[Sri Ramakrishna] a paragraph on Sri Ramakrishna

[Guest guest]

Namaste

 

I found the following paragraph on Sri Ramakrishna in the book " Yoga An

itroductory Guide to Optimum Health for Mind, Body and Spirit " (on page 10)

by Howard Kent who is the founder and Director of the yoga for Health

organisation, a world wide charity with branches in 23 countries.

The paragraph is given below.

" A major figure of the 19th century was Ramakrishna, born into a poor

Calcutta family in 1836, who became a Brahman - a Hindu priest - and later

lived in a forest as an ascetic, where he was taught yoga by a nun,

Yogeshwari. He later converted to Islam, then Christianity. He taught that

many paths lead to God and came to be regarded as a spiritual genius.

Although Ramakrishna was illiterate, his talks were collected and

published. "

 

I want to know how much of the above is truth. I am not happy with the

information prestented here, especially the Lines " He later converted to

Islam, then Christianity. " Doesn't this mean that he thought Islam is

better than Hinduism, and then he realised Christianity is the best.

 

My question to the list is Did Ramakrishna actually convert to Islam and

then Christianity?

 

The same book has following paragraph about Hinduism and Yoga on page 8.

" Because yoga developed alongside Hinduism, it is often suggested that yoga

is an integral part of Hindu belief. However, in the ancient East, yogis

were associated with groups of independent thinkers, the Sramanas, who were

sometimes tolerated but were often hunted down and killed when the Hindu

priests felt their power threatened. Furthermore, early orthodox Hindu

beliefs involved sacrificing animals and also, possibly, human beings.

Yoga, by contrast, has always been grounded in total respect for life,

expressed in the word ahimsa, which means leading one's life wholly without

violence in thought, word and deed. Vegetarianism has always been central

to Indian yoga practices. "

 

i dont agree with some of the things said above, i would like to know what

the knowledgable people in our group thinks about this two paragraphs.

 

Details of the book,

Title: Yoga, An introductory Guide to Optimum health for mind, body and

spirit

Author: Howard Kent

Publisher: Element books ltd

ISBN: 1862047596

 

Thank you

 

Aum tat sat Aum

 

Manish

 

Swami Vivekananda:

They alone live, who live for others;

the rest are more dead than alive.

 

_______________

MSN Photos is the easiest way to share and print your photos:

http://photos.msn.com/support/worldwide.aspx

[Guest guest]

Dear Manish,

Of course Sri Ramakrishna did not " convert to Islam or to Christianity. " If

you will read the records of his life you will understand the truth, that

he took up practices of both those religions, as an exercise in the

universality of his realization of Truth, and to demonstrate to the world

the harmony of faith.

The book's author evidently has a bias on the subject of yoga, which he

employs to distort history and make a few stray facts fit into his own

theory. I would discard the book if I were you.

With good wishes,

 

------

Swami Yogeshananda

Vedanta Center of Atlanta

2331 Brockett Road

Tucker, GA 30084 Ph: 770-938-6673

yogeshananda

http://www.vedanta-atlanta.org/

-----

[Guest guest]

Dear Manish-

 

I don't think it's correct to say he " converted " to

Islam or Christianity. No doubt Sri Ramakrishna was a

child of India and a Hindu to the very marrow of his

bones. He did practice Muslim and Christian devotions

and sadhana. The Gospel says, on p. 33-34,

 

" Toward the end of 1886 he began to practice the

disciplines of Islam. Under the direction of his

Mussalman guru he abondoned himself to his new

sadhana.

He dressed as a Mussalman and repeated the name of

Allah. His prayers took the form of Islamic devotions.

He forgot the Hindu gods and goddesses- even Kali- and

gave up visiting the temples. He took up residence

outside the temple precincts. After three days he saw

the vision of a radiant figure, perhaps Mohammed. The

figure gently approached him and finally lost himself

in Sri Ramakrishna. Thus he realized the Mussalman

God. Thence he passed into communion with Brahman. The

mighty river of Islam also led him back to the Ocean

of the Absolute. "

 

" Eight years later, some time in November 1874, Sri

Ramakrishna was seized with an irresistable desire to

learn the truth of the Christian religion. He began to

listen to the Bible... and became fascinated with the

life and teachings of Jesus. One day he was seated in

the parlour of Jadu Mallick's garden house at

Dakshineswar, when his eyes became fixed on a painting

of the Madonna and Child. Intently watching it, he

became gradually overwhelmed with divine emotion. The

figures in the picture took on life, and the rays of

light emanating from them entered his soul. The effect

of this experience was stronger than that of the

vision of Mohammed. In dismay he cried out, " O Mother!

What are you doing to me? " And, breaking through the

barriers of creed and religion, he entered a new realm

of ecstasy. Christ possessed his soul. For three days

he did not set foot in the Kali temple. On the fourth

day, in the afternoon, as he was walking in the

Panchavati, he saw coming toward him a person with

beautiful large eyes, serene countenance, and fair

skin. As the two faced each other, a voice rang out in

the depths of Sri Ramakrishna's soul: " Behold the

Christ, who shed His heart's blood for the redemption

of the world, who suffered a sea of anguish for love

of men. It is He, the Master Yogi, who is in eternal

union with God. It is Jesus, Love Incarnate. " The Son

of Man embraced the Son of the Divine Mother and

merged in him. Sri Ramakrishna realized his identity

with Christ, as he has already realized hsi identity

with Kali, Rama, hanuman, Radha, Krishna, Brahman, and

Mohammed. The Master went into samadhi and communed

with Brahman with attributes. Thus he experienced the

truth that Christianity, too, was a path leading to

God-Consciousness. Till the last moment of his life he

believed that Christ was an Incarnation of God. But

Christ, for him, was not the only Incarnation; there

were others- Buddha, for instance, and Krishna. "

 

Hope this helps! Don't worry what other people say

about the Master- or how they interpret him. Once YOU

really know him all your troubles and cares will be

gone!!

 

Peace-

RD

--- Manish Solanki <yam65 wrote:

> Namaste

>

> I found the following paragraph on Sri Ramakrishna

> in the book " Yoga An

> itroductory Guide to Optimum Health for Mind, Body

> and Spirit " (on page 10)

> by Howard Kent who is the founder and Director of

> the yoga for Health

> organisation, a world wide charity with branches in

> 23 countries.

> The paragraph is given below.

> " A major figure of the 19th century was

> Ramakrishna, born into a poor

> Calcutta family in 1836, who became a Brahman - a

> Hindu priest - and later

> lived in a forest as an ascetic, where he was taught

> yoga by a nun,

> Yogeshwari. He later converted to Islam, then

> Christianity. He taught that

> many paths lead to God and came to be regarded as a

> spiritual genius.

> Although Ramakrishna was illiterate, his talks were

> collected and

> published. "

>

> I want to know how much of the above is truth. I am

> not happy with the

> information prestented here, especially the Lines

> " He later converted to

> Islam, then Christianity. " Doesn't this mean that

> he thought Islam is

> better than Hinduism, and then he realised

> Christianity is the best.

>

> My question to the list is Did Ramakrishna actually

> convert to Islam and

> then Christianity?

>

> The same book has following paragraph about Hinduism

> and Yoga on page 8.

> " Because yoga developed alongside Hinduism, it is

> often suggested that yoga

> is an integral part of Hindu belief. However, in

> the ancient East, yogis

> were associated with groups of independent thinkers,

> the Sramanas, who were

> sometimes tolerated but were often hunted down and

> killed when the Hindu

> priests felt their power threatened. Furthermore,

> early orthodox Hindu

> beliefs involved sacrificing animals and also,

> possibly, human beings.

> Yoga, by contrast, has always been grounded in total

> respect for life,

> expressed in the word ahimsa, which means leading

> one's life wholly without

> violence in thought, word and deed. Vegetarianism

> has always been central

> to Indian yoga practices. "

>

> i dont agree with some of the things said above, i

> would like to know what

> the knowledgable people in our group thinks about

> this two paragraphs.

>

> Details of the book,

> Title: Yoga, An introductory Guide to Optimum health

> for mind, body and

> spirit

> Author: Howard Kent

> Publisher: Element books ltd

> ISBN: 1862047596

>

> Thank you

>

> Aum tat sat Aum

>

> Manish

>

> Swami Vivekananda:

> They alone live, who live for others;

> the rest are more dead than

> alive.

>

>

_______________

> MSN Photos is the easiest way to share and print

> your photos:

> http://photos.msn.com/support/worldwide.aspx

>

>

>

 

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

hari om!

 

i think that in the paragraph about sri ramakrishna the author has

replaced his own name by the name of sri ramakrishna. or it may be

that he was referring to some other sri ramakrishna and not the one

who was a great devotee of goddess kali.

if authors start writing such ridiculous things then i don't know

where the readers r headed to.

 

God save the world!

 

Sri ramakrishna never went to any forest to become an ascetic.

as far as my knowledge goes, he spent his whole life in a kali temple.

no doubt he had renounced the world but that was never in any forest.

he was a great devotee of goddess kali all his life. so there is

absolutely no question of his changing religion.

[Guest guest]

Namaste,

 

It is indeed apity, if not a shame, that such inaccuracies

should be in print, when first-hand accounts by people who actually

lived and conversed with Thakur are available for the asking!!

 

Regards,

 

Sunder

 

 

 

 

Ramakrishna, " Manish Solanki " <yam65@h...> wrote:

> Namaste

>

> I found the following paragraph on Sri Ramakrishna in the book "

Yoga An

> itroductory Guide to Optimum Health for Mind, Body and Spirit " (on

page 10)

> by Howard Kent who is the founder and Director of the yoga for

Health

> organisation, a world wide charity with branches in 23 countries.

[Guest guest]

It is not possible to receive instruction from an Imam and then

to practice Islam without conversion; it is forbidden under Shariah

and besides, he would not have been allowed to without having converted

anyway. The Christian thing is iffy, but if it was Catholic, he would

again have had at least three years of catechism and would only be

allowed to participate after conversion in Catholic rites.

If you are going to make an issue of this, then you are placing

a huge question mark behind the very basis of Advaita Vedanta

and the premise that " Hinduism " believes all religions lead to the same God,

because since we do, it doesn't matter what anyone practices - does it?

And it doesn't amtter what anyone writes about us either - because

their path also leads them to God.

 

Aum Sai Ram

 

Raga

 

 

--

 

Dear Manish-

 

I don't think it's correct to say he " converted " to

Islam or Christianity. No doubt Sri Ramakrishna was a

child of India and a Hindu to the very marrow of his

bones. He did practice Muslim and Christian devotions

and sadhana. The Gospel says, on p. 33-34,

 

" Toward the end of 1886 he began to practice the

disciplines of Islam. Under the direction of his

Mussalman guru he abondoned himself to his new

sadhana.

He dressed as a Mussalman and repeated the name of

Allah. His prayers took the form of Islamic devotions.

He forgot the Hindu gods and goddesses- even Kali- and

gave up visiting the temples. He took up residence

outside the temple precincts. After three days he saw

the vision of a radiant figure, perhaps Mohammed. The

figure gently approached him and finally lost himself

in Sri Ramakrishna. Thus he realized the Mussalman

God. Thence he passed into communion with Brahman. The

mighty river of Islam also led him back to the Ocean

of the Absolute. "

 

" Eight years later, some time in November 1874, Sri

Ramakrishna was seized with an irresistable desire to

learn the truth of the Christian religion. He began to

listen to the Bible... and became fascinated with the

life and teachings of Jesus. One day he was seated in

the parlour of Jadu Mallick's garden house at

Dakshineswar, when his eyes became fixed on a painting

of the Madonna and Child. Intently watching it, he

became gradually overwhelmed with divine emotion. The

figures in the picture took on life, and the rays of

light emanating from them entered his soul. The effect

of this experience was stronger than that of the

vision of Mohammed. In dismay he cried out, " O Mother!

What are you doing to me? " And, breaking through the

barriers of creed and religion, he entered a new realm

of ecstasy. Christ possessed his soul. For three days

he did not set foot in the Kali temple. On the fourth

day, in the afternoon, as he was walking in the

Panchavati, he saw coming toward him a person with

beautiful large eyes, serene countenance, and fair

skin. As the two faced each other, a voice rang out in

the depths of Sri Ramakrishna's soul: " Behold the

Christ, who shed His heart's blood for the redemption

of the world, who suffered a sea of anguish for love

of men. It is He, the Master Yogi, who is in eternal

union with God. It is Jesus, Love Incarnate. " The Son

of Man embraced the Son of the Divine Mother and

merged in him. Sri Ramakrishna realized his identity

with Christ, as he has already realized hsi identity

with Kali, Rama, hanuman, Radha, Krishna, Brahman, and

Mohammed. The Master went into samadhi and communed

with Brahman with attributes. Thus he experienced the

truth that Christianity, too, was a path leading to

God-Consciousness. Till the last moment of his life he

believed that Christ was an Incarnation of God. But

Christ, for him, was not the only Incarnation; there

were others- Buddha, for instance, and Krishna. "

 

Hope this helps! Don't worry what other people say

about the Master- or how they interpret him. Once YOU

really know him all your troubles and cares will be

gone!!

 

Peace-

RD

--- Manish Solanki <yam65 wrote:

> Namaste

>

> I found the following paragraph on Sri Ramakrishna

> in the book " Yoga An

> itroductory Guide to Optimum Health for Mind, Body

> and Spirit " (on page 10)

> by Howard Kent who is the founder and Director of

> the yoga for Health

> organisation, a world wide charity with branches in

> 23 countries.

> The paragraph is given below.

> " A major figure of the 19th century was

> Ramakrishna, born into a poor

> Calcutta family in 1836, who became a Brahman - a

> Hindu priest - and later

> lived in a forest as an ascetic, where he was taught

> yoga by a nun,

> Yogeshwari. He later converted to Islam, then

> Christianity. He taught that

> many paths lead to God and came to be regarded as a

> spiritual genius.

> Although Ramakrishna was illiterate, his talks were

> collected and

> published. "

>

> I want to know how much of the above is truth. I am

> not happy with the

> information prestented here, especially the Lines

> " He later converted to

> Islam, then Christianity. " Doesn't this mean that

> he thought Islam is

> better than Hinduism, and then he realised

> Christianity is the best.

>

> My question to the list is Did Ramakrishna actually

> convert to Islam and

> then Christianity?

>

> The same book has following paragraph about Hinduism

> and Yoga on page 8.

> " Because yoga developed alongside Hinduism, it is

> often suggested that yoga

> is an integral part of Hindu belief. However, in

> the ancient East, yogis

> were associated with groups of independent thinkers,

> the Sramanas, who were

> sometimes tolerated but were often hunted down and

> killed when the Hindu

> priests felt their power threatened. Furthermore,

> early orthodox Hindu

> beliefs involved sacrificing animals and also,

> possibly, human beings.

> Yoga, by contrast, has always been grounded in total

> respect for life,

> expressed in the word ahimsa, which means leading

> one's life wholly without

> violence in thought, word and deed. Vegetarianism

> has always been central

> to Indian yoga practices. "

>

> i dont agree with some of the things said above, i

> would like to know what

> the knowledgable people in our group thinks about

> this two paragraphs.

>

> Details of the book,

> Title: Yoga, An introductory Guide to Optimum health

> for mind, body and

> spirit

> Author: Howard Kent

> Publisher: Element books ltd

> ISBN: 1862047596

>

> Thank you

>

> Aum tat sat Aum

>

> Manish