( From Chicago calling e-zine )
Sri Ramakrishna is the personified Absolute Brahman. This is not a biased statement. One may wonder why on every altar of Vedanta Society shrines, there are three pictures – at the center Sri Ramakrishna, at His left, Ma Sarada Devi, and at His right, Swami Vivekananda. Their names are uttered together on many occasions. Devotees lovingly mention them as Thakur-Ma-Swamiji. They are apparently three personalities but in reality, One. The Ultimate Absolute Reality which is known as Brahman in Vedanta has three aspects – Sat – Being or Existence, Cit – Consciousness or Knowledge, and Ananda – Bliss or Reality. The ‘Sat’ aspect of Brahman has three aspects – Existence, Unity, and Power. All these three aspects of “Sat” are found in the personality of Ma Sarada Devi. The Mother gives existence to the child. “I am the mother of the good, I am the mother of the wicked,” said Ma Sarada. “I am the mother of all.” It is the great Mother Heart that is the source of all Unity. The gentle aspect of Mother Power, Anugraha-Shakti, the power of blessing found its highest expression in Ma Sarada. To introduce Ma Sarada, Sri Ramakrishna declared, “She is My Shakti.” Ma Sarada is Brahman.
The ‘Cit’ aspect of Brahman also has three modes – Knowledge, Will and Self – these are fully expressed in the life of Swami Vivekananda. Sri Ramakrishna proclaimed, “Naren will teach the world” (“naren shikhe dibe”), and today we find that the highest spiritual knowledge, Vedanta, got expression in his words and life. ‘Cit’, the Vimarsha aspect of Brahman, is expressed through Para and Apara – Spiritual and Mundane Knowledge. Those who possess this aspect are known as Yuga-Acharya, the epochal teachers, which Swami Vivekananda is. Again, in him, Will Power, Iccha Shakti found its highest and widest expression. Also, the third aspect of ‘Cit’, Selfawareness. In ordinary people it manifests as ego. In spiritually awakened persons like Swami Vivekananda it is expressed as Atman. “The more I grow the more it seems to me that everything lies in manliness.” “I have a message to the W
est … I am the child of God” are the expressions of an Atmajnani. Swami Vivekananda is Brahman. Upanishads describe Brahman as ‘Ananda’ – Ananda is the basis of Reality (raso vai sah: taittiriya upanisad. 2.7.1).
This Ananda aspect of Brahman is manifested through the ‘Avatāra’, the Divine Incarnation, so that ordinary people can understand. Bliss is the goal of all human beings and an Avatāra, living as an ordinary human, helps and guides human society to reach the goal – Brahma-Jnana. In the present age, Brahman manifested as Sri Ramakrishna for the welfare of the whole world. How? By establishing ‘Dharma’ (sthāpakāya ca dharmasya) How? By invoking the Mother Power, Mātr Shakti, through Ma Sarada; by manifesting the Guru Power, Guru Shakti, through Swami Vivekananda, and demonstrating Ananda, Hladhini Shakti, through His own life. Sri Ramakrishna – Ma Sarada – Swami Vivekananda are apparently three different personalities, in reality One.