Sri Sri Ramakrishna Kathamrita - Swami Vivekananda

562 Pages·2005·1.34 MB·English

Sri Sri Ramakrishna Kathamrita
by Mahendranath Gupta

Sri Ramakrishna Volume II of V
Table of Contents

Publisher's Note
Prayer
Three Classes of Evidence
Usage of Expression ‘kamini kanchana’
Acknowledgements

Section 1 Sri Ramakrishna with Narendra and other Intimate Disciples in Dakshineswar
Section 2 Sri Ramakrishna’s Birth Anniversary Celebrated in Dakshineswar
Section 3 Sri Ramakrishna at the Dakshineswar Temple with Devotees – Second Visit of
Adhar
Section 4 Sri Ramakrishna in Worship Hall of Surendra’s House
Section 5 Sri Ramakrishna at a Devotee’s House in Calcutta
Section 6 Sri Ramakrishna with Devotees at Kali Temple in Dakshineswar
Section 7 Sri Ramakrishna in Dakshineswar with Devotees
Section 8 Sri Ramakrishna at Dakshineswar Temple with Devotees
Section 9 Sri Ramakrishna in the Kali Temple at Dakshineswar
Section 10 Sri Ramakrishna and Keshab Chandra Sen in the Lily Cottage
Section 11 Sri Ramakrishna in the Kali Temple at Dakshineswar with Devotees
Section 12 Sri Ramakrishna with Devotees at Dakshineswar
Section 13 Sri Ramakrishna with Prankrishna, M. and other Devotees at Dakshineswar
Section 14 Sri Ramakrishna with Devotees at Dakshineswar and attends a Performance of
Chaitanya at Calcutta
Section 15 Sri Ramakrishna in Sadharan Brahmo Samaj – Instructions to Vijay Goswami
Section 16 Sri Ramakrishna in Ram’s House with Devotees
Section 17 Sri Ramakrishna with Devotees on Navami Puja Day in Dakshineswar
Section 18 Sri Ramakrishna at Adhar’s House – enjoys Devotional Songs with Devotees
Section 19 Sri Ramakrishna with Devotees in Dakshineswar
Section 20 Sri Ramakrishna in Samadhi with Devotees in the Dead of Night of the Kali
Puja in Dakshineswar
Section 21 Sri Ramakrishna with Devotees in the House of a Marwari Devotee
Section 22 Sri Ramakrishna at Panchavati in Dakshineswar with Devotees
Section 23 Sri Ramakrishna with Devotees at Dakshineswar on Dolayatra Day
Section 24 Sri Ramakrishna arrives at a Devotee’s House in Calcutta – Festivity at Girish
Ghosh’s House
Section 25 Sri Ramakrishna in the Company of Devotees at Shyampukur
Section 26 Sri Ramakrishna in Cossipore Garden House with Devotees
Section 27 Sri Ramakrishna with Devotees in Cossipore Garden House

Appendix

Back Cover

Glossary
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M. (Mahendra Nath Gupta)
Mahendra Nath was born on Friday, 14 July, 1854, 31st of
Ashadha, 1261 B.Y., on the Naga Panchami day in Shiva
Narayana Das Lane of Shimuliya locality of Calcutta.
Mahendra Nath’s father was Madhusudan Gupta and mother
Swarnamayi Devi. Madhusudan was a bhakta (a pious man)
and Thakur was aware of his bhakti. Mahendra Nath was the
third child of Madhusudan. It is said that Madhusudan got this
son after performing mental worships of Shiva twelve times
one after the other. For this reason, he had a special affection
for this son and he was particularly careful that this child may
not come to any harm. The boy Mahendra was extremely
good -natured and had great love for his parents. Mahendra
could recall many incidents of his early childhood. For
example, he went with his mother to witness the Ratha
festival of Mahesh when he was five. On their return journey
the boat touched the Dakshineswar ghat. When everybody
was busy having darshan of gods and goddesses in the temple,
M. somehow got lost and found himself alone in the Nata
Mandir in front of Bhavatarini shrine. And not finding his
mother there he began to cry. At that moment somebody
seeing him crying consoled and silenced him. Mahendra Nath
used to say that this incident remained always uppermost in
his mind. He would witness with his mental eye the bright
radiance of the newly constructed and dedicated temple. He
who came to console him was probably Thakur himself.
As a boy Mahendra Nath studied in the Hare School. He was
a very bright student and always held first or second position
in his class. On his way to and from the school there was the
shrine of Mother Sheetla of Thanthania. This shrine can now
be seen in front of the College Street Market. On his way to
and from the school he would never forget to stand before the
deity to pay his obeisance. By virtue of intelligence and hard
work he won scholarship and honours in his Entrance, F.A.
and B.A. examinations. In his Entrance examination he won
the second top position. In the F.A. examination though he
missed one of his Mathematics papers, he was placed fifth in
the merit list. In his B.A. he stood third in the year 1874. He
was a favourite student of Prof. Tony in the Presidency
College. While still in the college he was married to Nikunja
Devi, the daughter of Thakur Charan Sen and a cousin sister
of Keshab Sen in 1874. Sri Ramakrishna and the Holy Mother
had great love and affection for Nikunja Devi too. When
Nikunja Devi lost her son, she almost became mad with grief.
At that time, Thakur would bring peace to her mind by
stroking her body with his hand.
Before entering the education line, he served for sometime
with the government and then in a merchant house. But he
could not stick to them. Thakur had already arranged a
different way of life for him. He took up teaching in school
and college. In Rippon, City and Metropolitan colleges, he
taught English, Psychology and Economics. When he started
going to Thakur in 1882, he was the headmaster of the
Shyampukur branch of Vidyasagar’s school.
Rakhal, Purna, Baburam, Vinod, Bankim, Tejachandra,
Kshirode, Narayana and some other intimate devotees of
Thakur were all students of his school. That is why they all
called him Master Mahashay. For the same reason, he became
famous in Sri Ramakrishna’s group of devotees as
‘Mahendra,’ ‘Master,’ or ‘Master Mahashay’. Thakur also
called him ‘Master’ or ‘Mahendra Master’.
Mahendra Nath was inclined towards religion since his early
years. During these days Keshab Sen came up as a famous
preacher and a founderthe founder of Navavidhan Brahmo
Samaj. These days Mahendra Nath used to keep company
with Keshab. He would take part in worship in Navavidhan
Mandir, or in his house. At this time Keshab was his ideal.
Later, he said that at times during worship Keshab Sen used to
pray with such moving words that he looked like a divine
personality. Mahendra Nath said that later on when he met
Thakur and heard him, he realized that Keshab had derived
this heart charming bhava from Thakur himself.
Mahendra Nath met Thakur in Dakshineswar on February 26,
1882. As Thakur saw M., he recognized him as a right person
eligible for divine knowledge. At the end of the first meeting
when M. was leaving, Thakur said to him, ‘Come again.’ He
felt sad when he came to know that M. was married and had
children. But he also told him that there were very good (yogi
like) signs on his forehead and eyes. At that time Mahendra
Nath liked to meditate on the formless Brahman. He did not
like to worship Bhagavan, or the deity in clay images.
M. was very well read in Western pPhilosophy, Literature,
History, Science, Economics and so on. He also had mastery
on the Puranas, Sanskrit scriptures and epics. He knew by
heart verses from Kumarsambhava, Shakuntala, Bhattikavya,
Uttar Ramacharita etc. He had also studied Buddhist and Jain
philosophies. He had digested the Bible, particularly the New
Testament, very well. As a result of all this Mahendra Nath
considered himself a scholar.
However, during his first meeting with Thakur this pride of
his received a blow. Thakur showed him the insignificance of
the knowledge he had acquired. He made him realize that real
knowledge is only to know God and all the rest is ignorance.
A couple of blows received by him from Thakur’s words
silenced Mahendra Nath. As Thakur would say, ‘A big frog is
silenced forever after a croak or two when it falls a prey to a
king cobra..’ So it happened with M.
In his very first meeting Thakur taught M. how to keep both
sides — of this world and the other world during one’s
journey through the world. This is called ‘sannyasa in the
household’. The essence of it can be summed up in this: Do
all your work but keep your mind in God. Live with your
wife, son, father, mother and others. Serve them taking them
to be your very own but know in your mind that none of them
is yours.
Just as a the ‘mother of the pearl’ swimming on water
receives a drop of rain of Swati (nakshatra, a conjunction of
stars) and then dives deep into the sea and lies there rearing
the pearl, M. followed this instruction of Thakur, and began to
practise sadhana in the mind, in the forest, or in some solitary
corner. He understood that the aim of human life is God-
realization. He began his sadhana in a lonely place and
whenever found time, he went and sat at Thakur’s feet. Lest
he should fall into the whirlpool of household later on, Thakur
put him to test from time to time and he would ask him the
reason if he did not come to him for long.
Thakur knew from the very beginning that M. would speak
out Bhagavata to the people and teach it to them. Should he
fall into the whirlpool of avidya (ignorance), Thakur’s desire
would not be fulfilled through him. So with a keen sight he
would keep observing whether some knot was not forming
within M. When he made sure that M. had become efficient,
Thakur said to him in January, 1884, ‘Now go and live at
home. Let them know as if you are their own but be sure in
your mind that you are not theirs, nor they are yours.’
Throughout his life Mahendra Nath practised this mantra of
sannyasa in household. Thakur would always say, ‘Be in the
world but not of the world.’ Thakur said to him, ‘Your eyes
and forehead show as if a yogi has come here while practising
austerity, as if you are an intimate companion of Chaitanya
Deva.’
"I recognised you from your reading of Chaitanya
Bhagavata."
"You belong to the class of the perfect by nature."
"Do you know what you are! Narada began transmitting
Brahmajnana to all (to Sanat, Sanatan and others). So Brahma
bound him in maya by a curse."
"You will be able to recognise all people."
"You are my intimate companion. Had it not been so, how
could your mind have been so much on this side even when
lacked nothing worldly."
"Mother, do grant Your darshan to him again and again.
Otherwise, how will attend to both sides? Let him keep both.
What is the need of renouncing all at once? Yet may Thy
Your wish prevail. You may make him renounce all later on if
that is Thy Your will."
"Mother, awaken him. Otherwise how would he awake
others? Why have you put him in worldly life? What would
have been lost if it had not been so and the same had
continued?"
"Narendra and Rakhal would keep away from women. You
too will. You will also not be able to go after women."
"He is a deep soul like the Falgu river, he has real spirituality
within."
"Your bhava is that of Prahlada — ‘I am That’ and ‘I am
God’s servant.’
"The Master (M.) is very pure."
"He has no pride."
"You are my own, of the same class substance like father and
son."
"You are the inner as well as the outer pillar of Nata Mandir."
A struggle kept raging in Mahendra Nath’s mind while he was
with Thakur, ‘Why have I not embraced sannyasa?’ Had it
been so, his mind could have soared like a free bird in
chidakasha (in the firmament of divine consciousness).
Thakur would assure him from time to time and said, "He
who has renounced from the mind is a renouncee. Nobody
who comes here is a householder."
"The householder bhaktas of Chaitanya Deva also lived with
their family unattached."
"When you take up a work, you lessen the involvement of
worldly intellect in it."
Just as a weak child holds his mother with full force having
embraced her tightly when overwhelmed with fear knowing
her to be the chief and sure shelter, Mahendra Nath also kept
holding Thakur in the fear of weaknesses born of family life,
so much so that he absorbed himself throughout his life in
Thakur’s bhava. He talked of nothing but Thakur. He thought
of Thakur as his only refuge, his most desirable goal and the
only one attainable. He had become one with Thakur. Thakur
alone was his supreme attainment —
Yam labdhva chaparam manyate nadhikah tatah,
Yasmin sthito na dukhena guruna api vichalyate.
— Gita 6:22
[And having gained which, he thinks that there is no greater
gain than that, wherein established he is not shaken even by
the heaviest affliction.]
Day and night M. would proclaim the tact to save oneself in
this age of Kali: ‘Keep company of the holy, practise of
spiritual discipline in solitude for some days and faith in the
words of Guru.’ They who saw him in his old age felt that
here was a yogi, a rishi who was living in the ashrama
soliciting the human beings to shower the love of Sri
Ramakrishna on them. Morning, afternoon or evening
whenever one went to him, one would see him in the company
of devotees talking of love of God. It was the story of the
Lord which flowed continuously from the Vedas, the Puranas,
the Bible, the Quran, the holy book of the Buddhists, the Gita,
the Bhagavata, the Adhyatma (Ramayana). No weariness, no
pause — unceasing talk of Thakur, the embodiment of all
faiths and spiritual practices. What an extraordinary way of
serving Thakur! He had dedicated his body, mind and wealth
all to his work. Does this constitute what is called the ‘servant
I,’ the way of Hanuman?
Who does not and would not like to be fortunate enough to be
the servant of Ramakrishna Deva? And then his intimate
disciples were, of course, his servants. M. too was a marked
servant of Sri Ramakrishna. ‘You are my own, the same
substance like father and son’ — these holy words of Thakur
indicate this. That Narendra Nath would carry out the mission
of Thakur had been written by Thakur while referring to him.
That Mahendra Nath too would do Thakur’s work was hinted
by him so often. We can find it in the Kathamrita at several
places, ‘Mother, I can say no more. Please grant power to
Rama, Mahendra, Vijay and others that they may carry out
Your work from now onwards.’
"Mother, why have You given him (M.) one kala Shakti (one
sixteenth of Your power)? O, I understand, it will be enough
for Your work. One day Thakur said to Master Mahashay,
‘The Mother has kept the Bhagavata Pundit (the preacher of
the divine word) in the world tying him with one bond.
Otherwise, who will speak out Bhagavata?’ And so on. Thus
we see that just as Narendra Nath had come for Thakur’s
work and Thakur too gave him the badge of authority of his