REFLECTIONS ... 1

REFLECTIONS ... 1

I am convinced that if a spiritual organisation becomes rich, it rots. This has been the history of the world. All such orders were in their nascent state poor but spiritually thriving. The moment they became economically thriving, decay set in. Spirituality thus far gained started waning as growing affluence eroded it and commercial compromise in the name of necessity cornered prime attention. Thereafter, precepts and principles which were once the bread and butter of such spiritual orders became tools for raising funds and fresher devices were brought into play to sustain the economic growth. Work expanded but worship waned. Service became work and karma yoga became karma bhoga. Herein lies the significance of 'Tākā māti, māti tākā' ('Money is mud, mud money'), the celebrated aphorism of Sri Ramakrishna which is in sad neglect these days with its inevitable corrosive consequence. A return to roots is the only way out. Else, the wrong path taken will lead to utter spiritual rout in the not so long a run. May Thakur bless all erring souls in operational charge of spiritual organisations running in his name with sanity, renunciation and introspection to do the necessary course-correction! 🕉

Written by Sugata Bose 

Painting: left--Trailanga Swami; right--Sri Ramakrishna.