Master's visits to various devotees

The carriage drove on. They were approaching Adhar’s house. Sri Ramakrishna said to M., “Dwell in the truth and you will certainly realize God.”

M: “You said the other day to Navadvip Goswami:‘O God, I want Thee. Please do not delude me with Thy world-bewitching maya. I want to realize Thee.’ "

MASTER: “Yes, one should be able to say that from one’s innermost soul.”

Sri Ramakrishna arrived at Adhar’s house and took a seat in the parlour. Ramlal, Adhar, M., and the other devotees sat near him. Rakhal was staying with his father in Calcutta.

MASTER (to Adhar): “Didn’t you let Rakhal know that I was coming?”

ADHAR: “Yes, sir. I have sent him word.”

Finding that the Master was eager to see Rakhal, Adhar at once sent his carriage to fetch him. Adhar had been yearning to see the Master that day, but he had not definitely known that Sri Ramakrishna was coming.

ADHAR: “You haven’t been here for a long time. I prayed to God today that you might come. I even shed tears”

The Master was pleased and said with a smile, “You don’t mean that!”

It was dusk and the lamps were lighted. Sri Ramakrishna saluted the Divine Mother with folded hands and sat quietly absorbed in meditation. Then he began to chant the names of God in his sweet voice: “Govinda! Govinda! Satchidananda! Hari! Hari!” Every word he uttered showered nectar on the ears of the devotees.

Ramlal sang in praise of Kāli, the Divine Mother:

Thy name, I have heard, O Consort of Śiva, is the destroyer of our fear, And so on Thee I cast my burden: Save me! Save me, O kindly Mother! Out of Thy womb the world is born, and Thou it is that dost pervade it. Art Thou Kāli? Art Thou Radha? Who can ever rightly say? Mother, in every living creature Thou dost have Thy dwelling place; As Kundalini Thou dost live in the lotus of the Muladhara. Above it lies the Svadhisthana, where the four-petalled lotus blooms; There also Thou dost make Thy home, O mystic power of Kundalini, In the four petals of that flower, and in Vajrasana’s six petals At the navel is Manipura, the blue ten-petalled lotus flower; Through the pathway of Sushumna, Thou dost ascend and enter there.

O Lady of the lotuses, in lotus blossoms Thou dost dwell! Beyond them lies the Lake of Nectar, in the region of the heart, Where the twelve-petalled lotus flower enchants the eye with scarlet flame. When Thou dost open it, O Mother, touching it with Thy Lotus Feet, The age-long darkness of the heart instantly scatters at Thy sight. Above, in the throat, is the sixteen-petalled lotus flower, of smoky hue; Within the petals of this flower there lies concealed a subtle space, Transcending which, one sees at length the universe in Space dissolve. And higher yet, between the eyebrows, blossoms the lotus of two petals, Where the mind of man remains a prisoner and past controlling; From this flower the mind desires to watch the sportive play of life.

Highest of all, within the head, the soul-enthralling centre is, Where shines the thousand-petalled lotus, Mahadeva’s dwelling place.

Having ascended to His throne, O Spouse of Śiva, sit beside Him! Thou art the Primal Power, O Mother! She whose senses are controlled; The yogis meditate on Thee as Uma, great Himalaya’s daughter.

Thou who art the Power of Śiva! Put to death my ceaseless cravings; Grant that I never fall again into the ocean of this world. Mother, Thou art the Primal Power, Thou the five cosmic principles;

Who can ever hope to know Thee, who art beyond all principles?

Only for Thy bhaktas’ sake dost Thou assume Thy various forms; But when Thy devotee’s five senses merge in the five elements, Mother, it is Thyself alone that he beholds as formless Truth.

As Ramlal sang the lines:

Above, in the throat, is the sixteen-petalled lotus flower, of smoky hue; ithin the petals of this flower there lies concealed a subtle space, Transcending which, one sees at length the universe in Space dissolve,

The Master said to M.: “Listen. This is known as the vision of Satchidananda, the Formless Brahman. The Kundalini, rising above the Visuddha chakra, enables one to see everything as Ākāśa.”

M: “Yes, sir.”

MASTER: “One attains the Absolute by going beyond the universe and its created beings conjured up by maya. By passing beyond the Nada one goes into samādhi. By repeating ‘Om’ one goes beyond the Nada and attains samādhi.”

Adhar served Sri Ramakrishna with fruits and sweets. The Master left for Jadu Mallick’s house.

Sri Ramakrishna entered the room in Jadu’s house where the Divine Mother was worshipped. He stood before the image, which had been decorated with flowers, garlands, and sandal-paste, and which radiated a heavenly beauty and splendour.

Lights were burning before the pedestal. A priest was seated before the image. The Master asked one of his companions to offer a rupee in the shrine, according to the Hindu custom.

Sri Ramakrishna stood a long time with folded hands before the blissful image, the devotees standing behind him. Gradually he went into samādhi, his body becoming motionless and his eyes fixed.

With a long sigh he came back to the world of the senses and said, still intoxicated with divine fervour, “Mother, good-bye.” But he could not leave the place. He remained standing there. Addressing Ramlal, he said: “Please sing that song. Then I shall be all right.”

Ramlal sang:

O Mother, Consort of Śiva, Thou hast deluded this world. . . . The Master went to the drawing-room with the devotees. Every now and then he said, “O Mother, please dwell in my heart.” Jadu was sitting in the drawing-room with his friends. The Master sat down, still in an ecstatic mood, and sang: O Mother, ever blissful as Thou art, Do not deprive Thy worthless child of bliss! . . . Finishing the song, he said to Jadu, still in a state of divine fervour: “Well, sir, what shall I sing? Shall I sing ‘Mother, am I Thine eight-months child’? "

He sang:

Mother, am I Thine eight-months child? Thy red eyes cannot frighten me! My riches are Thy Lotus Feet, which Śiva holds upon His breast;

Yet, when I seek my heritage, I meet with excuses and delays. A deed of gift I hold in my heart, attested by Thy Husband Śiva; I shall sue Thee, if I must, and with a single point shall win. If Thou dost oppose me, Thou wilt learn what sort of mother’s son I am.

This bitterly contested suit between the Mother and Her son- What sport it is! says Ramprasad. I shall not cease tormenting Thee Till Thou Thyself, shalt yield the fight and take me in Thine arms at last.