← World is GodHis autobiography, book three

CHAPTER VI

France

IN the afternoon we left Munich by air for Paris, via Frankfurt. At Frankfurt we were joined by Rani Lalita Devi and Sagarlal Gupta. Here at the airport, where we had to wait for some time for the next plane, we met Atmananda (Mr. Cornelius Reuter), a disciple of Swami Omkar, who is editing a German magazine called Friede which means Peace. We had between us a happy half-an-hour. At the aerodrome we had the contact also of an English lady, Mrs. Elizabeth Paul, who was to travel with us in the same plane to Paris. She invited us to the Town and Country School in London, of which she is the Principal.

In due time we reached Paris. Mr. Jean Herbert and Miss Diana Mathot were at the aerodrome to receive us. Miss Diana welcomed us with all her heart and took us to her house in St-Leu-La-Foret about ten miles away from Paris. The house was an old fashioned one. It had been tidied up and made comfortable for our stay by Diana and the girls, whom she called, ‘the children’. They cheerfully served us with all love and affection.

A Feast of Spiritual Communion

We remained there for seven days during which large numbers of devotees and friends came from far and near, both morning and evening, to listen to the talks. There were questions and answers followed by meditation everyday. It was quite a feast of spiritual communion, pure love and devotion overflowing the hearts of all. Diana was moving about attending to various acts of service as in a dream. She was intoxicated with a divine ecstasy. Her heart was abounding in love for us. Jean Herbert and his wife too were busy looking after our comforts, one in helping to make programmes and arranging our visits to other places in France, and the other aiding in the kitchen. Time here flew unawares as all were filled with unusual happiness and peace.

Among the visitors mention may be made of Mrs. Lizelle Reymond who had visited the Ashram twice, years ago. We were happy to see each other. Ram-nam had by now got firm hold upon the friends who met Ramdas both at Geneva and other places. Many who attended the meetings in Geneva were also present here. Among them the couple who were the first to receive Ram-mantra in Geneva, used to sit close to Ramdas. One day Ramdas asked them how they were getting on. The lady, with a smile on her face, said: “From the time we received the Ram-mantra from you we have been experiencing immense peace at heart. Our joy is raised often to a pitch of ecstasy. We are deeply grateful to you for your kindness and grace.” Ramdas noticed their faces were bright with a divine lustre.

Visit to another Monastery

One day, as previously arranged, Jean Herbert took us to a monastery in Paris city. Mataji, Rani Lalita Devi and Sagarlal did not accompany us. We were welcomed by the abbot, Le Reverend Pere Bruno De Jesus-Marie, an elderly person. He led us into a big library room where we took our seats. An assistant of the abbot was also present. We started talking on the ways of approach to God, in the course of which Ramdas narrated his own spiritual experiences. The abbot listened to what Ramdas said with keen interest and remarked that Ramdas’ experiences tallied with the experiences chronicled in the writings of the Christian saints. In that atmosphere we felt like members of the same family or group. Verily, all those who are of God belong to one fraternity.

In the middle of the talk the abbot proposed that we should have prayer and meditation. So we spent about five minutes in silent meditation in our chairs, with the lights off, drinking deep at the spring of eternal bliss and peace. We wafted into and were lost in the Infinite where we realize there is only one Truth and one Spirit with nothing besides. After the meditation we renewed our talk with the abbot whose face was brightened with a new experience. He said that during the meditation he had an exalted spiritual vision, a vision for which he was longing for many years.

The following are extracts from the conversation between the abbot and Ramdas:

Combine Work and Worship

Abbot: There is an important difference between this order and the one you went to see in Switzerland. The order there resorts purely to contemplation; the only thing they do for others is to pray for them. But here we go further, sometimes teach and help others in many ways. I would like to know to which you give importance, whether in doing or refraining from active work in the world.

Ramdas: Ramdas agrees with you that we must combine work and worship.

Abbot: By work you may help others, relieve their distress, etc., is it not?

Ramdas: Yes, helping others, teaching them and doing whatever is necessary, as service to God.

Abbot: Apparently we view things with the same attitude and exactly in the same light. This seems to be quite confirmed by the Gospel.

Ramdas: Ramdas does not want anybody to lead only a contemplative life. They must serve their fellow-beings in a spirit of perfect selflessness in order to relieve their distress, and this, Ramdas believes, is one of the main teachings of Jesus Christ. When he said, “Love thy neighbour as thyself” he did not mean that we should love merely by the heart alone, but we should also show our love in action, love him by relieving him of the difficulties to which he has been subjected.

Abbot: Do you think that prayer is more important than action, although that type of action is prayer in itself?

Ramdas: Prayer is the background for action.

Abbot: Are you certain that until the end of your life you will no longer be subject to diabolical temptations and that you are entirely free from them?

Ramdas: Ramdas feels entirely free from them because God has taken him up. If he had held on to God, there would have been a likelihood of a fall, but as God has held Ramdas and he is fully conscious of it, there is no chance of a fall or separation from Him. God’s grip on him is so firm. God has taken Ramdas up and he is a child in the arms of his mother, God. So there is absolutely no fear of a fall at any time. This assurance has been given to Ramdas by Him.

Importance of Brahmacharya

Abbot: Can such a spiritual height as has been realized by you be reached by men even without Brahmacharya?

Ramdas: No, not without Brahmacharya.

Abbot: In the Christian Church Brahmacharya is not considered absolutely necessary. For priests and monks, of course, strict Brahmacharya is essential, but they also say that married people living in the world can attain perfection.

Ramdas: After leading the usual life of the family for some years, the person must abstain from sex and become a Brahmacharin, a man of perfect purity. Only then the devotional practices he has gone through in his family life will attain fruition Otherwise he is not likely to reach that spiritual perfection which a man who observes continence can reach. Sexual desire is a great obstacle to God-realization. So long as one is subject to it, one cannot have perfect purity in thought, word and deed, which is essential for realization.

An Instrument for Working Miracles

Abbot: Do you work miracles of any kind?

Ramdas: Ramdas has been made an instrument by God for working some miracles. He is not personally responsible for them. People who are unwell wish him to go to them and place his hands on them. Then miraculously they are cured. They attribute it to Ramdas. Ramdas tells them that it is not by his power that they are cured, but by God’s grace. In all humility Ramdas can say that it is not he who did it, but God.

Abbot: Is it within your power to see the truth within people; to see them as they are, when you look at them?

Ramdas: Ramdas sees the Divine in everybody and God does not want him to understand how a man is and what is in his mind. He has given him the vision to see His divine radiance and divine existence only.

Abbot: When somebody comes to you who is in a bad condition, does it mean that you do not realize his bad state at all?

Ramdas: Ramdas sees outwardly that the person is very much depressed. After remaining in Ramdas’ company for some time, his mind becomes calm and peaceful and he goes away cheerfully. This is what Ramdas has noticed.

Abbot: The obscure night of the soul—is it bound to happen?

Ramdas: Yes. In the life of every spiritual aspirant such periods do come. When the mind gets depressed, he misses his union with God and he feels that he is a fallen being. At that time he is seized with utter despair.

Abbot: In the life of St. Thomas of Aquinas, a woman came to tempt him and he threatened her away with a firebrand. In the life of St. John of the Cross we understand that he was also tempted by a woman, but he spoke to her very kindly and lovingly. The result was that she was transformed. Which of the two methods would you prefer?

Ramdas: Surely the way of giving love, treating gently and transforming the woman.

After the conversations were over, we came out of the monastery along with the abbot and his assistant. Taking leave, when we were on the steps coming down to the road, Satchidananda took some cine pictures of us. What is important here is not the film, but the joy we derived standing together expectantly in child-like glee and anticipation when the camera clicked before us. Verily, God’s devotees are His children. When love inspires us the heart is filled with the sweetest music of free and unconventional play of divine joy. We returned to Diana’s place after a delightful time with the abbot.

“The Most Precious Thing on Earth”

On another day, as prearranged, we went to the Ramakrishna Mission at Gretz. Swami Siddheswarananda, the President, on coming to know from Ramdas that he was to visit France, had invited the party for lunch and a few hours’ stay in the Ashram. The Swamiji had visited Anandashram some years ago, and given us the pleasure of his company for three days. When our car stopped at the entrance of the Mission building, we saw the Swamiji waiting for us. He welcomed Ramdas and garlanded him, overflowing with love and affection. He took Ramdas by the hand and led him up the steps into the Ashram. Ramdas can imagine what joy he must have felt to see Ramdas at his place. Ramdas’ heart was equally flooded with untold delight on seeing him. The Swamiji was not keeping well and had some difficulty in climbing up the steps, but he did it all with a smile on his face and love in his heart. We went straight to the shrine room and joined the prayer conducted there by Swami Nishreyasananda, another monk of the Ramakrishna Mission.

The next item of the programme was lunch. We, about two dozen persons, sat at a long table and had our food. Many other French devotees of the Mission also joined us at the lunch, taking it standing. After the meal Ramdas was taken to the private room of Swami Siddheswarananda who made this child lie down on a sofa. He sat beside Ramdas and passed his hands over Ramdas’ body with infinite love and tenderness. His eyes were moist and he said, “Swamiji, you are the most precious thing on this earth.” Ramdas was thrilled by these words. The Swamiji’s loving touch was a healing balm to the tired body.

After some time Ramdas was asked to go to the central hall where a large congregation of devotees of the Mission had assembled. As the room was too small for the gathering, the adjoining rooms were also filled by the visitors. There was a microphone so that the talk might reach the ears of all in the several rooms. In answer to a question Ramdas delivered a long discourse, in the course of which he said:

God is personal and impersonal

To the question whether God is personal or impersonal, Ramdas’ answer is that God is at once personal and impersonal. You can behold Him as everything and in everything in the universe. At the same time you maintain a close relationship with Him in His personal aspect. He becomes your constant companion. You can talk to Him, you can play with Him, and you can even joke with Him. He will be so intimate with you. He will protect you in ever so many ways and look after you mysteriously. This is true not only in the case of a particular devotee, but is equally applicable to all devotees in all parts of the world who have surrendered up their lives to Him entirely. In such cases He grants the devotees His universal vision and still remains their constant companion. So He is an impersonal Person, that is, He is not only the all-pervading, nameless and formless Reality, but He is also all that have names and forms. As your constant companion He guides you and looks after you just as a mother looks after the child. You feel His protection every moment of your life in a strange way. You can talk to Him and look upon Him as your father, mother, comrade or master. How this is possible is very difficult to describe. Ramdas wants to tell you how this is possible, but it is very hard.

Divine Grace

Now Ramdas is going to speak to you a few words about grace. Without grace nothing can be done by us. Many people think that we are doing everything by our own will and strength. This is perfectly false. It is the divine grace alone, it is the divine power alone, that is responsible for our doing everything. Since we do not know that divine grace is working through us and we think that we are doing everything ourselves, all our actions, thoughts and feelings get contaminated. When we clear out the ego-sense in us and God’s light and power flow in us, we become conscious that the divine power is responsible for all our movements and actions. Our mind turns towards God, only by His grace.

Ramdas talked on and on, without any sense of time. He was in a high state of ecstasy. Words flowed out of his mouth like a stream. He talked for over an hour. Swami Siddheswarananda was highly pleased. At the close of the meeting Prasanna was requested to sing the Ram-mantra—Om Sri Ram Jai Ram Jai Jai Ram. She had learned the tune of the Mantra from Mataji when we were at her place in Geneva. Prasanna possessed a sweet and melodious voice. She sang in the tune taught to her and the congregation sang after her in chorus. The whole building was then filled with such spiritual fervour by the music of the Mantra that all hearts welled up with pure joy and peace. It was an unforgettable occasion. The function over, we came out and got into the cars after taking leave of Swami Siddheswarananda, Swami Nishreyasananda and other inmates and devotees of the Ashram. At parting, the Swamiji was visibly moved and Ramdas also was affected likewise.

On the way back to St-Leu-La-Foret, Ramdas accompanied by Satchidananda and Jean Herbert visited the place of Mr. Edouard C. Symours, who was ill, the rest of the party going straight to St-Leu-La-Foret. This friend had correspondence with Ramdas for some years. Owing to his illness he could not meet Ramdas at Diana’s house. His brother and he welcomed us to his small house and we were taken to his private room. The friend expressed his great joy at Ramdas’ visit to his house. He asked Ramdas some questions on spiritual discipline and attainment. He evinced yearning for God-realization. Ramdas gave him some instructions and left the place.

The day of our departure from France arrived. The parting scene here, as in other places, was most touching. Diana, the girls and the friends who were frequently paying us visits, were moved to tears. We emplaned for Brussels.

A few extracts from the talks at Diana’s house in France are given below:

The Joy of Japa

Q: It is advised that we should not do Japa as a stern and grim duty.

Ramdas: What you say is true. Japa must be done with intense love and devotion for the object of your worship, that is, God. The Japa becomes spontaneous and gives you bubbling joy in your heart as you go on doing it. You should not do it as a discipline imposed upon you by somebody else. If you do not get joy in doing Japa, you better not do it, because it will not help you. When you have love for God, Japa must give you great joy. Therefore mystics say that repetition of God’s name gives them ecstasy, a sweetness and joy which is indescribable. This shows that it is not mere mechanical repetition that helps us but a spontaneous outflow of our love towards God along with the repetition of His name.

Self-surrender

Q: What is the importance of self-surrender on the spiritual path?

Ramdas: Self-surrender means giving up of the ego-sense. Until the ego-sense is completely eliminated, we cannot realize God. Ego-sense is a screen between us and God. If you remove the screen you know you are He.

Q: Can we feel that God is doing everything even if we do not act morally?

Ramdas: We cannot act immorally if we know God is making us do everything.

Q: Is grace for everybody or are some more privileged than others to get it?

Ramdas: Grace is pouring on all of us alike. Some receive it and some do not. As Ramdas mentioned somewhere else, some people open the windows of their heart to receive grace, while some others keep them closed and they don’t get it. But even to keep the windows of the heart open requires some inner aspiration and longing, and that longing can come to us only through the kindness and grace of God.

Who is the Guru?

Q: Can you tell us what exactly the Guru is?

Ramdas: Guru is a spiritual guide. Just as you require a teacher to teach you art and science relating to the world of nature around you, you need a guide on the spiritual path. As a professor should be qualified on the subject he teaches, so the spiritual guide must be qualified to guide you. He must be perfect in the science of spirituality, which means that he must have attained the realization of God. When you have such a guide you can safely entrust yourself to his hands and you are sure to progress on the path without any hindrance, provided your aspiration is intense and you follow his guidance. The meaning of the word Guru is “dispeller of darkness”. In the state of ignorance your heart is filled with darkness as you are oblivious of God. You deny God and do not at all take into account His existence, nor do you seek Him. But the Guru awakens in you faith in God and guides you along the path so that you may ultimately reach Him. So the work of the Guru is to awaken God-consciousness in you and lead you to Him.

Q: Can daily work be integrated with spiritual life?

Ramdas: Provided the work is done selflessly and in a spirit of dedication to God.

Q: I presume then the work itself becomes our spiritual discipline.

Ramdas: Yes, then work becomes worship. The Bhagavadgita describes this as Nishkama Karma meaning desireless action, selfless action.

Food first, then God

Q: When you get in touch with people who are very poor, should you not first give them food and then only talk to them about God?

Ramdas: Certainly, you should first relieve them of their hunger, and then only talk to them about God, if they are interested in it. If you start talking about God when they are hungry, they won’t listen to you, but go away.

Q: If we happen to live with somebody who is a terrible pessimist and we do not succeed in doing anything to him, is it all right that we should go away for a while before we attempt again?

Ramdas: Yes, it is better to go away for a while to charge yourself with greater spiritual strength so that you can when you next meet your pessimist friend, change him by your influence. If your spiritual strength is not sufficient, it is quite likely that his pessimistic influence will act on you and you too will become a pessimist.

Service heals sorrow

Q: Can anything special be done for a mother who cannot get over the death of one of her children? I have seen such cases where mothers never recovered after they lost one of their children.

Ramdas: That is what Ramdas also has observed in some cases. They cannot forget the loss. There is however one way, and that is to keep them engaged in some service, service of a selfless nature rendered for the good of others. In that service the mother will, to a large extent, forget her sorrow, although it cannot be wiped out completely.

Q: How can we get out of viraha, the agony of separation from God, when we are in it?

Ramdas: By surrendering ourselves to God.

Q: When we have lost faith at that time?

Ramdas: Then contact a saint. Seek the company of an advanced soul, preferably one who has realised God. The company of such a soul will enable you to lift yourself from despondency and you will find reunion with God by His grace and help.

Q: Are there many such available?

Ramdas: Seek and you shall find. Aspire and you shall get.

Q: When we actually feel for the suffering of others, can that help those who suffer?

Ramdas: By feeling for them, sharing the suffering with them, we can bring relief to them to some extent, but the better way is to relieve it by rendering some tangible help.

Q: Is it possible to have the thought of God always under modern conditions of life?

Ramdas: It is quite possible if only we really aspire for God and make an attempt to keep Him always in our thought. An example of one who has done so is sitting before you. He belongs to modern times and not to the past.

Through Forms Reach the Formless

Q: Are we developing too much personal attachment to you? If so how can we stop it?

Ramdas: You need not stop it. You can make Ramdas a stepping stone to rise to the higher consciousness, which is the real consciousness. You may attach yourself to his form and through that form reach the Formless. Very often some prop is necessary for us in order to walk on the path and after we have gained sufficient strength we can throw off that prop and walk by ourselves. We require a ladder to climb to some height and after we reach there, we have no more need of the ladder. So if you are attached to Ramdas’ form, let that form be a help to you to rise beyond all forms.

Q: What relation is there between hope and faith?

Ramdas: Ramdas remembers having read a book called “The Greatest Thing in the World.” In that book the beginning is, “Which is the greatest—faith, hope or love? Love is the greatest.” Ramdas agrees with this.