On the auspicious occasion of Navaratri, we launch into an exploration of Shakti, the Divine Goddess of the Tantras.

By Her grace I hope to share with you some deep insights from Ramprasad, Ramakrishna and Vivekananda regarding the worship of Ma and its important in spiritual life.
I am going to take an approach that is entirely like Ramanuja in that I will attempt to show, by Her grace, how we can use Jnana, Raja and Karma Yoga to attain to Bhakti Yoga, the highest.

Faith and devotion. These alone are everything. But do they come easily and naturally? Hardly! We'll discuss Bhakti for those to whom Bhakti does not come naturally. It does not come naturally to anyone and those who say they they have it might only be making pretences! Who can truly Love the way a devotee loves?! May tonight’s lecture address that directly!
We’ll discuss how the Motherhood of God offers a unique opportunity to deepen Bhakti.

All this is Her play.

"Mother! Mother!
My boat is sinking, here in the ocean of this world;
Fiercely the hurricane of delusion rages on every side!
Clumsy is my helmsman, the mind;
Stubborn my six oarsmen, the passions;
Into a pitiless wind I sailed my boat and now
It is sinking!
Split is the rudder of devotion;
Tattered is the sail of faith;
Into my boat the waters are pouring in!
Tell me, what shall I do?
For with my failing eyes, alas!
Nothing but darkness do I see.
Here in the waves I will swim, O Mother
And cling to the raft of thy name!"

- Swami Nikhilananda's translation of Ramprasad.

This is the follow up discussion: How To Connect to Ma Kali

https://www.patreon.com/posts/how-to-connect-q-72564494?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator


00:00:00 The Most Fascinating Icon of India
00:03:00 What Today's Lecture Is About
00:05:58 Swami Vivekananda's Early Experiences of Ma Kali
00:22:25 Swami Vivekananda's Endorsement of Mother Worship
00:34:13 Introducing Prakriti: The 24 Cosmic Principles
00:47:49 Purusha: The Pure Spirit
00:50:20 Shiva-Shakti
00:52:24 Why Does Prakriti Create?
00:55:12 Moksha and the Movies: The Aesthetic Theory of Shaivism
00:59:18 The Two Gifts of Ma Prakriti: Bhoga and Yoga
01:08:21 Prakriti as Maha Mayi as Mother
01:15:25 How Do I Get Bhakti: Love for God?
01:19:44 Why Does Ma Kali Look So Terrifying?

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