According

Balaram was an orthodox Vaishnava devotee.’2
M also said: ‘Girish Ghosh once said to the Master:
“Sir, my servant was down with a fever for six
days. Your prasad cured him.” At once the Master
scolded him: “Fie on you! What a small-minded
person you are! You are asking for pumpkins and
gourds from God! You should ask for immortality
from Him.” ’
On 6 December 1884 Bankimchandra Chatterjee,
a famous Bengali writer, met Sri Ramakrishna
at Adhar Sen’s Calcutta residence. The
Master invited Bankim to visit him at Dakshineswar
and the latter accepted. Kumudbandhu Sen
recorded M’s reminiscences of this event:
Girish knew Bankim very well, so the Master sent
me with Girish to Bankim’s. Bankim had promised
the Master at Adhar’s that he would visit the
Master at Dakshineswar, so I was sent to find out
the date of his visit. We went to Bankim’s Calcutta
residence and as soon as he heard of our arrival he
came and received us cordially. Girish and Bankim
began to talk about their writings, and I stood
there and listened to them.
The age difference between Girish and Bankim
was eight or ten years, and both were literary men.
They became absorbed in their discussion. I was
then thirty years old. I listened to them attentively.
When their conversation was over, I mentioned
the Master’s invitation. Girish then said: ‘You
wanted to visit Dakshineswar, so the Master has
sent us to ask when it would be convenient for you
to go there.’ Bankim replied: ‘I have a great desire
to visit him. The other day I felt tremendous joy
seeing him at Adhar’s. Not only do I have a desire
to see him at Dakshineswar, I am also eager
to bring him to my home here. Now I
am extremely busy with my work; I am
unable to tell you now when I shall get
time to go there. Whenever I find
an opportunity, I shall let you
(pointing to Girish) know.’ Unfortunately,
Bankim’s wish was
not fulfilled.3
Girish and the Devotees of Sri Ramakrishna 53
from persecution. They would meet at a devotee’s
house at night, make their plans, and talk passionately
of the greatness and glory of Christ. Just as
Christ’s disciples were united by their love for him
and for each other, so Sri Ramakrishna’s disciples
and devotees were bound with a cord of unselfish
love. Mahendranath Datta wrote:
One day Girish invited M to his house for dinner.
While eating, Girish said: ‘This food is sanctified
with bliss and love! It is a great joy to have
the company of the Master’s devotees and to eat
together!’ In fact, the devotees had so much love
for one another that they would visit each other’s
homes and eat without any invitation. Each one
felt that the other’s home was his own home and
the other’s food was pure and sanctified. They felt
so much attraction for each other that they would
feel a pang of separation if they did not see a particular
devotee for a few days. They loved to be
together and talk about the Master.4
(To be continued)
References
1. M, The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, trans. Swami
Nikhilananda (Chennai: Ramakrishna Math,
2002), 471.
2. Swami Nityatmananda, Srima Darshan (Calcutta:
General Printers, 1967), 6.130, 7.156, 1.108–9, 3.86,
2.107, 5.210–12, 5.276–9, 3.39–40.
3. Kumudbandhu Sen, Smritikatha: Srima Sarada,
Swami Vivekananda O Ramakrishna Mandali
(Howrah: Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Ashrama,
2001), 161–2.
4. Mahendranath Datta, Vivekananda Swamijir
Jivaner Ghatanavali (Calcutta: Mahendra Publishing,
1964), 2.69.
After the crucifixion of Jesus,
his disciples came together in
order to protect themselves
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