TATTVA

DARSANA Quarterly

IN THIS ISSUE

Editorial:

Devotion to Guru and Guru Parampara - Sadhu Rangarajan 2

Messages 6

Yogi Ramsuratkumar’s Constant Guidance - Sadhu Rangarajan 8

TATTVA DARSANA completes Thirtyfive years - Editor 15

Memory of A Sadhu’s Presence - Neil Ramphal 17

Changes to Names of Towns and Cities - Dr. Thillay Naidoo 21

Books--Glimpses of A Great Yogi - Foreword by Truman Caylor 25

News and Notes 28

Front Cover:

YOGI RAMSURATKUMAR &

SADHU RANGARAJAN

October-December 2018 Vol. 35, No. 4

Editor: Sadhu Prof. V. Rangarajan

Inland: Life Rs.1125; Annual Rs.60; Single Copy Rs.15.

Foreign (Air Mail): Life US$ 300; Annual US$ 20; Single Copy US$ 5

Office: Bharatamata Gurukula Ashram, ‘Sri Bharati Mandir’,

Srinivasanagar, Kithaganur Road,

Krishnarajapuram, Bangalore 560 036.

Phone: 91-80-25610935 Mobile: 94482 75935

E-mail: sadhu.rangarajan@gmail.com;

Website: sribharatamatamandir.org

2 TATTVA DARSANA

Editorial

DEVOTION TO GURU AND GURUPARAMPARA

Devotion to the Guru is often expressed by adoring and worshipping

His form, garlanding His idol or picture, chanting His name and holding

bhajans in praise of Him. However, true devotion is not in these

external demonstrations, but in absolute faith in and acceptance of every

thought, word and deed of the Master as Divine. Gurur Brahma, Gurur

Vishnu, Gurur Devo Maheshwara—Guru is Brahma, Vishnu and

Maheshwara, the Ultimate Reality—is the firm conviction of every

devout Hindu. Since times immemorial, all the sects, sampradayas and

religious groups including Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism which are

part and parcel of the Hindu or Sanatana Dharma, have accepted the

concept of Guruparampara—the lineage of Gurus from the Supreme

Divine. Guru parampara as a representation of lineage is a unique

tradition in the world in which a guru passes on his or her

acquired knowledge to a chosen shishya or disciple. Along with

knowledge, the Guru also energises the Shishya with the Divine Power

which has come down to Him from His predecessors and which He has

enhanced by His own sadhana. Bhagavan Sivananda calls this Shakti-

Sanchar.

Great Acharyas like Shankara, Ramanuja and Madhva have established

maths and installed their shishyas to continue their lineage that has

originated from the great rishis. Buddha is an avatara of Vishnu and

Rishabhadeva, the first theertankara of the Jains is a rishi of Rig Veda.

Sikhism is an offshoot of the Sri Vaishnava sampradaya spread by

Ramananda and Kabir in the north and Guru Granth Sahib of the Sikhs

is a compilation of devotional hymns of Hindu saints belonging to the

period of Bhakti movements in Northern India. Though all acharyas

trace their lineage from the ancient rishis who proclaimed, ekam sat,

viprah bahudha vadanti—the Ultimate Reality is one, men of wisdom

call It by different names—in the course of centuries of its existence,

Hindu race has forgotten this great truth and has faced disintegration

due to disunity and mutual recrimination springing from ignorance,

jealousy, urge for domination and superiority or inferiority complexes

of the later leaders and followers of the sampradayas or institutions.

October-December 2018 3

Shankara who systematized the six great religious streams—Shaivam,

Vaishnavam, Shaaktam, Gaanaapatyam, Kaumaaram and Souram—and

sang hymns in praise of all the deities was condemned as pracchanna

baudha—a Buddhist in disguise and a nihilist as he proclaimed that

God, world and soul are ephemeral truths whereas Brahman alone is

true in the transcendental plain. In later days, even the followers of the

different maths set up by Shankara could not see eye to eye and were at

loggerheads. The Vaishnavite followers of Ramanuja were divided into

ten kalai and vada kalai who fought a court case up to Privy Council in

London during British rule in India to determine whether the naamam

or religious mark to be put on the forehead of the elephant of

Kanchipuram Varadaraja temple should be ‘Y’ or ‘U’. They came to fist

fight against each other in a temple procession at Tiruvallikkeni on the

issue whether the hymns in Sanskrit or Tamil are to be sung.

Differences of opinion among the mutt heads of Madhva Sampradaya

have also come to public domain. All these differences and

disintegration among the followers of one and the same acharya has

nothing to do with religion or devotion, but are all products of crass

selfish and materialist urges, struggle for possession and domination

and mutual hatred among the followers. Even religious institutions and

organizations that have come into existence in the modern period have

found split and division due to the urge for domination and mutual

jealousy among those in authority. No greater insult could be sprung on

the Gurus and the sacred institutions that they have established than

disintegrating and destroying the mission of the Great Masters by the

spurious followers who exploit the name of the Masters for their crass

material interests and selfish urges. If only the devotees had any respect

and regard for the Gurus and the Guruparampara, these internecine

quarrels and squabbles would not have sprung up. Not only religious

institutions in Bharat, but all religious movements and institutions that

have sprung up in different parts of the world like Christianity and

Islam have also faced disintegration in course of time.

Religion is that which links man to his creator and spirituality is the

pathway to realize once oneness with the Divine. However, when

religion is institutionalized and reduced to a bundle of rites and rituals,

blind and superstitious beliefs, customs and practices and directed by

leaders who are more interested in material acquisitions and power, it

becomes an instrument of division and disintegration in the society and

deterioration of the whole mankind. Addressing the Parliament of

4 TATTVA DARSANA

Religions at Chicago, Swami Vivekananda, the Patriot Monk of India,

proclaimed: “Sectarianism, bigotry, and its horrible descendant,

fanaticism, have long possessed this beautiful earth. They have filled

the earth with violence, drenched it often and often with human blood,

destroyed civilization, and sent whole nations to despair. Had it not

been for these horrible demons, human society would be far more

advanced than it is now. But their time is come; and I fervently hope

that the bell that tolled this morning in honour of this convention may

be the death-knell of all fanaticism, of all persecutions with the sword

or with the pen, and of all uncharitable feelings between persons

wending their way to the same goal.” The great rishis of yore

propounded the ideal of vasudaiva kuthumbakam—the whole world is

one family. How can this be achieved if people belonging to different

religions, societies and nations do not realize that they are all children

of one Father. My Deeksha Guru, H.H. Yogi Ramsuratkumar used to

proclaim day in day out: “My Father alone exists, in the past, present

and future! Nothing else and nobody else!” If this thought takes deep

root in the heart of each and every human being, then that is the

culmination of all religion and spirituality. Our ancient rishis wanted the

children of Bharatavarsha to spread this ideal in every nook and corner

of the world and thereby install Mother Bharat as the loka guru—the

preceptor of the whole world.

Bhagavan Yogi Ramsuratkumar’s centenary is now celebrated all over

the country and abroad by His devotees. Bhagavan never wanted to

create a cult or sampradaya or a mission or math after Him. His Guru—

Papa Ramdas whom He used to refer always as “My Father”—initiated

Him into the sacred mantra, Aum Sri Ram Jai Ram Jai Jai Ram, and

wanted Him to spread it. Bhagavan in turn chose this humble writer as

His disciple and initiated him, turning him into a sadhu and His

instrument to spread the work of His Father everywhere. In the eighties,

when some youth wanted to set up an association named after Him, He

gave them permission on condition that they would launch a world

movement to spread Ramnam Japa Yagna started by His Gurubhagini,

Mataji Krishna Bai of Anandashram, and commanded the youth to work

under the guidance of this sadhu. Yogi Ramsuratkumar Youth

Association was inaugurated by one of His ardent devotees from United

States, Sri Lee Lozowick of Hohm Community of Arizona, as a wing of

Sister Nivedita Academy at Chennai, on December 8, 1988. By the

grace and blessings of Bhagavan, this sadhu has travelled all over the

October-December 2018 5

country and also gone to various countries fifteen times in the last three

decades spreading the message of Bhagavan. Bhagavan wanted this

sadhu to be physically present by His side only on certain occasions

when some thoughtless acts of some of those who claimed to be His

devotees created some crisis and Bhagavan wanted this sadhu to be His

instrument to set things right, but He always assured this sadhu that He

would be with this sadhu every moment wherever this sadhu would be,

and this sadhu would be in Him all the time.

To all those devotees of Bhagavan inside the country and abroad who

have been showering their respect and regard to this sadhu as the

disciple of Bhagavan, we make this humble appeal: Respect all

devotees of Bhagavan as His children. Do not make any distinction

among them. Strive to create unity and brotherhood among the children

of Bhagavan. A hundred institutions, temples and satsang samitis may

spring up in His name inside the country and abroad, but there should

always be the realization that all are His instruments to spread the

universal message of the sages and seers of this sacred land of

Bharatavarsha—vasudaiva kutumbakam—the whole world is one

family. This sadhu is proud to belong to a great Guruparampara in

which Yogi Ramsuratkumar and Papa Ramdas are his Guru and

Paramaguru respectively. We are all children of the great Vedic Rishis

of this Holy Land of Bharatavarsha. Whenever this sadhu was in the

presence of Bhagavan in the midst of His devotees, and whenever some

important function was taking place in the Ashram, Bhagavan used to

command this sadhu to make speeches and He would always like this

sadhu invoking the Guru parampara:

“Veda rishaya samaarabhya, Vedaantaachaarya madhyamaah,

Yogi Ramsuratkumara paryantam, Vande Guru paramparaam”

--“Salutations and adorations to the great lineage of preceptors of the

holy land of Bharatavarsha, beginning with the Vedic Rishis, through

the great Vedanta Acharyas up to my Deeksha Guru, Yogi

Ramsuratkumar Maharaj!”

Aum Namo Bhagavate Yogi Ramsuratkumaraaya!

Aum Sri Ram Jai Ram Jai Jai Ram! Vande Mataram!

6 TATTVA DARSANA

MESSAGES

The glory of Hindu religion is in its ability to take each aspirant to the

Highest Truth, guiding him through the roadmap of Scriptures to attain

the Self. Any religion has a purpose and meaning only when it solves

the most difficult problems in the easiest way. The Hindu Scriptures

lead us on the path of surrendered action, devotion and abidance in the

Self as the way to reach God. A life without the motive of purifying

oneself and attaining Self-realization is a goal-less life. One who does

not have anything bigger to achieve tends to fall for everything small.

I am pleased to see that Professor Sadhu Rangarajan has been

propagating the essential tenets of Hinduism through his tireless work in

India and abroad. My good wishes are with all his sacred endeavours.

May Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayanandaji's blessings be with us

all.

Prem and Om,

SWAMI ABHEDANANDA

Spiritual Head, Chinmaya Mission of South Africa,

Chatsworth, Durban, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa.

October-December 2018 7

ANANDASHRAM,

Kanhangad, Kerala November 29, 2018

Blessed Atman: “Saints are often compared to the philosopher’s stone, which, by its

mere contact, turns any base metal into gold. But a saint is superior,

for by his contact he makes you like himself. He fills you with Divine

radiance and joy.” – Swami Ramdas

Your loving invitation has been received for the Birth Centenary

Celebrations of Revered Yogiji Maharaj. Glad to know that the

functions are scheduled to be held on the 9th of December at Bharat

Mata Mandir. Special days connected with the lives of saints are celebrated to help us

reaffirm our commitment to the Goal and to try to have more and more

of God-remembrance so that we may realise our oneness with Him at

the earliest. May we all be able to do so. Praying for the Lord's blessings for the successful conduct of the

functions and for the programmes to be instrumental in giving a boost to

the spiritual practices of all! Deepest love and best wishes.

Swami Muktananda ANANDASHRAM

It must be understood at the very outset, before you start on the supreme

task of shaping your life and conduct in accordance with a lofty and

Divine ideal, that you should bear that ideal in your bosom and not look

upon it merely as an outside object of worship.

--Swami Ramdas

8 TATTVA DARSANA

YOGI RAMSURATKUMAR’S

CONSTANT GUIDANCE

--Sadhu Prof. V. Rangarajan

Veda-rishaya-samaarabhya Vedaantaachaarya-madhyamaah

Yogi Raamsuratkumaara-paryantam Vande Guru-paramparaam!

Salutations and adorations to all great preceptors of the holy land of

Bharatavarsha right from the Vedic seers, through the great Vedanta

Acharyas, to my Deekshaa Guru Yogi Ramsuratkumar Maharaj of

Tiruvannamalai!

Since times immemorial, our Bharata Bhoomi has been the chosen land

of Gods and Goddesses to incarnate in human form to lead the souls in

evolution from human to divine realms. Rightly, this land came to be

known as Bharatavarsha, the Land of Light. Innumerable are the

saints and sages who have trodden on this sacred soil from Vedic times

to the modern period and this land consequently has come to be known

as Ratnagrabha, one whose womb has carried priceless gems of

Brahma Rishis and Raja Rishis. In the lineage of the great sages and

seers of this holy land, we are indeed blessed to have had in our midst

H.H. Yogi Ramsuratkumar, Godchild, Tiruvannamalai.

This sadhu was guided to the great Master by the benign grace of

Mother Mayee of Kanyakumari, a great mystic who used to live like a

mad beggar woman, always surrounded by some forty or fifty dogs and

wandering at Kanyakumari. It was the infinite grace and unbounded

compassion of his Master that enabled this sadhu to author his Master’s

biography – “The Glimpses of a Great Yogi”, which has received a

spontaneous welcome from the devotees and spiritual aspirants in the

East and the West. Yogiji was also extremely delighted with the work

and with a loud laughter, he used to say, “The book is very attractive.

People are interested to know who this great Yogi is. But, when they

come and see here, they see only a beggar here!” He jovially blamed

the book for causing the constant stream of devotees, thus preventing

Him from taking any rest.

October-December 2018 9

Yogi Ramsuratkumar’s voice echoed loudly in the pages of Tattva

Darsana, a journal published by this sadhu under the auspices of Sister

Nivedita Academy. Though Yogiji was not giving any spiritual

discourses, He conveyed valuable messages in friendly conversations

with simple people and even kids. These were meticulously captured

and published in Tattva Darsana. It was thus passed on to all of His

devotees. Here is such an extract:

After seeing off everyone excepting this sadhu, Vivek, Nivedita and Dr.

Radhakrishnan, He asked the doctor to sit by my side, He told him,

“You may think that this beggar ignores you and concentrates on these

two children”. Dr. Radhakrishnan immediately replied, “No Maharaj,

they belong to the younger generation and it is right that you

concentrate on them”. Then the Yogi jovially remarked, “You know,

Vivek and Nivedita come here very often and they have become my

friends. You people do not come often”.

The Yogi concentrated His vision on the children for some time and

then asked Vivek: “Your father has taken up man-making work. You

want to become an engineer. And Nivedita wants to become a computer

scientist. What sort of engineer you would like to become—man-

making or machine-making?” He was laughing hilariously for some

time and then again asked him, “Would you like to become a man-

making engineer?” “Yes, I would like to be so”, replied Vivek.

The Yogi went inside and brought a book, LECTURES FROM

COLOMBO TO ALMORA by Swami Vivekananda. He opened the

book. It was a chapter titled “The Sages of India”, and asked me to

read it. In the very opening paragraph, one line touched His heart:

“The sages of India have been almost innumerable, for what has the

Hindu nation been doing for thousands of years except producing

sages?” The Yogi turned to the children and addressed them, “See,

Vivekananda speaks about man-making work. What has the Hindu

nation been doing for thousands of years except producing sages?”

The Yogi made me read the whole chapter from the book. When I

finished reading, the Yogi said: “Our country is to produce sages. Our

work is not to produce engineers and computer scientists. Our country

is concerned only with producing sages. For thousands of years, only

10 TATTVA DARSANA

producing sages has been our aim. When we know that our goal is god,

why should we hanker after other things and waste our precious time”.

He again turned to the children and jovially asked: “Will your mother

get angry if you go and tell her that this beggar wants you not to

become machine-making engineers, but man-making? Will she say that

this beggar wants her children also to become beggars like him and not

engineers and scientists and ask you not to go to this beggar again?”

He burst into a roaring laughter even as the children replied, “No,

No.” Then He continued, “Don't think this beggar in discouraging you

from becoming engineers and scientists. My Father will see that

Vivekanandan gets a seat in engineering and becomes a great engineer

and Nivedita becomes a computer scientist. But remember that your

goal is something higher. Your father has brought you up properly and

put you in the right line. Do not forget the ideal. Becoming a scientist

or engineer is all secondary, the most important is god-realization.

Understand?” The children nodded their head.

Even on social issues like the role of beggars, Yogi Ramsuratkumar got

this sadhu to spread His message through Tattva Darsana. Here is an

excerpt from that interaction:

The Yogi was very vehement and emphatic in His disapproval of the

government’s policy of rounding up beggars and prosecuting them.

“Rangaraja, in this land begging has never been a crime. Sudama was

a beggar and he went to Krishna begging for alms. Krishna received

him with all honours. All great saints have been beggars. My master,

Swami Ramdas, explains in his In Quest of God how He went around

as a beggar. This beggar himself wandered all over the country

begging for food, for twelve years. He never used to wear rudraksha or

put bhasma on his forehead. He wandered in rags like any other

beggar. When this beggar was sitting on the banks of River Sabarmati,

ladies who used to come to take bath threw some coins to this beggar

every day. A day’s collection would be sufficient for two days’ food. I

am not speaking only of Sadhus, Brahmacharis and Brahmans who are

enjoined to beg in this country. I am speaking for ordinary people who

go out begging for alms when they find it difficult to make both ends

meet. They are not criminals. They beg as there is no other go.”

October-December 2018 11

This writer told the Yogi that he had already quoted His words in a

write up for TATTVA DARSANA and he would write an editorial too.

The Yogi said, “Yes, you can write an editorial too”. The Yogi said,

“Yes, you can write an editorial for the urgent need. But you must

make a study of all law books like Manu Smriti, Yajnavalkya Smriti

and other scriptures and writings of Kalidasa and others, gather

material about the tradition of honouring beggars in our country and

write a good article on the subject, Rangaraja.” The Yogi exhorted

again, “Matru devo bhava, Pitru devo bhava, Acharya devo bhava,

Atithi devo bhava -- this is our tradition, Rangaraja. We must go out to

find people seeking alms and entertain them -- so says the Shastras.”

The Master’s generous heart opened up to accept this humble servant

and initiate him into the order of Sadhus, at the Banyan Tree Cave at

the Arunachala Hills where Swami Ramdas had sat and meditated. This

new birth of this sadhu happened on the auspicious day of the Jayanti

of Swami Ramdas on April 26, 1988. Again, it was the limitless grace

of the Master that this sadhu was entrusted with the responsibility of

organizing a World Movement for Ramnam. This was for

completing the target of chanting of 15,500 crores of Ramanam Taraka

Mantra, “Aum Sri Ram Jai Ram Jai Jai Ram” – a yagna for world

peace started by Poojya Mataji Krishnabai of Anandashram,

Kanhangad – a mission very dear to the Master’s heart. Later, in

January 1994, Yogiji even participated in a two-day function and

blessed the devotees who were involved in this Ramnam movement.

With Bhagavan’s blessings, the Academy’s ambitious wing called

Yogi Ramsuratkumar Youth Association was formed. In the year

1988, this sadhu’s son, Vivekanandan and his friend visited the abode

of my Master and they made a fervent prayer to Him to allow them to

start a youth organization named after Him. Yogiji was at first amused

at their request and asked them jovially: “Why do you want a youth

organization named after this Beggar? Why not have an organization

named after Kamaraj or Karunanidhi or any big political leader?” The

youth calmly replied to Him that they wanted to do some social and

spiritual service in His name. Yogi pondered over their request for

some time and then told Vivek: “Well, you can start the youth

organization, but it must function as a wing of Sister Nivedita

Academy right under the guidance of your father.” He also delineated

the prime work that the youth must undertake. It had to be spreading of

12 TATTVA DARSANA

Ramnam Japa Yagna to fulfil the dream of Mataji Krishnabai to

complete 15,500 crores of Japa for world peace.

Mysterious were the ways in which He was moulding the destiny of

this humble disciple ever since this sadhu surrendered himself at His

holy feet! During a visit to Prayag for Ramnam Prachar in 1991, this

sadhu drove to the Ganges for his ablutions and went into the waters to

take bath. Here is an extract from the letter that this sadhu wrote to

Bhagavan later that day, explaining the turn of events. “I did prayers to

Mother Ganga, remembered You and then took three dips. Then in a

playful mood, I tried to swim. But soon I found that the sand below my

leg had given way and I was being dragged to the middle of the river

by a swift current. The bathing ghat was unusually less crowded and

for the very few people who were there, it took some time to realize that

I was not swimming and was being dragged away by Mother Ganga.

And even when they realized, probably none of them knew swimming or

was too dazed to rush to my help as I was at a distance. I was

frantically struggling to keep my head above the water level and raise

my hands to indicate where I was. I found death staring at my face,

trying to devour me, but a sudden flash of thought about You came in

the mind. I felt that You were rushing to my help. With the confidence

of a child in the mother’s alms, I resigned myself to Your Grace and

made valiant attempt to float, at least to raise my palm above the water

level. Suddenly I felt Your presence very near me. Though I was below

the level of water, I found someone dragging me up by bolding the lock

of my hair and then a hand held my palm! When I raised my head

above the water level, and opened my eyes, I found two boats around

me making an angle and the boatmen trying to pull me up. One of them

caught hold of my legs which I raised to reach the verge of the boat,

lifted me up by my leg and rolled me into his boat. They exclaimed.

“Thank God, if we were late even by a minute or two, you would have

gone!” On reaching the shore, my host, Sanjay, who heaved a big sigh

of relief, said that the boatmen had just arrived there with loads of

passengers and hearing the frantic shouts of the people on the shore,

“Wo Babaji doob rahe hai!” – “That Sadhu is getting drowned” – they

raced towards me and closed up in time to save me. I wiped my body

with a dry towel and turned round to look for them but the boatmen

had gone with another load of passengers. My inner voice tells me that

You are that Great Boatman who has brought me to the shore.

Yesterday, in a special Ramnam satsang at Sri Sinha’s place, I spoke

October-December 2018 13

about the fickleness of human existence and stressed the need to make

it sublime by turning to a higher goal in life. When I was talking on

Death which snatches away everything in a trice, I sincerely felt that

You have given me a higher life by placing a lofty goal before me.

Probably it is for the fulfillment of that goal that You have snatched me

back from the clutches of Death. The new life that You have given me is

dedicated once again at Your holy feet! Thy will be done! Ganga is

Your mother; She has returned me to You for Your work!”

While the above letter was on its way to His abode at Tiruvannamalai,

the children of this sadhu, Ch. Vivekanandan and Kumari Nivedita,

made a visit to Tiruvannamalai to have the Yogi’s darshan. The All-

Knowing Mahatma took a handful of flowers, wrapped them up in a

paper and gave to the children, asking them to carefully carry it and

hand over to their mother, Smt. Bharati. They could realize the

significance of Master’s action only after four days when a copy of this

sadhu’s letter to the Master reached them.

After this incident, when the sadhu met Yogiji, He asked the sadhu for

the details of the incident. He asked sadhu why he went to Rasoola

Ghat instead of Sangam and the sadhu replied that he wanted to avoid

the crowd. He asked how much water was there. He said usually the

floods were only in July-August and in October, so much of water was

not expected. The sadhu told Him that he did not know swimming and

that was why he was caught in the flow. When the sadhu told Him that

it was He who saved the sadhu when he who called out His name and

chanted Ramanama Taraka, He laughed hilariously and said if He had

that power to save, He would not have allowed this sadhu to be carried

away by the flow. He then added, “This Beggar died at the feet of

Papa Ramdas in 1952. Yogi Ramsuratkumar is the name of My

Father. You called His name and chanted the mantra dear to Him.

It is My Father who saved you”. The sadhu told Him that probably

Bhagavan wanted to test his faith in Him and hence subjected him to

this ordeal. Bhagavan laughed again and asked the sadhu whether he

would publish the letter in TATTVA DARSANA. Sadhuji replied that

he would publish it as it is in the forthcoming issue. Bhagavan raised

His hands and blessed the sadhu.

During November 1993, the Master commanded this sadhu to write an

editorial article to introduce Ma Devaki whom He chose as His

14 TATTVA DARSANA

“Eternal Slave”. This sadhu promptly obeyed the Master’s command

and the editorial, The Eternal Slave, appeared in TATTVA

DARSANA, Yogi Ramsuratkumar 76th Jayanti Issue, Nov.93–Jan.94.

In February 1994, when a crisis sprang up in the matter of the Ashram

Trust, Bhagavan commanded this sadhu to abandon his activities and

stay on in Tiruvannamalai to take charge as trustee and look after the

construction work. Bhagavan did not want the sadhu to be detained in

Tiruvannamalai for a long duration. He said, “Ramnam work is very

sacred and important and Rangaraja has to attend to it.” He also said,

“In the present circumstances, this Beggar wants Rangaraja to be here

as a moral force and He would like to relieve Rangaraja for Ramnam

work as soon as things start moving smoothly in the right direction.”

Bhagavan Yogi Ramsuratkumar always stood by His disciple, this

sadhu. He directed and defended the actions of His sishya not only in

crucial moments of the disciple’s life, but also whenever the Master

wanted the disciple to act on His behalf in the fulfilment of His

Father’s work.

A TRUE SANNYASI OR YOGI

One day in 1988, when Yogi Ramsuratkumar was presented with a

copy of the Chidaakaasha Geeta, the spiritual testament of Swami

Nityananda, he asked a young devotee to open the book at random.

When a page had been determined, Ramsuratkumar asked Rangarajan,

an orange-clad sadhu, to take the book. “Read any paragraph”, Yogi

Ramsuratkumar directed. Interestingly the lines on which Rangarajan’s

eyes turned were about the essence of sannyas. He then read aloud, to

the delight of Yogi Ramsuratkumar, these words of Nityananda: “He

who deliberates upon the Truth is Sannyasi, Yogi. Even if he be a

cobbler, pariah, he is so only in outer action. [Cobblers, or shoe-repair

persons, even today are considered among the lower class of Indian

society because they must touch the foot and its coverings, thought to

be unclean.] Pariahhood does not endure after death. He who has pride

and jealousy, who debates and argues, who criticizes others, he is the

pariah. To cobble does not mean to stitch cloth. It really means to stitch

by placing the chitta [basic consciousness] in the buddhi [intellect,

mind].”

[From ONLY GOD—A BIOGRPHY OF YOGI

RAMSURATKUMAR by Regina Sara Ryan]

October-December 2018 15

“TATTVA DARSANA” COMPLETES

THIRTYFIVE YEARS

TATTVA DARSANA Quarterly, the official organ of Sister Nivedita

Academy, dedicated to spread the ideals of spiritual nationalism of

Bharatavarsha, patriotism, and pride in the culture and heritage of the

nation among the children of Mother Bharat inside and outside the

country, started with the blessings of saints and national leaders like Sri

Guruji Golwalkar, Swami Chinmayananda, Yogi Ramsuratkumar and

Mother Mayamma of Kanyakumari, has completed thirty-five years of

yeoman service to the Hindu cause. Swami

Chinmayananda, sikshaaguru of Sadhu Rangarajan, rightly pointed out

in the inaugural issue, “I am confident that TATTVA DARSANA will

have all success, and I am looking forward to seeing its glorious trail of

service to the Hindu Nation.” The journal has lived up to the

expectations of the Swamiji.

Regina Sara Ryan, the author of ONLY GOD--A BIOGRAPHY OF

YOGI RAMSURATKUMAR , has rightly pointed out that the journal

is “the first official periodical for the dissemination of the life and

teachings of Yogi Ramsuratkumar”, the Deeksha Guru of Sadhu

Prof. V. Rangarajan who has been writing about Bhagavan continuously

from the very second issue of the journal. Moreover, the issues of the

journal used to be released by Bhagavan Himself, putting His signature

on the copies to be preserved in Yogi Ramsuratkumar Indological

Research Centre Library of the Academy, and He Himself used to

distribute the copies to devotees present at the time of the release.

Bhagavan also used to preserve the copies of the journal in His abode in

Sannidhi Street, Tiruvannamalai.

On the occasion of the Centenary of Bhagavan Yogi Ramsuratkumar,

we have brought out a Comprehensive Volume consisting of three

parts of GLIMPSES OF A GREAT YOGI by Sadhu Prof. V.

Rangarajan covering the important events in the life of Bhagavan and

the experiences of his initiated disciple, Sadhu Rangarajan, during the

last three and a half decades which have been serialized in TATTVA

DARSANA and also uploaded into our website.

16 TATTVA DARSANA

From the forthcoming issue onwards, each issue would be devoted to a

specific theme and will serve as a comprehensive book on the subject.

These books will cover the glorious lives and messages of sages and

saints, kings and emperors, patriots and national leaders of

Bharatavarsha and highlight the role of Bharatavarsha as Loka Guru—

the preceptor of the world.

We appeal to all our Patrons. Life Members and Subscribers to continue

to extend their whole-hearted support.

-- EDITOR

SISTER NIVEDITA ACADEMY

Membership Donation

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sent FREE to Donor Members.

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October-December 2018 17

MEMORY OF A SADHU’S PRESENCE

Neil Akash Ramphal Secretary, Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh, Gauteng, South Africa

The Sun-rays reflecting on the Saffron robe of SADHU PROF V

RANGARAJAN-JI reminds me that an Aryan is standing in my lounge

and that Man’s Golden Era is certainly within arm’s reach. This

realization occurs a few kilometres away from the Cradle of Human-

Kind. Swami Vivekananda’s ‘nerves of steel and muscles of iron’

reminder is required when we are carrying a task of organising and

uniting our Hindu Society within Gauteng, South Africa. A mere

memory of Sadhuji’s presence always reminds us, Self-Inspired

Volunteers, that the solution of improving our Hindu society is certainly

achievable. The Hindu’s duty of having multiple roles in relation to the

world requires a more scientific and analytical observation to improve

our higher experience of life within Johannesburg. I have the privilege

of reporting back my experiences with this great Noble-Man or simply

an experience of heaven on earth, here, to support the improvement of

our lives. My experiences with Sadhuji still remains an inspiring

journey of real Hindu issues that glared us in the face requiring the

attention of higher solutions. There is no intention of instructing another

but merely sharing my inspiration to awake and arise within my own

community from this small land of my birth, South Africa, to make her

great and respectable to other communities.

The adoration and worship of this land should start with her sons, then

spreading to every South African Hindu to look at her with great respect

and regard as a real-life mother. It is the foremost duty of every Hindu

to protect our society and the land which we worship as our mother

since it is the land of our forefathers. Spiritual humility is achieved by a

simple bow to the earth before our feet touches our sacred Mother-earth

every morning within South Africa. This land, including everyone, must

be merged into the light of wisdom for society’s improvement.

However we require great leadership from men who achieved the

highest wisdom through their intuitive consciousness that would move

our society away from the mere existence of literacy to living life with

knowledge. We, the Gauteng society, are required to take advantage of

18 TATTVA DARSANA

the invitation that has been open to the rest of the world from the land

of the Great, Noble-Men, or Aryans. Our society is required to learn this

Divine Way of Life of eternal-living which is open to the entire man-

kind to learn the meaning and purpose of life. Socrates’ Republic and

Plato’s writings of ‘Knowing Thy Self’ are certainly inspired by such an

eternal-living to which Alexander marched across continents to

experience and bring back to his society creating a great and respectable

western society. Sadhuji’s guidance and teaching exposed us to the

treasures or insights of great souls. This great treasure-house of

knowledge rather than mere literacy requires our commitment and our

protection when necessary, requiring us to stand-together in protecting

and nurturing our society’s growth. Interesting historical insights were

highlighted for us to remove the veil of previous historical

misunderstanding since eye-opening moments of history were revealed

with scientific support. One of our Hindu Rulers named Purushottam

showed mercy to the so-called Alexander the Great by keeping his life

rather than executing him during battle. Alexander’s newly wedded

wife requested mercy from our Hindu Emperor Purushottam when she

requested permission to tie a Raki to our great ruler, taking the role as

his new sister. At the time of confrontation of Alexander on the battle-

field by our great Hindu Ruler, when the foreign aggressor was

disarmed, mercy was shown to him by the Noble Hindu in the interest

of uplifting the Western Society, when Purushottam remembered his

new sister.

Sadhu’s narration of the 1773 Sannyasi Rebellion (Rebellion of the

Monks) depicted by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee in the novel

‘Anandamath’ in which he also inserted the immortal Song ‘Vande-

Mataram’, was a point of reference in understanding our historical

footfalls. In the novel, the head of the Sannyasins, Bhavananda, is

passing through a beautiful garden with the Ruler Mahendra when the

Sannyasin praises the divine mother as a National-form known as

Bharath Mata. The invitation is open but the great knowledge must also

be protected in the interest of improving all of humanity since such

teaching that the World is One Family must be preserved. Historical

insights highlighted that our own betrayal towards our Value-System

towards our Motherland’s culture was the only cause of our society’s

downfall. This value system must grow again and start right from the

younger generation in proper training with a structured approach.

Mahatma Ghandi was also inspired by such a structured teaching that

October-December 2018 19

dispelled the evils of social divisions which he experienced in the Hindu

Society and stressed living together while also growing in the Hindu

society in India that is Bharath. He was inspired by the disciplined,

dedicated cadres working together to unite the entire Hindu Society.

Targets must be set and achieved by the sons of the land. Therefore, the

king-making process which has been lost is to be finally re-kindled

since this Hindu Culture must eventually support all aspects of society’s

requirements from Health-Care, Educational-Fields, Labour-Field,

Agricultural-Field, Industrial Field and all other areas of society with

the focus of carrying the great message of Vedic Civilization of

compassion. The Aryan or Noble-Men type of society is required, and

not the evil miss-understanding of changing people on a gross level

creating more pain, emphasising the lesson of understanding rather than

merely just knowing. We need to grow our society into a powerful

nation where every individual works towards the cause of the country.

Our ancestors great value-system must be practised and must capture

the entire world since the whole of man-kind must be lifted-up. These

high values of life must be manifested through our Hindu lives inspiring

others around us.

We need to ignite the flame of inspiration within every South African

Hindu by re-looking at our History There is a misunderstanding that

freedom from oppression was achieved due to the compassion of the

oppressors. The historical evidence highlights that the British had

realized that they had no choice but to leave the land which they

oppressed, since all the forces were turned against them and they had to

leave in the interest of their own safety. The science of success must be

understood by studying our History properly with compassion from the

risen rather than the oppressor. The focus is on winning success and not

sugar-coated historical excuses from the unethical oppressors eventually

becoming the losing side. There was a revolt within the British

Regiments when Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose led the Indian National

Army and turned the entire Indian Navy, Air-Force and Ghurkha

Regiments against the British oppressive forces which cornered

Winston Churchill to announce that they could not maintain even a

single day of ruler-ship since the entire arsenal had turned against them

and if they didn’t leave then it would be the immediate end of their

British-Empire. Sadhuji did inspire us to learn from a Hindu or Indian

nation-wide campaign that is re-writing the historical books.

20 TATTVA DARSANA

Walking in the foot-steps behind Sadhuji was greatly inspiring since a

deep painful view of our own society was revealed by our honourable

guest. We engaged with diverse groups of people from different

religions and races showing how the Hindu Value system can assist in

alleviating the pain experienced by our bigger Gauteng society. His

talks and his mere presence have inspired people of various different

groups. Seeing a wise-man with his elegant beard and a heart of a Lion

that roared, parts of the community were really awakened within their

bosom that they do have the ability of overcoming their individual and

community challenges. Being in his company, such as driving to

various talks with him, having supper and observing how he was

engaging with various parts of society, with this great Noble-Man or

Aryan are such memories that creates an Immortal Smile.

YOGI RAMSURATKUMAR’S VISION OF AKHAND BHARAT

Yogi Ramsuratkumar: “This beggar believes in the vision of his

spiritual teacher, Sri Aurobindo, who had a dream and vision of a

universal unity and peace on Earth and furthermore, of a race of

spiritual supermen.”

“Sri Aurobindo told at the time of Indian Independence that the

partition of India itself was wholly wrong. But our leaders at that time

did not listen to it. Sri Aurobindo has even predicted that India will be

united again. The integration of India is unavoidable. That will happen

soon. Then India will lead the entire world. The spirituality of the

Hindus will be spread throughout the world. The prediction will come

true very soon.”

“India has now to play its part in the World. Europe played its part—

material part. Now India has to play its part, by taking mankind in the

spiritual path, to God.”

“In the 21st century, Indians will learn languages of many other nations,

go there with the philosophy of Vivekananda, Aurobindo, Mahatma

Gandhi and shape the people of the world. We do not want to rob, we

want to raise them [these other nations] along a spiritual line.”

[From ONLY GOD – A BIOGRAPHY OF YOGI

RAMSURATKUMAR by Regina Sara Ryan]

October-December 2018 21

CHANGES TO NAMES OF TOWNS AND CITIES

Dr. Thillayvel Naidoo Retired Lecturer, Department of Science of Religion,

University of Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa

A recent discussion on NDTV 24/7 centred on name changes, more

pertinently changes being effected to the names of towns and cities in

India. This paper argues, as all academics should, that this is long

overdue and a very welcome innovation on matters of cultural

importance. It is well known and often repeated that Hindu culture was

born in India several thousand years ago. It is about time that the people

of Bharat developed a more intelligent understanding of their culture,

what its value is for India and the reasons why more intelligent

understanding should develop on the place this culture occupies in

India’s social, political and economic life. This paper takes a closer look

at religious invasions and the misguided responses that emanate from

Hindu culture.

One of the most dubious tenets to emerge from the generosity that

Hindu culture has displayed for many millennia is the statement, “All

religions are true” or alternatively, “All religions lead to the same goal”.

These generous statements are the products of very ill-informed Hindu

thinking. They are ignorantly repeated more in India than most other

countries in the world. They are never uttered in Middle Eastern

countries. These statements are actually born of Hindu cultural

ignorance and even cowardice and should be subjected to careful

scrutiny. Hindus never publicly question the validity of foreign cultural

claims. Religions born outside India when subjected to examination

produce very strong evidence that their claims to revelations from

higher sources should indeed be subjected to very serious examination.

Concerted efforts should be made to ascertain just how true such claims

are. No Vedantin worthy of his or her learning will ever be in a position

to confirm that religious claims about having come into existence

through God’s revealing generosity can or will ever be verified. Few

students of religion in India ever challenge contentions about god’s

revelations to people in the Middle East only that have contributed so

22 TATTVA DARSANA

immensely to many of India’s social and political difficulties. It requires

extensive religious intelligence to understand just what misconceptions

these statements generate and what the implications have been for India.

Many countries in Europe and elsewhere now realise just what the

effects of these two statements are and what the implications are for

world history.

If the twenty-first century heralded the birth of a fourth industrial

revolution, national exigencies demand social and political

developments to reflect more mature perceptions of the changes taking

place to accord with India’s seasoned cultural environment. Patriotic

and nationalistic feelings must be placed in a context that reflects

intelligent thinking in modern scientific and technological advances in

the area of traditional culture within our social and political arena.

India’s culture is ancient - not old! India’s religious perceptions are

ancient which must never be allowed to grow old and obsolete! If

however foreign religions make unsolicited incursions into India

without genuine evidence of their authenticity then such religions

should be subjected to serious questioning. India’s philosophies are

among the most mature the world has produced. Her understanding of

religion reflects her ability to accommodate some claims within her

modern social and political environment to accord with her

philosophical generosity. Modern technological, industrial and political

advances in India must accordingly be placed in an ethical setting of

greater maturity to accord with the truths born of her many millennia

old religious philosophy. It is time that arrogant, fearless, overbearing

religious invasions into India are viewed with a greater sense of

circumspection for India’s self-respect. Statements about all religions

being true must be rejected and more correct conclusions brought to

light. India’s glaring inability to control her growing population

demands that greater scientific efforts must be made to solve this

nagging predicament. It is however the growth of foreign religions in

India that reflects serious impediments to honest cultural growth.

Concerned citizens argue that some religions prove an embarrassment

to India at several levels of the country’s national existence. These

should be carefully examined and the arising quandaries signified with a

greater degree of courage and honesty. How is this done with no

disrespect or animosity but a firm belief and realisation that a national

cultural conscience is under very serious threat?

October-December 2018 23

There must be several academically generated honest, respectful,

friendly discussions or even conferences to ascertain just why foreign

religions display such rampant growth in India despite her own religions

and philosophies having laid her cultural foundations many millennia

ago. Many important questions concern the contribution foreign

religions make to indigenous perceptions of religious truth. Yet their

rampant proselytising campaigns threaten India’s cultural harmony very

dangerously. More importantly, there is a desperate need for a cultural

context in keeping with Vedanta’s ethical foundations that generate a

genuine search for religious truth. The intrusions of foreign religions

must be questioned for their infringements of India’s thinking on what

religion really is. India’s saints must formulate intelligent directives on

how future developments in the country must manifest. India’s Hindu

community has a duty to demand greater respect for its cultural

generosity. Foreign claims about their positions and teachings need to

be verified. India is the land where the search for religious truth was

first conducted. She must not surrender her findings by lowering her

standards of religious intelligence through ignorance, fear and over

generosity if the finding is that all religions cannot possibly lead to the

same goal.

My position as scientist of religion and more importantly as Vedantin is

that statements such as, “All religions lead to the same goal” are highly

questionable. Among India’s gifts to the world are three of its greatest

religions founded on serious search for Truth. Hinduism, Buddhism and

Jainism have made more important contributions to religious thought

and philosophy than any other in the world. Despite Hindu

contributions to religious thought, Hindus do not realise that foreign

religions never show appreciation of Hindu religious intelligence. Any

religion that displays ignorance of religious truth has a duty to re-

examine its position more especially in India where the search for

religious truth produced a Hindu culture of enormous validity millennia

ago. The people of India who developed India’s cultural ethos over

thousands of years have a duty to give serious thought to that

characteristic spirit that has long prevailed in the country. Do invasive

religions respect this? The names of villages, towns and cities are the

products of Hindu culture and therefore fully justified. Foreign religions

have a duty to realise their foreignness and have to prove how they have

a claim to a place in India’s culture. If Hinduism is one of the most

authentic religions based on a search for indigenous truths other

24 TATTVA DARSANA

religions that have yet to prove their authenticity have a lot of

explaining to do. Foreign names of towns and cities in India are an

imposition. Their usurped place in India’s culture should be

appropriately explained.

Important questions about religious validity revolve around invasive

imposition and disrespect to India’s indigenous culture. If some of the

most profound religious truths have been discovered in India why do

some Indians convert to foreign religions? Does this mean that even

though they are Indians they believe that foreign religions display

superior reasoning? Many questions arise about forced conversions and

Hindus who are so easily duped into converting. Has anyone ever heard

of a Hindu terrorist? Why does terrorism form part of religious thinking

and behaviour? If there are ways of seriously questioning claims to

religious authenticity, can these not be discussed for the sake of

religious validity and social harmony? Parsees and Jews came to India

to escape persecution. Other religions came to India for the express

purpose of imposition and converting Hindus to their teachings with no

proof that their positions have foundations of authentic religious

validity. Are foreign religions valid and if so how is this verified? If

attempts are made to change the names of towns and cities out of

patriotic feelings of cultural self-respect why are such attempts not

supported? The hospitality India afforded foreign cultures must become

the subject of very serious discussion. This suggestion is not made

through malice, but for reasons of religious and cultural honesty and a

yearning for mature foundations of national pride and integrity.

Foreigners who display prejudice and a lack of interest in a genuine

search for religious truth at mature levels of understanding must

concede their positions which this invitation asks them to state very

clearly. India has a duty to change the names of its towns and cities to

substantiate her cultural identity based on the validity of her indigenous

culture.

PATRIOTISM

The basis of our nationalism is not simply Bharat, but ‘Bharat Mata’.

Remove the word ‘Mata’ and Bharat would remain just a piece of land.

The affinity between us and this land is established only with the

relationship of the mother. No piece of land can be called a country so

long as the relationship between it and the people living in it is not that

of mother and son. This is patriotism.

—Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya

October-December 2018 25

BOOKS

GLIMPSES OF A GREAT YOGI Yogi Ramsuratkumar Centenary Commemoration Volume

By Sadhu Prof. V. Rangarajan

Foreword by

Truman Caylor Wadlington

This Centenary Edition of Glimpses of a Great Yogi is a chronicle—

spanning more than 30 years—of Sadhu Professor V. Rangarajan’s

soulful interactions with Yogi Ramsuratkumar. It is encyclopedic, both

in size and in historical detail.

Yogi Ramsuratkumar blessed and guided aspiring souls to his Father,

and even now, long after his mahasamadhi, he continues to do so. But

the Beggar Saint often boldly asserted that his real goal was in

transforming individuals into perfect instruments of his Father’s Work.

We see that process of transformation play out in the pages of this

extraordinary story.

As a lifelong scholar of Hindu scriptural lore, the author is eminently

qualified to do this work. He is clearly one of those rare individuals

deeply versed in ancient Sanskrit and Tamil source writings who can

bring those teachings to life for the modern reader. It is easy to

understand why Yogi Ramsuratkumar chose him for this task.

When I first met Yogi Ramsuratkumar in the late spring of 1970, he was

still living on the streets of Tiruvannamalai as a so-called ‘hidden saint,’

living in plain view, but unrecognized and easily mistaken for a mad

beggar.

26 TATTVA DARSANA

India’s political tensions were reaching a boiling point. Ideological

polarization between North India’s Hindi-speaking and South India’s

Tamil-speaking factions was fomenting demonstrations in the streets. It

had become dangerous for a northern India-born, Hindi-speaking

‘outsider’ like Yogi Ramsuratkumar to maintain his blessed anonymity.

With harassment and threats mounting, the Beggar Saint asked me to

write a small biography of him in 1971. Because so little was known

about his life then, writing a short biography was challenging. But, in

time, the little book served its purpose. Bringing the yogi’s little-known

existence to light quickly rallied the faithful to ensure his support and

safety. Harassment and threats ceased and, in the process, the yogi’s

relationship with the local community transitioned onto a more public

stage.

Although Professor V. Rangarajan and I had previously corresponded, it

was not until late in1993 that Yogi Ramsuratkumar introduced us in

person atop the famous Theradhi Mandapam, just a few steps from the

yogi’s Sannidhi Street abode. More than twenty years had passed since I

had authored the Godchild. Now big changes were underway. The Yogi

Ramsuratkumar Ashram was in a very active planning stage and was

soon to break ground. The ecstatic saint’s externalization onto the

public stage was gaining momentum. It didn’t dawn on me that day that

the person to whom I was being introduced would soon be spearheading

many of Yogi Ramsuratkumar’s most ambitious projects.

During the last two decades of the Master’s life he graciously assumed

the mantle of guru and guide to countless individuals. And no doubt,

from all appearances, it might have seemed that the teaching and

transformation of devoted aspirants was his only focus, but this book

proves otherwise.

Yogi Ramsuratkumar often spoke of other important facets of his

mission. Foremost among these were the unveiling of India’s greatness

in the community of nations, securing the scriptural preeminence of the

Vedas, promoting the study of Sanskrit, enabling the Hindu education

of children, and encouraging the continuous remembrance of the Names

of God.

October-December 2018 27

Behind the scenes, Yogi Ramsuratkumar was enlisting a retinue of close

disciples as lieutenants under his command to labor toward the

fulfillment of his lofty goals. Sadhu Professor Rangarajan was among

these select few. This chronicle of events shows that for decades to

come, he remained steadfast at the right hand of the Master.

This vast tome is laid out in three parts: Part I is an extensive

biography of the Master. Although that history has been thoroughly

articulated in other books, this rendering is especially lyrical and

inspiring. Part II recounts Professor Rangarajan’s extremely rare

initiation at Arunachala’s historic Ramdas Cave. This section also

details decades of devoted service to his Master. And, finally, Part III

reveals the further reaches of Sadhu Rangarajan’s ongoing march to

advance Yogi Ramsuratkumar’s noble mission.

Glimpses of a Great Yogi, in this, its Centenary Celebration Edition,

affords us a rare first-hand view of Sadhu Rangarajan’s unwavering

discipleship to his exalted Guru, Bhagavan Yogi Ramsuratkumar, and

also of a rich legacy of accomplishments that is breathtaking in its

scope.

1305 S Washington St; Truman Caylor

Wadlington

Denver, Colorado 80210 25-2-2018

Truman Caylor Wadlington with Bhagavan

28 TATTVA DARSANA

NEWS & NOTES

Independence Day Celebration

India’s Independence Day was celebrated in Sri Bharatamata Mandir by

hoisting the national flag on August 15, 2018. Sadhu Rangarajan

hoisted the flag also in a congregation in the Srinivasa Nagar Layout in

Kithaganur and, addressing the residents, spoke on the tradition of

adoration and worship of Sri Bharatamata right from Vedic period and

the sacrifices made by heroes and patriots to protect and preserve the

freedom of the country and its ideals of nationalism.

Vinayaka Chaturthi Procession

The Sarvajanik Ganesh Utsav Samiti of Bangalore Mahanagar

organized the Vinayaka Chaturthi Celebrations this year also in a grand

manner. A preliminary meeting of the organizers and karyakartas of

various Ganesh Utsav Samitis in the city was held at Banjara Kshatriya

Samaj Hall in Shivajinagar on Saturday, August 18, 2018. Sadhu

Rangarajan, addressing the gathering, spoke on the significance of

Vinayaka Chaturthi and the tradition of celebrating it to foster unity and

ideals of nationalism anong the Hindus through Sarvajanik festivals.

A grand Sarvajanik Gaesha

Procession, in which about 150

huge Ganesha idols installed in

diferent parts of the city for

Vinayaka Chaturthi Celebrations

participated, took place in

Shivaji Nagar under the

leadership of Sri Nirmal Kumar

Surana, Ex-MLA, on Saturday,

September 16, 2018. Hundreds of devotees playing drums and musical

instruments and dancing in traditional costumes led the Ganesh idols for

immersion in the Ulsoor lake. Sadhu Rangarajan and Sri Sivacharya

Swami participated in the procession.

October-December 2018 29

Ratha Yatra of Swami Vivekananda and Sister Nivedita

125th Year of Swami Vivekananda’s address in Parliament of Religions,

Chicago, and Sister Nivedita’s 150th birth anniversary were

commemorated by Yuva Brigade of Bangalore by holding a grand

Ratha yatra carrying idols of Swami Vivekananda and Sister Nivedita in

a decorated chariot through the main thoroughfares of Krishna Raja

Puram in Bangalore on Saturday, September 1, 2018. Sadhu Rangarajan

of Bharatamata Gurukula Ashram, Swami Chandreshananda of

Ramakrishna Vivekananda Sadhana Kendra, Sri Ha. Ra. Nagaraj of

Haridas Satsang Samity, Sri Rangaraja Iyengar of Jaigopal Garodia

Vivekananda Vidyalaya and Sri Chakravarthi Sulibela of Yuva Brigade

led the procession which culminated in a rally at K.R. Puram

Government College

Grounds. Sadhuji and other

distinguished guests

addressed a grand gathering

of hundreds of students of

local educational

institutions, teachers, youth,

mothers and sisters.

VHP Workers meet in Vivek Nagar

Sadhu Rangarajan addressed a meeting of Karyakartas of Vishwa Hindu

Parishad in Durga Parameswari

Temple at Vivek Nagar,

Bangalore, on Sunday,

September 23, 2018. He spoke

in detail about the founding of

the Parishad by dharmacharyas

on the Krishnashthami Day in

1964 and his close association

with Parampoojaneeya Sri

Guruji Golwalkar and Swami

Chinmayananda who inspired

him to dedicate his life for the Hindu cause. Sri Sankarappa, Vice-

President of Karnatak VHP, presided over the function.

30 TATTVA DARSANA

Visit to Seva Basti

Sadhu Rangarajan made a visit to Seva Basti in Sanjay Nagar,

Bangalore, visited the homes of slum dwellers and lighted lamps and

did prayers for them in their shrines on Sunday, September 30, 2018.

He later addressed a congregation of the devotees at Karumari Amman

Temple in the Seva Basti. Sri Ramesh of Seva Bharati also addressed

the gathering.

Navaratri Celebrations in Sri Bharatamata Mandir

Navaratri Celebrations in Sri

Bharatamata Mandir had an auspicious

beginning on Tuesday on October 9,

2017, with display of dolls in Bommai

Golu, special havan and pooja. Mothers

and sisters in the neighbourhood

gathered every day in the afternoon on

all the ten days upto Vijayadashami to

chant Lalaitha Sahasranama and stotras

and hold bhajans. Special Abhisheka

and alankara to the Divine Mother were

held as Mahakali, Mahalakshmi and

Mahasarawati respectively on 11th, 14th,

and 18th October, Devotees going to

Sabarimala Temple in Kerala for the

Mandalavilakku Pooja were staying in

the Mandir observing their vrata and did

special ppoja to Dharma Shasta in the Mandir on October 19, before

starting their pilgrimage to the hill shrine.

Karunya Spandana 2018

Bangalore East Malayali Association (BEMA) organized a grand

cultural programme, Karunay Spandana 2018, with traditional Kerala

dances and music in Om Shakti Temple Ground on Sunday, November

11, 2018. The programme was organized to raise funds and relief

materials to mitigate the suffering of people of Kerala who faced a

major natural calamity due to storm. Sri Suresh Gopi, M.P. and super-

star of Mollywood, participated in the programme. Addressing the

October-December 2018 31

gathering on the occasion, Sadhu Prof. V. Rangarajan of Bharatamata

Mandir spoke on the message of the great Mahatmas from the legendary

Ranti Deva of Srimad Bhagavata to Swami Vivekananda of the mordern

period, that service to the suffering humanity is the greatest worship of

God. He also said that relief materials were sent from Sri Bharatamata

Mandir through Samanvaya, organization of Keralites in Bangalore.

Yogi Ramsuratkumar Centenary &

Sri Bharatamata Mandir 15th Anniversary

The centenary of Bhagavan Yogi

Ramsuratkumar, deeksha guru of Sadhu

Prof. V. Rangarajan and the moving spirit

behind Sister Nivedita Academy, Sri

Bharatamata Gurukula Ashram & Yogi

Ramsuratkumar Indological Research

Centre, and the fifteenth anniversary of Sri

Bharatamata Mandir at Bangalore was

celebrated in an auspicious manner with the

blessings of Bhagavan on Sunday, December

9, 2018.

Special Abhisheka and Alankara to Sri

Bharatamata and Havan and poojas took

place in the morning, followed by chanting of Ramnam Taraka Mantra

and Yogi Ramsuratkumar Nam by devotees. Sadhu Rangarajan

delivered a benedictory address in which he narrated the divine

inspiration of Bhagavan Yogi Ramsuratkumar in the activities of the

sadhu ever since he recceived initiation from Bhagavan on the

auspicious day of Papa Ramdas Jayanti in the Banyan Tree Cave on

April 28, 1998 and the constant guidance and presence of Bhagavan all

the time even now.

Smt. Srimathi Subramaniam, retired

Programme Executive of All India

Radio, Chennai, spoke about

Bhagavan Yogi Ramsuratkumar

working out His Divine Mission

through the sadhu and the grace and

blessings of Mother Mayi of

32 TATTVA DARSANA

Kanyakumari also conferrred on

the sadhu. Smt. Vasudha of

Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Sri

Bhaktavatsalam of Rashtriya

Swayamsevak Sangh also

addressed the gathering. The

programmes concluded with the

singing of song on Bharatamata

and the national anthem, Vande

Mataram.

Bharatamata Mandir Special Satsang on New Year’s Day 2019

A special satsang was held in Sri Bharatamata Mandir, Kithaganur,

Krishnarajapuram, Bangalore, on Tuesday, January 1, 2019. The

mothers in Bharatamata Mandir Satsang Samiti came in their special

uniform – ochre sari and blue blouse--and held bhajans and chanting of

sacred hymns. Archana and arati to the Divine Mother were held.

Daily satsang with chanting of

Vishnu Sahasranama, Lalitha

Sahasranama, Bhagavad Gita and

singing of Bhajan songs is held in

the Mandir from Monday to

Saturday every week. Special Shirdi

Sai Baba bhajan is held on

Thursdays by the mothers.

Expansion of Bharatamata Gurukula Ashram Library

Yogi Ramsuratkumar Indological Research Centre and Sri Guruji

Golwalkar Hindu Resource Centre Library in Sri Bharatamata Mandir

consisting of more than 20,000 books, back isssues of journals and rare

press clippings is expanded with new additions to serve students of

Hindu thought and culture. Free access to the Reference Library and

guidance in Library Science and Journalism are provided to all.

Edited, printed and published by Sadhu Prof. V. Rangarajan, Founder Trustee,

Sister Nivedita Academy, Sri Bharati Mandir, Srinivasanagar

Krishnarajapuram, Bangalore 560 036.