Madhusudan Dutta/Dutt , the first modern poet and dramatist (1824 – 1873) lived a very short life and writes both in English and Bengali language. He is an Indian poet of nineteenth century who writes not much , but some valuable and memorable piece of literary gems.
He is called the first modern poet and dramatist in Bengal as well as in India. Today , 25th January is his birthday , so we convey a lot of respect to him .
“Stop a while, traveler !/ Should Mother Bengal Claim /thee for her son.” – image:kalpatarurudra.org/jpg
BIO OF THE FIRST MODERN POET :
Madhusudan was a brilliant student of Kolkata’s famous Hindu College ( Now Presidency University) . Rajnarayan Bose, Bhudev Mukhopadhay was his classmate. He studied Bengali ,Sanskrit, Parsia , Greek amongst other subjects.
A JOURNEY: MODERN WRITING
He began writing while he studied there . He drew everyone’s attention at college for his personality, fluent English speaking like the English man – even more proficiently , extraordinary speaker / orator, and as a well – dressed modern young Bengali student.
In fact , Michael’s exceptionally colourful personality and his unconventional, dramatic and in the many ways tragic life have added to the magnetism and glamour of his name.
¶¶ THE FIRST MODERN POET / WORKS & COMPOSITION:
Madhusudan started his literary journey in English language .Actually this was the tradition. Because , it was British period when all the communication had to perform in English and it was king’s language.
MODERN NOVEL: BANKIM CHANDRA
Bankimchandra Chattapaddhay also began his literary debut in English which is a novel, “Rajmohan’s Wife”. Madhusudan wrote ” The Captive Ladie “(1849).
Bankimchandra: The Pioneer Of Bengali Novel – image:kalpatarurudra.org/jpg
¶¶ ” The Captive Ladie ” is the most considerable verse in English written by a Bengali’s pen . This verse( two cantos and with an introduction), appended with Visions of the past had established him as one of the foremost litterateurs of the Bengal Renaissance.
Like many of his other poems ,The Captive Ladie, inspired by the 12th century Rajasthani poet Chand Bardai’s Prithvirajraso, is set in pre- Mutual Delhi , and draws references from both the Indian epics ,The Ramayana (4th century B.C ) and The Mahabharata (4th century A.D) more prominently, from the former.
The Captive Ladie alongwith Visions of the Past dealing with Christian theme , were first published in the Madras Circulator,probably in April – May 1849.
The tale of the Captive Ladie ,previously mentioned , from the store of Indian history and ambitiously addresses quite a few controversial issues like nationalism and patriotism, individual liberty, the practice of Sati, the rehabilitation of much maligned Hindu Gods and the Hindu character.
In this poem , captivity is a happy trope for examining his own cultural plight. This is metaphorically representative of the poet’s captivity in the hands of his English Muse .
MEGHNADBADH KABYA : THE FIRST MODERN
¶¶ The first modern poet of Bengali language and literature ,Madhusudan Dutt became famous for his literary epic ‘Meghnathbadh Kabya’. He used blank verse in lieu of analogous , which was entirely new in Bengali poetry than previous Bharatchandra and Ishwar Gupta.
Language, rhetoric , prosody and imageries – are all new and highly significant. 1860 – 1861 may be considered as one of the more productive periods of Dutt’s life because during these two years , the plays padmavati and Krishnakumari , the poems Tilottamasambhava Brajangana .And the epical Meghnadhvadh were published.
¶¶ The poetic composition, Birangana (1862) was succeeded by Chatturdashpadi Kavitabali (sonnet) – a collection of 102 Bengali fourteen- liners- in 1866 and the prose work Hector Badh.
¶¶ His another contribution in Bengali literature is his drama. Initially he translated a drama Ratnavali of Ramnarayan ,while he came in contact with the Belgachhia theatre groups , and this association induced in him an unforeseen eagerness to contribute in Bengali.
He composed and translated Sermista , Is this called Civilisation? Maya kanan is another drama , published posthumously in 1874.
¶¶ He wrote some love poems in his young age when he was a college student. Wrote a number of letters to his friend ,Gourdas Basal and Raj Narayan Basu and also his mentor Ishwar Chandra Bandhopadhyay . He wrote some essays which published in the famous contemporary news papers .
Image:kalpatarurudra.org/jpg
¶¶ Michael Madhusudan Dutta, the great modern poet was a genius and his contribution in English and Bengali literature are enormous and fabulous, but his personal life was not happy for his reckless expenditure and unrestrained lifestyle.
Marriage life was not also smooth . He died in the early , at the age of 49 . We convey our respect to his eternal soul .
Swami Vivekananda: The ValorousMonk Letters Of Swami Vivekananda
Today I will discuss a story of an Indian Monk , Swami Vivekananda who is regarded as one of the greatest spiritual teacher ,distinguish philosopher and humanist, nationalist, educator and man – makinng socio reformer of the World.
SRI RAMKRISHNA : GURU OF SWAMI VIVEKANANDA
Sri Ramakrishna, his spiritual guru once remarked, ” Naren Will teach ” . Naren is one of the Rishi of the Saptarshi – told Sri Ramakrishna. Naren was his pen name . Sri Ramakrishna used to call him in this name . He was then unknown monk like other devotees of Ramkrishna .
After his Mahasamadhi ( death ) he roamed from one place to another cities and towns of India , sometimes on foot , and sometimes through Railway .
In fact , a man like Vivekananda in the history of mankind is rare in true sense of the term.
He sacrificed his life for the awakening and advancement of the human race of the East and West by his tremendous powers and mammoth deeds .
I think , his massages and the means he directed and started in India and the West ,that is the only path to solve the global problems.
SWAMI VIVEKANANDA & INDIAN NATIONALISM AND OTHER ACTIVITIES:
¶¶ An Indian Monk , Swami Vivekananda played significant role in the growing Indian Nationalism of the 19tn and 20th century, reinterpreting and harmonising certain aspect of Hinduism. His teachings and philosophy applied this interpretation to various aspects of education, faith , character building as well as social issues pertaining to India, and also instrumental in introducing yoga and Vedanta to the West .
Truly, this unknown Indian Monk painted a golden picture of the glorious ancient India in which the peoples of the West was totally blind. His vision and mission was to making a human from a man, an unbiased society from corrupted people, and not like that of Plato’s ideal kingdom.
Swamiji said ,” Man – making is my mission. ” And for this purpose he intended to visit the Parliament Of World Religion.
HIS MESSAGE TO WEST:
¶¶ Though he is known worldwide for introducing the philosophy of Vedanta and Yoga to the Western World, for presenting Hinduism to the Christian society, and drawing its respect for the Indian culture, but as many don’t know, this was never his intention.
” Primarily my coming has been to raise funds for an enterprise of my own.”. What it was? Swami Ji noticed during his staying in the West , that there was barely a difference between the higher classes of India and America, but there was an infinite distance between the poor of the two countries.
His vision, therefore, became the empowerment of the masses through education.
” If the poor can not come to education, education must reach them at the plough, in the factory, everywhere…….So they would have ideas and morality, and hope for better. ”
¶¶ The Strength of his Language: as portraits in letter ! Vivekananda writes in personal voice with a style that is direct and decorated at the same time. His language is poetic , and in poetry even, when taking about personalthings – An interesting correspondence and Requiescat in Pace are two of his examples of the many poems which were found among his letters.
THE VIBRANT WORDS OF SWAMI JI : Sometime His tone is analytical, sometime his voice often gets bold and prophetic. “ Despair not ! Remember the Lord says in Gita , ” To work you have the right, but not to the result. Guard up yours lions my boy . I am called by the Lord for this. I have been dragged through a whole life full of crosses and tortures. I have seen the nearest and dearest die , almost of starvation; I have been ridiculed, distrusted and have suffered for my sympathy for the very men who scoff and scorn . … Trust not to the so -called rich , they are more dead than alive. The hope lies in you. ..”
POETIC EXPRESSION : ¶¶ The poetic expression of some of his letters are wonderful and fabulous. Here are some instances . “Up , up , the long night is passing, the day is approaching, the wave has rise , nothing will be able to resist its tidal fury . The spirit, my boys, the spirit, the love, my children, the love; the faith , the belief and fear not ! The greatest sin is fear . ” ( letter to Alasigha, Letters of Swami Vivekananda, page – 107)
CONCLUSION :
In his letter to Mrs. Mery and H. Hell , we see the same poetic diction. He writes : ” Thou music of my Beloved’s flute , lead on , I am following. It is impossible to express my pain , my anguish at being separated from you , noble and sweet and generous and holy ones . Oh ! How I wish I had succeeded in becoming a stoic ! ” ( Letters or Swami Vivekananda – Page 119)
NEED MONEY FOR WORKS:
¶¶ To achieve this however, one needed money and he did not trust a “Pauper” government to do this job. He therefore decided to reach at the Parliament of World Religions in that hope he could get a massage across that would bring in the required funds . So, without this letter written to Maharaja , we could not be able to know the purpose of his visiting to America.
¶¶ The Strength of his Language: Vivekananda writes in personal voice with a style that is direct and decorated at the same time. His language is poetic , and in poetry even, when taking about personalthings – An interesting correspondence and Requiescat in Pace are two of his examples of the many poems which were found among his letters.
¶¶ Sometime His tone is analytical, sometime his voice often gets bold and prophetic.
“ Despair not ! Remember the Lord says in Gita , ” To work you have the right, but not to the result. Guard up yours lions my boy . I am called by the Lord for this. I have been dragged through a whole life full of crosses and tortures. I have seen the nearest and dearest die , almost of starvation; I have been ridiculed, distrusted and have suffered for my sympathy for the very men who scoff and scorn . … Trust not to the so -called rich , they are more dead than alive. The hope lies in you. ..”
¶¶ The poetic expression of some of his letters are wonderful and fabulous. Here are some instances .
“Up , up , the long night is passing, the day is approaching, the wave has rise , nothing will be able to resist its tidal fury . The spirit, my boys, the spirit, the love, my children, the love; the faith , the belief and fear not ! The greatest sin is fear . ” ( letter to Alasigha, Letters of Swami Vivekananda, page – 107)
In his letter to Mrs. Mery and H. Hell , we see the same poetic diction. He writes : ” Thou music of my Beloved’s flute , lead on , I am following. It is impossible to express my pain , my anguish at being separated from you , noble and sweet and generous and holy ones . Oh ! How I wish I had succeeded in becoming a stoic ! ” ( Letters or Swami Vivekananda – Page 119)
VIVEKANANDA’S LETTER AS HISBIOGRAPHY.
¶¶ Letters of Swami Vivekananda was first published from Mayawati Ashram in 1st January, 1940. Most of the letters written from 19.11.1988 to 14.06.1902 was in English language. Swami Ji wrote these letters to his friend, Mr. Promadadas Mitra , Master Mahashay Mahendranath Gupta , Swami Akhandananda and Balaram Bose . They were all senior in age and he did salutation accordingly. He writes some letters in Bengali, Hindi , Sanskrit and French. He uses very simple and placid words , but complex analogies .
¶¶ VIVEKANANDA’S LANGUAGE: Vivekananda writes in personal voice with a style that is direct and decorated at the same time. His language is poetic , and in poetry even, when taking about personalthings – An interesting correspondence and Requiescat in Pace are two of his examples of the many poems which were found among his letters.
¶¶ Sometime His tone is analytical, sometime his voice often gets bold and prophetic. ” Despair not ! Remember the Lord says in Gita , ” To work you have the right, but not to the result. Guard up yours lions my boy . I am called by the Lord for this. I have been dragged through a whole life full of crosses and tortures. I have seen the nearest and dearest die , almost of starvation; I have been ridiculed, distrusted and have suffered for my sympathy for the very men who scoff and scorn . … Trust not to the so -called rich , they are more dead than alive. The hope lies in you. ..”
¶¶ The poetic expression of some of his letters are wonderful and fabulous. Here are some instances .
“Up , up , the long night is passing, the day is approaching, the wave has rise , nothing will be able to resist its tidal fury . The spirit, my boys, the spirit, the love, my children, the love; the faith , the belief and fear not ! The greatest sin is fear . ” ( letter to Alasigha, Letters of Swami Vivekananda, page – 107)
In his letter to Mrs. Mery and H. Hell , we see the same poetic diction. He writes : ” Thou music of my Beloved’s flute , lead on , I am following. It is impossible to express my pain , my anguish at being separated from you , noble and sweet and generous and holy ones . Oh ! How I wish I had succeeded in becoming a stoic ! ” ( Letters or Swami Vivekananda – Page 119)
VIVEKANANDA’SLETTERS TO HIS MOTHER :
Vivekananda never forgot his Mother & Brothers. He was a monk , but not a inhuman.
It is known to all that his father was a renowned Barrister in Calcutta and earned a lot , but he was a very wide – hearted man . He had to look after his poor relatives and ultimately, he had no bank balance at the time of his death .
Therefore, Swami Ji ,as an elder son of the family had to face big financial problems . Besides, they had some family dispute which turned into a legal suit in the High Court of Calcutta. His brothers are studying then . His mind was then in full of apathy.
Vivekananda, the then unknown Indian Monk writes a letter to Promadadas Mitra in 1889 .
” In Calcutta live my mother and two brothers . I am eldest ; the second in preparing for the first Arts Examination and the third is young . they were quite well off before, but since my father’s death , it is going very hard with them – they even have to go fasting at times ! To crown all , some relatives, taking advantage of their helplessness, drove them away from the ancestral residence. Though a part of it is recovered through seeing at the High Court , destitution is now upon them – a matter of course in litigation. ”
HE COULDN’T TOUCH MONEY:
Swami Ji , like his Master, Sri Ramakrishna , don’t like to touch the money, though it has been said that he went there to collect money for his own . Might be contradictory, but that is for his great purpose which he started from Belur Math – Service for the poor and weak and downtrodden .
Read ” Every man is potentially divine”/http:www.kalpatarurudra.org
My memoirs of my early life was full of joy , like a common village boy , I was then to some extent emotional guy than other school – going boys . My school was at a distant place , but I never reached there late .
It was tough in rainy season to reach in time, have a wide river in between our village and my school, the learning temple of mine , my school which was on the bank River Bhagirathi, Never I reached there in late.
Village People there bathing and washing body returning to their home with quick pace . Boys are jumping to swim with their friends , someone doing Surya pronam and women are expressing their pain .
My home was a big one having almost fifty doors , And every room has a name , the building was two storied , Even there is a name of every room like pasher ghar (side room), Sajjaghar( dressing room), and so on . Bhoger Ghar and so on.
The main door was in the east direction and way out in the West. There was a jackfruit tree and also flower’s gardens – where my father used to clean the grasses under the tree.
Baithak Khana was a beautiful place surrounding with trees , there every year in winter vegetables were being cultivated, it was our daily menus in the lunch and dinner .
We have some cows which were nurtured by Mujahar Bhai, a royal servant in my home, he will never die . I used to go out with him , in the autumn or in the spring .
Every year before Durga Puja , Our elders used to start a rehearsal the drama in the Baitak Khana, there assembled interested peoples for acting drama, in which Shyamdada used to play Harmonium, and some man play in the role of women .
It was interesting to us in the rehearsals every year . Shyam Dada was very fond of opium. Playing cards was his favorite game , both Sundar uncle and he played the game.
My father’s room was at end of the building, named Kuthuri Ghar. There was two big flower gardens adjacent to it , He used a arm chair where he laid down up to mid night , I felt some uneasy for that and had a fear of ghost or thief .
My father stared at the laugh of the multi – coloured flowers, His only work to plant tree and to blossom flowers . My father was also a very emotional man , have a great sympathy to the poor and needy , but he spent with the financial crisis unto the last breathe .
I spent my college life in our city home , My mother used to prepare our lunch and dinner alone ,none are there to help her. She never complain about it to my father.
Never she cries. During our Puja vacation we returned our village home to enjoy the grand ceremony of Durga Puja which was very amazing to us, never forget these days, love to remember it again and again .
Swami Vivekananda is an Indian monk of Ramakrishna order who preached Hinduism and Indian culture in American society in the last decade of nineteenth century . He was a great philosopher , stupendous orator , and modern thinker of the world. He is the only man from India after Rammohan Roy who tried to unfold the great Indian cultural heritage before the people of the West . To keep it mind , Rabindranath Tagore once told Romain Rolland , “If you want to know India, Read Vivekananda.” Sri Aurovindo’s remarks about Vivekananda is also significant. He told, ” The going forth of Vivekananda, marked out by the Master as the heroic Soul destined to take the World between his two hands and change it, was the first visible sign to the World, that India was awake not only to survive but to conquer. ” Truly , Swami Vivekananda was the maker of modern India. Indian mass was awakened with the name of this great son of the soil.
¶¶ Swami Vivekananda was a great Saint and Philosopher. But we don’t know about another side of his personality ; he was a marvelous poet though he didn’t write more. He composed his poems in English language. Today I gonna to discuss about his poetic feelings in this blog.
¶¶ Swami Vivekananda was not a poet like conventional way . He was a poet like an ancient saint who felt the internal truth of the world through his inner eyes . The poet, in one sense, is the intense truth – seeker of the Universe. In true sense, the poet is also a Saint. He who notice the truth of the life and the world in his stream of consciousness and reveals it through his divine powers of imagination and magical poetic feelings ,actually he is poet . In that sense, Swami Vivekananda is called to be a poet . From Brahma to insects are the alter where almighty God lives . God is everywhere. He who feels it , he is poet . Swami Vivekananda is a poet in that sense. ¶¶ The hymns of Upanishads made a deep attraction to him . From his childhood he loved to recite poems. He read Milton’s “Paradise Lost ” at the very young age. Milton was his favorite poet . He recited the poem’s of Milton. Reading Shakespeare, Wordsworth, Byron , Shelly’s poems and literature was his favorite subjects. Once he wrote about the essence of Upanishads – ‘ There is no poetry marvelous like Upanishad. Even it is found in ‘Sanhita’ of Veda which is poetic. These writers of Veda and Upanishads are great poets . He thought that the internal truth can be had from the poems of this great saints of ancient India. How did he influenced with the hymns of Upanishads and became a poet , I shall extract a song from his collection: ” Lo! The sun is not, nor the comply moon, All light extinct; in the great void of space Floats shadow – like the image – universe.
In the void of mind involute, there floats , The fleeting universe , rises and floats , Sinks again , ceaseless , in the current “I”.
Slowly , slowly, the shadow – multitude. Entered the primal womb , and flowed ceaseless. The only current, the “I am ” , ” I am ” .
Lo ! ‘Tis stopped , ev’n that current flows no more , Void merged into void – beyond speech and mind ! Whose heart understands , he verily does .
¶¶ It was written in Bengali, his mother tongue . and rendered from it . The name of the poem is ” The Hymn Of Samadhi ” . The content of the poem is highly philosophical which he felt during his deep meditation . The poet talk about the state of mind in its inner world when the activities of the external world is absolutely stopped. It is called samadhi in Hindu religion. But it is obviously an incredible poem like mantra having a significant meaning of higher state of the spiritual mind .
¶¶ Swami Vivekananda was a fan of the epic and poetry of modern Bengali poet Mycheal Madhusudan Dutta . He was his ideal poet . Swami Ji was influenced by Upanishads and other ancient scriptures, by The great Poet Kalidas as well as Vaisnab Padabvali and modern English and Bengali poets . The Gita and Panchadoshi was also his favorite literature. ¶¶ He liked most the poetry of Wordsworth. One day in absence of English literature professor, the principal of this college Mr. William Heshty came to the class and discussed about the poem of Wordsworth . This was a poem of super natural phenomenon. In that context Mr . Hesty told that a man has been experienced such feelings who lived in Dakhineswar . Vivekananda, being inspired went there to meet him. This was first historical meeting with Sri Ramakrishna. He was also the poet of the poets .
¶¶ Vivekananda composed only 21 poems both in English and Sanskrit . He wrote a poem in Sanskrit. But his prose is very placid and also poetic. Specially his letters are full of poetic sublimity and rhetoric.
When Swami Vivekananda in the West
¶¶ Swami Vivekananda wrote his first poem in America before Chicago Religious Conference . He was then a unfamiliar monk . ‘O’r hill and dale and mountain range’ is his first poem (1893). Merry Luis Bark , The Western researcher of Swami Vivekananda, discovered this poem and published it in her book “Swami Vivekananda and the West: New Discovery “. Another researcher of Swami Vivekananda ,professor Shankari Prasad Basu translated this poem in Bengali (Sanman O Siddhi ). Swami Ji had to face a lot of obstacles and pain , but by virtue of struggle he overcame all these incidents and reached the ultimate goal ,the ‘perfection’ which is the destination of a religious monks. This is the content of the poem ” ‘O’r hill and dale and mountain’. He expressed the pain and suffering of a devotees ,though it was his personal feeling. He wrote : ” Like a child in the wildest forest lost I have cried and cried alone. Where art thou gone my God my love. The echo answered gone .” Next suddenly he got calling from the eternal ‘One’ who is our almighty Mother or Father. This feelings are as follows : ” Till one day midst my cries and groans Some one seemed calling me A gentle soft and soothing Voice. That said. ” my son ,” ” my son ” .
¶¶ ” The song of the free ” (1895) and ” The song of Sannyasn ” ( 15 the July ,1895) are the beautiful poems composed by Swami Vivekananda which are undoubtedly the wealth of English literature. He was the follower of Vedanta. The great spiritual guru of India, Shankaracharya inspired him in course of his spiritual journey . He modernized it according to the time and space. And tried to connect with the life. Vedanta do not only effective in the secret of forest , it can also be effective in our daily life . Man can practice it scientifically in each and every activities of life. Without struggle you can achieve any great deed in life, or attain the goals of life . After untiring efforts and struggles the Truth can be had . The life of Sannyasin is not bed of roses . Swami Vivekananda had to face enormous troubles and pains to reach the platform of Chicago Religious conference. He wrote this poems seven days before the beginning of Parliament of Chicago. His dream was to attend the Parliament and it was going to be fulfilled. Despite all his sufferings he would have been achieved the goal which his Master , Sri Ramakrishna gave his shoulders that Naren will teach . In this poem it has been depicted . Besides , one can see God after mammoths struggling . Sorrows and sufferings are the companions of a devotee . But ultimately he will be illuminated. He will face the Truth, the eternal , infinite One “The Brahman” . The Brahman have no form , He is timeless and formless, but He is many – from Brahman to tiny insects. Again He is within us . It’s immortal. ” The cloud puts forth its deluge strength. when lightning cleaves its breast, when the soul in stirred to its inmost depth Great ones unfold their best . ” Let embrace the pain and suffering . It’s natural phenomenon in life. We have to fight against it . And after a stupendous suffering ,the the Truth reveals. ” Let eyes grow dim and heart grow faint And friendship fail and love betray , Let fate its hundred horrors send And clotted darkness block the way .” This way is tedious and full of sufferings, but gradually the faithful devotees though this course of journey must reach to Him . We then have to face to face and enlightened, illuminated. ” All natures wear one angry frown To crush you out… still know, my soul , you are divine, …..March on and on , Nor right nor left but to the goal ! ……………………………………………… The books do stop in wonder mute To tell my nature ; – I am he ! ” ‘Swo Aham’ or ‘Aham Brahmasmi’ , that means , I am Brahman! It is beyond time and space . The poet wrote : ” Before the Sun , the Moon , the Earth , Before the stars and comets free. Before e’ en time has had its birth I was, I am , and will be ! I am beyond all sense, all thought , The witness of the Universe ! “. The feelings of Shankarachriya and the feelings of Vivekananda are same . It’s the feelings of Addwaitya . God is One . …………. ” Not two or many, I’t is but one , And thus in me all ones I have , I can not hate , I can not shun My self from me – I can but love ! ”
It fills my heart with joy unspeakable to rise in response to the warm and cordial welcome which you have given us. I thank you in the name of the most ancient order of monks in the world; I thank you in the name of the mother of religions ; and I thank you in the name of millions and millions of Hindu people of all classes and sects.”. ‘ At the parliament of Religions, Chicago 11th September, 1893
¶¶ Swami Vivekananda , the first Indian monk who unfolded the Raja -yoga in the West before the Christian society. Nowadays The Brahmakumari Organization of Mt Abu is preaching this precious knowledge of ancient monks throughout the world . After Swami Vivekananda and his Brother’s monks , some others yoga teachers went to the West for preaching the Kriya – yoga in twentieth century like Tirumalai Krishnamacharya , Swami Shivananda , B K S Iyengar ,Maharishi Mahesh Yogi ,Paramhansa Yogananda and so on. Recently Sadguru Jaggi Vasudev , Sri Sri Ravi Shankar , The founder of the Art of Living ,Baba Ramdev , Yogacharya S. Sundaram , Bharat Bhushan , Sri BNS Iyengar, Swami Chidanand Sareswati of Parmarth Niketan Ashram and so on were engaged in spreading the gems of Indian Raja Yoga . They had tried to modernize this system of yoga by their researching and practicing it .In recent time , numerous yoga teachers are going to teach Yaga in aboard . They took it as their means of livelihood , though they’re efficient in this fields.
¶ The Need Of Yoga
YOGA IN ANCIENT INDIA
¶¶ Yoga is a 5,000 – year – old – discipline from India. It was developed as a practice to unite the mind and body .There are many branches of yoga . All yoga styles can help balance your body ,mind , and sprit , but they achieve it in various ways . Some yoga postures are intense and vigorous. Others are relaxing and meditative . Practicing yoga , breathing exercise ( Pranayam and meditation makes you healthier in body , mind and spirit. Besides, it improves flexibility, strength, stamina and muscle tone . But there is another great source of yoga which can rejuvenate your mental powers . Yoga aims towards transcendence states of mind . Though 90 percent of people come to yoga for stress relief, health and physical fitness , but it can change our heart and mind . Yoga offers self – reflection , the practice of kindness and self- compassion, and continued growth and self – awareness . So we can say that yoga itself is an immersive physical, spiritual and mental study – a mind – body approach to improving our overall lifestyle.
¶ Types Of Yoga ¶
¶¶ Yoga is being incorporated into other popular workouts in many creative ways. To name a few : Yogalates , Power , Kundalini , Iyengar, Vinyasa , Bikrim ,Yin , Trauma. Yoga , it seems, can be modified to fit almost any lifestyle or fitness goal. But essentially, however, current practice involves four primary types of yoga : Karma , Bhakti , Jnana , and Raja – Yoga .
Types Of Yoga
We won’t discuss about all these yoga . Only the Raja – yoga which was being explained by Swami Vivekananda that will be re – memorising here for the interest of the readers . Man wants truth, wants to experience truth for self -satisfaction as well as perfection of the mind and soul. When he has grasped it , realised it , felt it within his heart of hearts , then alone , declare the Vedas , would all doubts vanish , all darkness be scattered , and all crookedness be made straight . Our great intellectual ancestors experienced it , and has written their feelings :
” Ye children of immortality , even those who live in the highest sphere , the way is found ; there is a way out of all this darkness, and that is by perceiving Him who is beyond all darkness ; there is no other way .”
SWAMI VIVEKANANDA AS A YOGA PREACHER :
Swami Vivekananda discussed Raja – Yoga in a placid and scientific way that can be easy to understand for the western people. Swamiji didn’t believe in miracles not did he emphasis to believe it to the people of West . So he explained it before them with reason and practical way . Never discussed anything which he didn’t believe. The science of Raja – Yoga proposes to put before humanity a practical and scientifically worked out method of reaching this truth. He explained with examples from Astronomy , Chemistry and other sciences. Generally , every science must have its own method of investigation.
He told , ” If you want to become an astronomer and sit down and cry ‘ Astronomy! Astronomy!’ it will never come to you .The same with chemistry and other sciences”.
HOW TO IMPLEMENT ?
A certain method must be followed. You must go to laboratory, take different substances, mix with them , compound them , experiment with them , and out of that will come a knowledge of chemistry. The same about astronomy. If you want to be an astronomer, you must go to an observatory. You need a telescope ,study the stars and planets , and then you will become an astronomer. Each science must have its own methods. Like that the science of religion. If you listen or read the sermons ,but don’t practice it ,you will not be religious , or they would not make you religious until you practiced the method. These are the truths of the sages of all countries , of all ages , of men pure and unselfish , who had no motive but to do good to the world. They all declare that they have found some truth higher than what the senses can bring to us . If we practice honestly the prescribed method they told we can find the higher truth .
Swami Vivekananda in The West
The Raja – Yoga
Raja – Yoga is more popularity known as Ashtanga yoga , or the ” eightfold path ” that leads to spiritual liberation . Ancient Sanskrit texts describe Raja – Yoga as being the ultimate goal of yoga practice , rather than the physical and mental exercises involved. This means that it is considered the state of peace and contentment that comes with sustained yoga practice and meditation. So , Raja – Yoga is the path of self – discipline by which you can control your mind by practicing this yoga . It is organised in eight parts : 1. Yama – Self – control. 2. Niyama – Discipline. 3. Asana – Physical Exercises. 4. Pranayama – Breathing Exercises. 5. Pratyahara – Withdrawal of The senses from external objects. 6. Dharana – Concentration. 7. Dhyana – Meditation. 8. Samadhi – Complete Realisation.
The eight steps of Raja – Yoga provide systematic instruction to attain inner peace , clarity ,self – control and Realisation . Yama and Niyama has again some sections : ¶¶ Yama – Self – Control: It consists of five principles : * Ahimsa – Non – Violence : You don’t harm or make pain any living being . Non – Violence also means not to kill . * Satya – Truthfulness * Asteya – Non – Stealing. * Brahmacharya – Pure Way of Life * Aparigraha – Non – Accumulation of Possession.
¶¶ Niyama – Discipline : It consists of five principles : * Shauca – Purity . Internal and Exeter Purity. * Santosh : Contentment * Tapa – Self – Control, or Self – discipline * Svadhyaya – Study of the Holy Scriptures. * Ishvara Pranidhana – Devotion to God.
This is Yogamudra Posture. Yogi always sits in this posture during meditation.
¶¶ Religious knowledge can be had by using of generalisation which is based upon observation. We first observe facts, then generalise, and then draw conclusions. Swamiji told the same thing about the knowledge of the mind , of the internal nature of man , of thought , can never be had until we have first the power of observing the facts that are going on within.
¶¶ RAJA YOGA: THE SCIENCE
The science of Raja -Yoga proposes to give us such a means of observing the internal states. The instrument is the mind itself. If the power of attention with proper guide directed towards the internal world, it can then able to analyse the mind , and illuminate facts for us . The powers of the mind are like rays of light dissipated; when they are concentrated, they illumine. But the fact is that we never pay attention towards to the internal world. From our childhood upwards we have been taught only to pay attention to things external. Ultimately, most of us have nearly lost the faculty of observing the internal mechanism. To turn the mind ,as it were , inside , stop it from going outside , then you have toconcentrate all its powers , and throw them upon the mind itself , and it’s possible through Raja – Yoga. Without perseverance it’s not possible.
RAJA YOGA AS THE MEANS OF CONCENTRATION :
¶¶ By practicing Raja – Yoga , we can concentrate our mind .It empowers our strength of mind and concentrate also. When it’s concentrated , it can penetrate its own innermost secrets just as the darkest places reveal their secrets before the penetrating rays of the sun . Thus will we come to the basis of belief, the real genuine religion, SwamiVivekananda remarked it in his writing “Raja – Yoga”. He always emphasized on the concentration of the internal sides of the mind , not external. This is what Raja – Yoga proposes to teach .
Raja Yoga Study For All
As a result , the study of Raja- Yoga is for all human being – no faith or belief is necessary. Every human being has the right and power to seek for religion and there this yoga practice might help him or her to proceed and reach thegoal.
There is no mystery or secret in it . This is told by Swami Vivekananda . He further told that that yoga has fallen into the hands of a few persons who made it secret, instead of letting the full blaze of daylight and reason fall of it . You can ask me, why ? I am giving this answer as told by Swamiji . They tried to secret it because, they thought that they might have been the powers only to themselves.
Conclusion :
At the end of this blog , it is clear to the readers that Raja – Yoga is a scientific process having no danger to practice it for achieving to the higher states of mind and get peace . Practice , practice and practice and constant attaching to the internal world is the key to be illuminated.
** Revised on the 158 birthday ceremony of Swami Vivekananda. Durgapur, 12 January, 2021 .
Yoga is some postures to be performed in our everyday life for wellness of our body and mind .It is an way of Indian lifestyle decending from ancient culture when the people didn’t depend on medicine for disease – free life.The most prominent history of yoga system is Maharshi Patanjali’s ‘Yogasutra’. It was written some million years ago . Swami Vivekananda preached this yoga when he was travelling in the West.
¶¶ Swami Ji taught “Raja – Yoga to his western devotees to enlighten them about the power of the mind concentration which is the valuable gems – like knowledge of India . Among the forefathers whose contribution became the foundation of yoga system is Kapil(700B.C.) . The contribution of Kapil is called Samkhya philosophy. According to Kapil , the answer to all human problem is in samyak jnana (proper knowledge). In theabsence of samyak jnana , the unfamiliar and peculiar happenings cause dukkha (sorrow). All troubles which affect the mind of an individual spring from three basic sources : 1. Nature ,2.Society, and 3. Self . In other words, the particular problem which strains and causes mentalimbalance in an individual is either nature – oriented, society- oriented or self – oriented which have been termed as Daivik , Bhautik and Atmik by Kapil in his Samkhya philosophy.
SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE :
So , when the individual develops and acquires proper knowledge about Purusha(self) and Prakiti (Nature), then the peculiar happenings and causations inany of the three sources do not cause dukkha . This implies acquiring a scientific knowledge about rajas , tamas ,and sattva gunas, and all the tattvas (elements) of prakriti together with a knowledge about this composition, function and correlationship of sense organs ,action organs , mind ,intelligence and the totality of the Purusha (self). When the individual becomes so knowledgeable, he attains the power of overcoming pain , matains mental equilibrium and obtains pleasures, happiness and excellence in life.
It’s said that Samkhya philosophy did not show the method and process of obtaining the goal. It needed a comprehensive system in order to help the individual adopt and achieve what had been so rightly stated by Kapil. This system was propounded by Patanjali in his Yoga Sutra . Therefore, it is essential to understand what Patanjali had to say .
PATANJALI’S YOGA SUTRA : WHAT &WHY
Yoga for Peaceful Life
¶¶ The Yoga Sutra of Patanjali is a treatise on methodological process of obtaining the goal laid down by Kapil and add something more. Whereas Kapil emphasized acquiring of jnana which involves only the mind , Patanjali’s system of yoga, on the other hand, involves both body and mind . In this respect, the Purusha of Patanjali has to do two things simultaneously, that is , he most acquire samyak jnana and also he must practice yoga in order to achieve excellence of both body and mind . This way , by combining ‘jnana and practices’ together the individual would attain not only excellent health but would also be able to maintain a harmonious relationship between the mind and the body . Thus, we find that Patanjali’s yoga provides a better and more thorough answer to our problem of mental health than what is provided by Kapil.
¶¶ Since Patanjali’s system involves knowing and doing to, his method includes all those steps which are essential for obtaining the desired goal on both levels – physical and mental. These steps are eight in number. They are mentioned below together with their basic meanings and implications: Yoga (control and discipline) , Niyama ( rules, methods and principles), Asanas (making bodypostures), Pranayama (kriyas with air ) , Pratyahara ( avoidance of undesirables in taking actions, that is , knowing the proper actions), Dharana (concentration), Dhyana (meditation), and Samadhi (contemplation).
¶¶ Since these eight steps of Patanjali were not very comprehensively discussed in his “Yoga Sutra ” further works were necessary film covering them properly. In order to facilitate the practitioners, these steps were later grouper under different yogas according to their nature and substance. The yogas which cover all these steps are the following:
JNANA YOGA
It covers Yama and Niyama and it is the science of acquiring proper knowledge.
HATHA YAGA
Itcovers Asanas and Pranayamas and is the science of physical excellence.
KARMA YAGA
It covers Pratyahra and is the science of act.
RAJA – YOGA
Covers Dharana ,Dhyana and Samadhi and is the science of concentration and meditation.
Indian Yoga Gurus
¶¶ HATHA YOGA : DEFINITION :
We generally practice Hatha Yoga which is comprised Pranayamas, Asanas ,Bandhas and Mudra’s. But don’t try to follow other yogas . Yama and Niyama is also very important for the yogic practitioners. Without proper knowledge of it , your journey towards perfection will not be fulfilled . Obviously, yoga is the practical part of religion. Yoga control our body and mind in order to attach with God . You can say it as the medium of attachment between man and God . So yoga means the method of joining man and God.Remember always, there are different Yogas for different minds, and if one does not suit you , another may .
CONCLUSION :
We are very busy with our regular activities. Everyone is having some personal issues which he or she has to manage . No other person can help him or her. It’s his burden . As a result, it affects their minds. Sometimes it turns beyond control .
WHY WE ARE STRETCHED?
As a result , it is difficult to control your mind. Our lifestyle has been changed due to modern gadgets. We are either viewing Television programs or busy in net up to late night and used to getting up late at 9 O’clock in the morning. We don’t take our lunch in scheduled time. Perhaps we are accustomed in junk food . Have a lot of pressures in office or working place we arebecoming highly stressed. Most of the modern generations are not happy with their job . Various kind of mental pressures gradually distract your mood and mental peace.
WHY WE SHOULD NEED YOGA :
We are going through a difficult time . Unemployment , corruption, endless needs , high aspirations – all these are causes behind it. Moreover, we don’t engaged in physical works , nor we do yoga or Asanas or any sports. Even we do not walk regularly because of modern vehicles. Ultimately , our body and mind is going to be distracted . We are being stressed deprived of peace of mind . Here is the need of Yoga ,Asanas and meditation .
Indian Yoga and meditation is the key source of energies, sound healthand fitness. Meditation can improve your mental state . It’s sometimes advised by the Doctor. Only medicine couldn’t able to give you peace. It’s yoga and meditation which can help us to get rid of from all the mental and physical hurdles .
I’m a middle class citizen of India. By birth I am Bengali. I spent my childhood days in village. Education and sports were the most important activities in our life. We had to go to school by walking. We didn’t get to use bicycle or any career . Now the students are going to school by bus or motor Van . But we after returning home from school used to attend at the field to play either football or cricket. Sometimes we played other sports like Kho kho, Ha due du etc. In the evening we used to go to our study room. After finished our learning we had to get our dinner and then after listening some music we used to go to bed. This was our daily routine. From childhood days I was not healthy. Occasionally I had to face digestive problems. At the age of nine I was suffered in typhoid and piles.
My college education started at district town at the age of sixteenth. Initially my elder brother and me had to cook our lunch and dinner. But that was not hygienic. So we suffered very much . Then my mother joined to us . So the problems subsidies, but accidentally I was burnt with hot oil while I replaced the Utensil (pan) with hot oil from oven to ground. I was admitted to hospital for treatment . From then I had to face digestive problems .
For higher education I went to Calcutta and admitted to the University of Calcutta in M.A. This was very tough life. My father was a landlord, but all the properties was vested by a government rule. Our financial conditions gradually declined. Under this circumstances we became helpless. I didn’t know when I was attacked in depression. I feared to go alone outside. Can’t travel alone at distant place. Yet I had to travel for my research work. During this time I didn’t think to take any advice from psychiatric nor I thought that I was attacked in panic disorder.
I can’t describe that feeling what I had to face just at the time of panic. My legs began to trembling, swelling and dried tongue ,abnormal stepping all these are the symptoms. I used to think that I am dying. If there is any familiar face , no problems. But if am alone, no companions with me then I would feel insecure. Specially at the times of touring from my home place to Kolkata. During my young age there was no express train . So it took 5 to 6 hours to reach there. Even more . Nowadays scenario has changed. Two super fast trains are now running between Lalgola to Sealdah. However that times I had to suffer very much due to my I’ll mental health. After my marriage life I got my life partner and the position changed. But still I couldn’t travel alone anywhere. I would try to get any companion along with me. Once this conditions went worsening. I had to go under medical treatment, but the doctor wasn’t psychiatrist. He checked me and gave some medicines of high BP . But I didn’t feel better. Next while I was going to visit my father -in -law house my wife arranged to contact with a MRCP doctor. He also treated same ,but gave some medicines of mental health. He was the first one who advised me to go near a Psychiatrist. As I felt better, we decided to travel Darjeeling and Sikkim. Then Puri, the seashores. Next year we visited South India from Chennai to Pondicherry to Kanyakumarica to Oty and Mysore . We decided to travel Rajasthan next . There is no other companions. After visiting Puskar , Udaipur, Jodhpur we reached at the only hill of Rajasthan , Mt. Abu . We arranged our boarding at Brahma Kumari head quarter. There we stayed four days . Beautiful place and fabulous lifestyles gave us high and vibrant energies. Here luckily we visited their International Hospital. This is the first time I went to a Psychiatrist. He diagnosed that I had been suffering in panic attack . It’s a miracle . He advised me that you didn’t feel any panic after taking these medicine. Truly , I became well on and on. Now I am all right.
But not only medication , it’s yoga and meditation that could have been help you to be fit enough both in body and mind . I shall write about it in my yoga blogs.
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