Electronic Satsang

A wealth of videos by and about departed spiritual masters lets viewers experience the presence of these remarkable souls.

By Richard Rosen

Hundreds of years ago in India, yoga could be learned only from a self-realized guru, and it took some doing to work your way into his good graces. You had to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that you were serious about your spiritual career and willing to commit to lifelong vows--of things like poverty and chastity--that today seem rather unappealing. Contemporary seekers' access to gurus isn't nearly as restricted, but depending on your circumstances, you might not easily encounter a live guru (or find one that suits you). Fortunately, many audio and videotapes by and about departed spiritual masters are available, offering the chance to at least vicariously bask in the presence of these remarkable souls. We recently searched the spiritual marketplace for electronic media that might provide just such an experience, and here are the best ones we found.

The chronologically oldest, and surely most unusual, of such gurus is Ramakrishna (1836–1886), the subject of Ramakrishna: A Documentary (Vedanta Society of St. Louis, www.vedantastl.org). A spiritual prodigy who had strange and glorious visions starting at a very young age, Ramakrishna embarked upon his spiritual quest while still in his teens. At times, Ramakrishna's public behavior was so bizarre that many people believed he was insane. In fact, he was--as the narrator describes it--afflicted with a lifelong "divine madness," often instigated by seemingly insignificant incidents or encounters that revealed to him the overwhelming presence and power of God in the world.

Considering that only a few black-and-white photos of Ramakrishna exist, his biographers at the Vedanta Society have done a bang-up job putting together a visually attractive presentation. They have judiciously combined these photos with drawings and contemporary film clips of the places in which he lived (including the temple complex at Dakshineswar, where he spent most of his adult life) and that he visited to vividly portray Ramakrishna's life in 19th-century India.

One of the most amazing things about Ramakrishna was his open-minded ecumenicalism. In 1864, he was initiated into the teachings of nondualist Vedanta, and he attained the highest state of samadhi (union) in only three days. But he also studied and for periods of time practiced Hindu Tantra, Islam, and Christianity (although he couldn't accept the idea of original sin). In the end, he rejected all forms of formal worship: "As many faiths," he said, "so many paths." While he lived only 50 years and rarely traveled far from home, Ramakrishna attracted a dedicated group of disciples, committed to both spiritual uplifting and social service. The waves of his potent influence radiated concentrically outward throughout all of India and eventually washed over the West.

One of his most notable disciples was Swami Vivekananda (1863–1902). As is evident in the video Vivekananda: As We Saw Him (Vedanta Society of St. Louis), he's the most intellectually engaging and socially active of the gurus considered here. He likely had the greatest impact on yoga in the United States, for he is usually credited with introducing yoga to America in 1893. It's hard to appreciate today, so accustomed are we to cultural and religious diversity and sages from the East, but Vivekananda's visit to this country caused a big stir, because of both his exotic appearance and his outspoken, uncompromising message of the unity of all religion.

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