Topic: Ramakrishna Movement (Part of Socio-Religious Reform Movements - SRRM)

 

Topic: Ramakrishna Movement (Part of Socio-Religious Reform Movements - SRRM)

Context & Chronology:

• This lecture follows Brahmo Samaj and Arya Samaj.

• Order according to A.C. Majumdar (historian, mentioned in Spectrum): Brahmo Samaj -> Arya Samaj -> Ramakrishna Mission. This lecture follows that order.

• Key Figures:

  1. Ramakrishna Paramahamsa (RKP) - The Guru

  2. Swami Vivekananda (SV) - The Disciple

Ramakrishna Paramahamsa (RKP)

1. Biography:

   • Original Name: Gadadhar Chattopadhyay (గదాధర్ చటోపాధ్యాయ).

   • Born into a poor Brahmin family in West Bengal.

   • Priest (Pujari) at the Dakshineswar Kali Temple (దక్షిణేశ్వర్ కాళికా దేవి) near Kolkata.

   • Title: Dakshineswar Sanyasi (దక్షిణేశ్వర్ సన్యాసి).

2. Gurus:

   • Bhairavi (భైరవ): A female Brahmin Sanyasi who taught him Tantric Vidya (తాంత్రిక విద్య).

   • Totapuri (తోతాపురి): Gave him Sanyasi Deeksha (సన్యాసి దీక్ష) and changed his name from Gadadhar Chattopadhyay to Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. Taught Advaita Vedanta.

3. Wife:

   • Sarada Devi (శారదా దేవి).

   • RKP viewed her as divine, calling her "The Holy Mother" (ది హోలీ మదర్).

4. Teachings & Philosophy:

   • Mystic, not Intellectual: Focused on spiritual experience rather than scholarly debates.

   • Religious Harmony/Universalism (Sarva Mata Saman): Believed all religions are valid paths to God. Famous saying: "As many faiths, so many paths" (Yato Mat, Tato Path). He personally practiced elements of Islam and Christianity to experience this unity.

   • Service to Mankind (Manava Seve Madhava Seva): Service to man is service to God. (Core principle later emphasized by Vivekananda).

     • Context: When SV asked RKP "Have you seen God?", RKP replied "Yes, I see God in you". This implies divinity in humanity.

Swami Vivekananda (SV)

1. Biography:

   • Chief disciple of RKP.

   • Original Name: Narendranath Datta (నరేంద్రనాథ్ దత్త).

   • Born into a wealthy (Dhanika) Brahmin family (contrasting RKP's background).

   • Name Change: Given the name Vivekananda by Maharaja Ajit Singh (అజిత్ సింగ్) of Khetri (ఖేత్రి). (Very Important).

2. Journals/Publications:

   • Prabuddha Bharata (ప్రబుద్ధ భారత్) - English Monthly.

   • Udbodhana (ఉద్బోధన) - Bengali Monthly.

   • (Speaker also mentions 'The Divine Life' but this is usually associated with Swami Sivananda).

3. Slogans/Quotes:

   • "India is for Indians" (భారతదేశం భారతీయుల కోసమే) - (Speaker attributes this to SV here, though previously attributed to Dayananda. Note this).

   • "Hindu-Muslim Unity is the only hope for India" (భారతదేశం యొక్క ఒకే ఒక ఆశ హిందూ-ముస్లిం ఐక్యత).

4. Philosophy: Neo-Vedanta (నియో వేదాంత):

   • Core Idea: Synthesis/Combination of:

     • Eastern Spirituality/Culture (తూర్పు దేశాల ఆధ్యాత్మికత / సంస్కృతి)

     • Western Technology/Materialism (పశ్చిమ దేశాల సాంకేతికత)

   • Aimed for a practical, socially relevant application of Vedanta. Bridged spiritual life with social action.

5. Key Events:

   • 1893 (Crucial Year):

     • World Tour: First visited Japan, then China.

     • Parliament of World Religions in Chicago, USA (ప్రపంచ మత సమ్మేళన సభ).

       • Date: September 11th (start).

       • President: John Henry Barrows (జాన్ హెన్రీ బారోస్).

       • Famous Speech: Began with "My Dear Brothers and Sisters of America" (అమెరికా సోదర సోదరీమణులారా), highlighting universal brotherhood. Received immense applause.

       • Impact: Greatly raised awareness and respect for Hinduism/Indian philosophy in the West.

   • New York Herald Tribune (Newspaper): Commented that after hearing Vivekananda, sending Christian missionaries to India was foolishness (బుద్ధిహీనత).

   • Subhas Chandra Bose: Called Vivekananda the "Creator of Modern India" (భారతదేశ ఆధునిక చరిత్ర సృష్టికర్త).

   • 1899-1900: Second visit to America.

   • 1900: Attended Congress of Religions in Paris.

6. Title: "Spiritual Ambassador of Hinduism" (హిందూ మతం యొక్క ఆధ్యాత్మిక రాయబారి).

7. Chief Disciple:

   • Sister Nivedita (సిస్టర్ నివేదిత).

   • Original Name: Margaret Noble (Irish).

   • Book: The Kali Mother (ది కాళీ మదర్).

8. Influence:

   • Max Muller (German Indologist) wrote a book on RKP inspired by SV.

Institutions Founded by Swami Vivekananda:

1. Ramakrishna Mission (RM):

   • Established: 1897 (Key Year).

   • Headquarters: Belur (బేలూరు), near Kolkata (originally Baranagar).

   • Focus: Social Service (సాంఘిక సేవ) based on "Manava Seve Madhava Seva".

   • Activities: Education (విద్య), Medicine (వైద్యం), Orphanages (అనాధ ఆశ్రమాలు), Relief work.

2. Ramakrishna Math (మఠం):

   • Established: First Math at Baranagar (బారాపూర్/నగర్). Headquarters later moved to Belur.

   • Focus: Spiritual Activities (ఆధ్యాత్మికత) - Training monks (Sanyasis), propagating Vedanta philosophy.

Distinction:

• Mission: Primarily focused on outward social service.

• Math: Primarily focused on inward spiritual training and propagation.