November 2000 Program

November 2000
Vedanta Society of Portland
The following are the Society's services and special events for this month.
Except where noted, all lectures are given by Swami Shantarupananda.
All are welcome.

Sunday	Mon.	Tuesday	Wed.	Thursday	Fri.	Sat.
			1	2 7:30 PM Scripture Class Viveka Chudamani	3	4
5 11:00 AM Service God as Mother	6	7 7:30 PM Scripture Class *The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna* *and "The Mahabharata" (DVD show)*	8 12 Noon Special Celebration Jagadhatri Puja	9 12 Noon Special Celebration Swami Subodhananda 7:30 PM Scripture Class Viveka Chudamani	10 12 Noon Special Celebration Swami Vijnanananda	11
12 11:00 AM Service Spiritual Life	13	14 7:30 PM Scripture Class *The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna* *and "The Mahabharata" (DVD show)*	15	16 7:30 PM Scripture Class Viveka Chudamani	17	18
19 11:00 AM Service A Holy Man	20	21 7:30 PM Scripture Class *The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna* *and "The Mahabharata" (DVD show)*	22	23 12 Noon Special Celebration Thanksgiving Celebration Prayer, Singing, Reading, Potluck Dinner	24	25
26 11:00 AM Service Self Effort and Divine Grace	27	28 7:30 PM Scripture Class *The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna* *and "The Mahabharata" (DVD show)*	29	30 7:30 PM Scripture Class Viveka Chudamani

Personal

Swami Shantarupananda visited our Berkeley and San Francisco Centers
from October 22 to 27.

Special Celebrations

Jagadhatri Puja

Devotees worship Sri Jagadhatri, an aspect of the Divine Mother, all over the world. Sri Jagadhatri was the chosen ideal of the Holy Mother, wife of Sri Ramakrishna.

The rich site www.BengalNet.com has the following information, together with a video of a Jagadhatri worship, here.

Multimedia Feature 1 (30th October 1998)

Sri Sri Jagadhatri Puja was celebrated on 27th to 30th October in West Bengal. According to Hindu Puranas, it is believed that Devi Jagadhatri- who is nursing the universe (taken as a symbol of congregation of powers to fight against evils and injustice) appeared to abolish Karingasura (asura in disguise of an Elephant). Asura symbolizes evil and injustice. In WestBengal, King Krishnachandra of Nabadwip introduced the worship of Devi Jagadhatri - riding on a lion. The artist having no direct visual impression of a lion extended his imagination to create a different form. The same form is still being followed in some of the traditional deities, as may be seen in the photograph here.

Swami Subodhananda

Information about the life of Swami Subodhananda, a direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna, was once available at www.sriramakrishna.org, and may be again soon.

Swami Vijnanananda

Check www.sriramakrishna.org for biographical information about Swami Vijnanananda, a direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna.

Thankgiving Day

Abraham Lincoln's Thanksgiving Proclamation

New Booklet

The Last Disciple of Holy Mother: Reminiscences of Swami Aseshananda,
by Swami Shantarupananda.

It is a short booklet on the life of Swami Aseshananda written with depth of feeling and insight. Those who knew Swami Aseshananda will be reminded of his dedicated life, and those who never met him will be charmed by reading about his simple life permeated with depth of spirituality.

Price $2.95. Postage extra.

New Publication

Commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Vedanta Society of Portland.

Chronology of Swami Vivekananda in The West

A graphic presentation of the history of Swami Vivekananda's visits to the West,
Based on: Swami Vivekananda in the West: New Discoveries, by Marie Louise Burke,
complied by Terrance D. Hohner and Carolyn B. Kenny (Amala)

Price $19.95, plus postage and handling of $4.00.

What is Vedanta?

Vedanta is a sanskrit word which literally means 'the end of the Vedas' - the Vedas being the scriptures of the Hindus. The Vedas are divided into two main portions: the work-portion, which describes how one should work and do worship, and the knowledge-portion. Included in the knowledge-portion are those books which deal with spirituality and philosophy. These books are called the Upanishads, or the Vedanta. Veda means 'knowledge'; therefore, Vedanta also means 'the end of knowledge,' or 'the highest knowledge.' It is claimed that at least six thousand years ago this body of spiritual knowledge was experienced and discovered in India by its sages and seers.

The principles of Vedanta are impersonal, universal and eternal. They are about God, soul, and the world. Vedanta teaches that each soul is potentially divine - the infinite ocean of Existence, Knowledge and Bliss. The goal of human life is to manifest this innate divinity through meditation (Raja yoga), devotion (Bhakti yoga), selfless action (Karma yoga), and discrimination (Jnana yoga). Vedanta preaches the unity of the Godhead and accepts every faith as a valid means to realize God. As the Rig Veda, the oldest scripture of the Hindus, declares, "Truth is One; sages call it by various names." Vedanta is a religion, a philosophy, and a way of life.

In modern times the eternal vedic truths were re-experienced and re-discovered by Sri Ramakrishna (1836 - 1886). He also practiced other religions and came to the same conclusion as is mentioned in the Rig Veda, that "As many faiths, so many paths."