Master's eagerness for a spiritual companion

Saturday, March. 7, 1885

At 3pm, Sri Ramakrishna was in his room at Dakshineswar conversing happily with his devotees. Baburam, the younger Naren, Paltu, Haripada, Mohinimohan, and others were present.

A young brahmin who had been staying with the Master a few days was also there.The Holy Mother, Sri Ramakrishna’s wife, was living in the nahabat. Occasianally she would come to Sri Ramakrishna’s room to attend to his needs.

Mohinimohan had braught his wife and Nabin’s mother with him to the temple garden from Calcutta. The ladies were with the Holy Mother; they were waiting far an opportunity to visit the Master when the men devotees would leave the room.

Master talks about his young disciples

Sri Ramakrishna was sitting on the small couch. As he looked at the young devotees his face beamed with joy.

Rakhal was not then liying at Dakshineswar with the Master. Since his return from Vrindāvan he had been living at home.

MASTER (smjling): “Rakhal is now enjoying his ‘pension’. Since his return from Vrindāvan he has been staying at home. His wife is there. But he said to me that he would not accept any work even if he were offered a salary of a thousand rupees.

“Rakhal would lie down here and say to me that he didn’t care even for my campany. He was then passing through such an exalted state.

“Bhavanāth is married; but he spends the whole night in spiritual conversation with his wife. The couple passes their time talking of God alone: I said to him, ‘Have a little fun with your wife now and then.’ ‘What?’ he retorted angrily. ‘Shall we too indulge in frivolity?’ "

Sri Ramakrishna began to talk about Narendra.

MASTER (to the devotees): “I haven’t felt the same strong longing for the younger Naren that I felt for Narendra.

(To Haripada) “Do you go to Girish Ghosh’s house?”

HARIPADA: “Yes, I go there very often. He is our neighbour.”

MASTER: “Does Narendra, too, go there?”

HARIPADA: “Yes, I see him there occasionally.”

MASTER: “What does he say in reply to Girish?” [Girish Ghosh spoke of Sri Ramakrishna as an Incarnation of God.] HARIPADA: “Narendra has been defeated in the argument.”

MASTER: “No, Narendra says, ‘Girish Ghosh has such strong faith; why should I contradict him?’ "

The brother of Judge Anukal Mukhopadhyaya’s son-in-law was in the room. The Master asked him, “Do you know Narendra?”

BROTHER: “Yes, sir. He is a very intelligent young man.”

MASTER (to the devotees): “He must be a good man because he speaks highly of Narendra. Narendra was here the other day and sang with Trailokya Sannyal. But that day his singing seemed flat to me.”

Baburam was a student in the Entrance Class in the school where M. taught.

MASTER (to Baburam): “Where are your books? Aren’t you attending to your studies?

(To M.) He wants to stick to both.

“That is very difficult. What will you gain by knowing God partially? Vasishthadeva, great sage that he was, was overcome at the death of his sons. That amazed Lakshmana and he asked Rāma the reason. Rāma said: ‘Brother, what is there to wonder at? He who has knowledge has ignorance also. Brother, go beyond both knowledge and ignorance.’ If a thorn enters the sole of your foot, you get anothet thorn to take out the first one.

Afterwards you throw both away. Likewise, one procures the thorn of knowledge to remove the thorn of ignorance; then one goes beyond both knowledge and ignorance.”

BABURAM (smiling): “That’s what I want.”

MASTER (smiling): “But, my child, can you attain it by holding to both? If you want that, then come away.”

BABURAM (smiling): “Take me away from the world.”

MASTER (to M.): “Rakhal lived with me, but that was different; his father agreed to it. If these boys stay here there will be trouble.

(To Baburam) “You have no strength of mind; you haven’t much courage. Just see how the younger Naren says, ‘I will come away for good.”

Sri Ramakrishna came down from the small couch and sat among the youngsters on the floor. M. sat by his side.

Master’s eagerness for a spiritual companion

MASTER (to M.): “I have been seeking one who has totally renounced woman and gold.

When I find a young man, I think that perhaps he will live with me; but everyone raises some objection or other.

“A ghost sought a companion. It is said that a man who dies on a Saturday or Tuesday becomes a ghost. Therefore, whenever the ghost saw anybody fall from a roof or stumble and faint on the road on either of those days, he would run to him, hoping that the man, through an accidental death, would become a ghost and be his companion. But such was his ill luck that everyone revived. The poor thing could not get a companion.

“Just see, Rakhal always gives his wife as an excuse. He says, ‘What will become of her?’

When I touched Narendra on the chest, he became unconscious; then he cried out: ‘Oh, what have you done to me? Don’t you know that I have a father and mother?’ “Why has God made me lead this kind of life? Chaitanyadeva became a sannyāsi so that all would salute him. Whoever salutes an Incarnation, even once, obtains liberation.” Mohinimohan had brought a basket of sweetmeats for Sri Ramakrishna.

MASTER: “Who has brought these sweets?”

Baburam pointed to Mohinimohan.

Sri Ramakrishna touched the sweets, uttering the word “Om”, and ate a little. Then he distributed them among the devotees. To the surprise of the others, he fed the younger Naren and a few of the boys with his own hand.

MASTER (to M): “This has a meaning. There is a greater manifestation of God in men of pure heart.

In former years, when I used to go to Kamarpukur, I would feed some of the young boys with my own hand. Chine Sankhari would say, ‘Why doesn’t he feed us that way?’

But how could I? They led an immoral life. Who would feed them?”

Sri Ramakrishna was in the happiest mood with his young and pure-souled devotees. He was seated on the small couch and was doing funny imitations of a kirtani. The devotees laughed heartily. The kirtani is dressed lavishly and covered with ornaments. She sings standing on the floor, a coloured kerchief in her hand. Now and then she coughs to draw people’s attention and blows her nose, raising her nose-ring. When a respectable gentleman enters the room she welcomes him with appropriate words, still continuing her song. Now and then she pulls her sari from her arms to show off her jewels.

The devotees were convulsed, with laughter at this mimicry by Sri Ramakrishna. Paltu rolled on the ground. Pointing to him, the Master said to M.: “Look at that child! He is rolling with laughter.” He said to Paltu with a smile: “Don’t report this to your father, or he will lose the little respect he has for me. You see, he is an ‘Englishman.”