Master's own illness

Keshab laughed again and again at the Master’s allusion to the hospital. Then Sri Ramakrishna spoke of his own illness. (To Keshab)

“Hriday used to say, ‘Never before have I seen such ecstasy for God, and never before have I seen such illness.’ I was then sriously ill with stubborn diarrhoea. It was as if millions of ants were gnawing at my brain. But all the same, spiritual talk went on day and night. Dr. Rāma of Natagore was called in to see me. He found me discussing spiritual truth. ‘What a madman!’ he said. ‘Nothing is left of him but a few bones, and still he is reasoning like that!’ "

MASTER (to Keshab): “All depends on God’s will.

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. “In order to take full advantage of the dew, the gardener removes the soil from the Basra rose down to the very root. The plant thrives better on account of the moisture. Perhaps that is why you too are being shaken to the very root. (Keshab and the Master laugh.) It may be that you will do tremendous things when you come back. “Whenever I hear that you are ill I become extremely restless. After hearing of your last illness I, used to weep to the Divine Mother in the small hours of the morning. I prayed to Her, ‘O Mother, if anything happens to Keshab, with whom, then, shall I talk in Calcutta?’ Coming to Calcutta, I offered fruits and sweets to the Divine Mother with a prayer for your well-being.”

The devotees were deeply touched to hear of Sri Ramakrishna’s love for Keshab and his longing for the Brahmo leader.

MASTER: “But this time, to tell the truth, I didn’t feel anxious to that extent. Only for two or three days did I feel a little worried.”

Keshab’s venerable mother came to the east door of the room, the same door through which Keshab had entered. Umanath said aloud to the Master, “Sir, here is mother saluting you.”

Sri Ramakrishna smiled. Umanath said again, “Mother asks you to bless Keshab that he may be cured of his illness.”

MASTER (to Keshab’s mother): “Please pray to the Divine Mother, who is the Bestower of all bliss. She will take away your troubles.

357(To keshab) “Don’t spend long hours in the inner apartments. You will sink down and down in the company of women. You will feel better if you hear only talk of God.” The Master uttered these words in a serious voice and then began to laugh like a boy. He said to Keshab, “Let me see your hand.” He weighed it playfully, like a child. At last he said: “No, your hand is light. Hypocrites have heavy hands."(All laugh.) . Umanath again said to the Master from the door. “Mother asks you to bless Keshab.”

MASTER (gravely): “What can I do? God alone, blesses all. ‘Thou workest Thine, own work; men only call it theirs.’

“God laughs on two occasions. He laughs when two brothers divide land between them. They put a string across the land and say to each other, ‘This side is mine, and that side is yours. God laughs and says to Himself, ‘Why, this whole universe is Mine; and about a little clod they say, “This side is mine, and that side is yours”!’ “God laughs again when the physician says to the mother weeping bitterly because of her child’s desperate illness: ‘Don’t be afraid, mother. I shall cure your child.’ The physician does not know that no one can save the child if God wills that he should die.” (All are silent.)

Just then Keshab was seized with a fit of coughing, which lasted for a long time. The sight of his suffering made everyone, sad. He became exhausted and could stay no longer. He bowed low before the Master and left the room, holding to the wall as before. Some refreshments had been arranged for the Master. Keshab’s eldest son was seated near him. Amrita introduced the boy and requested Sri Ramakrishna to bless him. The Master said, “It is not given to me to bless anyone.” With a sweet smile he stroked the boy’s body gently.

AMRITA (with a smile): “All right, then do as you please.”

MASTER (to the devotees): " I cannot say such a thing as ‘May you be healed.’ I never ask the Divine Mother to give me the power of healing. I pray to Her only for pure love.

Master praises Keshab

“Is Keshab a small person? He is respected by all, seekers after wealth as well as holy men. Once I visited Dayananda, who was then staying at a garden house. I saw he was extremely anxious about Keshab’s coming; he went out every few minutes to see whether he had arrived. I learnt later on that Keshab had made an appointment with him that day. Keshab, I understood, had no faith in the sacrifices and the deities mentioned in the Vedas. Referring to this, Dayananda said: ‘Why, the Lord has created so many things. Could He not make deities as well?’

Continuing, the Master said: “Keshab is free from the pride of a small minded religious teacher. To many people he has said, ‘If you have any doubts, go there2 to have them 358solved.’ It is my way, too, to say: ‘What shall I do with people’s respect? Let Keshab’s virtues increase a millionfold.’ Keshab is certainly a great man. Everyone respects him, seekers after wealth as well as holy men.” Thus did Sri Ramakrishna praise Keshab before the latter’s disciples.

After partaking of the refreshments the Master was ready to leave. The Brahmo devotees accompanied him to the cab, which was standing in the street. While coming down the stairs the Master noticed that there was no light on the ground floor. He said to Amrita and Keshab’s other disciples: “These places should be well lighted. A house without light becomes stricken with poverty. Please see that it doesn’t happen again.” Then Sri Ramakrishna left for Dakshineswar with one or two devotees. On his way to Dakshineswar from Keshab’s cottage Sri Ramakrishna stopped at Jaygopal Sen’s house. It was about seven o’clock in the evening.

In the drawing-room, Jaygopal’s relatives and neighbours had gathered. Vaikuntha, Jaygopal’s brother, said to the Master: “Sir, we are worldly people. Please give us some advice.”