Swami Suhitanandaji Maharaj, General Secretary of Ramakrishna Mission at Belur Math in Kolkata, India, stopped by Auckland last weekend, on his way to Fiji. He spoke to Indian Weekender about how the saint’s teachings are oft quoted by the likes of Obama and Modi
Instead of succumbing to division, you have shown that the strength of India — the very idea of India — is its embrace of all colors, castes and creeds. It’s the diversity represented in this chamber today. It’s the richness of faiths celebrated by a visitor to my hometown of Chicago more than a century ago — the renowned Swami Vivekananda. He said that, “holiness, purity and charity are not the exclusive possessions of any church in the world, and that every system has produced men and women of the most exalted character.”
- US President Barack Obama, the Parliament in New Delhi, 2010
’India must conquer the World and nothing less than that is my ideal,’ Swamiji famously said. He had a very strong vision for our nation and it is incumbent upon us to realize those dreams of Swamiji by making his Vision for India a reality!
- Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, 2014
In fact, during Modi’s Washington visit, President Barack Obama gifted him a copy of the rare book, The World's Congress: Religions at the World's Columbian Exposition. It is about the 1893 summit of world religions where Swami Vivekananda made his presence felt. Later, Modi tweeted that it was a gift he would cherish forever. Modi and Swami Vivekananda share their first names – the latter being named at birth Narendra Nath – and this was highly publicised during BJP’s party campaigns. The campaigners would often draw parallel’s between the two Narendras parted by a century, both upholding similar ideals.
His Master’s Voice
Last weekend Swami Suhitanandaji Maharaj, General Secretary of Ramakrishna Mission at Belur Math, Howrah, near Kolkata, India, stopped by Auckland. He was on his way to Fiji, to inaugurate the universal meditation centre at the Ramakrishna Mission in Nadi.
Indian Weekender was fortunate enough to meet him and ask a few questions:
• What are the ideals and beliefs on which Ramakrishna Mission is based?
The mission is a philanthropic organisation founded by Ramakrishna Paramhansa's chief disciple Vivekananda in early 1900s. The saint researched all religions and found that all of them believe in truth. So there is no religion superior to the other; there is no difference between them. Vivekananda took it upon himself to spread the words of his guruji and hence, set up the Missions.
The mission conducts extensive work in health care, disaster relief, rural management, tribal welfare, elementary and higher education and culture. It uses the combined efforts of hundreds of ordered monks and thousands of householder disciples. The mission bases its work on the principles of karma yoga, which leads to gradual development of body, mind and intellect.
The mission is headquartered at Belur Math and is committed to bringing about amity among all religious beliefs. Ramkrishna had said: “I don’t belong to any nation. I belong to the world.”
The saint also believed that men should not decide what is right for women and that women should take their own decisions and run their own monastery. Hence, Sarada Math was set up after his wife Sarada Devi for women’s development and they have their own aims and objectives.
There are about 171 centres around the world that are affiliated to the central body in Belur. Of them, tere are 128 in India, 13 in the USA, 12 in Bangladesh, 2 in Russia, and one each in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Fiji, France, Germany, japan, Malaysia, Mauritius, the Netherlands, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Switzerland and the UK.
Ramkrishna Mission is a good platform to execute the saint’s goals ofpPeace, tolerance and acceptance.
• Are Ramakrishna Paramhansa’s teachings relevant in contemporary world?
Ramakrishna Mission is non-political, non-sectarian and believes in one’s own salvation and for the welfare of the world.
Humans exploit resources to create wealth and live a healthy life. But they cannot live by bread alone. This wealth can give physical comfort, but can it bring mental peace? Can wealth remove misfortune?
Ramakrishna teaches to compensate the deficiency of wealth. Science forms what religion reforms. Science does not bring revolution, religion does. But what is religion? It is a philosophy that teaches one to lead a certain pattern of life. What sort of life? If a man with an ideal commits one error, without an ideal he will commit a thousand errors.
• How did you find the Ramakrishna Vedanta Centre in Auckland?
The Ramkrishna Vedanta Centre has an all-inclusive approach and not one or two people running it. There is involvement of people, making it a democratic setup. It is doing well. Our Math has accepted the functioning of the Vedanta Centre. We have decided to send a Maharaj (saint) from India to head the institution.
• How does a centre affliliated to Ramkrishna Mission differ from the Vedanta Centre in Aucklad?
Suppose there is a dispute over the management of the centre and the concerned people call up the central office at Belur Math for a solution, we will say: ‘Do what you think is right.’ Whereas, if the Mission has our affiliation and the management asks for intervention over a dispute, we tell them: ‘Please give us a few days and we will get back to you with a solution.’”
• We hear Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is an ardent follower of Swami Vivekananda. Can you enlighten us on it?
Yes, Narendra Modi is a follower of Swami Vivekananda. When he was 17 years old, he had wanted to become a monk. But the saint in-charge of the Ahmedabad Mission rejected him and asked him to go back to studies. But Modi went back to him after a few years. This time the saint told him that he was destined to serve the people in other ways.
Modi today is translating Vivekanada’s concept for India, that the country will rise. Modi has been quoted as saying:
“I was greatly influenced by Swami Vivekananda. ...That was another world which I have loved. ...I am sure the youth is deeply inspired by Swami Vivekananda and will carry forward his ideals for India’s growth.”
In fact, Indian President Pranab Mukherjee, though not a disciple, is a follower of Ramakrishna and has made generous donations for the Mission’s many causes.
Ramkrishna Vedanta Centre, Auckland
RKVC, as it is popularly called, was set up in 2005 in Auckland. They engage in a lot of activities, the latest being a cultural evening for Swami Suhitanandaji Maharaj last weekend. If you would like to partake in their activities, please refer to the following details.
Address:
Ramakrishna Vedanta Centre of New Zealand
27 Arawa Street, New Lynn,
Auckland, New Zealand.
Contact:
Harish Sundarji, President
09 627 0499/ 021 733 468
Monnay Kumar, Secretary
09 576 3103/ 021 167 5134
For further details:
http://www.rkvc.org.nz/