Pearls of Wise

Shashwata-Bharata Ratha Yatra: Jalpaiguri, November 2024 ================================================================================================= Tuesday 26, November 2024, 05:30. THE SPIRIT AND INFLUENCE OF VEDANTA:  Swami Vivekananda. (Delivered at the Twentieth Century Club, Boston) ================================================================================================= Before going into the subject of this afternoon, will you allow me to say a few words of thanks, now that I have the opportunity? I have lived three years amongst you. I have travelled over nearly the whole of America, and as I am going back from here to my own country, it is meet that I should take this opportunity of expressing my gratitude in this Athens of America. When I first came to this country, after a few days I thought I would be able to write a book on the nation. But after three years' stay here, I find I am not able to write even a page. On the other hand, I find in travelling in v...

=================================================================================== Monday 25, November 2024, 05:30 Why Is A Temple Special Place of Worship?  Swami Chidanand Saraswati. Parmarth Niketan - Rishikesh An abode dedicated to the welfare of all ================================== Swami Chidanand Saraswati: People may ask, “If God is everywhere, if every living being is a manifestation of Brahman, then why do we need to go to the temple?” There are many reasons. The most important one is that a temple is not only the home of God; it is a concentration of divine energy. During the Prana Pratishtha ceremony, installation of deities, murtis become powerful manifestations of God. Priests chant special Vedic mantras and perform sacred rituals which endow these deities with divine attributes and powers. Therefore, praying before a deity in a temple may give us a greater sense of being in the presence of God than praying in our own homes. Additionally, the temple building itself ...