃ bhakti-śālinām |

    samud-dharāmi madbhaktān duḥkha-saṃsāra-sāgarāt || 56 ||

    56. "You shine with devotion, so why are you anxious when I stand nearby? I rescue my devotees from the troubled ocean of samsara."

    इति प्रतिज्ञां मे सत्यां जानीथ विबुधोत्तमाः |

    इति प्रेमाकुलां वाणीं श्रुत्वा सन्तुष्टमानसाः || ५७

    iti pratijñāṃ me satyāṃ jānītha vibudhottamāḥ |

    iti premākulāṃ vāṇīṃ śrutvā santuṣṭamānasāḥ || 56.

    56. "Know this promise of Mine to be sincere, O best of the gods." (Vyāsa continued): "Hearing these words infused with loving joy, the gods were satisfied in their hearts."

    निर्भया निर्जरा राजन्नूचुर्दुःखं स्वकीयकम् | ५८ |

    nirbhayā nirjarā rājannūcurduḥkhaṃ svakīyakam | 58 |

    58. "Freed from fear, the immortals described their own ordeals, O King."