Author: Swami Swahananda
Publisher: The Ramkrishna Mission
Year: 2003
Language: English
Pages: 446
ISBN/UPC (if available): 8187332239
Description
Swami Swahananda, a senior monk of the Ramakrishna Order of India, is the minister and spiritual leader of the Vedanta Society of Southern California. He joined the Ramakrishna order in 1947 and received sannyasa, final vows, in 1956.
After joining the Order, he served in the Madras Math and, later, as editor of the Order's scholarly publication, the Vedanta Kesari. He came to the United States in 1968 as the Assistant Minister of the San Francisco Vedanta Society and was later appointed head of the Vedanta Society of Berkeley, California. Immediately prior to coming to this country, the swami was head of the Delhi Centre, the premier centre of the Ramakrishna Order in the capital of India.
In December of 1976 he was transferred to Hollywood, the headquarters of the Vedanta Society of Southern California, where he remains the minister today.
In the late 1980s he was invited to lecture in Moscow and provide spiritual guidance. The swami gives lectures regularly at the Vedanta branch centres in Southern California. He also lectures in many places throughout North America.
Swami Swahananda is the author of many books and articles on religious life and spirituality including: Meditation and Other Spiritual Disciplines; Hindu Symbology and Other Essays and Service and Spirituality. The present book, Vedanta and Ramakrishna, is a collection of some of his articles and lectures.
Contents
PART I
Relevance of Vedanta Today
Man's Destiny
Spirituality and Quality of Life
Be an Instrument of God
Towards a Meaningful Life
Spiritual Life: Techniques and Attitude
The Concept of God in Hinduism
Ideals of Vedanta
The Doctrines of Grace and Karma
Sanatana Dharma and Sri Ramakrishna
Social Implications of Vedanta
Strenth is Religion
Advaita Vedanta
Vedanta and the Individual
The Four Values of Life
The Need of Idealism in Youth
Life and Its Mission
Unity of Religions
PART II
The Message of the Upanishads
Gita
Spiritual Training of the Mind
The Yoga of Tranquility
The Conquest of Misery and the Gita
Yoga of Meditation
Service as a Spiritual Discipline
Buddha and His Way
PART III
Peace
Hinduism
Peace and Unity through Religion
PART IV
The Unique Ramakrishna
Holy Mother in Universal Perspective
Ramakrishna, The Principle
Why the Gospel is so Popular
Swami Brahmananda
Chicago Address
Swami Vivekananda and the West
The Ramakrishana Movement and the Role of th Devotees
Ramakrishan Movement Abroad
My Days in Madras Math
The Need for a New Temple of Sri Ramakrishn
Working for Peace
Appendix: Interreligious Meeting with the Pope