Idea and Ideals
Vivekananda Ashrama
The Begining– Ramakrishna Math and Mission
To spread the important teachings of Hinduism, like the unity of existence and the divine potential within everyone, Swami Vivekananda founded the Ramakrishna Mission.
These teachings were shown through the life of his Guru, Shri Ramakrishna, a great spiritual leader of the 19th century. Swami Vivekananda emphasized the idea that everything in the world, both living and non-living, is a part of God. By serving others, we can reach a high level of spiritual understanding and help improve society.
In May 1897, Swami Vivekananda started the Ramakrishna Mission Association. This organization works in society while keeping a spiritual perspective. It serves as a model for how to apply these great ideals in daily life.
The roots of the Ramakrishna Math go back to when Shri Ramakrishna gave ochre robes to his disciples. He asked Swami Vivekananda to ensure they lived together, followed a spiritual life, and helped humanity. Today, this organization has branches around the world, sharing spiritual ideas and values with everyone.
OUR IDEOLOGY
The Ramakrishna Math and Mission are based on the eternal principles of Hinduism found in Vedanta. Here are the key ideas:
God’s Realization is the Ultimate Aim of Life:
Finding God is the most important goal. True peace and fulfillment come from realizing God. God has both a personal and an impersonal aspect. As impersonal, God is seen as Pure Consciousness. As personal, God is known by names like Ishwara and Jehovah.
Potential Divinity of the Soul:
Every person has a divine nature. Our true self is pure consciousness. However, due to ignorance, we identify with our body and mind, leading to suffering from birth and death cycles. When we remove this ignorance, we recognize our true nature and experience ultimate peace and happiness. This realization is called God’s realization.
Synthesis of the Yogas:
The ignorance that makes us identify with our body and mind can be overcome through different paths: selfless work (Karma Yoga), love for God (Bhakti Yoga), meditation (Raja Yoga), and knowledge (Jnana Yoga). Each path is important, but it is better to practice all four together. This balanced approach helps develop a well-rounded personality.
Harmony of Religions:
Sri Ramakrishna practiced many different religions, both within Hinduism and outside it. He found that all paths lead to the same truth. If someone truly seeks God and is willing to give up worldly attachments, they can reach this goal through any religion. The differences in religions are often just in the less important details. He taught that God is both personal and impersonal and that all deities are different forms of the same God. Understanding that everyone is divine can help create a Universal Religion.
Work as Worship:
Swami Vivekananda emphasized that God is present in everything. All things in the world are expressions of God, and every individual soul is also divine. By serving others (Jiva) as if they were God (Shiva), we can turn our work into a form of worship. This makes work a powerful way to realize God.
Avatarhood of Sri Ramakrishna:
In Hindu tradition, God takes human form as an Avatara in every age to renew religions. Sri Ramakrishna not only revived Hinduism but also promoted the idea of harmony among all religions. His teachings encouraged people to respect and strengthen their own faith, no matter what religion they followed.