Section I Sri Ramakrishna with Narendra and other Intimate Disciples in Dakshineswar Chapter I The story of Thakur’s earlier life – Sri Ramakrishna in his first ecstasy of love in 1858 The devotee Krishnakishore, a sadhu from Ariadaha, Jatindra, Jaya Mukherji and Rani Rasmani Sri Ramakrishna is in a happy state of mind today. Narendra has come to the Kali Temple at Dakshineswar. Other intimate disciples are there as well. Narendra takes his bath and receives prasad 1. It is Monday, 16 October, 1882, the fourth day of the bright fortnight of Aswin. The Durga Puja falls on Thursday next, the seventh day of the lunar month. Rakhal, Ramlal and Hazra are with Sri Ramakrishna. Narendra is accompanied by one or two Brahmo youths. M. is also present. Narendra has taken his meal with Sri Ramakrishna. After the meal, Sri Ramakrishna asks for bedding to be spread on the floor of his room. The devotees, particularly Narendra, will rest there. A mat of superior quality is spread out with a quilt and a pillow over it. Like a child, Sri Ramakrishna sits near Narendra on the bedspread. Turning toward him joyfully, he talks with the devotees, particularly Narendra. A radiant smile plays on his face. During 1 Sacramental food which has been offered to the deity 2 Sri Sri Ramakrishna Kathamrita – II 16 October, 1882 the conversation, he tells them of incidents in his life and his spiritual state. Sri Ramakrishna (to Narendra and others) — After this spiritual state of mine, I only longed to hear about the Lord. I used to wander about trying to find out where the Bhagavata , the Adhyatma (Ramayana) or the Mahabharata was being read. I used to go to Krishnakishore of Ariadaha to listen to the recitation of the Adhyatma . “What faith Krishnakishore had! Once when he was in Vrindavan, he felt thirsty and went to a well. He found a man standing near it. When asked to draw some water for him, the man said, ‘I belong to a low caste and you are a brahmin. How can I draw water for you?’ Krishnakishore said to him, ‘Just say Shiva twice. The moment you say Shiva, you will be purified.’ The man uttered, ‘Shiva, Shiva,’ and drew some water. Such an orthodox brahmin and he took that water! What faith! “A sadhu came to the bathing ghat at Ariadaha. I thought I would go to see him one day. I told Haladhari in the Kali Temple that I would go to meet the sadhu with Krishnakishore. I asked him if he would like to see him. Haladhari said, ‘What use is it to see a cage of clay?’ You see, Haladhari reads the Gita and the Vedanta philosophy. That is why he called the sadhu a ‘cage of clay’. I told Krishnakishore about it. He was quite angry and said, ‘What! Did Haladhari say that? One who meditates on the Lord, thinks of Rama, and has given up everything for His sake, to call the body of such a man a cage of clay! He doesn’t know that the body of such a devotee is made up of Spirit.’ He was so angry that when he would come to the Kali Temple to pick flowers, he would turn away when he saw Haladhari and did not talk to him. With Narendra and other Disciples in Dakshineswar 3 “He said to me, ‘Why did you cast off your sacred thread?’ When I was in that state, everything blew away from me as if by the cyclone of Aswin. No indication of my previous life remained! I lost external awareness! Even my dhoti 1 fell off, so how could I care for the sacred thread? I said to him, ‘If you once experience that madness for the Lord, you will understand.’ “And this is what happened. He, himself, went into God-intoxication. He just uttered, ‘Om, Om,’ shutting himself in a room without another word. Thinking that it was a disease of the brain, a Kaviraj 2 of Natagore was sent for. Krishnakishore said to him, ‘My good brother! Do please cure me of my disease, but not of my Om 3!’ “One day when I went to see him, he was in a pensive mood. ‘What is the matter?’ I asked him. He said, ‘The Tax man came and I am thinking about what he said – that if I do not pay with cash immediately, he will sell my utensils.’ I said, ‘What is the use of thinking about it? All he can do is to take away your utensils. Even if he carries them away tied together, he cannot carry you with him. You are kha (ether)!’ (Narendra and others laugh.) Krishnakishore says that he is like ether. You see, he studies the Adhyatma (Ramayana ). I used to joke with him, sometimes calling him kha . I laughed and said, ‘You are kha . The Tax man will not be able to carry you away.’ “During ecstasy, I would tell the truth to everybody. I did not care about one’s position and was not afraid of men of power. 1 Long cloth for covering the body 2 An Ayurvedic physician 3 Omkar, the Vedic symbol for the Supreme Being 4 Sri Sri Ramakrishna Kathamrita – II 16 October, 1882 “One day Jatindra came to Jadu Mallick’s garden. I was there. I asked him, ‘What is man’s duty? Isn’t it to meditate on God?’ Jatindra said, ‘We are worldly people. Is there salvation for us too? Even King Yudhisthira had to visit hell.’ I felt very angry. I said, ‘What kind of man are you! You only remember Yudhisthira’s visit to hell and you forget his truthfulness, his readiness to pardon, his forbearance, discrimination, dispassion and love for the Lord.’ I was going to say much more when Hriday stopped me. He put his hand on my mouth. A short time later Jatindra left, saying that he had some business to attend to. “Many days later I went with Captain 1 to Sourindra Tagore’s house. Seeing him, I said, ‘I cannot call you a raja or anything like that because it would be a lie.’ He talked with me for awhile, then Western visitors began to arrive. He is a man of rajasic nature. He keeps himself busy with so many things. Word of my visit was sent to Jatindra, but he sent a message that he had a sore throat. “In the same state of God-intoxication, I saw Jaya Mukherji one day at the Baranagore ghat 2. He was performing japa 3 but his mind was elsewhere. I approached him and gave him two slaps. “One day Rasmani came to the Kali Temple. She used to come for worship and would ask me to sing a song or two. This particular day I was singing, when I noticed that she was sorting flowers but her mind was elsewhere. I at once slapped her twice. Then she sat there anxiously and confused, with her hands folded. 1 Colonel Viswanath Upadhyaya, a resident of Nepal. The advocate and emissary of the king of Nepal and his representative in Calcutta. A very orthodox brahmin and a great devotee. 2 A brick landing stair on the bank of a river, a pond, or a reservoir 3 Repetition of the Name With Narendra and other Disciples in Dakshineswar 5 “ ‘Brother, what kind of temperament have you developed?’ Haladhari asked. What was I to do? I prayed and prayed to the Mother and freed myself from the tendency to correct people.” With Mathur on pilgrimage in 1868 – Sri Ramakrishna weeps on hearing worldly talk in Kashi “When I was in that state, I liked to hear nothing but talk of the Lord. If I heard worldly talk, I would sit silently and weep. Mathur Babu had taken me with him on pilgrimage. We stayed for many days in Raja Babu’s house in Kashi. One day I was sitting with Mathur Babu in the drawing room. Raja Babu was also there with his men. I noticed that they were talking about worldly things: so much money was lost, and so on. I began to weep, ‘Mother, where have you brought me? I was so well off in Rani Rasmani’s temple. That I should hear of ‘lust and greed’ even in holy places!’ There [in Dakshineswar] I did not have to listen to such worldly talk.’ Sri Ramakrishna asks the devotees, particularly Narendra, to rest awhile. He himself lies down on the smaller cot. Chapter II Enjoys the kirtan with Narendra and others – full of love, he embraces Narendra It is afternoon. Narendra is singing. Rakhal, M., Narendra’s Brahmo friend, Priya, and Hazra are there. Narendra sings a devotional song to the accompaniment of mridanga (drum). 6 Sri Sri Ramakrishna Kathamrita – II 16 October, 1882 Meditate upon Hari, O my mind! He is the essence of consciousness. He is free from all impurity! Without equal is His glory, beautiful is His shape, how very beloved is He in the hearts of His devotees! Behold, His beauty is enhanced by fresh manifestations of love! It casts into shadow the effulgence of a million moons! Verily, lightning flashes out of His glorious beauty! His blessed vision causes the hair to stand on end. Worship His holy feet in the lotus of your heart. Gaze upon the matchless beauty of that beloved form. Now that the mind enjoys peace and the eyes are filled with love, be immersed in divine love. Inspired with your devotion, remain merged in the joy of love.