SRI AND HIS SPIRITUAL TRADITION

Sri Ramakrishna and His Spiritual Tradition

SWAMI GOLOKANANDA

t is certainly a great privilege to talk Bhagavan Sri Ramakrishna came. As he about Swami Kailashanandaji Maharaj. I lived in temple, he was Ijoined the Madras Math at the age of known as the Paramahamsa of twenty. I was with him for twelve years. Dakshineswar. Educated people and the Like a parent he brought me up. As I hailed great luminaries from various walks of life from a village, I could not converse in used to go there to meet him. Even English as fluently as other brahmacharins. Swamiji’s professor William Hastie had the So he taught me English though he used to occasion to know him, especially the ecstasy speak with me in Bengali also. The parents the Master used to experience now and then. bring up their children with lot of care, These people heard or read about samàdhi nourishment and affection. I received all (trance) in the poems of great poets like these things from Swami Kailashananda. Wordsworth. But here they could see the And what I am today, a member of the holy Master in trance. Maybe half of the time he Order of Sri Ramakrishna, it is all by his was in ecstasy like Sri Shuka Deva. When grace. Sri Shuka narrated the story of Bhagavan Sri You know, India was not like this a Krishna, he used to be absorbed in the hundred years ago. We were ruled by the thoughts of Sri Krishna. In the same way Sri British. Even before that, we were ruled by Ramakrishna was more or less all the time in the Mughals for about seven hundred years. ecstasy. When you read Kathàmrita (The As a result of these two foreign regimes and Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna in English), you their administration India had become will be able to see that. Maybe he was the lifeless. There was no initiative or scope for only person in the whole country at the time it. The whole nation sank in poverty and to have this uninterrupted blessed suffered from all kinds of limitations. There experience. Keshabchandra Sen and other was no hope of our coming up. And then leaders of the Brahmo Samaj used to meet dawned the renaissance from all the four him. Many dignitaries used to meet him and corners of India. The Brahmo Samaj in would have conversations with him for Bengal, the Arya Samaj in the North, the hours together. So he became very popular. Theosophical Society in the South, and the Normally, a person who gains this type Prarthana Samaj in the West—all these of acceptance from the élite and the devotees organizations worked hard to regain the remains satisfied. But Sri Ramakrishna was pristine purity of our culture and religion not. He prayed to the Divine Mother: and to remove the superstitious practices, Mother! My ears are well nigh burnt with then prevalent in our society. But the total the profane talks of the worldly people. Send impact was minimal. They could not make me some pure souls with whom I can share much headway. It was at this point my realizations. That is how Sri

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Ramakrishna wanted to build up a group, a not believe in the idol worship. He did not powerful group, that yearn for spiritual believe in the Advaita philosophy either. ideals, strength and armed with the zeal to Yet, Sri Ramakrishna always said—no this renounce the world. He wanted youngsters. boy is brilliant and exceptional. He is And he prayed: Mother, send me young extraordinary. So he trained him with great people who are untouched by the evils of care and patience and instilled into worldliness. And lo and behold, young Narendranath all the great spiritual ideals. people started coming to him one by one. There were occasions when Sri There were two groups of people among Ramakrishna, in order to mould him his ardent devotees. Students still in their properly, took advantage of the distressing teens belonged to one group, while aged psychological conditions of his most householder devotees formed the other favourite disciple. group. Swamiji himself was eighteen when You all remember one such touching he met Sri Ramakrishna. They were together state of Narendranath. He was suffering with Sri Ramakrishna for about five years. bitterly after the sudden passing away of his During this time he gave his all to these father. There were lot of problems and youngsters, made them strong with the poverty at home. He tried to redeem himself realization of the Lord. They were given the from that precarious situation but he could motto of renunciation and intense not. He came to the Master and said, ‘You meditation. That was what Sri Ramakrishna must do something for me. I cannot see my advised his young disciples. He wanted to mother and brothers starving.’ Sri make them strong in their conviction, in Ramakrishna said: Okay. You do one thing. their realization so that they could become You do not accept my Mother. That is one teachers of men, gods walking on the earth problem with you. with their spiritual wealth distributing the That is to say, Sri Ramakrishna wanted same to everyone through contact, talks, and to make Narendra a wholesome personality action. That is how Sri Ramakrishna trained who would accept the idol worship and up the young tyàgis. understand the meaning of such worship. So he said: Today, now the àrati (vesper Human resource development service) is over. Mother is alone in the Sri Ramakrishna was a perfect master of temple. Go and talk to Her. Pray to her for human resource development. These the removal of poverty and your problems. youngsters were of different types. One type She will grant you whatever you ask for. was Narendranath (later Vivekananda). Narendranath, who was coming to Narendranath was brilliant. He was a Dakshineswar for two or three years, never member of the Brahmo Samaj and initially went to the temple because of his affiliation he was not willing to accept everything that with the Brahmo Samaj. This was the first the Master told him. He would examine. He time he was to go there. As a person, he was would argue. He would contradict. But Sri quite emotional. So he proceeded to the Ramakrishna would accept and appreciate temple of the universal Mother. And you all this and then bring him up, mould him in know what happened. The moment he went his own way. For example, a member of the in he saw the Mother in all Her glory— Brahmo Samaj in the beginning, he refused joyous, blissful and beckoning him. That to accept the concept of Guru. He also did was the first experience. He had not seen the

16 Bulletin of the Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture  April 2018 SRI RAMAKRISHNA AND HIS SPIRITUAL TRADITION idol. He saw the Mother Herself—all-loving, Mà tvam hi tàrà (‘O Mother, You are the all-powerful, all-affectionate. Naturally, he Saviour’) and Narendra went on singing that was very happy and overwhelmed. As his one song the whole night without sleeping. devotional nature got stirred up now, he Next morning he slept like a log. That is prayed to the Mother, ‘Mother! Give me how Sri Ramakrishna won him over and devotion, give me dispassion, give me removed his prejudice created by the knowledge’ and then came away. But the old Brahmo Samaj about image worship. man (Sri Ramakrishna) was waiting to see In the same way Sri Ramakrishna what had transpired between the Mother and removed all other prejudices of his disciple. He asked Narendra, ‘Did you Narendranath and also of the other disciples. pray and tell the Mother your problems?’ The Advaita philosophy was one such thing Narendra replied that he was so which Narendra refused to accept earlier. Sri overwhelmed by Her gracious presence that Ramakrishna knew the basic personality of he forgot all about his worldly problems and every disciple and so he guided each of them prayed for devotion and knowledge. He said: accordingly. Needless to say that all of them What is this! You went to the Mother for became spiritual stalwarts in time. Most of solving your problems. Go again. these young, strong and single-minded So, Narendra went to the Mother second disciples spent about five years with the time and had the same experience. Being Master. Even in that short period of time Sri overwhelmed by the effulgent presence of Ramakrishna instilled into their hearts the the Divine Mother, he prayed for devotion spirit of renunciation and made them adapts and knowledge and came away. When the in meditation. Sri Ramakrishna wanted to Master learnt that Narendranath could not build up this devoted and God-yearning tell the Mother to solve his family problems, group to defend (Sanàtana he sent the former again to the Mother. Dharma) and India’s national culture. Narendra went but the same thing happened. Of course, another group was also there He felt ashamed to ask for the petty worldly —the householders who were perhaps about things and came back. twenty-nine in number. Each one had their The Master was waiting. When he knew own prejudices. But Sri Ramakrishna what happened, he said to this effect: I knew tenderly nourished what was good in them that. You are not born for the worldly and corrected where they did not fare well. considerations. That is not the aim of your Thus he built them up all according to their life. Anyway, your mother and other tendencies and capacity. He was always members of the family will not suffer from positive. He did not hate even Girish want of bare necessities of life. Chandra Ghosh. On the contrary, he turned So Narendranath was very happy. He him into a great devotee of adamantine faith. came back to Sri Ramakrishna’s room with a Even when Girish, fully drunk, came to mood charged with devotion. He then him at midnight, Thakur used to be very wanted to learn from the Master a song on affectionate toward him, gave him sweets to the Divine Mother. Though himself a great eat and water to drink. Sometimes Girish musician, he never sang songs that dwelt on used to sleep in the room of Sri Ramakrishna the glories of the Divine Mother. But this during the night and go away in the time he wanted to learn a song about the morning. There was no other business. No Mother. The Master taught him one song— doubt, Sri Ramakrishna was a unique Guru,

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an extraordinary spiritual teacher, because when he was a student in Madras, he went to no ordinary spiritual teacher could accept the the Mylapore Math to see the disciples of Sri way Girish Chandra behaved, or as Ramakrishna. He saw three swamis there— Narendranath questioned and tested him. Sri Swami Brahmananda, Swami , Ramakrishna could accept everything. and Tulsi Maharaj (Swami ). Towards the end of Girish’s life he used Tapasyanandaji said that he felt as if three to tell his brother-disciples: See, I do not sit angels had come down from heaven. That and meditate like you. Do you know what was the feeling they had evoked in his mind. my problem is? My problem is that I cannot Swami Agamananda, a disciple of Swami forget him. Brahmananda, told us, even to see him, ie Sri Ramakrishna entered into his heart his Guru, was an inspiration. That sort of in such a way blessing him all the time, that spiritual vibrations and ambience they had Girish could not forget him. That is how his created in India after Sri Ramakrishna had transformation had taken place. passed away. And you all know that that was In 1886, when the Master passed away, the time when went to most of these young and dedicated disciples, America to represent Hinduism at the who were students, did not go back to their Parliament of Religions. But he did not stop studies. After a few months, when Swami there. Vivekananda (then Narendra) set up the Coming back to India he went on Math, the first monastery in the spreading the vital ideas about the name of Sri Ramakrishna, many of them regeneration of India. All those ideas ignited started living there, spending all the time in the fire of the freedom movement in India. intense meditation and rigorous spiritual Swamiji said categorically that the new practices. There was no other agenda. The dispensation of the age inaugurated by Sri living conditions were very very poor. Ramakrishna is a source of great good to the Swamiji in later life said: ‘Who cared then whole world, especially India. The inspirer whether the world existed or not?’ They all of this dispensation is Bhagavan Sri had this mood at that time. They used to Ramakrishna, who is the reformed and plunge in prolonged meditation and remodelled manifestation of all the past saturated themselves in the thought of the great epoch-makers of religion. All this is a Divine. That was the instruction given to part of history now. them by Sri Ramakrishna. What was the One of Mahapurush Maharaj’s (Swami result of this fantastic sàdhanà? All of them Shivananda’s) disciples told me that his became spiritual stalwarts. All of them transformation took place simply by seeing became walking gods on earth, as it were! him at Madras Math. His personality, his All these great disciples kept on wandering sweetness and spirituality were dripping like from place to place, immersed themselves in honey! He was an image of godliness. I did austere sàdhanà, and at the same time not need to do meditation in his presence, disseminated spiritual ideas to the people. It the swami said. That was the atmosphere was a blessing to those who had the they created around them. opportunity to see them. After completing his studies, the swami, I am just referring to, joined the . Three swamis He belonged to a very rich family of South Swami Tapasyanandaji told us that India. Naturally, his father was very much

18 Bulletin of the Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture  April 2018 SRI RAMAKRISHNA AND HIS SPIRITUAL TRADITION upset and he tried his best to get him back. were imbued with his ideal. For them also But he could not. Then he wrote a letter to the discipline was meditation. They had to his son: From the day you left home, you do their duties perfectly well and, in addition have been enjoying your days in the to that, spend all the time in meditation. As presence of your Guru who, to you, is like long as these twenty-nine householder nectar. But on the other hand, your mother disciples of the Master lived, they used to has stopped taking her food. If you want to speak constantly of the glories of Sri meet her, come. Ramakrishna. They were not ordinary When it was the question of his mother, householder devotees. the swami’s heart melted. So he decided to was one such devotee who has written a go and meet her. He told Mahapurush book in Bengali titled Ramakrishna Punthi. Maharaj about the letter. Mahapurush You also know Master Mahashaya (Sri M.) Maharaj said, ‘Yes, yes, you must go. whose book, Kathàmrita, is read by Parents are next to God. We have to adore thousands of people today. That is Sri them. Go.’ Ramakrishna’s influence. That is the grace The swami made pranams to Sri Ramakrishna conferred on us through his Mahapurush Maharaj. However, at the time disciples. That is the spiritual tradition that of making pranams he thought, ‘What is we are getting from his sannyasin as well as this? This man, this great one is like a god. from his householder disciples. His love is overflowing. When I said I wished to meet my mother, he gave Personal experience permission saying “go”. The same affection I was with Swami Kailashanandaji for he has for me!’ So, he got up and said, twelve years. I came to him as a boy of ‘Maharaj, I am not going. My parents’ love twenty and he had brought me up. He was in is selfish, while yours is unselfish. So I am charge of the Madras Math which was then not going to leave you.’ Then Mahapurush considered to be the second important Math Maharaj said, ‘Yes, yes, that is very good. after the Belur Math. There are five For the sake of God, you can forgo even the institutions in Madras. One is the Math, and duties towards your parents.’ the other is the Vivekananda College. Then Then he became a sannyasin and was there is the Ramakrishna Mission Students’ instrumental in bringing Sri Ramakrishna in Home that has been going on for hundred thousands of home in Tamil Nadu. And the years. There is an engineering college institution he started is thriving. One of the conferring diploma to the boys. And all the colleges started by him at Salem near our boys are recruited by big businessmen even ashrama has 17,000 students. When that before they complete their studies. That is swamiji was alive I went to meet him—he because they are students of the Students’ said: Look here, everybody is praising me Home. Now it has 600 students. Ten years for all the work I have done. But all the ago the number was 300. The other work I have done for the benefit of society is institution is a network of schools for the because of the love I have received from my boys and a network of schools for the girls. Guru. Swami Kailashanandaji at that time presided The disciples of Sri Ramakrishna were over all these institutions. all like this. Sri Ramakrishna had left behind Maharaj was a devout personality. With this great group of sannyasins—Swamiji and the swamis and brahmacharins he used to others—and a great group of devotees who get up at four o’clock to attend the

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mangalàrati. At six most of us would leave was sort of a festival and leading the temple. But he would stay on right in newspapers like The Hindu published front of Sri Ramakrishna whose presence articles on the Mother. The next great event was palpable. So he used to sit before him was Swami Vivekananda’s birth centenary and do japam till eight—almost three hours in 1963. at a stretch. He took his breakfast at eight- Swami Kaliashananda enshrined Sri thirty. He used to attend the evening àrati Ramakrishna into the hearts of all students also. That was his daily routine. Madras and people who came in contact with him. Math was then a training centre for He maintained the ideal and dignity of the brahmacharins. Even now it is so. And there scrupulously, and were many stalwart swamis at that time— passed on the same values to the students, Swami Swahanandaji, Swami Budhanandaji. brahmacharins and sannyasins—to all of us. So he used to train us. He trained especially All looked up to him for guidance in those who joined the Math early in life. He spiritual and secular matters. used to have chanting classes before the One idea he laid stress upon was to breakfast. He would arrange periodically strengthen the publication department. brilliant lectures by the professors of the Madras Math, as you all know, is an Vivekananda College. He wanted us to go important publication centre of our Order through the study of Prasthànatraya and publishing books in Telugu, Tamil and appointed a teacher for that. The teacher did English. The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna not know sufficient English. Therefore he (Indian edition) was first published from the used to teach in Sanskrit itself. I was a Madras Math. Of course, the publication Sanskrit student to begin with. So it was work was started by Shashi Maharaj (Swami easy for me to follow him. Even the senior ) himself. Swami swamis used to sit and listen to him for the Kailashanandaji watched over the activities pleasure of hearing somebody teaching in of all departments. He was very liberal as far Sanskrit. That is how Swami as our food was concerned, but strict in Kailashanandaji regulated our life. other matters. The monastic ideal of Personally he used to meet everyone and renunciation and service he kept alive in our look after our health. We were given fruits hearts. It was really a blessing to be with everyday. That was his loving concern for him, to remain under his care. Till 1965 I the brahmacharins. That was one part of his was there. In 1971, he was brought to the personality. headquarters as the Vice-President of the The Madras Math celebrated the Durga Order, and I was posted to Seva Pratishthan Puja for three years (1953-1955) in an in 1978. Towards the end of his life he was image. The image was to be brought from in the Seva Pratishthan for ten days as he Calcutta itself. It was an event in the Madras was sick. I had the privilege of being with city. People came thronging from all corners him and serving him at that time. Even to witness this grand puja. However, the today I remember the last moments of his puja could not be continued afterwards for mortal life. He was slowly going to be dearth of space. The year 1953 was absorbed in himself like a sleeping child and memorable for Holy Mother’s centenary. It passed away. „

* This article is based on the transcript of Swami Kailashananda Memorial Lecture, Swami Golokananda, Ramakrishna , Kalady, delivered at the Institute on 13 December, 2017.

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