(1836-1886)
Sri Ramakrishna represents the very core
of the spiritual realizations of the seers and sages
of India. His whole life was literally an uninterrupted
contemplation of God. He reached a depth of
God-consciousness that transcends all time and place
and has a universal appeal.
Born in the village of Kamarpukur,
70 miles west of Calcutta, on Wednesday, February 18,1836, and brought up in a pious, devout and simple rural
atmosphere, Gadadhar, later known as Sri Ramakrishna, was endowed with a
yearning for the vision of God from his very childhood.
Neglecting his studies, he sat with the wandering monks
and piligrims and played religious dramas with his young companions.
To turn his mind to useful education, he was brought to Calcutta at his
seventeenth year, Gadadhar, however, observed that the aim of all secular knowledge was mere material
advancement, and he resolved to devote himself solely to the pursuit of
spiritual knowledge which would ensure eternal peace.
Circumstances now so shaped themselves that within a short time he became the
priest of the Kali temple at Dakshineswar, which was built by
Rani Rasmani, a wealthy and pious widow of Calcutta. The worship
of God was after his heart and he took to the duties of the new vocation
with great zeal and enthusiasm. Gradually his worship developed into
a burning desire to have a direct vision of the Divine Mother,
which he had in due course.
Ramakrishna now plunged into hard spiritual practices and realized God by following
the various paths of Hinduismand also through the desciplines of Christianity
and Islam. Thus in various ways Sri Ramakrishna tested the bliss of
communion with God- sometimes merging himself totally in the Absolute, sometimes as a child
of the Divine Mother, maintaining an appearance of duality.
After all these he declared, "I have found that it tis the same God
towards whom all are directing their steps."
While he was going through his spiritual ecstasies, romour had reached
Kamarpukur, his village home, that he had gone mad. As a remedy his mother and elder brother got
hom married to Sri Sharada Devi, who is now venerated as the Holy Mother.
Sri Ramakrishna literally worshipped her as Divine Mother.
Once while massaging Sri Ramakrishna's feet Holy Mother asked him,
"How do you look upon me?" Sri Ramakrishna replied, "The mother that is
in the Kali Temple, is the same that gave birth to this body and now resides in
the Nahabath, and she again, is now massaging my feet. Truly I see you as veritable
form of the Blissful Mother!" Their union was on the
spiritual plane only. Yet he taught her everything from house-keeping to the
knowledge of Brahman. He instructed her in all the practices
of spiritual life. Like him she was purer than purity itself.
Men and women from all walks of life and different religions
came to him for spiritual solace. Whoever came with
earnestness felt his unbounded love,
and got spiritually uplifted by his presence and words.
He passed away on the 16th August, 1886. But before that he had specially
trained a band of young men to carry on his spiritual mission. These
young men renounced the world, and formed the monastic Order bearing his name,
with the motto "for one's own salvation and for the welfare of the world.
Led by the most dynamic and brilliant of them, Swami Vivekananda,
they spread his message all over the world.
In the present-day world, threatened by nuclear war and torn by
religious intolerance, Sri Ramakrishna's message of harmony
gives us hope and shows the way. May his life and teachings
ever inspire us.
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You see many stars in the sky at night but not when sun rises. Can you therefore say that there are no stars during the day? O man because you can not find God in the days of your ignorance, say not there is no God.
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There are various faith in the world. As many faiths so many paths. Many are the names of God and infinite the forms through which He may be approached.
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The grace of God does not consist in giving us our daily bread. Every father is bound to provide his children with food anf raiment. He is truly gracious when He gives us strength to overcome our daily temptation.
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