Reminiscences of Sargachhi

SRIMAT SWAMI SUHITANANDA JI (Continued from previous issue. . .)

64

6.3.61

Question: The ego projects mind and intellect, they in turn create the vital force, and the vital force builds the body. But in that initial stage how can mind and intellect have any propelling samskaras, as they don’t have any previous experience?

Maharaj: It is precisely for this reason it is said that Prakriti is beginningless. There was no starting point at any time. The trees and plants, the tigers and bears that you see in dream, do they truly exist? Similarly, this world has never existed. This Prakriti is perceived only when we look through Maya represented by time, space and causation. But none can understand what is Maya, what is its origin, or what is its cause. Maya is just a statement of fact. That is why it is said that ‘the world has never been; it appears to be so.’ When the medium disappears, the world too vanishes. It is as if the saguna lies beside the nirguna and creates various beings within itself.

The secret of work lies in giving the responsibility of work to someone else, who in his turn cannot work unless he has a sense of ‘me’ and ‘mine’! Don’t you see the plan of God? Every being toils his utmost under the impression that ‘this is my room’, ‘this is my house’ and t’his is my wife’; and He simply silently watches how His work is going on smoothly.

Shankara describes our perception of the world as Jaata iva “as if it was born.” This makes the Vaishnavas very angry. They retort ‘That sparklingly energetic person (i.e., Chaitantadeva) danced and wept in ecstacy, and this man (Shankara) says, ‘as if he was born’? At first even I couldn’t accept that axiom of Shankara. Only later on did I comprehend his view. The observation is valid because an Avatar perceives that he himself doesn’t do anything; only the machine goes on functioning. During the terminal illness of Sri Ramakrishna, many didn’t give any importance to his disease. Almost all belonged to that group. It’s only because Swamiji was there that his treatment was arranged. The incident of Hari Maharaj denying his illness is a different matter. He declared it in the spirit of नैि हकहचतकरोमरीहत (Gita. 5:8), “I do not do anything.”

As long as I feel that I am a jiva, I experience happiness and misery as a consequence of my past actions. When I accept Vishishtadvaita or qualified monism, I see the will of the Lord in everything. But when I ascend beyond this stage, I find that there is no action or inaction, no inclination or disinclination.

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.

But to see God’s will in everything is in itself a kind of spiritual discipline. A worldly man gets consolation at the death of his child by accepting it as God’s will. However, people with sharp intellect have to be intimated: ‘It is the consequence of your own action’ and ‘You only can remake it.’ Even the Muslims say – “O servant, whatever you do is for your own sake!” A man cannot become moral unless he is familiar with the concepts of rebirth (punarjanma) and the fruits of one’s own action (karmaphala). In the peasant Hindu community, many lead a moral life. They do not tell lies, they conduct themselves nobly, and chant the name of the Lord in their spare time. As regards women, the question of immorality does not even arise; they cannot think of throwing a lustful gaze at any man.

Once the boy is invested with the sacred thread, he has to practice regular worship. Repeatedly contemplating on the red sun rising in the blue sky within his heart, his mind is stamped with good impressions and it consequently calms him down. At present our boys are not prepared for spiritual life.

However, thinking of Gadai [Sri Ramakrishna’s childhood name] is a different thing; it is much more sublime. Is it possible to express what Gadai is! It is enough if we can fathom his real nature and remain intoxicated with him. When I first heard that Baburam Maharaj had told Sri Ramakrishna, “You take your food through this mouth itself”, I couldn’t grasp its significance.1 Now I understand what he meant. The River Ganga extends from Haridwar to the Bay of Bengal; but if we touch it at one place, it amounts to touching her. Everybody knows about St. Francis of Assisi. Like him Gopaler-ma (Gopal’s mother) too drew the Supreme Lord to herself and adored Him as a baby.2

Our boys do not obey their teachers. Find out the reason. Remove the obstacles in their path and inspire them to make progress. However, the country is now going through an attitudinal change — everything will fall in place slowly. By Sri Ramakrishna’s will, here arrangements for Jnana, Karma, Bhakti and Yoga are already in place — there is a school, there is a library, there is a shrine. Serve anywhere! But people are not ready to use it. However, in future people will come; the field is prepared for them.

For a sannyasi, his practical life is the real test — to remain unagitated by anything. If he is well-established in his own path, he can remain undisturbed by abuse or praise and smile them away. Verily, this is the predominant note of the Gita.

There has always been discord over Advaita (non-dualism), Vishishtadvaita (qualified non-dualism), and Dvaita (dualism). Shankara said Advaita is true, Ramanuja promoted Vishishtadvaita, and Madhva was the votary of Dvaita. And Sri Ramakrishna said — all these are true.

(to be continued...)

References

1) In the final stages of his throat cancer Sri

Ramakrishna couldn’t eat food. He told the disciples that he was eating through them. Baburam (later

Swami Premananda) asked him to personally eat so that the body could be sustained. 2) A devotee of Sri Ramakrishna, widowed in childhood, who realised Bhagawan Sri Krishna as

Bala Gopala or child Krishna.

North Kolkata: The Leela Kshetra

SWAMI CHIDEKANANDA (Continued from the previous issue...) From 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, in close proximity to each other and making it possible for them to frequently meet Sri Ramakrishna and come under his lifetransforming influence. The residences of some of these monastic and householder disciples that are in the Baghbazar locality are presented in this issue.

At Dakshineswar, Sri Ramakrishna once told his householder disciple Master Mahashay, “You are my own. The same substance, like father and son. All of you are coming here again. When you pull one part of the kalmi creeper, all the branches come toward you. You are all relatives — like brothers. Suppose Rakhal, Harish, and the others had gone to Puri, and you were there too. Would you live separately?”’1

By frequently visiting Balaram Bose’s house in Baghbazar and having all his young disciples and householder disciples gather there, Sri Ramakrishna created a permanent bond of love amongst them. These disciples lived in the Baghbazar, Shyambazar/ Ariatola, and Simla/Jhamapukur localities. Swami Vimalatmanandaji, now one of the Trustees of the Ramakrishna Order, in his article Bhaktamilan Tirtha Baghbazar published a map in the Bengali magazine Udbodhan marking out the residences of these disciples. That map rescaled and presented here with greater accuracy helps us to identify these residences.

When Sri Ramakrishna would visit Baghbazar, Balaram Bose’s house would serve as the central meeting place for the devotees.

Hall in Balaram’s House

The author is a sannyasi of the Ramakrishna Order and is serving at Advaita Ashrama, Kolkata. swamichidekananda@gmail.com

Map of Baghbazar, Kolkata-3. 1. Balaram Basu: Balaram Mandir, 7, Girish Ave,

Sovabazar, Baghbazar 2. Chunilal Basu: 58B, Ramkanta Bose Street 3. Swami Nirmalananda 4. Vaikuntha Sanyal: 20, Bose Para Lane 5. Girish Ghosh: Girish Smriti Mandir, 11/A, Girish Ave,

Bidhan Sarani, Baghbazar 6. Swami Turiyananda: 10/1, Bose Para Lane 7. Dinanath & Kalinath Basu: 47/A, Bose Para Lane 8. Swami Akhandananda: 38/4, Bose Para Lane 9. Nanda Basu & Pasupati Basu: 9, Pasupati Basu Lane 10. Yogin-Ma: 59B, Bagbazar Street 11. Golap-Ma: 6/A, Nabin Sarkar Lane

Balaram Bose’s House For this reason, Sri Ramakrishna regarded Balaram’s house as his “parlour” or baiṭhakkhāna in Bengali. Today it is a branch centre of the Ramakrishna Order and is known as Balaram Mandir. We will begin with Balaram Bose’s house—and using it as a base—travel to the homes of Sri Ramakrishna’s other disciples in the Baghbazar area.

Balaram Bose’s house

Some of the important incidents associated with this house include: 1) Sri Ramakrishna visited this house over one hundred times between 1881 to 1886. During his visits, he would spend hours together engaged in kirtan and spiritual discussions; 2) After the mahasamadhi of Sri Ramakrishna in 1886, Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi stayed in this house for long periods of time. The room where she lived is now preserved as a shrine; (3) When Balaram Bose left his body here in 1890, his wife saw the Divine Mother’s chariot land on the roof of the house and take Balaram’s subtle body to Devi Loka; 4) In this hall in 1897, Swami Vivekananda held a meeting, attended by his brother monastic disciples and lay disciples, which founded the Ramakrishna Mission; 5) Swami(s) Brahmananda, Premananda, Adbhutananda (who spent nine years here from 1903 to 1912), Niranjananada, Yogananda and other monastic disicples stayed in this home for long periods of time after Sri Ramakrishna’s passing away; (6) Swami Premananda in 1918 and Swami Brahmananda in 1922 attained mahasamadhi in this house in the Hall.

Chunilal Bose’s house

Proceeding westward from Balaram’s house, we reach 58 B, Ramkanta Bose Street which was Chunilal Bose’s residence. The building shown in the photograph here was recently demolished and replaced by a new

Chunilal Basu Chunilal Basu’s house Vaikuntha Nath Sanyal

structure. In contrast to Balaram Bose, a zamindar who lived in a palatial house, Chunilal Basu was a poor man who lived in a small house. But they were united by a strong hunger for God-realisation and love for Sri Ramakrishna. Understanding this, Sri Ramakrishna once told Balaram, “Chunilal lives very close to your house. Whenever you come, please bring him along with you.”2 In this way, travelling to and from Dakshineswar, Balaram and Chunilal became good friends. Whenever Chunilal was sick or in need, Balaram always stepped forward to help him.

Swami Nirmalanandaji & Vaikuntha Nath Sanyal’s house

Walking northward from Balaram’s residence and then turning eastward onto what is today known as Nivedita Lane, we reach the place where Tulsi Charan Dutta’s residence used to be. As a teenager Tulsi had met Sri Ramakrishna for the first time at Balaram Bose’s house. He later joined the Ramakrishna Order and was known as Swami Nirmalanandaji. He did a tremendous amount of work in the South and started many new centers there.

Next to this plot is No. 20 Bose Para Lane, the residence of Vaikuntha Nath Sanyal. A new building stands in the place of the old house. Sanyal was one of the few householder disciples who were specially blessed by Sri Ramakrishna on 1 January 1886, a day now celebrated as Kalpataru Day. With a momentary touch of his guru, Sanyal’s mind rose to a high state of consciousness where he was able to see Sri Ramakrishna in every person and thing. Overwhelmed by this vision which continued for some days and unable to focus on his work, Sanyal prayed to Sri Ramakrishna that this constant vision come to an end.3 Much later, Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi visited Sanyal’s house and cooked and served food to Sri Ramakrishna while performing his worship.4 Today, Sanyal’s descendants live in this house and continue the daily worship of Sri Ramakrishna.

Girishchandra Ghosh’s house

A few metres from Balaram’s residence towards the North is playwright Girishchandra Ghosh’s house. Girish, now known as the father of Bengal theatre, was one of the staunch disciples of Sri Ramakrishna. Girish lived in a big house. But what is left now is only the front entrance of the building. In 1956 the Kolkata Municipal Corporation demolished the rest of the house to lay a main road (now known as Girish Avenue).

Sri Ramakrishna visited Girish’s residence a few times and some interesting incidents occurred then. On one such visit Girish, who was under the influence of liquor, asked Sri Ramakrishna to be re-born as his son so that he

Girishchandra Ghosh’s House as in his time Part of Girish’s House now remaining

could serve him properly. When Sri Ramakrishna dismissed the suggestion, Girish became angry and verbally abused Sri Ramakrishna. The next day, he deeply repented for his behavior, refused to eat and wept piteously. However, he then saw Sri Ramakrishna coming to his home and was relieved. Overwhelmed by his guru’s compassion Girish said, “If you had not come today, I would have concluded that you had not attained that supreme state of knowledge where praise and blame are equal, and that you could not be called a Paramahamsa.”5

On another occasion, Girish, when returning from Balaram’s home where Sri Ramakrishna was staying, thought to himself, “Indeed, God comes to the homes of those who have devotion like Balaram. I am a wretched drunkard. There is no one here who can receive the Master properly and feed him.” He then lay down for a nap. At 1:30 P.M. he heard a knock and opening the door found Sri Ramakrishna who said, “Girish, I am hungry, could you give me some food?” Sri Ramakrishna had finished his meal at Balaram’s home only a little while earlier! Surprised and having no food in his house, Girish hurried to a restaurant nearby and returned with fried bread and potato curry. It was coarse food and hard to digest and not at all the kind of food usually served to Sri Ramakrishna; yet he ate it with great joy.6 Interesting to see how God listens and responds to the devotee’s inner call, no matter how trivial!

Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi also visited Girish’s home for Durga Puja in 1895 and in October 1907.7 Though not feeling well Holy Mother attended the first two days of Durga Puja at Girish’s house and sat for a long time while devotees made pranams to her. Since the Sandhi Puja was at midnight, it was decided that Holy Mother would not attend and instead take rest at Balaram’s home. Very disheartened at this development, Girish too decided to stay in his room and not attend the Sandhi Puja. However, when the time for Sandhi puja came, Holy Mother suddenly decided and came to Girish’s house. Overwhelmed with joy, Girish again joined in the puja with full enthusiasm.8

Swami Turiyanandaji’s house

From Girish Ghosh’s house approximately 50 yards ahead to the north on the right side is 10/1 Bose Para Lane, the birthplace of Harinath Chattopadhya, later known as Swami Turiyananda. But the original house has been replaced by a new building (pictured below). Interestingly, Holy Mother lived in a rented house at 10/2 Bose Para Lane; this house too has made way for a new building.9

Dinanath Basu and Kalinath Basu’s house

Moving eastward, we arrive at 47/A Bose Para Lane, the residence of the brothers

Dinanath Basu and Kalinath Basu. Dinanath was an attorney at the Supreme Court, and Kalinath was an influential police officer. This house is important because Girishchandra Ghosh, Swami Turiyananda, and Swami Akhandananda all had their first darshan of Sri Ramakrishna in front of this house in 1877.10 Dinanath and Kalinath were companions of Keshab Sen and members of the Brahmo Samaj. Turiyanandaji, who was around 13 or 14 years old when he saw Sri Ramakrishna on this occasion, describes the scene thus: “Everyone in the locality was shouting ‘Paramahamsa has arrived.’ When Sri Thakur alighted from the carriage, it was as if a light was emanating from his face which was attracting everybody. He looked as if he were intoxicated and unaware of the outer world.”11

Swami Akhandanandaji’s house

Walking east and then turning southward onto Sachin Mitra Lane we arrive at 38/4 Bose Para Lane, the Kolkata residence of Gangadhar, later known as Swami Akhandananda. In place of the original house, a new residence is now under construction. We can imagine a young Gangadhar walking from his home to meet Sri Ramakrishna at Balaram Bose’s house.

The residences of Nanda and Pasupati Basu, Yogin Ma, and Golap Ma

From here, as we walk northbound on Sachin Mitra Lane and cross the Baghbazar Street, on the left side, we can visit the homes of Nanda and Pasupati Basu at 9 Pasupati Basu Avenue, Yogin-ma’s house at 59 Baghbazar street, and finally Golap Ma’s House at 6/A Nabin Sarkar Lane. Sri Ramakrishna’s visit to these residences are described in The Vedanta Kesari June, July, August issues of 2020.

In the next issue, we will explore Sri Ramakrishna’s devotees living in Shyambazar and Shyampukur. (To be continued...)

References

New building replacing Dinanath Basu’s house

New building replacing Akhandanandaji’s house

1) Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, p. 359 2) They Lived with God, p. 153, Swami Chetanananda. 3) Sri Ramakrishna and His Divine Play, p. 929-30, Swami Chetanananda. 4) Matri Tirtha Parikrama, 1st Part, p. 21-22, Nirmal Kumar Ray. 5) They Lived with God, p. 298. 6) Ibid., p. 298. 7) Sri Sri Mayer Katha 1st Part, p. 265 8) Matritirtha Parikrama 1st Part, p. 32. 9) Bhakta Milan Tirtha Bagbazar, p. 213, Swami Vimalatmananda, Udbodhan. 10) Bhakta Milan Tirtha Bagbazar, p. 213 11) Bhakta Milan Tirtha Bagbazar, p. 213

Gadadhar begins His Divine Play

GITANJALI MURARI A fictional narrative based on incidents from the childhood of Sri Ramakrishna.

Kshudiram Chattopadhyaya came awake suddenly. Silvery moonlight flooded the small room. A surge of happiness swept over him as he recalled the extraordinary dream. Yes, his pilgrimage had been successful and it was time to make the long journey back home.

Arriving at Kamarpukur on a hot summer day, Kshudiram was hailed by many friends but he hurried on, eager to meet his family. His wife greeted him joyfully, “There’s so much to tell you,” she burst out. Kshudiram was struck by her unusual appearance.

Chandramani’s childlike simplicity attracted everyone in the village but now she glowed like a goddess. “I’ve seen so many visions,” she continued, “my friend Dhani tells me I’m having fits but I know it isn’t so…also,” and her voice dropped, “I’m quite certain I’m with child.”

Kshudiram immediately became grave, “Tell me everything.”

“I was standing outside the Shiva temple when a wave of light came rushing towards me and engulfed me…it seemed to radiate from Shiva’s holy image…I fell down unconscious…since then, I feel the light in my womb.” Chandramani looked at her husband, unsure if he believed her.

“Your vision is true,” he reassured her, “one night in Gaya, Lord Gadadhar appeared to me in a dream…he was surrounded by our ancestors and they all looked very happy… the Lord looked at me and said, ‘Your exceptional devotion has pleased me…I wish to be born in your house…’ you can well imagine my state…I was both thrilled and apprehensive…I said, ‘I’m a poor brahmin, Lord…besides, I’m almost sixty years old and my wife too is not young anymore…I’m worried we will not be able to take care of you as we should…’ but the Lord assured me he would be satisfied with our service…Chandra, we are to be parents to the king of the universe!”

Chandramani’s loveliness grew day by day. The maternal love she felt for her unborn child spilled over to envelop not only the village but also the gods. No more in awe of Raghuvir, the family deity, she served Him as affectionately as she would her children, her relationship with the god becoming real and intimate. 1835 came to an end and the new year heralded an uncommonly pretty spring. Awash in jewel-tone colours, Kamarpukur appeared like a piece of heaven. The time for Chandramani’s delivery drew near and Dhani got the husking room ready.

On the 18th of February, ten minutes before dawn, Chandramani delivered a healthy boy. Carefully placing the baby nearby, Dhani attended to the exhausted mother. A little later, she turned to the baby but found him gone. “I had put him right here,” she muttered in panic and quickly lit a lamp. Searching here and there, she at last caught a movement in the empty fireplace. Dhani gasped, “What are you doing there, little one?” The baby had rolled off from his resting place and lay peacefully in the hollow, smeared from head to toe with cold ashes. “Look at you,” she chuckled, cleaning him gently, “you’re as big as a sixmonth-old infant, and bonny like an angel too!”

The sky flushed a rosy pink and the air resonated with the pure sound of conches, announcing the birth of Kshudiram’s son. “Dear Gadadhar,” the father cradled the newborn, “the stars predict you will do many great things but for me, you will always be my little Gadai.” The baby gurgled and Kshudiram laughed. Kamarpukur, in a twinkling, had transformed into another Vrindavan.

My father spent most of the day in worship, japa, and meditation. When not engaged in worship, he would spend his time making flower garlands with needle and thread to decorate Raghuvir. My mother was an embodiment of simplicity.