CHAPTER I.
March 1885.
SECTION XI.
March 1885.
Sri Ramakrishna at the house of Balaram, a disciple, with Narendra (Swami Vivekananda), Girish, Balaram, Chunilall, Latoo, M., Narayan, and other disciples.
CHAPTER I.
Wednesday, the 11th of March, 1885, and 29th Falgun of the Bengali year is the 10th day of the dark fortnight of that month. On this day Sri Râmakrishna has come to the house of Balaram, one of his disciples. He arrived from Dakshineswara at about 10 o'clock in the morning, and has had his dinner there.
Lord bless thee, Balaram! It is thy house which the master has chosen to make his chief 'vineyard' to-day! It is here that he has bound devotee after devotee by the ties of divine love! It is here that he has so often danced and sung the Name of the Lord at the head of his disciples! It seems as if another Gouranga is setting up a fair in the house of his disciple Sribash, for the 'buying and selling' of Divine Love.
How great is the Master's love for his disciples! There at the Temple of the Mother, alone he cries like a child! He longs to see them! Sleepless at night he says to the Divine Mother, "Oh, Mother! deign to draw him into Thy fold! He is so devoted to Thee, poor boy! Oh, how I long to see him! Mother, bring him here or take me to the place where he is." Is this the secret of his coming to Balaram's house so often? He says indeed to everybody, "Balaram is a true Bhakta; he daily worships the Lord1 of the Universe, his household God; his offerings are therefore always acceptable." But whenever he comes to his house he says to Balaram, "Go and invite my Narendra, Bhabanath, Rakhal; Purna, Narendra junior, Narayan and other disciples. Offering food to them is the same thing as offering it to God Himself. These indeed are not ordinary men. They are parts of the Divinity manifest in the flesh."
It was at Balaram's house that there was so much dancing and singing at the time of the car-festival.2 Many a time have the devotees met here "at the Darbar of God's Love."
M. is a teacher in a neighbouring English school. He had heard that Sri Râmakrishna was at Balaram's house. Being a little free from work, he came down there at about noon to see the Master. He bows down and salutes his feet.
The mid-day dinner is over and the Master is in the drawing-room, taking rest. The young disciples are seated round him. From time to time he is taking out cabab chinee and other spices from a small pouch.
Sri Râmakrishna (affectionately to M.): You are here! Is there no school to-day?
1 Jagannâtha.
2 Ratha-Jâtrâ.
M. Sir, I have come directly from the school;—I have just now nothing of importance to attend to there.
A devotee: No, Sir, he is playing truant and has kept away from school. (Laughter).
M. (to himself): Ah me! It is, indeed, as if some Invisible Power hath drawn me to this place!
The Master then grew a little thoughtful. He then bade M. take his seat near him and talked with him on various subjects.
He said to him: "Wring the wet towel here for me, wilt thou? and put the coat in the sun." Again: "My legs and feet are aching, will you rub them softly a little?" M. does not know how as a disciple he is to serve the Master. So the gracious Master teaches him. M. eagerly sets about doing the Master's bidding. He strokes his hallowed feet gently with the palm of his hands and fingers, while the Master teaches him.
Renunciation: or the True Sannyasin.
Sri Râmakrishna (to M.): Tell me, M., what you think of this. For some days, a strange state of things hath been going on. It is now beyond my power to touch any metal. Once I put my hand to a metallic cup; do you know what came of this? I felt as if the sting of some horned fish had been thrust into my flesh. The pain was very acute. But, you know, one cannot do without a wash-pitcher. So I thought of carrying it to the foot of the willow tree. I wrapped it in my towel and then tried to take it up. As soon as I touched it, the same acute pain came back. It was indeed terrible. At last I was forced to pray unto the Divine Mother, saying, "Oh Mother, forgive me this time; I will never do so any more." Do you not think that this is a warning from Mother that I should stand apart absolutely from all sorts of enjoyments?
M.: I daresay, Revered Sir, that is the true explanation.
Freedom from Carnality and Yearning for the Lord.
Sri Râmakrishna (to M): N. junior often comes to see me. Do you not think that his people will take him to task for this? Oh! he is a nice boy, so pure! The fact is, he is absolutely free from carnality.
M.: Yes, Revered Sir, he is indeed a young man of no ordinary calibre.
Sri Râmakrishna: That is so. Furthermore, he says: "The word of God, if it once reaches my ear, becomes stamped upon my mind." Again: "In my infancy I used to cry for the Lord. I was so much troubled at heart because I could not see Him."
In this way the Master talked on about the young devotee, when one of the disciples cried out saying, "Well Mr. M., when do you go back to school?"
Sri Râmakrishna: What o'clock is it?
A disciple: It is just 10 minutes to one.
Sri Râmakrishna (to M.): you had better go back; it is late already. You are on duty. (To Latoo.) Well! Where is Rakhal?
Latoo: He is gone——home.
Sri Râmakrishna: Is it possible? How is it he did not see me when he left!