CHAPTER IV.
AT THE CLOSE OF DAY
It is evening. The shadows of Eternity have fallen on the ocean-breast, and on the deep dense forest, and on the summits of mountains that kiss the firmament on high: They have cast a gloom on the boundless expanse round about and on the solitary bank of the undulating river that sends forth the never-ceasing sound of its many waters. At the sight of this sacred, solemn gloom, little, puny man cannot help being in another state of mind. The sun, he was only a few moments back giving light to all nature, inanimate as well as animate! Whither is he gone? The question puzzles the child—a being who is new to the world! It appeals no less to the holy man, for he has the soul of a child. He feels that he is always in the presence and care of his Divine Mother. It is evening! What a miracle! And wrought by what a Wonderful Being! The birds come together and sing on the boughs of trees. Human beings too do the same thing—those amongst them in whom the spirit within has waked up. They sing the Name of the Lord.
It is evening. The disciples would not leave their seats. With their heads upraised and eager ears they listen to the sweet Name of the Lord chanted by the Master—sweeter, as repeated by him, than any they have ever heard before!
Yes, they have never heard another child calling out so sweetly to its Mother, saying 'Ma, Ma!' It seems as if drops of nectar fall from the Master's lips. The infinite sky, the heaven-kissing mountain, the deep blue ocean, the boundless expanse, the deep, dense wilderness—what is the use now to go amongst them in quest of the Divine Father and Mother of the Universe? What is the use now of fixing one's attention on the 'cow's horns' or her feet or other parts of her body? The Master has spoken of the Udder of the Cow to-day—from which to draw the Milk of Divine Love! Is it indeed given to me to behold the Vision of God-Incarnate in this very room? What else could have brought to the hearts of the disciples—those that are weary and heavy-laden—the Peace that passeth all Understanding and the Joy that is of the Lord? What else could have made this vale of tears flow over with joy? Is it possible that the man before me is God-Incarnate? Whether he is so or not my mind and heart and soul are his own—to deal with just as he pleases! He is already the Polestar of this enigmatical life! It is for me now to watch how in his great soul the Supreme Being, the Cause of causes, is reflected!
Thus did some of the disciples think within themselves. They felt they were blessed as they heard the Master chant the Name of the sweet Lord God,1 the Name of the Father who takes away all trouble, all sin and iniquity—and the Name of the Divine Mother.
The Master Teaches How to Pray.
The chanting of the Names being over, the Master prays unto the Mother. It seems as if the God of Love has taken a human body in order to teach man how to pray. He says, "Ma, I throw myself upon Thy mercy—may the Lotus of Thy feet ever keep me from whatever leads Thy children away from Thee! I seek not, Good Mother, the pleasures of the senses! I seek not, fame! Nor do I long for those powers which enable one to do miracles! What I pray for, O Good Mother, is pure Love2 for Thee—love for Thee untainted by desires, love without alloy, love that seeketh not the things of the world, love for Thee that welleth up unbidden out of the depths of the immortal soul! Grant likewise, O Mother, that Thy child, bewitched by the fascinations of the world-system3 may not forget Thee!—forget Thee, entangled in this charming net of the world4 that Thou hast woven under him, made of 'Woman and Gold!, O, grant that he may never be charmed into loving these! O, Good Mother, seest Thou not that Thy child hath none else in the world but Thee! O, I know not how to chant Thy Name! Devoid am I of deep devotion,—of knowledge, too, that leadeth unto Thee—devoid of genuine Love,5 for Thee! O, vouchsafe unto me that Love out of Thy Infinite Mercy!"
1 Hari.
2 Bhakti.
3 Mâyâ.
4 Samsâra.
5 Bhakti.
This evening prayer—is it called for in the case of this God-Man?—for him who chants the Name of the Lord day and night?—for him out of whose hallowed mouth there flows a never-ceasing stream of prayers unto the Most High? Is it then that the Master observes these forms with a view to teach mankind how to live and pray?
* * * *
Girish has invited Sri Râmakrishna to his house. He must come that very night.
Master: Do you not think it will be late?
Girish: No, Revered Sir; you will come away as early as you please. As for myself I shall have to go to the theatre*—they have quarrelled amongst themselves and I shall have to make it up.
Going downstairs from the first floor he has become like another being. He looks as if he were lost in the thought of God; he looks as if he has drunk deep! He is followed by his disciples Narayan and M. A little behind come Ram, Chuni and others.
Yes, lost! It seems as if sense-consciousness were beginning to leave him. Narayan comes forward to hold him by the hand lest he misses his footing. The Master seems annoyed.
* Girish was the Manager of 'Star Theatre'.
A short while and he says to Narayan with great tenderness, "If you hold me by the hand people will say, he is a drunkard! let me walk on without any help."
He crosses the next turning at Bosepara just a little away from Girish's house. What is it that makes him walk so fast? The disciples are left behind? Who can tell what Divine Idea has found its way into his heart?
What is it that makes him walk like a mad man? Is it because he is thinking of that Being Who in the Vedanta is said to be beyond the reach of word and thought? Just a little while ago at Balaram's house he declared that the Being is not beyond the reach of the Purified Supersensual Mind; that He may indeed be realised by the Pure Mind, which is the same thing as the Pure Reason,—which is the same thing as the Pure Soul! Or it may be that he is just at the present moment beholding that Being as a Reality!
Is this realising "Whatever is, is God"?
Ah! here is Narendra coming! Many a day hath the Master cried, saying, 'Narendra, Narendra, Narendra, like one gone mad!, But now Narendra is here before him and yet he exchanges no word with him! Is this what people call Bhava (God-consciousness)—a state into which Gauranga (Chaitanya) is said to have been constantly thrown? Who is there to look through the mystery of God-consciousness?
He has come up to the end of the lane leading to Girish's house. The disciples all walk after him.
Now he turns to Narendra, and speaks, "Is it well with you, my boy? Till now I had not the power to talk to you." Every word that falls from his lips is charged with uncommon tenderness and affection.
He has not as yet come up to the door of the house. All at once he stops. He looks at Narendra and says, "One word—this is one of the two (the human soul?) and that is another (Cosmos?)."
Was he indeed looking on the soul and the world? If so, in what light? He was looking on the speechless!
One or two words have dropped from his hallowed lips—like some solemn texts from the Inspired Scriptures, the Vedas—like unto the blessed Word of God!
Or was it as if one had gone to the Shore of the Infinite Ocean and stood there mute, looking on the Boundless Expanse! and had heard one or two echoes from the Never-ceasing Voice that comes up from the Eternal Deep?