“No,” came the prompt reply, “Why should I do so? I have come only to help you in the path of religious life.” The question was strange coming as it did from a husband who was seeing his wife after a gap of almost five years. But then Sri Ramakrishna and Mother Sarada Devi were no ordinary persons. Sri Ramakrishna had verily incarnated on earth to fulfil a divine purpose and it is a well-known fact that when divinity manifests itself on earth, he or she brings along with them their full entourage to help them fulfil their mission. Otherwise, how can one explain the circumstances that led to the marriage of this pair?
“She who is marked for me,” declared the twenty-three-year-old Sri Ramakrishna in an ecstatic state of mind when the topic of his marriage was broached, “is waiting at the house of Ramachandra Mukherjee at Jayrambati.” That “She” was Sarada Devi, five-year daughter of Ramachandra Mukherjee and Shyamasundari Devi of Jayarambati. She was born on 22 December 1853. This divine marriage that took place in 1859 was very much in accordance with the plan of destiny. Of this there can be no doubt for, on an earlier occasion during a temple festival in the neighbourhood of Jayarambati, an infant Sarada on being teasingly asked as to whom she was going to marry, decisively pointed to Sri Ramakrishna who was there in the crowd.
This story is from the January 2021 edition of The Vedanta Kesari.
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This story is from the January 2021 edition of The Vedanta Kesari.
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Panchakroshi Parikrama of Varanasi
At the snow-capped Kailas, the Divine Lord Shiva was seated with Mother Parvati.
Gadai and the Monks
A fictional narrative based on incidents from the childhood of Sri Ramakrishna.
Swami Vivekananda’s French Interview: A New Discovery
We are happy to present what, to the best of our knowledge, is a hitherto unknown interview given by Swami Vivekananda in French language to a newspaper in France. Interestingly the interview was published on 11 September 1900, exactly seven years after Swamiji burst upon the world from the platform of the Parliament of Religions in Chicago. Swami Surarchitananda discovered this interview during an online archive search and Ms. Irina Croitor has translated it into English.
'Pandit Ji Maharaj' Par Excellence: Swami Vipulananda
In 1933, the Annamalai University of Chidambaram in Tamil Nadu was bustling with activity in connection with the imminent visit by the British Governor, George Fredrick Stanley of Madras Presidency. He was to chair the Convocation at the University.
Reminiscences of Sargachhi
All the doctors, teachers, engineers you see, are doing social service. Our education system teaches 'service to the society'- this is the objective side of man.
Mon Ekbaar Hori Bolo... Songs dear to Sri Ramakrishna
Sri Ramakrishna loved songs. There probably was no normal day when he did not sing some songs. His conversations with devotees were interspersed with songs that drove home the point of discussion and intensified the spiritual mood of the gathering. Sri Ramakrishner Priyo Sangeet is a collection of songs that were sung by Sri Ramakrishna or sung in his presence by others. In this section we serialise these songs giving the English and Devanagari transliteration of the Bengali song, along with its English translation.
Freedom vs Technology
Ethics, principles and values that guide ordinary people to do extraordinary work in eternal India
Seven Steps on the Path and other Heart to Heart Talks
BOOK REVIEWS
Tale of Two Realities An understanding of life through the Ramayana and Yogasutra
Beginning with this issue we are serialising Tale of Two Realities which we hope will help readers gain a deeper understanding of life. Our readers are familiar with the author through her The Vedas and Poorva: Magic, Miracles & the Mystical Twelve which were serialised earlier. The illustrations for this series is by Smt Uma Krishnaswami, a well-known artist. The author's note below gives a brief introduction to the series.
Sri Ramakrishna and the Freedom Movement - SWAMI VEDANISHTHANANDA
75th Anniversary of India's Independence The year 2022 is significant for India as it celebrates 75 years of attaining independence from the colonial domination. It was after a long struggle that we could free our motherland from foreign rule and make this "tryst with destiny".
