Yoga: Sri Ramakrishna

Sri Ramakrishna had little formal schooling. He was later offered an opportunity from his brother, Ramkumar, a noted Sanskrit scholar, to tutor him. Ramakrishna declined because he did not want a "high-priced" education; rather he wanted to learn and interpret books on his own. He became intoxicated with God by the age of seven where he would supposedly fell into mystical trance.

Most of Ramakrishna's past is bit obscure, but his teachings and philosophies stay true to today. He viewed Kali, the Hindu goddess of creation and destruction, as the supreme manifestation of God. He called her the Divine Mother and worshipped her upon becoming a priest. He wept for hours at a time and felt a burning sensation all over his body while imploring Kali to reveal herself to him. He would claim to have visions of religious figures like Muhammad and Jesus. Some attributed his condition to possession, madness, or a nervous disorder, but exorcism and available medical treatments had no effect.

From these visions, he came to the conclusion that all religions are in essence the same and all are true. His revelations became known throughout the world. Thousands crowded near his Calcutta home to hear him speak. Though famous, he remained a basically simple man. He never wrote, but several volumes of his sayings were later published by disciples. Ramakrishna saw God in everything and everyone. All paths, he believed, led to the same goal.

The order bearing his name has its headquarters in Calcutta and sends missionaries throughout the world. His most noteworthy disciple, Vivekananda, represented Hinduism at the World's Parliament of Religions in Chicago in 1893.

Ramakrishna did not found any cult, nor did he show a new path to salvation. His message was his God-consciousness. Through times of religious doubt, he reassured faith in many by continuing to speak about time-honored teachings of prophets and saviors of the past. Ramakrishna saw God painted with different personalities depicted by different religions. He felt that they did not confuse the message or beauty of God, but highlighted his powers. Each religions has the same common goal: Communion with God.

When God-consciousness falls short, traditions become dogmatic and oppressive and religious teachings lose their transforming power. At a time when the very foundation of religion, faith in God, was crumbling under the relentless blows of materialism and skepticism, Sri Ramakrishna, through his burning spiritual realizations, demonstrated beyond doubt the reality of God and the validity of the time-honored teachings of all the prophets and saviors of the past, and thus restored the falling edifice of religion on a secure foundation.