SWAMI BALABHADRANANDA RELIGION AND PHILOSOPHY

Ramakrishna Bhàva, Sangha and Holy Mother (II)

SWAMI BALABHADRANANDA

Sangha-janani Mother would keep it there whenever she came to know that he had come. Thus she Let us now discuss her unique role as had been serving all in diverse ways, but Sangha-janani or Mother of the always keeping herself in the background. . It has been mentioned Sometimes she would not mind even already that the Sangha was virtually started overruling the judgement of Sri at quietly and Ramakrishna for asserting her motherhood. stood behind the curtain as its Mother Once Sri Ramakrishna resented that Holy serving all in silence. Surprisingly, however, Mother had been overfeeding the boys like except one or two intimate disciples of the Baburam (later Swami Premananda) who Master none could see her. Nevertheless, Sri would become monks in future. ‘Who will Ramakrishna, through his wonderful look after them if their future is thus deftness, had set up a subtle but natural bond spoiled?’ asked Sri Ramakrishna. And she between the Holy Mother and his intimate replied firmly, ‘Feeding my children is my disciples who would be sannyasins in future. business. Please do not say anything about And what did Mother do? She accepted it. I shall take care of their future.’ This way them all as members of the Master’s she had been protecting her children with growing spiritual family. So henceforth it her immense spiritual power! Unawares still would be found that whenever Narendra though, she had already entered in her future would come to Dakshineswar and the Master role as the Mother of the Sangha even when would request him to have his meal there, Sri Ramakrishna was in mortal body. which would happen often, the Holy Mother After Sri Ramakrishna passed away we would immediately start preparing thick find Sarada Devi playing the dual role of the chapatis and heavy gram dal, as those were father as well as the mother just as what Narendra’s favourites. Saradaprasanna (later happens in ordinary family life when father Swami ) would come to suddenly passes away leaving behind his Dakshineswar though his father disliked it. kids. I would draw your attention to a Naturally he would be short of money to significant incident that had taken place bear the expense of share-carriage. So Sri during this period. In July 1890, Swami Ramakrishna instructed him to collect the Vivekananda was about to leave Baranagore fare from ‘Nahabat’ before leaving Math for a peregrination in northern India. Dakshineswar. But Saradaprasanna didn’t Holy Mother was then staying at Ghushuri have to ask anybody for the fare; everyday near where is situated now. he would find that someone had already kept Swamiji along with Swami the fare at the doorstep of Nahabat. Holy went to her to seek her blessings and said,

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‘Mother, if I can become a man in the true Again, he said, sense of the term, then only shall I return; Nobody to sympathise with me. Who would else this will be my last farewell.’ Mother sympathise with the imagination of a boy— blessed Swamiji and said, ‘You should not imagination that caused so much suffering say so!’ Then Swamiji said, ‘No, no, by your to others? Who would sympathise with me? grace, I shall soon come back.’ Mother then None—except one [Sri Sarada Devi]. That turned to Akhandananda Swami, who would one’s sympathy brought blessing and accompany Swamiji in his pilgrimage, and hope. . . . Well, that lady [Sri Ramakrishna’s said, ‘I give in your hand everything we wife], was the only one who sympathised 9 have; see that Naren does not suffer for want with the ideas of those boys. of food.’ Mark her word—everything. Sri From these few soul-stirring words of Ramakrishna was not there anymore in gross Swamiji we can guess how Holy Mother form, but his everything was present in gave them support and inspiration and Narendranath. He transmitted his entire steered the course of their lives towards the spiritual treasure to Narendranath before his goal Sri Ramakrishna set for them. The passing away, himself turning, as he said, a situation was so adverse that they could have pauper as though and entrusted him to been easily deluded. But through ceaseless distribute that treasure at home and abroad. prayers and her own spiritual power she Holy Mother knew that. She was fully aware prevented this from happening. That was that in the absence of Sri Ramakrishna, all how this wonderful Ramakrishna Sangha got hopes for the budding Order rested in crystallized. Mother prayed to Sri Swamiji. That is why she gave Ramakrishna: Akhandanandaji this instruction. O Lord, you came, disported with these few Akhandanandaji also remembered the and then went away; should everything end Mother’s advice and wanted therefore to with that? If so, where was the need for your shadow Swamiji always, even at times coming down in the midst of so much ignoring Swamiji’s annoyance. misery? I have seen in and After Sri Ramakrishna’s passing away, many holy men who get their Holy Mother kept nurturing the fledgling food by begging and shift their stay from the Order with her love and inspiration. She shade of one tree to that of another. There is kept the flame of their renouncing spirit no dearth of holy men of that type. I cannot burning and emboldened them to hold on to bear to see the plight of my sons, who go their resolve to actualize Sri Ramakrishna’s forth in your name, roaming about begging their food. My prayer is that those who leave mission. None could understand at that time the world in your name may never be in the role she was playing. Only Swamiji want of bare subsistence. They will all live sensed it. That is why he said later: together holding to your ideas and ideals; and people afflicted with the sorrows of the We had no friends. Who would listen to a world will resort to them and be solaced by few boys, with their crank notions? hearing about you. That is why you came. Nobody. . . . Just think of it—a dozen boys, My heart aches to see them wandering.10 telling people vast, big ideas, saying they are determined to work these ideals out in life. Here, in her prayer, we hear the Mother Why, everybody laughed. From laughter it uttering exactly the same thing which became serious; it became persecutions. . . . Swamiji later promulgated aphoristically And the more we were derided, the more while fixing the motto of the sannyasins of determined we became.8 the Order—‘âtmano mokshàrtham

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jagaddhitàya ca’. That the Ramakrishna the good of them who was till then unable to Sangha has some distinctive characteristic is recognize her as their own mother. A young evident from this motto and Holy Mother’s monk’s case was exactly this. He was not prayer. This Sangha is not exactly like other used to uttering the word ‘mother’ as he traditional monastic organizations which never saw his mother who died either at the enjoin for monks only their own salvation time of his birth or shortly after. But Sarada (àtma-mukti) and leaves no room for jagat Devi sort of impelled him to address her as hita or the welfare of the world. But while ‘mother’, for that will quicken his spiritual only Swamiji and very few of the direct progress. To another monk, at the time of disciples could understand it, some senior initiation, she said: ‘Sri Ramakrishna is your direct disciples like Ramchandra Dutta even Guru as well as Ishta [the Chosen Ideal] and alleged them of deviating from the ideals of I am your mother.’ The monk exclaimed: Sri Ramakrishna, since they upheld the ‘How that is possible? My own mother is at ideals of work and service as parts of home.’ Holy Mother said repeatedly: ‘No, spiritual practice. The Holy Mother never my child, I am your mother.’ When the failed to notice the unique significance with disciple would not believe her, she said at which the Sangha was born and destined to last, ‘Now, look at me and see whether or progress. not I am your mother who lives at your One specialty of Mother’s nature was village home.’ The disciple couldn’t believe this that she was too eager to hear her his eyes! He remained speechless. He found children call her ‘mother’. She wanted even his mother was sitting there in place of the her sannyasin children to do the same, Holy Mother! In this way the Cosmic, though they had left their parents for God’s indivisible Mother appeared as a sake. Can we label this eagerness a desire? fragmentary mother. This she did to make No. This eagerness on her part was not to his spiritual path smooth, for if he could satiate any unfulfilled desire for recognize the Perennial Mother or motherhood. This was for the spiritual well- Mahàmàyà as his real mother, he would being of her children. The Master himself make quick and steady progress in spiritual has said that Mahàmàyà, the great life. Enchantress, who keeps the entire universe Holy Mother has always been standing deluded by Her magic spell, can be behind the fledgling organization. There propitiated easily if She is recognized as were some monks who would sometimes one’s own Mother. This makes our spiritual express their reluctance to follow the ways journey easier, because She feels ashamed to of life enjoined by Swamiji for the monks of delude us if we call her Mother. the Order. To them, the Holy Mother had Out of Her immense grace this Mother said time and again very firmly: The Sangha Power has descended on earth this time must run as Naren has visualized. Those assuming such a benign form that no effort who cannot adjust themselves with its rules is required for us, the weak human beings, to and restrictions, they may quit if they like. call Her Mother. That call automatically In those days, some sannyasins and even wells out from our within as we look at her great devotees like Sri M., the author of Sri face and think of her divine lilà. So whoever Sri Ramakrishna Kathamrita, didn’t have would come to her would call her Mother of much faith in the idea that service to jiva their own, and, in the cases of exception, was nothing but worship of —the Mother herself would make that happen for fundamental principle stated cryptically by

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Sri Ramakrishna and later elaborated by was received from other sources and the Swamiji. But Holy Mother corroborated matter therefore ended there. But the crisis Swamiji and made them accept the ideal. revealed the glory of Mother’s wonderful Thus always she kept on guiding the wisdom as well as Swamiji’s great heart. spiritual life of the sannyasins in right direction. She told them emphatically that Amazing personality selfless service in the spirit of worship, as Mother had an amazing personality. It Naren wished, must be done and, side by was she only who could dare to give advice side, and meditation have to be to Sri Ramakrishna and Swami practised in order to steer the boat of Vivekananda. Incredible though it might spiritual life safely. seem, it was true. Didn’t she remind Not only that, whenever any monk Ramakrishna—‘You are not my Thakur would complain that work prevented them only, you are everyone’s Thakur’? On many from pursuing spiritual practices effectively, occasions she guided Sri Ramakrishna, let the Holy Mother would ask: Whose work alone Swamiji! Only Holy Mother could do are you doing? Is it your work or Sri this, and none else. In this way, even when Ramakrishna’s? You are not serving man, Swamiji had passed away, she held you are serving God, serving Sri imperceptibly the reins of the Sangha’s Ramakrishna. Bear this in mind, and to keep administration, at least in crucial policy your boat moving in the right direction, matters. practise japa and meditation regularly and On 11 December 1916 Lord love everybody because the Master’s Carmichael, the Governor of Bengal, passed monastic organization has evolved from a remark in his Durbar Speech that like love. Nothing but pure love sustains it. ‘Anandamath’ of Bankim’s novel having the In this way Sarada Devi turned out to be same name, Ramakrishna Mission also was a the Mother of the Sangha—‘Sangha-janani’, secret revolutionary organization working as Swamiji had christened her in the truest against the British. He made this comment sense of the term and took a number of because many erstwhile revolutionaries had crucial administrative decisions also in that joined the Sangha to lead monastic life. capacity. For instance, when plague erupted Though they had shunned all revolutionary in Calcutta in April 1898 in epidemic form, activities for good, police would always Swamiji’s great heart wanted to plunge into keep an eye on them. In this context, action immediately; but where was the Governor’s Durbar remarks against the money to serve the plague victims? So he Ramakrishna Mission made the monks and decided to sell the newly purchased Math devotees equally panicky. Many devotees land. Holy Mother knew the largeness of stopped coming to the Math to avoid police Swamiji’s heart and herself an ocean of suspicion and some of the monks and motherly compassion, she also was greatly devotees even suggested that monks who moved by the sufferings of the people. But were involved in revolutionary activities she dissuaded Swamiji from taking this might be asked to quit the Order. It was a extreme step. She reminded Swamiji that serious crisis the gravity of which we cannot Ramakrishna Mission would continue for understand at the present time. But the Holy ages serving humankind in multifarious Mother rose up to the occasion. She was ways; it must not end with a single relief fearless. She came forward with two work like this. The required fund, however, suggestions to tide over the crisis. The first

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thing she said relates to the ideal of the the room and discontinued to offer flowers. Order. Being the Mother of the Order, her But they failed to understand why Swamiji attention was always fixed on the ideal. She was so displeased with them. After all, it said: Those who have pledged to Thakur that was the photo of the Master, who was all for they will never deviate from the path of Swamiji. The question pricked them for Truth and taken refuge in Sangha, why about two years. should the Government apprehend that they After Swamiji’s passing away, one of would go against their pledge? Why should them wrote to the Holy Mother narrating the they have recourse to violence, even if some incident and seeking her opinion about it. of them had truck with the revolutionaries in And what did she say? She could have been their past life? If necessary, my children will hurt because, after all, they were live under tree, but they will never forsake worshipping her husband, her all-in-all in Truth. Sri Ramakrishna was firmly grounded life! She could have felt that Naren did it to in Truth and my boys too are devoted to excess—what harm the worship would cause Truth. None will be asked to leave. And if to the ? But no, she stood one has to leave the Order on this ground, by Narendra and said, ‘Naren was right. everybody will leave. Thakur, our Master, was Advaita. As you are Her second advice on this issue speaks disciples of the same Master, you are all for her administrative insight. She asked Advaitins; I can say with all certitude that Swami , the Secretary of the you are Advaitins.’ By these words, she not and Ramakrishna only resolved the doubts of a single monk, Mission, to meet the Governor and to but clarified also, once for all, the apprise him of the true nature of the philosophical stand of the Sangha. Indeed, activities of the Mission. The swami Sri Ramakrishna’s principal ideal or bhàva followed her counsel and met the Private was non-dual . What Swami Secretary of the Governor. As a result, the Vivekananda later preached as ‘Practical Governor exonerated the Mission and its Vedanta’ is based on Advaita. He said, members on 26 March, 1917.11 Thus Shankara and others had kept this non-dual Mother’s advice saved the Mission. Vedanta confined exclusively to the caves Holy Mother had also given a clear and monasteries; he would make it verdict on the question of a profound accessible to all so that a lawyer will become philosophical significance. In January, 1901, a better lawyer, a student will become a Swamiji went to Mayavati Advaita Ashrama better student, a teacher will become a better to console a bereaved Mother Sevier who teacher, a clerk a better clerk, if they practise had lost his husband, Captain Sevier. This this Vedanta. And, surely a spiritual aspirant monastery he had established in the will have the supreme knowledge of Himalayas for the contemplation of God’s Brahman by practice of this Vedanta. This nameless and formless aspect only. No was Sri Ramakrishna’s fundamental attitude. dualistic and ritualistic worship was to be That is why he said, ‘Do as you please after permitted there. But after reaching Mayavati attaining non-dual knowledge.’ he noticed that a photo of Sri Ramakrishna However, the Advaita Sri Ramakrishna was kept in a room and monks were upheld is neither a carbon copy of regularly offering flowers to it. He expressed Shankarite Advaita, not its repudiation. In his displeasure in strong terms, in the wake fact, he has transcended the standpoint of of which the monks removed the photo from Shankara and says, after jnàna (knowledge

10 Bulletin of the Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture  May 2018 RAMAKRISHNA BHâVA, RAMAKRISHNA SANGHA AND HOLY MOTHER (II) of Brahman) there is a state of vijnàna and view the world as the manifestation of (special knowledge) which is when you see God. This giving up of the conventional Brahman even in jiva (living beings) and attitude is true renunciation and once this jagat (world) and therefore accept them also attitude is cultivated properly, it will lead us as real. to attain true God-vision. Sri Ramakrishna gives a beautiful simile This is Practical Vedanta. This is Sri of the roof and the stairs to make this point Ramakrishna’s cardinal teaching. And its clear. He says, in order to go to the roof one essence is love, because must use the stairs but give them up one by makes us one with all, compelling us to one considering them unreal; if you stay accept others’ joy and sorrow as our own. In stuck on a stair, you can never reach the one of his lectures on Practical Vedanta, roof. But as you go to the roof you discover Swamiji says that love is Vedanta, because that the roof and the stairs are made of the love unifies. That is to say, the fundamental same substance—brick, cement, lime etc. characteristic of Vedanta is love and Similarly, to have the knowledge of renunciation. Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Brahman, you have to first discard the world Vivekananda and Holy Mother have as unreal. But after you have known collectively set up the Order of monks to Brahman you find the world which you had make Practical Vedanta effective. While Sri discarded before as unreal is also Brahman Ramakrishna and Swamiji have shown us and, therefore, real. So you then accept the how to do that in the monasteries, Mother world also as true. once said has applied the principles of Vedanta in her to Vivekananda: Shankara says One is real, busy day-to-day life. The number of monks manifoldness is unreal. And Buddha says in every age is bound to be limited and the One is unreal and ‘many’ is the real . Is it householder devotees are to be the majority. correct? Swamiji replied, ‘Yes, and what Both Sri Ramakrishna and Swamiji were Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and I have monks. If only they two were there as the added to this is that the Many and the One ideals of Practical Vedanta, householders are the same Reality, perceived by the same could have argued that however good it may mind at different times and in different be as a modern-day ideal, it can be practised attitudes.’12 We may remember that when only by monks and nuns; that ‘Practical Swami Turiyanandaji was breathing his last, Vedanta’ becomes ‘Practical’ only for them, he echoed this experience of vijnàna. He but not for the householders who are the said, ‘Everything is real. Brahman is real. majority and who are being continuously The world is real. The world is Brahman.’ grilled in the hellfire of the world. But that This is Practical Vedanta—to think and argument cannot arise now, thanks to act accepting every being as God or Mother’s exemplary life. In spite of her Brahman. While discoursing on Practical being an acme of renunciation, the Mother Vedanta, Swamiji exhorts us to deify the had accepted for his divine lilà the phenomenal world. You have never seen framework of a householder’s life—to make anything but God. You have never met or Practical Vedanta practicable even for interacted with anyone other than God. But householders. And her life in that household that God or Brahman you are always taking was much more challenging than any for man, or a chair or table, or some other householder. In that unique extended family objects. Swamiji tells us to give up this there were the fastidious niece Radhu, conventional way of looking at the world (Continued to page 22)

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