a born rebel against God

[Guest guest]

Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa and Girish Gosh

Based on the writings of Swami Nikhilananda

Extracts from 'The Disciples of Ramakrishna'

 

Girish Chandra Gosh was a born rebel against God, a sceptic, a

Bohemian, a drunkard. He was the greatest Bengali dramatist of his

time, the father of the modern Bengali stage. Like other young men he

had imbibed all the vices of the West. He had plunged into a life of

dissipation and had become convinced that religion was only a fraud.

Materialistic philosophy he justified as enabling one to get at least

a little fun out of life. But a series of reverses shocked him and he

became eager to solve the riddle of life. He had heard people say

that in spiritual life the help of a guru was imperative and that the

guru was to be regarded as God himself.

 

But Girish was too well acquainted with human nature to see

perfection in a man. His first meeting with Sri Ramakrishna

Paramhansa did not impress him at all. He returned home feeling as if

he had seen a freak at a circus; for the Master (Sri Ramakrishna), in

a semi-conscious mood, had inquired whether it was evening, though

the lamps were burning in the room. But their paths often crossed,

and Girish could not avoid further encounters. The Master attended a

performance in Girish's Star Theatre. On this occasion, too, Girish

found nothing impressive about the Master.

 

One day, however, Girish happened to see the master dancing and

singing with the devotees. He felt the contagion and wanted to join

them, but restrained himself for fear of ridicule. Another day, Sri

Ramakrishan was about to give him spiritual instruction, when Girish

said: "I don't want to listen to instructions. I have myself written

many instructions. They are of no use to me. Please help me in a more

tangible way if you can." This pleased the Master and he asked Girish

to cultivate faith.

 

As time passed, Girish began to learn that the guru is the one who

silently unfolds the disciple's inner life. He became a steadfast

devotee of the Master.

 

Girish often loaded the Master with insults, drank in his presence,

and took liberties which astounded the other devotees. One night

under the influence of liquor he abused the Master in the theatre

hall in most indecent language. The enraged devotees were about to

punish his insolence, but Sri Ramakrishna held them back and quietly

returned to Dakshineshwar Temple. There again many devotees requested

the Master not to go to Girish any more.

 

But there was one amongst the devotees, Ram Chandra Datta, who told

the Master, "Sir, you will have to put up with this as well. He can

only give what he has. The serpent king of the Bhagavata said to Lord

Sri Krishna, `My Lord, you have given me poison, where shall I get

nectar to give you?' Similarly Girish has worshipped you with

whatever you have given him."

 

Sri Ramakrishna simply smiled and said to the other devotees: "Just

hear his words. Get me a coach (a horse drawn carriage). I shall go

to Girish's house today." Thus without caring about the objections of

the devotees, Sri Ramakrishna went to the house of Girish and found

him smitten with anguish and remorse. The kind and affectionate words

of the Master banished all gloom from his mind and filled it with a

flood of joy.

 

The Master knew that at heart Girish was tender, faithful and

sincere. The Master would not allow Girish to give up the theatre.

And when a devotee asked him to tell Girish to give up drinking, the

Master sternly replied: "That is none of your business. He who has

taken charge of him will look after him. Girish is a devotee of

heroic type. I tell you, drinking will not affect him."

 

The Master knew that mere words could not induce a man to break deep-

rooted habits, but that the silent influence of love worked miracles.

Therefore he never asked Girish to give up alcohol, with the result

that Girish himself eventually broke the habit. Sri Ramakrishna had

strengthened Girish's resolution by allowing him to feel that he was

absolutely free.

 

One day in the course of a conversation Sri Ramakrishna told Girish

that along with his work he must remember God at least in the morning

and in the evening. (Add the God Principle in daily life). He

looked at Girish as if expecting a reply. "That is a very simple

thing to do," Girish thought, "but I am a busy man with no fixed

hours for food or sleep. I shall surely forget to remember God at

those stated hours. So, how can I promise that?"

 

Sri Ramakrishna read his mind and said, "All right, if you cannot do

that, then remember God before meals and at bed-time."

 

Girish was not willing to promise even that- such was the

irregularity of his life, and besides he was by nature opposed to any

hard and fast rule and the slightest restraint was galling to him.

Sri Ramakrishna realised his perplexity and said finally, "So you are

unwilling to agree to this even. All right, give me your power of

attorney. Henceforth, I assume responsibility for you. You need not

do anything."

 

Girish heaved a sigh of relief. He felt happy to think that Sri

Ramakrishna had assumed his spiritual responsibilities. But poor

Girish then could not realise that he also, on his part, had to give

up his freedom and make of himself a puppet in Sri Ramakrishna's

hands.

 

The master began to discipline Girish according to this new attitude.

One day Girish said about a trifling matter, "Yes, I shall do this."

 

"No, no!" the Master corrected him. "You must not speak in that

egoistic manner. You should say, `God willing, I shall do it.' "

Girish understood. Thenceforth he tried to give up all idea of

personal responsibility and surrender himself to the Divine Will.

Girish understood that he had given up his freedom and had made

himself the Master's captive. Thenceforth he tried to give up all

idea of personal responsibility and to become a willing instrument of

the Divine Will. The sincerity of Girish in this respect was beyond

comparison. His mind began to dwell constantly on Sri Ramakrishna.

This unconscious meditation in time chastened Girish's turbulent

spirit.

 

During the last days of his life Girish used very often to utter the

name of Sri Ramakrishna. His eyes and countenance radiant with a

superb glow bespoke his inner illumination and his unswerving faith

in the love and grace of his Master. Girish said to his brother-

disciples, "I do not want anything else; only bless me that I may

always remember him as the ocean of infinite love and compassion. The

world is no longer a terror unto me. I have transcended all fear of

death through his grace."

 

On the night before the day of his final exit from the world, Girish

calmly uttered the name of Sri Ramakrishna thrice and prayed, "Lord,

let me have peace; take me into thy bosom." So saying, the heroic

devotee of Sri Ramakrishna closed his eyes for good and passed into

the realm of eternal rest on Thursday, February 8, 1912.

 

[Note: The Master, Sri Ramakrishna had passed away on Sunday, August

15, 1886.]