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Title: Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna :Abridged Edition by Swami Nikhilananda, Aldous Huxley, Ramakrishna ISBN: 0-911206-02-7 Publisher: Ramakrishna Vivekanada Center Pub. Date: December, 1988 Format: Hardcover Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $17.50 |
Average Customer Rating: 5 (11 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: The words of the 9th incarnation of Vishnu
Comment: Sri Ramakrisna was the 9th incarnation of Vishnu. He praticed many religious paths because in the end he saw God (not to be confused with just the male aspect) He was also a Tantric and he was a very open minded annd ecclectic man. He served as a priest in the Dakashineswar Kali temple in Calcutta India. He was a priest of Kali. He died of lung cancer. In this gospel there is history about the man-god Sri Ramakrishna and his teachings. Although I personally dont agree 100 percent on everything he said, not because he was wrong or right, its because I have my own beliefs. But his teachings are very much alive today as they were back then. His teachings are spiritually uplifting. Im attracted to him because I had some of his experiences and if he were alive today in the flesh he would totally understand where Im comming from. This is a book I wont ever give away. Ever.
Rating: 5
Summary: Ocean of knowledge.
Comment: This book is recommended to a god-fearing and loving person.
Rating: 5
Summary: Excellent - well worth the read.
Comment: This book is a diary of the author's experience in the presence of Sri Ramakrishna 125 years ago. To the modern mind, Ramakrishna would seem like a schizophrenic or epileptic but after reading this book and hearing his explanations of Hindu concepts you realize that although he had no formal education he was a very knowledgeable and loving man. I love that he always says - do not follow anything I say blindly, work it out for yourself, take what's useful to you and leave the rest. He says a lot of people forget to do this where religion is concerned. They don't assimilate the information - they just repeat the pretty words.
His relationship to Narendra, who later was known as Vivekananda, is an awesome love story. Very beautiful. My favorite part was when Ramakrishna asked Narendra a significant question about God and Narendra says, "I'm currently studying the views of the atheists." He was completely able to be himself with Ramakrishna and Ramakrishna loved him for it. He didn't have to put on a "holy-holy" act with Ramakrishna. They didn't have any of that you'd better obey and agree with everything I say attitude going on.
Something that struck me as interesting is I think the author added some comments in the 1940's while translating the book to English. The events took place near Calcutta, India in 1885 but there are statements describing the connection to God as being like having the gas company hooked up to your house. Did they have a gas company in Calcutta, India in 1885? There are other statements relating peoples beliefs in the righteousness of their religion to everyone thinking his watch has the correct time. Were watches a widespread item in India in 1885? I don't particularly think so... But the allegories work.
I don't agree with everything Ramakrishna says. For instance, I don't believe bhakti or devotional religion is the key for this day and age. I think you should keep your bhakti a personal thing tucked away in your heart otherwise you'll wind up looking like a nut. I don't agree with worshipping the divine as a parental figure. I think it adds to the emotional immaturity that we already experience - but I'm glad Ramakrishna mentions other modes of relating to God and acknowledges their validity. I also don't believe that bliss is an important factor in anyone's relationship to God. Hell with the availability of street drugs today - bliss is just down the alley. But joy - joy is something different. You can't find real joy in a pill or in a drink.
Towards the end of his life things get a little weird. It's almost as if someone else has taken over his body or something. He starts emphasizing being a paramahansa (incarnation of God) and expounding on how paramahansas and ishvarakotis (pure souls) are different from everyone else. It really doesn't seem to follow how he used to talk before that. Plus he starts letting yes-men, like that Ghirish Ghosh guy, hang around. I didn't like that part but it happened so what can you do?
So, whether you agree with what Ramakrishna says or not, you can't help but love and respect him after reading this book. It's a very intimate encounter with a man totally devoted to God and you gotta respect his honesty and willingness to be himself no matter what anyone else thought.
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Title: Great Swan: Meetings With Ramakrishna by Lex Hixon ISBN: 0943914809 Publisher: Larson Pubn Pub. Date: April, 1997 List Price(USD): $16.95 |
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Title: Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda (8-Volume Set) by Swami Vivekananda ISBN: 8185301468 Publisher: Vedanta Press & Bookshop Pub. Date: January, 1947 List Price(USD): $36.00 |
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Title: Vivekananda: The Yogas and Other Works by Swami Vivekananda, Swami Nikhilananda ISBN: 0911206043 Publisher: Ramakrishna Vivekanada Center Pub. Date: December, 1953 List Price(USD): $35.50 |
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Title: Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda, W. Y. Evans-Wentz ISBN: 0876120796 Publisher: Self Realization Fellowship Pub Pub. Date: June, 1979 List Price(USD): $6.00 |
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Title: How to Know God: The Yoga Aphorisms of Patanjali by Swami Prabhavananda, Christopher Isherwood, Patanjali ISBN: 0874810418 Publisher: Vedanta Press & Bookshop Pub. Date: September, 1996 List Price(USD): $8.95 |
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