1882.
SECTION II.
1882.
CHAPTER I.
VISIT TO PANDIT ISWARA CHANDRA VIDYASAGAR.
PRESENT:—Vidyâsâgar, Bhavanath, M., Hazra and many others.
The Master had a great desire to see Pandit Iswara Chandra Vidyâsâgaro. One afternoon, he was seen taking a carriage and coming with his disciples all the way from Dakshineswara, a distance of about six miles, to see the Pandit in his house at Badurbagan, a district in Calcutta.
It was Saturday, 5th August 1882, about 5 P. M.; the seventh lunar day in the dark fortnight of the month of Srabana.
The carriage drew up in front of the door of the Pandit's house. The Master alighted, supported by M. Before reaching the staircase that led up to the Pandit's library, which was also his drawing-room, he said to M. with some concern: "Well, do you think I ought to button my coat?"
M. answered, "Oh don't trouble yourself, Lord, on that account. Things of this kind are not at all binding upon you."
The Master, childlike, seemed to be convinced, for he paid no further attention to the matter. He looked as teachable as a five-year-old child!
The party was then led upstairs into a room next the landing with a door looking towards the south. In this room the Pandit was seated on a chair, facing the south. A table, after the European fashion, with his usual books and papers lying about, was before him.
M. then announced the Master's arrival and at once introduced him to the Pandit, who stood up to receive him. The Master stood with his face to the west, and with one hand resting on the table. He looked on the Pandit in silence. But his sweet, radiant, childlike face was wreathed in smiles.
There was some company present, including the Pandit's friends and pupils. One of these was a boy who had come to ask for a free studentship in connection with one of the schools of which the Pandit was founder and proprietor.
The Master in Samadhi.
Standing thus and looking on the Pandit, the Master again lost all sense-consciousness. He had passed into the state of Samadhi. After a while, taking his seat he said, as was his wont, "I want some water to drink." Thereupon, Vidyâsâgar inquired of M. whether the Master would like to take some sweetmeats1 also, which he had just received from Burdwan. Finding no objection, the Pandit went into his inner apartments and soon came back with the water and the sweetmeats. He placed them before the Master. The disciples also partook of them.
1 Mithâi.
When they were offered to one of the disciples, Vidyâsâgar said, "Oh, he is a child of this house. Never mind him." Thereupon the Master said, "Yes, this young man is good. He is like the River Falgu with an apparently dried-up bed, but with an active, invisible current underneath. Internally he is full1 of pith and marrow."
Knowledge which leads Godward2.
Master (to Vidyâsâgar): This day I am at last fortunate enough to come down to the ocean3. Up till now I have come across canals, marshes, or at most, rivers (Laughter). (Here the Master referred to the literal meaning of the word Vidyâsâgar, which is 'Ocean of knowledge.')
Vidyâsâgar: Then you are welcome Sir, to take home some salt water from your ocean. (Laughter.)
Master: No, my dear Sir, you are surely not the salt ocean. You are not the ocean of Avidya (Ignorance which leads one away from God). You are the ocean of milk, the ocean of Vidya (True knowledge leading Godward). (Laughter).
Vidyâsâgar: Well Sir, I am afraid you may say that (Laughter.)
Work without attachment.
Master: Your nature is made of the sattva element of man's nature which leads to Illumination or True Knowledge. Only your sattva is in that phase which makes you active and devoted to the doing of good works. Charity4, compassion5, kindness towards others are good if practised without attachment. So practised and with devotion1 they will lead to God.
1 Antassâra.
2 Vidyâ.
3 Sâgar.
4 Dâna.
5 Dayâ.
The Perfect Man.
Master: Further, I should say that you deserve to be called a Perfect Man; for has not your kindness to others made you soft and tender of heart? Bear in mind, potatoes and other vegetables do not get tender until they are Siddha (well-boiled). (Laughter).
(The word Siddha may mean either 'a perfect man' or 'well-boiled,' Hence the pun on the word by the Master).
Vidyâsâgar: But Kalai pulse pounded to pulp, when Siddha (well-boiled), gets hard and is by no means tender. Is it not so? (Laughter).
Master (laughing): Well, my dear Sir, you are no such thing; I mean, you are not a mere pandit,—dry and hard and good for nothing.
The Master on the Value of Mere Book Learning.
In the Hindu almanac, it is mentioned that on a particular day there will be 20 Adas* of water. But you shall not be able to squeeze out of the almanac a single drop! Our learned men, so-called, will talk big. They will talk of Brahma, God the Absolute, of Gnâna Yoga, Philosophy, Ontology, and the rest. But there are very few who realise the things they talk about.
The Highest learning2 is that by which we know God. All else—the Sacred Books3, Philosophy, Logic, Grammar, etc., etc., as such, only load and puzzle the mind. They are good only when they lead to the Highest Learning.
1 Bhakti.
2 Parâvidya.
3 Shâstras.
* Âdâs are measures of capacity.
The Substance of Bhagavadgita.
In one sense there is no use going through the whole of the Lord's Song1. Say "Gita," "Gita" ten times. That is sufficient. For said ten times, it comes to be "tyagi," tyagi." Now tyagi means a person giving up the world for the sake of God—riches, honours, work with attachment, sensual pleasures, etc.
In one word, the Gita says "Give up." The ideal sannyasin (ascetic) will give up the world both outwardly and from the mind. He will give up secular work and the fruit of all work.
The ideal householder2 will give up the world from the mind, that is, he will give up the fruit of all work for the sake of the Love of God.
Thus the substance of the Gita is, O man, love the Lord alone—give up everything for the sake of the Lord.
A holy man had a manuscript book. Somebody asked him what it was about. The saint opened the book before the man, who was surprised to find that on every page was written only the Name of God—the words "Om Rama!"
Chaitanya Deva in the course of his pilgrimage through the Deccan came across a certain devotee who was in tears all the while that a pandit was reading from the Gita. Now this devotee knew not letters.
1 Gitâ.
2 Grihastha.
3 Bhakti.
He could not follow a single text of the Gita. Upon being asked why he shed tears, he replied 'It is indeed true that I do not know a word of the Gita; but all the while that it was being read I could see with my inner eye the Beautiful Form of my Lord Sri Krishna seated before Arjuna at Kurukshetra and saying all those things that are said in the Gita. It was this which filled my eyes with tears of joy and love.'
This man who knew not letters had the Highest Learning, for he had a pure love1 for God and could realize Him.