Swami Kamleshwarananda — I have been thinking of coming here since yesterday. How I like to come here! And how I like to see Sarat Maharaj! I may gain something by seeing you people.

M. — Oh, by seeing a little lamp one is reminded of the great lamp. Have you not seen a great lamp with a thick wick, full of ghee? It’s through this that the smaller lamps are lit. So the inspiration of the great is instilled in a person by the sight of the smaller ones. (A short silence).

M. (to the sadhu) — You had the rare opportunity of reading out the Bhagavata and other holy books to Hari Maharaj. One begins to understand the holy books by reading them to great persons, the self-realized souls. The self-realized are always in yoga. By reading to them the reader also goes into that state - he begins to understand the meaning of shastras. That was a big opportunity. What did you read out to him?

Kamleshwarananda — The Bhagavata, Yoga Vashishtha Part I, the Brihdaranyak Upnishad, a chapter from the Veda - all these.

M. — It has done you a lot good.

M. (to all present) — When the guru wants one may undertake it (social work) - running a hospital and a dispensary. Otherwise one should not go in for it. Thakur said so to Shashadhar. Shashadhar cleverly wanted Thakur to say it; Thakur told us that Shashadhar asked him if he might continue to do what he was doing. But Thakur did not say anything definite. He merely said, ‘Let it be.’ He shifted the question.

"The command of the guru, that is of the avatara is the command of God, for he comes down and commands as the guru."

M. (to the bhaktas, laughing) — The founder of the Amrit Bazar Patrika, Shishir Ghosh used to tell a beautiful story. A Patriot prayed to God for the freedom of the motherland. God appeared and asked him what he wanted. He said: The liberation of India. God said, ‘So be it. But it will take four hundred years.’ The devotee was nonplused and said. ‘What are you saying, Lord? I will not be alive then.’ (Everybody laughs loudly).

"It means that he also wanted to play a leading part in the liberation of the country. So that’s it, one’s self always comes from somewhere and occupies a prominent seat.

"Thus there is no harm in working at the behest of the guru."

M. (to Lal Bihari) — Thakur told a story. The sacred thread ceremony of the son of a guru was to be celebrated. Many persons were to come for the feast. Different disciples would bring different eatables. A widow disciple said that she would bring curd. She brought small quantity of it in a small earthen pot on the day of the feast. She was a poor woman you see. The guru flew into rage on seeing it. He kicked the pot away with his foot and broke it. He said cursing her, ‘Go and drown yourself in the stream. Today you have brought shame on my name.’ The widow went into the stream. But there was only knee deep water there. In despair she began to cry: ‘Lord, the word of my guru is not being fulfilled.’ The Lord appeared before her and said, ‘Child, why must you drown yourself in the stream? Here, take this.’ Saying so He gave her another earthen pot of curd like the former. She would not accept it lest the guru should again be angry with her. The Lord then turned the pot up side down, and a stream of curd began falling. Happily she went to the guru’s house. Seeing small pot the guru was again angry. The woman disciple then upturned the pot - all the pots and pans that were in the house got filled with the curd - the whole courtyard was full of it! The guru was dumb founded He said to the disciple, ‘Come on mother, take me to him who has given you this pot.’

"As soon as the disciple came to the bank of the river and called out, the Lord appeared again. She said, ‘Please Lord let my guru also see you.’ The Lord said: How is it possible, mother? It is only his first life as a human being and yours is the last.’ When she wailed and cried, the Lord showed Himself once to the guru too.

"Thakur used to say that one must do what is one’s duty. The duty of a disciple is to take the guru as God. The woman had the vision of the lord because of this conviction. Not only this, She even made her guru see Him."

Swami Kamleshwarananda — He is a very serious person. Imagine the distance between Cossipore and the Gadadhar Ashrama in Bhowanipore. It is at least seven miles. When you were with us there he used to come daily to see you, unmindful of rain or cold. Besides he is such a busy doctor. Such men can be seen only after the coming of Thakur, and you people as his companions. He is an inner devotee. He is trying to live earnestly according to Thakur’s injunction: ‘Live like a maid-servant, live as brother and sister after having one or two children.’ He is not given to praise or blame and works like a hero.

M. — Yes. He is a man of great determination. They were going to transfer him form the railway hospital, so he immediately resigned his big job. Had he accepted it he would not have been able to enjoy the company of Sadhus. He goes to the Math, he goes to Dakshineswar and comes here daily . He always does what he considers to be worth doing inspite of hundred obstacles. He is like a soldier with a bayonet, always at attention lest he should be fired upon from any side! Having given up service he has taken to practising medicine but he is not attracted by money. He accepts fees form the wealthy and gives away to the poor. He even arranges medicine and diet, even nursing for them. Some sadhus of the Math go and live there when they fall sick. Even if Calcutta is submerged in water he can come swimming! One cannot see the like of him.

"The other day he celebrated a festival at his place in Cossipore. Many a sadhu form the Math joined. Sarat Maharaj, Jnana Maharaj and others. I also went there. A nice celebration it was.

"Besides, he knows the whole of the Gita by heart. His house is like an ashrama where sadhus and bhaktas are served. His wife and daughter live in the village."

Swami Kamleshwarananda — I hear that Thakur is worshipped there everyday.

M. — Why don’t you go one day and see it yourself? Without sanskara such a longing is not possible.

Sw. Kamleshwarananda — It can also come about by the grace of saints.

M. — The grace of saints also comes by sanskara.

M. — (to Lal Bihari)Yes, a machine (radio) has come to Khidirpur. Have not you heard of it? Go and see it once. It sings and others can hear its music while sitting at a distance.

M. (in fun) — Can’t you hear it?

Lal Bihari — No Sir!

M. — Oh, you are not tuned to it.

Swami Kamleshwarananda — I hear that he who wants to hear too must have a machine.

M. — If one has such a machine one can hear it. On the coming of an avatara persons with their mind tuned to Him are able to hear Him. Otherwise, you see, so many people hear Him. But how many receive his message? Just a few. Those who have such a machine installed in their heart, because of the actions of their past lives, can only catch the silent message of the avatara.

A particular Bhakta — Which message?

M. — Amritasya putrah. O man you are the child of immortal bliss, not a human being. Your home is in Brahman-pur, the abode of Brahman. Eating, sleeping, procreating and fearing, these are not the correct actions for you people. Your only duty is to return home, win back your personal wealth and reside in the abode of Brahman realizing your Self. Win immortality and live for ever.

"This message is being propagated night and day. Those who have the machine within, rightly tuned and pure, can only imbibe His great teaching. Those who have their minds and soul (heart) covered by the hard iron lid of life cannot hear this message, they cannot imbibe it. On the other hand persons whose lids have become a little loose try to seek it here even while living with in the extremely tight bonds of existence and feel restless. One day they also clearly hear and catch the message, which is always ringing, even while living through the cruel cycle of life and death. Their very life then becomes divine. This very man then becomes a god-man."

M. (to everybody present) — One must accept sanskaras and the previous lives. Otherwise so many happenings in the present life remain unexplained, unsolved.

"There is a young man here, Arun by name (M.’s eldest grandson). He can very well play instrumental music. Last evening, he played it till two o’clock. This boy can remember and play any ragini (tune) at home soon after he hears it any where.

"While he was playing it last night one could see that he was so completely absorbed in it that he was not conscious of anything around.

"I could then understand the principle of the avatara in a new light. He whose mind and soul get lost in the avatara is an antaranga, a close disciple.

"He who is the Existence-Knowledge-Bilss Absolute, beyond mind and speech, comes down to the earth as a man. The avatara left only the other day. His blessed touch is still present in atmosphere.

"He gave this message: ‘I am the avatara, you are my children; keep your hold on Me, meditate on Me, think of Me. I will easily cut asunder the tough bonds of the world and bring you out of this burning cauldron. You will not have to do much. Who am I and who are you - just knowing this will suffice.’

"And then He assured: ‘Verily, verily I say unto you, those who think of Me will inherit my wealth as the son inherits the wealth of his father. And my wealth is spiritual knowledge and devotion, discrimination and dispassion, peace and joy and the prema and samadhi.’

"Only a very few could catch his message or recognise him. They placed their mind and soul at his feet and tuned themselves to his tune. These were his antrangas, men of his inner circle, and co-actors in His divine play.

"What are other persons like? They are the ones who have not been able to play musical notation - they can repeat it since they have heard it but they cannot play it on the instrument, they cannot manifest it in their own lives."

M. (to the sadhus) — This boy was one year old when he was seen making musical beats with a piece of wood. The Holy Mother was also there in the Thakur Bari. Seeing this she said, ‘Just see, a denizen of the world of gandharva has come!" Now the boy is fifteen.

M. (to Swami Kamleshwarananda) — Thakur did not go to anybody, others used to come to him. Those who were tuned to him came to him running like mad; like honey-bees they were after the honey.

"Talking of his illness Thakur said, ‘Why this illness, you know? This will sift the visitors.’

Swami Kamleshwarananda — Did this sifting take place?

M. — Yes, many people went away saying, ‘We see that he cannot save himself. How then will he save others?’

M. (to everybody present) — Thakur often talked of the dialogue between Uddhava and Sri Krishna. Sri Krishna could not get news of the gopis while in Mathura. So much work he had, besides all that happening! He forgot the milkmaids. But when they came to his mind he said to Uddhava, ‘Uddhava, Please go, go immediately and bring me the news of the gopis soon. When I was without power or pelf, they gave me their love with their whole mind and soul. Their affection has bought me over. Unless they absolve me, I shall not be able to absolve myself of their debt. Go to them, Uddhava, go quickly and let me know how they are. Now that I am a man of means so everybody loves me.’

"That is why Thakur used to yearn so much for his intimate devotees. He was then in the Dakshineswar garden with nobody to look after him. Besides, the functionaries of the temple were people of a different sort. He was drawing seven rupees a month. All the members of his family were so poor that they had not enough to eat. Besides they were suffering from malaria. As if this was not enough, they thought that he had gone mad. However there were some who loved this person even in that state, who were they, brother? They were the persons we call antrangas, the intimate disciples of his own. Whether he was well or ill, they always stayed with him. Does one forsake a person when he is ill?

"O, what an ideal he placed before our eyes! Calling out Ma! Ma! He was like mad. He had no consciousness of the outer world. Does a human being ever have such a state? A man may have it, say, once but he was in this state of mind throughout his life. If ‘woman and gold’ was mentioned in his presence he would stop breathing. Where can one find such an ideal?

"As for the other sadhus, well, their sole aim is to win the eight occult powers, anima, laghima etc. (anima is the power by which he becomes very very light). But Thakur did not care for them in the least!

"Sri Krishna said to Arjun: Brother, siddhis (occult powers) will bring you power, no doubt, but they will not bring you to Me.

"All these things he told us at the very beginning. He took our minds away from the lower ideals. These all are like thorny shrubs. No other plants grow here. Christ also said the same. That is why Thakur protected us from the very beginning. He cleaned all our thorns.

"His only teaching: How to gain devotion at the lotus feet of the Lord. He wanted nothing else. Just see the Marwari wanted to give him money, he refused. The Marwari said: ‘May I keep it with Hriday?’ Even this he did not agree to and said, ‘I beat name and fame with a broomstick.’ Such things, such direct words are easily forgotten by people. That is why he said all these as if with frying of chillies."

M. (to Antevasi) — Let him have some sweet snacks. The twilight is approaching.

M. (to all present) — One should take to social work at the behest of the guru. One may then run hospitals, dispensary, or any other institution - it will not be harmful.

"But your talk means little. Are you spiritually perfect? How do you know what is right and what is not? So, your opinion will not do. The opinion of the guru is essential. At the behest of the guru you may do anything. He knows what you are going to do. The path you have taken is good. So how can you follow another path? You will have to carry on with hospitals and dispensaries. But it is not so with everybody. The guru arranges for what suits your stomach."

Morton School, Calcutta.

Sunday, the 27th July 1924

The 11th day of the Shravana, 1331 (B.Y.)

The 11th day of the dark fortnight, 32 dandas/ 44 palas.