Visit To Nanda Bose′S House

Tuesday, July 28, 1885

IT WAS 3pm. Sri Ramakrishna was sitting in Balarām’s drawing-room with the devotees. Among others, Binode, Rakhal, the younger Naren, and M. were present.

The Master had come to Balarām’s house in the morning and had taken his midday meal there. At Balarām’s house the Deity was worshipped as Jagannāth, and the members of the family partook of the food offered to the Deity; Sri Ramakrishna used to say that the food at Balarām’s house was very pure.

Pictures at Nanda’s house

Narayan and certain other devotees had remarked to the Master that Nanda Bose, an aristocrat of Baghbazar, had many pictures of gods and goddesses in his house. Hence Sri Ramakrishna intended to pay a visit to Nanda’s house in the afternoon.

A Brahmin woman devoted to the Master lived near by. She often came to see him at Dakshineswar.

She was extremely sorrowful over the death of her only daughter, and the Master had agreed to go to her house. She had invited him with great earnestness. From her house the Master was to go to the house of Ganu’s mother, another devotee.

The younger Naren had said to Sri Ramakrishna that he would not be able to visit him often on account of his having to prepare for his examinations. MASTER (to the younger Naren): “I didn’t send for you today.”

THE YOUNGER NAREN (smiling): “What can be done about it now?”

MASTER: “Well, my child, I don’t want to interfere with your studies. You may visit me when you have leisure.”

The Master said these words as if he were piqued.

He was ready to go to Nanda Bose’ house. A palanquin was brought for him, and he got into it repeating the name of God. He had put on a pair of black varnished slippers and a red-bordered cloth.

As Sri Ramakrishna sat down in the palanquin, M. put the slippers by his side. He accompanied the palanquin on foot. Paresh joined them. They entered the gate of Nanda’s house, crossed the spacious square and stopped in front of the building. The members of the family greeted the Master.

He asked M. to hand him the slippers and then got out of the palanquin and entered the large hall. It was a very spacious room.

Pictures of gods and goddesses were hanging on all sides.

Nanda Bose and his brother Pasupati saluted Sri Ramakrishna. The devotees of the Master also arrived. Girish’s brother Atul came, and Prasanna’s father, who was a frequent visitor at Nanda’s house, was there. Prasanna was a devotee of the Master.

The Master looked at the pictures. M. and a few other devotees stood around him. Pasupati was explaining the pictures to them.

The first picture was of Vishnu with four arms. At the very sight of it Sri Ramakrishna was overwhelmed with ecstasy; he sat down on the floor and remained a few minutes in that spiritual mood.

In the second picture Rāma was blessing Hanuman, with His hand on the devotee’s head. Hanuman’s gaze was fixed on Rāma’s Lotus Feet. The Master looked at the picture a long time and exclaimed with great fervour, “Ah me! Ah me!” The third picture was of Krishna standing with flute to His lips under the Kadamba tree. The fourth was of Vāmana, the Dwarf, who was an Incarnation of Vishnu. The Master looked intently at this picture.

Next the Master looked at a picture of Nrisimha, and then at one of Krishna with a herd of cows. Krishna was tending the cows with His cowherd friends on the bank of the Jamuna at Vrindāvan. M. said, “A lovely picture!”

Sri Ramakrishna then saw pictures of Dhumavati, Shorasi, Bhuvanesvari, Tara, and Kāli.

He said: “All these portray the terrible aspects of the Divine Mother. If one keeps these pictures, one should worship them. But you must be lucky, to be able to hang them like that on the wall.”

At the sight of Annapurna’s picture, Sri Ramakrishna exclaimed with great fervour, “Grand! Grand!”

The next picture was one of Rādhika as monarch. She was seated on a throne in the Nikunja grove, surrounded by her woman attendants. Sri Krishna guarded the entrance of the grove as her officer.

Next was Sri Krishna’s picture. Then came a picture of Sarasvati, the goddess of learning and music. It was in a glass case. She was in an ecstatic mood, playing melodies on the Vina.

Master praises his host

After seeing the pictures, Sri Ramakrishna went to the master of the house and said: “I am very happy today. It is grand! You are a real Hindu. You have these pictures instead of English ones. I am surprised!”

Nanda Bose was seated. He said to the Master: “Please take a seat. Why are you standing?”

Sri Ramakrishna sat down. He said: “These are very large pictures. You are a real Hindu.”

NANDA: “I have European pictures also.”

MASTER (smiling): “They are not like these. I am sure you don’t pay much attention to them.”

A picture of Kasha’s Nava-Vishnu hung on the wall. Suresh Mitra, a beloved householder disciple of the Master, had had it painted. In this picture Sri Ramakrishna was pointing out to Keshab that people of different religions proceed to the same goal by different paths.

MASTER: “That was painted for Surendra.”

PRASANNA’S FATHER (smiling): “You too are in that picture.”

MASTER (smiling): “Yes, it contains everything. This is the ideal of modern times.”

As he spoke Sri Ramakrishna manifested great spiritual fervour. He was in an ecstatic mood, talking to the Divine Mother. A few minutes later he said, like a drunkard, “I am not unconscious.” Looking at the house, he said: “It is a huge mansion. But what does it consist of? Bricks, timber, and clay.”

A little later he said, “I am very happy to see these pictures of gods and goddesses.” He added: “It is not good to keep pictures of the terrible aspects of the Divine Mother. If one does, one should worship them.”

PASUPATI (smiling): “Well, things will go on as long as She keeps them going.”

MASTER: “That is true. But one should think of God. It is not good to forget Him.”

NANDA: “But how little we think of God!”

MASTER: “One thinks of God through His grace.”

NANDA: “But how can we obtain God’s grace? Has He really the power to bestow grace?”