FAQs

Question related to personal life, job, marriage

Question: Please Read my 3 problems, I want to share with you – I have none to tell. You kindly read it and please help me. I am breaking down gradually.
I am a girl of 26 yrs old having done my MCA two and half years ago. After that I am finding a job but whatever I got till now, it lost after 3 or 4 months for any reason (either I have to resign for the situation created or they left me).Now I lost again my job just one month ago and suffering from frustration for this repetitive events.
I am a devotee of Sri Ramakrishna from childhood and bringing up in a very religious environment of our home. My parents are also devotee to the god. I never ever face any problem in my life in Education and that’s why I believe whatever I try, if Thakur is with me I will get it. But ,from last 3 yrs I get only failure in every respect , I just cry near him but there is no light or no way.
I have a brother who is already married and living at Mumbai with his family, doing a good job. After his marriage, he is totally changed and his wife doesn’t like us and want to live detached and hence separated totally from us for 10 years.
PROBLEMS: 1. As I have none to help or stay with me in absence of parents, so in this situation, my parents tell me – “u never get a permanent job, so let get married because after our death nobody will be with you, and a girl alone cant live in our society safely”. My parents told that if I have a job then I need not to marry immediately coz then I can live independently. But if it is not then after their death what will be happen to me, as I am alone and they afraid of my brother’s attitude. But, from child hood, I think if I have to marry, I will think of it whether I do or not after being self sufficient. But the opposite situation creates. I am not mentally prepared and I won’t be happy. Please tell me, what should I do? How long I try for job? Thakur is not answering me .why? How can I come out from this problem?
2. I never ever believe in astrology. But for 3 yrs I am passing a very bad time in education, job in my career and some one told me to go to an astrologer. I then went to one but surprised that he told me everything right about my past. He did not know me but how is it possible? I don’t know? He told about my future also…. in which there are lots of trouble he predicts. Now I am afraid that he told past true… Then future must be true… Now, please tell me a) Is astrology true? Is everything predefined? Then effort is meaningless… And above all how can I remove all evils whatever in my life?
3. I had a very good friend whom I met 1 year ago, he behaved like a very good person, helping me many ways and caring me very much. In this way I began to believe him, depend him and gradually begin to like him. He came to our house and became one of our family members. But one day he told me a very bad proposal (which I can’t write), as I totally denied he left me and insulted me and did not contact any more. I really surprised with his attitude. He did a good acting with me for his bad motive, now I realize. First I like any body and he betrayed me. He was a fraud. Still I can’t forget him and think how one can act with my parents… Why all these happen to me (career, job, family, friends)? WHY?

Answer: Astrology is a science. There are some people who can predict the things ” past & future ” of person on the basis of their date & time of birth. But unfortunately there are more quacks than the real ones.
The predictions of the past may tally. But it is not necessary that the future predictions will also tally. The man is the maker of his own destiny. When we know certain things, we can take corrective measures. The self effort and Divine grace can alter the course of a person. This is how the man evolves. Simply to say that it is fate is only a weakness.
You have taken shelter under Sri Sri Thakur, Ma and Swamiji. What is the fear? Face the life boldly.
Prayer is a powerful weapon. Pray, pray, pray Ð you will succeed.
You are now 26 years old. So better you follow the advice of your parents and settle in life. One of the important “Mantra” for success is to “understand and adjust”, without compromising in the principles.

FAQs

Reference where Sri Ramakrishna worshiped Sarada devi

Question: I was reading the question and answers on your web site. I read the following lines:”I request you to read that portion from the life of Sri Ramakrishna who worshipped his wife as the Mother of the universe.” Will you please give me the detailed reference of the ‘portion’ you are referring to? (Author, Book, Volume if any and chapter). Is this portion available on line? If yes, please give me the web address. This will be of great use to me.

Answer: Please read the book The Sri Ramakrishna – The Great Master by Swami Saradananda (Apostle of Sri Ramakrishna) published by Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai – 600 004 Pp. 334-336. The relevant extract is appended.

            Extract from the Sri Ramakrishna - The Great Master by Swami Saradananda 
            Preparations for the worship of Shodasi:
            A little more than half of the month of Jyaishtha, B.E 1280 (A.D. May 25,1873) had elapsed.
            It was the new-moon day, the holy occasion for the worship of the Phalaharini Kalika Devi. It was the day of a special festival at the
            Dakshineswar temple. The Master had made special preparations on that day with a view to worshipping the Mother of the universe. These
            preparations, privately, in his own room at his desire. A wooden seat painted with Alimpana, the pigment of rice powder, for the Devi to
            sit on at the time of worship, had been placed to the right of the worshipper. The sun had set. The now-moon night, veiled in deep
            darkness, had alighted on the earth. Hriday, the Master's nephew, had to perform a special worship of the Devi in the temple. He had,
            therefore, helped as much as possible in the preparations for the Master's worship and had gone away to the temple. Having finished the
            nocturnal service and worship of Radha-Govinda, the first priest, Dinu, came to help the Master in the preparations. It was 9 p.m. when
            all the preparations for the mystery-worship of the Devi were completed. In the meantime, the Master had sent word to the Holy Mother to
            be present during-the worship. She came to the room and the Master started the worship. The Holy Mother worshipped as the Deity
            The articles of worship were purified by the Mantras and all the rites preliminary to the worship were finished. The Master beckoned to
            the Holy Mother to sit on the wooden seat decorated with the Alimpana. While witnessing the worship, the Holy Mother had already entered
            into a divine semi-conscious state. Not clearly conscious, therefore, of what she was doing, she like one charmed with Mantras, sat facing
            north to the right of the Master, who was seated with his face to the east. According to scriptural injunctions the Master sprinkled the
            Holy Mother repeatedly with the water purified by Mantras from the pitcher placed before him, then uttered the Mantra in her hearing and
            then recited the prayer: 
            "O Lady, O Mother Tripurasundari who art the controller of all powers, open the door to perfection! Purify her (the Holy Mother's) body
            and mind, manifest thyself in her and be beneficent."  
            Afterwards the Master performed the Nyasa of the Mantras in the Holy Mother's person according to the injunctions of the Sastras, and
            worshipped her with the sixteen articles, as the Devi Herself. He then offered food and put a part of it into her mouth with his own hand.
            The Holy Mother lost normal consciousness and went into Samadhi. The Master too, uttering Mantras in the semi-conscious state, entered
            into complete Samadhi. The worshipper in Samadhi became perfectly identified and united with the Devi in Samadhi. 
            A long time passed. The second quarter of the night was over and the third had far advanced, when the Master, whose delight was, only in
            the Self, showed a little sign of regaining normal consciousness. Returning to the semi-conscious state again, he offered himself to the
            Devi. He now gave away for ever at the lotus feet of the Devi his all -- the results of his Sadhanas, his rosary etc.-- along with his
            self, and saluted her, uttering the Mantras: 
            "O Thou, the auspiciousness of all auspicious things! O door of all actions! O refuge! O the three-eyed One! O the fair complexioned
            spouse of Siva! O Narayani! I bow down to Thee, I bow down to thee! " 
            The worship was at an end.1 The Master's Sadhana reached its culmination with the worship of the Ruler of the universe, the Divine Mother
            in the body of a woman, the embodiment of spiritual knowledge itself. The god-man attained perfection in all respects.
FAQs

Questions on Ramakrishna Math and Mission

Question: I am first-year student of the post-graduate program of management at the Management Development Institute (MDI) at Gurgaon, India.
As a part of my course I am required to study & analyze the Business Model of a charitable organization. I decided to do the same with the Sri Ramakrishna Math & Mission.
The rich & long tradition that the organization has and the profound growth that it has witnessed since its inception prompted me to do so. Also, an organization that is not only espousing the Vedanta philosophy furthered by Lord Ramakrishna & Swami Vivekananda, but also keeping itself abreast with the humanitarian needs of people at large makes an inspirational study.
In the view of the above, I have formed a list of some questions about the day today operations of the Math & Mission. I would need the answers latest by 23rd, June. I do realize that its on a short notice, but I would be eternally grateful if you can make sometime & provide me with the required information.
I assure you that the data & information provided will be used for academic purposes only. The list of questions are as below:

1. Are there any goals that have been assigned at the organizational level? If yes, how have these been arrived at & what is the basis of the same?

2. Are there any set processes for project execution within Sri RK Math & Mission?

3. Are there any benchmarks/parameters defined for execution of projects? If there are then are there any means of tracking these?

4. How are the key people identified for the projects undertaken in the Math & Mission? Are there any criteria that are used?

5. Who & how are the schedules of various new & running projects decided in RK Math & Mission? What is the basis of the completion dates being assigned?

6. How are the schedules of various projects tracked and controlled?

7. How are the costs of the projects tracked & controlled? How is the budgeting for projects done?

8. Incase of cost-escalations, how is that controlled – is their a laid out protocol? What are the typical measures that are taken?

9. How is the division of labour/work-allocation done for the projects/assignments?

10. How are the day-today issues/problems of the project execution managed? Is there an heirarchy within the projects?

11. What is the level of automation/IT-penetration within a typical project at the RK Math & Mission ? Are there any ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) tools that are used?

12. After project completion, is there a post-mortem or analysis carried out to determine the learnings from the executed projects?

13. Are the cost and schedule data for various projects being tracked to determine the performance of the capital that is employed?

14. At any point of time, will it be possible for anyone to get a complete list of all the projects that are being executed along with the relevant financial & schedule data for each? Is that data available for past projects as well? If yes, then how is the above achieved?

15. Since the rendered services are subsidized, how are the Maths & Missions sustained with the input costs increasing?

16. What is the methodology for scouting for monks/volunteers? Do you put in any advertisements for various positions?

17. What attracts people to this organization when so many other charitable organizations are present?

18. What are the methods of raising funds?

19. What are the prominent government department helping the Mission & Math?

20. With what other Charitable organizations does Sri RK Math & Mission share affiliations with?

21. A few of the significant grants/donations that have been received in the recent past?

Answer: Ramakrishna Math & Ramakrishna Mission is a twin spiritual organization. The main goal of the Sadhus & Brahmacharins here is to realize the Ultimate Truth, God or whatever you may call by practicing the spiritual disciplines as envisaged by Sri Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda. The philanthropic works etc are only of secondary value. This is not an organization like a corporate body or company or any other of type meant with commercial motive to workout the projects. Please read “Selections from the Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda” and some other allied books. Visit our Ashrama at New Delhi.

Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama, Ramakrishna Ashrama Marg, New Delhi – 55 E-mail: ashram@rkmissiondel.org and rkndlh@ndf.vsnl.net.in.
You can also discuss the matter with the Swamis there.

FAQs

Question on prerequisites before taking initiation

Question: I am a young engineer working in a private concern in Bangalore. I am a devotee of Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Sarada Devi, and Swami Vivekananda. I want to take initiation from our math. Kindly inform me about the next initiation program. I want to worship the Holy Trinity in my home. Currently in my daily prayer I chant ARATRIKAM the work done by Swamiji and VIVEKANANDA ASHTOTHRAM. Is this enough? Before taking initiation doing like this is correct. Kindly clarify my doubts.

Answer: Be in touch with your nearest centre to know when the President or the Vice-President of our Order visit Bangalore. In order to be eligible for initiation you need to note following points:
You should have read at least short biographies of Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Sarada Maa and Swami Vivekananda with their important teachings. Preferably, you should be in touch with some center of Ramakrishna Order and known to some Swamiji. You need to fill up a form well in advance.
Please revert back to us for further clarification. Presently what you are practicing is enough.

FAQs

Qualifications to join Ramakrishna order?

Question: I want to join Ramakrishna Math. Can I know the procedure to join?

Answer: If you want to join, you have to follow the following rules:
1. You should be a bachelor and with a minimum qualification of SSLC (within 25 years of age). If you are a graduate, you may join before 28 years. If you are between 28 and 30 years, you need to be a post-graduate.
2. No family encumbrances.
3. You should have thorough knowledge about Ramakrishna Vivekananda literature and clear ideas as to why you want to join the math.
4. We request you to give your residential address or you can contact the nearest Ramakrishna Math center for further details.
5. if you so desire, you may join our center at Ulsoor, Bangalore

FAQs

According hinduism from where all living beings have come? Books on meditation

Question: According to Quran or Bible people have come through Adam, but according to gita they don’t tell how people exist in this world, why in this book it is clearly said? Sir I would like to do meditation just like Vivekananda did. But I couldn’t, I understand I am lack of concentration. What can I do sir, I am not getting concentration.

Answer: According to Hindu scriptures, Brahman – the Divine Supreme – projected this universe – first cosmic, then organic, at various levels of evolution. He was not satisfied with all these animals, serpents, fish, trees, etc. because He would not be able to rediscover Himself. So He projected the human form in which He could rediscover Himself. This is the greatness and uniqueness of human birth; one can manifest one’s divinity. The various paths are described for this purpose. The journey through these paths is known as spiritual life . Meditation is one of the higher steps of spiritual life. You read the following two books, where you can get a detailed idea:

1) Meditation and Its methods by Swami Vivekananda

2) Meditation and Spiritual Life by Swami Yatishwarananda

FAQs

Pranayama, Sandhyavandanam, jerks in body, feeling paralysed etc.

Question: I am a student working for my Ph D at the Indian Institute of Science. I am 29 years old and not married. I have been regularly doing Sandhyavandanam for the past 10 years. As part of this prayer I also do Pranayama. Since the past two weeks I am experiencing some strange things and I am not sure, whether it is spiritual or something else. I will be extremely grateful to you if you can clarify some of my doubts.
1) In the past 14 days, on 3 occasions I have experienced the following: When I am in a semi-sleepy state with eyes closed the whole body becomes paralyzed. The mind is highly alert but I cannot move my body at all. On one occasion if felt that “something” was being sucked out of my face. I am not able to say what this “something” is. It is like my mind is moving into darkness very fast. I tried to get up because of fear but found that the whole body is paralyzed. Then after repeated attempts I could get up. Once I got up I thought it was a dream and put my head on the pillow and closed my eyes. Immediately the same feeling started again. I got up again and decided not to close my eyes for 1/2 hour and kept stating at the night sky. After this I could go to regular sleep. Yesterday the same thing happened with my eyes wide open when I was lying on the bed.
2) During my Sandhyavandanam I experience some kind of a jerk. I am not sure whether this jerk is physical in nature or it is mental. I am not sure where the jerk actually occurred.
3) After Sandhyavandanam my head feels heavy with slight headache.
4) On many occasions when I am reading or concentrating on my research work I experience the same jerk and develop a heavy head. Many a time I feel the heart beat in my head and feel my body is shaking as though I have some nervous disorder. I will be extremely grateful, if you can spend time in answering these queries. I would like to come over to Ulsoor math and talk one-to-one as I have many more questions to ask. I am not sure whether I have to take appointment. I shall call up the math and fix-up an appointment.

Answer: Glad to meet you at the ashrama. In the meanwhile I have also received your e-mail of 28th. Please follow the instructions, I gave you in person. I shall put down the same for your reference.
1. Stop doing ‘Pranayama’. Do as some simple breathing exercise without Kumbhaka (retention). Swami Vivekananda warms the aspirants as to not to do without a proper guide. Besides, this is the 4th stage of Raja Yoga Yama, Niyama, Asana have to be perfected before hand.
2. Continue to do Sandhyavandana with Gayatri Japa. The seat of concentration should be ‘heart’ not the ‘head’ – Sahasrara. Gayatyri Japa is the main thing only in Sandhyavandana.
3. The jerk may be purely physical, connected with nerves. It is advisable to consult a good doctor.
4. Read selections from the Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda and the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna. You can be in touch with me and visit the Ashrama whenever you can.

FAQs

How to lead a spiritual life? Is sanyasa requirement?

Question: I want to lead a spiritual life. I am unmarried. I do not want to marry. My parents and family do not allow me to take Sannyasa or join any spiritual organization. So can I stay unmarried and lead a spiritual life while working, i.e. doing my job. Can I live without marriage?

Answer: We are glad to know that you have a leaning towards spiritual life. One can lead a spiritual life without taking up Sannyasa. Follow the dictates of your heart. Please do not allow the world to enter into your heart. Keep the heart pure. Be good, do good and lead a most unselfish life. Read Swami Vivekananda’s life and teachings.

FAQs

Doubts in believing the God

Question: I am having hard time believing in god. Most of the times I believe in god, but some other times I have doubts creeping up. I see these doubts growing then I loose interest in meditation. I would stop doing meditation. When I start again, I have to start from scratch. It happened several times already. I can’t seem to make up my mind.
Please help me.

Answer: Please don’t loose faith in God. Doubts will come like clouds. Pray intensely to the Lord for guidance. Keep on praying and do meditation. Remember him as many times as possible, if not constantly. Be strong and don’t yield to doubts and despair. These are like tests. We should come out successfully. I am sure your faith in God will become stronger and stronger day-by-day.

FAQs

Hinduism: idol worship

Question: I am a Muslim. I have one doubt. I know about the greatness of Swami Vivekananda. According to Quran, God has no image. Why Hindus are worshipping images. I want to know does god exist in image? Why people are seeing god in images? According to Islam, god is one. He has no partner, but Hindus are saying that god has a partner, he has a wife, he has a son, what all these sir? I want to know who is the real god. I want to see god. In Quran it is saying that who ever has no faith in Allah they will go to hell. What all these sir. Prophet Mohammed says, every one should follow me. Do you love Allah? According to Islam, Jesus is not a god, he is a prophet but Christians are saying he is a god. I have full of doubts regarding gods. Prophet Mohammed says don’t prefer idolism, but people are still doing these things regularly. Please tell me. Please send me answer for my question.

Answer: Sri Ramakrishna says that God is with form, without form and beyond form. As you know our ordinary mind can conceive only finite things. Even infinity is conceived as one without finiteness. So one uses the form to go beyond the form.
Swami Vivekananda once during his wanderings had to make a king understand the same topic of idolatry. He asks the ministers to take down the photo of the king and spit on it. The whole assembly was horrified. Then Swamiji says “why this is just a piece of paper. Since this brings to your mind the king, you respect and worship.” Similarly Hindus worship images. It is not idolatry. Take for example a devout Muslim going to Mekka, going round the rock and kissing it or bow down in a Darga or a Masjid facing the west. Why does he do it? Because, it brings him the memory of Allah.
As per the Hindu philosophy, Purusha the masculine aspect is the potential energy and Prakriti is like kinetic energy. In any action i.e. the creation, preservation and destruction of the world, both aspects come, female aspect as the counterpart of the male.
Different religions are different paths leading towards the same goal God or Allah or whatever you may call. Again Sri Ramakrishna says it is the same water but people calls it differently as water,Aqua,Pani,Jal etc.
All religions are true and same in essence. But the followers quarrel about the certain traditions and practices, doctrines & dogmas, which are secondary details. I shall conclude this with Swamiji’s statement.
Each Soul is potentially divine.
The goal is to manifest this divinity within, by controlling nature, external and internal.
Do this either by work, or worship, or psychic control or worship or philosophy – by one or more, or all of these and be free. This is the work of religion.
Doctrines, or dogmas, or rituals, or books, or temples, or forms, are but secondary details.
Question: Thanks for clarifying my doubt. Actually, Holy Gita and Swami Vivekananda’s complete works only inspired me to read all other religious scriptures like Holy Quran, Holy Bible, Dammapada of Buddhism and many Sufi mystics, scriptures and made me to come out from a particular name and form. I was regularly visiting Sri Venkateswara temple till 7 years before either due to fear or due to some desires to get fulfilled etc. 6 years before, when I had last Darshan in front of that deity, I was having Swami Vivekananda’s book in my hand and meditated on that deity mentally that in future, I don’t want to see you in this form only and get caught up. Your form is Universal which is the un-manifest and manifested form of entire universe, human beings and creatures and came out of that temple. Afterwards, I started practicing Advaitic meditation regularly 3 times a day and self-control and mental discipline. My mother use to say, ‘Since you stopped going to Venkateswara temple something will happen etc., ‘I told my mother,’ nothing will happen. I catch hold of the Master. Even if anything happens, that is not due to what you say. Last month when I talked to my mother, I told,’ anything happened”. She said,” No’. I told her,’ many things will happen in one’s life. If the mind becomes weak, you will try to connect that happening with my not going to that temple.’
By God’s Grace, I am blessed with nearly 80 years old father, 75 years old mother, Spiritual partner who is working as a voluntary teacher in a blind school at Hyderabad, well mannered and disciplined son who had completed his engineering and daughter who had completed her 12th std.
Answer: Glad to you get and note the contents of your e-mail of 20th
May God speed to you and lead you from known to the unknown.
With my prayers to the Divine Supreme and best wishes.

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