Kali Mandir Satsang

Discourse by Rev. Swami Chetanananda Puri, senior monk of the Ramakrishna Math and Mission, and Minister of the Vedanta Society of St. Louis, given at Kali Mandir Ramakrishna Ashram on 29 July 2023.

Two Poems by His Holiness Guruji Swami Vishnudevanand Saraswati of Prayagraj~Allahabad (1904-1997), read by Rev. Dr. Swami Bhajanananda Saraswati. Guruji wrote these poems in 1978 sitting on a bench in Central Park in response to a devotee's question: "What is vairagya?"   ADMONITION I Oh Son of Immortality! You are the Divine Dweller You have come here as a stranger and a traveler   It is a domai...

Swami Bhajanananda Saraswati is joined by special guest scholar George Barselaar, a disciple and attendant of the great master of Kashmiri Shaivism His Holiness Swami Lakshmanjoo, live from Swamiji's ashram in Srinagar, Kashmir. We are continuing the discussion we started last week on verse 2.10: विमर्श इति तां प्राहुः शैवशास्त्रविशारदाः | अविद्यामितरे प्राहुर्वेदतत्त्वार्थचिन्तकाः || १० || 10. vi...

A short exert from "Advice for Spiritual Living" by His Holiness Gurudev Swami Chidananda Saraswati (1916-2008), read by Rev. Dr. Swami Bhajanananda Saraswati.  "Blessed Immortal Atman! "It is now the holy period of Navaratri as I write this. The atmosphere is surcharged with deep devotion to Maha-Devi and vibrant with the fervor of worshipfulness, adoration and prayer. Our thoughts are filled wit...

A short exert from "Sadhana, a Textbook of the Psychology and Practice of the Techniques to Spiritual Perfection", pg 365-367 by His Holiness Gurudev Swami Sivananda Saraswati (1887-1963), read by Rev. Dr. Swami Bhajanananda Saraswati.    "Why should you prolong your bondage unnecessarily? Why should you not claim your birthright right now? Do it now. Stand up. Gird your loins. Do rigorous and vig...

Swami Bhajanananda Saraswati is joined by special guest scholar George Barselaar, a disciple and attendant of the great master of Kashmiri Shaivism His Holiness Swami Lakshmanjoo, live from Swamiji's ashram in Srinagar, Kashmir. We are continuing the discussion we started last week on verse 2.10: विमर्श इति तां प्राहुः शैवशास्त्रविशारदाः | अविद्यामितरे प्राहुर्वेदतत्त्वार्थचिन्तकाः || १० || 10. vi...

Scripture class by Rev. Dr. Swami Bhajanananda Saraswati on Devi Gita, chapter 2, verses 9 & 10 given to students of the Ramakrishna Seminary at Kali Mandir via Zoom on 14 June 2023. केचित् तां तप इत्याहुस्तमः केचिज्जडं परे | ज्ञानं मायां प्रधानं च प्रकृतिं शक्तिमप्यजाम् || ९ || kecit tāṃ tapa ityāhus-tamaḥ kecij-jaḍaṃ pare | jñānaṃ māyāṃ pradhānaṃ ca prakṛtiṃ śakti-mapyajām || 9 || 9. "Some call...

A short selection from "Ramdas Speaks, Vol. V", page 142-143 by His Holiness Papa Swami Ramdas (1884-1963), read by Rev. Dr. Swami Bhajanananda Saraswati   "The easiest way to attain this beatific vision, Ramdas can tell you, is the repetition of God's holy name. Ramdas has read in the teachings of all the great sages and saints of India, about the glory of the Divine Name. Sri Ramakrishna and the...

Scripture class by Rev. Dr. Swami Bhajanananda Saraswati on Devi Gita, chapter 2, verses 7 & 8 given to students of the Ramakrishna Seminary at Kali Mandir via Zoom on 7 June 2023. स्वाशक्तेश्च समायोगादहं बीजात्मतां गता | स्वाधारावरणात् तस्या दोषत्वं च समागतम् || ७ || svāśakteśca samā-yogād-ahaṃ bījātmatāṃ gatā | svādhārā-varaṇāt tasyā doṣatvaṃ ca samāgatam || 7 || 7. "By uniting with this inheren...

Narendra Hathaway, Dante, and Trevor Hall (Rampriya Das) perform in Laguna Canyon in celebration of Kali Mandir's 30th anniversary. 

Morning worship of Ma Dakshineswari Kali and bhajans recorded on 28 May 2023

Scripture class by Rev. Dr. Swami Bhajanananda Saraswati on the Devi Gita of the Srimad Devi Bhagavatam, chapter 2, verses 5 & 6 given to students of the Ramakrishna Seminary at Kali Mandir via Zoom on 17 May 2023. पावकस्योष्ण्यतेवेयमुष्णांशोरिव दीधितिः | चन्द्रस्य चन्द्रिकेवेयं ममेयं सहजा ध्रुवा || ५ || pāvakasyoṣṇyateveyamuṣṇāṃśoriva dīdhitiḥ | candrasya candrikeveyaṃ mameyaṃ sahajā dhruvā || 5...

Scripture class by Rev. Dr. Swami Bhajanananda Saraswati on Devi Gita, chapter 2, verses 3 & 4 given to students of the Ramakrishna Seminary at Kali Mandir via Zoom on 10 May 2023. अप्रतर्क्यमनिर्देश्यमनौपम्यमनामयम् | तस्य काचित् स्वतः सिद्धा शक्तिर्मायेति विश्रुता || ३ || apratarkyam-anirdeśyam-anaupamyam-anāmayam | tasya kācit svataḥ siddhā śaktirmāyeti viśrutā || 3 || 3. "It is beyond reason, i...

Scripture class by Rev. Dr. Swami Bhajanananda Saraswati on Devi Gita, chapter 2, verses 1 & 2 given to students of the Ramakrishna Seminary at Kali Mandir via Zoom on 26 April 2023. शृण्वन्तु निर्जराः सर्वे व्याहर्न्त्या वचो मम | यस्य श्रवणमात्रेण मद्रूपत्वं प्रपद्यते || १ || śṛṇvantu nirjarāḥ sarve vyāharntyā vaco mama | yasya śravaṇa-mātreṇa mad-rūpa-tvaṃ prapadyate || 1 || 1. "May all the gods...

Scripture class by Rev. Dr. Swami Bhajanananda Saraswati on Devi Gita, chapter 1, verses 71-74 given to students of the Ramakrishna Seminary at Kali Mandir via Zoom on 13 April 2023. न जानेऽस्मत्पितॄणां किं स्थानं स्यान्निर्मितं परम् | एतादृशानां वास्याय येषां वंशेऽस्ति मादृशः || ७१ || na jāne’smat-pitṝṇāṃ kiṃ sthānaṃ syānnirmitaṃ param | etādṛśānāṃ vāsyāya yeṣāṃ vaṃśe’sti mādṛśaḥ || 71 || 71. "I...

Scripture class by Rev. Dr. Swami Bhajanananda Saraswati on Devi Gita, chapter 1, verses 66-70 given to students of the Ramakrishna Seminary at Kali Mandir via Zoom on 29 March 2023. व्यास उवाच vyāsa uvāca Vyasa said:   हिमालयोऽपि तच्छ्रुत्वात्यनुग्रह-करम् वचः | बाष्पैः संरुद्धकण्ठाक्षो महाराज्ञीं वचोऽब्रवीत् || ६६ || himālayo’pi tacchrutvātyanugraha-karam vacaḥ | bāṣpaiḥ saṃ-ruddha-kaṇṭhākṣo mahā...

Scripture class by Rev. Dr. Swami Bhajanananda Saraswati on Devi Gita, chapter 1, verses 63-65 given to students of the Ramakrishna Seminary at Kali Mandir via Zoom on 15 March 2023. इति तेषां वचः श्रुत्वा प्रोवाच परमेश्वरी | मम शक्तिस्तु या गौरी भविष्यति हिमालये || ६३ || iti teṣāṃ vacaḥ śrutvā provāca parameśvarī | mama śaktistu yā gaurī bhaviṣyati himālaye || 63 || 63. (Vyasa continued): "The Su...

Scripture class by Rev. Dr. Swami Bhajanananda Saraswati on Devi Gita, chapter 1, verses 58-62 given to students of the Ramakrishna Seminary at Kali Mandir via Zoom on 8 March 2023.   ना’ज्ञातं किञ्चिदप्यत्र भवत्या’स्ति जगत्त्रये || ५८ || nā’jñātaṃ kiñcidapyatra bhavatyā’sti jagat-traye || 58 || 58. (The Gods said): “Nothing here in the three worlds is unknown to You   सर्वज्णया सर्वसाक्षिरूपिण्या...

Scripture class by Rev. Dr. Swami Bhajanananda Saraswati on Devi Gita, chapter 1, verses 54- 57 given to students of the Ramakrishna Seminary at Kali Mandir via Zoom on 1 March 2023. इति स्तुता तदा देवैर्मणिद्वीपाधिवासिनी | प्राह वाचा मधुरया मत्तकोकिलनिःस्वना || ५४ || iti stutā tadā devair-maṇi-dvīpādhi-vāsinī | prāha vācā madhurayā matta-kokila-niḥsvanā || 54 || 54. "Thus praised by the gods, She...

Scripture class by Rev. Dr. Swami Bhajanananda Saraswati on Devi Gita, chapter 1, verses 54- 57 given to students of the Ramakrishna Seminary at Kali Mandir via Zoom on 1 March 2023. इति स्तुता तदा देवैर्मणिद्वीपाधिवासिनी | प्राह वाचा मधुरया मत्तकोकिलनिःस्वना || ५४ || iti stutā tadā devair-maṇi-dvīpādhi-vāsinī | prāha vācā madhurayā matta-kokila-niḥsvanā || 54 || 54. "Thus praised by the gods, She...

Scripture class by Rev. Dr. Swami Bhajanananda Saraswati on Devi Gita, chapter 1, verses 51-53 given to students of the Ramakrishna Seminary at Kali Mandir via Zoom on 22 February 2023.  नुमस्तत्पदालक्ष्यार्थां चिदेकरसरूपिणीम् | अखण्डानन्दरूपां तां वेदतात्पर्यभूमिकाम् || ५१ || numastat-padālakṣyārthāṃ cide-kara-sarūpiṇīm | akhaṇḍānanda-rūpāṃ tāṃ veda-tātparya-bhūmikām || 51 || 51. "We glorify Her...

Scripture class on Devi Gita, chapter 1, verses 49 - 50, given by Rev. Dr. Swami Bhajanananda Saraswati to students of Ramakrishna Seminary via Zoom on 15 February 2023. (Note: We are having trouble uploading the video of this class. At present only the audio is available.) नमोविराट्स्वरूपिण्यै नमः सूत्रात्ममूर्तये | नमोव्याकृतरूपिण्यै नमः श्रीब्रह्ममूर्तये || ४९ || namo-virāṭ-svarūpiṇyai  namaḥ s...

Scripture class on Devi Gita, chapter 1, verse 46 - 48, given by Rev. Dr. Swami Bhajanananda Saraswati to students of Ramakrishna Seminary via Zoom on 8 February 2023.   देवीं वाचमजनयन्त देवास्तां विश्वरूपाः पशवो वदन्ति | सा नो मन्द्रेषमूर्जं दुहाना धेनुर्वागस्मानुप सुष्टुतैतु || ४६ || devīṃ vācam-ajanayanta devā-stāṃ viśva-rūpāḥ paśavo vadanti | sā no mandreṣam-ūrjaṃ duhānā dhenur-vāg-asmān-upa s...

Scripture class on Devi Gita, chapter 1, verse 45, given by Rev. Dr. Swami Bhajanananda Saraswati to students of Ramakrishna Seminary via Zoom on 14 September 2022. तामग्निवर्णां तपसा ज्वलन्तीं वैरोव्चनीं कर्माफलेषु जुष्टाम् | दुर्गां देवीं शरणमहम् प्रपद्ये सुतरसि तरसे नमः || ४५ || tām-agni-varṇāṃ tapasā jvalantīṃ vairovcanīṃ karmā-phaleṣu juṣṭām | durgāṃ devīṃ śaraṇamaham prapadye sutarasi tarase...

Discourse by Revered Swami Chetananandaji Maharaj, senior monk of the Ramakrishna Math and Minister of the Vedanta Society of St. Louis, given at Kali Mandir Ramakrishna Ashram on 10 September 2022. Swamiji gives the gist of  one of his untranslated Bengali articles.