The Car Festival

It was afternoon. In the mean time the small car of Jagannath, decorated with flowers, flags, and bunting, had been brought to the inner verandah. The images of Jagannath, Subhadra, and Balarama, were adorned with sandal-paste, flower garlands, robes and jewelry.

Sri Ramakrishna left the room where the professional musicians were singing and came to the verandah, accompanied by the devotees. He stood in front of the car and pulled it by the rope. He began to sing and dance with the devotees in front of the car.

The Master sang:

Behold, the two brothers have come, who weep while chanting Hari’s name. . . . He sang again:

See how all Nadia is shaking Under the waves of Gaurānga’s love! . . .

The music and dancing went on in the verandah as the car was pulled to and fro. A large crowd entered the house on hearing the loud music and the beating of the drums. Sri Ramakrishna was completely intoxicated with divine love. The devotees felt its contagion and danced with the Master in an ecstasy of love.

Afterwards Sri Ramakrishna returned to the drawing-room. M. and other devotees stroked his feet.

Filled with divine fervour, Narendra sang to the accompaniment of the Tānpura: Come! Come, Mother! Doll of my soul! My heart’s’ Delight! In my heart’s lotus come and sit, that I may see Thy face

Then he sang:

Mother, Thou art our sole Redeemer, Thou the Support of the three Gunās, 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

He sang another song:

I have made Thee, O Lord, the Pole-star of my life; No more shall I lose my way on the world’s trackless sea. Wherever I wander here, Thy brilliance shines undimmed; With Thy serene and gracious light

Thou drivest all the tears out of my troubled soul. In my heart’s inmost shrine Thy face for ever beams; If, for a moment even, I cannot find it there, My soul is overwhelmed with woe;

When my witless mind strays from the thought of Thee, The vision of Thy face strikes me with deepest shame. A devotee said to Narendra, “Will you sing that one - ‘O Mother, Thou my Inner Guide, ever awake within my heart’?”

MASTER: “Oh, no! Why that song now? The proper thing now is to sing of divine bliss-a song like ‘O Mother Syama, full of the waves of drunkenness divine’.”

Narendra sang: O Mother Syama, full of the waves of drunkenness divine! Who knows how Thou dost sport in the world? Thy fun and frolic and Thy glances put to shame the god of love.

O Wielder of the sword! O Thou of terrifying face! The earth itself is shaken under Thy leaps and strides! O Thou Abode of the three Gunās! O Redeemer! Fearsome One!

Thou who art the Consort of Śiva!

Many the forms Thou dost assume, fulfilling Thy bhaktas’ prayers.

Thou dancest in the Lotus of the Heart, O Mother, Eternal Consort of Brahman! Full of divine ecstasy, Narendra sang again and again the lines: Thou dancest in the Lotus of the Heart, O Mother, Eternal Consort of Brahman! Sri Ramakrishna was dancing, drunk with divine love, and he sang again and again, “O Mother, Eternal Consort of Brahman!”

After dancing a long time Sri Ramakrishna resumed his seat. He was very much pleased to see Narendra in a spiritual mood, singing with tears in his eyes. It was about nine o’clock in the evening. The devotees still sat around the Master. Vaishnavcharan sang about Gaurānga: The beautiful Gaurānga, the youthful dancer, fair as molten gold. . . .

Next he sang about Sri Krishna. Krishna had left His pastoral life in Vrindāvan and become the king of Mathura. A gopi met Him there and said: O Hari, how shall we know You now?

In Mathura’s royal splendour you have forgotten us. Now, in your kingly robes, you ride an elephant; Have you utterly forgotten how in Vrindāvan You tended cows? O Hari, have you forgotten how you would steal the butter From Braja’s innocent gopi maids?

About 11am the devotees saluted the Master and were departing one by one.

MASTER: “You may all go. (Pointing to Narendra and the younger Naren) It will be enough if these two stay. (To Girish) Will you eat your supper at home? You may stay a few minutes if you want to. You want a smoke! But Balarām’s servant is just like his master. Ask him for a smoke; he won’t give it! (All laugh.) But don’t go away without having your smoke.”

Girish had brought with him a respectable friend. The latter observed all these things and left the place. Sri Ramakrishna said to Girish: “I say this to you and to everyone: Please do not force anybody to come here. Nothing happens except at the right time.” Before leaving, a devotee saluted the Master. He had a young boy with him. Sri Ramakrishna said to him affectionately, “It is getting late, and you have this boy with you.” Narendra, the younger Naren, and a few other devotees stayed awhile and then took their leave.