Glory of God's name

The conversation turned to the glory of God’s name.

BHAVANATH: “I feel such relief while chanting the name of Hari.”

MASTER: “He who relieves us of sin is Hari. He relieves us of our three afflictions in the world. Chaitanya preached the glory of Hari’s name; so it must be good. You see, he was such a great scholar, and an Incarnation too. Since he preached that name, it must be good.

(Smiling) Once some peasants were invited to a feast. They were asked if they would eat a preparation of hog plum. They answered: ‘You may give it to us if the gentlemen have eaten it. If they enjoyed it, then it must be good.’

(All laugh.)

(To the Mukherji brothers) “I should like to visit Shivanath; I won’t have to hire a carriage if you take me in yours.”

MUKHERJI: “All right, sir, we shall set a day.”

MASTER (to the devotees): “Do you think the Brahmos will like me? They criticize those who believe in God with form.”

Mahendra Mukherji wanted to go on a pilgrimage. He told Sri Ramakrishna so.

MASTER (smiling): “How is that? Do you want to go when the sprout of divine love has hardly corne up? First comes the sprout, then the tree, then the fruit. We are so happy to have you here to talk to.”

MAHENDRA: “I feel like visiting the holy places a little. I shall return soon.”

It was about five o’clock in the afternoon. Sri Ramakrishna left his room. The devotees were walking in the garden. Many of them were about to leave.

The Master was conversing with Hazra on the north verandah. They were talking of Narendra’s frequent visits to Annada, the eldest son of the Guhas.

HAZRA: “I hear that Annada is now practising austerity. He lives on very little food and eats rice once every four days.”

MASTER: “Is that so? ‘Who knows? One may realize God even by means of a religious garb.’”

HAZRA: “Narendra sang the Āgamani .”

MASTER (eagerly): “How did he sing it?”

Kishori stood close by. The Master said to him, “Are you well?”

A little later the Master was standing on the west porch. Since it was autumn, he had put on a flannel shirt dyed with ochre. He asked Narendra, “Is it true that you sang the Āgamani ?”

Accompanied by Narendra and M., Sri Ramakrishna walked to the embankment of the Ganges.

Narendra sang the Āgamani :

Tell me, my Uma, how have you fared, alone in the Stranger’s house?

People speak so much ill of us! Alas, I die of shame!

My Son-in-law smears His body with ashes from the funeral pyre And roams about in great delight; You too, along with Him, cover with ash your golden skin. He begs the food that He eats! How can I bear it, being your mother?

This time, when He returns to claim you, I shall say to Him, “My daughter Umā is not at home.”

Sri Ramakrishna stood listening to the song and went into samādhi. The sun was still above the horizon as the Master stood on the embankment in the ecstatic mood. On one side of him was the Ganges, flowing north with the flood-tide. Behind him was the flower garden.

To his right one could see the nahabat and the Panchavati. Narendra stood by his side and sang. Gradually the darkness of evening fell upon the earth. After Narendra and several other devotees had saluted the Master and left for Calcutta, Sri Ramakrishna returned to his room. He was absorbed in meditation on the Divine

Mother and was chanting Her holy name.

Master at Jadu’s garden

Jadu Mallick had arrived at his garden house next to the Kāli temple. He sent for the Master. Adhar, too, had arrived from Calcutta, and he saluted Sri Ramakrishna. The Master asked Lātu to light the lantern and accompany him to Jadu’s garden.

MASTER (to M.): “Why didn’t you bring Naran with you?”

M: “Shall I come with you?”

MASTER: “Do you want to come? Adhar and the others are here. All right, you may come. Will the Mukherjis also come with us? (To the Mukherjis) Come along. Then we can leave Jadu-Mallick quickly.”

The Master went to Jadu’s drawing-room. It was a well furnished room, with everything spick and span. The lamps were lighted. Jadu was sitting with his friends and was playing with the children. Servants were in attendance. Smiling, Jadu welcomed Sri Ramakrishna, but he did not get up. He treated the Master as a friend of long acquaintance.

Jadu was a devotee of Gaurānga. He had just seen a performance of Gaurānga’s life at the Star Theatre and told the Master about it. The Master listened to his account joyfully and played with the children. M. and the Mukherji brothers sat near him.

In the course of the conversation Sri Ramakrishna told Jadu that Adhar had not been able to secure the post of vice-chairman of the Calcutta Municipality. Jadu said that Adhar was still young and could try for it again. At his request the Master sang a few songs about Gaurānga.

After the music was over, the Mukherjis were about to take their leave. The Master, too, was ready to go, but he was in an ecstatic mood. On coming to the porch he went into samādhi. The gate-keeper of the garden house was a pious man. Now and then he invited the Master to his house and fed him. Sri Ramakrishna stood there in samādhi and the gate-keeper fanned him with a large fan. Ratan, the manager of the garden house, saluted the Master, and Sri Ramakrishna, returning to the consciousness of the relative world, greeted the manager and the gate-keeper, saying, “Narayana”.

Then, accompanied by the devotees, he went back to the temple- garden through the main gate.

MASTER (to the Mukherjis, pointing to M.): “Please visit him often.”

MUKHERJI (smiling): “Yes, henceforth he will be our teacher.”

MASTER: “It is the nature of the hemp-smoker to make merry in the company of another hemp-smoker. He will not talk even to an amir, but he will embrace a wretched hemp- smoker if he happens to meet one.” (All laugh.)

It was about nine o’clock. The Mukherji brothers saluted the Master and went away. Adhar and M. sat on the floor in the Master’s room while he talked to Adhar about Rakhal

His worry over Rakhal ’s illness

Rakhal was staying in Vrindāvan with Balarām. The Master had learnt from a letter about Rakhal ’s illness. He was so worried about him that two or three days earlier he had wept before Hazra like a child. Adhar had sent a registered letter to Rakhal but had received no reply.

MASTER (to Adhar): “Naran has received a letter from Vrindāvan. Why haven’t you received a reply to yours?”

ADHAR: “I haven’t yet heard from Vrindāvan.”

MASTER: “M. has also received a letter from Vrindāvan.”

They began to talk of Sri Ramakrishna’s seeing a play, at the Star Theatre, about the life of Cauranga.

MASTER (smiling): “Jadu told me that one could see the play very well from a one-rupee seat. Very cheap! Once we were talking about going to Panihati. Jadu wanted me to go in a country boat with a whole crowd of passengers. (All laugh.)

“Formerly he liked to hear a little about God. But I don’t see Jadu much nowadays. He is always surrounded by flatterers. They have spoiled him. He is a man of a very calculating nature. I would no sooner set foot in his house than he would ask me,.

‘How much is the carriage hire?’ I would say: ‘You don’t have to bother about it. You may give two and a half rupees.’ That would keep him quiet.” (All laugh.) It was late. Adhar was about to depart. The Master asked M. to bring Naran with him.