The Vedanta Kesari Magazine - August 2022

In this issue

01. Namo Brahmane
02. The Future from the Past
03. Bards of Guruvayur: Manavedan Raja
04. Reminiscences of Sargachhi
05. Sri Ramakrishna and the Freedom Movement
06. Songs dear to Sri Ramakrishna: Joshodaa naachaato
07. Gadai Makes a new friend
08. The Compassionate Bank: When Farmers Build Values for Finance Management
09. The Future of India
10. Tale of Two Realities: An understanding of life through the Ramayana and Yogasutra
12. Ramayana Mont

Namo Brahmane...

Introduction This is the Shanti Mantra in the second chapter of the Taittiriya Aranyaka. It is also found in the body of the same chapter (Reference 2.12, 13). It is to be noted that this mantra is used as part of the practice of Brahma Yajna. Brahma Yajna is a daily Vedic practice that involves studying at least a small portion of the Vedas every day. This is done to protect the Vedic tradition by making sure the mantras learnt are not forgotten. Recalling the mantras daily amounts to repaying our debt to the Rishis who have bequeathed us this great body of wisdom. According to Acharya Sayana, this mantra, chanted towards the end of Brahma Yajna, is called the Paridhaniya Rk. Paridhana, according to Acharya Sayana, refers to the closing mantra. The mantras that were chanted as part of Brahma Yajna is believed to be made complete by invoking and saluting the seven divinities mentioned in this mantra.

3 mins

Bards of Guruvayur: Manavedan Raja

It is around ten at night. The final Athazha Puja and seeveli procession at the Guruvayur temple are all over. The large crowd of devotees who milled around everywhere inside the temple all day, chanting, praying, performing circumambulations or sitting around simply enjoying the ambience, have all left.

10+ mins

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".

8 mins

GADAI MAKES A NEW FRIEND

A fictional narrative based on incidents from the childhood of Sri Ramakrishna.

2 mins

The Compassionate Bank: When Farmers Build Values for Finance Management

“Ηow do you speak Hindi so well? I thought I was in a state where people only spoke Tamil?!", said a journalist from Uttar Pradesh who was on a visit to Tamil Nadu for the first time. We had met at a conference on creating an alternative economy, in Madurai. So, when I told him that not far away from where we sat, was a village where it was common to find people speaking Mandarin, Malay, and Hindi apart from Tamil, he obviously found it unbelievable.

4 mins

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.

10+ mins

Seven Steps on the Path and other Heart to Heart Talks

BOOK REVIEWS

2 mins

The Order on the March

News & Notes from Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission

3 mins

Read all stories from The Vedanta Kesari

The Vedanta Kesari Magazine Description:

The Vedanta Kesari, meaning ” Lion of Vedanta”, is a spiritual and cultural monthly in English published from Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai. This Magazine contains articles on Indian spiritual traditions and scriptures, mainly focusing on Vedanta as expounded by Swami Vivekananda, the illustrious disciple of Sri Ramakrishna. The focus of the magazine is to promote a spiritual and matured outlook towards life. It advocates renunciation of selfish desires along with the service to others in a spirit of worship.