March 1886.
SECTION XIV.
March 1886.
Sri Ramakrishna at Cossipore Garden with Narendra (Vivekananda), Rakhal, M., Girish and other disciples.)
CHAPTER I.
DIVINE INCARNATION FOR THE SAKE OF THOSE THAT LOVE THE LORD.
Sri Râmakrishna is staying with his disciples in the garden at Cossipore. He is lying very ill in the large room upstairs.
It is evening. Narendra and Rakhal are gently stroking his feet with the hand. Mani is also seated near the Master, who beckons to him to join in the service and relieve one of the two brothers.
It is Sunday, 14th March 1886; second Chaitra, the ninth day of the light fortnight of Falgun. It is the Sunday after His Birthday Anniversary, which came off on the preceding Sunday at the garden. Last year the anniversary was celebrated with great rejoicing at the Temple at Dakshineswar. This year the Master is very ill and his disciples are sorely troubled in spirit. God indeed was worshipped as usual on that day and the usual offerings were made to Him. But there was no feast made in which the public could take part.
The disciples are all present in the garden watching and nursing their beloved Master. Our Holy Mother is also here,—night and day is she engaged in the blessed service of her Lord. Most of the younger disciples are here. They have practically left their homes and have thrown themselves heart and soul into this noble work—that of ministering to Him—from whom they have learnt the true meaning of life in this enigmatic world.
The older disciples, many of whom have entered the world, come to see the Master almost every day. Some of them come to stay for two or three days at a time.
He is very ill to-day. It is midnight. The garden and the house are bathed in the moonlight, But the hearts of the disciples know no peace, for it is feared that He, who hath solved the Problem of Life for them, is about to leave this world!
There is perfect silence. All nature is still,—save for the rustling sound of the leaves which slightly move in the gentle breeze of spring that blows from the south. In the midst of this stillness is the Master, lying in his chamber upstairs, restless, sleepless! One or two disciples are seated near, watching. At times he seems to fall asleep. Or is it that he has passed into that blessed state of communion1 in which the mind remains unmoved in the midst of the greatest sorrow and sufferings?
M. is seated by his side, dumb,bewildered at the sight of sufferings unspeakable,—a sight which would rend the heart of the most hard-hearted. At the bidding of the Master, he comes still nearer. He says to M., in broken words, "Lest you and your brothers here shall go about weeping, I do suffer so much!—if you all say 'your sufferings of the flesh are terrible—let the body be given up'—if you will say it—then this body may be laid aside!"
1 Yoga.
M. is speechless and looks bewildered!
It is the moment of agony with the disciples; their hearts are rent asunder. He who is their father, their mother, their leader, their protector, their master, their all, speaks these words! What are they to say in reply? 'Is this another Crucifixion?'—thinks one of them to himself. 'Another sacrifice for the sake of mankind and specially for the sake of those who in the absence of their Shepherd will be like so many scattered sheep?
* * * *
It is the dead of night. The Master gets worse! Is there no help?
A message is sent to Calcutta friends. Doctor Upendra and Kaviraj Navagopal come up with Girish from Calcutta at the dead of night.
The disciples are with the Master. He seems a little better.
He says, "The sufferings are of the flesh; that is as it should be—for the body is made of the five elements,—yes, it comes from matter."
Turning to Girish, He says—"What do you think I always see in this state? Well, it is the spiritual Forms of the Lord. Many and various are those Forms! Amongst them do I behold also this form here; in which too the Lord hath manifested Himself."
(By 'this form' the Master means his own form.)