Answer: Sri Ramakrishna says that God is with form, without form and beyond form. As you know our ordinary mind can conceive only finite things. Even infinity is conceived as one without finiteness. So one uses the form to go beyond the form.
Swami Vivekananda once during his wanderings had to make a king understand the same topic of idolatry. He asks the ministers to take down the photo of the king and spit on it. The whole assembly was horrified. Then Swamiji says "why this is just a piece of paper. Since this brings to your mind the king, you respect and worship." Similarly Hindus worship images. It is not idolatry. Take for example a devout Muslim going to Mekka, going round the rock and kissing it or bow down in a Darga or a Masjid facing the west. Why does he do it? Because, it brings him the memory of Allah.
As per the Hindu philosophy, Purusha the masculine aspect is the potential energy and Prakriti is like kinetic energy. In any action i.e. the creation, preservation and destruction of the world, both aspects come, female aspect as the counterpart of the male.
Different religions are different paths leading towards the same goal God or Allah or whatever you may call. Again Sri Ramakrishna says it is the same water but people calls it differently as water,Aqua,Pani,Jal etc.
All religions are true and same in essence. But the followers quarrel about the certain traditions and practices, doctrines & dogmas, which are secondary details. I shall conclude this with Swamiji's statement.
Each Soul is potentially divine.
The goal is to manifest this divinity within, by controlling nature, external and internal.
Do this either by work, or worship, or psychic control or worship or philosophy - by one or more, or all of these and be free. This is the work of religion.
Doctrines, or dogmas, or rituals, or books, or temples, or forms, are but secondary details.
Question: Thanks for clarifying my doubt. Actually, Holy Gita and Swami Vivekananda's complete works only inspired me to read all other religious scriptures like Holy Quran, Holy Bible, Dammapada of Buddhism and many Sufi mystics, scriptures and made me to come out from a particular name and form. I was regularly visiting Sri Venkateswara temple till 7 years before either due to fear or due to some desires to get fulfilled etc. 6 years before, when I had last Darshan in front of that deity, I was having Swami Vivekananda's book in my hand and meditated on that deity mentally that in future, I don't want to see you in this form only and get caught up. Your form is Universal which is the un-manifest and manifested form of entire universe, human beings and creatures and came out of that temple. Afterwards, I started practicing Advaitic meditation regularly 3 times a day and self-control and mental discipline. My mother use to say, 'Since you stopped going to Venkateswara temple something will happen etc., 'I told my mother,' nothing will happen. I catch hold of the Master. Even if anything happens, that is not due to what you say. Last month when I talked to my mother, I told,' anything happened". She said," No'. I told her,' many things will happen in one's life. If the mind becomes weak, you will try to connect that happening with my not going to that temple.'
By God's Grace, I am blessed with nearly 80 years old father, 75 years old mother, Spiritual partner who is working as a voluntary teacher in a blind school at Hyderabad, well mannered and disciplined son who had completed his engineering and daughter who had completed her 12th std.
Answer: Glad to you get and note the contents of your e-mail of 20th
May God speed to you and lead you from known to the unknown.
With my prayers to the Divine Supreme and best wishes.

Answer: Please don't loose faith in God. Doubts will come like clouds. Pray intensely to the Lord for guidance. Keep on praying and do meditation. Remember him as many times as possible, if not constantly. Be strong and don't yield to doubts and despair. These are like tests. We should come out successfully. I am sure your faith in God will become stronger and stronger day-by-day.

Answer: We are glad to know that you have a leaning towards spiritual life. One can lead a spiritual life without taking up Sannyasa. Follow the dictates of your heart. Please do not allow the world to enter into your heart. Keep the heart pure. Be good, do good and lead a most unselfish life. Read Swami Vivekananda's life and teachings.

Answer: Glad to meet you at the ashrama. In the meanwhile I have also received your e-mail of 28th. Please follow the instructions, I gave you in person. I shall put down the same for your reference.
1. Stop doing 'Pranayama'. Do as some simple breathing exercise without Kumbhaka (retention). Swami Vivekananda warms the aspirants as to not to do without a proper guide. Besides, this is the 4th stage of Raja Yoga Yama, Niyama, Asana have to be perfected before hand.
2. Continue to do Sandhyavandana with Gayatri Japa. The seat of concentration should be 'heart' not the 'head' - Sahasrara. Gayatyri Japa is the main thing only in Sandhyavandana.
3. The jerk may be purely physical, connected with nerves. It is advisable to consult a good doctor.
4. Read selections from the Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda and the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna. You can be in touch with me and visit the Ashrama whenever you can.

Answer: According to Hindu scriptures, Brahman - the Divine Supreme - projected this universe - first cosmic, then organic, at various levels of evolution. He was not satisfied with all these animals, serpents, fish, trees, etc. because He would not be able to rediscover Himself. So He projected the human form in which He could rediscover Himself. This is the greatness and uniqueness of human birth; one can manifest one's divinity. The various paths are described for this purpose. The journey through these paths is known as spiritual life . Meditation is one of the higher steps of spiritual life. You read the following two books, where you can get a detailed idea:

1) Meditation and Its methods by Swami Vivekananda

2) Meditation and Spiritual Life by Swami Yatishwarananda

Answer: If you want to join, you have to follow the following rules:
1. You should be a bachelor and with a minimum qualification of SSLC (within 25 years of age). If you are a graduate, you may join before 28 years. If you are between 28 and 30 years, you need to be a post-graduate.
2. No family encumbrances.
3. You should have thorough knowledge about Ramakrishna Vivekananda literature and clear ideas as to why you want to join the math.
4. We request you to give your residential address or you can contact the nearest Ramakrishna Math center for further details.
5. if you so desire, you may join our center at Ulsoor, Bangalore

Answer: Be in touch with your nearest centre to know when the President or the Vice-President of our Order visit Bangalore. In order to be eligible for initiation you need to note following points:
You should have read at least short biographies of Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Sarada Maa and Swami Vivekananda with their important teachings. Preferably, you should be in touch with some center of Ramakrishna Order and known to some Swamiji. You need to fill up a form well in advance.
Please revert back to us for further clarification. Presently what you are practicing is enough.

Answer: Ramakrishna Math & Ramakrishna Mission is a twin spiritual organization. The main goal of the Sadhus & Brahmacharins here is to realize the Ultimate Truth, God or whatever you may call by practicing the spiritual disciplines as envisaged by Sri Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda. The philanthropic works etc are only of secondary value. This is not an organization like a corporate body or company or any other of type meant with commercial motive to workout the projects. Please read "Selections from the Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda" and some other allied books. Visit our Ashrama at New Delhi.

Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama, Ramakrishna Ashrama Marg, New Delhi - 55 E-mail: ashram@rkmissiondel.org and rkndlh@ndf.vsnl.net.in.

Answer: Please read the book The Sri Ramakrishna - The Great Master by Swami Saradananda (Apostle of Sri Ramakrishna) published by Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai - 600 004 Pp. 334-336. The relevant extract is appended.

            Extract from the Sri Ramakrishna - The Great Master by Swami Saradananda 

            Preparations for the worship of Shodasi:
            A little more than half of the month of Jyaishtha, B.E 1280 (A.D. May 25,1873) had elapsed.
            It was the new-moon day, the holy occasion for the worship of the Phalaharini Kalika Devi. It was the day of a special festival at the
            Dakshineswar temple. The Master had made special preparations on that day with a view to worshipping the Mother of the universe. These
            preparations, privately, in his own room at his desire. A wooden seat painted with Alimpana, the pigment of rice powder, for the Devi to
            sit on at the time of worship, had been placed to the right of the worshipper. The sun had set. The now-moon night, veiled in deep
            darkness, had alighted on the earth. Hriday, the Master's nephew, had to perform a special worship of the Devi in the temple. He had,
            therefore, helped as much as possible in the preparations for the Master's worship and had gone away to the temple. Having finished the
            nocturnal service and worship of Radha-Govinda, the first priest, Dinu, came to help the Master in the preparations. It was 9 p.m. when
            all the preparations for the mystery-worship of the Devi were completed. In the meantime, the Master had sent word to the Holy Mother to
            be present during-the worship. She came to the room and the Master started the worship. The Holy Mother worshipped as the Deity
            The articles of worship were purified by the Mantras and all the rites preliminary to the worship were finished. The Master beckoned to
            the Holy Mother to sit on the wooden seat decorated with the Alimpana. While witnessing the worship, the Holy Mother had already entered
            into a divine semi-conscious state. Not clearly conscious, therefore, of what she was doing, she like one charmed with Mantras, sat facing
            north to the right of the Master, who was seated with his face to the east. According to scriptural injunctions the Master sprinkled the
            Holy Mother repeatedly with the water purified by Mantras from the pitcher placed before him, then uttered the Mantra in her hearing and
            then recited the prayer: 

            "O Lady, O Mother Tripurasundari who art the controller of all powers, open the door to perfection! Purify her (the Holy Mother's) body
            and mind, manifest thyself in her and be beneficent."  

            Afterwards the Master performed the Nyasa of the Mantras in the Holy Mother's person according to the injunctions of the Sastras, and
            worshipped her with the sixteen articles, as the Devi Herself. He then offered food and put a part of it into her mouth with his own hand.
            The Holy Mother lost normal consciousness and went into Samadhi. The Master too, uttering Mantras in the semi-conscious state, entered
            into complete Samadhi. The worshipper in Samadhi became perfectly identified and united with the Devi in Samadhi. 

            A long time passed. The second quarter of the night was over and the third had far advanced, when the Master, whose delight was, only in
            the Self, showed a little sign of regaining normal consciousness. Returning to the semi-conscious state again, he offered himself to the
            Devi. He now gave away for ever at the lotus feet of the Devi his all -- the results of his Sadhanas, his rosary etc.-- along with his
            self, and saluted her, uttering the Mantras: 

            "O Thou, the auspiciousness of all auspicious things! O door of all actions! O refuge! O the three-eyed One! O the fair complexioned
            spouse of Siva! O Narayani! I bow down to Thee, I bow down to thee! " 

            The worship was at an end.1 The Master's Sadhana reached its culmination with the worship of the Ruler of the universe, the Divine Mother
            in the body of a woman, the embodiment of spiritual knowledge itself. The god-man attained perfection in all respects. 

        

Answer: Astrology is a science. There are some people who can predict the things " past & future " of person on the basis of their date & time of birth. But unfortunately there are more quacks than the real ones.
The predictions of the past may tally. But it is not necessary that the future predictions will also tally. The man is the maker of his own destiny. When we know certain things, we can take corrective measures. The self effort and Divine grace can alter the course of a person. This is how the man evolves. Simply to say that it is fate is only a weakness.
You have taken shelter under Sri Sri Thakur, Ma and Swamiji. What is the fear? Face the life boldly.
Prayer is a powerful weapon. Pray, pray, pray Ð you will succeed.
You are now 26 years old. So better you follow the advice of your parents and settle in life. One of the important "Mantra" for success is to "understand and adjust", without compromising in the principles.

Answer: Your observation in the book "They lived with God" is correct. It is only those who are of the level of an incarnation can recognize another incarnation, unless one reveals himself. In the modern days there is no depth of fake god-men which makes it all the more difficult to recognize. I feel if we have true devotion to the incarnation of the God as Sri Ramakrishna is sufficient for our spiritual progress, instead of our trying to judge an incarnation person.
Since you have come across this statement in the book of Swami Chetananandaji, if you desire you can send your question to him. His e-mail address is: vedantastl@prodigy.net.
The state of Nirvikalpa Samadhi cannot be expressed. It is a thing to be experienced. There may be some who have experienced. But it is difficult to say whether they will give expression to it, even if they do it, they do so only to another competent person who will be able to comprehend.
Under the circumstances it is more desirable for to do our spiritual practice. To the best of our ability as guided by our Guru & other scriptures.

Answer: You are right.
Please continue to practice the same as you are doing now. You will surely progress in the right path chosen by you.

Answer: Please note that Ramanama Smarana should not be stopped. Continue to do it. If there is pain in the throat, chant the name in the mind. Pain may be due to your talking too much.
With your friends, chant the name of Rama silently and mentally also offer prayers for welfare of all.
You may also consult a good doctor for throat pain.

Answer: I have read it carefully and noted the contents. Please do not lose heart. You are an educated young man having lot of energy. Please do not stop praying to Sri Ramakrishna and have strong faith in him. Have patience. Sri Ramakrishna knows what is best for you and your family. Surrender completely to Him and seek guidance from Him. I am sure He will do the best for you.
"It is people who are getting old, who talk of fate. It is the strong man, who stands up and says, 'I will make my fate,' says Swami Vivekananda.

Answer: I came to know from your letter cited above that you do not have a Guru and you are interested in doing Japam and therefore, how to get initiated?
First of all pray sincerely to your Ishta Devata to take you to a right type of Guru who can lead you in the right path towards the goal supreme. Then one day Lord Himself will lead you to the right person who will guide you in the right direction properly and initiate you with suitable Manta. Guru himself will instruct you how to do Japa? In the meantime you can prepare the ground by daily chanting the name of your favorite deity as many times as possible, reading the Holy Scriptures and life & teachings of your Ishta Devata. Cultivate some sweet relationship between you and the deity.

Answer: My humble advice to you is

1.Take bland diet (Without Salt & species).

2. Don't take pickles or any Garam Masala items.

3.You should give up such food that excites your nerves like garlic or onion.

4.Take only Satvik food.

5. Continue to chant Gayatri Mantra with meaning which you are doing now.

6. Offer intense prayers to make your mind pure.

7.Take some physical exercises daily like Yogasanas.

8. Keep good company.

9. Read good books which will elevate your mind, and cogitate on such good thoughts.

10. Don't think opposite sex as an object of enjoyment, a manufacturing machine. Instead think that they are divine and they are also to be honored, respected and worshipped. In this connection I request you to read that portion from the life of Sri Ramakrishna who worshipped his wife as the Mother of the universe. Unless until you change your outlook you cannot raise in the Moral scale. Every woman is Shakti and she has divinity in her. Pay due respects to that divinity and hate it not.

May Divine Mother of the universe give you sufficient mental strength to overcome all temptations in your life!

Answer: When you inhale "Sri", please inhale "Rama" along with it. Both words should go together. Please don't separate them. Don't do too much of inhaling & exhaling. Instead while chanting Ramanam, meditate the Divine effulgent form of Rama in the heart. That will ease the tension. You have progressed very well in the right direction. Also pray to Sri Hanuman for proper guidance. He will definitely help you. He is the servant of Rama and Ramabhaktas.

1.You must be a graduate.

2. Age should be with in 30 years.

3.You must be a bachelor.

4. No family encumbrances.

5.You must have thorough knowledge about the life & teachings of Ramakrishna- Vivekananda and Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi.

6. Have clear ideas as to why you want to renounce worldly life and become a monk to serve the humanity at large.

7. You are a highly qualified person, so you should think very deeply about your future life.

8. Don't be in a hurry and resign your job, and land yourself in great difficulties which are unknown and unexpected. If you feel you can take some leave & come and stay with us, when we can discuss the matter in person,