Of what avail is knowing the material background of this world when the world melts away at the very touch of the Divine? The Atman is the background of the sinner and the saint. Let us instead know this truth of truths ( satyasya satyam ) well and let all material considerations that taint the soul rest awhile. Is it worthwhile spending one's entire life chasing ephemeral dreams of money and matter when Ramakrishna's call from the Kuthi Bari at Dakshineshwar beckons us still to leave all and rush to his outstretched arms ? Can we not hear the agonized cry of the Master : '' O, where are you my dear ones? I can scarce stay any longer without you. Tarry no more, do rush unto me.'' ? Then why should we be daunted by material propositions, overwhelmed by the sight of earthly wealth and overcome by the wondrous display of pecuniary power ? We should silently work, pure and free, with perspective spiritual and resignation perfected at the lotus feet of Ramakrishna-Vivekananda.
We will make an Appeal Universal in the name of Ramakrishna for the children of Ramakrishna who suffer a life of misery and squalor owing to human neglect, a life of deprivation and distress on account of extreme poverty, a life of ignorance and ill-health due to sheer exclusion from the benefits of a thriving economy. My noble friends who are participating in this grand venture to bring solace and succour to our sisters and brothers in Muzaffarpur and the upper districts of North Bihar have been moved by the plight of their brethren and have thus resolved to restore dignity to the lives of their hapless fellow beings through personal and conjoint action in terms of offering financial assistance to the Eye Hospital, Ramakrishna Mission Sevashrama, Muzaffapur, Bihar, India.
Friends, I understand your great concern for the fruition of the Hospital Project and the distress that you feel when help does not come by easily but we must ever remember that our Lord was penniless and will surely be our only support in this grand yajna (sacrifice ) of our self for His Cause. Money will come, help will come and everything worthwhile will come if we but pin our hopes only in the Lord. He owns the universe and everything in it including ourselves. So why should we be worried ? The other day we were alone with the Master. Today, so many are coming forward to help and we are all together with the Master. The morrow shines bright with hopes of countless others who will catch our spirit and support the grand Cause of building the hospital in Muzaffarpur. But the Master is ever with us, our sole support and solace, our refuge, our hope, our aspiration divine, our final friend ( antima bandhav ). Arise and awake then to help fulfil the mighty dream of Swami Vivekananda of bringing relief to the poor of India and who else is poorer brother than our impoverished souls when we remain by-standers and watch the plight of the poor and the dispossessed despite having the means to redress the situation ? But we must never lower our standard. We have set ourselves the lofty ideal of feeling intense sympathy for our poor sisters and brothers and have resolved to activate ourselves to bring immediate and long-term relief to them that they may see the light of day through the darkness of their present distressed living conditions. The future is bright friends for so many are spontaneously coming forward to help our Cause and so many more will join the movement in the near future of this our Mission Muzaffarpur. Take heart, therefore, and thank the Lord who in His infinite mercy guides us towards eventual fulfilment.
Let our wills be united, our resolves strengthened, our aspirations purified and our character made unblemished with supreme love for the Divine and let Mother decide the rest. Jay Ma ! Jay Ramakrishna !
We humbly request devotees and friends and all that care for the teeming millions that suffer to make a contribution towards the Cause which has been the focus of this open letter and about which web-links are being provided below for your detailed perusal and knowledge.
http://www.rkmmuzaffarpur.org/
http://www.rkmmuzaffarpur.org/donations.html
P.S. : Please carefully go through the website of Ramakrishna Mission Sevashrama, Muzaffarpur, Bihar, India whose web-links have been provided above before making your generous contribution towards the Hospital Cause.
N.B. : Make your remittance directly to the Ramakrishna Mission Sevashrama, Muzaffarpur, Bihar, India and to no other individual or collective body by any means.
Thanking you and praying for your peace, prosperity and happiness,
Yours in the Lord,
Sugata Bose.
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