19 minute read
Reminiscences of Sargachhi
SRIMAT SWAMI SUHITANANDA JI (Continued from previous issue. . .) 66
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6.4.61 (continued…)
Maharaj: God Himself has come! We felt like sharing this news with everyone. We started announcing that this is the advent of the Satyayuga; all will be equal, there will be no discrimination. Helay porhe dhulay shayan vishva-sabhay tar prayojan (a line from a Bengali song composed by Premeshanandaji; it means: “(Mother India is) neglected and lying in the dust, yet the world is in need of her.” These songs of mine are from the time when we were under British rule; they don’t appeal so much now. With the advent of Sri Ramakrishna, we felt we are saved. As for myself, I was at my wits’ end thinking, “What should I do Where should I go?” Fortunately, I got shelter in Sri Ramakrishna. We made the people of Sylhet deeply engaged with his teachings. Girishbabu and Devenbabu started composing songs on Sri Ramakrishna. Then, for some time, there was a lull. Then the tidal wave emerged from Sylhet – the land was inundated by a flood of songs expressing love for Sri Ramakrishna. I would compose songs and, along with Soumyananda, organise meetings in the subdivision to attract boys to Sri Ramakrishna. Oh, how intoxicating were those days! We had a small room thatched with straw and there was no provision for food. The boys came from aristocratic families; yet they would farm eggplants. We had to manage with rice, roasted eggplants and lentils. On the Ekadashis we used to take soaked moong beans for dinner. Once a general meeting was held in Sylhet. A song had to be sung. Soumyananda said that he was not prepared. What to do? It was the closing song. I told him, “You accompany me on the harmonium, I will sing.” With what feelings I sang the song! Aji kokilakujane (opening words of a song on Sri Ramakrishna’s advent composed by Premeshanandaji) Radhu [Holy Mother’s niece Radha Rani] used to sing this song for Holy Mother. Sharat Maharaj too sang it one day. I am dead against harmonium. But to sing without the accompaniment of a harmonium you need to have a sweet voice. Mahapurush Maharaj sang this song one day – he had a very sweet voice. He danced as he sang the song. One day I asked Mahapurush Maharaj if a line describing Sri Ramakrishna’s effulgent smile was correct. He replied, “Yes, yes it’s all right.” Once, Master Mahashay sang to us the song – O kathure tui
The author, one of the Vice-Presidents of the Ramakrishna Order, presents here his conversations with Swami Premeshananda (1884-1967), a disciple of Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi.
dur vane ja “O woodcutter, youproceed to the far-off forest”.
The words Jeno vismṛta kato swapanete shruta “as if heard in dreams that have been forgotten” are not my original idea. Bankimbabu (Bengali novelist and poet Bankim Chandra Chatterjee) had written “Like a sweet dream dreamt long ago and forgotten”. I was startled when I read those words in my boyhood.
7.4.61
Question: What’s the difference between Swami Vivekananda and his brother disciples?
Maharaj: Swamiji would stay in the bhava of Aham Brahmasmi “I am Brahman”. There was just a very little incompleteness in that state. If not for that how could he incarnate?
Swami Brahmananda and other Ishvarakotis would remain in savikalpa samadhi holding on to one of the bhavas. In a vision Sri Ramakrishna saw a luminous space — like a heap of red brick-dust— in which on one side was Narendra, and on the other Rakhal and others. Narendra was immersed in meditation; Kedar [a householder devotee] peeped in and ran away with a shudder. Sharat [Saradananda] Maharaj, Sashi [Ramakrishnananda] Maharaj and Master Mahashaya belonged to the ‘everfree’ category. Sri Ramakrishna saw Sharat and Sashi in the company of Jesus Christ. He told Master Mahasaya, “I identified you as soon as I heard you reciting the Bhagavatam.”
20.4.61
Maharaj: Sannyasa is quite an abstract idea; it isn’t easy to understand. If you stay in the company of your guru for a long time, and listen about it from him, you can understand it a little. A sannyasishould be uncompromising and eager for liberation. It is very different from just leading an honest life and abstaining from evil conduct.
Nowadays most of the devotees do not pay attention to the Principle embodied as Sri Ramakrishna, and like fanatics just want to be his followers. First of all, you should be alert about the body and the vital force – the sheaths known as annamaya and pranamaya koshas. You must have a clear idea about the mind and intellect.
In the Gita (18:14) Bhagavan says, अवधष्ानं (the receptacle) = body, कता्य (the doer) = I, कर् (instruments) = organs of knowledge and organs of action, चष्ा (effort) = vital force, दैि (the 5 great elements) = earth, water, fire, air, and sky. This is a very round-about explanation. We put it simply as ‘the five distinct sheaths.’
Question: Why can’t we grasp it?
Maharaj: The motionless sea is Nirguna Brahman or Brahman without attributes; the sea rippling in waves is Saguna Brahman or Brahman with attributes. Each wave is a Jivatman (individual soul) who puts a veil on the face and experiences the world as a doer. Don’t you see, at home before marriage a son remains identified with his father; but when he marries, he becomes a master. He feels he has an independent identity. After that, he becomes a father and promptly forgets his own father! He has a family of his own. The question is, ‘How does he forget?’ It happens when he desires it. This desire arises out of necessity. A person who has not finished tasting the juice of this world, won’t feel any distaste for it. He won’t feel the necessity for any other superior juice. Desire is the only criterion; if you desire, you can go forward to a large extent in spite of a thousand obstacles. If you truly desire, you can even attain the knowledge of Brahman. (to be continued. . .)
North Kolkata: The Leela Kshetra
SWAMI CHIDEKANANDA (Continued from the previous issue...) Between 1881 to 1886 — the last five years of Sri Ramakrishna’s sojourn on earth — twelve of the sixteen direct-disciples of Sri Ramakrishna lived in North Kolkata. They were either born there or had moved there for education or work. In hindsight we can see the Divine Mother’s plan in placing these young men in this region of Kolkata, thus making it possible for them to frequently meet Sri Ramakrishna and come under his life-transforming influence. In the last three issues the residences of Sri Ramakrishna’s householder disciples and later monastic disciples in Baghbazar, Shyambazar, Shyampukur, and Shobhabazar localities were identified. This concluding article introduces us to the residences of disciples in the Simla and
Jhamapukur localities and also some places associated with Sri Ramakrishna.
Swami Vivekananda’s Ancestral Home
Swami Vivekananda’s ancestral home where he was born is located at 105, Vivekananda Road, Maniktala, Azad Hind Bag, Kolkata 700006. Known in his pre-monastic life as Narendranath Datta, Swamiji was born here on 12 January 1863. He grew up here and, except for two years at Raipur, lived here until 1888. This house is now a branch centre of the Ramakrishna Order and is known as the Ramakrishna Mission Swami Vivekananada’s Ancestral House and Cultural Centre. The history of how this house became an ashram has been presented in a series of articles published from February to June 2021 in the Prabuddha Bharata, another English monthly magazine of the Ramakrishna Order.
A 6-minutes’ walk from here will take us to Swamiji’s maternal grandmother’s house.
Swami Vivekananda’s maternal grandmother’s house
Walking southward two blocks along Simla Street, we reach Vivekananda Road. Turning right and walking westward for about a block until the crossing at Ramtanu Bose Lane, we again turn right and reach Swami Vivekananda’s grandmother’s house at # 7, Ramtanu Bose Lane, Kolkata, 700006. Sri Ramakrishna visited this house a few times to meet Narendranath; he would impart spiritual instructions, encourage him to practise brahmacharya and remain steadfast in his intention of not marrying. Swamiji later narrated: “One day when the Master came to my study and instructed me to practice strict brahmacharya, my grandmother overheard everything and informed my parents.”1 About 5 minutes’ walk from Swamiji’s grandmother’s house is Swami Brahmanandaji’s residence.
Swami Brahmananda’s Kolkata Residence
Walking back on Ramtanu Bose Lane, crossing Vivekananda Road, and then making a right turn on Simla street, we reach after two blocks the Tarak Pramanick Road crossing; turning right here, we arrive within five
The author is a sannyasi of the Ramakrishna Order and is the Production Editor for Prabuddha Bharata, the English journal started by Swami Vivekananda. swamichidekananda@gmail.com
minutes at Swami Brahmananda’s Kolkata residence located at 36, Tarak Pramanick Road, Kolkata, 700006.
This is the parental home of Swami Brahmananda’s step-mother, Hemangini Sen. When Rakhal turned twelve years old in 1875, it was decided that he would leave his native village Sikra Kulingram, and move to his stepmother’s ancestral house in Kolkata to continue his education. During this time, Rakhal’s stepmother would also stay at her Kolkata home to take care of Rakhal. Rakhal stayed here on and off for nearly twelve years. In January 1887, after becoming a sannyasi, he began to stay at the Baranagar Math and never again stayed at his home.2 Descendants of the Sen family continue to reside in this dilapidated home even today.
1) Ramakrishna Mission Swami Vivekananda’s
Ancestral House and Cultural Centre 2) Swamiji’s Grandmother’s house 3) Swami Brahmananda’s Kolkata residence 4) Sadharan Brahmo Samaj 5) Laxminarayan’s house 6) Thanthania Siddheshwari Kali Bari 7) Swami Subodhananda’s ancestral house 8) M.’s Kathamrita Bhavan 9) Rajendra Lal Mitra’s house 10)Sanskrit Tolle College 11)Chal Ghor 12)Raja Digambar Mitra’s house 13)Navabidhan Brahmo Samaj 14)Keshav Chandra Sen’s ‘Kamalkutir’ 15)Birthplace of Swami Saradananda
Swami Vivekananda’s Ancestral House Swamiji’s grandhmother’s home
From here it is about a 7-minute walk to Sadharan Brahmo Samaj.
Walking back on Tarak Pramanick Road, crossing Simla Street, we arrive at Bidhan Sarani crossing; turning right and walking past Arya Samaj to our left, we find after one block on our right, the Sadharan Brahmo Samaj located at 211, Bidhan Sarani, Kolkata, 700006.
Sadharan Brahmo Samaj
Due to irreconcilable differences with Keshab Chandra Sen, some of his followers left him to start the Sadharan Brahmo Samaj in May 1878. Once, when Narendranath did not visit Dakshineswar for many days, Sri Ramakrishna became very anxious and sent for him. When Narendranath did not come, Sri Ramakrishna went looking for him at the Sadharan Brahmo Samaj. The evening services had already begun when Sri Ramakrishna entered the hall in a semi-conscious state and slowly approached the podium. The preacher stopped his sermon and the congregation stared at Sri Ramakrishna. Unmindful of all this Sri Ramakrishna continued to walk towards the podium. Some of the Brahmo leaders who thought that Sri Ramakrishna was responsible for the split in their Samaj, were offended by his presence and so they turned the lights on and off. This created even greater confusion
The first floor room in Swamiji’s grandmother’s house where Swamiji would study or practise singing
Swami Brahmanandaji’s Stepmother’s parental house Sadharan Brahmo Samaj front view
Sadharan Brahmo Samaj inside view Swami Subodhanandaji’s ancestral house Tanthania Kali Mandir
and many rushed to the exit door. Narendranath, who was sitting in the choir understood why Sri Ramakrishna had come and immediately came to his rescue. He escorted him through the crowd to the backdoor and took him back to Dakshineswar. Unmindful of the disrespectful behaviour of the Brahmo leaders, Sri Ramakrishna was filled with joy because his Naren was with him!
Walking further south on Bidhan Sarani for a few metres and turning right and proceeding for two blocks we arrive, within 5 minutes, at 90 Muktaram Babu Street, Kolkata, 700009. This is the residence of Laxminarayan, the Marwari devotee who had offered Sri Ramakrishna 10,000 rupees for his personal use; Sri Ramakrishna had refused to accept it.
Retracing our steps until Bidhan Sarani and turning left and proceeding eastward for a few metres, we arrive at Thanthania Sidheswari Kali Bari located at Bidhan Sarani, College Street Market, Machuabazar, Kolkata, 700007.
Thanthania Kali Bari
In the early 1700s, the Divine Mother appeared in a dream to a sadhu in the Himalayas and instructed him to come to Kolkata and build a temple for Her. Following Her orders, he came to Kolkata, made a Kali image, worshipped Her, and attained perfection. Thus came into being the Thanthania Kali Mandir where the Mother is worshipped as Siddheshwari. In time, Thanthania Kali was neglected. Sometime in 1805 Sri Shankar Ghosh, Swami Subodhananda’s grandfather had a dream in which Thanthania Kali asked him to look after Her. He built a temple for Her and provided all expenses for Her maintenance. Shankar Ghosh’s descendants continue to maintain the temple today.
When Sri Ramakrishna first came to Kolkata to stay with his elder brother Ramkumar, he lived in Jhamapukur on Bechua Street from 1852 to mid-1855. He would often visit Thanthania Kali Mandir and sing devotional songs with great feeling and often go into ecstasy. Even after he moved to Dakshineswar in the middle of 1855, he visited this temple now and then. When Keshab Chandra Sen was seriously ill, he offered rasagollas and green coconut water with sugar to Mother Siddheshwari praying that Keshab Sen be cured of his illness. He did the same when Rakhal was ill.3 Again, when he moved to Shyampukur in late 1885 for his cancer treatment, on the Kali Puja day he directed M., to offer and bring back prasad from this temple. M., devotedly walked barefoot from his home to this temple and then walked to Shyampukur with the prasad. Sri Ramakrishna removed his shoes, took the prasad in his hands, touched it to his head and partook of it.4
Murti in Shyamsundar Mandir Shrine in Kathamrita Bhavan The room where M., wrote Kathamrita
PAGE DONOR : SUBRAMANIYABHARATHIYAR R., KANCHEEPURAM
Walking back on Bidhan Sarani northward until Shankar Ghosh Lane crossing and proceeding on Shankar Ghosh Lane for a block and then turning right into a small alley we arrive within 3 minutes at the ancestral home of Swami Subodhananda located at 41, Sankar Ghosh Lane, Kolkata. 700006.
Swami Subodhananda’s Ancestral Home
When Sri Ramakrishna met Subodh for the first time, he said, “Do you not belong to the family of Shankar Ghosh? When I was staying at Jhamapukur, I often visited your home as well as your Kali Temple at Thanthania. That was before you were born. I knew you would come.”5 Subodhanandaji’s descendants still live in this house.
From here it is around 4 minutes’ walk to the ancestral house of Sri Mahendranath Gupta, or M., the author of The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna.
Walking on Shankar Ghosh Lane, and turning right into Jadu Sen Lane we arrive at Guru Prasad Choudhury Lane and inside a narrow alley, we find Kathamrita Bhavan, the ancestral home of Sri Mahendranath Gupta (M.,) located at 14, Guru Prasad Chowdhury Lane, Jhamapukur, Kolkata, 700 006.
Kathamrita Bhavan
Sri Ramakrishna visited this house at least on one occasion. After the mahasamadhi of Sri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi stayed here for a couple of months. It was in this house that M., wrote some portions of the Kathamrita later translated into English as The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna. M.’s bedroom has many rare pictures and artefacts which include Sri Ramakrishna’s shirt and shoes, bottles and utensils used by him, pictures given by him to M., and the inkpot used by M., to write the Kathamrita. The puja room on the second floor contains rare artefacts including Sri Ramakrishna’s japa mala which he had offered at Holy Mother’s feet during the Shodashi Puja in 1872, Sri Ramakrishna’s nails, Holy Mother’s nails and hair, footprints of Holy Mother, an earthen pot which was worshipped by Holy Mother as Mother Durga, and original pictures of Sri Ramakrishna and Holy Mother worshipped by Holy Mother herself.
A 2-minute walk on Guru Prasad Chowdhury Lane will bring us to the residence of Rajendra Lal Mitra at 14, Bechu Chatterjee Street, Kolkata.
Rajendra Lal Mitra’s residence
Sri Ramakrishna visited Rajendra Lal Mitra’s house on 10 December 1881 to participate in a Brahmo Samaj celebration being held there. Keshab Chandra Sen was also present. Before coming here, Surendra Nath Mitra had taken Sri Ramakrishna to Bengal Photographers Studio at Radhabazar where the
Location where Gadadhar and his elder brother lived in Jhamapukur Inside view of Digambar Mitra’s Mansion Rajendralal Mitra’s house (now partitioned)
picture of him standing with his arm placed on a pillar was taken.
Sanskrit Tolle School
Walking 2 minutes eastward on Bechu Chatterjee Street we arrive at Shyamsundar Temple located at 61, Bechu Chatterjee Street. This was the spot where Sri Ramakrishna’s elder brother Ramkumar was running a Sanskrit Tolle (school) around 1850. In early 1853 young Gadadhar Chattopadhyay (as Sri Ramakrishna was known then) came from Kamarpukur to be of help to his brother. Though he did not participate in the school, he performed daily puja in nearby homes. Today the Shyamsundar Temple is located here which houses the same image of Shyamsundar that was worshipped by Sri Ramakrishna.
Chal Ghor
From here, walking eastward we come to the crossing of Bechu Chatterjee street and Balai Singhi Lane. Turning left as we proceed north for a block down a narrow lane and again turn into another small alley, we arrive within 1 minute at 12/2, Balai Singhi Lane. This is where Gadadhar and his elder brother Ramkumar lived from 1853 to mid-1855 in a tin shed which in those times was referred to in Bengali as Chal Ghor.
Digambar Mitra’s residence
Returning to the Shyamsundar Temple, we see directly in front of it, Jhamapukur Lane. Proceeding along this lane southward for about two blocks, within two minutes we find to our left the large palatial mansion of Digambar Mitra. Every morning Gadadhar would come here to worship the Mitra family’s deities including a Shila Shaligram.
Navabidhan Brahmo Samaj
Proceeding southward along Jhamapukur Lane we reach Keshab Chandra Sen Street. Turning left into that street after about a block and before the Amherst Street crossing, on our left, we find Keshab Chandra Sen’s Bharatavarshiyo Brahmo Mandir, also known as Navabidhan Brahmo Samaj established in 1869. Sri Ramakrishna visited this Samaj more than once.
Keshab’s residence is about 10 a minute walk from here. Walking eastward on Keshab Chandra Sen Street and going across Amherst Street we reach after about eight blocks, the Raja Bazar Junction on Acharya Prafulla Chandra Road. Turning right onto that road we find in around 200 metres to our right ‘Kamal Kutir’, Keshab Sen’s residence. Saligrama worshipped by Gadadhar in Digambar Mitra’s mansion
(Continued on page 37...)
Ekagrahi Gadai
GITANJALI MURARI A fictional narrative based on incidents from the childhood of Sri Ramakrishna.
Gadai shook the parijat tree in the courtyard. White and orange blossoms fell to the ground. Gathering them in his dhoti, he ran to a cradle and scattered the flowers over his baby sister. Sarvamangala gurgled happily. “She likes them baba,” he told his father. “You’ve played enough son,” Kshudiram scooped up Gadai onto his lap, “let’s do a revision of yesterday’s lesson…tell me, what did you learn?”
“I learnt about our ancestors, baba,” Gadai answered promptly, “generations of our family have been devoted to Sri Ramachandra, and that is how you came to love Him too, isn’t it?” “Yes, something like that,” Kshudiram smiled, “when I heard of Rama’s glory from my father, I felt attracted to Him, and then over the years that attraction grew into love… that is the power of Rama’s name.” “Tell me about Him, baba.” “Then listen well.”
Kshudiram proceeded to narrate stories from Sri Rama’s childhood. Gadai listened with rapt attention and when his father asked questions to check his understanding, Gadai answered correctly. “Well done,” Kshudiram exclaimed, astonished at his little boy’s ability to recall details. “Now let’s see if you can memorize this Sanskrit hymn in praise of Lord Vishnu...it’s quite difficult, so I will sing it slowly.” To Kshudiram’s amazement, Gadai repeated the hymn as if he had heard it a hundred times before. One song followed another and Gadai, his eyes twinkling, recited them after his father without missing a single word.
Ramkumar, the eldest born, smiled, “Baba, we both know from his horoscope he has many wonderful qualities…one of them is ekagrahi, the power to reproduce anything flawlessly after seeing or hearing it just once…I’m confident he can recollect the song he heard at the yatra a fortnight ago.” “That’s too much to expect,” Kshudiram protested, “he’s only four years old.”
Smiling affectionately at Gadai, Ramkumar asked, “Well, what do you say?” In answer, Gadai hopped off his father’s lap and began to dance and sing. “God is neither less nor more…try subtracting or adding to fullness…you will get only fullness.” Tears sprang to Kshudiram’s eyes and when the song ended, he hugged Gadai, “Ah, my father’s heart forgets who you are, that all this comes naturally to you.” “That’s true baba,” Gadai beamed, “I naturally enjoy arithmetic in a song but not in sums.”
Kshudiram suppressed a smile while the brothers burst out laughing. “Sums you will have to do, like it or not,” they teased their kid brother. “Addition is alright but multiplication,” he shook his head, “I don’t understand it at all…it makes me dizzy.”
“All the more reason to practice some tables now,” Kshudiram declared, once again the concerned father. “But I want to learn only stories and poems today baba,” Gadai moved about restlessly. “No, we will do arithmetic,” Kshudiram insisted.
Suddenly Gadai brightened. A group of peasant boys had appeared leading a herd of cows. “Come with us to the meadow,” they hailed him and without a moment’s hesitation, he shot out of the courtyard like an arrow from a bow. Waving cheerfully at his amused family, he promised, “I’ll practice addition by counting the cows in the meadow, baba.”
“And the tables?” But Kshudiram didn’t receive a reply. Gadai, sitting astride a calf, was already out of earshot.
