Manifestation of the Divine Mother through the Master

In the twinkling of an eye Sri Ramakrishna goes into deep samādhi. An amazing transformation takes place in the Master before the very eyes of the devotees. His face shines with a heavenly light. His two hands are raised in the posture of granting boons and giving assurance to the devotees; it is the posture one sees in images of the Divine Mother. His body is motionless; he has no consciousness of the outer world.

He sits facing the north. Is the Divine Mother of the Universe manifesting Herself through his person? Speechless with wonder, the devotees look intently at Sri Ramakrishna, who appears to them to be the embodiment of the Divine Mother Herself.

The devotees begin to sing hymns, one of them leading and the rest following in chorus.

Girish sings:

Who is this Woman with the thick black hair, Shining amidst the assembly of the gods? Who is She, whose feet are like crimson lotuses Planted on Śiva’s chest?

Who is She, whose toe-nails shine like the full moon, Whose legs burn with the brightness of the sun?Who is She, who now speaks soft and smiles on us, And now fills all the quarters of the sky With shouts of terrible laughter?

Again:

O Mother, Saviour of the helpless, Thou the Slayer of sin! In Thee do the three Gunās dwell-sattva, rajas, and tamas; Thou dost create the world; Thou dost sustain it and destroy it; Binding Thyself with attributes, Thou yet transcendest them; For Thou, O Mother, art the All. . . .

Behari sings:

O Syama, Thou who dost sit upon a corpse! I beg Thee, hear my heart’s most fervent prayer: As my last breath forsakes this mortal flesh, Reveal Thyself within my heart! Then, in my mind, from forest and from grove I shall gather Thee red hibiscus flowers, And, scenting them with the sandal-paste of Love, Shall lay them at Thy Lotus Feet. M. sings with the other devotees:

O Mother, all is done after Thine own sweet will; Thou art in truth self-willed, Redeemer of mankind! Thou workest Thine own work; men only call it theirs. . .

They sing again:

All things are possible, O Mother, through Thy grace; Obstacles mountain high Thou makest to melt away. Thou Home of Bliss! To all Thou givest peace and joy; Why then should I be made to suffer fruitlessly, Brooding on the success or failure of my deeds?

And again:

O Mother, ever blissful as Thou art, Do not deprive Thy worthless child of bliss! My mind knows nothing but Thy Lotus Feet. The King of Death scowls at me terribly; Tell me, Mother, what shall I say to him? . . .

They conclude:

In dense darkness, O Mother, Thy formless beauty sparkles; Therefore the yogis meditate in a dark mountain cave. .Gradually Sri Ramakrishna came back to the consciousness of the outer world. He asked the devotees to sing “O Mother Syama, full of the waves of drunkenness divine”. They 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. . . .

When this song was over, Sri Ramakrishna asked the devotees to sing “Behold my Mother playing with Śiva”. The devotees sang: Behold my Mother playing with Śiva, lost in an ecstasy of joy! Drunk with a draught of celestial wine, She reels, and yet She does not fall. . .

Master in deep ecstasy

Sri Ramakrishna tasted a little Pudding to make the devotees happy, but immediately went into deep ecstasy.

A few minutes later the devotees prostrated themselves before the Master and went into the drawing-room. There they enjoyed the Prasad.

It was nine o’clock in the evening. Sri Ramakrishna sent word to the devotees, asking them to go to Surendra’s house to participate in the worship of Kāli.

They arrived at Surendra’s house on Simla Street and were received very cordially.

Surendra conducted them to the drawing-room on the second floor. The house was filled with a festive atmosphere and a veritable mart of joy was created with the songs and music of the devotees. It was very late at night when they returned to their homes after enjoying the sumptuous feast given by Surendra, the Master’s beloved disciple.