This document provides information about Sri Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda. It discusses Sri Ramakrishna's teachings on seeing God in all, different attitudes toward God, the path of bhakti, and living in the world detached from it. It then summarizes Swami Vivekananda's work in organizing Sri Ramakrishna's disciples and establishing the Ramakrishna Math and Mission to propagate religion and provide social service after Sri Ramakrishna's passing. The document concludes by noting that Swami Vivekananda spent his last days at the Belur Math before passing away in 1902.

1. Sri Ramakrishna
and
Vivekananda
SERVICE TO HUMANITY –
SEE GOD IN ALL
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3. Kāli Temple at Dakshineśwar
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4. LIVING IN KALIYUGA
Even those engaged in
worldly activities, such as
office work or business,
should hold to the truth.
Truthfulness alone is the
spiritual discipline in the
Kaliyuga
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5. Unless one always speaks the truth, one
cannot find God Who is the soul of truth.
One must be very particular about telling the
truth. Through truth one can realize God.
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6. WE ARE ONLY SERVANTS OF GOD
One cannot completely get rid of the six
passions: lust, anger, greed, and the like.
Therefore one should direct them to God. If you
must have desire and greed, then you should
desire love of God and be greedy to attain Him.
If you must be conceited and egotistic, then
feel conceited and egotistic thinking that you
are the servant of God, the child of God. 6

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11. Different stages of spiritual progress
• "The first stage is that of the beginner. He studies
and hears.
• Second is the stage of the struggling aspirant. He
prays to God, meditates on Him, and sings His
name and glories.
• The third stage is that of the perfect soul. He has
seen God, realized Him directly and immediately in
his inner Consciousness.
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12. • Last is the stage of the
supremely perfect, like
Chaitanya. Such a devotee
establishes a definite
relationship with God,
looking on Him as his Son
or Beloved."
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15. Sri Ramakrishna:
To that end one must always sing forth the Holy
Name of God and talk How to fix mind on Him;
without ceasing to sing of His glory and attributes.
Then one must seek the company of holy men.
One must from time to time visit the Lord's
devotees or those who have given up attachment to
the things of the world for the sake of the Lord.
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16. SEEK THE COMPANY OF HOLY MEN
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17. ATTITUDES TOWARD GOD
 "But a devotee must assume toward God, a
particular attitude.
 God in His Incarnation as Rāma demonstrated
Śānta, Dāsya, Vātsalya, and sakhya. But Krishna
demonstrated Madhur, besides all these.”
 "Radha cherished the attitude of Madhur toward
Krishna. Her love was romantic. But in the case of
Sita it was the pure love of a chaste wife for her
husband. There was no romance in her love.”
 "But all this is the lila of God. He demonstrates
different ideals to suit different times."

18. To develop the devotee's love for God, God is to be
regarded as the devotee's Parent, Master, Friend,
Child, Husband, or Sweetheart, each succeeding
relationship representing an intensification of love.
These bhavas, or attitudes toward God, are known as
santa, dasya, sakhya, vatsalya, and madhur. The
rishis of the Vedas, Hanuman, the cow-herd boys of
Vrindavan, Rama's mother Kausalya, and Radhika,
Krishna's sweetheart, exhibited, respectively, the
most perfect examples of these forms. 18

19. In the ascending scale the-glories of God are
gradually forgotten and the devotee realizes more
and more the intimacy of divine communion.
Finally he regards himself as the mistress of his
Beloved, and no artificial barrier remains to
separate him from his Ideal.
No social or moral obligation can bind to the earth
his soaring spirit. He experiences perfect union with
the Godhead.
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20. Different moods of aspirants
Seeing the Lord through human relationships
"But in order to realize God, one must assume one of these
attitudes: Śānta, Dāsya, Sakhya, Vātsalya, or Madhur.
"Śānta, the serene attitude. The rishis of olden times had this
attitude toward God. They did not desire any worldly enjoyment.
It is like the single-minded devotion of a wife to her husband.
She knows that her husband is the embodiment of beauty and
love, a veritable Madan.
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21. "Dāsya, the attitude of a servant toward his master.
Hanuman had this attitude toward Rama. He felt
the strength of a lion when he worked for Rama. A
wife feels this mood also. She serves her husband
with all her heart and soul. A mother also has a
little of this attitude, as Yaśoda had toward Krishna.
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22. "Once Rama asked Hanuman, 'How do you look on Me?'
And Hanuman replied: 'O Rama, as long as I have the
feeling of "I", I see that Thou art the whole and I am a part;
Thou art the Master and I am Thy servant. But when, O
Rama, I have the knowledge of Truth, then I realize that
Thou art I and I am Thou.'
"The relationship of master and servant is the proper one.
Since this 'I' must remain, let the rascal be God's servant.
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23. "Sakhya, the attitude of friendship. Sridāmā and other
friends sometimes fed Krishna with fruit, part of which
they had already eaten. Sakhya bhava springs from the
realization that God is one’s best and most
intimate friend. Arjuna’s relationship towards
Krishna is regarded as an excellent example for
this bhava. Arjuna used to sit, eat, walk, talk with and
embrace Krishna as an
intimate friend.
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24. "Vātsalya, the attitude of a mother toward her
child. This was Yaśoda's attitude toward Krishna.
The wife, too, has a little of this. She feeds her
husband with her very life-blood, as it were. The
mother feels happy only when the child has eaten
to his heart's content. Yaśoda would roam about
with butter in her hand, in order to feed Krishna.
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25. "Madhur, the attitude of a woman toward her paramour.
Radha had this attitude toward Krishna. The wife also feels it
for her husband. This attitude includes all the other four.“
Dwell, O Lord, O Lover of bhakti,
In the Vrindāvan of my heart,
And my devotion unto Thee
Will be Thy Radha, dearly loved. . . .
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26. A beautiful expression of the Vaishnava worship of God
through love is to be found in the Vrindavan episode of the
Bhagavata. The gopis, or milk-maids, of Vrindavan regarded
the six-year-old Krishna as their Beloved. They sought no
personal gain or happiness from this love. They surrendered
to Krishna their bodies, minds, and souls. Of all the gopis,
Radhika, or Radha, because of her intense love for Him, was
the closest to Krishna. She manifested mahabhava and was
united with her Beloved. This union represents, through
sensuous language, a supersensuous experience.
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27. FETTERS OF THE SOUL
God-consciousness does not come so long as there
are three things in the heart, _
Shame, hatred and fear.
These three and caste pride are the fetters of the
soul. When these are broken, freedom is attained.
Bound by these fetters is Jiva (the ego), free from
fetters is Siva (God),
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28. One can attain the Knowledge of Brahman, too, by
following the path of bhakti. God is all-powerful. He
may give His devotee Brahmajnāna also, if He so
wills.
But the devotee generally doesn't seek the
Knowledge of the Absolute.
He would rather have the consciousness that God
is the Master and he the servant, or that God is the
Divine Mother and he the child." Path of bhakti is
best for the people of the Kaliyuga.
God is the Divine Mother
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29. Master on caste-system
Sri Ramakrishna said: "The caste-system can be removed by
one means only, and that is the love of God. Lovers of God do
not belong to any caste. The mind, body, and soul of a man
become purified through divine love. Chaitanya and Nityananda
scattered the name of Hari to everyone, including the pariah, and
embraced them all. A brahmin without this love is no longer a
brahmin. And a pariah with the love of God is no longer a pariah.
Through bhakti an untouchable becomes pure and elevated."
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30. How to live in the world: be unattached!
A DEVOTEE: "Sir, how should one live in the world?"
MASTER: "Live in the world as the mud fish lives in the mud.
One develops love of God by going away from the world into
solitude, now and then, and meditating on God. After that one
can live in the world unattached. The mud is there, and the
fish has to live in it, but its body is not stained by the mud.
Such a man can lead the life of a householder in a spirit of
detachment"
fish
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31. "Then should householders lead a worldly life?"
MASTER: "Yes, they should try to perform their duties in a
detached way. Before you break the jack-fruit open, rub your
hands with oil, so that the sticky milk will not smear them.
The maidservant in a rich man's house performs all her duties,
but her mind dwells on her home in the country. This is an
example of doing duty in a detached way. You should
renounce the world only in mind.
But a sannyasi should renounce the world
both inwardly and outwardly."
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32. Once a man realizes God through intense dispassion,
he is no longer attached to woman. Even if he must
lead the life of a householder, he is free from fear of
and attachment to woman. "He who has realized God
does not look upon a woman with the eye of lust; so
he is not afraid of her. He perceives clearly that
women are but so many aspects of the Divine Mother.
He worships them all as the Mother Herself”.
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33. The ideal of a spiritual family
" A wife endowed with spiritual wisdom is a real partner in life.
She greatly helps her husband to follow the religious path.
After the birth of one or two children they live like brother and
sister. Both of them are devotees of God-His servant and His
handmaid. Their family is a spiritual family. They are always
happy with God and His devotees.
They know that God alone is their own,
from everlasting to everlasting. They are
like the Pandava brothers; they do not
forget God in happiness or in sorrow.
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34. " Longing is the means of realizing Ātman. A man must strive to
attain God with all his body, with all his mind, and with all his
speech. Because of an excess of bile one gets jaundice. Then
one sees everything as yellow. Among actors, those who take
only the roles of women acquire the nature of a woman; by
thinking of woman your ways and thoughts become womanly.
Just so, by thinking day and night of God
one acquires the nature of God."
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35. SENSE OF “I”
 The sense of “I” in us is the greatest obstacle in
the path of God vision. It covers the truth. When
“I” is dead, all troubles cease. If by the mercy of
the lord one realizes “I am a non-doer,” instantly
that man becomes emancipated in this life. This
sense of “I” is like a thick cloud. As a small
cloud can hide the glorious sun, so this cloud of
“I” hides the glory of the Eternal Sun.
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36. SEVEN STAGES OF SPIRITUAL EVOLUTION
 This sense of “I” however vanishes at the
approach of Divine wisdom, which leads to
super-consciousness (Samadhi) and eventually
to God-consciousness. But it is very difficult to
acquire this wisdom. It is said in the Vedas that
when the mind reaches the seventh stage of
spiritual evolution, the soul enters into
Samadhi and instantly its sense of “I”
disappears.
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37. One cannot see God without purity of heart. Through
attachment to 'woman and gold' the mind has
become stained-covered with dirt. A magnet cannot
attract a needle covered with mud. Wash away the
mud and the magnet will draw it. Likewise, the dirt of
the mind can be washed away with the tears of our
eyes.. Then the devotee obtains the vision of God.
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38. Likewise, the dirt of the mind can be washed away
with the tears of our eyes.. Then the devotee
obtains the vision of God. This stain is removed if
one sheds tears of repentance and says, 'O God, I
shall never again do such a thing.' Thereupon God,
the magnet, draws to Himself the mind, the needle
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39. By the mind one is bound; by the mind one is
freed. If am absolutely free, whether I live in the
world or in the forest, where is my bondage? I am
the child of God, the son of the King of Kings; who
can bind me? When bitten by a snake, if you
assert with firmness “There is no venom in me,”
you will be cured. In the same way he who asserts
with strong conviction “I am not bound, I am free,”
becomes free.
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40. MESSAGE TO YOUTH
Societies should be
molded upon truth and
truth has not to adjust
itself to society
Whatever you think, you
will be, you think yourself
weak, weak you will be.
You think yourself strong,
strong you will be
Do you love your
country? Then come and
struggle for higher and
better things
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41. How to attain pure love of God
"How can a devotee attain such love? First, the
company of holy men. That awakens śraddhā, faith in
God. Then comes nishtha, single-minded devotion to
the Ideal. In that stage the devotee does not like to
hear anything but talk about God. He performs only
those acts that please God. After nishtha comes
bhakti, devotion to God; then comes bhava. Next
mahabhava, then prema, and last of all the attainment
of God Himself. Only for Isvarakotis, such as the
Incarnations, is it possible to have mahabhava or
prema.
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42. After the passing away of Sri Ramakrishna it was Swami
Vivekananda who organized his brother disciples into a
spiritual fraternity and laid the foundation of the institutions
which have developed into the present Ramakrishna Math
and Ramakrishna Mission.
Swami Vivekananda's noble vindication of Hinduism in the
West as well as in India, his great spiritual attainments,
…continued
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43. his burning patriotism, his lifelong service for the uplift of the
downtrodden masses of India, and his high souled efforts to
bring about a cultural and spiritual union between the East and
the West _ all these have combined to secure for
Vivekananda a pre-eminent position amongst the world's
noblest men. Having thus gathered together his chosen few,
Sri Ramakrishna made them his closest companions and, with
the tender affection of a mother, guided them step by step to
the supreme realization of God.
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44. Swami Vivekananda founded the Ramakrishna Math for the
propagation of religion and Ramakrishna Mission for social
service. He founded the Belur Math, Advaita Ashrama at Mayavati
on the Himalayas and another in Chennai
Swami Vivekananda's hectic schedule played havoc on His health.
He suffered from asthma and diabetes and other ailments. He
spent His last days in the Belur Math.
He shed His body while meditating on July 4th 1902.
A temple was later erected on the spot chosen by Him in the Belur
Math where He was cremated.
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45. "This universe is created by the Mahamaya of God.
Mahamaya contains both Vidyā-māyā, the illusion of
knowledge, and Avidyā-māyā, the illusion of ignorance.
Through the help of Vidyā-māyā one cultivates such virtues
as the taste for holy company, knowledge, devotion, love,
and renunciation. Avidyā-māyā consists of the five
elements and the objects of the five senses- form, flavour,
smell, touch, and sound. These make one forget God."
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46. SEE GOD IN ALL
This is the gist of all worship - to be pure and to
do good to others. He who sees Siva in the poor,
in the weak, and in the diseased, worships Siva.
He who has served and helped one poor man
seeing Siva in him, without thinking of his caste,
creed, or race, or anything, with him Siva is more
pleased than with the man who sees Him only in
temples.
Vivekananda Temple at Belur
Math
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47. Three things are necessary for a bird to fly—the two
wings and the tail as a rudder for steering. Jnâna
(knowledge) is the one wing, Bhakti (love) is the
other, and Yoga is the tail that keeps up the balance.
For those who cannot pursue all these three forms of
worship together in harmony, and take up, therefore,
Bhakti alone as their way, it is necessary always to
remember that forms and ceremonials, though
absolutely necessary for the progressive soul, have
no other value than taking us on to that state in which
we feel the most intense love to God.
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48. Three things are necessary for a bird to fly—
the two wings and the tail as a rudder for steering.
• Jnâna (knowledge) is the one wing,
• Bhakti (love) is the other, and
• Yoga is the tail that keeps up the balance.
If bhakti alone is your way, it is necessary always to
remember that forms and ceremonials, though
absolutely necessary for the progressive soul, have
no other value than taking you on to that state in
which you feel the most intense love to God.
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49. SERVICE TO HUMANITY – SEE GOD IN ALL
 Today, man has acquired a
tremendous materialistic
power. If he cannot rightly
utilize it, a total destruction
of the world is inevitable.
 It is necessary for him to
practise mental control and
develop an attitude of love,
friendship, fraternity ,
nurture and renunciation.
49

50. Kids for Family and Life
COMMUNITY
Our goal is to nurture and
bring all closer to a Jesus
like humanity, through our
different activities.
Kids for Family and Life 50