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Sri Ramakrishna's Comforting Assurance

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Sri Ramakrishna's Comforting Assurance SRI RAMAKRISHNA’s COmFORTING ASSURANCe by swami sambuddhananda (Swami Sambuddhananda was a disciple great love and devotion. outburst of grief and sensing that the of the Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi. At the In the same neighborhood where worst must have happened to Kusum, invitation of the Vedanta Society of Hawaii, Kusum lived with her parents, lived a both Mr. and Mrs. Mukherjee ran up to he visited Honolulu twice nearly fifty years certain Mukherjee family. They lived the balcony of the second floor of their ago. The following article, edited by Swami very close to Kusum’s home. Both house from where they could see what Bhaskarananda, is one of his talks given in Mr. Mukherjee and his wife were also was happening at Kusum’s home. After Honolulu.—Ed.) devoted to Swami Subodhananda. When- a little while Mr. Mukherjee saw Khoka nce Sri Ramakrishna said, Maharaj walking out of that house “Those who will come ‘here’ holding Kusum’s hand. Then both will not be born again.” In Kusum and Khoka Maharaj slowly Oother words, those who will come ‘here’ moved out of sight walking down the will attain liberation; they will be free street. from the cycle of repeated births and Mr. Mukherjee wondered whether deaths. he had been seeing some kind of illu- When I first read this saying of Sri sion. So he asked Mrs. Mukherjee, “Did Ramakrishna, it appeared to be a little you see Khoka Maharaj walk out of enigmatic to me. I couldn’t clearly un- that house holding Kusum’s hand? Or, derstand what Sri Ramakrishna had is it that I have been seeing things?” meant by “here.” By the word “here” did Mrs. Mukherjee replied, “No, it’s not Sri Ramakrishna mean his own divine an illusion! I also have seen the same Self, or did he mean something else? thing. But I don’t know how it could So I asked several spiritually exalted be possible!” disciples of Sri Ramakrishna to know Both of them wondered: “How how they had understood it. I had the and when did Khoka Maharaj arrive privilege of asking Swami Saradananda, here? We are always informed when he Swami Shivananda and a few others. comes to Ranchi for a visit. And every Unfortunately, their replies didn’t quite time he visits Kusum’s home he visits satisfy me. our home as well.” But, when I was not yet a monk of Later they inquired of Kusum’s the Ramakrishna Order, I had the good parents if Swami Subodhananda had fortune of living for a while with an- come to their home the day Kusum other great disciple of Sri Ramakrishna. passed away. And they were told that He was my honored guest, and spent he hadn’t come. The Mukherjees were about two or three months with me. extremely surprised to hear that, but He was Swami Subodhananda, better Sri Ramakrishna kept silent. They didn’t tell anyone else known in the Ramakrishna Order as 1836–1886 about what both of them had seen on Khoka Maharaj. To him I referred the the day Kusum passed away. matter. And, in reply, he narrated one ever Swami Subodhananda would visit After a few months Swami Subod- incident of his life, which helped me to Kusum’s home he would also visit the hananda came for a visit to Ranchi. Then understand the real significance of this Mukherjees. as usual he came to Kusum’s parents’ utterance of Sri Ramakrishna. After a few years, Kusum became quite home to meet all the members of that Swami Subodhananda had many dis- ill. Her parents, siblings and all others large family. His words of consolation ciples. He had a number of disciples who who loved her were very sad. During helped ease the grief of that bereaved lived in Ranchi, a town in Bihar. It so hap- the period of Kusum’s illness, Mr. and family considerably. pened that all those disciples of Swami Mrs. Mukherjee would come and see her After visiting that home, Swami Subodhananda in Ranchi were Bengalees. frequently. Eventually the doctors, under Subodhananda came to see the Mukher- And one of them was a very good-natured, whose treatment she was, gave up all jees. The Mukherjees were overjoyed, widowed girl named Kusum. Kusum had hopes about her recovery. Then came the and they went on talking happily with no children and lived with her parents and sad day when Kusum breathed her last. the swami for quite a while, and listen- siblings. She was very much devoted to her As soon as she passed away, her par- ing to his spiritually inspiring words. In guru, Swami Subodhananda. Whenever ents, overwhelmed with the unbearable course of their conversation they also the swami visited their home in Ranchi, pain of losing their dear daughter, started talked about what both of them had seen she had the opportunity to serve him with weeping and crying aloud. Hearing that immediately after the death of Kusum. 2 GLOBAl VEDANTA spring 2010 Referring to that strange incident, they During this illness in Varanasi, one day life she was leading in the Ramakrishna asked Swami Subodhananda, “Although he felt very thirsty. He got up from his Loka4— the spiritual realm of Sri Ra- you hadn’t actually come to Kusum’s home bed with great effort and made an attempt makrishna. that day, immediately after Kusum’s death to drink water. The drinking water was in Kusum said that she was leading a very we saw you walking out of that home his kamandulu2 away from his bed. After peaceful life there, free from all kinds of holding her hand. Will you please tell us drinking a little water, while coming back worry and anxiety. Only peace reigns in why we saw that?” to his bed, he fainted and collapsed on the Ramakrishna Loka. It is hard to describe Swami Subodhananda said to them floor. He remained in that state for some through words the actual condition of that he was unable to answer their ques- time. Then regaining consciousness, he that realm. tion at that time, but he assured them that went to his bed and tried his best to have Then Swami Subodhananda asked her, he would tell them when he would be able a nap. While sleeping, he saw that Kusum “Well, can you tell me what happened to to know what had actually happened you when you died?” that day. Kusum replied, “During my illness, Shortly thereafter Swami Subod- particularly during the last part of my hananda departed from Ranchi. After illness, I was extremely worried. I was leaving Ranchi he went to Varanasi. He suffering terribly. Still I didn’t forget wanted to spend some time in tapasya1 you. Then during the last moment of there. After a little searching he found my life I saw that you had come to me. a room in a very solitary area of the You told me, ‘Come on with me. Why city. The Ramakrishna Order has two should you wait any longer here?’” Ashramas in Varanasi. Had the monks “So I went with you. You held my of those two Ashramas come to know hand and led me. After going a certain of his presence in the city, they would distance, when I looked toward you, immediately come and take him to one I couldn’t find you. Instead, I saw Sri of those Ashramas. In apprehension of Ramakrishna in your place!” that possibility, Swami Subodhananda “I asked him, ‘Revered Khoka Ma- took great care to conceal his presence haraj was all along with me. Where has in Varanasi from the monks of those he gone?’” two Ashramas. In order not to be seen “Then Sri Ramakrishna said, ‘It was by them, he also had to be very careful not Khoka whom you saw; it was I. I about his movements within the city. took the form of Khoka and led you He took these measures, because he from your home to this place. It wasn’t wanted to perform his tapasya undis- Khoka, but all along it was I who was turbed and with all earnestness. accompanying you.’” In performing tapasya one has to Swami Subodhananda Then Kusum said to Swami Subod- 1867–1932 live alone, completely depending on hananda that she was all the time with God. Just to sustain his body, following was sitting by his bedside and was fanning Sri Ramakrishna in Ramakrishna Loka, the ancient monastic tradition, Swami him with a hand fan.3 and was passing her days in great happi- Subodhananda would procure a little Swami Subodhananda was extremely ness and peace. food every day from outside by begging. surprised to see her and asked Kusum, Hearing that, Swami Subodhananda said He would spend the rest of the day in the “How could you come here? Who brought to her, “Very well, Kusum, now you may go contemplation of God. you here?” back to where you have come from.” In this manner time went on. But after Kusum replied, “I was with Sri Ra- When Swami Subodhananda narrated some days, Swami Subodhananda fell makrishna, and he told me, ‘Khoka has this incident to me, the meaning of Sri sick. He had a fever and his temperature fallen sick and he is remembering you. Go Ramakrishna’s utterance—“Those who was rising day after day. As a result, he there and serve him.’ He has sent me here; will come ‘here’ will not be born again.”— was not in a position to go out every day that’s why I have come here.” became very clear to me.
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