‘Attachment’ of the Yogi
[2nd President and Spiritual Head: the Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa]
DAILY READINGS
From Mother Radha's recordings of Swamiji
739
Sri Ramakrishna smoked; but he didn't smoke ganja [marijuana] and so on. Now, because he smoked will you say: 'That man was evil'? He saw everybody smoking and he said to himself, 'Why should I refuse to smoke? The people that smoke will feel guilty. Let me have a couple of puffs.' But it didn't make him a slave. The yogis, in order to stay in the body, must have a thin thread of something [seeming 'attachment'] to cling onto, something that they can later snap off. So rather choose a thread that you are used to.
My thread is Shamolia [a baby at the time, now an adult with two sons and still a devoted chela – disciple]. I could have another thread [seeming 'attachment'] – but that's the best thread I can get. Having to call the world my apparent home, I am doing good to it at the same time.
Atmaprana [Pravrajika Atmaprana – the first sannyasini (nun) of the Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa] : What is "soma juice" as mentioned in the scriptures, Swamiji?
Swamiji: There is a symbolic meaning to everything the scriptures say. It is also a kind of juice taken from plants, a mixture that the yogis drank. But the higher philosophical meaning of soma juice is devotion, love. Soma is mind.
Atmaprana: Is it something to do with the moon?
Swamiji: Yes, mind and moon, they are the same. If you find a moon mentioned somewhere in the scriptures you must remember it is telling you about the mind.
Because Lord Shiva has a crescent moon some people say, 'Shiva has a crescent moon, he has so little mind, so small a mind.' [laughter] I say, 'No he has only exposed that much and look what is happening in the world. If he exposes the whole moon what will happen? You will misunderstand him or you will die.'
Soma is mind. The juice of the mind will be love. If you have that then you get drunk. Sri Ramakrishna said, 'I am drunk, not drunk with ordinary drink, I am drunk with my [Divine] Mother's name, "Kali, Kali". Once I take that name I am drunk.' He had soma juice.
A lot of our writers, even in India, merely take the words of the scriptures at face value.
1) Care should be taken by the reader to understand and take Swamiji's words in these postings, in context. Every teaching or instruction that he gave was specific to the people who were with Swamiji at the time. 2) Mouse-over the words highlighted in red in the posting for further explanation or links.
There are currently available, over 100 different CDs or DVDs with mp3 files, of Swamiji speaking. Please email timhoare@webmail.co.za to order. Click HERE for the second website on Swamiji's life and teachings.
Sri Ramakrishna Sri Sarada Devi Swami Vivekananda
Swami Nischalananda Swami Shivapadananda
The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna - read online
Reference websites – please mouse over the name and click to connect:
Ramakrishna Math and Mission Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa Ramakrishna Dham