The Hindu Article - Effectiveness of spiritual force

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Date:02/01/2003 URL:

http://www.thehindu.com/2003/01/02/stories/2003010200530900.htm

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Miscellaneous - Religion

 

Effectiveness of spiritual force

 

CHENNAI JAN. 2 . Of all powers, which are working to help humanity in

reaching their goal, it is universally accepted that spiritual force

is the most effective one for the simple reason that it removes the

suffering in total and takes care of all their needs. If this power

is resorted to in respect of all problems, solutions will be

available in different walks of life. This can be seen from the lives

of great saints of all religions. Freedom of every type, more so in

intellectual thought, will be taken care of if spirituality is

applied.

 

Saints are like turbines, which help in producing a lot of energy. On

the surface we will see calm water, but the turbine will be working

silently underneath. One among such spiritual giants was Swami

Shivananda who successfully worked as the administrative head of the

Sri Ramakrishna Mission and Math. "I will serve the poor. My object

is to remove the sufferings of humanity", he said.

 

Certain qualities are inborn in some, running in their blood. He was

spiritually inclined from his early days. There is one verse, which

occurs twice in the Bhagavad Gita, dealing with duty (Swadharma). "It

is better to die in the performance of one's own ordained duties,

coming at a higher level of service than to live a life engaged in

carrying out others' duties. Swadharma, though done imperfectly, is

superior to alien duty though perfectly done", says the Lord. The

saint, Swami Shivananda, served the have-nots with all interest, in

keeping with his spirituality. His motto was to fetch relief to the

poor. In his early years he went through hardship, having worked in

several places, but still his mind was always engaged in God's

thoughts.He faced grief silently for God's sake.

 

In his lecture, Swami Nishtatmananda mentioned about Swami

Shivananda's early life when he worked in different places and then

attracted by Swami Ramakrishna, he joined the Math. He took to

wandering life and served in various centres in India and also in Sri

Lanka. He came to Chennai a number of times, once to receive Swami

Vivekananda on his return from his Chicago trip and again to

establish the students' home. Obeying the monastery's rules, he went

about seeking food from houses and then sharing it with other

servants of the institution. A harmonised personality, his message

was: "Always hold on to the names of God and indulge in meditation

regularly." He became the president of the Order in 1922 and passed

away in 1934.

 

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