Random Thoughts-3: "The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna"

This book was originally written by Mahendra Nath Gupta, a school teacher. He has been visiting Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa at Dakshineshwar, a village near Calcutta (India)(Calcutta has been renamed as Kolkatta) during the last five years of the latter's life. He has recorded what he witnessed and heard during his visits to the latter. The popular English version was translated by Swami Nikhilananda. This English translation was presented to me by a dear friend of mine, who is a devotee of Sri Ramakrishna. I did not read it for six long years and the book was lying in my bookshelf. Then I read it and it started changing me.

It was also the starting point of my spiritual awakening. I still have to go a long, long way. Whenever my mind is disturbed I go to the book and read it at random. It has a soothing effect.

This book has influenced and helped a lot of spiritual seekers. Everyone who aspires for a spiritual life, irrespective of his religion, should read this wonderful book, that is my sincere feeling.

The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna: http://www.rkmath.org/articles/gospeloframakrishna
Sri Sri Ramakrishna Kathamrita: http://www.kathamrita.org/KathamritaMain.htm
Ramakrishna Daily Sutras : http://www.angelfire.com/ma/ramakrishna/sutra1.html
Lessons from the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna: http://www.geocities.com/neovedanta/gospel.html

Random Thoughts-2: "My Love of Books and Reading"

I have always loved books. I think it runs in the family. My grandfather had it and my father has it.

I have read a lot of wonderful things. I have always wanted to share with others the interesting things I have learnt. But it has always been difficult to find somebody who would listen to you. This blog provides a beautiful alternative, whether anybody reads it or not.

This column I propose to use exclusively to record some wonderful (at least to me), useful and interesting things I have read.

At present, I am reading a book on DIGESTION by Dr.Deepak Chopra, MD. I feel everybody should read it. For a book on Health, it makes delightful reading.

Random Thoughts-1: "Dream of Death: Is there any meaning in it?"

1. My friend was going to the office. At the entrance, there was a crowd. He enquired what was wrong. He was told that I had passed away. Thorougly shaken, he woke up from his dream. He was feeling uneasy for some time. The first thing he did on going to office was to find out whether I was there. I was out of town. He consulted his astrologer friend, who told him that it was an auspicious sign.

When I returned to office, he rushed to me and obviously was very happy to see me alive. Then he told me about the dream. I had a hearty laugh. But that night when I woke up from sleep, my thought turned to that dream. Whether it has meaning or not, I decided to take it as a warning signal.

When I reviewed my life, I saw too many loose ends. If I actually left suddenly, there will be a lot of confusion and difficulties. So I decided to take up settling of as many pending problems as possible. Oh, it is going to take a lot of time. Also I had a lot of dreams like everybody else. Wanting to be a writer, running a popular and purposeful magazine etc etc.

As a netizen, I was browsing about blogs, when I came to Blopspot and here I am creating and posting my bio.

Who is going to read it? I don't know. Maybe nobody. It is all right. Let me unburden some of my thoughts here.

Sorry, I have to stop at this point. Tomorrow or at a latter date I shall continue.

SURiMOUNT
July 29, 2004