Swami Atmananda on Monastic Life

Atmananda would keep only a minimum number of clothes and other personal belongings. Normally he would keep with him one shirt, two pieces of cloth, and one vest. He would say: “If one can manage with only a single piece of cloth, one should not keep more. Should one engage the mind which should be offered to God in looking after one’s belongings?” Occasionally he used to pack all his belongings, tie them at the end of a stick, and check whether he could, if necessary carry his own luggage himself.

Atmananda loved orderliness. His few belongings were kept very nicely arranged; even a broom was carefully placed in its own particular place. Regarding the importance of keeping things in order, he said: “It is a sign of control over one’s mind. Those who are haphazard externally are so internally also. A good artist can become a good monk. An artist must have concentration of mind without which spiritual practice is impossible.” He would also say, “Everything must be in its proper place.” … He would often say: “A monk should live in such a way that he can be prepared to depart from the ashrama in five minutes. Likewise, he should also be ready to depart from this world as soon as the final call comes. He should be completely unattached.” …

According to him, ”If a monk depends solely on God, he will never be in want of anything.” His counsel to monks was: “Do you know what sannyasa means? It is to sacrifice the body for the good of the world, for the welfare of the people, by eating whose food you are maintaining your monastic life.”

Though non-acceptance of gifts was one of the cardinal principles of Atmananda’s life, he never rejected the affectionate gifts given by any devotee or monk. He would gladly accept the presents but would at once send them to the general store of the ashrama for the use of all. …

He disliked unrestrained mixing of the monastic members with lay devotees and advised the former to always keep their distance. To monks who mixed too much with householders he would say, “This will harm your spirit of renunciation and lead to your ruin.” He would also tell them: “Don’t remain in the town after dusk. The mind gets attached to worldliness by seeing the attractive glamour and beauty of the city at night. Finish your work early and return to the ashrama before evening. The prayer rug protects the monk. While walking along the street don’t look right or left out of curiosity.”

He would be annoyed if he found monastics engaged in gossip or political discussions and would say: “Gossip ruins a man. Therefore beware of it. If you have no work, you might as well sleep in your room, but do not indulge in gossip. If someone comes to you for idle talk, start reading a book. You will find that the person will not stay long.” He would say to the young monks: “When one is unable to remove the undesirable impressions already existing in the mind, why gather new impressions? It is not good for a monk to cherish such desires as ‘I shall see this,’ or ‘I shall know that,’ etc.” He also did not like to see the monks reading newspapers. Once a monk asked him, ”Unless we read the newspaper how shall we get information about floods, famine, and other calamities?" “Are you the head of the ashrama?" Atmananda asked in reply. Then he said: “The superior who is in charge of the ashrama will gather all the information and instruct you accordingly. Simply obey his orders. The goal of life is to realize God. For that purpose only, strict monastic vows are adopted. Therefore whatever stands in the way of following these vows and whatever distracts the mind should be mercilessly abandoned.” In the Dhaka monastery the newspapers were kept in the library and were not allowed inside the monks’ quarters. To the new entrants he would often say: How will you spend your days in our old age when you won’t have the capacity to work? This is why it is necessary to form right now good habits like those of meditation, japa, reading the scriptures, and holy discussion. If you waste your time now by gossiping then in your old age also you will have to do the same. Make a routine and follow it strictly. Of course, some time should be provided for talking after meals or for an evening walk.”

Atmananda also did not like the idea of monks mixing too much with women devotees. When women devotees would visit the ashrama, he would talk to them only as a duty and only by way of answering their questions. He would say, “There should be an ashrama where there is not even a female sweeper.” One day some students and teachers of a local girls’ school visited the Dhaka ashrama, and Atmananda asked a brahmachari to distribute prasad to them. Seeing that the brahmachari was taking much time doing this, Atmananda later said to him by way of advice: “Unmarried girls are like poisonous snakes. Never be in their company for long.”

—Monastic Disciples of Swami Vivekananda, 191–195

Holy Mother on Renunciation

I asked the Holy Mother, “How shall I lead a spiritual life, Mother?” She said, “Spend your days as you are doing now. Pray to Him earnestly and remember Him always.”

Disciple: Mother, the fact that even great men become degraded frightens me terribly.

Mother: When a person has enjoyable things all around him, their influence naturally affects him. My son, don’t look at a woman, even if it be only a figure made of wood. Avoid the company of women.

Disciple: Men can’t do anything on their own. It is He who is making them do all that they do.

Mother: True it is that He is causing men to do everything. But do they have that understanding? Being filled with egotism, they think they are the doers of everything and that they don’t have to depend upon God. Those who rely on Him are protected by Him from all dangers.

Then pointing to a monk, the Mother continued: “The Master used to say, ‘Monk, beware!’ A monk has always to be on the alert. He should be cautious all the time. A monk’s path is very slippery. In walking along a slippery path, one has to move cautiously at every moment. Is it easy to become a monk? A monk must not even glance at a woman. While walking he should keep his eyes fixed on his toes. The ochre cloth of a monk protects him as does the collar on a dog. No one hurts such a dog, for they know it has a master.

“A man’s mind runs after bad things. If he wants to act virtuously, the mind fails to co-operate. In earlier days I used to leave my bed daily at three o’clock in the morning to meditate. One day I felt unwell and out of laziness dispensed with the meditation. Because of this my meditation was stopped for a few days. Therefore, if one wants to achieve something noble, he must be sincerely arduous and seized with a firm resolve. When I used to stay in the Nahabat, on moonlit nights I would look at the reflection of the moon in the still waters of the Ganges and, weeping, pray to God, ‘There are stains even on the moon, but let my mind be absolutely stainless.’ During my stay there the Master forbade even Ramlal to see me, although he was a nephew. Now-a-days I talk with all and come out in the presence of others.

“You are a Calcutta boy. Had you so desired, you could have married and led a householder’s life. Since you have renounced everything, why should you give your mind to it again? Should one again take in the spittle that has been once spat out?”

—Swami Shantananda, The Gospel of the Holy Mother, p. 212

Advice to Monks

Mother said, “You are attached to the world, and this āsakti must be put an end to by virāga. This is the second stage. But you must not stop here, you must not be attached to virāga either, it is but a means to an end. You must go higher up and beyond both these and observe indifference. The object in view is to make the mind waveless so that on the calm mind you may find the image of Ātmā reflected.”

Mother used to say, “Vichāra and vairāgya must go hand-in-hand, the object in view being to make the mind calm. Sometimes sadhus make the show of vairāgya the be-all and end-all of their lives; they do not pause and reflect where all this is leading them. A sadhu, though he may be looked upon as full of virāga, may be attached to some new object of attachment such as clotted hair or flowing beard or even the orange robe. If these make him proud and he becomes fully occupied with the thoughts of these things, he is no nearer the goal in spite of his so-called renunciation.”

—Brahmajna Ma

Renunciation and Surrender

The life of renunciation is the only life that can make us truly happy. No other life can ever do so. It is certain that one day we shall have to give up everything whether we want to or not. It is much better to give it up gladly and freely before we are compelled to do so. But if one cannot do that, the next best course is to turn everything over to Mother and abide by her decree. Know her to be the only guide in life under all conditions. Pleasure and pain pass away. They do not last long. We gather knowledge through experience; and by not identifying ourselves with pain or pleasure we gain freedom. Be always content with what Mother ordains. She knows what is best for us. Such a life also brings peace and consolation; and then the world can do us no harm.

You are Mother's children; you need not be afraid of the world. Be devoted to her and she will take care of you. She alone is Real. All else is vanity and vexation. Did not Jesus say, "What shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" Mother is the Soul of our souls. If we have her we no longer care much for the things of this world.

The world goes on in its way and will continue to do so for all eternity. But he who sees Mother in everything and knows for certain that it is all her play will have rest for his soul and peace within. May we see her hand and guidance in everything. May she bless us.

Yours in the Mother,
Turiyananda

(Written from Rishikesh on 17 February 1914 to a student from California.) From: Spiritual Treasures: Letters of Swami Turiyananda, trans. and ed. Swami Chetanananda (St Louis: Vedanta Society, 1992), 251.