Sri Ramakrishna portrait at Trabuco Monastery
I came across Vedanta by stumbling into the Ramakrishna Monastery in Trabuco, as I have lived in Orange County for a long time. It was the early 90s.
I am a Muslim. I had always been interested in the study of comparative religion, and have studied literature and western and eastern philosophy, the Gita and the Quran.
I attended lectures at Trabuco and got to know the monks who lived there. However, it was many years after, probably a decade, before I came to understand who Ramakrishna was and how he was the force, vitality and energy behind Vedanta.
I was helped along the way of this discovery by reading the Gospel, and the Great Master. Later on, by delving into Swami Vivekannanda. Then came the appreciation of Puja, and mother worship.
As a Muslim, my appreciation and understanding of my own faith has been immensely enhanced thanks to Bhagavan Sri Ramakrishna. Although Vedanta has a great deal in common with Christianity, the idea of a Man God is very foreign to the Muslim psyche. Yet, I was finally comfortable to whole-heartedly prostrate before Sri Ramakrishna.
Vedanta above all teaches, and we learn through it, a tremendous confidence that allows the individual to orbit with stability around all of life’s tribulations. For this and other gifts I am forever in your debt, beloved Sri Ramakrishna.
Nasser Behroozian has been attending Vedanta since 1991. Educated in literature and philosophy, he has been working as a building inspector for the last 20 years, primarily in Southern California. Nasser can be reached at nbehroozian@yahoo.com.
