The Hatha Yogi
Table of Contents
March 23, 1884
Sri Ramakrishna was sitting in his room after his midday meal, with Rākhāl, Ram, and some other devotees. He was not quite well. The injured arm was still bandaged.
But in spite of his illness, his room was a veritable mart of joy and he the centre of it.
Devotees thronged there daily to see the Master. Spiritual talk went on incessantly, and, the very air of the room vibrated with bliss.
Sometimes, the Master would sing the name and glories of God. Sometimes, he would go into samādhi, the devotees being amazed at the ease with which the Master freed himself from the consciousness of the body.
There is talk of Narendra’s marrying Mr. R. Mitra’s daughter. Narendra has been offered a large dowry.
(smiling): “Yes, Narendra may thus become a leader of society or something like that. He will be an outstanding man, whatever career he follows.”
The Master did not much encourage the conversation about Narendra.
(to Ram): “Well, can you tell me why I become so impatient when I am ill?
Sometimes I ask this man and sometimes that man how I may be cured. You see, one must either believe everyone or no one at all.
It is God Himself who has become the physicians. Therefore one must believe all of them. But one cannot have faith in them if one thinks of them as mere men.
Sambhu was fearfully delirious. Dr. Sarvadhikari said that the delirium was due to the strong medicine. Haladhāri asked the doctor to feel his pulse. The doctor said: ‘Let me see your eyes. Oh, it is an enlargement of the spleen!’ Haladhāri said he had nothing of the sort. But Dr. Madhu gives good medicine.”
The medicine by itself does no good, though it greatly helps nature.
If that is so, why does opium cause constipation?
Ram referred to Keshab Sen’s death.
You were right. You said that a gardener uncovers the roots of a good roseplant so that it may absorb the dew and grow stronger and healthier. The words of a holy man have been fulfilled.
I don’t know about that. I wasn’t calculating when I said it. It is you who say that.
The Brahmos have published something about you in their magazine.
Published about me? Why? Why should they write now? I eat and drink and make merry. I don’t know anything else.
Man teaches by God’s power
“I once asked Keshab, ‘Why have you written about me?’ He said that it would bring people here. But man cannot teach by his own power. One cannot conquer ignorance without the power of God.
At one time 2 men were engaged to wrestle. One of them was Hanuman Singh and the other a Muslim from Punjab. The Muslim was strong, stout. He had eaten lustily of butter and meat for 15 days before the wrestling-match, and even on that day. All thought he would win.
Hanuman Singh, on the other hand, clad in a dirty cloth, had eaten sparingly for some days before the day of the match and devoted himself to repeating the holy name of Mahavir. On the day of the match, he observed a complete fast.
All thought that he would surely be defeated.
But it was he who won, while the man who had feasted for 15 days lost the fight.
What is the use of printing and advertising? He who teaches men gets his power from God. None but a man of renunciation can teach others. I am the greatest of all fools!
(All laugh.)
How is it that the Vedas and the Vedānta, and many things besides, come out of your mouth?
(smiling): “During my boyhood I could understand what the Sādhus read at the Lahas’ house at Kamarpukur, although I would miss a little here and there. If a pundit speaks to me in Sanskrit I can follow him, but I cannot speak it myself.
To realize God is the one goal of life. While aiming his arrow at the mark, Arjuna said, ‘I see only the eye of the bird and nothing else-not the kings, not the trees, not even the bird itself.’
“The realization of God is enough for me. What does it matter if I don’t know Sanskrit?
“The grace of God falls alike on all His children, learned and illiterate―whoever longs for Him. The father has the same love for all his children. Suppose a father has 5 children.
One calls him ‘Baba’, some ‘Ba’, and some ‘Pa’. These last cannot pronounce the whole word. Does the father love those who address him as ‘Baba’ more than those who call him ‘Pa’? The father knows that these last are simply too young to say ‘Baba’ correctly.
“Since this injury to my arm a change has been coming over my mind. I have been feeling much inclined to the Naralila. It is God Himself who plays about as human beings. If God can be worshipped through a clay image, then why not through a man?
“Once a merchant was shipwrecked. He floated to the shore of Ceylon, where Bibhishana was the king of the monsters. Bibhishana ordered his servants to bring the merchant to him. At the sight of him Bibhishana was overwhelmed with joy and said:
‘Ah! He looks like my Rāma. The same human form!’ He adorned the merchant with robes and jewels, and worshipped him. When I first heard this story, I felt such joy that I cannot describe it.