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Date Posted: 04:49:50 04/17/04 Sat
Author: Kev - 29 Mar 2004
Subject: Re: A Call to Hendrik
In reply to: Hendrik - 26 Mar 2004 's message, "Re: A Call to Hendrik" on 04:48:33 04/17/04 Sat


Sorry I didn,t give you a more complete reply. You asked about Banamali.I met him in 1982,I was staying in Varanasi with The Ramakrishna Order,so I just had to visit the house of Lahiri Baba.I was very fortunate to have such easy access.
I made two visits,the first meeting was for about two hours,we got along very well and he asked me to come back the next day.I spent the evening there.discussing a whole variety of subjects.Being a huge fan of Yogananda, I was mortified when Banamali described The autobiography as 'lies' he believed that Yogananda was searching for fame and that Yogananda used Lahiri Baba and Kriya Yoga for this end.Sayacharan was
also criticised as one who was simply capitalising on his grandfathers reputation.
Other criticism was aimed at Yukteswar for taking 'the gerua'. Lahiri was against householders becoming Swamis if they were married.Banamali was quite adamant that Yukteswar had disobeyed his guru's wishes.I did not want to raise the point that Yukteswar's wife was dead before he became monastic and that he was following the insistent orders of Babaji to become a Swami.Banamali was clearly very animated about these matters,so I did not feel comfortable enough to challenge him.Interestingly,the old icocnoclast affirmed the story about the existence of the immortal Babaji to be true.This would have been difficult for him to affirn without genuine conviction because he was Emeritus professor of chemistry at Benares University at one time. The other point of contention was the existence of ANY organisation built up around Kriya Yoga
Banamali did not express himself in riddles or hide behind any facade,I really treasure my meeting with him .

I think your view about the direction of the Ramakrihna Order is exactly right.Vivekananda most definitely steered the Order towards Advaita, this is most definitely the philosophical agenda in its current form. That The Ramakrishna Order is concerned to court the favour of Orthodox Hinduism is indisputable,the bloody caste system is rife in the Order's Indian ashrams.The ashram cook,who I otherwise got along with very well, was very concerned to keep me away from the kitchens,lest I pollute the food! Strange because I was allowed into The Visthwanath Temple,one of the most Orthodox temples in India.
Best wishes, Kev.

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