February 2021
Sri Ramakrishna said, “Oh no! This also is a path; but it is akin to entering a house through the backdoor [traditional houses had a backdoor for the scavenger to enter and clean the privy].”
The Vedanta Kesari
20
I have witnessed true devotion at my premonastic home — it’s not something artificial or contrived. We had the tradition of worshipping Govindaji [Sri Krishna] at home. Right from daybreak, the womenfolk were busy with the service of Govindaji. One person would be plucking flowers, another would be making a garland, and someone else would be cleaning the utensils. It seemed Govindaji was living in the house — exactly like a revered elderly relative residing at home; everyone was alert to taking the utmost care of him. This is called worship. Just see what a great scholar Swami Vishuddhananda Maharaj is! [8th President of the Ramakrishna Order] And yet he constantly keeps calling on the Mother. Swami Shantananda too is experiencing great bliss by calling on the Mother. You will learn many things about jnana yoga in the Panchadashi. But you will see that finally only three ideas have been discussed — the five sheaths, the Charioteer or the Atman, and the three states of being (avastha-traya). Liberation can be attained by discrimination about the five sheaths. The sadhaka has to reject these sheaths intellectually. For example, he discriminates thus: hunger, pain and injury belong to the body, strength and weakness are felt because of the vital force, irritation caused by abusive words pertains to the mind, and so on. He has to reject all these as not his real self. This intellectual exercise is a part of jnana yoga.
(A patriot was conversing with Maharaj.) Maharaj told him: “You have been angry because you were humiliated, and you have resorted to going on a hunger strike. Now you take a resolution: ‘I will go on a hunger strike against my own nature. I will mercilessly stamp out every bit of temptation arising out of lust, anger, or greed.’” Swami Vivekananda cried himself hoarse about the need of applying the heart in all
dealings. He travelled throughout India but couldn’t find a feeling heart anywhere. When the heart is present, head and hand will come by themselves. Of course, we sometimes come across a kind of heart that flares up all of a sudden, like when love overflows towards a particular person; this is dangerous, instinctive love. Perhaps at the very next moment it may become violent and tear the throat of the beloved. A true follower of Sri Ramakrishna is bound to be a patriot. Once, Swami Abhedanandaji was very ill. But even in that condition, he sent for Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose; and when he came, Abhedanandaji got up to embrace him. If a follower of Sri Ramakrishna or Swami Vivekananda is not a patriot, then know for certain that he is not their follower. 6.2.61 Question: Is there any danger if I give up the process of discrimination and follow just the path of devotion? Maharaj: Just as chanting the name of Hari is compulsory for the Vaishnava mendicants, you cannot become a sannyasi without constantly discriminating about the five sheaths. How is it possible? I am such-andsuch, I am the son of so-and-so, I am this or that of the university — how will you forget all these without discrimination? Those who are brought up with dignity and luxury at home cannot give up that identification; they somehow bring up their pre-monastic identity and revel in their own superiority. You can succeed by following the path of devotion; but it takes a long time, and there is a risk of falling prey to various dangers on the way. Our monastic life seems to be like swagriha sannyasa, i.e., rooted in familial background, unable to overcome its identity. A Bengali has become a sannyasi and he will mix only with Bengalis; also he will not learn any other language. In a speech at Madras, someone referred to Sri Ramakrishna as a Bengali saint!! (To be continued. . .)
