The worship in the temple

Saturday, October 18, 1884

It was the day of the worship of Kāli, the Divine Mother. The worship was to begin at eleven o’clock at night. Several devotees arrived at the temple.

All creation is the sport of my mad Mother Kāli; By Her māyā the three worlds are bewitched.

Mad is She and mad is Her Husband; mad are Her two disciples!

None can describe Her loveliness, Her glories, gestures, moods;

Śiva, with the agony of the poison in His throat, Chants Her name again and again. The Personal does She oppose to the Impersonal, Breaking one stone with another; Though to all else She is agreeable, Where duties are concerned She will not yield. 675Keep your raft, says Ramprasad, afloat on the sea of life, Drifting up with the flood-tide, drifting down with the ebb. The Master was quite overwhelmed with the song. He said that songs like these denoted a state of divine inebriation. He sang one after another:

This time I shall devour Thee utterly, Mother Kāli! For I was born under an evil star, And one so born becomes, they say, the eater of his mother. . . . Then: O Kāli, my Mother full of Bliss! Enchantress of the Almighty Śiva! In Thy delirious joy Thou dancest, clapping Thy hands together! . . . And then: If at the last my life-breath leaves me as I repeat the name of Kāli, I shall attain the realm of Śiva. What does Benares mean to me?

Infinite are my Mother’s glories; who can find the end of Her virtues? Śiva, beholding their smallest part, lies prostrate at Her Lotus Feet.

The singing was over. Two sons of Rajnarayan entered the room and bowed low before the Master. In the afternoon they had sung with their father the glories of the Divine Mother. The Master sang again with them: All creation is the sport of my mad Mother Kāli The younger brother requested Sri Ramakrishna to sing a certain song about Sri Gaurānga. The Master sang: Gaur and Nitai, ye blessed brothers! I have heard how kind you are, And therefore I have come to you. . . . Ramlal entered the room. The Master said to him: “Please sing something about the Divine Mother. It is the day of Her worship.”

Ramlal sang:

Who is the Woman yonder who lights the field of battle? Darker Her body gleams even than the darkest storm-cloud, And from Her teeth there flash the lightning’s blinding flames! Dishevelled Her hair is flying behind as She rushes about, Undaunted in this war between the gods and the demons. 676Laughing Her terrible laugh, She slays the fleeing asuras, And with Her dazzling flashes She bares the horror of war. . . .

Again Ramlal sang:

Who, is this terrible Woman, dark as the sky at midnight? Who is this Woman dancing over the field of battle? . . . Sri Ramakrishna began to dance to the song. Then he himself sang: The black bee of my mind is drawn in sheer delight To the blue lotus flower of Mother Syama’s feet, The blue flower of the feet of Kāli, Śiva’s Consort. Tasteless, to the bee, are the blossoms of desire. My Mother’s feet are black, and black, too, is the bee; Black is made one with black! This much of the mystery These mortal eyes behold, then hastily retreat. But Kamalakanta’s hopes are answered in the end; He swims in the Sea of Bliss, unmoved by joy or pain.

After the music and dancing Sri Ramakrishna sat on the couch and the devotees sat on the floor. He said to M.: “It is a pity you weren’t here in the afternoon. The musical recital of the Chandi was very fine.” Some of the devotees went to the temple to salute the image of the Divine Mother. Others sat quietly performing japa on the steps leading to the Ganges. It was about eleven o’clock, the most auspicious time for contemplation of the Divine Mother. The flood-tide was rising in the Ganges, and the lights on its banks were reflected here and there in its dark waters.

From outside the shrine M. was looking wistfully at the image. Ramlal came to the temple with a book in his hand containing the rules of the worship. He asked M. if he wanted to come in. M. felt highly favoured and entered the shrine. He saw that the Divine Mother was profusely decorated. The room was brilliantly illuminated by a large chandelier that hung from the ceiling. Two candles were burning in front of the image. On the floor were trays full of offerings. Red hibiscus flowers and bel-leaves adorned Her feet. She wore garlands round Her neck, M.’s eyes fell on the chamara. Suddenly he remembered that Sri Ramakrishna often fanned the Divine Mother with it. With some hesitation he asked Ramlal if he might fan the image. The priest gave his permission. M. joyously fanned the image. The regular worship had not yet begun. The devotees again entered the Master’s room. Beni Pāl had invited Sri Ramakrishna to visit the Sinthi Brahmo Samaj the next day, but had made a mistake in his letter with regard to the date.

MASTER (to M.): “Beni Pāl has sent me an invitation. But why has he put the wrong date?”

M: “The date was not written correctly. He wrote the letter carelessly.” As Sri Ramakrishna spoke, he was standing in the middle of the room with Baburam by his side. He leaned toward the disciple, touching his body. Suddenly he went into samādhi. The devotees stood around with their eyes fixed on him. The Master’s left foot was advanced a little; the shoulder was slightly inclined to one side; his arm rested on Baburam’s neck near the ear. After a while he came down from the ecstatic state. As he stood there he put one hand to his cheek and appeared to be brooding over something. Then, smiling, he addressed the devotees.

MASTER: “I saw everything-how far the devotees had advanced. I saw Rākhāl, him (pointing to M.), Surendra, Baburam, and many others.”

HAZRA: “Me?”

MASTER: “Yes.”

HAZRA: “Many more obstacles?”

MASTER: “No.”

HAZRA: “What about Narendra?”

MASTER: “I didn’t see him. But I can tell about him. He is a little entangled. But I saw that everyone will succeed. (To M.) I saw that all are in hiding.” The devotees listened to these words with great wonder. It seemed to them that they were hearing an oracle.

MASTER: “But I got into that mood by touching Baburam.” HAZRA: “Who is first?”

Sri Ramakrishna was quiet for a time. Then he said, “I wish I had a few like Nityagopal.”

Again he appeared thoughtful. He remained standing. He said: “I wish Adhar Sen’s duties would become fewer. But I am afraid the English officer will scold him. He may say, ‘What is all this nonsense?’” (All smile.)

Sri Ramakrishna sat on the small couch, and the devotees on the floor. Baburam. and

Kishori came quickly to the Master and began to stroke his feet gently.

MASTER (to Kishori): “What’s the matter? Why so much service today?

The worship in the temple

Ramlal entered the room and saluted Sri Ramakrishna, touching the ground with his forehead. Then with great respect he touched the Master’s feet. He was ready to worship the Divine Mother in the temple.

RAMLAL: “Please permit me to go to the shrine.”

The Master twice uttered the words “Om Kāli” and said: “Perform the worship carefully. There is also a sheep to be slaughtered.”

It was midnight. The worship began in the Kāli temple. The Master went to watch the ceremony. During the worship he stood near the image. Now the sheep was going to be slaughtered. The animal was consecrated before the Deity.

People stood in lines watching the ceremony. While the sheep was being taken to the block Sri Ramakrishna returned to his room. He could not bear the sight.

Several devotees remained in the temple till two o’clock in the morning. Haripada came and asked them to take the prasad to the Master’s room. After finishing their meal they lay down wherever they could for the remainder of the night.

It was morning. The dawn service in the temples was over and the theatrical performance was going on in the open hall in front of the shrine. M. was coming through the courtyard with Sri Ramakrishna. He wanted to take leave of the Master.

MASTER: “Why should you go now?”

M: “You are going to Sinthi in the afternoon. I too intend to be there. So I should like to go home for a few hours.”

They came to the Kāli temple. At the foot of the steps M. saluted the Master.

MASTER: “You are going? All right. Please bring two pieces of cheap cloth for me. I shall use them while taking my bath.”