TODAY, A SUCCESSFUL DAY
1.
Morton School, eight in the morning, room on the fourth level. M. is seated on his bedding facing west. To the south on a bench is seated Amar of the Students Home with a companion. The Younger Jiten and Vinay are also seated on this bench. Antevasi comes in a little later. He stands facing east placing his hand on the table. He is followed by Gangadhar. Buddhiram is seated on the roof. M. talks.
M. (to Gadadhar) Tell the milk-man sometimes that he should not give milk of the cow with a new calf, not even of the cow with a mature calf. If you tell him from time to time, he will remember.
"Thakur said, ‘Go rascal, go immediately, return it.’ Yogen had brought seven betel leaves for one paisa. Eleven of them could be had for one paisa. He said, ‘If they are too many for you, distribute them to your neighbours but don’t allow yourself to be deceived.’ "
"The babus go to bazaar and ask, ‘How much is it?’ The shopkeeper tells the price and they say, ‘All right, let’s have it.’ They never try to find out the right price.
"Is it of no value of what Thakur has said? It means, he who allows himself to be deceived thus will never be able to save himself from the attack of lust and anger."
Today, 12th November, 1924, 26th of Kartik, Wednesday.
M. is silent for a while. Then, he resumes.
M. (to Amar) There is no fear for him who holds on to the truth. He has succeeded seventy five percent already.
"Oh, I am being reminded of that memorable night. We were coming together by a coach. Thakur said at the turning of the Shobha Bazaar, ‘Look here, if you hold on to the truth, you will attain Him.’ Oh, what a great thing!
"Yadu Mullick said that he would have the song of Chandi sung. Seeing that he was not doing so, Thakur said, ‘But, you have not had the song of Chandi organised (as you had said).’
"And another day he said, ‘What kind of man your Vidyasagar is? He promised to come but never did?’ He had promised Thakur that he would go to Dakshineswar but he never went.
"Thakur used to say, ‘The word of a man is the tusk of an elephant.’ Just as an elephant tusk, once it comes out, (to Gadadhar) what happens?"
Gadadhar It does not go in.
M. (saying the same) Does not go in. Similarly, one must keep the word, once it comes out of the mouth.
M. (to Narhari) I hear, the people of your native place do not keep their promise and that you people are careless like you [neglectfully] close a lock. You do everything in this way.
Amar had brought some jalebis and had handed them to Buddhiram. Buddhiram had kept them on a bench on the roof. Then Buddhiram and Gadadhar were there on the roof and Antevasi was in the tin cabin. When Buddhiram went to M. in this room, he talked about the jalebis. Amar went upstairs and brought them. Buddhiram was getting ready to go upstairs.
M. (to Amar) Put them here. They have to be offered to Thakur.
Antevasi They can’t be offered in the service of Thakur.
M. Why?
Antevasi A crow has pecked at them. They had been placed on the bench.
M. (to Buddhiram) You could have kept them in the room.
Buddhiram (pointing at Gadadhar) He was there so I didn’t.
Gadadhar Why? You never told me about it.
These jalebis were served to the birds the next day. M. stood there to see it.
One in the afternoon. M. says to Jagabandhu, "They hold Rasa in Tollyganj. I would like to go there once. But first, you see it and bring a report. Then I could go once."
Jagabandhu leaves immediately for Tollyganj. With him goes the Younger Jiten. They return at ten in the evening. On their way back, they visit the cremation ground of Keortala, Mother Kali and the Gadadhar Ashrama. Being very tired, they sit downstairs with Vinay and Gadadhar and talk of the Rasa. Hearing the conversation below, M. sends the peon Jiva to fetch them upstairs. M. is awaiting their report.
M. What did you see?
Jagabandhu It is not nice. It is nothing compared even to the Rasa of Beliaghata. There are not many scenes. Besides, there are very big crowds. It is difficult to move about pushing and jostling. You will feel choked if you go there.
M. No, then I will not go. I will not be able to tolerate such crowds. You should once go to the house of the Mullicks to see the Rasa there.
The bhaktas go to see the Rasa at Goshtha Mullick’s home. It is about eleven at night.
The next day it is Thursday. At six in the evening, M. leaves by Dr. Bakshi’s car to witness the Rasa at Chingrighata. With him are the Doctor, Gadadhar and Swami Sadbhavananda. Antevasi says, "I shall also go with the bhaktas later on." M. says, "That’s good, please go."
Seven in the evening. Many bhaktas are awaiting M. on the roof of the Morton School the Younger Jiten, Vinay, Nalini, Shanti, Ramesh, Jagabandhu and so on. Durgapada Mitra, the old jnanavriddha (elder in jnana) devotee arrives. He is learned, intelligent and has lot of respect for M. During the conversation, the topic ‘Which is higher, the house-holder ashrama or that of sannyasa’ comes up for discussion. Many bhaktas take part in it. Finally Durgapada is on one side and Jagabandhu on the other. A tumultuous war of words is being is waged from both sides, but there is none to see it. All the weapons of reason, shastras, apta vakya (utterances of the realised souls) are being used. But neither side is ready to yield. After lot of arguments they come to reach the stage of a treaty. They agree that each is great in its own place, "Sannyasah karmayogashcha nihshreyaskaravubhau" [Renunciation and performance of yoga of action both lead to highest bliss, both are good (Gita 5:2)].
Antevasi, the Younger Jiten, Manoranjan and others reach Shuklal’s house in Beliaghata. Shuka Lal, showing a lot of consideration, treats the bhaktas to a sumptuous meal. Then, the bhaktas go to witness the Rasa at the nearby Chingrighata. The venue of the Rasa today too is full of the joy of the Rasa. They return to Morton School at twelve at night.
The next day, seven in the evening. M. is seated on a mat on a seat of blanket in the room of the second level facing east. He has devotees on all three sides Shuka Lal, the Elder Amulya, the Elder Jiten, the Doctor, the Younger Jiten, Vinay, Balai, the Elder Nalini, Gadadhar, Buddhiram, Jagabandhu and others. These days, Sri Krishna’s Rasa Lila is being performed. They only talk of the Rasa in the assembly of the bhaktas. They are now talking of the Rasa of the Chingrighata. Shuka Lal is talking about the Mahatma who has started this Rasa.
Shuka Lal The person who started this Rasa fare had the name of Ananda Jana. By caste he was namah shudra. He had earned a lot of wealth by taking up the trade of fishing during his ordinary life. It is with that money that he has arranged this big show. In his later life, he took to the gerua (ochre) clothes and become a sannyasi. He would live his life by begging. For fourteen years, he lived as a sannyasi.
M. (with great joy) So, I was thinking that it was by the tapasya of some Mahatma that such a festival of joy had been established. Just as the son inherits the wealth of his father, similarly, his sons have received his divine wealth. They are blessed by getting such a rare wealth of their father. They, who have such bhakti and renunciation, are really Brahmins. Let the society say anything about them, but they belong to a high caste. God is bound to them by their devotion. Thakur, who came as an avatara, said this. Let the society say anything, we will only listen to the avatara.
Next day is a Saturday, eight in the morning. Jagabandhu, the Younger Jiten and Vinay are seated in the room of the second level. They are living in this very room. Jiva, the peon hands over some proofs of the Kathamrita to Jagabandhu and says, ‘The Bara (elder) Babuji has sent them for you to read.’ Having read the proofs with the help of Younger Jiten, Jagabandhu sends them back to M.
At nine o’ clock, M. climbs down to the second level and takes his seat on a bench in the veranda in front of the staircase. To the left of M. are seated the Younger Jiten and Vinay on the same bench. Jagabandhu stands in front. Showing the proofs to them, M. says, ‘See this, here is a wrong found. You have not marked it. Why do I show them all to you? For future guidance.’
Jagabandhu (to himself) There is a broken letter only at one place. Even this has not escaped his sight. What a powerful brain, what a sharp concentration even in this old age! This little mistake of mine, he has shown me for my good, so that I am accurate in all matters. Lest, I should feel hurt at his pointing out this mistake to me, he has also added his explanation.
"The man cannot see his own mistake and doesn’t want to hear about it when it is pointed out. He makes mistakes and will be proud too. What an effort M. makes, what an anxiety M. has to save one from this precarious situation. This is as if it is his need and our good. All trouble, effort and compassion are his. So, he is so sweetly humble. A perfect teacher, a Self-realised man. He knows all our weaknesses, so he becomes so humble before the devotee because of his selfless compassion, like the parents are before their ignorant offspring."
M. is now on the roof of the fourth level. With him are some bhaktas. Seeing the bright gentle rays of the sun, he is so happy like a child. Says he, ‘Oh, how beautiful is the sunshine as if the whole earth is laughing because of the sun sent by Him!’
A devotee spreads M.’s bedding in the sun.
Two in the afternoon. Vinay and his elder brother Dr. Bakshi have brought a car for him. M. would go to Cossipore to witness the Rasa, and Ginni Ma, M.’s wife, will go to the Doctor’s house, in Cossipore.
M. comes to the second level. The school is now closed for the day. M. says to a young teacher, "Where is your water kept?" The devotee brings a mug of water from upstairs. M. washes his hand and mouth with it.
‘I want a little water, bring me some water,’ such words gratify the bhaktas. But M. does not say so. According to him, it is the language of the proud. He uses the language of request, the language of a servant, not that of one who is served.
After Self-realisation, one’s language changes. Perhaps, that is why Arjuna asked Sri Krishna: sthitaprajnasya ka bhasha [What kind of language a man of steady wisdom uses? (Gita 2:54)]. One must watch all the conduct of such men. One can then compare it with one’s own.
After some time, M. stands near the north-western window on the second level. Down below in the school’s courtyard, a hen is pecking at grain, with two of its chicks. M. fixes his gaze on them. There is a bhakta standing close to M. M. says to him, ‘Just see this, this goes on (eating, sleeping, sex and fear). This is the dharma of the jiva. Yet do people wake up?’
It is evening. The parlour on the second level. M. is seated on a mat with the devotees. He meditates along with the bhaktas for the long time. The Elder Jiten, the Younger Jiten, the Doctor, the Elder Nalini, Vinay, Ramani, Amrit, Balai, the Younger Nalini, Manoranjan, Gadadhar, Buddhiram, Shanti, Fakir, Jagabandhu and so on come and join in the meditation.
It is eight o’clock. M. is seated there for the reading of the Devi Bhagavata. Ramani is reading. Today, M. is very tired. To rid himself of this fatigue, he takes to this dhyana. The devotees often sees him doing so. Sometimes there is a flood of spiritual talk, continuous talk to get rid of this fatigue. While narrating the qualities of God, M. forgets his body, intellect and his lower mind and gets immersed in the higher spiritual joy. When he is bodily tired, M. generally asks for the shastras to be read or he may ask for a song to be sung. So today Devi Bhagavata is being read. At the end of the reading, Ramani sings:
O the bee of mind! Get intoxicated at the lotus-feet of Ramakrishna!
All sensory pleasure is covered with thorns, don’t get absorbed in it.
Birth and death are terrible diseases. How long will you tolerate them?
Drink the nectar of the love of the Lord’s feet. Your worldly travails will end.
There is no escape from the pairs of dharma and adharma, joy and sorrow, peace and fire.
Cut asunder the cord of karmas with the sword of jnana.
Speak the name of Ramakrishna, the night of your moha will turn into a day.
Then, you will not suffer the fire of bad dreams and your deep sleep will break.
2.
The second level of the Morton School. Seven in the morning. The onset of cold weather is gently felt. M. is seated on the bench in the veranda. He has put on a white sweater. The Younger Jiten, Vinay and Jagabandhu are seated near M. They are talking at random. M. says to the bhaktas, "Then you may get up. It’s already time. Go for the darshan of the Math and Dakshineswar. I would like to hear about them this evening. Men go to the homes of their near and dear ones. The near and the dear of the bhaktas is Thakur. And they, who leaving aside their all, call upon him day and night. They are whole time men. You should go and have their darshan. Then alone will your mind will be at right place. Otherwise, the man forgets his ideal. The highest aim of man’s life is God realisation, that is to say knowing the Self. Those who live in the Math have this as their ideal. One must keep contact with them."
It is Sunday today. The devotees are free. At times, M. makes the devotees do so. He makes them spend their whole day in the darshan of God and in thinking upon Him. This, he calls practical Vedanta. Thakur used to call it, ‘Administering medicine forcibly by placing the knees on the chest.’ In Thakur’s language, this is how a good physician acts.
The bhaktas spend three hours in the Belur Math in dhyana, bhajana, darshan and so on. Some of them meditate in the Thakur-shrine and the others in the Holy Mother’s. Then, they leave for Dakshineswar by steamer at twelve noon. The arati and the offerings of bhoga to the Mother are being performed. After having it’s darshan, they come to Thakur’s room. Ramalal Dada’s son, the priest of Mother Kali gives a leaf with the prasad of the Mother to each bhakta. At 3 o’ clock, Vinay goes to Calcutta on some mission.
The Younger Jiten and Jagabandhu meditate for a long time on the platform under the old Banyan tree. Then they read the Chaitanya Bhagavata. Chaitanya, having embraced sannyasa has come to Navadwip. The devotees, seeing him in the new dress shed tears of love. His head is shaven, his clothes dyed gerua and ‘Krishna, Krishna’ always on his lips. His clothes of a tyagi have a silent message for the common man: One attains the joy of Brahman only by giving up all sensory pleasures of the world for attaining God. The ideal is same even for the house-holders, to have darshan of God. They are house-holders only in name, within them, they have sannyasa. They attend to all work with unselfish motive and offer its fruits to Sri Bhagavan. As Sri Ramakrishna used to say Live in the house-hold as a maid in a big house. The maid has only the right to work, not to its fruit. She has to be contented with what the lady of the house gives her.
At six o’clock, the devotee Durgapada Mitra joins them. They begin to discuss with him the complete renunciation of the bhaktas and living in the household like a maid servant.
Durgapada If the ideal is God-realisation, then the right thing is to try to attain this ideal giving up all work, leaving everything, but all people can’t do it. They understand but can’t do it. Only some can do so. Their number is very small. Why is it so?
A Particular Bhakta Some desire for sensory enjoyment is persisting, that is why, they cannot renounce all. That is why, Thakur taught to serve like a maid servant, to do unselfish work i.e. work for God. To serve like a maid servant by speech and in work is very difficult, but, Lord gave an assurance: svalpamapyasya dharmasya trayate mahato bhayat. If one makes a sincere effort, he comes and tells everything.
"We have heard from the gurus that the Lord knows that the man is feeble. So, if one weeps and implores Him, He makes the impossible, possible. Thakur said to M., ‘What is beyond the mind, the thought, even the dream, He solves such an invincible problem just by moving His finger.’ That is why, he told them to take shelter under that Juggler and to keep company of and serve those who have taken refuge in Him. And Thakur said something else, ‘Cry secretly in a solitary corner and ask God, He will certainly fulfil the desire of your mind.’ Having listened to the guru’s word and thinking over it, you have to understand by intellect what is your duty. This is the first thing. Then, one should try to act on it with the help of the company of the holy in accordance with your reasoning. Having done so, one should cry and cry and ask Him, this is what Thakur said. Hearing, thinking, trying and then weeping this is the path."
The bell of the arati is ringing in Mother Kali’s temple. Giving up everything, the devotees go to have the darshan of the arati. Then the bhaktas dance in Thakur’s room clapping and singing Thakur’s name.
The bhaktas return to Calcutta by a motor bus.
Having had the darshan of Mother Kali of Thanthania, they listen to the prayers of Nava Vidhan Brahmo Samaj. The preacher is talking of Brahmananda Keshab Sen: He (Keshab Sen) used to say, "Weep, crying ‘Mother, Mother’. The All Compassionate One will certainly bestow Her grace, brother."
Morton School, the room on the second level, the session with M. It is already eight p.m. M. is seated on a mat on the floor surrounded by the bhaktas. He is telling the householder bhaktas how to conduct the household ashrama.
M. (to Dr. Bakshi) Because one pays the servants, should one always make them work hard? One should not take too hard a work from one’s servants to make him work from morning to night continuously! How much concentration the chauffeur needs, lest somebody should be run over!
"I sit down every day to meditate. My God, I feel as if the head is being pressed. Is concentration a mere trifle? The mind has to be brought together from so many sides before it can be concentrated."
As soon as M. sees the devotees who have returned from the Dakshineswar, he stops all conversation. He says anxiously, ‘Tell me, give me an account of your tapasya of today.’
The Younger Jiten We had the darshan of Thakur and the sadhus in the Math and after offering them pranam, we sat separately to meditate. Then, we went by steamer to Dakshineswar. There, we took our bath in the Ganga and had darshan of the bhoga and arati of the Mother. After meditating in the Thakur’s room, we took some very simple food and went to rest in the Panchavati. Thereafter, we meditated for two hours under the Banyan tree. This was followed by the reading of the Chaitanya Bhagavata.
M. A good day’s work! The time spent with God as the goal is the only time well spent. Who did the reading? And from where?
The Younger Jiten He read. Chaitanya Deva had taken sannyasa from Keshab Bharati. The bhaktas manoeuvred to bring him to Navadwip. He wanted to go to Vrindavan.
M. A nice place to read from! Chaitanya Deva renounced all for the sake of God. And this is the ideal of man. One must make an effort to attain the Lord. This effort should take priority over all other efforts.
"And the reading was done in such a beautiful spot. It was under this Banyan tree that Thakur had so many visions. By sitting there to meditate and carry out japa and reading, one is quickly inspired. The fire is burning there, it is concentrated there. The mind gets concentrated as soon as you sit there. Thakur himself said so to a bhakta (M.) that one should meditate there."
M. The death anniversary of Raghunath Das is being celebrated in Vrindavan today. Kaviraj Goswami wrote most of the Chaitanya Charitamrita (The Life of Chaitanya) after hearing about him from Raghunath. Some portion of it, he wrote from Damodar’s daily recordings. Raghunath was the only son, the son of the raja of saptagram (seven villages). He had married, but so powerful was his renunciation that he left home and ran away to Puri. He was only nineteen then. Giving up his most beautiful wife, immeasurable wealth, he reached Puri. Chaitanya Deva gave the responsibility of training him to the old Sannyasi Swarup Damodar. He used to write his diary daily. This dairy is the another source of the Chaitanya Charitamrita.
"The Chaitanya Charitamrita was written at the behest of old sadhus of Vrindavan. Kaviraj Goswami was old, then about eighty. He has not seen Chaitanya Deva himself."
Amrit Who wrote the Chaitanya Bhagavata?
M. Vrindavan Das was the son of Sri Vas’s daughter. He had seen Chaitanya Deva. Perhaps, he was five years old then. It is said that Chaitanya Deva injected power into him. That is how the (Chaitanya) Bhagavata came to be written.
"They say about ‘The Chaitanya Charitamrita’ that it remained unpublished for a long time after it was written. Perhaps, it was after about a hundred years of Chaitanya Deva’s passing away that it was published. In those days, books in Bengali did not receive much consideration. The manuscript of this book was thrown into the Yamuna along with other old papers and letters. The bundle of this book was carried by the current to a ghat (bathing point) where it got stuck. Some individual happened to see it. Taking it out of water, he gave it to somebody and thus the book was saved. This book had undergone a very critical time.
"There was yet another critical time for it. Srinivas, the disciple of Nityananda was carrying this manuscript to Bengal. On the way, the box containing it was stolen at Vishnupur. It was Raja Hambir of that place whose help made it possible to retrieve the book."
M. remains silent for a while. Then, he resumes the conversation.
M. (to the devotees) Raghunath Das’s life is all saturated with constant deep vairagya (renunciation) He was with Chaitanya Deva in Puri for twelve years. Then, he was sent to Rupa Sanatan in Sri Vrindavan to revive Vrindavan.
"He was told before his departure to Vrindavan, ‘You will not talk rustic (low) language, nor will you hear such talk. You will not eat good food, nor dress well and you will repeat the name of Radha-Krishna of Braja.’ He followed this advice literally. Sitting at the bank of Radha Kund, he went on repeating ‘Radha-Krishna’. He had nothing but a loin-cloth on his body and in his last period his food consisted of a small leaf-cup of curd diluted with lot of water (lassi). It is said that in the matter of hard life, he defeated even Sanatan. Sometimes, Sanatan would come and ask him to desist from such austerity but who listens! Reason, ‘Raghu’s rule is like a line drawn on a stone.’ "
3.
While talking of Radha-Krishna, Vrindavan, Raghunath and Sanatan, the bhaktas raised various matters regarding Krishna Lila. Along with it, they also talked on Rasa Lila and then the Rasa fair of Chingrighata. A bhakta said, ‘It’s managers belong to a low caste.’ Instantly, M. contradicted him sharply.
M. (gravely, to the bhakta) What are you saying? Those who have such a sea of devotion in their home, they are real Brahmins. Brahman means God. They who know Him are Brahmins. If one did not know Him, if one did not have unbreakable faith in Him, could one spend money so freely? What a great receptacle they are! Those who have such devotion are real Brahmins.
Because of M.’s sharp rebuke, they all keep quiet. M. is also silent. Then, he begins to talk.
M. (to the devotees) I went to the Nava Vidhan Brahmo Samaj. There, we had a very beautiful conversation. For sometime, they read the sayings of Keshab. On hearing them, Oh, I feel, they were all Thakur’s words.
"Some people say that Brahmo Samaj does not accept that. Never mind, if they don’t. When a son inherits the wealth of the father, does he go to the market place shouting: I say, I have inherited my father’s wealth. And then what should he say? His wealth tells all very quietly that it is all his father’s wealth father, i.e. avatara."
M. is again pensive. Then he talks.
M. (laughing, to the devotees) Oh, how beautiful was Keshab Babu’s way of putting it. At one place he says, ‘All right Baba, but you have no caste. You are neither Brahmin, nor Vaidya, not Kayastha nothing. Then how can your son have a caste?" (Laughter) So very beautiful the way of his putting.
"If a person, who is called low by the society, has bhakti, he becomes a Brahmin. And, if there is no bhakti, even a Brahmin changes himself into a low caste. The cult of Chaitanya has a great saying (to a bhakta) What is it?
Bhakta
chandalopi dvijashreshthah haribhaktiparayanahah,
haribhaktiviheenastu dvijopi shvapachadhamah.
[Even a Chandala (pariah), if he is full of bhakti for Hari, is a great Brahmin, and the Brahmin without bhakti for Hari is lower than a dog.]
What is M. thinking? Some more talk.
M. (laughing) Thakur once said to Kedar Chatterjee, ‘If you go from here without taking anything, Adhar will be very much hurt.’
"Kedar has his house in Halishahar. Once he become a Brahmo Samajist. He was then ex-communicated by the Samaj.
"One day Thakur went to Adhar Sen’s house. Arrangement for meals was being made there. When Kedar came to know of it, he wanted to run away. He said to Thakur, ‘Lord, I may leave if you permit.’ (Laughter) Thakur knew that he would leave. So, he said, ‘If you people go without taking food, Adhar will feel very much hurt.’
"And he also said, ‘What caste for devotees? All devotees belong to one caste the children of the Lord.’ So, they are one’s near and dear ones. You can leave your relatives, but you cannot leave the bhakta. By making a bhakta happy, by worshipping him, you worship God himself. The food grains of the bhakta are pure.’
"Folding his hands, Kedar Babu had said, ‘Lord, once it put me into complexity, so may I go?’
"Thakur did not give him his consent. Because he had entered the Brahmo Samaj, he had been excommunicated. He feared it again. (Laughter).
"After a while, Adhar Babu came to say that the leaf plates had been arranged. Thakur rose and said to all, ‘Let us go.’ He sat with them all and ate. After the meals, Kedar Babu asked for his pardon. Said he, ‘Lord, I made a mistake. If you have eaten here, who am I to refuse? Mere insignificant (pinch of) ashes.’
"The Lord saved the esteem of the devotee. Adhar was His own child, but, does He only take responsibility of the devotees’ other world? No, He takes responsibility for this life here, too. Now, He is at Adhar’s house. Adhar is an intimate disciple, who has taken shelter at His feet. So, Thakur has taken his whole responsibility on His shoulders.
"On the other hand, if Kedar Babu had not taken anything there, Adhar Babu would have felt hurt and this would have meant harm to Kedar Babu. He saved Kedar from committing that fault.
"What is the significance of such a conduct on his part? God, His incarnation is above the bonds of society. For preserving the society, He, having entered the mind of the master of the society, has made its rules. But, where the devotee is subjected to insult, He leaves the society’s rules behind. God is above society. Besides, the devotee and the Lord are one. So, He saved the self-esteem of the devotee, Adhar."
Enter the Elder Sudhir. It is about nine p.m. Sudhir is an old boy of the Morton School. He is a devotee, so, M. is very fond of him. Now, his head is some what disordered. So, he talks of very irrelevant matters.
Sudhir (to M.) I shall have to sell my house.
M. Why? Have you to pay any debt?
Sudhir No.
M. Then, why do you have to sell?
Sudhir I would like to tour.
M. Where?
Sudhir America.
M. (affectionately, in loving words) No, no, not yet. I am old now. I can die any day. I like to see you always. You can go even after I am no more. How young you are after all! Let it be after a few years. You may do then what you like.
Sudhir Yes, Sir.
A Certain Devotee (to himself) The teachers task is indeed very difficult. How anxious he is for the good of the devotees. Sudhir is a devotee of Thakur, so, he has so much consideration for him. Besides, how much he has come down, out of compassion!
M. keeps silent for a while and then resumes.
M. (to Sudhir) But, is it right to sell it? It is called real estate a brick built house, a good situation and all that. Where are you living now?
Sudhir In Howrah.
M. Do you massage your head with oil?
Sudhir Yes Sir, with Lakshmi Vilas oil.
M. And you should take rice with curd and churned milk (lassi, butter milk) and you should take bath and have long sleep.
Amrit Lakshmi Vilas is only coconut oil. The oil of til should be better.
M. Yes, you should massage with til oil. Paramahansa Deva used it for massage. He also had a little disorder of vayu, you know.
Amrit You should follow his advice.
M. Yes, this is like our meeting. You should come here sometimes. We sit here together every day. Please come here sometimes.
A bhakta sees this divine conduct of his with thirsty eyes. His heart is full of joy, assurance and gratitude. He is saying to himself, we are blessed. Our heart is also tasting the touch of the loving sport of Thakur through His intimate disciples. Indeed, we are blessed. Sudhir, the orphan having no near and dear one is not alone, without help, for he belongs to the divine, huge family of the Sri Ramakrishna bhaktas.
Sunday, 18th November 1924.
The first of Agrahayana, 1331 (B.Y.).
The 5th day of the dark fortnight,
52 Dandas/1 Pala.