We are immensely pleased to bring
before our English-speaking readers the fourth volume of Sri Sri Ramakrishna Kathamrita. By
the grace of Sri Ramakrishna, the first edition was published in 2001, followed
by Volume II in 2002 and Volume III in 2005. A second, enhanced edition of
Volume I would be printed in few months. In this five-volume series we attempt
to translate the original Bengali edition as published by M., which is
currently published by the Kathamrita Bhawan,
In the new edition a
discerning reader will notice three main enhancements. First, we have used the
expression ‘lust and greed’ or ‘lust and gold’ instead of ‘woman and gold’ as a
translation of kamini kanchana.
Second, we have made the Bengali spellings for places, personalities, and
Sanskrit words consistent with the Ramakrishna literature, for words such as purashcha-rana, jivanmukta, Jadu Mallick, and so on, so as to
enable the readers of Sri Ramakrishna literature to quickly identify with places,
persons, and technical terms.
Moreover, we have added an
index of words, another index of songs, and an index of Sri M.’s visits to Sri
Ramakrishna by date.
Before you dive deep into
the Kathamrita, a look at its publishing history may
be of interest. The five volumes of the Kathamrita in
Bengali by M. saw the light of day in the years 1902, 1904, 1908, 1910, and
1932. Reading all five volumes, one sees the develop-ment
of the mind: from intellectual to intellectual-spiritual, from
intellectual-spiritual to spiritual-intellectual, and from
spiritual-intellectual to pure spiritual, and then to the practical pure
spiritual state. In the first volume we find profound truths explained with the
help of illustrations as guide to intellectual reasoning. For example, the
tortoise moves about in water, but do you know where its mind abides? Rub your
hands with oil before you break the jackfruit, and so
on. In Volume II the highest Truth is explained by an intellect that is soaked
in spirit. In Volume III Sri Ramakrishna is found expounding sublime truths
from a totally spiritual perspective. In Volume IV a practical spirit shows how
to internalize and apply the injunc-tions in everyday
life. Volume V additionally contains an index of characters and the songs of all
five volumes. The five volumes of the Kathamrita,
then, are five steps leading us from the gross to the Mahakarana
(the Great Cause).
Smt. Ishwar
Devi Gupta, who left her mortal body on Buddha Purnima,
May our readers, friends,
and associates attain supreme bliss and peace by reading this book. This is our heartfelt prayer at the feet of the Lord.
Durga Puja,
21 October 2007
Publisher