Religious Quarrels Condemned

May 27, 1883

Sri Ramakrishna was in his room at Dakshineswar, conversing with the devotees. It was about nine o’clock in the morning.

MASTER (to M. and the other devotees): “It is not good to harbour malice. The Saktas, the Vaishnavas, and the Vedantists quarrel among themselves. That is not wise. Padmalochan was court pundit of the Maharaja of Burdwan. Once at a meeting the pundits were discussing whether Śiva was superior to Brahma, or Brahma to Śiva. Padmalochan gave an appropriate reply. ‘I don’t know anything about it’, said he.

‘I haven’t talked either to Śiva or to Brahma.’

If people feel sincere longing, they will find that all paths lead to God. But one should have nishtha, single-minded devotion. It is also described as chaste and unswerving devotion to God.

It is like a tree with only one trunk shooting straight up. Promiscuous devotion is like a tree with 5 branches.

Such was the single-minded devotion of the gopis to Krishna that they didn’t care to look at anyone but the Krishna they had seen at Vrindāvan-the Shepherd Krishna, bedecked with a garland of yellow wild-flowers and wearing a peacock feather on His crest. At the sight of Krishna at Mathura with a turban on His head and dressed in royal robes, the gopis pulled down their veils. They would not look at His face. ‘Who is this man?’ they said.

‘Should we violate our chaste love for Krishna by talking to him?’

“The devotion of the wife to her husband is also an instance of unswerving love. She feeds her brothers-in-law as well, and looks after their comforts, but she has a special relationship with her husband. Likewise, one may have that single-minded devotion to one’s own religion; but one should not on that account hate other faiths.

On the contrary, one should have a friendly attitude, toward them.”

The Master bathed in the Ganges and then went to the Kāli temple with M. He sat before the image and offered flowers at the feet of the Divine Mother. Now and then he put flowers on his own head and meditated.

After a long time he stood up. He was in a spiritual mood and danced before the image, chanting the name of Kāli. Now and again he said: “O Mother! O Destroyer of suffering!

O Remover of grief and agony!” Was he teaching people thus to pray to the Mother of the Universe with a yearning heart, in order to get rid of the suffering inevitable in physical life?

Sri Ramakrishna returned to his room and sat on the west porch. Rakhal, M., Nakur Vaishnav, and other devotees were with him. Nakur had been known to the Master for about twenty-five years. He was a devotee of Gauranga and had a small shop which Sri Ramakrishna had often visited when he first came to Calcutta from Kamarpukur. Still overpowered with divine ecstasy, the Master sang: O Kāli, my Mother full of Bliss! Enchantress of the almighty Śiva!

In Thy delirious joy Thou dancest, clapping Thy hands together!

Eternal One! Thou great First Cause, clothed in the form of the Void

Thou wearest the moon upon Thy brow, Where didst Thou find Thy garland of heads before the universe was made?

Thou art the Mover of all that move, and we are but Thy helpless toys;

We move alone as Thou movest us and speak as through us you speakest.

But worthless Kamalakanta says, fondly berating Thee:

Confoundress! With Thy flashing sword

Thoughtlessly Thou hast put to death my virtue and my sin alike! He sang again:

Mother, Thou art our sole Redeemer, Thou the Support of the three gunas, Higher than the most high. Thou art compassionate, I know, Who takest away our bitter grief. Sandhya art Thou, and Gayatri; Thou dost sustain this universe. Mother, the Help art Thou Of those that have no help but Thee, O Eternal Beloved of Śiva! Thou art in earth, in water Thou; Thou liest at the root of all. In me, in every creature,

Thou hast Thy home; though clothed with form, Yet art Thou formless Reality.

The Master sang a few more songs in praise of the Divine Mother. Then he said to the devotees:

It is not always best to tell householders about the sorrows of life. They want bliss. Those who suffer from chronic poverty can go without food for a day or two. But it is not wise to talk about the sorrows and miseries of life to those who suffer if their food is delayed a few minutes. Vaishnavcharan used to say: ‘Why should one constantly dwell on sin? Be merry!’

While the Master was resting after his midday meal, Manohor Goswami, a singer of kirtan, arrived. He sang about the ecstatic love of Gauranga and the divine episode of Vrindāvan. The Master was absorbed in a deep spiritual mood. He tore off his shirt and said, to the melody of the kirtan, assuming the attitude of Radha: “O Krishna, my Beloved! O friends, bring Krishna to me. Then you will be real friends. Or take me to Him, and I will be your slave for ever.” The musician sat spellbound at Sri Ramakrishna’s ecstasy; then he said with folded hands, “Won’t you please rid me of my worldliness?” MASTER: “You are like the holy man who went about the city after first finding a lodging. You are a sweet person and express many sweet ideas.” MUSICIAN: “Sir, I am like the bullock that only carries the bag of sugar but cannot taste it. Alas, I myself do not enjoy the sweetness of divine bliss.” The melodious music went on, and all were filled with joy.

Saturday, June 2, 1883

Sri Ramakrishna had been invited to visit the homes of his devotees Balaram, Adhar, and Ram in Calcutta. Devotional music had been arranged by Adhar and Ram. The Master was accompanied in the carriage by Rakhal, M., and others.

As they drove along, Sri Ramakrishna said to the devotees: “You see, sin flies away when love of God grows in a man’s heart, even as the water of the reservoir dug in a meadow dries up under the heat of the sun. But one cannot love God if one feels attracted to worldly things, to ‘woman and gold’. Merely taking the vow of monastic life will not help a man if he is attached to the world.

It is like swallowing your own spittle after spitting it out on the ground.”

After a few minutes the Master continued: ‘The members of the Brahmo Samaj do not accept God with form. Narendra says that God with form is a mere idol. He says further: ‘What? He still goes to the Kāli temple!’”

Sri Ramakrishna and his party arrived at Balaram’s house. Yajnanath of Nandanbagan came to invite the Master to his house at four o’clock in the afternoon. Sri Ramakrishna agreed to go if he felt well. After Yajnanath’s departure the Master went into an ecstatic mood. He said to the Divine Mother: “Mother, what is all this? Stop!

What are these things Thou art showing to me? What is it that Thou dost reveal to me through Rakhal and others? The form is disappearing. But, Mother, what people call ‘man’ is only a pillow-case, nothing but a pillow-case. Consciousness is Thine alone.

The modern Brahmajnanis have not tasted Thy sweet bliss. Their eyes look dry and so do their faces. They won’t achieve anything without ecstatic love of God. “Mother, once I asked Thee to give me a companion just like myself. Is that why Thou hast given me Rakhal?”

The Master went to Adhar’s house, where arrangements were being made for the kirtan.

Many devotees and neighbours had gathered in Adhar’s drawing-room, anxious to listen to the Master’s words.