Digest Number 2251

[Guest guest]

Dear Supreeth, First there are the Sanyasis who belong to the Ramakrishna Order and to the organisation Ramakrishna Math and Mission (HQ Belur Math). The number of such monastics (including Brahmacharis) in the Ramakrishna Math and Mission is 1400. But there are hundreds of other small monastic organisations / Ashrams (may be even thousands) who are driven by Sri Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Bhavadhara. There is a Bhavadhara Parishad of such organisations and hundreds of such Ashrams are its members. It is particularly large in number in Bengal and South India. Together it forms the Ramakrishna Movement. There is a third layer in the Ramakrishna Movement which is that of Dikshit (initiated devotees) who have taken the Ramakrishna Mantra. Only the Sangha-Adhyaksha (President Maharaj) at the Belur Math and the Vice-President Maharajs bestow Diksha to devotees. The number of such devotees who have Thakur

as their Ishta runs into Lacs. Most Revered Srimat Swami Ranganathanandji Maharaj himself had initiated about 60,000 devotees into the Mantram. Again on parallel lines, there is the Sri Sarada Math, the monastic organisation of Sanyasinis (nuns) drawing inspiration from the Holy Mother Sarda Devi. It came into being in 1954 but its principles and vision-mission were clearly outlined by Swamiji himself. In one of the conversations with Sarat Chakrabarti in "Swami -Shishya Samvad" (Talks with Swami Vivekananda) there is an elaborate discussion on this. Sri Jagannathji in his posting has wonderfully explained the neo-monasticism ushered by the Ramakrishna Order of monks. One remakrable thing about this monasticsim is also a harmonious development of all the four Yoga-margas (Bhakti, Jnana, Karma, RajYoga). This was the special formulation of Swami Vivekananda and he ordained all the monks of the Order to

achieve a fine balance of all the four. In his own life and of course in that of his Master, Swamiji saw a perfect balance of all the four Yogas. Didn't Rommain Rolland mention that like a quadralig Vivekananda held all four reins and moved to Unity by each one !! Of course one can proceed through any path and reach the goal and there one sees all the four Yogas merging into one. But Swamiji ordained that for those on path, an exposure to all Four is a must though because of one's natural inclinations one can specialise in one path. But a balanced exposure helps one understands one's own specialist path in a better way and makes one's spiritual attitude broadened which is essential for one who still on path. "The Belur Math Rules" which is the sacred document for all monks of the Ramakrishna Order gives a wonderful practical formulation of the Rules of the Math formulated by Swamiji bring out the

synthesis of the four great paths. Rakhal Maharj on reading it said that Swamiji had made these ruklesin a super-conscious state. Swami Nitya-Swarupa-Ananda (Founder of RK Mission Institute of Culture, Gol Park) has written a commentary on the "The Belur Math Rules". "The Belur Math Rules" is an internal document though has been discussed in considerable detail in many of Mission publications, chief amongst them being "History of the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission" by Swami Gambhirananda. There was a discussion currently thread going about the Satya-Yuga etc. Swamiji proclaimed many times that "the coming of Sri Ramakrishna marks the ushering of the Satya Yuga. Now every old mould has to be cast anew." There has also been a discussion thread about Bhakti, Raja-Yoga and what did Thakur ordain for the Kali-Yuga. Though in the Kathamrita (Gospel) Thakur says this many times that Bhakti is the easier

path in this age, it should be remembered he always spoke of Bhakti along with shunning of Kama-Kanchana thus continuous Viveka (discrimation). This it is Jnana mishrit Bhakti (a blend of Jnana and Bhakti as Swamiji used to call it.) Also it should be noticed that it was generally to Brahmo devotees that Thakur said this who had the temperament of a devotee. To Naren Thakur made him read the Ashttavakra as he understood his Advaitic temperament. Last but not the least, Swamiji and Rakhal Maharaj and many other first line devotees have said the many of the teachings Thakur used to give to his 'would be monastic disciples' were not a part of the Kathamirta. The essence of Thakur should be read in the lives with the intimate co-players in his Lila. As Rakhal Maharaj once said,"Thakur's teachings can be understood only in the light of Swamiji's teachings. None can understand Thakur in isolation of Swamji and other first

disciples." Sthapakaya cha Dharmasya, Sarvadharma Svarupine, Avatara Varishthaya, Ramakrishnaya te Namah. ************************************************************************************************ Ramakrishna , "Supreeth" <supreethp@g...> wrote:>> May I know, as of now what is the strength of the SWAMIS of the> RAMAKRISHNA ORDER, throughout the world.