ARISE! AWAKE! ... 13 (Morning edition, 4 August, 2025)

ARISE! AWAKE! ... 13

(Morning edition, 4 August, 2025)

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Editorial 

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"Whenever virtue subsides and vice prevails, I incarnate on earth with my entourage," sayeth the Lord. The times are ripe for such an advent. But will it be of much use? Are we ready to receive the Lord with thinking brains and binding bodies that will duly comprehend his divine message and work them out in creative ways conjointly instead of merely indulging in lazy passive piety that has so infected us and sent to oblivion the Master's delivered message at Dakshineshwar?

The Lord brings his apostles with him, his divine entourage who will give effect to his transcendental message. He does not wait on erring human souls, subject to the desires of the flesh and of filthy lucre, to receive direct from him his earthly message and initiate a movement that shall accelerate once more the Dharmachakra (the Wheel of Virtue).

It is a curious feature that such a divine descent takes place periodically, especially when the Sanātan Dharma is in dire need of resuscitation. And we are blessed indeed that we are living at a time which is, so to say, sandwiched between two such massive advents. For Sri Ramakrishna has prophesied that he will incarnate again in a hundred years' time, according to Sri Sarada Devi and Swami Vijnānānanda, and, alternatively, in two hundred years' time,  according to Swami Saradānanda and Girish Chandra Ghosh.

The situation then was desperate for the very survival of India. We were a colonised country serving the shackles of British imperialism and being drained of resource, respect and religion. The very existence of India was at stake. The situation now is desperate as well. Last time it was Christianisation and now it is Islamisation. On top of that there are vast global problems that threaten the very existence of humanity.

Will Thakur manifest in human form again? So has he prophesied as chronicled in 'The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna'. So has Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi said to Swami Arupānanda which has been recorded in 'Sri Sri Māyer Kathā', volume 2. So also has Swami Vijnānānanda said. So have Swami Saradānanda and Girish Chandra Ghosh said. So also has been chronicled in Brahmachāri Sri Akshaychaitanya's life of Sri Ramakrishna.

Yours truly,

Sugata Bose