Can everyone comprehend Brahman?

Sri Ramakrishna: "Can everyone comprehend Brahman, the Indivisible Existence-Knowledge-Bliss Absolute? He alone has attained perfect love of God who, having reached the Absolute, keeps himself in the realm of the Relative in order to enjoy the divine lila. A man can describe the ways and activities of the Queen (Queen Victoria.) if he has previously visited her in England. Only then will his description of the Queen be correct. Sages like Bharadvaja adored Rama and said: 'O Rama, You are nothing but the Indivisible Satchidananda. You have appeared before us as a human being, but You look like a man because You have shrouded Yourself with Your own maya.' These rishis were great devotees of Rama and had supreme love for God."

Source: Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna

Mahashivarathri Celebrations with Jaggi Vasudev

Namaste,

Dear Divine Souls,

If you are a follower of Sadguru Jaggi Vasudev and or would like to attend to Mahashivaratri Celebration in his presence, an event will be organized at Isha Yoga Center at the foothills of the Velliangiri Mountains.

As per the information provided to me, there will be no entry fees. If you are unable to attend the event physically, you can also watch it online after registering for event.. Donation is optional. However, there are paid alternatives abailable like high quality downloads with costs Rs. 500/- (USD 10) and Rs. 1000/- (USD 20) respectively.

Please find the official announcement in below links:

Mahashivarathri – A Rapturous Night with the Divine

Pancha Bhuta Aradhana

Register to Watch Online

Aum

Sri Ramakrishna on Prema

In a little while a number of elderly Brahmo devotees arrive from Calcutta. One of them is Thakurdas Sen. There is a big gathering of devotees in the room. Thakur is seated on the smaller cot. Facing north, with a smile on his face, he sits like a child, conversing happily with the Brahmo devotees.

Sri Ramakrishna (to the Brahmo devotees and others) — You people talk so much of prema. But is it such an ordinary thing? Chaitanya Deva was in the state of ecstatic love. There are two characteristics of ecstatic love. One is to forget the world, to become unaware of everything external in the love of God. Chaitanya Deva would think that it was Vrindavan when he was in any forest and it was the Jamuna river at the sight of the sea.

“The second characteristic is to have no attachment to the body one holds so dear. The conviction of the body as the self fully disappears.

“You cannot have prema till you have seen the Lord.

“There are some marks of God-realization. When the splendour of love manifests within, God-realization is not far away.

“What does the splendour of love mean? Discrimination, dispassion, compassion, service to the holy, company of the holy, chanting the name and glories of the Lord, truthfulness – all these.

“When one comes across these signs of love, one can know that the vision of God is not far away. By looking at the condition of the servant’s house, one can easily determine if a rich man has decided to visit it. First of all, all weeds are cleared, cobwebs are removed, and the floor of the house is cleaned. The rich man himself sends a cotton carpet, a hubble-bubble and other such things. Seeing all these things being carried to the house, everyone surmises that the visit of a gentleman is not far away.”

A Devotee — Sir, does one have to reason before being able to control the senses?

Sri Ramakrishna — That is a path – the path of discrimination. If you take to the path of devotion, the inner senses get controlled automatically. And it is easier. The more you develop love for the Lord, the less you care for the pleasures of the senses.

“When they lose their child, can the grief-stricken parents think of their bodily pleasures?

Source: Sri Ramakrishna Kathamrita, Section III, Chapter 3